That Monday was one of the hardest days in the memory of the White
Hussars.
They were thrown against a skeleton-enemy, and pushed forward, and withdrawn,
and dismounted, and "scientifically handled" in every possible fashion over
dusty country, till they sweated profusely.
Their only amusement came late in the day, when they fell upon the battery of
Horse Artillery and chased it for two mile's. This was a personal question, and
most of the troopers had money on the event; the Gunners saying openly that
they had the legs of the White Hussars. They were wrong. A march-past concluded
the campaign, and when the Regiment got back to their Lines, the men were
coated with dirt from spur to chin-strap.
The White Hussars have one great and peculiar privilege. They won it at
Fontenoy, I think.
Many Regiments possess special rights, such as wearing collars with undress
uniform, or a bow of ribbon between the shoulders, or red and white roses in
their helmets on certain days of the year. Some rights are connected with
regimental saints, and some with regimental successes. All are valued highly;
but none so highly as the right of the White Hussars to have the Band playing
when their horses are being watered in the Lines.
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