THE BATTALION.
According to the information received from officers connected with the corps or companies of which the battalion is or was composed, and also according to records kept of matters bearing on the earlier formation of these separate corps, is the account given. These corps may be said to have possessed an independent history for somewhat over one year; after that the battalion was called into existence, and with that individuality was lost. They were still termed corps as composing a part of an administrative battalion, and were numbered in the battalion as in the Army List, according to the date of their services being accepted by the War Office; but they could no longer attend reviews, or even mere local gatherings for mutual instruction in drill, unless with the authority of the officer commanding the whole, and were to submit to be instructed by the adjutant. Of course on the first amalgamation of corps into a battalion, and in the lessening of authority over them, hitherto entirely in the hands of captains, many difficulties presented themselves; and it required tact and temper in all concerned to carry out necessary discipline. A battalion drill, for instance, was often the cause of no little heartburning. One corps, after much expense and trouble, would bring to the place of muster probably two-thirds of its strength; but this very strength required its being partially broken up for the purpose of equalizing companies, and perhaps many of the best drilled men being amalgamated with very ignorant volunteers detached from another corps. This did not help to render the captain of the corps, or the men transferred, in a state of satisfaction with the day's work. Some corps too were more clannish than others, clinging very vigorously together; and being of superior clay disliked such moulding. The men required were, of course, given over to the adjutant and sergeant-major, but they were a selected lot, chosen for their incompetence and quality, and came as ordered, but in the sulks.
Before the corps were formed into a battalion and designated the 1st Administrative Battalion Wilts Rifle Volunteers, all of them, more or less frequently, had attended at various large reviews of the Volunteer Force. The Royal Review held in Hyde Park in 1860 was alone attended by the 2nd or Trowbridge Corps of this battalion, and for smartness of the men in marching, and altogether for its really soldier-like appearance, received the commendations of both military and civilians. On passing Her Majesty a prolonged shout of "Well done, Wiltshire; well done, Trowbridge!" from the crowd, proved that this determination to be present and show their loyalty was not lost on the multitude. Indeed they were worthy, for it had necessitated their leaving Trowbridge soon after midnight by horse breaks, so as to arrive in time to catch the train leaving Chippenham station at daybreak with passengers for London. Arriving in London they were at once marched to their position in the Park, and after passing, returned to Paddington to be off again by the rail, but this time homewards, not arriving there until about midnight. Again, at a review held in Clarendon Park, near Salisbury, with Major-General Lord William Paulet, C.B., in command, the various corps put in good musters; but the making up of the battalions consisted of rather a scratch lot collected from the various corps present; these being North and South Wilts, Hants, Dorset, Somerset, Oxford, Cambridge, and Middlesex. The whole were formed into two battalions and worked as a single brigade; but as these battalions were commanded by such men as Hume and Mansel, and the staff were not selected for their shouting or galloping powers, but knew their duties, the whole was a complete success; and doubtless much more of the duties of a regiment, either acting alone or as portion of a brigade, was learnt by the volunteers on this occasion than is usually done. The 1st Wilts, Salisbury, attended as two companies of thirty file each. The 2nd Corps, Trowbridge, the 6th Maiden Bradley, the 8th Mere, the 9th Bradford-on-Avon, the 10th Warminster, and 14th Wilton were the corps attending from South Wilts, and this they all did in full numbers. Small reviews of this sort, where not only those commanding the whole were regulars, but where regulars took command for the time being of both brigades and battalions, were far more useful, more especially at this early stage of the Volunteer Force, in teaching officers and men what was expected from them, than when the command devolved on the officers of the force—new men, mere learners, if civilians, and if from the line, as a rule but retired captains, or even subalterns, whose knowledge of manœuvring extended not beyond company drill, and yet these were made brigadiers and lieutenant-colonels to command regiments.
There was yet another review of volunteers at which every corps of this battalion was represented, and which came off before the whole were formed into a battalion. The review took place on Durdham Down, near Bristol, and at the time was considered as one of some mark in the volunteer movement. The reviewing officer was Major-General Hutchinson, and in his somewhat laconic address to the troops at the conclusion of the manœuvres, he expressed himself willing to make a favourable report, as the day had been successful. He also observed that he gave them all credit for having taken much pains to become efficient, more especially as he was aware that many had had little battalion drill, and some none at all.
The day was showery, the ground cramped, and spectators here, there and everywhere, and little, if anything, was learned or gained by the volunteers in attendance. But it could not have been otherwise with so few on the staff who knew anything about manœuvring, and some thousands of volunteers commanded by learners only. Here, as elsewhere, beyond the volunteer inspectors, two in number, the staff was composed of young gentlemen from the yeomanry, militia, or line, whose chief recommendation for the appointments of A.D.C., galloper, &c., consisted in their being able to ride fairly well and roar out orders in a loud tone of voice. The object of such orders was no affair of theirs, nor were they supposed to know the correct wording. It was a way we had in the army in those days, and did no great harm as long as playing at soldiers at Brighton, Salisbury, York, &c., was supposed to be lessons in real warfare; but the volunteers were in earnest, and putting away childish things gradually became nearer what soldiers could be; and by pressure on the authorities, and using common sense, helped very much to raise not only themselves to a higher standard of efficiency, but to make the regular army what it is now—a thoroughly useful force, second to none in Europe or elsewhere for scientific and well-taught officers, steady and smart non-commissioned officers, and men who do and know their work.
It is plain to a military man that a body of men so constituted, subsisting almost altogether on the liberality or length of purse of its officers and supporters, somewhat independent of authority, and held to duty by the provisions of the War Office letter to the Lord Lieutenants of Counties dated May, 1859, or by rules founded on the same, could have little stability; and that however much inspector-generals or assistant-inspectors might exert themselves, and endeavour to bring the force into forming an useful adjunct to the regular army, it would result in failure. It was impossible to have a single system pervading the whole, or indeed to make corps equally or even nearly equally fit to take their places in battalion or brigade drill. Enthusiasm was on the wane, and it was plain enough to any but those holding out for some Utopian idea of the advantages to be derived in having only well-to-do men for volunteers, that a diminishing subscription list and inability of officers to continue the constant drag on their purses was not only a serious factor in attendances at squad and company drills, but was undermining discipline, and eventually would bring the majority of corps into little else than shooting clubs; an organization not at all desirable or in any way meeting the demand for which the volunteers were raised. The few officers on the volunteer staff worked with a will, never sparing themselves in any way; and to these, from the inspector-general to each assistant-inspector, the volunteer force is much indebted. They did not expect or demand impossibilities, or even an approach to the mobility and discipline of the regular army. They knew the officers and men; and, making allowances for the difficulties under which they laboured, offered them support and advice, combined with instruction; but the system was beyond their capabilities, and failure must have resulted had not the authorities suddenly awoke to facts, and besides organizing corps into battalions, with the proper complement of field officers to command and an adjutant to carry out a fixed system of drill and interior economy, agreed to meet some of the expenses incidental to clothing, attendances at drill, &c., by issuing a capitation grant, payable by results.
In Colonels Hume and Bruce the volunteers of Wiltshire had officers not only of known merit, but such as spared no pains in trying to make those under them learn their duties. Inspecting was no easy-going affair in these early times. It was no pompous parade in a park or in a comfortable camp, with a good luncheon and the best of the county for guests and spectators. It was far more of a reality than at present, and both officers and men felt that in the inspector they had almost a personal friend. To the inspecting officer visiting corps was often a matter of difficulty, and necessitated exposure in all weathers and at all hours. Meeting the adjutant at some railway station, the two started off across country roads or over wild downs and moors in a dog cart, or not improbably, a hired shandederan fast falling into firewood, with horses none of the steadiest, to the rendezvous, which might be a village, a hillside, or country inn, and there, in all the glories of a cocked hat and feathers, he is both instructor and inspector; probably not returning to his own residence until very late at night, and this frequently. To work under such officers as these made difficulties light, and not a little aided adjutants to persevere in what at times would appear to be an almost hopeless task. To Colonel Gustavus Hume—now Major-General Sir Gustavus Hume, K.C.B.—and to Colonel Robert Bruce—now Lieut.-General R. Bruce, lately commanding the Northern Division—I hereby offer sincere thanks for support and timely advice; and in using these terms "support and advice" as being most kindly offered and willingly accepted, I believe I only echo the sentiments of most of the adjutants, on whom fell nearly all the brunt and difficulties in working volunteer battalions on their first formation.
The junction of a certain number of corps together and calling the whole a battalion, and giving some miserably inadequate sum towards meeting expenses, but with no alteration in regard to rules for the better observance of discipline, did not do much towards improving matters. The officers commanding these battalions were almost powerless, and their adjutants not only disgracefully underpaid, but left without any defined position or authority. In fact the amalgamation of corps into battalions did little, if anything, towards encouraging or improving squad or company drills, and added very much to the already very heavy expenses of officers and men in becoming efficient. The travelling expenses were doubled. The railway fares being the full conveyancing charges for soldiers, and as the usual daily train service on lines could be the only one obtainable for men coming to battalion drills, it often resulted in a day's work being lost. Besides this, to corps scattered all over a wild extent of country where no railroads existed, and waggons or carts had to be hired, attendance at the head quarters of the battalion for united drill was easier ordered than performed, and so gradually attendance at the same fell off, or was made up, or said to be made up, by an extra quantity of squad drills at home.
It must have been through complete ignorance of these facts, and of the true condition of volunteer corps, that the War Office, in granting a travelling allowance of four shillings per head, should have exempted all corps at the head quarters, or within five miles of the same, from any participation in the boon. The War Office could not possibly be expected to know anything about the fitness or accessibility of these head quarters as places for general assembly, of the strength of the companies there, or within the five-mile radius, and of the costs incidental to corps few in numbers, much scattered, and far distant who would have to put in an appearance thereat. Applied to South Wilts it meant that the travelling allowance drawn for about three hundred and sixty men should cover the expenses of the whole battalion, then probably nearly seven hundred strong. It also meant that all corps within the five miles should give a whole day, walk the distance out and home, and do all that was required at the parade; besides all this, it supposed that the men composing these corps, whose head quarters were within five miles of the battalion head quarters, were all close at hand, instead of being nearly if not quite as much scattered as corps further away. Altogether, it was unworkable. The corps on the spot came in full strength, and others according to distances, and funds in hand; so that keeping men of the same companies together, and thus avoiding heartburnings and a motley appearance, was impossible, and did much to make battalion drills disliked and useless for instruction.