MILITARY MANOEUVRES.

Grey River Argus, Volume XI, Issue 1023, 6 November 1871, Page 2

MILITARY MANOEUVRES.

The abandonment of " the Berkshire campaign" — as the proposal tfas called for the manoeuvring of a large' body of troops in that county — has been almost forgotten in the preparations made round Aldershot for a month's operations in Hampshire. The fields and bare commons •of that district are now covered with white tents; the roads for miles around are daily thronged with marching trbop3. It is long since so large an army was collected in England— 3o,ooo men, of all arms, including militia, some yeomanry regiments, and a contingent oi volunteers. The Prince of Wales will have charge of the cavalry in the second division ; Prince Arthur is already on the field, serving with his own regiment. The first incident of the campaign was a mischance, ludicrous and yet serious — a stampede of the horses of the Ist Life Guards. They had arrived from Windsor, and the horses were picketed outside the encampment, according to a new system said to be introduced from Germany. Just at dusk two dogs found their way into the lines, and began to quarrel ; one of them bit the other, which ran with a hideous yell towards the horses. In a moment they were seized with panic, and simultaneously started as in sudden frenzy. At least 300 horses broke loose with a bound, carrying all before them. "An indescribable scene of confusion ensued, the Whole locality for miles round," says a letter from the camp, "being aroused by the flight and pursuit of .the excited animals, some of which dragged the cords and pins. About 50 horses galloped through the town of Farnham ;-of these, 15 were secured. At Willey, about two miles beyond Farnham, a number dashed /against the closed toll-gate and smashed it to pieces, while on the commons around Farnborough and Aldershot in the opposite directions, many "plunged into stakes or other obstructions which penetrated their breasts or otherwise inflicted serious injury. Several horses dropped dead within an hour, some were drowned in the canal, and others were captured in a crippled state. The pursuers returned to their quarters about midnight, leaving a number of horses at large, and the search was resumed on the following morning at an early hour." When the the regiment mustered the next day, a -large number of men appeared dismounted. More than a dozen splendid creatures appear to have been killed ; many were injured, and the rest have since been recaptured. But two or three nights later nearly eighty horses of the 2nd Dragoon Guards started in a similar manner, and of them two were killed and four seriously injured"! week the hussars had an alarm, forty of their horses taking to sudden flight. Directions have now been issued to return to the old system of picketing, and this is the first result of our new experiment in campaigning. The latest telegrams say :— " The sham campaign commenced on the 18th Sept.; the second and . third divisions," under Generals Staveley and Carey, attacking ; General Grant, who occupied Hog's Rock, defending London; The Duke of • Cambridge awarded the strategic victory to Hope Grant. There were numerous, complaints of the Control departments The manoeuvres were resumed on the 18th. Staveley and Carey again -attacked ""and outflanked Grant, who retired on Chatham. The press representatives criticise the execution of the manoeuvres. Onthe 19th, Grant repulsed the combined attack on his entrenched positions. On the "Sß st, -m-T^ie final battle^ the trodpsr were equally divided, and fought brilliantly. The weather throughout was splendid. On the 28th, the Duke of Cambridge issued orders complimenting the troops on their admirable conduct during the manoeuvres, but he reserves his views on the operations.