The Sun.
London, England, 1863-07-15 00:00:00

The Prince and Princess of Wales at

Aldershot.

The grand day of the season at Aldershot was
yesterday, when the Prince and Princess of Wales,
accompanied by the Duke of Cambridge and the
Princess Mary, were present at a review of about
12,000 men of all arms, under the command of
Lieut.-General Sir J. L. Pennefather, K.C.B.
The troops present consisted of the cavalry bri-
gade, under Brigadier-General Hodge, and com-
prised the Royal Horse Guards Blue, 6th Dragoon
Guards (Carbiniers), the Ist Royal Dragoons, the
12th Royal Lancers, the 13th Hussars, and the
18th Hussars. The infantry consisted of the Ist
Brigade, comprising the Ist battalion Scots Fusilier
Guards, the 2d battalion of the Ist Royals, the 37th
Regiment, the 59th Regiment, and the 73d Regi-
ment, under the command of Major-General Brooke
Taylor. The 2d Brigade was under Brigade-
General Bates, and comprised the 2d battalion of
the 60th Rifles, the 76th Regiment, the 87th (Royal
Irish Fusiliers). The 34 Brigade, under Major.
General Russell included the Ist battalion of the 3d
(or Buffs), the Ist battalion of the 6th Regiment,
the Ist battalion of the 24th Regiment, and the 64th
(2d Staffordshire). The artillery consisted of the
H, G, and D batteries of the Horse Brigade, under
Colonel G. Gambier, C. 8., and the 4th Brigade,
under Lieutenant- Colonel E. Williams. consisted of
other bodies of artillery. The Royal Military Train
and other corps now in camp were also under arms.
All these troops left their quarters about 9 o'clock,
and proceeded to take up the ground assigned them
in the direction of Long Hill, where they remained
until the arrival of the Prince and Princess of Wales
and the other royal visitors.
A special train conveying their royal highnesses
left the private station at Vauxhall about 10 o'clock
and arrived at Farnborough shortly boom eleven.
Their royal highnesses then proceeded to the
camp, where they were received by Major-
General Pennefather, Lieut.-General Sir James
Yorke Scariett, Major-Gen. Taylor, Major-Gen.
Russell, Lieut.-Col. Clifton, Lieut.-Col. the Hon. H.
H. Clifford, and a numerous staff. On arriving at
the Prince's pavilion the royal party partook of lun-
cheon, and in a short time, accompanied by the staff,
proceeded to the high hill, known as Caesar's Camp,
there to witness the evolutions of the day. The
Prince of Wales wore his uniform as colonel of the
10th Hussars; but his royal consort was distin-
guished by a costume of a sombre hue. The two
princesses rode in a baroache drawn by four horses,
followed by a second carriage, in which were the
Marchioness of Carmarthen and the Countess of
Macclesfield.

As soon as the royal party had taken up their
position at Bricksbury-hill the troops proceeded to
march past, and this was perhaps the most gratify-
ing part of the day's proceedings, for seldom has so
grand a body of men been seen under arms since
the formation of the camp. The troops moved right
in frost, the cavalry leading at a trot, the infantry
in quick time in grand divisions at wheeling dis-
tance and in succession of regiments, the artillery
and other forces following. Their royal highnesses
were evidently delighted with the spectacle, which
was indeed of a very grand and imposing nature, so
far as the spectators were concerned ; though, no
doubt, the troops under arms would have been bet-
ter pleased had not the sun shone with that fer-
vency peculiar to the arid desert on which the
Aldershot camp is situated. The long, long line of
me❑ had defiled about one o'clock, and then pro-
ceeded to take up ground for the manoeuvres of the
day. A strong body of infantry advanced to the
front in the direction of Eelmoor• hill to feel for the
enemy, who were supposed to be advancing from
the direction of the Basingstoke Canal. To the
60th Rifles was naturally assigned their peculiar
duty as light infantry, and it was most gratifying
to see how quickly and gradually they extended
over the country in skirmishing order until they had
covered a considerable 'extent of ground. They were
supported by artillery on the hills at each flank, and
by bodies of infantry and cavalry. The enemy
apparently soon made his presence felt, for the de-
fending artillery, consisting of the siege train of
Armstrong guns, of which there were some 40 on
the ground, began pounding away from the
heights on which they were posted, and maintained
their fire with great vigour. The infantry advanced
in force; and it was soon evident that, as in actual
battle or in mimic warfare, no one would be able to
follow the whole line of operations, as the ground
covered by the troops comprised that delightful
succession of hill and dale which is well known to all
who have had the good fortune to be present at a
field day at Aldershot, and the necessary endurance
and perseverance to follow the troops in their
movements.

The Prince of Wales, it should be stated, took
leave of his royal consort after the march past, and
mounting his charger, rode away with General
Pennefather to witness the evolutions of the troops,
with whom he remained during the entire day.
The Princess of Wales and the Princess Mary left
their carriage and took shelter from the scorching
rays of the sun under a friendly bank, where
jealously guarded by a party of the garrison mili-
tary police, and under the charge of the Duke of
Cambridge, they witnessed the opening of the mimic
battle. As the tide of war rolled away from the
position they occupied their royal highnesses pro-
ceeded to the round reservoir, and, ascending the
slopes leading to the basin, they enjoyed the view
from this spot, and could not have failed to be
highly delighted with the magnificent spectacle be-
fore them. The Princess of Wales was conducted
by the Duke of Cambridge who repeatedly pointed
out to her royal highness the progress made by the
troops in repelling their imaginary foe. In about
a quarter of an hour it was necessary to take up
another position, and to do this the slope was to be
descended. The Princess of Wales at once tripped
lightly down, but the Princess Mary, more cautious,
accepted the assistance proffered her by an officer
in attendance, and reached the level ground by an
easier path. The royal ladies then proceeded in the
direction of Aldershot, but to do so had to ascend a
succession of hills, on which they lingered from
time to time to witness the evolutions proceeding
in the sandy plain below. The majority of the
spectators remained on the lofty hill known
as Caesar's Camp, whence as good a view of the ope-
rations was obtained as from any spot during the
day; for from this place, when the cavalry were not
in motion, a grand spectacle was seen, always
supposing that distance lent enchantment to the
view; but when the heavy and the light cavalry
changed ground, they raised such a cloud of dust
that themselves and all around them were com-
pletely obscured.
During the succeeding evolutions a succession of
grand and imposing scenes were presented. At
one time the spectators saw a magnificent line of
infantry, supported by their reserves, stretching
across the vale, and maintaining such a well-directed
and continuous fire, that bold, indeed, must have
been the troops who would have advanced under it.
The artillery all this time were pouring shell and
shot into the foe so fast and furiously that no ad- '
vance could be made, and the cavalry, hovering
around, were well in hand to take advantage of any
chance of dispersing a broken or scattered regiment.
So the day wore on, and soon after two o'clock it
was evident that the proceedings were drawing to
a close, for although a liberal allowance of ammu •
nition had been served out to the infantry, and the
artillery rejoiced in a double supply, the continual
firing they had kept t.p had nearly exhausted their
stores, The Horse Guards Blue and the Ist Royals
were now formed on the brow of a gentle decli-
vity, and in a short time the trumpet rang out the
advance, and, first at a trot, they advanced in
grand order across the plain; but, obedient to the
bugle call, they soon dashed into a gallop, and, it
may fairly be supposed, advanced with that bril-
liant and irresistible effect which has crowned the
fortunes of so mime, a glorious day; but the cloud
of dust about them was so dense it was impossible
to follow this brilliant feat of arms, and nothing re-
mained to the spectator but to await the subsidence
of this enveloping veil, and then the polished corslets
and helmets of the heavies were seen in the dis-
tance, the men having wliceied and formed in en
imposing line in the rear of the foe. This was thF
last iuteresiirg feature of the day, and in a short
time the leaders of the Royal carriages were