The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-11-25
TOMMY ATKINS.
Names of Some Of the Regiments in
which He Serves.

| Just at this time when the dispatches
from South Africa are nlled with tech
nioal military expressions, with the name
Of regiments and the various kinds Of
arms used, 1t 10 interesting to know the
history Of some Of these regiments and
what sort Of SO ldiers thcy are.
1t will be RENE IN bersd that 10 the Eng
lish papers an explanation of the remark
able capture Of the Gloucester regiment
and Royal Ieish fusiliers, together with
part of the battery Of mountain artillery,
was Offered in the shap, Of q statement
| that ths intense desire Of the youn OIL
| GERS Of these reg ments to obtain the Vic
toria cross must have led them to per-
| form feats OF daring during their recon-
noissanoe, which, while extremity brave
were doubtless equally unwiSe.
Every one has heard Of the Victoria
cross. but very few know exactly that
it is, nor how highly 1t is prissd by every
loyal British soldier. The Victoria cross
originate during the Criinsan war in
1856. during which war the French dec
Grafton known as the cross of the Legion
| of Honor was awarded to a number Of
French soldiers for unusual vAlor. Eng
| land had no such decoration at that time,
and to honor her intrepid soldiers the
Victoria cross was devised. 1t Is made
from cannon captured at the siege of
Sebastopol, In the form Of Maltese crcs,
surmounted BY lion, and IL inscribed
simply with the words, "For vslor."
The clasp 1.-TWO branches OF laurel), 10
connected with the cross BY the initial
~" and the decoration carries with
10 an annual pension Of $50. 1t 10 given
only for distinguished and unusual brav-
cry In the press me- OF the enemy, and for
IL loyal English soldiers will face any
danger and undertake any feat, however
hazardous 1t may be. The first distribu-
tton OF the Victoria cross took place In
hyde Park, June 20, 1857, when sixty-two
veters ms Of the Crimean war were thus
honored. Since thsn number Of other
knglish soldiers have earned this precious
distinction, for the sake of which, 1t 10
surmifed, that the daring young officers
OF the captured regiments at Ladysmith
risked 80 much.
Ths:designation ''rovsl" before the
name Of a regiment indicates that that
regiment Ia part Of the first corps Of this
English army. the oldest army cofp3 In
Europa; AMI there 10 a royal regimen
from each Of the four divisions of Great
Britain.
TITLES OF REGIMENTS.
Among the distinguishing titles applied
to the English regiments now operating
IN South Africa are hussars, fusileers
light horse dragons, and lsnoers.
The fusilesrs are foot soldiers, or infan-
try, and the name is derived from Q now
obsolete style OF muskst called the fusil,
with which the regiments were originally
armed. It WAS q lighter musket than the
old blunderbuss, and its use gives this an
tiquated name now to the soldiers that
bore It
The laneers fare q cavalry regi-
used quite extensively BY Napoleon Bona |
parte. They were armed with q long |
lance in addition to their other aoooutre- |
meuts. the purpose of which was to en- |
able them to reach their enemy much be- |
fore he could reach them. This form Of |
armau emit IS, of course, Of little service |
In modern warfare, although, like the |
fusiieers, the name 10 still retained.
Some Of the KIN slish regiments are very |
famous. among them the QUEENS own,
which was the first regiment reviewed |
by Queen Victoria after her coronation,
other famous English regiment Is the |
Coldstrsam guards, which 10 . part Of |
the second Oldest army corps in England. |
This regiment was organized by General |
Monk at Coldstrsam, Scotland, In 1860,
and for many years WAS known as Monks /
Regiments, but during the reign Of Charles
III, 1t was assigned to duty rs household
guards Of that monarch, and since then
has been known ~ the Coldstream
guards IL will be remem hsred that
very serious mutiny among the men Of
the CoIdstream guards took plaza some |
years ago, when that vesimt mt was doing
duty At Aidsrshot-ssid to have arisen
from the abuse of the enlisted men by the |
ofioers, the men In Q body refusing to
obey the orders Of their superiors on
certain day.
MAUSER AND MAXIM GUNS. I.
The Maussr gun. with which the Span
ish soldiers were equipped, and which il
used so extensively BY the Beers, 10
herman invention. and was perfected .
few years ago by German mechanic,
named Mauser, q native Of Wurtsmburs
Ger many, the home Of the printing press.
1t 10, ~ II generally known, . small cali.
bsr rapid-irs gun. using smokslsss pow
der, and capable Of doing tsrribls sxeou-
ton at long range.
The Maxim gun II an American inven
ton the inventor OF which, Hiram Max
I'm, has just taken out Epgtsh naturaliz-
Aticn papers. IL 10 tbs mont tsrrible
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