A futile British light cavalry action against well-armed and well-prepared Russian forces during the Battle of Balaclava in the Crimean War, resulting in massive losses to the British.
Charge of the Light Brigade
Fact of the Day
Pounds, shillings and pence were rooted in Roman librae, solidi and denarii. This is where the abbreviation LSD comes from.
Quote of the Day
"A French bastard arriving with armed banditti and establishing himself the King of England against the consent of the natives is in plain terms a very paltry rascally original and certainly has no divinity in it.
"
~ Thomas Paine, 1776
On This Day
1787 The 'First Fleet' of 11 ships carrying convicts to Australia left England.
1888 Slavery was abolished in Brazil.