The Press. — London, England, 1855-01-20 00:00:00

right under Chersonese light, which was burning at the time. The troops were all landed safely. The vessel is reported to be the Taurus, alai has since become a com plete wreck, and sold for a few pounds. There is no at:- omitting for such an accident as this. DEC. 30.—Since my last about 800 troops have arrived at Balaklava, iu drafts for different English regiments ; and in the same time about 2,700 French have landed at Chersonese. The 18th (Royal Irish) have arrived in the Magdalene, but will not land until to-morrow. We have also had about 700 baggage-horses landed from the Simla, Cormorant, Queen of the South, and other steamers, together with three or four steamers of ordnance stores, shut, shell, tents, &c., and two or three steamers and sailing-vessels, having the wooden houses and stores ou board. These are the aids which have arrived from England ; would that I could add they would immediately Le made available. Though we have had mild and even fine weather for the last few days, the roads, I regret to say, still continue almost impassable to horses, while to vehicles of any description they are quite so. The men have still to march down for their rations, and some divisions only re ceive half their allotted quantity. The energies of the commanders being very properly directed to getting up the guns and ammunition, the army at large derives but slights benefit from the increased number of horses — nearly all of which, with many men, are used all day in carrying shell. So great appears the anxiety to complete this portion of our arrangements that a large number of men are now told off to carry oLe 321 b shot each from Bala kitty& to the trenches. Two men carry one ten-inch shot or one thirteen-inch shell. By this management between 1,600 or 1,700 a day are got to camp, in addition to the number taken up by the f reach and our own artillery, and which probably amounts to as many more. If the fine weather lasts another week, so far as the supplies of Inanimation are concerned, we shall be able to recommence the bombardmeut, though from the great difficulty of re moving the guns which still remain at Balaklava, it may be a month yet before we give another abet. The Bellerophon, having been ordered home, has landed sixteen of her heaviest guns—twelve 68-pounders and four 84- pounders. These are upon the beach at Balaklava, with six or eight other heavy siege guns, and it is said that the number thus disembarked will be still further increased by several lung guns from the Sanspareil. If all these have to be removed to the trenches before the final attack, none can even guess when we shall be able to renew the cannonade. In such a case all will depend on the weather. If that should be unfavourable not all the horses we possess would suffice to move one solitary gun through the thick deep marsh which lies between this place and Italakleva. If, on the contrary, it should continue fine and cold, the whole number—thirty or forty—might be placed in battery in a fortnight, or, at latest, three weeks. The French, meantime, are working steadily at a road which, though by no means one of the best, or smoothest, is still laid, and promises to be of much value when com pleted. It is said that over the path of stone which our allies have thus laid down, the tramway is intended to be placed; and certainly such a plan, by avoiding the labour of waking a fresh track, would save an immense amount of time. In the circumstances in which we are placed at present, time is of the most paramount im portauce. Very little firing is now exchanged between the belli gerents ; both parties seem collectiug all their resources for a tremendous final struggle. The defences of Sebas topol appear at last to be complete. For some days past no additions have been made to the tremendous range of earthworks which surround the town. On our side also we have but little to do in the way of trench work. All the banks and covered ways to the new batteries ut Inkermaun have been entirely completed, and with the addition of a few more guns and supplies of shell would be ready for action. The most advanced of these latter works—that which commands the north of the harbour and forts—is aban doned, at least for the present. The reason assigned for this step is that the battery would be utterly untenable against the fire of the northern forts and outworks of St. Sivernia. It is a pity that this discovery was not made before an immense deal of time and trouble had been fruitlessly wasted in constructing the battery. All in the camp imagined that it was advanced too far, and therefore liable to Le cut off by any well-managed sortie; but no one fur a moment suspected that it had actually been constructed in such a position as to lay it open to a destructive cross fire from the enemy. Yet such has been the case, and the work is now abandoned. On the night of the .27th, the. Russian picket made a bold dash, and, favoured by their superior numbers, and the effects of a kind of surprise, succeeded for a moment in driving in a picket of the French. On attempting to follow up this success and pursue, our allies rallied and drove hack the enemy with a loss of some thirty or forty men. In this skirmish the French sharp shooters greatly distinguished themselves. On the night of the 28th our advanced picket, attracted by some tempting wooden paliugs which were in advance of their position, and likely to be of considerable service in the cannery process which rations occasionally undergo, made au attack upon the Russian picket, for the purpose of driving them back and securing the prize. In this little exploit our fellows were of course successful. As they approached the enemy's picket the latter began a retreat, which a few shots turned into a perfect flight, when the planks and palings we immediately carried off in triumph to the trench inside the " Ovens." The Russians who had retreated, I presume, spread an alarm that the place was about to be attacked instanter, for the batteries near the place began a cannonade, which gradually spread along the whole of the lice of earthworks. This was continued at intervals for half an hour or three-quarters, by which time theywere ;reassured by the noise they had made, and gra dually suffered their apprehensions to subside. Yesterday morning the picket was relieved as usual. After leaving the Ovens they keep among the ruins for some hundred yards, until the covered way is gained. In THE PRESS. so doing they tiro oompletely sheltered from the enemy's batteries, though all the picket has to pass within about two hundred yards of an old house quite close to the Russion lines, though not occupied by them. Yesterday the picket was passing it as usual, when to their utter astonishment one whole wall of the house fell to the ground, unmasking as it did so a party of Russian artillerymen and one gun already laid and pointed. Had the Russiansfired instantly our picket would undoubtedly have suffered considerable loss. As it was, a second's delay took place—quite suffi cient to allow our men time to throw themselves on their faces as a match was applied to the gun, and a heavy charge of grape whistled over them harmless. The enemy attempted to load, but the alarm had been given, and so close a tire of musketry was kept up from the " Ovens " and the picket on all who approached the gun, that the Rus sians, after losing several men, gave up the attempt, and retired. With this our fellows were content—capturing the gun was out of the question, as a cross fire from the Russian works commanded the approaches to the place. IMring yesterday two or three shots from the English and French batteries dismounted the gun, and destroyed the remains of the house too effectually ever to permit of another being concealed there. These two incidents are almost the only ones which have occurred to break the usual monotony of our existence. Latterly we have been so dull and idle that it seems quite inexplicable to us all how the English people can take such an interest in what we do, or rather what we do not do. The brigade of Guards has received a reinforcement of six hundred fresh men within the last fortnight, yet now the whole effective strength of the three regiments is, I believe, only 1,150. Had not the reinforcements arrived, this, which was the finest brigade in the service, would have mustered about five hundred serviceable men. In other corps the mortality has been even greater. lam well aware that a large percentage must always be allowed for the accidents and hardships of a campaign, yet I think if any one will take the trouble to compare the number of troops which have left England with the number who are now actually serving here, they will find that the mortality in this expedition exceeds by about five thousand that of the most disastrous campaign, even including Walcheren. The causes of this are sufficiently obvious to all who are out here. Bronze men would have sunk under the work and the complete and inceasant privation. In England, groom or farmer would have been thought insane who ex posed his cattle to half the privations which our troops have been compelled to undergo unnecessarily. I say " unnecessarily," for all our disasters have arisen, not only from the neglect of the most common and easily-adopted precautions, but actually from the hindrance of them when they would have been adopted by others. It will now, I suppose, be said that it never could have been foreseen that our men, being always wet and cold, and living en tirely on salt pork and biscuit, would get scurvy, though it was spoken of everywhere SA a thing which must occur, even as late as the end of October last. Here we are now at the commencement of January with the scurvy rite among us and nothing done. Twenty thousand pounds judiciously expended iii the purchase of fresh meat and vegetables two months ago would have kept our troops healthy. Now it will require nearly 100,0001., and even with this our loss from the want of these timely preventatives will be little short of ten thousand men. Huts, capable in all of accommodating about two hundred men, have been erected at the camp. Beyond these few all the rest of the troops still continue under canvas, and must, in the ordinary course of things, remain so until the end of February or beginning of March, when we may fairly look for better weather. There is no disguising or softening down the fact—from first to last this expedition has been most grossly mismanaged. Sooner or later the truth will transpire, though I fear not until a host of victims will have been added to the melancholy catalogue of those who have already perished. THE CAVALRY CHARGE. Among the numerous private letters received from the camp, we print the following from a Troop Ser geant-Major in the Bth Hussars : Near Balaklava, Dec. 22. Dear Father,—T have no doubt you feel anxious to hear of my welfare in this truly dreadful country, but I must not dwell on all we have suffered or are likely to suffer before this fearful struggle is at an end. With regard to myself, I am as comfortable as I can well he in the camp, as I fortunately have good clothes, but many of our poor fe.lows have hardly a shoe to their feet or clothes to their backs, and yet are obliged to do the most arduous duty, although so diminished in numbers ; in fact, the three troops in camp would hardly make one of the strength we came out. The troop which composes Lord Raglan's escort has not suffered much, as it was not at the horrible engagement at Balaklava, nor on the heights of Inkermann, where we lost so many horses through starvation and the inclemency of the weather. We are all better off now, as we are close to the town, and can get supplies for ourselves, but it. is galling to think that we lost mo':e horses, &c., through the above means than we should probably have done from the most severe fire of the enemy. You received my former letter, describing the dreadful 2.5 th. By the by, no better description can be given than that of the Times reporter, and I am glad to see our brave and gallant colonel ( Shewell ) has been promoted through it. He richly deserves it ; and but fur his coolness and bravery there would have been an end to the light brigade. Well indeed our noble men followed his example. No men could work better, and their line in advance through the Russian artillery, as well as through their cavalry, could not be sur passed on Hounslow-heath. After we had sabred and passed their artillery at the end battery the word was given, The Russian cavalry are in our rear ; make ready to charge !" Some officer gave the word " Retire by threes from the right." Our brave colonel shouted out immediately, " Steady, my brave men !" in a SATURDAY, cool but determined voioe, followed by " Right ak a & wheel." We were all at this time in full gallop, and this movement brought the officers and front rank facing th e Russian cavalry ; and when we were well in line, the brave fellow said, " Follow me —charge !" He led us on, and how he escaped is a miracle, for he was the first who came up to that tremendous mass of horsemen. We followed close, and went through them bite the wind, making clear way fur the others to follow, after which our handful of men broke, and each, as best he could, cut his way to his original ground. I shall never forget that day as long as I live. Only a handful of that devoted band of soldiers returned. We prize our gallant colonel the more, because for several days previous he Lad been laid up in his tent, and even on the morning of the engagement was too unwell to attend parade ; but no sooner did he bear the cannons roar than he called his servant to inquire what was the cause, and, on being told, immediately ordered his horse to be saddled, but was obliged to be helped to mount it. He was no sooner seated than he clapped spurs to his noble beast and came up at a gallop to take command of us; and, as I said before, well indeed did he perform his part. We are still in tents, and, I fear, are likely to do so ; were they to send sheds, as there is a talk of doing, we could hardly spare men to put them up, although doubtless they would contribute much to our comfort, the weather being exceedingly wet and cold. I have no time to write more at present. Give my love to all. PS. We only lost two horses at the battle of Inkermann ; the ground would not allow us to work. They played on us with their tremendous artillery. SICKNESS, AND THE CARE OF THE SICK. The Herald correspondent writes respecting the sanitary condition and arrangements in the British forces under date of the 30th ult. :—. I am very sorry to say that the scurvy, with its attendant dysentery, has rather increased since my last despatch. Al the regimental surgeons are loud in their demands for lemons or fresh vegetables of any kind ; and I need hardly remark that they are not to be had. There is a great deal of talk about establishing a depot for fresh vegetables and and live stock, somewhere or other in the Sea of ➢larmora ; but in the meantime our men are sickening and dying fast. The actual returns of the mortality and sickness in different regiments and brigades are kept very quiet, but still enough transpires to show that our divisions will soon be mere names, unless some stringent precautionary means are adopted to prevent the spread of the disease and to take better care of the survivors. . On the subject of proper provision in the way of hospital ships being supplied for the unfortunate invalids, I wish to offer a few suggestions, which I hope will not be allowed to fall to the ground. It frequently happens that 1,000 or 1,500 men are sent in to Balaklava in one day for the pur pose of being sent down to Constantinople. In the majo- rity of instances there are no particular ships told off for their reception. They are merely put on board such steamers and sailing-vessels as are nearest at hand. Most of «hem are not able to discharge their cargoes for a week or a fortnight after the reception of the sick. Some I have known put on board vessels deeply laden with powder and shells, which, from the precautions necessarily required in disembarking so perilous a freight, have been in Balaklava for three or four weeks before they were able to start for Scutari. During all this time the men suffer from ineffi cient and improper accomodation, and from all the noise, bustle, and confusion which naturally occur on board a ship clearing out. The vessel never being intended for an hospital-ship, everything goes wrong, and the poor men and surgeons are the victims. But this is by mt means the worst. Nearly all the sick men are suffering from F.:01 hullo dysentery, and with that disease it would be oitile as fatal to give the men arsenic as rations of salt pork and biscuit, consequently the hospital stores of fresh meat and vege tables are all consumed in their support. This would be no loss if we had a large supply at Balaklava; but we have not. Yet, not unfrequently, a couple of thousand men have to be fed out of these limited means for two, three, or four weeks, when under a better system they would only re quire food for three days, i. e., the time occupied by their passage to Scutari. As a natural result of this large and unexpected drain on our small medical comforts, they often fall abort, and the men who come iu afterwards go without and die. Bat there is another reason almost as strong for supplying hospital-ships specially appointed for the convey ance of wounded. After the victory of Alma, when such ships were first sent down, they were supplied with hair mattresses and blankets for most of the sufferers ; bat after landing them at Scutari the vessels went on govern ment business in all directions, and not five per cent. of the mattresses were ever returned to store. Now we are without them, and the sick men have merely their blankets and the deck. I know even this is comfort to what they endure in camp ; but for sick, and too often dying, men, it seems but hard treatment to lay them ( for a stormy Pa''' sage of forty hours) on the bare deck, with only a blanket to cover them. The remedy for all these crying evils is plain and simple ; let the Government send out proper hospitadships, specially fitted and devoted to the transport of sick and wounded. Such an arrangement would be a far greater boon to our poor suffering men than all the rubbish about yachts and old clothes, with which the London journals are full. The public may perhaps ask why should our medical comforts and hospital store ever fall short? Simply be cause we have not a sufficient number of hospital purveyors. When Wellington commanded 70,000 men in the Penin sula, he had twenty-one hospital purveyors and sixty clerks in actual employment ; but for the whole of the British troops now in the Crimea there is only one hospital pur veyor and three clerks, and there never were any more with the espedition. Let Government also cease to send out raw coffee beans. The men throw them away, and in some parts the camp