Page:Item 5 1853.pdf/271

only two – Elton and Burke – escaped untouched. General Warren and his aide-de-camp , Morgan (both of ours) were hurt – the first with a wound on the back of the neck, and Morgan with his arm broken by a musket dashed against it by a round shot. Our regiment lost out of 420 men in action not fewer than 180 in killed and wounded; so you see it has been a very severely contested affair. Before dusk the Highland Division arrived from Tchernaya and relieved us in the trenches, upon which we returned to camp. During the night only a few guns were heard, but some tremendous explosions which shook the very earth; and I was awoke before daylight by a staff officer calling out to the adjutant that the Russians had blown up their works, that they were evacuating the place, and that the Brigade was to turn out immediately and march down. I was unable, from my hurts, to go, much to my disgust; so the regiment went off with the only three effective officers left. The Russians were off over the floating bridge, to the north side, having fired the town at all points and blown up their magazines. They found it impossible to maintain any longer the place which they had so stoutly defended for more than a year. You may imagine how delighted we were at this. All yesterday there was a series of explosions as the fire reached the magazines of the different forts. Fort Paul, a very handsome edifice, with three tiers of guns bearing on the harbour, blew up about 3 p.m., with a tremendous crash and is now a heap of rubbish. Those who were on guard in our trenches the night before, say, it was a splendid sight to see all the explosions and the fire breaking out. I was well enough yesterday evening to go up the hill to see the burning town. They sank all the remaining ships at the same time; of the boasted Sinope fleet not one remains. But they have got two or three steamers on the north side, and if they do not sink them also. I hope we shall do it for them. Today I rode down into the far-famed stronghold of Sebastopol. The French are allowed to go in and plunder as much as they like, but not so the English. Officers are stopped if not on duty; but I managed to get in and take a look at it. In my next letter I will tell you about the inside of the town. I was very much vexed to lose the sword my grandfather gave me, but it could not be helped. Once out of my hand in such a fearful meleé, it would have been certain death to stop and look for it. I picked up someone else’s sword directly after, which fits into my scabbard, so I am all right again. It seems so odd and quiet in camp now. This is the first day for exactly 261 days, that I have not heard a cannon shot. What a delightful change! We bury poor Cuddy to-day. The other wounded officers are doing well.”
“J. G. Harkness”