NEW MILITARY MOVEMENTS.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 2, Issue 214, 17 July 1879, Page 2

NEW MILITARY MOVEMENTS.

By an American HraioiusT,

A New York correspondent of the Indianapolis Journal gives the following interesting reminiscence of the late- John Phoenix—Lieutenant Derby, of the United States Army:— When Frank Pierce was President, Jeff, Davis, thea' Secretary of War, issued a general invitation to officers of the army, who were skilled draughtsmen to send in suggestions for the new uniform which it had been decided to adopt. One such invitation was sent to each officer. Lieutenant Derby was very ready with his pen— a really ingenious artist, In reply he sent to the War Department a design for a new uniform—or rather a peculiar addition to the old uniformthe amendment consisting merely of a ring attached to the seat of the trousers of each private soldier. Each officer was to carry, instead of a sword, along pole,

with a hook in the end like a shepherd's crook, The pole and the ring enabled officers to keep the privates from running away in battle. Fugitives could easly be caught by it and brought back. Stragglers could be kept in line. Moreover, the ring would be very useful in the cavalry service to fasten soldiers to the saddle to prevent them from falling off; and in the artillery service the rings were to be usedfordraught purposes in the absence of mules.

These specifications were accompanied by the most grotesque pictures representing officers hauling back cowardly recruits by the serviceable ring, cavalry securely fastened to the top of their steeds by tho ■*ame device, and artillery men harnessed to cannon, drawing them through narrow letiles, or up an acclivity inaccessible to miles, by cables attached to the posterior staples. On another sheet of Bristol-board vas an illustration in gaudy colours of " )erby,s Rotary Mule Howitzer," accom>anied by tho following description:— " Upon the back of a young and vigiant mule, strap a mountain howitzer, the nuzzle pointing towards the tail. A iimilar piece of ordinauce is fastened with ron bands under the animal's abdomen, ihe muzzle aimed between his fore legs to he front. There are four gunners, two ,o each piece, and a ' persuader,' as he s called, whose business it is to persuade he mule to stand linn and not retreat, by ituffinghini with oats after each discharge, ■vith a tin ssiusago-stufter. When Indians jr other legitimate game appear in view, ;he mule is, by a crank movement on the ail, limbered to the front. It don't make my difference which way the mule faces and here is where my patent comes in] me gnu is always pointing to the front. Ai ihe command' fire' the top howizeris dia;harged. The recoil throws the mule or lis back, bringing the second gun ink aosition. This is discharged, which sudlenly brings the mule to his feet again. when the gunners swab out the mule'f throat with hay and reload." The accompanying initiations (in brown, red, blue, wid Hold, and still on file in the War Department) represented the rotary mule in seven different attitudes, looking contented uid happy all the time. This was felt to be an outrageous aiuk' city on the part of a subaltern. The clerks in the War Department laughed at tin fun immoderately, but their superior! looked serious. Jefferson Davis, theheac of the department, was terribly indignant; and he resolved to defend his wouudec dignity. Charges and specifications wert drawn up against Lieutenant Derby, anc the offiiccrs were actually named for hi! court-martial, when W. L. Marcy, Secre tary of State, a man of more sense ant self-poise, said to the irate secretary: ' How see here, General Davis; don't do it, This Darcy has undoubtedly a luperfluou; development of humour. But he is shrew( and ingenious, and really a line draughts man. He has valuable qualities. Yot can organize a court that will convict him but you will be a butt of ridicule on ac count of it all your life. Better file tin suggestions of the crook-ring and th< lively rotary mule, and say nothing,' And he did.