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By the Same Mail and from another man on board the “Queen”, came the followin(sic) letter:-
- “I am happy to say I am enjoying the best of health at present. We had a heavy gale on the 14th, which compelled us to let go three anchors one after another, which gave us a great deal of work. They were put up more for ornament than for convenience of letting go. We have also carried our rudder-head away where it was not sea-worthy. So we are going down to Constantinople and I don’t think we shall go back to the Black Sea again. The sea ran mountains high, and we expected having to cut our masts away. Thirteen vessels went on shore where we laid, and it is said that from Eupatoria to Balaclava there are fifty on shore. Lord Raglan is only waiting now for a reinforcement to keep the heights while he storms Sebastopol, which will be done before Christmas. There was a heavy engagement on the 5th and another on the 12th, and we could see there was something two days ago. R. H.”
More Disasters. Writing from H.M.S. Rodney, on the same date, John Whyborn said –
- “Winter is now setting in, and last Tuesday we had a very heavy gale from S.W. Where we were lying, between Eupatoria and Balaclava twelve transport vessels were driven ashore, and the Sampson lost her masts; also a Turkish line of battle ship had to cut her masts away to save her from driving ashore. We had three anchors down and rode out the gale pretty well. At Balaclava there were twelve vessels lost, one of which was a steamer. She went down at her anchors and only five men were saved. At Eupatoria fifteen vessels were ashore, consisting of one French line of battle-ship, one Turkish ditto, three war steamers and ten others. What with sickness, war and storms our plight is awful. There have been a great many lives lost in those ships that were driven ashore. Now this is a specimen of the Black Sea weather in winter, and if I had my will, those people in England who grumbled because our admiral did not cruise the Black Sea all last winter, I would keep them in it the whole of this winter, and see what they would do. It’s all very well to say this and to say that, over their pipe and glass, comfortably by the fireside, but we who are up here know more about it. The allied fleets are going down to Constantinople to winter, with the exception of the steamers and two each English and French ships. The Vengeance and ourselves (the Rodney) are going to stay, and all except a hundred of our men are going ashore to man the batteries, and I expect to be one of them. So you must not be surprised at having no letters from me; for when we go ashore we only take two shifts of clothes – one off and one on; also one blanket, a monkey-jacket, and our arms and ammunition....John Whyborn.”
