[Crimean War, first-hand account, 1855.] Two Autograph Letters (one signed) from an officer of the 33rd Regiment to [Thomson] Hankey, giving news of the war, with references to Admiral Pasley, Generals Codrington and de Salles and HMS Royal Albert.

16pp., 12mo, each of the two letters cross-written on two leaves. Both in very good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Closely written in an idiosyncratic and difficult hand. Both letters are addressed to 'My d[ea]r. Hankey'. The first is incomplete (first bifolium only) and unsigned; the second carries a signature which it has not been possible to decipher, the candidates including Assistant-Surgeon Thomas Clark and Lieut. Alexander Bruce Wallis. The author is clearly both well-connected and well-informed, and writes in an entertaining and informative style. The first letter is written in more general terms, and contains a detailed description of the inside of an officer's tent, as well as a description of the privations of ordinary British soldiers, and a denunciation of the incompetency and indifference of the general staff; the second (quoted below in its entirety) contains specific references to a number of individuals, as well as a description of an engagement between the French and the Russians. A good account of the background to these letters is to be found in the second and third parts of the 'Record of the Services of the 33rd (The Duke of Wellington's) Regiment of Foot', in 'Colburn's United Service Magazine and Naval and Military Journal', February and March 1870. As part of Airey's 1st Brigade of the Light Division, the 33rd had arrived in the Crimea in August 1854, and within a month had distinguished itself at the Battle of Alma, since which it had 'continued to do duty in the trenches, suffering heavily from deprivation'. ONE: 14 January 1855. The author begins by giving 'a slight sketch of my doings and seeings within these few days which as coming from the Camp direct, will bear some interest. I am sitting on a low bed writing on my knees, my feet resting in thick sticky mud in the tent of Quayle & which by the bye I have already scraped & shoveled out twice this morning - there are two beds, such as they are, all round the edges of the tent a medley of meats, biscuits coffee bread, old bottles used as candle sticks, cheese, Boots, & <?> with used utensils for cooking, old clothes of every description all wet & frozen, old newspapers, tin canisters of all shapes for all uses, old crockery & pewter spoons, <?> canteens with a variety of other things, a perfect description of which would puzzle a better pen than mine'. He continues with the description ('the centre lining the Tent Pole', 'wet muddy socks', etc) for several more lines, before turning to 'the arrival in Kamiesch Harbour on Thursday 11th [...] all the Fleets, both English and French, appear to be in the Bay & off Sebastopol, which is looking as black, & grim as you can well conceive'. He next describes how he travelled through the French camp with a pilot, when 'to my surprise I suddenly came in sight of Sebastopol & evidently very near to both Town, & shipping. I could not understand that we were the only Party to be seen, all dressed in blue & looming large in the snow. Presently I heard a salvo of guns, and in a second or two, whiz, & down came three shells about two hund[re]d yards ahead of us, all of which burst within 50 yds of each other, & at the same moment'. He describes how a cannonball 'cut the ground not more than a yard fm. my toes!!' The party enter a French trench, after which they 'pushd for the Lt. Dn. Camp which we afterwards entered without difficulty, the first thing I saw was 8 men stretched out belonging to the 23rd, 6 of whom had been found frozen to death in their Tents during the night, on reaching the 33rd. I found that Hans [Hans Stevenson St Vincent Marsh, killed in the trenches before Sebastopol, 24 June 1855, and 'distinguished', according to Raglan, 'for his gallantry and devotion to the service'] was out on Picket, towards the Trenches so I got a guide, & went off to him'. He reports that the 33rd have also had 'several men frozen to death since I arrived, and it appears to me, that the Light Division, will soon be a thing that was [...] I never saw so much suffering in my life before & I think I have seen much, you will be astonished when I tell you that after all that has been done for our poor soldiers in England, few of them have more than two blankets'. He describes the privations of the men, in 'their half wet, half dry clothes, and the duty so heavy, that the men unable to proceed to the Trenches, & their duties, throw themselves down in the snow in despair, & are found dead'. He would be 'afraid to say how many deaths have taken place since my arrival - I have seen them carried past on shutters frequently. I never could have thought that such an splendid army could so soon be reduced to such a state'. He continues with in this tone, before describing 'a sortie on the french' on the first night of his arrival: 'we were up expecting to be called out, the pattering of musketry and the pounding of great guns & Mortars was incessant the only thing we heard of it was, that the Russian Commander was shot, his helmet being found, shot through'. He concludes by denouncing 'the Staff who are living in the lap of luxury, careless of every body else'. He sees 'nothing but total desperation, if the weather '. The letter breaks off mid-sentence: 'Every officer I have communicated with considers the Quarter Master Genls Department [...]'. Postscript at head of first page: 'All hands of Lt. Division agree in saying Genl. Coddrington [sic, for General Sir William John Codrington (1804-1884)] is a regular good <?>'. TWO: 1 March 1855. Reads: 'R[oya]l. Albert Kamiesch Bay | March 1st. [1855] | My Dr. Hankey | I have been spending a nice few days with the Adml who has just started for Head Quarters [Admiral Sir Thomas Sabine Pasley (1804-1884), who, having brought the newly-built HMS Royal Albert to the Crimea, was returning to England], despite heavy snow, & sleet, he has been very kind, & I have enjoyed my visit to him very much. I find he was a great friend of two of my old Captains, I return to Balaklava tomorrow if I can, then intend spending three or four days with Hans, previous to my departure for England. I should have liked to have seen the french, but I dont think there is much chance of that just yet, they have just sunk five more ships, four on Tuesday night last, and one last night our Camp is beginning to look up again the men are recovering, not only health, but Spirits, and all appears alive, this snow, <?> does more harm than any thing else, particularly with northerly winds. it tells tremendously against them, & in a few hours, knocks them down, so that they are to be seen embarking by hundreds at Balaklava, when such weather sets in, I have heard nothing of the Colonel lately saving his having embark'd in the Acacia for Malta [Colonel Blake was returning to England, in what would prove an unsuccessful attempt to recover from an attack of fever], it was the last thing he would have done, as all hands thought he would not at Constantinople I dare say I shall see him after en'route Mundy [Lieut-Col. George Valentine Mundy, who had led the regiment at the Battle of Inkerman] still commanding the Regt., which is a great misfortune, as he knows as much about it, as the fifth wheel of a Coach, yet to hear him talk about his being Colonel of the Regt. you would suppose he was an officer of some standing. he said to me one day, Either Blake's Coll. of the Regt. or I am!! I thought to myself, how small he would have appeared, if the former had just walk'd in. the Colonel has appointed Hans to the Adjutancy, & by way of opposition, as he was not consulted in the matter, he has appointed another as acting, until Hans's name appears in orders from the Horse Guards, of course I could not interfere, but I told him, I could not understand his telling me, that he considered Hans the best calculated in the Regt. for it, & then his giving to another. the Secret of it is - Owens who is acting, was raised from the Ranks, & he learns from him daily, his own duty - while he would be ashamed to ask of Hans, or the other officers, this I was told by some of them, the Rail Road has progress'd to 2 & half miles, which has made all the difference possible in the work between Camps & Balaklava as it has already moved off to that distance, sevl. hundred Tons of Commiseriat concerns, Huts, & s &c. the Provost Marial has had some work with the N<?>, & a young Corp of Commissariat Drivers that have lately arrived, on Saturday last they were seen & & staggering about in every direction, between Kadikale, & Balaklava, & saw some of them hauled out of the mud, & their long boots, the latter being recovered with the greatest difficulty - Such is the depth, & tenacious nature of the Soil in this Country. you will see by the papers an account of the Mess that the French got into a night, or two ago [Led by General Monet. See 'The French attack on the night of the 23d of February', Times, 17 March 1855, which quotes from a French source which presents the affair in a far more positive light], they attack'd a Russian Works with a very insufficient force & lost 400 Zouaves, & 12 officers, it appears, the Russians were perfectly prepared for them, & allowed time to approach to within a few yards; when a murderous fire was poured in; the Zouaves carried the Work notwithstanding, but a french brigade, or Regt. of Marines that should have supported them, actually <?> , & left the poor zouaves in the lurch; an overwhelming support of Russians put an end to the business, which lasted only a few minutes, the report is, that the Russians fired on each other, & that there was also a great slaughter of them, notwithstanding, they were seen as busy as hens at Daylight on the said Work, it's a very sore subject with the french. I went to their Camp yesterday to see Genl. de Salles & our friends who embark'd with us at Marseilles, and and after a walk of 5 miles, they gave me a small cup of coffee, with a little brandy, without any thing to eat, so I had my walk there & back, 10 miles, on next to nothing but lots of jam, as long as it lasted, & pressing invitations to go & see them again, if I do, I do - but if I do, may I be blow'd - the Rodney is close to us & looks like a Liliputian baby, alongside of this magnificent ship, the French have some fine ships here, two of their Captns. dined with the Admiral yesterday - I was quite charmed with the Admiral, & feel deeply indebted for the introduction, it has also given me the opportunity of seeing the officers of the Fleet, & seeing how they are working on, my private opinion is, that discipline & seamanship have fallen off sadly, with the introduction of steam. Lyons the flag Lieut [Algernon McLennan Lyons R.N. (1833-1908), flag-lieutenant to his uncle, Sir Edmund Lyons, Commander-in-chief in the Black Sea], is a very nice fellow & I hope I may meet him again, when ever I get a look at Sebastopol, it makes me quite savage, to think of being so near, & not to be able to get in, the entire of this front is bristling with guns - I got out with a gun a few days ago - & shot an immense hare, big as a Marino sheep - the Cossacks are rather against my sporting, as we cant venture far in their direction A friend gave me a case of Hares a short time ago. I sent 3 to Hans, one to Genl. Codrington one to Barrett, & one to Mundy - the latter sold his, a few hours after he got it. I mention this circumstance to point out what a he is | with best love to all | yrs very sincerely | <?>'. From the papers of the Hankey family of City of London merchant bankers.?>?>?>?>?>?>