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
the respect of all who knew him, and was never known to indulge in the
habit which gained the mastery over him at the Alma. He is now dead, but
his surviving comrades speak with a sort of awe of the incident we have
related.
One soldier of the Guards became raving mad at the Alma. It happened in
this way:—The Russian fire struck down several of the men as they were
advancing. The soldier of whom we speak was a young lad who had never
smelt powder before. By his side was a comrade who belonged to the same
district, and had enlisted at the same time. The latter was hit by a
cannon-ball, and his brains were bespattered over the face of his friend,
who became frantic, roaring and shouting like a madman. He imagined that
his comrades were the enemy, and that he was fighting hand to hand with
them. The whole company was thrown into confusion, and he wounded some of
his comrades before he could be disarmed. He was conducted to the rear,
fighting and struggling the whole way. The surgeons pronounced him to be
a dangerous lunatic, and he was strapped down upon one of the beds in
the hospital, with a sentinel to watch over him. That sentinel told us
that he was never entrusted before or since with such an unpleasant duty.
Owing to the shock which the brain had received, the poor madman could
not rest for a moment. He fancied himself in the thickest of the combat,
fighting with all the energy of despair, and swearing that his comrades
should be avenged. He continued in this raving condition for about
twenty-four hours, when, with the exultant cry of “Victory!” he expired.
A similar incident occurred at Inkermann: in this case, also, the soldier
survived only twenty-four hours.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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