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I-- in El V- l.n tv-'-'-^f^^) • : FAXJOHNAN, '• .f -r. nONTO: / ^ t '<4 /f ^ ^c^^uj. j^^r^ 'M/i^M. 'It. ina-^ '':»^or\tjfJu7'>/f r STIREING INCIDEJ^TS IN THE LIFE OF A BRITISH SOLDIER. ^n i^utcbio^jrapfe). ^ f BY THOMAS FAUGHNAN, Late Colour-Sergeant 2nd Battalion, (Jth Itoi/al Eeyimcnt. " ImilM unto ^tat^." TORONTO : HUNTER, ROSE AND COMPANY 3879. 2)/i ^'^ /9 5. the office of °t.,„ M;:;Lttr aI^it '^ '""""" ^'"^""'-- - PRINTKI) AAU BOUND BT ' HUNTER. KOSE & CO., OKONTO. TO HIS EXCELLENCY ^hc IJiflUt SottouralJlc ®He Pavquijci of f otnr, K. T., a. C. M. o., aoVERNOR-CENERAL OF THE DOMINION OF CANADA, THIS STORY m a ^U'Uii&n ,^oUTicv^;Si |:ifc, IS, BY SPECIAL PERMISSION, RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED, BY HIS HUMBLE AND OBEDIENT SERVANT, THOMAS FAUGHNAN. ^! 1 1 ~?pjfi- PREFACE. (JLi jTLN laying the history of my life and travels before the "^ public, I deem it right to state that I am past the middle age ; this I feel compelled to mention, because it is my opinion that no man should write a history of himself until he has set foot upon the border land where the past and the future begin to blend. When the past has re- ceded so far that he can behold it as in a picture, and his share in it as the history of a soldier who has fought for his Queen and country, and had many narrow escapes of death. But, thank God, I have been spared thus far to confess my faults, and my good deeds look miserably poor in my own eyes, indeed I would no more claim a reward for them than expect a captain's commission. The countries and incidents described in this work will be found, I trast, interesting to all classes of persons. The history of a soldier's life and travels is always an entertaining and instructive one. Many books on the lives of officers have been written by learned men, containing much information, and highly useful to the scholar, bvit they do not interest the mass of common VI PREFACE. roadcrH. Others again pass so rapidly from place to place, and are so general in their description, the reader gets but very imperfect ideas from reading them. These extremes the writer has endeavoured to avoid. It has heen my object to select the most important events of my life and to descril them in a })lain and familiar style. I have not indulged in learned dissertations, my common, old-fashioned Irish school education being too limited to give that classical finish to the work which a learned writer would have done. Indeed, it has not been my intention to write a book foi* the learned or critical, but to give to the public a volume written in a homely style, by a non-commissioned otlicer, to instruct and interest the famil}' and the common reader, as well as my comrades. If, while dilating on the exploits of my comrades in arms, I have omitted to pay proper re- spect to gallant foes, it is because I know that history will supply the deficiency. Time will gild with glory a Tro- jan defence, fitly closed by a successful retreat across a burning bridge, under a heavy fire. But come along, dear reader, and try whether in my first chapter I cannot be a boy again, in such a way that my reader will gladly linger a little in the meadows of childhood, ere we pass to riper years and stirring battle-fields. CONTENTS. CHArTER I. PAtir, Eilucation— My Schoolmaster— School House-My Father, Mother, SiHters— Our House . . . 17 CHAPTER II. River Shannon- Deiry Canie— Our Farm— My Sister gets Married — f'ave- Still lit)ust'— Still and Worm —Process — Interior— Revenue Police— Irish Wake -Funeral 21 C^HAPTER III. Advanced School - State of the Country- Emigration - Cause of Pov- erty — Irish Tiandlords-- Potato Cro]) Dishonest Agents — Election — Politics— My Sister Emigrates -I Enlist L'J CHAPTER IV. Swearing in— ^Farch to Dublin — Beggars' Bush Bairack — Rations — The City -Endmrkation— The Ship— The Voyage- Liverpool- Train to London— Billets— Canterbury — Join the 17th liegiment . . Ill CHAPTER V. Medical Examination— Receive ray Kit Drill, Manual and Platoon Exercise— Dismissed Drill— Visit the CUty — Description — Route — The March 4.5 CHAPTER VI. Arrival at Dover — First Guard — The Dead House- Ghost — The Heights —Shaft — Fortifications— Marching out— Chartists Riots- Train to London —Departure— Osbourne House— Main Dock— Route to Chatham— Siege -Sham Fight 50 CHAPTER VII. Route to Canterbury — The March— Arrival — Chatham— Dock-yard— Furlough to London— That Great City— Join my Company -Sheer- ness — The Dock-yard— Get Married— Route to Weedon— Route to Ireland 69 i. viii CONTENTS. CHAPTER VIII. I'AOK Liverpool — Embark for Dublin — The Voyage— Arrival—March— The Train— The March to Castlebar-- Arrival — Election— Route to Galway 70 CHAPTER IX. . The March — Galway — Captain Bourchier— Detachment— Re^etta— Row with the Police — Route to Galway — Major Bourchier ex- changes— Captain Croker—Claddagh — Ar-jnd a Camp Meeting — The City of Galway— Theatre— Route to Dublin 81 CHAPTER X. The March— Rail to Dublin— Arrival— Garrison Duty— Castle Guard— The Old Man's Hospital— Divine Service- -Tent-Pitching— Death of the "Iron Duke"— The Funeral— The Queen Visits Dublin- Buildings and Institutions— The Route 92 , . CHAPTER XL Arrival at Templemore— The Route to Cork —Embarkation for Gibral- tar — Queenstown— The Voyage— Storm at Sea — Gibraltar . . . . lOG CHAPTER XII. The Landing— Barrack— Garrison Duty— Old North Front— Smug- gling — Market— Queen's Birth-Day —The Dinner— Speeches — The Route— The March— Embarkation for the Crimea— The Parting— The Voyage— Arr al at Malta 121 CHAPTER XIII. Maltese -Departure — A Captain Commits Suicide — The Funeral- Small-Pox — Return — Resumed the Voyage — Grecian Arches- Dardanelles — Gallipoli — Turkish Sentries — Constantinople — Turk- ish Ladies — The Bosphorus — Voyage across the Euxine— Arrival . 134 CHAPTER XIV. Disembarkation — First Bivouac — The March— Arrival— Sebastopol — The Trenches — First Man Wounded— Return to Camp— An Alarm —Lord RagU.x- Sortie— Foraging— The Old Bridge— Col. Cole— The Siege 146 CONTENTS. IX PAQB arch— The -Route to . . , . . . . 70 -Kegetta — LTchier ex- Meeting — 81 le Guard — ag — Death 3 Dublin — 92 For Gibral- ir .. ..106 at — Smug- ches — The Parting — . .. .121 Funeral- Arches — )le— Turk- - Arrival . 134 bastopol — An Alami [)1. Cole— 146 CHAPTER XV. PAOR March to Balaklava— Return- Men go Bare-footed— Snow five feet deep- Long Boots —Hard Frost -Cavalry Division— Burial Ground - Solitary Procession— Men Frozen— I build a Hut -Green Coffee —Wintry Appearance— Dead Horses— 63rd Regiment— Carrying Provisions— French Sick— Terrible Climate 157 CHAPTER XVI. Trenches— C d of Mud- Russian New Year -Hea\'y Fire - -On Sentry —The ' cie— Old Brown Bess— Sortie -Arrival in Camp— New style of ndle— Flint and Steel- Making Coffee- Heavy Snow- No Fire— Warm Clothing- Shot and SheU 167 CHAPTER XVII. The Railway— Lord Raglan— Cossacks— The Navvies— Russian Desert- era— The Railway 1^^ CHAPTER XVIIT. St. Patrick's Day -Rifle Pits— Fourth Division— French Loss— The Siege— General Attack— Flag of Truce— Burying the Dead- Wooden Huts— Turkish Troops— Divine Service 189 CHAPTER XIX. Bombardment— Tents blown down— Siege— Lieut. Williams- -Wounded —Sailors -Go to Hospital— Description— Sardinians— Discharged from Hospital— Attack on Quarries— Flag of Truce— Burying the Dead 199 CHAPTER XX. ,• Bombardment— The Assault— Great Redan— Wounded— The Battle - Balaklava —Hospital— Miss Nightingale— Nurses— Promoted— Dis- charged from Hospital— Death of Lord Raglan 210 CHAPTER XXI. Captain Colthurst - Siege — Bombardment — Assault — Redan —The Battle— 8th September— The Evacuation— Russiaus— British in Sebastopol 224 CHAPTER XXII. Expedition to Kinbum — The Voyage — Odessa- Landing— Cutting Trenches— Bombardment— The White Flag— Capitulation: -The \ CONTENTS. ! 11 PAO« Prisoners — Reconnaissance — The March — Village — Bivouac — March— A Village — Pigs and Geese— Departure— The Fleet— Re- turn— Sir W. Codrington— Russian Spy " 237 CHAPTER XXIII. Armistice — Cessation of Hostilities— Exchange of Coins — Heir to French Imperial Throne — Treaty of Peace — Invitations— Grand Review- Removal of the Army — Embarkation— Th« Voyage— Ship on Fire — Arrival at Malta — Join the Reserve Battalion— Proceed to Alex- andria — The Voyage— Arrival — Visit Places of Renown — Visit Cairo-The Nile— Arrival-The City-Bazaara 249 CHAPTER XXIV. The Pyramids — Crossing the Nile— Island of Rhoda — Ark of Bulrushes - -Visit Cheops — Heliopolis— Palace of the fehoobra— Palm Groves — The Citadel- Joseph's V^ell— Dervishes Return 2S2 CHAPTER XXV. The Hospital — Mohammedan Sabbath — Departure- The Voyage — Malta — Departure— Voyage for England — Portsmouth — Voyage to Dubin — Arrival at Limerick — The 6th Royal Regiment - o- moted—Aldershot— Route for Gibraltar— The Voyage 277 CHAPTER XXVI. Arrival— Spanish Bull-fights— Lieut. Fackson— Change Quarters — The - Rock — Monkeys — Caves— Gardens — War in Algiers — Corfu— Voy- age— Arrival — Santa Maria— Desertion — The March— Greeks . . 291 CHAPTER XXVIL Sir Henry Storks— Albania— Visit Nicropolia— The |Brigand Chief- Turkish Baths — Coflfee-Houses — Turkish Ladies' Costume — Ser- geants' Ball— The Route— Corfu- Route— West Indies- The Voy- age—The Burning Mountain — Gibraltar— Madiera — Teneriflfe— Santa Cruz— Cape De Verde Islands— Trinidad — Jamaica . . . . .303 CHAPTER XXVIII. Jamaica — The Exhibition — Market — Rebellion — The Commission— Col. Hobbs— The Voyage — The Route — The Voyage— Route — Voyage — Queen's Birth day— Edinburgh — Calton Hill - Tolbooth- Queen Mary's Room — Dunoon — Discharged — Dalkeith— Glasgow- Em- bark for Canada— The Voyage — Arrival — Montreal — Kingston — Picton— The Dunkin Bill— Marquis of Lome 317 PAUti vouac — eet— Re- .. .. 237 o French leview— on Fire to Alex- rn— Visit 249 bulrushes Groves — 202 Voyage- Voyage to >nt - ' r»- 277 ters— The rfu— Voy- •eeks .. 291 id Chief— ume-Ser- The Voy- reneriflfe — a 303 ision— Col. -Voyage— th— Queen gow— Em- Cingston — 317 TESTIMONIALS TO THE WRITER. Edinburgh Castle, April 29th, 1S6S. I have great pleasure in stating that I have known Sergeant Thomas Faughnan for about nine years, and during most of that period he was Pay and Colour-Sergt. of my Company. He also was Sergt-Major of a Detach- ment of which I had command, and I cannot say too much in his favour, either as a soldier or a trustworthy person. He always gave me the greatest satisfaction, in the position he was placed ; both by his high sense of discipline, as well as his entire knowledge of drill, and he leaves the Regiment with the respect of every one. (Signed) JOHN E. TEWART, [True Copy.] . Captain 2nd Batt. 6th Royal Regiment. Sergeant Faughnan was discharged from the '^nd Battalion 6th Foot, in Edinburgh, May, 1868, after twenty-one years' service, with an excellent character. I have pleasure in stating that I consider him a most honest, trustworthy, respectable man ; for many years he held positions of much responsibility. (Signed) JOHN ELKINGTON, Colonel Commcfg 2nd. Batt. 6th Royal Regiment. Aldershot Camp, July 10th, 1868, [True Copy.] Aldershot Camp, July 12th, 1868. I have known Sergeant Faughnan for the last five years, in the 2nd Batt. 6th Regiment, and can say that he has behaved himself very well in every way as a soldier. He was an honest, willing and sober man, he was also Mess Sergeant for several years, and gave every satisfaction, and deserves to get on in the world, and I much wish he may do so. *. (Signed) SPENCER FIELD, [True Copy.] Captain, 2nd Batt. 6th Royal RegimenU TESTIMONIALS TO THE WRITER. I have known Sergeant Thomas Faughnan, late Sergeant in the 2nd Battalion, 6th Regiment, for about ten years, during which time he served as Pay and Colour-Sergeant to a Company with great satisfaction to the Captains; also as Sergeant Majoi to a Detachment, in which position, by his steady conduct and fair knowledge of drill, he commanded the respect of his superiors. He has since served as Mess and Wine Sergeant to the Battalion, and has been sober and attentive to those duties. I can recom- mend him as a generally useful Non- Commissioned Officer, (Signed) HENRY KITCHENER, Lieut, and Adjt. 2nd Battalion 6th Foot. Edinburgh Castle, S5, 4, ^68, , [True Copt.] I have known Sergeant Faughnan —now taking his discharge from the 6th Regiment, with a pension, after twenty-one years' service— since the year 1860, and have served with him in Gibraltar, the Ionian Islands, and the West Indies. V\ to 1865 he was a Colour-Sergeant of the Regiment, and as such was very much respected. About the middle of that year he became Sergeant of the Officers' Mess, in which position he remained up to the de- parture of the Regiment from Edinburgh, on the 22nd May, 1868. He was for about two years caterer of the said Mess, and in addition had charge of all wines, ale, &c. Thousands of pounds must have passed through his hands, for every portion of which he has had to account, and his remaining up to the last moment in the Mess is a proof of his having done so most satisfactorily. I, myself, have a very high opinion of Sergeant Faughnan for his straightforwardness, honesty , sobriety, ability, and steady good con- duct. I am sure his loss will be much felt in the 6th Regiment. (Signed) L. B. HOLE, [True Copy.] Captain, 2nd Batt., 6th Royal Regiment. I have known Sergeant T. Faughnan for the last seven years, and have alwaj's found him honest, sober, quiet and obliging. He is a good account- ant, and was employed in charge of the Mess 2nd Batt. 6th Regiment for some time, and gave every satisfaction. He was also a Colour-Sergeant and had charge and payment of a Company for some time, and resigned his colours to go to the Mess. (Signed) W. G. ANNESLEY, Captain 2nd Batt. 6th Royal Regiment. Aldershot Camp, Sth June, 1868. [True Copy.] STIRRING nsrCIDElSTTS IN THE LIFE OF A BRITISH SOLDIER. CHAPTER I. J EDUCATION — MY SCHOOLMASTER — SCHOOL HOUSE — MY FATHER, MOTHER, SISTERS — OUR HOUSE. JIl have for some time been trying to think how far ^ back my memory could go ; but, as far as I can judge, the earliest definite recollection I have is the discovery of how I played the truant, in stopping on the way side playing pitch and toss, instead of going to school ; and how I cut all the buttons off my jacket and trowsers for the purpose of gambling with other boys. After losing all my buttons, I had to pin my jacket to my trowsers. In Ireland in those days, boys had to be content with gambling for buttons instead of coppers as now-a-aays. I was late for school, and was rather remarkable, going in with my trowsers and jacket fastened together with B ■■■« 18 EDUCATION. pins. I remember well the master called me over to him. Oh! I will never forget his spiteful (3ountenance, and how he shewed his ivories. My heart beat fast, I thought I was very wicked, and fright made my heart jump to my mouth. I had to stand my trial. Master : " Well, boy, what kept you late for school ?" Bef jre I had time to answer, " How came the buttons oft" your clothes, tell me straightforward at once, who cut them off, t.nd what became of them ? Hold up your head and speak out." "I — I — I — cut them off, sir, to play with the boys, and they won my buttons." " 0, ho ! you have been gambling, have you? I will teach you to cut the buttons off your clothes to gamble. Go, stand in that corner until I am through with the class." " Pat Cannon, take this knife, go out and cut a strong- birch, this one I have is nearly worn out. I want a strong- one for this youth." While I was standing in the corner, one of the boys, or as we used to call them, " gossoons," stole over to me and gave me a big shawl-pin, saying: " Stick this in the boy's neck who takes you on his back." I took the pin as I was told, and nerved myself up for the occasion. " Dan McLaughlin, take Thomas Faughnan on your back." I was brought up in due form. " Take off your jacket; get on Dan McLaughlin's back." No sooner had I got on his back, and before the mas- ter had time to administer the first stroke of the birch, than I sunk the big pin into the boy's neck. He shouted at MY SCHOOLMASTER. 19 the top of his voice, yelliii<^ as if he had been suil)hed with a knife, and fell over the other boys, causing great commotion. In the uproar and confusion I made my es- cape out of the school, jacket in hand. The master stood in a state of amazement. It took him quite a while to restore order among the boys. I waited outside until the school came out, then went home with my comrades as if nothing had happened, and did not go to school again for three days. The master reported my absence. My father questioned me concerning my absence from school. I then told him the whole affair, and, as I was afraid of getting another flogging, he accompanied me to the school next day. It will be necessary here, to describe the master and the school. The master had only one leg and that was his right; he had lost his left when young, by some means which I never heard of; he walked with a long crutch under his left arm, and a short one in his right hand. He trotted verj' fast, considering that he went on crutches. He was in truth a terror to dogs or animals which dared to cross his path on his way to and from the school, and could most wonderfully use the right hand crutch with great skill and alacrity, in his own defence. The school was held in the chapel, which was a most peculiar edifice of ancient architectural design. Its shape was that of a triangle, each side of which formed a long hall, one for boys, the other for girls; there was a gallery at the extreme end of the girls' hall which the choir occu- pied during divine service. i VILLAGE SCHOOLHOUSE. The structure was one story in height, and haJ a very high, slanting, tlmtched roof, with narrow gables. The edge of the gables rose, not in a slope, but in a succession of notches, like stairs. Altogether it had an extraordinary look about it, a look of the time when men had to fight in order to have peace, to kill in c "der to live — every man's hand against his brother. The altar stood in the acute corner of the angle, facing the men's hall, with a railing around it. Under the altar was a small hole sufticiently large enough for a boy to crawl in. One day I had done something for which the master started to punish my back with the birch. He was laying it on pretty stiffly, and had me in a tight place, when, in self defence, I pulled the crutch from under him. He fell over and I retreated into the hole under the altar. However, tracing me out, he started to dislodge me with his long crutch. For every thrust he gave me, I gave him one in return, until I found he was too strong for me, when I made one drive at him, jumped out of my hiding place, and left for home in a hurry that day. Next day I expected a flogging, but I got off" much easier than I had anticipated. Afterwards — how strange — he took quite a liking to me. The number of pupils attending was over two hundred. The hall was supplied with fuel by a contribution of two turf from each scholar every morning, which he brought under his arm. Enough of my school history — it would spin out my narrr ve unnecessarily. I shall only relate such occur- rences as may be necessary to lead to those main MY FATHER — MOTHER — SISTERS. 21 events which properly conatitute mj^ eventful history. I remember ray father, but not my mother. She died when I was yet a baby, and tlio woman I had been taught to call mother was only my stepmother. My father had married a second time, and now our family consisted of my father, stepmother, two sisters, and my- self. Our house was of olden-time stone, gray and brown. It looked very gray, and yet there was a homely, comfort- able appearance about it. A visitor's first step was into what would in some parts here be called " house place" — a room which served all the purposes of kitchen and dining- room. It rose to a fair height, with smoke-stained oaken beams above, and was floored with a home-made kind of cement, hard enough, and yet so worn that it required a good deal of local knowledge to avoid certain jars of the spine from sudden changes of level. My sisters kept the furniture very clean and shining, especially the valued pewter on the dresser. The square table, with its spider-like accumulation of legs, stood under the window until meal times, when, like an animal aroused from its lair, it stretched those legs and assumed expanded, symmetrical shape, in front of the fireplace in winter, and nearer the door in summer. Its memory re- calls the occasion of my stepmother, with a hand at each end of it, searching frantically for the level, poking for it with the creature's own legM before lifting the hanging leaves, ana jhen drawing out the hitherto supernumerary legs to support them, after which would come another fresh adjustment, another hustling to and fro, that the "f I I 22 OUR HOUSE. new feet likewise might have some chance to rest. The walls of this room were always whitewashed in spring, occasioning ever a sharpened contrast with the dark brown oak ceiling. If that was ever swept I never knew. I do not remember ever seeing it done. At all events its colour remained unimpaired by hand or whitewash. On the walls hung several articles, some of them high above my head, which attracted my attention particularly. There was a fishing rod, which required the whole length between the windows to support it. There were old book- shelves, hanging between the old pewter, of which we were very proud ; my father's temperance medal, which he received from Father Mathew ; a picture of Dan O'Con- nell, the " Irish Liberator ; " several other pictures, and many articles of antique and Irish origin. I need not linger over these things. Their proper place is in he picture with which I would save words and help under- standing if I could. MY NATIVE VILLAGE. Dear Fiarana ! loveliest village of the green, Where humble happiness endeared each scene ; The never-failing brook at Drumod Mill, The parish church on John Nutley's hill. There in the old thatched chapel, skilled to rule, The one-legged master taught the parish school ; A learned man was he, but stern to view — His crutch he ofteii used, and well the gossoons l^new, MY NATIVE VILLAGE. 23 Well had the daring urchins learned to trace His scowling countenance and his tierce grimace ; And yet they laughed with much delight and glee At all his tales, for many a one had he. In all my travels round this world so fair, Of trials and marches I have had my share ; I still have hope my latter days to crown, And 'midst old friends at home to lay me down, I trust and hope to visit home again, And sell my book to every village swain ; Around the hearth a wondering crowd to draw, While spinning yarns of what I heard and saw, A man who a military life pursue, Looks forward to the home from whence he flew ; I still have hopes, my long eventful past, Some day return, and stay at home at last. T. Faughnan. CHAPTER 11. RIVER SHANNON — DETIRY CARNE— OUR FARM — MY SISTERS GET MARRIED — CAVE — STILL-HOUSE — STILL AND WORM — PROCESS — IN- TERIOR — REVENUE POLICE— IRISH WAKE— FUNERAL. UR residence was situated on a beautiful bay of the River Shannon in the County of Leitrim. The month was July, and nothing could be more exhil- arating than the breezes which played over the green fields that were now radiant with the light which was flooded down upon them from the cloudless sun. Around them, in every field, were the tokens of that pleasant la- bour from which the hope of an ample and abundant har- vest always springs. The bay was bounded on the east by a large wood which abounds in game of every description. Gentlemen from the surrounding counties were frequently invited by its owner, Francis Nesbitt, Esq., Derry Came, during the shooting and fishing season. Many times I have been out with them, coming home foot-sore in the evening, after traversing the woods al] day with the sportsmen. Those were happy days. My father and the hired man, with the help of my two sisters, managed to sow and gather in the produce of the small farm. I, being the only son, was kept at school till MY bISTEHS GET MARKIED. 25 al)Out sixteen years old, after which I had to make my- self useful around the house and farm. I wa,^ about twelve years old when my eldest sister got married. About two years afterwards my other sister took unto herself a partner, for better, for worse. After those events our family dwindled down to three, viz., my father, stepmother, and myself. About this time I roamed about the country a good deal. In the evenings a few other boys and myself as- sembled in a " Potheen Still-House " to see the men who manufactured the potheen, and hear them tell stories. It was situated about two miles a north-western direction from our residence. The country was very i"ugged and wild, but picturesque. Although a portion of the same landscape, nothing could be more strikingly distinct in character than the position of those hills. They formed a splendid pasture land for sheep. In approaching these hills you struck into a " Borheen," or lane which con- ducted you to the front of a steep precipice of rocks about fifty feet high. Ir the northern cover of this ravine there was an entrance to a subterraneous passage twenty feet long, which led to a large chamber or deep cave, having every convenience for a place of private distillation. Under the rocks, which met over it, was a kind of goth^c arch, and a stream of water just sufficient for the requisite purpose *ell in through a fissure from above, forming such a uttle cascade in the cavern as human design itself could scarcely have surpassed in per- fect adaptation for the objects of an illicit distiller. To 1 POTHEEN STILL-HOUSE. this cave then, we must take the liberty of transporting our readers, in order to give them an opportunity of get- ting a peep at the inside of a " Potheen Still-House." In that end which constituted the termination of the cave, and fixed upon a large turf fire which turned within a circle of stones that supported it, was a tolerably sized still made of copper. The mouth of this still was en- closed by an air-tight cover, also of copper, called the head, from which a tube of the same metal projected into a large condenser that was kept always filled with cold water by an incessant stream from the cascade I have already described, which always ran into and overflowed it. The arm of this head was made air-tight, fitting into a spiral tube of copper, called the worm, which rested in the water of the cooler ; and as it consisted of several twists like a corkscrew, its effect was to condense the hot vapour which was transmitted to it from the glowing still into that description of alcohol known as potheen whiskey or " mountain dew." At the bottom of the cooler, the worm terminated in a small cock, from which the spirits passed in a slender stream about the thickness of a pipe-stem into a vessel placed for its reception. Such was the position of the still, head, and worm, when in full operation. Fixed about the cave, upon wooden benches, were the usual requisites for the various processes through which it was necessary to put the malt before the wort, which is the first liquid shape, was fermented, cleared and pas- sed into the still to be singled ; for our readers must KEVENUK POLICE OK " STILL HUNTEllS." 27 know that distillation is a double process, the first pro- duced being called singlings, and the second or last doub- lings — wliich is the perfect liquor. Sacks of malt, empty ])arrels, piles of turf, heaps of grain, tubs of wash, kegs of wliiskey, were lying about in all directions ; together with pots, pans, wooden-trenchers, and dishes for culinary use. On entering, your nose was assaulted by such a fume of warm grains, sour barm, and strong whiskey, as re- quired considerable fortitude to bear, without very un- efpiivocal tokens of disgust. Seated around the fire were a party of shebeen men and three or four publicans, who came on professional business. In order to evade the vigilance of the "Revenue Police," or, as they were called, " Still Hunters," the smoke, which passed through a hole in the roof, came up into a pasture field. On the top of this hole was fitted a wide fiag, made to be shifted at will. On the top of this flag was kept a turf fire, in charge of a boy who herded sheep and goats. When the boy saw the police ad- * vancing towards the fire he would shift the flag over the hole. The police came, lit their pipes, walked off, and suspected nothing. The boy then shifted back the flag, in order to let the smoke escape. In this way they escaped detection. Several illicit stills flourished in this part of the coun- try, which I frequently visited during the winter evenings. When there happened to be a wake I often accompanied parties for whiskey to this still-house ; it being the cus- tom to have a supply of liquor to enliven the gucstii r^ 28 AN IRISH WAKE. m\ ■'■ on such occasions. The boys and girls always expected a good time for fun and frolic at a wake, especially if it was an old person who gave up the ghost ; therefore it was looked forward to as a kind of plea- surable occurrence to the rising generation. I became a regular frequenter on such occasions, for a radius of three or four miles. The corpse was laid out on a table, with a white curtain similar to those over a bed. On the same table, in front, were six lighted candles. At the entrance stood a table furnish f i with bottles of whiskey, glasses, tobacco and pipes, for those who drank and smoked to help themselves. An old woman sat at the head of the corpse, whose duty it was to start the crying on the entrance of a guest. After they got through with the cry- ing, the host passed round whiskey, tobacco and pipes ; when the conversation went on as if nothing had hap- pened, except the loud crying, which was only the wo- men's part, the men not joining in it. When my stepmothei's sister died, I put an onion to my eyes, in order to cause them to shed tears, which had the desired effect. Those wakes generally last two or three nights. Whiskey is passed round previous to the funeral procession starting from the house. On returning, the processionists invariably called ir.to a " shebeen " to have a sociable chat and a parting glass to drown their sorrows. I refrain from quoting the con- versation of those peasants, as it would take up too much space, and defeat my object in laying the history of my life ai>d travels before my readers. expected 3specially e ghost ; . of plea- became a s of three ible, with the same s entrance J J glasses, moked to 3 head of ig on the h the cry- nd pipes ; had hap- the wo- onion to rhiGh had t two or us to the led iivto a glass to the con- too much 7 of my I CHAPTER III. ADVANCED SCHOOL — STATE OF THE COUNTRY — EMIGRATION — CAUSE OF POVERTY — IRISH LANDLORDS — POTATO CROP — DISHONEST AGENTS —ELECTION — POLITICS — MY SISTER EMIGRATES — I ENLIST BOUT the time this chapter opens I had been re- moved from the country school (which has been already described in the first chapter), and sent to a much more advanced and better school, in the town of Drumod, County Leitrim. T continued at this school about four years, during which time I had waxed strong in mind, strength and learning. In the meantime the state of the country gradually assumed a worse and more depressing character. Indeed, at this period of my narrative, the position of Ireland was very gloomy. Situated as the country was, emigration went forward on an extensive scale — emigra- tion, too, of that particular description which every day enfeebles and impoverishes the country, by depriving her of all that approaches to anything like a comfortable and independent yeomanry. This indeed is a kind of deple- tion which no country can bear long ; and, as it is at the moment I write this, progressing at a rate beyond all precedent, it will not, I trust, be altogether uninteresting to inquire into some of the causes that have occasioned it. % Il il 30 EMIGRATION — CAUSE OF POVERTY Of course the principal cadse of emigration is the poverty and the depressed state of the country, wages often being as low as eight-pence a day, and it follows naturally that whatever occasions our poverty will necessarily occasion emigration. The first cause of our poverty then is " ab- senteeism," which, by drawing six million pounds out of the country, deprives our people of employment and means of life to that amount. The next is the general inatten- tion of Irish landlords to the state and condition of their property and an inexcusable want of sympathy with their tenantry, which indeed is only a corollary from the former, for it can hardly be expected that those who wilfully neglect themselves will feel a warm interest in others. Political corruption, in the shape of the forty shilling franchise, was another cause, and one of the very worst, which led to the prostration of the country by poverty and moral degradation, and for this proprietors of the land were solely responsible. Nor can the use of the potato as the staple food of the labouring class, in connection with the track or credit system and the consequent absence of money payments, in addition to the necessary ignorance of domestic and social comforts, that resulted, be left out of this wretched catalogue of our grievar os. Another cause of emigration is to be found in the high and exorbi- tant rents at which land is held by all classes of farmers — with some exceptions, such as in the case of old leases — but especially by those who hold under middlemen, or on the principle of sub-letting generally. By this system a vast deal of distress and petty but IRISH LANDI.ORDS. 31 most harrassing oppression is everyday in active operation which the head landlord can never know, and for which he is in no other way responsible than by want of know- ledge of his estates. There are still causes, however, which too frequently drive the independent farmer out of the country. In too many cases it happens that the rapjicity and dishonesty of the agent, countenanced or stimulated by the necessi- ties and reckless extravagance of the landlord, fall like some unwholesome blight upon that enterprise and in- dustry which would ultimately, if properly encouraged, make the country prosperous and her landed proprietors independent men. I allude to the nefarious and mons- trous custom of ejecting tenants who have made improve- ments, or, when permitted to remain, make them pay for the improvements which they have made. A vast proportion of this crying and oppressive evil must be laid directly to the charge of those who fill the responsible situation of landlords and agents to property in Ireland, than whom in general there does not exist a more unscrupulous, oppressive, arrogant, and dishonest class of men. Exceptions of course there are, and many, but speaking of them as a body, I unhappily assert nothing but what the conditions of property, and of those who live upon it, do at this moment and have for many years testified. I have already stated that there was a partial failure in the potato crops that season, a cir- cumstance which ever is the forerunner of famine and sickness. n^ •ill r 32 ELECTION POLITICS. I I The failure, however, on that occasion, was not alone caused by a blight in the stalks, but large portions of the seed failing to grow. In addition, however, to all I have already detailed as affecting the neighbourhood, or rather the parish, of Anaduff, I have to inform my readers that the county was soon about to have a contested election. Viscount Clemens and Samuel White, Esq., were the opposing candidates. The former had been a convert to Liberalism, and the latter a sturdy Conserva- tive, a good deal bigoted in politics, but possessing that rare and inestimable quality which constitutes an honest man. It was a hard contested election. The electors through- out the county were driven to the town on side cars escorted by police. The excitement was fearful. How- ever the people's candidate gained the election. There was a large amount of whiskey drunk c"uring this elec- tion and there was plenty of fighting. At this time my eldest sister, with her husband, emi- grated to Canada. On parting with her she said she would send for me, but I did not like the idea of going to America or Canada at that time, although I heard good reports from both countries. I thought instead that I would go for a soldier. I had seen splendid, tall soldiers frequently marching past our house, when I invariably accompanied them for several miles to hear their band play. With this intention I went to tne fair of Mohill, on the 8th of May, 184*7. There I met a recruit- ing party. I went up to the sergeant and asked him if I "TAKE THE SHILLING." 33 he would take me for a soldier, he answered me in the affirmative. He then^ told me to answer the following questions, viz : " Are you free, willing and able to serve Her Majesty Queen Victoria, her heirs and successors for a period of twenty-one years ? " I answered, " I am." " Then take this shilling in the name of the Queen." I " took the shilling," and was one of Queen Victoria's soldiers, and of the 17th regiment of foot. I must say I never regretted it since. •>\ ■f: i fr^ >.l I n; 1 1 ^■' , CHAPTER IV. SWEAKING IN — MARCH TO DUBLIN — BBGGARS' BUSH BARRACKS — RATIONS — THE CITY — EMBARKATION — THE SHIP — THE VOYAGE — LIVERPOOL — TRAIN TO LONDON — BILLETS —CANTERBURY — JOIN THE 17tH REGIMENT. I HE sergeant conducted me to the rendezvous, where I passed a medical examination, and was returned fit for " Her Majesty's Service." He then ushered me into a room in which were five more brothers-in-arms. Next morning at ten o'clock, I was taken before a magis- trate and sworn-in (after which I received a half-crown), called " swearing-in-money." My sister and stepmother hearing I had enlisted came after me the following day, and tried to get me oft', but the sergeant would not hear of it, and I was unwilling, as I had made up my mind to be a soldier, as I was anxious to get away from my rela- tives. My anxiety was soon realized, for next morning, after breakfast, we were on the road for Dublin in charge of a staff*-sergeant, the distance being one hundred and fifty miles, which we accomplished in ten days. During the journey the sergeant amused us with stories of his experience in the regiment to which he belonged, marches in different countries, and several battles he had fought. It being the month of May, the roads were in good con- 1 MARCH TO DUIJLIN. 35 (lition, the weather salubrious, and the country beautiful in the summer sun. On our arrival in the evening we were billetted at a public house, where soon after our arrival we enjoyed a hot meal, the landlord being allowed ten-pence for the same, this being according to " Her Majesty's Regulations." After we had regaled ourselves with the landlord's hospi- tality, the sergeant enjoyed himself with his pipe and a glass or two of beer; he also gave us some of it to drink. I had never tasted beer previous to this, although I had often tasted " potheen whiskey." After the sergeant had finished his pipe and glass of beer, we retired to bed, slept well and dreamed of long marches. We were on the march again next morning at eight o'clock, and so every day until we reached Dublin, which we accom- plished in ten days. On arriving in that city I was astonished at the appearance of the splendid high build- ings, the like of which I had never seen before ; they formed a striking contrast with the cabins which I had been used to look upon in Leitrim. We entered the city from the south, marched past the Royal Barracks, along the Liffy to Carlisle Bridge, where we crossed over ; thence past the Bank and Trinity Col- lege, to Beggars' Bush Barracks where we were to await orders to join the depot of our regiment in Canterbury. On our arrival in barracks we were told off to differ- ent companies pro teyn. until our embarkation for Liver- pool. This was my first night in barracks. I was shown a bed or cot, with three pegs over it, to hang my clothes I w 1 ;l;i 36 CITY OF DUHLIN. on. We soon got acquainted with other recruits, and old soldiers, who showed us to the canteen, where there was a large company of soldiers and recruits carousing and singing. On the first post sounding, we had to an- swer our names in barracks at tattoo roll-call, and be in bed at last post. Fifteen minutes afterwards " out lights " was sounded, when all the lights were put out, except the orderly sergeants', who had fifteen minutes longer for theirs. " Reveille " sounded next morning at five, when we all got up, made our beds, and were on parade at six o'clock, when we were drilled till half-past seven, were practised at setting-up drill and the goose step. It being my first drill, I was awkward ; we had three such drills daily (Sundays excepted), while we were in these bar- racks. On being dismissed, we went to breakfast, which consisted of a pound of bread and a basin of coff*ee each ; my appetite being good I made short work of the pound of bread. Our dinner consisted of soup, beef and pota- toes ; at supper we got a quarter of a pound of bread and a basin of tea. After paying for our rations, washing, and barrack damages, there were four-pence left, which I received every day at twelve o'clock, so that I could spend that much for extra food if I wanted it, some of the recruits preferred to spend it on beer. When the daily afternoon drill was over, I generally walked into the city, to see what I could of the place. I went past some splendid shops, saw the soldiers on guard at the castle, went into the Royal, Ship-street, and Linen Hall Barracks, visited Nelson's monument, Sackville EMHAUK FOR LIVEIU'OOL. 37 Streets, Four Courts and Burn's saloon in tlie evening. After we had been a week in barracks, an order came for us to proceed to Canterbury and join our depot there ; this order was most agreeable, and we hailed it with pleasure, for we were anxious to get into our uniform. Accordingly two days afterwards, fourteen of us, with a staff sergeant in charge, were paraded on the barrack- square. After we had signed our accounts, and were told that our bounty would be paid to us on arrival at our depot, we were told to number oft' from the right, and showed how to " form four deep," the command " quick march " being given, we marched off" to the north wall for em- barkation on board a steamer which was to sail for Liver- pool at four p.m, that day. An officer accompanied us to the steamer to see us all safe on board. Several soldiers came to see us oft*. I would like to tell my reader more about Dublin, but as I hope to visit it again during my soldiering, I will defer them till further experience has increased my stock of knowledge. Four o'clock p.m. was the time set for cur departure ; we were all well pleased when we got on board ; the afternoon was beautiful so we anticipated a pleasant voyage. An ocean-ship was to me a novel place, and I had many things to learn. ^* What is that little flag at the main mast ? " said I to a man standing near me, " That they call a Blue Peter ; it indicates that the ship is to sail immediately." And what is that flag at the stern ? " Why, that is the Union Jack, the pride and boast of every British sea- man." ii 1 liii iii 38 THE VOYAGE. My retk'ctions were l)r()kcn l)y tlu' loud, sliaip cry of the slii})'H captain, "all on board." The last warning was given ; friends hastily exchanged the farewell tokens of affection. I saw many too struggling to keep their tears back ; I stood alone, no one knew me or cared particu- larly for me ; but I was not an uninterested spectator. I dropped a few tears when I looked on my native land, which I was about to leave, and thought of the friends I had left behind me. All was in readiness, ten minutes past four o'clock p.m. the ponderous machine was put in motion ; the huge paddle-wheels lazily obeyed the man- date. The Blue I eter came down and the Union Jack went up, and we moved slowly out among the shipping of the harbour. It was a clear, beautiful evening, and the water lay like an immense mirror in the sun-light ; we passed the light-house which stood at the end of the harbour like a huge sentinel to guide the passage to the ocean. Onward we went ; shore and city faded away and disappeared in the distance. I looked out on the wide expanse of waters ; the sea and sky were vll that could be seen now, except a few sea-gulls, which hovered round the ship in search of an accidental crumb that might be thrown over-board. We were fairly out at sea. The flags were taken in, and things put in readiness for rougher ocean life ; for a time we moved on pleasantly. Toward sun-down a head wind sprung up producing that rocking motion of the boat, that makes sea life so much of a dread to those unaccustomed to water ; at about ten o'clock our head wind changed to a side wind, and we CITY OF LIVERPOOL. 39 had wliat tlio .sailors call " a choppin<:^ sea ; " })ro(lucing a very unpleasant motion of the boat. Previous to this the recruits were in good s()irits, ])ut now silence reigned, I could see them getting pale, and one by one, go below ; I felt myself approaching a crisis of some kind ; but was determined to put it off as long as poLnble. I kept on deck in the open air, and resolutely frowned down all signs of rebellion in my stomach. From what I heard going on around me, I was aware I was not the worst sufferer ; with some the agony of ^he contest was kept up all night long. At three o'clock a. m. we passed Holy Head ; at five we were steaming up the Mersey, and were landed on Liverpool Dock at six o'clock. After a ruft of twelve and a hnlf hoars, here I was, standing in amaze- ment, looking at the forests of masts, and the vast amount of shipping in the Docks. Liverpool is noted principally for its shipping accommodation, and fine docks; of these it has now over eleven miles in length, all walled in, and protected by massive gates like the locks of a canal ; this renders the shipping very secure. It is a place of great mercantile importance and trade, the streets are continu- ally in a perfect jam with heavy waggons and vehicles of almost every description. If I was astonished at the ap- pearance of Dublin, how much more so at this great Babel of commerce. The sergeant took us to an eating-house, owned by one of his acquaintances, where he ordered breakfast, for which I believe the landlord did not make much profit ; for what with sea-sickness, and fasting since three p. m. the day previous, I'll leave it to my reader to ) :, ( 40 TRAIN TO LONDON. I'' I i I determine whether we were able to do justice to the land- lord'", hospitality or not ? We left the depOt at Liverpool about ten a. m. on the " Great North-western Railway " for London. I am now taking my first view of England and English scenery, also my first ride in a railway carriage. As we passed along, numerous towns and villages dotted the country, multitudes of great black smoke stacks, amid splendid steeples and church towers, side by side, rose in majesty towards the heavens. Thus religion and industry are generally, nay always, found in close proximity ; with the smoke of the furnace goes up the incense of worship ; with the hum of ma- chinery is mingled the anthem of praise. The train stopped at several stations, which were beautifully fitted up ; during the journey we frequently partook of refresh- ments at the different stations. The train travelled very fast. After a ride of one hundred and eighty miles, in nine and a half hours, we reached London, the great metropolis of England, and the mart of the world. We were set down at Euston Station. Now my eyes, indeed, were opened wide, gazing at the magnificence of the great modern Babel of the universe. We were billetted on three different taverns, in close proximity to each other. The sergeant had to report himself at the " Horse Guards," and hand over some recruits which he had for regiments stationed at London. He left me in charge of the billets while he was gone. We remained here five days, during which I visited a great ill! lit! ARRIVAL AT LONDON. 41 many places. There are many wonderful things that can be seen in a brief walk through this great metropolis, if a man has his eyes open. I should like to have had time here to take my reader to the top of some of the tall monuments ; to walk with him among the wondrous fortifications of " Old London Tower," through the rooms where nobles, princes, kings, and queens have been incarcerated ; to stand with him on " Tower Hill," where the scaffold and executioner's block tell their dark tales of treachery, and blood, and murder. I should like to go with my reader to Westminster Abbey, a wonderful pile, a venerable old church, and the great sepulchral home of England's honoured dead. It is wox th a journey across the Atlantic to take a stroll through its cold, damp aisles and chapels ; to stand amid its costly monuments and mouldering dust, where death for many long centuries has been gathering her glorious trophies ; and yet her dark garlands have been recorded and em.- bodied by human skill and art and genius. I have in a very brief space brought before my readers facts and stories ; but I must defer any further description until my next visit, for I hope to see all those wonders again. The sergeant had done his duty to his satisfaction, and this being our last evening in London, he took us to the Hay- market Theatre, where we witnessed the "Colleen Bawn." After the play was over, we took the sergeant into a saloon close by, and treated him to oysters, beer, and cigars, after which we went to our billets quite jolly. Next morning, after paying the landlord and biddiug him § J. ]'■■ 1 ''iti 4, 42 t{ THE ROYAL TIGERS » good-bye, w-c marched to the Waterloo Railway Station, where we took the train at ten o'clock. After a ride of about eighty miles, in two hours, we were in Canterbury, and put down at St. Dunstan Street Station, marched into barracks, and were handed over to the officer com- manding the dep6t of the 17th Regiment of Foot, " The Royal Tigers." We were told off to companies, and shown our quarters. More about Canterbury as my story ad- vances. As I am now stationed here, I hope to have an opportunity of getting acquainted with this ancient cathedral city. II I'Ui. CHAPTER V. ■ V I j til ; i • I * ? 1 U I J ,| 5 I MEDICAL EXAMINATION — RliCEIVE MY KIT— PRILL, MANUAL AND PLATOON EXERCISE — DISMISSED DRILL — VISIT THE CITY — DESCRIP- TION — ROUTE — THE MARCH. I HE following morning, reveille sounded at five o'clock, when I turned out, made my bed, and was dressed when the drill bugle sounded at half-past. Parade being formed at six by the sergeant major, the recruits without uniform were not required to drill that morning ; drill being over and the bugle for breakfast sounding, we all sat down to a pound of bread and a basin of coffee each. We were afterwards marched to the Regi- mental Hospital by the orderly corporal, where we passed another medical examination, which was final, and were returned fit for service ; we were next marched to the quarter master's store, and received our uniform and kit, which consisted of one each of the following articles, viz., pair boots, cloth trowsers, summer trowsers, shako, tunic, stock and clasp, shell-jacket, forage-cap, pair mits, tin blacking, pair braces, clothes-brush, canteen and cover, knapsack and straps, great coat and haversack, two shirts, two pair socks, and two towels ; for the marking of which we were charged a halfpenny each. We were next taken to the tailor's shop, where we had our clothing 'Mi ill "m 44 MANUAL AND PLATOON KXKRCISE. 11 !| ' '! li '! ; 'I i ! altered and fitted ; this lastajj four or five days, during which time we were exempt from drill; but instead had to do the duties of orderly men by turns, that is prepare the meals for those at drill, and keep the barrack rooms clean and in proper order. After we got our clothing all right, we then turned out to drill three times a day, viz., before breakfast, club drill, ten oclock, commanding officer's par- ade, with setting up drill ; afternoon, goose step, exten- sion and balance motions. At all these parades and drills we were minutely in- spected by the orderly sergeant, and afterwards by the sergeant major, and if the least fault was found, ordered to parade again, which was called " a dirty parade." I took particular pains to escape the latter. When drill commenced, we were formed into squads of six or eight men each, in line, at arms-length apart, which is termed a " squad with intervals," after drilling in single rank for a week, one squad was increased to two ranks, at open order, the rear rank covering the intervals. The sergeant major frequently came round to each squad, and finding a deserving recruit, sent him up to a more advanced squad, in this way the most intelligent and attentive recruits were advanced ; I was lucky in being one of the first sent up, and I afterwards got sent up step by step, until I reached the advanced squad, where I learned company's drill without arms ; after which we were served with arms, formed into squads, taught the manual and platoon exercise, company and battalion movements, with arms. POSTED TO THE GRENADIER COMPANY. 45 We were then put through a course of ball practice. The distance being fifty, a hundred, hundred and fifty, and two hundred yards ; the '' old Brown Bess " being in use then. The first shot I fired I got a bull's eye, which was reckoned a first-class shot, and the only one I got during the practice. After we had finished the course, we were again inspected, when we acquitted ourselves to the entire satisfaction of the officer, and were accordingly dis- missed from recruits' drill, and returned fit for duty as soldiers. Two days afterwards the head-quarters of the regiment arrived from Bombay, marched into barracks, band playing, colours flying, forming up on the barrack square. The men were tall and soldier-hke, but very much tanned from exposure in the east. Their strength on arrival were only five hundred. We were all delighted to meet the Head Quarters, which had been long expected. They had a long, rough voyage, of three months, having come in a sailing vessel. After they had been inspected by the commanding officer, Colonel Pinnikuck, they were told off" and shown to their different barrack rooms. . Next day regimental orders being issued, I heard my name read out "Private Thomas Faughnan posted|to the Grenadier or Captain L. C. Bourchier's company." I was well pleased to hear this, it being the best company in the regiment. The whole of the recruits were also posted to the different service companies. Being dismissed from recruits' drill, I had ample oppor- tunities of walking out in the afternoons, and visiting some i^ :l :i \ ,\ :: i r: ;K :;: til CANTERBUEY CATHEDRAL. of the old places around the city ; among which were the cathedral, one of the oldest ecclesiastical edifices in Eng- land. It was consecrated by Saint Augustine, A.D. 597. Here too he baptized Ethelbert, King of Kent. Saint Martin's Church under- the-h ill, said to be the oldest in England, is another time-worn structure, partly built of Roman brick and tiles. There are fourteen such old churches here, most of them built of rough flint, and very an- cient. Also the ruins of a Norman Castle, one of the largest in England, which stands near a mound known as the " Dan John ;" connected with this are beautiful gardens, where the band of our I7th regiment played always on Thursday afternoon, when hundreds of the ^lite of the city assembled to promenade. This is one of the pleasantest stations in England for a soldier ; there is no garrison duty to perform, the only duties being the regimental guards, and they come very seldom ; the men getting sixteen nights in bed between guards. Regiments arriving from India are generally stationed here for some time, in order to recruit after foreign ser- vice and the long voyage. The citizens are very much attached to soldiers, and treat them with the greatest kindness and respect. Our regiment were not fortunate enough to be left here much longer, for a letter of '' readiness " was received by the commanding officer, directing him to hold the regiment WE GET THE ROUTE. 47 ready to proceed to Dover at the shortest notice, which he made known to us in regimental orders that evening. After this order was read we were all on the alert, officers and men preparing for the march, packing officers' and mess baggage, whitewashing and cleaning barracks, to save barrack damages — that great curse — ready to hand over to the barrack master. Accordingly the route came which was read as fol- lows, viz : — " Regimental Orders, ' " By Lieut.-Colonel Pinnikuck, " Canterbury Barracks, Sept. 20th, 1847. " Agreeable to a Route received this day from Horse Guards, the Regiment will parade in heavy marching order, at eight o'clock, A.M., on Tuesday next, the 24th instant, for the purpose of pro- ceeding to Dover, there to be stationed till further orders. The men will breakfast at 7 o'clock on that day. " By Order, "(Signed), Lieut. Codd, " Acting Adjutant 17th Begiment.'^ The following morning inspection of kits, at ten o'clock by the commanding officer, ordered, and afterwards medi- cal inspection. Next day being Sunday, the regiment paraded at ten o'clock, for divine service, when we all marched to church, with the band playing ; Protestants, and Roman Catholics going to their different places of worship, no other denomination being recognised in the regiment. The barracks were inspected on Monday morning, by the quarter-master and captains of companies, the after- noon was occupied in loading the baggage waggons. 1 :\U J F H lili 48 MAKCH TO DOVER. Tuesday, Sept. 24th. The regiment was on parade, ready to fall in, when the officers' and non-commissioned officers' call sounded, the latter forming in line were minutely inspected by the adjutant, accompanied by the sergeant-major, at the same time collecting the reports from the orderly sergeants, after which the companies formed on the coverers, right in front. The rolls being called, the captains inspected their com- panies, tiiat being finished, the colonel gave the commands, " eyes front, steady, fix bayonets, shoulder arms, left wheel into line, quick march, halt, dress." Then the adju- tant galloped down the front collecting the reports, salu- ting the colonel as he reported " all correct, Colonel ! " " Form fours, right, quick march;" when the whole stepped oflT, the band at the same time striking up, " Auld Lang Syne," marched out of barracks, down north gate, and up High Street, accompanied by such a crowd of citizens, that it is easier to imagine than describe ; after marching through the principal streets, the music changed to " The Girl I left behind me," of the latter there were quite a few followed us outside the town ; when the order was given " unfix bayonets, march at ease." The latter order being quickly obeyed (for we had quite a load on our backs, having the whole of our kit in our knapsacks), we were allowed to sing, chat and laugh to shorten the journey. After we had got to the half-way house we halted, piled arms, and were allowed to go into the hotel for refreshments. When we were well rested and refreshed (thanks to the landlord who had everything we needed ready); the march com- hilii M .niii U . ne were ARRIVAL AT DOVER. 49 menced again, and we accomplislied the journey of sixteen miles in eight hours, in heavy marching order. On arri- val in Dover, at four o'clock p.m., the left wing were sta- tioned at the castle, and right with head-quarters, at the heights. '?{ > ( ' *i 1 CHAPTER VI. ARRIVAL AT DOVER — FIRST GUARD — THE DEAD MOUSE— OHOST— THE HEKJHTS — SHAFT — FORTIFICATIONS — MARCHING OUT —CHAR- TIST RIOTS — TRAIN TO LONDON — DEPARTURE- -OSBORNE HOUSE — MAIN DOCK — ROUTE TO CHATHAM — SIEGE — SHAM FIGHT. ^N the arrival in barracks, the companies were shown their respective quarters, when we soon divested ourselves of our knapsacks and accoutrements ; orderly men were told off to draw rations and prepare supper, while the remainder went to fill their beds with straw at the barracks stores ; cleaning arms and accoutrements occu- Tjied the remainder of the evening. We were exempt irom drill the following day, in order to get our barracks and appointments thoroughly clean after the march. It was now getting near my turn for guard, and it be- ing my first, I was determined to turn out in a soldier- like manner with my appointments clean and shining. Accordingly I was detailed for the western redoubt, which furnishes a sentry over the garrison hospital, that stands on the middle of a common, on the top of the Western Heights above the barracks, and a quarter of a mile from any house or habitation. I SEE A GHOST. 51 After mounting guard I was in the first relief, and my post was at the hospital ; on receiving my orders from the corpoi'al he directed my attention to the dead house, Nvliere, laid out on a table, was a body I was to keep the rats from gnawing. The corporal having posted me at eleven o'clock that night, all the ghost stories I had heard in the " potheen still house " in Leitrim, came up in my mind as fiush as when they were told. While I was tliinking, I heard a noise, looked round, and saw a man dressed in white standing at the door of the dead-house. I tried to challenge, but my tongue was tied. I felt para- lized. I scrambled along the walk to the front of the hospital ; knocking at the door, when the sergeant came out and said, " what is the matter, sentry?" " Oh !" said I, " there is a man, dressed in white, at the * Dead House.' " He went back for an orderly, saying something in- coherent, when both went round to the dead house ; and there they found everything as they had left it. The sergeant called me a fool, and threatened to report me for leaving my post ; this stirred me up, and I walked up and down briskly the remainder of the two hours, which appeared the longest I ever passed in my life. I said nothing of the occurrence to the men on guard lest they might laugh at me. Our guard being relieved, we were marched to barracks, inspected by the orderly sergeant, and dismissed. The sergeant, however, did not report me as he had threatened, whether he forgot or not I did not try to find out. The I garrison consisted of two batteries royal artillery, one on •11 IS ) i; hi Hi's I , iy ■^ ' 52 PERPENDICULAR SHAFT. ijiilii \ the heights, and the other at the castle, a company of sappers and miners, besides our own regiment. The troops had many guards to furnish, consequently the men got only five nights in bed between duty; besides fatigue parties were many and laborious, on account of so much uphill work ; the water supplied to the garrison was brought up from a well, over three hundred feet deep, by means of a wheel, which took four men to work, they being relieved every two hours. The heights on which the barracks stand are three hundred and eighty feet above the level of the sea. A deep perpendicular shaft containing about four hundred steps of winding-stairs, lead from town to the barracks on the heights, which tries the men's wind coming up at tattoo, and at other times when on fatigue. The garrison is well fortified and comprises " Dover Castle," which occupies a commanding position on the chalk cliffs, about 380 feet above the level of the sea, and in the construction of which, Saxons and Normans d^' 3d no small amount of ingenuity; the Western its, Fort Burgoyne, the south Front Bastion, the ,/rop Redoubt, the Citadel, the western outworks, and the . north Centre Bastion, with Queen Anne's Pocket Piece on the Castle Heights. The harbour is well shel- tered by the chalk cliffs, which end landwards, in a charm- ing valley leading to what is known as the " Garden of Kent." During the winter, our regiment marched into the country in hea\ y marching order twice a week, when we generally went ten to twelve miles on each occasion, THE CHARTIST lUOlS. 53 jd! ami not unfrt^(iueiitly (mcounttMin44, PUBLIC PARKS, COLUMNS AND STATUES. Trafiilgar Square, South Kensington Museum, the Guards Barracks, Chelsea ; tlie General Post Office, which has a hall 80 feet by 60 and 53 high, with a vast number of offices all around it. Of public columns and statues the chief which in- terested me and took my attention were the following : The Albert memorial, Hyde Park ; Nelson's Column, Trafalgar Square ; and York Column, Waterloo Steps. Of the public parks in the Metropolis the most important are Hyde Park, St. James' Park, the Green Park, Regent's Park, Victoria Park, Kensington Park — all belong to the nation, and are, of course out of the builders' hands ; they are most valuable as " lungs " and breathing places for great London. The Zoological Gardens, Horticultural Gardens, and Botanic Gardens are beautiful places belonging to private societies. Of places of amusement, there are three opera houses, about thirty theatres, twelve music halls and con- cert rooms of large dimensions (including Albert Hall), a much larger number of smaller size, and very numerous exhibition rooms of various kinds, including Madame Tus- saud's exhibition of wax figures, in Baker Street ; these greatly interested and amused me. I must not forget my leave is nearly up, my furlough expires to-morrow night at tattoo. Alas, I am sorry I can- not stay longer ; time seems so short, and flies so fast in this great city, but as a soldier I must never forget my duty. After bidding my friend good-bye, and thanking him kindly for his generous hospitality, I started back to join 1 ■ »j 1 ■ in ill ;!;« 11 liiji 111; ■ I li;:!;!'' Will'- M\\ 64 OKDEKED TO SHEEllNESS. my regiment at Chatham, by the same route I liad come, arriving in barracks at tattoo, January IGth, and duly reported myself. Whilst I had been on leave, my company (the grena- diers) were under orders for detachment at Sheerness. Accordingly we embarked at the Sun Pier, and proceeded down the Medway, by steamer, on the 8th February, ar- riving at our destination at two p.m., commanded by Captain L. C. Bourchier, and were stationed in the same barracks as the 72nd Highlanders, whoso pipers kept playing and droning from reveilld till tattoo. This is also another of England's royal ship-building establish- ments ; there are nearly two thousand artizans and labour- ers employed daily in the dockyard. The streets, public houses, and concert saloons are continually, unfortunately, crowded with sailors, soldiers, marines, and dockyard hands every evening ; and not unfrequently a bar-room row takes place between the soldiers and sailors ; on one occasion F saw two of our tallest and ablest grenadiers peel off their coats and clean out a whole tap- room of sailors, and that with their English fists. On our last visit to Canterbury, what did I do but, like an Irishman, fall in love. 1 made the acquaintance of a Kentish beauty and promised to marry her, with the understanding that T got the commanding officer's sanc- tion. In order to carry out this promise, after our com- pany had been here about a month, I applied to the colonel, of course through the captain of my company, for leave to get married, which was granted, through the 1 TAKE UNTO MYSELF A WIKE. 05 strong reconimondation and influence of my captain ; for my readers must know that it is only a very small pro- portion of soldiers (six to each company), and those only of the best character and highly recommended, can get leave to marry; or if they marry without leave, they have no claim to participate in any of the advantages and privileges attached to the soldier who marries with leave — such as quarters in barracks and on foreign stations, and " rations." Having received the commanding officer's permission, I was married, on the 3rd of April, 1850, at Minster, in the Isle of Sheppy, Kent. My wife then was placed on the strength of the regiment from that date. Now my happiness was complete. I was struck out of the barrack-room messing, and my wife and I became truly happy together. Instead of walking down the town with my comrades, I walked out with my wife in the evenings on the ramparts in rear of our quarters, and gazed in wonder at the massive fortifications and guns which encircled our barracks. Here we could hear the soft strains of exquisite music from the various military bands of marines, or the regiments in garrison, or, more frequently, the pipers of the 72nd Highlanders, or the sound of the evening gun re-echo over the surface of the waters from the flag-ship which rode so majestically at anchor in the distant roadstead, with the sun sinking into an ocean of fire, and the white sails of the fishing smacks glisten in the setting sun. We had been for some time fearing to be relieved from this delightful station ; at length the long expected order came. The E 8 f 1 Mi lii > *l i ""1 t ,' m '' ■-III; ^tf^^m H m TOWN OF WEEDON. rumours which had been for some time gatherinp^ strength as to our destination were discovered toliavehad a better foundation than many which in general Hoat indefinitely about our barracks, on the subject of which no one ever could discover their origin, for, you must know, soldiers are gi'eat gossipers. Our orders were for Weedon, a small town in North- amptonshire, on the River Nene. In three days we were to embark on board a steamer for London, thence by rail. We were all rather sorry for leaving the present station, although soldiers always like fresh scenery, and always play when they leave '* The Girl I Left Behind Me." We embarked on the 18th of May, accompanied by the band, pipes, and several men of the 72nd Highlanders to the wharf; the band playing " Auld Lang Syne," as our steamer moved off from the dock, the men cheering and wav- ing their handkerchiefs, which we responded to in a most friendly manner. We were all very happy, though we were rather closely packed together — a circumstance generally considered dangerous to good fellowship. The vessel was a small one, and being of rather ancient build did not boast all thoi^e conveniences that the new steamers possess. The voyage was a short one; the river being very smooth, the trip was pleasant, although it was some- what inconvenient for the women and childi-en, who were huddled up very close together. We were lucky that the weather was so fine — therefore, we had not the unplea- santness of sea sickness. As we neared London, steamers and vessels of nearly ^ A QUIET TOWN. G7 every size l)ecaiiiu more mimerous, and the buzz of industry from tliu shore, with tho whistling of small steam- ers, the s[)lashiny of wheels, and clouds of smoke, impress- ed us with the wondrous amount of tralHc carried on through this mighty highway of commerce. We reached Blackwall at one o'clock, and marched to Euston Station, the women and children being sent in cabs, where we took the train at three p.m, arriving in Weedon at five p.m, marclied into barracks and joined head-t^uar- ters which had been there before us. About this time Colonel Styte got command of the regiment, an old Waterloo officer of great skill in military details. The Town of Weedon, which is situated in the centre of a wide and rich valley in one of the most beautiful counties in England, was declared by all our soldiers, without one dissentient voice, to be an exceedingly dull stupid place; not having much duty to perform in this quiet gar- rison, we were kept continually at drill ; in the evenings the men had nothing to occupy their spare time except to assemble in the public houses or canteen; and on Sunday, after church to walk out of town to a certain country tavern where they unfortunately used to indulge in drink ing and carousing. In the days of which I write, those who entertained the idea of educating soldiers were laughed at as visionary enthusiasts, whose schemes, if put into practice would entirely ruin and destroy the military spirit of the army ; and few there were among the com manding officers of regiments who possessed moral courage enough to combat the general opinion, even if they differed i ■'i:- 1 i ii ^.; lillll ill ^iiiv 'I 68 AN EVENING SCHOOL ESTABLISHED. from the principle. Colonel Styte, however, the lieutenant- colonel of the 17th regiment of " Royal Tigers," was hap- pily endowed with moral courage in equal degree with his gallantry in the field, which secured for him his present high position, and an honesty of mind and purpose he possessed that was not usual with officers of his time- He had received a wound at the Battle of Waterloo in his right arm, which entirely disabled it, and it hung down by his side quite powerless. Not being able to draw his sword, we had great sympathy for him, which he appreciated very much. He had established an evening school for the drummer boys of the regiment and for such of the non-commissioned officers and privates as chose to avail themselves of its advantages. The colonel and a few of his brother officers raised a subscription in order to provide the necessary books ; and a school was established and well attended, with most excellent results ; valued by many of the best disposed non-commissioned officers and men; and worked exceedingly well. Regarding the drum- mer boys, their attendance was compulsory. The teacher was a very gentlemanly, able man, and imparted his in- structions in a very painstaking manner, which caused many of the young soldiers to attend his school willingly and try to advance themselves by his instructions. Nothing in the regiment gave me more pleasure than attending, and the progress I made during our term served to advance my prospects of promotion in after years, which I most gratefully remember. " HOMEWARD BOUND." 69 We were stationed in this quiet town for three months when we got orders to proceed to Castlebar, a town in the west of Ireland, and about one hundred and sixty miles from Dublin. SSl-M tv t:i ' ! '1 i\ CHAPTER VIII. LIVERPOOL — EMBARK FOR DUBLIN — THE VOYAGE — ARRIVAL — MARCH — THE TRAIN — THE MARCH TO CASTLEBAR — ARRIVAL — ELECTION — ROUTE TO GALWAY. AY 9th, 1850. — The regiment was formed on the barrack square right in front, marched to the railway station, the band playing at the head of the regiment, accompanied by a large number of the towns- people, with whom we were very popular, and who gave lis three hearty cheers as the train moved from the sta- tion at 10 o'clock a.m. During the journey, the train stopped sufficiently long enough at different stations to enable us to partake of refreshments. Arriving in Liverpool at 4.30, formed up afc the station and marched through tlie main street down to the docks, with fixed bayonet'^, the band playing " British Grena- diers," where we embarked at 5.30 p.m. At six o'clock the steamer moved off slowly from the dock, the band playing " Come back to Erin," when we were cheered by the crowd from the quay. We had a remarkably fine passage, although the boat rolled and pitched a good deal with tlie long swell from south-west, and we suffered but little discomfort beyond what invariably attends 900 men, 40 women and children ''.».'Zr,;u;rcr-A^i'.iv.:*:si.*;j-j~ii„.. " MY OWN NATIVE LAND." 71 who are imprisoned for the time being, with the fear of being drowned. Several of the women and children were sea-sick ; but as for the men, their will conquered their stomach, and they were not sick, although many of them looked very pale and squeamish. Hoping to enter port in the morning, I was early on deck ; we were already in sight of land ; on the right the long low line of the Irish coast was visible scarcely raised above the level of the sea. Not far ahead the outline and prominent fea- ture of the Hill of Howth stood out before us on the right with its light-house ; my heart beat high with joy as my eye caught the first glimpse of the land of my birth, " my own native land." The city, that at first looked like a white line on the coast, began apparently to lift itself upwards and assume definite form and shape, the houses and spires standing out more distinctly ; on the left we saw Kingston, with the grand Wicklow Mountains in the background com- pleting the pint are. Indeed the Bay of Kingston is said to be one of the most beautiful in the world. Now we pass the lighthouse on the left which stands at the end of a long pier at the entrance of the bay, close to the Pigeon Hole where there are strong fortifications. We are moving up slowly among the shipping, arriving at the north-wall at six o'clock a.m. The order was given to disembark immediately, when huge swarms of red coats assembled on deck, buzzed and bustled about, actively preparing to disembark in good order, and fall in by companies on the quay. On the bugle sounding I. h J \ H ! n ' 1:1 UJ-i m .:i ■ ' ' ' ^B] 1 ! > ! 1 ;■■.■ ;; ■ 1 M ■ < { .i '• ■if" u. 1 : ttii 76 ARRIVAL AT CASTLEBLAKENEY. ii 111! ■•' ■ ! i fortified on the Shannon, dividing Leinster from Con- naught. We fared well here and got good billets ; to-mor- row will be Sunday ; we will halt. We were allowed to in- dulge in a good sleep on Sunday morning, nothing to do before ten o'clock, only get breakfast of ham and eggs j church parade in front of O'Rourk's hotel, where we were inspected and marched off to our different places of wor- ship, the band playing, causing great crowds of people to assemble and accompany us to church. After dinner the men walked out in full dress ; there were crowds of peo- ple and plenty of whiskey drunk during the day and night ; great excitement to see so many soldiers in the town. At tattoo that night one corporal and six privates were confined ; the corporal for being drunk, and the privates for minor offences. In the morning, the six pri- vates were reprimanded, and the corporal sent back for a court martial on arrival at Castlebar. We were on the march at seven o'clock, the band play- ing Patrick's Day and Garry Owen, as we marched out of town, cheered by the crowd. We were in good spirits for eveiy fellow had a parting glass with the landlord before parting, besides we were getting accustomed to the march. After a march of fifteen miles we arrived in Castleblakeney at two o'clock. This is a sraall town like Ballymore. During the march to Castlebar, we always started at seven every morning and paraded at five every evening for inspection. Next day at two o'clock, we reached Tuam, a fine town, where Archbishop McHale and Bishop Plunket reside, ARRIVAL AT CASTLEBAR. 77 where we were billeted that night, marching as usual in the morning ; next night at Holymount, arriving at Castlebar on Thursday, the 18th May, 1850, where we were to be stationed till further orders, accomplishing a journey of about one hundred miles in seven days. On arriving we were shown our quarters; bed-filling at the barrack stores, and cleaning our appointments after the long march, occupied the remainder of the da^ . The following day commanding officer's parade in heavy marching order at ten a.m., when we were minutely in- spected, and dismissed. We had good barrack accommoda- tion, and easy duty, the men getting ten nights in bed between guards. After we had been here a few days, we became aware of the fact that a contested election for a member of parliament was to take place in about three weeks, and we found great excitement among the people; the committees of each candidate were holding meetings and canvassing for their party, many rows took place between them, the public houses were continually crowded, police were brought here from distant stations, and as the day of polling drew near the excitement increased. On the day of voting two troops of cavalry arrived, and we were under orders to turn out at a moment's notice. On the morning of the election, the grenadiers and light company were drawn up in line on each side of the square fronting the court-house, with the two troops of cavalry ; the voting commenced at ten o'clock, the police were all formed ready to pass the voters in and keep the crowd back, the voters were brought in from the country on side- I 1 jir(|;| 78 AN ELECTION ROW. cars, n-uanlud from tlie mob by a policeman on cacb side of the car. The people were very roughly used at first by the police, which raised their wrath, when they rushed with immense force on th^ -^olice and thoroughly defeated them, forcing them tc ^at to the lines of the military for protection. Having effected this object the crowd re- tained their position, but did not attempt to assault the soldiers, though their shouts of defiance to the police rose loud and long. The police were ordered to advance again and seize the ringleaders ; they obeyed very reluctantly, but being assaulted with sticks and stones their indi- vidual courage was excited, and they rushed to chastise the mob, who again drove them back in greater disorder than before ; and a nearer approach to the soldiers was made by the crowd in the scuffle which ensued. The police were again ordered to charge the mob, when a more serious scrimmage arose, sticks and stones were used with more effect, and the parties being nearer to each other, the missiles intended only for the police overshot their mark and struck some of the soldiers, who bore their painful position with admirable fortitude, although their patience was sorely tried to stand a target for the mob; but a soldier's duty is to obey orders in whatever shape they come from his officers, and therefore they had to put up with rough usage. The mob were now furious, and the magistrate had to read the Riot Act before the soldiers could attempt to quell the disturbance ; at last the military were ordered to fire, the captain giving the command, " with ball cart- THREE CHEERS FOR THE SOLDIERS. 79 ridge, load, ready, present, fire," the men were previously cautioned in an under tone of voice to tire over the people's heads. This had the desired effect, the crowd dissolved as the muskets were brought to the present, after which they gave three cheers for the soldiers and down with the " peelers." This act brought the soldiers into high esteem with the populace. The businest. of the interior was now suspend- ed for a time by the sounds of tierce tumults, which arose after the soldiers had discharged the volley ; some rushed from the court-house to the platform, and beheld the mob in a state of great excitement. A popular candidate now stood forward on the platform and was greeted with fresh cheers. He waited till the uproarious cheering died away, and then addressed them in a few words touching their nationality and the honour of their country. After which the crowd gave him three hearty cheers, and quiet was restored, when the troops were marched into barracks, but kept in readiness should another row commence; but happil}' all were peaceable afterwards although much excitement witi plenty of whiskey con- tinued for several days after, in which several of the soldiers joined. After the election, our men were highly respected by the inhabitants ; the old women brought the men bottles of " poteen whiskey " in their milk cans. The sergeant on the gate not suspecting any smuggling, saw nothing but milk in the can — but if he had searched the can he would w 1! 1 t > i i 5 1 i ir : i\ !:! 1 ' ! i ■ .1 *■ if : H pr Wi ROUTE FOR (iALWAY. have found a black bottle of the real " luouutain Jew " at the bottom. After being stationed here three months we got the route for Gal way, a town situated at the mouth of Lough Corrib; it is the west terminus of the Midland Great Western Railway, and 117 miles west of Dublin. «™, r Mlh} CHAPTER IX. tup: march — OALWAY — CAPTAIN BOURCHIER — DETACHMENT — RE- GATTA — ROW WITH THE POLICE— ROUTE TO OALWAY — MAJOR BOURCHIER ^EXCHANGES— CAPTAIN CROKER— CLADDAOH — ATTEND A CAMP MEETING — THE CITY OF GALWAY — THEATRE — ROUTE TO DUBLIN. UGUST 26th, 1850, at 7 a.m. We marched out of Castlebar, the townspeople accompanied us for some distance and gave us three hearty cheers on parting. We marched sixteen miles that day, and were billeted at Holymount. Previous to this Captain Bourchier had applied for leave of absence for three months, which reached him here, when he started for England after bid- ding the company good-bye, and handing it over to Lieu- tenant Coulthurst. We all suspected that he was going to be married during his absence, which proved to be a fact, for on his return to the regiment in November he brought his wife with him. Next morning we were on the march again, and after fifteen miles, arrived at Tuam, where we were billeted for the night; arriving in Galway at two o'clock p.m. the following day, after a tiresome march of eighteen miles. The grenadiers and light company, with four others, were stationed at the Shamble Barracks, and^four companies at m li M i V U vk ■h. > I i'r ■ ■ ii'-- liii : I m m ' 82 GALWAY. the Castle. Most of the officers stayed at Mackilroy's Hotel, in the Market Square or " Green," as it was called, where they remained until their quarters were ready for their reception. After our arrival, we all turned out to fill our beds with straw at the barrack store as usual. Duty here was easy, having only three guards to furnish, which consisted of two sergeants, three corporals and twenty-four privates daily, but we were kept continually at drill, either cor.imandiiig offi' >'s,adjutil^it's or sergeant-major's. The only time we had to call our own was from supper till tattoo. During Captain Bourchier's absence from the regiment he had been promoted to Brevet Major, and on his return about the thirtieth of November, he brought a beautiful bride back with him to share his military honours. He rented a comfortable house in one of the aristocratic ter- races of Salt Hill Road, in the suburbs of the town. At Christmas he treated the company to a good dinner and a barrel of ale to wash it down, when we drank towards his and his lady's health and happi^^ess, and wished them many returns of the season. On the 30th January, 1851, I had an increase in my family, for a boy was born to me. We had him christened Thomas Henry, Thomas gi'ter my father, and Henry after my wife's father. Our company were under orders for detachment at Banagher, a small fortified garrison town on the River Shannon, and thirty miles soiaGii of Gaiway. May 1st, 1851. — Our company were formed on the bar- f l« r-nm :*M PORTUMNA LAKE. 83 rack square, inspected by the Colonel, and after a few words of fatherly advice from him, we marched up High Street, accompanied outside the town by the band, play- ing Irish airs. We had thirty miles to march, which we accomplished in two days. We marched through Oran- more, Athenry, and were billeted in Balinasloe one night, passing tlirough Eyrecourt, arriving in Banagher next day at three p.m. These barracks are sufficient to accommo- date about one hundred ant fifty men, situated within a fortification which commands a bridge that spans the Shannon, and connects King's County with the County Galway. This part of the country is celebrated for fish- ing, shooting and boating, and Portumna Lake, about fourteen miles from here, is famous for regattas, which our three officers, viz., Major Bourchier, Lieutenant Coulthurst and Ensign Williams, availed themselves of during our time of duty at this station. They purchased a yacht, a four-oar gig, and a duck boat, from their predecessors. They also hired one Jack, the boatsman, to take care of the yacht and boats, and accompany them when required. They fr ^uently took a man or two of the company witn them when on sailing excursions to work the yacht, which we enjoyed very much. The Major, Ensign Williams, "Jack" and myself, went to a regatta at Portumna ; a distance of fourteen miles, in the four-oared gig; we rowe-^ down the river very fast, arriving there at twelve o'clock:, in time for the first race. The officers were invited on board one of the gentlemen's yachts, which was to sail in the match,! and " Jack" were ' '■ TTTi ' 1 ill '4 iMi V r" " P S!!! i i 1 M 84 ROW WITH THE CONSTABULARY. left in char<^e of the gig. Aftor the race the officers re- turned at nine o'clock, p.m., wlien we started to row back to barracks ; after we got eight miles, we came to a lock which was open as we passed through going down in the morning ; but now it was shut, and we had no alternative but carry our boat to the other side of the lock. This being done, we took a drink of "poteen" which we had in the boat to cheer us up. After refreshing ourselves we started again with renewed vigour. In going down in the morn- ing we thought nothing of rowing fourteen miles with the stream, but now going back against it, was quite a different affair, the stream i^an so very swift, and we had hard work to mak " headway against it. However, with good pluck and a drop out of the bottle of "poteen," now and then, we braved the stream and reached barracks at two o'clock in the morning. Scarcely a day passed without a boating, fishing, or shootino" excursion of some kind. This makes it a very pleasant station, and besides the town has a clean, neat and tidy appearance, compared with some towns we have ocen in Ireland, and can boast of one decent hotel, " Mann's Hotel," besides several public houses with skittle allies attached, which i)lace of amusement several of our men patronized. Two of the company had an alterca- tion with two or three of the police at one of these places, when the latter tried to take the two soldiers to the police station, this the soldiers objected to, whereupon a row en- sued, then several more police joined and were forcing the soldiers off, when their comrades in barracks having been warned of the row by some person, rushed out of barracks wvm S 'I DEPARTURE OF MAJOR BOURCHIER. 85 vvitli naked bayonets in hand, rescued tlie two soldiers and l)eat tlie police, driving the whole force out of the town and chasing them through the country v*here they skedaddled and hid in the potato fields. Several of the police got hurt, but not very seriously. Our company and the police never could agree after that row, but they never again attem2:»ted to take any of our men to the station- house. About a month after the row with the police, we got relieved by No. C company from head-quarters. On the 27th October we marched out of bari-acks at two o'clock, p. m., as the relieving company marched in. After a march of sixteen miles we arrived in Balmastor at seven o'clock in the evening, where we were billeted for the night. The railway, which was in course of con- struction as we passed here en route to Banagher, being now finished and the trains running on it, we took the train at eleven o'clock, a, m., arriving at Galway Station at twelve, where we were met by the band, which maiched at the head of the company down Main Street, playing the "British Grenadiers" as we marched into the Sham- ble Barracks. One month after this. Major Bourchier had exchanged to the 54th Regiment, which were in the East Indies. The night previous to his departure his brother officers of the regiment entertained him as their guest at the mess, where they all expressed deep sorrow at his leaving and his loss to the regiment. After bid- cling the men good-bye, he left for India, taking with him the best wishes and prayers for his future welfare, especi- ally of his own company the grenadiers, to whom he t ! i .1 : i r I I I muii.iii i J, ! 86 THE CLADDAGH, had ever been a father during his command. Many of the men accompanied him to the railway station to see him off; need I say we lost a friend. Ca])tain John Croker, a Limerick man, not only the tal- lest officer in the regiment (height 6 feet 4 ins.) but now the senior captain, who formerly belonged to No. 8 company, now got command of the grenadiers, vice Captain Bourchier promoted. Galway has a popula- tion of about 25,000 ; the old town is poorly built and ir- regular, and some of its old houses have the Spanish architecture, easily accounted for by the great intercourse which at one time subsisted between Galway and Spain. The new town consists of well planned and spacious streets, built on a rising ground which slopes gradually towards the harbour; its suburbs are veiy wretched, collections of wretched cabins, inhabited by a poor class of people; one of these suburbs called the Claddagh, is inhabited by fishermen who exclude all strangers, and live perfectly amongst themselves, electing their king, etc., and ever marrying within their own circle. These fishermen still speak the grand old Celtic language, and the old Irish costume is still worn by the women, open gowns and red petticoats. They annually elect a mayor, whose functions is to ad- minister the laws of their fishery, and to superintend all internal regulations. One of these fishermen's sons took a great liking to the soldiers, and frequently came into the barracks to see us at drill. He was about G feet 4 in- ches in height and a powerful built young man of eighteen PADDY BELTON. 87 years old. He applied to the sergeant-iriajor to enlist. Ho t(jok him before the Colonel, wlio ;i})proved of him. When he was enlisted in the I7th Regiment, his name was Paddy Belton, His father came and tried to get him ott*, hut it was no use, he had his mind made up, and wished to l)e a soldier. After getting his uniform on, he invited a connvade and myself, to a "camp" in his village; which is a contest of skill, or, com])etition for priority — a display of female powers at the spinning of yarn. It is indeed a cheerful meeting of the bright fair girls; and although strong and desperate rivalry is the order of the day, it is conducted in a spirit so light-hearted and fiiendly that I scarcely know a more interesting or delightfid amuse- ment in a country life. When a " camp " is al)Out to be held the affair soon becomes known in the neiixhbour- hood ; sometimes young women are asked, but in most instances, so eager are they to attend that invitations are unnecessary; in winter time and in mountain districts, it is often as picturesque as pleasant. The young women usually begin to assemble at four o'clock in the morning ; and as they always go in groups, accompanied besides by their sweethearts, or some male relative, each of the latter bearing a large torch of well dried bog-deal, their voices, songs and laughter break upon the stillness of the morning with a holiday feeling, made five times more delightful by the darkness of the hour. The spinning wheels are carried by the young men amidst an agreeable volley of repartee. From the moment they arrive the mirth is fast and furious, nothing is heard '1 ! ;■ 88 SPINNING "CAMP." li 1 1 : 1 but laughter, conversation, songs and anecdotes, all in a loud key ; among the loud humming of spinning-wheels, and the noise of reels, as they incessantly crack the cuts in the hands of the reelers, who are perpetually turning them from morning till night, in order to ascertain the quantity which every competitor has spun ; and who ever has spun the most wins the " camp," and is queen for the night. At the conclusion of the " camp " we all repaired to a supper of now milk and flummery, which was most delicious. This agreeable meal being over, we repaired to the dancing-room, where Mickey Gaffet, the piper, was installed in his own peculiar arm-chair of old Irish oak ; a shebeen man, named Barney O'Shea, had brought a large jar of poteen to cheer the boys' hearts for the occasion, of which they freely partook, when the dancing commenced. It is not my intention to enter into a detailed account of the dancing, nor of the good humour which pervaded amongst them, it is enough to say that the old people performed cotillions and the young folks jigs, reels, and country dances ; hornpipes were performed upon doors (the floor being of earth) with the greatest skill. My comrade and myself enjoyed the dance, which was kept up all night, taking a drop of poteen between the dances, to keep our spirits up by pouring spirits down. Our leave was up at six o'clock in the morning, and we had to report ourselves not later than that hour to the sergeant of the quarter guard, so we left the dance at four o'clock, got to barracks before six, gave in our passes to the sergeant, and were just in time for morning drill, TOWN OF GALWAY. 80 when we drilled till a quarter to eight o'clock, I can assure you with aching heads after the poteen. The principal buildings in Galway are, the Queen's College, which was just opened a year before our arrival there ; among the other edifices are three monasteries, and five nunneries, Smith's College, the court-house, and barracks, with the grand old church of St Nicholas, It has numerous flour, and other mills, also breweries, and dis- tilleries. Extensive salmon and sea fishing are carried on here. The bay is a large expanse of water about eighteen miles broad at its seaward extremity, diminishing to about eight miles inland, and being about twenty miles long. It is protected from the swell of the Atlantic, by the Arran Isles. ^.i west from Galway to the sea is the district called Cuunemara, which contains vast bogs, moors, loughs and marshes, which present a bleak and dreary as[)ect. Galwav abounds in ancient remains of Celtic as well as of the Norman period ; cromlechs and monastic I'uins are found in several parts of the county. A very fine specimen of this class is tliat of Knockmoy, near Tuam, besides several round towers. The officers amused themselves both fishing and shooting when off duty, they frequently could be seen with rod and line landing a large sized salmon, on the banks of the river, and another officer coming into barracks in the evening with his dog and gun, with his bag well fiilled witli game, after his day's sport. Besides these enjoyments they organised an amateur ■ rmw I h ;!i!> If" !iil: t 90 MILITARY THESPIANS. (Irainatic coiii})aiiy, with Lieutenant Lindsay, Lieutenant Coulthurst and Ensign Williams at its head, with the band and a few smart non-commissioned officers and privates ; which was well patronised by the officers and their ladies, besides several of the nobility and gentry of the town and any of the soldiers who wished to attend. This brought round the best of i'.^.ing between the regiment and inhabi- tants, and produced excellent results. We hac' been for some time looking out for an order for Dublin. Our expectations were fulfilled on the fif- teenth of March, by the colonel receiving a large official envelope containing the route for the l7th regiment to proceed by rail on the 2Sth March, 1852, to Dublin, there to be stationed and do garrison duty till further orders, to be quartered in the Richmond barracks. The order having been read to the regiment, the news soon spread to the creditors in the town, when could be seen tailors, shoemakers, hatters, bakers, grocers and liquor merchants, all rushing into the barracks looking for their debtors. Notwithstanding the credit of the regiment having been cried down on our arrival, many trades people had given credit to several parties, which they now were try- ing to collect ; but, all those who cannot collect it now, the first tap of the big drum will pay them, when we march out of town. " HoW happy ia the soldier who lives on his pay, And spends half a crown out of sixpence a day." We had fifteen days to get ready, which wei'e occupied OFF TO DUBLIN. 91 in cleaning- l)arracks, tilling nail-lioles, and wliitc-washing, to obviate as much as i)Ossible that curse, barrack damages, which always follow a regiment from one barrack to an- oth(!r. I' in 5 ■ .■ - I Ifi CHAPTER X. I ■ii THE MARCH — RAIL TO DUBLTX — ARRIVAL — (JAKRISON DUTY — CASTLE (JUARD — THB OLD MAN's HOSl'ITAL— DIVINE SERVICK — TENT-PITCHING — DEATH OF THE " IRON DUKE " — THE FUNERAL — THE QUEEN VISITS DUBLIN — BUILDINGS AND INfsnTUTIONS— THE ROUTE. ARCH 28th, 1852.— The regiment was formed on the Barrack Square, at six o'clock, a.m., in heavy marching order, full kits in our })acks ; the companies minutely inspected and told off by their respective cap- tains ; repoi-ts collected by the adjutant, when all re- l)orted present to the Colonel, who then gave the com- mand "fours right, quick march," when they stepped off, the companies wheeling to the right out of the gate, the band striking up " Patrick's Day," playing up the main street. During the inspection the barrack-gate had been besieged by a large crowd of town's people, who accom- panied the regiment to the railway station, where we were joined by the two companies from the Castle. While getting the regimental baggage, women and chil- dren on the train the band discoursed some sweet music, causing frequent cheers from the crowd. At length all was ready, when a wild scream from the engine was heard, and the train moved out slowly from beneath the AKlllVE AT MULLINGAR. 98 vaulted roof of the station, amid cheer after cheer from the populace, who were assembled in large numbers to see us oli*; the band playing during the slow departure of the train from the station, and the men waving their hiuidkei'C'hiefs, in response, from the carriage windows. At last the train ([uickened the speed, and soon station and crowd faded from our view. We were scarcely an hour in our seats, and viewing the country as the train sped along, and admiring the beautiful green fields, hills and valleys, interspersed with running streams, the pea- santry gazing in wonder, and the country girls waving tht'irhandktrchiefs as the long train of soldiers passed them by, when a shrill whistle from the engine was heard, and then, with much noise, and many a heavy sob, the vast machine swept smoothly into the station at Ballinaster. There were, formed in line on the platform, the compa- nies from detachment at Banagher and Portumna, wait- ing our arrival to join head-quarters. The train stopped at this station twenty minutes, when the two companies came on board. All being ready, the train moved off again, soon reaching Athlone, where we stopped fifteen minutes. Here we got refreshments — a glass of beer and a biscuit, which we enjoyed, having breakfasted at five that morning. About an hour after we were in Mullin- gar, stopping fifteen minutes, when we started again. We are rapidly leaving Mullingar behind. The fields gradu- ally assume a green and spring-like aspect. This part of the country is highly cultivated. Occasionally a small village in the valley, by some running stream, or upon T ,."i^„.. ^f^r-' IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) €// A V^^* /^v"^. <• ^M^ LO I I.I 11.25 1^128 |2.5 |jo "^^ HIH ui Iii2 12.2 1^ 1.8 U IIIIII.6 <^ /: '>> '/ /A "% ■ c^ 94 TROOPS IN DUBLIN. H the hill side, give life and charm to the landscape. The Eoyal Canal runs alongside of the railway all the way from Dublin to Mullingar, and unites the LiflTy with the Shannon in the west. As I was viewing the beauty of the landscape, the en- gine gave a loud and long whistle, which reminded me we were close to the city. Now we can see Wellington's monument, in Phcenix Paik ; arriving at the station at one o'clock, after a ride of one hundred and thirty miles, when we were met by the band of the 39th Regiment, who played at the head of the regiment to Richmond Barracks. On arrival we were told off to our different barracks. These are splendid large, airy barracks, sufficient for two regiments, with good officers' and staff quarters, but bad for married soldiers, who have to rent apartments outside. The military force in Dublin then consisted of the 11th Hussars, Island Bridge Barracks ; 17th Lancers, Royal Horse Artillery and Foot Artillery, Portobella ; 2nd Dragoon Guards, 27th Regiment, Royal Barracks ; 32nd Light Infantry, Ship Street and Linen Hall Barracks ; 39th and 17*vh Regiments, Richmond Barracks ; besides dep6ts at Beggars' Bush ; the whole under the command of Major-General Sir Edward Blakeley, whose quarters were in the Old Man's Hospital, near Phoenix Park. The regiments furnish the duties in their turn. In garrison orders of the 30th, the 17th Regiment were de- tailed to furnish the whole of the duties on the following GAaRISON DUTY. 95 day, viz : — The Castle Guard, one captain, one subaltern, two sergeants, and twenty-four privates ; Lower Castle, one sergeant, one corporal and six privates ; Vice- Regal Lodge, one sergeant, two corporals and eighteen privates ; Old Man's Hospital, one sergeant, two corporals, and twelve privates; Kihnanane, one corpora], and three pri- vates ; Arbour Hill Hospital, one sergeant, one corporal and twelve privates ; Magazine, one sergeant, one coi-po- ral and six privates ; Mountjoy, one corporal and six privates ; Island Bridge, one sergeant, one corporal and twelve privates ; Picture Gallery, one corporal and three privates ; Bank of Ireland, one subaltern, one sergeant, one corporal and twelve privates ; Richmond, one sergeant, two corporals and twelve privates. These guards, with the regimental guards, assemble daily (Sundays and wet days excepted), on the Espla- nade, at ten p.m., when they are trooped, the junior offi- cer of the Castle Guard carrying the colours during the trooping. The regiment who furnishes the duties for the day, also furnishes the band, which plays during the troop- ing of the colours, when crowds of spectators assemble to witness this military review. After they march past in slow and quick time, the guards are formed on their com- manders, when they are marched off to their respective guards by the field officer of the day. Relieving the Castle Guard is a very imposing sight, and hundreds of people assemble to witness this militaiy performance, as well as to hear the sweet martial music while the guards are re- lieving. Before the old guard marches off the new guard V I ,;■»>! 1 ; ■ H 96 TROOPING THE COLOURS. I ■ «; plants their colours in the centre of the Castle yard, with a sentry over them. Two sentries are posted at the gate of the Castle yard, and two on the door of the Castle, under the portico. All the sentries of the old guard hav- ing been relieved, the guard is marched off by its captain, the subaltern carrying the colours, when the new guard salutes by presenting arms, after which the new guard takes the place of the old ; the relief being told off, they are dismissed to the guard-room. The guards take their rations with them, which consist of three-quarters of a pound of beef or mutton, one pound and a half of bread, one pound and a half of potatoes and onions, one-eighth ounce of tea, quaiter of an ounce of coffee, two ounces of sugar, with pepper and salt to each man. There being but one pot and pan in each guard-room they are kept, as you may well imagine, in active work until six o'clock in the evening, every relief boiling potatoes and making tea and coffee. I was detailed for the Old Man's Hospital, which is a large establishment, and consists of the Major General's Quarters, the English Church, where the troops from Richmond attend divine service, as well as the " Old Pensioners," or " Old Fogies," as they are called. There are quarters here for about eight hundred men ; any pen- sioner can be admitted who applies (married men ex- cepted). They are required to pay in their pension for their board and clothes ; the latter consists of cloth trows ■ ers, red tunic, which comes down below the knee, and a Napoleon hat. They have no duty to perform, only keep "OLD FOGIES." 97 themselves and quarters clean and tidy. They are all well satisfied and seem happy ; chatting, and fighting their battles over again. The grounds, walks, avenues, shrubbery, kitchen-garden and flower-beds, around this institution show the taste, cleanliness and discipline of those old veterans whose home it now is, provided by a grateful country. Being relieved from guard next day, we had kit in- spection by the commanding officer, accompanied by Major Cole, who had just joined Sunday church parade. At ten a.m., being inspected, we were marched off, the band playing, through Kilmanam, to the Old Man's Hospital, where the Protestants and Roman Catholics parted for the time. I, belonging to the latter, marched to St. Mary's Church, on A.rran Quay. As we marched along the Liffy the sweet strains of music, which re-echoed along the river from the different bands as they marched to church, caused a most pleasing sensation, which raised our thoughts heavenward. It is deeply to be regretted bands do not now play on Sundays, owing to Puritan objections. Strict military discipline, numerous general field-days and reviews, drilling at tent-pitching in the nineteen acres, regimental drills and parades, with five nights in bed, kept our men pretty well employed. But the beautiful walks in Phoenix Park, and driving to the strawberry beds on side-cars with our sweethearts on Sunday afternoons, together with theatres, concerts, museums, picture galleries, and the scenery of the city, compensated us well for all our strict discipline, Q ■i %\ ^ ^M .=.« DEATH OF THE " IRON DUKE." and we were well pleased with Dublin as a military station. Now came a sad and mournful event to the army. The Duke of Wellington — the Iron Duke, that noble and illus- trous warrior and statesman, whose glorious and event- ful life history relates and old veterans remember — ter- minated this earthly career at the ripe age of cS4 years. This event, which took place suddenly and unexpectedly, occurred on Tuesday, the 14th of September, 1852, after a few hours' illness, at Walmer Castle, his official resi- dence. The intelligence of this mournful event was re- ceived at the time with the deepest regret by the officers and men of oui regiment, and universal gloom pervaded throughout the whole garrison. The hero of Salamanca, St. Sebastian, Quatre-Bras, Ligny and Waterloo, had paid the last debt. November the 1st, a general order was issued directing one officer, one sergeant, and twelve rank and file from each regiment in garrison to proceed, on the 8th inst., to London, to take part in the funeral procession of the late Field Marshal, His Grace the Duke of Welling- ton. Lieutenant W. H. Earle, Sergeant Plant, and twelve rank and file (I being one of the latter), to parade on the Esplanade, with the detachment from the other regiments in garrison, when they were inspected by the General, and marched off*, with a field officer in charge, going on board a steamer at the North Wall, at six o'clock p.m. We had on board about one hundred and fifty picked men from these corps, I being the smallest man of the party, and I was five feet eleven. The men ARRIVAL IN LONDON. 99 vied with each other in a smart .soldier- like appearance. All bein<3^ ready, the Captain cried out, " all on board," when the steamer moved out slowly from the quay, passed clear of the shipping, and Pigeon House Fort on the right, where detachments of our men assembled, and gave us three cheers, waving their handkerchiefs, the steamer rushing onwards, city and shore fading away, and nothing but heavy clouds and water could be seen. The evening had an angry appearance, darkness closed around, the sailors thought it looked like a storm, but they were mistaken, although the vessel rolled and pitched more than we thought agi-eeable. After a good deal of rolling and pitching, with a frequent wave break- ing over our bow, we steamed into Liverpool docks at six o'clock in the morning, landed, got breakfast, and marched to the railway station, took the train at 9 a.m. for London. The engine gave the warning whistle, and we moved out of the station, and were whirling onward towards London. The morning was bright, invigorating and beautiful, the swift-winged train going thundering along at the rate of forty miles an hour. After a ride of one hundred and eighty miles in nine hours, we were set down at Euston Station. While in London, we were quartered in Regent Park. On the morning of the 13th of November, nothing could be more imposing than the whole line of this melancholy procession ; the day was fine, and the appearance of the troops splendid. The streets were lined with cavalry and infantry, from the station to St. Paul's Cathedral. At twelve o'clock the \ ! \n 100 FUNERAL OF THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON. :,l body arrived by rail from Walmer Castle, escorted by a guard of honour. To detail the order of the procession would occupy too much space here ; suffice it to say, that the cortege moved from the station, the bands playing the dead march, minute guns firing, as it marched to St. Paul's Cathedral, where the body was lowered into the crypt, close to the last earthly resting-place of the heroic Nelson, waiting for the trumpet to turn-out. The funeral was one of the most gorgeous and solemn spectacles, that had ever before been witnessed in England. This solemn duty being performed, we returned by rail next morning to Liverpool, where we took the steamer at six p.m., for Dublin, arriving there at six in the morn- ing, after a rough passage, with several cases of sea-sick- ness, when we marched to our respective barracks. The regiments in Dublin are changed from one barrack to another every ten months, ours having been in Rich- mond the prescribed time, were changed with the 63rd from the Royal Barracks. The first of April we marched from Richmond, meeting the G3rd when the junior saluted the senior ; the I7th being the oldest regiment, we had the honour of their salute. On arrival, we were quar- tered in Palantine Square. The change we hailed with pleasure, as it brought us closer to the amusements of the city. Twelve men of each company were now armed with the Mini^ Rifle, rather an improvement on Brown Bess^ and proceeded to the Pigeon House Fort, to go through a course of rifle instruction on the beach ; this course be- ing finished, the rifles were handed over to twelve others VISIT OF THE QUEEN AND PRINCE ALBERT. 101 ' ' f who went through a course in the same manner, and so on, iinti! the whole regiment liad gone through a course of rifle instruction. On the 1st of February, 1853, I had another increase in my family, for a daughter was born. We had her christened Jane Stanislaus, at St. Mary's Church, Arran Quay. In the summer, the Queen and Prince Albert visited Dublin. A message having been received that Her Ma- jesty and the Prince were to land at Kingstown, the grenadiers and light company were ordered to proceed by rail from Westland Row Station, to Kingstown, as a guard of honour. We were formed in two lines facing in- wards from the terminus to where the Royal yacht was to come along side, forming a passage which was spread with a red carpet, for Her Majesty and the Prince to walk to the railway carriage. We were standing there an hour when the Royal yacht was descried in the distance, and as she steamed into the harbour, the ships fired a royal salute. The yacht coming alongside the quay, we could see Her Majesty and Prince Albert walking the deck. Her Majesty looked well, and wore a plain plaid shawl, and seemed well pleased with the reception. Soon after arrival, the Royal couple landed. As Her Majesty stepped on shore, the guns of the fortresses belcheu lOrth a royal salute ; at the same time the bands played *' God sl . the Queen." A special train was in readiness, which conveyed the Royal couple and guards of honour to Dublin, where they went in an open carriage to the Vice-Regal Lodge, : { I : S 1 1 '■ ( I i • ii. --5-*> ' M -•n 102 TROOPS REVIEWED BY HER MAJESTY. Il ! I! accompanied by several troops of cavalry. On the occa- sion of her Majesty and the Prince landing, many thou- sands of people were present, and on the streets along the route to the vice-regal lodge, were immense crowds, who cheered and waved their hats, Her Majesty and the Prince most gracefully acknowledging their loyalty. Two days afterwards, the troops in garrison were ordered to assemble in r';'view order at ten a.m., in the fifteen acres, to be reviewed before Her Majesty and Prince Albert. On the day appointed, the troops were marched into the park, bands playing at the head of their respective corps, (accompanied by thousands of citizens) and were formed in line of contiguous quarter distance columns facing the east, with the field batteiies on the flanks, and the cavalry in rear at ten a.m.. After waiting a few minutes, Sir Edward Blakeney and his staff arrived, when he deployed the troops into line. On the appearance of Her Majesty on the ground the artillery fired a royal salute, the infantry presenting arms, the bands playing " God save the Queen." Her Majesty, in an open carriage, drove down the front of the line in- specting the whole, including the boys of the Hibernian School. After the inspection the troops marched past Her Majesty in slow, quick, and double time. The Queen seemed delighted with the marching past ; afterwards they were put through several field movements. As the Queen was looking on, the crowd made a rush, determined to take off" the horses and to draw Her Majesty in her A SLIGHT MISTAKE. 103 carriage ; this Prince George took for an attempt to assault her person, not understanding the character of the Irish people, when he called out for the cavalry to form up ; but when he found that he mistook the people's loyalty, lie apologised. This little contretemps caused the Queen to smile at the mistake he had made, when she drove off (well pleased with the review) to the vice-regal lodge, ac- companied by an escort of cavalry. The troops were then marched to their respective barracks, with their bands playing. On arrival in barracks the grenadiers and light conn)any were detailed for a guard of honour to Her Majesty during her visit at the vice-regal lodge, and be encamped in front of the lodge in leadiness to turn out at Her Majesty's pleasure. After Her Majes- ty's departure, the regiment was removed from the Royal to Shipstreet Barracks, with two companies at Linen Hall. We also formed a guard of honour on the occasion of the Lord Lieutenant opening the great Irish exhibition. The public buildings of Dublin are famed for their number and grandeur ; in the first class may be mentioned the Bank of Ireland, formerly the House of Parliament ; Triruty College, the Custom House, and the Four Courts, which, from the chasteness of their design, and the massiveness of their proportions, have a very im- posing effect. Here also we find mon uments of William the Third, in College Green, of Nelson, in Sackville Street, of the Duke of Wellington in the Park, with several others. There are numerous places of worship ; Roman '•:,( y w ;1 '1' T'. m rmi m I- 1 H :«■ •! lull i Is 104 LAST RESTING-PLACE OF DAN. o'CONNELL. Catholic and Protestant, nionasteiies, convents, and a Jewish synagogue. The most remarkable among the Pro- testant churches are St. Patrick's Cathedral and Christ's Church, and among the Roman Catholic, St. Mary's, St. Saviour's, St. Augustine and St. Kivin's. The squares, which are very numerous, spacious, arl well kept, are Stephen's Green, which occupies an area >f twenty miles and a mile in circuit ; Marrion Square, the most aristo- cratic ; the Trinity College Squares occupy more than 40 acres ; Rutland Square, with the Rotunda at the end of Sackville Street. The environs of Dublin are especially beautiful. Rathmines, a southern suburb, is a favourite residence of the wealthier part of the mercantile com- munity. Glasnevin on the north deserves special notice, being the last resting place of the remains of Dan. O'Con- nell, Curran, and Tom Steele. The Phoenix Park is a magnificent area of nearly 200 acres, having a large amount of timber, which shelter immense herds of deer ; it afibrds scope for military reviews, and is most exten- sively used by the inhabitants for recreation. The Liffy is crossed by nine bridges, two of which are iron ; and throughout the whole extent of the city, the banks of the river are faced with granite walls. At Christmas, our captain, John Croker, treated the company to a barrel of Guiness's porter; Lieutenants Cou- thurst and Earle looked after the sergeants and married men in the way of several substantial at Christmas, when we drank towards their health and wished them TEMPLEMORE. 105 many returns of the season. Winter here is very pleasant, not much drill, visiting theatres and concerts in the even- ing. Oui' term here is short. On the 16th February, 1854, we got the route for Templemore, a town 90 miles south-west of Dublin. : In comes the rope with a jerk until the " belay," sung out by the mate, signifies that the work is right. Then there is a rush on the deck when the wind changes, and the yards are to be squared as the wind comes more aft. Be- ing relieved at twelve I turned in and slept well until four o'clock, when I was awoke by the watch holyston- ing the deck, under the charge of the officer of the watch. I need scarcely explain that the holystone is a large, soft stone, used with water for scrubbing the decks. It rubs i ; ii i! 112 CROSSING THE BAY OF BISCAY. down with sand ; the sand is washed off by water from the hose, the pump being worked by four men, a man di- recting the nozzle of the hose into every crevice ; the force of the water washing every particle of dirt from the hen-coops, sheep-pens and decks. The watch alw^.ys wash decks in their bare feet, their trowsers turned up above their knees. After the decks are well washed down with water from the hose ; they are dried with swabs, and the deck looks as white as a table-cloth ; the boards brighten with the work, not a grease-mark or spot of dirt is to be seen ; all polished off with hand-scrapers ; the ropes all neatly coiled man-of-war fashion, not a bight out of place, and the brass-work polished and ,' shining — hard work before breakfast. By six o'clock the decks are all clean and dry and everything looking neat; at nine o'clock the doctor ordered all the women and children on deck ; the sun shone through the clouds and all was pleasant ; the ship running along with close-reefed canvas. At sun- down the wind changed round on uur larboard quarter from the north-west, and we were making good progress across the Bay of Biscay ; we were getting accustomed to the motion of the ship, and man}'^ of the officers and men assembled on deck until a late hour watching our course and looking for our port. On Sunday morning the wind was blowing a gale ; during the twenty -four hours we made 190 miles. At ten o'clock we were all assembled on the main deck for Divine service, which was read by the captain of tlie ship ; the day was fine with a stiff breeze ; we were run- • from an di- j ; the )mthe ilw-ys aed up Idown swabs, boards , of dirt rs; the Lffht out y — hard s are all 3 o'clock n deck ; leasant ; At sun- quarter progress boraed to ,nd men r course \\Q wind lours we ^ain deck in of the rere run- STORM AT SEA. 113 ning before the wind at the rate of ten knots an hour ; we had slept well all night ; going on deck next morning, I found the wind strong from the north, and the ship going through the water at a splendid rate ; as much sail was on her as she could carry, and she was dashing along, leaving a broad track of foam in her wake. There is no resting, but a constant pushing onward ; and, as we look over the bulwark, the waves tipped by the foam which the ship has raised seem to fly behind us at a prodigious speed. At ten next morning we found the ship's run during the twenty-four hours had been 200 miles, a grand day's work, nearly equal to steam ; we ran well before the breeze all night until about six in the morning, when the wind changed to our starboard bow, and heavy dark clouds ap- peared in the distance, and the wind dropped almost to a calm, the sails flapping against the mast all day and night. Next morning the sailors were busy securing ropes and getting every thing ready ; they said this calm was but weather breeding and predicted that we were to have a change. The glass was falling, and we were to look out for squalls. They were not disappointed in their morning's expectations of a gale. Before morning we had it in earnest. We, novices in sea life, thought we had a severe storm on Friday night ; but the sailors only laughed at us when we spoke of it; in our hammocks below we knew that the mnd was blowing a gale, that the ship was pitching and tossing about fearfully, and could hear the boatswain's H i I ii< M (■•fel li\ -^ i 1 . i til V , * i » l;i. I • : ■ \ - -ft \\^f. 114 TERRORS OF THE DEEP. whistle, and the sailors aloft rpefing sails, and the waves breaking clean over the deck above iis. At two o'clock in the morning, a heavy sea struck our starboard side. The concussion seemed like striking against a rock, some were thrown clean out of their hammc ks, women and children thrown from their bei-ths, crockery smashed, and boxes rattled, trunks, water kegs, tin dishes, plates, pails, and every movable article, were dashed with vio- lence from one side of the ship to the other. Women and children screamed with fright, and men jumped from their hammocks ; for a few moments the ship stood perfectly still, as if stiffened with the stroke, then she shivered from stem to stern, and the timbers groaned and quivered ; in a few moments more she was dashing headlong onwards through the mountain of waves. I should think if there were any on board who had never prayed before, they must have prayed now. Both men and women vied with each other in the exchange of good offices and friendly words. Envy was subdued, passionate wrath and revenge were forgotten, all acted as men and women who were soon to stand in the presence of their God. There was the pure steady and charming light of Christian hope and love shining beneath the very shadow of death. It was a solemn and touching thing to hear so many strong men acknowledge, in that hour of peril, their utter helplessness, and praying Him no once lay on a pillow asleep " Lord save us we perish," praying Him to abide with us. The :llt!1l1« li THE STORM CONTINUES. 115 liatches were all canvased and fastened down, so that none but the sailors and the soldiers on watch could go on deck, the sea was washing over the deck ; that was indeed an awful night, dark, chilling, and drenching; hour after hour passed as we momentarily expected our doom. The deck was continually washed over by great seas. As soon as morning light appeared I managed to get on deck, though with extreme difficulty, both from dizzi- ness and the motion of the ship. I was determined to enjoy the fresh air and see how the ocean looked lashed into a tempest. I had to cling fast to keep my footing ; ^he ship was pitching up and down, tossed like a feather in the wind. We rode on huge mountain billows of dark leaden colour, capped with molten glass, and tipped with silvery caps of foam. As 1 hung on to the rope, medi- tating on the vastness of the ocean, and waves mountains high, my soul was deeply impressed with the omnipotence and infinity of the God who scooped out this mighty abyss, and filled it with those powerful waters. He hath set them their bounds and says to them in their wildest commotion, " thus far, and here shall thy proud waves be stayed." This dreadful storm raged all day, and the night was terrible ; there was no more distance or space ; the sky was turned into blackness, and shut itself down upon the ship, nothing was any longer visible on this the race- course of the wind ; we felt o .rselves delivered over to a merciful providence. The men, women and children had their second attack of sea-sickness, even the sailors were sick. The storm raged all next day (Sunday), and night, ^■■P'f I 1 IIG THE VOYAGE TO GIBRALTAR. Ul\i no one on l)oartl could get anything cooked as the fires were all put out from the sea washing over the ship ; even if they could, few could eat, they were all so sick. THE VOYAGE TO GIBRALTAR. On the wide expanse of the stormy seas, Our noble ship swept before the breeze, Our gallant captain when twelve days had run, Tried with his sextant to take the sun. The heavy fog seemed still much worse, Scarcely knowing where to lay his course, And tried and tried the stormy main, While heavy fog seemed to kiss the plain. The clouds they broke and showed the sky, Placing the instrument to his eye. The howling win ' lur course had fixed. And marked the latitude at forty-six. An eastward course he then did try, While billows they rose mountains high. The captain's orders were to haul yards back, And set the sails on starboard tack. The storm it rose a furious gale. Which caused the landsmen's hearts to fail, With deathly sick, as then the heaving ship. Rode high on billows, then her prow would dip. On the wave-washed deck with deep dismay. The dizzy soldier feels the deck give way, And tries in vain a last resource, To catch a rope to stay him in his course . UEPOSE AFTKIl THK SK^UM. 117 liuahinj? with nauHea to the side, VVliere the starboard watcli at liim did chide, He holds on taut, while feet give way, And clings like death to portsill stay. But now the western winds the sails expand, And soon the " look out " reports he sees the land, Where there before us in the vapours rolled, The African mountains looming out so bold. T. Faughnan. Monday morning at four o'clock the wind changed on our larboard (quarter, and suddenly dropped. The boat- swain piped all hands to square yards and make sail ; this order was hailed by the men, and it soon reached the women, when they all offered up prayers and thanks to God foi" their deliverance. The wind dropi)ed considerably, and by twelve o'clock all was quiet, the ship running steadily before the wind. The usual grog bugle sounded at twelve, when every man made his appearance. At six in the evening the wind fell away altogether. This repi ' after that fearful storm was an unspeakable blessing ; all that had been fury was now tranquillity ; it appeared to us a sign of peace ; we could let go the rope or stay we were holding on by ; the women and children could stand upright and straighten themselves, and walk and move about ; we felt ourselves inexpressibly happy in the depths of this heavenly change. All night was almost a dead calm, and it was a blessing ; we all slept well after the awful pitching and tossing we had had the last three days. In the morning when I went on deck the sails were flapping. ', * : i :Ai\ .; 118 " LAND HO ! " il ! I 11/ ! It I! {iiul not a breath of wind. After breakfast the women and children were ordered on deck, when the lower decks were thoioughly scrubbed and cleaned, and when dinner bugle sounded they were allowed to go below. After dinner the ui)per deck was washed and cleaned. Toward evening the wind changed to our starboard and began to freshen ; towards morning we were running before the wind at nine knots an hour. At ten o'clock, a.m., I was agreeably surprised when I heard a sailor from the mast- head cry out, Land, ho ! I found by the captain's eyes that the land lay off our weather beam, but though I strained my eyes looking for the land, I could see nothing. It was quite an hour before I could find it, and then it looked more like a cloud than anything else. At length the veil lifted, and I saw the land stretching away to the eastward, as we neared it and saw it more distinctly. It looked a glorious object to us soldiers, though we were then ten or twelve miles off, yet the highest peaks, which were above the clouds, some hundreds of feet high, were so clear that they looked as if they had been stolen out of the " Arabian Nights," or some fairy tale of wonder and beauty. The bluff and lofty headland of Cape St. Vincent, with its sharp detached rock, white light-house, and adjacent convent skirting the edge of the precipice, was the first land that I saw, as the ship bounded upon our glorious waters of Trafalgar Bay. All on board were quite re- covered of their sea-sickness, as the ship glided across wide bays and along the indented coast of Spain. The ship IMPREGNAULK GIHRALTAR. 110 had soon studdinjjf-sails set, and she swept onward like some large bird of prey towards the straits. Tarefa, famous in martial story, with its low flat-roofed houses, })acked by l)arren -looking, sun-scorched hills, was })assed, and all eyes were urned on the tremendous scragged outhne of the African coast rising several thousand feet above the sea. The hazy morning light added to the effect, throwing out in lelief the broad stone face and picturesque form of Ape's Hill, streaked with shadowy tissuies, crevices, and indentations, which the scorching sun failed to touch. But the Spanish side of e straits, through which the blue Mediterranean now became visi- ble, engrossed the larger share of our attention. There stood the bold rock of Gibraltar, rearing its bald crest to the sky, a fit sentinel at the gate of those waters which lave the shores of fallen, but once mighty empires, now the key and glory of Old England. The ship now hoisted her flags which were immediately noticed at the signal station, on the loftiest part of the range, wh'^re a flag-staff is visible against the sky. Some of our officers who were on the rock before with the help of their telescope could trace many an old haunt. They knew every path on those craggy heights. There was the town behind the old Moorish walls looking the Si^me as ever : there was the Alameda, the convent, and many other fan^'Har domiciles, peeping from amongst shrubberies and gardens. At five p.m. we cast anchor in the harbour of Gibraltar, when the ship was besieged with bumboats of vendors in oranges, dates, lemons, figs, and luxuries of almost :r ■ i i 1 J (• It i! -ui • 120 " PRATIQUE." m. ilN^ every kind. Soon after a boat with a yellow flag ap- proached the ship ; it was the health ofticer, who made inquiries of our doctor as to sickness on board, and was answered " All right. No sickness but sea-sickness," when he returned to shore, and afterwards a staff ofticer ap- peared who informed the captain that he had got "pra- tique," when the order to disembark at once was given. ! I i » SUS^^^^^i^^^fej-^'-ii f \ I CHAPTER XII. THE LANDING — BARRACKS — GARRISON DUTY — OLD NORTH FRONT — .SMUGGLING — MARKET — QUEEN's BIRTHDAY — THE DINNER — SPEECH- ES — TI . ROUTE — THE MARCH — EMBARKATION FOR THE CRIMEA — THE PARTING — THE VOYAGE — ARRIVAL AT MALTA, AY 13th, 1854.— At G the riofht fonnetl winff lormeu column of companies, right in front, on the New Mole, after a very rough passage fromQueenstovvn, and considering how the men were knocked about, they looked remarkably clean and well. The band and pipers of the 92nd Highlanders met us at the New Mole, and played alternately during the march to the Casemate Bar- racks, where we were quartered, followed by a crowd of Rock Scorpions, a motley crowd of English, Irish, Span- iards, Italians, Jews and Moors. Several soldiers from the garrison welcomed us, and seemed pleased to see a fresh regiment arrive to share their military duties. By two o'clock next day, the " Dunbar " arrived with the left wing. They landed at three o'clock and joined head quar- ters at the Casemate Barracks, number six company pro- ceeding to Catalan Bay on detachment. The regiment was exempt from garrison duty next day, in order to get their baggage in order, and settle down in their quarters. The following day we found the whole ill vfifl , K«1 Ik ( ! i liii '•'I!' 'i' lllli 122 SPANISH SMUGGLERS. of the garrison duties. The guards with their colours are trooped every day at ten a.m. (Sundays excepted), on the Alameda, under the field officer, assisted by the brigade major. I was detailed for the Old North Front Guard, which consisted of one captain, one subaltern, one ser- geant, two corporals, and twenty -four rank and file, the soldiers take their rations with them on guard. The of- ficers get their meals sent from the mess. This guard furnish a chain of sen'ries across the neu- tral gi'ound, which divides the Spanish from the British lines. Gibraltar is a free port, and a resort, in conse- quence, of Spanish smugglers, who drive an amazing trade, by running contraband goods into Spain, and vice versa, which the British authorities endeavour to stop by all means possible. Notwithstanding all their exertions, this fraud is still carried on under cover of dark nights I, being posted on No. 6 post along the Spanish lines from twelve till two, my orders were to make prisoners of any smugglers who attempted to pass through. As I walked up and down my post, I heard some slight noise in the long grass. I stooped down and saw two men crawling along the grass. I advanced, and challenged, *' who goes there ? " when they stooped down and tried to get away. I then advanced nearer, and threatened to fire if they did not answer my challenge, at the same time brought down my musket to the charge, and full cocked. When they saw I was about firing, they stood still and answered me saying, " Bono Jonny, me good man, here me gib you plenty bacca, me gib you plenty gin, him good rs are mthc naade jluard, le ser- le, the rhe of- le neu- British conse- imazing and vice stop by certions, L nights Lsli lines risoners As I ht noise wo men llenged, tried to ed to five me time 1 cocked, still and an, here lim good I TAKE TWO PRISONERS. 123 gin, me gib you plenty ebetyting, you let me pass, mit dem tings to garden, you plenty big good man, come from Inglas, you von good man, plenty drink gin, him good for and to- you." They took some stone jars of gin, and some bacco, to give me for letting them through ; but true to my orders, when I saw the smuggled goods they had, I made them prisoners, telling them if they moved, I would shoot them. At the same time I passed the word to the next sentry to send for the sergeant of the guard. They begged otf very hard, and finally offered me all their stuff if I would let them go. As soon as the sergeant came, I handed him the prisoners, with six large, square blocks of tobacco, and six large cases of gin. This smuggling is ever carried on, and the sentries have all they can do to prevent it. Some sentries, I am sorry to say, compromise with the smugglers, tobacco and gin being too strong temptations for them. The guard being relieved, we dis- charged our muskets into the sea, all our guards being- loaded. The climate is warm and pleasant throughout the year, and yet we can see the perpetual snow-capped mountains of Andalusia, towering heavenwards in the distance. The troops have bathing parade twice a week, at five o'clock in the morning ; and several times during the day, may be seen soldiers and civilians besporting themselves like porpoises in the water of the Old Mole. There is a market every morning which opens after gun- fire. The Spaniards cross the neutral ground from Spain with their mules, loaded with all sorts of provisions, vegetables and fruit, standing outside the drawbridge, m 11 ll 1 ^^^^B^ f, 1 ' ].'■'' i ,' "«'] II !i;:! hIiii 124 MOORS, SPANIARDS, JEWS AND ITALIANS. waiting for the gate to be opened. The muiket place is fenced in, and divided into square stalls, which are rented by the vendors, who consist of Moors, Spaniards, Jews and Italians, The Moors squat down behind their stalls with their Fez cap, and turbans, big breeches and a long loose gown open in front, yellow slippers and smoking a long pipe. Oranges, grapes, figs, lemons, dates, olives, and fruit of almost every description are sold here very cheap. On the 24th May, the Queen's Birthday, the troops in gaiTison, consisting of two batteries royal artillery, two companies sappers and miners, and four regiments of in- fantry , were drawn up in line on the North Front at twelve o'clock, each man furnished with twelve rounds of blank cartridge; as the clock in the tower struck twelve, a gun fired from the Sky Battery was the signal for a Royal salute ; then the batteries on the rock as well as the men-of-war in the harbour fired twenty-one guns each, and the line of soldiers with the field artillery on their flanks, fired a feu-de-joie. After the smoke cleared otf, the men waved their shakos in the air, then gave three cheers for Her Gracious Majesty. This was a grand sight for the spectators, more especially the Spaniards, who assembled in thousands to witness this military celebra- tion of Her Majesty's birthday. The troops then marched past, in slow, quick, and double time, they were then divided into two armies, and put through a sham-fight, which lasted till four o'clock. We had those fights frequently, and a general review 1^1 e IS ited ews ;heir ;own pipe, lit of )ps in , two of iu- welvc blank Ive, a ■or a as the each, their ed off, three d sight Is, who elebra- [k, and lies, and lo'clock. review WE AEE ORDERED TO THE EAST. 125 once a week during the summer months. On the 15th November, I had another increase in my family, a girl was born, and she was christened Elizabeth. On the 2()th November, 1854, we received a letter of readiness to prepare for active service in the east. Then came the usual packing of baggage, and creditors, Jews, Moors, and Gentiles, Hying round the barracks with pieces of paper in their hands, looking for what was not easily found just then. The evening before embarkation our company was entertained at a supper by the grenadiers of the 39th Regi- ment, whom we had often met, and done duty with in the same garrison, and a friendly feeling had sprung up between the officers and men of both companies, both captains and officers were present to see the men enjoy tbemselves. After the cloth was removed the president proposed a toast to the Queen, which was drunk with a hearty good will, and three cheers for Her Majesty. The captain of the 39th stood up to propose the health of their guests. " Brother officers and soldiers," he said, looking down the two rows of faces, one on each side of the long table, with a gheerf ul frank smile, " in the name of the grenadier company, which I have the honour to com- mand, allow me to extend to you, our brothers and com- rades in arms, a hearty welcome, I think as this garrison, which has been so jolly, and is about to be broken up by the gallant * 17th Royal Bengal Tigers ' going to join the army in the Crimea, I must say that we are heartily sorry that it has not come to our turn to share the I ill Il w I'D 126 THE NIGHT BEFORE WE PARTED. honours of our comrades in a Ijrush with the Muscovites; but we hope ere many days pass, we will have the grati- fication of joining you in the east, and there share the glories of the British Army in figliting for our Queen and country, and leading such men as I now see before me at this hospitable board against the Russians. We tender to you frankly the hand of military comrades, and instead of fireing a feu-de-joie of compliments, it is the duty of those who remain to drink the health of those who are proceeding on active service in the east, a bumper then, let us say good health and God bless them." With three times three the glasses were drained ; whilst the band struck up " The British Grenadiers," Captain John Croker was then called upon to respond. He said, " Brother officers, and soldiers of the 39th Regi- ment, this cordial reception and courtesy of the officer^ ana privates demand our warmest acknowledgments, which I, in the name of my company, have the honour to acknowledge, and I propose a health to the grenadiers of the 39th Regiment with whom w^e are about to part, — charge your glasses;" and the toast was drunk with all honours, to the appropriate tune of " Auld Lang Syne," the company singing, " They are Jolly Good Fellows." December 2nd, 1854, at 8. p.m., the l7th Regiment " Royal Tigers" paraded in the square of the Casemate Barracks for the last time, and having been called to at- tention, and inspected by the commanding officer, Colonel McPherson, C. B., he gave the word of command, the men stepped off, preceded by the bands of other regiments, ■. r«'V-,l^nH««'«.'^'«S^'**'"-' mm A SORROWFUL PARTING. 127 through the main street of the town playing the *' Girl I Left Behind Me," followed by a motley crowd of friends, sweethearts, and curious spectators, as we marched to the New Mole, where the steam-shii) " Tamar, " was lying along side the wharf to convey the l7th Regiment, two batteries of royal artillery, and two companies of sap|)ers and miners, to the seat of war in the Crimea. Our parting with our wives and children was a very affecting and trying sight, officers and soldiers taking the last farewell (some of them, perhaps, for ever) of those nearest and dearest to them, whom they were now leav- ing behind on that barren rock ; many hundreds of miles away from friends or relatives, and not sure whether we would ever return again, to our loved families. I had left my wife and three children, one of them only sixteen days old, trusting in God. But our Queen and country requires us to meet the despot in mortal combat, and defend the honour and glory of that old flag " that braved a thousand years the battle and the breeze," therefore we must sever all family ties, though hard to give up our feelings, when our Queen and country calls us to the front. Let it not be supposed that the officers are wanting in sympathy towards the private soldier; very superficial has been the observer, who can believe that the officer and the private possess little in common with each other ; or who can persuade himself that the private soldier is only a machine, moved only by the command of his superiors. Should such a casuist exist let him remember that men are men, whether 1 ? f ' r:*] 128 " OFF TO THE WAR AGAIN." the scarlet on their backs is of the finest or coarsest tex- ture ; and that if the advantage of birth and the refine- ment of superior education have done nothing for the officer, the private soldier wlio makes a good use of such talent as he may have received, occupies a higher position, be his ever so humble. There were some private soldiers in the regiment who, at the parting moment, felt as deeply the separation from wife and children, as the more aristocratic members of the same profession, nor were in- cidents of a romantic interest wanting, though the tear- ful young girl who saw with anguish her true lover's de- parture was only dressed in calico. Doubtless in these lat- ter times, when England has sent forth so many of her sons to fight for the honour of her flag, there are few who have not seen something of the display of the varied emotions, which such departures call forth; it will there- fore be unnecessary to say that though the sad time of parting had come it was visible in the tearful eyes and blanched cheeks of many in the crowd. The loud cheers which greeted the 17th Regiment, as it passed through the gate of the drawbridge leading down to the wharf where the ship lay ; showed the chivalrous emotions of the stern British soldiers who lined the ramparts and along the docks, with crowds of people, whose hearts beat with sympathy as the regiment embarked. At eleven o'clock all being ready, the captain gave the word and the steamer moved out slowly from the wharf, t'le band playing in slow time " Auld Lang Syne," amid cheer after cheer, and handkerchiefs waving from the peo- ti^BBB^^^flBM^VJflf'W''*'^ ^ ON HOAlll) I'KK " TAMAR.' 12!) ))le, and returned b}^ tlie crowds of red coats who assem- bled on deck to wave their handkc^rchiefs and wipe away tlie tears, wliich were fast running- down their clieeks as they gaz(!d on their little ones left behind on the wharf. As the steamer rounded the New Mole her speed increased, and the music also changed time ; at length Kuropa point, with its barracks and batteries, was turned, and the reverse side of the rock, still more bold and barren, with "O'Hara's old Tower," rearing its lofty weatlier-beaten ruined spire, on the highest sunmiit of the Wind-mill Hill. Favoured by a beautiful sunny day and a westerly breeze, the "Tamar" swept rapidly past the gigantic sentinel whose watch-word is the roar of the signal gun, on the summit of the telegraph station; and when the evening sun was gilding the snow topped mountains of Africa with a streak of gold, the good ship had proceeded many miles to the eastward, and, though the mountains of Africa reared their bright sum- mits above the horizon, the "Old Rock" was no longer to be seen. Then our attention was directed to the white-capped mountains on the south coast of Spain; and when these faded from view, time was passed in looking out for African capes or sun-burned islands. After tea the men assembled on deck, indulging in all soi-ts of games to pass the time. A comic soldier dressed up like a baboon grinned and jumped round the decks, up the masts, and through all the performance of a mon- key, causing roars of laughter from all around. After li m I ! m iW 130 A MERRY TIME. i ■ liiii this, dancing was introduced, several of tlie men being musicians had brought their fiddles, we were at no loss for music ; at the other side a group were singing comic and sea songs ; in this way the evening was passed until the bugle sounded at nine o'clock, when we turned into our hammocks. We have much better accommodation than we had on the old " Cornwall," although we have three times the number on board. Next morning decks were washed by the watch at four o'clock; at ten a.m. commanding officers parade, when the men looked in excellent spirits. Now came in view something to call their attention, a grampus had blown a shower of water in the air fifty feet ; the men all rushed to see what it was, several gave their opinion as to what caused the eruption of the water, some thought it was a volcano that broke out, some said it was an infernal machine the Russians had placed there to destroy our shipping, and many various opinions were brought for- ward to explain the cause of the wonderful blow ; a sailor, however, came along and told us that it was a grami)us. Now we see plenty of flying-fish, whole shoals of the glit- tering little things glide along in the air, skimming the top of the waves ; they rise to escape their pursuers the bonitos, which rush after them showing their noses above the water now and then ; but the poor flying-fish have their enemies above as well as under the water, for they no sooner rise than they risk becoming a prey to the ocean birds which are always hovering about ready to pounce upon them ; it is a case of " out of the frying pan into the 1 at four e, wlien ; in view ul blown ai rushed 3 to what • it was a infernal rttvoy our >uglit for- a sailor, orainp^^S' )f the gUt- aming the Tsuers the loscs above -fish have >r, for they the ocean to pounce ,an into tbe A MEDITERRANEAN SUNSET. 131 fire." They Hy farther than I thoTi<^ht they could, I saw one of them Hy at least one hundred yards, and some- times they fly on deck some fifteen feet from the surface of the water. The weather was all that could be wished for, and our splendid ship making rapid [progress thrcfLigh the blue waters ; the sea is almost a dead calm, hardly a ripple on the face of the deep ; an occasional whale is seen hlowing in the distance, and many grampusses came rolling and blowing about the ship. One thing that struck me most is the magnificence of the Mediterranean sun-set ; the clouds assume all sorts of fantastic shapes and appear more solid and clearly defined than I have ever seen them before ; toward evening they abound in colour, purple, pink, red and yellow, alternately, while the sky near the setting sun seems of a beautiful green, gradually melting into the blue sky above, the great clouds on the horizon look like mountains tipped with gold and fiery red. One of those sun-sets was a delightful sight ; the sun went down into the sea between two enormous clouds, the only ones to be seen, and they blazed with brilliant colours which were constantly changing, until the clouds stood out in dark relief against the still delicately tinted sky. 1 got up frequently to see the sun rise, but it is not near so beautiful as at settina:. After sun-down the officers chose out a few of the best talent among the men, who assembled on the quarter-deck and sang some excellent glees, comic and sentimental songs, with great applause; at nine o'clock the bugle sounded when we turned in and 132 ARRIVAL AT MALTA. slept well, the ship running as steady as if she was in a canal. Next morning after parade the officers amused them- selves with their revolvers shooting at porpoises which caifie in shoals close to the ship. After dinner the band played on the quarter-deck to the delight of all on board, more especially the ship's officers and sailors. The weather was beautiful and the sea like a mirror. At seven next morning the sailor on the look out on the mast head cried out, " land ho ! " when all eyes were strained looking for the desired object, but none could see it for some time afterwards — at last we saw it in the dis- tance, like a dark cloud lying on the waters ; as we neared tiie land it appeared to us a rocky, barren-looking island, Malta. Yet the cultivated strips here and there were so green and flourishing, they presented a most charming and beautiful appearance. Those who had not before visited the place were struck with the imposing appearance of this remarkable city. Tier upon tier of batteries upon all sides showed bristling rows of guns, daring intruders to enter the harbour with hostile intentions. To the right the principal part of the town was to be seen, terrace above terrace, dome and spires, towering above the houses, all looming darkly against the sky. The air was sultry, and the reflection of buildings, rocks and shipping, in the almost still water were only agitated by the little boats which were moving about in all directions. The harbour was crowded with shipping, and as we moved into our •^ TERRA FIRMA. 133 moorings at ten o'clock, we were cheered by the sailors and soldiers on board the men-of-war in the harbour, as well as from the batteries on either side. We had a Mplendid passage of nine hundred and eighty miles in four days. igi m i ^ CHAPTER XIIT. ■ ■;. * MALTESE — DEPABTURE— A CAPTAIN COMMITS SUICIDE — THE FUNEKAL — SMALL-POX — RETURN — RESUMED THE VOYAGE — GRECIAN ARCHES —DARDANELLES — GALLIPOLI — TURKISH SENTRIES— CONSTANTINO- PLE — TURKISH LADIES — THE BOSPHORUS — VOYAGE ACROSS THE EUXINE — ARRI "/AL. OON after our arrival in the harbour, a coal-barge came alongside, and about fifty Maltese commenced to coal our ship ; they carried the coal on their heads in round, wicker baskets ; passo 1 each other on the gangway after depositing their load in the ship's bunker. The coaling lasted about two hours, during which time the officers and men were amused by divers who came along in little boats ; a boy managing the boat, while the diver was left free to exercise his strange employment. His dress consisted of a light pair of drawers short at both ends, and a loose shirt ; bringing his little craft alongside, where we were looking over the railing, and divesting himself of his upper garments, he commenced in a sup- plicating tone of broken English ; " sixpence, me dive for sixpence, me get him quick ; me get him sure." Some of the officers tossed a sixpence into the water where it was very deep, supposing he was going to the bottom for it ; but experience taught him an easier mode of catching it. TOWN OF VALETTA. 135 ^^ A-barge menced leads in angway .r The ime the le along le diver .t. His at both ongside, ivesting m a sup- dive for Some of ire it w^^ (in for it i Itching it- Watching it with the eye of a hawk he saw it strike the water, and poising himself, he sprung head first in the sea ; the water was so clear we could follow him with our eyes. Down he went like an arrow, outstripping the six- pence in the race for the bottom ; before it had sunk twelve feet he had his hands under it in the form of a bowl, the shining piece dropping into his hands; he then clapped it between his teeth, rose to the surface, climbed into his boat and exhibited the prize with the air of a conqueror. This was repeated several times and with unerring certainty he caught the prize every time. He then asked for some one to throw a sixpence the other side of the ship, which was done, when he sprung un- der the ship and brought it up in his teeth on the other side. The Maltese had finished coaling at twelve, when our steamer moved slowly from her buoy ; dense masses of people lined the batteries and yet larger crowds of sol- diers in the forts St. Angelo and St. Elmo, cheered as our steamer moved along, the cheers from one fort being taken up by the troops on board, as well as the sailors and marines in the harbour, and joyously responded to by our troops who assembled on the deck to give our last hurrah for the East. The Town of Valetta with its strong forts, batteries, terraces, domes and houses grew smaller by degrees as the gallant ''Tamar," ploughed her onward course through the blue waters of the Mediterranean, the island looking like a little blue cloud in the distance gra- dually fading away ; we have the trackless expanse around us : in the distance Mount Etna looms u. in the ii j 1 13G SUICIDE ON BOARD. 3 i -i'i north-west. The ship was making rapid progress through the waters, the captain says, " if this breeze lasts, we will reach Constantinople on the 8th," but our expectations were frustrated; "manproposes, but God disposes," which we found to be true ; for on Saturday, at 8 a.m., a very melancholy occurrence happened which threw a deep gloom over all the troops on board ; the captain com- manding the detachment Royal Artillery had cut his throat in his cabin ; no person could ever find out what was the cause which led him to commit this dreadful act. How deeply touching is a burial at sea ! replete with reflection, striking and sublime, as should always be the spectacle of a funeral ; the tree falling as it must rise again, with no leaves or flowers of repentance or prayer, or oflice to alter its final doom, ever to bloom again on that cut down stem ; far more deeply does the service and the sights and the sounds of a funeral on the ocean always move one. The clouds had cleared and it was in-, tensely hot ; the funeral took place at two o'clock ; we saw the body sewed up in a hammock with a round shot at its feet, and borne by the men of his battery from his cabin and laid upon the deck. We had no clergyman on board, there- fore the painful duty of reading the service devolved upon the captain of the ship, which could not have been per- formed b}'^ a clergyman. As he began to read, not a sound, not a breath broke the solemn silence ; nothing but the noise of the rolling swells against the smooth side of tlie ship as I stood close to the gangway while the service was read, in deep thought, and gazing on the bright and MH TTlf I ' A BURIAL AT SEA. 137 if\ e will ations wliicli a very b deep 1 corn- cut his it what iful act. ;te with s "be the ust rise L- pi-ayer, again on . service 16 ocean was in-, we saw hot at its •abin and •d,there- ^ed upon ,een per- a sound, [T hut the [de of the lc service bright and glorious shining sea, now nearly calm, looking so intensely sunny and blue ; it seemed to some a mocking at the king of terrors, whose victim was about to be committed to its keeping. To me it looked like the gemmed and crystal gate of that heaven through which the Son of God had promised the faithful Christian who believe and trust in Him to wing its happy way, there to learn many a mar- vel that he had striven on earth to trace and explore. Earnestly and solemnly he read, and, when he uttered tlie last words, the sailors raised the body to the edge of the gangway and let it slide, feet foremost into the sea "and so we commit his body to the deep." You who think it a solemn thing to hear the bell of some country church at home echoing through the rich woods or flowery val- leys, telling of the death of some one who will never return home again, cannot form any idea of the awe which strikes into the heart at sea. I do not think there were many dry eyes among the officers and men of his battery, as they saw the body splash into the deep sea and sink straight down, with the heavy round shot at his feet. After this painful event the doctor reported two cases of small pox, which had broken out amongst the troops, and immediately, the captain and officers held a council to know what course they would pursue. It was decided to return to Malta, and put the sick men into hospital there; and prevent taking the infectious disease out to the Crinieaamongst the troops. The ship was headed for Malta where we arrived at six p.m. next day; as we entered the harbour unexpectedly, from one of the upper forts, at . fc-^'a 138 WE RETURN TO MALTA. ■ I I' I"' ii|i;.;'i the end of the harbour, there came a flash, followed by a loud report, which was echoed back and forward against the rocks, and buildings, till the roaring sound at last died away, and the wreath of white smoke slowly ascended into the sky. It was the evening gun, which is fired at'sun down. After handing over the two patients to the proper authorities we again steamed out of harbour. There were crowds of people again assembled along the batteries to witness the departure of our noble ship, with the living cargo of redcoats on board, of course wondering what caused our return. As we got out to sea, a breeze sprung up, on our larboard quarter, when all sails were set, and soon the island faded again away in to the distance, and once more our ship was going through the waters at 15 knots, under the influence of wind and steam ; next day at six p.m. we had run 240 miles in 24 hours. Sunday at ten a.m." parade for divine service, which was read by the captain of the ship ; at sun-down the wind wheeled round right in our teeth, which obliged us to take in all sail. The men were paraded at ten a.m. next day, and between various duties, and the sharp appe- tites brought on by the sea air, we managed to get over the time very pleasantly; the band played on the quarter deck in the afternoons, when the weather permitted ; to- wards evening the wind veered round on our starboard bow, and the boatswain piped all hands to make sail ; but we were doomed ere long to experience a change of weather, for as the sun went down, in a clear but stormy sky, the wind piping, snoring, and howling through the w^^ CAPES MATAPAN AND ST. ANGELO. 139 blocks and rigging, the waves thundering against our starboard, the ship had to struggle with a south-easterly gale of such fury, that it reminded me of a Levanter, which the Mediterranean is famous for ; at day light the land was made, a heavy cloud-like line just perceptible. It was the Morea, and the men rushed on deck to see the land. As we ran up, the snow covered mountain peaks with cold, rocky, barren edges, villages of white houses dotting the declivity towards the sea, became to us per- fectly distinct. At 8 a.m. we passed Cape Matapan ; although the old reputation of this cape was not sustained by our destruc- tion, still the sea showed every inclination to be trouble- some, the wind kept rising every moment. At ten a.m. we were passing between the Morea and Cerigo, we had a proof that the Greeks were nearly right about the weather. Even bolder sailors than the ancients fear the heavy squalls off those snowy headlands, which gave us but a poor idea of sunny Greece. The ancient Greeks always considered a voyage round Capes Matapan and St. Angelo fraught with great dan- ger. As we rounded the angle of the cape the wind rushed at us with much fury, we saw the sea rushing with crests of white foam right on our starboard bow. Its vio- lence was terrific, the sea was rolling in wondrous waves towards the ship ; she behaved nobly and went over them with the greatest ease. The gusts came down furiously between the little islands, which we could not make out or did not know the names. The men bore up well -^t ill' n ll f ' ' '! i'i ; ; 1 i : 140 PASSING THE GREEK COAST. against this furious storm, although they were all sea-sick, but never absent when the grog bugle sounded at twelve o'clock. The night came upon us and the ship labouring on, dashing the sea into white spray in the darkness. At day light next morning the sight was most discouraging, the clouds were black and low, the sea white and high, and between them on the horizon was a mass of a broken character so that one could not be known from the other. We passed Milo at 6 p. m., and the gale increased ; after- wards at ten a. m., when the wind changed one point aft, and the ship rolled very much, the deck was inclined to so sharp an angle that we could only hold on by a tight grip of the stays and ropes. The sea breaking over the ship swept several of the horse stalls loose about the deck, and the poor animals lay helpless against the bul- warks. About twelve o'clock the wind went down and the sun burst forth, sending his golden, warm rays through the clouds, when the artillerymen picked up their horses and put every thing in its place again. We passed the Greek coast trending away to the left, showing in rugged masses of mountains capped by snowy peaks, and occa- sionally some good sized towns were visible on the dark brown hill side, with several wind mills along the beach. With some exceptions the isles of Greece rather disap- point the lovers of the picturesque ; seen from the sea they are more or less bold and barren, abounding with sterile rocks almost entirely devoid of wood, except a stunted olive tree here and there, and clothed with a kind mmm m THE DARDANELLES AND THE HELLESPONT. 141 of reddish brown grass. The Oandian mountains are per- haps the most striking features which we encountered in our progress through what the sailors call " the arches." As we swept through the " Thermian Passage." accom- panied in our course by several ancient looking craft with little white sails stretching outwards, resembling the wings of Icarus, and others of no less ancient model, with lofty prow and solitary square rigged mast. On the left lay the Gulf of Athens, on our right rose the snowy heights of Mount Ida, 5,400 feet above the level of the sea, to the north the lofty Lemnos, At three p.m. we passed the castles of the Dardanelles and the Hellespont; we were not stopped nor fired at as in days of yore. As we passed Gallipoli about seven p. m., we could see a col- lection of red-roofed houses, with tall minarets rising up amongst them. From the entrance of the Dardanelles to Gallipoli the straits are very narrow, not more than a quarter of a mile in some places. We ran along close to the bank on the European side ; its breadth opposite the town of Gallipoli is about four miles, and it expands towards the Sea of Marmora. As the ship run along the banks we could see large herds of goats and small black sheep, feed- ing on the high rocks along the edge of the river. Night was closing on us and, as we passed the numerous forts on the European side, the sentries yelled out strange challenges and burned blue lights, and blue lights an- swered from our ship in return, so that it looked to us a strange spectacle. The lights were put out and our eyes are as blind as owls in day light, but our eyes soon re- ifpffr^ f[;||.U-.H' W^-. :1 ^ iJ •>i i •i! 1* ii iir!' 142 VIEW OF CONSTANTINOPLE cover, the stars at last begin to twinkle and we see a little around us. All night we were crossing the Sea of Mai'mora with a strong current against us. Next morning, after breakfast, we came in sight of Constantinople ; at ten a.m. we passed the Seven Towers on our left, with Seraglio Point just before us ; at ten thirty we cast anchor with hundreds of other vessels at the mouth of the Golden Horn. Steam ferr^^-boats of the English kind were passing to and fro, and caiques flitted in and out with the dexterity and and swiftness of a sea- gull. As we cast anchor, a small brig coming down stream ran foul of us on the starboard bow, snap and crash went her bowsprit and yard, causing considerable damage to our bulw arks and stays ; this accident detained us two hours. The stream runs so swiftly down the channel that vessels frequently run foul, sometimes causing serious damage. We notice, passing back and forward from Stamboul to Pera, caiques with Turkish women wearing white cloths, and staring at us out of two black holes in their yashmak. At twelve o'clock we weighed anchor and continued our course through the Bosphorus. The scenery is of almost unrivalled beauty, and the pano- rama of which Constantinople forms the principal part, is such as is perhaps nowhere else to be seen in the world. As we proceeded up the stream and looked back, the view of the Marmora, as we leave it behind, is very fine. On the opposite Asiatic shore Mount Olympus, 8,800 feet high, with its snow-crowned summit fades away into the blue of the heavens, while the Imperial Palace of the Se- I liir THE GOLDEN HORN. 143 Tht of owers at ten sels at of the flitted : a sea- stream \i went e to our 3 hours. vessels lamage. .amboul white |in their HOY and The |e pano- »al part, e world, .ck, the jry fine. IsOOfeet linto the the Se- raglio, St. Sophia's Mosque, and others of less proportions, stud the banks in unbroken lines from the very foot of the forts which command the entrance up to the crown- ing glory of the scer^e, where the Imperial city of Con- stantine, rising in many coloured terraces from the verge of the Golden Horn, confuses the eye with its numerous gardens, cypresses, mosques and palaces, its masses of foliage, red roofs surmounted by snow-white minarets, with golden tops. The residences of the Pashas, the Im- perial palaces of the Sultan, and the retreats of opulence line these favoured shores. As the ship ran along we could see the Turks sitting; cross-le^jj^ed like tailors on their verandahs smoking away and looking as like each other as if they were twins. The windows of these houses are closely latticed and fastened, but here and there can be seen a white faced lady with gay coloured robe, peeping through the jalousies, showing that the harem is occupied by the fair sex. These dwellings succeed each other the whole length of the Bosphorus, and at places such as Buyukdere, they are numerous enough to form large villages, provided with hotels, shops, and lodging- houses. * The Turks delight in sitting out on the platform over the water while they smoke their chibouque, and the greatest object of Turkish ambition is to enjoy the plea- sure of a residence on the banks of the Bosphorus. These waters abound in fish, and shoals of porpoises and dol- phins disport on its surface, splashing and playing about with ease as they swim against its rapid stream. R»ra mmmi 144 INDTFFKRKNCE OF THE TURKS. 1 noticed tlic Turks iicvcr took tlic least notice of u.s as we arrived, so we departed in silence, and as far as the Turks were concerned, in solitude. The boatmen scarcely turne'd their heads to look at the majestic steamer with her deck covered with British troops crossing the broad, rough and stormy seas to fight for these lazy, indifferent orientals who would scarcely turn their heads to look at us, much less give us a cheer as we departed from the Sultan's Sublime Porte. As we pass the batteries which mark the opening of the Bosphorus into the Euxine, we cheer the Turkish sentries as we shoot past them into the Black Sea ; and soon the land is shut out. A fog, a drifting, clammy, mist, cold and rain fall down on us like a shroud, and as the night closes in it damps out the stars and all the light of heaven, and steals down yard, mast, and stays, this is genuine Black Sea weather. In the morninof the same haze continued with drifting cold wind, after breakfast we commenced to sharpen our swords aid bayonets, in order to have them ready to serve out to the Russians in a professional manner, and with as little pain and torture as we possibly could ; the grinding-stones were furnished by the sailors, this occu- pied the whole day. The morning dawned, the sun red and stormy glared from an angry sky, over a rugged outline of coast not more than twenty-five miles distant, and lighted up by white-capped waves, which plunged athwart the ship's course ; as we neared the land the cap- tain and officers stood forward with their telescopes in liSIIIH! BALAKLAVA HARBOUR. 145 )f us ,s the ivcely witli oroad, Cerent :)ok at 111 tlic ainj;5 of \irkish sa; and lanimy, ad, and all the d stays, Idrifting »en our -eady to ler, and dd ; the Lis occu- sun red rugged t distant, plunged .the cap- [scopes in hand : where was the desired haven ? was now the sub- ject of conversation, not a sign of an opening was dis- tinguished in that formidable rock, which the telescope scanned from end to end ; but at last the ca})tain sighted a ruined tower upon a cliff somewhat lower than the rest with a union -jack flying. It was not long before the masts of a man-of-war just visible above the high rocks which marked the narrow entrance into Balaklava harbour, was seen ; up went our number, but in vain we looked for an answer. We entered the small deep harbour through a very narrow passage which was crowded with shipping. We ran up close along- side the ledge of a steep rock on the left side of the har- bour, in twenty fathoms of water, and made fast to iron hooks fixed in the rock for that purpose. r'^j K 4 i#i' r III n:!j:: Hli'ii! illil t CHAPTER XIV. DISEMBARKATION— FIRST BIVOUAC — THE MARCH — ARRIVAL — HEBASTO- POL — THE TRENCHES — FIRST MAN WOUNDED — RETURN TO CAMP— AN ALARM — LORD RAGLAN — SORTIE— FORAGING — THE OLD BRIDGE — COLONEL COLE — THE SIEGE. the regi- ^^vECEMBER 15th, 1854, at 2 o'clock p.m (^^^ ment disembarked, in heavy marching order, at Balaklava, having been served out with the following articles of camp equipage previously, which we carried to the front, consisting of one circular tent complete to every sixteen men, one camp-kettle, frying-pan, axe, hand-saw, spade, shovel, and two billhooks to each mess, one blanket to each man, with three days' ship rations. The command ^eing given we marched, distributing the camp equipa^' gst the men of the company. The rain poure .j>, as we waded knee deep through the mud, makiiij^ the best of our way among the heaps of forage and stores, which lay under the rain and exposed to the weather, without cover of any kind, all arounJ Balaklava. We were obliged to halt outside the town, on account of the heavy rain, and pitch our camp on the side of Kadikoi Hill for the night. Before we got our tente pitched we got saturated with rain to our very skins. We had cold comfort that night, in wet clothes and blankets, 'ill HARDSHIPS OF THE CAMPAIGN. 147 the regi- order, at following i^e carried complete •pan, axe, ■ach mess, rations, jbuting the >any. The Liough the te heaps of ^d exposed [all around ,e town, on on the side |t our tents skins. We ,d blankets, lying on the damp grtuiiid ; everything wet except ouram- immition which we always managed to keep dry. We had not even a light in our tents ; at 9 o'clock, after posting the pic(iuet sentries around our camp, we lay down. This was a good receipt for rheumatism, and it required a strong constitution to bear up. At reveilld next morning, we were on the alert, eat some biscuits without water, alas, there was no water near our camp, and marched oft. After march- ing four miles through a slough of Balaklava mud, which it is impossible to describe, we pitched our camp on the most favourable spot we could find, and close to a stream of water ; having indulged in the latter beverage very copi- ously, with some hard biscuits, we turned ir to our tent, always placing sentries around our camp. The Hashes from the guns of Sebastopol lighting up our camp, we lay down as we did the night before, in our wet clothes, overcoat and blanket. Our slumbers were frequently disturbed during the night by the thundering of the guns of Sebas- topol. At 6 a.m., we tried to make a camp-fire, and get some hot coffee previous to our departure, but we failed in the attempt ; several foraging parties scoured the neigh- bourhood searching for some wood or brambles, to make a tire with, but could not find any ; so we drank plenty of water from the stream, and filled our kegs with the blessed fluid. After eating some hard biscait, we struck our tents and resumed our march to the front. As we pro- ceeded through the " slough of despond," we marched through the Freach camp, when the French soldiers turned out and cheered us, their bands playing " God sa- t:i4 t.''fti22^ i mt ■ !3 148 VIEW OF SEBASTOPOL. the Queen " as we passed their camp, which we responded to in a most friendly manner. We arrived at the 4th Division, to which we were posted, at two p.m., after wading through slush and mud the whole way, sinking knee-deep at every step, and were shown our camp grounds on Cathcart's Hill, ith the honour of being the front regiment of the 4th Division. Before we had our tents pitched, two-thirds of the regi- ment were detailed for the trenches that night; several men reported themselves sick, having caught severe colds from sleeping in their wet clothes on the damp ground the two previous nights, together with the heavy fatiguing march from Balaklava, on, I might say, an empty stomach, for we had nothing to eat or drink from the time we disem- barked, except cold water. We could not eat raw pork just then, this told on the men's constitutions ; although their pluck was good they had to give in, they were sent to the hospital tent. After we had finished tent-pitching, I was anxious to see Sebastopol and its surroundings; I went to the top of Cathcart's Hill, where I had a splendid view along the whole line of trenches from Kamiesch Bay to the Tchernaya River enclosing Sebastopol, which shone white and clear in the sun. I could see a large Russian camp defended by earth- works on the north side of the harbour, and large masses of Russians on parade outside the camp. At sun down the covering party were paraded on the brigade grounds, and after dark, marched for the first time to face the Muscovite, a field officer in charge, each party with their officers. Marching down, the Rus- KiiUmmi: n their lot even death jkly in it by a en I talk to take no ath, as buried ^my it is is a sol- I BUILD A (."OMFOIITAHLE HUT. 101 dicr's death, figlitin;^ the ]>attlos for tlic honour and glory of your Queen and country." As I was walking round the tent-polo to keep my blood in circulation, the temperature being many degrees below zero, I held the above soliloquy. A happy thought struck me, and I carried it out, which I believe saved my life. I took a pick- axe and shovel and commenced to build a hut in rear of of the company's tents. I worked at it every spare moment until I had a hole dug nine feet long by six wide, and four feet deep, cutting the inside walls straight down, and facing them with stones to a height of two feet above the gi'ound ; which left the inside of the hut six feet high ; building a fireplace and chimney in the end. I then got my comrade. Dandy Russell, to accompany me to the old bridge at the Tchernaya River, where I climbed up a steep hill, close to a Russian battery ; where we got wood on a former oc- casion ; and there I got enough of wood to roof my hut. having filled our straps with the best I could find, we started for our camp, escaping the Russians who were just above us on the hill. When we got to camp I commenced to roof the hut ; cutting the rafters and laying them at the top with some gads made out of willows cut for that purpose. Having the rafters secured along the top, I stretched some small sticks along the sides of the roof, securing them also, and then laying branches over all. I then cut sods in a ravine, carried them to the hut, laid them on the top of the branches, and covered the whole with earth ; smoothing it over with the back of the spade, as I would a potato pit in Ireland, to throw off" the rain ; iilil i s p $. V I lei M m m m n 3 ' "mi 162 A PECULIAR COFFEE-MILL. cutting a trench round it, to cary oft* the water. I made steps going down and I got a flag to fit the door, so my Irish experience stood to me here. We frequently went to the old bridge for wood, but ran the risk of being shot by the Russians every time ; by this means we managed to y get wood enough to keep a fire in our hut, and were com- fortable while the men were freezing to death in their tents. Dandy and I managed to get on trench duty al- ternately, so as to leave one of us to look after the hut, and prepare the meals for the other, after coming off" trench duty. Having been served with green coffee by the commis- sariat, and having no means of roasting or grinding it, we had accumulated a large bagful ; now we procured the half of a large exploded shell, and with a nine pound shot we ground the coffee in the shell, after roasting it on a frying pan ; most of the men threw their green coffee away having no means of roasting or grinding. There has been a good deal of firing going on between the French and Russians on the right attack, and the Grenadier Guards had it very hot last night, from a new masked battery. The Russians opened on the right near Canrobert's Re- doubt. There are three large columns of Russians visi- ble opposite Inkerman on the north side of the Tchernaya and their movements are very mysterious. They have sent a large body of cavalry to the east of the valley of Bala- klava and at the same time a body of infantry moved off towards the north. The scenery of our camp-ground and the country has now assumed a truly wintry aspect. The f RIGHTFUL MORTALITY AMONG HORSES. 163 made io my ent to not by red to e com- 1 their ity al- e hut, trench ommis- cr it, we L-ed the nd shot it on a )e away .as been ich and Guards lattery, rt's Ke- ns visi- lernaya ave sent of Bala- oved off und and ect. The lofty peaks and ridges which close up the valley of Bala- klava are covered with snow, which gives them the appear- ance of great height ; in the valley and plateau the snow is over three feet deep, and streaked by lines of men and horses carrying up provisions to the camp. The number of dead horses on the wayside increases daily, every slough across the path is marked by a dead horse or mule. At the present rate of mortality the whole division, which can only muster about 600 horses, will be almost extinct in one month more. I went over to the camp of the 63rd Regiment to see a first cousin of mine, named Philip McGurn, I was sorry to learn that he had been severely wounded in the thigh, by a piece of shell, and was sent down to Scutari hospital. The regiment could only^ mus- ter twelve men for duty, the remainder were either killed or died from sickness in hospital. The 46th regiment have only about fifty men fit for duty ; the Scots Fusilier Guards have lost, since they came out upwards of 1000 men, and can now onl}'- muster about three hundred on parade ; and many other regiments in a like proportion. The duty of carrying provisions and rum from Bala- klava to the front is very trying on the men ; every two men carry a beaker of rum, biscuit or pork, slung from a pole between them; they march about six miles in this manner, from Balaklava to Head Quarters ; horses can- not do this trying work, foi \^i\Qy cannot keep their legS; and almost every hundred yards along the way is marked by the carcass of one of these animals. I passed through the French Camp, on my way foraging for wood, and imll !':;il 164 SUFFERINGS OF THE B^RENCH SOLDIERS. ' M'?; !! went into several of the men's tents, and was surprised to see the misery they were in. It must not be inferred that the French soldiers are healthy whilst we are all sickly. I was astonished to see so many lying sick in their tents and dying with dysentery, diarrhoea, scurvy and pulmonary complaints. Their men were allowed to lie sick in their tents, which differ from us very much ; when our men get sick they are sent to hospital at once and there attended by a doctor. January 14th. — It is thawing fast to-da}'^ and the roads are resuming their former sloppy state, which has in- creased the difficulties of supplying the men considerably. The cavalry are getting up sheds for their horses, and sheep skin coats have been distributed to some of the men. I wonder when the l7th Regiment are going to get any warm clothing, or sheep-skin coats ? Some officers, it is true, have got some warm jackets, and not before they wanted them This week large quantities of clothing were served to some of the regiments. It must not, how- ever, be imagined that the supplies sent up are equal to the demand ; several regiments have not received a stitch yet, although large quantities have been sent out by England — whose fault is it ? The sick in the hospitals on the hill tops suffer severely from cold, and the snow blows into their very blankets. However, such supplies as the men have had, prove of the greatest service and have saved many lives. Consider what men suffer with snow three feet deep about the tents. The men scarcely know what fuel is in many regiments ; they break up TTW ffRi! THE TROOPS DESPAIR NOT. 165 prised ferred iire all iick in scurvy wred to much ; it once e roads has in- ierably. ses, and e of the ^oing to officers, before clothing ot, how- equal ceived a sent out ospitals he snoAV supplies vice and ffer with scarcely •e n empty pork barrels and anything that will burn to cook their meals, or grub into the earth for roots and stumps to make a fire. This is enough to make the poor, worn- out, exhausted soldier despair before he sinks to rest ; sighs that he cannot share the sure triumph and certain honour and glories of the day when our flag shall wave from the citadel of Sebastopol ! Although our patience is sorely tried, yet there is no deep despair here among the troops, no one for an instant feels the slightest doubt of ultimate success. If British courage, daring, bravery and a strong arm in the fight, contempt of death and love for our Most Gracious Sovereign Lady the Queen and our country ; if honour and glory could have won Sebastopol, it had been ours long ago, and may be ours at any time. We are pre- pared for a dreadfnl sacrifice, and not one of us for an instant has the least misgiving as to the result. But let our country at least feel that the soldiers now lying on the wet ground before Sebastopol, starving and in rags, deserve at her hands the greenest and the brightest lau- rels and rewards, and we trust that she may be prepared to award those gallant noble officers and soldiers, who in such a position deserve the highest honour she can con- fer upon them. Let England know them, as the descen- dants of that glorious army (led by their illustrious chief His Grace the Duke of Wellington) who thwarted the great Buonaparte in Spain and Portugal, who fought at Quatre- Bras, Ligny, and Waterloo ; and let England recollect that in fighting her battles against a powerful enemy at Ul V' '. f* ^jl , •? 166 SUPPLIES FOK SEBASTOPOL. that time, we have now to maintain a struggle with foes still more stubborn and barbarous, with a terrible climate, and if they triumphed over the one she may rest assured, as we are, that we will triumph over the other. With regard to the prospects of the Russians, there can be no doubt that means of communication exist between Inkerman and Sebastopol along the south banks of the estuary of the Tchernaya. It is necessary that more decisive steps be taken to intercept supplies for their garrison, or, to harass them more in their attempts to bring in provisions to the city. After we seized the Woronzoflf road, it was thought that no other means of approach, except by a mountain path, existed between Simpheropol and Sebastopol, on the south side. There can be no doubt that another road has been found out, which enables them to go from Inkerman along the base of the heights on the southern side and traverse the ravines which lead along the banks of the river into the city. Waggons can be seen every day coming down from the heights over the Tchernaya river towards Sebastopol, and large bodies of the enemy are visible, passing frequently and disappearing mysteriously into a subterranean passage leading to the citadel. . CHAPTER XVI. ■ ■■ I TRENCHES — CANAL OF MUD — RUSSIAN NEW YEAR — HEAVY FIRE — ON SENTRY — THE SORTIE — OLD BROWN BESS — SORTIE — ARRIVAL IN CAMP — NEW STYLE OF CANDLE — FLINT AND STEEL — MAKING COFFEE — HEAVY SNOW — NO FIRE — WARM CLOTHING — SHOT AND SHELL. i^ANUAKY 16th.— A strong party of the 17th Regi- ment marched to the trennhes yesterday evening, and in going down got wet to the skin. A heavy thaw set in, and the trenches became a canal of mud ; when we arrived, we remarked that the Russians were very ac- tive inside the town, and had Hghted watchfires on the north side, and illuminated the heights over the Tcher- naya with rows of lights, in the form of a cross, which shone brilliantly through the darkness of the cold, wet, and damp winter's night. They were evidently celebrat- ing their new year ; light shone from the windows of most of the houses and public buildings. Our lonely sentries lying on the ground in front of our advanced trench, our muskets loaded and capped, with a watchful eye on every embrasure in front of us ; we fancied that the Russians in Sebastopol tried to annoy us with their lights and gaiety. At midnight all the church bells in the city began ring- ing, it was evident that a solemn religious ceremony was about to take place. We were all warned to be on the n H'l: I f I I 168 A FIERCE NIGHT ATTACK. alert, and all our advanced posts were strengthened ac- cordingly. After the people came out of their churches, about one o'clock in the morning, they gave a loud che'^r, our sailors and artillery who manned the guns in our batteries, responded by opening a heavy fire on them ; as did also the French on our right and left. When the Rus- sians in return, began one of the fiercest cannonades along their position that we have yet heard ; their batteries vomited forth floods of flame which broke through the smoke as lightning through the thunder-cloud, and we could see distinctly the houses and buildings in the city, and their batteries crowded with soldiers. The roar- ing of round shot, whistling and bursting of shells, filled the intervals between the deafening roll of big guns. The round shot passed over our trenches rapidly, ploughing up the ground into furrows as they passed us by, or striking into our parapet with a thud. Our " Blue Jackets " and artillery had to shelter themselves closely under their batteries, and could barely reply to the vol- leys which ploughed up our parapets, knocking sandbags, gabions, and fascines all about the men's heads, and not unfrequently knocking some of them off"; nevertheless they always laid their guns correctly, sending the de- structive missile into the embrasure with a vengeance. While the firing was going on a strong body of the enemy had been pushed up the hill tov\ ards our works in fron^, on the flank of the left attack, I was one of a chain of sentries, at twelve paces apart, lying down fifty yards in front of our advanced trench. When we saw a strong i^mm» mm DESPERATE HAND-TO-HAND ENCOUNTER. 169 column of Russians coming out of their batteries and ad- vancing up the hill, we passed the word to each other, when the line of sentries fired on them and retreated into the trench ; giving the alarm to our men. The field officer in charge sending back to the other parallels for reinforce- ments, which arrived in good time to assist us in driving the Russians from our works. In the meantime, the enemy had advanced into our trenches, notwithstanding we kept blazing at them during their advance, and stand- ing against them, on the escarpment of our trench, with our bayonets at the charge. They forced into our trench in large numbers, when we had a desperate hand-to-hand fight ; we were completely mmmsd together, so that as we pulled the bayonet out of one we knocked another over with the butt end of our musket. The officers fought bravely, cutting the Russians down with every stroke. One officer in cutting a Russian broke his sword, which nearly cost him his life, only for one of our men guarding off" a stab from a Russian bayonet, he would have been hors- de-combat. He soon picked up a musket, however, and fought bravely with it. I was close to him as he floored the Russians all around him. I can assure you, gentle reader, that we all fought as becometh British soldiers, though the odds against us were ten to one. When the enemy saw the reinforcements coming, they began to retreat by odd ones, until at last the whole of them retired towards their outworks in double time. We fired rapidly after them, giving them chase up to their very batteries, and engaging with them again in 170 FIGHT AMONGST THE TOMBSTONES, ;i ■: if^ . the grave-yard close to the careening battery, where we had a very hard fight amongst the tombstones. Oh ! if we had the Enfield rifle, instead of the " Old Brown Bess." However, we closed around them in the grave yard, dislodging them from behind the tombstones, where they took refuge, cutting off' three of their party whom we took prisoners, besides wounded men we picked up on the field and in tiie trenches, sending the latter to the hospi tal, and the former on board the fleet. In this affair, two officers and eighteen men were wounded, and six men killed. The French had also to resist a strong sortie at the same time, and drove them back with great loss, and in pursuit got inside the Russian advanced batteries, where they had a hand-to-hand fight, and by great valour suc- ceeded in fighting their way clear of the enemy, and re- turned to their own trenches. At daylight all was quiet, except an odd shot now and then as a reminder. Having been relieved that evening by the 21st Fusiliers, we ar- rived in camp completely exhausted with hunger, wet and hard fighting, our clothes being saturated, it having thawed in the night, and now turned round to freeze, stiffening our clothes with icicles, the noise of which, as we marched along, reminded us of the ancient warriors in coats of mail. When I reached my hut, Dandy was there, but no fire, our wood had been used up ; he had been rou, '^.d up in the night to reinforce the trenches, and carrying shot during the day, he was as weary as I was. How to get a drink of hot coffee was the next thought ■MMMpftP wr- "NECESSITY THE MOTHER OF INVENTION." 171 which troubled me, I wanted it badly indeed. What did I do ? I tore a strip off the nether end of my shirt, set it on an empty blacking-tin with some pork fat, and lit it with a Hint and steel which I always carried in my pack (our matches being too damp to light, and besides they were very scarce), set my canteen over the blaze with a little water in it at first, making the coffee after the water boiled, then adding more water ; we then fried some biscuits in pork fat over the blaze. This new invention proved very useful afterwards, not only to Dandy and myself, but to the officers and men of the regiment ; you can scarcely imagine how quick water will boil over a blaze of this kind. January 19th. Frostcontinueswithfrequent showers of snow, which enables us to get up provisions. The artil- ler}'- were employed to-day with their waggons carrying up shot, shell and powder to the depot. January 20th. We had a heavy fall of snow during the night, it is now four feet deep over the plain. The prepara- tions for a general bombardment are progressing rapidly ; upwards of seventy big guns and mortars, with sea service siege guns are all up at the dep6t, and if this frost lasts, will be in the batteries verj'- shortly, if the frost and snow enable us to get up heavy guns and mortars. Several men have been frozen in their tents, and several men have been sent to hospital from the trenches with severe frost bites, and suffering from bitter cold wind and frost. When a path has been once broken through the snow, men and horses can get along much more easily than to 172 THE WELCOME CLOTHING ARKIVES. wade tbroiigli the deep mud rh heretofore, but the tem- perature is very trying in the tents, particularly when we have no wood to make a fire. Many regiments have been served out with fur coats, long boots, mitts, guernseys, and flannel waistbands r A socks. But alas, none of these needful articles h .oached the 17th Eegiment yet, except the men in hospital, who have received a few articles of warm clothing. It is a most melancholy subject for reflection to see our present army. There is scarcely a regiment to be recognised now, save by its well known camp-ground. The officers cannot be dis- tinguished from the privates, unless when they wear their swords. What a harvest death has reaped, and many more are ripe for the sickle. It is sad to see the noble officers who have been brought up in luxury sharing the same fate as the private soldiers. I went into an officer's tent the other day, and I was sorry to see him (Lieutenant Bunkman), sitting in his tent shivering with cold and trying to cut out a pair of leggings off" the end of his blanket. As I helped him to cut them out, he says : " Faughnan, they may talk at home about us noble officers of the British army, and imagine us sitting in a snug tent with warm clothing and gorgeous uniforms, partak- ing of the fare that England has generously sent out here to her gallant officers and soldiers, but which none of us have yet received, and I am afraid never will, if this wea- ther lasts long. It would be more comfortable to be a sweep in London than an officer out here." We had 400 men employed to-day, January 29th, carrying ARRIVAL OF ENFIELD RIFLES. 173 shut and slicll from the depot to tlit; trcnclios. Tlic siiowfell during the night and covered the ground four feet deep, but the cold wind drifted it to the depth of six feet in some places. The wind blew so bitterly cold that the mules and horses refused to face it ; but the men came trudging along in a dreary string, and there was some- thing mournful in the aspect of the long lines moving across the expanse of glittering snow. When these men came back to camp they had very blue noses and pale faces ; and as to their clothes, what would the people of England have thought if they beheld their gallant army ; most of the officers as ragged as the men ; and many offi- cers have been crii)pled by frost and obliged to go on leave with their feet badly frostbitten. Several men go about barefooted, up to their knees in snow, they could not get their frozen boots on their swelled feet. There was very severe frost last night, January 23rd. The activity of the heads of departments which has been recently observable, is becoming more developed every day. Our quartermaster has received to-day, among other useful things for the regiment, a supply of Enfield rifles, to replace the " Old Brow.. Bess ; " they will be served out to the men to-morrow ; also a quantity of sheepskin jackets, long boots, guernseys, flannel waist- bands, mitts and fur caps. We are hard worked bringing these articles up to camp ; we are doing the work of com- missariat mules. As we were coming up we passed a large number of sick and dying men who were sent down to Balaklava on mules and bat horses ; they formed one ■'■WW ■ if \: '. t 174 A GHASTLY PROCESSION. of tho most ghastly processions tliat could l)e iiuacjined ; many of these men were all but dead ; with closed eyes, open mouths and pale haggard faces, they were b(»rne along two on each mule, one on each side, back to back. One of them died on the way down, his corpse looked most ghastly. Strapped upright to the seat, the legs hanging down stiff, the eyes staring wide open, the head and body nodding with frightful mockery of life at each stride of the mule over the broken ground. As the dead man passed, the only remarks our men made were, " there is one more poor Vellow out of pain at any rate." There were several cases of frost-bite among them, but they all seemed alike on the verfje of death. We arrived at the front by six p.m., the road being hard, we made rapid progress to get to camp by daylight. Next morning, January 24th, we handed over to the quartermaster the old Brown Bess, and received a splendid Enfield rifle in its stead ; we also received one pair long boots, one fur cap each, and several received sheep-skin coats, mitts, guernseys, flannel bands, and socks, with a few large overcoats for the sentries. It would astonish a stranger to go from Balaklava to the front to see the number of dead horses and mules along the wayside ; in every hole are the remains of these animals torn by dogs and vul- tures. The attitudes of some of the skeletons were cur- ious, some have dropped dead, and are frozen stiff* as they fell ; others seem struggling to rise from their miry grave; most of these carcasses have been skinned by the Turks and French; who use the hides to cover their huts. About I ■ i I' ! CLOSE TO THE RUSSIAN BATTERIES. 175 ined ; eyes, bf»rne back. .ooked e legs c head it each Le dead " there There ihey all 1 at the le rapid lorning, rniaster iifield boots, n coats, w large stranger imber of ery hole and vul- vere cur- f as they y grave; e Turks About Hve miles of the country are dotted all over with tliese carcasses, in every stage of decay. Were it summer time, around Balaklava wc ild be a great pest-house, full of fes- tering carcasses of dead mules and horses. 'J'he evening after we were served out with new rities, long boots and fur caps, the 17th Regiment furnished 400 men for the trenches. The weather was clear, dr}- and cold, but we do not care now for cold, since we got our long boots, fur caps, and warm clothing to protect us from the sharp biting frost. We were in splendid spiiits^ and felt com- fortable during the night in our new boots and fur caps. After we arrived in the trenches, the Russians opened a storm of musketry on us, as if they knew we were armed with the Enfield rifie, and were anxious for us to try it, which we soon did, to their astonishment, the Russian fire was particularly directed against our works the whole night ; after daylight the firing recommenced with great vigour, all along our lines. There could be no less than 3000 men engaged on each side, firing as hard as they could pull a trigger; the lines were marked by thick cur- ling smoke. The fire slackened on both sides about ten o'clock. Not a night now passes without severe rifie- shooting from behind the parapets, and between the lines. Our works are pushed almost within one hundred and fifty yards of the Russian batteries, and on the left al- most into the town, and its suburbs; but the ruined houses of these suburbs, are turned into defences for their sharp- shooters, and the town itself is almost one formidable battery, from the glacis to the ridge over the sea, on m mv i i 176 RTTSSfAN DESERTERS. wliicli the (south side of* the town is situated. Our bat- teries are in good order, and ready for the heavy siege- guns, which can be put into them in a few days, as the ground is hard we can easily get them into position. In the skirmish hist night, one Russian officer was taken pris- oner on the right attack by the 47th Regiment, who manned the trenches. We have received several deserters from the Russians within the last week, who give a fearful account of how the Russians are suffering from cold and hunger; they showed us some hard black bread they brought with them, in their haversacks. It is evident that the struggle between us and the Russians will soon be renewed with greater vigour than before ; the clear frosty days, and nights have given heart and spirits to our men ; but the Russians have also derived advantage from the improved condition of the roads and country. We hear they have thrown large quantities of stores into the garrison recently. When I returned from the trenches Dandy had plenty of hot coffee and fried biscuits ready for me, as /ell as an extra gill of hot rum. We find our hut very comfortable these cold frosty nights, and we now get two nights off trench duty. Notwithstanding the clear frosty weather, the transport of clothes, fuel and provisions entails con- siderable hardshi})s on our men ; the sick make little pro- gress towards recovery, and the number of them sent down to Balaklava every day is a proof * the unsatis- factory condition of the health of our army. Mules and horses have been sent down to Balaklava for warm cloth- mam T-T DEARTH OF WOOD. 177 bat- siege- asthe Q. In n pris- lanned om the Lccount lunger; at with itruggle jd with lys, and but the paprovel ley have g-arrison ing for those regiments whose men are nearly all sick. The coffee, for the first time, has been issued to us roasted, which we find a great luxuiy compared to how we have been getting it ; vegetables, however, are greatly needed, picks, spades, shovels and billhooks are in much request and are greatly needed to clear the camp, dig gi-aves and chop wood, when we get any, but we^have got none as yet. 1 plenty ell as an fortable iorhts off weather, ails con- ttle pro- iiem sent uiisatis- lules and rm cloth- M ii CHAPTER XVII. THE RAILWAY— LORD RAGLAN — COSSACKS — THE NAVVIES — RUSSIAN DESERTERS — THE RAILWAY. I HE railway from Ealaklava to the front, under Mr. Doyne, C.E., is making rapid progress ; about two miles of rails have been laid down. It winds its way from the post office in Ealaklava towards Kadi- koi, passing by Irs. Seacoles' well known door, (the half-wav house,) and is graded as far as the 4th division. The sleepers are on the ground, and will be laid in the course of two weeks. A stationary engine has been placed on the hill above the Kadikoi, which pulls the trucks up from Ealaklava ; the Turks are astonished by the puffs of steam from its iron lungs, and its shrieks and screams as it is put in motion by the engineers, to their great wonder and astonishn-ent. Lord Raglan visited Ealaklava to-day and inspected the railway, with which he was well pleased ; he was accompanied by several staff officers. After inspecting the progress and condition of various departments in the town, he went on board a man-of-war in the harbour, to visit some sick soldiers, who were going down to Scutari. He returned to Head Quarters at six o'clock. I am sorry that sickness does not diminish, dysentery and diarrhoea !l||i THE COSSACKS. 171) en -RUSSIAN , under , ; about vinds its Is Kadi- oor, (the division. ^id in the placed rucks up the puffs d screams lieir great inspected d ; he was >ecting the its in the larhour, to to Scutari. I am sorry seem on the increase every day, and 1 am afraid that scurvy is beginning to show itself among the troops. It is no wonder that the men get scurvy, living on salt rations and hard biscuits without any vegetables, sleeping in their clothes without a chance to wash themselves or change their clothes ; water being so scarce we cannot wash our linen. I refrain from describing the state of the army for the want of clean linen or water to wash with ; suffice it to say that several new flannel waist bands served to the men were thrown away, and can be seen on the camp ground, occupied by a large army in skirmish- ing order. I took my canteen, water-keg and soap down to the spring one day to wash my linen, I waited two hours for my turn, after which I filled my canteen and water keg, I then washed my clothes on a flat stone, then waited two hours more for water to linse them, making four hours in all I had to wait. The reader can under- stand what difficulty the men have to keep themselves clean. February 21st. The Russians made a strong sortie on the British lines last night, and were repulsed with con- siderable loss ; the light division had six men killed and ten wounded. The Cossacks, on the hills beyond Inkerman, have nearly disappeared and there are no indications that they intend to occupy the hills again, or construct batteries there as was supposed. The greatest secrecy is observed respecting our future operations ; strict orders have been given that officers and others are not to give information iHltli'i rw ; i 'l!!!',(l ,i:iii 180 STIRRING SCENES IN THE HARBOUR. r(!^''ardiiig' onr works ur luovcuicnts but to those entitled to demand it. I was on trench duty last night when it froze hard, with bitter cutting wind, drifting the snow into our eyes and filling the trenches ; but the sun shone out in the morning and the wind fell. The day was clear and cold, and the warm clothing and long boots enabled us to bear the severity of the weather, which would have been fatal to many, had we been in the same state as our comrades on whom winter fell with all its rigour, while they had nothing to wear but their old regimental cloth- ing. We are now well secured with long boots, fur caps and warm jackets. As the day was clear, I could see the Russians plainly, in spite of the dazzling effect of the snow and cold. The bridge of boats across the creek, from the government buildings to the other side of the town, was crowded with men, who were busily engaged passing across supplies and rolling barrels to the other side, shew- ing that there is a centre of supply or depot in the government buildings behind the Redan and opposite the tire of our batteries. Several lighters^under sail and full of men were standing over from one side of the harbour to the other, and boats manned with crews dressed in white were tugging scows laden with stores to the south side of the town. A small steamer was also very active puffing and splurting about the harbour in all directions, furrowing the surface of the water, which was as smooth as glass, so completely is the harbour land-locked — the men-of-war ^th their white ensigns and St. Andrew's cross, lying in a line at the north side. The masts of THE SUBURBS IN RUINS. 181 titled len it snow shone i clear aabled d have as our •^ while ,1 cloth- fur caps [ see the . of the jek, from ]^Q town, i passing ie, shew- [t in the »ositethc [l and full harbour [ressed in |the south >ry active Lirections, as smooth Icked— the Andrew's masts of three vessels could be seen plainly above the buildings ; further away to the right towards Inkerman the white houses and barracks shone brightly in the sun, and the bells of the churches were ringing out clearly in the frosty air; the tall houses running up the hillside, with its massive, public buildings, gave Sebastopol rather an im- posing appearance. There was not a soul to be seen in the streets except soldiers running across the open space from one battery to another, relieving guards or posting sen- tries. Outside the town the eye rests on walls of earth piled up ten or twelve feet high and twenty feet thick, with embrasures, in which J could see the muzzles of the guns pointing towards our batteries ; those works are of tremendous strength, with a very deep and broad ditch in front. Round the suburbs of the town are broken- down white-washed cottages, the roofs of which are all gone, the doors off and the windows out, the walls are left standing at a certain distance from the batteries with holes made in them so that the guns can cover their ob- ject ; they are also used for sharpshooters. The picture of misery presented by these suburbs is very striking, in most instances the destruction has been caused by our shot, and the houses all round the Flagstaff and Garden batteries have been blown into heaps of rubbish and mortar. There have been a great many shells thrown by the Russians to day, from a mortar battery towards the sea, projecting the shells into the air every half uiinute or so across a hill in front of it, so as to annoy uur working party, who were engaged :.i throwing mm r- ^H it, ! ill f w 182 SHELLING THE TRENCHES. up a trench towards the Quarantine fort. The white smoke rushing into the air expands into rings ; then follows the heavy dull report; then comes the shrill whistle of the shell travelling through the air as it describes its curve, and descends with gi-eat velocity, increasing rapidly every second, till it explodes just as it reaches the ground, some- times sinking deep into the earth, tearing it up with the explosion to the destruction of those around. It is a most unpleasant reflection when we see a whistling Dick coming in the air, and run out of its way behind a traverse. To how many families have they carried deep sorrow and mourning. The smoke clears away, then men gather round one who moves not, they bear him away on a stretcher, and a small mound of fresh earth marks for a little time the resting place of the soldier, whose wife, mother, children, or sisters, are left destitute of all happi- ness, save the memory and the sympathy of their country. Who will let the inmates of that desolate cottage in Eng- land, Ireland, or Scotland, know of their bereavement ? However there goes another shell which does nothing but knock up a cloud of earth and stones. After being relieved, we marched to our gloomy camp, under a heavy fire from the enemy ; but my hut was not so gloomy as the men's tents, it was warm and com- fortable, my comrade had a little fire, keeping my coftee and fried biscuits warm, with a cotton rag dipped in pork fat as a substitute for a candle. February 25th. The 17th Regiment were roused at two o'clock this mornintj and marched down to reinforce the \tM riiriiiiaMi THE RUSSIANS REPULSED. 183 ii jinoke ws the of the curve, f every I, some- ath the It is a ng Dick lehind a ied deep ,hen men away on ^rks for a lose wite, all happi- • country. ;e in Eng- avement ? •hing hut ) ,niy caniP' hut was and com- jny coft'ee Dcdinpork covering party in the trenches. The Russians commenced one of the most furious cannonades we liave henrd since the siege began. The whole of the Russian liatteries from our left opened with immense force and noise, the Redan, Gar- den, and Malakofi batteries began firing round sliot and shell. Our second parallel and twenty one gun batteries were exposed to the weight of this most terrible fire, which shook the very earth and lighted up the sky witli inces- sant lightning flashes for two hours, under cover of which a very strong sortie was made, and for an hour the musket- ry rolled incessantly with vigour enough for a general en- gagement. As soon as the fire opened, an aid-de-camp rode to our lines and gave the order for the 17th, 57th and '20th, Regiments to march to the trenches, and in less than five minutes these thr . giments were moving in double time towards the trenches. On arrival, we found that the covering party had succeeded in driving the enemy from our trenches. We then returned to our camp and lay down for a couple of hours. The Russians had made a sortie on the French lines at the same time, and were also driven back with great loss. At the request of General Ostensacken, an armistice was granted from twelve till one o'clock to-day, to enable the Russians to bury their dead. There was not much firing this morning; at twelve o'clock white flags were run up on the batteries on both sides, and immediately afterwards a body of Russians issued from the Redan, Flagstafl", and Malakoff* batteries, and proceeded to carry ofl" their dead; and our men, with the Fiench emerged wm\ Mtaiiii i I r III: !! ! '!!i: - m 184 BURYING THE DEAD. from our batteries on a similar errand. A few Russian ofiicei's advanced about half way towards our batteries, when they were met by our officers and the French, where extreme courtesy, the interchange of profound salutations, and bowings marked the interview. The officers walked up and down, and shakos were raised and caps doffed politely as each r,,i.ie near an enemy; in the meantime the soldiers were carrying the dead and wounded off the fieh . About one o'clock the Russians retired inside their batteries, and immediately after the white flags were hauled down. The troops had scarcely disa]>peared over the parapet, when the flash and roar of a gun from the Malakoff announced that the war had begun once more, and our batteries almost simulta- neously fired a gun; in a moment afterwards the popping of rifles commenced as usual on both sides. The Cossacks about Balaklava are particularly busy throwing out their piquets and sentries all along the top of Canrobert's Hill. These sentries can see every thing that goes on in the plain, from the entrance to Balaklava to the edge on which our right rests ; not a horse, cart, or man can go in or out of the town, without been seen by these sentries, for they are quite visible to any person, who gazes from the top of Canrobert's Hill. The works of the railwav must cause these Cossacks very serious apprehensions. What can they, or do they, think of them ? Gradually they see villages of white huts rise up on the hillside and in the valleys, and from the cavalry camp to the heights of Bala- klava they can see line after line of wooden buildings, THE LULL BEFORE THE STORM. 185 issian teries, rench, )found The }d and in the ,d and ussians :ter the scarcely id roar ihe war ^imulta- popping re y busy top of mg that a to the man can sentries, Key from av must . What they see d in the of Bala- (uildings, and can discover the tumult and bustle on Kadikoi. This may be all very puzzling ; but it can be nothing to the excitement of looking at the railway trucks rushing round the hill at Kadikoi, and running down the incline to the town at the rate of twenty nules an hour. The Cossacks gallop up to the top of the hill to look at this phenomenon, and they caper about shaking their lance.:^ in wonder and excitement when the trucks disappear. About 300 sick men were sent down to Balaklava to-day, on the ambulance mules. The preparations for the general bomlmrdment are pro- gressing with great rapidity, and arrangements have been made to send up two thousand rounds of ammuni- tion per day to the front from the harbour ; about two hundred mules have been pressed into the service in ad- dition to the railway, and the Highlanders, and Artillery horses are employed in the carriage of heavy shot and shell to the front, a duty which greatly disables and dis- tresses them. The Guards are all down at Balaklava ; some of them seem in very delicate health ; a few old campaigners have attained that happy state in which no hardships or privations can have any effect on them. Thei silence and calm of the last few days are but the omens of the struggle which is about to be resumed very speedily for the po. 'session of Sebastopol. The Russians are silent because we do not impede their work ; we are silent because we are preparing for the contest, and are using every energy to l)ring up from Balaklava the enor- inous amounts of projectiles and mountains of amnmnition i!l!iii lii lililH 186 BENEFICIAL EFFECTS OF THE RAILWAY. which will be required for the service of our batteries, when we open a general bombardment. The railway has begun to render us some service in saving the hard labour attendant on the transport of shot and shell, and enables us to form a small depot at the distance of two miles and a half from Balaklava, which is, however, not large enough for the demands made upon it, and it is emptied as soon as it is formed by par- ties from the regiments in front, who carry ammunition to the camp depot, four miles further on. The navvies work at the railway hard and honestly, with a few exceptions, and the dread of the provost marshal has produced a wholesome influence on the dispositions of the refractory. About 200 men of the Naval Brigade have been detailed to assist in the works of the railway, in order that the construction of it may be hastened as much as possible. March 4th. I was one of a covering party in the ad- vanced trench, it was a bright moonlight night, with sharp cold frost. The Russians availed themselves of the bright- ness of the night b}'^ keeping up a constant fire of mus- ketry on our trenches. At daybreak the volleys of mus- ketry lasted an hour, mingled with the roar of round shot, whistling and bursting of shells, under cover of which they made a strong sortie on our trenches, and were re- pulsed with heavy loss ; they also made a strong sortie on the French lines at the same time, and met no better success. General Canrobert and staff rode past our camp m HORSE-RACINCi IN CAMP. 187 ;eries, Lce in ort of ipot at iklava, smade :)y par- Linition ,ly,witli marshal »ositions Brigade irailway, lastened the ad- ith sharp le bright- of mus- of mus- >und shot, of which were re- nor sortie no better our camp to-day on his way to visit the British Head Quarters, where he met Lord Raglan and several generals of our army, with whom he held a council of war, but nothing is known publicly respecting the result of the council. March 0th. Yesterday our first spring meeting took place and was numerously attended, the races came off on a level piece of ground near the Tchernaya River, and were regarded with much interest by the Cossacks on Can- robert's Hill. They evidently thought at first that the assemblage was connected with some military demon- stration, and galloped about in a state of great excite- ment to and fro. In the midst of the races a party of twelve Russians were seen approaching the sentry on the old redoubt beyond Inkerman, the sentry fired and ten of them fled, and when the piquet came up to the sentry they found two deserters had come in from the Russians, one of them was an officer, and the other had been an officer, but had suffered degradation. They were both Poles, spoke French fluently, and expressed great satisfac- tion at their escape and said, " send us wherever you please, provided we never see Russia again." They stated that they had deceived the men who were with them into the belief that the sentry was one of their own out- posts, and as they had lately joined, they believed them, and advanced boldly till the sentry fired at them, when they discovered their mistake and fled. As they were well mounted they dashed towards our lines, the Cossacks tried to cut them off but did not succeed. They requested m I M KM ' ■iii is. ^4t L* 1.0 1.1 l^|Z8 |2.5 ta m |2.2 :if t^ 12.0 a 11.25 1 1.4 71 V-*' ■V ?> /: 7 /^ ■^^ '^ K^' 1 s i: ' 188 DESERTERS FROM THE RUSSIAN RANKS. that the horses might be sent back to the Russian lines as they did not belong to them, they did not wish to be accused of theft. The horses were then taken to the brow of the hill and set free, when they galloped towards the Cossacks. The races proceeded as usual, and subsequently towards six o'clock the crowd dispersed. r-y ^sm^sammsmm m ■'!i!i CHAPTER XVIII. ' ST. Patrick's day — rifle pits — fourth division — French loss- THE SIEGE — GENERAL ATTACK — FLAG OF TRUCE — BURYING THE DEAD — WOODEN HUTS — TURKISH TROOPS — DIVINE SERVICE. ARCH 18th. Yesterday being St. Patrick's day, many officers and men were to be seen early in the morning on the hill-side in search of something green to wear as a substitute for a real shamrock, the old symbol of Erin. In the afternoon we had horse races to celebrate St. Patrick's day, and show that Irish- men though far from their native land, had not forgotten the rights and ceremonies, by which this celebrated day was remembered by them. They were in excellent spirits, the day was fine, and the ground dry, both officers and men enjoyed the day's sport ; the thunder of the siege guns rose up frequently above the shouts of the crowd in the heat of the races. There has been a fierce struggle between the French and Russians last night, for tho pos- session of the rifle-pits. These pits are situated in front of the Mamelon, and the Russian sharpshooters occupy them every night, and keep up a most galling and des- tructive fire against the exposed parts of the advanced trenches of our right attack as well as that of the French, 190 RUSSIAN RIFLE-PITS. I The shot of our batteries make the rifle pits too hot a place for the Russians during the day, but at night they come back and re-occupy them, supported by large bodies of infantry; in these encounters the enemy has had many men killed and wounded. These rifle-pits have cost both armies large quantities of ammunition, as well as the sacrifice of many men ; but the French are determined to wrest them from the Russians at any cost, for they are a source of the greatest annoyance to them. They sent a strong force of about six thousand men down close to our second and light divisions, before dusk yesterday evening, and shortly afterwards they were sent to the advanced trenches, on our right, the covering party and riflemen were ordered out to occupy the rifle pits ; they advanced but fouiiu the Russians had anticipated them, and that the enemy were already in possession of the pits. A fierce battle then commenced, but it was found that the enemy were there in much larger force than was expected ; there- fore the French could not then drive them from their position, notwithstanding their repeated attempts to do so. The contest was carried on by musketry, and the volleys which rang out incessantly for five hours, roused up the whole camp. From the roll of musketry, and flashing light in front, one would have thought that a general engagement be- tween large armies was going on. The character of the fight had something peculiar about it, owing to the absence of round shot or shell. About 7.30 o'clock p. m., the 4th division was turned out by order of the General, Sir John mmamm SB GALLANT CONDUCT OF THE ZOUAVES. 191 Campbell, and took up its position on the hill near the Green Hill battery, and the light division, under Sir George Brown, at the same time marched towards the 21 gun battery, the second and third divisions were also turned out and marched to the trenches in their front, after the French had desisted and retired from the assault on the rifle-pits. These divisions, after remaining under arms for five hours, were marched back to their respective camps. Had the French required our assistance we were ready to give it ; but they are determined on taking these pits, which are in front of their advanced trenches, without any aid from us. The Zouaves bore the heaviest part of this battle ; we could distinctly hear their officers between the volleys of musketry, cheering on their men, and en- couraging them, and the rush of men generally followed, then a volley of musketry was heard, followed by rapid file firing, then a Russian cheer and more musketry. Be- tween each volley we could hear the officer again giving the command. This work went on for about five hours, when the French at length retired. The French loss at this affiiir was twenty officers and 200 rank and file killed, wounded, and taken prisoners ; the Russian loss was over 600 killed and wounded. March 19th, 6 p.m. General Canrobert attended by his staflT, passed down by our right attack, and examined the position of the rifle-pits, Malakoff and Mamelon. At twilight a strong force of French with a battery of field pieces were moved down towards the advanced works, and another attempt was made to take the rifle-pits ; and riu Mi 102 THE RIFLE-PITS TAKEN. after a hard fought battle they succeeded in dislodging the Russians, amid a blaze of fire from the forts at daybreak. The Frenchnow directed aheavy fire from these pitsagainst the Mamelon and Malakofl*, reversing the sand bags and loop holes. March 23rd. The 17th Regiment furnished a woi-king party of one hundred men for the advanced trenches yes- terday evening. At twilight, when we got to the trenches, the engineer oflicer laid out the work. It was a new trench. Every file of men got a pickaxe and shovel, and were placed at six yards apart, on the open ground, without any shelter from the Russian giape and canister. We placed a man on the look-out for the flash of the guns, while we worked hard to throw up cover. About twelve o'clock the sentries in advance of us gave the alarm, by firing on the advancing Russians, who came so sud- denly, we had scarcely time to snatch up our rifles be fore they were upon us ; bayoneting us before we were prepared to receive them. When the sentries first disco- vered them they were close upon us. Taken at a great dis- advantage, and pressed by superior numbers, we met them hand to hand with the bayonet ; our men fought like British lions, meeting the assault with undaunted cour- age. We drove the enemy back at the point of the bayonet, pursued by our shot, they retired under cover of their bat- teries. The attack was general along the whole line. At ten p.m., our batteries, with the French, began to shell the town, pouring our rockets every five minutes in streams into the city. The sentries in advance of Chap- COLONEL KELLY TAKEN PRISONER. 193 man's battery gave the alarm also that the Russians were advancing in force on tlio trenches, the 20th, 21st, 57th, and 68th Regiments were the covering parties on the left attack. They were pretty well prepared for the enemy. About the same time the French were attacked by col- umns of the enemy. As the French were sorely pressed,our troops extended along a portion of their trenches. On the left attack the Russians advanced in great force, through a weak part of the trenches, turning the third parallel ; they killed and wounded several of our men, and had ad- vanced to the second parallel, when our covering party came down upon them and drove them back, after a sharp conflict. On the right the Russians came on our men very suddenly. The 3 4th regiment had a strong force to contend against and as Colonel Kelly, their commanding officer, was leading them on, he got wounded and was taken pris- oner by the Russians, and carried off to Sebastopol. After an hour's fight the enemy were driven back to their bat- teries. During this aJSfair we had ten officers and one hun- dred men placed hors-de-comhat ; the French had fifteen officers and two hundred men killed, wounded and taken prisoners. On the other hand the enemy lost betweenseven hundred and eight hundred men. The number of dead Russians lying along the front of our trenches proved that they got a severe chastisement, and that they experi- enced a heavy loss. The bodies of one officer and sixteen men remained in our trench until next day, and in front of our trenches the ground was covered with their dead. About one N wm r« 194 KUSSIANS REQUEST VN ARMISTICE. i' ill. I i ! m o'clock next day flags of truce were run up from the Re- dan and Malakoff, and shortly after white flags were wav- ing from the top of ours and the French batteries ; pre- vious to the white flags being run up, not a soul was visi- ble in front of the lines. The instant the flags were hoisted, friend and foe swarmed out of the batteries and trenches, the sight was a strange one. The French, Eng- lish and Russian officers saluting each other most cour- teously as they passed, and a constant interchange of civilities took place. But while all this civility was go- ing on, the soldiers of both sides were carrying oflT their dead comrades from the blood-stained ground, which was covered with strong proofs of the recent battle. There British, French and Russian soldiers, lying as they had fallen in their gore with broken muskets, bayonets, pouches, belts, fragments of clothing, pools of blood, broken gabions, fascines, and torn sand-bags visible on every side ; and the solemn procession of soldiers, bear- ing their comrades to their last resting place, looked a most ghastly spectacle. In the midst of all this evidence of war, a certain amount of lively conversation took place between the Russians and our men, such as, " Bono Inglas, Francais no bono, Roosso bono," they lead us to understand that they liked the British soldiers much better than the French, although we always made it hot for them whenever we met, for which they gave us the name of " red devils." It took two hours to bury the dead, at the end of that time the armistice was over, and scarcely had the white flags disappeared behind the para- m-y he Re- e wav- i ; pre- as visi- s were ies and h, Eng- st cour- mge of was go- )tf their lieh was There ,hey had »ayonets, If blood, lisible on [•s, bear- looked a evidence on took Is, " Bono lad us to rs much ,de it hot e us the bury the lover, and the para- A FURIOUS CANNONADE. 105 pet of the Redan, before a round shot from the sailors' battery knocked through one of their embrasures, raising a pillar of dust ; the Russians at once replied and the roar of big guns drowned all other noise. It is generally Itelieved by the officers and men, that our batteries will open a general bombardment on Sebastopo^ about the tenth of April. The greatest excitement and activity are displayed in Balaklava, at the railway station, and all round the harbour, with crowds of fatigue parties and labourers engaged in piling up shot and shell, and loading the railway with ammunition, of which immense quanti- ties are being sent up to the front. The first passenger train from the front to Balaklava was one loaded with sick soldiers, who were sent down to Balaklava. On the 2nd April five trucks filled with sick and wounded men ran down from the front in less than half an hour ; the men of course were much more com- fortable than those sent down on mules during the win- ter. Sickness in camp, I am glad to say, is diminishing every day, instead of sending down a thousand men a week to Scutari, as we did a month ago, we now despatch on an average only two hundred. April Gth. This evening our mortar battery tired several shells in; *,he Redan, and after the explosion, beams of timber, trunk ^ bodies, legs and arms of human beings were seen to fly up in the air ; and after a time a blazu of fire ran along a portion of the works whicli sprang from one of the enemy's mines. The (58th Regiment furnished one hundred men for a working mm i liiiini 196 RUSSIANS AGAIN REPULSED. party in the advanced trench last night, and were pounced upon by a working party of Russians, who were throw- ing up a trench, within sixty yards of them, and a regular hand to hand fight ensued. The men of the G8th who were armed with the new Enfield rifle, could not drawtheir ram- rods, the wood of the rifle, being new, had swelled with the rain and continued dampness, causing the rifle to get woodbound; this has occurred more than once to my own knowledge; therefore after the first volley, they had no resource but to use their bayonet and butt end of their rifle, billhooks, pickaxes, and spades, which they were working with when the Russians came upon them. After the sentries gave the alarm, the covering party from the third parallel came to their assistance, and at last the Russians were repulsed, after a severe struggle. Our loss was about 60 men killed, and wounded; the Russians lost 200 men killed and wounded, out of 800 who were engaged in the affair. I am glad to state that the 17th Regiment have got up two wooden huts at last, one for the grena- diers and the other for the light company; and besides we are now getting a small supply of wood from the commissariat department. The weather is fine, and the camp ground getting dry. We have also got a divisional canteen established, close to the camp of the 57th Regi- ment. We (ian now purchase several articles of luxuries, such as butter, cheese, bread, bottled 'ale and porter, be- sides several other useful articles, which the men require to nourish and strengthen them, after the hardship they suffered during the severe winter. As regards food and HM THE TURKISH TROOPS. 197 lounced throw- regular ho were eir ram- Led with le to get my own y had no I of their ley were ft. After from the ,t last the Our loss Asians lost •e engaged Regiment ,he grena- id besides from the le, and the divisional |57th Regi- •f luxuries, porter, he- tien require •dship they ls food and shelter, our men are getting ])etter oft* every day; wo are getting tiannel comforters now, when we do not want them. It is a pity that we did not get these things last winter. All the materials we possess now were to be had for moving them, and the thankfulness which the survivors feel for the use of them is tinged with bitter regret that our loved departed comrades can never share again our present comforts. As these neat huts, rise up in rows one after another the eye rests sadly on the rows of humble mounds which mark the resting place of those who perished in their muddy blankets, under a wet and cold tent. There is not a regiment out here, but has some generous friend in the mother country, whose care and bounty have provided them with luxuries and com- forts beyond all price to the sick and declining soldier; some have sent tobacco, cheese, arrowroot and warm clothing. The bounty, kindness and love of the people at home have now most liberally contributed to the wants of the army. About 12,000 Turks have just landed at Kamiesch Bay, they had a long march to the heights of Balaklava. It was astonishing that so few men fell out of the ranks or straggled behind. They had a good brass band which astonished the British soldiers by "Rule Britannia" as they marched past our camp ; most of the regiments were preceded by drums, fifes and trumpets. The colonel and his two majors rode at the head o^ each regiment, richly dressed, on small but spirited horses, covered with rich saddle-cloths, and followed by their pipe-bearers. The mules, with the tents, marched on the hi ' ' I'i": 1! I > i .. 'I 108 EASTER SUNDAY IN CAMP. rioht, ancl tlie artillory on the loffc ; each <(un was drawn by six horses ; the baggage animals marched in rear. The regiments marched in column of companies, most of the men were armed with the old flint-lock muskets, which were clean and bright. They all displayed rich standards blazing wi*^ cloth of gold, and coloured flags with the crescent {in«( star embroidered on them. All the men car- ried a small pack with a ])lanket on top, a small piece of carpet to sit on, and cooking utensils. As they marched along they presented a very warlike ap[)earance, the re- ality of which was enhanced by the thunder of guns at Sebastopol, and the bursting of shells in the air. The troojis attended divine service on Easter Sunday ; the Roman Catholics have erected a small chapel in the 4th division, and a priest celebrated mass outside the chapel, and preached a most eloquent sermon. The troops were formed up in close column by regiments, forming three sides of a square, the chapel filling up the fourth side. It was a very imposing sight ; the squj.Te of soldiers stand- ing with fixed bayonets and presenting arms at the ele- vation of the Host, the priest in the centre, bare-headed, and his vestments floAving in the breeze. The Protestants attend divine service in the open air regularly on Sundays, since the chaplains to the forces have arrived. On Easter Sunday the French had High Mass in each of their camps, with all the pomp of military bands. On last Saturday the regiments of the 4th division turned out every man oflf duty, and dug a deep trench and built a fence round the burial ground, placing a rustic gate at the entrance. w CHAPTER XIX. BOMBARDMENT — TENTS BLOWN DOWN-^SIEGE — LIEUT. WILLIAMS — WOUNDED — SAILORS — UO TO HOSPITAL — DESCRIPTION — SARDINIANS — DISCHARGED FROM HOSPITAL — ATTACK ON QUARRIES — FLAG OF TRUCE — BURYING THE DEAD. ASTER Monday, at day break, the whole line of bat- teries simultaneously opened fire on Sebastopol; and as the firing commenced, the overhanging clouds seemed to have burst with the terrific thunder of the big guns and mortars ; and the rain poured down in torrents, accompanied Ijy a high breeze ; so thick was the atmos- phere that even the flashes of the guns were invisible, and the gunners must have fired at guess work by the flashes of the enemy's batteries, as it was impossible to see more than a few yards in advance. A driving sheet of rain and a black sea fog shroud the whole camp, which has resumed the miserable aspect so well known to us already ; tents have been blown down, the mud has al- ready become very deep, and the ground covered with slush and pools of dirty water. Our batteries are thun- dering away continuously in regular bursts, and are now firing at the rate of forty shots a minute ; when they first opened they fired eighty shots a minute, but with the 'iown pouring of rain and *og, it is hard work. As it was 200 BOMBARDMENT. not necessary to press the gunners they have slackened the fire considerably. ' The Russians were taken completely by surprise when our batteries opened fire. The Redan and Garden bat- teries came into pJay at once after we opened, but some time elapsed before the Malakoff or Mamelon answered. A sharp fusillade took ^)lace in the night between our advanced trenches and the enemy. The piquets were reinforced on the heights of Balaklava, and on the plain at night. Lord Raglan, Sir John Campbell and General Jones, R. E., as wet and drenching as the day was, posted them- selves in their favourite spot at the Green Hill trench, whence they could get a good view along the whole of the batteries. At five o'clock the sun descended in a dark pall, which covered the sky, and cast a pale light upon the masses of curling vapour across the line of batteries. The outlines of the town were faintly visible through the mist of smoke and rain. It seemed quivering inside the lines of fire around it. The ground beneath was lighted up by incessant flashes of light, and long trails of smoke streamed across it spirting up in thick volumes tinged with fire. This glimpse of the batteries, brief though it was, proved extremely satisfactory. The French batteries were firing with energy on the Flagstaff and Garden batteries, which were replied to very feebly by the enemy. April 12th. The 17th Regiment furnished 450 men for the trenches. After being inspected at sundown by the Bri- gadier, Colonel McPherson, C.B., we marched down to the j^Bssmsigggiiggi RUSSIAN GUNS SILENCED. 201 Green Hill trench under the command of a field officer ; the 68th Regiment furnished a like number. As we were re- lieving the 21st and 57th Regiments, the Russians opened ^-0 with tremendous salvoes from their batteries. Our iape shot in the head, and fell. LINES ON THE DEATH OF SIR JOHN CAMPJJELL AND CAPTAIN JOHN CROKER. Who fell lead iiKj the UHsault an thcytedt liedan, June 18th, 1855. Ye Cireiuidiers ! who fear no foe and scofi' at death, Full well I know that, to yonr dyin<^ breath, You'll fight like w. 'ors, or like heroes fall. So now obey your Queen and Country's call. To crush those Russians with relentless hand, And scale their ramparts like a gallant band. Let John Campbell's orders be our guide, • We'll fight and concjuer by that hero's side. Nor will we humble at the Russian bear ; While God is with us we need never fear ; Crasp tight your swords for victory's glorious crown, And share with none those deeds of high renown. The warriors brave around John Croker stood. Within the Quarries ready for to shed their blood, While Captain Croker on the signal given, Cries: Grenadiers advance ! and trust your fate to heaven. Stung with desire, they raised the battle-cry. And rushed well forward to win the fight, or die ; Our captain v 3d high his sword and then, Onward he dashed, followed by all his gallant men. Who with one loud hurrah, the silence broke. And charged like Britons through the fire and smoke ; A moment more and then the bloody struggle came, With roar of cannon and with flash and flame. \m ;iii ■<■ 214 DEATH OF CAPTAIN OROKER. While piled in ghastly heaps the brave soldiers lay, Filling the trenches with their dead that day, John Croker's voice was heard above the battle din, Leading his company through death and slaughter then. Until at last the fatal bullet riven, Laid our hero low and sent his soul to heaven ; Deep was the grief and sorrow at his loss we bore, As that noble chieftain lay weltering in his gore. While round his ghastly corpse we bravely tried, To quell the sweeping torrent of the Russian tide That rushed upon us with such resistless lire, And levelled our heroes in heaps, there to expire. But few escaped of the forlorn band, Of that chivalric company Croker did command ; But those who did, stuck by their leader still. And laid his corpse to rest on Cathcart's Hill. T. Faughnan. At this time, if the commander had supported us, we would have taken the Redan ; but the few men who were sent out were shot down. Scarcely a man advanced as far as the Redan but got either killed, or wounded. I got shot through the right arm, fracturing the bone. As I was coming back, covered with blood, for the wound was severe, I saw a man named John Dwyer, who got struck with a grape shot in the thigh. He said to me : " Oh Faugh- nan I am kilt entirely." He had scarcely spoken, when a round shot struck him again and put an end to his suffer- ings. I was conducted to the ravine, at the Woronzoff road, by a drummer, where the doctors and hospital orderlies were in their shirt-sleeves, hard at work, amputating ^W- ROYAL IRISH REGIMENT. 21 legs and arms, and binding up wounds ; it was fearful to see all the legs and arms lying around. After the doctor stopped the blood, with a patent liandage, he dressed my wound, and sent me to hospital, on an ambulance waggon, with twelve other wounded men. During the assault on the Redan and MalakofF, the third division, under General Eyre, consisting of the 9th, 18th, 28th, 38th, and 44th Regiments, with a company of picked marksmen, under Major Fielden, of the 44th Regiment, were pushed for- ward to feel the way, and cover the advance. At the signal for the general assault, the 18th Royal Irish, being the storming party, rushed at the cemetery,and got possession, dislodging the Ru,ssia]is, with a small loss ; but, the mo- ment the Russians retired, the batteries opened a heavy fire on them, from the Barrack and Garden batteries. The 18th at once rushed out of the cemetery towards the town, and succeeded in getting into some houses. Captain Hay man was gallantly leading his company when he was shot. Once in the houses, they prepared to defend themselves. Meantime the enemy did their utmost to blow down the houses with shot, shell, grape and canister ; but the men kept close, though they lost many men. They entered these houses about six o'clock in the morning, and could not leave them until eight o'clock in the even- ing. The enemy at last blew up many of the houses, and set fire to others. When our men rushed out of them the fire was now spreading all over. The 9th also effected a lodgment in some bouses, and held their possession as well as the ISth. Why were these men not supported l)y large Hm ! n\ : 1. 15 !■ f'it •.- i| m 1 1 ■ l: ' n. 1.. t 1 I ' •■»' ':<' 216 AN ARMISTICE (iRANTED. i I " I'l bodies of troops, so as to take the enemy on the Hank, and round behind the Redan ? Whose fault was it ? Not the men's! Whose fault was it that the Redan was not breached by round shot, and the abatis svept away before the assault was made ? Not the men's. Whose fault was it that large supports were not pushed forward to the Redan, on the assault being made ? Not the men's. Nothing can be compared to the bravery, daring and courage of the officers and soldiers of the British army, when they are brought properly into action ; but when a handful of men are sent to take a stronghold, like the Redan, armed as it was with all sorts of destructive missiles, and manned by an immense force, it could not be expected that men could do impossibilities. An armistice to bury the dead was granted by the Russians, and at 4 o'clock in the after- noon of the 19th, white flags Avere hoisted on the Redan and MalakofF; and in an instant afterwards burying par- ties of the French and English, emerged from the trenches, and commenced to carry off their dead and bury them in rear of the trenches, all in one grave, and in their clothes as they lay, except the officers, who were taken to camp, and buried at Cathcart's Hill. Many wounded men were found close to the abatis, who were lying there thirty-six hours, in their blood-stained clothes, in the scorching sun, without a drop of water to quench their thirst. Several had crawled away during the night, and hundreds had died of their wounds as they lay. After the burial was over, the white flags were lowered and firing commenced again once more. As the ambulance waggons moved along HOSPITAL AT RALAKLAVA. 217 :, and 3t the s not before was it ^edan> othing , of the ey are of men ed as it ned by at men le dead ^e after- Redan ng par- •enches, ,hem in clothes p camp, en were irty-six ng sun, Several ids had ial was menced id along the Woronzoff road towards tlie hospitals, T could not help regretting our loss in officers and men, more especial- ly Captain John Croker. He was a very strict officer, but a very kind gentleman ; that is, he expected every man to do his duty faithfully and zealously, and beyond that, he was indulgent, generous, and always anxious for the com- fort, happiness, and amusement of his company. A better, braver, or more dignified and gentlemanly officer, a kinder friend than Captain John Croker was not in the ser- vice, nor one more precise, more exacting, more awake to the slightest professional neglect of duty, and his loss to the grenadier company, I am sure, will be deeply and sorely felt ; he was a native of the County Limerick. On arrival at the hospital the doctor examined my wound, and found that the bone was fractured. He then set it, after taking out three splinters, dressed it, put it in a splint, gave me a glass of brandy, and put me to bed. The hospital was getting so crowded, I was one of a party of wounded men who were sent down to Balaklava hospital on mules, next day at ten o'clock. The number sent down from the divi- sions were two hundred ; each mule carried two patients ; we sat back to back. On arrival at Balaklava hospital, we were told off to comfortable huts, each containing beds or cots. The wounded men were separate from the others ; those very severely wounded were put to bed, and at dinner time one of Miss Nightingale's ladies came round, and spoke kindly to us, and examined our wounds, which we appreciated very much ; and at tea time the same lady brought us arrowroot and port T-WTfJ" 218 UNREMITTING EXERTIONS OF THE NURSES. wine. Next morning the doctoi* dressed our wounds, and the lady brought us all sorts of delicacies. How different to the camp rations of salt junk and hard tack ; and now we had a real lady to nurse us and attend to our wants. I thought that it was worth getting wounded to have such attendance. Nothing could sur- pass the kindness and attention which these ladies showed the wounded men ; each of them has a certain number of patients under her care ; and truly their kindness and un- remitting exertions did more good to alleviate the pain and suffering of the wounded men, than all the doctor's medicine. The weather was so very hot, that my arm began to swell, so that the doctor got alarmed and con- sulted another doctor, when they decided to amputate my arm. I did not like the idea of losing my arm, bat the doctors thought the swelling would get into my body ; so when the nurse came I'ound with the arrowroot in the evening, after she had washed and dressed my wound, she advised me not to have my arm taken off, but go down to a spring that gushed from a rock at the foot of the hill, and there hold the wound und r the stream as long as I could bear it, every day. I did as she told me. I then told the doctor that I would not have my arm taken off I sat at the spring all day, except at meal times, and held my arm under the cold water that rushed out of tlie rock, and at the end of a week the swelling reduced. From that time it began to get better ; I was in good health and was allowed to walk round the hills during the day. The head surgeon, Dr. Jephson, allowed us every privilege, T AM AGAIN f CONVALESCENT. 219 and our nurse Inouglit us note paper, envelopes and post- age stamps, so that we could write home to our friends. The invalids were allowed to roam round the rocks a^' day between meal times. The hos|)ital, which has been recently established, affords great comfort to our sick and wounded men, who will be saved the evils of a sea voyage to Scutari. It already presents the appearance of a little village with small patches of gardens in front of the huts ; and its position on those heights, among the rocks, over- hanging the sea and steep (;rags, which wind up past the old Genoese tower that stands at the entrance of Bala- klavp. harbour, to the height of our camp over the sea, is strikingly picturesque. The judicious surgical treatment of my arm, and the cai'eful manner in which the doctor's directions were carried out by our nurse, together with holding it under the stream of cold sjning water, soon restored it to its use aafain ; several other men whose wounds were very severe were fast improving under this lady's care. Her assiduit^^ and skill as a nurse, as well as the gentle kindness of her manner, fully warranted the greatest respect from her patients, who almost idolized her, whose presence in the hut stilled the pain of the wounded men. We often wondered whether she ever slept, as she seemed to be always attending one or another of her chare^e. Miss Nicjlitinofale had left Balaklava for Scu- tari a few days ago, so I had not the gratification of see- ing that heroic lady, whose honoured name is often men- tioned among the soldiers of the British Army with the niost profound respect — that high born lady Florence I liV 220 MISS FLORENCE NTQUTINOALE. NightinL,'ale, the sick and wounded soldier's friend, whose name will be handed down to future generations, as the greatest heroine of her sex, who left her happy home with all the genial associations, comforts and social attrac- tions, which her birth, education and accomplishments so well enable her to appreciate ; goin<^ out to a country wherein every turn spoke of war and slaughter ; taking up her aV)ode in an hospital, containing none of her own sex, save those noble ladies who accom{)anied her as nurses; watching and tending the sick from morning till night, among hundreds of wounded, sick, emaciated and hungry soldiers. All these things considered, there has indeed rarely, if ever, been such an example of heroic darino: combined with feminine (jfentleness. Althouojh there is a heroism in charging the er^my on the heights of In- kerman, in defiance of death and all mortal opposition, worthy of all praise and honour, yet the quiet sympathy, the largeness of her religious; heart, and her wondrous powers of consolation, will ever be remembered with the love, thankfulness and affection of the soldiers of the British Army, and by no one more than T. Faughnan. LINES TO MISS FLORENCE NIG^^.TINGALE. At the Crimean war, thy life was new ; You left your home, and country too, To tend the wounded with hands so fair, To Balaklava Hospital you did repair. -vl tvhose aft the home ittvac- jnts so 3untry taking er own her as ing till ied and ere has : heroic y\\ there ,s of In- )Osition, Lipaihy, ondrous ith the of the nan. IE. I AM PROMOTED. 221 Miss Florence Nightingale, for you is given The soldier's prayer to God in Heaven, That you may soar to Him above, J For your right noble valour and Christian love. If Angels are here, on earth below, You must be one of them we know ; For flesh and blood can not compare, Such genuine valour and angelic care As you displayed, without one thought Of the sleepless nights on you it brought. May God His blessings on you descend. Is a soldier's prayer whom you did befriend. . When you this earthly race have run, May Angels lead you to the Son, There to sing with Christ for evermore, Whom here, on earth, you ever did adore. I T. Fauohnan. After it was ascertained at the regiment that I was not killed, as was reported, but only wounded, and in hospi- tal at Balaklava, the commanding officer had me promoted to full corporal, and my promotion dated back from the 1st of April previous, which left me three months' back pay to draw. This news reached me a few days before 1 was discharged from hospital. On the 20th of August, I was discharged from hospital, and once more proceeded to join the regiment in camp. After thanking the Sisters for all their kindness and attention to me while under their charge, I bid them all good-bye, and started for the front with six others. i:i m T/ll 222 DEATH OF LORD RAGLAN. On arrival at camp, the first I met was Major Gordon, who was very glad to see me. He said to me, " Faugh- nan, we all thought you were killed that morning. I am sorry I did not know that you were only wounded b( fore I sent off* the returns ; I would have recommended you for the Victoria Cross — but it cannot be helped now, as I have recommended Corporal John Smith for it." I thanked him very kindly, and joined my company, who were all well pleased to see me. There is a sad feeling among the otHcers and soldiei's in camp, and deep regret evinced, at the loss of Lord Raglan, who departed this life at nine o'clock, p.m., the 28th June, 1855. His death appears to have at once stilled every feeling but that of respect for his memory ; and the remembrance of the many long years he faith- fully and untiringly served his countrj^ and his frequent cheering visits among the men in camp, had endeared him to the army now before Sebastopol. A military proces- sion was formed at four o'clock in the afternoon of the 3rd of July, to escort the body to Kazatch Bay. As many as could be spared from duty in the trenches and, with safety to the camp, from every infantry regiment, formed an avenue from the British to the French head- quarters, and from thence to Kazatch Bay, where the " Caradoc " was ready to receive her melancholy freight. The French troops formed a similar avenue. The cavalry and batteries of artillery were formed up behind the lines of infantry, and bands were stationed at intervals, and played the Dead March as the procession moved slowly ■^MktMUriiaH THE FUNERAL PROCESSION. 223 jrdoii, 'augh- I am b(fore id you w, as I it." I y, who soldiers )f Lord along the route marked out by the lines of infantry. The cortin was carried on a gun carriage — the soldier's hearse. At each side rode the four commanders of the allied armies ; then followed all the generals and officers who could be spared from trench duty. As the solemn proces- sion moved along, minute-guns were fired by the held artillery of the French. At Kazatch Bay, marines and sailors were formed up on the wharf ; the naval officers were in attendance ; and the body of Lord Kaglan was })laced on board of Her Majesty's Ship " Caradoc," and re- moved from that battle-field where both his body and mind had suffered for the last nine months, and where many hundreds of gallant officers lie in tlieir gore and glory, waiting for the sound of the last trumpet. Si;:'!' 1 ^ I' : I I '■ii •:. ^ m n WIT chaptp:r XXI. CAPTAIN(;OLTHUKST — SIEOK — BOMBARDMENT — ASSAULT — REDAN — THE BATTLE — 8th SErTEMlJKR— THE EVACUATION — RUSSIANS — BRITISH IN SEBASTurOL. UGUST 25t]i. Captain Colthiirst arrived at camp with a draft of three hundred men, who were posted to the different companies, to fill uj) the va- cancies left by those who fell in battle, or died in hos- pital, or camp, during the winter. During the month of July and August our loss in the trenches was very heavy, although the achievements were not such as brought great fame and honour to the hardworking army. The outworks had approached so near the Russian batteries that our trenches afforded very insufficient shelter from shot, shell, and rifle-bullets which killed and wounded so many of our working parties ; swelling the list of dead and wounded very much every twenty-four hours. Every thing was now reported ready by the engineers and artillery offi- cers for one last and desperate assault on the fortifications. The labour bestowed by the Russians to strengthen the Redan and Malakoff was almost inconceivable — a formid- able abatis of sharpened stakes in front, a parapet thirty feet high, ditch twenty feet deep by twenty-four feet wide with three tiers of heavy guns and mortars rising one MM a^JBiii ASSAULT ON THE MALAKOFF. 225 ) AN— THE -BRITISH at camp Vio were the va- i in hos- iiiontli of •y heavy, ight great outworks s that our jhot, shell, any of our wounded ihing was illery ofH- Afications. tgthenthe -a formid- ^pet thirty feet wide^ rising one above another. Such was the Malukott' and licdan. The plan of assault was, a vigorous fire to open on the enemy's batteries, by the Allies, on the 5th, Ctli and 7th ; follow- ed on the 8th of September, 1855, by a storming of the Malakoff by the French, and of the Redan by the British. Generals Pellisier and Simpson arranged that at dawn, on the 8th, the French storming columns were to leave the trenches, the British to storm the Redan, the tricolor tiag planted on the Malakotf was to be the signal that the French had triumphed ; and the British were then to storm the Redan, for unless the Malakoft* was captured first, the Redan could not be held as the former was the key of the position, therefore the Malakoff should be attacked first, and with a very strong force. Appalling in its severity was the final bombardment of Sebastopol. It began at day-break, as previously arranged by the commanders. The shot and shell shaking the very ground with the tremendous reverberation, raising clouds of earth and overturning batteries along the Russian lines, filling the air with vivid gleams and sparks and trains of fire, burying the horizon in dense clouds of smoke and vapour, and carrying death and destruction into the heart of, and all over, the city. After three hours of this tremendous fire, the gunners ceased for a while to cool their guns and rest themselves ; then resumed with such effect that the Russian earth-works became awfully cut up, without however exhibiting any actual gaps or brea- ches, which would have befallen stone batteries, under such a storm of shot and shell ; proving the defensive iK, r llf; 1 226 THK NIGHT BKFOIIE THE IJATTLE. power of earfch-workH. Darkness did not stay tliis devas- tation ; shell and shot continued to whistle through the air, marking out a line of light to show their flight, and crash- ing and bursting against the defences and buildings. The Malakoff and Kedan, wlien no longer visible in daylight, were brought out into vivid relief by the bursting of shells and the flashes of guns. One of the ships in the harbour caught fire from a shell, and was burnt to the water's edge. All through the night the fire continued ; which prevented the Russians from repairing their parpets and embrasures, and with dawn ou the 6th, the roar of cannon was only interrupted by a few intervals to cool the guns. TI 3 en- emy seeing that the hour of peril had arrived used almost superhuman exertions to work their batteries, increased agitation was visible among them, and several movements seemed to indicate the removal from the south to the north side of the harbour of all such persons and valua- bles, as would not be required to render assistance in the defence. Again did a night of intermittent fire ensue. On the 7th, another ship was burnt in the harbour by our shells ; flames broke out in the town, and a loud explosion like that of a magazine took place in the evening. THE NIGHT BEFORE THE BATTLE, 8th SEPT., 1855. To-morrow, comrade, we At the Great Redan must be, There to conquer, or both lie low I The morning star is up, But there's wine still in the cup, And we'll take another tot, ere we go, boys, go, And we'll take another tot, ere we go. wipif THE FRENCH STORMINfi PARTY. 227 'Tis true, in warrior's eyew Soinetimes a toar will rise, When wo think of our friends loft at homo, But what can wailinj^ do, Sure our goblet's weeping too ! With its tears we'll chase away our own, boys our -wn. With its tears we'll chase away our own. * The morning may be bright ; But this may be the last night That we shall over pass together ; Tlie next night where shall we And our gallant comrades be, But — no matter — grasp thy swcid and away, boy, away. No — matter — grasp thy sword and away. Let those who brook the lot Of the Russian great despot, Like cowards at home they may stay ; Cheers for our Queen be given. While our souls we trust to heaven, Then for Britain and our Queen, boys,hurra! hurra ! huiTa ! Then, for Britian and our Queen boys, hurra ! Thos. Faughnan. On the morning of the 8 th, a destructive and pitiless storm of shot and shell continued until noon, when the fire of our batteries ceased, and the storming columns of the French issued forth, preceded by riflemen and sappers and miners. The French had bridges as substitutes for ladders ; the ditch was crossed by the bridges, and the parapet scaled with surprising celerity. Then commenced the struggle, with guns, rifles, pistols, swords, bayonets, and gun-rammers ; but in a quarter of an hour the trico- 228 CAPTURE OF THE MALAKOFP. lor flag floated on the Malakofi*, announcing that the for- midable position was taken. Although the French had captured it, the Russians so well knew its value, it being the key to the whole posi- tion, that they made furious attempts at recapture. But the French General judiciously sent powerful reserves to the support of McMahon, and these reserves maintained a series of desperate battles against the Russians within the Malakoff, bayonet against bayonet, musket against musket, man against man. The contest continued for sev- eral hours ; but the French triumphed, and drove the Russians from their stronghold. Anything more wildly disorderly than the interior of the Malakoff can hardly be imagined. The earth had been turn up by the explosion of shells, and every foot of the ground became a frightful scene of bloody struggles ; thousands of dead and wounded men being heaped up within this one fort alone. As soon as the tricolor was seen floating on the Malakoff, two rockets gave the signal for the British columns to storm the Redan. Out rushed the storming party, preceded by the ladder and covering party, a mere handful altogether ; indeed it appears as- tonishing that so few should have been told off for so great a work ; every soldier had a perilous duty assigned him. The riflemen were to cover the advance of the lad- der party, by shooting down the gunners at the embra- sures of the Redan ; the ladder party to place the ladders in the ditch. As soon as the storming party rushed from the Quarries, the guns of the Redan opened a fierce ' y ASSAULT ON THE REDAN. 229 i 1 e tbr- sins so 3 posi- . But rves to itained within against for sev- :ove the terior of aad been )t of the ;ruggles ; eaped up lolor was ihe signal Lt rushed cohering )pears as- off for so assigned )f the lad- le embra- he ladders ished from a fierce fire on them, sweeping them down as they advanced. Col. Unett, of the l-9th Regiment, was one of the first officers that fell, and Brigadiers Von Straubenzie and Shirley were both wounded, and scarcely an officer who advanced with the storming party but got either killed or wounded. The distance from the Redan to the Quarries was too great, being over two hundred yards, which gave the enemy a good opportunity to mow the storming party down with a tremendous fire of grape, canister, and musketry. The survivors advanced and reached the abatis, the pointed stakes of which, standing outward, presented a formidable obstac^ to further pro- gress; however, the men made gaps through which they crawled. Then came another rush to the ditch, when the ladders were found to be too short. However, our men scrambled down, and climbed up, many falling all the time under the shot of the enemy. Officers and men werft emulous for the honour of l)eing among the first to enter this formidable battery ; but alas too weak in the numbers necessary for such an enterprise. Mounting to the parapet, the besiegers saw the interior of the Redan before them filled with masses of soldiers a.nd powerful ranges of guns and mortars ; wild and bloody was the scene within the assailed fort. Colonel Wyndham (after- wards Sir Charles) was the first officer to enter; and when fairly within the parapet, he and the other officers and men did all they could to dislodge the Russians from be- hind the tra\ erse and breast- works ; but the Russians overpowered our handful of men that were sent to take I r?" H^ ! ■ i 230 THE TROOPS RETIRE TO THE TRENCHES. this stronghold, for we had no support to back up those that got a footing in the Redan. The Russians continued bringing up reinforcements and soon overpowered the few British who saw they must either retire or remain to be shot down. New supporting parties kept arriving in such driblets and in such confusion as to render impossible any well-directed charge against the place. If, for a time, a few men were collected in a body, volleys of musketry, grape, canister, and old pieces of iron of every description, tired from their big guns, levelled our men to the dust. The officers and men at last seeing no supports coming to their aid, lost heart and retreated to their trenches. The embrasures of the parapets, the ditch, and all round the abatis became a harrowing scene of death and wounds, heaps of dead and wounded lay all round the Redan, and piles of them lay at the bottom of the ditch, where they fell by the Russian shot, as they climbed up the scaling ladders. At two o'clock the attack was over, and in these two hours the British loss was very severe. No other day throughout the war recorded so many killed and wounded, which amounted to the large number of 2450 in all. The French loss was three times more severe, it comprised no less than 7550 killed and wounded. Next day another attack was to be made on the Redan. Sir Colin Campbell sent down a party cautiously in the night to see how the Redan was occupied, it was found to be vacated ; telling plainly of the abandonment by the Russians, of the south side of the town. It appears that Gortchakoff, when the impossibility of maintaining his ^ttiitiiiiUmmamammm pprfT' RUSSIANS EVACUATE SEBASTOPOL. 231 those inued a the ain to ing in )ssible t time, iketry, •iption, e dust. ning to s. and all ath and md the ,e ditch, bed up as over, severe. ly killed naher of e severe, 3d. e Redan. ,y in the „s found it by the lars that Ining his position became evident, commenced blowing up the public buildings of the town ; the gunners, during the early hours of the night, kept up a sufficient fire to mask their proceedings in the stillness of the night when the allied camps were filled with men, either sleeping or thinking anxiously of the scenes which day-light might bring forth. Lurid flames began to rise in Sebastopol ; explosions of great violence shook the earth, and intense commotion was visible to the men in the trenches. The fires began in various parts of the town, and tremendous explosions behind the Redan tore up the ground for a great distance ; and other explosions succeeded so rapidly that a thick murky mass of smoke and flames from burning buildings, imparted an awful grandeur to the scene. Now came a resistless outburst which blew up the Flagstaff battery ; then another blew up the Garden battery. As day-light approached, Fort Paul, Fort Nicho- las Central, and Quarantine Bastion were seen surrounded by flames. We could not withhold our admiration of the manner in which Gortchakoflf carried out his desperate plan, the last available means of saving the rest of the garrison. On the morning of the 9th September, when the troops in camp, heard the announcement that the mighty city had fallen, the city which, during twelve months, had, day by day, been looked at and studied by our generals and en- gineers, and in front of which 10,000 of our troops had been killed, or wounded on the preceding day. With •lifficulty was the announcement credited, so accustomed 232 PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES OF THE COMMANDERS. had all been to the dashing of their hopes, and the non- fulfilment of their piedictions. I was one among many who hastened into the town and was astonished at the enormous extent of the batteries, and the manner in which our shot and shell, had knocked down and tore up the massive buildings. The French soldiers rushed into the town, peered about the burning houses, and plundered them of tables, chairs, looking-glasses, and countless ar- ticles, and carried them u]) to their camp. The French soldiers always keep a briglit lookout for plunder. I must say that our men did not touch a single article, that I ever heard of, exce})t one man, who found a lot of money in a bank. He emptied it into his haversack, and left at once. The bank clerks in their excitement and hurry must have forgotten to take the money in their haste to get out of the city. We had a chain of cavalry all round the town, to keep back stragglers, and stop any person from taking anything out of the town ; thus ended the won- drous Siege of Sebastopol. On the 9th of September, when the allied commanders found that the Kussian gar- rison, together with inhabitants, had crossed to the north side of the harbour it became their duty to ascertain whether any traps or explosive mines had been laid by the enemy, before our troops could be allowed to occupy the town, to ward off camp-followers, and divide the spoils of the garrison between the two invading armies; and to take measures for the destruction of the forts, and docks. The appearance of the town, at the time that we en- SEBASTOPOL IN RUINS. 233 tered it, was fearful indeed. Destructive forces had been raging • vith a violence never before equalled in the history of sieges ; and the whole internal area was one vast heap of crumbled earth-work, shattered masonry, shot-pierced buildings, torn-up streets, scorched timbers, broken guns and muskets, and shattered vehicles. The buildings were shattered into forms truly fantastic ; some of the lower stories almost shot away and barely aljki to support the superstructure ; some with enormous gaps in the walls. Proofs were manifold that the Russians intended to de- fend the town street by street, had we forced an entrance; for across every street, were constructed barricades de- fended by field pieces. In some of the best houses col- umns were broken by shot, ceilings falling, which these columns had once supported ; elegant furniture crushed beneath broken cornices, beams, and fragments of broken looking-glasses, mingled with the dust on the marble floors. The effect of our 13 inch shells had been extraordinary. These dread missiles, of which so many thousand had been thrown into the town, weigh 200 pounds each, and falling from a great height, have the weight of over sixty tons, descending deep below the foundation of the houses, and when they explode, scattering everything around far and wide. Our army still continued to encamp outside the town ; sending only as many troops as would suffice to guard it, and take up the principal buildings among the niins for guard-houses. Now we have plenty of wood, each company sending a fatigue party daily from the camp to Sebastopol for it, These parties could be seen by the w 234 INACTIVITY OF THE ARMY. Russians from the north side pulling down the houses for the wood, and carrying it to camp. While doing so the Russians invariably fired upon us, from the north side of the harbour; where they have thrown up very strong forts, armed with the heaviest guns. They have placed some of those guns with the breach sunk into the ground, in order to get elevation ; and throw shot right into our camp amongst our tents ; not unfrequently killing and wounding our men. We have now regular guards and sentries all over Se- bastopol. After posting a sentry one day, I happened to go down some steps which led to the basement of a large building, and there I found to my horror fifteen dead Russians. My sense of smell first detected them in the dark vault ; they were in the worst state of putrefaction. It was found on removing them, that they had all been wounded and had crawled in there and died from their wounds. We buried them where thousands of their com- rades were buried, in rear of the Redan. The army is now quiet, no firing, except an odd shot from the Rus- sians at our fatigue parties in Sebastopol. We have no trench duty to perform, nothing but the regular camp guards ; we have plenty of fuel and good rations ; any amount of canteens on the ground ; so we are making up now in comfort for the hard times we had last winter. The army was now at a stand still, having nothing to oc- cupy their time. But the commanders began to look forward to a second wintering in the Crimea as a probability. Invaluable an ROAD-MAKING THE ORDER OF THE DAY. 235 ses for so the side of OP forts, d some und, in ato our ne and )ver Se- )ened to f a large en dead a in the efaction. all been )in their leir com- army is he Rus- i have no ar camp .ns ; any bking up [t winter, ng to oc- a second Unable an the railway had become, it was inadequate to the con- veyance of the immcse bulk and weight of supplies re- quired day by day, in the army, and hence it is necessary to do that which, if done in the early part of last winter, would have saved so many valuable lives — to construct a new road from Balaklava to the camp. Therefore the road was laid out and large numbers of our men worked on them daily; but making roads is only child's play com- pared with making trenches under shot, shell, grape and canister. The whole of the divisions were kept continu- ally at road-making ; the road promises to be a splendid one and we were all anxious to make it. We had no less than 10,000 men working on this road, between Balaklava and the front. By the end of October a most excellent road was constructed, including branch roads to the sev- eral divisions. The French at the same time constructed a road across the valley which connects their camp with the main road to Kamiesch ; and besides they have im- proved the old Tartar roads. Our army suffered much last winter from the want of roads. This excellent road which the British army has constructed, will ever remain as a memento of British occupation. During the three weeks of Septembei- which followed the evacuation of the south side of Sebastopol, the Russians were quietly but actively strengthening their fortifications on the north side ; making d the heights bristle with guns, and firing a shot whenever an opportunity offered to work mischief upon our guards, sentries and fatigue-parties in the town. We had planted « !BB I 236 DISTRIBUTION OF THE MEDALS. I \«- a few guns in position so as to bear on the northern heights ; but no disposition was shown to open a regular fire on them, except an odd shot to remind them that we ^ A. were ready for them at any time. Camp rumours arose concerning some supposed expe- dition into the interior of the Crimea, but the securing of the captured city was regarded as the first duty. On the 20th September, 1855, the anniversary of the battle of the Alma, a distribution of the medals for the Crimea, and clasps for Alma, Balaklava and Inkerman, took place among the troops ; these decorations were very much appreciated by the ofiicers and men. The day was commemorated with much festivity and amusement in both camps. ■BW itaMiMiiHMilMMiiiiiilMf-^ CHAPTER XXII. EXPEDITION TO KINBURN — THE VOYAGE — ODESSA— LANDING — CUT- TING TKENCHES— BOMBAKDMENT — THE WHITE FLAO — CAPITULATION — THE PRISONERS — RECONNAISSANCE — THE MARCH — VILLAGE — BIVOUAC — MARCH — A VILLAGE — PIGS AND GEESE — DEPARTURE — THE FLEET — RETURN — SIR W. CODRINGTON — RUSSIAN SPY. N expedition to Kinburn having been de ided upon by the allies, on the 6th of October a s^^.iadron of H. M. fleet were in readiness at Kamiesch Bay to convey the 17th, 20th, 21st, 57th, and 63rd Regiments, together with marines, artillery and engineers, under the command of General Spencer. As we marched to Kamiesch Bay the morning was close and sultry. When we got a third of the way private Hanratty fell out of the ranks and re- ported himself sick, when Ca})tain Smith calls out, " Cor- poral Faughnan, take Hanratty back to hospital." " Yes, sir," says I, we were then marching down a very steep hill. I marched back to the hospital, although I was badly able, for I was bad with dysentery myself at the time, and for upwards of two weeks previously, and was so weak that I could scarcely march ; but I did not wish to give in and be left behind. After I gave over the sick man I saw the regiment a long way off" in the valley. I inarched as fast as I was able with a full kit. In the ' ■:.iii: ■ a i! i:^ 'i: ! . !■ i'r 4 i ' ! 1 238 WE CAST ANCHOR OFF ODESSA. afternoon rain commenced to dii/zle, and the regiment halted to cloak. I then gained on them and soon overtook them. When we halted at the beach I could have fallen down from weakness and exhaustion, but I kept up my pluck and never gave in. The troops were embarked on board the fleet by small steam- tenders ; the 17th Regi- ment had the honour of being conveyed to Kinburn by the flag ship " Royal Albert." On the 7th October, the troops having beei\ on board, and every thing ready, we set sail, accompanied by several line-of-battle ships, small steamers, gun-boats, mortar- vessels, and three French floating batteries, constituting an armament of great magnitude. The English squadron comprised six steam line-of-battle ships, seventeen steam frigates, ten gun-boats, six mortar vessels, three steam tenders and ten transports. The Russians noHh of Sebas- topol were in wild excitement when this large squadron appeared ; but the ships soon disappeared from the Crimea. The admirals signalled to the several captains to rendez- vous off" Odessa. As we got out to sea the band discoursed music while the ofl^icers were at dinner ; before dinner they played as usual the *' Roast Beef of Old England," which we had not heard for many months before. We had no hammocks so we were obliged to lie all round the decks in groups during the night. At eight o'clock next morning we cast anchor oflT Odessa, three miles from the town. It was then the turn for the citi- zens to be alarmed by this display of force. The Russians on the heights, in barrack square, and all ARRIVK OFF KINIUJRN. 231) lound tlie city became incessantly active in making ob- servations. We could see the old fashioned tele<^raph on the towers along the coast woi-king, and clouds of Cos- Sivcks, infantry and artillery, foi-med up along the clifi's, ready to defend the place if attacked. All day on the 9th, the fleet remained at anchor ; about 80 French and English vessels forming a line six miles in length, eagerly watched from the cliffs by large masses of troops ; the rocket-boats, gun-boats, mortar-vessels, and floating bat- teries might have gone nearer and crumbled the city to ruins ; but such was not our orders, and not a shot was fired, and thus was Odessa spared for the third time dur- ing the war. The object of the admirals in making this feint on Odessa, was to draw the Russian troops away from Kinburn ; thereby reducing the number of troops in that garrison. The 10th, and 11th, we were still at anchor, dense fogs giving the seamen a foretaste of the dangers of that coast; and as the 12th and 13th were very stormy, the admirals would not risk leaving until the weather moderated ; thus it happened that the citizens had the threatening fleet in view for six days. The squadrons weighed anchor on the morning of the 14th, and cast anchor off* Kinburn that afternoon ; in the evening some of the French and English gun-boats entered the estuary of the Dnieper, passing the Fort of Kinburn under a heavy fire from the enemy. On the morning of the 15th, the troops were landed m ii,::;'-l'i 240 MODE OF LANDINO THE TROOPS. along the l)oacli out of lange of the fort; by the lauriclies of the ships, each ])eing filled with soldieis; and made fast to each other by means of the painter. After the troops were all got into the launches, they formed several long lines of red coats in little boats, each boat was steered by a naval officer. The front boat of the line being made fast to a small steamer, the whole were then towed in front of the beach, where we were to land. As the steamer ran in towards the shore, she cast off the line of boats, and while they were under way each let go the painter, and headed towards the beach, running in close on a sandy bottom, when the troops jumped ashore and deployed from where we landed to the River Dnieper, while the gun-boats went up the river. By this double manoeuvre, the Russians were pre- vented from receiving reinforcements by sea, while the garrison were cut off by land. In the evening the mor- tar vessels began to try their range on the forts. The troops brought no tents and only three days' rations. After posting outlying pickets, we were set to work cut- ting a trench from the sea where we landed to the river Dnieper, a distance of five miles. While we were digging the trench during the day, the outlying pickets had a skirmish with a small force of Cossacks ; but the chief la- bour was the landing of stores and artillery, tedious and dangerous work over the rough surf, occasioning the swamping of some of the boats. A camp was formed, but without tents. At two o'clock in the morning we had the trench cut and manned ready to receive the Russian BOMBARDMENT OF KINBURN. ^41 launches lid made ^fter the d several 3oat was ,0 a small ihe beach, wards the they were d towards when the we landed ■nt up the were pre- while the the mor- reinforcement for the garrison, which were expected from Odessa, but which did not come. However, a large force of Cossacks came along at three o'clock in the morning, when we opened a heavy fire upon them from our new trench, forcing them to retire quicker than thoy came, we then kept a good look out till morning. Generals Spencer and Bazaine made a cavalry reconnaissance at day-break when the Cossacks retired altogether. About four companies of the French and English marksmen were placed under cover at a distance of four hundred yards in rear of the fort, and kept up a fusilade on the Russian gunners ; while at the same time the artillery opened a strong fire on the fort ; at nine o'clock the ships opened fire on the garrison. The " Royal Albert," " Algiers," " Agamomnon " and " Princess Royal," and four ships of the line approached abreast of the principal fort ; the " Tribune" and " Sphinx" attacked the , earth-work battery. The *' Hannibal," " Dauntless " and " Terrible " took position opposite the battery near the end of the fort, while the smaller vessels directed their attack on the east and centre of the fort. Thus the Russains, from the shape and position of the fort, were attacked on all sides at once. Each ship poured its broadside upon the port and the strand batteries as it passed, and received the enemy's fire in return. From nine o'clock until noon these powerful vessels maintained their terrible fire against the forts, crashing the parapets and disabling the guns, while the mortar vessels set fire to the buildings within the fort. The "Arrow" and Q \ku •S 5 242 CAPITULATION OF THE TOWN. " Lynx," with others, were exposed to much danger. Hav- ing taken up a position close to the batteries to discharge their shell upon the fort, they received in return an iron torrent which tried the resolution of the crew. At twelve o'clock, the Russians hoisted a white flag, when an English and a French officer met the Governor at the entrance of the fort, when he tendered his surrender in military form by giving up his sword, but not without bitter tears and a passionate exclamation expressive of wounded national and professional honour. The officers bore the scene with dignity, but with deep mortification, and many of them were on the verge of mutiny against the Governor, so strong did they resist any proposals of surrender. The garrison laid down their arms, and were marched outside the town and placed close to our camp, with a chain of our sentries and the French around them. The number of prisoners taken were 1,500, besides 500 killed and wounded, several of our doctors wore sent to attend their wounded in the fort. The prisoners were divided, the English half were taken on board the " Vulcan," while the other half were taken on board the French ships. The prisoners having be-jii sent off to Constantinople, the captors proceeded to gar- rison Kinburn, repairing and increasing the defences, clearing away the ruins, repairing the walls, and embra- sures, replacing the damaged cannon by large ship guns, deepening the ditch, reforming the palisades, strengthen- ing the parapets, restoring the casemates, completing efficient barracks and magazines, in the interior of the II Hav- scharge an iron ite flag, ernor at irrender without 3ssive of e officers iflcation, against ►posals of and were ur camp, ind them, sides 500 ■e sent to rere taken jre taken ang been id to gar- defences, Id embra- ^hip guns, lengthen- )mpleting rior of the ACZAKOFF ABANDONED. 243 fort, and depositing a large amount of military stores of all kinds. When the small garrison, the other side of the estuary, opposite Kinburn, AczakofF, found that their guns could effect little against the invaders, and that Kinburn was forced to yield, they blew up the St. Nicholas battery, on the morning of the 18th, and retired a few hours afte)- wards. On the 20th, Generals Spencer and Bazaine set out on a reconnaissance with several regiments of both forces, about tive thonsdnd strong. After marching on a sandy plain, like a desert, ten miles, we halted close to a village, piled arms, and were allowed to go foraging into the village, which we found deserted by the inhabitants ; but they left abundance of pigs, geese, fowls and provi- sions, bread baking in the ovens, pails of milk and seve- ral other most useful articles, besides in the garden we found abundance of potatoes,cabbage, tomatoes, pumpkins, and almost all sorts of vegetables. We divided the town with the French ; after tearing down several houses for fuel and making camp fires, we commenced cooking fowls, turkeys, geese, potatoes, cabbage and vegetables ; while others were off through the village killing pigs, geese, turkeys and chickens. Others cutting down branches of trees from a wood hard by, for the purpose of making huts to protect us for the night, as we had no tents, and covering them with hay from the hay yards, and shaking plenty of hay inside to lie on ; every mess erected one of these huts. After indulging in the good things, which I can assure you we enjoyed, we lay down very comfort- 111 ' i.A ■ i -■''! :-.it:Sl 244 GOOD THINGS GALOKE. "iy m able for the night in the hay, and slept most soundly. Next day at two o'clock General Spencer reviewed the troops under his command, with the French general ; his soldiers looking on. We were to have the pleasure of another night in this camp. After enjoying boiled fowls, roast turkeys and plenty of fresh vegetables, we lay down among the hay and slept well, thanks be to God. Next morning, after breakfast, we marched to another village named Roosker, ten miles off. We halted outside the vil- lage, and sent in foraging parties from each regiment, c ividing the town with the French and placing a line of sentries in the centre. As we approached the village, the people Hed, leaving everything behind, pigs, geese, ducks, fowls, bread, milk and butter. As we killed the live stock, we placed them on the commissariat waggons and brought the spoils back to camp. It was a most amusing scene, the French and English officers and soldiers shooting geese, ducks and hens, with their revolvers, and the men chasing the pigs and stabbing them with their bayonets. A soldier catches a pig by the hind leg, the animal drags him into the French lines, when a French soldier claims the animal, and a kind of a good natured quarrel ensues about the ownership of the pig. The geese rose in flocks, and the officers had the greatest sport shooting them. These were jolly times. After ransacking the town, we set fire to it, and marched back to our old bivouac, ten miles distant. After arriving at our old camp ground, lo ! and behold ! our huts were all demolished, and not a thing left on the .*«* undly. ed the i\ ; his iure of i fowls, y down Next ' village the vil- sofiment, I line of lage, the e, ducks, ve stock, brought or scene, [shooting the men layonets. Lai drags r claims si ensues n iiocks, 2 them. ,own, we luac, ten behold ' it on the WE RETURN TO THE CRIMEA. 245 ground. The Cossacks had been there during our absence, and burned and destroyed everything. We could see them away in the distance, about 400 strong, watching our movements ; however, we bivouacked there as best we could that night. As we marched back, we passed several windmills which we set fire to. Next morning we marched to Kinburn with the commissariat waggons loaded with pigs, geese, fowls, turkeys, potatoes and cab- bage, which were served out as rations in the usual manner. On the 28th October, Generals Spencer and Bazaine began their arrangements for our departure, first shipping all the stores, guns and horses, and selecting a sufficient num- ber of troops to garrison and guard Kinburn during the winter ; but to bring away all the other forces. Sir Ed- mund Lyons and the French Admiral selected the vessels which were to be left to protect the place from any Hus- sian attack across the estuary. On the morning of the 29th, the troops embarked on board the fleet from the wharf at Kinburn. The 17th Regiment were conveyed to the Crimea, by the "Terrible." It was a most imposing spectacle, this mag- nificent fleet sailing in line with the two flag ships lead- ing, and signalling their orders to the captains of the other ships ; the line extended over ten miles. What must the Russians along the coast think of this immense arma- ment ? The fleet cast anchor in Kamiesch Bay, on the 1st November ; and the troops disembarked at once, and marched to our old camp on Cathcart's Hill. ■ I ii ■;iiil ^!:i.ir' ML M' 246 STR W. J. CODRINGTON. This expedition did the troops more good than all the medicine in the hospital could have done. I was a new man when I got back. If Hanratty had braved it out as I did, and had come on with the expedition, he might have been well by this time, instead of which he is yet in hos- pital. The change of air and fresh vegetables worked won- ders in restoring and invigorating the men's health. On our return to camp we found that a quantity of rum which was left behind, with other regimental stores, in charge of a sergeant and twelve men, was all gone ; for which the sergeant was tried and reduced, and the privates were severely punished. During the month of November we had another change in the command of the army, the appointment of General Sir W. J. Codrington, vice General Simpson. This appoint- ment of Sir William was very popular with the army, and brought in«ireased activity among the troops. Among other improvements, which were made to meet the wants of the army, was a large reservoir in the ravine between the 2nd light, and the 4th divisions, in the con- struction of which the French took a prominent part. This reservoir is carable of supplying three divisions of the British and three of the French with abundance of good springwater during winter and summer. Everything seems to have been done now to protect and meet the wants of the army during the coming winter. Almost every kind of supplies is in abundance, and the army in the best of health and spirits. I was in command of a divisional guard, near the Tcher- vm twinwfl iww i ii.wi - iilKWf A SUCCESSFUL PEDESTRIAN FEAT. 247 all the a new •ut as I ht have in hos- ed won- th. On of rum stores, in 3ne; for privates er change f General appoint- irmy, and e to meet •he ravine the con- lent part, visions of ndance of verything meet the ost every rmy in the the Tcher- a naya valley, when a Russian spy was ^iven in my charge by a cavalry raconnaissance party. I immediately posted a sentry to take charge of this prisoner : but he watched his opportunity and slipped out under the fly of the tent. The sentry gave the alarm, when I rushed out after him, calling a file of the guard to follow me. As I gave him chase, I threw off my accoutrements, in order to give me more freedom ; he had then about one hundred and fifty yards stju ' of me, and was barefooted, whilst I had heavy boots on ; however, I gave him chase. We had run about two iiiiles when I saw that I was gaining on him, and I kept gaining, little by little, for about five miles, when I came up behind him. I was then nearly out of breath ; I kept close behind him a good while till I got my wind ; then I threw my foot before him with the Connaught touch, and pitched him on his face ; then I jumped on him and held him, keeping him down, lest he might overpower me if he got up, as he was a most powerful man, and the file of the guard had not come up to us yet. While I gave him an odd kick, he begged for mercy, which I granted, and inarched the Tartar back, meeting the file of the guard as 1 was returning. If I had let that spy escape, I would have been tried by a court-martial ; but my Irish experi- ence in running, before I joined the service, stood to me then ; I would have run after him into the Russian camp before I would have lost him. When I got back to the tent, I tied him to the pole with a guy rope, at the same time tying his hands behind his back. I was determined he should not get away again. N i I ■■ai!" ■'i-j , .! ;iii Ill |l! 248 BELLIGERENTS TAKE A REST. The camp followers and speculators have got so numer- ous that they have a large bazaar formed in the rear of the 4th division. Large shops of almost every description, saloons, billiard tables, restaurants, hotels, groceries, tobac- conists, wholesale and retail liquor stores, and in faci almost everything that can be got in any town, can be had here for cash. There is another large bazaar in the French camp. As we assemble in Smith &> Co.'s liquor store of an evening, drinking " Guiness's bottled stout," smoking our pipe or cigar with the greatest of comfort, we could but contrast our position with that of this time lasl year, when the inclement weather commenced. The wan"< of food, forage, huts, clothing, fuel, medicine, roads vehicles and horses, proved its tragic results. Men lay down in the mire to die of despair, and no commanding officer could tell how many of his poor soldiers would be available for duty next day. But now, towards the close of 1855, we have every kind of supply in abundance, thanks to the people of England ! The army is well fed and well clothed, and we are looking out for some active operations against the enemy. The Russians continue to fortify the northern heights without firing a shot, and we occupy the south quietly, without disturbing them, how long this will last will be seen in the next chapter. B^^S^^^BBSS^SS^SSS^SiSkitMtiiiiiillt numer- rear of iription, 3, tobac- in iaci ., can be ,r in the s liquor i stout," afort, we time lasi Che wan'< e, roads Men lay manding would be the close undance, well fed te active itinue to [t, and we Lcm, how ,er. CHAPTER XXIII. ARMISTICE — CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES — EXCHANGE OF COINS — HEIR TO FRENCH IMPERIAL THRONE — TREATY OF PEACE — INVITATIONS- GRAND REVIEW — REMOVAL OF THE ARMY — EMBARKATION — THE VOYAGE — SHIP ON FIRE — ' ^IVAL AT MALTA — JOIN THE RESERVE BATTALION — PROCEED TO ALEXANDRIA — THE VOYAGE — ARRIVAL — VISIT PLACES OF RENOWN — VISIT CAIRO — THE NILE — ARRIVAL — THE CITY — BAZAARS. T the end of February, 1856, the diplomatists at Paris agreed upon an armistice during the discus- sion of a treaty of peace. The immediate effect was observable in the Crimea, as soon as the several com- manders had received information. On the morning of the 1st March, a white flag was hoisted on the Tchernaya bridge, and near it assembled the Russian commander, a staff of officers and a troop of Cossacks. The English commander with his staff, accompanied by others from the French and Sardinians, descended across the valley to the bridge where they met the Russians with whom they discussed the details of an armistice. The cessation of hostilities was to last one month, during the consideration of the treaty. Through the aid of their interpreters they decided that the Tchernaya river was to be the boundary between the opposing armies. The quietest month spent fh^ I 4 1 II If 250 BIRTH OP THE PRINCF IMPERIAL. by the allied armies in the Crimea, wa.« the month of March, 1 856, Hostilities were entirely stopped, and yet none could say whether they might not commence again with all its horrors. The diplomatists at Paris had one month to decide the question of peace or war. The commanders, while mainta'ning their boundary arrangement, did not prohibit friendly meetings of the opposing armies on their respective banks of the boundary line, where the officers and soldiers frequently assembled to look at each other in peace and try to converse in a friendly manner across the stream, when the exchange of coins and other small articles or mementos took place, and an interchange of civilities such as " bono Johnny," " bono Francais," " bono Roos," beside other complimen- tary expressions. This inter(;ourse was kept up during the month of the armistice. For the rest, the operations of the month differed little from those of the camp at Aldershot, all the divisions being exercised and reviewed in the open spots all i-ound the camp. Sometimes the Russians held their reviews on the same day as we did, with the glittering bayonets of each full in view of the other, and both alike safe in the conviction that no un- friendly shot would disturb the pageant. On the 23rd of this month, festivities in the French camp celebrated the birth of an heir to the French im- perial throne ; bontires were kindled, guns fired, reviews held, horse-racing on the banks of the Tchernaya, healths drank by the French and their allies, even the Russians .■tt^i^-'/nmt «ftii;-.tiMKK's FRIENDLY INTERCOUHSE BETWEEN THE ARMIES. 2oT participated iu the rejoiciii<]js, foi- tln^}' lighted fires all along their lines. April brought with it the treaty of peace. Before the hour had arrived when th(; armistice would have expired, news was received that the treaty had been signed at Paris. When peace was proclaimed, an interchange of invitations took place between the Russian army and the allies. The Russian soldiers came over to our camp, in small parties at a time, and we did the same to their camp, each party in chai'ge of a non-commissioned officer. I and twelve privates visited the Russian camp and their bazaar, which we found much the same as our own. All sorts of Eni^lish oroods were sold there, even " Bass's bottled ale," and " Guiness's porter," at a dollar a bottle. Their bread was as black as your boot ; the coffee-houses were crowded with English, French, and Russian soldiers, drinking, singing, and dancing; and the interchange of any amount of " bono Johnny's," " bono Roos," and " bono Francais," trying to make each other believe that they were great friends. On the 17th April the British and French troops had a cjrand review on the heights near St. Georofe's Monas- tery (at which General Luders, the Russian commander, with his brilliant staff, was present). They were formed up in line of continuous quarter distance columns of battalions, when the commanders of the diflferent armies with their gorgeous retinue of staff and cavalry officers rode along the line, with the bands of each regiment playing in suc- cession ; after which they marched past the grand assem- , 1, ■ mmmmimmimm 252 LEAVING THE CRIMEA. blage of commanders and staff,in quick time,each regiment marching past in grand division style, with its band play- ing in front. General Luders returned deeply impressed with the appearance of the allied armies, and exi)ressod himself much gratified at the attention shown him by the allied forces. Duties of a more serious character, however^ now demanded the attention of the Generals. Large armies were to be removed from the Crimea, and vast stores of pro- visions andammunition; besidesall the round shot the Rus- sianshad fired at us duringthcvsiege, which we had gathered and carried on our back to the railway dep6t for shipment to England; with all the commissariat stores brought down fromeachdivisional depot at the front where they had been collected in such immense quantities. Day after day during the summer months did the various regiments leave the Crimea ; some for Malta, others for the Ionian Islands, the West Indies, or Canada, but the greater part for England. All the camp equipage and stores for each regiment had to be brought into transport order, and everything brought to Balaklava for shipment. About the lOth of May the 17th Regiment marched from their old camp on Cathcart's Hill, and embarked at Balaklava, at two o'clock in the afternoon, on board the steam transport " Sir Robert Low." At 3 p. m. we moved slowly out between the rocks which overhang the narrow entrance to the harbour. We were all on deck with tears in our eyes, taking a last sad look towards " Cathcart's Hill" where we had left so many noble comrades behind ^Mfa tum FIRE ON BOARD SHIP. 253 fW ! regiment and play- mpressed expressed lim by the , however, i-cre armies )resofpro- ottheKus- ^d gathered r shipment )Ughtdown y had been after day regiments the Ionian rreater part res for each orier, and in that cold, desolate plateau, so far away from friends and relatives ; these thoughts filled us with sadness. As our ship glided through the beautiful calm blue waters of the Euxine the land faded from our view. We then turned our thoughts homewards, after giving thanks to God for the great mercy he had shown in bringing us safely through all the death struggles and hardships which our brave troops had sutt'ered ; and now that we were returning alive we had every reason to be thankful. The weather being fine, we made the passage across the Black Sea in 48 hours. The second day,at 2 p.m. we passed the old fortress of Riva which commands the entrance to the Bosphorus, passing Constantinople at 3 o'clock, taking a last look at that strange old city, with its picturesque sights, the tall minarets and the blue waters of the Bos- phorus catching the golden light as the sun dipped behind the distant hills. We rounded Seraglio point and steamed down the Marmora, passing the Seven Towers on our right, and slowly the beautiful city faded from our view forever. We had a smooth passage across the Sea of Mar- mora. Next morning at ten o'clock we passed Gallipoli. On the 14th May, at 9 o'clock in the evening, as our ship was running at the rate of ten knots an houi, an alarm of fire came from the cook's galley. The troops were immedia- tely formed up along the decks, and the pumps manned. After a quarter of an hour's hard work we mastered the fire, and put it out, but not before it had buined a large hole in the ship's deck, and destroyed the galley. We had in truth a narrow escape, the fire nearly getting the better OA 54 A PKRFECT MILITARY HOT-HOUSE. fi 'J ■^ of US. On the inornino' of the 17th May, we arrived at Malta, where we received ordeis to proceed to Quebec. The Reiriment beiiiij: over the streii