showing a decrease of 5 sergeants, 1 bugler and 141 rank and file since the arrival of the Battalion before the place.

Early on the 2nd the enemy’s batteries opened a cannonade, by which four men of the 2nd Battalion, forming part of a company which was going to relieve in the trenches, were wounded.

On November 4, four companies of the 2nd Battalion, the Earl of Errol’s, Hammond’s, Fyers’ and Colville’s, under Major Bradford (Major Norcott being sick), proceeded to the heights of Balaklava.

On the morning of Sunday, November 5, an hour before daybreak, the alarm was sounded through the English camp. The greater part of the 1st Battalion had just returned from the trenches, and were still accoutred, though wet through; for it had rained the previous day, all through the night, and even then there was dense damp fog, with frequent showers. As they were passing the head of the ravine, a bugle was heard sounding in camp, which these men at first fancied to be the usual parade horn. It proved however to be the ‘assembly.’ The remainder of the Battalion was soon under arms, and moved towards the fight, which the rattle of musketry and the roar of guns told them was going on, at the head of the 4th Division under Sir George Cathcart.

In like manner General Codrington, the first to give the alarm, turned out the Light Division, and the 2nd Battalion assembled at once. Three companies only were on parade, one wing having gone on the previous day, as we have seen, to the heights of Balaklava, and Captain Forman’s company being in the five-gun battery. Of these three companies, one had just come in after being twenty-seven hours in the trenches. However they at once advanced, and General Codrington having placed his brigade on the Victoria ridge, these Riflemen extended along the left bank of the Careenage ravine on the extreme left of the line. Soon after they took up their position a column of Russians, part of Soimonoff’s force, advanced up the Careenage ravine, and after opening fire on the Riflemen, attempted to ascend its left bank; but Captain Elrington, with two companies of the 2nd Battalion, at once attacked them, and drove them down at the point of the bayonet; they retreated by the bottom of the ravine, and did not again make their appearance in that part of the fight. In this attack a Rifleman named Hewitt, having put on a greatcoat and cap late the property of a Russian soldier deceased, followed the retreating Muscovites down the ravine, and picked off a number of them. He narrowly escaped however being shot by his own comrades. This man, as well as a brother in the same Battalion, afterwards died in the Crimea. This repulse occurred at the very beginning of the Russian attack. These companies under Elrington lost 5 men killed and 10 wounded in this gallant affair.[239]

Meanwhile the 1st Battalion were advancing with Cathcart towards the scene of the fight. As they approached the end of the English line, manifest tokens of the battle greeted them. The rattle of musketry in front, indeed apparently on every side; dead lying about, and wounded carried by; and tents thrown to the ground by the fire of the enemy’s guns. On their arriving at the heights of Inkerman, where General Pennefather was maintaining a hard and unequal fight, Sir George Cathcart handed over to him the 1st Battalion which he so much esteemed, telling him that he had brought him ‘a Battalion which could do anything.’ Pennefather riding up to Lieutenant-Colonel Horsford, who was in command of the Battalion, and paying it a high compliment, informed him that he was hard pressed on the left of the centre ravine, and wished a reinforcement sent there. The three leading companies were immediately detached for that purpose under Major Rooper who deployed them into line below the crest of the hill. They soon were confronted by a Russian column, part of Dannenberg’s force. They were at a short distance, and the Riflemen halted and opened fire. For a short time the enemy returned their fire, then began to waver and eventually to retreat, hotly pursued by the Riflemen, who drove them down into the Quarry ravine. Those of them who were wounded, or who had not made good their escape into the ravine, were in a state of extreme terror, and called upon the Riflemen on their knees and with clasped hands raised in prayer to spare their lives.[240]

Soon after Rooper’s wing had been thus sent forward, the remaining three companies under Horsford moved to the right, deployed into line, and advanced to the Kitspur, and thence by the head of St. Clement’s gorge they fought their way to the Barrier. On their way they opened their files to allow stragglers and wounded to pass through, and two companies of the Guards who were then retiring. Finding themselves without support, and their ammunition beginning to fail, they halted. But eventually both wings, that under Horsford which had worked round from the right, and that under Rooper, were posted at the Barrier. From thence Horsford with some men in extended order skirmished along the right bank of the Quarry ravine. About half-past twelve, Captain Somerset, who had been obliged to go to Head-quarters on account of ill-health, with much difficulty found his way to the front, and joined a party of the Battalion whom he found in rear of the two-gun battery under Ensign Brett.[241] Soon Lieutenant Morgan brought him a message from Colonel Horsford that he wished to collect all the Battalion in front at the Barrier. Accordingly he brought up these men and joined Horsford under the ridge. During this terrible conflict many of the Riflemen fought independently, or by twos and threes. Sometimes they found themselves mixed up with men of other regiments, the mistiness of the day and their being all in greatcoats rendering it not always easy to distinguish their comrades. Some few Riflemen under Tryon joined the 57th Regiment in resisting an attack on the ridge. The Riflemen got cover where they could among the scrub oak on the rocks. Some of them running short of detonating caps took them from dead Russians, and these, though large, exploded their rifles. These Riflemen getting cover in the brushwood on the left of the Barrier picked off the gunners of the Russian battery on the Shell hill.

About this period of the fight Colour-Sergeant Higgins,[242] collecting some thirty men of No. 2 company, formed them up on the left of the French division, and with them drove the Russians down the ravine.

Later in the day, and towards the close of the fight, Horsford with the remains of the Battalion, advanced from the Barrier, and pushed up the Shell hill to where a Russian battery had stood. Ascending the hill, almost hand to hand with the enemy, these Riflemen fixed bayonets and charged, driving the Russians from the ridge, on whose retiring masses they kept up fire. Four tumbrils with ammunition remained in their hands; but the Russians had withdrawn the guns.

The Battalion, or the remnant of it, remained extended on the heights till about nine at night, when being relieved by picquets of the 2nd Division it marched to camp.

No. 2 company was brought out of the field in command of the Colour-Sergeant (Higgins), who indeed had been in charge of it from the time its Captain (Cartwright) had been killed.

The 2nd Battalion, after Elrington’s exploit in the morning, continued posted on the left of Codrington’s force on the Victoria heights. They kept up fire on the Russians on the opposite height (Mount Inkerman) whenever they came within range. Some Russian riflemen having come into the Careenage ravine and as far as the Magazine caves, took shelter there, and while the companies on the hill kept up a constant fire as often as they showed themselves, to prevent their emerging or escape, some of the Battalion descended into the ravine and made them prisoners. Three companies only of this Battalion were engaged, Elrington’s, Inglis’ and Newdigate’s, mustering about 150 rifles. Forman’s company was in the five-gun battery; and the other four companies were at Balaklava.

The losses of the Regiment were very severe. In the 1st Battalion Captain Cartwright, 5 sergeants and 22 rank and file were killed. And Brevet-Major Rooper and Lieutenant Coote Buller[243] were severely wounded, and 5 sergeants and 26 rank and file were wounded. Colour-Sergeant Noseley,[244] who was dangerously wounded, was taken prisoner.

Cartwright was killed late in the day, while sitting under the Barrier, which the men were then lining. He was shot through the eye and also in the chest. Colonel Horsford was also wounded by a shell, which exploded between his legs, and lifted him off the ground; but not being disabled he did not return himself as wounded.

This Battalion also had to lament the loss of its kind friend Sir George Cathcart, under whom it had fought in Kaffraria, and who had from that time manifested great attachment to it.

In the 2nd Battalion Lieutenant Malcolm and 8 rank and file were killed and Captain Newdigate and 27 rank and file wounded.[245]

Of these Rooper died on the 11th on board the steamer ‘Golden Fleece,’ on his passage to Malta.

For some days after the battle of Inkerman the Riflemen were engaged in burying the dead. Their other duties also were very severe. In consequence of four companies of the 2nd Battalion having been moved to Balaklava the 1st Battalion found duty both on the right and left attack. Even when other regiments were in the trenches they furnished a party a hundred yards in front; and wherever there was an alarm or a position to be stormed the green-jackets were in request. During this time and while the duties were so constant, the men suffered much also from scarcity of rations. And even those issued were such as the men could scarcely use. Until the end of December the coffee was served out green; there were no vegetables for a considerable time; the biscuit when the weather was wet, was mouldy; and fuel was scarcely to be procured. Even such supplies as were in Balaklava were but scantily brought up owing to want of transport; and the position of the 1st Battalion being the most distant from that place, rendered their supply more scanty and precarious.

On November 14 occurred the memorable gale. The tents were blown down, and the hospital marquee of the 1st Battalion being torn to pieces the wounded had to be carried to such of the companies’ tents as could be set up. On this occasion an instance occurred of the good feeling which has always existed in the Regiment between the Riflemen and their officers. Coote Buller was lying in his tent suffering from his wound, a broken thigh, at Inkerman. The men of the company held his tent during the gale, and thus, by preventing his exposure to the storm, rain and hail, probably saved his life.

The tents of the four companies of the 2nd Battalion at Balaklava, and everything belonging to them, except what they were standing in, were blown clean away, and were never heard of afterwards. At the same time the four companies of this Battalion on duty in the trenches were not relieved for forty-eight hours. And one man of this Battalion died from exposure to the cold and to the storm.

The Russian riflemen having established themselves in some rifle pits in front of the left attack along some rising ground, annoyed our working parties as well as those of the French on the opposite side of the ravine by their fire. Lord Raglan determined to drive them back and to take possession of the pits. These pits, caverns, or ‘ovens’ as they were called by the men, are formed by the decay of softer portions of the rock between the harder strata, leaving caves in the sides of the hill. The duty of driving the Russians from them was confided to the 1st Battalion; and on November 20 a party consisting of Lieutenant Henry Tryon, in command, with Lieutenants Bourchier[246] and Cuninghame,[247] 4 sergeants and 200 rank and file, was detailed to carry it into execution. It was kept a secret what the service was to be till the party fell in about four o’clock in the afternoon. Then Tryon wheeled them round him and told the men what they were wanted for. He said that he intended to drive the Russians out, and that he was sure that they could do it. And right well they did it. Marching down to the trenches they lay down till dark. They then advanced stealthily, creeping along the broken ground which led first down a slight incline, and then up towards the enemy, who were completely surprised by the attack. Fifty men under Tryon formed the storming column; 50 the supports under Bourchier and 100 the reserve under Cuninghame. Eventually these parties became practically one. They quickly drove the Russian riflemen from their cover, though supported by a heavy column of Russian infantry. The occupants of the pits were evidently surprised. But soon the guns bearing on the pits poured grape and canister on the Riflemen, who had no cover, for the pits were open on the enemy’s side. In the moment of taking possession of the pits the gallant Tryon fell shot in the head; Bourchier, who succeeded to the command of the party, maintained his advantage; and Cuninghame greatly distinguished himself by the energy with which he repulsed an attempt to turn the left flank of the advanced party, and thereby ensured the success of the capture. Repeatedly during that long night did the Russians attempt to retake the pits; sometimes by sending forward strong columns, sometimes by creeping up a few at a time, and when they got near making signals for their companions to come on. But this handful of Riflemen, under the command of these two young officers, bravely withstood them, and held the position until relieved next day by another party of the Battalion. In this affair Lieutenant Tryon and 9 men were killed, and 17 men were wounded. This gallant feat of arms, the first of the kind during that war, and never surpassed, was thus described in the despatch addressed by Lord Raglan to the Duke of Newcastle:

The following General Order from Lord Raglan was also issued:

The following is the order referred to issued by the French. General, a most honourable and unusual distinction:—

The following is the translation of the preceding General Order which was appended to Lord Raglan’s orders on this occasion:

For their gallant conduct in this affair Lieutenant Bourchier received the Victoria Cross, the Legion of Honour, the 5th Class of the Medjidie, and the Turkish Medal; Cuninghame the Victoria Cross, the 5th Class of the Medjidie, and the Turkish Medal; and Colour-Sergeant Hicks, who had volunteered for this duty, and was close to Tryon when he fell, obtained the French War Medal.

The gallant captors of the pits were relieved a little before daylight on the 21st by a party of the 1st Battalion, under the command of Lieutenant Flower, and accompanied by Lieutenant the Hon. G. B. Legge. The Russians kept up a very heavy fire on them all day, by which several men were wounded. So sharp was the fire, that it was impossible to go from one of the pits to the other without great caution. The ground, as we have seen, was rocky and crumbling, and most of the men who were wounded were struck about the face by fragments of rock. The position was so exposed to the enemy’s fire that it was difficult even to get away the wounded; and Flower and Legge could only recover two wounded men, struck in the face and eyes and nearly blinded, by making them crawl on all fours into a pit where these officers had taken shelter. This party held the pits till nightfall, when they were relieved by another detachment of the Battalion. And for some days these pits, captured by Riflemen, were held by Riflemen, though occasionally a few men of other regiments may have been added to eke out the number required, which the diminished strength of the Battalion could hardly furnish.

The men of the 2nd Battalion were at this time called upon for very hard work, the right wing having been on duty on the 22nd three nights consecutively; and from the 26th the men were on duty five nights out of six. These duties, which were almost as severe in the 1st Battalion; the exposure to the weather; the shortness of food, rations being sometimes wanting for two or three days together; began to tell heavily on the Riflemen. Cholera and dysentery ravaged both Battalions. On November 27 Lieutenant Godfrey died, and the 1st Battalion, which had left England little more than four months before nearly a thousand strong, could only parade as fit for duty 275 men of all ranks.[249] And this, notwithstanding that it had received a draft from home of 154 non-commissioned officers and men. This shows a deficiency, even to this date, of 850 men.[250] The men of the 2nd Battalion at this time had for some days a ration of only a quarter of a pound of salt pork and a pound of biscuit, owing to the difficulty of getting up supplies from Balaklava.

On the morning of December 2, about five o’clock, the Russians made a determined attempt to retake the ‘ovens.’ They advanced in considerable numbers. Surprising the sentries, they entered a trench which had been formed, after Tryon’s party had taken the pits, into the second parallel, and driving out a party of another regiment who occupied it, took possession of it. At this moment a party of the 1st Battalion under Captain Churchill,[251] and accompanied by Lieutenant Blackett[252] and Ensign Brett, which formed the new guard of the trenches, came up and found the others retiring before the Russians. With the usual dash of the Riflemen, unabated in its energy by the severity of the weather or the urgency of their sufferings, they quickly attacked the Russians, drove them out, and took possession of the trenches, which they held as the guard for the day.[253]

The Riflemen lost in this affair one killed and two wounded; but the Russians left seven men dead on the field, and carried off seven wounded.

It was on this occasion that a mot is recorded of a non-commissioned officer of the Battalion, who, being asked how they came to be there, replied, ‘If you please, Sir, the Russians relieved the —th, and we relieved the Russians.’

On December 12 a party of the 1st Battalion, under Captain Churchill (with Ensign Brett), being on duty in the trench near the Woronzow road, was violently attacked during the night by the enemy; but by showing a determined front and delivering an efficient fire they were at once driven off, and prevented from penetrating at this important point, which was the key to the British position.

On the 27th Colonel Horsford, who had commanded the Battalion at the Alma and Inkerman, and since Beckwith’s fatal illness, had to return to Balaklava, and thence home on sick leave. And on the 29th Major Somerset, who had been on sick leave on board ship, arrived and assumed the command.

On the morning of December 30 the four companies of the 2nd Battalion, which were stationed on the heights near Balaklava, were ordered by Sir Colin Campbell to be under arms at half-past six. They paraded accordingly under Major Bradford, and after waiting till about eight o’clock, proceeded with a regiment of Highlanders to cover the flank of a considerable French force which made a reconnaissance. The Riflemen marched on, skirmishing through the woods and ravines. They advanced to Kamara, and the French troops pushed on to the village of Tchorgúna, which they burned. However, the Riflemen were not actively engaged; and after being under arms till the afternoon, returned to their camp.

The clothing which the Riflemen brought out from England being worn or torn by hard service, they presented a strange appearance. The greatcoat was always worn, and the blanket, with a hole cut through for the head, was put on under it. Over their shoulders they wore Cathcart’s oilskins; and sand-bags, pieces of knapsacks, anything that would bend, were wrapped round the legs by way of gaiters. Some had loose Russian boots, which were worn over the trousers; for the cold was intense and food and fuel scanty, and everything that could give warmth, for comfort it could not be called, was pressed into service.

Great indeed were the sufferings of the men. During the whole month of December fresh meat was only served out two or three times, and they could not obtain vegetables of any kind. Some warm articles of clothing were indeed supplied; such as jerseys, drawers, blankets, socks and mitts; but these were not in sufficient quantities. The men were seven hours out of twenty-four in the trenches. Fifteen men of the 1st Battalion were wounded in the trenches during the month, of whom one died.

On January 4, 1855, by the efforts of the men of the 1st Battalion, assisted by two carts and six ponies from Head-quarters, put at the disposal of the Battalion by the kindness of Lord Raglan and his Staff, the materials of the first wooden hut were brought from Balaklava to the front, but not without the loss of one horse, and the break-down of one cart; the Battalion, though probably weaker in numbers than any regiment at the front, showing a noble example, and proving the possibility (which some had doubted) of bringing a hut up at this season from Balaklava to the plateau on which the army was encamped. For driving snow and inclement weather continued for some weeks. They proceeded as opportunity admitted to get up the huts, the 2nd Battalion beginning to erect theirs on the 22nd.

During this time of suffering and disease (for diarrhœa, dysentery and pulmonary complaints prevailed, and thirty-four men of the 1st Battalion died during this month) the camp of the Riflemen was frequently visited by Lord Raglan; who on one occasion, finding a deficiency of port wine in the hospital marquee, immediately sent down four bottles from his own quarters.[254]

On January 17, 1855, General Sir Andrew F. Barnard, Colonel Commandant of the 1st Battalion, died at his residence at Chelsea Hospital, of which he was Lieutenant-Governor. On his death Sir Harry Smith became Colonel Commandant of the 1st, and Lieutenant-General Sir George Brown, who had as Lieutenant-Colonel for seventeen years commanded the 2nd Battalion, became its Colonel Commandant.

On February 1, Colonel Norcott joined, and took command of the 1st Battalion, to which he succeeded by Beckwith’s death; and thus the son of one of the earliest officers of the Regiment succeeded the nephew of another, both of whom had commanded it in many bloody fields.

On February 19 a party of the 2nd Battalion, under Colonel Macdonell, formed part of a reconnaissance in force under Sir Colin Campbell. They were under arms soon after midnight, and about four in the morning moved down towards the plain, and marched in the direction of Kamara and Tchorgúna. It was snowing heavily when they started, and the storm increased as the day broke. The Riflemen preceded the advance in skirmishing order. Orders were given not to fire if they came on the enemy, and it was hoped that they might be surprised; but the density of the snow-storm prevented the men seeing many feet to their front. However, the skirmishers made three sentries prisoners, who were probably part of the picquet at Kamara. And it seemed that the alarm was given; for the vedettes fell back firing their carbines into the darkness, the drums were heard beating to arms, and through the snow their battalions were dimly seen assembling on the heights over the Tchernaya. The snow fell more thickly than ever; the men could scarcely hold their rifles; the position and strength of the enemy were unknown; and Sir Colin gave the word to return. The Riflemen arrived in camp about eleven in the forenoon, suffering much from cold and fatigue.

On the 24th the 1st Battalion marched down to Balaklava and exchanged the Minié rifle for the Enfield. This was the long Enfield, for which the short Enfield was afterwards substituted.

On March 7 Major Macdonell took command of the four companies of the 2nd Battalion at Balaklava, Colonel Bradford having been promoted to the command of the 3rd Battalion, which was now again raised.

During this month the work in the trenches was, owing to the shortness of the numbers effective, most severe and harassing to the men. Many sank under it. But as regards provisions and comforts, things began to mend. For these were issued not only from Government stores, but were also provided from private sources. About the middle of March the climate much improved, and from that time, though the duties were still severe, the sufferings of the Riflemen much diminished.

On March 23 the Russians made a great attack on the whole length of the allied line. It was particularly severe on the right attack; Captain Forman’s company formed part of the trench guard, and was actively engaged. This attack was led by a Greek in full dress who rushed at the magazine, and fired his musket into it, but it was empty; and he was immediately bayonetted in the trench.

After this the enemy began firing shells into the camp of the 1st Battalion, but without doing any material injury. During the month of March three sergeants and 82 men died, of whom 1 sergeant and 10 men died in camp; the remainder at Scutari or Kulalie.

During this month seven men of the 2nd Battalion were wounded in the trenches.

On March 19 the 1st and 2nd Battalions were augmented to sixteen companies, and were to consist of the following numbers:

On April 9, fire was reopened and kept up till the 12th, and on the 13th volunteers were called for to man the rifle pits in front of No. 7 battery. Lieutenant the Hon. A. Anson[255] and eighteen men of the 1st Battalion volunteered for the duty. They occupied the pits from daylight until dark; but suffered a heavy loss, Sergeant Devitt and four men being killed. These pits were afterwards connected and formed the fourth parallel.

On April 22 a bandsman of the 2nd Battalion named Wright, who was on duty in the trenches, going to fetch water from a well in front of the advanced trench near the Quarries, was killed; it being impossible to throw up any cover near the well in consequence of the rockiness of the soil. This man being a great favourite of his comrades, a number of them rushed out determined to drive out the Russian riflemen, by whose fire he had fallen, from the pits which they occupied. Three men, Bradshaw, Humpston and MacGregor, were the first to reach them, and drove the Russians out, killing some while a few escaped. For this gallant deed these three Riflemen received the Victoria Cross, Bradshaw being also decorated with the French War Medal.[256]

About this time clothing of a new pattern was served out to both Battalions; a tunic being substituted for the old coatee for the men, and taking the place of the jacket and pelisse for the officers, which they had both worn with slight variations since the formation of the Regiment.

The 1st Battalion received their new clothing April 1855, partly coatees and partly the new tunic.

In April two men of the 1st Battalion died of wounds received from the enemy.

The left wing of the 2nd Battalion embarked on May 3 as part of the Expedition destined for Kertch; but the order having been countermanded after they had arrived at the rendezvous, they landed again and joined the Head-quarters before Sebastopol on May 8.

On May 18 the Queen in person distributed the Crimean Medal on the Horse Guards parade, when the following officers and men of the Regiment received it from Her Majesty’s hands:

Lieutenant-Colonels Bradford and Horsford; Majors Elrington, Hardinge, the Earl of Errol and the Hon. G. Elliott; Captains Inglis, Newdigate, Ross, Drummond, Nixon, C. Buller, Warren, Rowles, Lindsay, Bourchier, Deedes.

Second Battalion: Corporal William Muggridge (wounded), Privates Thomas Palmer (wounded), William Careless (wounded) and T. Dulahan.

Third Battalion: Colour-Sergeant Andrew Holdaway, Sergeant James Johnson and Private John Titcombe.

In May one man of the 2nd Battalion was killed; and 1 officer and 12 men were wounded in the trenches; of whom 3 died. One man was killed in action.

On June 7 the 2nd Battalion was engaged in the attack and capture of the Quarries, one of the principal outworks of the enemy, and had one Rifleman killed and 11 wounded. On that evening a working party of the 1st Battalion, consisting of all the men off duty, were employed to turn the works thus captured, and to make a covered way to the Mamelon. Several attempts were made by the enemy during the night to retake these works; and just before daylight a fierce attack was made. It was at first almost a hand-to-hand fight, and the Riflemen were for a time driven out of the works, but they eventually repulsed their assailants. These frequent attacks however seriously hindered their work, as the men were obliged to stand to their arms as often as the advanced sentries fell back.

On the evening of the 17th orders were issued to the 4th Division that it should attack the proper left face of the Redan. The 1st Battalion furnished 100 men under the command of Captain the Hon. James Stuart,[257] with Lieutenants Boileau and Saunders,[258] to act as a covering party. They were to get as near the works as possible and to pick off the Russians if they showed themselves above the parapet while the storming party advanced. This party left the camp at a quarter after one in the morning of the 18th, and occupied the trench round the Quarries until daybreak. But instead of issuing from the trench at once in extended order, they were moved down to the left, and passing a narrow opening between two rifle-pits, began to extend on the enemy’s side of the cover afforded by the parapet of the trench. As soon as they appeared the enemy poured grape and canister, and opened musketry fire on them from the parapet of the Redan. The Riflemen were mown down like grass, but pushing on to the right advanced followed by the crew of the ‘Leander’ carrying the scaling ladders. Boileau, sword in hand, and shouting out ‘Come on, Rifles!’ gallantly led on his party, and endeavoured to get them below the line of fire from the guns. But these brave men, not being supported, were eventually obliged to withdraw. They had got up to an abattis in front of the Redan and lay close under it until the middle of the day. For unfortunately they did not discover in time that the attack had failed; and there seemed no possibility of their crossing the open ground between their then position and the trenches in broad daylight without immense loss. Happily for them a sand-storm swept across the ground about mid-day; and screened by that they retired, regained the trenches, and returned to their camp.

The remainder of the Battalion, under Colonel Norcott, left camp about an hour after the covering party and occupied the trenches in front of the Redan, but were not moved out against the enemy.

The Light Division was directed to storm the right face of the Redan. And the 2nd Battalion furnished a ladder party of 100 men under Captain Blackett; a woolbag party of the same number under Lieutenant Fremantle;[259] a covering party of the same number under Captain Forman; and a working and gabion party under Colonel Macdonell. The attack was led by Captain Forman, who was killed. But these parties were only supported by the 34th Regiment; thus this attack likewise failed, and the troops were recalled and returned to their respective camps.

In the 1st Battalion Lieutenant Boileau was wounded, and died at Malta on August 1; one sergeant (Jerram) and 7 men were killed; and 11 men were wounded. And in the 2nd Battalion, besides Captain Forman, 2 sergeants and 23 rank and file were killed; and Captain Blackett (who lost his leg), Lieutenants Knox (who lost his arm) and Fremantle were severely wounded; and 3 sergeants and 75 rank and file were wounded.

At night the enemy made a general attack on the English lines; but were repulsed without any loss in the Regiment.

When parties were sent out to collect the dead on the 19th (a flag of truce having come in at four P.M.) the body of Sir John Campbell, who had led the attack of the 4th Division, was found inside the abattis; and that of Private Flannery of the 1st Battalion was found close to the ditch, and twenty yards in advance of where Sir John lay.

At night the cemetery was occupied and a communication carried down to it from the caves.[260]

On June 30 Lieutenant Woodford of the 2nd Battalion was wounded when on duty in the trenches, and died on the same day.

On July 3 Captain Fyers was coming off picquet in the advanced works with about 400 men. They were retiring by a zig-zag which by some oversight of the Engineers was directly enfiladed by a Russian gun. As soon as the men were well in the boyau a round shot was fired, which, bounding along, knocked down 13 men, of whom 8 were killed or died of their wounds.[261] The wounded were removed by Fyers, Colour-Sergeant Kemp, and some soldiers of another regiment who came to their assistance. The rest of the men turned into another zig-zag not exposed to this fire. The ball after this destructive course ran along the boyau and stopped against the bank of the parallel, a dead ball.[262]

On July 3 the body of Lord Raglan, Commander-in-Chief, who died on June 28, was conveyed on a gun-carriage to Kazatch bay, and was embarked on board the ‘Caradoc’ and taken to England. A party of 100 men of each Battalion accompanied his remains to the place of embarkation.

The siege continued during the months of July and August. The duties in the trenches were constant, and the Riflemen were engaged either in working parties or in covering them.[263] Almost nightly attacks were made on these parties; and they were vigorously plied with shot and shell.

On the evening of September 1 a party of the 2nd Battalion were ordered to cover a sap which was in course of construction from the fifth parallel towards the flank of the Redan.

At 7.30 Captain Balfour,[264] with one subaltern (Lieutenant Cary), 2 sergeants and 48 rank and file, left the camp for that duty. The Russians had erected a screen of stones about 80 yards in front of the head of the sap, as a protection to their sentries; and their reserves occupied a pit behind this screen and also a ravine on their left in which there was a cave. Captain Balfour detached Cary with one sergeant and 23 men to proceed down the ravine and turn the Russian left; while he himself with the remainder of the party made a rush at the screen of stones behind which the Russian riflemen were posted. After a short but sharp encounter the Russians abandoned the screen of stones and the pit, and retired towards the ditch of the Redan and to a small graveyard in the Karabelnaia ravine.

Lieutenant Cary and Sergeant Henry Wood much distinguished themselves in this affair, and were both wounded. One Rifleman was killed and 14 were wounded. Cary died at Malta, from the effects of his wounds, on November 9.

On September 8, when the assault was to take place, one half of the 1st Battalion being in the trenches under Colonel Norcott, the remainder, consisting of about 280 men under Lieutenant-Colonel Somerset, moved out of camp at eleven A.M. and took up a position in reserve on the Woronzow road.

The 2nd Battalion furnished a covering party for the assault of the Redan consisting of 100 men, under the command of Captain Fyers, who were to cover the advance of the ladder party, and to keep down the fire from the parapet; a party, also of 100 men, under Captain Balfour, occupied some broken ground and a Russian rifle-pit in front of and to the right of our most advanced works, who were also directed to keep down the fire from the parapet. With the same object two parties of 50 men each under Lieutenants Baillie and Playne, were stationed, one in the fifth parallel, and one in the Woronzow road. The remainder of the Battalion, about 230 men under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Macdonell, took part in the general attack.

These men had to advance 150 yards, exposed to a most terrible fire in front and flank. This attack, most gallantly carried out, was not entirely successful; though, as is well known, the operations of this day led to the abandonment of the works by the Russians, and the fall of the place.

During the night following this attack Major Woodford (who had been slightly wounded) and Captain Balfour, with about 150 Riflemen, occupied the stone screen, the rifle pit, and the cave above mentioned. Major Woodford (it is said) had obtained a promise from Sir Colin Campbell that, if his Highlanders assaulted the Redan on the next morning, these men should again form a covering party. But the dawn of the 9th revealed the fact that the Russians were abandoning the flaming town; and the services of these Riflemen, utterly exhausted by the fighting and excitement of the assault, were not required.

The 2nd Battalion lost 2 officers, Captain Hammond and Lieutenant Ryder, 4 sergeants and 19 rank and file killed. And 8 officers, Major Woodford, Captain the Hon. B. R. Pellew, Lieutenants Eyre, Riley, Eccles, Moore, Borough and Playne, 8 sergeants, 1 bugler and 128 rank and file were wounded.[265]

The following interesting account of Captain Hammond and Lieutenant Ryder is extracted from a letter written by Staff Assistant-Surgeon Walter Clegg, dated September 9, 1855: