Chapter I: Front Matter

FROM MIDSHIPMAN TO
FIELD MARSHAL

_1906._]

FROM MIDSHIPMAN TO
FIELD MARSHAL

BY

EVELYN WOOD, F.M., D.C.L.
V.C., G.C.B., G.C.M.G.

WITH TWENTY-NINE ILLUSTRATIONS AND MAPS

FIFTH AND CHEAPER EDITION

METHUEN & CO.
36 ESSEX STREET W.C.
LONDON

_First Published_ (_in Two Volumes_) _October 1906_
_Second, Third, and Fourth Editions_ _October 1906_
_Fifth Edition_ (_in One Volume_) _November 1907_

TO

MY COMRADES

PAST AND PRESENT

OF ALL RANKS IN BOTH SERVICES

I DEDICATE

THIS STORY OF MY LIFE

CONTENTS

CHAP. PAGE

RECORD OF APPOINTMENTS, STAFF APPOINTMENTS, AND WAR
SERVICES, EXTRACTED FROM THE OFFICIAL LIST xi

I. INTRODUCTION 1

II. 1852--H.M.S. _QUEEN_, 116 GUNS 8

III. 1853–4--LIFE ON BOARD A MAN-OF-WAR 16

IV. 1854--INVASION OF THE CRIMEA 28

V. 1854--THE SIEGE OF SEVASTOPOL 45

VI. 1854–5--A NAKED AND STARVING ARMY 57

VII. 1855--SIEGE OF SEVASTOPOL 69

VIII. 1855--ASSAULT OF THE REDAN 82

IX. 1855--ASSAULT OF THE REDAN--_continued_ 92

X. 1856–7--13TH LIGHT DRAGOONS 106

XI. 1858--CENTRAL INDIA 118

XII. 1858--SINDWAHA 131

XIII. 1858–9--A PURSUIT 144

XIV. 1859--THE END OF THE MUTINY 154

XV. 1859--BEATSON’S HORSE 164

XVI. 1859–60--THE SIRONJ JUNGLES 176

XVII. 1860--CENTRAL INDIA HORSE 189

XVIII. 1861–2–3--THE STAFF COLLEGE 202

XIX. 1865–7--“ON THE STAFF” 218

XX. 1867–71--ALDERSHOT 230

XXI. 1871–2–3--90TH LIGHT INFANTRY 247

XXII. 1873--ASHANTI 257

XXIII. 1873–4--AT THE HEAD OF THE ROAD IN ASHANTI 269

XXIV. 1874–8--ALDERSHOT: SOUTH AFRICA 287

XXV. 1878--THE GAIKAS AND PERIE BUSH 304

XXVI. 1878--FROM KING WILLIAM’S TOWN TO UTRECHT 322

XXVII. 1878--PREPARATIONS FOR WAR 334

XXVIII. CHRISTMAS 1878--THE INVASION OF ZULULAND 344

XXIX. 1879--IN ZULULAND 357

XXX. 1879--THE INHLOBANE, 28TH MARCH 368

XXXI. 1879--KAMBULA, 29TH MARCH 377

XXXII. 1879--THE PRINCE IMPERIAL 390

XXXIII. 1879--ULUNDI 399

XXXIV. 1879--COMPLIMENTARY HONOURS 408

XXXV. 1880--H.I.M. THE EMPRESS EUGÉNIE 417

XXXVI. 1881--THE LAND OF MISUNDERSTANDINGS 425

XXXVII. 1881--AFTER MAJUBA 434

XXXVIII. 1881--A ROYAL COMMISSION 446

XXXIX. 1881--MARITZBURG 458

XL. 1882--CHATHAM AND ALEXANDRIA 466

XLI. 1883--SIRDAR 475

XLII. 1884–5--THE SUDAN 489

XLIII. 1885–6–7–8--COLCHESTER DISTRICT 502

XLIV. 1889--ALDERSHOT 513

XLV. 1889–90--REFORMS AT ALDERSHOT 525

XLVI. 1891–2–3--TRAINING OF TROOPS ON PRIVATE LANDS 537

XLVII. 1893–6--QUARTERMASTER-GENERAL 547

XLVIII. 1897–90--ADJUTANT-GENERAL 559

XLIX. ADJUTANT-GENERAL--_continued_ 571

L. 1901–2–3--SECOND ARMY CORPS DISTRICT 582

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS AND MAPS

PAGE

EVELYN WOOD, F.M. _Frontispiece_
Painted for the Fishmongers’ Company by W. OULESS, R.A., 1906

H.M.S. _QUEEN_, IN PLYMOUTH SOUND, 1852 8

MR. E. WOOD, R.N., 1852 14
From a Painting by LADY WOOD

THE BLACK SEA 26

THE CRIMEA, SOUTH-WESTERN PART 34

THE UPLAND 44

MARCHING ORDER, JULY 1854 60

ON THE MARCH, SEPTEMBER 1854 60

THE TRENCHES, JANUARY 1855 60

APRIL 1855 60

PLAN OF THE SIEGE OF SEVASTOPOL 90

CORNET WOOD 100

RISALDAR MAJOR DHOKUL SINGH BAHADUR 138

AN EPISODE AT SINDWAHA 140

SINDWAHA 142

SINDHARA 188

CENTRAL INDIA 200

VAGABOND 220

MAJOR WOOD’S QUARTERS, ALDERSHOT, 1869–71 246

THE DEATH OF ARTHUR EYRE 280

THE ASHANTI CAMPAIGN 286

COLONEL WOOD’S QUARTERS, 1876–77 292

THE GAIKA REBELLION 302

THE PERIE BUSH 322

BURIAL OF RONALD CAMPBELL AND LLEWELYN LLOYD UNDER FIRE 371

INHLOBANE MOUNTAIN 376

KAMBULA HILL 388

NATAL AND PART OF ZULULAND 464
This illustrates Campaigns in 1879, 1880, 1881

THE SUDAN 500

NOTE.--The Maps are in most cases placed at the end of the chapter,
or chapters, which they are intended to illustrate.

FIELD MARSHAL SIR EVELYN WOOD V.C., G.C.B., G.C.M.G., D.C.L., P.S.C., BARRISTER-AT-LAW

RECORD OF APPOINTMENTS, STAFF APPOINTMENTS, AND WAR SERVICES EXTRACTED FROM THE OFFICIAL LIST

APPOINTMENTS

ROYAL NAVY, from 15th April 1852 to 6th September 1855.
CORNET, 13TH LIGHT DRAGOONS, 7th September 1855.
LIEUTENANT, 13TH LIGHT DRAGOONS, 1st February 1856.
LIEUTENANT, 17TH LANCERS, 9th October 1857.
CAPTAIN, 17TH LANCERS, 16th April 1861.
BREVET-MAJOR, 17TH LANCERS, 19th August 1862.
BREVET-MAJOR, 73RD FOOT, 21st October 1862.
BREVET-MAJOR, 17TH FOOT, 10th November 1865.
MAJOR, unattached, 22nd June 1870.
MAJOR, 90TH LIGHT INFANTRY, 28th October 1871.
BREVET-LIEUTENANT-COLONEL, 19th January 1873.
BREVET-COLONEL, 1st April 1874.
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL, 90TH LIGHT INFANTRY, 13th November 1878.
Half-Pay, 15th December 1879.
MAJOR-GENERAL, 12th August 1881.
LIEUTENANT-GENERAL, 1st April 1890.
GENERAL, 26th March 1895.
FIELD MARSHAL, 8th April 1903.

STAFF APPOINTMENTS

NAVAL BRIGADE, ACTING AIDE-DE-CAMP, 1st January to 29th June 1855.

BRIGADE-MAJOR TO FLYING COLUMN, CENTRAL INDIA, 1st November 1858 to
15th April 1859.

AIDE-DE-CAMP IN DUBLIN, 22nd January 1865 to 31st March 1865.

BRIGADE-MAJOR, ALDERSHOT, 31st July 1866 to 13th November 1868.

DEPUTY-ASSISTANT ADJUTANT-GENERAL, ALDERSHOT, 14th November 1868 to
25th November 1871.

SPECIAL SERVICE, GOLD COAST, 12th September 1873 to 25th March 1874.

SUPERINTENDING OFFICER OF GARRISON INSTRUCTION, 10th September 1874
to 27th March 1876.

ASSISTANT QUARTERMASTER-GENERAL AT ALDERSHOT, 28th March 1876 to
1st February 1878.

SPECIAL SERVICE, SOUTH AFRICA, 25th February 1878 to 2nd April 1879.

BRIGADIER-GENERAL, SOUTH AFRICA, 3rd April 1879 to 5th August 1879.

BRIGADIER-GENERAL AT BELFAST AND CHATHAM, 15th December 1879 to
14th January 1881.

LOCAL MAJOR-GENERAL IN SOUTH AFRICA, 15th January 1881 to 27th
February 1881.

MAJOR-GENERAL IN SOUTH AFRICA, 28th February 1881 to 16th February
1882.

BRIGADIER-GENERAL AT CHATHAM, 14th February to 3rd August 1882.

MAJOR-GENERAL IN EXPEDITIONARY FORCE, 4th August 1882 to 31st
October 1882.

BRIGADIER-GENERAL, CHATHAM, 1st November to 20th December 1882.

SIRDAR, EGYPTIAN ARMY, 21st December 1882 to 31st March 1885.

COMMANDED ON THE LINES OF COMMUNICATION ON THE NILE, 15th September
1884 to 14th June 1885.

MAJOR-GENERAL, EASTERN DISTRICT, 1st April 1886 to 31st December
1888.

LIEUTENANT-GENERAL, COMMANDING AT ALDERSHOT, 1st January 1889 to
8th October 1893.

QUARTERMASTER-GENERAL TO THE FORCES, 9th October 1893 to 30th
September 1897.

ADJUTANT-GENERAL TO THE FORCES, 1st October 1897 to 30th September
1901.

GENERAL, COMMANDING 2ND ARMY CORPS, LATER SOUTHERN COMMAND, 1st
October 1901 to 31st December 1904.

WAR SERVICES

WOOD, SIR (H.) E., V.C., G.C.B. (FIELD MARSHAL).--

CRIMEAN CAMPAIGN, 1854–5. Served in the Naval Brigade in the battle of Inkerman, and at the bombardments of Sevastopol, in October 1854, April and June 1855, including the assault on the Redan of 18th June (severely wounded). Despatches, _London Gazette_, 2nd and 4th July 1855. Medal, with two Clasps; Knight Legion of Honour; 5th Class, Medjidie; Turkish Medal.

INDIAN MUTINY, 1858–60. Served as Brigade-Major, Beatson’s Horse; commanded 1st Regiment of Beatson’s Horse; raised and commanded 2nd Regiment of Central India Horse; was present at the action of Rajghur, Sindwaha, Kurai, Barode, and Sindhara. Despatches, _London Gazette_, 24th March and 5th May 1859. Medal and Victoria Cross.

ASHANTI WAR, 1873–4. Raised and commanded Wood’s Regiment throughout the campaign; commanded the troops at the engagement of Essaman, Reconnaissance of 27th November 1873; commanded the Right column at the battle of Amoaful (slightly wounded), and was present at the action before Coomassie. Despatches, _London Gazette_, 18th and 25th November 1873; 6th, 7th, and 31st March 1874. Medal with Clasp. Brevet of Colonel; Companion of the Bath.

SOUTH AFRICAN WAR, 1878–9–81. Kafir Campaign, commanded a force in clearing the Buffalo Poort and Perie Bush, and at the attack on the Tutu Bush; at attack on Intaba Ka Udoda Bush, and in the operations on the Buffalo Range. Zulu Campaign, commanded a column at the actions at Zunguin Mountains, and Inhlobane (horse killed), Kambula, and at the battle of Ulundi. Despatches, _London Gazette_, 17th May, 11th and 18th June, 1878; and 21st February, 5th, 15th, 21st, 28th March, 4th, 14th, 21st April, 7th and 16th May, and 21st August, 1879. Medal with Clasp; Knight Commander of the Bath. Transvaal Campaign, conducted negotiations and concluded peace with the Boers. Promoted Major-General; Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George.

EGYPTIAN EXPEDITION, 1882. Commanded 4th Brigade, 2nd Division. Operations near Alexandria, and surrender of Kafr Dowar and Damietta. Despatches, _London Gazette_, November 1882. Thanked by both Houses of Parliament. Medal; Bronze Star; 2nd Class, Medjidie.

SUDAN EXPEDITION, 1884–5. Nile As Major-General on Lines of Communication. Despatches, _London Gazette_, 25th August 1885 Clasp.

GRAND CORDON OF THE MEDJIDIE, 1st Class, 1885.

KNIGHT GRAND CROSS OF THE MOST HONOURABLE ORDER OF THE BATH, 1901.

OTHER DISTINCTIONS

PASSED STAFF COLLEGE, 1864.

BARRISTER-AT-LAW, 1874.

HONORARY COLONEL, 2nd BATTALION ESSEX RIFLE VOLUNTEERS 1879; and
14th MIDDLESEX (INNS OF COURT), 1900.

JUSTICE OF THE PEACE, 1885.

DEPUTY-LIEUTENANT FOR THE COUNTY OF ESSEX, 1897.

GRAND CROSS IMPERIAL LEOPOLD ORDER, 1904.

D.C.L., 1907.

FROM MIDSHIPMAN TO FIELD MARSHAL