The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1865-08-08
English Soldiers in Canada.


English Soldiers in Canada.
A correspondent of tho Chicago 2Ti-
bane, writing from Montreal, says:
Nothing las interested me moro
since my arrival here than the study Of
the English soldiers now doing garrison
duty in Canada. They are TO be seen
everywhere. The variety ofuniform IS
somewhat puzzling. They have no
marked distinction in dress as with us.
We know that blue triHmings stand for
infantry, yellow for cavalry and red for
artillery, but there are SO many colors
visible in the dress of the British soldier
that unless one is thoroughly versed, the
rank and branch of the service to which
the soldier belongs is mystery. The
red coat predominate. Officers have in
formed me that this color Is generally
disliked by the chief military men Of
the nation, but in England there is
prejudice in favor of sticking to the old
color, and as civilians usually decidesuch
] matters, the red coats are still ordered to
I all regiments of the line. The Rifles
wear green and black, and the Fuel.
| leers combination OF dark blue and
green.
zone sees the heroes of the Crimea on
| the street with silver medals fastened to
| their buttons. One of these was award
| ed by the Queen to the troops who par
ticipated in the battles of Alma, Inker-
man, Balaklava &C., and the other
given by the Sultan ofTurkey to every
man who received medal from the
Queen of England, or the French EN-
| peror The Turkish medal bears cres-
cent with motto underneath, and
weighs about three ounces. En- passont
L may state that a jeweller told me these
medals were often sold to Jew pawn
brokers and melted up for old silver.
Such is the glory ofthe soldier. ! stop
ped one of these medalled soldiers re-
Gently, and had quite conversation
with him. He was private, and igno-
rant of everything but soldiers lie.
The following is portion OF the dla-
logue:, 80, ,o,ono TOP
"'Sixty- third what? OF the line, to
the rihes-the fusileers, artillery, or
what?'
"tDon't know, sir. It's the Sixty
third, and that's all know about it,
"'You don't belong to artilleryT
"'No, SIR
"'You don't carry rife, do your
j No, sir; carry musket
: hHow many kinds of troops are now
in Montreal?
, "'Don't know, SIR
"Have you any chance of rising above
!" Don't believe have. In our COM
pany there are men who have served
faithfully in the ranks for twenty-seven
years. and never have been before a
court-martial or in the guard-house once,
who cannot get 10 be even corporal or
sergeant
- Why not?'
g" Because they haven't made friends
Of the Officers
go How do the men like the servicep
"'They hate it, The British is the
worst service in the world
:" Can you read and writer
GO No, SIR
"' Can most Of yourcomrades read and
write?'
"'No, sir. If they they wouldn't
have enlisted
80 II your officers impose on you what
chance have you"
g" None at all. Our complaints never
. reach headquarters
This conversation wss continued
some time, and as it was confirmed by
other privates belonging to other regi-
ments, am well satisfied il speaks the
sentiment of the British army. The
ignorance of these men is marvel. The
one first spoken to actually did not
/: know what arm Of the service he be-
. longed to. On subsequent inquiry
: found he belonged to the oizty-tillss
: the line. 1t seems that in peace times
a certain proportion Of the plen may
with the consent Of the colonies, get
F. married. The effect OF this consent is
to allow the wife to live with the nus
: band in the barracks, ana he may draw
d. rations for her. The wives are usually
EMPLOYED as launaresses, butsa soldier
said TO me in an undertone that if the
wife was young and pretty the officers
attentions were disagreeable and INSULT
ing. It seems TO be admitted that the
officers of the English regiments are far
higher above the men in the ranks than
among the American volunteers. Here
nearly every speck of work connected
with the routine organization of the
company is done by sergeant, and al
though discipline with the men is so
very strict, yet it often happens that
company never sees its immediate ofH-
Ger above sergeant for months. Fur
loughs among the officers are easy affairs
among the men mountain OF diticul-
ty hard to overcome
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