Brief Account of the voyage from England to Balaklava, 1855 (part 1)

Tuesday 19th Very Cold Snowing all day at L.T.C. had a Glass put in My Watch

Thursday 21st Very fine & warm day & a Grand Review The R.A. bringing up Cannons Morter &c for Shipment home

Friday 22sd Very Mild & blowing a Gale of Wind & the Sea Running Mountains high a Grand Review of the 2sd & 3rd Devision of the Army

Saturday 23rd Very Mild & blowing a hurrican with Rain A Man hung for Killing his Mate Near Cathcath [Cathcart] hill the Staff was Present

Sunday 24th Fine day & a Very Grand Review about 36,000 Men Gen~al Codrington & Staff & also Gene~l Pillesia in his Carrage with Staff the Sight was Very Grand on Telegrah Hill

Wednesday 27th Snowey & Cold Work in Camp Spent a Very Happy Eveing being My birth day Kept it up till Very late

Saturday March 1st at work building a Guard house on the Woranzoff Rd Very Cold & Snowey

Tuesday 4th Snowing till noon fine at 3.p.m. a Snow Storm with a hurrican & the Snow like peases of Ice which quite Cut My face the Sea Very Rough

Wednesday 5th the Snow So deep that we Could not go out of Our hut all day

Thursday 6th The Snow 3ft 3 Inch Deep the wind Very high we Could not go out hut being Nearly buried in the Eaveing, blowing a hurrican

Friday 7th All the Snow gorn & raining till Noon blowing a gale After 1.p.m. went to Dimond Wharf See the Saw-Mills on board Ship & Shore Balaklava Snowing all the way back the [ ] very bad & Cattle dyeing on the Road [ ]at Numbers butchers Dressing th[ ] [more hidden by fold on the scan]

Saturday 8th in Camp Shiften Timber off the Railway Very Cold 500 Gaurds Marched through Our Camp From Balaklava thay Come out from England in 14 days. Stoped at Malta 24 house [hours] in the S. S. Ship Indian thay looked young & sickley

Sunday 9th At 3.A.M. Starey Morning & Very hard frost & looked towards the Sea & See the flash of a Gun & heard the Report 7 times it was a Ship in Distress fireing Minuts [Minute] Guns fine day & the Must [mist?] very Deep the Settin Sun was Splendid

Monday 10th Fine warm day the Remainder part of Our Gang Joined us from the Monestry At work at L.T.C.

Thursday 13th Wether Fine & Drafts arrived of the 21st 68th & 17th a Sargent of 68th fell down dead thay was headed by thear Bands 9 Artilley waggons Drawn by 12 horse Each with the Engins & Pumps &c from the Karabelna[ia] Docks which was used to pump th[e water?] out of the dry docks Very larg[ ] & Capstands &c Fireing from the Ships [ ]

Friday 14th Very Cold & Snowey Drafts of the 20th 46th 63rd 90th 95th 62sd 30th & 83rd Buff Artillery Waggons passed with diffrent Capstands &c

Saturday 15th Very Cold & Snowey the Guard Marchen in heavy order with thear Bands Rec~d £3..0..0

Sunday 16th A fine Morning with wind & about 37,000 Mens Marched from thear Camp & formed in Near the Iron Huts with Artillery Powder Shot & Shell Water Provision & Reserve Ambulance Carts Wagons Ready to Meet the Enemy thay went Near Keruna the Sight was one that could not be seen in England

Tuesday 18th Very windy at work at the 62sd 2sd Devision A Dreadful Fire at Balaklava 17 lost thear lives & 5 Missing Cause unknown

Wednesday 19th Very windy W. Ram Call to see me

Friday 21st Good friday Holliday went to Head Quaters Very fine day & warm

Sunday 23rd Easter, Sunday

Very fine day the Sun Shining Splendid At About 11.A.M. the Very hut seemed to Shake from which we thorght was an Explosion when on going out & looking towards Kamisch it was the fireing of Guns from the Batterys & in less than 20 minuits from all the battery & Ships in the Crimea which was like one Continul roar of Heavy Thunder, at 12 O.clock Genl. Cordrinton [Codrington?] & Staff passed our Camp & on the french Road was our R.H. Artillery taking up thear position for fireing at 1. p.m. 120 rounds was fired & the diffrent Batterys roaring away & I went to the Valley of the Tchernaya & Crossed the river & spoke to the Russians which is a poor, Set of men the Don Cossack is the same the Horses is half Starved thear was hundreds of French English & Russians the river, is the boundry of the Enemy Dureing the Armistice Came through the french & Sardian Camp in the Eavenig rockets was fired at Kamisch & at Head Quarters & large fires all over the Crimea & Guns fireing this is for the birth of the Empress of France & the peace Settled