Chapter II (3)

Her Majesty has observed with the liveliest feeling of
gratification the manner in which the troops of her ally,
the Emperor of the French, came to the aid of the divisions
of the British Army engaged in this numerically unequal
contest. The Queen is deeply sensible of the cordial
co-operation of the French Commander-in-Chief, General
Canrobert, and the gallant conduct of that distinguished
officer, General Bosquet; and Her Majesty recognizes in the
cheers with which the men of both nations encouraged each
other in their united charge, proofs of the esteem and
admiration mutually engendered by the campaign and the deeds
of heroism it has produced.

The Queen desires that your lordship will receive her thanks
for your conduct throughout this noble and successful
struggle, and that you will take measures for making known
her no less warm approval of the services of all the
officers, non-commissioned officers, and men, who have so
gloriously won, by their blood freely shed, fresh honours
for the Army of a country which sympathises as deeply with
their privations and exertions as it glories in their
victories and exults in their fame. _Let not any private
soldier in those ranks believe that his conduct is unheeded.
The Queen thanks him. His country honours him._

Her Majesty will anxiously expect the further despatch in
which your lordship proposes to name those officers whose
services have been especially worthy of notice. In the
meantime I am commanded by Her Majesty to signify her
approbation of the admirable behaviour of Lieut.-General Sir
George Brown, and her regret that he has been wounded in the
action. Her Majesty has received with feelings of no
ordinary pleasure your lordship's report of the manner in
which Lieut.-General His Royal Highness the Duke of
Cambridge distinguished himself. That one of the illustrious
members of her royal house should be associated with the
toils and glories of such an Army is to the Queen a source
of great pride and congratulation.

To Major-General Bentinck, Major-General Codrington,
Brigadier-Generals Adams, Terrens, and Buller, your lordship
will be pleased to convey the Queen's sympathy in their
wounds, and thanks for their services. To the other
officers named by your lordship I am directed to express Her
Majesty's approbation. The gallant conduct of Lieut.-General
Sir de Lacy Evans has attracted the Queen's especial thanks.
Weak from a bed of sickness he rose at the sound of the
battle, not to claim his share in prominent command, but to
aid with his veteran counsel and assistance the junior
officer upon whom, in his absence, had devolved the duty of
leading his division.

Proud of the victory won by her brave army--grateful to
those who wear the laurels of this great conflict--the Queen
is painfully affected by the heavy loss which has been
incurred, and deeply sensible to what is owing to the dead.
Those illustrious men cannot indeed receive the thanks of
their sovereign, which have so often cheered the soldier in
his severest trials; but their blood has not been shed in
vain. Laid low in their grave of victory, their names will
be cherished for ever by a grateful country, and posterity
will look upon the list of officers who have fallen as a
proof of the ardent courage and zeal with which they pointed
out the path of honour to their no less willing followers.

The loss of Lieut.-General the Honourable Sir George
Cathcart is to the Queen and to her people a cause of sorrow
which even dims the triumph of this great occasion. His
loyalty, his patriotism, and self-devotion, were not less
conspicuous than his high military reputation. One of a
family of warriors, he was an honour to them and an ornament
to his profession. Arrived in his native land from a colony
to which he had succeeded in restoring peace and
contentment, he obeyed at a moment's notice the call of
duty, and he hastened to join that army in which the Queen
and his country fondly hoped he would have lived to win
increased renown.

The death of Brigadier-Generals Strangways and Goldie has
added to the sorrow which mingles in the rejoicing of this
memorable battle. The Queen sympathises in the loss
sustained by the families of her officers and soldiers, but
Her Majesty bids them reflect with her, and derive
consolation from the thought, that they fell in the sacred
cause of justice, and in the ranks of a noble army.

I have the honour to be, my lord,
Your lordship's obedient, humble servant,
NEWCASTLE.

To Field-Marshal Lord Raglan, K.C.B., and C.

As a further mark of Her Most Gracious Majesty's approbation of the heroic, matchless gallantry displayed on that memorable field, the following Royal Warrant was issued:--

The Queen has been pleased to command that, as a mark of Her
Majesty's recognition of the meritorious services of the
non-commissioned officers of the Army, under the command of
Field-Marshal Lord Raglan, in the recent brilliant
operations in the Crimea, the Field-Marshal shall submit,
through the General Commander-in-Chief, the name of one
Sergeant of each Regiment of Cavalry, of the three
Battalions of Foot Guards, and of every Regiment of Infantry
of the line, to be promoted to a cornetcy or ensigncy for
Her Majesty's approval; and, with the view to render
immediately available the services of these meritorious men,
Her Majesty has directed that the Field-Marshal do appoint
provisionally, and pending Her Majesty's pleasure, the
Sergeants so recommended to Regiments in the Army under his
command; and Her Majesty has further been graciously pleased
to signify her intention that, on the several
recommendations receiving Her Majesty's approval, the
commissions shall in each case bear date the 5th of
November, 1854.

* * * * *

For these are deeds which must not pass away,
Names that must not, cannot wither;
For through tracks of death they led the way
On the blood-stained heights of Inkermann.

A FEW WORDS ABOUT A NORFOLK HERO AT INKERMANN.

Of all the brave men who fought at Inkermann, none could surpass Sir Thomas Troubridge. It is but little use trying to pick out this or that regiment, for on that memorable field there were no supports or reserves; every man was in the fighting line, and it was "conquer or die." One in the thick of the fight could not see much, but I simply know that none could take the shine out of the old Fusiliers. And with such men as Colonel Lacy Yea, Sir Thomas Troubridge, Captain Shipley, Lord R. Brown, Mr. Jones, and a few others, our men would have gone through fire and water. Sir Thomas Troubridge was the admiration of all, for, though terribly wounded, he would not allow himself to be removed from the ground until victory had declared itself for the sons of Albion, but remained, with the bravest fortitude, encouraging his men to "fight it out." He would now and then call out, "Fire away, my lads; give them the steel if you get a chance; stick to them my men." It was a sergeant named Laws, (a Norwich man), who ran for a doctor to attend upon him; but his resolute spirit did not forsake him. No, he would rather die on the field, at his post with his Fusiliers, than be carried to a place of safety. And his noble conduct had a wonderful effect upon the men, for everyone would have died rather than forsake him--such a gallant soldier. At the Alma his conduct was the admiration of all who could see him, for he was often in front of us, encouraging us; but he escaped that fiery ordeal without a scratch, to fall, with both feet gone, on a more glorious field. Like a number of the bravest of the brave, he was a good living man, and was prepared for anything. He was as true as steel; an honest, upright, truthful, fearless, good man, gifted with a clear, comprehensive mind, and every inch a Fusilier.

_Note referred to at Page 41._

THE FIRST TO LAND IN THE CRIMEA.

I do not wish to be partial, but to give honour where honour is due. There have been doubts expressed as to which regiment landed first on the enemy's shore in the Crimea, on the 14th September, 1854. I will claim that honour for the 7th Royal Fusiliers; and, further, for that noble hero the late General (then Major) Sir Thomas St. Vincent Cochrane Troubridge, Bart. Sir Thomas sprang from a family of tried warriors, his father being right hand man to the immortal Nelson, at St. Vincent, the Nile, and Trafalgar. The following letter will, I hope, clear up all doubts as to who first landed.

Viceregal Lodge, Dublin,
April 17th, 1856.

My Dear Sir,

As doubts have been expressed as to which regiment landed
first in the Crimea, I therefore think it only an act of
justice to inform you that a company of the 7th Fusiliers,
under Major Sir T. Troubridge, was in my boat; and that the
only boat near us was one belonging to, I think, the
Sanspareil, and having Rifles on board. Sir G. Brown had
previously landed with Captain Dacres, R.N. I may say that
mine were the first troops landed in the Crimea. I write
this that you may do justice to a regiment that I have long
known, and that is second to none in the British Army.

I remain, my dear Sir,
Truly yours,
C. VESEY,
Com. R.N., and A.D.C.