Sebastopol Monument
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The Sebastopol Monument (also known as the
Crimean War The Crimean War was fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the Ottoman Empire, the Second French Empire, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and the Kingdom of Sardinia (1720–1861), Kingdom of Sardinia-Piedmont fro ...
monument and the Welsford-Parker Monument) is a
triumphal arch A triumphal arch is a free-standing monumental structure in the shape of an archway with one or more arched passageways, often designed to span a road, and usually standing alone, unconnected to other buildings. In its simplest form, a triumphal ...
that is located in the Old Burial Ground, Halifax,
Nova Scotia Nova Scotia is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada, located on its east coast. It is one of the three Maritime Canada, Maritime provinces and Population of Canada by province and territory, most populous province in Atlan ...
,
Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...
. The arch commemorates the
Siege of Sevastopol (1854–1855) The siege of Sevastopol (at the time called in English the siege of Sebastopol) lasted from October 1854 until September 1855, during the Crimean War. The allies ( French, Sardinian, Ottoman, and British) landed at Eupatoria on 14 September ...
, which is one of the last classic sieges of all time. This arch is the 4th oldest war monument in Canada (1860). It is the only monument to the Crimean War in North America. The arch and lion were built in 1860 by stone sculptor George Lang to commemorate British victory in the Crimean war and the Nova Scotians who had fought in the war. Britain and France invaded Crimea and decided to destroy the Russian naval base at the capital Sevastopol. They landed at Eupatoria on 14 September 1854, intending to make a 35-mile triumphal march to Sevastopol the capital of Crimea, with 50,000 men. To traverse the 35 miles, the British forces fought for a year against the Russians. Inscribed on the monument are names of the battles the British army fought to reach the capital: "Alma" (September 1854), "Balaklava" (October 1854), "Inkerman" (November 1854), "Tchernaya" (August 1855), "Redan" (September 1855), and, finally, "Sebastopol" (September 1855). (During the siege, the British navy made six bombardments of the capital: October 17, 1854; April 9, June 6, June 17, August 17, and September 5, 1855.) The culminating struggle for the strategic Russian port in 1854-5 was the final bloody episode in the costly Crimean War. During the
Victorian Era In the history of the United Kingdom and the British Empire, the Victorian era was the reign of Queen Victoria, from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. Slightly different definitions are sometimes used. The era followed the ...
, these battles were repeatedly memorialized. The Siege of Sevastopol was the subject of Crimean soldier
Leo Tolstoy Count Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy Tolstoy pronounced his first name as , which corresponds to the romanization ''Lyov''. () (; ,Throughout Tolstoy's whole life, his name was written as using Reforms of Russian orthography#The post-revolution re ...
's '' Sebastopol Sketches'' and the subject of the first Russian feature film, '' Defence of Sevastopol''. The Battle of Balaklava was made famous by
Alfred, Lord Tennyson Alfred Tennyson, 1st Baron Tennyson (; 6 August 1809 – 6 October 1892) was an English poet. He was the Poet Laureate during much of Queen Victoria's reign. In 1829, Tennyson was awarded the Chancellor's Gold Medal at Cambridge for one of ...
's poem " The Charge of the Light Brigade" and Robert Gibb's painting, Thin Red Line. (Among those treating the wounded from these battles was
Florence Nightingale Florence Nightingale (; 12 May 1820 – 13 August 1910) was an English Reform movement, social reformer, statistician and the founder of modern nursing. Nightingale came to prominence while serving as a manager and trainer of nurses during th ...
.) The Nova Scotia memorial also commemorates two Haligonians, Major Augustus Frederick Welsford of the 97th Regiment and Captain William Buck Carthew Augustus Parker of the 77 Regiment, who both died in the
Battle of the Great Redan The Battle of the Great Redan (or the ''Storming of the Third Bastion'';Konstantin Staniukovich, Staniukovich K. M. ''Севастопольский мальчик'': Издательство "Cоветская Россия"; Moscow; 1985 ) w ...
in 1855 during the
Siege of Sevastopol (1854–1855) The siege of Sevastopol (at the time called in English the siege of Sebastopol) lasted from October 1854 until September 1855, during the Crimean War. The allies ( French, Sardinian, Ottoman, and British) landed at Eupatoria on 14 September ...
, in present-day
Crimea Crimea ( ) is a peninsula in Eastern Europe, on the northern coast of the Black Sea, almost entirely surrounded by the Black Sea and the smaller Sea of Azov. The Isthmus of Perekop connects the peninsula to Kherson Oblast in mainland Ukrain ...
which was annexed by Russia in 2014. The monument was unveiled on 17 July 1860. It cost 500 pounds. During March and April 1855, Nova Scotian
Joseph Howe Joseph Howe (December 13, 1804 – June 1, 1873) was a Nova Scotian journalist, politician, public servant, and poet. Howe is often ranked as one of Nova Scotia's most admired politicians and his considerable skills as a journalist and writer h ...
worked tiredlessly to recruit troops for the war effort. Another Nova Scotian, Sir William Williams, 1st Baronet, of Kars also became famous during the Crimean War as Commander during the Siege of Kars. He later became
Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia The lieutenant governor of Nova Scotia () is the representative in Nova Scotia of the monarch, who Monarchy in Nova Scotia, operates distinctly within the province but is also shared equally with the Canadian federalism, ten other jurisdictions of ...
.


Battle at the Great Redan

Britain, France and Ottomans invaded the Crimea and decided to destroy the Russian naval base at Sevastopol. They landed at Eupatoria on 14 September 1854, intending to make a 35-mile triumphal march to Sevastopol the capital of the Crimea, with 50,000 men. The Great Russian Redan (Bastion #3) was one of the large Russian fortifications that ringed the city of Sebastopol. The Redan was the centre of the defences the British forces were attacking. It became a symbol of the attempt to capture the city and eventually a symbol of its fall. The British made two unsuccessful attacks on the Redan. The first attack was on 18 June when a massive assault was made on the Redan, but failed. The Allied troops were easily driven back to their fortification where they stayed for the next two and a half months. During the second siege, the Battle at the Redan, Nova Scotians Welsford and Parker were on the frontline. The attack was directed against the Redan in two columns. General Sir John Campbell led the left attack with 500 men of the 4th Division and a reserve of 800 under Colonel Lord West; Colonel Yea with a similar force from the Light Division led the right. General Campbell on the left was killed before he could get a few yards beyond the parapet of the forward trench.


Major Welsford

Major Augustus Welsford was a native of Halifax. He attended the Halifax Grammar School. He afterwards went to the
University of King's College The University of King's College is a public university, public Liberal arts college, liberal arts university in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Halifax, Nova Scotia.Roper, Henry. "Aspects of the History of a Loyalist College: King's College, Windsor, and ...
, Windsor. On leaving college he purchased a commission and was gazetted as ensign to the Ninety-fifth Regiment in February, 1832, became lieutenant in 1834, obtained his company in 1838, and was promoted to a majority in 1850. On the return of the regiment from Corfu about 1848, Major Welsford resumed his acquaintance with his old friends. He was a member of the St. George's Society of Halifax and equally esteemed. When the 97th Regiment was ordered to England, he accompanied the regiment, and after having spent some little time at Chobham camp went to Greece, in the latter part of the year 1854. Colonel Lockyer having been suddenly promoted to the rank of brigadier-general, the command of the regiment devolved on Major Welsford for some time during the trying winter before Sevastopol. The Ninety-seventh had furnished 360 men – 160 for the ladder, and 200 for the storming party. The former were under the command of Major Welsford, who had always been ambitious to take a foremost part in the assault. As early as six o'clock a.m. the regiment paraded, and each party marched to their respective stations. Eight men were told off to each ladder, and they had orders only to leave the trench when the appointed signal was given from the Malakoff. Major Welsford waited six hours before the French were victorious. He ordered "ladders to the front." The troops rushed toward the Redan, and reaching the deep ditch, placed their ladders and scaled the parapets in the face of a murderous fire. The storming column followed on. As Welsford led his men, and was endeavouring to enter the ranks, his head was severed from his body. "It was a bitter hour for us all" wrote one of the Sergeants of his regiment," when the poor Major's body was brought back to us. Had he lived he would have been crowned with laurels. Let us hope he has won a brighter crown now."


Captain Parker

Captain William Parker was born in Lawrencetown, Halifax County, Nova Scotia, was educated at the Horton Academy, and obtained a commission in October 1839. He was gazetted as Ensign to the same regiment in which his father had obtained his company, and was for a short time stationed at Halifax. He was a member of the Saint George's Society. In February 1843, Parker became Lieutenant, and was transferred to the Seventy-eighth Highlanders. For twelve years he served in India, and was promoted as Captain to the Seventy-seventh Regiment in January 1855. He enjoyed this rank for only a few months. On September 3 he accompanied Captain Pechell of the same regiment to post some sentinels in the advanced trench near the Redan; the whole party, with the exception of Captain Parker and one man, was killed by the enemy. As he sent this man to report the circumstance, a number of Russians rushed out from the ranks to make him a prisoner, whereupon he ably defended himself, shooting two of them with his revolver, and eventually succeeding in bringing into the camp the body of his friend. For his conduct on this occasion he is said to have received the thanks of General Raglan commanding the Light Division, and was recommended for the
Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious decoration of the Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom, British decorations system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British ...
. "This brave soldier fell in the final attack on the Redan on September 8, in the thirty-fifth year of his age, leaving a widow and three infant children to lament his death." The Russians abandoned the Great Redan in the early morning of 9 September.


Nova Scotians in the Siege of Sevastopol

* William Hall (VC) - Hall fought in the
Crimean War The Crimean War was fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the Ottoman Empire, the Second French Empire, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and the Kingdom of Sardinia (1720–1861), Kingdom of Sardinia-Piedmont fro ...
serving ashore in a Naval Brigade from HMS Rodney at the battles of
Inkerman Inkerman (; ; ) is a city in the Crimean peninsula. It is '' de facto'' within the federal city of Sevastopol within the Russian Federation, but ''de jure'' within the Autonomous Republic of Crimea within Ukraine. It lies 5 kilometres (3 miles ...
and Sebastapol in 1854. * William Blackman - HM 62nd Regt. - fought in the Battle of the Great Redan, the Battle of the Quarries, and the Siege of Sebastopol. * John Wimburn Laurie - served in 4th Kings Own Regiment in Crimea (1855) and Mauritius (1857) on his way to India (1858). * Hedley Vicars - See Memorials of Captain Hedley Vicars (stationed in Halifax 1851-53)


Admirals stationed In Halifax

Four Commanders-in-Chief, North American Station who were in the Siege and later resided in Halifax at the Admiralty House: File:Admiral of the Fleet Sir Houston Stewart.JPG, Houston Stewart, served at Halifax (1856–60) File:Sir Edward Augustus Inglefield by Stephen Pearce.jpg, Edward Augustus Inglefield, served in Halifax (1878–79) File:VCJohnEdmundCommerell.jpg, John Edmund Commerell, Commerell was awarded the
Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious decoration of the Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom, British decorations system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British ...
for the Siege; served at Halifax (1882–85) File:Algernon McLennan Lyons.JPG, Algernon Lyons, served at Halifax (1886–88)


Legacy

The builder of the Sebastopol Monument George Lang also built the Dominion Building in Halifax (what is now the
Art Gallery of Nova Scotia The Art Gallery of Nova Scotia (AGNS) is a public provincial museums of Canada, provincial art museum based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The art museum's primary building complex is located in downtown Halifax and takes up ...
). The larger than life twelve ton lion stands atop the Roman triumphal arch created from Albert County, New Brunswick
sandstone Sandstone is a Clastic rock#Sedimentary clastic rocks, clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of grain size, sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm) silicate mineral, silicate grains, Cementation (geology), cemented together by another mineral. Sand ...
. The arch and lion were carved by George Lang. When describing the lion in 1914, the Provincial archivist Harry Piers wrote that Lang had "chiselled a little too much at it, and got it a trifle too small," though few are likely to notice today. The monument was unveiled on 17 July 1860. The ceremony was attended by all the Halifax and Dartmouth Volunteer Companies, particularly those of the
Halifax Volunteer Battalion The Halifax Volunteer Battalion (1860–1868) included six companies that were raised in present-day Halifax Regional Municipality. The six companies included the Scottish Rifles, Chebucto Grays, Mayflower Rifles, Halifax Rifles, Irish Volunte ...
., a large number of the Masonic body, and various public officials. His Excellency the Lieutenant Governor, Lord Mulgrave and Rev. George Hill, the Orator of the day. Major General Charles Trollope and Rear Admiral
Sir Alexander Milne, 1st Baronet Admiral of the Fleet Sir Alexander Milne, 1st Baronet, (10 November 1806 – 29 December 1896) was a Royal Navy officer. As a captain on the North America and West Indies Station he was employed capturing slave-traders and carrying out fis ...
also made a few remarks. Major Welsford is also the namesake of Welsford, New Brunswick, Welsford in Pictou County,
Nova Scotia Nova Scotia is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada, located on its east coast. It is one of the three Maritime Canada, Maritime provinces and Population of Canada by province and territory, most populous province in Atlan ...
, Welsford in Kings County,
Nova Scotia Nova Scotia is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada, located on its east coast. It is one of the three Maritime Canada, Maritime provinces and Population of Canada by province and territory, most populous province in Atlan ...
. (
Alma, New Brunswick Alma is a disincorporated Village in Fundy Albert, New Brunswick, Canada. It resides in the territorial divisions of parish of Alma, Albert County. Alma is centered on the small delta of the Upper Salmon River and Cleveland Brook, where they ...
, and
Alma, Nova Scotia Alma is an unincorporated rural community in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, located in Pictou County. It is named after the Battle of Alma which occurred in 1854 during the Crimean War. Alma has an estimated population of 290 as of 2 ...
, are named after the Crimean War
Battle of Alma The Battle of the Alma (short for Battle of the Alma River) took place during the Crimean War between an allied expeditionary force (made up of French, British, and Ottoman forces) and Russian forces defending the Crimean Peninsula on 20Septe ...
.) Welsford Street and Parker Street in Halifax (off Windsor St.) are both named in honour of these two men who died in the war. Welsford was also the namesake of the Welsford Rangers (1860-1865) of River John (Welsford Village) in Pictou County, Nova Scotia. At Kings College, Welsford was a contributor to the incorporated association of the Alumni. His name is blended for the future with this seat of learning, by the foundation of a prize annually competed for by the students in their first year ; and as each anniversary of his death occurs his gallant and loyal deeds are commemorated in Latin, and in the same hall where his voice was once a familiar sound, the President of the University presents the successful candidate with the Welsford Testimonial Prize (now known as The Almon-Welsford Testimonial Prize), founded by his old friend and classmate Dr. William Johnston Almon. "Nova Scotia in its historical, mercantile and industrial relations" p. 391
/ref>


See also

* Crimean War Research Society * Military history of Nova Scotia *
Canadian war memorials Canadian war memorials are buildings, monuments, and statues that commemorate the armed actions in the territory encompassing modern Canada, the role of the Canadian Armed Forces, Canadian military in conflicts and Canadian peacekeeping, peacekeep ...


References

Texts * "The 'Welsford–Parker' monument in Halifax, Nova Scotia," Soc. for Army Hist. Research, Journal (London), 8 (1929): 129–31.
Inauguration of the Welsford and Parker Monument at Halifax, on Tuesday, 17th July, 1860 [microform] : committee, H. Pryor ... [et al.] (1860)
Endnotes


External links


Canadian Illustrated





Augustus Welsford - Canadian Biography Online

George Lang - Canadian Biography Online



Nova Scotia Archives and Records Management
{{coord, 44.64352, -63.57248, type:landmark_region:CA, display=title Monuments and memorials in Nova Scotia Canadian military memorials and cemeteries Military history of Canada Siege of Sevastopol (1854–1855) Military history of Nova Scotia Buildings and structures completed in 1860 Public art in Halifax, Nova Scotia