ve been struck the very
first hour by its peculiar characteristics. At field-labour, and in the
streets of the cities, he would continually have seen slender men of
warlike aspect, with a striking red necktie. They were "_canton_" men,
who already as children had been entered on the register of soldiers,
and sworn under a banner, and could be called upon if their King needed
them. Each regiment had 500 to 800 of these reserves; one may therefore
assume, that by these, an army of 64,000 men, could, in three months,
be increased about 30,000, for everything was ready in the regimental
rooms, both clothing and weapons. Anyone too, who first saw a regiment
of Prussian infantry, would be still more astonished. The soldiers were
of a height such as had never been seen in the world,--they appeared of
a foreign race. When the regiment stood four ranks deep in line--the
position in three ranks was just then introduced--the smallest men of
the first rank were only a few inches under six foot, the fourth almost
equally high, and the middle ones little less. One may assume that were
the whole army placed in four ranks, the heads would make four straight
lines; the weapons also were somewhat longer than elsewhere. Not less
striking was the neat appearance of the men, they stood there like
gentlemen, with good clean linen, their heads nicely powdered, and a
cue, all in blue coats, with gaiters of unbleached linen up to their
bright breeches; the regiments were distinguished by the colour of
their waistcoats, facings, and lace. If a regiment wore beards, as for
example the old Dessauers at Halle, the beard was nicely greased. Each
man received yearly, before the review, a new uniform, even to the
shirt and stockings, and in the field also he had two dresses. The
officers looked still grander, with embroidered waistcoats, and scarfs
round the waist, on the sword the "field badge;" all was gold and
silver, and round the neck the gilded gorget, in the middle of which
was to be seen on a white ground, the Prussian eagle. The captain and
lieutenant bore in their hands the partisan, which had already been a
little diminished, and was called spontoon; the subordinate officers
still carried the short pike. It was considered smart for the dress to
fit tight and close, and in the same style the motions of the soldiers
were precise and angular, the deportment stiff and erect, their heads
high. Still more remarkable were their movements; for they w