The Sun.
London, England, 1856-03-31 00:00:00

THE "SOLDIER'S RETURN."

The martial spirit of the inbaidi,auts of Beeston was
roused, says the Nottingham, Review, on Thursday the 20th
inst., by the expected return of Private Leivers, of the 7th
Fusiliers. After the return of Lieut. Watson, the artisans
elected a committee, for the purpose of receiving and ma-
naging a fund, to be called the Beeston Patriotic Fund, to
be expended in tributes of respect to the wounded, and the
erection of a suitable tablet to the fallen. Private Leivers
volunteered about 18 months back from the militia, and,
after a few months' work in the trenches, iu which he fought
in several sorties, he joined in the attack on the Reclan.
Having succeeded in entering the left angle, he ,hot and
bayonetted one of the gunners, at the same moment that
the gnu was fired which sent his right leg and the butt
end of his firelock into shivers, taking away his limb as
clearly as would the knife of an amputator, and knockii.g
him over the embrasure into the ditch fifteen feet below.

Here he lay all night, amid the cries and grOans of his
wounded and dying comrades. The conam4.ttee, having
received an intimation that he was to return on Thurs-
day night, had provided a chair, in which to carry him
from the train, and present to him as a mark of their sym-
pathy for his sufferings. Accordingly a goodly number
proceeded with banners, headed by the B,:eston band, to
the station ; but after waiting the arrival of the last train,
they had to return without him, in consequence of an unexe
p acted detention at Chatham. Determined, however, not to
let their patriotism get cool, they chaired .Private Oldham,
of the Coldstream Guards, who was shot in the foot, and
had returned a few weeks previously, and who was to have
a chair presented to him at the same time. On arriving at
the village they proceeded to the Commercial Inn, where a
platform was erected on the balcony in front, and a few
of the committee, with Oldham, having ascended, the
Chair man said—" Friends, we have met this evening to
welcome back from the war one of our wounded villagers,
but we have been disappointed. But as the dates of the
presents are fur this evening, we shall present Private Old-
ham with his. Some people say we have no right to go
to war. They have as much right to that opinion as we
have to believe that while there are unprincipled rulers
of large states leading those states to rob adjoining ones of
their territory, and subjecting them to laws they approve
not of, fight we must ; and while such is the case fight we
will. (Cheers.) And as we cannot all go, leaving our
benches, out machines, and chops, we must of course engage
men to go for us, while we help to carry on the business of
life and the trade of the country. Looking at the trials,
dangers, hardships, and horrid deaths staring those in the
face who thus engage, I confess it requires no ordinary
amount of courage andpatriotism thus to engage. Lookfor a
moment at the present
.war. Hunger, thirst, coil, and pes-
tilence before them, and hundreds of gnus murderously
pouring down grape, canister, and shell in perfect hail-
storms on the brave soldiers' heads." Aftter some other
remarks, turning round to Oldham, he paid, " Robert
Oldham, you have been to fight for us, and have been
wounded. We now publicly welcome you back to your
native village, and -present you with this chair
as a mark of sympathy for your suffering, and
recommend you to devote your time to reading and
the cultivation of your mind, that we may esteem
you for your moral as well as your soldierly charac-
ter, so that you may obtain a position in
the village that will entitle you to the respect of all
classes—a village which, for patriotism, is second to none,
sending from its three thousand inhabitants three lieute•
nauts, one ensign, one serjeant, and upwards of twenty
privates, to fight for our country." Oldham then returned
thanks, and the band having played " God save the
Queen," the inhabitants returned to their homes. Be-
fore sunrise on the following morning, Private Livers,
who had come down in the night, was announced as being
at the station, by two
Youths who had gone in that
direction to fly their pigeons, but who would not be
persuaded to carry the news unless he sent his leg in proof
of his arrival there. The young urchins came breathless
into the village, exhibiting his leg, and shouting " He's
come ! he's come !" and in twenty soinntes the committee
were on their way to the station with the chair, and sur-
rounded by a quickly gathering multitude. On the hero
arriving at the village, a salute of several guns was fired.
The procession halted, and gave three hearty cheers, and
then proceeded towards his home, the inhabitants wel-
coming him from every house as he passed. Ono of them,
to remind him of the day, gave him a glass of wino and
a hot cross bun. On arriving at the house of J. Watson,
ia Esq., the procession again halted, andsalutae saluted n with
nce
three hearty cheers, after which, they soon reached their
destination. One of the committee, from nno
submitted the trophies he had brought, and, addressing
the wounded soldier, said, " Private Ilazael Leivers,
we are come to welcome you back from the wars, in
which you have lost a leg in our cause, and as a mark
of our sympathy we present you with the chair in
which you now sit, and in which you have been carried
from the station. May you enjoy many an hour of
ease and happiness therein • and we trust your wild oats
are left with your limb in front of the Roden ; and as you
are not devoid of natural talent, wo hope that talent will be
improved by reading and study, that you may attain a re-
spectable position in the village to which wo now welcome
you, and depend upon it you will meet with encouragement
from the higher classes, who will gladly help you to rise to a
position of eminence iu the village." Private Leivers said
he felt greatly obliged to the inhabitants for their kindness,
and he would try to deserve their esteem. He was then
delivered safely to his parents, and the inhabitants returned
to their homes.