Forced Roderick’s weapon from his hand,
And, backwards borne upon the lea,
Brought the proud chieftain to his knee.”
“What a desperate battle it must have been! Have you told us all about uniforms?”
“Why, I think that you have had quite enough of dress, I will, therefore, only say, that the rifle regiments wear green jackets and trousers, with a black beaver cap. The duty of the rifle-corps is different from that of other soldiers, for they hide themselves behind the trees, or lie along on the ground, or among the bushes, so as to be able to pick off the officers of the enemy with their rifles. Their dress is green, that they may not be spied out so easily. A rifleman will fire off his piece in almost any attitude, and bring down his enemy.”
“What, do they pick off the officers one by one, just as a sportsman does his birds?”
“They do, boys! Many practices in war will hardly do to dwell upon. I have not said so much about the uniform of sailors as of the uniform of soldiers; but I will give you a droll account of the scrape that a boatswain once got into on account of his love of finery. I think the account is given by Captain Hall, but I am not certain.”
“Let us hear it! Let us hear it!”
“I remember once, on the beach of Madras, witnessing an amusing scene between Sir Samuel Hood, then commander-in-chief in India, and the newly-promoted boatswain of a sloop-of-war, belonging to the squadron. The admiral, who was one of the bravest, and kindest, and truest-hearted seamen that ever trod a ship’s decks, was a sworn foe to all trickery in dress-work. The eye of the veteran officer was directed earnestly towards the yeast of waves, which, in immense double rows of surf, fringe and guard the whole of that flat shore. He felt more anxious than usual about the fate of this particular boat, from having ordered on shore the person alluded to, with whom he wished to have some conversation previously to their parting company. This boatswain was a young man, who had been for some years a follower of the admiral, in different ships, and to whom he had just given a warrant. The poor fellow, unexpectedly promoted from before the mast to the rank of an officer, was trigged up in his newly bought but marvellously ill-cut uniform, shining like a dollar, and making its wearer, who, for the first time in his life, had put on a long coat, feel not a little awkward.