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 SUFFERINGS OF TIIK ARMIES. 183 sergeant; but, on the other hand, he seemed to chap. acknowledge that he had committed his bodily L welfare no less than his life to the chances of war, and would let the Queen have what he sold her without a grudging word. Sometimes the brave men — I speak now of the men under arms — would do more than acquiesce in their sufferings, and — detecting perhaps a shadow of care in the face of their honoured chief when he rode past their camp — would seize any occasion that offered for showing hira that they were content. Thus, for instance, when asked by Lord Kaglan whether his regiment had obtained its warm clothing, a soldier would not merely say ' yes,' but gratefully and cheerily add that that ' was all they wanted.' (^^) Yet from such indications as these it would be a mistake to infer that the hardships our people endured might perhaps have been less, after all, than this narrative would make tliem appear. What such instances really show is that, great as were the sufferings of the men, their spirit proved greater still. If the soldier had to endure grievous hard- Lord Has- . Ian at this ships and bodily sufferings, his generals portion period, was — Care — Care almost unceasing, yet repressed or concealed, so far as was possible, by a char- acteristic abhorrence of down-heartedness, and in conformity also with that military policy of which we shall soon liave to speak. Our men of course knew but little of the ugly statistics which were ceaselessly measuring the calamity, dividing the dead from the living, revealing the