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28 Dec 88 John Oakfield, Nova Scotia Peter ______________________________________________________________________________________________

Oakfield, Nova Scotia

Dec 28th/88

Dear Peter

First & foremost all good wishes to you in the convention of Christmas. I do not know that we enjoy it much now. Our family is so broken up. This year we were only three at home, but we tried to make it bright for them if we could not for ourselves.

I am again a prisoner. My knee has continued so painful I proposed to my Doctor to put a strong blister on it & this came off last night so I cannot get out. It has become very tiresome & makes one feel rather discouraged. My lung trouble is better but has left me pretty weak.

We left Meta* in the States. Could not tell what is the matter with her but that she looks dreadfully dragged & haggard & has lost so much weight. I suppose she will be away for another fortnight. Trust the change will do her good.

I broke down on my last visit to Boston & came back quite used up.

Now, about your Crimean lecture.* I doubt whether you can do better than run through Russell’s Book* ‘War in the Crimea’.

I got to Crimea two days after Inkerman – 7th Nov. Met the wounded from Balaclava on the ships in the Bosphorus. The storm was on the 14th – over 150 of the crew of the Prince* lost. Only 7 saved. One midshipman named Cosgrave.

Julius could tell you more than I can about himself. I think he was there before the town fell for about six weeks. Probably arrived in July; was wounded in August & again on 8th Sept. We had no fighting on the 9th – the Russians evacuated.

Mrs Seacole* never nursed anyone. Kept a shop at Kadikoi – she had some sort of public house in Jamaica – an awful old hag.

I do not know whether Mrs Dubuley* landed with the troops. I think not – or whether she was there the first winter. She flaunted about the following summer.

We had three women in our Regt.* landed with the troops & weathered it out. One woman used to carry her husband’s knapsack by day & he used to thrash her at night. The men used to make a bush hut for her on the march.

Do you recollect my plum pudding the first winter. I think my Mother has a Halifax paper with my Crimean Christmas* in it.

Terribly driven with correspondence – you recollect the piece of shell lying on your leg all night in my tent & whilst I was away on outlying picket. The same shell sent a piece into Ansell’s tent & knocked him over as he was pulling off his trousers.

Every good wish & kind message for you & yours. We have had very mild weather but now turning cold.

Your affectionate brother

J W Laurie

* Meta – His second child, Margaret Helen

* your Crimean lecture – Peter later published the text of his lecture ‘My Recollections of the Crimea and the Siege of Sebastopol, 1854-1855’ in 1900

* Russell’s book – William H. Russell, ‘The First Professional War Correspondent’. He reported for The Times and, having witnessed the disorganised British army in Turkey as they prepared for war, continued to describe its mismanagement in the Crimea to an increasingly outraged public at home

* Prince – The vessel in which John was carried to the Crimea. John landed on 7th November. Prince was lost in the storm, while awaiting unloading outside Balaklava harbour 7 days later

* Mrs Seacole – (1805 – 1881) The daughter of a Scottish army officer, born in Jamaica where she undoubtedly gained nursing experience during a cholera epidemic. Her efforts in Crimea were hampered by general prejudice against women, which (without the social advantages of Florence Nightingale) she was unable to overcome

* Mrs Dubuley – Fanny Duberly, the spirited wife of Henry Duberly, Paymaster of the 8th Hussars, whose entertaining Journal was subsequently published

* women in our Regt. – The Crimean War was the last campaign in which British soldiers were allowed to bring wives; 6 for each Regiment, being selected by ballot. They were required to earn their keep, for example by washing and cooking

* my Crimean Christmas – See ‘Letters of Lt-Col George Brenton Laurie’ (ed. F Vere-Laurie) - www.gutenberg.org/etext/24862