The Charge of the Light Brigade Author:John Sweetman The Charge of the Light Brigade, famously immortalized by Tennyson, lasted only 20 minutes from beginning to end and was but one of the three dramatic phases of the Battle of Balaclava. It is however the phase best remembered because of the military incompetence that led to the fateful attack. John Sweetman describes in absorbing detail this das... more »hing series of actions, including 'The Thin Red Line' and the Charge of the Heavy Brigade, as the Anglo-French army besieging the Crimean port of Sebastopol defended its supply base from Russian attack.« less