hospitals. There is still, I am sorry to say, a great deal of cholera in the army. The casualties from it are daily twelve or fourteen deaths, and from thirty to forty fresh cases brought into hospital. The casualties from the fire of the enemy, since our arrival at Balaklava to the present day (12th), have only been five killed and twelve wounded. I was sent down into the trenches, left attack, in the afternoon, with instructions from Lord Raglan to the colonel in command. It was anything but pleasant work, as the last two hundred yards before you get into the trenches are quite exposed, so, directly I made my appearance, some five round shot were sent at me, and I had to keep my eyes open to get out of their way. It has been observed that if an officer makes his appearance the enemy fires directly, but a private will probably be left alone; they must have good telescopes to be able to make out which is which at that distance. I got into the trenches just before dusk, and found all the men, with the exception of the sentries, lying close under the parapet, as the round shot came through the upper part, as it is not yet of sufficient thickness to resist balls. The last quarter of an hour before dusk the Russians always appear determined to give us something to remember them for the night. This evening they poured dozens of shot at our works every moment, and, although many of us had dirt and stones knocked about us, not a soul was hurt. This cannonade did not last long, as directly it got dark they ceased firing almost entirely; so our men were immediately set to work deepening the ditch, and consequently making the parapet higher and thicker. Soon after 4 this morning (13th) I got up and rode down to the trenches to see what work had been done during the night, and also afterwards to visit the out-pickets and try and get a sketch of the ground some way in advance of our trenches. It was pitch dark, and not very easy to find one's way; however, I arrived all right at our farthest out-lying picket, and then advanced on foot to our most advanced sentries. Knowing that before me there was somewhere a high rock, which I had observed the day before, I made a guess and fortunately came upon it, and, clambering to the top, lay down to wait for daylight. In a quarter of an hour it came, and I found myself in a most commanding position for seeing the enemy's works; I was on a rocky excrescence, at the top of the ravine between the English and French attacks, but some five hundred yards in advance of both. I proceeded to make an eye-sketch of the enemy's batteries, and succeeded in some measure in doing so for some time, when I heard "ping, ping!" close to my ears, and found I had been discovered by some Russian sharpshooters on picket, who were now taking very deliberate aim at me. Of course I retreated as fast as possible, and fortunately escaped untouched to my horse, who was well concealed in a hollow. I rode home to breakfast at 8 o'clock, very well pleased with my morning's adventure. Since then I have employed my time in writing you this letter: I hope in my next I may announce the opening of our guns on the Russian works. Sevastopol Malakoff tower - Redan Bastion du Mât Lord Dunkellin - Death of Colonel Alexander, R.E. Head-quarters before Sevastopol, 18th October, 1854. AT last we have begun in earnest to bombard Sevastopol. Yesterday morning saw the commencement of our fire on that unfortunate city. But I may as well finish my account of the preparations for the siege before giving you the details of our opening fire. On the 14th instant we received a considerable reinforcement to our army by the arrival of near 4000 Turkish troops. Although not of the best, they nevertheless appear a strong set of men, and will, it is to be hoped, prove themselves of the same stamp as the brave defenders of Silistria. The greater portion of these men are to occupy the forts now in course of construction in front of Balaklava; a position of considerable importance, and where their worth will, in all probability, be tested before long by an attack from the enemy. This day arrived at our head-quarters a Turkish General (Omer) from Bucharest, with letters of congratulation from Omer Pasha to the allied Generals on the victory of the Alma and their successes since that day. He is also to remain for the present as a sort of Turkish Commissioner, to keep Omer Pasha informed of our doings. Soon after 1 P.M. the Russians opened a tremendous fire against the French trenches and works. This lasted for an hour and three quarters, during which time they threw no less than 1500 projectiles, without doing much harm. The French loss was only 5 killed and from 15 to 20 wounded. A part of their trenches was a good deal knocked about, but that was repaired during the following night. General Canrobert and his staff were going round the trenches at the time, |