‘The Victorious Charge’, 1854 circa (chromolitho)

‘The Victorious Charge’, 1854 circa. Chromolithograph after T Gowing published by T Forman and Sons, Nottingham 1854 circa. This print shows the Heavy Brigade advancing to engage the Russian cavalry at the Battle of Balaklava on 25 October 1854 while the 93rd Highlanders form a line. A vignette of Major-General James Yorke Scarlett is visible below to the right. During the battle a large body of some 3,000 Russian cavalry threatened the road to the harbour of Balaklava. The British Heavy Brigade, about 800 strong, consisted of ten squadrons of heavy cavalry, commanded by Scarlett. Seeing the Russian horsemen halted, and thus vulnerable to attack, Scarlett immediately charged uphill with three of his squadrons, being successively reinforced by the remaining seven squadrons of his Brigade. Reeling from this series of attacks, the Russian cavalry retired in disorder a few minutes later.