we went inside of all the other ships, close under the Russian guns, from which the shots fell about us like hail. One shell burst within a few feet of where I was standing and killed the powder boy who stood next to me, and knocked the rest of the gun’s crew down. The captain of the gun, named Johns, belonging to Milbrook, was very much burnt. Two guns next to where I stood had all the men knocked away by two shells. The fire-bell rang, and we found that we were on fire. The steamer that was towing us sent her engines on board and the fire was put out. The Admiral made the signal ‘Well done Queen!’ We then hauled out and came to anchor at our old station. The Albion was totally disabled. She was riddled with shell, grape and canister, and her netting and rigging were nearly all cut away. Her masts were also very much damaged. The Sanspareil and Arethusa were also greatly injured. Today, the old captain called us on deck and told us what the Admiral had said, who gave us great praise for the courage and coolness displayed on the day of the action. You will have in the newspapers a fuller account of it than I can give you. The guns from the shore kept up a continual fire, while we engaged them from the sea. I suppose you have great talk at home of Sebastopol being taken; but we have a bone to pick before that is done, and it seems that we have made very little impression on the forts. I cannot give you any fuller account of it now. I saw a young chap of the name of Mitchell, and another named Jarvis, from Hastings, who are on board a ship called the Shooting Star. There was a shell burst on the quarter-deck which carried away the starboard binnacle and knocked a quarter-master’s leg clean off. It was the first I ever was in action. You must excuse the writing, for I was forced to get anything I could to write with. The worst of it is I very often have an empty belly, and know what it is to be hungry. If I get two meals a day I think myself well off....I have no more to say about the war. Give my best respects to Mrs. Kenyon and Mrs. Phillips, and to Tom, Jack, Maria, and Elizabeth, and to all enquiring friends. Remember me to William and Mary and also the little girl. Your affectionate son George Oliver.”
Thomas Brazier, also a member of a well-known Hastings family, wrote as follows:-
- “Before Sebastopol, Oct 22nd, 1854.
“Dear father, mother, brothers and sisters, I write these few lines to you hoping they will find you well, as they leave me at present, thank God for it. I must inform you that we commenced storming this place 6 days ago. We had to go down every night to cut an entrenchment within 800 yards of the enemy’s batteries, they firing away at us all the time, but we were not to be driven away; so, at last we did what we wished in spite of their fire. But I can tell you it was not very pleasant going up and down -
- “Before Sebastopol, Oct 22nd, 1854.
