The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1871-09-23 00:00:00

THE FECAL ATTACK.

The Special Correspondent of Thr Timrx, with the
invading amiy, writing front the I 'amp of 3rd Division,
Bisley Common, Tuesday, gives the following sketch
of the Final Attack :

If, as enthusiastic patriots aver, the foreigner gained
nothing in glory by the battles of Saturday awl Monday, he
at lewd gained ground which could ill be spared him.
Another such victory as that which Sir Hope Grant's
partisans discover in the struggle of Saturday would
have lost 1,1111911, and it consorted with the fitness of
things and this proper pride of Englishmen that the 2nd
mud 3rd Divisions should be instructed to flit, their heads
in,ainst the earth walls with which the lit Division had so
cunningly strengthened its position, extending &Mug the
Staines :met Wokinghani Railway between flutter's and
King's Rills. To-day, accordingly, these Divisions have
bowed the knee to the Baal of national vanity, have dime
evil that good may come, have sacrificed at the cannon's
mouth a reputation two days old, and lustre retired like
military martyrs as they are to their no longer advancing
camps.

Last night the aril Division Staveley's) pitched its tents at
and about • place called Three Marrows, east of chobbant
Ridges and north of Disley C.onnion. The 2nd Division
Carry's) lay at t four miles to the left, not far front the
Sandhurst Military College. Two miles and a half lx tent
of Stanley sir Ihme Grant rested along a line of emnneetml
intrunchments extending over three miles. The Ist Division
had their barks to the Stsines and Wokingham Railway, on
their right flank teas the Staines and Bagshot-road, anti their
It It reached to Gracious Pond and Flutter's Hill. Stave.
Ivy's and Varev's Wan of attack was identical with that
of yesterday. it was directed against the eastern extremity
of the position, Staveley taking it iit f tof Fox Bills, and
Carey coming up on the Rank and swinging round to his
Geld. The theory was that Ike joined (ince of the two
i:.;nerals shmild lteak the enemy's right, but their repul,e
'soon settled thing. They marten i.actence of grasping at a
wreath of victory, but the halter of defeat was round their
ticks, and tiny knew it. The lid Division Infantry
',trilled from their camps to the downs in front it
rox 'tills redoubts In two columns. General Brown-
riga'. Brigade took the roai to the right by Clapper;
111141 Shrubs, General Stephenson'a that to the left by
Westley-green. The advanced guard of each was a half -
battery of Hose Artillery, a squadron of cavalry and a bat-
talion oi foot, and each Brigade had a battery Id Field
Artillery. Early this morning the :tril Division was weakened
by limit's two Field Batteries, which were sent over to re-
inforce the Ist Division. General Carey made his own Its.
positions, his onto, being to co-operate 115 hest he could on
the left of his allies, lie had several miles further to Ws
than they, 313 ii marched MI !Mir and a half sooner.
Maemalion'a cavalry were sent away to the left, to co-operate
with the Prince of Wales's Brioche,

Last night the itfntiii.f the Pit MO 341 Divisions kept
close and kern watch. The tat mished their pickets and
vedettes as I', as Chobbatn, and there were some amusing
eollisioel in the dark and some Bring in the early morning.
. . . blonder to allow the id Division to get well on its
way, Si aveley kept his troops in ramp till between nine and
ten o'clock. . . Riling alongside the cavalry and ar-
tillery, who hue leaving to leave a pasmge clear,
the Stall had scarcely gone a nail: when the boom-
ing of guns began away over the woods to the
front. Can carry already—it is just ten, and he has a
good five hilly. to go—have not no Inc (reward as to he bear-
ing against the enemy's right, or Is Grant at work pouncing
the head of Browurigg's column, which had orders not to en-
gage till it receives the initiative from the left /
Escapi ig front the hedges and their dmitelouds we climb
Ills Dawn, and get a splendid view of the country. We are
among ('are 'a troops, already well to the fore, and here
is one of his Batteries playing on a massed column
if Wake and loot Huarde ranked aliaig the edge
of a wood a mile and a half oil. Fox Hills and Grant's
right Batteries are the sanie distance in front of
us, and there could not he a better point trim
which to study the whole position, The ground is high,
and country extending into several ...untiefl is spread out
round on like a map. Beginning on the left at the ilagshot-
road, and the railway, and travelling towards the right, first
comes Fox Gills alid their works. then Staples Hill and
more Batteries, then Gracious Pond, behind which is the
centre of the enemy's position -a great 8411111 re retiolibt, coil
in the distance, Flutter's Bill, his left. . .. The skirmishers in
front of one of 17arey's Brigade spread out in long lines over
the Downs and advance towards these of the enemy, firing as
they go. The artillery are hard at it in each side. The
smoke is wafted away over the eastern woods of the enelmed

eoloits , and donde id dust hanging ever the roads tell
of lirownrigg's columns. A flash of breast.plates shows
where the enemYs cavalry move northwards to pro-
test the Regaled road ; our guns open on them at a long
rAll.e, with 'shot effect it would puzzle the Umpires to say.
The skirmidels push lii. I 'seer's and Stenbeinem's Infantry
form their line el battle behind some rising grorunil a mile or
so in front of the Fox Hills' redoubts. Our gala fire when
they can. The enemy's cavalry move about uneasily, looking
for something to do Wei 111111i111.7 11441101g—1 believe there
was a chasm, but I did md see it. That line of steel is
the Life Guards, but it matters nothing, 1.2 r to 00 right
they are blocked by the railway cutting, and in front
by Staveleys guns. ltrownrigg's troth Rifles appear
at Fellow End, and all along the front the troops of
the 2nd Division are coining up and lie I lawn as they arrive
within 1.000 pulls if the batteries. Staveley now rmlums
his left attack to all artillery tire, tremendously strengthens
his right, meshes forward long lines of 11101 and more skir-
LUNN rn, 111.1VCS ill the enemy's, and is slut to advance his
line hi is general assault. Ittit the Mires hold that
More he call so he must make snore inipresslon
011 the redoubts with Ids artillery, for at present no
infantry can Slaali before their lire unit live. Pre-
sently an attempt is made on the right, hut such a belching
and bellowi lig breaks forth from the rembunlito, unit especially
from .nie in a clump of firs, that the Umpires will not let
the regiments go. Thus retire and lie down and Colonel
Doniville tries what he Call mlii against the ths with sane
guns on a knoll. Again tlw infantry are led forward again
tire, not from heaven, rains upon them and rages furiously
for some ten minutes, the echoes rolling grandly through
the woods. 'there iii strange contrast of shelties/Lid sounds.
Soldiers with all the light rh battle in their faces, listless
idlen, and ladies riding Istween treniciiihnis fireA, the ;:rotind
littered w lii brasi-Isaind cartridge-cases, with paper which
lon wrapped ponder and whirls has wrapped sandwiches,
wills the rubbish of battles and picnics. Suddenly the
" Cease tiring" sounds, and silence drops like a curtain.
There in slur ijuesulunsi Wila has won. How Call atlythilli: 'a in
which advances against well.posted guns over a lung expanse
lif opus annuli! z But everyone is sorry that the tinal
assault is not permitted, if only for the sake of its spec-
Menhir effect.

At Weaver's lhmg, at Fos Hill, and now here the Duke
hes stopped the tight just us it was about to culminate. A
soldier must be content, there may lie good reasons-10 It
that they are afraid of the num bayoneting earh other In
their exeltement?—but the public who cones Out to see what
they can see. and whose appetite grows by what it teeds on,
must grmaible.

The Others' call sounds, and on 1111 open space Imesidc the
deadly Batteries Milli their aandbag walls, a turning hirlinan
mulch as gathered tan Maley COIIIIIIIOI after yesterday's tight,
lout never before In I.:144111d. There may be 200 horsemen,
insular Imorsew.anemm. people on hang and in carriages; but it is
in the horsemen that the interest centres. First, not hi
rank in the field, taut in the notice of all, is the
Plaice of Witles, in the lire. Id hid regitairlit. sitting
hi, home as an English gentleman si 111, his healthy and
handsome Mee a little (hated by the sun of this autumn
summer. There is the Duke of Cambridge, a practised,
hard-working soldier, really to serve his country an the
Wolllll fain lie served. 'Mere ix the plain mmiform, anal the
hood face and gray eyes Immkiag out so keenly from under
the helmet of Blunienthad--one of the right lmnds, for it hail
mammy, of that army which has altered the lump of Europe
fir mammy ft day, littler uniforms are to lie seen, gay mid
curious. The tea of the Turk, the kepi of the saltreur of a
soldierly face hroliZeil anti worn by years of Algerian sand
ant sun, and many another strange pattern of martial head
alai laxly dress. There is more thall illie statesman, mammy
nobles, and the throng is net without men foremost ill
letters and men who may Inc buried in Westnminster
Abbey and emlleml great. The., are the working be, me' mes
there are, enough anti to spare ; hut take it from its hest to
liar told, and ill hit hall of Parliament or saloon of the sea-
son shall you and a thing so various, remarkable for so
many olidenmt reasons, so well worth watching for the ten
minutes it holds together, while the Duke is speaking to his
°elvers, as that which Il militamy ,peCtaCle mao to-daY
gathered lisp:timer on Ws acre of waste land.