Virginia statesman. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1828-1829, 1828-06-04

ranks. An old English serleant-mai0r, Il
veteran of fifty, took him by the hand, with
that respect which sorrow always com
mands and led him to his place. As he
passed along, mingled pity and Indignation
cleaned in the dark eyes of his comrades;
and many an imprecation was muttered
against the Frenchman, which We're after
wards but TOO bitterly fulfilled.
Day had by this time fully dawnod-and
| beheld that of which Ihad, of course, FIRE
quently heard. but which never personally
witnessed but that once. The hair of the
unhappy sufferer had turned from black to
snow white in the course of this thrice mis-
cradle ht!-Awful, indeed, are the raya-
ges which the agony of the human spirit
produces on the human frame
Some months passed on. Massena broke
up from before Torres Vedras, and com
menced his celebrated retreat. We were
in full pursuit, and had already entered
the Spanish territory, when again it be-
came our turn to take the duty of outpiquet
to the army. My detachment, as before,
consisted of my own company; and we
might muster from ninety to a hundred
men. The French were supposed to be
within a days march from us, and we
had orders to be peculiarly vigilent aud
careful. We arrived upon our ground at
about 6 o'clock, On a beautiful summers
evening; and had scarcely been there a
quarter of an hour, when a Spanish peas
ant came to us, and gave us information
that an escort Of about fifty French, with
some cattle, were about to pass within
three miles of our front, and he entreated
MS to come and rescue the cattle, and cut
Off the detachment These foragers he
said, had pressed tie unhappy owners OF
the cattle 10 drive them; he himselfhod been
one of those; but hehad escaped to give us
this notice. explained to the man that
it it was Impossible, for us to leave our
post. We were Oh a most important duty,
81 it was out ofthe question that we should
stir. ! offered, however, to send him TO
the rear. No; that, he said, would take
up too much time. The escort would be
gone. His friends, he added, had promis
ed to conduct it through a de6e within
three miles ofus, where we might cut them
off to a man. He described the party as
consisting of about fifty men of the regi-
ment, and commanded by a tall feroclous
man, with the most extraordinary 10hHe
mastacb0is he had ever beheld Velas
quez was present when the man told his
story. As usual, he seemed istless and
unheedlng, till the number Of the regiment
struck upon this ear. His attention then
became the keenese and when mention was
made of the officer with the white mustach.
ois. the whole man seemed inspired with
new and dreadful life. ] had my eye OF
him at that moment;-and his swarthy
cheek grew pale as death-his lips quiy-
ered-his eyes suddenly became bloOdshot,
and he burst out abruptly into a wild eX
clamation of revenge and Joy. All sense
of discipline was lost in an instant. tic
called upon his comrades to Join him in ex
ecuting vengeance upon this monster; he
coniured them, in a few broken, rapid anC
passionate sentences, as they loved then
parents, as they rcverenced their religion
as they esteemed the honor oftheir sisters,
of their wives, and of their blessed Virgin
such, remember, was his expression,
to ion him in cutting off this miscreant
from the face Of the earth. Then sudden
" turning to Mel Cameron, he reminded
him of his promise; he claimed its perfor
nance. "You will not sir" he said, 81
am sure you viii not fail me now '-"No
by heaven, ! will not" exclaimed Mel
Follow me my ladsw-and away rush
ed the whole company, except about eigh
or ten, chiefly consisting Of English, In
the direction which the Spaniard pointed
out
Finding it in vain to attemptto call then
back, | returned to my post; and instantly
despatched message to my colonel, t.
inform him ofwhat had happened, and that
consequently the out posts were left de
lenceless; and begging for orders how t.
act. In a short time, ! received an am
swer from him, informing me that should
Immediately be relieved, and desiring me
to follow my men, to bring them back, il
possible; but i'll found that imprachcable
to stay with them, and act according to m,
discretion. | accordingly set of, with the
few men that remained to me, in the d.
recton which the others had gone. 1t was
easy to trace their course along the grass
on which the dew had begun to falkland
| came up to them in about three quarters
of an hour.
On arriving at the spot, found the par
" most simultaneously posted along the