The New Student's Reference Work/Balaklava

Balaklava (bȧ' lȧ-klä' vȧ), a small Russian fishing village in the Crimea, near Sebastopol. In the Crimean War the British made it their headquarters and began building a railroad to Sebastopol. It was attacked by the Russians, October 25, 1854; but they were repulsed. During this attack the famous charge of the light brigade was made. Upon a probably mistaken order, Lord Cardigan led his light brigade of 600 men against a large force of Russians. With great bravery they cut their way to the Russian guns, but finding that they could do nothing there, turned and cut their way back again. Only 150 men survived the brilliant but fruitless charge. Tennyson's ode in commemoration of it is well known. The English left the town in June, 1856.