In the warmth of his military ardour, Cruikshank says: “As my father served as a private in the ‘St. Giles’s and St. George’s Bloomsbury Volunteers,’ and as my late brother Robert, at a later period, served in the rifle company of the ‘Loyal North Britons’ (in which corps he rose to the rank of sergeant), and further, as I (at a still later date) carried a rifle in the same company, I think that I have a right, and that I ought to stand forth for the defence of the military character of my relations, my friends, and my brethren-in-arms, and myself.” * He was even ready to take the command of the army. Having severely criticised the military authorities of the day, he says: “This is a very different style of thing to what _I_ would adopt, if I had the command of our forces; but as that is not likely to be the case (although I flatter myself that I am quite capable of doing so), I must leave all these matters to our Royal Commander-in-Chief and his staff of general officers. People will here, perhaps, smile at what they would term my vanity, and wish to know upon what grounds I would dare to take so responsible a position; to which I reply, that I had, as before stated, acquired as a child almost all the discipline necessary for an infantry soldier, completing when a youth this part of my military education by serving as a volunteer. This early acquaintance with soldiering led me to study the sword exercise; and understanding the small-sword, and the broadsword as well, and the use of firearms, I consider myself able (with a properly trained horse) to mount at a moment’s notice, to act as an irregular cavalry man; and having paid some attention to gunnery on land, and attended the gunnery practice on board Her Majesty’s ship _The Excellent_, in Portsmouth Harbour, I could lend a hand to work a gun afloat, or, of course, as Horse-Marine,--or, if ashore, as an artilleryman; and besides all this, I have--although it is not generally known, nor do I lay too much stress upon it--yet _I have served in the Militia_--by _substitute_; but as this was in a time of peace, and as my representative was such a queer, uncommon, wild-looking fellow--one who, I am sure, would not hurt anybody--I don’t think any harm was done in any way except the picking of my pocket for the ‘bounty.’ But as _they ‘drew’_ me for the Militia, I in return _drew them--‘Drawing for the Militia’_--as may be seen in ‘My Sketch Book.’” * General Sir W. Napier had aroused Cruikshank’s wrath by writing a letter to the _Times_, in which he described the volunteers as “mere mimics, without solidity to support the regular army;” as “offering points of weakness to the enemy,” and as irregulars who should they come in contact with an enemy, “would have had to trust to their legs.”