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October 21, 1854.] THE LEADER. 989
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THE KILLED AND WOUNDED. THE PATRIOTIC FU...
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A public meeting to form a " Wounded Sol...
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Accounts from all parts of the United Ki...
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On Thursday ovening the Pol ytechnic Ins...
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Nursks rou thu East.—The following has a...
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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Anecdotes Of Alma. Evert Day Brings With...
space before us ! This was a pretty fix for us to be in , for we ( the Artillery ) were alone , and no infantry to support us , and what rendered our position the more perplexing , we were in that part of the wood where we could not turn our guns . The firing , much to our Telief , soon ceased , and we proceeded on as fast as possible , so as to clear ourselves from so unenviable a position , for had we been attacked by the Russian infantry or sharpshooters , nothing could have saved us either being shot down or made prisoners . We soon gained the open ground , and found that the enemy had retreated on our approaching them . It is said their were 15 , 000 of them going towards Anapa , for the object of bringing up reinforcements for the relief of Scbastopol . This intention we frustrated , and at the same time came in for some plunder ; for , in their hurry to get away , they left behind them some waggons of ammunition , as also several bullock-carts full of meat anrl flour . "
Sir De Lacy Evans . —Extract of a letter from an officer in the Second Division , dated , Balakava , September 28 th , 1854 . — " Sir De Lacy Evans rode about in the thickest of the fire ,- as if he rather liked it . His arm is cut with a ball , but it is not serious . " Russian Descendants of Englishmen . —The English troops have captured a Mr . Upton , ah Englishman , resident in the Crimea . The gentleman is a son of an engineer employed on the works of Sevastopol , and resides in a comfortable country house in the suburbs of the town . Lord Raglan rode tip to the house , ignorant of its occupant , and was much , surprised at the appearance of one of his own countrymen . It was thought that much might be learnt from so intelligent and trustworthy a prisoner ; he was accordingly carried off to the camp , where he will be treated with kindness in return for as much information as he can be induced to
communicate . Effects of a Rupture with ak Old Ally . There is at this moment a curious exemplification of the consequences to individuals , of a breach with a Power with which we were so long on friendl y terms . One of the bravest and ablest of the Russian admirals was the late Admiral Grieg , uncle of our respected fellow-citizen , Charles G-rieg , Esq ., surgeon . During the last war , as upon previous occasions , he served the Imperial House of Russia with eminent fidelity and courage , but being an Englishman he was never naturalised . Little dreaming , however , of a rupture with Great Britain , his sons have become naturalised subjects of the Czar , and hold high naval and military trusts : thus , one of theni is at this moment in Sebastopol , serving as engineer there , while we believe English cousins of his are amongst the beleaguering forces holding commissions in her Majesty's army .
Menschikoff's Account op the Battle . —The Journal de St . Peter sbourg contains the following intelligence in an extraordinary supplement : — " General Prince Menschikoff gives an account to the Emperor , of the date of the 30 th of September , to the effect that after having executed his flank movement from Sebastopol to Baktschi-Sarai , ho was preparing to assume the offensive on the first favourable occasion . That plan , promised so much the more success that the allies had divided their forces . Whilst the French were approaching the fortifications on the northern shore of
the bay of Sebastopol , the English troops had procee d ed by sea to Balaklava , where they had made a descent . Prince Menschikoff , on learning this , had advanced ; but the French , avoiding the combat , had also abandoned the nortli of Sobastopol , and had proceeded to the south of the town to join their allies . On the 30 th Prince Menschikoff had arrived with the greater part of his troops at the fortifications on the north , and hud established himself there , waiting to sec what the intentions of the enemy might be . Up to the 30 th no operations had taken place . "
October 21, 1854.] The Leader. 989
October 21 , 1854 . ] THE LEADER . 989
The Killed And Wounded. The Patriotic Fu...
THE KILLED AND WOUNDED . THE PATRIOTIC FUND . Pending the arrival of further accounts of the operations in the Crimea , a fertile source of controversy and discussion has arisen with / tegai'd to the duty which the country owes to those who suffer in their own persons in the war , as well as to the families of those who have perished in the conflict . No time has been lost in issuing a Koyal Com mission for conducting a Patriotic Fund , for the relief nnd assistance of those among our forces that need them . The mombers of the Commission are numerous , embracing men of every shade of political opinion , nnd every rank , comprising us it docs the Priuco Consort , the Dukos of Newcastle and Wellington , Lord Derby and Lord Aberdeen , Lord Shafteslmry nnd Lord Nelson , the present and nil past Secretaries at War , and the heads of departments of both army and navy ; amd the Hat is closed by the names of Mr . Hume , Mr . T . Baring , Mr . Hubbard , the Governor of the Bank , Mr . Wilson Patten , Mr . Veto , Mr . IJurko Roche , and Mr . John Ball . Out of tliiH body JiiXccutivo and finance Committees are to bo formod , who arc to assist in the organisation of LounJ Committees , and promote in every way the getting up of subscriptions , the application of which is to bo entrusted to the Commission . Meetings have been already hold in St , John ' s
aroused a feeling of mixed commiseration and indignation , which has resulted in an active movement for their relief , and contributions are flowing in ( at present only to the Times newspaper ) , while the journals are inundated with letters on the subject . All classes are coining forward . Rich men give their 2001 , and 100 i ., and 50 / ., and 25 l . ; widows , their mite ; workmen , their day ' s wages ; soldiers and sailors , their day's pay ; while accusations against the Government for neglect are loud and deep .
Wood , and at Windsor , and in a number of other districts ; and Local Committees have been formed for carrying out the objects of the Patriotic Fund . This fund has for its object only the relief of the orphans and widows of those who may fall in the present war ; and the public sympathy has been actively roused for another object which is of the most pressing character . The accounts of the condition of the wounded , after the battle of the Alma , which have appeared in the various newspapers , have
In our impression of last week we gave a full account , gathered from various sources , of the condition of the wounded , on the field , on board the ships , and at Scutari . On the other hand , the Government has no lack of defenders . Mr . Gutbrie , the celebrated surgeon , has protested against the misdirection of private benevolence to an object for which the Government have fully provided . It is stated that large additional
numbers of medical men are on their way to the seat of war , and will be followed by more ; and that the supplies of all that the sick and wounded could require are already ample on the spot , and that all necessaries are continually being sent out . The Training Institution for Nurses is about to send out a body of nurses to Constantinople . Dr . Smith , the Director General of the Army and Ordnance Medical Department , has forwarded a lengthy document to the papers , in which he states- — -
"As much misapprehension seems to exist as to the sufficiency of medical attendants , and of medical stores and supplies with the army and in the hospitals in the East , and as great anxiety has thereby been caused to ' the relatives of the sick and wounded , the accompanying papers show the numbers of medical officers , and the quantity of medicine and hospital stores , which have been forwarded from this country at different times since the 24 th February last . In a Memorandum , respecting medical stores supplied to the army in the East , the Director-General also states that : — " The number of medical officers with the British forces in the East , at the time of the battle of the Alma , was 276—being 1 to every 97 of strength . In the Peninsula the number of medical officers was 1 to every 154 of strength .
" At the present moment there are 30 more medical officers on their way to Constantinople , and 15 more are waiting embarkation . " Dr . Smith is happy in being able to state confidently that the medical officers at Scutari ( he believes 21 in number ) have at their command everything necessary to the treatment of the wounded soldier ; hence there is no necessity whatever for any effort being made by the public to send out to Constantinople , lint , old linen , & c . " Here follows a list of requisite articles already sent out , immense in amount ; to which is added another formidable list of more that is going . Dr . Smith also states the moans for the conveyance of the wounded to bo as follows : —
" Bearers , or stretchers , 780 ; spring carts , on two wheels , built according to the directions of Mr . ( Juthric , 20 ; spring waggons , on four wheels , 2 ( J ; Flanders waggons , 20 . " Each of the men employed in removing the wounded from the field is to carry a haversack-like bag filled with water . " Each waggon is capable of carrying from the field , or from ileld hospitulw to hospitals in the roar , ten persona , namoly , four badly , ami six slightly wounded men , each in a separate compartment , By this arrangement , every individual will bo insured ogainst inconvenience or injury from his immediate neighbours , which would , did no partitions exiHt , certainly prove moat detrimental , especially to weakly and severely wounded men who might have to bo transported along an Irregular broken or sloping road , or over a country whero no rondu exiat .
" The Handera waggonw are intended for the curringo of bedding , stores , & c , to bo used in Held hospitala ; and in the event of their not proving Hiifiiciant for the purpose , the waggonn intended for tho transport of « i « k and wounded arc oapublo of being quickly dismantled internally , and made available to mipply the deficiency . They , like tho others , arc placed on ( springs , and in oamj of necessity can also bo used for the ourriago of wide and wounded . " In addition to tho before-mentioned mipply , « ach corpn in provided with a regimental nud with a detachment medicine client , each client , amply furnished with medicines and surgical materials , according to tho regulations of the service , alao with u box of apparatus for frncturcH and dislocations .
" The surgeon of the corps has a full set of capital instruments ; the senior assistant a portable set ; the surgeon and three assistants each a case of pocket instruments , and a case of lancets : there are likewise , for general use , a set of cupping instruments and a stomach pump . " The slightly wounded are accommodated towards the front of the carriage , placed back to back , separated from each other by wooden partitions , and prevented from falling outwards by each compartment being provided
with a chain covered with leather , to be passed across the chest , when the seat is occupied , with a view as well to safety as support . The badly wounded , extended on elastic stretchers 6 feet C inches long and 2 feet wide , are placed behind , and , as already stated , in separate compartments , into or out of which the stretchers glide with facility , from their behig provided with rollers . Each of the compartments is fitted with a ventilator from end to end , which can be closed or opened by the person lying on the stretcher .
" A waterproof roof , supported on wood hoops , covers the body of the carriage , and under it is a depository for firelocks , knapsacks , caps , accoutrements , & c . There is also under the seats for the slightly wounded men a large capacious locker , in which may be placed water sacksfor barrels soon become useless , especially if exposed to weather and sun—bedding , and other articles , which the medical officers of the army may Consider as likely to be useful ; and under the hinder part of the waggon is a convenient box , in which medicines , instruments , & c , can be carried if required . . " At the back part of each vehicle there are two iron brackets , which , fold down to support a stretcher , and so afford the means of forming a convenient table . This plan I from the first preferred to one which was strongly urged on me , namely , to form a table by placing a stretcher across two panniers . "
So muc 3 i for the care of tho Government , which is borne out "b y the testimony of Lieutenant Foster , of the 95 th , who was himself in the military hospital at Scutari . He says : — " I saw -the wounded arrive from the Crimea . I went on board the Andes and the Vulcan . " The wounded in both ships were very well cared for ; there were awnings and screens to protect them from the weather , and each man had his cot , bed , and blankets . The wounded officers had also been made as comfortable as possible under the circumstances , and I heard no complaints whatever . " On the contrary , all , both officers and men , were ready to testify to the unremitting attention , and the extreme kindness and humanity cf the overworked medical officers .
" Further , I visited the wounded after their removal to the hospital at Scutari . I spent hours with them , and I can safely say that , with the exception of those who were only slightly -wounded , and who were assisting their less fortunate brethren in arms , every man had a comfortable bed , and all necessary attention and care bestowed by the medical officers and attendants . " The wounded officers , in my hearing , frequently expressed thoir satisfaction with the arrangements made for them . When any one of them uttered a cry of pain , at once was a medical officer by his side . " Nothing could exceed the devoted attention of the medical staff to tho wounded , both officers and men . No distinction was made , nil were treated alike ( tho officers being in separate wards ) , and all fared well—as well , nay , much better than might have been expected . " And he adds that there was a " profusion of medical stores of every kind at Scutari . "
A Public Meeting To Form A " Wounded Sol...
A public meeting to form a " Wounded Soldier ' s Aid Society , " was call led at Exeter-hall , for Tuesday last , but only three ladies and four or five gentlemen attended , and the meeting was adjourned . Major Powys took tho opportunity of asking the public not to send largo boxes of lint and rags to the office of the Association for tho Relief of Soldiers' Wives and Children , as it wna blocked up with such articles .
Accounts From All Parts Of The United Ki...
Accounts from all parts of the United Kingdom show that the movement in aid of tho Patriotic Fund will bo universal and hearty .
On Thursday Ovening The Pol Ytechnic Ins...
On Thursday ovening the Pol ytechnic Institution gave tho proceeds of u special entertainment to the Fund for the Belief of the Widows and Orphans of tho Soldiers in tho Mast . The Earl of Shaftosbury was tho patron of the evening 1 , and addressed a very largo assembly . Major Powys and other gentlemen also spoko . There was an unusual variety in tho entertainment provided , and tho bund of the lfifi Life Guards wan in attendance . Tho addition to tho Fund from this source will bo considerable .
Nursks Rou Thu East.—The Following Has A...
Nursks rou thu East . —The following has appeared in tho papers by authority : — " We nro authoriflcid to Bluto Unit Afro . Nightingale , who has boon for some timo acting an HUporiiitouilunt . of the Ladies' Hospital , lit No . 1 , Ujp |> er Ilurloy-ntroel , haa unclortakuii to orgunimj n utnfl ' of funiaki nurmiM , who will at once prucood wllli her to Scutari at thu cost of tho Government , thoro to net . under her direction in tho English Military Hosjiltnl , mibjcct , of course , to tho
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Oct. 21, 1854, page 5, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_21101854/page/5/
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