The British Expedition to the CrimeaRussell, William Howard, Sir
History
The British Expedition to the Crimea
Russell, William Howard, Sir
Crimean War, 1853-1856
The Duke of Cambridge arrived in the _Caradoc_ at 3 P.M. on Tuesday, the
6th. Marshal St. Arnaud arrived at Gallipoli on Sunday, the 7th of May.
On May 9th, the Rifle Brigade and 93rd Regiment left Gallipoli for
Scutari. Sir George Brown and staff also departed, leaving the force
encamped under the command of Sir Richard England, with Brigadiers Sir
J. Campbell and Eyre; Major Colborne and Captain Hallewell, Deputy
Assistant Quarter-Master-Generals; Colonel Doyle, Assistant
Adjutant-General; Brigade-Major Hope; Brigade-Major Wood, &c. In a few
days I bade good-bye to Gallipoli, and proceeded to Scutari, where I
remained in quarters for some days, but finally took up my abode at
Messurir Hotel, in Pera, and awaited the course of events.
In a book called "Letters from Head-Quarters," newspaper correspondents
are censured because they had the audacity to ask the commissariat for
tents and rations. Concerning the application to head-quarters, it may
be as well to state that it was made in consequence of directions from
home, for the Government ordered that the accommodation which is seldom
refused to gentlemen who may accompany in any recognized capacity the
course of armies in the field should be afforded to the correspondents
of the London journals. I called on Lord Raglan before he left Scutari,
because I was requested to do so. Whilst waiting till his lordship could
see me, the correspondent of a London morning journal came into the
ante-room, and told me he was on the same errand as myself. "Lord Raglan
being very much engaged," I was asked by one of the officers in waiting
to see Colonel Steele, and on stating the object of my visit to the
military secretary, he assured me that it could not be acceded to,
whereupon I made my bow and withdrew without any further observation. A
few days afterwards I received permission to draw rations from the
commissariat, by order of the Secretary of State.
On a slope rising up from the water's edge, close to Lord Raglan's
quarters, the camp of the brigade of Guards was pitched; a kind of
ravine, about a quarter of a mile wide, divided it from the plateau and
valley at the back of the barracks, in which were pitched the camps of
the other regiments, and of the Light Division. Clumps of tall shady
trees were scattered here and there down towards the water's edge, under
which a horde of sutlers had erected sheds of canvas and plank for the
sale of provisions, spirits, and wines, combined with a more wholesome
traffic in cakes, Turkish sweetmeats, lemonade, and sherbet. The
proprietors were nearly all Smyrniotes or Greeks from Pera, not bearing
the highest character in the world. The regular canteens established
within the lines were kept by a better class of people, under the
_surveillance_ of the military authorities.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account