The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-06-02
HEROIC DEEDS OF UNKNOWN PEo-
Pile.
How ar English Drummer Boy Won
the Victoria Cross-A Girl Who

Rescued Fifty People From Sink
ing Vessel.
An English drummer boy. who won the
| Victoria Cross, has had his name in
scribed on the marble memorial tablet
placed in the shattered Cashmer Gate
of Delhi. India.
The most impressive memento Of the
Indian mutiny is this gate, still preserved
as it was left after the storming of the
old Mogul capitals fortifications on Sept
a. 1857 At daybreak, that morning. six
men-or five men and a boy-who had
volunteered for the desperate task, dashed
at the gate to clear away for the attack
by blowing it up. There were two lieu
tenants and three sergeants, with powder
bags and fuses, and bugler to signal
that the path was clear. Two of the men
were shot dead and one was mortally
wounded, but they did their work, and
the drummer boy sounded the advance
once, twice, thrice, carefully, lest the din
from the breaches should drown it. The
lad, with one other of the six heroes,
lived to wear the Victoria Cross.
The second gold medal for bravery be-
slowed by Queen Victoria, was given to
an English vicar. On a rock-bound coast
of England ragged a storm, many, many
years ago, which wrecked a ship among
the rocks The life-boat put off, but
was quickly disabled, and death appeared
inevitable to the sailors still clinging to
the mast. At that very time service be-
gan in church, which was near the shore.
Then the vicar announced that there
would be no service that morning, as they
duty was to help the shipwrecked. This,
by the fisberfolk was regarded as I'M
possible, for no boat may pass the rocks.
The vicar took off his coat and boots and
watch, and handed them to his wife. He
then fastened a rope round him and start
ed to swim to the wreck, which after an
interminable time he succeeded in reach.
ing, made fast rope, and saved the crew,
being the last man to come on shore. II
was regarded as one of the most daring
feats ever performed. Besides the medal
from the English Queen, he receivd two
other ones from the Emperor of France
IT seems hardly possible that a girl OF
sixteen should save nearly fifty people
from a terrible death. Yet that is what
Grace Bassell did-the Grace Darling of
Australia. 1t happened one day in De-
cember, 1876, that a vessel was wrecked
off the coast of Australia, few miles
from the Bassel house. The life-boat on
board the steamer was lowered, but 1t
capsized and the eight people in it were
drowned. So the rest of the crew chung
to the sinking steamer The surf ran so
wildly that no one could dare to swim
through it, and there was not a house or
person i'm sight. But help was rear,
though they knew it not. The girl of
sixteen, who was a splendid horsewoman.
was riding along with native servant
She caught sight of the vessel in dis
tress, and turning her horses head to-
ward the coast, she started at a quick
gallop. When she reached the sea, she
urged her horse into the angry surf.
She rode boldly on till she reached the
vessel. With great difficulty she took
some of the children in her arms. and
put them before her on the saddle; then
with bigger children and women olinging
to her dress, she started for the snore,
gave those she had rescued to the care
of her servant, and returned again to the
wreck. So she went backward and for
ward for four hours, till all We're safe
on land, the servant having ridden TO
bring out the last man.
All will agree that Grace well deserved
the medal of the Royal humane Society,
which was soon after presented 10 her.
To be nursed by his sweetheart, while
suffering from injuries received while
saving life, and then to go to his we'd
ding with his breast covered with medals.
was the fate of Piquet, the French plum
Der, who worked so nobly to rescue life
at the burning of the Charity Bazaar in
Paris. Like Desdemona, his lady-love ad-
mired his courage and promised her hand
and heart with a dot saved by skillful
handiwork. The ooachman, Georges, who
was the hero, first and foremost, of this
awful fire. has had honors without num-
Der heaped on him The French govern
ment conferred upon him the Cross of the
Legion of Honor, and he wears the medal
and ribbon even when on the box of his
coach. The mistress, whose life he saved
by carryig her from the burning building,
gave him $4,000. and when Georges visited
her native town, he was not only present.
ed with a modal, but he received honors
usually given only to the President of
France The mayor and local function
aries met him at the station, and there
was a triumphal procession. a concert
and banquet.