Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol. 9.djvu/224

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194 COLONEL YEA'S ATTACK.


chap. In the course of the retreat, A'Court Fishei . himself, and many of the people obeying him, laid hold of yet one more occasion for the exer- cise of their daring and firmness by toiling pro- tractedly — toiling under strong fire — in order to save wounded men. just praise Lieutenant A'Court Fisher's chief reported him bytheau as one who had ' displayed great coolness, judg- thorities on , , , . . , . . A'Court nienfc, and decision under very trying circum- Fisiier. ' stances.' * The loss When, after the peace that had lasted scarce of Colonel , ., „ . r. Yea; less than forty years, our new generation of islanders took up ' the great tradition,' we saw Colonel Yea on the Alma at the head of his Eoyal Fusiliers ; but also we afterwards saw him encountering the stress of 'the winter troubles' with a rare force of will that protected his cherished regiment from no small share of the hardship endured by other troops ; and to his power so exerted, no less than to his ' gallantry ' in action, Lord Raglan in terms referred when — in sorrow— announcing to England the loss of this resolute chief.! In their choice of the moment ordained for the end of his life whilst advancing at the head of his stormers, and already on the verge of the Abattis, the Fates, one may say, proved kind. He was

  • General Hairy Junes to Lord Raglan, 20th June 1855.

t Lord Raglan to Secretary of State, 19th June 1855. A published Despatch.