On my arrival in London I was very kindly received by Col. Matson, who was D.A.G. for Royal Engineers at that time, and I found my dear old friend Col. Sandham also at the Ordnance Office as Assistant Inspector General. I got leave at once, and we went offto Cobham, where the most loving greeting and welcome awaited us.

Before very long I was appointed Assistant Instructor in Surveying and Field Works at the R.M. Academy. The duties of this post consisted in teaching these subjects to the Cadets of the Practical Class in the Royal Arsenal at Woolwich. I was not to take up the appointment till after the Cadets' Christmas vacation, so that I had nearly three months clear time before me. My wife and I were most kindly received by all our old friends round Cobham, and we had plenty of entertainments, whilst I had the pleasure of shooting at Cobham, Camer and elsewhere. It was a very great delight to be in the old home again and to find my Father in fairly good health, though getting feeble, and my Mother very well, strong and energetic as ever. He was then nearly 79, she was in her 61st.year. My old friend and playfellow the Earl of Darnley had married in 1850 and his eldest son Lord Clifton was born the day after our Charles. His brothers and sisters were at that time all un-married.

In January 1852 we settled at Woolwich Arsenal, my duties were very interesting young Cadets are always fresh and amusing - and generally clever. I got nearly œ100 a year and quarters in addition to my Engineer pay, so that with care we were comfortably off. I had much time at my disposal, having only to devote the second half of each week to instructing; and twice a year I got six weeks vacation. Of course I had to get up my subjects, but really had much leisure, and was truly contented with my lot, and thankful for it. I was able to go to Cobham very often to see my people there and to shoot and play cricket, for which I had always a passion. I became a member of the Cobham Cricket Club which was a strong one. Lord Darnley gave us a splendid ground in his park, and among the members there were such good cricketers as Edward and Henry Bligh who both played for the county. We thus held our own against the best town and country elevens of Mid Kent.

My brother Edward had at this time attained an important position at Oxford. He had become Proctor and Censor of Christ Church where he was one of the senior tutors. He had been University Preacher and was then Whitehall Preacher, a great distinction. He was much beloved for his charming disposition and holy irreproachable life, while his wit and gaiety of heart made him most popular. He was the truest and most loyal friend a man could have, - he and I were bound together not only by the ties of strong brotherly love but by those of true friendship. One of my greatest pleasures was to pay him a visit at Christ Church, and thus mingle with his friends and see the warmth of attachment which bound them to him.

In June 1852 he invited us with several members of the Maynard family for Commemoration. We were a party of about twelve; he gave us entertainments of every sort, including an evening party in the Common Room at Christ Church, - an unprecedented event, - rowing parties on the river, an expedition to Blenheim, visits to the Colleges and Chapels, and the great Assembly in the Theatre. We had perfect summer weather and the whole thing went offwell.

In April 1853 our son, Arthur, was born and from the first caused us much anxiety, for he had a cleft in his palate. My dear Mother came to us at once, and took him away with her to Cobham, feeling sure that she could succeed in rearing him.

In February 1854 came a change in our life. war had been going on in 1853 between Russia and Turkey, which had excited a great feeling in England, and a strong desire to prevent Russia from vanquishing her foe and becoming mistress of Constantinople. Her secret intention of breaking up the Turkish Empire, had been revealed to our Ambassador, and the destruction of the Turkish Fleet at Sinope had shown that she might carry it out. Early in 1854 the Government began to prepare for the struggle which was becoming inevitable. This affected me in the following way. one of the steps taken was to increase the Corps of Royal Engineers, which gave me promotion to the rank of Captain. A force of 20,000 men was concentrated at Malta, and I at once volunteered for the East, and interested all my friends to get me appointed to the Staff of the Field Army that was forming. Col. Matson the Deputy Adjt.Genl. however threw cold water on my ambition, and told me that I could not possibly be allowed to quit the duties on which I was engaged: all Officers instructing Cadets would be required to give their experience and stick to their work in order to prepare the greater number of young men that must necessarily be commissioned.

During the summer vacation Edward and I had a delightful excursion together; we went into North Wales to stay with his friends the William Jelfs, who were living in a cottage under Cadr Idris, on the road between Dolgelly and Barmouth. We had spent a night at Nearwell, Shrewsbury, with my wife's uncle Mr William How. whence we took coach to Llangollen and thence to Dolgelly. Jelf met us there and we drove to Caerdeon, where he was building a fine house. From Caerdeon we made long walking expeditions, and sometimes took coach, reaching Conway with its fine old castle, Carnarvon, the Menai Bridge, - climbing Snowdon from Capel Curig-descending to Llanberis and scaling grand old Cadr. Mrs Jelf had excited my desire to sketch in water-colours, and had given me some instructions in her own bold style, and this gave additional interest to our walks. I sketched and Edward wrote poetry, when we halted where a good view or some old legend arrested our attention. He had a great facility for rhyming, and a most poetic fancy, and produced many pretty things which have been printed for private circulation since his lamented early death.

In the autumn we had to leave our house in the Arsenal, as it was wanted to make room for more Cadets, so we took a house on the common.

On my return from Wales we began to hear of the events taking place in the Crimea.

My Brother-in-law, Pat Robertson had joined the 4th Regiment and gone out to the Crimea. His wife came to stay with us in order to get the earliest news of her husband. It was a very anxious time. After each battle - The Alma, Balaclava, Inkerman, - we used to hear of heavy losses, but many days, sometimes weeks, would pass before names were published.

On the 29th. December our dear son Frank was born.

All this time I was dying to get out there, and as I had some special work to do in a room adjoining Col. Matson's in Pall Mall, I saw a good deal of him and frequently renewed my petition to be allowed to go to the East. As news arrived of the great mortality among our Officers, more especially on account of their heavy duties and great exposure in siege works, he would come into the room deploring these losses, and sometimes saying he did not know where to find Officers to send. I invariably renewed my request. "Oh! No" he would say "you are married; so many married men have been killed, I won't send any more".

At last, in March 1855, I heard that a mixed force of English and Turks - to be called the Turkish Contingent - was to be formed, that General Vivian was to command, and General Michel to be his Chief of the Staff. I had served with Michel at the Cape, and he had sometimes been the Commanding Officer of the patrol when I had been Staff Officer. Through a mutual friend I let him know that I was most anxious to go to the war. He sent for me and asked how he could get me, as he was anxious to do so. I asked for a Staff appointment, "Impossible" he said "every one is promised already", I then said - "A force of 20,000 men of all arms, such as the Contingent is to be, ought to have an Engineer Corps". He saw this at once. "Prepare a paper on the subject that I can show to Lord Panmure (the Secretary of State for War) and come to me tomorrow". This I did, and he approved it so highly, that he took me as well as my paper to Lord Panmure. (For particulars of this paper see note at end of Chapter IV,) His Lordship entered fully into my views and asked me what would be required. I stated that the nucleus of a force of Sappers and Miners with English Officers ought to be raised to be completed with Turkish artisans from the regiments which were to be handed over to the force; that there should be an equipment of tools of all sorts, and a pontoon train, as well as carts and waggons, horses and drivers.

Lord Panmure - "How long will you require to get this force and equipment together?"

Capt. S. "Three months, if I have not to deal with the Ordnance Department, but may purchase all my stores direct from Contractors."

Lord Panmure. -"Very good, set to work to form your Engineer Corps, and get your equipment."

This was really a herculean task, but I set to work with a will, and kept my word, for in three months the whole were on board ship, except the horses, which had to be bought in Hungary. Fortunately for me I had been engaged in a labour of love which furnished me with exactly what I wanted, namely a carefully prepared list of the tools for an Engineer Field Equipment. Owing to the many shortcomings that the army in the Crimea was experiencing, Capt. Collinson R.E. being on duty at Woolwich had been requested to sketch out a proper Engineer equipment for an army in the field. It may be hard to believe, but such an equipment had not been laid down.

Collinson knowing of my Cape experiences, had asked me to help him in the task, and as I had more spare time than he, I had taken the lion's share of the work. We had formulated a complete scheme for this equipment a few weeks before I saw Lord Panmure, and thus I had the advantage of being prepared at once with all particulars elaborated with the care and foresight that Collinson devoted to every matter he touched. The next thing to do was to devise a method of getting within three months the immense equipment that I needed. My previous experience of the delays of the Ordnance Department whilst making up the pattern waggon of our model equipment, had made me stipulate for power to purchase direct from the Government Contractors. How was this to be managed without my having to do with the payment, which I wished to avoid? Lord Panmure desired me to see the Secretary to the Treasury - Sir Charles Trevelyan. - and to lay before him the scheme which his Lordship approved. I found myself in the presence of this Guardian of the public purse, and the following conversation ensued.

I was much pleased that my interview with the dragon of the Treasury terminated so well, and at once set to work to order the innumerable stores required. I visited Birmingham for tools, Beverly, in Yorkshire, for carriages, and got a London firm to manufacture a number of Blanchard's pontoons, which were at that time the approved pattern, as well as to prepare all the subsidiary stores of a pontoon train, with planks &c. for forming the roadway. I also obtained all the harness required for my train from a London firm.

One of the most anxious problems in this connexion was the form of carriage for conveying these materials, the service carriage being a most unwieldy lumbering vehicle. In consultation with the Carriage Builders at Beverly I worked out a strong, but much lighter carriage, which I ordered in sufficient quantity for my bridge. I also designed special carts and waggons for carrying entrenching tools, carpenter's tools and smithies. Horses had to be bought, and for this purpose two officers were despatched to Hungary - my old friend Capt. George Whitmore of the C.M.R. who was then in England, and Capt. G.J. Whyte-Melville, whose name is better known as author of the novel for which he then obtained his materials - "The Interpreter."

One of my first duties was to get officers and to raise a number of artizans of different trades to form the nucleus of an Engineer force, which was to be composed principally of Turks. I proposed to form five companies, as the Royal Engineers could only give me five officers - Capt. Crease and four lieutenants, Whitmore, Beaumont, Maquay and Longley.

I obtained Lord Panmure's permission to offer Captains' commission to four civil Engineers, and secured the services of Messrs. Hartley, Doyne, Bent and Ord.

Capt. Godwin a retired of finer who had gone through a course of military engineering at Chatham, and a Hungarian named Noedl, who had seen service in the rebellion of 1848-50, and who was strongly recommended by Louis Kossuth, were also gazetted Captains. Mr. Allen of the R.E. was appointed Adjutant with the rank of Captain, Mr. Thornett, Quarter Master, and Surgeons Alloway, Gillam, Barnes and Bogle were our Doctors. My Captain and four subalterns of R.E. each received a step of rank locally as I did myself. I got a very smart N.C.O. Sergt. Moore of the Life Guards, as my Sergt. Major.

The recruiting for the companies of Artificers gave rise to an amusing incident. I wanted about a hundred men and was allowed to offer them 5/- a day and their rations, clothing &c. Handbills were circulated which said that I would see candidates at the War Office, which was then in temporary quarters in Whitehall Gardens, where the Board of Trade now is, - where I had an office told off to me, while organizing my force. There is a long passage leading from the open space in front to the main building, and from this passage a narrow staircase led up to my room. (My recruiting Sergeant was one Greed.) I saw each man in my room and examined him as to his qualifications. I was aware that my staircase was blocked with men, but knew nothing of the state of affairs beyond. I presently got a message to say that I must transfer my recruiting business to some other locality as the Secretary of State wanted to go to his room, and could not pass the dense crowd of artisans whom my tempting terms had attracted to the War Office, and who filled the whole place. Every idler about Town came to be enlisted, and I had a bad time in making my selection. However it was done at length, and I got permission to quarter my force and collect my stores at Tilbury Fort, opposite Gravesend. This was the more convenient for me, as I had given up my house at Woolwich, and taken one in my Father's parish of Milton-next-Gravesend, where my wife would be within easy distance of Cobham Vicarage, and near many of the old friends of my youth. Tilbury was also an excellent place for me to train my recruits, away from the temptations of a garrison town such as Woolwich or Chatham, and handy for embarkation. In those days there was no railway to Tilbury, so that it was quite a country fort.

I got two young men from King's College as clerks. Canon Jelf - the Principal, - a great friend of my brother Edward, - selected them for me, and a very good choice he made. I had them instructed in Photography, and took out with the force a photograph waggon.

I also took a printing waggon which proved of immense use to the whole Contingent. Lord Panmure requested me to have hospital waggons fitted out for the whole force - as well, and for this purpose I went to Messrs. Holmes and co. of Derby - from whom I also got my photographic and printing waggons - and I there saw an excellent light cart that Lieut. Evans had ordered for the Kars Frontier, so I ordered one for my own private use, thinking it would prove serviceable in campaigning as it could go wherever my Engineer train could travel.

It will be easily understood that all the arrangements for the various matters I have briefly sketched, took up my whole time. On my official journeys I managed to have one or two nights at Oxford, and thus to see something of my brother Edward, and from Milford I took an occasional run over to Cobham. By the middle of July I had everything ready for embarkation and the good ships "Lady Ann", and "William", were told off to convey men, of ficers and stores. They were sailing ships, so that I was able to have a short rest before starting for the East myself. I kept my promise to Lord Panmure and had everything on board by the 25th July, three months after my interview with him. I must say that he gave me every facility for this. I was placed in direct communication for everything I wanted with Mr John Groome, the Chief Clerk. Whenever I required special authority for any expenditure, I wrote a letter, took it to him, and he would get His Lordship's "P" put on it, when it went straight through without any red tape delays. Where full explanation was required I saw the Secretary of State myself, and got the "P", and he would receive me at his house in Belgrave Square, if the matter was pressing. On one occasion I even saw him when he was confined to bed with an attack of gout. I always found him clear-headed and quick to grasp what was wanted, and why, and prompt to decide. It therefore gave me the greatest pleasure to have been able to keep my word to him. So much was added on to what I had engaged to do, that I might not have escaped censure had I failed; but by constant vigilance and pressure upon the Contractors to supply everything well within the time, I succeeded. The greatest difficulty was the pontoon train, because that work was strange to the firm, Dean & co. of London Bridge, who undertook it, and I had to explain every detail, even of construction.

The Hungarian, Capt. Noedl, whom I put in charge of this work, did his duty well and very intelligently. I was ably supported too by all the officers whom I had brought together, but some of them were very young, and the older ones were totally inexperienced in military details. My excellent Adjutant, Capt. Allen, had his hands full in teaching the latter and the recruits the elements of drill. One important person I have omitted, and that was Turabi Effendi, a Turk whom I engaged as interpreter, and to give me and my Officers some smattering of Turkish before taking command of Turkish soldiers.

I was unfortunate enough in the early days of my new command, to give umbrage to my own Corps in the person of Col. Matson. He did not like my being taken away from the R.M. Academy, and said that he could not give me any R.E. Officers. I however pointed out to Lord Panmure that I ought to have some trained Engineers, and named one senior and three junior subalterns to whom local rank of Captain might be given, and asked for a Captain to be my second in command. Lord Panmure at once gave orders that I should have the assistance I asked for and the officers I named. Matson was very angry, but our dear old chief, Sir John Burgoyne, did not see it in the same light, and the officers were given to me. I had not named the Captain, and the D.A.G. gave me about the least efficient officer of the rank whom he could have chosen. Before leaving I attended the Corps dinner, and Matson attacked me for deserting the Corps and insulting Sir John Burgoyne. I defended myself, and never heard that my brother officers endorsed his view, certainly Sir John did not, but I found afterwards that there was a black mark against me, which I lived to wipe out, for I became eventually D.A.G. myself.

Woolwich Common. 14thApril. 1855.

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