Romaine’s journal

1855, Private Memoranda & Diary

Head Quarters Camp before Sevastopol

Jany. 18^th. [Should be February 18th. ¹]

For first 17 days see Diary for 1854.

Report from B^r. Major Simmons attached to Omar Pasha’s staff that yesterday morning a large force of Russians estimated at 40000 of all arms with 100 pieces of cannon and wagons loaded with scaling ladders advanced to attack Eupatoria — That the Turks under Omar Pasha aided by a flanking fire from the Sampson [mistake for Samson] & [blank space left] ² succeeded after a struggle of four hours in beating off the Russian army. The wagons of scaling ladders were captured, Selim Pasha was killed. One of the Russian Archdukes is said to have been there. At one time as many as 60 Russⁿ. cannon were firing at different points of the attack. At 2 P.M. when the report left the Russ^ns. had retreated from 2 to three miles. An attack was expected again today. Sir J Burgoyne said that the occupation of Eupatoria was insisted on by L^d. Raglan agst. opinion of Canrobert and that if the occupation succeeds he not be entitled to the credit of the suggestion. Several vessels were being despatched with assistance shot shell &c. We had service at 12.30. And as I came out I met Gen^l. Canrobert & staff in the passage waiting for the conclusion of the service. He stayed some time From what I have heard since I conclude that they mean to try to effect a diversion in Omar Pasha’s favour by a strong reconnaissance under Bosquet. They will probably go out by the Baidar road & endeavour to get in the rear of & envelop their batt^s. left on the North bank of the Tchernaia — From the account brought in by spies & the account sent in by Mentschikoff, read clear [meaning ‘deciphered’?], it seems probable that they have collected all their available infantry cavalry & artillery for this attack, and that the attempt on the lines was more than mere reconnaissance seems clear from their bringing their scaling ladders. In the present state of the communications they must have had great difficulty in bringing so large a force together and will have still greater difficulty in keeping it supplied beyond the few days for which they could carry food with them. The effect of this first repulse will have a good effect on the Turks, and must dispirit the Russians very much, as letting them understand that an army is firmly established on their communications. It is unfortunately now blowing a heavy gale from Eastward, and though Eupatoria is sheltered on that hand yet such severe weather must impede communications very much and the wind is liable to chop to SW.

Monday, Jan^y. 19. 1855 [Should be Monday February 19th. ³]

Went down to Balaclava with T. Tower about the Crimean army Fund. They have arranged the distribution admirably on paper, but they have an immense amount of goods and no means of either unloading their ships guarding their stores or serving them out. They have brought out one Clerk or Secretary Mr. Brackenbury and no issuers! and are to have & have now 11,00 [sic - should be 1,100] tons of goods in great variety. I went to see Sir C Campbell but he was out. I had previously been with Gen Airey who offered to take off their hands a number of the light stores; but this w^d. not lessen their difficulties much. I then went to Mr Beatty and asked him to give them the use of the Railway. He said they might have the use of the trucks on Wednesday night from 5 P.M. till daylight. Glyn & Smith & the rest of them are to work hard to engage labour for that night & they are to try & unload their ship and get the goods up to Kadikoi by the R^y. Their ship the Parma [? No such ship identified] is close to the R^y. terminus at Balaclava. Sir C. C. will help them at Kadikoi with a fatigue party early in the morning.

I told Filder that he c^d. have the R^y. on Thursday night to Kadikoi — but he seems to think it w^d not help him.

Dined at L^d. Raglan’s, there they seemed to think that it w^d. help them in moving the heavy shot shells &c. Lord Raglan was very busy at dinner time arranging about Bosquet’s reconnaissance. L^d. George Foley came in from Canrobert rather cold at 10.30 PM Was no rain or snow though the peculiarly distinct sound of the cannon shot foretells rain, wind E. Algernon Egerton was looking ill —

Tuesday Feb. 20.

Wood A A G of 3^rd Divⁿ. called. He says they have lost 240 men of their division this month. But he says the men had decidedly taken a favourable turn but what effect this change of weather may have he cannot say. Last night the wind changed to NNE & blew hard with snow drift. At 8 AM the Therm^r. stood at 17º the snow drifting in at countless cracks. Last night at dinner there came in a report from Simmons from Eupatoria that the Russians had not shown again that only the usual cavalry posts were seen. The Turks lost 167 men French 9 Tartars 13. 76 Artill^y. horses, 67 being killed in one battery, 19 men and [?] all the guns dismounted — The letter asked if the cavalry sabres promised to Omar Pasha were ready. The Russians will suffer tremendously if they are on the march such weather as this. It must also delay Bosquet’s expedition.

Wood says they had orders last night to be on the qui vive in case the trenches were attacked when the departure of Bosquet was known.

Wednesday Feb. 21.

Therm^r. 21. 8 AM.

The French Cavalry and our Cavalry Artillery & the four Highland regts. turned out in spite of the cold & the blinding “poudré” Sir C.C. marched as far as the Tchernaia and exchanged shots with the enemy’s outposts. He reports 1400 men only there. After waiting some little time and seeing Bosquet thought the weather too bad for the expedition & did not move he returned — Our cavalry mustered 300 horses & though the men were 12 hours on their backs not a casualty occurred. Not a man of the Highlanders who went out went into Hospital on his return — Shute says in another 3 weeks they will have 100 more cavalry horses effective if they are not used for Hospital & Comm^ry. purposes. Today the weather was fine & the sun quite warm though the thermr. never was above 28 in the shade — Tower came up again looking in great distress — The Crimean Army Fund find that they are like the departments here, overwhelmed with good things for the army, but powerless to distribute them. The good folk at home will have sent out 1100 tons of goods with one clerk or Secretary and no issuers! Their manifests are incomplete and incorrect, and they have many bales of which they can only ascertain the contents by opening them — They can only unload at the rate of 10 to 15 tons a day and that is as much as they can convey to Kadikoi. They came out here to supply the Army with things that Gov^t. c^d. not, and the first thing they have to ask for is Gov^t. assistance. Labour is in such demand that Gov^t. is paying sailors & others 5^s. a day & artificers 7^s.6^d. and can get very few at those prices — their services being demanded by their owners on board their respective vessels. I went with Tower to Gen. Airey & got an order for 20 Croatian labourers till Furth^r. [?] Orders for the “Fund” — I then saw Captⁿ. Peel of the Leander and he has promised 20 men for tomorrow. I told Tower to see Beatty & try & get him not only to lend some trucks which he had promised me he w^d. but get him to draw them to Kadikoi — The R^y. having received a number more of their horses. The mail came in after dark— letter from Mulgrave, Harvey & [illegible]. The night is still but cold. Therm^r. 18. Sir G. Brown called on L^d. Raglan, but he was out. I met him at the door & he charged me to tell L^d. R. that the ships outside reported having seen 3000 Russns. coming from the North across the Belbek R. The Inkerman heights are said to be filling with troops — The 5 deserters who came in yesterday report that there was great excitement in Sebastopol — They were afraid of an immediate attack. If they were camped out during the storm they must have suffered very much — Sir C.C. march will have had the effect of relieving Omar Pasha from pressure. A rupture between Prussia & France and Austria & England seems more than ever imminent and the preparations of Russia for war greater than ever & more urgent. The expense of the War on her is beginning to tell, as appears from the Ukase ordering an issue of paper money redeemable 3 years after peace — i.e. ad Graecas [illegible] [meaning ‘at the Greek Calends’, viz. ‘never.’]

Russell the Times Correspondent came up to Head Q^rs. during the Snow Storm and lost his way & found himself at the Monastery. He got to camp half frozen — He shewed me a written order from Canrobert to visit the French trenches whenever he pleased.

Thursday. Feb. 22.

Somerset was over here and he tells me that he was round at 4 AM on Tuesday morning to go and recall Sir C Campbell if he had gone out or at all events to tell him that the Turks had not turned out. Foley had come over to Head Quarters having been sent by Canrobert to Sir C.C. & lost his way Somerset started with a Serg^t. & 3 orderlies & Foley With some difficulty in the blinding snow he found his way to C.C. nobody was in and no one knew where he & his men were gone — Somerset had not been told & getting no news he rode for Genl. Vynoi’s camp to tell him that Sir C.C. was out & ask him to get out his division. He found Gen. Vynoi just on the move. On the road he met L^d. A. Stirling who s^d. he had lost his way and when Somerset proposed riding to tell the troops across the plain Stirling s^d. the plain was covered with Cossacks & that he had been chased by them. However they went on & met a man on horseback who turned out to be Wetherall who had also lost his way & had been on a hill looking out. He said there were no Cossacks about & when Stirling appealed to his experience it turned out that Wetherall seeing Stirling rode at him to get some information as to Sir C.C. route and galloping & shouting had scared Stirling into the idea that he was being pursued by many Cossacks — They rode on and reached Sir C.C. finding him a long way ahead of his troops which were along the Tchernaia — The Russians had only 6 small field pieces & if Bosquet had turned out they w^d. have effected a complete surprise as it turned out it was a regular coup manque — Tonsky the Pole the head of the French Secret Intelligence Dept. insists upon it that the Russⁿ. 8^th Comp^y. of [illegible] Corps was at Eupatoria.

Somerset told me that L^d. Raglan was very strong against being here so late in the year and wrote home to that effect so that Govern^t. was warned. Gen. Tylden wrote to the same effect and insisted on having his letter recorded. Cator also was agst. it. Calvert wrote to say that it was impossible for an army to live in the Crimea in winter in tents. This was when we were at Varna. S. said that when Lyons landed at Balaclava immediately after its capture, he said to L^d. Raglan, now is the time to go in, they are not prepared to defend Sebastopol — That L^d. Raglan agreed with him, but said he must ask Sir John Burgoyne who was a man of such great experience But Burgoyne said only wait a few days till the battery train is out and you will walk in without any loss of men. S^t. Arnaud giving up the command there was no one to counteract Burgoyne & Canrobert and we waited for the siege train & the opportunity was lost — There is no doubt that the slaughter at Alma still weighed on the minds of every one & disinclined the Generals to send their men so soon on another bloody assault of batteries — Now we have but 20,000 soldiers before its much stronger forts. [?]

Saturday Feb. 24.

Therm^r. 28. 8 AM — N.

Very heavy firing last night on the right — Sent off some letters by the private bag the mail having started unexpectedly. Fine smoking day — Walked with de Monk to the Right Artillery Park to see Col. Dickson — He was recovering fast from his wound when by going out in the cold he had a relapse. He is now getting well. He was reconnoitring places for the new battery with Bizot and other French officers and had been recommending a place 600 Yards in advance of the present position, in the exact place that the Russians have now placed their counter battery and being upon the parapet was turning to come away when he felt a blow on his shoulder which he thought was only a contusion however the ball had passed along the shoulder blade & gone through with^t. injuring the bone — He told me of the repulse of the French last night. They had found it necessary to take the Earthwork which the Russians had begun and 2 battⁿ. Zouaves & some infantry of the Marines had orders to seize it — They must either have been informed of the attack or else fully expected it for they were quite prepared The moment the French got near fire boms [sic] were thrown and the fire began — The Zouaves were supported by the Marines — The Enemy had a column on each side of their line of attack & fired into them in flank & rear (They got into the work & were repulsed three times and the Marines ran away and after some time the Zouaves followed them. The officers of the Zouaves must have sacrificed themselves most gallantly for they had 5 killed & 11 wounded out of a loss of 200 men — They were furious against the Marines.

Dickson told us of the good luck of Gambier who is now Col. of the Horse Art^y. in England — He commanded the Siege train, and never was in either of the two attacks during the whole time that the siege lasted. Dickson was in the R^t. Attack and Gambier made him believe that he was engaged in the left attack every minute he c^d. spare from attending on L^d. Raglan & he played off the same game with the officers of the left attack & for some time it was not found out. He was in the left attack trenches at 5 AM on the first day & at 5 min before the signal time for commencing he went away & never entered it again — He delayed as long as possible bringing up the two 18 pounders ordered by L^d Raglan at Inkerman, in spite of the pressing entreaties of Dickson & D’Aguilar — I remember being there & wondering why they delayed — His character was so well appreciated by the men that one day when two officers were seen approaching the batteries while a heavy fire was going on, and some one s^d. there is Gambier the men were heard saying, I’ll take my oath without looking that it ain’t the Col — He ain’t going to show himself here while this fire is going on. He was wounded at Inkerman, receiving a contusion on the chest. Dickson met him supported by two Art^y. men & in asking what was the matter, he whispered a shell burst in my breast! But on looking inside his coat there was no blood. However he managed to get on board ship — then to Malta & then to England & arriving just in time got the Horse Artillery. He is known amongst his friends as the Great Impostor — Dickson says that Layard wrote to him to say that he had nothing to do with writing or forwarding information for the Articles in the Times against Lord Raglan — Went then to see Bostock — He & De Bathe were first going to start for the French advanced parallel to see the place of the fight of last night — We walked past the long rows of graves of the Russians & of the Light Division & then to the battery in front which is not armed. We met Lindsay & Drummond of Sc. Fus. Gds. & then crossed to the covered way close by where the working parties had made large mounds of earth gathered in the rocky soil to fill sand bags — We then entered the covered way & followed the parallel till we came to the advanced trench in which the guards were, there were officers of all kinds there Zouaves & their men Voltigeurs & officers of Engineers marking the places for guns. The Tirailleurs were firing away at the enemy in the pits in front of the Russian battery which was about 600 yards off. All this way of our descent nearly was under the fire of the Inkerman batteries, but they did not fire — The Minié balls whizzed about both while we were going down & while we were there. We stayed some time talking to the French officers & smoked a cigar there — Two men had just been carried away wounded, one died before they got him out of the trenches. I had a look through the sundry loopholes out of which our friends poked their rifles for the chance of a good shot at the Russian sharpshooters. A good many rifle balls whizzed over our heads as we returned but they were good enough not to fire any shells. It appears that the battery must be taken but it will be much stronger tonight. The ground is desperately bad & rocky & the cover every where very insuff^t. The Russians are much more economical of their shot & shell than they used to be or the white tower w^d. have been firing all day as it is only 800 metres distant. As we reached the plateau the French relief for the Guards of the trenches were going down, and a party without great coats or cooking utensils which looked like a storming party was in company. It was a melancholy sight to see hundreds of men going to kill & be killed to capture or defend a wretched earthwork — The dead of the fight of last night were lying out still in front.

They say that Gen Niel the Emp^r. A.D.C. is ordered out to the Crimea. They have a rumour in the Guards camp that Gen Airey & Col Gordon are recalled — Marsh has heard the same story that Denison wrote me word of — that L^d. Raglan was to be recalled to take the Horse Guards & supervise the Reorganisation of it. They say that there has been a cabinet Council on the subject. If that is so then the result certainly cannot be known yet.

Tuesday Feb. 27^th.

see Diary

Gen Canrobert was not satisfied that the Zouaves who fell in the attack on the Russian redoubt on 23^rd. had been buried & sent in to Osten Sacken who assured him that they had. But as Canrobert was not satisfied a truce of two hours was agreed on from 12 to 2 PM today. The French and Russians towards the Quarantine Fort fired till 20 min past noon but at 12 all the other batteries had ceased firing and white flags were hoisted on all of them on both sides. The combatants of the different armies came boldly out to have a look at one another and the City swarmed with spectators. The Zouaves left behind only their supports & with their officers & men with stretchers advanced towards the Russian battery. They were met by a Russⁿ. officer & salutations were exchanged The French did not advance more than 100 yds from the Russⁿ. Batt. when they divided into two parties going right & left in search of the dead but found none. The French & Russⁿ. were intermingled. Some sat & smoked others talked. No bodies were found. Before the truce had ended, both sides had withdrawn but the signal of a gun from the Russⁿ. R^t answered by a French gun, and the white flags came down and the sharpshooters began their work again with great eagerness.

There was very little firing of cannon but plenty of musketry. Several of our men were killed & wounded today by a shell.

L^d. Raglan appears very much out of spirits to day, I fear he must have been much vexed by the attacks ag^st. him charging him with indifference to the distress of his men.

10 P.M. There is a sharp attack now going on somewhere on French side. — Therm^r. 10 P.M. 52.

Sunday March 11th.

Today after Church I heard that the Russians had last night established themselves on a mamelon in front of the round tower and that we and the French were to drive them out by fire from the batteries. Went with M^cMurdo to the Quarry in front of the 3^rd. Divⁿ. about two o’clock. Soon after a gun was fired from the rt of our 21 gun battery, and about seven were fired altogether on the large Russian working party. The guns were well laid and had the effect of making them leave the work. The Russians then fired from three or four embrasures of the Round tower works, from a ship or battery close to the arsenal, & from a battery below the Redan our guns having ceased firing after a short time the Russians returned & resumed their work unmolested.

At night there was a heavy fire. Burghersh has returned from Eupatoria. He says the place is now very much fortified, that there are both cavalry & infantry there that the ditch is a very formidable one. That there will be 70 guns in all mounted there. Calvert says that a Pole who swam the river Tchernaia yesterday & came in, & who was at Eupatoria says that there were 1500 men killed & wounded in the attack mostly his Reg^t.

Monday March 12th.

The French it appears were to have fired when we did, as only two of our guns bore on this new work of the Russ^ns. At night it was arranged that the French & ourselves sh^d. each send a large party to work & make a large parallel to oppose the new Russⁿ. work, but the Engineers staid [sic] so late with Burghersh talking, that they lost their way and the party never arrived. Our men were attacked and had to fight instead of working and instead of a long parallel only a bit of sap was done. The Russian work is so strong today that they are not to be driven out.

Omar Pasha is here in conference. The French Generals & Admirals are also here.

It is to be feared that the Russians will have guns in the work in a day or two which will throw shot through our camps & destroy our huts.

Thursday March 22

Having heard last night late that there was to be an attack on the pits in front of the French advanced works where they join ours in front of the Picket house of the Light Division I had myself called at 3 AM and got up to the picket house at 4 AM without losing my way much though it was very dark. I halted at the picket & while there Pearson came up & told me I sh^d. see nothing there & must come on to the work in front of our two mortar battery. On my way I met Gen^l. Brown & the rest of his staff who had come to see the fight. Then Gen Jones, Airey Estcourt &c came up. We waited some time — it became broad daylight we could see the French trench full of men and amongst them were some of the Imp^l. Guard — We began to think it was all over without a fight when a move took place and out of a boyau in front of the parallel B rushed some 40 Frenchmen There was no general leaping over the parapet as we expected. The Russians ran out of two or three of the pits & made off up the hill to the mamelon or for the pits just on the slope of it. They were fired at by the whole line of Frenchmen in the trenches. One or two fell but got up again & when all was quiet not a body French or Russian was on the ground. The Russians in the pits marked P.P. as some of the French came out of their cover stood up & I could see their heads over the sand bags & they kept up a heavy fire on the French The French however seemed to have done all that was wanted for in three moments they were all back again not leaving one man on the ground. While this was going on the Russians opened a very heavy fire from their batteries on the lines of French protecting their men very effectively. Our men in the advanced trenches also fired — Gen Canrobert who was on the hill did not seem satisfied for he got off his horse & strode rapidly down the hill past us. Nothing further happened. None of the pits was stormed. The Fr. will take the abandoned pits into their lines tonight.

Friday, 23rd. March

The Russians seem to have been emboldened by the mild nature of the attack this morning for about 12 last night a furious attack was made all along the advanced works of the allies. There was so strong a wind from the Southward that the Camp of the Division and in one case the officer commanding the guards of the trenches knew nothing of any[thing] unusual having occurred & Gen England told me that that was the report that was made to him this morning. The 20^th. 21^st. & 57^th. & 97^th. had parties in the advance works & were attacked & driven back. The 57 were at work & had to run some with their tools in their hands fought their way back to their arms & as soon as mustered formed & drove the enemy back. The same nearly happened in the other attack. A Greek (Arnaut ⁴) Col. lead [sic] in men & wounded Gordon who was shot in five places. but the Greek was killed shortly afterwards. He was dressed in Greek dress had handsome pistols & [illegible] 40 Russⁿ. gold coins were found on him = to nearly 30£s. It appears that the Greeks had been swaggering about how they were going to take the batteries — Unfortunately 3 officers Hon C. Brown Vicars & Jordan were killed Col Kelly 34^th. & another officer were both prisoner & a corporal & 15 men and 2 more officers Montague of Eng^rs. & Gordon RE were wounded. Major Tylden took the command of our party & charged with them. 14 Russⁿ. dead were found in the advance battery of Chapman and there are 28 more corpses outside visible — They did no damage to the guns & not much to the works. It was all repaired before morning! The attack was preceded by a tremendous cannonade in which one of our guns was disabled. The French ground was easier of attack being on more level ground & the pits in front of them were occupied by the enemy. Some of the Russ^ns. got into the trench but were all killed. This morning there were 150 corpses lying in a row outside the French trench besides numbers of French & Russian dead further off & near the pits. Two French penetrated a long way & lie dead on the side of the Mamélon.

The French allow a loss of 100 dead & 200 wounded. Unfortunately the 97 after skirmishing out in front on their return found a Fr. Reg^t. had retreated to their lines & taking them for Russ^ns. the 97 attacked fired into them & were fired upon & then drove the Fr. out of the lines with the bayonet, but not before loss had been occasioned. M^r Aylet 97^th who was found wounded s^d. I gave it to three of them & there they lie, his comrades went to look & found 3 Frⁿ. 2 bayoneted & one shot.

The Russ^ns. in front of the 20^th abandoned their muskets when they were charged & flew.

The result of this repulse was that the Russ^ns. abandoned all the pits nearest to the Fr. lines.

In the afternoon I rode out to the Picket house & left my horse & with Capt Rosser of 10^th Hussars walked down to Gordon’s battery from which they were firing a 68 pr and a 13 inch mortar. We went down part of the way to the trench leading to the French advanced trench and taking off my cap I looked over through my glass. I c^d. see a great mountain of Russian dead at least 200. Many were lying in a row outside the Fr. lines, more again about the pits which had evidently been hotly contested. Quantities of gabions were lying about. The batteries were firing on the mamélon in which the Russians were at work in spite of the heavy fire. A prisoner tells us that at least 100 men killed & wounded are carried out of it every day — A very intelligent Russian prisoner a “little Russian” said that they were afraid of us, and we afraid of them, but that whichever party went at the other in the most “friendly” way (meaning “determined”) would win. He seemed to have no feeling of patriotism or fanaticism, nor to care anything for the old or new Emperor. He was a very ugly dirty looking fellow but gave a capital account of every thing that passed within his neighbourhood. In the afternoon there was a conference with Canrobert & others & I hear the French are to convert the pits taken into a parallel & gain 150 yards or so towards the mamelon.

Saturday 24th March

The Russian prisoner one of several taken has given such accurate information that with the assistance of the Polish Officer a complete plan of the Redan with its guns its ditches fougasses, magazines, galvanic wires &c has been drawn. Yesterday the town was on fire in two places from the mortars.

The Russians kept up a heavy fire last night and under cover of it all reoccupied all their pits again nearly up to the French The Russian attack of the night before was made in heavy column lead [sic] by the Greek volunteers of whom many were killed at Eupatoria. Hearing that there was a flag of truce from 12.30 to 2 PM to bury the dead I rode with M^cMurdo to the advanced works & leaving our horses went amongst the burial parties — there was a line beyond which neither party was allowed to go. There were several Greeks lying dead. One of these rascally Greeks called out to me How do Capⁿ. The Russ^ns. employed in burying were very fair men marked 12 on shoulder straps & 44 on the button. The officers were well dressed & looked like gentlemen. The dead presented the same frightful spectacle, having stiffened in the attitude in which they received the mortal blow, or with their arms extended as in some convulsive moment of sudden agony. It was a ghastly sight when one of these bodies was put on a stretcher to see the arm waving aloft as the movement of the bearers caused it to have the appearance of life —

Parties of Russians collected the bodies in the rear of the great centre pit, others took them a stage further to the rear and a third party carried them behind the mamélon for burial. The R^s during the night had made excellent progress in their work and nearly all the embrasures in the mamélon are finished neatly & well with sandbags. The pits are some of them with[in] 30 yards of the head of the Fr. sap which appears to have been destroyed. The Russ^ns. have nearly made their pits into a complete entrenchment though so close to their enemies & I have no doubt unless the Fr. are a little more adventurous tonight will have it completed before morning. While this burying party was going on the French cavalry were having their races — near their camp, but the front for once had the greatest attraction. It took the R^s. till nearly 3 PM before all their dead were carried away. Gen Coddrington [sic] & a number of Engl. & Fr. Officers had a great talk with the Russ. of^rs. until the flag of truce was hauled down. The truce was asked for by us from 12.30 to 2 PM but it lasted till 3. When the truce was nearly out the Russ^ns. withdrew to their pits, the Fr. to their lines and after a pause of 5 min. the rifle firing began again very intensely and our Guns began to fire on the Mamélon. The guns from the place also fired on the Fr. parallel part of which I believe it enfilades.

When I got back to camp I found another consultation was going on at H^d. Q^rs. Col Kelly of 34 is dead of many wounds ⁵. We are making another battery for two mortars below the one in front of the L^t. Divⁿ. Picket House it is well placed to avoid the fire of the Mamélon & to look into the Admiralty buildings. The L^t. Divⁿ. will have it that L^d. R. has monstrously ordered that these bldgs & the town are not to be fired at.

Sirocco wind. Therm 3.30 PM 66.

Tuesday March 27.

Went up to the front of the Light Division and watched the operations of the siege. The Russ^ns. have connected their pits opposite the French advanced work in face of the Mamélon — The boyau of the Fr. nearly touches the R. line. The R^s. fired very well upon the line of Fr. and appeared to damage the work a good deal, the Fr. seemed to keep very clear of the part under fire. Gen Airey tells me that during the time it was proposed that the French sh^d. help us by manning our batteries trenches Canrobert said, “It is quite impossible that our men sh^d. occupy them. Our men must have a road to their trenches perfectly under cover the whole way & the trenches themselves must be as safe as their barracks or they w^d. instantly desert them.” Nothing surprises them so much as to see our men quietly walking across the open where people are being shot at & where shells are falling & bursting every few minutes. I saw a party today returning from working in Gordons battery which had two very narrow escapes but they neither altered their road nor quickened their pace — Some men were wounded by the fire of musquetry today.

Captⁿ. Hill of the 89^th. was taken prisoner this morning while posting the sentries in front of Chapmans advanced battery. He had gone out to post the sentries when he was shot & wounded. He spoke to the sergeant to bring him in, but a body of 200 Russ^ns. came up, the 10 double sentries fired & ran & the Sergeant being alone had to leave him & the Russians carried him off. It was a still day & the bells of the cathedral c^d. be plainly heard between the booming of the guns. Some of our fuses are bad & the shells exploded too soon, one when only 50 yards from the mortar.

Dined with L^d. Raglan. After dinner walked for an hour nearly with him. He said that at Waterloo the Prussians were in sight a great part of the day, but did not come to the field of battle till late. He was wounded at 4 PM, when riding with the Duke along the ridge, the shot of a musket came from La Haye Sainte. His arm fell but he rode to the village where he had slept suffering great pain. The Doctor came to him and said “My finger is now in y^r. elbow joint, you must either have it amputated now or wait some days till the inflammation has gone down.” Upon which he decided to have it done at once. The only great pain was when the bone was sawn through. He seemed to think the Prussians were waiting to see how the day went. But I do not think that Bluchers character makes such an idea probable.

Wednesday March 28.

Wind S.W. 56

There has been a lime kiln erected in front of 4^th. Divⁿ. to the left of Sir G Cathcarts tomb and the R^s have been firing at it from Malakoff tower. General Barnards tent was struck and his table cut by pieces of one shell. He yesterday moved his camp. Today while I was at the front, near L^t. Divⁿ. picket house, they began throwing heavy shells at the lime kiln, one went just over my head & fell in the ravine below me. Two others went just over the lime kiln I went to look at the place their range had been the same to a yard as to distance and they were only 20 yards apart, one had gone so deep that I c^d. not reach the bottom of the hole with my umbrella — Ten more 13 inch mortars have arrived today. The artillery horses by the Himalaya have arrived. Settled an answer to D^r. Gavin of the Sanitary Commission with Airey & Gen Simpson. I did not much approve the wording of it. Sir John M^cNeil was here today to see Lord R. He is a fine intelligent looking man. Col. Warde R.A. said that some of the fuses were so bad, that he has been obliged to put aside those of 1798 & use those of 1801 & 1804 — ! The Fr. boyau in front of their advanced trench before the Mamélon does not seem to have advanced much though I know that they have 900 men working, & the trench seemed full of men. Their work seemed very good & very near the Russian pits & connecting trench, but at some moment they must meet & then one side or the other must jump over and have a fight for the trench — This moment neither side seems very anxious for. The Russ^ns. have got a 2^nd. line ready when the first is lost and a covered way to it from the mamelon and on the right side of the mamélon another trench & more pits. They made 5 more pits in front of the Fr. & 4 opposite us, but across the ravine. There was a very heavy fire on the mortar battery on our extreme left by Chapmans advanced battery. The Malakoff battery fired very regularly at any object Fr. or Engl. Dacres two days ago said openly we were to begin our fire next week, but we have heard it so often — A telegraphic message has arrived from Vienna, bringing it is said the result of the 2^nd. days Conference, but no more has transpired & I have not been to H^d. Q^rs. to enquire.

Wednesday. Ap^l. 4th.

The cold wind has done blowing and the weather is very pleasant. It appears quite true that the Turks are to come from Eupatoria, leaving enough men there to defend the place. Walked out to the lookout in front of two mortar battery in front of Light Division Picket House. There was a heavy fire going on between the two batteries on the Sapoune the Mamélon & the French 15 gun battery. M^r. Filder came up for a minute or two. The Turks were bringing in gabions to make traverses in Gordons battery. The inside is being revetted with sandbags. Yesterday evening Bainbrigg ⁶ RE was killed One Sapper had his head blown off by a round shot & his head struck agst the jaw of another Sapper & broke it. There is now no firing agst the French left. We had at one time a good many officers in the lookout and the Russ^ns. sent first a shot which only just rolled up & then a shell which burst just in front of us, one bit just skimming over my head which I have picked up. Lord Raglan was down at Gordon Battery & walked back to the Picket House & then came with Gen^l. Jones to the Lookout. He had been sitting he told me on 68^pr. in the battery when a shell came through & covered him with dust

Soon after he came in to the lookout a shell was sent up which burst just beyond us, one bit falling within a few yards which Gen Jones picked up & took away for a friend who is going to England. There was by this time a great crowd at the picket house as L^d. R. had ordered the 13 inch mortars to fire. The first shot was well pitched into the tower, They returned with a shot at picket house which moved the people a little, then one which came well up but did not burst. Then there was a pause. Some time after L^d. R. went there was a pause I went to the picket house to look for my horse, and put the bit of shell in there for my servant to bring back. I had just left & was on the road when a big shell came up & fell into the picket house enclosure, rt [?] on the hard ground & bounded a few yards and I thought was not going to explode when I saw every body lying down & immediately it exploded I threw myself down, one bit knocked down a French soldier by the Telegraph tent where I had been standing the minute before. I walked on a few yards looking at the crowd when a second came in just the same line but further down the road, & burst but did not harm any one. Several horses broke away, but the whole affair was received with shouts of laughter in spite of the wounded man. The garden battery threw some shells up to 4^th. Divⁿ. and some other battery threw 2 shells up to the Windmill.

Mr Gavin has written a better sort of a letter in answer to last, He came to Lord R. & was shewn a very insolent letter written by M^r Newlands but he took it & tore it to pieces — He said “Your Lordship is much mistaken if you think I have come to make difficulties. I have come with the full intention of doing every thing to assist you.”

I have another letter of his to answer but it is a very sensible affair & all will go smoothly. Gen Airey wants carriages on 6^th. to bring up 300 of 71^st. Reg^t. to work at batteries to strengthen them & he wants them taken back at night. It w^d. be too slow a process the bringing them up.

Sold my little Horse to M^cMurdo. The old Horse, late taken ill. I believe the Pole “Yan” gave him water when he was hot.

Thursday. Ap^l. 5^th.

Went out to the front where a heavy fire had been going on. Went to the look out place. They were firing the big mortars just behind me. the Russians were throwing their shells into our trenches from the round tower & mamélon. Col Warde RA told me that they had lost a second 32^pr. out of which not a shot had been fired. This was by the fire of the mamélon — and all because they leave the embrasures open. Saw several more wounded by the Russⁿ. shells in Gordons battery. Sold M^cMurdo my little thoroughbred horse my saddle &c &c. He gave me an order on Cox & C^o. which I have crossed to Lond. & West^r. Bloomsb^y. Branch. M^cMurdo was in the trucks carrying in water barrels, from a suggestion of mine — I had seen how the poor fellows suffered from thirst last time. M^c was nearly floored by a round shot. There was a sharp fight which I hope was the taking of the pits in our front He says there was a good deal of cheering. The Russians have been throwing many [?] shells right in among the Divisions again today. He thinks they have done no serious damage. Three came up from the Garden battery Four came up in the afternoon just as I had passed by on my way home.

Saturday. Ap^l. 7.

Saw L^d. R. early about the Railway accident. Saw Gen Estcourt. Went to Balaclava & saw Col Stirling and Sir C. Campbell He showed me the report of deserter who had come in from Karales. He says there are 10,000 men at Mackenzies Farm & 10,000 at each of the three places called Karalez. That the Greek legion is at Tchorgoun, 300 Cossacks towards Baidar that a division of artillery is near but owing to the great losses among the horses there are only 32 guns instead of 64 to the Divⁿ. he says that Prince Gortschakoff reviewed all the troops & told them that he was bringing 80,000 men from Circassia to help them. He says also that the whole army talked of nothing but the attack on Balaclava which was to be made after 12 at night on 8^th. Ap^l. in fact on the morning of Easter Sunday which feast of the Greek Church falls on the same day as ours. We attacked Odessa last year on Easter Sunday & they are to have their revenge. I do not expect it myself, because. They made a great stir about an attack being made on so holy a day — Then I do not think a body of troops large enough to have a chance of succeeding against Balaclava could be concentrated in one night near enough to begin an attack soon after midnight or indeed by morning. There must be an attack on the heights on Sir Colin’s extreme right. The Greeks may be bold enough to come & do that unsupported by artillery but I doubt it. Sir Colin is confident. He says unless his men run away he does not see how they are to get into his position. The Russians succeeded before on 5^th Nov^r. in putting off the attack by fighting a battle. They know we are very near being ready & may think it worth while to try & cripple us again in the same way. But now we have troops enough to hold the position — 8000 of Omar Pasha’s soldiers have arrived at Kamiesch. Every preparation is made to receive the Russians if they do come. They have prepared an entrenched camp near the Tchernaia to retreat to if they are beaten. They were very quiet this afternoon in their batteries, which is generally a sign that something is brewing for the night. They however fired on the French 15 gun battery from the Mamélon & round tower.

I cannot help thinking from the great number of batteries which they have erected and are still erecting to overlook the battle field at Inkerman, that they intend a combined attack on the French batteries there by troops from the town and the North side, the attack to be perhaps made when Balaclava is attacked or a feint made to attack it. Balaclava in its present crowded state would be a great prize to take or burn. Stirling has written a comical letter in answer to Russell’s letter about being chased by Cossacks within the lines. Calvert I hear is inclined to place some faith in the deserter. I see by L^d. Lucan’s evidence or rather speech in the House of Lords that the day before we were attacked at Balaclava, 25 Oct^r, a deserter came in & announced it. This deserter is a Tartar who has been 11 years in the service of Russia. It was a warm day on the heights but a cold heavy fog was blowing into Balaclava all day. This if it continues w^d. enable the Russ^ns. to get up very close unperceived, but w^d. make it very difficult for columns to find their way & form for an attack whereas our men have been months in the same place & know the bearing of every gun.

The Guards landed a reinforcement of 200 men convalescents from Scutari, today. And yesterday & today 450 convalescents came up for the diff^t. divisions. The men seemed in good health & spirits —

April 9^th.

M^cMurdo slept at my house and the Sergeant of the Guard called us at 4 AM. We rode up to the front and arrived at the Quarry [marginal note: “5.30 AM”] of the 3^rd. Divⁿ. a few minutes after the fire began from the French. The English batteries took it up and the firing soon became very active along the whole line. The Russians were apparently taken by surprise and did not return the fire immediately. There was a heavy fog when we arrived and rain had fallen at intervals during the night & in the morning. The effect of the fog & smoke was entirely to obscure the town. The wind blew in the face of the Russ^ns. it being nearly SSW. At 6 AM. An explosion near Quarantine F^t.

At 5.45. The fog cleared away and the town was visible, but the wind got up and the rain began to fall heavily. At this time the French fire was very heavy on the town and was well returned by the Russns. from the Central Redoubt (or Square Tower) the Bastion du Mât the Garden battery and the flank of the Barrack battery which bore on them. Things continued in this state a long time.

At 7.25. The Round Tower which had been hardly firing a gun began to return the fire from three or four guns on the side facing us and from some guns facing the French 15 gun battery towards Inkerman. The Redan hardly fired a shot, but the flank of the Barrack battery fired vigorously on us, as did the Garden Battery the Wall batteries the road batteries and the battery at the Head of the Arsenal buildings. The Mortar battery on the flank & below the Round Tower also fired. The Mamélon soon gave up firing more than one or two guns at considerable intervals. The fire of the redoubts of Volkynia & Selinghinsk on the Sapoune ridge seemed to be nearly silenced by the French fire.

I went to breakfast with Messiter & Keith at H^d. Q^rs. of 3^rd. Divⁿ. returning in the rain & mud to see how things went on.

The Garden battery fired well all through the day and one angle of the Bastion du Mat.

The Central Redoubt seemed to be silenced or was silent in consequence of the place being too hot for the defenders.

At 12.45. The batteries from the inside the town surrounded with houses to the North of the Hill & Flag staff on which the Governor’s House was s^d. to stand began to fire. Some of our shells had been seen to fall in the town. But the low fog & smoke all blowing towards the town made it impossible to see with any accuracy what the effect had been.

The wind veered to nearly due West but the heavy rain continued to fall.

The general opinion is that the Russ^ns. are in want of men to man their extensive line of defences. The fleet was under weigh off the town, threatening the sea defences, but very wisely did not come in to attack.

The points most weakly defended by firing upon us, are just those which we know to be strongest in resisting an assault by their being provided with ditches abattis and mines. There is certainly as yet no sign that the Russians intend to evacuate the town in consequence of our fire. Our loss as far as ascertained is not heavy.

The very slack fire of the Russians from the Redan & Round Tower has taken every body by surprise, and is very puzzling. The shots that did come from them were very well directed.

Wrote an opinion on the Mule Contract of Major Fellowes who has had a dispute with Samary & Oglon &c [?]

Col Dacres RA who had been charged with getting 6 guns into an advanced battery prepared for them, had not succeeded owing to the entire darkness of the night.

Ap^l. 10^th.

The rain continued to fall during the night at intervals, the firing except on one occasion about 12 did not sound very heavy—

10 AM. Col Dacres who has just come in says he does not see much difference in the state of things as compared with yesterday.

Lt. [blank space ⁷] of the RN is killed and Lord J Hay is severely wounded in the jaw by a piece of a shell there are 20 sailors killed & wounded.

I saw L^d. R. who sent for me before breakfast to write an answer letter to the Sanitary Com^rs. who have taken upon themselves to order houses to be pulled down, which are occupied by officers of the Com^t. at Balaclava.

Rode out to the 4^th. Division to enquire into the truth of a story which had been brought to L^d. Rⁿ. of 33 deserters having come in. It turned out to without any foundation. I then went down to the look out in front of the 3 Mortar battery which was firing towards the buildings of the arsenal. The two Russⁿ. batteries at head of creek of S^t George fired occasionally at the French 15 gun battery, and the other French batteries at Inkerman were being fired at across the head of the harbour.

While I was there a new battery from that side opened, but the range was very great. The Mamélon had its embrasures masked and was quite silent. The Round tower fired but seldom but a mortar battery at its foot fired occasionally and two guns on its left flank fired on the French. The battery at the Head of the Arsenal the Redan and its continuation to Dockyard Creek fired regularly & sometimes severely on Gordons & Chapmans Batteries. The latter was much engaged also with the garden & wall batteries and guns on the road above the creek and in the interior of the Town.

I then went to the 3^rd. Div. Quarry from which the Redan could be seen well. It appeared to me that our batteries though much less fired on than the Russian had suffered more than theirs. The Embrasures of Gordon were much knocked about. We had had 10 guns dismounted, but only 3 disabled.

Col. Dacres failed last night in getting the 6 guns into the advanced batteries.

The sappers were hard at work preparing a battery for 3 heavy mortars to right of Gordons battery but within the advanced trenches.

The Russians have never moved out of the advanced trenches & rifle pits held by them, to the right of middle ravine in front of the Mamélon.

I went afterwards to the observatoire near the Maison D’Eau. The Russian boat bridge which unites the two sides of Dock Yard Creek has not been injured by the French fire. The face of the Bastion du Mât has been destroyed & no embrasures are left. The Barrack battery appears uninjured. The Garden battery fired repeated salvoes on a Fr. battery which annoyed it. The Wall batteries appeared uninjured. The battery & its flanks about the [illegible] square tower still continues to answer the much reduced fire of the French. Vico tells me that the French have diminished their fire to economise shot & shell, but keep up enough fire to continue the superiority which they consider they have obtained. The fleet hovered off the harbour but out of range.

After looking over the whole front I came away with the impression that we shall fire away all our stores, if we continue in this way, and in the End be no further advanced. If the object is to destroy the defences prior to an assault, we have signally failed. There is not one point upon which an attack could be made with greater chance of success now than before the bombardment began. The silence of the Round Tower has puzzled every one. I believe they have very wisely kept their men under cover & saved their ammunition for the event of an assault. They cannot be seriously damaged by our horizontal fire & their firing w^d. not protect them against the vertical fire of our mortars. This fire is often very bad from the wretched state of the fuses. Numbers of shells never exploded & a vast proportion burst in the air, before it reached its mark.

The firing slackened on all hands soon after dark. Omar Pasha dined with Lord Raglan, he sat & drank of the best.

Wednesday Ap^l. 11^th.

They tried very hard to get the 6 guns into the advanced battery on the left, but with 300 men to a gun they could not go ahead. Several of our guns have recoiled off their platforms & the artill^y. men have been unable to get them in place again. Last night there was a slight fire in the town and the allies did all they could to encourage it by firing rockets & shells close to it. Gen. Simpson sent letter from Sanitary Comm^rs. denying Com^y. Gen. Filder’s Memo about their having ordered houses to be pulled down. I had to send them an answer & request them to send their report which they say is ready. Lord R. sent me over despatch from L^d. Stratford approving of the course taken with regard to the trial of the Croats. L^d. R. said to me in evening “You seem to have just fitted him.” I received today a question to answer for Lord Raglan as to his power of attaching an officer of the East India C^o. service to a reg^t. I thought not.

There did not seem to be much difference today in the appearance of things in front. Our embrasures in Gordons & Chapmans batteries are a good deal knocked about. I saw a large convoy of wagons laden with gabions descending the hill towards the port yesterday which does not look much like an intention of evacuating the town. The shells do not seem to have sensibly damaged the richer part of the town and only one has gone through the roof of any building of the arsenal.

While I was walking with Vico in the vineyard near the well, Lord Raglan came up & said that Gordon had been with Canrobert when the death of Bizot the Chief Engineer was announced to him. He had been shot in the advanced trenches where our rt. & Fr. left join near middle ravine. The ball entered at his ear & went through the head coming out at cheek. Dined with L^d. Raglan. Vico came in & said that Bizot was only wounded & not necessarily mortally.

Thursday Ap^l. 12^th. —

4^th. day of bombardment. It seemed to me that the French fire was really overpowering the Russian front line. The four guns of our advanced battery which were got into position last night have been very useful agst. the Upper garden battery, which has annoyed us much. The French have been keeping up so heavy a fire agst. the Enemy and their fire has been so backed up by Chapmans Bat^y. that I think they really mean to make a lodgment in the Bastion du Mât. I hope they won’t be forestalled by the Russians making an attack on their Inkerman batteries & using the store of gabions I saw yesterday to lodge themselves firmly on our rt. This w^d. be a contre coup with a vengeance

Rather stormy & showery at night & very dark. 100 mules sent down to carry shot & powder into the trenches.

Mail came in, news from Vienna rather unfavourable. The Consideration of the 3^rd. condition postponed.

Today on the parapet of the Flagstaff Battery a Russian officer stood up facing the French fire walking over the embrasures & gesticulating to his men and to the French. This looks as if they require more than ordinary encouragement.

Friday

Walked out to the front. Very heavy fire on the six gun battery in advance of left attack. They had a sergeant of artill^y. and two men killed and 7 more wounded two of the guns disabled & the parapets & traverses were very much knocked about. I could not observe much difference in the fire on either side. The nearest firing was on French right (old attack) and our left (Chapmans) I therefore expected that the Fr. intended to attack at night. They were attacked three times last night apparently only to hinder them working at their sap. And it had the effect desired to a great extent as the Fr. only seemed to have made a few yards.

I rode up again in the afternoon to the Maison d’Eau. It was singularly clear. Sir G Brown was there, he had I think come to see the destroyed or rather silenced battery — There are enough guns apparently in the arsenal to arm all the batteries once again. The Russ^ns. opened two new batt^s. in the town today. It appears to me that they are making a sort of citadel after Fergusons plan ⁸ in the centre of the town, that is one tier of guns over another. The round tower & Mamélon were both firing. We then rode to see the camp of the 10,000 Turks of Omar Pashas army who have camped overlooking the valley of Balaclava in rear of Turkish old camp & along the line towards Vynois camp. They are fine looking men with a very different air & gait from the poor dejected animals who were here in the winter. They marched by to the most detestable music. In the Evening at 10 o’clock hearing that the gun boats were to shell the town I went with Burghersh & Maxse to the Maison d’Eau & got up there just as the French were repelling an attack on their sap. There was a heavy fire on both sides from mortars cohorns & guns, & the musquetry was loud & frequent sometimes almost like platoon firing. Our own guns were almost silent — So that they have not carried out the entrenching work which they started, we fire at night to prevent the repair of the enemy’s works. The fact is our own are so much damaged that we are obliged to cease firing to get our own embrasures fit for the next days work. It was all over by eleven & we came back.

Saturday 14^th.

Went down to Balaclava, heavy sea fogs coming over in rain. Saw Sir C. Campbell. He has got a battⁿ. of a reg^t. of Turks of the rediff or militia. Met Omar Pasha on my way coming to a Council of War at Lord R’s. Col Dan Lysons says they expected this morning they were to have attacked the place. He says every thing is ready. There are 200 tents here at head quarters which were to have held the 39^th. in case we had stormed the first day after the fire & the huts of that reg^t. had been wanted for hospitals.

There is to [be] a Gen. C^t. M^l. on Monday at 11 on a Scotch soldier P^te. Wilson 93^rd. for desertion & attempting to go over to the enemy —

The Council lasted till dark so nothing will be done tonight probably. They say that Sir Geo. Brown went away looking well pleased & Gen. Jones looked in better spirits than he has since his pet battery was snuffed out so quickly. Chetwode says that this afternoon our batteries were firing 7 to 1. Estcourt says that Peel told him today that he had twice seen the gunners in the Redan when loading leave the rammer in the gun when it was fired off, which does not look like their usual coolness & sangfroid. Coupling this with the story of the officer gesticulating on the parapet it presents an appearance of discouragement in the men

Tomorrow being Sunday I should hardly think we should choose that to make an assault. Sir C.C. does not seem to apprehend any attack he thinks all the works of the Russians are for defence & to prevent our making a move across the Tchernaia. He says all the projecting cliffs are having batteries formed on them & all the slopes strengthened with entrenchments. The way down to the Tchernaia by Tchorgoun is also cut off by earthworks. The appearance of this large body of Turks marching in & camping in full sight of them must make them apprehensive of an attack. I wish they would take up the line of hills from Bosquets Telegraph overlooking the Tchernaia to Traktir & fortify them and occupy Kamara, extending removing the camp of the 93^rd. & Vynoi’s to the low hills taken from the Turks the day of Balaklava. It w^d. make it very difficult then for them to look into our Camp & there w^d. be no fear of Balaklava being taken by a Coup de Main. They c^d. easily & unperceived be reinforced behind the low screen of hills nearest to Balaklava, and be a good offensive position in case of a move.

The Medals for distinguished Service in the Field for the men have arrived.

Sunday. Ap^l. 15.

Fine weather again.

Vico tells me that the French near the Central Bastion have advanced 80 metres, that they have taken all the rifle pits and that their men now can keep up a fire of rifles from the open embrasures. The plan they propose is to open a battery of 8 guns agst. the Mamélon & overwhelm it, fire & then take possession of it.

Lord R. gave me report of San^y. Com^rs. on Balaclava to answer. Wrote one requiring them to send in estimate as they have only now found out that they have not power to procure men & materials for their works as they said they had. He read it & said it would do perfectly.

Sent Mem^m for Adj^t. Gen^l. about the Croatians who are to be tried at Constan^le.

The French were to have blown up a long mine leading to the Flag staff battery which was to be converted into a communication for a lodgment. Lord Raglan & all the world was informed of the time & notice sent to every one not to be alarmed at the noise, after waiting till dark I came home. It eventually exploded partially but not so as to enable the Fr. to get all the use of it they intended, as the Russ^ns. made a very sharp attack on them between 8 & 9 PM they did nothing but repulse them. The firing was as heavy & continuous as any I ever heard. There was an attack also made on our lines & the French at Inkerman, but on us it was very slight & only 3 men were wounded.

The weather continues mild & very pleasant.

The 10^th Hussars landed

Monday, April 16^th.

Went to Balaclava to a General C^t. M^l. on a man of 93^rd. who was caught deserting to the enemy. He was found guilty & sentenced to 6 years Penal Servitude. The Turks under Omar Pasha seem to have taken up the whole ground of Omar P Espinasse’s Division & defend both sides of the road as it comes up to the plateau from Vynoi’s camp to head Quarters.

M^cMurdo shewed me a despatch from L^d. Panmure asking him to see & report upon the fitness of Sinope for a camp for a large army of reserves. This despatch was founded on a letter from Major M^cDonald late of 42^nd.

He also shewed me a letter from L^d. Ellenborough who said that he thought judging from L^d. Panmure’s countenance when he mentioned the subject, that he meant to recall Filder.

Vico says the remaining part of the extension is to be completed tonight & some fighting is expected.

Stopford says tomorrow at 1 PM there is to be a General assault I doubt the fact very much. If it is to be on the whole town I think it will fail to do so much, but they may gain a part at a great cost of human life. I believe the Russ^ns. will fight to the last.

Today they blew up the magazine in N^o. 8 Battery, (the advanced batt^y. in right attack) killing one & wounding 9 men. I walked up to the front at 7 PM, but there was not much going on, not more than usual. Canrobert came to have another consultation — Gen Brown was there.

The French calculate the Russian loss in their attack on their lines on Sunday night at 6 or 700.

My Polish Servant Yan has volunteered into Zamoiskis polish legion & is gone.

Tuesday. Ap^l. 17.

The French did not complete their communication but occupy a part & guard it. They are still 60 yards from the Flag staff battery. They have made an advance of 140 yds towards the Quarantine. It appears that the number of shells per gun are reduced to 30 per diem. Which looks like the beginning of the end of the bombardment. I think it will be agreed to be a failure, and that further active measures will be postponed till there is an investing army. Lord R. said as I had the trouble of writing I might as well have the trouble of keeping the papers of Sanitary Comⁿ. Saw Sir J M^cNeil about establishing bakeries. M^r Beatty wrote to me offering to establish build bakeries & L^d. R. ordered it to be submitted to M^r Filder, which I told him I considered signing its death warrant. Sir J M^cNeil said he had had great difficulty in getting him to use Sinope & Samsoun as places for procuring cattle &c. He made the consul Mr Guicciardini write a offer for 3 Per Cent profit, to furnish any quantity of cattle &c. M^r Filder having the fear of Sir John & the Court of Enquiry before him, accepted & then came & announced to Sir J. what he had done. Filder is now contracting for bread from Constantinople, but it requires a mallet & chisel to eat it.

The deserter who came in today was employed in the hospital & being beaten by the doctor ran away. He says there are no doctors to attend to the sick & wounded, that as many as possible are sent away to Bagtich Serai.

Beatty is to floor my hut for me.

The explosion of the magazine in N^o. 8 Batt^y. did not stop its firing, as there remain two magazines which are suff^t.

Wednesday Ap^l. 18^th.

This is the last day of bad weather according to the Tartars. It has every appearance of settled fine weather, and has come in with the new moon. The Tartars have such fixed times for the weather that generally the seasons must be very regular. Lord R. has given an order that all the correspondence with the Sanitary Comⁿ. shall be conducted by me. When Lord Raglan heard that Gen Forey was going away & had called, he was going to call on him, but thinking that after all the lying calumnies which had been circulated he w^d. prefer a letter, he wrote him a most kind & courteous farewell. Gen Forey was much struck with this & was speaking very warmly about it to Gen Canrobert while Vico was there. Canrobert said Qu’il est un brave homme Milord! Vico repeated this to L^d. Raglan who was much pleased.

Today there came a foolish letter from the San^y. Commiss^rs. ordering some offal to be buried near the French Hospital. Lord R. said write an answer to them and tell them I am not scavenger to the French Army.

The mail has not arrived yet 10 PM — My papers came in just as I had written these words.

The Fr. are said to have been very successful last night in completing their communicatn. & are very near the Flag staff battery. There was very sharp firing of musquetry on the spot and a tremendous explosion took place either in the Quarantine or Flag Staff battery & after the explosion several shells burst, so no doubt a magazine was blown up. My roof rattled again and I thought the windows would have blown out.

Today some 800 Russians shewed & some came onto the plain & fired off their carbines, but at what object no one c^d. tell. The Fr. soldiers at Bosquet’s look out saw two Batt^ns. of infantry in the rear of Canroberts hill. At two o’clock this morning Bosquet sent to Vynoi’s who sent on to Sir C Campbell to say that there was movement heard in their front & that the sound of carriages & of the passage [?] of soldiers was heard. The Guards & all the camp had orders to stand to arms at 4 AM, but when daylight came nothing was to be seen.

Rode with Gen^l Estcourt round the Division, he says they are going to diminish [?] the number of men on working pties and that the Turks are going to help them.

Yesterday a gun went off in the French Engineers Park without any apparent reason, it had been damaged & brought out of the batteries when loaded with shell. It did no harm.

The Fr. were firing today from their advanced battery called the Cavalier.

Thursday Ap^l. 19^th.

I was awoken this morning at half past two by heavy firing & got up & dressed & went out. The sentry said it began by the ship coming in & “pitching the shells into them by basket fulls”. I could see the shells coming into the town from the sea The attack to judge by the musquetry was from the Quarantine battery to the Flag staff, and was very heavy. It lasted till three and then ceased. There was one discharge as if a platoon on our r^t. front and then it was quiet. The Turks had fired one gun from Omar Pasha’s hill and the French cavalry were getting ready to move. The “Advance” had sounded twice to the French infantry during the sortie.

When I went out to walk before breakfast I found that all the Head Quarter Staff were out on horseback and that the reconnaissance had actually come off. The orders to Col. Parlby of 10^th. Hussars were only sent after 10 PM yesterday, and it was kept so quiet that the A.D.C.s knew nothing about it till after dinner I soon got breakfast & started with Blane we saw the Turkish infantry at Kamara & soon reached them. There was a troop of English & of French H^e. artillery. The relics of our Heavy Cavalry Scots Greys & Dragoons and the 10^th. Hussars were thrown out in skirmishing order. The Cossacks were on the brown rocky hill above Tchorgoun looking down on us. Hardly a Russian was to be seen on a spur of the hill across the Tchorgoun valley & North of the Tchernaia were four field pieces, but they did not fire. We rode to the different parts & had good views of the country & the Baidar road running through the deep valley leading South. The Turkish infantry occupied a height above Kamara & Omar Pasha went there to have a view. He then came to the front and a battalion of his chasseurs was ordered to advance & clear the Cossacks To help them the French rocket troop came forward & threw some rockets on to the hill & behind the breastwork driving the Cossacks away. The Chasseurs mounted in very good style but found no enemy and then Lord R. & Omar Pasha & all the staff went up after them. When near the top we heard a smart discharge of musquetry. It appeared that a number of officers had gallopped on ahead into the village for fun & plunder and the Russians fired a volley which made them scamper off. Last time the troops came to this hill they were so late with both shot & shell, this time they were more courteous. There were not 500 Russ^ns. to be seen any where. I think they must be intending to make another attack on Eupatoria. We found the work they had made very slight indeed. There are the remains of old earthworks on the hill below Kamara Church & between it & the brown bare hill.

The country to the East & South is wonderfully tangled and intricate. It was very picturesque covered with young wood just becoming green. There was a great variety and abundance of flowers. The single peony a dark blood red, primrose buttercup &c &c.

It was all over at 12.15 and the party on the return. The 10^th. marched past Omar Pasha & Lord R. in single file that the horses might be seen. They were splendid thoroughbred Arab horses, each one like a racer, and the men fine soldier like fellows but rather heavy for the style of horse. The horses are valued at 50£ each. It appears that the French were attacked three times last night & lost 100 men killed & wounded. The Valorous & Retribution went in last night & threw about 150 shells into the part of the town where the Russⁿ. reserves are kept. The Retribution was struck twice. One shell bursting between the masts.

The morning early was fine & warm by noon the wind was strong & cold from ENE.

Estcourt says L^d. Stratford is coming tomorrow. He tells me he never sees Lord R. now, as he transacts all his business with Gen. Simpson.

Friday April 20^th

Cold ENE 48º at 8AM

Last night there was an attack made on the pits in advance of the rt attack by the 77^th. The leading men crept on all fours out of the trench until they were seen & a volley fired at them when they jumped up & ran in with the bayonet. The Russians bolted & three men were taken prisoners one of them a cadet. One small pit the furthest was so much exposed to the fire of grape that it was abandoned. The others were held & the men worked vigorously until 1 AM. Poor young Lempriere was killed in the first attack & Col Egerton who was commanding, one of the finest men & the best regimental officer in the service picked him up in his arms & carried him out of the pit into the trench but he was dead. Egerton received a contusion in the groin & felt very faint when in the trench & sat down. The faintness went off & he got up right again. At one o’clock the Russ^ns. came out in great force & fired upon the men in the pit & the working pty they were obliged to abandon the furthest pit as it was quite open to their fire. The Russⁿ. reserves came up to attack support was sent for but so heavy was the fire that 56 men were killed & wounded & poor Egerton was shot through the head & fell dead. The communication was however completed. One of the first men into the pit was the drummer of 77^th. he attacked the bugler with his sword & took him prisoner 7 dead Russ^ns. were seen lying on the ground at daylight. Two Engineer officers were wounded

By daylight our men were well covered in. The two admirals Lyons & Stewart Capt. Drummond, Talbot & Lord Clarence Paget were at lunch. It was a singularly clear day. I could see the French close to the flagstaff battery apparently. two men were so close that they appeared to be over a gun which the Russians were firing. The Russ^ns. are very busy still fortifying the plateau & the ways leading up to it from the Tchernaia. The Russians fired very little today & we not much more. The Fr. however kept up a heavy fire on some points in their front particularly the Central Bastion. I could see the Russ^ns. quietly at work on the citadel à la Ferguson ⁹ which they are making in the town round the flagstaff of the Governors house. . It will be a formidable work to destroy or storm. The 48^th. 860 men & 2^nd. Batⁿ. Royals 650 & a draft of 120 convalescents arrived today. The mail came in at 10.30, but Lord R’s dispatches had not come in at 11 PM. Dined at Lord R — Mr Calvert Consul at Gallipoli & farmer of the Troad ¹⁰ was there.

The wind has dropped & there is heavy firing on rt & at the French attack.

Saturday April 21^st.

Gen Simpson called early & gave me papers stating death of D^r. Gavin of the Sanitary Commission. He was killed by the accidental discharge of a pistol in the hands of his brother M^r. W^m. Gavin Veterinary Surgeon of 17^th. Lancers, attached to Land Transport Corps. Lord R. wished to know what steps sh^d. be taken. I went down to Balaclava as Pres^t. with D^r. Sutherland San^y. Com^r. & D^r. Anderson P.M.O. Balaclava as members. We received satisfactory evidence & found that it was accidental & no blame c^d. attach to the brother. Came up & wrote dispatches to Lord Panmure for L^d. Raglan inclosing copy of finding of Court.

Last night we took & destroyed the only remaining rifle pit in our front. The Russ^ns. fired heavily on the working party & killed & wounded 17 men.

It appears that the night before when we took the pits the Russians were frightened & left them without fighting. That when they returned in heavy numbers they brought out field pieces & fired grape at a short range and this was when their men were in advance & must have been hit by the shot.

The firing in front was dull & languid, ours is only continued to keep the Fr. in countenance. They are to continue to sap! We have sent to Malta for another siege train & 500 rounds a gun. L^t. Col. Dickson called. He says that when the magazine in N^o. 8 exploded by falling of a 13 inch shell on it, two men were killed & 7 wounded only though there were 7 men at each of 5 guns. All the guns but one were smothered with earth, and before the earth had done falling or the smoke cleared away Capt. Dickson [sic — actually Dixon] had fired shell upon the Redan from this gun & continued to do so until he arrived from Camp. Seven men in the trench in front of the battery were wounded by falling earth & wood. Capⁿ. Peel offered Col. Dickson 20 men to go and clear the battery but L^t. [blank space] who had lately joined came out & said all the men must be withdrawn, so Col. D. did not take the sailors but went in himself & got the men to clear the platform of earth. Some of the men had to be dug out of the earth but were not hurt. The one gun continued to fire. At night all was cleared. Col. D. brought to Lord Raglans notice the good conduct of Capt. Dickson. Some days after Lord R. coming out of the trenches & told Col. D. that another shell had fallen on the place where the magazine had stood. After the first explosion the floor of the magazine had remained smooth & hard, the force being upwards leaving a large crater of earth. 18 cwts of powder had blown up.

Sunday

Lord Raglans despatches have not yet been found, though we received our mail in due course. The French blew up a mine last night near the flagstaff battery, and have lodged themselves nearer to the works. There was comparatively little firing today, & hardly any on our side. The Russ^ns. are making a new battery behind the redoubt blanche nearest to the Russians. They were openly working while I was looking on. I think they are making a mine under the present advance of the French as I saw a constant stream of men coming out of the ditch in front of the flagstaff battery carrying each a sandbag on his back. Had a conversation with Lord Raglan about Mr Uptons case ¹¹, he wishes the court to express an opinion. It is thought very strange that Lord Stratford & the Caradoc have not arrived. Some days ago a guard of honour was sent. There is still a cool northerly wind, but I am glad of it as I fear the hot sun.

While I was walking with Lord R. I noticed that the Turks had struck their tents & Gen Simpson asked if they were going to Eupatoria he said some of them were. If all go it would look very much as if the idea of an assault had been given up and a strong reserve no longer needed.

I should be glad to hear that something towards an investment was to be attempted.

Monday April 23^rd.

Only 10,000 Turks have left for Eupatoria. There was a great meeting of Engineers and Artillery men at Gen^l. Jones at 8 AM. There has been a return of scaling ladders called for — As none have been used the number ought to have been known. Tom Taylors brother called for an attested copy of the finding of the court. He is Sec^y. to the Comⁿ. He did not know that I had anything to do with it, and spoke very highly of the way in which they had always been treated.

Very late council of war at Lord Raglans.

The other night when the single rifle pit had to be taken the night after Egerton was killed, Walker an old subaltern called for volunteers drew his sword & jumped into the rifle pit. They found only two dead bodies, but every one thought it was full of the enemy — it had been full of them all day.

The flag of truce today lasted half an hour the Russians gave us up our dead body & we gave them four, the rest they took in. The day after Egertons death a Russⁿ. was seen lying from the left attack lying behind a small heap of stones from which apparently he had been afraid to run. He could not be seen from the right attack & he had to lie all day without moving hand or foot and round him were six corpses, some close to him. At night he got away. Sacry Gabriel a refugee Pole calling himself a Hungarian has come to me as servant.

Tuesday April 24^th.

We were all expecting a reconnaissance at 3 AM. The Highlanders were cooking all night. Vynoi’s division had their coffee &c by 3½ AM & were all ready when a counter order came & they turned in. The reason given today is that Gen Canrobert is too much engaged in front. He is too jealous of Bosquet to allow him to lead. There were to have been 10,000 Fr. Inf^y. all their cavalry & the Highlanders were to have advanced to protect their rt. flank. What they expected to do I don’t know.

Rode down & saw Sir C. Campbell he is always very kind to me. He was complaining of the way in which a mob of idlers were allowed to accompany the expedition the other day. He said Omar Pasha who had come out to see the country before him, was unable to get through the group to the front of the hill over Tchorgoun. He said when I go out with my three regts I will allow no one not even Romaine, yes perhaps I may allow Romaine to go.

Went up to Camerons quarters with Sterling to hear Uptons case ¹¹, by Gen Order dated 21 Ap^l.

Cameron was speaking of the 88^th. He said he has been with them in camps & stations now for nearly 30 years & the mutual wish of the regts was that they might be neighbours in fights. The first thing we saw when we came up the hill at Alma was the 88 coming pouring down the hill as hard as they could run. ¹²

At Inkerman they did not distinguish themselves, so much as other regts.

There is another council of War tonight.

Lyons Stewart Bruat, Canrobert at Lord Raglans I was at the door when they came Canrobert said he was so fatigued he c^d. hardly walk up the steps. he had been walking through the Fr. trenches. He said that Batt^y. N^o. 40 — N^o. 40 is ready & the guns will be mounted there tonight. I went to the front & met Adye there who said that every thing was going on well that the French were working at the place as if it was a regularly fortified place & that they are very near & in a few days must be in the flag staff battery. This battery today was only held by musquetry. I saw one man going slowly down the slope into the ditch to the place where I think they have made a mine.

There is no doubt that it was intended to storm the other afternoon. We have now three new batteries nearly completed & the Fr. have new batteries to fire on the Russⁿ. second line. The Governors house battery was firing today on us. But the round tower redan & mamélon were almost silent. The Fr. were busy shelling some new works the Russ^ns. are putting up behind the nearest of the redoubtes blanches.

The Electric Telegraph is finished from the Monastery to Vienna by Bucharest.

1500 men go down to the trenches of our side every night. At 8 PM a very heavy musketry fire began, no doubt to hinder the French sap, and it has been kept up till now 10.30.

A Russⁿ. prisoner said to Calvert that in the three first days they buried 2000 men, I cant quite believe this.

He said to test [?] the prisoner “We shall take the town” to which the Russⁿ. answered “Then where is God.”

Heard again from Denison.

Wednesday Ap^l. 25

The night was comparatively quiet. The Engineers had a great talk with Lord Raglan. Adm^s. Lyons & Stewart slept here and no doubt plans were settled for the day of assault as to what part the ships were to take. Gen Neil was there.

Attended Board at Sterlings hut Col. Cannon there and the greater part of the time Sir C. Campbell came & sat there. Between the intervals of the examⁿ. of the witnesses he received his visitors & amused us much by his extreme vivacity & humour.

He told a story of Col. Webber Smith, who was at Waterloo shut out of a square of infantry & pursued around three sides of it by a Fr. Cavalry officer. Smith calling out for somebody to shoot the French man, he only saved himself by the fleetness of his horse & its being very handy in turning. The 23^rd. had been sent for in a great hurry to the rt. of Hougoumont to stop the attacks of Fr. cavalry there. They were brought up in great haste through the deep corn & were close on the dragoon regt. before either party was aware of the others approach. The 23^rd. fired a volley & formed square instantly the dragoons turned off & three of the officers pursued Smith round the square while the men were loading & when he saw it was time, rode off saying to his dragoons that it was a reg^t. of recruits. But when the reg^t. came to attack the 23^rd. soon after they fell like partridges in a stubble field & c^d. make no impression on them. ¹³

Rode up with M^c Murdo, he says three ships have been despatched with huts from England, one of which is arrived but no use can be made of them because there are parts of each hut in each ship!

He received a few days ago harness for 30 mules, & on turning it out of the casks he found it all useless as there were no traces or back bands to any one of them!

A Telegraphic message in numeral cypher was sent to England by Vienna from the Monastery it w^d. go in about 8 hours to Vienna!

Dined with L^d. Raglan. He told me an anecdote of the Duke who on arriving at Elvas occupied a large building, with a long passage and his room at the end. He had just reached his room door when the Commandant came out & spoke to him & said that he had lost all his horses & effects & was beggared. The Duke said that he was unable to do anything for him. The Commandant said then it only remains for me “bruler la cervelle.” The Duke made a low grave bow, said Je suis faché & turned into his room. — The Com^t. did not blow out his brains.

I observed that the French were making a sort of small fascine about 2½ to 3 feet long which it w^d. be easy to make a soldier carry in addition to his firelock &c.

Vico says they are making bags stuffed with straw for the same purpose namely to fill up a ditch.

When M^cMurdo heard our men were to do the same he offered a quantity of wool he has to stuff packsaddles, as it c^d. not be set on fire by a hand grenade as the straw c^d. He had a sudden order for all the gabions in store to be sent up to the rt. attack this evening.

Thursday Ap^l. 26.

Mail came in. Went down to Sir C. Campbell again on Uptons case. Found Sir C. blacking his leather trousers with ink. Lord & Lady Stratford & Lady G. Paget arrived in the Caradoc. There was heavy musquetry fire as usual in French left attack. they say that the soldiers go down with 2 or 300 rounds & keep up a rolling fire all night, but under cover of this as it were, the Russians make new rifle pits & improve the old ones. This they have done in front of the central bastion, and as often as the French have ventured to take them away the Russians have retaken them at the point of the bayonet. They are certainly steadier at a hand to hand fight than the French. We had a splendid review today of the army under Bosquet amounting to about 30,000 men. They were in fine order, but I fear the enthusiasm has been a good deal worked out of the soldiers who have passed the winter here. The cry of Vive l’Empereur was much louder from the newly arrived regts. The review of each Division ended with a speech from Gen. Canrobert. He told them that 65,000 Frenchmen were coming, that they were here to take Sebastopol, that if they c^d. not get in at the door they must go in at the window that in 15 days they w^d. be in the town &c.

Friday April 27^th.

Gen. Airey sent for me to meet Alison & settle about getting 1000 more Croatian labourers I told him that M^r. Calvert c^d. get any number of men at 1^s. a day, and that I thought the wages of the men we now have should be lowered.

Went to review of the division under Pelissier, he has not the appearance of a wholesale roaster of men. He wore the rose coloured riband of Grand Cross of order of Legion of honour. The Miss Cannings were there.

The appearance of the regts. of the Imperial guard.

The grenadiers chasseurs voltiguers & Zouaves were admirable. As they marched by Canrobert said to Lord R. “Voilà des masses de braves, concentrés pour résister à l’ambition d’un homme.” ¹⁴ As L^d. R. said afterward, as if he thought he c^d. humbug me as he does his own countrymen. The French are still busy making new advanced batteries, but still there is the old difficulty, they must take the bastion du mât because it is mined, and until that is taken & a lodgment effected nothing more can be done on our side, as the Garden batteries w^d. fall then & we c^d. advance —

Tuesday. May 1^st.

A real May day.

Attended General C^t. M^l. on John Grame of 19^th. for shooting his comrade.

Went out to the front of 3^rd. Divⁿ. & to Maison d’Eau the Russians have now their ambuscade in front of flank of Flag staff battery. The French yesterday sprang two mines to form entonnoirs & are within 65 yards of the outwork in front of the Central bastion.

An expedition is preparing for Kertsch, they say Gen. Brown is to take the Highland Brigade. It seems a strange & rather unfair arrangement. I suppose Sir C.C. cannot be spared from Balaclava or Gen Brown as 2^nd. in Command has a right to the command of a separate expedition. He will make a mess of it — he has not a generals head on his shoulders as Sir C.C. has.

Dined with General Simpson. Lord Stratford returned early this morning from Eupatoria

Omar Pasha showed him over the fortifications which are said to be very strong. They talk of joining the lake & the fortificat^ns. the whole length of the 4000 yds. There are 117 guns according to Adm^l. Stewart.

They report a strong body of cavalry in front but only 7 or 8000 infantry at some distance. Omar Pasha has 4000 cavalry.

There seems to be no doubt that the Conference has broken up without coming to any conclusion except, I suppose, that we asked such terms as we could insist upon only if our enemy was beaten, whereas he is not only not beaten, but not likely to be, as Austria will not make war on Russia.

The ships are to go to Kertsch & establish themselves there they take 2700 English provisions for 14 days, 800 mules, 50 sabres.

At half past nine began a tremendous fire on left of French, the musquetry as heavy as I have ever heard in their front — There is a perpetual stream of shells from either side, everything perfectly quiet on our side. At half past twelve it is still going on.

2 May.

At half past one M^cMurdo came in being still busy about shipping medical stores & arranging with Dr. Hall for their carriage.

L^d. Stratford is still out in the front.

The report is that the French have made an attack on the outwork in front of the Central bastion and hold it.

Wednesday May 2^nd.

Therm. 62°

The French have taken 8 cohorns and are lodged in the outwork which they carried with the bayonet. Three Russⁿ. batt^ns. came down to assault them but were driven back and the French are now busy completing the communication. It was a preconcerted attack of the French they sent down 13 batt^ns. but gave no notice to L^d. Raglan, & no doubt w^d. have called it a sortie of the Russ^ns. if it had failed.

The French seem to have behaved very well. Vico relates a story of two French soldiers carrying off a Russⁿ. officer wounded, one going on his hands having the Russian on his back & the comrade of the Frenchman driving him like a wheelbarrow so fashion. The fire was so heavy in front of the trenches that no one c^d. stand up without great danger but they brought him off.

The warm weather is beginning again.

Mr. Brodin attaché to Lord Stratford was taken prisoner of the French having wandered down beyond the Maison d’Eau.

There is still a heavy cannonade going on, but scarcely heard here, whereas last night every musquet shot c^d. be heard.

There was a good deal of firing on left of French & they were hard at work deepening their parallel & keeping up a musquetry fire on Russ^ns. in the Central Bastion. Rode from 3^rd. Divⁿ. to look out in front of 3 mortar battery. They are moving the beds of the mortars to the left of 21 gun battery. Saw seven Russⁿ. batts. coming from Bagshash Serai, they did not cross the bay but went into the Camp above the long row of houses, (the lower camp). So I suppose they are only the exchange batts. for those which have been working in the town.

3.30 P.M. While looking out, to right, 2000 Russ^ns. rushed out of the Central bastion or thereabouts & went at the works they lost last night. The French met them with a heavy fire of musquetry & then their cannon opened, they were quickly repulsed & then the Russⁿ. cannon opened & there was a tremendous cannonade, in a short time nothing c^d. be seen for the smoke. Galloped to the 3^rd. Divⁿ. & down to rear of Chapmans battery. Found smoke very thick & returned when I met Gen Eyres halfway, he s^d. he was Gen^l. of the day & asked me if there was any attack on us. I s^d. no & he asked me to ride back with him which I did, until he descended the last ravine to go into the battery where I left him, returned to French. When the smoke cleared, the French were plainly seen in their parallel firing away. The French loss last night is said to have been 20 to 30 killed & 200 wounded.

On my return had a talk with Gen^l. Brown He commands, Gen D’Autemarre is Gen of Div. Gen S^t. Paul commands one brigade & Gen [blank space ] ¹⁵ the other

Gen Brown said they had given him the worst troops, a number of infantry of the marine who always run away. He says D’Autemarre is a great chasseur.

There is some evil fate about us to appoint a blockhead like Brown when we have a man like Sir C.C. The men w^d. have fought as well again under Sir Cⁿ. I hear they are much disgusted at being commanded by Sir G. & no wonder as it is notorious that he threw his division headlong at the enemy at Alma & never thought of deploying till sent to by Gen Airey & then did not know how his right were placed or how much room they wanted to deploy (ex relatione Col Dan Lysons 23^rd.)

Sunday. May 6^th.

There was a smart sortie on our lines last night and we lost two officers & 17 men killed & wounded and three men taken prisoner. One of the officers was wounded by jumping off the parapet & falling onto the bayonets of his men in the trench. The other was wounded posting sentries. The enemy appears as usual to have succeeded in getting into the advanced trench.

Most unwelcome news arrived that the expedition has returned without having accomplished or even tried any thing.

There has been blundering & great weakness on the part of Gen^l. Canrobert. It appears that some time ago the expedition was planned & then he said at the last that he c^d. not spare the men. The idea was given up & it was so signified to Paris. When the plan was again taken in hand at the urgent desire of all the Admirals no notice was sent that it was to sail, until the day before. A Telegraphic message from Paris must have crossed on the way, directing Gen. Canrobert to send all his available ships to Constan^le. to bring troops to the Crimea. This order was no doubt given in ignorance of the sailing of the squadron, but he thought it necessary to send a recall. It reached the expedition at the rendezvous when all was arranged for the embarcation.

It turned out too that Gen. C. had not sent all the troops he had engaged to supply, 1500 men & a battery of artillery being left behind & no notice given till they arrived at the rendezvous. Instead of three batt^ns. of Zouaves promised. Two regts. of Marine infantry were sent and a battⁿ. of Zouaves only numbering 480 men instead of 800.

The [the entry ends abruptly here.]

Monday May 7^th.

Calvert who went with the expedition says that the anger & indignation of the French was as great as that of our commanders. Lyons was furious he s^d. C. was a chicken hearted ——————.

The Fr. Captain of the Fulton a very fine fellow much liked by every body, came on board & said, Will you take me into your service will you give me a ship, I will have no more to do with the Fr. Marine &c &c. Every one seems to have felt confident of success. Comd^r. Spratt had been off the place, got capital soundings plans drawings, marks of range of enemies [sic] guns &c, the hills in the neighbourhood were actually in sight. If they had been successful & captured the guns the Sea of Azof w^d. have now been in our power. Every day now will make it more difficult. There are three strong gun boats in the Sea of Azoff, but we had 9 though not such solid vessels, but frigates drawing only 13 ft if such there are c^d. have entered.

It is a grievous disappointment & will be a grave shame & scandal to both armies. And after all the end is not answered, as the troops were not disembarked this afternoon & so nearly two days have been lost in which time the coup might have been made, if at all.

Went to Balaclava by L^d. R’s. request to see M^r. Upton & try to arrange his affair by offering him 500 & a free passage to England for himself & family. I saw him & had a talk, telling him to think it over with his wife, he says he expects employment in his profession as C.E. from Peto Brassey & Co. ¹⁶ In the evening received letter, but I thought rather evasive & have written again to put the proposal on a footing so plain that there can be no dispute.

He looks to me like a man predestined to spend his life in dodging about an unwelcome visitor at the offices of great men — a small Baron de Both [?]. I have tried to save him from so melancholy a fate. I told him that if he reached England with a promise of employment and 500 £ in in his pocket, he might consider that he was well out of an unpleasant position. That if he did not get immediate employment it w^d. at all events secure him time to look out for it.

Thursday 10. May.

Slept at Sir C. Campbells, heard heavy musquetry fire in the night. Rained in the night & very heavily till 2 PM today. More of the Sardinians are arrived, but none can now be landed owing to the state of the ground. There seems to be much doubt about the coming of the Emperor.

Saw L^d. R. about C^t. of Enquiry into Capⁿ. Cox conduct & the posting of the sentries, on report by Gen^l. Eyre. They acquitted him of all blame — Gen^l. Eyre chooses to take this as a condemnation of himself & has resigned. This is the 4^th. time I think that he has had quarrels since he came out.

It appears that the men behaved very well in the sortie last night agst. our rt. attack. The advanced sentries saw or heard them one of them came in quietly gave the alarm & when they came, they were received with a volley & a cheer & fled. They tried this twice again, each time with smaller numbers & gave it up. I ventured to say to L^d. R. who read out the report — that I thought the sentries who had behaved so well sh^d. have some notice taken of their conduct & Gen. Simpson with whom I dined today says that it will be done tomorrow.

They report that the ground was covered with dead & that they send in a flag of truce to bury them today. We had only 13 men wounded, not one killed.

Friday 11th. May

Last night there was a very serious sortie principally on our right they came out & attacked in line with a reserve. Luckily the sentries were on the alert ran quietly in & gave the alarm & every body was ready & they were received with a volley & a cheer. They were so near that they must have suffered a great loss. They made a second attempt by coming in more to the right but with the same result and a third attempt with only 200 men was also repulsed. Today they sent in a flag to bury their dead we handed over 12 corpses to them. We had 13 wounded and three killed. It appears that after the men ran in some five of the enemy must have crawled up to the parapet on their hands & knees ready to jump on when the rest came up. Their bayonets were seen over the parapet and they were all ready for them when they came on. These five men actually got over the parapet & were all killed but not before one of them had killed an officer of the [blank space] regt.

Omar Pasha came as I was with L^d. R. about Gen. Eyre’s case & Capⁿ. Cocks of 4^th. Reg^t.

Dine with Gen^l. Simpson.

Saturday May 12th.

Still wet weather, cold fog & wind from S.E. Another attack last night which was repulsed in the usual way, but some men & an officer of 68^th. killed.

There was a long conference from 1 till eight PM Gen Della Marmora left at 6 & went to Balaclava, but Gen Canrobert stayed till eight.

Sunday. 13

Omar Pasha slept at Lord Raglans. There seems no hope of the Emperor coming. I suppose affairs are too grave in the rest [the entry ceases at this point.]

Tuesday. May. 15

Went down to breakfast with Sir C. Campbell — went to Crimean Army Fund & saw Power ^* & Egerton. Col. Cameron came to Sterling’s & we signed report on M^r Uptons case. Came up & found the mail had come in. About 6000 Turks left for Eupatoria. Omar Pasha has departed. Steele is better but looks as if he w^d. have an attack of jaundice. Had a walk with him in the vineyard. He says the French are not attempting to advance now. Our armament is very strong, all heavy guns & nearly all new. Steele told me that a short time ago Canrobert wrote to Paris enumerating his forces & said I have 60,000 men and the English 20,000 and they are worth 40,000. A copy of this was sent to Lord Raglan from Paris. I gather from Steele that there will be great difficulty in making up force enough to invest the town & that he is of opinion that if it is invested there will be found 5 months provision, that if we gain a victory in the field, there will be a second army to fight before that time had elapsed & no sufficient reinforcements to come and that we should have another winter in cantonments perhaps in tents — That the French will have to live all their time within 50 yards of the place and we are now within 150 yards. The French say it w^d. perhaps cost 15,000 men to take the place by assault & that it is too hazardous.

When the French were recalled from the Kertsch expedition by Canrobert, Lord Raglan wrote to Gen^l. Brown to say that if he & Adm^l. Lyons thought they c^d. effect the object of the expedition without the French he had full authority to attempt it, and that he w^d. take all the responsibility of failure.

They had a consultation but the English ships contained many of them, French soldiers, their ships must have been sent back, there were 11,000 Russ^ns. and it was decided not to attempt it. The newly arrived French are camping close to the Imperial Guard in our rear here at H^d. Q^rs. Thank God the Cholera is diminishing yesterday 2 cases were reported in 3^rd. Divⁿ.

A wounded Russⁿ. prisoner who was taken in the sortie the other night said that when they were brought out they were told they were going to attack the French.

Trollope who was commanding in the Trenches the other night when there was a sortie, said our men were coolly firing over the parapet load^g. firing and joking as if it were the best sport in the world.

* This may be a mistake for Tower, or may refer to Assistant Commissary Power with the 2nd Division.

Thursday May 24th.

The French made another attack last night about the same hour 9 PM and completely succeeded in taking the whole line of Russian trenches & pits & converting them into part of their attack. I have read the copy of the Official Report sent to Lord Raglan by order of Gen Pelissier, he says it is a most important success & will have a material influence in the operations of the siege. The troops which had been engaged [in] the affair the night before, asked to complete their work last night, which they were allowed to do. The Russians made a comparatively feeble resistance, but the French lost 400 & 9 officers. The Russians fought admirably with the bayonet but they have received a severe lesson. The French say the Russian loss must have quintupled theirs. Today is the Queens birthday and there is a full dress review at which Omar Pasha & Pelissier assisted. Our cavalry two troops of H. Art^y. 1. of field art^y. the batt^y. of 18. pounders & 32 p^d. howitzers. It was a very fine spectacle & took place on the high ground between Kirani & the Monastery, where there is a splendid view of the hills to the eastward of Balaclava.

The troops will move out tomorrow, but what the object is I do not know.

Pelissier had expressed an opinion before he had the Command that the National honour was tarnished by the construction of the Mamélon & that if he ever had the opportunity it sh^d. be wiped away.

Friday. May 25th.

A very quiet night at Sebastopol compared with the two preceding. At 12. night the French artillery began to move to the right and the troops to the number of 15,000 got under arms & proceeded to the heights overlooking the Tchernaia. There were 15,000 Sardinians who moved to heights overlooking Tchorgounia & the Turks under Omar Pasha occupied a second line on the redoubts famous in the story of 25. Oct. The Chasseurs d’Afrique crossed the Bridge at daybreak at Traktir & some shells were thrown over them & the staff at that time from Russian guns above the redoubts and by them as a tête de point. The Fr. Cavalry went up a very steep place in the hills but found the Russⁿ. fire heavy & retired & went round the hill to another place, so outflanking the Russians who had about 5 batt^ns. & they retired to NE up the valley of the Chuliu towards Mangup Kaleh.

The Russians fired continually upon the redoubt as soon as the French had possession of it, but the distance was very great from the plateau of Inkerman & most of the shells burst in the air about half way the round shot plunging now & then very near the redoubt. The French continued to shell the Russians as long as any were within reach. There were so few Russians on the Inkerman plateau that I have no doubt the heights might have been taken possession of as easily as the position they took. I could see only 50 men at the flag staff redoubt about 50 at another redoubt at 7 two battalions were marching to our right along the cliff top past the place where it is a steep scarp to the place where there is a not very difficult ascent. The 5 Russⁿ. Ba^tns. w^d. have been quite cut off from the defence & driven away. Came back, saw L^d. R. he s^d. to Vico while I was there C’est dommage qu’ils n’ont pas communiqué leurs idées. Vico s^d. that he thought Gen^l. Pelissier did not himself know what was to be done. This was incorrect as Pelissier was out with the troops as well as Canrobert with his division. I told L^d. R. how few troops the Russ^ns. had & that it seemed to me that the plateau might have been taken. He said it was proposed & that he believed it might have been done.

Col. Gordon came in some time later L^d. R. having gone out at 9 with Gen. Airey & Simpson &c. He said that the French had retired across the river, leaving Della Marmora in an isolated position above Tchorgounia with his rear on Kamara. That he said he had no one on his left & no one on his right & c^d. not remain so. Omar Pasha was furious at being left behind. He said I never was placed in the second line before. He had 18,000 men with him.

So small a result makes such a movement look very foolish. Della Marmora has no water with^t. going down to the river which now that the French have abandoned their excellent advanced position they cannot depend on.

Whit—Sunday May 27th.

This morning early Derriman came to my house with news of the taking of Kertsch & Yenikali with the loss of only one Highlander killed by accident. The boats being ready to land the gunboats went in & fired a few shells when the Russians blew up the fort & abandoned it. Our troops landed & after some delay, pushed on. Kertsch was abandoned in the same way, when the troops came near it two companies, one Fr. one Eng. were sent in & placed as sentinels all down the street. The Austrian consul & others had come out & demanded protection which was promised. The troops then marched flags flying & drums beating through the town at quick step, not a straggler being allowed. They went through the town & camped. Brownrigg then went back called in all the sentries & left the town.

A steamer with a barge in tow was seen to leave & pursued, the barge was stopped & taken & found to contain archives & much valuable property, money, &c. The expedition pushed on to Yenikali which was also abandoned & 18 gunboats & other vessels entered the Sea of Azof.

A letter was found only three days old from an officer in Sebastopol to a wounded comrade who had gone to Kertsch, he says Sebastopol is a pest house that the men were dying like rotten sheep.

The prisoners taken by the French state that the town was choked the night of the 22^nd. with dead & wounded. Claremont says that the French handed over 1500 dead bodies to the Russians during the flag of truce which lasted from 12.30 to 5 PM. The demoralisation seems to be extreme there.

There was a heavy cannonade last night during which the French completed a new parallel opposite one of the redoubts on the right.

There was also a heavy firing against our lines but cause not known, supposed to have been an alarm on their side.

The news was put in General Orders & an order was sent to the Divisions to give three good English cheers. Codrington told me it was done most heartily. The sailors jumped up on the parapet & gave theirs.

Went to the Sacrament. L^d. R. came in after being with Pelissier & arranging the expedition to Anapa. L^t. Col. Dickson R.A. told me he was to have the command of the artillery at that place, but that he hoped to be back in time for Sebastopol. If so they must hope that the Russians will abandon the place without fighting.

Thunderstorm & heavy rain.

Monday May 28

The Turks are going under Omar Pasha along the Baidar or Woronzov Road. I hear that the Russians have fortified a post at the head of the defile leading from Baidar to Bagtschi Serai.

The second division of the Sardinians has arrived.

Lord R. sent for me and shewed me letter from L^d. Panmure N^o. 110 May 14, stating that he had heard that Filder had not made the use of the Railway that he might & that he was to be called on for an explanation of M^r Bentleys report to his employers to that effect of the date of Ap^l. 13^th. & if it was not satisfactory L^d. R. was to relieve him of his duties.

He asked me to have an enquiry viva voce.

He had shewn the papers to Filder, who called upon me directly afterwards. I recommended instead of an enquiry that M^r F. sh^d. have the papers & M^r Bentley’s report & be called upon for a written explanation, which was done.

The mail came in in afternoon.

Steele tells me that in the house it was stated by the D of Newcastle that although he had called for a list of names to be recommended for the “Bath” that no list had been sent. This he says he has written to contradict. He sent a list to the Duke but it appears he never read his private letters.

Rode out with Simpson & dined with him.

Saturday. June 2^nd.

Rode down to the French redoubt towards their left attack. It was just as the Imp^l. Guard was going into the trenches and the Russians threw a number of shells. The French have nearly completed the batteries in the advanced ground they took on 22^nd. & 23^rd. May. The Russians were firing shells from Fort Constantine as well as from Batt^s. near the sea. At the Clocktower the French have a General Hospital which being within range is protected by gabions & in the rear were 50 or 60 stretchers whose discoloured appearance sufficient[ly] shewed the bloody work they had been used in.

Sunday. June 3^rd.

There was a reconnaissance this morning at 6 AM. French & Sardinians towards Baidar. No enemies to be seen. The Russ^ns. still fire occasionally on the parties of French horses going to water near the bridge by Traktir. Our men are doing the last touches to our batteries preparing to unmask the guns & moving on to the platforms those which had been put aside out of fire.

Monday June 4^th.

News came from the Sea of Azof of continued destruction in enormous quantities of corn, capture of shot & shell & boats. The Russ^ns. had only a short time ago got on foot in a regular manner supplies from Kertsch at the rate of 1500 araba loads a day. They evidently thought we had no troops to detach as they had not mounted a single gun landwards. Soujuk Kalé 12 miles from Anapa has been blown up & abandoned. 60 guns & 10 mortars taken or destroyed the troops retreated on Anapa, where there are 10,000 men. They hope to send boats into the Putrid Lake or Sea to cut the bridge, if they succeed the Russ^ns. will have only the one road by Perekop left & they w^d. be much distressed if they were not starved or compelled to retreat. Their retreat even now unmolested w^d. be an affair of the greatest difficulty especially if they attempted to carry off their sick & wounded. It is almost impossible to move large bodies of troops across a steppe country in summer, as there is a great want of water. They have we hear withdrawn two regts. of Cavalry. I sh^d. think they must be concentrating their forces on Bagshi Serai & Simpheropol, leaving a strong body on the Mackenzie plateau & relieving the garrison of Sebastopol from Bakshi Serai.

Last night we fired a number of Carcases (of A.D. 1811) into the town from the Sea Service Mortars but they had no effect probably not reaching far enough.

Cadogan says the valley of Baidar is a perfect level with hills all round, his beau ideal of a race ground.

Wednesday June 6.

Pelissier came here at 6 AM & brought a box full of finery which he put on in order to have his portrait taken in daguerreotype by M^r Fenton. About 10 he was still at L^d. Raglans and he & Omar Pasha & L^d. R. came out in front where a small table was placed with a map on it and their portraits were all taken in a group.

Pelissier stayed till nearly twelve.

I began the work of rewriting the Articles of War. They are now a mere piece of patch work from the numerous changes and additions which have been made to them, often by unscientific hands.

Heard that the bombardment was to commence at 3 PM and rode to the front. A signal gun was fired by the French, on the Victoria redoubt five minutes before 3, and the firing began though not with a great discharge at once, but it soon became general along our lines and on the French right towards Careening Bay. The Russians were evidently taken by surprise and had but few men in their batteries and apparently not many rounds quite ready. The French over our left did not begin when we did, nor the Russians upon them. The Garden batteries began to fire briskly about 3. and then the French opposite the Bastion du Mât & the Bastion Centrale opened about four batteries and kept it up very warmly till sundown. The smoke hung heavily and obscured every thing after the first half hour drifting slowly to our right & up the ravines. The Mamélon kept up a very active fire & the Inkerman batteries across the Bay also took part. I hear that tomorrow at 2 PM the French are to assault the mamélon, but this does not agree with what Sir Colin was told viz that we were to take the Quarries. The French are to make a battery of 15 guns in the Mamélon, when taken.

I c^d. not see that any impression had been made on the fire of the mamélon at nightfall.

De Bathe told a funny story of the two sailors who were stopped by the sentries in the advance & begged him to mind his own parsnips & let them mind theirs. On being obliged to give an account of themselves, one of them s^d. Why Sir You see this Battery Bedam does all the mischief and Bill’s got a bag of nails & I’ve got a hammer and if so be you let us go we’ll spike every ———— gun in the ———— Bedam.

Chapman R.E. said that today he was going by part of the trench they have been repairing it is very much exposed & has been repeatedly knocked down by the Enemy’s fire, there he found three young soldiers playing at cards at 7 AM. He said You’re in the only place in the trench, where you stand great danger of being killed, come away. “Yes Sir” s^d. one of them & in the same breath “Play to mine Ben,” throwing down his card for his comrade to play to.

One of the 77^th. was heard saying to his friends Whats the use of humbugging about batteries & trenches Why don’t the General say “The Light Division will parade in the Round Tower tomorrow morning at eleven o’clock. Sure we’d be there fast enough.”

Thursday June 7^th.

The vertical fire was kept up at night on the Mamélon the Round Tower Redan &c. and the direct fire renewed at daylight. The French left attack quite quiet. The Russians opened this morning apparently with all their strength but it gradually fell off and the superiority of fire on our side decided very soon. At 10.30 AM our No. 9 Batt^y. blew up luckily only one man was killed & one wounded.

By the middle of the day the Mamélon had ceased to fire. The shells were falling into it 4 & 5 a minute. I saw 4 or 5 men standing on the angle of the Mamélon nearest to us walking on the parapet. The Garden batteries kept up their fire all the afternoon.

At 3 PM our batteries were throwing 20 to 1 Russian. The French throwing rockets from their extreme left. This seemed the signal for the French left attack to open fire, it was answered by a severe fire from the Russian batteries which are very numerous from the Central bastion & in rear of it and the Flagstaff battery.

It had been settled that the attack was to be made at half past 5 PM, but I met Gen^l. Barnard who told me it was postponed till 6.30 PM. Went to the right & saw the heavy French Masses moving down by the different roads. As our men moved down, there was a good deal of cheering. The French in preparation for the attack had got pits ready dug about 30 by 15 ft. they were by the road side & their troops actually had to march past them.

Directly the attack was known to be about to be made the officers sent in official letters volunteering. There seems to have been some blundering about the men to go and men were separated from their own officers. The men to go were fixed upon at head quarters with^t. consulting the A.G. office and therefore without knowledge of what men were available. At half past six the troops were in their places and three rockets from the Victoria Redoubt was the concerted signal. The French troops rushed out of the trenches in front of the Mamélon crossed the Russian trenches which had been abandoned and spread in loose order to the second line of ambuscades. These also were empty and they got into the Mamélon with the loss of hardly a man. Very few guns being ready to bear on them. This was all that they were ordered to do, but elated by their success a body of them rushed through the Mamélon & soon appeared on their way to the Malakhoff. They appeared to be only three or four hundred, then a few stragglers and then some three hundred more & a few stragglers. They were met by a heavy fire of shells & grape but made their way to the abattis & began firing, numbers falling they found it impossible to enter & the head of the flock turned to the left to seek an entrance, the ditch is 12 to 14 feet deep and the abattis impossible without axes ladders fascines &c. They endured the terrible fire for some time & turned. The Russians got up out of the ditch on to the slope of the parapet inside the abattis & poured in a heavy fire. The French began to retire, paused in a sort of hollow with broken ground, & the Russians came out to attack them from the reverse of the tower and drove them with great loss into the Mamélon.

The retreat of their men caused a sort of panic to those who were holding the mamélon and all fell back to the edge maintained a fire thence for a minute or two & then went down to the first Russⁿ. line of ambuscades. The Russians pursued firing, drove them out and into the trenches from which they had started.

Directly after rockets were thrown again and the guard in support advanced, they too had a very loose formation, but were a formidable heavy body of troops which in its advance covered the whole face of the mamélon took it with great ease driving out the defenders, who retired down the reverse side towards the back of the Malakhoff. Most unwisely they were pursued again by the French who attempted to take the Malakhoff from the rear. In this after a bloody struggle they failed. The Malakhoff which had apparently been silenced, during the attack was one blaze of fire, from its own guns the musquetry fire which sparkled round it and the storm of shells falling into it. During the second attack it fired only from its rear, the flashes of the guns lighting up the clouds of smoke which hung round it. The moment the French held the Mamelon shells began to fall into it.

While this was going on the two redoubts to the right of the French were attacked & taken. The guns across the harbour keeping up a heavy but not very destructive fire. Here a number of prisoners were taken, both men & officers. The third redoubt at the extremity of the Sapoune ridge was not attacked & did not fire.

Many instances of surpassing bravery I saw. On our left of the Mamelon during the hottest of the fire two men got on the parapet with a flag, one of them a French Colonel, he was shot down and a second succeeded him who was also immediately killed and a third but without the flag took the place. In two other places men stood with flags on the parapet cheering on the men below. On the first advance up the Mamélon a French officer rushed out alone & ahead of all crossed the Russian trench & still kept his lead a hundred yards before every one, he reached & entered the mamelon.

Where I was I could command a view of the Quarries which our men were to take under the Redan. They had chosen a place for Lord Raglan in front of the Lime Kilns of 4^th. Divⁿ. but on going there I found you c^d. only see the crest of the Mamelon & therefore not the French advance so I went to a spot in front & right of Cathcarts Hill, where both attacks c^d. be seen.

The smoke from Gordons battery was so thick & constant that I c^d. see nothing of our men. The work was admirably done with only 15 wounded — An officer and several men were taken prisoners one of the rifle pits in advance was blown up and an English officer in it but he was not killed. L^t. Col. Edwards sent out a hundred men as skirmishers & sharpshooters towards the Redan. They crawled to the embrasures & reported that no one was in it. But our troops were not numerous enough to attempt its capture. Col. Edwards said if he had had a thousand men he c^d. have taken it & that the Russians finding the enemy in their rear w^d. have abandoned the Malakhoff during the second French attack.

Friday June 8.

Went up to the Front at 2.30 AM. The French were working away at the Mamelon. A heavy fire from our batt^y. on Round Tower and Redan and our men were plainly seen in the quarries, some few red coats close up to the Redan. They had been attacked four times in the night by the Russians each time driven in and each time driving the enemy out with the bayonet & sometimes unwisely pursuing up to the Redan. The musquetry was still going on when I was there, but soon after ceased, though a gun from the garden battery threw a shell every few minutes amongst our fellows. They had completed the Communications with our parallels & were still at work. It came on to rain & blow & be quite cold. There is one gun in face of Redan which can fire on the Mamélon and three from the Malakhoff & a mortar below in front of the Karabelnaia Suburb, and a battery in front of the Arsenal, which also fires on the Mamélon. Every shell seems to tell on the French there as every explosion is followed by one or two stretchers going to the rear.

The French put their loss at two thousand men. They have taken several hundred prisoners and 60 guns in the three places.

A dispatch came from Adm^l. Lyons from the Sea of Azof giving an acct of the destruction of stores at Marioupol Taganrog & Eisk. At one place they say our men drove off 5000 Russ. soldiers & lost only one man wounded.

Today the troops were to land at Anapa, if the wind which though strong is off shore does not prevent it.

Burghersh describes the place thus

He says our three deckers can get within 600 yards of sea wall towards A, B, & the heavy steamers towards C, can fire and defilade D that the troops can land at a small place 3 mile North of A, that the batteries will be made at E breach A and take the place.

Gordon R A is gone to Constan^le. to get guns &c to fortify Enikale.

We send tonight very heavy supports in case of an attack on the Quarry again tonight.

The French repulsed one very sharp attack on the Mamélon.

Calvert says the Russian prisoners were delighted at being taken & being safe & at rest.

I saw no convoys coming into the town on N.

Saturday June 9^th.

A quiet night, no attack on the French or us. Blane who has been up to the front reports that a large train of carts came in empty to the North fort and halted, that two vessels one a two decker and one frigate apparently empty have been brought alongside the Arsenal, either to embark stores or to open a retreat for the men if they sh^d. be beaten.

They brought out a third vessel a two decker near to the Arsenal but a 13 inch shell fell very near it & the small steamer towed her out to mid channel where she anchored.

About 1 PM there was a flag of truce and both sides were busy burying their dead. I rode out to the middle ravine and on to the french advance works where I left my horse & got over the parapets — the dead were lying about here but not in great numbers, some few were lying on the slope of the Mamelon collected by the fatigue men. I then went into the Mamelon. It is a great monument of labour begun & finished & used under a more terrible fire that ever a work was held under before. It was large a large honeycomb with the walls some 12 [This sentence was left unfinished. Perhaps the writer lost his thread when he turned the page.]

The guns were lying in the work very heavy ship guns on ship carriages. The magazines were admirably made & quite capable of holding a fire of 13 inch shells. The cells made by the gabions & sand bags were of great strength but so deep that there was no escape from a bursting shell & one c^d. quite believe what the Russian officer reported that he had lost 300 men from the time the bombardment began to the time of assault. He said they were quite taken by surprise & had no men in the Mamélon or Malakhoff but the men working the guns. If the French had had their supports ready they c^d. have taken the Malakhoff.

Our loss turns out to have been 600 men & 40 officers. Today we have lost a good many men in the Quarries, one round shot from the Garden Battery killed 8 & wounded 4 men. There were a good many of the Zouaves Indigenes killed in the assault.

The Russⁿ. officers w^d. not let us approach the Malakhoff & objected to our officers looking through their glasses. But they worked at the embrasures of the fort & cleared them out & got the guns mounted during the truce.

Sunday. June 10.

Today the attack on the fort of Anapa was to take place. The Russⁿ. ships have been moved out into the bay. They are moving the guns from Fort Paul but whether to use against us here or to take across the bay no one knows. The French were to have their battery in the Mamelon armed tonight, but I doubt it. They say they lose 300 men a day there. Pennefather says he lost 60 men of his division last night in the Quarries & trenches. The Fr. consider that when the battery in the Mamélon is complete the town will be in fact invested as their communicat^ns. will be obstructed across the harbour.

There have been a number of boxes of powder found in front of the Redan which are made to explode by placing the foot on a tin tack which communicates with a glass tube inside full of nitric acid (!) the glass tube becomes broken by the pressure lets out the acid & the powder is exploded.

There was another consultation today. L^d. Burghersh who is always sanguine was telling Somerset that in a week he w^d. have to go to England with despatches. General Niel is all for going on but Pelissier will not. He is obstinate. The French say their artillery general is only fit to dance waltzes & are very angry at the delay in getting the battery open in the Mamélon. The Fr. have lent or rather returned us 1000 shells of the number we lent them.

There is a strong wind blowing from Sebastopol but the sound of the guns is very loud.

The flies in the houses are a great nuisance at night they cluster in swarms every where & give out a curious buzz & murmur every time there is a loud explosion which jars the air. This evening we had apparently silenced all but 3 guns in the Malakhoff one in Garden Batt^y. one in E flank of Redan two behind the Redan & some behind the Tower. But the Russ^ns are evidently short of shells & powder. I cannot help thinking the ships are brought out ready for sinking if the assault sh^d. succeed. Those alongside the Arsenal may be intended as a retreat & refuge for the Garrison. It was reported that they were debarking guns for the Malakhoff but I think that is a mistake. The Sardinⁿ. [illegible] & the Fr. Cavalry made a reconnaissance to Baidar to have another look at the 5 Cossacks!

Monday. June 11^th.

The Russians opened a heavy fire on the French left attack about 10.30 PM last night and there was a general musquetry fire for a short time. The French got out some field guns & poured grape into them at a short range, but the guards of the trenches remained under cover & the Russ^ns soon retired, but must have suffered severely. The night was very quiet along the rest of the line. The French say that the White redoubt is the best constructed piece of work ever seen. There are bomb proof casemates made of heavy timber from the ships, gabions fascines & sand bags. But the very completeness of the work was the cause of its easy capture for the defenders were all quietly eating their supper inside with only a few sharpshooters in the pits outside when the Fr. column came on. They ran in with the tirailleurs at the gorge and took prisoner all the garrison who were not killed at the first rush.

The quarries are now well connected but we lost 40 men in the 24 hours.

They must have a good many men in the Mamelon still. This afternoon the Fr. Are reported to have five guns placed in the Mamélon.

There is some hitch on the Railway about getting up the guns & Dacres has been to me to complain of Beatty —

This afternoon came news of the capture of Anapa that the Russians had abandoned it & embarked carried off their troops. Two of our regts are already off the harbour on their return. The Circassians are said to have been placed in possession.

Gen^l. Eyre was close to Pelissier when the Fr. troops were repulsed from the Mamelon. He says he never changed countenance but very quietly ordered up the reserve to retake it.

These repeated bits of good news must have a great effect both in Europe & Asia.

The intended attack on the Mamélon was known in Sebastopol at 5 PM but although preparations were made in the interior of the Town they had not time to communicate with the outworks. The informant s^d. the truth of his story c^d. be known by their seeing a great number of persons coming down to look on.

Tuesday. June 12.

Burghersh told me that the destruction of Anapa by the Russians was found out by M^r Hughes who has been employed among the Circassians he was coming in a boat to Kertsch, when passing Anapa he saw it was deserted and on communicating with the Circassians he found that they had taken possession of the town after the Russ^ns had set it on fire & were plundering it. Our vessels had seen long strings of Arabas going in & out, but they thought they were engaged in provisioning the place for a siege. Two ships have gone there to destroy the fortifications. Adm^l. Lyons who appears to have wasted time sadly in appearing before Anapa, has stopped, as he says only for a few hours to bring away the guns at Theodosia.

We got two mortars into the advanced battery of rt. attack last night. The Russ^ns. are still hard at work at their batteries. Sir C. Campbell visited the redoubt on Fr. right & he says that the officer there told him that but for the surprise they c^d. not have got in as their advance ran in across two planks over the ditch that being once in on the parapet they were able to look down on the defenders No one attempted to defend himself except the Gunners who ran to their pieces & were bayoneted. The Fr. suffered much loss by advancing to the third redoubt at the end of the Sapoune ridge when they were fired at by two batteries of horse artillery which came out in the rear of the Malakhoff. The French then abandoned it & in the night the Russ^ns. came & apparently drew the guns off & threw them into the sea.

Their total loss has been variously stated but it seems to be above 3000.

The Fr. battery in the Mamélon is progressing rapidly.

Rode with Gen^l. Simpson.

Called at camp of V. Battery to see M^r Cockerill & give him the charge &c.

A powder box blew up in front of the Quarries in a place in which our men had been constantly walking for two days, at last someone put his foot on it & it exploded killing 7 & wounding 3 dangerously. Our men consider it as an unmanly warfare. The town is reported to be full of these powder boxes, the position of which is marked out by little flags while the enemy is there. We have dug 30 or 40 out of the ground of our trenches in the Quarries.

Wednesday June 13^th.

There was some firing for a few minutes on the French last night but nothing of any consequence. A despatch has been received which states that Michel Gortschakoff has written to the Emperor of Russia, “that food is scarce in Sebastopol that they have 50,000 sick & wounded, that the men wd. prefer to go out of the town & be killed to remain in it & live.” He is evidently asking permission to withdraw. The disease appears to be typhus.

A deserter or prisoner told us that nearly all the marine artillery are dead and that they have to rely on the field artillery for their gunners. The French are to have four batteries in the mamelon, 62 guns, they have already 11 mortars & several guns there.

There has been a conference this evening and there is to be another tomorrow morning to decide on the course of operations. The question seems to be whether there is to be a general attack on the town or a partial one on the Malakhoff & Redan.

Sunday June 17.

Got up at 1.30 and called Marsh & Kirkland & Blane & before 3 we were in front of Cathcart’s hill, it was a very warm & close morning calm but clear. When daylight came the coast far to the North c^d. be seen — The two camps & the ships both inside the harbour & off Kamiesch. One of the gun boats came in fired a shell & sheered off but otherwise there were no signs of hostilities.

At a quarter to 4 a gun from the French extreme left near the sea was fired and soon after a gun from the new Fr. Batt. in the Mamélon which threw a shell into the Malakoff then gun after gun in the different batteries took it on this side of Dockyard harbour, each jet of smoke arose separately & well defined for a short time, marking the position of the battery to which it belonged. Then the Fr. Batt. of Left attack fired, the smoke gradually swept down to seaward with the lightest possible air, the different volumes of smoke collected & formed a dense curtain dragging itself lazily along the ground & shutting out the town from view. The contrast between peace with the larks singing and the cocks crowing & the tranquil looking sea & land as day broke & the crash and roar of this unequalled bombardment half an hour after was striking & not easily to be forgotten.

Rode across to Bosquet’s observatory to see what the Turks & Sardinians were doing.

The Sardinians went out to the left, in front of Tchorgoun & found only a few squadrons of cavalry before them with a couple of guns which after firing a few random shot retired across the hills.

The Turks formed 3 batt^s. & 2 squadrons which after some skirmishing also retired & the Turks piled arms & camped sending out their men unarmed for water, in front of their advanced pickets although the Cossacks were peering [?] about.

The officers are busy writing orders for tomorrow.

The bombardment is going on in the usual way, a certain amount of damage done to the enemy’s works & their guns gradually silenced. The garden battery however even at sunset kept on five guns on our trenches at the Quarries in front of the Redan.

Dined with Neville & Keith , DeBathe, Astley, Hepburn & Gordon — Caulfield came in in the evening. He evidently had a presentiment he s^d. he felt sure he sh^d. be hit hard as his party had an awful bad place to go at in the Cemeteries at Picket Dock Yard Ravine¹⁷. He s^d. his reg^t had to parade at 1 AM & that he w^d. not lose 3 hours of his life by going to bed. Neville too seemed rather to expect a misfortune to himself.

Monday. June 18^th.

Started at 2 AM with Lord Raglans staff to the front. They went down to the 3^rd. parallel of rt. attack and I went to the front of the Light 3^rd. Divⁿ. picking up Chetwode on my way who had lost the escort. The morning was exceedingly close & sultry and the smoke hung very heavily near the ground. During the night there had been firing from the mortars which obscured the view a good deal. At 3.10 the musquetry began in front of Malakoff and speedily became a great battle.

At 3.16 a rocket was fired from the Victoria Redoubt perpendicularly with many falling stars. Two more being fired from parallel in front of Mamélon.

This heavy fire lasted with occasional alternations of greater & less intensity till nearly 5. At one time through the smoke I fancied I saw the French struggling vehemently to get over the parapet. Numbers of the Eng^rs being seen thus exposed encouraging their men When the firing ceased, one of the two three deckers in the harbour fired some broadsides, with what effect I c^d. not tell.

At 5.30 the guns of the French left attack opened, which was but very slightly answered by the Russians whose fire was almost entirely directed upon us.

The smoke had become so thick that nothing c^d. be seen in front of the Redan & very seldom for more than a minute at a time any thing in the Malakhoff. I saw what I took to be Fr. soldiers climbing over the parapet & numbers of Russian soldiers standing in clusters on the parapets firing down upon the French below. The Russ^ns. hoisted a long blue pennant on a high pole on our left of Malakoff in one of the newer parts of the rear of the work. The Fr. artillery wagons came down at a great pace & went back unhurt.

5.45. The French have evidently been repulsed unless they have made a lodgment in the suburb of Karabelnaia.

A Russian ship or floating battery has been firing broadsides & keeping up a tremendous fire on the Batteries blanches.

6.15. French batts. began again in rear of Malakoff it has not lasted very long.

A Russian three decker has been firing broadsides on the French

French batterie blanche nearest to Malakhoff firing again. Heavy fire from Barrack battery.

8. Dr. Hall reports death of Sir J. Campbell & repulse of our men from Redan & that our troops in left attack in Dockyard ravine¹⁸ have taken houses below Redan.

Attack subsided on Malakoff & redan & only cannonade kept up. When our batteries opened on Redan the place was lined with men. There are constant vollies of musquetry followed by dropping shots from the dockyard ravine & men seen in the trenches under the Garden batteries firing. The Garden batteries firing exclusively on Gen Eyre’s men in Dockyard creek¹⁸.

A sergeant who came up reports that the attack was to be renewed by French & us, but after waiting a long while saw the troops begin to defile to the rear & come to camp.

The new Cacolets were used & performed admirably.

Heard of death of Sir J. Campbell, Col Yea & Col Shadforth 57th. Col Cobbe wounded Lord Ward wounded. Poor Caulfield who sat by me last night & told me he felt he sh^d. be hit hard has been shot through the thigh — while I was at Keith’s hut his servant came in to ask for a bottle of Champagne for his master who he s^d. was sinking rapidly & was asking for champagne. His thigh had been amputated high up.

Lord R. went to No. 9 Battery the most exposed place in the 3^rd. parallel & remained there peeping out of a hole made by a shot in the parapet just in front of the storm of grape fired from the Redan at our storming party.

The French say that they twice had possession of the Malakoff but had no supports & were driven out. They estimate their loss at 5000 — Peel led the party of sailors who carried the scaling ladders, the engineer who had to conduct one party of them lost his way or did not know the right place & they say they found no soldiers near them when they had got up with the ladders, the other party led by Graham of the Engineers were taken to the right place & put several ladders agst. the parapet but also found themselves without soldiers. Out of 120 — 64 were killed & wounded & 7 officers. Peel was wounded & came with his coat & shirt torn, head up & a little excited to Lord R. & said “Well my Lord we’ve failed but I’ve done my best.” He is a noble chivalrous fellow.

Our attack was made when it was supposed that the French had taken the Malakoff & having failed was not renewed because the Fr. did not attack again when repulsed.

While some of us were sitting outside Lord R.’s door in the afternoon a private soldier of 89^th. came up & being asked by Steele what he wanted s^d. “to see Lord Raglan.” What for? — Well Sir I’m sent by my comrades to say that we want to be allowed to go & take the Redan or the Round Tower tomorrow morn^g. at half past three, we only want one regt. to support, we don’t care which. The poor fellow while speaking was nearly overcome by his emotion, his hands working, while standing at attention. Steele went in to see Lord R. & Airey came out & asked him “what’s your story my man” — Our regt. Sir wants to go & take the Redan or the Malakoff at half past three tomorrow, and to have one more regt. to support us. We’re sure we can take either of them, and as things went a little backward today, we wanted to tell Lord R. that every man in the reg^t. wants to go at the place & they’ve sent me to tell him. Airey s^d. How long have you been a soldier “Half past three if you please Sir” So full was his head of his errand that he did not until asked a second time comprehend the question. He then s^d. ten years. Airey s^d. You know my man these things are done by arrangement but tell y^r comrades that Lord R. is very much gratified by this offer and when the thing has to be done again he will remember their noble offer & feel sure they will do their duty.

While Steele was absent the poor fellow was so much excited that he c^d. hardly suppress his sobs & walked on one side. Vico called to him “Soldier Tell to your comrades that the French officer makes his compliments to them.”

Comte de Revel s^d. The sang froid of Gen^l. Jones was very remarkable he was making a report to Lord R. when he was struck on the forehead by a bit of grape, he quietly put aside those who wanted to come to his assistance & went on with his report to Lord R. at the word he had left off at.

Our men were very savage at not being allowed to go in again — They s^d. there’s plenty of them to go in & take the place.

Tuesday June 19.

Last night M^cMurdo sent report to me to say that the navvies had been quarrelling with their officers & the Railway drivers had struck work & that if they did not resume work “he sh^d. be stumped” & asked me to be down there this morning at 7. So I rode down to his camp on the Highlanders hill & we went into Balaclava, where the men were to meet their officers. M^r. Beatty has been gone ten days, M^r. Curtam [?] who is sick in a hut on the hill lacks energy M^r. Parker the next cannot manage them at all & Mac says he can get no work done. I had a curious task we moved to the Railway station & asked what their complaints were — Several very cantankerous fellows opened upon me with a string of grievances —After a while I got them to hear me & I answered their complaints one after another, some unjust which I got them to abandon, others fair which I promised to get set right by Lord Raglan and me as the officers refused what I thought just from fear of responsibility I took upon myself the responsibility & the officers promised to carry out.

I promised the men to see them again & they all agreed to go to work. After breakfast came back & saw L^d. Raglan he approved what I had done & directed me to draw up a memorandum for him to sign. I drew up one for Filder and one to clear Mc of the responsibility I had undertaken both of which he signed.

Wrote Mem. for Adj^t. Gen^l. of a case of Desertion at Halifax in 1848 L^d. Bate Rif. Brig. Man found here in disguise.

Case for Gen Simpson about some suttlers in Bazaar who threaten Col. Harding with actions for shutting up their shop

Wrote opinion for Col. Shewell 8 Hussars on Rg^l. C^t. M^l.

Long enquiry into case of spies, Greeks & Armenians conducted through an interpreter & Calvert.

Wrote to Charles about Mortge [?] of Governs [?] for 12,000, got Bank transfers signed by Kirkland & Lindsay & Gen Simpson & sent them off

Sent Gen C^t. M^l. to J.A.G. case of Ass^t. Surgeon Cockerill Ord. Med. Dep^t.

Dined with Lord Raglan. He s^d. that Pelissier changed the hour of attack after all was arranged against his own conviction at the instance of the Gen^ls. of Divisⁿ. That Moran [sic. meaning ‘Mayran’] began 20 min. before the time mistaking a rocket for the signal — That Gen^l. Brunet did not advance knowing it was an error & D’Autemarre did not advance until his signal was made when it was too late. Polignac says that two regts got into the Malakoff & the flag of one reg^t. was flying for 20 mins. & was riddled with balls.

One battⁿ. which went in 750 strong brought out only 60 men voltigeurs, another only one officer & some 35 men.

Pelissier had agreed to make a second attack, but countermanded it & sent to say that all his monde was killed & hors de combat.

If their supports had come up they must have succeeded.

Col. Dickson R.A. says that nearly all the men who went as spiking party were killed & wounded — But the men who remain unhurt & their two officers have already put in their claim to go again they say they have a right before any body else. Col. Cole 17^th. says that after their repulse on the Redan, some one s^d. that one of their Capt^ns. was left out wounded. 5 men instantly volunteered to go out & bring him in, & in the face of the terrific storm of grape they went coolly out over the parapet of the trench found him & brought him in & all escaped unhurt. He called them out when the Reg^t. paraded & spoke to them & to two of them he gave medals for distinguished service in the field.

Lord R. said “I quoted two proverbs to Pelissier one French & one English ‘Reculer pour mieux sauter’ and ‘Delays are dangerous’ Retards sont dangereux” — It appears that the French are to sap up to the Malakoff & we to the Redan —

Gen Eyre had lost at 10 today when Burghersh returned to Lord R to report — 83 officers & 600 men. He retired his men with all the wounded after dark last night. We do not hold the cemetery but by our heavy musquetry fire prevent the enemy from holding it.

Genl. Brunet was an officer who had a dislike to the English & during the truce in front of the Malakoff & Mamelon abused us to the Russians. [blank space] who was near was told of this & Gen Brunet received a lecture from Pelissier

The Second Corps Bosquet’s is not well affected to the English beginning with Bosquet himself —

Lord Raglan speaking to me of the fire from the Redan when he was in N^o.9. said “We never used to treat grape with any respect before this” —

The fire was so incessant into the place where he was that they made him move He s^d. there was a hole in the parapet made by a shot & he found it impossible to keep looking over with his lorgnettes. Young Jervoise stood up while the rest of the staff were sitting down & quietly told what was going on.

There was a flag of truce, but no one could get leave to enter the trenches — The only people who got in except those on duty were people who had got down out of sight before the line of sentries was formed. The bodies had turned quite black & were scorched so as not to be distinguishable

Gen^l. Sir J. Campbell was buried this afternoon the mail was going out & L^d Rs despatches not finished & he c^d. not go —

Sir John was found close to the abattis, the enemy had taken his cap & boots, Yea was found. There was an officer also lying near the abattis.

Prince Edward of Saxe Weimar is staying with Lord Raglan. After dinner all the party turned out & had tea in front of the door.

Capt. Drummond says that during the attack on the Malakoff the boats of the harbour were all full of soldiers escaping to the North side — that after eleven the tide set the other way & the top of fort Constan^ne. became crowded with soldiers, the guns manned & soldiers peeping out of the embrasures.

Thursday the 21^st. June.

Conference again. I fear it is decided to send for more guns from England and that we are in for another winter in the Crimea, and then months at least more of open trenches. Pelissier, Omar Pasha & Della Marmora were here.

Wrote to L^d. Raglan a letter on legal position of the Army Works Corps coming out.

Col. Warre 57^th. called. After Gen Sir J. Campbell was killed & Col Shadforth of 57 he had the command of the left attack. He says he c^d. not get more than 250 men of the 300 to go out of the trenches of these 105 were killed & wounded. He says his officers even the boys only three days out from England, kept their senses & did as they were ordered.

But he says there was a terrible want of arrangement. It took him two hours to march his party to the advanced trench they were constantly halted by the ladder party being in their way or the men with wool bags and the party relieved returning.

Long before any one was ready or the ladders were to be found, Sir J. Campbell thought the French were in possession of the Malakoff & ordered the advance. Warre had seen the Imperial Guard repulsed & getting under cover from a terrible fire & went to him & s^d. it is a mistake I can see the French column retiring. But Sir J was too much excited to listen, jumped on the parapet & s^d. “Who’ll be first in the Redan,” ran out was wounded went out to within 20 yds of the Abattis when he fell dead. Shadforth was killed within a few yards of our trench & Warre was in command. He says he stood for a minute or two & got the men out & reached the abattis and the Russians ran from the parapet but the grape continued his men fell no one came on & he was forced to return, he c^d. have taken the flanking battery but saw a body of Russians below which he thought was sent to outflank him, though they were in fact retreating from Gen Eyre’s attack below, and being but few he felt he c^d. not hold the battery if he took it. Lord West who commanded the 21. tried hard to get his men out but they w^d. not go. Warre says the fire from the guns was so badly sustained at last that the Russians were seen cramming stones into their guns, chains & nails & that they were so badly rammed home that they did not reach the trench but fell dead on the ground and he is certain that if the attack had been supported it must have succeeded. He thinks also the Redan might have been taken by an attack to the left where only 2. guns c^d. have borne on them. He says only 50 of the 100 men who volunteered to carry wool bags came to the advanced trench and only one wool bag was thrown into the ditch.

When the Black Sea fog was seen hovering over Balaclava last night making our clothes damp, D^r. Hall said, now we shall have a return of the Cholera.

Estcourt is ill with it. Gen Brown is ill Gen Codrington is gone on board ship, Gen Pennefather is going home. Vico is ill Burghersh is ill. Pakenham fell ill this morning after his ride.

Thursday June 28^th.

After dinner here 3.30 PM at Head Q^rs. Lord Raglan was suddenly taken much worse than he had been, He had felt much better in the morning & great hopes were entertained of his recovery. A telegraphic message was sent for Lord Burghersh in case he sh^d. be with L^d. G. Paget

The prince rode full speed to the Monastery & Curzon to the 4^th. Divⁿ. Somerset & Burghersh & Ed^d. Somerset all came & were admitted to see him. Rev^d. M^r. Wright was sent for to administer the Sacrament but he was no longer conscious or if so, had not physical power to receive it & he read the Commendatory prayer & he died with a calm smile on his countenance. Poor Steele was overwhelmed with grief and no wonder for he was a father to him He died at 8.15 PM as near as possible.

Augt. 16th.

Last night a despatch was sent from both French and Sardinians that they were expecting an attack in the morning. At sunrise this morning the Russians were seen advancing against the Sardinian position North of Tchernaia they held it for some time until the artillery of the enemy became too much for them when they retired across the river to their main position

Their batteries have been strengthened by some 18 pounder guns of ours which were of great value in the contest -

The Russian tirailleurs descended the slopes and exchanged fire with the Sardis - The Sardinians abandoned an isolated conical hill on which they had a small redoubt but never gave way on their principal line - The tide of battle gradually turned from there to the plain in front of the bridge & brow of Traktir. The Russians brought a great number of guns on the hills above the tete du pont which they held in the winter from which they fired into the French position - Their guns advanced in great numbers along the Mackenzie road towards the bridge and westward along the course of the Tchernaia, i.e. down stream. Their guns were backed by huge masses of infantry in the plain on the ridges above and in the valley of the Chuliou, above Tchorgoun

Large bodies of cavalry supported their troops and were ready to take advantage of any success. In the plain alone the Russians brought into action about 40 pieces

By 6.30 the firing was heavy from Sardins, on brown hill from French ridge W. of Tchorgoun & from Russn. batts. opposite —

At 7.15. There was a steady fusillade near the village of Tchorgoun and outposts of French appeared to be attacked.

At 7.30. Balls & shells from Russian batteries which had approached the stream of the Tchernaia fell fast on the French ridge — The French battery nearest to Bosquets observatory on the ridge below opened fire— The Rgts. c^d. be seen behind French ridge began to ascend. A Russian caisson explodes.

At 7.45. The Russian guns are everywhere attempting to cross the Tchernaia, in face of a heavy fire. The Russian infantry supports the guns. The French in the Aqueduct keep up a good fire on the Russ^ns. Two French caissons explode. The Russian tirailleurs ascend the ridge in front of Tchorgoun in retreat fired upon by the Sardinians. The report of the 18 pounders may be distinctly heard —

The Russian guns made a very determined attempt to cross the river, one got in & was extricated with great difficulty & I think the fear of losing some, spoilt their attempt. They remained firing between the trees & bushes & lost a good many horses there. Some of the infantry crossed but advanced very little way beyond the guns. A battalion of Russ. infantry came very far down the stream looking for a place to cross they were in no order were fired upon by the French tirailleurs in the aqueduct and fell back in disorder towards the slopes of the Gringalet battery.

A heavy mass of infantry & cavalry was formed in columns along the Mackenzie road back to where the road turns to ascend the plateau—

The ridge which runs back from Tchernaia was also covered with troops of all arms.

8. The Russians were retreating on all points — The artillery retired from the river & formed in front of a low range of hills N. of Tchernaia, protected by line of lancers. Their guns also formed line E of Mackenzie road protecting line of infantry retreat.

By 8.25. The firing in front of Tchorgoun had altogether ceased the fighting in front of the bridge was over and a Russian battalion of infantry which had been left behind in the bed of the Tchernaia had to run a la [illegible] across the plain towards the slopes of the Gringalet battery pursued by shot & shell from the French batteries.

By 8.35. All firing had ceased — Red flag struck — During the whole of the action the Russian heavy guns on the Mackenzie heights fired shot & shell on the French drawn up in order of battle.

Our cavalry & reserve artillery were drawn up on the Turkish redoubts, but did not come into action they had been placed under Della Marmora’s orders.

Rode to Sir C. Campbell & had breakfast.

Found Col. Ross of 93^rd. had just reported to him that 30,000 Russⁿ. infantry were in column of attack & c^d. be in Balaclava in two hours! The Highlanders were in the trenches —

Rode home & found mail had arrived, with letter from Mulgrave say^g that it was not the intention of Gov^t. to put Sir C.C. in command in case of Gen Simpson going home.

In afternoon rode with Steele to Traktir bridge where the recent fighting had been. The Russians had brought wooden platform bridges to cross the aqueduct. They had driven the French outposts across the bridge and then had mounted the ridge on either side, their dead were lying on the crest of the ridges on both sides.

Here the 2^nd. Zouaves had been surrounded by Russ^ns. and while cutting their way back had been rescued by a bayonet charge of the 62^nd. line. The wounded were lying thickly strewed along the whole face of the ridge, in great numbers along the course of the aqueduct & in the river. Here some 300 prisoners were taken unwounded & I met them going up under an escort of cavalry. The French cacolets were bringing in wounded Russians. Many of them had just come from a 3 months march from Warsaw & looked thin & pale & worn. They had all four days black bread with them. The Russians fired some shots at the bridge while this was going on but I suppose seeing that their own men were being carried off they ceased. They very nearly killed D^r. Hall and one of their shot struck a wounded Russian & cut him in two.

The Artillery of the Imperial Guard began to arrive and strong reinforcements.

Pelissier had at one time intended to pursue the Russians who were jammed up in the gorge at N. end of valley.

A Russian officer who was prisoner, asked whether any attack had been made from the town they had been told that 40,000 men w^d. make a sortie at the same time.

Della Marmora has had an A.D.C. wounded. Some Turkish battalions were sent down as a reinforcement after the battle, and a number of the Imperial Guard.

I told Gen Airey that the French had asked why our cacolets did not assist and he ordered 50 to go down.

Augt. 17.

At daylight the English batteries opened on the Redan & Malakoff and the Karabelnaia & the Barrack & Garden batteries, the first gun from the Redan was fired in 7 minutes. Our advanced batteries in left attack particularly 7 & 8 met with a heavy fire from Garden batteries.

The Russians threw shells & shot over our heads into camp

At 4.25.
The Careening Bay batt. opened & Malakoff began firing. Our signal for opening was three shells from Greenhill —

At 5 min to 6.
The Mamelon began to fire & it was returned by Malakoff directly —

The fire continued heavily all day at 4 PM when I went up by Maison d’Eau the Redan & Malakoff did not return a shot in a quarter of an hour.

The garden batteries & Karabelnaia fired at intervals.

The French fired a few guns from the left attack and the mortars in rear of the Mamelon —

At 6 PM an explosion took place in rear of the Mamelon followed by the bursting from 40, or 50 shells.

A General Wredo was found dead on the field of battle with the plan of attack & Gortschakoff’s orders, & the numbers of the 10 columns —

They were to have marched straight on Balaclava and a sortie was to have been made at Careening bay, the Central Bastion & Quarantine, none upon us apparently.

One of the prisoners asked how many guns we had in the battle & being told 150 said we heard you had only 56, & Martimpré said, that was exactly the number we had horsed.

Aug^t. 18^th.

Had a General C^t. M^l. on Soldier of 12^th. Lancers for deserting with intent to go over to enemy.

The firing continued all night. This morning I hear that we have lost a good many men & officers artillery, & navy & many casualties in 2^nd. Divis.

This afternoon it was stated that the Russ^ns. were in great numbers in Karabelnaia, if so their loss must have been heavy as our shells were falling all over the Russⁿ. position. The Redan & Malakoff proper were silent, but on proper left of Malakoff & Little Redan they kept up fire on Mamelon [three illegible words] great vivacity. In the Evening a French 11 gun battery rt. of left attack opened on Barrack battery.

At 10 PM a sortie apparently took place as there was heavy musquetry fire for 20 minutes, and a storm of shells from French & us.

Aug^t. 22^nd.

The Russians are working very hard at their bridge from North side to Fort Nicholas - Opinions seem divided as to whether it is intended to facilitate an attack, the defence only or to provide an escape in case of a reverse.

Dined with Gen^l. Eyre & met Duke of Newcastle, & Keppel &c. Keppel thinks the bridge a mistake and that it can only be made for some temporary purpose as the first westerly gale will break it up. It is made of rafts of timber joined on one to the other and he thinks kept in their places by the chains which reach across the harbour buoyed up by spars.

The Duke told us that during the sitting of Parl^t. when he was minister he used to get home to his dinner at 11 PM, sometimes so knocked up that he c^d. not write to Her Majesty and that he was sure to have a letter from Windsor the next morning. She used to expect to hear all he had said done & written He said no one c^d. have a better mistress to serve, that when he left she wrote him two letters which he sh^d. always preserve. The Queen wrote a letter to Adm^l. Lyons on the death of his son which gratified the Adm^l. very much.

He spoke very highly of Bright, but s^d. that he was not a gentleman and that he was disagreeable in society, that at dinner he w^d. set to and attack some one in a violent way so as to be unpleasant to the company. He says that his style & manner in the house is improving - that at first he was too combative. But that now he is learning his audience, and that Palmerston has had the same lesson to learn - That he used though constantly in office to come down only from 6 to 7, be away at the questioning time and then after dinner come back about 11 and stay till the house rose.

Keppel s^d. he took the Duke to the advanced trenches and a shell burst over them and a bit stuck into a gabion close to him, he asked very quietly whether the fragment c^d. be got out for him & he carried it away hot as it was. The Duke was unlucky enough to go to Eupatoria the very time of the battle of the Tchernaia.

Thursday. Sept^r. 6^th.

Up before daylight. Omar Pasha had come to the conference on being told that the Allies expected positively to be attacked this day. I rode to Cathcarts hill not at all believing that we sh^d. be attacked on the Tchernaia. The enemy’s loss was so great on 16^th. Aug^t. and the place is now so strong that he will not venture again to attack there. I waited till sunrise when the French left attack opened in magnificent order from left to right, every gun was seen as it fired and the place where every shot fell in the Russian works, and for a long time the wind blew so exactly along the line of trenches that the batteries of the different parallels and the guns in them could be plainly distinguished. The Russian guns in Bastions du Mat & Centrale opened almost immediately & a heavy mortar battery in rear of Bⁿ. du Mât and the firing was general & very heavy. It ceased nearly about 5.15 but was again resumed. Towards evening the Russⁿ. guns on upper & lower Garden battery fired on our advanced batt^y. of left attack. We did not fire more than has been usual lately. While I was sitting near French observatoire, the Russ^ns. fired up one shell fell quite close, burst & threw me a piece of a pound or more near to my feet. The embrasures of Bⁿ. du Mât nearly destroyed. Only two guns in Western Angle firing towards evening — Bⁿ. Central still active.

About 8.30. a frigate in harbour caught fire & burned till nearly midnight. It was very bright light, no explosion took place. Airey says that Omar Pasha was very angry & went back to Constan^le. in spite of the supposed nearness of a general engagement! His enemies will remind him that he has never yet taken an active part in a General action & that he sh^d. not have run away now. He wants to withdraw his men to Asia. He was reminded that last year the snow fell on 5^th. Sept. — but he s^d that between the falls of snow the weather was fit for campaigning.

Saturday. Sept^r. 8^th.

This was the day fixed for the assault on the Malakoff, Redan & Central Bastion, and yesterday 12. noon was settled to be the hour. It was a very stormy morning following a night of blowing weather from N.West. The fleet was to have helped on left attack but so much sea was running that they could not be made of any use.

We & the French were getting so low in ammunition that the day could not be postponed and the firing had begun three days ago. After the bombardment began a supply of 20,000 shells arrived, and the Tenrith [? ship not identified] was known to be on her way out.

The line had been so much kept in our front that this morning at 10 fewer spectators than usual were visible at all the lookout places — This might have been accounted for by the Russians by the disagreeable nature of the day. It was a wintry searching wind bringing clouds of dust in one’s face. The waves washing over Russian bridge in the harbour — men & carts passing —There was a regular fire kept up from French left attack and from our batteries, but French right attack was silent.

At 11.55. The French mortars in Mamelon opened and their advanced trenches were seen to be rapidly filling with men — The fire which had been burning in the town since morning, did not seem to increase or spread much, but gave up a good cloud of smoke. The Russians in the early morning had vainly endeavoured to put it out.

The Redan fired very few shells since 10 AM — now & then a shot at Mamelon or our 8 gun battery.

Not much movement across the bridge and no sign of unusual alarm in the town or on the North side, working parties & carts going in & out of the town.

At 12.15. The action commenced by the French whose sap was close to the salient of Malakhoff running in without firing a shot, it was admirably done, at the curtain & little Redan the Musquetry fire began instantly and down to the end of the Russian line on the Careening Bay.

The rush of the French into the Malakhoff was evidently a surprise and no defence was made —

At 12.35. The sound of the musquetry was very heavy and smoke very dense, the Russian reserves opposite the French evidently coming into action.

The Redan began firing from its left flank

12.42. The Russians in the Redan firing over the parapet and many of them exposing themselves to almost certain death by standing on the top of the parapet, firing, numbers were seen to fall but their places were immediately taken by others Our guns still firing into the Redan.

The French have run down & occupy the flank of the Malakhoff & are firing musquetry towards the Redan —

The sound of musquetry at Malakoff & little Redan ceasing.

1.P.M. The Guards Divⁿ. formed in front of our look out place, a round shot bowling through the ranks now & then and knocking over an unwary man or so.

The fire at the Malakhoff has again become very heavy

The guns on French left attack still firing.

The Russians still firing over parapet of the Redan.

1.30. Very strong battle going on in rear of Malakoff

French still pressing in a large party at work at the salient, & head of their Sap.

The Redan firing shells very vigorously but very much at random.

The Parapet still lined with Russians but our attack has evidently succeeded as the parapet of the Salient of the Redan is covered with Red Coats.

1.50. A severe fight is evidently going on inside the Redan.

2.3. The Russians on the top of the parapet of the Redan are throwing stones at our men who are repulsed from the Salient — They had clustered thick on this side of the ditch and on the parapet, but them seemed to stand unable to advance. The russians firing musquetry at them from the whole length of the parapet on either flank — They run back to trenches.

2.30. Long strings of wounded seen coming up in rear of Gordons battery & by Woronzov road, walking & on stretchers.

2.42. Small explosion in Malakhoff, no noise

French left attack silent

3.16. Explosion in front of Mamelon

3.43. Russian steamer came up to Sapoune ridge moving slowly & firing at French.

French batteries of left attack open.

4.5. Guns open at last from 21 gun battery on the Redan

4.10. The Steamer in front of St. Paul Fort on fire.

4.30. French fire on left attack ceased again.

4.48. Immense explosion of Gunpowder in or near little Redan

5.30. Firing much fainter.

5.40. Russian soldiers & carts crossing bridge to North side, probably reserves retiring.

Our reserves sent to Camp.

Sunday — September 9^th.

Kelly called me very early to say that there was a very heavy cloud of smoke from Sebastopol. I had heard about ten explosions in the night and guessed what was going on in the town, but was not prepared to find that the Redan had been occupied since 1.30.AM by Sir C. Campbell & the Highlanders. They had sent out parties to look for wounded in the dark and they had not been fired on after 11.30. PM, but it was some time before the officer asked leave to go into the work & see. They found some of our wounded well taken care of by the Russians put in the blindages & water near them.

When I got down to the Redan the dead were still lying on the parapet where they fell — The sight inside was a very remarkable one — English & Russian dead lying side by side, guns overthrown, magazines open & powder in every form lying about, the men were every minute finding wounded prisoners in the holes & corners of the place. Many of the guns on the flanks were quite uninjured I found one loaded & primed & the fuse in it, which I took out —

They had stores as well as barracks in the work and one man had amused himself by making a sort of guitar there were shoemakers & tailors workshops. The work was quite open to the rear — The guns & gunners were singularly well protected both from musquetry & cannon shot. Markham was in command outside & I met General Simpson there & Keppel with whom I went as far as the Salient Brig Gen Straubenzee there joined me. Gen Airey was inside. There was no shelter for the defenders when once an enemy was inside — except the gun traverses thus and no soldiers should have been stopped when once they had gained admission.

Wednesday Sept^r. 12^th.

News came in that all the steamers were burnt except two which were sunk this morning. When Lord Panmure heard of the fall of the place, he telegraphed “Send an officer home with the despatches.” Keppel came up to Head Q^rs. to say that he thought the North side was abandoned and that he wished to be allowed to row across. We rode with Barnard & Duke of Newcastle through the Redan to the Dockyard, the Russians were firing across from one gun in a half burnt & stranded steamer and from a 3 gun battery on a yellow cliff top Eastward of Fort Catherine — The French returned the fire but Keppels guns in front of the Great Barracks on the terrace did not fire.

We rode down to look at the docks, some French officers were there to settle the ground each army was to occupy — We foolishly I think gave up all the habitable part of the Karabelnaia, but kept the Great Barracks & buildings near the dry docks, enough room to lodge our whole army if put in repair — We then went down to the large row of Hospital buildings and saw such a sight as I should think civilized Europe never saw, the whole range of large buildings had been filled with wounded, they had been left by the Russians when they vacated the place & we did not know of their being there till the flag of truce was sent back for 24 hours suspension of arms. When Boutinieff [?] of the Vladimir came over, it was arranged that they sh^d. take away their wounded, but they left a vast number of dead. — These were today all unburied dying as they had died in their agonies some on the beds & others on the floor — hundreds — one vault was full of dead — and dead of most horrible wounds, utterly untended, & undressed, with no food no water no medicine & no attendance Men lying dead with legs shot off just as they were brought in from the fight, all livid and putrid, in every ghastly form & attitude as the death agony had seized them —

Wretches were going round feeling their clothes & pockets for money & plunder of any kind — M^r. Goodall the artist told me that he saw a Zouave the day before quickly seize a horribly wounded man & pull off his boots without the least regard to his screams of pain. And he saw another drunken French soldier fall forward with both hands on to a poor wretch dreadfully mutilated & only able to screech with pain, from the brutal touch of this drunken savage. The blackest page of war was here to be seen. Today no living man had been rescued & sent up to camp. There were no traces of any care having been bestowed, no vessels for water, no signs of a doctors presence except a mass of bloody bandages in a corner. In peace I think these buildings must be store houses. Windham reckoned the dead at from 500 to 600 others at 800 — It was no easy matter to know what to do with them — The French say the small houses in the suburb are full of dead — I proposed that a large vessel lying near the place sh^d. be filled with them the hatches then battened down some air holes cut in the decks & that then under a flag of truce it should be towed some miles to sea & scuttled. This is if possible to be done. But if left to Barnard it certainly will not —

They are talking of destroying the Docks, & the French proposed it sh^d. be done at once “avant que la politique l’en mêle” I strongly recommended that the question sh^d. be left open for a time till we saw what turn things took, we might have to stay here for years & want them. The D. of N. was of this opinion

The creepy way in which we do things is very provoking Fort Paul is said to be one of the places on which Gen Jones is thinking of putting a battery — Four days have gone by — The Russians are certainly clearing out, the tents have diminished in numbers & hardly any troops are to be seen on the North side, a few wagons come down for a load at one or other of the forts or at the pile of bread & go off & a few more are to be seen at some of the batteries, but nothing has been done to hurry them —

The storms have blown over and the afternoon was fine & the sea blue & smooth, yesterday it was green & white & the vessels were pitching heavily to the Westw^d swell.

Immense quantities of naval material is left behind, chains anchors guns spars — There were large stores of cloth but we have allowed the French to pillage the whole — Hundreds of helmets with the double eagle & S^t. George were in another store.

The mail of Monday only arrived this evening.

Thursday. Septr. 13.

Gen Barnard was unable to go with the Duke of N. and myself as there was first a conference of Admirals & others and he had to be present at a conference of Generals at 3. At 12.30. the Duke came and we started to visit the Bastion du Mât — We had some difficulty in getting into it through the French trenches, having to find our way into the palisaded ditch. In this ditch that the defenders might not be taken by surprise were bomb proof lodgments for men. The ditch was very wide but not very deep — In one place, on the proper left flank of Bastⁿ. du Mât, they had made trous de loup of earth & stones, which w^d. have stopped & destroyed the formation of a column — The gabions were burning in several places & some dead still lying about. The ground was covered with bullets shot & broken shell, & disabled guns. There were very large casemated cells, which formed traverses as well — they were capable of holding a large garrison. The works were so thick with gabions & fascines & earth as to be indestructible by shot or shell.

The French were in considerable numbers in the town & the sentries challenged passers by for their permission to be there.

We rode on to the pillared church & then to the governors house which is very handsome with carved or sculptured architrave. Then we went to the loopholed wall, by the Central bastion, to the works over the quarantine side, past a place where there had been a fresh explosion, outside the wall — Then to sea batteries near Fort Alexander which has been partially blown up, to the next fort which is undamaged. Then round the head of the creek, passing on way covered batteries of guns of different sizes to Fort S^t. Nicholas — on a piece of beach W of the Fort were ranged the dead they had found in this part of the town. It was a repetition of the horrid sight of the hospitals of yesterday, but they were more decomposed. Then we went to the monument in the pretty garden in rear of Fort S^t. Nicholas & past the Cathedral where there is a very handsome Bell to the head of the Creek by the Creek battery where the Duke was nearly blown up to the Hospitals to see whether the dead had been buried. The Land Transport wagons had been at work since 4. AM. & had nearly finished. The officers of Windhams staff said they had found 100 more corpses in another cellar, in addition to the 200 they found yesterday most of which were officers & many in shells ready for burial, but in a very advanced stage of decomposition —

The French began firing & the Russians answering from across the water just as we got into the Karabelnaia suburb. Here & near the end of the enemys bridge at S^t. Nicholas was a great number of brass guns & carriages —

The French pitched one shell into the centre of a battalion drawn up under arms, about 150 of the men ran for it, the rest remained very steady

We then rode under the Malakoff & by the Mamelon to camp.

Oct^r. 16^th. Tuesday.

No news arrived of the expedition to Kinborsum — Hot strong wind — There was a fire burning last night bearing about E.N.E. of our camp. The Engineers think it is a considerable distance off at the place where the Russ^ns. had the head quarters of their cavalry & where probably large stores of forage & grain were collected.

This afternoon Steele brought me a despatch of L^d. Panmure’s N^o. [space left] dated [space left] Sep^r. calling on Gen^l. Simpson to answer certain questions as to the failure of our attack on the Redan — He had left it as usual to Steele to answer it and on his saying that he could not well do it as the attack had been conducted wholly contrary to his opinion — Well s^d. Simpson then I must send it to Col Chapman to answer there are a number of engineering questions in it & I dare say he can do it! Steele then offered to do his best — The reports of all the General Officers were sent and a rough sketch of Steele’s answer — Steele said that at the council when all the question of the assault was discussed, Simpson sat at the edge of the table with his head nodding over it asleep! & that he never felt so much ashamed in his life — But that when the subject of having a body of volunteers for this service was ment^d. he refused to allow it. The Marines had volunteered as a storming party as they had had no trench work. They were a magnificent body of soldiers, possessed of great courage & burning to distinguish themselves. But he rejected them on the ground that they did not know the trenches!

Certainly from the reports of the Generals & officers in command no one w^d. gather that a word c^d. be said ag^st. the conduct of the soldiers, until Col Windhams second report, made after the despatch from L^d. Panmure had been sent. It only incidentally appears that he left the Redan & went back to bring supports & that while he was absent the men left or were driven out of the Redan.

I told Steele that I was a bad one to come to, to held [sic, meaning ‘help’] the General in writing such a despatch as I held a very strong opinion ag^st. him on the subject — That the despatch w^d. be called for in the House & every word weighed & judged & that in fact it w^d. form the authentic account of the assault, as viewed by the general & his friends. He said the same reason applied to him, but that he c^d. not leave the General without help & wished me to assist him to say all that c^d. be said in favour of the Generals view of the affair —

Steele says there are about 90,000 of the enemy encamped somewhere on the Belbeck, that out of 14 Divisions of the Russian army 12 are in the Crimea & that except the corps specialists there is very little reserve of old soldiers —

If this is the case & they have their army concentrated there fires must be intended as a blind to tempt the allies to attack the plateau & that they have only left a few men to man the forts & batteries with the same idea.

Defence of Military Law

There must then be regular soldiers; & if there were to be regular soldiers, it must be indispensable, both to their efficiency, and to the security of every other class, that they should be kept under a strict discipline. An ill disciplined army has ever been a more costly and a more licentious militia, impotent against a foreign enemy; and formidable only to the country which it is paid to defend. A strong line of demarcation must therefore be drawn between the soldiers and the rest of the community. For the sake of public freedom, they must in the midst of freedom, be placed under a despotic rule. They must be subject to a sharper penal code, and to a more stringent rule of providence, than an administration by the ordinary tribunals – Some acts which in the citizen are innocent must in the soldier be crimes. Some acts which in the citizen are punished by fine or imprisonment must in the soldier be punished with death. The machinery by which courts of law ascertain the guilt or innocence of an accused citizen is too slow and too intricate to be applied to an accused soldier. For, of all the maladies incident to the body politic, military insubordination is that which requires the most prompt & drastic remedies. If the evil be not stopped as soon as it appears it is certain to spread and it cannot spread far without danger to the very vitals of the commonwealth. For the general safety therefore, a summary jurisdiction of terrible extent must, in camps, be intrusted to such tribunals composed of men of the sword.

Macaulays Hist^y. of England 3^d. Vol.

Jan^y. 19^th. 1856