Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1858-04-02

Morning, noon and eye there were In
speetions. foot and mounted drill. sword
exercise. DC. B pigbl. though the
country vas profoundl j. silent. patrols.
werekept in motion. and the stoney roads
rang to The ola;tering hoofs ofithe: cayal-
rY. Each regiment Vas perfect in its -ev-
olulions, but the men were. kept day by
day grinding at their 7manoeusres, as il
they had been the most awkward squad
Of pumpkins alive. Then the uniforms
were altered. the saddle clothes meddled
with, the soldiers kept hard at work.
sharpening swords ana pointing spears.
Once week the sabres EWeressins nspected.
and any, blade notiof razar kesnness was
snapped across the Brigadfef's knee. In
short. he worried them as Paul worried
the Russian guaids.9..
| Now. a Soldier grows rusty id idiensss.
no doubtil but when he' is harfassed by
cadseess and perpetual toll lie is apt TO
| become sulky. When the war ended
every rider, Of, the Brigade would have
died in' Dufntr;'s' defence. A few months
Of annoy ance changed this devotion irto
DISLIKE. fast ripening into hatred. Il was
then that was appointed, to be Daintry's s
Brigade Major, to his great disgust. for
he was not above the weakness of des-
potism. Two of his regiments were
commanded by two of his sons>in>iaw.
. trust. and, he had solicited my post for
his .wife''s nephew, on the laudabIe prin-
cipal OF taking care Of Dowb. However
tumors of discomfort among the men
had reached headquarters. and it vas
preferred TO select Brigade Major who
might mediate between;the brigade aud
its rash chief. and " ho VI ould not be a
mere mouth piece TO the command.
| had been chosen. as being well ac-
quain,ed with the language and native
habits Of Thought and found lille diff
Guilty in gaming tie confidence of many
OF the soldiers and havildars. s 1t with
the Brigadier had anothe sort ofta>k.
He disIiked me. as having accepted the
post his nephew had asked for. on
| which account he offeredem "a hundred
petty Sights. and even requested the
mess to send me TO /" Convenlry."
Also. he quietly made NJ his MIND to
neglecte~cry suggestion. or remonstranca
that could possibly make. For me to
oppose an innovation was enough to con.
firm tho Brigadier in his decision. AS
the old officers dropped off. or were got
rid of. their places were filled by boys.
tho knew no more Of Hindustani. shan
OF SweediShr and were utterly ignoraa.
Eol Hindoo or Mussulman usages, And
before long Daintry announced the ad
vent OF a thorough and sweeping reform.
The irregular troopers were 10 learn in.
fantry drill and 10 shave off their beur.Ls
When first heard this. could not be-
ileve the commander TO be serious. But
he swore he would not rest until the
! chins Of his grim Patans and Rejpnots were
as destitute OF beard or mOustache as the
palm of his hand. @
The youngsters who had just joined,
appIauded nightly. Fresh from Adds
conbie or Rugby they thought it would
be ''such u capital joke to shave the
bearded billy goats" In vain | remon-
sIrated, and begged for delay. DAlntry' +
headstrong nature would bear no check.
He. long as lie had been in India. had
learned but one ,halt of the native charac
ter. Many fall into the same error. They
see the submissive timility. the duclile
obedience of the native his abject defer
ence 10 authority or assumption his al
most childish reverence tor rank; and
they think that there is no limits 10 his
endurance. 50 it was in this case. The
order was read out Of parade; and even
the instincts Of discipline could not re-
strain " murmur that gradually sweIled
into shout OF indignation. One regi.
ment, especial. sent ih'n memorial. which
| read with surprise. 50 jast and temper.
ate was its language. 1--WE are horse
men," said The soldier. "and are The son,
OF hoIsemen, and have shed our blood
under your banner. Ifyou are dispIeas
ed with US. give US our discharge. We
will go. blessing you for your bread and
salt that we have eatcn.l But we were
not hired TO the drill OF foot soldiers. anc
TO that degradation we cannot submit
Dain:ry sSore like Bedamite. T;
crown all. he ordered the regiment L
come on parade shaved. The regimen
paraded, but not a man had complied
The Brigadier selected TWO sergeants
both Mahomedans. a Patau AMI Be
looch, and ordered his servants to hole
them down on The ground while thei
boards were shaved Oh by barber.
i TO realize the effect of this most un
! wise order. one should remember that
Mahomedan invests his beard with spe
cies Of sanc:ity, tends it with zeaIou
} care, values it above his life, swesrs by
most solemn oaths, and resents an at1ron
to it as the worst of insults. One shou't
remember. also, that these men were al
Moslem aud Hindoo. OF g, Cd parentage
sons at flandholders. P rtrails and Zzmin
) lars military adyenturers, in fact. VII
; possess horses and weapons Of tteir own
, and by themselves and their officers ar
; styled and considered gentlemen. beinl
all of class far superior TO that whicI