Born East Bergholt, Suffolk, 1832.
James Abbott died in the Workhouse Infirmary, Milton, 31st of October 1913, aged 84 years, and was buried in the Highland Road Cemetery at Portsmouth on the 4th of November 1913.
Death registered
James Abbott, aged 82 years, December Quarter 1913, Portsmouth.
From the United Services Gazette, 13th of November 1913:
Another survivor of the famous charge of the Light Brigade on the 25th of October 1854 has just died in the person of James Abbott, late Sgt. of the 11th Hussars. Born in December of 1834, he enlisted on his 18th birthday into the 11th Hussars and went through the famous charge without sustaining any serious injury. He was equally fortunate in the other engagements in which he took part, Alma, Inkerman and Sebastopol.
At the conclusion of the war, although he had been in the service only three years, he was promoted to the rank of sergeant, and continued in that rank for nine years, when he took his discharge. He afterwards served for three years as a coastguard, and for twenty years as a warder at Portsmouth Prison, where he rose to the rank of Chief Warder.
Report from a contemporary newspaper (unknown source):
A Balaclava Hero
The funeral of the late veteran, J. Abbott, of the 11th Hussars, will take place at the Highland Road Cemetery at 2 p.m. tomorrow. The cortege will leave No. 132 Bath Road, Southsea, at 1.45 p.m. The deceased was one of the members of his regiment who actually charged with the Light Brigade at Balaclava. He was also present at the battles of the Alma, Inkerman and Sebastopol. All veterans are invited to attend, also members of both services, to show their respects to one who had served his country so well.
Crimean Veteran's Funeral
The funeral was an imposing sight, and the absence of a firing party was the only indication that the obsequies were not those of a man still serving. The cortege from Bath Road was headed by the band of the Lincoln Regiment and Sergeants of that regiment acted as pall-bearers. The coffin, of polished oak with brass fittings was borne on a gun-carriage horsed by the Royal Field Artillery and was covered with the Union Jack and surmounted by a large number of beautiful wreaths.
Behind the coffin marched a deputation of four sergeants of the 11th Hussars and a number of non-commissioned officers of the Royal Marine Artillery, one of whom carried a fine floral tribute. Other wreaths were sent by the 11th Hussars, the Veterans Relief Fund, and the Crimean and Indian Mutiny Veterans Association.
The private mourners were James and Joseph Abbott (sons) and ____ [illegible] Smith (son-in-law). A number of Crimean and Mutiny veterans were at the funeral and also Israel Harding, VC RN. The service was conducted by the Revd. Father O'Gorman Powers, of St. Matthew's Church, and at the grave-side the "Last Post" was sounded by buglers of the Lincolnshire Regiment. The funeral arrangements were carried out by Messrs G. Andrews and Son, of Kingston Crescent.
[PB: Notice the ambiguous phrase "one of the members of his regiment who actually charged with the Light Brigade at Balaclava". It could mean either that he charged or that he was in a regiment that charged. The latter, but not the former, is true.]