Brave British soldiers and the Victoria Cross: a general account of the regiments and men of the British Army, and stories of the brave deeds which won the prize "for valour" — John Shaqi
Brave British soldiers and the Victoria Cross: a general account of the regiments and men of the British Army, and stories of the brave deeds which won the prize "for valour"
History
Brave British soldiers and the Victoria Cross: a general account of the regiments and men of the British Army, and stories of the brave deeds which won the prize "for valour"
Great Britain -- History, Military -- 19th century; Great Britain. Army -- Biography; Soldiers -- Great Britain -- Biography; Victoria Cross
Many small pledges of affection were found on the persons of our soldiers
who fell on the battle-fields of the Crimea. Sometimes a lock of hair, or
a photograph, or a last letter from home, or a small Bible or Testament,
was found concealed beneath the tunic of a dead soldier. Many of them
carried their Bibles with them to the field as a sort of talisman to
protect them from danger; and there is a well-authenticated case of one
soldier having had his life saved from the bullet, which would otherwise
have reached his heart, having lodged in his Bible. We should think that
book would become a precious relic in his family, ever to be prized,
never to be parted with, for it was literally the Word of Life to him.
Another was found with his right hand so firmly clenched that it was
difficult to open it. He had allowed the blood from his wound to flow
upon his hand, so that, on closing it, his fingers became, as it were,
cemented together. Inside the hand were found several sovereigns he had
saved from his pay with the intention of remitting them to his wife at
home. His last thought was, probably, of her, and her heart must have
been touched when she received the money he had saved for her with his
heart’s blood. Another man, who died of his wounds in hospital, had
recourse to a singular expedient to save his watch, which he wished to
be sent to his father in some remote country village. It was known that
he was possessed of a watch, and there was no small uneasiness among the
hospital orderlies when it could not be found after his death. Search
was made for it in vain, and suspicion naturally fell upon the orderly
who had been with him when he died. As this man, however, had always
borne a good character, and there was no direct evidence against him,
he was allowed to retain his situation, which must have been anything
but a comfortable one. About ten days after the death of the soldier the
mystery was cleared up. The effects of a dead soldier are usually sold
by auction, and the proceeds, after paying all demands, remitted to his
relations at home. It so happened that this man was possessed of a pair
of good boots (a rare piece of good fortune in the Crimea), and these
were purchased by a comrade for a few shillings. The purchaser, in trying
on the right boot, found some obstacle in the toe which he imagined to be
a pebble; on shaking it out he discovered the missing watch. The dying
man, in the delirium of his last struggle, had contrived to secrete it
in the place where it was found. It would be difficult to assign any
reasonable motive for such an act; it was probably done in a moment of
unconsciousness.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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