[38] Lord Raglan, who witnessed the storming of Ciudad Rodrigo and Badajos, forty years earlier, described in Napier’s History of the Peninsular War, wrote: “I never before witnessed such a continued and heavy fire of grape and musketry,” and in a private letter observed, “I never had a conception before of such a shower of grape.”
[39] As we learned afterwards, all the soldier carriers of the first ladder were shot down by one volley, and the remaining ladders had not been taken far before all three officers with them fell, the Captain dangerously, and the two Subalterns severely wounded. Blackett (later Sir William) remained on the ground until a sergeant lifted him into the shelter of a trench.
[40] As I rolled down the slope my wounded arm, probably from instinct, remained uppermost. There was nothing to indicate I was an officer, for I had thrown away my scabbard when my sword was destroyed; my gold-band cap was underneath me, and my blue serge jacket was threadbare and dirty.
[41] Bayoneted.
[42] Extract from a letter from Captain W. Peel to Frederick Peel, M.P., 20.6.55: “Would you let Sir Page Wood know his gallant son behaved with extreme intrepidity?”
[43] Later, General Sir Thomas Steele, K.C.B.
[44] Letter from Sir S. Lushington to Captain Michell, R.N.:—
“Camp before Sevastopol,
“18th June, 10.30 a.m.“My dear Michell,—You will be sorry to hear your young nephew, Wood, has been wounded by a grape-shot in the arm. The shot struck the bone obliquely, and was cut out when he got into camp. I saw him in the trenches, and he bore it like a hero. He was Peel’s A.D.C., and Peel endeavoured to keep the boy from the murderous fire into which they plunged with the scaling ladders, but he would take no refusal, and went out with the rest. Wood will be at Kazatch to-day in Lord Raglan’s carriage. Will you have a boat?—Yours, in haste,
“Stephen Lushington,
“Commanding Naval Brigade.”
[45] “June 21st, 1855. My dear Captain Michell,—I am very glad to have had an opportunity of being even in the smallest degree useful to your nephew, whose distinguished career cannot fail to enlist everybody in his favour. I am rejoiced to hear that he is going on well.—Believe me, very faithfully yours, Raglan.”
[46] My father wrote to the Admiralty for permission for me to resign my appointment, and received a courteous reply:—