Fears for the state of the British Army in Crimea
IN its time the News Letter has bore witness to many wars. This week 155 years ago in 1855 the paper's columns were full of the latest news of conditions faced by the British Army as they laid siege to Sebastopol during the Crimean War (October 1853 – February 1856), a conflict which was to be scared by both tactical and logistical errors on all sides of the conflict.
A war report, written on January 27, 1855, from the English Camp on the Heights of Sebastopol by a special correspondent of the Herald made up the centre pages of the News Letter. It captured the plight of British troops in the aftermath of the infamous Charge of the Light Brigade (October 25, 1854) during the Battle of Balaclava (or Bala Klava as it was spelt in the reports).
Opening the report the correspondent observed: "Thank Heaven, as far as atmospheric influences are concerned, the condition of the allied forces is considerably better. The weather is magnificent; the nights clear and cold, the days mild and genial, as in the month of April in London. In fact, the weather is exactly that which we have wished for, though hardly expected."
Advantage had been taken in the lull in hostilities reported the correspondent to bring supplies to the commissariat depot at the army headquarters. The correspondent remarked: "I am informed that it now contains nearly 10 days' provisions for the whole force."
The continued: "The warm clothing has also been issued in large quantities; and at present there are only two or three regiments which are not supplied with those admirable sheepskin greatcoats, the comfort of which the men are never tired of lauding."
The supplies which had arrived with the British Army in the Crimea had been timely, noted the correspondent, as the British Army had been badly hit by both sickness and battles.
The correspondent remarked: "Our men are now feeling the effects of the cruel privations which all underwent from the latter part of November almost to the beginning of this week."
They continued: "An awful proportion of sickness and mortality prevails. It is not enough to say that our men are sick, and that many die, but it literally seems as if the army was melting away day by day.
"That this is no exaggerated statement your readers will readily believe when I tell them that I am informed, on good authority, that between the 1st December, 1854, and the 20th January, 1855,no less than 7,804 officers and men were invalided at Scutari.
"This number, of course, does not include either the men sick in hospital at Bala Klava, or those in the various regimental hospital tents. It is simply the number of men actually sent out of the Crimea."
Sickness had hit the British Army badly and had led to the deaths of many men. The correspondent observed: "For instance, I know that the Guards landed here upwards of 3,000 strong, and I know that they have received reinforcements of nearly 6,000 men since they arrived at Bala Klava. Yet I know also that they have lost 986 men and officers since Inkermann (November 5, 1854], and that yesterday their whole effective strength was 738 men."
The correspondent continued: "The Guards, in fact, are but a remnant, a mere shadow, of one of the finest brigades which ever entered a field of battle. In single regiments the loss appears to be something beyond comprehension."
The 23d, reported the correspondent, had buried 35 men at camp within one week. The 28th "have a merely nominal existence", it was noted and the 63rd "have ceased to have even that". Meanwhile, the "gallant" 46th had been reduced to "some 70 or 80 men" while the 89th "are almost as bad".
The correspondent remarked: "In fact, I believe there is not one regiment at this moment in camp which musters 400 men, and there are not many which could turn out 300.
"The mounted staff corps, about which so much fuss was made in London, have quite disappeared for these three weeks past. I am told there are only nine here now."
On troop numbers which had been decimated by sickness the correspondent concluded: "In this state of things and with an army so reduced that I should almost fear to state its numbers, how can anyone feel elated at the prospect before us.
"We have very fine weather, it is true, but no amount of fine weather will ever take Sebastopol, and until that end is accomplished the English troops must suffer more or less."
As for the enemy's forces in the neighbourhood of Balaclava the correspondent reported: "There is no alteration in the position of the enemy's forces in the neighbourhood of Bala Klava. Their Cossack pickets still prevent communication by the main road to Sebastopol, though apparently not more than 300 or 400 strong. A small corps, 8,000 strong, still remains on the north bank of the Tohernaya, and another small force before Inkermann Light.
"The great mass of the enemy's troops, which lately occupied this position, is said to be making preparations to commence the siege of Eupatoria, under Osten Sacken. The latest news from Eupatoria speaks, as usual, of the presence round the town of a largo force of Cossacks, but there were no indications of a regular force being in the neighbourhood."
The correspondent concluded: "Strong earthworks have been thrown up all round the town, which is now garrisoned by about 20,000 English, French, and Turks. The latter form three-fourths of the entire strength of the place. Two Italians in the French service were caught in an attempt to desert to the Cossacks, near Bala Klava. I am informed that they have since been shot."
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Wednesday 15 February 2012
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