Part 15

The following regiments were present at Inkermann: Grenadiers, Coldstreams, and Scots Fusilier Guards; 1st, 4th, 7th, 19th, 20th, 21st, 23rd, 28th, 30th, 33rd, 38th, 41st, 2 companies 46th, 47th, 49th, 50th, 55th, 57th, 63rd, 68th, 77th, 88th, 95th; 4th, 8th, 11th, and 13th Hussars; 17th Lancers and 2 batteries of the Royal Horse Artillery and Royal Field Artillery.

Medals with bars for the Alma or Inkermann, or both, are rare to the 46th Foot, while the medals awarded the Coldstream Guards and to participants in the charge of the Light Brigade realise good prices when offered for sale.

=The Crimean Medals.=--In December 1854 Queen Victoria commanded that a medal bearing the word "CRIMEA" should be struck, and that bars for the ALMA and INKERMANN ("the soldiers' battle") should be awarded to those who had taken part in the battles; but the world had wondered at the "death-ride" of the Light Brigade--on October 29th, 1854--and so no one was surprised when, in February 1855, a clasp for BALAKLAVA was granted to those who rode so bravely into the jaws of death, and, wonder of wonders, came out again; likewise to the Heavy Brigade and to the regiments engaged in the vicinity. The bar for SEBASTOPOL was added to the list in October 1855, so that the four-bar medal illustrated is a complete record of one of the greatest of modern wars, significant because of the fact that we fought shoulder to shoulder with our old adversaries the French, and side by side with the Turks and Sardinians against the Russian Army. The medal, designed by W. Wyon, represents on the reverse a Roman warrior with a flying figure of Victory crowning him with a laurel wreath; to the right of the figure is the word CRIMEA arranged perpendicularly. The obverse is the same as that on the Peninsular and India General Service medals. The bars are the most ornate of the whole series given with British medals. A special bar for AZOFF was given to the Navy. The suspender is of a very appropriate character, suggesting a palm wreath issuing from a conventional cusp. The ribbon is of pale blue with yellow edges, and, be it noted, the ribbon for the Baltic medal--illustrated facing page 296--granted to sailors and a few marines, is yellow, with pale-blue edges. The Baltic medals were all issued unnamed, as were also the Crimean; but some recipients of the latter had their name and regiment engraved privately. Others were officially named later, with the same stamps as were used for the Army General Service and early Kaffir War medals, in square Roman capitals.

Five bars in all were issued, but four is the greatest number awarded with any medal. The bars should read upward from the medal as follows: Alma, Balaklava, Inkermann, Sebastopol, but a number of the medals were issued without the bars being fixed, and the order is consequently sometimes found to be inaccurate; care should therefore be taken to verify the record of the person named on the medal. Many medals were issued before the grant of the bar for Sebastopol at the end of October 1855, and many exist without this bar, although all who took part in the battles of Balaklava and Inkermann were entitled to it. The troops who landed in the Crimea after September 9th, 1855, the day Sebastopol fell, were not entitled to the medal unless they had been engaged against the enemy after that date.

=The Turkish Medals.=--The Turkish Government, in whose cause we took up arms, gave to the allies a silver medal suspended by a bright-red ribbon with green edges ½ in. wide running through a small ring. This is illustrated beside the British Crimean medal. These medals vary; they were intended for the British, French, and Sardinian soldiers, and had among the trophy of flags that of the country the recipient belonged to in the front, beside the Turkish flag, and in the exergue either CRIMEA 1855, LA CRIMEA 1855, or CRIMEE 1855, but as the ship which was bringing the medals to England foundered, many men received the French or Sardinian variety. These medals, 1⅖ in. in diameter, bear on the obverse the Sultan's cypher encircled by a laurel wreath, with the date in Arabic Hegira "1271."

They were generally issued unnamed, but I have several impressed.

=The French Medal.=--The Emperor of the French awarded crosses of the Legion of Honour to officers and men who had been conspicuous during the war, and the Médaille Militaire to about 500 non-commissioned officers and men who had distinguished themselves. The Duke of Wellington and Sir William Cordington, who was presented by Marshal Pellisier with his own medal, were the only two British officers to receive it. The medal is silver, the eagle and centre being gilt, and the band surrounding the head of Louis Napoleon enamelled, likewise that on the reverse, encircling VALEUR ET DISCIPLINE. The medal is suspended from an orange-coloured ribbon with green edges.

=The Sardinian Medal.=--The King of Sardinia awarded the Sardinian war medal to 400 officers, non-commissioned officers, and men of the Army, sailors, and marines. The obverse has the arms of Savoy within a wreath of palm or laurel encircled by the legend AL VALORE MILITARE. On the reverse is a laurel wreath and the inscription SPEDIZIONE D'ORIENTE 1855-1856. The medal of silver is suspended by blue watered silk ribbon through a broad loop with a flat top, much the same as the handle of a flat-iron; medals of gunmetal with similar loops were given by the German States for certain campaigns.

=Turkish General Service Medal.=--The Turkish General Service medal, incorrectly called the "Danube Medal," was awarded by the Turkish Government in 1855 to the officers and 30 men comprising the crew of a British gunboat, and to a Colonel and 16 men of the Royal Engineers, for services rendered on the Danube in 1854. On the obverse is the cypher of the Sultan Abdil Mageed Khan II within a beaded circle, with flags and laurel branches, and above all a crescent and star. On the reverse is an elliptical star of twelve points, with a smaller one of six in the centre; underneath is a scroll bearing an inscription in Persian characters, reading "Mischani Iftikar" (Medal for Glory), and under all a small star between laurel wreaths. The medal is 1⅕ in. in diameter, and was suspended from a silver scroll bar by the same ribbon as used with the Turkish Crimean medal. The General Service medals were issued in gold and silver, gold to the officers and silver to the men.

=The Silistria Medal.=--Sir John Lintorn Arabin Simmonds, who was one of the officers to receive the medal referred to above, was awarded another in gold for his services in the defence of Silistria in 1854. Six other British officers also received the medal, but in silver. The obverse is the same as the General Service medal, but on the reverse is, within a beaded border, the fortress of Silistria, over which the Turkish flag is flying, with the Danube in the foreground. In the exergue on a scroll is SILISTRIA and the year of the Hegira "1271" in Arabic characters. The medal is 1⁹⁄₂₀ in. in diameter, and was suspended from a steel ring run through it by the same ribbon as used with the Turkish Crimean medal.

=Kars Medal.=--The Sultan of Turkey granted a silver medal for his brilliant defence of Kars to Sir William Fenwick Williams, and to several other British officers who had served with him, and also to his artillery servant. It has the same obverse as the Turkish General Service medal, but on the reverse is depicted the citadel and town of Kars, with the Turkish flag flying over the citadel, and underneath KARS and the date Hegira "1272" (1856). The medal, 1⁹⁄₂₀ in. in diameter, has a milled edge and was suspended from a straight silver bar and clip by 1½ in. crimson ribbon with green stripes at the side.

=The Order of the Medjidie.=--The Sultan of Turkey rather profusely awarded the newly established Order of the Medjidie to officers in the British Army and Navy for services rendered in the Crimean War. Field Marshal Sir Evelyn Wood was awarded the fifth class. He was then a midshipman of seventeen. Five classes were given, and the recipients exceeded 1,000. The size of the decorations gradually decreased according to grade. The centre of the Badge of the first four classes is gold, and that of the fifth silver; the first three classes wear the Badge round the neck, suspended by a crimson ribbon with green edges, whilst the other two classes suspend the Badge from the left breast by a similar ribbon. The Badge or Cross is of silver, with seven triple points or rays, between which are disposed seven small crescents and stars of five points. On a red enamelled band in Arabic characters are the words "Loyalty--Patriotism--Zeal" and the year of the Hegira "1268" (1852, when the order was founded) around the cypher of the Sultan. The badge is suspended from a red enamelled crescent and star.

=Persia.=--The Persian War followed in 1856-7; it was brought about by the intimate relations of the Persian Government with Russia. A rebellion broke out in Herat, "the Gate of Persia," and the place was besieged by the aid of Russia; as this was contrary to the provisions of a convention made between the Shah and the British Minister in 1853, an expedition under General Outram was dispatched. It landed near Bushire, and on December 9th, 1856, a battle was fought at Reshire, and the next day another at Bushire. Conflicts also took place at Kooshab--where the 3rd Bombay Cavalry broke a Persian square--Barajoom, Mohummerah and Ahaz, before the "King of Kings" sued for peace.

The following regiments were engaged: 64th and 78th Foot, and 14th Light Dragoons; and the regiments in the H.E.I. Co.'s service: 2nd Bombay European Fusiliers; Bombay Sappers and Miners; 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 8th, 11th, 15th, 20th, 22nd, 23rd, 25th, 26th, 28th, and 29th Bombay Infantry; 1st Scinde Horse; 3rd Bombay Cavalry and Poona Horse.

The India General Service medal, illustrated facing page 120, was awarded with the clasp for PERSIA, or the clasp was added to the medal of the soldier who had taken part in the second Burmese War; indeed, the medal was instituted to obviate the necessity for designing medals for each campaign, and multiplying the number which might adorn the soldier's breast.

THE INDIAN MUTINY

On Sunday, May 10th, 1857, the native soldiers in Meerut openly mutinied. It was not the fat used in the making of cartridges which caused the outbreak; that was merely the ostensible reason, for there can be little doubt that a section of the natives, failing to understand European institutions and principles, were easily led by political agitators to take the desperate step of rebellion. The Kings of Oude and Delhi had been practically deposed by the Indian Government, and it was the effort to restore the Mogul dynasty, engineered by those who for political reasons wished to see the English expelled from India, that had much to do with the mutiny--for mutiny it certainly was, bred among men who had gathered extravagant notions of their own importance and their ruler's weaknesses. The common people were hardly affected--indeed, the princes were also, with the exception of the Ranee of Jhansi and the Náná Sáhib, loyal to the British. The arch-fiend of the mutiny was the Náná Sáhib, who had been quietly waiting his opportunity for revenge upon the British for refusing to continue the pension granted to his foster-father. The cartridge incident merely helped him in his nefarious designs, and forwarded the efforts of our external enemies. It was not, however, expected that the mass of the people of India, with their princes, would remain loyal as they did. At the time the mutiny broke out, in a population of 18,000,000, 200,000 of whom were sepoys, there were only 38,000 British soldiers, so that it is quite evident that the outbreak was not national, but military, otherwise they would have been swallowed up in the tempest. Disaffection had occurred at two or three stations, and the 19th and 34th Native Infantry had to be disbanded, the latter after Mangul Pandy had shot two officers at Barrackpore. Then the more determined outbreak occurred at Oude and Meerut; the English officers were murdered, and the European civilians slaughtered before the two regiments of mutineers marched off to join others in Delhi, which became the centre of mutinous activity. They proclaimed as king a descendant of the great Mogul, and attempted to capture the magazine, but, as we shall see hereafter, ten Britishers gallantly defended it, and ultimately blew it up. At this time the 8th were at Jallundur, the 32nd at Lucknow, the 60th and 6th Carabineers, with a troop of horse artillery and details of other regiments, at Meerut. The 61st at Ferozepore, the 75th at Umballah, the 81st at Meeau Meer, the 37th were called up from Ceylon, and the Madras Fusiliers from Madras. The 64th and 78th hurried from Persia, and the 84th were recalled from Burmah. The troops, which included the 93rd Highlanders, _en route_ for China were ordered to India, and Sir Colin Campbell hurried off from England to take command of the operations. Meanwhile the insurrection spread, until the whole region between the Punjab and Lower Bengal was in revolt, a district as great as Austria, France, and Prussia combined. Within six weeks of the murder of Colonel Finnis at Meerut, of the 120 sepoy regiments only 25 had not mutinied, and of these only 5 could be relied upon.

=Cawnpore.=--Náná Sáhib took his opportunity directly the news of the rebellion at Meerut and Delhi became known. Placing himself at the head of the rebels, he proclaimed himself Peshwa of the Mahrattas, and on June 6th informed General Sir Hugh Wheeler that he was about to attack the position held by him, a miserably slight fortification within which he had gathered about 1,000 souls, of whom only 465 were males of all ages and classes. How bravely they fought, despite hunger, thirst, and disease, for twenty days, and only surrendered when a safe passage to Allahabad had been guaranteed by the bloodthirsty Náná, and how by his treachery they were butchered by gunshot and sword, or burnt to death, is one of those heroic episodes which will live for ever; while the butchery of the women and children also by order of the Náná Sáhib will blot the pages of Indian history for all time. On July 16th General Havelock, who had hastened to the relief, defeated the Náná with 7,000 men and powerful artillery, a few miles south of the city, and he fled during the night. Next morning the British soldiers entered Cawnpore, too late to save the unfortunate captives. Havelock's little army, which had marched 126 miles in eight days and captured 24 guns, consisted of 435 men of the 64th, about 300 78th Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs), 190 of the 84th, 400 of the 1st Madras Fusiliers, 20 Volunteer Cavalry, 76 Royal Artillery, 450 Sikhs, and 50 Irregular Native Horse. "Better soldiers have never trod the earth," states Archibald Forbes; and when we consider the sweltering heat of the Indian summer, the men wading "in a sea of slush ... while the flood of tropical rain beat down," and fighting against overwhelming odds, we may heartily endorse Dr. Fitchett when he says, "In the whole history of war, men have seldom dared, and endured, and achieved more than did Havelock's column in the gallant but vain struggle to relieve Cawnpore"; and of the "Ironsides" who were to press on to relieve and reinforce Lucknow, only 250 remained to participate in the glorious march.

=Delhi.=--On May 11, 1857, the 3rd Native Cavalry, who had outstripped their infantry companions in revolt on the long march of 38 miles from Meerut, appeared before the King's palace at Delhi, and declared they had "slain all the English at Meerut, and had come to fight for the faith." The old King had no desire to become embroiled in the tumult that had begun to rage around him, but his guards, sympathising with the mutineers, opened the gates and stood by while the miscreants murdered the English officers and officials, and their families, and any white person they could find. Lieutenant Willoughby, with 2 other officers and 7 British soldiers, determined not only to sell their lives dearly, but to do as much hurt to the rebels as possible, before they accepted their fate. Their daring exploit of keeping nearly 2,000 mutineers at bay as long as they could serve the 10 guns, and coolly taking their chance of life and death as they blew the magazine and the surging masses of sepoys into the air, is one of the most brilliant in history. Brave Conductor Scully, who fired the train, and four of his companions heroically met their death, but the three officers, Willoughby (who was captured later and killed), Raynor, and Forrest, and Conductor Buckley, miraculously escaped for the time being.

Meanwhile the Commander-in-Chief, General Anson, had collected all the available troops and marched upon Delhi, but dying of cholera at Kurnaul, the command devolved upon Major-General Reed. Major-General Sir Henry Barnard had collected a number of men at Aleepore, and Brigadier-General Archdale Wilson had quitted Meerut with about 700 men in order to join forces with the Commander-in-Chief. On May 30th he was attacked by the mutineers at Ghazee-ood-deen-nuggur, but drove off his assailants numbering over 4,000. They returned to the attack on the following day (Whit-Sunday), but the 6th Carabineers and the Rifles drove them off with considerable slaughter, and captured 26 guns.

Then commenced the siege of Delhi, but for three and a half months the ancient city withstood the assaults of the besiegers. First Badlee-ke-Serai was taken, the 75th particularly distinguishing itself in the valiant fight which the English troops made in acquiring it, and then, after the Delhi cantonments had been taken and burned, the Goorkas giving splendid evidence of their loyalty and gallantry, the army sat down before the city, and the British lines were slowly but deliberately pushed forward. On June 17th one of the enemy's positions near the Ajmeer gate was taken; and on June 23rd, the fatal day of prophecy when British rule was to cease, the mutineers made a determined advance from the city, but after a hard day's fighting, in which they had charged the Rifles, the Guides, and the Goorkas again and again, they were compelled to retire.

In June cholera broke out in the camp, and early in July Sir Henry Barnard was among its victims, while the 8th and 61st regiments suffered considerably. Again and again the rebels sallied forth, only to be beaten back, and the fighting proceeded gallantly week after week, during which time Major Tombs, Lieutenant Hill, and a number of men gained the V.C. Then Brigadier-General John Nicholson, having gained a brilliant victory at Nujjuffhur, and prevented an attack upon the rear of the British camp, rode in on August 7th. Shortly after his little army marched in; it comprised 680 men of the 52nd, a wing of the 61st, the 2nd Punjab Infantry, and a field battery with detachments of Beloochees and military police.

The besiegers were waiting for the siege train with which to breach the walls, and the mutineers having learned that it was _en route_, sallied forth in considerable numbers to intercept it; but Nicholson, with 1,600 infantry, 400 cavalry, and a battery of field guns, set out on August 25th to save the train. The troops had to cross the swamps, made more difficult by the ceaseless rain; but after wading through them, the water sometimes over the horses' backs, and along the rain-drenched roads, they came up with the enemy at Nujutgurh after a march of twelve hours. The mutineers numbered 6,000, but the tired and drenched soldiers of Britain, led by the daring Nicholson, charged the enemy, placed 800 of them _hors de combat_, captured 13 guns, and sent the sepoys flying back to Delhi. Retracing their steps, the little force, having lost 60 men, arrived back in camp, having in forty hours, during twenty-four of which they were foodless, marched 35 miles and beaten and dispersed an army of well-trained men.

The siege train arrived on September 4th, together with a wing of the 8th Detachment of the 9th and 60th, and a battalion of Beloochees. The guns were mounted, and by the 11th ready for action, when fire was opened and incessantly sustained against the Cashmere and Watergates until breaches had been made, and then it was determined to assault the city.

=Blowing in the Cashmere Gate.=--It was found necessary, however, to blow up the Cashmere Gate, and a party of twenty men under Lieutenants Home and Salkeld of the Engineers were detailed for the purpose. They effected their object, but Salkeld was mortally wounded and many of the men killed and wounded in their gallant effort. Bugler Robert Hawthorne of the 52nd, having thrice sounded the regimental call of the 52nd for the column to advance, took charge of the wounded lieutenant, and having bound up his wounds, removed him to a place of comparative safety. The bugler was decorated with the V.C. for "as noble a deed as any that has ever graced the annals of war." In the assault on September 14th the gallant Irishman John Nicholson fell, mortally wounded while leading his men near the Lahore Gate, and 1,169 officers and men were killed, wounded, or missing, but the whole of the outer parts of the city were in possession of the British. On the 16th the magazine which Willoughby had, it was found, only partially blown up was captured by the 61st, but desultory fighting was continued until the 20th, when the Lahore Gate and the palatial Jumma Musjid were captured. Then the gates of the palace were blown in, and the 60th Rifles led the way into the ancient home of the Mogul Kings, and Delhi was in the hands of the British Army. In the grand assault upon Delhi 8 European officers and 162 men were killed, 52 officers and 510 men wounded, and 103 sepoys killed and 310 wounded. It is estimated that over 5,000 mutineers perished in the defence of the city.