Crimean texts
[Transcribed by Megan Stevens]
The following correspondence has arisen on the subject of the debate in the House of Lords on the military transport system:-
“Whitehall Club, June 29.
My Lord, — My attention has been called by the Secretary of the late Admiral Boxer to your statement in the House of Lords, as reported in The Times of the 28th inst., — viz. that Lord Raglan, in the Crimean war, had complained that his movements had been hampered by Commissary-General Filder. I shall be obliged by our Lordship stating the grounds for that assertion.
I have the honour to be, your obedient servant,
J.M FILDERThe Right Hon. Viscount Hardinge.”
“Penshurst, July 5.
Sir, — My absence in Paris for the last few days hitherto prevented my replying to your letter of the 29th ult. What I believe I stated in the House of Lords was that I had heard, but with what accuracy I could not say, not having been behind the scenes, that Lord Raglan had been hampered in his operations by Mr. Commissary-General Filder. In support of these remarks, I would observe, that I have it on the very best authority that Lord Raglan was prevented following up his success on the Alma in consequence of a declaration on the part of Mr. Commissary-General Filder that he was unable to provision the troops under such circumstances. My remarks were simply intended to show that a system under which the General commanding in the field was unable to take advantage of a decisive victory was defective, and for which the head of the Commissariat Department was not responsible.
I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
HARDINGE.J.M. Filder, Esq.”
“The Pages, Bexhill-by-the-Sea, July 5.
My Lord, — Thanks for your letter, which narrows the question to the system, and to the system only. With that system — bad, hollow, rotten — I will leave others to deal, and no one is more able to do so than your Lordship; but, as the words used in the House of Lords conveyed an imputation on a man who sacrificed his life in the performance of his duty — a duty which he had unwillingly undertaken, and that entirely at the earnest solicitation of the Government — I will, with your permission, publish this correspondence.
I am, My Lord, your obedient servant,
J.M. FILDER.The Right Hon. Viscount Hardinge.”