Service
To Corporal from Private, 11th of September 1839.
Joined the regiment (on its return from India) at Canterbury from the Cavalry Depot on the 1st of July 1840.
Discharged from the 13th Light Dragoons on the "Reduction of the Regiment" from Canterbury on the 31st of August 1840.
From Private to Corporal, 16th of February 1844.
Corporal to Sergeant, 29th of June 1847.
To Orderly Room Clerk (and ranking as a Troop Sergeant Major), 27th of September 1852.
[PB: Wrote an account of the Charge for an as-yet unidentified newspaper — the [?] Observer [there was, indeed still is, a Leighton Buzzard Observer, so possibly this] — to be scanned, transcribed and added here. See cutting in EJBA 17L File vol.4.]
(Click on image to enlarge)
SERGEANT-MAJOR BARKER'S PERSONAL REMINISCENCES
A few years ago Mr. Barker furnished a representative of the OBSERVER with the following facts concerning his early life, and personal reminiscences of the Crimean Campaign:
"I was born at Leighton Buzzard on the 6th of July, 1819. My father was the oldest son of Mr. Edward Barker, of the Old Red Lion, Hockcliffe [near Leighton Buzzard], in the coaching days of England; and my mother was the second daughter of Mr. John Bedford, master tailor, of Canal Street, Leighton Buzzard. I enlisted in the 13th Light Dragoons, in London, on the 24th of August, 1837, at the age of eighteen years. Afer serving three years, I exchanged into the 17th Lancers. I served altogether in different parts of the world for twenty-four years.
In 1854 England and France declared war against Russia, which Power, having destroyed the Turkish fleet, manifested her intention of dismembering Turkey altogether. Detachments of the British Army, including the 17th Lancers, were therefore ordered out to Turkey to the aid of the Turks. The four troops of the 17th Lancers were conveyed from Portsmouth to Constantinople in four very inferior sailing vessels. The ship which carried our troop sailed out of Portsmouth Docks on Sunday morning, the 23rd of April, 1854, when the bells were chiming for church. Owing to the inferiority of our craft, we were thirty-two days on the passage out, having been obliged to throw overboard seven horses, on account of their crowded state below decks.
Each regiment of the Light Brigade which charge at Balaclava was formed into four troops of two squadrons each, and always worked in squadrons when in action. The first line of attack was formed by the 13th Light Dragoons on the right, and the 17th Lancers on the left. The first squadron of the 17th Lancers — the squadron of direction — was commanded by Captain Robert White — now General — with Captain Sir Godfrey Morgan — now Lord Tredegar — in command of the right troop, and Lieutenant Henry Thompson [John Henry Thomson] with the left.
I belonged to Captain White's troop, and started in the charge as right squadron serrefile, with orders to succeed either of the above-named officers in command, in case any accident should befall them. The courage and steadiness displayed by those officers and men under such a destructive cannonade was beyond all praise. The enemy seemed to understand that we were the squadron of direction, for as soon as we bagan to move towards then, they commenced to make a target of us, the first to fall being the gallant Nolan.
Just before we had finished the half league [PB: i.e. a mile and half] we received a tremendous volley from the enemy's twelve-gun battery in front, which emptied many saddles, and laid prostrate numbers of gallant fellows who never rose again.
Although I had escaped myself unhurt from the most terrible discharge of missiles, I felt at one that my horse had been hit, and expected every minute to come to the ground, but by mere strength of leg I kept her on her feet until I reached the battery, when she fell on her near side, crushing my left leg and ankle in the fall.
After I had extricated myself from my horse, I had the good fortune to catch another of my own troop close at hand, which I mounted without delay, and proceeded to assume the command of Lieut. Thompson's troop, whom I had seen but a few minutes before shot dead, and falling from his horse.
As soon as I had taken the command, I saw at once that a squadron of the enemy's cavalry were encircling us, and I gave the rallying signal for my men to join me. But, unfortunately, only seven were able to respond; with those we made one desperate plunge through their ranks, and freed ourselves without a scratch.
The charge lasted but twenty mintes, and in that short space of time 409 men were slain; the following being the roll call:
Regiment — Number in the charge — Killed and missing — Roll call after the charge
4th Light Dragoons — 118 — 79 — 30 [39?]8th Hussars — 104 — 60? — 38?
12th [actually, 11th] Hussars — 110 — 85 — 23
13th Light Dragoons — 130 — 69 — 61
17th Lancers — 145 — 110 — 33
[Totals] 607 — 409 — 198
[CHECK ALL FIGURES — poor quality photocopy]
After the casualties had been clearly ascertained, and reported to the Earl of Cardigan, his lordship addressed the following words to the remnant of the Brigade: "Men, you have done a glorious deed. England will be proud of you, and grateful to you. If you live to get home, be sure you will be all provided for."
Owing to the heavy losses sustained by our regiment in the Balaclava Charge, we were only able to muster fifty men and horses for the battle of Inkerman, with Sir Godfrey Morgan in command. We were placed in the brush-wood, in a hollow, on the heights of Inkerman, ready for any emergency in case the Guards were broken.
It was here that Cornet Cleveland [Clevland] and six or more other brave young men fell, by the explosion of a very heavy shell from the Russian shipping in the harbour. I saw it take the ground at about thirty yards in front of the troop, when it exploded directly underneath where I was sitting.
After the battle was over, we encamped near the celebrated windmill, so well known to all Crimean campaigners. It was in this place that both men and horses suffered so much from want of water, and it was here that the Commissariat issued the unroasted coffee and mouldy biscuit, when fuel could not be got at any price.
Whilst in the encampment we were visited by a tremendous storm of wind and rain, which blew almost all the tents down, and deprived us of all shelter for two days and nights, besides wrecking seventeen vessels outside the harbour of Balaclava.
After the battle of Inkerman, and when it had been decided by a Council of War that the whole of the Allied Army was to winder in the Crimea, I was ordered, with one Quartermaster or Troop Sergeant-Major from ach cavalry regiment, to proceed to Constantinople, to bring up any superfluous baggage that had been left there, and also to make purchases of anything that the regiments might require for the approaching winter.
That duty took me about a month to accomplish, and caused the following incident.
My mare, which had been badly wounded at Balaclava, had been allowed by the veterinary surgeon to roam at large, and forage for herself, on account of her lameness. She managed to stray away inland on the day of my departure for the above duty, and was never seen by any men of the regiment until I returned myself.
[PB: presumably WB implies that the horse returned at the same as he did, because they had a special bond?]
Although nearly forty years have passed, I still remember distinctly a very laughable circumstance that occurred just about ten minutes before the first line of the Light Brigade were ordered to charge the Russian batteries.
A man named John Vahey, formerly a butcher, who had been left in camp to assist in slaughtering bullocks, made his appearance in front of the regiment, in a most grotesque equipment, which he had found on the battle-field. He was mounted on a half-starved looking horse, with an old rusty sword and a lance; no tunic on his back; but an old red worsted night cap, and a dirty black pipe in his mouth.
On the commanding officer asking him how he dare! he replied, amidst roars of laughter from the ranks, that as he had lately been employed in slaughtering bullocks he would now like to join his regiment, and try his hand against the Russians.
The commanding officer said, though he disliked his appearance, still he admired his spirit, and ordered him to join the ranks of the regiment, which he didi, charging with them, and escaping unscathed.
