THE VOLUNTEERS.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XIX, Issue 20, 10 March 1860, Page 3

THE VOLUNTEERS.

To the Editor of the Times. Sir — Allow me to amend my first letter on a point of importance. In 1805 the volunteers were formed in regigiments of 1,000 strong, and even in larger masses, clothed in red, aud armed, accoutred, and drilled like regular troops. Of use they were, displaying the moral power excited by the danger of invasion ; but as soldiers, mere mimics, without solidity to support the regular army, and offering points of weakness to the enemy, because, having neither artillery nor cavalry of their own, they required the aid of those arms of war from the regulars ; for it is by fine combinations of infantry, cavalry, and artillery that battles are won. Soon all would have had to trust to their legs; for be it known to Mr. Wise, that absolute running away at the right time is also an essential part of warfare, to be learnt with care, though a battle is not the best school for the first lesson.

The regular artillery would then have feared to close ou the French masses, trusting only to the support and protection of unwieldy, untaught, ill-commanded mobs of volunteers.

Now, acting as riflemen, the volunteers will be independent of the regular army, yet support it ; and, having free play for their own natural intelligence, it will in each be developed according to mother wit — though it is not every mother that gives her son military wit, as proved by Mr. Wise. They would also more easily escape from the evil of incapable commanders, and yet give full play to their own usefulness.

Thus it would be :—

A rifle infantry man takes post, under cover, half a mile from a French column of march, and he plumps into it every shot, or knocks over the men aud horses of the artillery and cavalry, if at all exposed to his fire. At the same time one or two of Sir William Armstrong's lightest guvs, which are said to be of sure stroke at two miles' distauce, and may be drawn by two horses, can take post a mile or more behind the riflemen, pounding the enemy's column and protecting our own skirmishers from cavalry, which, however, could make but little impression, giving, as they would do, half a mile start to the volunteers in running away, if such running should be expedient.

It may be said the French have rifles aud long ranging guns also. True : and it would be a fair fight between the riflemen on each side ; but the heavily loaded Frenchmen would soon tire, and the main column must halt to rally them again. Thus the long ranging arms, pushing the volunteers into their natural career, have quadrupled their power ; and, all former points of weakness being swept away, they will be a real support to the regular troops, instead of a drain and a burden. The delay thus enforced on the enemy must be made also under the destructive fire of the Armstrong gun, which would hit always, and never be hit by a counter gun of the same range, for the columns of the enemy could not hide, they must be perforce of Mr. Wise's school ; whereas the Armstrong gun could and would hide, and, having fired, remove to another place to fire again, so that the enemy's shot, directed only by the smoke, would strike an empty nest.

Each gun, whether manned by volunteers or militia artillerymen — and there are many good ones — should be attended by small corps of volunteer cavalry always moving with it, ready to support the skirmishers and protect the gun from accidental roving detachments of the enemy's horsemen. "We also should have roving horsemen — ay, and fighting horsemen, numerous and bold. They would soon teach the French cavaliers how much a good horse has to do in warfare ; horses never blunder if their riders be earnest and strong-willed. The last Gazette having given me a step of rank, my signature will be in future, November 4. W. Napier, General.