BRITISH MILITARY DISCIPLINE.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 4889, 22 November 1876, Page 3

BRITISH MILITARY DISCIPLINE.

It was found even in the Peninsula that what told with the greatest effect was a calm readiness to wait in obedience to orders till the . moment had arrived when the powers of the weapons could be brought to bear with the deadliest result. One of the ablest of the generals opposed to us in Spain (Marshall Bugeaud) has given a most lively and generous description of the manner in which the fight in those’ days between his own troops and ours used to take place. The following may serve as an epitome of his account, the French being, he says, almost always the assailants. The attaching columns move to assault the position held by tin English just beyond the ■ crest of same gently rising bill. The English, eithor 'af first lying down or standing with, the butt; end of their rifles on the ground, give no sign of their existence, except a line of motionless red, which just shows and no more along the crest, while behind it here and there an officer is seen riding quietly up and down. At first the French dash forward with furious courage, chattering a good deal, abusing the English most savagely. The excitement increases from moment to moment. One after another cannot be restrained from breaking the ranks, that ho may relieve his feelings by a shot at the enemy. The column becomes more and more confused, As they get further and further up the hill the excitement and hurry tell more and more; the pace cannot be kept up. They realise ever more and more unpleasantly the fact that all their excitement and hurry have produced no effect upon the red line above them. ; These feelings have full time to react upon the previous over-excitement. At last an unpleasant chill succeeds, and now they are within pointblank range of the enemy. They hear a single cool word of command repeated all along the English line. Down come all the muskets towards them. A moment more, then comes a volley, of which few shots go astray. The smoko clears away. Moving straight down towards them they see a line of bayonets. Then a loud cheer rings out from the hitherto silent ranks. These are coming on now steadily, rapidly—with an evident intention not to stop—straight at them, The strain it too severe. The column does not wait to be attacked, but breaks and; flies. “Never,” says the old marshal, “did I : see other than one end to it.”—Soldiering in: The Technical Educator.