The Sun.
London, England, 1863-04-10 00:00:00

THE ARMY.

His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge,
General Commanding in-Chief of the Army,
yesterday morning commenced his annual official

nspection at Portsmouth, by reviewing the troops
stationed in the town and in the outlying barracks
and fortifications on the west side of the harbour.
The parade was ordered for 11 a.m. on Southsea-
common. A little before that time the following
force was drawn up at quarter-distance column, the
Royal and Marine Artillery being respectively on
the right and left of the line of infantry, and a
battery of Field Artillery being on either flank ; I
and K batteries of Field Artillery, under Col.
Anderson, C. 8., 182 officers and men, 184 horses,
10 12-pounder Armstrong guns, and 19 carriages;
6th Brigade Royal Artillery, under Col. Warbeck,
385 officers and men, the whole of the Artillery
being under the command of Col. Warde, C.B. ; 2d
Battalion 20th Regiment, under Col. Radcliffe, 666
officers and men ; 53d Regiment, under Col. English,
C. 8., 301 officers and men; 55th Regiment, under
Col. Hume, 537 officers and men; 2d Battalion 60th
Rifles, under Col. Palmer, C. 8., 543 officers and
men ; Royal Marine Artillery, under Col. Tate, 532
officers and men ; total, 3,045 officers and men, 184
horses, 10 guns, and 19 carriages. The whole
formed an imposing little army of infantry and
artillery, but was necessarily destitute of cavalry.
At 11 o'clock precisely the Duke of Cambridge ar-
rived on the ground, accompanied by Quarter-
master-Gen. Sir Richard Airey, K.C.8., Col.
Bingham, Deputy Adjt.-Gen. Royal Artillery ; Col.
Clifton, A.D.C., and other officers, and was received
by Major-Gen. Lcrd W. Paulet, C. 8., attended by
bis staff, in the centre and front of the line, the
troops presenting a general salute, with colours
lowered. After riding slowly along the front of the
line the Duke took up a position with his staff at the
saluting point, and the force prepared for marching
past in review order. Each regiment seemed put upon
their mettle to do their best, and the result was such
a display of marching past, especially in grand divi-
sions, as is seldom witnessed on Southsea-common.
The field batteries going by in mathematical order at
a smart trot finishedithe ceremony of marching past.
and preparations were immediately made for the
more important movements of the day, by reform-
ing column on the original alignment with field
batteries on either flank. The first move was made
with the right in front into an echellon line of co-
lumns, the field batteries galloping to the front and
left, and unlimbering and opening a rapid fire con-
siderably in advance of the force. The 60th Rifles
at the same time moved out in advance, and threw
out a strong line of skirmishers across the common,
the main body having changed their echellon for-
mation into two lines of contiguous columns. The
batteries now retired behind the line of skirmishers,
and reformed on the right and left of the advanced
line, composed of the garrison artillery, 20th and
55th Regiments, and the 60th by this time having
completed the discomfiture of the enemy, already
partially accomplished by the artillery previous to
their giving place to the 60th, a general advance
was ordered, the Rifles feeling the way. In this man-
ner the further end of the common was nearly
ieaehed. There the Rifles received a check. They
had apparently come upon the enemy in superior
numbers, for they were speedily driven in, and the
main body, which had been moving up in two long
lines, commenced a retrograde echellon movement,
left in front, the ten 12-pounder guns covering the
retreat by unlimbering on every commanding posi-
tion of the ground they were retiring over, and
blazing away fiercely in the direction of the sup-
posed enemy. Foiled in this quarter, the enemy
made a feint in another direction; and Lord Paulet
changing his front to the right, again sent out the
60th in skirmishing order. The latter, however,
soon closed in to their supports, and retired upon
the main body, but the enemy must have been re
pulsed by some means or other, for Lord Paulet had
oanlupt le leisure to reform his force at quarter distance
giiinneal aaldialignment,end:,
aa bgaetateerryalofaafilealtde artil-
lery being, as
the
before, on either flank. This
doneh ir original
, h
given, colours lowered to the gr ound, and the
Highness commandin
inspection was over. B • •
y direction of his Royal
ge officers were now called
to the front and addressd h s ortly by him in terms
generally eulogistic of
movements had been the manner in which the
pfor
ance of the men under theirmed
and of the appear-
command.
At 3 p.m, his Royal Highness inspected the