Charge of the King's Division (Poem)

Charge of the King's Division was a poem, written in 1853, about the Charge of the King's Division at the Battle of Hampdon Street.

Poem

I
Half a league, half a league,
Half a league onward,
All in the valley of Death
Rode the two thousand.
“Forward, the Light Brigade!
Charge for the guns!” he said.
Into the valley of Death
Rode the two thousand.

II
“Forward, the Heavy Brigade!”
Was there a man dismayed?
Not though the soldier knew
Someone had blundered.
Theirs not to make reply,
Theirs not to reason why,
Theirs but to do and die.
Into the valley of Death
Rode the two thousand.

III
Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon in front of them
Volleyed and thundered;
Stormed at with shot and shell,
Boldly they rode and well,
Into the jaws of Death,
Into the mouth of hell
Rode the two thousand.

IV
Flashed all their sabres bare,
Flashed as they turned in air
Sabring the gunners there,
Charging an army, while
All the world wondered.
Plunged in the battery-smoke
Right through the line they broke;
Coalition and Saxon
Reeled from the sabre stroke
Shattered and hounded.
Then they rode back, but not
Not the two thousand.

V
Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon behind them
Volleyed and thundered;
Stormed at with shot and shell,
While horse and hero fell.
They that had fought so well
Came through the jaws of Death,
Back from the mouth of hell,
All that was left of them,
Left of two thousand.

VI
When can their glory fade?
O the wild charge they made!
The world was astounded.
Honour the charge they made!
Honour those bold brigades,
Noble two thousand!