GENERAL WOLSELEY'S " GANG."

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5180, 9 December 1884, Page 3

GENERAL WOLSELEY'S " GANG."

[By Archibald Forbbs.] Although, there is no grumbling against Wolseley's appointment, there is in fujl vigour the outcry againßt him again, thrft he is distributing the billets on staff or special service among the members of his own "gang." There is undoubted hardship in this to a good man who does not happen to belong to the gang ; but it is impossible to blame Wolseley for putting the work he has to do into the hands of the lrwn of whose ability to do it he has had practical experience. To accuse him of favouritism is nonsense. There is no member of the " gang " whom he has not selected because of the recognition of some j special merit in him. It is no new thing for a coinniauder to adhere firmly to the employment in important services of the men with whose ability he is familiar, and who for their own parts are familiar with his methods. When the Duke of Wellingi»n went to Belgium for the Waterloo campaign, he strove to gather around him not only his old Peninsula etaif , but his old Peninsula regiments. In Colonel Gurr wood's book there is a characteristic reply by the Duke to the application for stalf employment by a General Darling, whose credentials were of the strongest kind. Their weight the Duke admits, but he frankly says that he prefere to new men, however well vouched for, the men whom he knows and who know him. Wolseley never misses an opportunity of recruiting into his special following any man whose capacity he has opportunity to recognise. Every campaign enlarges the strength of the " gang." The Egyptian campaign brought into it a number of new men, most of whom are now on-their way to Egypt again for the impending expedition. Wolseley has the faculty of recognising an eligible recruit almost at a glance. On his way up to the Transvaal he found Stewart plodding diligently in the prosaic work of maintaining a line of com munication. Half a day's intercourse sufficed to convince him of Stewart's merits ; he enlisted him on the spot, and in five years the obscure cavalry captain has become a full colonel, a Queen's aide-de-camp, and a X.C.8., and has earned every step of the distinction he has attained. When Wolseley went out to take over and organise Cyprus, he went round the island in a Government despatch boat, and I accompanied him. The Helic6n touched at a place called Limasch, the second town of the island. Wolseley was received there by a* lieutenant of marines at the head of a detachment "of six men. This officer's report was : — " My name is Seager ; three weeks ago I was landed here by the Admiral with 12 marines with orders to take over and ! organise the place. It was in a condition of disturbance because a number of Turkish soldiers, released from discipline, were behaving in a disorderly manner. They resisted me ; I fought them. What of them are left I have in gaol, with 1 six men of my command guarding them. The cadi was unpleasant ; I had to bring him to order by threatening to flog him. I had to flog some of his subordinates. Now, town and country are ' perfectly quiet. I have had the filthy streets cleaned, and have whitewashed the abominable interior of the prison. I have re-established the markets, collected the revenue from them and from the Customs. Am gathering in the arrears of taxes, and have a sum of money ready to hand over to the adminis- , trator whom you may appoint." "It seems i to me, you havn't wasted your time, Mr Seager," was all the comment Wolseley made at the time ; but, before he left next morning, that gentleman found himself ■ appointed Commissioner of Limasch. During a furlough, he had found time to be- . come a barrister, following the example of ! Evelyn Wood, Howard Vincent, and other officers ; and the obscure lieutenant of ! marines is now Chief Justice Df Cyprus, with a salary larger than would have been , his pay if he had the luck to become gene- ; ral officer. Among Wolseley's ablest and . mo3t trusted officers was Colonel Henry ' Brackenbury, R.A. Brackenbury had served with his master in Ashantee, in Cyprus, in 'the Transvaal; and it became . a matter «f course that where the latter i went the former should go also. In peace [ time Wolseley stood by his man. Bracken- , bury was military attache to the Paris . Embassy ; and when the troubles in Ire- . land were at their worst he was appointed, i on Wolseley's recommendation, to a deli- , cate and responsible post in that dis- • tracted island, having for its duties the in- ; vestigation and attempted detection of , criminal and seditious practices. He had i scarcely entered on his new functions when Wolseley was nominated Commander of the British army about to be despatched to Egypt to put down Ai'abi Pasha. ■ Brackenbury immediately applied for leave , j to quit his post and go out with his old ! chief. The leave was refused him, since ! his work in Ireland was of so urgent i'< moment. In a pet, he resigned, came j over to London, and placed himself at Wolseley's disposal. But although Wol- , i seley wanted him, and although he was j strong enough to carry most points, he had , ( to go to Egypt without Brackenbury. The j Lord Lieutenant of Ireland made it a personal matter that Brackenbury should be { punished for his reckless pettishness and 1 disregard of responsibility by being thwarted j in the object for which he had so inconvenienced the Irish Executive. He was relegated sternly to regimental duty — he who had been in staff employ for 10 years ' at a stretch — and in that work he has been I eating his heart ever since. Men who j knew the story wondered whether he would ; be released from purgatory to go out with j Wolseley now ; it was certain that Wolse- • ley would be glad to have him. But among j the names of the officers already gone, or ; now under orders to go, is not the name of Henry Brackenbury. [In the long run Wolseley's influence prevailed, and Colonel Brackenbury is now in the Soudan with his old chief.]