Orders, Decorations and Medals

The Crimea group of three awarded to Private Isaac Archer, 3rd Company, 3rd Battalion, Grenadier Guards, one of the small band of heroes that saved the Regimental Colours in a desperate rear-guard action at the Battle of Inkermann
Crimea 1854-55, 4 clasps, Alma, Balaklava, Inkermann, Sebastopol (5605 Corpl. I. F. Archer, 3 Batt. Grenadier Gds.) naming engraved in sloping capitals; Turkish Crimea 1855, Sardinian issue, named as before; French Medaille Militaire, enamel mostly lacking from central circlets, all three fitted with silver ribbon buckles, together with the recipient’s original ‘Small Book’ for the period 1855-59, generally very fine (3)

French Medaille Militaire: ‘Private Isaac Archer volunteered as one of the sharpshooters of the Brigade of Guards in October 1854; was present in every action during the war.’

Private Isaac Archer was a member of the 3rd Company, 3rd Battalion, of the Grenadier Guards, which formed the right flank company at the battle of Inkermann, commanded by Captain E. Burnaby. As part of the Guards Brigade, the 3rd battalion Grenadier Guards fought a defensive action at the Sandbag Battery against heavy odds, at one point being completely surrounded. After three hours of fierce, mainly hand-to-hand, combat the Russians retreated behind Sebastopol’s defences, having lost approximately 12,000 men. The Grenadier Guards battalion lost 104 officers and men killed, with another 130 wounded, but it was the 3rd Company that suffered more casualties than any other company in that regiment. Amongst the wounded was Isaac Archer who was subsequently awarded the French Medaille Militaire. Archer’s personal experiences at Inkermann are on record, having been set to paper at the instigation of Captain Burnaby who was sensible to the important part his men had played in the battle, particularly the defence of the Sandbag Battery and the preservation of the Regimental Colours. Archer is also mentioned three times in Kinglake’s Invasion of the Crimea, in his detailed description of the battle. The following extract is taken from Archer’s own account:

‘...A Russian then came at Hill, but I prevented his advance, and saved Hill’s life, by running the Russian through the body. I saw Bancroft attacked close to me, he ran one of those he was engaged with through the neck. There was a man of the 2nd Company who was amongst us, and he dropped close to me, shot through the head, after having used his bayonet with great execution against the enemy. Seeing the Colours surrounded, we made to them. This was a struggle. I saw Corporal Mann with the Colours, I likewise saw Morris there; we closed round the Queen’s Colour, but two Russian columns coming up on either side of the battery were closing upon us, and would have seized it, had not a few of us made a desperate resistance; we were not more than could have been covered by a sheet, we kept close together, Captain Burnaby was the officer with us, but there were men of the Coldstream and the Line. He told us to keep close together and charge, and as these two Russian columns were just about some 15 yards from us, we dashed through the few Russians who were between us, and knocking them out of our way, met the columns: the blow was a desperate one, none of us hardly were loaded, step by step we prevented their advance until we nearly all fell, and they, eager upon the Colours, pushed on, but it was too late to gain them, for the Colours had had time to regain the English lines, and the French had come up.’

Inkermann was the last battle in which the Grenadier Guards carried Colours into action, and for individual bravery and outstanding leadership Colonel Percy, Major Sir Charles Russell and Private Anthony Palmer were awarded the Victoria Cross. Three men of the 3rd Company were awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal, and Isaac Archer, uniquely, the French Military War Medal. The undying fame won by the 3rd Battalion at Inkermann is today commemorated in the Inkermann Company, the name given to the left flank company of the 2nd Battalion by direction of Queen Elizabeth II when the 3rd Battalion was disbanded in 1961.

Isaac Archer was born in Clains, Worcestershire, and enlisted for the Grenadier Guards at Worcester on 28 November 1848, aged 20 years 10 months. He was promoted to Corporal in May 1855 but reverted to Private in April the following year. His ‘Small Book’ confirms that he served ‘From 22nd February 54 till 1st July 56’, that he was ‘wounded in the Head at Inkermann’, and that he ‘Distinguished himself as a sharpshooter before the City of Sebastopol, Crimea’.