Chapter I: Front Matter

THE BOOK OF THE V.C.

_BY THE SAME AUTHOR_

WITH PIZARRO THE CONQUISTADOR
CANADA: BRITAIN’S LARGEST COLONY
THE EMPIRE ELOCUTIONIST
STORIES OF KING ARTHUR

HE OVERTOOK THE PAIR JUST AS THEY WERE ABOUT TO SEEK REFUGE IN A VILLAGE, AND ENGAGED THEM BOTH AT ONCE.--_Frontispiece._--_See p. 75._]

THE BOOK
OF THE
V.C.

_A Record of the Deeds of Heroism for which
the Victoria Cross has been bestowed, from
its Institution in 1857, to the Present Time_

COMPILED FROM OFFICIAL PAPERS AND
OTHER AUTHENTIC SOURCES

BY
A. L. HAYDON
AUTHOR OF “WITH PIZARRO THE CONQUISTADOR” ETC. ETC.

_WITH TEN ILLUSTRATIONS_

NEW YORK: E. P. DUTTON & COMPANY
31 WEST TWENTY-THIRD STREET. 1907

TO MY SON
ARTHUR CECIL HILLYARD

(“MAC”)

CONTENTS.

CHAP. PAGE

I. THE ORIGIN OF THE VICTORIA CROSS AND THE FIRST
PRESENTATION 1

II. THE CRIMEA.--THE BATTLE OF THE ALMA 9

III. THE CRIMEA.--IN THE BALACLAVA CHARGES 16

IV. THE CRIMEA.--THE HEROES OF INKERMAN 27

V. THE CRIMEA.--WITH THE SAPPERS AND MINERS.--IN
TRENCH AND RIFLE-PIT 34

VI. THE CRIMEAN CROSSES OF THE NAVY 45

VII. PERSIA.--HOW THE SQUARE WAS BROKEN 57

VIII. INDIA.--THE GALLANT NINE AT DELHI 61

IX. INDIA.--WITH SABRE AND GUN AGAINST SEPOY 69

X. INDIA.--THE BLOWING UP OF THE CASHMERE GATE 78

XI. INDIA.--THE STORY OF KOLAPORE KERR 84

XII. INDIA.--THE DEFENCE OF THE DHOOLIES 92

XIII. INDIA.--THREE BRAVE CIVILIANS: MANGLES,
McDONELL, AND “LUCKNOW” KAVANAGH 102

XIV. INDIA.--SOME OTHER CROSSES OF THE MUTINY 112

XV. IN THE SIXTIES.--CHINA, JAPAN, INDIA, WEST AFRICA,
AND CANADA 124

XVI. NEW ZEALAND.--FIGHTING THE MAORIS 133

XVII. IN ASHANTI BUSH AND MALAY JUNGLE 142

XVIII. HOW SOME AFGHAN CROSSES WERE WON 150

XIX. MAIWAND.--A GUNNER’S STORY 161

XX. ZULULAND.--THE DASH WITH THE COLOURS FROM ISANDHLANA 168

XXI. ZULULAND.--HOW THEY HELD THE POST AT RORKE’S DRIFT 178

XXII. SOME OTHER ZULU AND SOME OTHER BASUTO CROSSES 189

XXIII. SOUTH AFRICA.--AGAINST BOERS AND MATABELE 198

XXIV. IN EGYPT AND THE SOUDAN 207

XXV. V.C. HEROES OF THE INDIAN FRONTIER 216

XXVI. HOW SURGEON-CAPTAIN WHITCHURCH WON FAME 223

XXVII. WHEN THE AFRIDIS WERE UP 229

XXVIII. SOUTH AFRICA.--THE V.C.’S OF THE SECOND BOER WAR 239

XXIX. SOMALILAND--NIGERIA--TIBET 253

APPENDICES 263-294