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Leader (1850-1860), 21st October 1854, Edition Town of 2, Page 989, Untitled Article

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      Untitled Article

      space before us ! This was a pretty fix for us to be in , for we ( the Artillery ) -were alone , and no infantry to support us , and what rendered our position the more perplexing , we were in that part of the wood -where we could not turn our guns . The firing , much to our relief , soon ceased , and we proceeded on as fast as possible , so as to > clear ourselves from so unenviable a position , for had -we been attacked by the Russian infantry or sharpshooters , nothing could have saved us either being shot down or made prisoners . We soon gained the open ground , and found that the enemy had retreated on our approaching them . It is said their were 15 , 000 of them going towards Anapa , for the object of bringing up reinforcements for the relief of Sebastopol . This intention we frustrated , and at the same time came in for some plunder ; for , in their hurry to get away , they left behind them some waggons of ammunition , as also several bullock-carts full of meat and flour . "

      SrR De Lacy Evass . —Extract of a letter from an officer in the Second Division , dated , Balakava , September 28 th , 1854 . —r " Sir De Lacy Evans rode about an the thickest of the fire , as if he xather liked it . His arm is cut with a ball , but it is not serious . " Russian Descendants of Enolisilmen . —The English -troops have captured a Mr . Upton , an Englishman , residlent in the Crimea . The gentleman is a . son of an engineer emploj'ed on the works of Sebastopol , and re-Sides in a comfortable country house in the suburbs of the town- Lord Raglan , rode up to the house , ignorant of its occupant , and was much surprised at -the appearance of one of his own countrymen . It was thought that much might be learnt from so intelligent and trustworthy a prisoner ; he \ ras accordingly carried off to the camp , where he will be treated with kindness in return for a . s much information , as he can be induced to

      communicate . Effects of a Rupture with an Old Ajlly . - ^ There is at this moment a curious exemplification of the consequences to individuals , of a breach with a Power with which we were so long on friendly tenns . . One of the bravest and ablest of ^ the Russian admirals was the late Admiral Grieg , uncle of our respected felloW-citizeii , Charles Grieg , Esq ., surgeon . During the last war , ' upora previous occasions , he served the Imperial House of Russia with eminent fidelity and courage , but being an Englishman he was never naturalised . Little dreaming , however , of a rupture with Great Britain , his sons have , become naturalised subjects of the CzaT , and hold high naval and military trusts : thus , one of them is at this moment in Sebastopol , serving as engineer there , while we believe English cousins of his are amongst the beleaguering forces holding commissions in her Majesty ' s army .

      Menschikopf ' s Account of the Battle . —The Journal de St . Pelershourg contains the following intelligence in an extraordinary supplement : — " -General Prince Menschikoff gives an account to the Emperor , of the date of the 30 th of September , to the effect that after , having executed his flank movement from : Sebastopol to Baktschi-Sarai , he was preparing to assume the offensive on the first favourablo occasion . That plan promised so much the more success that the allies had divided their forces . Whilst the French were approaching the fortifications on the northern shore of

      the l > ay of Sebastopol , the English troops had proceeded by sea to Balaklava , where they had made a descent . Prince Menschikoff , on learning this , had advanced ; but the 3 ? rench , avoiding the combat , had also abandoned the north of Sebastopol , and had proceeded to the south of tlie town to join their allies . On the 30 th Prince Menschikoff liad arrived with the greater part of his troops at the fortifications on the north , and had established himself there , Avaiting to see what the intentions of tlie enemy might be . Up to the ( JOth no operations had taken place . "

      Untitled Article

      THE KILLED AND WOUNDED . THE PATRIOTIC FUNJ > . Pending the arrival of further accounts of the operations in the Crimea , a fertile source of controversy and discussion has arisen with regard to the duty which the country owes to those wh o suffer in their owra persons in the war , as well as to the families of thoso who havo perished in the conflict . No time has been lost in issuing a Koyal Commission for condue ting a Patriotic l ? und , for the relief nnd assistance of tiioae among our forces that need them . The members of tho Commission are numerous , embracing men of every shade of political opinion , nnd every ran ] c , comprising as it docs the Princo Consort , the

      JJuKces ot NewcasUo and Wellington , Lord Derby and . Lord Aberdeen , Lord Shafteabury and Lord Nelson , tho present and , all past Secretaries at War , and ; tho heads of departments of both army and nary ; and tho list is closed by tho names of Mr . Hunno , Mr . T . Baring , Mr . Hubbard , the Govomor oi tho Bank , Mr . Wilson Patten , Mr . Peto , Mr . Buirko Roche , and Mr . John Ball . Out of this body Executive and Pinanco Committees are to bo formed , w ho are to assist in tho organisation of Local Comnutteea , and promoto in every way the getting up of Buwacrxptions , the application of which is to bo entrusted to tho Commission . Meetings havo been already hold in St , John ' s

      Wood , and at Windsor , and in a number of other districts ; and Local Committees have been formed for carrying out the objects of the Patriotic Fund This fund has for its object onl y the relief of the orphans and widows of those who may fall in the present war ; and the public sympathy has been actively roused for another object which is of the most pressing character . The accounts of the condition of the wounded , after the battle of the Alma , which have appeared in the various newspapers , have

      aroused a feeling of mixed commiseration and indignation , which has resulted in an active movement for their relief , and contributions are flowing in ( at present only to the Times newspaper ) , while the journals are inundated with letters on the subject . All classes are coining forward . Rieh men give their 2001 ., and 100 / ., and 50 / ,, and 25 / . j widows , their mite ; workmen , their day ' s wages ; soldiers and sailors , their day ' s pay ; while accusations against the Government for neglect are loud and deep .

      In our impression of last week we gave a full account , gathered from various sources , of the condition of the wounded , on the field , on board the ships , and at Scutari . On the other hand , the Government has no lack of defenders . Mr . Guthrie , the celebrated surgeon , has protested against the misdirection of private benevolence to an object for which the Government have fully provided . It is stated that large additional

      numbers of medical men are on their way to the seat of war , and will be followed by more ; and that the supplies of all that the sick and ¦ wounded could require are already ample on the spot , and that all necessaries are continually being sent out . The Training institution for Nurses is about to send out a body of nurses to Constantinople . Dr . Smith , the Director General of the Army and Ordnance Medical Department , has forwarded a lengthy document to the papers , in which he states : — .

      "As much misapprehension seems to exist as to the sufficiency of medical attendants , and of medical stores and supplies with the army and in the hospitals in the East , and as great anxiety has thereby been caused to the relatives of the sick and -ivounded , the accompanying papers show the numbers of medical officers , and the quantity of medicine and hospital stores , which have been forwarded from this country at different times since the 24 th February last . In a Memorandum , respecting- medical stores supplied to the army in the East , the Director-General also states that : — " The number of medical officers with the British forces in the East , at the time of the battle of the Alma , was 276—being . to every 97 of strength . In the Peninsula the number of medical officers was 1 to every 154 of strength .

      " At the present moment there are 30 more medical officers on their -way to Constantinople , and 15 more are waiting embarkation . " Dr . Smith is happy in being able to state confidently that the medical officers at Scutari ( he believes 21 in number ) have at their command everything necessary to the treatment of the wounded soldier ; hence there is no necessity whatever for any effort being made by the public to send out to Constantinople , lint , old linen , &c . " Here follows a list of requisite articles already sent out , immense in amount ; to > which is added another formidable list of more that is going . Dr . Smith also states the means for tlio conveyance of the wounded to bo as follows : —

      " Bearers , or stretchers , 7 ^ 0 ; spring carts , on two wheels , built according to the directions of Mr . Guthrie , 20 ; spring waggons , on four wheels , 20 ; Flanders waggons , 20 . " Each of tho men employed in removing tho wounded from the field is to carry a haversack-like bag filled with water . " Each waggon is capable of carrying from the field , or from field hospitnls to hospitals in tho rear , ten persons , namely , four badly , and six slightly -wounded men , each in a separate compartment . By this arrungoment every individual will be insured ngainst inconvenience or injury from his immediate neighbours , which would , did no partitions exist , certainly prove moat detrimental , especially to weakly nnd severely wounded men who might liavo to be transported along an irregular brokoii or sloping road , or over a country where no roads exist .

      " Tho Flanders waggons arc intended for the carriage of budding , stores , &c , to bo used in field hoa |> ital » ; and in the event of thoir not proving sufficient for tho purpose , tho wnggonsi intended for tho trannport of wick aud wounded are capable of boing quickly dismantled internally , and made nvailublo to mipjily tho deficiency . They , like tho others , are placed on springs , and in caHO of nccosHity can also bo used for tho carriage of wick and wounded . " In addition to tho before-mentioned supply , each corns ih provided with a regimental nnd with « detachment medicine ohost , oacli ohoHt amply furnlahod with medicines and onrgical material *} , according to tho regulations of tho service , alao with a box of appamtuH for fractures and dislocations .

      " The surgeon of the corps has a full set of capital instruments ; the senior assistant a portable set ; the surgeon and three assistants each a case of pocket instruments , and a case of lancets : there are likewise , for general use , a set of cupping instruments and a stomach pump . " The slightly wounded are accommodated towards the front of the carriage , placed back to back , separated from each other by wooden partitions , and prevented from falling outwards by each compartment being provided

      with a chain covered with leather , to be passed across the chest , when the seat is occtipied , with a view as well to safety as support . The badly wounded , extended on elastic stretchers 6 feet 6 inches long and 2 feet wide , are placed behind , and , as already stated , in separate compartments , into or out of which the stretchers glide with facility , from their being provided with rollers . Each of the compartments is fitted with a ventilator from end to end , which can be closed or opened by the person lying on the stretcher .

      " A waterproof roof , supported on wood hoops , covers the body of the carriage , and under it is a depository for firelocks , knapsacks , caps , accoutrements , &c . There is also under the seats for tho slig-htly wounded men a large capacious locker , in which may be placed water sacksfor barrels soon become useless , especially if exposed to weather and sun—bedding , and other articles , which the medical officers of the army may consider as likely to be useful ; and under the hinder part of the waggon is a convenient box , in which medicines , instruments , &c ., can be carried if required . " At the back part of each vehicle there are two iron brackets , which fold down to support a stretcher , and so afford , the means of forming a convenient table . This plan I from the first preferred to one which was strongly urged on me , namely , to form , a table by placing a stretcher across two panniers . "

      So much for the care of tfre Government , whichis borne out by the testimony of Lieutenant Foster , of the 95 th , who was himself in the military hospital at Scutari . He says : — . " I saw the wounded arrive from the Crimea . I went on board the Andes and the " Vtilcan . " The -wounded in both ships were very well cared for ; there were awnings and ! screens to protect them front the weather , and each man had his cot , bed , and blankets . The wounded officers had also been made as comfortable as possible under the circumstances , and I heard no complaints whatever . On the contrary , all , both officers and nien , were r « ady to testify to the unremitting attention , and the extreme kindness and humanity of the overworked medical officers .

      " Further , I visited the wounded after their removal to the hospital at Scutari . I spent hours with them , and I can safely say that , with tlio exception of those who were only slightly wounded ,, and who were assisting their less fortunate brethren in arms , every man had a comfortable bed , and all necessary attention and care bestowed by the medical officers and attendants . " The -wounded oillcers , in my hearing ' , frequently expressed their satisfaction witli the arrangements made for them , When any one of them uttc » 'ed a cry of pain , at once was a medical officer by his side . " Nothing could exceed tho devoted attention of the medical staff to tho wounded , both ofllcers and men . No distinction was made , all wore treated alike ( the officers being in separate wards ) , and all fared well—as well , nay , much better than might liavc been expected . " And he adds that there was a " profusion of medical stores of every kind at Scutari . "

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      NintflKB for tjuo Kaht . — Tlio following Imo appeared in the papers by authority : — " Wo nro authorised to hJmUi that Mr « . Nightingale , who him lioen for m » iiio tlmo noting " « HujKiriutiiixlont of tho . Ladles' llonpltu . 1 , at No . 1 , Upper Ilurloy-ntnsut , has undertaken to ortfiinlrto u aUilY of f < n »« l « nurHOn , who -will at once proceed wilh !><> r to flcuturi at tlio < : <> nt , of tho Government , tlioro to act . under h « r dircctioni ) in tho English Military Hospital , ttubject , of courao , to tho

      Untitled Article

      A public mooting to form a " Wounded Soldier ' s Aid Society , " was called ut Exeter-hall , for Tuesday last , but only three ladies and four or five gentlemen attended , and the meeting was adjourned . Major Powys took the opportunity of asking the public not to send large boxes of lint smd rags to the ofllco of the Association for tho ltoliof of Soldiers' Wivoa and Children , as it was blocked up with such articles .

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      Accounts from all parts of tho United Kingdom show thut tho movement an aid of tho Patriotic Fund will bo universal and liearty .

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      On Thursday evening the Polytechnic Institution gave the proceeds of a special entertainment to the Fund for tho Holicti ' of the W idows and Orphans of tho Soldiers m tho East . Tho Earl of Shaftosbury waa tho patron of the evening ' , and addressed n very largo assembly . Major 1 ' oTvys and other guntlcmon also spoke . Thoro was am unusual variety in tho entertainment provided , arid tho band of tho 1 st Hlb Guards waa in attendance . Tho udriition to tho Fund from this aource will bu conuidurublu .

      Untitled Article

      October 21 , 1854 . ] THE LEADER . g g

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Oct. 21, 1854, page 989, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2061/page/5/