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MATTERS MILITARY.

Poyal Ahtillkuy. Uhiqtte. Quo fan et gloria tlucitiit. Throughout the New Zealand war—from its beginning up to the present moment —perhaps no arm of the service lias suffered more hardship, done more service, and had less said about it than the Poyal Artillery. From the death of the young and gallant Maenaughton to that of the equally gallant veteran Mercer, the lioyal Artillery have borne out in New Zealand their well known character for steady and unflinching courage. As a corps the Poyal Artillery takes a high position in the army —and deservedly so. The intricate and and fatiguing drill, the long roil of technical terms, the compounding, manufacturing of cartridges, and indeed the wlxole science of gunnery, calls for a superior class of men, both mentally and physically. Next to their own peculiar corps —Scotchmen and North of Ireland men prefer to serve in the Poyal Artillery. From these countries therefore the Artillery is well supplied. It may be interesting to take a look at tlie early history of this splendid arm of the service. From "Gleigs Military History" we learn that originally thelioyal Pegimentof Artillery consisted of only four companies. The uniform was then " blue coats, trimed up with red, red waistcoats, and red breeches. Then as now the head quarters was at Woolwich. Since 1521, when the first cannon was east in England, at the foundry of John Owen, up to the present date, a series of revolutions have taken place, in uniform of the men, in casting of cannon, and in almost everything connected with the Poyal Artillery. For a long while the guns attached to an English army were dragged by heavy cart horses and sometimes by oxen. Very few know perhaps what an Artillery soldier is required to learn. Doth officers and men are drilled to work their guns with a precision and expedition which cannot but excite admiration, compound gunpowder, to cast cannon, to fatricate limbers, to make port fire, to charge carcases, shells, rockets, ic., and to feci, —let them be placed in any position, however trying and dangerous—that by an exercise of an intelligent miucland an ingenious hand they may master the difficulty. We may state, without the least fear of awakening a jealous feeling on the part of the other branches of the service— that the Poyal Artillery are without exception the finest body of men in the British service— and the first Artillery in the world. We close this notice of the Artilleiy by giving the following .sketch of an act of daring valour performed by a troop of Horse Artillery at the battle of Fuentes d'Onore : —" Immediately, says Colonel Napier, a great commotion was observed amongst the French squadrons, men and officers closed in confusion towards one point, where a thick dust was rising, and where loud cries— sparkling of blades and flashing of pistols, indicated some extraordinary occurrence. The spectators gazed on with intense interest, for they had seen not long before Captain Pamsay

1 his troop of Horse Artillery cut off and grounded:' and as .guns thus dealt-- with arc almost r.ways lost, they had ceased to think or Hamsay anil his men except as prisoners. But prisoners fliey were not. Suddenly the multitude T\as violently agitated, an English shout the mass was rent assuiider, Norman -Kanisay burst forth at the head of his Battery ; his horses breathing fire and stretching like KJ'cyhounds along tho plain, his guns bounding like things of no weight, and the mounted gunners, m close and compact order, covering the rear. An escape without parallel in the annals or modern warfare."

Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH18640728.2.15

Bibliographic details

New Zealand Herald, Volume I, Issue 221, 28 July 1864, Page 5

Word Count
602

MATTERS MILITARY. New Zealand Herald, Volume I, Issue 221, 28 July 1864, Page 5

MATTERS MILITARY. New Zealand Herald, Volume I, Issue 221, 28 July 1864, Page 5

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