A fatal accident occurred to a private of the 48th regiment working at the bottom of a shaft close to the ruins of a culvert which had only a few hours before been blown up. It was near a dock-gate, and the gas from the explosion having penetrated the intervening earth diffused through the gallery, which had been driven in about twenty-eight feet. The 48th man was at its end and private Neville of the sappers at its mouth. Both becoming insensible, “with infinite alacrity and courage,” wrote ‘The Times,’ “non-commissioned officers and soldiers descended the shaft, braving a danger which seemed the greater because its extent and nature were unknown, to succour their comrades, and as they got down they in turn were overpowered by the offensive gas. Major Nicholson and Lieutenant Graham also went down and suffered in consequence.” The former was insensible when, supported by his men, he reached the top of the shaft, and it was some time before he recovered.[[205]] Besides the 48th man who perished six or eight other miners were seriously affected, particularly private Neville. The sappers who behaved so nobly were second-corporal Alexander Gray, who had charge of the shaft and was the first to descend; lance-corporal Marks, who got out Neville and Gray, and was himself thrown down by the poisoned air; and lance-corporal Normansell, who sent up corporal Marks and recovered the 48th man. Normansell had a rope round him, and feeling the gradual loss of power in his wrists and arms rushed to the end of the gallery, quickly tied the rope round the miner, dragged him to the mouth of the shaft, when, calling for help, both were borne to the surface. The corporal was unconscious, and remained so for some time, but the poor linesman was irretrievably gone.

While the operations were progressing the enemy fired at times with some briskness. Many shells pitched into the docks and exploded, but generally they fell short or wide of the shafts; “and though,” says the official record, “the working party had some extraordinary escapes, only one sapper was wounded, and a private of the 18th regiment lost his arm.” The sapper alluded to was second-corporal William Eastley, who was severely struck on the 19th January, 1856, in the right shoulder by the splinter of a shell. He was, however, returned as only slightly injured. This was the third time that the corporal was wounded during the siege.

Well may the corps refer to the destruction of these docks as a proof of their usefulness and of their capacity to undertake any skilled employments which war might suddenly throw in their way. Among the many operations of difficult and hazardous labour which have been achieved by their intelligence and industry, none, perhaps, will display in the chronicles of military engineering a more creditable page than this—the great concluding event of the struggle with Russia. At every stage of the work their movements were known to those whose commendation it was an honour to merit; and when all was over their conduct and exertions were alluded to in terms of praise in a dispatch of the 2nd February from the Commander-in-Chief to the Minister for War.

“Amid great difficulties of cold and wet,” wrote Sir William Codrington, “a very severe frost at one time and perpetually recurring pressure at another, the work went steadily on; and great praise is due to all those concerned—the engineers and sappers, parties of the royal artillery, the 18th regiment, and latterly the 48th. These parties return to their duties to-morrow after constant and laborious work.[[206]]

“The casualties have been but six, of which two only have been fatal; and one man of the 48th was lost by foul air in a shaft; after several vain attempts by Major Nicholson, other officers, and men—themselves descending at great risk—the poor fellow’s body was brought up, but life was gone.”

It only remains to close the mention of this signal service by appending the copy of a letter from the commanding royal engineer at Sebastopol, affording some details of the demolition and eulogizing the corps among others for its exertions:—

“Head-Quarters, Camp, Sebastopol,

February 1.

“Sir,

“After a period of three months’ unceasing labour in the dock-yard, for the destruction of the docks, in compliance with Lord Panmure’s orders, it affords me very great satisfaction to report, for your Excellency’s information, the termination of our exertions in the demolition of that portion allotted to the English, which consisted of the three docks on the south side, and one-half of the east and west sides of the basin.