909, STEUBEN STREET, N.W., WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., NOVEMBER 12th, 1896. MY LORD, I beg leave to renew my application for the Victoria Cross, basing my claim upon gallantry of conduct during the Charge of the Light Brigade, 25th October, 1854, and the Battle of Inkerman, and will give proofs that corroborate my own statements. My previous applications for the Cross have been brief. With your Lordship’s permission I will now give a more detailed statement. First as to the Charge of the 600:— My squadron was nearly annihilated before we reached the Russian battery, every officer being either killed or wounded. Myself and horse had been knocked down once and my lance shot away. After our passing through and silencing the guns my first thought was to look for directions from an officer, and I rode to Lieut. E. L. Jarvis, still living I believe a retired Major, of the 13th Light Dragoons, as his uniform was so nearly like that of the 17th Lancers, that I first thought he belonged to my regiment. Lieut. Jarvis pointed to a cannon that was being taken off at a gallop towards our right rear, and said, “Let’s capture that gun.” We immediately charged upon it. Jarvis shot one of the horses in the head, bringing it to a stop. I cut down the gunners with my sword. We both dismounted and took out the dead horse, when more stragglers of the Brigade came to our assistance. Private John Smith, C Troop, 17th Lancers, now living in London, mounted one of the horses to the gun carriage and we started off the field with it when a large body of Cossacks charged upon us completely surrounding us. I fought my way through and was pursued down the valley by seven of them into a body of Russian Hussars re-forming. I had no alternative but to charge through their line, which I did, an officer striking my head with the sword, my lance hat saving my head except for a bad bruise. A brigade of Russian Hussars were retreating down the valley pursued by about forty of our men. I rode from the right flank to the left flank of the rear rank calling to the men to fall back. Private Clifford of my troop rode into the column and was cut to pieces before my eyes. The Hussars came about and we were then between two large bodies of cavalry, one marching up the valley, the other down, so that the few of our Brigade who were farthest beyond the Russian guns were now completely hemmed in by a great body of Russians. At this critical moment, when there was no officer to command us and we were apparently lost, I beg leave to introduce the words of a comrade still living describing my conduct. [Picture: The Only Squad Rallied Through The Guns]