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"be no greater calumny than to say they "did not charge home. General Sheridan as"sured me they behaved most nobly, coming "up again and again at the signal to charge.

"They were sheltered from fire till the "last moment, were carefully handled, and "skilfully and bravely led. The ground "they charged over was not more than four "hundred yards, yet the result was virtually "their destruction as a military body, with"out any effect whatever.

"I took great pains to ascertain the facts. "A friend of mine, whom I had known in "Africa ten years before, was a major com

"thirty hours after, while the dead men and "horses all lay there, so that I formed as "correct an idea of it as if I had seen it."The first charge delivered by the 1st "French Huzzars, was made under the most "favourable circumstances possible. They were very well handled. As the Prussian "infantry skirmishers, in advance of the main "body, came over the hill behind which they "had been waiting, they were led round "under cover of the brow till they got com"pletely in rear of, and on the right flank of "the skirmishers. They thus got within one "hundred yards of them before they were "seen, and then charged most gallantly, sweep-"manding two squadrons of one of these "ing down the whole line. But, even under "regiments. He showed me the roll of "these advantageous circumstances, the "his two squadrons, with each man's name charge had no result worth speaking of.-"marked off. The result was fifty-eight men "The Germans ran into knots and opened "of all ranks left effective, out of two hun'fire; a very few who ran to the rear, say "dred and sixteen that went into action."twenty-five or thirty, were cut down. On "The whole time they were under musketry "the other hand, the fire of these clumps "fire must have been under a quarter of an "and rallying squares completely destroyed "hour. So much for charging against breech"the huzzars. The two rear squadrons "loaders." "wisely swerved off and regained the shelter "of the hill. Those who went down the "line were all killed, wounded, or driven "down on the Prussian side of the slope "into a village and there captured. It did "not delay the advance of the Prussian in"fantry five minutes. The succeeding charges made by the 1st, 3rd, and 4th The fact is our Cavalry force must be re"Regiments of Chasseurs d'Afrique, and the organized. The Life Guards, splendid men "6th Chasseurs came to nothing, though and well horsed as they undoubtedly are, they were most gallantly and perseveringly are nevertheless mere relics of the feudal "made. The Prussians simply waited for age in their equipments. Imposing in their "them in line till they got to one hun- appearance upon peaceful parades, and as "dred and fifty yards, and then just mowed escorts in State ceremonials they may be; "them down with volleys. They were shot but they are useless in modern warfare, "down before they could get within 50 yards. loaded down as they are by armour designed “It was a useless, purposeless slaughter. It as a protection against missiles long since “had, practically, no result whatever. The disused. One of the old German Emperors "hill side was literally covered with their is said to have remarked that "armour pro"dead, and the bodies of their little grey Arab tects the wearer and prevents him from in"horses. These two brigades of five regiments juring others." The first part of this saying "must have lost quite 350 killed, besides no longer holds good, but the latter is almost "their wounded and prisoners. There can as appropriate as ever.

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A comparison between the circumstances. of the charge on the skirmishers of the 42nd Highlanders and this charge on the Prussian skirmishers will show the parallel in the two cases to have been almost complete. They form a good illustration of the difference between theory and practice.

52

There is another element in modern warfare not always considered that will materially affect this question. In the time of Frederick the Great, when Cavalry reached the highest point, and exercised the greatest influence on the result of actions, armies fought on open fields, pioneers levelled the ground, made roads for the columns, and removed obstructions; and one could overlook

will neces

advantage where their movements can be concealed, their horses kept under cover, and their sharp-shooters obtain protection.

Canada is peculiarly suited to this style of fighting, and it is a gratifying reflection that this arm of the service is especially adapted to defensive warfare, which is the only kind of hostilities that we are ever likely to be engaged in. Although there is no service which a whole battle-field. In the future, the dead- requires so much individual intelligence, we ly effect of the Infantry weapons have as good material from which to organsitate a careful attention on the part of offi-ize a force of Mounted Rifles as can be found cers to avoid level plains and to obtain cover in any part of the world. In the young for their men. Armies will rather choose farmers of this country we find a class ownbroken and intersected country for their ing their farms, accustomed to out-door life, operations, than where no protection or cover and possessing, in addition to physique and can be obtained. The spade will be more intelligence, two great qualifications for a used than ever, and breastworks will often dragoon, namely, a good seat on a horse, and be employed, and in such situations Cavalry a general knowledge of the use of the rifle. cannot make effective charges. A small amount of drill and a little practical training in outpost and reconnoitring duty, would make these young men valuable force for defensive war.

Sooner or later, heavy Cavalry will have to be done away with, but the late civil war in America, fought over a country much like our own, has shown that there is looming up in the future a species of light cavalrythe Mounted Riflemen-which is destined to play a great part in the wars of the future. A force of this nature properly equipped, and armed and drilled so as to give them the greatest possible advantage from the improvements in fire-arms, will be a most useful auxiliary to armies, not only in lines of bat-mounted riflemen. tle where they might in case of need be used dismounted, as they were continually during the war in the Southern States, but more particularly in partizan warfare, reconnoitring, outpost duty, and all that which the French include under the term operations secondaires de la guerre."

Les

It has been often said that Canada is so much cut up with fences and woods that Cavalry could never operate in it. This is doubtless true with reference to heavy Cavalry, but the same statement does not apply to Mounted Rifles. It is in intersected, broken and partially wooded country that the mounted riflemen can operate to the greatest

a most

The value of such a force swarming around an invading army cannot be over estimated. We can hardly over-rate the assistance given by the Uhlans to the Prussian invading columns, nevertheless they would have been infinitely more useful had they been trained and armed as As soon as the French franc-tireurs were organized this was clearly shown, for the Uhlans were afterwards always accompanied by bodies of Infantry, who were required to dislodge those partizans from villages and woods where the Cavalry could not reach them mounted. On the other hand, Bazaine was shut up in Metz on account of the inefficiency of his light Cavalry, who failed to warn him of his right flank being turned and his communication being threatened, until it was too late

for him to retreat.

Applying these examples to ourselves, it should is evidently important that we have a strong body of Light Cavalry in

;

The northern portion of this continent is destined to be the home of a great and powerful nationality. It is our duty therefore, now, in the youth of our Dominion, while it is gathering strength under the protection of the Mother-country to lay the foundations of military power. As long as our people are defensively warlike, we have the best safeguard for peace. It is our duty to let other nations see that while we desire to live on friendly terms with our neighbours and with the whole world, nevertheless if any attempt be made to deprive us of our independence and our national existence, it will be met by the whole energies of a de

The late war, as well as the wars in the Crimea, in Italy, Denmark, and Austria have taught us another lesson. They have shown that the millennium has not yet arrived.termined and united people, organized, armThey have shown that the security of States depends mainly on their own inherent strength and determination, and upon their warlike skill and preparation for defence. We have a great future before us, if we can but preserve our independence as a people.

ed and led so as to give the utmost possible effect to our small population. A thorough organization, and a confident, self-reliant spirit is all that is required to secure the peace which we all desire.

THE CONSOLATIONS OF SCIENCE.

FROM THE OPENING OF THE SECOND BOOK OF LUCRETIUS.

Not that we draw delight from other's pain,

But in their ills feel our security:

'Tis sweet to view ranged on the battle plain
The warring hosts, ourselves from danger free:
But sweeter still to stand upon the tower
Reared in serener air by wisdom's power;

Thence to look down upon the wandering ways
Of men that blindly seek to live aright,
See them waste sleepless nights and weary days,
Sweat in Ambition's press, that to the height
Of power and glory they themselves may raise.
O minds misguided and devoid of light,
In what a coil, how darkling do ye spend
This lease of being that so soon must end!

CURIOSITIES OF CANADIAN LITERATURE.

WASHINGTON AND JUMONVILLE.

BY W. J. ANDERSON, LL. D., QUEBEC.

N his second series of Maple Leaves, pub- | objects of the Ohio Company and resolved lished in 1864, M. Lemoine gives a to defeat them. Early in the spring, he sent very interesting paper under this heading, taken from the New York Historical Magazine, which may be looked upon as a review of de Gaspé's account of the same affair, as given in his Les Anciens Canadiens. M. Lemoine also has given under the title, "Defeat of Washington at Fort Necessity," Bell's translation of Garneau's account of that affair, preceding it by his view of the Jumonville rencontre also.