Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol 7.djvu/198

 154 THE WINTEE TROUBLES. CHAP, under the hardsliips of this Chersonese win- L_ ter ; (}^) and of even this too scanty food, the issues were fitful, uncertain, and too often long interrupted. With that bread — leaven bread — which (as contradistinguished from biscuit) was almost peculiarly necessary to the wellbeing of the French soldier — he from time to time remained unsupplied.(-^'^) The supplies of fresh meat were not only rare and scant, but of so poor a quality that medical science condemned them as doing but little to keep up the strength of tlic men ; (^^) whilst of fresh vegetables there was no supply at all ; (■^^) and the want of such food was not met by sending out to the troops either fruit or the juices of fruit ; so that largely beyond any limits allowed by the known laws of health, men had to lean for support upon biscuit and salted meat without the counteracting aliments which such a diet required. Several little allowances were added during the winter to the soldier's usual ration ; (^'') but these utterly i'ailed to make good the want of that generous food that is needful for men suhering grievously from exposure to wet and cold.(^^) The French soldiery under these trials had to aid them an organisation adapted for the struggles of warfare, had the skill, the resource, the endur- ance, of practised campaigners, (^^) had the cour- age, the cheerful spirit, and even at moments the gaiety for which their race has been famed ; but especially, as before has been shown, they had The com- tlic Commanding advantage of that numerical rnanding ail-, ^ • ■> ' m i • l^ ■ • c vantages- the strength whuMi, attcr meeting tlic exigencies ot