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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

in mind what was shown at the commencement of this work, by excellent
authorities, to be the character of our soldiers in general, I shall
now proceed with my remarks, some of which may probably be thought
trifling.

The French plan of carrying the knapsack, though not so smart looking,
is in the opinion of many, superior to that adopted in our army; as it
has much more the ease and comfort of the soldier upon a march in view.
Our present mode, which binds the soldier so tightly within the slings
and straps of the knapsack, as almost to prevent the free circulation
of the blood, is certainly far from judicious, but we have been long
accustomed to it, and like it on account of appearance. But in olden
times, we had many ways of trying the tempers and dispositions of our
soldiers; such as making them, though kept at drill, or at exercise
in the field the greater part of the day, to burnish the barrels of
their firelocks, to their serious injury, till they were made to shine
like silver, and to polish their pouches, and oddly shaped caps, so
as to render looking-glasses quite unnecessary. How often have I,
when a zealous and enthusiastic adjutant, cracked a pouch with the
head of my cane, when it was not bright enough to please my practised
eye, with the kind intention of affording the owner a pleasant week's
occupation to get it again into order. And how often have I, on my
well-practised horse, placed camp colours as points of movement, till
the whole "Eighteen Manœuvres" were gone through; many of them,
if the commanding officer was dissatisfied, with the regiment's
day's performance, two or three times over; having previously had
the delight of marching past repeatedly, in quick and slow time, to
please the spectators, or because the soldiers did not make the ground
sufficiently resound by the firmness of their steps; thus altogether
agreeably occupying from five to six hours of the officers and soldiers
time, with the prospect before them of a long evening parade, or
inspection, because they had not been so steady under arms as they
ought to have been during the morning's occupations.

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

in mind what was shown at the commencement of this work, by excellent
authorities, to be the character of our soldiers in general, I shall
now proceed with my remarks, some of which may probably be thought
trifling.

The French plan of carrying the knapsack, though not so smart looking,
is in the opinion of many, superior to that adopted in our army; as it
has much more the ease and comfort of the soldier upon a march in view.
Our present mode, which binds the soldier so tightly within the slings
and straps of the knapsack, as almost to prevent the free circulation
of the blood, is certainly far from judicious, but we have been long
accustomed to it, and like it on account of appearance. But in olden
times, we had many ways of trying the tempers and dispositions of our
soldiers; such as making them, though kept at drill, or at exercise
in the field the greater part of the day, to burnish the barrels of
their firelocks, to their serious injury, till they were made to shine
like silver, and to polish their pouches, and oddly shaped caps, so
as to render looking-glasses quite unnecessary. How often have I,
when a zealous and enthusiastic adjutant, cracked a pouch with the
head of my cane, when it was not bright enough to please my practised
eye, with the kind intention of affording the owner a pleasant week's
occupation to get it again into order. And how often have I, on my
well-practised horse, placed camp colours as points of movement, till
the whole "Eighteen Manœuvres" were gone through; many of them,
if the commanding officer was dissatisfied, with the regiment's
day's performance, two or three times over; having previously had
the delight of marching past repeatedly, in quick and slow time, to
please the spectators, or because the soldiers did not make the ground
sufficiently resound by the firmness of their steps; thus altogether
agreeably occupying from five to six hours of the officers and soldiers
time, with the prospect before them of a long evening parade, or
inspection, because they had not been so steady under arms as they
ought to have been during the morning's occupations.

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.

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