The Virginia enterprise., 1900-01-05
BADGES FOR THE BRAVE.
Victoria Cross Which All British Sol
diers May Hope to Win.


1t is probable that of the 10000 men
who have sailed during the last month
from Eng land for South Africa there is
hardly single officer or soldier who does
not look forward to returning home with
that little bronze badge known as the
Victoria cross, pinned upon his breast.
1t is distinction that is within the reach
OF every member Of the entire force, from
the divisional generals down to the small
EST Dugler or drummer boy. and there is
not one of them who would not infinitely
prefer it to any form of promotion. For
ITS possession indicates that its owner is
III every sense of the word a hero. the
cross being conferred only for some signal
act of altogether exceptional bravery,
partaking of the character of hcroism.
1t was founded at the time of the Cri-
meaI: war, and among those whose breasts
1t adorns are generals such as Sir Red
yers Butler, who commands in chief i'm
South Africa: Field Marshal Lord Rob
erts and plain. ordinary privatcs in the
army. In fact, at least 50 per cent of
the 200 Victoria cross men won the dis
tlnctlon as privateS or noncommiSsionetl
officers of the army and us common sail
ors in the navy.
Sir Redvers Butler, for instance. re-
cclved his Victoria cross for riding back
three times in one day in the face of a
h0tlY-pursulng foe to rescue wounded
comrades and soldiers. Lord William
Beresford. who is married to an Ameri-
can woman. received it for feats of SIM
liar character. Gen. Sir Evelyn Wood
got 1T in India for advancing under a
heavy fire along narrow causeway to
place bag of gunpowder against the
gate of city which the English were to
storm during the mutiny. while ut least
two mldshlpmen received the cross for
picking up bombs from the decks of their
vessels during the Crimean war and
throwing them overheard before the siz-
zling fuse had time to explode the shell
and carry death and destruction to all
around it.
IS of red: while in the navy the ribbon is
blue. The metal of which the cross is
made is of that same kind of bronze that
nifty years ago was used for field guns
The cross is of the style known as Nal.
tese: has the royal crown, surmounted BY
the lion. in the center, and underneath Il
scroll bearing the inscriptions: "E'or
valor.' 1t is hung suspended by 'V''
ring to bar. Oh the reverse side of which
the rank and name of the recipient is en-
graved, while on the cross itself are in
sscribed the name and date of the action
in which the honor was won.
Any additional act of bravery which
would nave won the Victoria cross for it's
holder had he not already possessed it is
signalized by bar or clasp being added
to the ribbon just above the bar from
which the cross is suspended. The cross
carries with it a pension of $50 year
and an additional $25 is given for each
bar. To the best of my knowledge there
is no Victoria cross man who can boast of
an additional bar TO his cross
1t must thoroughly be understood that
nf hr.f fnr 1,i<,1, FL,
is conferred must have been performed in
war time and to all intents and purposes
under the fire of the enemy. Acts of
bravery in times of peace do not receive
any such recognition, and. although Ad.
miral Lord Charles Beresford has on sew
eral occasions risked his life at sea by
diving overheard from a ship to save fell
low officers and sailors from drowning,
yet he has never received the Victoria
cross which, as stated above, was grant
ed to his brother ''Bill' for rescuiiig one
wounded trooper under fire.