7th earl lieutenant general 7th earl october march officer british_army commanded war led charge light brigade battle life politics long military career characterised arrogant extravagant period progression army marked episodes extraordinary incompetence measured men command genuine bravery member landed aristocracy actively opposed political reform britain year life relented came acknowledge reform bring benefit classes society early life born modest standards family manor house february father inherited immense estates revenues went family seat james accordingly lord took residence grand households age fourteen educated notwithstanding fears family childhood head injury caused dangerous fall horse seriously damaged intellect showed greek latin good academic progress settled quarrel pupil organised fist fight father removed school fist fights tolerated fact receiving punishment absence having broken bone hand attended london surgeon annoyed earl subsequently educated home son seven sisters developed child accustomed getting way seen cause arrogance later life fine rider inspired decisive role cavalry battle wish purchase commission fashionable regiment serve army officer father preserving family pedigree risk battle allow instead november sent christ church oxford automatically granted admission examination left year academic bent released years notwithstanding showing degree parliament february term oxford following father wishes member parliament pocket borough owned cousin charles earl intention grounding parliamentary affairs eventually place house_of_lords action leaving oxford parliamentary seat traditional wealthy young men time grand tour russia sweden included extensive traditional destinations france italy trip allowed enjoy pleasures cultural social opportunities afforded countries visited return took seat house_of_commons naturally ruling house contribution government minimal served canning great commitment intellect offer compete issue stand party introduced bill allowing limited catholic emancipation patron cousin charles instructed oppose crucial votes admiration wellington bill sponsor consequence thrown seat return parliament cost earlier expect handed pocket borough instead buy elected member cornwall cost today money sum spent seat identified reform act correction thrown fought family local constituency newly created reforms despite holding advantage dependent family patronage goodwill campaign smoothly september beaten injured campaigning precaution distributed equivalent today electorate seat won albeit junior member whig rival inherited father marriages early 1820s met december july husband friend childhood according account mother friend new wife started soon wedding started divorce proceedings june suit finalised early received damages apparently happy rid calling damned bad tempered extravagant bitch kingdom married june happy marriage separated children leaving wife elizabeth married second time september achieving greater notoriety conducting affair wife dying happy union notwithstanding ages disappointment children excluded fashionable society rest days accustomed life country happily previous interests books painting music spent large sums money making home comfortable remained good terms principal mistress tolerated affairs military early career interests included politics preservation ancient privileges aristocracy climate period committed career army age formed troop horse armed official stocks guard possible demonstrations age joined 8th king royal irish making extensive use purchase commissions system use lieutenant january captain june major august lieutenant colonel albeit half pay months later december obtained command 15th king reported premium march parliamentary business form contested campaign delayed taking command youth inexperience compared battle tested officers led veterans battle drew naturally nature manifest petty minded bullying publicly conduct court martial held determine charges laid captain subordinate dismissed order early influence court asked sister married chamberlain lord howe decision reversed senior officers politicians march allowed command 11th light later 11th notwithstanding view commander chief lord hill unfit command passage wife joined new command india october following year time enjoy tiger shooting seeing regiment britain end long posting travelled separately hired vessel share warship carrying troops years following appointment weeks spent regiment genuine desire lead smart efficient unit set fortune improve regiment reputation performance purchasing brilliant new uniforms men caused resentment professional officers match men attire costly uniforms buy role portrayed historical fiction novels charge wished officers aristocratic flamboyant stylish consequence time men indian officers learnt profession years service 11th long posting india attitude particularly evidence mess forbidden serving porter choice professional officers formal mess dinner visitor requested wine served black bottle similar porter decided indian captain ordered guest arrested course received strongly lord hill privately believing founded felt interests good order discipline public demonstration support necessary guardian sent details case london papers months regiment commander chief subject ridicule cat calls black bottle appeared public punishment administered cousin long serving captain court sending letter response barred commanding officer quarters hill drafted strong memorandum urging employ temper discretion dealings officers indian officers 11th found object october long serving veteran fell seriously ill attended nights died substantial payment family secured suitable position younger son writer highly critical acknowledged officers men noted regular anonymous civic charities prosecuted duel officers long serving professional acquitted legal notwithstanding arrest hit man prosecution demonstrated pistol concealed hair trigger thought according fired captain indictment victim harvey allowed jury peers number unanimously nobleman law time allowed tried capital crime house_of_lords sitting jury lord high steward judge added times alleging deliberate high level leave loop hole prosecution case reporting view england law rich poor describing verdict defeat justice obituary described justice absurd technical war notorious exploit took place war october command battle led charge reaching russian guns returning personally unscathed manoeuvre cost lives men command took charge died wounds later extent lord blame attacked expressing doubts receiving direct order troops immediate superior lord commander men barely speaking terms married sisters believed treat order conveyed captain died charge blamed passing order incorrectly action return charge report behaviour captain know dead riding ahead start attack staff officer army commander lord colonel alleged book letters staff officer survived fled scene charge contact enemy edition allowed horse later editions stated earl fine satisfactory explanation horse famous bred park estate survived war returned safely england preliminary legal sought indictment criminal libel action failed bench plain courage doubt found led men enemy guns displayed conduct general open criticism conclusion shared historian concludes displayed want charge lost contact men brave persistence far ahead doubt reached overrun enemy battery recognised guns enemy officer acquainted war considering duty later explained fight enemy private soldiers turned way steadily said return walk avoid appearance lines recalled things differently later giving evidence slowing walk realised watched retreat noticed general russian commander identify english officer saw away attack officers men second lines men brigade commander remained responsible advancing charge saw commander riding retreat officers noticed absence lord 4th return intense hand hand fighting encountered composed challenged account response wrote official complaint new commander chief duke cambridge cambridge letter comment reply turn complained fact taken regiments attack day inconclusive claim counter claim followed diverted allegations public book letters went sale week following battle remnants posted inland high ground overseeing british lines surrounding spent nights campaign aboard luxury yacht harbour found great leadership brigade suffered result missed november asking journalist returning conflict firing rode harbour noon day decisive stages battle second day absent managed arrive played brigade great avoid embarrassing earl mentioned official account battle london faults tried ensure troops command equipped winter fell exposed position food fodder clothing shelter short supply writing letters pointing deficiencies food fodder available coast refused release men horses carry stores officers pleaded case surprise attack enemy orders colonel gave evidence board failure noted fact horses needed horses men ride wrote privately evidence excluded final report lord difficulty carrying corps entitled resolved justified bringing great horses died december citing ill health set england circumstances word officer fitness serve normally accepted permitted departure medical board confirmed claimed disability hero newspaper accounts charge given wide circulation england time ship port january town offered welcome london enthusiastic crowd january queen victoria invitation received windsor explain prince albert details battle victoria noted presented story absent public appearances february gave highly exaggerated account participation charge banquet held honour mansion house london february speech home town went describing shared men living time common tent charge rallied troops pursued fleeing enemy far river biographer david points misleading account exploits hardly given able enjoy months doubts conduct emerged inspector general cavalry government recommended order queen denied honour previous incidents private life instead invested knight order bath merchants eager profit fame sold pictures depicting role charge written chronicles based accounts rushed print supposedly worn earl campaign fashionable sold commanding officer brother law lord recalled disgrace largely brought determination commander chief lord displace blame arrived england weeks subordinate officer looked pun exploited charge taken place little regard given version events earned unfortunate nickname lord look held reserve action earlier battle alma july times hinted public real nature services east absence definitive popularity remained officers taken command aftermath charge role claiming heard reception england anxious record straight writer rushed hasty pamphlet praising retracted words report fellow officers reservations earl conduct day soldiers began return england doubts hardened following year official colonel publication letters proof telling truth nonetheless continued characteristic arrogance self remained cavalry post years months active service diary general officer cavalry published account time overwhelming enthusiasm army remained meticulous standards dress parade required earlier commands applied cavalry colonel regiment 5th guards derived satisfaction formal retirement accompanying promotion lieutenant general colonel favourite regiment 11th commanded remained royal favour early selected accompany heir throne inspect prussian cavalry manoeuvres possibly choice arrogant behaviour hosts strangers high self esteem military officers resulted numerous challenges duel quickly sent home queen blocked household regiments married elizabeth military function mounted review 11th india joined colonel adversary black bottle affair men settled differences previous year retirement retirement lived happily passing time horse racing hunting shooting remained member parliamentary life continued occasional foray london speak house_of_lords military matters continue press official recognition glorious career surprised commentators spoke favour second reform bill acknowledging change heart said time trying stem tide reform long passed given good luck extension vote great benefit class community presented house petition calling additional recognition late general inventor explosive artillery shell recognition effectiveness died injuries caused fall horse march possibly following stroke buried family modern assessments historian reason harm earl posthumous reputation critical assessment career earl military historian colonel letters staff officer modern reprint isbn biography hero provides sympathetic portrayal hell riders truth london gives critical account brigade commander finds way blame charge cultural depictions charge light brigade film based research played primary antagonist movie depicts harsh military incompetent shows black bottle affair incorrectly makes antagonist heavily features rivalry lord shows pursuing affair papers novels feature recurring villain instalment commands 11th transfers india marries grounds daughter reappears charge catches trying seduce later reluctantly joins charge light brigade appears briefly great game demands defend reputation hostile journalists refuses insults mention comes angel lord observes liaison appears antagonist video game assassin set game member headed plot assassinate prime minister lead character discovers plot prevents death finally tracks kills
James Brudenell, 7th Earl of Cardigan