The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-10-27

General Relic his opinion or the BIT
ish soldier against whom ne ndu SO
often fought in Spain. Reille re-
Piled:
When we'll posted. according to
Wellington's usual manner. | consider
the English infantry ~invincible on
account of their calm tenaclty n
the superiority of their fire. Before
you can charge with the bayonet you
will have to wait until half the at
lacking party is killed. But the
British army is less agile, less supple,
and less able to maneuver than we
are. If it cannot be conquered by a
direct attack, it might be by maneuV-
ering.'
All Over Before Dinner"
Napoleon is reported to have scott
ed at this opinion, SO unerringly con-
firmed before night. 1t vas the first
time Napoleon had come in direct
conflict with English roops
He sail irritably to Soult: Because
you nave been beaten by Wellington
you consider him a good general. But
general, that the British are bad
troops, and that it will be all over
before dinner"
This great battle that settled the
fate of Europe fairly briStles with in
stances of British valor. Horse and
foot, they outfought the French at
every point Of the field. 1t has been
said hat they Ook less chances thar
the French, and that their com
mander exposed them less. Well
veterans declare that it takes more
real courage to remain calm under
fire, ars1 not strike back until ordered
thar it doeS to career hurrahing for
wad in a charge, buoyed up by ex-
element and passion. Some of the
British squares were charged no less
than thirteen times by Ney without
being penetrated. The great French
cavalryman, having three horses kill
ed under him, was found by an aiC
standing in a bewildered fashion a
the side of an abandoned British gun
striking its mouth with the flat O,
his sword.
In a general way it can be aid tina
all of the victories of Wellington Over
his French adversaries were due to {
sklllful use of the twO-deep lin
against the massive column which foI
many years was the fighting forma
ton Of France. The use Of infantr,
in line was not his invention. 1t wa!
used from Marlborough to Fredericl
the Great generally three or fou
deep. The French revolutionary gen
erals r~eintroduced the advance il
heavy mass, relying upon the effec
" A1hPSIuo, tiIC odlIlS DIS 1Edu zee
practlced by the pikemen Of the six
tenth and seventeenth centuries.
Napoleon was fOnd of this mass for
nation, although if he had any GU
and out favorite, it was a blend, O
ordre mixte, in which brigade or re
glment was drawn up in alternate bat
talions in line three deep and i
column. More dash is required wit
the mass, more steadiness with tn
l10e. Inc british CO16ior for ~
than 200 years has gained much G
MS pr0stlge through Steadiness.
5 English Soldier at Zenith.
The British infantry at Waterlo
! used a ~nine-pound flint-lock muske
htted with a pan, and not to be dc
: pended upon for accuracy for a rams
: OF more h $50 feet. h gener;
volley effect was what was expectet
. Each soldier carried so stout name
: cartridges, about 10 caliber. an
1 about twenty to a pound weight. TT
cartridge had to be torn open by til
I teeth, a splash Of powder thrown int
q the pan to catch the igniting spar]
e ana then driven down the musk,
S barrel with an iron ramrod. To stan
8 and reload in the face Of fire REQUIRE
e the steadiness that became part
: 1le Ensllsn soldier, most PROMINENT
e so, according to battling percen
ages, or averages, it would seem tn;
the British soldier leads the Intern:
e tonal War League list. He has e
saSed oftener and won oftener tina
y all Europe. There is nothing til;
h suggests ~decadence about his proves
n 10 highest point of greatness in h
le past history from which he h.
dWlndled or declined. He is at h
X fghtlng zenith now as much as at az
time of his career. Most OF the 9th,
nations OF the earth have had the
lie more glorious days, but the BIRTHS
n soldiers advance has been almost 90,
n slant.
j. -G%---
If TO MAKE CAMPHOR.