Crimea by Malcolm Archibald

Author:Malcolm Archibald [Archibald, Malcolm]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Creativia
Published: 2016-08-21T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirteen

Siege of Sebastopol

October 1854

Colonel Murphy leaned back in his chair as the canvas of his tent rustled above his head. 'You are well aware that we are attempting to raise the reputation of the 113th, Windrush.'

Jack nodded, 'yes, sir.'

'That means that we must not only be the best of regiments in the field but also be known as gentlemen.'

'Yes, sir.' Jack stood at attention, as tense as any private soldier called before a duty officer. Major Snodgrass stood at the entrance of the tent, while Murphy's desk was a litter of papers and maps, with his holstered revolved acting as a paperweight and his sword hanging across the back of his chair. There were two glass-fronted cases behind Murphy's desk, one for the Queen's Colour and one for the Regimental Colour. While the Queen's Colour remained in place, the case holding the Regimental Colour was empty.

'You see correctly, Windrush,' Murphy said. 'Somebody has stolen the Regimental Colour.' He shook his head. 'To lose one of the colours in action is a disgrace. To lose a colour from one's tent… 'He shook his head. 'There is nothing worse.'

'Was it the Zouaves sir?' Jack asked. 'Our men have sometimes borrowed supplies from them, and they may have wished to retaliate.'

'I do not know, damn it!' Murphy said. He glowered at Jack. 'I expect my officers to find the culprit, Windrush. The regiment is disgraced by the loss, and doubly disgraced when Major Kutuzov informed me about your conduct in the line.'

My conduct sir?'Jack stiffened to attention, his eyes still on the empty display case. 'I am afraid I do not understand.'

Colonel Murphy stood up, coughed and sat back down again. 'If what Major Kutuzov tells me is correct, Windrush, then you set a trap for him.'

'The Russians were not acting according to any rules of gentlemanly conduct I have ever heard of, sir.' Jack was surprised that Murphy allowed him to explain. 'They were creeping up to our trenches at night and looping a wire over the heads of our sentries, dragging them out of the trenches and slitting their throats, sir. It is the sort of behaviour one would expect from Burmese dacoits rather than European soldiers.'

'Indeed,' Murphy said. 'I do not disagree with you, Windrush, but we are British soldiers. We fight fair and according to the rules. That is what sets us above all the other nations; that is what makes us better. We are honourable and must be seen to be beyond approach. Do you understand that?'

'Yes, sir.' Jack could only agree.

'It does not matter what tricks the enemy employs; we cannot stoop to their level; what would Her Majesty say if she heard that soldiers who hold her commission were resorting to tricks such as explosive dummies to defeat the foe.'

'I see, sir.' Jack had an image of Queen Victoria reading a letter sent from Lord Raglan directly to her, informing her of the reprehensible behaviour of one Lieutenant Jack Windrush of the 113th Foot. The

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