BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH. XXXV 



Oue half of the men in the trenches stand to their arms all night, and all are under an 

 incessant fire." The losses in the trenches were most severe, and proved a constant drain 

 upon the strength of the army. At the same time misgivings were rife as to the competency 

 of many who held responsible appointments. Lord Arthur writes strongly on this point : — 

 " I have no faith in any one out here who at present fills a responsible position. I will relate to 

 you what happened to me the other day. I was Field-officer in command of the covering-party 

 in the night attack and my post on the Quarries. While sitting with some of the Highlanders 

 in a trench, along which we placed 200 men as a guard, to my surprise several shot flew past 

 parallel to the trench we were in, and a straight shell burst at its mouth and sent its pieces past 

 us. It was evident the trench was enfiladed, and I mentioned it to the engineer on duty, who 

 pooh-poohed me. I suggested the propriety of a traverse at the mouth of the trench, but with 

 a similar result. When I came off I reported the fact at head quarters, and the General went 

 down to the place, and decided upon a traverse being thrown up. On the night before last a 

 shot came in at one end, and knocked over thirteen of the Eifles ; one was killed, four have since 

 died, and the remainder were badly hurt. I do not understand how engineering operations can 

 be carried on with success when such a simple remedy as that of a traverse has to be pointed out 

 by a regimental officer. But the curious ignorance and self-presumption of our good people is 

 surprising. I was told by a stafi" officer that these shots were chance shots of the enemy, and not 

 meant for any particular point, though the trench I am speaking of is actually a Eussian trench, 

 which we are reversing, and which, of course, is marked in the Eussian plan of their defensive 

 works, and of which they have the exact bearings." Lord Arthur occasionally relates some deed of 

 " Derring Do" which happened to come under his observation : — "A shell was pitched about three 

 yards from the mouth of our magazine in the quarries ; the magazine was not closed, and there 

 was loose powder in it. One of our sappers put himself in the doorway of the magazine, and 

 coolly waited till the shell exploded, so that if a splinter fiew towards the entrance it should have to 

 pass through his body first, whilst at the same time the flash of the shell was prevented from com- 

 municating with the powder in the magazine." This was regarded, and justly, as an act of genuine 

 heroism, and contrasts strongly with one lauded by Lord P. before the entire army as an act of 

 daring bravery ; and what was it"? Lord P.'s hero had taken prisoner a wounded Russian officer ! 

 In a letter dated July 13th, he mentions that General Barnard had been made chief of 

 the Staff (he gave up the 2nd Division, to which he had just been posted), and that a telegram 

 came almost immediately postponing the appointment, but too late. He never commanded a 

 regiment, and was known principally for his affable demeanour and a certain pomposity 

 of manner. In Hay's opinion the men of most promise were General Codrington and 

 Colonel Dickson in the Artillery. 



