aassJQ_C^lSA Book. ■ C7 .r«$a. ■ ADVENTURE? OF A SOLDIEB; WRLTTEN BY HIMSELF. ' ■ 7 THE MEMOIRS EDWARD COSTELLO, E.S.F. !/ FORMERLY A NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICER IN THE RIFLE BRIGADE, LATE CAPTAIN IN THE BRITISH LEGION, AND NOW ONE OF THE WARDENS OF THE TOWER OF LONDON; COMPRISING NARRATIVES OF THE CAMPAIGNS IN THE PENINSULA UNDER THE DUKE OP WELLINGTON, AND THE SUBSEQUENT CIVIL WARS IN SPAIN. What, must I tell it thee ? As o'er my ev'ning fire I musing sat Some few days since, my mind's eye backward tum'd Upon the various changes I have pass'd — How in my youth with gay attire allur'd, And all the grand accoutrements of war, I left my peaceful home : Then my first battles, When clashing arms, and sights of blood were new : Then all the after-chances of the war ; Ay, and that field, a well- fought field it was. COUNT BASIL. &ecottti fEfcitton. LONDON: COLBURN AND CO., PUBLISHERS, GREAT MARLBOROUGH STREET. 1852. V .V ^.oV LONDON : Printed by Schulze and Co., 13, Poland Street. I \ X TO GENERAL SIR A. F. BARNARD, K.C.B., K.C.H.. &c. &c. &c. COLONEL OF THE RIFLE BRIGADE, AND GOVERNOR OF CHELSEA COLLEGE, THIS VOLUME IEsj most trspcctfullg IBetrtcatctr, BY THE AUTHOR, EDWARD COSTELLO. PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION. So many Lives of Soldiers have already been written, and by abler pens than mine, and so many tales have arisen out of the chequered scenes of the late Peninsular War, and the short existence of the British Legion, that I dare not be very sanguine of creating for my work any great degree of interest. But every man's life is a volume of change, felt and expressed according to his peculiar dispositions and feelings, which are as varied under a military as they can be under a civil life. Could the never to be for- gotten Tom Crawley but give his own detail ! — could Long Tom of Lincoln, once one of the smartest of our regiment, now the forlorn bone-picker of Knights- bridge, but pen his own eventful track — could Wilkie, Hetherington, Plunket, and many others of those humbler heroes, conquerors in such well-contested fields as Bodrigo, Badajoz, Salamanca, and Waterloo, &c, whose exploits form the principal attractions in this volume, and whose stubborn spirits and perforated VI PREFACE. bodies formed key-stones for the fame of our immortal Wellington, whose standard might have found a sandy support but for the individual bravery of the soldiers of his invincible divisions: could they but recount their varied casts of fortune— who would fail to read their histories and help to rear a cypress to their memories ? With these considerations, I send this volume forth, trusting that the reader will bear in mind that he who wrote it was both actor and spectator in the scenes he has narrated, and feels assured that by their perusal, he will be enabled to guess at what is gene- rally felt and experienced by the individual soldier. In the British Legion I held a medium rank. I saw not only what its soldiers were, but caught a glance at their officers : with them my military career flickered out its last moments of existence. Its brighter fortunes, short as they were, however, gave me * sufficient oppor- tunity to value those unfortunate men — my humbler comrades, and to be convinced by their deeds, that the British soldier, with sickness, oppression, the lash, and other distresses, still possessed his old spirit, and was as fitted to reap laurels as he had been in more glorious times. EDWARD COSTELLO. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. Introduction of myself to the reader—To the service— Who would not be a Soldier ?— A recruit — Wilkie— Cupid's Row-dow— The service endangered by another— Arrival at Liverpool— I am made prisoner, but not by the French- Recaptured by our sergeant— Lichfield round-house— St. Paul's— I join my regiment, and the regiment joins us— Great numbers of rank and file burnt alive ....... 1 CHAPTER II. I join Captain O'Hare's company— He falls in a passion— The "fair" and "unfair" appointment — Disappointment — Things of a private nature — Tom Crawley— An example— The Hero — How to catch "flats" in "squads"— New way to tap a barrel — A Rifleman's plan for sweeping chimneys and tap- rooms — Pipe-clay and parade — The regiment embark for Portugal. . 6 CHAPTER III. Tom Plunket's Military Career . . . . 11 CHAPTER IV. Arrival in Portugal — Crauford's forced marches — Teetotalism with a vengeance — The effect of the opposite extreme — Spanish mode of keeping a man from stealing wine — False reports — Talavera — We arrive the day after the fight — A battle scene— Sir Arthur Wellesley — General Cuesta — Dough Boy Hill — The fever — I am taken ill— Elvas hospital — How to cure a fever — Convalescence — Burial scenes— Our Sextons — March to my regiment— The Germans— Pig- skins in danger, our own also — Captain Pakenham — Hanging matters — Two dozen of each — Not sham pain — German discipline « » 19 Vlll CONTENTS. CHAPTER V. Old Trowsers— Sleeping and waking — O'Hare again — Colonel Beckwith— Two upon one — Meagher— Barba del Puerco — General Crauford taken by surprise — The Portuguese incorporation with the light division — Rodrigo — Gallegos — The Beacon night scenes on picquet — Lord Wellington — Napoleon's Marriage — Crauford's stratagem— The French spy— We retreat to Fort Conception. 28 CHAPTER VI. Villa de Mula — Night expedition to Villa de Puerco — Both parties retire — Death of Colonel Talbot— A soldier's grave — The effects of a miscarriage — Fort Conception blown up — A mistake and no mistake— Another mistake, a ball in the right knee — The bridge over the Coa— A friend in need, a friend indeed — Charity abroad and at home — A surgeon's advice — A blessing — A cough, an uncomfortable companion — Spanish apathy — We •arrive at Fraxedas ....... 34 CHAPTER VII. Mondego— The Coimbra— Figueras — The maggots— Lisbon— Battle of Busaco — Retreat to Torres Vedras — Lord Wellington's generalship — Belem — Jack ashore and Jonathan also — Yankey and Lankey — Billy M'Nabb — The High- land kite and Lowland tail — Josh. Hetherington — Sperum Poco — Portuguese piety — Aruda — Doing what the enemy left undone — Tom Crawley again — In state — A hot berth — Our enemies laugh at Tom in his glory . 41 CHAPTER VIII. The enemy retire upon Santarem — We retire upon Valine — The bridge over the Rio Mayor— The French out-lying sentries — Their camp ground — Comparative quietude — The still — Escape from assassination — Tom Crawley's ghost- story —The "Death and Glory men"— The charms of a Brunswickian appetite — Their desertions — Sergeant Fleming — His court-martial — We meet our enemies on the water and contend — A comment on both sides . . 50 CHAPTER IX. General Crauford leaves for England— Sir William Erskine takes the command — Mounseer Strauss — We enter Santarem — Scenes of horror— Mile posts of the "grande armeV — Retaliations of the Portuguese — Two upon one — Pombal — Smart work — German gallantry — Auction — A new division — Redinha — An accident — Long Tom of Lincoln — The deserter — A retur of favours . . . . * . 58 CONTENTS. IX CHAPTER X. Our march upon Condeixa — Tom Crawley again — Hot and cold — Affair of Casal Nova — Death of Major Stewart — The French continue retreating — The two brothers — Night scene — The French continue their havoc — The Caeadore — The pet goat — Lord Wellington again — Our old Colonel — The promise of the Staff— The Recruits — British enthusiasm inspired — The two French prisoners — Particulars of Massena's retreat and state of his troops — St. Patrick's Day — If I had a donkey— The river Caira — Our distressing privations — O'Brien and the old Patrone — Arrival at Friexedas — Adjutant Stewart killed — Sabugal — Carrying of the enemy's position— Encomiums of our Colonel — Death of Lieut. A .'^uthnot — Disagreeable bed-fellow — A light on the subject — Evacua- tion of Portugal by the French, Almeida excepted — The British follow into Spain — Arrival at Gallegos — The enemy active in Rodrigo — The skulker — Poor Burke — Expedition and disappointment in search of a convoy . 66 CHAPTER XI. Our advance videttes, and the French cavalry — Manoeuvring in front of Villa Formosa — The Suttler and the Dragoons — Sergeant-Major Sharp — Morning of the 5th May — General Crauford returns — Portuguese welcome — Fuentes d'Onor— French Dragoon challenges to single combat — Retreat on Navez d'Aver — Charges of cavalry — A deep game by the French — Squaring it with the enemy — The 79th Highlanders — A prisoner against his will — The French sentry and General Crauford — The Light Dragoons again— Sergeant-Major Sharp again — Scene of discipline — That lash disappointed — The German fratricide ..... 77 CHAPTER XII. Almeida closely invested by the fifth division, but not close enough — Evacuation by the French — Suicide of the Colonel of the 4th — Sabugal — We cross the Coa — The comet — Much ado about nothing— Tom Crawley's fears — March through Castello Branco — Portalegre, &c, to Campo Mayor — Tom Crawley poisoned — Blockade of Ciudad Rodrigo — Atalaya — Hunting excursion with the Staff — Our third battalion joins us— Colonel Barnard — Tommy Searchfield— Middy ashore — Deficiency of rations — A new arrival — His adventure — Spanish spite — The pigs — Rodrigo relieved by the French — Our division — We rejoin the army— Battle of El Bodon — We return to Guinaldo — Again invest Rodrigo — January, 1812— Fort Piquerine stormed — The stripping of the prisoners by the Portuguese — Tom Crawley again — Cure for a skulk . . 86 CHAPTER XIII. Cold reception — Preparation to storm Rodrigo — I join the " Forlorn- Hope" — The breaches — General Crauford killed — Uniacke mortally wounded — Major Napier wounded — Taking of the town — A rough customer — Wilkie again — Death of Wilkie— A gift— The left breach after the battle— Wilkie's grave- Horrors of a storm— This is my niece, Sir— The right breach— Captain Uniacke — The Light Division leave Rodrigo in disguise — Who the devil are those fellows?— We enter El Bodon . . . . .94 X CONTENTS. CHAPTER XIV. Burial of General Crauford— Anecdote of Ladrone ! Ladrone !— Corporal Miles — Burial of Uniacke — A French seat of honour in jeopardy — A wolf! a wolf! — Deserters shot — Scene of execution — March to Castello de Vide across the Tagus— Execution of Corporal Arnal for desertion — Badajoz — A man dreaming of his head being off with his head on j singular fulfilment — Tom Crawley's dislike to conchology — His alarms— The Duke of Wellington saluted by the enemy— Remarkable feature of the case— A French curative or an ill- wind, &c. ....... 102 CHAPTER XV. Storming of Badajoz— I join the Forlorn-Hope again— Presentiments of Major O'Hare and Captain Jones — Their deaths — The stormers — The Ladder-men — I am wounded — The French prisoner— O'Brien — Sacking of the town — Scene of horror — Reflections— The Duke of Wellington and his men — Johnny Castles introduced with a rope round his neck — The drummer-boy— A firelock goes off, and so does a Corporal — I return to the camp — Casualties at Badajoz — The French prisoner and a new acquaintance — His account of the evacuation of Almeida — His opinion of the British soldiers . . .114 CHAPTER XVI. I recover from my wounds and rejoin my regiment at Ituera — " Nine holes" — March for Salamanca— Sergeant Battersby— The grenadier and the murder of his wife, &c, &c— Marmont out-manoeuvred— Assault of Fort St. Vincent- Retreat of the enemy— We arrive at Rueda— The wine-vaults— My descent into one— Fright, &c— Manoeuvring of the two armies— Skirmishing— A gal- lant Frenchman— Pratt and his prisoner . . . .126 CHAPTER XVII. Battle of Salamanca— My wounds break out afresh— I go into the Hospital at Salamanca— The Germans and their prisoners— A recognition— Michael Con- nelly—His death and burial— Josh. Hetherington again— A new acquaintance —His accounts of the Guerillas, &c— A keepsake for a sweetheart— The Guerilla— The army retrace their steps to Salamanca— Proceed to Rodrigo— Heavy wet— Spanish payment j acknowledgment— A dry coat— Lord Charles Spencer and his acorns— We continue our march— The babes in the wood- Hard skirmishing with the enemy's advanced-guard— A woman in distress- Pepper— Hunger, cold, and fatigue— Finish of the Burgos retreat . 133 CHAPTER XVIII. Head-quarters at Grenalda— Don Julian Sanchez, the celebrated Guerilla Chief —Weakness of our numbers— Incorporation of Spaniards into our regiments— A thief— Punishment of, and opinion of the men— General orders for a col- lection among the men and officers to relieve Russian losses— A ball, in which CONTENTS. Xlll CHAPTER XXVII. Intention of the Spanish Government respecting our winter quarters— March to Vittoria— Enemy oblige us to go round — The rear of the Legion engaged — Baggage divided from it— Commencement of the plunder at Bilboa — Arrival at Castro — Enemy supposed to be in the vicinity — We remain at Castro — March the next day — Mountainous route— An accident— The pass of Las Goras— March to Bonia— My company placed in the advance— Orders to prepare for cavalry — Doubts and fears — A narrow escape— Arrival at Breviesca — Breviesca — Head Quarters — My old Patrone — Hints to revolutionists — System of regular drill begun — Riflemen drilled collectively— I practice my company in sham fighting — Provosts and hardship— Lay in a winter stock of sickness — Legion paid up to November, 1835 — Last payment— March of death — We march for Vittoria — Pass of Pancorbo— The dead Patrone— Approach to Vittoria— My old recol- lections — The 45th — Halt about three miles from the city — Spanish troops come out to meet us — Triumphant entry into Vittoria — The veteran Co- lonel . . . . . . .222 CHAPTER XXVITI. Vittoria as it then was — A bad wind that blows nobody any good — Rifles rather comfortable at first — Severe weather — Morning scenes and cries in Vittoria — The flogging system — Men not starved— A comparison of facts — Hospitals get crammed with sick — Singular economy — The old Colonel's two sons — The Cha- pelgorris decimated by order ot Espartero — The Rifles march to Matuca — The whole Legion assemble at Matuca — Cordova engaged — A Carlist village — A confession — A night retreat — Colonel's anxiety — Arlaban — Change of looks both in the men and the inhabitants — March to Trevina — Sharp winter of 1835 . . . . . . .232 CHAPTER XXIX. Return to Vittoria — The mortality and state of the hospitals — Deaths among the medical officers — Scenes in the wards — Legion supposed to be poisoned — Don Jose* Elgoez — His first ordeal — A discovery — Execution of the two bakers — Description of the " Garotta" — Legion march and counter-marches — Mode of warfare adopted by General Evans— Frequent desertion. . . 238 CHAPTER XXX. Sudden and unjust dismissal of the officers— Copies from General Orders- Spanish compliments to the French and British Legions — Cordova between two fires — Some French officers resign — Difference betwixt the British and French Legion — Parting moments between a French Colonel and his men — Legion receive orders to proceed to San Sebastian — The sick left behind to guard the sick — March through the country to Santander — Arrival at the Convent of Carbon — New clothing — Recruits, &c. — My opinion of the Legion ....... 244 XIV CONTENTS. CHAPTER XXXI. Embark for San Sebastian— A thirty-two-pounder, and no mistake— A bloody force— Brains where they were wanted, unfortunately— A prize— Arrival at San Sebastian— Anticipated attack— Colonel de Rottenberg taken ill— Major For- tescue— Opinions— His maiden speech— Two companies broke up the others of the regiment— 5th of May— Attack on the lines of San Sebastian— A hullabaloo —6th Scotch taken for enemies— Helter-skelter— I receive a severe wound— Am carried into San Sebastian — My letter to my wife . . 250 ! CHAPTER XXXII. The loss of my company in the late action— Apprehensions about my leg— Meda and pewter— A candidate for Knighthood— Captain Plunkett— His death, &c. — A Rifleman assassinated — Fire-eaters— Sketch of San Sebastian — Lord John Hay's battery — Ramble towards Passages— Something serious — Awkward squads— Singular decline of Spanish Bigotry — A Sectarian alarmed . 256 CHAPTER XXXIII. Disorganised state of the Legion— Three months' pay— A holiday— The 6th and 8th Scotch lay down their arms — Reasons — My wishes to retire from the Legion I give up the command of the company — A reflection — I embark for Santander — Report myself to Colonel Arbuthnot — My new command — The convent of Carbon — Short description — Inhabitants of — First sample — A speculation — A Quarter-master's conscience — I place him under arrest — A horse ! A horse! . . . . . . .26a CHAPTER XXXIV. An orderly dragoon puts us all in confusion — A stir — Retreat upon Santander- The dangers of forgetfulness — Cure for a fever — We return to our old quarters — Captain Shields and Major Clark's visit— An appeal — A new mode of raising " Volunteers" — Glory or death by famine— One hundred and twenty men are starved into the service again — Scene in Santander — British soldiers and sub- jects — More assassinations — H cold-blooded Spaniard — A peace-loving Com- mandant—Captain Oakley and his " cats"— Continued horrors of the convent — Assassination — A relief from purgatory— A conclusion . . 2~~ ADVENTURES OF A SOLDIER. CHAPTER I. To give a young gentleman right education, The army's the only good school in the nation. SWIFT. Introduction of myself to the reader— To the service— Who would not be a Soldier ?— A recruit— Wilkie— Cupid's Row-dow— The service endangered by another— Arrival at Liverpool— I am made prisoner, but not by the French- Recaptured by our sergeant— Lichfield round-house— St. Paul's— I join my regiment, and the regiment joins us— Great numbers of rank and file burnt alive. It has ever been the fashion in story telling to begin, I believe, with the birth of the hero, and as I do not forget, for a moment, that I am my own, I can only modestly say with young Norval I am, of parentage obscure Who nought can boast, but my desire to be A soldier. I was born at the town of Mount Mellick, Queen's County, Ireland, on the 26th October, 1/88. When I was seven years old my father removed to Dublin, where he had been appointed to the situation of tide waiter. As soon as I became a good sized youth, my father bound me apprentice to a cabinet-maker, in King William Street, in the aforesaid city; but urged by a roving and restless spirit, I soon grew tired of my occupation, which I left on morning early " without beat of drum." B Z ADVENTURES OF I next went to live with an uncle, a shoemaker, who employed several men to work in his business. Among these was an old soldier, who had lost a leg, fighting under Sir Ralph xibercrombie, in Egypt. From this old blade, I think it was, I first acquired that martial ardour that so frequently infects young men in time of war. There was, indeed, no resisting the old pensioner's description of glory. I became red hot for a soldier's life, and although rejected as too young for the regulars, I " listed," as it is tech- nically called, in the Dublin Militia on the 1 7th of June, 1806. At the latter end of the following year, our regiment was stationed at Londonderry, in the north of Ireland, where I volunteered into the 95th, since made the " Rifle Brigade." It was rather singular, but I remember I was the only volunteer from the regiment who joined the rifles. After receiving my bounty of the eighteen guineas (£4 of which were deducted for my kit, which I was to have on joining), the sum allowed at that time to those who volun- teered from the militia, I took the mail coach for Dublin, where I found a recruiting party of my new regiment, consisting of one sergeant, a corporal and six privates. I must say I felt highly delighted with the smart appear- ance of the men, as well as with their green uniform. The sergeant proposed that I should remain in Dublin, being as it were, almost a native of that city, from which circum- stance he thought I might materially assist in raising recruits. Recruiting, on the pay of a private soldier, is anything but pleasant, and particularly if he be confined to the mere shilling a-day, doled out to him once a-week, for he not unfrequently spends it all the first night he receives it. I myself had woefully experienced this, having been frequently for days without food, through my irregularities and my unwillingness to acquaint my friends that I was so near them. I was crawling about one clay in this manner, heartily tired of my first sample of military life, garbed in an old green jacket of the sergeant's, when I was accosted by a smart young fellow. After eyeing me rather shrewdly from A OLDIER. 3 head to foot for several seconds, " I say, green boy/ 5 said he, "do you belong to the Croppies? D me, but I like your dress. What bounty do you give ?" "Eighteen guineas/' replied I. "Come then/' said he, "tip us a shilling. I'm your man." Unfortunately for me, I had not a farthing, for I had eaten nothing for that and the whole of the previous day. However, knowing that we received two pounds for every recruit, I hurried into a public-house near at hand, and requested of the landlord to lend me a shilling, telling him the use for which I wanted it. This he very kindly did, and I handed it over to the recruit, who, chucking it instantly on the counter, called for the worth of it in whiskey. While we remained drinking, the sergeant, whom I had sent for, arrived, and supplying us with money, the recruit passed the doctor and was sworn in for our corps. His name was Wilkie, he was an Englishman ; his father having been sent for from Manchester to superintend a glass manufactory in Dublin, accounted for his being here. He was a fine young fellow of about five feet eight inches in height, and possessed all the genuine elements of a soldier, that is, was quarrelsome, generous and brave, of which qualities he gave us a specimen the evening he enlisted, by quilting a pair of coal-heavers. After a few days, he introduced me to his family, consisting of his parents and a sister, a remarkably pretty girl of about seventeen. Had war not claimed me with her iron grasp as her proselyte, I, no doubt, should have interwoven my destinies with the silken web of Cupid, who, very naturally, when my youth and early passions are considered, for I was but nineteen, lapped me very seriously on the shoulder. I, however, went on recruiting, and the two pounds I received for enlisting Wilkie, I handed oyer to my landlady in advance for future food, which my last misfortune had taught me to value. This precaution, as is generally the case, was now no longer necessary, for in a short time after, we enlisted so many recruits, that money became very plentiful, and I was enabled to get coloured clothes. While we remained in Dublin, I became a constant visitor at the house of Wilkie' s father, and the young lady I have b 2 4 ADVENTURES OF alluded to, not disapproving of my advances, a serious attachment followed. But my stay threatened to be speedily terminated, as the sergeant and his party received orders to join his regiment immediately, then at Col- chester, Mars and Cupid beat to arms, and placed me in the predicament of the donkey betwixt the hay stacks. I became bewildered as to which to take, both being, as it were, necessary to the calls of my nature. At last, the time for parting arrived, which took place after a little private snivelling and simpering, and the usual vows of eternal fidelity, passion and remembrance — which last I have kept to this day. She and her mother accom- panied Wilkie and myself towards the Pigeon House, Hingsend, and in something more than twenty -four hours, we found ourselves cheek by jowl with the quays of Liver- pool. It was past midnight when we cast anchor. We were ordered to remain on board ; but Wilkie' s and my own anxiety to see the place took advantage of a loop hole in the waterman's pocket, and we got ashore in our coloured clothes ; from the lateness of the hour, however, we were obliged to take lodgings in a cellar. We had not been long settled and asleep below stairs, before I was awoke by the bright glare of a bull's eye lanthorn staring me fall in the face, and some five or six rough sailors all armed to the teeth, standing before us. The first thing they did was to feel our hands, which, finding to be rather soft, one remarked to the other, that we had never been sailors, though nevertheless they took us as lawful prey. Wilkie, at first, wanted to fight with them, but was persuaded by half a dozen bull dogs, and some cutlasses to walk quietly to the tender, in which we most probably should have taken a voyage, but, for one thing, we had been sea-sick and were sick of the sea, and on being examined by the officer on board the next morning, we gladly sent for our sergeant, who, claiming us, accord- ingly, we were liberated. Our party continued their march, and Wilkie, whom for more reasons than one I was growing exceedingly attached A SOLDIER. O to, was always my companion and many a scrape he got me into. He was continually in hot water ; on several occa- sions and particularly at Lichfield where we were caged, for kicking up disturbances amongst some Irish recruits in which, however, I supported my friend, we were detained for want of means to pay for the damage done to a public- house, the scene of riot. Sergeant Crooks (for that was our sergeant's name) had not unfortunately the means to satisfy this demand, having nothing but the men's bare allowance to carry us to London. Meanwhile, we remained in the cage, which was in a very conspicuous part of the market-place. The fact of an Irishman being there, seemed to have aroused all the little brats and blackguards of the neigh- bourhood, (my countrymen were not so plentifully scat- tered then as they are now), and every minute of the day we were annoyed by, " I say Paddy, Hilloa Paddy, which way does the bull run?" Taking both of us for Irish, the young devils kept twirling their fingers on their noses, even through the bars of the cage. The poor sergeant, who was a mild good fellow, arranged matters, after all, with the magistrates ; the money was to be sent to the injured parties as soon as we joined the regiment, and deducted from our pay — which was done accordingly. Wilkie, however, continued his pranks, and once while in London when on a visit to St. Paul's Cathedral, stopped the pendulum of the clock, and set the bells ringing ; for this we were again imprisoned, but escaped this time, by paying a fine of five shillings for being drunk, after which nothing occurred till we arrived at Colchester. Here I joined the 1st battalion, then under the command of Colonel Beckwith, afterwards known as General Sir Sidney Beckwith, and was attached to Captain Glass's company. Shortly after my arrival, the regiment was ordered to Spain, the campaign having then commenced. But not being perfect in my exercises, I was left behind as depot, until time and practice had made me a greater proficient in Light Infantry duty. Although this was a necessary con- sequence to a mere recruit, at that time, I felt not a little ADVENTURES OF mortification at being prevented sharing in the glory* which I believed the regiment about to reap. As it was, however, I had no great reason to complain. 1 became an adept in my drill, and a tolerable shot along with some other recruits, before the regiment returned. This took place in the month of January, 1809, at Hythe, where we were at that time stationed, the depot having moved from Colchester. The Rifle regiment, it is well known, had distinguished itself, and had suffered severely, especially in the retreat to Corunna under the gallant Moore. From thence, they had embarked for England, where, on their landing, they presented a most deplorable sight. The appearance of the men was squalid and miserable in the extreme. There was scarcely a man amongst them, who had not lost some of his appointments, and many, owing to the horrors of that celebrated retreat, were even without rifles. Their clothing, too, was in tatters, and in such an absolute state of filth as to swarm with vermin. New clothing was immediately served out and the old ordered to be burnt, which order was put into execution at the back of our barracks amid the jests of the men, who congratulated each other on thus get- ting effectually rid of those myriads of enemies, that had proved such a source of personal discomfort to them abroad. CHAPTER II. I join Captain O'Hare's company — He falls in a passion — The "fair" and " unfair" appointment — Disappointment — Things of a private nature — Tom Crawley — An example — The Hero — How to catch " flats" in " squads" — New way to tap a barrel — A Rifleman's plan for sweeping chimneys and tap- rooms — Pipe-clay and parade — The regiment embark for Portugal. Shortly after the return of the regiment, I was drafted into the company commanded by Captain Peter O'Hare ; a man whose eccentric habits were equalled only by his extremely ugly countenance. Peter, for that was the cog- nomen by which he was generally known to the men, was as brave as a lion ; and had risen, it was said, to his present commission from the ranks. A SOLDIER. / While here, he got in tow with a young lady of Hythe, whom he was in the hahit frequently of escorting about the barracks and the neighbouring heights. This the men as often took advantage of, and throwing themselves in his way, when arm-in-arm with the lady, would ask any favour they might have required of him. This Peter, who we presumed had an eye to the opinion and future requital of, perhaps, his own wishes upon the fair one herself, would always readily grant ; until, at last, through their impor- tunities he became awake to the scheme, and swore he would flog the first man who made another attempt of the kind, when the lady was present. A rather humorous adventure, which came to my knowledge through his servant, occurred while here. One day at Hythe with a dinner party, at which the young lady was present, he chanced, unintentionally, to give offence to some Militia officer, one of the party ; the con- sequence was, that the next morning he received, what he perhaps supposed a billet-doux, but which, to his surprise, turned out to be a challenge. He was sitting shaving himself when the note was delivered to him by his servant, and of course dropped the razor to peruse it. ce John," said he, calling his man back ; " who brought this ? Faith, it's a challenge." " A gentleman !" replied John, " now waiting at the door." " Oh, then," says Peter, " tell the gentleman that I am going to Spain, and that if he follows me, he'll not find me behind a hedge ; and with my compliments, tell him also to take back this bit of paper to the humbug who sent it ; for by Jove !" he continued, closing the door, i( captain's commissions are not to be got every day !" Our commanding officer, who was considered as one of the most humane of the whole army, was an excellent man, and well deserving of his fame ; he seldom had re- course to the " cats," thinking, perhaps, with a great deal of truth, that it was necessary only in extreme cases. The plan of punishment, generally adopted by him, was to put the offender on extra drill with alLhis accoutrements on. When, however, the men became incorrigible, he would 8 ADVENTURES OF order a six pound shot to be affixed to the leg, with a long chain attached to it, and so oblige them to trail it about with them. We had in our regiment, at this time, a man of the name of Tom Crawley, who was always getting into scrapes, and who was one of those singular characters with which every regiment abounds. To enormous strength, and great meekness of temper, he added an infinity of dry humour, which I shall better illustrate by introducing him to the reader at once, as bearing no little part in my career — in which he first became known to me as one of the " incorrigibles." Tom, however, made light of every punishment, even of the " six-pounder," which he would generally chuck under his arm as if it were a mere toy. To obviate this, another move was made by our Colonel, which was the obliging him to wear a kind of long smock-frock, with a green cross painted on the back and front of it. The barrack in which we were, being only temporary, presented no outward wall to prevent our free intercourse with the town where Tom was a general favourite. Tom used, therefore, at night, while under dis- grace, to take advantage of the dusk, and steal by the sentries into the town. Here, of course, his strange dress elicited innumerable queries. "Arrah and sure!" Tom would reply with a knowing side leer of the eye, u sure and is it not the new regulation of the Duke of York, and musn't all the likes of me, that are Catholics in our regiment, wear the cross on their dress !" The first parade we had after our men had received their new equipments, was imprinted upon my memory from a circumstance attending it, that was well calculated to make an impression upon the mind of a youthful soldier, such as I then was ; and to inspire that esprit de corps in a regiment, which is absolutely essential to even disciplined valour. I had previously, more than once, heard a man of the name of Tom Plunket eulogised by the men for his courage. He was a smart, well-made fellow, about the middle height, in the prime of manhood ; with a clear grey eye, and handsome countenance ; and was A SOLDIER. 9 a general favourite with both officers and men, besides being the best shot in the regiment. On the occasion I have above alluded to, we were formed into hollow square, and ordered to face inwards ; as we knew it was not a punishment parade, we naturally ex- pected some address from the commanding officer, and wondering in our own minds what was coming, when Colonel Beckwith broke the silence by calling out : " Private Thomas Plunket, step into the square. 5 ' All eyes, it is needless to say, were fixed upon Plunket, as he halted with his rifle shouldered, in the finest position of military attention, within a few paces of his officer. ,( Here, men," exclaimed the commanding officer, point- ing to Plunket, " here stands a pattern for the battalion !" Then addressing Tom, he added, " I have ordered a medal for you, in approval of your late gallant conduct at Co- runna. Present yourself, Sir, to the master tailor and get on a corporal's stripes, and I will see you do not want higher promotion, as you continue to deserve it. I love to reward conduct such as yours has hitherto been I" Making his salute, Tom retired, when we formed into column and marched back to our barracks, duly fired with a love of emulation to deserve the praise that had been bestowed on the fortunate Plunket. I have since often thought of the judicious conduct pursued by our Colonel in the foregoing instance, as I am convinced that it was attended with the happiest effects among many of the men, and, perhaps, indeed, induced much of that spirit of personal gallantry and daring for which our corps after- wards became celebrated. Our regiment was shortly afterwards raised to one thousand strong, chiefly through volunteering from the Militia, our common medium of supply at the time at which I write, and it is justly due to the Militia regiments, to say, that in the knowledge and exercise of their military duties, during the war, they were very little inferior to the troops of the line. The men who joined our battalion, were in general a fine set of young fellows, and chiefly the elite of the light companies of the different provincial corps. For his qualifications, as before stated, Tom Plunket, 10 ADVENTURES OF with a few others, was selected to recruit from the Lincoln Militia, which lay at Hythe, while we remained in tempo- rary barracks on the heights. While the volunteering went on, the Militia colonels were ordered to give their men full liberty to do as they liked, and the better to obtain the object in view, barrels of beer with the heads knocked in, were, by order of govern- ment, placed in the different streets of the town, for those to partake of who chose. The butts, consequently, were dipped into by every kind of person with utensils of every description. This we must not wonder at, when we consider the double thirst those times gave rise to, " Barclay" as well as " Glory." Tom's manner of attack was rather singular, but joined to the profusion of government, very efficacious. The Rifles, from the dark colour of their uniforms, and the total absence of all ornament, had gained the nick-name of (( Sweeps," an appellation, which, nevertheless, held out a kind of temptation to the " wide awake" of the squads. The pipe clay and button stick were always hateful to the eyes of all soldiers ; but to none so much as to the Riflemen, who looked upon them as fitted only for men less useful than themselves. This, Tom took advantage of on all occa- sions. He was the soul of every company he mixed in, and amongst his other accomplishments, numbered that of dancing excellently. One day, the better to attract the " awkwards," he com- menced a shuffle on the head of one of the aforesaid barrels of beer, to the infinite amusement of a very large crowd ; in the course of a few steps, however, the head suddenly gave way, and soused Tom up to his neck in the liquid. The whole crowd laughed uproariously. But Tom, whose head only was to be seen, stared very gravely round the edge of the cask, then suddenly recovering himself, and bolting out of the butt, he made his way instantly to the public-house chimney, which, having ascended some dis- tance and descended, he as quickly re-appeared amongst the crowd. "There now," said he, giving himself a Newfoundland shake, that opened a wide and instantaneous circle of militia A SOLDIER. 11 men, "there now/' be exclaimed, "d — n your pipe clay, now I'm ready for the grand parade !" I must now notice an order that arrived for our imme- diate embarkation for Portugal, to join the army under Sir Arthur Wellesley. We went on board the transports lying for us at Dover in March, 1809, in the best of spirits ; such, in fact, as sportsmen feel in anticipation of the plea- sures of the chase. Shipboard, though perhaps not quite so forlorn as Doctor Johnson has portrayed it, soon becomes sufficiently irksome and unpleasant to those not accustomed to it, especially when three or four hundred men are crowded into a small vessel. Our officers, who were mostly a jolly set of fellows, had recourse to various expedients to while away the time on our voyage. Among these was one extremely popular, and that was getting Plunket to dance a hornpipe to the music of our band upon the quarter-deck. Tom danced it famously ; and the beating of his feet, in the " double shuffle" used to draw the loudest plaudits from our men and the crew of the vessel. As I have already been induced to mention Plunket, while we are now on our voyage to Portugal, I will intro- duce a sketch of his life, which well known as it is to many individuals formerly in the regiment, possibly may not form an unamusing episode in my own. CHAPTER III. When I'm in want I'll thankfully receive Because I'm poor; but not because I'm brave. TOM PLUNKET TO THE LIFE. Tom Plunket's Military Career. Plunket' s first career in arms was in South Ame- rica with General Whitelocke, where he acquired the reputation, in his company, of a good soldier. It was at the retreat of Corunna, some years afterwards, that an opportunity particularly presented itself of getting distin- guished, and which Tom took in the nick of time. The rear-guard of the British, partly composed of the Light 12 ADVENTURES OF Brigade, notwithstanding the gallantry of some of our cavalry, were exceedingly pressed by the French horse, who were vastly superior to us in that arm. In the neighbourhood of Astorga, in particular, they made several determined charges. In these onsets, a French general, named Colbert, was remarkably active, as well as conspicuous, from riding a grey horse, and, though fre- quently aimed at by our men, seemed to bear a charmed life, as he invariably escaped. In one of the French charges, headed by this officer, our General, Sir Edward Paget, rode up to the rifles, and offered any man his purse who would shoot this daring Frenchman, whom he pointed out. Plunket immediately started from his com- pany, and running about a hundred yards nearer to the enemy, he threw himself on his back on the road, which was covered with snow, placing his foot in the sling of his rifle, and taking a deliberate aim, shot General Colbert. His Trumpet-Major riding up to him, shared the same fate, from Tom's unerring rifle. Our men, who had been anxiously watching Tom, immediately cheered him ; and he had just time, by running in upon the rear-most sec- tions, to escape some dozen troopers who made chase after him. Oar General immediately gave Tom the purse he had promised, with encomiums upon his gallantry, and promised to recommend him to his Colonel, which he did in high terms to Colonel Beckwith. A few days after- wards, when the French attacked Sir John Moore's posi- tion at Corunna, Plunket again became noted for his cool bravery and daring, especially in making some admirable shots, by which they lost many officers. But the truth must be told. Like all heroes, Tom had his faults. Among these, in particular, was one which, in its destructive consequences, was calculated to counterba- lance in a soldier a thousand virtues. In other words, Tom was a thirsty soul, and exceedingly fond of a " drop." This was his unfortunate failing through life, and but for which he must have got on in the service. One deplorable instance of insubordination, arising from this vice, I well remember, which took place at Campo Mayor, after the battle of Talavera. Tom had been pro- A SOLDIER. 13 moted to the rank of sergeant, and was in the Hon. Captain Stewart's company. One morning, when the company was on private parade, Tom appeared quite tipsy, and, in giving the words of command for inspection, previous to the arrival of the officers, he set the men laughing. The pay-sergeant, his superior in rank, immediately ordered him to desist. Tom refused, and, while an altercation was going on, Captain Stewart came up, who, perceiving the state he was in, put him under arrest, and ordered him to be confined to his quarters. Here he was no sooner left alone than, conceiving that a great indignity had been placed upon him, thoughts of ven- geance immediately suggested themselves to his mind. Under the influence of intoxication that man, who, when sober, was noted for his good humour and humanity, now conceived the diabolical intention of shooting his Captain. He immediately barricaded the door of the room, and then set about loading some ten or twelve rifles, belonging to men, then on fatigue duty. Taking up one of these, and cocking it, he placed himself at an open window for the avowed purpose, as he stated to several of the men, of shooting Captain Stewart as he passed. Fortunately the Captain got notice of the danger of going near the house, while several of the men, by coaxing and force, alternately, endeavoured without effect to get into the room Tom had barred. At length the unfortunate Plunket was induced to relent on the appearance of a Lieu- tenant of the company named Johnson, who was a great favourite with the men, among whom he was known by a very familiar nick-name. The door was opened and Tom made prisoner. Although Tom was a general favourite, and his conduct had resulted from the madness of intoxication, his insu- bordination was too glaring to stand a chance of being passed over. He was brought to a regimental court-mar- tial, found guilty, and sentenced to be reduced to the ranks, and to receive three hundred lashes. Poor Plunket, when he had recovered his reason, after the commission of his crime, had experienced and expressed the most imfeigned contrition, so that when his sentence became known, there 14 ADVENTURES OF was a general sorrow felt for him throughout the regiment, particularly on account of the corporal punishment. In this feeling, I believe, the officers participated almost as much as the men. At length the time arrived when the bravest soldier of our battalion was to suffer the penalty of his crime in the presence of those very men before whom he had been held up as a pattern but some few short months before. The square was formed for punishment : there was a tree in the centre to which the culprit was to be tied, and close to which he stood with folded arms and downcast eyes, in front of his guard. The surgeon stood by, while the buglers were busily engaged untangling the strings of the cats. There was a solemn stillness on that parade that was remarkable ; a pensiveness on the features of both officers and men, deeper than usual, as though the honour of the profession was to suffer in the person of the prisoner. Flogging is at all times a disgusting subject of contempla- tion : in the present instance, it seemed doubly so, now that a gallant, and until within a few days, an honoured and respected man was to suffer. The sentence of the court-martial was read by the adju- tant in a loud voice. Poor Tom, who had the commisera- tion of the whole regiment, looked deadly pale. That countenance which the brunt of the fiercest battle had been unable to turn from its ruddy hue — that countenance which the fear of death could not change — was now blanched in dread of a worse fate. " Buglers, do your duty/' exclaimed Colonel Beckwith, in a voice husky with emotion, I thought, as the men seemed to hesitate in their business of stripping and bind- ing the prisoner to the tree. This, however, was soon accomplished, Tom only once attempting to catch the eye of his colonel with an imploring glance, while he exclaimed in broken accents — " Colonel, you won't, will you ? You won't — you cannot mean to flog me!" The appeal, although it went to the heart of every one present, was vain. Colonel Beckwith betrayed much uneasiness ; I beheld him give a slight start at the com- A SOLDIER. 17 Tom was dismissed with a present from Sir Sydney. ^The following day Tom was made a corporal, and shortly after- wards, through the medium, I believe, of Sir Sydney, went up and passed the pension board at Kilmainham, which granted him a shilling a- day. But I had forgotten to mention, in its place, an event common in man's life — I mean his marriage. Shortly after the battle of Waterloo, Tom had wedded a lady remarkable for being deficient in one essential to beauty — she actually had no face, or, at all events, was so defaced, it amounted to the same thing. This slight flaw in the beauty of Tom's wife, who Had gallantly follow' d the camp through the war, arose from the bursting of an ammunition-waggon at Quatre Bras, near to which the lady stood, and by which her countenance was rendered a blue, shapeless, noseless mass. This event was duly commemorated by the government, who allowed the heroine a shilling a-day pension, in allu- sion to which Tom used facetiously to say — "It was an ill blowing up of powder that blew nobody good." The story of Tom Plunket, already narrated at greater length than I had intended, draws fast to a close. Imbued with roving inclinations, partly owing to his nature, and more perhaps to his profession, for nothing more unsettles a man than the ever-changing chequered course of a soldier's life, he at one time determined to become a settler in Canada, and, accordingly, accepted the oifer held out by government to all pensioners, of allowing them so much land, and giving them four years' pay for their pensions. Plunket, ever eager for the handling of cash, got two years' pay down here, and started off with some two or three hundred others to try their fortune. This proved to be a very miserable one : Tom was not a man to rusticate on the other side of the Atlantic amid privations, and with the recollection of old England fresh in his mind. Before a year had elapsed, he returned to England with his wife, and, by way of apology to his friends, stated his grant of land was so wild and swampy that it made him quite melancholy, looking at it in a morning out of the c 18 ADVENTURES OF chinks of a wretched log hut he had managed to erect upon his estate. He returned home swearing loudly against forest-land, a swampy soil, and a had climate, having, of course, duly forfeited his own pension for ever. The last time I saw Tom Plunket was in Burton Crescent, most picturesquely habited, and selling matches. I did not disdain to speak to an old comrade who had been less fortunate in "life's march" than myself. I asked him how he got on, when with one of his usual cheerful smiles he informed me, that the match-selling business kept him on his legs. "I should have thought, Tom, you had seen enough of firing,' 9 I remarked, " without endeavouring to live by it now." " A man must do something these hard times for bread/' replied Tom, as he passed his hand thoughtfully across the furrow made by the bullet at Waterloo. Poor Tom ! I felt for him. I was sorry to see him neglected; others, whose service were many days march behind his, were taken better care of. But Tom's incor- rigible failing was his own stumbling-block. I did not, however, leave him my mere reflection, but giving him a portion of that coin, he so well knew how to get rid of, I wished him success in his new business, and went my way, musing on the strange vicissitudes of a soldier's life.* Alas ! the brave too oft are doom'd to bear, The gripes of poverty, the stings of care. But after this digressive sketch, it is high time to return to my own career in the field that was just now commencing. * A few months back, while on duty at the Tower, one of the warders informed me a most extraordinary lady was anxious to see me, when, to my astonishment, Mrs. Plunket stood before me, and while she held a handkerchief by one hand close to that part where her nose formerly stood, with her other hand she squeezed mine, and in the most plaintive tone told me of poor Tom's death. It appeared that herself and Plunket, who usually tramped through different parts of the country, and procured a livelihood selling needles and tapes, while passing through a street in Colchester, suddenly staggering a few paces fell down and expired. The death of Tom and the sight of Mrs. Plunket, whose extraordinary countenance excited disgust as well as pity, spread like wildfire through the town, and it came to the ears of several retired officers living in A SOLDIER. 19 Returning to ship-board, from whence I conducted the peruser of this veritable narrative, allow me to say, that after a tolerably pleasant voyage we anchored off Lisbon. From thence, in a few days, we proceeded in open boats up the river Tagus, and landed about four miles from Santarem, where we encamped for the night. On the following morning, we marched into the city of Santarem amid the cheers of its inhabitants, who welcomed us with loud cries of " Viva os Ingleses valerosos !" Long live the brave English ! Here we immediately became brigaded with the 43rd and 52nd regiments of Light Infantry, under the command of Major-General Crauford. CHAPTER IV. Arrival in Portugal — Crauford's forced marches — Teetotalism with a vengeance — The effect of the opposite extreme — Spanish mode of keeping a man from stealing wine — False reports — Talavera — We arrive the day after the fight — A battle scene— Sir Arthur Wellesley — General Cuesta — Dough Boy Hill — The fever — I am taken ill— Elvas hospital — How to cure a fever — Convalescence — Burial scenes— Our Sextons — March to my regiment— The Germans — Pig- skins in danger, our own also — Captain Pakenham — Hanging matters — Two dozen of each — Not sham pain — German discipline. On the third clay after our arrival at Santarem, we commenced a series of forced marches to join the main army under Sir Arthur Wellesley, at Talavera, then almost hourly expecting an engagement with the French corps commanded by Marshal Victor. Our men suffered dread- fully on the route, chiefly from excessive fatigue and the heat of the weather, it being the melting month of July. The brain fever soon commenced, making fearful ravages in our ranks, and many men dropped by the road-side and died. One day I saw two men of the 52nd, unable to bear that city, who happened to read my description of him ; the result was that a handsome collection was set on foot, and the amount of twenty pounds was collected for the widow. The lady of a colonel also, entirely out of her own pocket, paid for the funeral of poor Tom, with a handsome tombstone to per- petuate his memory. This she told me with many sobs. Thus ended the career of the gallant but unfortunate Plunket. c 2 20 ADVENTURES OF their sufferings, actually put a period to their existence by shooting themselves.* The greatest efforts possible were made by Major- General Crauford to arrive in time to join the Commander- in-chief, previously to a battle being fought. The excellent orders our brigadier issued for maintaining order and disci- pline on the line of march on this occasion, though exceed- ingly unpopular at first, have since become justly celebrated in the service. No man, on any pretext whatever, was allowed to fall out of the ranks without a pass from the officer of his company, and then only on indispensable occasions. This pass, however, was not a complete security, for on the return of the stragglers to camp, the orderly sergeants were compelled to parade them before their regimental-surgeons, when, if pronounced as skulkers, they were instantly tried by a drum-head court martial, and punished accordingly ; thus, frequently, when almost dying with thirst, we were obliged to pass springs of the finest water by the road-side untasted. But all this apparent severity, as we afterwards learnt, was considered as abso- lutely essential to the great purpose General Crauford had in view — dispatch. If the General found a man fall out without a pass, his plan was to take his ramrod and ride off. * As the reader may not be aware of the weight each rifleman had to carry during this long and harassing march, this too by men considered the lightest troops in our service, they are as follows : Knapsack and straps, two shirts, two pair of stockings, one pair of shoes, ditto soles and heels, three brushes, box of blacking, razor, soap-box and strap, and also at the time an extra pair of trowsers, a mess- tin, centre-tin and lid, haversack and canteen, great coat and blanket, a powder- flask filled, a ball bag containing thirty loose balls, a small wooden mallet used to hammer the ball into the muzzle of our rifles j belt and pouch, the latter containing fifty rounds of ammunition, sword-belt and rifle^ besides other odds and ends, that at all times are required for a service-soldier. Each squad had also to carry four bill-hooks, that weighed six pounds each, so that every other day each man had to carry it ; thus equipped, with from seventy to eighty pounds weight, this too in the melting month of July. Not content with the above, the General gave strict orders for each man to have his canteen filled with water before commencing the day's march every morning. Through being thus overloaded, four hundred of the battalion died a few months after our arrival, without a single shot being fired. But the survivors soon found out the cause of this mortality, as I don't think there was a man in the regiment five years after, before we left the country, could show a single shirt or a pair of shoes in his knapsack. A SOLDIER. 21 It was not ^infrequently you might see him ride into camp with a dozen ramrods, when the adjutant of each regiment was ordered to find those that had no ramrods, each of which received two dozen lashes. Fortunately for us, our longest halt took place during the heat of the day, and our longest marches were made at night, at this time, therefore, it was a usual scene to see a number of men who had been flogged, with their knapsacks on their heads, and their bodies enveloped in the loose great coats — to ease the wounds inflicted by the lash. But yet with all this, strange as it may appear, Crauford main- tained a popularity among the men, who, on every other occasion, always found him to be their best friend. A few days before we came to Malpartida de Placentia, we were going through a small town, the name of which I forget, when in passing the gaol, a man looking through one of the high barred windows of the building, vociferated, in accents not to be mistaken — " Od's blood and 'ounds, boys, are you English V 9 On several of our men answering in the affirmative, the prisoner exclaimed, in a tone that set our men in a roar of laughter — " Oh ! by Jasus, the Spaniards have poked me into this hole for getting a drop of wine, boys ; — get me out, pray/ 5 When we halted about half a mile on the other side, Colonel Beckwith sent, and obtained the man's release. He proved to be one of the 23rd Light Dragoons, who had been taken prisoner by the French, but had made his escape in the dress of a peasant ; when, in passing through this place, he had been incarcerated on a charge of taking some wine from a man without paying for it. Much merri- ment was excited by his appearance, and the droll and earnest manner in which he narrated his adventures. On the following day, we bivouacked near Malpartida de Placentia, when a report reached our corps that a battle had been fought at Talavera, and that the English had been beaten and dispersed. Although I believe few of us gave credit to the story, still it created some uneasiness amongst men and officers. Its effect, however, upon our brigadier, was to make him hurry forward with, if possible, 22 ADVENTURES OF increased speed. Our bivouac was immediately broken up. "We got under arms, and leaving the sick of the brigade behind us in the town under charge of a subaltern from each regiment, we commenced one of the longest marches, with scarcely a halt or pause, on the military records of any country. To use the words of our admirable historian of the Peninsular War, we A SOLDIER. 87 Although these regiments were rendered somewhat un- popular from this circumstance, it is generally admitted, by those capable of judging, that there were not two finer in the service. Our battalion had been particularly fond of the 4th, while they were quartered at Colchester, where they had christened us in a friendly feeling, ff The young 4th," The melancholy death of their Colonel, who, from an over-sensitive feeling of honour, shot himself shortly after the foregoing unlucky affair, was generally regretted. The evacuation of the fortress of Almeida having rendered the presence of our division thereabouts no longer necessary, another movement was made to the southward to General Hill, who commanded the second division, at this time menaced by a very superior force of the French. On the first day's march we passed through Sabugal, crossed the Coa, and encamped in a chesnut wood, close to our former scene of action. Here a very strange panic occurred, that might have been attended with most disastrous effects. About twelve at night I was stretched on my back under the boughs of a tree, admiring the comet that at that period created some sensation in Europe, from its nearness to the earth, when a general alarm and outcry was raised in the division that " The French were upon us." In a moment I started up, and seized my rifle. The different regiments were assem- bling in the greatest disorder, while the general cries of alarm on all sides induced many to feel a terror that was, perhaps, never felt in battle. Among others I plainly observed General Crauford, desiring all whom he met to fall in and load, xlfter a short while the panic ceased : we all looked foolish enough at the great ado about nothing, though some attributed the cause to French spies having got among us, others to some bullocks grazing by, that had knocked down several stands of arms ; others again accused the comet, and among the latter in our battalion was that worthy, Tom Crawley, who stoutly contended the comet was a sign we ought to leave the country, as it would shortly drop down and burn up that part of Europe. Tom himself at this period, it was shrewdly suspected, had a great desire to turn his steps homewards. 88 ADVENTURES OF We continued our march through Castello Branco^ Portalegre, and encamped on a low ground called Monte Reguingo, on the right of the road leading to Campo Mayor. There we remained about six weeks, during which we suffered dreadfully for want of rations as well as from the oppressive heat of the weather ; we called it the furnace camp. Tom, while we remained at Reguingo, imagined him- self poisoned. He had eaten rather ravenously of some pork and caravances (a sort of pulse), and was suddenly seized with violent paroxysms of pain through his over-gorging. Old Doctor Burke being sent for, found Crawley on the ground groaning most piteously, and swelled to an enor- mous size, while two of his comrades were busy rubbing the lower part of his belly. The Doctor, who fancied Spain during the last two years had brought Tom's stomach to suit the convenience of the commissary, commenced a volley of abuse — "you cannibal, what garbage have you been swallowing/' he cried, "to leave you in this con- dition V s " Oh, murther, do you hear him boys," roared the sufferer, as he turned up his eyes towards his tor- mentor. " By the mother of God, Sir, this infernal country will kill the whole of us — may a curse fall on it ; arrah, Doctor dear, when I came into it I had a stomach like any other Christian ; but now, oh God, have mercy on me poor stomach, that for want of Christian food is turned into a scavenger's cart, obliged to take in every rubhage." The Doctor, who seldom did anything by halves, gave him an emetic sufficient to physic a dromedary. Crawley, how- eyer, who never feared death on the field, now seemed to hesitate to meet him in quarters, and between the groans he uttered, made the most vehement promises of mending his sinful life if spared. Never was an intended pious scene made more truly ludicrous ; our men were in convulsions of laughter. In July we returned to assist in the blockade of Ciudad Rodrigo, and took up a position at a village called iltalaya, at the base of the Sierra de Gata, a range of mountains. Here Lord Wellington's staff frequently went out hunting. On these occasions they generally had five or six men of the Rifles to assist. The place abounded in wolves and A SOLDIER. 89 wild boars, so that a great deal of amusement was expe- rienced in this sport. I generally had the good fortune to be selected, with others of our battalion, to attend his Lordship's staff in these excursions. The chase was very exciting, particularly from the ferocious nature of the game we sought. I well remember the first wild boar I saw in one of these hunts : he was a huge fellow, with tusks of a most alarming size, but although we fired several shots, and the hounds pursued him, he escaped. One day we came upon three young wolf cubs, the old ones having abandoned them on our approach. These animals, which we presented to one of our officers, remained in his possession for a long time, and became as docile and playful as kittens. Here we were joined by our third battalion, under the command of Colonel Barnard, Colonel Beckwith having retired through ill-health, a gallant and very distinguished officer, now known as General Sir Andrew Barnard ; at the same time, also, we were reinforced, by a batch of recruits from England, and by one Tommy Searchfield, a character well known to all the Light Brigade. This gentleman, a squat, square little fellow, had formerly been a " middy " in the Royal Navy, and now come over to us as a cadet, and subsequently obtained a lieutenancy. "Tommy's" first feat was something after the lessons he had received under the immortal Nelson. He had been accustomed hitherto to meet his enemies " muzzle to muzzle," and, consequently, whenever the least intimation was given of the presence of the French, would imagine them almost passing through the loopholes, or as he termed them, our "ports." On one occasion he bawled aloud, " to quarters," and seizing hold of a rope, suspended out- side the church of the village, to one of the bells in the belfry ; to our surprise, and that of the inhabitants also, ran up it like a cat, to keep the " look-out" for the enemy. We, however, were some distance from them. The officers, for want of better employment, occupied their own and our time erecting sham fortifications in the woods, &c, and thus turned " Tom's " peculiarities to their amusement. Searchfield, however, got " awake " to thern^ 90 ADVENTURES OF and his original good-natured simplicity giving way to ex- perience, he gently informed his tormentors that he kept "a clean brace of pistols 55 about him, " at any time at their sarvice. 55 This unexpected show of pluck made his "teazers" less gibing, and " Tommy' 5 took his proper position; and, I believe, became as respectable as any of them. At Atalaya we were very much in the advance of the main army : the distance made it difficult for the commis- sariat to forward our rations regularly, and we, conse* quently, suffered dreadfully through want ; and, I may say, underwent more privations than at any other place in Spain, excepting at Dough Boy Hill. The deficiency of bread we had been obliged to make up with roasted or boiled chesnuts, of which we were always allowed a quart a day each. At length we found it necessary to make an incursion into the mountains, to press the Alcaldes of the different villages to supply us. On one of these expeditions, under charge of a quarter- master, we observed two persons mounted on mules, riding towards us. On their approach we remarked to one another the light-haired appearance of one, and the singu- larity of a ned ; if so, however, he was doomed to be miserably deceived, as the following minute two men of the reserve came up and fired their pieces into his bosom, when giving a loud scream, that had a very horrible effect upon those near, he sprang forward into his grave. To prevent unnecessary suffering, a reserve firing party was brought up, who continued to fire wherever the slightest sign of life exhibited i f qY *n the bodies, the provost himself winding up the tragedy by discharging a pistol-shot through the head of each corpse. After this very solemn and impressive scene, we were r xrched in column of companies round the dead, so that the spectacle might be witnessed by every man in the division. About the 26th of February we broke up our canton- ments in the environs of Ciudad Rodrigo, and crossing the Tagus, marched southward for six or seven days, at the expiration of which, our division took up their quarters in and about the town of Castello de Vide. The country around the town was the most fruitful and luxuriant I had ever beheld. It was bounded with the most delightful hills and valleys, that produced in abundance the finest fruits, such as grapes, pomegranates, oranges, and lemons. As may be supposed, the men were delighted with such a paradise. The wine was so plentiful, that our fellows, while they remained here, made it an invariable custom to boil their meat in it. A SOLDIER. 10/ Another unhappy criminal was here deemed to pay the forfeit of the crime of desertion. When we took Rodrigo, he made his escape from the town, and on his way to join the French at Salamanca was captured by some of the Spanish troops, and brought back to the regiment a prisoner. The fate of this man (Arnal by name), who had been a corporal in our battalion, excited much commise- ration. I knew him well : he was an exceedingly fine- looking fellow, and up to the period of his unhappy departure from duty, noted for possessing the best qualities of a soldier. Some harshness on the part of an officer was the cause of Arnal* s desertion ; but from the circumstance of his previous good charact ^ and the fact of his having been marched as a prisoner fo. many days together during our march from Rodrigo, it Was commonly thought he would be pardoned. I happened to be on guard over him the night prior to his execution. In the evening the prisoner was playing at cards with some of the men, when the provost of the division entered the guard-room, and gave him the intelligence that he v\ as doomed to suffer at ten o'clock the next morning. Sudden and utterly unexpected as the announcement was, Arnal' s face was the only one that showed scarcelv any emotion. "Well/' he remarked to those around him, "lam quite ready/' A short time afterwards he sent for the pay- sergeant of the company he belonged to, from whom he received the arrears of pay that were due to him. This he spent on wine, which he distributed among the men of the guard. Noticing one man with very bad shoes, Arnal observed his own w r ere better, and taking them off he exchanged them for the bad pair, saying, "They will last me as long as I shall require them. 55 The morning turned out showery, the division formed in three sides of a square, and the guard, headed by the band with Arnal in front, slowly marched round ; the muffled drum beat in dull time the " Dead March, 55 and the swell of its solemn harmony, though it filled the eyes of every 108 ADVENTURES OF man present, only seemed to strengthen the glance of the doomed. He led the van of his funeral procession, like one who was to live for ever : his step was as firm and more correct than any, and I thought at the time, a finer soldier never stepped. Poor Arnal, I shall never forget when we halted at his own grave, the heavy rains had filled it half with water, which he noticed with a faint smile, and observed : " Although a watery one, I shall sleep sound enough in it." He then stood upright in a fine military position, while the Brigade-Major read aloud the proceedings of the court-martial. The provost came to tie the handkerchief round his eyes, when he coolly remarked, "There is no occasion — I shall not flinch." Being told it was customary, he said, "Very well, do your dnty." Before this last office was performed, he turned round, and calling most of the guard by name, bade them farewell. As I nodded to him in return, I fancied it was to a dead man, for in two minutes he was no more. The intrepid and cool manner in which he met his fate, drew forth a general feeling of admiration. A few days after the execution we marched for Badajoz, in the environs of which we arrived on the 1 7th of March. This celebrated city, of which so much has been said and written, stands on an extended plain equidistant three leagues from Elvas and Campo Mayor. The Guadiana which hereabouts forms the boundary between Spain and Portugal, flows on one side of the fortification, and con- nects with them by a bridge over its surface, one or two forts on the opposite banks. The fortress on all sides is surrounded by strong bastions to the number of thirteen or fourteen, which with trenches and other forts and out- works rendered it almost impregnable. In addition to these the Rivella a tributary stream to the Guadiana flowed round and through the trenches in our front. Our battalion on its arrival took up its encampment on the Spanish side of the river, where we occupied a small hill, and for the first time during our campaigns made use of small square tents, belonging to the Portuguese.. The first night of our arrival we commenced laying A SOLDIER, 109 siege, by breaking ground within three or four hundred yards of the town, Fort St. Roch and Fort Pumena rather on oar left ; we lost a man named Brooks, whose death was connected with a very singular circumstance. Brooks several days before his death, dreamt he saw the body of a rifleman without a head : this apparition ap- peared three or four nights successively in his dreams. Some days after we had taken one of the forts from the. enemy, our battalion was relieved in the trenches. On this occasion, as was very customary with some of us, Brooks, another man named Tracey, and myself, jumped out of the trench, exposing ourselves to a fire from the walls of the town while we ran to the next parallel. In executing this feat I was a little ahead of my comrades, when I heard the rush of a cannon-ball, and feeling my jacket splashed by something, as soon as I had jumped into the next parallel, or trench, I turned round and beheld the headless body of Brooks which actually stood quivering with life for a few seconds before it fell. His dream, poor fellow ! had singularly augured the conclusion of his own career. The shot had smashed and carried away the whole of his head, bespattering my jacket with the brains, while Tracey was materially injured by having a splinter of the skull driven deep through the skin behind his ear. This circumstance is well known to several now living in London. About the 22nd of March, a party was ordered to pro- ceed to Elvas for the purpose of conducting some heavy artillery from that strong fortress for our own use against the walls of Badajoz ; after placing six or eight large guns on things resembling sledges, the weather being exceed- ingly wet, it took twelve bullocks to draw each gun. On arriving at the pontoon bridge that crosses the Guadiana river, which separates Badajoz from Elvas, a distance of about three leagues, the bridge was so damaged that the guns could not pass over, so we were obliged to bivouac for the night amongst a party of sappers, stationed there for the purpose of repairing the pontoons. After the bullocks were unharnessed, they began jump- ing and frisking about, to the no small amusement of our 110 ADVENTURES OP men, but to their danger, as it afterwards proved. The French seeing the bullocks grazing, commenced firing on them, as well as occasionally sending a twenty-four-pounder at our little party then stationed on a rising ground, amusing ourselves at the random twenty-four-pound shots as they hopped about. At night, placing our advanced picquet near the town, the remainder of the party turned into the tents of the sappers for the night, but their slumbers were not so sound as they anticipated, for at the dead but not silent hour of night, a round-shot came whirling through one of the tents, striking the pole, and brought it down on those within. Their cries having awoke those of the adjoining tent, they immediately flew to their assistance, and having relieved them from this new- fashioned man-trap, rats never flew with more agility than did the poor sappers from their lair. I could not forbear laughing at the scene, although attended wdth bad conse- quences, as one man had his thigh broke, and another his leg taken off at the calf. While helping to raise the tents every eye was intent, looking out for another French visitor in the shape of a twenty-four-pounder, but the drollery of a countryman of mine gave some zest to their serenity ; instead of bolting like the rest, he coolly said, " Where the devil are you all scampering to ? Sure you don't think the French took aim ? I wished they did, for if they had, by Jasus they wouldn't hit our tent in a week ! You may be easy then, for they never hit twice in the same place." The two poor fellows thus dangerously wounded were comrades, and natives of Coventry, one named Green, and the other Gea. The next morning the sappers having put the pontoons to rights, the guns passed over, and we arrived safe at our own camp. The greatest annoyance we experienced during the siege arose from the shells thrown at us from the town. Our works effectually screened us from the round-shot ; but these dangerous missiles, falling into the trenches where we worked, and exploding, frequently did great mischief. Immediately a shell fell, every man threw himself flat upon the ground until it had burst. Tom Crawley, I re- member, though tolerably fearless with reference to other A SOLDIER. Ill shot, had a most inveterate dislike to those deadly visitors. His fears made him believe, that more of them were thrown where he chanced to be, than in any other part of the trenches. At night in particular, Tom was always on the qui vive : as soon as he beheld a shell coming he would call out, " Here's another brute — look out !" and instantly fall on his face. This, however, did not always protect us, for the head was no sooner on the ground, than its presence was again required, to watch the falling splinters. These, from their composing large portions of the metal of the missile, descended with great violence, and were sometimes of themselves sufficient to crush a man into the earth. Lord Wellington used occasionally to pay us a visit during the work, to make observations, and to examine the trenches, &c, One day when Crawley and myself were working near each other in the trenches, a shell fell inconveniently close to us. Tom was instantly half buried in mud, awaiting the explosion. Perceiving it had sunk itself deep into the earth, the fuse being too long, I intended availing myself of the opportunity, to play a trick upon Crawley, by throwing a large lump of clay on his head directly the shell exploded, and so make him believe himself wounded. To obtain the clod I sprang at the other side of the trench, but exposed myself to a shot from the walls of the town, which immediately came in the form of grape, splashing me with mud from head to foot, and forcing me to throw myself back into the trench upon Crawley, who, in his fears, made sure that a shell had fixed itself upon his rear, and roared like a bull ; in an instant, however, the sunken missile really burst ; on the smoke dispersing, who should I behold but the Duke himself, crouched down, his head half averted, drily smiling at Crawley and me. Shot and shell pay no respect to persons, but the enemy did, as they seemed awake to the near vicinity of his Grace, and poured in shells, grape, and canister, with other delicacies of the kind, with unusual liberality, whenever he came amongst us ; which they always appeared alive to. But the fact is, the Duke, like his renowned contemporary, had a remark- 112 ADVENTURES OF able cast of feature, which made him ever distinguishable, at an almost incredible distance. Before I go further into my narrative I must detail an anecdote of Major O'Hare, my old Captain, who was noted for his excellent soldierly qualities. We were on private parade one morning, when a party of convalescents from hospital came up. Among others was a sergeant of the name of Jackson, who had been absent from our company for the two previous years, during which period it would seem, he had been chiefly employed as hospital-sergeant at Belem, near Lisbon. The Major's aversion to absentees from the regiment was very well known among us, and we anticipated a scene — nor were we deceived. tc Is that you, Mr. Sergeant Jackson ?" exclaimed the Major, as soon as the party came up. "And pray where, in God's name, have you been for the last two years ? The company have seen a little fighting during that period." " The doctors would not allow me to leave the hospital, Sir," replied Jackson. " I am sorry for that," drily observed the Major. " All that I can do for you is, to give you your choice of a court- martial for absenting yourself from duty without leave, or to have your stripes taken off." The sergeant, after a little hesitation, preferred surrender- ing quietly his non-commissioned dignity to standing an inquiry into his conduct. Turning round to the men, the Major remarked aloud, " By God, I will not have these brave fellows commanded by skulkers." Then taking the sash and stripes that were cut off by the Sergeant-Major, he handed them to Corporal Ballard, observing at the same time, " You will not dis- grace them." A very disagreeable duty, that usually fell upon a few of the best shots of the battalion, consisted in being obliged to run out, in independent files, to occupy a number of holes, that had been dug at night between our batteries and the walls of the town. From these pits, of which A SOLDIER. 113 each man had one to himself, our particular business was to pick off any of the enemy who exposed themselves #t their guns, on the walls through the embrasures. Many a Frenchman was thus knocked off by us. But it often occurred also that our men were killed or wounded in their holes, which made it doubly dangerous for the man of the relieving party, who, instead of finding a ready covering, perceived it occupied by a wounded or dead man. Before he could get a shelter therefore or remove the body, there was a great chance of his being shot. While employed in this duty in front of our batteries, the tremendous noise made by artillery in both front and rear was attended at first by a most unpleasant effect, as it destroyed the sense of hearing for some hours after leaving the trenches. It was amusing, during the siege, to observe the motions of our artillerymen. They were employed almost incessantly, and their duties most arduous, as the batteries were the chief object for the aim of the enemy's shot and shells. An artilleryman was always stationed as a sort of signal-man, to give notice of the appearance of either of these missiles, and it was remarkable to observe the quickness with which the men at the guns, on the word " shell," would throw themselves on the ground for protection. It not unfrequently happened that parties of men were sent out in independent files to pick up the dismembered legs, arms, &c, which sometimes might be seen scattered about by the bursting shells. This precaution was thought necessary to prevent any ill-effect their appearance might cause on the courage of the Portuguese, who were quite as likely to put the heels in motion as their heads. On one of these occasions I remember observing a party of those gentlemen, after leaving the trenches, carrying across the fields to their camp ground the body of a wounded officer of theirs wrapped in a blanket. They had not proceeded many yards, before a ball fired from the town came bounding, half spent, along the ground. The Portuguese, unconscious of its approach, were just crossing the line of its progress, when the shot glanced between them, and entering the blanket, cut the unlucky officer in i 114 ADVENTURES OF two. The bearers, terrified, immediately took to their heels, leaving the blanket behind them, which one of our fellows observing, "That it was an ill wind that did nobody good," shaking the body out, instantly possessed himself of. The effect of our twenty-four pound shot upon the wall gave notice that the breaches would soon be practicable. On the 5 th of April a storming party was selected for the assault on the following night. CHAPTER XV. Storming of Badajoz — I join the Forlorn-Hope again — Presentiments of Major O'Hare and Captain Jones— Their deaths — The stormers — The Ladder-men — I am wounded — The French prisoner— O'Brien — Sacking of the town— Scene of horror— Reflections— The Duke of Wellington and his men— Johnny Castles introduced with a rope round his neck — The drummer-boy— A firelock goes off, and so does a Corporal — I'return to the camp — Casualties at Badajoz — The French prisoner and a new acquaintance — His account of the evacuation of Almeida— His opinion of the British soldiers. I am now about entering into a personal narrative of one of the most sanguinary and awful engagements on the records of any country. For the second time I volunteered on the forlorn-hope. After having received a double allowance of grog, we fell in about eight o'clock in the evening, 6th April, 1812. The stormers were composed of men from the different regiments of the light division. I happened to be on the right of the front section when my old Captain, Major O'Hare, who commanded the wing to which my company belonged, came up with Captain Jones of the 52nd regiment, both in command of the storming party. A pair of uglier men never walked together, but a brace of better soldiers never stood before the muzzle of a Frenchman's gun. "Well, O'Hare," said the Captain, " what do you think of to-night's work?" " I don't know," replied the Major, who seemed, as I thought, in rather low spirits. <( To-night, I think, will be my last." " Tut, tut, man ! I have the same sort of feeling, but I A SOLDIER. 115 keep it down with a drop of the cratur" answered the Captain, as he handed his calabash to the Major. A Sergeant Fleming, a brave soldier, before mentioned in these Memoirs, coming up, informed Major O'Hare that a ladder-party was wanted. "Take the right files of the leading sections," was the prompt order of the Major. No sooner said than done. I and my front-rank men were immediately tapped on the shoulder for the ladder- party. I now gave up all hope of ever returning. At Ro- drigo, as before stated, we had fatigue parties for the ladders, but now the case was altered ; besides which the ladders, now in preparation, were much longer than those employed at that fortress. I may just mention, that whatever were my own fore- bodings on the occasion, the presentiments of our brave old Major O'Hare and those of Captain Jones were fatally realized, for in less than twenty minutes after the above conversation, both fell riddled with balls. The word was now given to the ladder-party to move forward. We were accompanied at each side by two men with hatchets to cut down any obstacle that might oppose them, such as chevaux-de-frise. There were six of us supporting the ladder allotted to me, and I contrived to carry my grass-bag before me.* We had proceeded but a short distance when we heard the sound of voices on our right, upon which we halted, and supposing they might be enemies, I disengaged myself from the ladder, and cocking my rifle, prepared for action. Luckily we soon discovered our mistake, as one of our party cried — " Take care ! 'Tis the stormers of the fourth division coming to join us." This proved to be the case. This brief alarm over, we continued advancing towards the walls, the Rifles, as before, keeping in front. We had to pass Fort St. Roche on our left, near to the town, and as we approached it the French sentry challenged. This was instantly followed by a shot from * Grass-bags are long sacks about six feet by three, filled with grass or hay, and so stuffed as to enable a party,, in case the ladders should not be fixed in sufficient time, by pitching them into the trenches before them to descend with comparative safety. With us, however, they answered a double purpose, being carried by our men in front of their persons to prevent the effects of the enemy's fire. i 2 116 ADVENTURES OF the fort and another from the walls of the town. A moment afterwards, a fire-ball was thrown out, which threw a bright red glare of light around us, and instantly a volley of grape-shot, canister, and small arms poured in among us, as we stood on the glacis, at a distance of about thirty yards from the walls. Three of the men carrying the ladder with me were shot dead in a breath, and its weight falling upon me, I fell backwards with the grass-bag on my breast. The remainder of the stormers rushed up, regardless of my cries, or those of the wounded men around me, for by this time our men were falling fast. Many in passing were shot and fell upon me, so that I was actually drenched in blood. The weight I had to sustain became intolerable, and had it not been for the grass-bag which in some measure protected me, I must have been suffocated. At length, by a strong effort, I managed to extricate myself, in doing which I left my rifle behind me, and drawing my sword, rushed towards the breach. There I found four men putting a ladder down the ditch ; and not daring to pause, fresh lights being still thrown out of the town, with a continual discharge of musketry, I slid quickly down the ladder, but before I could recover my footing, was knocked down again by the bodies of men who were shot in attempting the descent. I, however, succeeded in extricating myself from under- neath the dead, and rushing forward to the right, to my surprise and fear I found myself emerged to my neck in water. Until then I was tolerably composed, but now all reflection left me, and diving through the water, being a good swimmer, gained the other side, but lost my sword; I now attempted to make to the breach, which the blaze of musketry from the walls clearly showed me. Without rifle, sword, or any other weapon, I succeeded in clamber- ing up a part of the breach, and came near to a chevaux-de- frise, consisting of a piece of heavy timber studded with sword-blades, turning on an axis : but just before reaching it I received a stroke on the breast, whether from a grenade or a stone, or by the butt-end of a musket, I cannot say, but down I rolled senseless, and drenched with water and human gore. I could not have laid long in this. A SOLDIER. 117 plight, for when my senses had in some measure returned, I perceived our gallant fellows still rushing forward, each seeming to share a fate more deadly than my own. The fire continued in one horrible and incessant peal, as if the mouth of the infernal regions had opened to vomit forth destruction upon all around us, and this was rendered still more appalling by the fearful shouts of the combatants and cries of the wounded that mingled in the uproar. I now, strange to say, began to feel if my arms and legs were entire : for at such moments a man, I believe, is not always aware of his wounds. I had now, indeed, lost all the frenzy of courage that had first possessed me, and actually felt all weakness and prostration of spirit, while I endeavoured, among the dead and wounded bodies around me, to screen myself from the enemy's shot; but while I lay in this position, the fire still continued blazing over me in all its horrors, accompanied by screams, groans, and shouts, and the crashing of stones and falling of timbers. I now, for the first time for many years, uttered something like a prayer. After the horrible and well-known scene of carnage had lasted some time, the fire gradually slackened from the breach, T heard a cheering which I knew to proceed from within the town, and shortly afterwards a cry of " Blood and 'ounds ! where' s the Light Division? — the town's our own — hurrah !" This proceeded, no doubt, from some of the third division. I now attempted to rise, but, from a wound which I had received, but at what time I know not, found myself unable to stand. A musket-ball had passed through the lower part of my right leg — two others had perforated my cap, which I should have lost had I not taken the precaution to secure it with a cord under my chin before starting. At the moment of this discovery I saw two or three men moving towards me, who I was glad to find belonged to the Rifles. One of them, named O'Brien, of the same company as myself, immediately exclaimed, " What ! is that you, Ned ? — we thought you ladder-men all done for." He then assisted me to rise. In consequence of the ehevaux-de-frise still remaining above the breach, we could not proceed over it until more men arrived to remove its fastenings. The third division 118 ADVENTURES OF meanwhile had entered the town on our right by the castle where there was no breach. We proceeded onwards, I moving with great difficulty, though partly supported by O'Brien. At the top of the breach we found another trench with a plank of wood lain across, leading into the town. Not until then I felt drops of blood trickling down my face, and found that one of the balls, in passing through my cap, had torn the skin on my head. In this crippled state, leaning upon my comrade, and using his rifle as a crutch, accompanied by a few of our riflemen, I entered the town that had been so gloriously won. We hurried from the breach as quick as possible, lest the enemy should spring a mine, as they did at Ciudad Rodrigo. We still however heard occasional firing and cheering from the one end of the town, and imagined the fire was still raging, although, as we soon afterwards learnt, the chief part of the French had retired to the citadel or fort, where they surrendered on the following morning. Angry and irritated from the pain occasioned by the wound, we had just turned the corner of a street, when we observed some men, and, from the light that shone from a window opposite, we could see from their uniforms they were evidently Frenchmen. The moment they saw us they disappeared, with the exception of one man, who seemed to make a rush at us with his musket. O'Brien sprang forward and wrested the firelock from his grasp. A feeling of revenge, prompted by the suffering I endured from my wounds, actuated my feelings, and I exclaimed, " O'Brien, let me have the pleasure of shooting this rascal, for he may be the man who has brought me to the state I am now in !" I then presented the rifle close to his breast, with the full intention of shooting him through the body, but as my finger was about to press the trigger he fell upon his knees and implored mercy. The next moment the rifle dropped from my hand, and I felt a degree of shame that a feeling of irritation should have nearly betrayed me into the commission of a crime for which I could never have forgiven myself. As soon as the Frenchman perceived me desist, he immediately started from his knees, and, by way of show- ing his gratitude, threw his arms round my neck, and A SOLDIER. 119 kissed my cheek. He instantly followed me, and I for the time took him under my protection. We now looked anxiously around for a house where we could obtain refreshment, and, if truth must be told, a little money. For even wounded as I was, I had made up my mind to be a gainer by our victory. At the first house we knocked at, no notice being taken of the summons, we fired a rifle-ball at the key -hole, which sent the door flying open. This, indeed, was our usual method of forcing locks. As soon as we entered the house we found a young Spanish woman crying bitterly, and praying for mercy. She informed us that she was the wife of a French officer ; and to the demand of my companion, O'Brien, for refresh- ment, replied there was nothing but her poor self in the house. She, however, produced some spirits and chocolate, both of which, being very hungry and faint, I partook of with much relish. As the house looked poor we soon quitted it in quest of a better. Supported by O'Brien and the Frenchman, we proceeded in the direction of the market-place. It was a dark night, and the confusion and uproar that prevailed in the town may be better imagined than described. The shouts and oaths of drunken soldiers in quest of more liquor, the reports of fire-arms and crashing in of doors, together with the appalling shrieks of hapless women, might have induced any one to have believed himself in the regions of the damned. When we arrived at the market-place we found a num- ber of Spanish prisoners rushing out of a gaol: they appeared like a set of savages suddenly let loose, many still bearing the chains they had not time to free them- selves from, and among these were men of the 5th and 88th regiments holding lighted candles. We then turned down a street opposite to the foregoing scene, and entered a house which was occupied by a number of men of the third division. One of them immediately, on perceiving me wounded, struck off the neck of a bottle of wine with his bayonet, and presented it to me, which relieved me for a time from the faintness I had previously felt. The scenes of wickedness that soldiers are guilty of on cap- 120 ADVENTURES OF turing a town are oftentimes truly diabolical, and I now, in the reflections this subject gives rise to, shudder at the past. I had not long been seated at the fire which was blazing up the chimney, fed by mahogany chairs broken up for the purpose, when I heard screams for mercy from an adjoining room. On hobbling in, I found an old man, the proprietor of the house, on his knees, imploring mercy of a soldier who had levelled his musket at him. I with difficulty prevented the man from shooting him, as he complained that the Spaniard would not give up his money. I immediately informed the wretched landlord in Spanish, as well as I was able, that he could only save his life by surrendering his cash. Upon this he brought out with trembling hands, a large bag of dollars from under the mattress of the bed. These by common consent were immediately divided among us. The whole treasure, to the amount of about one hundred or one hundred and fifty dollars, enveloped in an old night-cap, was instantly emptied and divided into small heaps on the table, accord- ing to the number of men present, and called out the same as messes in a barrack-room. I must confess that I par- ticipated in the plunder, and received about twenty-six dollars for my own share. As soon as I had resumed my seat at the fire, a number of Portuguese soldiers entered, one of whom, taking me for a Frenchman, for I had the French soldier's jacket on, my own being wet, snapped his piece at me, which luckily hung fire. Forgetful of my wounds, I instantly rushed at him, and a regular scuffle ensued between our men and the Portuguese, until one of the latter being stabbed by a bayonet, the rest retired, dragging the wounded man with them. After thus ejecting the Portuguese, the victors, who had by this time got tolerably drunk, proceeded to ransack the house. Unhappily they discovered the two daughters of the old patrone, who had concealed them- selves up stairs. They both were young and very pretty. The mother, too, was shortly afterwards dragged from her hiding-place. Without dwelling on the frightful scene that followed, it may be sufficient to add, that our men, more infuriated A SOLDIER. 121 by drink than before, again seized upon the old man, and insisted upon a fresh supply of liquor. And his protes- tations that he possessed no more were as vain as were all attempts to restrain them from ill-using him. It is to be lamented that the memory of an old soldier should be disturbed by such painful reflections as the foregoing scenes must give rise to : but it is to be con- sidered that the men who besiege a town in the face of such dangers, generally become desperate from their own privations and sufferings ; and when once they get a footing within its walls — flushed by victory, hurried on by the desire of liquor, and maddened by drink, they stop at nothing : they are literally mad, and hardly conscious of what they do in such a state of excitement. I do not state this in justification ; I only remark what I have observed human nature to be on these occasions. Sick of the scene of horrors that had been enacted, and attended by my French prisoner, I left the house for one on the other side of the street. This was found occupied by men of the third division, who were drinking chocolate, not made with water, but wine. They seemed rather more sober and peaceable than those we had just left ; but here, also, as in most of the houses in Badajoz, the greatest outrages were being committed. Having passed a wretched night, the next morning I determined to rejoin what remained of my regiment — for at this time I did not know what number we had lost. I left the house, and proceeded to trace my road through the crowds, accompanied by my Frenchman, who rendered me every assistance in his power. The town was still in great confusion and uproar, although every available means had been taken to suppress it. In one of the streets I saw the Duke of Wellington, surrounded by a number of British soldiers, who, holding up bottles with the heads knocked off, containing wine and spirits, cried out to him, a phrase then familiarly applied to him by the men of the army, " Old boy ! will you drink ? The town's our own — hurrah !" In another street I observed a sort of gallows erected, with three nooses hanging from them, ready for service. Johnny Castles, a man of our company, and as 122 ADVENTURES OF quiet and inoffensive a little fellow as could be, but rather fond of a drop, but not that distilled by Jack Ketch & Co., had a near escape. He was actually brought under the gallows in a cart, and the rope placed round his neck, but his life was spared. Whether this was done to frighten him or not I cannot say ; but the circumstance had such an effect on him, that he took ill, and was a little deranged for some time after. I am not aware that a single execu- tion took place, notwithstanding the known severity of the Duke in matters of plunder and outrage. I feel bound to say, that a prejudice existed on the part of our men against the inhabitants of Badajoz, owing to their having sub- mitted so tamely to the French. It was different at Ciudad Rodrigo, where the Spaniards had defended them- selves gallantly. Feeling fatigued on my way to join the camp, I sat down with my prisoner on a bench, opposite the bridge which leads to Fort St. Christoval. We not had been long seated when I was amused by a large baboon, surrounded by a number of soldiers, who were tormenting him. The poor animal had been wounded in the foot, probably by one of our men, and by his chattering, grinning, and droll gesticulations, he showed as much aversion to the red coats as any of the French could possibly have done. While the men continued teasing the animal, a servant, stating that it belonged to a Colonel of the 4th regiment, who he said was wounded, attempted to take the beast away, whereupon the party being divided in their senti- ments, a scuffle ensued, in which several men were wounded with bayonets. As we got up to proceed, we saw a number of French- men guarded by our soldiers, coming over the bridge. They were the prisoners taken in Fort St. Christoval, which but an hour or two previously had surrendered. These were soon surrounded by our men, who began examining their knapsacks, from whence a number of watches, dollars, &c, were quickly extracted. A short distance further on we came up with a mule, tied to a door, which, in my crippled state, and wishing to relieve my poor prisoner, I immediately appropriated for my own A SOLDIER. 123 use, but I afterwards sold it to Lieutenant Jackson, of the 83rd regiment. Mounted on the animal, led by the Frenchman, we pursued our way until near the gates that led to the camp, when rather an affecting scene came under my eye. A little fellow, a drummer-boy, belonging to the 88th regiment, was lying wounded and crying bitterly, his leg being broken by a shot. On telling him I would get him carried by the Frenchman if he wished, (i Oh no ! — oh no !" said the boy ; " I don't care for myself. Look at my poor father, where he lies !" pointing to a man shot through the head, lying weltering in a gore of blood. Poor little fellow ! I gave him a couple of dollars, and called some men to his assistance, when I was compelled to leave him. We soon arrived at the camp ground of the third division. I dismounted, and while sitting on one of the men's knapsacks, a soldier of the 83rd regiment was engaged in cleaning his firelock, when the piece went off and shot a corporal through the head, wounding also the hand of another man. The Frenchman seemed dreadfully frightened : he turned pale as marble, perhaps thinking the shot was aimed at him, as the corporal fell dead at his side. This accident struck me as a forcible instance of the casualties that attend a soldier's life. I could not, indeed, help feeling for the poor corporal, who after surviving the dangers of the preceding night, had lost his life by a clumsy hand cleaning a firelock. It may appear strange that I did not wish to remain in Badajoz, but I was suffering from my wound, and preferred the quiet of the camp. We had no sooner arrived there than I was obliged to part with my faithful Frenchman, who was sent to join the other prisoners. I gave him a few dollars, which most likely he was deprived of before he got many yards. He left me with many expressions of gratitude for the protection I had afforded him. I have been in many actions, but I never witnessed such a complication of horrors as surrounded me on the forlorn- hope at Badajoz. I remained three days in camp before there was a possibility of my being conveyed into the hospital at Badajoz, during which I had an opportunity of hearing of 124 ADVENTURES OF the casualties that occurred. The number of men killed* wounded, and absent was such, that the company could not muster a dozen men on parade for three days after- wards. Parties were sent to the breaches to bury the dead, which now began to smell most dreadfully ; but we could not collect men enough to perform that duty. My poor old Captain, Major O'Hare, was amongst the slain, and had received not less than ten or a dozen balls through his body. "While in hospital, here as in other places, we were inter- mingled with the French prisoners who, sick and wounded, were placed indiscriminately in the wards with the British. In that in which I myself lay, and in the next bed, there was a smart young fellow, a Frenchman, with whom I became intimately acquainted. Indeed, he could speak a little English, which he had acquired during a short stay as prisoner in England, whence he had been exchanged to be again captured. He was recovering fast from a gun- shot wound he had received in his shoulder. During one of our evening chats, he gave me an account of his escape from Almeida, which he had assisted in defending, and afterwards in blowing up and evacuating. " A few evenings," said he, "previous to our determi- nation to evacuate the fortress, an officer from Massena entered the town, under the disguise of a peasant, with orders to the Governor to undermine and blow up the walls, and cut his way with the garrison through the British lines. The distresses of the besieged had been so excessive, that the message was received with delight. We had seen and felt innumerable hardships, and had been so reduced by famine, as to have been obliged, for food, to slaughter even the horses and mules. On receipt of the order, General Bernier, who commanded, and who had already escaped from the British, he having broken his parole while prisoner with the English some years before, was even more anxious than ourselves, as he well knew had he been retaken, in all probability he would have been shot. In our dilemmas, he drew from us an oath to die or effect our purpose. As a first step, we were for several days employed undermining the walls, which were soon A SOLDIER. 125 hollowed and loaded in fourteen different places, all com- municating with each other by trains of gunpowder. " The evening of the evacuation, the whole garrison, to the number of seven or eight hundred men, after destroying the stores and spiking the guns, assembled in one of the squares and at about midnight slowly moved through the gates. The first to oppose our progress was a picquet of Portuguese, whom we bayoneted in an instant, and just as the mines commenced exploding — a low grumbling, as if of an earthquake, followed, and in a few seconds the whole citadel rose, as it were, in the air, and descended in shivered and blackened masses. The noise of the ex- plosion brought the whole British division to their arms, and our forlorn body dashed through your closing columns. The moment was desperate, but starved as we were, the French soldiers gained new strength from each reverse, and despite the well-fed numbers of the British, cut their way through the living wall, and gained the approach to San Felice. Here the inequalities of the ground fortunately and effectually kept off your cavalry, and after a few more trifling encounters, we reached the grand army. We had no sooner armed within hail of our comrades than the whole locality rung with one universal shout of enthusiasm. Our General was carried about on the men's shoulders, and the day became one of joy throughout the camp." The relation was given in the most spirited manner, just as we might expect it from a soldier of the Emperor, whose very name took the place of every other feeling. He spoke also of Marshal Ney, who in his estimation was second only to Napoleon. The foregoing, and many others equally entertaining, but which the lapse of years have blotted from my memory, he would relate to me, generally finishing his relations with, "Eh bien, c'est egal, les ecoliers sont dignes de leurs maitres. Les Francais vous ont enseignes de terribles lecons, et vous comprenez enfin Tart de faire la guerre comme il faut." Well, well, it is all the same ; the pupils are worthy of their teachers. The French have taught you some terrible lessons, and you understand, at length, the art of making war as it is — as it should be. 126 ADVENTURES OF CHAPTER XVI. I recover from my wounds and rejoin my regiment at Ituera — " Nine holes*' — March for Salamanca— Sergeant Battersby — The grenadier and the murder of his wife, &c, &c. — Marmont out- manoeuvred— Assault of Fort St. Vincent — Retreat of the enemy — We arrive at Rueda — The wine-vaults — My descent into one — Fright, &c. — Manoeuvring of the two armies— Skirmishing — A gal- lant Frenchman — Pratt and his prisoner. Having recovered from my wounds, I left the hospital and rejoined my regiment at Ituera, near Ciudad Rodrigo. An unfortunate accident here occurred to one of our men. He was playing at a game called " nine holes" with several comrades, and was bowling along the ground a grenade, used instead of a wooden-ball, believing it to have been filled with earth only, when a spark from his pipe fell into the hole, and instantly exploded, wounding him dread- fully. The poor fellow never recovered the injuries he received. A short time after I had rejoined, our division marched for Salamanca. On our first day's march we encamped in a wood, on the right side of the road, leading to that city. The evening was beautiful, and the sun having lost its meridian heat, imparted a refreshing warmth to the wearied soldiers. The camp was all astir for some time — every one being busily engaged cooking and preparing for the night's com- fort ; which being completed, the eve found us mostly seated and scattered about in small groups, earnestly intent on enjoyment of some sort. I am particular in my recol- lection of the time, for reasons which the following occur- rence will sufficiently account for. I had finished my evening's meal, and was sitting drink- ing a tot of wine, with a sergeant of ours named Battersby, who a few days previously had rejoined us from Belem, where he had been some time appointed hospital-sergeant. He brought with him a very pretty-looking Englishwoman, that passed for his wife, and who was present with us, and assisted much to keep up the spirit of our conversation. We had been seated for some time under the branches of A SOLDIER. 127 a clump of cork trees, of which, indeed, the wood was principally composed, when we were interrupted by some of the men calling for Sergeant Battersby, and in a second, or so, up marched a tall, fine-looking grenadier of the 6 1 st Regiment of Foot, then belonging to the sixth division, which lay encamped some two or three miles in our rear ; as he approached, however, he did not notice us, but cast- ing sundry determined glances about him, more in anguish than ferocity, he drew near the woman, and seated himself on a knapsack near her. The latter, from the moment he had first made his appearance, I had perceived, seemed wondrously confused, and changed colour several times. "Nelly," said he, fixing a firm and deliberate look on her, his voice at first scarcely articulate with emotion, " Nelly, why do you treat me so ? how can you stoop," and here he cast an almost contemptuous glance of recog- nition on Battersby, " how can you stoop to such a dis- graceful, so dishonourable a protection ?" "I am with those," said she, rather snappishly, "who know better how to treat me than you." "That," rejoined the grenadier, " may be your opinion ; but why leave the child, it is but three years old, and what can I do with it ?" To this she made no answer. " Do not think," he again continued, " that I wish you to return me, that is impossible. But I cannot help my feelings !" This was only replied to by reproaches ; which I did not listen to, for as it was no business of mine I turned to con- verse with my companions. The grenadier, at last, made a move to take his de- parture, and his wife, for such she evidently was, had agreed to accompany him a little of the way, and they walked together. I did not know how to account for it, but there was a certain uneasiness attended me, which had kept me, as it were, on their trail all the evening ; and Battersby and myself followed in their rear. They had proceeded a few hundred yards, and were some distance in advance, when she turned to wish him good- night. The poor fellow paused again, as if in deep thought, fixing on 128 ADVENTURES OF her the same cool, deliberate look that he had exhibited all the evening. " So you are determined, Nelly/' said he at length, "to continue this way of living ?" " Yes," said she. " Well, then," he exclaimed, holding her firmly by the left hand, which she had extended for him to shake, while he drew his bayonet with his right, " take that," and he drove it right through her body. The blow was given with such force that it actually tripped him over her, and both fell, the bayonet still sticking in her side. The poor woman gave a convulsive scream, and in a moment expired. The grenadier bounded instantly on his feet again, and stamping one foot on the body of his victim, jerked forth the bayonet reeking with her blood. Wheeling himself round on his heel, the fatal weapon tightly clutched in his right hand, his eyes instantaneously caught the direction Battersby had taken, and he flew after him with the speed and countenance of a fiend, to wreak a second ven- geance. The sergeant fortunately arrived in the camp in time enough to call out the rear-guard, who, of course, were instantly on the alarm to meet him. The grenadier no sooner beheld him in safety than he stopped, and casting a half contemptuous smile towards the body of his dead wife, wiped the bayonet through his fingers, returned it to the scabbard, and drawing himself to his full height, calmly awaited the approach of the guard. When brought before the Colonel, he said in a rough and manly tone of voice, while he extended his arm towards his wife, " I have done the deed, but sorry her seducer has escaped." He was afterwards brought to a court-martial, and sen- tenced to three months' solitary confinement. But he suffered for one month only, when, as I suppose, in con- sideration of his case, he was ordered to return to his regiment. I have since been informed that he was shot in one of the actions on the Pyrennees. He certainly was a fine-looking fellow, and by name Bryen. As for Nelly, we buried her that very night near the spot where she fell, having dug her grave with the same A SOLDIER. 129 kind of weapon as that by which she had been deprived of life. It was rather strange that Battersby was not noticed, but still held his rank. It is also as curious, that he was the second man I saw fall at the battle of Quatre Bras, on the 16th June, 1815, being shot by a musket-ball through the head. On our arrival at Salamanca, we took up our position to the right of that city, near the river Tormes. Here w r e remained for some clays, our chief having com- pletely out-manceuvred Marmont. On the evening of the 4th of July stormers were required from our division, to lead in the assault on Fort St. Vincent, the strongest of the three forts that the enemy had constructed in the city, and which commanded the other two ; two men from each company of our regiment were selected, the first for duty. After marching the men down close to the fort, w r aiting the signal for attack, they were countermanded. A few days afterwards this fort was set on fire by red-hot shot from our artillery, when it immediately surrendered, along with the two others. The enemy, baffled in their views on Salamanca, slowly retreated, our army following until we arrived near Rueda. Here our light troops had a smart brush with their rear- guard, which ended in the capture of some few French prisoners. I remember seeing on this occasion a party of the Rifles bringing in a very fine-looking man, a French sergeant, who seemed inconsolable at his capture. He actually shed tears as he lamented the circumstance. The following day, however, to his infinite joy, he was exchanged for a sergeant of our cavalry, who also had been made pri- soner a few days before. After this skirmish, our regiment advanced to the neigh- bourhood of Rueda, where we occupied a hill, completely covered with vines, and close to the town. The country thereabouts abounded in grapes, from which an immense quantity of wine was annually made. The places used for the making of wine in this part of Spain are of a very singular description. They are all subterranean, and of immense extent, sometimes undermining many acres of K 130 ADVENTURES OF ground. Over these are chimneys constructed to admit the air and light. The vats, into* which the juice of the grape is pressed, are in proportion to the size of the vaults, and would entirely put to shame the same description of receptacle used for beer by Barclay and Perkins. Our fellows, ever alive to the value of good liquor, not- withstanding the French had well ransacked the " wine- houses," used frequently to find something to reward them for their search in these cellars. Our way of proceeding was to let one or two of our men down the above-mentioned chimneys by means of a rope. I shall never forget the terror I experienced in one of these adventures. Three or four comrades and myself one evening assembled over the chimney of one of these wine-vaults, and it was proposed that one of us should descend to bring up some wine. This was no comfortable task, as the proprietors frequently watched below, and would scarcely hesitate to greet an intruder with his cuchillo or long knife. After some deli- beration, and plenty of peeping, it was at last decided that I should take the first chance; a rope accordingly was obtained from one of the muleteers, and being secured round my waist with a number of canteens, which clinked enough to awake almost the dead, I was gradually lowered. The vaults were generally as deep as a three-storied house, and before I got half way down, I was left dangling in the air, the canteens chinkling as if with the intention of hailing a knife the moment I arrived into the lower region ; at last I touched the ground. The place was so dark that I could scarcely see a couple of yards before me, and was obliged to grope my way for the vats ; at length one of the tins, that formed a kind of breast-work for my approach, came in contact with something, and putting my hand forward, I placed it upon the cold clammy face of a corpse. My whole blood tingled, the canteens responded, and at a glance I perceived, from the red wings (for whether or not, I could see now) that it was a French soldier, exhibiting most frightful gashes, evidently in- flicted by the same kind of weapon, which I at every turn, was expecting. The canteens clattered awfully, for I confess I shook; A SOLDIER. 131 with terror, having no weapon to defend myself, and every instant looking for the arm of some concealed assassins, who probably were watching my movements. Afraid to call out, I instantly tugged at the rope (the signal to pull up), an answer from above expressed a doubt of the can- teens being filled so soon, and damned my eyes and limbs for me, but this only made me shake the rope more vio- lently, until, to my great satisfaction, I found myself again dangling, and ascending. My comrades seeing me really come forth with hollow tins, and blowing with agita- tion, burst into roars of laughter. I related my adventure, but this only increased it, until their mirth rallying us all, one, however, more daring than the rest, loaded his rifle, and with an oath, suffered himself to be lowered, and shortly returned, bringing up the can- teens filled with excellent wine. After remaining here for some time, we left Rueda at twelve o'clock at night on the 16th, the enemy, who had concentrated their forces at Tordesillas, being on the advance. The following morning the sun rose unclouded, presenting distinctly to the view the two armies moving in parallel lines along a ridge of low hills, separated only by the inter- vening valley and a river fordable in most places. The French columns appeared in such beautiful order, as to call forth the plaudits of even our own men. Skirmishing, however, was soon commenced between some of the cavalry and light troops. One or two companies of our Rifles, seconded by a troop of the 14th Dragoons, were soon partially engaged with about a corresponding number of the enemy, who would occasionally dash through the little river, and attempt to take up a position to annoy our skirmishers. Our rifle- men, in particular, were highly delighted with several little cavalry brushes that occurred this day between our dra- goons and the French. One instance of gallantry on the part of a French dragoon, which fell under the eyes of most of us, was particularly exciting : in a kind of half charge that had been made by about a section of French and English cavalry, one of the Frenchmen had dashed alone through some of our dragoons. His own party having k 2 132 ADVENTURES OF retired, there seemed every prospect of his heing instantly killed or taken prisoner, and, indeed, most of us thought, as there were at least a dozen of our 14th Dragoons between him and his section, that he would surrender. Not so, however, thought the gallant Frenchman, but wheeling round, he gently trotted his horse for about twenty yards, when he gave spurs to his steed, and after several hand-to-hand conflicts with our dragoons in passing, he actually succeeded in reaching his party, I believe un- hurt, and attended by the cheers of our own men, who were not insensible, at any time, to the intrepidity even of an enemy. Another incident occurred also, which, as an appropriate companion to the foregoing, I will relate. Indeed, in gratitude, perhaps, I ought to do so, as I was a gainer on the occasion by a new pair of trowsers. A man of the 14th Dragoons, named Pratt, a fine strapping young fellow, and a townsman of my own, brought in a French dragoon on his horse prisoner. The Frenchman had lost his hel- met, and displayed a severe cut on his cheek. Poor fellow ! he seemed exceedingly chop-fallen, and declared with much vehemence to Lieutenant Gardiner of our com- pany, who spoke excellent French, that the Englishman could not have taken him had he possessed a better horse. This Mr. Gardiner repeated to Pratt, who answered, " Then by Jasus, Sir, tell him if he had the best horse in France, I would bring him prisoner, if he stood to fight me." The words caused roars of laughter from all but the prisoner, who affectionately patting the goaded and smoking steed, exclaimed, " My poor beast has not had his saddle off for the last week." And such, indeed,*appeared to have been the case, as, on the saddle being removed, prior to the sale of the poor horse, a part of the flesh that had become a sore, came away with the saddle-cloth. The animal in this condition was sold to Lieutenant Gardiner for five dollars. Pratt, on opening the valise of the unfor- tunate prisoner (who with folded arms looked on with a mournful eye), came upon a pair of trowsers which he threw to me as a gift that was exceedingly welcome, as my own were worn to rags. A SOLDIER. 133 The following day, after some slight skirmishes with the advance of the enemy, we retreated upon Salamanca. As few occurrences of any interest took place after this, for some days, heyond the manoeuvring of the two armies, interesting only to the tactician, and which so many pro- fessional men have done ample justice to, I will at once proceed to the hattle ; in which, however, I must remark, the Rifles were less engaged than in any other action fought during the war : for which reason I shall have but little to state upon the subject. CHAPTER XVII. Battle of Salamanca— My wounds break out afresh— I go into the Hospital at Salamanca — The Germans and their prisoners — A recognition — Michael Con- nelly — His death and burial — Josh Hetherington again — A new acquaintance — His accounts of the Guerillas, &c. — A keepsake for a sweetheart — The Guerilla — The army retrace their steps to Salamanca— Proceed to Rodrigo — Heavy wet — Spanish payment ; acknowledgment — A dry coat— Lord Charles Spencer and his acorns — We continue our march — The babes in the wood — Hard skirmishing with the enemy's advanced-guard — A woman in distress — Pepper— Hunger, cold, and fatigue— Finish of the Burgos retreat. The night previous to the morn that ushered in the day of battle, viz., the 22nd of July, 1812, was the most stormy, 1 think, I ever witnessed. The thunder, lightning, and rain seemed striving which should excel, while their united effect was terrible. We lay, without covering, in an open field close to the river Tormes. It is needless to say, not a man that night had on a dry shred. It has, I believe, been previously remarked, by military and other writers, that rain has been the forerunner of almost all our general battles. From my own recollection, the truth of this assertion is singularly supported by facts. The battle of Salamanca commenced about ten or twelve o'clock, upon our right, on a rising ground. Our position was first disturbed by some cannon-shot of the enemy that fell very near, but fortunately without doing any harm. Although every moment expecting to be sent into the thick of it, we kept undisturbed possession of our ground, from whence we could see the column of the enemy on the 134 ADVENTURES OF heights engaged in attempting to repel the advance of ouf troops. When the " glad sounds of victory" reached us, a general feeling of pleasure pervaded our ranks, mixed perhaps with some regret that we had not taken a more active share in the battle. But all we could do we did, which was to pepper the French well in their hurried retreat from the field. In fact, it seemed to me as if the whole French army might have been cut off by a little promptitude. We halted at Huerta. The following morning our division crossed the river Tormes in pursuit of the enemy. We came up with their rear strongly posted on the side of a hill on the left of the road. Here we beheld one ot those few charges that so seldom succeed against well- trained infantry : this was the celebrated charge of Major- General Bock, who, at the head of his heavy German cavalry, broke the French squares, taking them prisoners almost to a man. It was the most gallant dash of cavalry that ever was witnessed. This day I began to feel the ill effects of the wound I had received at Badajoz, which the fatigue of marching and the warmth of the weather had again caused to break out. On inspecting the sore, our surgeon immediately recommended me to go into hospital at Salamanca, for a few days of medical treatment and rest. Accordingly I set out for Salamanca with the guard appointed to escort the prisoners taken in the recent cavalry aifair by our Germans. I never before saw such severe-looking sabre- cuts as many of them had received ; several with both eyes cut out, and numbers had lost both ears. Their wounded, who were carried in waggons, were extremely numerous, and it was painful, even to an old soldier, to hear their groans and incessant cries for water. The escort consisted chiefly of the Germans that had taken them prisoners, and it was pleasing to behold these gallant fellows, in the true spirit of glory, paying the greatest atten- tion to the wants of the wounded. Water, as I have remarked, from the loss of blood that had taken place among the wounded, was in particular request. One of the prisoners, who had his arm hanging, probably in endea- A SOLDIER. 135 Vouring to defend his head from a sword-cut — for, indeed, there were very few gun-shot w r ounds among them — was in particular very frequent in his demands for " eau" (water), when none could be obtained. Perhaps imagining himself neglected, we were not a little surprised to hear him sud- denly change his language, and call out in English, " For the love of Jesus, give me something to quench my thirst ; I am a fellow-countryman of your own." On entering into conversation with him I found he formerly belonged to the 9th Regiment of Foot, and had been taken prisoner with a number of others of his regiment, while on board a ship some time previous, since which occurrence he had been prevailed upon to enter the French service in pre- ference to being kept in close confinement. At Salamanca a sentry was placed over him ; what became of him I know not. On arriving at Salamanca our wounded prisoners, some other invalids, and myself were immediately taken into hospital. There we were, French and English, laid up together ; and there, I must say, I saw sufficient practice daily in the use of the surgeon's knife to become perfectly familiar with every form attendant upon amputation. While lying in hospital, at all times a wretched place, from the groans of the numerous sufferers, I was here placed under the immediate attendance of Sergeant Michael Con- nelly, in charge of our ward, who being sufficiently re- covered from a slight wound, was appointed sergeant to the hospital. He was one of the most singular characters I ever met with, and if an awkward person and uncouth face had gained him the preferment, his match certainly could not be found elsewhere. Mike was exceedingly attentive to the sick, and particularly anxious that the British soldier when dying, should hold out a pattern of firmness to the Frenchmen, who lay intermixed with us in the same wards. " Hould your tongue, ye blathering devil/' he would say, in a low tone, "and don't be after disgracing your country in the teeth of these ere furriners, by dying hard. Ye' 11 have the company at your burial, won't you ? Ye' 11 have the drums beating and the guns firing over ye, won't 136 ADVENTURES OF you ? Marciful God ! what more do you want ? ye are not at Elvas, to be thrown into a hole like a dog — ye'll be buried in a shroud and coffin, won't you 1 For God's sake, die like a man before these ere Frenchers." Mike, however, had one great failing, he drank like a whale, and did not scruple to adopt as gifts or legacies, the wine rations of both the dying and the dead, until he drank himself out of the world, and as his patients re- marked, after all, he died "like a beast." The news of Mike's death spread like wildfire, and all his old friends and the convalescents crowded to do honour to his remains. The funeral of the Duke himself could not have made a greater stir, for cavalier and foot soldier, from the drum- boy to the trumpeter, and all the women, children and camp-followers in the locality, flocked to follow his remains, the town became unusually alive, and the variegated throng, headed by the deceased sergeant, borne by four bearers, and the usual complement of soldiers with their arms re- versed, slowly wound their way through the city of Sala- manca. Many a jest made the streets ring with laughter, as the crowd followed the coffin, till they reached the burial-ground (near the French battery taken by us some time previously.) The bearers here proceeded to enter the gateway, when they were suddenly aroused by a slight cry from within the coffin, with a kind of scraping noise, like an effort to open it. They suddenly halted, paused, and listened. It was surely Mike scraping. On they moved again doubtfully. A second time the voice broke upon their ears. t( Whist!" ejaculated the bearers, their caps moving almost off their heads. " Oh blood and ouns ! where am I ? Oh bad luck to yer souls, let me out, won't you ? oh, merciful Jasus, I'm smoothered." In a twink- ling out bolted the bearers from under the coffin, and a dozen bayonets in an instant were sunk under and lifted the lid. The crowd crushed dreadfully to take a look. But there lay Sergeant Michael Connelly, sure enough as stiff as a fugleman but something colder, and my old friend, that blackguard Josh Hetherington, the cockney ventrilo- quist, who had been one of the bearers, as "innocent 5 * A SOLDIER. 137 as you please, joining in the astonishment of the rest of us. Josh winked at me and I at Josh. "Ned," said he, " I'm blessed if I think he's dead. Why don't some of them chaps go for a doctor." "To be sure," cried the crowd, " send for the doctor." Meanwhile a regular rush was made to press him to swallow some of his favourite liquor, but his teeth as obstinately opposed the draught, so that poor Mike was already pronounced " not himself," w T hen the doctor arrived. While here, I got acquainted with a pleasant and intelli- gent man who belonged to the 13th Light Dragoons, and was fast recovering from a wound he had received in the shoulder. We used frequently to alleviate as much as we could the unpleasantness of our situation by a little con- versation. His history both amused and interested me. He had been taken prisoner by the French near Badajoz while serving in General Hill's division, but managed shortly afterwards to make his escape between Yittoria and Pampeluna. The following morning he fell in with a party of General Mina's Guerillas, who, as soon as they found hirn to be an Englishman, wished him to enlist in their band until he could regain his regiment. This offer he was glad to accept. After giving me a very amusing account of the manners of the Guerillas, their rich pic- turesque dresses and arms, and their wild military life in the mountains, he proceeded to detail several anecdotes of their cruelty and ferocity, among which I can well remem- ber the following, from the impression it then left upon my mind, and the simple manner in which he related it : Uniting suddenly several of his. Guerilla bands in the neighbourhood of Vittoria, Mina, whose information of the movements of the French seemed unerring, one morning surprised and captured a number of waggons filled with stores. They had been sent from Madrid for the army at Vittoria, and were escorted by gendarmes, who were all either killed or taken. The prisoners, about twenty in number, were immediately marched into the mountains, but not before they had time to draw a dark augury of their own fate bv seeing all their wounded comrades 138 ADVENTURES OF brutally stabbed to death on the ground where the skir- mish had taken place. The prisoners., after having been stripped of nearly every article of wearing apparel, even to their boots, were confined in a space of ground encircled by pens or hurdles, and used for keeping cattle, round which were planted many sentries. In the evening the ferocious mountaineers, elated with their day's success, being joined by a number of females, their sweethearts and wives made merry with drinking wine and dancing to the music of several guitars. During this merriment both men and women frequently taunted their wretched pri- soners, recapitulated the wrongs the Spaniards had suffered at the hands of the French, until they gradually had excited their passions to a partial state of frenzy. In this state, the signal having been given by one of their number, they rushed in among their hapless prisoners, and commenced a general massacre, drowning the cries and supplications for mercy of their victims, as they gave each blow, by enume- rating the different losses each had sustained in his family during the war. " Take that for my father you shot," — "that for my son," — "this for my brother," &c, until the work of death was complete. The most inhuman, and perhaps most revolting trait in this general mur- der was some of the women having actively assisted in the slaughter. A short time after I had heard the preceding sketch, I had an opportunity of observing that sanguinary feeling of revenge that so peculiarly characterized the Guerillas during the war. I rejoined my regiment at a little village about three leagues from Madrid, called Gataffe. In the farm-house, where the greater part of our company were quartered, was a very pretty Spanish girl who had a brother serving with the Guerillas. One hot summer evening, when several comrades and myself were sitting on a bench outside the door, joking with the girl, a swarthy, savage-looking Spaniard came up, and was welcomed with much joy by the girl and her parents. The new-comer was armed to the teeth with pistols, daggers, and a long gun, which, together with his crimson sash and free bear- ing, at once proclaimed him the Guerilla. At first we A SOLDIER. 13$ imagined him the girl's brother, hut soon perceived another, though equally dear tie, cemented their affection : he was her lover or suitor. While engaged in conversation with his sweetheart and her parents, we observed him take rather ostentatiously from his side a long heavy-looking silk purse, the contents of which he emptied into the lap of his mis- tress. The Spaniard's eyes sparkled with pleasure ; but, for the honour of a British soldier, a general disgust per- vaded the minds of my comrades and myself, when we beheld a number of human ears and fingers, which glis- tened with the golden ornaments they still retained. He then told us, with an air of bravado, that he had cut them from off the bodies of the French whom he himself had slain in battle, each ear and finger having on a gold ring. " Napoleon," he observed, in his native dialect, with a grim smile — " Napoleon loves his soldiers, and so do the ravens ;" as he pointed to several of those carrion birds perched on the walls of an old convent covered with ivy. " We find them plenty of food ; they shall never want, so long as a Frenchman remains in Spain." Such are the men who were considered the greatest patriots attached to the Spanish army during the war. The chief business of the British at this time was laying siege to Burgos. The enemy having also assembled in great numbers betwixt it and Vittoria, Lord Wellington, thinking he was not able to oppose their force, ordered the whole of the divisions to retire on Salamanca. We of the light division received orders to the same effect. On the 22nd of October we left Madrid : the contempt with which the inhabitants treated us for leaving them once more to the mercy of the French, cannot easily be forgotten. For what the men said gave us little concern ; but to be taxed and taunted for cowardice by the Spanish ladies was most galling. Even my handsome dark-eyed Clementeria, sister to the Guerilla lover, who seemed so much attached to me, and with whom I spent many a moonlight night serenading to the Spanish guitar, and who first taught me to use the castanets in the Spanish dance — even she, with all her pretended love, refused me a buss at our last mo- 140 ADVENTURES OF ment of parting, though I used all my eloquence, welding the Spanish, French, and English together in pleading my cause. All had no effect on the hard-hearted Mosa. Her last words were : " Begone, you cowardly English, you have not the courage to fight the enemy of our country : those who have butchered my dear father and brother," were her last words. After a harassing march through a mountainous country we joined the remainder of our army at Salamanca. There we took up our quarters for a few days in a convent, which exhibited such a loathsome pic- ture of filth as to be almost unendurable. In consequence of our men having torn up a part of the balustrades for firing, a young officer of the third battalion fell down a height of fifty feet, and was killed on the spot. On the second morning after our arrival we again pro- ceeded towards Rodrigo. The rain fell in torrents, and from the heaviness of the roads, which were in many places a foot deep in mud, most of our men lost their shoes, and were obliged to march barefooted. Among this number I was unfortunately included. When we had reached our halting- ground for the night, our prospect was most deso- late. Wet to the skin — without fire or shelter — and at the same time possessed of a ravenous appetite, with nothing to satisfy it, formed one of the disagreeables so often attend- ant upon our life in the Peninsula — to say nothing of inces- sant duty and fatigue. It was these sufferings, in fact, I am convinced, that oftentimes rendered our men so callous about death, at different periods during the war, as some men, from the privations they endured, wished to be shot, and exposed themselves in action purposely. On our halt on the above night, the first thing I did was to take off my jacket and shirt, and after ringing about half a gallon of water out of them, I replaced them upon my back to dry as they might. Most of our men had employed themselves in cutting down boughs of trees to keep themselves out of the mud ; but it was some hours before we could obtain that greatest of luxuries, under our present circumstances, a good fire. Still we had not a morsel to eat after the day's fatigue — no rations having been issued — and our men suffered from all the pangs of A SOLDIER. 141 cold and hunger. Fortune, however, during the evening favoured a few of us. Towards the middle of the night one or two of our men brought intelligence that several cars laden with spirits and biscuit for the Spanish army were stuck fast in the road, and could not proceed onwards. The temptation to our hungry maws could not be resisted ; leaving our fires, and getting up to the cars, screened by the darkness of the night, we managed to get a portion both of biscuit and aguardiente ; but the Spanish guard, discovering our fellows, commenced firing on them : this was quickly returned, and several, I believe, were shot ; indeed, the firing continued all night, which alarmed the chief part of our army. Had the offenders been discovered, it would not have been difficult to have foretold their fate, as the Duke's orders were particularly strict against plunder, (if such this might be called, for after all, the whole fell into the hands of the French next morning, as the carts were then able to be moved). For my own part, such were my feelings this night, that I believe I should have expired, but for the liquor I had drank. With all their hunger, however, there existed among the men a sympathy for the officers, which, considering their distance, was rather remarkable ; several of the most haughty of the latter gladly received little kindnesses from the soldiers ; and if the noble lord be now living, he may chance to recollect an instance connected with it. Lord Charles Spencer, then a youth about eighteen years of age, suffered dreadfully from the hunger and fatigue of this retreat ; trembling with cold and weakness, he stood perched upon some branches, that had been cut down for fuel, the tears silently starting from his eyes through the pain he experienced, while thus sharing in the common lot, anxiously watching a few acorns, which to stay the pangs of hunger he had placed in the embers to roast. I dare say his Lordship had never known till then the joys of poverty — a good appetite ! Nor will he, I expect, forget how willingly the rough soldiers flew to offer bim biscuits, which their own sufferings could not withhold from one so tenderly and delicately reared ; but his Lordship was very 142 ADVENTURES OF much liked amongst us, and, no doubt, it did many a vete- ran's heart good to hear his thanks, and see the eagerness with which he devoured the offering. These are times when Lords find that they are men — and men, that they are comrades. Before daylight we pursued our route, the rain con- tinuing to fall in torrents, while the state of our regiment was pitiable. To add to our comfort, the enemy were close upon our heels : this night we spent something like the last — wet, cold, and hungry. On the following morning we were obliged to continue our retreat rather precipitately, as the shots of the French, who were in great force, came rattling in among us. During the morning the enemy's cavalry succeeded in getting through a wood, and managed to cut off the baggage of the seventh division, then in front of ours. Among some captives the enemy made on this oc- casion were several children in panniers carried by donkeys. One Irishwoman, in particular, I remember seeing, whose grief seemed inconsolable for the loss she had sustained in that of her child. In a few days, however, the French, desiring to be as little encumbered as ourselves with children, sent them back with a flag of truce. This was followed by a most interesting scene, as the different mothers rushed forward to clasp their darlings in their arms. This day we were hard pressed by the enemy's advanced- guard, and two of our companies, the one in which I served being one, were ordered to cover the retreat of our divi- sion. The French, confident in their numbers, pressed us vigorously, and it was with difficulty we could check their advance. While hotly engaged skirmishing, I was about taking possession of a tree, when I beheld a poor woman at the foot of it, who, being unable to keep up with the regiment, had sank down exhausted. Poor soul ! she seized my hands, and begged of me to assist her ; at the same moment the enemy's balls came rapping into the tree that only partially screened us. I was obliged, how- ever, to leave her, as there seemed every prospect of most of us being cut off; the "assembly" sounded, and away A SOLDIER. 143 we dashed, " devil take the hindmost/ 5 in upon the bat- talion. Here our illustrious chief, who was generally to be found where danger was most apparent, seeing us come puffing and blowing up to our column, called out to us., in a cheering voice : " Be cool, my lads ; dont be in a hurry !" But, in faith, with all possible respect for his Lordship, we were not in greater haste than the occasion demanded, as the French were upon us, and we were obliged to dash down the sides of the hill, where we halted for a moment, and his Lordship also, and then ford a river. "While engaged in crossing the stream, that was much swollen by the late rains, a round-shot from the enemy, who were now peppering away at us, took off the head of a Sergeant Fotheringham, of our battalion, and smashed the thigh of another man. On gaining the other side of the stream we turned to give a salute in return, but owing to the wet our rifles were unserviceable. We remained that night stationary on the banks of the river, exposed to all the delights of cold, hunger, and fatigue. These feelings were not improved by a course of shelling that the enemy did us the honour to indulge in at our expense. But, as I have remarked, the sufferings of our men were such at this period that many of them con- sidered death a happy relief. The morning at length dawned upon our half-famished persons, but brought no alleviation to our miseries. The rain still continued to come down in torrents. Pursuing our route, we arrived at Ciudad Bodrigo, and took shelter under its walls, where we found some sheds used as stables for the Spanish cavalry. The moment I entered, the first thing that caught my eve was some Indian corn-leaves, which I con- sidered a lucky chance, and instantly throwing myself on them, wet as I was, soon fell into a sound sleep, the only rest I had had since we left Salamanca. However, in the morning when I awoke I found myself in a glow of heat^ and covered with perspiration, and on attempting to rise found myself as if paralyzed, and could not move. Calling some of the men to assist, they were astonished at the steam that emitted from under me like smoke. I then 144 ADVENTURES OF found my bed had been hot horse-dung, slightly covered by the Indian corn-leaves. The doctor being sent for, ordered me instantly to be carried into the town, where with hot baths and a salivation in a few weeks I was able to join my regiment. CHAPTER XVIII. Head-quarters at Grenalda — Don Julian Sanchez, the celebrated Guerilla Chief ■ — Weakness of our numbers — Incorporation of Spaniards into our regiments — A thief — Punishment of, and opinion of the men — General orders for a col- lection among the men and officers to relieve Russian losses — A ball, in which thousands were present — Campaign of 1812 commenced — The Life Guards and the Blues join us — The French retreat to Burgos — Secret expedition for bread — Our surprise — Retreat — General Sir Lowry Cole — His temple spectacles made use of to reconnoitre — Our escape — A few remarks — Three alternatives — A cavalry affair on the 18th June — German brotherhood again. Towards the end of November our battalion again became stationed at its old quarters, in the little village of Alamada. We obtained here fresh clothing, certainly not before it was wanted ; green having become by far the least conspicuous colour in the regiment, while so various had been the expedients resorted to for obtaining a substi- tute for shoes, that the fresh supply from England was welcomed with no common joy. It was quite amusing to see how our fellows enjoyed their clothing, strutting about as proud as peacocks among the Spanish peasant girls, in whose estimation they doubtless conceived they should be considerably advanced. Head-quarters were at Grenalda, some miles distant from where we lay, and a company of our regiment occasionally did duty over the Duke, whose quarters were in the house of the Alcalde. We had strict orders to admit no one inside the gates leading to the house, unless some particular despatch from the front, or from Don Julian Sanchez, the Guerilla chieftain. Indeed, a report had arisen amongst us, at the time, that his Grace was not altogether right in his head ; but this was mere fiction. I used to observe him walking through the market-place, A SOLDIER. 145 leading by the hand a little Spanish girl, some five or six years old, and humming a short tune or dry whistle, and occasionally purchasing little sweets, at the child's request, from the paysannes of the stalls. Here, for the first time, I saw Don Julian Sanchez, the noted Guerilla leader, linked arm in arm with the Duke — an instance peculiar to the time, of obscure merit rising of its own impulse to an equality with the greatest man of the age. My readers may well suppose I did not slightly no- tice the square well-set figure, dark scowl, and flashing eyes of the Guerilla, whose humble birth-place I after- wards visited, in a small village between Rodrigo and Salamanca. I had been informed that he first began his career as a pig-boy, but owing to some cruelties exercised on a branch of his family by the French, he took an inveterate hatred to them, which he exemplified by sur- prising and slaughtering two or three of their soldiers, whom he found asleep in a wood. Accompanied by one or two others, he continued and increased his sanguinary feats, and gradually collected a small band, then a body, and eventually commanded upwards of twenty thousand Guerillas, well-armed, and equipped with British arms and accoutrements, and who rendered more assistance to the cause of the British than all the Spanish troops beside. Our regiments, by constant collision with the French, were getting exceedingly thinned, and recruits from England came but very slowly, until we found it necessary at last to incorporate some of the Spaniards ; for this purpose several non-commissioned officers and men were sent into the adjacent villages recruiting. In the course of a short time, and to our surprise, we were joined by a sufficient number of Spaniards to give ten or twelve men to each company in the battalion. But the mystery was soon unravelled, and by the recruits themselves, who, on joining, gave us to understand, by a significant twist of the neck, and a " Carago" (much like the very breaking of one), that they had but three alternatives to choose from, to enter either the British, or Don Julian's service, or be 146 ADVENTURES OF hanged ! The despotic sway of Sanchez, and his threat in the bargain, so disjointed their inclination for the Guerillas, that they hastily fled their native "woods" and "thresh- old/' for fear of really finding themselves noosed up to them, and gladly joined the British regiments. Many of them were even made corporals, and, indeed, proved them- selves worthy of their new comrades, whom they rivalled in every undertaking of courage and determination.* While lying here I will give a short description of our regiment's opinion of flogging, not indeed by words, but by signs, as the following anecdote will show, although the sound of cats was seldom heard in our battalion ; for I can safely say, that for the six years I served in Spain not more than six men, to my recollection, were punished in our battalion, and yet withal I cannot brag of our fellows being the honestest branch in the British armv. At the time I speak of we had a man in our regiment of the name of Stratton, who, after robbing several of his comrades of trifling articles, took it into his head to desert to the enemy, and was detected in the act, in a wood that leads from Rodrigo to Salamanca, by the vigilant Guerillas, and brought back prisoner to our cantonments. He was, tried by a regimental court-martial, and sentenced to receive four hundred lashes. After the proceedings of the court-martial were read by the Adjutant, in a wood near the village where the regi- ment was formed for punishment, Major Cameron, who commanded us at the time, devised the following plan to find out the true character of the prisoner, for the Major was not only a brave and gallant soldier, but a shrewd man, and knew well that the men were better judges of the good or bad qualities of each other than the officers could possibly be. He addressed the prisoner as follows : — "Stratton, I ought to have had you tried by a general court-martial ; in that case you would have been shot ; but the high charac- ter the regiment has borne in the army prevents me from * The gallantry of the Spaniards of our regiment make me believe, had those countrymen during the war been properly commanded, they would have made excellent soldiers. A SOLDIER. 147 having it mentioned in general orders, that a man of the Rifles could be guilty of the heinous crime of desertion to the enemy. I am yet willing to show you kindness. Now, Sir, if the men of the battalion will be answerable for your future good conduct, I shall pardon you." Turning round at the same time, Major Cameron looked the men in the face while he stood in the square, as if waiting for an answer. A pause took place, no answer being given. The Major said : " Strip, Sir." He was tied to a tree, and received twenty-five lashes ; the second bugler was preparing to commence, when the Major again said, " Will you not be answerable, men, for Stratton's conduct? Well, then, if his own company will be answerable for his good behaviour I shall forgive him." The prisoner, at these words, looked round with an imploring eye, as far as his position would allow him, looking towards his own company, saying, " Do, men, speak for me, I will not act so in future." I recollect it well, each man leaning on the muzzle of his rifle with his left hand, while his right covered his face, and all silent ; not a man spoke. " Go on," said the Major ; the culprit received twenty-five lashes more, when the Major again said, " Now, Sir, if only one man in the regiment will. speak in your behalf, I shall take you down." Still silent, while the third bugler commenced : when the prisoner had received about sixteen lashes, a voice from the square called out, "Forgive him, Sir!" — "Stop, bugler, stop !" said the Major ; " who was the man that spoke ?" " I did, Sir !" was the answer. " Step into the square ;" when a man of the prisoner's own company came forward. " Oh ! is it you, Hobinson ?" said Major Cameron ; " I thought as much ; as little-good-for-nothing a fellow as himself; but take him down." When the prisoner was conducted out of the square, the Major addressed the men, saying : *' Your conduct in the field is well known by the British army ; but," added the Major, " your moral worth I have not known before ; not a man would speak in that fellow's behalf, except the man who did, whom you know as well as I do." This may l 2 148 ADVENTURES OF serve to show, that however soldiers dislike this mode of punishment, they still like to see a rascal punished ; and nothing tends to destroy all feeling of pity for his suffer- ings more than his having been guilty of an act of cowardice, or robbing his comrade; Some months before our present sojourn at Allamada, Napoleon had made his disastrous campaign in Russia, when Moscow was burnt. The circumstance was now brought to our notice by the general order, soliciting a day's pay from the officers and men of the army towards defraying the losses sustained by the Russians. This was most cheerfully bestowed by every man in our battalion except two, the above-mentioned Stratton and another man of the name of Frost ; and to crown the occurrence the day was made one of jollity and fun. Country dances were struck up by the band, and it was most laughable to behold, one and all, officers as well as private soldiers kicking about their heels to the tune of " The Downfall of Paris." Our division had been cantoned in and about Allamada during the winter, when, soldier-like, ever sighing after a change of scene, the men of our battalion generally began to grow tired of their monotonous and inactive life : how- ever, we received orders for marching. This occurred about the middle of May, when we commenced the cam- paign of 1813, and a spirit of enterprize, notwithstanding past sufferings, extended itself throughout the light division. We left Allamada in high spirits. On the third day's march our battalion encamped near Salamanca, in a wood, where we were joined by the Life Guards and Oxford Blues, that had just come out from England, and whom we beheld drawn up at the side of the road. Their fresh and well-fed appearance gave rise to many jests at the expense of the " householders." They in fact, as I learnt, took us at first, from our dark clothing and embrowned visages, for a foreign regiment. The first peep we got of the enemy was at a place called Toro, on the road towards Burgos. There our hussars had a sharp skirmish, in which they took some prisoners. A SOLDIER. 149 Continuing our advance, we overtook their rear-guard the following day. After a little skirmishing and cannonading they continued their retreat to Burgos. The next morning we were startled by a tremendous explosion, that at first induced many of our men to think it an earthquake, until we ascertained the fact that it arose from the explosion of a mine, with which the French had destroyed the castle and some of the works of the town of Burgos. On the 16th of June we passed through the pretty little town of Medina del Pomar, and encamped on the other side of it close to the banks of a large river. On this march we suffered much from a deficiency of supplies from the commissariat, as anything like rations we seldom received. Myself and one or two others, having some few pence, determined to start off on the sly, as we were not allowed to move from our camp ground, and purchase bread at a little village we beheld at the other side of the river, which we forded unobserved and entered the village. There, however, the alarm of the people became very great upon our appearance, and not wishing apparently to have any dealings with us, they asked an immense price for the bread. Irritated at this conduct, and urged by hunger, every man seized a loaf and threw down the usual price in the country. Seeing that we were all totally unarmed, for we had not even our side-arms, an immediate outcry was raised against us by the people, and we had to run for safety. This we did, carrying the loaves with us, until we were overtaken by some of the swift-footed peasantry, who came up to us with knives and clubs. Our lives being thus in jeopardy for the dearly-obtained bread, our party instantly had recourse to stones for defence. " Muerte a los peros Ingleses." " Kill the English dogs/' was the general cry of the Spaniards, as they brandished their long knives. They were evidently about to make a rush in among us, by which my own personal adventures, and those of my comrades, would, in all probability, hive been finished on the spot, when several men of the 43rd and 52nd regiments, belonging to our division, came run- ning up, like ourselves, foraging. It was the turn 150 ADVENTURES OF of the Spaniards now to retreat— which they did in a hurry. We had scarcely escaped the attack of the Spaniards and arrived at the hank of the river, when General Sir Lowry Cole came galloping up to us with some of the mounted staff, which indeed might be termed the police of the army. " Hallo ! you plundering rascals of the light division — halt !" was the General's command, as he pulled up his temple spectacles, which he generally wore. One only resource was left us, and that was to plunge into the river, which at that part was very deep, and swim across, holding the bread in our teeth. This we immediately adopted, when Sir Lowry, in an agitated tone, that did honour to his heart, called out — "Come back, men, for God's sake — you'll be drowned! Come back, and I'll not punish you." But the General's fears were needless ; we soon landed on the other side. On arriving at our camp we found that the roll had been called over several times, and that we had been set down " absent without leave ;" but we were lucky enough to escape with a slight reprimand. I cannot here forbear making a few remarks with refer- ence to the men who composed our battalion in the Peninsula. The reader will be apt to imagine, that those men who were in the habit of foraging after a day's march, were but indifferent soldiers. Allow me, with some pre- tensions to the name of a veteran, to correct this error, and inform the reader, that these were the very men whose bravery and daring in the field far exceeded the merits of their more quiet comrades in quarters. Our men, during the war, might be said to have been composed of three classes. One was zealous and brave to absolute devotion, but who, apart from their "fighting duties," considered some little indulgence as a right ; the other class barely did their duty when under the eye of their superior ; while the third, and I am happy to say, by far the smallest in number, were skulkers and poltroons — their excuse was weakness from want of rations ; they would crawl to the rear, and were seldom seen until after A SOLDIER. 151 a battle had been fought, when they might be observed in the ranks until the Commissary again placed them on short allowance, when off they started ; in this manner they swelled the muster-rolls. But the first of these were the men who placed the Duke on his present pinnacle -as one of the great captains of the age. During the whole of our advance from the frontiers of Portugal, until we entered the Pyrenees, not more (on the average) than one biscuit per day was served out to each man — and it consequently could not be expected that a soldier, weighed down by a heavy knapsack, and from sixty to eighty rounds of ammunition (such as we Riflemen carried at the time), could march from twenty to thirty miles a day on so short an allowance. It was not unfrequent, therefore, after a day's march to observe groups of our regiment, and, indeed, of the divi- sion, rooting up the fields with their swords and bayonets, in search of potatoes, &c, and these were the men who were able to undergo the fatigue of the next day. The French, also, in their hurried retreat stocked them- selves with several days' provisions in advance ; these were hung very temptingly from their knapsacks,* and as it were, in defiance of our hungry jaws ; as a consequence, this gave rise to the well-known remark, or alternatives of the Light Division : " Damme, boys, if the Commissary don't show his front we must either find a potato field, or have a killing day!" Indeed, but for these resources, so dependent on our . individual energies, his Grace, from our being always in front, might have occasionally found half his Light Divi- sion " stiff," and the other half tucked under the blankets as "Belem Rangers." On the 18th of June (a very memorable day to our army afterwards) we passed along the banks of a fine river. Our company, along with but half a troop of German Hussars, formed the advance. On turning a winding of the road, we suddenly came within sight of a party of the * As before stated, the French carry no haversacks. 152 ADVENTURES OF enemy's cavalry who formed the tail of their rear-guard. Our Germans, who were commanded by a very smart young fellow, immediately charged them. The French, perceiving the number of our cavalry only equal to their own, instantly wheeled about and calmly awaited the attack. A very smart combat soon took place, and was supported by great resolution for some time on both sides, but terminated in the flight or capture of the enemy. Several prisoners were brought in, all of whom were badly wounded; and scarcely one of our gallant Germans had escaped without some sabre-wound. Another singular circumstance occurred at this skirmish. One of the Ger- man cavalry, as he came in with a prisoner and his horse, exclaimed in broken English, as he came up to us — " Mine Got ! mine Got ! he is mine own broder !" It appeared he had brought in his own brother prisoner, wounded, who was in the French service. The officers of both parties had been killed in the preceding charge ; and Lord Wellington, who came up at the time, was so pleased with our cavalry, that he promised the sergeant a commis- sion, which a few days after, I was told, he obtained. The whole of our battalion, which soon came up, was ordered to push forward. We found the French rear- guard in possession of a little town called San Milan, in front of which they had drawn themselves up, apparently with the intention of defending. As we continued to advance in extended order, they changed their minds and turned tail. This day I noticed a novel system many of the enemy had adopted, of firing their muskets over their shoulders in their retreat, without turning round to face us. This resulted, in all probability, from the excessive heat and fatigue they had endured. A SOLDIER* 153 CHAPTER XIX. We encamp near Puebla, on the road to Vittoria — Battle of Vittoria — A man obliged to hold his jaw — Affair of Bayonets — The 88th — Blanco — Daly — French defeated — A prisoner rescued — The carriage of Joseph Napoleon — His wife, &c. — His baton — A prize — Attempt to rob me — Sergeant Lee — Night scenes after the battle — The sale of the spoils — I distribute my money for safety — We march on Salvatierra — Halt at Pampeluna — Another brush wanted — Lesaca — The enemy on the heights of Santa Barbara dislodged — The French attempt to relieve Pampeluna — The Bidassoa — The French too late for the "fare" — We also — A race back by way of "hurry" — The Regiment's birth-day — Sergeant Fawfoot's loss and re-instalment— My treasure — My comrade — His good faith — Siege and storm of San Sebastian — The four hundred gallant Frenchmen — Their charge and escape — The 52nd and their badges — Re- marks, &c. On the 20th we remained encamped near Puebla, a town within ten or twelve miles of Vittoria. On the following morning we fell in rather earlier than usual, when a general rumour among the ranks augured we should have a busy day. We were, indeed, on the eve of the memorable battle of Vittoria. We marched along the left of the high road towards the previously mentioned city, leaving Puebla a little to the right. Our battalion, as the advanced-guard, preceded by the remainder of the division until we came in sight of the enemy on the other side of the river Zadora. We commenced a smart brush with their voltigeurs, who slowly retreated, and took up a position in the rear of some rocks, from whence their fire swept a bridge in our imme- diate front. While thus occupied in skirmishing, we heard a loud cheering on our left, where we beheld the third division charge over a bridge much lower down the stream. Fired by the sight, we instantly dashed over the bridge before us in the face of a galling discharge from the enemy. We then drove them from the rocks, and in our turn had to sustain a heavy fire from several guns mounted upon a hill that commanded our position. The rocks were splintered round us in every direction from this fire, and many of our men were killed or wounded by shot or frag- ments of stone. 154 ADVENTURES OF We were soon joined by the remainder of our division, and pushed forward up a hill, from the summit of which we could clearly discern the city of Vittoria. By this time the action had become pretty hot and general with the other divisions, as well as our own. The chief scene of conflict was on an extended plain within a mile or two of the city on the left. Continuing to advance, we arrived near a small village on the main road, from which we were annoyed by a furious fire, until, rushing in, we drove them out, and captured a howitzer in the market-place, the first that was taken. We were doomed however, to have it but a short time in our possession, as a whole regiment of the enemy came charging upon us, and our force, consisting of only two companies, had to retreat with precipitation, when, turning round, however, we beheld our favourite third division coming double quick down the main road to our assistance — with Picton, who was never absent in time of need, at their head. After retiring for about a hundred yards, this sight encouraged us, and we were at them again. While thus engaged, a grape or round-shot struck my pouch with such violence that I was hurled by the force a distance of several yards. From the sudden shock I thus experienced, I imagined myself mortally wounded ; but, on being picked up, I found the only damage I had sustained was the partial destruction of my pouch, which was nearly torn off. A man of the name of Hudson, who was one of the pardoned deserters at Eodrigo, while running to my assist- ance as 1 afterwards learned, was struck by a bullet in his mouth, which knocked out several of his teeth, and came out at the back of the ear. From this wound, severe as it was, he however recovered. Placing some of the ammunition in my haversack and the remainder in my cap, we were at them again, and recaptured the howitzer in the village, by the assistance of part of the third division. Still pursuing them, the chief part of my company kept on the right of the main road. In all my military life, this sight surpassed anything I ever saw : the two armies A SOLDIER. 155 hammering at each other, yet apparently with all the cool- ness of field-day exercise — so beautifully were they brought into action. At this moment I noticed a regiment, which by its yellow facings I think was the 88th or Connaught Rangers, marching in close column of companies to attack a French regiment which was drawn up in line on the verge of a hill with a small village in its rear. The 88th, although at the time under a heavy can- nonade from the enemy's artillery, continued advancing gallantly onwards, which, we skirmishers perceiving, took ground to the left close to the road, in order to enable them to oppose this line in front. Though hotly engaged at the time, I determined to watch their movements. The 88th next deployed into line, advancing all the time towards their opponents, who seemed to wait very coolly for them. When they had approached to within three or four hundred yards, the French poured in a volley or I should say a running fire from right to left. As soon as the British regiment had recovered the first shock, and closed their files on the gap it had made, they commenced advancing at double time until within fifty yards nearer to the enemy, when they halted and in turn gave a running fire from their whole line, and without a moment's pause cheered and charged up the hill against them. The French meanwhile were attempting to reload. But being hard pressed by the British, who allowed them no time to give a second volley, came immediately to the right about, making the best of their way to the village.* * As of late, much has been said concerning the use or non-use of the bayonet in action, I shall here take the liberty, supported by the above fact, of intruding my own opinions in the matter; an opinion, which falling from the mouth of an old soldier only, might otherwise be thought worthless, if not presumptuous. It is generally known of course that Biflemen, when in action, are at all times extended, and have always better opportunities of watching the movements of two armies, than those troops who are compelled to march in compact and closely -wedged masses. Both parties, it will be observed by the above, were with their fire-locks un- loaded, the British having fired and charged before the French could reload, and both consequently had no resource left but their bayonets. Now I would ask the no-bayonet gentlemen, if the French, who well knew their mutual position, 156 ADVENTURES Otf As I have before observed, we had several Spaniards in our regiment. These men were generally brave ; but one in particular, named Blanco, was one of the most skilful and daring skirmishers we had in the battalion. His great courage, however, was sullied by a love of cruelty towards the French whom he detested, and never named but with the most ferocious expressions. In every affair we had since the advance from Portugal, he was always in the front ; and the only wonder is how he managed to es- cape the enemy's shot, but his singular activity and intel- ligence frequently saved him. His hatred to the French was, I believe, occasioned by his father and brother, who were peasants, having been murdered by a French foraging party. On this day he gave many awful proofs of this feeling by mercilessly stabbing and mangling the wounded French he came up to. In this massacre he was, however, stopped by a veteran of our regiment, who, although suffering from a severe wound in the face, was so exasperated at the Spaniard's cruelty, that he knocked him down with a blow from the butt of his rifle. It was only by force we could prevent the Spaniard from stabbing him on the spot. I now observed the Duke come riding up with some of his staff ; and, seeing the confusion the enemy were in, cried out to one of his aides-de-camp, " Send up a few of Ross's guns ; here is work for them :" saying to us at the same time, "That's right, my lads ; keep up a good fire," as he galloped in our rear to the right. In an instant up came Ross's guns, and commenced peppering them at the distance of not more than three hundred yards. Here the whole seemed blocked together in a mass, while we stuck to them like leeches. When we arrived close to the barriers of Vittoria, we had seen the British advance with bare muzzles or with no bayonets, would they have given way with their own bayonets fixed to oppose them. If they did, they ought to be hanged, from the Colonel downwards. On the other hand, if the English had attempted to charge with bare muzzles against fixed bayonets, each man from the commanding officer down should be sent to a madhouse. Upon this then I should say, if my opinion be acceptable, that the bayonets had better remain in present use until such time as we can bargain with the French or other enemies to disuse them. A SOLDIER. 157 found them blocked up by a great portion of the French waggons, bearing the materiel of their army. After passing the gates, we were still engaged through the town skirmishing with their rear-guard ; but, notwithstanding the street-firing, many of the inhabitants threw open their windows, and, appearing at their balconies, welcomed us with vivas, while the ladies, according to the established mode threw flowers into the streets on us, as we passed along. In following up the enemy, a few other men and myself had left the company a little in the rear. While going through the square I was fortunate enough to save the life of a French soldier who had been wounded. He was endeavouring, poor fellow ! to follow in the route of the French, when observing me coming up, he dropped his musket, with which he had been assisting himself, and intimated that he surrendered ; a Spanish vagabond, however, observing him, brandished a club, evidently intending to give the Frenchman the coup de grace" when he was knocked down. The poor Frenchman expressed his gratitude, but we were obliged to leave him, probably after all to the same fate he had just been rescued from, unless he fell into the hands of our troops who were coming up at the time. A few minutes after this, some of the 10th Hussars and a party of the Life Guards came dashing through the town, sword in hand, shouting as if they had taken it by storm. When I had passed the gates, and forced my way through the immense quantity of baggage that blocked up the further end of the town, and through which the cavalry could scarcely pass, I beheld a French mounted officer, sword in hand, escorting a carriage and four out of the town. My comrade and myself immediately fired, when the officer fell. At the same moment the carriage stopped. On rushing up to the vehicle we perceived it contained two ladies, evidently of high rank. They seemed much alarmed as the balls kept whisking round them from both sides. We desired them not to entertain any fears for their safety, as we would not harm them. 158 ADVENTURES OF While thus engaged an officer of the 1 Oth Hussars came galloping up, flourishing his sword over his head. Not knowing his uniform at first, I cocked my rifle, upon which he exclaimed " I am an English officer, Sir/' Hear- ing this, I stepped on one side of the carriage, but in withdrawing I observed a small but exceedingly heavy portmanteau that was carried by a Spanish muleteer in the French service. He was in the act of conveying it towards the town, and as I thought I contributed more towards its capture, I made him lay it down — not, indeed, before I was compelled to give him a few whacks of my rifle in the ribs* My comrades had gone in another direc- tion, so that I had no one to claim a portion of my booty, which on inspection I found to consist of several small bags filled with gold and silver in doubloons and dollars. Although I never knew exactly the amount, I should think it not less than ,£1000. I afterwards learnt that the lady in the carriage was no other than the Queen of Spain, the wife of Joseph Bonaparte.* The officer of hussars, I also heard, obtained possession of the baton of Josephf himself from the same carriage. , My chief anxiety now was how to secure my prize ; and, when all who had an opportunity were employed in reaping some personal advantages from our victory, I determined not to be backward, but this was a difficult thing to accomplish. As I could not well carry the port- manteau from its weight, I soon found means, taking one of the many mules that were blocking up the road to bear the valuable load ; but being at a loss how to fasten the portmanteau, I resorted for aid to a sergeant and two men of the 10th Hussars, who were passing. For this service I, perhaps, incautiously rewarded them too liberally, by giving them several handfuls of dollars. In doing this they got a glimpse of the gold, half of which they demanded. Perceiving the probability of being thus deprived of the only prize I had made after years of hard- ship and suffering — and particularly by those new-comers, as this regiment had newly joined from England, made it * Query Countess of Gazan. t Query Jourdain's baton. A SOLDIER. 159 still worse — I inwardly resolved to forfeit it but with my life. So catching up my loaded rifle, which I had leant against a gun-carriage, I instantly cocked, and, retiring three or four paces, brought it to my shoulder, swearing I would shoot the first man dead that placed his hands upon my treasure. My determined air, and the ferocity of my appearance — my face being completely covered with per- spiration and gunpowder — induced them to pause, and finally to desist. Taking the sergeant's word not to attempt molesting me, with his assistance I completed the strapping of my treasure, and departed for the camp.* I had not proceeded far with the intention of gaining the battalion, when I observed the Duke of Wellington forcing his way, with some of his staff, through gun- carriages and waggons into Vittoria, To my great relief, however, he took no notice of myself and mule. In fact, his Grace was too much occupied in securing the brilliant results of our victory in the capture of the entire materiel of the French army which fell into our hands. Almost all our men at this time, I must remark, to use a phrase much in vogue among us, were endeavouring to see what they could make — in other words take, I reached our camp, however, in safety. This night we encamped amidst the wreck of the French army, every man bringing into his camp ground whatever he fancied — for the unfortunate enemy were compelled to leave everything behind them, even to their women and children — so that, if our fellows were inclined to be honest, their good fortune would not allow them. The ground occupied by our regiment was near a small village, a little off the main road that leads to Pampeluna. As soon as our fires were lighted, the men, who had * Strange to say, this very sergeant, whose name was Lee, and who had the fame of being the best boxer in his regiment, after the battle of Waterloo, lay wounded in the bed next to mine in the hospital at Antwerp. " Holloa, Rifle- man !" said he, when he first perceived me near him, " don't you recollect me !" At first I did not. " By God," said he, again, "you frightened me more than a bit at Vittoria, when guarding your money-bags." This soon settled the recog- nition ; but, poor fellow ! he died after the amputation of his arm. 160 ADVENTURES OF been under arms from three o'clock in the morning until eleven at night, and consequently had not tasted food for the whole of the day, began to fill their hungry maws from the luxuries of the French camp. Roast fowls, hams, mutton, &c. were in abundance, and at midnight the wine and brandy went round in horn tots which we generally carried about us. The men mostly lay stretched on the ground, their feet towards the fires, and elbows resting on their knapsacks ; as soon as the grog began to rouse up their spirits from the effects of the day's fatigue, each one commenced inquiries about their absent comrades, for Riflemen in action being always extended, seldom know who falls until the affray is over. " Blood an ounds," said Dan Kelly, bouncing up from his reclining posture; "don't drink all the wine, boys, until we hear something about our absent messmates. Does any of you know where Jack Connor is ?" "He was shot through the body, when we took the first gun in the little village near the main road," was the reply. "Where is "Will John," asked Bob Roberts, with a sudden glance of suspense. " The ball passed through his head," said another, " I saw poor Will fall." "Musha, boys! is there any hope of poor Jemmy Copely getting over his wounds ?" said Tom Tracy, earnestly, lifting his head from his knapsack. "Poor Copely!" replied another; "both his legs were knocked off by a round shot." Tracy laid his head on his kit again, and was silent. Here each man gave a short account of his fallen comrade. " Why, by Jasus !" exclaimed Tracy, who had been eagerly listening all the while, " by Jasus, they have kilt half our mess. But never mind, boys, fill a tot, fill a tot, and may I be d d but here's luck:" he placed the wine to his mouth, but took it away untasted, and laid it on the ground. " Poor Jemmy Copely ! poor Jemmy ! they had drilled him well with balls before, damn them, now they have finished him. The best comrade I ever had, or ever will have." A SOLDIER. l6l The last part of the sentence was uttered in a broken accent as he wiped his eye, then commenced rilling a wooden pipe, the bowl made from a tailor's thimble, his head stooping all the while as if to hide the large drops that unconsciously rolled over his nose ; a short pause took place among the group until Tracy, recovering him- self a little, took up the tot of wine and drank it off, and, jumping up at the same moment, with a loud voice, he called out to all, " Hear me, boys, hear me ! hear what I am going to say." A deep silence followed. He knelt on his knapsack, his hands squeezed together in the attitude of prayer. "May the Lord God," ejaculated Tracy, " grant that those fellows in yonder camp remain where they are until we have the pleasure of thrashing them for the gap they have this day made in our mess." "Amen! amen!" responded a dozen voices, with an emphasis that would have done credit to a clerk in a country church, and I am certain with a better inclination for the desired object. Tracy laid himself at his length once more, and after recapitulating their different losses, and the good qualities of their fallen comrades, but taking care not to mention any of their bad ones, every man gradually relaxed into a sleep, from which nothing could arouse him, save the sound of the bugles, or the hard cracking of the rifle, which ever brings the soldier on his legs again, ready to advance or retreat, or as the night closed over the column, to lament or be lamented, as one of the fallen or absent messmates. Those unacquainted with a camp-fire, after a hard- fought battle, can have little idea of its true sublimity, while leaning on my rifle, surveying the scene at this dead hour of night ; it impressed me with more awe than any that I had before witnessed. Here I stood, as it were, a solitary sentinel in the midst of twenty thousand men, yet so silent, you might have thought yourself secreted within the walls of a cloister ; while, by the moon, now and then hiding itself behind a cloud, might be observed the faint light of the French out-post fires that occasionally caught the eye like meteors. Again emerging from her M 162 ADVENTURES OF mantle, by her clear light might here and there be seen the dead bodies of French soldiers, not yet interred, ever distinguished by their large red shoulder-knots. Turning the eye to my comrades, whose happy repose I envied, might be seen blood oozing from the furrow made by a French bullet, while the perforated cap lay beside its owner. How sweet is the soldier sleep when such repose is earned by the fatigue of eighteen hours hard fighting. That gave each man a double relish for repose, knowing it was his own courage gained the spot of ground on which he laid. The crackling of the fires soon ceased for want of fuel, and nothing remained but the embers ; the whole camp was as still as the grave ; nothing to disturb the soldiers' repose, but the casual braying of the donkeys, that answered each other from camp to camp, and gradually died away in the echo of the distant woods. I quietly walked round the fires to see that none of the men's pouches were near it ; but, no — there was each man with his rifle loaded, and leaning on his arm, close to his breast, hugged with all the affection a fond lover would press to his bosom the girl of his heart — this was our usual custom, as riflemen seldom pile arms ; yet with all, I never knew an accident to occur by the rifles going off. i The next morning the sale of the spoils, which fell into our hands, took place in the village, near the camp-ground, where our battalion lay. The Spaniards were in general the purchasers, and property late belonging to the French, such as uniforms, horses, camp-equipage, &c, was sold in abundance at about one- tenth of its value. Mules worth thirty or forty dollars brought on an average three. As I had no means of conveyance for the spoil I had obtained, I set about depositing it where I thought it would be safe : three hundred pounds I intrusted to our quarter- master, and several sums to other officers of the battalion, dis- tributing nearly the remainder of the silver, to the amount, I suppose, of about one hundred pounds, among the men of my own squad, who undertook to carry it for me ; very little of the latter, however, I ever received back. But A SOLDIER. 163 after all money, as may be imagined, was of very little use during some of the hardships we afterwards endured, when I state, that I frequently offered a doubloon for a single glass of rum, and was not always able to obtain it. About twelve o'clock we marched in pursuit of the enemy through the town of Salvatierra, many of our men gibing me for my wealth, saying, among other agreeable things, that if I fell they would take care of my knapsack for me. To tell the truth, I was not now over anxious to go much to the front, as I began to look upon my life as of some value. On our second day's march we came up with the rear- guard of the enemy, who made a stand in the road, assisted by the only gun they had carried from Vittoria. The first shot fired from this piece took off the arm of one of our corporals at the socket. But on our dashing at them they soon abandoned their gun, which we took, making the first and last piece of ordnance we had cap- tured from them on this retreat. We halted a couple of days in a small village opposite Pampeluna ; and, as I considered that our fellows had contributed towards my greatness in money matters, I could do no less than treat them to a dinner ; but unfor- tunately, the place afforded no other luxuries than bacon, eggs, and wine, for which the inhabitants took care to charge treble : I paid ten doubloons for three flitches of bacon, and three pig-skins of wine. This we enjoyed within the walls of a house that the French had burnt the roof off on their retreat. There were some excellent toasts given, such as — " May we have another brush with them before they get to Paris," &c. &e. As nothing of any interest to the reader occurred for some time, I shall merely say, that we continued in pur- suit of one division of the French army night and day. During this period the fatigue we underwent was almost incredible, nor could we have supported it but for the excellent wine with which that part of the country then abounded, and which we all had plenty of money to pur- chase. After continuing these harassing marches for several days, we at length chased them into France We m 2 164 ADVENTURES OF next retraced our steps in some degree to Pampeluna, in the suburbs of which city we remained a few days, and from thence we again advanced in the direction of the Pyrenees, and took up our quarters at the pretty little town of San Estevan ; here we halted some days also. Our next march was to Lesaca. The enemy had possession of the heights of Santa Barbara, from whence we dislodged them after some hard righting. We remained upon these mountains for several days, but the enemy making an endeavour to relieve Pampeluna which some of our troops were then besieging, a part of our division were ordered to cross the Bidassoa to frustrate this attempt. This could only be done by a forced march at night. We were obliged to have torches and lighted straw to enable us to find our way over the mountains, which were in most places rugged and precipitous, and even without the semblance of a path. The fatigue incident to that night- march, I think I may say, was greater than any of the men of our battalions had before endured ; and after all, you could fire a rifle-ball to where we started from. Accidents were numerous, many of our men had severe falls, and numbers of rifles were broken. But all our hurry was of no avail, as the enemy had been already frus- trated in throwing supplies into Pampeluna. We had again the agreeable task of retracing our steps, with the same hurry we had advanced. By this addition to the fatigue we had previously endured, we lost many of our men who were unable to endure it. There was a sort of rivalry between the regiments of our division who should hold out the longest, urged by this feeling many continued marching until they fell and expired by the road-side. I myself, on the second day fainted ; but, on having my stock taken off, recovered sufficiently to stagger on and finish the march. Descending from the mountains we pursued our march till we came to the bridge that crosses the Bidassoa, where we beheld the French moving along on the other side of the river. The poor fellows, like ourselves, seemed dread- fully harassed. Part of our battalion commenced firing upon them across the river, every shot telling as they A SOLDIER. 165 re treated. To the honour of the British soldiers, however, I am happy to say, that many of our men knowing the sufferings of the French from what they had themselves endured, declined firing, while they called out to the others to spare them, as it was little better than murder. We remained encamped here this night, and the next morning marched back to the heights of Santa Barbara. As soon as we had arrived on the hill, and were anti- cipating a little rest, the assembly sounded, and we were ordered to drive the enemy from a high mountain which they occupied on our right. This was a heavy task at the time ; but to it we went, and in extended order mounted the hill, on the summit of which the enemy were clustered as thick as bees on a hive. After some very hard fighting we carried their position, but not before we had lost many men. While engaged I lost a friend to whom I was much attached, a sergeant named Kelly. He had just invited me to take a draught of wine out of his canteen, and was in the act of handing it to me, when he received a shot through the right temple that came out at the eye. I never before saw a man die so hard. He writhed about, poor fellow, in the greatest agony, without it being in my power to afford him the slightest relief. Some of our men raising a shout that the enemy were flying, I was obliged to leave him for a time. On my return I found him quite dead. This was a bad day's work. Another regiment was left in charge of the hill, and we returned to our camp ground by the river-side. On the 25th of August, it being the anniversary on which the regiment was raised, called among us " The Regiment's Birth-day," a general jollity was kept up throughout the regiment. On this occasion I have often reflected with pleasure on having assisted in saving a gallant soldier from the consequences of a pecuniary loss he had sustained, and which might have embittered the remainder of his life. I allude to a pay-sergeant of one of the companies of our battalion, who, getting rather tipsy, was robbed while in that state of ^831 belonging to his company — the first money, indeed, that had ever been intrusted to his hands, having only just been appointed 166 ADVENTURES OF pay-sergeant. The circumstance had so strong an effect upon him, that on waking me up the following morning and acquainting me with his loss, he stated to me his determination of deserting, as his credit would be for ever destroyed in the regiment, and he could not endure re- maining with the battalion afterwards. Having money by me, I felt much pleasure in arresting the despair that seemed to take possession of the mind of a gallant soldier, and one whom I much esteemed : I enabled him to make up his losses. Some time after, this very sergeant obtained a commission in the second battalion of our regiment : this was the late Quarter-master Robert Fairfoot. Having by me still a very considerable sum, the remnant of my prize at Yittoria, I was naturally apprehensive respecting its safety, particularly as I had no place to keep it but in my knapsack, which I could not always carry about with me. I was consequently obliged to intrust my treasure to the care of a comrade of the name of Bandle, who, true to his charge, never gave me reason to repent my confidence. Many were the stratagems resorted to, to persuade Bandle to relinquish his guard. Sometimes he would be suddenly warned for duty by the non-commissioned officers, as these last assured me " for fun" only, in hopes he would leave it behind him ; but Bandle was always awake, and on these occasions would take my knapsack on his back and leave his own. He was wakeful as a weasel, and faithful as the dog, for both of which qualities I took good care not to be ungrateful. San Sebastian was now closely invested by the British, and eventually, the breaches being considered practicable, preparations were made for the assault. Volunteers ac- cordingly were required from our regiment. The duty was so "attractive" that although two only were to be selected out of each company, six stepped forward from ours. This brought on a controversy, and lots were drawn according to regulation, and decided in favour of two, named Royston and Ryan. The reader may judge of the value attached to this service, when I tell him that the offer of ^620 was A SOLDIER. 167 made and refused for the exchange, thus illustrating the truth of the great dramatist, u He that is truly delicate to war Hath no self-love ; nor he, that loves himself, Hath not essentially, but by circumstance. The name of valour." The next day the town was to he attacked. * Our men were all on the fidget to know the result, and avery tree and hillock within sight or hearing of the scene was taken possession of. At ahout twelve o'clock, a. m., the breaches were as- saulted, and the place carried after a severe contest. Three or four hundred French, unable from the great rains to ford the Bidassoa, charged fiercely upon one of our companies, and another of the second battalion, then posted at the bridge of Vera. After a sanguinary struggle they effected their purpose, and escaped. They were the remnant of the French troops that had forded the river in the morning, and whom our Spanish force distinguished themselves in repulsing. After this we remained quiet for several days in our camp ground. It was about this time that those men of the 52nd, who were fortunate enough to have survived the "forlorn- hope" of Rodrigo and Badajoz, were distinguished with a badge of laurel on the right arm. It was given by their commanding officer as a testimonial of their gallant con- duct, which was expressed by the two letters V. S. or "valiant stormer" placed beneath the wreath. Why the men of our battalion and those of the 43rd, who had equally distinguished themselves on those occasions were not similarly honoured, I know not. For my own part, all I ever received in the way of reward, for my services as a stormer, was the sum of six dollars. This was after the taking of Badajoz. In the French service, those men who volunteered in the ranks of "Les enfants perdus" were always first in the list for commissions, and were distinguished also by a cross of the Legion of Honour, which was so respected amongst their countrymen, that even their comrades were always obliged to salute him who wore it. How must the heart of 168 ADVENTURES OF those thus distinguished beat at the possession of such a mark. How different is the case of the British soldier ! This " hope " in his country remains unnoticed, and he quits its service " equally forlorn" for obscurity without distinction, save that which points him out with his empty sleeves, or wooden stump limping his way to Chelsea. Some, perhaps, may argue that an improvement took place at Waterloo. That may be, if we allude to those, who on that occasion, performed their first and last military feat, and came away unscathed. How "pleasant 5 ' then must it be to the old Peninsulars, whose battles fought and won outnumber perhaps the men of their company, to see whole squads of Waterloos strutting about with medals dangling on jackets which, as their first and last, had scarcely been on long enough to collect the dust of a "donkey's trot." In this camp an order also arrived from the Horse Guards for the appointment of a colour-sergeant in each company, to be considered as senior or sergeant-major with an extra sixpence per day. As no badges (the cross swords) had arrived from England, the deficiency was supplied by our master-tailor, who formed an imitation with coloured silks worked on the arms of the men appointed. CHAPTEE XX. We encamp on the banks of the Bidassoa— Scenes on the water-edge — A narrow- escape with a lady in question, " Ah, there's the rub" — Tom Crawley and the biscuits — Our third battalion carry the heights of Vera — The French camp, "the last of the French" — The Pyrenees — The mountain father — Up hill and down dale — The battle of the Nivelle — Manly and Spanish affection — Blanco again — His gallantry — Tom Crawley — A hug from a granny dear — The last struggle — Crawley's departure — A tear for Tom — A reel — St Jean de Luz — The French endeavour to make a stand — Colonel Sir Andrew Barnard wounded — Death messengers fly fast. We remained encamped, for several weeks, close to the river Bidassoa, Lesaca in our rear, and Vera in our front. We used to amuse ourselves while here, bathing. This A SOLDIER. 169 river which divides the French and Spanish territories, we were on the eve of crossing to go into France. It was heart-stirring to witness our men, as it were, unconsciously exposing to liberated Spain the evidence of the dangers they had endured for her liberation, stripped on its banks, and prepared to dash into the clear water, the perforated and wounded exteriors of the Rifles proved what they had seen and suffered. But the veterans, not thinking thus, generally amused themselves on these occasions by remark- ing and jesting to each other on the peculiar situation of the different bullet holes, and the direction the shot had taken in passing through them. One clay I remember nearly losing my life by my own folly. It was as follows : — We had a very handsome little Spanish girl attached to one of our sergeants, named Dillon : she by some means got to the other side of the river, which was generally occupied by the enemy, crying bitterly, and begging of the men, that were on our side, to get her over, as she was afraid to go to a bridge lower down lest she should be taken by the French. Having a respect for her, I instantly stripped off all except my trowsers, and swam across — for here the river was not wide but deep — and, without a moment's hesitation, placed pretty Louisa, for so she was called, on my back, with the intention, as I thought, of bringing her to our side. Placing her arms round my neck, I waded as far as I was able, and then commenced swimming ; but I no sooner got into the deep water than she squeezed me so tight round the neck that I lost all power, although a good swimmer, and down I went. At first our fellows thought I was playing tricks ; but on rising and bellowing out for assist- ance, they became alarmed, for she stuck to me all the time like a leech. Several of the men upon seeing me go down a second time, stripped and jumped in to my assist- ance ; one of the name of Kelly, of my own company, diving down, for the place was twelve feet deep, seized her by her long hair, and brought both to the surface of the water ; and, by the assistance of the rest, dragged us to land insensible. When I came to myself, I found our head surgeon, Dr. Burke, with some of our fellows^ 170 ADVENTURES OF rubbing me to life again ; and, with the assistance of a little brandy they had poured down our throats, both recovered. For myself, I was able to walk to my tent in the course of some time : but not so with the pretty Louisa, as she was kept wrapped in blankets the whole day. Poor thing ! she remained with the regiment while in Spain, and afterwards followed us to England ; but what ultimately became of her, I know not. Here my old friend, Tom Crawley, got the whole of our regiment out of a precious scrape. It was as follows : — Our division was served out with linen bags, made exactly to fit across our knapsacks, and, at the same time, three days' biscuit (3 lbs.) in each bag. This biscuit was to be kept strapped on the top of each man's knapsack, well tied, with brigade orders for no man to taste a morsel of it, unless given out in written orders to that effect, as our brigadier expected we should be on short commons while on the Pyrenees, and this was to be, in case of scarcity, our last resource. These bags were examined regularly every morning by officers commanding companies, but, while seen strapped snugly on the knapsacks, were considered by them all right. However, our fellows, who were never at a loss for a subterfuge, devised the following plan to evade the officers' vigilance : they eat their biscuits except one whole one, which they kept at top to be seen, and in their place substituted chips. This passed on very well for some time, as the sight of the top biscuit satisfied the officers, until one day Captain Johnson of our regiment took it into his head to see his company's biscuit shaken out, and whilst on private parade ordered them to untie their bags to see their biscuit. The first man on the right of his company was the unfortunate Tom Crawley. "Untie your bag, Crawley/' says the Captain. Tom instantly did as he was ordered, and showed the Captain a very good-looking biscuit a-top. "Shake the whole out," said the Captain, "until I see if they are getting mouldy." " Oh, faith, there is no fear of that," said the astonished Crawley, looking the Captain hard in the face, at the same time casting a woeful eye on his bag. However, the A SOLDIER. 171 Captain was not to be baulked, and taking the bag by both ends, emptied out its contents, which turned out to be nothing more nor less than a few dry chips. Poor Tom, as upright as a dart, stood scratching his head, with a countenance that would make a saint laugh. " What have you done with your biscuit ? have you eaten it, Sir V said the Captain. Tom, motionless, made no answer. " Do you know it is against orders ?" " To be sure I do," says Torn 5 " but, for God's sake, Sir, do you take me for a South American jackass, that carries goold and eats straw ?"* This answer not only set the Captain, but the whole company, in roars of laughter. On further inspection, the Captain found his whole com- pany, indeed the regiment, had adopted the same plan. Through this our bags were taken away, and we relieved from carrying chips. About the beginning of October we had an opportu- nity of witnessing the gallantry of our third battalion. Although they had not seen our service in the country, yet on this occasion they showed themselves " old hands," and worthy of their green jackets. They had to dislodge the enemy, then holding possession of a high hill behind Vera. This they did in most excellent style, in the sight of our division and the fourth . Our battalion was not suf- fered to remain idle, and we soon joined in pursuit of the enemy, who took refuge in the valleys of France. On taking possession of their camp ground we found a whole range of huts, constructed in the most ingenious manner, of turf and stone. One of our men came in for rather a novel prize : this was a large monkey, which we kept in the regiment for some time. One strange antipathy this animal was remarkable for, was his utter dislike to the sight of a woman. On the morning of the 9th, the day after the preceding skirmish of Vera heights, we took ground considerably to the right, marching along the summit of the Pyrenees until we came to a very high hill, on the top of which stood the remains of an ancient castle. Our men styled * Tom served under General Whitelcck in South America. 172 ADVENTURES OF the hill the (i father of the Pyrenees/' as it was by far the highest mountain we had ever seen, and was called LaRhune by the French, who had possession of it. On our arrival we had the satisfaction of compelling them, after a smart skirmish, to evacuate their lofty tenement. Of the diffi- culty of this enterprize some notion may be entertained when it is known that our men had, in most instances, to I crawl up the mountain on their hands and knees, in con- sequence of its steepness. The French, fortunately for them, had a less precipitous side to retreat down, or they must all have been destroyed. My curiosity, after this, led me to explore the old build- ing, in company with one or two comrades. It was originally the ruin of a very strong fortress or castle, in which, I subsequently heard, the Spaniards used formerly to keep state prisoners. After searching about for some time we discovered a narrow pathway that conducted us to a cellar or cavern, which, to our surprise, we found tenanted by an old gentleman with a venerable beard, and who received us very courteously. He seemed a hermit from his appearance, but how he managed to maintain his residence against the dominion of eagles, vultures, and owls, as well as the occasional jar of contending parties, was a wonder he did not condescend to explain. The only gift we could obtain was a little spring water, which, after our scramble, was refreshing. The splendid view from our elevated position, however, made ample amends for our work. * Our battalion at this time was stationed about a mile below La Rhune, and greatly exposed to the storms of wind and rain that we experienced at this period, together with scarcity of provisions. Few of the country people visited us, so that even those in possession of money found little or no benefit from it. Meanwhile the French army, who were encamped about three-quarters of a mile in our front, we had reason to believe, were more fortunate, as they were plentifully supplied with provisions. Oc- casionally, too, some of our officers were visited by a supply that was smuggled past the French lines. A general attack upon the enemy was now daily ex- A SOLDIER, 173 pected, as Lord Wellington with hfs staff had heen observed inspecting the enemy's position with more than ordinary care for the last two or three mornings. On the 9th of November every disposition having been made for attack, the following morning ushered in the battle of the Nivelle. The company I belonged to being this night on picquet, we had orders on the first dawn of light to attack and drive in the enemy's picquet opposed to us ; and as we were preparing for the task, to our surprise we beheld the whole of our division about a hundred yards in our rear waiting to support us. As soon as our attack com- menced we could hear the alarm given by at least a hundred drums and bugles ; and as the light dawned more clearly, we could see the French columns all in motion, The remainder of our battalion and division coming up, we were soon hotly engaged, a valley only partially separating us from the main body of the enemy. After we had routed them from their first line, and were getting close to their second, an incident occurred that fell under my observation, and I may say, of the greater part of our company. There was a man of the name of Mauley, a shoemaker, who fell shot through the head. This man, nearly the w T hole time we had been in Spain, lived with a Spanish woman, who was tenderly attached to him. She always got as near to her lover as possible during action, generally on a donkey. On this occasion some of our wounded men passing, informed her Mauley was killed. The poor girl was almost distracted ; leaving her donkey and stores behind her (for she acted in some degree as one of the suttlers to our regiment), she rushed down to the spot where Mauley had fallen. We were then in the thick of the fight, and our only safety was cover, as the balls came as thick as hail, so that every moment I expected to see the poor woman shot. She, however, seemed callous to every danger : throwing herself on the blood-stained body of her lover, she commenced giving way to the most appalling ebullition of grief, tearing her hair and wringing her hands. The gallantry of Blanco, the revengeful Spaniard, whom 174 ADVENTURES OF I have previously mentioned at Vittoria, was conspicuous on this occasion. He had been an intimate friend of Mauley. Seeing the danger his countrywoman was ex- posed to, he rushed boldly from his cover, and placing himself in front of her, continued loading and firing at the enemy, loudly swearing all the time such oaths only as a Spaniard can do justice to. Notwithstanding the real horrors of the scene, it was impossible to resist the impulse of laughter at the fierce grimaces and oaths of Blanco, who escaped as it were almost by a miracle. A part of our division at this time were endeavouring to enter the French lines on our right. But the enemy seemed determined to defend their huts, which they had doubtless been at considerable trouble to construct, and the action there was close and sanguinary ; part of our battalion taking them on the right flank, they were eventually obliged to yield. As soon as we had arrived at the huts, which they had arranged in most excellent order, and from which they had reluctantly been compelled to retreat, in passing along a row of them I heard a scuffle going on in one, and on entering it I beheld a huge French grenadier, with red wings, and my old acquaintance Tom Crawley struggling together on the ground. The Frenchman had been surprised, but was getting the better of Tom, when my appearance at once determined the matter, and the grenadier surrendered. It appeared from what I could make out that the Frenchman in his hasty retreat from the hut had forgotten some of his needfuls, and on his return for them, was met at the doorway by Tom, who, according to his old custom, was preparing to explore its interior. Crawley was im- mediately attacked by the grenadier with fixed bayonet. Poor Tom, in his attempt to parry off a thrust, received the blade through his right hand, and bled profusely. We did not kill the Frenchman but left him to the mercy of the Ca9adores, who were following close behind us. Tom went to the rear, and I never saw him afterwards, nor can I say I have since heard of him. Many an anxious inquiry was made, many an old scene was revived, and A SOLDIER. 175 passed current amongst us, and Tom Crawley will live in our recollections as long as we can enjoy the good company of a comrade. The enemy, although retreating, did so in an orderly manner, keeping up a tolerably brisk fire. I had no sooner regained the line of skirmishers than I received a severe hit just about the centre of my waist, that nearly knocked me down, and for the moment I imagined myself mortally wounded through the body; however, on my examining, I found myself only slightly bruised. A ball had actually stuck in the serpent* of my waistbelt, from whence it was afterwards taken out with difficulty. After I had recovered from the shock, I joined in the pursuit of the enemy, who once or twice attempted to make a stand, but we were close at their heels, so they thought it better to pursue their way at an accelerated pace, covered, however, by some battalions of light troops, who displayed considerable coolness. The French de- scended the heights, at the foot of which stands the pretty little town of St. Jean de Luz, with its white houses. Our battalion was hotly following, engaged in sharp skirmishing, when our gallant Colonel, Sir Andrew Barnard, who was very conspicuous during the day, on a brown long-tailed horse, received a shot in the breast. On running up to him, which I did with several other men, we perceived him spit blood, but he would not dismount. One of our buglers supported him on his horse, while another led it to the rear. Immediately after this occurrence, my attention was attracted by seeing the 52nd regiment charge up the side of a hill on our right, and take a fort. Shots are very strange things, and fly fast: a Sergeant Watts, of the Rifles, at this moment, received a ball in the head, being next to him, he laid hold of me with both hands, at the same time calling out — " Am I dead ? Am I dead ?" Poor fellow ! he was mortally wounded, and it was with difficulty I could extricate myself from his deadly grasp. The French, after a severe loss, made good their retreat * The brass clasp or hook that fastens the belt. 176 ADVENTURES OF across the river that leads to St. Jean de Luz. With our usual luck we took up our camp on the side of a bleak and barren hill for the night. After this we got into better quarters on the other side of the river. This was at a chateau called Arcangues. We were as usual in the im- mediate front of the enemy, and our outlying sentinels and theirs were little more than thirty yards apart. While here, such a good feeling reigned among the French and our men, that they frequently went into each other's picquet houses — terms of intimacy which they extended to neither the Spanish nor Portuguese troops, for whom they expressed an unmeasured contempt. But this state of things at our outposts was too subversive of discipline to be tolerated by those in command, and of course was only done upon a reliance of mutual honour on the sly ; still it exhibits a pleasing picture of the absence of all revenge and prejudice on either side among men of opposing interests. This feeling, however, could not stay the effu- sion of blood that was still to be shed. CHAPTER XXL 9th December— Our picquets driven in— We are nearly outflanked — We retire— A rally under the eye of Wellington — Lieutenant Hopwood and Sergeant Brotherwood killed— Excellent feeling between the French and English soldiers— Consequent General Order — Johnny Castles in the advance — Picquet- house— Murder at Tarbes— Blanco again— Collection made for the widow- Battle of Toulouse— " Amende Honourable"— We encamp on the banks of the Garonne — " Fall in"— The Spaniards make a mistake— General Picton recti- fies it— The enemy retreat into Toulouse— They evacuate the town— French leave— Theatre of Toulouse — " A Rifleman on the look out." On the 9th of December they drove in the picquets, which were chiefly furnished from our battalion. The columns of the enemy came briskly forward with the apparent intention of driving us from our position. Our company had been ordered to line some brushwood on the side of a lane that led from the chateau, where we received them with a fierce and deadly fire, as they came on, which they replied to with spirit, at the same time endeavouring to outflank our position. In assisting to repel this attempt A SOLDIER. 177 we came in for a shower of shot, and Lieutenant Hopwood and Sergeant Brotherwood, with several more of our party, were killed on the spot. By this time they were getting round us, and our opponents perceiving how few our numbers were, comparatively to their own, at once at- tempted to close, and fairly obliged us to take to our heels down a field. From thence we sprang into the lane ; in doing which I remember dropping my cap, where it remained during the day, until I regained possession of it on the retreat of the enemy. At this period Lord Wellington and his staff were watching our motions through their glasses from the chateau, which some one made known. Seeing ourselves under the eye of the Commander-in-chief, we instantly rallied. Our third battalion meanwhile were hotly en- gaged on our left. They, however, found themselves unable to make any serious impression, and were not sorry, I dare say, when night closed upon their baffled columns. As to ourselves, we had little respite from the fatigues of the day, as we were busily employed in fortifying the chateau for the anticipated attack of the morrow. On the following morning however, the enemy retreated within their works, upon which we took possession of our former ground, where we found the bodies of Lieutenant Hopwood and of poor Brotherwood, both of which had been stripped, and covered partially with a little loose earth. After this we had a succession of fights or skirmishes with the enemy for the five or six days following, which is called the battle of Bayonne, but without eliciting any particular result. We still kept up an excellent private feeling on both sides at the outposts. As an instance, although I must remark a general order had been pro- mulgated prohibiting all intercourse with the enemy on pain of death, our company was on picquet near a dwelling called Garrett's house, when we clubbed half a dollar each, and sent a man into the French picquet-house to purchase brandy. It was, I recollect, Christmas-night. Grindle, the name of the man who was our messenger, staying longer than was usual, we became alarmed, and imagining 178 ADVENTURES OF something must have happened to him, sent two other men in quest of him. These learnt from the nearest French sentry that Grindle was lying drunk in their picquet-house. Fearful that the circumstances should come to the know- ledge of Lieutenant Gardiner, the officer of our picquet, they went and brought Grindle back with them quite drunk ; but just as they were emerging from the French lines, who should ride down to the front post but Sir James Kempt, who commanded our division at that time. He instantly ordered Grindle to be confined ; he was so fortunate as to escape, however, with only a slight punish- ment. About the beginning of January, 1814, the enemy were seen advancing, as we understood, to straighten our lines, that were in a half circle. With three or four others, I was ordered to hold possession of a small farm-house that communicated with some cross roads, and to keep up a brisk fire until the assemblee sounded, in which case we were to retreat upon the company, who occupied a hedge two hundred yards in our rear. On our right was a high stone wall, and on our left, in parallel, was a hedge also that served as a cover for the French who, by this time, had possession of it. Between was an open field, our only passage. As soon as the assemblee was heard, we of course, were on the alert to retreat, but this was to be accom- plished only at very imminent risk, for the moment we showed our noses, we were saluted with a regular hailstorm of bullets, which put us all in rather moody condition. It was proposed, however, to retire by independent files. The first to " run the gauntlet" was a tall, gaunt Irish- man, and such a shower whizzed about him as almost unnerved the rest of us. Johnny Castles, who had figured at Badajoz with a rope round his neck, and yet had escaped, was one of the party. He was particularly at a stand- still; since the "hanging business" he had made up his mind to live for ever, and had grown fat on it ; but his corpulency now threatened to mark him out. " Oh, dom your limbs," growled Johnny, in the true Caledonian dialect, with an awful grin, "ye are the rascals to drink and carouse with as ye did yesterday. Eh, look A SOLDIER. 179 at 'em ! dom their eyes, they are sure to hit me !" and away he bolted, ducking his head, his face half averted all the way. Johnny, however, was spherical, and puffed and blowed like a whale, while the French peppered away at him in prime style, the dust rising from the balls in every direction. Johnny however, escaped, with a brace of samples through his knapsack and mess-tin, and rolled over the hedge. Taking advantage of the welcome given to Castles, Gilbert and I, without allowing them to reload, followed, and as the devil would have it, the pair of us arrived as safely. There now only remained our comrade Jones, a good-looking Welshman, who quickly came after us, but he, poor fellow ! was met half-way by a shot. After all, the enemy never took the house, for by a reinforcement from the 52nd we beat them back again. I often laugh at the recollection of Johnny Castles, though I must say, I funked dreadfully. Like the frogs in the fable, though death to us, it was sport to the French, who kept roaring with laughter as we bolted by. Castles, after this affair, could never be induced to drink or hold any acquaintance with the enemy. Having remained some four or five months at Arcan- gues, on the 21st of February, 1814, the army broke up their cantonments, and marched for Toulouse. Our battalion, standing in need of new clothing, did not march with the division, but were ordered into St. Jean de Luz, where we received them. In the course of some time afterwards we rejoined our division. This was after the battle of Orthes had been fought, and which our battalion felt much chagrined in not being present at. On the 18th of March a circumstance occurred at Piaisance, near the town of Tarbes, which I cannot help noticing. A French peasant was shot, under circum- stances that fixed the crime upon some of the men of our company. Although the greatest endeavours were made to discover the culprit, and the company punished to make them give him up, still it was without avail. The facts of the case were these. Blanco, the Spaniard, accompanied by one or two of our men, went out this evening in search n 2 180 ADVENTURES OF of wine. They entered the house of a peasant who, resisting the intrusion, struck Blanco, for which the Spaniard instantly shot him on the spot. A very hand- some collection was made for the widow and children of the poor peasant, for whose distress a very sincere sym- pathy was entertained by our battalion. Three months afterwards I was told that Blanco was the perpetrator of this cruel deed. The morning we left Plaisance we had a long and dreary march over a range of hills, until we came to the village of Tarbes, a short distance beyond which we observed the enemy in possession of a hill both sides of the road to Toulouse. We were immediately ordered to commence an attack upon them. Passing on at the "double," some of our regiments of cavalry gave us an encouraging huzza as we passed up the road. The French had thrown up strong entrenchments, and were, to use a nautical phrase, " tier above tier." I never remember to have been so warmly engaged as on this occasion, except at Badajoz. The enemy were in great numbers, our attacking force few, being only our three battalions of Rifles which their bullets were fast thinning as we strug- gled up the hill : still, although under every disadvantage, the victors of so many hard fights were not to be repelled, and the French were obliged to retreat. I was very sorry this day for striking a poor Frenchman whom I came up with, as I discovered he was badly wounded ; but I made the amende honorable by a sup from my canteen, which he received with grace. "We saw but little of the enemy after this, until we came within sight of Toulouse, where they seemed determined on a resolute stand. We took up our cantonments on this side of the Garonne in the beginning of April. The aspect of the country here was very agreeable : it abounded in wine of a rather superior quality to what had hitherto been served out as our rations. Although the inhabitants, from Marshal Soult's orders, had been obliged to fly on our approach, yet, I am happy to say that our men were restrained from most of those excesses in the waste and destruction of property, that had taken place in Portugal A SOLDIER. 181 and Spain. This was greatly occasioned by the very excellent general order of Lord Wellington, published throughout the army at that period, explaining to the troops that although we were at war with an usurper and his army, we were not with the inoffensive country-people, who were subjected by fear. About twelve o'clock on the night of the 9th of April we were ordered to fall in. We marched to the side of the Garonne, which we crossed by means of a pontoon bridge, and took up our station behind the walls of a chateau about a mile from the town. Having had scarcely any rest the preceding night, most of our men were buried in profound sleep, when we were suddenly roused by the most expressive words to the ear of a soldier — "Fall in." This was done in an instant, and we were ordered to advance in double time. As we proceeded, we heard a heavy firing as if from the left of the town, and soon after beheld a disorganized mass of Spanish soldiers flying towards us. At first some of our fellows took them for the French, and fired among them, by which some lives were lost. They were a part of the Spanish force who attempted to carry a French fort or redoubt, from which the enemy had sent them to the right-about faster than they had come. We continued to approach the town, which was protected by a long series of fortifications, and that appeared full of men. On our approaching, they opened a running fire from some field- works, but with little execution, as we were sheltered by some trees and walls of houses near the place where we halted. We had not remained in this quiescent state long, when the thunder of the conflict was heard going on in full roar on our left : the salvos of artillery, with the constant cracking of musketry and the rushing sound of shells, together with the occasional wild " hurra," formed a very pretty concert. The scene was still more electri- fying when we found it to be the sixth division engaged in storming batteries, which the Spaniards had just run from ; they at length carried them, after a hard tug, in glorious style ; General Picton's division was also conspicuously engaged on our right, close to the river. The general 182 ADVENTURES OF attack was crowned with the Duke of Wellington's usual success : the enemy retreating over the bridges of the canal of Languedoc into the town of Toulouse,, while we took possession of their outworks. The French army on the second day evacuated Toulouse, as the town was completely commanded by the batteries we had taken. Our battalion was ordered to take pos- session of part of the suburbs, near the canal. Although there was a strict order that no man should be allowed to go into the town, my curiosity induced me to take iC French leave" to see a place I had heard so much of; so I managed to elude the vigilance of the sentry. I found almost all the shops open, and business going on apparently as if nothing had taken place. Hearing that the theatre was open, I was induced to pay it a visit : it was very crowded. One box I perceived very magnificently fitted up, and surmounted by laurel, and while I was wondering for whose occupation it was intended, my curiosity was at once allayed by the arrival of the Duke and his staff, who were received with loud acclamations. " God save the King 3 ' was played, and all appeared to testify the greatest pleasure on the occasion but myself. I, indeed, I must fairly confess, feared that my insignificance would not conceal me from the glance of the chief or some of his staff, although wedged into the centre of a dense crowd in the pit. My dark dress, however, effectually screened me. CHAPTEE XXII. We continue to pursue the enemy on their retreat — Halted on the second day — A carriage brings Soult and peace—French troops disbanded— Friendly inter- course with our men — Castle Sarazin — Our men prefer the ground for a bed, in preference to a feather one — The French sergeant — The invitation — Parade — The dinner — Farewell to the Spaniards and Portuguese— Cupid enlisting deserters — Poor Blanco — Embarkation for England — The c Ville de Paris' — The sergeant in hope of a wife — Arrival at Portsmouth— The sergeant in search of a wife — Their meeting and parting. A few days after we had to execute our old manoeuvre of allowing the French no time to rest, as we were put in motion after them. On the second day as we halted on A SOLDIER. 183 the Paris road, our men reposing from the fatigue of the morning's march, we heard several loud huzzas in our front. This was followed by the appearance of a carriage and four horses, which contained a French officer, who we afterwards understood was Marshal Soult. The carriage was attended by a detachment of English and French cavalry ; the shouting arose from the tidings that were joyfully repeated, that peace was proclaimed, and that Bonaparte had retired to Elba. We were immediately on this intelligence ordered to the right-about, and marched back to Toulouse. Before we had proceeded many miles we were overtaken on the road by great numbers of French soldiers who had been dis- banded, or had disbanded themselves, and who now were about returning to their homes, tired enough, no doubt, like ourselves, of the war they had been engaged so long in carrying on. The good-feeling testified by many of these really fine-looking fellows to us was general, the Frenchmen in many instances sharing the fatigue in carry- ing our men's knapsacks, &c. " As for myself, upon my simple word, I'd rather see a score of friendly fellows shaking hands, Than all the world in arms." From Toulouse we marched, in a few days, to Castle Sarazin, situated on the right bank of the Garonne, between the previously-mentioned town and Bordeaux. Here we came in for most delightful quarters, being billeted in the houses, where we all had excellent beds. But it was highly amusing to see our rough, hardy fellows spurn this latter luxury — which one would have thought would have been most welcome — with contempt. From having almost constantly been exposed for the previous five or six years to have " the earth their rude bed, their canopy the sky," with generally a stone for a pillow, our men could obtain no sleep on beds of down ; and it was actually a fact, that they preferred wrapping a blanket round them and the hard floor, as a place of rest : so much for custom. At Castle Sarazin we used to be on our usual excellent 184 ADVENTURES OF terms with the French quartered in the neighbourhood, and to while away the time had constant matches with them in running, jumping, and gymnastic exercises. I got acquainted here with a very smart fellow — a French sergeant belonging to the 43rd regiment. A friendship was cemented between us, naturally enough, by our both being free-masons. One day we were sitting in a wine-house, when the subject of fencing — a science at which the French prize themselves in excelling — was started. My friend, the sergeant, was observing he was a tolerable hand with the foil, when a short lump of a fellow, who proved to be the fencing-master of the town, overhearing him, immediately challenged him to a trial of skill. This the sergeant in an instant accepted, and the sport, at which he showed him- self a perfect adept, at the fencing-master's cost, was carried on with perfect good-humour, until a fierce dispute arose about a hit, when it was mutually agreed to de- termine the controversy with points. A pair of foils with sharpened points, kept for this particular service were immediately produced, while the by-standers instantly commenced betting upon the combatants with all the sang froid in the world. Both had taken off their coats and bared their right arms for the strife, when — I am sorry to disappoint the reader, who may expect an account of a duel — our guard, which some good-natured soul had privately summoned, came in and put an end to the affair, greatly to the chagrin of the sergeant, who swore he would have killed the professor on the spot. That same evening the sergeant, whose name, in the lapse of years, I have forgotten, went to our Colonel and obtained leave for me to visit him at Montauban, where his regiment, the 43rd, was quartered. He had invited a corporal, myself, and another, to a dinner given by the non-commissioned officers of his regiment. On the day appointed away we started, Gilbert, the corporal, and myself. I shall never forget it. It was a fine morning. After crossing the Garonne in open boats, for the bridge had been destroyed previous to the battle of Toulouse, we entered Montauban, and found the 43rd and two other A SOLDIER. 185 regiments forming a brigade, drawn up on parade in the square of the town, and two splendid bands playing in front. As we went in search of our friend we had to pass down the front of two of the French regiments, which we did, saluting, soldier-like, their officers. The latter re- turned our salute in the manner for which they are so justly remarked, and made us feel not a little proud of their courtesy. Our uniforms were almost new, and fitted us well. My two comrades had the advantage of being tall, and exceedingly smart-looking fellows ; for myself, I was fat as a butt, and as strong as I looked. We moved along the line, until we fell in with the sergeant, who, starting out of the ranks, gave us a hearty welcome. We waited beside him while the band played some favourite airs, until the regiments were dismissed. But they had scarcely broken their ranks when their officers crowded around us, and severally shook us by the hand, giving us also sundry smacks on the shoulders, with " Bravos les Anglais, soyez les bien venus," &c. The sergeant escorted us immediately to his quarters. The dining-room was a splendid one, and fitted up beautifully. The tables groaned under every delicacy of the season, and we did not forget, even here, to do "justice" to the acknowledged " merits " of John Bull in all matters of this "nature." Much good feeling and conviviality followed ; and encomiums and compliments were passed on the English ; all went on very well until singing was introduced with the removal of the cloth. It had been agreed among the French that no song should be sung that reflected upon our country. Several famous songs, so far as we could understand, were introduced. Our sergeant gave us an excellent specimen ; and Gilbert and myself joined also in our own rough manner. But a French corporal, under the influence of wine, commenced a " Chanson de guerre," rather contre les Anglais, for which, with a very proper feeling, he was by general consent kicked down stairs. The guests, however, resumed their seats, and all went on as quietly as before ; here we remained enjoying ourselves till three the next morning, when we were accompanied to 136 ADVENTURES OF the boats by a number of tbeir band, playing fC Patrick's Day," as they escorted us down to the river-side. The foregoing anecdote, trivial and uninteresting as it may seem, still serves to show, in a pleasing point of view, the hospitality and kind feelings of the French, who have always claimed our highest respect. In a few days we received an order to proceed to Bordeaux, to embark for England. The delightful emo- tions of pleasure this generally induced throughout our men, after all their hardships and sufferings, may be better imagined than described. The second day's march we stopped at a village, the name of which I forget, where we had to part from our allies, the Spanish and Portuguese. Much, and even deep feelings of regret, were particularly felt by the men of our battalion on parting from the Spaniards, who had been for so long a period incorporated in our ranks. They had been distinguished for their gallantry, and although sixteen had been drafted into our company, but five had survived to bid us farewell. Poor fellows, they had grown attached to the battalion, and ex- pressed much grief on leaving ! Even Blanco, the sanguinary Blanco, actually shed tears. Notwithstanding the wretched and ineffective state of the Spanish armies during the campaigns in the Peninsula, I am convinced, and have indeed become more so from subsequent ex- perience, that there is right stuff in the men to make excellent soldiers, far superior to the Portuguese. Many men of our regiment, bound by the charms of the Signorettas, who had followed their fortunes throughout the war, took this opportunity to desert their country's cause, to take up that of their Dulcineas. Among others were two of my own company, who, not contented with the "arms" offered by these "invincibles" took rifles and all with them, and we never saw or heard of them after. We embarked in high spirits at Bordeaux, for Ports- mouth, on board the c Ville de Paris,' Captain Jones, com- mander. She was a splendid ship, and astonished us all with the size and regularity of her crew. The sailors, who seldom like a red coat, went hand in hand with us green jackets, and were a jolly set of fellows. A SOLDIER, 187 We had in our regiment, at this time, now on hoard with us, and on his way to England, a sergeant of the name of S n, (which must be a sufficient explanation to the reader, as he is, I understand, now Irving, and in London), a fine, smart-looking fellow, about six feet in height. He had been with us during the whole of the Peninsular campaign, and was one of those who, after the battle of Corunna, had remained in Spain. He was now on his passage homeward to his wife, to whom he had been married for ten or eleven years, and whom, some months after the wedding, he was obliged to leave with her friends at Portsmouth to rejoin his regiment, then going abroad ; by some unaccountable circumstances, incidental to long campaigns, he never had received any tidings of or from her ; and he consequently was now very uncertain as to where he should find her, or whether she were living or dead. On the 22nd July, 1814, we anchored at Spithead, the sailors cheering us and manning the yards as we went ashore. As soon, however, as we landed at our destina- tion, he requested of me to assist him in his search. After tramping up and down and around Portsmouth, in vain, we at last made a stand in High Street — indeed he was growing almost desperate with disappointment — and here he made random inquiries of every person he met. This eventually drew a crowd of women of all ages about him but not one could answer his inquiry. He was on the point of giving it up altogether, when an old woman on crutches, from the rear of the crowd, casting a very shrewd keen look at him, asked him to repeat the name, " Mary S n," shouted my friend. " Ah !" exclaimed the hag, rather musingly, "if you will just inquire at No. — , near the Post-office, at the back of the street, you will, I think, find the party you require," casting up her eye as she finished her directions. Away we hurried, some five or six women straggling after us, and in a few minutes found ourselves at the door of a small neat-built cottage. After knocking — every moment seemed an hour to my poor friend, until the door was opened — a pretty- 188 ADVENTURES OF looking little girl, of about ten years of age, inquired his errand. " Does Mrs. S n," asked the sergeant, and paused to look at the child, "does^Mary S n live here?" "Yes," said the little girl, starting with surprise, "that's my name." " Right," exclaimed the sergeant, clasping the astonished little one in his arms, and dashing into a side room well sprinkled with children. "Where, where' s your mother ?" The words were scarcely uttered, than a shrill shriek was heard from the inner apartment, and at the same moment the mother rushed before us, and gazing on him fell in- stantly into a fit of hysterics. My poor friend looked perplexed ; his features alternately changing from doubts to fears, with uncertain satisfaction. The little one was in an instant out of the house, and returned in a short time, leading in a square, well-made, good-looking man, in ap- pearance a carpenter. The facts were stubbornly plain to every one. The children, the comfortable, respectable air of the place, were too plain ; and the two husbands now stood within range of each other, with nostrils dilated in agony, and hands clenched, awaiting an expected onset. I think I never saw two better models of manhood in its prime, wrought up to melancholy and indescribable excitement. The two men, as it were, dug their eyes into each other, and then on the shrieking woman, who in recovering a little clung, as if for refuge, to the carpenter. My poor comrade, hitherto on the rack of suspense, now suddenly drew breath, and taking a skipping-rope which his daughter held in her hand, threw it lightly over his wife's neck. "Now," said he, in a somewhat col- lected tone, " Now, Mr. Carpenter, as it appears that Mary, who was my wife, has decided on her choice, sup- pose we have a bargain on the matter ? It's no use our skirmishing about in this manner any longer ; (and I have no doubt of your abilities,") pointing to the children, who crowded round the parents and opposite the sergeant. " With Mary's consent, as she seems to prefer your manner A SOLDIER. 189 of doing business, suppose you clinch the bargain with a sixpence, and take her to you altogether ?" The money was handed out in a moment, and as quickly passed be- tween the sergeant's teeth, while he employed both hands to withdraw his sash aside, and taking from his pocket a guinea, which throwing into his only daughter's lap, left the scene, closed the door, and hurried into a small public - house across the street. " Come, landlord, a pot of your sixpenny," throwing down the ill-fated bit of silver, u and take that for your settlement ; and Ned," said he, turning to me, "call for your likings." He grasped the vessel as the landlord handed it, and swallowed the whole at a draught, like a man who had thirsted for a week ; smacked his lips, in conclusion of the barter, cast two or three glances up and down his person, then rubbing his hands smartly together, strutted up the street as if nothing whatever had annoyed him. CHAPTER XXIII. Quartered in Dover — Receive our new clothing, &c. — May, 1315 — Receive orders to embark for Ostend — We arrive safe — Bruges — Ghent — Brussels — 15th of June — Belong to the fifth division under General Picton — Descend the wood of Soignies to Waterloo — Duke of Wellington arrives from Brussels — Battle of Waterloo — I receive a wound in my right hand, shatters one of my fingers — Return to Brussels — The pretty house-keeper — The child — Its dead mother — Genappe — Scenes on the road to Brussels — Arrival at Brussels — Numbers of wounded in the streets— Kindness and attention of the Brussels' ladies — The fair surgeon. Safely returned to England, and quartered in Dover barracks, our men soon forgot the fatigues of the Peninsu- lar campaigns ; and being joined by a batch of recruits, and supplied with new clothing, the old soldiers once more panted for fresh exploits ; for their souls were strong for war, and peace became irksome to them — nor were they long disappointed. In the beginning of May, 1815, we received orders to embark at Dover for Ostend, where we arrived safe ; from thence we proceeded through Bruges to Ghent in open boats by the canal : here we 190 ADVENTURES OF halted a few days, and then marched to Brussels, where we remained several weeks, not even dreaming an enemy was near us. On the 15th of June, as I retired to bed, at the hour of eleven o'clock at night, I heard bugles sounding and drums beating through different parts of the city. Equipping myself as quickly as possible, and entering the market- place, I found the whole of our division assembling. I then belonged to the fifth division, under the command of General Sir Thomas Picton. Being orderly non-com- missioned officer of the company at the time, I received orders to draw three days' rations for the men, the chief part of this was left behind, as none but old soldiers knew its value, or felt inclined to take part with them ; some of the men, however, cursed their hard fate for not taking away a portion. All things arranged, we passed the gates of Brussels, and descended the wood of Soignies, that leads to the little village of Waterloo. It was the 16th — a beautiful summer morning — the sun slowly rising above the horizon and peeping through the trees, while our men were as merry as crickets, laughing and joking with each other, and at times pondered in their minds what all this fuss, as they called it, could be about ; for even the old soldiers could not believe the enemy were so near. We halted at the verge of the wood, on the left of the road, behind the village of Waterloo, where we remained for some hours ; the recruits lay down to sleep, while the old soldiers commenced cooking. I could not help noticing while we remained here, the birds in full chorus, straining their little throats as if to arouse the spirits of the men to fresh vigour for the bloody conflict they were about to engage in. Alas ! how many of our brave companions, ere that sun set, were no more ! About nine o'clock, the .Duke of Wellington with his staff, came riding from Brussels and passed us to the front ; shortly afterwards, orders were given to the Rifles to fall in and form the advanced- guard of our division, and follow. We moved on through the village of Waterloo, and had not proceeded far, when, for the first time, we heard distant cannon ; it was, I be- lieve, the Prussians engaged on our extreme left. A SOLDIER, 191 About three o'clock in the afternoon we arrived at four roads ; at this time there was a smart firing going on in our front ; this,, I believe, was caused by some Belgians playing at long shot with the enemy. Here I again saw the Duke of Wellington looking through his glass, as we halted a few moments ; this was at Quatre Bras, and im- mediate orders were given by one of the Duke's staff to occupy a clump of trees a little on our left ; our company were ordered to take possession of it. While performing this task I could see the enemy emerging from a wood about a mile on our right, which was rather on a hill, with a clear plain between us. We had scarcely taken pos- session of the wood, when, for the first time, I beheld a French cuirassier or vidette. He was in an instant fired at by our men and his horse shot under him ; he dis- engaged himself from the stirrups as the horse was failing, waving his sword over his head to put us at defiance, but he was immediately dropped by another rifle-shot. I think I can venture to assert that our company was the first of the British army who pulled a trigger at this cele- brated battle. The enemy's light troops, I could soon perceive, in ex- tended order, and in great force coming down to oppose us. This caused a corresponding movement on our part, and we were ordered to take ground to our left, passing close to a pond of water, the main road separating us from the enemy. While executing this the French commenced a very brisk fire on us, until we gained possession of a few houses on the main road on a rising ground, which two companies of our Rifles instantly occupied. The remainder of our division was now enveloped in one blaze of fire on the plain before mentioned. But we remained very quietly where we were, until the French bringing up some artillery, began riddling the house with round-shot. Feeling rather thirsty, I had asked a young woman in the place for a little water, which she was handing to me, when a ball passed through the building, knocking the dust about our ears : strange to say, the girl appeared less alarmed than myself. Fearing that we might be surrounded, we were at length 192 ADVENTURES OF obliged to leave the building, in doing which we were fiercely attacked by a number of French voltigeurs, who forced us to extend along a lane, from whence we as smartly retaliated, and a galling fire was kept up for some time on both sides. It is remarkable that recruits in action are generally more unfortunate than the old soldiers. We had many fine fellows, who joined us on the eve of our leaving England, who were killed here. The reason of this is, that an old rifleman will seek shelter, if there be any near his post, while the inexperienced recruit appears as if petrified to the spot by the whizzing balls, and unnecessarily ex- poses himself to the enemy's fire. Being hard pressed by superior numbers, we were at length joined by a number of Belgians, and received orders to advance, which we did, driving the enemy through the skirts of a wood, and passing a field of rye, which ob- structed them from our view. As soon, however, as we emerged from the wood, a regiment of French infantry on our right received us with a running fire. I was in the act of taking aim at some of our opposing skirmishers, when a ball struck my trigger finger, tearing it off, and turning the trigger aside ; while a second shot passed through the mess-tin on my knapsack. Several of our men were killed by this volley, and Lieutenant Gardiner, a worthy little officer of the company, was severely wounded in the lower part of the leg. We wounded men made the best of our way to the rear ; and on my return to the house at the corner of the lane, I found the pretty Belgian still in pos- session, looking out of the window, and seemingly quite unconcerned, although a dozen shots had perforated the house : all our entreaties for her to leave were in vain, as her father, she said, had desired her to take care of the place until he returned from Brussels. The dusk of the evening soon set in, myself and numbers of others disabled, took up our quarters for the night in another farm-house lower down, and some distance from the main road. The house became soon thronged with the wounded of our division, who were momentarily brought in, until the A SOLDIER. 193 out-houses, courtlages, &c., were literally crammed. All the straw and hay that could be obtained was procured, of which, fortunately, there was plenty, and strewed every- where to lay the men on. To sleep was impossible with the anguish of my shattered hand and the groans of my fellow-sufferers. The dawn came on before we were aware of it, and ere it was light, our advanced sentries were again in continual skirmish along the whole line ; indeed, the balls kept patting through the doors and windows as we lay there. Such as were able to walk soon started for Brussels ; but several of the severely wounded were obliged to be left behind for want of conveyances. We had not proceeded far towards the main road along a pathway partially protected by a hedge from the enemy's fire, when one of my companions heard the cries of a child on the other side ; on looking over he espied a fine boy, about two or three years of age, by the side of its dead mother, who was still bleeding copiously from a wound in the head, occasioned, most likely, by a random shot from the enemy. We carried the motherless, and perhaps, orphan child, by turns, to Genappe, where we found a number of women of our division, one of whom recognised the little fellow, I think she said, as belonging to a soldier of the First Royals. Genappe, also, was literally crowded with the wounded, who were conveyed with every possible dispatch to Brussels. Feeling most anxious to know the fate of our regiment, I stood on a hedgerow, on the skirts of the village, when I descried the division retreating towards us, the rain at the time coming down in torrents. I remained until some of the regiments entered the village, together with many of our wounded, who gave me information that our regiment, with the cavalry, formed the rear-guard. I now retraced my steps the same road I had advanced, and once more arrived at the little village of Waterloo, which many of our men never saw again, as our battalion lost more on the 16th than on the 18th of June. Here I stopped for the night. The cries of the wounded on their way, in cart-loads, to Brussels, were most distressing, and o 194 ADVENTURES OF many carts broke down through being overloaded, and through their haste to get forward. It is curious to observe the confusion and uproar that generally exists in the rear of an army in battle, while all in front is order and regularity. Many people imagine the reverse. This, however, is generally to be imputed to the soldiers' wives and camp followers of all descriptions, who crowd in great numbers, making inquiries after their hus- bands, friends, &c, for whom they generally are prepared with liquors, and other refreshments. I had no such ties, save my comrades, who now were too busily occupied watching their enemies, and with their own personal consi- derations, to have either time or opportunity to inquire after mine. The crowds of carts, horses, &c, which thickly thronged the roadway, were greeted on all sides by anxious faces and earnest inquiries. But now and then as one of the vehicles hurried along, a burst of laughter hailed it, and indeed, it seemed to bear a load of a more enlivening nature than that which characterized the others. My sound legs, for my arm only was wounded, and hung sus- pended in a sling, enabled me to approach the cart, and scrutinise its contents. My surprise was soon dissipated, and wounds almost forgotten, in the merry features of my old friend, Josh Hetherington, who, having received a flesh wound in the leg, was now being borne to the hospital with other fellow- sufferers. Josh, like myself, had no ties — no one to bring him brandy, &c. ; but wider awake, and better acquainted with the world, in the bustle of a dark night, he had laid him-; self at his length on the inside of a cart, and there awaited the current of fortune. One or two women in search of their husbands he parti- cularly knew, and knowing also their spouses, he replied to their inquiries in as exact an imitation of their voices, as one could reasonably give a man credit for. The result was, that the bottle was instantly handed into his hiding- place, Josh took sundry deep gulps, while the duped woman continued anxiously walking by the side of the wheels, wishing to heaven that the daylight, or some other A SOLDIER. 195 light, would enable her to enjoy the sight of her better half. The denouement of the cheat came with the return of the empty flask, and a sincere hope from Josh that her husband would find enough liquor left — and not be wounded at all —at all. The disappointment and rage of the woman only gave rise to a burst of merriment, in which the wounded men joined heartily, and the circumstance travelled forward, among her companions, and accompanied the cart the whole of the way to Brussels. The next morning I proceeded slowly onward, for my wound, as yet, had not been dressed. I could not help remarking on my way through the woods, droves of Bel- gians, and even English, with fires lighted, busily cooking, having left their comrades in contest with the enemy, and apparently nothing the matter with them. On my arrival at Brussels, and going to my quarters, I found it so crowded with Belgian officers and men (some of them quite free from wounds), that I could get no reception. It was about six o'clock in the evening of the 18th. I was entering the large square, and gazing on some hundreds of wounded men who were there stretched out on straw, when an alarm was given that the French were entering the city ; in a moment all was in an uproar ; the inhabitants running in all directions, closing their doors, and some Belgian troops in the square, in great confusion ; loading my rifle, I joined a party of the 81 st regiment who remained on duty here during the action. The alarm, lowever, was occasioned by the appearance of about 1700 )V 1800 French prisoners, under escort of some of our lragoons. The panic over, I partook of a little bread and wine, and lay down for the night on some straw in the square ; and in spite of the confusion and uproar, occasioned by the continual arrival of waggons loaded with wounded men, I slept soundly. In the morning the scene surpassed all imagination, and baffles description : thousands of wounded French, Belgians, Prussians and English ; carts, waggons, and every other attainable vehicle, were continually arriving heaped with sufferers. The wounded were laid, friends o 2 196 ADVENTURES OF and foes indiscriminately, on straw, with avenues between them, in every part of the city, and nearly destitute of surgical attendance. The humane and indefatigable exer- tions of the fair ladies of Brussels, however, greatly made up for this deficiency ; numbers were busily employed — some strapping and bandaging wounds, others serving out tea, coffee, soups, and other soothing nourishments ; while many occupied themselves stripping the sufferers of their gory and saturated garments, and dressing them in clean shirts, and other habiliments ; indeed, altogether careless of fashionable scruples, many of the fairest and wealthiest of the ladies of that city, now ventured to assert their pre- eminence on the occasion. It was enough that their ordained companions were in need, to call forth the sympa- thies that ever must bind the sexes to mutual dependance. One lady I noticed particularly, she was attended by a servant bearing on his shoulder a kind of pannier, containing warm and cold refreshments : her age I guessed about eighteen, and the peculiarity of the moment made her appear beyond the common order of humanity. She moved along with an eye of lightning, glancing about for those whom she thought most in need of her assistance. A tall Highlander lay near her as she hurried along, and drew her attention with a deep groan, arising from the anguish of a severe wound in the thick part of the thigh. The sol- dier fixed his eye with surprise on her, as in a twinkling she knelt at his side, and gently moving aside his blood-stained kilt, commenced washing the wounded part ; the Scotch- man seemed uneasy at her importunity. But with the sweetest voice imaginable, she addressed him in English, with, " Me no ashamed of you — indeed, I will not hurt you !" and the wounded man, ere he could recover his rough serenity, found his wound bandaged, and at ease, under the operations of his fair attendant. Such acts as these must ever draw forth our admiration. A SOLDIER. 197 CHAPTER XXIV. Brussels' hospitals — The British and French soldiers under amputation — I lose my finger— Another loss also— I leave the hospital and am removed to the Provost Guard— The Belgian marauders bared to the skin — The point of honour — Sensation produced on their comrades — The Belgian regiment under arms — Guard-house surrounded— Narrow escape — Removal of the Belgians — Assassination of a French Count by a Cossack officer— Medals sent from England— Consequent dissensions — Poor Wheatley — Quarters at Mouvres — Augustine — An old acquaintance — A rival — Augustine leaves her father's house — Pursued— Her father's despair — Removal to Cambray — The regiment receives orders to embark for England — We part. I remained in Brussels three days, and had ample means here, as in several other places, snch as Sala- manca, &c, for witnessing the cutting off legs and arms. The French I have ever found to be brave, yet I cannot say they will undergo a surgical operation with the cool, unflinching spirit of a British soldier. An incident which here came under my notice, may in some measure show the difference of the two nations. An English soldier belonging to, if I recollect rightly, the 1st Royal Dra- goons, evidently an old weather-beaten warfarer, while undergoing the amputation of an arm below the elbow, held the injured limb with his other hand without betray- ing the slightest emotion, save occasionally helping out his pain by spirting forth the proceeds of a large plug of tobacco, which he chewed most unmercifully while under the operation. Near to him was a Frenchman, bellowing lustily, while a surgeon was probing for a ball near the shoulder. This seemed to annoy the Englishman more than anything else, and so much so, that as soon as his arm was amputated, he struck the Frenchman a smart blow across the breech with the severed limb, holding it at the wrist, saying, " Here, take that, and stuff it down your throat, and stop your damned bellowing !" The accommodation at Brussels not being sufficient for the wounded, it was found expedient to have many of them conveyed to Antwerp, myself among the rest ; and the entire of the 81st regiment were employed conveying the men on stretchers to the boat on the canal, communicating 198 ADVENTURES OF between the two cities ; there I had my wound attended to, and my shattered finger taken off at the socket. A singular case of loss of limb here fell under my notice : a young fellow, a German, one of the drivers to the German artillery, had lost both his legs by a round-shot, which passing through the horse's belly, had carried away both limbs ; while on the ground in this mangled state, he received a dreadful gash in one of his arms, from a French cuirassier, and a ball in the other ; through these he was also obliged to undergo the amputation of both arms, one below r the elbow and. the other above ; here the unfor- tunate youth (for he was not more than nineteen), lay a branchless trunk, and up to the moment I left, though numbers died from lesser wounds, survived. At first the latter were so numerous that it became a matter of sur- prise to even the doctors, who at length discovered that the water, which the patients were in the habit of v/ashing their wounds with, was brought from a spa, which in some instances, had the effect of poisoning the flesh.* In the course of a few weeks, however, I was sufficiently recovered to rejoin my regiment, at Clichy camp, near Paris. Shortly after my arrival I was ordered on the Provost Guard, which my readers will better understand, is a kind of military police. We were under the command of the Provost Marshal, named Stanway, whose instructions were to take all whom he found marauding about the gardens in the neighbourhood of Paris, and to march them down to his guard-house for punishment. The Provost was a keen fellow, and sometimes would pounce on as many as eighteen or twenty in the course of a morning ; these were immediately flogged, according to the amount of their offence, or the resistance they made, and instantly liberated. The depredations, however, became so universal, that the inhabitants of Paris complained to the generals of divisions, and we, in consequence, received orders to keep a stricter look out, and take into custody and flog * This being only a report amongst us wounded men, little reliance can be placed on it. A SOLDIER. 193 every man we caught in the act of plunder. Our guard- house consequently was daily filled by soldiers of every uniform, indeed, ours may be said to have been a true Owenite Guard, for we made no objection to " sect, country, class, or colour," as we served them all " alike." We had a deal of trouble with the Belgians especially. These fellows would go forth in sections, and lay every- thing waste before them. This was not for want, as they were well supplied with regular rations daily from Paris, which we were aware of. As soon as they perceived the guard hemming them in on all sides, they would invariably salute us with brickbats, stones, and sometimes even make a regular attack, But Stanway seldom let any escape him. One morning we brought in sixteen of them, and the Provost, as usual, marched them into the little yard where the punishments were generally inflicted. The triangles stared them in the face from the centre of the ground, and the culprits one and all, as soon as they rolled their eyes on it, gave a bellow of horror, fell on their knees, and commenced praying and crossing themselves, and other symptoms of repentance ; but Stanway was inexorable. Our men had the greatest difficulty in unbreeching them, and getting them tied to the halberts. The first stripped, I recollect was a short, stumpy, fat, desperate-looking fellow, who by the circumference of his seat of honour, and his struggles for its safety, seemed to bear about it all the honour of his native Belgium. The first whistle of the cat, even before it i eached hirn, appeared to have verified the assumption, for he roared to such a degree, and his fellow-culprits sympathised so loudly, f.nd with such a crash of Belgic, that it set the whole vicinity by the ears, and actually aroused their whole regiment quartered in the village, and the place became in an uproar. The Belgians flew to arms and instantly surrounded the guard-house ; Stanway nevertheless was determined not to relax his duty, and ordered every man of us to load, and placed us in different parts of the building, barricading the doorways, prepared for ev- y resistance, and ciuving intervals conti- nued the flagelJ^ion. The assailants meanwhile became 200 ADVENTURES OF furious, and attempted to scale the walls for a rescue, but they were kept off by the guard with fixed bayonets, until a shower of brickbats, &c, being thrown over the walls, made us gladly retire into the building. Our lives were now in jeopardy ; not a man of us dared to stir out, until a signal being given to some English soldiers who were passing, these gave the alarm to the division then en- camped outside the village, and our Rifles, followed by the 52nd, came instantly to our assistance. The two regiments remained under arms the whole night, and the Belgians, out of bravado, retired to a field, a little distance from them, and kept under arms also. The morning after the occurrence they were removed from Clichy, and we saw no more of them. Going into Paris a day or two after this disturbance to draw rations for the guard, I had to pass the Barriere de Clichy, and before entering the gates I perceived a crowd collected round a doorway in the street adjoining. Na- turally anxious to know the cause, I mingled with the throng, and pushing to the centre perceived the dead body of a French gentleman stretched out on some straw, literally saturated in blood, and on inquiry, I was informed that he had been slain by a Cossack or Prussian officer some few minutes before. The deceased (who was a French Count) and the Cossack, it appeared, had quarrelled the night previous, and had decided on settling the matter the next morning by a meeting with pistols. It had been agreed by the seconds that the two principals should be placed back to back, and each measuring six of his own paces, should, as the distance was completed, turn round and fire. As soon, however, as the Count commenced his first pace, the Cossack turned round discharged his pistol into the back of his adversary's head, and stretched him life- less on the ground, exclaiming as he did it, " I have been shot at enough by your cursed countrymen, now for my turn." The assassin and his second fearful, however, of the consequences fled distantly, and taking korse, rode off to their camp, but they were never discovered ; although I A SOLDIER. 201 was told that the Duke, when the circumstances were related to him, offered a reward for their apprehension. The unfortunate Count had been an officer in the French service, and to all appearance was a very smart young fellow. In the beginning of February, 1816, we left Paris, and marched to the environs of Cambray ; shortly afterwards we were presented with medals sent out by the British government, in commemoration of that celebrated battle ; every man who was in the field on the 1 6th, 1 /th, and 18 th of June, was distinguished with this honourable badge. I am sorry to say this caused many dissensions among the men, particularly some of the old veterans of the Peninsular campaigns. One named Wheatley, as brave a man as any in the service, was unfortunately in hospital at Brussels during the action, and was not honoured with this mark of bravery ; whenever he met with badges on what he termed recruits, he would instantly tear them off, and frequently throw them away. For this too often repeated offence, poor Wheatley was tried by a court-martial, and sentenced to three months' solitary confinement. He was sent to Valenciennes, where the 43rd regiment lay, who formerly belonged to our light division during the Spanish war. The men of that regiment who knew Wheatley, as well as the offence he had committed, not only fed him well during his imprison- ment, but at the expiration of his confinement sent him back in all the pomp a hero could wish. He was conveyed in a carriage drawn by four horses, Wheatley' s head as well as those of the postilion and horses, were decorated with blue ribands. On seeing the gay equipage enter the village, we were much surprised, but more so on seeing Wheatley jump from the carriage amidst the loud accla- mations of his old companions. Poor Wheatley felt neglected on receiving no medal, and became, from one of the bravest, one of the most dissipated men in the regi- ment ; he was shortly afterwards discharged. My own company was quartered at Mouvres, a pretty little village off the main road that leads to Douay, myself and three privates being billeted on the house of a rich 202 ADVENTURES OF old fellow named Bernard Loude ; he was the richest man In the village possessing upwards of three hundred acres of land, his own property, with stables, granary, waggons, and cattle, indeed everything that constitutes a farmer's stock. The house, like all others in that part of the country, was built long, with only a ground floor. On entering it, I observed three pretty girls spinning ; the youngest, about sixteen years of age, was named Leucade ; the next, about nineteen, named Augustine ; and the eldest, who was not above twenty-four years of age, was named Julie ; they were all attractive in appearance. After living there some weeks, I looked upon myself as one of the household; and, soldier-like, began toying with the girls : the one who attracted my attention most was Augustine ; she was a fine young woman, with light hair and fair complexion. Her manners were playful, yet gentle, and there was an air of innocence in her freedom, which showed her thoughts were untainted by that know- ledge of the world, which restrains the levity of youth. Her disposition corresponded with her manners, frank, generous, and confiding ; her sisters used to say she was of a most forgiving temper, yet of a firm and determined spirit, and they loved her with more than the love sisters generally bestow upon each other. I now> day after day, became more intimate with the family, and the fair Augus- tine, whether serious or jesting, was always my favourite. The courtship of a soldier may be somewhat rough ; I used to steal a kiss now and then, which my pretty Augustine would check me for doing ; yet so much goodness was there in her manner, that her reproof, rather than otherwise, tempted a repetition of the offence. To those who know the inconveniences to which soldiers are subjected in being billeted, it must appear I was now in clover ; I certainly never shall forget the happy hours I then enjoyed. One day, it was I remember on a Saturday, I was ordered on duty to the head-quarters of our regiment, at a small village called Burloun, about two miles from Mouvres. Previously to my departure, the youngest sister Leucade told me Augustine was soon to be married, being A SOLDIER. 203 engaged to a young Frenchman who lived our side of Cambray, and bad formerly been a prisoner in England, jokingly adding, tbat be could speak a little English. It was customary for me to dine with the family every Sunday ; and on my return off guard next day, as usual, I joined the domestic party. I noticed a stranger at table, who by his manner appeared the favoured suitor of Augustine. We had, however, scarcely been seated, when he gazed intently upon me, and suddenly starting up, seized me by the hand, and nearly bursting into tears, exclaimed, " Mon brave soldat, est-ce vous?" I imme- diately recognized in him the faithful Frenchman whose life I had spared in the streets of Badajoz before men- tioned. Returning to his seat, he described to the party the scenes we had gone through at Badajoz, which sometimes called forth fits of laughter, and sometimes tears. All eyes were fixed on me ; I particularly noticed Au- gustine ; she looked more serious than I had ever seen her ; she did not shed a tear or yet smile during the whole narrative of her young French lover ; but I could plainly perceive by the heaving of her bosom, she was more deeply affected than the rest. He extolled me to the skies, but he knew not the interest he was exciting in favour of an unknown rival. The French I have observed to be a people fond of glory and sentiment, and a story of la Gloire et 1' Amour will always excite their admiration. He then related to me the cruelty he had received from the Portuguese soldiers who conducted him with the re- mainder of the garrison of Badajoz on their march to Lisbon, where he was put on board a ship and conveyed to England. After Bonaparte had been conducted to Elba, he with some thousand other prisoners, returned to his native home. He took no part, he said, in the battle of Waterloo. After dinner I and my old companion parted, having both enjoyed mutual good cheer. The attention of Augustine after this accidental interview was redoubled, and what I before suspected I now plainly dis- covered, I had won her heart. From this time, we were more frequently alone ; and although her father wished her married to the Frenchman, he being a relation as well 204 ADVENTURES OF as in good circumstances, she had never herself been seriously attached to him. The affection that subsisted between us became no secret in the family, and it was rumoured even about the village ; at length it burst out in songs composed by the ' f Troubadours" of the neighbour- hood. Her father thought it prudent to get my quarters changed : he accordingly applied to the Colonel, and I was sent to another hamlet in charge of tailors making clothing for the regiment ; it was at a pretty neat little village called Saint les Marquion, on the main road to Cambray. At the house of an old widow who lived at Mouvres I still corresponded with Augustine, and enjoyed many stolen interviews. At length, harassed with the remonstrances of her family, who insisted on diverting her affections from me, she determined on leaving her father's roof, and in the dusk one evening met me at the widow's, where we betrothed ourselves to each other. On hearing of her elopement, her father unrelentingly pursued her ; he went to Cambray and applied to the executor to deprive her of her patrimony, but the law prevented him doing so. He then appealed to the military authorities, and one morning, about ten o'clock, four gensdarmies, to my surprise, entered my quarters in search of her. I was about to give them a very rough reception, and some of my comrades, who were quartered with me, proposed giving them a threshing; but the corporal who com- manded the party warning me I should be held responsible for any ill-usage they might receive, then produced a written order for her return to her father's house, signed by General Sir John Lambert, who commanded our brigade, and countersigned by Colonel Balvaird, our head colonel, Sir Andrew Barnard being at the time Commandant of Cambray. I saw all remonstrance was vain, and there was no alternative ; so accompanying her myself, she was obliged with a heavy heart to retrace her steps. Her reception by her father was most unkind ; he confined her in a room, the windows of which were darkened and secured by cross- bars of iron, the handiwork of the village smith, whose services were called in requisition upon the occasion. In this gloomy prison she was not permitted to see her sisters ; A SOLDIER. 205 her meals were sent her at long intervals, and scantily- supplied ; a priest was sent for, who was paid handsomely for trying to wean her affections from me ; but the bars of iron, and the prayers of the priest, were alike in vain. She contrived on the first opportunity to escape from this durance vile to me, as we had been clandestinely married at her first elopement by an excommunicated priest ; for I must here mention, the Duke of Wellington had given positive orders that no British soldiers should be allowed to marry French women. Immediately on her return we went together to our colonel, who lived at the chateau of the village, to request she might be allowed to remain with me. On entering the room, she threw herself in an impassioned manner on her knees, and begged we might not be separated. The Colonel, taking her by the hand, raised her from her humiliating posture, saying it was not in his power to grant the request, but he would speak to General Lambert on the matter, which he did, and she was allowed to remain with me. We now fancied ourselves in a great measure protected, but she was again pursued by her father, who one day very unceremoniously rushed into our cottage, and desired she would return with him. She instantly flew to me for protection, throwing her arms around me, exclaiming, Thus ends my military career ; which, little as it can boast of leading incident, may yet prove interesting. I shall, however, feel contented if it but assist to wile away a dull hour, or keep alive the recollection of personal enter- prise among those of my veteran comrades whom war has permitted to live and peruse it. It is but a plain, unvar- nished attempt to relate my individual adventures ; and, perhaps, like the works of most men, might have amused its author, but for the fatigues and intricacies of compila- tion. " The fame of a scholar," an eminent writer has observed, " is acquired only in solitude ; and he connects but a chain of silent and cool reflection/' With me it is different : all my recollections are mixed up in extraordinary broils and confusions, which make it no easy task, from out so great a variety, to connect even the few incidents, thus huddled together in the Adventures of a Soldier. THE END. LONDON : Printed by Schulze and Co., 13, Poland Street. INTERESTING MILITARY AND NAVAL WORKS. Published by COLBUKK" and Co. LIGHTS AND SHADES OF MILITARY LIFE. Edited by Lieut-Gen. Sir CHARLES NAPIER, G.C.B., Commander-in-Chief in India, &c. 1 vol., 8vo, 10s. 6d. bound. "A narrative of stirring interest, which should be in the hands of every officer in her Majesty's service."-— Globe. 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