New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-07-17

In the good old times when Lord +. Somerset
made his debut in life, there we're no Admins
trative Reform Associations to pop impertinent
injuries ordistnrb the delights Of privileged
plumber. Many Colonies Of the army in those
DAYS were hardly out Of swaddling clothes, and
before they left the cradle were high in COM
mand. Lord Fitzroy Somerset was Cornet ia
1904. a Captain in 1903, Major in 1911 and
Colonel in 1872, accomplishing IN eight years
what cost Sir De Lacy Evans, who saw still
greater service, forty years to achieve, and
which Col Enocb, the Deputy Quartermas-
ter-Genersl who followed the cOlors of the
23d from Walcheren TO Waterloo, has only
recently acquired If the young aIistocracy of
England were with cruel injustice raised over
the heads of many brave veterans whose brOws
were bronzed by many suns and Scared by
many battles, it is butjust TO them to say that
when called on they have not blanched at the
lannon's mouth, nor ever disgraced their line
age or their country; and among those who
sleep at Ipkermann and Alma are not few
whose ancestral buckers have flashed at Agin-
court and Greasy, and in whose veins flowed
blood which had been shed in earlier fields of
glory. Ia this spirit Lord Fitzroy Somerset was
present at every one Of tine great Peninsular
battles His rank, as is ever the case, at once
recommended him to the Duke Of Wellington,
then Sir A. Wellesley, who was but too happy
TO attach to his interest the powerful family of
the Beauforts by naming him on his staff, and
afterward raising him to the post of Military
Secretary. In this capacity he served through
the whole war, exhibiting on every occasion
soldier-iike abilities combined with fearless
courage. He was twice severely wounded, and
lost his right arg at the farm Of ''La Haye
Saipte," on the ~ of Waterloo When after
that great engagement the curtain fell upon the
wars of Europe, Lord Fltzroy Somerset was ap-
pointed in addition TO other hon0rs, Secretary
of the Embassy at Paris. Thence he attended
the Duke of Wellington to Vienna and We
roma in 1872, and in 1896 proceeded to st.
Petersbugb, whittier he was sent to
congratulate the late Emperor Nicholas on his
accession to the throne. In 1919 he was ap-
pointed Secretary to the Duke of Wellington,
Master-General of the Ordnance until l527, and
in 1927 was made Military Secretary to the
Commander-in-Ch Chief, the functions of which
Office he performed during the reign of the sew
eral Commanders-in- Chief down to the death of
the Duke of Wellington. On the death of
the Duke, the communicated was, much to
the disappointment of Lord Fitroy Somerset,
conferred on Lord Hardinge and Lord Fitzroy
being unwilling to serve under an officer of sim
liar standing to himself, was appointed Master
General of the Ordnance, with Peerage, which
he assumed under the title Of Lord Raglan,
the name of castle which EdSard Somerset,
one of his ancestors, held against Cromwell, as
the last of the mobiles.
During the long reign of Lord HILL and the
subsequent one of the Duke of Wellington at
the Horse Guards, Lord f. Somerset, owing to
the age of these veterans and the confidence re-
posed in him, though acting as Military Secre-
tary, was virtually Commander in Chief and in
an office where so much tact and delcacy were
required contriyed during that long period,
with strong class prejudice, TO win and retain
the respect and regard Of the army. lie never
for one moment fogot "his ORDER or aban-
doned that filth in the divine right OF aristoc-
racy which he inherited by birth snd education
But he concealed his prepossessions and blgot-
ny with such graceful art and such slvered
verbisge, as to make the refused Commoners
who left his leyee more blessed in the fascinat-
ing refusal than in rude compliance with their
request
Without any military genius Lord Raglan
possessed sound judgment, fearless courage,
and iDnexible sense of justice. The Duke of
Wellington entertained so high an opinion OF him
as to give expression to prediction rare IN so
cold and uneulOgistic nature, that " he would
"yet be an honor to his country" In such
position as that in which the Duke of Wellington
saw and judged him he would have doubtless JUS
tilted the prediction. Devoted to drill, dutiful
to death and daring to destruction, just
and generous gentleman, of honor, courage
and deep sense of duty, he possessed every
quality for a second in command, but was
wholly unified to govern an army. He
bad not the prescience to foresee, the genius to
direct, the strength Of mind to control, or the
energy to repair, which should belong to great
general Lord Raglan was just that character
of man which the English system in its best
form begets Trained in every step to refer TO
memory instead of exercising mind, as long as
things 60 on by the prescribed regulation all is
we'll But when an unruly monster like Seyas-
topol stands across the path and will not be
tr.dden down TO order the country cries and
the press thunders for head preferring even
the rude Pelssier before Raglan.
Lord Raglan was above the middle hight and
of ordinary, one might almost say vulgar pres
ence, which was redeemed, strange to say, by a
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