of the highest order; and in the final charge, which sent the enemy flying back under cover of their batteries in the greatest disorder, his company was foremost under the example of their young officer.

It is in such affairs as the final charge that opportunities for giving full sway to impetuous bravery present themselves, and in this instance his voice failed not to inspire his men, and his sword fell not lightly on the foe. The battle lasted some hour-and-a-half, and the Russians-all the more for the glory of our arms-fought desperately, for they had assailed a weak point with a force more than three times the strength of Evans's division, in the hope of turning our position, and then, supporting the advantage by all its disposable force, seizing upon our siege batteries. The defeat was signal, the enemy losing over a thousand killed and wounded, while our numbers were thinned by only some eighty killed and wounded. It is not to be wondered at that brave men speak sparingly of their own share in the deadly contest, while at the same time they do ample justice to their beaten opponents. On the 27th of October, the day after the engagement, Captain Richards, in describing it to his father, observes :

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"We had a pretty hot affair yesterday for almost an hourand-a-half. We were attacked by about three times our number; and it ended by our driving the enemy back with a loss of at least a thousand killed and wounded on their side, and only fifty-eight and five officers on ours. They did very well indeed when opposed to our pickets, who always wear great coats; but when we came on in red, and our men yelling like savages, they could stand it no longer. I believe there is something in the colour which frightens them. I do believe we are the kindest enemy in the world. It is wonderful to see the attention our soldiers pay to the wounded Russians; and our surgeons take as much pains with them as with our own. They enemy are certainly not to be despised. Two of their battalions advanced yesterday like men, under a heavy fire of our artillery. I have not got over the loss of Alma yet; but still I cannot grumble, as I am the only captain who managed to get away from the depôt at Varna yet!"

The last words received from him by his family were written in pencil, and dated

"Near Sebastopol, Nov. 3, 1854.

"I am in picket to-day, and have not time to say more than that I am still alive, and well, and in possession of my usual number of arms and legs. On those occasions we are out for twenty-four hours. The weather is getting rather cold, and I shall be glad when we get inside Sebastopol. Sleeping, or rather being out all night, agrees with me very well, and I feel twice as fresh as I used to be after a ball. What do you think of that!"

This note did not reach Ravindon House till the day after notice had been received of his death at Inkermann.

Captain Richards was one of those men who at Inkermann had to

bear the first brunt of the enemy's attack. Those whose resistless determination was well known to our commanders were the first out to stay the rapid advance of the Russians. Men whose unflinching courage would yield not, but while life remained would assert itself in prodigies of valour, hastened to the front at the earliest summons from our outposts; and among them was Captain Edwin Richards. A picket from his regiment was at the point selected by the enemy for an attack, as well-timed as it was designed; and with rapid strides did he hasten to succour the 41st on that eventful morning. Cool as he was daring, he had not failed to provide himself with the means of dealing death to the foe. An excellent swordsman, he was also armed with one of Dean and Adams's revolvers, and his death-struggle showed how well he proved the efficiency of both weapons. The battle of Inkermann is written; it may be amplified by lines of admiration, and dry official statistics; but for all the world need know of the courage, the heroism, and the victory determining the unparalleled struggle, it is penned in burning words by the hand of that man so happily chosen by the conductors of the Times to record achievements outshining in splendour the brilliancy of past wars. It is so written, and my task is but to individualise — from the most authentic sources of information, the evidence of eye witnesses-so as may be accomplished in our age that which was not so much as essayed for our armies of old-the preservation of the deeds of more than those in high command, and whose chivalry demands for them rank with the most illustrious of England's warriors. Of those officers whose self-sacrifice places them prominently before the world for judgment, no man is more entitled to its high consideration than Edwin Richards. We have seen how, panting to be in the earliest chance of fight, his great spirit chafed for liberty at Varna. There he might have remained with honour; promotion would have arrived as the Crimea produced casualties; but for him cheap-bought honours had no charms; the stirring incidents of gory fields could alone slake his thirst for proud distinction, and satisfy him that his ambition was untainted with selfishness. We have read the last words of that high-bounding heart. The privations and drudgery of the camp were to him pastimes, and in his own free light-heartedness of expression, sleeping, or rather being out all night," agreed with him very well, and he felt "twice as fresh as he used to be "after a ball.' We shall now hear the heroic manner of his death, which is thus detailed by his relative, Captain Donovan, of the 33rd :

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"33rd Regiment, Camp before Sebastopol, Nov. 7th, 1854. "The 41st picket was attacked by the enemy on Sunday morning before daylight. Edwin's company was ordered out to strengthen them, but before he had advanced far he was surrounded by Russians. Refusing to surrender himself a prisoner, he shot four of his opponents and killed two with his sword; thus dying the noblest and most glorious death a man could die, without pain; shot through the body and stabbed by several

bayonet wounds, he suffered no pain, as death must have been instantaneous. The Colonel (Carpenter) was killed; poor Edwin's subaltern was killed, and several others of his regiment. It was an awful day! After eight hours' hard fighting, most of it hand to hand (under the fire of seventy pieces of heavy artillery), we drove the enemy from the hill, which Edwin and others had so gallantly died in defending. Edward (cousin of Captain Richards) and I went over the field as soon as we could stir from our posts, to look for poor Edwin, but he had been brought in, and was buried with four other officers by the chaplain of the second division next morning."

He might have lived if he would. The enemy, rather than hazard the defeat of their enterprise by the delay occasioned them from the stubborn defence of the key to our position, would willingly have given life to the little band of heroes defending that hill, and which defence alone gave our troops time to hurl back the hosts seeking to drive us into the sea. The Russian officers had formed but a poor opinion of such men as Captain Richards, in offering safety at the cost of surrender. Life to them was as dross when their country was at stake. Surrounded as he was, this officer, when called upon to surrender, might with honour, according to the rules of war, have saved his life. To live on such terms, would have been to him the most miserable of degradations, and nobly sacrificing himself rather than give up one inch of ground, he poured out his fine life's blood unmurmuringly, generously, and, as a hero ever would; in breasting the enemy, he made his body a rampart in defence of his surviving brothers in arms. To Captain Richards and his kind is the country indebted for the glory of Inkermann. Captain Richards died for England, in the 25th year of his age. Could the son of a father who writes thus in the very poignancy of his grief, have fallen less worthily. That brave man says "I feel pride that not one fell on that awful day more nobly and devotedly doing his duty." We, too, may weep our loss, but we glory in its being heroic. Great battles are yet to be fought, and they will have been accomplished; as he rendered up his life, emulated by the past, other heroes will have arisen to fall likewise; peace will have been made, but amidst its calm, its grovelling's, its lucre and its Mammon worship, the soldiers of this great contest, who, like Captain Richards, sacrificed themselves that their country might live in the fulness of its splendour, will not have been forgotten.

LIEUTENANT-COLONEL GEORGE CARPENTER, OF THE 41ST REGIMENT.

LIEUTENANT-COLONEL GEORGE CARPENTER (only son of General Carpenter, of Great Cumberland-place, London) entered the 41st Regiment of (Welsh) Infantry as ensign, on the 1st of October, 1818, became lieutenant on the 1st of March, 1820, captain by purchase

on the 29th of October, 1825, brevet-major on 28th of June, 1838, major, by purchase, on the 22nd of July, 1845, and lieutenantcolonel on the 27th of December, 1850. This fine old officer saw active service in India, where he was with his regiment during the whole of the campaign of 1842, in Affghanistan, and was present in the engagements with the enemy on March 28th and April 28th in the Pisheen valley. He was also in the encounter near Candahar, on the 29th of May, and on the 30th of August at Goaine; on the 5th September before Ghuznee, in the occupation and destruction of that fortress, and of Cabool. He was also in the expedition into Kohistan, at the storm, capture, and destruction of Istaliff, and in all the other but comparatively minor engagements in the Bolan Pass, and in those between that and the Khyber Pass. When the British were ordered to the East, Colonel Carpenter embarked with his regiment, which formed part of the second division. The gallant officer fought bravely at the Battle of Alma, where his regiment suffered but slightly, there having been only four rank and file killed, and one serjeant and twenty-two rank and file wounded. At the Battle of Inkermann, however, the 41st suffered severely, having had five officers, two serjeants and thirty-two rank and file killed, while six officers, four serjeants, two drummers, and eighty-five rank and file were wounded. It was in this sanguinary engagement that Colonel Carpenter received his death wounds. The gallant veteran had repeatedly headed his regiment to the attack before he was struck down, and after he had received two gun-shot wounds he still urged them forward against a shower of balls, when he was struck a third time. Upon this occasion the brave old soldier fell to the ground, but was still heard crying out to his men to close up and charge. Overpowering numbers of the enemy, however, advancing, his men had to fall back, and the smoke becoming so dense, they could not see where their gallant leader lay stretched so as to bear him off to the rear.

The enemy, having gained some ground, were shortly forced by the 41st, in a desperate rally, to retire; but before the enemy retreated they alighted upon the wounded colonel. Obedient either to a general order from their commanders on that day, or to a hellish instinct, which for ever must brand with disgrace the Russian army, they mutilated poor Carpenter, helpless and bleeding as he was from three gun-shot wounds. Not even his grey hairs could inspire them to look with commiseration upon the fallen brave; they bayoneted him without mercy, and as his body quivered under the assaults of the miscreants, one ruffian, unsatiated by the bloody ferocity he already had displayed, clubbed his musket, and beat the old soldier across the face until he left him so mangled in features as only to be recognised by his uniform. What wonder that his men, when, after the battle had terminated, they found their wellloved commander in such a state, should vow a bloody vengeance upon his murderers, when next they might cross steel with them. This was no death by warfare, it was a death by wild beasts, and may have a fearful reckoning at no distant day from our men,

however much we may deplore the punishment. We receive, in this country, the statement of the dying as evidence against murderers. Let us take the effect of poor Colonel Carpenter's words to the assistant chaplain of the second division:-" Poor Colonel Carpenter, of the 41st, was dreadfully wounded. He received me most warmly. He told me all that had befallen him. He appeared quite aware of the dangerous condition he was in, and gave utterance to a long and fervid prayer. I could not restrain him from speaking. At last he seemed exhausted, and the surgeon, who just then came in, evidently considered him dying. Next morning I was surprised to hear from the surgeon that he was better, but in the course of the day he died. He was pierced through the stomach. He expressed anxiety about his poor wife and children; he joined fervently in prayer, casting his care upon God. He was calm and resigned, but in extreme pain." The surgeon speaks of the mutilation of the victim, and the mode of treatment he had received, as detailed by the dying man, and gives his opinion that Colonel Carpenter would possibly have survived his gun-shot wounds if he had not been so fearfully struck on the head when he lay bathed in blood. Colonel Carpenter fought like a soldier at Inkermann, and on the day following he died as a Christian, “calm and resigned," in the 55th year of his age. He leaves behind him a widow and several children, one being an ensign, who was wounded severely at the Alma. Let us hope they will not be forgotten by the country, for which they are a brave man's legacies.

MAJOR DALTON, OF THE 49TH REGIMENT.

MAJOR THOMAS NORCLIFFE DALTON, son of John Dalton, Esq., of Herringford Park, Ripon, in Yorkshire, was born in the year 1819. At an early age he was sent to the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, and when but eighteen years old, having passed through the ordeal of a strict examination, he was at once appointed to an ensignéy in the 61st regiment, on the 22nd of September, 1837; to a lieutenancy on the 14th of December, 1840; and to a company on the 23rd of April, 1846. He served with the 61st in the Punjaub campaign of 1848-9, and was present at the passage of the Chenah. In the battles of Sadoolapore, Chillianwallah, and Goozerat, he particularly distinguished himself; and with the field force, in pursuit of the enemy to the Kyber Pass, he augmented his character for intrepidity, and won the commendations of his superiors in command. For these services he received the war-medal and two clasps. In 1851, on the 28th of February, he obtained his Majority; and in 1853 he exchanged from the 61st into the 49th, while at the depôt in Cork. Just before the breaking out of hostilities between Russia and the Western Powers, he embarked for Turkey with the command of the 49th regiment. He was in the second division at the battle of Alma, and whilst leading his regiment up the heights to the charge, he had a horse shot under him. Extricating himself from his fallen charger," observes a brother officer, "Dalton, amidst