Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol 7.djvu/397

RETURNING STRENGTH. 353 their matchless soldiery ; (^2) but during this chap. winter campaign, the comparative rapidity and f" fulness of the communications between England and the Crimea had allowed a free play of the sympathy uniting our people at home to their suffering army abroad — a sympathy quickened by learning that under trial of heart-rending miseries, too often suff'ered even to death, the soldier disclosed a proud fortitude corresponding with what foreign observers, when saying how they find him in battle, have called his ' terrible ' silence.' To this sympathy expression was hap- pily given by the treasures which Tower and Egertou found means to dispense ; and their zeal, their devotion, their absolute forgetfulness of self excited the admiration, the gratitude of the Commander-in-Chief. Lord Eaglan wrote from the heart, and with a knowledge of the feelings of the army, when to Tower and Egerton he addressed his assurance that they had accom- plished ' a noble mission,' and went on to say : ' I cannot speak in terms of sufficient praise of ' the total disregard of personal convenience ' which you have exhibited in the prosecution ' of the laborious task to which you devoted ' your whole time and attention from the first ' to the last ; of the benevolent way in which ' you distributed what the Crimean Eund have ' provided for the comfort and use of the British ' army, or the earnest desire you have ever mani- ' fested to meet the wishes of all. Your success ' in this endeavour fully shows how much we all ' owe you, and how grateful we should be to VOL. VII. Z