Balaclava was now the British base of operations. Its defence was entrusted to Sir Colin Campbell, with the 93rd Highlanders, some marines, and a certain number of Turks; the cavalry being at hand to help him in the plain. But the better to secure the base with so small a force, an inner line of field-works was constructed from Kadikoi on the north, along the heights on the east of Balaclava to the sea, and an outer line of six redoubts on the Causeway heights. It has already been said that the English and Russian patrols had clashed on the Tchernaya; and as General Liprandi, with a Russian army, had fixed his headquarters at Tchorgoun, less than a mile beyond the Tchernaya to the north-east, this was hardly surprising. Shortly after the middle of October Captain White of the Seventeenth, while on outlying picquet on the Kamara Hills, had observed a large force of Russian cavalry and duly reported it. Knowing the Russians to be in considerable force, neither Sir Colin Campbell nor Lord Lucan were at their ease as to the safety of Balaclava, from the weakness of their defending force and its isolation from the rest of the army. On the 23rd October Major Willett died, and the command of the regiment once more changed hands. The senior officer, Captain Morris, was employed on the staff; and it became a question whether he would remain where he was, leaving the command to Captain White, or whether he would return to the regiment. [Sidenote: 1854.]On the 24th Lord Lucan received intelligence that Balaclava would be attacked on the morrow by a Russian force of 25,000 men. He at once despatched an aide-de-camp to Lord Raglan, who said “Very well.” That evening Captain Morris decided that he would take command of the Seventeenth. [Sidenote: 25th Oct.] Next day the cavalry turned out as usual an hour before daybreak, and were standing to their horses, when Lord Lucan rode off slowly to the easternmost redoubt on the Causeway heights. The coming of the dawn showed him a signal on the flagstaff of the redoubt, which told him that his information was correct, and that the Russians were advancing in force. Lord George Paget of the 4th Light Dragoons at once galloped back and ordered the Light Brigade to mount. The men were just about to be dismissed to their breakfasts when they were moved off toward the threatened quarter.