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PASSAGES IN THE LIFE OF A PRIVATE SOLDIER.
FROM THE RECOLLECTIONS OF RIFLEMAN HARRIS.
EDITED BY HENRY CURLING.[…]
Whilst lying at Winchester (where we remained three months), as young as I was in the profession, I was picked out amongst others to perform a piece of duty that, for many years afterwards, remained deeply impressed upon my mind, and gave me the first impression of the stern duties of a soldier’s life. A private of the 70th Regt. had deserted from that corps, and afterwards enlisted into several other regiments: indeed, I was at the time (though I cannot swear for so great a number) that sixteen different times he had received the bounty and then stolen off. Being, however, caught at the last, he was brought to trial at Portsmouth, and sentenced by general court martial to be shot.
The 66th received a route to Portsmouth, to be present upon the occasion, and as the execution would be a good hint to us young ‘uns, there were four lads picked out of our corps to assist in this piece of duty, myself being one of the number chosen.
Besides these men, four soldiers from three other regiments were ordered on the firing party, making sixteen in all. The place of execution was Portsdown Hill, near Hilsea Barracks, and the different regiments assembled must have composed a force of about fifteen thousand men, having being assembled from the Isle of Wight, from Chichester, Gosport, and other places. The sight was very imposing, and appeared to make a deep impression on all three [there?]. As for myself, I felt that I would have given a good round sum (had I possessed it) to have been in any situation rather than the one in which I now found myself: and when I looked into the faces of my companions, I saw, by the pallor and anxiety depicted in each countenance, the reflection of my own feelings. When all was ready, we were moved to the front, and the culprit was brought out. He made a short speech to the parade, acknowledging the justice of sentence, and that drinking and evil company had brought the punishment upon him.
He behaved himself firmly and well, and did not seem at all to flinch. After being blindfolded, he was desired to kneel down behind a coffin, which was placed on the ground, and the Drum-Major of the Hilsea depot giving us an expressive glance, we immediately commenced loading.
This was done in the deepest silence, and the next moment we were primed and ready. There was then a dreadful pause for a few moments, and the Drum-Major, again looking towards us, gave the signal, previously agreed on (a flourish of his cane), and we levelled and fired. We had been previously strictly enjoined to be steady, and took good aim, and the poor fellow, pierced by several balls, fell heavily upon his back: and as he lay, with his arms pinioned to his sides, I observed that his hands waved for a few moments, like the fins of a fish when in the agonies of death. The Drum-Major also observed the movement, and making another signal, four of our party immediately stept up to the prostrate body, and placing the muzzles of their pieces to the head, fired, and put him out of his misery. The different regiments then fell back by companies, and the word being given to march past in slow time, when each company in line with the body, the word was given to “mark time,” and then “eyes left,” in order that we might all observed the terrible example. We then moved onwards, and marched from the ground to our different quarters. The 66th stopped that night about three miles from Portsdown Hill, and in the morning we returned to Winchester. The officer in command that day, I remember, was General Whitelock, who was afterwards brought to court-martial himself. This was the first time of our seeing that officer. The next meeting was at Buenos Ayres, and during the confusion of that day one of us received an order from the fiery Crawford to shoot the traitor dead if we could see him in the battle, many others of the Rifles receiving the same orders from that chivalrous officer.
— Harris & Curling, Henry (ed) (1864) The Anglo-American, Volume 7 E.L. Garvin & Company source