For nearly a thousand years
the Roman response to
difficult problems was to
send in the Legions.
Typically, 5000 heavy
infantry with auxiliaries.
Like the Heavy Brigade, the Light Brigade was composed of five regiments totalling roughly 800
men:
4th (The Queen's Own) Regiment of Light Dragoons - Lt. Col. Lord George Paget
8th (The King's Royal Irish) Regiment of Hussars - Lt. Col. Frederick Shewell
11th (Prince Albert's Own) Regiment of Hussars - Lt. Col. John Douglas
13th Regiment of Light Dragoons - Capt. John Oldman
17th Regiment of Light Dragoons (Lancers) - Capt. William Morris
From a military point of view, they received unclear orders; they attacked without infantry support
(and eventually lost the support of the Heavy Brigade); they charged into artillery and they suffered
serious losses: of some 666 troopers in the charge 110 were killed, 129 wounded, and 32 wounded
and taken prisoner. Additionally, 375 horses were killed. Any Anglo-French-Turkish advantages
obtained by earlier tactical victories were lost, so the action must be considered a Russian tactical
and strategic victory. We have no doubts about the valor of the Light Brigade, but ultimately it was a
waste of fine cavalry.
The Crimean War last nearly 30 months. There were 374,000 Allied dead and 143,000 Russian dead.
It would be fair to say very few positive consequences followed.