The Sun.
London, England, 1854-08-01 00:00:00

DOINGS IN THE EAST !

LETTER FROM A MILITARY OFFICER.
Camp Aleyden, June 24th,
10 miles from Varna.

The dull monotony of a camp life has alone been the
cause of my long silence ; but as there is now some
probability of our being released from inglorious in-
activity, and I may not have a good opportunity again
for some time, I will at once furnish you with' a faithful
account of our proceedings.
After a charming passage, we disembarked at
Scutari, immediately opposite Constantinople. We
remained a fortnight there, chiefly for the purpose
of procuring horses for the conveyance of our
baggage, which was accomplished at much expense
and with great difficulty, the average outlaw
for them and their trappings being about 301
All this ought to have been prepared beforehand by the
proper authorities, and not left to the exertions of in-
dividuals—but there seemed no one to watch over the
interests of the unfortunate officers ; all were left to
scramble on as they best could. The necessity too of
corning down at once with so large a sum as 301. entailed
much misery and distress on those already hampered by
previous preparations. It is true that we receive a field
allowance, which in the majority of cases will reimburse
us in the course of the year when the sufferers may be
sleeping the sleep of death.
After orders and counter orders innumerable (an
order in this army is looked upon as a burlesque, and
in the first instance merely laughed at, not moving any
one from his repose), we eventually got under way, and
pitched our tents within a mile of Varna for a fortnight.
By we, I mean the Light Division of which we most
unfortuaately form a part, the General being a speci-
men of that class of commanders which abounded at the
commencement of the great war with France—violent,
harsh, uncourteous,—no respect for the feelings of those
under him, no sympathy for the sufferings of those who
have not the means, like himself, of procuring compa-
rative comforts—mistakes tyranny for discipline, and
brutality for manhood. All his study, in truth, seems
to be to render himself offensive.

Pray, excuse this digression. We removed to
this .place nearly three weeks since, on the prin-
cipal road to Shutnla. We have been twice ordered
to move forward, and twice 'countermanded. Indeed no
later than yesterday at 9 a.m., the divisional order ap-
peared for starting. At 2 p.ol. arrived the counter-order
--the latter, owing to the utter inefficiency of the com-
missariat. They had positively not two bullocks per
regiment to transport the hospital tents and sick.
A practical soldier like you, who have moved masses,
will naturally say that as this shameful inefficiency was
known at the time, why was the order to move issued,
as nothing could follow but confusion? In truth, there is
no system—all is indecisionand incompetency. From the
generals down to the pioneers noneseem to know whether
they be standing on their heads or heels. The Bazouks
have our fate in their hands. There can he no doubt
that we should have been before Silistria had we pos-
sessed the means ~f transport, but our staff, accustome I
merely to philandering in London or Dublin, have not
had the energy or ingenuity to keep together some 300
waggons placed by this Government at their disposal, the
drivers having for the most part been permitted to abscond,
taking away their teams in many instances. Could
you have conceived such scandalous carelessness on service?
Out of evil, however, springs some good, and in this case
to the Turks, for be assured they will have the glory
of driving the Russians from before Silistria unaided by
a single British bayonet. The day before yesterday the
13th and sth (cavalry), who have been encamped abotit
ten miles from hence, passed through our camp about
ten o'clock, but in the evening, about six, I met streams
of stragglers, all having been delayed and kept back
for want of transport for tents, &c. When they
reached their destination •it mnst have been as' a
mob. While on the subject of transport, I must
mention one case from hundreds, which will speak
fully for our , deficiency, 'Two days ago about
four p.m., a soldier had his leg broken in a fearful
way. It was only at 6 that we contrived to get a litter
for his conveyance by a fatigue party to Varna, and as
the road is difficult and rugged, it was long after night
had fallen that the unfortunate man arrived. If no
other means of conveyance could be found for a wounded
man before the horrors of war commence, what a pro-
spect for the wounded when they do ! Now, let me take
you back to Scutari, for T do not sit down to give you a
connected narrative, but to chat as events occur to my
memory. We arrived at Scutari at 11 in the forenoon,
within a stone's throw of the wharf where disembarka-
tions are effected, and within a mile from thence lay our
campino, ground. Yet we were detained on board the
whole of that day for the purpose of landing TEN horses.
Instead of disembarking the soldiers, the ship dropped
down the Bosphorus two miles, in order to lie alongside
a wharf where the horses could be slung on shore. In
fact, 900 bipeds were kept on board 24 hours, to their
great inconvenience, for the convenience of ten quadrui
pods ; but then the freight of the transport was 2001.
per diem, which would have been lost to the owners,
and gained to John Bull had the troops been landed at
once. When we quitted Scutari, thanks to the ignor-
ance and imbecility of the engineer and quartermaster-
general's departments, the transport of the horses was
once more the scene of indescribable confusion. Mind,
I am speaking only of infantry officers' h es—conse-
quently, the number was but trifling.
Theors chargers
were ordered to be embarked three days before the
troops, and to be conveyed to the transport, about 100
yards from the land, on a raft specially
Tenhorses constructed
were
by
the above-mentioned departments.
placed on this miserable raft, the engineers and quarter-
master-generals congratulating each otheron their mutual
efficiency ; when, lo the raft havingproceeded but five
yards, the naval superintending officer insisted it should
be immediately recalled, declaring that if it proceeded
all on it must be lost. The horses were therefore dis-
embarked, and no further attempt on their lives was
made for twenty-four hours. The most absurd part of
the matter was, that they might have been slung into
the ship from the same wharf on which they were dis-
embarked a few days previously, with the same facility
and safety, and in a few minutes. When, after all this,
we succeeded in reaching Varna, we found that no ar-
rangements whatever had been made for our disem-
barkation, the staff officers there appearing perfectly
bewildered. They galloped about, shouted, gesticulated,
and—did nothing. The French, however, came for-
ward, furnished boats in abundance, and landed us in
gallant style.

On they present occasion, the two nations seemed to
have changed their supposed characteristics. While
our authorities were as I have mentioned, the French
were calm, collected, and efficient. Here let me con-
firm what you may have seen in the papers, that in
true proper arrangements, civil as well as military, the
French beat us hollow in this part of the world at least.
We are not fit, to use a slang expression, to hold a
candle to them. In truth, the French and civilisation
march hand in hand. While our part of the town
looked a scene of desolation and misery, no one know-
ing where to look for any department or place he
wanted, the French already had tho rue de l'hopital,
rue de la poste, rae de Gen6ral, with a very tolerable
restaurant.

There are not two opinions in this army as
to the superior management of the French authorities.
they have done for their troops everything which cir-
cumstances admit of. God grant we may eventually
take a few pages from their book. Among other vitally
essential things they have established batteries. We have
none. They have also established a post-office at Varna,
while we are dependent on the good nature of naval
officers to forward our letters to Constantinople, or on
the caprice of some Jachanapes on the staff ; while for
the despatch of our letters we are dependent on the
courtesy of the French post-office. But I will again
turn to details of our goings on at Varna. For the
greater part of the time there, the supply of tea, sugar,
&c., to the soldiers was irregular in the extreme ; of
course there would not have been a murmur had any
necessity for this existed, but none did—while the
soldiers were suffering, the commissariat stores were
overflowing. Where, too, was all that ale and porter of
which so much had been heard ? We got some for the
last two days we were at Varna, but not a barrel has
made its appearance here, though it is whispered that it
flows through the tents of the Guards. Indeed, I may
as well say boldly at once, that the general feeling is,
that although this much talked of malt may have been
nominally sent out for the army at large, it is dedicated
practically to the Duke's division.
The men could have supplied themselves with many
necessaries, indeed comforts, at the shops in Varna, but
they must have submitted to a loss of 4s. 6d. in the
pound. Every sovereign issued to the troops was
changed at that loss, although at Constantinople, within
18 liners' passage, the sovereign was at a premium of
2s. &l. The greatest discontent naturally resulted from
such scandalous and cruel disregard of the soldier's in-
terest. Fortunes, and of magnitude, are being realised
in some quarters.
I wel remember your going over the list of officers
appointed to high cJininauds here, and remarking upon
the number who had not done a day's duty as soldiers
for years—exemplifying Lord —, whose occupation
during that time had been unroofing cottages in Ireland,
and Lord --, who might be daily seen creeping out of
the United Service Club, swaddled in flannels. Each
day do I see your prophecies realised. I pray they may
not be infull ; and I donotfeafthey will, for, thank God,
we shall have troops well commanded near us. I trust, i
too, to the bravery of our men ; their pluck, as in
India, will atone for the errors of those above them.
recollect your saying those very wcrds on that bloody
field where the generals allowed themselves to besur-
prised. Alas ! hereaftEr, as then, honours and pensions
will be showered upon those who were saved
solely by
the bravery of men whcse names are
never known, and
who will fill graves in a distant land, or return to their
own to wander as beggars.
Now, my dear friend and patron, adieu, I will, as