Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1855-09-19
NO. Xiv.
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The ALLIES and Russta.

An American in Paris writes TO his ffieud jo
Washington City, under dateof August 25th, al
follows:
The military preparations of this country, and
the n,oter;el, stores, and supplies Of every kind
now shipping from the Mediterranean ports, are
at present probably greater than at any previous
period of the war in the East; and the quantity
sent to the Crimea. have no Doubt is larger than
the aggregate quantity that has existed in tho
United States since the battle of Lexington, in
ITS. Twelve large British steamers will leave
Marseilles IN The course of the ensuing four or five
days, and from the 18th to the close Of the month
forty thousand troops will have been embarked
and sailed, besides vast number of horses mules.
SO.
An officer of rank just from the Crimea assures
me that the French have not more than 55, 600
bayonets and the British seventeen thousand en-
iigne before Sevaslopol. This, however, does
not include the garrisons at Kamiesch and Con-
stantnople, or the army of reserve, nor the sick,
wounded, and convalescent in those quarters
The nocturnal fights, the shells thrown into camp
by the Russians, exposure, hard duty, and casual
| ties of every occasion dreadful waste of life.
costing, in killed, wounded, and sick, an average
Of six hundred men daily. do not see how they
are going TO keep up the army 10 one hundred
|
extra conscripton, which would create great dis
content. Ii is true that the cholera has nearly
disappeared in the camp but dyssntery is as fatal
as ever and carries off great numbers. Scurvy
also exists to very considerable extent, and there
| is great want Of water Even what they have
in use is muddy and limey, which has an iniuri-
ous effect on tie health Of the troops. Both ar
mics are over run with body vermin, from which
the poor sick suffer dreadfully, as their clothes
are alive with this worst Of Egyptian plaques.
| The Russians are pouring in reinforcements.
and the French admit their army has I75.OOO
men in the Crimea, and that the scene NAV soon
change by the Russians becoming the assailants.
The British army there will soon be composed
mostly of foreigners, the scum Of all Europe
Their manner Of recruiting creates great dssatis-
faction in Italy and Germany.
It is distressing to hear the details of the sick
and wounded At Kamesch there are Is, 900 to
10000; at Constantinope full as many or more.
From the latter place they are so soon as they
are in any way able to embark, returned to the
south OF France. During the last eight days four
thousand have arrived; and from Toulon to Port
Vendfe, on the coast of Spain the hospitals are :
overhowing. The landing of these poor sick and
lnuiilated fellows, looking like walking ghosts, is
truly distressing. Scarcely an American vessel
there but what has lost portion of its crew by
disease; and if they, with all the comparative
comforts on board their own ships, and only doing
ordinary sailors duty, suffer in that way, what
must be the extent Of suffering and loss among
those actively and constantly engaged on military
and naval duties
The Medical staff Of the British army is deci
dedly inferior to that Of the French Many Of
them called surgeons are mere boys, looking more
h,, huto
medical or surgical knowledge. There are, how
ever, some very able surgeons in the British navy,
but their number is comparatively few. -
All accounts continue to confirm the atrocious
atrocities which have been committed In conduct
ing the war in the Sea of Azoff, and there is one
scream Of Indignation at it all over Europe
France included. This has greatly tended to
make all Europe the friends Of Russia. When
the war commenced, Germany aud Italy-map.
woman and child-were all in favor of the allies
and believe it was pretty much the same in the
United States. Certainly all the travelling A.
mericans in Europe were Of that way of thinking,
At present all is changed and the general predi-
lections of the world, think, are now decidedly
in favor of Russia.
The preparations for winter campaign are ma.
king on the most extensive basis They are pre-
pairing siabling and huts in England to be sent to
the Crimea 10 an enormous extent. am almost
afraid to mention the quantity, but an English Of
fcer informs me that they will cover miles of sur.
face. am, however, assured by officers Of both
armies returning from the Crimea that their pres
ent troops are not fit to contend with the rig
ors, privaiions, and sufferings of winter
campaign. They have already suffered so terri
bly,. and their physical strength and constitutions
are so injured, that The duties Of besieging army
exposed in the trenches and on the continual Gus
vive, would be too much for them. Even tho,
Paris papers admit that the French troops are in
bad humor, nervous and excitable, owing to tho
climate, suffsrings, and constant annoysnces. All
these causes will increase with the rainy and win.
ter season. Where the end will be it is indeed
difficult to foresee. Military pride and prestige
and national honor, both in England and France.
forbid retreat unless after distressing defeats,
which might compel them to that humiliating
step; and yet it would appear hopeless to continue
the sieTe