955 
THE FIELD. 
up for the purpose from Constantinople. Two of these, the 
Minna and Brenda, which only drew three feet water, lauded 
a complete regiment at each trip. The others towed the 
artillery and horses ashore with considerable swiftness. 
The ground on which we landed was a mere marsh. The 
higher locality of Staroe Oukeplenie is soft, tenacious clay, 
into which one sunk, at every step, up to the ancles. How- 
ever eligible for disembarking troops, Ivalamita Bay, as a 
sleeping-place, has not one solitary recommendation ; yet on 
its shores, without a mg to shelter them from a regular 
tempest, some 30,000 English had to pass the night. The 
French soldiers, who cany then' own tents amongst them, 
were pretty well offj so were the Turks. Our poor fellows 
had only their endurance, a blanket, and great-coat, to oppose 
to u tropical storm of about sixteen horn's 1 duration. 
About six o'clock some 100 barrels of ammunition for 
artillery and small arms were kuided, and carefully covered 
over with tarpaulins, and they were the only objects on the 
beach that night which did not get saturated. After that, 
and before it grew quite dark, in case of a night surprise, the 
forces were got into a defensive attitude. The Light Division 
was advanced, out-lying picquets were posted in all directions, 
while the main body drew up iu regiments and divisions, then 
piled arms, and lay down upon the wet ground beside them 
to pass the weary night as they best could. All the rubbish 
that could be found was collected into heaps, and some huge 
fires made, which hissed and struggled with the rain, casting 
a faint dull glare, like the light of a foggy mom. At eight 
o'clock the rain was falling in torrents, while a cold fierce 
wind blew in from the sea, which seemed to penetrate to the 
veiy bone. Many who had no duties to perform, but merely 
landed to see the place, would gladly have returned again on 
shipboard, but that was out of the question, the surf on the 
beach was tremendous. Those who feared drowning at sea 
less than getting wet on shore tried to launch their boats, 
but in vain ; none got six feet from the shore without being 
capsized, and with their crews cast back again high, though 
not dry, upon the beach. Some boats with stores, which 
were trying to disembark, were not only thrown on shore, 
but from the weight iu them completely smashed to pieces. 
Five or six fine large ten and twelve-ton boats were thus 
destroyed, though fortunately no one was drowned. 
The majority of the divisions moved about four miles in- 
land, only the 4th, recently arrived from England, remained 
close to the sea. Each brigade, as it arrived at its appointed 
station, sent out its picquet; and the remainder huddled 
themselves together in their coats and blankets, and so 
sitting, or lying almost, in pools of water, passed the night. 
Sleep was out of the question, for the rain and wind seemed 
to be striving for the mastery. By eleven o'clock the fires 
on the beach were completely extinguished. The regiments 
further inland had none, for there not a vestige of wood is 
to be had. The country, in fact, is a mere marsh ; and, for u 
space of thirty or forty miles, not even a shrub is to be seen. 
What added to the misery of the scene was, that some of 
our poor fellows were attacked in the night with cholera, 
and died upon the bare ground in the course of two or three 
hours. For these unfortunates there was neither shelter, 
warmth, nor even light, so the terrible disease had its own 
way iu a very short time. The knowledge of these latter 
facts added to the gloom of the rest of the men, who, 
numbed and weary, waited in bitter silence, more expressive 
than murmurs, for the break of day. Fortunately, at about 
two o’clock the wind lulled, and at four the weather 
cleared up and became dry and calm. It was not light 
until about five o’clock, and from that till eight was 
perhaps the worst time for all, for we were all saturated, 
and the raw keen morning air was even worse than the 
rain. After that the sun came up hot, and the men — 
leaving their coats, great-coats, and blankets to dry— 
began scouring the country. The village of Fourla, about 
three miles distant from the camp, first attracted their 
attention. Fourla contains about 4000 inhabitants. Iu 
its general features it i3 very like the villages of Turkey, 
with this one essential difference — it is clean. The houses 
are neatly thatched and whitewashed, and the people alto- 
gether have an air of comfort and independence about them 
very, very different from the dejected, sullen, ragged, and 
truly miserable peasantry under the dominion of the Grand 
Seignor. Here all were well, and some even gaily dressed in 
the Turkish and Armenian costume. None wore the turban 
or the fez, but, in its stead, the round black lamb’s-wool cap 
like the Cossacks, and not unlike those wore in Bulgaria. In 
the village was an abundant supply of fowls and cattle, also 
two Cossack soldiers, whom our men took charge of and 
brought iu. These Cossacks had evidently been to the vil- 
lage for the purpose of warning the people to give or sell us 
nothing, for their manner was distant and suspicious, and 
they declined entering into any bargain. However, we were 
in an enemy's country now, and have turned over a new leaf, 
for the inhabitants of Fourla were informed that if they de- 
clined to sell, we would take what was wanted for nothing. 
This announcement instantly aroused them to a sense of 
their own interests, and a quantity of cattle and poultry 
were brought by the commissaries and officers at reasonable 
prices. At the same time, ty prevent the commission of 
outrages, orders were issued not to leave the line, unless iu 
companies and under the charge of officers. No doubt this 
order was hastened by the fact that ten of the French were 
cut off and made prisoners by a party of Cossacks a few hours 
after our allies had landed. 
After leaving Fourla I came down to the beach, distant 
from the village about seven miles. On the way I found 
all our men busily engaged in searching for wood and water, 
which were not to be had, and the want of which began to 
bo severely felt. The very salt beef and biscuit on which 
they are living make the absence of the latter an intoler- 
able evil. Large parties of men have to be dispatched twice 
a day for the purpose of procuring in their canteens a small 
supply of liquid, so foul and brackish that even the horses 
refuse to touch it until compelled by the most severe thirst. 
Fourla is the only place where water, such as I have de- 
scribed, is to be had. The troops nearer the sea receive 
one quart per diem from the ships. Under these circum- 
stances I need hardly say that no one can afford to wash ; 
so that with no toilet, aud sleeping on the muddy ground, 
we are about as dirty a set of invaders as it would be easy 
to see. J 
A moat extraordinary occurrence, which deserves severe 
censure, took place on the Friday. Signal was made from the 
mperor for all ships to send their sick on board the Kan- 
garoo. In the course of the day the last-named ship was 
surrounded by hundreds of boats laden with sick men, and 
the vessel was speedily crowded to suffocation. Before eveu- 
mg she had about 1,500 invalids iu all stages of suffering on 
® Ce “ e “ described us appalling-in fact, too 
frightful for the details to be dwelt upon. When the time 
for sailing arrived the Kangaroo hoisted the signal iu reply 
to orders to proceed, “ It is a dangerous experiment," The 
Emperor then signalled, “ What do you mean i " The reply 
was, “ The ship is unmanageable." All the day she was lying 
with the signal up, “ Send boats to assistance," aud at last 
orders were given to transfer some of her melancholy freight 
to other vessels also proceeding to Constantinople. Many 
deaths occurred on board — many miserable scenes took place, 
but there is, alas ! no use iu describing them. It is clear, 
however, that neither afloat nor on shore is the medical staff 
nearly sufficient. I myself saw men dying on the beach, on 
the line of march, and iu bivouac, without any medical 
assistance ; and this within hail of a fleet of 500 sail, and 
within sight of head-quarters ! Wo want more sur- 
geons, both iu the fleet aud in the army. Often — too often 
— medical aid cannot be had at all; and it frequently comes 
too late. 
THE LANDING PLACE. 
The shore was an extraordinary sceue of bustle and ex- 
citement. Hundreds of launches, pinnaces, aud cutters 
from the men-of-war were coming in every moment laden 
deep with bags of biscuit and beef, or hay, and buckets of 
tresh water. As they came in, sailors with life-belts on 
jumped overboard, and with a hawser, struggled through 
the surf to laud as they beat could. Three-fourths of the 
men near the shore were as naked ns they were born, 
having stripped off all their clothes, aud left them on the 
siuid to dry. Some were bathing iu the sea, others, who 
seemed to like the excitement of the scene and the freedom 
of “undress,” were galloping up and down the shore like 
savages. Many were ill from cold and exposure, mid lay 
about with a quiet listless indifference, pitiable to behold. 
A large crowd was gathered round the great water tub, 
clumouring fiercely for a di ink, while others wandered up 
and down, eagerly searching among the stones and sand for 
sufficient rubbish of any sort with which to make a file. 
Every now and then men would arrive from other divisions 
farther inland, with alarming accounts of the approach 
of Russians, or their defeat and capture, aud such nows 
would for a time absorb all interest, aud lead to discussion 
regarding the length of time necessary to take Sebastopol, 
for none of the men have the faintest doubt but that we will 
take it, and that speedily. The Duke — the very idol of the 
soldiers and officers out here, rather thinner thau formerly, 
but all sunburnt aud hearty — was busy as a bee cheering up 
the men, and toiling knee-deep through mud aud sand, trying 
to make all comfortable. Commissaries were looking after 
the landing of supplies, artillery officers the guns ami ammu- 
nition, and officers, English aud French, naval aud military, 
of all ranks and varieties, were galloping, shouting, aud gesti- 
culating to working parties, amid a ceaseless roar from the 
sea, winch alone was enough to deafen every one. Yet amid 
all this, guns, waggons, artillery, horses, cows, casks of rum 
and cartridges, cases of shell and bags of biscuit, trusses of 
hay and sm'ks of flour, beakers of water aud hogsheads of 
beef, officers’ luggage, rope, trenching tools, ambulances, 
light carts, tents, hospital stretchers, bags of rice ami coffee, 
boxes of spare ammunition, saddles and harness, medicine 
chests and cots, spars aud camp-kettles, bales of clothes, and, 
iu fact, all the indispensable necessaries for a large force, 
were being deposited every minute all along the shore for 
a distance of nearly three miles. Such a scene of hurry, 
excitement, bustle, and confusion I never witnessed, aud 
probably shall never witness again. Every one was busy, 
aud every one looked after themselves. Those that did not 
went to the wall. 
FIRST GLIMPSE AT TJIE COSSACKS 
In our fleet t lie whole labour and responsibility of the 
disembarkation rested with Sir E. Lyons. The Admiral 
remained aloof, and took no share in the proceedings of 
the day. About nine o'clock one black ball was run 
up to the fore of the Agamemnon, and a gun was 
fired to enforce attention to the signal. This meant, “ Divi- 
sions of boats to assemble round ships, for which they are 
told off, to disembark infantry and artillery.'’ There was, 
as I have said, no enemy in sight, but long before the French 
had landed their first boat's cargo the figure of a mounted 
officer, followed by three Cossacks, had fallen within the scope 
of many a glass. The Russian was within about 1,100 yards 
of us, and through a good telescope we could watch his every 
action. He rode slowly along by the edge of the cliff, appa- 
rently noting the number and disposition of the fleet, and 
taking notes with great calmness iu a memorandum-book. 
He wore a dark green frock-coat, with a little silver lace, a 
cup of the same colour, a sash round his waist, and 
long leather boots. His horse, a fine bay charger, was n 
strange contrast to the shaggy rough little steeds of 
his followers. There they were, “ the Cossacks," at lust ! 
— stout compact-looking fellows, with sheep-skin caps, 
uncouth clothing of indiscriminate cut, high saddles, and 
little fiery ponies, which carried them with wonderful ease 
and strength. Each of these Cossacks carried a thick lance 
of some fifteen feet in length, aud a heavy-lookiug sabre. At 
times they took rapid turns by the edge of the cliff iu front 
of us — now to the left, now to the rear, of their officer, aud 
occasionally they dipped out of sight, over the hill, alto- 
gether. Then they came back, flourishing their lances, and 
pointed to the accumulating masses of the French, on their 
right, not more than half a mile from them, on the shore, or 
scampered over the hill to report progress as to the lines of 
English boats advancing to the beach. Their officer behaved 
very well. He remained for an hour within range a Miuio 
rifle, and when the Highflyer stood iu close to shore, while 
he was coolly making a sketch in his portfolio of our appear 
auce, we all expected they were going to drop a shell over 
himself and his little party. We were glad our expectations 
were not realised, if it were only on the chance of the sketch 
being tolerably good, so that the Czar might really see what 
our armada was like. 
Meantime the English boats were nearing the shore, not 
in the order of the programme, but iu i ( regular groups ; a 
company of a regiment of the Light Division, the 7th Fusi- 
leeru, under Lieutenant-Colonel Yea, I think, landed first 
on the beach to the left of the dill's ; then came a company 
of the 2nd Battalion of the Rifle Brigade, commanded by 
Lieutenant-Colonel Lawrence ; a small boat from the 
Britannia, commanded by Lieutenant Vesey, had, however, 
preceded the Fusileers, and disembarked some men on the 
beach, who went down into the hollow at the foot of the 
cliffs. The Russian continued his sketching. Suddenly a 
Cossack crouched down and pointed with Ids lance to the 
ascent of the cliff. The officer turned and looked in the 
direction. We looked too, lo ! a cocked hut rose above the 
horizon. Another figure, with a similar head-dress, came 
ulso in view. The first was Sir George Brown, on foot ; the 
second we made out to be Quartermaster-General Airey. 
The scone was exciting. It was evident the Russians and 
the Cossacks saw Sir George, but that he did nut see them. 
A picket of Fusileers and Kiflomeu followed the General at 
a considerable interval. The Russian got on his hors •, the 
Cossacks followed his example, undone of them cantered to 
tho left to see that the French were not cutting off their 
retreat, while the others stooped over their saddle-bows 
and rode stealthily, with lowered lances, towards the 
Exmlishmon. 
Sir George was in danger, but he did not know it. Neither 
did the Russians see the picquet advancing towards the brow 
»f the hill. Sir George was busy scanning the country, and 
pointing out various spots to the quartermaster-general, 
suddenly they turn, and slowly descend the hill — tho gold 
«nsh disappears tho cocked hut. is oclipsed — Cossacks and 
officer dismount, and steal along by the side of their horses. 
1 hey, too, are hid from sight in a short time, and on the 
brow <>f the cliff appears a string of nativo carts. In about 
five mmutes two or three tiny pulls of smoko rise over tho 
clitt, aud presently tho faint cracks «.f a rifle arc audible to 
the men in the nearest shins. In a fow minutes more the 
Cossacks are visible, flying like the wind outlie road towards 
Sebastopol, and crossing close to tho left of the Fronoh lines 
of skirmishers. 
Another account says : — 
" When wo landed we heard that Sir George Brown lmd u 
narrow escape of being taken prisoner. l ie was the first to 
land, and pushed on without sending videttes or men in front, 
though he took the precaution, very fortunately, to bring up 
a few soldiers with him. Tho Cossacks, who had been 
dodging him, made a dash when they were within less than a 
hundred yards. The General hud to run, and was only 
saved from capture by the fire of tho Fusileers. Tho Cossacks 
bolted. The first blood spilt iu this campaign was that of a 
poor boy, an nrabjee, who was wounded in the foot by tho 
volley which dislodged them." 
Satunla j/, September 16. 
The disembarkation of cavalry aud artillery continues. 
Lord Cardigan started on a reconnaissance this morning, with 
a portion of the 8th Hussars, 13th Light Dragoons, 250 
Rifles of the 1st Battalion, an I two IIorso-Artillcry guns. 
They went twenty-five miles, saw no Cossacks, returned very 
much fatigued, and suffered severely from want of water. 
The horses had nothing to drink- from the time they loft tho 
ships till Sunday morning more than thirty hours. 
THE FIRST NIGHT AHUOllH. 
Friday, September 16. 
Few of us will over forget nut night. Seldom were 
27,000 Englishmen more mLun b;,. The beach was almost 
cleared, the troops lmd marched .-If to their -end quarters, 
the Light Division about six miles m advance, tho 1st Divi- 
sion two miles nearer tho snore, the 2nd Division on the 
cliffs and hills, and a part of the 3rd Division uu tho slope of 
the hill. No tents wore sent on shore, partly because there 
had been no time to land them, partly because there was 
no certainty of our being able to find carriage for them. 
Towards night the sky looked very black and lowering ; the 
.wind rose, and the rain fell. The showers increased in 
violence about midnight, and early iu the morning the water 
fell in drenching sheets, which pierced through tho 
blankets and great-coats of the houseless and tout- 
loss soldiers. It was their first bivouuak — a hard 
trial enough in all conscience, worse than all their 
experiences of Bulgaria or Gallipoli, for there they 
lmd their tents, and now they learned to value their 
canvas coverings at their true worth. Imagine all 
these old generals and young lords aud gentlemen exposed 
hour after hour to tho violence of pitiless storms, with no 
bed but the reeking puddle under the saturated blankets or 
bits of useless waterproof w rappers, and the twenty odd 
thousand of poor fellows who could not got “ dry bits" of 
ground, and had to sleep, or try to sleep, iu little lochs 
or watercourses — no fire to cheer them, no hot grog, cuud the 
prospect of no breakfast; — imagine this, and add to it that 
the nice “change of linen" hud become u wot abomination, 
which weighed the poor men's kits down, and you will admit 
that this “seasoning" was of rather a violent character par- 
ticularly as it came after all tho luxuries of a dry ship stow- 
age. Sir George Brown slept under u cart tilted over. The 
Duke had some similar contrivance. Sir D. L. Evans wus 
the only general whose stall' had been careful enough to pro- 
vide him with a tent. In one respect the rain was of service ; 
it gave them a temporary supply of water, but then it put n 
fire out of the question, even if tho men could have scraped 
up wood to make it. The country is, however, quite desti- 
tute of timber. 
FRENCH ATTACK AT THE MOUTH OF THE RIVER AI.MA. 
When some of the largo French wur steamors lmd landed 
their troops, a few of the heaviest armed continued slowly 
steaming south, reconnoitring tho coast towards Sebastopol. 
They lmd only proceeded a fow miles when they cumo abreast 
of Alma ; the little town and river whore, after leaving Kupa- 
toria, it was originally proposed to laud the men, aud where 
a Russian force of some 10,000 or 12,000 meu was encamped 
on the hills above it. As the French steamers slowly steamed 
in to within 000 yards of the shore the Russians most un- 
wisely advanced os if to meet them on the bench in mosses 
of battalions. Not content with this display of courage the 
enemy brought up some thirty or forty light field-pieces, and 
commenced firing on tho frigates, which were completely 
within range, but against which they might as well have used 
pea-shooters os six-pounder guns. Tho French, who took 
the matter very coolly — ns they well might — replied with 
murderous volleys from 50 to 08-poundora, shot aud shell. 
In asecond the Russians were convinced of their error and 
commenced a retreat ; but tho French continued their firing 
while in range, and as a parting benediction all tho frigates 
engaged gave a general brondsido. The French hud not a 
single man killed, and I believe uot even wounded. The 
Russians left both disabled guns and ammunition carnages, 
with a number of killed upon the mound from which they 
were foolish enough to engago the frigates. 
Il iuui.ic DESPATCHES RECEIVED IN LONDON OR 
WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. 
Berlin, Tuesday, October 3. 
A telegraphic despatch has been received hero direct from 
St. Petersburg. It soys that Prime Mensehikolf lms tele- 
graphed, under date of September 20, that he has withdrawn 
his troops, unmolested, from before Sebastopol towards 
Baktschi-Serai. There lie a ill await reinforcements from 
Kertsch and Perekop. Ho add . that Sebastopol had uot 
been attacked up to the 20th September. [Despatches from 
Prussia are too Russian to be over-true. — E d.] 
Vienna, Tuesday, October 3. 
Several private despatches received here to-day confirm 
