THE BOOK OF THE V.C. _BY THE SAME AUTHOR_ WITH PIZARRO THE CONQUISTADOR CANADA: BRITAIN’S LARGEST COLONY THE EMPIRE ELOCUTIONIST STORIES OF KING ARTHUR [Illustration: HOW LORD ROBERTS WON THE V.C. HE OVERTOOK THE PAIR JUST AS THEY WERE ABOUT TO SEEK REFUGE IN A VILLAGE, AND ENGAGED THEM BOTH AT ONCE.--_Frontispiece._--_See p. 75._] THE BOOK OF THE V.C. _A Record of the Deeds of Heroism for which the Victoria Cross has been bestowed, from its Institution in 1857, to the Present Time_ COMPILED FROM OFFICIAL PAPERS AND OTHER AUTHENTIC SOURCES BY A. L. HAYDON AUTHOR OF “WITH PIZARRO THE CONQUISTADOR” ETC. ETC. _WITH TEN ILLUSTRATIONS_ NEW YORK: E. P. DUTTON & COMPANY 31 WEST TWENTY-THIRD STREET. 1907 TO MY SON ARTHUR CECIL HILLYARD (“MAC”) CONTENTS. CHAP. PAGE I. THE ORIGIN OF THE VICTORIA CROSS AND THE FIRST PRESENTATION 1 II. THE CRIMEA.--THE BATTLE OF THE ALMA 9 III. THE CRIMEA.--IN THE BALACLAVA CHARGES 16 IV. THE CRIMEA.--THE HEROES OF INKERMAN 27 V. THE CRIMEA.--WITH THE SAPPERS AND MINERS.--IN TRENCH AND RIFLE-PIT 34 VI. THE CRIMEAN CROSSES OF THE NAVY 45 VII. PERSIA.--HOW THE SQUARE WAS BROKEN 57 VIII. INDIA.--THE GALLANT NINE AT DELHI 61 IX. INDIA.--WITH SABRE AND GUN AGAINST SEPOY 69 X. INDIA.--THE BLOWING UP OF THE CASHMERE GATE 78 XI. INDIA.--THE STORY OF KOLAPORE KERR 84 XII. INDIA.--THE DEFENCE OF THE DHOOLIES 92 XIII. INDIA.--THREE BRAVE CIVILIANS: MANGLES, McDONELL, AND “LUCKNOW” KAVANAGH 102 XIV. INDIA.--SOME OTHER CROSSES OF THE MUTINY 112 XV. IN THE SIXTIES.--CHINA, JAPAN, INDIA, WEST AFRICA, AND CANADA 124 XVI. NEW ZEALAND.--FIGHTING THE MAORIS 133 XVII. IN ASHANTI BUSH AND MALAY JUNGLE 142 XVIII. HOW SOME AFGHAN CROSSES WERE WON 150 XIX. MAIWAND.--A GUNNER’S STORY 161 XX. ZULULAND.--THE DASH WITH THE COLOURS FROM ISANDHLANA 168 XXI. ZULULAND.--HOW THEY HELD THE POST AT RORKE’S DRIFT 178 XXII. SOME OTHER ZULU AND SOME OTHER BASUTO CROSSES 189 XXIII. SOUTH AFRICA.--AGAINST BOERS AND MATABELE 198 XXIV. IN EGYPT AND THE SOUDAN 207 XXV. V.C. HEROES OF THE INDIAN FRONTIER 216 XXVI. HOW SURGEON-CAPTAIN WHITCHURCH WON FAME 223