Now they only stand to their guns by day, and retire
to rest at night, which amounts to half the Russian
gunners hors de combat. We shall take the place, I
have no doubt, unless all our men are destroyed by
the severity of the winter before we have our batteries
armed and ready to open. The number of sick from
the Guards in the trenches is very great ; the men
never have dry feet ; the tents are become very thin,
and let the rain drip through them ; and our prospects
in this respect are terrible. But the men are heroes,
and the survivors cannot be too highly rewarded.
The families of those who sink should all be pensioned
by the nation ; those who go through should be
formed into a Legion of Immortals. One who has
not seen this place cannot conceive the sufferings of
men and officers ; and they are so cheerful under it
all, poor fellows ! These ought to be the Queen's
Guards. There are officers in the regiments of Guards

* The rifles were distributed to them after their arrival at Balaklava.
SHORT COMMONS. 147

here, who, in consequence of the war, and the privi-
leges of their corps, are obtaining their promotion to
the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel in about six years'
service. It is no answer to say they are brave. All the
army is brave. The Government is promoting ser-
geants in their own corps — those of the Guards into
the Line ; their own Regiment is too good for them.
This is not very flattering to the Line. The wooden
houses weigh two and a half tons ; how shall we
move them ?

5th January.
