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
Long before this reaches you, you will have seen the account
of our glorious battle of the 5th (yesterday). It was a
terrible fight. I was in the trenches when it commenced. We
had a shy at them there, and sent them back much quicker
than they came out. A number of us then marched on to the
field of Inkermann. The fight was raging when we got there;
and the fog was so dense that we could not see what we were
doing, or where to go. Our poor fellows soon began to drop.
We were wet through to the skin, and as hungry as hunters.
We were ordered to the Five-Gun Battery, to support our
comrades. Sir Thomas Troubridge was in command, and it took
all our time to hold our own. What a gunpowder plot! but,
above all, what a Sunday! I thought, dear father--I thought
of you, and what you were most likely doing. It's no use my
trying to hide or cloak matters up--you will see this is not
my handwriting--they have managed to hit me at last; but you
must not be alarmed; I am not half so badly hit as some of
my poor comrades are, so keep up your spirits. I am in good
hopes of getting over this; and, if it should please the
Lord to spare me, to be a comfort to you in your declining
days. Do not answer this, as a number of us are to be sent
down to Scutari. Will write as soon as I can. Do, dear
parents, try and keep your spirits up; and I know you will
not forget me at the Throne of Grace. I will try and give
you, at some future day, a full account, as far as I could
see, and from what I can find out from my comrades. Will
write as soon as I can. Cheer up! I'll warm them up for
this, if ever I get a chance. My kind love to poor mother,
brothers, and sisters.
Believe me, dear Father,
Your affectionate son,
T. GOWING,
Sergeant, Royal Fusiliers.
The following is a copy of a letter addressed to Field-Marshal Lord
Raglan, by command of Her Most Gracious Majesty, on receipt of the news
of the victory at Inkermann:--
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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