Opening the text

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

of Commander Day’s vessel, pulled in along shore to see if he could see
anything of one who, it was feared, was either dead or in the hands of
the enemy. He found him prostrate on the beach, and nearly frozen to
death. But such men have a wonderful tenacity of life. He soon recovered
sufficiently to inquire why his men had not pulled in when he hailed
them. It appeared that they had heard the report and seen the flash of
his pistol, but thought it might have been some of the sentries near
the beach. They imagined that they heard him approach the shore, but
thought that they were carrying out his instructions in not approaching
nearer to the land, as he had told them that in the event of his being
chased he would swim out to the boat. They listened and watched, but as
they heard nothing more they imagined that he had not come down. The
following morning he was too ill to move. A less powerful frame would
have succumbed under the physical suffering of that night. Captain
Osborne, who had returned, visited him the same day on board his ship,
and persuaded Captain Day to address to him that despatch which elicited
a letter of approval from the Admiralty and earned for him the Victoria
Cross.

Captain Day was, undoubtedly, the only man in England who felt any
surprise when his sovereign conferred on him this proof of her favour.
It has been cynically remarked that no man is a hero in the eyes of his
valet. It is certain that no true hero is ever esteemed to be so by
himself. There is a glorious absence of all self-consciousness in true
genius and heroism. The man whom the whole world admires is often the
least conscious of his own merits.

[Illustration]




[Illustration]




CHAPTER XIII.

LIEUTENANTS MOORE AND MALCOLMSON, AND THE VICTORIA CROSS.


Who among our readers has not been interested about Persia—that
mysterious land in which such wonders have been said to exist? So many
of the tales in the “Thousand and One Nights” refer to Persia, that most
boys, at least, are well acquainted with some of the peculiarities of the
people.

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Opening the text

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

of Commander Day’s vessel, pulled in along shore to see if he could see
anything of one who, it was feared, was either dead or in the hands of
the enemy. He found him prostrate on the beach, and nearly frozen to
death. But such men have a wonderful tenacity of life. He soon recovered
sufficiently to inquire why his men had not pulled in when he hailed
them. It appeared that they had heard the report and seen the flash of
his pistol, but thought it might have been some of the sentries near
the beach. They imagined that they heard him approach the shore, but
thought that they were carrying out his instructions in not approaching
nearer to the land, as he had told them that in the event of his being
chased he would swim out to the boat. They listened and watched, but as
they heard nothing more they imagined that he had not come down. The
following morning he was too ill to move. A less powerful frame would
have succumbed under the physical suffering of that night. Captain
Osborne, who had returned, visited him the same day on board his ship,
and persuaded Captain Day to address to him that despatch which elicited
a letter of approval from the Admiralty and earned for him the Victoria
Cross.

Captain Day was, undoubtedly, the only man in England who felt any
surprise when his sovereign conferred on him this proof of her favour.
It has been cynically remarked that no man is a hero in the eyes of his
valet. It is certain that no true hero is ever esteemed to be so by
himself. There is a glorious absence of all self-consciousness in true
genius and heroism. The man whom the whole world admires is often the
least conscious of his own merits.

[Illustration]




[Illustration]




CHAPTER XIII.

LIEUTENANTS MOORE AND MALCOLMSON, AND THE VICTORIA CROSS.


Who among our readers has not been interested about Persia—that
mysterious land in which such wonders have been said to exist? So many
of the tales in the “Thousand and One Nights” refer to Persia, that most
boys, at least, are well acquainted with some of the peculiarities of the
people.

Public-domain text, read in full here on 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"

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"

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