service I can do for you, or any information I can
furnish, I will do so with pleasure; and Boakes knows
that if there is anything to be done which he cannot
properly manage, I will give him all the assistance in
my power. In conclusion, I beg respectfully to assure
you of my best wishes for the welfare of yourself and
the young ladies, and I trust you will not consider me
too forward in thus addressing you."

Colonel Shadforth seems to have felt some presentiment
of his approaching fate, for he took leave of his
wife and children the night before the assault in the
following letter:—"Before Sebastopol, June 17, 9 p.m.—
My own beloved Wife and dearly beloved Children,—
At one o'clock to-morrow morning I head the 57th to
storm the Redan. It is, as I feel, an awfully perilous
moment to me, but I place myself in the hands of our
gracious God, without whose will a sparrow cannot fall
to the ground. I place my whole trust in Him. Should
I fall in the performance of my duty, I fully rely in the
precious blood of our Saviour, shed for sinners, that I
may be saved through Him. Pardon and forgive me,
my beloved ones, for anything I may have said or done
to cause you one moment's unhappiness. Unto God I
commend my body and soul, which are His; and should
it be His will that I fall in the performance of my duty
in the defence of my Queen and country, I most humbly
say, 'Thy will be done.' God bless you and protect
you; and my last prayer will be, that He, of His infinite
goodness, may preserve me to you. God ever
bless you, my beloved Eliza, and my dearest children;
and, if we meet not again in this world, may we all
meet in the mansion of our Heavenly Father, through
Jesus Christ. God bless and protect you; and ever
believe me, your affectionate husband and loving father,
THOMAS SHADFORTH."

Her Majesty, on the receipt of the news, signed a
warrant granting a pension of £200 a-year to Mrs.
Shadforth, and has intimated that she will take advantage of
any future opportunity which may occur to manifest her
appreciation of Colonel Shadforth's services. Colonel
Shadforth had a hereditary connection with the 57th;
his father, who was severely wounded at Albuera, having
served in it for thirty-two years, and two of his brothers
being also officers in the same regiment.

A despatch from General Simpson, dated the 21st of
July, describes the condition of the troops, and the
positions of the hostile armies:—"I have great pleasure
to inform your lordship that the health of the army has
greatly improved; cholera has nearly disappeared, and
although more sickness has appeared amongst the
officers, it is not of that character to cause uneasiness.
With reference to the exterior army, the Russians hold
their strong position on the Mackenzie Heights,
extending by Aitodor to Albat, with advanced posts by
Chouli, Ozenbash, and the strong range of heights
overhanging Urkusta and the Valley of Baidar. It is
reported they have also a force of artillery and infantry
at Alupka. The French have pushed forward the
whole of their cavalry into the Valley of Baidar,
resting upon the Sardinians, upon the left bank of the
Souhai river, and communicating with the French upon
the Tchernaya, whilst the high ridge protecting
Balaklava is guarded by the Turkish army. I purpose
sending four squadrons of light cavalry into the Valley
of Baidar to-morrow, to protect and afford convoys to
the commissariat for the purpose of bringing in forage
and supplies for the use of the army. Major-General
Markham arrived on the 19th instant, and, agreeably to
the instructions conveyed in your Lordship's telegraphic
message, I have appointed him to the command of the
2nd division. Sir Stephen Lushington, K.C.B., having
been promoted to the rank of admiral, has been relieved
in the command of the naval brigade by Captain Hon.
Henry Keppel. I take this opportunity of recording
my sense of the ability and zeal with which he has
throughout conducted his arduous and responsible
situation of commanding the naval brigade, which has
rendered such excellent service in our batteries. I beg
also to report to your Lordship that Mr. Commissary-
General Filder has been obliged to relinquish the
command of his important department, and will have to
return to England, upon the recommendation of a medical
board. I enclose the list of casualties to the 19th inst."

The casualties up to the 19th July were—1 officer and
14 men killed, and 2 officers and 92 men wounded.
The names of the officers were—Captain R. A. Fraser,
42nd Foot, killed, and Captain Roper, 47th Foot, and
Captain Charles Hudson, Land Transport Corps,
wounded. The Naval Brigade lost 2 killed and 1
wounded.

Courts-martial for being drunk on duty had been
held on Captain Colin Maxwell, 93rd Highlanders, and
Captain Charles Spencer Gaynor, 9th Regiment, both
of whom were found guilty and sentenced to be
cashiered. The court in each case recommended the
prisoners to the favourable consideration of the
General Commanding, on account of previous length
of service; but General Simpson could not reconcile
it with his sense of duty to give further effect to
the recommendations than to submit them to Lord
Hardinge.

Lieutenant the Hon. Edward Fitzclarence, of the
7th Fusiliers, who was so severely wounded on the 18th
of June that he had to suffer amputation of the thigh,
died on the 22nd of July. Until a few days before he
was reported to be progressing most favourably, and
preparations were made and the day fixed for his return
to England. Some bad symptoms then appeared, which
he had no power to resist—induced, it is said, by fretting
at leaving a brother behind—and he gradually sank.
Although very young, he bore the loss of his limb with
exemplary fortitude.

On July 24, General Simpson further reported that,
on the night of the 22nd the enemy opened a heavy fire
of musketry from the parapets of the Malakhoff and
adjacent works, which did no damage to either the works
or soldiers. The troops in the Baidar valley had not
altered their positions from the date of the last
despatch. A list of casualties to the 22nd gives 10 rank
and file killed; 3 sergeants, 1 drummer, 58 rank and
file, wounded. In another despatch, dated the 28th
ult., General Simpson says: "Since my despatch of
the 24th inst., I have nothing of importance to relate.
We continue to strengthen and improve our advanced
works, which are now so close to the enemy's defences
that I regret to say our casualties are necessarily
considerable. The enemy exhibits great activity in
adding to and improving their defences, and the
conveyance of large military stores from the north to the
south side is increasing. The cholera has nearly ceased
in the ranks of the army." The list of casualties to
the 26th comprises 20 rank and file killed; 1 officer
(Lieut. J. Paton, 4th Foot), 4 sergeants, 1 drummer,
and 133 rank and file, wounded.

The following particulars are taken from letters of
newspaper correspondents: "July 26.—As a proof of
the heedless indifference to danger which some of the
men acquire from constantly moving amongst shot and
shell, the following example, which occurred last evening,
may be mentioned. A large shell had been thrown
from the Redan into our right attack, and during its
passage the fuze had accidentally dropped out. The
shell fell, therefore, like a round shot into part of the
approach connected with the old advanced or third parallel.
Some men of the 47th regiment were near, waiting for
the reliefs to arrive, and ready to return to camp. One
of these soldiers, after examining the unexploded shell,
actually had the foolhardiness to jerk the ashes of the
tobacco in his pipe, which he had just finished smoking,
into the fuze-hole. Another of the men standing by,
and observing the action, had only just time to utter
an exclamation, when the shell burst. The reckless
author of the mischief suffered severely—both his legs
were shattered, and he was frightfully scorched about
the head and face. Five other men were wounded,
but fortunately none were dangerously hurt."

"Many reforms," says the correspondent of the Daily
News, "have taken place in the interior economy
of our routine since the change at our head-quarters;
they give universal satisfaction. The trench duties are
now taken by divisions, which prevents a deal of
trouble; in the event of casualties, the senior officers
can be discovered without difficulty, and the command
handed over to the proper person without requiring the
aid of an Army List. The whole of the attack is placed
under the command of the general of the attack, who