DISTRIBUTION OF THE VICTORIA CROSS IN HYDE PARK BY QUEEN VICTORIA 1857
The inauguration of the Order of Valour took place on Friday morning in Hyde park when the August Lady with whos name and reign the new order is so felicitously associated, affixed the cross with her own hands to the breasts of the brave men who had so nobly earned it.
she was surrounded by nearly every member of the Royal Family of England; attended by her Great Officers of state and by nearly 9,000 troops; about their Roayl Mistress
were gathered crowds of the British public, fashionable and unfashionable; and to crown all, the weather was as favourable as could be desired, it being a fine June day, with just a breath of wind stirring to disturb the warm serenity of the atmosphere.
Our artist has depicted her Majesty in the act of distributing the Cross.
On the open space fronting park lane and almost parellel with the street, were erected a longline of galleries, looking westward containing some eight or ten rows of seats, rising from nearly a level with the ground in front to a height of some seven or eight feet in the rear and accomodating altogether about 7,000 persons.
At the centre of this long gallery there was another raised somewhat heigher and covered with crimson cloth for the reception of the diplomatic body, the members of the legislature and the reletives and friends of the heroes of the day.
In front of this was platform raised some ten or twelve inches and apparently destined for Her Majesty but it was not needed during the ceremony.
As th tropops arrived on the ground about nine O,Clock they were formed in lines about two hundred yards in front and facing this gallery.
They stretched across the whole of the clear ground and the variety of the uniforms and the gleam of reflected sunlight that continually danced back and forwards along their helmets, sabres and bayonets, made the whole picture extremely pretty and animated.
Counting from the south side of the park they were placed in lines thus;
Royal Horse Artillery
1st Life Guards
2nd Life guards
6th Inniskilling Dragoons
11th hussars
Constituting a Cavalry force of about 1,200 sabres, commanded by Major-General the earl of Cardigan.
Then came a detatchment of Blue jackets in their Guernseys and white trousers. After them a company of the Royal Engineers appeared under the command of Colonel Chapman C.B of "Chapmans Battery" renown.
Next to them were the three battalions of the Guards, the 1st Grenadiers, 2nd of the Coldstreams and 1st of the Scotts Fusilliers under the command of Major General Lord Rokeby K.B.C
A Battallion of the Royal Marines the 79th Highlanders and the 2nd battallion of the Rifle Brigade, constituted the Infantry portion of the line. Which termimnated in a thick blue, substantial looking mass, formed of two Field Batteries of the Royal Artillery, with their huge intruments of destruction placed in front ready to boom out welcome to the Soverign on her arrival.
Those for whom the Victoria Cross was destined, stood in single file facing the troops and a few paces in front of the central portion of the long gallery. There was but one thing necessary to render the pityure complete, namely, the presence of a Regiment or
Detatchment of the "Infantry of the Line" properly so called.
At ten minutes to ten, a f;lash from the right of the Field batteries and a heavy boom told of the appearance of the Royal cortage, and some three or four minutes after the last of the twenty one guns had been fired, Captain Sayer, of the Staff and a small Detachment of the Blues which headed it, appeared coming from the direction of hyde park Corner.
The Cortge formed at the foot of Constituion Hill, Her majesty, mounted on a fine charger, rode between Prince Albert and Prince Frederick William.
She wore a round hat, not turned up at the side.
(unfortunately waiting on the next page to be provided by the Gazette to continue, but please read on from what I have about the remainder of the event)
On arriving at the ground the Officers composing of the Queens cortage formed in front of and facing Her Majesty; those proceeding Her Majesty on the proper left; those following on the right and at the distance of the front of the columns.
In a few minutes the distribution of the Crosses commenced.
Her Majesty took up a position in front of the central gallery but with face turned from the spectators, with Prince Albert on her left and Prince Frederick William on her right.
The Duke of Cambridge, Lord Panmure and other officers of rank were in close attendance to read the names of the Heroes of the ceremony as each appeared.
The Officers who were to receive the Victoria Cross from Her Majesty had assembled in Hyde Park opposite Grosvenor Gate
at nine O,Clock. Each Officer had a loop of cord (Red or Blue according to the colour of the uniform) attached to the left breast of his tunic; to enable the Her majesty to fasten the Cross.
The Non Commisioned Officers and Privates who received the order had assembled at Portman street Barracks and marched to the park, under the command of Lieutenant Knox of the Rifle Brigade, who wore all the Honours of the war
upon his breast and was the only Victoria Cross Officer who lost a limb before Sebastopol.
All being arranged, the recipients
of the Cross advanced one by one, as each approached, Her Majesty received the decoration from Lord Panmure and stooping from her saddle, fixed it on the breast of the decorated, who passed on and formed again in line behind Her majesty.
In the Army, the recipients were decorated in order of their Regiments and irrespective of Military rank.
Nearly all were in uniform but some five or six who have lately left the Army appeared in non military costume.
Mr Dunn, late of the 11th Hussars, wore the uniform of his old Regiment but of the non commissioned Officers and privates one or two were clothed in civilian garments, one was dressed as an enrolled pensioner, a fine looking fellow with atrue Crimean beard appeared in the Green dress of a park keeper and one in the uniform of a police man.
There were many honoured that day, including our own "Captain Andrew Henry "
