36' THE LIFE or 



be cropped, and that the bayonet Ihould only 

 be fixed when they were about to charge the 

 enemy. As I was the acknowledged author of 

 the alteration in the uniform, thefe novelties 

 were likewife attributed to me, and I was hearti- 

 ly abufed for all. The cropping of foldiers* 

 hair, (unlefs occafionally for a partifan's corps) 

 I always difapproved, as by giving an opening 

 to negligence, it ferves to introduce flovenli- 

 nefs ; and whoever will reflect for a fingle mo- 

 ment on the different poife of a mufket with 

 and without the bayonet fixed, as well as on 

 the abfolutc neceflity of learning to load and 

 fire with fixed bayonets, will, I truft, fuppofe 

 me incapable of proceeding on fo erroneous a 

 principle ; and will, with me, think that the 

 mufquet and bayonet fhould be infeparable. 

 Accordingly, in a few days, the crops were 

 fupplied with falfe tails ; but I had fome diffi- 

 culty to prevail upon the Prince to reinftate the 

 bayonet in its proper place. 



I did not, till this moment, know what the 

 author of the Life of the Emprefs Catherine II. 

 (publiflicd by Longman of Pater-nofter Row, 

 and Dcbrett of Piccadilly) has thought proper 

 to fay of me (vol. iii. p. 20. 2d edit.) refpecfling 

 my fituation with Prince Potemkin and the Du- 

 chefs of Kingfton : 



*' By h^'s advice the Prince introduced feveral 



** new 



