The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1871-04-15 00:00:00

A MARCH ON BRIGHTON!

rhe Special Correspondent of the Daily News gives,
in true military fashion, ths following excellent de-
scription of the march of the ath Middlesex Volun-
teers to Brighton; and although he says he hair not
treated as !Irani serietix this march of the men of the
.:7th hlidellesex, he hopes no reader will conceive that
he had any intention of turning it into ridicule, or that
he failed to recognise the material value of it both so
practice and as example. And he ventures to affirm
that the men who made it have learnt in these two
days wore of real duty than could be SeqUirei by six
months on the drill grossed, for it Is no small thing for
men fresh from the inevitable sedentariness of ordi-
nary London life and work to march some thirty-five
miles in two days, skirmishing as they welched, when
opportunity Laded ; to Bleep on straw, when not on
night watch, and to reach their destination without a
man sick or sour : _

Thursday was the eve of our march, and far and wide had
gone the postman hearing the fiery cross, with the order for
°or mobilization, neatly packed in Its centre. Our mobilise-
ti 00, as regards its detulle, couelsted mainly to looking to the
buttons of gaite“, tu greasing highlows, in making our last
si ills and teetamente In .-xtcf accident., in ormposiudieg
cunning ruixturis be the field flack, and in fondly khaki'
the liable, whom, when the motrow's sun should dawn,
we should leave slumbering sweetly the sleep el
innocence, while their male parent. strode forth to "horrid
war." It Is an Important axiom in war that the invader
should utilise to the utmost any rapid means of locomotion
which he may find in the hostile territory. lie would he
'notified in thus diverting from its humble bet useful calling •
a metropolitan tramway ; we have send in the late war
of how muds value to the Germans were the French
rail roads our Commander-In Chief was fully alive
to the advantages accruing from evening himself of a lon of
railway which, having he home terminus at Loudon-bridge,
penetrated the eberuy's country some dietetic*. blame.,
Wile I hien., In the edge of station-masters and staff offieers
who, to serve their country, had donned the humble mde-
Akin of a railway porter, had pioneered Ude line as far as a
place called Ref:Mill, and calling Into exercise the telegraph,
that potent engine in war, had commonicatel to our chief
the Important Information that lie intent safely use thin rail-
way during the section of hie inivane,, lister venlog ii 'tween
London-bridge and Radian.
tile hour fixed for the general rend,. VColl, was rune o'clock
In the ;nominee Friday, the 7th of AprU. . . . The troops
were expeditiously and safely embarked, and the train rolled
out of the London.bridge Station at five minutes put nine.
It occurs to me that up till now I have given no details re-
gardleg the composition of the army of whose deeds I am
about to record the history. This omission demands Imme-
diate remedy. Our Commander-in-Chief was Major Smith
Richards, the chief of hie Muff being Captain Wyatt. His
divisional commanders were Captains Lyon, Moberly, and
Stadia who had respectively under them five officers at In-
ferior rank—gentlemen of ardour, energy, and persever-
ance. The army of which these were the officers consisted
of the drums and tiles and three companies of the 371 h Mid-
dlesex Rifle Volunteers, a regiment, by the way, which is •
credit to the metropolis, since there Is not an officer in It who
has not qualified for his position by passing hie examination,
since the complement allowed to it Is not only hilly made
up, but there are st this moment muneroue recruits waiting
for vacancies, and since It heads the list of British Volun-
teers in regard to efficient strength.
00 emerging from the station at Reath, we were formed
up on the esplanade, and the preliminary arrangements were
expeditiously msde. oar field train, consisting of a baggage
and a proviant waggon In one, was judiciously parked mean-
while In a side street under a baggage guard of sufficient
strength. As we marched off the esplanade and through the
little town, dense masses of the population crowded upon
our flank, with so much persistency that it required great
selecmtrol on the part of our soldiers to restrain them-
selves from reprisals.. . Without aoy miehap we gained
the open expanse of Kerlawood Common, on which we im •
mediately deployed, throwing out clouds of skirmishers to
clear the front. Some of our men, who had made a special
study of the social geography of the enemy's country,
pointed out a large betiding in the vicinity of this COOOl3Oll
as an establishment the Interior c f which was the most fitting
place for some of their comrade, The allusion was very re-
condite, and did not appear to be generally understood. Perhaps
It was not complimentary, and therefore great effort was not
made to comprehend it. :The Correspondent here alludes to
the hiarlswood Asylum for idiots'; At the end of the thet three
miles the army halted, as per regulation, for a breathing space
01 000 mhiutes, and advantage was taken of this relaxation to
uncork numerous " water-bottler," not one of which, 40 far
as I could loam, contained water. Their contents were ee-
-1 markably diversified, from tea that had once been pleasant
and cold, but was now lukewarm and lumregnated with the
bl-phospho sulphate of block tin, which the action of the tea
had chemically extracted from the metal of the flask. the
beverage which seemed to gain the warmest encomiums was
•gluttnous fluid bearing a marked resemblance to salad-dress-
ing, which its pomeesor recommended as being "at once
meat and drink "—n statement fully borne out by personal ex-
perieuce Huge profits are, in my opinion, to be made
by patenthig this mixture under some high.soneding
name of some etghteen syllables ; but Its diainterested
Inventor wholly repu•liates the suggestion, EV, in the first
place, he is, like Mr 7nloclle. opposed ou principle to the
Patent Acta; and, secondly, because he could not think of
withholding from his fellow-men the beatific results of his
„researches Into the mysteries of compounding "good drinks"
kiting In this spirit, he lares commissioned me to give pub-
licity to the recipe, which Is as follows :—Hall a pint cf good
milk, two glasses and a half of dry sherry, ce:e elms of
brandy, and two eggs beaten up In the fluid. The time may
come when a grateful country will vote a statue to the bene-
factor who has enabled me to place this recipe at Its disposal;
but the suggestion at present might be regarie 1 as • little
premature.
Just as the bugle soundet "Stand to your arm, " aonic-
thing of a anspicioue character was noticed in the rear of a
hillock on our left front. The advanoe guard were equal to
the occardon dtspening Into very open order they proceeded
cautiously forward much In the manner of deerstalkere, the
Mil.e who occupied the most advanced position 10 the centre
fuelling herculean efforts to look round a corner. Not being
able to achieve this succeaffully, he whelp halted his force
till the reserve came up, his dispositiona lu the meantime
being made with great discretion to resist lois gulden
" ugly rush" on the part of an enemy. Na rush, how-
ever, ugly or otherwise, was attempted. rile tusplclous
°eject, which certainly bore • remarkable resemblance to
a vidette circling on an enemy's front, turned volt to
be an animal of the bovine species tied to a stump, around
which she was sedulously gyrating. Being a national army,
riot a licentious professional soldiery, we carefully refrained
from cll.:ring any injury or indignity to the wretched in.
habitants of a territory already smitten mill :tautly through
the parely els of a hostile invasion. The stagnation of all
trade was apparent in the closed shutters of the shone, which
one of the stall, with a frivolity unworthy of Ills position,
strove to assign to the circumstance that a sacred day known
as "Hoed Friday" was kept in those parts with much
strictness. We were no uhf aid Delgettys, no swashbuckler
mercenaries, the sheen of WIT valour tarnished by greed and
debauchery. In the bad old waresthe path of an Invaelon was
marked by fire and sword ; by the corpses of Inoffensive vil-
lagers elaughtereil fdr their filthy lucre: by outraged woman-
hood and scared children while the hamlets protested
to heaven with smoke and llama against the b wharf-
ties of friends in human shape. On our advance, maid and
matron mood without fear, nay, even with a modest bold-
ness, which was surely a grand compliment to onr civiliza-
tion Candour comnels me to arid that one of the drums and
files was detected riagrante delicto in wiektng at a daughter
of the Anialaktte, and the treacherous syren was observed,
Delilah like, to smile upon the youth in return. Tnis was a
symptom of Incipient demoralization that demanded an
exemplary example to prevent its spread, and the misguided
youth was justly sentenced to whistle without interruption
for half an hour—an appropriate punishment, seeing that it
is impossible for the most pliable featured individual to smile
. and to whistle simultaneously.
tel our approach to the little river Mole ovx ecktireurs
' were sent forward to reconnoitre it. banks, and no doubt
; had we been provided with a pontoon train it would have
! followed. The banks were reported, however, as clear from
obstruction, and a bridge was discovered, which the enemy
In his tVght had neglected to blow up, and on which we
Crossed with safety and despatch.
Lowfield-heath is hitherto nnknownto fame, so far as I am •
aware. It contains a population of about 52 souls, of which
a large proportion consists of childree, and there in, too, a
sprinkling of gaffers very red as to nose, very wide as to
mouth, and strongly developed In the region of highlowe.
Invetield-heath contaius also a gentleman who may
; be described as a cosmopolitan philanthropist. We
I were foes, lb was true, but were also fellow human
1 being., anti he felt for us as men, while ne doubt his
patriotism led him to hate us as enemies. We were dusty,
we were hungry, we were thirsty But for him our forenoon
halt would have taken place in the road. But he knew of
a snug little triangular field, secluded behind lofty hedges,
and thither he magnanimously guided first our ileld train,
and then the columns of fighting men. The tailboard id the
provient waggon was let down, and an energetti quarter.
muter. sergeant proceeded to discharge Its contents. A
Colonial cheese came out first It was followed by a large
1 assortment of zinc pails, which suggested to the natives who
, were spectators that the army was aboat to weskits feet, and
counter suggestions were freely tiered a. to the alleged su-
perior advantages of a running brook in the eelghbourhosil.
I I heard a matron, the milk of human kindness swelling
high In her portly bosom, as she talked with her gossip,
wonder whether the "pore fellows" had got towels. Then
came several pots of great Mrs and extreme sootiness, and
after them a tea-chest. The latter apparition appeared to
engender among the natives a bare suspicion that we mar-
tian/its had It In view to set up a chandler's shop In opposi-
tion to the local dealer, who, In addition to a trade in " sum
dries," appeared to do a bush... in tiles and fire extinguish-
ing; and who, the general opinion, was, as expressed with
• certain morose satisfaction, would be compelled to put
his shutters up at 0000, sod betake himself to bed,
stricken with an attack of jaundice, arising from
jealousy. Alter the tea chest came the headquarter
flag, which under a guard or honour, was carefully stuck
in the hedge, from which It floated out proudly en the
breeze, to the discomfiture, doubtless, of the lurking Francs-
Tireun who from the distant heights were pr. tunably watch-
leg with black dismay in their caitiff hearts the rapid and
Irresistible progress of the Invading host. No precautions
were omitted to prevent these gentry from interfering with
the mid-day meal of bread, cheeee, and beer, the latter re-
quisitioned from a wayside inn ; where, In times of peace, as
we were given to understand, an Institution .4,101 y 14001411 in
the enemy's country as the "Brighton Coach" is wont to stop
on its daily journey for lunch. . . .

When the arrangements had been completed by the
quartermasters' department, the cmnsopolltan philan-
thropists already referred to courteously approached the
Commander-hi-Chief, and invited him and all the officers of
the army to lunch in the adjacent villa. This gentleman,
Perhaps, had the fear of rigorous requisitions before his eyes.
If so, his apprehensions were groundless. lie, and the
ladles of his family, Instead of flying in vague terror when
the sun glinted on the bayonets of our advanced guard as it
topped the hill commanding the heath, had courageously
remained at home, and under those circumstances their
residence and its belongings would have been scru-
pulously respected. As It was, hts hearty invite-
tic was accepted In the spirit in which It was given.
We w-or with nations and armies, not with indi-
viduals. Proceeding in a body to thin hospital mansion,
the c dicers found an eacellent cold luncheon displayed on
an ample board, and full justice was done to the Rood things
provided, the pleasure of the entertainment being enhanced
by the circumstance that the ladles of the house, instead of
a questering themselves In their harem, honoured us wilts
their presence. As a consequence of our admirable system
of national education we were all quite familiar with the
langusge of the country, and an hour, which I sincerely trust
was pleasant to hotd sides, as it certainly was to one, slipped
rapidly away. When the slaty minutes had fleeted by, the
Coinmander-in.Chlef, who is a relentless disciplinarian,
caused tt t dicers call ' to be peremptorily sounded, andillu a
few minutes more the army watt again on its march.

Nothing of importance occurred till we approached a
village destgnated on our staff maps as Crawley, and here the
aspect of affairs was decidedly threatening. Appearances
seemed to indicate that a barricade had been erected Juat
outside the village, and the heads and shoulders of truculent-
]ot kffig villagers eeented to loom formidably over the obstruc-
tion. An we drew nearer it became apparent that what we
had taken for a barricade wee but an accumulation of small
boys, and when the population came to recognise our
strength, they assumed what were no doubt hypocritical
grin, of welcome, the females In particular wearing syren
smiles, Intended, probably, to lure unto our destruction. But
we stoically resisted the Mutinous attraction, and marched
steadily forward. As we strode up the village it became appa-
rent that the windows were densely lined with the inhabi-
tants, who questionleu had meditated making a street
fight of It, and pouring down volley, from their elevated
positions on our devoted heads. But at this aisle eardrums
and fifes struck up with opportune boleterousnees, and their
martial din, combined with our resolute bearing, struck
terror Into the people, and enabled us to pea. through the
village, and, indeed, through the toll bar at its further end,
without let or ht.drauce. Then we got Into the defiles of
Crawley Forest, where great Caution was requisite; but our
flanking pau-ols were equal to the emergency, although i
grieve to state that at this stage of our march it Lecabae ap-
parent that the baggage guard had lietoome dentoralleed,
and had mounted the waggon In the most reprehensible
manner. A halt on the top of the hill atimhted of the light
division, consisting of three men and an officer, clearing the
Cretin Ins highly satisfactory manner, and it was thus with
the utmost confidence that we again stood to our arms, and
marched on through the Intricate recesses of the forest.
This episode showed the advantage of having a thoroughly
efficient light division to cover the front and flanks.
As we breasted the lest slope the word was paned along
the column, "Singers to the front; "and a variety of ditties,
chiefly with strongly accentuated choruses, were indulged in,
the ingenuous youth composing the drams and Wes mainly

gliing the tone to-theiharmeny.--1 good to hisir—the—
.. Men of Merry England" and Rule Britannia" echoing
through the glades of a hostile forest, and a eubaltem of an
imaginary turn of miled atnused himself by cmjurtag up
spectacles of the Invisible enemy, gnashing their teeth
and hissing hot mime aa the °beery nomads reached them
from the thrust' of the advancing cohorts from Blooms-
oury. Mae Inen there was In the army whose soul
these strain, did not delight—au individual of
misanthropic:al idloeyncr.y ; a saturnine party, Into whose
soul the Iron of • rejection by a fair one was reported to have
entered, and who looked upon jollity with • jaundiced eye,
nor took delight in companionship. Even he—the sad, satur-
nine, solitary cynic—even hol end his part in the aboun ling
resources of our administration. Ile had the p .d he
seemed to enjoy it, of acting 'kingly as the connecting link
between the savanctd guard and the main body. Thare, as
he strode on alone, he might Commune uninterruptedly with
his grief, and smile sardonically as, at a turn when the wind
blew his wiiy, the discordant sounds of mirth were wafted to
hi. ears. . .

At Wader ors, whore there la au open C3131:11011, a cricket
club presented a enlister aspect, and prompt intimidatory ,
measures were called for. You never know what are the la-
sidle. designs of the eubtlieminded foe, and it is always well
to err on the bale side, So the order was given for the
advanced guard and a strong party from the main column to
extend In skirmishing order. icon wed the Mina for the
solitary connecting link to diatinguish himeelf, and the
assiduous manner iu which he extend,/ single-handed in
open order deaerved to care him the respect of his follow.
countrymen. The cricket club wisely developed an cube!.
Hoots diepositiou, and without molesting them, we drew in
our skirmisher, and pressed steadily on. 89011 otter the
length of the march began to tell on Private bile highlows,
who was presently compelled to fall out and betake himself
to the prurient-train in consequence of haying incautiously
taken the field in new boots. As hi. comrade@ defiled past
him, he was heard to express a valorous resolve to telegraph
to his mother to send him out an old and roomy pair og boots
by the fold-post
We passed t'acklield without molestation or Incident, and
presently reached liar ward'a-heatti, where, having marched
l miles, it was deemed advieeele to quarter the army for
the bight. As we came down the slope some lovers of nature
°bawled with rapture the effect of the setting sun as he
sank to rest over the top of the workhouse. lhe host,
flushed with victory, was quite prepared to bivouac under
the beautiful eters," but a large market-house opportunely
was found which, when bedded down with straw, formed
eligible qdartere. The stall and other officers were excel-
lently accommodated In the adjacent Section lloteL The
moat careful precautions were taken against a night
surprise. A sufficiency of outlying sentries were
posted, and to ensure vigilance the reliefs took
place every hour, under the superintendence of a divisional
commanding-ollicer, while each Miriam bad Its hour of duty,
and the Uommander-in-Chief, with praiseworthy solicitude
for the safety of his men, made the grand rounds more than
once during the night. The men did their own cooking, and
the military commissariat was amply sufficient for the
demands made upon It. The band-boys, however, whose
first campaign this was, persisted In singing noisy ditties
through the live-long night, thereby Rffjecting themselves to
becoming cockehies for the veteran soldiers, who vented their
disgust through the medium of boots and other articles as
missilee, unfortunately not productive of the desired effect.
In the evening the army was overtaken by it, highly
efficient medical oreanizetion, in the person of Dr. Meyer,
but his services were fortunately not called into requisition.
At nine cent morning the march was resumed. Private
ritz.hlghlowe, having judiciously had his boots lasted and
rubbed with dubbing overnight, wan himself again In the
I morning, and marched as well SA the best. Nothing occurred
worthy of note, the foe having evidently become utterly
demorallaed by the rapidity of our advance. At Pykeham
took place the forenoon halt, where the benevolent wile of •
farmer supplied the army with milk d diacretion beer for
those who preferred It being requisitioned from a neigh-
bouring public-house. Toward tour o'clock in the after-
noon the outskirts of the hostile capital were trium-
phantly reached. On the part of what had been pre-
sumably its garrison, curiosity prevailed over shame. Dressed
in rariforni, but denuded of their arms, the men of various
regiments thronged the side walks, gazing with undi,,,uised
curiosity on our dusty but undaunted array. It wears striking
instance of the milk-and-water-spirited abjectness of the
civilian population that from several houses fluttered flags
bearing the word " Welcome." Among the disorganizad
bands of unarmed men, we observed some bearded strag-
glers, wearing • strange and peculiar costume, consisting
of short grey petticoats, which showed a portion of bare
knee below, Others were arrayed is. red, and yet others in
green, but all had apparently relinquished any hostile in-
tentions ; and, indeed, professed what way no doubt
• apurious admiration of our serviceable ajpaarance. And
so, to our military magic, we reached a terrace by the
sea, and observing a good-locking hotel bearing the name
of the " queen's," we proceeded to requisition there accom-
modation for headquarters, while the army was Unwed
throughout the town Our triumph was consummated, and,
not being braggarts, we leave It to a discerning world and to
posterity to recognise our merits,
. . . . . . . . . .
The journey was charectertsed by an active and zealous
professional spirit on the part of the officers, by impliot
obedience and individual intelligence on the part of the
men. The whole affair was practical, soldierly, and business.
like, and those engaged Intl have, I believe, the conscious-
ness that they have spent their time, not only pleasantly,
but usefully. In conclusion, I would bear untelguedly warm
testimony to the untiring solicitude for the instruction and
welfare of their men, displayed by Major Richards and his
officers, and to add as a personal matter that kindlier and
cheerier comrades no stranger could possibly find. It would
be well if many more metropolitan corps shoal imitate
the 3',111 Middlesex In Making "a March on Brighton."

THE MORE HASTE THE WORSE SPEED
S ) wonderful is the crossing of tides in the Perlis.
mentary ocean
The flood of business is constsntly stopped by some
Honourable Member's motion.—Pundt.