Notes and Queries, Vol. V, Number 126, March 27, 1852: A Medium of Inter-communication for Literary Men, Artists, Antiquaries, Genealogists, etc.Various
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Notes and Queries, Vol. V, Number 126, March 27, 1852: A Medium of Inter-communication for Literary Men, Artists, Antiquaries, Genealogists, etc.
Various
Questions and answers -- Periodicals
Here is an exact copy, viz.:
"Dear Huty,
"By a Letter from my Mother I find you are now an officer in Lord
Chs. Hay's Regiment, which I heartily give you Joy of, and as I
sincerely wish you success in Life, you will give me Leave to give
you a few Hints which may be of use to you in it. The Field you
are going into is quite new to you, but may be trod very safely,
and soon made known to you, if you only get into it by the proper
Entrance. I make no doubt but you have entirely laid aside the Boy
and all Boyish amusements, and have considered yourself as a young
man going into a manly profession, where you must be answerable
for your own conduct. Your character in life must be that of a
Soldier, and a Gentleman: the first is to be acquired by
application and attendance on your duty; the second, by adhering
most strictly to the Dictates of Honour, and the Rules of Good
Breeding. To be more particular in each of these points; when you
join your Regiment, if there are any Officer's Guard mounted, be
sure constantly to attend the Parade, observe carefully the manner
of the officers taking their Posts, the exercise of their
Espontoon, &c.; when the Guard is marched off from the Parade,
attend it to the Place of Relief, and observe the manner and form
of Relieving, and when you return to your chamber (which should be
as soon as you cou'd, lest what you saw slip out of your Memory),
consult Bland's Military Discipline on that Head; this will be the
readiest method of learning this part of your Duty, which is what
you will be the soonest call'd on to perform.
"When off Duty get a Serg't or a Corporal, whom the Adjutant will
recommend to you, to teach you the Exercise of the Firelock, which
I beg of you to make yourself as much master of as if you were a
simple soldier; the exact and nice knowledge of this will readily
bring you to understand all other parts of your Duty, make you a
proper judge of the performance of the Men, and qualify you for
the post of an Adjutant, and in time many other employments of
Credit. When you are posted to your Company, take care that the
Sergeants or Corporals constantly bring you the orders; treat
those officers with kindness, but keep them at a Distance, so will
you be beloved and respected by them; read your orders with
attention, and if anything in particular concerns yourself, put it
down in your Memorandum Book, which I wou'd have you constantly in
your Pocket ready for any Remarks; be sure to attend constantly
morning and evening the Roll Calling of the Company, watch
carefully the Absentees, and enquire into reasons for their being
so, and particularly be watchfull they do not endeavour to impose
on you sham Excuses, which they are apt to do with young officers,
but will be deterr'd from it by a proper severity in detecting
them;----"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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