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24 chapters
CHAPTER I.
CHAPTER I.
Soldiers and Sailors.—Recruiting Sergeant, Officer and Jack-tar.—Generals and Admirals.—Which is the braver, the Red Coat or the Blue Jacket?—Cavalry and Infantry.—Engineers, Artillery, and Marines.—Not all sunshine with Soldiers and Sailors.—The old Soldier.—Different opinions about war.—When are Sailors most steady?—A standing rule for a Soldier. “Well, boys, though I am your uncle, so busy has my life been, that I have seen but very little of you. During my present visit we shall become bette
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CHAPTER II.
CHAPTER II.
A general rule for the conduct of a good Soldier.—The beginning of Sailors.—The origin of the British Army.—The oldest regiment in the service.—Description of the Life Guards.—British Soldiers and Sailors the best in the world.—The Flemish brig and the Deal galley.—The French sloop and the British fisherman.—The Black Trumpeter and the bold Soldier.—A Soldier should attend to his own duty. “Bear in mind, boys, that I shall tell you of many places where I have never been, and of battles that I ha
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CHAPTER III.
CHAPTER III.
British Sailors.—A hearty cheer.—Seamen are sad clumsy fellows at some things.—The pretended sailor.—Jack in the wherry.—A squall.—The chain cable.—The sailor’s marriage.—The arrival.—Banns.—Disappointment.—Doctors’ Commons.—License.—The church gates.—The robing-room.—The ceremony.—The Prayer Book.—The Bible.—Jack happy. “What handy and hearty fellows sailors are, uncle; we have just seen one, and he gave us such a hearty cheer!” “It has been said, that a British sailor can only give free vent t
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CHAPTER IV.
CHAPTER IV.
Discipline.—Standing in a proper position.—Young Soldiers for the East Indies.—The Articles of War in the Army and the Navy.—The Sentinel and St. Paul’s Cathedral.—Mutilation among foreign Troops.—The reckless Irishman.—His mad freak.—His lighthearted observation.—His sentence.—Discipline on board the Atalanta.—The selfish severity of a sea captain. “I will now say a word or two on discipline, because without it an army of soldiers would be a lawless and uncontrollable mob; a mere reckless rabbl
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CHAPTER V.
CHAPTER V.
Alexander the Great.—Frederick the Great.—Charles XII.—Peter the Great.—Buonaparte.—Duke of Marlborough.—Hastings.—Bannockburn.—Cressy.—Poictiers.—Agincourt.—Bosworth Field.—Blenheim.—Culloden.—Prague.—Quebec.—Battles of Marathon, Thermopylæ, and the siege of Troy.—Preparation for a battle.—The battle array.—General De Zeithen.—Monument of Peter the Great.—Duke of Marlborough. “Can you tell us, uncle, the names of the greatest warriors who have ever lived, and of the most famous battles which ha
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CHAPTER VI.
CHAPTER VI.
Uniforms.—Old Admirals in the Naval Gallery at Greenwich.—Admiral Forbes and the Duke of Bedford.—Dress of an admiral of the fleet.—Captains and commanders.—Full dress of the officers of the life-guards.—Dragoon-guards.—Light dragoons.—Lancers.—Hussars.—King George the Fourth and the life-guardsman.—Full dress of the officers of the foot-guards.—Infantry of the line.—Light infantry.—Fusiliers.—Highlanders.—Riflemen.—Sir Samuel Hood and the new-made boatswain. “I have said nothing of the uniforms
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CHAPTER VII.
CHAPTER VII.
Weapons of war.—Artillery.—Train of artillery.—Chevaux-de-frise.—Bows and arrows.—The old archer.—The musket.—The bayonet.—Captain Von Selmnitz.—Broad-swords.—Highlanders.—Artillery and stores sent to Spain.—James II. of Scotland.—Buonaparte and Colonel Evain.—Wooden cannon.—Brass twenty-four-pounder from the wreck of the Royal George.—The brass sixty-eight-pounder in the Tower, called the ‘Great Harry,’ a beautiful mortar.—The new destructive power. “Can you tell us something about the artiller
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CHAPTER VIII.
CHAPTER VIII.
The passionate soldier.—A blue-jacket paying his debts.—A monkey on board.—A ship.—Keel.—Decks.—Masts.—Sails.—Rigging.—Life-boat.—Cables.—Anchors.—Capstan.—Buoys.—Blocks.—Knotting.—Quadrant.—The Indian and his fine clothes.—His return home.—His relation of his adventures.—The indignation of his tribe.—His tragical end. “I will now say a little about a ship, without dwelling long on the subject. It must be, touch and go, aloft and below, for young people must learn to be sometimes satisfied with
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CHAPTER IX.
CHAPTER IX.
An engineer.—Mining.—Sappers.—Gunners.—The Surveillante.—Loss in the British army.—Furlough.—Muster-roll.—Punishment.—Poor Jack sent aloft.—Captain Hall on naval punishments.—Instance of injustice to a seaman.—The captain proved to be in the wrong.—Tribute to the brave.—Letter of a private soldier.—The Tenth and the Imperial guards. “Now, uncle, you will please to tell us what an engineer is?” “An engineer, boys, is one who has a knowledge of warlike engines, and who directs the attack or defenc
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CHAPTER X.
CHAPTER X.
Fortification.—Surprise of Bergen-up-Zoom.—Six hundred British troops lay down their arms from a want of knowledge of fortification.—Fortified places in England and abroad.—On the origin of fortification.—The battering-ram.—Parapets.—Embrasures.—Square Towers.—Terraces or Ramparts.—Bastions.—Horn-works.—Curtains.—Maxims in fortification.—Old plan of fortifying a place.—Modern plan.—Periods of attack.—Investment or blockade described.—Parallels.—Circumvallation and countervallation.—What is neces
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CHAPTER XI.
CHAPTER XI.
The tale-telling captain.—The heroic and kind-hearted officer.—The standard-bearer.—Flags.—The royal standard.—Flag of the lord high-admiral.—Flag of the admiral of the fleet.—Colours in the army.—Day signals.—Night signals.—Fog-signals.—Cipher flags and substitutes.—Telegraphs.—Alphabet for field signals.—Description of a sailor on shore. “We want, uncle, to hear you go on in your account of soldiers and sailors. Now for a good long account.” “Well, boys, I will do my best, and describe them as
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CHAPTER XII.
CHAPTER XII.
Pillage.—Military surveying.—Tippoo Saib.—His armour and mantle.—Tippoo’s treachery.—Seringapatam attacked by British and native troops, commanded by Major-General Baird.—Colonels Dunlop and Sherbrooke.—A shot breaks the chain of the draw-bridge.—Terrible carnage.—Tippoo Saib killed.—Seringapatam taken.—The storming of Ghuznee.—The forlorn hope.—The gate of the fortress blown in.—Colonel Dennie leads on the stormers.—The mistake.—A retreat sounded.—Brigadier Sale advances.—Desperate struggle.—Th
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CHAPTER XIII.
CHAPTER XIII.
Tactics and stratagems of war.—Captain Bentley and Captain Baines.—The defiance.—Scaling the rock.—The stratagem of the boat.—Battle of Actium.—Duke of Saxe Weimar.—Breaking the line.—The Prussian General.—Ibrahim Pasha.—The old Dervise.—War terms.—Actions.—Attacks.—Attempts.—Battles.—Blockades.—Bombardments.—Descents.—Defeats.—Engagements.—Expeditions.—Invasions.—Sea-fights.—Storms.—Sieges.—Surprises.—Skirmishes.—Repulses.—Explosions.—Three-fingered Jack. “We will now, boys, enter a little into
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CHAPTER XIV.
CHAPTER XIV.
Motto for a soldier.—Glory.—Reply to a challenge.—The caricature.—Discharges.—A picquet, sentinel, vedette, advanced guard, and flag of truce.—Crossing rivers.—Presentations.—Camps of instruction.—Comfort of a cigar.—Tribute to the brave. “The love of country is creditable to every heart; and I would have you, boys, cherish it in yours. I would, if I could, have every soldier, and indeed every Englishman, take for his motto, and make up his mind that it is his bounden duty to do all he can for t
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CHAPTER XV.
CHAPTER XV.
Algiers.—Admiral Keppel and the Dey.—The expedition of Lord Exmouth against Algiers.—The Christian slaves are set free, and such slavery abolished for ever.—The French at Algiers.—The taking of Jean D’Acre by Sir Robert Stopford.—The explosion of the powder magazine.—The mistake made by the garrison.—The operations of a siege.—The daring young soldier.—The siege of Antwerp, by Marshal Gerard.—Desperate defence of General Chassé.—The surrender. “I will now tell you of the siege of Antwerp, by far
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CHAPTER XVI.
CHAPTER XVI.
The Duke of Wellington.—Remarks.—The Waterloo banquet at Apsley House.—Salter’s celebrated painting.—The names of the generals and officers at the banquet.—Anecdote of Apsley House.—George the Second and the old soldier.—The old apple-woman and the lord-chancellor.—The legacy.—The Duke of Wellington’s generosity.—Major-General Macdonnel’s noble conduct.—Sergeant-major Frazer. “Tell us something about the Duke of Wellington, uncle; you must know a great deal about him.” “Almost everybody knows a
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CHAPTER XVII.
CHAPTER XVII.
Buonaparte.—His principal plaything.—Napoleon’s Grotto.—Buonaparte’s gratitude to his mother.—He goes to the Military School at Paris.—Made a lieutenant.—His first military service.—His address to the men under his command.—His conduct to poor tradesmen.—Reproof to his generals.—The Jaffa massacre.—Murder of the Duke d’Enghein.—Legion of honour.—Buonaparte threatens to invade England.—French invincibles.—An instance of generosity.—Napoleon’s bravery.—Battle of the Pyramids.—The battle of Lodi.—N
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CHAPTER XVIII.
CHAPTER XVIII.
Captain-general of the army.—Commander-in-chief.—Lord-high-admiral of the navy.—Field-marshal.—General.—Lieutenant-general.—Major-general.—Brigadier-general.—Colonel.—Lieutenant-colonel.—Major.—Adjutant.—Sergeant-major.—Captain.—Ensign and cornet.—Sergeant and corporal.—A round-robin.—Quarter-master.—Military saying.—Officer’s daughter.—Officers of the navy.—Marines.—Catamaran.—Crew of a first-rate.—Royal George. “We want to know who are the highest officers in the army and navy. They are genera
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CHAPTER XIX.
CHAPTER XIX.
Regimental bands.—Drum.—Trumpet.—Bugle.—Kettle-drum of the life-guards.—Kettle-drum of the royal artillery.—Qualities in British soldiers.—The Rhine! The Rhine!—Love of country.—Cowardice.—Death of Admiral Byng.—Native cavalry in India.—Daring intrepidity of a seaman.—Preparations for an engagement.—Battle of the Nile.—Superstitious seamen.—Saragossa.—Missolonghi. “You may never have heard, boys, the tread of a thousand men, all putting down their feet to the ground at the same moment? There is
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CHAPTER XX.
CHAPTER XX.
Admiral Nelson.—The loss of his eye and his arm.—Struggle between Nelson’s barge and the armed launch.—Sykes the coxswain.—Nelson’s thanksgiving for his recovery.—His coolness in danger.—Battle of Copenhagen.—Hewson the seaman.—Battle of the Nile.—Nelson’s prayer before the battle of Trafalgar.—His signals on board the Victory.—His wound.—His death. “Tell us what you can of Admiral Nelson, uncle.” “Admiral Nelson, boys, was old England’s right hand. A very thunderbolt in war, and devoted, as muc
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CHAPTER XXI.
CHAPTER XXI.
De Ruyter.—Van Tromp.—Columbus.—Vasquez da Gama.—Villeneuve.—Tom of Ten Thousand.—Hawkins, Drake, Blake, Hawke.—Rodney.—A female soldier.—Vincent, on the 14th of February.—Duncan, off Camperdown.—Admiral Howe, and the glorious First of June.—Maitland’s generosity.—Viscount Exmouth; his courage and humanity.—Codrington and the battle of Navarino.—The flag of old England. “Who are the principal admirals of England, those who have been famous for their victories?” “There have been so many of them,
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CHAPTER XXII.
CHAPTER XXII.
French generals.—Desaix.—Ney.—Lasnes.—Soult.—Suchet.—Augereau.—Berthier.—Rapp.—Macdonald.—Beauharnois.—Maret.—Jourdan.—Grouchey.—Vandamme.—Bertrand.—Gourgaud.—Junot.—Massena.—Davoust.—Moreau.—Lefebre.—Marmont.—Mortier.—Dupont.—Victor.—Oudinot.—Bernadotte.—Murat.—Soldiers of the army of Italy.—Battle of Marengo.—The Napoleon Pillar. “What say you, boys, shall I give you a few anecdotes of French generals, as France has long been considered the first nation in the world in a military point of view
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CHAPTER XXIII.
CHAPTER XXIII.
Personal courage.—Heroism.—A life-guardsman.—A corporal.—Private in Bland’s dragoons.—Lewis de Crillon.—Wolfe.—Abercrombie.—Colonel Gardiner.—Major André.—General Picton.—Sir John Moore.—Marquess of Anglesey.—Sir John Elley.—Colonel Colborne.—Colonel Ponsonby.—General Baird.—Sir Thomas Picton.—Sir James Macdonnel.—Lord Edward Somerset.—Sir Henry Hardinge.—Sir Colin Campbell.—General Evans.—Lord Hill.—The regimental surgeon and Sir William Carr Beresford. “I have already explained to you, boys, t
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CHAPTER XXIV.
CHAPTER XXIV.
Sailors must strike their colours, and soldiers surrender when they have death for an enemy.—A court-martial.—Shooting a soldier.—Naval execution.—Soldier’s burial.—Funeral at sea.—Battle of Waterloo.—First attack.—Second attack.—Third attack.—Defeat of Buonaparte.—Consequences of the battle of Waterloo.—Chelsea College.—Greenwich Hospital.—Old England for ever!—Conclusion. “A word or two now, boys, on the battle of Waterloo, for that must not be forgotten. Many a comrade who fought with me in t
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