The Connecticut courant and Hartford weekly intelligencer — Hartford, Conn., 1775-02-13 00:00:00, page 1

STRICTURES, &c.concluded.
BUT I should beg pardon for attempting to be
ludicrous upon a fybjed which demands our
utmost indignation.--! shall now therefore on the
presumption that the People of England mould be
10 loft to sense, virtue and spirit as to fuffer their
profligate Mifi ^ers to perfeverein their present mea
sures, endeavour to state to you what is their force,
and what is yours.--! shall endeavour to remove the
falfe terrors which this writer would hold out, in
order to intimidate you from the,,defence of your
liberties and those of your posterity, that he and his
fimilars may wallow in sinecures and benefices hea
ped up from the fruits of your labour,and indukry.
Great-Britan has, I belive, of infantry at home
(comprehend Ireland, and exclusive of the guaids)
fifteen thousand men.---They find the greatek dif
ficulty in keeping the regiments up to any thing near
their establishment---what they are able to procure
are of the word fort. They are composed of the
most debauched Weavers 'prentices, the fcuin of the
Irilh Roman Catholics, who desert upon every oc
casion, and a few, very few, Scotch, who are not
strong enough to carry packs— This is no exagera
tion ; those who have been lately atßofton, represent
the soldiers there (one or two regiments excepted) as
very defective w size, and apparently in Strength:
But we shall be told they are dill regulars, and re
gulars have an irrcfikable advantage. There is,
perhaps, more imposition in the term regular troofes,
than in any of the jargon which ifiues from die
mouth of a quack Doctor. I do not mean to insi
nuate, that a disorderly mob are equal to a
trained disciplined body of men; but I mean, that
all the essentials necessary to form infantry for real
service may be acquired in a few months. * I mean,
that it is very possible for men to be eloathed in red,
to be expert in the tricks of the parade, to call
themselves regular troops, and yet, by attaching
themselves principally or solely to the tinsel or shew
of war, be totally unfit for real service. This I
am told, is a good deal the case of the present
British Infantry: If they can acquit themselves tole
rably in the puerile reviews exhibited for the amuse
ment of royal makers and misses in Hyde Park or
Wymbleton Common, it is fufficient.
In the beginning of the late war, some of the most
esteemed regular regiments were sent over to this
country; they were well dressed; they were well
powdered ; they were perfect makers of their ma
nual exercise; they fired together in platoons; but
fatal experience taught us, that they knew not how
to fight. While your Militia were frequently
crowned with success, these regulars were defeated
or baffled for three years successively in every part
of the continent at length indeed, (after repeat
ed losses and disgraces) they became excellent troops,
but not until they had absolutely forgotten every
thing which we are assured, must render regulars
quite irrefiftable. The corps sent from this coun
try under General Monkton was, I believe, for its
number, one of the best armies that was ever led
to conquest, and yet, isl have been rightly inform
ed, there was not a single regiment of them, that
could go through the manual exercise, or at best,
* There cannot be a stronger illustration of the truth
here advanced, than the Prussian army.---They are com
piled of about one third of the King's own fabjeßs, two
thirds foreigners.—The third conffling of his own fub
jeßs, are, when the exercising is over, (which laflsfx
or seven weeks) fuffered to return to their families, and
attend to the bufnefs of hufoandry---bcdf of the other tWo
thirds, lonffting of foreigners, are hot only permitted, but
encouraged to work at their trades in. the garrifn towns,
and never touch a musket for the rest, of the year, so that,
infaß, only one third are in the. modern language, to be
called regular soldiers \---thefe generally male their escape
ihefrfl opportunity: It may be said, tierfore,.that the
King of Prufia has gained all bis ^fy ^^b a fort
of Militia.
Containing the Frelheft ADVICES,
MONDAY, February 13, 17,5.
'CONNECTICUT
' AND
WEE K L Y
Open to all PARTIES not under the influence of ANY.
by a fimplification of the necessary manceuvres, may
become in a very few months, a most formidable in
fantry. The Yeomanry of America have, besides
infinite advantages over the peasantry of other coun
tries; they are aculton^d from their infancy to fire
arms; they arc expert in the ufcof them; Where
as the lower and middle people of England are, by
the tyranny of certain laws almost as ignorant in the
vfe of a musket, as they are cf the antient Catepul
•ta. The Americans are likewise, to a man, ikilful
in the management of the inkruments necessary for
all military works; such as spades, pickaxes, hatch
ets, &CCT-Taking therefore, all circumkances
into consideration, there will be no rashness in af
firming, that this continent may have formed for
action, in three or four months, an hundred thou
sand infantry: For as the aflrition of one friendly
adviser, that no more than forty boujand could aR to ad
vantage, I confefs I do not underhand it, nor does
hr, I believe, underfart*&foh£. —lf he means
that sixty thousand men cannot be ranged in a field
capable of containing only forty thousand, we shall
all agree with him; but how in the operations of a
war dpon a vast continent, double this number should
be a disadvantage, I can have no conception.
Let one simple general plan be adopted for the
formation and subdivision of your battalions; let
them be inftruded only in so much of the manual
exercise as to prevent confufion, and accidents in
loading and firing; let them be taught to form, to
retreat, to advance, to change their front, to rally
by their colours; let them be taught to reduce them
selves from a line of fire to a line of impression, that
is, from two deep, to four, fix, or eight.----This
is all so easy and simple, that it may be acquired in
three months. Let feme plan of this fort be adopt
ed, I fay, and there is no doubt, but that in the
time I have prescribed, you may have an army on
foot of seventy, eighty, or an hundred thousand
men, equal to all the services of war.
Should this be admitted, it will kill be objected,
that you have no able officers to conduct you. Ido
not know that you have; but is it certain that those
sent to dragoon you have better? I have taken some
pains to inform myfelf what methods these Gentle
men, said to be bred to arms, take to qualify them
selves in a superior degree for the profeffion. What
is their rotine of inftru&ion? Do they read much?
lam assured that they do not; from book's alone
the theory of war can be acquired, and the Englilh
service in times of peace affords them no pratlicH
leffons;_for mountingguard once or twice a week,
or the preparation for the review of a single regi
ment, can never be ekeemed as fuch.*
performed it most wretchedly ---It is 1 kewife fail,
that when after their glorious and rapid conquest of
Martinico, they were joined by the spruce regi
ments from Europe; such was their uncouth ap
pearance, that they were fcarcc honoured with the
title of soldiers by those Gentlemen. Upon the
whole, it is mok certain, that men may be smartly
dressed, keep their arms bright, be called regulars,
be expert in the articles of a review, and yet, be
very unfit for real action.----It is equally certain,
that a Militia, by confining themselves to essentials,
* It is much to be lamented, that the Gentlemen of the
Army do not apply more of the maty leisure hours they
have upon their hands, to reading.---The majority of
them are of a generous difpoftion, which, did they culti
vate, by converging with the great historians and orators
of antiquity, and the more liberal political writers of our
own country, a funding army would be fomethi^g defs an
objeß of jealousy to all virtuous citizens.—We might per
haps fee them infcad of being advocates and partisans for
the present Minifry, a check upon their wickedness.---I
am inclined to think, that few or none of the offices have
condefeended to inform themselves of the merit of the pre
sent contest.---Let me conjure them for once, to read coolly
and candidly the whole proofs, afterwards to lay their
bands upon their hearts, and answer, whether the Peo-
THE
^& ^B^
both FOREIGN and DOMESTIC.
Another circumkance, Americans, may be added
for your comfort. It has been allowed by some of
the most candid of the regulars themselves, that,
during the lak war upon this continent, your coun
trymen, the provincial Field-Officers, were in ge
neral more understanding and capable, than their
own of the fame.rank. But the hikory of the civil
war in the year <6%i, furnilhes us with the strong
est inßances, that excellent Officers may soon be
farmed from country Gentlemen, Citizens, Law=
,ers, and Farmers. The Parliament's army (or as
our priestly writer would call them, the rebellious
Republicans) were chiefly.compofed of this class of
men. In the beginning of this war, they were treat
ed with the fame affeded contempt, and almost in
the fame opprobrious terms as you, the people of
America, are by your friendly and decent adviser.
W hoever would infer from the tenure of these pa
pers, that the writer is desirous of precipitating, or
could look with indifference uponghe calamities of
a civil war, does him great injustice. Hetonfiders
them with all the horror natural to a feeling man,
and honest citizen. He execrates the memory of
those men to whom they may be justly attributed,
but he is persuaded, that they never originated, (at
leak in hates of any considerable extent) in the tur>
bulent disposition of the people, nor in the arts of
demagogues, but in the opposition of their rulers,
in the wantonness, folly, pride, or avarice of Kings,
Ministers, or Governors. The Griflers of Switz
erland, the Granvels of Holland, the Laud^ and
Straftords of England, were the undoubted authors
of the tragedies aded in their relpedive countries:
And if this continent Should be ftajhed with do
blood of a single citizen, it can never be charged
to the uhreafonable pretentions of the. people, hub
to the ^Barnards) Hutchinfons, and some other trai
tors of a similar stamp.
He is convinced, that being prepared for a civil
war, is the surest means of preventing it; that to
keep the swords of your enemies in their scabbards,
you must whet your own. He is convinced, that
remonkrances, petitions, prayers and Applications
will make no impression on our callous Court and
abandoned Parliament; England, Ireland, Ame
rica, even Guernsey, Jersey, and Minorca are wit
nesses of their inefficacy. He is convinced, that
fear atone can operate; there are symptoms that it
already begins to operate ;----the manlier Tyranny,
already begins to pant, press her now with ardor,
and Ihe is down; already the Ministry have express
ed in their letters an inclination to make some con
cessions to meet you half way: Which I suppose
may be conkfued thus, that as they find they have
it not in their power to eftabliffi by force, the des
potism which they aimed at, they shall be very well
fatisfied, if you will just cede fomuch of your rights
and privileges, as will enable them, by extending
their pecuniary influence and sapping your virtue,
to take away the rest .at their leisure.
There how remains, people of America, one con
sideration which (however it may be taken) I think
it my duty to offer; History tells us that the states
of Greece; Thebes, Sparta, Athens, and Syracuse,
were all in their turns subjugated by the force or
Art of tyrants. They almost all in their turns re
covered their liberty, and dekroyed their tyrants.
The firft aft upon the recovery of their liberty, was
to demolish those badges of slavery, citadels, and
strong holds, and military tenements; the Switzers
ple of America ingeneral, and of Boson in particular,
are '' more finned against, or finning P"
Now I ain upon the fubjefl of the Officers of the Army,
I take the opportunity of mentioning, with the refpe& due
to him, one Gentleman of high rank amongst them—tke
tenure of his conduct while in command, was so liberal,
and bis letters, in the House of Commons, were so fair,
candid and friendly to this Continent, that be is entitled to
the thanks of America.---He is indeed of a country that
owes not only its prosperity, but in exigence to the fame
principles which acuate Africa,
(NUMBER s ^\
C OURAN T,
HARTFORD
INTELLIGENCES.