The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-04-04 00:00:00

REVIEW OF THE ASHANTEE TROOPS
BY THE QUEEN.
The following interesting description of the Review
of the brave little army who have received the thanks
of the Nation for their deeds of valour during the
Ashantee Expedition, is from The Timm

Sir Garnet Woleaky may well have felt a proud man when
on Monday through the Royal Park of Windsor. before the
eyes of shouting thousands, he led his little army past their
Queen. Not • year has gone since in the same place the Shah
of Persia sat by the Queen of England to seethe English troops
march past but both the hour and the men were different
them It was a line spectacle—a splendid pageant which then
paused before the eyes of the Persian King beneath that
bright June SIM ; hut the sight on Monday was something
more. Then the flower id the British Army, the chosen
evyyrs of the service, were brought out to show the stranger
how English soldiers looked and marched, and as they
looked and marched he might well have guessed so would
they fight. But on Monday the people of England were look-
ing on their own countrymen—on men who, but a few short
weeks since had been face to face with the foe, and in the
teeth ,d dangers worse even than those which gee born of
every battle-field, having done the work that had been given
them to do, bad now come back to claim their nig, reward.

It was a wise forethought to change the ground of the
Review. There can be no question that had the original
choice of the Home Park been adhered to considerable incon-
venience would have Imen the result to all concerned. As
It was, the site of Monday's ceremony was a good one. It
WM the large open space between Queen Anne's Ride and the
Long Walk, half way .town the latter. Along the east side of
the Ride, looking oil to the Long Walk, were ranged the
carriages, and there the crowd was thickest, though it
stretched far away in an unbroken line northward right
round the ground down almost to the trees that fringe
the Walk. Towards the southern end of the line was
the Royal Standard, where sat the Queen as the troops
went by. and on either side of this point were two enclosures,
wherein certain of the privileged were allowed to be—mem-
bers of both Houses of Parliament, of the Royal Household,
Make Press, and last, though of course very far indeed from
least, the Eton boys. Time had not admitted of more, or
more perfect preparation ; but, such as they were, the ar-
rangements were complete enough. The trul Life Guards,
the nth Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers), and the hat Battalion
at Grenadier Guartbi kept the ground, assisted, and most effi-
ciently assisted, by a considerable force, both of the Mbtropo-
titan Police under Mr Superintendent Mott, and the Windsor
Police under Mr. Chief Superintendent Hayes. At the
saluting-point stood a guard of honour of the Grenadier&

Between eleven and twelve the troops were to arrive, Rome
from Portsmouth, some from Shomcliffe, some from Win-
chester, and others from Wtmlwich. is they arrived they
were at once to march by the Castle-hill anti through the
High-street, both I Tight with flags anti lined deep with an
enthusiastic crowd, to their respective stations. At one the
Queen herself was to be on the ground. But the regiments
had far to come, and trains will occasionally be behind their
time, anti, fortunately for a considerable part of the crowd
who were somewhat late on the scene, it was two o'clock befor
the lunch's called the troops to "Attention. "But few could have
fretted at the delay. Looking from the Royal Flag north-
ward towards the Castle, the eye saw a bright and varied
scene. Out in front, little lines of colour on the open green
of the Park, stood the heroes id the day. On the extreme
right was a email handful of men, clad in different colours -
red, blue, even in black these are the Special Service officers,
each in the uniform of his own regiment, a few lathe sober
gray and pith helmet of the campaigning dress ; those in black
are the Chaplains who went tip with the little force to
Coomassie. Then come the Artillery and the Engineers, a
1 mere Mindful of men, even together ; then the 23rd, the
Royal Welsh Fusiliers, with their new goat, sent them by the
Queen herself front the Cashmere Mid( in the Perk ; after
these the .ffind Highlanders, the Black Watch ; the 3rd Bat-
talian of the Ride Brigade, and, lastly, the men td the Commie.
, sexist and the Army Service Corps. Right and left, two sides
of the square, stretched the thick black wall of spectators,
relieved by the starlet of the Guards, and flecked here anti
there by the white plumes of the Household Cavalry ; while
farther off to the north, and ot right round the ground,
shone the brass helmets of the Cambiniers. When, too,
the eye grew tired of roaming so far afield it might turn
to a little group nearer home. Close by the saluting-point
are leathered a little knot of scarletcoated, white-plumed
nfllceri of the Staff. Among them, is one in a uniform
whieh we do not know, a scarlet-clad Hussar. with
a white peliatie lined with scarlet, and stiff with
golden embroideries It ia a Russian uniform, we are told,
and the wearer is Prince Bariatinsky. But there is among
them a white horse, an Arab as it seems, carrying one on
whom all eyes are turned his breast is covered with
medals, and his fare is familiar now to nearly all there
for it is the hero id the day. Sir Garnet Wolseley him-
self. Around him are hie Staff, of whose good work every
successive despatch has told us, and with them is Prince
Edward of Saxe-Weimar, in command of the Guard.

It is nearly two o'clock now ; still no signs of Royalty, and
the crowd are beginning to wax somewhat impatient Sud-
denly a bugle rings out, and then again. It calls the troops
to "Attention ; " anus are shouldered, and Sir Garnet and
his staff ride off towards the north corner of the ground.
Following them with our eyes we can see, bright mass of
colour moving swiftly down the Long Walk, and soon the
cheers that come rolling up along the line announce the
Queen. In an open carriage, drawn by four grays, she comes
up at a smart trot. With her are the Princes. of Wales, the
Duchem of Edinburgh, and Princem Christian. At her car-
rifler wheels ride the Prince of Wales, as Colonel of the Rifle
Brigade, the Duke of Edinburgh, In the uniform of the Volun-
teer Artillery of London. Prince Arthur. of course, In
the dark rift' green tunic of his own regiment, and the Duke
of Cambridge, Commander-in-Chief of the Army. Then come
in the next carriage the Princes. Louise (the Marchioness of
Lorne), Princess Beatrice. and Prince Leitimhl. Before and
behind ride, the escort of Life Guards, and all around the
Staff, a bright show of scarlet and gold, dancing plumes, anti
glistening steel. All present notice bow well Her Ma-
jesty is looking, and how pleased and proud of her
soldiers, as with such • sight before and such sounds
around her she well may be. As she comes up to her
standard the cheers are merged in the strains ef "God
save the Queen," and all uncover as her carriage stays
awhile till the music ceases Then the horses' heads
are turned, and slowly the procession passes down the
ranks. Beyond a bright masa of colour, gray horses passing
slowly on, and the plumes of the Staff waving in the brisk
breeze, the spectators packed close behind the guard cannot
see much now. Still leas Can they see the next movement.
For now either end of the line cloaes in on the Highlanders,
forming a hollow square, into which drive, the Queen. From
a distance we can see Sir Garnet and his Staff ride forward,
and the General dismounts, That the Queen is a we
can Bee, but what she says it is of course impossibFelmi"ugall
hear. This much, however, we learn—that when the square
I, broken Lora Gifford may wear upon his breast the Victoria
Crake, and not a mall there upon that ground, be his coat red
or black, loath glad for the young soldier's sake, and for the
honour so gallantly won.

But now the square breaks. the carriages come hack, the
Queen is ready, beneath the .shadow of her own Royal dog.
The bands of the different regiments L.orne forward to the
centre f the ground with theni, too, comes, or rather is
brought, the goat, for he is evidently a stnhborn or perhaps
a modest animal, and then, as the well-kn no, time-
honoured strains of the "British (',renadlers " rise on the
air, the mare). past begins. In column of companies the
regiment, come by. First ride the Staff. and next to
them, alone, at the head of his little timid of herons, Sir
Garnet Wolseley. As he carries his sword to the salute
he turns, end, reigning up by the side of the Queen,
waits there to see his soldiers pass. First come the Fusiliera,
and in front of them Sir Archibald Alison. Brigader-General
of the Army of C.Ollll/118ie. It is somewhat strange. we
think at first sight, that the Brigader should be on foot,
But we soon see the reason Sir Archibald brought hack
but one arm from India, and that arm is now in a
sling. Then the tune change., the bagpipes strike up,
and, to the cittiek tune of the •' Rieland IMOD,"
the Black Watch come on. The men of the last twe
companies are in the trews, and the tartaa Is of a
different colour, for these Sr. the men of the 79th
-.another Highland Regiment— who volunteered to
fill up the rank. of the Chiel when they sailed out from
M,
In December List Again another strain,
M, livelier, and quicker Ail/. It is the old air of
" him:Ay-five,- and we know that the Rifle Drigade—the old
95th Regiment—are peening. Alter them come the men of
the Army Service Corps and of the Control, good fellows and
true, who, though hard fighting may not fall to their share
as often as they can with, generally get even more than their
share of hard work

This brings the procsasion to a close. But the day it not
yet over. 15nois mere
In the osir sad gtet47:„7,7:inare formed line, the Ste
star.
i....reke. ne out et the head of the
r,orde the long column advaneesi