The Van Buren press., 1896-02-01
THEIR HARDEST CAMPAIGN.
The British Army's Worst Experience
Was in the Crimea.

The British Army's Worst Experience
Was in the Crimea.
"In the early part of the winter the
battalions in the front were generally
on duty two nights out of three, and
later every alternate night. The life
of the rank and file was thus spent.
The men were mustered carrying great
coat and blanket, just before dusk, and
marched through a sea of mud into the
trenches. These were cut up by deep
holes from which powders and stones
had been ken, and into these holes on
dark nigh5s the men often fell. When
the soldier reached his position he had
to sit with his back to the parapet and
his feet drawn close up under his body
to allow others to pass along the four
foot wide trench. If he was not de-
tailed for a working party, nor for a
picket in the trenches or in advance
of them. he might lie down, resting as
best he could in wet ditch. =
The relief of the sentries could snatch
dogs sleep for four hours out of six,
hoping their comrades would, by re-
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jump up ere the enemy was on them;
but for the two hours that each man
was out near the enemy the strain on
the nervous system would have been
great even to robust, well-fed man.
These sentries had necessarily to stand
absolutely still, silent and watchful,
and as the severity of the winter be-
came more and more marked, num-
bers of men whose frames were weak
ened by want of adequate nutritious
food were found in the morning FROST
bitten and unable to move.
Zone battalion which landed nearly
900 strong early in November was actu-
ally in the trenches six nights out of
seven, and then became so reduced, not
only in numbers, but also in the mems
bodily strength, that it was unable for
some time to go there again.
When the soldier got back to camp he
used to lie often in a puddle which
chilled his bones, under worn-out
tent, through which the rain beat. The
less robust would fall asleep, complete
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in many cases to be carried to hos
pital tent, scarcely more comfortable
thnn the tent which they had left, and
thence to a grave in two or three days.
Those who were stronger went out to
collect roots of brushwood, or of vines,
and roasted the green coffee ration
in the tin of the canteen, afterward,
as already described, pounding it in a
fragment of shell with a stone, ere they
boiled it for use. Others, unequal to
this laborious process, would drink
their rum, and, eating a piece of bis
cult, lie down again in the great coat
and blanket which they had brought,
often wet through, from the trenches.
"In the afternoon the soldier was
sent on fatigue duty from five to
seven miles, according to the position
of his camp, usually to Balaldaya, to
bring up rations. On his return he had
again to gather fuel, in order to boil
the salt beef or salt pork in his mess
tin, which did not hold water enough
to abstract the salt. A portion of the
meat, therefore, sonly was consumed,
and it was necessary from time to time
TO tell eff men to bury the quantities
thrown away. Salt pork, which was
issued two days out of seven, was fire.
quently eaten by the men i'll its raw
state from the difficulties of finding
fuel to cook it.
shortly before dark the soldier
either marched back to the trenches or
laid down to sleep if he was not on
picket in front of the camp. Many
men, dislilking to report themselves
sick, were carried back from the
trenches in the morning, and died
few hours afterward. Those who re-
ported sick were taken to the hospital,
in many cases merely bell tent; here
the men lay, often in mud, on the
ground, and in many instances their
diet was only salt meat and biscuit.
They were, moreover, so crowded to-
gether that the doctors could scarcely
pass between the patients Aswe had
no ambulances, and the French could
not always lend us mule-litter tran
sport, many were necessarily carried
on cavalry horses, which, slipping on
the hill outside of Balallaya, often
caused further injury or the death of
the patient.
"On more than one occasion, as was
returning from Balaklava, l met
party of sick, mainly frost-bitten, rid
ing cavalry horses, the troopers lead
ing them and holding the men on; but
the ground was often covered with
snow and very slippery, and on the hill
above Kadikoi l once saw every man
dashed to the ground from the horses
slipping and falling on the hillside.
Later the sick who were unable to hold
on were fastened into the saddles, and
some died on the journey."-Sir Evelyn
Woods Recollections.
Don't Edge skirts with Fur.
One of the distinctive features of the
seasons dressing is its use of fur and