The Sun.
London, England, 1855-03-19 00:00:00

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No. I.—At a General Court-makal, held at p.ifin#DA. '
fore Sebastopol, en the 12th of January, 1855, iii'ffiK
ante of an order of Field-Marshal Lord—Raglan,t-G..,•,,
Commanding the Forces, dated the 19th of January,
1855, Lieutenant A. H. H. Mercer, 89th Regiment, was
tried upon the following

CHARGES.
First Charge.—For neglect of duty, in having on the
29th day of December, 1854, left a detachment of his
regiment, of which he was sent in command for the pur-
pose of bringing up stores, and for not having returned
to his regiment until about noon on tho 31st of Decem-
ber, 1854.

Second Charge--For having, on the afternoon of
the 29th day of December, 1554, and whilst absent from
the detachment of which he bad been sent in command,
been found drunk at or near Balaklava.
Of which charges the Court found the prisoner—
With regard to the first charge—" Guilty," under
extenuating eircurnstancep.
With regard to the second charge—
SENTENCE.
The Court having found the prisoner guilty of the
first charge preferred against bun, but under extenuating
circumstances, and having acquitted him of the second
cha►go, do now adjudge him, Lieut. A. H. H. Mercer,
89th Regiment, to be reprimanded. -
W. G. ROMAINE, Officiating Deputy Judge-
Advocate.
C. W. RIDLEY, Colonel and Major, Grenadier
G uards,-President.
Approved and confirmed,
BAGLAN, lfith Jan., 1855.
REMARKS.
Lieut. Mercer has been acquitted of the second charge
preferred against bite, and has very properly been found
guilty of the first charge, namely., of "Neglect of Duty,"
but in the opinion cf the court the offence was com-
mitted under circumstances which diminished the cri-
minality of it.

"Not guilty."

Fron; the character which Lieut. Mercer has received
from his superiors for correctness in the performances of
his duties, the Commander of the Forces is willing
to believe that Lieutenant Mercer would not have been
guilty of this neglect of duty had he been in the enjoy-
'meat of his usual health, and the lenient sentence of the
Court is on that ground approved and confirmed.
The most injurious effects have been already found
to ensue from officers sent on duty to Balaklava quit-
ting the men of whom they are sent in charge, and for
their own private affairs delaying their return to camp.
Lord Raglan trusts that Lieutenant Mercer will not
again be guilty of an offence which is not only in direct
disobedience of an order recently published to the Army,
but in the highest degree detrimental to the welfare and
discipline of the soldier.
Lieutenant Mercer is hereby reprimanded, and ordered
to be released from arrest, and to return to his duty.
RAGLAN
With reference to the sanita-y condition of the men
it is rather discreditable to us to have such an order
issued as that which Dr. Hall has found it necessary to
_write, respecting the filth and neglect of personal cleanli-
ness in our camps. When the men were so very hard worked
last year that they had barely time for their meals, and
never enoughtorsleer,some excuse might be made for them,
but now there is really none, except this important one,
that in the instance of one division certainly they could
get no soap, though they sent in sev. ral requisitions for
that useful article. It is very hard for men to keep
themselves clean when pure water is scarce and soap not
to be had, but Dr. Hall directly attributes itch, scurvy,
and ulcers to the negligence of the regimental medical
officers, who have not attended to the rules of the ser-
vice. The order will speak for itself, but it is to be ob-
served that the provision of soap made by the Govern-
ment has failed on several occasions :-
44 MEDICAL DEPARTMENT ORDER.
Camp before Sebastopol, Feb. 17.
" The Inspector-General of Hospitals is sorry to find
from recent inquiries that itch, scurvy, ulcers, and great
personal filth prevail amongst the men of the different re-
giments for want of due attention on the part of the re-
gimental medical officers in making the periodical inspec-
tions of the men in their tents required by the regula-
tions of the service. He, therefore, requests Supem intend-
ing Medical Officers will tee that this duty is performed
weekly, and so important does he consider personal
cleanliness on the part of the men, as a preventative of
disease, that he directs a certificate may be added on
the back of the weekly state of sick 1,11:t this duty has
been performed. Government has provided soap, and
there is no excuse for the men going about from one
week's end to another without either washing their per-
sons rr changing their flannels and shirts.
" J. HALL, Inspector-General of Hospitals."

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