THE BRITISH ARMY ON THE CONTINENT OF EUROPE. 
167 
disastrous. I totally disbelieve that there is the smallest danger that, if we are 
to do our duty by him, the English recruit will not make as good a soldier as 
e.ver lie was in his past history. I cannot pretend to say that I think we ought, 
for one moment, to lead them with the slightest hesitation or the slightest doubt. 
If we fail we fail, but if we bring our courage to the sticking point, in regard 
to our confidence in them and our care of them, we shall not fail. 
Colonel Yorke gave us some most valuable reminiscences of the two com¬ 
panies which he mentioned; and I, at all events, am personally particularly 
grateful to Major May for what he said, because it so happens that I am able 
to add one little point to it which I think will enhance its value as regards the 
very gallant officer of whom he spoke, General Oldershaw. It so happened that 
I reviewed in Macmillan’s Magazine Kinglake’s book when that volume which 
contains the story of Oldershaw’s siege battery cams out. Like Major May I was 
struck by it as at least one of the most glorious achievements in the whole history 
of war. My review led to my having a good deal of correspondence with a num¬ 
ber of officers who had been in the Crimea, and the remarkable fact was that so 
intensely modest had Oldershaw been about this matter that hardly one gunner 
knew anything about it, or was even aware that Oldershaw had specially dis¬ 
tinguished himself. The point I wish to make is that Oldershaw’s modesty had 
been quite equal to his heroism. 
That, gentlemen, is all I have to say except that I know I may now, in your 
name, offer the most grateful thanks, to Dr., Maguire for the very excellent lecture 
he has given us. 
APPENDIX. 
LORD PETERBOROUGH’S ATTACK ON BARCELONA, 1705. 
Peterborough divided his little corps into three columns, of which one was 
appointed to attack a bastion that looked towards the town ■ and another to 
assault a demi-bastion on the western face ; and the third to act as a support to 
either when needed, or to cover their retreat in case of a reverse.: Each of the 
assaulting bodies again was thus distributed: first of all went a Lieutenant with 
30 men, a sort of forlorn hope, as it is called, or advanced-guard ; then, folio wed 
a Captain with 50 men ; and last of all came the little battalion, which mustered 
in all not more than 200 firelocks. The orders issued to both were the same. 
The men were directed to push forward, to receive the enemy’s fire and then to 
leap into the ditch • out. of which it was not doubted that they would speedily 
drive their opponents. 
TILE HIGHLANDERS. 
In 1739, when our war broke out with Spain, the .Government formed a 
highland regiment, the nucleus of which was taken from the six companies of 
the Black Watch. The costume was a little altered, the scarlet jacket being 
substituted for the darker material, and a blue bonnet, with a tuft of red feathers, 
made to take the place of the cap hitherto in use. musket bayonet and basket- 
liilted sword constituted the arms; and those who chose it, carried a dirk, pistols, 
and the target or shield. In fact, excepting in a few particulars, the costume of 
the gallant 42nd regiment has scarcely been altered to the present hour. 
Well has Dr. Jackson written : “ Close charge was his ancient mode of attack, 
