THE LIGHT DIVISION.

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The space our men had to cross between our trenches and the Redan, was too wide for them to have succeeded, especially when under such a tremendous fire. They never could live through it. Our attack was too early, for the Russians had been enabled, during the night, to repair the damage done to their works yesterday; and as no horizontal fire was directed upon them before the assault, they were in good condition. This, however, was not the fault of the English. The Light Division advanced from the right of our Right Attack; the distance between the Redan and the trenches. they started from was, perhaps, five or six hundred yards. They moved out in open column, Colonel Yea leading them, and advanced against the salient angle of the Redan. Owing to the heavy fire, all order was soon lost; and not being able to get on, the men took shelter in our advanced trenches, upon which the Russians were keeping up a constant heavy fire. Yea, however, got close up to the abattis, and was there shot down. An officer, in whose word I place great faith, told

88

LIST OF CASUALTIES.

me that the scaling-ladders were late coming into the advanced trenches-that when they arrived it was getting light, and the embrasures of the Redan were plainly visible. No doubt their being late was owing to the alteration made in the arrangements by General Pelissier. The First Division went into the trenches in the evening.

I

Although the Russians were the victors on this occasion, their loss, by their own showing, was nearly as great as that of the allies. subjoin the returns, as copied from the despatches of each nation; and the reader will be enabled to compare them at a glance. We may conclude that a great many Russians returned as wounded, received serious injury sufficient to cause death, as those slightly wounded and contused are returned in a separate list.

NUMERICAL RETURN OF CASUALTIES ON THE MORNING OF THE 18TH OF JUNE, 1855.

ENGLISH ARMY.

Killed.-21 officers, 18 sergeants, 1 drummer, 211 rank and file.

Wounded.-70 officers, 82 sergeants, 8 drummers, 1,040 rank and file.

LIST OF CASUALTIES.

Missing.-2 officers, 20 rank and file.

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Total Casualties.-93 officers, 100 sergeants, 9 drummers, 1,271 rank and file. Total, 1,473.

Add the loss of the Naval Brigade:

1 officer, 13 men killed; 6 officers, 39 men wounded; 3 men missing. Total, 62.

Grand total, 1,535.

FRENCH LOSS.

From General Pelissier's despatch.

We had 37 officers killed, 17 taken prisoners. 1,544 non-commissioned officers and privates killed or missing.

96 officers and 1,644 men went to the ambulances. Many wounds at first thought to be serious will ultimately prove not to be so.

Grand total, 3,338.

RUSSIAN LOSS 17TH AND 18TH OF JUNE.

From Prince Gortschakoff's despatch.

2 superior officers, 14 subaltern officers, 781 soldiers killed.

4 superior officers, 43 subaltern officers, 3,133 soldiers wounded.

1 general, 5 superior officers, 29 subaltern officers, 815 soldiers contused.

Total, 1 general, 11 superior officers, 86 subaltern officers, 4,728 soldiers.

Moreover, 2 generals, 12 superior officers, 57 subaltern officers, and 879 men were slightly wounded, but not sufficiently so to quit the ranks.

Grand total, 5,776.

The Russians arrange their lists of casualties

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A DEFECT IN OUR LISTS.

much better than we do, by dividing them into so many different classes, such as 'wounded,' 'contused,' and 'slightly wounded.' We, on

the contrary, include all who are wounded in one list; and it is impossible to distinguish to what extent, or of what nature the wounds may be. Many of our men and officers, too, are returned as wounded, who have merely received a slight blow from a stone, or a graze of the skin, which does not incapacitate them from performing their duty. Such men cannot be considered as hors de combat; and it is manifestly absurd and confusing to return them as 'wounded' in the same list with those who have lost limbs, or received injuries which may either render them unfit for further service, or keep them in a hospital for a length of time. Our system also tends greatly to swell the list of casualties, and exaggerate our real loss. For instance, we say that our loss is a hundred killed and wounded -when perhaps the number actually hors de combat may not be more than ninety.

CHAPTER VII.

AN ARMISTICE.

June 19th.-THERE was a tremendous row last night in the trenches. The Second and Light Divisions, and the French who were near us, got under arms; and we all thought something serious was coming off, but the noise subsided after a time. This is the first time the Second Division have been turned out at night since I have been in the camp, from the beginning of April.

I believe there was no attack at all from the Russians. There were a number of troops in the trenches, who were unused to the work,