The Press.
London, England, 1855-01-06 00:00:00

SIR DE LACY EVANS.

THE following correspondence between General Sir
De Lacy Evans and Lord Raglan has obtained pub-
licity without, it is said, the authority of either
writer in the first instance. We reprint it, as it. re-
lates to subjects of general interest at the moment,
and under the circumstance of the gallant general's
retirement from active service in the Crimea may be
looked upon as official and documentary :

H.M.S. Britannia, Nov. 11, 1854.

My Lord,—On the 30th ult. an side-de•catnp of mine had
the honour of informing your lordship that after being eon-
fined to bed in my tent for nearly two days I hada severe fall
on my head, my horse partly rolling over me, which, added
to previous suffering from illness or exhaustion, rendered
me totally incapable of doing duty. Your lordship imme-
diately granted me such leave of absence as I might re-
quire, and had the goodness even to send your caniage to
convey me to Balsklava. Bearing on the 4th, however,
that some attack against the enemy was intended, I wrote
to the military secretary to ask when it was to be, being
desirous, if possible, though far from well, to be at least
present at it. Colonel Steele was so obliging to reply,,
" Lord Raglan begs me to say you must not think of
moving until you are quite strong." On hearing heavy
firing on the morning of Sunday, the bth, though the
weather was bad and I had taken mercury, I proceeded as
fast as I could to the point of attack, and remained there
till the close of the battle, but felt neither justified nor fit
to take the command of the division from General Penne-
father, which he had exercised with so much ability in the
previous part of the day. Your lordship, on hearing that
was on the field, sent for me, and with your usual kind
considerateness desired me to go back to the ship I had
been staying in—which, acknowledging my inability for
any useful active service, I obeyed. But the fatigue and
exposure to weather I had undergone did me injary,
I have now for nearly a fortnight had the benefit of the
greatest care and hospitality possible. and a warm cabin,
from my generous naval friends, Captain Dacres in the
first instance, and now no less so from the admiral-in-
chief in the Britannia. But five months without cessa-
tiOn under canvas, with some unavoidable privations and •
alterations of temperature, latterly at night not unfre-
quently severe cold, with the shock occasioned by my fall,
have had their effect on one in his sixty-eighth year. In-
deed, owing to the chances of the service, I believe no
other officer of the same advanced age and rank has had
the same continuous test to bear up against. And with all
my present rest and advantages I am still left with but
little feeling of strength or freedom from ailment. This
has been greatly added to by the heavy and peculiar
responsibility that lately fell to my lot for almost a month,
namely, from about the 4th, I think, till the 30th of
October.

[" Here," writes Sir De Lacy Evans to the Timer
subsequently, " a paragraph or sentence of my letter
has been omitted, from what cause I know not." The
omitted passage follows the words " 30th of October,"
and runs thus : •
The post I was charged with dnring that long period
was, I believe, deemed of the utmost importance to the
safety of the French and English armies. Frequently but
few troops remained to me for its defence, against some-
times tenfold our numbers of the enemy, within a short
distance from our front. I had the honour of frequently
submitting my opinion of the weakness and precariousness
of the position of the second, division to your lordship,
and, indeed, also to General Canrobert, and of the small
means at my disposal to place it in more security. Its
liability to be suddenly attacked at all times it was also my
duty to represent. But the various exigencies to be provided
for on other points at that time scarcely left it possible,

believe, to afford us any material reinforcement, or means
for the construction of defences. I have ventured into
these details to account for the harassing nature of the
duty alluded to, and of the anxious and almost sleepless
nights and days it occasioned me.]