The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-04-28
SHAM. FIGHTING.
A Volunteer Review ut Brightou-Feilur
as q Military Display.

A VOLUNTEER Review at Brighton Failure
Military Display,
correspondent Of the Pal Mall Gazette
writes
As to the fight, of course 7 only know what
happened to the division of which 7 was a unit.
We fell ia at 10 A. NJ; did not leave the Level
until 1910; completed che march past at IS
Z. NJ. From ~ until p NJ. we did not ha
for ten consecutive minutes The ground was
stiff, the plow-land being heavy and difficult to
get over; we were marched up o steep hill, on
the crest of which we were halted forming
conspicuous mark for the enemy's battery, of
which we were within easy range, and well
pounded we were. After q short pause we were
marched from "the cloud-kissing' hill down the
corresponding slope to that up which we had
previously laboTed; no 6kirmishers were thrown
out, and ere long we arrived within range OF the
opposing line, which had been posted on the
side of the next slope to await our attack.
As we were taking up our position depoYiug
from quarter column, we were greeted with an
internal fire; we did not hurry, did not even
move at the double; as soon as We were conye-
nieptly arranged we calmly, according to orders,
commenced independent firing at the men by
whom we had already, in no very lively imagi-
nation, been entirely destroyed. Nor was this
all, but on glancing to our rear We found another
force covered by skirmishers advancing upon
us. Lost already, we could only suppose that
we had been completely surrounded We re-
treated the skirmishers into whose arms we I'M
reservedly marched did not fire upon US We
were halted. So far es we could understand cur
successful enemy had been relieved, aud fresh
foe opened fire on our Responding ranks at q
distance which none of us estimated at less than
1900, some at 1900 yards. (The Snider is sighted
for $50 yards.) The force in our rear relieved
US, and when they were in turn beaten back, we
again merrily advanced, thus bringing our de-
feated division once more face to face with a
comparatively fresh, confident, and victorious
body of men. Again our front was nm
covered; not q skirmisher had we to
cover our advance, yet our enemy had
skirmishers lying down and potting
at us, even while we were for q few min utes
lying down discussing at ease the contents ol
our haversacks; moreover, the enemy's skir-
mishers had completely turned our right flank
Well might an old soldier with five medals on
his breast, say at this moment "If this is the
new kind of soldering, thank God my fighting
days are over" Well might the intelligent men
of our division among whom were the best
educated, most capase men of the whole voluu.
teer service, feel utterly disgusted. No wonder
that one commander should say, ~ never come
here with the idea of learning anything" A
more complete fasco than our part of the sham
| fight was never enacted. A volunteer artillery
officer who was opposed to us said, "Of course
you did not like tits never pleasant to be
! licked; but we had splendid fun, pounding away
| into the flank of one of your batteries for ar
! hour without shot being returned" If this il
! fun-whch doubt-it is certainly not solder
| ing. An umpire would have marched our divi
sion off the ground.