The Sun.
London, England, 1857-04-27 00:00:00

TIIE CROSS OF VALOUR.

The following letter appears in the columns of a
morning contemporary. Now if the s atements
made thr.irein be true, and we sfe no reason to dis-
credit them, they prove that a gross act of injustice
has been committed upon the writer, %ninon it is to
be hoped his Royal Highness the Commander-in •
Chief will immediately endetvour to rem.cly
"Sir, am a serjeaiit of nearly three years, lately
retired from the 17th La .cers, at the early age of 26
years, solely in consequence of being passed over, most
unjustly, in the rewards and honours that. have been
bestowed. lam now made drill sergeant in the Sher-
wood Rangers,. Mansfield, by its noble colonel, his Grace
the Duke of Ne,castle, and, wishing my feillw men to
know how uoju,tly I have been treated, I beg of you to
allow me a place in your columns, so generously open to
private as well as public grievances, to state my services
as briefly as possible.

atun e'n‘Aßtto beingav
arywe ani
with
hat
gh
lee:Ay
elnisntaautl w
ah
dart
oat:0 presento
ku nptil
until
eiewt. i
was
hla
sicnhynaerragergel,
charged
-
annihilated, my own lance being shot away. Drawing
iny sword I galloped on to the Russian guns, and a sis-
ted in cutting down the gunners. On the right of eur
forming line I observed one particular gun going away as
fast as the horses couli take it. I went after it wit h
Captain Jervis of the 13th Light Dragoons, who shot
one of the ht race and delayed its progress. On this I
engaged t of the gunners, who both fell. It,
now became a struggle for our lives, as a large body of
Cossacks surrounded us. I succeeded in working
my way through them, and galloped in the direction of
what I judged to be our own Hussars. I found thy
were Russians reforming. I forced my way on full
speed through them unhurt. A regiment of Polish
Lancers, 800 strong, had formed acrcae the valley. I
halted a moment to look around. Perceiving several of
our cavalry in the same dilemma, I called to them,
and being then a corporal I used what authority I
had to form them as well as I could. We gathered
12, and charged their centre ; most of us got through.
I believe three fell. These men were 4th and
nth Light Dragoons and 17th Lancers ; one was of the
Bth Hussars. I received the point of a lance in the
right hand ; the wound was slight. The Russian infan-
try now opened a heavy fire upon us, and, after gallop-
ing through the guns of the enemy in advance of us,
each man separated, trusting to fate. Private James
Cope and Private James Wightman, now corporals of
the 17th Lancers, were of the number. Wightman was
severely wounded, and taken prisoner far 12 months.
"On the sth of November, 1854, I was at the battle
of lnkerman, and under fire. Cornet Cleveland was
shot ; and when our regiment was ordered to retire I
a-ked Captain Morgan to allow me to fall out of the
ranks to assist in carrying Mr. Cleve and off the field.
Troop Sergeant Major O'Hara and Private Jas
. O'ldarer
of the same regiment, also fell out fir that purfose. In
performing that act Janes O'Hara and myself had both
our dress caps shat oft ~ur beads by a common cannon
ban. We still pursued our duty till out of range, where
the cornet wished to be laid do wn till a str,tcher was
procured. This offimrdied. While stationed at Balaklava
I was one of the detachment ordered for the Baidar Val-
, ley. On one occasion I was engaged in the reconnoite
ring party in advance of the party that took possession
of Ueneral Chatrl wits house, near the Worouzoff road.
Two of the Land Transport Corps and several mules
were wounded and one killed, when the corps deser ed
the waggon, and I was the sergeant who led a detac -
us
urp h,
enotof'a my regiment to the spot, when the Russians,
on
fled into the wood, and I placed toy
men on vidette, which the main body had to retire
upon. I may further add that I embarked with the
regiment at the first commencement of the war. I
servekl under Lord Cardigan at Devnn Yepi•Bazai
at the time when disease greatly prevailed. A.
this time I had the honour to be seiewed
as
acot-
peral of let.t,r party t r
atioed at Vart.a.
whole of the army despatches were c,,oveyed by our
sicknessparty,
and
of h Re
a ms eonf etno cr
ride
pdeal
yl e da,n idn consequence
t lets th.B
" I was present in every skirmish in which my regi-
ment was engaged, and I returned borne when the
campaign eniled•
When in Ireland with my regiment
He told me
• hed co duct
•
I inquired of my tW7r,i4op officerwhy I did not get a
medal for distinguished
was sorry I did not, but it lay to the commanding
officer's discretion. So it appears they are not
die
tinguis • bed conduct medals,' but discretion medals !
There are several men in the 17th Lar•cers who wear
medals for distinguished conduct in the &la of battle
who never crossed swords with a Russian.
" This is my simple and truthful statement; and I

think I have reason to complain that I am not decorated
'Ol a - ' •• - -7 nf vgt ity,
0:4 tklo , t • h a
u e r 1 r. -3,, tip,
tit' I • t)

:lily

"ThOILAS ti ORLEY.
39, Citurch—tr-et, :%:ansfL-3;,1, Apri. 22."

.'}77 Jtr

HADDINGTO GRAD

,t ~~. %~'.. ......

MARK ET- APRIL 21.

Wile:AT. RAMAT OATs. i BRANS
First 603 04 433 Od 33s 04 j 434 fa
Second 3Bs lid 1 37s 14 ) 28s 3d ) 378 id
Third 33s o,i I a'4B 01 I 25s 64 I 28s Od
Total quantity of wheat in market, 442 qrs., 423 so'd
.1 barley „ 2?6 qrs., 163 sold
oats ,; 421 qrs., :355 sold
beans 113 qrs., 132 sold
ON Of /A
AVERAGES PER IMPERIAL QUARTER.
Wheat, 11. 18 11 11-12ths j Barley, ...P. 17 1 11.12 th
Oats, ... 11. 8 3 10 12thz I f-loans, ... 11. 17 1 7-12tba

!V ,

DALKRITH GRAth MARKET—APRIL 23.
Qrs. Best. Current. Inferior
301. Wheat 61s Od
623 Oats 3os Od 2ss 7d.
205 Barley 4!s 641 37s Od
45 Peas & beans 41s Od _ 38r bid 36 ad