CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO I N the spring of 1859 the great event occurred of the citizens being encouraged to enrol themselves for voluntary defence of the country, in answer to truculent utterances of certain French colonels. The idea at first was the formation of a small select force of men who could afford to provide their uniform, equipment, and arms, and defray the expense of rifle practice. But the response to the call was so unexpectedly great that soon the numbers exceeded 200,000, and the organisation of the force in battalion units was undertaken, provision being made for the requirements for efficiency. That this movement created an impression abroad is certain, and I quote here an utterance of the Emperor Napoleon III, which is little known. He said to Colonel Walter: "You are, with the aid of lies, raising a large army, with a view to its becoming an institution of the country, and to make it permanent. But you will be egregiously deceived. . . . Your newfangled military scheme will turn out, as it should do, a vagary of the moment. You will find what I say come true. The force is illusory." These words have a strong tinge of bitterness, and the prophet had the fate of the man who does not give heed to the Yankee maxim: "Don't you prophesy unless you know." It was he who in a few years was to find his own force "illusory.' This is not the place to enter upon any history of the Volunteers, a force which was ruthlessly wiped out of existence a few years ago without as much as "Thank you," to be replaced by Volunteers again under a different name. But their history, and the present existence of the Territorial army, are both in marked contrast to Napoleon's acrid words, although one would fain see fewer gaps in the Territorial units in peace time. So far as Edinburgh is concerned, the share her citizens took in Volunteer work was creditable in every way. The percentage to population was always higher than that of any other place. The corps called the Queen's was the premier corps in Scotland and was made into a Brigade. It received many encomiums, and its shooting record is of the best. While the inter-regimental match lasted,italways held the top place. It has produced four Queen's prizemen, and has carried off nearly all important prizes once at least, some oftener. The Brigade was the largest in numbers of the whole Force, and at the time of the disbandment was complete in all departments-mounted company, cyclists, signallers, ambulance, stretcherbearers, and was able to do all its own cooking in camp. The mounted men took first prize against all-comers at Olympia, and its captain tied with the best Army officer in riding. I am proud of having had the honour of commanding the Brigade for many years. |