Saturday 13 November 2010

Diary of the Crimean War By Frederick Robinson

Robinson was a surgeon to the Scots Fusilier Guards and his memoirs are on Google books in full. Well worth a look if the subject sounds interesting. Here's a taster from the aftermath of Inkerman:

9th.The 46th regiment has landed and marched up here, together with about 1500 Zouaves—portions of the expected reinforcements. The 99th, from Athens, are also at Constantinople, en route. Large parties of Turks are employed, as well as our own troops, in burying the Russians. The enemy have actually had the barbarity to fire on them whilst so engaged. The Russians seem never to bury their slain. One of their officers, in the battle, was seen stabbing our wounded. He gave money to a sergeant of the Guards to say nothing, the former having been taken prisoner. He is expected to be shot, and richly deserves that fate. The number of the enemy's dead is greater than was supposed: their loss is now computed at 15,000 killed, wounded, and prisoners. On the same morning with the action, it seems, the Russians made a sortie on the French, who slew one thousand, and even drove them within the fortifications of the town, so that nn entrance could actually have been effected then. Prudence, however, prompted a retreat, from the dread of being cut off. Weather wet, but mild.

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