1 8s 5] RESULT OF CONFERENCE 137
in their earlier days were marked by their activity, energy, and miUtary ardour, but who having since married are now become more than indifferent to a Service which they used to swear by. You may depend upon it, that the thoughts of a snug fireside with a wife sitting in an arm-chair by the side of it, with your arm-chair empty on the other side, are not the best stimulants for the hardships and dangers of a campaign. And with this moral reflection I will wish you goodnight, my dearest mother. — With best of love to all the girls, believe me ever your affectionate son,
Fredk. Stephenson.
Balaclava, or " The Place of Fish," April 20, 1855.
P.S. — Very heavy firing still going on of large guns, field artillery, and musketr}'', evidently a sharp affair; you will hear of this in the papers.
To Lady Stephenson Camp before Balaclava, May 7, 1855.
My dear Mother, —... We have received by this mail the news of the rupture of the Vienna Conference, and upon the whole I think it is much the best for the interests of the world that the war should continue. If peace had been the result of these Conferences, I do not think it would have lasted long. Russian ambition is evidently as domineering and as unsatisfied as ever. She would have seized the first opportunity, or perhaps have made one, to renew hostilities from the same ambitious motives, and during the temporary lull would have used her best endeavours to disunite France and England, so that in the next war she might have it all her own way, whereas now the two nations are more firmly united than probably any two have been in all history. Our troops work together with the best possible goodwill, and are animated with the best possible spirit, and I think the
campaign will commence under the best possible auspices. May it end as I hope it will begin! An expedition sailed from here last Thursday, consisting of 3000 French and 3000 English, the whole commanded by Sir George Brown, together with the two fleets. Their destination was Kertch, which was to be taken so as to allow our smaller steamers to pass freely in and out of the Sea of Azoff, the entrance to which is at present commanded by this fort. The success of this expedition would, it was thought, have been of great service to our future operations, as it is believed that the enemy now draw their chief supplies from the Don and Volga across the Sea of Azoff and along that narrow strip of land that separates it from the Putrid Sea; however, when the ships were within an hour of Kertch, a steamer suddenly arrives with an order from General Canrobert for the expedition to return to Kamiesch forthwith, which the Admirals did accordingly. This order came originally from the Emperor at Paris by the electric telegraph, by which means the intention of the expedition was communicated to Paris a day or two previously, and before the ships reach their destination the whole affair is countermanded from Paris. Is not this wonderful? But what appears to us more wonderful still is that the expedition should have been stopped at all. Nobody can understand the reason of such an order when there was everj' prospect of success, and that such an important one. However, I for one am perfectly satisfied that there not only is a reason but a most excellent one, although I confess I am very curious to know it. We are all in excellent health and spirits, and anxious to commence operations. I think we shall have tough work now and then, but feel pretty confident of success in the end. I do not think the Russians will ever outnumber us in the Crimea, as they will find it impossible to feed more than a certain number of men, whereas we can feed an unlimited number. Of course, our difficulties will increase as we advance from the
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