Gilpin observer., 1912-09-05

W. c." to their names; and Of these,
fifteen never lived to enjoy their hon.
ors-they died to win.
When Queen Victoria instituted the
Order OF the Victoria Cross by her
RoyalsWarrant of January 29, 1856, 1t
1s more than likely that she was in
spired by the immortal Charge Of the
Light Brigade at Balaklava some two
years before. At any rate, she felt
that 4 new naval and military order
was necessary in order to distinguish
those brave men who, by their valor,
particularly signalized themselves du-
ring the Crimean war.
Nothing save "the merit of con-
spicuous bravery gives claim for the
decoration, and 1t must be evinced by
some signal act of devotion or valor
in the presence Of the enemy"
1t would be hard matter to decide
which particular deed out of the fve
hundred and twenty-five was the no.
blest.3 In fact, in some instances the
cross was awarded for o. series Of gal
liant actions on the part Of single in
dividual, each act worthy of v. G. It.
self. This fact tends to complicate the
ing a selection. True. some Of the
deeds which won a cross have been
more spectacular than others. Thus
the lancers, hussars, and dragons
who earned v. c. during the brief
but memorable Charge of the Light
Brigade at Balaklava will, in all prob
ability, be better known to posterity
than the civilian clerk Lucknow"
Kavanagh, the brave Irishman who
earned a Victoria Cross by his won
derful daring in leaving Lucknow with
dispatches and plans. picking his way
through country infested by $4,000
vigflant. murderous Sepoy troopers,
that aid might be summoned to the
besieged city.
The Indian mutiny was in full
swing. Early in 1857 the mysterious
chapatis Of unleavened bread had been
passed from village to village, togeth-
er with the sinister message, Every
thing will become red" Misled by
treacherous and designing native
princes, the Sepoys had turned upon
the English.
Fresh from Hongkong after the
news of the outbreak at Meerut, H. M.
s. Shannon disembarked a body of
bluejackets at Calcutta and all haste
was made to the relief of the English
garrison at Cawnpore. Sir William
Peel. who had gained distinction and
V. c. during the Crimean war, was
in command Of the bluejackets: and
among the latter was one William
Hall. negro captain Of the foretop
rhp hoI t., Cr,,
Pulling their 24-pounders over the
rough roads, the naval brigade Joined
Havelock's relieving column, and ev-
cry nerve was strained to reach Gavin.
pore in time. for 1t was known that
about six hundred Europeans were
cooped up in the city, including many
English women and children.
Cawnpore was reached upon the
10th Of July, and a crushing blow
dealt the bloodthirsty hosts OF the un-
speakable Mana Sahib. But the ef-
fort was wasted in the main, for
scarcely twenty-four hours before,
while Havelocks column was within
days march, the massacre which star
tied the civilized world had been per-
petrated. Four hundred-odd men had
surrendered. owing to the blunder Of
a senile and weak-kneed general, and
more than two hundred women and
children had been left to the mercies
OF tine fiendish foe under Mana Sahib.
The men of the garrison had been
cruelty decoyed to their deaths-wan-
tonly shot down in cold blood after
the surrender. several weeks before
the arrival OF General Havelock and
his men. The women and children
had been triumphantly inspected by
Mana Sahib and then locked up in a
gloomy chamber. There they were
kept for some time. during which their
numbers were swelled by the arrival
of fresh prisoners TO a total OF two
hundred and eighteen. The Mana had
been In no hurry to slaughter them,
but the near approach of the aveng-
ing forces hastened his action, and on
the 18th OF July his edict went forth
for the massacre
The Mana commanded the Sepoys to
shoot through the windows into the
closely packed masses of women, but
even his men, hardened as they were
TO their leaders, atrocities, could not
bring themselves to murder the wo-
men and children In cold blood. They
contented themselves with firing sin.
gle volley over their heads. But other
less scrupulous instruments were
quickly found, and Ave brutal-looking
natives. each armed with glittering
tulwar. entered the crowded chamber
and closed the door behind them.
To tho listeners outside came the
sound Of low wailings. OF running
feet, and the dull thuds Of the butch
srs' swords.
To picture the scene within the
room would bafie the Imagination Of
Dante. The mind recoils from scene
at once so hideous and appalling.
The next morning the bodies vana