ANOTHER NIGHT SURPRISE AT CHOBHAM.
DOMESTIC RESULTS OF THE CAMP.
The Camp at Chobham has already so far answered its purpose as to have given a powerful impetus to the military propensities of the rising generation, and there has been a considerable muster of troops in many a nursery, which may, on this occasion, be termed a nursery for young soldiers.
We lately had the privilege of being present at a Grand Nursery Review and Sham Fight, where the Wooden Cavalry, under the command of Master Jones, stood a fierce attack from a division of tin soldiery under the able direction of Master and Miss Toddlekins. The ground occupied was a sort of table land, having for its surface a tapis vert, or green cover. Master Jones was on the spot early, and the Wooden Cavalry were at once disturbed from their bivouac; and the sentries having been summoned from their boxes, took up a strong position behind some lines formed of an open dictionary, which admitted of the soldiers being disposed in double columns. The Wooden Cavalry looked remarkably well, though some of them were evidently veterans who had been in the wars, for there were many without arms, a few without heads, and here and there a horse had been curtailed of a tail, or some other usual adjunct. Master and Miss Toddlekins now brought up—from down-stairs—a considerable body of tin soldiery of every arm—though, occasionally, deficient of a leg—and these having been drawn up exactly opposite to the Wooden Cavalry, both sides were prepared to give or take battle.
The proceedings commenced by the sound of a trumpet feebly blown by Miss Toddlekins, and responded to on the drum by Master Jones, when a smart fire of peas, ably directed by Master Toddlekins, was opened on the wooden cavalry. The double columns of "Johnson's Dictionary" for a time sheltered the forces under Master Jones; but a sudden sortie made by Miss Toddlekins shook the opposing force with such violence that several fell en masse, and the mêleé becoming general, great numbers on both sides were savagely put to the pea-shooter. The forces under Master Jones being now entirely put to the rout, their young commander grew desperate and threw down upon the foe all his strength, combined in one enormous volume—of the dictionary already alluded to.
The loss on both sides was considerable, and among the casualties must be enumerated an accident of a rather harassing nature to Mr. Jones Senior who, while surveying the field of battle, received in a small indentation on the right of his nose one of the largest peas of the enemy. It is satisfactory, however, to add that the battle was decisive, for no animosity remained on the minds of the young chiefs on either side, who, having removed the killed and wounded, immediately spread the tapis vert with a repast of the choicest jams, which they all freely partook of. The only soreness that remained was on the part of Mr. Jones Senior, but his anger was soon appeased, and the peas were speedily forgotten.