| Description | Wishes he could be in Macclesfield for Christmas. "From what I can make out our Christmas will be more likely to be spent in fighting than Psalm singing for we cross the river shortly and then hard work and long marches are the order of the day. The river here is very wide and we are building a bridge of boats across 280 yds. I think it is. The enemy are busy at work making a battery at the other side, which if they finish will harass us a good deal. We have two guns at this bank ready laid for the spot and a man is standing the whole day with a match in his hand and directly they show themselves in any numbers Bang! goes a shell right into them." At present he is attached to the 53rd Foot, where he has commanded a Company for the past 2 months. "I have found Indian comforts and luxury a myth and a regular "take in". The pay is not £20 nor anything like it and the expenses are nearly treble what they are in England. The government cheat and defraud in every possible manner." |