The Drake Letters 020
YOU ARE HERE: Drake Letters ► 20. Drake to Louisa 22 September 1854
19. Drake to Louisa 20 September 1854 ◄ ● ► 21. Drake to Louisa 27 September 1854
William Henry Drake (aboard Hope) № 10 – Louisa Drake (London), 22 – 23 September 1854
| № 10
My dear Lu, |
Steamer Hope, Loucoul or Ulukul Bay 22 Sept 1854 – 1 |
I sent my last by the Admirals Bag yesterday in a great hurry & I also wrote to Sir C Trevelyan a short note about the action as the C.G. 2 I thought could not write being inland
It has been a great Victory purchased at a great Expense of life Our Soldiers stormed a height that was quite equal to most Fortifications Annapolis ramparts are about 1/3 of the height & a deep & broad rise at their foot – The Russian Army laughed at the idea of our taking this position the men believed it impregnable & fought accordingly, they were many of them well primed also with Spirits – The Army has lost from 500 to 600 killed & 800 or 900 wounded The French 250 killed & 300 wounded It is said the Russians have lost 2000 men & upwards Three Generals & 3 Cannons 2 of 32 & 1 of 24 lbs., were taken by us – Caps Helmets Musquets Swords Bullets & all sorts of Trophies are being brought on board every Ship I enclose some part of a printed Almanac & prayer 3 it was taken from the hand of a man who has used the part torn off as a wad to a broken Cartridge he was killed by our Guards with the Ball in the muzzle of his gun – I was awake at 4 this morning & as I had little to do myself helped the Navy in getting off the Wounded – Two Russian Officers among others one spoke French, the other German the latter was a Cadet There are doubts as to the March hence to Sevastopol Reports differ some say at the Katzka River there are other entrenchments & others that there are none on this side the City [of Sevastopol] but all agree this is the Strongest as the Highest land is on this side of the Katzka & consequently in our favor – The 23 Regt. 4 have lost 400 men & are under command of a Captain – But every one I have heard speak of our loss concur in one opinion, that much of it was occasioned by the inefficiency of our Genl. Commg. 5 of course I am not competent to judge of it & so give no opinion of my own, Brigadier Genl. Tylden R.E. 6 taken with Cholera last night & not expected to recover Lt. Col. Seymour 7 on Genl. Cathcart’s 8 Staff went on board ill yesterday he is better today – Diarrhœa is still very prevalent among the Troops – I have got a Russian Eagle off the Cap of a Chasseur killed in the action & sundry memorials of the Battle I suppose they will call it of Alma or the passage of the Alma
I am writing in a desperate hurry & very uncomfortably as I am just at present mighty busy but as a Second Vessel goes today or tomorrow morng. I send this for fear the last has not got to hand – & to let you know that I am not among the killed or wounded.
Your affectionate Hub
W. H. Drake.
23. All Well W. H. D.
Army will advance tomorrow morning
Footnotes
1. Private family manuscript (Judith Hall and Sally Mac, Auckland, New Zealand). ▲
2. Commissary-General William Filder, C.B. ▲
3. This page has not survived. ▲
4. 23rd Royal Welsh Fusiliers Regiment of Foot. ▲
5. Lord Fitzroy James Henry Somerset Raglan, Commander-in-Chief. ▲
6. Brigadier General William Burton Tylden, R.E., died
of cholera on 22 September 1854. ▲
7. Lt.-Col. Charles Francis Seymour, S.F.G., died at the
Battle of Inkerman on 5 November 1854. ▲
19. Drake to Louisa 20 September 1854 ◄ ● ► 21. Drake to Louisa 27 September 1854
©Megan Stevens 2024
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