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13 Sep 55 Peter Camp before Sebastopol Mother 1, Hyde Park Place ______________________________________________________________________________________________
C B S*
September 13th 1855
My dear Mother
You will receive by this mail a letter from Julius written by myself, for of course you are aware he is unable to do that.
I was with him a short time today. He was not in very good spirits but it may have proceeded from too much excitement when Ernest was there, for of course he kept everyone laughing.
It appears he never went to Scutari but was all the time on board some ship outside the harbour & must have been close to me.
I have come up to camp again to get to Balaclava to enquire why my things have not been sent – or if they have, where to, for I have not received anything.
I don’t know what the Russians are about now but I expect that they are fortifying themselves on the north side. All their strength lies in fortifications,* for get them once in the open field & I think it is all up with them.
A great number of our ships are returning home now & as the Russian navy being all demolished, they will be of no use or necessity further.
The troops will be delighted at having no more trench work, but I expect they are in for something worse than that. Long marches, general engagements &c. &c. are perhaps very pleasant but I do not think they will enjoy themselves long – [although] just for a change they will do at first after trench work.
I wrote two long letters by the last mail and have since then no more news, so excuse so short a letter. The town is nothing like burnt down. No one is allowed to enter and all the doors of the houses &c. &c. are closed & locked to prevent people pillaging.
Latterly I believe ten men out of each company have been allowed to go down with a corporal or sergeant in charge.
Love to all from your affect. son
Peter Laurie
September 14th
I have seen Julie today & he’s all right & tho’ rather pulled down, in very good spirits.
* CBS – Camp Before (i.e. in front of) Sevastopol
* fortifications – The existing defences of Sevastopol were reinforced and repaired by a young genius of a military engineer, Lieutenant Colonel Todleben. The Allies’ failure to attack the city immediately after the battle of Alma had allowed him sufficient time to construct a perimeter strong enough to keep out the Allied besiegers for almost a year