A Soldier's Experience; or, A Voice from the Ranks: Showing the Cost of War in Blood and Treasure. A Personal Narrative of the Crimean Campaign, from the Standpoint of the Ranks; the Indian Mutiny, and Some of its Atrocities; the Afghan Campaigns of 1863 — John Shaqi
A Soldier's Experience; or, A Voice from the Ranks: Showing the Cost of War in Blood and Treasure. A Personal Narrative of the Crimean Campaign, from the Standpoint of the Ranks; the Indian Mutiny, and Some of its Atrocities; the Afghan Campaigns of 1863Gowing, T. (Timothy)
History
A Soldier's Experience; or, A Voice from the Ranks: Showing the Cost of War in Blood and Treasure. A Personal Narrative of the Crimean Campaign, from the Standpoint of the Ranks; the Indian Mutiny, and Some of its Atrocities; the Afghan Campaigns of 1863
Gowing, T. (Timothy)
Crimean War, 1853-1856 -- Personal narratives
It began to get a little exciting in the afternoon. In front of us was a
handful of cavalry--a part of the 11th Hussars; and presently a battery
of Horse Artillery dashed off at a break-neck pace and began pounding
away at something we could not see. We saw that day the first wounded
man on our side--a corporal of the 11th Hussars; his leg was nearly off.
We soon got accustomed to such sights, passed on, and took no notice. As
we topped the rising ground we could see the enemy retiring; our Cavalry
were still in front, feeling the way--as they advanced the Cossacks kept
slowly retiring. We still advanced until it began to get dark, when
strong picquets were thrown out--we collected what we could to make our
bivouac fires, for we still had no tents. Some of our poor fellows died
that night sitting round the scanty fires, or wrapped in their cloaks. I
shall ever remember that night as long as I live. We sat talking for
some little time of our homes and friends far away. My comrade had just
had about an hour's sleep; when on waking he told me he had a
presentiment that he should fall in the first action. I tried to cheer
him up and drive such nonsense out of his head. I thought he was not
well, and he replied that he was very ill, but should be out of all pain
before to-morrow's sun set; however, he was determined to do his duty,
let the consequence be what it might, adding, "May the dear Lord give me
strength to do my duty for my Queen and Country, for I could not, my
boy," grasping my hand, "bear the thought of being branded as a coward."
Still retaining a firm manly grip he continued, "for God has washed all
my sins away in Jesus' blood. Come," he continued, "let's walk about a
little; I am getting cold." Afterwards, getting hold of my arm, he
stopped, looked me full in the face, and twice repeated the solemn
words, "Eternity, Eternity, know and seek the Lord while he may be
found, call upon Him while He is near, for you cannot tell what
to-morrow will bring forth, and it may be too late then." Then he
repeated parts of hymns, which I had often heard sung when a boy. I can
safely say he was one who was ready for anything--life or death. As he
had said, "his life was hid with Christ in God." We pledged that we
would do all that we could for each other in life or in death; I little
thought that his end was so near.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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