The Press.
London, England, 1854-12-16 00:00:00

1184

hill-side, and stumbles about in the dark towards
some uncertain light; but he has no enemy worse
than the wind and rain to face, and in the first but
he reaches repose and comfort await him. Our
officers and soldiers, after a day like this, had to
descend to the trenches again at night to look after a
crafty foe, to labour in the mire and ditches of the
works—what fortitude and high courage to do all
this without a murmur, and to hear such privations
and hardships with unflinching resolution!

THE following letter we have recently received from
one of the chaplains officiating to the army in the
Crimea :

Heights above Sebastopol,
Nov. 20, 1854.

It is not from forgetfulness of your kindness to
me when I was in London that I have so long de-
layed writing to you. But I have neither had time
nor opportunity before. Even now my knees form
my writing-desk. I have lived a life since I saw you.
1 have been appointed to the 4th division, which you
will know era this suffered the most severely in the
action of the lukermann. Last Tuesday was a pain-
ful day hero. The noble ship in which I came out
(the Prince) has gone to the bottom with many
others, and there has been an immense sacrifice of
life. I was roused from dreams ot' my dear native
land by my tent falling on me, and was completely
drenched before I could get on my clothes. Even
then no tires could be lighted, no tea or anything
else procured—dry biscuit, and glad to get it, was
the state of affairs. But all this mattered little to
us who were in good health. When I got to my
hospitals, a sight was before me which would have
moved a heart of stone. The hospital marquees
were all down, and the poor fellows, suffering from
cholera, fever, and dysentery, were lying exposed to
that merciless storm, aggravated by the most piercing
sleet I ever felt, benumbing all the faculties like
paralysis. I saw more than one of our men stretch
themselves out on that day, under that sleet, to die !
God grant I may never witness such a scene again !
And yet I feel thankful that I was here. Many a
rough soldier welcomed me to his side, and, as 1
spoke to him of the love of a crucified Redeemer, his
hard hand grasped mine, and the big tear stood in
his eye; and as I rolled him up in his blanket, and
tried to get him as high as I could out of the slush
and the dirt, I felt thankful to God who made me,
unworthy sinner though I be, the minister of such a
glorious gospel. I need scarcely tell you that my
work in the burial-ground was heavy after such a
night. The weather has been much finer since, and
the health of all the regiments in the division is im-
proved, with the exception of the 46th. Cholera, of
a particularly virulent character, has broken out
among them, and I have buried more than thirty of
them within the last few days. The scenes I have
witnessed in their hospital beggar all description.
I spend a portion of every day in it ; for the poor
fellows (as we came out together) imagine that I
belong altogether to them, and when I enter the
door of the marquee, "Come here, sir," resounds on
every side ; and then you have to make your way
over the floor of the tent, strewn with dying men,
and as each lies in the tent, you lean on your elbow
by his side, and speak into his ear the hopes of an-
other and a better world. You can easily understand
now why my promise has been delayed. Indeed, I
have time for nothing but the pressing duties of my
post. It is truly an arduous one, but I have no de-
sire to change it for any other, while God grants me
strength to work. We had a very large attendance
at divine worship yesterday, and the attention of
officers and men was most marked. I have several
hospital tents under my charge. I visit three each
day, and have a short service once a week in each of
them, besides impressing on the hospital orderlies
that if any man wishes to see me, either night or
day, lamto be Immediately called. The burial of
the dead has been particularly heavy, but I have
proposed an arrangement, which the general of the
division and the commanding officers highly approve
of. I attend on the burial-ground twice in each day,
at eleven and three o'clock, and the dead from all
the regiments are to be brought at those hours.
God bless and keep you!
OFFICIAL RETURN OF CASUALTIES.
Accompanying Lord Raglan's despatches received
during the week at the War-office are returns of the
casualties occurring during the siege, with the names
of all the officers and men killed, wounded, or missing
from Nov. 2nd to 26th. Our space will notpermit us
to give more than the general abstracts of loss as
under :
Itereas OF OANUALIERS FROM 2ND TO !Int Nov., INCLUDING THE
WWI Al' -I 'HE RATTLY OF INKENDANIL
Staff-5 officers killed; 11 °divers wounded
4th Light Dragoons-2 privates killed ; 1 private wonn4ed
11th Hussars-1 private killed; 1 sergeant, 1 private wounded
171 R Lancers-1 °dicier. 1 private, killed ; 2 privetea wounded
Royal Artillery-2 oaken, 3 sergeente, 1S privates, killed ; 5
offloere, 5 lsergeante, 2 drummers, 74 privates, wounded
3rd Battalion Grenadier Guards-3 akar', 4 sergeants, 1