The History of the Rifle Brigade (the Prince Consort's Own) Formerly the 95th

by William Henry Cope

Descending the slopes of the right bank of the Alma, Norcott’s Riflemen entered the vineyards, and at once were exposed to the fire of the Russian artillery and became engaged with their light troops. Fyers’ company was extended on the extreme left, with Lord Erroll’s company in support. The Riflemen inclining to the left to avoid the burning village of Búrliúk, which as we have seen had been fired by the Russians, forded the river and, ascending the other bank and passing through the vineyards, halted at a wall: a low wall which separated the cultivated ground from the slope beyond. Here Norcott moved up and extended Erroll’s company on the right of Fyers’; and then, or soon after, he advanced; and inclining to the right, on observing that Codrington’s brigade had disarranged or lost its formation and was threatened by a Russian column, he poured such a searching fire from his line of skirmishers, that the enemy were checked and hindered from taking full advantage of the want of regular formation of Codrington’s brigade. Still inclining to the right, the Riflemen approached the proper right flank of the great redoubt, where as I have said both wings met. As these Riflemen were rushing into the redoubt Norcott’s horse was wounded. Soon after they had attained the redoubt a Russian column was seen descending the hill beyond. By a most unfortunate mistake these were thought to be French, and some officer (of what regiment is unknown) desired a bugler to sound the ‘cease fire;’ and (it is said) afterwards the ‘retire.’ The men then began to leave the redoubt when their very existence seemed to depend on clinging fast to its bank, or boldly facing the enemy. In vain the officers of the various regiments endeavoured to check the stream, by calling on the men to halt or to return to the position they had won. They slowly and orderly moved down the hill. The Riflemen, carried along with this rolling mass, sought shelter under the bank from which they had first emerged on the slope. They rallied at the sound of the regimental call, and the companies of both wings, Lawrence’s and Norcott’s, united and advanced again to the redoubt. The enemy then fled. And on the final retreat of the Russians part of the 2nd Battalion were ordered to take off their packs (or rather their coats and blankets), to leave them there, and marched with the cavalry and guns in pursuit of the retreating Russians; but after proceeding about a mile they were recalled, and on their return the Battalion bivouacked on the heights above the Alma on the ground they had won.

The casualties in this Battalion were 2 sergeants and 9 rank and file killed; and Captain the Earl of Errol, 1 sergeant 3 buglers and 34 rank and file wounded.

Lord Raglan in his despatch praises the conduct of the Regiment, and states that the capture of the great redoubt was ‘materially aided by the advance of four companies of the Rifle Brigade under Major Norcott.’

He was also recommended for the Victoria Cross by Sir George Brown; who adds: ‘Major Norcott’s conduct on that occasion was not only conspicuous to the whole Division, but attracted the notice of the enemy; for the Officer in command of the Russian Battery, who was subsequently made prisoner, informed Lord Raglan, that he had laid a gun specially for the “daring officer in the dark uniform on the black horse.”’

On the 21st the 1st Battalion moved at daylight, and ascending the heights halted on the ground which had been occupied by the enemy’s right. Here they bivouacked; and were engaged on this and the following day in burying the dead and conveying the wounded to the field-hospitals. The cholera, which had disappeared from the time the Battalion left the Bosphorus, reappeared directly after they landed; and the Battalion suffered much from it about this time; having lost 1 assistant surgeon (Mr. Shorrock) 1 sergeant and 9 privates.

The 2nd Battalion on these two days was similarly employed in the burial of the dead and the assistance of the wounded.

On the 23rd both Battalions, being under arms from seven o’clock, left the heights of the Alma and advanced to the Katchka, which they reached at sunset, and there bivouacked. The 1st Battalion formed the rear-guard of the army. The 2nd Battalion, in front of the rest of the army, passed through the vineyards and a village, and crossing the river, approached the position with caution; but it was found to be evacuated.

On the next day both Battalions were under arms at seven o’clock, but were kept hanging about till near twelve while a reconnaissance was being made. The 2nd Battalion, again covering the advance of the army, then mounted the ridge, and advancing over a level plateau, descended to the valley of the Belbek, through vineyards and gardens; fording the river and pushing on, they covered with their skirmishers the crossing of the Belbek by the army. They ascended the opposite height, and at dusk their skirmishers were drawn in and they bivouacked on these heights, and furnished a picquet of two companies.

On the 25th the army made a further advance; but the 1st Battalion (with the rest of the 4th Division) remained on their ground to protect the wounded, and to cover the supplies. The Riflemen were ordered to conceal themselves in the bushes and to keep as quiet as possible. And at night occupied the bivouack of the night before. On this day Sidney Beckwith, who had been conveyed on board the ‘Orinoco,’ died; and thus the roll of the Regiment for the first time since its formation was without the honoured name of Beckwith.