British Camp, Crimea, November 1854
"Twenty-one ships," Elliot marvelled. "We lost twenty-one ships in that storm, hundreds of men and thousands of tons of supplies. It"s worse than a major naval defeat."
"And now look at the weather," Jack gestured to the world outside their re-erected tent. "It"s snowing."
"Prince held all the winter clothing for the army: 25,000 fur caps, 8000 sealskin coats, 40,000 fur coats…" Elliot continued, counting off each item with his fingers. "All gone to furnish Davy Jones" Locker."
"How do you know all these things?" Jack asked. "You know everything about everything!"
"Natural genius," Elliot lay back on his camp bed and produced a small silver hip flask. "We also lost twenty days" hay for the horses, and that will be crucial. The horses will be hungry.
