Reeding comprenshun not so gud

At today's conservative "Code Red" rally against the health care bill, Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) rallied the faithful with a fun historical and literacy (sic) reference: "It's the charge of the light brigade!"

Someone should let the good congresswoman know that the Light Brigade was chopped to pieces in that charge. The battle took place on 25 October 1854, during the Crimean War. After receiving confused orders, a brigade of British cavalry charged up a short valley directly into the guns of a Russian artillery battery. When they reached the end of the valley, the light brigade realized no one was backing up their advance. They then turned and retreated back down the valley while Russian artillery pounded them from three sides. It was pointless action that cost the brigade almost forty percent of its men and two thirds of its horses. I'm not sure what part Bachmann sees for herself and the teabaggers in that historical image, but I think we can safely assume they aren't the Russians and the Russians were the winners of that particular engagement.