The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1870-01-25 00:00:00

WAREHAM.

LW( OF J•IIISS PLUCK, A WATSRLOO
James Pluck, son of Richard and Alice Pluck,
labouring people, is 7S years old. Be states :—•'
was bout at Faversham, within three miles of Cam-
bridge. My parents died when I was very young. I
never went to school, and cannot read or write. A
farmer's wife took to me when I was four or five
years old, saying that if I wee a good boy she would
take, care of me. She used to employ me in looking
up the eggs, awl I need also to drive the plough. 1
stayed with her till shout 14, when I enlisted in the
30th Regiment of Infantry at Cambridge, in orab,tat
the year IBos—it was only a recruiting depot at
Cambridge. We went to the headquarters of the
regiment at Wakefield in Yorkshire, and there I
learnt my discipline. We were at Wakefield three-
quarters of a year; then we went to Cadiz, in Spain.
The 30th Regiment WWI there about& twelve month;
then we went to Gibraltar, was there a twelve
month, did garrison duty and learned field duty.
We went thence to Lisbon, and lay there a little
while doing garrison duty. Colonel Minnette com-
manded the regiment and General Walter the division,
which consisted of my own regiment and three
others. From Lisbon we went to Peony Pardinn,
Spate, stayed there a month, and then went to
Roderiquez. We were engaged with the French
before the lines of the city. From Roderiquez we
went to Salamanca; there Colonel liambledon com-
manded us. I was in an engagement there in which
we took the town by storm. Then we went to
&Wake from thence lay about or quartered in
different villages in Spain and Holland till we went
to Waterloo, in June, 1815, the battle of which took
place on a Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. I, with
my regiment, was engaged all three days. I well
remember that the Duke of Wellington, the Prince
of Orange, and the Duke of Brunswick were in the
engagement at Quatre Bras, and afterwards at
Waterloo. I also remember the Duke standing
behind a poplar tree; the enemy fired at him, but
did not hit him, and he said " Bravo, much better
marksmen than when you were in Spain." He was
a strict disciplinarian, and would have a man flogged
for stealing a bunch of grapes. After the battle of
Waterloo, we lay at Boulogne till we returned to
England. I was discharged soon after my return, at
which time I wee about 25 year, old. Since then I
have worked in different parts of England at brick.
making and gasworks. About eight years ago I
came to Wareham from Aldershot, and worked at
theTottery, close by the north turnpike gate. Since
that time I have been working on the road, and ara
now sweeping the gutter, for the surveyor, Mr.
Anderson. Nine months ago, with the help of reergto
Anketell, I got a pension of 6d. per diem. I have a
wife in Wareham, and three chil lren —two sons and

,
one daughter—in Australia. I get 10a. a wool' for
sweeping the gutters, besides my pension." The Lid
man speaks very oontentodly and well of his em•
ployers, and any. he has nothing to oomplain of, only
his house is • bud one. Hs is a hale old man, well-
known in Warehani greets, and bears an irreproach•
able ohmmeter.