The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1872-09-10 00:00:00

MICK OF TEI NORTRIRN

The Will-4",--a—ri;Or which run, front Clam. inster to
Wilton, through a valley about a mile brood flecked by
downs setting from 100 to 200 feet in height, being the
same of notion, on Wednesday morning the Goiania
were left to themselves, the fords of the Wiley being
the points to be gained. Sir Robert Walpole deter-
mined to gain these fords by a dealt, and the instant I
twelve o'clock on Tuesday had struck, be rounded his
bugle for a march of 20 miler, with cavalry and rub%
across • country that none of his men knew anything
about, and where even the oldest of the Wiltshire shep-
herds might lose their way in the dense darkness of a
night like that of Tuesday. The Light Brigade, under
Colonel Fiona«, marched to Netheravon, and then,
leaving the road, struck out over the Downs, parsing
Stonehenge and Winterbourne Stoke, striking the Wiley
at Steeple Langford. The Heavy Brigade, under
Colonel Marshall, was to cross the Downs by Tilshead,
and get to Codford to tbe west of It. lighter comrades.
But this was earlier said than done. It was so dark that
the nes could not see their horses' head; and the
roads could only be felt; it was impossible to see them.
Presently a thunderstorm broke over the form, and the
lightning was turned to account se • torch to show the
way. But the first disoovery that the lightning enabled
the men to make wee that the rearward Lowers had
broken off from the main column, and did not know the
way it had taken. Of mune there was no alternative
but to counter-march, and the counter-:earth broeght
the head of the column out upon the open, track's=
downs, and hers with the assistance of Mr. Stagg% a
Wiltshire farmer who turned up at the right moment,
the force was brought together for the longest part of
its march across the Downs. It was hard rough work,
the very work to tort men, but it ended well, and before
daybook General Walpole was in possession of the
Wiley and of all its fords, his guns all in position, and
his cayslry sows the stream in front exploitering for
the invader, it turned out afterwards that this merits
of Sir Robert Walpole's was irregular; but it answered
Its purpose, for the General kept his secret, the marsh
was sueoessful, and the first that General Michel heard
of it was that the Wiley was in the hands of his rival,
although the joke is lie had a couple of spies oat die.
gabled as apple women. Sir John Michel, Whoring to
his Instruotioes, was fifteen miles away, with the
Southern Army eneunped In the stubble and Worm keys
on the summit of Fontmill and Meibury Downs.
• PUTTY STORY.

-
As General Bosphemee's Mirada of our Home Army
marched over the downs of Wiltshire on their way to
BoobaiL while halted in the village of Lower
inirley—we tell the tale as it is told to ns—" • .bridal
party appeared on foot mining down the hill. The 30111
tteglment, to front, sheered the oouple loudly se they
down, and the ales of the proosedeo, no way
=C m
eded, waved their hats in acknowledgement of
the weloome. The Mad of the 2nd Battalion RA.
Brigade. with their band, happened to be drawn up in
front of the cottage into which the happy pair entered.
The band immellately streak up "Rest. to the Wed-
ding," sad the Men email oat and danced to the muds
in front of tha cottage. The bride with her own fair
hands, brought out some beer to the band, and some
wine to the °Boers in front, was beartly drank the
birdlime alibi happy maple ; sad whirl at last the
order to proceed ws Oen, the Batmen marched
cheerily away, the %Wage resonoding in the drains of
"Haute to the Wedding." Could earthing be more
Idyllic, even, we might mature to add, 'noes operatic ?
The obeering, the waving of hats by the undoubted
males of the party," the happy thoughts of the Bides
band, the jig in front of the cottage, the bride distri-
buting beer and win." with her own fair lutuds"—is it
not all a plagiarism from "La Fills du lifirlment," or
some mush mildly martial oombination of lOUS end
song? It would be hard to find • prettier example of
smoothing his horrid front; and the Incident may he
taken as a genial augury that all the burning of powder
down in Wiltshire MIMI, pesos rather then war—and
being undertaken in define. of those "hearths and
homes" of 'widish we trust we may repo, the Lower
Bverley nuptisla as • happy etampl,..
WIDNUDAT, NOON.
We ham just halted on lielbary Down, after a Mit
march. There is • glorious panaroom of the beautiful
Bisekmore Vale before us and on the reed in rear
She baggage train is toiling along. They had • longer
route than ea, and we must wait here till they arrive
tiefore we ma get our teats.
. . .

—Leed right wit ell turned le about nice, In prospect of
gig early brook up of the oamp this morning, and at
%I. 30 when '9ighte out " bugles were blown, few were
weedy for bed. Between this time and 3 a.m. white
bap& were served out to be worn on tho right arm, but
4th., wore made to go round the shako, they were too
kolg to go isms round the arm and two short for twice,
Iso they are a It of • beagle. lifter midnight • beery
4ittuadiestorst pealed wildly over tbe mom There
Wen =arisen, and thee in. washing peal
of thundePralmrdaf:7l owed by • brilliant tub that lighted
op every tont seZcse thy. Heavy rain fail for a
tem =thee. le the tempareture of the toots
widersbly. Wore y light the camp was Path, and
the room ethaded th four, eine men groped &bout
War thoothretheeta (corder and their kite filled.
W. sew the aiut rim and It was very watery, bat'
=timers?, tho day timed tht flee, and • very good oaf'
marehleg. Diener lot teeday had bees wed out
iver uthith sad tre %WIWI thud of eg laid•drtok of

tee and e bit of bread. We wen ou pets& at six, slid
In • very few uts were 'trued find P
and the whole camp harm ni / done this sinltaieeuGgsli;sl
were ready for moving. Bet it was not till close upoe
eight when the army moved off in two mimeos on the
.ay to meet the British force. One column went to
F4othill, and the other with which the Dorset battalion
wesattoobed mitrabed to Melbary Down. lt wu • pretty
siqht to see the 15 000 marching off in two ooluatoe, bat
the pace at which the first four miles was taken was kill-
iog. Very f however of the Dereet men fell ont,but the
road was dotted with ;led jaekets. The road lay through
glorious wools and shady bye-lanes which the rain had
made refreshingly 000 l and [nos for the feet. and very few
men were foot-sore. The grief arose from the great
WSW, beversaalts am —the heavy marching order.
Did the General at the itead of the right column halted
for a few momenta sitar passing through • wood, the
army might march many miles further. Of water,
again there was none but what we had in our water
-
bottles, for the water cart we started with frame to grief
before leaving Blendford Down, going across • gaily
both elutes mapped, and it acrid of sourse be taken no
lurthere. However we have the satisfaction of knowing
that there will be a court of enquiry Into the break-
dove, and that the Minot battalion haring evils •
reoipt for it out of 'tore will have to give adios amount
of it hereafter. So the Commissary Department has
not yet been equal to furnishing us with a water earl
that will travel.

Altar we had been baited a brief while, the bTar
waggon arrived, tents and kite were quickly load, eir.
e
took op our ground—plemant enough on the brow of
the hill —tenta were pitched and men were glad .to get
Into them for rest Parties soon Mart however, In
march of water, and more potent liquor, both of which
seem diffioult to pit at present, no doubt that will be
all right bye and by.. Guards have to be posted at
ono', and the men detailed for that duty will be an till
we march off to-morrow morning, and then they will
go as the beggar, guard, go the ioow way round, and
double" up anoi down hills. Yet this they call
playing soldrs I