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<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=90 BGCOLOR="#006699" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="images/02c285a1erlcgo.png"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFCC66" FACE="Arial" ><B>49 (Inkerman) Headquarter Battery</B></FONT><B>    </B><B> |     H</B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="49 (Inkerman) Headquarter Battery"><U><B>ome</B></U></A></div> <div> <B>Welcome</B>   |   <A HREF="battery.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Battery"><U>The  Battery</U></A>   |   <A HREF="grave.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Gallery"><U>Gallery</U></A>   |   <A HREF="wives.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Wives Club"><U>Wives Club</U></A>   |   <A HREF="comrades.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Old Comrades"><U>Old Comrades</U></A>   |   <A HREF="members.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Members"><U>Members</U></A>   |   <A HREF="contact.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Contact"><U>Contact</U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#FFCC66" TEXT="#080000" background="images/02ad2c00dkelyh.png"> <div> ANDREW  HENRY   VC</div> <div> <IMG SRC="images/VC.JPG" border=0 width="88" height="124" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> The IIIustrated London News</div> <div> 30th November 1854</div> <div> Dear Brother, Before you receive this letter you will no doubt have heard of my been wounded at the battle of Inkerman.  At daybreak on the morning 5th November a strong army of Russians, said to have lately arrived from Odessa, made an attack on our Division (the Second), and commenced by firing shot and shell into our camp, which proceeding rather took us by surprise.  We immediately turned out, and advanced to meet them, and when we came into action we gave to them very sharp.  Our battery took up a position on a hill in front of Sebastobol, where we fired away the whole of our ammunition, the shot and shell from the enemy coming thick among us, also plenty of musket- balls. The Russians advanced in large columns towards us, and when within about forty yards from our guns we opened fire with canister upon them, which mowed them down in sections.  They then turned, but shortly after advanced again upon us.  We still continued firing canister at them until our ammunition was expended.  We then got an order to limber up, but the enemy made a rush on our guns; the detachments made off (leaving the guns), with exeption of myself and one gunner (James Taylor) belonging to my detachment.  He and I tried to get the gun away, but the Russians surrounded us.  The gunner and I then drew our swords and tried  to defend ourselves, but, unfortunately, our swords were too short for the long muskets of the enemy.  I threw a number of them off with my left arm, but was soon knocked down, and bayoneted in twelve different places.  I received one in the chest which bent me double, breaking a small bone in that locality.  This wound I received before I fell, &c:- Three in the left arm, three in the right thigh, two in the back, one in the right ribs,and two in the head.  They certainly left me for dead.  It was God's mercy that the savages had no more ammunition, they would  no doubt, have settled the account with my comrades and myself in a more expeditious way.  However, they did not get the guns away with them, after all, as the French came to our assistance and compelled them to retire.</div> <div>                                I lay on the ground for a hour before I was carried to the rear, the blood gushing out of my wounds.  The doctor came and sewed them up, which stopped  the bleeding.  My breathing became very short, through the broken bone in my chest, which the doctor said touched my lungs.  He told me to prepare for the next world, as he thought I could not possibly get over it.  I suffered greatly, and for six days I could not either eat anything nor turn myself on my blanket, but, after that I began to recover, every day gaining strength, and my wounds healing.  I am now, thank God,  able to walk about, and my breastbone has knitted and will soon be all right again; and I hope to be able to rejoin my battery, and assist in giving the Russians another good drubbing.</div> <div>       Our battery was greatly cut up on the 5th.  It was a dreadful engagement, and lasted all day, and was much more severe than the battle of Alma; that being my first, I thought it bad enough.  We had two men killed and 13 wounded in the battery, and I believe about 30 horses.  Several wheels and limber boxes were broken by the shot from enemy's batteries.  The gunner who was wounded with me at the gun has died since.  This is the third battle I have been in since I arrived in the Crimea, and escaped in all except the last one.</div> <div>                   Captain Turner came to me at night,after Inkerman, and praised me for my brave conduct, and promised that I should not be forgotten; so I expect you will hear something official about me.  This alone gave me great consolation, to think I had given so much satisfaction in the performance of my duty.</div> <div>           ANDREW  HENRY,Sergeant R.A</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="images/andrewhenrygrave.jpg" border=0 width="177" height="264" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" height=390 BGCOLOR="#663333" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <U>Welcome</U></div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>