Watson's Brothers-in-Arms: 
The Construction of Heroism, The Victoria Cross, and The Strand Magazine

Allen Bauman
University of Tulsa

James Watson, MD, chronicler and companion of Sherlock Holmes, these are the characteristics most immediately evoked by his name; one may, however, just as likely measure Watson by his Afghanistan experiences--and, specifically, his injury at Maiwand in 1881. His injury and consequent discharge, in fact, provide the catalyst for Watson's return to London and his introduction to Sherlock Holmes.  In the famous second paragraph of A Study in Scarlet (1887), Watson describes how he is saved by his orderly during the battle at Maiwand, a rescue that parallels the topic of this presentation, the heroic acts by Victoria Cross winners. Watson records that he

was struck in the shoulder by a Jezail bullet, which shattered the bone and grazed the subclavian artery.  I should have fallen into the hands of the murderous Ghazis had it not been for the devotion and courage shown by Murray, my orderly, who threw me across a pack-horse, and succeeded in bringing me safely to the British lines. (5)

Murray's "devotion and courage" at Maiwand illustrate the kind of heroism frequently shown by the winners of the Victoria Cross and, as significantly, by Watson himself--the rescue of a fallen comrade.

Further, Holmes becomes another comrade-in-arms and the adventures in crime solving another series of battles.  As a companion whom Holmes values for his ability to act (and for his almost ubiquitous revolver), Watson figures prominently in those tales where a man of action, a man with a steady hand and firm resolve, is needed.  In The Hound of the Baskervilles, the novel in whose honor we have gathered here tonight, Watson again plays a key role, both sustaining the narrative and investigating the mystery of the Hound.  Significantly, he acts on his own for most of the tale, stepping out of the shadow of Holmes. That is, although it is Holmes who "look[s] like  a general. . . planning a battle with his chief of staff" (140) according to Sir Henry, it is Watson, his "chief of staff," who demonstrates the heroism and valor of a VC winner.

In its second volume, in July 1891, The Strand Magazine begins publishing the Holmes stories; by the end of this volume, the Strand was well on its way to being synonymous with Sherlock Holmes--so much so that the traditional cover was superimposed by Holmes’s visage.  In its first volume in January 1891, however, The Strand prints a series of stories called "Stories of the Victoria Cross."  These stories valorize the most famous of Britain’s heroes, the winners of the Victoria Cross.  As such, these precursors to Watson represent "Watson’s Brothers-In-Arms"; the winners of the Victoria Cross, like Watson, risk their lives fighting for Queen and Country.  With losses such as those at Maiwand (1880), El Teb (1884), Khartoum (1885), and so on in the minds of its readers, these stories of the Victoria Cross recuperate Britain's soldiers and, by extension, the Empire from colonial defeat.  That is, by highlighting heroic acts such as those at Rorke's Drift, The Strand uses the Victoria Cross narratives to construct the heroic and to reinvigorate the waning status of the soldier in the minds of its readers.

In the opening pages of the first issue of The Strand Magazine (January 1891), its editor H. Greenhough Smith describes the significance of its namesake street, saying that "it would be impossible to find a street more entirely representative of the development of England than the long and not very lovely Strand" (9). He continues, describing the Strand as "witness" to the Empire's defeats, to "the gladness of triumph, [and] to the brilliant mailed cavalcades that knew so well how to ride down Europe" (4).  As such, both the street and the magazine become "representative" of England's history and progress.

As illustrative of that history, Smith, in fact, calls the Victoria Cross narratives "tales of heroism," saying that "no tales of heroism are more thrilling and exciting than the narratives of the exploits which have gained the coveted reward of the Victoria Cross" (287).  While thrilling like the Holmes narratives, the Victoria Cross narratives are related by the soldiers themselves, described by Smith as a "truly noble army" (287).  Further, Smith connects the rhetoric of heroism and nobility to "reality" (287), saying that these narratives "possess an interest which is all their own--the interest and impression of reality" (287).  In this short introduction, Smith establishes heroism and nobility in the army as "reality" and The Strand Magazine as a chronicler of both "history" and "reality."

The Strand Magazine's various "Stories of the Victoria Cross," published at a time when there were growing concerns about the condition of England's soldiers--especially its recruits--demonstrate that for every underdeveloped or malformed recruit is a self-sacrificing hero and savior.  By appealing to and showing the heroic, the Victoria Cross narratives both increase the visibility of the Empire's soldiers and glorify their actions, even amidst defeat. Through its choice of stories, The Strand demarcates two types of hero: the hero as warrior and the hero as savior. The stories emphasize action in battle and the self-sacrificing saviors who risk their own lives to save a fallen comrade.  Further, by printing stories by officers and enlisted men alike, the Strand democratizes heroism and counters the widely-held contention that attitudes about military service are demarcated along class lines. 

Rather than the "reality" of losses at Maiwand, El Teb, or Khartoum, we find Major John Berryman's account of saving an injured comrade, Captain Webb (287) and Private James Davis's rescue of  Lieutenant Alfred Bramley at Fort Ruhiya, for example. Private Davis (42^nd Highlanders 290) describes an attempt to "make a breach" (290) in enemy lines.  During this attack, Lieutenant Bramley, called "as brave a young officer as ever drew [a] sword" (290), is injured.  Although the man enlisted to help Davis rescue Bramley was shot during their first attempt, Davis still volunteers to carry Bramley off the field of battle.  Davis cites Bramley's bravery rather than his own as the reason for continuing, saying that "he was such a brave young fellow that the company all loved him" (290).  Ultimately, neither The Strand nor Davis's bravery supplies the final verdict on the English role during the attack at Fort Ruhiya, however.  At the end of his narrative, Davis describes the battle as "a badly managed affair altogether" (291).

            This statement, however, is contrasted by Sidney Padget's sketch of Davis that illustrates his narrative.  The sketch shows a determined Davis, with head held high, eyes looking straight ahead, and his bare legs only slightly bent under the burden of Lt. Bramley.  Bramley's pants are conspicuous in contrast to Davis's kilted legs.  The sketch reminds the reader both of the Highlander's role in the colonial wars and of Davis's determination and bravery.  Even in a "badly managed affair," there is still room for individual heroism. 

            The Strand's use of the narratives describing the defense of Rorke's drift can be seen as countering implicit and explicit criticism of the colonial wars and the concerns about the health and condition of England's soldiers and recruits.  The accounts combine elements of the hero as warrior and the hero as savior.  The illustrations provided with the two accounts reinforce white heroism in contrast to dark Zulu savagery. Further, rather than depicting the chaos of battle behind the wall of mealy bags as Lady Butler does in her 1880 painting The Defence of Rorke's Drift, the VC narratives and their accompanying illustrations emphasize the other famous event, the defense and evacuation of the hospital.  Butler's sketch is not without the heroic or the VC winners, however.  In the upper left of the painting, Butler depicts Robert Jones and William Jones.

            In the Strand, Smith introduces Private Robert Jones's account of Rorke's Drift by emphasizing the heroism of not only the VC winner Jones, but also all who fought. "At the gallant defense of the fort at Rorke's Drift," he writes, "every man fought like a hero, but some were fortunate enough to attract the particular attention of their superiors" (291).

Jones begins by describing the overwhelming odds the soldiers overcame on January 22nd 1879, saying, "the Zulu's attacked us, we being only a small band of English soldiers (in fact, only 139) and they in very strong and overwhelming numbers" (in fact, estimated at 4,000) (291).  During thirteen hours of fighting (291), Jones had a dual assignment,

to defeat and drive back the rebels and to endeavor . . . to convey the wounded and sick soldiers out through a hole in the wall [in the hospital] so that they might reach in safety the small band of men in the square. (291).

Despite "three assegai wounds" (291), Jones "cross[es] bayonets [with William Jones], and as fast as [the Zulu's] came up to the doorway . . . bayonets them . . . until the doorway was nearly filled with dead and wounded Zulu's" (291). As he finishes his narrative, Jones patriotically asserts that his "thought was only to fight as an English soldier ought to for his most gracious Sovereign Queen and for the benefit of old England" (291).  Heroism becomes a reflection of duty, of duty to the Queen and to "old England."

            Paget's sketch illustrating the narrative shows Jones alone at the doorway, rifle held high as he bayonets the nearest of three Zulu's.  The third Zulu grins ferociously, brandishing a spear much as Jones does his rifle.  The Zulu's do not hold themselves as erect as Jones, however. Their stances suggest atavism and reinforce the racial prejudices justifying the colonial project.

            Private William Jones fought alongside Robert Jones at the door of the hospital.  In his account, William Jones tells of "holding the [Zulu's] at bay until the sick and injured men escaped" (548).  When the Zulu's discover that they could not force their way past the two men, they "set fire to the roof" of the hospital (548). Jones describes this "most horrifying time" (548), saying that "with the blood-thirsty yells of the Zulu's, the cries of the sick that remained, and the burning thatch falling about our heads, it was sickening" (548).  Despite all this, Jones, his comrades, and the wounded escaped.  The narrative emphasizes heroism in the face of the appalling actuality of war.

            Henry Albert Payne's sketch of William Jones also shows the chaos of the hospital. As with the illustration of Robert Jones, the sketch shows William Jones with his rifle in hand, bayoneting the nearest Zulu attacking the door.  In this representation of Rorke's Drift, however, the injured who are saved by Jones's valiant acts are positioned on either side of him. Their presence in the sketch reinforces the image of the VC winner as savior.  Jones's pose is also reminiscent of Davis's, tying the two saviors together.  Again, the Zulu's are characterized by their savage grins and atavistic poses.  Determination and duty link the three soldiers and the three sketches, suggesting the difference between the English soldiers and their colonial enemy.

            Just as the sketches the VC stories illustrate heroism, so too do Paget's sketches of Watson in The Hound of the Baskervilles.  Paget shows Watson as a man of action, a stalwart companion, and heroic savior, the same characteristics that resonate throughout the VC narratives and their accompanying illustrations.  Further, although Watson is separated from Holmes for much of the text, this separation allows him to act, to step beyond the shadow of Holmes. 

            Watson and Sir Henry's pursuit of Seldon the escaped criminal demonstrates Watson's heroism in the face of danger. Responding to Sir Henry's question "Shall we turn back" (96), Watson answers emphatically, "No by thunder; we have come out to get our man, and we will do it. . . . We'll see it through if all the fiends of the pit were loose upon the moor" (96). Positioned behind a rock, Sir Henry and Watson brave the dark landscape of the moor as they encounter Seldon the criminal. Further, Watson's relationship with Sir Henry--both on and off the field of battle, as it were--signifies the kind companionship forged among Watson's brother's-in-arms. 

            Watson's relationship with Holmes similarly corresponds to those bonds forged by battle.  While Holmes and Watson generally fight their enemies on an urban landscape, one nevertheless finds parallels to battle.  Their investigation, for example, is described as a military "campaign" throughout the text (82, 91, 143).

            The hunt for Seldon and the mysterious man on the Tor enables Watson to use Holmes's methods, acting as both detective and chronicler.  Significantly, Watson tracks down Holmes, discovering the cave in which Holmes based his investigations.  In Paget's sketch, Watson literally no longer appears in Holmes's shadow. The shadow looms in the doorway as Watson lurks in the darkness, ready for action.  The next sketch shows their reunion, illuminating both Holmes and Watson along with the progress of their respective investigations.

            Watson, like the hero saviors of the VC narratives, in fact, is a savior by the very nature of his profession.  In The Hound, Paget's sketches characterize Watson as savior in two key ways, as a medical man and as a man of action.  He attends to Beryl Garcia's injuries--tending to her as he would any wounded comrade. Further, although Holmes "illuminates" the scene, he appears off-center. In his element, Watson takes center stage, positioned next to the injured Beryl Garcia.

            After Garcia’s recovery, she leads Holmes, Watson, and Lestrade into the Grimpen mire.  Attempting to seize Sir Henry’s lost boot, Holmes falls into a pit of quicksand-like mud. Watson records: "Holmes sank to his waist as he stepped from the path . . . and had we not been there to drag him out he could never have set foot upon firm land again" (156).  Here, Watson's quick thinking and the consequent rescue of Holmes align him most directly with Davis, Jones, and another medical man, Surgeon J. Jee.

            The need for valor and heroism is especially acute at the date of The Hound's publication, considering the horrors of the Boer Wars then occurring. In both the VC narratives and The Hound of the Baskervilles, heroism and valor are conjoined most emphatically in the rescue of a fallen comrade. The Empire's men, the Queen's soldiers past and present become constructed as heroic and victorious--even amidst colonial defeat. With a "chief of staff" like Watson, Holmes, at least, will remain victorious.

Works Cited

Doyle, Arthur Conan. The Hound of the Baskervilles. Oxford, Oxford UP, 1998.

---. A Study in Scarlet. Oxford, Oxford UP, 1988.

"Stories of the Strand." The Strand Magazine. 1 (January 1891): 4-13.

"Stories of the Victoria Cross: Told by Those Who have Won it." The Strand Magazine. 1 (January

            1891): 286-294.

"Stories of the Victoria Cross: Told by Those Who have Won it." The Strand Magazine. 1 (January

            1891): 547-551.