The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1894-07-28
ROLL OF GLORY R !
Distinguished Conduct Of Peter
Crowley, Kerry Boy, in
'tthe Soldiers Battle"
THE SIEGE OF SEVAST0P0L

THE SIEGE OF SEVASTOPOL
Irishmen Who Received the French
War Medals for Bravery
Shown on the Field. -.
1t is not often one runs across in every
day life, one OF those "heroes of the
ranks" whose gallantry has been suffici.
ent to get their names inserted on the
regimental roll of glory-ens' rined on
the Regimental Records beside those Of
distinguished captains whom European
military history has long since claimed
as ite own, says correspondent Of the
Dublin Freeman. Yet such was my ex-
perience the other day when I fell in
with one of the few whom the regiment
al history of the Royal Scottish Fusihers
has rescued from the comparative obliv
ion that forty years after, surrounds. the
name of ILkernan. That was pre- e-sm-
inently the Soldiers Battle" and it was
fitting that the rank and file should have
a big share in the glory of the day. My
friend was then private, having been
only a few months in the service before
the hosts of the west faced the Russians
in the Crimea. His name is Peter Crow
ley. 1t is not one suggestive of Laud o.
Cakes, and in fact he is not Scotchman,
but native of 1.-The Kingdom" having
been born not far from Kennare. He
chose the Royal Scots Fusiliers because
his brother WAS in the reRiment-thus
adopting more direct method Of secur-
ing proximity to that relative than that
other Kerryman who chose the 33a Regi-
ment in order that he might be near his
brother, who was IN the 34th.
What induced Peters brother to give
q preference to the Scottish corps when
he was Offering his service to the Com
mander.in Chief, history is silent upon.
It was probably due to.the fact that de-
spite it's Scottish title it was then prac-
tioally an Irish corps. A good deal more
than half the men were Irish, and at
church parade the Roman Catholics out
numbered all other denominations to-
gether. There are very few Irishmen
now in the regiment.
The entry in the regimental records
regarding the subject Of this sketch is
as follows: ITO Private Peter Crowley
for distinguished conduct in rescuing an
officer Of another rigement from Rus
sian soldier who had taken him prisoner,
at the battle of Inkerman, the French
War Medal"
Our friends account Of the transaction
ID, modesty itself. It occurred when the
Russians were withdrawing after the
failure OF their attack ON the British.
They were u, 600 strong, and the British
only little over 1900 or ten to one. So
entirely abnormal were the condi ions OF
the struggle that the men Of the Fusil-
iers had to fight in groups. Crowley,
when the fight slackened, missed his
brother and went in search of him-an
unavailing mission by the way, as he
was killed in the thick of the fight. While
thus engaged he observed at distance
of scarcely twenty yards from him a
Russian soldier, leading off as a prisoner
British tfficer, whom he had deprived
of both sword aud pistol Even the
green Kerry lads sense OF the fitness OF
things seems to have been outraged by
so unwonted spectacle. It was but
the work of moment for him to spring
to the side of the Russian, put his bay
onet to his ear, and led him back pris
oner in company with his late captive,
now free, except perhaps from an uneasy
suspicion as to how he himself figured in
the deed Of arms. It was fearless feat
as for great part of the timefh he was un-
der shower OF lead from q Russian
force, less than two. hundred yards dis.
tsnt. So that he we'll deserved the dis
tlnpuished reward the French conferred
on him for the deed. History does not
say who the rescued officer was; when
Crowley was ordered subsequently to THE
regimental mess for thspurpose of identi
tying the gentleman, he 4 suspect gen.
erously failed TO recognize him.
A large proportion Of the others re.
warded for distinguished conduct were
Irish non commissioned officers and pri.
Yates. The French war medal was also
awarded to Private Timothy Driscoll FOL
his services in the trenches during the
siege Of Seyastopol; to Sergeant Patrick
Kelley for the Same purpose-he VA
subsequently attached to 9 commission
in the First West India Regiment, ani
was killed ii storming stockade on tht
West Ooast Of Africa; 5nd 70 Private
MichaelM Phely for onspicuons bravery
drrin a fra rann1ae nf Russian eOftia