The Express.
London, England, 1855-09-11 00:00:00

THE CAMP.

The :following is an extract from the letter of a
officer :

Before Sebastopol, Leg. 28.

The brilliancy of the moon has not allowed us to make
mach progress with our advance trenches during the lad
, three days, nor will it for some days yet to cone. The
enemy have completed their bridge of rafts mon the hen
boat, and yesterday they took hundreds of carts, de. ants
it from both the north side and south side of Sebaltopd.
The general opinion out here is that we shall be attacked
all round very shortly; one thing you may rely spas,
that if the enemy do try to fern our preitioes
say at Balaklava or any other spot, it will be a most deter
mined attack. The French authorities, I understand, u•
petted that something would take place on the morning d
the 26th. These constant alarms and expected attacks we
very annoying, for both officers and men of the Raga
army are still confined to camp in consequence. The men
meats that some of the men in each camp get up, are foot-
ball, quoits, a kind of skittles, and toeing up. Ia the
trenches they play cards a good deal. It would be a great
boon if the government sent out to each corps a supply of
articles for games, particularly as winter is now
coming on. The principal topic of conversation amongst
them just now is the floating bridge. The fact of dole
being made convinces them that no plunder will be now
obtained on the south side of Sebastopol. Amongst the
offline@ slightly wounded since the 25th I have to mention
Captain Charles Arbuthnot, Royal Artillery ; Make
Higginbotham, 63rd Regiment ; Lieutenant Brink 88th.
and Lieutenant Rotte, 90th Light Infantry. The last
officer will, I believe, be the future Earl of Stradbroke,
and the first named officer bee the reputation of bend
one of the beat artillery officers oat here, beside, one
of the coolest under fire that it is possible to conceive.
On promotion to first captain lately, he exchanged compa-
nies so uto be able to remain out here. I hear that inn&
leg he has received a flesh wound, but I trash if only far
the sake of the Artillery, that he will not be obliged to leave
the Crimea, as this arm of the service, particularly " the
siege train," cannot afford to lose many such officers. With
reference to general after orders of the 26th, I may Wont
you that the investiture took place as gad, at 2in the
. afternoon, but owing to the position of the troops and the
great number of French, Sardinian, and navel office
Ste., that crowded round the throne, or date, formed ant of
the portico leading from the courtyard into °canal Simi*
son's house, very few were enabled to pee any portion of the
ceremony ; but I have little doubt that the whole effect was
very pretty from the house itself. Brigadier-General
Garret, 46th Regiment, commanded the 600 men of the
4th Division, and Brigadier Genets'. Barlow,l4th Regnant,
' the 600 men of the 3rd Division. At bead.quarters a capitol
breakfast and luncheon were given as a Wad
few, and after the latter Lord Stratford de
Redcliffe again left for Conyantinople. Sir HI
Jones was too ill to be present et the ceremony, Ind
so had to be invested in his hut. Before elating that
letter, I must bring under your notice the absurd meant
in which they reward out here men who distingioCh
themselves under heavy fire ; and also the sad manner a
which that scientific, and, as everybody mum alley, that
deserving corn of Sappers and Miners, hes been neglected.
One would have thought that by this time expenenn
would have taught England better policy, and that as
would have held out every inducement to 'mourns lin
soldiers to perform their duties cheerfully ; but to 'eel"
more fully what I mean by "absurd rewards," I funnels
you with two extracts from the Brigade Orders, Relg
Sappers and Miners, which I have succeeded in procurinl:

- -
sstoaea 0/DIIBB.
Head-quarters betore Sebastopol, July 27, 1915-
The Major ‘General eommandicg, having received a special
report of the conduct of Corporal John Ross, tad Comp's/
Royal Sappers and Miners, while employed in the trenches
of the right attack, on the night of the 214 inst., hes had
much gratification in bringing the name of this noncom-
missioned officer under the notice of the Lieutenant General
Commanding in Chief, who has been pleased to award hilt
a donation of two sovereigns. By order, &c.
SRIOADI ORDERS.
Head-qoarters before Sebastopol, August 24, 1850.
The Major-General bas bed much pitman in bringing
under the notice of the Commander of the Forces the COP
duet of Corporal Roes, Royal Sappers and Miners, in chugs
of the advance on the Redao, which was reported by the
officer of Engineers on duty last night, as extremely csr
ditable, and General Simpson has awarded him a grange/
of three sovereigns. By order, &c.
Now 61. is not the way to reward a man like Corporal
HAP for his services. He ought to have been made
a supernumerary sergeant the first time, ea
for the second report ought to have been girt
a commission and a distinguishing medal.
understand he is a capital notreomminioned ofilost
parade, besides having 12 years service. The Sappen sai
Miners oat here consist of nine commune; but through
their severe losses from their ennead duties in the trenches,
and through sickness instead of being 900 strong, they ero
under 500 in camp; besides which, shoat one in seven ars
in hospital. Of thee* nine companies, three of them ben
been through the campaign in Balwaris, fur were at Aimee
five at Inkermann, and the whole have regularly done dot/
in the trenches ; and yet, with the exception of the ordst
of Medidgeo, which a few of the 10th company ob•
tallied lately for the campaign on the Danube, not coo glib
distinguishing medal has been given to the corps, 9er barl •
single norconstaissionod officer been given a COMlllieekla
the Engineers or the line. Even the quartermasterti
now tamed into a D.A.Q.M.G., was most taussalikot
by an officer of engineers k and at this moment, al
there are nine companies in one camp, the home author
have never sanctioned the appointment of a peratuT
quartermaster or sergeasrmsjor. How, with all 19T
stories u in the facie, can Englishmen upset these mule
do their peculiar daties efficiently? And yet they do ; (relit
gallant conduct of the Sappers and Miners gentralllt
easily during a bombardment, when they have to Nem
the embrasures, is the wonder of the whole army. Yoe
be glad to bear that Lieutenant Dennis, 3rd Buffo. VW.
Henry, R.A., Captain Hoe. R. Drummond, Coldstrol!
Guards, and Coptais Browse, are
Semi oa.
vousbly.