“Such an example is worthy of imitation by the young soldiers of the corps, whose reputation must always be increased while numbering among its members individuals like the late sergeant Wilson.

“By order,

(Signed) “E.F. Bourchier.”

Such was Wilson.

1855.
6th September-9th September.
SIEGE OF SEBASTOPOL.

State of the batteries—The foremost saps—Repairs to embrasures while opposed by blinding dust driven through the trenches by a fierce wind—Distribution in the trenches—No. 22 battery—Final attack of the Redan and the Malakoff—Names of the sapper storming party—Their brave and steady demeanour and exertions—Escapes of corporal Baker—Valour of private Bowman—Casualties—Continuation of the foremost saps—Daring adventure of corporal Ross—His report leads to the bloodless occupation of the Redan—Conduct of the corps in the siege—Captain Ewart—Reflections.

With no abatement of activity the works progressed on the 6th. The sap on the Redan had 60 men working in it, and extra efforts were given to build No. 22 battery on the right. In both attacks there were 58 sappers, 32 of whom were carpenters. The embrasures were put in as fresh a state as possible; the platforms were in good condition; the magazines and traverses tolerably sound, and even the early batteries, whose age and decrepitude gave reason to expect their fall, looked up with more firmness than was warranted by their seared complexion and feebleness. Broken and hollowed, as if water-courses had worn their faces, the best that could be done was to bolster them up to stand a share of the fire from day to day. Sand-bags were filled in great numbers during the night, and eight sappers cut new embrasures in No. 13 battery, and patched up its shivered parapets and merlons. Forty men of the 14th regiment passed the materials to the sappers, and exerted themselves with so much spirit that the work was nearly finished. “Great credit,” says Captain Nicholson of the engineers, “is due to them and also to the sappers who directed them.”

At eight in the evening 34 sappers were pushed into the right lines, and 16 into those of the left, who were generally employed in restoring the bombarding batteries, several of which had been greatly injured during the day; some of the merlons were also damaged, and there were gaps in different parts of the revetments. Nearly all the repairs and reforms had been executed before the parties quitted at two in the morning. The few embrasures which could not be completed were masked, to protect the sappers who might be allotted to the work next day.

In the fiery sap on the Redan there were 2 sappers and 40 of the 90th regiment, by whose exertions twenty-five gabions were added to the trench, which was, moreover, strengthened where necessary, and backed up with earth. The approach now began to curve to the left, and thus to form the starting-point of the sixth parallel. The head of the sap turned into an indurated vein, which, from the difficulty of moving it, augmented the fatigues of the men. Crowbars and picks driven into chinks partially loosened the rock, which, broken up into fragments, was piled into the parapet. All worked with so much zeal that notice was taken of their services, and corporal John Wright and private Bernard Murray were named to General Simpson for their personal labours and effective superintendence. During its progress a light-ball fell very near the sap, which exhibited its whole outline. Every head was sunk below the revetment in an instant, and as the flaming compound was speedily extinguished by earth thrown on it from the parapet, not a man was touched.

In the right approach near the little ravine there were two sappers and about 50 men. Its prolongation was by flying sap, but its progress was exceedingly tedious. Eleven gabions were staked, but nine only filled. So true was the work in range, that the party shelled out had to take refuge in securer trenches, bringing with it four men wounded. Not only had the workmen to bear a direct fire, and to be disturbed and interrupted by light-balls, but to suffer from accidents arising from shot and shell rebounding from the hill-side, and rolling in all their fury into the sap beneath.