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3 Sep 55 Julius Camp before Sebastopol Mother ______________________________________________________________________________________________

Monday Septber. 3rd 1855

Camp before Sebastopol

Dear Mother

I could not write to you by the last mail as I was in the trenches when it went. It so happens that my turn for them comes always on the days that the mail starts & as I have the propensity of putting off, I generally forget it till too late.

I rode over to the Monastery* yesterday where some sick & wounded officers are. It is a very bad ride but I think one feels quite rewarded by the beautiful scenery there.

The place on my back where the piece of shell hit me is nearly healed. I have been off the sick list for some time.

We are making a new Sap* on the left of the Right attack; the Russians make an attack on it every night & Preston of the 97th who was at the Depot & came out at the same time as we did was shot through the heart there the other night, when I was in the trenches (the 31st August).

The 23rd bolted on the night of the 1st when Ruskies came & let him come right into the trench (at least so goes the Shave*). A board of Genls. is going to sit today to enquire into the circumstances.

I saw John yesterday, as fat as ever & the whiskers & beard are a much lighter colour than they used to be, which I cannot account for unless it is that Dye is scarce here.

The winter is coming on fast I am sure. One of the sure signs of it is that the nights are so cold.

They sent me out the other night with 25 men down in a ravine, between our 4th Parallel & the Mamelon*, where there was no cover except holes about 1½ ft deep that men who had been there before had dug or rather scraped out. We got all the pieces of shell that burst in the Mamelon & were afraid to move because of the bullets that whirled by, but I withdrew the men before Daylight as it was impossible to stay there when it was light.

I am very sorry to hear that the Mare has been sent out to John. Of course it is nothing to me if he does not mind it. It is impossible for her to last out the winter here without proper food & shelter & even now in the most prosperous time, she would not live on the forage that they serve out which is barley & only does for the strong bat ponies that we keep.

I got no letter by last mail.

I shall for the future direct my letters to Hyde Park Place as I hear rumours about going to St. Leonards.

Hoping all are well & with best love

I remain

yr. affect. Son

Julius, Dyson, Laurie

[inside envelope]

Do not forget about various potted meats, milk, hams &c. that I told you of in my last as well as a fur coat & thick pea jacket.

J.D.L.

PS I got a letter from my Father but none from you telling me all about the Mare.

I am for trenches now.

J.D.L.

* Monastery – St George’s Monastery, dramatically sited in the cliffs to the west of Balaclava harbour

* Sap – Trench or tunnel to cover approach to defences

* Shave – Rumour

* Mamelon – A low hill between the Malakoff and the French forward parallel that was taken by the Russians in March 1855 but recaptured by the French three months later