DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.6553#0208
APPENDIX.
129
and to have made several extraordinary marches to Kerek, and
to the eastward of the Dead Sea ; the Syrian hattalions consisted
of young undersized hoys, extremely wan and pale. They changed
position by an echellon movement upon a central company ;
changed front by wheeling into column, and by countermarching ;
formed square ; and performed several other manoeuvres with
tolerable exactness, but very slowly. They did not advance in
line. They fired several volleys with much precision, but their file
firing was extremely faint. In conclusion they wheeled to the
right by companies, and marched home in quick time, the whole
going over the same ground, instead of breaking off by regiments :
they marched well, and with good intervals. Their music was
weak and out of time.
I afterwards saw two divisions, each composed of four bat-
talions of eight companies: one division consisted almost en-
tirely of Syrian boys, several in the front rank were not above five
feet high, and could scarcely load, or return their ramrods. They
presented into the air without taking the slightest aim, and many
of them put quantities of gunpowder into the pockets of their
loose breeches, in order, probably, to sell it at Cairo ; for which
they were well thrashed by their officers with the flat of their
swords. When a battalion commenced firing, the colour and two
files on each side of it fell out to the rear. They performed
several evolutions in the manner, which I have before described; and
one of the divisions advanced a considerable distance in echellon
from the right, which was the only advance directly to the front,
which I had ever seen them attempt, and it did not by any
means succeed.
On the 18th of November I was present when some artillery
were inspected at Tourah ; forty-eight pieces of cannon, (four guns
and two howitzers to a battalion,) were drawn up in line ; the gun-
carriages were short, and were fixed by a vertical pin to the
limbers, which were painted of a dark olive green, picked out
with black. An ammunition wagon was in line behind each
gun ; six horses or mules were harnessed to each gun, and four
to each tumbril ; these animals were serviceable, and in good con-
dition. The saddles and harness were made after European
patterns, with winkers for the horses in hand, with rope traces,
gard that has been paid, till lately, to his memory, to be less esteemed by his
own countrymen, for whom in perilous times he fought and conquered, than
by strangers and enemies. Neglect and ingratitude cannot however obscure
his well-earned and glorious reputation.
K
129
and to have made several extraordinary marches to Kerek, and
to the eastward of the Dead Sea ; the Syrian hattalions consisted
of young undersized hoys, extremely wan and pale. They changed
position by an echellon movement upon a central company ;
changed front by wheeling into column, and by countermarching ;
formed square ; and performed several other manoeuvres with
tolerable exactness, but very slowly. They did not advance in
line. They fired several volleys with much precision, but their file
firing was extremely faint. In conclusion they wheeled to the
right by companies, and marched home in quick time, the whole
going over the same ground, instead of breaking off by regiments :
they marched well, and with good intervals. Their music was
weak and out of time.
I afterwards saw two divisions, each composed of four bat-
talions of eight companies: one division consisted almost en-
tirely of Syrian boys, several in the front rank were not above five
feet high, and could scarcely load, or return their ramrods. They
presented into the air without taking the slightest aim, and many
of them put quantities of gunpowder into the pockets of their
loose breeches, in order, probably, to sell it at Cairo ; for which
they were well thrashed by their officers with the flat of their
swords. When a battalion commenced firing, the colour and two
files on each side of it fell out to the rear. They performed
several evolutions in the manner, which I have before described; and
one of the divisions advanced a considerable distance in echellon
from the right, which was the only advance directly to the front,
which I had ever seen them attempt, and it did not by any
means succeed.
On the 18th of November I was present when some artillery
were inspected at Tourah ; forty-eight pieces of cannon, (four guns
and two howitzers to a battalion,) were drawn up in line ; the gun-
carriages were short, and were fixed by a vertical pin to the
limbers, which were painted of a dark olive green, picked out
with black. An ammunition wagon was in line behind each
gun ; six horses or mules were harnessed to each gun, and four
to each tumbril ; these animals were serviceable, and in good con-
dition. The saddles and harness were made after European
patterns, with winkers for the horses in hand, with rope traces,
gard that has been paid, till lately, to his memory, to be less esteemed by his
own countrymen, for whom in perilous times he fought and conquered, than
by strangers and enemies. Neglect and ingratitude cannot however obscure
his well-earned and glorious reputation.
K