| Description | Christmas Day passed "in the most un-Christmas like manner." Unfortunate enough to be on guard duty that day "in the most advanced work of our position within one hundred & fifty yards of the Russians. Our amusement there consists in watching for some one of the enemy in an uncautious moment exposing himself, when we immediately let fly a dozen bullets at him. They of course do the same to us & they are such good shots that a little finger held up over the parapet would be doomed to destruction" - This & the "occasional shower of grape cause a certain degree of excitement which helps to pass the day & keep the blood warm, but I assure you we are so hardened to it now that shell & shot pass unheeded". British guns are silent while Sebastopol is daily strengthened. "Where there was one gun they have now twenty". The men sang Christmas hymns in the trenches - "we managed to scrape up a plum pudding & had fresh meat sent up to us that day" - His box of clothing still has not arrived & he badly needs a coat & boots. Up to the knees in mud "to go on picquet wet through on a December morning for 24 hours is most trying work & causes the strongest to fail, with often only 12 hours interval for rest." Even "when off duty we are liable to be called to arms, so there is no rest." Shipboard convalescence "too delicious ... I hope you will be able to read this but by the colouring of the ink you will see we are obliged to water it to make the supply last ... I must tell you an amusing little incident that befellme the other day. I was roaring "Christiansawake" through a loophole made of sandbags trying to excite some Russian to pop up his head and see what was the matter, in order to have a good shot at him, when a white flag was suddenly hoisted upon the Redan in front, a signal that some communication was going to be made. This of course stopped all hostile proceedings, so we all gradually creeped out of our rabbit holes & stood up boldly to have a good look in safety. The Russians did the same & there we were facing each other not a hundred yards apart, apparently the best friends in the world, but I have no doubt longing to hack each other to pieces & only restrained from doing so by the bit of white rag on the tree(?). Suddenly down went the flag, back we had to run to our holes again as fast as ever we could, it seemed so absurd, one running away from the other as fast as legs could carry us. I fell on a stone in the hurry and was in a great fright lest I should afford too tempting a mark to be resisted. The next minute we were at it hammer & tongs .... I got my Company for nothing by the augmentation. If I am sent home to help to form the new Battalion so much the better" - [Postscript - "A Medal & two clasps! Our reward!"] |