of the Army. For example, a division of three brigades; if the Commander had half-a-dozen bugles awaiting his directions, he might order one note to be sounded, like the preparatory signal on board ship; this to call the attention of the first brigade, and, after a short interval, the order required, to advance, take ground to the right, commence firing, &c. Two similar notes preparatory would point out the second brigade, and three the third. I conceive this would be practicable when a division was manœuvring to gain a flank, and moving through a broken or wooded country; it would save much galloping of Staff-Officers, and obviate the chances of these being knocked over on the way, and leaving their message to the winds. Sound travels faster than the fleetest horse, and might still be used to advantage to anticipate the orders conveyed by a Staff-Officer. This experiment might easily be tried in any large assembly of troops,-say that of Dublin garrison. To many it may appear that I have dwelt longer than necessary on this subject; but military men will, I think, agree with me, that it is a matter of considerable importance; it tends strongly to infuse that species of military pride, without which a man is but half a soldier; it is the solace of all ranks in times of hardship and privation, and is a powerful stimulus to action when the physical powers are reduced by great exertion. Observe a regiment at the close of a long forced march, when the men seem scarcely able to put one foot before the other, call the band up, and let them play an enlivening quick step, it will infuse fresh life into every man. When Bonaparte crossed the great St. Bernard, previous to the battle of Marengo, the Swiss peasants whom he had hired to drag the cannon to the summit of the mountain, deserted him when they had performed so much of their task, and he was obliged to employ the soldiers to work the guns through the deep snow. This heavy labour was lightened by making the regimental bands accompany these fatigue-parties, and the effect was of the most favourable nature. During a portion of the Burmese war, when the troops had suffered much from sickness and privation, and were cantoned along the banks of the Irawaddy, waiting for supplies and reinforcements, in rather a desponding state of mind, the late Colonel Tidy, then Adjutant-General, embarked the band of one of the regiments, and, it being the 17th of March, he had the boat pulled up among the different cantonments, the music playing " Patrick's Day," to the great delight and excitement of all those who heard it, making them, at least for the time, forget their miseries. It has been the practice, time out of mind, in getting the anchor up on board ship, to have the marine drum and fife play those beautiful airs, "Moll in the Wad," and "Off she goes," while the sailors heave round the capstan. This noise serves merely to give a cadence of step to the men, but has small power as an excitement. Give them, in place of this monotonous rattle, a couple of good warlike musical instruments, well played on, and there could be little doubt that the messenger would travel faster. One objection will appear, at first sight, to so material a change in the organization of regimental bands,--the expense; but ways might be found to meet it. A small subscription from the senior Officers, including the Colonel, would go a great way. If what I recommend should take place, the abolition of drums and fifes,—the Ordnance would provide new instruments to the same value. Beside this, the change may be made gradually, to suit the finances of the band-fund. The only instruments requisite to banish, in the first instance, would be the French horns, bassoons, and tambourine, and supply their place with a cornet à piston, another trumpet with cylinders, a tenor bugle, and tenor trombone. If there were six clarionets, two of these might be changed for brass instruments, and the other alterations go on by degrees. There may be also some objections made on the musical scores at present existing, but these may be obviated with little trouble. All the new instruments recommended are guided by the ear, and those who played on them would readily adapt themselves to the changes; for those who had less musical tact fresh scores might be made, such as for tenors and barytone, and all the new music would be arranged according to the nature of the instruments. I need hardly advert here to the discrepancy in the state of regimental bands as they exist at present; often depending on very trifling causes, which would prevent the junction of two or three of these musical corps to produce effect. The instruments recommended for introduction are simpler, both in construction and acquirement, than those in use at present; and, if constructed by one maker, under supervision of the military authorities, such uniformity, both in form and practice, would be obtained, that nothing more easy than to combine any number of military bands, and form a monster orchestra, capable at once of "drawing three souls out of one weaver," and making its echoes resound from Mile-End to Turnham-Green. CONVERSATIONS AND OPINIONS OF MAJOR MUFFIN UPON MILITARY MATTERS. BY HENRY CURLING. (Continued from No. 194, page 30.) THE CURIOSITIES OF WAR." THE crackling logs burnt brightly upon the Christmas hearth of Muddy Moat Hall, as Major Muffin, ordering in the tumblers and cigars after supper, ignited his havannah, desired his guests to draw their chairs near the fire, and, as the snow-storm rattled against the casements, and the ruddy glow of the pine-wood gave a Rembrandt tinge to the arms, armour, and trophies of the chase which hung by the walls, commenced one of his wonted orations. The feast was o'er (as we have observed) in Branksom Hall. It was now the very witching hour, "when churchyards yawn and graves stand tenantless," and the hoarse roar of the winter's wind, sounding like a cataract amongst the trees, and the heavy dash of the driving rain, made the comfort within doubly delightful, from the very idea of the discomfort of the weather without. It was what Falstaff terms "the sweet o' the night." On the present occasion the company was of a more mixed character than was generally to be found beneath the Major's roof-tree; for it was ever his custom at the period of the year "wherein our Saviour's birth is celebrated," to extend his invitations, and keep wassail with several of the neighbouring Esquires. It was now, as we have said, "the witching hour,"-most of the guests had ta'en their stirrup-cup, mounted, and departed, leaving the choice few who were staying at the Hall to the cozy comforts of a nightcap of whisky toddy, a chat over the embers of the Christmas hearth, and a companionable cigar. The overbearing and somewhat boisterous style of one or two of the before-named resident gentry, and their dogmatically-delivered opinions upon military subjects, elicited a few remarks from the old Major now that they were gone; and the conversation being also principally upon what he termed the curiosities of war, and having altogether a military tendency, we shall take leave to record it. Amongst his numerous other virtues the old Major possessed the power of mingling the component parts of a bowl of whisky punch, and bringing the treacherous beverage to a most dangerous perfection. Should, therefore, any part of the discourse of himself and party smack of dulness or extravagance, the reader is assured it is without design, and mainly attributable to the vapour of the weed acting upon the fumes of the punch, and both together disturbing the healthy action of the pia mater. "There is an overweening opinion," said the Major, "which I have ofttimes observed to prevail amongst our civilians of the present day, namely, that, from the brilliancy of our late Peninsular campaigns, the British regiments are so infinitely superior, in every possible way, to any power that can be brought against them, that they have but to wheel into line, give one hearty English cheer, blaze away, and rush to conquest as a matter of course. This is, perhaps, a very proper and national feeling, and one we have achieved in many a stricken field. 'In our halls are hung Armoury of the invincible Knights of old.' "But this feeling may be carried too far. We ought to look as well upon reverses as victories, as both have a lesson to teach. It is wrong to despise a foe, and to boast oneself too far, and say the French are not amongst the most brave soldiers in the world, is to take from our own achievements, though performed at height,' 'The pith and marrow of our attribute.' "This overweening idea of our own prowess, however, I have observed to prevail in all classes of civilians, from the Duke to the dustman. I remember my bailiff, who is a great burly fellow, six feet one in height, Gazette in hand, reading the account of the storming of Badajos, some years ago, to a parcel of gaping rough-heads, loading dung in the farmyard, Dang the frogs,' he said, as he finished the account, and whirling a three-pronged fork around his head, brought it down with full force, sheering through the tail-ladder of my cart as if it had been made of pie-crust, Dang the frogs, I can't abide 'em, one Englishman is able to wallop three Monseers before breakfast any day in the week. Set any six of your soup meagre parle-vous before me now, and egad I'd thrash 'em into fits where I stand in half an hour.' This boastful style is essentially wrong, and such an idea is something erroneous. Many an old campaigner, who has looked upon scenes of horror and slaughter sufficient to make the flesh creep and the blood curdle, could tell a tale which would show the French took a deal of beating sometimes. I have observed the same thing amongst people of higher rank," continued the Major, " and when an old soldier has been describing the fluctuations of the fight, the mishaps of the campaign, the annihilation of the storming-party, and the disasters of the siege, or even the retire of the English troops when overwhelmed or outnumbered, I have seen the auditors open their eyes with amazement, as if they doubted the possibility of an Islander clad in a red uniform, turned up with blue, and guarded with lace and crown-buttons, using his heels for the purpose of saving his head on occasion." The "Precisely so," said Squire Rigmarole, "I'm no soldier, Major, but I can't altogether away with the idea of a British regiment retiring, except for advantage. That's a sight our foes have seldom seen. god of battles be praised for it. I am myself a man of peace; but methinks I should have liked hugely to have looked upon our squadrons in the field. What a tremendous sight it must be to see the armies engage. Certainly the most awfully-grand and dreadful spectacle that Providence permits to be enacted upon the earth's surface. You have been in a great many engagements, General Pipeclay. Tell us what is a battle like." "I find it difficult to answer your question," returned the General. "In many battles wherein I have been an actor, aye, and for the whole day, in the very thickest of the fight, I have never seen anything at all for the smoke which enveloped all around. My men have been struck down, as it were, in a dense fog of their own creating, without ever seeing the foe, and amidst a noise which drove thought and reflection from the distracted brain. Then, perhaps, came upon us the sudden charge, the hand-to-hand slaughter, and then, again, the volleying musketry from wing to wing, along the blazing line, which wrapped us once more from view of all around; and so on from hour to hour during the day, till we were either victors or the reverse. "At such times as this it is almost impossible to describe the progress of a battle. On go the battalions engaged amidst showers of shot and shell, enveloped in the smoke and fire of their own muskets, and, indeed, to simplify the matter, at such time, little better than a fighting mob, until, with the aid of the advancing battalions in support, they somehow or other achieve the day. Such, gentlemen," said the General, relighting his pipe, "is frequently all that an officer engaged can tell of the battle in which he has assisted. To him who has the management of the affair, and who moves the springs of the battle, more of the game is, of course, understood. And yet, during the heat of an engagement, your modern General is frequently obliged as much to his ears as his eyes. For instance, if he suddenly hears an amazing pounding at a distant spot, where he himself possessed but a small battery, such a disagreeable sound would be a sufficient intelligencer that something was all wrong in that quarter of the field. I quite agree with my worthy host in what he has just advanced. Our reverses ought to be as much studied by the soldier as our victories. They are to be looked at as dear bought experience purchased by rivers of blood, and regarded accordingly. The battle of New Orleans, as described by that distin guished officer, Major Cook, in his volume called a Narrative of Events in the South of France, &c., ought to be read by every officer in the Service, from the General to the Ensign. Come, my masters," continued the General, rising and filling his glass, "let us drink to the remembrance of those brave fellows who fell during the last struggle in the Peninsula. In that thought how many 'industrious scenes and acts of death' are embodied. How many dearly-cherished comrades of the camp and bivouac again die fearfully, yet gloriously, amidst storm and siege. But a few years more, and the soldiers of the war will all sleep with their fathers. 'The car of victory, the plume, the wreath, Or check the headlong haste of time's o'erwhelming wave.' "I have seen it remarked by a foreign writer," said the Major, "that no man can be a good soldier who has not considered his profession as a speculative science, as well as a practicable art. It is necessary that he should have as many points as possible presented to his imagination, in order to give him the caution, decision, and rapidity necessary for command. What has been may be again, and even in the number of battles and sieges fought, followed and won so gloriously by our troops during the last war, there are many little checks and reverses which the young soldier should mark when he hears related, in order that he may consider how they might have been avoided. "The capture of Gúznee was mainly owing to the clear head, gallantry, and talent of the chief Engineer Officer, Major Thomson. The whole British army were in a most critical situation when he stepped forward to their rescue; and part of the success of the attack might be attributed to his recollection of what, at any other period, would perhaps be called a trifling incident he had observed in a former Indian siege. He calculated upon the shadows in the clear moonlight, which would hide the working party, who were to attempt, their only chance, the bursting open of the great gates of the fortress. "In the dilemma into which the invading force was thrown, before an almost impregnable fortress, and without means or provision for the siege, he instantly hit upon the only chance which afforded any hope of success, seized the instant by the forward top,' and saved the army. 6 "To return, however, to the subject under discussion, namely, the successes of our arms, there is no question but that the British have proved themselves (wherever they have spread their colours) most intrepid soldiers and irresistible in battle when fairly matched and properly led. But late successes ought not to intoxicate; the next war (come when it may) will be a terrific struggle, and we should profit by example and experience." "There are few maxims in war," said Rigmarole, "of greater consequence to a Commanding Officer than the knowledge of the character of those he is about to fight against, and how they are likely to be influenced by circumstances. This was one of Julius Cæsar's maxims. In his inquiries about the Gauls, he learned that they were possessed of great bravery, proud and overbearing in spirit, were sudden and quick in quarrel, but had no perseverance; and that they were indeed better |