The true Democrat., 1855-03-14
Letter from Missionary at the
 Seat of War.

Seat of War.
 The following letter from MT. Mathieson. q missionary in connection with the Soldiers Friend Society, at Balaklava, will be read with deep interest:
 Batahlava, Dec 22.-It is little wonder our men sleep; they are utterly exhausted and worn out. We are in daily anticipation of some great attack, as all seem to be getting desperate Often, often have I heard officers and men saw they long tor an engagement, for they are dying last. They are dispirited by the weather. want of ratlons, and being so much in the trenches. ct there IS no falterng for the fight and I dare affirm there is not soldier here but would leap for joy to hear the cry Prepare for bat tle." We would not believe this at homo vet it is true. -
 l might tell you the road to Sevastopol; but all shall say is, it is the most trying road r was ever on. 1 would rather 90 over the Clashmatch, for it is all rutted and knee deep of mud, and the soil being rich it is very clammy
 The Russians are making Sevastopol strono- CT and stronger every day; whilst it is also trne we are making progress in the erection of new and more powerful batteries. The position of Sevastopol is strong, and its situation beautiful The valley of Inkermann, where the battle of the 9th November took place. is a lovely one. and exceedingly picturesque. Going over if. you see 1t strewed with shot and shell. clothes and all sorts of broken muskets, etc.. whilst the dead are scarcely half buried; here and there an arm appears above ground, or face peeps forth, while the smell is intolerable. The Rus sians are buried in graves together. and the French and British 1ia cido h,, c;J
 "How shall give you any adequate descrip- tlon of the state of our army? No pen can do 1t. It baffles description. Our cavalry cannot mount single horse and one deeply feels as he looks at our Scots Greys, who, when spo- ken of, were wont to send thrill of iov through every Scottish heart. They cannot now mount one horse, for now they are miserable nags. simply used as pack horses to carry provisions to Sebastopol. The men are filthy, and much emaciated. You hear oaths terrible oaths. on all hands. Gods judgments are abroad and they are not seen. An, Britain! Britain! thou hast been highly exalted, and thou needest the deepest humiliation. Few of the noble army that landed here shall, I fear, ever return. I hear the men often talk of home. How strange the sound of 1t here! When mentioned it sends strange gush of feelings through the heart It strikes the deepest cord of the in most soul. Were the condition of our army known, feasting, joy and mirth would cease at home There have been brilliant victories, and prodigies of valor; but what are these to the slaughtered multitude? to the crowded hos pltals? to the deadly pestilence? One gets ac- customed to the cannons roar or the mlsket's crack; but 1t is when men die inch by inch. and see their comrades die in tens around them. that they begin to pause and think
 Often have heard privates in the ranks re- mark" Were it not for the defense of our land, we might have left the Turks As nation, Tekel Is written Hpon it. Marks of de- cay meet you at every step. English and French here abhor them. Their condition calls for the deepest sympathy and pity, for they are dying Tn hundreds. 1 have seen their hospi- tals here, or rather dead houses Dead and dying lie together. For days they lie without burial, and then they are hoisted upon mems shoulders, carried to grave not two feet deep. tossed intoit, and covered by handfulls of earth, not even a shovel used to cover them. They seem quite isolated here, the objects of deep commlseratlon. It is quite clear the only bull | wark against Russian invasion will be the rising of christian state upon the ruins of Moham- | medan power
 The proud Crescent Is waning fast, and ioy- | fully should 1 see it futtering no more in the breeze. At home the Turks are held as a con- pany of hewers; here they are regarded as company of mere machines, and slothful ma chimes. It is quite clear to any, if we had not come to their rescue. the Russian flag had waved al Censtantnople ere now; and with the | Bosphorus and Dardanelles in his possession, he might have defed Europe. I look at it all in a spiritual light, and 1 can hope in the future It may be seas of blood may yet have to be passed through; yet Gods purposes will ripen fast, as soon as the kingdoms of this world shall have become the kingdoms of the Lord, and of His Christ. Till then, Gods saints must labor and thrive, in patience possessing their souls''