Page:Memorials of Capt. Hedley Vicars, Ninety-seventh Regiment by Marsh, Catherine, 1818-1912.djvu/235

Rh feel in an humble individual like me to have my name coupled with all that was good. All our officers are kind and good, but he was best, and most beloved.

"I, and every one that has heard of your kindness, sincerely sympathise in your loss. I most respectfully again beg you will forgive my presumption in writing to you in return for your kindness, but I felt my debt to you so much that I could not but thank you. I humbly hope you will excuse me for trespassing on your time so long; I am only sorry I cannot thank you as I should.

The following letter will be read with melancholy interest, as it is from the pen of one who fell foremost in the Redan, whilst gallantly leading the forlorn hope, on the 8th of September, and was followed to a soldier's grave with no common regret:

"— My brother officers have requested me to acknowledge your kindness, and to thank you very much for your remembrances of them in forwarding the books descriptive of the life of their poor friend and fellow-soldier, Captain Vicars. Believe me, no one was, or could be more regretted than he was; for anxious, zealous, and attentive to his duties, he was also most cheerful, self-denying, and obliging to his friends and companions. The narrative truly states, that whilst he entered with all his heart into the interests and dunes of a soldier, his lips and life held one unchanging story of the love of Christ.

"It must be a very great source of consolation to his mother to know that in all this army, none, as far as human observation can judge, was more prepared to meet his Maker.

"I was not in the trench the night he suffered; but hearing that some wounded men had been sent up, I had