Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-09-20
Liz IN the British Army.

| - ~. q s..I
| Life In the British Army.
A court martial recently sat for about fort
night at Windsor, to try sundry charges against
a young officer of the 46th regiment. The re,
ports Of its proceedings have occupied daily a
! large space in the London journals, and have
embodied too much matter of very trifing in
terest to be generally read at least on this side
of the Atlantic. The testimony has at last
been closed, although no verdict had been rem
dered at our last advices. Facts, however,
| have been elected of good deal of interest as
illustrating the habits of life and conduct which
| have prevailed among officers in certain regi-
| ments of the British army. The charges against
Lieutenant Perry were founded on very triling
matters; the gst Of them was that he had
made false statements concerning language
used by his superior officer, one Col Garrett.
| 1t seems that Lieutenant Perry had been sys-
tematically made the object of those personal
annoyances which, with q certain class of col
lege students and other silly young men, gem
/ orally pass for practical jokes and that he had
made complaint Of them to Col. Garrett By
this course he naturally incurred the enmity Of
| his fellow officers, and he was, moreover, as he
The colonel denied having used this language,
/
| for having asserted the contrary.
The following extract from Lieutenant Per
ry's defense is interesting, as giving a pathetic
description of the position of young friend
less, and sensitive young man in the British
service
| aWhen first Joined the 10th, was 20 years
of age. 1t was on the l4th of April 1853, that
came fresh from my tutor to the barracks
Ny father was then serving his country as on
officer in the Royal Irish Fusileers, in India. /
had no friends nor near relations who were in
terested in me; and was placed in the regi
ment to fight my own way through the world,
with the limited pay of an ensign, and such
slight pecuniary assistance as my father could
afford me out of his pay. As officers, you must
see that was not a rich man. had none of
the advantages which wealth commands, and
was therefore, unable to support the charac-
ter Of q fast man, consistently with that of an
honorable one. On the contrary, was neces-
sarily debarred from many pleasures and many
comforts which gladly saw others enjoy. Ny
time ], however, occupied, not in low debauch-
cry, not in drunkenness and riot not in dis
turbing the comfort and wounding the feeling
| of my brother officers by practical Jokes, as
some have endeavored TO insinuate, but in the
study of my profession and during the short
period have been in the regiment, have rem
dered myself tolerable conversant with fortifi-
cations and other branches of the service.
have occupied my leasure hours chiefly in the
improvement of my mind and in the cultivation
of music, drawing, and the modern languages !;
and did look forward TO the time when might
have served my queen as brave and able Off
Ger.
No sooner had Joined the regiment than
| became the object of continued indignties and
annoyances. was pulled out of my bed, and
on many occasions made to 90 through the
sword exercise in state of nudity. Ny shirt
was torn from my back was beaten with an
umbrella; was compelled by force to get into
my tub; and these indignities were practised
upon me not merely in the presence of officers,
but privates in the regiment were witnesses Of
the proceedings. experienced for some time
these degradations, aud asked the advice Of
an older officer, who told me to put up with
such treatment as well as could until younger
officers joined, when l should be relieved. j
was not, however relieved, and at last com.
planned 10 officers of the regiment-to Major
Maxwell and even to my commanding officer
and met with no redress. would cbeerfully
have submitted TO any fair share of annoyance;
but there is a limit to human forbearance, and
to the forbearance Of a friendless subaltern.
On the last occasion which occurred dressed
in full uniform, and came down between two
and three in the morning, insisting on seeing
Col Garrett, when j was met in the passage,
and threatened even with personal violence IL
reported, and / was prevented from entering the
room in which the colonel and others we're re.
calling themselves. ! sent in written letter,
through the colonel to the General of the Dis
trict, reporting the conduct of the officers to-
wards me, the next day. He called me id
fool for reporting anything 10 my commanding
officer, and added, was just like child escaped
from my mothers apron-strings. But / was
earnestly entreaied by several OF my brother
officers TO forbear, and / was asked by Colonel
Garrett il / wished the letter TO go before the
general and replied, did not wish to ruin
any mans prospects, and would be satisfied If
COL Gsrret would give him such reprimand
as would cause all future annoyance to cease.
consulted on many occasions with Paymaster
Corcoran. He advised me to put up with the
indignities, and pointed out the course should
pursue in applying TO the general Of the dis
| trict. And when / found that the complaint
to my commanding officer was treated with
scorn, and was called a fool for my pains,
likened unto child escaped from his mothers
apron strings, | felt overwhelmed, and went
Immediately TO Mr. Corcoran, and told him the
reception had met with from Colonel Garrett,
how had threatened TO report to the general
of the district, and how ] had consented to for.
bear. Ever since my determination to resist
the personal attack upon me became known,
have been treated with GOODNESS, and my So
ciety Stunned. | became marked man
thenceforth." a
In speaking Of the result Of the trial, the
London Times says that the evidence for the
prosecution completely broke down, and adds:
"The whole trial, however, is too disgusting
and disgraceful. The officers Of the 46th have
contrived to lower the character of British
officer in the public estimation for many years
to come. An English barrack seems 10 be q
something between brothel and a cockpit,
as cockpiis we're half century ago. - Pits.
burg Post, Friday.