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

TSB DORM VOLUNTIRRS.

TiVl,olrf, MAGNA, &tatlay.

There was rest in the tamp an hour later on Saul, I
day, but • fail day's work was made up et tie other
end, with shorter e unisons to boot. We were on
parade at seven o'clock, the weather being (Jr .1..1
promising • sunny day. To. eight 1.3.' men lelt fir
home this morning, the m ijority of them at an early
hour, but those in B company were paraded nu the
reverse flank of the lino, with their kits in their hands
=ltly for exhibition to the resdinest. Not only
aving suffered all the week with scare° .
murmur the inconsiderate chivying of the youngest
egioer, they were now bullied and insulted by him,
becaum, knowing their business mail not permit of
their being away more than eight dive, they bad signed
for that time, and now left. They wore salad "YOU
fellows," treated contemptuously in every way, sod
meanest spite of ali—a ration of ohm.. was served out,
and MO or two who, having bad very little .1 the
Government extras all the week, went forward ti
gel a bit, were threat beck by the mime persou. This
is notthe way to treat volunteer., and such behaviour
at any other time would have ineured him o,,ita,n
retaliation. But let him paw Shortly after Cspton
Coombe, acting as Qiartermaster of the batteliun, was
met by thee." unfortunates," and the matter was
reported to him. A few kind words, with advice as to
the beet route to the station, and kiodly provielon for
getting their baggage to it, smoothed everybody down,
and the journey become pleasant. The battalion left
Teffent down at 100, pawing through the vilisge, sad
halting • brief time at Dineen: then passed Ilaterstock
*burgh on to Grovel, wood, on the road to which one
of the West York Militia fell down in a fit, but
wavered. Advancing to the wood the 95th regiment
oompied the right, the Dorset battalion was in the
gentle, and the West Yorkers were on the left. A
mg= •iit on the extreme right also soul Out a company
of skirmishers. The skirmishers were then re called.
" Fours right" was the order, and the whole advauoed.
Qoarter column on No. I was formed, and then tia Ist
eoropitay of the Dorset Hille Volunteer* was mat out
es
skirmishers, supported by the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th, the
remainder as reserve. Skirmishers were retailed, and
relieved by the remainder, and after some tune spent
In skirmishing op and down, over beige, and mums the
field, the whole were recalled and the brigade marched
is sumeessiou of commutes through Orovely Wood to
Wishford. Some time was lost here by the " powers
that be" being in • log. The men weal not oily
detained longer than necessary, but also went a much
longer round than they should have done. A telegram
was received to make all possible haste to Wimitord.
The men of the whole fore. felt anxious to reach the
field of battle, and put on • good spurt, the Direst men
beading down to the valley at Wishford. Ilere the
WNW benains exating, the einem, retiring otter
disputing the occupation of the village, closely followed •
by the gallant Mit. Now the men hoped they bad got
• elapse to Mose with their opponeota. The order was
given to relieve ekiresiehers of the 50th and 88M, and
every miut doubled to the front, and seemed fresh for
the serateb, although they bad had • marsh of fall 17
lades, aggravated by the knowledge that tour miles of
it might have been saved, wheel • ffsg of trues was
displayed and the battle ceased about three o'clock, the
enemy evidently not not liking the strewth of the
Norco. After some Mem spent In mending the whole
of the (mos left the gonad. The 93th, Dorset Volun-
teers. and West York Militia, again fell in and marched
of in sumeesion of competition to their new camping
ground, through Steepleford and Little Langford
orossing the river Wiley to Web Down, where they
arrived about seven and encamped for the night, after
having been out for upwards of eleven hours and
rassolied over 24 miles. No food warn had by the men
except what they took with them. As they breakfasted
at seven, they were ready to do justice to their dinner,
but, imagine their surprise and dogma when they found
no baggage had arrived, consequently there was no
chasm of dinner or anything else before bed-time. The
quesition then aces how comes the delay? The With,
who we have always followed, got their tents and bag-
gage, the West Yorkshire theirs; where was oar.?
After waiting full twohours, the waggons arrived. The
men Immediately set to work to pitch their tents, and
about hall-past nine, they were ready. Dinner rations
of most were now supplied to the company, but this was
• pretty time of night to light • lire and bad dinners for
men. Some bought pennyworth/a of bread and cheese
from our good friends of the 95th. Our canteen had not
arrived, but through the kindness of the 95th some of
the men were We to get liquor from that centime.
Galenist Mengel would gladly have obtained • pint for
each man, but it could not be spared. There was no
help to it, the men must turn in hoping for better
Maar to-morrow.
We learnt that the beano was on the road behind the
OM, when up rode an offiser who wore feathers, aid
naked "Who's baggage is this?" On the reply "The
Dorset Volunteers," he said " ion mast amid aside in
this field. and let the others pass 1" It lad to be done.
This regain. no comment Nothing but sheer pluck,
and determination not to be beaten, enabled the men
of the Dorset Battalion to go through to-day's severe
ordeal.

DO!LCRIIIT11, StTIALDAY NIGHT..

We are glad to learn that saudry' ill-natured and die-
graoeful rumours as to the oonduot of lOCIIe of the Dor -
*eider riflemen at the brgioning of the week, which
hare been tadustrloutly circulated here, turn out to be
altogether false. The ill tan, ceased at grief ta the
relativism of the persons said t, be impiloated, but tbo A
who same home to-day called round sod assured these
of the untruth of the wick .4 reports procuaigated,
mush to their relief. Th, hettaliou and the Dorchee:dr
=particular, ha endured with reinarkehle
and good MAO, much that was very provoking
from the "powers that be," and in the ranks the beet
of feeling has been maintained.
SUNDLT.

Thank God I tide is a day of rest; and you may
depend on it no maw appreciate it more, althosgh too
many may abase it, than the British soldiers whenon
flyingwhom This morning we had 'radar% about
sever, when the men had the meat supplied for It
night's dinner. Most had • wash at the river side,
which, althoi,,iti full half • mile no.t.sut, Wed fol.id
them for their journey. They paraded for church this
morning looking none the worse for their previous days
hard work The stragglers on the previous day were
low compared with thosi from the regular regiment..
One of the Kilkenny Fusiliers died from the effort of
the marsh early this morning, and one of the West York
Militia was token to the hospital. We have • lovely
day. It is raring to are the men washing their
white hedges out by the river side, and I am afraid
their dusty spperanoe hot night would have astonished
many of their wives and eweethearts. We moat men.
thin the entreat* kindness of the people in the diff,rent
village. through whir we pared, in supplying the
troops with water as they marred by, for the men
Were not allowed to fall out daring the whole day. At
balf•pest two on Sunday we had • capital dinner, tbe
men are in the hest possible spirit., and determined to
do their best to the end of the onospalgo.

Lama DOws, Wixtx.
The baggage train at Teffont on Saturday morning
was directed to &wit orders as to marching, end dia
not get instructions to proceed until 3.30. To. whole
Milieu and baggage than went off for Wiley, and,after
proceeding about a mile, wee joined by the bigwigs
train of Me lat Division, forming • line some miles in
length. Is the village of Wiley we got blocked, as
then were in the street two WIN of baggage, and
several Dragoon regiments and R.H.A. 'lotteries
peeing at the seem time, a. well as the 2nd Bettalion
Wilts tiffs Voliinmen returning from the Northrrn
Army at the expiration of the eight day. Just af mr
passing Wiley, on. of our transport vans sine tutu
million with the mamma of the MLA. from Dio-
r:Amster, driven by young Parsons, end the kind wheels
of the canteen were oompletely knocked off. At the
Mee time the wheel of another waggon (not ours) went
over the foot of one of the Wirt York Mae, who was
smart of the baggage, and °embed the limb @morel.
Meek after block anemeded mit other, and at teat tile
Dep. lea. (he is one) glartermuiter-O•neral turned
ear sight vans into • turnip Sid, allowing all the
Mien to pass, as be did not tint our horses maid
draw their loads UP the steep ament to the camp. Pot,
strange to say, he eouid not think of sending us blp
In the shape of spare hones to take as into camp.
Meantime the regiment arrived on the ground, with no
" grub" and no tents then With the help of our
friend. the Army Service Corps, se obtained some
spare hones and got the vans through the darkness io to
tamp, where we found the men oold and hungry. Some
of the tents were put up, and the men moaned in the
best way they oould. We got • supply of beef (iatur-
day's ration), cod those who lited cooked some
steaks, but onl3 • few took the trouble, for all
wen fairly "licked," having marched between 20 and
30 miles. Sunday morning has hi...um set all niugs
right, and there is now nothitg but sunshine.
Yeeierdare beef was prepared for breatf net to-dey,
tied Sunday's rations art ell good and plentiful. We
have to fetch, water, wood, hi., a distance of tgo or
three miles hence, Lei this is rather troublemnie, but
Is war this must not be eomettered.
_ . . .

--
We bare to-day 446 of all ranks in camp. A Militia.
man was brought in dead this morning, having falleu
out on the march yesterday, and been found dead nude/
a hedge from exhaustion.
We are looking forward to another sharp day to-
ItrelToll/.
Quartermaster Comte (Captain of the Dorchester
corps) and Batt. Q.M.S. Newman bare had very
aseluon• duties to perform; and our Quartermaster
&irrupt has had great wrist...coo and kinduees
from the expertrueof Quartermaster Sergeant Burgess,
of the Royal Artillery Decat, at Woolwich, whoop
detachment of the Auxiliary transport is attached to
the Dorset Battalion, to drawing forage and rations,
and managtog as to transport.
WDDIPOID, SUNDAY.
NAY•Y was an army more completely beaten than
that &robed to defend the hearths and homes of Eng-
land eg..ust the Invader who had adraotrid from the
oust. On Saturday, not only wee the Northern Army
I rotted, but a large portion of the force captured, and
the Southern Army, having gained an impel-trot
strategic potrtion on the northern side of the Wiley,
sacomped on the field of battle. The position wu a
strong one, although the ground immediately to front
we. admirably suited for the advance of troops. being
severed with woods, and sloping gently almost in every
part. The enemy was able to advance alined ti the
very banks of the Wiley before the Northern bed a
amass of driving him bank. General Michel made a
noseatrul flank march, looomplitried the parago of the
and streaked the defending army under Sir it.
Walpole on the heights over Wishford. The invaders
also out through the oeutre of the Northern Army, and
made the whole of titephooson's brigade prieobere.
The n special" of the Dad, TetegrapA, with the
Northern Army, says :—We leave the Downs, and end
the roadway obstructed by the tratorious Southerners.
Zare gaging lustily, but not out of mere elation of
s at eau:luring. They are perfectly sober, and
know am little of the battle IPA we know. Like
sycophant& as we are, we hail them as 000queror% tut
Wm waive aside the oomph:neat, or even accept It in
the light of shad. Never mind, we know that we are
buten, and it is as well to propitiate our molten. Oo
titer urns —revilers and voluateen, all bleak in the
Nee with sun and dirt, all dusty and begrimed, but
MI &Wind heartily In barmenioue and inspiriting
obents ; the gallant-50th, the fighting half-hundred as
they like to he celled; the 88th (or Gmeeeebt "Dgsrl);
tits Denstahlre Volunteers, the dust Of fellows; toe
Artiste Gurpa, with Mr. Leigitroa al their hoed ' • the
Clew* better Ulu the reel—thank. to their bearseltell
sad the let West York Volunteers, another stalwart
bead. • greet proportion of the Southern Army, in
lber.e ell their *Mom aad pascals, pared before
N. ask Pdposon, la mit%

EIONDAT
An I. quiet in ramp to.dty. Thn °hare% p.rade.was
attetriwi by e great moil Csit 4,1 from Sa I.wry and
to•na 1,, 'be di.driot I it ia now .14 Nital.
arr.mged thst we are to hart. ooly two de): wr light-
pima, on thaimon-hill, on Thursday.
Lillll DoWS. 1101 DAT MottalNO.
The roomy bold Yarnbury Castla, si utvi which a
fierce batUe ozpooted to day. Sir John 111Mhel sow
noticed bin march at 9 a.m.
t.le4ratu (ruin the invading army, at Colloid, says
the right wing ha. exp. rioucod e serious
on! bar hag bleu oat off, mid food, b.g4age, and all
token.
Another telegram say§ the ddendlog army is retreat
lag on 8100OLOuge.