Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-08-04
The Late M.r.nal 81. Arnaad.

The family Of Marshal ST. Arnaud have pub
hshed, at Paris, selection from his correspond
ence while exercising the chief command of the
French expedition in aid Of Turkey. The letters
contain much that is curious They show, what
has all along been suspected, that the French
Marshal regarded the English Commander as
drag upon his movements. They also afford a
striking illustration of that love of retirement and
Of home which struggled with ambition in the
breast Of the old soldier.
Writing to his brother, under date Of August
., 1854, he says: ta
''lf were to give way TO my impressions, to
my turn of mind, and the feelings of my heart
should never have written to you a sadder letter.
! am IN the midst of one vast tomb, resisting the
scourge that is decimating my army, seeing my
bravest soldiers succumb ut the very moment
most want them, and yet continuing, for all that,
the preparations for formidable expedition.
Have there been many such situations as mine in
history My courage and energy shall at least
prove equal to the occasion, God, who strikes
me with one hand, raises me up with the other. !"
To his wife, two days later, he writes from
Varna follows ~ st .
"God spares us no misfortune, no calamity, my
dear. ! see all my energy in the depth Of my
soul wish could find there mere resignation.
but the sublime patience flies away at sight of ca
tastrophes, so completely independent of the will,
that are incessantly striking down around you
and annihilating with breath all the good you
have been preparing with such difficulty. A vio-
lent fire broke out at seven o'clock yesterday
evening, u Varna, as | was aghting from my
horse on my return from visiting my sick men, A
seventh part of the town no longer exists. /"
After landing in the Crimea he writes to Mad
anne St. Arnaud the following affectionate letter,
in which he utters pleasant visions of home and
quiet-visions, alas, never to be realized:
.tOLD FoRT, (CRMEA,) Sept I, 1854
"MY BELOVED WIFE: The English are not
ready, and make me lose precious time. lent
them some flat boats this morning to expedite the
landing of their horses, and hope shall be able
| to move at last by eleven tomorrow morning.
shall stop for the night at the Bulganak SO that
] may be quite fresh on the 10Th, and force the
passage during the day. If i can will drive tho
Russians to the other side of the katcha. | pro-
mise you will give them time for amusing
themselves, The weather is fine, and we are
favored May God protect yet few days
and all will go on well Iheard mass this morn
ing under my large tent, and prayed for you.
Four abbes breakfasted with me There has been
great reaction in the army, and the Prince is at
the head oft. He says loudly that am man,
and that but for me we should not be in the Cri-
| mea My health is not SO bad to-day. | had
favorable crisis last night; copious perspration
| came to my relief. AS have to endure all my
pains, have two cutting ones above my left
| breast which agonze me. Cabrol says it is my
health. could strangle him.
"Nothing as yet is changed in my plans.
Prince Menschikof may do what he likes, but
shall be before Sebastopol between the Goth and
22d Perhaps shall go and attack them on the
south and leave their great preparations on the
north side useless All that will depend on what
| shall see when reach Bebek. The swifter
time moves my love, the nearer il brings me to
you. This doubles my courage. | only think of
the moment when we shall be very quiet at home.
In the spring we will take trip to Italy, and we
will return by Switzerland and Germany. We
will travel with only two servants and like plain
folks. DO not let us build too many castles in the
air, for that brings bad luck"
On the next day he writes to his wife:
II have just written to Lord Raglan that
could not wait any longer, and that should
issue my order of departure for seven clock to-
morrow morning; and nothing shall stop me
longer"
To his brother he writes from the field sf battle
on the Alma, September 22d, 1854:
"To-day every one thinks as | do in the armies
and the fleets The change has been rapid II
began on the 14th, broke out into acclamatons
on the evening Of the Goth, and to-day. | am a
great man. Such is the world
-Four days after writing this the Marshal re-
signed his command, and on the 29th, three days
later, died