The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1850-12-07
Prom luackwpqi'- Magazine.
ETCH or \ BATTLE.

Now Tor the fight On the morning pftho
hattie oi l.4..!a..-.. = lsA G.f.a...,l. Il ass
known amongst nv that the haillc was com
iGg at and We started ~ the rsprrtniiun ~
passing the night either IN the cily or IN its
immediate vicinity, We asocndrd towards
the city by the len bank of the Gar0nnc, but
reached poniu0n bridge, which enabled ~
"a cross 10 the right hank, where the main
hOdy Of our troops waa posted Tho fight
had commenced. We heard the hungua we
advanced, and while We approached thc scene
nf action u became gradually louder aud morv
distinct Immediately IN the rear Of the Brit
iah Inc Nj hAltl.I, 't'--vt,r;. f-rlT
aud withdrew from the rad into 3 field which
Was cIosc al hand, ia oricr that our numer-
uus party might not prove an obstacle 10 pass
ing troops, ammunition, 0r artillery, Our
iprccs held the low ground, aud closed in y
.ort Of semicirclc around the height, occupied
10y the French, A. IL so happened that | was
not only ~ the hatllc, bat IN IL, ! here beg
leave 90 rebate the circumstances which lcl
to ~, finding n,ysclfin p1Hlion where, - q
civilian, | was so lithc wanted and w much
uut Gi my ordinary sphere of duty,
Nancho did Il all Va were sitting npon
our nag, spcrulating upon the fight, and ;cc-
ing all that could br seem tll we began Ia
thlnk We know something Of what was going
uu, At lhi, moment rode up irum the rear
coming arrn-s the fields, au old pfccr OF rauk
major general, we'll known ~ hcad-qunr-
irrs, without sid-dc-camp, ORDERLY, or any
kind Of attendant lie inquired eagerly,
Where aru the troops Where are the
trpop- -. We pointed forward little was Wis
ibc but trees, lie looked rather a. los,
but turned his horses head in the direction
We had indicated. That VILLAIN Sanrho, scc'-
ing another hor.c go on, snoricd and pulled
~ the bride. lie was tired of standing sill.
|, ever indulgcnt Ia Sancho, followed the old
gcncrN, aud soon overlook him
III tAlicNc know the position of the troops
sir, will YOU give me leave 10 show YOU ?"
Thank ,ou, sir, thank you," said he; II
shall really ho much Obliged"
W. rp'lc on till No reached "a British rogi-.
mcnt drawn up ia line With renewed
hc tiTrh took his leave
iitU mr. WIZ musical above our heads with
whistlinp and humming missiles. wAs now
tirly upon the ground, and didn't like 20 go
hack,
There was a lul in the fight Tho spectacle
was singular, Some firing was kept up on
both sides but not sufficient 20 obscure the
view ol the French position, which rose inn
mcd,aicly in front, bare range hills crown.
cd hN their rcdoubts. Tho atmosphche was
bright aud though The skirmishcrs on the
doclvity wrru di-cuVcrablc only hy small
white Jets OF smoke a. they fired from time
To time, every movement Of the enemy on
the summit, with the sky for is background,
was perfectly visible | noticed a aingla
hors.uian, pubably an aid-dc-camp hearing
orders, a. distinct and diminutivc ~ if seen
through the wrong end of telescope. You
mi ght perceive the very action Of his horse.
that Aborions up-and-down gallon of the
French m1hcgc, which throws away so much
Of the animals strength and sacrifices speed
without securing elegance
The combat, at this moment was renewed.
and our UroOps went 10 work IN earnest The 4
Spanish army assembled the hill to assault the |
cucmy's rcdouhts. This movement, NJ first,
had all the regularity " review. hut
the rvdoubts op,ned their Grc; \. the Span
iar,ls moved up the smoke rolled down; and
when the wind swept il away, their broken
h1nds wurr seen in VrcCipitNtC retreat, fol-
lowed by n large body of the French, Who
swnrmcd out from their entrcnchmrnts. In
stantly, and Just in front of me- our artillery
opened upon the pursuing foe. The round
-hot plumped into their columns knocking
up clods as high ~ n house and the enemy
not relishing this salutation, hastily fell back
Ia their former position. Sancho now be-
came dreadful plague. He had been for
some time getting unguict. and with the CON
tinual firing, hn grew worse aud worse. / ba
licVe this was his first battle, a. il was mine.
Not content with little extra rrstivcness At
cvcrt discharge OF artillery. he had worked
himself into n state Of chronic excitement,
and AZ intervals attempted TO bolt II was
clear ! must get rid Of Sancho. or src nomorc
Of the dpht so ldcpositcd him in stable,
under care of q cotlager in the adjoining vii
lagc.
still moving towards the lcn, along th-
base Of the hlll reached part of the Brit
ish position, whore aopumbcr of onr. troops
were waiting To storm the heights when the
flank movement against the cnemy's right,
which was his weakest point, should be suih-
tienuy advanced All NJ once pumped
upOR cousin Tom" whom | had not met
since he embarked, three years before, raw
subaltcrn at Portsmouth There he now
stood, as large as life, rough and aely az the
head OF hie regiment regular "Old Penin-
sular;" and ON him had dcvolvcd the duty, ~
he gave me to understand, Of "taking those
fellows up the hill" This service, thought,
would have failcn 10 some officer of higher
rank; but Tom explained. The regiment
having been reduced, either by LOSSES or de
tachment,its numbers in the 1eld were small(
and he being, AE@nFcnior officer present, of
course had to Scarfy thom up"
"Como," said he, "wc are going TO take
look at those monslenrs above there; you
may as well 90 with us"
coolly.
with all my heart" said l. You know
what is the feeling towards an amateur Ii
he makes an ass OF himself he's laughed at
and if he gots hit, thoy anly say il serves him
right If it's of any use, I'd 90 with pleas
ure."
'tsG ?" said Tom. "f'te greatest usc.-a5
Why, | want 10 ask you twenty questions a
bout friends in England. Besides, YOU know
&c l am knocked in the heed, you can pick mo
up"
Very well, then, and you can do the same
for me"
'1No, no." said Cousin Tom; ~ don't prom
Use that got my men TO attend to. II am hiE,
you must take care Of mo. II YOU are hit,
yoI must take care of Yourself Oh that's
the signal; como along" Away we wont up
the hill:
Rank and file--dnublo quick time--.-a capi-
tai pace for opening the chest Tom took il
easy, trotting on at n steady pace, and a-.ail-
- ~ 4