Remembering Benjamin Garrett: A Soldier of the Crimea

Private - Coldstream Guards
[ArmyNavyAirforce.co.uk]

Very little is known about the military career of Benjamin Garrett, a British soldier who served during the Crimean War, but what I have discovered paints a picture of quiet valour amid one of the most brutal and transformative conflicts of the 19th century.

Death of Benjamin Garrett 1855 [Albert Garret Notes] 

When I started researching my family history in the early 1980's all we knew of Benjamin were a few lines amongst some notes kept by his son, Albert Garrett, indicating that Benjamin had died of dysentery at Scutari Hospital, during the Crimean War. 

Early Life

Discovering Benjamin’s origins was no easy feat. At the time, resources were scarce—this was before the days of online records. Aside from the early version of the International Genealogical Index (IGI), there were few tools to guide us. It wasn’t until I discovered his wife Caroline’s birthplace—Shepton Beauchamp in Somerset—that I learned that Benjamin, too, had been baptised in the same parish.

Born the third child of Jonah Garrett and Priscilla Allen, Benjamin was baptised on 17 March 1815 at the Church of St Michael, Shepton Beauchamp. Only he and his older sister Sarah survived to adulthood. Benjamin’s father died when he was just two years old, and his mother later remarried a man named John Attwell, with whom she had four more children.

Baptism Benjamin Garrett 1815 Shepton Beauchamp
[Somerset, England, Church of England Baptisms, 1813-1914]

Benjamin does not appear in the 1841 census, but we know that he and Caroline had two children before they were married—the first born in Upton cum Chalvey, Buckinghamshire. 

On 24 November 1845, Benjamin married Caroline Anstey at St. Mary’s Church in Paddington, London. His occupation was officially recorded as “Private in the Coldstream Guard,” and his father Jonah’s profession was listed as “shoemaker.”

Marriage Certificate - Benjamin Garrett and Caroline Anstey 1845
[Church of England Parish Registers, 1754-1921. London Metropolitan Archives, London.]

By the 1851 census, the Garrett family were living at 12 Queen Street, Aldgate, in the borough of Tower Hamlets. Benjamin, Caroline, and their children—John (7), Benjamin (5), and Barbara (1)—were recorded there. The census confirmed both Benjamin and Caroline’s birthplace as Somersetshire, and their son John's as Buckinghamshire.

1851 England Census - Benjamin Garrett and family
[Class: HO107; Piece: 1546; Folio: 551; Page: 66; GSU roll: 174776]

The Garrett Children

Benjamin and Caroline are believed to have had eight children:

• John (b. 1843, Upton cum Chalvey, Buckinghamshire – d. 1876, London)

• Benjamin (b. 1845, Marylebone, London – d. 1916, Glasgow)

• Thomas (b. 1846, City of London – no further records found)

• William (b. 1849, Westminster – d. 1850, Westminster)

• Barbara (b. 1850, Westminster – d. 1854, Marylebone)

• Francis (b. 1852, Westminster – fate unknown)

• George (d. 1854, Westminster – no birth record found)

• Albert (b. 1854, Westminster – d. 1939, Glasgow)

Albert, their youngest child and my great-great-grandfather, would have been just a baby when his father went off to fight in the Crimea.

Private in the Coldstream Guards

Benjamin’s attestation papers confirm that he was a shoemaker from Shepton Beauchamp, Somerset. He enlisted with the Coldstream Regiment of Foot Guards on 6 February 1838 in Taunton, Somerset. He is described as being 5 feet 8 inches tall, with a fresh complexion, grey eyes, and brown hair.

His service record shows that he was absent without leave for three days in 1839 and, as a result, was imprisoned for one month. While his rank remained a Private, he received three pay rises during his service.

Benjamin Garrett - Attestation Papers [Courtesy Geoff Clark]

A summary of his service indicates that he spent ten months with the army in the East and was present at the Battles of Alma, Balaklava, and Inkerman, as well as the siege of Sebastopol.

Benjamin also appears in the British Army Muster Rolls between 10 January 1852 and 31 March 1853 (WO 12/1734), listed under Regimental Number 2211. The records show he was awarded the Crimea Medal, confirming his participation in the campaign.

Coldstream Guards at the Alma
[Richard Caton Woodville 1896]

The Road to Sebastopol and Battle of the Alma

The Crimean War began in earnest for British troops in September 1854. On the 19th, the Allied forces began their march toward Sebastopol. British logistics, however, were dismal. Ambulances had been left behind in Varna, and transportation relied on makeshift carts from local Tartar villages. That very afternoon, a skirmish at the Bulganak stream with a contingent of Russian cavalry marked the Allies’ first encounter with the enemy. Although an initial cavalry attack was planned, it was famously called off by Lord Raglan, leading to heated disputes among commanders and earning Lord Lucan the sarcastic nickname "Lord Look-on."

By the time the Allies reached the River Alma, the Russian Army had fortified the heights beyond the river, confident in their ability to repel the invading forces. On the morning of 20 September, after delays in British positioning, the assault began. Despite fierce resistance and heavy casualties, it was the timely arrival of Sir Colin Campbell and the indomitable Highlanders, supported by the Guards Brigade, that turned the tide. Under withering fire, they scaled the heights and outflanked the Russian position, eventually driving them into full retreat. Yet, in a decision now widely criticized, Lord Raglan withheld the cavalry from pursuing the fleeing Russians—a missed opportunity that might have ended the siege before it began.

The Battle of Balaclava - Charge of the Light Brigade

By 24 September, the Allied forces were still camped four miles from the city—plenty of time for the Russians to regroup and strengthen their defenses.

Then came one of the war’s most infamous moments: the Charge of the Light Brigade on 25 October. Following a miscommunicated order, Lord Cardigan led his cavalry directly into the mouth of Russian artillery. The charge was executed with flawless precision—more fitting for a parade ground than a battlefield—but the outcome was disastrous. Though they reached the enemy lines and even passed beyond the guns, the Light Brigade found themselves surrounded and unable to retreat. Of the 670 men who rode in, fewer than 200 made it back.

The charge proved futile. It handed victory to no one. The Allies maintained their positions, but the Russians held control of the Voronzov Road—a critical supply route. This would pose a severe challenge for the Allies, as they faced a bitter winter with dwindling access to ammunition and provisions.

Benjamin’s Crimea Medal includes the Balaklava clasp, which indicates he was present at the battle. While we cannot confirm his exact position, the clasp suggests he may have witnessed the Charge of the Light Brigade or at least experienced its aftermath—an event that would have defined the battle for anyone present.

Siege of Sebastopol

After the Battle of Alma, the Allied forces laid siege to Sebastopol, a long and grueling campaign that lasted from October 1854 to September 1855. Soldiers endured constant bombardment, trench warfare, and severe shortages of food and shelter. The presence of the Sebastopol clasp on Benjamin’s medal suggests he was part of this prolonged siege, witnessing firsthand the brutal reality of 19th-century warfare.

The Battle of Inkerman

The war dragged on into winter and the Coldstream Guards were involved in the defence of the Sandbag Battery at Inkerman on the 5 November 1854. Benjamin did well to have survived, as the battery was lost and re-taken several times by hand to hand combat using bayonets. 

The battle erupted in thick fog that cloaked the landscape and threw troop formations into chaos. The Russians, with twice the manpower of the combined British and French forces, launched a surprise attack.

What followed was one of the most confusing and bloody battles in British history. With visibility near zero, units became separated and coordination broke down. Victory that day was wrestled from the chaos by the tenacity of British infantrymen and the well-timed arrival of French reinforcements. While technically a win, the cost was enormous. For Lord Raglan, it marked the beginning of the end of the campaign's first phase.

The Return from Inkerman [Lady Elizabeth Butler - University of Hull]

Disease and Death at Scutari

In the aftermath of Inkerman, the British camp fell into a nightmarish winter. Supplies were delayed for months. Soldiers endured brutal conditions with little food, inadequate clothing, and the looming threat of disease. Scurvy, brought on by a poor diet of salt pork and green coffee berries, ran rampant. Medical care was almost nonexistent until the arrival of nurses like Florence Nightingale—sadly too late for many.

[National Army Museum]

Benjamin was one of those lost to the elements of war, as we know, family records indicate that he died of dysentery at Scutari Hospital in Turkey two months after the Battle of Inkerman.  Like countless others, his death was not the result of a bullet or blade, but of neglect, disease, and the harsh reality of 19th-century warfare. 

Recently, I discovered that news of Benjamin's death was reported in The Times on 25 January 1855. The correspondent was very critical of the hospital situation in Scutari and those in charge in regards to the high rate of mortality. Benjamin was listed amongst 145 other deaths reported at the hospital between 7-10 January. Also listed were a further 18 who died onboard ships coming from the Crimea.

"The Sick and Wounded Fund" Nominal return of Deaths
[The Times 25 Jan 1855] 

The following table provides a complete breakdown of all 163 casualties by cause of death. As you can see, gastrointestinal diseases (diarrhea and dysentery combined) account for nearly three-quarters of all deaths documented in these historical records, highlighting the significant impact of infectious diseases on military personnel during this period compared to combat injuries, although large numbers would have died on the battlefields and not made it to the hospitals.

The highest casualties were reported in the 23rd Regiment (11 deaths), followed closely by the Coldstream Guards and Scots Fusileer Guards (10 deaths each). Elite units like the Guards regiments (Coldstream, Scots Fusileer, and Grenadier) collectively suffered 24 casualties (14.7% of total), suggesting they were heavily engaged in this campaign, which reflects the typical composition of a British expeditionary force of the mid-19th century, with the heaviest casualties falling on the infantry regiments that formed the majority of the fighting force.

The Crimea Medal

Benjamin's service is commemorated by the Crimea Medal, issued between 1854 and 1856. The medal’s obverse features Queen Victoria, while the reverse shows a winged figure of Victory crowning a Roman warrior. The medal was suspended from a ribbon by a decorative clasp, and clasps for each battle - Sebastopol, Inkerman, Balaklava and Alma.

Benjamin Garrett's Crimea Medal [Courtesy Geoff Clark]

The medal was awarded to the next of kin of those who died during the campaign. I often wondered what happened to Benjamin’s medal. Given Albert’s meticulous record-keeping, it is surprising that he did not keep it, unless it was passed to one of Benjamin’s brothers. 

Benjamin Garrett's Crimea Medal [Courtesy Geoff Clark]

Today, Crimea Medals—particularly those with the Balaklava clasp—are highly prized by collectors, as the clasp links the recipient to the infamous Charge of the Light Brigade. It is therefore reassuring to know Benjamin’s medal is in safe hands with a collector.

Honoring His Memory

Benjamin’s story, pieced together from official records, family documents, and historical texts, is a poignant reminder of the ordinary men who fought and died in extraordinary circumstances. Though his life and service were brief and largely undocumented, his contribution to one of Britain’s most storied military campaigns deserves remembrance.

---

Update January 2026: New Evidence and Benjamin’s Crimea Medal

Late last year, I was contacted by Geoff Clark, a military medal collector, after he came across my blog post. Geoff has Benjamin’s Crimea Medal in his collection and very kindly shared photographs, which he has agreed I can include here.

He was also able to source additional documents, including Benjamin’s attestation papers and a further muster roll confirming that the Crimea Medal, with four clasps (Sebastopol, Inkerman, Balaklava, and Alma), was posthumously awarded to Benjamin’s next of kin.

Acknowledgements:

• Geoff Clark, East Yorkshire, England.
• The Guards Brigade in the Crimea by Michael Springman.
• Len Metzner, Military Researcher of London.
• World Atlas Encyclopedia.
• Ribbons and Medals by H. Taprell Dorling.
• Family papers written by Albert Garrett.