CHAPTER LIX
TRENCHES--BEFORE SEVASTOPOL
[Sidenote: 1855. Aug. 1.]
Heavy fall of rain. Whole country as in winter. Trenches under water.
[Sidenote: Aug. 2.]
Bought a beautiful Arab from an officer going home, of 10th Hussars. Lord Rokeby and Bob Lindsay to dine at our mess.
[Sidenote: Aug. 3.]
An attempt at a sortie made last night. Russians driven back easily. Breakfasted with Hugh Rose, French headquarters. Minute inspection of Mamelon with Lord Rokeby, troops marching past. Curious custom: the French dig large holes as burial-places in sight of those going to the trenches.
[Sidenote: Aug. 4.]
Rode to Monastery to arrange for Warde’s going afloat. Wenny Coke wounded last night in trenches. We have advanced our batteries and trenches nearer the enemy’s guns without thickening them in proportion. A shot has no business to pass through a parapet. I had a man turned over yesterday by a round shot; he was not killed, as the strength of the shot was expended before it got through the parapet. One of the stones gave me a clip in the back; but the Russians had been riled by our cutting a cart in two just before.
[Sidenote: Aug. 5.]
Sunday, muster and divine service. On visiting the hospital I found one of my poor fellows carving a heart on a ring, part of his own thigh-bone, which had been amputated. On asking him what he was going to do with it, he replied, “To send it to my girl, sir.” Another was busy securing the sides of his hat into the shape of a Greenwich pensioner’s: a curtain hung round his jacket to look like a long-tailed coat. He had only one leg.
A day or two ago I rode with Lord Rokeby to see a division French lines--3000 Chasseurs d’Afrique, cream of French cavalry. Saw a Russian lady in Sevastopol flying a kite; the wind was in the direction of the Mamelon. I pointed it out to the French General Linois, who ordered his riflemen to fire; they cut the string and down came the kite just inside the trenches. He gave it to Lord Rokeby, who sent it home. The French general raised his cap by way of apologising to the lady, and ordered the riflemen to raise theirs on the points of their bayonets. A round of Russian grape shot sent one cap flying and broke two muskets. A broiling day--face burnt cruel.
[Sidenote: Aug. 6.]
Dined with Lord Rokeby. George Goldsmith up to breakfast. Visited Right Attack. Saw, the other day, feeding together in the trenches, Wilbraham Oates Lennox, Royal Engineers, V.C., Captain John Maitland Lennox, R.M.L.I., and Augustus Frederick, Captain Royal Artillery, sons of my friend Lord George Lennox. Dined with General Codrington.
[Sidenote: Aug. 7.]
Called on Chief of Artillery. Rode with Lord Rokeby to Cossack Bay and hospital to see poor D’Aeth, first lieutenant _Sidon_, dying of cholera. He was a youngster with me in the _Dido_; a more gallant fellow there could not be. He was taken ill at one this morning, having been dining at Kamiesch, and was given over five hours afterwards. He had a locket containing the miniature of a pretty Portuguese girl at Lisbon, and requested it might be buried with him. Went on board _Læander_.
[Sidenote: Aug. 8.]
Visited Left Attack. Both Admirals up; met at headquarters. Stopped to luncheon. While in Right Attack trenches received directions from headquarters to show the Duke of Newcastle the Quarries. His Grace following with attendants, I explained the impossibility of such a staff: the feathers alone would bring on us the whole Russian fire. We were three or four only. Although shot and shell passed over our heads we were right enough, until near the Quarries, when a shell burst, sending fragments close to us: one so near that it almost touched the Duke, and lodged in a gabion on my side. His Grace expressed a wish to have the piece; a soldier dislodged it with his bayonet. I held it out to the Duke, but it was so hot that he dropped it. I believe it is now at Clumber, with two empty thirteen-inch Russian shells picked up close to our Brigade batteries. General Barnard and staff dined at naval mess.
[Sidenote: Aug. 9.]
Threatening, heavy-looking weather, which came down in a deluge.
[Sidenote: Aug. 10.]
Visited St. George, my Chief of Artillery. Rode over to Balaklava to see Freemantle after his fall. Wenny Coke and other friends to dinner.
[Sidenote: Aug. 11.]
Visited all Right Attack with General Jones. Wenny Coke, E. Somerset, Curzon, and other friends to dinner.
[Sidenote: Aug. 12.]
Broiling hot. Artillery under orders to be ready at daylight following morning in the field.
Enclosed is a specimen of the notices I so often received in the batteries, worth all the foolscap that could be written:--
DEAR UNCLE HARRY--In case you have not been warned, I am desired by the General to give you notice that an attack from the enemy is expected upon our trenches at 3 A.M. to-morrow. The covering parties in the trenches have been doubled, first division in the Right Attack.--Yours sincerely,
ROBERT J. LINDSAY.
[Sidenote: Aug. 13.]
Poor Hughie Drummond, Adjutant of Scots Fusilier Guards, killed in trenches.
[Sidenote: Aug. 15.]
Prince Victor, Thomas, and self rode to Balaclava. I to see Admiral; they to get material for a stable.
* * * * *
One of my horses, “Vladimir,” was an “ever-lasting.” He had been captured on Balaclava day from Prince Vladimir’s regiment. He was savage, and one foreleg was held up to enable me to mount. He would jump anything I asked him. Prince Victor often had difficulty in keeping me in sight. He shod his own horses, and I think was sorry when the war was over.
[Sidenote: Battle of Tchernaya, Aug. 16.]
Orders from headquarters to be prepared for a sortie, which, not coming off, enabled me to ride with Prince Victor to the Tchernaya, where a desperate attack was being made by the Russians on the Italians, the French going to their assistance. On the high ground on our way we met the dead and dying being brought up on mules, stretchers, and backs of men, then laid out in subdivided areas as most convenient for the French and English surgeons to get at. We descended to the river; the Russians, who had retreated to the high ground, continued to fire shot and shell on those who were helping the dying and wounded. The Tchernaya is a small river, but required a bridge to get over it. One of the painful sights was the badly wounded trying to drag themselves to the river, calling for drink. While contemplating the body of a young Russian officer (judging from his uniform and spurs), whose upper jaw had been shot clean away, the lower had an uninjured row of white teeth, heard a voice over my shoulder, remarking, “Il ne mange plus.” Further on a Russian soldier had his left arm stretched out straight. Thought he must be alive and rode up, to find him stiff and dead. On a finger was a large ring. Without dismounting, drew it off, thinking I had a memento of the battle, but finding it was only brass, I was very near giving it back.
[Sidenote: Aug. 17.]
Notice from headquarters to be prepared for a determined assault on our Right Attack batteries. On my way met my late shipmate, Lieutenant Oldfield, weeping: a round shot had just taken his artillery brother’s head off! Our batteries, not having been formed at the same time, were somewhat irregular, and it had been necessary to prevent the men rushing from one battery to the assistance of another: a friendly hint was given from headquarters that our men should leave their muskets and side arms behind! We had a large battery, with three or four smaller, on each side. In the main battery I selected and made a pile of empty shell cases, forming a platform for self to stand on. Returning after final inspection, found Captain Hammett in possession of my pile. Caused him to dismount, though he seemed to object, but having learned which of the Russian batteries could bear on our own, I took possession. The ball had commenced. After a few minutes I called from the position, “Look out, a round shot direct for our battery.” Hammett gave the notice to the men, who sprang from either side, but did not move himself. The shot touched the muzzle of the gun, and doubled up poor Hammett. There was a youngster bending over; I hoped there were not two down. Found the poor lad was sick at the sight of Hammett’s wounds. My gig’s crew bore him to our camp, some three miles off. Some one in camp with a telescope, seeing a gold lace cuff from under the stretcher borne by the Captain’s gig’s crew, announced my end. Total: five killed, nineteen wounded.
[Illustration: _Plan of Sevastopol._]
[Sidenote: In Naval Brigade, Aug. 18.]
Continued vigorous bombardment on our side, but enemy nearly shut up. Whole day on Right Attack. Six men only were wounded on Left Attack. Dined with Charlie Windham, the almost too plucky Brigadier General of Second Division. Met Duke of Newcastle.
[Sidenote: Aug. 19.]
_Sunday._--Bombardment continuing. Getting used to narrow escapes; had two on Left Attack. Dog killed on Right Attack in afternoon. Redan much cut up, also Malakoff. General Barnard, staff and Steele to dinner.
[Sidenote: Aug. 20.]
Visit from Bob Stopford. Returned to usual routine of firing. Visited Left Attack. Sir Thomas Pasley and son coming there. Young Pasley just made a Commander to take Hammett’s place. Generals Barnard and Bentick to dine.
[Sidenote: Aug. 21.]
Threatened sortie. Troops out. Visited Right Attack; fired some long range near the Russian three-decker and bridge, etc.
[Sidenote: Aug. 22.]
Accompanied Lord Rokeby to show him our long range practice on Right Attack. But little time to go elsewhere. Dined with General Sir William Eyre to meet the Duke of Newcastle.
[Sidenote: Aug. 23.]
Introduced Pasley to Right Attack. Not much going on. Threw several shot round, if not into Russian ship. Mail arrived. Wynyard, Wenny, Connell, and others to dine.
[Sidenote: Aug. 24.]
To headquarters and Balaklava and hospital, Cossack Bay. Lieutenant Everett, severe wound in battery. General Sir William Eyre to dine.
[Sidenote: Aug. 25.]
Turned out at 2.30 A.M. to meet expected sortie. No go. Lord Rokeby and Wenny to dine.
[Illustration: _Inside the Naval Brigade Battery._]
[Sidenote: Aug. 26.]
In batteries at an early hour (3 A.M.). Billy Fyler and Fitzroy to dinner.
[Sidenote: Aug. 27.]
Grand meeting at headquarters to invest certain parties with order of G. and K.C.B. Visited Right Attack and demolished new works on the salient of Redan.
[Sidenote: Aug. 28.]
Lord Rokeby, who was, I might say, “all over the place,” had visited the French lines that extended from the Malakoff in the direction of Inkerman. The officers complained how annoyed they had been by a hole made by the Russians at the foot of the Malakoff, through which, on a dark night, they managed to creep, and having but the sky for a background, themselves unseen, managed to pick off the French sentries. Rokeby having spotted where the hole was, thought it was within range of our Naval Brigade batteries, and having found me, pointed out the fresh stopped hole. To make sure, I decided on visiting the place myself. Mounted my pony, found the French lines and tried to explain in bad French what I had come for. They assisted me through the stopped embrasure, at right angles with the Malakoff. I had not been there more than a minute than a “pat, pat” noise struck the bushes. It was a noise I had heard before, and thinking I had seen quite enough, struggled to get back, but found that instead of help, I was detained from within by pressure on the _soles of my boots_. I reserved the best French that I could think of until I got back, and then let out at my then comrades in the foulest French I could muster. They laughed good-humouredly! It being late I rode across an open space and was as near as possible spotted by a Russian round shot. I got back in time to point such guns as would bear on the spot; if it had not been for the good Rokeby I felt inclined to lay the guns in another direction.