178 REMINISCENCES OF 



and have also read many accounts of that disastrous 

 day, I will only refer to poor Goad. The Times special 

 correspondent is the only true account (flowery, of 

 course, but quite correct) of that day ; half the other 

 accounts, and illustrated pictures, lies from beginning 

 to end. We were, as you know, ordered to charge 

 down a valley a mile and a quarter long, flanked by 

 hills on both sides studded with guns and infantry, 

 and eleven guns in front (the ones we were ordered 

 to ' retake '), their cavalry, about 5,000, drawn up 

 close in rear of them. The instant we advanced we 

 were in range, and over went men and horses by 

 threes and fours all the way. We should all have 

 been knocked over only we went as hard as we could 

 split, and they did not shoot forward enough from 

 the flanks. The last I saw of poor Goad was about 

 150 yards from the guns, when the smoke was so 

 thick we could see no one. Some men saw him 

 lying on the ground wounded, but, of course, having 

 to fight our way back, could not help him. Oldham 

 I saw killed by a shell which burst under his horse, 

 and knocked over two or three others. It blew his 

 mare's hind-legs off, and he jumped up himself not 

 hit, when next moment he threw up his hands and 

 fell dead on his face. Montgomery was my right 

 troop leader (first squadron), and I saw him safe into 

 the guns ; after that, on returning, he was seen dead 

 on his face, poor fellow. Our wretched remnant, 

 when we got to the guns, went with such a right 

 good cheer, bang through their cavalry, which cut 

 right and left like sheep ; on rallying back there were 



