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

THE VOLUNTEER REVIEW
AT BRIGHTON.

Ile annual Volunteer itevisw ear held on Monday, at
I,labton, and had all the advantagei which attire ma...earring
ground by then a, easy access to It, and glorious weather can
give. Fewer Voluntetrs were on the Dawns than have
gathered there on one or two Easter Mondays In previous
years, but there was no lack of enthiniaarn among the 24 000
men who mustered In the ranks, and their Improved disci-
pline and deedlesen under arms were remarkable
One of the first and not the least Interesting sights of the
day Is that at the Brighton Railway station. Fortunately,
the Leighton elation-yard, in It ample area and large supply
of shed and platform accommodation, is admirably adapted
for such exigencies. Alter the straight run Into the Mout-
peiller-road there Is plenty of room for the trains to deploy.
The raU spread out like a fan on nearing the station; and
on cue of these linen, leading Into the goods shed at
moutpellier-road, the Volunteers began to arrive noon
aft., mdf.put sit o'clock on Monday The spsciator is chub
nervous at finding in what rapid succession the teethe fellow
e .oh other, but the line Is worked now, as always, on the
1.1 'ols system, and additional precautions are taken on this
,•ey of days. So some two-sad•twerity trains laden with
I,lanteern arrive within about two hours; and taen the
way ta char for 14,0,.,0 or 15,000 visitor., who arrive w ith a
re el:aptitude and regularity which Lire only due to hmg and
areful preparation.

Al the VOlunteers reached the platform already mentioned
they passed through the epactoue goods shed, where cloak
rooms bad been improvised for their nte, and fell In within
the railway precincts beyond the shed. Thence, forming as
rapidly as possible, they marched in rapid succession into
the town, taking up the positions assigned to them. If
Brighton was not awake before, it certainly must then have
lees aroused from the moot leaden slumbers. W hatever
eise they are deficient In, the Volunteen are at any rate
strong in their bands. The clang of brass, the ea...piercing
ere, and the incessant drum, with an occasional screed,
or screech, from Highland pipes, would have left even
the 81,0,011 StoOIOWS Without excuse for droning on. But
Brighton was up betimes, had hung out Its banners, and had
welcomed its visitors In well-nigh every conceivable form of
bunting, along with many which It wee well-nigh Imposeible
to have conceived. Arms being plied, breakfast here hOOOMO
: pressing question. it almost seemed as If Brighton had
Seen legitimate prize of war, and breakfast wes a matter of
requisition ' So much boiled beef and ham, so many
eggs and rashers, with tea and coffee to Indiscretion,
and six cigars per mall! The residents on either
side of the Steyne, particularly the female resident.,
(torn their balconies and windows looked so bright
end beaming that It might poesibly have been almost a
pleasure to them to have been requisitioned. However, due
provision had been made by most of the corps without en-
forced service of tide kind ; and in their pleasant resting-
places Volunteere of all aims had loch a substantial meal as
was warranted by the heavy work to follow it.

At ten o'clock the &et move was made. Afield-gun on the
Parade just outside the Royal Albion Ilotel wee tired by way
of signal. A shower of broken glees from the hotel windows and
lively emotion In the c,ffee-room were the immediate re-
sponse. Such &success was hardly anticipated by the gunners,
who seemed somewhat alarmed at the crash themselves had
made, and, perhaps, were apprehensive of a glazier's bill.
But In the presence of Mars arcail troubles like these are of
no account. The artillery moved cif towards the Review
ground, and were gradually followed by the various corps In
the order assigned to them. The route lay along a portion
of the Marino Parade, which was thronged with spectators,
and thence up Bedford-street. Every house of pretension
In Brighton has its balcony or balconies, and there
are very few houses commanding the sea which are
not of this type. Each balcony and window had Its tenants :
and gay dresses, scarlet cloth, flags of all colours and all na-
lion. made the way as bright and cheerful as ever the Marine
Parade can have been since ttret It skirted the English
Channel. Prince Arthur, In his place In the suite of Major-
General the Prince of Saxe-Weimar, was eagerly looked for,
and easily distinguished as he rode by in his dark rifle uni-
form, and heartily greeted. Many of the better-known corps
of Volunteers also were warmly greeted as they marched by
and breasted the steep and toilsome and generally rather
dusty ascent which leads to the racecourse.
The march-past, which commenced at twelve o'clock, and
did not conclude until half-past one, is a ceremony to which
It would, perhaps, be difficult to assign a distinct value In a
military point of view, in connexion with any movements
actual or intended. Vet It Is a custom nowhere more
strongly insisted on than among military men; while, as a
spectacle, concentrating and bringing under the eye all the
display of which a particular force la capable, and all the
varying elements of which the force consists, the
march.past has for the public considerable attractions—
ladies, Indeed, avowing that "they understand It better
than all that tiring and countermarching in the distance. '
As a whole, and bearing In mind the recent Innovations In
drill and the alterations that have been made even in the
most trivial words of command, the marching was for the
most part highly creditable, and the march past of
1,71 will bear comparison, as to physique, appearance,
and attendance of the men, with any of the Volunteer reviews
that have preceded it, and it certainly afforded great pleasure
to the dense body of spectators.
THE SHAM FIGHT.
The following Interesting extracts, descripti% e of
the leading feature of the day—the Attack and
I)efence—are from the graphic pen of the Special Cor.
respondent of the Dad!, News :

It was a striking feature of the preconcerted plan of
battle on former years, that It was Impossible, not to say
maniacal, unless one blindly accepted the notion that, as re-
garded maritirre matters, we were hack again In the days
of galleys and bows and arrows. line side or other most,
had the affair been tint Instead of sham, have had a
fleet carrying rifled guns of lung range, and for the army
not thus covered, a position with one flank resting on
the sea was a military Impossibility. Menschtkott
tried at the Alma whether an enemy's fleet or, his
tnk coild be all3regarded with Impunity, and the
shot which swept the plateau before L'lukul Akles convinced
him of his mistake whoa he had to draw back out of range
the regiments of Moscow and Minsk, and impotently watch
the French gaining the plateau and tuning his,sea flank
without molestation. Whereas at the Alma, shoal water
forced the fleet to give the coast a considerable oiling, ships
at war could use their artillery close In shore beh,w Rutting-
dean, and the inexplicable scramble we saw last year ou the
knoll above that village was Mitre:ore an impossibility in a
military sense, because guns to seaward would have swept It
like a broom.

Monday's strategy had no such flagrant blunder. An
enemy, not having the fear of extortionate hotel-keeper.
before his eyes, had landed on a favourable beach of dia-
embarcation purposes a little beyond the Coastguard Station,
which stands on the east flank of Kemp Town. He had no
doubt marched luto Brighton, established hie headquarters in
the -)nnd, bivouacked his men on the Martne Parade,
bathed at Brine eaten patties at Mutton's, and generally
conducted himself as an Insolent and haughty foe. But it
was obvious that he had not crossed over from Dieppe
merely to enjoy nabathing at Brighton. lie could get that
at Dieppe. What he wanted win territorial annexation arid
a triumphal entry Into the capital of the British leles. So
leasing Brighton gronnet hito the dust by requisition.,
and furious at the calamities which It was forced to bear,
tie marched out ef it on Monday morning at an
early hour, leaving, you may be sure, a string earthen
to eft upon the malcontent Brighteners. His ad.
venced guard headed northerly In the direction of the
Racecourse, awl presently w al have teen out on
the broad Downs, making felonious spoil of South-
down mutton as it strode on toward unfortunate Clapham.
But we Britons, if slow, are not to be conquered in a day.
From the barracks in the City-road had poured out gallant
soldiers. The Tower Hamlets sent he train bands, and the
men of Surrey were not to stay at home when their comrades
went on the war path. Having hurriedly mustered two
Infantry antenna, the General commanding the defenders
went off undauntedly to meet the foe, whom no doubt
he thought to surprise sleeping the steep of swinish satiety
In the Capna—lirighton. But his scouts, cresting the
Downa looking back to the sea, brought bin back another
tale. The foe was not to be caught napping. On the con-
trary, he had already taken the initiative, and seemed quite
prepared to change the defensive into the initiative. Valour
LA an excellent first charger for a commanding officer, but so
In discretion an admirable second one. Remember-
ing the weakness of his own strength, hie detective
organization arising from the suddenness of the muster,
the defending teeneral eaw, as he galloped with his
staff on to the height to make a reconnaissance, how
heig and how dense were the many columns of the foe. Ms
eye took in the situation at once. At his hand lay a noble
defensive position which hie troops, staunch if raw, might
hole at least, if the worst came to the wont, till supports
should arrive, tiers then, heiwould bait and stand the
brunt of the hostile attack, as rising like huge
waves out of the sea it should roll its manes on
tha W•ooa with a persistence which the military his-
tory of the hoetile eation convinced him would take •
great deal of denying. Then it might be—for our general if
a diecreet man was also fond of projecting his Imagination
Into the future--it might be that a chink should show In the
armour of the toe. Depend upon It he resolved in his heart
that he should not min the chance tilt offered, hut, changing
from guard to point, aim straight for the enemy's vital., and
make the insolent hinder fervently wish he were back again
at Dieppe. Ills dispositions were rapidly taken. lin force
had lain behind Newmarket Hill while he made his recon-
nalinance. Soon staff officers were galloping to and fro, and
presently the divisions began to take ground away, and yet
I archer away to the south, marching on the depressions and
on the reverse slopes behind the friendly ridges flanking the
Wick Valley on the out. 'the movement was effected with
creditable rapidity, and this is how the army was posted
that had It. hack te the hearths and homy of old England,
acid wen prepared to defend them to the last gasp from the
fncurston of a foreign fee
When the exultant Briton who may visit Monday's battle-
field arrives in the vicinity of the seem, of action, supposing
he comes from erightme he will first reach the summit of a
long hog-hacked eminence, which bears the name of the Red.
hill. As he surmounts this he will see lying below him a
broad and rather shallow trench known as the Wick
Valley. The landward end of this valley is closed in by
an upland plateau, on the verge of which stands an
edifice of some size, which is called the Warren Farm,
In eaent of which, and rising out of the had of the
trough. is • disconnected Mamelom which onght to be, if
it is not, known by the name of the Warren Farm-hIIL
Further seaward, In the eeepest part of the trough, 11th.
pretty little village of I lying:inn, and over against it, block-
fne up the valley toward the sea, rises the round mass of
ivingrlean.klll. This Wick Valley is bounded on the east-
ward and toward the sea by a ridge which almost aligns with
the Warren Finn-lilt!, and on the further site is a minor !
eaLley, with the hamlet of Rottlngdeen In its bosom, beyond
which the Downs swell again into rising potted, furnishing
the horizon line, and running from Rettingdean on the south
toward Newmarket-Mil on the north. It was on the rerun
aide of this rising ground that the commanding officer of the
eefences brought up his army. It. left resting on a house
called High-barn, just offlicienily Inland to be out of range
e 1 fire from the sea, while ita right, following the conkers-
Hon of the ground, exceeded in the direction of ewmarket-
hill. Having posted lite batteries in positions to annoy troops
driving to depl iy in ,venrtean Valley, he awaited the lime
In a serenity springing from the consciousness of having
done his duty.
Ike foreign foe in queetion was not in the remotest degree
idled to the exigencies of the situation. Ws Fhlaus scouting
leeward by Upper Lievendean anti the Warren term had
signalled the vicinity of an enemy, and intelligent staff
.liners sent forward to define more accurately hie position
had come hack with tidings that he was extending his front
and taking op a defensive position. It must have been
apparent to the foreign general tint if he, too, were to
tyke up a defeestve punieri a collisien would be post-
poned tome die, and that procrastination was not the means
et bringing the Brain capital at his mercy and of securing
territorial annexation, No, what he wanted It was clear
he most light for. There were the ridges, behind them was
the enemy. and he must take his tea in one of the Dnen vil-
lages e.onsiderebly Inland, while his cavalry pursued the flying
foe. Such was the doughty resolee, nor was he eb.w tenet upon
It. Bringiug up the loft shoulders of his leading brigade he
tutted It, with ita face due eastward, end, using it as smacker,
brought up the rest of the same division the 4th), attuning
en It. right, the whole division crowning the ridge of Roil.
Nil, with it. extreme right nearly on threes, and covered by
the fleet which we are bound to presume wae in existence,
although invisible. Ills second lion consisting of the 3rd
Division, the general commanding the attack kept judiciously
out of sight on the W hiteleawk Down elope of the Benin.
At half.past two o'cloek he assumed the initiatere. flits
right was protected from the Ben but from his centre
strained down a dark green column, which epread out like a
fan in 'tarnishing order. in his melt the task of Covering the
feint was nefined to a grey corps 'the end Middlesex Ad.
minietrative Battelloe), which, touching the greens on its
right with its skirmishers, spread them away out on the
lent, se ea effectually to gnierd against any attempt to turn
the rink. be that direction. Lie allowed these devoted skir•
lubber' to venture down into the Weneth of the valley before
he backed them with alie supports, bui presently the dense
eolnmnsof theses...wend:de tramping briskly down the steep
elope, broken up Into battalions in columns of cenapaotes
formation, hen Prepared to deploy into line at a e.ometit'i
warning. As yet there was no occasion for this deployment,
since the enemy were utterly Invisible, and the spirits of the
invaders must have risen high, as they topped the Warren
anti peured threugh the village of Ovingdean with-
out even the semblance el -.pm-Alt/on. 'they were yet to learn
the lesson that it le not wise to crow iiefore you are mit of the
wood. Batteries of artillery followed with judicious haste:
some Inclining north- eutwaril to take up the manifeetil ad'
vantageons position all erded he the wanen werne-Hlll, others
massing on the ridge on the net of Ovlngdean, with the
road before them leading into the land which the foreigner
end fondly but rashly promised himself; Iss the meauUme

his Infantry had passed the ridge, and were already in the
little Woodendean Valley beyond. As they crossed the ridge,
1.. somewhat disorganized order, tbey melt have offered
a strong temptation to tile artillery of the defending
force, but ou that side waiting tactics were the order
of the day, and eh. Hope (leant did not see fit
to show Ids bawl. Ile hid, however, covered the
slopes ,d the ridge babied which was his position
with oklrmishers, but these had but little chance against an
attack In force, atel were driven In, firing briskly as they
retreated up hill, on their main body.... Presently there
swept over the cruet strung skirmishing reserves, who, ex-
tending on either side of the Downs-road, materially
checked the advance. Then from the highest grayed of the
defence position ioar Its right, and directly opposite
the W arson Farm.hill, a battery of what appeared to he
guns of position opened ere vigorously. Presently the
tune was taken up by another battery on the left, on the
, seaward side of the Downoroad, and the tire of the We guns
; told manifestly on the elan of the attack. The Warren
Form-hill had been, as has been said already, crowned by
the guns of the attaching force, and the ridge eve.veOeieg-
deon surely offered another tecoptirg position for artillery to
begin "action front' upon. hut the attacking general
seemed to hive lost his eye for positions. lie moved forward
hie artillery by the Dowes-road and se und by the coast
tutu the chasm of NV oodendean Valley, mei having
brought it op whore it was umlexs, dose In rear of
his Infantry, which by this shoo had been forced
to lie down coder the bail of shell fire which was
poured wen it, there for the time left it to stew', without
smiling himself of It in any way. Vbile this was going OD
upon the right of the attack, desperate valour was being dire
played by a line of skirmlahers on the right flank of the
defence, who hell their ground, although on their left they
hall long been subject to an enfilade fire by the skirmishera of
the attacking advance, as they pushed on Up the slope. They
were also at least half a mile out to the front of everythleg
belonging to them, and may blesitheir luck that, owing to the
inexplicable blindness of their opponents, they more WA exter-
minated. teat their devotion had Ito reward. The time had come
for the defence to be changed at Meat partially Into an attack.
The hotizm toward Newmarket-hill became dark with the
serried masses or the defending force, risen from its couchaut
layer on the reverse slopes, and steadily gathering the weight
that should enable It to rush down on the foe, who had
preowned to assail It The latter recognised the knminence
of the cries. At length they got lute action their batteries
on the Warren Farm-hill. Their right batteries they whirled
hurriedly out of reserve on to their leek, meg began tours. hut
they had sacrificed the position for them wlfen they neglected
the occupation of the ridge alms, Ovitigdean, and they had
in bring their guns into action at a marked disadvantage
when firing up hill modest an enemy who could all but over-
shadow them, so dominant was he. The position of the at
tacking army was becoming compromised. Their second
line, when tbeir third line had gone forward into action, had
also advanced, so that Its centre rested on the Warren Fartn-
hill, and now it had to be rushed out with evidout hurry to
relieve the strain on the first Hem Streoms of armed men
Domed at the double from behind both shoulders of the
Warren Farm-hill, and soon were seen extended athwart the
plain like great black anacondas—the head ever towards the
enemy.

The said enemy was very cautious In his tactics. He had
the better of It if he hell hi, hand, let his big guns do the
business, and give his good fortune a fair chance. But while
he waited patiently on the captious goddess, it seemed to
occur to him that he might as well try to coax her a little by
tuaying a flank movement. So off to his extreme right went
three or four battalions, one dark grey the others red,
and if they did not succeed quite in turning the
flank of the attacker they at least complicated his posi-
tion considerably by compelling him to turn his atten-
tion to extending his front to prevent such a catas-
trophe; and the ground into which the battalions had
got on the flank was of a kind from which it w. not easy
to see how to move them without employing more force
than could well be spared—broken furze, with chalk holes '
interspersed. At one time, with a desperate rally, It seemed
es if the attack would disregard every other consideration, '
and concentrating all his energies into • wedge-like centre
on the Downs-roe], cut through at whatever cost. It was
with something surely akin to recklessness that he hurled
mesa alter mass up the slope—once, indeed, a brigade In dark
green had foothold on the level and columns of supports
were struggling up to them on their left. But
the level was narrow, and then came another ridge
held by the defence, not to be relinquished till the lad man
was down. The straggle became furious, both Bees tiring
with tremendous energy at the distance, whether of 200 or
2,00 paces It mattered nothing whatever—while the smoke
from a burning village or some furze bushes, It was difficult to
ascertain which) added to the lurid splendour of the scene.
Meanwhile, In the paddock by the farm down Its Happy
Valley—what irony in the name !—the sheep were phscidly
!Abiding the grain that was yet green, but how long it would
continue so he would have been a rash man who should
have attempted to determine.
Presently the defence abandoned the waiting tactics, Just
as the extreme right wing of the attack had half-advanced,
hall-et:wet red Into a little depression that cuts at a very
obtuse angle into the ridge which was the scene of this phase
of the battle. the brigadier commanding the left flank of
the defence saw that the time was come. Down he swept bis
brigade into the hollow, left shoulder. forward. 1.-pon the
enemy already somewhat dislocated, he poured wtenible tire
u he came, and then be was In among them, and there was a
,oele But the men who had come down the hill had
the headway of the descent upon them They were
fresh, and full of courage springing from the consciousness
that surely their enemy was delivered into their hands. The
that line of the attack, it, right flank crunched up, its other
sections, pounded and shattered, gave ground precipitetely,
and for a time it seemed as if calico qui pent was lobe the
Cry. But the second line, which hart been hitherto only
partially engaged, was equal to the emergency. It allowe.l
the other to get through its intervids Into temporary safety.
But with the reserve engaged, and the first line beaten, the
hope of victory musg have died out of what had been till now
the attacking leader, The most he could hope to do would be to
retire tlghtleg till he got to a position that he might hold.
Here his engitieets might have been of great service to him
In extemporising entrenchment, But be, as indeed had his
opponent, had Inexplicably chosen to treat hie engineers as
light infantry, and to arm them with melees and obsolete
Lancaster elites, instead of picks and epades, and central tire
revolver.. So he had to make the best of his case without
the aid ready men, rightly appointed, would have afforded
in the pinch.

It was with admirable steadiness that the llrd Division
took up and held tenaciously the ground, while the shattered
4th crept through. Noy, it developed an offensive intent,
but this was in all likelihood a feint to give the 4th the
longer time to rally and re-form. That body displayed a
wonderful recuperative faculty. Beaten, it was not de-
moralised on the contrary,lt we eeeoly, ...he. the tie..
came for the 3rd to retire, to serve it the same good turn
which the 4th had served it. The neatness with which
the retreat le alternate brigades was effected was most
thoroughly creditable to the discipline of the gentlemen ,
from Dieppe. It saved them from a rout, and that was '
a mercy for which in the circumstances they might
well he thankful. The foreign artillery, too, was served '
with great skill and judgment. Noting, when too late, the
vaitut of the position on the ridge above Dvingdeari, one sec-
tion of its artillery was hurried up to Its summit. The lot
Surrey unlimbered and went into action here in • manner
for which they need not have blushed on Woolwich-common.
Another section re-occupied the Warren Farm-hill, and the two
pouring in a steady fire effectually covered the retreat of the
Infantry through the Woodendean Valley, and up the slope
behind the guns. There was still another hollow—the
Wick Valley—across which retreat seemed inevitable
for, string stand as the artillery made, the enemy, flushed
with their triumph, were not to be denied. Down in
its bosom lay the village of Ovlngdean. and resolute men
might, i.y holding it to the last, materially check the
triumphant advance. True it was that the foreign general
on his advance had recklessly neglected taking the precaution
ii erecting barricades, and piercing the walls of the village for
musketry. But as it was it afforded many strong defensive
positions for men who did not quail when they saw the
bayonet in close proximity to their breasts, and when there
was everything to gain by holding it Not that it could be held
permanently, or even temporarily, without vast sacrifice. It
was no Le Bourget, in the centre of a fiat tract, hut on the con-
trary, commanded by eminences so close that men on their
summits might almost fling stones down Into the street.
But it was hot a time to choose positions. Ovlngdean was
sculpted by the roar guard, while the main body of what
had been the attacking force tolled slowly up the slope of
the Redhill toward what had Men their original position
before the dizestrous events of the day. The assailants
poured down upon Ovingdean, while their artillery crested
the height and came into action undeterred by the tire from
the opponent's artillery, posted on the opposite height. It
would be hard to say whether the village was held or
assailed with one greater determination. It was no game at
long bowls, but street righting close enough to singe the
ned,teches of the combatants. Again and again the
assailants were repulsed, only to come on again in superior
numbers. At length, with a rush combined by a flank move.
ment, the village was carried, and the game was played out.
AU that remained for him who had been the awallant
in the early part of the day was either to capitulate
where he stood, or to essay a hurried embarkation en
a bad coast with a beaten army, whilst a victorious
foe loomed down upon them from the heights. The
veriest tyro in soldiering can appreciate the difficulties
of an embarkation In faee of an eneLoy there are few
Briton. who do not know the story of the battle of Corunna.
The last shot wet tired shortly before slit The Volunteers
were expeditiously marched to the station, and taken off in
the rapidly succeeding trains wish a regularity, method, and
promptness, which. as well as the service of the morning,
vs fleeted great credit on the administrative abilities of Mr.
Knight, the manager of the Loudon and Brighton line.
- - -

It seems to me that he must be a captious and ill-condi-
tioned, as well as untruthful, individual who should venture
to criticise unfavourably what the Volunteera did on Mon-
day. . . . Fresh from the national army of the greatest
military nation In the world, I am glad and proud to recog.
Wm the fact that we, too, have a national army in fact, and
not in mere empty name. It may be interesting to state how
the doings of Monday struck a member of that national
army to which I first made reference. A Prussian officer
was my companion on the field, and be was loud In praise,
which I know must have been sincere, of the manner to
which British Volunteers did the work that was prescribed
for them.