of the most intense fighting in the battle. The Victorian era From 1847 to 1851 the regiment was posted to the garrison of the Imperial fortress of Bermuda, in British North America (Bermuda's garrison forming part of the Nova Scotia command until the Confederation of Canada), arriving from Malta aboard HMS Vengeance (which departed Malta on the 21 (or 27, depending on the source) February with the 1st Battalion under Lieutenant-Colonel D. A. Cameron) and HMS Resistance (the arrival of which at Malta had been delayed, resulting in its departing with the 2nd Battalion at a later date). The 1st Battalion arrived in Bermuda on 15 April, 1847. The Vengeance and Deliverance then delivered the 20th (East Devonshire) Regiment of Foot from Bermuda to Halifax, Nova Scotia. The 2nd Battalion (or Reserve Battalion) under Lieutenant-Colonel MacDougall departed Malta aboard the Deliverance on the 16 March, 1847, and arrived at Bermuda on 24 of April, after stopping at Gibraltar for water. The convicts transported to Bermuda included many Irishmen, including participants in the ill-fated Young Irelander Rebellion of 1848 and Nationalist journalist and politician John Mitchel. Conditions for the convicts were harsh, and discipline was draconian. In April 1830, convict James Ryan was shot and killed during rioting of convicts on Ireland Island. Another five convicts were given death sentences for their parts in the riots, with those of the youngest three being commuted to transportation for life. In 1849, convict James Cronin, on the hulk at Ireland Island, was placed in solitary confinement from the 25th to the 29th for fighting. On release, and being returned to work, he refused to be cross-ironed. He ran onto the breakwater, brandishing a poker threateningly. For this, he was ordered to receive punishment (presumably flogging) on Tuesday, 3 July 1849, with the other convicts aboard the hulk assembled behind a rail to witness. When ordered to strip, he hesitated. Thomas Cronin, his older brother, addressed him and, while brandishing a knife, rushed forward to the separating rail. He called out to the other prisoners in Gaelic and many joined him in attempting to free the prisoner and attack the officers. The officers opened fire. Two men were killed and twelve wounded. Punishment of James Cronin was then carried out. Three hundred men of the 42nd Regiment of Foot, in barracks on Ireland Island, responded to the scene under arms. The 42nd Regiment was