A History of the Coldstream Guards, from 1815 to 1895Ross, J. (John)
History
A History of the Coldstream Guards, from 1815 to 1895
Ross, J. (John)
Great Britain -- History -- Victoria, 1837-1901; Great Britain. Army. Coldstream Guards
Reviews on a larger scale took place in the autumn of each year, in the
neighbourhood of Denain. In October, 1816, the English, Danish, Saxon,
and Hanoverian contingents were assembled, 36,000 men and 84 guns strong
(of which nearly 26,000 men and 60 guns were furnished by the British
army); a detailed programme of the operations to be performed was
prepared, a feigned enemy was told off, and the whole concluded by a
march past, according to the accustomed forms of the different corps
present.[94]
-----
Footnote 94:
_Ibid._, xi. 522. The following Brigade Order, dated Cambrai, Oct. 23,
1816, concerned these manœuvres: “The light companies of the
Brigade and the three leading companies of the Coldstream marched
yesterday through the village of Denain in a soldierlike and exemplary
manner. The rest of the Brigade did anything but follow their example.
That loose marching, which it fell into, has two effects. The troops
either arrive late at their destination, or they arrive harassed and
unfit for their operations. Either is an evil of the first magnitude.
The principle on which this march originated is pure selfishness. The
individual would save himself a little inconvenience at the expense of
serious evil to no matter how many of his comrades in rear. The
Brigade, with the exception of those companies already mentioned with
approbation, and the leading and rear companies of the Grenadier
Guards, will assemble every morning at the usual place, the Bapaume
gate, at half-past seven o’clock, till they receive an order to the
contrary.” The latter portion of this order was countermanded on the
25th.
-----
Their Royal Highnesses the Duke of Kent and the Duke of Cambridge were
present on this occasion, and were received by Guards of Honour
furnished by the Coldstream Guards. Similar manœuvres took place in
the middle of October next year, near Bouchain, at which the King of
Prussia and the Prince of Orange assisted, and again the same thing was
repeated in September, 1818. Finally, another military display was given
on the 23rd of October, 1818, just before France was evacuated by the
Allies, near Villers-en-Couchies, in the presence of the Emperor of
Russia and of the King of Prussia; 51,000 men and 168 guns were then
brought together, of which 23,000 and 84 guns were Russians, 19,000 and
60 guns British, 3000 and 10 guns Danish, 3000 and 8 guns Saxons, and
3000 and 6 guns Hanoverians.[95] The enemy was represented by a
detachment of Cossacks and of Russian infantry and artillery, and by the
British cavalry, three companies of Sappers and Miners, and three
brigades of artillery; the latter under Lieut.-Colonel Sir G. Scovell,
and the whole under the general direction of Major-General Narishkin.
-----
Footnote 95:
_Supplementary Despatches, etc._, xii. 783.
-----
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account