was again raised, so that the Captain of a musketeer regiment and the First-Lieutenant obtained 39 roubles, and a Second-Lieutenant and Ensign 41 roubles annual addition.

Under the reign of Paul I. many things in the organization of the army were changed and placed on their former footing. The regiments were again named after their commanders; the light cavalry regiments were, for the most part, re-converted into hussars, and all the carabiniers partly into cuirassiers and partly into dragoons: the horse grenadiers and chasseurs, as well as the Ekatherinaslaf and Ukrain cavalry, were entirely suppressed and drafted into other regiments. The former mode of dress, in regard to fashion, &c. was likewise introduced. On the whole the army was much improved under this reign, both in discipline and regularity of exercise. In the year 1795 orders were issued for a general augmentation of the pay of the army, in consequence of which the Colonel of a musketeer regiment received an annual addition of 111 roubles, a Lieutenant-Colonel 117, a Major 36, a Captain 46, and a Second-Lieutenant and Ensign 28. Under this reign the state of the Russian

army was as follows:

To which if we add 70,000 irregular troops, the whole number will be 338,715.

Such was the state of the army when. Alexander ascended the throne in the year 1802. This prince has made many important changes in the military establishment, but they have been introduced only by degrees. In the first year of his reign an augmentation was made to the pay of the troops, in consequence of which the Colonel of a musketeer regiment obtained an annual addition of 140 roubles, a Lieutenant-Colonel 90, a Major 70, a Captain 60, a Lieutenant 45, and a Second-Lieutenant and Ensign 36. The former permanent names were given to the regiments. The uniforms of the soldiers also were in many things changed and restored to the old establishment; but consistently with the principles of good economy, these changes were not made abruptly.

One of the most important improvements in the organization of the Russian army is the establishment of squadrons of reserve in the cavalry, which in some measure may be called schools for the formation of soldiers. Each regiment of cavalry, besides the proper number of squadrons, has attached to it a squadron of reserve, the exclusive destination of which is to receive and exercise the recruits of the regiment and to break the new horses; it must take care also of the sick and wounded, and supply their place with an equal number of effective men.

The method of forming new regiments, and distributing recruits through the army in general, is worthy of remark, as neither newformed regiments nor those completed receive more than one company of recruits*; so that about twelve recruits only are added to every hundred of old soldiers. For this purpose, when a new regiment is formed, a company of old soldiers is taken from each of eleven old regiments, and a like number of recruits is given to them in return by these means the new regiment is exactly similar to the old ones, as it consists of eleven companies of veterans and one of recruits. The great advantage of this method is, that when the army is augmented with a levy of 60,000 men, the difference between the raw and the experienced soldiers can scarcely be dis tinguished, as the former, in consequence of that turn for imitation which is peculiar to the Russians, form themselves after their comrades, and, in the course of a very short time, become excellent soldiers.

In order also to make up for the decrease in the infantry regiments occasioned by the absence of the sick and wounded, and that each may always have, as nearly as possible, the full number of soldiers in front, it has been established that each regiment which takes the field in war time, shall receive for each company from the regiments which remain in garrison 24 men, making 288 men in all, and in place of these the garrisons receive a like number of recruits to be trained and exercised for service.

A company consists of 141 mer.

1813.]

OR OFFICER's COMPANION.

453

State of the Russian Army, both Regular and Irregular Troops, on the 31st of December, 1803.

It is to be observed that in this number the Invalids are not included.

CAMPAIGNS IN THE PENINSULA.

Continued from page 366.

AT the hour appointed, on the 23d of December, the whole force was under arms; the right column had begun its march, and the rest were in high spirits expecting the word of command: just at this time came a letter from the Marquis de la Romana, with intelligence that the French were advancing from Madrid, either to Valladolid or Salamanca; and information to the same purport was received by other messengers; and also, that considerable reinforcements had arrived at Carrion from Palencia. Orders were immediately issued, that the troops should go back to their quarters, and by day-break next morning, be again under arms;" In my life," says one who heard the order, "I never witnessed such an instantaneously-withering effect upon any body of living creatures! a few murmurs only were heard, but every countenance was changed, and they who, the minute before, were full of that confidence which ensures victory, were at once deprived of all heart and hope." The next morning, General Hope fell back to Majorga, on the road to Benevento, with his own division and General Fraser's. Sir David Baird was ordered to pass the river at Valencia; and, on Christmas day, the Commander-in-Chief followed General Hope, with the reserve and the light brigades; and the cavalry, under Lord Paget, followed the reserve on the 26th. Sir John Moore had made up his mind to lose some of his baggage, and not to fight, if he could avoid it. Astorga was to be his rallying point: there he informed Romana he should stand, as his retreat from thence, if necessary, would be secure, and he should be in the way to receive the supplies, and the reinforcements which he expected from England. At the worst he could defend himself, and, with Romana's aid, defend Galicia. "You may rest assured," he added, "that I shall not retreat a foot beyond what is necessary to secure my supplies from being intercepted." But his dispatches from Benevente, on the 28th, show that this intention, even if it had ever been seriously entertained, was abandoned. His force, he said, when he reached Astorga, would be about 27,000: Romana could not have above 8,000. The troops moving against him, he estimated at not less than 50,000; and it was said that Buonaparte himself was coming with 10,000 of his guards. His intention was not to stop longer at Astorga than to secure the stores, and then retreat to Villa Franca, where he had been told

there was a position. Romana had intimated to him, some time ago, his intention of retiring into Galicia by this route, but Sir John begged it might be left open to the British, as being the only communication they had for their retreat or supplies.

From the 22d to the 24th, Soult received such reinforcements as made his army superior to the British. Junôt had advanced to Palencia, and threatened their right flank. Buonaparte was hastening on in person from Madrid, with his imperial cavalry, and also the disposable force in that quarter. The force under Lefebvre (Duke of Dantzic) was counter-ordered from the road to Badajos, and directed towards Salamanca. Of the numbers that were advancing against him, Sir John Moore was not informed; and so little idea was there of flying, when he began his retreat, that it was determined to carry off the prisoners which had been taken, and they were accordingly stowed in covered waggons. A thaw came on the day when they first fell back, and on the following it rained heavily, without intermission; the soil in that part of the country is a heavy loam, and the roads were about a foot deep in clay. The proclamation of the French travelled faster than the British army; these were, as usual, full of promises which would not be fulfilled, and menaces which would. They were come, they said, to deliver Spain; to emancipate the people from the yoke of a tyrannical nobility, and a fanatic priesthood. All persons who remained quiet in their houses, or who, having forsaken them, speedily returned, should receive no injury; but otherwise, all that belonged to them should be confiscated.

Unhappily, the conduct of our people now began to give effect to these hand-bills. The soldiers were indignant with the Spaniards for their apparent supineness; they were exasperated by the conduct of some poor wretches, whose carts had been pressed to carry the sick and wounded, and who, as many of them as could, had taken their mules, and run away in the night; partly from natural selfishness, still more because the movements of a retreating army exposed themselves to imminent danger, and their beasts to certain destruction. Weary and disheartened-in want of rest and of food-disappointed of their confident hopes of victory, and indignant at turning their backs upon an enemy, whom they would so eagerly have met in the field, it was a relief to the soldiers to give vent to these feelings, in the shape of anger, upon the only objects within their reach.

(To be continued.)