The Sun.
London, England, 1861-07-15 00:00:00

THI REVIEW.

The number of men who were to muster being
considerably over 10,000, the railway companies
were called upon to wake liberal special arrange-
ments ; but whether from the suddenness of the call,
or from a belief that the muster would not be so
very numerous, suet arrangements as had been
made did not give general satisfaction. The
various corps commenced their arrival upon the
ground shortly after four o'clock, the lead being
taken by the Victoria Rifles, which consisted
of six companies, !umbering about 350 men,
under the command of Major Whitehead ;
they formed in column, immediately facing the
Grand Stand, and mere speedily followed by the
29th, or North Middesex Rifles, under the com-
mand of Lieutenant-Colonel Viscount Enfield, num-
bering eight companbs, and about 500 men—both
these corps had reached the ground by means of a
special train via the rforth London and Hampstead
Junction Railways; the Inns of Court (Devil's
Own), under the conmand of Lieutenant-Colonel
Brewster, with six companies, amounting to 400
men ; the London Scottish, under the command of
Sir David Baird, its najor, to the number of about
500 ; and 450 men cf the 19th. under Lieutenant-
Colonel Bathurst, famed the first brigade, and on
its arrival was immediately placed under the com-
mand of his Grace the Duke of Wellington as
brigadier, and Major Nelson as brigade major.
This brigade, therefore, numbered in the aggregate
over 2,000 men.
The second brigade was formed in line of con-
tiguous columns on ;he left of the first, under the
command of Lieut.-Colonel Montague Hicks, of the
City of London Rifleßrigade ; Major Reilly, R.A.,
acting as his brigade major. This brigade con-
sisted of the London Rifle Brigade, numbering 12
companies and mustering about 700 of all ranks,
the command of the regiment being entrusted to
Major Rose and Captain and Adjutant Ewens ; the
London Irish, under the command of the Marquis
of Donegall as Lint-Colonel, assisted by Major
Verner, six companies, and 350 strong, formed the
second regiment ; the 12th Surrey, under Major
Cochrane, four companies, comprising 170 men, and
the St. George's, under the command of Lieut.-
Colonel Lindsey, foar companies, 220 men, with
whom were battalioned the Paddington, (36th
Middlesex) under command of Lieut.-Colonel Wood,
150 men ; the sth Essex, under the command of
Lieut.- Colonel Capper, eight companies, comprising
360 men ; the 40th Central (London) six companies,
300 men ; 7th Midlesex (Islington), under com-
mend of Captain Ebsworth, one company of 80 men,
and the 4th Surrey, Captain Sy mes, one company
of 54 men, making the aggregate strength of the
second brigade reach 2,384 of all ranks.
The third brigade, which eonstituted the re-
mainder of the first division, under the command of
Major-General Sir Richard Airey, K.C.8., was
composed of the following regiments :—The 37th
Middlesex, commanded by Major Jeakes, four com-
panies, comprising 200 men ; the 20th Middlesex,
under the command of Lieut.-Colonel Bigge, num-
bering eight companies, and over 500 men; Lord
Bury's Civil Service Regiment, six companiee of
450 rank and file, and two companies of the Artists'
Corps, under the command of Captain Phillips,
about 80 men to this may be added the two bat-
talions of the Queen's (Westminster); the first
being under the command of Major Russell, and
the second under that of Lord Gerald Fitzgerald ;
this corps consisted of 17 companies, and including
band and cadets, numbered 1,171 men. These regi-
ments formed together the third brigade, and num-
bered 2,400 men. It was placed under the com-
mand of Lord Colville as brigadier, and Captain
Vigors, of the 19th Regiment, as brigade major ;
this completing the First or Major-General Sir
Richard Airey's Division.
The first brigade of the second division, under
the supreme command of Major-General Sir J.
Yorke Scarlett, K.C.8., consisted of the Honourable
Artillery Company, viz., two batteries of Horse
Artillery with four guns, under the command of
Captain Jay, and six companies of the regiment,
under command of Major Robinson, comprising in
the whole above 400 men ; the First Middlesex
Engineers, under Co.. M'Leod of M'Leod, six com-
panies of about 300 rank and file ; to which were
added one company of the 32d Middlesex (Six Foot
Guards). under the Hon. T. C. Bruce, Captain
Commandant, numbering 60 men ; the 7th Surrey,
under Major Beresfard, six companies and 240
men ; the Ist Surrey, under command of Lieut.-
Colonel Macdonald, six companies of 350 men ;
with the 9th Essex, of two companies and 100,
making together the strength of the fourth brigade
reach 1,450 men. The brigadier of this brigade
was Viscount Ranelagh, Major Hume, Assistant
Inspector of Volunteers, acting as brigade major.
The fifth brigade was under the command of Earl
Grosvenor, and consisted of the let Middlesex
Artillery, six companies, and about 300 strong ;
the West Middlesex, 300, comprised in six com-
panies, under command of Lieutenant-Colonel Lord
Radstock, and the South Middlesex (Lord Rane-
lagh's Regiment), ten companies, mustering be-
tween 600 and 700 men, together about 1,300 men.
The sixth brigade was commanded by Lord Elcho
as brigadier, and Major Walker acting as brigade
major. It consisted of the 19th Surrey, six com-
panies and 300 men, under Major Roupell ; the
39th Middlesex (Finsbury), under Colonel Col-
ville, eight companies, and about 400 men ; the 26th
Middlesex. Her Majesty's Customs, three companies
under Major Grey. numbering about 160; the 2d
City of London, Spottiswoode's, two companies,
about 110 men ; the 2d Middlesex Administrative
Battalion (Highgate, Hampstead, and Hornsey),
under Major Wilkinson, four companies, about 160
men, and the 2d and 4th Tower Hamlets, 400
men, and the Ist Surrey Administrative Battalion,
mustering also about 400 men, making this brigade
amount to 1,930 rank and file. It will thus be seen
that the approximate strength of the volunteer
force upon the ground was about 11,500 men.
This, it will be admitted, was a very formidable
muster to be supplied exclusively by metropolitan
corps : but when, having filed off, each body took
its allotted station on the common, previous to the
manoeuvres, they appeared to be only so many, little
isolated squares on 931110 vast chess board. Wim-
bledon-common, which contains 1,800 statute acres,
and is nearly twice the size of the dusty Champs
de Mars, might with some little expense be made
an admirable parade ground for 100,000 men. Lord
Spencer, lord of the manor, is too good a volunteer
to throw any difficulties in the way, and the sur-
rounding copy holders who claim common rights
might be easily compounded with, as periodical
gatherings sech as that of Saturday must greatly
advance the value of the surrounding property.
Wimbledon, which was once an aristocratic retreat,
has latterly been completely opened up by the
railroads. Buildings of various classes are rapidly
springing up on every side, and the permanent
establishment of the common as a volunteer rifle
match and parade ground would be as advan-
tageous to the " surroundings " as the erec-
tion of the Crystal Palace has been to Syden-
ham and Norwood. The common is tolerably level,
and all that is required is draining to make it every-
thing that could be desired or expected so near
London.

completed the forces appeared in two lines of con-
When all the preliminary preparations were
con-
tiguoas quarter-distance columns facing the butts,
having the Grand Stand on the right, at some dis-
ppoasniytinn were
in on
oatance, and the road on the left. Tno mou.uted Ar-
tillery czjd guns of the Honourable Artillery Com-
pany
e extremeleft, and occupied a
leading from Wimbledon to
Kingston and Combe Wood. The moverpents were
commenced by the #rst line, fjornaed' of three bri-
gado i and the object of Lilo poops appeared to bel