64 Military Correspondence.- Knights of Windsor. wars, yet after chanced to fail to decay, made a provision for their "relief and comfortable subsistence. The stated number at first "was 24; but shortly after, upon his instituting the Order of the "Garter, two more were added. The intention of the founder was, as he describes them, poor Knights, infirm in body and decayed; or, as the statute of the Garter qualifies, them, such as through adverse turns of fortune were reduced to that extremity, that they had "not wherewithal to sustain themselves to live so genteelly as was “suitable for a military condition; which, for greater caution, was "reiterated in the statutes of King Henry V. and afterwards by King 66 66 Henry VIII. who by his will settled lands and manors upon them "for their support. Edward VI. also, in the first year of his reign, be"stowed several lands on the institution; and in the reign of Philip “and Mary, buildings for their residence within the Castle was com"menced; and on Elizabeth coming to the crown, she completed "the buildings, and confirmed her sister's grants; and August 30th, "in the first year of her reign, minding the continuance of King "Edward's foundation, the intent of her progenitors, and King Henry "the Eighth's will, ordained statutes and ordinances for them, under "which they still remain, and by which the number was to be "Thirteen, to be called Knights of Windsor; and for the future, none "to be admitted unless a gentleman born." Such were the bounties and considerations of former monarchs towards this most ancient Order. The present establishment consists of eighteen knights, including a governor, to each of whom a salary is allotted, and a most convenient dwelling-house within the Castle. As it may be highly interesting to many a brave and deserving officer to know that there is such an honourable retreat and comfortable provision for age and decay, it is hoped you will give publicity to it. The nomination of Knights of Windsor rests with the Minister of State for the Home Department; and it reflects high honour on the present Minister (the Rt. Hon. Richard Ryder), that services, merit, or misfortune, and the furthering his Majesty's gracious intentions towards the Order, are the only motives that guide his choice and govern his decision in the appointment. I ain, Sir, &c. Vol. 1. No. 3. EE Knights of Windsor-Local Militia, KNIGHTS OF WINDSOR. TO THE EDITOR. SIR-HIS Majesty, with that paternal regard which he has ever evinced for the decayed and disabled officers in his service, has been graciously pleased to direct, that the statutes of that ancient and honourable institution, the Poor Knights of Windsor, should not in future be violated by the admission of improper persons; and as this mark of royal favour towards them is not generally known in the army, it will be desirable you will give publicity to the same through the medium of your valuable Chronicle. The place may be holden, together with half-pay, or any other stipend granted for past services. The income is under fifty pounds per annum, besides a comfortable house, without either rent or taxes. The only duty required is attendance in St. George's chapel at divine service, once every day for four months in the year, or to pay a fine of one shilling and eightpence, unless prevented by bad health. There are also seven Naval Poor Knights, all of whom are lieutenants in the royal navy, first approv ed and recommended by the Admiralty. The Military Knights are eighteen in number. Application for such vacancies as may occur, must be made to the Secretary of State for the home department; and it is very highly to the honour of Mr. Ryder, that those appointed by him, since his coming into office, are all gentlemen duly qualified by their honourable and meritorious services in the army. I am, Sir, LOCAL MILITIA. TO THE EDITOR OF THE MILITARY CHRONICLE. SIR-IN the last number of your excellent publication, I observed an invitation to gentlemen of the army to offer their remarks, on any military subject to the public, through the medium of the Military Chronicle. This has induced me to hope, that some observations on the present state of the local militia, and some hints for its im provement, might be acceptable, as the great importance of this species of force to the country, and the active part it must take, Military Correspondence.- Local Mil enemy. should the French emperor ever put into execution his threats of invasion, render any well-grounded plan for its improvement, an interesting and useful subject for the pen of a military writer. Experience has proved the utility of bodies of men, levied and organized on the principles of the local militia. The present campaign in Portugal must have convinced all military men of their efficacy; the Portu guese militia, by cutting off the communications, by opposing the foragers, and by harassing the flanks and rear of the French, has been of the most signal service to the allied army; it has been equally useful in protecting convoys of provisions and stores, and in defending difficult passes; and should Massena be defeated, and compelled to retire, it would be of the greatest use in completing the confusion and rout of the These are the kinds of service in which militia ought to be employed, and in such it may be of the greatest benefit to the country that is provided with it, and of the greatest detriment to the enemy. Unfortunately the discipline of the local militia of England renders it in a great measure unfit for many of the duties mentioned above; as it is universally formed into battalions, and taught the evolutions and manœuvres of a regular regiment, while many of the duties alluded to, could only be performed with effect and celerity by troops disciplined as light infantry, in which capacity militia ought always to be employed; for though it might sometimes be able, as regular battalions, to oppose with. success the endeavours of troops of the line, yet generally their discipline, experience, and collected force, would prevail, and even very superior numbers, and the most heroic courage would not prevent defeat. But, as light infantry and sharp-shooters, the local militia would act with the most admirable effect; it would perform with facility all the duties in which the same kind of force in Portugal has rendered itself so useful; it would effectually hold in check the light troops with which a French army is always accompanied, and in many situations it would defeat an equal, if not a superior number of regular soldiers. It would, therefore, be of the greatest benefit and advantage to this country, if the local militia were taught the manœuvres and evolutions of light infantry, as it would render this important species of force much more useful and effective. The Military Correspondence.—Education. adoption of this salutary improvement would be attended with a very trifling additional expence. I am not so presumptuous as to suppose that by this letter alone the desired effect can be accomplished, but by bringing this important subject before public consideration, men of greater talents and abili ties than myself may be induced to support the improvements it pro poses, in the method of training the local militia; and their endeavours may perhaps be attended with success, J. H. NECESSITY OF MILITARY EDUCATION. TO THE EDITOR. SIR-I HAVE read the first Number of your work with some satisfaction, and congratulate the army on an undertaking that cannot fail to be highly useful, and particularly acceptable to every military man. A vehicle for the interchange of ideas, and the communication of military knowledge, as well as a mode of instruction, which, by uniting the utile et dulce, shall by degrees create a taste for military. science, has long been a desideratum in this country. The study of war, as a science, has hitherto made little progress in the line. We have in truth paid much more attention to the formation of good troops than good officers. It was necessary, indeed, to be master of parade and regimental duty, but all instruction beyond this was entirely optional. The dearth of books in our own language, which treat of war in a scientific manner; and the high price and scarcity of foreign works, were also obstacles to the diffusion of knowledge. But now every body reads French, and the expence of such books would not be felt, were regiments, instead of individuals, to make the purchase. A knowledge of the past can alone prepare us for what is to come; without it, caution will be seen with a lauthorn at mid-day; and enterprise rushes to a precipice, unconscious of danger. In war, everything new or unexpected, by creating surprise, confuses the mind, and the measure to be adopted at the moment (like Rousseau's ideas in com Military Correspondence.-Education. pany) never occur till après coup, when the opportunity is lost. This shews the necessity of education, which familiarizes the mind to the contemplation of military events, and prepares the officer to expect, and teaches him to apply a remedy to, all the accidents of war. There is a passage in a celebrated Spanish military author, so exactly in point, that I should quote it in aid of what has been said, if I did not, upon consideration, think it better to translate the whole chapter, and send it for insertion in a future Number of your work. I subjoin a list of military works, which want of room obliges me to curtail; on a future occasion, I may perhaps add to it materially. I am, Sir, yours, &c. Homer Parts of the Bible Thucydides.. Xenophon Cæsar.. Plutarch Q. Curtius Polyænus Frontinus Vegetius Appian Arrian Folard's Polybius Livy's Tacitus... Life of Gustavus Adolphus Duc de Roban.... Alderfelt's Military History of Histoire de Scipio et d'Epami- Turenne's Maxims Turenne's Two last Campaigns T. W. The Editor solicits the continuation of the favours of this admirable Correspondent. |