A REGIMENTAL HISTORY.•

REGIMENTAL histories of some sort are probably as numerous as the regiments in the British Army. Many are unworthy of their subject. It is strange that many regimental historians should be able to ponder on a succession of campaigns such as, say, Marlborough's wars, the Napoleonic wars, the Crimea, and the Mutiny without having a spark struck from their souls ; they remain as little inclined to burrow into archives and discover gems among private letters, illuminating their whole subject, as they were when they undertook the task " at the request, &c." Not that some of these histories are not written with skill and grace ; we know several that are very good of their kind ; but they are mostly an assembling or reassembling of parts already familiar. What is required in the regiments is the historical passion which inspires Mr. John Fortescuo, the historian of the Army, and Pro- fessor Oman, the latest, fullest, and most accurate historian of the Peninsular War. We know of course that these men were born hie- torians, and we do not expect to discover a born historian in every regiment. But we do think that a good many more officers, particularly retired officers, might spend part of their time in the entertaining game of searohing for documents, private letters, and old prints which bear upon the history of their regiments. In an ideal world the Charing Cross Road would never be without a retired General or Colonel on the hunt. Officers with a thirst for literary quests might thus not only glorify their regiments but amass historical data of a special value, There must be hundreds of families, for example, who have letters from their grandfathers and great-grandfathers packed away, yellow with age, and seldom looked at. Such things are " only letters from a subaltern" to his mother, it may be—so why trouble about them They are "evidently of no importance." But that is a mistake. It is the accumulation of small details which results in the porfeot historical picture. So let the letters come forth from the old cociarwood boxes, and let editors of regimental magazines make a point of inquiring for such material, and printing it whenever they can get it. When one comes to think of it, the regiments of the British Army have the most travelled record of any body of mon in the kingdom. All that is wanted is searchers with the historical sense to ransack the regular archives, or, if these bo exhausted, to follow up the alum they afford.

We choose Colonel H. W. Pearse's history of the East Surrey Regi- ment for "honourable mention in literary despatches" because it shows just the right spirit and is obviously the result of research. We do not intend to follow the history of the regiment as such, but merely to pick out some of the plume. Chief among these are the letters of Captain Irving about the American War of Independence and the war against the French in the West Indies, which Colonel Pearse obtained from a descendant of that gallant and (as we shall see) highly optimistic officer. Colonel Pearse, as the biographer of Lord Lake, has already done very good service to the study of military history, and his distinguished services in South Africa are a guarantee that he can write with a proper appreciation of military affairs.

As regards the origins of the present East Surrey Regiment, it is enough to say that it embodies the old 31st Foot (Huntingdonshire) and the 70th Foot (Surrey). The 31st Foot was raised in the first days of Queen Anne's reign, and the 70th Foot was raised, as a second battalion to the 31st, in 1758.

The following story—unique we should think—is taken from one of the letters collected by Colonel Nana. It is to bo noted that the letter was written in 1888 by an old member of the regiment and describes an incident which occurred sixty years before :—

" The 31st Regiment was serving in Holland and at Egmont op Zoe crossed bayonets with the French Regiment bearing the same number, a ball fired during the retreat of the latter regiment passed through the jaws of a soldier of the 31st named Robert Hulloolc. In the course of the afternoon he was buried in the sand hill where he had fallen by a soldier of his regiment named Cameo. During the night Hullock re. covered and having been lightly covered with sand, crept out and crawled to a picquet of his regiment posted near. He was sent to the Hospital recovered and was serving with his regiment in Malts in MOO. His face having been much discoloured and his voice scarcely intelligible • History of the 31st Foot, Huntingdonshire Regiment, and 70th Pool, Surrey Regiment, subseguenny let and 2nd Pat:alien, The East Surrey Regiment. Iiy Colonel Hugh W. Pearse, D.B.O. Vol. I., 1702-1014. London Spottiswoodo. Dallantyne, and Co. (218.1

(a part of his tongue and palate having been carried away) he had for some years served as a pioneer to his company. A soldier of it died and lIullock as part of his duty dug the grave in which he was found on the arrival of the body for interment still at work though nearly ten feet deep ; on being drawn out and asked his reason for making it is so unusually deep he replied Why Sir it is for poor John Cames who buried me and I think Sir if if I get him that deep it will puzzle him to creep out as I did.' On the burial service being read he proceeded to fill up the grave and actually buried the man who ten years previously buried him. )fullock was discharged and pensioned in 1814. And I served with the same two men in the year 1806, so I conclude by wishing you, the Colonel, all the Officers and the Regiment well.

(Signed) Jon& Lowe. Market Place, Knutsford, Cheshire."

At the beginning of the nineteenth century a good deal of diversity seems to have been allowed in the medals and decorations worn by British soldiers. Private William Pentenny of the 31st Foot, for instance, received various rewards for his gallantry in extinguishing a fire in a powder magazine in Jersey :- " The Patriotic Fund at Lloyd's awarded Private William Pentenny a pension of £20 a year, while the States of Jersey conferred an additional £12 on this deserving soldier, and presented to him a gold medal, struck on purpose to commemorate the achievement, which he was permitted to wear. The Governor, Major-General the Honble. William Stewart, ordered a ring of silver lace to be worn round his arm as a further distinction."

The 31st were in the Sikh War, and Colonel Poarse quotes from a letter of Lieutenant Noel. who mentioned that at the battle of Ferozeshah be had taken prisoner " one Porter," an Englishman who held a high command in the Sikh artillery. Noel said that Porter was a Ilaidstase man,

Captain Irving's letters are a considerable " find." They describe the doings of the 70th Regiment, which was given the title of the Surrey Regiment before the end of the American War of Independence. Beth in America and in the West Indies Irving's optimism was invincible. Ile was always of opinion that the enemy's resistance was about to collapse, but his optimism was of the most creditable sort, for it came of a high and courageous spirit. His cheery and affectionate letters to Ibis wife are very pleasant reading. On June 10th, 1779, he wrote from a camp near Fort Lafayette :— " It is confidently reported that the Rebels have in their turn sent Commissioners to France to negotiate a peace, convinced that the losses of their new Allies will soon make them desert from the engagements they are under to them. I hope in God Great Britain will keep her dignity on the occasion, and confirm all her rights, even though she never Intends to exercise them—it was a wanton and unprovoked Rebellion ; I, therefore, think we should have no peace whilst there is a particle of that poison remaining in their blood, which has cost us so many valuable Ives. I am clear for peace with America, but their submission ought to be ample, as their crime has been great ; and if their penitence is sincere they have still much happiness to expect from the protection of the most indulgent parent and most powerful State in the world, who has a heart to forgive, as well as a spirit to chastise."

Again :— " The Army for the present are all returned to their winter quarters, and the Disputes in the Rebel Army are abated for a time, but I am convinced the Reconciliation cannot be permanent; what has now hap- pened is only a prelude to something of great importance, and I am firmly convinced that we shall see America return to her Allegiance again in a short time, but it will be from inability to carry on the War, not from friendship to Britain."

In the following passage, after describing a pursuit of " the Marquis " (Lafayette) into the Blue Mountains, Irving professes to explain why the rebels did not come over more freely to the British side :— " If Great Britain can only keep her other enemy. at bay, the American contest will soon be over. I have had an opportunity of !mowing the sentiments of all classes—they are, to a man, tired of the War, and the lower degree often declare to us that they have discovered the Selfish and Ambitious designs of their leaders, and are most unhappy under their Yoke ; but acknowledge they have not resolution to embrace the most ready end effectual method to shake it off, which would be to take Arms and join the British Troops, and their reason is not only just, but mortifying to Brittain, 'tis this= After the loyal Inhabitants of different parts of America have openly professed their friendship for, and taken part with Great Brittain, the King's Troops have often, from necessity, or some important object in view, left them to the barbarous Ravages and persecutions of their merciless neighbours and countrymen.' " He was writing in the same strain of confidence in August, 1781, and in October, 1781, Cornwallis surrendered York Town, where Irving was one of the garrison. The latter was allowed to return to England on parole.

The ingenious Captain Patrick Ferguson, who invented a breech- loading rifle in 1776, was a famous member of the 70th. He was allowed to command a special corps of men all armed with the breech-loaders. One wonders whether if there had been more of them the enemy could have stood up to the rapid fire any more than the Austrians stood against the Prussian needle-guns at Sadowa. It is said that Captain Ferguson, who was a most accurate shot, had an opportunity of shooting Washington but chivalrously held his hand.

Irving displayed the same easy views about the prospects in the West Indies in 1794 as ho had expressed during the American War of Independence. The people in Martinique, he believed, would receive the British with open arms. As for the garrison—" Perhaps the troops in the Fort may make some efforts to a defence but we hold it in great sontenipt." We must end with some extracts from the delightfully.quahit " Stand. ing Orders " issued to the 70th in 1786 and 1788. A copy of these Orders is in the possession of Sir Eyre Coote, and from this copy Colonel Poarse quotes :— - " They [the N.C.O.'s] are never to connive at the irregular behaviour of the Soldiers in any point whatever. They are to keep up a proper command, and closely attend to their Improvement in Writing and Cyphering ; to make themselves Master of all forms of Duty and Returns. To be careful and honest in all Money Matters ; to make themselves thoroughly acquainted with the Exercise in every respect, and to be fully able to Instruct and take Charge of any Squad that may be put under their Direction. They are to treat the men as civilly an possible ; and to endeavour to keep up Harmony, good Order, and Obedience, and to assist all Recruits in the different Branches they are to Learn.

• • • • • • If a Corporal should ever be found to have sent the Soldier to his Post., without going himself regularly to plant him, or shall have allowed the Centinels to relieve each other, he must never expect to be pardoned.

The non-commissioned Officers are not to suffer the Women to iron the Men's Linen on the Barrack Blankets.

• • The non-commissioned Officers of each Room to be answerable that the Barrack Maids keep themselves as well as the Room, at all times clean, and have the Beds properly turned up by ten o'clock every morning.

• • • • • Every time a tailor gets drunk, he is to lose payment of a Waistcoat, and be sent to the Black-hole ; and whatever Money may arise from those Fines, such Sums shall be appropriated to the use of Sick in Hospital."