EVARDUS.
Nottingham, April 29, 1857.
I have proved by living officers, generals, and noblemen that my statement is the living truth to-day, although 43 years have passed. Yet this Colonel Benson was allowed to turn Her Majesty’s and Prince Consort’s Noble Order and the Royal Warrant into mockery and the Victoria Cross into a sham. He was the cause of me receiving an official letter, dated 8th October, 1857, stating that all claims for the Victoria Cross must be founded upon facts. This Colonel Benson wrote the most cruel false statements to the Commander-in-Chief, and was the cause of me purchasing my discharge out of the 17th Lancers, and then losing promotion in the Yeomanry. He made false statements respecting my being promoted to sergeant. I can prove I was promoted in November, 1854, and he did not arrive in the Crimea till 22nd February, 1855. I have received all kinds of official letters telling me they see no reason to open my case. I received an official letter dated 22nd February, 1892, stating that the case cannot now be opened. If a brave British soldier cannot be heard by the authorities, what can he do but appeal to his countrymen? Truth never dies.
The royal warrant states, that for the Victoria Cross there shall be no preference of age or rank, and the youngest soldier shall be rewarded for valour.
My next article will be to prove that all claims for the Victoria Cross are not founded upon facts. Yet they wear it just the same. I will also prove by their own official letters I never had an investigation.
For myself I have the proud consciousness of having done my duty to Queen and country.
Fought Under Two Flags,
AND A RECORD SECOND TO NONE FOR VALOUR.
No British soldier that I ever read about did more distinguished proved valour. I received a letter from Major Jervis, late 13th Light Dragoons, dated December 5th, 1876. He says amongst other things “that he well remembers a young corporal of the 17th Lancers helping him to take the gun,” and from the fact named in my letter, it could be none other than myself.
I received a letter from Lord Tredegar, dated December 9th, 1876. In which he says, “that he well remembers, after the regiment had retired a short distance, I asked permission to go back and bring in Cornet Cleveland who lay in the thickest of the fire, mortally wounded.” See his other letter, in my sworn claim for the Victoria Cross, General Sir Drury Lowe, K.C.B., in answering a letter to me said “if he could do me any service he would be happy to do it,” several officers wrote me at the same time to the same effect. I was holding the position of Regimental Sergeant-Major in the Yeomanry, and in charge of head quarters and stores. I explained this to them and thanked them, telling them I was well off. I am Sir Drury Lowe’s oldest Non-Commissioned Officer, I served under him all the time he was in the Crimea and in Ireland, and when he commanded a detachment in Clonmel. In the Baida Valley he came to my assistance several times, once at Prince Challertoff’s residence, when I charged the Russians and took back the waggons of the Land Transport. I was on picquet duty with Lieutenant Barbour, some Greeks came into the picquets on little ponies, and explained to us the Russians were stealing. Lieutenant Barbour took all the picquet and left me in charge of the Videtts; being absent longer than I liked, I sent a man who was very sick into camp, explaining the matter to now Sir Drury Lowe, who commanded the 17th, telling him I had no men to patrole with, he did not send any reinforcements, but came himself with the regiment. He lost no time in getting to me and remained in command till Lieutenant Barbour returned with two Russian Greek spies, who tried to decoy his command into a village in which the Russian Cavalry were hiding. Sir Drury Lowe was loved by all men and I never heard or knew an enlisted man to say any thing but kindness respecting him. I was in Aldershot when he commanded the regiment, and I was in the Sergeants Mess. I heard Sergeant-Major Davis repeat that he would sooner soldier under Colonel Lowe without pay than any other officer with pay and the rest shouted “hear hear.”