3-053-735 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

Cannock Chase Manoeuvres: General Lyson's head-quarters, Etching Hill, Rugeley, 1873. The British Army in Staffordshire: '...great military gathering for practice and exercise this autumn...on Cannock Chase, Staffordshire, under the command of Major-General D. Lysons, whose head-quarters are fixed at Etching Hill, a mile from the little town of Rugeley. The tents are so pitched as to face the racecourse, the nearest edge of which is only a hundred yards from the General's tent; and on each side of this are those of his staff...The extreme left of the encampment is at Lower Cliff, sweeping outwards to the south-east; the line of tents furthest in a straight line from head-quarters are those at Brindley Heath, and the extreme right is at Oak Edge Hill, which is near Sillbull Hill. The whole camp, as completed, is fan-shaped; but the hills a little beyond the racecourse cut off from the handle of the fan the view of the tents on the extremities. From the abrupt rock on which floats the General's flag, and also from those hills, an almost complete sight of the entire encampment may he obtained. Within the head-quarters' ground are a telegraph station and a post office; but the former is only available for military purposes'. From "Illustrated London News", 1873.