The Wilmingtonian, and Delaware register., 1824-07-15


A private soldier of the name Of Msckay
Il man of the most reckless, daring, and &C.
centric character, used to be .he delight Of
the bivouacs Of the 42d, during the Peninsu-
lar War. He had a great deal of that coarse
but effective wit and drolcry, which never
fail to call forth peal of incXtlngui;hable
laughter; he aboundcd in anecdotes and sto-
rics, which he told with a remarkable de-
gree of naivetc and humour ; and often did
he bcguile the watches of the night, as poor
Allan did to Mungo Park, "by singing the
songs of our dear native land" The mo-
mcnt Mackay made his appearance, hunger,
and thirst, and fatigue were forgotten; the
soldiers clustered around him, like a parcel
of schoolboys eager to witness cockhght
and seating themselves round the watch
fires, thought only Of listening to the Joke,
the tale, or the song. Even some OF tho
officers did not distlain to minglc i'll these
parties, and to acknowledge the powerful!
fascination which hung on the lips OF this
unlcttcrcd suldier-Nor was his humour,
mrth and song, confined to the march and
the camp in the thckcst Of the cncmy's
| fire he was the same person as i'll the bivou-
ac. "Ncvcr," said the officer who comunica"
ted to me these particulars, "nevcr shall
forget the impression made upon my mind
| by hearing Mackay's full and decp-toncd
voice pcaling forth Scots wha haze wi Wal
lace blct,' under the destructive diagonal
fire from the cnemy's artillery on the heights
above the village of st. Anes a soldier
only knows the effect of such an incident at
such moment !" Yet this singular man was
seized with one of those fatal prcscntimcnts
of which have been speaking. On the eve
Of the battle of Toulouse, he suddenly be-
character rendered this change more appa
rent, and his comrades crowded round him
to inquire the reason, being at first inclined
to gibc him with what they called his
methodist face - but on observing his de-
cctcd look, the Wild and unearthly express
sion of his eye, and the determined obsti-
nancy with which he resisted all solicitations
to join their party, as usual, they stared at
each other with establishment, and ceased 70
annoy him. 1t was, moreover, his turn to
so on duty to tho outposts, and he soon lett
them. On his way to his post, he met a
Young officer, who had shown him much
Kindness and whose life lie had been instru-
mental in saving. Iia! Mackay ~ said
the officer, I" is it you [! Bless me, how ill you
took what is the matter with yon,-arc
you unwell Stay,--I will SO to the Colonel,
and request him to allow some ono else to
take your duty" 81 thank you kindly, Mr..
NJ" said Mackay, respectfully saluting the
officer +" lam not unwell, and had rather go
myself. But ] have a favour to ask OF you ;
you have been always kind-very klhd-to
me, and am sure will not refuse it,
i "What is it. What is it Speak it o,i
at once, man." said Mr.. NJ. 1T is borne "a
upon my mind that shall fall tomorrow,
rejoincd Mackay; "herc are ten dollars
will you take charge of them, and send them
to my mother? You know where she resides ;
and--and-if it were not to much trouble,
he added, his voice faltering, you might tell
her, her son never ceased, till his last hour,
toimplore the blessings of Heaven on heraged
head, or to reproach himself with having
disobeyed, and left her solitary and destitute"
The tears now flowed down his weather
beaten cheeks Mr.. NJ was deeply affected,
and taking the money in silence, broke away
from Mackay, in order to conceal his emo
tion. Mr. M. retired to quarters, oppressed
with the melancholy feelings which this
strange scene had occasioned, but anxious, at
the same time, to persuade himself that it
was mere hallucination OF fancy, and that
the poor fellows mind was touched. On
the succeeding day, however, when the re-
, mains OF of the reg iment were mustered, at
ter the battle, which had cost so many valuable
, lives, Mackay was missing; but the tears OF
! his surviving comrades sufficiently indicated
that his presentimcnt had been fulfilled. He