y, produced a bad feeling amongst many of our officers and men,
which she owns alarms her.[57]

[Footnote 57: General Canrobert was deficient in dash and
initiative; he knew his defects, and was relieved of his
command at his own request, being succeeded by General
Pelissier.

On the 24th of May (the Queen's Birthday) a successful
expedition was made against Kertsch, the granary of
Sebastopol, and vast quantities of coal, corn, and flour were
either seized by the Allies, or destroyed in anticipation of
their seizure by the Russians.

On the 7th of June, the Mamelon (a knoll crowned by a redoubt
and protected by the Rifle Pits) was taken by the French,
and the Gravel Pits, an outwork in front of the Redan, by the
English.]

[Pageheading: THE CRIMEAN MEDAL]

_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, _22nd May 1855_.

MY DEAREST, KINDEST UNCLE,--... The state of affairs is uncomfortable
and complicated just now, but our course is _straight_; we _cannot_
come to any peace unless we have such guarantees by _decided_
limitation of the Fleet, which would secure us against Russian
preponderance for the future.[58]

Ernest will have told you what a _beautiful_ and _touching_ sight
and ceremony (the first of the kind ever witnessed in England) the
distribution of the Medals was. From the highest Prince of the Blood
to the lowest Private, all received the same distinction for the
bravest conduct in the severest actions, and the rough hand of the
brave and honest private soldier came for the first time in contact
with that of their Sovereign and their Queen! Noble fellows! I own I
feel as if they were _my own children_; my heart beats for _them_ as
for my _nearest and dearest_. They were so touched, so pleased; many,
I hear, cried--and they won't hear of giving up their Medals, to have
their names engraved upon them, for fear they should _not_ receive the
_identical one_ put into _their hands by me_, which is quite touching.
Several came by in a sadly mutilated state. None created more interest
or is more gallant than young Sir Thomas Troubridge, who had, at
Inkerman, _one leg_ and the _other foot_ carried away by a round shot,
and continued commanding his battery till the battle was won, refusing
to be carried away, only desiring his shattered limbs to be raised in
order to prevent too great a hemorrhage! He was dragged by in a bath
cha