BAZAINE (François-Achille). Lot n° 21

L.A.S. to a fellow general. Gallipoli, June 30, 1854, in-4, 4 pp. with autograph apostille signed; English dry stamp on the upper left corner. Interesting correspondence concerning the replacement of the 4th division at Gallipoli, embarked for Varna. Bazaine had just arrived in the Crimea and had been appointed for the occasion brigadier general commanding the two regiments of the Foreign Legion sent to the scene. Bazaine reports on the atmosphere in the army at the beginning of the campaign. "Since yesterday, we have all rallied here, but what will be done with us? Until now, nothing has broken through as to the political goal (...) I am afraid that the army will not be able to do anything.) I am afraid that the real goal was to withdraw two old regiments from Algeria because they could no longer draw from France, and that to obtain this increase, politics intervened (...) it is probable that we are destined to guard the peninsula, which promises us a lot of trouble and little glory. We have little news of the operations (...) What will this beautiful army do now that the Russians have lifted the siege of Silistria? It is said that the Marshal wants a great battle and that he hopes that afterwards, the troops will go to Paris to take up their winter quarters (...) The commander Ranson has remained here to direct the staff service until the command is definitively constituted here (...). The unfinished report resumes on July 3: I was not able to finish my letter for the last mail. This delay adds nothing to the little news (...) one begins to believe that we will not fire a shot (...) I fear desertions in the regiment if we are left here, because our men are being worked on by Greeks and Italian refugees and it would have been much better to leave them in Algeria. He adds in a P.S.: (...) General: what a terrible city! It is to die of sorrow and boredom!" After the capture of Sebastopol in 1855, Bazaine became superior commander of this place and was promoted to major general for his brilliant actions.