In battle do at Waterloo
With British Grenadiers?
Then ever sweet the drum shall greet
That march unto our ears,
Whose martial roll awakes the soul
Of British Grenadiers!”
You know the old colours, and the old familiar music of the “spirit-stirring drum” and “ear-piercing fife” is a welcome sound. Hurrah, for our soldiers! One, two, three! and a ringing one over the young recruits. Now for another one after that. What is that for? The Volunteers, of course.
The number of effectives in the British army by the last return was 204,057. They are scattered all over the world, scarcely more than 30,000 being at any one time at home; and under so many varied temptations as they must be exposed to, both abroad and at home, it says much for the men that during the last year there were only 1438 deserters and 466 cases of corporal punishment. As to what British troops have achieved—is not the history of England full of it? The sheer pluck they have displayed under all sorts of disadvantages has made them famous through the world. All sorts of disadvantages—at home not over well paid, not over well cared for in garrison; not incited to exertion by the prospect of promotion above that of a non-commissioned officer; not encouraged to feel himself a man as well as a soldier; exposed to a degrading punishment; clad in a costume totally unfitted for the field or the march; armed with heavy and cumbersome weapons; sent to all parts of the globe in precisely the same uniform; no proper provision made for his comfort or convenience; not taken care of by the authorities, not allowed to take care of himself; not—
“Upon the plains of Flanders