Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol. 4.djvu/481

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FOKESIIADOWS OF COMING TROUBLES. 451 'less in a good house properly warmed, and in chap. ' the day-time unless warnrly dressed.' * . ' ' ^ The letter with which Lord Kaglan accom- panied the memorandum contained this impres- sive statement : ' Before concluding, I may he ' permitted to say a word with regard to this ' army. It requires, and should not he denied, ' repose. Although the marches have not been ' many, fatigue has pressed heavily upon the ' troops. The very act of finding water and of getting wood lias been a daily unceasing exertion, ' and the climate has told upon them ; and in- ' dependently of cholera, sickness has prevailed to

  • a great extent since the third weelv in July.

' Cholera, alas ! is still lingering in the army.' -f- Upon the supposition that the Allied armies should remain so engaged with the enemy as to be forced by sheer stress of war to winter ou the Chersonese, those words of Lord Eaglan's, not- withstanding all their calmness and moderation, had still a terrible import. They foreshadowed the evil that was to come. And, on that same 18th of October, there ap- Re-nppear- peared, as it were, a new combatant, that is, a enemy's Eussian field-army, manoeuvring in sight of our people. The enemy could be plainly seen march- ing with horse, foot, and artillery along a ridge over Tchorgoun ; and the movement was even of

  • This nienioranduni is given verbatim in the Appendix.

t Lord Raglan to Duke of Newcastle (private letter), October 23, 1351.