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Russia was the largest Empire in the world. More than half of Europe was already Russian. In Asia there were further vast Russian territories including Siberia. By taking Constantinople they would then gain control of the Mediterranean. Britain was not impressed as they wanted to get into Egypt, the French were interested in the near east. |
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In 1852 Lord Malmesbury became Foreign Secretary. Britain's principle enemy throughout history had been France, and at this time relations had never been worse. In early spring there had been a crisis when France appeared to be intending to invade Belgium, which would of meant war with England. Then later in the year it looked as if France was planing a decent on the coast of England itself. |
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On 2nd December, 1852, Louis Napoleon Bonaparte took a decisive step. He proclaimed himself from being Prince President to Emperor Napoleon III. The Tsar of Russia would not accept his new title. |
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Palestine at this time was then Turkish, and it contained a number of Christian shrines, placed in the care of monks of the Latin Church. It included the site of the tomb of Christ. Emperor Napoleon was searching to assert glory and power of France. On 22nd December 1852 Latin monks under the protection of France went to the church in Bethlehem to place a silver star which was engraved with the arms of France in the sanctuary. France had a right in Holy Land as Protector of Christians which dated back to the Crusades. The key of the great door of the Church and the sacred manger keys to be restored to the Greeks, and for him to become Protector of the Greek Church. The British ambassadors and the Sultan of Turkey gave way to his first demand and a compromise between the parties was made. The second would not even be considered. |
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The Russians true objective was to establish sovereignty over all the provinces of Turkey to which England could not agree. The Russians then occupied the Principalities as a show of strength for their demands. After much diplomacy between Russia and ambassadors of the Great Powers, the Russians were ordered to leave the Principalities, they refused, and war was declared. |
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On 30th November, 1853, without warning a Russian fleet of was sailed out Sevastopol into the harbour of Sinope on the Black Sea and destroyed a Turkish fleet at anchor there. |
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A state of war was declared with Russia and France on 27th March, 1854, and with England on 28th |
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It must be noted at this point, that soldiers living conditions in peace time were terrible. Accommodation was crowded and there was lack of ventilation. They were not fed well, with daily rations of one loaf of bread, three quarters of a pound of beef, in practise they were given beef broth and potatoes. This was divided between two meals served at 7.30 am and 12.30 pm. No provision was made for food any other time. They were not paid well, most of their money went on drink. |
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By the end of April the first soldiers were reaching Scutari, a large village on the Bosphorus. Some of the men went into barracks and others into tents. They were then to move onto Varna a fortified port in Bulgaria, on the shore of the Black Sea. Disease was rife in the port and many men died from Cholera, fever or diarrhoea. The weather also caused problems with the heat on the sun, flies and fleas helping to spread infection. Cholera is caused by contaminated water or food, many of the men could have taken the bacteria with them. The victim would suffer from diarrhoea, vomiting, hiccoughing and cramp in the legs. Without proper care at least half of those who caught cholera would die. It was believed at that time Cholera was caused by germs blown in the wind. Men suffering from the disease, being transported in ships, were kept below deck with little or no ventilation, becoming more and more contaminated. Not only were the sick below deck, but healthy men as well, who were soon to fall prey. The only was to control cholera is cleanliness in water, food and sanitation. Many lives were lost until lessons were learnt, not only on the battlefields, and ships, but also in the hospitals. By August 7th, 257 men were admitted to hospital, 112 were lost, 693 were under treatment. |
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When in September the Army left Varna, many men were still unfit and not enough transport had been provided to take the Army and its equipment across the Black Sea. Much of the medical equipment and provisions had to be left behind. |
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Upon landing at a cove named Kalamita Bay, many men were still suffering from Cholera and had to be sent back to Scutari. |
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Transport had to be secured, but only one third of what was required could be obtained. A convoy of carts carrying supplies for Russian troops was captured, others stolen from surrounding farms. Many men and officers had to carry their own possessions in packs on their backs. Men recovering from illness would often collapse under the burden. Medical supplies were still no bettor than they had been when the Army left England six months before. Other supplies were also short one bell tent per regiment, ten stretchers and a small roll of dressing. One surgeon had to pack all his medical stores into two small gabs on a pony. The heat was unbearable. Most of the British officers bought large amounts of personal baggage, most bought their own horses, servants and luxuries. Many bought their wives. Enlisted meant were also allowed to bring their wives, they stayed at the base, and worked in the hospital or laundry. The French Army had landed with wagon's, ambulances, full medical supplies, tents and wooden huts. The wooden huts were transported in sections, so they could be easily assembled. They were much better at looking after their wounded and had many surgeons and the services of the Sisters of Charity. |
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On September 19th 1854, the Army moved on to the Alma. The men short of water had to pause to drink as they crossed the river Alma, at the risk of their lives. Russian batteries armed with heavy guns on the highest points of hills or buffs, looked down on the river. The battle of Alma was a victory, but not without severe casualties. Three hundred and sixty men were killed, one thousand, six hundred and twenty one were wounded. Many men were to die that night and many nights after, from the surgeons knife. There was a lack of tables for operations and may took place on bare ground. Others were transported by hospital ships to Scutari where conditions were appalling and many died from disease, and infection, as well as their wounds. |
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It was expected that each soldier would have their own knapsacks with them on arrival at Scutari. These would contain a change of clothing and washing equipment, a soldier would also have his won blanket. Those wounded arriving from the Alma had nothing, they had been ordered by Officers to discard their packs and blankets. All supplies had to be issued by Army Regulations, this process had been made difficult and complicated to save money in peace time. Anyone breaking the Regulations were likely to loose their job. So the wounded went without. |
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The Crimean war was different from any other, in the fact that, with the modern methods of reporting, people at home were able to follow the progress of the campaign, with a time gap of only a few days. It was the era of the railway, communications and the newly invented electric telegraph. (The telegraph had been invented but lines not laid. The British military laid a line from the Crimea across the Black Sea to the Eastern shore where the war started.) The War Correspondent came into their own, not only reporting on strategy or tactics, but mingled with the troops, both officers and men, in camp and trench. 'The Times' manager Mowbray Morris contacted his correspondent in Constantinople, Thomas Chenery, to cover the British and French siege of Sebastopol. 'The Times' editor John Delane was given the job of finding reporters to go the front. Delane himself went to the Crimea and witnessed the British Armies' problems in person. It was William Howard Russell who Delane assigned to accompany the British Army to Malta, then on to the Eastern shore of Russia and finally to the Crimea and Sebastopol. He was seen by many as the greatest war correspondent. His dispatches brought home the horror of the war to the British public, and his criticisms of the state of the Army were instrumental in its reorganisation and modernisation. |
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Thomas Chenery, wrote an article, which was published on 12th October, 1854 |
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The next day, 13th October, 1834 'The Times' ran another dispatch from Chenery. |
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It was around this that 'The Times' ran a leading article appealing for donations to help the situation. A cheque for £200 was received on the same day by Sir Robert Peel, son of the former Prime Minister. Within a week the Fund For the Relief of the Sick and Wounded had raised more than £5,000, it was to rise to £12,000. John McDonalds was to be the Administrator of the Fund, he was to sail out to the Crimea on the same ship as Miss Nightingale. |
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Russell was not the only correspondent to write articles for the newspapers, including G.A. Henry who was later to become a wellknown writer of children's stories, also,serving officers. A photographer was also sent to the Crimea, to record the war, Robert Fenton. He purchased a former wine merchant's van and converted it to a mobile darkroom, he also took an assistant with him. They left in February 1855, aboard the Helca. He had the support of the Royal family and the British government, and the financial backing of a publisher who hoped to issue sets of photos for sale, so was restricted with the subject content of his pictures. Neverless, they are an excellent record of history. |
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On October 21st 1854, Miss Nightingale and her party of thirty-eight nurses, her housekeeper Mrs Clarke, and the Bracebridges left for Scutari .Among the Nightingale Papers there was a small oblong black notebook containing three letters which she took with her, from her mother who bestowed on her material blessing, she had so long sought in vain, Manning commended her to the Protection, Worship and Imitation of the Sacred Heart, and one from Richard Monckton Milnes 'So you are going to the East'...'you can undertake that, when you could not undertake me.' They were to travel via Boulogne, spending one night in Paris and four nights in Marseilles, Miss Nightingale's Uncle Samuel Smith chaperoned her as far as Marseilles. In Marseilles Miss Nightingale was to purchase provisions and stores. Although she had been assured by Sidney Herbert and Dr Andrew Smith (Director of the Army Medical Service) that she would find everything she needed on arrival for the comfort of the sick and wounded. |
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On 27th October they set sail on the ail boat 'Vectis'. The ship was uncomfortable and infested with cockroaches. The weather was appalling on the second day, and when the 'Vectis' reached Malta, Miss Nightingale felt so ill she could not go ashore. The weather remained bad, on November 4th Miss Nightingale and her party arrived at Constantinople. Conditions were much worse than she could have expected. The Barrack Hospital itself, was more like a prison, the fact that it was raining made everything more unbearable. The Barrack hospital had been built as a barracks, and had been lent to the British for the duration of the War. The central yard was a sea of refuse floating in mud, with rats everywhere. In the cellars about two hundred women many prostitutes, filthy, drunk, starving and dying of cholera. There were no beds, or other furniture. There were twenty chamber pots which had to serve the needs of a thousand men. When they were full, they were emptied into tubs in the wards. It was damp and insanitary, the woodwork was so rotten it could not even be scrubbed clean. There were not even tables for performing operations, and nothing to cook with. They had a daily allowance of one pint of water per person which had to be used for everything. The orderlies who were looking after the sick and wounded were worn out pensioners. Many men had been taken from the ranks to help in the wards. They were quite ignorant to any thing connected with a hospital, as they were liable to be recalled at any moment. There was no guarantee of having experienced men on the wards. For every nine-five patients there was only one surgeon, without a nurse to assist him. |
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Whose responsibility was to make sure that the needs of the Army were sufficient, so as they would not suffer' The Purveyor's Department with Mr Ward as Purveyor-in-Chief at Scutari, not a young man. The Commissariat and the Medical Department, with Dr Andrew Smith the Director General. |
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The Commissiat provided the daily rations for the men, and the food for the hospital, and fuel to cook it on. The Purveyor provided food for the men who were sick 'invalid food'. Although the Purveyor's supplies were bought and delivered by the Commissiat. Therefore the supplies were bought and delivered by the Commissiat. Therefore the Purveyor had no say in the cost or quality of the food. Even if a man was put on a special diet by a doctor, he still had to make a request to the Purveyor, and it was up to him if a man got it or not. With doctors having to write out requisitions for everything they needed, he soon found himself doing more and more paper work and less time tending to the sick. |
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Miss Nightingale was to find that she was not welcomed by the Doctors of the Army Medical Department at the Barrack Hospital. For her party of forty, only five small rooms and a kitchen had been provided. Miss Nightingale and Mrs Bracebridge were to share a room, as was Mr Bracebridge with the courier-interpreter, the cook and her assistant had to sleep in the kitchen. The remainder of her party had to be divided between three rooms. It was felt that this Society lady and her female nurse's would achieved nothing. Many of the men's wives had been employed as nurses and it had failed. Miss Nightingale had powerful friends and they knew it was against their interest to object to them being there. |
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Supplies for the Hospital were very short, although Miss Nightingale had the supplies she had purchased from Marseilles, and 'The Times' had offered to pay for anything that was needed. The Army officials refused to support the Army through civilian funds. Miss Nightingale and her nurses were not allowed onto the wards, but every day she allocated nurses to go to the General Hospital and the Barrack Hospital, and wait until a doctor requested their help, none was requested. She also set the women to work sorting linen, making pillows, stump rests and slings. There was a shortage of blankets and the men lay in dirty shirts. She found that many of the items of hospital clothing which had arrived, had not been issued. The women who were with Miss Nightingale felt that they had not left England to sort linen, and had accomplished nothing. |
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Miss Nightingale then turned her attention to the feeding and diet of the sick, many of who were starving. The stores she had bought from Marseilles included portable stoves. Even when she started cooking invalid food, she had to get a written order from a doctor before it could be given to them. Often a doctor could not be found. |
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The Army was moving on to take Sevastopol, and it was decided that Balaclava was the best line of attack. There was little resistance and Balaclava surrendered the next day. With Winter approaching Balaclava was not a good place to be as it would separate the army from its base by six miles. It was during the advance to Sevastopol that the charge of the Light Brigade took place. Of six hundred men who fought that day only three hundred returned. Their deaths probable caused by the jealous and conflicting pride of three men; Lord Raglan, Lord Lucan and Lord Cardigan. |
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The battle of Inkerman was in November, and it gave the allies a taste of victory. Many British troops were killed six hundred and thirty two in all, forty three of these were officers. The wounded numbered one thousand, eight hundred and seventy three, many of whom would die as nothing had bean done to improve the conditions of the suffering. |
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The wounded were pouring in, and doctors at last gave in, and let Miss Nightingale and her nurses onto the wards. Miss Nightingale felt tired and alone, she would work endlessly into the early hours. There was so much proper organisation which needed to be done. Much of the hospital bedding was not washed, so she arranged to rent a house near the barracks, and had the Army Engineers install boilers, paid for out of 'The Times' fund. She also purchased scrubbing brushes and sacking for washing the floors, which were difficult to wash as the beds were packed together tightly and the floor boards were rotten. The Purveyor could not be relied upon to get this done. Army wives were employed to do the washing, it was the first time Scutari had clean linen. Supplies were difficult to find because the Purveyor would not release them, until authorised to do so by a Board of Survey. Doctors were getting fed up, supplies were getting so short, then they realised that there was only one person in Scutari who would take action, and had the money and authority to spend it, Miss Nightingale. Mr MacDonald was 'The Times' almoner and he had the money to spend. Miss Nightingale would assess what supplies they were short of from the Purveyors store and Mr MacDonald went to Constantinople to buy them. They were then placed in Miss Nightingale's store. Within two months Miss Nightingale had supplied on requisition about six thousand shirts, two thousand socks, night-caps, cutlery. Plates and cups, all cleaning equipment household and personal. She even managed to get operating tables, clocks and forms. |
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Mr Mac Donald stayed in the East for three months, many of his letters from the Crimea were published in 'The Times'. William Henry Stowe was to be the new almoner of the fund. He noted that the provisions although plentiful, transportation in getting them to were there were needed was still a problem. With supplies being left on quay sites, because of a lack of suitable warehouses. In May 1855 Mr Stowe went to visit the hospital and military camp at Balaklava to write a report for 'The Times'. He found Camp life hard, and fell ill with cholera and died on June 22 1855. One sad fact was that when he fell ill, the hospitals were not receiving civilians, after an influx of military patients. He was taken to the church at Balaklava and was given what attention was available. |
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After Mr Stowe's death, the 'The Times' Fund wound up, but a significant sum remained, part of the balance was given to the Committee for Administering the Indian Relied Fund. Money was also put aside for the governors of a new military hospital at Netley. |
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Miss Nightingale found an ally in Dr McGrigor. He helped her constantly in her effort to prepare an extra wing of the hospital for the reception of patients. He was a first class surgeon, and made full use of Miss Nightingale's nurses. |
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Many of the wounded had been travelling by ship for eight or nine days. They were often not given drugs, their wounds not dressed, or given blankets to keep warm. When they arrived at the hospital, operations were often carried out in the wards, as they were bought in. At this time chloroform was known, but not in general use. Dr John Hall cautioned against using, as he thought few would survive. When men died they were removed immediately, there was no room for corpses. Winter had arrived in the Crimea, and men were suffering from frostbite, dysentery, cholera and exhaustion. Although such cold weather rarely lasted long, during the fine spells nothing was done to aid the suffering of the Army. The ships in Balaclava were full of cargo, mainly of vegetables. A whole cargo of cauliflower's were thrown into the sea because the correct papers for them to be unloaded could not be found. Also in a store there were warm clothes, rice, flour, coffee and coal. Seven miles away men had frostbite and scurvy. |
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There was chaos at Balaclava, where Lord Raglan forces were laying siege to Sevastopol. Thirty thousand men were suffering from cold and disease. Their food rations and stores were rotting through lack of storage space. Supplies were getting scarce, the single road to Balaclava had broken up and transport of supplies was difficult. |
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On November 14th, a Hurricane hit Balaclava Bay, bringing with it heavy rain. Every hut was flattened, equipment drenched. After the rain came snow, the men were unable to light fires as everything was so wet. Therefore they were unable to keep themselves warm or cook. If this was not bad enough, there were many ships in the bay carrying supplies, 'The Prince' carrying warm clothing for the Army sunk. It had been in the Bay for ten days and had not been unloaded. The storm also wrecked twenty-one ships off shore. |
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William Russell of 'The Times' had written of the storm; |
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Before she had left London, Miss Nightingale had asked Sidney Herbert to promise that no additional nurses should be sent out, until he had heard from her. She had not been sure what type of woman would be required and how successful she and her nurses would be. She had informed him that there would be difficulties in providing accommodation for them. It was not like England where property could easily be rented. It was therefore a shock to her, when she heard in December 1854, that a party of forty-six women led by Mary Stanley were to arrive. She had sent a letter dated 10th December to Sidney Herbert, it was too late as a party of nurses lead by Mary Stanley had already sailed. Mary Stanley the sister of Dr Stanley (Canon of Canterbury later he was to become famous as Dean Stanley of Westminster.) was interested in hospitals, and visited many in England and Europe. In 1854 she published a book entitled 'Hospitals and Sisterhoods'. Nursing to her was concerned with the patients soul, smoothing a pillow or saying a prayer. She would never think of emptying a bed pan. Mary Stanley's party consisted of forty-six nurses, nine ladies, fifteen nuns and twenty nurses, they were escorted by Dr Meyer, a physician and the Hon. Jocelyn Percy MP. |
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When they reached Scutari on 15th December 1854, they were told by Mrs Bracebridge they were to go to Therapia fifteen miles away, where the Ambassador had put his summer villa at their disposal. Mary Stanley instructed the 'hired nurses' to do the housework, washing and cooking. They were also to do the ladies mending and wait at the table. This did not go down well and the nurses rebelled. Miss Nightingale would accept no responsibility for the women who were divided between various hospitals. Mary Stanley or her nurses, refused to accept Miss Nightingales authority and were often disliked by the patients. |
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Between December 17th and January 3rd, the death rate rose . Miss Nightingale dressed wounds and was on her feet for up to twenty four hours at a time. On 6th December, Queen Victoria wrote to her troops in the Crimea, through Sidney Herbert. |
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At the end of January it was suggested that the Turkish Calvary Barracks at Koulali should be turned into a hospital. Mary Stanley was to be in charge, she took with her Mother Bridgeman and ten of her nuns. When she arrived at Koulali, it was not ready, there were no beds, or food. When three hundred wounded were bought in, sacks had to be quickly filled with straw, and ladies made lemonade. Mary Stanley could not cope and did not feel her health could stand the strain. She contacted Miss Nightingale to ask her to send her more nurses. The letter was passed onto Dr Cumming who visited the hospital, but found the nurse doing very little at all ' He refused to allow more nurses at the hospital. Mary Stanley was only to stay two months. |
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By the end of January 1855, the army was eleven thousand strong, but the sick and wounded numbered twenty three thousand. Even in February surgeons were still finding men lying on bare ground. If it had not been for the 'French ambulance' not a single man could have been moved from the camp |
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Miss Nightingale was surprised that the Medical Officers did not complain or make an effort to remedy conditions. The Medical Officers would do their best to obtain the reforms that were needed, but for fear of getting a bad report from their seniors. She had written to Sidney Herbert in January 1855, that he would never hear the whole truth. She wrote that she had ' no compassion for the men who would rather see hundreds of lives lost than was one scruple of the official conscience.' Miss Nightingale felt that the Purveyor should be abolished, and the hospital have its own storekeeper. She also asked him if he could promote Dr McGrigor to Deputy Inspector General, so he could carry on with the work he was doing. |
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On September 29th 1855, a Royal Warrant was issued authorising the formation of a Medical Staff Corps, a Medical School was also formed during the campaign. |
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Many improvements had been made at the Barrack Hospital, it was clean, and the men were kept clean and well fed. It was therefore somewhat of a surprise when an epidemic of Cholera broke out in the hospital, men were dying not of wounds or sickness they came in with, but something they caught in the hospital. Four surgeons died in three weeks and three nurses. The Purveyor Mr Ward and his wife also died. Sister Margaret Goodman saw what she thought was a heap of carcasses from animals, on closer inspection they turned out to be the carcasses of English soldiers. This had contaminated the water therefore causing the Cholera |
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There was much alarm and anger in England about the mismanagement in the Crimea. A Sanitary Commission was sent to the Crimea to investigate the state of the buildings used as hospitals, and the camps at Scutari and in the Crimea. The Sanitary Commission consisted of Dr John Sutherland from the Board of Health, Dr Hector Gavin (who died in the Crimea), and Robert Rawlinson a civil engineer. Shortly after their arrival Dr Gavin was replaced by Dr Milroy. They also took with them the Borough Engineer and three sanitary inspectors from Liverpool. |
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Miss Nightingale became acquainted with Dr Sutherland who had arrived at Scutari, with the sanitary commission, on 6th March 1855. It was through him that she gained the main source of her knowledge of sanitary science. After an out cry about the sanitary conditions of the army in the East in 1855, he was sent out as Chief medical member of the Commission. Miss Nightingale would have liked to accompany Dr Sutherland to the Crimea, but she was unable to do so. When she had been appointed her position, it, was to superintend nurses in Turkey, and the Crimea was in Russia. She also encountered opposition from official quarters. Dr Sutherland advised her to write home and ask the War Department to place her authority on a proper footing. Not only did they collect information, they repaired and drained the yard outside the building, and built a system to flush sewage under the building. The internal walls were painted with disinfectant and improved the ventilation. |
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Sir John McNeil and Colonel Tulloch were summoned to London, on February 1855. They were to proceed to Scutari and the Crimea to inquire into the arrangement and management of the Commissariat Department. They were also to inquire into the delay in shipping and distributing of clothing and other stores. |
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In the Crimea they would have the power to summon and examine witnesses, to produce all of the necessary books and papers, and to make suggestions for improvements to Lord Raglan and the Minister for War. Evidence was written down from two hundred witnesses, who were then asked to sign it as a token of acceptance of record being correct. There was to be no criticism of any one particular person, only facts were required. |
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Miss Nightingale was physically exhausted. She was never strong and always used to luxury. Her Quarters were damp, when it rained water came in. The food was inedible and there was still a limit of one pint of water per person per day. She spent hours on the wards caring for the wounded and dying. She could stop men drinking, and encouraged them to write home to their wives. They worshipped her. Every night she walked the wards, the men layed on their bed and kissed her shadow as she passed. Robert Robbinson was Miss Nightingale's personal attendant. He was eleven years old, and had been in the 68th Light Infantry as a drummer boy. He would run messages for, and at night would carry her lamp. She would often walk from the Barrack Hospital to the General Hospital, which would take at least thirty minutes. There were four miles of beds in the Barrack and General Hospitals with only eighteen inches between each one. |
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Dr Hall was the Chief of Medical Staff of the British Expeditionary Army. He and Miss Nightingale did not see eye to eye, which caused bad feeling between them. She had been sending long confidential reports to the Minister at War criticising sanitary conditions of the hospitals. She also criticised the distribution and cooking of food, and the availability of supplies, all of which reflected badly on the principal Medical Officer. |
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Dr Hall had been in the army for forty two years. He had been sent to Verna, where there was much sickness among the troops. When the move to Scutari was decided, there was not much notice given. In the muddle medical transport and much of the medical stores intended for the hospitals at Scutari had been lost or left behind. All this was completely outside Dr Hall's control. The main blame should have been put on the system of administration. All actions had to go through recognised channels. Even principal medical officers had little executive power outside his medical duties. He did not even have the choice of which sites should be used as hospitals. There was great difficulty in getting necessary alterations to buildings. An administration system that worked well in peace time was not flexible enough to meet the needs of was. |
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Dr Hall had gone to Scutari in October 1854, to inspect the hospitals. He sent a report back to say everything was alright. Of course Dr Menzies could not contradict Dr Hall, as he was his senior. It was not until Miss Nightingale's report to Sidney Herbert that the truth was known. Dr McGrigor began to avoid Miss Nightingale, he was a weak man, and was no longer pressing for recommendations of the Hospital Commission. |
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In March 1855 Alexis Soyer, a famous chef of the Reform Club had arrived at Scutari. At that time there was only one kitchen which had thirteen coppers in it, in which all the food for the hospital had to be cooked. This meant that there was not time for proper cleaning. Each orderly had rations for each patient in his care. Meat on the bone, gristle, fat, offal, hacked into chunks and cooked in the coppers. When they thought the meat was cooked they put out the fire under the copper, and got out their own rations. They often marked the meat with old rags rusty nail or buttons. It was only luck if a patient was in favour, whether he received gristle or meat. There were no knives or forks, so it had to be eaten with their fingers. This was their only supply, with no soup or pudding. When they had finished cooking the meat in the coppers, they were washed and rinsed, to be used for boiling tea. Soyer made up recipes using the army rations. Permanent soldiers were in his kitchen who could be trained as cooks. He also invented ovens to bake bread and biscuits. Soyer's iron stove became standard equipment for the army. It weighed between eighty and ninety pounds, and was made or iron. Two of these stoves could be carried by one mule. They were able to boil, stew, bake and steam. |
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Miss Nightingale wanted to visit the Crimea but she did not have official notification. In March 1855, she wrote to Sidney Herbert for a public statement on her position. He named her 'Superintendent of the Female Nursing Establishment in the English Military General Hospitals in Turkey' this did not include the Crimea. This information was also sent to Lord Raglan, Lord Stratford and Dr John Hall. She had not made her point about her position very clear. As she had no jurisdiction of the hospitals in the Crimea, the nurses supported by Dr Hall in the Crimea hospitals were defying her authority. |
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On May 2nd 1855 Miss Nightingale left for Balaclava sailing on the 'Robert Lowe'. She would travel under the title of 'Almoner of the free gifts in all the British hospitals in the Crimea War Zone'. In her party sailing with her were Soyer, Soyer's secretary, Mr Bracebridge, Robert Robinson, four nurses and tow cooks. Also 420 soldiers who were to return to their regiments to fight again. The distance across the Black Sea from Balaclava to Scutari was about 300 miles. Ships would take eight and a half days or longer. |
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On arriving at Balaclava harbour, the Captain of the 'Robert Lowe', invited her to make her quarters on board. News travelled fast that Miss Nightingale had arrived. They rushed from their tents and cheered her loudly. There were tow hospitals at Balaclava, the General Hospital and the Castle Hospital. It was at the Castle Hospital that one of the women who had arrived with Mary Stanley, Mrs Shaw Stewart. She had undergone hospital training in Germany and nursed in a London hospital. With her was Mrs Roberts from St Thomas's, Mrs Drake, from St John's and Rev Mother Bermonsey. While visiting the Castle Hospital, she met Dr Hall, he was still trying to make life difficult for Miss Nightingale, he informed her that all her requisitions must be sent to him personally. |
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Miss Nightingale became ill with 'Crimea Fever', she had to move from the 'Robert Lowe' and go to the Castle Hospital where the air was fresher. She was attended at this time by Dr Henderson and Dr Hadley. Dr Hadley was Senior Medical Officer. It was not surprising that Miss Nightingale had to be moved as the harbour was being cleaned by the Sanitary Commission, and the stench so bad, that men fainted and had to be bought round with an issue of brandy. In her deliriums he would not stop writing endless orders, requisitions, and notes. Lord Raglan came to see her on 24th May, and talked with her at great length at her bedside. Her doctors wanted her to go home. A doctor who attended her was a friend of Dr John Hall they arranged that Miss Nightingale should travel on the 'Jura'. It was Mr Bracebridge who discovered that the ship was not stopping at Scutari at all, and returning directly to England. He and Lord Ward hurried Miss Nightingale off the ship. They took her to Scutari in Lord Ward's steam yacht. Miss Nightingale was still very weak and went to convalesce in Mr Sabin's house, the head chaplain at Scutari. Miss Nightingale was recovering. Sidney Herbert had sent her a terrier, an owl which the troops gave her and a baby to watch over while its' mother did the washing for the hospital. While Miss Nightingale had been ill Lord Raglan had died from dysentery and was succeeded by Lieutenant General James Simpson, his views were different to Lord Raglan. He was opposed to pampering troops, and he had seen little active service. |
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On July 28th Mr and Mrs Bracebridge returned to England. They felt they could stand no more of the sights, smell or inedible food. When they left, Miss Nightingale returned to her quarters at the Barrack Hospital. She was becoming more unpopular, and was accused of being extravagant. Her nurses were also causing her problems, they either got drunk, or got married. One of her best nurses Mrs Drake, died of cholera on August 9th. Miss Clough fell ill and wanted to be sent home. She became ill on the boat home, and had to be put ashore at Scutari, where she died. With Mrs Bracebridge returning home, Miss Nightingale appointed Miss Salisbury to look after her store. Miss Salisbury caused trouble for Miss Nightingale, writing accusations about her to Mary Stanley. She even stole from the store and accused other women. Miss Nightingale decided with Lord William Paulet the Military Commandant that Miss Salisbury should be sent home with as little fuss as possible. Miss Salisbury caused even more trouble when she arrived home, she contacted Mary Stanley who encouraged her to make a complaint to the War Office about Miss Nightingale. She accused her of ill treatment had not issuing stores when they were needed. The complaint was submitted to Mr Benjamin Hawes Permanent Under Secretary at the War Office. An official letter was sent to Miss Nightingale. Soon it was common knowledge about Miss Nightingale's store, her family felt that she needed someone with her to give her support. It was decided that Aunt Mai should go. She arrived on September 6th, she also bought with her someone to look after the store, an experienced clerk named Willis. Miss Nightingale was very pleased to see her Aunt. |
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At the beginning of October Miss Nightingale returned to the Crimea. Mother Bridgeman had gone to the General Hospital as superintendent, without Miss Nightingale's knowledge. She had also wanted four of her nuns working at the General Hospital, Scutari to move to Balaclava. Miss Nightingale objected. How was she to run things efficiently if she was being undermined. Dr Hall had said that he had written her letters, but she had not received any of them. |
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There was peace from fighting after the fall of Sevastopol, no more battles were to be fought. The only battle left was the one in the British troops mind. When they entered the hospital wards and cellars of Sevastopol they found bodies of unburied soldiers. The ones that were alive had maggots crawling through their wounds, the smell was indescribable. |
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It was while she was at the Crimea she received a copy of 'The Times' for October 16th, 1855. It contained a report by Mr Bracebridge of a lecture he had given at the Town Hall Coventry. It was an attack on the British Army authorities and the British Army doctors. Other papers picked up the story, and it was felt that Miss Nightingale had instigated the attack. Miss Nightingale had an attack of sciatica, and had to go to the Castle Hospital. |
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In November 1855 there was an outbreak of cholera at Scutari, and Miss Nightingale returned. Soldiers, nurses and surgeons were dying. The pressure of administrative work had forced her to virtually give up practical nursing. Her daily walk around the wards was the only recreation she received. She worked at her desk, with a small candle, she had no fire, because the stove smoked. |
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In London November 1855, a committee of seventy distinguished people took a lease on a first floor chambers at 5 Parliament Street for a year. The Nightingale Fund was beginning, with Sidney Herbert as chairman. Their intention was to launch a national appeal. The resolutions were drawn up: |
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The noble exertion of Miss Nightingale in the hospital of the East demand the grateful recognition of the British people. |
That while it is known that Miss Nightingale would decline any such recognition merely personal to herself it is understood that she will accept it in a form that may enable her, on her return to England, to establish a permanent institution for the training sustenance and protection of nurses and to arrange for their proper instruction and employment in metropolitan hospitals (metropolitan was deleted at a subsequent meeting). |
That to accomplish this object on a scale worthy of the nation and honourable to Miss Nightingale herself, a public subscription be opened to which all classes be invited to contribute and application be made for the 'red' of the clergy, the mayors of corporate towns and other available sources of assistance. |
That the sums thus collected be applied to there objects according to the discretion of Miss Nightingale and under regulations formed by herself, the subscribers having entire confidence in her tried energy and judgement. |
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In the following week it was added to resolution 4 that' and in the meantime Trustees shall be considered protectors of the Fund. |
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A public meeting was called for the 29th November, at the Willis Rooms in King Street. The Duke of Cambridge had been invited to be Chairman. The Duke of Argyll, Lord Stanley, and Richard Monckton Milnes also made speeches. Sidney Herbert read a letter from a soldier in Scutari. Similar meeting were held throughout the country. It was decided a fund should be set up, for Miss Nightingale to use to establish a training scheme for nurses. The Trustees of the Fund were Sidney Herbert, Rt. Hon Stuart Wortley, Sir William Heathcote, Richard Monckton Milnes, Charles H Milnes and Charles H Bracebridge. The founding of the Fund reached the Army in the East, nearly nine thousand pounds was subscribed by the troops. In December 1855, twenty thousand circulars were sent out, mainly to mayors and clergy. From this the Fund received a provide seven thousand pounds. |
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Sidney Herbert had sent Miss Nightingale a copy to the Funds first meeting. In January 1856, Her received her reply. She had accepted the committees proposals, but she was uncertain if her health would allow her to carry it out. Perhaps at this moment Miss Nightingale's mind was not fully on the training of nurses. She had seen the Army suffer, is this where her heart lay, to reform the treatment of the British private soldier. |
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The winter of 1855 had seen a big change for the troops, than the winter before. They had warm dry shelters and were well fed. Recreation was also encourage with entertainment or sporting events. |
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Many men were now convalescing, and becoming bored. They had nothing to spend their money on except drink, which became a problem. Miss Nightingale felt that if she could find something to occupy the men it might help. With great opposition she opened a small reading room, officials felt that the men would get above themselves reading instead of drinking. Many men used their money for drinking, because they were not happy about sending money through the Paymaster. Miss Nightingale would devote one afternoon a week to receiving money, to be sent home to their families. Miss Nightingale would then send the money to her Uncle Sam, who then purchased postal orders which were then forwarded to the men's families. |
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Miss Nightingale also dealt with there personal affairs. They attended lectures, singing classes and amateur theatricals, she gained respect from the soldiers, because of her respect for them. Offices were opened at Constantinople, Scutari and Balaclava for the selling of money orders. Lord Panmure did not think it would work, but in less than six months seventy thousand pounds was sent. |
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Many of the drink shops closed, any man found drunk was court martialled 'for disgracing the regiment to which he belonged'. In September 1855, a Coffee House was opened called the 'Inkerman Coffee House'. The walls were hung with pictures and maps, arm chairs, tables and newspapers all provided by Miss Nightingale. |
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By the spring of 1856 four schools for the training of Medical Staff Corps. |
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In January 1856, the report compiled by Sir John Mr Neill and Colonel Tulloch into the failings of senior officers to supply adequate food and shelter, when supplies were available to them, was completed. It was presented to the Minister and Parliament, then made public. It showed gross mismanagement, although it did not lay blame on any particular officers. The high officers mentioned resented the implications of the report, therefore in the House of Lords they attacked the Government for published them. Those officers were Lord Lucan (who had been given the command of a Regiment), Lord Cardigan, Inspector of Cavalry, Sir Richard Airey, Quartermaster-General, and Colonel Gordon, Deputy Quartermaster-General. Although the general opinion of the House of Commons was that the officers were to blame. The report put the Prime Minister in a very delicate position, because the Army was theoretically responsible to the Crown. Lord Palmerston was questioned in a House of Commons debate about his verdict on the work of McNeill and Tulloch, he was full of praise for them. The Queen had been mislead by the War Minister, Lord Panmure, as he had told her that McNeill and Tulloch had been sent to investigate the Commissariat, a civilian department who supplied the army. But a few days later they had been given additional powers to investigate why supplies issued had not reached the army. Lord Palmerston received a letter of complaint from the Queen, as she stated that the officers found themselves accused, without being able to answer or to be allowed to have the opportunity to defend themselves. A suggestion made by Sir James Graham met the approval of the Queen, that military commission should be appointed to look into the matter. (Letter from Queen Victoria to Lord Palmerston) |
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A Board of General Officers was appointed to investigate accusations made against certain officers in the report. It was held at the Royal Hospital Chelsea in April 1856. None of the senior officers who sat on the Board at Chelsea had served in the Crimea. It seems Lord Panmure had been very clever in his instructions to McNeill and Tulloch as the generals had been very willing to sign statements against the civilians in the Commissariat, which also reflected on their mistakes. The Board of Enquiry gave the Generals the chance to defend themselves. In the end the Board found them innocent of all accusations and put the blame on the civilians in the Treasury. It was as if Sir John McNeil and Colonel Tulloch were on trial themselves as to the accuracy of there report. The Report of the Chelsea Board published in July 1856 'whitewashed' all the officers mentioned in the report. |
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Many prominent men of business over the country drew up appreciative addresses, which were presented to Sir John McNeil and Colonel Tulloch, thanking them for their great services, and expressing sympathy with them in the slight to which they had been subjected. |
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In February 1857 it was suggested by Lord Palmerston in Parliament that acknowledgement of their special services be made to the two commissioners. Through Lord Panmure a gift of one thousand pounds was offered to each of them, the both refused the offer. |
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Sir John McNeil was offered a barony or a membership of the Privy Council. He chose the latter, which entitled him to be addressed as Right Honourable. Colonel Tulloch was created KCB. |
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Miss Nightingale was to take over the General Hospital, as Mother Bridgeman and her nurses had left. She found conditions appealing. It took two days to clean the building and three days to clean the patients. Miss Nightingale spent many hours travelling between the hospitals. At the Land Transport Hospital, she found men suffering from exposure, their rations were inadequate and badly cooked. Miss Nightingale was very distressed, the Army was in the same condition as it was eighteen months ago. The people she felt were most responsible were: Mr Fitzgerald, Purvey-in Chief, who got promoted, and Dr Hall who was awarded the KCB |
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Peace was declared on April 29th 1856. In May 1856 in the House of Lords, Lord Ellesmere moved the address on the conclusion of the peace, referring to Miss Nightingale: 'My Lords the agony of that time has become a matter of history. The vegetation of two successive springs has obscured the vestiges of Balaclava and of Inkerman. Strong voices now answer to the roll-call and sturdy forms now cluster round the colours. The Angel of Mercy still lingers to the last on the scene of her labours: but her mission is all but accomplished. Those long arcades of Scutari in which dying men sat up to catch the sound of her footsteps or the flutter of her dress, and fell back on the pillow content to have seen her shadow as it passed, are now comparatively deserted. She may probably be thinking on how to escape, as best she may, on her return the nations appreciated of her deeds and motives of Miss Nightingale'. |
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By the end of June the hospitals were nearly empty. Soldiers and nurses were returning home. Miss Nightingale returned to Scutari, by this time it was nearly empty. On July 16th 1856, the last patient left the Barrack Hospital. |
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On the heights of Balaclava Miss Nightingale had a marble cross raised to remember the men who had died. On it were inscribed in Italian the words 'Lord, have mercy upon us.' Twenty-one thousand British soldiers had died. |
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On July 28th, Miss Nightingale and Aunt Mai left for home, travelling as Mrs and Miss Smith. With her was a Queen's Messenger, a one legged sailor boy, a Russian orphan, a large Crimea puppy and a cat which died on the journey. She spent the night with M.Mohl, and continued on alone to England. The following day she went to the Convent of the Bermonsey nuns, where she spent all morning in prayer and meditation. In the afternoon she took a train North and in the evening walked up from Whatstandwell station to Lea Hurst. |
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There was so much work for her to do, her reforms were just beginning. Could she one woman achieve her goal. The memories of the squalor, and filth, pain and suffering would be with her for the rest of her life, is this not the strength she needed to carry on. |
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'SHE GAVE THE SOLDIERS RESPECT, AND THEY RESPECTED HER' |
(THEY ASKED NO MORE) |
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