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'WS—HHWi^MSBBI*— »— — ^i?--™^- }B A LETTER ■^ KROSf A VOLTJNTEEE OF 1800 TO THE VOLUNTEERS OF 1860, WITH aCOIGKSTION'S ON" THE DEFENCE OF ENGLAND, HER WEAKNESS AND ITER STRENGTH. BY A. W. PLAYFAIll, M.P.P., Lieut, Col. Commandinp; Lanark Rifles, Canada West ; Author of a pamphlet on Pacific Railway on JJritish Territory, iti 1852. PirvDox ME, MY Liege, I sAin as older SoLPisn, sot a iietter." MONTREAL : PRINTED BY JOHN LOVELL, AT CANADA. DIRECTORY OFFICE. I860. ^ V. .*t ' h * ^ , I ^ J \ 1. 1 1 1 A i i lOV A .(*;>^! 'fo 8HS3/r"^TJJ0Y anT '.:»> wo/ifiHvPtra ut*"!^ i ,,. . .ii 1 ,'■'1- ■- .„i ^' ( ■' 1 '**Nj [ 1 « . ' 1 :4 .t\ vi r) H :.-r • 'it: ( > :i r> '^ 'd i :i a M H T ■i'-x/irv' ;}5f» [ A LETTER FROM A VOLUNTEER 01 1806 TO THE VOLUNTEERS OF 1860, WITH SITOOESTI0N3 ON THE DEFENCE OF ENGLAND, HER WEAKNESS AND HER STRENGTH. BY A. W. PLAYFAIB, M.P.P., Lieut Col. Commanding Lanark Rifles, Canada West; Author of a pamphlet on iiieui. V.01. v^omuia ^^fs^^ aaUway on British Territory, in 1852. " PABDON me, MX LlEOB, I SAID A.S OLDBB SolDIEK, KOT A BETTBE." MONTREAL: PRINTED BY JOHN LOVELL, AT CANADA DIRECTORY OFFICE , 1860. ■■|de-camp, or major-generals. " The staff corps is composed of 42 colonels, 42 lieutenant-colonels, 176 chiefs of battalion, and 330 captains, besides 100 ofiBcers of the 6tat major de place, and a corps d'intendancs. "There are 1572 medical officers, and 795 officers employed in the interior economy of corps and in the clothing departments. In the camp never sets. That the former have little to lose and much to gain, the latter much to lose, and, comparatively nothing to gain.* equipage department there are 72 officers employed, 1560 workmen, and m the train of equipages 4264 men. " The troops of the line consist of 76 regiments, or 304 battalions, making a total of 276,830 men. 32 regiments of light infantry, or 96 battalions, amounting to 72,400, the foreign legion of 3 battalions, 30 companies of fusiliers sedentaires, and 89 companies of veterans, com- pose a body of upwards of 20,000 men, to which the custom-house offi- cers may be added, as they are all soldiers, and consist of 20,000 effec- tives. '< The cavalry of the French army is composed of— Regiments of cruiassiers 15,892 Regiments of the line 27,832 Regiments of light cavalry 34,562 Total 78,286 " The artillery consists of 14 lieutenant-generals, 16 mar^chaux-de- camp, and 342 officers of different grades, storekeepers, &c. ; artillery, 38,462; pontooners, 2316; 12 companies of workmen, 1248; 1 com- pany of armourers, 136 ; and 6 squadrons of the train of the parks. " There are 16 generals of engineers, 610 officers of all ranks, and G22 storekeeper J, &c. ; 5 companies of the waggon-train and 1 company of armourers, 184. The municipal guards, gens-d'armes, colonial troops, Algerine chasseurs, and coast-guard, amount to 9899, making a grand total of 36,420 men. " This immense army is well armed, well clothed, and the whole of their appointments are of the best description. " A regiment of 3 battalions of infantry has 1 colonel, 1 lieutenant colonel, 3 chiefs of battalion, 1 major, 3 adjutant-majors, 1 treasurer or paymaster, 1 officer of clothing, 1 assistant treasurer, 1 carrier of the (;olours, 1 surgeon-major, and 1 assistant-surgeon, 24 captains, 24 lieu- tenants, and 24 sub-lieutenants ; non-commissioned officers, musicians, drummers, farriers, store-keepers, and workmen, amount to 534, grena- diers 276, voltigeurs 276, fusiliers 1643, making a total of 2723 men. " A cavalry regiment upon the war establishment has 1 colonel, 1 lieutenant-colonel, 3 chefs d'escadron, 1 major, 1 captain of instruction or riding-master, 3 adjutant-majors, 1 treasurer, 1 assistant-treasurer, 1 captain of clothing, 1 standard-bearer, 1 surgeon-major, 1 assistant-sur- geon, 1 veterinary-surgeon, 1 assistant, and 36 other officers aad non-com- missioned officers and soldiers, amounting to, on the average, 948 men." * " I quite concur in all your viewe of the danger of our position, and of the magnitude of the stake at issue."— fFe//ing/on, letter to Sir John Burgoyne. That England has three largo drafts on her population. 1st, The Army and Navy ; 2nd, Emigration to her foreign posses- sions; and 3rd, That Maelstrom of human life, which nothing but the annals of Eternity can reveal the amount of its ravages in the human family — I need scarcely say her manufac- tories ; — whilst in the next item of the national ledger we behold a deficit, by the suicidal policy of some of the degenerate sons of Britain, systematically hounding their tenants out of the country, to seek a home in a foreign land, for the fanatical purpose of forming a hunting park, and breeding pheasants on the soil, that once gave birth to a noble yeomanry : England's bone and sinew sacrificed for the sports of the field. Let them meditate on the lines of our own poet : — " A time there was, ere England's woes began, When every rood of ground maintained its man ; But a bold peasantry, its country's pride. When once destroyed, can never be supplied." It is an indisputable fact, that the better a nation is prepared for defence, the less likely it is to be molested. It must also be admitted that prevention is better than cure ; and likewise sound policy in time of peace to prepare for war. It is quite possible, for a large force to be concentrated, in these days of Steam and Telegraph, to effect a landing on some part of the English coast.* Experience shows the great art in war, either * BONAPABTK'S invasion of ENGLAND, 1805. The army which Napoleon had assembled for this great enterprise was one of the most formidable in point of numerical strength, and, beyond all question, the most perfect in point of military organization which had ever been brought together. It amounted to 114,000 combatants, 432 pieces of cannon, 14,654 horses, asssembled in the camp at St. Omer, Bruges, and Boulogne, besides 12,000 at the Texel, 10,000 on board the combined fleet, and the like force at Brest — in all, 165,000 men in the highest state of discipline and equipment. The stores of ammunition, warlike implements, and provisions collected were on an unparalleled scale of magnitude. Each cannon had 200 rounds of ammunition I the cartridges were 14,000,000 ! the flints 1,200,000 I the biscuits 2,000,000 ! the saddles 10,000 1 and 5,000 ships were ready to accompany the army in its embarkation I Provisions for the immense multitude for three monthB had been collected, the hospital arrangements were perfect, and l! II |i ' by sea or land, is, to bring the many to act against the few, and it can never bo expected that the defensive can be as strong at all points, as the enemy would be at the point of attack, which would be kept secret. But at the same time, I do not believe that they could ever get a reinforcement landed, or a re-embarkation of the invading army : — the wooden walls of Old England would take charge of that part of the business, and no doubt give a Nelsonian account of it. The invading army would be destroyed, slowly but surely, inevitable destruction would be their portion ; but in the dreadful struggle, (when Greek meets Greek, then comes the tug of war),* an immense an\ount of human life would be sacrific- ed, and misery entailed. The well disciplined and enthusiafitio French Army, under generals well practised in the command of large bodies of men, would go through their movements, under the fire of cannon, with all the sang Jroid of a common field day. On the side of the defence, they would meet with men whose motto is " Death or Victory," and whose steady determination would be, that an invading force could only advance by passing over their lifeless bodies. Wellington speaking of the. iefence of England said, " The greater the courage, the greater the carnage." Fearful would be the loss of life, and heartrending the lamenta- tions of the widow, and the cries of the fatherless. But lamentable to say, there are fanatics in the nation, who speak as positively as if they were moved by the spirit of pro- phecy : — for years have they endeavoured to lull the uatiou into a delusive slumber, crying peace 1 peace 1 1 f and while they are 2,293 vessels (capable of transporting 160,000 men and 9,000 horses), of which 1,339 were armed with above 3,000 pieces of cannon, indepen- dent of the artillery, which had accompanied the army, awaited the signal to put to sea. Thanks to England's fleet, however, this flotilla was never able to enter the Channel, and Ni.poleon's plans were so frus- trated by the unexpected return of the British fleet from the West Indies, and the consequent interception of his own, that the invasion of England was abandoned ; and the army which had been prepared for that enter- prise was in August turned in the direction of the Rhine, to find revenge at Austerlitz in December. * English and French Troops who fought side by side at the Crimea, t Britain duri' ,' the last 103 years, that is, from 1*756 to 1859 was engaged in 13 wars, viz. : 4 with France, 3 with Spain, 2 with America, professing to bo guided by the Scriptures of Di vinoTruth, forgot that wo are in "a world sunk in iniquity;" That, the heart of man is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked ;" that the signs of the times shew us too plainly chat we may still exclaim with the psalmist, " Oh I when will the wickedness of the wicked come to an end ;" that the wounds of the last battle arc scarcely healed ; that multitudes of tho human family are engaged in preparing the implements of destruction; that the nations on the continent of Europe are like so many smouldering volcanoes ; that armaments on the most gigantic scale are being fitted up, with all the improvements of modern warfare ; that some great event is about to transpire, and pour out the phial of its wrath, and from the magnificence of its fleet, some great maritime power must be the object of its thunder. In less portentous times, the page of history shews us the fallacy of their delusion. In 1791, Camille De Moullins declared in a work which he published " Le Esprit de conquete est perdu." What followed ? Why, the earth saturated with human blood by the disciples of the infidel philosopher Voltaire I This tragedy was followed by the advent of one of the greatest and most successful generals recorded on the pages of history, who, when Fircit Consul of France, had a medal stamped with this inscription, " Paix de I'Universe," and with the rapidity of a drama, the peaceful scene is shifted, and we see him leading his enthusiastic legions through fields of blood, and plant- ing the standard of France on most of the Capitals on the Contin- ent of Europe, uprooting dynasties and removing Monarchs like the titled dignitaries of the Chessboard, — and the medal he strove to win and wear on that ambitious breast, was not Universal Peace, but Universal Conquest I But, we need not wonder at Manchester prophets, when the great William Pit. Is found amongst the false prophets of the 18th century. In a .speech he declared, " The time is at hand when the two great nations, Eng- land and France, would show that they were made to cherish relations of mutual beneficence and friendship." What followed ? 1 with Holland, 2 with China, and 1 with Russia ; and spent in naval estimates the collective sum of JCVOS, 4^7,113 IDs. TJd, or a larger sum than is at present /epresented by V.\^ national debt. — Parliamentary Return. ■HH Why, the most 'oloody epoch in the historj of both nations ! in which a series of sanguinary battles, both by sea and land, were fought with indomitable perseverance for a long period, and which only ceased on the plains of Waterloo, when the curtain dropped on those horrid scenes of human misery, and shewed another instance that the prophets were moved by the spirit of delusion. Not only is the same spirit manifested in the present day, but many that are enjoying all the blessings and benefits of protection from foreign powers, living under the mild sceptre of a Sovereign, whose actions shew a desire that all her subjects should enjoy both civil and religious liberty, forgetting that the " sword is a terror to evil doors, and a praise to them that do well," plead their conscientious scruples, as Christians, to take up arms. Let me remind them that there are sins of omission, as well as sins of commission^ and the man who would not use all the energies of his mind, and powers of his body in defending her, whom he had solemnly sworn at the altar of God, to protect, or the children that God has given him, is destitute of the spirit of the New Testament. The pro- tection of wife and children k defensive warfare on a small scale, and if justifiable in an individual for the protection of his family, it must be justifiable in a nation. But, permit me further to re ^rk, it is quite possible to be a soldier and a good Christian in the strictest sense of the word. The first descent of the Holy Sp''nt among the Gentiles was on a soldier, a devout man, whose prayers were heard ; and the man of tLe greatest faith recorded in the New Testament was also a soldier — ^besides, the defence of our land and nation is justified by the words of God manifest in the flesh, " If the good man of the house had known at what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not sulfered his house to be broken." If the few observations I have made will augment the defenders of the nation, I shall rejoice, as I am well persuaded that a conscientious Christian will make a good soldier. His motto before he enters the ranks is, Fear God and honour the Sovereign. The oath of allegiance is superfluous. He conscientiously renders unto Csesar the things which are Caesar's, and unto God the things which are God's ; and if ho has to meet death in the field, who is so well prepared as an experimental Christian ? He knows that it is the last enemy, and to die is i. 9 gain. Wellington said, edaoation without religion only made men clever devils. ■-:,*-^'-^"-'.^-^-' •"■-■-'■■-■;' ■''■;■•-''■■''' •"■: -'-^iv-"'- v'>. -,■-■ '.':.;>■ :-. A very strong and acceptable defensive force would be found in the lads that have attained the age of sixteen, with some instruc- tions in rifle practice, rhich they would learn with great avidity. They would become most formidable to an advancing army, in a country intersected with hedges and ditches, garden walls, artifi- cial obstructions, such as barricades, rifle pits, &c., /fee. In addi- tion to the ardour of youth, their activity would enable them to shift their position with rapidity ; their excellent sight (the retina having perhaps attained, at that age, the zenith of perfection) would make them deadly shots ; and with practice any one within range of their rifles would be their certain victim. Napoleon the First, with a French army comprised of a great proportion of young con- scripts, " chained victory a captive to his car " in offensive warfare against the veteran troops of Austria, Kussia, and Prussia, &o. It may be said in writing for reinforcements that he told them to " send me men, not boys to fill the ditches " — ^but offensive war- fare in foreign countries, long and rapid marches, a succession of hard fought battles, with an empty military chest, and a deficient Commissariat, make a wide difference to the full-blooded, beef- eating youths of Old England, fighting on their own soil. It is want of sufficient nutriment to keep up the rapid waste which takes place with soldiers in a campaign, which causes such awful mortality, and particularly youth who require extra food for growth, waste, &c. That is, make as well as repair the body. Supply and Waste are the two grand items in the ledger of Life and Death of armies in the field — Supply is Life — Waste is Death. In the defence of the nation we want as large a body of men as possible, regulars, militia and volunteers ; we want mind and mat- ter, i. e., moral and physical force ; a national effort to avert a na- tional calamHy, either real or imaginary. If real, hence the neces- sity of preparation ; if imaginary, we only err on the safe side. Who can estimate the amount at issue ? We make no objection to an annual expense to insure our houses against one destructive element — fire. This movement is to insure property from fire, the life from the sword, and something more sacred still than pro- perty or life, our national honour I What a blot it would be on i ! i the page cf England's history if successfully invaded, who, to-day, sits exalted in the scale of nations, as a " queen upon the waters," with her merchant princes ; her flag floating on every sea, spread- ing her language, her reUgion, her laws, her arts and manufactures, to the ends of the earth. " How would the mighty have fallen 1 the fine gold become dim !" How would the news spread on the W'ngs of every wind 1 England invaded, the flower of her youth immolated, her capital taken, the French standard floating on the Tower of London I how sudden the transition — how great the fall from the pinnacle of earthly grandeur to the degradation of a con- quered country ! Such an event is possible, but not probable. I assert the latter, because " the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong." Manchester tactics has done, and is still doing its work. The want in the Crimean campaign of an effi^ cient staff to the Commissariat department, waggon train, &c. ; absolute requisites for the efficiency of an army in the field, so re- duced by false economy, brings me to the conclusion, if England is successfully invaded, she falls not by French arms, but by inter- nal foes — by Manchester tactics, and impolitic game law?, keeping the yeomanry of England from the knowledge and prac^ tice of fire-arms. England's strength may be compared to inarble in the quarry, or a diamond in the rough ; the former wants th& skilful sculptor to model the Mars ; the latter requires the lapidary to polish and show its lustre, and to estimate its value. England has the men of cool determined courage and indomitable perseve- rance, but, they require to be modelled by art ; they are diamonds of the first water, but they want the polish. The diamond worn by Runget Singh on his shoulder, was valued at X100,000, but their value, speaking nationally, is inestimable. Let England then be united — union is strength, morally and physically, and give 9 long pull, and a strong pull and a pull altc^ether in the volunteer rifle movement for the defence of the nation. Live no longer like toads under the harrow, with a servile fear of some of the conti'^ nental powers, with their large standing armies. Let the rifle be- come the national weapon, and the calls of the bugle become fami- liar as household words, and you may safely cry, " God for Vic- toria, England and St. George." My object is to swell the ranks. Want of quality in drill and iUL. 11 discipline, must be made up, as far as possible, by quantity. It would require very favourable ground for undisciplined men to meet disciplined, man to man, such as thick woods, mountainous passes, &c. I therefore consider the defensive force should not be confined to men in the prime of life, the same as the regular army, who are subject to privations, fatigue, &o. Men consider- ably up in years might do a certain description of duty, the same as the veterans in the regular service, if they had some practice with the rifle. In the campaign of 1813, on the Niagara fron- tier, I told an Indian of diminutive growth, that he was too old to come to the seat of war. He looked up in my face with an air of astonishment, and I may say indignation, tipped his finger on the top of his rifle, and nobly exclaimed : " My ball is not old 1" Shall, oh, shall the unlettered savage of the forest outstrip in patriotism the men whose limbs were made in England ? " Shew them the mettle of your pasture." Are you not the old guards of the wives and daughters of England ? Although across the Atlantic, I think I hear you exultingly answer. We are ! we are ! then, in the words of Wellington at Waterloo, " Up, Guards, and at them." At the commencement of the Crimean campaign, I received a letter from the War Office, asking my age, and if willing to serve ? To which I replied. Free, willing, and able ; but as I received no answer, I concluded they thought " I was too old to go to the seat of war." I must say I felt something like the old Indian, (for a soldier's spirit never dies), that " my ball was not old." I could have taught them how to conduct a winter campaign. I marched with the 104th Eegiment from New Brunswick through a wilder- ness, with from four to six feet of snow on the ground. We dug out the snow at night with our snow shows, made fires, and spread brush to lie on, and thus passed the n^ht. We could bring no horses, consequently no canvas. We had 1000 bayonets and a full complement of officers, and arrived in Quebec on the twenty- seventh day, in high spirits, without losing a single man — only a few frozen ears, noses, fingers, &c. — rested ten days, and com- menced a march of nearly four hundred miles more, a tip-toe for the seat of war. Having now endeavoured by moral suasion to obtain as large 12 I t^^ n* an amount of material, in the crude state, for the Volunteer Force, the numbers of which must depend on the spirit of the nation, which, no doubt, still exults in the signal hoisted by the immortal Nelson at Trafalgar. " England expects every man to do his duty." The Volunteer Force for the defence of the nation should be divided into two grand divisions, viz. the first grand division should be called the " Regular Volunteer Force," consisting of persons whose ability would enable them to spare time for drill, and furnish themselves with clothing, small arms, accoutrements, &c. ; they would be divided into artillery, cavalry, and infantry, — heavy, light, and rifles, — according to their own wishes, and would be required, as much as possible, to be the residents of cities, towns, and villages their contiguity being favourable for drill, and assembling with as little delay as possible ; the Government furnishing drill sergeants, adjutants, sergeant majors, &c., and ammunition for the artillery, &c. The regimental officers should, as much as possible, live in the immediate neighbourhood of their companies.* The second grand division would be comprised of persons whose circumstancas would not admit of the loss of time, or fur- nishing their own arms, ammunition, &c. They would be termed " Irregular Volunteer Rifles," or, if they like not the name, " Rifle Rangers." The reason for my calling them irregular, is, because they will require to know only how to fall in, to face to the right and face to the left, and I care not in doing so whether they put the hollow of tiie right foot to the left heel, or the right heel *o the hollow of the left foot ; but three things will require to be taught this description of defensive force: First, To be able to hit the bullseye ; Secondly, To know eight sounds of the bugle : 1st, Assembly ; 2d, Advance ; 3d, Extend from the centre ; 4th, Extend to the right ; 5th, Extend to the left ; 6th, Cease firing ; 7th, Lie down, or, Cover; 8th, Retreat; the firing will commence n\: * These regiments should each have a pair of Colours : The Queen's Colour, a present from Her Majesty, delivered to their safe keeping. The regimental Colour, a present from the ladies residing in the quarter the regiment is raised in, embellished with the motto, worked with their own Lands and with their own hair, " None but the brave deserve the fair." 18 by call of the whistle. Thirdly, To be expert in covering them- selves, so that as much as possible they would be concealed, until the enemy approached within range of their rifles ; then, and not till then, should they discover their position by firing. These three must be taught them at the expense of the Government, assisted by the local authorities, in the way of armories, ground for rifle practice, &c. ; that is to say, be co-operators with the Government, in the most efficient scheme of defence, taking time and money into consideration. The great art of war is, to accomplish the most at the least expense of blood and treasure. The dress I propose will cost a mere trifle. It will be similar to that worn by some of the American Biflemen in the war of 1812, when, in a cornfield within rifle shot, it required a spy-glass to discern them. It was a coarse linen, single breasted, short frock coat, loose enough to go over other clothing, dyed pea green ; a suitable colour for a field of Indian corn, or underbrush in the woods. I would prefer grass green for Eifles in England, and would here observe, that if England is invaded, it would most probably be in the summer months, when the invading army can encamp or bivouac, &c., without much inconvenience from the weather. And to be as invisible as possible, you require to have a dress the colour of the surrounding objects. Thus, the Glen- gary light infantry, in the war of 1812, were invisible in their al- most black uniform, in burnt woods, or in a logging field that the fire had run over, and the Americans gave them the appellation of " The Black Stumps." Another instance, among beech, maple, and basswood, grey is the most invisible — and in pine and hem- lock, a plum colour, the same as some of the American regular r^ments. But, black for the defence of such a fertile and beau- tiful country as England, is not at all suitable : and I would ask the question — ^Which would be the most invisible in a graas field within the range of a rifle, a Crow, or a Green Parrot ? Or,— Why is the Bulls-eye of a target generally painted black f Is not black almost as easily seen at a distance as scarlet ? Hence we must conclude that a number of men lying down in a grass field, are more invisible dreesed in grass green uniform, than in black with the shining substances worn by some, so much like coffin furniture. There should be nothing to attract the eye about a 14 I.". S rifleman ; the silver whistle and chain is superlatively ridiculous ; a green ribbon, with a flat whistle out of sight, with a leathern scabbard for the sword, is more suitable. Should some of those gentlemen come within range of American or French Riflemen, they would find out when too late, that they had paid too dear for the whistle.* ' • ■ -v Besides these Bifle Rangers, large bodies of men must be enrol- led with proper Officers, &o., to furnish fatigue parties. They would not require arms, but each man be provided with a rifle frock, a spade, and a pick-axe, of the very best materials, — not 6uch as is generally served out in the army, that break the mo- ment they are made use of, (Wellington complained bitterly of the useless tools, made only to sell,) — with proper belts for carrying their tools on their backs ; haversack, canteen, &o. These men must accompany the Riflemen wherever they go, and remain un- der cover in the rear till their services are required : — They would be employed throwing up barricades, or any other work that may be wanted ; but the ostensible purpose for which they would be required, would be to dig numerous Rifle-pits during the night) and the riflemen take possession as quickly as they were finished, always throwing the loose dirt, stones, &o., to the rear, as cannon- shot would do much injury in striking this loose stuff. These pits must have a step in them for the men to stand upon when firing, and they would be entirely covered when loading. Also, crowi»> feet should be manufactured of the best material, by the million, and as soon as it is dark, they must be thrown down, not only on the roads, but all over for 800 yards between the pits and the ene- my, i. e. 800 yards in front of the pits; and blue lights thrown up frequently during the night, to see if they attempted to pick them up. The Riflemen must be on the alert, and ready to fire the best they can from the light at the moment, if an object ap- pears. This when it becomes day will retard the Cavalry and Ar- tillery, giving the Riflemen an opportunity of firing several shots at the columns as they advance, and when veiy near they must retreat to another Rifle-pit. Thus, undisciplined men will have a * Sir John Johnston, in the Revolutionarj war, raised in Oanada two Battalions, called Royal Greens, well known, and not a little dreaded on the frontiers of New Tork State. 16 great advantage, for although inventions in war are generally only of utility until the enemy adopts the same, the improvement in the long ranged rifle gives a decided advantage to the defensive, as they can be covered or lie down while firing, whilst the offensive are advancing in an exposed and upright position. Sir Colin Campbell, in the Crimea fired a volley at the Rus- sian Cavalry, when they were too far off, but although they were advancing rapidly, hiK men had time to load and fire a second time, which took a number of men out of their saddles, causing the rest of them to retreat ; but for that circumstance, I fear the Regiment which was in line only two deep, would have been out to pieces, as the Russians had two lines of Cavalry. I will now give some proofs of the eflBciency of undisciplined yeomanry in the defence of their homes and firesides, that is, what such a description of defensive forces have done in times past, and of course I conclude, could do again, both in Europe and America. At Bunker Hill, the same description of force, twice repulsed the regular forces of the British, with great slaughter. A British army under Lord Comwallis surrendered to a similar force :— and General Burgoyne, with a numerous artillery, succumbed in the same way. And in the War of 1812, General Pakenham with an army flushed with victory, and crowned with laurels gained in the Peninsula under the immortal Wellington, with all their discipline, had to retreat with immense slaughter at New Orleans, stopped, perhaps for the first time, in their onward march to victory, by men who had no military discipline, but well acquainted with rifle practice, to which they invariably add that of being well covered. Again, the late 104th Regiment, at the attack on Sackett's Harbour, (of which I had something more than ocular demonstration), had every third man killed or wounded on the average, the gienadiers every second, with a large propor- tion of officers. We could scarcely see a man, they were all so well covered, we marching in subdivisions with riflemen Tront and flank. It was a still morning, the smoke did not rise or blow away in thick woods, and only one officer wounded who kept on his grey greatcoat. The same at Chrysler's farm ; the 49th Regi- ment had 11 Officers killed or wounded out of 18 and 10 out of the 11 had on their soarlet coats. w 16 li' ii- There is a wonderfiil differonco between an j^merican recruit, and some in England — the former before he has got on his uniform, will bet the balance of his bounty, that he will kill a squirrel at the top of a pine tree, whilst some of ours scarcely know what end of the cartridge to put down first: — the diiSerence between a nation with game laws, and one whose national weapon is the rifle. I think the one is playing a sure game, while the other is playing hazard for his all and very existence. I may add, in the war of 1812, our Canadian militia, with little or no drill, at Queenston heights, — Lundy's lane, — Four Corners, and many othes places, have written in characters of blood the truth of my assertion ; that invasion into the interior of a country, and defence, are two very different things. The advance of the American army 600 strong, under Colonel Boler in the back woods on the Niagara frontier, surrendered after a severe loss of killed and wounded, to 40 British r^ulars well covered, and in fatigue jackets, with a few Indians, under the command of Colonel Fitzgibbons, one of the present Knights of Windsor. They would have revolted, seeing the small numbers to take charge of them^ but for the fortunate arrival of the flank companies of the 104th B^iment. I had 14 officers and 1 oO men given to my charge, which afforded me the gratifying duty of standing between the uplifted tomahawk of ^e infuriated savage, with his trophied scalps reeking with gore, and the disarmed prisoners of war. We may admire, but none can fully appreciate to its utmost extent without experience, the sentiment of the immortal Nelson. The moment a man becomes my prisoner, " I become his protector." Having now referred to proofs of the efficiency of undisciplined troops in defensive warfare in America, I now proceed to give some examples of a similar nature in Europe. That division of the French army under Marshal Soult, who followed up the British under the command of Sir John Moore to Corunna, and according to Napoleon's words, " drove the British into the sea, their native element," immediately afterwards was repulsed in trying to cross the Minho by Portuguese peasantry, in their invasion of Portugal, and obliged to make a retrograde move- ment back by St. Jays, and take a circuitous route — a further proof of the power and efficiency of undisciplined men in defensive war- 17 fare. I here quote Colonel Napier, " This action was infinitely creditable to the Portuguese, and it had a surprising influence on the issue of the campaign. It was a gallant action, because it might reasonably have been expected that a tumultuous assemblage of half armed peasants, collected on the instant, would have been dismayed at the sight of many boats filled with soldiers, some pul- hng across, and others landing under the protection of a heavy battery, that thundered from the midst of a multitude of troops, who clustered on the heights, or thronged the edge of the opposite banks in eager expectation. It was an event of leading impor- tance." It is admitted that the Guerillas in Spain kept 30,000 of the French army from active operations in the field, it requiring that number to keep open the communication between their divis- ions, by the means of strong escorts, and the number of stragglers they picked ofif, the annals of Eternity only can tell : a pretty good proof of their utility, when Napoleon was all the time urging his Generals of Divisions to put down the Partidas.* The Begency assisted them. Sir H. Wellesly advocated their continu- ance, and Lord Wellington would not let them be put down so much more evidence of the utility of undisciplined men co- operating with disciplined troops. Let an invading army enter Switzerland in Europe, whose na- tional weapon, like that of the United States of America, is the Eifle, and they will pay dearly for their temerity .f It is my firm opinion if France and Russia, two of the greatest military powers of Europe, sent an invading army into the United States of America, they might burn, sink aad destroy, but their days would be numbered ; and like the French army that went io Moscow, * From Partida the name of the man who first commenced the Guer- illa warfare. t M. Delvign, a French infantry officer, "says Sir Charles Shaw, pointed out how the best troops of France had been repeatedly beaten by Tyrolese peasants. The loss, however, of officers and men in Algeria, continues the writer was so great in 1838. The Duke of Orleans before going to Africa, organized a Battalion of the Tirailleurs de Yin- cennes, (then called Ohasseurs de Afrique) to take with him to enable them to stand before the children of the desert armed with a far ruder weapon. 18 1 ! i! 'hi III hi s few left to tell the tale : they would full, not by the power of the elements, but by the national weapon, slowly but surely. The poet says, *' A little learning is a dangerous thing," — so also in military tactics, as was verified by that same army under Marshal Soult, a few days after his repulse by Portuguese pea- santry, his advance came up with some half drilled militia that had spiked their guns, and were retreating. A regiment of infan- try for the sole purpose of retarding their march, was sent to at- tack theji in the rear, whilst four regiments of cavalry by circui- tous routes rapidly advanced by their right and left ; and the first thing the unfortunate creatures knew, was, the French cavalry in front and flanks. Following the rule of the regular army under such circumstances, they formed a square to receive the charge, and I will give you the result, in the words of Colonel Napier : — " Francischi,* the French commander, had four regiments of ca- « valry, each regiment settled itself against a face of the square, '' and then the whole with loud cries bore down swiftly upon '^ their opponents ; the latter unsteady, irresolute, dismayed, ^' shrunk from the fierce assault, and were instantly trampled '' down in heaps. Those who escaped the horses' hoofs and the " edge of the sword became prisoners ; but twelve hundred bodies '' were stretched lifeless on the field of battle." That is the con- sequence of a smattering of the regular profession of arms, with officers who only lead men to slaughter. Had these people taken to the mountains, they might as Guerillas have destroyed many of the invading army, and lived to serve their country another day. Again, look to the Circassians who withstood for many years the regular army of Eussia, one of the greatest militaiy powers in Europe. When I commenced, I only intended a letter for the London Times, but the more I write, the more I am impressed with the importance of the subject, and although I do not wish to be tedious, by entering too much into detail, I would feel guilty i fl onutted what mj judgment told me would be of service to my country, I would therefore observe, should some of the vvdunteer r^imente attain that perfection which would, in case * He died in a pestilential dungeon in Spain. !' ■ WJlL 19 of an emergency, justify their taking tie field in front of an enemy, like the rejrulard, I would propose what I consider a quicker and more efficient mode of entering the field than the usual way, as laid down in the regulations. The French gene- rally attack in column, the British invariably deploy : It Ih on those movements that I intend to make my remarks, without shewing the way they are usually performed in the regular ser- vice. I would briefly observe, that instead of entering the field right or left in front in open column of companies, subdivisions or sections, I would, if the ground permitted, move up in a dou- ble column of companies at whole, half, or quarter distance, at pleasure. The two contre companies commonly called the third or centre grand division, would form the head of the double column, and the remaining companies of the battalion would face inwards, and form open or close column as required. This double column would be the same as right in front, the left would be the pivot. Would it not be as easy to lead a double column as a single one ? The right wing would be a column of five compa nies and the left wing only four, as the light company would be in front or flank covering the movement. Should they be required to form line by an attack on the right, all they have to do is, the right wing to halt, and the word of command would be right wing, right wheel into line. Left wing, double quick, form line on the right wing ; Captains in proper time give the word of command to their respective companies, halt, right wheel, eyes right and dress, eyes front. This interruption would bring the battalion left in front. Should they require to form line by an attack on the left, the four companies on the left wing would receive the word of command — left, wheel into line; Right wing, double quick, form line on the left wing. The Captains of companies would each in proper time give the word — Halt, Left wheel — Halt dress, &o., &o. Should this double column be menaced by cavalry, the head of the column would halt. The second grand division, as they now stand in column,* * The grand divisions would number differently in column to what they originally did in line, and only the centre grand division would consist of the same companies ; for instance, the centre grand division in line is the 3rd, and in double column it would be the 1st. The 2nd \4 t! I>i 20 would 0I08C up to tho firHt ; tho next grand division would halt at half distance, the captains severally giving tho word of command to their respective companies, for instance ; the captain of the right company of said grand division — company, by subdivisions, right wheel ; the captain of tho left company give the word of (5ommand — company, by subdivisions, left wheel. Each captain, give the word of command, subdivisions, close up : The fourth grand division, as it now stands in double column, would close up, and come to the right about : as also, tho rear grand division iis soon as the light company bad resumed their place in tho battalion. This square would have a sufficiency of room for the staff of the regiment, and six deep on each face. On the word cavalry, the two front ranks would drop on their right knees, placing their firelocks with fixed bayonets, at an angle of about 45 degrees, or, on a level with a horse's nose. The two standing front files would pour in a stream of lead into the front rank horses' breusts on their near approach, a number of the front rank would drop, and some of the rear rank would tumble ov r them ; ♦hey would then receive a second volley, by the rear ranks hand- ing their loaded arms to those standing in front, and the two front or kneeling ranks which had reserved their fire, would dis- charge their arms when the cavalry retreated. I am supposing the regiment tn be, as it always ought to be, three deep ; two deep, is only extreme folly. As soon as the action commences, some part of your line is only rank entire, and if much casualty vinsucs, you must close in and leave a vacancy. You cannot con- tinue to occupy your original extension, whereas if the battalion is formed three deep, you may have every third man killed or wounded, and still extend over the same ground. But should this double column be permitted to arrive on the field unmolested one fifth of the battalion would be in line at once, and could com- mence firing whilst the other companies would face outwards, and form line 011 the centre grand division. And when required in line to form square to resist cavalry, the centre grand division (;rand division in column is formed of the two companies, right and left of the centre grand division as they stand in line ; 3rd and 4th the same, and the 5th which is the grenadiers and light company likewise formed of alternate companies. i-U 21 would stand fust, and might if necessary continue firing, the re- maining companies facing inwards, would form double column in rear of the centre grand division, the sergeants running out to mark the distances, the two companies right and left of the centre grand division would close up to the front grand division ; the next grand division, allowing the distance of a subdivision to the rear, as the strength of the battalion may be, the fourth would pass in rear of the subdivisions that have wheeled outwards, and face to the rear ; the fifth or rear grand division would also come to the right about. One-fifth of the battalion is in line alreadv, and would protect in a great measure the movements of either forming column or deploying into line, and need never cease firing during those operations ; and by the sections of the right company bring- ing up their left shoulders, one pace in echelon, and the sections of the left company bringing up their right shoulders one pace in echelon, they might then, if necessary, throw their lead right and left to protect the formation of the line ; but, more on the utility of that subject hereafter. But in the event of the ground not permitting the width of two companies abreast, as before described, a battalion may move up in double column of sub-divisions, and in the event of their not being room to move ud in sub-divisions, it may move forward in double column of sections, for instance, in passing through a narrow lane or defile in sections, the captains would lead the left centre sec- tion. The defile passed, the captains would give the command front form, at the same time inclining themselves to the left, and two companies or one fifth of the' regiment is in line at once, at the head of the defile. The head of the column might halt, and the remaining companies outwards face in deploying into line : or the head of the column may step short, if not in the vicinity of the enemy's cavalry, and form line on the centre grand division by echelon right and left, which would take up less time, as any two sides of a triangle must be greater than the third side. Thus the line would be formed like the opening of a fan, or a bird ex- panding its wings. The advantages of the double column over the single, or old way as now practised in the regular service, is thia. One fifth of the Kegiment is in line at once, instead of one tenth, and the com- 7r ■^WP^^^^ 3 •! il panics less ground to move over — the square more compact, and as it is the great desideratum in field movements, in the presence ^fthe enemy's cavalry, rapidity with ordor, it is obvious that working on the centre is the quickest. The double column would be less liable to injury from the enemy's artillery, for, although they arc broader, (the French in the peninsular war, frequently came into the field in broad columns) they are not so deep, and the enemy's guns are more frequently in front than flank, as in flank they are more liable to be taken or silenced. It is true that a bat- talion moving into the field in column of companies, could quicker form line, if attacked either on the right or left by infantry, by merely wheeling into line, or they could form an oblong square, by the grenadiers halting, and the battalion companies closing to half distance, and wheeling by sub-divisions outwards, and the light company closing up, and facing to the right about. But would the head of this column be as efficient, throwing only half the lead to protect the formation of line in deploying, as the double column proposed by the writer. If any officer of the line will have the goodness to show me a more efficient square, or safer way of entering a field of battle, a quicker way of deploying from square to 'ine, or forming square from line, I will be exceedingly oLliged to ^im to take the trouble, he, thereby, adding to my small stock of knowledge in military tactics. To return to oblique filing, or firing in echelon, as far as my knowledge of the service goes, it is true, that the men are taught to fire a volley obliquely to the right, and obliquely to the left, but in every instance in firing at troops in line, either cavalry or infantry, it should be their object if possible to throw their lead diagonally, and never to fire at right angles with your -"-wn line, unless by so doing your balls would enter their ranks obliquely to their line ; for instance, two parallel lines, supposing the one did not outflank the other, should not fire at right angles, but fire obli- quely ; not obliquely to the right or left, for then a number of the shots would be lost, but concentrate their fire, by the right wing firing obliquely to the lelt, and the left wing firing obliquely to the right ; but whilst they should invariably fire obliquely into the enemy while in line, they should always fire direct when they 23 and have an opportunity into the head of a column or square, as the dense mass would then receive the whole of its contents. The angle of obliquity requires to be sufficient to exclude any light being seen between the men in the enemy's ranks, for this very reason, I propose firing in echelon of sections, either to the right, left, or centre, as the case may require. My reasons are these : let any one look straight at a line drawn up in front, and he will see the vacancies between the heads and legs, it is only the elbows that touch, but look obliquely and it is one solid mass of humanity, and no possibility of a ball passing through without doing execu- tion. Infantry on the average take up 21 inches each man — the head may be averaged as taking up 7 inches, so that in a level with their heads, a shot fired at right angles has two chances to one of passing through the line without efteot. There is also from the elbows to the feet a great vacancy, which in the average may be as one to one. It would not be too much to say, that from the shoulders upwards, and from the knees downwards, nearly two- thirds of the straight firing is lost, which would otherwise take eflfect : hence light infantry should be taught, when covering the movements of the battalion to make a half or r^uarter face to the right or left before they fire, if they arc in a line parallel to the en( • my. We have only to refer to our boyish days when shooting sparrows on the ground, to show theoretically and practically that oblique firing is the most effective, as the more we could get in line, without spaces between, the more we bagged at a shot. If I was forming a regiment of heavy infantry, I would have two light companies, and every movement practised right in front, would be practised left in front, as it is impossible to say in the field which may be required, and then there would be light infan- try to cover the movement on the spot ; whereas if the regiment is required to make a rapid movement right in front, the light in- fantry have to run with all their might, and come up too late, out of breath, to cover the movement, when it is half done. From the best examples wo find the utility of strong covering parties. At Waterloo, when tha fate of Europe oscillated in the scale, and the sceptre of the French Empire would be lost or won by the result ot a single movement, when the star of Napoleon would either ascend with greater brilliancy than at any former period of ? 1 'A < i I'!' i ¥. m 'i : 24 his successful career, or set for ever ; when the military genius of Napoleon, the hero of a thousand battles, and Marshal Ney, the bravest of the brave, were taxed to their utmost capacity, and the last mighty effort was to be made, viz., the grand charge of the Imperial Guards, they were covered by a cloud of Voltigeurs.* One word on the regular army in the defance of the nation. The regular regiments should be completed to the war establish- ment of Officers and men, by volunteers from the Militia — the bounty should be increased, and the standard lowered, with enlist- ments for a shorter period, which would bring a larger number of reciaits into the field, rod militiamen into the line. In such an eventful epotsh, it would be extremely unwise to be too particular ; we were not so in the old French war — we took all sorts, and all sizes — we enlisted from the French prisons — the hulks — the jails, and, indeed, forestalled the gibbets. It is true, some of them were what we termed the " Kings's hard bargains," but still tho' troublesome, we had the consolation that they might stop a shot, (save the life of a better man,) and they could all pull a trigger. Is there an instance on record of their misbehaviour in front of an enemy ? I answer No I and echo and re-echo throughout the length and breadth of the land cries No I ! The battles they fought and the battles they won, stamp their characters as soldiers. Lord Castlereagh piloted the ship of State for eleven years of th6 most critical period in England's history — he gave bounty to the Militia to volunteer into the line, and, by exchanging the Militia of the dififerent kingdoms of the Empire, he was there- by enabled to send the regular troops abroad ; he raised a local Militia, encouraged the Volunteers, and although the war was * It is true, a subdivison of the Light Company is often placed in rear of the right of the regiment, but what is a subdivision to cover the head of an attacking column that ought to come up as perfect as pos- sible ? A mere flash in the pan. A cloud of light troops however, says Jomini,* should always accom- pany those of a column. The fire of these skirmishers weakens and dis- tracts that of the force defending the position attacked, and will mate- rially contribute to the success of the operation. t Pricis de Vjirt de la Guerre, chap, iv., art. 31. extremely unpopula/, and ninety guineas bounty offered in large placards through London, for substitutes for the Militia, yet he always found men and means. He gave Wellington £100,000 a month in specie, to defray the expenses of the army, besides sup- plying them in a way that no other British army ever was sup- plied. His policy should be renewed, and the safety of the nation secured. J Lord Wellington in his public letter on the invasion of Eng- land, said, if 150,000 militia were raised, and the regular army augmented he would undertake to defend England. Who can dispute his ability to judge the, number requisite for such a struggle? We have only then to deduct the Militia in England from that number, and compare the number of regulars that was in Britain then, with those that are in it now, and any school boy of 12 years of age, can shew in round numbers the ^\uful de- ficiency, according to the estim?te of the immortal Wellington, which was requisite for the defence of the nation. Where is the man upon whose knowledge and experience we could place such implicit reliance ? Mark the demand. He did not say if you will fortify London I will undertake to defend England, but raise 150,000 militia and augment the army. His confidence was in a wall of bayonets and sabres with a plentiful sprinkling of shot, shell, and canister. The work must be done in the field. The moment the head of an enemy's column comes within range the Artillery should open on it with round shot, and when close enough with grape and canister. Should there be any rise in the surface of the ground the enemy are going to pass over so that infantry could be concealed, it should be made use of by as many as possible lying down until the head of the column comes close up, similar to the way the Imperial Guard were received at Waterloo with such deadly effect, when the pride and flower of the French army recoiled under the volleys of lead poured into them both in front and flanks from the regiments which were formed four deep on purpose to receive them. Their column must be checked and if possible their squares broken, which has been done before, and can, and must be done again. " At the battle of Austerlitz, the Bussian Cuirassiers broke the square and trampled down three m 26 m battalions of French infantry which Napoleon perceiving sent his cavalry of the guard who charged the Russians with such impe- tuosity that they drove them back over the dead bodies of the square they had destroyed." Now that cavalry are armed with six shot revolvers, I think there is a better chance to break an infantry square than formerly ; it would be done something like what is called street firing in tha infantry — for instance the regiment marching in a street the 1st Company fire one round by command of its captain and instantly wheel by subdivisions outwards the other companies advancing all the time the 2nd Company passes between the subdivisions and fires the same as the 1st, and is re- peated by the whole battalion. I consider a square of infantry after it has been well riddled with grape and canister might be attacked successfully in nearly a similar way by cavalry. Let eight troops advance with as much speed as they can perform in open column the following movements and discharge their revolvers. The first six troops would be only rank entire and the troop in front would commence discharging their revolvers as soon as they consider the ball will reach and do execution and face outwards by subdivisions firing the last shot as they are galloping oflf to form in the rear of the column two deep in proper order. The other five troops would do precisely the same as the first and the 7th being two deep would charge the column with the 8th troop close behind in reserve. Should this not succeed then the artillery must again open with grape and cannister. I repeat they must be met and beaten in the field, for if they get possession of some of our wealthy cities they will dictate their own terms, as they did at the Convention of Cintra, when Sir Hugh Dalrymple was burnt in effigy in London for granting such terms, but the city was ut stake. Millions of property lay at their mercy. The fault was in the delay, of not immediately following up the victory — as Sir Arthur Wellesley would have done had he not been superseded in the command of the army. We have here an instance of a beaten army (dictating their own terms solely on ac- count of the city they had taken refuge in) marching out with all the honours of war, drums beating, colours flying with all the spoils into British bottoms free of all costs to their own shore. And if a siege train was brought against London, let it be ever so well Urn 27 ■9 fortified, would tlicy not be able to dictate their own terms. Cede to us all that was once ours of your foreign possessions ; reduce your navy to the standard we will dictate to you, or London will be reduced to a solitary pile of ashes.* Would ditches and ram- parts prevent shot, shells and rockets passing over and burning the houses and killing the people, and carrying out their threat with a foretaste of the horrors of war, and living at a rate of £100,000 a minute, until they obtained the terms they demanded. Fortified cities in modern warfare is the very zenith of human folly. It adds to the sword, fire, rapine, plunder, pestilence and famine, in short all the horrors of war in their naked deformity, throws a treacherous sunshine on the mind of the ignorant, who console themselves if beaten in the field, they can make a good de- fence in a fortified city. Fatal delusion, they wouldfind plenty to do to stay the flames, and carry away the wounded, bury the dead ; let those who would fortify London read Marshal Soult's * " Forgetting altogether the common practice of successful armies, in modern times, imposing upon the conquered enormous pecuniary contri- butions, as well as demanding other valuable and ornamental property. Look at the course pursued by France in Italy and Russia I At Vienna repeatedly ; at Berlin ; at Moscow, the contributions levied, besides the subsistence, maintenance, clothing, and equipment of the army which made the conquest I Look at the conduct of the allied army which in- vaded France, and had possession of Paris in 1815 1 Look at the account of the pecuniary sacrifices made upon that occasion, under different heads of contributions. Can any man pretend to limit the amount of the demand on account of the " contribution de guerre ?" Then look at the conditions of the treaties of Paris, 1814-1815, France having been in possession of nearly every capital in Europe, is reduced to its territorial limits, as they stood 1792. Do we suppose that we should be allowed to keep could we advance a pretension to keep more than the islands comprising the United Kingdom, ceding disgracefully the chan- nel islands, on which an invader had never established himself since the period of the Norman Conquest." — Extract of Lord Wellington's letter to Sir John Burgoyne. On the 18th December, 1809, the French general, Augereau issued to the Catalonians the following proclamation : " Every man taken with arms in his hands will be hanged as a highway robber without trial. Every house in which resistance is made to our troops will be burned." Lapine, Torrino, and Guingret, gives a fearful but, we believe, true account of French atrocities in Spain. ' I 28 i, speech,* of two hour's duration, in opposition to Louis Phillipe's design of fortifying Paris. If he does not change his opinion, let him measure his length with that renowned Marshal, and bring stubborn facts to contradict the proof he brought forward to support his opinions. Louis Phillipe wanted employment for the people, and to put off the evil day as long as he could. Like M. De LaMartine, to divert the discontented, promised governmental workshops for the unemployed artizans of Paris. Unthinking men are like a child — pleased with a rattle, tickled with a straw. The above does not include ship-yards, docks, depots and coast defence, or any place liable to be attacked by guns afloat ; these require most perfect and substantial fortification, and most espe- cially Tilbury, on the Thames. Last but not least, there is a God that rules in the Armies of Heaven, by whom Sovereigns reign and Princes decree justice. " He setteth up one and putteth down another." In majesty so great, that he upholdeth all things by the right hand of his power —so infinite in knowledge, so kind in providence that not a spar- row falleth to the ground without his will. But mark also the omnipotence of prayer — prayer moves the hand that moves the world. " The sun stood still in the midst of Heaven, and the moon stayed in the valley of Ascalon " at the prayer of Joshua ; and Moses who wrought miracles by the power of God on former occasions, when Israel was attacked, made use of all the means by ordering Joshua to choose men, and go out and fight Amalek, and then went up to the mountain to pray for a blessing on these means, and while his hands were lifted up (in prayer) the Israelites pre- vailed, and when his hands hung down (ceased to pray) the Amalekites prevailed. Have we not a national force of praying \ix * I read Marshal Soult's speech at the time it was first published. He gave several instances of armies leaving fortined cities and meeting the enemy in the field. He defended Toulonne himself with 21,000 men, against an enemy of 71,000 — not by shutting himself up in the town, but by intrenching his army in advance of the city ; and further, that Vi- enna was entered after the battle of Ulm, notwithstanding its fortifica- tions of an enciente continu^e. The Duke of Wellington in his letter to Sir John Burgoyne, says : " I know of no mode of resistance, much less of protection from danger, except by an army in the field. 29 people, whoso weapons are not carnal but spiritual, and mighty to the pulling down of strongholds of sin and Satan, and wickedness in the high places : if we have not I am greatly mistaken. Do men gather " grapes of thorns or figs of thistles ; by their works you shall know them." With profound humility I point to the numerous temples dedicated to the worship of Almighty God in our land. Hospitals for the sick and maimed. Asylums for the deaf, the dumb, the blind, &c. Our Sabbath Schools, teaching children to remember their Creator in the days of their youth, imprinting on their young and susceptible hearts divine truths, which they may disregard but cannot forget. Our Missionary Society, the field on which the sun never sets, which sends out messengers with glad tidings, taking the bible in one band and their life in the other, travelling through summer's heat and winter's snows, to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ to the benight- ed heathen — with 200,000 children at their Schools, learning to read that word which is able to make them wise unto salvation : — and lastly, the Bible Society. Let those then who have shewn their faith by their works be united and urgent at a Throne of Grace. Man's necessity is God's opportunity. Man in prayer confesses his weakness. God in power reveals his strength. " Call upon me in the day of trouble and I will hear thee." May the prayer of faith be heard, and the eyes of the righteous be opened to see like the servant of Elisha, when surrounded by the Assyrian host, the mountain covered with the chariots of Israel and the horsemen thereof. May the Almighty Ruler of the Universe bless the Queen and all the Royal Family, direct her Councillors, instrust her Com- manders, and protect her subjects — and may Britain enjoy the blessings of peace in all her borders. I have the honor to be, Your obedient Servant And Fellow Soldier, A. "W. Playfair, Lt.-Col. Com. Lanark Rifleit P. S. — I wish it to be distinctly understood, that the General Order dated Horse Guards, 1859, relative to Field Exercise and n 30 m i'f ir: Kvolutions of Infantry, as Revined by Her Majesty's command, ' never came to my hand until this work was in the press. What I liave said of the double column, I took from a manuscript of my own, written five years since, entitled. Remarks on the British Army ; Morally, Mentally, and Physically. Want of time has prevented its publication. By the tame post I received Statistics of the Frenc'i army up to January, 1860, and find a great aug- mentation to the statement already given in this work. Should a generous public throw a veil over the imperfections of t';ese crude thoughts jumbled together, and accept the will for the deed, it will encourage me to again enter the field. There are three subjects to which I have paid much attention : the Defence of British North America ; the Improvement of the British Army ; and the Highway of the world through British territory from the Atlantic to the Pacific. The day is dawning when a man will stand on the western shore of Ireland, and in ten days bathe his feet in the Pacific Ocean. Pounds, shillings, and pence, can accomplish the object, cause a revolution in the commercial world, and the best of all is Britain holds the key. £.