The National tribune., 1883-05-03
THE BRITISH LINE,
And the NicknameS Which Some Fa-
nous Regiments Have Acquired.


fought on March 81, 1901, the usual custom of
decking the colors with laurel was observed in
those regiments which took part in the famous
engagement under Sir Ralph Abercrombie."
The battalons of the Grenadier Guards which
fought under Sir John Moore at Corunna, OBJ
serve the same custom on the anniversary OF
the action, and regularly as the month of June
comes round every regiment that was repre-
sented at Waterloo binds its colors with vieto-
rious wreaths, even as the men of one of the
regiments wear the rose in their caps annually
on the Ist of August in memory of the stand
made by their corps in a rose garden at Minden.
Unless the custom has been affected by the
recent sweeping changes in the British army
a proviso which applies to other parts of this
article--Wolfe's Brigade still wear the mourn
ing line down the centre of their lace for their
gallant leader who !" died victorious" on the
Plains of Abraham. One of the Oldest distinc-
tions in the British service is the small union
-popularly, but enormously, styled the Union
Jack-or the Queens color" of the Cold
Stream Guards, which recalls the fact that
Monk, Duke of Albemarle, its first colonel and |
the restorer of Charles IL was an admiral of
the fleet. The pasehal lamb, which is the
badge of the Second Foot, is said to have been
adopted because the corps was raised tor the
defense of Tangier, the dowry brought to the
Merry Monarch by Catharine of Braganza, the
lamb being the emblem of Portugal. At the
time of the suppression of Monmouth's rebel
lion the men We're known satirically as
Kirk S Lambs" The Third Foot are We're
the Bufs," being the lineal representatives
of the 5000 men raised by the city of London
in 1872, equipped in buff coats and sent to
serve in the Netherlands Not long ago the
War Office refused to allow the officers and
men TO retain the time-honored facings at their
own expense The Old Buff" in memory OF
their origin, retain the special privilege OF
marching through the city with drums beat
ing and colors flying. The Thirty-first regi-
nent claims the title Young Bluffs" conferred
at Dettingen by general who mistook the
corps for the Third and called out 9 Well done,
old Bufsi" a commentator which, when in
structed of his error, he changed to Then,
well done, young Buffsl" The Fifth Foot
style themselves the :. Old and Bold" and were
long wearers of white plumes in commemora-
tion of the fact that on the island of Saint
| Lucia the men killed so many French grena-
4 diers that they could equip themselves with
/ the feathers of the slain. When in 1929 leave
! to wear the white plume was given TO several
| other corps, the Fifth obtained the right to
| have the feather parti-colored, red at top,
/ whence the tradition that on a battlefield the
rank and file dipped their feathers in the blood
of their slain enemies The Ninth got the
| title of " Holy Boys" /" in the Peninsula from
| sale of Bibles, and the Tenth is the famous
regiment which don't dawnce." The repeti-
tion of this supercilious reply to the profer of
4
partners, led to her indignant retort as she
! pointed TO the door: Perhaps the Tenth can
march," and through her influence at head
4 quarters to the exile of the regiment
"To Castlebar and Baidenrobe
The dullest dens upon the globe"
The bandsmen of the Twelfth wear a small
crown on their caps, as memorial of the last
day on which an English sovereign led his
troops in person against the enemy George
| Ii led the Twelfth and Twenty second at Det-
| tiDgen, and the officers and men of both regi-
| ments still wear roses ON the sovereign's birth
| day in memory of his leadership. The Twelfth
| deserves mention for the lesson which il gave
| James III on the eve of the revolution. Be-
cause of the number of Catholics in its ranks it
was thought safe to appeal to the regiment,
| and the King paraded it on Hounslow Heath
and invited the officers and men TO bind them
selves to assist him in carrying out his plans,
giving those who were not satisfied the option
of quitting the service. All but two officers
| and a few prlyates straightway laid down their
arms, to James profound disgust. "Take up
your arms" said the King, sullenly; another
! time shall not do you the honor of consulting
you" The Sixteenth were long known as
1.-The Peacemakers," that being the only regi-
ment III the service-eycept two recently
| formed Indian corps-with maiden colors. 1t
did not see shot fired in anger from the siege
of Surnam down to the last Boer war; and
even in the action of Magela Mountain it es-
capped with trifiing loss. The Nineteenth
claims the title of the " Green Howards," given
them in 1858 to distinguish them from the
Third, also commanded by Howard, but hav-
ing buff facings instead of the green of the
newer corps The Twenty-third Royal Welsh
fusiliers delight in the style of the Royal
Nanny-goats." Since 1S49 the goat that from
time immemorial has marched at their head
has been sent to the regiment from Windsor
by the Queen. The men wear bow of black
I IL Il.
survival Of the pig-tail. The Twenty Fourth
claimed the title of Howards Greens" from
their grass green faeings and the colonel who
commanded them in 173S'46 "Howards IS
Garbage is another and less dignifed version.
The Twenty-eighth rejoices in several distinc-
tions. The title of the Siashers " is varously
attributed to the fact that the men used their
swords at White Plains slashing away like good
fellows and to the tradition that when in
Canada brutal magistrate refused quarters to
the women Of the regiment during a severe
winter, some of the officers disguised themselves
as Indians, broke into his house and slashed
off his ears. The "Old Braggs" is another
name, derived from their colonel in 1734-'51
But the most valued distinction conferred upon
. the Twenty ghth is that of wearing the regi-
mental plate before and behind the shako-a
memorial of the regiments bravery at Alex
. andria, where the rear rank faced about and
repelied the charge of the French cavalry
Wfllle the lfOHb Tduk WAS eDRaSed Win an
other body of the enemy. The Thirtieth bear
the alluring name of the "greble KS" the
. Thirty-first, as has already been said, are the
! "Young Bluffs" The Thirty-third were orig
: inally the Havercake Lads" from their re-
! cruiting sergeants fashion of beating up re.
: cruits with huge oaten cake spitted on the
: end of his sword. Since the death of the Iror
! Duke they have enjoyed the styleof the "Dukt
of Weilington's Regiment" Their orange fac
ings gave the Thirty-ffth the style of tn,
"0range Lilies,p and from their facings o
grass green the men of the Thirty sixth were
dubbed the "Saucy Green's" The sobrety O
2 the men of the Thirty-eighth during theil
\ service at Malta, and the extreme deliberate
ness of their movements, earned for the regi
2 ment the title of the pump and Tortoise
The Thirty ninth, from their green facings
q became the Green Linnets." Colonel Sanke,
o once mounted them on mules for forced
: march, whence their other title, 'Sankey'
, Horse" This regiment bears the proud motto
= Primus in Indis," having been the first t.
a round the Cape for service in Hindostan TIL
Fortieth are the "X-L-ers," and their darl
: tartans have conferred on the Forty second it
!, famous name of the Black Watch" Th
!. Forty third were the original possessors of th
q style Light Bobs," afterwards applied t.
n all light infantrymen The Forty fourth re
a joice in the name of " Old Stubborns," conferre
upon them in the Peninsula, where the Forty
sixth were self-dubbed the "Lacedemoniansi
from their commanders harangue under
pelting fire: Stand firm, men, and emulat