Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1845-08-15

conSummate skill, before the advancing
French, he was sent TO that officer with an
order from the Marquis of Wellesley. II
was midnight, and the route he was 10 take
wac one Of great exposure, beirg swept by
the ememys artillery. The frequent flashes
of the cannon that blazed on his path were
the only lamps TO guide him as he galoped
over the uneven field. We viii not say his
bold young heart did not beat trihe faster,
as the darkness through which he rode was
suddenly made dazzling bright by the arti-
lery, whose roar caused even his well-train-
ed war-horse TO start, while the earth was
ploughed up in every direction by the shot
but we s0iH say, he did not falter nor hest
tate but delivered his order safely and well.
On his. return, just as he had entered on the
place of danger, cannon ball struck his
horses flank, shattered it to fragments, aud
sending the blood and entrails all over his
face and uniform He himself was thrown
several yards, and for moment lay stunned
by the blow When he recovered, howev-
err, he boldly crossed the field traversed by
the shot, and arrived safely at Welingtons
tent. As he stood with cap in hand, pale,
and covered with blood and mangled flesh,
the Duke thought for a moment he was
his account of the matter, he warmly COM
plmented his galantry From that moment
he became still more anxious to distinguish
himself, and in several instances nearly lost
his life. A sword cut over his left eye had
left scar, of which he was as proud as he
would have been of two epaulets. No curl
was ever allowed TO fall over it, and he was
halfvexed to think the surgeon had cured
the wound SO effectually.
At length, after year or more Of hard
fighting, he returned to England, before
Wellington Joined the allied forces of the
continent. 1t was hurried visit, but a MEM
orabe one TO his sister, now grown still more
delicate than before. She folded him again
and again in her arms she wept as if her
heart would break. Many long night had
she lain awake, imagining her brother now
in the headlong and ruinous fight, and now
pale and wounded, gasping on the plain
The terrible scenes of battle she had often
pictured 10 herself, had shattered her over
delicate frame, and she had become doubly
sensitive; while the scenes of blood he had
passed through, and the roughness of camp
life, had blunted his feelings, and made her
childish terrors annoying and foolish. Yet
he loved her as his idol, and when he parted
from her, he tied her miniature around his
neck. That separation was the browning
agony TO her. She told him they should
never meet again, that his body would be
! left on the battlefield of the stranger. II
was in vain he attempted to calm her grief;
foreboding like the spirit of prophecy
crushed every hope, and she saw him depart
with the same feelings she would have seen
the grave close over him. have sometimes
thought these strangely sensitive and spirit.
ual beings had almost the gift of second
sight-that coming events to them do liter.
ally cast their shadows before From that
moment she never smiled, but faded gradu.
ally away. The whole story, together with
the epitaph, had made profound impress
sion on my feelings, and as | stood on the
field of battle and called up the terrific
scenes of that terrific day, his form constitu,
ted the foreground of the picture. The
morning of the battle was damp and heavy
but not so the spirits of the young Gordon
As he stood beside the duke and looked on
the magnificent array before him, he deter
mined his name should be interviewer will
the history Of that day. The great battle o
Europe was to be fought. All its kings
stood looking on with breathless interest, fol
their thrones were at stake The feelings
of those two great military chie(tains them
selves, as they thus for the first time, stood
face to face, and battled for continent
were scarcely more stirred than his. From
the moment he saw the head of that gallant
column, which Jerome Bonaparte led down
to Hougoumont, melt away before the de.
structive fire within, all the fury of tiger
seemed reused within him. He wanted tc
be somewhere, he cared not in what capaci
ty, or where the onset was made He was
not compelled long to wait. The heavy can.
nonading was soon opened the whole length
of the lines-the terrible charges made BY
the French cavalry, soon gave him work &c
do. lie was sent hither and thither, with
orders, while the shot fell around him like
hail stones He looked on his pierced uni,
form and foam-covered steed with kindling
eye. The pressing danger now becoming
more imminent on every side, the duke led
on in person several distinct charges This
was the GROWING point of young Gordon'i
wishes. He charged beside the duke will
the impetuosity of veteran, and whenever
danger threatened his beloved commander
spurred headlong into it. In the midst of 1
terrible carnage, Sir Alexander Gordon rode
up 10 the duke, and expostulated with hin
on thus exposing his life, when every thing
rested on his safety.
While he was thus pleading for the life o
another, bullet pierced him and he FELL
Young Gordon Immediately spurred into hi
footsteps, and placed himself so as TO protec
the duke from the greatest apparent danger
4. 1o1 /, ..,slk )