The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-05-05

raoimenta and augmented the force OF the olo of
,an,zatonr But these regiments have long
since ceased To- be units Of service. They are
,reseryed AZ units OF administration, for the sake
~ The glorious traditions with which the name OF
zach IA covered, and which make every regi-
mental battle-Hag an eptomized history Of con-
ouost. The practical unit OF service In the Brit
isb army Ia the battalion in infantry aud the
squadron In cavalry.
THE BATTALION or INFANTRY
consists Of ten companies Of from VI to l03 men
each. but usually averaging about 85. These
battsIions are in fact regiments in themselves,
but they are known rs separate organizations
only as subdivisions Of the old regiments. Lee
pally there is no limit to the number Of battal-
ions that may be grouped under q regimental
flag, but IL IL the custom to limit the number to
four. That 10 to say, . British regiment In time
Of peace may consist Of one battalion OF 77o men,
or IL may be augmented in time Of war 70 four
battalions Of 1880 men each, or total OF
ALSO. In this manner, without creating
= single new regiment. the British infantry 81
the Line may be increased from Its peace mini
mum Of 1900 TO its war maximum OF 4AA,OO0
men. And again, without disbanding single
regiment II may be reduced TO the minimum.
These bsttalions are numbered thus: "First Bat
TALON, Fourth Regiment; Third Battalion,
Eighteenth Regiment" etc., when mentioned In
orders, but 90 designated on the accoutrements
OF The men the system Of numbering 10 thus: I'D
Battalion, xth Regiment" the Arabic mineral
being used to designate the battalion and the Ro-
man the regiment.
THE BATTLE-FLAa OF THESE OLD REGIMENTS
De-, kAnpos 1itaru - Nrnwhad
with names and devices representing the exploits
Of the regiment, and each battalion is entitled to
full set Of the coors Of the regiment to which 1t
liz attached. Thus, under oil circumstances, she
regular character Of the British army Is pre-
served, and the newest battalion Of recruits or OF
modified militia is brought into the field under
the traditions and inspired by the reputation OF
regiment OF from one to three hundred years old.
have seen British battalion which carried on
it's regimental color the names OF Minden and
warbourg, Lincelles and Quebec, Bergen-op-
Zoom, Assaye, Beringapstaln, Egypt. the figure OF
the Sphynx, Busaco, Salamanca and Vittoria, Wa
terloo. Inkermann and Sebastopoa, to show that
II had conquered the enemies and upheld the
glory Of Great Britain in Germany, In India, in
Americs, in Spain, in Africa, in France and In
AAubbbS cohsuAy ohA p" Aosat So s"SAssJ
wars and in hundred battles Talk with the
cherry faced English lads who filed Its rank and
file and You would find that, however unskilled
they might be In the general lore OF history, they
we're au fat In the traditions which were re-
corded upon that battle-asg. They knew the
history Of their regiment, because 1t had been
handed down In the tales OF camp and barrack
from white-haired veteran and smooth-faced vol
unteer like family tradition from sire to son. 4
A British color-sergeant, shot down and over
run by the enemy, seizes in his teeth corner OF
the fag and his Jaws are locked upon IL in tho
rigidity Of death. The enemy cuts II away from
him, leaving bit of IL between his fxed teeth.
Subsequently the standard IL retaken and ever
afterward the flag Of that regiment il made with
that piece carefully cut out, in memory Of the
sergeant who was buried with the fragment in his
mouth. ALI such traditions are carefully pre-
served. Go into
BRITISH BARRAcK
you will find library largely made up OF the
histories Of British regiments and copies OF gen
eral orders compimenting British troops while
almost every regiment has museum of oolors,
sets Of drums and other mementoes presented
by the King or the Queen or some great COM
mander, in honor Of it's achievements. Some
years ago, I think it was in 1882, the Duke Of
Wellington, who was commander-in-chief.c caused
10 be published under the auspices OF the Horse
Guards regmental history Of the British army.
The work has been kept up ever since. and has
now reached enormous proportions, embracing
over seventy volumes, which. to the student Of
the rare and curious in history, are among the
;,,;A ;,,to
other nation takes such care Of the morale of its
soldiery; no other government does anything
like this to promote the
ESPRIT Du CORPS
of it's rank and file.
The result has been apparent on every BATTLE
field where the red cross Of st. George has ever
hoated. The annals of British regiments are full
Of the achievements of what Macaulay calls "the
grim pluck Of the Anglo-Saxon, which is never 80
eedate and stubborn as toward the close OF q
doubtful and murderous day." Few officers OF
modern armies could truthfully echo 10 their
troops the famous appeal Of the English Lieuten-
ant Colonel at Inkermann to the Seventh In
fantry Of the line; "Men Of the Seventh, be
steady This regiment is two hundred years
old, and the enemy has never seen its KNAPP.
sacks l."
Or Wellmgton's order to Maitland: "Tell him
to hang on; enough OF the Guards are left to last
till O'clock
The effect of traditions like these upon the
minds Of naturally plucky and proud race OF
men is incalculable. To preserve these traditions
and perpetuate the morale that grows out Of
them, the regiments OF the British army are
kept intact, and Whatever reorganization may
from time TO time be necesitated by improvements
in arms and tactics, they are all effected within
or upon the old regimental establishments.
THE CAVALRY REGIMENTS
are organized upon the same elastic plan, but
they are augmented by simply increasing the
number Of troops and squadrons, not by adding
new battalions. The ordinary peace footing Of
British regiment OF cavalry is eight troops of
sixty five to seventy men each or total force Of
$40 to $50. This strength may be augmented in