158 CONFESSIONS OF A HOBSE DEALER. 



the quality and increasing the numbers of that class of 

 horses from which our troopers are selected, to prevent 

 a recurrence of the hurry and bustle we experienced 

 during the Crimean war, when numerous agents were 

 employed to buy up horses at double their value, and 

 totally unfit to carry such men as were sacrificed in the 

 battle of Balaclava ; and although it may be said that the 

 horses carried our soldiers nobly through that fearful 

 struggle, it must be remembered that the five regiments 

 which composed the light brigade went into action only 

 six hundred strong, in place of three thousand, about 

 the number of effective men when sent from home (and 

 this was their first general action). A few more such 

 fights would have annihilated every horse in the brigade ; 

 for although some of the men were in hospital, the ma- 

 jority of them were prevented from assisting their com- 

 rades for want of horses. 



"What, I would ask, is the use of enlisting soldiers, 

 drilling, equipping, and paying them for years during 

 peace, and when they are wanted for action having to 

 purchase horses at an increased price, always consequent 

 upon a sudden demand, and totally unfit to carry 

 them; this I know, not only creates a feeling of dis- 

 content among the soldiers, but is a great injustice to 

 them, and a positive loss to the country at large, which, 

 of course, would be remedied by having a sufficient 

 number of horses in reserve for remounts, in case of loss 

 by disease, wounds, or deficiency in the supply of forage* 

 as in the Crimean campaign, 



