22 october 1854

Fenton to ?

Extract of Letter from Sir George Cathcart Camp of 4^th Division Heights above Sebastipol

“This seige is a long and tedious burning. The Russians are making a most gallant defence & we have given them time to prepare for us – Had we attacked them as I wished when I first came on here with my Division that is as soon as the whole army might have come up They had not then recovered the defeat of the Alma & were not prepared for us it was then an open town but we have given them time to build up the most formidible entrenched position possible which I saw growing up for three weeks under my nose without a shot being fired to disturb them and now we are surprised to find that our supposed superiority in Artillery & Engineers is all a mistake – The ships made an attempt the other day but could do nothing & got hardly used – God knows how it will end & His will be done but I believe we must go & take the Bull by the Horns & put our end? to the business but that would have been a much easier job a month ago than now – the weather is very fine but about the 15^th Nov^r they say Winter cold commences & we could not live here”

sent to me and William by Lady Georgian Cathcart his Wife – H^y S^r