| Description | Written on board the "Queen of the South", Balaklava Harbour.
At last at the end of their voyage, having left Constantinople last Thursday: towing of the staff corps to the Crimea, then having problems with the tow-ropes: getting to the bay and the harbour, shut in by rocks, with a difficult entrance: hearing of guns being fired every hour, with occasional rounds from the big guns: the French expecting 2000 reinforcements, with the British bringing in around 1500 (in their own ship and the Orinoco): an officer saying there is a Russian army behind them and on the right, with Sebastopol in front, with a serious fight expected in a week: march to Sebastopol tomorrow, with no luggage and having to carry all they can on the backs, plus two days provisons: on entering the harbour today, accident with another vessel, whose bowsprit damaged the poop railing, but no harm being done: hope of writing more on getting to camp.
20 Nov [no year given, but context makes it 1854], endorsed with note of receipt on 12 Dec as 4th letter.
Sheet, with 3½ pages of text. |