IN PROGRESS — NOT FOR PUBLICATION
Born in London on the 24th of March 1829, and said to be of German parentage.
[PB: Check CW's date of birth. The age given at enlistment and at his inquest in 1876 (50) suggests 1826.]
[PB: His Wikipedia entry (accessed 23 November 2016) asserts that he was "German-born", "a German by birth", and that he had a "strong German accent". I think the source might be Terry Brighton's book — check. Notice that the 1871 Census says he was born in London.]
[PB: Could the "Private William Wooden" recorded with other members of the 11th Light Dragoons on the Indiaman Atlas departing Gravesend 7th of February 1819 for Calcutta be his father, or other relative? Certainly also on board were other men who had come from Germany, including Sergeant Edward Kauntze, travelling with 9-year-old Henry Kauntze.
Also, the secondary literature is full of references to his German origins and his accent as a source of unpopularity e.g. he "had difficulty integrating into British Army life, a process not helped by his German ancestry and thick accent" (says his Wikipedia entry). But what if any primary sources are there for this?]
Enlisted at Brighton on the 18th of December 1845.
Age: 19 [sic].
Height: 5' 6".
Trade: None shown.
From Private to Corporal: 24th of February 1850.
Corporal to Sergeant: 9th of December 1851.
Next of kin (1854): Wife, Eliza Wooden.
Appointed to Troop Sergeant Major on the 1st of October 1855.
Promoted to Regimental Sergeant-Major, vice Garland, on the 18th of April 1856.
[PB: In this photograph of NCOs in 17th Lancers in 1856, CW appears to be in the front row, second from right. Photograph in the EJBA 17L vol.1. CHECK WITH ROY.]
Embarked for India from Cork aboard the S.S. Great Britain on the 8th of October 1857.
The muster rolls for the July-September 1858 period show no particular service movement during the whole of the period.
In action against the rebels at Zeerapore on the 29th of December 1858 and at Baroda on the 1st of January 1859.
To Lieutenant and Quartermaster of the 6th Inniskilling Dragoons on the 26th of October 1860.
Exchanged into the 5th Lancers on the 21st of March 1865.
WAR OFFICE, PALL MALL, February 3.
5th Lancers — Quartermaster-Sergeant Douglas Shawe, from the 17th Lancers, to be Quartermaster, vice Charles Wooden, V.C., who retures upon half pay; Fevruary 4.
[Source: Army and Navy Gazette, 4 February 1871. Coincidentally, Soame Gambier Jenyns, 13th Hussars, retired on half pay at the same time. [PB]]
Exchanged into the 104th Bengal Fusiliers on the 4th of February 1871.
Died, shot by his own hand, at the Shaft Barracks, Dover, on the 25th of April 1876.
Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasps for Alma, Balaclava, Inkerman, and Sebastopol, and the Turkish medal.
Awarded the French War Medal, the citation stating: "At the Alma, Balaclava and Inkerman. Was never absent from his duties."
Also the Mutiny medal without clasp.
Awarded the Victoria Cross for gallantry at Balaclava. He was most probably decorated with the Victoria Cross when in India.
Vide the London Gazette for the 26th of October 1858:
"Having after the retreat of the Light Cavalry at Balaclava, being instrumental, together with Doctor James Mouat C.B., in saving the life of Lieut. Colonel Morris, C. B. of the 17th Lancers, by proceeding under a very heavy fire, to his assistance when he was lying, very dangerously wounded, in a very exposed position."
Copy of Warrant relating to the award of the Victoria Cross:
"No. 3228 1
It is requested that in any further correspondence on this subject the above number may be quoted; and the Letter addressed to — The Under Secretary of State, War Office, Pall Mall, S.W. 10th November 1858.
"Charles Wooden,
"THE QUEEN, upon the recommendation of his Royal Highness the General Commanding-in-Chief, having been graciously pleased to confer upon you the military decoration of the Victoria Cross for your conspicuous bravery in the presence of the enemy, I am directed by the Secretary of State to acquaint you that, under the provisions of the Royal Warrant of the 29th January 1856, this decoration entitles you to a Special Pension of Ten Pounds per Annum, to commence from the 26th October 1854 inclusive, and to be held by you while serving as a Warrant Officer, Non-Commissioned Officer or Private, or after your discharge, with or without a pension. An authority has accordingly been forwarded to the Paymaster of the regiment for the issue of the said sum in quarterly payments, so long as you are borne on the effective strength of the corps.
"You will observe that for the period during which you continue to serve with your regiment the Certificate No. 1 hereunto annexed, should be completed with the directions printed thereon, and should, with your receipt, be attached by the Paymaster to the regimental Pay-List in which the charge may be made.
"Should you be transferred to another Corps, either at home or abroad, or to the regimental depot, the Paymaster thereof will continue the payment of the amount in the same manner.
" In the event however, of your being discharged from your regiment the Certificate No. 2 is to attested by the Staff Officer of Pensioners in the District in which you may be residing, who will be instructed to pay to you, at the expiration of each quarter, on your making application for same, such amount of the pension as may be due to you.
"It is her Majesty's pleasure that you will only be liable to forfeit this special pension on conviction by a Court-martial or by a Civil Tribunal of treason, cowardice, felony or by any infamous crime, or if you should be accused of any such offence, and shall not, after a reasonable time, surrender yourself to be tried for the same, in such case your name shall forthwith be erased from the Registry of such individuals upon whom such decoration shall have been conferred.
M.E. Stubbs."
Extract from the Mutiny Diary of Ensign Robert Emmett of the 92nd Highlanders when his regiment formed part of a force with the 17th Lancers:
"Wednesday, 23rd of February 1859. We paraded today for the purpose of being present at the interesting ceremony of presenting the Victoria Cross to Regimental Sergeant Major Wodin [sic] of the 17th Lancers for his distinguished conduct at the battle of Balaclava on the 26th of October 1854 in having gone to the rescue and saved the life of the late Colonel Morris of the 17th Lancers:
"General Michell made a very neat and appropriate speech on that occasion, concluding by wishing us farewell and also to the 17th., both of us being under orders to join the Gwalior Division of the Army under the command of General Napier, K.C.B."
The Official Register of the Victoria Cross held at the Ministry of Defence, Stanmore, confirms that this is the date for which this particular act of valour is recorded and the point in question is whether the act took place after the Charge, that is to say, on the following day, or, due to some administrative error, the wrong date was used, both on the citation and the medal.
In May 1858 the Commander-in-Chief (the Duke of Cambridge) had recommended the award of the V.C. to Surgeon James Mouat (Attached 6th Dragoon Guards) for valour when tending the wounded on the field at Balaclava.
The award [PB: to Mouat but not Wooden, which must have irked Wooden?] was published in the London Gazette on the 2nd of June 1858, and on the 12th of July Charles Wooden wrote privately to Doctor Mouat, claiming to have helped him in the [work?] at Balaclava where he had ridden in the Charge as a Corporal [sic] in the 17th Lancers.
EJB: There is some confusion here as to his rank at the time. The picture by Desange was reproduced in a copy of the Journal of the Military Historical Society the artist made in the picture. When Wooden sat for his portrait he was a Sergeant; but at the time of Balaclava he was a Corporal." He also gave the date of his promotion to Sergeant as being the 11th of January 1855, but the muster rolls for the period of Balaclava show Wooden already ranking as a Sergeant. (See copy of the picture in the 17th Lancer file.) At the time of writing Wooden was a Troop Sergeant Major.
Doctor Mouat sent his [Wooden's?] letter to the Horse Guards, supporting it, the reply to this letter reading:
"His Royal Highness feels very unwilling to bring any further claim for the Victoria Cross for an act performed so distant a period, but as the decoration has been conferred on Dr James Mouat for the part he took in the rescue of Lt. Col. Morris and Sergeant Major Wooden appears to have acted in a manner very honourable to him on the occasion and, by his gallantry, been equally instrumental in saving the life of this officer, His Royal Highness is induced to submit the case..."
So, on the 4th of October, the Military Secretary, on behalf of the Commander-in-Chief, recommended Wooden for the award of the V.C. This being approved, it was published in the London Gazette for the 26th of October 1858, thus becoming the penultimate award of a Crimean V.C.
EJB: Why 26th and not 25th October? The battle had begun at first light on the 25th of October and had ended by four o'clock on the same afternoon. The only action that took place the following day (the 26th) was a considerable distance from the scene of the Charge. The rescue had been "under a heavy fire and in an exposed position" and therefore must have taken place on the 25th, apart from the fact that Captain Morris would never have survived the night in the open and until the next day.
The only explanation, therefore, for the date of "26th October 1854" appearing on the Cross awarded to Wooden would be that for some unknown reason, possibly because of the length of time that had elapsed since previous awards, an error was made in the date engraved on the Cross, that of the 26th (the date of the publication of the award in the London Gazette) being substituted for the 25th.
In the History of the Victoria Cross by Philip Wilkins, published 1904, the date of the action for which he received the award is also shown as the 26th of October. All others in the same battle are shown as the 25th.
[PB: To follow up...
Ancestry: Victoria Cross Medals
[PB: Find the source. From a photograph in the EJBA (17L_v6).]
[Photograph in EJBA: 17L_v3_14. Date?]
[PB: Find the source. From a photograph in the EJBA (17L_v6).]
[PB: This is from a photograph in the EJBA, possibly of the image in the JHMS article cited below. Where is the original?
I'm puzzled. According to EJB: "The picture by Desanges was reproduced in a copy of the Journal of the Military Historical Society (unknown date) and commented on at the time by Canon Lummis". I have consulted the JHMS online index and presumably it was "Surgeon Mouat Winning the VC** by W.Y. Carman, pp40 &1xff in Bulletin Issue 20, May 1955 (Vol. V, pp: 49-64)" — the asterisks denoting a colour illustration.
Curiously, it appears to be much the same as one widely sold as a print online (e.g. by Cranston's), where it is attributed to "Hussaly" (about whom I can find nothing). I emailed Cranston in November 2016 to enquire. As yet, I have had no reply. Does "Hussaly" copy paintings that are otherwise copyright? Is any repainting involved, or are the prints taken from a scan or photograph of the Desanges original? Is "Hussaly" an alias?]
[PB: not sure where to add this section. Here, or in the section on Likenesses?]
EJB: There is some confusion here as to his rank at the time. The picture by Desanges was reproduced in a copy of the Journal of the Military Historical Society (unknown date) and commented on at the time by Canon Lummis. He then said that "There was one error the artist made in the picture. When Wooden sat for his portrait he was a Sergeant; but at the time of Balaclava he was a Corporal." He also gave the date of his promotion to Sergeant as being the 11th of January 1855, but the muster rolls for the period of Balaclava show Wooden already ranking as a Sergeant. (See copy of the picture in the 17th Lancer file.) At the time of writing [PB?] Wooden was a Troop Sergeant Major.
A related scene is depicted on an obelisk erected to the memory of Morris on Hatherleigh Moor in Mid-Devon. Part of this comprises of a large bronze plaque and shows him being carried off the battlefield by Doctor Mouat [sp?] and Charles Wooden. (There are photographs in the 17th Lancer file.)
[PB: say more. Who is who? And the fourth figure? Add info about image details. Enlarge?]
1871 Census
Mill Cottage, West Drayton, Middlesex
Charles Wooden, Head, married, 45, Quarter Master (late 5th Lancers on temporary half pay), born London, Middlesex.
Eliza Wooden, 37, born Dublin, Ireland.
Frank Wooden, son, 14, Scholar, born Dublin, Ireland.
Lizzie Wooden, daughter, 11, Scholar, born Dublin, Ireland.
Edward F Rutley, 23, a Sawyer's Clerk, born London, is also shown. [PB]
Death registration
Charles Wooden, 50, April Quarter 1876, Dover.
He is said to have died by his own hand in his room in Shaft Barracks at Dover on the 24th of April 1876 (he actually died the next day) and was buried in an unmarked grave but with full military honours in St James' Cemetery, Dover.
There is a copy of his death certificate and also a copy of the Dover newspaper report concerning the inquest held on 26th April with evidence from a Dr. Hooper, Wooden's servant Private Richard Kirby and a Lt. Gordon Short, in the 17th Lancer file [PB: I have not found this]. Also a photograph of his medals, and of Wooden in the uniform of the 104th Foot.
[PB: There were reports of his death in many newspapers around the country. Most were brief, but some (mainly Kent-based) reported the inquest in detail, e.g. Thanet Advertiser and the Whitstable Times, 29th April 1876.]
SAD SUICIDE OF A QUARTER-MASTER
On Tuesday an inquest was held at the Court Martial-room at the Western Heights, before the Coroner (W. H. Payne, Esq.), on the body of Mr. Charles Wooden, the Quartermaster of the 104th Bengal Fusiliers, who committed suicide by shooting himself. The deceased who was 50 years of age [PB: sic? His dob suggests only 40], had been in the service for about 30 years, twelve of which were served in India, and he went through the Crimean war, displaying such bravery at Balaklava that he was rewarded with the Victoria Cross.
He was extremely popular in the regiment, and was greatly respected by his brother officers. It is supposed that he had been greatly disturbed lately by financial difficulties.
— Lucas George Hooper deposed: I am Surgeon-Major been in the 104th Regiment. I have known the deceased ever since he has been in the regiment, about four yean. His health was always good. He was in the charge of the Balaklava [sic] with the 17th Lancers, and received the Victoria Cross. I was called on Sunday afternoon to his room between three and four. I attended immediately and the wife and daughter were present in the room.
The first thing that attracted attention was great quantity of blood on the floor. The deceased was on the bed lying crossways. There was also large quantity of blood the bed. He was bleeding profusely from the nose and mouth. The eyes were contused. He was pointing to the roof of his mouth with his fingers, and seemed trying to pull out something. I asked him what was the matter, and he said he had a tooth there that wanted pulling out.
I induced him to open his mouth and on examining it found that the whole roof was smashed. I couldn't get any information from him so went into the adjoining room and asked his wife what had happened.
She then told me that she did not know, but that the had picked from off the floor a pistol which I produce. It is a small American one, and has an empty cartridge in it. He bought it a few days ago. I attended him till he died, at four o'clock on Monday morning. was under the influence of drink at the time.
I am certain his mind was affected. I had attended him several times before for headache, the result of a sunstroke. His wife says he has been queer ever since he returned from India.
I attribute the cause of death to the injuries to the injuries received by the discharge of a bullet from the pistol into his mouth. The first ballet was found in the floor. I have ascertained that a box of cartridges was found in the room. There is no doubt but that the injuries were self-inflicted. I should think that when he said there was a tooth wanted pulling he was trying to get the bullt out.
— The Coroner having briefly summed up, the jury, after short consultation, returned a verdict, "That too deceased died from injuries inflicted by himself the discharge of a pistol while in a state of temporary insanity."
[Source: Thanet Advertiser, 29 April 1876, p.4.]
The burial register for St. James's Cemetery at Dover shows the following:
"Entry 1703, Charles Wooden, Quartermaster 104th Regt. Died at Western Heights on the 26th of April 1876, aged 50 years. Buried in Grave No. KG.8."
EJB: Canon Lummis states that he died in 1875 and that the grave is un-marked.
It reads:
"In memory of Quartermaster Charles Wooden. V.C. 104th (Bengal Fusiliers) Born * (illegible) of March 1829 — Died 26th of April 1876 at Western Heights. Formerly of the Inniskilling Dragoons, 5th Lancers and 17th Lancers, with which latter regiment he was in the celebrated Balaclava Charge. This stone is erected by his brother officers."
Wooden's gravestone was renovated in December 1989. The Folkestone Gazette for the 6th of December 1989 featured this event and showed a stone-mason refacing the stone. It would appear that the date of his birth could also not be ascertained by him correctly and only shows the month and year.
(See copy of a picture and newspaper report in the 17L files. The report has a number of inaccuracies relating to his being awarded the Cross [PB: e.g. CW is described as "a young infantryman ... a German-born mercenary" who "won his VC ... when he saved a 17-year-old infantryman".)
There is a photograph of his re-erected gravestone in the 17th Lancer files. Although said to have now been placed in another part of the cemetery, it is obvious from a comparison of the two photographs that this is not so.
Left: Image downloaded from web. Add further info. 2011. According to http://www.panoramio.com/photo/54156451, "His grave is located in the "new" St James Cemetery of Old Charlton Road, Dover, England. This is a Victorian cemetery which opened on the 29th of January, 1855."
Right: Photograph from EJBA, probably by EJB in 1990s?]
Corporal Morley, 17th Lancers, writing in his memoir, had a very poor opinion of Wooden and their commanding officer, Colonel Benson:
"At the time that Wooden was R.S.M. of the regiment, Colonel Benson was in command of it and every officer and man feared the pair. Sergeant Major Wooden was allowed to insult the officers, one leaving through the bad language that he used to him. I can name three Sgts. that left the 17th Lancers through him, and they all rode in the "Charge of the Six Hundred." Colonel Benson procured him Quartermaster of the 5th Lancers, but their Commanding Officer soon had him retired on the smallest allowance of 3/7d. per day.
It was Colonel Benson who again secured him his position as Quartermaster of some infantry, but he soon got into debt, and shot himself. It was this same officer who procured him the Victoria Cross and the French Order, although he never crossed swords with a Russian and all those who knew anything concerning him and who were in the Charge say that he threw himself off his horse [his horse was shot under him at Balaclava]. It is a well-known fact that he also never went to the battle of Inkerman, but drew our grog and got dead drunk with it."
[PB: Check wording against original.]
His nickname in the Regiment was "Tish Me — The Devil," which was the answer he gave one night in his broken English accent to a sentry who had challenged him.
[PB, June 2014: According to his Wikipedia entry:
Earlier in his military career, as a private and non-commissioned officer in the calvary, Wooden had had difficulty integrating into British Army life, a process not helped by his German ancestry and thick accent. He was, however, also something of a character as this example from his time with the 17th Lancers shows:
'One night, returning to camp the worse for wear after a drinking session, he was challenged by the sentry on guard duty, but could not remember the password. "'tish me," Wooden whispered in a slurred voice. "Who?" asked the sentry. "'tish me, 'tish me!" came the answer. Down came the sentry's lance as he demanded to know just which 'me' it was.
By now in a temper, Wooden bellowed: "'tish me, the Devil!". The sentry, now exercising his better judgement on recognising his Sergeant-Major retorted: "Pass, 'tish me the Devil!"
From that moment the nickname stuck and for the remainder of his service with the 'Death or Glory Boys', Wooden remained "Tish me the Devil".'
[Source: Wikipedia: Charles_Wooden (accessed 18.6.14).]
However, 772 Thomas Davies [? Davis], who was in his troop in the Crimea, evidently had a better opinion of him. Writing to his (Davies's) mother on the 6th of May 1854, he told her that, if he died, "the Authorities will not get much out of me as my friend and comrade, Sergeant Wooden, will see to my accounts."
Charles Wooden is known to have had a daughter, Elizabeth, who was present in barracks when her father shot himself.
His son, Charles Augustus Wooden, born in Brighton in 1852, enlisted into the 2nd Battalion of the 15th Foot at Dublin (Regimental No. 1711) on the 8th of July 1869. On the 1st of July 1870 he transferred to the 17th Lancers at Dublin with the Regimental No. 1279, and was eventually promoted to Sergeant on the 7th of January 1887.
He served in South Africa during the Zulu War of 1879 and received the medal with clasp. He is shown on the "Married Roll" of the regiment with two dates, 16th of October 1875 and the 18th of December 1878. A child, Charles A. Wooden, is shown in the Army Baptismal Registers as being born at Aldershot in 1877. Landed in India from South Africa and returned to England on the 11th of April 1883.
Transferred while in India to the Bengal Unattached List (Mounted Volunteers of the Bengal Light Horse) as a Sergeant (1st Class) Instructor, on the 4th of April 1889, before transferring (in the same rank) to the 5th Lancers as no. 4637, but remaining on the Unattached List and extending his service "beyond 21 years", at Lucknow on the 5 August 1890. He was discharged "to pension, after giving three months notice", from Gosport on the 19th of March 1895 with a total service of 25 years 254 days.
He married Elizabeth Reath in Belfast on the 26th of June 1875. Later shown as "Dead", "Elizabeth Wooden (From the Barracks)" was buried in the Canterbury Garrison Cemetery, aged 28 years, on the 25th of May 1883, the officiating priest being Father R. Power. They had three children:
Patrick who died from "Diarrhoea" on the 18th of January 1880, aged 11 months. Buried on the 19th of January at Colaba, India.
Elizabeth, born at Mhow on the 13th of December 1880, and baptised at Mhow on the 2nd of January 1881.
Ernest James, born at Mhow on the 5th of April 1882. Died at Mhow, aged 5 months on the 22nd of October 1882 from "Bronchial Catarrh."
Married secondly Henrietta Martha [sic] James at Lambeth, London, on the 21st of September 1883. Their children:
Minnie Harriet, born in Lucknow Cantonment on the 11th of April 1885, died from "Convulsions" and buried on the 20th of April by the Roman Catholic Chaplain in the Lucknow Cantonment Cemetery.
Miriam Lueille [Lucille?]. Born on the 2nd of September 1887, baptised in Lucknow Cantonment on the 3rd of November 1887 by the Revd. A.E. Stone.
[To follow up (possible Ancestry links):
See Wikipedia: Charles Wooden (accessed 26th May 2013).
Victoria Cross Online: Charles Wooden [PB: the date CW won his VC is incorrectly shown as 1858. One at least of the photographs — where he is shown as a sergeant, in an oval shape — looks wrong. The text claims he was a sergeant-major before he embarked for the Crimea, which was not so.]
[PB, December 2016: Charles Wooden's role in the Crawley Affair. I vaguely recollect someone saying he sided with Crawley. Malone was also somehow involved, and Jenyns was on the [board?] of the Court Marshall.]