OHN SHEPHERD, A BOATSWAIN.

While he was boatswain's mate of the _Saint Jean d'Acre_, and serving in
the naval brigade, he volunteered to proceed in a punt, during a dark
night, into the harbour of Sebastopol, and to endeavour, with an
apparatus he carried, to blow up one of the Russian line-of-battle
ships. He reached the harbour, and had got past the enemy's steamboat
at the entrance of Careening Bay, when he was prevented from proceeding
farther by a long line of boats, which were carrying troops from the
south to the north side of Sebastopol. On the 16th of August, he again
made the attempt from the side of Careening Bay, then in possession of
the French.

The above are only some few of the gallant deeds done by the officers
and men of the naval brigade before Sebastopol. All, from Sir Stephen
Lushington downwards to the youngest midshipman or ship-boy, did their
duty right nobly; and though the bluejackets of England have no cause,
as a rule, to complain that their gallantry is not sufficiently
appreciated, perhaps on this occasion the service they rendered to their
country is scarcely understood as it should be. On the disastrous
assault on the Redan, 18th of June 1855, the naval brigade consisted of
four parties of sixty men each, one for each column; but two only went
out, the other two being kept in reserve. They were told off to carry
scaling-ladders and wool-bags, and to place them for the
storming-parties. They were led by Captain Peel. Severely they
suffered. Out of the two small parties, fourteen were killed and
forty-seven were wounded.

When the soldiers, overwhelmed by the terrific fire of the batteries,
retreated towards the trenches, several officers and men were left
behind wounded, and endured fearful agonies for hours, without a drop of
water or a cheering voice to comfort them. Among others, Lieutenant
Ermiston lay for five hours under the abattis of the Redan, and was
reported dead; but he had only a contusion of the knee, and, watching
his opportunity, he got safely away.

Mr Kennedy, mate of the _London_, was also left behind, close to the
abattis, and, after several hours of painful suspense, concealed among
the dead, he rolled himself over and over down the declivity, and
managed to get into the trench.

Lieutenant Kidd came in all safe, and was receiving the congratulations
of a brother officer, when he saw a wounded soldier lying out in the
open. He at once exclaimed, "We mu