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AMERICA UNDER ARMS.

CIVIL war has at length broken out in America: both sides are preparing energetically for action, and, if we may credit newspaper reports, enormous armies will soon be opposed to each other, and blood flow in streams. We can no longer have a doubt but that both North and South are in earnest, and we consider that the fight may become sanguinary. But what we call in Europe a war, skilful operations, great actions fought according to the rules of strategy, and concentration of large masses of artillery, will not be witnessed-at any rate not at the outset-from the simple fact of neither side having soldiers. The numbers opposed to each other may be large, though we feel convinced not so considerable as the American papers would have us believe; but their value as troops will be remarkably insignificant. What we read about the military value of the militia is braggadocio in a great respect, written by persons who understand nothing about war. Besides, in all probability the navy, and not the army, will deal the decisive blow.

The regular army of America, like ours, raised by recruiting, consists chiefly of Irishmen and Germans, and amounted, in 1859, to 17,498 men, including the Engineers, the Ranger Companies (which are only employed against the Indians), and the whole of the non-effectives. There were at that period 10 infantry regiments, of 10 companies each; five regiments of cavalry (4 dragoons and 1 mounted rifles), each of 10 squadrons; and four regiments of cavalry, each of 12 companies. The whole effective strength of the army amounted to 736 officers, and 12,800 men. There were but very few horse batteries, and most of the artillery lay in the forts on the coast and the Indian border, of which there are seventy-nine. The field-guns are 9 and 14-pounders, and to our knowledge rifled ordnance has not yet been introduced, although the whole of the infantry is armed with rifles.

The discipline is very severe; among the punishments worthy of mention being flogging out of the army and tarring and feathering, the latter being employed in cases of repeated desertion. In 1852, a deserter from the Jefferson barracks, near St. Louis, was sentenced to be first lashed, then placed for an hour on a barrel in front of the main guard in a coat of tar and feathers, and finally branded with the letter D. Any man who offers as a recruit receives a bounty of 12 dollars in peace, of from 30 to 200 in war. Requisites for enlisting are an age between eighteen and thirty-five, a height of five feet six inches, and a sound constitution. The usual period of service is five years; during war, when the recruits form volunteer regiments, generally but one year. After finishing the period of service, if a soldier enlist again he receives fresh bounty, increased pay, and a claim to 180 acres of land after his final retirement. In war times higher pay is given; but in ordinary times the soldier is decently off, for he receives 7 dollars monthly (at the end of three months 10 dollars), his full equipment, and a daily ration of 14 lb. of beef or pork, 18 oz. of bread or flour, a pint of rum or whisky, as well as salt, vinegar, candles, and even chewing-tobacco. A corporal receives 12 dollars, a sergeant 16 dollars a month; an assistant-surgeon, after ten years' service, a rate of

pay which, inclusive of rations, forage for one horse, and salary of one servant, amounts to 98 dollars a month; while a surgeon, at the end of a similar period of service, has 149 dollars. The pay of lieutenants in the infantry and artillery is (inclusive of rations, &c.) equivalent to 64 dollars, the captain's 79, the major's 129, and the colonel's 166; while the pay of the cavalry is rather higher. A general of brigade reckons his pay and rations worth 2952 dollars, a major-general 4572 dollars. All officers under general's rank are entitled to an increase of pay every five years, and if their conduct has been good this cannot be refused them.

The entire regular army is under the command of a major-general, who at the present moment is Winfield Scott, so well known as conqueror in the Mexican war. The head-quarters of the army were formerly in New York, and it was spread over eight departments. The first comprised the entire territory to the east of the Mississippi, having its head-quarters at Troy, in New York state. The second was spread over Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, and a portion of Louisiana, with head-quarters at St. Louis. The third occupied Nebraska and the new state of Kansas (head-quarters, Fort Laramie); the fifth, New Mexico (head-quarters, Santa Fé); the sixth, the Mormon territory (head-quarters, Camp Floyd); the seventh, Oregon and Washington territory (head-quarters, Fort Vancouver); and the eighth and last, California, with its head-quarters at San Francisco,-each department being commanded by a brigadiergeneral. It was necessary to give these formidable statistics, in order to show our readers the impossibility of the American troops co-operating, owing to the enormous extent of territory over which they are spread.

The tactics and exercise of the army correspond with those employed in England. Of course, the authorities are unable to brigade the troops. The private can, under no circumstances, obtain a commission, and the officers are drawn from the military academy at West Point. To obtain admission to the latter, the consent of the father or guardian is requisite, the age of fourteen, a good knowledge of reading, writing, and arithmetic, and the assent of the president. The academy can contain two hundred and fifty cadets, and the period of study extends over five years. Each half year examinations are held, which are said to be very strict. If the educational programme at West Point be honestly carried out, the American officers would possess mathematical knowledge superior to any officers in the world; but we may be permitted to doubt the fact. One thing is certain, at any rate: very few of them can have any practical knowledge of handling large bodies of troops in the field. As the number of officers is very large in proportion to the strength of the army, a good many of them are detached to the volunteer department, an indispensable adjunct any great war. Lastly, we may mention that the uniform of the American soldier is dark blue, with light blue or green facings, a blue shako, and white belts.

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It will be seen, from these facts, that the regular army of the United States can effect but very little in suppressing the revolution. Two thousand of them may, perhaps, be concentrated at Washington, and half as many at Cairo, on the mouth of the Ohio, but the real work will fall on the militia, to whom we will now turn. The militia of the Union, according to law, comprises all white natives of the United States capable of bearing arms, with the exception of clergy and teachers, judges and

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lawyers, officials of the government, sailors, and those sectarians, such as quakers and shakers, who have scruples of conscience against fighting. The service begins with the eighteenth year, though in some states with the twenty-first, and terminates with the forty-fifth year. Each state makes its own special arrangements, and we will tell our readers something about New York, as a sample. The organisation has been the same in all the states since 1791, and we find line infantry, rifles, dragoons, and cavalry. In Mr. Maury, the minister of war's report to Congress in 1859, the total number of the militia is returned as 2,755,726 men, of whom 2,690,000 are line infantry, 20,000 cavalry, 12,000 artillery, and 34,000 rifles.

This militia does not stand in the slightest connexion with the regular army, and is solely during war or insurrection under the orders of the Federal government; though even then it cannot be called on to serve beyond the borders of its own state. It is formed into divisions, each of which is composed, in its turn, of regiments. Every regiment has two battalions, each battalion five companies of sixty-four privates. Four regiments form a brigade, two brigades a division. At the head of each division is a major-general with two adjutants, selected by himself from the officers. Each brigade has a brigadier, with an inspector of brigade and two adjutants under him. The regiment has a colonel, a lieutenantcolonel, and a major. Each company a captain, a lieutenant, an ensign, four sergeants, and four corporals. The officers, from the brigadier downwards, are balloted for by the officers and men of the respective corps, while the major-general is elected by the general officers. The officers hold their commissions for from five to seven years, at the expiration of which period fresh elections take place, in which the retiring officers can compete.

During peace when the militiamen are permitted to wear any uniform they please the arms are generally supplied by the government of the state, and there are proper arsenals for housing them. During war the militia receives clothing, rations, and pay. In the larger cities what are termed volunteer militia regiments have been formed, many of them composed of Irish, Germans, and French, who generally select a most fantastic uniform, and cause themselves to be town-talk, by marchings out, target practice, balls, and so on. As field-days are very rarely ordered, and the officers have as good as no military practice, these militiamen are not even comparable with our volunteers, the creation of yesterday; and it is folly to talk, as the Americans do, of their being on a level with regular European troops. Perhaps they may be on a par with the Papal troops, but there is a vast difference between the Swiss and American systems, republics though they both be.

We will offer a few remarks about the militia of the State of New. York, which is the best, at any rate not the worst, among the thirty-four states. Every white male in New York of the age of twenty-one, if he does not belong to a free company, must join the militia; though he can buy himself off for seventy-five cents a year. He is at liberty to choose his own regiment and company. The company elects the subalterns, the regiment the field-officers, the brigade the general; but the governor has to confirm the elections. The strength of the several corps is in no way limited; new ones may be formed at any time. A company can have its

thirty or one hundred men ; a regiment from two hundred to six hundred ; or, indeed, as many as are thought proper. To become an officer, a man needs, in the first place, a handsome fortune, in order to treat his men at the right moment; and, in the next place, mildness and amiability, for no compulsion can be employed. The citizen soldier is only bound to obey "legal orders," and is thus made the judge of his superior's right to give this or that command. That this renders the management of the troops in the presence of the enemy impossible, is so evident, that we need only call the attention of "free Americans" to the fact. In times of war, the militia are certainly supposed to be subject to the Mutiny Act; but as they have had no practice in implicit obedience, it will appear to them remarkably disagreeable.

If a parade or field-day is about to come off, the quartermaster drives through the town in a carriage to inform the gentlemen soldiers of the circumstance. If one of the gentlemen think proper to stay away he is fined in a small sum, always assuming that the parade or field-day were legal. It is laid down by law how many times the militia must assemble to drill, and the officers politely request their men to come to extra drill, which they do, or leave undone, at their pleasure. We will give an instance of this sort of discipline. When New York honoured the Prince of Wales with a grand review, which, by the way, proved most ridiculous and bourgeois, the 69th Regiment, consisting of Irishmen, thought proper not to put in an appearance. A court of inquiry was held on the colonel, but of course he was acquitted. The review was supernumerary, and it could hardly be expected of the liberated sons of the Emerald Isle that they would do homage to the son of the tyrant of their native land by taking part in the show.

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The equipment of most of the regiments is most miserable. The old percussion muskets they carry are generally unserviceable, because they are not kept clean. The captain usually takes care of the ammunition, which is not served out to the men. There is not a state gunpowder-mill or bullet manufactory. Target practice is limited to a few firing festivals, in which pomp and pleasure are more considered than decent practice. Every man shoots with the weapon he prefers: the officers render themselves pleasant by officers' prizes, while the captain liberally regales his company with grog and Lager-bier. Every regiment has its arsenal, in which the muskets are stored, and which usually serves, at the same time, as an exercising school. Drilling generally takes place in the evening after business hours, and is a laughable scene enough. But if to see a horror, you should witness a march out of the militia cavalry. The Americans are rarely good riders, but if we think of the ice-cart, dray, and costermonger horses on which these men are mounted, we feel ashamed of our brethren becoming such an exhibition of themselves. A military friend assures us that he would guarantee with one regiment of dragoons to overthrow the whole of Uncle Sam's mounted militia. The artillery is much in the same position: the guns have old-fashioned carriages, and the horses are borrowed from private persons; a great deal of powder is certainly expended, but nearly entirely in salutes; and there is very little practice in rapidity of fire and correctness of aim. If a fieldday should take place in which the batteries take part, the guns remain in position, for the horses do not stand fire.

As most of the regiments possess tents, they naturally every now and then taste the pleasures of camp life. An encampment of this description was formed in the summer of last year for ten days on that delicious spot, Staaten Island. It was occupied by the 2nd Regiment, which is known as the Manhattan City Guard. The troops displayed extraordinary zealousness, and here nearly half the regiment was assembled. It was an extremely jolly life: at an early hour a little drilling, then plenty of fun with one's comrades, friends, wife, and family, and, in conclusion, the noble consciousness of having done one's duty; for you had better not tell a New York militiaman that this was not taking the field to all intents and purposes.

The uniforms of the militia are anything but regular. There are regiments which we will call ordinary, and then what are termed independent corps. The former generally wear civilian clothing, and receive their arms from the state; the latter, usually composed of immigrants, supply their own accoutrements, but have in return the privilege of giving their corps a splendid, heroic name, and attiring themselves in an equally splendid and heroic uniform, at the sight of which the jealous Englishman can hardly refrain from thinking of a certain animal and the lion's skin. There are a Lafayette guard, a Steuben guard, but certainly also a butchers' guard and a bakers' guard. You may see French grenadier uniforms, kilted Highlanders, green Irishmen, Tyrolese sharpshooters, drum-majors, and sappers, who are all beard and bearskin; hussars and dragoons terrible to look on, with their fur jackets and helmet plumes, black chasseurs and other wild forms, with fierce moustaches, which must be perfectly irresistible, especially with the ladies. It is a grand thing to see an American militiaman fix his bayonet, and hear him shout, "Let 'em only come, those English and French, and we'll chop them into mincemeat. Hurrah for the sons of liberty!"

These irregular regiments and companies are also permitted to elect as many officers as they please, and hence companies with nearly as many officers and non-commissioned officers as privates are no rarity. This, too, has its advantages, and induces many Germans more especially to join these corps. Gold stripes on the trousers are so nice; there is something noble about a pair of heavy major's epaulettes; and after all, it is rather flattering to the ear to be addressed as captain or colonel. With one half the money such a warrior expends on his military exterior, a soldier could be supported for a whole year. But if he were taxed for that purpose, his righteous wrath would break out fast and furious. Curiously enough, the American detests soldiers as persons fit for nothing better, and yet is fond of military display, and above all a military title. The militia, especially in the large cities, are thoroughly lazy and unserviceable for serious warfare-a childish, silly institution, which is held up as the rehearsal of a tragedy, but in reality is a pitiful farce.

It is in the highest degree ridiculous to notice into what enthusiasm and delight the American papers burst whenever such a militia company makes an excursion to pay a neighbouring town a visit, or gratify it with the sight of an "exhibition-drill." Such excursions frequently take place, and the usual result is, that the company or regiment goes to the appointed town in a special train, is received at the station by another regiment, which marches through the town with them; the colours are

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