This letter is written by someone only too familiar with the realities of protracted warfare. In one of the last major episodes of the Crimean War, the siege of the fortified port city of Sevastapol (Sebastapool), British, French, Ottoman and, latterly, Sardinian forces confronted its Russian defenders for nearly a year.
William Coe, a private in the 97th Regiment of Foot, tells of his experiences in the allies’ final assault on 8th September 1855. The loss of life during the siege had been terrible – from disease as well as military action. In the final attacks the death toll, for all sides, is said to have topped 20,000. The British attempt to take the Great Redan, in which Coe took part, was ultimately unsuccessful. The 97th Regiment experienced 59% casualties in the action.
However, French troops succeeded in taking another major Russian fortification, the Malakhov. The loss of this crucial defensive position led to Russian withdrawal.
In his letter, Coe reassures his mother that he has survived without injury and praises the bravery of his comrades, but does little to disguise the horror of events. He claims the authority of “an actor in the tragedy” for the truthfulness of his account.
In the full text below all spellings are as in the original. Unreadable sections are marked [……..?].
Camp not before Sebastapool but in
Sebastapool 11 th September 1855
Dear Mother,
I take this delightful opportunity of sending you a few lines after our success on Sebastapool. I knew it was to be attacked but when I did not know nor no one else until the morning of the 8 th at 7 O’clock. The Regiment paraded and the Colnel asked for volunteers to take the Great Redan and was astonished to se the whole of the Old Sky Blues 1 step to the front accordingly at 11 O’clock wee were at our station 160 for the folorn hope 2 me being one at my own request takeing skaleing ladders with us The French and us attacked to gether at 12 the former the Malakoff and us the redan Such a good run as the Russians made you would laugh to se it but they soon returned in double force and made us recoil for a moment but the panic was momentary put aside and facing them again we drove them out but only to be attacked on both flanks and were forced to retire but not before we partly destroyed the battery The French succeeded but such bravery as was displayed by our men never was known since the creation of Man having to go to the mouth of the enemy guns with scaleing ladders in our hands and to cross 250 yards of broken ground but the Russians abandoned the town at 2 O’clock the following morning setting it on fire in several places and blowing up the Redan I went into the town yesterday and such a scene I never before witnessed every house was full of shot holes and on fire No end to furniture clothing and as to eatables and drinkables there was no scarcety Russians lying dead and women in despair men lying drunk and the explosions of magazines all was dreadful
The French is given to plunder but the English is not allowed to touch any thing but I want nothing only what I have got and that is my life and the Lord has granted me the chance for another battle you can believe what I have wrote in this for it is wrote by the hand of one who was an actor in the tragedy and thats myself Dear Mother James left me for england on the 15 th of last month being too weakly to stand the hardships of the Crimean Campaign but hardship is al[…..?] and I hope with blessings of God that the affair will soon be over all to gether I have no more to say at present only answer this as quick as possible and remember me to my sister I escaped without a scratch but out of 350 men we lost 200 of our gallant Regt.
I remain yours truly Wm. Coe 3
From Wm Coe no. 241[.?] No. [.?] corps 97 th Regiment
To Mrs H Coe
In the care of Mrs
Abbotts Sparrow corner
Langley Road
Luton
Captain Commanding Bedfordshire 97 th Regiment
Sebastapool
England
NOTES
1 Old Sky Blues – a reference to the sky blue facing on the 97 th Regiment’s uniform, derived from the colour of the sash of the Order of St. Patrick. The 97 th was the Earl of Ulster’s Regiment, originally seen as an Irish regiment.
2 The forlorn hope – soldiers forming the initial assault force in a military operation where the risk of death was very high – though survival might offer possibilities for advancement.
3 It appears that Coe survived the Crimean campaign, and remained a soldier. A Private William Coe of the 97 th Regiment is recorded in 1857, having served in India.