Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1816-08-01
WAR syENES.

WAR SCENES.
| The following, passage extracted fror
In. de Rocca's Memoirs of the wars of tn,
French in Spain, exhibits lively pic
ture of the Interior economy Of camp, &
! of the domestic habits, it we may SO, ex
! press ourselves, Of the soldiers
s. The forced marches of our army ef-
ten continued till late at night, anu in
passing the squadrons we frequent
heard Italians, Germans or Frenchmen,
singing their national airs TO lull their "a
Itigue, or in this distant and hostile lard
Ito recall lively remembrance of then
jabsent country. The army stopped very
late at night near the deserted towns o.
villages: and on their arrival, we general
lily found ourselves in absolute want of G
very thing But the soldiers dispersed
on all sides to forage and in less than an
hour. they collected at the biyouac. ali
that yet remained in the neigfboring vii
tlages. Around large fires, lighted at in
itervals, all TIE implements of military
cookery were seen. here they were bu
tsy constructing in haste, barracks OF
lplauk, covered with leaves Tor want Of
straw there they were erecting tents.
stretching across four stakes such piece
of stuifa had been tound in the dcserte3
lhnuses. The ground was streWed up anG
down with the skins OF sheep just slai,--
guitars, pitchers, bladders OF wine, the
cows Of menks, cloths OF every form (
color ;heie The cavalry under arms were
Sleeping by the side Of their ho' ses ia
| ther OH, few of the infantry, dressed
| in womeA's clothes, we're daucing gro
ltesqueiy among piles OF arms to the soun
of' discordant music"
NJ. de Eocca gives the following &C
lc0unt OF the manner in which he and bis
cpmDanions in arms were accustomed to
live:
/" Whether in houses or hivouacpd il.
the fields. we led the same ,ott ofiifs, Ell.
jtber In going from house TO bsase. or
from our own fire in the open air to that
| of a comraie. In either situation we
passed the long uiebts in drinking and
talking over the present even.s OF Che war
or oar past campaiSns. Sometimes q
lhorse, tormented by the chilDess of the
dews, just before day break would tear up
the picket to which it vaS fastened, apd
Icome gently and put his head close to tie
lire TO warm himself. as if he W S ccnsci
| Gus Of being al cl'i servant, and wished t.,
iremind US HAT he also lad been present
lin the battle"
After observing, that this simple, yct
Iagitated life had its chars,s as well as it
Imiseries that deiachments were see
or returning al every hour OF
! The day from TIE most distant parts OF
Spain chat when they received erGefs
| to be ready 70 mount. il might be for
France, Gcr'aany, or tie future extreme
Ties Of Europe, Or only for a short ride, VI,
&c Rocca proceeds III the following
terms:
$: When The cannon reared al distance
Iannouncing ar appro ching tack on any
Inoint Of the enemy's line, when the differ
ent corps were hurrying into action. bro
lthers and friends serving in several di-
visions recognised each other and stopped
30 embrace 4 bid a hasty farewell their
arms clashed, their pluneS eros ed each
other, & they returned instantly to their
ranks. The habit oidanger made us look
upon death as one Of tie most ordinary
circumstances of life !; we pitied our
comrades when wounded but when once
they had ceased to live, the Indifference
which was shown them amounted almost
to irony When the soldiers passing b
trscognize one OF their companions stretch
Cd among the dead, they just say, BE
lis no longer in want Of any thing. He
will never abuse bis whore again. He
| has 90 drunk Tor the last time" or some
thing similar, which only marked in the
speaker stoical contempt OF existence.
Such we're the only funeral orations pro-
nounced in honor Of those who fell in our
battles"
| CHARLEsToN, July 95.
| FROM ft.AVAN.N.9.
| Fanta;o u est IN fhe schooner Mary