Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1848-07-12


The 6ota passes from mouth to mouth; ane
whilst the deserter sleeps off his ibations ane
fatigue, his new comrades cast lots for his
good shirt and strong shoes.
The same evening four battalions OF. the
foreign legion were quartered at Villalba
four leagues nearer to Pampeluna. Upor
an open space in the village, whence the
sun had long since burned away the grass:
party Of Germans sat upon scattered
blocks of stone, and discovered, whilst a
gourd of wine circulated slowly amongst
! them, an order just issued to hold themsel
YES ready to march at a minutes notice.
@Who knows" said one of them, tailor
from Regensberg, "whether we shall be
alive tomorrow? Let's have song"
/ "A song, song!" repeated another, a
shoemaker from Rhenish Prussia, who had
found himself uncomfortable in the Vauban
barracks in Luxemburg.
"What shall it be?" cried journeyman
mechanic, who when upon his travels, ran
short of work and money.
Before any one could answer, a capering
Frenchman struck up,
':Entendez-vous lie tambour hat, lie clairon SON.
me-" &c.
aHold your internal French tongue!"
shouted the Germans. @Here's the SERGEANT
from Munich,awill give US song"
The Bavarian, nothing loath, struck up a
song, whose simple strain and familiar
words brought home and friends to the men,
ory of all present. The melody echoed far
through the still evening air, ard when it
concluded tears were in every eye, and no
one spoke save the Regensburg tailor, who
muttered,
"God take US safe out of this cut throat
countryw
The sun went down. A few pieces of
ship-biscuit were shared for the evening
meal, and then the drums beat the roll-call,
which was held in quarters, and at whose
next repetition many man then present
was doomed to be missing.
That same night, twelve o'clock had
scarcely struck, when the three solemn taps
with which the French generate begins, re-
sounded through the village of Villalba. In
less than ten minutes the battaions were un-
der arms, hurrying at quick step along the
desolate road to Larasuena. In meadow,
outside the village, half an hours halt was
allowed for the men to fill their TASKS with
vinegar and water as remedy for faint
ness occasioned by heat. Then the march
continued. The column had scarcely halt
ed, for the second time, in rear of the houses
of Zubiri, when sharp fire of musketry
was heard from the mountain above. At
charging pace the weary troops hurried up
the steep ACTIVITY. The sun was scorching
hot; the knapsacks seemed insupportably
heavy. Nearer and nearer was the noise
of the fight: in the ranks of the ascending
soldiers short suppressed grasps and groans
were heard. The tailor from Regensburg
fell forward, with froth upon his lips, and
gave up the ghost.
On reaching small level, we saw it was
high time for our arrival. The second reg
iment of the royal guard already gave
ground, when the cry ola Legionp' chang
ed the fortune of the day. With fixed bay
onets our battalions rushed like tigers upon
the factious ranks, which were disordered
by the shock. The Bavarian sergeant fell
amongst five Carlists, who settled him with
their knives. A pale subaltern Of the fac
tious came in contact with three Of our
grenadiers, and begged piteously for mercy.
But the grenadiers had no time; they cut a
bad Joke in Swabian dialect, and Drained
him with their muskets. Of the first en-
counter of the day, these are the only epis-
odes I remember. Suddenly the Carlist bu-
giles sounded the retreat. We formed col
umn and hurried in pursuit, followed by the
royal guard. From time to time the enc
my halted, till the bayonet again dislodged
them. By turns our batallions were sent
forward'.as skirmishers. Itwas nearly noon.
A dying officer of ours begged me for a
mouthful of vinegar. l had but two; one
for myself, and one for my oomrade, whom
I had not seen, however, fog the whole OF
the day, and never saw afterwards. 1t was
about twelve o'clock when my company ad-
vanced to skirmish. The line deployed, and
as we slowly advanced, loading and tireing,
I had to pass through the corner of a small
thieket. Just as entered it, observed a
Carlist horseman at its other extremity, fire
his carbine at one of our men. Then he
disappeared amongst the trees, and FIVE sec
onds later saw him riding towards me.
aSurrender!n' he shouted in Navarrese pa
tois, and stopped behind his horses head.
| At my shot the animal stood stock still ,and
the rider fellfrom his saddle. Blood stream
ed from wound between neck and should
er. I released his foot from the stirrup,
propped him up against beech-tree, and
unbuttoned his jacket from over his pant.
ing breast. AS I did so, silver cross fell
almost into my hand. 1t hung from his
neck by ribbon, and upon it were the
words, @Mary, pray for mel" I had seen
such a cross before. "Open your mouth,
Antoniop' cried. He obeyed, and pour.
ed upon his parched tongue the last con-
tents of my flask. He thanked me with
his dying breath. concealed the cross
within his jacket, and followed the signal
that called the skirmishers forward.
HIDDEN TREASURE.
A fortnight later, at about the same hour
as in the previous January, the Legion
marched into Cereta. As before, old Jose
was seated upon the bench in the chimney
corner, making a cigarillo out Of the
stumps of dozen others, carefully treas
ured in his coat cuff; and the patrona
jumped up with shrill "Dios de me al
ma!e as the foreign drums announced her
| f,.roor ,r,aets scTba o1d h;lla,fs,, ue. the