# Into the Valley of Death rode the six hundred... **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 9, 2004, 9:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/into-the-valley-of-death-rode-the-six-hundred/233284 "2004-03-09T09:19:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![peccavi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peccavi/32/388_2.png) [@peccavi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peccavi)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2024, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/into-the-valley-of-death-rode-the-six-hundred/233284/41 "2024-10-28T03:17:43Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > Pickett’s Charge (ordered by Lee) was arguably as foolish as the Charge of the Light Brigade. I’ll put the [Fetterman Massacre](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fetterman_Fight) up against both as far as foolishness goes. > _“Give me 80 men and I can ride through the whole Sioux nation.”_ ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2024, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/into-the-valley-of-death-rode-the-six-hundred/233284/42 "2024-10-31T21:35:47Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Qy4NpZ1HnbU/maxresdefault.jpg "Two Too Young | Little Rascals Shorts | 1936 | FULL EPISODE | Our Gang") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qy4NpZ1HnbU&t=474/) ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2024, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/into-the-valley-of-death-rode-the-six-hundred/233284/43 "2024-11-01T19:26:47Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > A more modern semi-equivalent of the Charge of the Light Brigade was in the Battle off Samar in 1944, when U.S. destroyers charged a far superior Japanese force that included battleships and cruisers, suffering serious losses but helping to save the rest of the American fleet. The major difference is the Taffy 3 (the US task unit) _won_ against all odds. Whereas the Light Brigade could only console themselves with the glory of the attempt, since they were unable to accomplish their mission. ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2024, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/into-the-valley-of-death-rode-the-six-hundred/233284/44 "2024-11-01T21:34:31Z")
They did accomplish their mission. They captured the Russian guns. There was no follow on plan to exploit the success. If they stayed with the guns without relief, they’d be slaughtered. Back through the gauntlet they rode. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2024, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/into-the-valley-of-death-rode-the-six-hundred/233284/45 "2024-11-01T21:53:25Z")
Did they at least spike the guns? Because a skilled tap & die technician charges up the wazoo for an outcall. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2024, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/into-the-valley-of-death-rode-the-six-hundred/233284/46 "2024-11-01T22:59:20Z")
> [@gnoitall](#): > > > [@Jackmannii](#): > > > > A more modern semi-equivalent of the Charge of the Light Brigade was in the Battle off Samar in 1944, when U.S. destroyers charged a far superior Japanese force that included battleships and cruisers, suffering serious losses but helping to save the rest of the American fleet. > > The major difference is the Taffy 3 (the US task unit) _won_ against all odds. I was specifically referring to the sacrificial charges of the group’s destroyers such as _Johnston_ during that action. > [@](#): > > She charged onward to close the enemy—first a line of seven destroyers; next, one light and three heavy cruisers; and then the four battleships. To the east appeared three other cruisers and several destroyers. > > As soon as range closed, _Johnston_ opened her 5-inch battery on the nearest cruiser, scoring damaging hits…In five furious minutes, _Johnston_ pumped 200 rounds at the enemy. Then Comdr. Evans ordered, “Fire torpedoes!” The destroyer got off 10 torpedoes then whipped around to retire behind a heavy smoke screen. When she came out of the smoke a minute later, Japanese cruiser _Kumano_ could be seen burning furiously from torpedo hits. _Kumano_ later sank. But _Johnston_ took three 14-inch shell hits from a battleship, followed closely by three 6-inch shells from a light cruiser: “It was like a puppy being smacked by a truck." [https://destroyerhistory.org/actions/index.asp?pid=4583](https://destroyerhistory.org/actions/index.asp?pid=4583) ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2024, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/into-the-valley-of-death-rode-the-six-hundred/233284/47 "2024-11-02T07:05:46Z")
I need to edit what I wrote. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2024, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/into-the-valley-of-death-rode-the-six-hundred/233284/48 "2024-11-02T07:18:59Z")
My only contribution to this thread is that the event inspired one of the best heavy metal songs of all time, and when I saw Maiden live in 2014 they did an absolutely stellar rendition of it with Bruce Dickinson wearing a ragged redcoat and waving a Union Flag while he sang about the Russians shooting him and his horse to death. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/t24ij5kI2cg/maxresdefault.jpg "Iron Maiden - The Trooper. HQ audio.") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t24ij5kI2cg) ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2024, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/into-the-valley-of-death-rode-the-six-hundred/233284/49 "2024-11-02T21:33:48Z")
When I was a kid in the 60’s I first learned about the charge of the Light Brigade in an odd place. I had been reading a book series about a nurse named Sue Barton. In one book she was tending a very elderly man on one of her wards. He had a slight British accent and it turns out that when he was a young boy he’d been a drummer in the British army and witnessed the charge. I’m not sure just when the books were written but likely in the late 40’s or early 50’s, judging by pictures and other events mentioned. I checked out an encyclopedia to read about the incident. Sometimes even that kind of fiction can help you learn new things. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/into-the-valley-of-death-rode-the-six-hundred/233284.md?page=2)