The Young Dragoon: Every Day Life of a SoldierDrayson, Alfred W. (Alfred Wilks)
History
The Young Dragoon: Every Day Life of a Soldier
Drayson, Alfred W. (Alfred Wilks)
Soldiers -- Juvenile fiction
The camp at the Curragh is conducted much on the same principle as the
camp at Aldershot. It is situate on a vast plain between Newbridge and
Kildare, about thirty miles from Dublin, and convenient to the
railway-stations at each of the above places. The Curragh is to Ireland
what Newmarket is to England--the head-quarters or metropolis of
horse-racing and training. There are four race meetings a year at this
place--in April, June, September, and October; but they create little
interest as compared to former years, when the Marquis of Waterford,
Messrs. Irwin, Watts, and others of the old Irish school were alive.
Unlike the dusty, bleak, and barren desert of Aldershot, the Curragh,
all around the camp, is composed of the most beautiful turf, kept short
by being eaten by vast flocks of sheep.
The camp occupies a position on the highest portion of the plain, being
considered healthy; though many of the horses are continually exposed to
the open air, and I have myself seen them over the fetlocks in mud.
There are frequently as many as 15,000 to 20,000 men stationed here in
the summer months, but many of them are dispersed into winter quarters
in the month of October. It was here that the Prince of Wales went
through the practical part of his military drill, in 1861-62. I
frequently saw him mounted on a grey cob, called "Rupee," cantering in
great glee in company with some young subalterns, little more than his
own age, over the beautiful greensward of the Curragh, and many an Irish
beggar he has relieved with his own hand. The village or small town of
Newbridge is just on the borders of the Curragh, and there is always a
cavalry regiment stationed in the barracks, which is the most prominent
building in the place.
The revolutionary spirit is, I regret to say, still very predominant
throughout the southern and western districts of Ireland, and there are
few towns of any magnitude without a regiment or battalion of soldiers;
besides this, the police are all, mounted and foot, armed with swords
and carbines, being drilled and living in barracks just the same as
soldiers. They wear a dark-green uniform with black leather belt. The
mounted police have their staff of rough-riders, riding-masters, etc,
the same as the regular cavalry: they ride well, and are a fine body of
men, but more ornamental than really useful, as they lack the
intelligence and detective zeal of English policemen.
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