Charge of the Light Brigade - Essay Example

Due to the foolishness of youth and the hope of a quick victory, each of us wanted to be a part of the battle that would change the course of this strange yet intense conflict. Sadly, as a youth is so often optimistic, the hopes and dreams of my fellow comrades and I were soon diminished as the war dragged on far longer than any of us ever expected it to. Yet, at last, we were informed by our officers that our very brigade would be making an offensive maneuver. Many of us thought that this opportunity was one that had slipped by for far too long and were eager to take place in such an activity.

We were informed that the target was a fleeing artillery unit that we could harass and ultimately destroy as a means of improving our countrymen’s position on the field of conflict and seeking to leverage a thorough victory. However, before we set out on the charge, we realized that the position we were attacking was not dismantling and leaving but in fact heavily fortified and well provisioned. As such, we had one of two choices. Either we could refuse the order and instruct our officers that they had made a fundamental error or we could shoulder our duty and perform it per the requirements that we had been trained.

Naturally, as valorous soldiers that sought duty and honor before death, we chose the latter. Sadly, the results of this decision were ultimately terminal for many of the men within my brigade. Withering machine gun fire, constant artillery barrage, and small arms fire defined the charge itself. Even though our men reached the outer perimeters of the defenses towards which we had targeted, the force was so greatly reduced that the effectiveness of this attack was repelled almost immediately. Although many individuals who regard this battle consider this a valorous action, I must say that after having taken part in it, the valor of seeing such a slaughter is somewhat lost upon me.

Moreover, the retreat itself was almost as deadly as the advance. The artillery, machine guns, and small arms of the Russians did not see their engagement until the point in which we were fully out of range and/or undercover of our own defenses. After the charge, officers, fellow soldiers, newspaper journalists, and individuals around the world held us as heroes. However, it is with a great deal of said that I did not specifically feel myself a hero. Rather, I felt that the men and I within the brigade who had engaged in active foolishness were little more than pawns within the hands of misinformed and rather uncaring officers on the field.

It must be stated that even though I have this level of sadness and discussed with regards to the way in which this particular action was carried out, the patriotism that I have towards King and country remain undiminished (Cavendish 53). Instead of viewing this charge as a life altering way of thinking about my patriotic duty, I have instead realized that the military chain of command is oftentimes fundamentally flawed. Rather than performing checks and ensuring that each and every man could be spared, the arrogance of complete and total control over the battlefield, by specific military commanders such as Maj. Gen. Lord Cardigan, allows such individuals to care little with respect to the trials, tribulations, and ultimate death that their soldiers might face in the field of conflict.

Moreover, the officers that reported to Lord Cardigan were naturally fearful of questioning the tactics and providing