Crimean texts
Hanover Square, March 5.
Sir, — I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter informing me that the Commander-in-Chief cannot recommend that my conduct should be investigated by a court-martial. Until this day I have been kept uninformed of the letter from Lord Raglan. It appears to have been addressed by his lordship to the Minister of War, when forwarding mine of the 30th of November last. This letter contains entirely new matter, and is replete with new charges reflecting more seriously than before on my professional judgment and character. There is now imputed to me, and for the first time, inattention to and neglect of another order, and, again, a total incapacity to carry out my instructions and to avail myself of the means placed by his lordship at my disposal. Charges so grave, and of a character so exclusively professional, cannot, I submit, be properly disposed of without a military investigation. I find myself therefore compelled to express my anxious wish that the Commander-in-Chief would be induced kindly to reconsider his decision, and consent to my whole conduct on the day of the action at Balaklava, on the 25th of October, 1854, being investigated by a court-martial.