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Auction: 19001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 373

(x) 'Lord Raglan wishes the cavalry to advance rapidly to the front and try to prevent the enemy carrying away the guns. Troop of horse artillery may accompany. French cavalry is on your left. Immediate.'

Lord Raglan's Fourth Order to Lord Lucan, 25 October 1854.

A remarkable 'Light Brigade Charger's' Crimea Medal awarded to Major Edward Lennox Jervis, 6th Dragoon Guards, late 13th Light Dragoons; having reached the enemy batteries in North Valley, Jervis rallied his men in a determined effort to drag away the guns, fighting through Cossacks to seize his objective.

His horse was shot from under him as he led an improvised 'gun team' back to the British lines; he lived to attend the first Balaklava Banquet on 25 October 1875.

Crimea 1854-56, 4 clasps, Alma, Balaklava, Inkermann, Sebastopol (Captain E. L. Jervis, 13th Light Dragoons), naming contemporarily engraved, 'Angel Musto' engraved onto reverse field, fitted with a Hunt & Roskell silver top riband buckle, very fine, in its Hunt & Roskell fitted leather case

Edward Lennox Jervis was born at Westminster on 12 April 1834, the son of Sir John Jervis, whose cousin was Admiral Sir John Jervis, Lord St. Vincent. The 1851 census records him living at 47 Eaton Square, Belgravia. Commissioned an Ensign in the 21st Foot (Royal North British Fusiliers) on 11 July 1851, he was promoted to Lieutenant on 18 June 1852. On 6 July he transferred to the 13th Light Dragoons.

The 13th embarked for the Crimea aboard H.T. Negociator on 8 May 1854. While stationed at Varna, Jervis took part in the Light Brigade's reconnaissance to Silistria on the southern bank of the Danube, aimed at watching Russian intentions in Wallachia. During this expedition he contracted an illness, for he was admitted to Scutari Hospital on 15 September 1854. He was discharged just in time to ride in the Charge of the Light Brigade.

At the Battle of Balaklava on 25 October, the Light Brigade's starting position on the eastern slope of the Sapoune Ridge was obscured from that of the Heavy Brigade by a long ridge known as the Causeway Heights, along which ran the key Woronzoff Road. These heights split the plain above Balaklava into two valleys, North Valley and South Valley. Standing in one, it was impossible to gain any sense of what was happening in the other, although Lord Raglan had a perfect view of both from the top of the Sapoune. This might explain why the Light Brigade did not pursue Ryzhov's Cavalry as it fled in terror before the Heavy Brigade, one of the day's lost opportunities. It certainly explains why Raglan's infamous 'Fourth Order' to Lord Lucan was misinterpreted. Always at the back of Raglan's mind was Wellington's claim never to have lost a gun (Pemberton 1962, 48). When he saw the Russians dragging away British guns from the captured redoubts on Woronzoff Road, the Light Brigade could not see this development and had no idea which guns Raglan meant them to retrieve. Knowing no better, the Light Brigade dashed itself against massed Russian artillery at the opposite end of North Valley.

The 13th Light Dragoons and 17th Lancers formed the first line of the Charge, the 13th positioned on the right. Jervis is confirmed upon all the rolls as having ridden with his Regiment. After the Light Brigade had passed the muzzles of the Russian guns, its scattered troopers tried in vain to rally on their commander, Lord Cardigan, but he was nowhere to be seen. Without his direction, they applied themselves to the supposed purpose for which they had charged: the recovery of the guns. Though a junior officer, Lieutenant Jervis organised this herculean effort. Corporal Thomas Morley of the 17th Lancers went to his assistance. He later recalled (Brighton 2004, 147):

'Lieutenant Jervis was riding towards a cannon that was retreating to the rear. I galloped up to him and informed him that Lord Cardigan was above, pointing my sword to the place, my lance having been shot away at the last volley as we charged the guns. He replied, "Never mind, let's capture that gun!" We raced towards it. He said, "Cut down the gunners!" He shot one of the horses in the head bringing it to a sudden stop. The gunners disappeared between the horses and the gun-carriage as we slashed at them. We both dismounted and took out the dead horse while more of the Brigade gathered about to assist us. Private John Smith mounted one of the horses attached to the gun, and another soldier mounted another horse of the gun. We started back off the field at a gallop with the mounted cannon.'

Returning to the British lines, Jervis led his group through a large body of Cossacks, who slashed and stabbed mercilessly. During the pursuit his horse was shot from under him (Dutton 2007, 237). The Light Brigade had begun the Charge with 673 officers and men, resplendently clad in the most decorative uniforms in Europe; 195 dazed and blood-stained figures limped back to the position from which they had started.

Promoted Captain on 8 December 1854, Jervis was admitted to Scutari Hospital several times during 1855. Advancing to Major on 21 February 1860, he exchanged into the 6th Dragoons on 4 September 1860. On 26 July 1861 he was placed on Half Pay. In retirement he served as a Justice of the Peace, living at 30 Tregunter Road, Brompton. He attended the first Balaklava Banquet on 25 October 1875. He died at 77 Fernlea Road, Balham on 14 April 1900, and was buried at Tooting two weeks later; sold with a file of copied research and confirmation of clasp entitlement.

Reference works:

Brighton, T., Hell Riders: The Truth about the Charge of the Light Brigade (London, 2004).
Dutton, R., Forgotten Heroes: The Charge of the Light Brigade (Oxton, 2007).
Pemberton, W. B., Battles of the Crimean War (London, 1962).



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