Chapter XXVIII: Larry Wins Distinction

Larry O’Callaghan ventured to reply, ‘Plase, yer honour--I mane me lordship--we’re lookin’ for the artillery.’

‘By whose orders?’

‘The colonel’s, yer honour.’

‘Explain this. Where is your regiment?’

‘Comin’ on, me lord. There’s a convoy of Rooshians ahead, an’ we’re goin’ to cut ’em to pieces, an’----

‘I know all about the convoy. Ride off to your regiments as hard as you can and guide them here. I will hear your explanations later.--Captain Wilson, gallop back and fetch up my escort of Hussars.’

Without waiting for another word, the trumpeters turned their horses’ heads and re-entered the forest.

‘His lordship’s in a rage,’ said Jack, as he and Larry went back as hard as they could towards the cavalry column.

‘An’ our officers’ll get a rap over the knuckles for this, I’m thinkin’,’ said Larry.

‘We’ll hurry ’em up,’ said Jack, and seizing his bugle he sounded his regimental call several times.

Larry sounded as well, and soon an answering call showed their comrades were near. Presently Lord Cardigan and a group of officers, Lancers and Hussars, came in sight.

‘This way, colonel,’ said Larry; ‘Lord Raglan’s in a tearin’ rage,’ and, turning his horse, he led the way.

They entered the lane, and in single file (for the way was not wide enough to admit of more) they galloped on.

They came up with Lord Raglan. ‘You’re late, my lord,’ he said coldly to Lord Cardigan. ‘Come on;’ and he and his staff galloped on with the group.

They soon came to the end of the lane, and then formed themselves on the highroad, down which they went. There, a little distance along, they saw the amazed Russians who were escorting the convoy.

The little party of officers and the two trumpeters, drawing their swords, galloped forward. A score of Cossack infantrymen formed together and fired a volley; but the bullets flew high, and in another moment the cavalry were among them, cutting them down. The drivers whipped up their horses and tried to escape, but Lord Raglan’s escort and straggling Lancers and Hussars came galloping down the road.

The leading guns of Captain Maude’s battery had also emerged from the lane, unlimbered, and opened fire on the head of the column, which had the effect of stopping the flight. The infantrymen flung down their arms and surrendered, the mounted men fled, and in five minutes the convoy was in the hands of the English. The battalion of Rifles came up, and a few volleys accelerated the retreat of the Russians, who seemed only too glad to get off with their lives without troubling about their property.

The spoil of the captured wagons was given over to the soldiers, and a wild scene of plunder took place. The carts were unloaded and the contents tumbled out on to the road. Boxes were broken open, cases smashed, portmanteaus slashed up, and an immense quantity of clothing belonging to the officers of the Saxe-Weimar Hussars was found. Amongst the spoil were shirts, boots, dressing-cases, valuables, an enormous number of fine blue cloth silver-laced jackets and some fur-lined coats; also many cases of preserved meats and fruits, champagne, spirits; a military chest containing some thousands of roubles; and an immense quantity of ammunition.

Lancers, Hussars, Dragoons, artillerymen, Rifles, all were busy. Some secured valuable watches, others articles of attire, some were eating and drinking, and altogether it was a wonderful sight; the men as they came out of the woods on to the road eagerly rushing up for their share of the spoil.

Jack at first stood aloof; but an artilleryman handing him a bottle of champagne, he knocked off the neck with his sword, and calling to Larry, who was enjoying himself immensely, said, ‘Here, Larry, I’ll pay you that drink I lost; we shall never get tipple like this in the canteen.’

‘Shure, Jack, you’re the bhoy for me,’ cried Larry, staggering up under a load of fine linen shirts.

Just then Sergeant Linham and Will came by, and joined Jack and Larry.

The champagne finished, the sergeant went to work, and did not desist till he had secured a good bundle of spoil, amongst which was a magnificent gold watch.

Jack gave a man of the Rifles half-a-sovereign for a splendid fur-lined coat and pair of high boots, and later on he picked up a Hussar officer’s jacket which had been thrown down in the road. The latter he gave to Larry for a couple of shirts which he sadly needed, and then he sat down to watch the fun. In an hour’s time nothing was left of the booty except broken boxes and empty hampers.

While they were still halting a staff-officer came riding along, and seeing a number of the 8th Hussars, asked a man if he knew which was the trumpeter who had ridden up to Lord Raglan in the lane. Larry was pointed out to him, when he said, ‘There was a trumpeter of the 17th with you. I want him too.’

‘Come on, Jack,’ said Larry dolefully; ‘we’re in for it. I thought this bit of luck was too good to last.’

The two trumpeters, feeling horribly nervous and guilty, marched behind the staff-officer up towards Mackenzie’s Farm, where Lord Raglan was. They found the old Peninsular veteran smiling graciously as he talked to a number of officers, among whom were Larry’s colonel and Lord Cardigan.

Jack and Larry saluted, when Lord Raglan said to the latter in his kind tones, ‘Colonel Powell tells me it was you who first discovered the Russian convoy.’

‘Shure, yer lordship, it was as much Jack Blair here, of the 17th, as me.’

‘Tell us the circumstances,’ said Lord Raglan; and Larry, in a rich brogue and in a fashion which made several officers hide their mouths behind their hands, gave an account of their proceedings.

Lord Raglan did not smile; but when Larry had finished he said, ‘How long have you been in the service, O’Callaghan?’

‘Four years, me lord, and me father was trumpet-major of the 8th before me, and his father sarved in the Peninsula under the Iron Dook.’

At mention of the great Duke Lord Raglan’s face lighted up.

‘O’Callaghan,’ he said, ‘you have rendered an important service. By chance I had myself discovered the convoy; but through the cavalry having gone astray I might not have been able to capture it had they not, thanks to you, been coming this way towards the guns. Colonel Powell gives you an excellent character, and at my suggestion he has promoted you to the rank of sergeant. You will be appointed his orderly trumpeter.’ Then, turning to Jack, he said, ‘Of you, Blair, I have heard before. You are the same who gallantly rescued a comrade in the affair on the Bulganak, are you not?’

‘I did my best for him, my lord.’

‘You succeeded, for I have heard from your regimental doctor that he is doing well. I shall not forget you. Now you may both go.’

The delighted trumpeters rejoined their comrades, and their news was received with great satisfaction, for both were deservedly popular in their regiments.

‘A sargint,’ cried Larry to Jack, ‘an’ orderly to the colonel! Faix, the ould dad’ll burst hisself wid joy.’

The march was soon continued, the men being in most excellent spirits. Later on in the day they passed Sebastopol, which they saw on their right. None who then gazed on the fortifications ever dreamed of the many, many weary months that would elapse, of the untold sufferings they would have to endure, of the titanic struggle that would take place on the very plain they were then crossing, or of the thousands of lives that would be lost ere the British flag waved over that grim fortress. The troops made a tremendous march; never halting till, after sunset, they reached the little hamlet of Tractir on the Tchernaya, where they halted for the night.

The next morning the march was resumed, and, crossing the Tchernaya, the column, led by Lord Raglan, descended into the plain. They marched on, with only one trifling hindrance from an old castle which stood on the heights, mounting a few old guns. The place was summoned, and at once surrendered, when the troops took possession of it, and then marched at once upon Balaclava.

The thunder from guns in the little harbour announced the fact that the fleet had arrived, and the water was soon covered with British boats as the town was filled with British soldiers. The cavalry were encamped outside the town, the infantry being accommodated in and around the place.

All that day and the next stragglers kept coming in, till General Cathcart arriving safely with the rear-guard completed the success of the famous ‘flank march.’