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JOHN WIMBURN LAURIE'S DIARY, 1861- 1862
Originally transcribed by his grand-daughter, Elizabeth D. Horlock, about 1970.
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Monday, August 19th 1861
Worthing races. Durrant came from town to ask about Châlons, and I agreed to go. Margaret went away by the 4.20 train with Durrant.
Châlons - 'Camp Châlons' (also known as Camp Mourmelon) was a military camp established by Napoleon III in 1857 at Châlons-sur-Marne, (now renamed Châlons-en-Champagne)
Margaret – Margaret Laurie, a great-niece of Sir Peter Laurie whom he informally adopted (as he had John (Snadden) Laurie, Robert Peter (Snadden) Laurie and Peter Northall-Laurie)
Tuesday, 20th.
Left for London by the 2.5 train; went to the Horse Guards to attend the M.L. Levee. He was out of town, looked in to see Mr Sneeth.
He was away, but saw Mr Humphreys who told me to go and see Capt Greentree, a friend of Sneeth.
Capt. G. was not in. Asked Sir A. Horseford for a letter to General Craufurd, but he said calling on him at Châlons would suffice. Dined at Sir Peter’s. Met Robert at the Volunteer Service Club and went home with him.
Capt. Greentree - Dovedon Downes Greentree was Secretary to the Council of Education
General Craufurd – James Robertson Craufurd was Major General commanding the Brigade of Guards
Sir A Horsford – General Sir Alfred Hastings Horsford GCB (1818-1885) was at this time Deputy Adjutant-General at Army Headquarters and went on to become Military Secretary
Sir Peter – Sir Peter Laurie, his great uncle
Robert – Robert Laurie, his first cousin
Wednesday, 21st.
Looked up Durrant and made arrangements for starting. Saw Capt. Greentree who was encouraging and told me I had about 1200 marks without the Military subject. Saw Col. Corté at Putney, he could not come to Châlons. Dined at home. Left London 2.30, a short passage of 1.35 from Dover to Calais.
Thursday, 22nd.
Arrived at Paris and after the usual delays got our baggage passed, and went to the Gd. Hotel de Louvre – train full and night travelling very hot. Bath and breakfast and called on M. Monet at Charenton (Robert’s introduction) and afterwards with Durrant upon Don Pedro Gil. Dined at the hotel and went to Asuières with Monet. Very tired to bed.
Friday, 23rd.
Hearing that the Emperor would leave Châlons this forenoon, we agreed to remain in Paris a day or two to let the rucks get away from Mourmelon. We judged that the troops would not do much for a day or two. We breakfasted late and wrote letters, looked about us, drove to the Bois du Boulogne, and dined at the Pavilion d’Annenonville, a good dinner but very long price, afterwards to the Chateau de Fleurs and home to bed. Durrant’s first appearance in Paris, I am doing bear leader.
Saturday 24th.
Still up late. Visited the Louvre with Durrant who is getting heavyish. Called again at the embassy on Col. Clarement and got his card for General Jarras, Chief of the Staff at Châlons. Dined at Maurice’s and coffee on the boulevards, then to the Jardin Mabille and walked home.
Sunday 25th.
Breakfast earlier, to church in the Rue d’Aguesseau near the Embassy. Sermon not bad (Scotch). Tried to find the Beljames but unsuccessful, they left some years ago. Went with Durrant to Versailles by the Rive Gauche Railway to see the great fountains, went through the Palace (Durrant tired, wanted to get out – got out and sat down on the grass). I walked about and then dragged him to the basin of Neptune, got him home discontented, dined a la carte at the Hotel and to bed ready for a start.
Church in the Rue d’Aguesseau – St Michael’s English Church
Basin of Neptune – One of two ornate fountains at the Palace of Versailles, comprising twenty two jets issuing from marine creatures, arranged to provide special effects
Monday 26th.
Up at 5½ a.m. Left by 8.30 train to Châlons, travelled with Farmer, late G.G. and his bride. Fortunate that tastes differ. Durrant quite well. Changed carriages at Châlons and on arrival at Mourmelon Durrant lost his baggage ticket and his portmanteau was missing; by omnibus to Mourmelon-le-Grand, where I put up at the Hotel de France; Durrant in the house opposite. Breakfasted at 2 p.m., called on General Jarras in full dress. He passed us on to General Rochefort commanding the cavalry; called on General Craufurd and Colonel Shute. General Rochefort most civil, “English officers are always most welcome” – gave us horses. Called on Ct. Nobile who did not appear to recollect Col. Corté. Back to the Hotel to dinner in company with the members of the French commission on the improvements in the artillery, a Major and 3 Captains, also the telegraphic staff. Walked through Mourmelon and to bed.
Farmer - Lt William Robert Gamul Farmer, Grenadier Guards
Colonel Shute - Lt. Col. Charles Cameron Shute, 6th (Innskilling) Regiment of Dragoons
Tuesday, 27th.
Early coffee and a stroll through the lines, admired the small tents for the arms, good for French soldiers, camp very neat and very clean and well kept. Saw a brigade march past with very fair step and dressing. Breakfasted with the same party and continued to take our meals with them throughout. Very hot after breakfast. Clothes off and under a sheet until 3. Then went out and called upon the chief of General Rochefort’s staff and asked for horses for the parade next day; got an order to visit the lines of the cavalry and went through those of the 7th Lancers, with their Adjutant Major a captain to show us everything.
Mem. Horses good but overworked and underfed. Men good, 8 men in a tent, sleeping two together by mutual arrangement; two feeds of corn, hay in morning, straw in evening – 600 troopers per regiment, 4 squadrons each under a captain, 120 horses per squadron. Dined and lounged and to bed.
Wednesday, 28th.
Early coffee and horses at 6 a.m. undress, troops practising bivouacking, pitching tentes d’abri – slowish – picketing the horses was not over-quickly done. Horse Artillery looked well, joined the Marshal’s staff and again left him. Durrant, of course, seedy. Breakfast afterwards. Major Davis V.C. R.A., turned up and introduced himself. Good fellow - gave me some rum at Yalta in May 1856. Put up at the same hotel, coming in from Châlons (having to go back to fetch his things) by early train next morning. Knocked about artillery lines in the afternoon and after dinner early to bed. Reading a little chemistry every day.
Tentes d’abris – Standard light shelter provided for French soldiery, comprising squares of canvas buttoned together and thrown over a rope stretched over three low poles and fixed into the ground
Major Davis, VC – Gronow Davis (1828 –1891). On 8th September 1855 (the same day as Julius Laurie was seriously wounded nearby), as a 27 year old Captain in the Royal Artillery, he commanded the spiking party in the attack on the Redan with great coolness and gallantry. Afterwards he saved the life of a lieutenant of the 39th Regiment of Foot by jumping over the parapet of a sap and going some distance across the open, under murderous fire, to help carry the wounded man to cover. He also carried several other wounded soldiers to safety. For this he was awarded the Victoria Cross and later achieved the rank of Major General
Thursday, 29th.
Early coffee and visited lines of 103rd Regiment, Savoyards handed over with their country to France. Camp nicely situated, plenty of green and very prettily decorated especially that of the Voltigeurs of the 3rd Bn. Cortés friends all gone. Back to breakfast and quiet. In the afternoon to cavalry lines and cuirassiers camp, had a long chat with some non-commissioned and some officers. Horses much underbred and badly cared for, greasy heels, etc. Men big and stout.
Voltigeurs – French skirmishing troops created in 1804 by Napoleon Bonaparte
Friday, 30th.
Field Day: handling not great, cavalry charge in column, infantry in line with great beating of drums. About with General Craufurd and his aide, North of the Life Guards, also Lord G. Paulet, also a good fellow, Home a little tired. I rode alongside a Colonel of Lancers who could not understand, how I being in the infantry, could ride.
Lord G Paulet – Lord George Paulet CB (1803 – 1879) commanded HMS Bellerophon in the siege of Sevastopol in the Crimean War, ending as a full admiral at the time of his death
Saturday 31st
Loafed about the camp, visited barracks and chatted with some officers who recognised us although’ in plain clothes.