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1859-1860. PLYMOUTH—DEVONPORT
First incident—Our
men—Disaster at Taku—Wrecks—A launch—Phrenology - Aspect of
affairs—Warships to China—Militia and Volunteers—Improved
conditions—Regimental schools—Female hospital - Windsor—Most Honourable
Order of the Bath —Preparations—Mines—Cheesewring—Affairs—Decade Mutiny
medals.
SOON after our arrival II
became the possessor of a horse and carriage, both purchased from "a
friend." With pleasant anticipations I started on our first drive,
accompanied by ray wife and her lady friend. We had not proceeded far
along the country road before the animal bolted clean away; after wildly
rushing for some considerable distance, the carriage came in contact
with the embankment, was upset and broken to pieces, the two ladies
severely injured. The accident happened at the entrance to a country
house; the ladies were admitted thereto for a little, a glass of wine
given to each; they were driven home, after which no inquiry was made
regarding them. This first experience of "hospitality" impressed us at
the time, and now is noted as in its way characteristic. We had not been
"introduced" to the family.
Unfortunately it so
happened that among the men of the 10th there were some who used not
wisely the balance of "batta" still remaining unspent by them. The
result was that they brought obloquy upon themselves, and to some extent
upon their more steady and well-behaved comrades who were altogether
undeserving of it. So it happens on other occasions; the actual number
of men in a regiment who commit crimes may be small, though their
offences may be statistically considerable.
In September attention
was painfully drawn to the unfortunate failure at Taku of the war
vessels conveying the British and French ambassadors to the Peiho en
route to Pekin, that failure involving the loss of three gunboats and
464 men belonging to them. From that moment it became evident that
troops and ships must prepare for service in the Far East, and although,
as the 10th had so recently landed, it was unlikely that the regiment
would as a whole be concerned, it was probable that some individual
officers might be so; several of us accordingly took an opportunity of
making ourselves acquainted with the current of events in China from the
date of the Arrow affair in October, 1856, to that of the Taku incident
alluded to.
Following close upon the
news of that disaster came the wreck of the Royal Charter, involving the
loss of 470 lives, near Bangor, during one of those autumn storms so
frequent on English coasts. Public sympathy was much aroused by these
events, quickly following each other as they did. Unhappily the last
named was not at the time- isolated of its kind, though in its details
not exceeded in painful accompaniments by any.
A new war vessel—the
Narcissus frigate of fifty guns—being to be launched, the ceremony
proved not only interesting but impressive, in respect to sentiments it
evolved. An immense assembly met by invitation in Devonport Dockyard to
witness the event; as the hour of four struck, the beautiful ship glided
amidst a round of cheers into what thenceforward was to be her proper
element; her career in the future in that respect like the career of the
new-born infant—uncertain, beset by risks.
Very different in
character was another "function" at which I "assisted"; namely, a
lecture with demonstrations on phrenology, the "correctness" of that
"science" being illustrated by the lecturer by references to the
characteristics of the Hindoo in respect to mildness gentleness, and
tractability. To those of us recently returned from scenes already
described, his remarks and demonstrations seemed outcomes of misapplied
knowledge. Yet, such as they were, they "went down" with the enlightened
British public, as represented by that particular audience.
Various circumstances,
domestic and foreign, combined to render- regimental life one of
uncertainty, at the particular time now referred to. In India more than
one column of our forces were actively engaged against the rebels who
declined the terms of the gracious Proclamation already mentioned. The
recently enlisted men for so- called "European" regiments of the late
East India Company had combined in what was called "The White Mutiny";
they were shipped to England, there to be discharged the service.
Disaffection had appeared in two native cavalry regiments stationed at
Hyderabad. With regard to Europe, the condition of affairs in and
relating to Italy was disturbed and uncertain. In France, the effusions
of certain Colonels, added to other indications hostile to England,
seemed to have an unpleasant significance, more especially that in which
an appeal was made to the Emperor "to give the word, and the infamous
haunt in which machinations so infernal are planned"— namely, London—"
should be destroyed for ever."
A strong fleet of
combined English and French warships proceeded to China. Extensive
stores and supplies of all kinds were shipped for that destination,
magazines were replenished; appearances indicated that important
operations were in the near future. Uncertainty and speculation
regarding probable events pervaded all ranks pertaining to regiments now
available for emergent service; all held themselves prepared
accordingly.
Various Militia
regiments, embodied during the Crimean War, still occupied barracks
throughout England; at Devonport and Plymouth the Warwickshire and
Dublin Regiments, together with the Forfar Militia Artillery, being
quartered. Second battalions were in progress of being added to the
twenty-five first of the line. Now also, for the first time since the
Revolutionary War, regiments of Volunteers were being rapidly formed. So
important was the occasion considered to be that special invitations
were issued to witness in the Town Hall the first parade of the
Volunteers belonging to what were called "The Three Towns," and to
inaugurate the formation of the regiment so constituted. The building
was well filled by officials and others; great was the enthusiasm with
which the ceremony passed off, the numbers of Volunteers in the ranks of
the new regiment being ninety-three.
Some changes, having for
their object the improved condition, of the soldier, were now in course
of introduction. Thus orders were issued on the subject of corporal
punishment, the infliction of which was reduced to a minimum. In other
respects the stringent methods heretofore considered necessary for the
maintenance of discipline were so relaxed that old officers were wont to
predict a number of evil consequences as sooner or later sure to follow.
With the introduction of
the national system of education into regimental schools, the reading of
the Holy Bible in them was looked upon as seriously menaced in the
present and threatened with prohibition in the near future. According to
orders issued on the subject, "the Bible is only to be read, and
religious instruction of any kind given, during one hour per week, and
then in the presence of the Roman Catholic priest." Many among us looked
with dread and apprehension to the probable outcome of the changes so
begun.
That in the large
garrison of Plymouth and Devonport there existed no regular hospital for
the wives and children of soldiers seemed to most of us a very anomalous
circumstance. Correspondence on the subject between myself and the
Divisional authorities was without practical result. Taking advantage of
the popularity and influence of Miss Nightingale at the War Office, I
addressed myself to that lady. In a marvellously short space of time
orders were received to set on foot such an establishment; they were
quickly carried out, very much to the benefit of the classes for whom it
was intended.
On January 15, i86o, I
received a letter from the Registrar of the Bath, directing me to hold
myself in readiness to proceed to Windsor, there to receive the Insignia
of that Order, to which I had some months previously been gazetted. Two
days thereafter—namely, on the 17th—a further letter ordering my
attendance at Windsor Castle, at quarter before 3 p.m. precisely, on the
19th. On the 18th I proceeded, taking my dear wife with me, to that
Royal burgh. The early part of the forenoon of the 19th was occupied in
visiting some of the points of interest connected with the Castle, more
especially the Round Tower and St. George's Chapel, the latter
containing that most beautiful work of art, the cenotaph to the Princess
Charlotte.
Punctually at the hour
appointed, those of us who were to be similarly honoured drove to the
Castle. We were shown into the Oak Room, and there, taking count of each
other, discovered that our party numbered fourteen. Luncheon over, a
messenger announced that Her Majesty was ready to begin the ceremony of
investiture. The Lancaster Herald, who had meantime very courteously
initiated some of us in the formalities to be observed, then mustered us
in our order. He led the way, we following, into the great corridor, at
a door opening into which we were halted, to be called in our turn to
the Royal presence. The first to enter was an officer upon whom the
honour of knighthood was to be conferred. Each Companion was summoned in
his order of seniority as such. The cross with which we were severally
to be invested was by the Lancashire Herald carried upon a cushion of
crimson velvet. The door being opened, we separately entered a small
apartment, at the further end of which stood the Queen; at her right
side the Prince Consort. Our names announced, we advanced, making
obeisance as we did so, knelt upon the right knee; the cross was
attached over to the left breast by Her Majesty; we kissed hands,
retired backwards, profoundly bowing the while. Thus we emerged, and the
ceremony was over.
Preparations on a large
scale for the expedition to China were in rapid progess, the military
forces to be sent thither comprising regiments direct from England,
others, British and native, from India. Public attention and a good deal
of adverse criticism were directed to what was looked upon as excessive
naval and military estimates in a so-called time of profound peace. At
important military and naval stations, fortifications were much
extended, and newly armed with Armstrong guns; for, although there was
much of what was ludicrous in the "boastings of the French Colonels,"
the fact was apparent that their expressions were not altogether
unnoticed by our authorities.
Excursions in various
directions were taken; some with the object of seeing places of
historical interest, some to take note of the early spring flora, others
to examine geological features of the neighbouring country. One such
visit was to copper mines near Liskeard, there to see for the first time
the beautiful "peacock" ore brought from the depths of earth and
displayed to our gaze by means of a hammer wielded by the sturdy arms of
"Captain Jane,"—for the superintendent of the mine was a woman so named.
At a little distance from
the Canadian and Phcenix mines rises the Cheesewring, a granite hill
some 1,200 feet in height, the rocks on its summit so piled upon each
other as to thus give rise to its particular name. On some of those
rocks were marks of boulder action, also tracings that bore distinct
resemblance of vessels in ordinary use by Hindoos at their worship on
the banks of the Hooghly, and now attributed to the Druids, one of whose
places of sacrifice this for may perhaps have been.
More and more did the
state of uncertainty and unrest in which regimental officers had to
perform their duties increase during the early months of the year, by
the condition of affairs in Continental Europe. With regard to items of
the general complication then noted, the following extract from my
diary, written at the time, reads somewhat strangely to-day, namely:
"France resolved upon the annexation of Savoy, notwithstanding the
strongly expressed opposition of England against that measure; the
threatened occupation of Tetuan by Spain, opposed by England, as being
against the terms on which England remained neutral between that country
and Morocco."
The first decade of
wedded life completed,' the following reference to the occasion was
written at the time: "Notwithstanding all that I have undergone since
that event, sufficient of my early romance remains to enter in this
place the motto which on that occasion surrounded the bon-bon broken by
my bride and myself at our wedding luncheon— 'My hopes are in the bud;
bid them bloom." As the paragraph is being transcribed, the fifth decade
is not far from completion. With affection chastened and sanctified by
trial and affliction, I express to the Almighty humble gratitude that
from bud my hopes have indeed advanced to bloom—holy and refined.
Towards the end of April,
soldiers and officers of the 10th received their medals awarded for the
campaign connected with the Indian Mutiny. No pomp and circumstance of
military display took place on the occasion of their doing so. On the
contrary, from the manner in which the distribution took place, all such
accompaniments were intentionally avoided. It was while walking on the
public thoroughfare in Devonport, that by accident, as it were, I met a
sergeant in whose hand was a packet of little card-case boxes; one of
these he presented to me—it contained my medal. I then continued on my
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