The Sun.
London, England, 1857-06-27 00:00:00

LIVERPOOL.

Yesterday afternoon the pensioners belonging to
the Liverpool district were drawn up in a rquare,
two deep, in the Exchange area in that town, to
witness the presentation of the French Crimean
medal of valour to two British soldiers, Sergeant
Brummell, of the 46th Regiment, and Private
Joseph Mitchell, of the 69th Light Infantry, the
former of whom lost a leg while under fire in the
front parallel, and the latter an arm in the trenches.
The medals were for general bravery during the
campaign. The presentations were made in the
name of the Emperor of the French by Col. Bell,
inspecting field-officer of the district, besides whom
there were present Lieut.-Col. Rogers, Capt. Faulk-
ner, Capt. Bradish, Capt. Middleton, &c. The
ceremony was witnessed by the Mayor of Liverpool
.(Mr. F. Shand) and a party of friends from the bal-
cony overlooking the area, and by a large number
of merchants and others.

Colonel BELL, in presenting the medals, said—
Now, my old soldiers and companions, I am going
to introduce to your notice two of my old and gal-
lant comrades in the late war—two gallant men who
during the whole a the Crimean service were dis-
tinguished by their own commanding officers and
by the General Commanding-in-Chief, and who are
now to be decorated with the war medal by the
order of his Imperial Majesty the Emperor of tho
French—the greatest honour that can be conferred
upon a British soldier after receiving distinguished
marks of honour from his own Queen. I have very
few words for this occasion ; it requires but few.
These medals (producing them) have been for-
warded from the Emperor of the French to
be conferred upon two brave British soldiers.
They . bear upon one side the bust of his Im-
perial Majesty, and upon the other the words
" Valour" and " Discipline" are inscribed.
Those words are always applicable to good British
soldiers, fur a well disciplined British soldier must
be a valiant man, and a valiant man is always
a well disciplined soldier, driving all his honour
from discipline and obedienceto orders. Theßritish
soldier asks no questions on the day of battle. Ho
attends to the orders of his commanding officer.
He looks neither to the right nor to the left ; be
fights to the front ; he fights for victory, and wins.
(Cheers.) Here are two gallant men, Sergeant
Brummell (who stepped forward) and Joseph Mit-
chell (who also stood to the front). These men nobly
distinguished themselves in the late war. No ono
knows what that war was, ncr can auy man tell ita
hardships and dangers, not even the Times corres-
pondent. The hardships of the British army are
known only to those strong men who were there to
share the dangers, and who outlived the perils. But
they are rewarded by their country. Look round
upon this assemblage of the gentlemen of LiVerpool;
the merchants of this great city have come to see
two gallant soldiers decorated with this sign of
valour. Look back a little in the order of events,
and recall to mind the noble ladies of England, who
not only wept for their countrymen, but worked
day and night, and sent them all the comforts and
conveniences and delicacies they could to the plateau
of Sebastopol, with the hope of sustaining and en-
couraging the brave hearts who were dying on that
cold sod. Soldiers, you can never do enough for
the ladies, God bless them ! (Cheers.) In conclusion,
Colonel Bell having affixed the medals on the breasts
of the recipients, heartily shook them by the hand,
and wished them long life and health to wear them,
assuring them that wherever they went they would
be the passports to a cordial reception. (Cheers )
At the request of Mitchell, one of the newly de-
corated heroes, three times three cheers were given
for the Queen, three for the Emperor of the French,
and three for the ladies of England. The proceed-
ings then terminated. Both Brummell and Mit-
chell have already received the English Crimean.
medal, Mitchell with three bars—" Alma," " In-
kerman," and " Sebastopol," and Brummell with
one bar—Sebastopol."