Camp.
The tents at Chobham are this day struck, if fine weather has pre- vailed and they are dry. The Common will be bare again, and all the gallant fellows who have made a brief sojourn there will be some in bar- racks and all on their way to quarters. A series of games and athletic exercises, got up among the Guards and gone through on Thursday, closed the whole proceedings. We append the last brief record of the week.
There was a drill parade on Saturday ; when several men of each regi- ment appeared in the new uniforms. The characteristics of the proposed changes are a return to frock-coats, the abolition of cross-belts, and the substitution of a lighter kit for the present heavy one. Of course it is proposed to retain the diversity of uniform now existing. Great differ- ence of opinion prevails as to the utility of reconverting the tailed coat into a frock-coat; and it has been pointed out that the tailed coats of the Line bear evidence of an anterior conversion of frock-coats into the swal- low-tail. There has been some talk of dispensing with the tall bear-skin cap of the Guards, but the men are said to be unfavourable to that change.
The last field-day took place on Wednesday ; when Colonel Vicars was totally routed. The troops gave a grand cheer at the close of the day. Early in the morning, the Duke of Cambridge assembled the four regi- ments of cavalry, and made the following speech to them.
"Gentlemen—As this is probably the last occasion upon which e shall be together in this encampment, I am desirous of taking this opportunity of expressing to you my extreme satisfaction with the behaviour of the four cavalry regiments. When you first arrived in camp you had many difficul- ties and hardships to contend with. Rain fell in immense quantities ; you were wet through on your arrival ; and there was a continuation of wet weather for four days after your arrival. In the face of these difficulties and hardships, I never heard a complaining voice. Officers and men, you have submitted cheerfully to every casualty and inconvenience, and your conduct merits the highest praise. As for the manner in which the different manceuvres have been carried on in the field, I will say, without making any invidious distinction between one regiment and another, you have all behaved well. The conduct of the troops has been all that I could possibly have wished. The drill of the different regiments has been under my mi- nute and careful observation, and I have with a scrutinizing eye observed your daily conduct. I am happy also to say that we have had no accidents in the brigades of any consequence.
"With such troops as yourselves I feel confident I could take you any- where, and I am sure you could do anything required of you.
"Officers and men allow me to say, I am proud of you ; and, as this is probably the last time we may meet at this camp, I take the opportunity of wishing you all farewell, and of thanking most cordially the officers corn- minding regiments—in fact, the whole of the officers and noncommissioned officers—for the support and assistano which you have rendered me; and am grateful to the men for the loyalty and zeal with which they have per- formed their duties. Gentlemen, good bye." Unfortunately, this last field-day was marked by an accident : while Private Ware of the Artillery was serving one of the guns, his hand was blown of It was lucky that the ramrod, which was projected to a con- siderable distance, struck no one. Ware was raised from the ground by some civilians near, and borne by his comrades on a stretcher to the camp.
Some weeks since, in our account of the doings at the Camp, we com- mitted the common mistake of calling the gallant Seventy-ninth" Caine- ronians," instead of Cameron Highlanders. We were not alone in error ; the military journals were with us. The Highland regiments have been well represented by the Cameron men, who are not sur- passed by any regiment either in appearance or in the soldierlike pre- cision of their movements.
Previous page
