The Express.
London, England, 1855-01-26 00:00:00

EXTRACTS FROM SOLDIERS' LETTERS.

We publish the following extracts. not so much as
news as for the feelings and eiresustatten of oar eoldierep
which they disclose, sad with which the public shoes itself
at all times es ready to sympathise.

1O AN OFFICES IN TIIN 4TH IMO'S OWN.
Camp before Sebastopol, lan. I.
Here we are still is front of Sebastopol, hanging away
right and left with shot, shell, musketry, revolvers, and
every missile of deetraetion we can bring to beer on the big
bear of the Black Sea end its stubborn garrison, who reem
determined to shed the last drop of their blood before they
surrender. However, I hope when our reinforcements come
up, animated by the most glowing enthusiasm, the com-
bined armies will be able to overcome every difficulty, and
show Prince Mentehikeff,Gortchakoff, Hoopingicdf, and all
the Coughs—bow susceptible these men Rut be to cold*.
that the spiritual benedictions of their priests before their
battles will not have the desired effect of' breaking through
our lines. Image now turn from this high down description
of the siege to the stern reality of our miseries 'in camp.
Sines I wrote last nothing has oecui red worth men.
honing ; we have certainly fine weather, though cold.
My hat fell in the other day, and now I have, together with
my companion, begun to sink my tent, which will be very
snug when ilaished,with a fire-place,ffio. I hope, through the
alliance with Austria, this barbarous war—for I can call
it nothing else—will be speedily brought to a clots. Only
fancy, after shooting Major Malley, of tea bOtb, through the
back, having driven the regiment out of the trench, they
tried to dreg him ever it. He has since died. Two officers
of the corps were taken priaonen ; we have heard from them
that they are well token care of. Good bye. Hoping you
are all well, with kind love, believe me your affectsonate.

ISOM •

or Tam STI xossAas..

Camp neer Sebastopol, Dee. 18. 1864.
We are pretty herd run by the linesiens, and I am on
duty to-day with the navel brigade—that is, the cation'
amp wh_ce ara on shore for the purpose of manning the bat-
teries. We are for the purpose of carrying despatches for
the admiral to any other put of the camp. We are still in
front of Sebastopol, hammering on. I believe we put Ba-
dsjoe anu Si. Jean d'Aere la the shade. Seven weeks sip
and no signs yet, with daily attacks from Mentehikoff to
rear. It ever yam see me again I aspect it will be Is the
shape of a sergeant, with medals and clasps, as I am full
corporal this two months; if not, I die in the hope of being
remembered as one who fought and died for his country. It
is rumoured hers th►t the Light Cavalry will return to
England after the %Aloft of Sabastopo/. I hope it will be
the thee.

TRAM I.IIIIIT. I. OZANYILLIII IiATLINESSL

Cusp, at lakanwass, Dee. 25.
The weather is horribly cold ; mew, rate, or sleet every
day. We dig holes is the reeky sissaad, and roof them
with bushes, and make • fireplace sad chimney of stones
and mad, to form a little but for cookery, or we could
newer keeps fire alight in the rain. All our wood consists
strewn oak twigs and roots, quite wet. As you may sup-
pew, itis very Gold ins tent. where we east have no fire
without being nearly *Wird, but we manage to keep
pretty jolly. The tent seems quits • little home after
• long pouring wet night on picket. I have two Ordnance
blankets, besides my own, for my bed, and sleep
in most of my clothes. I have also my little hair mattress
and • feather pillow now, so I sleep quite isorotatably.
One great difficulty is to dry one's wet ibises.
A fine warm day is our wily chance, which comes so sel-
dom that they are almost always wet. It will be a queer
state of things when the heavy snow comes ; the trenches
will be filled with the drifts. and the guns buried.
• • • Four of us mess together is my teat, and
we have been trying to get a few extras to do honour to
the day. The oommisaariat have managed to issue fresh
meat today for the first time this month ; bet ours is such
a little bony piece that we cannot bake it, sr we are making
a stew. We could not g• t even • duck or fowl from the
ships; as offieer his only the same rations as a private
soldier; the total being salt meat, green coffee, bis-
cuit, sugar, and rain; so we are obliged to buy many
things at enormous prices from • few sharks who
have set up stores at Balaklarra. Cheese, 2s. 6d.
• pound ; potted butter, 2a. a pound ; potatoes,
4d. a pound. We also get a few thinp from
the ships in the harbour, and pay dearly for them.
Extra great coats and underclothing are being given to the
men, and it is said officers are to have them also, including
a fur east. I wish they were here, for we want them badly
enough. • • • • •
26th December.—Our dinner last night was capital. We
were five together. We had excellent soup, and • stew of
fresh beef, potatoes, and palette, sad an Immense plum pud-
ding made in first rate style, and flaming with brandy,
almost equal, if I may dare to say so, to one of I
was surprised that our 'emirate could turn out so perfect a
one, as we had previously indulged in various dortflisoproxi-
mating in solidity to old Nicholas's 68-pounders. We had
also English cheese, white bread and butter, jam, potted
=eats, tip, and sweetmeats, with sherry, mulled claret,
brandy, whiskey, and, lastly, ration rum—a great dinner
seder present communises&

71011 /AKIN 117D11,

GUARDS.

Scutari Hospital, Dee. 18.
Thank Ood, I am quite recovered from the wound I got
on the bth Mtvember, and am ready to go up to the seat of
aver spin ; I live in hopes to have another brush with
those barbarous Russians ; I hope 1 shall be at the taking
of Sebastopol. If ever Ido get into action again against,
the enemy, I shall adopt the same plan se they : I will sot
spare one of them if he has got breath in him. There were
plenty of our brave comrades who would have lived it they
had cot murdered them as they lay wounded oa the fielded'
slaughter. I had to stain my bayonet for the first time,
for we had not time to load, as the enemy west* close apes
us in overwhelming forces ; we drove them back at the
charge of the bayonet. It was bard fighting for
my regiment : we fired all oar shot away ; this
we oommanced throwing big stones at them, as
fast as they got upon the trench ; we either
knocked them down, or gave them the bayonet. It was
glorious fighting, there was plenty of game. You meld
not miss your mark. Many a barbarous brute I laid low.
It's no use being down•he►rted here; you must have adr
termined spirit, or else yea cannot get through all things.
The weather is very cold ; a great many of our poor fellows
have got frost bitten. I think that Nicholas would be glad
to come to terms this winter, but if be don't, he'll catch it
next summer. England, France, Turkey, and Austria will
surround him, will drive him up in a corner, thee we shall
have some glorious sport. I hope that my dear father and
mother will not be down-hearted, became we are out here
fighting for oar !Gantry. I must now bid you farewell.
Answer all my letters, and seed me all the news you can ;
keep your spirits up; " Johnny Bono" is all the cry with
thew old Turks.

11101( THOMAS DODLIIIY. 01 van 17xx LANCIIII,
who had his collarbone shattered bye baLl In the cavalry
charge at Balaklsva.
Scutari General Hospital, Dee 18, 1864.
I thought it (the shot)• very lucky hit for me in two re- '
spats ; first, if it had been an inch further to my neck, it
would have been all up with me certain ; next, it text me
here, to be laid up in lavender, at least compared with what
the poor fellows are undergoing at the estop; but I dare
say it is not all tree that is said about that, any more than
it is about Ibis place. By the bye, I stuck the paper you
sent in the fire. The lies in it were shameful. Never was
a place worse libelled. I don't believe there is a man
here bat would feel as I do about it. Why, here we
have all the comforts we can desire, at least well
expect. A poor fellow can't utter a gross, or
hardly • sigh, but some kind soul is at his pillow. If
Mies Nightiogale bad been dropped from II she
could scarcely have done mere good. Talk of the men not
being grateful! Many a noble fellow here would marry
his nurse out of sheer gratitude, if he could do her honour
thereby—to say nothing about the thoughts of mothers and
sisters. Yes, this will set a man thinking about his own
fireside comforts end those that are far away. Of course,
after a large and fresh arrival of sick sod wounded there is
oomv sonfasion—how should it be otherwise, bat the cent
day all is set in order. The medical staff is, as far as I can
judge, excellent; and I can say something about it, having
been here nearly two months. I have written some scores
of letters home for other poor fellows, end they all express
themselves as I do. I know lam in no hurry to go beck ;
but suppose I shall soon. I believe I might Let sent home
if 1 wished ; bat they would say that looks like cowardice,
se that wove( do ; but, however, I will make the most of it
while I stop hers.

A NIGHT RIDE Mx BALAILiVA.—AN &CACI
MOM CAPTIMIL—The following is an entreat from a letter
roomed by him 11—, in Hall, from bar husband in the
Crimea:—" I cannot refrain letting you know the narrow'
escape I had the other night of being taken prisoner by the
Cossacks, as I was returning from Balaklava with about tea
pounds worth of goods for the oilcans of the company. But,
dear Sally, a good stout heart foiled them for this time. I
must thank Clod for his protection, and for endowing me
with nett presence of mind. Balaklays is shout seven eel
eight gala from Sebastopol, and as I was coming, about
half way, being mounted on oar captain's pony, with els
haversacks full of tea, sugar, wine, and several other little
ankles, I had my Anil slung anon my back, as every men
most be armed here, even U be only wanted to p
to the rear. So as 1 was coming along, thinking ei
—but yon need not ask what, as you might how*
it was shoat yourself, and Nell, and poor little
Jack—a horseman rides up to me and lap hold of my
lasi! by the butt, and very quietly was going to take it or
my shoulder, when I asked him is plain English what he
was going to do; but the divil a word eoald I understand
from him but ' prisotiere bon Coesserke," as he pronounced
it. I thought at Bret he was a Frenchman, until he men•
Gourd Sebastopol ; but it was time I looked out for myself,
so as I was heading him my musket with as good a grac►
as possible, as he thought, the foolish fellow forgot that I
had a bayonet at my other side, so as I handed him the
feed with one head I gave bias :the bayonet with the °the
bat most unexpectedly though, for I drove'
into the bea,tly fellow's belly, and very -
and rode away with his horse and 1,.
mounted his horse, which eased my own
that I was sorry fir was that I left him
eastern Counties lirrold.
A QUICK PASSAGE.—The saviors
Great Britain mention the arrival at V
19th of Oct ,bar, of the Scat. coleuses,
daysthla thanoolftsg
est
from
sour (1 on7r t ir cp
oe
elyib thb er
it
balsam
ea saes sa gs,i4i)est

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quickly upset him, the letter ten days my feelings had undergsne eclialn74 ,•N..,
lea lamer. I soon because I bad men the impropriety of copying Isle ham - • ..1 :i-p
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