‘With Captain Hammond’s name you will be familiar, as I frequently mentioned to you the many acts of kindness I received from him when he commanded the Depôt at Fort Cumberland. A braver soldier never on that day mounted the Redan; a Christian of more unaffected piety never entered the presence of God.
‘He had only been in the Crimea forty-eight hours when he was killed. When the Rifles were forming for the assault, a young subaltern, going into action for the first time, who had come out with Hammond, addressed him: “Captain Hammond, how fortunate we are! we are just in time for Sebastopol.”
‘Hammond’s eye was gazing where the rays of the sun made a path of golden light over the sea, and his answer was short and remarkable, and accompanied by the quiet smile which those who knew him so well remember: “I am quite ready,” said he.
‘The next that was seen of Hammond was when his sword was flashing at one of the embrasures of the Redan. He was indeed at the head of his company, fighting to gain an entrance for them.
‘A dozen bayonets were at his heart and once he was dragged in a prisoner. In a few minutes he was recognised again outside the embrasure, still hacking with his sword. The next morning at six o’clock Captain Balfour found him in the ditch beneath a dozen of the slain, with a bayonet wound through his heart.
‘Hammond and Ryder were buried this afternoon in the burial-ground of the division, rendered sacred long ago by the sepulture of brave men. Ryder was barely eighteen years old.
‘Before the assault had lasted an hour he was shot in the throat and fell, and was carried to the rear and consigned to the surgeon. But as it happened the surgeon was engaged at the moment that Ryder was brought in, and the young Lieutenant tied his handkerchief round his throat, and was seen again on the ladder, and when he was found the next day in the ditch a bayonet thrust had transfixed his forehead.’[266]
The English troops now took possession of the Redan and the Karabelnaia district, and the Regiment took its share of the duty in Sebastopol during the destruction of the dock-yard and other works. Soon after the taking of the place a detachment of the 2nd Battalion, consisting of 8 officers, 12 sergeants and 200 men, under the command of Captain Fyers, proceeded to Head-quarters, where they acted as escort or body-guard to the Commander-in-Chief.
On October 1 Colonel Norcott having proceeded to England, the command of the 1st Battalion devolved on Lieutenant-Colonel Somerset, who going to England on the 24th, Lord Alexander Russell took command. And on the 14th Colonel Hill having arrived from England, assumed command of the 2nd Battalion.
A great attack on the Inkerman side having been expected in consequence of telegraphic information from England, both Battalions were under arms at an early hour on the 16th and the following mornings for some time.
On the 26th Colour-Sergeant Noseley, who had been reported as killed at the battle of Inkerman, rejoined the 1st Battalion, he having been wounded and taken prisoner by the Russians. He was the only man of the Battalion who was in the hands of the enemy during the campaign.
The 1st Battalion continued to occupy the ground on which it was encamped. And early in November pannelled huts began to be erected.
On November 15, about two o’clock in the afternoon, a tremendous explosion took place in the French siege train, situated at the head of a ravine which ran down towards Careenage bay. Colour-Sergeant Pescott of the 1st Battalion, who had gone down in charge of a fatigue party, received injuries from a rocket, from the effects of which he died. And Lieutenant Eccles and several men of the 2nd Battalion were wounded, two of whom died from the injuries then inflicted.
On the 17th Lieutenant Borough, 2nd Battalion, died of fever.
On the 26th no one was reported sick in the 1st Battalion; this was the second time only that such an occurrence had taken place since its arrival in the East.
During the winter the Battalions were employed in road-making, in fetching up huts, in furnishing picquets, or guards in the town.
On February 24, 1856, the two Battalions (with the rest of the army) paraded on the Telegraph hill above Balaklava for the inspection of the Commander-in-Chief, General Codrington; Marshal Pelissier was also present.
Though the cold was very severe and much snow fell in the early part of this year, the Riflemen, having the protection of the huts and sufficient rations and fuel, were in far greater comfort than during the preceding winter. A theatre was erected with wood fetched from Sebastopol. Other amusements beguiled the time not required for duties, and in a foot race of the whole army on March 19, Lieutenant Palliser of the 1st Battalion won the officers’ hurdle race, and Lieutenant Thomas, 2nd Battalion, came in second.
The whole English army paraded in the afternoon of April 17 for the inspection of the Russian General Lüders. The Generals having gone down the line the troops marched past and returned to their camps.
On the 25th the 1st Battalion paraded for the inspection of General Vanlinsky, who had commanded the Russian troops on Mackenzie heights on September 25, 1854.
On May 9 a Rifleman (Private Connolly of the 1st Battalion) died from the effects of a wound received on April 26, by the explosion of a Russian shell, which was carelessly dropped by a soldier of another regiment, while they were gathering shells in Sebastopol.
On the 24th the two Battalions were marched to Balaklava plains to celebrate (with the rest of the troops) the Queen’s birthday. On this occasion the medals granted by the Emperor of the French were distributed.
On June 4 the 1st Battalion marched to Balaklava at eight in the morning, and embarked immediately in H.M.S. ‘Apollo,’ and went out of harbour in tow of H.M.S. ‘Medusa;’ and after touching at Scutari, Malta, Algiers and Gibraltar, anchored off Corunna on the 27th. Here they were visited by Spanish Generals, soldiers, ladies (upward of fifty of whom came on board), and apparently everyone who could get a seat in a boat. A strange contrast to the scene forty-seven years before, when the Battalion embarked at Corunna!
Leaving Corunna on the 28th the Battalion landed at Portsmouth on July 7, and proceeding at once to Aldershot by rail, encamped there.
On June 8 the 2nd Battalion embarked at Balaklava on board the sailing transport ‘King Philip,’ and arrived at Portsmouth on July 11 and proceeded by rail to Aldershot.
On the 1st Battalion leaving the Crimea the following General Order was published by Major-General Garrett, K.H., commanding the 4th Division:
‘Camp before Sebastopol, June 3, 1856. Division After-Order.
‘Major-General Garrett regrets that the separation of the 1st Battalion Rifle Brigade from the 4th Division by their embarkation to-morrow for England, calls on him to take leave of them.
‘The Major-General will look back with pride and pleasure to those eventful days when they were under his command, first as a Brigadier and afterwards commanding the Division, for upwards of a year and a half. During that period the willingness and smartness which the officers and the men invariably evinced, whether on duties in camp or in the trenches, clearly showed that that magnificent esprit de corps which descended from their predecessors, the old 95th, still animates the young soldiers, who were brought to supply the heavy casualties of the late campaign; which they quickly caught up from the fine old soldiers whose education had been formed in the rough and arduous enterprises of two Kaffir wars.
‘That that noble esprit de corps may never fail them is the sincere wish of the Major-General, who hopes soon to see them exhibiting that spirit amongst their comrades in England.’
On July 8 the 1st Battalion was reviewed by the Queen, when the officers who disembarked with the Battalion, 8 sergeants, 7 buglers, 8 corporals and 9 privates, were selected to be addressed personally by Her Majesty. And being (with others) formed up round her carriage Her Majesty addressed them in the following words:
‘Officers, Non-commissioned officers, and soldiers: I wish personally to convey to you, for the regiments assembled here this day, my hearty welcome on their return to England in health and full efficiency.
‘Say to them, I have watched anxiously over their different trials and hardships which they have so nobly borne; that I mourn with deep sorrow for the brave men who have fallen for their country; and that I have felt proud of that valour, which with their gallant allies, they have displayed in the field. I thank God that your dangers are over whilst the glory of your deeds remains; but I know that should your services be again required, you will be animated by the same devotion which in the Crimea has rendered you invincible.’
And on the 16th the 2nd Battalion was reviewed by Her Majesty, when the 1st Battalion was also present. The appearance of the Riflemen, all of whom wore the Crimean Medal, with three or four clasps, many the Kaffir Medal, and some the Sardinian and other decorations, specially attracted attention.
The two Battalions were again reviewed by Her Majesty on July 30.
By letter from the War Office, dated August 11, the strength of the 1st Battalion was reduced from 109 sergeants, 41 buglers, and 2,000 rank and file, to 57 sergeants, 25 buglers, and 1,000 rank and file. A similar reduction took place in the 2nd Battalion.
On April 1, 1855, a 3rd Battalion was, a second time, added to the Regiment. They were formed at Haslar barracks, under Lieutenant-Colonel Bradford, by transfers from the Depôts of the 1st and 2nd Battalions; but as he very shortly afterwards exchanged with Colonel Hill,[267] to the Royal Canadian Rifle Regiment, Lieutenant-Colonel Horsford assumed the command and in fact made this new Battalion. They were inspected on June 25 by Major-General Breton, their strength then being 29 officers and 590 men.
On August 3 they moved by rail to Aldershot. And soon after 240 volunteers were received from the 1st Middlesex, 1st Surrey, and East Warwick, and on October 11, 180 volunteers from the Royal Elthorne, Militia regiments. On the 22nd the Battalion was inspected by Major-General Knollys, when its strength had increased to 39 officers and 947 men. During the early part of 1856, volunteers continued to be received from several Militia regiments; and on June 9 the Battalion proceeded to Portsmouth, where, on their inspection by Major-General Breton, the strength of the Battalion had increased to 41 officers and 1,165 men.
On August 3 the Battalion was divided into Service and Depôt companies; the former returned to Aldershot, and the latter (two companies) proceeded to Winchester.
On September 30, in consequence of reductions, 170 men of the 1st and 2nd Battalions were transferred to the 3rd.
But on October 8 the establishment of the Battalion was reduced to 1,000 rank and file.
The 1st Battalion remained at Aldershot till July 27, 1857, when they proceeded by rail to Edinburgh, where they arrived on the 28th and occupied quarters in the Castle; one company (Brevet-Major Oxenden’s) being detached to Greenlaw. This detachment was relieved monthly.
The following Brigade Order was issued by Major-General the Hon. A. A. Spencer on the Battalion leaving Aldershot:
‘Major-General Spencer takes leave of Lieutenant-Colonel Somerset, the officers, non-commissioned officers and men of the 1st Battalion Rifle Brigade on their departure for Edinburgh, with much regret.
‘It is now upwards of two years since he became acquainted and connected with the Battalion in the 4th Division before Sebastopol, during which time he has had opportunities of judging of their soldierlike qualities and habits of discipline.
‘The greatest proofs of these are the success which always attended their separate important undertakings against the enemy, and also their speedy recovery from the effects of hardships they, as well as every other regiment in that army, experienced in the winters of 1854–5.
‘The Major-General now bids them farewell, and trusts it may be his good fortune to meet them again in his military career.’
On August 5 a serious fire broke out in the old town of Edinburgh, which the Battalion succeeded with great exertions in extinguishing. Their conduct on this occasion elicited the following letter to Lieutenant-Colonel Somerset from the Lord Provost:
‘Edinburgh, August 11, 1857.
‘Sir,—I have the honour to convey a resolution unanimously adopted by the magistrates and town council of this city at their meeting to-day, to express their warm and cordial thanks to the officers and men of your regiment for the valuable and effective aid rendered by you in extinguishing the late fire and preserving order.
‘(Signed) John Melvill, Lord Provost.
‘Lieutenant-Colonel Somerset, C.B., Rifle Brigade.’
During the time the Battalion was at Edinburgh the men received the short Enfield and resumed the armament of the sword bayonet, as of old.
Riots of the mill-hands being apprehended, three companies of the Battalion were hurriedly moved by rail to Glasgow on November 11 in aid of the Civil power; and these were reinforced by an additional company on December 1.
A few days afterwards the Head-quarters and remaining companies of the Battalion followed them to Glasgow, arriving there on the 10th and detaching two companies to Ayr.
The 2nd Battalion remained at Aldershot until June, on the 26th of which month they proceeded to London. And were present at the first distribution of the Victoria Cross by Her Majesty Queen Victoria. On which occasion the following officers and men of the Regiment received the cross from the hands of Her Majesty:
Brevet-Major the Hon. H. Clifford.
Brevet-Major C. T. Bourchier.
Captain William J. Cunninghame.
Lieutenant John Knox.
Private Francis Wheatley.
Private Joseph Bradshaw.
Private Roderic MacGregor.
Private John Humpston.
After taking part in the review which followed this ceremony, the Battalion proceeded the same evening to Liverpool, where they embarked the following day for Dublin. And on their arrival there Head-quarters and five companies occupied Beggar’s-bush barracks, and the other three companies Linen-hall barracks.
A letter was issued from the War Office, dated September 22, 1857, by which a 4th Battalion was directed to be added to the Regiment. This Battalion was therefore immediately formed at Winchester under Lieutenant-Colonel Elrington, who was promoted from Senior Major on September 1.
Recruiting at once commenced, and transfers were received from the 1st and 2nd Battalions, and from some other regiments, so that by the end of the year the Battalion had attained a strength of 28 sergeants, 10 corporals, 15 buglers and 413 privates.
They proceeded by rail on December 15 from Winchester to Chichester.
[218] An engraving of this camp of the 1st Battalion will be found in the ‘Illustrated London News,’ vol. xxv. p. 320.
[219] Lieutenant-General Sir Arthur J. Lawrence, K.C.B.
[220] Being a total of 33 officers, and 959 of inferior ranks. With these numbers the ‘Medical History,’ i. 452, nearly agrees: it enumerates 32 officers and 961 of inferior ranks.
[221] Colonel Newdigate, Commanding Rifle Depôt.
[222] During the months of July and August, while the Battalion was in Bulgaria, it lost thirty men from cholera. ‘Medical and Surgical History of the British Army,’ ii. 50.
[223] Major-General Elrington, C.B.
[224] Colonel Fyers, C.B. (retired).
[225] Colonel the Hon. W. J. Colville.
[226] Major-General Norcott, C.B.
[227] Kinglake, vol. ii. 187.
[228] Major-General W. H. Bradford.
[229] Sir Arthur Lawrence’s letters, and information from Colonel Fyers.
[230] Record of 1st Battalion, and see p. 309. But Surgeon Bowen, in the ‘Medical and Surgical History of the British Army,’ states the total loss from cholera during the month to be thirteen, and that all, with one exception, occurred on the line of march.
[231] An engraving of ‘Riflemen in the Trenches’ is in the ‘Illustrated London News,’ vol. xxv. p. 573.
[232] Wheatley entered my service as lodge-keeper at Bramshill Park on his discharge, and died May 21, 1865.
[233] ‘Letters from Head-Quarters by a Staff Officer,’ [Colonel the Hon. S. Calthorpe], p. 101.
[234] Hannan was one of a hundred men given by the 1st to the 2nd Battalion, before they embarked for the Crimea. He had been noted for his daring in the Kaffir War. He and Ferguson were fellow-countrymen, both being from the north of Ireland.
[235] ‘Illustrated London News,’ vol. xxv. p. 466. The newspaper writer who records this, while doubting the accuracy of the estimate of the number of the enemy killed on the 19th, states this fact of the four Riflemen as ‘certain.’
[236] Ibid. vol. xxv. p. 487.
[237] Captain Markham retired (from the Coldstream Guards) December 23, 1858.
[238] Nine men of the 1st Battalion were wounded in the trenches during the month of October, of whom two died almost immediately, and one underwent amputation of the left thigh; and of the 2nd Battalion four men were killed in the trenches, and an officer and twenty-five men were wounded; of these five died.
[239] For this distinguished service Captain Elrington was recommended for the Victoria Cross; but Sir George Brown demurred to forward the recommendation, on the ground that the 2nd Battalion had not been engaged in the battle of Inkerman! The fact being that three companies were there, and suffered the casualties hereafter noted.
[240] Kinglake, vol. v. p. 298, quoting a letter from Lieutenant Bramston, Rifle Brigade.
[241] Lieutenant-Colonel John Brett, retired full-pay.
[242] Captain William Higgins, Quartermaster, half-pay.
[243] Major Coote Buller died April 5, 1868.
[244] Major G. R. Noseley, Paymaster, half-pay.
[245] ‘Malcolm was shot through the head; a finer and more gallant young fellow never lived.... There is not an officer in the Regiment who does not sincerely regret him.’—Ross’s Letter, November 7, 1854.
[246] Colonel Claude T. Bourchier, V.C., Aide-de-Camp to the Queen.
[247] Major Sir William J. M. Cuninghame, Bart., V.C., M.P., retired.
[248] I am indebted to Marshal Canrobert for a copy of this order, which conferred so unusual and marked a distinction on the Regiment. In the letter which accompanied the transcript the Marshal expresses his appreciation of ‘la magnifique conduite du détachment de la Rifle Brigade commandé par le Capitaine Tryon.’
[249] 105 men were employed on other duties connected with the service of the army.
[250] In order to show the state to which the Battalion was reduced by sickness and losses in the field, I may quote the Duty State of Woodford’s company on January 19, 1855, which I owe to the kindness of the Hon. and Rev. George B. Legge. By this it appears that the company which left England six months before with a strength of about 100 men, had then present and nominally fit for duty just one sergeant and eight men. Of these some were in an exhausted and hardly efficient condition. Four non-commissioned officers and 25 privates were returned as ‘in or attending hospital,’ and 6 non-commissioned officers, 1 bugler and 42 privates were at Balaklava or Scutari, wounded or sick.
The ‘Medical and Surgical History’ states that during the month of November 2 officers and 29 men of the 1st Battalion were killed in action or in the trenches; and 3 officers and 131 men were wounded, of whom 13 died.
And that in the 2nd Battalion, 13 men were killed, and 1 officer and 33 men were wounded, of whom three suffered amputation.
[251] Lieutenant-Colonel C. H. S. Churchill.
[252] Lieutenant-Colonel E. W. Blackett, half-pay.
[253] ‘Letters from Head-quarters by a Staff Officer,’ 191, 3rd edition.
[254] During this month eight men of this Battalion were wounded in the trenches, and one man, wounded in December, died of his wounds.
[255] Lieutenant-Colonel the Honourable Augustus H. A. Anson, V.C., retired.
[256] In the official notification of the grant of the Victoria Cross, MacGregor is said to have performed this act of valour ‘in the month of July;’ but I have been repeatedly assured by Bradshaw that he, Humpston and MacGregor were together, and won their crosses on this occasion.
[257] Lieutenant-Colonel the Hon. James Stuart, died April 11, 1870.
[258] Captain Saunders (retired) died May 28, 1863.
[259] Lieutenant-Colonel Fitzroy Fremantle, Coldstream Guards.
[260] One officer and 30 men of the 2nd Battalion were killed in action; and 4 officers and 125 men wounded during the month of June. Of these 12 cases proved fatal.
[261] Three privates of the 2nd Battalion are returned in the ‘Gazette’ as killed and 13 wounded on July 3.
[262] For his conduct on this occasion Fyers recommended Sergeant Kemp for the Victoria Cross, but he did not receive it.
[263] Three men of the 2nd Battalion were killed, and 43 wounded during the month of July, of these 6 terminated fatally. And 4 men, wounded in June, died in this month. Fourteen men of the 1st Battalion were wounded in the trenches in August, 2 of whom died. And 2 men of the 2nd Battalion were killed, and more than 80 wounded, 6 of whom died.
[264] Major Walter Francis Balfour, retired March 10, 1857.
[265] Nineteen men of the 1st Battalion were wounded in action in September, of whom 2 died. One of these (William Hardinge) was so much injured about the head and face by the bursting of a shell (on September 5) that he died of lock-jaw on the 11th. And 25 men of the 2nd Battalion were killed, and 7 officers and 181 men were wounded in action, of whom 15 died of their wounds.
[266] ‘Illustrated London News,’ xxvii. p. 394. A ‘Memoir of Captain M. M. Hammond’ was published in 1858.
[267] Major-General Percy Hill, C.B.