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Un des symboles suivants appara'tra sur la dernidre image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbole --► signif ie 'A SUIVRE ", le symbole V signifie "FIN". Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent dtre filmis d des taux de reduction diff^rents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre reproduit en un seul cliche, il est film6 d partir de I'angle supdrieur gauche, de gauche d droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images ndcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mdthode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 ] LORD SEATON'S EEGIMENT, (THE 52ND IIGHT mFAV'^^Y,) AT THE BATTLE OP WATEELOO; ETC., ETC. II i( '/ / ^^, THE HISTOEY • ' A or LOED SEAM'S EEGIMENT, (THE 52ND LIGHT INFANTHY,) AT THE BATTLE OP WATEELOO; *0OETHEB WITH VAHIOUS Indknts mntdtl m\ i\ui f^jgimat, NOT ONI.T AT WATEELOO, BUT ALSO AT PAEI8, IN THE NOKTH OF *^«AKCE, ANI, FOB SEVERAL YEAES AFTERWAED8 : TO WHICH ABB AUDED MANX OF THE AUTHOR'S P.EMINISCENCE8 OF HIS MILITARY AND CLERICAL CAREERS, DUEING A PEEIOD OF MOEE THAN FIFTY YEARS. BT THE EEV. WILLIAM LEEIE, M.A, (O. «)»EEN'8 COL.EOE. CAMBBIBaE.) I«CU»IBENT O. HOLBROOKE, BEBBTSHIBE. A«I. HUBA. BEAN WHO CAEEIKB THE 52ki> EEOIMENTAL COLO.E AT WA^E^LOO ' THE AUTHOR CLAIMS FOR LORD 8EATON AND Tuc kom„ Oa.EATHO. S^OLE-HAHOEO, ..ZT. Z Z^JIZZ^ TZsZ^T' OUARDS OR ANY OTHER TROOPS. THAT PORTION OF THE MpERur OUARO OP FRANCE, ABOUT 10,000 IN NUMBER. WHICH AOv:CEO TO MAKE THE LAST ATTACK ON THE BRITISH POSITION THE 3bD BATTAWON OF THE IST FOOT GnABDS, BT THE ODKE OF wrrr.^. .' THE SEXBMISHEBS OF THE IMPEKU. OUAB^ TFrT^^ BBITI8H T^r""*"' '''"''" .HE OTHEB BAT,AUO« OF OE.E.A. .AIT^A^.'s BBIOAI,E O^ABrr^ATr; ^'tatIO.ABY. IN TWO VOLUMES.-VOL. I. WITU A PORTllAIT OF FIELD-MAHSUAL LOKD SeItON AND TIIIiEE PLANS OF WATEKLOO, SHEWING THE POSITIONS AND MOVEMENTS OF Tl'.E 52nd DURING THE ACTION HATCHARD LONDON : AND CO., 187, 1866. PICCADILLY. tl ai ID su hi vo ve wi at yai sin of 10, 1^ PREFACE. It is beginning to be more and more widely understood that very great injustice has been done to Lord Seaton and the 52nd Light Infantry, which regiment he com- manded at Waterloo, by those who have attempted, in subsequent years, to write the history of that gi-eat battle. My only reason for thinking of writing these volumes was that I had always felt this injustice very strongly, and that with other officers of the regiment I thought, if it were possible, the truth, with regard to what we knew the 52nd had achieved at Waterloo, ought to see the light. We knew that it had moved down 300 or 400 yards from the British position by itself, and had, single-handed, attacked and routed two heavy columns of the French Imperial Guard, consisting of about 10,000 men, and further we saw with our own eyes VI PBEFACJE. that this defeat was followed by the flight of the whole French army: why should this daring feat of their great commander not be made known to the British army and to the British nation ? The having a very vivid recollection of the scenes and events I witnessed at Waterloo, and the having the written recollections of several 52nd officers, and also other sources of information, led me to think I had a mass of materials for the work I was contem- plating, which justified my proceeding with it; and I more particularly felt justified in doing so, when I considered, that amongst the few remaining officers of the regiment, who served at Waterloo, from various cii'cumstances there was no one else who would feel at all disposed to encounter the labour, and difficulties, and perhaps annoyances, which such an undertaking would involve. My first idea was only to write about tiie 52nd at Waterloo, and then I thought I would give some little account of the regiment during the time that it formed part of the army of occupation in the North of France. I found, as I proceeded, that my work took up more of my time than I felt justified in giving to it, unless I could hope in some way to make it not only interest- ing, but also calculatod to be useful in a religious point of view, to those who might read it ; and thus I was led on to adopt the plan set forth in the title page. There have been three subjects, to which, in addition to my duties as a clergyman, I have given' a great deal of time and earnest attention now for more than thirty years. The first, to which I have PREFACE. Vll devoted more time than to anything else, and which I have always considered to be one of the most important objects which can engage the attention of a Christian community, has been the endeavouring to assist in promoting, amongst all classes of persons throughout the country, more correct vievvs of the Bivine Authority and of the perpetual and universal obligation of the Lord's Day, or the Christian Sabbath, and of the benefits, temporal, spiritual, and eternal, which result to nations and individuals from its due observance. Another object of great solicitude with me has been the setting free the Protestant officers and men, of the British array, from their forced attendance on the idolatrous ceremonies of the Koman Catholic and Greek Churches. The third object, which at one time engaged a great deal of my time and attention, was, what I considered to be a great blot on the escutcheon of our Established Church : I mean the plurality system, or the holding, by the same clergyman, of more livings than one, merely for his own personal advantage. This system, I am thankful to say, now appears to be in a fair way of gradual extinction. It IS natural, therefore, that, in such a work as this, I should have devoted some chapters to these subjects' which I trust will not be without interest and instruc- tion to the reader. I shall be grieved if anything I have written should occasion pain to any one. It is obvious that I could not ask the permission of individuals, with Vlll PREFACE. regard to the introducing particular names, or su'ijects, or letters, without running the risk of placing myself in a most difficult position. There are two persons, to whom I, at one time, thought of applying as to the desirableness (of which I had no doubt myself) of stating certain details in these volumes ; but I felt that such application would only embarrass them, as well as myself, whether they might or might not take the same view of the matter which I did. I did not originally contemplate the introduction of the early and subsequent history of the 52nd into this work, but it has lately occurred to me that I should not be performing my duty to my countrymen, (only a very few of whom can have access to the 52nd "Kecord,") if I did not take advantage of my present opportunity to lay before them many most interesting particulars relating to the high character, military bearing and martial prowess of that old "Light Division Eegiment," which General Sir William Napier, the celebrated historian of the Peninsular War, has described as, "a hegiment never surpassed m " ARMS, since arms WERE FIRST BORNE BY MEN ! " It will not be necessary to apologize to the reader for writing in the first person singular, for it very soon became evident that the doing so was a necessity, but I should rather apologize to the printer, who has been so frequently forced, in his proofs, to find substitutes, in some of the chapters, for quite a company of capital fellows, whom I have no better way of designating than by calling them No. 9, This little double enigma the PUEFACE. ij- reader will not fully understand till lie has read well on in the book. And. here I think I must plead guilty of having introduced into this work some few puerilities, some repetitions, and many defects, which I trust will be forgiven; and I must also claim indulgence for the style of writing : which I found could not very well be other than that of the common familiar letter-writing style, beyond which I have seldom attempted to soar. In giving an account of the various incidents which came under my observation at Waterloo, I have been compelled to speak of myself and of my own feelings, and in detailing many of the reminiscences of both my military and my clerical careers, I must 1 think, as a matter of course, lay myself open to the charge of vanity ; but it must be allowed, in extenua- tion of what may appear to be a palpable fault in that direction, that it is absolutely necessary that the author of a book of this description, containiDg as It does .«uch a medley of subjects, and which is written chiefly for the purpose of proving a particular point with regard to Waterloo, but also with an earnest desire to make it religiously useful to those who may read it-it is absolutely necessary, that a person so circumstanced should have a fair character, in the eyes of those whom he desires to convince, and entertain, and benefit, for a certain amount of military intelli- gence, and also for uprightness of purpose : this must be my apology for letting many things appear in this work whifih hpnr fmrrinT.okl.^ .1- . , ., — ...ci^ij uu my uuaracier both as an officer and as a clergyman. I PREFACE. I cannot quite agree with one of my old and valued brother-officers, that "he, who praises his ' = regiment praises himself," and that that would be a reason for not retaining in my book Napier's words about the 52nd, already mentioned ; for a person may assui-edly have a comparatively humble view of him- self, who may at the same time think, that his regiment, or his ship, or his wife, cannot be surpassed by any other. ^ I cannot expect, indeed I know it must be other- wise, that any person can read this work without being annoyed at many things in it which he will consider to be in bad taste; such persons must, how- ever, try and bear with, or pass over, what they dislike, and see if there is not much which they approve of, and which, by God's mercy, may be not without benefit to them. ^ I wish to call special attention to Chapter LV of this work, in which there is a strong recapitulation of much that I have said, in the early chapters, about the single-handed attack of the 52nd on the columns of the French Guard, without the assistance of the British Guards or any other troops. Some additional points of interest are also brought forward in it. I think all my readers will be pleased with the fine portrait of Field Marshal Lord Seaton, which I am enabled to present to them through the kindness of Mr. Graves, the eminent engraver, of 6, Pall Mall. Photographers must not copy it without his permission, which I only have for its introduction into this work, and any further edition of it. PREFACE. XI My military readers especially will admire the three plans of Waterloo, which very accurately represent the various movements and positions of the 52nd throughout the battle. They, the 52nd, must be looked for first of all at Merbe Braine, in the north-western cor-^er of Plan I, and then in the same plan they may be traced, over the Allied position, to the slope in rear of Hougo- mont, where they were formed into two squares, and proceeded, with their gallant friends the 71st and 95th Rifles, to the north-east of Hougomont, where they remained for two hours and a half. In Plan II their place on the position, which they reached about seven o'clock, is marked by a dotted line from which their advance, about eight o'clock, may be traced to the flank of the French Imperial' Guard. In Plan III they will been seen, at 8. 30, close to the Charleroi road, in front of, and two hundred yards from, the Old French Guard; from that spot their track will be found to the left of the Charleroi road and La Belle Alliance as far as the farm of Rosomme where they halted for the night at 9. 15. WILLIAM LEEKE. Holbrooke Hall, near Derby, November 27, 1866. S( Ct CONTENTS OF VOL. I. CHAPTER I. 1815. 02nD light infantry at WATERLOO. Selection of a profession— Death of my eldest brother— Bonaparte's landing in the South of France— Joining 52nd Light Infantry in Flanders as a volunteer— Sir John Colborne (Lord Seaton)— June 16, March to Eng- hein— Cannonade at Quatre Bras— March to Waterloo—Bivouac on the night of the 17th— Position of troops before the battle— Ordered to carry the 52nd regimental colour ..... FtOB CHAPTER II. 1815. 52nd light infantry at waterlog. Commencement of the battle at twelve o'clock— 52nd in reserve— Chalmers's horse shot— Several casualties- First narrow escape— Attack on Hougo- mont— Attack on La Haye Sainte and Picton's division— Charge of the Union Brigade and of the Life Guards— Grand charge of 6000 French cavalry— British guns deserted— 52nd form square, and advance over and down the British position— Brunswickers-French cavalry rally and are supported by 7000 fresh horsemen— Adam's brigade in squares to the left of Hongomont. — 52nd in two snuarea Cannnnadp. ^ French cuirassiers -Various incidents— La Haye Sainte taken by the French— The squares of the brigade ordered to retire up to the position 23 XIV CONTENTS. CHAPTER III. 1815. 13KFEAT OF TilE IMPERIAL GUAUD BY THE 52nD LIGHT INFANTRY. Duke t'J'nn!r''r"'l' "^" "' '""^ ''"^'-'^^^ --J-«hot- Wial £r.^^^^ '''^''' of cuirassier«-Advnnce of the rZrd? ir It *'-^T? ''"^''^ *' '^''' *'"^"'-3^d battalion of St Guards drves a Mass of skirnushers dwwn the position-Defeat of t:CtZXo"''T ?r '' ''' ^^"^ alone^Nolef Sish troops withni .WO yards of them-Flight of the French arm v- 52nd '::^r^1 "' ;'^ ^"""^^^^^ -^ ^'^ French Gua^Var^; :Z^^rS::Z^^:''~'':' "'r '™'" Srape-Pmssian round CHAPTER IV. 1815. 52nd ATTACK AND DEFEAT THE IMPERIAL GRENAI ERS. 62nd attack and drive off Old G.iard-Duke of Wellington arrives-Lord ^XZZTt^r' ''"'r"' ^*^'"'^«" "' nearest prhnity 52nd pass La Belle Alhance-No other troops in sight- Pass 75 nieces of deserted cannon-Encounter a French division and g nsl-Thei bivouac at Rosonime-The Duke and Blucher-Tl.e 1st Guards Re eSe7j^T; J^IT '' *'^ ''''''' ^' Waterloo-Sir WomL wSn b own ~ V T'"''^ ^'"^'^"'•^' grenadier-Amnmnition waggon blown up- Various other incidents on the 19th CHAPTER V. 1816. DEFEAT OF THE FRENCH IMPERIAL GUARD BY THE 52nD ALONE. Defeat of the Imperial Guard by the 52nd, and not by the 1st British Guards ^ t The B .'"'T ^^"^-Steadiness'of 52nd when whee?^^ dU ' fV? """^ ' ^^'P**"'' ^""^» «n the night of the 18th- Duke of Richmond -Colonel Gawler - Siborne's ndstakes-Sir W WaSlc^ I^ar•^'';f*T'^"^'^"^^^'=^^*P°"*- Waterloo-xNa„er8 letter about officers being drilled with men and Lord Seaton with 52nd at Waterloo-Colonel Bentham and MinTr'ifle- Bentham and Waterloo -Lieu tenant Sharpin of the Artillery contr^ Guard LrTT^M ^^"''^ ^^**^^*« ^-*^- on deStf French Guard by 52nd~Mr. Yonc-e's mnv«r<«'tion with t._. o , „ . '^" Brotherton n._rs..t,on ^ith ^viu ocaion-uoionei . 79 FAUB 39 55 T CONTKNTS. XV ANTRY. »ot — ■ the on of It of ;lish 52nd •ious lund FAUB 39 CHAPTER VI. t 1815. SIBORNE'S, ALISON'S, AND SHAW KENNEDY'S MISTAKES REFUTED. The Duke's memorandum of 1836 about Waterloo-Much confusion in it— *"*" Confidence in the truth of history much shaken-Siborne, Alison, the Ciiaplain-General, Gleig, make great mistakes— Hooper's account more correct— Amount of the French Guard from 1804 to 1815-52nd, "a "bright beam of red light, &c."— Baron Muffling-Shaw Kennedy - What the 1st Guards did really do at the crisis of Waterloo— Killed and wounded of each battalion of the 1st Guards— How came Sir John Byng to allow the 52nd to go on alone?— GK&i injustice perpetrated against light infantry regiments— Letter to " The Times" in 1855— Brevet rank tf the Guards injurious to the service , . . , .105 IS. ord ces leir loo rds !ch las on 00 CHAPTER VII. 1815. MARCH TO PARIS. Nivelles-Letters to England-News of battle-Lists of killed and wounded —Mother ill— Alarm of sisters -March to Binche-Coal pit— Enter France— Le Gateau— Loss of baggage— Claim for remuneration— Other claims rejected— Fate of the baggage-Officers on baggage-guard— .Marshal Mor.ey's Chateau— Distant view of Paris— Montmartre- 52nd alone at Argenteuil— Pontoon bridge— Convention— Bridge and grave- yard of NeuUly— Enter Paris-Encamp in the Champs Elystea 138 CHAPTER VIII. LONE. js 'g J. h d 181.5. PARIS. THE 52nd ENCAMPED IN THE CHAMPS ELYSliES. Two companies a guard to the Duke's house— Colonel W. Rowan comman- dant— Bonaparte finds refuge on board the Bellerophon— Entry of Louis XVIII nito Paris— The Imperial Guard— Position of .'52nd in Paris- Cricket and drill— Dine with Sir John Colbori,e— Restoration of pictures, &c., taken by the French— Review of Russian Guards— Accident- Cossacks of the Don-Ecole de Natation— Practical jokes— Row in the Palais Royal— Row at St. Cloud— Gaming-houses— Observations on the .1 ._...mg c.ii.tiren p. ay at games for isoney Soldier condemned to be shot — Caricatures of English — "Les Anglaises pour rire"— " Monsieur Calico "—Playhouses to be avoided. . 1 154 XVI CONTENTS. CHAPTEH IX. 1815, 1816, THE 52nd quartered at VERSAILLES, ST. GERMAIN, AND CLERMONT. Quarter at Versailles-Palace-St. Germain-Sir John Colbome goes on ""' Syvt'' r *f'f- Clermont -Anniversary of the death of ^e wtill °"' '" *^^ church-Atchison and Dawson of CHAPTET. X. 1816. CANTONMENTS IN THE NORTH OF FRANCE. ^'"Sl^r^^ Th6ro«enne-Henry VlJi-Siege of Th6rouenne and Ba tie of Spurs three hundred years before-Honours gained by an- cestors-Alarmmg occurrence-Periodical encampment and march to Valenciennes Kmd feeling between the villagers and our men-^ Meadow at Therouenne-Bathing in the river Lys-Sir Denis Pack's inspection-Brigade orders-Curious occurrence-Remarkable case of one of the men becommg religious CHAPTER XI. 1816. AMUSEMENTS IN CANTONMENTS. The regiment start a pack of fox-hounds-Anecdo.es connected with our SrS7iT?"VS' n n '\' ''""''^ quarters-Commandant of St Omer and his staff-Lord Combermere joins the party-His regret at not having been at Waterloo -Dissertation on cruelty to the anTifals hunted-A singular argument on the subject-Extinction of poaching —A trumpeter-boy of the Life Guards ... ^ OHAPTET? XII. 1816. AMUSEMENTS AND INCIDENTS IN THE NORTH OP FRANCE ""^itrd Hm "'Tr-^T^fu ^"&^'«l^-»»ke of Wellington's boar-hounds- th. r.^ f P ^^'n ''^^''"^^°^"^*^^ ^^"^ "«^ St. Pol-52ndplay he rest of Colville's division at cricket-Fatal accident-Mess a^ rherouennem the summer-Accident to a friend in the 71st-Medal for Waterloo served out-Two of us wear them on going to Aire-Death 18thrjunrt«ir" f' ^''"'^ Place-Curious' anLote abouttt 18th of June 18 6, by a corporal of the 23rd Fusileers-Ball given by the Ei^hsh olhcers at St Omer-My servant drowned-Remarkable dreams-Holman-s servant shot-A coiporal stabbed by a Fr nXoffict - -Capture of thieves-Winterbottom and hi« forn..r .1..;,. , _ . , ^'^ of the master tailor ' """ •™i--^xxccaocc . 204 L C E 191 CONTENTS. XVll SKMONT. PAQB I on 1 of a of . 174 CHAPTER XIII. 1816, 1817, 1818. ' LKAVE TO ENGLAND AND PAKIS. RETURN OP THE ARMY TO ENGLAND. Cheltenham — Duke of Wellington - Paris in 1817- French family— '"*''* Chef d'escadron— LabMoyOre's tomb— Ball at the English Ambassador'g —Denain— General Beckwith— Encampment again at St. Omer in 1818 —Sir John Colborne joins— Purchases a horse from me— The horse's proceedings on parade— Last visit to Valenciennes— 52nd occupy citadel —Review by the Emperor of Russia— 52nd the last regiment in France —March to Calais— Embarkation— Arrival i-: England, November 29, *^^8 221 md an- te 1- k's of 180 ur of ■et lis 191 CHAPTEE XIV. 1818, 1819. THE 52nd march to CHESTER AND ARE STATIONED THERE. Dover— Deal— Ramsgate— Custom-house— Scene at Canterbury -Start for Sheerness— Short visit to friends— Sir John Moore's mother— Various incidents— Balls— Races— Hunting— The Bishop and Archdeacon- Special assize— Lord Lyndhurst commandant of the garrison— Fire, and amusing incident — 52nd ball given to the town and county — Several incidents— Visit to Bold Hall— Obtain leave to go to Germany —Proceed to Plymouth-Ball at General Brown's— Sail in Myrmidon to Spithead — Bishop Crowther rescued from slavery by Myrmidon — Incidents connected with his deliverance 204 CHAPTER XV. 1819, 1820. GERMANY, ENGLAND, PARIS, NICE. Calais to Brussels- Murder of English gentlemen — How discovered — Tradition about the fight K Cheriton in the time of Charles I.— Visit the field of Waterloo -Corn rank where we defeated the Imperial Guard— The Rhine— Ehrenbreitstein, beautiful scenery— University of Gottingen— Curious funeral ceremonies— Hanover— The Jager Guards —Colonel Reynett— Leave Hanover for Sottnim— Arrangements for learning German — Alarming illness — Religious feeling — Return to Hanover— Difliculty in speaking English properly— Advised to return to England— Paper written on my 22nd birthday— Ludicrous difficulty at Yarmouth— Thames frozen over— Anecdote connected with the loss of the Royal George— Unpleasant occurrence at races— Think of going on half-pay— Kind remonstrance from the regiment— Proceed to Nice- Bonaparte at Prejus in 1814— Religious friends, &c.— Adventure with a mosquito— The climate of the south of France and Italy 232 245 XVlll CONTENTS. CHAPTER XVI. 1821. T> , ^ ^TALY. ZIT-LT^:^:^^^^^^ l>'«a-Cross a portion of the Naples -Appii Forum oi ^""'.^-Cunous scene-Prom Rome to Pompeii-oHp vZ;;:^ r?r ' ""? ^"'"b-Naples-Portici, Ileturn by Rome fL In "m? ^^S, squadron-Sir Graham Moore- laian at Geneva-Narrow escape at the niortar-practice tbere CHAPTER XVII. 1821. AT HOME, AND THEN REJOIN THE 52nd AT DUnriv reviewedbv,'. Kr^„ *f awkwardly c.rciinistaiiced-43rd »nd 62nd korses would be willL tnT?„ r° f "' "'""''>'• »''™i"S 'bat the aPatHck'sOathedlatrOuin^'r ':'^°"''»-^'>» >''"^» visit to PAOI Tl 2G8 292 CHAPTER XVIII. 1821. duelling. ?of en^^ag^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^ «^ War sentenced to nnprisonment CHAPTER XIX. 1821, 1822. ,, ,. , THE 52nd A1 DUBLIN. Til%ed„ce,-Rer„,aani;":ti„„tr'r:, .rSf"'S™- "'^ pla,,.ithr^„dto,„.ercou«„i.hth.«es;f;;;„ir;Z:;ho?\u •^or> Pat Mar I g I I B E ei CONTENTS. xix r the ■ the lofa icked lie to rtici, »re — ad— PAOII 268 i^ers 1 of 2nd vler irst at vee !nd f— ;he to 292 of sl- of ic 3t )r It •Mr) 318 314 CHAPTER XX. 1821, 1822. ; THE 52nd at DUBLIN. The^Ue guard-The Montagus of the 7l8t and 52nd-Irritation of the "" King abou a sentry-Amusing order handed down by the sentries on the bridge to the garden-Tracts and books for the men taken I va^ uselul to him-Several anecdotes connected with that proceeding- Winterbottom and religious tracts at the bank guard, curious and mipor tant d.alog^.e -Anecdote connected with WintfrbottWs wound at Waterloo-Mention of his services in 52nd record-Peculiarities of religious people-Definition of a Methodist-A clergyman and" wife each considering the other to be free from sin-What a blessing that Z r * ' 'f T'" ^' *'^« "turgy-Expected Whiteboy Ttfck oi the barracks-On detachment at the Pigeon-house Fort-Boldn^s anS di^scomfiture of rats-Detached to Wicklow-Rudiments of a Ivings' * • • • CHAPTER Xxi. 1821, 1822. P f v^'n'f" ^^^"^^^^«S RELATING TO THREE 52nD SOLDIERS Pat Kelly s proceedings in Spain and France-Remarkable visitation- " Becomes a religious man-One of the guard of honour to the King- Selected as a trustworthy man-His suspicious death at the Pigeon- hcnise-Dogherty- Houghton's remarkable case-Benefit arising from the distnbvjtion of the Scriptures-My visits to him in the hospitaT- He leaves the army-His letter to me-Enters Trinity College, Du.Iin -Becomes a devoted minister of the Church of England-His deat CHAPTER XXIl. 1822. THE 52nd in THE SOUTH OP IRELAND Marrh from Dublin-Fair at Ballynahill-Tbe county of Tipperary under the Insurrection Act-Detached to New Birmingham-The Rev John Galway-Set up a school for the men-Two drunken men shot by sentry near Carrick-Refuse invitation to dine cut on Sunday-Extracts from journal-The priest prohibits my tracts-Tracts given to beggars to sell -Benefit arising from this-Interesting details-Introduced to a verv clever nailer-Conies to compare Roman Catholic catechism with Bible -Praying to angels-Hopeful state of several persons-Joined at night by a stranger on the road-The priest burns the tracts-Give Bibles an, Douay Testaments-Instance lately discovered of good done by the tracts given to the soldiers-Relieved by Gawler-Clonmel, Ballynamult- Escort prisoners to Fermoy-On duty to Dublin-Return to New Birmmgham for a short time-Account in after years of one of the New Birmingham converts-Converts become protestant Scripture reader,- Esiaoiisnment of a regimental savings' bank-Compliment to mv efiiciency-First epistle of St. Peter-Lord Seaton . .... oM I ! XX CONTENTS. tkan 363 CHAPTER XXriI. 1823. SANDHURST. Senior depigment at Sandhurst-Determined to work hard-ReIigio«. duties-Stnct observance of the Lord's Day-Boerhave-Diggle's wound -Serjeant Housley met him wounded at Waterloo-Diggle's anecTote 8utce88-A8k8 me to dine with him on Sunday- Correspondence with the Horse Guards-Proceed to Cork-Find «2nd emba^ki^r CHAPTER XXIV. 182a THE o2ND go to NEWFOUNDLAND AND NEW BRUNSWICK Explanation with Sir John Tyi Jen-Proceed with three companies to New-' foundland-Off Kinsale and Castle Townsend-Sea sicknes -Calm- Visit timber vessel-Sudden squall-Shark-A bonnet overkTard- Cards-Bible-Banks of Newfoundland-Pogs-Vesseis-Tlth .f ^7 John-8-Foundan order to proceed to New Srunswit-N 1 l^r FunrTV hT V' 7 »>«-d-I-eave NewfoundlanrBay o Jundy-St Johns-Annapolia-Proceed with one company to St AndreVs-Barracks-Expel vermin-Level a road- Prayer for the people-Snow-shoes-Frost-bites-Kindnessofthepcople-iylinL^ us mmeetmg to read the Scriptures -Party kept up for manj yZ 378 CHAPTER XXV. 1823. 1824. ST. ANDREW'S, NEW BRUNSWICK Benefit of religious tracts- One lent in twenty-two houses-Man with cart- Tract given to one man, the means of the conversion of anot?^ Sermons-MrSimeon-Descriptionofagoodministe^ hawk-bmuggled provisions-Smuggled fowl f.r dinner-Mrprl served by becoming frozen-Expedition into the uncleared Toods- Fi'nS ,?:7*'-«\-^«*^ --ty militia-Voy^o to St. John' _ . 397 t LIST or PLATES. Portrait of Field-Marshal Lord Seaton, a.C.B. Plan of Waterloo, No. I . . Plan of Waterloo, No. II . • • • . rlan of Waterloo, No. Ill Frontupieee. 29 43 65 PAdX 363 378 397 2.9 43 o6 CHATTER I. 1815. 52nd light infantry at Waterloo. Sir John clZL n S "^""'t''" I"f™"7 in FlanJere as a volunteer- « qX Tr'£:l ."w ~f ™ "■ *''^" '" li"*ie„-Ca™„„a.le pj; ™ f . " "'/* l" Waterloo-Bivouac on tlio night of the 17th- P«,on of tro„,„ before the l^ttle-Ordered u, carry the's.nd le^'ell nf Hi.f „ ' j"'™" '" 1810. my mother no lonMr thought 1 L T, T'""*^ "™^ ™^" mentioned to me; she Ida":'? "" '" "'° '=''™''' •"'* '" "■« »angement I tobea elergymau; then the law was vety serion ^thought o7 il a^r '"' f ""™ '° '* f"' 'o-^ ™-*^ 'ft- leaving were completely upset by my meeting at a ball a youn" officer . "0 wh ' """"'^' "■'" ""^ J"^' -tnrned'^fan Spa . t t I m 7"T "' '™ "'^■"""™^ I '-"^™J -«' «» 3 e mnM off l' "°, T """ '"•""' """ ""=" immediately cht e st P n'" 8° '"'° *" ''""^ Our friend ani could b 1 I V"f *"""" '"■ •"" ^'f"^" ™y <=''"'«e ould be eeomm.nded, the Peninsular war came to an e,„l i... ...•=.. Ume after, advised that I should go to a military * See Appendix No. 1. B 2 52nd light infantry institution, at which Captain Malortie de Martemont received lew young men vr\n were preparing for the army. Captain Malortie was a French royalist, and professor of fortification at the Wooiwich Academy. I was there for several months, and made some little progress in fortificrtion and military plan drawing, &c. "^ ^ In the early part of 1815, Sir Theophilus and Lady ^ ritzier and their family were staying with my mother, preparatory to their embarking for India; they were relatives of ours, and he commanded the 22nd Light Dragoons. On hearing of my plans they proposed that I should purchase a vacant cornetcy ilr the 22nd and follow them to India. Arrangements were made accordmgly at the Horse Guards, and I was written to, and a little time was allowed for my decision. It had, however, been before arranged with Sir John Colborne that, if the American war continued, I should proceed with the 52nd to America Just at the time that the cornetcy in the 22nd Dragoons was mentioned to me, we were daily expecting to receive the account of the ratification of peace with America, so that, althouoh I was much pleased with the arrangement about India, I felt°that I had better not take the decided step about going there until there was an end of all hope of seeing active service on the other side of the Atlantic. In a short time, the news of the ratification of peace with America appeared in a second edition ot the papers ; and, in the very same papers, was a third edition announcing the landing of Bonaparte in the south of France from Elba, on the 1st of Alarch. If the intelligence of Bonaparte's return to France had reached me four-und-twenty hours later all my steps fc. getting my cornetcy and for proceeding to India would have been taken, and probably mine would have been an Indian life for many years. As it was, I determined on doin- nothing until I saw what success Bonaparte's enterprise met with 1 knew that, if it succeeded, the 1st battalion of the 52n.l already embarked at Cork, would most probably be ordered with' other troops to reinforce the 10,000 men we already had in J^ landers under the Prince of Orange. When we heard of Bonaparte's^arrival at Baris on the 20th of iVIarch, I immediately wrote to Sir John Colborne, who was AT WATERLOO. 3 military secretary to the Prince of Orroiige, to heg of him to let me know what I had better do under the circumstances. Several weeks passed away, and I received no reply to my letter, and I hardly knew what to think of Sir John Colborne's silence, when towards the end of April, a letter arrived from him, but it was direc ed to my mother, who opened it with considerable anxiety and then produced the one which had been sent in answer to my hrst letter some weeks before. My poor mother had felt justified considering my youth, (I was rather more than seventeen ) in opening and keeping back from me my own letter, until 'she sliould again communicate with Sir John Colborne on the sub- ject. Ills reply was, that he could not give any other advice than that which he had already given in his letter to me. The advice he had given, which so alarmed my mother, and which he still gave, was that I should at once lodge my money for an ensigncy m the 52nd, and come out immediately and join the 1st battalion as a volunteer. P.- r^'.f '^«f! '^*^'' '™^'^ ""^ ^'' ''^'^''^ Colborne's letter, on Friday, the 28th of April, I left home for London. I am witin. this more than fifty years after that first step in my military career and so rapidly has the time passed away, that it seems to be only a few years since my dear mother, when the carria-e was at the door, to convey me to the place where I should meet the coach for London, pressed me to her, and begged me with many tears not to go, saying, it was not necessary that I should run into such danger, or that I should go into any profession whatever I felt this parting very much: but of clJs^^Z impossible or me to yield to her wish, dearly as I loved her The kind relatives, at whose house I was^ during the few days that I remained in London, had secured for me the assistance of a colonel in the Guards, who kindly devoted to me many hours on the day after my arrival, and went with me to the several tradesmen to order my outfit. During my short stay in town I saw Mrs. and Miss Moore, the moUier and sister' of Genera Sir Jolin Moore, who fell at Corunna, and ^vbo had been so much respected and beloved by the 52nd. At the housfi of iny aunt I met with the widow of my cousin. Captain Bogue, who had lallen at the battle of Leipsic about eighteen montirs before, B 2 i 52nd light infantry 211! ■'? ''"""'«™™ "bout the 52nd, and my com- ing career, with much kind and melancholy interest On Tuesday, May 2n,i, I left London for Dover by the evenmg coach, with all my outfit, as a 52nd officer, complete . was to embark for Ostend on the evening of the 3ri ml d I not know very weU what to do with m/self during the day The 2nd battahon of the 52nd was statio,.ed at Dover and' under my cncumstances, I was not anxious to fall in with any' milt tu™''"' '""'° '°™ ""''"""'"^ f^" """ ^"'"""""g Salion 7 'T™', "^ ''"'""S ™' ^' ""'^ '» the 1,1 battalion. However, I only came across one solitary buMer of the regiment the whole day I was in a military great coat een f f ,^^''"" '"''»'''- ^''<"^ «««»g "hat there was to b^ of the ^ f ^' /"" " ""!'"'' '■°°'"- ^^''•'^'^ I f"""'' ^'=-™l »««=<'■■« andWnf f ' ™"/''e EiHe Brigade); they were very civil and k nd and I played with them for some hours. I was 'rather a good player at billiards, and consequently won almost every I was a w?„t 7"^ ™' "'"•'^' ""'-^ f»' ™^ '» ^'l^-k. "'at tirf!r a„r 'f *""' ""'' ''^ P°""'''- I '"■•J I'ardly had won altogether, with the full intention of losing the -ame lat fot I 7 'T' ^ ""'' ""='" ^ '■^"O'' I »h™ld be too late for the packet, and that, as I was sure to lose the onne I would pay my losses and not play it out. My 9 tl fri m,J owever, I tlnnk rather suspecting what I was ahning at, b " t' me oflmsh it, which I did to save appearances, and to pr Tent them irom re using to take the money I had won from tl em I oai le, and, putting down my money, I hastened off, and was m » time not to Jose i„y passage. I must not coiiolu^ tt lit sub ect of the immense evils which arise from you, .. persons being allowed to learn and play at games of chance •S»Appe„J,...Vo.2. t See A,,„e„di. ;;„. 3. AT WATERLOO. g I left Dover for Ostend on the evening of the 3rd of May 1 recollect httle more of the voyage than that I was dreadfully sea-sick-so much so, that it was a great trouble to me to think that 1 coidd not reach England again without passing througli the same fearful ordeal. We had rather a head wind and a short chopping sea ; and the first time we tacked and were in stays when I was half asleep in my berth in the middle of the night' 1. who had never been at sea before, fancied, for a few seconds! that the ship had met with some disaster and was settlin- down and sinking. I well remember that the first thought wis Oh then, I shall get rid of this horrid sea-sickness ! ' ' I arrived at Ostend in the forenoon of Thursday, the 4th of May, which, a.s I afterwards found, was the date of my com- mission as ensign in the 52nd. As I landed on the quay, they were unloading cannon-balls from an arsenal transport, pLhin^ hem lip as bricklayers do bricks ; I thought it looked very war! like. At Ostend I found Lieutenant Cottingham, and four men .lust come out of hospital, who were going up in four days from that, to join the regiment at Lessines; I arranged to wait and ^o with them. The only thing I recollect doing at Ostend was the buying a baggage-horse ; I took a fancy to him from his very superior powers in leaping over the very broad gutters across the street, which were filled with water by the pourin- rain I went part of the way to Ghent in the canal-boat; my only fellow-passenger was Major-Generai Sir James Kempt, who was going up to the army to take the command of a brigade in hours abstinence, we began to feel hungry I volunteered to go and see wlmt was the state of the larder, and came back with the report that there was literally nothing to eat on board, the general produced two gingerbread nuts from a paper, and gave nie one of them Even little kindnesses of that sort are often remembered for years afterwards. The having fallen in with Cottingham made my march up from Ghent very agreeable, and also took off from the awkward- ness attending my first introduction to the officers of tbp rn-nn^p^f We reached Lessines on the 11th of May, exactly five" wee"^ks and tliree day., before the Battle of Waterloo. When we arrived 6 52nd light infantry ^eat del ght of seeing a regiment of upwards of 1000 men whom I boked npou as the finest soldiers in the world oTe «-.ndi„g down the road amongst the corn, marching tT he sound of one of those sfrrmg tunes, which one always cLe tedTift feats of arms and deeds of darin" ™neotea with rounTr!,w''r^™'°.*™*™''°''''''"''"y°"'''^ <>«■''=<=« gathered lound Cottmgham and me. and he talked away with them for three or four mmutes, qmte forgetting that he was leaving meTn a some- .what awkward position, as I was unknown to any of themTui kMIv tL !ft 1 "' * "'' °' '=™''^''' ""-^i^d ™ very kindly. Ihat afternoon I was put in orders at Vnl„„*„ t , and attached to Captain McNair's company: '''""'' During the I'eninsular war, and how long before I know not it was very occasionally permitted to youn>« ™od; *re .ithi^ r r :!::ls tt :sr 'r hT- one Iiundrod n,el ^ '" "°'"''™"'^' '"^l^ ™'--«"8 "f about There were fuUy sixty officers with the regiment .t tl,„t ,• We messed at the same hotel in tw„ „ "'""n™* at that time. each day. between thirty and for h? °°'"' ' """^ ™'^' and we used to have some e'ce Lt T 7'^"™.^% Pa™Icd, brook-leapin^ in tto „,ri ° ■ '''"■"'""^S ""' ■■""'« «'l"n<, m tiie meadows adioininn the town I n ^ particularly Whichcote, now Gen ral WhTchct e as th! I might have one who came f oH e san" rTt,""""' ""' that I did. I recollect well tl,„T T , ^ "' *''" '""'"'y offlcei-s, when fl st I io , Id f Vll"''' f^''""' "' "^^ "^ "■'otl'"^ of tl,„ ■' ' ""■ •^"'"'g °f the ri.dit or left « side - 01 tile company instead of the " flonl- " i ,, . ™ instead of being "in the 1 " „f -r™'' "' "^'''S "''''''»«'" tbey voted n.e\ very ^r „esll t°V:T"''' """■ strong tea, or brandy Cent ™i,t'/ ™, '"" "«»'■ "' chased in I.ondon, I was wS toli i, "" T *'"* ' P"" tbe continent, to desire the tw„T° f T'* ^ ^""^ ^oing to three pints e;ch, t b filled withXht",' "?'"'"« "'""' canteen maker could procure If t w *"'™''^ ^''"'='' *'"-■ I did with the rest of n,v ^' ™ ^ ''"*' "^ <=»"'«">. '^'I'icb although I dicinordri:i:L,^^;:,r/ !--[-. If"-! r'- no objection to it for without 1, , '^ '"""''^ ''ad so, they had emp i d my b tic "S C'T "'^ ""*^<' "^ '" space of time. L of tlfei'S 1 rLr'th': .77w °"^' lucky fellow. I should get made " a iielj officer " ^^^ AT WATERLOO. 9 which they meant that I should perhaps be killed and buried under the sod before Lille. Whilst we were at Lessines there was a grand review of the greater portion of the splendid cavalry and horse-artillery of Great Britain and of the King's German Legion. This took place near Grammont, about eight or nine miles from Lessines Taere were about 7000 men present. There were no particular rxidents ; but we were exposed to a most drenching rain for some t me^ The Prince of Orange and his brother, who were on a )a-eak with some young Englishmen, were placed by them well wrapped up in great coats and tolerably well exposed to the ^torm, on the box of the break, the seat of honour, whilst their young friends got a much better berth themselves under the body ol the vehicle. "^ Tnl,yp "Jj '""'.'^f °/°" ^^''ks at Lessines, I one day =,sked Sir John tolbome if he had any objeetion to my going for a day to Bmssels. which was about twenty miles off, arpossibly I JZ not again have so good an opportunity of seeing it. He told me he though I had bette,. be getting on with my drill ; he ho^vev kindly added, .. but yon ean go if you like." As I saw he had some reason for thinking I had better not go there at that im , I gave it up; and it was well that I was not there on the 16th of June for two of the 52nd captains, who were at Brussels on leave at tliat time, had the misfortune net to be able to find heir regiment. They probably, misled by various reports, rode about ,n vain on the roads between Brussels, Lessines, Ath Inghien and Quatre Bras. One of them never reached the i-egimcnt at all, untir after the action at Waterloo; the other only reached it in the evening, just at the moment it was advancing to charge the French Imperial Guard, and thereby, to the regret of his brother officers, lost his brevet-lieutenant colonelcy, which fell to the lot of a junior brevet-major. of rtilht, .'r'?:?' °' ''"^'' ^'^ "^'"^ ^'""'o"'' division, of whicli Adams light brigade, in which the ,52nd was, formed a C'chTt IrT "" "™""-^ beyond Ath towards the F enel iortress of Conde, and they assembled for division drill n a large domain, surrounded by extensive plantations, in the ..eighbonrhood of Quevrcs-au-camp.,. Here 'they practsed e 10 62KD IIGHT INFANTRY fonnation of an encampment by means of blanket tents, which mu, b f„ ' \r' '"""'^^"■"^ "«■'"■•' ''"d -ii'l "ot meet w h much favour on the part of officers or men ourTl"""""'.'^ *'"'* °"'^"'™ ■'"y^' »<> "«=" ■^<=t'>™'=^'' ^"ke his Sir Heniy Clinton's division had been some days near Quevres- of Ah, and were preparmg for a division field day on the mormng of the 16th of June. The S2nd were at El Lies St cbk TZ ""Tb"""^ "^ *^ ™"™= "°"P-^ P- '- al ten panv with „ 'r*' °' ^°- ^' '^"P"" McNair's com- pany, with one man and one bugler only besides myself when delivered the following order to me, '• Your company, sfr is to be a niile on the Ath roadin twenty minutes from Ls «me '■ h" then rode forward, the bugler sounded the assembly, and the men who were close at hand, came pouring in immedil ely, andtte company was at the rendezvous on the Ath road at the «me an pomted. Every one was on the qui vive, and various reports" ■ Zl advance of the enemy were afloat. After halting a short time that the baggage might come up, we were ordered to nVove on ' Ath and Enghieu; we reached the latter place a little after ' wo clock. There we halted for two or three hours, and the m^ cooked their ration beef During this time we distinctly CZ fte cannonade of Quatre Bras, although it was twenty-two ...les from us. Yet strange to say, two days afterwards! the t^ops a Ha^ under Sir Charles Colville. though they were ui ly e.ght miles distant, never heard the firing or anything about the AT WATERLOO. 11 action at Waterloo, till the morning of the 19th. When we first heard the cannonade at Quatre Bras, one of the old soldiers exclaimed, "there they go shaking their blankets again." The sound of a distant cannonade is not unlike that arising from the shaking of a carpet or a blanket. From Enghien we marched a considerable distance on the Hal road, passing the road leading back towards Mons. After proceed- ing several miles towards Hal, we countermarched, and I think retraced our steps tHl, about two miles betore reaching Enghien again, we struck into the above-mentioned road leading to Mons, and afterwards, leaving that road, we must have got by some cross road to the left, to Braine-le-comte, without going through Soignies, which place I have no recollection of I remember one good halt after leaving Enghien, which we made from about eight till half-past nine. There was also another halt on the 16.h, which took place in a large open wood. As we moved off again, the band struck up a march, the horse in a sutlers light covered cart, frightened by the band, dashed off amongst the trees, and the last I saw of the occurrence was that he body of the cart separated from the wh-^els and axletree and shafts, with which the horse ran off; leaving the poor woman inside he body of the cart. I think she could not have b^en much hurt; but it wculd probably be some considerable time before she and her husband, if she had one, would be able to join the division again. We reached Braine-le-comte at midnight, on the 16th, and remained there till a little a.W two on the morning of the 17th m the midst of torrents of rain. It was with some difficulty that I got my horse under cover. I found there were some persons IVT. i7' '"V"" "^'^^^^ ^°"^^ ^'*^«^P^ *° °P^- the large door, was told in a strong Scotch accent, "There's no room here : we are all full here ;" however by kicking up a great row aTd nsisting on having the door opened, I at last succeeded, and found within only two men of the 71st Highlanders. The lower room of an adjacent auberge I found crowded with men of the brigade waiting for their turn to purchase something to eat • I was directed to a room upstairs, where I found some bread and cheese on the table, and two 71st officers lying their full length 12 52xD LIGHT IXFAXTRV tK,k the hborty of lying down by the side of one „ Xm aware of the honour I had conferred upon them vere folltf ' Tf"^ "'"" '"'"' "'"•»* • *« "a™- streets ^or^ij^^ - i;--.-rast, Ldtrfa:: -w their hagga^rLifLfti' 'Tirrtjh?';"""' Nivdiefa'io;;i1!i°r*: '^^r *^ '™' -^ ™°™i "^ f-™ •some distance along the fields on eithe- side At ,L !■ a Duteh Belgian battalion was tryin^t, ts otr t f" ",' ;" the direction of Genappe. wj mo^l ~ot^ "t e^t h .ng weaned with their long n.areh, and by the tat: S vhich each had to carry; this consisted of the knapsalk con tammg the Kit and blanket, (the great coats had bin tent "o" I..«land,) the nrnsket, and bayonet, and ,20 rounds of ball cartridge, sixty rounds of the latter being in the klsack « I was a w,se precaution adopted by the commanding offi ' H d 18th, been thus provided with the reserve of am,nnn:t,„ have taken that important post; and had the bri.-.ade „? the 1st British Guards been similarly provided, the otnd wouU AT WATERLOO. 13 probably not have been left w'ithout support in their single- imnded attack on th^ columns of the Frei'di Imperial Guard bir John Byng, who succeeded to the command of the two brigades of Guards when General Cooke was wounded, gave this to bir Jolin Colborne as his reason for not advancing Maitland's l)rigade to his support. ^^ CV.lonel Hall tells me, "Near Nivelles we overtook Barlow ^ captain m the 09th. He had been promoted from the 52nd .. n '^^o!/'" ' ^'^"''- '^^"'"^'^^ ^"^^ ^"""^^ ^^ *^« I'rince of Orange, the GJth ni the act of changing po, ition, had been charged by French dragoons. Barlow, and many others, lay down and ^^ escaped hurt, except from the trampling of the horses He ^^ was limping along, very sore and lame, ar 1 feelingly declaimed ^^ against the common notion, that a horse will not tread on a ^ man lying on the ground. His jacket was blackened with the ^^ marks of horse shoes. I suppose in such a case the horse has no choice and cannot pick its way." About midway between Nivelles and Hougomont, the 52nd halted for rather more than two hours, 200 yards to the left of the road I heard Sir John Colborne (for the future I think I shall call him Lord Seaton,) asking if any of the officers could Jend him the cape of a boat-cloak, as he wished to lie down for a couple of hours, and try and get some sleep; I had a very lai-ge boat-cloak with a cape and hood to it, I unhooked the cape and hood and handed them to him. He wore them over his unilorm during the whole of the Battle of AVaterloo. Whilst we were halted on this occasion, several waggons with those wounded at Quatre Bras, passed along the main road towards Waterloo and Brussels. After our halt we came on to the road again just ahead of a regiment of Dutch ]]elgians, and formed open column of com- ].anies from subdivisions as each company reached it, so that our allies liad to halt till we were all on the road. Each side of the road was now lined with soldiers of different regiments, and with some women and drummer boys, who had fallen out from faticme irom this time until some time after we had reached the entraiice to Hougomont, no less than five mounted officers were sent one after the other, to bring up stragglers belonging to the 52nd! 14 62nd lioht infantry the Charieroi VlCtlZiJZZuT if' """"*'"« ™ was the firat we l,a,l seen of thom S M r ""'"""'• '""' staff officers rodo down to witliin 200 yards of ..In jntonfoa was that „.. Wi^aUe sl™,la oecl^;^:;?;;^^ had advanced alon^. the CharleroTl 1 . *^^"^^/"f^»try, which front of La Belle lllianoe .^ '°"'' ^'^^^' ^^^^^^"^^ ^^ undpr flin v,>„i f Tr 1 • T ' ^"'""uy pare 01 the rear-2uard I heard one of our men say we were Jikely to be eZ^^ !tT} when another replied " Thpre mill i,„ > ° , """o"" at once, id=a .a» that the French artillery in that direction were opening ra AT WATERLOO. 15 upon u Sibomo speaks of there having been much thunder ami lightning during the evening and night of the 17th of June but that was he only clap of thunder I heard ; there was much rain during the night. Just after this, when it was decided to what par of the ground we should move, Lord Seaton directed me to ride and see if the regiment could get through a hedge about two hundred yards off, in the direction of th'e village of Merbe Eraine; it was a stiff hedge cut down to stakes nearly five feet high, with gaps here and there through which a single file might pass, and I was somewhat afraid if I reported that the regiment might pass through it, I might get into scrap we marc red through it without any great difficultv, and took up looking towards Hougomont, and at about two miles to the eastward of the town of Braine-la-leud bring straw for the company. As we passed along the street we saw lying ,n the middle of the road, opposite to one of the ottages. the dead body of one of the 95th Rifles; I supposed he ha been plundering and had been killed b; one of' tie farm, where I found our general of brigade, Adam, who had taken up his quarters there. We could find no straw in the barn tT. r^f 'r'r^^''."°^ '^'^'^ ^'^'''' ^' '''^ ^1^« «traw from the roof of the barn itself, which had been recently thatched A German soldier was walking off with a fine calf about a month and i;:" T'":^i 1 '''' '"^^^ ^PP^^^^^ '^ - f-- --tance, and the generals aide-de-camp, Campbell, coming out at 'the moment, gave the fellow a good kicking, and took Ihe calf from On my return to the bivouac, our servants made a bed of s raw on the wet ploughed field, and all four of us, McNair ct L t'3'r' I' '7 '°"" '^"'' '^^°« ^^--^^ -i^^^ our boat c oaks, t 1 d to go to sleep ; it was very hot and there was heavy rain and the straw conducted the rain into the inside of mv stoolf ll7 r' '""'' ^^"^ *° ^'^ "i" ^ *^""^ ^t ^'^^^ ^ little after ten clock when we were ordered to fall in again, as we were goinc. to 10 52XD LIfillT IXFAXTItT move, and each man was to take his straw with him. I don't ttrt^f'", *•>« ?"--.^vere, bnt I found myself to be for a short nne the on y ofheer w,th the company. We moved in file, left anlef'p ™: ^'^ '"''""' "^ ™^ ™'""»''- ^'^^" Colonel the left of No. 10, and said to me, "teeke, dress your companv in a Ime w.th that distant fira" Our line then faced the F ench position, and was about 400 yards in rear of the erest of the Biitish position, and about 600 yards from Merbe Braine, Here having formed op,,, column of companies, we piled arms and ^mamed for the night. My friend Yonge sh!red »; boTt- veiy we . The horses were picketed near us, and very scrou some half-do.cn of them got loose and galloped away tlZZ Hougomont and the French position, and theii came blek a" at speed owards the horses they had left, nearly passin. ovefu and only being prevented from doing so by onr ju nping",,,, . tliev galloped about i„ this way the whole night, and thus made 2 wretched night still more wretched. I fell aslee;, sever t,„ then dreamt^were advancingand closing witli the enemy hen started up agani, then thought of home and all i„y beloved one here; again 1 dozed off; then came our horses Ike a furZ charge o cavalry and we had to start „p and scare them ol^- and .his kind of thing went on till the night had passed and tL morning of the 18th broke upon ns. ^ ' " As the morning „f this eventful d.ay advanced, the heavy rain of the preceding mght passed off and was succeeded by flne weather. The men of the regiment were soon to be seen in every direction m their slurt sleeves, drawing the charges from their nuskets and cleaning and drying their arms, and thus preparing tor the coming conflict. The French line of battle 4s about three-quarters of a mile from that of the English. The Ja road roni Charleroi to Brussels ran threugh th^e centres f °e,e nie, divuhng the right wing of each army from the left. the right ot the British army were the ehatcan and farm and grounds of Hougomont, the whole in a syiare each side of whie was a quarter of a mile in length. The northern side of the mclosure towards Brussels was nearly a quarter of a mile Iron tf AT WATERLOO. 17 the British position; the southern side of the inclosun, was about the sme distance from the position occupied by General Fov's 9th division the French army, and the western side was a quarter of a mde from Prince Jerome's division. In the centre of the British position, 300 yards down the slope and close to the rioht of the Charleroi road, was the farm house of La Haye Sainte • °its .yard and orchard extended nearly a quarter of a mUe along the right of the road, and the inclosure, in its whole length, was about a miband :Z;f ' V"'"" "-B^'-l^P-'ionextended about a mile and a half from the centre above La Haye Sainte and was composed of Picto„^s division (in which were Kempt's LpacV If- rlT,™ ^'""'^'^'^ S.noyen.n brigades) containing up wards of 7000 men; and of Lambert's and Best's brigadl 'f ae left "?T' ?!""""« "P™"^' "' ^'""> ""'"■ "»<'. f"rt>>er to the left, of Vandeleur's and Vivian's brigades of light eavalrv containing 2500 men. Along the front of the left ^iZl^i «tendmg down to the farm of Papelotte and the vilWe of Smohain were Perponcher's Dutch Belgian division, in which were Bylandfs and Prince Bernhard of Saxe Weimar' brirades containing 7500 men; a qimrter of a mile in rear of Kemp 's infantry brigade was Sir William Ponsonbys Union ^S!l, containing the Scots Greys, the EnniskiUens, and 1st Xai Dragoons about 1200 heavy cavalry; 300 ya ds to the r3 these, to the left of the farm of Mont St Jem, were a resell of upwards of 1000 Belgian horse under General Gh gut so that from the le I of La Haye Sainte and of the Charlero1"o<;d o about 24,000 men, who formed the left wing of the army t„ II "?* ' 7'"° "' "" ""y """''"''"l "^y. from the centre to the right, for about the same distance of a mUe and a l?a f Colonel Vo. Ompteda's brigade of four battalions „ he K W German Legion had its left resting on the Charleroi «ad. To the right of Ompteda's brigade stood Count Kielmansec.e'! brigade of SIX battalions of Hanoverian landwehr or mUitia and further to the right was Sir Colin Halkett's British br ade' dvtrontd ''l"? ""■" '>"'=-J- f""-d Count Air: • division, and occupied about 800 yards of the British nosition from the centre towards the right; they contained about SWO c 18 52nd light infantry men. In rear of Alten's division were General Voa Kruse's brigade of the Life Guards, Blues, and 1st DraRoon Guards Trips and Van Merlen's brigades of Dutch Belgian cavalrv^d Axentsohddfs light cavalry brigade. On the°rigl If TCs division were Cooke's 1st division of the British a™y composed l^frfr ?r' ^ ""^"'^ °f """-J- Maitland's S de consisted of the 2nd and 3rd battalions of the 1st re.nnentof or Coldstream Guards, and of the 2nd battalion of the 3rd Guards on he higher ground above Hougomont: the light companies of aU the four battalions of the division occupied the fal house arid buddings, and the garden of Hougomont^ there werTafso ^ he inclosure of Hougomont a batt^ion of the NalTu troo™ and two companies of Hanoverians. To the right of thTGual and to the «.r and north-west of the grouuds and in osu^tf Hougomont., Mitchell's brigade, of Sir Charles Colville's d vWon battalion of the Uth regiment and another of the 23rd Fusi leers, and was about 1800 strong Brame, on the reverse slope of the British position there was a Which, If the French had attempted to advance upon Brussels rt^i^=rcorp^a:rci^^^^^^ H ghlld S Z£T' ■"' ^"^ '""' ^'S"* infanti^'tS of the 3i.d battalioro t^th Ses'^^ of two companies contained 2600 men it nl ^f "' *'«^»'= «™ regiments -uvu men. ihe other two brifradea of Plmfr^^'o HalUet's Hanfverian brtdt^Vo fbT^: >:;™i._»;i'' .^o'"-,' between it and the road from NiveUes'l^'B™:;;:::: Th i n Kruse's Somerset's 1 Guards, i^alry, and )f Alien's composed 's brigade ijiment of the 2nd i Guards. as posted )mpanies :'m house 'e also in u troops ' Guards Losure of division md of a d Fusi- f Merbe ■e was a ve; and Brussels i^'elling- em and of the jreneral lie 71st ilion of ipanies imeuts inton's el I)u 'olonel le and re the AT WATEBLOO. 19 Brunswickers, mfantiy, cavalry, and artHlery, making up 6000 or 7000 men; m rear of the guard, also, were Grant's, and Dornberg's and other brigades of cavalry. The British and AUied artUlerv . amountmg to 196 guns and upwards of 8000 men, were attached to their several divisions or brigades. The above is a rough but tolerably accurate account of the positions occupied by the British and Allied troops on the morning of the 18th of June; but whilst some of the troops occupied the same ground the whole day, others, and more es- pecially our own brigade, passed over a Urge portion both of the British and French positions. Here I beg leave to state, that I do not profess to give any detailed account of any other regiment than my own. I mav have occasion to mention some of those other glorious regiments, melwWrT °^' /' '''*'»*''« 52nd; and those state- ments which I may make respecting the 52nd at the battle of Waterloo will be almost all such as I witnessed myself Early on the 18th, Captain Biggie's company. No. 1 of the 62nd, was sent with two or three companies of the 95th into he indosures of Uie village of Merbe Brafne, facing Braine-laTe„d they were withdrawn sometime before the aclion commeneed distance to a fire belongmg to the 7Ist, at which one or two officers were standing ; I was very glad to get the opportunity of warming and drying myself I found a plank, of about mv length on it before the hre ; I very soon feU asleep and must ■ have slept three hours, which much ..freshed me, when my si vant came to tell ine some breakfast was going on amonlt the officers of Captain Me Hair's company, th'e company owhch I belonged Our breakfast consisted of a biscuit each and s,m soup, which was in one of the servants' mess tins; I was unin- tentionally on his part, done out of my drink of broth by one of tne orncers PYclamnn"' ■'"-f »~ t ....^ ,. . ., . *' Master Leeke, I think you have had your sliare of that." This half-mouthful of brot]. and a biscuit were all I tasted that day c 2 20 52nd light infantry m TmfZ T "'"'t' "v'"? ' 8°' " '"-"P °f •>^^-'l ''bout as big as my iist from a Trench loaf. About ten o'clock Lord HUl Iremerii r* "'^,'!'8h com; he was riding towards the gave me one of his pleasant smiles. Shortly after this we Mt tne adjutant, that we were to carry the colours ; on our taking hem over from the Serjeants, we both agreed tha it wa^ not ouf „t Jfi "",' 'T" '""^ '"™S'' ^ the regiment (I hS onlv a^ a clr':^"^':;.''^ "' ''"^ *^-''- "«' that I -t car^ a corour. Major WJliam Chalmers ro'de up to us and said The regiment is going to act in separate wings I am ooinTto '■ 2u2„ ,?-'<'» »' "e " ns." On oar leaving hi touTiri^^ ?. °" ''"""^'' '"' left two poor fellows n sIlT" „ /°°'^f'*. ''** '"'^ ™»'*e had and could scarcely ZZ from I^r" '^""^ '^''"'' '""'•" " '-«, sight; one of the^ was Z ,f "?'''"" ^' ''''' "^'^^b"'/ greatly respected in tfe re!te„r w f^^'-^^'J"'' " ™'' these two men killed and rf t ^^ '"''' *■•"'' '" '^sei-ve, wooded, who were tl:tMel"B^r '^^ °' **^'™ -" thisti;:ttrLT:ay:Lii\7— r""'' -™-^ ^^ " pany was struck by a !anuon slf ? ' ^'^"'^^ "^ <""• »">- "and white as a sheet xZetbout me ""^ '""^ °ff motionless "- ^.ing. Two or three Cat™?: rTl',— ^"« bee Appendix No. 4. d no other nera drew 3 misery. 1 by shell ighing up several of 'des, who the day, ■ corn, on ot,ifyou standinrr ind shot 1 him at omrades escapes ny head , but in Lt rattle ir, were )f shell aim of oth sat saying, or me ess for i^ehad a tree, icholy ma?! serve, men 3d at com- nless id he ■be- AT WATERLOO. 25 '' lieve my eyes, when I saw him walk into the bivouac. The shot ^^ had earned away his pouch so cleanly, that he suffered no iniury beyond the temporary shock and fright." The 52nd remained about three hours in reserve just above Merbe Brame, and during that time three of the principal attacks of the French took place on our position. The first of these was made on the post of Hougomont, by large bodies of skirmishers and their supports detached from Prince Jerome Bonaparte's and General loy s divisions. Hougomont was defended by the light companies of the two brigades of the British Guards, by fhe Hanoverian riflemen, and by the Nassau battalion. The French and English skirmishers advanced on and gave way before each other with alternate success. At one time'the Fi4ch, superior m numbers, had almost got into the fann yaid of Hougomont ^Znk r"^ ^'^ '^'"'"^ ^''' ^°"°^ *« the northern side of the inclosures near to the British position. Some of the rX Vvl '7 "' '" f'' ^'^^ ^"^^^ ''''^'' -- f--d to guns and howitzers. Some companies from the Coldstream and 3rd Guards, having reinforced the gal^ nt defenders of Hou.o- mont, the enemy were driven off from the chateau to the lower inclosures of the place. also toVat't ""^^S""""' »^ preparatoiyto. and appeara also to have been ma gi-eat measure, a feint to d'raw off attention f om a g^and attack which the Emperor caused to he made about ha f-pas one or two on U Haye Sainte and the centTof the Alhed positron, by the whole of Count d'Erlon's corps which i^»rmed the right wing of the French army, supported by a division of cavalry from the left wing and by the fire of no less than seventy four pieces of cannon, intended, whilst the troons were forming for the attack in advance of La Belle Alltoce Zd whilst they crossed the lower ground and the first se of he British position, to draw off the fire of the British artillery from fnd"ma .1 '"" ^'^ °' *^ """"■'• *"<= "'-' °f these piece and many others were abandoned W th<. Tr-n-l- '- - quence ot^the rapid advance of the 52ndto ;h; Britfah TeZf La Belle Alhance between eight and nine o'clock in the evening Of 26 i52Nl) LIOIIT INFANTRY m aftsr^ they had doroated the columns of the r.noh In,perial The left division of luf ? A ""'^ ™Pported by cavalry, advance to^Tn" ^'Hr ZT:Z:Tu'"^ "I"' '^ of the left wTo tlat Irt "* """"^'^ '''' ""^ Bernhard, of Sa." Weit It'lX:: X "^ \''r mishers from the f»™ „f n , ^ '™ ^""'^'^ "^ir- ^peadily retook. ' '^"P''"'"'' "'■■"^' ''°«ver, they on X" "hri:" o7 ri::;*^ t' ^^p^^*" '° ""^ f*- battalions of thl Le , .' l'""™' ™'"P<'»«> <>f «'« lander,, and thJe „ld « XT th ''^o 'f ''' 11"^'''^ High- in Spain) the 95th iiO^Tklv^^lt^tfT '"''''''' mass of skirmishers. ISylandt' 0^^ P f • ?''' "' '-"""^ " advance of the intervn ht ^ '''«"" ''"S"''^ ™' « and ahamefSly td It thTBriflT'' T" ^^""^'^ ""««"-• the efforts of thei.lffl / " ''"Sades, notwithstanding fire of the .? *° '''*™° *™' '1™'=% ""'y felt th: bri Je t of '""""^ skirmishers; Picton ordered Kempt's gaUant Sir Thoma. Picton was HI ed .T.„ ^^ ^'LT^^ *" of the Kind's German T .„,-1T, "" ''* ''s"" battalion. brigade. c;:serrss':;rgh:ri°'""'^r°'"^'*^ Kcm^ brigade in this cha4e" t^^U::^^^^^ ^^i^t co'St tgT th^r crr Tr^"^ '" Highlanders, and tie 44th regiment!' ' ' *'""' '"^ ''"' wound he had concealed th^f hi 7* ot Quatre Bras, two days before ; this Which was fougrat tter L: n "he Ur^ttd S ''" m '"" *'" '''^' ^^*«« above Captain Siborne's model of the battl o^T.^r'T' '" ^'^^ "^" J^* Belgium which Boor Pi.tor.7i2 ?!v^^^^^^^ of Waterloo, hangs the map of It is stained in several pluces^with y; btd™ " "'' ^'''^ '^ "^ '^^"«<^- Imperial le Allied 7 cavalry, ied in its 3 Sainte, r Baring le whole ' Prince ch skir- er, they '■e fallen of the I High- iivision usual a was in rigades, Jandinff 'elt the ^empt's d fired irest of ee the ttalion, )teda's joined front ' that 92nd Jverely e ; this battle, .11 just lap of killed. AT WATERLOO. 27 ' I Some of the French supporting cavalry advanced to their left of La Haye Sainte and inflicted severe loss on one of Kielmansegge's Hanoverian regiments, which had boen sent by the Duke to reinforce the troops holding La Haye Sainte. WhUst this was taking place, and during the advance of Kempt's and Pack's brigades. Lord Uxbridge ordered forward the House- hold Brigade of cavalry under Lord Edward Somerset, consisting ^ I ^.f' .^''^'^'' ^J^^^'^^d the 1st Dragoon Guards; and also Sir William Ponsonb- 's brigade, consisting of the Enniskillen Dragoons, the Scots Greys, and 1st or Royal Dragoons. Pon- sonby'fi brigade charged to the left of Kempt's brigade and was somewhat mixed up with Pack's. They took two eagles, and with Somerset's brigade, which advanced more to the right greatly contributed to consummate the rout of this large French lorce, which Picton's division had initiated. The French fled in in all directions, leaving two eagles and 3000 prisoners in our hands, and having many pieces of cannon disabled. The English had two generals, Sir Thomas Picton and Sir AVilliam Ponsonby, killed on this occasion. The Union Brigade as Ponsonby's was called, from its consisting of an English an Irish, and a Scotch regiment, aud also a portion of the Household Brigade after the rout of the French, did not know when to pull up, but followed them on to the French position, and thereby after causing much confusion, suffered most severely, when attacked m their scattered state and cut off by the formed cavalry of the enemy. Sir CoHn Campbell, who was on the Duke of Welling tons staff, told me that he saw what I have attempted briefly to state, respecting the attack and defeat of the French on this occasion, including the splendid charge of the two brigades of cavalry, and that he saw the white horses of the Scots Greys carrying confusion into the French ranks, as far as the eye could reach; he saw also the enemy detaching troops in various directions to cut them off in detail. The supporting regiment of the Union Brigade in charging got mixed up with those in ad- vance, and Vandeleur consequently moved down two of the regi- ments of his brigade, thp. I9f]i or^A i«fT, T:~-i-i. t^. . ■ "••••' '^vt" ijiguty a^iagoons, lu support, and by charging and routing the French lancers, secured the retreat of some of the scattered remnants of Ponsonby's I S8 52nd light infantry '>ngade. In the cliame of thn i Of i, t • i . T^ H„„. F^deriok p„„a^::; t:'dikd I rr" ^°'""^' *'» horse carried him on to th. IV ''*'"™.'° '«"l' ^"".x md his to the ^und bj a :„te e„t " """'"" "''"" ''^ "»» ''™'' makfai:„ldTtta7.':Ltooo'"''T' "^''^'^'' ^^-•«" ^^^ «» British;' t extended"! t hI ^™ *" "«'" ™« "^ *» Hougomontontheri^h Tf^ ^' ^"""" '" *'«' ^''t"* 'o theAuMo4rtB:i:L;ctr;rrrt:^ moved up the Brun v^oket f 1 ^- "T"'""- ""^ ^"''^ ^ad Colonel Su Pla.s brS.de o/^ Sg? "" T"'' ""' ^'^° firing round shot and .raw inl tL? / ^'«'°''- ^^""^ enemy till thev could uoT, . t '"^'"""""S cavalry of the them. The F™ h on " v "^ ^'^ '" ""' 'l""'^^ "^-^'t to found the wbdrtrfj^s d'eTerted ZT "J t ^™"'°»' presence of the British fZ '""'™* ■"<• '"""i themselves in they charged and which o^^' f^ ^™"™'"'^ ^l""'^'' ^h^h cavlydifltilttr" . "^ """"^ "'^»- The French but inclined t:?h7iltTtr "7"^^^^^ receiving the fire of thel,. f f ,"'"' ""''' '"'''^«'»' t^™. were thrown too much cr-''T''™"y'-l»"^- They luwu mro much confusion, which thp aii;«^ i taking advantage of, charged and dr^vrthem from fh! "".'^ Directly this occurred, the artiUerymIn mn t^rh ' ''°""™- opened a most destructive fire on thTL / ^' ""<■ Freneh soon raUied, and support:d by 7" o'fr' T'^'T ^"^^ attacked the euns anrf th, I. I ? "** ""'^0', again lost his horseTt ;„to ° ''•!" """ ""'' *'"" ■">' having of the posmr trtu z^'z^^'TrrT -""' Directly the French cavalry had fled thpF i^^^'"".^ "''™''^- openedatremendousflreon^iS^JrcltrftS:: • See Appendix No. 5. '^fjKf0' «ii«f~X I ,:',|',!;:;;'//M': ^, ^ >'^v W5 S? . Pi.l, i =.,^^ I ■ll'.""'*/;,/'', . ^ nfviiiik Odurl AT WATERLOO. 29 enemy sent forward a large force of infantry and cavalry, which maintained itself in the hollow to the Allied right of La Haye Sainte until nearly the close of the action. During the occurrence of nearly all the stirring events briefly recorded in the foregoing portion of the chapter, the 52nd were lying down in reserve in front of Merbe Braine. About three o'clock or a little after, the whole regiment formed open column of companies to the left, and proceeded about a quarter of a mile along the right of the road from Braine-la- leud, in an eastern direction, nearly to the angle formed by the junction of that road with that running from Mvelles to Brussels, and formed square on No. 10 company. We there saw the grand charge of the French cavalry, before described, all along the British position, a quarter of a mile in our front, and numbers of our guns deserted. Colonel Charles Eowan addressed the regiment, and said, he did not think " those fellows would come near us, but " that if they did we would give them a warm reception." Sir John Colborne was somewhere away in front at that time. Almost immediately after the formation of the square, the 52nd advanced in square, up to, and over the British pos'+ion. Some little time before it crossed the position, Cottinghaiu, who was the first officer wounded, was struck by a spent cannon-ball on the right ankle. He had a trick of continually 'exclaiming "By " Jove ! " and was often joked about it. I had a little joke against him on the subject, as on our march up from Ostend, in describing to me an attack by a German regiment of cavalry on a body of French, he concluded by saying, " By Jove, they cut them up " like sparrows." When he received this very severe contusion, he was immediately supported by one of the Serjeants, and hopped about on his other foot, crying out " Oh, by Jove, by Jove ! " One could hardly help smiling at the exclamation. This shot must have been fired from the extreme left of the French army, at the troops of Mitchell's or Du Plat's brigade, stationed on the liigher ground in rear of Hougomont, and have first taken the ground near them. It passed over, or through the lengthened- out right face of the 52nd square, and spent its strcugtli on poor Cottingham's ankle. I was marching about five or six feet behind him ; and first of all thought it was a shell, but, on 30 52nd light infantky i m W: looking ^at it, I found it to be a round-shot, from one of the Trench twelve-pounder batteries. On the position we passed over the spot on which one of the thlMUcdTdT ^' '"^^ "■"■ '""-"^ '^»8 thereX „ their killed and badly-wounded men. They had suffered most severely from round-shot and shells. It was one of the mos Id Tetor n,"" T" •"'*''=" ™^' blood-stained bZ held. One poor fellow, whose thigh was completely taken oif high up, bythe explosion of ashell at themoment it Struck him at the hand of one of our men, and then feU dead. Inother who had not long to live, shook the hand of another 52nd man as we were passing to the front, and cried "Brave AnX^' cX:^,Cl a BLuswick square, prepared to ::c:::e malry, with the front rank kneeling, as steady as a rock ; but wS h f.™' '''' "^"""^ ^"^ ^"'"'^'1 ™" belonged to seua I k!r "r w ™' °' "^ ^^P""" l-"^'"™- » -othe squme, I know not. We must have passed here near to the right square of Maitland's brigade of Guards, but w saw nothing of them. Our advance was just at th close of 7e l^rst attack of the Fronch cavalry on the Allied squares I Uuak, but am not sure, that we saw at this time, the I'sth Li.h Dragoons, of Grant's brigade, ride down the slope on our M to charge some French cavalry on their left front Immediately on descending the slope of the position towards the enemy the regiment, almost concealed by the tall rye which v-as then for the first time trampled down, formed two'luaro I remember that when we formed these two squares, we were not far from the north-eastern point of the Hougomont inclosure and on the narrow white road which, passing within 100 yards of that point, crosses the interval between the British and French positions in the direction of La Belle Alliance The squares of Adam's brigade advanced till the' 71st were n arly half way down the inclosure of Hougomont, and aC 300 yards from it; the right square of the 52nd was nearly 15« yads down the line of the inclosure and about 400 yards from British position, whiht the square of the 2nd battalion o ' the AT WATERLOO. 31 95th Rifles, was the left square of the whole brigade, ajid was still further up the position. When I was talking with Sir Colin Campbell on the subject of the battle of Waterloo, he said he never understood why Adam's brigade was placed in that advanced and exposed position, and inquired if I knew what the object of it was. I told him that we had supposed we were placed there as a support to the troops in Hougomont. It has, however, occurred to me whilst I have been writing this portion of my book, that this brigade posted in squares in the manner above described, if it could maintain its ground, in spite of the tremendous cannonade to which it must necessarily be exposed, would so break the force of any fresh cavalry attack on the English guns and squares on the crest of the position, as to render it abortive ; and also, that its maintaining its ground so far in advance of the other troops, many of whom were young battalions who had never been in action before, would tend to inspire them with confidence. In the next chapter I shall bring before my readers many events of interest which occurred in connexion with the 52nd squares. Of the 71st and 95th squares I only know that they suffered very severely from the fire of the French artiUery; and they appeared, as the French General Foy said of the squares of this brigade, to be rooted to the ground, so steady were they, under the tremendous fire to which they were exposed. The old ofiBcers, who had served during the whole of the Peninsula war, stated that they were never exposed to such a cannonade as that which the 52nd squares had to undergo on this occasion for two hours and a half, from the French artillery planted about half a mile in their front. Our own artiUery on, or just under the crest of our position, were also firinc. over our heads the whole time, either at the enemy's troops" or at their guns. Some shrapnel-shells burst short, and wounded some of the 52nd men ; but the firing of these shells was discontmued, on our sending notice of what they were doin.r to the artillerv ahnyp hq Tr> i-ha r!<^^f onnoT— -f ^i -" ' '^ "- — V !j.. ri^iit- oquaru ut uiu ozna, and I suppose it was the same in all the squares of our brigade, there was one incessant roar of round-shot and shells pa^'ssiug over 82 52nd light infantry ■ or close to us on either flank ; occaaionally they made gaps in the square. The only interval that occu4d in the cannonade was when we were charged by the French cavalry,Tor they of course could not fire on our squares for fear of i^^ring hS do U abtt tL'°''\""T"'''''^'"' '"-"■g -thing else to slicrstl ""P'""""" '^^« *■"" <=» iWen to soldiers m an engagement. I frequently tried to follow with my eye. the course of the balls from our own guns, which w^e flrmg over us. It is much more easy to see a roldXI passuigaway from you over your head, than to catch'ght orasZTrstt^tstrtdT "'°"'"' *^^ ^° »-"' twelve-pouLer gu^ 30^0/ ^ til^ ab! ^^ uTte: firmg at one time, over our sauare «t « hZt V ilnwn „,. 1^ ii. ■ ."" """^^liMe, at a body of cuirassiers drawn up to their right and rear of the lower inclosure of Hougomont; one of the round-shot, which I caught stht ^ made a regular gap, and occasioned some confusion in thet front squadron. After this, as the officer in command of the repment was riding up and down about twenty yards in fron , of the leading squadron, I saw a round-shot which I houl would have struck his horse's head; it however appeared to K^iten::u;^„:srn'° '-- — '^ *- of ^Ili^t^ t r^" ^T" ™^ '" «'^ '0-' »f fte centre ot the front face. I have before stated that it is only verv occasionally that a person can see a round-shot coming flom a twelve-pounder gun, or from one of smaller calibre IZ thl 1 ? , f P™"™' " S^"""" °f sunshine, falling on in our front which appeared to be placed lower down the saw the French artdleryman go through the whole process ol spunging out one of the guns and r«ln„1,-„„ n- T eo^H ! Uiat It waa pointed at our square, and whe-n' i? 1 d«atd AT WATEllLOO. 33 1 caught sight of the baU, which appeared to be in a direct line for me. I thought, Shall I move ? No ! I gathered myself up, and stood firm, with the colour in my right hand. 1 do not exactly know the rapidity with which cannon-balls fly^ but I think that two seconds elapsed from the time that I saw this shot leave the gun until it struck the front face of the square. It did not strike the four men in rear of whom I was standing, but the four poor fellows on their right. It was fired at some elevation, and struck the front man about the knees, and coming to the ground under the feet of the rear man of the four, whom it most severely wounded, it rose and, passing within an inch or two of the colour pole, went over the rear face of the square witliout doing further injury. The two men in the first and second rank feU outward, I fear they did not survive long ; the two others fell within the square. The rear man made a considerable outcry on being wounded, but on one of the officers saying kindly to him, " man, don't " make a noise," he instantly recollected himself, and was quiet. This was the only noise, except the "By Jove!" mentioned before, which I heard from any wounded man during the battle although I must have been within hearing distance of many hundreds of the wounded, particularly later in the day when we passed over the killed and wounded of the French Imperial Guard. The story one used to hear in one's boyhood of the bands of regiments playing during the raging of a battle to drown the cries of the wounded, is a myth. The n^en of the band and some of the buglers generally make themselves useful in action in attending to tlie wounded. This cannon-shot coming throucrh the centre of the front rank of our square without touchino^ me was, I think, my narrowest escape up to that period o'f the action. I should not omit to mention that it was said after the notion, that a round-.hot had expended its force in' the solid square of the 7lst Highland Light Infantry on our right front, and only stopped when it had killed or wounded seventeen men ; I can easily suppose this to be possible from what I saw of the effects of the shot which passed p.o dose to We stood in the right square, not on rye, or wheat trampled 34 62nd light infantry l1 down, but, I think, on clover or seeds which had been recently mown. I furnished information to Captain Siborne with regard to this crop, and to that on which we afterwards stood on the British position, when he was forming his beautiful model of the J^ield of Waterloo, and was very anxious to procure accurate information on the subject. It was generaUy supposed that there would have been a much greater loss in kiUed and 7aT . t ^^*^^^°°' if *^e heavy rain on the nights of the letli and 17th had not well saturated the ground. Many of the sheUs which feU near the troops went so far into the ground perhaps a foot or more, that they exploded without doing any inju^. This was the case in and near our squares. A company ot the 95th Eifies were extended in front of the brigade at one time, that they might fire into the French cuirassiers, who were drawn up some three hundred yards from us. One of the files was about ten paces in front of our right square ; they were both kneeUng, and the front rank man was taking aim at the cuirassiers, when a sheU pitched two or three feet before them; they hastily retired towards our square, when, from its not exploding, they supposed it was a round-shot, and returned to the spot and knelt down, and the front rank man was just raising his rifle again to take aim, when the shell exploded covering them with dirt, and they retired, the front rank man iiaving evidently been wounded. It was said some little time after the action, but I did not observe It myself, that in one of the squares, probably the iett, whilst Colonel N^icolay or some other officer who had come down from the position, was speaking to Colonel Charles l.owan, a shell fell in the midst of the square, when on Colonel liowan saying, "Steady, men!" Colonel Nicola v observed "I "never saw men steadier in my life." The shell burst, and seven poor fellows were struck by the fragments. Speaking of the left square of the 52nd, Colonel HaU writes " AFrenchhalf battery {i.e. two guns) about 600 yards distantfrom I' the farthest advance of this square, made it their especial object. "They hit us several times whilst we stood halted, yet the ^''casualties were not .so numerous as might have been expected. 1 should say the enemy fired well but not with rapidity Did AT WATERLOO. 36 "you notice any of the cannon-shot wounds ? While the left "wing square stood under the cannonade, one of Shedden's "company (Woods I think) was struck down by a ball full on " the knee. He was removed into the centre of the square I "observed the limb above the knee quickly sweU tiU it became " the size of his body. The poor fellow was left upon the ground "I suppose to die there." In addition to one or two advanced batteries, the brigade, being almost the only British infantry in sight, must have been cannonaded by a considerable portion of the artiUery of the left wing of the French army. I have a very vivid recollection of the charge of the French cavalry. Those who advanced on the right square of the 52nd were cuirassiers, having not only a steel breastplate but the same covering for the back. As I observed before, the pleasing part of the charge was that, for several minutes, perhaps ten we were relieved from the cannonade which the ^rench had kept up upon us, except when their cavalry charged. They came on in veiy gallant style and in very steady order, first of all at the trot, then at a gallop, till they were within forty or fifty yards of the front face of the square, when, one or two horses having been brought down, in clearing the obstacle they got a somewhat new direction, which carried them to either flank of the face of the square, which direction they one and all preferred to the charging home and riding on to our bayonets. Notwithstanding their armour many of the men were laid low many horses also were brought down, and the men had a difficulty in disen- tangling themselves from them The cuirassiers passed the square, receiving the fire of all the four faces, and proceeded up to the crest of the British position. They then re-formed, and came down the slope again upon us in the same way, and again avoiding to charge home upon the rear face of the square as they could scarcely hope to penetrate the squares; possiblv it was a rcconnoisance ordered to be made by the Emperor who had no other means of ascertaining what force the Duke of WeUington had at that time on the reverse slope of the position Irom the French position .scarcely any of the British troops could at that time be seen, except our own and the other regiments of General Adam's brigade. I) 2 36 52nd light infantry An interesting anecdote was mentioned to me not Ion? aso by the late General Sir Frederick Love, who was a captain and hrevet-major in the 52nd at Waterloo :-"Some years ago he and his brother were returning through the South of France from a "trip they had been taking to the Pyrenees, when they fell in "with a nice gentlemanly Frenchman in one of the public "conveyances, who, in the course of conversation, told them that " he also had served at Waterloo; and it turned out, on their com- " panng notes, that he had been an officer of some standincr in the "very regiment of cuirassiers which had charged the right square " of the 52nd in that action. Amongst other things, the French I' officer said that whilst the cuirassiers were re-forming, just under "the British position, preparatory to renewing their attack "upon us, he obsei-ved that the men had ordered their arms and "were standing at ease, and that he said to a young officer near " him, 'See how coolly those fellows take it; depend upon it that "'IS one of the old Spanish regiments, and we shall make no " ' impression on them.' " This officer added, that on charging back again he rode close to the right face of our square, so close, that a young fellow sprang from the square and wounded him with his bayonet on the left side of his neck, it was a slight wound, but he showed them the scar which it had left. My attention, when the cuirassiers charged back upon us, was chiefly directed to those who were brought down by our fire, about twenty yards from the angle formed by the front and right faces; but I have a recol- ection of something having occurred at that time, without knowing what it was, in the front ranks of the right face of the square, not far from its junction with the rear face. When we were in squares of wings, to the left of Hougomont the French had two divisions, consisting of 12,000 men and some cavalry, in the neighbourhood of La Haye Sainte, from which, about six o'clock, they, after a severe fight, succeeded in ^' '^' '^^'^' ^«« l^i* Zn' , \ ^ P'"' ^'^^^'^ ^^^^ *^^ n^^<^ corning, when it was artilleiy. The other two Serjeants attached to that colour I ZZ\TV\'T f '' "'"^ ^^^^"°^ - «^--' -^ poor JJettles. If he kept his relative position, would be just in front of eor^ilf'l t ?f '^' '^^^ ^^^ ^^-^ ^-^ of the squar before it faced about to retire. As we neared the summit of our position. It seemed as if the whole of the French artUlery was firing round-shot at our devoted squares. Almost ever/shot which took effect, brought death or some dreadful wound to the pemn struck. It certainly was a pleasant relief from "one ot the most murderous cannonades ever recorded in the annals 01 war, when, on passing the crest of the position, we found ourselves, at forty paces from it. out of fire on its rev rse slope III 89 CHAPTER III. DEFEAT OF THE IMPERIAL GUARD BY THE 52nD LIGHT INFANTRY. Form a four-deep line— Wounded men of the 52nd— Sper> round-shot— Duke of Wellington— French officer of cuirassiers— Advance of the Imperial Guard —52nd advances singly to meet them— 3rd battalion of Ist Guards drives a mass of skirmishers down the position— Defeat of the whole of the Imperial Guard by the 52nd alone— No other English troops within 300 yards of them —Flight of the French army— 52nd passes over the killed and the wounded of the French Guard— Various incidents— Charge of cavalry— 52nd suffer from grape— Prussian round-shot— Serious thought's. It was now getting on for seven o'clock. The 52nd formed line four deep, the right wing being in the front line, and the left wing having closed up upon it. The regiment stood about forty paces below the crest of the position, so that it was nearly or quite out of fire. The roar of round-shot still continued, many only just clearing our heads— others striking the top of the position and bounding over us— others, again, almost spent and rolling down gently towards us. One of these, when we were standing in line, came rolling down like a cricket-ball, so slowly that I was putting out my foot to stop it, when my colour-serjeant quickly begged me not to do so, and told me it might have seriously injured my foot. Exactly in front of me, when standing in line, lay, at the distance of two yards, a dead tortoise-shell kitten. It had probably been frightened out of Hougoraont, which was the nearest house to us, and about a quarter of a mile off. The circumstance led me to think of my friends at home. For some little time there was a lull in the battle all along the British line, excepting that the French artillery kept up their fire on the British artillery, almost the only force which could then be seen by them. N"o shells were at that time directed against 40 DEPKAT OF THE IMl'EUrAL GFAUD I li-i ,;i i he troops pasted just behind the summit of the Britisl, position. Hero was a most mteresting aeeno I Everything was iild and tu'l^I T'',?'"«, ™' •"""' »"" ■«'"™'- This is ralr a bold paradox! Hounding our view, about forty paces in our hedge on t away to the right of our cent.*, but not so to the of our hn n ', "',';' ''"''«" '" "«^ "8'^' '"^ '"""o twenty o our badiy and mortally wounded men, covered by their blankets, wh.cd, some of the poor fellows had got out from the r kmpsacks. I particularly remember at that time tw^ poo have had their arms carried away by the same cannon-shot, for nchcTI f. ''r^""""^ '" "'^ ^""^ P'-«. "bout four mches below the shoulder, the wounded arm being attached to the upper part by a very small portion of skin and flesh and bemg supported by the n.an taking hold of the hand of that arm on' of !h IZ "?• '^''™' "'" """' ''"'O- 1 ■»"<''' ™y also for one of the E.ries who was seriously wounded in the head, to pas., to the rear. L,eut.-Colonel Geoi^e Hall, then a lieutenant in McNa,rs company, tells me that at that time most of the buglers had, with the permission of the oflicers, gone to the mr with wounded men; and that Captain Cross, at his ,«,uest, allowed his kst remaming bugler to take chaise of and convey to the tear a severely wounded man of McNair's company In front of our left company were several killed and wounded of both were eating the trodden down wheat or rye notwith- standing that their legs we«, shot off, or that they we« oS^t badly wounded. I observed a brigade of artillery, comingTr^m style. In doing this, some of the guns went over the legs of the wounded horses-the wounded uen were out of their ^ay It often happens m action that, in charges of cavalry and in rapid advances of artillery, wounded men are ridden or run o^er t WateirR? W t ''' '^'"^ "' ^«ny, two days before Waterloo Blucher's horse fell, and that, before he could dis entang e himself from it, the French and Prussian 'Iw cnarged each other twice, passing over him and his bo^e without BY THE 52NI) light IXFANTRY. 41 his being hurt. There was a peculiar smell at tliis time, arising from a mingling of the smell of the wheat trodden flat down with the smell of gunpowder. Half an hour, or perhaps three-quarters of an hour, had elapsed after our return to the position, when a French cuirassier officer came galloping up the slope and down the bank in our front, near to Sir John Colborne, crying, "Vive le Roi !" He was a chef d'escadron, and took that opportunity of escaping from the French left wing, that he might shew his loyalty to Louis XVIII. He told Sir John Colborne that the French Imperial Guard were about to advance, and would be led by the Emperor. I think the officer of cuirassiers was sent, under the charge of a Serjeant, to the Duke of Wellington. Soon after this, when it was nearly eight o'clock, the Duko rode across our front from the left of the line quite alone, and spoke to Sir John Colborne, as they were both sitting on their horses observing the enemy. The Duke's dress consisted of a blue surtout coat, white kerseymere pantaloons, and Hessian boots. He wore a sword with a waist-belt, but no sash, and had a small extended telescope in his right Land. He rode a chestnut horse. • He rode across our front within fifteen paces of our centre, so that I had a complete view of him. I remember him and his cool, quiet demeanour as well as if I had seen him only yester- day. This was the first time the 52nd had seen him on the 18th. He wore no cloak, but Sir John Colborne wore then and during the whole of the action, as a short cloak, the cape and hood of my blue camlet boat-cloak, which I had lent him on the afternoon of the 17th. After speaking for a short time to Sir John Colborne, the Duke rode quietly away again in the direction of the centre of the position, still unattended. We heard what the officer of cuirassiers had said to Sir John Colborne about the attack of the Imperial Guard, and not long after we heard them advancing with continued shouts of " Vive " I'Empereur" away to our left front. The drummers were beat- ing the " pas de charge," which sounded, as weU as I recollect, very much like this, "the rum dum, the rum dum, the rumma- '-' dum dummadum, dum, dum," then " Vive I'Empereur." This was repeated again and again, till, in about a quarter of an hour m cr-f 42 DEFEAT OF THE IMPERIAL GUARD ii riSttr' ^' ""' " ^■'^ '»" ^ '"^ -nner mentioned ra Belle Alliance, and on the French left of the Charleror»ad wlluhe trol / 't* '"'' '•*" ™8^ °f *>>« ^«=™l' army Whilst the troops forming the centre of their left wing under Fov Z/°Tr;''°""'''™""^"'"''*eincteuresofyougl;n^ Th French had maintained themselves in force for severSTours r^stXe^R r ;' "" ""''' '™*^- ^"O"' =*«« yaris under tl: crest of the British position, and had taken that post from the ^ermans about six o'clock. Thus, when the ImperW Gu»J were advanomg from the low ground towards the ri^tre^f the position, the Duke could not withdraw any of his bri!Si° of infantry from any other part of the hue 7 mass o^' to niishers was sent forward from the Imperial Gx^TJ sets of skirmishers getting, I believe, intermingled in some measure Whether the Imperial Guard skirmishei. fired il th nght regiment of »he 1st British Guards, that is the 2nd battalion and mto the left of the 2nd battali™ of the Effles I am uncertain, but the bi^iit of tlie attack from the Frenfh skir mishers fell upon the 3rd battaUon of the 1st Guards Under «iese circumstances, when the leading battalion of the &s column of the Imperial Guard was about 400 yards 2' «: irsfr Jof f :f ^"'"T °^™P'^^ 'y MaitlaTdCadr"- Guarrto. Sir John Colborne, who had been watching his onportu mty, ordered No. 6 company of the 52nd, undef L eutenante Anderson CampUU, and F W. Love, to exteni and move dowZj hre into theenemy'scolu, US, looking to theregimentforsureort. the 52nd and the S battaL ™.» of the giou'i'z l^fJJt TZ;:"^:.^y '", "■' ""■ on its left, the French 8kirmi«l,Ar« v.^-'\ ' i'"='""" man the troop.s on.po*„..„.vt-tro'x=r^e'ra^^^^ lii Qer mentioned und in front of 'harleroi road. )f this attack, French array, ig under Foy, f Hougomont. several hours rds under the )ost from the perial Guard ?ht centre of his brigades lass of skir- tJ who were vision; both 3d in some s fired into is, the 2nd the Eifles, I ^rench skir- alion of the yards from s brigade of is opportu- liieutenants e down and T support.* those of the 'Illy the four- en the left of rds, yet the len the 52n-l : to the for- n the troops retired crest ig into them. 1^1 n. WAT ERLO O 18^" JUNE 1815 AT 8.10 O'CLOCK PM 7 \ .^ ^ \ ^'1 ?fif^^ k ^ 5 ^\C tJnatnirt, ,i IIIIM ^ " 'n! \ irm \ \ V ///ReJU \ltia„ II i^rf-* » ^ Z 5 M-W ft, > IS •^ 4, So, " *''^ * -.* '^/^e^^ I , Aw ►»fH* Hjj._i_ « . */ m ^ mm ^€ / ,•7 kF^^'^vV — -a* cm o^ ^^," "^'?*^> In ' '^ f u ^ T rtv~~ \. .., — * ' IiH; 2'!0 3rJ0 4O()¥0» J ■ria'bni!i,;(,Wat^ii,)i Court, BY THE 52nd light INFANTRY. 43 He then, without having received any orders from the Duke or any other superior officer, moved forward the 52nd, in quick time, directly to its front. As we passed over the low bank and the crest of our position, we plainly saw, about 300 or 400 yards from us, in the direction of La Belle Alliance, midway between the inclosures of Hougomont and La Haye Sainte, and about a quarter of a mile from each of those places, ■ two long columns of the Imperial Guard of France, of about equal length, advancing at right angles with the position and in tlie direction of Maitland's brigade of Guards, stationed on our left. The whole number of these two columns of the French Guard appeared to us to amount to about 10,000 men. There was a small interval of apparently not more than twenty paces between the first and second column ; from the left centre of our line we did not at any time see through this interval ; I think they were all in close column. As the 52nd mov.d down towards the enemy it answered the cries of "Vive I'Empereur," with three tremendous British cheers. When the left of the regiment was in a line with the leading company of the Imperial Guard, it began to mark time, and the men touched in to their left, every one seeing the necessity for such a movement, and that, if they proceeded, they would be outflanked by the French column, which was then not quite two huvidred yards from us. In two or three seconds the word of command, " Right shoidders forward," came down the line from Sir John Colborne, repeated by the mounted officers, and the officers commanding the front companies ; the move- ment was soon completed, and the 52nd four-deep line became parallel to the left fln'^k of the leading column of the French Guard, there being a slight dip and rise again of the ground between us and the enemy. The 52nd was alone, the other regi- ments of Adam's brigade having been thrown out by the sudden- ness and peculiarity of the movement. In this dangerous and exposed advance Sir John Colborne was on the right of the regiment, anxiously watching a large mass of the enemy's cavalry, which was seen between us and the French position. From the left centre of the 52nd line we saw a numerous body of skirmishers of the Imperial Guard running towards, and then l.WarwinJs OouTi, 41 DEFEAT OF THE IMPEKUL GUARD l;>ramg about 100 yards in front of, their l.a,li„. column* r^'h tlTu'l, \ '^™ "^^ '^^" ^y the o2ud osfce s on t he r«ht possibly the head of the French column intervened I a sMrmLr"^'' '''™"'' °®"^^ =«''^' "^ «>e flat f Word aVSh^oThtsTe^tr*: tt ft- '-;*"■ ''' ^ ye-ds up the slope ofTh/S^:! o" ^u .rirnoT! Brmsh regiment or a British soUier was n 1 Thele sk rm^hers no doubt were the troops driven in from the British lXTt;,Ltf M-T^fT-"' ''" ^'' «™*' which was « of the 2n T„H f "'"rf ' ^"S^' ■• I-o'd Hill was on the right ■1^." Th:,°'f!,'',"S*'^^' ^"^ i' ™ "stationary and no downl s„^l r °" °' *'' '"8"* °f e-^rf^ was lying the n„l f ■■''"'" ™'' =" ^"^ ''«''«'«« from k when the Duke, conung back from the centre of the position Id ttTmp^eri *^^ T d "" T."' - '^'^^ "»- °f ^— - of "linel H , rf '^'""'^ *" ''™"™»™t, that as rom to f "T;, '» *h'f h« -mmanded a troop, were moving rTrdl '■'*'" """tre of the position, they saw the Guards retiring in some confusion. This, from aU accounts wa XdfofTrr'. n.^«^'"^' *^ -->^ hy MaitL™ out dnrh 1' ^™'' ""' ""^ ™'''' hy one battalion of ■t only) during the action. They suffered severelv from Z\ cannonade, and were charged, as all the troop wL by tL slrmthrTthe"'/"*",' ;"^ """'^ '"» t'- flre'of'the SKirmishers of the Imperial Guard, whom they drove in ■ but this was the only forward movement they m'ade ^ain"; the •'dep'wT ™"""' ''"'''° »' '«« "-c baWe, a. "an attempt at BY THE 52nd light INFANT1?Y. 45 enemy. Gurvvood must have seen them at some distance down the reverse slope of the British position, just about the time that V 52nd were completing their right-shoulder-forward movement, and that the skirmishers of the Imperial Guard were forming in front of their leading column. I must not now stop to prove that the story of Maitland's brigade of Guards having attacked and routed the leading column of the Imperial Guard is a mere myth, and that this has been all along well known to every officer of the 52nd who was present at Waterloo, from Lord Seaton down to myself, the youngest ensign, but will hereafter devote a chapter or two to the subject. This advance of the o2nd line and its right-shoulder-forward movement was seen from the height above, and was spoken of by Lord Hill as one of the most beautiful advances he had ever seen. Sir John Byng, who had succeeded to the command of the whole division of the Guards when General Cooke was wounded, and was at the time near Maitland's brigade, said of it to one of the 52nd officers that night, " We saw the 52nd " advancing gloriously, as they always do." The l)uke of Welling- ton also was much pleased with it, as I shall have to state more particularly in a subsequent chapter. It is very difficult to calculate time during the progress of a battle ; one officer told me that the whole action only appeared to him to last two hours, whereas it commenced exactly at twelve o'clock at noon, and lasted till a quarter after nine at night. It must have been nearly a quarter past eight when the 52nd stood parallel witli tlie left flank of the Imperial Guard. Our artillery on the British position, 300 yards above, had been playing upon the masses of the French Guard, but when we saw them there appeared to be no confusion amongst them ; our advance put a stop to the fire of our artillery ; it was not till the 52nd skirmishers fired into them that the Imperial Guard halted, then as many files as possible, on the left of each company of their leading column, faced outwards and returned the fire ; as the 52nd approached, our skirmishers fell back to the regiment, two of the three officers being severely wounded, and many of the men being either killed or wounded. The regiment opened fire upon the enemy without halting ; the men m 46 DEFEAT OF THE IMPERIAL GUARD fired, then partly halted to load, whilst those in the rear slipped round them m a sort of skirmishing order, though they main- tamed a compact line, occupying, however, nearly double the extent of ground, from front to rear, which a four-deep Hue usually requires. The French writer, Quinet, although his account of this action contains all kinds of mistakes, speaks of this attack ot the 52nd on the flank of the Imperial Guard as follows : ^^Le 5.e regiment Anglais en profite pour venir audacieusement se d(5p oyer sur le flanc gauche. Quand le regiment Anglais leut ddbord(5e tout enti^re, il ouvrit sou feu k brdle-pourpoint " qui r^crasait." Here was a most exciting as weU as a most critical period in this famous battle. The far-famed Imperial Guard of France led on by the gallant Marshal Ney. whom the French styled 'Le plus brave des braves," came into contact with that British regiment, of which Sir William Napier, the historian of the Fenmsular War, had written that it was "a regiment never sur- " passed in arms, since arms were first borne by men ;" and this regiment was commanded by Colonel Sir John Colborne (after- wards Field-Marshal Lord Seaton) one of the most experienced steady, cool, and at the same time, gallant and dasliing officei^ ot the British or any other army. The mounted officers rode to the front of the line There were Colonel Sir John Colborne, Lieut.-Colonel Charles Eowan Major Wm Chalmers, Adjutant AVinterbottom, and Assistant- Adjutant Nixon, also our general of brigade, Adam, who had just come up, and some of his staff. Lieutenant Campbell, 7th Fusileers and Major Hunter Blair, 91st regiment, brigade-major. Chalmers' m front of the right of No. 4 company, placed his cap on the point ot his sword, and, standing up in his stirrups, cheered the regiment on Here I saw Winterbottom badly wounded in the head and brought by his horse through the Hue, without his cap the blood streaming down him; the poor fellow managed to hold on by the pommel of his saddle. Captain Diggle com- manding No. 1 company, had been desperately wounded just butore on tiie left temple. Lieutenant Dawson was shot through thelungs; Anderson lor^U leg. Major Love was sevcrojy wounded BY THE 52nd light infantry. 47 ia the head, and afterwards, as he lay on the ground, in the foot and in two other places. Lieutenant Campbell, who had been skirmishing, came through the line sever^^ly wounded in the groin ; General Adam was severely wounded in the leg, but did not quit the field. Colonel Charlns Euwan was also slightly wounded ; Sir John Colborne had his horse killed under him, and was grazed in the hand and on thu foot. Several of the other officers were very slightly hit, but were not returned as wounded ; I consider that about 140 of our men were killed or wounded at this time, in the course of five or six minutes. I missed Sir John Coll' ime for two or three minutes, and felt very anxious about him, but presently he came quickly down the front on foot, giving dirof^tions, still wearing a portion of my cloak, and wiping his mouth with his white handkerchief. As we closed to\\ rds the French Guard, they did not wait for our charge, but the leading column at first somewhat receded from us, and then broke and fled ; a portion of the rear column also broke and ran ; but three or four battalions of the Old Guard, forming part of this second column, retired hastily, in some degree of order, towards the rising ground in front of La Belle Alliance, with a few pieces of the artillery of the Guard, which must have been on their right flank when they advanced, as we did not see them, and those which were left by the gunners on the ground, untn the French Guard had given way; indeed, had these guns been on the left flank of the columnsof the Imperial Guard, when we were bringing our right shoulders forward, they might have plied our line with grape, and have caused us the most serious loss ; or, possibly, had they been there, Sir John Colborne would not have_ ventured on the movement at all. With the exception of these' battalions of the Old Guard, the whole French army, as far as the eye could reach, appeared to us to be in utter confusion. The 52nd still advanced by itself, in the direction of the lower inclosure of La Haye Sainte, towards the Charleroi road, and nearly at right angles with that part of the British position behind which, on the reverse slope, stood Maitland's brigade of Guard .s. an rl SirGnlin TTallrpft'a ^n^■,r,^■'i^ip^r^nr,r^^c^(^c"^'" "v^ ru .'SmMJ^ III; ^ttiSW" ■■~— =~-AC__~- t.'fe>» '■■■tH- .-♦^^ **Li *: V. 1^^ mxm >--^:; y*^ > ,s^;;:r''''V.-^H' »)f^ '"■'/ ''AU.'utI -tfeSis^x^'*, MO iOO 300 400 VD* Piiir OCK P.M. W ^MilB - m& ■&•,■'".■ /.y.rf;il/'/ry|( '%f r-'/lKM-f. to S'^i'l^f'A^S ?*^. '"'-'.{» to this part of the action in a memorandum written ■nOctol)er, 1836, t\v-:tA -one years after the Battle of Waterloo, has shown perhaps a very pardonable forgetfulness of the exact circumstance here related. He writes, " The infantry was advanced in line. I halted them for a moment in " the bottom, that they might be in order to attack some battalions of the enemy iSsJl :jtk,^ 56 52nd attack and defeat The French had then opened fire on our line at about 200 yards distance, and I well recollect that several bullets streaked the ground close to me, many others seemed to w^hiz very close to my ears, so that I suspected the French were directing more atten- tion than was quite pleasant to me and my colour. It may however have been principally attracted by the Duke, and Sir Colin Campbell and Sir John Colborne, who were immediately in my rear and about ten paces from me. The colour and the covering Serjeants were immediately called in, M-ithout the line being dressed, and the regiment advanced and drove off the enemy. It was liere that the Marquis of Aaglesea, then Lord Uxbridge, rode up to the Duke and said, " For God's sake, Duke, " don't expose yourself so, you know what a valuable life yours "is," and that the Duke replied, "I'll be satisfied, when I see "those fellows go." Lord Uxbridge was wounded by a grape or musket-shot in the knee. I did not see it, nor was it observ^ed by Sir John Colborne or by any of the officers of the regiment, our attention being engaged by the enemy's troops in our front Sir Colin Campbell told me, several years afterwards, that, on observing that Lord LTxbridge was wounded, he rode up to him and laid hold of him by his collar and held him on his horse till his aide-de-camp took charge of him. These troops, who acted as a rear guard to the French arnij^ now retiring in the greatest confusion, were, it is said, three battalions of the Old Guard, a small body of cuirassiers of the Guard, and a few pieces of artillery, probably the same guns which had been driven off by the right section of the 52nd under Lieutenant Gawler. It has been stated and is supposed that the Emperor Napoleon was with these troops. If so, the Emperor and the Duke were at this time in closer proximity, than they ever were at any other time ; and I am not sure that " still on the heights." This is altogether iiicoixect. The Duke foimd the 52nd already halted, and said " Go on, don't give them time to rally." I find that after the lapse of several years, almost all those who were present at Waterloo forget many circumstances, which one is perfectly astonished at, whilst they are very clear about other points even of very minor importance. The being always able to distinguish between wliat they themselves witnessed and what they have heard from others or read of, is a great dithculty with some of my friends, after the lapse of fifty years. I do not experience the same difticulty myself. The imperial grenadiers. 57 ™ I I have not a good claim to having been at this time, for a few seconds, for the second time the foremost man of the British army, and the one nearest to the French Emperor ; excepting of course the three or four persons who had been taken prisoners during the action and had been brought before him to see what information he could draw from them. Here again was a most interesting period of the Battle of Waterloo, a battle of which the Duke of Wellington wrote, that being "possibly the most important single military event in " modern times, it was attended by advantages sufficient for the " glory of many such armies, as the two great Allied armies en- " gaged." Here the 52nd, certainly a most distinguished regiment in the British army, and one of the regiments formerly composing the famous light division in Spain, were opposed to the Old Guard, which was recruited from the Young Guard and from the other French regiments, not a man being admitted into it, who had not seen twelve yoars' service and who was not distinguished for good and gallant conduct. No man was admitted into the Young Guard who had not been in the army for four years. These fine fellows had never met with any defeat before, unless such had happened to them in other corps of the French army. Twenty minutes before this they had witnessed the defeat by the 52nd of the first column of their Guard aud of the leading portion of their own column, from which they had hastily retired to their present position, where they were making something of a stand against us. As I have observed above, here were the choicest troops of France, opposed to one of England's choicest regiments. Many fine and gallant officers had fallen on both sides, but here were on one side the Duke of Wellington, the Earl of Uxbridge, Commander-in-Chief of the British cavalry. Lord Seaton (then Sir John Colborne), an officer of the very highest repute in the English army, and Sir Colin Campbell (not the one who was afterwards Lord Clyde), Chief of the Duke's staff. On the other side were the Emperor Napoleon, Marshal N"ey, Prince of Mos- kowa, Bertrand, General Drouot, Count D'Erlon, and probably Soult. From my point of view, I saw in front of us two or three bodies of men on the rising ground before us, but I could not see 58 5iND ATTACK AND DEFEAT clearly their formation, for they were either kneeling, or no more of their bodies could be seen than to about a foot below their shoulders, owing to the ruggedness of the ground ; they are, how- ever, described by others of the 52nd as having been three squares, with a body of cavalry on their right; they had three guns on their left, which fired a round or two of grape at us. The 52nd did not return the fire of these troops of the Old Guard. On our advancing, the French retired in good order. The cavalry on their right faced about to cover the retreat of their squares, but, on our pressing on in pursuit, they prudently refused the encounter with our compact four-deep line. Only one of their squares retreated by our left of La Belle Alliance and the Charleroi road ; and this square the 52nc: kept in view for nearly a mile further, until they lost sight of it about a quarter of a mile before it reached the farm house of Rosomme, where we brought up for the night. Sir Colin Campbell told me that, when Lord Uxbridge was wounded, he himself again pressed the Duke not to expose, as he was doing, his valuable life, and that he receive.^, the same reply which the Duke had immediately before given to Lord Uxbridge, that "he would be satisfied when he saw those feUows " go." He told me several other things about the Duke, most of which T noted down the day after I had the conversation with hmi. He told me that, when the o2nd advanced, the Duke and he went off to our right, which would probably be towards the lower part of the inclosures of Hougomont, and that some little time afterwards they crossed over some rising ground to their left, where they witnessed the unsuccessful charge by Major Howard and a party of the lOtli Hussars upon a body of French infantry, and that the Duke was very angry when he saw them make the attack without having any support. Before he had accompanied the Duke down to the rear of the 52nd and about twenty minutes after we had advanced from the British position, he had taken an order from the Duke of Wellington to Sir Hussey Vivian to bring forward his hussar brigade, consisting of the 10th, 18th, and 1st German Hussars. He met him coming down the slope of the position and Vivian told him his brig-ade was just behind him. It appears from Vivin's cor- i I THE IMPERIAL GRENADIERS. 59 respondence with Gawler of the 52nd in 1833, that he must have come down the British position, through the interval made by the sudden advance of the 52nd, and tliat he saw no British troops as he advanced at right angles with the position, either to his right or left, and that his brigade came upon aiid charged a large body of cava]ry somewhere in front of the 2nd French corps. These cavalry were mixed ; there were cuirassiers, lancers, and guns with their horses attached. Colonel Gurwood, who had been in the 52nd, but at Waterloo commanded a troop in the 10th Hussars and was wounded, told me that, as he lay on the ground, he saw poor Howard's charge ; that Vivian, after the charge of the 10th, observing some formed infantry in front, desired Howard to collect as many men as he could of those who had got into confusion in their charge on the French cavalry and to attack this infantry. This was looked upon as a very desperate service, as cavalry have rarely been known to defeat regularly formed and steady infantry. Gurwood told me that a young officer said to Howard, " If I were you, Howard, I would'nt do " it," and that Howard replied, " You heard the General's order, " and you know my position in the regiment." The charge was made and repulsed, Howard being killed. The infantry they attacked appears to have been one of the squares of the Grena- diers of the Imperial Guard, which had retired just to the right of La Belle Alliance and Primotion, when tlie square, followed by the 52ud, retired to the left of those houses, and to the left of the Charleroi road. As far as I can make out, this square and another were under Cambronne, and were closely followed, when he came near them, by Colonel Hugh Halkett with the Osnabruck bat- talion, one of the regiments of his Hanoverian brigade. Halkett had seen the sudden movement of the 52nd, and having sent his brigade-major* to order the rest of the brigade to follow, he gioved the Osnabruck battalion down the slope of our position from the right of the 71st, and came away to the right of the 52nd, when these squares of the Imperial Guard were attacked by us; Halkett with his Hanoverian battalion got so near to one of these, that he made a dash at General Cambronne, who was at some little distance from the square, and took him prisoner with his • The brigade-major was killed before he could deliver his order. GO 52nd attack and defeat I f Jt own hands* The other square, which Major Howard charged, was farther to the rear of the French position, and more to°our right than the square which Halkett was so close to. Vivian, in his correspondence with Gawler, eighteen years after the action! mentions that he expected a regiment of Hanoverians, on his left and rear, to have advanced to attack the square that Howard charged, but that this regiment, instead of doing so, followed another square more to its left. I must now return to the account of the advance of the 52nd in its pursuit of the square of the Old Guard to our left of the Charleroi road. It gradually brought its left slioulders more forward, till opposite to La Belle Alliance the line was exactly at right angles with this road, the British position being about a mile directly in our rear. We passed great numbers of guns and ammunition waggons, which had been deserted in conse- quence of our rapid advance. Lord Seaton stated that at this time we passed no less than "seventy-five pieces of French " artillery, and that very shortly after the French columns dis- " persed." Leaving La Belle Alliance and, farther on, the farm of Pri- motion on its right, the 52nd advanced in pursuit to the left of the Charleroi road, and at no great distance from it. It had been * French writers assert that General Cambronne never exclaimed, " La Garde " meurt et ne se rend pas " (The Guard dies and does not surrender), but that these memorable words were uttered by General Michel, "who was killed at Waterloo " at the head of the square of the grenadiers of the Old Guard." In 1845, the two sons of General Michel addressed a request to the French King that a royal ordinance which authorised the town of Nantes to erect a statue to the memory of General Cambronne might be modified, that is to say, that the commission, charged with the erection of this monument, should not be autho- rised to cause to be engraven on the base of this statue those admirable words, " La Garde meurt et ne se rend pas." In support of their request, the sons of General Michel brought forward many witnesses to prove that Cambronne him- self had denied using these words, and others to prove that they heard General Michel use them. Amongst these last was Baron Martenot, who com- manded the battalion in wiiich the Emperor took refuge " for a moment at the "end of the battle." Bertrand presented to General Michel's widow a stone detached from tlie Emperor's tomb, at Saintc Helena, on which he had inscribed these words and signed them :~" A la Baronne Michel, veuve du General Michel, " tue k Waterloo, od il repondit aux sonmiations de I'ennemi par ces paroles "sublii.^es- ' La Garde meurt et ne se rend pas' ! " Pierre du tombeau de Sainte Helene. [Signe,] Bertiiawd." THE IMrERIAL GRENADIERS. 61 I charged, 3re to our Vivian, he action, IS, on his lare that doing so, ce of the our left tiers more iS exactly 1 about a 3 of guns in conse- it at this f French mns dis- 1 of Pri- he left of had been "La Garde t that these t Waterloo ti 1845, the ing that a itue to the S that the t be autho- ible words, the sons of ronne him- rd General who coui- nent at tlie low a stone d inscribed ral Michel, ces parties TIULND." quite alone since it left the British position, and continued so till it halted for the night, I think it was after passing the farm of Primotion that I remember seeing, on the other side of the Charleroi road about 300 yards to our right, a small body of cavalry riding to the charge, probably it was poor Howard's charge, before referred to. Sir Colin Campbell thought, on examining with me a plan of the Field of Waterloo, that this charge took place not far from Primotion ; he remembered there were some trees there near to a house, and that it then wanted a quarter to nine by his watch.* One hundred yards to the south of the inclosures of Primo- tion, we being about the same distance to the left of the Charleroi road, the 52nd found itself on the edge of a deep hollow road with steep banks, in which were a large body of French infantry retiring from their right. In the centre it appeared to be a mutual surprise; they threw down their arms in token of sur- render, and we rapidly passed through them. In the centre not a shot was exchanged. Captain McXair, however, made the men break some of the French muskets by knocking them against the ground, thinking it unwise to leave so large an armed body of the enemy in our rear, but there was no time for much of this, and probably not more than a dozen muskets were smashed. What took place on the right of the 52nd was thus graphically described by Colonel Gawler, in his "Crisis of Water- " loo," thirty years ago : — " A hundred yards to the Allied left of * The following letter from the Duke of York to the Duke of Wellington is published in the tenth volume of the Duke's supplementary despatches :— " Horse Guards, June 30th, 1815. " My dear Lord Duke,— The family of the late Major Howard, of the " 10th Hussars, have urged so earnestly that every possible measure should " be adopted for finding the body of that officer, as to induce me to desire that the " officer commanding at Bruxelles should be written to on the subject. I under- " stood that two Serjeants of his regiment were emitloyed to bury him ; and if you " will give orders that one of them should be sent back to Bruxelles to give any "information on the subject, the family will feel that both your Grace and •' myself have done all that is practicable to effect their wishes. " I remain, my dear Lord Duke, yours sincerely, " Frederick." [" Let inquiry be made on this subject at the regiment for the two Serjeants " mentioned. Wblliwgton."] 62 52nd attack and defeat irly M ■ " La Belle Alliance, a hollow roud runs, " towards the chansstM;, up which a column of artillery and infan- " try was hastily retreating. The square (of the Imperial Guard) " crossed the head of this body, but the high bank concealed the " approach of the 52nd, until the distance became too small toadmit " of any but ahand-to-hand contest. The column seemed not suffi- " ciently aware of its desperate circumstances tosurrender without " hesitation, and for a moment the scene was singularly wild. The " infiintry, before they threw down their arms, made an effort " either at defence or escape. The artill(>ry dashed at the opposite " bank, but sumeof the horses of each gun were inan instant brought " down. A subaltern of the battery, threw his sword on the " ground in token of surrender ; but the connnandei-, staiuling in " the centre of his guns, waved Jiis above his head in defiance. ° A " soldier sprang from the liritish ranks, parried his thrust, closed " with him, threw him on the ground, and keeping him down with " his foot, reversed his musket in both hands to bayonet him ; " when that repugnance to shedding of blood, which so often rises " in tlie hearts of British soldiers even nnder circumstances of " personal danger and prudential necessity, burst foi-th in a groan " of disgust from his surrounding comrades ; it came, however, in " this case too late, the fatal thrust was sped, and the legion' of " honour lost another member." On the left Hank of the 52nd line, at no very great distance from it, a French officer brought up and formed about a hundred men from the hollow road, apparently with the view of making some attack upon us, but, on this being observed, the left company of the 52nd brought up its right siiouldcrs to drive them in, when they retired back into the hollow road nmch faster tlian they came out of it ; there was no firing on either side. I was the first up on the top of the opposite bank, and the regiment formed on tlie colour. It was then getting somewhat duskish, and must have been close upon nine o'clock. At a distance of about 200 yards we observed four French staff-officers. McNair who was on the right of No. 4, (his own company, No. 9, being in the rear) gave the word, "No. 4, make ready," when I,' who was next to him on his right, begged him to " let those poor "feUows off." He replied, "I dare not, I know not who they THK IMPKUIAL GRKNADIEKS. 6S (i\t angles nd infan- al Guard) iealed the Itoadinit notsuffi- r without M. The an ellbrt ! opposite ,t brought d on the Hiding in unco. A 3t, closed )\vn with net him ; ften rises ances of I a groan vover, in legion of distance hundred making jompany in, when lan they and tlie mewliat At a -officei"s. f, No. 9, when I, 3se poor ho they be." He then 3om{)letod the word of command, and No. 4- firo(l a volley ; No. ?,, on the right did the same. The " cease " firing " sounded down tlie line from the right, and I believe these were the last infantry-shots fired at Waterloo. The liorse of one of the French ofHcers fell, and wo soon lost sight of them. I liave thought it was probably Marshal Ney, who thus had his horse shot under him. It tallies with his own account; he aiKiaks of lingering on the fi(ad, and of all his horses being shot. . When McNair said, " He did not know who they might be," he was thinking of Napoleon, and thought it was not "right to let him get away, if he could prevent it. It is very possible that the Emperor did form one of this group, for in the note at page 60, he is spoken of as having at the end of the battle been, " for°a moment," in one of the squares of the Old Guard. Now one of them was retiring before the 52nd, and the other two or three were in our immediate vicinity on the other side of the Charleroi road. He may have been in the square we pursued, and have left It when they halted for a moment to throw off their knapsacks. This they were seen to do I think before we reached the hollow road. Being thus lightened they gained on us and we no longer saw them when, from the top of the hollow road, the two centre companies, 3 and 4, fired on the four mounted French officers. There was no pursuing-cavalry on our side of the main road. Vivian's brigade of cavalry came up into line with us, far away to the right, when we were somewhere abreast of Primotion. Vandeleur's brigade of cavalry, came up rather later in pursuit! Halkett, with the Osnabruck battalion, must have been not very far in our rear, on the other side of the chaussde; and I conjecture from Colonel lieynell's letter that when we were at Primotion, or at the hollow road beyond it, the 71st, one of the two other regi- ments of our brigade, must have been away on the other side°of Vivian's brigade, in a line with us, but at a distance from us of nearly 700 yards. The 71st, [perhaps the 2nd and 3rd Rifles,] and Halkett's Osnabruck battalion, afforded a most important support to the 52nd in its single-handed attack on the French Imperial Guard, but none of them nor any other regiment of the British or Allied troops were at all engaged with them. As far as I have been able to make matters out, the above mentioned IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) / O :^. :a u. fA 1.0 I.I 11.25 11.4 M 22 1.6 & 'W /a /a 'm c-m \ ^ ^ Q. ^ J^ 9>' M Photographic Sdences Corporation d '^^ ^ o "Q ^\^ <^ O^ a 33 WEST MAIN SVREET WEBSTER, NY. 14580 (716) 872-4503 64 52nd attack and defeat ' -giments were the only infantry which advanced that night beyond the low ground between the French and British positions. The rest of the infantry bivouacked on the lower part of the slope of our own position ; the enemy having been fairly routed and dispersed, long before th e rest of the British and Allied army passed over the crest of that position. In the advance of the 52nd from the hollow road to the farm of Eosomme, where it halted for the night, it passed at one place within a quarter of a mile of the nearest houses of Planchenoit, but saw nothing of the French who nearly up to that time had been keeping the Prussians in check in that village, and had inflicted severe loss upon them. They had now made off, with the rest of the French army who could get away, in the direction of Genappe and somewhat to their right of it, between it and Maison du Eoi. About a quarter of a mile before we reached Eosomme we came upon the knapsacks of the square of the Old Guard. My colour-serjeant took possession of a havre-sac and afterwards took from it a loaf, from which he cut a good slice of bread, and offering it to me said, " Won't you have a slice of bread, Mr. Leeke ? I am sure you deserve it, sir ! " 1 was very glad of the bread, for I had eaten nothing but one biscuit for more than twenty-four hours ; and I was pleased also with the kind and approving words of the serjeant. Shortly after this we reached Eosomme, and forming column of companies on the northern side of the farm, we halted in the angle formed by the Charleroi road and the road leading into it from Planchenoit, and piling arms bivouacked there for the night. It was a quarter after nine o'clock. The farm of Eosomme is three-quarters of a mile from La Belle Alliance, and exactly the same distance from the church of Planchenoit. On this ground we found the straw which the French Imperial Guard had collected for themselves, and slept on the night before. The Duke himself must have ordered Sir John Colborne to halt there, for General Adam had not been with us since the defeat of the 10,000 men of the Imperial Guard, but had, notwithstanding he was severely wounded, been away to look after the 71st, who had been so much separated from the 52; d, I did not see the Duke at that time, but I recollect hear- THE IMPERIAL GUENADIERS. 65 ing that when he came up to the regiment at Eosomme, ho asKv;^ Sir John Colborne "if there was anything he could do for the " 52nd," and that Colborne replied he should be very glad if the Duke could send them abarrel of biscuits ; which he promised to do. As there has been so much controversy as to whether or not the Duke of Wellington and Marshal Blucher met, after the battle, at La Belle Alliance, the Duke himself even having declared that they met first at Ger.ippe, and his memory evidently hav- ing been confused about it, I wiU copy verbatim the note I made of the information I got from Sir Colin Campbell the very day after I had the conversation with him in 1833. It is as follows: —"The Duke, seeing where we (the 52nd) were to halt for the "night, returned to La Belle Alliance and arranged with Blucher " that the Prussians should undertake the pursuit." Soon after we halted a large fire was lighted, round which the ofBcers stood, and talked over the events of the battle. Whilst we were thus engaged, we heard some cheering away in our rear near La Belle Alliance, and May, of the 52nd, coming up shortly afterwards, told us that it proceeded from those who wero pre- sent when Wellington and Blucher met.* One of the first duties attended to when the regiment had piled arms and were lying down in column, was the callino- the roll by a serjeant of each company. I observed that in almost every case of absence, some of the men could say what had hap- pened to the man, whether they knew him to be killed or only wounded. We had left, including officers, exactly 206 of our « tolfr M"7f'"f f r] *T ' "Edinburgh Review" for April, ISCA:-" In a letter -tlt^l .) '.f \^ *^r' ''^' '"'"'^^ ^'^' ^"'^^) ^™*« :-' A remarkable ^^^ instance of the falsehoods, circulated throu>,^h the evidence of unofficial des- " . P™' »%t« be found in the report of a meeting between Marshal Blucher ^^ ^ and me at La Belle Alliance, (and some have gone so far as to have seen the » . rr '," l^ '** '^'''" '" *^' ''^' •" ^«"^«-) It I'^PPens that the meeting tookplace after ten at night, at the village of Genappe, and anybody who attempts to describe w.th truth the operations of the different armies Al .ee that It could not be otherwise.' ^^ " ^^aptain Gronow has gone so far as to say that he was present, with oLher " ttrelT '°''*"^^^ "\ ^' ^^'^^' ^"'''^"<^^- C°"fi Gently as the Duke write., « 11 n ? 'T"' ^"' «"«P^<'"ng that he was mistaken as to the precise "at^ln p'' '^'"'l.fr'" ^''''''^ ^^"'^l accounts, that the French did not stau aid not reach it till near midiiight." F 66 I I /-I, i|!u >i t) 52nd attack and defeat poor fellows on the Field of Waterloo. Many of the wounded, I believe, but not all, got into houses at Merbe Braine or at the village of Waterloo. The following was the return of the casualties of the 52nd at Waterloo : — General Return. Officers' Names. ^ill^A. Killed. 1 Ensign Ensign Nettles 1 Serjeant Wounded. 36 Eank and File Major and Bt.-Lieut.-Col. Charles Bowan Slightly Wounded. 1 Major 2 Captains 5 Lieutenants 10 Serjeants Severely Severely Severely Severely Severely Severely Severely Capt. Charles Diggle Capt. and Bt.-Major J. F. Love Lieut, and Adjt. John Winterbottom Lieut. Charles Dawson Lieut. Matthew Anderson Lieut. George Campbell 160 Rank and File Lieut. Thomas Cottingham Major Hunter Blair, our brigade-major, who was in much concern about General Adam, whom he had not been able to find, came up to me about half an hour after we had halted, when I was near the men, and inquired if anybody had sern General Adam, and stated that he would reward any man who would find the general. This I made known, neither the brigade- major nor I thinking at the moment that by so doing we*were giving an opportunity to any bad fellows, who might be so dis- posed, an opportunity of quitting the column for the purpose of plundering the killed and wounded they might meet with ; I am not aware that any did so ; but within half a minute, a man came to me in front of the general, who rode into the bivouac from the direction of Genappe, and said, "Here is General "Adam, sir!" Neither Blair nor I thought him entitled to the promised reward, as the general had found the regiment and was within a few paces of it when the man saw him. Adam had con- ducted himself with great gallantry in front of the 52nd when they took the French Imperial Guard in flank, and evinced his pluck also in not leaving the field, when severely wounded in the leg. As he sat on his horse for some little time near our fire, I heard him say that " he should never forget the honour of hav- "ing commanded the 52nd on that eventful day." THE IMPERIAL GRENADIERS. 67 The following is taken from the 52nd record :— "On returning to England for the recovery of his wounds, the " following extract of a letter from Major General Sir Frederick "Adam was communicated to the 52nd regiment : " 'Irequeatyou will express in my name to the officers, non- " ' commissioned officers and men of the brigade, (52nd, 71st, and " ' 95th regiments,) how much I regret my separation from them. " ' The expectation of being early enabled to rejoin, and the hope "'of doing so, (which till within these last few days I have '"continually entertained,) have alone prevented my sooner ex- pressing to the several corps of the brigade the admiration I shall ever entertain of their intrepid and noble conduct in '"the battle of the 18th of June. To have had the good '-'fortune of being at their head on so glorious an occasion will be to me a subject of increasing satisfaction. In pro- ''' portion as I have regretted being separated from the light brigade, I shall look forward with anxiety to resuming that which through life it < al be my pride to have held. "(Signed) 'Frederick Adam, '''Major-General'" After our arrival at Rosomme I lay down for a few minutes on the flank of No. 9 company, and on my saying "Can any one "give me a drink of water," I was gratified with the kindness of the men, for there was no getting a supply of water where we were, yet four or five of them, directly they heard me, readily began to pass their canteens (wallets) towards me. I have always retained a grateful recollection of this little kindness. It is a rule with soldiers to go into action, if they can, with their can- teens fuU of water, for, when a man is severely wounded, the desire for water is sometimes almost intolerable. I shall have to relate an instance of this presently. About three-quarters of an hour after we had halted at Rosomme, the first column of the Prussians, by whom the pur- suit was to be taken up, arrived from Planchenoit. As they marched round the column of the 52nd from Planchenoit into the Charleroi road, they broke into slow time, and their bands played, " God save the King." A mounted officer, who rode up the bank, and passed along the flank of the column, which was F 2 ■m C8 52nd attack and defeat :i tl I J lying down, pulled up and asked me in French " if that was an " English colour ;" (I still kept it in my possession, to give some poor tired fellow a little rest before he was placed on sentry over it.) On my replying that it was, he let go his bridle, and taking hold of the colour with both hands, pressed it to his bosom, and patted me on the back, exclaiming, " Brave Anglais." The 52nd record relates the above occurrence as follows : — "The Prussian regiments, as they came up the road from "Planchenoit and wheeled round into the great chausscie by " Rosomme, moved in slow time, their bands playing our National "Anthem, in compliment to our success; and a mounted officer at "the head of them embraced the 52nd colour, (which had been " carried that day by Ensign William Leeke,) to serve as the " expression of his tribute oi admiration for the British army." In a note from my name is the following : " ISTow the Rev. " W. Leeke, of Holbrooke, near Derby. The king's colour was " singularly lost for a time, buried under the body of Ensign "Nettles, who was killed in retiring from the square near " Hougomont, about 7 p.m. It was recovered on picking up the " wounded." Some few of the Prussian soldiers passed up the bank and along the flank of our column with strings of three or four horses each, which they had picked up between Planchenoit and Rosomrae. They were apparently horses taken from the French guns and ammunition waggons. One man, to whom I spoke, I found very ready to part with a couple of horses for a few francs. Probably the thinking he would have onsiderable difficulty in conducting his prizes very far, in the c.-ufused state of the roads by which the Prussians were to advance, may have had some- thing to do with his willingness to part with them at so small a price. I had no defined object in the purchase, except that I thought it unfair that the Prussians should walk off with all the horses they came across, whilst we got none of them for our por- tion of the spoil. I took one of the horses for myself, and the other as a mess horse for the officers of the company. It turned out to be a very useful purchase ; for half the officers of the regiment lost the whole of their baggage and baggage-horses, in the confusion which prevailed during the wliole of the 18th THE IMPERIAL GRENADIERS. 69 on tlie road between Waterloo and Bnissels. The officers of McXair's company were 9,mongst the unfortunaf sufferers. In a pocket on one of the saddles I found a quart bottle of brandy, which I suppose the Prussian soldier had not discovered. I do not think I tasted any of it myself, but I have no doubt it was properly appreciated by some of the more experienced officers, in the absence of anything else to drink or to eat. Major Chalmers had a small straw hut constructed for him- self just large enough to co\er the upper half of his body. I took the liberty of lying down at the back of it with my head near to his and my logs stretched out in a contrary direction. I slept soundly and sweetly that night from eleven till about half- past two. How many thousands, within the space of two miles from us, British, Hanoverian, Brunswick, Nassau, Dutch, Belgian, Prussian and French, who bid as fair for life as any of us on the morning of the 18th, were now sleeping the sleep of death or lying desperately wounded on the field of Waterloo amidst what Marshal Ney described, as " the most frightful carnage he had "ever witnessed !" Including the battle of Ligny, between the French and Prussians, on the 16th, and that on the same day be- tween the French and English, &c., at Quatre Bras, the English, Germans, and Prussians lost about 33,857 in killed and wounded, from the 16th to the 18th inclusive. The loss of the French must have been much greater. Probably the whole amount of the loss on both sides during those three days would be about ►tk 5,000 men. Almost all the 52nd wounded officers were very " severely wounded." The late Lieut. -General Sir James Frede- rick Love, then a brevet-major, was wounded in the head in our attack upon the columns of the Imperial Guard. On falling, he lay on the ground stunned, for some moments; and, on recover- ing, he put his finger into the wound, and, in his confusion, it appeared to him to go straight down into his head, and, feeling convinced that no man could recover with such a wound, and seeing the 52nd advancing, he ran after them, thinking that he would die with his regiment, instead of lying to die where he was. He, however, after making the trial, had to succumb. He remained on the ground and there received another severe wound in the foot, besides two other slight wounds. There was some I I!" 70 ' I I; 52no attack and defeat serious intention at one time of taking off his leg, but BeU, the eminent surgeon who wrote one of the "Bridgewater Treatises " to whom he was known and who had received some attention from him in the Peninsula, hearing that he was lying badly wounded at the village of Waterloo, went to see him, and by his advice the operation was delayed and the limb was saved. Sir J. F. Love had two brothers in the 52nd, and they, hear- • ing that their brother was severely wotmded, obtained leave from Sir John Colborne, after the action, to go back and look for him As people are so apt to do in the night, they completely missed their direction, and after wandering about for a considerable time tdl they were regularly knocked up, they determined to remain foi the night at a farm house which they had come to. Here the people, who were very glad of their protection, were very kind to them; and after getting something to eat, thev had just laid themselves down on some straw in the large kitchen, when there was a loud knocking at the great gates of the farm, and, on these being opened, in stalked three grenadiers of the Imperial Guard with their firelocks and with bayonets fixed. They would not have been pleasant opponents perhaps for two young officers, but on the elder Love saying to them " Vous gtes prisonniers ? » they very gladly acquiesced in the proposal, and their firelocks having been placed against the corner of the room, after a little time the five wearied soldiers, who had so lately met in mortal strife were lying side by side on the same straw, and there slept to- gether till daylight. The French soldiers, no doubt, were most thankful for the protection thus secured to them; for soldiers of a^defeated army can never feel quite sure that their lives will be spared by any of their enemies whom they may fall in with • and I suspect the French were that night especially, to make use of an elegant expression recently imported from Cambridge " awfully afraid " of the Prussians. ' I may here mention that General Gneisenau, who had the com- mand of the Prussian advanced troops on the night of the 18th gave the French no rest. When his infantry, who had been on the march or in action since daybreak, were unable to march any further, he mounted a di'ummer on one of the horses taken rom Jfapoleou's carriage at Genappe, and made him every now I THE IMPERIAL GRENADIERS. 71 and then bea> his dram, to make the French, who did not care so much for the cavalry, think that the infantry were close at their heels. It is stated that in this manner Gneisenau drove the French from seven bivouacs which they had taken up, that he passed through Quatre Bras, which had been abandoned on his approach, and advanced beyond Frasne, a distance of eight miles from Eosomme, before he halted. The French army, com- pletely scattered and disheartened, fled beyond the Sambre with- out venturing to make the least stand against their pursuers. Soon after the 5?nd had halted at Eosomme, the present Sir William Eowan, then a brevet-major, received permission from Sir John Colborne to go and look after his brother, the late Sir Charles Eowan, K.C.B., who had been wounded. After passing beyond La Belle Alliance and the ground beyond it, he found Maitland's brigade of Guards between the British and French positioris, with their arms piled, he thought. He fell in with an officer of the 1st regiment of Guards, whom he knew ; whilst he was speaking to him Sir John Byng rode up and asked " Who is "that ? " and on the officer replying, "It is Eowan of the 62nd, " Sir," Sir John said, " Ah, we saw the 52nd advancing gloriously, " as they always do." Sir John Byng. in the early part of the action, commanded the brigade of Guards, composed of a battalion of the Coldstream and one of the 3rd Guards, which was posted in and to the rear of Hougomont. When General Cooke was wounded, Byng succeeded i the command of the whole division of the Guards, and was with Maitland's brigade when the 52nd attacked the Imperial Guard and advanced in the manner described by him in such glowing terms. Now this conversation happened about a quarter past ten o'clock, two hours after the 52nd had crossed the whole front of the right wing of the British army, 300 yards and more below the crest of the position; and the fact that Maitland's brigade was still at that late hour below the French position, helps to confirm the idea I have before advanced that scarcely more than four infantry regiments and two brigades of cavalry, Vivian's and Vandeleur's, advanced over the low ground towards the French position on the evening or night of the 18th of June, notwithstanding all that has been said about the Duke's advancing his whole line in support of those troops. I suppose 72 62nd attack and defeat I ■Hi! I that the greater portion of the British and Allied troops left their stations on the reverse slope of our position, and sought out for themselves ground on which to bivouac, more free, than that on which they had been stationed, from the melancholy sight of the slam and from the groans of the wounded and dying I fear it was an unavoidable necessity that many of the wounded should be left for the night on the field of battle. One of the 52na othcers who was ordered on duty to Brussels the next morning on passing over the ground by which we had advanced, was called upon by name by some of the o2nd men, who had been lying wounded aU night, to get something done for them. He was unable to assist them, but at a veiy early hour a strong latigue-party was sent out from the regiment to place them under the care of the surgeons. Another fatigue-party was sent out to coUect the arms belonging to the regiment. I think by far the greater number of the wounded on our side were removed into houses at Waterloo, Merbe Braine, and other villages, before it became dark on the evening of the 18th. Sir William Rowan proceeded to Waterloo and there found his brother and all the 52nd wounded officers, except Anderson, in the same house At daylight on the 19th all were stirring. It was some time before we left our bivouac at Rosomme, perhaps an hour or two On the opposite side of the Charleroi road was a battalion of the 9oth Eifles, whom we had not seen the night before ; probably they were the 2nd battalion of the 9oth, who belonged to our brigade, and had come up some time after we had halted for the night. About a third of a mile from the 52nd bivouac, near the fam of Eosomme to the south-east, is the house in which Bonaparte IS said to have slept on the night of the 17th. On the other side of the Charleroi road, we found at some little distance some dead bodies, and swords and cuirasses which had been thrown away. This would be the ground over which some portions of Vandeleur's and Vivian's cavalry brigades must have passed in pursuit the night before. In one place were a number of letters strewn about which appeared to have been taken from the dead body of a French officer; they were the letters of a youn- kdy m Scotland, to her husband, a French officer, who had r^tcmtly THE IMIERIAL tiUENADIEKS. 73 left her to join the French army. They were jus* the tender affectionate letters which a young loving wife would write to a husband under such circumstances, i well remember the follow- ing sentence in one of them, " How I pity the poor English.'* Portions of these letters were listened to with great interest by several officers who were present, and all felt distressed at the thought that such a bitter cup of sorrow awaited the poor yonnt' widow. It was observed that one of those present took a pecu- liar interest in the writer of these letters ; he frequently spoke of them, and of her afterwards, and it turned out that he had taken down her name and address, and that on his going on leave to Scotland some time after, he determined to go to the place in which she lived and to make enquiries about her. The sequel of the story is, that he was somewhat disappointed to find, that she and her husband were living most happily together. The hus- band had only been severely wounded at Waterloo, and had lost his letters. If the French officer and his wife should be still living, and this should be read by them, the account of a matter, with which they were so closely mixed up, will be interesting to them, and it is hoped its public narration wiU not occasion them any annoyance. The Scotch officer died many years ago. On moving from Rosomme, we passed through the burning village of Maison du Roi, about a quarter of a mile off, and joined the 71st on the other side of it. The following soldier-like letter to "The United Service Journal" from Sir Thomas Reynell, who commanded the 71st at Waterloo, will shew the good service that regiment performed when the 52nd moved down alone upon the two columns of the Imperial Guard. It also helps to shew tliat these columns were "at the bottom of the declivity," that is, three or four hundred yards from the crest of the British position! so that the 2nd battalion of the 1st Guards could not have come in contact with them, but only with their skirmishers :— Sir Thomas Reynell on the Movement of the 71st during the "Crisis" at Waterloo. " Mr. Editor,— I am induced to address you in consequence of "some^observations on Sir Hussey Vivian's Reply to 'The Crisis " 'of Waterloo,' that appeared in your last Journal, which leave in w 74 52ni) attack and defeat M 1 " doubt whether the TLst regiment was not tlint 'regiment in rod' "represented to have halted and opened a fire more destructive "to their friends tlian foes, instead of charging at a very critical " moment, and thus 'contributing to prevent the complete success " ' of the attack.' " Although Sir Hussey adds that the officer whom he sent to '• stop the fire of this battalion reported it to be a regiment of the " Hanoverian Legion, and asserts, in another part of his reply, '' that the impression on his mind has always been that they were "so, and not the 71st regiment, still something less questionable " seems indispensable for the honour and character of the latter " distinguished corps ; and I ti-ust that I &hall be able, in a few " words, to supply that something. "From having commanded the 71st regiment from the com- " mencement to the close of that eventful day of Waterloo, and not " having for a moment quitted its ranks, it may be presumed that " no other person can speak with so much correctness as I can as " to the part it performed during the battle. _ " After the deployment from square, the 71st regiment moved " m line, the right wing to the front, the left wing to the rear "forming a third and fourt. rank. We passed Hougomont ob- "hquely, throwing the right shoulders a little forward, as stated "by the author of 'The Crisis,' and experienced some loss in the " companies nearest to the orchard hedge from the fire of the " tirailleurs posted there. We had in view, at the bottom of the de- "chvity, two columns of the enemy's infantry; and my object, and " I believ3 the object of every officer and soldier in the corps was "to come m contact with those columns, but they did not wait "our approach, or afford us an opportunity of attacking them. " I can positively assert that from the time the 71st regiment "commenced this forward movement it never halted, but main- "tamed a steady advance upon the only enemy in front until it "reached the village of CaHlon, against the walls of which were "deposited a considerable quantity of arms, as if abandoned by " the soldiers composing the enemy's two columns. It was becom- "ing dark at this period, and after scouring the village of Caillon "we retired to a field to the right of it, where we bivouacked for " the night, near to our friends the 52ud. li i THE IMPERIAL GKKNADIKKS. 75 " I do not recollect to have seen in our advance any body of " men, cavalry or infantry, to our front, but the tivo columns of the " enemy ; nor do I know that there was any on our right flank so " much advanced as we were. I can well imagine that the move- "nient of the 71st, conducted, as I trust it was, in a steady and " soldier-like manner, must have afforded a very decided and im- '• portant support to the troops acting to our left, who approxi- " mated closer to the point of the enemy's final attack. " I have no desire whatever to attract notice to the services of " the 71st regiment in the battle of Waterlou, firmly believing that " every battalion and corps of the British army engaged did the " duty assigned to it fully as M-ell; but I confess that I have every " wish to remove the possibility of its being supposed that at any " moment the regiment could have hesitated to attack an enemy " opposed to it; and I only hope that this plain sto^ ment of facts " will convince the readers of your valuable Journal that the " ' regiment in red,' alluded to in Sir Hussey Vivian's Keply, was "not the 71st Light Infantry. " I remain. Sir, your most obedient humble Servant, " Thos. Eeynell, Major-General. " Devonshire Place, 18th July, 1833." The 52nd remained for several hours on the morning of the 19th near Maison du Eoi, before they marched to Mvelles. Meat was served out, and the men cooked. I recollect having there first eaten "beefsteaks fried at the end of a ramrod." My servant brought some water for us to drink from a pond in which he said there were the dead bodies of two French soldiers, and that he could not find any other water. Some of our men had some orders and other things, which they had picked up on the field of battle ; probably the men had belonged to one of the fatigue-parties sent out to take up any of our wounded who had remained on the ground all night, and to collect arms belonging to the regiment. I bought a pair of brass-barrelled pistols from one of the men. In a field about two hundred yards off, to the left of the cbaussde, I found a French ammunition-waggon, and supplied my self with some cartridges, which fitted my pistols, for the purpose of putting an unfortunate horse, that had had its leg shot off, out of its misery. I did not succeed very well, as the horse, : • I 1: ■ I ! 76 f;) v)-'ND ATTACK AND DEFEAT ^henever I pulled the trigger, so suddenly moved his head that n^arm did not take effect. Two Prussians coming up f om Planchenoit, one of tliem a Serjeant, shot the horse for me Afte^ this I rode forward to a han.et nearly half a mile in advance. I took three or four canteens with me to see if I could not get some water fit to drink; but one of our men whom I desiredt fill them for me, told me when I was leaving the place after tTafw :: '?^' «^.^^v'^"^^^*' ^^e.,.u.^\. tho'u^hut:; time, as there were several wounded men filling all the lower rooms, to whom I and some of our men tried to re'n der some Jtle services. One was a man of the 7th Hussars who had received ult'toThT .r''.V''' ''^^ ^'^^^^^ *^- French kncers, ju.t to the north of Genappe, on the afternoon of the 17th Ho described to me the manner and order in which he had received his wounds all of which I do not distinctly recollect ; but seve- ral of them, though not all, were lance wounds, inflicted whilst he was lying on the ground. There appears to have been much ot this unnecessarily cruel work of piercing those lying on the ground wounded, carried on by the French lancers at Waterloo borne of our cavalry regiments have since that time been armed with lances ; but it may be worthy of the consideration of our own military authorities and of those of other nations, whether the use of a weapon, which appears to be cliiefly usH for the un- manly and cruel purpose of putting the wounded to death, might not be al ogether given up. This 7th Hussar man, who had not was al r r"Tf "' '"'''' ^^ ^"^ ^"^Seon, was, whilst I was at the place, taken away by his own regiment. How he had got so far away from the ground on which he was wounded 1 do not know ; but I think the distance from Genappe must have been nearly two miles. I had some hope that the man would recover. On the other side of the fireplace, on a bed or mattrass. lay a poor feLow be onging to the grenadiers of the French Guard. . . ! ' L*^^"g^'*> ^ i'^tal wound from which the bowels pro- truded. When he saw one of our men Mashing the wounds of trie llUSSflT hfl ViPrrrvpH +hof I.-, „1 J r • ,, , ...^^n ,.n„, ue wuuiu uruig tne water to him also: and on this being done, he eagerly seized the basin, and quenched THE IMPERIAL GRENADIERS. 77 his burning thirst by drinking deeply of the bloody water which it contained. On my return to the regiment, with my canteens hanging on each side of my saddle, and my pistols stuck through the straps which fastened on my boat cloak in front of me, I saw our gene- ral of division, Sir Henry Clinton, and some of his staff coming towards me. He looked all the more formidable from a fashion he had adopted of wearing his cocked hat, not in the usual way, "fore and aft," but with the small ends over either shoulder. I thought I must look so much like a marauder, that I was rather ashamed of being seen by him. I soon disposed of my pistols by pitching them over a hedge on my right, never to see tliem again, and thus freed from the chief appendage I was ashamed of, I passed the general without attracting his particular atten- tion. Whilst I was away, a French ammunition-waggon was blown up not far from the regiment, and two men of the brigade were kdled. I think one belonged to the 71st and the other to the 95th Eifles. They were on the top of the waggon, hacking at it with a hatchet or bill-hook to get soro.e wood for cooking. I am not sure that it was not the same ammunition- waggon from which I had been helping myself to cartridges some little time before. When the regiment fell in for the march to Nivelles, an in- spection of knapsacks took place and several things were thrown away with which some of the men had encumbered themselves. We formed square either before or after this inspection, and some men were paraded as prisoners, who had fallen out drunk at Braine-le-comte on the morning of the 17th, in consequence of getting access to some wine vaults in that town, and had thus missed being with their regiment at Waterloo. Sir John Colborne addressed them, and said he should forgive them, as he considered it was a sufficient punishment for them that they had been absent from their regiment " ivhen they had the honour of defcat- "ing the Imperial Guard of France, led on hy the Emperor "Napoleon Bonaparte in person" We supposed then, from wliat the French chef d'escadron had reported, that the Emperor was with his guard when we attacked them; but it afterwards ' H 78 5:2m. attack and defeat the imperial grenadiers. il ' ii| I: ■(' . |i i:l 79 CHAPTE;{ V. 1815. DEFEAT OF THE FRENCH IMPERIAL GUARD BY THE 52nD ALONE. Defeat of the Imperial Guard by the 52nd, and not by the 1st British Guards- Lord Seaton and Sir John Byng— Steadiness of 52nd when wheeling ^n line, &c.— The Duke's despatch written on the night of the 18th— Duke of Richmond- Colonel Gawler— Sibome's mistakes— Sir W. Napier's state- ment about treachery and secret politics in connexion with Waterloo— Napier's letter about officers being drilled with men, and Lord Seaton with 52nd at Waterloo— Colonel Bentham and Minie rifle— Bentham and Waterloo- Lieutenant Sharpin of the Artillery contradicts Sibome-Lord Seaton's letter to Bentham on defeat of French Gnavd by 52nd— Mr. Yonge's con- versation with Lord Seaton— Colonel Brotherton. I MUST now, before I proceed to give the account of our march from Waterloo to Paris, enter upon the consideration of the following questions : — 1. Did the 52nd, as I have asserted in my account of what that regiment achieved at Waterloo, move down at least 300 yards from its position in the right wing of the Allied army and defeat, single-handed, by an attack on their left flank, th^ two heavy columns of the Imperial Guard, apparently consisting of about 10,000 men ? 2. Did the 1st Guards on that occasion, or on any other on that day, do anything beyond receiving and defeating various charges made by the French cavalry, and driving off", by an advance of their left battalion in line, the mass of skirmishers of the French Guard, and perhaps of Donzelot's division, who were firina into them ? I must endeavour to bring forward the various proofs I have of the correctness of my assertion relative to the defeat of the Imperial Guard by the 52nd alone, in the best ord, = J can. Every officer of the regiment who served at Waterloo has never had the least doubt of the correctness of the statement that 80 DEFEAT OF THE FRENCH IMFERIAL OUAKD ill Ut 1 the 62„d, aud the 52„d alone, moved down upon the left flank of w:J,x^d!;:tth^^aetrrf/-:-tpf account of whafsYr John t , 1 f «"' "' ""^ f»"»™S or two befon, He satd ,.H„w i' "''^^^ ""'""« ''■'" " "^^^ ;;- .edit of do.;iat iz ^7^:^zrz sotZe^e z::::;!:^:: iThTt'^"" ™" and tried to l^ad him to .t v 1 °^^°'"' "^'* ^y"^' battles, but they could not get him to speak much about tint mpenai trjard, lor i remember ho said, "Did vou evpr hear ,.hat S,r John Byng said to me at Paris ?" I replied tlnU had a very distinct recollection of it; but that rshridbeve ' much obhged , he would repeat to me what Sir John Byn. had Lll T °»'[*'" ' "'■»'" '"'■ 'f "'y recollection of it^e^actlv ptfd In th T ^'' '^^'™ *^" 8-^ ™ "- account of wS Sed°t abov °d°'"°".', °' "' ""^""S ««. just as I have related it above, and exactly aa I remembered to have heard it An old officer of the 52nd. who has now been dead for manv treatment the regiment received, in that the credit of and the TfXp r Ir"^,'™"'"' •"'''«' "-8iven to the 1st rr;im of the British GuaKls, „;„ .,„„^ ^^ ,„,,,„^ „, „„ ^^ ^^ ^ .^| -»' "cu J, T^= °, " ''""'''"'' '" "°'^' tl'««8l> under such cir- cumstances the only practicable mode of ehangin. front w, ■' altogether unprecedented, just one of those prompll'ng' of l;-! e left flank of the Duke of to Paris, all ise Colborne's encamped in ;he following o ng him a day e our getting I could not 'n was gone," le met Byng, Lin, he found irds, T think on in town, r out to talk ut his other I about that, much about of the 52nd id you ever jplied that I uld be very 1 Byng had it exactly mt of what t as I have ve heard it 'aris. 1 for many ince of tlio 3nt unjust »f, and the I; regiment with it: — V such cir- fi'ont, was js of iuspi- BY THE 52nd alone. 81 ration that mark the mind of a great general. Executed amid ' a contmued roar of artillery that rendered wortis of command " inaudible, trusting chiefly to the further companies that they "would be guided by the touch to their inward flank, it could " hardly have been ventured at all, but for the previous precaution I of tne commanding officer, who, when the order was given by the -Uuke, that all the regiments in the centre should form four deep '' rather than loosen his files by that formation, had prepared to ^^ double his Ime by placing one wing closed up in rear of the ^^ other; another instance, to show how the knowledge of details and constant attention to them, are essential in order to enable an officer to apply his men to the best purpose. J Owing to the skill with which the movement was made, the very acm^ of time being seized, never perhaps was more ^ signal service done by a body of troops so disproportionate in " //T/I' ^'''' ^^^"'^'^ ' *^"* '^^^« ^'^^ ««^Posed of the ^^ ^kte of the enemy's army, the most veteran troops in Europe. _ A line on the flank of a coiamn exhibits in the highest degree ^ the triumphs of skill over number. The column has only the alternative of flight or destruction. ^^ " This adventurous movement was undertaken upon his sole ^^ responsibility by the commanding officer of a single battalion, and from the first onset of the 52nd, that regiment and the /1st proceeded to the close of the day without receiving orders from any general officer, whether of brigade or division* _ " The successful charge and immediate pursuit of the broken ^^ columns carried Adam's brigade far ahead of the other troops constituting them, as it were, an advanced guard to the main " body of the British army ^^ "We must not omit the admirable steadiness and intelligence _ of the men mostly veterans of the Peninsula, enabling the com- ^^ manding officer in the first place to rely on them for taking up amid a deafening fire, such a movement as a v.heel in line' which every military man k:.ows would in general be an awk- ward business for the first time on a quiet parade-ground, and describ?d'inTThl''p'^' ^nf* I" ^"^^'^ ^' *'^^ ^^^^""^ ^' ^^e 52nd is G I i :l'i! i W I 82 DEFEAT OF TJIE FRENCH IMPERIAL GUARD ^^ next exhibited iu the cool way in which they treated the irrup- tion at eavaht on them, causing the officers to remark, that with such self possession, they need never be under any appre- hension from a charge. ^^ ''The Duke in his account of the battle entered but little ^^ mto particulars. Of the period here refen-ed to he says, ' These ^^ ^ attack3 were repeated till about seven in the evening, when the enemy made a desperate charge with cavalry and infantry, sup- ^^ ^ ported by the fire of artillery, to force our left centre near the " '7T .^^ ,^\^^y^ ^^^^^' wl^ich, after a severe contest, was ^^ doteated. It is to be recollected that the despatch was written ^during the night succeeding the day of the battle in the house HI which some of his staff were lying wounded and dying, and that It comprised also the action of Quatre Bras ;' These cii-cumstances m y account for its being somewhat buef, but certa-aly when the Gazette came out, a good deal of ^^ disappointment was felt that more detail had not been given It was not only those who were engaged in that particular part of ^^the fight we have been describing who were impressed with the importance of the service rendered in that conjuncture, but, two « t^'i f V. '''^'' '^ '' ^"PP^"'^^ '^^^ «^'ffi«i^"t n^eans were afforded of learning something of the general sense of the army ^^ on the subject. Two officers from every regiment of cavalry and ^^ infantry were ordered back to Brussels to look after any missing ^^ .soldiers and among these, on their meeting there in the public ^^ rooms, discussing the events so fresh in their minds, it was the ^ common consent that the charge of the 52nd was not only the ^^ decisive action of the day, but that it was one of the most gallant ^^ eats ever performed. And it may be said that a feeling stronc.er ^^ than disappointment arose, when it appeared that the defeat'of ^ apoleon s last great effort was attributed to the Guards The ''^ error was thus occasioned :-The battle commenced by the attack on Hougomont. which was occupied by a detachment of Byno's brigade of Guards, who held it during the day, had a hard service ^^ and performed it well. So the Duke in his despatch said, ' The Guards set an example which was followed by all ' ^^ "This therefore was true enough, but Lord Bathurst, at that time Secretary for War and the Colonies, having to make a ;'l"MXo of Mu. r.L'u.l. T!,. ;{,,1 l,n|,(,,Ii„„ of tlu. l«t '^"'•'•, s only H„i„io,l (o lum, .Jvancul n^ninsl, M,,, „m..,uv onrv '•^".1 1 ...t wns nvmin«t what tl.oy culh-.l a .-..Mnn,, .i' M„. Inmorial < u.M. un.l Muit, advanrn <,n„lc ,,'.„„ as I l.avn bnlonMl.sJ.il,,.,! •^ Nol o„Iy ih., In.ppnal (,. .,| .skinui.sl.ors. Avh„n, m-,> saw '•;••"'". n.utorih.ir I,.a.li„. ,.ol„„„, ,v..n.,lnv.>„i„ hv this ;'<^v"•"••^ '"'< also thosU,.,Mishors an,! thoir support, sai.l to havo HvnsoMt orwanl fn>,„ Don.dofs division to attack the vi^ht o» Alton Hd, vision; this niioht a.vount tor their boin^M-alM a ''"»"'»•.. nml sonio of U,. skinnishors hoin.u Imperial (luar.lsnu., 'n.'.y have h,l toit« hoinKoalh-.l i\w /,,uf, ■>,,,.<>! >n>n, of f/.- hnprrial 0',.,W.- but as I havo slalo.i. a.ul as will bo shown still n.oro Honrly uMvallor, no ,-„/..,. of th. hviu-h (Juanl pnuHHlod those ^^^ll which wt> t-ainc in «'on(act. M pa^cs l(iS-l7l oflhosrcond volume of Siborno's history Nvo havo h.smvount of tin. attack oflho French Imperial (Juanl <•" <•'' i^nfish (;uanls.and it will be seen from the lollowin.^ .>N(nu.ts how it coincides, in various particulars, ^such as the »'ko rnlnivMip. the s.,uare tornnnK' line on its front face, the dnvnvv^ the enemy down the slope, the alarm of cuvalrv, and the ;y n-m. to (he position.) with (he advance of the ,Srd b'attalionof t "o Ist (.uanls related above a. having, taken place a consider- MOlo time In^tore : — *• IVessino boldly forward, they ha.l arrived within litYv pares o f le spot on which the British (luards were Ivin, d.>wn. when " W ollni^ton oavo the talismanic call. • Dp, ti„„,is. make ivadv -* •and onieivd Maitland \o attack." "The Hritish (Juanis bad continued (heir char^re ..ome dis- ■t^nuv down the slope of onwnt oxinvs,sion of "Up, (3u,,ni, „,„, ... ••MuMu: ,v;.< ovor u.oa by ,1,0 Huko of Woll.n,,.,, 1 1 „um- k 'tl tl .xnnn,*.ul,u, o,uvrof,ho Vn.i K-uulion of tho UwiuMs to " for „ i„o , iron, faoo of ,!,o s>iu:irv .-uui .irivo tJuv^^ follows in." t \N ho wotiKi ir:»,lior from ihU .^,w..,■;..♦;.^.. *i.., ..-..-.,..,, ... IL ^'^''^^ '^"'" "'"'" ^'^'''^ ^^" <'>^^ l">'^i'i^^" all this ,in,o -us thoro .s .,l>„,uian, ,o.tMuony to ,m.n^ lH^.i,,o. th.nt of LoM Hill and .^h .Vohn » nv TiiK 52Nr) alonk. 91 Nviii'il niovd- 1 of tllt^ l.sf, •Miciuy once, ■ln^ lin|i('pinl w ^l(^s(;^il)('(| loin M'(> saw in hy tliis '^iiitl to liavo •k tlu< rii>Iil. u\if cMllcd a (iuardsiin'ii f/ic Impivial n Htill iiioro cciloil tlioso lo'a liiatovy, i^rial (lunnl 15 followinij ^iioli as Iho it laco. llu> ry, and the I'iittalion of a coiisidor- tit'ty paoos own. wlicii a> n^aily!'* sonio dis- "ooivod tlio ■auiMiiij; on sk of beini: tnls, and at L'ly told tho > line on the U'ttUiiion of l>is time, tus nd Sir .) oliu "turned on that flaidc. Ho afcordinj,dy gave the order to face " about and n^tire ; but amidnt their victorious sliouts, and the " noise of the iiriug of cannon ami other arms, the comrnaiul was " imperfectly uiKhirstood, and the; first sense; of danger led to a cry " of ' Form S(|ua,re ' bcsiug passed ah)ng the line, it being naturally " assumed tliat the enemy's cavalry wcmld tak(! advantage of their " isolated i.osition ; winch, iiowever, was not the case. The Hanks " of battidioMs gave way as if to form square. Saltoun conspicu- " ously exerted himself in ench^avouring to rectify the mistake, "but in vain ; and tlu'. wludo went to the rear." At page 100 of his second volume, Captain Siborne, in attempting a deserii)tion of the advance of our brigade over the Jh-itish position, four hours before the driving in of the skir- iiiishiTs of the ]mi>erial (;uard by the 3rd battalion of the 1st tJuards, makes statements and brings forward expressions, so simihir, in aome respects, to those used in relation to this latter event, that I cannot but look ui)on them as really belonghig to that i)erioil. They certainly do not at all properly describe wliat haj)i)ened to Adam's brigade on that occasion, for the Duke was not then near them, nor were any French skirmishers attacked by lliem, and therefore the Duke ('t)uld not order them, as Siborne states in the following extract, to "drive those fellows away ;" but all these things did occur to the ;ird battalion of the 1st (luards, and the very M'ords just nu^ntioned were uttered by the Duke to tJolonel D'Oyley, four hours afterwards, when they attacked and drove olftlie Imperial (Juard skirmishers. This I had several years ago from a very intelligent oflicer of the 3rd battalion of tlie (Juards, who was }>resent in the action. The extracts relVu-i-ed to above are as follows:— "Suddenly the suuunit in front of Adam's brigade was crowded " with the FrtMich skirmishers, who were almost as quickly con- "cealed by the smoke from the rattling fire which they opened " upon the Allied artillery and the sciuares. The gunners, whose " numbers were feailuUy diminished, were speedily driven back " fwm their crippled l)attei:es upon the nearest infantry, upon '• which the concentration of this most galling fire threatened tho l?yng ? There were only two battalions in ]\raitland's brigade of the 1st regi- ment of Qujuds— the 2ud and 3rd UUtalions. iaik ii 92 [ill 1 r m h I Ii f ^^^^■M ; i j^Bj i 3^^Ej| : ^^^^^^^K' ^ H| DEFEAT OF THE FRENCH IMPEKIAL GUARD ^^ most serious consequences. But succour was at hand. WeUin- '< Tl '^ r •^'*/ ^ '^°^'' "^ ^'^^'''' ^^^ galloped to the front <' n.it .' brigade, ordered it to form line, four deep, and then, " ne fcpT? 1 T ^^™«1^^^« «^ th« height, called out, with ''Z^t'T^^^'Ti"'"'"'^''''' ^^^^^^°^^- 'Drive those feUows away With loud cheers the brigade moved rapidly up the slope " eager to obey the Duke's commands. P^ne slope, " inirTl J''''')^f\'^i'^^'' began to give way as the firm and ^^ intrepid ront of the brigade presented itself to their view Adam continued his advance, driving the French infantry before him " 1 liave thus endeavoured to point out how Captain Siborne has mentioned things as having taken place on two or three sepa- late occasions when in fact they only occurred once. In the ca e of the 3rd battalion of Maitland's brigade of Guards, they themselves only claim to have advanced and driven the enemy down the slope on one occasion, and that this advance was not "lelTT. " r'"'^ '"^"'^' ^^^ '""'y '' -^ battalion, whereas Siborne makes them to have done so twice. And he has also scattered some leaves of laurel on the 52nd which they 17 TTt ''' "'^^^' '' '''' ^^"^ *"- 1- bas treated thZ inost unfairly by attempting to deprive them of that full share of honour and glory, and of that very large branch of the emble- matic evergreen which so justly is their due, for having so • mand ^ *;8;^oriously," under their noble and gaUant com- mander, moved down upon and defeated, without the direct help flT .7 ''^™'''' "' P°^"'^°^^ "^ " ''^''^' ''^ thousand of «ie best and most veteran troops of Europe, led on by Marshal Ney the bravest of the brave," and others of the most experi- enced officers of the French army, and accompanied by tl ek artdlery, and having large bodies of cavalry not far from^hr 1 eihaps this was one of the most dashing exploits ever performed by a single regiment ;-and I trust the 52nd will no longer be deprived of the laurels they so nobly and fairly won oi the tl ^t ttTf !'1 :! '^''"'°^- '' "^^^^ ^^^ ---bered al .[ .f ! ?f '* ^^'' '^' ''°^"™"« °^ tbe Imperial Guard by t^he 5^2nd led immediately to the flight of the whole French army BY THE 52XD ALONE. 9"? Some time after the completion of the model of Waterloo, and when it was about to be removed from London for exhibi- tion in the large towns of England and Scotland, I went to see it for the first time, and met Captain Siborne there. I had given him information, in consequence of his having applied to me through Colonel Gawler, as to the crops growing where we stood in square to the left of Hougomont, and where we stood in line on the reverse slope of the British position just before we advanced to the attack of the Imperial Guard, and with regard to some other matters connected with that attack. I therefore introduced my- self to him, and spoke in terms of admiration of his beautiful model ; but I told him that we of the 52nd were dissatisfied with the forward position he had given to Maitland's brigade of Guards, and to his representing a first French column as having been routed by them, and as flying in disorder towards and near to the Charleroi road, as we hncio both these things to he incorrect. He merely shrugged his shoulders as much to say he could not now help it, and that there was no use now in discussing the matter. There was a Serjeant there who was helping to exhibit the model : he had been in the 1st Guards at Waterloo ; on my asking how far they had gone down the slope, from the British position, in pursuit of the French, he said " a few yards only, and that then " they retired again." It seems somewhat astonishing that when Captain Siborne nmst have known that only the 3rd battalion of the 1st Guards made the forward movement, and that the 2nd battalion of that regiment was stationary at the time, he should have ventured to place the latter on his model in a forward position, and on a line with the 3rd battalion within 100 yards of the French Guard, at the moment that he represents the 52nd as being at exactly the same distance from the flank of the same Imperial column. When the 52nd was within that distance of the column of the Imperial Guard, the French skirmishers had just been driven in, the 3rd battalion of the Guards, on the cry of " cavalry," had retired over the British position and some considerable distance uown the ro verse slope to ttie point at which Vivian's liussur brigade had arrived, for they were seen by that brigade retiring in some dis- order. They would have arrived at a point at some distance below f! ill 94 DEFEAT OF THE FRENCH IMPERIAL GUARD •1 ii the Brifsh position on its reverse slope, at the very time that the French skirmishers were seen hy the 52nd to 1 in and „„, and Z '". ?" "' *' '"^^-S »»'«»" of the Imperial GuZ and 200 yards from the British position; these 300 yards be'm^ s en by „s to -ue clear of all tmops excepting these t™ or tef companies of the Imperial Gnard, containing perhaps thr^e hiindred men who had been skirmishing and firing into the sourre by them " °' "^ ''™*' "^^ '>'"' ''"^ ^^-^^i^'^« A f "* f"'"., ^f- '"™ * ^'"^ "'"""' »f th"^ Imperial Guards defeated and driven down the »ij'!. out I shall here introduce what I had intended to place in the appendix-a e.ter, taken from Sir William Napier's "Life" on 1803 m which he speaks of the defeat of the French Tm™,.,a" John Moore's system of training :— BY THE 52nd alone. 95 :nown in " To the Editor of ' The Faval and Military Gazette.' u ;^jJ;-I^<^;oducingthe letter of Veritas/ you say,the late Duke of Wellington opposed, 'as eontrary to ovjr national feeling,' the having officers taught practically the whole routine of regi- mental discipline, from the first position of the driU-squad^to marching in the ranks and mounting guard with the privates which you nevertheless think would be useful » /'i?'"^ ^^' ^^^' "'^^y «^J^«<^? He must have known that at Shorncliffe Sir John Moore introduced, and rigidly enforced hat very system and thus formed the British regiments of tlT light division, who were perhaps, or rather certainly the best ms ructed, the most efficient military body in the field th modern times has produced-not excepting Napoleon's Guard, " loo Tb t" r^'' "'*' ''' ''^^ ^^^™^«^ -' Water: loo^ The officers of those regiments, the 43rd, 52nd, and 95th ^^ Rifles, were never averse to, or mori^ified at, being made to ^ acquire, amidst the private soldiers, a complete knowledge of what as officers they were to exact from, and superintend with those privates. Never did the system lead to disrespect or un-' due familiarity on the part of the soldiers ; on the contrary it ^^ produced the natural effect of knowledge, combined with power ^^ willing and entire obedience from the soldiers, whHe the officers were proud of their acquirements, knew their men, and were known to them ; knew when to exact and when to relax and "were m every sense commanders. This l.nowled-e carried "them through many a hard struggle, when ignorance would " have gone to the wall. "Much, very much, now forgotten and unknown, did Sir John Moore do for the British army, and I may perhap. l.ere- after recall soma of it to public recollection. At present I halt at this point." Whilst reading Sir William Napier's "Life," I made also t])e following extract, as it bears upon :ay present object — "What would become of mankind if the arena where must ^^ - 11 _aL .... r..t. Dattie of nghc agamst wrong should be deserted by the champions of the good cause ? " In accordance with this sentiment I have felt it to be my Jll 9fi DEFEAT OF THE FREN'CH IMrERIAL GUARD 11'"' Hi M4 I I, , 'liity to endeavour to set forth in its right and tn.P tml,f ,v great event which took place at the criai/of thfbat™ o^a^^! loo-the defeat of the French Imperial Gnard. I believe tile bo n the roco lections and the materials necessary for brinlg before the pnWc the « wrong " v-hich was perpeLted aS hat regiment immediately after Waterloo, and which hat con tmned to be porpeti^ted. though net to the same exten" : ^r" I think I have observed before, that the ofHeers of the 6ind always felt, with great indignation, tlie wrong which had I en iniiicted on the regiment. lui naa leen iec'^^'o'' tt™,™' ""^ ^'"''^"^ '" "' statements on the srb- Z":^:tifr' '""' ^"™' "^ "'"="" -^ *^ '^-"^ ^^^ The late Lieut-Colonel John Bentham, who served in the 52nd for many yeai., and afterwaris did himself so much crS t and rendered good service to his country, when in command of the 3rd regin^nt of lancashii^ militia, and also by his unwear ed i^o* to introduce the use of the Minie rifle into the British army to^k a most enthusiastic interest in the 52„d,and especially in Us Xri- letero™;r V'"' '""""'^ I-^Pe™! Guard at wLloo. In a letter on this subject, written to me in 1853, he shews his str^n! eehng about it, when he says, " I hope to live to sel this matte? f"tt TT"'" f^'r-'"^' '"'" correspondence wi'th mt; 01 the old officers of the regiment, and especially with Lord sertd" iT he 52, r%r ^^^ ^ ™'^ -te'iligent' officer whi request of M.. Bentham I ha;e ^ sati^MonTn 1 n! nh stvtimtr'thrr" ^™' "'"'' »'■ "—'^ "adoption of J T/rr^ . ^'™' '"' accelerated the •■«,andestabiirrhT?-:Sir:f^hT:r^:[^^ BY THE 52nd alone. 97 re « u « at that military station, the superiority and precision of the Minie Eifle. " I am persuaded that the attention of the authorities at the Plorse Guards was first attracted to this subject, in consequence of his strong representations, and of his having, in conjunction wi h the late Mr. Yonge, of the 52nd, published the ..eport of Colonel Sir Frederic Smith of the trial of the old musket at Chatham, proving its defects. »T , ,r .. "Seaton, Field-Marshal. "London, May 16, 1860." As some acknowledgment of the service thus rendered by Colonel Bentham to the army in the above matter, the Govern- ment have given his son an appointment in the War Office The following are extracts from a letter written to me by Bentham, in November, 1853 :— " I read with very great interest and satisfaction your remi- ^_ niscences of Waterloo, forwarded to me by Yonge, and consider- ^ing the intense excitement and bustle at the period chiefly ^^ dwelt on, it is marvellous how closely all the statements of o^nd men agree thereon." "It can hardly be conceived that the Duke, who witnessed the gorious swoop, and would not give the men time to inflate ^^ their lungs, but urged ' Colborne to go on/ could not only com- pletely ignore this astounding flight, but allow others to have tlie credit of it, by strong marks of distinction." "I can fully bear you out as to Gurwood's declaration about ^^ tlie Guards. He was always very strong on this point. I met Gurwood m London, about 1828; he was then staying at Apsley House, and I asked him why he never drew the Duke ^^ out about the catastrophe at Waterloo. He said that he had ^^ repeatedly made the attempt, but that it was a subject whioli caways excited great impatience. On the last attempt the J)uke said, ' Oh, I know nothing of the services of particular ^^ regiments ; there was glory enough for us all.' But had he ^ wntten Ins annals true, Baron Muffling would not. as he has done recently, have .J.arged him with 'policy' in advancing. ins weak battalions to prevent the Prussians coming in for tho u 98 DEFEAT OP THE FllENCH IMPERIAL GUAKD H i '- F : i; ! 'I victory. Baron Muffling and the world would have known that " the genius and daring of Colborne gave the panic and death- "blow, before the French began to yield to the Prussians. Let " us yet have the whole truth." In a letter I received from Colonel Bentham, dated May 16, 1854?, he gives the account of an interview he had with Lieut Sharpiu, of Captain Bolton's brigade of artillery, attached to our division ; it was stationed just to the left of the 52nd, and not far from the right of the 2nd battalion of the 1st Guards. It must be borne in mind that Captain Siborne, in his history of the Battle of Waterloo, has stated, on what the 52nd knew to b^ incorrect information, that a Jlrst column of the Imperial Guard was repulsed by Maitland's brigade of Guards, and that I main- tain no such column, (but only the skirmishers of the Imperial Guard) reached within three hundred yards of the British Guards, and that these skirmishers were driven off the British position,' not by an advance of the whole of Maitland's brigade, but by the advance of the 3rd battalion of the 1st Guards, whQst the 2nd battalion remained stationary. Captain Siborne has ventured to dress up his account of the supposed column {" which, as far as I can gather," writes Colonel Bentham, "was a column in buck- "ram,") with several details, which belong to the advance of the two long columns of about 10,000 men, which the 52nd encoun- tered and defeated. It must be borne in mind also that these two columns of the Imperial Guard were apparently of equal length, and were so close to each other that, although we could in the left centre of the 52nd, see that there was an interval be- tween them, we could not see through it. I should say that the interval did not exceed twenty paces. Before I give the account of Colonel Bentham's interview with Lieutenant Sharpin, I must give the following extract from Siborne's history, in that part in w:iich he is giving his account of what he calls ajirst column of the Imperial Guard :— "Wellington rode up to the British foot battery, posted on "the immediate right of Maitland's brigade of Guards, with its ^'' own right thrown somewhat forward, and addressing himself to "an artillery officer, (Lieutenant Sliarpin) hastily uskcd who ."comn.auded it. The latter replied that. Captain Bolton having BY THE 52nd alone. 99 " Cief T^ ^' i T """' """'" *" "'•""""'O "f Captain ., h J f ■ ^T f ^'''"* ""' ™™ '«= «ia l'"n.' The menage had sea cely been communicated, when the bear-skin caps of tl>e leadmg divisions of the column of the Imperial Guard " MtC r\T' "^ ^''"""" °' *^ "i^'^ Ihe cannonade .. ' tf° '""*'="'V,''™ '"' P™"' f™" *>"' ''"'an' French bat- e lies now ceased, but a sunrm of sUrmiAcre opened a sharp moment, however they were scattered and driven back upon the mam body by a sudden shower of canister, grape and -^^[T\ T" '"* f'""" ^^P-'^ ««- -S now "forttoTfif/ f ^r """" "■' "5'>>'»". within a distance of to advance. They had now topped the summit. To the ■^^^'^ "' *' f ""/■"" "^'^ ^' «>- "-'»■ «-° P- ■•fnrtb»' , ""r^""' ^"'"' °° ''™'=' impediment to their further advance. They could only distinguish dimly throuoh "P^miieu „f tb ^'■'' '"": '-g'"i"S. probably, that the most promnieut of these was the great Duke himself Pressing boldly forward, they had ari-ived within fifty paces of the Zt gave the talismanic call, 'Up, Guards, make ready,' and oXd Maitland to attack, &c., &c." "lucrea „, I" '=""";»''«=«»'' of 'he above statement of Captain Siboriie's dating ha Napier's battery filed into a column of the C rhi Guar which the British Guards had defeated. Colonel B n ham says, in his above-mentioned litter to me ■— of the artdlery, who was attached to the battery in the an f t' 102 DEFEAT OF THE FRENCH IMPERIAL GUARD "Guards and 'saw us moving across the plain.' When wo " followed the French towards La Tlelle Alliance, no troops from " the part of the position occupied by the Guards were near us "and we passed eighty guns and carriages, a short time after the Jronch had retired, which they had left on the road between La Haye Sainto and La Belh^ Alliance. " I have written this, as circumstances have occurred to me ''to remind mo of the pait we performed, without method~but ^^ with these remarks and the facts mentioned in the inclosure you may be able to judge correctly of the claims of the 52nd. ' " Yours very faithfully, " Seaton." The following passages, bearing upon the defeat of the French Imperial (Juard by the single-handed attack of the 52nd are extracted from some remarks on Waterloo by Lord Seaton •— " The crisis may be called the period when the French columns advancing with the intention of penetrating our centre, wore ^' checked and compelled to halt by the flank movement and fire ot the o2nd. This was the very first appearance of a change in ^ our ftivour. The attackers were attacked and checked in their assault, and driven from the ground they had gained before „ tliey could deploy The whole of the Imperial Guard ^ advanced at the same time, and their flank was first attacked by the 52nd, before any forward movement was made to check J them in front The Prussians could not have attracted the attention of the French, so as to cause the throwincr back of •'their right wing, until after the Imperial Guard had commenced their attack on our centre No regiment except the 52nd ' hred on the flank of the Imperial Guard." The late Mr. AVm. Crawley Yonge, of the 52nd, in a letter to Colonel Bentham written in November, 1853, says:— "He (Lord " Seaton) was saying here last week tliat after his conversation with " the French cuirassier officer, he kept watching the heavy column " advancing, saw it directed against a very weak part of the line " saw no attempt at preparation to meet it, and therefore, (making ' light of his own exercise of judgment and decision,) he said° ' there was nothing else to do, having such a strong battalion in BY THE 52nd alone. 103 When WG troopa from are near us, le after the id between rred to me sthod — but 3 inclosure, ihe 52ud. BATON." ;he French 52nd, are iton : — h columns, !ntre, were nt and fire change in d in their led before ial Guard b attacked e to check attracted ig back of )mmenced i the 52nd I letter to He (Lord ition with ■y column £" the line, , (making i he said, ttaliou in " liand, but to endeavour to stop them by a flank attack, for it " seemed quite evident that, if something of that sort was not " done, our line would unquestionably be penetrated. With a "man looking on in this intelligent way, and acting on what he " saw, how is it possible that all this fanfaronade, of Guards " charging the head of this column, can have the smallest found- "ationin truth?" The same officer writes :— " It is the dearest wish of my heart " to see that affair put to rights in the eyes of the world. As to " Lord Seaton, I think there never was a man so ill-used as he "was— only fancy how many men were there at any time, " who would have done what he did, being only the commanding " officer '^f his own regiment, without orders or sanction from any " superior officer, his own general of brigade yet on the field, to " take upon himself such responsibility ; first, in acting without " orders, and secondly, daring to expose his flank to the enemy " as he did ? How few would have seen and caught the right " moment ; and was there another man in the army \/ho would " have ventured on it, if he had seen it ? As for the regiment, if " they had their rights, they ought to have more credit for their " exemplary steadiness under heavy fire for a good while previous " to the charge, than fbr the charge and pursuit itself. It was " capitally done, and few regiments could have borne to be so " handled without getting into confusion, but it was easy work " compared with the other." On another occasion he speaks of Lord Seaton's characteristic humility and modesty in the following terms :— " Meeting him "in London a little while ago e.t the house of a lady, a mutual " friend, she, hearing us talk over some of the occurrences of the " war, remarked, ' How proud you gentlemen may feel at the " ' recollection that you had a share in those great events ; ' on "which he replied very gently, 'Proud ! No, rather humbled, I " ' think.' How characteristic this is, is it not ? It puts me in " mind of two lines in 'The Christian Year' on St. Philip and St. "James's day. The stanza ends — " ' Thankful for all God takes away, " ' Humbled by all He gives. ' " In "The United Service Journal" for 1833, Colonel Gawler lilnii Ei t i 104. HKKEAT OK niK FUliNCH JJH'KHIAL (JUARD. pubHsl.od a lott(,r from Colonel Hrotlierton, from wliicli the fol- lowing id an extract: — "Somo years ago, not long after the l^attle of Waterloo in '' conversation with a Fnnich olHcer of the staff, who had ace.mi- panied the eolumn led by Marshal Ney at the eloso of th(> day '■ we were deseribing the relative merits of our different modes of uttaek. 1 observed to him that to us it seemed surprising and " unaccountable that our gallant opponents should obstinately 'persist in a practice, which experience must have taught th.un to be so unavailing and destructive to themselves, viz their " constant attacks in column against our infantry in line I '^ cited as a last and conclusive instance^ the failure of tJie attack ^^ a the close of tlu, day at Waterloo, wl.ere a column composed ot such distinguished veterans, and led by sucli a man as Ney ^^ was repuls,.! and upset by some comparatively young soldiers ot our Cuards, (lor of su.>h I understood the brigade in ques- ^^ turn to be composed,) adverting also to the singular coincidence ^^ ot the Imperial Guard encountering (mr IhitislUJuards at such a crisis Upon which he observed, without seeming in the ^ east to detract from the merit of the troops which the . ,.luinn had to encounter in its front, who, he said, sliowed 'tvl's bonne '"contenance,'* that I was wrong in adducing tins instance in ^^ support ot my argument, or in supposing the attack was solely repulse tro..ps opposed to it in front; ' for ' added he '-nous fumes principalement repoussc^s^;.rr une attaqm de ilanc trSS VlVC, QUI NOUS K(^RASA.' f ' " As tar as I can recollect, these were liis vciy words I retain " all the feelings of a Guardsman, in which corp. 1 served several " years, and should feel as jealous of its honours as if still in " its ranks, &c. " Cavalry Depot, August 2nd, 18;'.3." • This expression wouhl fairly apply to tiie driving in of the slvirmi.h.r. h the charge of the nrd battalion of the 1st Guards. slvmnshers by ^^ ^ t " We were ckielly repulsed hy a very sharp flank attack, wmcu uestkoyed These last words are the same as those employed bv Quinetin lescribing the result of the tire of the 52nd, on tlu 3 same occasion. h the fol- 105 iterloo, in sul accoin- f the day, modes of I'isiug and bstinately ight tliem n/.., their I line. I lie attack "oniposed II as Ney, 5 soldiers in quQs- incidence s at sucli g in the i coliunii (^s bonne stance in as solely dded he, do Jlanc, T retain 1 several ' still in lishors by ESTKOYED 'ninetin ccasiou. CHAPTER VI. 1815. RIBORNE's, ALISON S, AND SHAW KENNEDY'S MISTAKES REFUTED. The Duke's memorandum of IS.-JG aliout Waterloo— Much confusion in it-Confi- dence in tlie truth of history much shaken— Sihorne, Alison, the Chaplain- General,Glci<,',inakegreatmistakes—Ilooper'saccountmorecorroct— Amount of the French Guard from 1804 to 1815-52iid, " a bri;,rht beam of red lijrht, "&c."— Baron Muffling -Shaw Kennedy -What the 1st Guards did really do at the crisis of Waterloo— Killed and wounded of each battalion of the 1st Guards— How came Sir Jolin Byng to allow the .'32nd to nch army, and of the total defeat of these columns, followed by the flight of the whole of the French army, one has been almost struck down with a feeling of despondency and of utter despair of being able to unravel the confused and complicated mass of detail, into which the various writers on the subject have together numaged to work the history of that event. Many of these writers have followed in the wake of Captain Siborne, who, not having had the good fortune to be at Waterloo, ii\u\ not having witnessed the attack, was sure, as I have before shewn, to fall into the most terrible mistakes with regard to per- sons and time, in working up all the conilicting information m- I il fi lOG MISTAKES REFUTED, wliich ]io rccoived, so many years after the battle, from great numbers of officers wlio were present at it. Tlie Duke of Wellington, whose own memory, with regard to many things which occurred at Waterloo, has been found to be exceedingly defective in after years, wrote as follows to a person wliom he wished to deter from attempting to write a history of f he Battle of Waterloo :— "Paris, 8th August, 1815. " I have received your letter of the 2nd, regarding the Battle " of Waterloo. The object which you propose to yourself is very " diflicult of attainment, and, if really obtained, is not a little " invidious. The history of a battle is not unlike the history of "a ball. Some individuals may recollect all the little events, of " which thb great result is the battle lost or won ; but no indi- " vidual can recollect the order in which, or the exact moment " at which they occurred, whic1 makes all the difference as to "their value and importance." To another person he writes, in 1816 :— "The Battle of Water- " loo is undoubtedly one of the most interesting events of modern "times, but the Duke entertains no hopes of ever seeing an " account of all its details, which shall be true." Again in fsiG he says:— "The people of England may be entitled to a detailed "and accurate account of the liattle of Waterloo, and I have no "objection to their having it ; but I do object to their being mis- " informed and misled In those novels called ' Relations,'* ' Im- " 'partial Accounts,' &c., &c., of that transaction, containing the "• stories which curious travellers have picked up from peasants, " private soldiers, individual officers, &c., &c., and have publishe.l " to the world as the truth I am really disgusted witli " and ashamed of all that I have seen of the Battle of Waterloo. "The number of writings upon it would lead the world to su^'- " pose that the British army had never fought a battle before ; " and there is not one wliich contains a true representation, oi- "even an idea, of the transaction; and this is because the writers " have referred as above quoted, instead of to the official sources " and reports." > Alas! the official reports are very meagre, and the Duke's own despatch is particularly so, and I must say, and every 52nd 14. ,) H MISTAKES REFUTED. 107 from great h regard to )und to be to a person , history of ;, 1815. the Battle self is ve ry- ot a little history of ! events, of it no indi- ct moment 3nce as to of Water- of modern seeing an in in 181G a detailed I have no )eing mis- )ns,' 'Im- ining the peasants, published isted with Waterloo. d to ST - le before ; itation, or le writers il sources * 3 Duke's ery 52nd officer who fought at Waterloo, from the gallant Colborne (Lord Seaton) to the youngest ensign, always felt that that despatch was most unjust towards that man and that regiment, which verj' probably had saved himself and his army from an ignomini- ous defeat. The Duke surely knew the great exploit which had been performed by Lord Seaton and the 52nd, when he rode down with Sir Colin Campbell to the rear of the centre of the 52nd line, near the Charleroi road, eight hundred yards from their original position on the right of the 1st Guards, and found them there by themselves preparing to attack the three battalions of the grena- diers of the Old Guard, and when he exclaimed, as he rode up to us, " Well done, Colborne ! Well done ! Don't give them time " to rally." In after years the Duke's recollections of what took place at the crisis of Waterloo were most confused, as will be seen from a memorandum written by him in October, 1836, one-and-twenty years after the battle, which I shall take the liberty of extracting from the despatches and memoranda published by his son. I shall also number the several paragraphs, and givp my commen- tary upon some of them in brackets : — Memorandum upon the plan of the Battle of Waterloo, written in October, 1836. 1. "I have looked over the plan of the ground of the "Battle of Waterloo, which appears to me to be accurately " drawn." 2. " It is very difficidt for me to judge of the particular posi- " tion of each body of the troops under my command, much less " of the Prussian army, at any particular hour." 3. " I was informed that the smoke of the fire of cannon was " seen occasionally from our line, behind Hougomont, at a dis- " tance, in front of our left, about an hour before the British " army advanced to the attack of the enemy's line." [The Italics are mine here, and in the succeeding paragraph.] 4. " The attack was ordered possibly at aboiit half-past seven, " lohcn I saw the confusion in their position upon the result of the "■ last attach of their infantry," and when I rallied and brought " up again into the first line the Brunswick infantry." [The hour was much later than " half-past seven," at which WtL j 108 MISTAKES KEFUTED. the Duke of Wellington ordered the whole of his troops, then in position, to move forward, " when he saw the confusion on the " French position upon the repulse of the last attack of their in- " fantry." It must have been a quarter past eight o'clock when the 52nd repulsed this last attack of infantry, which was made by the 10,000 men of the Imperial Guard. It will here be seen that the Duke himself makes a distinction between the repulse of this last attack of the French Guard by the 52ud, followed by the advance of the 71st and of the Osnabruck battalion on the riglit, and the subsequent advance of his cavalry and infantry from tlie British position. He calls this last advance an "attack," but it will have been seen that after the return of the 3rd bat- talion of the 1st Guards from driving off the Imperial Guard skirmishers, and the defeat of the columns of the Imperial Guard by the 52nd, and the flight of the French army, there were no remaining French infantry to be attacked, except the three or four battalions of the Old Guard, who had retired hastily, without bi'eaking, from the rear of the columns repulsed by the 52nd, and had brought up, 500 yards to their proper right and rear, on the rising ground situated about midway between the lower end of the iuclosures of La Ilaye Sainte and La Belle Alliance, and which is crossed by tlie Charleroi road ; and these battalions were attacked and driven off' by the 52nd ; and it would appear from Sir Colin Campbell's and Sir liussey Vivian's statements tliat one, if not two of them, was afterwards followed and fired into by Halkett's Osnabruck battalion, and that one of them was that charged by Major Howard and a small party of the lUth Hussars. Vivian's and Vandeleur's brigades of cavalry found and " attacked " the retiring French on and beyond the French position.] 5. " The whole of the British and Allied cavalry of our army " was then in the rear of our infantry. I desired that it might " be collected in rear of our centre ; that is, between Hougomont " and La Haye Sainte.'' 6. " The infantry was advanced in line. I halted them for a " moment jn_ the bottom, that they miglit be in order to attack " some battalions of the enemy still on the heights." [There is much confusion in the statements made in the I I mt?;takes refuted. 109 whole of this memorandum, but this Gth paragraph must refer to the 52nd and 71st, who were each in a four-deep line, and the Duke says, in the 9th paragraph, " the infantry was formed into " columns, and moved in pursuit in cohimns of battalions," which 9 th paragrapli must therefore refer to the infantry which ad- vanced after the repulse of the Imperial Guard by the 52nd. What the Duke means, when he says these columns advanced in 'pursuit, I do not quite understand ; but they probably moved down the British position some distance, and bivouacked on the lower slope of it, M'hen it was ascertained that the whole French army was in utter d&oute far beyond the French position. The infantry, which the Duke says he halted for a moment in the bottom, was the 52nd by itself, which Lord Seaton had halted for a moment close to the Charlsroi road, {iifimcdiately be- fore the Duke rode up) in order to dress the line before he attacked the battalions of the Old Guard in his front. The Duke never halted the regiment, but on the contrary, found it just halted, and said, " Well done, Colborne ! Go on, &c." One does not altogothei wonder at mistakes on the part of the Duke when speaking of movements which had been made by portions of his army at Waterloo one-and-twenty years before, but tliey help to shew that his statements with regard to the events, and with regard even to the very great events, of that battle, miist be received with caution.] 7. " The cavalry halted likeAvisc. The wL-Ie moved forward "again in very few moments. The enemy did not stand the " attack. Some had fled before we halted. The whole abandoned " their position." 8. "The cavalry were then ordered to charge, and moved " round the flanks of the battalions of infantry." [I believe scarcely any one but myself could possibly discover what movements the Duke had in his mind when he wrote doM^n paragraphs 7 and 8. I think, after some amount of puzzling, I have found the clue to his meaning. No. 8, which should have preceded No. 7 paragrapli, must refer Lo the advance of Sir Hussey Vivian's husaar brigade, from the British position round the flank of the Guards or of the 2nd battalion of the 95th I m 110 !!'.! ¥\k ti n ■ MISTAKES REFUTED. Rifles,* the left battalion of our brigade, which, if it had not then left the position, would be in line to the right of the 1st Guards. In a note made the day after a conversation I had with Sir Colin CarapbeU in 1833, I find the foDowing entry :—" Sir Colin " Campbell told me distinctly that he did not go with the order "to Sir Hussey Vivian until twenty minutes after our advance " against the Imperial Guard ; that he went before the three " squares of the Old Guard and the cuirassiers gave way before " us ; that he met Sir Hussey coming down the hill, who said " his brigade was close at hand in his rear." " The cavalry halt- "ing likewise," in paragraph 7, refers to Vivian's disposition of his brigade on the rise of the French position, before they made their charge on the intermingled French cavalry of all arms, somewhere in a line with La Belle Alliance, away to our right.] ' 9. " The infantry was formed into columns, and movtd in " pursuit in columns of battalions." "Wellington." [This 9th paragraph I have endeavoured to explain under paragraph 6.] What the Duke has said of the inaccuracies and mistakes of others, and of the confusion they would be sure to fall into, in attempting to give a history of the Battle of Waterloo, I Imve found, to my very great disgust and annoyance, to be perfectly and painfully true; but I think my readers wUl agree with me, that the Duke, in his memorandum of 1836, which I have just quoted and commented on, has shewn himself not to be a whit behind the writers of the "Eelations," "Impartial Accounts," and , "Histories" of Waterloo, whom he so properly denounces, in the inaccuracies, mistakes, and confusion of ideas which he himself has fallen into. It may be asked. Are the histories of all battles equally in- * I am exceedingly sorry not to be able to speak of the position or movements of our gallant friends of the 2na battalion of the 95th Ritles after the .'52nd moved down from the British position on the flank of the Imperial Guard. They were of course, thrown out by our sudden movement, and were not with us when we' defeated the 10,000 men of the French Guard ; nor when we afterwards drove off the hatta!i().!.s of the grenp.iliers of the Guard from the height in front of La Belle Alliance. We were alone from the time we left the British position tUl we halted for the night at Rosomme, at about a (luarter past nine. MISTAKES REFUTED. Ill d not then st Guards. I Sir Colin Sir Colin L the order r advance the three ray before who said airy halt- )osition of hey made all arms, ir right.] moved in tNGTON." lin under istakes of 1 into, in >, I have perfectly with me, lave just e a whit nts," and j !S, in the : himself iially in- lovements Jnd moved riiey were, 5 when we s drove off f La Belle we halted correct ? Perhaps never were there anything like so many his- ^tories of any other battle written, either before or since, as have been written about Waterloo. I must, however, for myself con- fess that my confidence in the accuracy of history in general, which was never very great, has received the very rudest possible shake from all that I have read, both in English, German, Prus- sian, Belgian, French, and Spanish accounts concerning this great battle. I feel that I must not leave the subject I am endeavouring to elucidate, without introducing one or two specimens of the man- ner in which persons, professing to describe the leading events of the crisis at Waterloo, have made the most egregious mistakes. The following is one in which much credit is given to General Adam's brigade, consisting of the 52nd, the 71st, and the 2nd and 3rd battalions of the 95th Eifles, for repulsing the French Imperial Guard. I will mark those portions of the account, which I know to be incorrect, in italics, and afterwards advert to it within brackets. It is called, An extract from a Utter from an eye witness : — " After various hot and desultory attacks of the day, the last " and most dreadful was made by the Old Imperial Guard, grown " grey in an uninterrupted career of victory. In black, massive, " solid columns, supported and covered by the fire of a numerous " artillery, they advanced in spite of the most desperate resist- " ance. Lord Hill, who had seen the approaching storm, having "formed General Adayn's brigade a little 'enpotence' on the enemy's " W^> placed himself at its head, and advanced with dreadful regu- " larity to the assistance of the Gtcards. General Adam's veterans " of the Peninsula, after one terrible volley within a few yards of "the Imperial Guard, cheered and charged. These gallant " troops (the Imperial Guard) for the first time fled, although " encouraged to the last by the conduct of the brave but unfor- " tunate N"ey. Lord Hill followed with his usual rapidity, the " British Guards supporting him, and at the same instant our great " Duke ordered the general and decisive advance of the whole " army." [Lord Hill, and the British Guards, and the 71st, and 2nd and ord battalions of tlie 95th, were not engaged in the attack on w Wr I 112 MISTAKES RKFUTED. '':; ! %\\ ).i •" ilH these "black, massive, solid columns" of the Imperial Guard. It was made by the 52nd alone. The name of Sir John Colborne (Lord Seaton) should be sul)stituted for that of Lord Hill. Gene- ral Adam came up at the exact moment of the caarge, and behaved most gallantly in front of the 52nd line, and was severely wounded, but he did not at all interfere with the com- mand of the 52nd, which was left entirely to Colborne. After the Imperial Guard had fled, we saw no more of him until he rode mto our bivouac at Eosomme, towards ten o'clock. Witli regard to the "general advance of the army," I have shewn a few pages back, under the paragraph in the Duke's memorandum which I have numbered G, that it could not have taken place till about twenty minutes after the 52ud had routed the French Im- perial Guard.] I have shewn that Siborne, in his account of the crisis of Waterloo, has made most terrible mistakes. Alison, in his his- tory of Europe, has followed him and taken much of his version of the crisis from Siborne. The Chaplain-General, Gleig, whilst followuig the account of a French writer, has written a work on the Battle of Waterloo, and dedicated it to the Queen which appears to me to be about as full of errors as it is possible for any work to be. Hooper, in his history of the campaign of 1815 has followed Siborne, and gives the myth of the British Guards having defeated a first column of the Imperial Guard, very much in Siborne's own words. Mr. Hooper has evidently taken much pams to give a correct account of the battle and of the defeat of the French Guard; but he not only speaks of a first column of them, but even makes the British Guards, as Siborne does, both on his model and in his history, to assist in the defeat of a second column. Mr. Hooper candidly acknowledges in a note appended to his account of the defeat of the Imperial Guard, that "much "confusion exists in the accounts of these columns of attack their "nnmher and formatioyi," but adds, "the conclusions in the text "are derived from a study of the best accounts on both sides." * • I would here ask If the British Guards sent a column of the Imperial Guards flying down the slope, how was it that the 52nd, who were at that time 300 yards in a direct line m front of the British Guards, and at r\^ angles witli them ; how was it that the 52nd never saw this column, but that they did see the skirmishers of the Imperial Guard run in and form 100 yards in front of the MISTAKES REFUTED. 113 The following account, from Hooper's work, of the advance of the o2nd, may be taken as nearly correct, if it be recollected that the British Guards were not there, but 300 yards away ; that the 71st never reached the enemy, but were away to the right, near the inclosures of Hougomont ; that the 95th were not in line with the 52nd, and were not seen by them, and that the column said to have been defeated by the 3rd battalion of the 1st Guards still formed a portion of the "black, massive, solid columns," attacked by the 52nd, and that even the Imperial Guard skirmishers, driven back from the British position by the advance of the 3rd battalion of the 1st Guards, had returned to swell the numbers of the enemy, which we believe were fairly estimated as amounting to about ten thousand men * It must also always be borne in maid that the arena, on which this con- flict between the 52nd and the 10,000 picked and veteran soldiers ol the Imperial Guard took place, was not towards the crest of the British position, as has been related by Siborne and others but 300 yards below it. Lord Seaton calls it "the plain" Sir Thomas Eeynell, of the 71st, speaks of it "as the bottom of the " declivity." Hooper writes as follows :— "At this moil It Sir John Colborne, who had steadily ob- " black, massive, solid columns of the French Guard," which they (the 52nd) took in flank and overthrew, whilst the whole slope of the British position, above and m fiont of them, was quite clear of troops of any kind for 300 yards ? «frpn ;r°"f i"^'"f ' ''■''" T ^"''''"^ '"*^ ^^'^ ^"^*^h ^™y' «a>'«' respecting the strength of the columns of the French Guard, defeated by the 62nd, ''The eneuiys Guard began to move, and with sixteen battalions, leaving La Haye Sainte a httle to the right, at half-past six o'clock advanced towards the plat- torm. L 1 here is a great mistake here about the time of their advance : it must p^sTtionT ^'^^^ ''''^"''' ''^''" *^'^ ""'"'^'"^ *^' ^''^ *'"""* ^^ *^^ 2""«^ Muffling states also, " Some of the enemy's batteries cover, with grape-shot, he 1 etiea of the four battalions of the Guard." [These battalions were the bat^ tahons the Old Guard which, on the flight of the rest of the Imperial Guard, drew off^ hastily towards the French position.] Sixteen battalions of bOO men each give an amount of 12,800 men, besides the otiicers and tlie artillery, and some cavalry of the Guard ; so that allowing for any casualties or mistakes as to the numbers, there must have been, as it was always stated by the 52nd officers, ..l.o,.i., 10,00: of the Imperial Guard, when wc attacked and defeated them. Ney, in his letter to the Duke of Otranto, speaks of four thfSlT G T '' " ^^*^"""'-' '^ ^^^ ^^'^^'^ «"^^d, and four battaUons of r i!J lU MISTAKES REFUTED. " served their progress, wheeled the 52nd upon its left company,* " and brought it nearly parallel to the left flank of the aV -"cking " column. What was he going to do ? was the inquiry of his " superior officer. ' To make that column feel our fire,' was the "prompt answer. The Duke and Lord Hill had seen and ap- " proved of the movement, and the next moment the 52nd was " over the brow, and its full fire was brought to bear upon the " heavy masses before it." [The Duke and Lord Hill only saw the 52nd when it had moved some distance down the slope, and then sent to desire Sir John Colborne to continue the movement.] " The Imperial Guardsmen faced this new and terrible foe, and " began to fire from the flank. For a brief space the combat was " one of musketry. ' A thick, white smoke enveloped the con- " ' tending parties.' Napier's guns double-shotted, the muskets " of the British Guards, the rifles of the 95th, and the rapid fire " of the 52nd, shook the column from front to rear." [The artillery had ceased to fire on the Imperial Guard, the left of the 52nd being in their way ; and, I think, the French were then rather sheltered by the ground from Napier's guns. The British Guards were on the reverse slope of the British position, 800 yards away; the 95th were not there ; the 52nd had it all to themselves, with the exception, that their truly gallant general of brigade, Adam, and his staff, arrived in time to get into the thick of the fight in front of the 52nd four-deep line.-f-] Hooper thus continues his account : — " Eeduced to an "unsteady crowd, it yielded and fled, when, at Colborne's "command, the 52nd brought down their bayonets to the " charge, cheered and dashed on. This splendid regiment, sup- " ported on the right by the 7lst and on the left by the 95th, * Sir John Colborne had at first, for a moment, the idea of changing in some degree the direction of the 52nd line, by whesling back the right companies, (No. 1 and No. 6 in its rear,) on their right a few paces only, so as to throw back the left of the regiment before he brought them over the crest of the position, but it was immediately given up, and they advanced directly to the front, after- wards bringing their right shoulders forward as they moved down the slope, in the manner before described. t General Adam's spurs were well won on that glorious occasion. He was made a Knight Commander of the Bath ; and so was Sir Thomas Reynell of the 71sfc ; Sir John Colborne had obtained that distinction, and several other honours, at the close of the Peninsular war in 1 814. company,* at< 1 eking ;iry of his i,' was the 1 and ap- 52nd was upon the only sa>v slope, and ovement.] 3 foe, and mbat was the con- muskets rapid fire 3 artillery the 52nd en rather h Guards rds away; ves, with e, Adam, e fight in 1 to an 'olborne's I to the ent, sup- ihe 95th, ing in some companies, throw back e position, ront, after- le slope, in 3 was made the 71st ; onours, at MISTAKES IlEFUTED. 115 ^ did not halt in its career in the track of tlie fugitives until it liad swept, from right to left, along the 'front of the British centre. ^^ When the regiment halted, its left flank was in the hollow on ^^ the chauss(5e to Genappe, in advance of the orchard of La Haye t^ainte, 800 yards from the ground at which the charge commenced. Colborne had led it from the little hollow above the north east angle of Hougomont, working through the lurrowed and muddy ground, trampling amidst the dead and ^ the wounded, a bright beam of red light streaking the sombre '^ and misty field until the left flank of the brigade [of the 52ndl ^^ nearly touched the edge of the Charleroi road. Before its steady ^^ march the broken Imperialists withdrew without a halt ; but ^^ not without looking back fiercely and grimly upon tJieir pur- suers, whose bayonets glittered in tlie yeUow glare of the set- " ting sun." the ^^ Hooper continues :-"The battle was won ; it was now " time to reap in ample measure the fruits of victory ^^ " The British leader, watchful of the course of the fight, hod ^ been patient and persevering for nine hours. It was now his ^^ urn to attack. He had been stricken long. It was now for ^^ him to break out from his fastness and strike. The charge of the o2nd, so magical and so decisive, begun at the right mo- ment and carried forward by the right kind of daring, was speedily sustained. At the order of the Duke, Vivian^s un- " touched light horsemen broke from the cloud of thick smoke '' which hung over the ridge, and wheeling round the right flank '^ ot the British Guards poured down the slope, through the space ^^ left vacant by the light infantry brigade, [52nd, 71st, and 95th,] and ably led by its consummate chief, swept onward over the field. Since the foregoing portion of this volume was written, a work has come out, entitled "Notes on the battle of Waterloo, by the " -ate General Sir James Shaw Kennedy, K.C.B." Captain Shaw at the time of the battle, was a captain in the 43rd Light Infan-' try and deputy-assistant quartermaster-general attached to General Baron Alteirs division, the 3rd division of the British army. He was an old peninsular officer, and was much distinguished for his gallantry and intelligence. He afterwards I 2 if no MISTAKES REFUTED. 11 11 " took the name of Kennedy. He app(>ars to have seen nothing of the 52nd during the action, though he speaks moat liighly of their advance ; nor does he appear to have seen the 3rd })attalion of the lat (Juards drive in the skirmishers of the Imperial Guard. What he saw himself is very interesting. In almost everything whicli he did not see he acknowledges that he has followed Siborne's account. I propose to select some of his observations and to comment freely upon them, for as Captain Siborne was not at Waterloo, and Shaw Kennedy did not leave the British position, they cannot speak of what liappened to the 52nd and to the Imperial Guard 300 yards below that position, with the same authority with which I and other 52nd officers can speak, who saw, and participated in, the remarkable encounier which tookplace between the 52nd, then about 950 strong, and their renowned adversaries. I repeat here again, tliatthe Imperial Guard was in two columns of equal length, apparently consisting of, and always mentioned by us as containing, 10,000 men. All that has been said about a first column of the French Guard having been separated from the other column, and having been defeated by Maitland's brigade of Guards, is a myth. And I repeat again, the 2nd battalion of the 1st Guards, never advanced from the ]3ritish position, when the 3rd battalion drove in the Iniperial Guard skirmishers and probably some skirmishers and their supports of Donzelot's division, and then, after following them a sliort distance down the slope, retired in some confusion, and did not come in contact with the enemy again, though Siborne states erroneously that both battalions did so. Sir Shaw Kennedy says of Siborne and his history of Water- loo : — " Captain Siborne's history of the campaign has very great "merit. I doubt if, as to any other battle, there ever were so great " a number of facts brought together, or more care, industry, and " fidelity displayed in their collection, so that all other accounts "of the battle, to be correct, must, for a great portion of the details, " borrow from Siborne, as he had access to sources of information " that no historian following him can have." As regards the 52nd and the French Imperial Guard, my information, derived from Lord Seaton and other 52ud officers. MISTAKES REFUTED, 117 nothing of ■j highly of 1 l)attalioii ial Guard, averything 3 followed I comment Waterloo, tion, they 3 Imperial authority 3 saw, and c;e between Iversaries. columns mentioned said about cated from Maitland's 1, the 2iid lie Ijritish ial Guard upports of a short Qd did not true states of Water- very great ■e so great iistry, and ■ accounts lie details, formation uard, my d officers. and from my own very accurate recollection of every movenu^nt of the 52nd, must be allowed to come from sources very superior to those from which Siborno or Kennedy derived their information. And even as regards the movements of the 2nd and :3rd battalions of the 1st Guards, 1 know my information is more acc;urate than that of either of thr;in. Will the surviving oflicers of the 2nd battalion of the Isc Guards maintain that their battalion advanced against the Imperial Guard .skirmishers or against a first column of the Imperial Guard when Lord Hill, who was on their riglit, and Sir John Byng, (afterwards Lord Strafford,) who had suc- ceeded to the command of the whole »livison of the Guards, both declare that they did not? iSrr' when it is declared, on the part of the 3rd battalion of thy ^. -ards, that the 2nd battalion did not advance with them? In the "Life" of Sir William Napier, we are told that in a matter of dispute as to whether a howitzer was taken from the French by the 48rd or the 52nd at Sabugal, speaking of his informants of the 43rd, he wrote : — " They know what they have written " and said to me, and I expect them to respond to my appeal. " If they do not, the 43rd regiment must bear the stigma of " having accepted from the Duke of Wellington the credit of an " exploit belonging to another regiment." Awkward as it may be, should not the 1st Guards even at this late period, when more than fifty years have passed awoy since the famous battle was fought, listen to my appeal, and no longer "accept," I do not say, "from the Duke of Wellington," for he never assigned that credit to them, but from Captain Si borne, Alison who has copied Siborne, and other mistaken his- torians of Waterloo, a portion of "the credit of an exploit " belonging [entirely] to another regiment ? " Should they not even lend their assistance towards rectifying the representation of a column of the Imperial Guard routed by them, and the position of the 1st Guards on Siborne's beautiful model, so that they should no longer be represented as firing into a column of the Imperial Guard which the 52nd single-handed attacked in flank and completely defeated? Some of the officers of tlie Guards did much towards rescuing the model from being lost to the public, and no doubt have much in their power, respecting the alteration m Ifflffl Ml i MISTAKES REFUTED. of the position of troops on the model, in any case in which a most glaring injustice has been perpetrated against one gallant regiment, and undeserved honour has been thrust upon another gallant corps. Siborne himself caused a considerable alteration to be made in the positions he had assigned to several of the > Prussian corps, on the representation of some of the superior Prussian officers ; thus alteration appears to be possible, with- out injury being done to the model. A 52nd officer remarks in a letter, written to me in the year 1853, that "in addition to tlie lionour yet due to the regiment, "the crisis and close of the action of Waterloo is a matter of im- "portance, historically, nationally, and professionally." The French historians of the battle, who have written of late years, have not been at all unwilling to adopt Siborne's (to the 52nd vexatious) acjcount of the successive defeat of the columns of the Imperial Guard; because in a national point of view, there is not so nmch discredit in the rout, first of all of six battalions of the Imperial Guard by Maitland's brigade of the 1st British Guards, supported by the 33rd and 69th regiments, and then ten or twelve minutes afterwards in the defea't of the remaining battalions of tho nperial Guard by the flank attack of the 52nd assisted by Mail ud's Guards in front, as in the defeat of the whole of the Imperial Guard of about 1 0,000 men, as I have before described it, by the 52nd alone at tlie distance of 300 yards from any other P.ritish or Allied regiments. The defeat, by the advance of a single British battalion, of 10,000 or even 8,000 of the finest troops in Europe is an honour to the regiment, and an honour to Lord Seaton who commanded it, and an honour to the British army and nation, which nmst not be tamely relinquished whilst there is any British blood and old 52nd Waterloo spirit remain- ing, combined with the possession of sufficient amount of material and detail to justify one in advancing almost single-handed to meet tlie many shafts, which I must expect to be levelled against me and my attempt to rescue one of the most daring expfoits I believe ever performed in war, from the mass of confusion and error with whicli succeeding historians have, unwittingly I pre- sume, almost ingulfed it. When I was going into action at Waterloo I was very anxious MISTAKES REFUTED. 119 to know how I should feel and conduct myself under fire ; I perhaps am not less anxious now as to the point of how I may feel, when I and my work are exposed to the very formidable artillery of the Press levelled against all my inflated and presumptuous pretensions, both military and religious, as they may perhaps consider them. Did my readers ever stop to see what would be the fate of a little dog who goes yelping and barking at a great big mastiff ? I have often witnessed such a scene, and have invariably observed, that the little cur, directly the large dog comes up to him throws himself upon his back in token of submission, and the large one never hurts him, but stands over him for a second or two and perhaps licks him and wags his tail. Well, my readers, I am the little dog; the mastiff is the Press; and thougli I don't mean to knock under, unless I am convinced I am wrong in any point, yet I do humbly deprecate^ any angry feeling or criticism on the part of the Press. Baron Muffling, who was attached to the British head-quarters by the Prussian Commander-in-Chief,.and was present at the battle of Waterloo, says in his history ol" the campaign of 1815, when speaking of the advance of the Imperial Guard towards the close of the action, that tlie columns consisted of sixteen hattalions. The following statement of the number of men of which the Imperial Guard consisted in each year from its first formation, is taken from a French history of that celebrated corps. In 1804 „ 1805 „ 1806 „ 1807 „ 1808 „ 1809 „ 1810 „ 1811 „ 1812 „ 1813 ,. 1814 „ 1815 The following table, taken from the same work, gives the composition and amount of the Imperial Guard in 1815. 9,798 men. 12,187 >y 15,656 >> 15,361 »» 15,392 II 31,203 19 32,130 • 1 31,960 >> 56,169 »« 92,472 II . 112,482 >> 25,870 II 120 it :i tim: al Head Quarters Staff . Grenadiers . Chasseurs , Tirailleurs . Voltigeurs MISTAKES REFUTED. INFANTRY. 3 Eegiments 3 Regiments 6 Regiments 6 Regiments 20 2«)0 3,000 3,000 7,200 7,200 Grenadiers , Chasseurs Dragoons . Gendarmerie . Light Dragoons, Lancers CAVALRY. 1 Regiment 1 Regiment 1 Regiment 1 Company 1 Regiment ARTILLERY. Old Guard, 6 Foot Batteries Old Guard, 4 Horse Batteries 1 Company of labourers, 1 squadron of the Military Train ..... Engineers and Sappers .... Waggon Train, 1 squadron . Total 20,400 20,400 800 800 800 ]00 800 3,300 3,300 1,500 250 200 25,870 Mr. George Hooper, in his histor}' of the campaign of 1815, a pleasing and well written book ii which the author follows Siborne's mistakes as to the 1st Guards, makes out that altogether there were twelve battalions of the Imperial Guard brought forward by Napoleon to make his last attack on the British right centre, and that two of them were fonned in reserve mid- way between La Belle Alliance and the southern end of Hougo- mont. This last statement of the two battalions being left in reserve I doubt, because the two columns of equal length having not an interval of 30 paces between them, both gave way before the 52nd, but whilst the leading column of the two fled in utter confusion, and a portion of the rear column also, leaving some of the guns of the Old Guard with the horses harnessed to them, yet it is said that some of the rear battalions of the rear column fell back hastily but in comparative order to the French position ; their immediate rear, at the time they gave way before the 52nd being the spot indicated by Hooper as that at which Napoleon MISTAKES REFUTED. 121 20 200 left in left two battalions of his Guard in reserve — I am inclined to think therefore that these two battalions of the fine Old Guard advanced with, and retired from, the rear column of the two. Hooper observes in a note : — " Much confusion exists in the " accounts of these columns of attack, their numberand formation. " The conclusions in the text are derived from a study of the best "accounts on both sides." I wish Hooper and Siborne and Alison had been with the 52nd at Waterloo, and they would have understood plainly that no column of the Imperial Guard could possibly have advanced upon, or have been defeated by, any portion of the British Guards without their seeing it ; and that all three of them, Siborne at their head, have been robbing the 52nd of a portion of the honour belonging to them, by advan- cing this " column in buckram," or this mythical column, up the British position to the attack of the Guards. Colonel Gawler, as I have before observed, from being on the extreme right of the 52nd line, and from seeing the dead bodies of Imperial Guardsmen on the summit of the British position the next morning, not reflecting that they might be tliose of their skirmishers only, fell into the mistake of supposing that the head of the column of the Imperial Guard had reached that point, when in reality it was 300 yards or thereabouts from the position. But Colonel Gawler speaks of the 52nd when it cleared the ascent being "under a furious fire [this however was further " down the position than he supposed] from the long Jlank of the " columns," and his book, " The Crisis of Waterloo," was written in 1833 on purpose to maintain " that the attack of the Imperial " Guard was repulsed, and the French army thrown into conse- " quent irretrievable confusion, by a charge of the 52nd covered " by the 71st regiment without the direct co-operation of any " other portion of the Allied army." Colonel Gawler reckoned the columns attacked and defeated by the 52nd at 10,000 men, and he had as good a view of them as any other 52nd man had. Siborne says in his first preface, dated March, 1 844 : — " One " of my Waterloo correspondents has humorously remarked, that, " 'if ever truth lies at the bottom of a well she does .sn immpdi- " ' ately after a great battle, and it takes an amazingly long time " ' before she can be lugged out.' " I ^1 A 1 i 122 MISTAKES REPUTED. I have good reason to believe that the followhig is tlie truth with regard both to the advance of the 3rd battalion of the Guards, and to the defeat of the two columns of the Imperial Guard by the 5iud :— That the mass of skirmishers of the Imperial Guard and their supports were joined by the skirmishers and their supports from the French troops, massed to the left of La Haye Sainte, and that the whole of the intermingled skir- mishers and their supports were still further supported by the advance of the battalions themselves of Donzelot's division, which, with many other divisions of the French army, is spoken of, as moving forward at this time in .upport of the advancing columns of the Imperial Guard. These skirmishers extended along the front of both the battalions of the Guards who are stated by Kennedy to have been lying down in square, though I do not feel sure of this as regards the right or 2nd battalion ; the skir- mishers extended also along the front of Sir Colin Halkett's brigade, which was on the British left of Maitland's brigade of Guards, for both these brigades maintain that they were opposed to troops wearing the bear skin caps of the Imperial Guard. And the 2nd battalion of the Guards declared that they were attacked by a " column " of twelve or fourteen hundred men, and that these troops opened fire upon them at a distance of fifty or sixty paces; that the Duke coming along from their left, observed how this 3rd battalion of the 1st Guards was suffering from the heavy fire of the mass of troops in their front, and desired the commanding officer to form line on the front face of the square, and " drive those fellows off"," which they did in very gallant style, and followed them for some eighty or a hundred yards down the slope; then there was an alarm of cavalry and the 3rd battalion of the Guards, some of them thinking they were to form square, got into confusion and retired hastily over the crest of the position and beyond it on tlie reverse slope, to where the 10th Hussars and all Vivian's brigade were, on their way from the extreme left of the position to the interval made by the advance of the 52nd from the position. The 2nd battalion of the 1st Guards took no part in this charge, but was stationary. The only conclusion I can come to is that tlie mass of troops seen and defeated by the 3rd battalion of the Guards, were as I MISTAKES REFUTED. 123 have before observed, the skirmishers of the Imperial Gnavd and of Donzelot's division and their supports ; and that when the Guards passed over the top of the position they saw also, away to their left, some of Donzelot's battalions. Any other troops than skirmishers, whom they saw, must have been other than troops of the Imperial Guard. The skirmishers of the Imperial Guard came down the slope running towards the leading battalion of the French Guard, and formed about 100 yards or rather more in front of it, just as the 52nd was completing its right-shoulder-forward movement and becoming parallel to the left flank of the Imperial columns. There was no smoke, there was a gleam of sunshine on the skirmishers, as they were forming, and I could see them most completely, and 200 yards or more beyond them up the British position. Of any other troops driven in by the 3rd battalion of the 1st Guards we could see nothing, nor of the Guards themselves, therefore they could not have Tome far down the position in pursuit. Donzelot's skirmishers and their supports, when they gave way, must have run towards their own division in the direction of La Haye Sainte. This formation of the retiring Imperial Guard skirmishers was afterwards spoken of in mistake, by some writers, as an attempt at deployment on the part of their leading battalion. The 52nd fired into and charged the Imperial Guard, as I have before related, and it gave way and fled in utter confusion, with the exception, it was said, of two or three of the rear battalions of the rear column, who gained the French position hastily and in comparative order. The 52nd never met with or saw any British troops from the time they left their position till they halted for the night at Eosomme, excepting the English and German cavalry— before- mentioned, as having ridden at speed round the flanks and through the centre of the 52nd, when retiring before the cuiras- siers—and with the exception also of those whom I suppose to have been engaged in poor Howard's charge. // there was a aecond column of the. hnperial Guard defeated, as the historians try to make aid, partly hy the 5^nd, and partly by Maitland's hrigade of Guards, how came it that Maitland 124 MISTAKES UKFUTKD. f ^11 !!ii I allowed the 52nd to go on by themselves to, and over, and a mile, hej/ond, the French position, in pursuit of the enemy, when there wr.rc tens of thousands of French infantry, and thousands of cavalry still in the field / Sir John IJyng, who said " we saw the 52nd advancing glori- " ously, as they always do," and who thought it necessary to say to Sir John Colborno, " I could not advance when you did, for "our ammunition was exhausted." would he, if he had been near the 52nd, and been engaged with them in defeating the same column, would he, ammunition or no ammunition, have allowed them to be exposed, single-handed, to all the dangers to which, by their isolation from the rest of the army, they were really (exposed ? Must he not, if he had been so near them as is repre- sented, have brought down Maitland's brigade of Guards to their support, instead of keeping them in rear of the crest of the Ih'itish position until the Duke, long after, made a sort of forward movement from the position of some portion of his troops, which was called an advance of his whole line ? I wish not, nor do I mean, to say one word in disparagement of any individual or of any regiment, but as I feel certain the 52nd came \\\ contact just below the British position with all the remainder of the Imperial Guard, after the half of it had been sent to Plunchenoit to hold the Prussians at bay, that is, that they engaged and defe;, od two heavy columns of equal length, apparently containing 10,000 men, and as this was always the opinion of the 52nd officers who were present, and as the greater portion of these officers have passed away, and I am almost the only person left who could take this matter in hand, I think it right not to shrink from doing so, though I may conjecture that much unpleasantness and annoyance to myself may possibly be the result of my undertakinfr it. Another idea occurs to me, and I think it will approve itself to the minds of all military men. "A column" of twelve or fourteen hundred men or more of the Imiierial Guard bent on penetrating the British line, and especially if they were backed up by other advancing troops, would never have contented them- selves with reaching the crest of the position, and then halting that their front company might fire on a British square, lying MISTAKES KKFUTniJ. 125 down at sixty or eighty yards distance from them on the reverse slope of the position. It is exactly what a swarm of daring French skirmishers would do, especially if the Imperial Guard skirmishers and Donzelot's were intermixed and vying with each other. It must be remembered that the square of the 3rd battalion of the 1st Guards, was about 150 yards to the left of the 2nd battalion, and probably at nearly double that distance from the nearest square of Halkett's brigade on its left, so that the skirmishers, intended to occupy ground 300 yards or more in length, would as a matter of course close more and more to the points from v/hich they might fire into the front and flank faces of the square of the 3rd battalion of the Guards. It is most probable also that their supports had joined them. Hence, I suggest, there were enough of skirmishers congregated in a space perhaps not exceeding fifty yards in length, to give them the appearance through th' nnoke of being a formed body of men. Although Kennedy, following in Siborne's wake, makes the vexatious mistakes about the defeat of a first colunm of four battalions of the Imperial Guard by Maitland's brigade of Guards, and about the head of a second column of the Imperial Guard being fired into by Maitland's brigade at the same time that Colborne charged it in flank, (all which is a regular myth,) yet he gives the 52nd as much honour and credit for their share in the rout of the 2nd column of four battalions, as ivould have quite satisfied them, for what they really did do, for the defeat of the whole of the ten or twelve battalions of the French Guard, with- out any other British regiment being within 300 yards of them. Kennedy says, " The French column, feeling the severity of the " fire of the 52nd, wheeled up its left sections and commenced " firing, but the fire from the 52nd threw it into great disorder, " and the combined fire and formidable advance in line of the " 52nd caused the entire rout and dispersion of the four [twelve] " battalions of the French Guard which were opposed to it." Again, Sir Shaw Kennedy says, " The march of the 52nd " has thus been traced continuously, without referring to other "ino.id.'ntp, of the battle during its advance ; for its progress was " the leading and distinctive feature of the action during that " period ; and it will thus be more easy, by reference to the pro- I I mi ^ ■ 126 MIBTAKES REFUTED. k 'l^ress of the 52nd, to understand what was done by the rest of ^^ the Anglo-Allied army, and the Prussian army, during this most highly interesting part of the action." ,. "^S^;"' ^^ ^^y'> "^^ is perhaps impossible to point out inhistory ^^ any other mstance in which so small a force as that with which ^^ Oolborne acted, had so powerful an influence on the result of a ^^ great battle, m which the numbers engaged on each side were so large Now there is great truth in this last observation if applied to the real exploit of the 52nd at the crisis and close' of the Battle of Waterloo, but for which exploit. Sir John Colborne thought, the columns of the Imperial Guard would be likely to penetrate the British line of battle. In conseqi^nceof the sad mistake of La Haye Sainte being allowed o fall into the hands of the enemy,* Donzelot Js enabled to establish himself in force, within 100 yards of the centre ot the British and Allied army, and exceedindy to harass Alten s division, which occupied the British position for a quarter of a mile or more, between the centre of the position and the left of Maitlands brigade of Guards. Had Napoleon sent his Imperial Guard to attack the British centre by La Haye Sainte It has been thought by some that ho would have succeeded in defeating the troops at that point, harassed and reduced in numbers as they were. When the Imperial Guard was ordered to advance towards the right centre of the British line, opposite to the spot where the 3rd battalion of the 1st Guards was lying down in square, orders were at the same time given that all the French infantry should advance in support of their attack. Sir Shaw Kennedy who be it remembered was with Alten's division during the whole of the engagement, says, "the attack of Donzelot's division from La Haye Sainte preceded that by the Imperial Guard, as that attack had never ceased from the taking of that farm and "increased m intensity as the grand general attack progressed. .t .^ '^f^il*""'' ^'f 'T'^ "'* ''^ ^'''""'^ '" *^« «^«"'ng' according to Kennedy atab uUhesamet.meohat.f^.iastof the great cavalry attacks was repulsed Major Baring .vho commanded the 2nd light battalion of the King's German Leffion at La Hnv*. Sniptn o„a fhe -;-'- • v ^ werman ,"/■," ;"•'•"' ""<^ ^fie ichuui cements subsequently sent there slpnt on^the ground with Kennedy, on the night of the action,'close [o the wSl^X MISTAKES REFUTED. 127 tie rest of this most in history ith which 2sult of a e were so •^ation, if I close of Colborne iikely to ite being slot was s of the o harass quarter the left ent his ! Sainte icded in need in towards t where square, nfantry snnedy, ing the livision lard, as m, and pressed. [ennedy, •epulsed. German re, slept jllington " . . . . The attack was preceded along the whole line by a " furious cannonade ; and the whole front of attack was covered " by a swarm of skirmishers." Farther on in his work Kennedy adds :— " The effect of the "defeat of the ten battalions of the Imperial Guard, and of " Colborne's diagonal march, was electrical on Donzelot's division, "which was in fact compromised by the advance of Adam's " brigade.* Its attack, which had up to that time been violently " severe on Alton's division, was at once slackened and very soon " suspended, and a retreat commenced." The loss of the 2nd battalion of the 1st Guards at Waterloo was as follows : — Killed. Wounded. Total. Officers. Serjts. Rank & File. Officers. Serjts. Eank & File. 1—50 5 7 80 143 Of the 3rd battalion as follows : — 3 2 79 6 7 238 335 If we deduct 143, the total loss in killed and wounded of the 2nd battalion, from 335, the total loss of the 3rd battalion, we find that the loss of the 3rd battalion exceeded that of the 2nd battalion by 192. This excess of loss on the part of the 3rd battalion, perhaps helps to prove the truth of what I have advanced, that the 2nd battalion was not engaged to the extent that the 3rd battalion was, and that it was stationary when the latter, by the Duke's order, formed line on the front face of its square, and drove off the mass of skirmishers assembled on the crest of the position before it. I have already, in a quotation from a work printed and cir- culated by a very intelligent Peninsular and Waterloo 52nd officer, mentioned that the 1st Guards were made grenadiers, and that the ensigns of all the three regiments of Guards were given precedence over all the ensigns of the line by lieutenant's rank, for their good conduct at Waterloo. All the regiments of the Guards did good service at Quatre Bras and Waterloo, as I have observed before, but the singling those regiments out for these • Kennedy is wrong, the 52nd were alone ; the 71st were far away, not far froTti the inclosiires of Houirornont j^nd Jidvanci?:'^ tow.^irds thft Prf^ncb Tirisition ' the other part of the brigade, six companies of the 2nd battalion of the Rifles and two of the 3rd battalion, were not with the 52nd during their advance. il k 128 MISTAKES REFUTED. ' ' i if ! (I M, 111 I > .Tifim particular Towards was unfair towards the reoc of the army. And it was particularly awkward that the 1st Guards should be made j^reuadiers for defeating the grenadiers of the French Imperial Ouard, when all they really did, as regards the Imperial Guard., was to drive in their sJcirmishcrs. There was no harm in their being made a regiment of grenadiers, but it was an awkward mistake that the thing should have been mismanaged as it was. The giving to the ensigns of the three regiments of Guards the brevet rank of lieutenant, was afterwards followed up by depriving several of the regiments of the Line of little distinctions, some of which were an advantage to them, others merely prized by them as distinctions, probably conferred upon them for services rendered, or supposed to have been rendered to their country, and the being deprived of which occasioned perhaps in some cases only a little annoyance at the time, but in others very considerable hardships. Still if it was an advantage to the service, that there should be no invidious distinctions, then of course the change might be necessary ; but why should it not be equally necessary that there should be no invidious distinction in favour of the three regiments of Foot Guards ? It was not till the year 1854, that the Fusileer regiments, the 6th, 7th, 21st, 23rd, and 87th, and the 60th liifles and the Pafle Brigade had the rank of ensign given to their junior officers instead of that of 2ud lieutenant. In the case of the 7th Fusileers all their subalterns were, till that time, full lieutenants. All this appears to have been fairly done, and without infliction of hardship on individual officers; but still the only reason for it appears to have arisen from a desire to make all the infantry regiments, except the guards, alike, as to ihe appeUation of their junior subalterns. In the lioht infantry regiments, it appears, from the following document addressed to the lamented Sir John Moore, that an additional lieutenant was appointed for each company as far back as 1803 : — "War Office, 18th October, 1803. " Siii,— In pursuance of a communication from His lioyal " Highness the Commander-in-Chief, I have the houourto acquaint " you, that as the 52nd Eegiment of Foot under your command, MISTAKES REFUTED. 129 being a light infantry corps, requires a greater proportion of officers and non-commissioned officers than a battalion of the Lme, His Majesty has been pleased to order that an augmenta- tion of one lieutenant, one serjeant, and one corporal per company, sliall be made to the establishment thereof from the 25th instant inclusive. " I have the honour, &c., „,-. ^ ,,, "(Signed) C.Bragg. Major-General Moore, 52nd Eegimcnt." I cannot trace the whole detaU of circumstances which led to the injustice and hardship perpetuated on some of the officers of the 52nd. and of the other light iufantryr regiments, in con- nexion with some of the reductions which took place after Waterloo and the return of the army of occupation from France There were ten captains with the 52nd at Waterloo (besides Lord March and Yorke who were on the staff) thirty-five lieute- nants including the adjutant, and eight ensigns. On the return of the 52nd, then only consisting of one battalion, from France the establishment of subalterns was reduced to ten lieutenants and ten ensigns, and on the 25th of August, 1822, it was reduced to eight lieutenants and eight ensigns. On the first of these reduc tions taking place, the junior lieutenants beyond the ten remained on the list of lieutenants, receiving only ensign's pay, until by death-vacancies the two supernumerary lieutenants were absorbed and m the mean time the ensigns could only become lieutenants' by purchase. The grievance created by this paltry and shabby arrangement was very great in the 52nd, and ought to be a lesson to aU admirers of Mr. Josepli Hume's views of economy, to consider well the amountof annoyance and disgust which they may occasion tomany deserving office-s. before they proceed, for the sake of savin., the veriest trifle of expense to the country, to recommend and carry out reductions which interfere, in so great a degree as those I speak of did, with the feelings and prospects of individuals. Ihe hardship inflicted upon one of the officers of the 52nd the late Lieutenant Yonge, was that he was put on ensign's' pay after having received the extra pay of a seven years' lieutenant In mentioning this in a letter to tlie Secretaiy of War somo K 'li 130 MISTAKES KEFUTKI). jii If' \I i years ago, lio also spoko of tho injustice it was, "tliat whil(! tlio " (!iisij,'ii3 of the ({luirils wci-e inade lii'utenaiits on the pretence of "the 1st (Juanl.s hnviiig repulsed the Imperial Guard, the lieu- " tenants of the re^'inient that actually did that work were maile "ensigns." In a 8ul)sei 43rd Light Infantry— J. B. B. Estcourt SawT'el Tryon 61st Light Infantry — W. H. Elliott (Water- loo) ••■ ... Edward St. Maur ... O. Ainsworth (Water- loo) F. Mainwaring (Water- loo) 52nd Light Infantry- William Blois 60th Rifles- Ambrose Spong 68th Light Infantry— Harry Smyth 71st Light Infantry — J. Iiupett (Waterloo) A. R. L'Estrange (Waterloo) ... 85th Light Infantry — F. Maunsell Henry J. French William T. Hunt Manley Power Herbert E. Taylor 90th Light Infantry— "' T. W. Eyles ... John Wilson Rifle Brigade — J.C. Hope (Waterloo) Richard Irton.. Hon. J. St. V. Saul marez Rank in Army List of 1824. Ensign, 1820 Ensign, 1823 Captain, 1820 Captain, 1823 Lieutenant, 1810 Lieutenant, 1813 Ensign, 1815 Lieutenant, 1814 Ensign, 1823 Lieutenant, 1820 Lieutenant, 1821 Captain, 1819 Captain, 1823 Lieutenant, 1814 Lieutenant, 1823 Ensign, 1824 Ensign, 1820 Lieutenant, !824 Captain, 1820 2nd Lieutenant, 1815 2nd Lieutenant, 1824 Rank in Army List of 1841. Brevet Lieut.-Colonel, 1839 3rd Captain, 1841 Lieut.-Colonel, 1838 Still senior Major only, 1841 Senior Captain, 1841 2nd Major, 1841 Lieut.-Colonel, 1839 2nd Capt. and Brev.-Major, 1841 Senior Captain, 1841 Senior Captain, 1841 2nd Captain, 1841 Lieut.-Colonel, 1836 Senior Major, 1841 Junior Major, 1841 Senior Captain and Brevet- Major, 1841 2nd Captain, 1841 Senior Major, 1841 2nd Captain, 1841 Lieut.-Colonel, 1837 2nd Major, 1841 4th Major, 1841 i iff '. <1 1 i 1 It would probably be better for the officers of the Guards themselves, and certainly more pleasant to the uiiicers of the rest of the army, and for the benefit of the service generally, if these dis- tinctions wereabolished, perhapsnot by taking away thcrank which the officers of the Guards hold, but by giving exactly tlie same rank to the officers of all the other corps in the army. There would not be any very tremendous difficulty in finding out appropriate titles if the present titles for the several grades were considered imsuitable ; and the army rank of those who became brevet- lieutenant-colonels, might be so adjusted by antedate (and why should this not be done ?) as no longer to allow the regimental captains of the Guards to be of higher standing in the army than lii MISTAKES REFUTED. 137 Brevet- captains of other regiments, wliose regimental commissions might be of an older date. I suspect, if it should be once conceded that it was injurious to the service that the officers of the Guards should as a rule arrive at the higher ranks of the army at a much earlier age than that at which the officers of the rest of the army should arrive at the same ranks — then some of the various difficulties, which may now appear to loom in the distance, would soon be got over. One obvious disadvantage of the present system, of the officers of the Guards having invariably a step of army rank in advance of their regimental rank, is tliis that, both in garrison and camp, and on active service, it may be often happening that consider- ably younger men will take the command of their seniors and of men of many years' more experience than themselves. The system may probably foster a spirit of pride and conceit in the guardsmen, and a feeling of disgust and annoyance in the minds of the other officers of the army, who suffer from the invidious distinctions heaped upon the Guards. I should suppose it must frequently happen that officers of the latter service, really feel pained, when called upon to command those older and more experienced than themselves. It may be desirable that there should be a body of men, accustomed to the duties required from the troops usually stationed in London or at Windsor, but their position should be rendered as little invidious in the eyes of the rest of the army as possible. They should be let off taking their turn of duty in the East and West Indies, and in China, and in other distant places ; no one would begrudge them those little distinctions : — gallant fellows as they are, and as they have ever shewn themselves, they would always wish to take their turn of active service. 138 CHAPTEE VII. 1815. MARCH TO PARIS, Nivelles -Letters to England-News of battle -Lists of killed and wounded- Mother ill— Alarm of sisters-March to Binche-Coal i)it-Enter France— Le Cateau— Loss of baggage— Claim for reumneration— Other claims rejected —Fate of the baggage-Officers on baggage-guard-Marshal Mon(;ey's Chateau— Distant view of Paris— Montmartre-52iid alone at Argenteuil— Pontoon bridge— Convention— Bridge and graveyard of Neuilly— Enter Paris— Encamp in the Champs Elysees. In 1859 I drew up, for the regimental record, a very short account of the march of tlie 52nd from Waterloo to Paris. I will, in introducing it into this work, endeavour to mention several details, whicli may possibly add to its interest. I believe it was between twelve and one o'clock on the 19th, when we left our ground near Maison du Koi, and marched to' Nivelles, which, by the road we took, was about nine miles off. We had now fairly started on our triumphant march to the French capital, and all were in the highest state of delight at our glorious victory, in the gaining which the 52nd had been fortu- nate enough to take such a leading part, and in our glorious prospect of immediately entering France, and eventualfy Paris itself We bivouacked about a mile beyond Nivelles, on the left of the cliaussee, and about a hundred yards from a beautiful little stream, at which we washed our hands and faces, not having been able even to wash our hands since the mornin 16th. Hearing that there was an n^ntortunity of sending letters to England, I got some paper from the colour-serjeant of the com- MARCH TO PARIS. 189 pany, and wrote two short notes, one to my mother and sisters, the other to a kind friend much interested in the o2nd. My letters, which I am soriy to say, have h'm long ago lost, though short, were to the point, and very astounding no doubt. I well recollect telling them that we had gained a glorious victory, and that the 52nd had " defeated the Imperial Guard of France, led " on by the Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte in person," using the same words wliich I had heard Sir John Colborne use in the morning. My letter did not reach my mother for several days. She was very ill, and confined to her bed with rheumatic fever. The news, chat a gi'eat battle had been fought, and that there had been great numbers of killed and wounded on bdth sides, TO 'ched every corner of the land some days before the long list of killed and wouutlud made its appearance. These were days of great suspense and anxiety to my young sisters, who had kept all mention of tlie battle from their poor mother. They have often given me the account of their proceedings. At last they got the newspaper containing the fearful list. They tremblingly spread it out on the sideboard, that all three might read it to- gether. As every one knows, there was first of all a long list of those who had been killed. They looked down it to the 52nd, and there they read Ensign William , and they had time for a moment of agony, before they found that the surname was not mine, but that of my poor brother-ensign. The longer list of the wounded was then examined with almost equal anxiety, and when my name did not appear there, the eldest exclaimed, " Thank God, he's safe ; " and they went to my mother, and after telling her quietly that I was safe, they told her of the " bloody " battle and glorious victory of Waterloo," and then they all cried together, and felt very thankful for God's great kindness to us. My brother, who arrived from the Cape a few days after, as a young commander, first heard the news of tlie victory at Spit- head, or on landing at Portsmouth, and first heard that I was in the army, by being told that I had been in the action and was safe, I recollect he wrote m.e a letter on the occasion, in which he said he always thought that I had " a great desire to smell " powder," which I suppose somewhat flattered my vanity. liM m l=vllf ! 140 MARCH TO PARIS. On the 20th of June we reached the neighbourhood of Binehe, and I think it was not far from our halting-place that I went down a coal-pit of considerable depth. I had to put off all my own clothes and to dress myself in the very thick flannel shirt and trowsers which the colliers use ; and thus clothed, and with one of their old felt caps on my head, into which a short iron spike was run, with a socket at the end for the lighted candle, I followed my guide down the ladder fixed to the side of the pit, to the depth of, I think they told mo, 1100 feet. All the way down there were wooden platforms, at about every forty yards, completely filling up the whole area of the pit, with the excep- tion of the hole which we had to pass through, in our descent from each platform, so that there was some comfort in thinking that if I got giddy I could not fall to the bottom of the pit After descending some not very considerable distance, the water began to trickle down the sides of the pit, and my candle was frequently put out before we reached the bottom. My guide, whenever this happened, was very attentive in religliting my candle or starting me with a fresh one. When I got amongst the colliers at the bottom of the pit, they were very curious to know who I was, and made many inquiries about me of my guide, some suggesting that I was a deserter, endeavouriLg to conceal myself from those in piirsuit of me. One advantage of my expe- dition was that I had to wash from head to foot before I could get into my own clothes again. The officers of the company were rather surprised at my little auventure, for they had not missed me. On the 21st of June, between Binehe and Bavay, we passed the frontier, and entered France from Belgium. We bivouacked in a very pleasa .o orchard, within half-a-mile of Bavay, and an order was given that no one was to enter the town. However, I was soon despatched with a havre-sac, as caterer for tlie com- pany's officers' mess ; they all insisting upon it, when I pleaded the order, that it was not intended to apply to the officers. On getting into Bavay, I tied up my liorse a^id got into a cabaret, the lower rooms of which were filled with English and German soldiers, all intent on getting anything they could meet with in the shape of eatables. I considered myself very fortunate, when MARCH TO PARIS. 14,1 I managed to purchase some small loaves, and two or three very small cheeses, about six inches by four, and one-and-a-half thick ; and also a dozen of eggs, which I boiled for a good quartdr of an hour. Having put all into my havre-sac, I started off for the bivouac ; but whom should I fall in with, as I rode out of the town, but Sir John Colborne, who, however, as he rode by my side, to my great relief did not mention the order, either because it was not intended for the officers, or from a very kind feeling which all persons in authority find it desirable to exercise at times, and which leads them to appear not to notice things, which if noticed at all, would render it necessary that they should speak or act iu a way wliich would be more productive of harm than good. I rode rather fast over part of the way from the auberge to the bivouac, and the consequence was that all my eggs, which I thought were hard-boiled, were smashed, and made a regular mess of the cheese and the bread in the havre-sac, to the no small annoyance of my mess friends and myself Know- ing nothing about egg-boiling, I had neglected to make the water boil before I put the eggs into it. On the 22nd we marched from Bavay to Le Cateau Cambresis. I think it was on this march, at one of our halts, that 1 found one of our men washing a nasty-looking wound on his breast- bone, at least half-a-foot square ; on my inquiring how he had got it, he told me that it was occasioned by a musket ball strik- mg his breastplate, as we advanced on the Imperial Guard ; and that he had determined not to mention it, as he did not wish to be left behind in hospital. . But for the breastplate, he would have been a dead man. We remained at I^ Cateau till the morning of the 25th, and the regiment had a very agreeable bivouac in a large, square grass-field, which, as I recollect it, had on two or three sides the ruins of old walls, partly covered with grass. It was close to the town. Louis XVIII arrived at Le Cateau on the 24th, and was received by the Duke of Wellington. The Duke halted his advanced troops at this place for several purposes. Some of the French fortresses near the frontier were to be taken possession of Cambrai was taken on the 24th, and n •! ;'bH 'fl 11 H 1 \m 142 MARCH TO PAKIS its citadel on the 25th, and Louis the XVIII entered tlie town on the 26th. Peronne was taken on the 2Gth. On all these occa- sions there was but trifling loss. Tht r>uke wrote as follows, two days afterwards, to Lord Jkt}iur.^t, ;— " The ajmies under Marshal Blucher and myself "have continued their operations since I last wrote to your " Lordship. The necessity which I was under of halting at Le " Gateau, to allow the pontoons and certain stores to reacli me, " and to take Cambrai and Peronne, had placed the Marshal one " march befuie me ; but I conceive there is no danger in this " separation between the two armies." He wrote to Lord Liverpool on tlie same day: — "You will see " in my letter to Lord Bathurst the account of the state of things " here, which I hope we shall bring to the conclusion we wish for, "without firing another shot. I hope to be in Paris on the 1st " of July." On the same day the Duke, in writing to the Duke of York, the Commander-in-Chief, made the following recommendation relative to the Companionship of the Bath, and to the gold medal, and to a medal for Waterloo : — " I confess that I do not concur in the limitation of the order " to field-officers. Many captains in the army conducted them- " selves in a very meritorious manner, and deserve it ; and I " never could see the reason for excluding them, either from the " order or from the medal. I would also like to suggest to your " lioyal Highness the expediency of giving to the non-commis- " sioned officers and soldiers, engaged in the Battle of Waterloo, " a medal. I am convinced it would have the best effect in the " army ; and, if that battle should settle our concerns, they will " well deserve it." The medal for Waterloo was given to every officer and man in the field, and was distributed to each some little time before the first anniversary of the battle. The non-comnussioned officers and men were allowed two years' time towards any claim for increase of pension ; and the Waterloo subalterns were allowed two years for Waterloo towards getting the additional shilling per day which they' before received after seven years' service. MARCH TO TAKIS, 143 Tlie 1st Guards were made " (Ireiiadier Guards," for defeat- ing the grenadiers of the Imperial Guard of France ; and the ensigns of all the tliree regiments of the Guards, were for the future to be ensigns and lieutenants ; the ensigns thus having precedence given them over all the ensigns of the British army. The following are extracts from a general order, dated Nivelles 20th June, 1815 :— " The Field-Marshal takes this opportunity of returning to " the army his thanks for their conduct in the glorious action "fouglit on the 18th instant. With a view to preserve order, " and to provide for attendance at the hospitals at Bnixelles, the " commander of the forces desires that one officer, one non-cora- " missioned officer, and three private men, for 100 men sent to "the hospital, wounded in the late actions of the IGth and 18th " instant, may be sent from the several regiments to Bruxelles to- " morrow, and place themselves under the orders of the com- " mandant there. " No regiment need send officers and men for more than 100 " men, and in case any regiment lias not sent more than fifty " men to the hospital, such regiment will send only one non- " commissioned officer and two men to take charge of them." During the two clear days that we remained at Le Gateau, our hope of seeing our baggage come up was greatly diminished. I rode out several times on the Brussels road, and at times thought I had caught sight of it in the distance ; but it always turned out to be the baggage of some other corps. The baggage of half the officers of the 52nd was entirely lost, and it was reported that it was plundered on the 18th, on the road to Brussels, by some foreign cavalry, who were running away from the action. Some time after Waterloo, but I cannot recollect the exact time, I determined on sending in a claim for remunera- tion for the loss of my baggage ; and this I did, notwithstanding that all the officers told me it was perfectly useless for me to pre- fer such a claim, as remuneration was never allowed unless the baggage had been taken by the enemy. I thought it was a gross piece of injustice that officers should be fighting the battles of their country and risking their lives in its service, and incur such a seiious loss without any fault of their own, and that the 144 MARCH TO PARIS. country should not bear them harmless from it. My claim was accordingly made out ; and Colonel Charles Rowaji certified tlmt it was correctly and justly stated, and forwarded \t to the proper <[uarter. It included the value of my baggage-horse and saddle, a bearskin bed, and a canteen, and all the clothes, regimentals, &c., &c., which I had not on my back and in a small vallso fastened behind the saddle of my riding-horse. The things wero all new since the 1st of May, and n-y outfit had cost me about £200. However, I could only recollect the articles and their prices, which had to be specified, sufficiently to enable me to make out a claim for £77 Ua. Od. I believe the claim was refiu-red by the Duke of Wellington to the proper board in Eng- land. After some time the commanding officer received infor- mation that the claim was allowed to a certain extent, and that the sum of, I think it was, £G3 was to be paid to me. Then, of course, all the other officers of the regiment who had lost their baggage sent in claims for remuneration ; but, notwithstanding my success, all their claims were rejected. I, of course, was rather proud of having displayed more generalship than any of them. However, the matter did not quite end there, for Colonel Rowan wrote a letter of expostulation on the subject, in which he stated that some of tlie officers claiming were in the same company with me, and their horses in the same string of horses with mine ; that I had received remuneration for my loss, and that it would, of course, be considered a very great hardship if they should not be remunerated also. I was rather joked and twitted about the probability of my having to refund the money which I had received ; but, as I thought it well to have some answer to this threatened and very probable disaster, I used to say, " Oh ! that's impossible, for I have spent it all." In due tim ) a reply came to Colonel Rowan's letter, and then I had a regidar crow over all my friends. The reply was, that " if Ensign Leeke "had received remuneration for the baggage which he lost at " Waterloo, all the Duke of Wellington could say was, that he " knew notiiing at all about it." And thus it all ended. We heard at the time that one other officer in the army had obtained remuuoratinn for loss of baixsa^e. We afterwards learnt the true fate of the baggage of some of MAUCH TO PARIS. 146 tho officers. Two of the Mtmen, of which the man having charge of the string of horses belonging to McNair's company was one, rear'ieii Br issels, and had the rascality to pass themselves off aa •voautl'?'^! English officers, having managed to rig themselves out w"th tie officers' clothes which had been entrusted to them ; t .v- ni laged to obtain billets from the proper authorities. This was X. i likely to last long, when there were upwards of 170 wo'v, ,] officers anu men of their own regiment in Brussels, LoiiiUoa the officers and men who had been sent there to look after the wounded ; so in the course of three or four weeks they were denounced to the officers, and I recollect our man was sent up to the regiment, and, tried by a general regimental court-martial, and was sentenced to be transported for seven years. Amongst the clothes which this man had not got rid of— and he had sold the greater part of the things— there were articles of clothing discovered belonging to all the other officers of Mc Nair's company except myself After the court-marshal I asked him how this happened to be the case, and he told me that in the great confusion which there was amongst the baggage, it was almost impossible for one man to take care of a string of four or five horses, and that much baggage was lost in consequence ; that ray horse was the last, and that he saw a Belgian peasant cut the rope which fastened him to the horse before him ; that he could not leave the leading horse, and that whilst he was loading his firelock to have a shot at the Belgian, some increased confusion took place, and the man succeeded in getting off with my horse and baggage. Very possibly this account was correct. I forget what became of the other delinquent, but iie was not tried at the same time with our b&tman. I believe it was not unfrequently the case in the Peninsula, that officers on baggage-guard at the time of a general action, ran the risk of getting into a scrape, and left their guard and went up to the front, to their regiments, to see the fun, as it was termed. I think I understood that our subaltern on the baggage-guard did this at Waterloo ; and probably, had he not done so, much of the confusion and loss I have described would have been avoided. But I dare say thers was not au oilcer, who sustained the loss of his baggage on that occasion, who woidd not rather have done so L U6 MARCH TO PARIS. 14! i 'M^ than that this poor felluw should have missed the pleasure of being present with his regiment at Waterloo. And yet the prac- tice cannot be defended, and I do not mean to defend it, but merely to describe the feeling on the subject. It is related in the 52nd regimental record that the late Duke of Eichmond, The Prince of Orange, and Lord Fitzroy Somerset (afterwards Lord Eaglan) entered the breach at Ciudad Eodrigo with the 52nd storming party, and that on the following morn- ing, when taking their places at breakfast in Lord Wellington's tent, " they received a gentle reproof for adventuring into a posi- " tion which, being officers of the staff, they were not called upon " to undertake by the customs of the service." I believe it was at Le Cateau that we had notice that there was a sale of the effects of some of the German officers who had been killed at Waterloo, I went to it, as some of us were very much in want of a change of linen ; somehow or other I only succeeded in securing two shirts, the best of which fell to the lot of one of my brother- officers. It was either when we were at Le Cateau or a day or two afterwards, that Sir John Colborne, on finding that my boots were in a most dilapidated state, very kindly made me a present of a new pair of his own. On the 25th of June the 52nd marched +rom Le Cateau to the neighbourhood of Joncour; on the 26th they were near Beauvoir and Lanchy ; on the 27tli close to Eoye ; on the 28th at Petit Crevecoeur, on the road to St. Just ; on the 29th near Clermont ; on the 30th near La Chapelle. On the 30th I think it was that Captain McNair's company (No. 9) was sent, in con- sequence of an application from Marshal Mongey, Duke of Corne- gliano, to occupy for the night and protect his chateau, about a mile from the bivouac of the regiment. The grounds of this chateau, and the chateau itself, were in excellent taste, and we considered ourselves very fortunate in being quartered there for the night. The servants provided us with a very nice dinner, but the greatest luxury was to be able for the first time since the 16th to undress ourselves and sleep in a bed. They told me that the room selected for me was Mademoiselle Mon9ey's. I must not neglect to mention, that one of the officers of the company having met with an accident and injured his shin, some '! I MxVRCH TO PARIS. U7 time before we arrived at Waterloo, the wound became so trouble- some that his trowsers stuck to it, and got into such a state on the outside that, when the battle was over, he sent back his ser- vant to search for another pair for him, and he succeeded in bringing him a pair drawn fvom the body of a dead Frenchman. It happened that the Frenchman was what is termed " Dutch- ;' built," and the officer was taller and thinne; han his predecessor m the property; and so, after bearing for twelve days with the inconvenience arising from the unfitness of the trowsers for him and finding that there was no chance of the baggage turning ap' he took advantage of our occupying the chateau to lie in his cloak for some hours, whilst a tailor belonging to the company reduced the trowsers to dimensions suited to the wants and taste ot their new proprietor. Sir John Colborne also took up his quarters at this chateau : but I did not come across him. The next morning, when the ^ company had marched about a hundred yards from the gates, we r met a very gentlemanly-looking elderly man on a handsome long-tailed grey horse, whom we supposed to be the duke but he passed us without taking any notice of us, or we of him. He might have thanked us for taking care of his property, but we could not well take any notice of him, as we were not sure that he was the duke. Some days before this it was currently reported in the army that Marshal Blucher had declared most positively, that if the Prussians got hold of Bonaparte, he would hang him. And he was equally determined to destroy any monuments in Paris which recorded any of the victories gained by the French over tlie Prussians in former years. Some days after our arrival at laris, i saw the Prussian engineers very busy under one of the arches of the bridge of Jena, wliich received its name to com- memorate a victory gained by the French in 1806. There was also a strong report that Blucher would destroy the splendid column in the Place Venddme formed out of the brass cannon taken by the French from their enemies during their long course of victories in former years. He intended also to impose a heavy contribution on the city of Paris. The Duke of Wellington had some difiiculty in restraining Blucher's angry impetuosity until ' L 2 -'i H 148 MARCH TO PARIS. the course of action as to these and other matters should be decided by all the Allied powers. The following letter fron. Lord Castlereagh to Lord Liverpool, written June 2oth, will give some idea of the state of affairs at this time ; — ' " The papers of the 23rd just arrived. " Bonaparte has abdicated in favour of his son. The assem- " blies have accepted the abdication unconditionally. They have " nominated a provisional government of five, of which Foucht^, " Carnot, and Caulaincourt are three, and determined to send " commissioners to the Allies to negotiate. " The Minister of War states in the House of Peers, that they "have still an army of 60,000 men to cover the north ; Ney con- "tradicts this, and says it does not exceed 25,000; and that " there is nothing that can prevent the advance of the enemy to " Paris. He tells them they have no choice but to negotiate " with the Allies. The French army is admitted to have been en- " tirely dissolved in the battle of the 18th. Vandamme seems to "have got with 10,000 men in the rear of the Allies, and to be " thus cut off. " Sir C. Stuart writes from Mons, the 23rd, to which place " Louis XVIII had removed : — 'Wellington at Cateau Cambresis; "'Blucher at Avesnes. Weh re parked 172 cannon; the Prus- " ' sians 62.' I have called a cabinet council. Ever yours, " Castlereagh." On the 1st of July, when we were not many miles from Marshal ^fon9ey's chateau, the 52nd first saw Paris, and the splendid dome of the hospital of the Invalides in the distance. It was a beautiful day. '^ , regiment moved off the road to the right to a rising ground, called the Jardin de Paris, finding large quan- tities of fruit-trees covering an immense extent of ground. Here they looked down on St. Denis, rather towards the left, and the hill of Montmartre, between them and the French capital. Montmartre appeared very rugged and to be strongly fortified, and our feelings got on to the war establishment again, as we fancied we might very probably have to storm this not very pleasant-looking fortified hill on the morrow. It was when we arrived at the Jardin de Paris that we first saw the French h I m MARCH TO PARIS. 149 !■ I troops again after their defeat at Waterloo, they having sent out from St. Denis along the high road a few skirmishers to fire at one of the English videttes. It was not a very pleasant post for him to be on sentry in, as he had some thirty or forty fellows blazing away at him for some considerable time at a distance of about 250 yards. As he walked his horse up and down on his post, he occasionally returned the fire of the skirmishers by ^^Iving them a shot from his carbine. Sir John Colborne, who had com- manded the brigade since the action, Adam and Eeynell being wounded, sent down a party of the 71st, who drove the French skirmishers off. I remember we very much enjoyed the ripe currants and cherries on the slope to the right below our bivouac. At tlie bottom of the slope, about half-a-mile off, I found a deserted village, in which there were a great number of gentlemen's houses completely plundered, and every atom of furniture destroyed iu the most wanton manner by the Prussians. Mirrors and chests of drawers, &c., &c., were smashed to atoms. This was the first time that we had come across the Prussian line of march. They were determined to retaliate upon the French civilians all the suffering and cruelty they had experienced at the hands of the French soldiers in by-gone years. On the 2nd of July the 52nd were alone at Argenteuil on the Seine. Here we found the village had been plundered by the Prussians. Three of them who had to turn out of the village, when we arrived there, not being well pleased at being interfered with, did us the favour, when they had proceeded about two or three hundred yards on the road, to send three musket- balls whistling through our bivouac; they rather astonished us, but did no harm ; and I think the fellows were not followec^ and punished. In the afte.iioon of the 2nd McNair's company cross J the Beiitj. ^n boats, and took possession of and loophol- ' , gentle- man's nouse on the other side, to proteco tLe formation of a pon- toon bridge across the Seine ; the Fvenc.ii troops being about a mile off, but not shewing themselves. The next momiag another company of the 52nd joined us, and pushed on an officer and some men to a village in front, from which a few French soldiers hastily retired as they entered it. On the 2nd and 3rd of July ^^i^; ^.M<-i^^ 150 MARCH TO PARIS. 3, I \ ;^ H tlie Prussians were twice attacked by tbe French under Davoust, and the latter were defeated, the Prussians following them nearly to the walls of Paris. On the same day a convention was signed, Napoleon having abdicated and fled, by which, amongst other arrangements, it was agreed that there should be a suspension of arms, that the French army opposed to us should evacuate Paris in three days, and retire behind the Loire, and that, within the same space of time, all the barriers of Paris and also Montmartre should be given up! The English and Prussian commissioners. Colonel Hervey and Baron Muffling, were fired at in the streets of Paris, shortly after entering it by the barrier of Villette ; which might have led to very disastrous consequences, but an ample apology was made by the Prince of Eckmuhl and the French commissioners charged with the execution of the convention, and the affair was passed over. On the afternoon of the 3rd of July the 52nd crossed the Seine on the pontoon bridge, and proceeded to the bridge of Neuilly. We observed places along the side of the road where the Prussians and French were buried who had been killed there, I think, the day before. Sir John Colborne had received orders to cross the bridge of Neuilly ; but the French refused to retire from the strong barricade, which had been built across the centre of it. The two front companies of the 52nd (10 and 9) were advanced a very short distance in front of the column of com- panies, on the road by the side of the river, with fixed bayonets. Sir John Colborne coolly took out his watch and allowed five minutes to the French commander in which lo give up the bridge or to have it stormed ; in two or three minutes it was given up, some few men coming over and shouting "Vive le Roi!" The village of Neuilly, within a short distance of one of the barriers of Paris, was occupied, and the 52nd passed the night in the waUed graveyard of that pla(^,e. The only things I recollect as occurring on that night were the getting some biead and cheese in a cabaret ; and, with the assistance of one of the officers, getting late at night a truss of hay for our horses out of the hay- loft belonging to a gentleman's house, which was either deserted, or the inhabitants declined to " shew up." MARCH TO PARIS. 151 On the morning of the 4th of July we saw the last of the French troops, two videttes close to the gate of the graveyard, having two English videttes within twenty paces of them, and a French infantry picket about half-a-mile off on the road to Paris. They soon retired, and the French army began to evacuate Paris that day, and, I think, it was on the same day, that the National Guard of Paris relieved the guard of the troops of the Line at the Bacri^re de I'Etoile. The 52nd proceeded to the Bois de Boulogne, to the right of the road from Neuilly to Paris, and remained there till the 7th. On the 5th Montmartre was given up to the English, and on the 6th, I believe, some of our brigade took pos- session of the Barriere de I'Etoile. On the morning of the 7th of July General Adam's brigade (52nd, 71st, and 95th) had the honour of entering Paris by the Barriere de I'Etoile. Tliey marched down the centre of the road leading through the Champs Elysdes, to the Place Louis Quinze, (now the Place de la Concorde) and the Tuileries. A brigade of artillery, with lighted matches, was posted close to the barrier on either side of the chaussde. It was a proud and happy moment, when, with bands and bugles playing, we thus took possession of, and entered, the capital of France. At least I am sure it was the proudest moment of my life, when I found myself riding down the centre of the avenue of the Champs Elysdes, bearing in triumph, into the enemy's capital, that same 52nd regimental colour which I had the honour of carrying to victory on the eventful and glorious day of Waterloo. The whole brigade halted and piled arms in the Champs Elysdes, to the right of the main road and between it and the Seine, and not far from the Place Louis Quinze. These were the British troops which occupied the French capital ; almost the whole of the rest of the Allied army remained in the Bois de Bou- logne, although some were at Montmartre. Before the 52nd band was dismissed, Sir John Colborne ordered it to play " Vive Henri "Quatre," one of the principal royalist tunes, but it did not appear to attract any number of people. Indeed, there were not many more persons stirring at that hour— it was between eight and nine— than one would see at the same hour in Hyde Park, between Apsley House and the Marble Arch. Mr. Hollond, an f 152 MARCH TO PARIS, if^ ffl m English gentleman, who had a house in Paris, had ridden out to see the arrival of his compatriots, and having entered into con- versation with me, invited me to go and breakfast with him in the Kue de Mont Blanc. I willingly accepted his invitation, and having deposited my colour, I rode with him into Paris and along the beautiful boulevards to his residence. With the ex- ception of Colonel Hervey, the commissioner, I suspect I was the first individual of the British army who entered the streets of Paris.* Mr. Hollond was exceedingly kind, and I remember that, amongst other things, when on inquiry he found I had only a few ducats in my pocket, he insisted on becoming my banker and on lending me ten napoleons till I should get a bill on Eng- land cashed. McNair begged of me, directly I got back to the Champs Elys^es, not to lose a day in getting a bill cashed by the paymaster and in repaying the money. This I did the very next day, I was not aware, till he told me, that I had done anything wrong, or infra dig, in thus allowing a stranger to become my banker for a few days. Just as we had finished breakfast, a Prussian general and his aide-dv-camp arrived with a billet on Mr. Hollond's house, which must have been a considerable nuisance to him, but not so great a one as it would have been, had he not been a bachelor. The Prussian officers were remark- ably quiet and gentlemanly in their demeanour. On my way back, as I walked my horse along the boulevards, some boys did me the favour of throwing stones at me, but as I thought that, on that occasion at least, " the better part of valour "was discretion," I contented myself with quietly cantering away from them. The -52nd, in the course of the morning, crossed the main road and encamped on the other side of the Champs Elys^es, leaving the 71st and 9oth on the side nearest to the river, and • I at one time used rather to boast of three things, that ,wy probably I had the honour of being the youngest officer at Waterloo, of being the nearest British officer to the Emperor Napoleon in that battle, (I mean when the 52nd colour was in front of the 52nd line with the covering Serjeants, at the moment that the Duke and Lord Uxbridge were in our rear, and Bonaparte was, as it was afterwards reported, with the Old Guard in our front,) and thirdly, as I have mentioned, that I was the first officer who entered Paris. I lately heard of a Waterloo officer, who was my junior by abor^i six weeks. MARCH TO PARIS. 153 throwing its sentries forward about 140 yards to the low rail separating the Champs Elys^es from the Place Louis Quinze, where the unfortunate Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette were executed in 1783. For a day or two the whole regiment was together, encamped in a large open square place bordered on the four sides by rows of trees. The Champs Elys^es consisted of a series of these large square openings ; there was the main road from the Arc de Triomphe and the Barri^re de I'Etoile in the direction of the Tuileries, down which we had marched, and about half-way up it was crossed at right angles by another main road, leading from the Rue du Faubourg St. Ilonor^, and the palace called the Elys^e Bourbon, to the Seine. On the other side of the river were the Champs de Mars, the Ecole Militaire, and the hospital of the Invalides facing the Champs Elyst5es. The bridge of Jena, which was near the barrier, and which Blucher wished to destroy, led from the Champ de Mars towards the Champs Elys(^es. Close to the large open space in which the 52nd encamped there was a decent restaurateur's. There were several of these places, and also dancing houses, in different parts of the Champs Elysees. 154 li CHAPTER VIII. 1815. TARIS. THE 52nd ENCAMPED IN THE CHAMPS ELYSi'eS. Two companies a ^lard to the duke's house— Coionei W. Rowan commaiiuant —Bonaparte finds refuge on board the Bellerophon— Entry of Louis XVIII into Paris— The Imperial Guard— Position of 52nd in Paris— Cricket and drill— Dine with Sir John Colborne— Restoration of pictures, &c., taken by the French— Review of Russian Guards— Accident— Cossacks of the Don— Ecole de Natation— Practical jokes— Row in the Palais Royal- Row at St. Cloud— Gaming-houses— Observations on the evil of letting children play at games for money— Soldier condemned to be shot— Carica- tures of English— "Les Anglaises pour rire"—" Monsieur Calico "—Play- houses to be avoided. Either the day after we entered Paris, or on the following day, No. 9 and No. 10 companies of the 52nd were ordered to encamp nearer to the Place Louis Quinze, and near to where the quarter-guard already was, close to the wall of the Duke of Wellington's garden. The cords of the officers' tents were close to the short palings, which fenced off about ten feet of garden- ground between them and the wall. My tent was against the little gate in the palings which led to the garden-door, and close up to it, so close that one day, about a week or fortnight after we arrived, I heard somebody floundering about and stumbling over the cords, and, on looking out, found it was the duke him- self, who sometimes, but not often, came out that way. He desired that the tent might be moved a i^w feet forward. The whole brigade remained encamped in the manner I have men- tioned till the 2nd of November, a period of nearly four months. THE 52nd encamped in the champs elys^es. 155 Lieut-Colonel W. Rowan of the 52nd was made eonimanduut of the first arrondissement of Paris. We, who belonged to No. 9 and No. 10, considered ourselves as an especial guard to the Duke. Tliere was a Serjeant's guard at the entrance to the court- yard of his residence, in a short street leading out of the Place Louis Quinze. I think it was on the afternoon of the 8th, that two of the King's Garde du Corps took refuge with this guard, liaving been pursued by a street mob. Bonaparte, after lingering at the Elysee and then for several days at Malmaison, in the vain hope that something might occur, which would afford him a chance of retrieving his broken for- tunes, was persuaded, if not forced, by the provisional govern- nient, to take the road to Rochefort, where they had placed two 1 rench frigates at his disposal, with the view of his escaping to America. He embarked in the Saale on the 8th of July, but in vain did some of his devoted friends endeavour to obtain a pro- mise from Captain Maitland of the Bellerophon, the blockading English ship, that he would allow the French frigates to pass with Napoleon on board. In a few days he found it necessary to take refuge in the Bellerophon, and before he reached the quarter-deck of that ship, the French frigates had both hoisted the white flag. The Bellerophon, on her way to Torbay, which she reached on the 15th, astonished the captain and crew of an English frigate on their way to Spithead from the Adriatic, who were quite unacquainted with recent events in France, by sig- nalling " Napoleon on board." The Bellerophon was ordered to Plymouth, where Bonaparte was transferred to the Northumber- land. He was not permitted to land either at Torbay or Ply- mouth. It was decided, after some little time, that he should be sent as a prisoner of war to St. Helena, for which island the Northumberland sailed on the 8th of August. The King, Louis XVIII, reached Paris on the 8th of July, the day after we entered the city. I was present in the Tuileries on the afternoon of the day of his arrival, and I think no one could have desired to have a greater display of enthusiasm and loyalty than was manifested on the occasion of his presenting himself to the people on one of the balconies of the Tuileries looking towards the Champs Elysees. There must have been 156 THE 52nd encamped *-i from fifteen to twenty thousand persons assembled, Wlien the King caiae forward there was a cry for the people to take their hats off, which almost all appeared to do, and, being tall, I had a good view over the whole assembled people. I was in the midst of the crowd, and whilst they knocked off the hats of one or two obstinate fellows near me, they treated me with marked civility, one patting me on the back, as the Prussian officer did on the night of the Battle of Waterloo, and calling rae " Brave Anglais." As an officer in uniform I of course kept my cap on. I saw two other English officers at a distrtnce in the crowd. I must now record something more about the proceedings of the Imperial Guard. It must be remembered that it consisted in 1815 of 25,870 men. There were 20,400 infantry, 3300 cavalry, and 2170 artillery, sappers, waggon train, &c. Of these 25,870 men, after deducting for casualties on the 16th and 17th, probably nearly the half were engaged with the Prussians at Planchenoit. After the defeat of the whole of the Imperial Guard at Waterloo, " Generals "Morand and Colbert succeeded in rallying some remnants of com- " panics of them at Beaumont," about five-and-twenty miles from Waterloo, and from thence they proceeded towards Paris, and made a considerable stand against the Prussians at the village of Vertus, near St. Denis, and afterwards made good their retreat from that place when forced out of it by very superior numbers. The French historian of the Imperial Guard states that this affair of the 30th of June was the last in which they were en- gaged. During the 4th, 5th, and 6th of July, the whole French army marched from the neighbourhood of Paris on the road to Orleans, and retired behind the Loire. Great numbers retired to their homes. On the breaking up of the army, many of the officers of the Imperial Guard emigrated, some to Turkey, others to Greece, others again to America. Several of the chief officers, Marshal Grouchy, and the Generals Clausel, Vandamme, Lefevre- Desnouettes, Eigaud, and a great many officers of rank, were at New York and Philadelphia in 1817, and a large portion of them, under the direction of General Lallemand, attempted to found a colony in Texas, but it did not prosper, and after losing three- fourths of their numbers, the remainder of these poor fellows returned to New Orleans and settled there. IN THE CHAMPS ELYSt'ES. 157 The encampment of Adam's brigade in the Champs Elys^es was about the same thing, as regarded Taris and its inhabitants, as would be the encampment of 2500 men in Hyde Park, between the entrance gate near Apsley house and the statue of Achilles, to London and its inhabitants ; or the same number in the Green Park, near Piccadilly; or in St. James's park, between the Horse Guards and Dartmouth street ; it was also the same sort of thiiiir to us. We were not troubled with any orders about not appearing in the streets except in uniform. We generally wore the l&lue surtout coat, when in undress, and had but to exchange a foraging-cap for a round hat, and spring over the low rails in front of our quarter-guard near the Caf^ Ledoyen, and we found ourselves in Paris, en bourgeois, in less than two minutes after we had made up our minds to go there. We were within four or five minutes' walk of the principal entrance to the Tuileries, which was just across the Place Louis Quinze. The men could only pass the cordon of sentries under certain regulations. There was no regular officers' mess whilst we were in Paris, but the officers of each company messed together in one of their tents, and I remember that I continued to be the caterer, and a very inexpensive mess it was, for we none of us cared much about eating and drinking. A considerable number of the Parisians visited our camp from the first, and some of them I know were ladies belonging to superior Bonapartist families ; such confidence had they in the discipline and good behaviour of the British soldiers. Crowds of persons came to see us play at cricket, which we sometimes did in the 52nd. It was a game to which the French were unaccustomed, and one speech which was overheard was that, "no "wonder the English were not afraid of cannon-balls, when " they could so fearlessly meet and stop those dreadful cricket- " balls coming towards them with such terrific force." It was a current report at Paris, that the Emperor had said, that " at " Waterloo the English squares had stood like walls, and the " French cannon-balls could make no impression on them." Out on the same open place on which we played at cricket, beyond the 52nd encampment, our regular drill was carried on, and as I had done very little in the way of drill before the V] ,^. v^ / c% VJf^ M ^ >y '^ w w ■' '^^ " IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 l.i Ui PI 2.8 ^ 1^ 2,5 22 2.0 i.8 1.25 1.4 1 6 41 ^ 5" ► Sdences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 ^^i^" ^^(9 y. 158 THE 52yn ENCAMPED campaign commenced. I had much to learn after we reached i-aris. I perhaps was the only British officer who had the honour of finishing his drill in the French capital. We had many spectators who, of course, were much interested in the light mfantry movements, and the bugle sounds. We had some forty men who had to go through the same amount of drill that I had. The 52nd drill instructors were always required to be most particular in the marching driU, from the goose-step upwards; and it was to this great attention paid to the balancing of the body in marching, and the avoiding of all flourishing of the foot as it came to the ground, that we used to attribute the good marching of the 52nd, and especially their oeautiful advances in line, for which they were very remarkable in my 52na days, and for years afterwards ; I hope thev are so still. "^ About ten days after our arrival in Paris, Sir John Colborne (Lord Seaton) very kindly invited me to dine with him at his lodgings, or billet, somewhere to the left, in a line with the principal entrance of the Tuileries from the Place Louis Quinze and in the street leading down past the end of the Eue de la Paix' I met there only three or four of the senior officers of the regiment and I well recollect his telling me, before them, that I mi^ht consider myself one of the most fortunate fellows in the whole army ; for I had only been in it two months, and had, in that short space of time, not only taken part in the glorious acti'on at Waterloo, but had also been present at the taking of the capital of France. I kept no journal at that time, and not till about four years afterwards, and then only occasionally during the next four or five years, so that in describing the circumstances that occurred at Pans and elsewhere, I have to trust to my memory, which I have good reason to think is particularly retentive and accurate. The French commanders, as is well known, had during a long course of years, wherever their arms were successful brought away from the museums of the several countries, and from other places where they were to be found, great numbers of the choicest paintings and statues. Vast numbers of these IN THE CHAMPS ELYSKES. 159 md paintings, etc., were found in the Louvre when the Allies took possession of Paris. The French ministers, and also the King, were very unwiUing to restore these improperly acquired treasures of art to their rightful owners, more especially perhaps as they knew such restitution would be very unpalatable to the French people. The following extracts from a letter from the Duke of WeUington to Lord Castlereagh will show how the affair ended : — "Pabis, 23rd September, 1815. " Shortly after the arrival of the sovereigns at Paris, the II minister of the King of the Netherlands claimed the pictures, "etc., belonging to his sovereign equally with those of other "powers; and, as far as I could learn, never could get any " satisfactory reply from the French government. After several "conversations with me he addressed your lordship in an "official note, which was laid before the ministers of the Allied "sovereigns assembled in conference, and the subject was "taken into consideration repeatedly, with a view to discover a 'I mode of doing justice to the claimants of the specimens of "the arts in the museums, without hurting the feelings of the " King of France. In the mean time the Prussians had obtained "from his majesty not only all the really Prussian pictures, "but those belonging to the Prussian territories on the left of 'I the Rhine, and the pictures, etc., belonging to all the allies of his " Prussian majesty; and the subject pressed for an early decision ; "and your lordship wrote your note of the 11th instant, in " which it was fully discussed. " The minister of the King of the Netherlands, still having "no satisfactory answer from the French government, applied to " me, as the Commander-in-Chief of the r,rmy of the King of nhe Netherlands, to know if I had any objection to employ "his majesty's troops to obtain possession of what was his "undoubted property. I referred this anplication again to the "ministers of the AUied courts, and no objection having been " stated, I considered it my duty to take the necessary measures " to obtain what was his right. " I spoke to Prince de Talleyrand on the subject .... and " begged him to state the case to the King, (of France,) and to 160 THE 52'nd encamped ask his majesty to do me the favour to point out the mode of effecting the object of the King of the Netherlands, which which should be least offensive to his majesty. " The Prince de Talleyrand promised me an answer on the following evening ; which not having received, I called upon him at night, and had another discussion with him on the subject, in which he informed me that the King could give no orders upon it ; that I might act as I thought proper, and that I might communicate with M. Denon. " I sent my aide-de-camp, Lieut.-Colonel * Tremantle, to M. Demon in the morning, who informed him that he had no orders to give any pictures out of the gallery, and that he could give none without the use of force. " I then sent Colonel Fremantle to the Prince de Talleyrand to inform him of this answer, and to acquaint him that the troops would go the next morning at twelve o'clock to take possession of the King of the Netherland's pictures ; and to point out, that if any disturbance resulted from this measure, the King's ministers, and not I, were responsible. Colonel Fremantle also informed M. Denon that the same meayure would be adopted. "It was not necessary however to send the troops, as a Prussian guard had always remained in possession of the gallery, and the pictures were taken without the necessity of calling for those under my command, excepting as a working party to assist in taking them down and packing them. oli " The Allies, having the contents of the museum justly in their possession, could not do otherwise than restore them to the countries from which, contrary to the practice of civilized warfare, they had been torn during the disastrous period of the French revolution and the tyranny of Bonaparte, " It has never appeared to me to be necessary that the Allied sovereigns should omit this opportunity to do justice and to gratify their own subjects, in order to gratify the people of France. " It is on many accounts desirable, ap weU for their own happiness as that of the world, that the people of France, if ii^.£r. IN THE CHAMPS ELYSIiES. 161 " they do not already feel that Europe is too strong for them, " should be made sensible of it." The Duke argues, in conclusion, that it would not only be unjust in the sovereigns to give way in this matter, but also "impolitic, as it would deprive them of the opportunity of " giving the people of France a great moral lesson." I was at the Louvre once or twice when this taking down and packing the pictures was going on; whether or not I was there on duty I do not recoUect, but I remember seeing a fatigue- party of the 52nd there. There was no particular excitement observable amongst the French on that occasion. But about that time the 52nd remained fully accoutred and ready to fall in at a moment's notice, for eight-and-forty hours, and on one of those two days, we were marched up, and remained for two or throe hours on the Place Louis Quinze, in front of the gates of the Tuileries ; I think it was when the Austrians were taking down the horses dedicated to the sun from ' ^ e top of the gateway leadin^r into the Place du Carrousel. They had been taken from Venice! It was expected that much discontent would be manifested by the French, and perhaps some violence on that occasion. Each horse was taken away separately, and was escorted by a whole regiment of Austrian dragoons. I was the orderly-officer on the day that the last horse was removed and was sent that evening by Sir John Colborne to report to General Adam, who had recovered from his wound and taken command of the brigade agam, that all had passed off quietly. We had one or two reviews on rather a large scale on an extensive plain near Paris, in which we passed over immense quantities of beet-root, which is grown there in order to produce sugar from it. I fear a large amount of damage was done to the crops, as we could scarcely take a step without each person treadmg on, and breaking in two, one of the roots ; but the reviews were especially memorable for the clouds of black dust in which the troops were enveloped during nearly the whole time they were marcliing and manoeuvring. We must have been terrible warriors to look at, as on our return to camp we marched through the streets of Paris covered from head to foot with this dust, and with our clothes and accoutrements, our faces, eyes, M 162 THE 52nd encamped ,?:g| i i!"'iMi's" ^^Bm] ii ^H 'S B I ^^^E|l 1 K" and ears, and our hair and whiskers, (at least of those who had any of the latter,) completely blackened by it. A considerable amount of time was consumed in getting all right again, to say nothing of the possible injury done to the clothing and appoint- ments of both officers and men. Sir John Colborne took the 52nd several times to the Champ de Mars, which was a very extensive and good exercising-ground. There we first practised the half-face movement in column, which I think was taken up from the Prussians, and was afterwards found to be a most useful movement. One day we came across the Emperor of Eussia and his staff, in the Champ de Mars, and Sir John very neatly threw the regiment into close column just as the Emperor was arriving in frontof the flank company, and soluted him with carried arms. As the Emperor was merely riding across the Champ de Mars, and as we were only there for drill, the salute with carried arms in close column was the only avail- able method, under the circumstances, of shewing him any attention. It was the Emperor Alexander who received and acknowledged this salute. I think it was not many weeks after our arrival in Paris that there was a review of several thousands of the Eussian Guards in the Champs Elysees, on the road leading from the Barri(^re de I'Etoile to the Tuileries. They were a very fine body of picked men. The Eussian soldiers of the Line appeared to me to be shorter and smaller men than the ordinary soldiers of any of the other armies who were in the neigbourhood of Paris at that time. On returning from this review I met with a rati .• severe fall, when galloping round one of the sunk plantations inclosed by balustrades in the Place Louis Quinze. My horse's legs flew from under him and he came down heavily on his side on my left leg, by which my knee and shoulder were cut. It was rather a nuisance, too, to be thus sent sprawling in uniform on the paved square in the presence of a good number of spectators; and I was very glad to slink off into our camp, which was close at hand. Two or three hundred yards from the 52nd encampment towards the barrier there was stationed a troop of Cossacks of the Don, whom we occasionally used to visit. They were fine W'lio had siderable n, to say appoint- Ihamp de d. There which I ■ds found cross the , and Sir n just as d soluted ly riding for drill, ily avail- liim any ived and *aris that a Guards Barri^re of picked me to be ny of the hat time, jvere fall, closed by legs flew le on my It was liforra on Dectators ; was close ampment ssacks of were fine IN THE CHAMPS ELYS^ES. Igg men and very orderly. Their hoi^es were tied to the trees in the Champs Eiys(5es, four or five round the same tree. Whenever there was any disturbance amongst them in the shape of biting or kickmg, the Cossacks reduced them to order by thrashing them severely with the flat part of their naked swords. It was no uncommon thing among the Cossacks, though we saw nothing of the kmd at Pans, for the officers to order their men to receive the same description of punishment for not veiy grave offences. One of the members of an English family which was thrown Fans in 18M, told me that on complaints being made to the officers of any mfringement of the rules laid down, they would el them in French that the delinquent should forthwith receive vingt-cinq coups de plat de sabre " of ZY"" ^ T ^ T""' ^^ ^^^^' ^ °^^^^^«d that great numbers of the trees which the Cossack horses had barked in 1815 had been thereby destroyed and that fresh trees had been planted in their place. ^ There was a very good swimming-bath on the Seine, not far from our camp, caUed in French the "Ecole de Natation." I learnt to swim there, and used it very frequently during the whole time of our occupation of Paris. I think it was on the Jrst occasion of my visiting it, that I was in some danger of being drowned, by foolishly jumping into deep water, about six leet from the nettings, to try and solve the question, "Why as ^^ every other animal will swim, if thrown into water, should not man do the same ? " My attempts to swim were abortive, and I herd gone under water twice, when six or eight of the bathers jumped m, and one of them saved me from going down again by pushing me against the netting at the side. Before we left laris, I could swim and float very fairly There was always plenty of excitement for us, encamped as Tuileri s and other public places ; the Champs Elysdes were a favourite resort of the Parisians, and, although scarce^ any o us had any opportunity of entering into Fr^ich society, /et th meeting with numbers of the better classes in the public walks and xn the various places of public amusement, and'the numbei^ M 9 164. THE 52nd encamped of things we had to see, always prevented the time from hanging heavily on onr hands. Besides which, some of us had friends from England staying there, who helped to make our occupation of Paris very pleasant to us. I recollect only a few of the triclcs which we used to play each other ; a very approved one, now and then practised, was the quietly loosening the cords and loops of a tent from their stakes on a very wet night, and then letting the wet tent down on the helpless and infuriated occupier ; the perpetrator generally managing not to be discovered. I did hear of one man, who un- dertook to take a portmanteau from under the walls, or lower canvass of a tent, but the occupant heard him and attacked him with his sword, very reasonably taking him for a thief, when the attacking party after seizing the sword, and getting his hands cut, found it necessary to beat a retreat. The only practical joke I remember to have played at Paris, occurred as follows ; and as far as the joke went it was a very innocent ona : — Two of us came into camp from Paris one very dark nighc, and, after replying to the sentry's challenge, we passed the tent of the officer of the quarter-guard, whom we saw fully accoutred lying on his back on his guard-bed, very fast asleep with his mouth open : there were eight or ten rather large books on the table, and going into the tent I piled them up on a chair, one above another, till the top one touched the tent just over our friend's head. I then went round to the back of the tent, where, by the light of the candle inside, I could easily see the upper book, and giving it a push I sent the pile on to our victim's face, having done which I quietly and quickly got round to the darkness, pervading the trees of the Champs Elys^es, at a very short distance, opposite to the tent door ; from this we saw the officer coming out of his tent, hardly aware of what had exactly happened, and we heard the following short dialogue between him and the sentry. Officer calls out : — " Sentry I " The Sentry replies : — " Yes, Sir ! " " Officer : —" Has " any one just come into camp ? " Sentry : — " No, Sir ! " We then made off, leaving the officer of the guard to renew his slumbers. This was the officer who, when the 52nd were pur- suing the French at Vera, about two years before, went over a iiMi *' I of IN THE CHAMPS ELYS^ES. 165 short mountain path with Sir John Colbome and four soldiers and rushed down on to the road, into the middle of the 9th French light infantry, and summoned them to surrender which those who were thus cut off did, to the number of two or three nundred. This officer, Lieutenant Cargill, received on the spot and tucked under his arm, the swords of fourteen of the French officers. I have frequently heard it mentioned as a fact, that one of these officers having hesitated to deliver up his sword, Cargill struck him a blow in his face with his fist which made his mouth bleed, and had the effect of making him tractable. In these days such acts of daring would be deservedly rewarded by the grant of the Victoria Cross. The anecdote just related brings to my remembrance an occurrence which took place at Paris a few weeks after we had lett It Some detachments sent out from England, just at the time that the army was about to proceed to take up its canton- ments m the north of France, arrived in the neighbourhood of Pans, and several of the officers, amongst whom were two of the 5.nd, availed themselves of the opportunity of seeing something of the French capital. One of the places they visited was the 1 alais Eoyal. As they were walking along the covered pave- ment, near the shops, they met several persons, who had all the appearance of being half-pay French officers; one of these, as they passed them, kicked against tho foot of one of the 52nd officers with the evident design of insulting him ; the 52nd officer immediately started round and inquired what he meant but he not knowing much of French, the other 52nd man began to mterpose, when the Frenchman gave him a smart box on the ear, asking him at the same time, what he had to do with it ? This of course was responded to in the shape of a heavy blow planted on the Frenchman's mouth, which made his teeth both rattle and bleed: before the row had proceeded to any greater length, the guard appeared, and marched off both parties to the prefecture, where the whole case was gone into. The Frenchmen were adjudged to be the aggressors, and the English officers were freed from all blame in the transaction. Insults offered to the English were seldom heard of during the three years of our occupation of France. 166 THE 52nd encamped I went with three or four artillery officers, whom I know, to the fair of St. Cloud, and we rather enjoyed it, n'^d got on very well, till wo were just coming away, when we got into a consider- able unpleasantness through the stupidity, and possibly also the rascality, of the driver of the carriage which we had hired for the occasion. When we were about to return, he insisted upon it that he should be paid before we started : possibly somebody had done him out of what he considered his fare on some former occasion. However that may have been, he positively refused to drive us back to Taris, uixless we first settled with him ; this we considered very impertinent on his part, and determined not to give way to it. A crowd of eighty or a hundred persons were gathered round us, and on our attempting to take possession of the carriage, an altercation ensued with some of them, and then, without its actually coming to a fight, they began to interrupt our proceeding. A friend of mine, a very nice fellow, by the name of Heisse, belonging to one of the Hanoverian Jager Corps, to whom I had been speaking during the day, happening to pass, saw our difficulty, and ran down to the bridge of St. Cloud, where a German picket was stationed, and brought up a few men to our assistance just at the right moment. They very unceremoni- ously made the mob stand back by striking at their legs with the butt ends of their muskets. The Prussians were to leave the neighbourhood of Paris the next morning, and our driver, who appeared to have a very wholesome fear of them, was con- siderably alarmed by hearing some of our party say, that it would sen^e him right, and do him good, if we could manage to get him pressed into their service, on the occasion of their march northwards. Paris, of course, had many temptations for the officers of the British army. One was that arising from the gaming-houses, of which there were many, especially in the Palais Eoyal. I never heard, whilst we were there, of any body having suffered very severely from them ; but yet I have no doubt tliat many were inconveniently fleeced, to say the least of it, by occasionally visiting them. I do not think it will be injurious to my readers, if I briefly mention what I saw of them. I had been to one of the theatres with a captain of the 52nd, and when it was IN THE CHAMPS ELYS^ES. 167 over I found ho was not going back to camp, but going to look into one of these gaming-houses at the I'alaia Koyal. I had never seen a gaming-house, and begged that I might accompany him ; but he said, Colborne would never forgive him, if he took me to such a place; however, on my pressing him, and shewing him that I had not above two napoleons in my pocket, so that I could not lose much, he gave way, and I went with him. The way to tlie first and second floors of these houses was up a very wide and substantial staircase, lighted with one gloomy lamp on each landing, the whole appearance of which led one's mind to associate with these places scenes of violence and assassina- tion. There were about forty or fifty persons standing, and several of them playing at a roulette table in one room, and about as many more at a rouge-et-noir table in another. If I recollect rightly, I won a few napoleons that night by playing with two-franc pieces, which I think was the lowest sum which by the rules of the place was allowed to be hazarded. On a subsequent evening I took with me about seven napoleons, thinking that if I had been able to win a tolerable sum by play- ing with two-franc pieces, I might perhaps gain ten times as much by playing with napoleons. On this second night I seemed to have what is termed, a great run of luck, and ^t last I found my two waistcoat pockets to be so fuU of napoleons that it was not safe to put any more into them, and I began to stow away my winnings in my trowsers pockets. I could make no proper calculation of the amount of my "ill gotten wealth," but I observed at last that I had attracted the attention of most of the persons present, and especially that of the croupiers who received and handed out the money. I now began to think of making good my retreat, but how to do It decently I did not know. However, having made up my mind to leave t] 3 place, I very quietly, though unexpectedly to them, walked to the door, and went tolerably quickly down the stairs, but, quick as I was in my movements, a man who followed me was on the landing-place at the bottom of the first flight of stairs before I had quitted it. He begged me to give him^some money, as he was a person in distress ; this I declined to do, not only because I thought it was not quite safe to be parleying with 168 THE 52nd encamped !ill III' lllh him under nil the circumstances, but also because I felt annoyed that a person should pursue the degraded course of watching the gaming-tables for the purpose of demanding charity from the successful players. As I crossed the Talais Koyal, T roughly calculated that I had two or three hundred napoleons in my pocket, and thought that these would soon be gone and would do me no permanent good, whereas, if I could make the sum up to a thousand, I could, in some way, make it do me some more lasting benefit. With this idea in my head I went into another house on the opposite side of the T»alais Royal, and played away as largely aa I had done before ; my pockets were very nearly emptied again. I determined, however, not to return to camp without taking back with me a «'raall roll of napoleons which I felt were still remaining in my pocket, and which I judged to amount to about the sum I had started with. I was surprised, on reaching my tent, and counting over my remaining napoleons, that I had thirty-nine, instead of seven, remaining. This led me to think that I had been greatly mistaken as to the sum which I had at first gained, and that it must have amounted to three or four times as much as I had roughly calculated it to be. This was a great ordeal fur a boy under eighteen years of age to go through ; but it was a veiy great mercy that I lost the money which I had gair<3d. As it was, my taste for play con- tmued, to an extent, for some years, (until I saw that it was decidedly wrong and sinful, and evidently a breach of the tenth commandment, to desire to win another person's money,) and if I had carried away with me the large sum above mentioned, it would probably have been more injurious to me than one can well imagine. I we-t three or four times after that to these maisons de jeu, but I was careful not to lose my money to any great extent ; yet I did lose it, I am now thankful to say. T have hesitated to write down the foregoing account, lest it should possibly do harm, in the way of exciting in any one an "itch for gambling." I may possibly not publish it ; if I do so, I wish it to be accompanied by my protest against a practice which I believe is not so prevalent now in the houses of our gentry as it was fifty or sixty years ago ; I mean the :iliowin" If :|l ra THE CHAMP3 Ki\sir..i. jcg cWMron to play at card, or other pmies of chance, by which fcy inay ,vm money. I trace much evil that ari e/i„ the bill 7?r '"""'%'" ™°"' "' '" "'"^"'S "' ™^1» Mm a,, f„ large sum, of ,noncy, to this practice. I recollect it was the custom to set a -lo.en or «,o,o of children to play at com- merce when each put down a shilling, and the w nner of the game took the whole of the money. It was this sort of t hi" winch kd to an immense deal of gambling in « small way a°t schooH where the boys played at n.arbles ^^.d with to, , Z a other tlnngs, for money; this easily paved the way for at „d nee and betting at public hiUiard-tables and races I never bii once made a bet at a mce, but I knew a youth most resplctab y eonnected, who was utterly ruined both in character and fortrne who told me that his evil courses commenced when a n ^ ttre \f " '" " '■•■"'''""'"^' '"^ «"«™™S0<1 Lira to bet there. Many years ago, when I little thought of piiblishin-- a sUl be against allowing boys at school, or in the streets, to play at marbles for money," so convinced was I of the impor- tance of endeavouring to cheek any disposition to gamble at an ea. ly age, or, what is still better, as far as possible not to let anything of the sort is practised. I have always enjoined on my childi.,n never to play at any game for money, and never on any account to make even the smallest bet, and I have neve" had a card in my house. I consider myself to bo fully TusMed m stating, that all desire to win anything belonging to nothef at a game of chance or skill, is contraiy to that which God cvins upon His people in the tenth commandme„r I must apology to my readers for this digression from the account P ris^buriT"""^'"'' '°* P'^"" -"^l^' - - a sc ol's aid ort ""T ' ''"'" "■=" °" P^'™'=' ""-J heads of out of L! """ -P""'' ""^ "'''='> 1 1"*""™. » °i»e cases thing in the shape of a lottery or raffle is of evil tendency I must not attempt to speak of the execution of Marshal 170 THE 52nd encamped m Ney and Colonel Labedoy^re, which all of us were much grieved ao ; nor of the remarkable escape of Lavalette from prison, by putting on some of his wife's clothes, s^j remaining behind whilst he passed out of the prison, nor of his escape from Paris, disguised as an English general, by the help of Sir Eobert Wilson and two other Englishmen. These things took place whilst we were at Paris, and the accounts of them may easily be obtained. A very sad and exciting business occurrod, whilst we were at Paris, in connexion with the mutinous behaviour of one of our own men, when coming to join the army with detachments under the command of a captain and other officers belonirin" to other regiments; I think I recollect the circumstances very clearly, they were these :— Several of tlie men of these detach- ments haa got drunk, and this man, when ordered by Captain to be silent, or to perform some duty, refused to obey, as he was not a 52nd officer, and swore at him, calling him a d d the officer drew his sword, and cut the drunken mutineer very severely across the shoulder. For this the officer was afterwards brought to a court-martial and honourably acquitted. The Duke of Wellington, on reading the proceedings of the court-martial, ordered the 52nd soldier to be brought to a general court-martial for mutinofls conduct towards his superior officer; he was accordingly tried, found guilty, and condemned to be shot. The Duke, who always felt the vast importance of upholding the discipline of the army, determined that the sentence should be executed. I saw at a little distance, not far from my tent, an interview between the Duke and Sir John Colborne, which I had reason to believe was connected with this man's execution. The Duke had come into our camp from his garden door, and as Colborne almost immediately joined him, I fancy the interviev,'- had been arranged before. The Duke, who generally appeared to be a person of very quiet demeanour, seemed on this occasion to speak with some considerable earnestness, and Colborne, who was most anxious, as we all were, that the man's life fhould be spared, was equally energetic. The conversation did not last more than seven or ciglit minutes, and I did not learn the result, execution appeared in orders. I think until the order for the ih grieved prison, by g behind 'om Paris, ir Kobert )ok place easily be i we were of one of acliments onging to ices very le detach- tain as he was -d ; neer very fterwards Che Duke t-martial, "t-martial he was lot. The ding the should be ' tent, an Lch I had on. The r, and as nterviev/ appeared occasion me, who 'lould be not last le reault, I think IN THE CHAMPS ELYSfiES. 171 the next morning, the regiments of the brigade marched to some ground near the walls of Paris, to see the sentence carried into The regiments were drawn up so that each occupied one side of a large square, the man to be executed being placed in the middle of the fourth side of the square with his'coffin behind him and the firing party, consisting I think, of a Serjeant and twelve rank and file, a few paces in his front. The bngade-major, or some other staff-officer, then rode forward and read the charge against the soldier, the finding of the court- martia and the sentence. When this was done, an aide-de- camp, the bearer of a reprieve, rode into the square ; I think it wa an order from the Duke, granting the man a pardon, and stating, amongst other reasons for doing so, that it was partly in oelonged, that the Duke was induced to take this course I have an Idea that some of us were aware the night before that the man would be pardoned, but the man himself, and the men of the regiment and of the brigade generally, expected the execution o take place. I met him close to the camp, in the course of the afternoon, walking with one of the men and I recollect that the poor fellow sobbed as he passed and'sltd me J cannot quite bear in mind whether I spoke to him or inlhYfeltrr Z. ' ""' '^^^ ''''''' '''''' '^ ^^ -^' ^- Two or three other recoUections which I have of Paris at the time of our encampment there, are of a much lighter character than the occurrences I have just mentioned. Great numbers of Encdish an^ihes came out to Paris during the summer and autuntn of 185, and the costumes of many of the women, who, according to the most approved English fashion of that day, wore verv short waists and very long bonnets, appeared very odd and ridiculous, even to us who were their countrymen, when con tras ed ..,, ,ie neat and elegant style of dress of k'ZZ. ^ll^:^^''!!'^ ^- '^^ countrywomen, as a general luty, whilst the latter carried away the palm with regard to dross. The caricatures of the English visitors, exhibited in the shop 172 THE 52nd encamped windows, were very good, and did not go far beyond the reality. A large stout John Bull, weighing from sixteen to eighteen stone, was generally the principal figure, and there were generally Mrs. and some Misses Bull with their short v/aists, &c., and sometimes a Master Bull or two, staring about, as one saw them do every day, at everything they came across. Sometimes the whole party were represented as standing out in the middle of the street, curiously examining the tops of the tall houses, at other times walking along the streets, staring at everything and everybody. But the French were not satisfied with exhibiting caricatures of our females, dressed in the inelegant national costume of that day, but they brought forward a comedy at one of the theatres, called " Les Anglaiscs pour rire! in which the same sort of characters and costumes were repre- sented on the stage. I once saw the play acted, and could not but join in the geiieral laugh at the ludicrous exhibitions made of tlie curiosity, and want of taste in dress, of our fair country- women. One evening some English officers determined to oppose the acting of the play, and there was some skirmishing between them and the police before the opposition ceased; shortly afterwards the piece was given up. There was also another very laughable piece, which was brought forward at one of the theatres, and which met with great success. It was intended as a burlesque on the drapers' and other shopkeepers' assistants, many of whom were in the habit, on Sundays and fete-days, of dressing, and passing themselves off, as military men. The farce was called " Monsieur Calico." Monsieur Calico himself was represented, in the caricatures and on the stage, as a young man of three or four-and-twenty, about five feet high, dressed, I think, in a tailed coat and round hat, and manifesting considerable pretensions also, as regards the hair, whiskers, front of shirt, and stock. But the most remarkable appendage was a pair of steel spurs, about four inches in length, attached to the heels of his boots. The linen drapers' nssistnnt.q, and numerous other young men, vvho felt themselves aggrieved, were furious at the representation, and at IN THE CHAMPS ELYSeES. 173 the reality, bo eighteen there were v/aists, &c., as one saw Sometimes the middle all houses, everything Lsfied with e inelegant forward a pour rirel TQVQ repre- [ could not tions made ir couutry- to oppose ig between 1 ; shortly (Vhich was met with he drapers' i^erein the id passing ras called caricatures nd-twenty, and round as regards the most about four The linen , who felt ion, and at the success which it met with, and for several nights they endeavoured to take possession of the theatre, and to put down the obnoxious piece. I believe it was withdrawn after some little time. It would not be right that I should leave the subject of attendmg theatres, without stating my very decided opinion that parents should keep their children from such places as being calculated to do them the greatest injury. It is weU known that they are often frequented by tlie very worst characters of both sexes; indeed, I have heard it stated fifty years ago, that if such characters were excluded, some of the largest theatres in London would become regular failures Then it was notorious in those days that many of the actors and actresses were not persons of good moral character. I know not how far there has been any improvement of late years. I know that respectable persons do stUl take their children to such scenes but I always wonder lu)w they can do so. Supposing the attending the theatre to be free from the above objections, which it is not many of the representations which take place are not calculated to improve the moral and religious tone of society. When I was a very little child I went to see a play at a country theatre in which a man rushed on the stage with a child in his arms' in the midst of a storm of thunder and lightning, and, droppinc: on one knee, offered up earnest words of prayer to God for protection. Notwithstanding all that may be advanced about Its being a proper representation of what those who fear God are encouraged to do in all times of danger, I consider that such addresses, pretended to be offered up in theatrical representations must be highly offensive to the Almighty. I am glad to think that increasing numbers of respectable persons of all classes of society, now avoid the theatre, My rule will well apply here:- "Never allow yourself, for purposes of amusement, to be in any company or place in which God is dishonoured." 174 CHAPTEE IX. 1815, 1816. THE 52nd quartered at VERSAILLES, ST. GERMAIN, AND CLERMONT. Quarter at Versailles— Palace— St. Germain— Sir John Colborne goes on leave— His good advice— Clermont— Anniversary of the death of Louis XVI— A guard of honour in the church— Atchison and Dawdon of the artillery. On the 2nd of November, 1815, we broke up our agreeable encampment in the Champs Elys^es, and went into quarters at Versailles, which m about fourteen miles from Paris. Versailles is a beautifully built town, and J was quartered in a very good house belonging to Mp.dame Courtin, a very nice old lady, who was very kind to me, and gave me three neatly-bound volumes, containing Voltaire's Histories of Peter the Great, of Eussia, and of Charles XII, of Sweden; they now lie before me, as I write this, fifty years after I received them. We had not much to do at Versailles, where we remained about six weeks, and I spent much of my time in the palace, and in the adjoining beautiful gardens and grounds. In this palace of Versailles Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette were attacked five-and-twenty years before, by the Parisian mob, accompanied by soldiers under La Fayette, and treated with great indignity ; they were forced to accompany them the next day to Paris, and I believe never returned again to Versailles. About the middle of December the 52nd marched from Ver- sailles to St. Germain. The men were in the palace, and tlie officers were quartered on the inhabitants. I was on guard the first night, and passed one of the most wretched nights I ever Ifin CLEKMONT. es on leave — iouis XVI— e artillery. agreeable }uarters at Versailles very good lady, who i volumes, 'ussia, and me, as I not much }ks, and I adjoining Versailles id-twenty iers under ere forced eve never Prom Ver- , and the 5uard the its I ever THE 52nd quartered at VERSAILLES. 175 passed in my life. By some accident there was no proper officers' guard-room, and when it was too late. I found mys'elf with a whole suite of magnificent rooms, on the first floor of the pdace them"'tr "' "^^^' ^^^ ''"^''^ -^^^^^ «f f-niture in them ; there were some logs of wood, but no other means had I of igni ing them, or of keeping any heat in my body durin/tha very cold mght, than by collecting from time to'time,U ^ t quantities o straw, which had been swept out on to the balconied' extending along the whole of the suite of apartments the 52nd tas T^r "" •' °' '''''' '"^^"^ '''' ^^^^ *"- ^hat before I sZ.. I ''"• ^° "^^ ^^"^"«^ "P°" ^'^ ^^^^^tly before I started, he gave me some good advice on the subject of the importance of my improving myself by reading, &c. & Id kindly told me he might very probably have it in his po;;r ' be of use to me in the service, but that of course my .ettron TereTa^r^Zr ''''''' '''''' °^ -7 own!atS t and^oterniTr:!^^^^^^^^^ of the time that he w^s^rSh^i^rt'^ he joined us again about June or July, 181^1 ^1^;^^^^ St Omer when I was much pleased by his saying that Colone Charles Eowan had given him a good account of my endeavour to improve myself during his absence. aeavours In order to strengthen the government of Louis XVIII and give him time to reconstruct his army, and to feel increlsb. secunty against any attempts which might be made a'ain n overthrow the newly established order of tilings in France^H , been etermined by the Allied sovereigns thatln .my ^f^^^ ^ should remain in the north of France for three vears \n.l ;i . certaiu fortresses should be held and garrisoned by ^^^^^^^^^^^ h^ period. The troops were to be paid,* clothed, and provi Wd at the expence of France. The leading powers of Europe sj their several quotas of troops, and the whole Allied amy ^f ai.iount tiius deducted Irom the British officeiVcPrhiVni "^ ,7"^""^^^- '^"i'^ into the French Treasury. ' "'^'"'^^ ^'"^'^ "^* ^nd its way M; ^ : m^ $ 176 THE 52nd QUAIiTERKD AT VERSAILLES, occupation was placed under the command of the Duke of Wellington. The 52nd marched from St. Germain, I think, on Christmas- day, towards the cantonments which they were to occupy in the Pas de Calais. All the necessary arrangements appear not to have been completed at that time, for we were quartered in the town of Clermont, about thirty miles from Paris, and in some of the neighbouring villages, for about a month before we proceeded to our destination. I have very little recollection of Clermont and of the village about a mile and a half from it, which I occu- pied with about forty or fifty men. I well remember that I first tried to smoke a cigar as I walked out from the town one night, and that it made me dreadfully ill ; I also remember that on the 21st of January, the anniversary of the death of Louis the XVI, in 1793, a guard of honour, accompanied by t..e King's colour, was allowed to be present in the church at Clermont : at a particular moment, I suppose on the elevation of the, host, the cobur was lowered, and the guard presented arms, at the same time each man coming down on one knee. The whole scene appeared to me to be exceedingly ludicrous, and this arose especially from the awkward business the men made of saluting in a posture which they were of course unaccustomed to. We thought nothino' at the time of the sin of thus joining in an idolatrous ceremony. I trust the practice, which prevailed so many years, of requirinf^ our officers and soldiers to take part in the idolatrous ceremonies of the Eoman Catholic and Greek churches, has now been entirely given up. In the year 1824 Captain Atchison and Lieutenant Dawson, two officers of the Eoyal Artillery stationed at Malta, were cash- iered by sentence of a court-martial, the president of which was the Eoman Catholic colonel of the Maltese Fencibles, for request- ing to be excused from superintending the tolling of a bell and the firing of a petteraro salute in honour of the procession of St. ; the petteraroes were small pieces of cannon, used by the priests for such purposes. Mr. Dawson was first put in orders for the performance of this unmilitary duty ; but he, feeling the irksomeness of having anything to do with what ])e had religious and conscientious scruples against, requested the ST. OEKIIAIN, AND CLERMONT. jy,. officer commanding the artillerv »t Af„lt. * this request he ve^ kin.llv 1„ , j . ' ^'"""' ''™ '«>» '' J put in orders fori Wr!; !?' t"'^ ^''P'^'" ^"=W»» ™ objections to thTel^l'^er^^^^^ f™ »ad his strong the commanding offlcrto ]e 1^°TT t"'^' "'"' "^"''""^ very gocd-natur^irsl rintenS H ?. t '"' ''^"^ ^'^' ■""» the firing of the salute Eelf '""'"^ "' ""^ ''^" ^'l ^.asStf TnTe^°:l: td^r '""^^: ,""' °' ^^ ^' thing was referred to »!,!« < ^^ " "=°'«"lerable time tlie and Orders t::tuS,;tm:T„tt1l'i' ''' ^T' ^"«^-' brought to a court jartrfo:dithfrnrr„*r:T„:; "" defence they not onlv Tilp«,lori +i * ^i i oraers. In their and that it waslt a „£f vV'/ '^ '""' "°* ""'^"'"'y'^'i "O™. to be excusid bu Tev I i'f ^ ^, ^^ *"'''''' *''''>' ^ad requested the service reauirldrf 7 "'j' ''"=^ ''™" «'^"P'«c that eontrar,t:S™i1aidtw:i trS""' fr""' ^"'^ the Church of England In tr. ^ '' "'"^ '"""'"cs of they were not allow dt„ proce . ."' '""'' ""' "^ "'^'■""^ continue their defence TTe, ' "'7 ™"^<"1»»"3' declined to were sent to En" and and tl / r^ ^^«' °' *" ^•"■'-'"artial Malta, observin/tte the „ffl! ^"^8""^ ,^°»»'c returned them to tbey desired to do. ^ tlTt!" ^rt:? t" I'T ^ wereres'„me]::tlCirAt;;r:dM'r iT" "^ '""^'''"'^ guilty of disobedience of orders ll ntl\ * '■' ^'^ ^""'"1 order, the sentence of dismis ul lofT ' '' ? " *^^""»' York, who was then CommlX i,, Olln .7'"'' "" ^"'^'^ "' dogma, that a "lawful order wTs™v', "" "■""™^'™"' "superior" so fhnt if, '^ ""'"''' S'™ >>/ a lawful i-iUo'ii„:;r:\isToro:rur;:v''^'^"°™^^' or man to kill an innocent nersnn I ? "''' ^"^ "'"^"^ although it might be rz^f;::; 2ir:hr "'"' ';^ "'^^^''• or labouring under some a wTof^f ^t / ^^ "^^^'^d. nance, ^vho, under a delus on of mind nffn,. r • -i''i-'<'n m vanfs ammunition at every I^ilrrlto^th- ^S: i:: • N 178 THE 52nd quartered at VERSAILLES, without doing any damage, ordered the corporal's guard to turn out and fire at every person who might shew himself in any of the village streets. According to the Duke of York's idea, this order should have been obeyed, as it was " the order of a lawful " superior." It was, however, not obeyed, and the officer was im- mediately sent in charge of another officer to England, and placed MTidev the care of his friends. Many years ago I wrote to the Hon. John Forbes, who had been in the 52nd, and who, at the time I wrote, was aide-de-camp to General Sir A. Woodford, at Corfu ; and at my request he gave me an account of the procession of the Greek Church, in which the British officers were expected to take part, carrying long lighted candles, in honour of St. Spiridione. I have, I am sorry to say, lost his letter. Some time after the court-martial on Captain Atchison and Mr. Dawson, I took considerable pains to induce persons, who felt strongly the injustice which had been done to these officers, to get up petitions to parliament, and addresses to the Crown, on the subject. Many petitions, &c., were consequently sent up from Derbyshire. I drew out a petit' n, in which a few clergymen, formerly in the army, joined, stating we knew the necessity that existed for prompt obedience to military commands, but that, had we been required to perform the service required of Captain Atchison and Lieutenant Dawson, we must have refused to obey the order, even had we known that death would be the conse- quence of such refusal. This petition, with the others, made some stir. Dr. Blomfield, Bishop of London, undertook to pre- sent it in the House of Lords, and called on Lord Hill, the then Commander-in-Chief, and wrote to the Duke of Wellington on the subject. The Duke had not replied to his letter when I called on the Bishop the second time, and he felt annoyed at his apparent inattention. When the petition was presented in the House of Commons, amongst others Daniel O'Connell stood up and spoke warmly on the subject, saying, that if the state of the case, with regard to Protestant officers and soldiers being required tc join in the ceremonies of the Eoman Catholic and Greek churches, was as the petition represented it to be, the objectionable practice should at once be done away with. Ill ST. OEEMAIN, AND CLERMONT. J 79 Mr. Dawson became a clergyman of the church of England and resided at Jersey for some considerable time. He has been dead now for many years. Captain Atchison was, after sevPrll years, restored to his rank and pay as a captain of arU 0^] of thtp:::.!" "T T- ^"'^ '"" - -lond-eomm^ndant 01 the Koyal Lancashire Artillery Militia • tw„?i! °".T ^"'" *^'''™°'" '" °" """to-x'ents, we halted for two days at Amiens. On the fet day I was on guard. When relieved from gnard the next day, I went to the house Twas a'::":: tr rr' '" ^ ^^-^ ^'™'' ^enfemaniy „:: and his wife ; but in finding me accommodation they shewed an 1 trBrTh™™ "VV;'^"^^ P''^'"™^ of offlccf andlldie: in the British army, for I found at night that they had actually unrrsfandZ^ \l "" *'™*"' '""™"^ '" S^"'"? ^^em to underetand that this arrangement would never do. After some con iderable parley, it ended in my servant and I cariyin'the they all the time thmk.ng me a most unreasonable peraon and main aming hat as the arrangement was only for one n "hi we might as well submit to it. " ' liol ';X' lar'i^ta "Id"! u'^'I"""'^,' '° ^" "" «■' "«*"■""' of "^ '»»*»"'- N 2 180 FJ r ^1 CHAPTER X. 1816. CANTONMENTS IN THE NORTH OF FRANCE. Villages around Th6rouenne— Henry VIII— Siege of Th6rouenne and Battle of Spurs three hundred years before— Honours gained by ancestors — Ahirniing occurrence— Periodical encampment and march to Valenciennes— Kind feeling between the villagers and our men — Meadow at Th^roueniie — - athing in the river Lys— Sir Denis Pack's inspection — Brigade orders — Curious occurrence— Remarkable case of one of the men becoming religious. About the beginning of February, 1816, we reached our canton- ments in the north of France. The regiment occupied six-and- twenty villages. They were within a circle of which the ancient town (now only a village) of Therouenne might be considered as the centre ; the diameter of the circle would be about seven miles. Therouenne was besieged and taken by our Henry VIII, in 1514 ; it is situated about seven miles south of St. Omer, and is on the Lys, a very small river, fordable in many places below the town, but not above it. The first village we arrived at was Estreeblanche, which was my quarter during the greater part of our occupation of France ; but I was stationed first of all, for several months, at Enguinegatte or Guinegatte, a village about two mihs from Estreeblanche, and the same distance from The- rouenne, a quarter of a mile to the left of the road, the Chaussee Brunei. aut. Here the Battle of Spurs was fought, during the siege of Therouenne, between the French and English. The gar- rison was in great wan<- of provisions, and Louis XI, the French king, sent all his cavalry, to the number of 8000, to try and CANTONMKNTS IN THE NORTH OF FRANCE. 181 convey succours to them. Kin. Henry, it is ..ai.l, by the advice of he emporor Maxin.ilian, who was serving as a private soldier under him, threw several bridges over the Lys, winch I know above the town, alm>ast of Enguinegatte, is deep and rapid, and for a long distance from fifteen to twenty feet broad; by follow- lug this advice, the English king wu« enabled to pass his troops most likely to approach the town. The French were totally defeated with great loss, "and fled so fast, that thar from it was ^^ ealled the battel of Spurs, for that they used more their spurs in running away, than their launces in fighting." The Duke of Longueville, who commanded, and several superior officers were made prisoners. The town of Tlu^-rouenne shortly after sm-ren- dered, and the fortifications were levelled. _ Enguinegatte, close to which the Battle of Spurs was foucrht 's two mi es from Th^-rouenne ; but that which makes these places and these events particularly interesting, in connexion with their forming part of the cantonments of the 52nd, is this-that there is good ground for thinking it probable that the ancestors of two of the 52nd officers who occupied them, fought and obtained honours at the Battle of Spurs, and a the siec^e of Thd- rouenne, three hundred years before. Sir William Henry Gierke, Bart., was a lieutenant in the 5.nd in the Peninsula, and at Waterloo. From 1816 to 1818 he was quartered about two miles from the ground on which the Battle of Spurs was fought. The services of his ancestor on that occasion are thus mentioned in the peerage :-« Sir John Gierke, Knt.,of Weston a military man of great valour, had the fortune o make Louis d Orleans, Duke of Longueville, prisoner, at Borny, ^^ near Therouenne, 14th August, in the fifth year of Henry VIII and was, for that signal service, rewarded by the king with an honorary addition to his arms." I presume the addition was that of the two fleur-de-lis, which I see form part of the Gierke arms Sir Jdm Leke, who died in 1522, "was knighted by Henry ^^ VI I at the siege of Lisle ; the king gave him for his crest two eagles as supporters to a peacock's tail." Kow there appears to have been no siege of Lisle; but Tournay, near Lisle, was be- sieged immediately after tha fall of Thdrouenne; so that the 182 CANTONMENTS IN ■ 5 i li B^^Br '.( addition of tho eagles to his crest must have been given for his good conduct at and near Thc'^rouenno, or at Tournay, near Lisle. Henry VllI visited Lisle during tlie siege of Tournay, and on his march from Therouenne ; hence probably the mistake about the siege of Lisle. My family have the crest of a peacock's tail, with eagles as supporters, handed down to them on very old seals. AVhen quartered at Enguinogatte, on my incpiiring of the people if they had any tradition as to where the fonious Battle of the Spurs was fought, they told mo that the house in which I was then quartered was built on the very ground. It was on the western extremity of the village. I often to this day think with what pleasure, and with what proud, martial feelings, I frequently on a moonlight night used to walk up and down the few pasture fields of that part of the village, whistling bugle tunes, or listening to the tattoo, sounded so well and so clearly by the two buglers of my detachment. Until our arrival, no sound of British martial music had been heard there since the Batt)'> of Spurs three hundred years before. And wc had something to be proud of, as well as our forefathers of the tenth generation back, wh-^ had fought and conquered on that very ground. The house I v.as first quartered in at Enguinegatte, was not the same as that above-mentioned, to which I had to remove on one of our assistant surgeons, who had a choice of quarters before me, being ordered to that village. My first quarter was at the house of the principal man of the village, a most respectable farmer, by the name of Ledoiix, I think. He was one of the finest men I ever saw; his son and daughter also were fine, handsome young people, of about twenty-one and nineteen. I had a large square room, the principal room in the house, which served me both as a sitting and a bed room; the window? were towards the garden, and the lower part of them, uiinre thejo was a ledge of nearly the breadth of the wall, was about four feet from the ground ; I should say they were four feet square. I have been thus particular in describing the room on account of a somewhat alarming occurrence which took place on the very first night of my arrival at Enguinegatte. I must premise that I am rather ashamed of relating thp. occurrence, but I do .so more particularly for the benefit of my younger readers. THE NOKTH OP FRANCE. 183 My narrow ,ron bodatoad was placed in one comer of the room, close under one of the windows, and there was jnst room fo a ch.,r between the bedstead and an old f,»hi„ned firephj winch was on the same side of the room with the head o ny led and the cha.r; the Jreplaee projected about twenty ineS horn h wal As I was in a stmnge place and amongst stm, ! gers, I thought .t desirable before I went to ted to examine the fes en ngs of my doors tefore I reti.^d .to «st. As usual, the™ was no fastening to the main door communicatino with the farm house k,tehen,and the other door woa locked or boLd oX along tl e sUl of the window, which was above n.y bed to the eft I soon fell as eop, and slept soundly for some hours ; in the nnddle o th,. n.ght I awoke, and was conscious tliat I h;d been and quietly taking my sword from the wir low, I drew it and having a good hold of it so that I eould use it, if necessl^ i hiid .t along the outside of the bed clothes, and listened very ax- w.« that had disturbed me. I eould hear no footstep or other sound for a minute or two, but after a little time I distinetlv hear what appeared to be the breathing of a person' stand gbj ae side of my bed, with his head a foot or two above my Le with all the force I could use in my horizontal position in the direction of the flre-plaee : to my great astonishnLt, I on^ « .rough the air, aud my sword made a tremendous clatter agliiist the projecting wall of the fire-place. I lay quietly for a nrinute o two. and then heard the breathing again" but doser to m and then 1 thought it possibly proceeded from a rat either on my bed or on the chair; in order to dislodge this enemy, I took the p .low and making a dash at him with it, upset the chair, and altogether made so much noise, that it disturbed my hos and hostess, who, I then found, from a peculiar eough of one of then, were my nnghbours, i,. the room the door of which was fastened on the other side. They probably began to wonder what th. young iiiighsh officer, who had just taken up his residence with them, was up to, m making aU these tenable noises in the middle 184 CANTONMENTS IN ^' I of the night. I did not hear any rat scamper away, but wishing to *ind out. if I could, what liad led to all tliis disturbance, and recollecting that possibly there might yet be some small remains of fire in the wood aslies on the hearth, I felt my way to the fire- place, and found the bellows, a long iron tube abov' wo feet and a half long, and more than half an inch in diameter .a the inside, and blowing through this tube, I produced enough light from the dying embers to shew me, not a fairy, but a poor quiet tabby cat sitting and warming herself in the chimney corner. I had about seventy men of No. 9 company with me at Ilnguinegatte ; the remainder of them were at Estreeblanche with the two other officers: when the weather permitted, the two parties met about ten o'clock each day, two or three times a week, on the company's parade ground, which was between the two villages, and about a mile from each ; the whole regiment was occasionally assembled at Therouenne, but the frequent assembling of the regiment during the winter was not necessary, as in the summer months the whole division was encamped at Kacquingh. m, not far from St. Omer, and each autumn we marched to Valenciennes, and its neighbourhood, and joined the rest of the British and German troops for the purpose of engaging in sham figlits and other field movements. In 1816 and in 1817, tov/ards the end of October, the 52nd returned from Valenciennes to their old cantonments, but after proceeding to Valenciennes in 1818, and being encamped on the glacis there for some time, they occupied the citadel of that })lace for several weeks, till they marched on the 19th of November to Calais, to embark for En- gland, being the last remaining regiment of the British army of occupation. The kind feeling which existed between the inhabitants of the villages in which we were quartered and ourselves, both officers and men, is described in the following extract from a letter I received from Colonel Hall, on my mentioning to him my idea of publishing my reminiscences of the 52nd at Water- loo, &c., &c. :— " You might, I think, make some mention of the " excellent people amongst whom we passed nearly three years. " The public statistics show tliat the population of tliis part is the "most moral, the most intelligent, and the best behaved of all THE NORTH OF FRANCE. 185 sngaging "Ti-ance. You must remember the peasants ; liow sober, steady, " and industrious tliey were— how obh'ging and respectful, witliout " the least taint of servility— and the women, how gentle, good, " and kind. You must remember the quiet and comfortable habits "of life in the farm-houses, where, as in England of old, the un- " married labourers dwelt under the same roof with their masters— "the prayers morning and evening— the little patches of land, " leased in part payment of labour, a strong incentive to industry, " and which created in the fields a variety agreeable and novel to " our eyes. I recall, with grateful feelings, the friendly feeling ''which we strangers experienced from the people who were com- " pelled to endure us. Our men, as you know, became domesticated "in their billets, and, as it were, members of the cottage families ; " they partook of the household fare, and their rations went into " the common stock ; even the tobacco which the French govern- "ment issued to them, they shared with their hosts. It was the " same in the towns of the neighbourhood, where ail were kindly •'disposed towards us. The banker at St. Omer cashed our bills " at once without any endorsement ; he asked for no reference " nor recommendation, and the sole security he had was the uniform " we wore. It is gratifying to reflect that liis generous confidence " was not misplaced : after the army of occupation had been with- " drawn, he declared he had not lost a franc by the British officers." I think few of the families of tiic French gentry remained at their residences in our cantonments; but there were many such families in St. Omer, Aire, and Bethune. which were forti- fied towns, with French garrisons in them ; v, e were, however, very little mixed up with them. When at Estreeblanche, two of us were quartered in the house of a very respectable miller by the name of Carapagne, who was also the mayor of the commune ; Captain McNair was quartered at the chateau of Monsieur Ilo- bichez, a kind old man ; he was scarcely ever resident there, but left his establishment in the care of a very faithful housekeeper, named Angeli(iue. As it was within two or three hundred yards of our quarters, we usually messed there, and M. Eobichez very kindly supplied us with most excellent wine at the cost price : I particularly well recollect some beautiful red champagne at fifteenpence a bottle. In the spring we got up a mess at 186 CANTONMENTS IN Thdrouenne for several weeks, from sixteen to twenty officers usually dining at it: no one could be there everyday, but it was a pleasant change for us, when we could get there. I think I was the only one of the Estreeblanche party who managed it, for it was a ride of eight miles there and back : then sometimes we went earlier in the day, and spent several hours together. Poor Jock Anderson, who lost liis leg at Waterloo, was at Therouenne, and usually had some friends who visited him, and tried to amuse him. In the long meadow of Th(5rouenne, as it was called, we had our regimental drills and the general's inspections. The Lys formed its southern boundary, and some of us used to bathe there. I particularly well remember the pleasure I felt at having learnt to swim so well at Paris, that I could make head against the rapid stream of the Lys ; sometimes I used to fold my arms and allow it to carry me down, in four or five seconds, a distance of twenty yards, which it had taken me as many minutes to make good when swimming against the stream, I have often been reminded, in after years, of this little feat con- nected with my bathing in the Lys, when thinking of the diffi- culties which a child of God, one who trusts in the death of Christ as the satisfaction made for sin, and whose heart is turned from the love and practice of sin to the love of God and His commands, has to contend with in his course through this world. So long as he strives to live near to God, diligently using aU the appointed means of grace, and seeking especially to grow in knowledge, faith, holiness, and peace, by means of God's word, under the teaching of the Holy Spirit (1 Peter ii, 1—3), so long as he thus seeks help from God, so long shall he be enabled successfully to make head against the temptations of his power- ful, but not all-powerful, enemies— the world, the flesh, and the devil ; but let him cease to meditate daily in the Word of God, and to watch, and to pray for strength to do what is right, and to give up what is wrong in thought, word, and deed— let him fold his arms and cease to strive, and almost before he has time to think of what has happened to him, he may find that he has been most fearfully carried down the stream of worldliness and sin by the force of tliose temptations which he has not taken the THE NORTH OF FRANCE. 187 appointed means to overcome. That a cliild of God, one born of the Spirit may fearfully fall into sin, is evident from the case of David. His new nature, although it cannot perish, will be greatly enfeebled, and he will lose the comfort of knowing that he IS one of God's children, as David did ; and he can only re- cover It in the same way of humiliation and prayer and watch- fulness and diligence that David had recourse to, as we read in Psalm h, 7 — 11. _ I will not pursue this subject except to observe the foUowina IS the most satisfactory definition of the word "world " as used in 1 John V, 4, 5, which I have met with, I forget whose it is :- J^y the world IS meant everything around us, which tends to ^^ draw or keep our hearts from God, including all persons, whether neighbours, relatives, or acquaintances; superiors, ^ equals, or mferiors ; friends or enemies ; or all objects or cir- ^ cumstances (whatever they may be) which, by the power they ^ exert over our bodies or our minds, prevent our lovin- or 'serving God as we ought to do." The flesh is our old corrupt nature, which, as the 9th article of the Church of England states, doth remam, yea in them that are regenerate." It is made up ot aU the sinful desires and propensities of the mind and body (Gal. V 19-21), which the devil (Eph. vi, 12) stirs up to make a sinful use of the world. These are subdued, but not eradicated in the hearts of those whose hearts are changed and turned to God, who have put on the new man, (the image, or character, or likeness of Christ,) " which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness." This new nature is formed in every be- liever (2 Cor. V, 1 7), though it is in an infant state at first It is made up of the fruits of the Spirit (Gal. v, 22, 23); and to put on Cirist, or to put on the new man, i.e. to increase in all the fruits of the Spirit, and to put off the old man, or the old cor- rupt nature, that is, to have the fruits of the flesh subaued in him, is the daily prayer and aim and desire of every child of God : 1 Peter ii. 1-3. When a man is endeavouring, lookinc. for that "strength which is made perfect in weakness" to do what IS right with regard to persons, things, and r.jrcnmptanees he IS trying to make a right use of the world ; he is " usino- the " v.orld as not abusing it:" 1 Cor. vii, 31. In connexion with 188 CANTONMENTS IN ■ tin's subject, let us well consider those two important verses in 1 John V, 4, 5 : " Whatsoever is born of God overcometh the " world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world " but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God ? " 1 should add, that I believe these three enemies never act separately ; that the devil always makes use of some person, object, or cir- cumstance, in acting upon the corrupt nature of man. I trust many of my readers may derive benefit from the consideration of this subject. When the alterations were made in the various brigades and divisions after the battle of Waterloo, and before the army of occupation marched to the north of France, the 52nd was placed in Major-General Sir Denis Pack's brigade with the 4th regiment and 79th highlanders ; and in the division commanded by Lieut.- General Sir Charles Colville. Pack inspected us in the long meadow near Tlierouenne early in June, 1816, and afterwards issued the following : — " Extract from Brigade Orders, June 11th, 1816. " Major-General Sir Denis Pack feels much pleasure in re- " cording his opinion that the appearance of the 52nd regiment, " on his late inspection, justified all he heard in praise of the " system established in that corps. He thinks particular praise " is due to the officers for the good example they set by their " strict uniformity of dress and officer-like appearance in every " respect." I believe it was on this occasion that he halted the regiment, and inquired of one of the officers " where was the place for the " covering-serjeant of a company, when the battalion was in " open column of sections, left in front?" The 52nd practice was not exactly in accordance with his view of what was correct, and after asking the same question from a second officer and not get- ting the right answer, he told us " that the place for the covering- " Serjeant, under the circumstances, was on the right of the rear " section, that, when the company wheeled into line, he might be " in his proper place." After the movements, &c., were ended, the general and the officers proceeded to the paymaster's quarter at, I think, the north-eastern extremity of the meadow. While we were there, bearing in mind what had occurred about the THE NORTH OF FRANCE. 189 covermg-serjeant's post, he desired an officer, who I think was on his staff or acting on the staff for the day, to look the thin- out in Dundas ; and when he had turned over the pa-es for some time, the general said "how can you be so stupid,''Major 1 TT '' " ^"^ *''''^ ^^'"^ ^°°^' ^'''''''^^- ^^^ ^^« ^^i^e as unable to find the place as the other officer had been, and had to relinquish hjs task with rather a bad grace. As my plan is to record my recollections of most of the things which can be properly recorded without giving annoyance to any one, I must mention a circumstance which occurred either then or at some other time in the garden of the paymaster's quarter. Two of us were amusing ourselves, and whiling the time away by playing at pitch-and-toss with five-franc pieces when one of the pieces, which had been pitched not more than five yards, on to tlie centre of the gravel walk, disappeared in a most remarkable manner. We had both seen it pitched to the mark, and had then lost sight of it, to our very great astonish- ment. We hunted for it and searched everywhere and every- thing for it, within several feet of the mark, for a good quarter of an hour or more, but it was all in vain ; and we seriously, and not at all laughingly or in a joke, felt constrained to come to the conclusion that it had disappeared through tlie agency of Satan himself It made a great impression on me at the moment, and the thoughts passed my mind, that it had possibly been 'per- mitted on account of our sins, or that it foreboded some impend- ing evil. After we had given up every idea of finding the five- franc piece, on turning up a leaf, which appeared to be flat on the ground and to be no larger than the piece itself, there it Avas to our very great surprise. ' I believe there was scarcely anything that could be considered religion, or even the appearance of religion, amongst us at that time. Some years afterwards I heard that, whilst we were in those cantonments, an agent from some Bible Society I believe It was the Naval and Military Bible Society, had sold or given bibles to a few of our men. Long afterwards one of the soldiers who had become quite a religious man, said that this great change had taken place in him, solely tliroiigh his haviiig^'read one of these bibles, whilst he was quartered on a Eoman CaUiolic Mi ■ 190 CANTONMENTS IN THE NORTH OP FRANCE. family near Thdrouenne, without his liaving had any communi- cation with them on the subject of religion. It was the only means of grace he had at the time ; chaplains' visits to the regi- ments were almost unknown in those scattered quarters. I have no doubt but that God in His mercy does sometimes, perhaps frequently, bring the truths of His word home to the hearts and consciences of persons whilst they are studying it alone and without the intervention of others, although His usual mode of proceeding, in effecting a change of heart in a poor sinner, is by his becoming acquainted with the truths of His word through their being taught to him by His ministers or by others, or through their being brought before him in some of those useful religious publications which are now so abundant, but were rarely met with fifty years ago. It must always be borne in mind that, whoever may be the instrument of leading a fellow- sinner to feel his sins and his need of a Saviour, it is His own Word by which God converts the soul, and also builds up the believer's soul in faith and holiness and peace. We aie said by the inspired apostle St. Peter, " to be born again, not of cor- " ruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God which "liveth and abideth for ever:" 1 Teter i, 23, 25 ; James i, 18 ; Psalm xix, 7. It is the Holy Spirit which makes the Word effectual ; so we are said to be " born again of the Spirit." May we pray that He may effect this change in every heart. When we were in these separate villages, I do not recollect that any attention was paid to the observance of the Lord's Day, either as regarded oarselves or the men. There was no instruc- tion for them in anything of a religious nature ; nor indeed did it occur to us to endeavour to employ and amuse them by giving them any other kind of instruction. When encamped at Valen- ciennes, service was performed by the chaplain, but whether he was attached to the brigade or to the division I forget. 191 CHAPTEE XI. 1816. AMUSEMENTS IN CANTONMENTS. '''''Z-t2nt"lTf'Tlr''^^^^^ «- hum. n>g Ace deat-Go over to the cavalry quarters-Commandant of ^f Omer and his staff-Lord Combermere joins the party-rtret at noi havuig been at Waterloo -Dissertation on cruelty to the anhLs hunted A z^t^^^:--'^-^-'-^-^- - poachi„,-rr;tef. Our amusements ^yere not much varied, yet we managed to pass our days very pleasantly. I think it was after our return Ln Valenciennes, in the autumn of 1816, that we started a pack of fox-hounds m the regiment; they were a very nice pack and were well managed under the superintendence of one or two of the officers When we returned to England at the end of November, 1818, ten couples were sold at Tattersall's at a hi^h pnce^ I was very fond of hunting, and will mention a few anecdotes connected with our proceedings in that direction. A most he whole of the country was uninclosed ; the woods and villages being the exceptions. When we were clear of them the chief impediments to a straightforward gallop were deep hollow ^ads, and steep banks. There was a long bank, some mSes from niy quar ers, which, on more than one occasion, was a sore trouble to a sailor friend of mine, by the name of Charles English, who was staying with me and others of the 52nd for some time, i mounted mm; and as he was not a first-rate horseman, thfi diffinuUi^s h- fi^quently got into, afforded his friends much amusement; and after he had got safely back to our quarters, the recountincr them 192 AMUSEMENTS IN CANTONMENTS. I {vffordcd him also mucli gratification. This high bank was per- haps about seventeen feet deep, and certainly very steep, but still it was what those who were used to such things would take their horses down on their haunches, yet it was a real trouble to our friend, and I recollect looking back for him several times, in the space of about two miles that we had ridden away from him, and still seeing him riding backwards and forwards on the top of the bank, doing what we termed " life-guardsman's duty," searching for some more promising-looking place of descent than he had hitherto discovered. One day, when I was the officer of the day, I had to go to make a report to Colonel Charles Rowan, who was quartered at the Chateau d'Uppeu, about a mile from Therouenne. On coming away, after making my report, I found that our hounds had just run a fox into the adjoining wood, and, as my duty was per- formed, I at once joined them, although, as I was in full regi- mentals and had my sword hanging by my side, I was not very suitably equipped for hunting. As soon as the fox had broken cover again, a greyhound joined in the chase, and threatened to spoil our sport, so as I was well mounted, and could, when I chose, ride from the rear to the front of the hounds, I rode ahead to drive him off. Having done this, I kept my place at the head of the party, as we entered the inclosures of a village, with the hounds well up to the fox. After passing two or three fields, in taking a fence, my cap was knocked off my head by the bough of a tree. Of course, as I was before everybody, I coidd not stop to pick it up, but, noting the place, I rode on till in a short time we killed our fox. This being accomplished, I began to think of recovering my cap, and returned to the fence, at which I felt quite sure I had lost it. The cap, however, was no where to be seen. Our caps or shakoes were at that time orna- mented, or ratlier disfigured, by a very broad band o^ silver round the top, a very unsuitable appendage to the cap of a light in- fantry officer. I thought I could not have made a mistake about the fence, and became convinced that somebody, tempted by the silver lace on the cap, had walked off with it. On raising my- self in my stirrups and taking a survey, as well as I could, of the fences of the adjoining fields, I saw the head of a woman through h I : was per- steep, but 'ould take al trouble ;ral times, Avay from \\s on the ii's duty," icent than 1 to go to altered at )n coming 3 had just was per- full regi- I not very ,d broken latened to I, when I )de ahead 30 at the :age, with ree fields, d by the f, I coidd 1 till in a , I began fence, at r, was no ime orna- iev round light in- ike about id by the ising my- ild, of the 1 through AMUSEMENTS IN CANTONMENTS. I93 f~ ''on'-f ' "' ri "' *''™- "'^""' *™ S"'''^ distant irom mo. On ridmg np to hev and iuquiiing if she had seen mv cap, she strenuously denied knowing anything about ih„7 ever, notwUhstanding that she endeavored to keep in a p^ to prevent my discovering that she had son.ething bulky under her elothmg, I at once perceived that such was the case ; and on m accusing her of having my unfortunate cap there, she wa^ aToff rVT'- "•'"' ' ™ ""'^ '"^ elad to re;ov Z honesty. ' ^""° ^'' ' '"^ ''"'^^"^ f°' ^'^ 'i'^' I have forgotten to mention an occurrence which took place at the first meet of our hounds. My recollection of the ground eads me to tlunk that we met abreast of Enguinegatta, Lr to the south-e^tern corner of that long village, nearly on the r^ verse s.de of :t from that on which the Battle of Spurs was fought. I am not quite sure that this was the place, b,ft I mln rcoll'ectT iTr^'l'"'" '"™™S "ffl^^'^ofhe 52nd may recollect It. I believe almost all the officers of the regimenf and no others, wero present on the occasion. The thought crosses ^nefi"^i:i f7' "" \ '"' "'^P""^ *° «'™ "^ -*- a benefit of it-If these recent warriors and heroesot Waterloo could have met at thrs place the warrior, and heroes who had f„u»M and conquered at the Battle of the Spur., what an astonishing 1n- fe^cw It would have been. But let me for a moment folW ou nth the rdea-They will assuredly one day meet togeth3r™ the day is commg, when all who have ever lived, or ever shall hve. upon his earth, shall stand together "before the jud^men seat of Christ," "when the Lord Jesus shall be reveled'^ fZ heaven with h« mighty angels, in flaming fire ..king yZ geance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ: who shall be punishedl th everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power, when he shall come to be glor^ ficd m his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe" J% we all prepare daily and diligently for th.at solemn, and ayfiU, and most glorious day ! Then at least will aU our foolish piitte ot iiunian glory be stained." How, after this digression, I am to get back to the triflin- lift 194 AMUSEMENTS IN CANTONMENTS. anecdote I was about to mention, I know not .-—The officers of the 52nd were all assembled to see their new hounds throw off'. The hounds had never hunted together, and were of course very wild. As we were all sitting very carelessly on our horses, one of the horses got loose and galloped away. This was a great deal too nmch for the sobriety of the new hounds, and they set off" in full cry after the horse ; and this sudden start made many of the horses set off" also. I was sitting in my saddle, with my bridle lying on my horse's neck, and my horse, " Norman," (not the one before mentioned,) a horse well known in the regiment as some- thing very superior to a baggage-horse, and whom I saw last in the stables of the posting-house at Calais, this horse made a sudden start away, which threw me quite backwards before I could touch the bridle, and from his back I fell off on the left side without being able to disengage my foot from the left stir- rup ; I was consequently dragged a short distance, and, either aecidently in his gallop, or purposely by a kick, he gave me a heavy blow on my jaw, close to my chin, which covered me with blood, and the mark of which I carry to this day. I was des- perately afraid that my jaw was broken, and sought out our «ssistant-surgeon, who was on the ground. It seems but yester- day, so vividly do I recollect the scene, although it took place as nearly as possible fifty years ago from the day on which I am writing this. The folio 'ving short dialogue took place:— " Macartney ! I fear my jaw is broken." He then took hold of my chin and giving it a slight shake, said, " Oh, your jaw is not " broken." I think no other person was thrown. I forget what sort of a run we had that day, but I remember my horse got planted in some ploughed land, and that I thought he v/as'^at last paid off for all his ill behaviour at the start. I don't know if any other regiment in the army of occupation kept a pack of hounds, though 1 think the brigade in which the 29th was kept a pack. We once by arrangement took our hounds to the cavalry quarters to the north of St. Omer, to o-ive the cavalry officers a day's sport. Lord Combermere,* who had * The great disappointment of the gallant Sir Stapleton Cotton, (Lord Com- bermere,) at uot being allowed to proceed to Flanders in 1815, as Commander-in- Chief of the cavalry, is mentioned in very strong terms in his " Life," which has just AMUSEMENTS IN CANTONMENTS. 195 sir-TXi:- ra *; sis;'* »: f m In order to avoid disappointment, a bag-fox l,aj been p^ ward of ht. Omer, on the chaussP never corld . ^ '' ."''^PP°^»^'«ent was grievous, and to th« ^nd of ),;o ^„„. 2 196 AMUSEilENTS IN CANTONMENTS. their right, and they gradually gaining on the fox, which I had in full view all the time, till we canio to the inclosures of a village. There we had to gallop at speed up the most muddy lane I ever galloped through in my life. One of the 52nd came next to me and rode within about eight yards, and got his face and the whole front of his body regularly plastered with thick mud, after a fashion which I never saw e»iualled either before or since. The fox took to a large piece of water in the village, and was caught by our huntsman in a boat, and given to the hounds, after having afforded us a very excellent run. I think it was recol- lecting, several years afterwards, the miserable plight in which I had seen this poor wretched fox, that first determined me to give up hunting, of which amusement I was exceedingly fond. There may be other reasons why a man wlio fears God might avoid hunting — for instance, he might think it calculated to lead hira on other occasions into the society of persons not of congenial habits and feelings with himself; but it appeared to me (I have never forced these opinions on others) that I had no right to in- flict pain on any of God's creatures — my fellow-creatures, for such they are — merely for my amusement. The same argument may be made use of I think with regard to shooting and fishing, and some other amusements of a similar kind. It is true we may freely destroy noxious animals, and we may kill game or any oth3»' animals which we may require for food, but then, in both cases, we are certainly bound to kill the animals in the most humane manner possible. The snaring birds and hares, and then killing them as quickly as possible, must surely be a more humane practice than that of shooting them, with the gi-eat chance, particularly in the case of bad shots, of leaving a con- siderable portion of them in a wounded state to linger in great pain, perhaps for a week or two — or more, before they die. I have found wounded hares, with broken legs, several days or a week after there had been any shooting in the neighbourhood ; and whenever there is a shooting party and plenty of game, how many birds have the feathers knocked out of them, which shews they are severely wounded, and yet get away. What should we say of a man, who, instead of letting his sheep bo killed as quickly and humanely as it could be done by the butcher, should, AMUSEMENTS IN CANTONMENTS. 197 ch I had ures of a it muddy Ind came i his face lick mud, or since, and was nds, after ^a8 recol- L which I le to give d. There ;ht avoid lead him 3ongenial B (I have jht to in- tures, for irgument d fishing, I true we game or then, in Is in the ;id hares, rely be a the gi'eat ig a con- ■ in great Y die. I iays or a ourhood ; ime, how ch shews hould we killed as r, should. for his amusement and that of his friends, fire at tliem with ball from behind the fence walls, or mountain crags, killing and taking away some, but leaving others to get away wounded, and to die after languishing, for days perhaps, in misery and pain ? Should we not say of such a man that he was l)rutal and cruel i And yet the very thing must ronstantly occur in deer-stalking. How careful owners of hounds and others are to preserve foxes, in order (may I say ?) to torment them for their own amusement,' when, if the plea of their being noxious animals is urged as an excuse, it would be so easy, particularly when they are young, to put several of th-jm together to a ten times more humane death, by suffocating them in their holes. I recollect a case in which' an owner of hounds impc.-ted fifty foxes from France; so the excuse for destroying them by hunting, because they are de- stroyers of poultry, &c., falls to the ground. But now I come, if my readers have not already tossed the book aside, and will bear with me a little longer, to a very specious plea for hunting and shooting for mere amusement, although ^he engaging in these sports is attended, as has been' shewn, with very great cruelty to the animals hunted or shot ; I do not speak of cruelty to the dogs and horses, for I believe they enjoy the sport; but no one will persuade me that the fox likes to be hunted, or the hares and birds to be shot and wounded. The specious plea I have just alluded to, in favour of hunt- ing and shooting for mere amusement, notwithstanding the cruelty inflicted, is this:— These sports help to raise up amongst us a bold and hardy race of gentlemen, many of whom, having been thus inured to danger and fatigue from their early youtll^ become most effective, valuable, and daring officers in our army and navy. Not that I think many of our sailor friends have acquired their dash in the hunting field. I quite agree that the same men who will ride straight across a country ut a gallop, taking their fences generally as they come, without pulling up, will be likely to do anything or everything which may be re- quired of them in action, be it the leading a charge of cavalry, the mounting a rampart or breach, or (in order that I may include our gallant sailors) storming a battery or boarding an enemy's r ^. -juj-Q doubt, these manly exercises, engaged in by our iri i. . f| frigate 198 AMUSEMENTS IN CANTONMENTS. gentry, are of much benefit to them, and through them, of bene- fit to the country. And these sports also help to give us, what is also a great advantage, a number of resident gentlemen in the various localities, who, but for these amusements, would spend a much greater portion of their lives than they now do, either in London or in travelling abroad, to the neglect of those various duties of a country life, the engaging in which may render their residence amongst them so beneficial, in various ways, to those who come w'thin their sphere of influence. But there is much to be said in answer to all this. First of all, we have had many as gallant an officer as ever stepped, who never rode hunting in his life. Then, our common soldiers and sailors— equally brave with their officers, ready to go anywhere, and into any danger— did they acquire their hardihood and courage in the hunting field, and in amusing themselves by exercisinf^ cruelty on foxes and hares ? Surely the British soldier or the British sailor has plenty of pluck, innate or acquired, without its having been so engendered. But again, let it be granted that the manly amusement of hunting is of national benefit, or that great numbers are not willing to give it up, merely because tliere is great cruelty attending the present mode of carrying on the sport : is there no plan of proceeding by which the various benefits and desires above-mentioned may be as fully met and realized without the attendant cruelty, as with it ? From what I know of huntin*^ I am mclined to maintain that as good sport may be had by hunting a drag, as by hunting a fox, or a hare, or a wild boar. Let a good rider and the best horse be started with a drag, and let them have a start of a quarter of an hour, less or more according to circumstances, and there is no reason why they should not give a well mounted field a good twenty miles' run on any day when the scent will lie ; and if twenty miles shoulu not be sufficient for our modem Nimrods, tlie run might easily be extended, with, or even without, a fresh drag, horse, .-ind rider, to double that distance. A second drag might always be carried, in case of any accident happening to the first. But I am inclined, from some experience in such matters, to maintain that as good sport may be obtained not only without ! ^i AMUSEMENTS IN CANTONMENTS. I99 an animal or a drag to hunt, but also even without hounds, as can be met with in the best hunts of the present day. In the be- ginning of 1819, when I was quartered at Chester, on one occasion when hunting with the Cheshire hounds, we had had very little sport, and being about seven miles from Chester, several of us determmed to ride there across the country. The horses were quite as eager as they would have been had they been foUowincr the hounds. I found by measurement a few days afterwards that my mare, in taking a hedge about three feet high at a fair rrallop on level turf, had cleared two-and-twenty feet. One advantage which I hereby propose to my hunting friends IS, the saving all the expence of keeping a pack of hounds of earth-stopping, of huntsmen and whippers-in, &c,, &c Then this mode of riding across a country would help to supersede the present mode of steeple-chasing, which certainly is frequently attended with cruelty, witness the broken backs of the horses and the broken limbs and necks of the riders which we sometimes read of Then, again, it certainly would be a great boon to the community if it might be allowed by our sporting friends to supersede the present system of horse-racing, with all its attendant evils-cruelty to the horses, gambling, the rascality practised in racing stables, drinking, and the assembling together of the very worst characters. In many places they are mainly got up by the public-house keepers for their own benefit, and it would be of very great benefit to the youth of both sexes, if races and the race course could be altogether abolished. It is a fact which should have its weight with all frequenters of races, plays, and pleasure fairs, that whenever persons become really relicrious and, consequently, sincerely desirous that God should be honoured in all things, generally one of their first resolves is that they will avoid, and try to lead others to avoid, all places, and companies and practices which in any way tend to promote that which iJ sinful and hateful in His sight. If the seeking our amusement in that which is attended with cruelty to animals is wrong, then any proposal to do away with sucxi a system should, to say the least, receive attention and con- sidei'uLion on the part of those to whom it is made. Now what substitute can be proposed for, I presume I may call it, the cruel "sr 200 AMUSEMENTS IN CANTONMENTS. aniuscineut of shootiu}^ ? Before, however, I proceed to answer my own question, I would observe tliat a very small ])r()portiou of the connnunity have the opportunity of following this amuse- ment ; I must also mciution that were half the inhumanity which is practised towards huntcMl foxes, and wounded hares, pheasants, and partridges, to be disjjlayed by the owners or drivers of our London cabs towards their horses, or by our drovers with regard to the animals entrusted to their care, I suspect they would very lik(>ly be at once conunitted to durance vile for a month or six weeks, without the option of paying a fine. I have proposed a substitute for hunting animals, and now I will say something about a siibstitute for the cruel anmsement of shooting at, and maiming, hares and partridges ; though, if the thing is wrong, the upright uum should give up the amusement without i-equiring that a substitute for it should be discovered for him. All will be of opinion that the enrolment of our noble corps of volunteers, and the rifle competition which has every- where been engaged in by them, afl'ords to great numbers of our young men, of all classes of society, an exciting, healthy, and, at the same time, a most useful employnunit ; great numbers of individuals have devoted, no doubt, nnicli of the time which they used to employ in shooting, in endeavouring to perfect themselves in rifle-shooting. Much might be done in the vay of increasing the amusement of rifle-shooting ; perhaps by constructing move- able inanimate objects to be fired at ; but tins, on account of the danger, could only be done on or near the sea, or on the mountain Bide, or on a very extensive level. Connnon shooting, in lieu of killing and maiming partridges and hares, might take place somewhat after the popinjay fashion ; or that might be improved upon by clever inventors who, by means of simple machinery, might make to move rapidly, along high wires, figures of birds or anything else, which might be so constructed as to be knocked down when fairly struck, and they might contain that which shovdd constitute as great a prize as a head of game would be. But what would then become of all the game in the country ? In reply to that I would say, abolish the game laws, give, under certain restrictions, the general riglit of pursuing utid snaring game for a certain time, and probably in two years there would AMUSEMENTS IN CANTONMENTS. 201 scarcely be a head of game in our island. Attend more closely to the rearing of domestic fowls ; but I would do away with pigeons, which not only tempt poachiug-people to try and kill them in the fields, but which also, it is computed, consume yearly grain, not generally belonging to their owners, to the value of a million and a half sterling. I confess that I find it difficult to propose anything which would be a substitute for the healthy and exciting walk of miles either on enclosed or open land on the moor or mountain, which the amusement of shooting induces • and yet I think I could myself enjoy, and benefit by, the lonc^ and varied walk equally well if I had neither dogs nor gun with me particularly if I was accompanied by a pleasant companion And then what a great blessing it would be to the country to do away with all temptation to poaching, by destroying the game n, as I believe it might be fairly calculated, there are two occa- sional or regular poachers, on an average, in every parish in our land, and. in addition, fifty regular poachers in ever>^ town con- taining 50,000 inhabitants and upwards, then, at a rough estimate we may say there are some 30,000 poachers in the country^' What an improvement it would be if there were no temptation to these men to continue their demoralizing pursuit of game and consequently no temptation to those, who come after them to tread in their steps. ' The most difficult objection to answer to the giving up hunt- mg and shooting on the ground that we have no right to inflict cruelty and pain on any portion of God's animal creation is I think, the following :— God Himself has allowed numbers 'of ammals to prey on others, and to inflict a certain amount of pain on them, and almost all kinds of animals, &c, die a death of suffering and pain ; and people might argue, if a kind and mer- citul God permits this, why need we ho so particular about mHicting pain in killing animals, &c., for our food, or in the pursuit of amusement ? I should have no difficulty as to the propriety of inflicting any amount of pain by bad shooting or in any otlier way, if I could not procure food in any other way but It appears to me to be contrary to the Scripture iniunctions to hr. "geutie and "tender-hearted," that we should be careless about 202 AMUSEMENTS IN CANTONMENTS. inflicting pain on animals. God has, no doubt for wise purposes permitted animals, birds, fishes, and insects to prey on each other' He has left numbers of them to die the most painful deaths • but surely that must not be made an excuse by man for revelling in cruelty, and inflicting pain on animals, &c., for mere amusement How contrary, also, such an idea is to all those lessons of kind- ness to animals, and birds, and insects, and even worms, which have been mstilled into most of us by our tender mothers amongst the first ideas which our infant minds received. I must, having gone so far, venture to pursue the subject stdl further. When God first gave ^ermi^mn to man to eat animal food, (perhaps man did so before,) and said. Genesis ix 3 "every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you • even as "the green herb have I given you all things," the permission was accompanied by this restriction, as we read in the next verse " but flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof shall "ye not eat." Thomas Scott, in his Commentary, says oi this passage. "The grant here given fully warrants our use of the "animals for food, but not the abuse of them by intemperance or "cruelty. The restriction might be intended as a check to "cruelty, lest men, inured to shed and feed upon the blood of "animals, should grow unfeeling, and be the less shocked at " shedding human blood." I have begun to think that it may not be really unfair if men pursue the sports of hunting, shooting, &c., for pleasure, regardless of the pain and misery inflicted upon the animals' that they have no right to complain, if they should find themselves classed with such men as Nero, or any other cruel monster of former or more recent ages. In Hooper's Waterloo is the following anecdote, which I venture to borrow from him ; I omitted to do so in the more suitable part of my work:— "A trumpeter-boy of the 2nd Life " Guards, Thomas Beamond, was riding through the field when a "cuirassier rushed at him, with his sword's point levelled at the "boy's breast. Discovering he was a mere lad, the gaUant " Frenchman dropped his point, spared him, and passed on. Sad "to relate, in sierht of the nnor Viof o nr>rv,T.r,^^ ^,u_ i-,-i . e purposes, 3ach other ; eatha; but ^veiling in musement. IS of kind- •ms, which rs amongst AMUSEMENTS IN CANTONMENTS. 203 "Witnessed the noble act of the cuirassier, fell upon him and slew him When the bo^ grown a man, told the story to my informant, he was. even after years had passed by, affected even May such gentle and generous feelings be cultivated, as far as possible, by all contending armies, until God shall "make "wars to cease unto the end of the earth." tie subject lan to eat nesis ix, 3, I ; even as ission was lext verse, sreof, shall /s on this Lse of the perance or check to I blood of locked at unfair, if pleasure, animals, lemselves lonster of which I the more 2nd Life i when a ed at the } gallant on. Sad iiad not 204 IB I I CHAPTEK XII. 1816. AMUSEMENTS AND INCIDENTS IN THE NORTH OF FRANCE, Hunting at Callone— Captain English— Duke of Wellington's boar-hounds— Lord Hill and his brother -Gymnastic club near St. Pol— 52nd play the rest of Colville's division at cricket— Fatal accident— Mess at Therouenne in the summer— Accident to a friend in the 71st-Medals for Waterloo served out— Two of us wear them on going to Aire— Death of a poor woman in the Grande Place— Curious anecdote about the 18th of June, 1816, by a corporal of the 23rd Fusileers— Ball given by the English officers at St. Omer— My servant drowned— Remarkable dreams— Holman's servant shot— A corporal stabbed by a French officer— Capture of thieves— Winter- bottom and his former comrade— Anecdote of the master tailor. We had not a very great variety of amusements during the time of our occupation of the North of France. I received from time to time during several weeks, as a present, from our regimental pack, those hounds which, from their being rather small or for any other reason, our managing committee wished to part with ; and thus I collected, I think, seven hounds, for my kind friend Captain Frederick English, of the Engineers, who was quartered with his family at the chateau of Callone, near St. Pol, about seventeen miles from us. Whilst I was collecting them, two or three of us got a little private hunting of our own occasionally. At Callone they were considered a great acquisition, and I several times went there for two or three days, and enjoyed hunting with them very much. On one occasion I remember riding ahead with a drag, which afforded us very good sport. There was in existence at one time, several years after our return from AMUSEMENTS, ETC., IN THE NORTH OF FIIANCB. 205 France, a very spirited sketch, by Captain English, of the ofBcers more than Ave horsemen, even when I made one of the party. Captam English and his horse, and I and my mare were amongst the figures; and I should have liied to have b J'h" Stltnn ^ ^'^'r"' " ''"' ^™"' '^^^ Parted yetrs aga """ ""^ ''"'" '^'"'^ '" ^"8'='°'' -me thirty The Duke of Wellington, whose head-quartors were at Cambra,. between fifty and sixty miles distant from our canton- ments, on one occasion sent his boar-hounds for a day's hunting m our direction, and four of the 52„d officers weni between them. They threw off not very far from the inn at which we ept, in a forest, the name of which I have forgotten, but we hll carcely any sport. The hounds found a boar, and hunted hirn for a considemUe time, and we rode up and down the rides Tf the forest; at last he broke cover, but merely to run about half a mile across an open space to another part of the forest. There was a tremendous and awkward leap out of the forest, which mv mare managed very cleverly The boar is said to be a fast run- ner when hunted, but I had not the pleasure of seeing him during the whole day. Lord HiH and his brother, Colonel Hill, of the SS TT'' ^^^ '""'' ""^ ""^ «'™ ''"If - dozen other people, besides ourselves, one of whom was Colonel Fremantle Lo d Hill and his brother carried boar-spears, as did one or two of the others. Soon after we got into the forest, as I was walking How are Stt John Colborne and the 52nd. Sir ? " He muM have hea-d that some 52nd officers were to be out that day but I remember my impression then was, that he had not had the opportunity of hearing that we were to be there, and that it was a case of remembering, after having only once or at the most twice, seen me before; the one occasion being when he rode very close upon me in the standius corn, b,If .„ ^„„. „, ° hour belore the commencement of the Battle of Waterloo ■ the other, in passmg along the front at a review, when the fwps 206 AMUSEMENTS AND INCIDENTS Wi i.W>ii^ were standing in contiguous close columns, and when I think I earned one of the colours. Some of our officers got some good coursing ; I only occasion- ally joined them. The shooting was very bad, the birds being very wild on the extensive cultivated lands between the villages. Sometimes, for want of something else to do, I recollect firing ball from my double-barrelled gun at partridges, whicli I could often see running on the rise of the ground 200 yards off, when I could not get within half that distance of them. I need scarcely add, that this ball-practice of mine did not inflict any serious injury on the enemy in my front. Some spirited officers, quartered in the neighbourhood of St. Pol, belonging to our division, proposed, in the spring of 1816, I think, the establishment of a gymnastic club, at which those of the officers of the division who were so disposed, might meet at stated times to play at cricket and other games. The meet- ings were to take place some few miles to the northward of St. Pol. This was at a great distance from our brigade, but two of us from the 52nd attended the first meeting. The 71st, belonf^- ing to another brigade, were close to us at Estr^eblanche to the eastward ; and inclining towards the south, and in the direction of St. Pol, were the 6th regiment, I think, at or near Lillers, and beyond them the 29th regiment; and nearer to St. Pol, and beyond it, there was another brigade and some artillery. These being nearer to the place of meeting than Pack's brigade, were enabled to contribute a goodly number of members to the insti- tution. I forget what games were played at the first meeting, but after dinner, Captain McDonald, the hon. secretary, came to where I was sitting, and said it was proposed that our brigade should play the rest of the division at cricket, at the next meet- ing of the club, and asked if I would undertake, on the part of the brigade, to accept the challenge ; I was foolish enough to reply, that I could not answer for the rest of the brigade, as I knew nothing of them, but that I would undertake that the 52nd should play the rest of the division. I dare say I should just as readily have said that they would play "All England." I have no doubt it created some smiles when this was announced, as it immediately was. IN THE NORTH OF FRANCE. 207 y occasion- 11 Pu""."? f™^ *" '"='™"*' »" ""y r"*"™ to tl>e regiment nf all that had token place, they told me that I ha/^tTvL^ oohsh ly ■„ what I had done, but that as the thtng wi Io7 lorce to try and do some credit to the expectations which I nnght have m.ed of their p^wess as cricketers. We did no take any men with us but eight of the ofHcers including mysef went, and some of them must have ridden upwards offorTv miles there and back ; for I was the nearest to the place of iee/^ ZX ""' "■'' '"^^""'™ ^- ahout'sir^en mit ,i„„Ti! "^"""i^ ■"«»«™'>' assemblage of the officers of the divi- sion thera It was arranged that there should be only eight oL a side. We were not overmatched, and had a most exfel ent frUeS' " the CO U„,„, „, that they saw better fielding m their lives. They had a maior in the artillery on the other side, who got fifty-two runs. wHol d ourselves with saying, that had he been an ordinaiy batter and had not made more than half that score, we should haVe carried away the laurels. But I have a sad addition to male toftfs account. We heard a few days aft, ™ds, that this poor mlio' o artillery, am sorry I cannot recollect his namef who W been fuU of health and spirits, and who was the hero ^f the dlv was kdled on his «t«rn to his quarters that eveniW by t7e up etting of he gig, i„ which he and another officer we^ ridin. at the turn of a road. How often do the solemn warn 1 c"^ to us— "memento mori !" and "thprn i, h.,t „ i i . "and death!" "'cre is but a step between me One moonlight evening, as four of us, including a voun-r cquamtance of mine, a fine young fellow by the name of Barnet of the 71st Highland Light Infantry, were retain, along the Chaussce Brunehaut. from our mes at Th& u™nf to Estrceblanohe, four miles distant, the 71st officer and anotTer of the party determined to ride a race, from the top of te ascent from Mrouenne, in the direction of Est«5eblanche T always tliought those races on roads extr«m->lv A„„„„,r„,, \„j disagreeable, and being mounted on a smairGali„w;;;:;ontenW myself with trotting smartly along the road. When I h" I' h 208 AMUSEMENTS AND INCIDENTS ceedeJ about a mile, I heard a voice crying out, " Hold hard, " hold hard ! " The first object which I saw was one of the horses fixed in a ditch to the right of the road, two feet wide and two feet deep, with his back at the bottom of it, and the four feet up in the air. The two racing horses, in some curious way, had got their fore feet entangled and had both fallen. The 52nd officer and his horse had not taken much harm; but my poor 71st friend was insensible, having fallen most heavily on his head ; his horse was in the ditch, as I have described. The o2nd officer was sitting down with the head of the other on his lap. The fourth man of the party was up immediately after me ; they left me with poor Barnett, and one of the other two rode off to a village two miles off, for an assistant-surgeon, and' the second, after giving notice to some of our men at Enguinegatte, a third of a mile off, to come to my assistance, went in another direc- tion. As I sat supporting our injured friend, I desired the last officer, as he was moving off, if he had a knife in his pocket, to leave it with me, intending to get some blood from his temples or some other part, if Barnett should appear to cease to breathe. I was oft /n joked afterwards about this. It was not a very pleasant position to be in, for I thought it most probable that my companion would die before assistance came. When we had been there about twenty minutes, I was for a moment startled by four of our men rushing down some broken ground behind us, with drawn bayonets, one exclaiming, as he saw our figures, "Where's Mr. Leeke?" They were the men quartered at the first farm house, and had misunderstood the hasty notice given by the officer, that they should lose no time in going to my assistance. They gathered that there was a dying man on the Thurouenne road, and that I was there, and probably thought that we had been attacked by some party. Two or three others came to our assistance, and we placed Barnett, still insensible, upright on one of the horses ; and, two men holding him on and I leading the horse by the bridle, we proceeded to my quarters at Estreeblanche. A small river, called the Laquele, flowed along the road of the village for eighty or a hundred yards, comnletelv filling it. and hpinfT npnrlv kiipft dfipn tlip fonhnnth going along the bank on the right. On our arriving at this water, m THE KOIITII OF FRANCE. 209 Barnctt aatomsl.ed mc by taking l.old of tl.e bridle and nulling the liorse up, and eaying that I ,n„3t not go tbrough the wL H™ was a „,on,entary consciousness. Of course, however, I did tb s He was put mto a bed at my quarters, and onr assist ntsurg ™ surgeon of the 7l3t arrived, and said he bad received a severe concussion of the brain ; they were anxious to get him il tie " S tav h ■ "f "" r ™»"™'^ »" '"^ "™ ears older, ought to have tried to dissuade you, instead " of being led away by you as I was." In reply, I told him that I perfectly well recollected the whole affair, and that it certainly was much more like me than like him to engage in such an ad- venture. I felt rather confident that it was on this occasion that the following, in some little measure redeeming, occurrence took place, but my friend cays he has not the least recollection of it, so it is probable that it happened when I rode into Aire on some other occasion with some other officer. As we rode across the large square of the town, an old woman, carrying one of those small tin boxes with lighted charcoal, which the older French women are so constantly seen with, suddenly fell down in what appeared to be a fainting fit ; we immediately jumped off our horses, and letting them loose, carried the poor woman into the nearest house : on our seating her in a chair, her lower clothes were found to be slightly on lire from the charcoal-box, and she was quite dead. A fine old soldier, a coiporal in the 23rd Fusileers, recently told me that their grenadier company, in which he was, adopted a singular method of parading their medals on the first anni- versary of Waterloo. Two of their comrades were, for some not very serious offence, confined in the guard-house at head- quarters, not very far distant from their colonel's quarters ; so they made one of their number put on his red jacket and all his regimentals, and having fastened the whole of their medals all over the front of his jacket, they borrowed an ass, on which he rode to their head-quarters, accompanied by the whole of the grenadier company. V/lien they arrived, they asked permission to see the colonel, and he immediately came out to them, and on IN TIIR NORTH OF FRANCE. 211 nsk hiin to do thorn n great favor on the aimivorsarv of tlio ftreat v.oto^, „„d it was that he woul.l have the k lei to ovg,ve he,r two comrades, who we» in di,«raeo. He , Jed It ,n „rt! ' ,' f"" ™'"'''«'«» ■"l"""!'! he at the villas,, tliey were quartered at, before the company could got there thom,eIve7 The Monsieur liobichez, the owner of the chateau, at EsMc Wanche, at wh.ch Captain McNair was quarf^d o7 one occasmn pressed me very much to go witi? hi,,, „ a ball at lietune, a f-rench fortress, about ten mile, fron. Aire. I was the only t„gl,sh,„„„ there; indeed, all the rest were French an, wZ :""" '"T" "'""«" '" «"'f°™. -"I althou! , 'ther was nothing unc.vil in their conduct, yet there was a certl constramt, which was almost sure to Irise under «,e cc,t" nces, and which made me feel I had been very foo'k Wn allowmg myself to be placed in such a position Although I was too far from St. Omer to have any acquaintances amongst either the inhabitants or the few English rliderthr thnTntsTpT I "'!■ """^ '""' '""'-'' i°™-=1 the Z; northo St or " '■ "'"' *" ™™'^^ l"-'ored to the north of St. Omer, ,n g.vmg a grand ball to the people of the v„ and neighbourhood, both Knglish and French ; wl ich w n „* Vr '"° *' entertainers, by about four hundTed 3 e til onTr fir- '' "" ^S^"' -- «-' '» '-™ modate tl e one half of the assemblage, and when they had been 'hiy easted,then the other half were to he admitted and the det,achment of supper-eaters arived, every bonbon, and every other recke able eatable, had been eaiTied off by th;se whoTad heen mvited to make the first attack upon the abundant nro ibHitptrtr ''''' "~ " "- ™'^ "■- ™'"- As I was returnin.cr from fhn ball-room to the hotel at which 1 was to sleep, at a very badly lighted spot 1 made some wron. turn, and lost my way for a minate or two; I heard sornHn: p 2 212 AMUSEMKNTS AND 1NCIDKNT8 u U : li 1 i5 ttni cominor. but could not, as it was very dark, suo mom than tlio fi^nm) of a man ajjproachin.t,'. 1 took him to bo a Fruuchman, and ask.'d him whi(!h was tho way to tlio liotcl. Ho answered in Frcnu^h, and ^nw. mo somo dinictiona. whicli, althcmgh I liad in some don[roo h)3t my way, I folt very confident woro incorroct, and, as I thought ho was loading mo wrong on j)nrposo, I gave him somewhat of a scolding for his conduct in my best French, wliich ho took very (luiotly, and tlien said good natunully in Englisli, "Oh come with me and I'll show you tho way k I'ancienne poste." 1 walk(Hi with him twenty or thirty yards, when he put me into the right din>ction, for whicli J thanked him. i could not see his face, but J discovered from his voice that it was tho com- numding ollicer of tho 4th JOnglish regiment. I cannot at all nndoratiind how it was that, in a fortified ])laco of some extent, tho streets, or at least some of them, were left in such a state of darkness. 1 think the army was very healthy during the time of the occupation of iMiince. We had two sad accidents at Estr(5e- blanche, and wliilst Ave were tiiere one of our men was mortally wounded by a r(>tired French ollicer, who lodged in tho village. ] have mentioned that at one time we re^ irly dined at the chateau at A\hich Captain McNair was quart, red. It was sur- roundi'd by a moat about thirty foot broad, over which there was a bridge about five or six feet wide, formed of planks, resting on lour or five walls built uj) from the bottom of the moat; there was no railing on either side of the wooden bridge. It connnu- nicated with a vaulted passage, which passed under some of tho rooms to a small open court within, surrounded by the buildings on three sides, whilst on that side which was oi)posite to the passage to the bridge, mo looked over the moat to the field beyond it. There was a massive iloor between the end of the jiassage and the bridge. We often crossed this bridge on the darkest nights without the least appreliension of danger, althoufeii the water was deep all round the chateau except at Uie edge. One dark night my servant, whose name was Oeorge Soones, with another soldier, was jmssing through tlii^. doorway close to the bridge, and, as it was blowing hard through the passage irom IN TIIR NORTH OF FIIANCE. 213 tho opposite direction, h„ fo„„.l s„„,„ diflioulty in kocpi„„ the candle wind, he was carrying between his tinge™, Tl e other ;..«n was nearly aero.,s the bridge, and heaM "soones ay " tins hght goes out Ita ™.se on the side of the neck, he swam about Hve-anl t ty ya,,Is, but not towards the shore of the moat. His body wa^ tTe IlZi,:" '"'"'" '"" """' ""»™"«'^- -^- "- ™l'3 of I was away from Estnieblanche on that evenin-r and was ve^ much grieved to hear of poor Soones's fate. So "nd T. two bro he>. had volunteered into the 52nd from the Sout^ Hants M,ht,a and his friend.,, I found, lived within two me of ray home, though I had never known them; and possibly thl ado n,e feel Ins death all the more. It was tr ' ' n.elaneholy for me to enter my bedroom at ni,ht. He had been the last thn gs. It was impossible to get to sleep, and I felt very wretched. Divided from my room by a thin lath and plaster partition was the servants' room, in which they kept their fire- looks and accoutrements, and slept. Holnian's servant, a nice elh.w by the name of Blackman, slept, or rather do.ed there on e lught in question. I heard him all night tumbling about on ■^ Led, and more than once I heard hun say, "rm coming " George. I'm coming !" ■=' The next morning, in good time, I sent a man to the next village, about a mile and a half off, oeeupied by Shedden's com- pany ,„ which .Soones's brothers were, to break the melancholy m elhgence to them. On his return, he told i„e tliat he had me one of them before he reaehed the village, and on his sayin. that he was eome to look for him, he at once exclaimed, "You " 'r„i VIT;";"" '°, ''',' "'" *'"" 5'°" '™ »'"'= '■"•' I dreamt Wt night that my brother was drowned." Now I am sure so i I 214 AMUSEMENTS AND INCIDENTS f i 1 much did every one feel the melancholy death ^vIlich had occurred, that the man would tell me exactly what passed be- tween him and the brother, and I perfectly remember it all. However, I should probably not have thought so much about this dream, had it not been for the additional circumstance which I am going to mention. I wrote home to my mother to request her to inform George Soones's family of his death. She could not go to their house, and therefore sent to request that one of them would come and speak to her ; the poor mother came, and on being informed that her son was dead, immediately said, "Was he drowned. Ma'am?" and on being told that he was, she replied, "I thought so, for I dreamt several nights ago, "that he was drowned." These things made considerable im- pression on our minds at the time, but I do not think they pro- duced any religious feeling. As I write, the words of the 73rd Psalm occur to me, though they are there used in a different way by the Psalmist, to that in which they would have been appli- cable to us—" So foolish was I, and ignorant ; I was as a beast "before thee." I do not place any confidence in dreams, although there are many well authenticated instances of remark- able dreams turning out to be" true, but we must allow that dreams, as all other circumstances, are under the control of God, therefore they may lead us to reflexion. I well remember how melancholy I felt, as we marched along a long pathway, by the side of a high hedge, following poor Soones's remains from the chateau to the Eoman Catholic cluirch at Estreeblanche, on the north side of which he was buried. The " Dead March in Saul," which I had never heard before, was sounded very nicely, by our two buglers, who preceded the corpse, and had a very 'solemn effect. I have no recollection of the service being read over his remains, though I suppose it was read by McNair or Holman ; nor do I recollect the firing the three volleys over his grave, though that must have been done. So curious is memory! Some very trifling words or circumstances we remember with the greatest accuracy, when somewhat more important things, which happened at the same time, we eutirr^ly forget. But I have another very sad event to relate, which happened a week only after poor Soones's death. The whole company, or IN THE NORTH OF FEANCE. 215 the EstiManche porhon of it, I forget which, were at ball- practice, about half a mile above the village, under the command ot Holman. I was not present, and I have some idea I was at Enguznegatte. One of the men's firelocks would not go off fit was the same man who was just in front of Soones when he fell off the bridge,) he went to the rear of the firing-party to hammer the flint with his turnscrew, but instead of pointing his musket to he rear he thoughtlessly pointed it towards the men standing, in line in front of him. It went off, and the baU went throuog the arm (breaking it) and through the lungs of a corporal in the rear rank, and lodged in the body of poor Blackman, Holman's servant, who was in the front rank. The corporal recovered but i31ackman was mortaUy wounded. He was taken to the nearest cottage, and placed on a chair, and lived about three-quarters of an hour I thmk no surgeon could get to him before his death Ihey told me, he was quite aware that he had not loner to live and said he should "soon be with poor George;" and a-ain' immediately before his death, "I'm going to poor George"" He was buned by the side of poor Soones, and I often think of their last resting-place. Blackman also was a Hampshire man, and I «iink the man who accidentally shot him, also came out of the South Hants Militia. This man afterwards became my servant somewhat I believe to the astonishment of people, as they thought "he was so unlucky." I do not think I took him as a servant out of bravado, but out of compassion in some measure tor he felt how unfortunate he had been in the matter of these deaths, and how blameable for his great carelessness as reaardel that of poor Blackman. He was a clean, smart soldier, and one likely to make a good servant. _ We were sitting at our mess one evening after dinner, and Brisbane, one of our assistant-surgeons, was with us, when a'mes- senger came from the village, to say that Corporal Gilpin had been stabbed by a Frenchman. We found, on going to the public house, that the intestines being wounded there was scarcely any hope of his recovery. His wound was dressed and sewn up and he was the next day sent to the hospital, where he died within the week. Gilpin and this retired French officer were crreat Inends, and they studied a little together; the Frenchman assist- 216 AMUSEMENTS AND INCIDENTS ing Gilpin, I think, in French and aritlnnetic ; but they also drniik together, and on this occasion they wore both in liquor, and a quarrel arose between them, when Gilpin struck the other severely with his fists. The French officer took up a chair to protect himself with it, at the same tnne opening his knife, and when Gilpin again advanced upon him, he stabbed him under the chair. Corporal Gilpin was one of our finest men, and was the right hand man of the company. Tiie Frenchman made his escape into Belgium, and was afterwards, if I recollect right, condemned to death, "par con- " tumace," I think they call it. He was very nearly taken, for he jumped out of a window with his double-barrelled gun in his hand, just as our village guard, of a corporal and three, came to the other side of the house in which he- lodged, and they pursued liim down the garden, but lost sight of Him. I remember his once being examined as a witness at a court-martial, at Estree- blanche, and I met him once afterwards as I was returning from shooting, where, as he passed mo at about sixty yards distance, he saluted me by taking off his hat, which of course I returned. Captain McNair had to attend with some others at the trial, when he was found guilty. McNair also had to give evidence on another occasion. The circumstances were these, and although there was nothing very particular in what occurred, they were well remembered because they afforded us some little excitement for the moment in the midst of our rather monotonous life : — We were sitting quietly one moonlight evening after dinner, when Angelique, M. liobi- chez's housekeeper, came into the room, and told us she had just Avatched some men who had gone into her master's barn, about eighty yards from the chateau, no doubt for the purpose of steal- ing the wheat, and requested us to come and try and secure them. We did not at first pay much attention to what she said, but presently she returned in a very excited state, saying she had seen people going into the barn, and reproached us with being unwilling to take any trouble to prevent her master from being robbed. On this we sallied out, and one or two of the servants came also. McNair stopped to take a pistol with him, so that I got downstairs and over the bridge the first, and picked up a m Tire NOllTII OF FKANCE, 217 switch, for want of something more suitable, as I ran ahmg shut to agmn hastily; s„, giving it a smart cnt with the switch I ran round to a door, winch I k-„ew was on the other sidl on .",y arnv,„g at .t, the persons within had got it half open for'tho purpose gett,„g away, but on seeing me they closed it aj and could not move it when I pushed heavily against it „ ; could ul our party together make any in.pression on tl 1" or tTel T "" r' '° '"" ""''«^' " """'" °f » ■""«"«■.' ™* off T *'""''''•, ■"''' *''™ "^ '«"'«' ™i«^ «'»"' fifty ya.ds off, and recognised amongst them the voice of one of our own men who was a drinlelieve all igelique. 6 blanche, . received had risen L another the poor regiment, Irinking- . punish- and am igiment." the men, 3d on at Sir, ser- scissors." ed, " :N'o, ys had a 219 spite against me, since I brought up his wife, when I was '■sentry on the quarter-guard at St. Omer camp, and she tried to pass into camp without answermg, when I chaUen<^ed her" I immediately went with the man, who I think was the same man who had his pouch knocked off at Waterloo by a cannon-shot to the master tailor, and told him of the complaint, when he said 'I was trying on his jacket. Sir, with my scissors in my hand' "when he fidgetted about so much, that he made me impatient' and I said, 'do stand still,' at the same time putting up my hand, when the point of the scissors caught him accidentally on the chin." There was nothing to be done but to accept this excuse, and to tell him quietly to be more careful in future. Ihe master tailor of the regiment was attached to No. 9 company and was in the rear of it as a Serjeant on inspection and review days. He tried to have himself looked upon as a privile-ed character, on those occasions, with regard .o his military bearing &c., but this I never permitted. There was no great harm in . nn, but he was rather conceited in his undress and in his walk and attempted to be a bit of a dandy. I recollect on the occa- sion of one of the older officers joining at the citadel of Valen- ciennes, after having been away from the regiment for some very considerable time, he was shaking hands very cordially with all the officers who met him, when the master taHor passed alona dressed m a blue surtout coat which he was aUowed to wear' and an undress cap, somewhat resembling those of the officers' and before he could salute the major, tlie latter, knowing his face and taking him for one of the officers, put out his hand and gave it a hearty shake, saying, "I'm very glad to see you, my good fellow;" which my unmilitaiy readers must undarstand was, under the circumstances, rather contrary to military etiquette Un hnding out his mistake, and getting a little laughed at for it the major uttered something in wliich the words "scoundrel" and " put him in the guard-house," were distinguishable. It is a general f(>eling, I believe, in the army, that officers cannot be too particular in tlieir behaviour to sentries when chal enged by them. The sentry may be placed in verv awk- ward circumstances, particularly with regard to officers when enforcmg the orders of liis post. At the camp near St.' Omer 220 AMUSEMKNTS, ETC., IN THE NORTH OF FllANCE. one nijj;ht wlion T was the officer of the guard, as I lay on my guurd-bod, I heard one of my sentries challenge some one who was ])assing near liis post without receiving any reply, and the " Halt, who comes there?" was repeated several times without the question being answered. At last he crossed the path of the l)erson, who proved to be an officer of another regiment encamped beyond us, and stopped him, when he gave the answer, "officer," and I heard the sentry say, " Then, Sir, you should have said " that you were an officer." I was just going to the sentry's assist- ance, when I found that the officer made no further reply, and was allowed to pass on. But I had no idea of allowing sentries to be improperly treated by anyone. 221 CHAPTEE XIII. 1816, 1817, 1818. LEAVE TO ENGLAND AND PAUIS. KETURN OF THE ARMY TO ENGLAND. Cheltenham - Duke of Wellington - Paris in 1817- French family - Chef descadron-Lab6cver. Ke teousness and gentleman accosted me, and told me ho had heen in my regiment at the Battle of Bunker's Hill ; hut I never fell in with him afterwards. He did not mention his name, but I think It very likely that he was General Hunter, who I know served at Bunker's Hill in .1777, and whose journal of what took' place with regard to the services of the 52nd in America and India IS largely quoted in the early part of the regimental record. ' Towards the end of the summer of 1817, Colonel Charles Eowan very kindly applied for tlirce months* leave for me to ao to Paris, to improve myself in French. I lived in the family of a superior French officer, who had suffu-ed a great reverse of fortune and prospects by the overthrow of Bonaparte, and the restoration of the Bourbons. They were very nice people and were very kind to me; but they were very strong Bonapartists. 1 picked up a good deal of French whilst I was there, and tried to make a start in German. I also did something, but very little, in the way of military surveying. Several other persons usually dined with the family with whom I had taken up my quarters; amongst them was a French chef d'escadron who had served at Waterloo in the cuirassiers. He was now on half-pay. He generally sat at a distant part of the table from me, so that I knew little of him; we were however on very good terms. I only remember two circumstances connected with him, one of which shewed rather strongly his dislike to the English, a dislike very natural, and, I suspect, almost universal amongst Bonaparte's officers and soldiers, many of whom had met with such signal defeats at the hands of the English in the Peninsula and at Waterloo. The circumstance was this:— We were sitting at dinner one day, when I heard some considerable laughing at the other end of the table and found, from several of the party looking towards me, that 'they rather wondered if I had heard what had just been said by the Frencli officer. On my requesting that he would repeat it, he did so, and said, good humouredly, "I was saying, 'we dislike II 'very much the Eussians, the Prussians, and the other dogs, [meaning the Austrians] but with regard to these English we '''detest them.'" The words "autres chiens," (in English, other dogs,) sound very much Hke the word " Autrichiens,''' which is xiU, 224 LEAVE TO ENGLAND AND PARIS. the French word for Austrians. I think tliis play upon the words was common amongst the French at that time. I took the speech very quietly, and merely said, that " there was no " love lost between us." The other circumstance connected with the proceedings of this French officer was as follows : — We went with a party to the cemetery of I'ere la Chaise, and as I followed them I found our friend the cuirassier writing something on one of the tombs in pencil. On my asking, if I might read what he had written, lie made no difficulty in allowing me to do so. The words were ver}-^ treasonable, and had he been denounced to the goveniment, no doubt they would have cost him his liberty, if not his life. They were to the following effect : — " Kise, "Frenchmen, and avenge yourselves on this executioner of a " king, [ce bourreau du roi] who has deprived of life the noble " Labddoy6re." * I think some few years afterwards I saw an account in the papers of some trouble which this officer had got into, in connexion with a disturbance in front of the Chamber of Deputies. I had several English friends at Paris, which enabled me to spend my time there very pleasantly, although I did not allow ray intercourse with them to interfere with my study of French, for which I had principally gone to Paris. I recollect a very pleasant picnic to Malmaison, with a large party of English and French ; and the going to a ball at the English ambassador's. As some of the French royal family were to be there, it wos necessary to go in a court dress ; I had no regimental court dress with me, and, therefore, as was customary, hired a civilian's dress. It consisted of a chocolate-coloured coat and waistcoat, with cut steel buttons, black satin knee-breeches, with buckles, white silk stockings, shoes and buckles, sword, and cocked hat. * On the return of Napoleon from Elba, Colonel Lahedoyere was one of the first sent, at the head of his regiment, to oppose his progress towards Paris ; but instead of doing so, he, and the troops he commanded, went over to the late Emperor. After serving at Fleurus and at Waterloo, he retired, at the capitulation of Paris, with the French army behind the Loire. He was soon afterwards arrested, brought to Paris, tried by a court-martial, and condemned to death, He was shot on the plains of Grenoble, on the 19th of August, 1815, when he was not yet thirty years of age. RETURN OF THE ARMY TO ENGLAND. 225 On my return from Paris, I found the 52nd at Valenciennes On my way thither with the mail courier, I encountered, near Denam, the most tremendous thunder-storm I was ever exposed to. We were afterwards encamped for two or three weeks, and the army was reviewed, on the plains of Denain. Two of us put one of our tents over the otlier, whicli helped to keep out tlxe cold. We had a brother-officer in the next tent to us whose horse's name was "Chance," and having, on two or three' mornings, heard him ask his servant, when he called him, "How "is old Chance?" (he pronounced the name in a peculiar manner) we, during the remainder of our encampment there, made a point, the first thing every morning, of inquiring after the health of his horse, in the same words, and with the same peculiarity in pronouncing the animal's name. Every morning, for a fortniglit, might be heard the following colloquy ; for although after a few days it was very difficult to get him to answer when we called to him by name, yet we always persisted, sometimes in a coaxing way, till we made him do so, which latterly he did, by saying, somewhat impatiently, " Well' " what do you want ? " when we immediately replied by askine salute, or hear the accompanying bugle sound • but I observed that one of the officers with him pointed out tlie' guard to him, when he immediately acknowledged the salute in the usual foreign sijie, by placing the two first fingers of his right hand against the forward point of his cocked hat. Soon after the Emperor's arrival, Sir John Colborne saw General Winzmgerode for a minute or two to see if the arrangement made was what was desired, and I visited the sentries as a part of my guard. The Emperor went away eai-ly, having left a%mall but handsome sum of money to be given to those who had been actually sentries at his house. We made seven days' march from Valenciennes to Calais. I think It was after we had halted on the third day, that I heard 1 f . t 230 LEAVE TO ENGLAND AND PARIS. Sir Jolin Colborne telling some one that he was just going to write to the commandant of St. Omer to request that the regiment, or a portion of it might, when it arrived in his district, be quar- tered within the territoires de la place, so as to avoid the fatigue and annoyance to thp men of being taken two or three miles from the line of march to the several villages from which they would have to return the same distance the next morning. On the 26th I was ordered to go forward to see that proper arrange- ments had been made with respect to the quarters, and found tliat no orders had been given that we should be quartered within the territories, but that the old plan was adhered to, which in- volved much additional fatigue to the men; I therefore took upon myself to ride into St. Omer, and to see the commandant, (I could not recognize him as our fox-hunting friend.) I told him that I came on the part of the Chevalier Colborne, who, I understood, had written to him to request that he would allow the regiment, or a portion of it, to be quartered for the night within the temtoires de la place. He said he had not received any letter from Colborne, but immediately granted the permission requested, and issued the necessary orders. When I reached the column of march, I found that one or two companies had already branched off from the main road to occupy the distant quarters intended for them ; they were greatly pleased when I quickly overtook them, and thus saved them some considerable extra fatigue, and Sir John Colborne was pleased with my having taken upon myself to call on the commandant of St, Omer. We embarked at Calais on the afternoon of the 28th of No- vember in about thirty small sailing craft, and reached England the next morning. There are some strange mistakes about some of these points in the 52nd record : it makes us to have been only five days on the march from Valenciennes to Calais, and three nights and two days between Calais and Dover. The wind was contrary, but there was not much of it till tlie next morning, and the night was tolerably clear. We had about half the company in the vessel in which I was with another officer. As each vessel of the flotilla f?ailed independently of the others, they soon got well separated ; but as we tacked about, we occa- sionally came near enough to some of them to give them a hail. RETURN OF THE ARMY TO ENGLAND. 231 With tiie lielp of the master's speaking-trumpet we contrived to give ourselves some considerable amusement, by keeping up a tttle talk with them in the following fashion. Self:—"^Yhat " ship is that ?" Reply .—" The Harriet, of Eamsgate." Self :— "What have you on board?" ii^js/y .•—" Troops." Self :— " What troops ?" Reply .—" Part of Captain 's company, of "the 52nd Light Infantry." Self .-—"Ar'nt you ashamed' of " yourselves, you lubberly set of fellows ?" In the morning the breeze freshened a good deal; almost all the vessels got into Eamsgate ; two were on the Goodwin sands for some hours, and the one I was in, and another, put into Dover. Thus the last portion of the army of occupation reached England on the 29th of ^November, 1818. 232 CHAPTEE XIV. 1818, 1819. THE 52nd march to CHESTER AND ARE STATIONED THERE. Dover — Deal — Ramsgate— Custom-house — Scene at Canterbury — Start for Sheerness— Short visit to friends — Sir John Moore's mother — Various incidents— Balls- -Races — Hunting — The Bishop and Archdeacon — Special assize — Lord Lyndhurst commandant of the garrison — Fire, and amusing incident— .'52nd ball given to the town and county— Several incidents — Visit to Bold Hall— Obtain leave to go to Germany — Proceed to Plymouth- Ball at General Brown's— Sail in Myrmidon to Spithead— Bishop Crowther rescued from slavery by Myrmidon — Incidents connected with his deliverance. According to my arrangement, I found letters in the post office at Dover from my brother, and found that his ship, the Alert, was to he in the downs that day from Sheerness, so leaving my men to proceed to Canterbury the next morning under the com- mand of the other officer, I posted off to Deal, where I could hear no tidings of the Alert, but, I afterwards learnt that my brother had sent a boat on shore that evening, on his arrival, to enquire for me ; I therefore proceeded to Eamsgate, where my baggage and my horse were landed, and where I found the rest of the regiment. ICither that night or the next morning, I dis- covered, that, in the absence of my keys, the custom-house officers had broken open my trunks and chests to see if they contained any contraband articles. It was somewhat curious, that I had brought, from Valenciennes, a tolerable quantity of handkerchiefs and other things intended for my friends, which I meant to pay fo^, and which the custom-house officers had over- looked. Under the circumstances, the matter certainly does not THE 52nd march to ches'h:r. 200 00 weigh so heavily on my conscience as to lead me to offer to repay to the revenue what it lost by the transaction. As my locks were injured, it is possible that / may have been the los v by it. It would have been but a projiov coi pliment to their victorious troops on their return from Prance, if an order had been sent down by the government to let all their baggage be landed, without being subjected to the, at all times, unpleasant ordeal of undergoing an examination. But what we looked upon as a real grievance, and as a ver) shabby transaction, was the requir- ing the officers of the army of occupation, who were paid and provisioned by tne French government, to pay ten per cent, income-tax on the amount of their pay. I suspect it did not find its way back to the coffers of the French treasury. We marched lie next morning to Canterbury. Some of the officers liad relatives there, and the regiment had been frequently stationed there. It was known also that it was the last regiment to arrive from the army of occupation in France, and there was consequently an unusual scene when it halted in the main street. It appeared as if all the principal families of that ancient city had assembled to greet its arrival. It certainly was a very pleasing scene and "a proud moment." I had obtained leave from Sir John Colborne to proceed to Sheerness to look after my brother ; as I proceeded, I found the road in one place so exceedingly muddy that I turned my horse on to the footpath for a short distance, and came in for a greeting and a specimen of English manners and civility which stood in rather unfavourable contrast with the scene which I had just before witnessed at Canterbury. A young fellow, of about my own age, who might have been the son of a farmer, or of rather a lower grade, was a few yards before me, with a gun in his hand, and I suppose thinking that my riding on the footpath was an undue interference with his liberty and rights as an Englishman, had the hardihood to tell me, that if I did not get off the footpath he should take my horse off for me. Mine was ahnost a case of necessity ; but, however that might be, and as I was not in his way at all, I was not going to let him take the law into his own hands. After telling him that he had better not attempt to put his threat into execution, I attacked him 234 THE 52nd march to CHESTER It'li 'I IP' I about his carrying a gun without a qualification, and it was curious to observe how the consciousness that he was doing an illegal thing completely silenced him. A few miles from Canterbury, I met two sailors, who had come from Sheerness that morning, and who told me the Alert had sailed for Portsmouth. I immediately determined to go to my home, near Portsmouth, and got on as fast as I could to Sittingbourne in the hope of falling in with some coach to London, which would be in time for the Portsmouth mail. I left my horse at Sittingbourne, at wliich place a detachment of the 52nd was to lialt the next day, and left a note for one of the officers to take the horse on, and proceeded in a post-chaise to overtake a coach which had started only a very short time before I arrived. I overtook it, I think, at Rocliester, and reached London, and the Angel at the back of St. Clements, in very good time for the Portsmouth mail. I reached Horndean very early in the morning, and slept there for a few hours, and got home about ten o'clock, to the great delight of the whole party, who had not the least expectation of seeing me. It does not now appear to be more than four or five years ago, but five- and-forty years have passed since then. I recollect very well that as I went up to the drawing-room, I purposely let my sword dangle against the stairs, rather to astonish whoever might be there. I heard them rush to the door, one of them saying, " If it should be William." Tljat was one ot llie truly happy days of my life. There was no Alert at Portsmouth. It was a mistake of the sailors. After spending a clear day or two at home, and seeing several of my old friends in the neigh- bourhood, I returned to London, and from thence in a day or two went to Uxbridge, where tlie regiment had orders to remain for about a week. At this time I went with some valued relations, who were as fond of the 52nd as I was, (they being also near relatives of Sir John Colborne,) to call on Mrs. and Miss Moore, the aged mother and sister of that great and gallant commander, Sir John Moore, who was killed at Corunna, in 1809, and who had been colonel of tlie 52nd, and had intro- duced into it and into the 43rd and the old 95th Eifles (now the Eifle Brigade) that system of drill, &c., which helped to make id it was J doing an who had tlie Alert id to go to could to coach to 1 mail. I chment of 3ne of the -chaise to hort time 2ster, and iments, in Horndean lioui's, and the whole It does », but five- very well ly let my L whoever e of them the truly louth. It ar day or the neigh- a day or to remain le valued hey being Mrs. and lid gallant runna, in lad intro- (now the . to make AND ARE STATIONED THERE. 23; them such splendid and efficient regiments, when with two battalions of Portuguese ca9adores they formed the famous light division in the Peninsula. Mrs. Moore, whom I had before seen when I was starting for Flanders in 1815, asked me, " Where the 52nd were now ? " when I told her that the last detachment of them had marched through London that morning on their way to Uxbridge, she said, she should have liked to have seen them, adding " I would go some distance to see the 52nd." During the time the 52nd were at Uxbridge, I had permis- sion to be at Hillingdon with some kind friends and connexions. Dr. Hodgson, the Dean of Carlisle, and his family. I recollect' on my arrival, the Dean and Mrs. Hodgson were at a dinner party and had desired their two pretty little daughters to entertain me, if I should arrive that evening. When eight o'clock arrived, the elder one, who was nearly fourteen, said to her sister who was a year younger; "I think, Mary, as it is " eight o'clock you had better go to bed," which she accordingly did. Their mother told me that the next morning, in relating what had passed, one of them observed, " He talked so sensibly, just " like you, mamma." It had been intended that the 52nd, on its return from France, should be stationed at Plymouth, but their destination was altered, and they were sent, the head-quarters and five companies to Chester, three companies to Liverpool, one to Warrington, and one to the Isle of Man. We enjoyed the march from Uxbridge to Chester very much. One way in which some of us at times beguiled the weariness of the march was by getting into the fields and taking in succession every fence which ran at right angles from the line of march ; these were generally taken, as in hunting, at a gallop, and of course without knowing what kind of a landing there was on the other side; consequently now and then we came down, horse and all, but usually recovered ourselves without parting company from our horses. It was a great amusement to the men, and helped them to look upon our marches as anything but tedious. Then the enlivening and martial airs played alternately by the band, and our corps of more than thirty buglers, as we passed through the various towns on our route, of course brought the whole population, I 236 THE 52nd MAltCH TO CIIESTEU I male and female, either into the streets or to their doors and windows, and we were not a little proud of oursdves and of our fine 52nd fellows, +ho \;Kst majority of whom were decorated with the medal, which ^.\fia the first which had ever been given to a British suldier. We passed through Aylesbury, Coventry, where we saw peeping Tom, and Birmingham, where thousands thronged us as we marched away, so that we could hardly get along, and every soldier seemed to have some dear friend who pressed into the ranks to try and gt t tlio last shake of the hand. I think it was at Wellington beyond Shiffnall, or at a village full of colliers, called Oakenwood Gates, that I was billetted by myself for the Saturday and Sunday with the whole or a portion of Captain McNair's company, and the daughter of the landlord, on being requested to supply me with some books, brought mo a volume of Mrs. Opie's tales, in wliich I found the story of " Wliite Lies," which I was much pleased with. It called my attention to an important point which I had never thought of before. We arrived at Chester about the 20th of December, and were very much pleased with our quarters, the only quarter I ever was in in England. We met with great attention and kindness from the various families of the town and neighbourhood. The men and two officers were in the barracks in the castle, the other officers in lodgings in the town. Our mess-room was in the castle on a rock looking over the city walls underneath, on to the river Dee. The 20th Eoman legion was stationed at Chester after the defeat of Caractacus. The old rows or galleries in front of the houses in two or three of the streets, and which serve as covered footpaths, are supposed by some to be of Eoman origin. Here the 52nd remained for more than six months. I should think it could not have been surpassed, as an agreeable quarter, by any other place in England or elsewhere. Our walks on the Ehoodee and along the bank of the Dee, on the walls, which are nearly two miles in circumference, and in the rows, with our kind and fair Chester friends, have often been looked back to in after vfara with plensurfi and rnorpt It wniild be bad taste to mention the families by name, though they are all weU and gratefully remembered. During the races, which took AND ARE STATIONED TIIEltE. 237 place on the Pihootlee, and lasted nearly a week, the dinner engagements were two for each day at different houses. The races comnienced at two ; and the first dinner was at one, and tlie second at seven. It was the gayest time of the year at Cliester. Tliere Avere also balls and other amusements. Some of ns hunted occasionally. I well recollect the first time we went out with the Cheshire hounds ; I enquired who were the most forward riders, and some of my acquaintance pointed out two persons, one of them on a white horse, as those who would shew the way to the whole field. Being well mounted, I deter- mined to keep my eye on them. The country was what was called a stiff one. Directly the fox and hounds had got away I was much pleased at seeing at least a dozen fellows, of whom I was one, take the first fence together at a gallop. They took no more fences together. My friend on the white horse soared rather ahead, and took his fences at a first-rate pace and in lirst-rate style. After we had gone about a quarter of a mile, I gave him the go-by, and maintained my position afterwards. 1 recollect a curious scene, in the course of our nine miles' run, which occurred amongst some inundations, occasioned by the overflowing of a brook. The two or three first horses got through the brook very well, it was impossible to leap it ; but the opposite bank, which was somewhat steep and only passable in two or three places, became very slippery after the first few had passed, and as I trotted on to take a low fence with the water on both sides of it, I looked back and counted seventeen of our friends some on and some off their horses in the brook. The horses had slipped and fallen back from the slippery bank. Tlie next time I went out with the hounds, I found nearly the whole field reconnoitred and admired my horse : she had been bought in France from an officer of the 12th Light Dragoons, and was up to any pace or any practicable fence. The last time I ever hunted, in taking a severe fence and ditch out of a wood on to lower ground, she met with an over-reach, which laid her np for many weeks. When the 52nd were ordered to Chester, one of my relatives wrote to the good Bishop to request him to shew me some atten- tion ; but immediately after our arrival he experienced a severe k 238 THE 52nd march to CHESTER \h\ Hi < . hi I ■ ' 'OTH *i I domestic affliction, and shortly lie wont away, and did not return whilst I remained there. He deputed one of the dignitaries of the church to call upon me, and to express his sorrow that he could not see me himself. Something led me on one occasion to ask this gentleman if he ever played at whist, and if he would come to my lodgings on a certain evening and play a rubber with some of my brother officers. This he assented to, and came accordingly. We always dined very late, and we never thought of tea afterwards ; so that, strange as it may appear, it did not cross my mind that our friend had come to drink tea with us, until quite late he very modestly inquired if he " iiught ask for a glass of water." Frequently in after years was I told by my brother-officers of my inhospitable behaviour to the kind Archdeacon. Whilst we were at Chester, Lord Lyndhurst, then Sir John Copley, came there to hold a special assize for the trial of some prisoners accused of high treason. The custom then with regard to the military was that they should not be removed during the assizes, but that the Judge should be considered as the com- mandant of the garrison, and the officer on duty should receive the watchword and countersign from him. Accordingly on the first day, when the court had adjourned, I proceeded to his lodgings and explained to him the custom, at which he seemed amused, and gave me two of the Peninsula battle?, I think Vimiero and Busaco, as the watchword and countersisn. One night there was an alarm given that the Dee mills were on fire. They were very extensive and lofty mills, which were the property of a gentleman in the town. The progress of the fire could not be arrested, and they were burnt down. I worked hard in various ways, as I usually did on such occasions, and had a most narrow escape of being run over by one of the en'nnes, which the people were moving without being aware that I was just in front of it, and unable to extricate myself from my position. It was one of my most narrow escapes, as the engine touched me when it was stopped. It was considered necessary to convey the hose of the engine across the stream, which was then ruiining out with great rapidity. 1 undertook to do this, but had not proceeded two yards, when to my astonishment I was AND ARE STATIONED TIIKHE. 239 not return jnitavios of ow that he le occasion and if he lul play a ssented to, 3, and we IS it may id come to nquired if ifter years beliavioiir I Sir John d of some ith regard iuring the the com- ild receive ;ly on the ed to his le seemed 1, I think aills were hich were ss of the I worked 3, and had ! engines, hat I was Prom niy 1 le engine 1 necessary | hich was this. but mtl was swept off my legs, and four or five of our men, who made a dash to lay hold of me, were «i]-n «»wept down. We were, however, all brought to the bani , w.ih at receiving any injury. During progress of 1h^- fire, lue following som3what ludicrous the occurrence took plac ' -rvant in livery came up to me and addressing me sonewL .. the heroic style, said, "I have " mentioned your conduc' Mr. Leeke, to the Miss s, (ladies "to whose family the 'n ' I'ngs belonged,) and they desired me " to present their compliments, and to thank you, and to beg yon, " to continue your exertions." It was my turn for duty of that sort, therefore I had to take charge of the guard whicli was necessary to keep the crowds of people from going near the dangerous ruins. At my request, however, the adjutant re- mained in charge himself, whilst I went to change my wet clothes. I recollect the master of the house, in which my lodgings were, begged me not to delay for a moment changing my things ; he told me that on a similar occasion, some months before, he had got very wet, and had neglected himself, and was then in a hopeless state of consumption. In return for all the civilities and kindness we had received from the gentry of the city and county of Chester, we determined to invite them to a grand ball and supper. I had the chief ar- rangement and management of it, and it was said that it gave universal satisfaction. I came across the bill of costs very lately, amongst some old papers. I recollect two or three incidents connected with this ball. We read a long and flaming account of it in a Chester paper before we left the room, in which I was described as the Hon. Mr. L. On proceeding to leave the hotel, we found a gentleman lying very drunk on the floor of the entranoe hall ; the hotel people knew nothing of him, and said that he had not secured any bed there. My impression is that he had not been at our ball, but that he was in hunting costume. Although he was quite a stranger to all of us, we did not like to leave him. On arousing him, we could just make out that he had a lodging in some other street in the town : so we got him out, and found that with some help he could manage to walk. He pointed out the direction in which the street wlis, and we asked him, when we came to the first turn, if that was it, and ou 240 THE 52nd march to CHESTER his saying it was not, we went on to tlie next street, which he thought was the right one, so we took him along it, although it seemed quite hopeless that we should discover the lodging. At last, in a window at the top of one house, we saw a light, and rapping loudly, inquired of a woman, who put her head out of the window, if a gentleman was expected who had taken a lodging there : she replied in the affirmative, and told us to open the door, which was not fastened, and how to find a light and the room. On getting him into the room he objected strongly, and for some time, to get into bed ; when asked his reason, he refused to tell us. At last I proposed that he should whisper it to me, which he consented to do, and the poor fellow said he " could not " go to bed without saying his prayers." We persuaded him at last to go to bed, and then we left him, though we were not at all assured that he was the person for whom the bed was intended, the woman of the house not having taken the trouble to ascertain the fact. One Sunday afternoon, towards the close of my stay at Chester, I rode out a short distance into the country, and seeing a gate rather sloping, so as to make it not a high leap, I put my horse, a new one, at it ; he managed the leap very clumsily, and came down on the other side, falling on my leg, without, however, hurting me in the least. I had no religious feeling at that time, but as I rode back to Chester, I remember that I thought it was a judgment, and a warning to me that I should not so profane the Sabbath day. On one occasion four of ns accepted an invitation to go to Bold Hall, in Lancashire, where we spent one or two clear days very pleasantly, and made the acquaintance of the pleasing daughters of the house, the eldest of whom, who was heiress to the immense property of her father, afterwards married Prince Saphie, and did not long survive her marriage. The second married Sir Henry Houghton. I sat next to the eldest daugliter at dinner, and in the course of conversation on the subject of engagements, slie made the following very true remark: — That she thought young persons with very large fortunes were very much to be pitied, on two grounds — the first, that men paid them attention, and made oilers of marriage to them, who were not AND ARE STATIONED THERE. ;, which he Ithough it Jging. At . light, and out of the I a lodging ) open the it and the ongly, and he refused r it to me, ' could not led him at rere not at bed was he trouble it Chester, ing a gate my horse, and came ho wove)*, that time, ^ht it was 50 profane I to go to 3lear days pleasing heiress to 3d Prince e second daugliter iul)ject of -That slio ery much lid them were not 241 really attached to them, and only sought them for the sake of their moriey-the second, that they themselves were very liable llTl] T.T''''''' °^ ^^^^'""""" ^«^^- ^^^"^^"^ted with men who might be very suitable husbands for tliem, and who nnght have shewn them some attention, from the fear or suspicion that these men also were attracted by their money, and no by a personal regard for themselves. 1 find it very dilEcult, in . -i L! my various recollections of bygone days, to adhere to my deter! minat.n to avoid all such subjects as the above, and the mention ot anything which, by any possibdity, may occasion annoyance to any one. I liave reason, however, to believe tliat the relation of tlie above conversation cannot now give the least pain to any person which Tt^"'?r"-t'f '' P'P"' '^'' ''^■'''''' '^' circumstance hichl thought miglit be both useful and amusing, but, just on h point of printing it, I think it better to withdraw the anecdot ad merely to give the useful portion of it, by stating that I hav. ftheT U /'I "" -^ '''''''' '' "^^^ «^^- '^ ^^ — that un si i, ' 1 " r' "' " ''"^^^' ^^ "S-^^*' '' f^^^ the morning un s^uning strongly mto their rooms, they can sometimes l^ seen into very clearly, even from a distance of fiftv or sixty yards or more. " -^ Some little time before the regiment left Chester, I thouoht one evening, as I -- ' "^ ^iuu^^m. M'as 1 ,. - ^^'^« ^^astily preparing for mess, that leading a very Idle life; and I began to consider what I could do in the shape of setting to work, to improve myself; and I de- CK ed, certain y in less than ten minutes, that I would try and .^et leave of absence to proceed to Gennanv, for the purpose of earning Germai. At mess I happened to sit next to the com- mandmg officer Sir John Tylden, and told him what 1 had been thinking of -he replied, "and a very good thing too. I will to .'n f • T T ^'''' "^ '''''' '^ y^^ ^^'■" This I assented to, and m less than a week I received six months' leave. Another ..cer a nobleman, for whom application was made at the same time for leave to go and see his friends, was refused his leave Ihe authorities, it appeared from this, were desirous of encoura-^- mg oihcers to acquire a knowledge of foreign languages. I was very sorry to leave Chester. My brother was fitting out the Myrmidon at Plymouth, so I R §: 242 THE 52nd march to Chester %n • 'T •jTf. ml went there to take leave of liiin. I went with him to call on General Brown, who commanded that district ; on our way we came across the 85th Light Infantry, one of the finest body of men I ever saw ; they were advancing in line, which movement they made exceedingly well, even in my eyes, who had seen such wonderful advances in line, even over broken ground, by the 52nd. General lirown enquired about my regiment, saying that he had never seen a regiment move so well as the 85th, but that he was told they were not equal to the 52nd. He then asked me what I thought about it, and I replied that I could not say anything about the relative merits of the regiments with regard to their movements, but that I believed the 52nd were in as high a state of efficiency at that moment as they had ever been in. Some of General Brown's family asked me why the 52nd had not come to riymouth, as was at first intended, and said that they understood Colonel C Kowan had got our destination changed. There was an amusing story wliich had been told to us first by Lord Seaton. It was this : that there was some grass not very far from the Government-house, and the orders of one of the sentries M-ere, that nothing was to be allowed to go on it, except the general's cow. One day Lady Thornborough, the port admi- ral's wife, who was walking there, got on to the turf, and was immediately ordered oif by the sentry, who, on her remonstrating with him, was very peremptory in carrying out his orders. At last Lady Thornboroiigh said, " Do you know who I am ?" When lie answered, " No, but I know you are not General Brown's cow." She went into General Brown's directly, and was delighted to tell them the story. During my short stay at PI, .outh, we went to Puslinch, and met Lord and Lady Seaton tliere ; and we went also Avith a large party to Soltrum to a picnic. I dined at the mess of the 85th, and was particularly pleased with two men there, one of whom was Vandeleur ; the names of all the other officers I forget. We had a ball on board the Myrmidon, and, immediately after, another, which the Browns gave more particularly on our account ; at four in the morning we went from the ball on board the Myr- midon, sailed immediately for I'ortsmouth, and, after a pleasant run, anchored at Spithead, at twelve at nisiht. AND ARE STATIONED THERE. 243 own s cow. The Myrmidon shortly after sailed for the coast of Africa rervio?^' ™f "'"'Tl^ ''' '''''' ^'''''' -^ did some good service there for which my brother obtained the honour of .nighthood The Myrmidon took and destroyed numbers of slave vessels, and, on one occasion, when in company with the Iplngenia, took the vessel in which Samuel Crowther was He was then a boy of twelve years of age. He was transferred to the Myrmidon, and remained in that ship for some weeks. He is now Bishop of the Niger. I have twice met this truly good and sensible man-once several years ago-and more recently, just as he was about to be r^of tr ""if °' '' ^'^ ""''''■ "^ ^-^ - «- -^01 account of the village m which he lived being attacked, of his ather bemg killed m resisting the attack, and of his mother and her children being sold into slavery. He was on his way in a slave.sh,p to the West Indies, when the Myrmidon and the Iphigenia fell in with the ship. He told me how frightened he was at the Serjeant of marines, who was pacing the deck of the slaver, as the slaves were being transferred to the British ships • for the Spanish slave-dealers had told them how cruel the En^^lish' were, and that they were in the habit of killing the slaves^nd dy^mg their soldiers' jackets with their blood. Se and Mer boys agreed to keep back as much as they could, so that they nnght be the last to be taken on board the English man-of-waT n speaking of the Serjeant, he said, "I assure you I was ven^ oTd tit M -f ''1'T'' "'^^^ ''^ ^^°^'-- ^^^--11 tW .^ ^ ^T ' '"^ '^'''' '^''"^ ''''' ^''^'^y i^^^-eased as they stepped on the quarter-deck of the corvette, by seein<^ as thev thoughtthobodyofoneoftheir companions hangin^ginthri-^^^^^^^^^^ and the heads ot many of them ranged in a row all round the deck of the ship, between i '., Tuns. They were greatly relieved when they found out that whac ::iey took to be the body of a innn ^v.s lat of a pig, which was about to be cut up, and served out to tlie crew and ;]ie supposed heads were cannon-balls painted b ack, and r..g.u round the ship on a rack. He as.,ared me ; n \r r^^' 1 f''' ''''' '^"^'^^ ^' ^ ^''^' ^^«^« described itm My lamented sistei-in-law, the late Lady Leeke, made lirni his first clotl^es ; wliether or nut she attempted to teach iun. R 2 "m 244 TIIK r)2Nl» MAIiCIl '1"0 CIir.STKU anytliiii",^ I am not quite sure. Not vory lon<,' lU'lor liin ivkiiHO iVoin .slavery, lio was taken to Sierra LeoiK', and ])l!U'eil under tlio earo and instruction of the missionaries of that excellent society, tlio Chureli Missionary Society, and soon becanu; one of tliciir most promising scholars. How woiulc'rHd are the ways of iUn\ ! How wond(>rfidly hits He overruled the cruel and ini(iuitous slave- trade for takinj,' ])ersons frt)m several of the tribes of Wiwtern Africa, brin^inj,' them to Sierra Iahhw for instruction in the ^rc^it truths of I'hristianily, iind tht-n returnin}.,' many of them, as ])reachers of salvation throu«,di C'lirist, to the ]>ers(»n8 amon<.;st whom they havt! lived, and whose language and habits they arc :ic(iuainted with I Alter the lapse of many years Uishop Crow- thor's nutther was restored to him again, and became a convert to Christianity. 1. think it was about the beginning of IH52 that my brother sent out a nice lUble, and that 1 sent to him a, copy of Simeon's "Life." lie told us afterwards that he lost both these ])resents when his lunise was burnt to the ground. My brotluu' ju'esented him in IS6\> with another JJible, with the followii\g inscripticni written in it ; — " To the bMght Reverend Sanniel PMjai "Crowther, Uishop of the region of the Niger river, in Western " Africa, this co}^y of God's holy Word is presented, on the occa- " sion of his consecration as lUshop, at Canterbury, on the 2!)th "of June, 1804, by his friend Admiral Sir Henry -John Leeke, " who, when connuanding His IMajesty's shi]) Myrmidon on the "coast of Africa in the year 1821, captured the slave vessel in " which S. E. Crowther, then a Ix^y of about twelve years of age, "was being conveyed to the West Indies to a life of slavery. " Isaiah Iv ; Acts xx, 28 ; John xxi, 15 — 17." Ill h 245 CHAPTER XV. 1819, 1820. GERMANY, ENGLAND, PARIS, NICE. Calais to Bruascls-Miirdof of English ffontlemen-IIo\v discovered-Tradition alwiit tiio (i;j;iit at Cheriton in tiic time of Cliarles 1.— Visit the field of Watcrluo-Oorn rank wiicre we defeated Die Inii)crial Guard— The Rhine — Ehreiilireitsteid, l)eautiful scenery— University of Gottingen— Curious funeral ceremonies -llanover-The Jiiger Guards-Colonel Keynett -Leave Hanover for Sottrum -Arrangements for learning German— Alarming ill- ness— Religious feeling— Return to Hanover— Dilliculty in speaking Eng- lish properly— Advised to return to England -Paper written on my 22nd hirtliday— Ludicrous difiiculty at Yarmouth— Thames frozen over— Anec- dote connected with the losb of the Royal George-Unpleasant occurrence at races— Think of going on half pay— Kind remonstrance from the regi- ment—Proceed to Nice -Bonaparte at Prejus iu 1814— Religious friends, &c.— Adventure with a mosquito— The climate of the south of France and Italy. I EMfiAKKEi) at Dover and arrived at Calais, on my way into Germany, on the 19tli of July, 1819. A journal which I com- menced at tliat time states that I " met in the packet Mr. Rogers, Beauclerc, and a Frenchman, a very entei'taining fellow who Nvas (luite in raptures about England," and that 1 " dined with tlieni at (bullae's, and went to the play, and very stupid it was. My frieivd, the Frenchman, insisted on my hreakfiisting with him in the morning." I have not now the least idea of who tliese agreeable fellows were. The next morning I started in the diliffencc, by way of Dunkirk, LiUe, and Tournay, for Brussels, Avhich place I reached only on the third day. It is by that route sixty leagues from Calais. J ff, i ^ " 240 GERMANY, ENGLAND, TARIS, NICE. Between Calais and Dunkirk the following tragedy occurred, not many miles from the former place. It is thus stated in Burke's "Peerage and Baronetage," in the pedigree of tiie Sebrights: — "Edward, second son of the third baronet, was "murdered in 1723, near Calais, as he was travelling with some " English gentlemen. A monument to his memory was erected " on the spot where the foul deed was connnitted." My mother, several times in former years, mentioned this nuirder to me, and stated that Mr. Locke, a relative of her grandfather, who was a Locke, (they both were from the same stem as John Locke, who Avi'ote on the human understanding,) was the only friend who was with Mr. Sebright at the time. They were nmrdered by the innkeeper and his son, belonging to the inn at which they had been staying at Calais. Mr. Locke was alive when he was found with his throat cut, but life was instantly destroyed by a woman pouring brandy into the wound. The murderers were discovered about six months afterwards, when the innkeeper sent some of the linen to the same washerwoman, who observed that " she " had seen none so fine, since she washed that of the English " gentlemen, who were murdered." My mother had this account from her mother, who was a Locke, and was born two or three years after 'he murder. The above tradition is not very striking as regards the time which has elapsed since the event took place. The following, however, which has come down to us, through the same family, is remarkable. My mother told me that her aunt. Miss Locke, whom I also recollect very well, stated to her that her grand- mother told her, that when she was a girl, she stood at a certain gate, on or near a farm now belonging to my brother. Admiral Sir Henry Leeke, and saw the fight at Cheriton, between three and four miles off, in the time of Charles I. At Lille 1 went to see the citadel, into wliich I was allowed to pass without interruption. The esplanade is pretty, as is also its bridge. Left Lille at four o'clock in the morning, breakfasted at Tournay, and a little way from it saw the ground on which the Battle of Fontenoy was fouglit. Passed through Ath, Enghien, and Hal, and arrived at the Hotel d'Angleterre, at Brussels, at eight in the evening. GERMANY, ENGLAND, PARIS, NICE. 247 occurred, stated in 3 of tiie onet, was rvitli some as erected y mother, o me, and vho was a ocke, who riend who :ed by the L they had was found • a woman liscovered it some of that " she e English is account o or three s the time following, ne family, iss Locke, ler grand- t a certain [", Admiral feen three as allowed , as is also reakfasted [ on wlixch )ugh Ath, ;leterre, at On the 24th of July I went from Brussels to visit the field of Waterloo, and went over a great deal of the same ground wliich the 52nd had gone over four years before. Numbers had been buried where we remained so long in squares, and whore we were charged by the French cavalry. ]]ut many hundreds had been buried more towards La Haye Sainte, about three hundred yards below the British position, where the r)2nd had defeated the French Imperial Guard. The corn was rank and nearly rotten in these places. The people said the soil was still too rich. I dined at La Belle Alliance on bread and cheese, and re- turned to ]Jrussels in time to start that evening for Aix La Chapelle, which I reached tlie next day. In the evening I went to the maison de j'eu, or salon, where all the gentry of the place seemed to have assembled. There, for the last time, I risked and lost a few napoleons at roulette, or rouge-et-noir. On the 2Gth I started for Cologne, and the next day went up tlie left bank of the lihine to Coblentz. On the 28th I started for Hesse Cassel, in a chaise de poste with a merchant of Bruns- Avick, passing over the Khine on a bridge of boats to Ehrenbreit- stein, a fortress on the opposite height. Between this place and Limburg the scenery was most beautiful ; scores of wooded hills shewing their summits in front, and to the right and left, as far as the eye could reach. We forded the river Lahn twice, and passed through Weisbourg, Wetzlar, and Giessen, all in the duchy of Nassau. The travelling was exceedingly slow; the postillion, I think, did not once touch the horses with his whip ; and consequently they might well look fat and sleek. He ap- peared very fond of them. He played nicely on his horn several times, especially as the horses trotted quickly up the paved streets of Cassel, after midnight, when he thought it desirable that the inhabitants should be aroused from their slumbers to learn the important fact, that travellers of distinction had come amongst them. On the evening of the 30th I arrived at the University of Gottingen, where I proposed to take up my resi- dence for some time. I find the following entry made in my journal: — "Arrived at Gottingen at seven o'clock. All anxiety to know how I am to get on. Speak scarcely a word of Ger- man and don't know a souL Diued for rather sunvied) at tlie i Hi f i f I »,1 1- 248 GERMANY, ENGLAND, PARIS, NICE. table d'hote, and never opened my lips except to ask for bread." The next day I dined at the table d'hote at one o'clock, and met several Hanoverian officers and four young Englishmen, three of whom were in the army. I find I forthwith applied myself witii much diligence to the study of German, taking two lessons a day, of an hour each, and working hard at it also by myself, but tlie being acquainted with so many Englishmen, and with Hanoverians who spoke English very fluently, was a great hindrance to me; I therefore soon began to make enquiries about some respectable German family into which I could be received, and who would be able to assist me in learning their language. I soon heard of a clergyman's family, living in a vilhige between Bremen and Hamburg, who would be willing to receive me ; and, after remaining altogether a month at Gottingon, I started for Hanover, which had been my original destination. I had been informed that purer German was spoken in the kingdoms of Hanover and Saxony than in any other part of Germany. Whilst I was at Gottingen I saw two funerals. At one of them, from a house opposite to my lodging, the coffin was brought out by twelve men, in plain blue dresses, Hessian boots, and cocked hats with crape streamers, and was placed on a low car, about nine or ten feet long and six broad, drawn by four horses and covered with black cloth. The coffin was not made to the shape of the body, but was three feet liigh, and appeared to shut down like a trunk. The postillions walked by the side of their horses, and a woman, who seemed to be the mistress of the ceremonies, went in front, and the twelve men, headed by a sort of commanding officer with a sword, followed the car, the procession moving as slowly as possible. On another occasion I attended the funeral of a rich merchant, who was followed to the grave by about forty or fifty of the principal people of the town, some on foot, some in miserable carriages. The grave was about eight feet deep. There was no funeral sif- rvice, but when the coffin was in the grave, all the people said a short prayer in their hats ; and then, looking into the grave, each said " i-uten " morgen," after which they went away. Professor Biumenbach had a large collection of the sculls of GERMANY, ENGLAND, PARIS, NICE. 249 all nations, which I went to see. Ho told mo he wanted very much to get the scull of a Scotchman. There were between thirty and forty professors at Gottin-en, who gave lectures which the students might attend on paying a moderate fee. Herr Blumenbach gave lectures on natural history, comparative anatomy, and physiology. Some of our English friends got into a scrape for paintin- some of the doors white, and kicking up a row, and were im" prisoned by the authorities for two nights and a day ; rooms however, were fitted up for them on tlie occasion. The day be- fore I left Hanover, I met at dinner the grand mnitre des fords who offered me as much shooting as I pleased. I left Gottin.^eii in the evening of the 29th of August, after taking coffee with many of my friends, who again met me at the post-house. When I had proceeded some miles, I was exceedingly annoyed to find that I had omitted to pay my small account at the hotel, where they had the table d'hote, amounting, perliaps, to half a louis However, when we changed horses, I went to the post-ofhce and by the postmaster's advice, sent a louis in a letter to one of my English friends, requesting him to pay my debt. As the Ger- mans are generally honest fellows, I trust the money reached him, though I never heard from him about it. The journey from Gottingen to Hanover in one of the public conveyances was not performed in those days under one-and-twenty hours, so that we only made good three English miles an hour. At Hanover I found Colonel Eeynett, of the 52nd, who was on the Duke of Cambridge's staff. Colonel Eowan had written to him about me. He was exceedingly kind, and had an^an-ed It I remained at Hanover, that I should mess with the officera of the Jager Guards, but as they had many of them served with the English army, and could speak English, he agreed with ine, that I was not so likely to improve so much in German amongst them, as I should be if I followed out the before-mentioned plan He shewed me over the Duke of Cambridge's house, and offered to take charge of my letters, which were to be directed to him at Cambridge house, London, and must be there on " Tuesdays and "Fridays." I saw the king's stables, with about two hundred liorses ; there were thirty away with the Duke of Cambridcro 1 ■f1 *1 II ii r 250 GERMANY, ENGLAND, TAUIS, NICE. and about two hundred mares and colts in the country. There were eight cream-coloured horses, and six white ones. I made an arrangement with the bugle-major of the Jiiger Guards to write out for me about two hundred bugle tunes, such as he felt tolerably sure the 52nd could not have. These he was to send to England, and I paid him, I think, ten louis for them. Colonel Charles Eowan wrote afterwards to thank me for my handsome present to the regiment. I also received a letter to the same effect, in French, from Kirwan Hill of the 52n(].* I left Hanover for Sottrum, between Brenu n and Hamburg, on the first of September, at half-past four in the morning, and, passing through Nieustadt, reached Hoya about eight at night. As there was a ball at the principal inn, and 1 could not secure a bed, I determined to go on to Verden, which place I reached about twelve o'clock. This proceeding from Hoya to sleep at Verden that night had, as will presently appear, a most remark- able influence on the whole of my future course of life The night was bitterly cold, and I had foolishly not brought a great coat with me, and on arriving at Verden the people of the inn had all retired to rest. There was no fire, and, regularly cliilled through as I was, I had nothing left for it but to turn into a cold bed, in which I slept soundly for several hours. When, how- ever, I awoke in the morning I w^as surprised to find tliat my legs and feet were as wretchedly cold as they were when I went to bed. I did not think much about it, and having got my breakfast I felt as well as usual. I had a letter for General Victor Alton, who lived at Verden, from his son, but, as he was from home, I proceeded at once to Sottrum, which was about fifteen English miles off. Here I met with a kind welcome from the clergyman, Herr Buttner, and his mother and sisters, and also from a Hanoverian Waterloo officer who was staying with them, by the name of Schleppegrell. They were a very happy party, though they often spoke of a severe affliction which had befallen them some years before, when Bonaparte had taken possession of the kingdom of Hanover, and their two brothers had been taken from their home as conscripts. One perished in the re- treat from Moscow ; what became of the other they had never known. * See Appendix No. 6. ik m i^,w^.. GERMANY, ENGLAND, PARIS, NICE. 251 •y. There I. I made Guards to L as lie felt as to send , Colonel handsome the same Hamburg, [•ning, and, t at night, not secure I reached sleep at 3t remark- life The ;ht a great )f the inn L'ly chilled into a cold ''hen, how- 1 that my len I went tg got my )r General I, but, as kvhicli was d welcome nd sisters, as staying ire a very tion which had taken others had 1 in the re- ver known. The terms for board and lodging and instruction were soon arranged ; they were most moderate. The whole party helped to teach me their language, so that I had the benefit of reading or conversing with one or another of them, during thu greater part of the day. Even when we walked out our chief business was attended to, and my German and English dictionary accom- panied us. French was now and then spoken by us, in order to explain a German word or sentence, but very seldom for any other purpose. English was almost entirely banislied from our conversation, although they knew a little of it. In this way I of course made rapid progress, both in understanding and speak- ing German. When I had been at Sottrum a fortnight, I went with some of the family to Bremen, distant about twenty-five miles. It is a neat, pleasant place, with beautiful walks. We visited the P.ley Keller or Lead Cellar, the atmosphere of which has the peculiar property of preserving from decay the human and other bodies which are placed in it. We saw there the body of a Countess Stanhope, who died at Bremen about the year 1565, and also the bodies of Count Brake and his aide-de-camp, who were killed in the thirty years' war. Bremen is on the Weser, and contained at that time 40,000 inhabitants. We saw Madame Eeichard ascend in a balloon. We were from eight in the evening till half-past two in the morning in getting back to Sottrum. It was a cold night, and I was on the box. When we stopped at the inn to give the horses some hay and water, I took a wine glass full of brandy "to keep the cold out." As we pursued'' our journey, I found that I had constantly to clear my throat and mouth, but when I reached Sottrum I found, to my dismay, that I was coughing up a quantity of blood. No doubt my exposure on the journey, and my cold sleep at Verden, a fortnight before, had laid the foundation for this ; and the exposure on the road from Bremen, together with the strong stimulant, which I was not at all accustomed to take, brought matters to a climax. I was alarmed at first, but as I did not feel ill, and as the blood very much decreased in quantity, I remained quietly at Sottrum, and pursued my studies. About a year afterwards it was clearly ascertained that the blood proceeded from the throat, and not from the lungs as 1 at first feared. IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) 1.0 I.I ": 14.0 2.5 2.2 12.0 1.8 1.25 1.4 J4 „, 6" — ► p% ^/ >> M Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 # iV iV ^^;\ % V V) 4^ P 'M^., (/a % n t. fr-H 252 GERMANY, ENGLAND, P'.I.IC, NICE. I had been confirmed and had received the sacrament when I was about fifteen or sixteen, and, at the time, felt veiy serious ; but the impression soon passed away, and when I went to Sottrum I had for years been very careless, negligent, and ignor- ant about religion. It was at this time that I recollect forming some very strong resolutions, that I would make a determined effort to serve God in everything, and give up whatever I might discover to be wrong in His sight. I remained very ignorant about real religion for nearly a year after this. Still I believe I was sincerely desiring to do what was right. I have a clear recollection that in one of the few walks, whi^^h I took by myself during my stay at Sottrum, I went to the "Fir Wood," as they called u, and that all at once the question presented itself to me : —Is it right that a person, who wishes to honour God and to benefit his fellow- creatures, should follow the profession of a soldier, whose chief employment, when he is actively engaged, is to take away, or help to take away, the lives of his fellow^me'n ? This idea had never crossed my mind before, and it startled me exceedmgly, for I was devotedly attached to my regiment, and to a soldier's life, and I thought I would more wilHngly part with my right arm than leave the army ; yet I determined that I would endeavour to examine the matter thoroughly, and if I found that I could not conscientiously remain in the army I would at once leave it. I, however, soon convinced myself, by a very short pro- cess of reasoning, that it was right for a nation to have an army for its own defence, and for the defence of a w6ak ally ; otherwise it might soon be overrun, and be oppressed by even a very small number of its neighbours ; and that sometimes the best mode of defence would be to carry the war into the enemy's country. I have merely gone into this matter in order to shew that here was a decided intention to give up what was wrong and to do what was right. I remained with my kind friends at Sottrum nearly two months and a half, when, finding that my health was not in a satisfactory state, I thought it better to go to Hanover to consult the principal physician there. I left Sottrum with great regret, on the 12th of November. A curious fact was, that on reaching Hanover and going to sej Colonel Eeynett, I found that for some little time I could not speak English properly. I had been talk- ament when ery serious ; I went to ;, and ignor- lect forming determined 7ev I might sry ignorant I believe I ave a clear k by myself •d," as they tself to me : Grod and to 3ssion of a engaged, is 3llow-men ? startled me :iment, and y part with hat I would 3und that I dd at once ' short pro- ie an army ; otherwise very small ist mode of ountry. I it here was to do what learly two ! not in a to consult 'eat regret, n reaching ,t for some been talk- GERMANY, ENGLAND. PARIS, NICK 253 ing nothing but German for so long a time, that when first I began to speak in English, I found myself disposed to construct many of the sentences as I should have done in German On gomg to consult the court physician, (I forget his name, but he was a most kind old man,) I found him sitting with his pipe in a regular cloud of smoke. After hearing what I had to say, and alter my pressing liim to let me know if he thought I was likely to recover, all I could get out of him was, that I had better return at once to my friends in England. I left Hanover for Cuxhaven at the mouth of the Elbe about the 22nd of December I thmk the packet was detained two or three days by contrary winds ; and these days I passed very wretchedly, as will appear from the following note which was written at that time and which, as I am writing, I have just taken from an old writinr,. desk. On the outside are written the following words :— ° " To be opened on the 27th of November, 1820." It is dated. " Eit;5ebuttel near Cuxhaven,' 27th of November 1818. ' "My birt,h-day, 22 years old, here in this blessed [meanincr " miserable] place, waiting to go to England, with terrible pains " m the breast, and diflaculty of breathing. Convinced that my "lungs are dangerously affected, I have little hope of reaching " my 23rd birthday. This, however, is to be opened on the 27th " ot November, 1820. If I do not open it myself, some of my " dear friends will do so. God bless them. Time will shew how " things are to turn out. W. L" The following memorandum is written on the same paper :— "Eead this forty years afterwards, November 27th, 1859, "having by God's mercy been so long spared, and having a "humble expectation that, through the blood of Jcl^us, I slmll, "whenever I am taken hence, go to be with Him in glory! "When, forty years ago, the first part of this was written I "knew nothing aright of the things belonging to my everlasting " peace, but I had determined to try and do right at all cost° "having been much struck at Sottrum with a paper, I think in "'The Idler' or 'The Eambler,'* beginning about some one • j; is in the 2nd volume of " The Rambler," No. 65, and in well suited, by uoa s tiessmg, to aireit the attention of any careless young man. II w? m h H i I 'f 254 GERMANY, ENGLAND, PARIS, NICE. " having left the caravansary early in the morning, and forsaking the " main road for a llowery path, &c. God bless my dear wife and " nine children. Wm. Leeke." j-VIy journal closes as follows :— "Left Hanover about the 22nd, embarked at Cuxhaven on the 29th, and landed at Yar- mouth on the 1st of December, 1819, very ill." I made up my mind, before landing at Yarmouth, that I was too ill to proceed to London in the coach, and that I woidd post it ; but on looking at the money which I had left, I found that 1 had not sufficient for my purpose. This l-^.d to a series of ladicrous adventures, which were very annoying to me at the time. As we were in the boat between the packet and the shore, I mtationed my difficulty to the captain, and said I was afraid I should have to remain at Yarmouth till I got a remittance from London. He immediately replied that he would put his name to a draft on my agents, and that I should find no difficulty in getting it cashed when we landed. I told him I was very much obliged to him, though I rather wondered, in my own mind, that he should venture thus to accommodate one whom he had only known for six-and-thirty liours. After landing, and getting my things through the Custom-house, I met my friend, the captain of the packet, in the passage of the hotel, when he said to me : — " I have been thinking. Sir, that I shall not be doing right to put " my name to your bill, for I don't know more about you than " anybody else does." This was not very pleasant, but I felt it was very natural that he shoidd, on second thoughts, take this view of the matter. On my asking him what I could do, as I was very unwilling to be detained at Yarmouth, he said he thought the landlord of the hotel could manage the thing for me. On my speaking to the landlord he very readily undertook to give me the ten pounds I required, and said he had often accom- modated gentlemen with money under similar circumstances, but that it was customary for them to leave some of their luggage as a security for the repayment of the sum advanced. This, I told him, I could do without any inconvenience, as I had one case containing articles of value, which I should not want for some little time. When I went to Germany I had been supplied with letters of introduction for some of the ambassadors, and thought it GERMANY, ENGLAND, PARIS, NICE. 255 brsakingthe 3ar wile and about the ded at Yar- , that I was would post bund that 1 a series of me at the d the shore, *vas afraid I ttance from t his name difficulty in very much L mind, that tie had only getting my the captain id to me : — right to put it you than lut I felt it s, take this lid do, as I he said he ling for me. idertook to ["ten accom- stances, but luggage as rhis, I told id one case it for some 3plied with I thought it desirable to take my 52nd court dress with me, which consisted of a coat with epaulettes instead of wings, a waistcoat, breeches with silver buckles, white silk stockings, and shoes with silver buckles ; there were also a cocKed hat, a dress-sword, and various other articles. On my opening the case and shewing him the various things which ,l contained, he observed, in a very off-hand way, tha„ he th-.aght the whole lot of them was not worth five pounds. So I closed the case, and had no more to say to the landlord. As a last resource I went to one of the banks and stated my difficulty, and who I was, and what I wanted. Here I met with very great civility ; they had no doubt about my being the gentleman I represented myself to be, but it was not at all consistent with their usual way of doing business, that they should advance money on the draft of one who was luite a stranger to them. I found that I had just money enough to pay for a postchaise, &c., for two stages on the road to London, and that by going so far I should only be detained --! clear day on the road, and could easily reach town the day after. So I ordered a postchaise, having first written to Cox and Greenwood, to request them to send me a letter of credit for twenty pounds, on the banker of the town which I intended to reach that night. On my arrival, I do not think I had a single shiUing left, after paying for the postchaise and driver. On the morning of the next day but one, the letter of credit arrived, and on ray inquir- ing for the banker, I was directed to the house of, I think, a large linen draper or mercer. He read my letter of credit from Cox and Greenwood, and said it was quite correct, but that he was not a banker, but only agent for a bank at the county town, and he doubted whether he ought to cash my draft. However, on my telling him how I had been annoyed, and asking him what his bankers would say, if he refused to give me the money, he consented to let me have it. Shortly after my amval in London my family joined me, and we remained there for some time, that I might have the advan- tage of getting the best medical advice. AU along I was treated for an affection of the chest, and was a good deal lowered. After a few weeks we went home; on our journey into Hampshire v/e saw, just as we passed out of town, that the Thames was com- ■fi I^^^^^^^U^ff if i- k ■ ' 1 > : ■ 1 / ^^^^^^■i^,. ^B' ^ ^HrfPi , J. 1 ^^^^K^ 1 Ki^ i 1 ^^^^^^H^^H^^^ ^6 , 1 25G GEIJMANY, ENGLAND, PARIS, NICE. pletoly frozen over. We were very ^Vell acquainted with some of the near relatives of Admiral Sir Digby Dent, and I have often hoard that when he first went into the navy, I think it was in 1840, there was such a great frost, that his things were wheeled on board the guard-ship, in Portsmouth harbour, in a wheelbarrow. And this leads me to mention a singular fact connected witli my family, wliich I think I ouglit to record somewhere in tnis work :— My grandfather, my mother's father, Avho was an old naval officer, lived at Fareliara, in Hampshire. It is about seven miles in a direct line from Spithead, and he was in the habit of going on to the leads of his house every day, when the weather was clear, to take a look with his glass at the shipping in Portsmouth harbour and at Spithead. On looking one day at the various ships, he saw no particular change amongst them, and that the admiral's flag was flying at Spit- head as usual. Before he left the top of the house he thought he would take another look at Spithead, when to his surprise and dismay, the flag ship was not to be seen. On going downstairs he observed to some of his family that he thought that some- thing strange had happened to the sliip ; and in two or three hours the melancholy intelligence arrived that the Eoyal George had gone down at her moorings ; and that Admiral Kempenfelt and eight hundred oflicers and men had perished. After I returned home in January, 1820, I had a great deal of time for reading, and amongst other books, which came in my way, I was led to read Paley's "Theology," which interested me much, and paved the way for my reading his "Evidences: f " Christianity," which I have no doubt was a great blessing to me, inasmuch as it overturned all my sceptical ideas, and convinced me that the Bible was the inspired Word of the Most High God. Yet, strange to say, it was not till many montlis afterwards, that I was led to see that it was my duty to read some portion of it daily, with prayer that I might become acquainted with the will of God, and endeavour to have my conduct conformed to it. At this time I certainly began to try and pray from the heart to God, but I had very confused ideas of religion. I remember that about this time I was so ignorant, tliat on finding, in a prayer I was using, a petition that the Holy Spirit might be given me, I cl with some and I have think it was things were larbour, in a lingular fact it to record ther's father, Hampshire, lead, and he e every day, glass at the On looking -liar change ng at Spit- I thought he surprise and ; downstairs ' that some- vvo or three the Eoyal at Admiral perished. I great deal jame in my terested me videncet f ising to me, . convinced High God. wards, that )rtion of it th the will to it. At le heart to 3mber that a prayer I iven me, I GERMANY, ENGLAND, PARIS, NICE. 257 asked my mother if she thought it was a proper petition for me to offer up to God. On her telling me that it was, I continued to use It. and certainly after some little time I had much in- creased seriousness of feeling. About this time a kind friend lent me Bowdler's "Eemains," which was also of much service to me ; still I had no clear views of the leading truths of reli-^ion inuring the spring and summer of 1820, I was not at all well' and probably the living upon a diet of milk and fruit, and v-e- tables without any meat, did not tend to increase my strengUi I had spitting of blood from time to time, but not in lar-e quantities. I took riding exercise to some extent, and I recol- ect that one day my spirits were considerably raised by my being caught in a smart shower, as it put me in mind of old times. On one occasion, some country races, I think, for farmers' horses, were got up about five or six miles from our residence, to which I subscribed, and to which we went in some force I rode to the ground, and then, for fear of overtaxing my strength joined the party in the carriage, lending my horse to my brother- in-law. After some of the heats had been run, the steward of the course, or some other persons, (they were strangers to me,) wishing to prevent people from riding up and down tlie course passed a rope across it, about sixty or seventy yards from where we were ; the consequence was, that a considerable number of horsemen were brought up on each side of it, and as none of them could exactly understand the necessity for their being thus prevented from passing, they were inclined to do so, i? they could, in some way or other. Seeing my relative trying to make my horse leap over the rope, which was held by a number of men at each end near the ropes of the course, and seeing that the horse would not rise at the rope, I walked towards him for the purpose of telling him that if he liked to risk his neck, I was quite willing to risk the horse, if he chose to force him at it. This nearly led several other gentlemen into a very disagreeable row. On coming to the rope and seeing how matters stood, I felt a very strong disposition to solve the difficulty, by cutting the rope, which I did in sailor fashion, by giving three cuts on the upper surface at intervals of about an inch from each other. ill i^ ifi 258 GERMANY, ENGLAND, PAUIS, NICE. 1 had no riglit to do this, and certainly ri(;ldy deserved some abuse, if not rough treatment, for my performance ; but tlie ellect of it was very magical — the rope gave way, and eight or ten strong feHows at either end, who were pulling with all their might, went down rather heavily over each other. The horse- men, seeing that the rope had given way, pursued their respec- tive courses, and scarcely anybody, besides two or three of my friends who were near me, knew how the thing had been accom- plished. But I was not to get off so quietly. In three or four seconds a very tall elderly man rushed out from one side of the course, exclaiming, " Where's tlie blackguard who cut the rope." I did not feel inclined to sneak oil', and therefore called out, "/ cut the rope ;" and then commenced a sort of row and alter- cation, and 1 thought we should have had a regular melee, when another man, a yeoman, strode forth to our help, and called upon our assailant for fair play, and that gentlemen shoukl not bo so treated, when perhaps they had done nothing wrong. Then there was some bandying of words between the other party and my brother-in-law, our opponent inquiring what busi- ness I had to cut the rope, which the subscribers to the races had desired to be placed there ? He was told that I also was a subscriber, and had as much right to cut the rope, as others had to place it there to the annoyance of everybody. He knew my brother-in-law, at least by name, and said, " I am surprised at ''you, Sir Edward," and received the following reply, "We all " see it's after dinner with you, my friend," which raised a laugh against him from everybody around, and he was glad to slink away ; and thus we came olF with flying colours, from an affair which at one moment promised to be anything but pleasant. It was arranged that I should spend the ensuing winter in the soutl: of France or Italy, and as I had already twice sent in a sick certificate for three months' leave, and had been altogether a twelvemonth absent from the regiment, I began to think it was hardly fair to send in any more sick certificates, without first proposing to go on half pay. I wrote to Colonel Charles Eowan to this effect, and received a most kind reply, begging that I would not think of leaving the 52nd, and saying how glad they should be to see me back agaiu with restored health. served some jut the eiVect eight or ton ith all their The liorse- their respec- threo of my been accoiu- hree or four B side of the it the rope." Q called out, >w and altcr- molee, when >, and called 1 should not hing wrong. 3 other party what busi- to the races 1 also was a LS others had He knew my surprised at ply, " We all lised a laugh ;lad to slink om an affair pleasant, ng winter in iwice sent in 3n altogether to think it ates, without onel Charles sply, begging saying how red health. GKUMANY, ENGLAND, PARIS, NICE. 259 brother t] ^^''' f ^"^^"'''' ''^"' ^ ^^"^ *° F^«"«e ^ith n.y r. apt P "f ''''''■ ^^ ""''' '' ^«^"^in together till we We went from Calais to Cassel, from which in clear weather no ss than seventeen fortresses may be counted, and then to ' lie tin"' "' r";f • ^'''''''''' ^^« ™^ ^' Waterloo, nd ! i^'T' ' ^°"'' Valenciennes, Ham, and Compieg;e to tu e it '^°"^P^^'^"« ^^ ^"^^^ tJ'^ P-l«ce, with its superb furni- We died" Vm ''T.f ''""' '"° "' *^'^ ^^'^ ^-^^-^« of t "dmv tI 1% ' °^^-^^^«= -^ Kellerman, Duke cava ry divisions. Kellerman, just before his death, told his t at IS heart might be buried on the field of battle of Valmy braves who fell there on the 19th of September, 1792, when he defeated tlie Duke of Brunswick. He was o^inaUy a private hussar in the legion of Conflans. ^ At this time I became acquainted with a remarkably intelli- gent frenchman by tlie name of Cherval, with whon I had .t IL: l?Vtn1 -^^^~^- He was'a'dt'tra h7 L ? f ""'' "'^^ ^ ^°^* enthusiastic defender of he old ystem of government which obtained in France before the revolution. He told us that in the commenr uenl of the rev^tion he had travelled from Kormandy to F.an he Com n different disguises, and that some little time after his escape twelve or thirteen mdividuals of a certain village, through wlS Id passed, having suffered themselves to be corrupted by itis^^Lrrsr "' '-' ^-^ ^-'^-^ - The weather at Paris during the month of September in thi, th mS/r^ T'y'f'' "' 'h^ «''-^ Towards the ^nd SirriT'^i::,'";;; * i^''. -^ '- -««:;: i pasoeu tniougix xuii.ambJeau, Severs, Moulms, S 2 260 OKRMANY, ENGLAND, PARIS, NICE. niul Roanno to Lyons ; and from Lyons down the left bank of the Khone, by Vienne, Valence, Montolimart, and Orange to Avignon, where I left the Khone and proceeded by Aix and Orgou to Marseilles, and from thence by Toulon, Frojus, and Antibes to Nice, at which place I arrived on the 6th or 7th of October. The following extracts from my journal, of this eleven days' journey from I'aris to Nice, may not be without interest to some of my renders : — " My sleep was interrupted rather early this morning by the drums of a French regiment which is on its march to Paris. The getting up by candle-light, and the noise of drums and bugles at the same time, made me think of old times, whon I was with my regiment, stout and strong. "October 2nd. This evening was ushered in by the dreaded north-east wind, the mistral; a person who had not seen it, could not imagine the violence with which it blows. This wind only connnencos below Valence, so I should think the Alps must occasion it. It lasts generally three or four days, and troubles the natives, on an average, thi-ee times a month. Num- bers of the people we met on the road had fortified their eyes against it with glasses fixed in crape. Travelled this day in twelve hours more than eighty-five English iniles ; pretty well for French postboys and an invalid. "Just before we entered Orange we saw a triumphal arch elected in memory of the victory of Marius over the Cimbrl, at a place called Aqua3 Sextioe, near where the town of Aix now stands. It is in high preservation, the middle arch is for car- riages, the two outer ones are smaller. The mistral as we passed was putting its strength to a severe test, and enveloping it in clouds of dust. How many mistrals has this monument wit- nessed? How many generations from Marius to the present day have fluttered for a time about the surface of the earth, and tlien have passed away and shortly after fallen into oblivion, making room for others to play the same butterfly game ? "The coup d'oiil from the top of a hill three miles from Marseilles is most delightful. On the right is the sea in a hand- some bay, in the opening are two or three rocky islands ; on the GERMANY, ENGLAND, PARIS, NICE. 261 left of the road are some hundreds of little country-houses scattered ainon-st olive trees. The plain is bounded by a chain of mountains to the south which form a curve, and under it to the north is seen the town. The rain had prevented me hitherto from seeing anything of the town, which seems aU alive ; what Portsmouth was in time of war. "The country almost the whole way from Marseilles to Toulon IS covered with vines. The vintage has commenced. in every house are to be seen presses, barrels, sieves, &c. ; and m every direction we met donkeys with panniers of grapes A great many tread the grapes instead of using the press ; the see- ing the dirty shoes and naked legs, shows one how useless it is to be over nice with regard to what we eat and drink. The people of this country do not pretend to give the pure juice of the grape ; they showed me a dust which they mixed with the wine, and which was of the same material as the plaster of the walls of their houses ; they think it gives a flavour to the wine, and some of them put it into the cask unmixed. " October 5th. I did not like to quit Toulon without seeing the harbour. There are two harbours, the old and the new ; I only saw the latter, which was constructed by Louis XIV, for ships of war, of which I only saw two or three. It is a fine spacious concern, bounded on three sides by broad wharfs. It has an arsenal, and everything complete for building and fitting out ships. The heights, from which the French bombarded the town, almost hang over it, and completely command every part of It. At Toulon, Bonaparte distinguished himself as an officer of artillery, in the early part of the war of the revolution, when It Avas retaken from the English; here also at Frejus, in the room in which I am writing, he slept in 1814, on his way to Elba ; he was very ill, suffering from severe indigestion after eating crab; this, together ,vith the loss of his crown, must have made him pass a deplorably uncomfortable night. I must now to roost, in Napoleon's bed. "Saw the place where Bonaparte landed on the 1st of March, 1815, a league to the eastward of Cannes. He sent an officer to that place to order rations to be provided for 6000 men ; but his party at the utmost did not exceed 1100." 262 GERMANY, ENGLAND, PAHIS, NICE. : I passed the Var into Piedmont from France. I think, on tlie 7th of October. I entered Nice, which is only a mile or two from the frontier, during very heavy rain, which did not give mo a very favourable impression of the place. Hero I remained more than three months, and, although I thought several times that I should probably die at Nice, it pleased God not only that my illness sliould take a favourable turn before I left it, but that the serious feelings, which I had already in sorae measure expe- rienced, should be greatly deepened and strengthened during my residence there. On looking back five-and-forty years, to the time of my first becoming ill near Bremen, I wonder at the mercy and goodness of God, who led me, step by step, to be prepared to receive religious information and benefit from several friends into whose society He brought me at Nice. The propriety of this observation will appear, when it is recollected, that, had I been brought into contact with these same persons a twelve- month earlier, I should most probably have avoided them at once, as being too strict and too precise. Surely God leads ua m a way that we know not. A physician whom I consulted at Paris, on Vearin^ that I thought of passing the winter at Nice, had given me a letter to a friend of his, who was residing there. It is not pleasant to go to a place for any time, and not to know a single person there • I was therefore glad to have this lo.ier; but, although this gentle- man was exceedingly civil and kind to me, it will be seen that he was not exactly the sort of perpon to be of service to me in a reli- gious point of view; yet was he the instrument, without intending It, indeed whilst he intended quite the reverse, of leading me to become acquainted with those very persons who in God's provi- dence were to be made religiously useful to me. He kindly accompanied me in my search for lodgings, and on my pointing ouu the Maison Ferdinand, in the Croix de Marbre, which he was passing by, as a large pleasant-looking house, he said, it world not at all suit me, as he knew an "infernal Methodist" who had been there the winter before, and had gone up to Switzerland for the summer months, had taken rooms there for the ensuing season. This would have been quite sufficient twelve months before to decide me not to think of the house for GERMANY, ENGLAND, PARIS, NICE. 868 link, on the lile or two not give mo I reniainod veral times )t only that it, but that asure expe- during my iara, to the t the mercy prepared to )ral friends ropriety of that, liad I } a twelve- d them at »d leads U3 ring that I letter to a isant to KG 3n there ; I his gentle- 3 seen that le in a reli- intending ing me to od's provi- de kindly y pointing which he le said, it lethodist" )ne up to 1 there for sufficient house for one moment; but now the thought immediately occurred to me :— Trobably this man is only called a Methodist, because he wishes to do what h right in the sight of God, and is more , strictly religious than most of those around him ! I think r secured rooms in this house the very next day, and, in the course of two or three days more, my fellow-.odger made his appearance. We soon became acquainted, and, after a little time, arranged to take our meals together. I found that he was well acquainted with the Scriptures, and that in our conversations on religious subjects, he always referred to them to prove the truth of any opinion he advanced ; this I was unable to do. We had other friends who frequently dined and spent the evening with us, especially a Norwich clergyman by the name of Day, a truly good man, and a nice young man, a Mr. Ward, who had been in the army ; he was seriously disposed, but, like myself, had only confused views of religion. I look back with feelings of great thankfulness to God for having brought me into the society of these good men, and also that He disposed me to con- verse with them on religious subjects. I recollect on one occasion, soon after we began to discuss religious questions, that I made the following ignorant speech— "you will never make me believe " that I shall not be saved if I do as well as I can !" I was immediately shewn, from the Word of God, that this was an unscriptural assertion. Such passages as the following were pointed out to me :— Ephesians ii, 8—10: "By grace are ye " saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of " God ; not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are "his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, " which Jod hath before ordained that we should walk in them :'* and John iii, 16, 36 ; John i, 12, 13 ; Eomans iii, 20—31 ; Gal. lii, 10 — 13; 2 Cor. v, 17. One important consequence of our conversation on that evening was, that I made up my mind that I would, with God's help, and with prayer for His teaching, read some portion of His Word every day until I should have read it through. This good practice has never been discontinued. A feeling strongly impressed upon my mind about that time was, that if the Bible was the Word of God, I coidd not possibly expect to be happy, either here or hereafter, unless I took 2G4 GERMANY, ENGLAND, PARIS, NICE. •• !l f I guide of all my conduct: Jolm v, 39 it as the rule and 1 Peter ii, i— 3. I had several very agreeable acquaintances at Mc- ; amongst them were Captain and Mr. Felix, the latter of the 95th Eifles, Colonel and Mis. Vincent, Mr. and Mrs. Townsend, of Castle Townsend, near Kinsale, and Colonel and Mrs. Campbell: he was an old Peninsular officer, and, I think, in the light division. I may here insert the following anecdote without fear of giving the least annoyance to any one. Amongst my principal friends were two who stuttered most terribly. They frequently came to see us, and the effect of their conversing with each other was generally too much for my gravity : it was an understood thing, however, that I might laugh as much as I liked, but my friend and fellow-lodger always greatly feared that the convulsive laughter, which I sometimes could not avoid, might be very dangerous to me as regarded my supposed ailment. On one occasion we had the addition to our party of another friend, who also hung fire very much when speaking ; and these three several times conversed with each other. Probably such a singula^- case has never occurred before, that in a party of five persons three should be regular stammerers. At this time Queen Caroline's trial was going on, and everybody was eager for the arrival of the accounts of the proceedings, which we got in Galignani. My expectation of recovery from my illness varied almost from day to day. Some of the following entries were made in my journal under the impression that I very probably should not live to return to England, and that they would be read by my relatives after my death; they shew that, by degrees, my views had become clearer, and my religious feelings stronger than they had been. "December 2nd, 1820. This morning I have expectorated a little blood. I am thankful I am not at home, as I know my dear mother would be much alarmed on my account ; if it were not for that, how delighted I should be to be with her. The Almighty visits us with these little amictions for wise and good purposes. Last night I prayed to Him for a return of health ; It „ii.a pipased Him, hovTever, not to grant my request — His will ne ! Manifold are the ways of His providence ; Had I be GERMANY, ENGLAND, PAIIIS, NICE. 265 ohn V, 39; *" ; amongst 95th Eifles, i of Castle mpbell: he ;ht division, ir of giving ipal friends tly came to L other was 3tood thing, t my friend convulsive :ht be very t. On one friend, who iree several ttgular case rsons three I Caroline's 'ival of the iii. ried almost re made in should not sad by my my views than they ctorated a know my if it were her. The and good )f health ; —His will 1 Had I never been afflicted with this spitting of blood, I should, most likely, have been still pursuing a thoughtless course of life, re- gardless of religion, and estranged from my God and Saviour. He, of His infinite goodness, has brought me more than once into the society of religious people, whose discourse has, as it were, awakened me from my apathy, and laid open to my eyes the precipice on the edge of which I have been straying. What helpless, nothingless beings we are of ourselves ! Happy is the man who feels his own weakness, and who, at the same time, clings for support to the cross of his Eedeemer; and blessed is the Almighty, who awakens in him this feeling. • December 3rd. This day is so fine, that I have been able to sit with my windows open for two hours ; there is a pear-tree in blossom in the garden. How beautiful are the collect and epistle for Advent Sunday ! How interesting, also, is the 14th chapter of St. John ! " December 1 0th. The thoughts of leaving this world are only painful when I think of the dear friends I must leave behind. If ever this should meet the eyes of any of them, may it induce them to think of the short, short time they may have to live. The eye that reads this, as well as the hand which traces it, must, ere many years, perhaps weeks, be closed and chilled by death! We should always bear in mind how inevitable death is— a few years, and the present generation will have passed away. The thoughts of death, instead of being terrible, are grateful to the person who looks forward to a better world, through the merits of a gracious Eedeemer. I pray God that, in health anJ in sick- ness, He will not withdraw His Holy Comforter from me. My dear friends are what the world calls religious, but are they suffi- ciently so, and have they proper ideas on the subject ? Are they aware of the total insuflaciency of the best of their own works to save them ? I have received great pleasure and instruction from Mr. Wilberforce's 'Treatise on Christianity,' and from Serle's ' Christian Eemembrancer.' I humbly trust that I am a partaker of the crace of tlip. Alminrhfv T nor.oiV]nr.rY,„.,„if f„ .i„,. in a worse state of health than 1 have ever yet been in, but I do not feel particularly annoyed at it ; the will of God be done, and ir m&' 266 GERMANY, ENGLAND, PAEIS, NICE, may He ever give to me and mine, and to all poor sinners, the same feeling. "December 12tli. Dr. B. found a vessel open in my throat. "December 13th. Dr. B. and Dr. T. held a consultation, and decided on the propriety of my getting farther away from the sea. They discovered the vessel from v/hich I had had the discharge of blood, and the mucus formed on the wound. Dr. T. told me my case was a straightforward one, if I was only careful. Dec. 14th. Dr. B. was able tc apply something to the wound in my throat by means of a quill with a sponge at the end of it, D3C. 24th. Gained strength at a great rate. Dec. 25th. Fine day, but cold ; received the sacrament. Ate my Christmas dinner at Colonel Vincent's, and met a Mr, and Mrs. Wills, of the County Eoscommon." Soon after I got to Nice, I rnet with the following adventure. I had desired my servant to be always most particular in taking care that there were no mosquitoes under the mosquito curtain, when it was let down for the night. One night, however, after I had been in bed for some time, I found, to my horror, that one of these animals was under the curtain, I thought I would almost as s^on have heard the roar of a tiger, for there was very little prospect of getting any sleep that night. After catching at it for a long time, whenever I heard it buzzing near my face, I at last thought I had killed it, as I heard nothing more of it ; in the morning, however, whilst I was dressing, 1 was seized with a most violent fif. of coughing, which lasted for a good half-hour, and I began to fear that it would end in death, or in my becoming most seriously ill, when, to my astonishment, I coughed up the leg of a mosquito, and, by degrees, ohe other parts of the animal made their appearance. The doctor thought I had had a very narrow escape. It is foreign to my purpose to lengthen out this work by describing the beautiful scenery on all sides of Nice ; nor do I wish to say much about the climate. From what I read and observed on that subject, I came to the conclusion, that no place close to the sea is a fit place of residence for an invalid at all subject to spitting of blood ; and that, after the very beginning of January, Nice is not a suitable place for any persons suffering r sinners, the 1 my throat, lultation, and from the sea. the discharge r. T. told me 3nly careful, ihe wound in ;he end of it. li. Fine day, las dinner at ' the County ig adventure, lar in taking uito curtain, ^ever, after I ror, that one v^ould almost IS very little atching at it ny face, I at of it; in the sized with a )d half-hour, ay becoming glied up the ■ the animal [ had a very GERMANY, ENGLAND, PARIS, NICE. 207 from affection of the chest. After Christmas, Pisa and^ Eome are recommended, as being more inland. Sir James CW ^any years ago wrote a very clever work on the "Climate and imstake, he takes the above-mentioned view of the subject. lis work by )e ; nor do I I read and tiat no place Qvalid at all y beginning )ns suffering 268 i Mi CHAPTER XVI 1821. ITALY. Proceed hy water to Genoa— From Genoa to Pisa— Cross a portion of the Apennines— Misunderstanding with a vetturmo— Bridge over the Serchio carried away— The leaning tower at Pisa, etc.— The death of a student— The Carnival, etc.— Florence to Rome— Austrians bivouacked around Terni— St. Peter's at Rome— Curious scene— From Rome to Naples— Appii Forum —Cicero's villa and tomb Naples— Portici, Pompeii— Go up Vesuvius- English squadron— Sir Graham Ploore— Return by Rome, Florence, Milan, Turin, and Geneva to England— Dr. Malan at Geneva— Narrow escape at the mortar-practice there. I LEFT Nice for Genoa about the second or third of January, 1821, in company with Mr. Ward, in the Italian mail felucca. We had a not very disagreeable voyage of 120 miles. The accommodations of the felucca were not "first class," as we more particularly discovered v/hen we had to turn in at night. The views of the coast, and of the maritime Alps, were most splendid. We did not remain long at Genoa, and my principal recollection of it is, that the streets were remarkably narrow, and the houses, or, rather palaces, very lofty and well built. I find myself very much puzzled as to the inflicting, or not, on my readers, an account of my travels to Pisa, Florence, Eome, and Naples; and my return to England by Eome, Florence, Bologna, Milan, Turin, Geneva, and Paris. I am unwilling to swell this work to too large a size ; and, on the other hand, there are many things of considerable interest which I think I ought not to omit. I will therefore, with the M- f I 11 '\ ' ITALY. 2G9 assistance of my journal, which was tolerably weU kept at that time, endeavour to give as concise an account as I can of t^iis period of about five months ; and I can cut it down, or leave It out afterwards, if I find it necessary. I took with me into Italy, Eustace's "Classical Tour," in four octavo volumes, and four small volumes of Reichard's "Guide des Vovageurs en H^urope. Both these works were very useful; I should think no traveller in Italy should be without Eustace, even in the present day. And now I will begin with my journal :— " 1821. Made a bargain with a man to take us (Mr Ward myself, and servant) from Genoa to Pisa, for thirteen napoleons' and started on Saturday, the 6th of January, in a coach drawn by three horses. The road runs along the coast as far as Eecco, and the Apennines rise nearly perpendicularly from it on the left. Sometimes we were separated from the sea by small groves of olives and orange-trees, and as we looked down upon It through them it had a most beautiful appearance. The wildness of the Apennines was heightened by the rain as numerous cascades, rolling from the veiy top of them to the bottom, added to the effect. We had bargained to <.o as far as Sestri, but the badness of the weather prevented °our gettincr farther than Eapalo. A little beyond Eecco the postillion pulled up, and told us we could not proceed, owing to the swelling of a river ; however, by threatening that we would not pay him, if he did not push on, we induced him to do so We passed the river on men's shoulders, and slept at a miserable mn at Eapalo. The dashing of the sea against the house under my window, prevented my sleeping very weU. From my room, in the morning. I had a very pretty view of the coast of the gull of Eapalo as far as Porto Eino, formerly Portus Delphini. " January 7th. Erom Eapalo to Chiavari the road is alone the seashore, and winds along the side of the mountains; in some places there are perpendicular precipices more than 500 feet deep In one place a part of the Ml had given way, and the road was almost blocked up. We were lucky in findiuff some men w),o helped to clear the way for us. I thought the scenery for six or seven miles on this side (the south) of Eapalo, most beautiful 270 ITALY. IT'. The road runs through the rock in two places. Chiavari is situated in a small plain almost surrounded on every side, except towards the sea, by mountains. The cultivated land around it looks like a large garden divided into beds ; all along the coast is a row of large aloes. The orange-trees at this place were looking most beautiful ; in one little garden of about half an acre there were at least 200 trees, and on an average there must have been 400 oranges on each. Last winter the orange-trees at Nice were terribly cut up by the frost, but all along this coast they appear in a most thriving condition. Half a mile before we came to Sestri, we passed along a road formed nearly at the bottom of the rock. The sea was high, and at times beat over it, and we narrowly escaped a wave, which completely ducked, and almost carried away, a man who was only three or four yards behind the carriage. We stopped an hour or two at Sestri, and then set forward to cross a ridge of the Apennines ; I in a sedan chair, borne by six stout fellows, and the others and the baggage on mules and horses. There was an Italian merchant of Brescia in company. My bearers kept up pretty well with the cavalcade, and at about four o'clock we arrived at the post of Braco. Everybody wished to go on to the next village, about eight miles forward, so I did not objeot, although it was getting dark. It rained very hard at times, and I thought the scene was really sublime when I saw the lightning flashing horizontally below me. We got a light about five o'clock at a solitary house, and proceeded on our mountaiii ex- cursion. The road was very narrow, and in some places there were frightful precipices, down which I was terribly afraid some of the mules would slip. Ward's mule slipped only twice, although the road was very steep at times, and in many places lay over the naked rock; he observed that the poor animal trembled very much both times after it. When he was in front it annoyed him every now and then, by turning round to look at the light ; this was not very pleasant, considering the narrowness of the path, and the precipice below. My men lost the path once, and before they could find it again the candle went out, and we were in a pretty predicament. They hallooed to the party in front, who came to our aid. Three or ITALY. 271 four sulphur boxes were produced, and, as the wind was hi-^h hey were forced to light the matches in my chair; it was' a ong time before we could succeed in lighting the candle, and in the meantime I was almost suffocated with brimstone. We slept at a horrible place called Carrotta. There was no fire- place m the village, and we were ushered into a small room with a fire lighted on the floor, in the centre, the smoke escaping out of the door. There were benches fixed against the wallt round the fire, and all hands, to the amount of thirteen, set to work to warm and dry themselves. I almost fancied myself in a robbers cave, such was the appearance of the people and place. We could get nothing to eat but bread and eggs. Ward and I were accommodated with the bed of the host and hostess, on which we lay down in our clothes ; there were only shutters, and no windows, but I was so used to rough it, by that time tnat 1 had no apprehension of taking cold." On the 8th we started from Carrotta about half-past seven The road was better, and my men tripped along at a famous rate. We arrived at Spezia about two o'clock. I fancy I cut rather an odd figure in my cloak and large brown nightcap as many people asked if I were a Spagnuolo (Spaniard) We 'crot away from Spezia about three o'clock, in a carria-e The otiT of Spezia looked very beautiful ; the English erected some forts here m 1814. There is a fountain of fresh water risin- in the midst of the salt water, a long way out at sea. We passed part of the Magra m a boat. I mounted a post-horse, which came over with us, and, after fording the other part, rode to Sarzana where we lodged, at a very good inn, called the Aquila Nicrra kept by a Frenchman. '^ ' "January 9th. At Sarzana we permitted our Genoese conductor to hand us over to a vetturino ; his carriage, however ^;as so bad that we wished to stop at Massa, to get another Tlie road runs past the town, which he refused to enter and not" withstanding all we could say, he persisted in driving on ' My servant, Frederick, stopped him, and Ward and I went into the town to see if we could not get redress by applving to the police I managed to express myself very tolerably in ftalian. and the head man sent a police-officer to bring the man to him • but the 272 ITALY. it' I Hi I bird Imd flown ; he hud followed us into the town, and, liearinfr mo say I should go to the police, he returned to the carriage and told Frederick that we wished him to proceed with the baggag(;, and that we intended to follow in a post-carriage. The commissaire gave us a letter, stating the case, to the commissaire at I'ietra Santa, and after eating a good dunier at the hotel, we followed in a cahche, with post-horses. We obtained full redress at Tietra Santa. This part of the l)usiness was managed very well by Frederick, who took the hitter to the police ollice. The man narrowly escaped being put in prison, and was forced to pay all the extra expenses we had incurred." On the 10th we left I'ietra Santa, in a return Pisa can-iage ; the vctturini always hand people over to each other in this way when they can, and we were not sorry to change. Both this day and yesterday the country we passed through was much inun- dated. The vines hang most beautifully in festoons from tree to tree. The country looks like a large garden, and we passed several large groves of olives. About four miles after passing Viareggio, we were stopped for more than three hours, in conse- quence of the bridge over the Serchio laving given way. We walked down to the place, and found that not only the bridge, but also part of the river bank had been washed away. The bridge had been tottering all the morning, and about half an hour before our arrival, not five seconds after the courier had passed, a large tree carried it away. The country was inundated on all sides, as far as the eye could reach. The people were striving to pick up the planks and posts which were floating along, and three or four fellows were swimming for the same purpose. After quarrelling a great deal with the postillion about the payment, we agreed to give him the whole fare to Pisa, provided he would cross the water with us, proceed to Lucca, and bring us out a carriage to the other bank of the river. We crossed in a boat, making a round of about a mile among the trees, which were beautifully festooned with long branches of the vine, hanging from one to the other. When we were in the carriage on the other side, the driver refused to go to Pisa, as he said the road was dangerous from the inundations, but we induced him to pro- ceed by threatening not to pay the other postillion if he did not. ITALT. 273 Wc passoa through some lanes full of woter with ■. ™„n \^t to try the depth of it; the horse., mZin^llr T their hemes, but we soon g„i„e,l thel^ ToSZIuZr M K.l.afr„t„, a „„„„ suggestive of the breaking of the e ft Ini of the Serch.o in former days, our passports te« examted o^ Z 11' T" "1° *'" ^"""" '^™""'- ^'- night ;svr:fl. e and the moon shcno m great splendour, and before entering p"' ™ had a distant view of the leaning tower ■ its lti„, °f insrwirTT'^'^"" »' thTd- tm,r,^ mooniigut We were kept some time at the rrnte of T>,-«o i« . ,^o,juenee of the people not being able to Se ouV ylTo" wit ira'.rsVtr' -" ^^^^ ■' *» "^ ™ «■" ^o™ a' "«Tt witnout a light, so they gave us a candle which we held un «t Zv lZr„U ft T '' '"''"^ °' "^ "'"'=• ^Wch he thought very favourably of, but recommended mo to be careful not to expose myself ^.a,n. He prescribed a ride to the baths of I'is^ which are about four miles from the town, every forenoon wS the day was fine, to drink the waters ; but I presume the givL" no dady ridmg exercise was his principal object I found a't Pisa some old friends, Mr. and M... Poore'and then thewTathe was not fine enough for horse exercise I frequently went wtth dX n'f t'" '"■''T *" *' ""'''^- "' ""^ P"*. of the Grand iJuke of Tuscany, where we could generally get a walk well sheltered from the wind. There we saw L descerdants of camels brought from the Holy Land in the time of t rCrrdef I remamed at Prsa between six and seven weeks, and, duri g wt„ t^r -n ^ ^'T' """'' ^'--^"Kth from being enabled^ owmg to the mildness of the climate, to ride and walk oat almos eveiy day, but I managed also to pick up some considemble knowledge of miian and of Italian history. I will here agarr"! troduce a few extracts from my journal. " January 13th. Went to see the hanging tower, (which is the I ill I 274 ITALY. clock tower, hanging twenty-two feet over the perpendicular,) the cathedral, the baptistery, and the campo santo, or buiial-ground. These four buildings stand rather separated from the town, but I am inclined to differ with our friend Eustace, as I think it is the green turf in front of them which is so peculiarly pleasing to the English eye, and not theiv isolated situation. I felt quite grati- fied at the sight of the turf, for I think I have not seen any before since I left Paris. In the south of France, in Piedmont, and in Italy, eveiy crook and corner is cultivated. 19th. Eode out towards the hills ; the peasants of th3 Val d'Arnoseera not to be so poor and wretched as those of Piedmont ; they are remarkably civil ; some of them who were working in the fields, at least a hundred yards from the road, I observed looking till they en- gaged my attention in order to shew the civility of taking off their hats. A student died about a fortnight ago, and to-day he was buried, all the students attending ; they subscribed so much each in order that they might have a splendid funeral. Out of the six hi ndred students I did not see one who might be called a fine young man. 25th. My Italian master, who is a student, requested me to take some other book rather than Pignotti's " Storia della Toscana," as he could not accompany me in reading that, it having been forbidden to all Catholics by the Pope. 27th. Eode on the Leghorn road. The poor people here seem to make it a rule to attack every Englishman they see for money ; I gave a lad two paoli (about a shilling) for the sake of making him happy. He knelt down to thank me, and then went away jump- ing and shouting, and fully as much gratified as I should have been with a present of £500. It was at their return from the Holy Land, in the time of the Crusades, that the Pisan gallies brought cargoes of the famous earth, with which the campo is filled ; it is said to have the property of destroying bodies buried in it in a lery short space of time ; now, however, it is not per- :jaitted to burj there ; for the ^ast thirty-five years there has been II law in forc'i which forbids the burial of people within the ■v/alls of Pisa. " January 30th. Visited the mm^o saw^o, the c?Momo (cathe- dral) and baptistery for a fev^ minutes. The duomo is most splei^did in the interior. I only took a peep at it, the air was so ITALr. 276 I could venS to .J it TTi ^""'° . ^1"''«» «>°'^ time than nu,„h .Jrf ! ., ^ • •=™'"i<'"''g ite dampness. There are eZt rCelHhe'S Tf/---'-^' ^-e n.„nrn^ in it, particularly the X^ZZZ'°T^'\^'""'^'P"''' asure„..„hntf Bap-liir CtVeti%:;;f;pS^ " '"^ Please^r^jr tt%"f '' ^ 7l ^"^'"'-"'"^ have been passed Tnttff, '""''^f* »' "' life seems to advanced cE an mu^! ?"."/ "''""'=' "'''* ""'^ ""^ greatest comfort ■ all th/l^w! ! ? "'""S'^ " "* 'h^ upon as trifles lief I; *i,T ""' '"T °' '''' *^^ '»* of enjoying a Mes^dZLTm .tZmt a''; ""''T,' ""^^ what the world caUs adverait7" T l "' « f g-^^- o^Uous to my journal to shew tha Tere was aTL '^ "'' T '"" rs;r "^ ^' *- --■ Tahruidrr?. -s a»^'"c,*drrinizfr^iir^,tf"^"^^^ Florence havinc-o^posedrslV ''™°"''' ''""' '™ P^^ies. an odd circumstanrol ,; V'' '"™™»™'^^'^d- K^^'her Lyons in 12^^ , ? ™ '"' ''''*"™ fr™' *« council of evX™ il ba^ks^Id t fTt^'— - ""* 'he Arno had he was forced to go bywaTo^F " "?"« ''^ ^^"^ ">-«f°- proper for him to haCl f°""'"'- ^' ^"'d not have been on going in, and\t\:tf prseTtZ' f f " !;^ ''''"^ '' excommunicated it He dM on ? ^ ' ^""""^ "'""l "nd »ade a law. that if the^ t^'^^l^Tl^^^'-'^^ ""^ '^^'^ successor should be chosen immediate yt Z^ri^r"- .'^^ was elected in his stead." ^ Innocent V It k. T 2 It- ' j^'^- If ^B, 276 ITALY. " February 4th. Tliere is a young Englishman here who is going to be married to a Miss , she is a tall girl and ho rather short ; they are constantly walking about together and looking very loving. This being the first day of the Carnival, on which masks have appeared on the Lung' Arno, two young men, I fancy students, were dressed as an English gentleman and lady ; the lady was tall, her companion a little man. I am told they took off the lovers admirably. A Miss , going to dine at tho house of a friend on Saturday last, the day before that appointed for the first appearance of the masks, had the misfortune to walk up the Lung' Arno alone, in her English eve- ning low dress ; she had a veil on, and, although the sun was down, a parasol, for the purpose I suppose of hiding her face. The people took her, or pretended to take her, for a masked cha- racter, and numbers of them followed her ; indeed, some proposed stopping her, as being out of order in appearing in such trim a day too soon. The poor lady was in a sad fright, and took r fuge in a friend's house ; some say she was forced to appear on the balcony before the people would go away. " In almost all the towns of Italy there is a Societa delta misericordia, the members of which make it their business to find out the poor and those in need of assistance, and to minister to their necessities. The members of the society here belong, some of them, to the first families in Pisa. If a poor man is sick, they either attend him at his own house or carry him to the hospital, as the case may be. They wear masks and black cloaks, partly that they may not be known, and partly that there may be no difference in the dress of the rich and poor members. I met twelve or fourteen of them the other day, goinp out on their work of mercy. I am told that any person who m uriior tunate is sure to meet with assistance from this societ-^^" On the 27th of February I went from Pisa to Florence, on my way to Eome, much improved in health, but still being advised to pass the winter and spring in Italy. I only remained in Florence five or six days, during which I saw all that was par- ticularly worth seeing, including the Palazzo Pitti, and the famous Mediceau gallery, wilii all its biauliful stalues and paint- ings, some of both of which had travelled many hundreds of tills? ITALY. 277 miles since I had seen then at Pan's in 1815. The museum at Horence was chiefly rema-kable for its wax anatou,ic:al speci- mens whicli wore contained in nearly or quite thirty rooms. I left Horence on the 5th of March and got to Rome on the 8th. having traveUed byArczzo. Perugia. Foligno, Spoleto. Terni. Narni. and C.vita Castollana. After leaving Spoleto. we drove along the side of a torrent for some four or five miles between lugh hiUs, and then ascended Monte Somma. the most elevated mountain of that range of the Apennines; the mountain and ^v'oody scenery were very beautiful. The accent of the Somma, on Its eastern side, is rather more than a mile in length. The road IS excellent the whole way from Foligno to Rome, ana par- ab ut four mdes down. The descent continues for si. or seven miles beyond Strettura, indeed almost as far as Terni. in one of nti.I f r'\"^ '^' ^^"^^"^ ^^^«^°^' ^^^^^« -« ^ere almost entiiely shut m by mountains, to add to the effect we saw a squadron of Austrian dragoons, on their march towards Loretto. We found about 18,000 men in bivouac around Terni. The blaze of the fires among the olive groves, and the almost savage appearance of the Hungarian and Austrian soldiers, made me lancy the scene a very romantic one. I found Terni so full of omcers that I could get no accommodation there, and so relin- quishing my plan of visiting the waterfall, I proceeded to Narni lor the night. As we approached Eome the next day we met hundreds of carriages ; the people had come out to see the Ger- mans, ten thousand of whom they heard were coming in We entered Rome by the Porta del Popolo. and drove to the Piazza di fepagna, in which two or three of the hotels were quite fuU ; but 1 at last found room at the Locanda di Parigi. I must be understood as not professing to give any regular account of the places I visited in Italy, or of the circumstances m which I was placed ; I purpose only to select, from what I recollect and from my journal, a very few points which perhaps may interest the reader. Part of the eutiy made in my journal the day after my arrival at Rome is as follows :— ir'T;:- ■ . 1 Hi lb ■ * 1 .1 I |:r' H; I i I 278 ITALY. "March 9th. I was rather disappointed with the outside of St. Peter's, but highly delighted with the interior. On entering, I was much amused at seeing two ladies kneeling before an altar at the respectful distance of fifty yards, from it, with two livery servants kneeling behind them, at a considerable distan-^ ; one of the servants was just reaching over to give the other .. pinch of snuff. In one part of the church is a statue of St. Peter, the toe of which it is the fashion to kiss ; I saw numbers of people doing this, and also rubbing their eyes against it. As one young man was kissing it, his companion pushed his head against it by way of joke. When people of distinction kiss the saint's toe, it IS customary for a servant first of all to wipe it with a cambric handkerchief. " March 14th. Went last night to a party at Lady Ellen- boroughs, and was much gratified by hearing an improvisatore, who, as far as I could judge, acquitted himself extremely well. He was not at all aware of what the subjects would be until they were given to him, when he immediately commenced The subjects were D-^nte, Eurydice and Orpheus, another which he treated in verse, and the last was Alexander at the tomb of Achilles, in prose. I could not follow him in his poetry, but I understood the whole of the prose." The tomb of Cecilia Metella, about two miles out of Pome on the Appian way, has its walls exceedingly thick, and is in a state of good preservation ; there is, or was, a large space in the inside, into which I rode. I found there, also on horseback, a Mr. ' who had known some of my family, and we soon became ac' quainted. We returned to Rome together, and about a mile trom the city saw a large cavalcade approaching. It was the Pope, who was attended by a guard and a suite of several persons. He had left his carriage, and was walking on the footpath. An officer of the guard rode forward to us and said he should be very much obliged if, just before we met the Pope, we would dis- mount and take off our hats. Although there was at first some dismclinaf m on my part to go through this ceremony, yet a moment's reflection shewed me that the customary mark of respect should be rendered to the Pope as sovereign of the coun- try. We dismounted and stood with our hats off as he passed. •! II ITALY. 279 which much pleased the body-guard, who thanked us for our courtesy. The Pope also and all his suite saluted us. It was amusing to see the common people throw down their burdens and run across the road to kiss his foot. He seemed to treat them with very great kindness, and dispensed his blessuigs very bountifully. On the 30th of March, after being at Eome three weeks, I decided on paying a short visit to Naples, with two friends. We travelled in a carriage which I had purchased at Florence. We passed along the Appian way and over the Pomptine Marshes, so called from Pometium, an ancient town of the Volsci, and saw the "Three Taverns" and Appii Forum, at which places the Eoman Christians met St. Paul when he was journeying to Ptome. Terracimi, the ancient Auxur, is about half-way between Eome and Naples. It is prettily situated on the sea. We arrived at Moia di Gaeta before nine o'clock. The Locanda di Cicerone, situated on the ruins of Cicero's lower villa, is a very excellent inn. In the morning I walked back a mile on the road we came, in order to visit Cicero's tomb, which is almost close to the road. He had a villa on the hill above, the ruins of which I saw. It is supposed that he was murdered' just on the spot where his tomb is erected, which answers to the description of the historian, who says he was murdered in a grove between his villa and the sea. We had a fine view of the pro- montory, town, and bay of Gaeta, rendered celebrated by Homer and Virgil. The ancient town was founded by the Lcestrygons, and it took its name from the nurse of iEneas, who died on the coast : — "Tu quoque lit+oribus nostris, ^neia nutrix, iEternara, moriens, fainam Cajeta dedisti." We left Mola about ten o'clock, and soon arrived at " The rich fields that Liris laves, Where silent roll his deep'ning waves."— " Rura quae Liris quietS. MorJet aqua, taciturnus amnis." This river was the southern boundary of Latium. Just before we arrived at this river, now called the Garigliano, we saw the ruins of the ancient Minturnce. It was in the marshes to the left of this, that Caius Marius hid himself He was discovered, ti If ■■''.'«i |^H| . jHP' ■ '''ii """ ■ . i-i # i ■ ■ .: - M. . HHHh^ -b I -'''' '''; i; i fPi ;'i ■ 1 i 282 ITALY. rows. How pleasing it would have been to have seen the cook- * ing utensils, surgical instruments, &c., in the cooks' and surgeons' shops. Some of the best paintings were found in the temple of Isis, and were sawn off the walls with great trouble. " The tomb of the gladiators, so called I fancy because there was a representation of a show of gladiators on it, is in a good state of preservation. This, and all the tombs, are outside the town, and on either side of the road. There are two or three little monuments raised to the Diomedes, and nearly opposite to them was a large house, belonging to the same family. In the cellar of this house, close to the doorway, were found seventeen skeletons. We saw the mask of one of them against the wall ; it is supposed that they took shelter there from the ashes. In another part of the town were found, in what was supposed to be a prison, two skeletons, with irons about the bones of the le^s "The streets are very narrow, so much so that two of our modern carriages could hardly pass each other in them; the marks of the wheels on the pavement are very visible. On either side are footways, not quite a foot and a half in breadth, and about ten inches above the level of the street. Almost all the rooms we saw were very small— seven or eight feet square, but they were, I conceive, mostly shops. On the outside they had their signs painted on the wall. There was a goat with a full udder painted on the outside of the shop of a milkman, where we saw a number of earthen jars, in which it is supposed the milk was kept. On the cooks' shops were painted game, hams, &c. There are still more than three-fourths of the town unexcavated. " April 5th. Mr. Wills, the Gages, and I, started about three o'clock for Vesuvius. Portici is six or seven miles from Naples, and about seven or eight from the summit of the mountain. On our arrival here we were surrounded by some fifteen or twenty men leading as many asses, each vehemently soliciting us to favour him with the care of our carcasses to the top of Vesuvius. They wanted a piastre for each ; however, we at last bargained with them to take one guide and four donkies, paying two piastres for the whole. We had not procee'dbd far out of the town, when the other three fellows came and p.aid thc^' must have more than three carlini for each of the steeds, so we dis- ITALY. 283 mounted and sent them back, lather angry with themselves, I lancy, for quarrelling with their own bread and butter' I rode on the remaining donkey more than half way to the hermita-e where we arrived in about an hour after leaving Portici- the Zr^\ '' ^°tve^ steep. There are a great many rooms at the hermitage The hermit was glad to see us, and produced four bottles of Lachrym^e Christi, which we got through pretty soon ; thus fortified we resumed our journey with fresh courage. After going forward about half a mile we turned to the left and crossed the lava which flowed in 1810; it was about eight or nine hundred yards in breadth. After passing it, we came to some which had only ceased to flow three days before; it was quite warm, aiid I observed it had furrowed up the sand in its course. Hundreds of different forms and figures appear on all sides, produced as the lava cooled in the act of running and bubbling! Through the different clefts we had views of the fiery furnace underneath. A few weeks ago a Frenchman threw himself into the running lava, and was consumed immediately. We saw the place where this happened ; it was close to the mouth of a small crater at the bottom of the cone, from which lava has been flow- mg since Christmas. From the mouth of the crater I broke off some fine specimens of lava, covered with incrustations of salt- petre, alum, &c. The cone did not appear very high but we were more than an hour in ascending it; by the time we got half way up, it was nine o'clock and very dark. Our guide took us to the leeward side of the crater, and the consequence was that we were almost smothered. He was very unwilling to pro- ceed to the mouth of it, but of course we could not go so far without looking into it. Mr. Wills and I crawled on our hands ?M knees the guide having discovered, by throwing up cinders till they did not return, that we were .nthin a few feet of the edge. We could not see, but succeeded in putting our heads over It, and were nearly suffocated. We neither heard any rumbling noises nor saw any flames. "We came down the cone of Vesuvius much faster than we had climbed up^. • The descent on the cinders took us abnni-, ten minutes. We revisited the lava, and by descending into a hole formed by the cooled lava, I had a famous view of the vast burn- I ^fi MM ftr ' 111 ;' 284) ITALY. ing furnace beneath. It was rather dangerous work walking on the lava at night, but we escaped without hurting ourselves. '^Jiere was something very gratifying in walking on the hardened part of it, and in being able to light a stick by thrusting it through the fissures under our feet. We observed that our guide walked with a pistol in his hand, and we found out that, since the Neapolitan army had been disbanded, and since the Austrians had entered the country, this mountain had been infested with robbers. The hermit's wine and three other bottles the party had got through when climbing, had made them very valiant, al- though it was scarcely stronger than small beer. We regained the hermitage in safety, that is to say, with some broken'^shins, cut boots, and burnt trowsers. Another Englishman, with two boys as guides, had gone up the cone with us. The whole party got through four more bottles of the good father's wine, and hav- ing written our names in his album, which contains the effusions of the genius of most of the visitants to Vesuvius, and having paid him three piastres for hi:.- wine, eggs, and civility, we set out to descend to Portici, where we arrived about eleven o'clock, and returned in our carriage to Naples. •'April 6th. Went on board the Eochfort with Mr. Eden flag-lieutenant, Mr. and Mrs. Wills, and Mr. Gage. Walked in the afternoon with Mr. Wills nearly as far as Portici. Dined with Admiral Sir Graham Moore, who very kindly promised to take me to Malta, if I liked to go, and, if possible, to get me a passage home from thence in a man-of-war. He was Sir John Moore's brother. Captain Schomberg dined there, Captain Hamilton of the Cambrian, and Bacon of the 10th Hussars, also a Swedish count doing duty on board the Iphigenia. " April 7th. Went to the museum at Portici ; it contains walls, painted al fresco, taken from Herculaneum, Pompeii, and Strabia ; the colouring was very fresh, though the paintings are clumsy, but we cannot suppose that the fresco paintings of the ancients were their best performances. I mentioned before, that on our visit to Pomneii, in a house outside the walls, we had seen the mark of a person's figure against the wall. In the Portici museum we saw a large crust of hardened ashes, in which was the print of one of her breasts. Her scull is preserved here, and ITALY. 285 there is also 1 . A/r ^T ' ^^^-^0^6' round which was found a gold brace- let. Mr Massey, son of Mr. Massey of Chester, dined with us April 8th. Went with Mr. Wills on board the Eochfort, to hear divine service. Lunched with the admiral. Went from he Kochfort to the Cambrian, and called on Lord O lauleu Mr. Hart of the Rochfort, brother to Hart of the 8Gth, formerly in the 52nd, dined with us. ^ "..kpril 9. This being our last day at Naples, we very much wishrd to go to BaicT, but the weather being very wet in the mormng, we gave it up. Stephen Poyntz breakfasted and spent the d ly with us A Neapolitan frigate got on shore in the night and Me drove about thi^e miles on the Portici road to the /ace. Our bc;a s were all there getting her stores out, as it was found impossible to save her. In the course of the afternoon one of the Iphigemas boats, which was riding at anchor about a hundred yards from the shore, was swamped, and two men who were in her were unfortunately drowned. Poyntz and I walked up to the Fort of St. Elmo, but the Austrian commandant refused to et us in. The view of Naples from this elevated spot is ex^ tremely magnificent. Poyntz and I paid a second visit to the stranded frigate with Captain Schomberg, and after walking through the arsenal, where we saw the remains of the seventy, four burnt some time before, went and dined at a trattoria m the Toledo. "April 10. Left Naples a little after five in the morning and arrived at Terracina about eight in the evening. Six of the robbers had returned to their old pursuits in the mountains, but heir companions, to shew their earnest repentance, had pursued, taken, and lodged them in the prison of Pondi. We started for Pome at five o'clock on the 11th. Over the Pomptine marshes we were driven at the rate of a post in thirty-five minutes: almosc al the postillions are mere boys. We breakfasted at VeUetri about twelve o'clock, and got to Eome at four. Went to a party at Mr Vesey's. 12th. Went in the evening to Tor- lonias. 13th. Saw the coUection of pictures in the Palazzo Boi^hese ; softie o t],em are very good, particularly those of Titian. I afterwards visited Thorwaldsen's studio, and was much pleased with observing the artists at work. In the evening I I I 'II !i I 286 ITALY. went to a concert at tlie Palazzo Caferelli on the Campidoglio. There were about thirty singeiB ; the music was sacred, and I was delighted with it, notwithstanding our being bored by the noise of one of our countrymen, who seemed to take no more delight in it than a cow would have done. "April 14th. Eode with Hope, Hesketh, Levinge, and a Polish count, to Frascati. From the hill there is ar extensive view of the Campagna, but the day was rather too hazy for it. We proceeded, some walking and some on donkies, to Tusculum, to see the remains of Cicero's - ilia. We feU in with the Prince of Saxony and his daughter, and visited, en passant, a villa, where we saw some fine water-works, and heard a horn sounded by the statue of a centaur, by means of the running water. We saw a few ruins lying here and there on the hill of Tusculum. On re- turning to Frascati, Hope and I started off to see the Alban Lake. At some distance before reaching the lake I thought the scenery more beautiful than any scenery I had seen in Italy or France. We almost fancied ourselves in an English wood on a summer's day ! The lake is supposed to be in the crater of an ancient volcano. In very early times a subterraneous passage, a mile in ' length, was dug from it through the hill, to let off its waters and to prevent sudden and dangerous swells, to which it was formerly subject. This day I rode upwards of thirty miles, without being the worse for it. The day was very hot and sultry. "April loth. This being Palm Sunday, the Pope performed divine service, at his own chapel, at the Quirinal. We were too late to see him officiate, but we saw him carried in procession round the large hall, preceded by choristers, cardinals, &c. We afterwards went into the chapel, where there were many English ladies, and some English officers in uniform. Went to" Sir Walter Synot's, where I met the Veseys, and heard two good sermons. " Have been so engaged lately, that my journal has been totally neglected. I regret not having kept it regularly during the holy week, but that would have been almost impossible. The Pope blessed, amongst others who were assembled in front of St. Peter's on Easter Sunday, 10,000 Austrian soldiers ; 1 was in uniform, and there were about sixty English officers in uniform ITALY. 287 here. When the multitude knelt to receive the Pope's blessinc. I looked over the whole assembly, and saw that only two En.Sh officers besides myself, were standing. I could not have knelt but I thmk we should have kept away altogether M^ses Wolfe and Mr. and Mrs. Wills. The gentlemen paid three visits to the grotto of Neptune, and one to that of the sLl In the morning of the 1st of May we visited Adrian's villa, which I thought very pleasing ; the number and variety of the ruins the luxuriant evergreens growing on and about them in all directions, the delightful season of the year, the solitary appear- ance of the place-aU united to make the effect delightful We afterwards went to the Solfatura, and then returned to Eome v.. ^.AVl^' /'^^ ^°"'' '"^ *^^ "'^'^^"S ^<^ h^lf-Past one, and reached Eadicofam at nine at night. Left Eadicofani a little before live, and arrived at Florence at midnight. Just as I was about to start from Eome, about eight o'clock at night on the 2nd, I found I had forgotten to procure permission to take post- horses. A friend, however, wrote to Baron Eeden the Hano- verian ambassador, who wrote to Cardinal Consalvi, and after midnight I got the permission. May 8th. Just starting for Milan. I suspect Florencr. is not a good spring climate, for all my acquaintances here are looking much paler than when I last saw them." I left my carriage at Florence, with directions that it should be sold, and started, in the aft-rnoon of the 8th of May ISn with the Milanese courier. The evening was line, and the countrv looking very beautiful. Near Pietramala, which is about half- way between Florence and Bologna, at some distance to the ri^ht of the road, there is a small volcano, which constantly throws out fire; its crater is about fifteen feet in circumference ; we were all asleep, and did not see it. I walked up the road over the Ciogo which is five miles long ; it is the highest mountain of the Apenmnes. From sitting down to rest myself, I cau-ht a aolent cold. We arrived at Bologna about nine in the momin^ The museum of the institute contains many interesting thin-g''. in a room containing anatomical specimens there is a complete young Cyclops. We arrived at Modena about four in the after *mfF ,..' ' 'I'l 288 ITALY. noon, having left Bologna in the middle of the day. Some miles before we came to Mantua, we passed the Po on a superb bridge of boats, at least it looked very superb by moonlight, and after- wards the Mincio. From the top of the Campanile of Cremona I had a fine view of the adjacent country, and of the windings of the To ; opposite to Cremona there are some large islands, apparently well cultivated. To the westward I saw Tiacenza, and beyond it the Apennines, and to the eastward I had a fine view of the snowy Alps ; I could not see the Lago di Garda. They have commenced hay-making here, although they have not done so in Tuscany. "May loth. Tizzighitone is a small, but strong fortress, and is washed by the Adda, which is a fine large river. Francis I was conducted here when he was made a prisoner at Pavia. We arrived at Lodi about ten o'clock at night, and I walked about a mile to the bridge over the Adda, which Bonaparte forced in such gallant style in 1795. The bridge is more than a quarter of a mile long, and was defended by 10,000 Austrians, and lots of artillery. The French must have lost a great many men, and it must have been a gallant exploit, but I do not think it was a very difiicu^L one, for when once the French were on the bridge, their best plan was to advance as rapidly as possible ; had they turned, they must have experienced a much greater loss than they did in advancing. We arrived at Milan tNt three o'clock on the morning of the 11th, and I felt completely knocked up, and resolved never again to travel two days and three nights without stopping, if I can avoid it. "Milan, May 11th. Went to the Scala; thought the opera stupid, and the singing very bad. The ballet was got up in a most splendid manner, and two or three of the performers danced exceedingly weU. In the evening of the 12th I went to Signer Girolomo's puppet exhibition, and was much entertained. The title of the piece was ' Samson and the Philistines,' and Sam- son certainly knocked out the brains of four or five of his enemies in very great style. The figure of Samson himself was very good. All the speaking is by one person ; the action is uncom- mouly good ; the hands, feet, and head have strings fixed to them from above. I went again to see this performance ; the imitation *■ yi ITALY, 289 of part of the ballet at the Scala is super-excellent; it only ustomshes me that it is possible to make the figures 'dance so Blencowe arrived from Florence, and we agreed to travel ogether to Turin, where Sir E. and my sister, and Fit^gilb: ^^i^r' T:""' "' '"" ''^^^- ^^^^-« Purchased'an ok( t J if % ^^? ^'^^^°^^"S IS written across my journal :_ NB, Tossednp for the chaisedepo.teatTnvm,v,henl lost t. Blencowe desires I will add this by way of postscript, so that n ca.e anythmg should happen to me, my friends may no accuse him of stealmg my share of the produce of the carriage" About a mile beyond Bufalora, we passed the Ticino, which taking Its rise m the Simplon, flows through the Lago M^.giore' an^ runs mto the Vo a mile or two below Pavia.^ We taTk cofn^e at Novara, and reached Vercelli about the middle of the night ; the place is on the Sesia. During the night we saw im- mense quantities of fireflies; some of the meadows seemed to be quite on fire with them. The morning was fo^gy ■ as il dawned we descended from the upper plain into the Wer one m which rurin is situated. We passod many rivers-the Bora Baltea, the Oreo, Stura, and Dora ; over many' of these are pon- oon bridges, which must be highly necessary in the great floods biit at present most of the boats are dry. ' We reached TiSn .luoiit hali-past seven on the morning of the 19th rJ '""'1'?,'' '"'"" ^"""' ""' "y ^''"-l Fitzgibbon, through Tl 1 r , K T ^''^ '"™"» ^"^""^ «"* ™tor and spring m Italy had been of great service to my health ; and my reliLw eehngs had been strengthened, and my vie™ of refiln M become clearer during this period At Geneva I was intToduci by my fnend 1-rt.gibbon, to that good man, Dr. fesar Makn a ame s„,ce so well known in England, and we passed theg eat'e ■ar of two elear days m his society. I do not now agree with all Ins views of rehgion, but I have always since felt great respect and veneration for him as a holy and devoted mini'tr of til Stith'L'™"' ""i'^^^'^T " "-" -oh concerd to M mat, witn all my religious fe ""O* could not see that it w as J u r. PI ! w^ U-' .' I ft - I kl-^-^iaaSH iV ^M' KM 290 ITALY. wron;T, for one who feared God, to go to the opera and theatre, and to other places of anmsemsnt wliich he very much disap- proved of He was not satisfied with my assurance that, whenever I should see these things to be sinful and wrong in the sight of God, I would have nothing more to do with them. I have often been surprised, in after years, that I did not at once see the vanity and sin of some of these things, especially of theatres, which arc generally attended by numbers of the worst characters of both sexes, and where, in the representations, amongst many other things which militate against religion and morality, it often happens that the name of God is grievously profaned. My friend was most anxious that I should converse with Dr. Malan upon these matters, and 1 being not at all unwillin*' to do so, we were left together, in one of our walks, for that purpose. I knew that Dr. Malan was aware of our friend's object in leavin 294 AT HOME, AND THEN REJOIN Sir John Colborne was entitled, as King's aide-de-camp, to tickets of admission for two friends, to see the ceremony of the coronation, and, on hearing that I intended to see what I could ot It, said he was soriy his tickets had been given away before he was aware of my being in town. I worked my way through the immense crowd in Parliament Street, and, by paying a guinea, obtained a seat which afforded me an excellent view of the pro^ cession. In Parliament street, whilst standing on a door-step 1 saw poor Queen Caroline, attended by three gentlemen, proceeding in an open barouche and four to Westminster Abbey. She soon returned, looking extremely mortified. Both on going and re turmng, she was tremendously cheered by the people. A few soldiers., under the command of a corporal, who were making their way along the pavement in single fi]e, were greeted with hisses and cries of « God save the Queen" were dinned into their ears By way of taking their part, and keeping them in countc .ance I cried out, "God save the King," when a woman near me said io me, very sa vagely, " You had better hold your tongue, youn-. man 'or you wiU get your nose slit." ° There was something very formidable in going back to my regiment, and to my brother-officers, after a long absence with my views on the subject of religion so changed, and with'a de- termination, with God's help, to give up my old careless and sinful ways. No one in the regiment had any idea of what had taken place m my mind. I had some considerable hope that I might find one of my old companions to be of a congenial dispo- sition with myself for one of the officers, in writing to me about a horse which I had left with him, had written the following, sentence :-" Gawler is making a great cake of himself, converting ;the men._ And a few months after, in another letter,he wrote •- Gawler is about to be married to a lady as religious as himself" AVhen I saw Sir John Colborne in London, I thought I would try and learn something more on this point, and asked, " Gawler '; has become very religious, has he not, Sir ?" But he was not mclmed to be very communicative on the subject, and all the reply I received was, " Yes, I believe he has." T. ,?' ^"IJ^ing i« extracted from my journal :-" I proceeded to Dublm, via Liverpool, and joined my regiment at the Eichmond f'^ ' W1 THE 52XD AT DUBLIN. 295 barracks on the 25tli of July, 1821. This was, of course, a season of trial to me, when meeting my old companions, with whom I had in former days entered into all kinds of folly and dissipation, but an all-merciful God had shewn me the error and folly of my former course of life, and now enabled me boldly to declare my sentiments." I think it was on the afternoon of the day of my arrival, that Gawler, who was a married man, and living at some distance from the barracks, rode into the barrack square, and thus I had at once the opportunity of making known to him my religious sen- timents. I feel it desirable, in relating this and several other circumstances which occurred in my intercourse with my brother- officers and others, to relate them in detail, and sometimes to mention, as far as I can, the very words which were used ; I think the doing so may, by God's mercy, be made useful to many young persons who may read this work. There was something very remarkable in the meeting of Gawler and myself on this occasion. More than four years before this time he had gone on leave from the regiment, when it was in cantonments in the north of France, and, from ill health, had been unable to rejoin us until the very evening before the day of my starting from Chester, in 1819, to go into Germany. He was in time for mess on that evening, and I recollect just speaking to him in the ante- room before we went into dinner. I did not sit near him, and I had no idea whatever that he had returned to the regiment quite an altered man with regard to religion. He had been, as too many were in those days, sceptical about the Christian religion, and the truth of the Scriptures. His heavenly Father " led him "in a way that he knew not." He was ill and coniined to his bed, for some considerable time, in a lodging in London. Whilst he lav there, in his lonely chamber, he began to think over all the arguments which he had read in Paley's " Evitlences of Chris- tianity," when he had been forced many years before to get up that work for an examination at the junior department of the Military College. His powerful and clear understanding,* and • When I went, aa a 52nd oiiicer, ten years after (iawler's time, to study at the senior department at Sandhurst, Colonel Butler, the lieutenant-governor, enquired very earnestly after him, and spoke of him as the best man they had ever had there. xw, if 296 AT HOME, AND THEN KEJOIN retentive memory, enabled him to succeed in this, and he became most deeply convinced that the Bible was the inspired Word of God. His eyesight very much failed him at that time, and he paid a young man to conn; for a certain time to read to him every day. He read principally to him out of the New Testament, and when Gawler heard of the spotless character and holy pre- cepts of ^he Lord Jesus Christ, one immediate effect upon his mind was, that he came to the conclusion that there was not a Christian man in the world; another effect was, which shewed his sincerity, that he determined he would try, from that time forward, to be a true Christian, and to act up to all the commands of his God. It was not until some considerable time had elapsed that, from attending the house of God, and from becoming acquainted with some serious Christian people, he learnt the "way of God more perfectly," and discovered that it was not by his own holiness, but through trusting in the meritorious death of the Son of God that he was to be saved, his faith evidencincr Itself to be a saving faith by the fruits of holiness which it pro^ duced. When, after the recovery of his health, he rejoined his regiment, he was most anxious to be of service, in a relicnous point of view, both to his brother-officers and to the men He had served in the Peninsula and at Waterloo, and was then high up in the list of lieutenants, and was considered a very intelliom illness, would not allow me to remain . exposed to the pouring rain, and very kindly sent me off to the barracks. The mention of St. Patrick's naturally leads me to speak of the munificent gift, by Mr. Benjamin Guinness, of £150,000 for the restoration, &c., of that magnificent building. I recollect him very well, at the period I am writing about, and his excellent father, Mr. Arthur Guinness, the governor of the bank of Ireland, from whom and from other brandies of the family, I received much kind attention during our stay in Dublin. 305 musket was direction of Jliief. Very io tlie square, hief. Whilst )2nd formed square being of the other, ["val, and the mvy phiinly, liey galloped 3m the rear ear one, and i, the men on arging pace saw on this the French 3or Howard iviuced that ire, it is not leard on the .unattended may be, to infantry. I the King's edral, when king day of i us to take ideration of e to remain e off to the ;ads me to uinness, of t building, about, and of the bank the family, blin. CHAPTER XVIII. 1821. DUELLING. Major Oliver of the artillery— Is sent to " Coventry" by the artillery officers of the Dublin district— I become acquainted with him— Discussions on duelling, at the 52nd mess— Colonel Rowan's opinion -Remarkable instance of apology- Recent additions to the articles of war— Roman Catholic ofticei-s of the Prussian Guards removed for declaring they would not fight a duel— Severe sentence on officers of the Russian Guards for fighting a duel— Belgian Minister of War sentenced to imprisonment for engaging in a duel Just before I rejoined the 52nd at Dublin, the following circum- stance had occurred in the garrison. The field oil icer of the day. Major Oliver (afterwards General Oliver) of the artillery, on going his rounds at night, found that a civilian had just been handed over, most improperly, to a Serjeant's guard, by a mate or officer of the navy, for some alleged offence. In his report to the general. Major Oliver stated that there was some reason for supposing that the naval officer was not sober. Some little time after, the captain of the man-of-war met Major Oliver in one of the streets, and told him he had heard that, in his report to the general, he had accused his officer of being drunk, and that it was " a lie 1" This was also reported to the general, who desired that Major Oliver would not call the naval captain to account for the language which he had used; but he ivas, of course, prevented from doing that by his religious principles. The officers of the artillery of the Dublin district then addressed tne Duke of Wellington, as master-general of the ordnance, on the subject, and agreed to send Major Oliver to " Coventry" for not ■.^^'f^ 306 DUELLING. Ccalling the man out who had insulted him. The Duke, in his reply, refused to take notice of the matter. This was the state of things when I arrived in Dublin, and when I first became acquainted with Major Oliver, whom I met one morning at the house of a mutual friend on whom we happened to call at the same time. I was aware of most of the circumstances above related before I saw him, though he gave me the whole account of the affair some time afterwards. We left the house, at which we were calling, together, and we had not proceeded far, when I fancied that he thought it would be somewhat injurious to me to be seen walking with so notorious a character as he was, and that he was trying to leave me, for he said he wanted to call at one of the houses which we were passing ; his friends, however, were not at home, so we continued to walk together along Sackville street, and met two of our 52nd captains, with whom I exchanged nods. At mess that evening, one of them asked me, across the table, if that was Major Oliver with whom he had seen me walking in the morning. On my replying that it was Major Oliver, he said, " you are a young man, so let me give you a piece " of advice — don't you be seen walking with Major Oliver any " more ; he is not well thought of in the garrison, r i it will be a " disadvantage to you to be seen with him." My rc^ ly was, and I felt thankful that I was enabled to make it, " I know all about " Major Oliver, and the affair to which you allude ; I consider that " he has acted in it in accordance with the commands of his God, " with the articles of war, and with the laws of his country ; I " consider it an honour to be acquainted with Major Oliver, and " I shall certainly not be ashamed to be seen walking with him, " whenever I have the opportunity of doing so." Major Oliver's conduct, and the whole sulyect of duelling, was frequently dis- cussed at the mess of the 52nd, and I often declared that, whatever might happen to me, I would never fight a duel ; and this statement was received without its being ridiculed and scouted. 1 recollect, on one occasion. Colonel Charles Eowau left the mess-room at the same time that I did, and said, as we were going out, " I believe, Leeke, you are quite right in the views " you have been upholding, but," he added, " 1 think a mau " holding such views should not remain in the army." He would Duke, in his was the state first became orning at the to call at the stances above ^hole account use, at which 1 far, when I ious to me to tvas, and that to call at one owever, were mg Sackville . I exchanged le, across the lad seen me t was Major e you a piece ir Oliver any . it will be a iy was, and I LOW all about consider that s of his God, 3 country ; I r Oliver, and ag with liim, [ajor Oliver's jquently dis- 3clared that, a duel ; and diculed and arles Eowan i said, as we in the views hink a man He would DUELLING, 307 not have added this last sentence at a later period of his life, when it pleased God to lead him, as a poor sinner, to trust in the atoning death of Christ for the pardon of his sins, and to walk, under the influence and guidance of the Spirit and Word of God, in holiness and peace. I became very intimate with Major Oliver, and often walked with him. He told me that some of the artillery officers would take notice of him in passing, when they were alone, but would not do so when walking with any other person ; and that he just let them take then- course, only speaking to them when they wished it. By degrees the artillery officers began to think themselves wrong, and to be ashamed of the position which they had taken up. When Major Oliver, some time afterwards, went over to Plymouth to give evidence at the court-martial held on the naval officer, he was received and treated with the most marked attention and kindness by the artillery officers in that garrison, and sub-(;quently was received in the same way at Woolwich. The whole affair was a great trial to Major Oliver at the time ; I have no doubt, however, but it was one of the chief means, in the providence of God, of leading people to see the folly and wickedness of the hole system of duelling. It may be well for me to mention the following case, which occurred rather more than a year after Major Oliver's affair, and with the particulars of which I was well acquainted :— A subal- tern officer, of some years' standing, had some very offensive expressions addressed to him after dinner in the mess-room by the officer then in command of his regiment, before several other officers. There had been scarcely a glas? of wme drunk, and nothing had been said calculated to give offence ; indeed, the officer in question had remained after mess at the express request of the commanding officer. I may mention, however, that the latter had received a severe wound in the Peninsula, which was supposed by some to have led to his unaccountable behaviour. The othcer insulted immediately left the mess-room, and of course felt himself to be in a most unpleasant predicament. Expressions had been used which he could not pass over, without renderinere boy. I recollect his telling me, some time after the return of the army of occupation from France,' that, when on leave, he was one day telling his friends about the Battle of Waterloo, and that he made his mother cry, when he described the pitiable condition in which I appeared to be, on the morning of that day, and told her that I had just before left my mother, and how I liad been lying out all night, and had been drenched with rain, &c., &c. This helps to show that he had no unkind feeling towards me, when he told me I was " ruining the " regiment," and I really felt very sorry for him at the moment. I could quite understand all that was passing in the mind of this Y 2 324 THE 52nd at DUBLIN. line, gallant soldier, for not so very long before, I should liave had, under similar circumstances, the feeling that the reading the Bible, and tracts, and prayers, and " psalm- singing" as the being religious was often termed, were calculated to interfere with, and even destroy, that gallant spirit and bearing, so conspicuous in the British soldier. The dialogue which took place between us, under these feelings and circumstances, was nearly word for word as follows: — Wintcrhottom : — "Wliy, Leeke, you are ruining the regiment." Leeke : — " You mean that the leading them to read these books "and to become religious, is likely to destroy their spirit as " soldiers." Winterhotlom : — " Yes, I do think so." Leeke : — " Now, Winterbottom, just reflect for a moment. If " I should be the means of leading them to fear God, do you think " they would be less orderly than they are at present ? " Winterhoffom :^—" No, of course they would not." Leeke : — " If they should give up drunkenness, would that do " them any harm as soldiers ? " Winterbottom : — " Of course not." Leeke : — " Since / have begun to try and do what is pleasing " in the sight of God, do you think I am less attentive to my " dutie; as an ofiicer than I used to be ? " Winterbottom : — " No, if anything, I think you are more at- " tentive to them than you formerly were." Leeke : — " If we should have any more campaigning, do "you think I should be less fearless in danger than I have " been ? " Winterbottom : — " No." Leeke : — " If our .m.jn are led to seek the pardon of their sins " through the atonement of their Saviour, and to become holy " through the teaching of His Spirit and His Word ; and if, in " addition, they believed their sins were pardoned, and that they " should go to heaven when they died, do yon think these feelings "would be calculated to make them more afraid of danger " and of death in battle, than they would have been without " them ? " Winterbottom : — " No. I think they would not." uld liave had, reading the ' as the being ■ere with, and )nspicuous in e between us, vord for word he regiment." d these books eir spirit as moment. If do you think t?" rould that do it is pleasing ;entive to my are more at- paigning, do than I have of their sins become holy d ; and if, in nd that they hese feelings d of danger »een without THE 52nd at DUBLIN. 325 Leeke : — " Well you see, then, that my books and tracts, and ** any endeavours we may make to lead the men to fear God and " wall Q His ways, will not " ruin the regiment." I was surprised and thankful to find, that this little quiet talk appeared entirely to allay the perturbed feeling with which Winterbottom entered the guard- room. During the time that we remained in Dublin, he and our kind old Scotch quartermaster, John Campbell, went with me very frequently on the Sunday to hear those good men, Mr. Mathias and Mr. Nixon. Some of the other officers went occasionally. Winterbottom and Campbell, although so much my seniors, used to let me advise them and exhort them on religious matters, as opportunity offered. One Sunday morn- ing, when I was on duty as officer of the day, I was crossing the barrack square with John Campbell, and whilst thinking of something else, half whistled a tune in an under tone, when I was very much amused by his taking the opportunity of good- humouredly paying me off for all my past exhortations to him, by saying to me, in rather broad Scotch, " If ye were in my country, " my lad, they would put ye in the stocks for whistling on Sunday." Winterbottom, with all his gallant bearing, was a very bashful man, and would sometimes blush, if anything drew attention to him, up to the very roots of his hair. I recollect calling forth one of his deepest blushes, by mentioning at the mess, some years after it happened, the circumstance of my having, when as a vohmteer I went from Ostend to Lessineg, fallen into conver- sation for a short time with one of the men, who, after speaking of the daring conduct of Sir John Colborne in action, added "and " Mr. Winterbottom is just like him, Sir." With the names of Sir John Moore and Lord Seaton, that of Winterbottom ought to be always remembered by his regiment and country, as one of the most distinguished soldiers of his day. As the 52nd record is likely only to be read by few persons, com- paratively, I shall extract presently from it that portion which mention's Winterbottom's services ; but before I do so I will transcribe the following, from a letter which I have lately re- ceived from an old ISTcw Brunswick friend, who is now one of the highest judicial functionaries in that province : — " I heard the " following anecdote from ^''"^s. Monius, the wife of Lieutenant- ■it I. 326 THE 52nd at DUBLIN. <( i< « « (I (I Colonel Monius,* of the 69th, when that regiment was here some years ago. She said that when Winterbottom was wounded in the head, (at Waterloo,) Monius bound up the wound with his own handkerchief. A considerable time after, when in England, Mrs. Monius was surprised by a visit from Winter- bottom, who announced his object by saying, that he called to return the hmidkerchicf which Monius had so kindly lent him at Waterloo, at the same time presenting the lady with a very handsome shaiol. Winterbottom married a Fredericton lady a Miss Winslow, some of whose family reside at Woodstock, sixty ' miles above this, on the river St. John." Tlie following is an extract from the 52nd record :— "On the 6th of November, 1838, the regiment disembarked at Barbadoes, and occupied the brick barracks, St. Anne's. " About the middle of this month, the portion of the barracks allotted to the officers was visited by that fatal epidemic, the yellow fever, which continued its ravages for nearly six weeks, the sickness being confined alone to the officers' pavilion. Of fourteen officers present with the service companies, twelve were attacked, and three died, viz.- Paymaster John Winter- bottom, Lieutenant V. A. Surtees, and Ensign Edward Gough. "The building was eventually condemned as unhealthy, and " evacuated entirely, and no case of fever afterwards occurred " Paymaster John Winterbottom, who thus feU under the stroke "of a pestilential disease, on the 26th of November in this year " was a veteran soldier, who had nobly borne his part in earning "distinction for his regiment and for himself during nearly forty "years of service. "Born in the parish of Saddleworth, Yorkshire, in 1781, "John Winterbottom was early obliged to help in the'support of " a very poor family, by cloth weaving. It was during a period "of much distress among the operative weavers, that young " Winterbottom enlisted into the 52nd, on the 17th of October, 1799^ " His first return to the home of his family was in 1814, dur- • E^ton Monius was the youngest officer of the 52nd at Waterloo except my- .self. He was a good officcf, .-ind adjutant of the regiment f-r some time He rose eventually to the rank <■■( major-general, and obtained the cok^nelcy of the bth regiment. ' THE 52nd at DUBLIN. 327 "ing the short peace which his exertions had helped to achieve, and which put an end to the Peninsular War. On this occasion "his fellow-parishioners presented to him, at public dinner, a "handsome gold snuff-box, together with expressions of then- " admiration of his worth and gallanti j , sucii as drew from him " a reply only in sentences broken by his feelings, under the ex- " citement of an honour so gratifying. His ability as an execu- " tive officer, his sterling integrity, high sense of honour, always " coupled with that of his regiment, and readiness to oblige and "instruct in their dnty the younger officers, conveying instruction " in a manner to encou, ige am! inspire rather than to annoy or " disgust, were so fully appreciated, that on his death one hundred " and forty-three officers, mo,,t of whom had served with him, "either in the same regii.ient or in the same brigade, subscribed "to erect to his memory a handsome monumental tablet, which " is now in his parish church at Saddleworth, and bears the fol- " lowing inscription : — " ' John Winterbottom, Paymaster of the 52nd Light Infantry. " Died at the Head-Quarters of the Ptcgiment, in the Island of " Barbadoes, on the 26th of November, 1838. "Born at Saddleworth, 17th of November, 1781. "Private Soldier, 52nd, 17th of October, 1799. " Corporal, April, 1801. " Serjeant, December, 1803. "Serjeant-Major, 11th of Juno, 1805. "Ensign and Adjutant, 24th of November, 1808. " Lieutenant and Adjutant, 28th of February, 1810. " Paymaster, 31st of May, 1821.' "He served with distinction at the following battles and " sieges : — "As a Private at Ferrol; as Serjeant-Major at Copenhagen " and Vimiero ; as Adjutant at Corunna, the Coa, Busaco, Pombal, "Eedinha, Ciudad Ptodrigo, Badajoz, Salamanca, San Munoz, " Vittoria, the heights of Vera, Nivelles, the Nive, Orthes, Tarbes, " Toulouse, and Waterloo, as well as in other actions of less note, in " which the 52nd was engaged during the war ; and he was never " absent from liis regiment except in consequence of wounds re- " ceived at Eedinha, Badajoz, and Waterloo." U 'i '' III! I ( f r: 4 3:28 THE 52nd at DUBLIN. Tliero are, of course, many interesting events which I well remember, but wliich I could not for various reasons record in this work. I have endeavoured not to insert anything which woukl be calculated in any way to give pain or nnnoyance to any one. In my intercourse witli my brotlier-officers and others, especially when speaking on religious subjects, I always endea- voured to avoid any peculiarity of look or expression which I knew, from my own feelings, was calculated to raise a prejudice against religious persons, in tlie minds of those who witnessed it. I mention it liere, because T consider it to be of very great import- ance, that persons who are seriously disposed should be as natu- ral as possible in their way of speaking and acting. I remember one of my brother-officers, when launching out rather vehemently against the ways of some religious men, whom he had met with, . said, "I never knew one of them yet, except yourself, who had " not a ghastly smile on his countenance." I think it must have been at the same time and from the same person that I recollect the following somewliat clever reply. We were standing one day with two or thrpf^ other men in the mess-room, when, in inveigh- ing against some persons of whom he was speaking, he applied the term " Methodists " to them. By way of trying to stop him, I interposed the question, "What is a Methodist?" which he most quickly answered as follows:— "A Methodist! it means a " fellow who is always quoting St. Paul, as you and Gawler do." I have always remembered the following circumstance, rhich occurred when I was making a call one morning at the house of a religious family. There happened to be several sets of callers, and, amongst others, was a very nice, intelligent young person,' who lived about six or seven miles from Dublin. I had never met her before, and did not hear her .ame, nor have I ever seen or heard of her since. The conversation took a religious turn, and the unscriptural doctrine of perfection, held by theVesleyan Methodists, was mentioned. This led the lady above-mentioned to observe, " Our clergyman and his wife both hold the doctrine "of perfection." I said, "Did any of you ever ask him if he " considered himself perfect ? " " Yes," she replied. " .and he says "of himself 'that he is a poor sinful man, leaving undone, every "'day, what he should do, and doing what he should not do.'" THE 52nd at DUBLIN. 329 ivhicli I well 3118 record in yth.ing which )yancc to any I and others, Iways endca- /hich I knew, udice against nessed it. I ^eat import- l be as natu- I remember r vehemently ad met with, elf, who had it must have it I recollect iing one day , in inveigh- j, he applied to stop him, '" which he I it means a Gawler do." tance, which the house of ts of callers, )ung person, I had never I ever seen ligious turn, le Wesleyan j-mentioned ;he doctrine him if he md he says done, every [d not do.'" When asked if he had ever mot with a perfect person, he answers, " Yes, there is my wife, I consider her to be perfect in holiness." Wo enquired whether his wife considered herself perfect, and the lady said that she also spoke of herself in the same terms in which her husband described his feelings with regard to remaining sin, and sin being mixed up with all his best thoughts, words, and deeds. She added, that when the wife was asked if she had ever seen a person perfectly free from sin, she replied, " Yes, " there's my husband, I consider him to be perfectly free from " sin." I have often mentioned this anecdote since I heard it, and more especially for the benefit of married couples. Although it does not establish the doctrine of perfection, it shews that this clergyman and his wife nmst have led a most holy and happy life together. I daily think what a great mercy it is that, in the first prayer of the liturgy, we have the doctrine of remaining sin in all the children of God so clearly set forth, and that the most advanced Christians, as well as those who are just beginning to seek pardon and holiness, are therein invited, and taught daily, to humble themselves before God for the daily sins of their whole lives, from their very early years, down to the moment at which they are arrived. An officer in barracks, and in such a place as Dublin, however much he may wish to acquire professional and other knowledge, meets with all kinds of hindrances in his attempts to improve himself I managed, however, to do something in this way whilst I was there ; and I recollect, with pleasure, the expressions of great approval with which a friend, much older than myself, greeted me when he called upon me at the Eichmond barracks, on his return from Italy, and found my table covered with maps and books of reference, indications that, on that morning at least, I had not been idle. The present Sir George Grey, our accomplished Home Secre- tary, was for a short time in Dublin, as the guest of Admiral Oliver ; I had known him before, both at his father's and at our own house, but all I recollect of him in Dublin was that, on one occasion, I rode with him for some time in the Phucnix Park. He was my junior by a year or two. One evening, in consequence of some information that an II i: 330 THE o2ND at DUBLIN. attack was meditate], that night, on the Eichmond barracks, by some thousands of Wliiteboys, who, I suppose, thought to take us by surprise, suitable preparations were made for their recep- tion; men were to' T vi\ tt -.rcupy tlie oflicers' l)arracks, in case they should be "-autc^d, and the sentries were doubled in some places, and their muskets loaded, and the troops were ready to turn out. These preparations could not have been made unless there had been some ground for expecting an attack ; the night, however, passed over without anything: happening. In January, 1822, 1 went on uctachment to the Tigeon-house, under the command of Captain Macphcrson, of the 1 3th IJogiment. He was a man of some reflexion, and we often spoke on religious subjects, and went to Mr. Mathias's church together. I trust our being together was profitable to both of us. A great portion of the Pigeon-house was built on piles, consequently, it literally swarmed with rats, with which gentlemen I had a very amusing encounter, which ended in their complete discomfiture. The barrack-rooms of the two infantry officers were on the ground floor, on either side of a passage, the six windows and door all facing the street, and the quay 'beyond it; the floor of my bed- room was, in more places than one, accessible to rats, and, I presume, to all the rats in the fort— no very pleasant idea ! On the first night of our arrival, on going to bed, I put an extin- guisher on a mould candle, which, together with the long candle- stick, was about fourteen inches in height from the table on which it was placed. I was just dropping off to sleep, when I heard a noise which I supposed to proceed from mice or rats, and I frightened them away, and had just got to sleep again, when I was aroused by hearing my extinguisher fall to the ground; presently I heard it travelling 'along the floor on the opposite side of my room. EecoUecting that my boots were close to the bed, I got hold of one of them, and immediately opened what I considered a somewhat effective fire on the enemy, at least, they retired very quickly, and in some confusion, but leaving no killed or wounded behind them. When, however, they considered the danger over, they renewed the attack, which I again repulsed by discharging the other boot at them. I heard scarcely anything more of my enemy during the night, but in the morning I found id barracks, by houglit to take ["or their recep- .rracks, in ease )ublccl in some were ready to n made unless ck ; the night, rigcon-house, 3th licginient. ke on religious ther. I trust . great portion ;ly, it literally very amusing mfiture. The on tlie ground s and door all or of my bed- ) rats, and, I mt idea ! On put an extin- 3 long candle- the table on sleep, when I ;e or rats, and igain, when I the ground; the opposite 3 close to the pened what I at least, they ing no killed onsidered the repulsed by ;ely anything 'ning I found THE 02nD at DUBLIN. 831 that not only the extinguisher had disappeared, but also the thick mould candle, on the top of which it had been fixed. I never saw it again, but if some antiquarian subaltern, stationed at the Pigeon-house, will take the trouble to search under the farthest end from the window of that room of the four which is nearest to Dublin, (supposing always those wretched rooms, and the still more wretched lloor, to be yet in existence,) no doubt he will be aiuply rewarded for his trouble by finding, within a few feet of the middle of that end of the floor, a plated extinguisher, which, no doubt, the enemy left not far from their sally-port after they had cleared out from it the large amount of provision which they had cai)tured at the same time. Their successful foraging expe- dition rather astonished me ; for the sitting-room candlestick, in which the candle was firmly fixed, was at least seven inches high, and in getting the candle out they had not in the least disturbed it, nor had they left any small pieces of tallow near it, or along the floor. Here I must bring to a close the history of my first campaign against the rats, in which I must acknowledge that they came off victorious. The second campaign I knew very well they would com- mence the very next night, and as I did not intend to be demol- ished by them, if I could help it, I reconnoitred the enemy's intrenchments, and looked about to see what means of defence or offence I could procure ; I haplessly came across some brick- bats on the outside of the building, and determined to make use of them, not with the view of firing away at the rats with them when they had gained access to my quarters, for I knew, in that case, I should get the worst of it, but for the purpose of ham- mering them into the holes, so as to prevent the possibility of the rats getting into the room at alL I retired to rest, as I thought, quite satisfied that I should not be intruded upon, as had been the case the night before ; but I had only been in bed a few minutes, when there commenced a regular gnawing, by I know not what number of rats, at the edges of the flooring round the brickbats. Notwithstanding all I could do to frighten them awav, this horrid noise continued till davlisht came to mv relief so that I had almost a sleepless night ; thus I got worsted in the second campaign. .1 f Ij; .» « i • 332 THE u2nd at DUBLIN. Tlie next day I ordered my servant to mix a quantity of mustard in a basin, and, by means of a long feather, I manag(>d to saturate the wood around the brickbats with it, so that in no direction could the rats gnaw it without getting a good taste of the mustard. Soon after I had gone to bed, I heard, once or twice, a little gnawing for a few seconds, and then it ceased. This time I came off with Hying colours, for I never saw or heard a rat after that night during the four or five weeks that I was quartered at the Pigeon-house. I wonder whether they forsook the place altogether ! If they did, I might look upon myself as a second tutelar saint of Ireland. One day, as I was sitting in my room with one of the artillery officers stationed at the fort, an officer passed the window, whom I at once recognised as Major Oliver. My friend, somewhat alarmed, said, " I think that's Major Oliver, I wonder what he is " doing here 1" I answered, that he very probably was come to call upon me, a? I was acquainted with him. He was anxious to get away before Major Oliver found out my quarter, which he was inquiring for, but said, as he was going, " I very much respect " Major Oliver, but I was one of the unfortunate men who signed "that paper." I enjoyed very much the quiet and retirement of the Pigeon- house, for very quiet it was, except occasionally when the Irish were embarking for Liverpool. There were always a great many women and children amongst the passengers, and there were many friends who came to see them off. I had, consequently, many opportunities of conversing with the people, and of shewing them kindness in the way of relief, and of distributing useful religious books and tracts amongst them. Some of my happiest hours were spent there in reading and meditating on the Scrip- tures, and on " Young's Night Thoughts," and in prayer, as I walked on the extensive and beautifully paved sea-walls to the eastward of the fort. I returned to the Eichmond barracks about the 24th of February, 1822, and, towards the end of March, McNair's com- pany was detached to Wicklow; Blois and I went with him. My kind friend Fitzgibbon came to see me there, and remained five or six days, end I went with him to the annual religious c a quantity of her, I manag(>(l t, so that in no a good taste of heard, once or ihen it ceased, sr saw or heard leks that I was er they forsook •on myself as a of the artillery ivindow, whom jnd, somewhat ider what he is y was come to le was anxious irter, which he I much respect len who signed af the Pigeon- ^hen the Irish 1 a great many id there were consequently, ind of shewing ibuting useful if my happiest on the Scrip- . prayer, as I a-walls to the I the 24th of dcNair's com- snt with him. and remained nual religious THE 52nd at DUBLIN. 8u3 meetings {it Dublin, where I met with Mr. Simeon, of Cambridge, and Dr. Marsh, of Colchester. In the neighbourhood of Wicklow we became acquainted with sevurul n je families, p.ul saw a great deal of the beautiful seen', ry of ' it county. At Wicklow I began to receive small sums i tjc ey from the men of the com- j)any to keep for them ; this it. I '\ he formation of a regimental savings' bank a few months afterwards, and also, in 1824, to the first establishment of a 80"lu.^ bank in the province of New Brunswick, in North America. Being relieved by a company of the 86th, we returned from Wicklow to Dublin about the 6th of May, and I took up my quarters with the Gawlers, as there was no room for me in bar- racks. I remained with them for three weeks, when the regiment left Dublin for the south. 884 F St.<^Aii ' %;'■■ DUBLIN. CHAPTER XXI. 1821, 1822. IXTERESTING PAimcULARS RELATING TO THREE 52nd soldiers. Pat Kelly's proceedings in Spain and France-Remarkable visitation-Becomes a religions man-One of the gnarJ of honour to the King-Selected as a trustworthy nian-IIis suspicious death at the Pigeon-honse-Do.'herty- Iloughton's remarkable case-Benefit arising from the distribution of the Scriptures- My visits to him in the hosjutal-IIe leaves the army-His letter to me-Enters Trinity College, Dublin-Becomes a devoted niinister of the Church of England— His death. Amongst the religious men of tlie regiment there was one Pat Kelly, whose case was most remarkable and interesting ; he had served in the Peninsula and at Waterloo, but was considered one of the most troublesome and disorderly soldiers we had. At one time, in the Peninsula, he got away from his regiment, and went and attaclied liimself to tlie Spanish army, which was besieging the Froncli in Saragossa, (this was usually called the second stege of Saragossa.) Here he astonishe.l his friends the Spaniards by dancing on the parapets of one of the batteries, whilst tlie enemy "blazed away" at him, and by other feats of daring. After the siege M-as at an end he, with three or four other English soldiers, set off to join the English army. As they went" through the country, they olitained su]iplies, Jbr a short time, by giving out tliat they were the advanced guard of several hunrlred men^vho might be expected shortly to arrive, and for wliom they ordered ra- tions to be provided. Tliis, of course, was not likely \o last long, and they were arrested by the mayor of one of the towns, and sent up to the English army as deserters. PARTICULARS RELATING TO THREE 52ND SOLDIERS. 335 TO THREE tatioH — Becomes ig— Selected as a ise— Dogherty— stribution of the s the army— His [ievoted minister ! was one Pat ting ; lie had msidered one had. At one nt, and went vas besieging second sieyi; Spaniards by st tlie enemy . After the ;lish soldiers, through the •y giving out ed men who Y ordered ra- te last long, 'ns, and sent Kelly was to be tried for desertion, but, luckily for him, before he could be tried, a general action came on ; he was a prisoner in the ranks, and, when an opportunity offered, he obtained permis- sion to take the firelock and accoutrements of one of the men who had fallen: he behaved with considerable gallantry, and when the action was over he was forgiven. I recollect his bein i . rl Ul- 338 DUBLIN. INTERESTING PARTICULARS with which it was said he had got drunk, were found in his trowsers' pocket. It was not until after an inquest had been held, and a verdict returned, of " found drowned," or " accidental " death," that those, wlio knew something of the above circum- stances, heard tliat the body had been found. It was then thought that, although there was some considerable grounds for Huspecting that Kelly had come by his death unfairly, yet there was no proof of it. Whilst the 52nd were at Dublin, the regiment was placed on a reduced establishment, and it was necessary to discharge several of the men. On this occasion I well remember a circumstance occurring, which I always looked upon as a rather remarkable answer to prayer. Amongst those selected to be discharged in Captain McNair's company was a man by the name of Dogherty, who had, I think, a wife and two children, and who was within two years of making up a service of fourteen years, so that the getting his discharge at that time was considered by him, and by many others, as a great hardship about to be inflicted on him ; there were, hoM^ever, some other reasons for selecting him which appeared to Colonel Charles Rowan to render it necessary, not- withstanding the hardship, that he should not be retained. We all felt very strongly about it, and we urged McNair to ask Colonel Eowan to let Dogherty remain ; this he did, but Colonel Eowan said he could no<-, for several reasons, alter the ariango- ment. Afterwards Hall, the senior subaltern of the company, who felt great pity for the man, went to Rowan to see what he could do in the matter, but he met with the same answer. I think it was on the following day that I spoke to McNair again about it, and said, the poor fellow must not, after all, be allowed to go if it could in any way be avoided. He replied that both he and Hall had been to Rowan, who was not at all convinced by what they had said, that the man ought not to be discharged, but he added, ";i/ou can go, if you like, and see what you can do " with Rowan." I determined to do so, but first of all I com- mitted the whole matter to God in prayer, and requested Him, if it was according to His will, that the commanding officer might see it in the same light in which we saw it. On goin." to him on the subject, I told him that I had ventured to come to him about RELATING TO THREE 52nD SOLDIERS. 339 found in his nest had been or " accidental above circum- It was then )le grounds for irly, yet there was placed on icharge several I circumstance ler remarkable ! discharged in le of Doglierty, ho was within rs, so that the )y him, and by licted on him ; ing him which necessary, not- retained. 'We IcNair to ask d, but Colonel iv the ariange- the company, 1 to see what tne answer. I McNair again all, be allowed died that both ' all convinced be discharged, lat you can do of all I com- nested Him, if I officer might )in[': to him on ! to him about this poor fellow Dogherty ; that I knew Mc^air and Hall had spoken to him about his being discharged, and that I hardly felt It right, after what he had told them, to bother him any more on the subject, but that stiU I did not like to let the man be dis- charged without making one more effort in his favour. Colonel Kowan was not at all annoyed by iny appeal to him, which one might almost have expected he would be, but was most kind about it, and, immediately that I had done speaking, said, " Leeke, " the man shall remain !" People who read this may be inclined to think that all this would happen very naturally, and that the commanding officer merely allowed himself to be persuaded by us to act in accordance with our wishes, but the more they become acquainted with the Scriptures, the more will they see that in everything we may make our requests known unto God, and that, in answer to our prayers, He often inclines the hearts of others to do what we desire, and, in various ways in His providence, brings about the most unlikely events and results. A very interesting case of the great benefit arising from the practice of circulating the Scriptures amongst soldiers, occurred very shortly after my return to the 52nd at Dublin. It was the case of a man by the name of Houghton, who had been an attor- ney's jlerk, and who had enlisted when the regiment was at Chester. In a little memoir of him, published several years aftervsrards, by the Eev. Eoger Cams Wilson, this step is related as follows :— " At this period the 52nd Eegiment of Light Infantry, "which had recently returned from France, was stationed at " Chester. The youthful wanderer heard of the laurels which 1^ this regiment had won in the Peninsula campaigns, and at the I' Battle of Waterloo. He viewed with inconsiderate delight nheir smart appearance on parade. His imagination was at I' once captivated with the honour, the enterprise, and— the idle- "ness of a military life ; and, accordingly, without reflecting on "the pain he should thereby inflict on his family, he enlisted as " a private soldier." When he had been upwards of two years in the 52nd, he began to be much troubled about his soul. The following pas- sages from the memoir relate to this, and to some considerable z 2 I ' i.# I*' i 340 DUBLIN. INTERESTING PArvTICULATlS benefit and comfort which, hy God's mercy, he derived from some books lent or given to him by me : — " During the month of September, and great part of October, "1821, he was laid up in tlie hospital, and he entertained but "faint hopes of recovery. But it pleased God to bless to " him, in a remarkable manner, this season of reflection, and to " make even a visitation so heavily afflictive tlie greatest benefit. " It proved tlie turning point of his life — the instrumental cause "of his passing 'from darkness to light, from the ])ower of Satan "'unto God.' One day he was most unexpectedly induced to "read the Bible. He had asked for some book with wliich he " might beguile a restless hour, and when the Bible had been "given him, he liad begged for some other book, adding, 'I can " ' repeat all that :' but as no other was at hand, he was content " to pore over the sacred pages ; and the study, thus casually "begun, soon became deeply interesting, affecting, and salutary "to his mind. lie 'searched the Scriptures' at this time with "great earnestness, and in after life he fre(iuently referred, with " grateful emotions, to the good which he now derived from them. " He was also much indebted to ' Doddridge's Kise and Progress '"of Eeligion in the Soul,' which an officer, who visited the " hospital, kin("y placed in his hands. A spiritual appetite was " now created in him, tlirougli the divine mercy, and the proper "nutriment was thus providentially supplied. Gradually the "light of trutli dawned upon his heart; the gospel of Jesus " Christ became the support of his soul, and the heavenly origin " of his new principles became apparent, in the holy and happy " tenor of his new life." In his journal, under the date of October 20th, 1821, is the following entry, in wliich he refers to my books, and visits to tlie hospital, &c. :—" I have mucli, very much to be thankful for this " day ; much to lie sorry for in myself, much to be thankful for to " the Lord. In the morning I went to Mr. L , for the purpose of purchasing, at his reduced prices, two copies of the ' Scripture ' Help,' which I most sincerely hope to render useful to my dear relations. Having expressed my desire, he, with the utmost kindness, presented me with the large edition of the ' ' Stnpture Help,' and an abridgment of the ' Treatise ou Prayer ' J'i ved from some irt of October, ntertained but I to bless to lection, and to reatest benefit. J mental cause (ower of Satan lly induced to ivith wliich lie ible had been id ding, ' I can le was content thus casually , and salutary his time with referred, with 'ed from them. I and Progress 10 visited the 1 appetite was md the pro])er Gradually the spel of Jesus eavenly origin sly and happy li, 1821, is the d visits to the mkful for this hankful for to ur the pu''pose the ' Scripture useful to my he, with the edition of the -ise on Prayer ' RELATING TO THREE 52nD SOLDIERS. 341 "//ra^M, pointed out to me the second chapter of St. Paul to the Gala- " tians* as a standard of Cliristianity, and strongly recommended " the diligent perusal of the whole epistle. If all gentlemen of "fortune were like him, how essential would soon, by God's " blessing, be the alteration in the manners of their dependants " and inferiors. " By God's blessing upon a severe fit of sickness, wliich he "lately underwent, Mr. L is now an example of sobriety and " seriousness, of piety and its fruits, to every officer in the regi- " ment. He visits the hospital, supplies it with good books, and " administers most excellent advice to every one v/hose sickness "appears dangerous, and generally to all the patients. He " supplies men in solitary confinement with sermons and religious " tracts, in hopes of awakening them to a sense of their awful " spiritual condition, and he freely distributes books to all who " may be unable to purchase tliem at his reduced prices. What " an example this to me ! that the Lord would be pleased to " sanctify my illness with such a regeneration ; that He would " incline and enable me to employ my small means to such pur- " poses, and bless them from my hands ! Let me for a moment "consider how good the Lord has shown Himself, and indulge the " delightful hope of being able some time to make a complete " dedication of my heart and soul to Him." I could not very well omit to insert the above in such a work as this, although I feel much humbled in doing so. It helps to shew what some, at least, of the soldiers think of the poor, though sincere and prayerful, efforts of their officers to lead them to fe"ir and honour God in seeking the salvation, and holiness, and comfort of true religion. It will also, I trust, lead many, both officers and civilians, who may read this work, to neglect no ppportunity which may offer itself, of striving to lead the careless, and igno- rant, and wicked, to " seek the Lord while ho may be found, &c. :" Isaiah Iv, 6, 7. God certainly does, in a most wonderful manner, acknowledge and bless the poor, unworthy efforts which He puts it into the hearts of His poor, sinful servants to make for His honour, and for the good of people's souls. How much unexpected * It must have been the latter part of that chapter, or possibly the third chapter. 342 DUBLIN. INTERESTING rARTICULARS mr' hi encouragement also does He give to us to attend, at all times, with prayer for His blessing, to the commands contained in the first and sixth verses of the eleventh chapter of Ecclesiastes ; and what a promise for our encouragement in this work Ife gives us in Isaiah Iv, 10 — 13. I did not know very much of Houghton, for almost immedi- ately after he came out of hospital, towards the end of October, he procured his discharge; either his friends purchased it for him, or he was unfit for further service. I recollect he came to take leave of me, and to thank me for my kindness to him ; and that I tlien gave him some religious books and tracts for distri- bution amongst his friends and neiglibours. His subsequent history was very interesting. He had been well educated in his youth ; and after some time he resumed his studies, and went through Trinity College, Dublin, and was eventually ordained a clergyman of the Church of England. He was a most efiicient and devoted minister, but his health broke down, and he died full of faith, and peace, and joy, in the year 1830, at the age of twenty-eight. I have lately found the following letter, which I received from Houghton about six weeks after he left the 52nd :— "Preston, Lancashire, Dec. 7th, 1821. " Sir, — Having received your kind permission to address you " on my arrival at home, I can no longer neglect the performance " of a duty which, I assure you. Sir, affords me the greatest plea- " sure, of expressing my gratitude to you as the means, through " Clirist, of awakening me to a knowledge of Himself when I was " dead in infidelity and sin. Your example convinced me that " religion is not, as I had foolishly imagined, confined to the bigot "and enthusiast, and founded upon weakness and ignorance; " and I pray God that your light may continue to shine before "men, for it is impossible to conceive the good effects which the " Almighty may produce by it. For men who have not hail the "advantages of a liberal education, of whom the mass of society "is composed, do conceive of it greater tilings than it really de- " serves, and pay to persons endued with it a sort of involuntary " respect and homage, by a close imitation of their manners, even " when they are not conscious of doing so. ill times, with ed in the first losiastes ; and k lie gives us most immedi- d of October, •chased it for ct he came to 1 to him ; and icts for distri- s subsequent iicated in his ies, and went ly ordained a most efiicient , and he died at the age of received from RKLATING TO THREE 52nD SOLDIERS. 343 " As you had the goodness to express a desire to hear of my prospects, I beg to inform you that, with the advice of my friends, and my own decided inclination, I have re-commenced my classical studies, with tlie view of preparing myself for the church, and if it should please the Lord to admit such an unworthy member, I will spend my last breath xn His service, and declare that it was good for me that I was afflicted. The tracts which you were so kind as to give me I hope to make useful, as I have obtained leave from the superintendent of the Sunday school to lend them to the boys. Our church is blessed with two pious gospel ministers, and we were near obtaining the Eev. Eichard Marks, (now vicar of Great Missenden, Bucks.,) author of ' The Eetrospect,' who offered himself to the curacy some years ago. You will, I hope, Sir, pardon my troubling you thus far, and believe me, with the sincerest prayers for your success in the Christian warfare, " Your grateful, obedient servant, "P. Houghton." ^If m m m 7th, 1821. D address you ! performance greatest plea- Bans, through If when I was ttced nie that 1 to the bigot d ignorance; shine before its which the not hail the ass of society . it really de- • involuntary lauuers, even '^li ■ 1 r- II ' i ^ 1 ii ;44 CHAPTER XXII. 1822. THE 52nd in the south of IRELAND. March from Dublin-Fair at BallynahiU-The county of Tipperary under the In- surrection Act-Detached to New Birmingham-The Rev. John Galway- bet up a school for the men-Two drunken men shot by sentry near Carrick -Refuse mvitation to dine out on Sunday-Extracts from journal-The priest prohibits my tracts-Tracts given to beggars to sell-Benefit arising from this-Interesting details-Introduced to a very clever nailer-Comes to compare Roman Catholic catechism with Bible-Praying to angels- Hopeful state of several persons- Joined at night by a stranger on the road —1 he priest burns the tracts-Give Bibles and Douay Testaments-Instance lately discovered of good done by the tracts given to the soldiers-Relieved by Gawler-Clonmel, Ballynamult-Escort prisoners to Permoy-On duty to Dublin-Return to New Birmingham for a short time-Account in after years of one of the New Birmingham converts-Converts become protestant bcripture readers-Establishment of a regimental savings' bank-Compli- ment to my efficiency-First epistle of St. Peter-Lord Seaton. The 52nd marched from Dublin, in two divisions, on the 27th and 28th of May, 1822, for the county of Tipperary. I was with that commanded by Colonel William Eowan,* which proceeded to Cashel. The head-quarter division was stationed at Clonmel. The night before we arrived at Cashel, we were at a place called Ballynahill ; there was a fair there, and a regular row in the evening amongst some of the people, in which a man's stall was demolished, and he fired a shot at the mob, but did no mischief. I was witness to a curious dialogue on the occasion between Mr Home, a magistrate, and a very fine young man, who I suppose was a somewhat troublesome youth, but who on this occasion * N«^^«eneral Sir Wm. Rowan, K.C.B., Colonel of the 52nd : late Com- mander-in-Chief in Canada, i THE 52nu in the south of ikeland. 345 Y under the In- Fohn Galvvay — ry near Carrick I journal— The Benefit arising nailer — Comes ig to angels— jer on the road 3nts — Instance iers— Relieved noy— On duty 3count in after me protestant )ank— Compli- >n the 27th I was with focceded to t Clonmel. lace called ow in the s stall was mischief, itween Mr. I suppose 3 occasion I : late Corn- had taken the stall-owner's part, and had assisted in collecting and in taking care of his scattered wares. Mr. Home was not aware of this, and spoke very sharply to him about his trouble- some ways, and wished him to enlist. He said to him before us, " If these gentlemen will take you, and you will go with them, I " will give you a guinea out of my own pocket." The young fellow was very indignant about the proposal, and answered, "So " nothing will suit ye, Mr. Horan, but that I should 'list. No, no, " when I do go, I'll go daysent." The inhabitants of this part of Ireland struck me as being a very fine race of people ; and this young man was one of the finest of them, so I had an eye to enlisting him, and on meeting him afterwards asked him if ho was really wishing to enlist; he said yes, but that he did not like to go in that way. I told him to consider the matter, and that if he liked it I thought he could get into our regiment. He pro- mised to come and see us off in the morning, and to come away with us provided another young man, who wished to enlist, would come also. He walked with me some di^ance the next moruing, and said he would join us that night at Johnstown, or on the morrow at Cashel ; we, however, saw no more of him. The county of Tipperary was under the Insurrection Act, and we sent out numerous detachments under an officer to various posts, both from Cashel and Clonmel. My detachment pro- ceeded to the village of New Birmingham, about three miles from Killenaule. The barracks for the officers and men were under the same roof, and were formed out of two large adjoining cottages. It was some time before we were supplied by the barrack-master with all the various articles required by a detach- ment. My principal window faced the bog of Allan, and on very wet days I sometimes took a sort of pleasure, in my loneli- ness, in seeing the showers chase each other without intermission across the bog ; but the time, three months and a half, that I spent at New Birmingham, although I sometimes felt lonely, was a very profitable and interesting period of my life. I met with very great kindness from the Eev. John Galway, the curate of the parish, who resided in New Birmingham, though the church was four miles away. Two of the neighbouring gentry were also very kind. There was not much to do in the shape of military Tin ^s^ 'C^, s^rvj o "V^; IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I 1.25 [f 1^ IIM ^ m 111112,0 li& 2.2 1.8 14 llli 1.6 V] <9» 7 d' <^^ J^ / Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, NY. 14S80 (716) 872-4503 (V ^'' \\ ^ '4^^ ■^ .^ ^ 846 THE 52nd in the II duty. The following extracts from a rough journal I then kept will give some idea of my manner of spending a portion of my time, and of my poor attempts to do somo good to those around me, and wiU, perhaps, also shew that God did, in some good measure, deal with me according to that gracious promise con- tained in Proverbs xi, 25, "he that watereth shall be watered "also himself." "June 9. Mr. Galway was kind enough to read prayers to tHe men In the evening I read to them one of Burder's sermons on the knowledge of Christ. 10th. I dined earlv, and Mr Galway and I took a long walk after dinner, and another after tea; during the last we had a very pleasing conversation on re- ligious subjects. I do trust my stay here may be blessed to both 01 us; I humblyprayit may. May the Lord Almighty enable me to walk more and morf^ closely with Him. I have iudeed been greatly privileged for the last three or four days, my feelings having been very spiritual. Yesterday I had a very interestina conversation with a poor Eoman Catholic farmer. I have prot inised to take him some books. 12th. Which I did to-day • he was very thankful for them ; they were 'The King's Visit "The 'Good Catholic' and 'Short Prayers for every day in the week.' l^th. Established a school in the detachment; ten out of the twenty-one attended twice to-day ; six of them read verse about 111 the Testament, I now and then explaining a little, and four others, two boys, and one of the women, were at their spelling and alphabet; the reading party looked out several of Chalmers's reierences. '' June Utli. ]\ry school goes on as well as I can wish. I trust that God's blessing is on it; if so, it will prosper; without His blessing it cannot. Besides reading twice a day with me, four of the men write in Serjeant Whamond's room. I had a visit from Sir John Tylden and Cosby on Wednesday. They tell me I have the best detachment of any. Love is at Feathard, lorbes at Mullinahone, Vivian at Scaw, near Carrick, and Camp- bell at New Inn. An unfortunate business hai^pened the other night at Vivian's place. A man of his detachment was posted m front of the guard-room door with orders to let no one pass • two drunken fellows, returning from Carrick fair, would not pull 4 SOUTH OF IRELAND. 347 r then kept rtiou of my tiose around some good romise con- be watered prayers to ir's sermons 7, and Mr. lother after tion on re- sed to both ' enable me ideed been ay feelings interestinsr have pro- to-day ; he V^isit,' 'The the week/ out of the 'erse about 3, and four ir spelling Chalmers's 1 wish. I r ; without with me, I had a ay. They Feathard, nd Camp- . the other 'as posted one pass ; d not puU up, though he repeatedly called to them ; he fired, killed one and severely wounded the other. They were both on the same horse. The jury returned a verdict of 'Wilful murder,* and the man was committed to Kilkenny gaol. His trial will not come on till August. 15th. Eeceived an invitation to dine with Mr. Langley to-morrow; refused on the ground of its being Sunday." He after- wards apologised for having invited me for that day. "23rd. Mr. Galway read prayers for us in the barrack-room, and gave us a faithful, but I cannot say a verj' awakening, sermon. In the evening we walked together, and I read ' Newton on the Pro- * phecies.' How wonderfully are the prophecies concerning the Jews fulfilled. ' Oh the depths of the wisdom, &c : ' Eomans xi, 33. 24th. This day I have had great spiritual joy, and I am humbly thankful for it. What are the pleasures of the world, when com- pared with that joy which comes from above ? That heart alone can feel it which looks on God as a reconciled father. May I from this day forth increase in the love and knowledge of that Saviour who died for me. May I love my God more and serve Him better every day. I humbly trust He will guide me with His Holy Spirit through life, and finally receive me to eternal happiness. This day has been a day of real happiness on earth. I have received great pleasure from an interesting conversation with Mr. Galway. I gave him about a hundred tracts to form a lending library for his Sunday school. A poor Eoman Catholic, with whom I have had several interesting conversations, and to whom I have given some tracts, I hope much from. Watch and pray. " June 26th. One of the men whom I confined for being dnink on parade, pretended to blow his brains out ; he dis- charged his firelock with the lop of the barrel close to his chin, and burnt himself very much, but as the ball was not in, did himself no further injury. Drank tea with Mr. Galway, and met Mrs. and the Misses Langley. Mr. Langley was out all night in search of Whiteboys. He took out Forbes's party, besides which several other parties were out. He succeeded in discovering a man supposed to be the original Captain Eock. He was admitted to bail for a minor offence, but it is probable he will be hanged yet for some of the crimes he has committed. A man, whom I l«: Zi8 THE 52nd in the saw had given information to Mr. Langley, and in consequence ot this the peasantry about Sliebneman became frightened and gave up i.early two hundred stand of arms to different people "June 28th. Dined at Mr. Langley's at Coalbrook, three miles off. The whole family have some serious ideas • I pro- mised to lend them ' The Eetrospect ' and « Chalmers's Quarterly Papers. Mr. Galway and I had a very pleasing conversati( as we returned. I was mentioning that it sometimes occurred to me that I miffht be making myself too conspicuous as a strict man with regard to religion. ' Oh no/ he said, ' do not think so ^ at all, but think of the good you may do in your situation. It must excite attention to these subjects >vhen a young fellow ;with a sword by his side, comes into a village, and, instead of ^lounging about and making a fool of himself, is observed to be ^ anxious to encourage religion and morality among his men Yon must observe that it has a beneficial influence even on the 'clergyman.' Frail and sinful as I am, perhaps I may be the means, if it be God's will, of stirring up a few of the people here- abouts to think more seriously of an eternal world. " June 30th. Sunday. Mr. Galway gave us a very faithful sermon about praying for the Holy Spirit. In consequence of haying been out all last night patroling, I felt heavy and sleepy in the middle of the day, and lay down for two or three hours I feared much my Sabbath would pass away in an almost unprofit- able manner. After dinner I read the first four chapters of St John's Gospel with great pleasure, and I trust some benefit I walked for about an hour: on my return I told my servant I would read a short sermon to him, and desired him to invite two or three of the men to come up, indeed as many as iiked it I went on my knees and prayed to God that He would put His Spirit into their hearts and incline many to come. How truly delightful it is to have one's prayers answered. I thought it probable that two or three might come, but all the men Tn the barracks and three women attended, about eighteen in all. My detachment consists of twenty-one men and six women; seven of them are Roman Catholics who did not come. I read Burder's second sermon, 'The broad and the narrow way.' JVIay the Almighty Being, who graciously heard one part of my prayer, as il SOUTH OF IRELAND. 319 1 consequence ■ightened, and bnt people, [brook, three ideas ; I pro- rs's Quarterly conversati( 33 occurred to 'US as a stric t ' not think so situation. It /^oung fellow, id, instead of bserved to be )ng his men. ! even on the may be the people here- very faithful nsequence of y and sleepy iree hours. I lost unprofit- apters of St. } benefit. I iiy servant I to invite two I liked it. I uld put His How truly [ thought it men in the in all. My en ; seven of Jad Burder's May the y prayer, as graciously answer the other, that the Holy Spirit may be poured out on them, and that the sermon they have heard may be blest to them. May everyone of them be brought by that Holy Spirit into the narrow path that leads to eternal bliss. This evening, too, I have had sweet communion with my heavenly Father. T have also to-day received a pleasing letter from and ; its style shews evidently that they are beginning to think seri- ously of eternal things. Oil! what cause have I for praise. '0 heavenly Father, may I from this day forth strive to live ' entirely to Thee, and may I seek Thy glory and the welfare of ' my poor fellow-creatures in all I do. Amen.* The more we seek our God in prayer the more blessed and happy we shall be. " Sunday, July 7th. In the evening I talked to the men about a penny-a-week subscription to the Church Missionary Society, and told them that any who wished it might come to ray morning and evening prayers." About ten men and women came the next morninsf. "July 13th. Mr. ^alway took the prayers for me, and read the thirteenth chapter of St. Luke ; seven or eight of the men attended. Sunday, 14th. 1 have been trying to persuade the men to pray by themselves individually. May the Almighty pour His Holy Sjiirit on them and induce them to follow my advice. July 16tii. I find the priest formally prohibited my little tracts last Sunday. Several have been brought back to me in consequence. It is quite pitiable to see how completely the priest has these poor fellows under his thumb, when one is con- vinced that he is leading them astray." I see from my journal that I had at this time frequent in- teresting conversations with Roman Catholics, and that I circu- lated amongst them great numbers of tracts. One of my plans was to give several tracts to the beggars that they might sell them about the country; this practice was accompanied by prayer for God's blessing on them. One day, when I returned to my quarter my servant told me that a man had been wishing to see me very much, who had been there once before. In a day or two he called again, and told me that he had bought five tracts from a beggar woman to " whom I had given them to sell, and that he was much struck with them : he told me also he was 350 THE 52nd in the sure he had been long astray. I was pointing out some passages to him in my Bible relating to the new birth, and his anxiety°to turn to the references was quite delightful. 1 have promised to try and get him a lUble with references, and lent him 'Andrew 'Dunn,' 'Short Prayers for every day,' and another tract or two. I do hope and trust that this poor man will be brought to a knowledge of vital religion." Some little time after I had had this first conversation with him I sent for him, that I might give him a Bible with references exactly like my owe. He was delighted with it, and read and conversed with me for a long time on various points of religion. When he was going away he begged to be allowed to take my Bible with him, that he might copy out all the remarks which I had made in many parts of it. I permitted him to do this, and he returned my Bible in a few days. His name was Eawley, and he was a weaver. About this time I became acquainted with one or two other interesting characters. As I was walking down the street of the village one day with Mr. Gal way, he said, " If you will come with " me into this shop just below, I will shew you one of the most " clever fellows, for his station in life, that you ever met with." We accordingly entered the nailer's shop, and I was properly ■introduced to James Whelan. A nailer's shop in Ireland was a place in which several of the people assembled for the sake of a talk with each other. Not very long after I was first there, I turned into the shop one day for the purpose of trying to have some religious conversation with W'- 3lan. There were four or five persons there. I forget now the t.^act turn which the conver- sation took, but I well recollect that he attempted to prove some- thing which he advanced by the Roman Catholic catechism, when I observed that that was not in the Word of God. hJ replied that it was in their catechism, and that the catechism was taken from God's Word. I then addressed him very seri- ously and said, 'You know enough of me to be aware that I " mean exactly what I say. Now, if you wiU come to my quarter "to-morrow, and bring your catechism with you, and can con- "vmce me that what it contains is in accordance with the Word "of God, I promise you that I will become a Eoman Catholic." SOUTH OF IRELAND. 351 le pi gsages anxiety to romised to I ' Andrew r tract or brought to ition with references read and f religion. I take my s which I this, and I Eawley, two other jet of the 3me with the most let with." properly nd was a 3ake of a there, I to have four or ! conver- /Q some- techism, od. He itechism 3ry seri- I that I quarter an con- e Word itholic." This was too tempting an offer for him to refuse it, besides which it was made in the presence of several of his neighbours, and it would have appeared very strange to them, if the man, to whom they had been accustomed to look up, had shewn himself afraid or unwilling to accept my challenge. He accordingly came to my quarter at the hour appointed, bringing his catechism with him. Eawley was also present by my invitation. I took down my Bible for the purpose of comparing the Eoman Catholic catechism with it, when an unexpected difficulty arose. 1 told Whelan that I always made it my practice to pray for God's teaching and blessing whenever I read His Holy Word. He immediately objected, that he could not pray with a heretic. I told him that I could not examine God's AVord without seeking His blessing on what I was about to do. There appeared to be some danger for a few seconds that our projected conference would come to nothing. It was in vain that Eawley said to him, "I assure you, " Jim, the gentleman's prayer is a very good one, and you will " like it." He could not pray with a heretic. At last I suggested that I and Eawley could offer up the prayer, and that he could join in it or not as he liked. To this he assented. The prayer was a very simple one which I had composed for myself, and which I afterwards printed, that it might be placed in some copies of the Scriptures which I had procured for the people. I have one of the copies then printed lying before me. It was as follows : — "Now that we are about to read Thy Word, Almighty God, " pour out Thy Holy Spirit into our hearts. Teach us the way " of salvation, and Thy will concerning our conduct in this life. " Grant this for our Saviour Christ's sake. Amen." The very first point we turned to in his catechism was the doctrine of the worshipping of angels. We looked out the refer- ence given in the catechism to prove this doctrine, which was the eighth verse of the last chapter of Eevelation, and read it as follows : — " And I John saw these things, and heard them, And " when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the " feet of the angel, which shewed me these things." And here ended the proof. Whelan immediately exclaimed, that the verse exactly agreed with what the catecliism stated. I begged him 4W mm 352 THE 52nd in tub iIe: !i- ,0 r ^^^^^^^■K i' ''W i 3>- !. V to look at the next verse, and we read, " Then saith he unto me, " See thou do it not : for I am thy fellow-servant, and of thy " brethren the priiphets, and of them which keep the sayings of " this book: worship God." On reading this the expression of his countenance changed most remarkably, and I felt convinced that T could read in it the very thoughts of his heart, which appeared to be, " Is it possible that my church, that which I have always " been taught to look upon as the true Church of God, is so " deceitful and so dishonest as to have recourse, in order to prove " a point, to such a remarkable suppression of the truth as this " which I have thus seen proved against her ? " I do not recol- lect anything more which passed between us on that occasion. A short time afterwards I gave to Whelan a Bible with references, similar to that which I had given to Eawley. I shall have to mention these two men again a few pages farther on. I have always considered the following case as a rather re- markable one: — I had been employed all the forenoon, and during })art of it had had a long and interesting conversation on religion with a Eoman Catholic near our barracks ; after which I went for a walk up the side of the mountain immediately behind the village ; after a time, I observed a man some two hundred yards above me on the side of the mountain, but walking in the same direction. I was tired with the walk and long discussion which I had just htad, and resolved to keep clear of this man, and to enjoy a quiet walk by myself; but the thought occurred to me that perhaps I should never again have an opportunity of speak- ing to this poor ignorant Euman Catholic, and I determined to alter my course so as to come across his path. I always tried to remember to ask for God's help and blessing on such occasions, and I probably did so then. I found him to be a quiet, intelli- gent man. His name was Noonan, and he lived in a village about two miles away on the other side of the mountain. After speaking to him for a short time, I gave him a few tracts, one of which I remember was " Andrew Dunn," which he afterwards told me had been eagerly read by a great many persons in his village. I shall have to speak again of him hereafter, but I may here say, that this meetmg with him, and giving him the tracts, was the first step towards his throwing aside the errors and SOUTH OF IRELAND. 858 I he unto me, ;, and of thy le sayings of ression of his >nvinced that ich appeared have always )f God, is 80 [•der to prove truth as this do not recol- hat occasion. ;h references, hall have to 1 a rather re- 1, and during 1 on religion 'hich I went '■ behind the ndred yards in the same ission which man, and to urred to me ty of speak- !termined to 'ays tried to h occasions, uiet, intelli- in a village tain. After [•acts, one of afterwards rsons in his , but I may 1 the tracts, errors and trammels of popery, and becoming an enlightened and pioua Protestant. The following is from my journal : — " August 11th. About three weeks ago, twelve of my detach- ment, consisting of twenty-one, became subscribers of a penny a week to the Church Missionary Society : to-morrow we are to have a little missionary meeting. 12th. About fifteen of the men attended the missionary meeting. I tried to explain to them the object of the society, and read to them accounts of wliat had been done. I ended by praying for the extension of Christianity. The evening was very pleasing, and I trust profit- able. September 5th. On the 2nd I received a fresh set of men. About eight of them have attended school very regularly as yet, and six or eight come up in the evening from eight to nine, when I read them a tract, and we read the Bible together and end with prayer. I do earnestly pray that the Almighty will pour out His Spirit on us, and bless what we are doing to the salvation of many of their souls. One young man, Ledgett, appears to be very serious ; last night he arrived in the room just as I had finished reading a tract to the others, when, quite regardless of their being there, he knelt down in a corner of the room and prayed, I suppose for a blessing on what we were doing. I hope, from their not being surprised at it, that he is in the habit of kneeling down to say his prayers in the barrack- room. I have received g^oat pleasure from knowing that the tracts, which I have given away here, have been the means of making four or five people very serious." I think also that one family among the neighbouring gentry began to feel the importance of religion, much more than they had done before, in consequence of their intercourse with me, and through reading the books which I lent to them. On my return home from dining with them one night, as I was walking along a lonely part of the road, a man suddenly joined me, as if he had been waiting for me, and began to enter into conversation with me. I only recollect two things which he said, and my re- plies. He said he wondered I was not afraid to be on the road alone at that hour. I replied, at the same time touching my sword, " I have a trusty friend here in which I can place confi- A A IJWV" 354 THE 52nd in the 't: m " dence." This was a soldier's speech, but I ought to have added, " God has promised to protect those who put their trust in Him," and I probably should have done so, had he not immediately said, "I wonder. Sir, you take so much trouble to distribute " such numbers of tracts amongst the people. You are not aware, " perhaps, that the priest regularly collects and burns them." To this I answered, " I don't care about his burning the tracts ; he " does not get hold of them all, and I know you Irish people too " well to believe that the greater part of those which the priest " burns, are not read before they get into his hands." I never saw the priest, as he lived in a distant part of the parish, but after I had given the Bibles to liawley and Whelan, he sent me a message to say that, if I would get him some Douay Testa- ments he would place them in the schools. I thought it better that they should have these Testaments than not have the Scrip- tures at all, although there were a few such translations as the following :— " Except ye do penance," instead of our authorized translation, " except ye repent." I therefore sent for two dozen of these Testaments, some few of which the priest had, and the rest were given to the people. After I had left New Birmingham, Gawler informed me that they would be glad of some more, but these I desired might be sold at sixpence each, as I thought the people would probably value them all the more if they paid for them. It will be seen, farther on, that this idea proved to be correct, under rather remarkable circumstances. This appears to be the proper place in which to record the following, to me very interesting, account, as it is most probably connected with my distribution of tracts amongst the men of the regiment when it was stationed at Dublin : — A few months ago a man not living far from this parish, who knew I had been in the army but did not know in what regiment I had been, accosted me as I was walking home in the evening, and said he had long wished to consult me as to some money which he thought was due to him on account of his father, Samuel Bald- win, who belonged to the 52nd, and had died in 1826 in New Brunswick. In the course of conversation he told me the only thing he had which had belonged to his father was his military Testament. I sent him for this, as his house was not far off; SOUTH OF IRELAND. 965 have added, st in Him," mmediately ) distribute e not aware, them." To i tracts ; he . people too 1 the priest " I never parish, but he sent me )uay Testa- ht it better ! the Scrip- ions as the authorized two dozen id, and the rmingham, J more, but bought the 3y paid for 3ved to be record the it probably men of the lonths ago id been in had been, id said he which he luel Bald- 6 in New e the only is military »t far off J and I found the son's name written in it, and thc.c he was bom at Cashel, in 1822 ; but what interested me very much was to find an entry almost in the following words, taken from a tract which I well remember, and which I feel almost certain he must have received from me, either at Cashel or New liirmingh^m : — " How do I know that the Bible is the Word of God ? Bad men " could not have written a book containing such holy precepts " and commands. Good men would never have deceived raan- " kind by pretending that that was a revelation from God, which " they knew had been fabricated by themselves." The tract was written by a clergyman named Marks, who had been a lieutenant in the navy. It is one of the Religious Tract Society's tracts, and is called " Conversation in a Boat between two Seamen." It contains some other short arguments proving the divine origin of the Bible ; especially the fulfilment of the prophecies respecting the Jews, and of the prophecies and types which refer to Christ. On the 25th of September I was relieved by Gawler in the command of the detachment at New Birmingham, and proceeded to Clonmel. I had much to be truly thankful for dunng my stay at New Birmingham. I was enabled not only to do some- thing in the way of instructing our men and the Eoraan Catholics around me, but I had it in my power to befriend, to some extent, many of the poor of the village at a time of great destitution in that part of Ireland. My friend Gawler and Mrs. Gawler were also mrist kind to them, so that the priest from the altar told the people that they were bound to pray for Mr. Gawler and for Mr. .peke. Shortly after my arrival at Clonmel I went to Fermoy, in command of a large guard over a number of convicts, who were conveyed in carts. It was a most fatiguing march of twenty-four Irish miles, at the rate of not quite two miles an hour. Towards the middle of October, Kirwan Hill was taken ill at Ballynamult, and I volunteered to relieve him, and to remain in his place until the arrival of the other Hill from England. I remained there ten days and then returned to Clonmel. The Ballynamult barracks are capable of holding about 150 men, with a proportion of otlicers ; they are situated in a very wild part of the county of aa2 i M 356 THE 52nd in the li- ¥''■■' 111 1 > ? p. Waterford, near the Knockmeledown Mountains. There was not a gentleman's house within seven Irish miles ; and it was a very solitary station, especially for the officer of the detachment, which, I think, consisted of forty men. I recollect many of them availed themselves of my permission to attend my daily Scripture reading and prayer. At the end of November, 1822, I went to Dublin with a party of twenty-five invalids, and fell in with many of my old friends— Major Oliver, the Guinnesses, and Mr. and Mrs. Mathias ; about three weeks or a month before, they had lost their eldest daughter, a truly religious young person, at the age of sixteen. Her mother, amongst other things which she mentioned as to the great comfort they had with regard to her state, told me that, a day or two before her death, she heard her say, when the room was quite quiet and she thought no one was in it, " my precious, precious Saviour." I spent the Sunday with Mr. and Mrs. Mathias. I think it was the first time he had preached since his daughter's death. The following is from my journal :— " His sermon was very much calculated to touch the hearts of his congregation ; he alluded in some degree to his recent loss, and said there \/ere two sets of parents in the world, —those who were bringing up their children merely for this world, and those who were educating them for eternity. He said that death, when it made its appearance in a family, was an awful visitor, but those who feared God had consolations of the highest kind, which people of the world could not have. I felt much affected, for the last time I had been in that church, I had sat in that same pew with my poor youn" friend Annie." I find the following entries in my journal :— " It was on the ^Ah and 5th of November that the row was about King William's statue. By order of the Lord-Lieutenant, the orangemen were prevented from dressing it for the first time. This gave rise to the disturbance at the theatre the other day, when the Lord- Lieutenant went there. Some one threw a quart bottle from the upper gallery, which, it was said, tore away some of the fringe from one of the cushions in his box. On the 23rd of December a party of us from Clonmel and Cashel went to Cahir, to dine with the 10th Hussars. I proceeded to New Birmingham on SOUTH OF IHELAND. 357 ro was not vas a very tachmeiit, many of my daily n witli a jf my old md Mrs. had lost it the age hich she ,rd to her lieard her ) one was 3 Sunday time he g is from to touch ree to his :ie world, for this ity. Ho r, was an IS of the }. I felt ;h, I had IS on the Villiam's len were e rise to le Lord- from the e fringe ecember to dine ;ham on the 2nth, to relievo Gawler, wlio went with his wife to England ; he came back on the 9th, when I returned to Clonmel. At New liirminghani I found that two of the Roman Catliolics to whom I had spoken and given tracts, Kawley and Noonan, had been regular attendants at Gawler's evening prayers for some time past, and had thereby ' entirely ' offended the priest. I fancy they are both ({uite convinced that the Roman Catholic religion is full of eiTor; they seem also to bo anxiously searching the Scriptures. I had several arguments with Whelan, the nailer ; a very clever man for his situation in life. I wanted him to read a little book of mine, and by my desire he took it to the priest and requested permission to read it. He was told by Father Meighan not to be too curious. A poor woman, who had once been at Gawler's family prayers, knelt two different Sundays at the chapel door, whilst the congi-egation were passing, by way of ^ing penance for that sin. The poor people at New Birmingham are still very wretched, although a great deal has been done for them. I gave Rawley £5 to purchase wool with. With this he is to keep thirteen women constantly employed in spinning. I supplied eight of them with wheels, and I hope this will be the means of adding a little to their support. I dined two or three times with John Galway, and he once with me. Our conversations on the subject of religion were very interesting, but I fear he does not yet see the necessity of endeavouring to do everything to the glory of God. I dined at Cashel on the 9th of January, 1823, and drank tea with Mr. and Mrs. Holmes. The next day I break- fasted with Cosby, at New Inn, and afterwards proceeded to Clonmel." Here my journal for that period ends, and it was only very occasionally resumed in after times ; but I must say a little more about my poor Roman Catholic friends, Rawley, Noonan, and Whelan, whom I never saw again, but whom I fully hope to meet at the right hand of our great Judge and Saviour, on that day when the trumpet shall sound, and those "w ho sleep in the " dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and " some to shame and everlasting contempt." After I left New Birmingham I sent the second two dozen of Douay Testaments, which were sold to the people. Gawler after 358 THE 52nd m THE some time offended the priest by a handbill, which he found it desirable to circulate in the viUage, and had the honour of being denounced from the aitnj. The priest ordered the people to return even the Douay Testaments, and singularly enough they brought to Gawler all those which I had given them, but refused to obey the priest's order with regard to those which they had purchased. Amongst those who brought back books, was Whelan the nailer, to whom I had given, as I have before mentioned, a Bible with references. When he brought it to my friend Gawler, he told him he had read from the beginning of the Bible to, I think, about the end of the second book of Kings. He added " I am a poor man. Sir, " but I do assure you I would rather give you ten pounds than "give you that book." " Why then do you not keep it?" re- plied Ga*vler. « Because my priest has ordered me not to do so," said Whelan. Gawler replied, " Your priest, who tells you not to "read God's Word, is only a man, whereas God Himself com- " mands you to search the Scriptures. Should you not obey God " rather than man ? " Whelan, shrugging his shoulders in token of his feeling of helplessness, quietly said, " I must obey my priest. Sir." Some three or four years afterwards Eawley had an oppor- tunity of sending a message to me, and a part of it was, I might depend upon it that Whelan was a Protestant at heart, though he was afraid to confess it openly. Poor Eawley, the man who had bought my tracts from the beggar-woman, and to whom I had given a Bible, was a simple- minded, straightforward man. He suffered some considerable persecution from the Eoman Catholics, and was waylaid one night and had his head injured by a blow Avith a spade. We sent him for a time to Kilkenny, commending him to the care of that excellent man, the Ptev. Peter Eoe, and afterwards I under- stood he became a scripture reader on Lord Mountcashel's estate. Some years after that, one of my sisters, wlio was married and living in the county of Kilkenny, mentioned in one of her letters that the clergyman of their parish, on accidentally hearing her maiden name, asked if she knew anything of a Mr. Leeke wlio had been quartered in the county ot Tipperary several years before, and on learning that I was her brother, he told her that some little time before he h&d been sent for to visit a dying man, .if,'; SOUTH OF IRELAND. 359 fi he found it aour of being ople to return ey brought to d to obey the d purchased, the nailer, to ith references. . him he had bout the end oor man. Sir, pounds than :eep it ? " re- lot to do so," lis you not to himself com- lot obey God lers in token ey my priest, ad an oppoi- was, I might eart, though 3ts from the as a simple- considerable waylaid one spade. We the care of rds I under- shel's estate. married and )f her letters hearing her . Leeke wlio iveral years old her that dying man, and that on arriving at the house he found about two hundred people assembled, and in a great state of excitement. They said the dying man was a Eoman Catholic, and declared that he, Mr. Darby, should not see him, and threatened him if he attempted to go into the house. He said that they might do what they liked, but that he should certainly see the man. In the middle of the dispute, the priest arrived, and Mr. Darby and he arranged that they should both go into the dying man's room, and that which- ever the man preferred should remain. He declared he was a Protestant, and wished the Protestant clergyman to remain with him. In the course of conversation, he several times mentioned the names of Mr. Gawler and Mr. Leeke, and how they had exerted themselves at New Birmingham, to lead the people to give up their sins and errors and to seek mercy through the atoning death of the Lord Jesus Christ. Mr. Darby said that he was not only a convert from popery, but a humble, penitent believer in the Saviour of sinners. I understood from my sister's letter that this wa.s my poor friend Eawley. Some time after I received this letter I fell in with Mr. Darby, and he gave me the history of the case, as I have related it above, saying, however, that my sister had made one mistake, and that the man who died was not Eawley, but a convert of Eawley's. Noonan was the man, from another village, whose path I crossed on the side of the mountain, and to whom I gave the tract called "Andrew Dunn." He attended Gawler's family prayers, and became a convert from popery, and a good man. He became a scripture reader on, I believe, Lord Cavan's estate, and was the means of doing much good there. It was reported of him, that he was held in a J the greater estimation, " because he " made the people cry." He went in after years to Australia. In November, 1822, I obtained leave from Major McNair, who was then in command of the regiment, to draw out rules for the establishment of a regimental savings' bank, and he requested me also to write the order on the subject for the orderly book, to be signed by him. I have my rough copy of the rules, but not of the order, now before me. The rules were duly lodged, according to the 57th of George III, c. 1U5, with the proper ofiicer at ClonmeL I remember that the captams of the regiment i 360 5; THE 52nd in the were appointed tmstees, and Winterbottom, who had become, the paymaster, and I were the treasurers. On the first day on which money was paid in, upwards of four hundred pounds were received by us. I had heard of only one other savings' t!^ }^ ^'""^ ^* ^^""^ ^^^' ^^^ t^a<= was either in the 78th or 79th Highlanders. I was told, after my return from the mi itaiy college, on our way to mrth America, that Sir John iylden, some time after he came from leave and had assumed the command of the regiment, wrote to the Horse Guards, men- tioning the establishment of a savings' bank in the regiment, and how acceptable it was to the men, and that he got a regular "rap _ over the knuckles " for having ventured to take a step of such importance, without the permission of the Commander-in-Chief, (not that he had taken it,) and desiring him immediately to put a stop to the thing^ When I rejoined the regiment from Sand- hurst, and whilst I remained in it, I never heard anything more of a savings' bank. j o ^ I copy the following from the 52nd record :— " 1843 Eecri "mental savings' banks had been established by Her Majesty's ^ gracious warmnt of the 11th of October, and the 52nd dated 30th of November." It is very singular that in my rough draft of the ;'Eules for a 52nd Light Infantry Eegimental on the 30th of November, 1822," exactly, to a day, twenty-one years before the establishment of the other I am not sure that I ought to mention the following circum- stance which took place at Clonmel. I will, however, write it down and omit it in the publication of the work if on further consideration I think it desirable do so. 1 shall probably how- ever, retain It, for I feel it to be important to the cause of religion at al interfere with my efficiency as an officer. The circumstance was this :-One day the commanding officer ordered the company which I commanded to skirmish, and to conform to the move- ments of the battalion. He was so pleased with the manner in which I had banrllor] thp olHrw-hrr- -1 . - , ,. . - " ' '"^ '^^^^^^^"cra, tiiuc wnen the men were dismissed, and most of the officers were standing around him in Hi SOUTH OF IRELAND, 361 had hecoma the first day idred pounds ►ther savings' r in the 78th rn from the lat Sir John had assumed jruards, men- -egiment, and regular "rap step of such der-in-Chief, iately to put from Sand- ything more 843. Eegi- sr Majesty's I the 52nd ental order, that in my Eegimental [ at Clonmel twenty-one ing circum- rer, write it on further )ably, how- of rehgion, iws did not rcumstance le company the move- manner in ! men were nd him in a group, he spoke of me as " the best light infantry officer in " the regiment." This was certainly an unusual thing for a com- manding officer to do, but nevertheless the circumstance happened as I have related it. I fear the mention of it must be set down to the score of vanity, but that I cannot help. I suppose we are all vain at times ; and I confess I was very proud of my regi- ment, and consequently very proud of being called "the best "light infantry officer" in the best light infantry regiment in the world, in " a regiment never surpassed in arms since arms were "first borne by men."* Of course I was aware that almost every officer in the regiment could handle a body of skirmishers as well as I could, and that most of them had much more ex- perience than I had, still I have always remembered with grati- fication the above measure of praise dealt out to me on the parade-gi'ound of the 52nd. One other anecdote relating to my efficiency as an officer I am bound also, for the before-mentioned reason, not to omit ; it occurred at nearly the same time as that mentioned in the last paragraph. The regiment was practising " street firing," both in advancing and retiring, and one of the older officers in command of a company made somewhat of a bungle of it, whilst I, with the company I commanded, executed the several movements with that precision and promptitude which they required. I was told that several of the officers, in talking the thing over afterwards, had expressed their wonder at the slowness, &c., of the older officer, and had particularly contrasted it with my smartness on the occasion. My readers wiU very naturally say of me, " His trumpeter has been long dead." One of my pleasing recollections connected with Clonmel is the having learnt by heart the beautiful first epistle of St. Peter, during some of my quiet walks on the banks of the Suir. I think I have consequently always known moxc of that book than of any other portion of the Scriptures. I may here state also that * If this work should ever fall into the hands of those who have served in the 43rd Light Infantry or in the old 95th Rifles, (now the Rifle Brigade,) those other fine and gallant regiments of the light division in Spain, they will kindly excuse this high-flown language, a.nd set it down tn that ex^rit ffe corps, whicli is so freiiuently imbibed by young oflicers, and which is often cherished by them to the latest day of their lives. 362 THE 52nd m THE SOUTH OF IRELAND. I do not recollect any commentary, or other religious book, that I ever read with greater pleasure and benefit than Archbishop Leighton's Commentary on this same first epistle of Peter. I should be thankful if I could induce my readers to study it, with much prayer to God that He would make it a blessing to them. Some years after the time I write of it was a favourite book with the great and good Lord Seaton. .Ji Pi! ). ous book, that n Archbishop 'eter. I should it, with much them. Some book with the 363 CHAPTEE XXIII. 1823. SANDHURST. Senior department at Sandhurst— Determined to work hard— Religious duties — Strict observance of the Lord's Day — Boerhave— Diggle's wound — Serjeant Houseley met him wounded at Waterloo— Diggle's anecdote about a toast in Sicily — My order to join 52nd, and to embark for America— Sir George Murray, the governor, oppos-^s it, but without success — Asks roe to dine with him on Sunday— Correspondence with the Horse Guards— Proceed to Cork— Find 52nd embarking. In May, 1822, whilst we were at Dublin, I applied to Colonel Charles Eowan, who commanded the 52nd as senior major, to get me leave to join the senior department of the military college at Sandhurst, that I might pursue my studies in fortification and military plan-drawing, which I had gained some knowledge of, before I entered the army, as one of the private pupils of Captain Malortie de Martemont, a French royalist, who was professor of fortification at the Woolwich Academy. Eowan told me he woidd readily do what I desired, but that I had much better make my application through Colborne, who was a friend of mine. This I did, and my name was forwarded by him to the Horse Guards, and it was notified to me, in a few weeks, that I should be admitted to study at the institution, taking my proper turn after tnose candidates whose names stood before mine, when a vacancy for me should occur. I ^hinl^ I ■wp.rit; tn SoudhnTs^' alinu^"- t^if '•T^i'ddlfi '^f Fph^uarv — - - ^ - * *^ _ ^ * ^ , 1823. Captain Lloyd of the 73rd Eegiment and I, joined in hiring a small house exactly opposite to the large gates of the jr S64 SANDHUKST. college, on the Bagshot road, and my servant, who had come with we from the regiment, and his wife, attended on us. Lloyd was a religiously-disposed man, and we got on most comfortably to- gether. We had our family prayers, with great regularity at seven m the morning, and at nine at night; and we took some considerable time also, every morning and evening, for prayer and meditation on God's Word in private. I believe that all this and our str:ot observance of Sunday as a day on which we should not only abstain from secular pursuits and studies, but also endeavour to increase in the knowledge of God, and in holiness brought down the blessing of God, in a remarkable manner ipon us, both as regarded our progress in religion, and in the military studies of the college, to which we determined to devote all our time and energies. At tb-^.t time fifteen officers, from various regiments, were studying at the senior department. Lloyd and I worked hard each day, from eight o'clock in the mornin- tUl nine at night, scarcely taking any time for our dinner; and the progress we consequently made was remarked by the professors and others. I rose at five each morning, and got to bed at eleven. This plan left a considerable portion of time each .day for private prayer and reading of the Scripture, without at all interfering with our secular studies. I think I never, at any other time o"f my life, devoted so much of the morning and evening to reli-ious duties, nor did I ever, at any other time, get through such an amount of hard work and study as I did during the few months that I remained at Sandhurst. I do not know that the following paragraphs, which I extract from " Buck's Anecdotes," were the means of my giving up so much time to religious duties, but the blessing which accrued from the practice recalls them to mv mind : — *' "The great Dr. Boerhave acknowledged that an hour spent ' every morning m private prayer and meditation gave him spirit " and vigour for the business of the day, and kept his temper " active, patient, and calm. " The famous Dr. Boerhave was once asked bv a friend whn " admired his patience under provocations, whether he knew what "It was to be angry, and by what means he had so entirely sup- SANDHURST. S65 liad come with s. Lloyd was omfortably to- regularity, at we took some for prayer and i that all this, dch we should lies, but also ■d in holiness, manner, ipon I the military devote all our from various . Lloyd and 3 morning till ner; and the ;he professors 3leven. This y for private II interferinfT other time of ig to religious 'Ugh such an 3 few months the following es," were the ities, but the them to my a hour spent ve him spirit t his temper 1 friend who e knew what 3ntirely sup- " pressed that impetuous and ungovernable passion? He "answered, with the utmost frankness and sincerity, that he " was naturally (^uick of resentment, but that he had, by daily " prayer and meditation, at length attained to this mastery over " himself. " Lloyd and I were very anxious to observe the Lord's Day in a proper manner, by " not doing our own ways, nor finding our " own pleasure, nor speaking our own words," the meaning of which command we understood to be, that we were not to be engaged in our usual occupations, nor were we to spend any part of the day in amusements, nor were we to engage unnecessarily in worldly conversation : Isaiah Iviii, 13. We agreed to remind each other that we were deviating from our rule, if one or the other inadvertently introduced any worldly subject of conversa- tion, being convinced that the day would be as much frittered away, as regarded any religious advantage to be derived from it, by such conversation, as it would be by engaging in our usual employments, or in travelling or amusements, I recollect, on one occasion, when walking in the wood behind our house, that we found we had, through inadvertence, been unnecessarily talking about worldly matters for a whole quarter of an hour. We always felt, and acted upon it, that works of Eecessity, mercy, and piety, not only might but ought to be done on that holy day. A rather curious circumstance occurred at Sandhurst in con- nexion with my early rising. My servant, who went to bed an hour and a half earlier than I did, called me one morning, as I supposed, at the usual hour, five o'clock ; I had gone to bed at eleven, and, as I always did, got up directly I was called. I happened, before I began to dress, to look at my watch, and found to my surprise that he had mistaken the hour, and had called me at twelve o'clock. I felt quite as much refreshed by my one hour's sound sleep, as I should have done had I slept for six hours, I was, however, not at all sorry to find that I might turn in again for five hours more. It was a great pleasure to me to find Major and Mrs. Diggle at bandiiurst. Me was «. captain m the 52nu at W^aterloo, and commanded No. 1, the right company of the regiment in that action, and was desperately wounded in the head in the charge il;: 3GG SANDHURST, on tlie French Imperial Guard. He recovered, but his wound was of sucli a nature, that he left the 52nd, and became captain of one of the companies of gentlemen cadets at Sandhurst. I was their gi est for some time, till I had arranged about hiring the house which I occupied with Captain Lloyd of the 73rd. Diggle of late years was a major-general, and silver-stick in waiting to the Queen. Ho was in the 52nd for several years, and saw some good service. He wore a silver plate, with black silk covering it, over his wound just above the left temple. I was perfectly astonished at the depth and width of the hole in his skull, when he took off the plate one day, at Sandhurst, to shew It to me. On that occasion I doubled up my forefinger, not a very smaU one, and laid it against the wound, and satisfied myself that if it could have been cut off at the knuckle joint, and placed on the skin over the brain at the bottom of the wound, I could have covered it over so as to let the plate fit down close over it, and lie evenly on the surrounding portion of the skull. He kept the musket-ball, and about a dozen or fourteen small portions of the skull in a box, the ball having been divided in two by the force of the b' w. One of our old Serjeants, (Houseley,) whom I shall speak of afterwards, told me a few weeks ago that at Waterloo, when he was returning from conveying Corporal Hood, whose heel was shot off, to the rear, which he was ordered to do on our 52nd squares retiring up the position from the neighbour- hood of Hougomont, he met Captain Diggle, who had just been woun-Ied, and, as he passed, heard him say to the men who were with him, " What will my poor wife do ?" Diggle was a very nice fellow, and was much liked by every- body in the regiment. I recollect that one day, at Sandhurst, he was observing that he often wondered how young officers got on in the army without getting into more scrapes than they did, and gave me the following account of a somewhat serious scrape in which he found himself soon after he first joined the 52nd in Sicily. There was a grand dinner given by the regiment to the generfil and several other persons, and tStev dinner many toasts were given, when Diggle, being somewhat excited, stood np and said, " Mr. President, will you allow me to propose a toast ?" Everybody was silent ; and the toast was proposed as follows : '1% )ut his wound lecame captain Sandhurst. I 1 about hiring the 73rd. silver-stick in eral years, and 'ith black silk imple. I was he hole in his lurst, to shew re finger, not a itisfied myself nt, and placed ound, I could close over it, ill. He kept dl portions of ^n two by the ley,) whom I ago that at )rporal Hood, ordered to do le neighbour- ad just been en who were ed by every- iandhurst, he fficers got on they did, and srious scrape the 52nd in iment to the many toasts tood up and 36 a toast?" [ as follows : SANDHURST. 367 "Mr. President, here is confusion to all commanding officers!" The whole of the party were horrified. He hardly knew how he got out of the scrape ; he hoard some of them say something about his being put in arrest, but the thing was passed over without any serious notice being taken of it. The studies engaged in by the officers of the senior department at Sandhurst were especially suited to my taste. Professor Narien was an exceedingly pleasing man, and I think I had much more to do witii him than with any of the other masters or professors. I believe there was one officer there, and only one, who pursued his work on the Sunday ; it was said that he always did his fortification plans on that day. It particularly struck me that whilst Lloyd and I appeared to be especially prospered in our work, it was just the reverse with this officer. It perhaps may be thought that I say too much about myself, but Lloyd and I certainly were very generally known and spoKen of, as setting an example in the way of diligence and progress, which was thought to be beneficial to that part of the Sandhurst estab- lishment to which we were attached. The military sketching was perhaps the most pleasing part of our work at Sandhurst. I well remember the very great pleasure I derived from finding, when I was just completing my first sketch, that, after having paced a round of several miles, and sketched the country bordering on my course, I found, on arrivinn- at a particular point, that my pacing, &c., had been so correct, that it was impossible for it to have been more so. One evening, I have some idea it was on a Sunday, the fine young plantations behind our house were maliciously set on fire ; the fire had not made very great progress when we discovered it, and Lloyd and I, and my servant, with the help of another man, who came to the rescue, were enabled to beat it out before it had burnt more than half an acre of the wood. The proprietor sent his son the next morning to thank us for the service we had ren- dered him. I knew scarcely any one in the neighbourhood of Sandhurst ; but I once went to dine and sleep at General Orde's. who lived about four miles off. I had met him in town, in 1821, at Admiral Hawker's : he was a religious man, and a good officer. I remember ■i'r\ 368 SANDIIUUST. ij i his telling me the following circumstance, which helps to shew what a misunderstanding and fear there was at that time, at the Horse Guards, of men who were known to be strict in matters of religion. He told me that a little time before the Battle of Waterloo he had been otibred the command of a brigade in our army in Flanders, to be composed of three of the finest regiments in the service, just returning from America— the 7th Fusiliers, the 29th Eegiment, and the 43rd Light Infantiy, a light division regiment— but he was required to promise something tantamount to his keeping his religious views to himself as far as his brigade was concerned. On these terms he felt that he could not accept the offer, and was constrained to refuse it, much to his mortification. The officers of the senior department were not in any way mixed up with the cadets at Sandhurst. We now and then met some of them in their walks, and saw them in the coUege chapel on the Sunday ; but I do not think I ever had an opportunity of speaking to any of them, except on one occasion, when I saw two or three Serjeants of the establishment rather concealing themselves, and watching four or five of the cadets who were on what I knew to be the confines of their bounds. I then walked across the road, and called out to them over the hedge, " I think "you are not aware that some of your Serjeants are watching you " at a very short distance from this." They immediately thanked me, and, jumping over a fence into their bounds, took the road to the college. The officers of the senior department were not necessarily much thrown together, but I think we generally did our fortifi- cation plans in the same hall of study. I only recollect a few of them by name now, and perhaps they have since passed away ; they were very nice, agreeable fellows, but I have only come across one of them since I left Sandhurst. One day, whilst we were at our drawing or fortification, two or three of them came to me and said they had observed that my way of going on was in some measure different from theirs, and they thought I was actuated by my views of religion ; and they asked me to explain to them what those views were. I had never before had any opporti^aity of speaking to any of them, except Lloyd, on religious SANDHURST. SG9 hich helps to IS at that time, to be strict in me before the id of a brigade 3 of the finest erica — the 7th ifantry, a light ise something mself as far as that he could se it, much to 3t in any way and then met college chapel )pportunity of I, when I saw er concealintr who were on [ then walked dge, "Ithink watching you ately thanked k the road to had served nsign in the I afterwards their letting w him to do back again refused to 3ept it, this, nd refusing I the list of SANDHURST. 377 lieutenants of the regiment, on my obtaining my lieutenancy a few months afterwards, I must always regard as a most cruel, unjust, and tyrannical proceeding as ever they were guilty of at the Horse Guards ; a proceeding quite sufficient to disgust any- one with the service. It will be seen afterwards, that soon after we were settled in New Brunswick, when I became aware of all that had been done in this matter, I memorialized the Duke of York on the subject. f- -■■ i I 378 mm CHAPTER XXIV. 1823. THE 52nd go to NEWFOUNDLAND AND NEW BRUNSWICl!. ^''''t:S-oTK^it ^^!^"-^-d with three companies to Newfound- iana utt Kmsale and Castle Townsend-Sea sickness-Calm-Visit tnnber vessel-Sudden squall-Shark-A bonnet overboard^Carr-BiWe -Banks of Newfoundland-Fogs-Ves8e]s-74th at St. John's-Pound an order to proceed to New Brunswick-Naval officer-Rencontre-Frate- -P?oct:t7ti^^^^^^^ Level a roaT p" ''Tfl'' St. Andrew's -Barracks-Expel vermin- CtupTrta~n?;L'rr^^ ™"*"^*'^ '''' '''' Scriptures -Party L'tf ^r'l?' ?'"' '' ^°'^ '^°"^ '^' ^^^«*°^ P^^^^t, I found that the first detachment of the 52nd had embarked, and that Sir John Ty den was just going off to visit the transport; so, as I knew nothing about my exact destination, I went off with him tha he might enlighten me on the subject. In the first place he told me that they were not at aU expecting me from Sand- hurst, and that the last they had heard of me was that I was to remain there. In the course of conversation, something I said led him to ask me, "Did you not then go to Sandhurst through Colborne s interest contrary to Eowan's wish, who was the com- manding officer when your application was made ? " On mv teUing him that I had applied first of all to Eowan, who told me I had much better get Colborne to make the application for me, .en s.ai(i he had been altogether under a misapprehension about It, and appeared to be sorry that his application had inter- THE 52nd go to NEWFOUNDLAND AND NEW BRUNSWICK. 379 UNswici:. 58 to Newfound- !s— Calm— Visit [—Cards— Bible in's— Pound an itre— Frigate— in's — Annapolis Expel vermin— ites— Kindness •iptures— Party iket, I found and that Sir )rt ; so, as I ff with him e first place from Sand- lat I was to hing I said rst through as the com- On my 'ho told me ;ion for me, iprehension . had inter- fered with my plans. I have an idea that his mistake arose from this, that McNair, the second major, who was the commanding officer when I might expect on any day to receive my summons to go to Sandhurst, tried hard to persuade me to give up the going there altogether ; but this, of course, I could not do. I was on detachment at Ballynamult in the Kn'^'^-kmeledown mountains, when the order arrived, and I received a letter from the adjutant commencing, " Your order to go to Sandhurst has "arrived. We are all in confusion, McNair is furious." I be- lieve at that moment there was something calculated to make a commanding officer very angry, for so many were the detach- ments, and consequently so few were the officers at head quarters, that it was very difficult to spare a subaltern from the regiment, with anything in the shape of undisturbed feelings. I found that six companies of the 52nd were going to New Brunswick, three to Newfoundland, and one to Annapolis in Nova Scotia. McNair commanded the Newfoundland party, and Kirwan Hill, myself, W. Forbes, and Assistant-Surgeon Macartney were the officers. Gawler was to join us afterwards. I think we were the last portion of the regiment to sail. I recollect feel- ing very melancholy just as we were casting off from the quay to drop down to the mouth of the harbour ; but when I looked at the men, and thought of their feelings at the prospect of being away from their country for several years, whilst I might | ro- babl} return at a less distant period, it helped to cheer me up. As we ran along the southern coast of Ireland, some fisher- men came on board to sell us some fish. When I found they came from Kinsale I asked them if they knew Mr. Townsend of Castle Townsend ; and on their saying that they did, I hastily wrote their names and the date, and a line or two in the cover of a small book, whilst the fishermen held on to the transport, and committed it to their care. I heard, upwards of thirty years afterwards, that it safely reached Mr. and Mrs. Townsend. They were kind and valued friends whom I had known at Nice, in the winter of 1820. Our voyage to Newfoundland in the sailing transport. Loyal Briton, appeared very tedious, and I do not recollect very many incidents connected with it. One of our officers suffered for a f h 880 THE 52nd 00 TO NEWroCNDLAND long t> me from sea-sickness; and I believe we all felt so queer in a gale of wmd whieh we had, that wo did not cat much for a day or two. Our fncnd who had been so ve,y sea-sick for a week or ten days, suddenly became quite free from it one morn- ? ,Vr f*^'",'"^"^'^ him afterwards of having devoured two cold ducks at his breakfast on that day di.nffildtv'lf ' T" '""'"^'^ deeping-place, which was d^nified by the appellation of "a state room;" the other four officers occupied open berths on each side of the cabin. I think we were niore than four weeks in reaching >'.wfoundland. We were oecdmed once or twice. On one of these occasions font of us started in the ship's boat to cut off a timber vessel, on her way to England, that we might put letters an board h r She was SIX miles away when we started, and there was just enou..h wind make the sails flap, and to enable both ships to ke^p ?^« wa? '" t """""T °' "'<' ™™"^ -»" was'boundl' puUing in a little boat over the long smooth swell of the Atlantic t om us. The kind old captain of the timber vessel was very ttf d r> u I °"' "' ™"'^ «'" """^ ™*'=^ to drink, the mo detestable beverage I ever tasted. We ought to iave thought of taking him some little present When ^e had spcl half an hour with him, the ships had neared each other so much tLnsporr " *" '"'"' ''"'" "' """ ^"d -'"- *° °- One night when we had been becalmed during the day we were aroused by a tremendous row and confusion on deck By he time I had slipped some things on and had run up, I found the ship was going before the wind with all sails set, ftrou.h a smooth sea, a a most tremendous rate ; I should say at themte of upwards of twenty miles an hour. She had been caught La sudden and heavy squall, accompanied by thunder and WWn' They said we had had a very narrow escape of being dismal" d°' We were ten days or a fortnight at sea before we saw a shark ; a hook and Une were soon put over the stern for iZnl in a lew secouus It was caught, but before it could be hauled out of the water, it bit through the cord above the hook and escaped AND NEW BRUNSWICK. 381 felt so queer it much for a 3a-sick for a it one morn- ng devoured which was e other four •in, I think idland. "We sions four of 3ssel, on her d her. She just enough flips to keep IS bound to. andsmen in he Atlantic, ivere hidden lel was very > drink, the it to have 3 had spent er so much, turn to our he day, we deck. By ip, I found , through a at the rate aught in a lightning, lismasted. we saw a for it, and lauled out d escaped. t In a few minutes another hook was lowered, with a couple of yards of chain between it and the rope, and in less than half a minute the same shark was taken and brought on board, with the first hook sticking in his jaws. It was a very young one. We were told afterwards that some of the men and officers in one of the other transports bound for Halifax, were bathing one day, and that, a slight breeze springing up, they all got on board as quickly as possible, one of the officers being the last and the ship making some way through the water He had scarcely got on deck when a friendly shark made its appearance. It has occurred to me, as I write this, that had he, poor fellow, been caught by the shark, I should probably be now in the army ; whereas I have been out of it forty years. I am very glad that he escaped and is still alive. But what a difference does a trifle of time, or any other trifle, continually make in the whole future course of a man's life. Surely the Scriptures and our own expe- rience teach us that God over-rules and directs every little cir- cumstance, as well as every more important circumstance, of our lives. If God only directed the great events of our lives, He would have very little to do with the life of each person ; for what we consider great events occur very seldom ; whereas our lives are chiefly made up of all the various little occurrences which follow each other every minute and every second. And does not God shew us that He directs and over-rules every event of a man's life, when He tells us that, " one sparrow shall not "fall to the ground without our heavenly Father," and "the " very hairs of your head are all numbered ?" Matthew x, 29, 30. I remember on one occasion, when we were going about six knots an hour, a serjeant'p wife had the misfortune to lose a very nice bonnet overboard ; and, as it drifted away in the wake of the ship, we some of us proposed that the boat should be lowered to pick it up, but McNair, very properly perhaps, would not permit it ; thinking that we had no right to run the slightest risk of delay or accident for a woman's bonnet. I won't say it was heart-rending to see it for a good quarter of an hour still floating in our wake till we lost sight of it ; but the loss of her best bonnet, which it appeared to be, was no doubt considered a very serious one by the poor woman. ■| 382 THE 52nd go to NEWFOUNDLAND • On the banks of Newfoundland we met with the usual fogs, which made a part of our voyage anything but agreeable. The rigging, as it cuts the fog, brings down the moisture in the shape of a continued drizzling rain ; added to this, the fog is so thick that a vessel sailing at the rate of eight or nine knots an hour, is in constant danger of running into some of the vessels at anchor for the purpose of fishing. We kept a bugler at work, sounding a few notes at short intervals ; sometimes the ship's bell was sounded. In return we occasionally heard the sound of a drum or bell. And these sounds were always sufficiently distinct to enable us to judge how far the vessels at anchor were clear of the direction in which we were sailing. We only saw two or three of them ; they were chiefly French. The first time we cast the lead on the banks, it was accom- panied by several weU-baited hooks, and we brought up three very fine fish. I think it was when we were about half way between Ireland and Newfoundland, that I one day saw what no other person on board saw, and what, after making several enquiries, I found none of those I spoke to had ever seen :— I saw, at a distance of two or three miles from the ship, when there was half a gale of wind, and the sea was rough, a large whale jump clean out of the water, po that I could clearly see the horizon under it. Perhaps this sort of thing may often have been seen at the whale fisheries. We only saw one iceberg on our voyage to Newfoundland ; the morning was very cold, although it was the middle of sum- mer, and the coldness of the atmosphere was accounted for when the iceberg hove in sight. We passed it at the distance of half a mile ; the sun was shining on it, and it appeared very magnifi- cent and beautiful as we obser^^ed it from our cabin windows whilst we were dressing. The having five officers constantly occupying the small cabin of a transport, about twelve feet square, renders it very desirable that all should be good-tempered fellows ; and I think we were very fortunate in that respect. The having but one small table to write at or to read by, created a difficulty which will be readily undcretood by my readers. W^hen it became dark, or in wet weather, we were generally all together below. For a long time AND NEW BRUNSWICK. S83 (iG usual foffs, reeable. The ! in the shape :)g is so thick its an hour, is 3els at anchor 3rk, sounding ip's bell was ad of a drum ly distinct to were clear of saw two or fc was accora- ?ht up three iveen Ireland ler person on [ found none ace of two or ale of wind, out of the it. Perhaps lale fisheries, ^^foundland ; Idle of sum- led for when ance of half ery magnifi- )in windows small cabin ry desirable nk we were small table 1 be readily , or in wet a long time at first one of the five suffered so much from sea-s;ckness, that he could not join th. others at the table. All the remainder of the party except myself wished to amuse themselves almost every night, except Sunday, by playing at cards. This I could not join them in, for reasons which I think I have before given, and it was rather a curious sight to see my three friends occupy- ing three sides of the table, and playing at whist with the cards of the dummy spread out on the fourth side, a portion of which I also occupied, that I might have the use of one of the candles to read by. .Vs they often played at cards for several hours, I usually had to spend a portion of that time in my evening read- ing of the Scriptures. It was not looked upon by the others as a parading of my religion, but rather, if I must read the Bible, as a case of necessity. Our occupations were in singular contrast,' but we got on very well together; and I think the time thus spent was not without its blessing and benefit to me. Two or three times at first one or another would grumble out, that it was very ill-natured of me not to help them in their difficulty. And then in return I would ask tliem, how they could so re see it or any The currents !, the southern ly. When we ward of Cape and they had n a board for seven miles." cleared away, of Maine, and 3 the 20th of ibled in New the province, lid have been w Brunswick, the province, n, who was a olonel in the )ops in New e capital, as John's with cwardness of rmy. { I was com- of the other ;o Annapolis, h was to be notice appearr- ry, 1866,) at 17, 1., Colonel 43r(i AND NEW BRUNSWICK. 387 stationed there. Sunday was the day on which we sailed, or the day before, and finding myself the commanding officer on board I had a church parade, and read part of the service and one of Burder's village* sermons to the men. As we entered the Bay of Passamaquoddy, (an Indian name,) from the Bay of Fundy we found the strongest tide running out which I have ever seen • we could scarcely make head against it with the help of a stron^r' breeze. ° St. Andrew's is a small town on the northern coast of Passa- maquoddy Bay, which separates it from the State of Maine the raost^ northern state of the United States. Opposite to St. An- drew's, the bay is about three miles across. Many of the princi- pal mhabitants were the descendants of the royalists, who had I retired there at the close of the War of Independence, as the Americans call it, in 1782. It contained, when we were there between two and three thousand inhabitants, and appeared to be a thriving and increasing town, carrying on a good trade by means of timber vessels and other smaller craft. On disembarking from the transport, I found a company of the 74th, under the command of Captain Jones. He had been there some time, and had married a lady from the neii"k they tTa?tW ""i'"''' "■ "'"'^ ^ ™' »f°™'d afterwards hat thei mvasion of the wood had disturbed quite an army of large snakes, wh.ch started off in aU directions Wore them the barrack store, almost a sufficient number to furnish the whole brer"' T; :^' r^-^"""^ '^ ^"^ ^->^ "^e a «>cket theLthl r ' ! °°^''. ^l"''^ "" ""> "="g"* » 'he centre, and 111 'i f^F^ "^''*'^ °°- " '^ ''^y difficult, tUl people are accustomed to it, to walk on snow-shoes without th ir striking agams each other, or in the snow; in walking they must to kept ckar of each other, and to placed flat on the'top of tteslw more han a foot m width : any carelessness in walking insures a regular fall mto the snow. ^ "raures One morning, soon after there had been a heavy faU of snow that the ground was weU covered, the comply pa JedTn fafguo dre^, without arms, and a pair of snow-shoes w^re seld out to each maa When tto men were drawn up in a single rank facing to tto eastward, along the top of the hiU, and it was ascertained that aU the shoes were properly tied on, I toM thTm we would see which of us could lirst reach tto thiri fence from fa,,,"?.!\""l,°! P»^^ -"i -"^ ^-^ I tW»k the third and before yards away. All started in great el^^ we reached the first fence, I think fully two-thirds of ee, AND NEW BRUNSWICK. 391 he town. Of ;he men were arrived I re- 1 drilling the I order along into a wood. vsis surprised 5 in different Qds of their 'r the whole neater energy s, the Impe- he boundary [ think they i afterwards an army of 5 them, ow-shoes in ih the whole ike a racket ! centre, and t, tOl people eir striking sy must be )f the snow. and rather ing insures ill of snow, paraded in veve served in a single and it was told them fence from : the tliird great glee, o-thirds of our fine fellows were with their faces in the snow, the usual way of bringing up, or on their beam ends. Only three of us reached the second fence. When we had cleared it, and were fairly off for the goal, I began to think it would be a great feather in my cap if, on this our first trial of walking on snow-shoes, I should beat the whole of the company. The thought had no sooner crossed my mind, than immediately the old adage, " pride shall ''have a fall," was fulfilled in my case, by my going head foremost into the snow. Several weeks afterwards the same thing hap- pened to Gawler. I had been giving him an account of the above race in snow-shoes, and he wished to try them, and we started together to walk in them from the barracks to our house. The road was rather uneven, notwithstanding the snow, and sloped down to the town. We got about half way along it very nicely, when Gawler said, " I think I am getting on pretty well," and the next moment pitched over with his face in the snow, the fall being all the heavier by reason of its being forward on the slope. The sleighing was a veiy pleasant mode of travelling, and the complete upset and emptying of the sleigh of all its contents, men, wome.i, and children, cloaks, &c., was often very amusing, and seldom attended with danger. By far the most interesting sleighing to me was that on the river, where we could get along as fast as the horses could lay legs to the ice, the shoes being turned up so that they had secure footing on the ice. We found that our feet were kept perfectly warm in the sleighs, and on parade, when we wore the common Wellingtu^ boots, rather thin than thick, with warm cloth boots over them, ?.nd when we had started with warm feet. This was the case when the thermometer was at ten below zero. We wore boots of light coloured thick cloth, fastened with three or four silver regimental buttons. Wlien sitting in the house, or walking, I could keep myself per- fectly warm with a flannel shirt next the skin, then a calico shirt, and over that another good flannel shirt, and then the surtout coat and waistcoat which people usually wear in England. In walking in the woods, which I occasionally did, and in ■n/nipll T Tioirov fminrl +Vir> ii vjr'*'!-''^'^'! "■n'^r" ^1~ 1 i-- J T -«.. • ,1. ...•, ..,,.1... vii\, UiiUiixtcvt aiiOW iiiurc l-uiiu iklluc-UUCp, i. think I did nofr wear cloth boots over the others ; but when I came to take them off afterwards, I almost always found that the 392 THE 52nd go to NEWFOUNDLAND effort (they being wet, and difficult to get off) produced severe cramp in the calf of the leg. We wore fur over our ears I never, during the whole winter, got frost-bitten, nor do I recollect more than one man belonging to our St. Andrews party who complamed of it, and he got the fingers of his right hand frost- bitten from trailing his musket too long, but they were soon set to rights. I once met a man in whose cheek I saw the evident mark of a frost-bite, a round, whitish spot, and rather astonished him by saying, directly I came up to him, "You are a stranger in America, I think, and you are not aware that your face is trost-bitten ?" I then gave him directions how to proceed— on no account to go near a fire, but to get the part well nibbed with snow till the frost-bite should disappear. I think there was a house at hand, and that it was not necessary that I should com- mence operations on his face myself He was very much obliged to me for my kindness. The cold was veiy severe at times during the winter of 1823 although It was spoken of as a milder winter than usual Our house, as most of the houses were, was built of wood, and cer- tamly the cold found its way into it. I well remember, one morning, sitting at breakfast with my chair close to a good fire and that my cup, which was full of tea, was frozen to the saucer on the table within a yard of the fire. I read a good deal whilst I was at St. Andrew's, and generaUy rose at five in the morning As I had my bed-room fire laid over night so that it would burn up and become a good fire im- mediately on my lighting it, I was enabled to pursue this plan of early rising notwithstanding that the cold was so intense that the top of the sheet was stiffened by the breath from my mouth beina frazen on it. We had no coal at St. Andrew's, but a veiy plen! tiful supply of fire- wood. The principal families of the town were remarkably kind and attentive to us. Before the arrival of the Gawlers I received several invitations. It seemed rather curious, considerincr my rank, that some of the notes addressed to me, were addressed to The Commandant of St. Andrew's." I foi^et on what occasion It was, but 1 recoUect being invited, as commandant, to a large public dmner, and being treated with some considerable respect AND NEW BRUNSWICK. 393 )duced severe r our ears. I do I recollect 's party who it hand frost- were soon set w the evident er astonished ire a stranger t your face is proceed — on ruhbed with : there was a should com- nuch obliged ater of 1823, usual. Our )od, and cer- oember, one ) a good fire, 3 the saucer nd generally om fire laid :ood fire im- this plan of nse that the Qouth beinff I very plen- !y kind and I received dering my Idressed to at occasion , to a lai'ge ble respect there. Captains were rather plentiful at St. Andrew's, for every master of the dozens of vessels at anchor in the port was a "captain," but an ensign was a "rara avis in terrA," (I cannot add " nigroque simillima cygno,") and therefore he was made much of. One of the first notes I received was from the race com- mittee, requesting me to allow the only bugler we had (the others were all at head quarters) to attend the races for the purpose of starting the horses. This I coidd not permit, for several reasons, and I was glad to find that the bugler himsbxf had a very great dislike to be so employed. We found religion to be at a very low ebb in St. Andrew's ; the only clergyman there was a good-natured man, but he had some very confused ideas about religion. There was a respt?t for it amongst the persons we were acquainted with, and amongst the people generally, but there was scarcely any correct idea°of the way of salvation through Christ, and of the change of heart, that true repentance, which always accompanies it ; nor did they understand that the Word of God was to be read and meditated on each day with prayer, that, by the teaching of the Holy Spirit, it might be for the continual nourishment and growth of the soul in faith, and holiness, and comfort : 1 Peter ii, 2. Though it may appear to many of the readers of this book to have been a great piece of presumption on our part, yet we did really desire to consider ourselves as a sort of missionaries sent, in the provi- dence of God, to the kind people of this place ; and I have no doubt that God did, in His great mercy, in answer to our prayers, greatly bless our poor and feeble efforts for their religious benefit.' In relating God's goodness in this matter, I perhaps hardly need disclaim any desire to make myself of any importance with regard to it. If I know myself at all, my chief desire is that the relation of what follows may be the means of doing good to others, and especially that it may, with God's blessing, lead the officers and others of our army and navy, who go forth to the various portions of our extended empire, to consider their responsibilities with regard to the people they may come in contact with ; that — "J ^"- •• '■•' ■•••'■^' '^ii^-iii a ii-Oij, auu. liuo ii viuiejua, ex- ample, and to help forward the cause of God, and not of Satan, amongst them. I trust, also, it may prove to be some encourage- 394 THE 52nd go to NEWFOUNDLAND.' ment to those who desire to do good to the souls of their fellow- creatures, to endeavour to do so in season, and even out of season, looking up to God to bless eveiy effort they make. I feel very confident that no effort thus made shaU be altogether useless I have many times seen that promise fulfilled, which we find in Ecclesi^tes xi 1 : "Cast thy bread upon the waters, and thou Shalt find it after many days :" see also Ecclesiastes xi, 6. At all events, our prayers and endeavours wiU bring a blessing on our own souls. It, perhaps, would not be good for us to hear much of benefit accruing to the souls of others through our efforts but our heavenly Father does not altogether withhold this sort of encouragement from us, but gives it in the measure which He seos to be best for us. I think the effect of hearing of God havin<. sent any spiritual benefit to anyone, through me, has been great pleasure and thankfulness, accompanied by a deep feeling of humility, that He should have conferred such honour on such a poor, unworthy sinner as I am. I think the fact, that both the'officers who were stationed at St. Andrews were religiously-disposed men, not only attracted the attention of the people, but also made a great impression upon them. It was generaUy necessary that I should spend an hour or more at the barracks on the Sunday mornings before we inarched to church, and I well remember that I made it my practice, as I walked up and down on the top of the hill, and looked on the town below, to pray for the people in the words of Isaiah XXXV, 1, that God would be pleased to make that "wHder- ness and solitary place to be glad," and that " desert to rejoice and to blossom as the rose." ^ It WiU be necessary for me here to mention that we received myitations from all the gentry of the town to dine or drink tea with them, and that we accepted them aU. On one or two occa- sions cards were introduced, and we were solicited to play • but this, with our opinion of the evil frequently resulting from card- playing, we of course could not do. At one of the parties I was invited to mention what my objection to playing at cards arose from which I then freely did. Soon after we had visited most ot the xamixics, it occurred to me that it would be a very desirable and useful thing if we could get them to meet us for the purpose AND NEW BRUNSWICK. 395 r tlieir feliow- out of season, !. I feel very er useless. I ch we find in ;ers, and thou tes xi, 6. At a blessing on 3r us to hear gh our efforts, Id this sort of ire which He f God having as been great jp feeling of ur on such a I stationed at ily attracted t impression lid spend an gs before we nade it my the hill, and the words of hat "wilder- rt to rejoice, we received )r drink tea )r two occa- 3 play ; but <; from card- irties I was cards arose isited most py desirable ;he purpose of reading the Scriptures together. The Gawlers and I talked the matter over, and the result was, that I undertook to go to each family and mention our wish to them. I told them I was come to make a proposal to them ; that they and the other families had been exceedingly kind to us in asking us to come and see them ; that they would have observed that we had freely avaHed ourselves of their invitations, although at some of the houses we had excused ourselves from joining in some of the things which were going forward ; and that, by way of making some return for their kindness, we had to propose to them that they should do us the favour of drinking tea with us on the following Wednes- day evening, and that after tea we should read the Word of God together; and further, that we should afterwards meet at each other's houses for the same purpose on the Wednesday in each week. To our great surprise and pleasure the invitation was everywhere received with aU due respect and civility, and about half the families accepted it. We had reason to believe that it was of much real benefit to many, if not to all, who attended i;. I think it was in the autumn of 1824 that the Bishop of Nova Scotia held a confirmation at St. Andrew's, and then, especially, I understood tl< ' the meeting was evidently a great help and comfort to many who were about to be confirmed. There had not been a confirmation there for more than thirty years, and, on •the occasion just referred to, numbers of all ages were confirmed. Some six or seven years ago one of the party, a truly religious lady, in writing to Mrs. Gawler, said, "You wiU be pleased to " hear that the Wednesday evening meeting for reading the Scrip- " tures is still kept up." It was, of course, a great pleasure to us to hear this, after the lapse of five-and-thirty years from its com- mencement. One of the gentlemen I spoke to, who excused himself from joining the party, told me a few years afterwards, in England, that he felt very angry when I made the proposal to him, and thought we were taking a very great liberty by thus interfering with him and his religion, although he did not venture to express that to me. He added that, some time afterwards, when he came to reflect on all that the Gawlers and T had been doing in the place, it was the means of leading him to very serious thought and consideration about his own religious state. 'A 'iijl 39G THE 52nd go to newfouni. and and new Brunswick. and tliat it ended in his becoming a very altered man : he is now one of the principal persons in the colony of New Brunswick. I must not exactly give the names of those in whose religious state we were very much interested ; it might not be agreeable to them. The Gawlers, in writing to me during the two years that they remained at St. Andrew's after I left it, described what they conceived to be their progress by a number of lines, varying from one to six, drawn under each name. After I left St. Andrew's, Captain and Mrs. Gawler established a very flourishing Sunday school there, there having been none before, which met with the approval and support of the governor. Sir Howard Douglas. The only public establishment which I thnik I was the principal author and promoter of, was a savings' bank for Charlotte county, which was the county in which St. Andrew's stood. This led to the establishment of savings' banks throughout the colony. NSWICK. : he is now B/unswick. jse religious be agreeable le two years cribed what nes, varying ■ established f been none le governor, int which I s a savings* Q which St. ings' banks 397 » CHAPTER XXV. 1823, 1824. ST. ANDREW'S, NEW BRUNSWICK. Benefit of religious tracts-One lent in twenty-two houses-Man with cart-Tract given to one luan, the means of the conversion of another-Sermons-Mr. Simeon-Description of a good minister-H.M.S. Sparrowhawk-Smugded provisions-Smuggled fowl for dinner-Meat preserved by becoming frozen- Expedition into the uncleaied woods-American General-Charlotte county mihtia-Voyage to St. John's-Find half the town on fire-Of some use in stopping the conflagration— Armine Mountain. My first attempt to do any good to the people by means of giving , them tracts was as foUows:— I set off one morning on the St. John's road and leavmg it at a certain point I foUowed a road inclining to the left. On coming to two or three smaU farm houses, I went mto one of them, offering up the prayer which our Saviour desired His disciples to use when He sent them forth among the people, « Peace be to this house." I found a woman sweeping the floori who told me she was housekeeper to the owner of the house who was then away. After trying to give her some good advice I left with herihree small tracts, one of which was entitled "Con- " versation in a Boat between two Seamen," one of the Eeligious Tract Society's works. The man afterwards tried to find me at home, at St. Andrew's, several times before he succeeded. He informed me that he had been brought up religiously in Scotland when he was young; but that the kind of life he lived as a hawker s.n.... ,....^ crurax ill i^uw £>runswicK:, nad led to his becoming utterly careless about religion. And that this tract had been the means, by God's blessing, of arousing him to a consideration of 398 ST. ANDREW'S, I ' his danger, and to a determination to try and lead a holy life for the time to come. He had lent the little tract, above mentioned m a hamlet beyond him, and it had auch an effect upon the inmates of the twenty-two cottages, of which it consisted, that he came to request me to purchase for them twenty-two Bibles and Testa- ments, ,that each house might be supplied with a copy of the Bible or Testament. He continued to go ou very satisfactorily afterwards. I forget whether it was on my return from this man's house, or on nnotlier occasion, that I met on the road a man driving a cart and two horses. Thinking I might never have an opportu- nity of seeing him or speaking to him again, and that my accosting him would be taken kindly by him, I stopped him for two or three minutes, and spoke to him, as seriously as I could, about the state of his soul, and about his God and Saviour, and about eternity. I never saw him again; but some few weeks a^erwards I recollect a very tall man called upon me, who told me that he lived up in the woods about nine miles off, and that he had been anxious to come and find me out, as the man whom I had met with the cart had told him what I had said to him, and that it had made him wish to speak to me about his own religious state. He said the man whom I had met also told him that directly I was out of sight he stopped his cart and horses again, and went into the wood at the side of the road, and feU on his knees and prayed earnestly to God to save his soul. I never saw either of them afterwards, but it may not be without its use that I should mention that the man who camo down from the woods spoke in what we should call a regular canting tone, and also through his nose, so that his way of speaking was most disagreeable. I was then struck with the great impor- ' tance of making great allowance for any peculiarity of manner which might discover itself in persons, especially when they might be speaking on religious subjects. We ourselves should of course avoid, as much as possible, any peculiarity of manner, or of speaking, which is calculated to annoy other people ; but the consideration, that really good people do often fall into these peculiarities, should lead us to bear with them, however tryin^r and annoying they may be to us. This man had aU the appearance NEW BRUNS\VICK. 899 holy life for e mentioned, I the inmates ;hat he came s and Testa- copy of tlie jatisfactorily man's house, an driving a an opportu- ny accosting for two or 3ould, about p, and about 3 afterwards rne that he le had been . I had met and that it igious state, t directly I 1, and went I knees and nay not be L who came 1 a regular of speaking reat impor- of manner they might d of course ner, or of i; but the into these ver trying ppearance of being sincere. Perhaps that which is spoken of the Saviour m Isauih xi. 2, 3, may be intended to teach us the above lesson, as well as that of always endeavouring to put the best constmcl tion on every person's conduct, however much appcarautes may be against him. On the same road another interesting circumstance occurred. One Sunday afternoon Gawler and I wore taking a quiet walk when not far from the town we observed a man on crutches, who had come through the belt of wood from his house and clearing withni It, and was standing on the road. I accosted the man whilst Gawler walked quietly on ; I spoke to him on religious subjects, and then gave him a\ l-bill. about the size of a pound not^ on which was printed a chort but very striking address on eternity, issued by the iteligious Tract Society. After sayin^ a few words to him and promising to call upon him, I proceeded^to overtake Gawler. I very well remember that as I walked up the hill, before I overtook him, I prayed that the readin- the tract and what had been said to the man might be blessed to his eternal welfare. On turning round after we had reached the top of the rising ground, we saw that two men were reading the tract together, another man having joined him from the house or wood I saw the man, who had broken his leg three or four times; at first he appeared to be seriously impressed, but as he got better this seemed to pass off. Some time after I had returned to England, in one of Gawler's letters was the following sentence: ^'^' John , to whom you were made effectually useful'by giving "a tract to another man one Sunday afternoon, when you were "walking with me on the St. John's road, desires to be kindly "remembered to you." Thus in God's providence, this little messenger, containing divine truth, came into this man's hands when it was not at all intended for him. I heard about him several times from the Gawlers ; they had no doubt about liis being a truly good and religious man; and he always attributed his great change to this tract having faUen into his hands. I do not distinctly recoUect any other cases in which the circulating of books and tracts at St. Andrew's was productive nf benefit We set up a lending library there, principalfy consisting of useful and simple religious books, and when I left St. Andrew's, our I 400 ST, Andrew's, friends there intrusted to me a very sufficient sum which I was to lay out in purchasing books for the purpose of increasing the hbraiy. Our friends were veiy kind to us and very grateful for our poot attempts to do them good, and to sow that seed amongst them which a gracious God, by His Almighty power, has made effectual, as we beUeve, to the salvation of many souls. I know not why I should not state it, though I hesitate to do so. that one of these friends, writing about a year and a half ago to Mrs Gawler, expresses herself thus:— "The people seem to be "awakenmg; there are some really praying souls amongst us; I "think it is in answer to ti.e prayers of your dear husband and "Mr. Leeke, and other Christian friends, that mercies are vouch- "safedto St. Andrew's. There is certainly more spiritual life "among us. Continue your prayers for us, dear friends. God "blessed your coming amongst us at first. How affectionately "you are still remembered by many in this place." More recently; the foUowing passages occurred in other letters • "The names of Colonel and Mrs. Gawler and Mr. Leeke are "household words with us." "The photographs Mr. Leeke sent "of his house and family are very much admired. It is a great "pleasure to shew them . our friends. The house covered with " ivy and the famHy in ont of it is a beautiful picture." I had not been long at St. Andrew's when one morning the clergyman called upon me, and let out that he was intending to preach a sermon, on the following Sunday, on the subject of the Good Centurion, and that he should introduce something about me in it. I of course laughed at the idea, and told him that it would be most improper. It was with great reluctance, however that he gave up his project. His views were not at all clear upon the doctrines of salvation by faith only, and of holy works as the fruits of faith, and we had frequent discussions about his sermons which, although he must have 'been many years my senior he very kindly engaged in with me. He sometimes preached some very excellent sermons. One Sunday morning he preached one of these, and that very evening we read the same sermon in the work of an old author, at our family prayers. This sermon was very clear upon the above-mentioned points ; and in our subse- quent discussions I always referred to what he had stated in that a which I was increasing the ry grateful for seed amongst ^er, has made 3uls. I know to do so, that If ago to Mrs. seem to be mongst us ; I husband and es are vouch- spiritual life 'riends. God affectionately other letters: r. Leeke are r. Leeke sent It is a great covered with ure." morning the intending to ibject of the Jthing about him that it ice, however, 11 clear upon ;vorks as the his sermons, y senior, he cached some reached one •mon, in the sermon was our subse- ated in that NEW BRUNSWICK. ^q-j^ OM sermon »hich had been wntten several years ago He used frequenTl^l' "' "'"'""? ^^ '""'^''-'^y> and perhaps some e ves !n ^ Tt ''Tr "'''''■ ""^^ """^ ■^<" composed them- selves , all must be indebted for almost aU the ideas thevhave to man's tr„ , . "' " "™ *" P'^""'' " «<•«» »™°'' ot anotW mans than a bad one of his own. An experienced man when I fi took orders and had to prepare two sermons for eaeh Sunday besides several lectures for evening, in the week, strongly aS TutSi' e?""^ """'"'^ "™"'--'' *» take [he most suitable sermon for my people which I could find amongst the ae^IstT sTr °T- °"^ ^"^■"' -commendTZ 0^ sermons as a study and pattern ; and certainly his twentv-one volumes comprising upwards of 2500 sermons on textetaken I Almiahtv oJT I . Z '"''"' ""^°" to he thankful to Almighty God to the end of time and to all eternity. One snecial teauty and exeeUence, and I may almost say peci^^iarity in Mr mon, and follows out the meaning of each portion so as to produce that singular, beautiful, and pleasing variety for wW h hi ermons aie so remarkable. The Eev Charles Simeorwas for rr fr ^ ^ '^"^ '"""^ °' ^'-S'^ ^""^g^- Cambra™ ^i many of Ins sermons were preached before the univeisity Ihere are several dangers, if they may be so called in oreach- mgthe sermons of other ministers The chief danlrisTat a comn!:',T- "Z '*• '"' ™* ^"' '"»' «- »<• attest on to th composition of sermons which is so calculated to increase his own knowledge of the word of God, and to bring blessings tote Z r is that if" V 7^" '""; " "'"''"« *" »*-■ ^-*- "n- „er 1 , that if his hearers discover that he occasionally borrows another person's sermon, they will be apt to think all his sermZs are borrowed, and not to give him credit for those .ouTZl D D 402 ST. ANDREW'S, useful sermons which may ha t^e been composed with much labour and prayer. Everybody has heard of some cuiious troubles that ministers have got into, when they have ventured to preach the published sermons of others. Besides the instance mentioned above, I only personally know of one other, much more awkward, circumstance of the kind :— A veiy clever, and very hardworking and over- worked professor, when the select preacher for the time, preached a most clever and useful sermon in the university pulpit at Cambridge, on two well-known passages which, apparently, contradicted each other. The vice-chancellor was so well pleased with the sermon, and thought it so calculated to do good to the members of tlie university, that he requested the professor to preach it over again on the following Sunday. This request he could scarcely help complying with, and the sermon war preached for the second time; but the next morning it was buzzed about that it was one of Eomaine's sermons. It was rather a hazard- ous thing for a man to venture upon before such a congregation, but I do not know that he suffered for his temerity, for I had some reason to think it possible that he never found out that his *' pious fraud " (I think we may so call it) had been discovered. It has always appeared to me that ministers should get out of the habit of using written sermons as soon as possible. Let them study the Word of Gci with prayer, and become well acquainted with the passage they are intending to preach upon, and they will, after a little time, find that there is not so much difficulty in what is called extempore preaching, as they had anticipated. With regard to eloquence, I think they should give themselves little trouble and less concern. Let them, in depend- ence upon the help and strength of the Holy Spirit, and seeking to have their hearts filled with love to God and to the souls of men, endeavour humbly to unfold the truths of God's Word to their people, and they shall not be without a blessing on their work. We should not too much undervalue eloquence ; but I think directly either the congregation or the minister himself begins in any degree to trust to his eloquence, or to any other gift he may possess, there is the greatest danger that it may interfere with and prevent that blessing on the word preached, which min- isters and people should invariably pray for and expect. I have ith much labour us troubles that i to preach the mce mentioned more awkward, ry hardworking ler for the time, niversity pulpit ch, apparently, so well pleased do good to the le professor to 'his request he 1 war preached s buzzed about ,ther a hazard - a congregation, jrity, for I had tid out that his a discovered, should get out possible. Let . become well 3 preach upon, 8 not so much , as they had ey should give !m, in depend- t, and seeking the souls of >od's Word to 3sing on their [uence ; but I lister himself any other gift may interfere 1, which min- )ect. I have NEW BRUNSWICK. 403 always been much pleased with the description m vpn nf . a — r in the Pilgrim's Progress, " Claris tj2 ^i^Jet a veiy grave person hang up against thewall, [in the Internr^^^^^^^ If It pleaded with men, and a crown of gold did han! over il alflisti^r-^^^^^^^^ God! He says of himself, in Ut Cormthians, ii, 3 "I wrwith you m weakness, in fear, and in „uch tr mbL Td mv speech and my preaching was not with enticing wo"ds of ma^C "vonrT.M'.t™"'""'"" "' "- SPi* -5 of power Ta yonr faith should not stand in the wisdom of men b„Mn / 2sT2 Co ""tl ■ "■ ^''i ^'^° '''' "' WmseU a:ri It •'V lels tw Ir' "n ^- "^' ""^ '"^ '--"^ - earth n "nolof u*' the excellency of the power may be of God. and Andlvs L^7f ^^"3; -aadered from my recollections of St. Andrews, but I have felt constrained to follow out rt»„„tl, ;tr:t'rr/r^'^";t''!"""^™^'«-^^^^^ wnere it is, tor I have not the time which will enahlp r^o ^ a^ange what! write in what might appear tTbe t* eZ^: One Sunday morning we were rather surprised bv serin,, ^veral naval officers at church, for we were noT Iware that fa! Sp^rowhawk, Captain Dundas. had looked in upon™^ ad w in bt. Andrew's harbour. The little oh\u r.f ^l r^ , .^.etdead,sothatthecaUi„gnp»r:„ranl':vS:r He was very kind, and gave me some luncheon; but as thev sailed m a day or two, we saw nothing more of them ^ There were several articles of consumption which miri.t have been passed fn,m the United States into the provS^™ Brunswick, and .« .^, t„ the benefit of both countries bil they were, as aDneard fn ,„ „„.. ked forward NEW BRUNSWICK. 407 to It with some degree of interest. Several of the officei^ resided see them when they were assembled on parade, but we told them It was too grand an affair for us to miss. They had I think, a grenadier and also a rifle company, and were a fine body of men but, as might be expected from the short time they were assembled, and from the want of proper driUing, h y knew scarcely anything about march.'ng, or the use of the r fire^ locks One day when Gawler and I and several of our men Tv T^T^' they accepted our offer to shew the rifle com- pany, I think it was, how to move a little in skirmishing order Thel^ttrf „T "'" '''' '" '"' '^ intermingled with them! pleased with But on our inviting them to assemble frequently thtf ff T *^T ' ^°^'' '^' instruction, with the promise that f they did so, we would make them one of the best lic^ht nfantry companies in the world, (which we could have done'in the course of time,) they found there were difficulties in the way of their assembling which precluded them from accepting the invitation I suppose most of the rifle company belono-ed to St Andrew's, for otherwise our proposal would have been useless I was quite grieved to see the state in which our miHtia were left until I went into the United States some time afterwards ad found that their niHitia were, if possible, in a still mor^effic^ IteLedto T'-"I " '''' ''' ''^" matters are properly attended to During the war I understood that the inhabitant, on each side of the border, did not at aU interfere wiuL^^^^^ ^ StLh t" "^ "" '^^' ^"' ^^ ^^^ "^^^ -b-e it towards St. Stephens, they were in much closer proximity than in the immediate neighbourhood of St. Andrew's. This, perhaps wol account m some measure for the carelessness wMchTas ma^' fested when I was there, relative to the training of the mili"! St. Stephens was a settlement up the river at some distance perhaps fifteen miles, fro., St. Andrew's. Dr. Thompson wa'a good and pains-taking clergyman there ; his younger bro he "as the good clergyman of Machidavie, (I forget how it is spelt ) a C..-WS. ^... i^ouxpsou maae, wiiat I considered at the time, a 408 ST. ANDREW'S, very singular request of me, when I was about to leave New Brunswick ; it was, that I would try and get a large tract, a thousand acres, of the government reserved land for him ; he considered he had a claim upon government in consequence of services which he had rendered when residing in the north of Ireland. I thought he might almost as well have asked me to get him a peerage ; however, I received his papers containing the particulars of the services rendered to che government, and had not been long in England, when, on mentioning the subject to a near relative, he offered to give me a letter to one of the chief men in the Colonial Office, who was an intimate friend of his. Armed with this important missive, I went to the Colonial Office, and saw the under- secretary, or chief clerk, I forget which. He promised to look into the papers, and let me hear from him in a few days. The finale was, that my friend obtained the grant of the thousand acre^, which were all the more valuable to Iiim, as they were close to his own house and to a good road, which latter advantage greatly enhances the value of grants of land in the colonies. I had occasion, before I returned to England, to go up to St. John's for a few days. It was about seventy miles off, and I went in the packet up the bay of Eundy. I recollect a curious story which the captain or some other person on board the packet told us. He knew the case of a smpll vessel, in consequence of the wind being dead against thei.i, having put into a small inlet, which we were then passing, in which it anchored for the night ; and that, in the middle of the night, the crew all at once found the vessel dashing out of the inlet, and going to sea at the rate, I think he said, of a hundred miles an hour. It was supposed that a whale had got entangled in the cable, and had started off with the vessel. It sounds like what is usually called an " American story ;" at all events, according to an old 52nd saying, " It's very like a whale." We neared Partridge Island and the harbour of St. John's in the middle of the n:'glit, and, from some considerable distance, saw that there was a large fire, which we could not account for, either in or near St. John's. As we stood up the harbour, with a good breeze from the southward, we soon perceived that nearlv i If fe I HMMMHp'^' leave New large tract, a for him ; he )nsequence of ; the north of asked me to ontaining the lent, and had i subject to a i of the chief friend of his. (lonial Office, ; which. He om him in a [ the grant of )le to Iiim, as which latter " land in the to go up to lies off, and I ect a curious I'd tlie packet nsequence of i small inlet, 3r the night ; it once found a at the rate, vas supposed ad started off y called an 52nd saying, St. John's in ible distance, b account for, larbour, with i that nearly NEW BRUNSWICK. .,,„ veiy measured terms at seeim ,r I "''"""'""a", in no midst of this terribl ' fi e ?h „k "t s7 """"T" '" *^ vice there, for percema "''^'^^ "an, ridicule. Many year," afte'rw fdl^ Ct Sv °' T '""" "' himself come out openly as a man Irfrared find '^" "^ """^ and brother were bishops of Quebec. I copy th^f n ' ^'*'' Armine Mountain from the 02nd record """^ =''»"* 410 ST. ANDREW S, "Amongst the regimental changes this year (1825) was that "of Lieut, A, H, S. Mountain, from the 52nd, to be captain un- " attached, on the 26th of May. This officer afterwards rose to " to be colonel and adjutant-general of H. M. forces in India, and " his biographer thus writes : — " ' The regret of the 52nd at losing young Mountain was ex- " ' treme, and exertions were made by the officers to arrange some " ' means by which he could procure a company in their corps, but '"it could not be accomplished, and he never rejoined that regi- " ' ment. He always, however, looked upon the time spent with " ' the 52nd as the foundation of his military experience, and when, " ' in the course of service, he obtained the command of a regiment, " ' his aim ever was to introduce the high feeling of honour, the " ' esprit de corps, and gentlemanlike conduct, which had been fos- " ' tered in that distinguished regiment.' " It is a well-known fact that whenever regiments proceed to any of the colonies where rum is cheap, some of the men will drink of it till they bring themselves very rapidly to the grave. The new rum which they purchase, and often that which is supplied by the contractors, is particularly injurious ; some three or four of our men lost their lives from drinking the new rum, soon after our arrival in New Brunswick. Either on this occa- sion, or when I first came to St. John's, I recollect seeing a crowd of persons in the street, and a few soldiers amongst them. On my coming up to them, I found a man, half mad with drink, standing with his bayonet drawn, and setting at defiance a cor- poral and a file of men, who had been sent to take him to the guard-room. This is always a most painful and awkward position for a non-commissioned officer to be placed in ; I once knew a similar case which ended in the death of the man in custody. On my coming to the crowd, I went up to the man, and merely said "Hollo ! what is all this about?" and he immediately returned his bayonet to the scabbard, saying, " Now there is an officer, I " will give in," and went off quietly with the men of the guard. Trying circumstances, connected with my promotion and the half-pay lieutenancy I had refused, which I will explain in a subsequent chapter, rendered it desirable that I should proceed to England : and this sten, which had been lona determined on, $25) was that ; captain un- wards rose to ill India, and tain was ex- irrange some eir corps, but ed that regi- e spent with le, and when, f a regiment, ' honour, the lad been fos- ts proceed to he men will to the grave, at which is ; some three lie new rum, )n this occa- sing a crowd ; them. On with drink, fiance a cor- 3 him to the ard position mce knew a . in custody, and merely ely returned an officer, I the guard, ion and the xplain in a •uld proceed ermined on. NEW BRUNSWICK. a-,^ ofter my return from St j"h,.'s I ' ™ ""''" »"n<=''«tely lay kind friends at Sf'A„i . ™' ™fy sorry to leave all had great -a» to bo ItttlllT'f/^*'' '"''"'''■ ^'^ ^ n«3 winch God I,ad beTll 'Z^ ^ "" """ ""^"'^ ^'"'sood- ■^sidencoat that pace bothrr ^T''^' to me during my and the work which He had .Tf'' "^ "" --'"Sious state, ■ "W dear friends the Gawler w b a ' "'^^ •""^"'""^ '" """ of others. "■ *'"' * ™»' t» the religious benefit b«e" z^ieTZbtdt': "1 r^ ""^--^ «»^'-'; and Over-ruler of aU ev 1 did T'^ ^' *;* ""•= S^^' ^W ness, send me to AmeAa aid ' "'"'"" "'"' '"""g-Wnd- much more severe t-ials w'hfch h! """^ " '""««<^''«»°. an.: in I have constantly seen th! ' , '*™"*'^ *° »« ™™ then, all His dispensatii: owlrlr '°™f 'f ."- »'» «»dom in' " to direct his steps." ^ "'" "" ■"'«' 'hat walieth END OP THE FIKST VOLTOE. "°*""" ™»"» " 'Lm.„ „. ,„. I