Lucan, George Charles Bingham, 3rd earl of (1800–1888)

British soldier who mistakenly ordered the Charge of the Light Brigade at the Battle of Balaclava 1854. He was commander of the light cavalry division but misinterpreted ambiguous orders from Lord Raglan, the British commander-in-chief, and led a charge on a heavily defended Russian gun position, with heavy casualties. He was later promoted to field marshal.