The Sun.
London, England, 1862-07-14 00:00:00

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THE SUN, LoNporz, MONDAY EVENI Cr, JULY 14, 1862.

GRAND VOLUNTEER REVIEW AND
SHAM FIGHT AT WIMBLEDON.

deep to breast high. Beyond this ravine are the
butts used for rifle practice, and beyond the butts
are fern and furze thickly intermingled.
The second division, constituting the defending
force, was posted with its right upon the well-
known windmill, at the back of the enclosure and
close to the Kingston•road, where it extended
across the ravine, reaching away between and in
rear of the butts, till its left rested upon the Robin
Hood-road. Tne line thus formed faced the west,
and appeared to be strongly posted with two 18-
pounder guns on either flank. The position of the
attacking force, partly lost behind the hills, could
not be quite so clearly defined; but it appeared to
extend from the gravel-pits to the right of the
Kingston-road) and external to the enclosure, where
its strength was densely massed as far as Coomb-
wood, beyond the butts, and parallel with the ex-
treme left of the second division. The defending
force was strongly posted to the left, and in' the
centre they were comparatively weak to their ex-
treme right. Their left was first attacked from
Coomb-wood, and the thunder of their 18-pounders,
as well as a sharp fire of musketry, was at once
turned in that direction, for the purpose of repel-
ling the attack. It soon appeared, however, that
the attack was a ram feint, for suddenly their right
was exposed to a galling fire from the infantry of
the enemy as well as from his artillery, Gen. Airey
having brought the whole of his guns to bear upon
this point. The right wing of the 2d division en-
deavoured to hold their own, but the odds were too

After them came sthe Second Brigade, headed by
Lord Ranelagh, who was cheered with a cordial
cheer along the whole line, and seemed to enjoy it.
The Inns of Court—or Devil's Own—received a
special complimentary cheer, as did also the South
Middlesex (Lord Ranelagh's Own)—the Victorias,
the Civil Service, the St. George's, the Artists', the
40th Middlesex, and some other corps, all forming
part of the First Division.

-
To have expected at Wimbledon, on Saturday, a
vast assemblage of spectators, such as that which
crowded together to witness the great historical
review in Hyde•park two years ago, when 20,000
men were reviewed by her Majesty in person, sur-
rounded by her court, by foreign ambassadors, by
both houses of Parliamont, by the elite of the aris-
tocracy, and the middle classes—and when some
800,000 people gazed upon a spectacle which had
long been anticipated as one of great national im-
portance—would have been absurd. For in addi-

The Second Division was headed by Sir J. Y.
Scarlett, the Artilleiy following ; the First In-
fantry Brigade being led by Lord Elcho, who rode
a magnificent charger, which seemed more alive to
the cheering than Lord Elcho himself ; for his
lordship rode by stiff and stately, looking neither to
the right nor to the left, but only forward, and
with defiant mien as became so great a warrior.
The London Scottish (Lord Elcho's Own) received
an ovation, so did the Queen's Westminsters and
the City of London, whilst the Ist Administrative
Battalion (Tower Hamlets), the 19th Middlesex (or
Working Men's College), and some other corps were
loudly cheered for their firm compact appearance
and regular step.
Just before the last sections of the first division
defiled the rain, which had so far held itself in sus-
pense, came down plentifully, and continued to do
so till everything was over, so that the men
got well drenched. There was a general
outspreading of umbrellas among the spectators,
and the Duke of Cambridge, who, remembering his
experience at last year's review, had come provided,
donned his military cloak and sat out the storm
like a statue. The marching past, which commenced
about half-past seven, finished at a quarter-past
eight, and five minutes later his Royal Highness
and suite were galloping over the heath, by a short
cut towards Putney, in which direction, as well
as towards Wimbledon, the road was speedily
blocked by throngs of vehicles, strong bodies of
volunteers, and hosts of spectators making the best
of their way, amid wet and mud, to the railway
stations. Here some little delay, which might pos-
sibly have been obviated, arose in some instances,
but on the whole the arrangements for conveyance
to town were perhaps as good and as regular as
could be expected.

tion to the disparity of this review and that, in
their national and more important aspect, there was
this fact operating to the advantage of Hyde-park
and the disadvantages of Wimbledon; that while
the one took place at a distance from the
metropolis rand for the most part within an
enclosed area, to which admission could be ob-
tained only by payment, the other was easy of
access and freely open to all comers. Nevertheless,
Wimbledon drew to itself a great concourse of
people. It was known that the active operations
of the review would not begin till five or six
o'clock; but long before one the arrival of specta-
tors commenced, carriage after carriage succeeded,
and horseman followed horseman, while two
streams of pedestrians poured down from the
Putney and Wimbledon railway stations, and long
before a single volunteer corps had marched in,
the iron hurdles and ropes which marked out the
iapacexeserved for the public were lined by specta-
tors several files:deep along their whole length, and
behind these long rows of carriages, three, four, or
five deep, stretched out, in an almost endless per-
spective. The grand stand, too, although not more
than half filled—and from the admission charge
more could hardly have been expected—had an
effective appearance, and altogether, the attendance
was greater than might have been anticipated, after
the heavy rains of the night and frequent storms
of the morning, which made the common in many
parts unpleasantly damp and plashy. It is some-
what difficult to estimate the number of spectators
present, as well as, in the absence of official returns,
to compare it with that of last year ; but so far as
eye and memory may be relied upon, the grand
stand was occupied in both instances to about the
same extent, while the number of carriages and
spectators generally was considerably larger this
year than last, Saturday's aggregate probably being
from 20,000 to 25,000. It should be remarked
here that last year everything tended to increase
the particular attraction of the review, for the
day was gloriously fine until after the commente-
ment of operations, which were preceded by the
ceremony of the distribution of prizes by the
Duke of Cambridge—a ceremony offering no mean
attraction of its own, and which this year, as a
separate and distinct feature of the Grand
National Rifle contest, takes place at the Crystal
Palace. Those who wish to witness itmust go to the
Crystal Palace to-day. Possibly had it been com-
bined with the review, as was the case last
year, the attendance at Wimbledon on Satur-
day might have been greater than it was. The vo-
lunteer corps first upon thegrouna was the Ist Mid-
dlesex Artillery, which arrived about 4 o'clock,
and was rapidly succeeded by the London Scottish,
the 3d City of London, and others following each
other as quickly as they could be brought down by
railway, and marching at a quick step to the sound
of military music.
Some staff officers were among the first arrivals,
but the Duke of Cambridge himself did not appear
till about five o'clock, his arrival being intimated by
the discharge of a cannon and the hoisting of the
royal banner to the top of the flag-staff in front of
the grand stand. His royal Highness was loudly
cheered, and was speedily surrounded by a brilliant
staff, including Major-Gen. :Sir R. Airey, K.C.8.,
Major-Gen. the Hon. Sir J. Y. Searlett, K.C.B. ;
Col. M'Murdo, Inspector-General of Volunteers ;
Col. Erskine, Col. Luard, Col. Morris, Col. Manners,
Col. Dick; Capt. Bomer, Hampshire Light Horse;
Capt. Barnes, Ist Huntingdon Light Horse, &c.
As the volunteer corps arrived, they were rapidly
brigaded and placed in position; but it was fully 6
o'clock before the last corps came upon the ground.

decidedly 'against theti. First their skirmishing
parties were driven in ; then battalion after batta-
lion fell back, till suddenly the foe charged; the
defenders retreated, and were hotly pursued; the
gallant Devil's Own climbed over the wooden fence
which runs along the Kingston-road, and com-
menced a well-directed fire upon the enemy across
the ravine, while two of their guns were carried at
a gallop round the extreme end of the ravine nor-
therly, and planted on an advantageous position
beyond. It was abundantly clear now that Sir R.
Airey had cleverly turned Sir J. Scarlett's right,
that the latter were receding, after so many recent
examples across the Atlantic, for strategic reasons,
and that he stood every chance of being defeated.
Just at this moment a group of flashing uniforms
was seen galloping over the crest of the hill beyond
and down the ravine, which led to an impression
upon the minds of many spectators that the officers
of the 2d division were like the heroic 600 at Bala-
klava—rushing upon destruction. But the group
galloped on and crossed the ravine, when it was
found to be composed of the Duke of Cambridge
and his staff making their way from the field of
battle beyond the hills to the plains of Wimbledon,
upon which as yet no rifle had been fired But its
hour was coming, for as soon as the Inns of Court
had scampered over the fence, they threw them-
selves among the brushwood on the east side of the
ravine, from which they poured a continuous and
deadly fire upon the retreating enemy, who in con-
sequence retreated farther still. Then came the
gallant 2d City of London, the 2d South Middlesex,
and other battalions in hot pursuit, till both sides
of the ravine were filled with glancing heads;
rifles cracked in every direction, and small wreaths
of smoke curled heavenward from the covert of a
thousand brambles, or the sheltered screen of wild
brier, while the artillery thundered on both sides ;
men and spectators alike grew excited, and every-
thing was as like as possible to the appearance of
an actual battle field, with the happy exception
that there were no wounds and no bloodshed. A
non-commissioned officer belonging to one of the
Middlesex corps, after giving the word to his men
to "fire and look sharp," turned to us and said,
",This is just like Inkerman." " What," we asked,
" were you there ?" " Yes, I should think I was,
and this ravine is just like it." " But not the
battle," we said, " there were no blank cartridges
at Inkerman." " No, indeed there were not," and
he smiled sadly. " But still this is very much like
Inkerman, only there the oak scrub was thicker,
and came up to our chins." Having said this, he
and his men rushed on to take a more advanced
position, for the foe was sullenly falling back upon
Wimbledon, driven in at all points; but still, like
brave men, the second division contested every inch
of ground, and fired rifle for rifle. The contest
along the sides of the ravine, which lasted for about
half-an-hour, was strikingly and beautifully pic-
turesque, and there was, besides, so much of reality
about it; nevertheless, no one on the grand stand
could get a glimpse of it, nor probably did one-
twentieth part of the spectators get even an inkling
of what was going On in this direction. And, in
truth, it required a little nerve, even for a gentleman
of the:press "to mix in the melee," for although
the cartridges were blank, the simultaneous dis-
charge of 500 or 600 rifles within a few yards was
by no means musical to ears not accustomed to be
deafened by the roar of the battle field, besides
which inconvenience it was just possible that a
cartridge might have wandered waywardly, or that
some irascible officer might have regarded us as
spies, and handed us over to the tender mercies of
the provost-marshal. However we dared it all, and
reaped our reward in witnessing the gallant exploit
of the Devil's Own and the South Middlesex.

We cannot conclude without remarking upon the
excellent arrangements and good conduct of the
police, 170 of whom have been encamped at Wim-
bledon throughout the past fortnight, under the
control of Superintendents Walker and Butt,
assisted by Inspectors Penfold, S. Fyfe, &c. ; nor
without expressing a general approbation of the
railway arrangements during the same period.

About 10,000 rank and file had been expected,
and probably over 9,000 were actually present.
The Ist division, under Sir R. Airey, comprised
two guns of the Horse Artillery and four guns of
the Foot Artillery, and the Ist brigade of infantry
also comprised the Hon. Artillery Company, under
the Duke of Wellington, 400 strong.
The 2d brigade was under the command of Lord
Ranelagh, and consisted of the Inns of Court Rifles,
under Lieut.-Col. Brewster, 350; South Middlesex
(Lord Ranelagh's Own), 450; the North Middlesex,
Lieut.-Col, Whitehead, 300; and the 26th Middle-
sex (Customs), under Lieut.-Col. Grey.
The 3d brigade, commanded by Lord Colville,
Col. of the Hon. Artillery Company, comprised the
2d City of London and 4th Middlesex (Lord Truro's)
and Islington Rifles combined, 200 ; Victoria Rifles,
300 ; Ist Middlesex Engineers and Six Foot Guards
united, 350; and 2d, Bth, and 9th Tower Hamlets
united 350 ; Ist battalion of Essex Rifles, 300 ; and
the 46th Middlesex (Lieutenant-Colonel Sir John
Shelley, Bart.)
The fourth brigade was under the command of
Lieutenant. Colonel Lord Radstock, and wes com-
posed of the West Middlesex 300, the Ist Surrey,
under Lieutenant-Colonel M'Donald, 400; the St.
George's, under Lieutenant-Colonel Lindsay, 300 ;
the Paddington, under Lieutenant-Colonel Wood,
200 ; the 20th Middlesex, Lieutenant-Colonel
Bigge, 300.
sth Brigade, under the Marquis of Donegal :
The 4th and 6th Tower Hamlets, under Lieutenant
Colonel Money, 300 ; the London Irish, under
Major Verner, 250; the Civil Service, under Lord
Bury, with two companies of the 38th Middlesex
(Artists), under Captain Lewis, 400 ; and the 48th
Middlesex, or Central London Rifle Rangers, of
whom Sir. J. Y. Scarlett is colonel, 200.

Following the movements of the contending armies,
we found them at length both massed upon the level
open common within the enclosure, so that the spec-
tators generally could now, for the first time, see
all that passed, instead of having their view limited
to the smoke from cannon and rifles, and some in-
distinct traces of bodies of volunteers, either actu-
ally engaged or waiting for the moment to become
so. Column after column of the retreating force
debouched upon the plain, followed by the columns
of the enemy, until two hostile lines were formed,
extending from east to west, some three-quarters of
a mile, with artillery belching forth fire and smoke
on the flanks, and a ceaseless fire of musketry along
the whole extent. Sometimes they fired in file, the
rifle flashes running from end to end of these long
lines with an unintermittent rattle, while at other
times a simultaneous volley lit up the interval be-

The Second Division, under Major-General Sir J.
Yorke Scarlett, consisted of two 18-pounder guns of
position with two others of smaller calibre, and two
companies of the Ist Middlesex Artillery, altogether
200 men.

tween pursuers and pursued with one long pale
flash of light, succeeded by a cloud of smoke and
silence, till the crash of the heavy guns once more
boomed over the field, shaking the whole atmos-
phere, and making the distant woods roar with its
echoing till 'Wimbledon and Putney, and far off
Kew and Richmond might have imagined that a
great battle was in progress, the result of which
might decide the destinies of a kingdom. The spec-
tacle as viewed from the grand stand was magnifi-
cent, and there were few spectators who were not
sorry when the firing ceased, and when it was under-
stood that General Scarlett, despite his bravery and
his skill, despite the strength of his original posi-
tion and the valour of his troops, had been over-
powered in the contest, and compelled, for " stra-
tegic reasons," to retire to the village of Wimbledon.
Not that the gallant commander of the second
division had actually done so, for he was immedi-
ately afterwards employed in the task of marshall-
ing his brigades for the " marching past," which
was to finish the review, and preparatory to which
the Duke of Cambridge and his staff took up their
position at the saluting post in front of the grand
stand, where they were joined by Lord Radnor
and the Earl of Cardigan. Here, too, the duke,
turning round, perceived that among the occu-
pants of the stand was the Duke of Magenta, to
request whose company he forthwith despatched an
aide-de-camp. The French marshal immediately
proceeded to the spot, where he was cordially sa-
luted by the English Commander-in-Chief, amid the
cheers of the spectators, and where he remained
while the volunteers defiled past in companies at
wheeling distance.
At the head of the First Division came Sir R.
Airey, followed by the guns of the Hon. Artillery
Company. Then came the Hon. Artillery Com-
pany itself, amid the general burst of cheering
which usually greets the appearance of that splen-
did body of volunteers, who marched like one man,

Ist Brigade of Infantry, commanded by Lord
Elcho :—The London Scottish, commanded by
Major Sir D. Baird; the 37th Middlesex, 200; the
39th Middlesex, under the new Lieutenant-Colonel,
Penton, 300 ; the 2d Administrative Battalion of
Middlesex Rifles, Lieutenant-Colonel Wilkinson;
the 7th and 12th Battalion united, 209 ; let City of
London Rifle Volunteer Brigade, under command of
Lieutenant-Colonel Warde, 700 ; 3d London, under
Major Richards, 350, and the 10th, 23d, and Ist and
2d Administrative Be.ttalions of Surrey Rifles.
Second Brigade, commanded by Lieut.-Colonel
Lord Grosvenor, comprised the following regiments:
—The Queen's (Westminster) 900 strong; the Ist
Administrative Battalion of Tower Hamlets Rifles,
300 ; and the 19th Middlesex (or working Men's
College) 400. There were some few other corps,
but the names did not transpire. The Cavalry con-
sisted of Lord Truro's and the I.st Surrey Light
Horse.

About a quarter past six the craok of a few rifles
in the distance indicated that the operations had
commenced ; but to enable the re ader to compre-
hend the movements which follov red, it is neces-
sary briefly to describe the ground. South and
east, 'Wimbledon-common is a dead, level, undulat-
ing to the north and hilly to the west, with a deep
ravine dividing it midway, runnin g from north to
south, the
rses considerably higher to the
north end of the ravine, beyond wl Lich the ground
i
Kingston-road intersecting it at the
'west than to the
east, and falls away with a sharp it Lclination. The
ravine itself is clear of underwood at the bottom ;
but on both sides,
, brambles, wild briar,
honeysuckle, and oak scrub, var ying from knee
spreading to Ole very top, is a
thick growth of fern, furze

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