Many such scenes I saw; still I felt unhurt, and strong as a lion. I distinctly remember seeing Lord Cardigan on my right front, his tall form towering higher than the heads of many around him. His head was bare, and his thin light hair was dishevelled in the breeze caused by the rate at which we had galloped over the valley. I saw but little more, for the enemy had now opened fire upon both their own troops and ourselves. The retreat was sounded; I had already fought my way back, side by side with three or four of the 17th Lancers, and was once more near the guns we had jumped over in our advance. Here my horse was hit on the near side, and falling heavily on his off side, my leg was wedged so fast under him that I found I was quite unable to extricate myself, and in this position I remained lying on my back for at least a minute, the enemy's lancers and dragoons all around me, and falling every instant from their own fire. One miscreant made three distinct cuts at me as I lay, and in putting my hands up to save my head, I was so badly wounded in both, that I could make no effort whatever to release myself. I was also wounded by a sabre cut across my left thigh, my cheek was lacerated with a lance, and I had given myself up to die. In another minute a remnant of the 11th Hussars came up. Luckily I had strength to call out: three of them instantly dismounted, some of the 4th were at hand, and among them I was released, and assisted on a loose horse; my hands were terribly lacerated, but he required no steering. Now we heard coming to our relief the cheers of the heavy brigade and some French light dragoons, the Chasseurs d'Afrique, who covered our retreat and kept the enemy at bay, but failed to carry off our wounded, who were left on the field with the dead. I got safe to camp, where my wounds were dressed, but I was incapacitated for further service, and shortly afterwards was discharged. Captain Nolan was killed soon after we got within range of the field-guns. Lord Fitzgibbon and Colonel Shewell, of the 8th Hussars, were badly wounded, and soon after died. In all, 13 officers were killed and 21 wounded, 156 men were killed and 197 wounded, 394 horses were killed and 126 wounded. I have put down all the men and horses as actually missing, to the list of killed. Those that I put down wounded returned to camp, but such as were left wounded on the field would no doubt be massacred by the Russians as they lay. In the next chapter I shall detail the services of the 8th Hussars in India, whither they were sent on the breaking out of the mutiny, and took part in all the important battles with the rebels. These details have been supplied to me by a comrade, who served throughout both the Crimean and Indian campaigns. CHAPTER THIRTY ONE.