THE ALLEGED ILL FEELING BE TWEENTHE 65th AND 40m REGTS.

Wellington Independent, Volume XV, Issue 1471, 13 November 1860, Page 2

THE ALLEGED ILL FEELING BE TWEENTHE 65th AND 40m REGTS.

{To the Editor of the Wellington Independent.) Taranaki, Ist. Nov. 1860. Sin, — My attention lias just been attracted to a portion of a letter copied from the Nelson Examiner into your paper of the J6th October, in which it is asserted that "ill-feeling has arisen between the 65th and 40th regiments," that " the former taunt the latter with leaving their dead, and with running away on the 11th Sept., leaving a gun and six artillerymen unprotected,' and that the latter retort on the 65th for leaving Militiamen fighting at Waireka, &c. Lest such an erroneous statement should gain belief, T feel it my duty, in the name of the 1 soldiers of the 65th Regiment, to assure the public through your columns, that no suck ill- \ feeling exists between the men of the two corps mentioned. They may be seen daily associating in the most cordial, friendly and familial manner, which could not be the case if they had ever cast on each other such false and unsoldier like taunts as the above. They do not regard each other as separate or distinct bodies. It is the pride of each corps that they are British Soldiers, and that as such individually or conjointly they are able, ready, and anxious to win new lustre for the arms of the oouutry they have the honor to serve. If the gentleman who wrote the letter alluded to had reflected upon the evils (I might say the horrors,) liable to spring from such assertions as that " ill-feeling, &c." existed between the two corps mentioned, I am sure he would not have repeated such an idle and unfounded tale ; to do so, however unthinkingly, is to enkindle the lire of enmity and discord in the breasts of those who now feel themselves bound together by the sacred cords ot country, putriotism, duty and vlory. However, we are all too well imbued with a true sense of our duty to allow such accidental sparks to bu funned into a flitue. I may obseivc that tbe 40th regiment was not in New Zealand when Wuireka w.is fought. Therefore the slander nguinst the 65th could^uot have cmiuated from a soldier. Every one who was present on that lield, knows that tbe gallant bearing of our light company, (ihe only portion of the 65ih engaged there) wus characterised by that cool during that can be found ouly in a well-trained British soldier. We art; :»l3> told that "the Militiaman threat«d to defy orders, and act for. themselves," —

that if " the' Mother Country and her troops were out of the question they could hold their own without fear." We would assure them that no* one can appreciate such a truly heroic spirit more than ourselves, — it coininanda our highest admiration, and we have no doubt the Militia could accomplish what. they boast. Nay, fur. ther, if they could bring about our removal we would deem it an honor, as we yearn for a more glorious lield. But as to their defiance of orders, we will not follow their example if they adopt tbat course. Soldiers know better. They kuow that "obedience is their first duty," and though they would be found more willing to charge the enemy from the cannon's mouth than to retire from the field, yet discipline teaches them a ready compliance even with orders that are unwelcome to them. They always hope that the result will tend lo final good. I would uot, Sir, think the matter so serious but for the exclamations of indignaut auger that burst from the men of my company (No. 5) when one of them imprudently read aloud to the others the passage containing the assertions already quoted. It was the first time that any of us had heard of the " ill-feeling " mentioned, and each soldier felt his owu heart to be an honest contradiction of the statement. Ido not deny that there in the army (and I am sorry for it,) a few worthless men, who, heated by grog, and by tap-room bombast, oan so far foiget themselves as to resort to language of an unbecoming and exciting nature. But if the gentleman who wrote the letter alluded to, would consult any respectable man of either the 40th or 65th, he would find that each corps honors and respects the other, and "are most anxious to co-operate in their efforts for the weal of the couutry. But the real state of affairs cannot be always ascertained in " thirty hours." If we can be ever found to turn from the enemy, we invite every one to tell us, and to tell the world of it; but let us uot be punished before we are found guilty of the offence. Our commanders can well answer for their own proceedings, — our duty is simply to obey, und as we have seldom an opportunity of replying to any stigma that may be cast upon us, we would request that our feelings may not be insulted without reason. Our lives are already hard enough, without being further embittered by taunts that we do not deserve. We are ready to sacrifice our lives for the cause of our couutry; but our honor, — to no one. I ara, Sir, must respectfully, Your obedient, humble servant, A Pkivatb, 65th Kegt.