The Sun.
London, England, 1854-08-25 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUE.

STR,—You observe, in one of your recent numbers of
your valuable journal, that " Lieutenant Nasmyth, who
distinguished himself at Siiistria, has not been promoted
to the rank of Major, his name being merely recorded
for that rank by brevet after he shall have attained the
regimental rank of captain in the ordinary course—an
event that may never happen ; so that, substantially,
this officer has not received any promotion for his heroic
conduct at that siege."
I am glad to find, Sir, that acts- of injustice of this de-
scription are noticed by the press, as it is only by such
means that the authorities at the Horse Guards will be
compelled to extend those rewards to all ranks for meri-
torious services heretofore monopolised by privileged
classes.

A variety of complaints of this nature were made
during the late Peninsular war, where gallant officers,
leading even "forlorn hopes," or succeeding to the com-
mand of a regiment in action, could not obtain promo-
tion by brevet if they held no higher rank than that of
lieutenant, however brilliant their services might have
been ; while so many of the "privileged classes," though
merely on the staff, and passive spectators (through their
telescopes) of those sanguinary conflicts, !obtained the
brevet steps merited by the fighting men who decided
the fate of that war.

Lieutenant Mackie, for instance, of the 88th Regiment
(Connaught Rangers), who led the "forlorn hope" at
Ciudad Rodrigo, noticed by Napier and others, carried
the breach and made the governor a prisoner, but gat DO
promotion until be obtained his company by seniority in
that regiment, and even then it was unaccompanied by
any brevet step. This gallant soldier retired from the
service in disgust ; and after the conclusion of the war
died in despair, without even a bit of riband to decorate
his breast.

Another instance, in the case of Sir John Scott Lillie,
may be mentioned, who commanded a Portuguese regi-
ment in several engagements during that war, he being
a lieutenant in the British army, but could obtain no
brevet promotion in it, although the thanks of the Duke
of Wellington-on several occasions had been conveyed
to him on the field for his distinguished services by a
living witness and most gallant officer, the present
Duke of Richmond, one of his Grace's aides-de-camp.
At Salamanca Lieutenant Lillie commanded a de-
tachment, which was noticed in the Duke's despatches
as having commenced the fight on that glorious occa-
sion, by contesting with the enemy the occupation of
the hills called Aripiles. The manner in which this was
done I find described by Napier as " similar to that
which happened between Cxsar and Africanus at Le-
rida ; for the French, seeing this detachMent approach,
broke down their own ranks, and, running without order to
the encounter, gained the first Aripiles, and kept it, but
were repulsed in an endeavour to seize the second."
In referring to the Duke's despatches on the various
fights in the Pyrenees, which continued for seven days
in succession, I find that he speaks of the 7th Cacadores
on the 30th of July, as having "led the attack on the
front of the enemy's main position, from which he was
driven, notwithstanding its having been one of the
strongest and most difficult to cross that his Grace
had ever seen occupied by troops." This regi-
ment (the 7th Cacadores) was then commanded
by Sir John Lillie, as a British lieutenant, to whom
the Duke's thanks and approbation of his conduct were
again conveyed, as formerly, by his aide-decamp, the
present Duke of Richmond ; but from his holding no
higher rank than liputenant, he could obtain no promo-
tion, nor were the hopes held out to him (as in the case
you allude to of Lieutenant Nasmyth) of getting brevet
rank on obtaining his company ever realised, notwith-
standing his merits on four different occasions that he
commanded his regiment, which entitled him to it. This
assertion is proved by the fact of his having received the
Gold Cross (vide Army List), with a silver med 1 and
several clasps, making, with the Order of the Bath, 12
decorations for distinguished services as a regimental
officer.

Among a variety of other instances I can state the
case of Lieutenant Power, of the 47th British Regiment,
upon whom devolved its command during the sanguinary
conflict at the storming of San Sebastian, where this
officer particularly distinguished himself, and fur which
he received a gold medal; but his rank of lieutenant
precluded him from the more substantial reward of pro-
motion, which, to his mortification, he saw granted to
all others of higher rank, though of inferior merit.
What are empty honours, sir, after a lapse of 40 years,
when compared with the regiments and the thousands
a year now enjoyed by so many staff and other officers
who never even commanded a company in action in
their lives ?

Such acts of injustice, sir, that are not sanctioned by
any other Government in the world, should be put a
stop to. Now is the time, when we ere engaged in im-
portant scenes of war, with the hopes of civilised
Europe concentrated on our efforts, in alliance with
troops accustomed to receive honours and promotions on
the field as rewards of merit, without waiting for such
contingencies as you justly remark "may never occur"
—now is the time, I repeat, Sir, to let the sparks of
heroism which shall blaze forth during this war, whether
from the ranks of subalterns, non-commissioned officers,
or soldiers, receive their due meed of reward in promo-
tion, and not suffer their fire to be extinguished by wet
blankets from head-quarters, while false lights are dis-
covered and frequently magnified into brilliant stars in
more elevated grades.

You, Sir, and the press in general, have done good
service to the army in the fire opened upon the cases of
Lieutenant Perry and Lieutenant Nasmyth, and I hope
to see that fire kept up until the advocates of Horse-
Guards' monopolies and persecutions, and prosecutions
of friendless subalterns, shall be compelled to strike
their flags.—l have the honour to be, Sir, your most
obedient servant, W. W.
Brighton, August 20,