The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1844-02-28
VOL. VIII.
MISCELLANEOUS.
gear as 1t is.
ANECDOTE OF THE PENINSULAR
WAR.

forgotten him. | was posted in wood the
night before the battle in front of our army,
where two roads crossed each other. The
night was gloomy, and | was the very outsen-
try of the British army. As | stood on my
post, peering into the thick wood around me,
| was aware of footsteps approaching, and
challenged in a low voice. Receiving no an
swer, | brought my rifle to the port, and babe
| the strangers come forward. They were Maj
Napier, (then of the 50th foot, think, and
an officer of the rifles. The Major advanced
close up to me, and looked hard in my face.
"Be alert here, SENTRY" for | expect the
enemy upon US tonight, and l know not how
| soon."
l was young soldier, then, and the lonely
situation was in, together with the impress
i've manner in which Major Napier delivered
his caution, made great impression on me,
and from that hour have never forgotten him.
Indeed, / kept careful watch that night, list
ening to the slightest breeze among the foil
age, in expectation of the French. They
ventured not, however, to modest us. Henry
Jessop, one Of my companions in the rifles,
sank and died of fatigue on this night, and |
recollect some of our men burying him i'll tie
wood at day break, close 10 my post.
During the battle, next day, REMARKED the
gallant style in which the 50th, Major Ma
piers regiment, came to the charge. They
dashed on the enemy like a torrent breaking
bounds, and the French, unable even to bear
the sight of them, turned and fled. Metlinks
at this moment | can hear the cheer of the
British soldiers in that charge, and the clatter
| of the Frenchmen's accouterments, as they
turned in an instant, and went off, hard as they
could run for it. L remember our feelings
towards the enemy on that occasion were the
north side of friendly; for they had been f.
ring upon us rifles very sharply, greatly out
numbering our skirmishers, and appearing in
clined to drive us off from the face of the
earth. Their lights and grenadiers |, for the
first time, particularly remarked on that day.
The grenadiers 1.-THE 9TH, | Think our men
seemed to to know well. They were all fine
looking men, wearing red shoulder knots and
tire mendous looking mustaches. As they
came swarming upon us, they rained a per-
feet shower of balls, which we returned quite
as sharply. Whenever one of them was
knocked over, our men called out, "There
goes another of Boney's Invincibles!" In
| the main body, Immediately in our rear, was
the second battalion, SD and 5Oth, the second
battalion ADD, and a German corps, whose
number | do not remember, besides several
other regiments. The whole line seemed an
noyed and angered at seeing the rifles outnum-
bered by the lnvincibles, and as we fell back,
firing and retiring" CALLING them handsome
ly as we did so, the whole line cried out, as it
wore with one voice, to charge. charge
Them they roared, charge, ehargen Gen
eral Fame, however, restrained their impetu-
osity. He desired them to stand fast, and
keep their ground.
Don't be too eager, men, he said, as
coolly as if we were on a drill parade in old
England; II don't want you to advance just
yet. Well done, 95th!' he called out as he
galloped up and down the line-"Well done,
43d, SD, and well done ALL I'll not forget,
if l live, to report your conduct to-day
They shall hear of it in England, my lads!'
A man named Brotherhood, of the 59th,at
this moment rushed up to the General, and
presented him with green feather, which he
had torn out of the cap of French light in
fantry soldier he had killed. "God bless you.
General!' he said, "wear this for the sake of
the 95th.' | saw the General take the feath-
er and stick it in his cooked hat. The next
minute he gave the word to charge, and down
came the whole line, through a tremendous
fire of musketry, and dreadful was the slaugh-
ter as they rushed EDWARDS. AS they came
!
hearty cheer, and charged along with them,
treading upon our own dead and wounded,
who Law in the front. The 5Oth were next to
us as we went, and l recollect, as | said, the
firmness of that regiment in the charge
They appeared like wall of iron. The en-
envy turned and fled, the cavalry dashnS upon
them as they went off.
After the DAVIS work was over, while stroll
H. he al 4 v-h 10
this charge had taken place, L remarked a
soldier of the AID and French grenadier,
both dead, lying close together. They had
apparently killed each other at the same mo-
ment, for both weapons remained in the bod
les of the slain. Brotherhood was fighting
next me during a part of the day; he was a
, Leiscestershire man, and was killed after
wards by a cannon ball at Victoria. Iremem-
5 Der his death more particularly from the cir
cumstance of that ball killing three of the
I company at the same moment. viz: Lieuten-
: ant Hopwood, Patrick Mahon, and himself.
Brotherhood was among the skirmishers with
= me on this day. He was always lively fel-
low, but rather irritable in disposition. Just
as the French went to the right about, all his
bullets being gone, he grabbed razor from
his havresack, rammed it down, and fired ii
e after them. During this day l myself mar
!. rowly escaped being killed by our own drag
o oons, for, some how or other in the confusion
: fell while they were charging, land the whole
o squadron numbering past, Just missed me, a:
: | lay among the dead and wounded. Tired
. and overweighted with my knapsack and al
: my shoemaking implements, 1 lay where
had fallen for short time, and watched tn,
cavalry as they gained the enemy. observ
It ed fine, gallant looking officer leading then
n on in that charge. He was brave fellow,
:. bore himself like hero; with his sword wa
e wing in the air, cheered the men upon as h
Il went dashing upon the enemy, and hewing Z
~ slashing at them in a tremendous style.
y !, watched for him as the dragons came offfror
IL that charge, but sarr him no n1Ore-he ha
fallen Fine fellow his conduct made a
impression on me that shall never forget, an
le | was told afterwards that he was brothe
D. of Sir John Eaton.
A French soldier was lying beside me q
this time; he was badly wounded; and hea,
he ing him moan as he lay, after 1 had don
10 looking at the cavalry, | turned nv attent;o