Virginia statesman. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1828-1829, 1828-06-04
4 Story Of the Peninsular wa

q St0ry 0fHc PeainsuIar Var.
When Lord Wellington retired behind
the lines of Torres Vedras, ] was in COM
mand of a company of Cacadores, or
Portuguese light infantry, having, like
many British officers, accepted promotion
lin the Portuguese service. My subaherns
were two brothers, young Scotcmen,
whom I shall call Cameron. They were
both fine, amiable, and brave young men;
but the Youngest was one of the noblest,
| Grcest, most gallant and generous spirits l
ever beheld.
At the time we entered the Portuguese
/ service. the regiments were little more
/ than skeletons; but recruits focked in
( crowds, and were speedily organized into
battoHons, under the British officers and
non commissioned officers who formed, as
Iitvere. the nucleus of the corps.-Among
the men who Joined us from the country,
was a young peasant of about 20 years
| old, whose fathers cottage was within a
Imusket-shot of our lines.-He was pecu-
1 harly quick, active, and intelligent; and
rapidly became what is termed a very
smart soldier, and was soon promoted 70
| be a corporal. This lad was, indeed, one
of the most superior persons Of his class /
ever met with. His attention to his duty,
/ and The smartness and precision withwhich
Iitwas performed, were equallyremarkable.
/ I'm a word, he was a pattern man; and,
what is extremely rare with such persons,
| Velasquez was as great a fayorite with his
own squadron as with his officers.
Our regiment was soon complete in
/ numbers; and its discipline, I may be per
miHcd to say, was perfected, before its e
quipmcnt In arms, and still more i'm cloth
/ ing was fully made. Shortly after the ar
my had taken up its position at Torres
/ Vedras, we were ordered in advance, and
| it became my turn of duty to command
the out-piquet The guard consisted of
my own company, and we came to our
ground about sunset. | remember that
night, and that spot, as if the occurrence
was of yesterday; and well may | ! As
the brilliant colors of the evening faded
away, a glorious moon frightened in all
Itheradiance Of a southern latitude A half
ruined barn formed the centre of our post:
/ it stood upon the edge ola gentle declivity,
which was partly covered with brushes.
About two hundred yards in advance was
a cottage, which CHANGED TO be that of We
lasquez's father; and he himself belong
ling to my company, was now on duty
thus close to his native spot.
The last rays of the evening had finally
sunk from the horizon, and was stand
ling, gazing on the rich moon, now rising
thigh into the heavens, when. suddenly,
was alarmed by shot, and a loud scream.
which seemed to proceed from the cottage
| ofwhich | have spoken. Accompanied
|by Mel Cameron (the younger of the two
brothers, and eight or ten men, among
whom was Valasquez, l hurried to the
sentry at the outpost nearest to the spot.
He said, that he had heard the reports, and
Immediately seen three or four men rush
from the door. and make off in the opposite
direction to our picquet We FASTENED on
to the cottage-advancing however with
caution, not knowing what the real cause
Iofthe alarm might be. All was still We
reached the door: it was open, and on its
Threshold lay cap, apparently that Of a
/ French officer, in q position which inferred
that it had been struck from his head by
the door sin as he hurried out. We en-
tered the cottage, and there, on the floor,
lay the bodies of two elderly men. Velas-
quez sprang to them. They were his faith
er and his uncle. They were both quite
dead Butthis was far from all: a murmer-
ling sound, as of some one half grOaning,
/ half striving TO speak, was heard proceed
ing from a small inner room. On the IN
Istant, Yelasquez started from his fathers
corpse upon which he had thrown himelf
and rushed into the other room. Never,
while / have life, shall / forget the shrek
which al that moment, burst from him. 1t
was the most appalling sound / ever heard
issue from human lips-aEd truly so II well
might be, for II was caused by the extremi-
Ity of human agony.
Upon entering the room, we found We
lasquez in the act Of raising from the floor
the body of young woman whom some