Page:The invasion of the Crimea vol. 2.djvu/405

 THE FIRST day's MARCH. 37 5 in all ilieir pride were things built with the bodies chap. of suffering mortals. ' We saw that, before the embarkation, our troops sickness iTPTT. r>iii T1 •'"'^ failing nad lallen into a weaK state of health, and that, strength of . manv oi tht even of those who were free from serious illness, sowiers there were hardly any Mdio had been able to keep their accustomed strength. It had been hoped that the voyage would bring back health and strength, but the hope proved vain ; and Lord Eaglan, knowing the weakly state of the men, had ordered that they should be allowed to enfold the few things they most needed in their blankets and to land and march without their knapsacks. Yet now, before the first hour of march was over, the men began to fall out from the ranks. Some of these were in the agonies of cholera. Their faces had a dark choked look ; they threw them- selves on the ground and writhed, but often with- out speaking and without a cry. ]Iany more dropped out from mere M'eakness, These the officers tried to inspirit, and sometimes they suc- ceeded ; * but more often the sufferer was left on the ground. It was vain to tell him, though so it was believed at the time, that he would fall could not get through the clay's march without having to en- dure great fatigue; for the scantiness of the means avaihiMe for land-transport had made it necessary for Lord Raglan to ask that the officers -wouUl trust to their own bodily strength for the carriage of all they required. This most 'unusual' demand upon their fortitude was met at the time in such a S])irit that, in narrating the fact to the Secretary of War, Lord luiglan waa oUe to say, 'I have not heard a single murmur.' Published Despatch, 23d S^'ptember 1854.
 * The officers were themselves so heavily hiden that they