The Sun.
London, England, 1803-11-19 00:00:00

INVASIQN.

• 1T E' following Instreions were drawn -op by
General WOl, VE, in 1755, when Britain was
tt.,reateoc4l with an lovasion .by the French. They
were designed for the use of the 26th Rrgiment of
Foot; then stationed at Canterbury ; and, as they
are calculated to he of infinite service to the Army
in general, and to raw Troops in particular, . the
puWication of them 41 the present junaure, when
our Coasts arc again Menacettby'ilic Enemy, seems
to be particularly proper ; and as they come from
so high ;in authority, recommended by a name
which every British' Officer Must, hold in yene.
ration, we have not a doubt but they will experience
that attention to which they are unquestionably en..
titled

W!toev,.r shall throw away his arms in anion,
wl,"ther Officer, Non.cntninisiioned Officer, or Sol.
dier, uule4t it apl cars that -they are so damaged as
to be useless, either under 'pretence of taking up
others of a better mat, e)r 1.4 any cause whatsoever,
must expeft to be tried by a General Court Martial
for the crime.

If a' Srjeant leaves the platoon he, is ,appointed
to, or does not take upnn him the immediate corn.
maild of it, in case the Officer falls, such Serjeant
Will be tried for his life, as soon -as a Court Mar.
tiaVcan be conveniently assembled. Neither Offi-
cer, Ntin.commissioned Officer, nor Soldier, is to
leave his platoon, or abandon the Colours, for a
alight wound. While a man is able to do his duty,
and can stand, and hold' his arms, it is infamous to
retire. •

he 'flattylon is. OW to halloo, or cry out, upon
any account whatsoever, sslthough the rest of the
troops should do it, till they are ordered to charge
-with their bayonets ; in that cote, and when they
are Upon the point of rushing upon the enemy, the
Battalion may give a warlike shout, and rush. in..
Before the battle begins, and whilst the Battalion
is marching towards the enemy, -the Officer COM-
111.4hillIg a Platoon is to be at the head-of his men,
looking ftequent 1y back upon them to see that they
are in order ; the Serjeant, in the mean while, taking
his place in the intervSl; and-the Officers are not to
go to the flanks of the Platoon, till they hive their
orders, or a signal so to do, froM the Commanding
Officerof the Battalion ; and this will only be given
a little before the'adion begins.
If the .B.,ttalion 1;e crowded -at any time,
or-confined in their ground, the Captain or Officer
commanding a grand division may order his
center platoon to
,fall back, till the -Saltation can
extend itself again, so as to take• up its usual
ground.
All the Officers upon -the left of the colours are to
be upon the left of 'their platoon ; the Captain of
the piquet is to be ut,on the left of his.piquet, and
the Ensign in the centre. Every-grand division,
eonsistiog ref 016 Cot paniesas they now ire, is to'
be.rold off' into three plantoons, ttv:be commanded
by a Captain, a Lieutenant, anti an Ensign,. with a
Serjeant to each. The rest of the- OffiCers, and
I'4on-commissioned Officers, are to be diStributed in
the rear, to complete ,the files, to keep the men to'
their duty, acid-to supply the place of the Officers
anti Set-jeants that .may be killed or dangerously.
wounded.

• Every Musqueteer is to have a couple of spare'
balls, an excellent flint in his piece, another or two
in his poudi,' and as moth ammunition as he cart,
tarry.
A Soldier that takes his musquet off his shoulder,
rod pretends to begin the Battle without order, will,
be-put to death that instant. The cowardice or ir.'
regular proceeding of one or two man is enough to
put a whole Battalion in danger.
A Soldier that quits his rank, or offers to fiy, is
to be instantly put to death by the Officer who tom_
ounds the Platoon, or by the Officer or Serjeant in
she rear of that Platoon. A Soldier does !wide.
nerve to live, who will not fight for his King and

' mers 'are to
,stay with their respective, Cottipsnits,
and, to assist the woutuied. men.
Every oftierr, and every non-commissioned officer,
is to.keep strictly at his post and platoon, from the
beginning to the end, of an attion, and to preserve
all ,possible order and obedience. The confusion
occasioned by the loss of men, ant the noise of the
artillery and musquerry, tvillrequire every Officer's
istrktest attention to do his duty., When the files
of a platoon are disordered by the loss of men, they
are • to be completed afresh with all expedition,
in which the:Officers and non.commissiOned Officers
in ,the rear are .to be aiding aura assisting. Officers
are -not
_to go ' from ooe part of. the Battalion to
another without orders, , upon :,any pretence what.
ever. ; :•
The eight Companies-0(k Battalion arenever,
to pursue the. Enemy without particular order so to
do; .the Piquet. anti Grenadiers will be detached
for that purpose, and. the Battalion is to march in
good order to support them.
,If the 'firing.is order.
ed to begin by the platotins, tither &OM the wings
or from the centre, it is 'to proceed in a regular
manner till the Enethy is defeated, or till the signal.
is giyen to attack them with the bayonets. It we
attack ,a body less in extent than the Battalion,. the
olatoons in. the wings most lake care to direa their.
fire: obliqoely, so ati to—strike the Enemy. The.
05fiter is ro inform the SAdier of his platoon,' be.
fore the action begins, where . they are to direct
their fire,..and they are tO take good care to destrOy
their adversaries. There is no necessity for firing
very fast; a cool, well levelled fire, With, the pieces
carefully loaded, is much more destrunive and for.;
inidAhle than the quickest fire in confusion.
The Soldiers .are to take their orders from the
Officer of the Platoon, and he is to give them with
all possible coolness and resolution.
.Ifa, Battalion in a front line should give way, and
retire in disorder towards the 'second line, every
other Platoon, or every other Company is to march
forward a little, leaving intervals open for the dis.
ordered troops.to pass through—and after they are
. gone. by, the .Battalion forms in one front, and
moves forward to:take post in the first line, from
whence the broken,Battaltoo retired.,
If a Battalion on eithe,r;,tiank giyes way and is de-
feated, the Piquet -nr!,q.retiadier Company which.
ever it may happen,to beils tO fall back immediately,
without any confusion, to protal. that-flank of 'the
Regiment, ,
The misbehaviour of any Corps will not area
the Battalion, .becattse the Officers are determiried
to give the strongest proofs of their fidelity, zeal,
and courage, in which the Soldiers will second theta
with their usual spirit. ,
If the orders of Battle be such (and the Country.'
admits of it), that it is necessary to make breaches
in the Enotny's Line for the Cavalry to fall in upon
them, the Grand Division of the Regiment are to
form a ,firing column of three Platoons in• depth,-
which are to march forward, and 'pierce 411 e .Erie.
tny.',s Battalion in four places, that the Cavalry he..
hind us may get in amongst them and destroy them.
In such, an attack, Ords, the first of the three Pla.
worts should' fire, and immediately present their
bayonets and charge. TheSe lciur Bodies are to be
careful nor to run into -one another 'in their' attack,
butto preserve the intervals at a proper distance.
All the attacks in the night' are to be made 'with
bayonets, unless, when troops are posted 'with no
other design than to alarm, harrass" or fatigue the'
enemy,` by firing at "their outTosts; or into their
camp. _ ,
. _ _

entrenchmentsli o.r'redoubts are to be defended
obstinately, the fire is to begin in ireguiir manner;
when the enemy is within shot, or about two,hun.
(40 yards, and to continue till they approach very
near ; and when the troops perceive that they endea.
vont' to get over the parapet, they are to fix their
bayonets and make a bloody resistance.

All parties that are intended to fire upon Ali e
Enemy's columns of march, upon their advanced
guard, or their rear; arc to' post themselves so as
to be able to annoy the'enemy without danger, and
to cover themselves with slight breast. works of
sod behind the hedges, .Ur With trees, and walls; or
ditches, of any other protection, that, if the enemy
return,thefire, it mardo no miscflief,.These little
patties to. keep their posts till the' enemy Oreparei to
attack with a superiority ; upon which they are to.
return to some other place of the same kind, and
fire in the. Same manner • constantly retiring when
they Are pushed. , But when a considerable detach-,
ment of foot is posted to sonny the enemy 'on their'
march, with orders to retire when attacked by 'a
superior force, the country behind is.to be carefully
examined, and,some.parties sent off Carly to post
themselves in the most advantageous manner to
cover the retreat of 'the. rest—this is always to be
done in.all situations when a considerable body is
ordered to retire... _ •

If an Enttenclunent is to be attacked, the Troops
should move as quick as poisible towards the place,
not in line, but in little firing columns of three or
four platoons in depth, with small patties. between
each column ; who are to fire at the top of the pa.
raper, when the columns approach, to divert the
Enemy's fire, and to facilitate their passing the
illicit, and scrambling over the parapet, which they
must endeavour to do without loss oftime. It I,
to very little purpose to fire at men who are covered
with an entrenchment, but by attacking in the man.
ner above mentioned one may hope to succeed.

If the. seat al war should be in. this strati in.
closed Country, it will be managed chiefly by
are, 'and every inch of ground that proper fol. de.
fence.disputed with the .enemy, in whioh case the
soldiers will soon perce.ive the advantage of level:.
ling their
,pieces poperly, an 4, they will 'likewise
discover the use .of several evolutions, that they
may now be at a loss to comprehend. The greater
facility they have at moving from place to •platei
and frotri:one enclosure to another (either, together
or in separate bodiesl, without. confusion .and
order, the .essier they will fall upon. the, enemy,
with advantage, or, rJtiru when it is proper 110 so
do j sometimes to draw the enemy into a itifigerOUS
position—at other times
.to take pout-Asian of new
places of defence, 'that .will he constantly ptcpated
behind . them.
If the Battalion •attacks .another of nearly equal

extent, whose lianks,are•not covered, the grout,.
diets anklyique_t' 9iloy ..be.o.r4re4 dcrich thttn.
ag\d, lurrntind the • enemy, .by attacking ,the
and rears white the eight companies charge- in.
front. The grenadiers and piquet should therefore
be accustomed to these sort of tuoverprr,ga thatthey may execute their orders with a ireidgiarof
expedition.

If the Batalion.is to attack another Battalion of
equal,force, anti of like number.of ranks, and the
Country be quite open, it is highly probable that,
after firing a few rounds, they will be commanded to
charge them with their•bayoners, for which* the Of
andpinen shoul'd be prepared.

. -
If the Centre of 'the Battalion is attacked by a
Column; the wings mist be. extremely careful to
fire obliquely—and that part oldie B4ttalion against
which the Column marches, must reserve their fire;
and .if they haye time, to put two or three bulletsln
their pieces,. it must be done. When the COlUmn,
is within abcfruclvrenty yardS, they-must fire
good aim, which will necessarily stop them .1 tittle.
This body may then prep from the centre, and retire
by files towarch the wings
.0 the itrgiment, while
the neiglibburing Platoons wheel to the right 414-
left, and either fire, inlierite.lbaded, or close up,
and charge with-their bayoriets. •

If a body of foot is, posted behind a hedge,
ditch, 'or wall, and being attacked by a operior
force, ii 'ordered to retire, the bodies shoed Move
off by. files, in one or more lines, as perperulicular
ai possible to the posts they :leave, that whecrthe
enemy ..extend, themselves to fire through the
hedges,: the °Nett to firee-lit may be as small as _
possible, and the march of,:the retiring body as
quick as possible.: _ - •
The death of an Officer, commanding a Company
or platoon, should be no excuse for the Confusion
or misbehaviour of the platoon; for, while there-
is an Officer, or now.commissiooed Officer left alive,
no man, is to abandon his coloura,and. betray. his
country.
'The loss of the Field Officers. will he. supplied (if
it should happen) by therewterit3s, who will execute
the plan oral; regiment .witirlionour.
If the battalion should haie the misfortune to be
invested in their quarters (or. in a post• which they
are not cominanded to defend) bk a great superi.
ority,' they have but one remedy, which is to pierce ,
the Enemy's lines in the night, and get Off. In this
case the battalion attacks with their ranks and-filet
closed, and with their bayonets fixed, anti withbut
firing a. shot. They will be Wined in order of at
tack, suited to the, place they .are. int the troops
they- are to charge, and the nature of the country
through which they are to, pits.
If the battalion attacks the Enemy's camp or
quarters in the night, ail possible means will be
used, no doubt, to suril'rise them ; but if they are
foUrid in arms, they ate to:be vigorously attacked
withtlic-bayonets. It-is needless to think of firing
in the night, because of the confusion it creates;aod
the uncertainty of hitting- any ()Ned in the dark.
A column that receives the Enemy's fire and falls
inunedia:ely hi among them, must necessarily defeat
them, and create very great disorder in iltekarmy.

FRMALP HRROlSM.—Saturday night last a.gang
of villains, by means of picklock .keys, entered
the maltphuuse of Mr. HIGHWAY, •at Broadwaters,
near Kidderminster, and were proceeding to. carry
Off a large quantity .of milt, when a punter dog,
Confined in. some adjoining premises, awakened, by
his barking, the servant girl; and on ker getting
up to ,the window, and waiting a short time, she
perceived several men coming out olthemalt.house,
each with a' bag of malt on his shoulder ; she in-
,
stantly alarmed the man
,servant, and her master
and mistress, and then went, do-wn stalls, took a
fowling.piect.. (which was regularly,' kept charged),
marched to the, foid.yard, and tired upon the rob.
inrs, who inunediately.threw down their malt, ran
away, and unfortun3tely .escaped, though pursued
by the whet past of the ImPilY• Their left on th'l
road three hags filled withnalt; one of the bags is
marked, which it;; hoped:May lead to‘the detctlion
of the villain,.
~15tf

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