Smyrna times., 1861-05-23
Pictures of Campaigning.


journal sys:
In my dilemma as to how | should interest
you. this week, have been turning over the
leaves of book written by an English officer,
On hs return from the war in the Crimea
and, as it contains some pictures of Campaign
lug which will be acceptable TO the war.spirit
now abroad, and has not yet been re. published
IN our country, will give you an extract or
'w"' to take the rOom (f"r oncel Of my more
peaceful scrIbbings. Otlhe Allied Army in
the East, The following is faithful sketcu,
believe, and Will assist our friends in forming
an estimate OF what Is before them.
clancy canvas village, with confusion of
Iltile peaked huts. Fancy q huge swelling sea.
WIN mountains for waves. Fancy the troops
"I many nations, mastering wearIly. Here
parade, with dlngy and mufled officer shout
Ing Ihe word OF command through a cod spas
moulcally, and then sneezng sort Of Involun-
tary amen. Fancy muddy meH getting muddy
water from muddy well, and wadlng through
quagmlre TO do SO.
Ionder. past dismal little clump of stunt.
| ed brushwoOd, goes a bullock-ca gToanlng
and creeklng, up to the .Xels in squash 1t is
proceeded by an un.earlhly old person, who
appears to be made OF mud, and who looks more
gaunt, aud famished, and hopeless, than other
people here. Before him. again, ride two
mounted guards, probably to prevent his run
nlng away, seeing that he is hatIve, aud his
wagon carries that on which the lives of many
brave Aen depends. After the cart toll other
men, atoot, and tagging TO pick up anything
that drops. And IhngA do drop, more frequent
Iy than The admIref, OF our very CURIOUS com
"a. urISh IN Hay
chrontcl"d. No species ut vehicle, however,
could be. perhaps, more completely unified
tor It's purpose than that lnquestOn. 1t seems
have been constructed with u special view,
very usual IN these countries; it Is that OF ap-
plying The largest possible amount of labor
with the smallest utility. 1t is a Wicker-work
convenlency, crazy and dirty to a degree which
6ankoupts description. 1t is uncovered, and
so exposed 10 wind aud ather. In size it is
not bigger, aud 1t certainly is not as strong, as
a chIid's cot 1t is proppFd up, however, in
various ways, with rough hewn bits Of wood,
which il requires the attention OF one man to
keep constantly in their places. Then the
load is piled up with great sovenlness and
contempt of order, according TO the tenets of
the cOmmissariat. Nevertheless ] perceive a
group of four or five blue-nosed cavalry col,
adlers, who regard it with anxions eyes, hungrily
as it crawls on.
"Wde, wide away rides a general officer
and his staff. | do not know why ! smile al
my eye rests upon them but perhaps il is, that
the general officer, is a very feeble and elderly
general officer, who oppears to be rather shaky,
so to speak. His pOOrelderly head is stretched
forward and bent down. If some other part
OF his person was suffering from acute PAIN
tie carries his legs stffly, aud he appears TO
tottOr on his horse, though he mas got a we'll
btted PAGER, and a clever easygoer. Then
there appears to me an odd sort of importance
in the group, as if they were riding nowhere
particularly, but wished to do it handsomely,
and in such wise to create a sensa tion.-
Some tired soldiers lying on their elbows on
the ground, watch the elderly general officer
with vacant looks, as if they had dim idea
that there was something not quite right in
soldering atfairs-a muddle, Indeed, but fur.
ther knew nothing.
"Stay, here comes a breeze nearer, nearer,
and the sound of the French bugles and the
silver fife, speaking out, is heard N a second
then the breeze falls, and 1t dies away. Then
once more, 1t peals martially on the ear, and n
orderly has checked his horse, and turns half
round to listen, with bright eyes and reddenng
cheek. Then he rides on, and think he sits
hts horse more jauntly than before; so wish
that there were more music about. and some
thing OF the p"mp and gayeiy of camps, to
cheer mems hearts, through all this mud and
drearness.
sin the distance, see dismounted hOrsemen,
ploddng on foot humaneS, and horses RIDER
less, yet with dropping crest.
"There, stuck in the mire. is part Oft brok-
en- wheel, and near it is an old burst gun-bar-
rel, rusllng fast into nothingness. They are
perhaps, the only remaining evidence of how
much valor dared for glory, in some forgotten
episode of by-gOne struggle. Who shall tell
me now, how proud heart may have quail
ed at the bursting Of that gun-how brave a
man may have bowed or fled, when his trust
10 his weapon had failed him."