The British Expedition to the CrimeaRussell, William Howard, Sir
History
The British Expedition to the Crimea
Russell, William Howard, Sir
Crimean War, 1853-1856
On all the heights around glisten the white tents
of French or English, and here and there the eye rests upon their
serrated lines on the slope of some pleasant valley, or lights on the
encampment of some detached party posted in a recess of the hills. Faint
clouds of dust, through which may be seen the glistening of steel and
dark masses of uniform, blur the landscape here and there, and betray
the march of troops along the sandy roads, which are exactly like those
worn by the tramp of men and horses through Chobham-common, and had
neither fence, boundary-metal, nor drainage.
[Sidenote: WORKS AT BULAIR.]
In a moment the whole scene changes. A violent storm of wind rushes over
the face of the sea and straits, lashing them into fury, and sending the
Turkish boats flying with drooping peaks to the shelter of the
shore--the coast is obscured by masses of black clouds, which burst into
torrents of rain resembling tropical water-spouts. The French men-of-war
in the bay send down top masts, the merchantmen run out cable and let go
another anchor; the rayahs plod across the fields, and crouch in holes
and corners till the storm abates; and the luckless troops on their
march are covered with mud by the action of the rain. In such times as
these canvas is a sorry shelter--the pegs draw from the loose soil, and
let in wind and rain. On Saturday, the 29th of April, tents were blown
down by such a storm in all directions. In the two English camps about
twenty were down at the same time, and exposed the men to all the
drenching rain. Lady Errol, who was living with her husband in the Rifle
Camp, had to crawl from under the dripping canvas in most sorry plight.
Prince Jerome Napoleon arrived on the 30th. The town was shaken by the
Imperial salute of 101 guns from each of the five French line-of-battle
ships. He left the ship for the shore in a storm of wind, under a
similar salute, which frightened the Greeks out of their lives. Next
Sunday, Prince Napoleon, General Canrobert, and the _état major_
reviewed the French troops, and the English General and staff attended
upon the occasion.
Lord Raglan, accompanied by Lord de Ros, Quartermaster-General, and
staff, Mr. Burrell, Dr. Tice, &c., arrived May 2nd, at noon, on board
the _Emeu_. He proceeded to General Brown's quarters, and they had a
long interview. Lord Raglan visited Admiral Bruat on board his
flag-ship, and sailed the same night for the Bosphorus and for Scutari.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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