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Algiers , rose rapidly , and was appointed to the command of the province of Constantine , which in 1849 he completely smbdued . In 1851 lie commanded one of the most glorious campaigns of the French du Algeria , that against the Kabyles . He returned to France in that year with the rank of lieutenant-general , and attached himself to Louis Napoleon , by whom he was made Minister of War . In 1852 he was created a Marshal , Senator , and afterwards Grand Ecuyer to the Emperor . In ten , years he rose from the rank of u Chef de Batallion" to that of Marshal of France . He was twice married .
The Turks at Al , m a . —There is scarcely any mention of the Turks during the battle in any of the despatches . The truth is , that the division to which they were attached was not called on to joiai in the attack , and they were scarcely , if at all , under fire . It is , however , stated that they did goo d service in harrassing the retreat of the Russians , and . they had . a loss of about 230 killed and wounded . The Akistocracy in the Battle . —The ! Earl of JListowers son , Lord Ennismore , of the Fusilier Guards , is reported as wounded severely , and the earl ' s brother , Capt . the Hon .. C . Hare , of the 7 th Fusiliers , has met with a similar casualty . Capt . the Hon . Wm . Bfonck , also of the Fusiliers ( brother of Viscount Monek , M . P . for Portsmouth ) , who was Mlled at the head of his
company , was a great favouxate in the 7 xa , and yfiU be deeply regretted . Lieut , the Hon . C . Grofton , of the same regiment , who was wounded , is eldest son of Lord Croftony and grandson to the late Lord Anglesey . He ¦ was page of honour to her Majesty- before his entrance into the army about a year : ago . In- the 23 rdFusiliers , Captain Arthur Williams Wynn , who lost his life in the conflict , was cousin of Sir Watkyn Williams Wynn , Bart ., ; M . P ., and son of the late Rig-ht Hon . G . W . Wynii . Sir William Youngs of the 23 rd , who was also among the killed , was the lineal descendant of Sir John Young , -who accompanied Mary Qiueen of Scots , as her chamberlain , ' on her return from France to Scotland , in 1561 . He was just twenty-one years of age , had been about four years in the service , and was married only a few weeks before his embarkation for the seat of war .
Lord Chewtonis wounded- He is the eldest son of the Earl of Waldegrave , and . is a captain in the Scots Fusilier Guards . Lieutenant the Hon . H . Annesley , of the same-regiment , is a younger brother of . Lord Amiesley . Captain Horace Gust , of the Coldstream Guards , is the only officer of tlie Household Brigade who fell . He was a cousin of the young Earl Brownlow . Amongst the wounded is the Earl of Errbl , who is , in virtue of his office of high constable , the first subject in' Scotland after the blood-royal . Two members of Parliament had narrow escapes—Sir De Lacy Evans halving received a severe contusion , in the right shoulder , and Colonel the Hon . Percy Egerton Herbert one in the back of the neck . The former gallant officer , as is well known , represents Westminster : the latter , Ludlow .
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CHOLEttA IN THE CUIMUJA . It would appear from the account of thu same authority that the cholvra continues its rav « g-os . Ho says : — " The moat melancholy pint of tlio whole campaign is tho fearful rav « RB imulo by cliuluru iiiul fovor . lliu opuloniy la w » ld to incrouso daily j utnl , thoiitf h Hiiu may l ) i > uu <> xagK « - ratioii . yol it is certain tli . it . wlwmiv . ir tin n iu-o expose . * to sudden chunks i )(' tuji » i ) i'rnturu n grout iin » rl . iility lo lows . Tho disoiwo inmiuhml ul ' U'i- tiio dUumburcaUoii , uud Una cxjMMuro to wind uiiil miu uii lliu nigh I ol tlio 11 th cuusod thu death . ) of inuiiy <"
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" There lias been a great want of proper medical assistance ; the wounded were left , some for two nights , the whole for one , on the field . From the battle they have " been bundled on board ship by COO and 700 , without any medical attendant . There were no proper means for removing the wounded from the field . If it had not been for Admiral Lyons and the in-shore squadron , 1 know not what would huve happened . He and the sailors of his squadron Jiave behaved nobly ; I cannot describe to you all they have done . The-seamen and marines , with oars and hammocks , brought the wounded to the beach , placed them on board the transports * and tended them like nurses ; officers and all took part , night and day , in the good work ; I never saw such devotion . Peel , Dacres , Druimrtond , Moore—in fact , all the captains , with Lyons at their head , were indefatigable ; and yet remember that there were two divisions of the army that had scarcely lost one man , and might have done something
for the wounded . The number of lives which have been sacrificed by the want of proper arrangements and neglect must be very considerable . The French , on the other band , managed admirably . I believe the whole of their wounded were brought in immediately after the battle . Priests and medical officers were everywhere . The general officers , Canrobert included , and officers of every grade , were superintending the removal of those who had fallen . Males with slung seats and beds were employed in conveying the ¦ wounded . I tell you all this from what I saw myself . I went everywhere , determined to judge for myself . Ten medical officers have just arrived from England , and it is to be hoped that they will do something towards remedying the neglect which lias hitherto distinguished our medical staffl To add to our misfortunes , the Fourth Division was encamped on an old en camping ground of the Russians ; the cholera has consequently broken out with great violence among them . "
A medical officer of the navy writes : —• " For the past two days I have been 'literally in a sea of blood , as I have been employed attending on the wounded Eussians on the "battle-field of Alma . Xo description I could give would realise the horrors of war—the dead , the dying , horses , guns , carriages , pC'le-meh— headless- trunks , bodies minus arms or legs , mutilation of every sort and kind , —that my blood almost freezes at the recollection . Every available hut was improvised into an' operating theatre , . and . under-every disadvantage we performed the most formidable surgical operations . You rnay judge how expeditiously we "had to get through , thing * when I mention that I extracted 23 balls in less than three-hours .
Dressings were out of the question . Our surgical bivouacs were readily known by the number of legs ' and arms strewn around the scene of our labours , indeed , I cannot liken the field of battle for the two days after . the light to anything better than axi abattoir . Isly assistant for compressing arteries was tlie first passer-by , and ' when- his nerve failed him I had to wait until some , one else came up . I will not say much . for the result of my amputations , as directly one was concluded I laid him on a bed of hay or straw , and left him to the vis inedicnirlx natures . In the redoubts the Russian dead lay . literally hesiped on . each other . ^ Nearly all the balls I extracted were Minie" ones . Report says there were 47 , 000 Russians ' on the field . They held the most formidable position any army could occupy ; but the bulldog courage of our troops overcame everything , and _ in five hours they were musters of every commanding position , and the Russian hosts were in full retreat . No one ,
I believe , knows the Russian loss . I counted myself more than 400 Russians dead in less than three acres , an 4 tho wounded were beyond my calculation , Tlieir supplications , as 1 passed through them , were heartrending—when I had attended one there , were twenty unintelligible supplications from those around mo to give them my surgical aid . Our soldiers behaved in the mo . st humane manner towards the wounded . I wish I could say as niuch'fur the Turks . The latter attacked the retreating ll-ussian army , and those that were not killed by their firo they bayonetted , and cried ' Sinopol' to them . Our army remained at Alma for two days after the nation to attend to the wounded , and when they left there were many of the eneni / 'still imoporateu upon . We have sent down there to-duy a line-of-lattlo ship to look after tho rest , but I fear doath will have played Had havoc among them . Tho Russians never look after tlieir woundud , and on our march hero ( only live miles ) we loll hi with 500 Wounded Russian soldiers . "
A private letter from an officer states : — " Wo have got to Scutari nt hist , but I thought we should not have brought any men at all , as tlio men kept during tho voyage , quickly dying of their wound *; there were onl y thrco surgeons on board to dross and look after GOO men . My dear fellow , England has a great deal to answer for , in not having sufficient medical wen to attend tho wounded soldiers , who naked their lives and bled for their country ' s honour . I never had my arm looked at by a doctor from tho ( lay I roeoived the wound till yesterday , but , thank God , from previous flxpork'iice , I was ablu to look after it rovDoll ' , and the wounds ol ' othora also . During ; our . ituy on board tho ship iniiny a bright man lost liin life through want of medical attendance . Wo throw about # !) or 100 overboard coining down the Black Soa ; but it in just a » bad nt Scutari . Wo dinembarked on tho 20 th , and wo have hud noithqr tea , rations , nor anything , oxoupt Alb . of broad . "
THE WOUNDED . With the triumphs of a successful battle , there mnst always be mingled the pain attendant on knowing : of tlie fearful sufferings of tlie wounded and dying . It is to be feared 'that in the present instance those sufferings have been aggravated by a deficiency of everything that was necessary to mitigate them . The following extracts are taken from various sources : — " It is with feelings of surprise and anger that the public will lourn that no sufficient preparations h / ive been nindo foe tho proper caro of the wounded . Not only are tlierc not sufficient surgeons—that , it might be urged , was unavoidable ; not only aro tliore no dressers and nurses— -that might bo a defect of system for which no ono ia to bliwno ; but , what will bo said when it is Icnown that there is not even
linen to make bandages for the wounded ? Tlie greatest commiseration prevails for the suffurings of tho unhappy inmates of Scutari , and every family is giving shouts and old garments to supply their wants . But why could not this dourly foreseen want have boon supplied ? Oanit . be said that the battle of tho Alma has beon an event to take tho world by surprise ? IIus not tho expedition to thp Crimea been tho tulle of the last four months ! And when the Turks gave up to our uho the vast burracks to f-onn a hospital and ddp 6 t , was it not on tho ground that the loss of the English troops was sure to bo considerable when ongaged ia bo dangerous an enterprise ? Andyot , after tli « o troops luivo been six months in tlio country , there in no preparation for tho ¦ commonest curgioul operations 1 Not only are tho mon kept , in somei cases , for a week without tho luiud of a medical
man coming near their wounds—not only are they left to expiro in agony , unheeded and nlmkon ofl , though catching desperately at tlio surgeon whenever ho makes his rounds through tho foetid ship , but now , when they tiro placed in tho spacious building , whore wo wore led to fmlievo Unit everything was ready which could ease thoir pain or luuilituto their recovery it in found tlia-t the coninionost appliances of a workliouso sick ward aro wanting , and tltut tho men must < no through tho medical nt , uft" of tho British army having forgotten that old rags aro ueoostsary lor tlio drowsing of wounda . If Parliament wore sitting somo notice would probably bo taken of these facts , which aro Notorious , and have oxcitod much conoorn \ us it is , it rests with tho liovurumont to make inquir ' niH into tho conduct of tUoao who must have ao greatly noglocUsd thoir duty . " A naval officer of tho Agamemnon writca : —
Another writes :- — " YosUtrdiiy 1 piiid another visit to Uio liospilal at Scutari . The great barrack , vvhuih 11 cm about a hundred yards from tho honpitul , has lioon got : randy for siclc and wounded . I found tho woundi-d at tho hospital ; they lay along tho vestibules , i \ n well taken euro of u » it wore possible to desire , liuing anxious to 1 lnd a wounded olliner with whom 1 was acquainted , tlio wlwlo of this vaat etliiioo hud to bo » uurclic « l before 1 could lind liiih , which onabliid mo to hoo every part of it . Thcro woro not many wiuk ut tho hottpitul , tho greater purt of tlio J ' ovor uutl choluru ]> u . tiuiiU having boon pJacod in iho othur building , which was formerly a bun-auk . fc > l « k und
wounded men were being landed and carried there as wa crossed to visit it , and we found that the most recent arrivals had been quartered there . There were a considerable number of fever and cholera patients , and many hundred wounded , who had only been disembarked that morning and the day before . The doctors and surgeons are I regret to say , very few , indeed quite insufficient for the great number of patients ; and , though they are unremitting in their attentions , it is quite impossible that they can attend to such numbers . On the field of battlu the naval doctors rendered very great services , and a good portion of tlie wounded were brought down to Constantinople in charge of naval surgeons . If the navy had been engaged , there would
nave oeen a very great Jack ot medical attendance , for I am informed ^ from a very good source , that though most of tho steam-frigates and smaller ships have their proportion of medical officers , scarcely any of tlie line-of-battle ships have their full complement . The medical men at Scutari complained of the smallness of their number , and the utter impossibility of attending to the crowds of sick and wounded . 1 have , however , reason to believe that this will soon be remedied , as I know that the Turkish authorities have signified their readiness to do everything in tlieir power in this emergency ; indeed , I am assured that they have behaved , exceedingly well . A regiment is in waiting at the Scutari landing , and Turkish soldiers carry up the wounded Eu "« lishmeu to the hospitals . " °
A correspondent of tlie Times , writing from .-Constantinople on 28 th ultimo , says : ' The manner in which t ] ie sick and wounded have been , treated is worthy only of the savages of Dahomey . Tha sufferings oil board the Vulcan were bad enough Ther » were 300 wounded , and 17 . 0 cholera patients , and these were attended to by four surgeons . The scene is described as terrible . The wounded seized the surgeons , by the skirts as . they pisked their way through the heaps of dying and dead - but the surgeons shook them oft ; lumbers arrived at Scutari without having been touched by a surgeon since they fell pieweil by Uussi-m bullets on the slopes of the Alma ; their wounds wer « stiff and tlieir strength exhausted as they were lifted out of the boats to be carried to the hospital , where , fortunatelysurgical aid-may be obtained
, . But all other horrors sink into insignificance compared witlt the state of the unfortunate ¦ passengers ' : by the Colombo . lliis vessel le-ft tlie Crimea on the morning of the 24 th . Wounded men were being placed on . board for two days before she sarJed , and when she weighed anchor she carried , tlie following numbers : —27 wounded officers , 422 wounded , soldiers , and 104 Russian prisoners—in all 553 souls-About hair of the wounded had received surgical assistance ) before they were put on board . To supply the . wants d £ this mass of misery were four . mndlcal men , one of whont was the surgeon of the ship , —sufficiently employed in looking after the crew , who a-t this place- and season are seldom free trom-sickness . The ship was literally covered with prostrate forms , so as to bo almost unmanageable . The oinuers could not get below to find their sextantsand the
, «¦• % torn * to * j- « . h _^_ . 1 . . 1 1 rail B 7 ^^ run was made at hazard . The vessel was at sea twelve hours longer through this ¦ mischance . The worst cases were - placed on the upper deck , which in u day or two became a mass of putridity . The neglected gunshot wounds bred maggots , which crawled in every direction , infecting the food of the unhappy beings on board . Tho putrid animal matter caused such a Hieiich that the officers and crevr'were nearly overcome , and the captain is now ill from the effects of tho live- days' misery . All the blankets , to tho number of 1500 , have been thrown overboard as useless , lliirty men died during tlio voyagu . The surgeons worked as Jnu-d as possible , but could ilo little among so many , and many an unfortunate fellow first < : umo under a medical mans hand on his arrival at Scutari , six days after tho battle . It is un ungmciuus task to find fault and to spoak
ot the shortcomings of men who do their utmost , but an unfortunate neglect lias occurred siuco tho arrival of the steamer , i ' orty-six men lmvo been loft on board for two days , when by some oxtr . i exertinn they might have boen safely placed in thu hospital . Tho ' vessel is ijuito putrid , but a large aiumbur of men will bo immediately employed to clean and fumigate her , and tlius avoid tho danger o > i typhus , which generally arises in such conditiona . Two transports were towud by tho Colombo , and their stato was nearly as bad . No blaino is duo to tho modicnl men or tho officers in command . They work early and late , : iro worn uud harrasscd , and fuel as much pity as any ono for tho unfortunate dying creatures ; bat our whole medical system is slnwnofully bail .
Iho worn-out puimionurd who wi . M'u hr night out as an ainlmlunco corps aro totally urwluHrf , mid nut oidy aru surgooiiH nob to be had , but there ui-o no Uresowrs und nurses to carry out the Hurgocm'd directions , and to attend on tho Bick during tho interval botwiMui his vimt . s . Here the French aro grouiiy our suporioiR . Tlmir medical amingiMiiontH aro oxtremoLy good , their surguwiis more munomuH , and thoy lmvo also tho help ot tho _ " ( iUtorrt of Charity , " who liuvo accompanied tlio expedition im inureilible : numborti . These dovotud woiuuii uro cxcollunt nursits , mul purform for the . sick and wounded all tho ollicos . which could lju rcndnrod in tho must ooinpk'to hosj ) ital « . Wo lmvo nothing . Tlio inon nmat attend on oftoh other , or receive no relief at all . "
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October 14 , 1854 . ] THE LEADER . 957
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Leader (1850-1860), Oct. 14, 1854, page 967, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2060/page/7/
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