Opening the text

A British army, as it was,--is,--and ought to be : $b illustrated by examples during the Peninsular War; with observations upon India; the United States of America; Canada; the boundary line; the navy; steam warfare, &c.Campbell, James

History

A British army, as it was,--is,--and ought to be : $b illustrated by examples during the Peninsular War; with observations upon India; the United States of America; Canada; the boundary line; the navy; steam warfare, &c.

Name: A British army, as it was,--is,--and ought to be : $b illustrated by examples during the Peninsular War; with observations upon India; the United States of America; Canada; the boundary line; the navy; steam warfare, &c.
Author: Campbell, James

Campbell, James

Great Britain. Army

"We took the cannon and turned them on the fugitives, after which
we pursued them into Maldonado, and sweeping from house to house,
were in five minutes masters of the town. Then followed a scene of
barricading and plunder, such as I have no words to describe. While
some ran to fill up the ends of the streets with barrels, cars, and
household furniture, others broke into wine and spirit stores, or
ranged through the dwellings of the inhabitants, carrying destruction
and terror into all their quarters. For our commandant gave his people
three hours license, and never surely did men make better use of the
opportunities afforded them. It was in vain that the officers flew
from cellar to cellar, knocking in the heads of casks, and pouring out
the contents into the streets. The soldiers if they could not get at
liquor elsewhere, dropped their canteens into the kennel and were soon
in a state which set all subordination and discipline at defiance. It
was well for us that the Spaniards did not think of returning to the
attack. If they had done so, we should have been cut to pieces almost
without resistance." We again read in the same publication, "Meanwhile
the few among our people who were fit for duty, took the out-posts,
and the rest slept where they had fallen down: some in houses, some in
the streets, but all in a state of helpless intoxication. Under such
circumstances, the night was, to those in command, an anxious one."

I think it must now be allowed, that the object I have in view has been
effected; and that I have brought forward sufficient to sanction my
entertaining a hope, that the plans I have proposed for calling out
men for our regular army may be deemed worthy of notice; and I also
trust that after what I have shown to be the conduct of our soldiers,
in spite of the utmost exertions of their officers, the idea of
enlisting men at low bounties for the militia will be well considered
before it is adopted.




CHAP. VII.

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Opening the text

History

A British army, as it was,--is,--and ought to be : $b illustrated by examples during the Peninsular War; with observations upon India; the United States of America; Canada; the boundary line; the navy; steam warfare, &c.

Campbell, James

Great Britain. Army

"We took the cannon and turned them on the fugitives, after which
we pursued them into Maldonado, and sweeping from house to house,
were in five minutes masters of the town. Then followed a scene of
barricading and plunder, such as I have no words to describe. While
some ran to fill up the ends of the streets with barrels, cars, and
household furniture, others broke into wine and spirit stores, or
ranged through the dwellings of the inhabitants, carrying destruction
and terror into all their quarters. For our commandant gave his people
three hours license, and never surely did men make better use of the
opportunities afforded them. It was in vain that the officers flew
from cellar to cellar, knocking in the heads of casks, and pouring out
the contents into the streets. The soldiers if they could not get at
liquor elsewhere, dropped their canteens into the kennel and were soon
in a state which set all subordination and discipline at defiance. It
was well for us that the Spaniards did not think of returning to the
attack. If they had done so, we should have been cut to pieces almost
without resistance." We again read in the same publication, "Meanwhile
the few among our people who were fit for duty, took the out-posts,
and the rest slept where they had fallen down: some in houses, some in
the streets, but all in a state of helpless intoxication. Under such
circumstances, the night was, to those in command, an anxious one."

I think it must now be allowed, that the object I have in view has been
effected; and that I have brought forward sufficient to sanction my
entertaining a hope, that the plans I have proposed for calling out
men for our regular army may be deemed worthy of notice; and I also
trust that after what I have shown to be the conduct of our soldiers,
in spite of the utmost exertions of their officers, the idea of
enlisting men at low bounties for the militia will be well considered
before it is adopted.




CHAP. VII.

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

A British army, as it was,--is,--and ought to be : $b illustrated by examples during the Peninsular War; with observations upon India; the United States of America; Canada; the boundary line; the navy; steam warfare, &c.

A British army, as it was,--is,--and ought to be : $b illustrated by examples during the Peninsular War; with observations upon India; the United States of America; Canada; the boundary line; the navy; steam warfare, &c.

No reviews yet