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29 Sep 55 Peter on board 'Alipore' Mother 1, Hyde Park Place ______________________________________________________________________________________________

On Board the Alipore

Kamiesh Sept 29 1855

My dear Mother,

I have no doubt you are wondering how it is you so seldom hear from me but the truth is I write by every mail but as there is a great deal of confusion here (Kamiesh) & I cannot make out when they leave, I always manage to lose the mail.

Another and a most simple reason is that sailors never write (mostly because they cannot) & so my letters are the only ones and that being the case I do not like to take away a boat & crew for my single letter.

I am to dine with John on his birthday and stop the night up there and that may I hope will be the last visit to the camp for we are expecting, in about a fortnight, to leave for England. I say expecting, not certain, for I do not suppose we get our orders till Constantinople and then they may not be for home but still we consider we have cause to think we shall come home.

If such is the case I shall indeed be lucky for my stay out here has been just long enough to give me an insight into every thing. I have seen a protracted siege and the conduct of the troops; I have seen a battle field strewn with dead, wounded &c. &c. and I have eventually seen the fall of that place which has cost so much trouble and bloodshed.

Amateurs have been out here and have stayed a week and imagine they have seen a great deal – will go home & tell the world of all they were witness of, but if they have a tale to tell who only saw Camp life or at the outside, one great event, what have I to boast of. On the whole if I now come home it seems as if everything had been thrown in my way to give me a better chance of seeing everything it is possible to see.

Julius is getting on famously. Last time I saw him he was not in very good spirits but I have no doubt he is getting on all right again.

I have a few relics from Sebastopol but am afraid they will be taken away when we get home as they are very active at Balaclava in preventing people getting them on Board. I have a Cavalry and Artillery Helmet – the one with brass, the other with silver col'd fittings. I have a Musket’s bayonet & all correct of my own, besides two of John’s (one for Huggins) and one of Julie’s. I have the (brass) lock of a gun with (iron) hammer, with several little brass and other iron pieces. I have a number of little metal charms which they wear round their neck, and several manuscripts, letters and Books. A sword now is the only thing I want to make my collection perfect. I have also a wooden spoon which were to be found in immense quantities and have cut some buttons off the dead men’s coats. These, together with two Russian soldiers’ caps which I do not like to have near me, make up the number of my relics which are as good as any out here.

Poor Julius I think feels a little hurt that he has not been able to get many things but that is all fudge for he has got plenty – to my knowledge he has a musket with bayonet &c. – some velvet priest’s robes, sword, and several little things and of all things what I should have liked to have had – a medal from a soldier’s coat for some affair in Poland.

My little dog is a capital fellow but having taught him to be mischievous he has taken to biting my leg when he can get nothing else to amuse him and when that is forbidden, catches hold of my trousers and holds on so tight with his teeth that he has torn them. I am so hard up that I am wearing my dress trousers which as I before said, he has had the kindness to tear for me.

Tell my Father I have had £2.10 from John and am going to draw, if he has it, another £2.10/-.

With love to every one and hoping to be home by Christmas, which I very much doubt.

Believe me ever

Yr. affect son

Peter Laurie