Volunteer Intelligence.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1060, 13 April 1882, Page 2

Volunteer Intelligence.

THE EASTER ENCAMPMENT. Saturday being a thoroughly wet and inclement day very little was done in the way of drill. The men were inspected at 10 a.m., under cover of one of the larger tents, and dismissed. After dinner a squad fell in for gun drill. The weather thoroughly preventing any effective work the men were dismissed early; the usual camp routine of mounting guards, posting sentries, &e., was gone through, and tattoo being sounded at 10 p.m , the camp became quiet—ammunition having been served out, twenty rounds to each man, as provision against night attacks. At about 11 p.m. the alarm was given by a smart fire being opened upon the guard-room by a hitherto unseen enemy. The garrison, who were not unprepared, turned out with the utmost celerity, and took up a position in line with the guard-room, returning the enemy’s fire smartly. The attacking party (under Lieut. Boylan) now made a feint of retiring, in the hope of inducing Capt. Winter to sally forth from his position in pursuit; at the same time a detachment of the attacking party, under Sergeant Fyson, moving" round by the gate, succeeded in passing the outposts without being challenged, and penetrated into the centre of the camp. The leader of the main body of the attacking party, finding his ruse was lost upon Capt. Win ter, threw his men forward again, andsucceeded in driving the defenders behind the fence. Here ensued a desperate fire on both sides, which was terminated by the attacking party running out of ammunition, and consequently surrendering to the garrison. The men then fell in (the attacking party marching as far as Roseland for the gear which they had left there prior to the attack), and dismissed for the night. Sunday morning presented a brighter aspect as far as the affairs of the weather were concerned. At about 2 p.m. Church Parade was held, and the Battery inarched up to Makaraka to attend Divine Service, nothing further being done beyond the usual Camp routine. Ammunition was again eerred out prior to dismissal for the night, in anticipation of another night attack, which was not long a matter of doubt. About 12.30 an attacking party was challenged by the sentry posted near the guard-room in the avenue leading to the Camp, and no response being given to the cha’lenge the sentry fired, which was the signal for a general opening i f fire on both sides. The attacking party consisted of about 25, under the leadership of Messrs. James Carrol, AV. Ratcliffe, and R. Austen. The defenders had lined the fence on all sides of the paddoek, so that the defenders must necessarily force their line to obtain possession of the Camp.

A heavy fusillade was kept up for > about forty minutes, when the order 1 “ Cease tiring ” was given, the attack being then considered to have failed. . The attacking party were invited into i the Camp, where the usual hospi'alities ' were dispensed by the officers. On the attacking party taking their departure cheers were given on both sides for leaders and men. The attack was not without its casualties. One of the attacking party, a Mr J. Alexander, received the fire of a blank cartridge full in the face, which for the time being blinded him most effectually'; he | was removed to the Roseland Hotel, and thence to the Hospital. His injuries are feared to be of a very serious character. Sergeant S. C. Caulton, of the Ormond detachment V.A., also received a blank cartridge in the face ; but as, luckily, he was not so close to the muzzle of the rifle, the effect was more transitory. After the attacking party had departed the men fell in, and were once more dismissed for the night. Monday morning was ushered in by a few drops of rain and somewhat threatening clouds, which, however, wore away as the day advanced, and culminated in as lovely a day as could be wished for. Early in the morning the road from Gisborne to Roseland was covered with breaks, buggies, carts and traps of all sorts and sizes, and horsemen innumerable, all bent on the one errand, the sight of the field day of the Volunteers at Hoseland. So crowded were the vehicles that one had hard work to obtain a seat ; while the livery stable keepers had not a single trap or horse disengaged. Apropos of horses, Mr S. Stevenson lost an old servant on the road, a grey gelding well known in Gisborne by the name of “ Old George.” “ Old George ” shuffled off this mortal coil literally in harness. Two staggers and a groan, and “ Old George” was not — peace to his manes ! ! ! Revenons a nos moutons, on reaching the ground we found that a great number of visitors from Gis borne, Ormond, and the surrounding country had assembled to witness the ceremony of presentation of colors to J Battery, and were pleased to notice that a large proportion of these visitors were ladies. We were shown through the camp, commencing with the officers’ quarters, a small house fronting the square, with the band tent, men’s quarters, non-com.’s and staff, and mess tent on the left, with the cook house a little to the right of the mess tent. Facing the officers’ quarters, at the opposite side of the square, was the gun, in the rear of which was erected a tall flag pole. Coming further to the right, and up towards the entrance of the enclosure stood the canteen, which did its fair share of business during the day. The tents were firmly and substantially erected, and provided good and comfortable quarters for their occupants. Great credit is due to Capt Winter and L ents. Boylan and U’Ren, and the noncommissioned officers m this respect, for they, personally, worked hard at the erection of these tents, and left no stone unturned to ensure such comfort for the men as was adequate to the situation, a compliment which the men seem to have returned to the utmost by their orderly conduct and attention to duty. The Mess Room was a large marquee with a double row of tables, and possessing sufficient accommodation for all hands. The catering seems to have met with some dissatisfaction, the particulars of which we are unable to enter into here, but which we think might have been obviated by dividing the men into messes, and appointing a man from each mess to draw the rations. This will on a future occasion meet the attention of officers. So far as the food itself went it was excellent, and sufficient in supply. The services of the Band were in great requisition, and they must have had rather a trying time of it, for they were playing all day from start to finish. At about 1.30 the men fell in for Parade, when Captain Porter, commanding the district, and Major Finn inspected the Battery. Captain Porter addressed a few words to the corps, complimenting them on their efficiency and orderly conduct. He stated that they might rely upon Colonel Whitmore carrying out his promise of the issue of a gun to them, although nothing had been heard from him lately on the subject. Major Finn also addressed the Corps, stating that they had created a most favourable impression on him, and that as a Corps he considered them second to none in the Colony. Mr Browne, photographer, had three shots at the Battery with his apparatus as they thus stood on Parade, previous to dismissal ; shortly after which they reassembled to receive the colors presented to the Corps by the Ladies of Gisborne. On the Assembly being sounded the men fell in line facing the gun, in open order. Capt. Winter called the drummers to the front, who piled their drums in advance of the centre of the front rank, flanked by an escort consisting of Lieut. Boylan and two sergeants, the colors being laid on the drum. AV hen all was in readiness the ladies, whose deft fingers had all shared in the embroidering of the colors advanced en masse, and Miss Dunlop, to whom was delegated the duty, read an address as follows Captain Winter and the Officers and Mrs of tub J Battery. In the name and on behalf of the ladies of Poverty Bay, I have much pleasure in presenting you this flag. We have been, and are indebted to the Volunteers in many ways ; and | although, happily, you have not been called upon to defend us from aggression and vioI lenee, yet on several occasions the presence j amongst us of a body of aruysd and disciplined men has given a sense of security amid ru-

mors of impending danger. Nor do we forget the pleasure that we have derived from the music of your Band, whose services we have so often laid under contribution, Whenever y.m see this flag may it remind you not only of your duty to your Queen and country, but a'so of the esteem and gratitude of the ladies of the Bay. At the conclusion of which she handed the colors to Lieutenant Boylan, who with the escort, stood ready to receive them.

Captaiu AV inter replied as follows; —- It gives me much pleasure on behalf of the Officers, Non-Commissioned Officers, and Gunners of J Battery to accept from the ladies of Poverty Bay the present of a flag, and in the name of the J Battery I tender you their sincere th oiks. By the regulations, we as an Artillery Corps are not entitled to carry colors, but that does not prevent us from accepting your gracious present to hoist at our headquarters, beneath the folds of which every Volunteer will be proud to do his duty, and I feel assured that whatever contingency may arise, the J Battery will be true to the flag that is bestowed upon it. Furthermore, os in the past so in the future, when the cause of charity or distress lacks assistance, the members of the Battery will not be unmindful to come to the front. Thanking you again for your present, I will now hand it over to the Officer deputed to hoist it in position.

The colors were then trooped, and the men marched forward in line to the flagstaff, when Lieut. Boylan, cutting the colors from the small staff on which they were presented, bent them on to the halyards and hoisted them, the Battery presenting arms and the band playing “ God Save the Queen. The men then marched back to their former position when Captain Winter presented Bombardier O’Meara with the Champion Belt presented by Allan McDonald, Esq., M.H.R., and Mr AV. L. Rees presented a silver cap to be competed for and won two successive years in a handicap match among the members of the Battery. Three cheers were given for the ladies, and three more for Mr Rees, after which the men were dismissed. At about 2.30 p.m. “ Soldiers’ wives and skilly” was sounded, and about 150 guests invited by the officers and members of J Battery sat down in the mess marquee to a luncheon, which was served therein, at the conclusion of which Captain AVinter proposed “ The Queen,” which toast wasduly acknowledged by all, followed by Lieut. Boylan, who proposed “ The Ladies,” coupled with the name of Mr M. H. Smith. This toast was received with enthusiasm, and Mr M. H. Smith rose, with all his blushing honors thick upon him, in response. He did not seem to like it though, and afterwards remarked to us in the suave manner peculiar to him, that Lieut. Boylan fixing him in that way was peculiarly suggestive of the “ Costermonger jumping on his mother.” The health of Captain AVinter and the members of J Battery was then received with three cheers, and ibis concluded the luncheon. After lunch the men again fell in for drill when Captain Winter put a detachment through the bayonet exercise with great effect. The men were well up in their drill, although it was easy to pick out one or two who were more proficient than others, notably one or two old “ war-dogs,” who had evidently smelt powder, and who east their carbines about with that quick ringing slap so sweet to the ears of every Drill Instructor and which is as the breath of the nostrils to the Sergeant-Major. After bayonet exercise allot her detachment, under Lieutenant Boylan, fell in for gun exercise, and went through the various evolutions of shifting wheels, dismounting and mounting, loading and firing, with praiseworthy smartness and silence. Three rounds of blank cartridge were fired which made a few of the ladies cover their ears, and not a few children to cry. This detachment were well worthy of notice from the smartness of their action. AVe were standing close to Mr AV. Ratcliffe, who timed them carefully in dismounting and mounting gun and limber, which was performed in exactly one minute, a time which reflects the highest credit upon men and officers, being very little behind that allowed to men who are under constant drill from one year’s end to the other. AVithout going then so far as to compare them with the Royal Artillery, we unhesitatingly compliment Captain AVintor, Lieutenant Boylan, and the members of J Battery on having shewn us a Field Day which will favorably compare with that of any Volunteer Artillery Corps, and they are not a few, which we have seen either in the Colony or at Home. AVe think the men strive by their cheerful compliance with rule, and by their anxious attention to the instruction imparted to them, to repay the undoubted pains bestowed on tnat instruction by Captain AVinter, Lieutenants U’Ren and Boylan, and the Non-Commissioned Officers. Further than this, they may be complimented on possessing a set up, physique, essential to the soldierly appearance of any corps, which places them undoubtedly among the premier rank of the various corps of the colony, The band are deserving also of every praise, for although not numerous, they produce music which much stronger bands are incapable of. The Volunteers of Poverty Bay are a credit to the auxiliary forces, and we wish them every success in their adopted career. After drill the men dismissed for a time. At 7 p.m. the Battery fell in for the homeward march, the touts having been previously struck by parties told off for that purpose. Captaiu AViuter addressed the corps, thanking them for their general good conduct and attention to duly, also as to some minor details of the encampment. Cheers were given for Capt. AViuter aud the various detachments.

The whole corps, headed by the band, then marched down the lane to the main road, where the Ormond detachment filed off for Makaraka, the main body marching towards town. On Mr W. L. Rees’s gate being reached, the detachment halted and gave three cheers for Mr Rees, and three cheers for Mrs Rees and family, the band playing “He’s a Jolly Good Fellow,” and “Here’s a Health to all Good Lasses.” The march was then resumed into town, past the drill shed, down Gladstone Road, and back again to the drill shed, where they dismissed for the night, thus ending the Easter Encampment of 1882. The following will shew the state of the J Battery at the Inspection Parade at the Camp, last Monday : — Captain, 1 ; Lieutenants 2 ; Sergt.Major, 1; Quarter-Master Sergt., 1; Sergeants, 4 ; Corporals, G ; Bombardiers, 2 ; Trumpeters, 2 ; Gunners, 59 ; Band, 15 ; Absent, 13. Total strength, 106.