New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-10-03
ALDERSHOTT MANEUVERS.
ORGANIZATION OF TIE TRooPS-ACCOUNT OF A
SHAM BATTLE.
tpooN ol-R sPRCIAL CORRESPONDENT


Corps comprising about 1900 men. had been cOncen
tratng at Adcrsho Camp for about fortnight before
the 9th OF this month"; the date fixed for the beginning OF
the Autumn maneuverS. The artillery attached to the
Army Corps, as far have been able TO make out,
does not amount than ten eleven batteries or
in other words guns. THIS Ia not proportion OF
artillery corresponding to the force has always been
reckoned that an army should have than two guns
for Thousand men; two and Onehalf guns per thouS-
and Is the least army should have with IT. Tue
cavalry. should gay, consists Of about 5000 men l
told there 5000 with the Army Corps nut
cannot believe there Is that number. OF the ihahry'
about One-third is militia. The volunteers @ro
40 few that they may pass unoOserveu'
These troops are divided into three divisions" Inc
First, which, among other troops, Includes 'uo Inv
Guards and Blues, and the GreBader GuSroS' 7" eou
maRdod by Gen. Sir T. Hope Grant, the Secohu ny u0
Carey. the Third by Gen. Sir c. staveey Each oi .oo
divisions is divided into two brigades ~ infantry an Ou
Of cavalry The brEades OF the First Division are ooi
manded-the cavalry by Col de Ros Colonel OF tne lS.
Life Guards the First Infantry Brigade py 'he Iln0 "
SAKE Wemar, c. B.. and the second by mAlor- ~
sons C. b. The bigades Of the Second DIVISION are ooi
manded-thc cavalry by the Prince OF "A'es' INC
prigaAe hv Ccp Maxwell tho Second by Col. j. W. Smith,
C. h. Tho hrgadcs of the Third DIVISION arc 'Oln
,nanded-,he cavalry by MajorGe ]. MIcMahon u b
the First Brigade by MsjorGen. BrownT1gg e. H. the
Second Brigade by Col Stephenson c. b.
Things being thus arranged on saturday last the
Hartford Bridge Plats and the Third TO Frensham
where they ccampcd wish you TO observe that these
marches were than seven or eight mles EACH
The First Division remained at AlderehOtt tall Tuesday
when it began its part OF representing defending
force covering London. The enemy being too strong for
this force il n treated toward ChObham which 1t reached
by two days marching On Saturday tho Third Division
changed its camping ground from Frensham to two lines
1t would bc u detail the two or three marches
which the divisions executed around AldershOtt
during the last eight days. 1t Is sufficient to say that no
coutretemps Importance occurred to Of the three
divisions and would be singular if there had been
considering that the whole thug. far from being any
thing like a real campaign, in which the marches and
rests OF opposing forces depend entirely upon each
other and entirely unforeseen was planned out from
beginning end months ago. as not to present any
nasco And thus is that everything has gone very
smoothly and the spectacle will, 1t is hoped, prove
success the nation will he quite satisfied, and this
Juggling Government will have given one more PROOF OF
its great ability at deccivng the British public Ger
tainy the troops magnificent splendldy equipped
what there is " artillery is magnificent In material
men, and horses but everybody knows that English
troops are the finest and the b0st In the world both men
and officers Cat least it to the present time
there is knowing what the abolition OF the purchase
system may do TO lessen these Quaities).
But tho object OF this fOrtnights concentration OF
troops was not surely offer military spectacle, but to
test the different departments OF the service and ABOVE
ALL the control department As far as have been able
10 Sec no department at all has been tested and least OF
ALL tho control department 1t never was doubted
that English soldiers could not march on an
average five or six miles day, or that they
would not know pitch tent after these fatiguing
marches II the purpose was to break In the
militia the object has shot very wide OF the marx, Tor
has taught nothing and favored their natural neg
leent aud unsOldierly habits. The mhita-au
those I saw-wcre youths, 80 to say, undrilled.
To troops Of this description, camp life unless 1t be
amp Of instruction which is equivalent to barrack hfe
Ia thought NY many competent men to be more noxious
than useful. As for the control department, fah 70
see what II has DONE Any tradesman with contract
could have provisoned these troops quite easily with
weeks notice will say the sham fight has been rather
clevCrly DONE and the English public are quite con-
tcuted with the maneuvers OF their troops, and begin
10 think they have been rather severe upon Mr. Card
we'll Gen. stOrks and the control department; but
clever as 1t may sham 1t undoubtedly is' for moth
ing can be unlike the reality
Every place where the troops had to camp during TIL
campaign was marked out weeks BEFORE and the neces
sary provisions sent TO the nearest railway statol
days 10 advance two different lines OF railroad from
London Through that part OF the country the railway
stations arc scarce, and there always one con
venienty the camping grounds whence few carts
could daily provide the troops Even with these facilities
provisions have not always been forthcoming ut the
uroper time and the serving out Of the raOns on
one occasion five six hours latel or auxiliary wagon
trains under these circumstances there none, and
none were wanted. few vans, hired from Perkins OF
from others were all that necessary but even to
make up tn, number Of horses needed for the regular
military TRANSPORTS, horses have been taken from the
artillery ana there are now all England batteries
crippled by their having been taken " horse the
transports at AldrshOit The letters OF the correspond
euts in the English papers really laughabe. They
III columns 10y telling us how we'll the men marched the
five or six miles they had to march. how they pitched
their tents how beautiful the landscape looked One
pedautic rticses vedettes and earthworks' &C.
but the other things of far greater Importance were not
noticed Capt Hozcr, the head Of the control depart
ment has been very to correspondents and
entertained them sumptuOusy at AdeTslOtt camp on the
opening the campaign One therefore toa certain
extent understand the admiration they have for the
manner in which his department works, although 1t Is
rather going out Of ones way to inform the
pondent of The Morning Post does that Capt. Hozier
was up at O'clock In the morning. not having been more
than three hours between the sheets.
must return to my narrative. To-day had been
marked out as the day on which the defending army,
represented by the First Division was to meet the enemy
represented Ivy the Second and Third Divisions, which
were supposed TO have effected their Junction COnse-
Ouently Sir Hope Grant had marched down from ChoO'
ham and next night bvouacked the north slopes OF
the Hogs Back his outposs extending into the valley
between the south slopes OF the Hogs Back and the
nights which rise against n in parallel line at
distance Of about mile and Qdrter Scouts secured
the country three miles to the south OF the Hogs
Back and believe shots were exchanged during the
night them and the scouts sent out by the en-
envy. The these encounters, which had happened
frequently beginning to be in earnest. heard OF
hed-ohhcer Of the enemy who taken prisoner by
party OF the Division, and violently pulled of bis
horse went the brigade Office at Aldershot camp
on Friday night TO ask where should find the First D
vision as had friends in IT, and wanted to be on their
side during the battle. ] asked very seriously
whether was going to tell the enemy but as assured
NA lnllN In