BRITISH MILITARY DISCIPLINE.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 228, 15 January 1877, Page 2

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 ordsrs till the moment had arrived when the powers of the weapons could be brought to bear witli the deadliest result. One of the ablest of the genei-als opposed to us in Spain (Marshal Bugeaud) has given a most lively and generous descrip- -- tion 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 attacking columns, move to assault the position held by the English just beyond the crest of some gently rising hill. The English, either at first lying down or standing with the butt end of their rifles on their ground, gave 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 *" another cannot be restrained from ing the ranks, that he may relieve ilis feelings by a shot at the enemy. The column becomes more and more As they get further and further up the hill the excitement and hurry tell more

and mottt •, the pace cannot he kept ttp. Tlwy realise e«er more and ww »"»- pleasantly the fact that *" tUcir ftmkt " ment and hurry have produced n<> eff«et upon the red I'"" » tw,VB th ° m - Thp!K! fte&np hav« cult tiuu* to- «»ct ttp»»» the pnvtotift ©ver-escitemenL At I);-'" a» mipfoosont chill succeeds, anet now tuoy are wMin point htoak range of the enemy. They hear * single eoot word of cotttm»wt repeated all along the English tine. iWn some alii the mnsfceta toward* them. A moment more, then comes a *ottey, of which few shots go astray. The smoke etoars away. Moving straight down towards them they see a tine ♦»« hayonets. then a toad cheer ring* oak from the fcitherto< silent ranks. These are coming on now steadily, rapidly—with an evident intention not to stop—straight at them. The strain is too severe. The column does not a»waj,t to be attacked, but breaks and Hies. H tfever," says the old marshal, *' did t see other than oue end to it."— Soldiering in " The Technical Educator."