“By half past eight o’clock, all the different troops of the line,
together with the corps of Yeomanry and Volunteers, had taken up the
positions assigned to them. The line, which partly ran parallel with the
wall of Kensington Gardens, extended from Buckden Hill to the Piccadilly
gate of Hyde Park; a brigade of horse artillery formed the extreme right
of the whole; next to them were drawn up successively in line, several
regiments of Dragoons, the Royal Horse Guards, the Blues, the Queen’s
Bays, and the Scots Greys; next followed two regiments of Light Horse,
we believe the 9th and 13th; the Surrey Yeomanry, with the London Light
Horse, and several other minor corps, completed the whole of the
cavalry.
“The different battalions of the three regiments of Guards not at
present employed on foreign service, headed the line of infantry. We did
not observe any other regiment of regular troops, and the rest of the
ground was occupied by battalions of Volunteers. They comprised most of
the Volunteer Corps still existing in the metropolis; and though, in
general, they did not muster very strong, yet, even in point of numbers,
their appearance was respectable. These troops are not again likely to
meet under arms for some time to come, and the close of their patriotic
military career well merited the distinguished honour of this day’s
review, by three of the most powerful Sovereigns in Europe.
“About ten o’clock, the Duke of York, accompanied by a numerous staff,
rode down the line. Soon after, the firing of a gun announced that the
Royal personages had entered the Park. They were preceded by a
detachment of the 10th Hussars: the Prince Regent had, on his left, the
Emperor of Russia, and on his right, the King of Prussia. The _cortège_
of the sovereigns was extremely numerous, and of the most brilliant
description, comprising all the distinguished military characters at
present in London. Among others, Marshal Blücher, Prince Platoff, Lords
Hill and Beresford were recognized and cheered by the spectators. The
effect of the whole was impressive, from the richness and variety of the
uniforms; but, above all, from that singular combination of august and
powerful Sovereigns, and of men who had conferred the greatest benefits
on Europe by their military talents.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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