Major-general J. R. Hume

Reminiscences of the Crimean Campaign with the 55th Regiment Major-general J. R. Hume

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1894. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER III. Landing At Old Fort--First Night In The Crimea--March To The Bulganak--March To The Alma--Battle Of The Alma--After The Battle--cholera--Bivouac At The Katcha And BelBek--The Famous Flank March--Balaclava. /N the memorable i4th of September the flotilla started at 3 a.m., anchoring in Kalamita Bay. The French began to land at 9 a.m.; the British at 9.30 a.m. Our sailors worked as only British sailors can, and our regiments were landed rapidly. The sailors took the greatest care of us, and there were no accidents. The sea was fortunately smooth, otherwise the landing would have been very difficult, if not impossible. No enemy appeared to oppose the landing, and all the infantry were on shore at 4 p.m. The 55 th and the other regiments of the 2nd Division were marched off into the unknown land about four miles. It was quite dark when we halted; rain came down in torrents. We were told to make ourselves comfortable for the night! What a night that was! I have spent many uncomfortable nights, but that beat all for utter misery. Sleep was quite out of the question. Any one lying down got drenched. The only thing to be done was to walk up and down watching the attempts of the men to light fires from weeds they collected off our bivouac ground. I have often wondered why a few enterprising Cossacks did not come and fire into our picquets. Of course we would have thought that the whole Russian army was attacking us, and as the night was pitch dark, and we knew nothing of the country, no doubt we would have fired into the nearest regiment, and they into us; but the night was evidently too bad for even a Cossack to be out. There were no alarms, and at last daylight appeared, and very welcome it was to the drenched troops. Our first night in the Crimea d...