Here I must pause to tell of some few of the many gallant deeds done
during that long and terrible year of warfare. First, how at; the
bloody fight of Inkerman, Captain T. Miller, R.A., defended his guns
with a handful of gunners, though surrounded by Russians, and with his
own hand killed six of the foe who were attempting to capture them. How
Sergeant--Major Andrew Henry, R.A., also nobly defended his guns against
overwhelming numbers of the enemy, and continued to do so till he fell
with twelve bayonet wounds in his body. How at the desperate charge of
the Guards to retake the Sandbag battery, Lieutenant-colonel the
Honourable H.M. Percy, Grenadier Guards, in face of a hot fire, charged
singly into the battery, followed by his men; and how afterwards, when
he found himself, with men of various regiments who had charged too far,
nearly surrounded by Russians, and without ammunition, from his
knowledge of the ground he was enabled, though he was wounded, to
extricate them and to take them, under a heavy fire, to a spot where
they obtained a supply of ammunition, and could return to the combat;
and how he engaged in single combat, and wounded a Russian soldier. How
Sergeant Norman and Privates Palmer and Baily were the first to
volunteer to follow Sir Charles Russell to attempt retaking the Sandbag
battery. Onward dashed those gallant men; the Russians could not
withstand the desperate onslaught, and fled before them.
I have described those two cavalry charges at Balaclava. Several noble
acts of heroism resulted from them. First, I must tell how, when
Lieutenant-Colonel Morris, 17th Lancers, lay desperately wounded on the
ground, in an exposed situation, after the retreat of the Light Cavalry,
Surgeon Mouat, 6th Dragoons, voluntarily galloped to his rescue, and,
under a heavy fire from the enemy, dressed his wounds; and how
Sergeant-Major Wooden, 17th, also came to the rescue of his fallen
colonel, and with Mr Mouat bore him safely from the field. How,
likewise, when Captain Webb, 17th Lancers, lay desperately and mortally
wounded, Sergeant-major Berryman, 17th Lancers, found him, and refused
to leave him, though urged to do so. How Quarter-master-sergeant
Farrell and Sergeant Malone, 13th Light Dragoons, coming by, assisted to
carry him out of the fire.
Worthy of note is the conduct of Private Parkes, 4th Light Dragoons. In
that fearful charge Trumpet--Major Crawford's horse falling, he was
dismounted, and lost his sword. Thus helpless, he was attacked by two
Cossacks, when Parkes, whose horse was also killed, threw himself before
his comrade, and drove off the enemy. Soon afterwards they were
attacked by six Russians, whom Parkes kept at bay; and he retired
slowly, fighting and defending Crawford, till his own sword was broken
by a shot.
Sergeant Ramage, 2nd Dragoons, perceiving Private McPherson surrounded
by seven Russians, galloped to his comrade's assistance, and saved his
life by dispersing the enemy. On the same day, when the heavy brigade
was rallying, and the enemy retiring, finding that his horse would not
leave the ranks, he dismounted and brought in a Russian prisoner. He
also on the same day saved the life of Private Gardner, whose leg was
fractured by a round shot, by carrying him to the rear from under a
heavy cross fire, and from a spot immediately afterwards occupied by
Russians.
Officers and men vied with each other in the performance of gallant
deeds. Major Howard Elphinstone, of the Royal Engineers, exhibited his
fearless nature by volunteering, on the night of the 18th June, after
the unsuccessful attack on the Redan, to command a party of volunteers,
who proceeded to search for and bring back the scaling-ladders left
behind after the repulse; a task he succeeded in performing. He also
conducted a persevering search close to the enemy for wounded men,
twenty of whom he rescued and brought back to the trenches.
Lieutenant Gerald Graham, on the same day, several times sallied out of
the trenches, in spite of the enemy's fire, and brought in wounded men
and officers.
On that day, also, when assaulting the Redan, Colour-sergeant Peter
Leitch first approached it with ladders, and then tore down gabions from
the parapet, and placed and filled them so as to enable those following
to cross over. This dangerous occupation he continued till disabled by
wounds.
Sapper John Perie was on that day conspicuous for his valour in leading
the seamen with ladders to storm the Redan. He also rescued a wounded
man from the open, though he had himself just been wounded by a bullet
in his side.
Private John Connors, 3rd Foot, distinguished himself at the assault of
the Redan, on the 8th September, in personal conflict with the enemy.
Seeing an officer of the 30th Regiment surrounded by Russians, he rushed
forward to his rescue, shot one and bayoneted another. He was himself
surrounded, when he spiritedly cut his way out from among them.
Few surpassed Lieutenant William Hope, 7th Fusiliers, in gallantry.
After the troops had retreated, on the 18th June, Lieutenant Hope,
hearing from Sergeant Bacon that Lieutenant and Adjutant Hobson was
lying outside the trenches, went out to look for him, accompanied by
Private Hughes, and found him lying in an old agricultural ditch running
towards the left flank of the Redan. He then returned, and got some
more men to bring him in. Finding, however, that he could not be
removed without a stretcher, he ran back across the open to Egerton's
pit, where he procured one; and in spite of a very heavy fire from the
Russian batteries, he carried it to where Lieutenant Hobson was lying,
and brought in his brother officer in safety. He also, on the 8th of
September, when his men were drawn out of the fifth parallel,
endeavoured, with Assistant-Surgeon Hale, to rally them, and remained to
aid Dr Hale, who was dressing the wounds of Captain Jones, 7th Foot,
who lay dangerously wounded. Dr Hale's bravery was conspicuous; for
after the regiment had retired into the trenches, he cleared the most
advanced sap of the wounded, and aided by Sergeant Fisher, 7th Royal
Fusiliers, under a very heavy fire, carried several wounded men from the
open into the sap.
Private Sims, 34th Regiment, showed his bravery and humanity on the 18th
June, when the troops had retired from the assault on the Redan, by
going into the open ground outside the trenches, under a heavy fire, in
broad daylight, and bringing in wounded soldiers.
Major Elton, 55th Regiment, exhibited the greatest courage on several
occasions. On the night of the 4th August he commanded a working party
in the advanced trenches in front of the Quarries; and when, in
consequence of the dreadful fire to which they were exposed, some
hesitation was shown, he went into the open with pick and shovel, and by
thus setting an example to his men, encouraged them to persevere. In
March, he volunteered with a small body of men to drive off a body of
Russians who were destroying one of the British new detached works, and
not only succeeded in so doing, but took one of the enemy prisoner.
Colour--Sergeant G. Gardiner, 57th Regiment, showed great coolness and
gallantry on the occasion of the sortie of the enemy, 22nd March, when
he was acting as orderly sergeant to the field officers of the trenches,
in having rallied the covering parties which had been driven in by the
Russians, and thus regaining and keeping possession of the trenches.
Still more conspicuous was his conduct on the 18th June when attacking
the Redan. He remained and encouraged others to stay in the holes made
by the explosion of shells, from whence, by making parapets of the dead
bodies of their comrades, they kept up a continuous fire until their
ammunition was exhausted, thus clearing the enemy from the parapet of
the Redan. This was done under a fire in which nearly half the officers
and a third of the rank and file of the party of the regiment were
placed _hors de combat_.
Major Lumley, 97th Regiment, especially distinguished himself at the
assault on the Redan, 8th September. He was among the first inside the
works, when he was immediately engaged with three Russian gunners,
reloading a field-piece, who attacked him. He shot two of them with his
revolver, when he was knocked down by a stone which for the moment
stunned him. On his recovery he drew his sword, and was in the act of
cheering on his men, when he received a ball in his mouth, which wounded
him most severely.
Sergeant Coleman, also of the 97th Regiment, exhibited coolness and
bravery unsurpassed, when, on the night of 30th August, the enemy
attacked a new sap and drove in the working party. He, however,
remained in the open, completely exposed to the enemy's rifle-pits,
until all around him had been killed or wounded; then, taking on his
shoulder one of his officers, mortally wounded, he retreated with him to
the rear.
Of the many anecdotes of heroism exhibited during the war, none is more
worthy of note than one told of Ensign Dunham Massy, of the 19th
Regiment, then one of the youngest officers in the army. At the
storming of the Redan he led the grenadier company, and was about the
first of the corps to jump into the ditch, waving his sword, and calling
on his men to follow. They nobly stood by him, till, left for two hours
without support, and seized by a fear of being blown up, they retired.
He, borne along, endeavoured to disengage himself from the crowd, and
there he stood, almost alone, facing round frequently to the batteries,
with head erect, and with a calm, proud, disdainful eye. Hundreds of
shots were aimed at him, and at last, having succeeded in rallying some
men, and leading them on up the side of the ditch, he was struck by a
shot and his thigh broken.
Being the last, he was left there with many other wounded. Hours passed
by--who can tell the agony suffered by that mass of wounded men! Many
were groaning, and some loudly crying out. A voice called faintly at
first, and at length more loudly, "Are you Queen Victoria's soldiers?"
Some voices answered, "I am! I am!"
"Then," said the gallant youth, "let us not shame ourselves; let us show
these Russians that we can bear pain as well as fight like men." There
was a silence as of death; and several times, when the poor fellows
again gave way to their feelings, he appealed to them in a similar
strain, and all was silent.
The unquailing spirit of the young hero ruled all around him. As
evening came on, the Russians crept out of the Redan, and plundered some
of the wounded--though, in some cases, they exhibited kind feelings, and
even gave water. Men with bayonets fixed strode over Massy's body.
Sometimes he feigned death. A man took away his haversack. A Russian
officer endeavoured to disengage his sword, which he still grasped; nor
would he yield it. The Russian, smiling compassionately, at length left
him. When the works were blown up in the night by the retreating
Russians, his left leg was fearfully crushed by a falling stone. He was
found in the morning by some Highlanders, and brought to the camp more
dead than alive from loss of blood. Great was the joy of all at seeing
him, as it was supposed that he was killed. In spite of his dangerous
wounds, he ultimately recovered.
Privates and non-commissioned officers vied with each other in acts of
gallantry and dash, as well as of coolness and calm heroism.
Privates Robert Humpston and Joseph Bradshaw, Rifle Brigade, 2nd
battalion, especially exhibited their cool bravery. A Russian rifle-pit
situated among the rocks overhanging the Woronzoff road, between the
third parallel right attack and the Quarries, was occupied every night
by the Russians, much impeding a new battery being erected by the
British. These two men, seeing the importance of dislodging the enemy,
at daybreak of the 22nd April started off of their own accord, made so
furious an attack on the astonished Russians that they killed or put to
flight all the occupants of the rifle-pit, and held it till, support
coming, it was completely destroyed.
Private B. McGregor, also of the same corps, finding that there were two
Russians in a rifle-pit who considerably annoyed the troops by their
fire, he, being in the advanced trenches, crossed the open space under
fire, and taking cover under a rock, dislodged them, and took possession
of the pit, whence he fired on the enemy.
Several of the officers, too, of the Rifle Brigade exhibited conspicuous
gallantry. At the battle of Inkerman, Brevet-Major the Honourable Henry
H. Clifford led a dashing charge of his men against the enemy, of whom
he killed one and wounded another; and one of his men having fallen near
him, he defended him against the Russians, who were trying to kill him,
and carried him off in safety.
Lieutenant Claude T. Bouchier and Lieutenant William J. Cuninghame
highly distinguished themselves at the capture of the rifle-pits, on the
20th of November 1854.
There were numerous instances in which, at the risk of their own lives,
both officers and men saved the lives of their comrades who lay wounded
in exposed positions. Private John Alexander, 19th Regiment, after the
attack on the Redan on the 18th of June, knowing that many wounded men
lay helpless on the ground, in spite of the storm of round shot,
bullets, and shells still raging, went out from the trenches, and, with
calm intrepidity, brought in, one after the other, several wounded men.
He also, being one of a working party, on the 6th of September 1855, in
the most advanced trench, hearing that Captain Buckley, of the Scots
Fusilier Guards, was lying dangerously wounded, went out under a very
heavy fire, and brought him safely in. Sergeant Moynihan, of the same
regiment, also rescued a wounded officer near the Redan, under a very
heavy fire; and on the assault of the Redan, 8th of September 1855,
actually encountered, and with his own hand was seen to have killed,
five Russians in succession. Other acts of gallantry are recorded of
this brave soldier, who, as a reward for them, and for a long-continued
career of excellent conduct, has been since deservedly promoted to a
lieutenancy, and subsequently obtained his company in the 8th Foot.
Sergeant William McWheeney, 44th Regiment, showed probably as much
bravery in saving the lives of his comrades, and in other ways, as any
man in the army. At the commencement of the siege he volunteered as a
sharpshooter, and was placed in charge of a party of his regiment, who
acted as sharpshooters. In the action on the Woronzoff road, the
Russians came down in such overwhelming numbers that the sharpshooters
were repulsed from the Quarries in which they had taken post. On that
occasion Private John Kean, one of his party, was dangerously wounded,
and would have been killed, had he not, running forward under a heavy
fire, lifted the man on his back, and borne him off to a place of
safety. On the 5th of December 1854 he performed a similar act.
Corporal Courtenay, also a sharpshooter, was, when in the advance,
severely wounded in the head. Sergeant McWheeney then lifted him up,
and, under a heavy fire, carried him to some distance. Unable to bear
him farther, he placed him on the ground; but, refusing to leave him,
threw up with his bayonet a slight cover of earth, protected by which
the two remained till dark, when he brought off his wounded companion.
He also volunteered for the advanced guard of Major-General Eyre's
brigade, in the Cemetery, on the 18th of June 1855. During the whole
war he was never absent from duty.
Private McDermot, also, at the battle of Inkerman, seeing Colonel Haly
lying wounded on the ground, surrounded by Russians about to despatch
him, rushed to his rescue, killed the man who had cut down the colonel,
and brought him off.
In like way, at the same time, Private Beach, seeing Lieutenant-Colonel
Carpenter lying on the ground, several Russians being about to plunder
and probably kill him, dashed forward, killed two of them, and protected
the colonel against his assailants, till some men of the 41st Regiment
coming up put them to flight.
Sergeant George Walters, 49th Regiment, also highly distinguished
himself at Inkerman, by springing forward to save Brigadier-General
Adams, who was surrounded by Russians, one of whom he bayoneted, and
dispersed the rest.
Captain Thomas Esmonde especially exhibited his courage and humanity in
preserving the lives of others. On the 18th of June he was engaged in
the desperate and bloody assault on the Redan. Unwounded himself, he
repeatedly returned, under a terrific fire of shell and grape, to assist
in rescuing wounded men from the exposed positions where they lay. Two
days after this, he was in command of a covering party to a working
party in an advanced position. A fire-ball, thrown by the enemy, lodged
close to them. With admirable presence of mind, he sprang forward and
extinguished it before it had blazed up sufficiently to betray the
position of the working party under his protection. Scarcely had the
ball been extinguished, than a murderous fire of shell and grape was
opened on the spot.
Lance-Sergeant Philip Smith, on the 18th June, after the column had
retired from the assault, repeatedly returned under a heavy fire, and
brought in his wounded comrades.
Several acts of coolness, similar to that recorded of Captain Esmonde,
were performed.
On the 2nd September, Sergeant Alfred Ablet, of the Grenadier Guards,
seeing a burning shell fall in the centre of a number of ammunition
cases and powder, instantly seized it, and threw it outside the trench.
It burst as it touched the ground. Had it exploded before, the loss of
life would have been terrific.
Private George Strong, also, when on duty in the trenches, threw a live
shell from the place where it had fallen to a distance.
Corporal John Ross, of the Royal Engineers, exhibited his calmness and
judgment, as well as bravery, on several occasions. On the 23rd of
August 1855 he was in charge of the advance from the fifth parallel
right attack on the Redan, when he placed and filled twenty-five gabions
under a very heavy fire, and in spite of light-balls thrown towards him.
He was also one of those who, in the most intrepid and devoted way, on
the night of the memorable 8th September, crept to the Redan and
reported its evacuation, on which it was immediately occupied by the
British.
Corporal William Lendrim, of the same corps, also, on the 11th April, in
the most intrepid manner, got on the top of a magazine, on which some
sandbags were burning, knowing that at any moment it might blow up. He
succeeded in extinguishing the fire. On the 14th of February, when the
whole of the gabions of Number 9 battery left attack were capsized, he
superintended 150 French chasseurs in replacing them, under a heavy fire
from the Russian guns. He likewise was one of four volunteers who
destroyed the farthest rifle-pits on the 20th April.
Sergeant Daniel Cambridge, Royal Artillery, was among those who
gallantly risked his own life to save those of his fellow-soldiers. He
had volunteered for the spiking party at the assault on the Redan, on
the 8th of September, and while thus engaged he was severely wounded;
still he refused to go to the rear. Later in the day, while in the
advanced trench, seeing a wounded man outside, in front, he sprang
forward under a heavy fire to bring him in. He was in the open, shot
and shell and bullets flying round him. He reached the wounded man, and
bore him along. He was seen to stagger, but still he would not leave
his helpless burden, but, persevering, brought him into the trench. It
was then discovered that he had himself been severely wounded a second
time.
The gallantry of Sergeant George Symons was always conspicuous, but
especially on the 6th of June 1855, when he volunteered to unmask the
embrasures of a five-gun battery, in the advanced right attack. No
sooner was the first embrasure unmasked, than the enemy commenced a
terrific fire on him; but, undaunted, he continued the work. As each
fresh embrasure was unmasked, the enemy's fire was increased. At length
only one remained, when, amid a perfect storm of missiles, he
courageously mounted the parapet, and uncovered the last, by throwing
down the sandbags. Scarcely was his task completed when a shell burst,
and he fell, severely wounded.
Driver Thomas Arthur, of the same corps, had been placed in charge of a
magazine, in one of the left advanced batteries of the right attack, on
the 7th of June, when the Quarries were taken. Hearing that the 7th
Fusiliers were in want of ammunition, he, of his own accord, carried
several barrels of infantry ammunition to supply them, across the open,
exposed to the enemy's fire. He also volunteered and formed one of the
spiking party of artillery at the assault on the Redan.
Among the numberless acts of bravery performed at the battle of
Inkerman, few are more worthy of record than one performed by
Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Charles Russell, Bart., of the Grenadier Guards.
The Sandbag battery, the scene of so many bloody encounters during that
eventful day, had been at length entered by a strong party of Russians,
its previous defenders having been killed or driven out by overwhelming
numbers. Sir Charles Russell, seeing what had occurred, offered to
dislodge the enemy, if any men would accompany him. The undertaking
seemed desperate; but notwithstanding this, Sergeant Norman and Privates
Anthony Palmer and Bailey immediately volunteered; others afterwards
followed their example. On they went, following the gallant Sir Charles
at furious speed, and into the battery they rushed. Bailey was killed,
but Palmer escaped, and was the means of saving his brave leader's life.
The Russians were driven out, and the battery was held by the British.
Sir Charles Russell received the Victoria Cross. We now give an extract
from a letter he wrote to his mother after the battle: "After the brave
band had been some time in the battery, our ammunition began to fail us,
and the men, armed with stones, flung them into the masses of Russians,
who caught the idea, and the air was thick with huge stones flying in
all directions; but we were too much for them, and once more a _melee_
of Grenadiers, Coldstreams, and Fusiliers held the battery their own,
and from it, on the solid masses of the Russians, still poured as good a
fire as our ammunition would permit. There were repeated cries of
`Charge!' and some man near me said, `If any officer will lead us, we
will charge'; and as I was the only one just there, I could not refuse
such an appeal, so I jumped into the embrasure, and waving my revolver,
said, `Come on, my lads; who will follow me?' I then rushed on, fired
my revolver at a fellow close to me, but it missed fire. I pulled
again, and think I killed him. Just then a man touched me on the
shoulder, and said, `You was near done for.' I said, `Oh no, he was
some way from me.' He answered, `His bayonet was all but into you when
I clouted him over the head.' And sure enough, a fellow had got behind
me and nearly settled me. I must add, that the grenadier who
accompanied me was publicly made a corporal on parade next morning. His
name is Palmer. I did not know it, but I said, `What's your name?
Well, if I live through this, you shall not be forgotten.'"
Corporal Shields, 23rd Regiment Royal Welsh Fusiliers, among many brave
men especially distinguished himself, and he was among the earliest
recipients of the order of valour. He received also the Cross of the
Legion of Honour from the Emperor of the French for the following brave
action:--
On the 8th of September 1855 he was among the foremost at the desperate
attack on the Redan, and one of the very few who reached the ditch at
the re-entering angle. Finding that Lieutenant Dyneley, adjutant of the
regiment, for whom he had a great regard, had not returned, he
immediately set forward by himself to search for him, exposed to the hot
fire of the enemy, who, although they must have known that he was on an
errand of mercy, continually aimed at him. After searching for some
time, he found his young officer on the ground, desperately wounded,
behind a rock, which somewhat sheltered him from the enemy's fire.
Stanching the flow of blood as well as he could, he endeavoured to lift
him on his back to carry him to the trenches, but the pain of being
lifted in that way was more than Mr Dyneley could bear. Reluctantly he
was compelled to relinquish the attempt; and hurrying back to the
trenches, he entreated one of the medical officers to render the young
officer assistance. His appeal was not made in vain. Without
hesitation, the brave Assistant--Surgeon Sylvester, always ready at the
call of humanity, volunteered to accompany him. Together they passed
across the hailstorm of bullets the Russians were incessantly sending
from their walls, when the surgeon knelt down and dressed the wounds of
his brother officer, and did all that he could to alleviate his
sufferings. Unwillingly they quitted him that they might obtain more
succour; and in the evening Captain Drew and other volunteers
accompanied Corporal Shields, who then for the third time braved the
bullets of the enemy, and together they brought in the young lieutenant.
Unhappily, his wound was mortal, and he died that night. While
praising the brave corporal, we must not forget the heroism of the young
surgeon. For this action Corporal Shields was rewarded with a
commission.
Major Gerald Littlehales Goodlake, Coldstream Guards, gained the
Victoria Cross for his gallantry on several occasions. A number of the
best marksmen in each regiment had been selected to act as
sharpshooters. With a party of these he set forth, on a night in
November 1854, towards a fort at the bottom of the Windmill ravine,
where a picket of the enemy were stationed. Approaching with all the
caution of Indian warriors along a difficult and dangerous path, they
suddenly sprang on the astonished Russians, who took to flight, leaving
their rifles and knapsacks behind. A short time before this, on the
28th of October, he was posted in this ravine, which, with the party of
his men, not exceeding thirty, he held against a powerful sortie of the
Russians, made against the 2nd division of the British army.
In truth, young officers brought up in luxury and ease vied with
soldiers long accustomed to warfare and the roughest work in deeds of
daring and hardihood.
These are only some few of the many acts of heroism, coolness, and
gallantry performed during the war, and for which the Victoria Cross has
been awarded. Undoubtedly many more were performed, which have not been
noted, in consequence of the death of the actors or witnesses, and some
gallant men, though equally deserving, have not brought forward their
claims; but even from the few examples here given, it is shown of what
materials the British soldier is formed.