Description:

CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE RELIC FROM CARDIGAN'S HORSE
JAMES THOMAS BRUDENELL, 7TH EARL OF CARDIGAN (1797-1868) British general who led the ‘Six Hundred' in the disastrous Charge of the Light Brigade during the Battle of Balaclava. An interesting and possibly unique relic: four locks of hair taken from the manes of chargers belonging to Cardigan: ‘Ballack Lava', ‘Sir Charles', ‘the Prince', and the most famous, ‘Ronnald' [sic, Ronald]. The locks are contained in small individual folded packets, each identified and framed along with a note of provenance that reads: ‘Hair taken from the Manes of the chargers ridden by the Earl of Cardigan in the Crimean War – given to me by his Lordship's groom. M. Morgan Jany. 1856'. Of all, Ronald is the most renowned of Cardigan's numerous steeds. A chestnut stallion with two white stockings, he was personally ridden by Cardigan during the Battle of Balaclava on October 25, 1854, a famously tragic strategic blunder which saw Cardigan and his fellow cavalrymen ordered to ride straight into the fire of the Russian guns they were meant to be reclaiming. In a terrific bombardment from three sides, the Brigade was decimated, with only 195 of the original 673 troops still fit for duty riding out of the ‘Valley of Death'. The lives of 475 horses were also claimed, but Ronald was not one of them. He would outlive his rider – who ironically died during an accident with another horse – by 18 years, dying in 1872. His head and tail are now preserved at Cardigan's country seat in Northamptonshire. Handsomely matted and framed with the note of provenance to overall dimensions of 13 x 15 in.

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November 14, 2025 10:00 AM EST
Elkton, MD, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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