‘The Russo-Turkish War. 1877. Operations in Europe.’ [‎12r] (23/66)

23
Oi
A February letter from Odessa details the garrison of that place and its l 877 -
suburbs, Perdsip and Moldavanka, at one Infantry Division ; 6 Cavalry regi
ments, and 126 guns.
As marking the rate at which the ranks of the Southern Army were being
filled up, a state may be mentioned, dated Kischinev, 6th February, which put
the total strength of the force at 251,270 men and 482 guns, exclusive of
sappers and miners, sailors, marine-infantry, hospital service men, pioneers and
railway employes which latter number together some 8,000 to 10,000 men
extra.
It was stated in March that four batteries of field Artillery and two March 1877.
mountain batteries were to be added to the Army of the South, and that the
Artillery of the Reserve was also to be reinforced; also that the Cavalry force
was to be strengthened, but no details of this last reinforcement were given.
The reserves in Podolia and the Ukraine were to be moved nearer to the
frontier, and the third ban of the Don Cossacks and the second of the Ural
Cossacks were to be set in motion before the middle of the month. In March,
the health of the troops was reported good, but there appears to be a slight
increase in the percentage on the two preceding months, judging from accom
panying details extracted from an official statement bearing date the 17th of
February (1st March).
According to this return the permanent and temporary military hospitals
were occupied by sick as follows:—
Permanent Hospitals.
Bender
Tiraspol
Kischinev [Lazaret de la Compagnie sedentaire') ..
Sick.
198
264
175
Temporary Hospitals.
No. 43
. #
.. 231
,, 45
. #
.. 150
„ 48
.. 252
„ 49
# #
74
„ 50
.. 160
„ 58
# #
.. 470
„ 59
# .
.. 302
„ 60
.. 325
„ 61
••
.. 364
Total
# #
..
# #
# #
m #
.. 2,965
This number must be reduced by 449 men, included in this return, but
sent by other Corps not belonging to the Army of the South. This brings the
number down to 2,516, or a percentage, with reference to the effective strength,
of 1*25.
To these 2,516, however, must be added other sick in the ambulances with
the troops as follows:—
Sick.
8th Corps
135
9th „
. •
119
11th „
• .
177
12th .. .
• •
170
4th Brigade of Chasseurs
30
Total
631
or an additional 0-24 per cent, of the effective strength of the army, making
the total percentage of the effective strength represented by the sick in hospital
and with the Corps ambulances 1-49.
It may be mentioned in conjunction with the subject of the Russian
hospitals, that an important innovation had been established in the introduction
by the military inspector of health, Dr. Prisselkow, of Kirghiz felt tents, such
as in the Khiva and Samarkand campaigns of Central Asia, had been used to
replace the ordinary ambulance tents. These Kirghiz or Kalmuk kibitkas