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

TUB DORIOT VOLUNTIMIEL

The let Administrative Battalion of Dorset Rifle 1
Volunteers has bravely maintained its good name for
pluck and perseverance throughout the week. Neither
hard work, scanty rations, nor ti.dions marches in We
take, have extinguished the gallantry of the regiment.
The Dorset riflemen have %eel their part well, winslog
the good opinion of all, from the Oommanderin.C7hief
to the humblest sol lin in the rariks ; and, setting sane
theknorant malignity of the Standard's " special," not
• word of disparagement hu bee, said against theta.
We continuo our notes of their doings from day to day
since our lest inane :
TVISDAT A rygagoow.
This mooring at wean o'clock we marched off after
• very hurried breakfast, the 3rd brigade composed of
the 93rd regiment West York militia, and the Dorset
Rifle battalion being pitted arralnag tho 4th brigade,
consisting of the 88th regiment, the Kilkenny militia,
wad the 41hiliOth rides. Oar part in the fight was to
earry the right of the enemy's position, they being very
st"mteir tweed at ilonkton and Rawaton bridge. The
guns were told off to assist tor We marched away to
lionkton, through shady lanes' and reached Rawston
off, a oommsnding pceition. For a few minutes we
la aoiler Hogetook and then doubling down the hill,
the enemy with great smartnese, throwing oat
skirmishers with proper supports, and these in due
°Gorse relieved the first to attack. The enemy were
very strongly posted at Yankton and Bunton bridge&
At the former there was a very sharp struggle, the
messy holding it with great determination, but they
were compelled to abandon it At Rawatoo bridge we
found the 88th in • strong position, but after a smart
tussle the enemy were beaten, and had to retire, much I
to their chagrin. While we were doing good work, the
97ith regiment made a florae onslaught on the Kilkenny
Fusiliers, turned them, and when they ran away,
chanted them with • ringing cheer. As the 88th
returned to camp they were oonsiderably laughod at,
for belog ourmanceuvred by the men the leasiderd's
sputa absurdly dubs "draper's boys," for it is not at
ail likely that there rue twenty in the battalion who
COMO in that category, and they are by no means the
worst men in the regiment. Having done that bit of
good work we had a sharp much home, which tired
some of the men considerably, but all pluckily held out,
and reached the samp about miekday. Toe cooks had
got the usual dinner ready, and the men soon made
good play with that. During this proceeding orders
cane that we were to parade at 1.30 p.m. for inspection
by the Brigadier-Colonel Bruce. We formed up into
hue to receive him, and on hie arrival presented arma.
He was acoompanied by the Brigade Major iCaptale
Carrington), and the aide de 'temp (Oaplein Farquhar).
We then broke into column, sod the Brigadier walked
up and down the lines °irefully inspecting each mu,
and apparently with great satisfaation. As Goon is
this was over we returned to tents, and the day's work
IMO over.

hest that the Duke of Cambridge was greedy
pleased' with the work of the Dorset regiment this
mornlng—and nodoubt he's Agit.
To-morrow we leave illandlord Down, and start to
meet the defenders of England, we being ttlPPoted to
be en Invading fore, marching on London, and
expecting to meet the British in the neighbourhood of
. . . . _ • __

Tl2O iknidard of Tuesday mays :—Doreetehire has
heoome very warlike. Dozens of young fellows want,
I cm told, to enlist. Several volunteered to enter a
very popular regiment here. They were told that the
oorpe was already over its strength.llWhat was this
strength? • little over 400 men. lam talking of the
number on parade. Be , if U2O gendarme who
have come from Spain and the uttermost :icla of the
earth are satisfied, surely we shbuld be. It is. I believe,
finally settled tbat we marsh on Wed ..day;.b and
°hemline as is the little town of filandford, and health-
fel as are the Downs, few will to sorry The novelty
ham worn off, and we all remember the old proverb
about the result. of familiarity. A week Ago I and my
°Alewives were looked upon., literary characters if sot
equal, et soy rete woithy, of being clamed with
lisesuiay and Carlyle. To-dey I beard a rustle remark
am I rode by, " That's oue o' them blokes who writes
all wot's in the papers." I think it is time to more
after that.

WILDIZIDAY.