The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1868-02-05
are confirmed nay, professional

ssIt is b strange history; but: listen,
and You will also admit that it, is both
cruel and sad. y s.S';Te 81.
4 George Belfont. {said my friend,
being the orphanson Of q Distinguish
ed Peninsular officer, had from his
childhood been led to expect q ooIl-
mission in the British service, with
out purchase. AS, however, there
were hundreds awaiting the same
position, who, if without equal claims.
.,nssee;;;sssoos. superior interest, poor
George at twenty-one years of age
remained still an expectant.
Disguised, therefore, with dancing
attendance at the Military Secretary's
levees, George, like many other men
languishing for employment, rejoiced
at the chances of active military life
offered by the British Legion, then
fighting in Spain for constitutional
Government; and as it was to me he
was indebted for the introduction
which led to his obtaining commits
sion, upon his arrival at the depot
at Santander, he applied, and got
himself attached to s'ours."
For the first twelve months, as you
are aware, the duels between the
English officers became so frequent,
that "Who's been out?" formed a
certain item in the morning greeting.
In our regiment, for some time, a
duel had been a rarity; this was,
perhaps, owing to our fellows, who
we're the most gentlemanly, dashing
set of fellows in the Legion, for hav-
hn n o1> sof f,,1
colonel, we were considered crack
corps.
In the action. however, both Of
ticers and men were so fearfully hit,
that it soon became necessary to
incorporate another regiment with
our poor, decimated corps, and then
came change. We had new
colonel. an Irishman, of the name of
O'Dragon; n fire-eating, brave old
boy he was, but tyrannical, and given
to pets, one of whom was his own
son, short, stout, bull-headed, red
haired boy, who, from beneath the
tails of his fathers coat bullied the
whole regiment.
Hated by all. he was nevertheless
toadied by few who preferred COM
fort to independence, and his chief
toady was Captain Gray, from VIII ON
he was rarely separated.
Being, like most spoilt children,
malicious, quarrelsome and mis-
chievous, Billy soon established few
chronic misunderstanding with his
brother officers, Notwithstanding
which, he had never been "called
out, for regarding him as an in
solent boy, who by his influence
with his father possessed much power
to make them miserable, the officers
ridiculed, rather than took offence
at his petty impertinences.
Contrasted with this whelp, was
George Belfont, whose good nature,
gentlemanly bearing, unhinching
steadiness at fatigue duty, made him
great favorite, to the disgust of
Little Billy, who lost no opportunity
of offering him every little petty
annoyance. He did so, too, without
much apprehension, for George
had publicly declared his adherence
of dueling to be so great, that no
insult should compel him to go out,
except it might be with the quarter
staff.
Taking advantage of this resolu-
tion, Billy accused George of cow
ardice, whereupon the latter, to
prove the contrary, soundly belabored
him, in tie presence of several
of his brother officers. The little
fellow Immediately challenged him,
and being refused, ran to his papa,
when the fire-eating old Dragon
praised his boy for exhibiting the
family pluck, and intimated to
George, that after having so grossly
insulted his cub, he must either "go
out" or ''go of, i. g., leave the regi-
ment. George accepted the latter
alternative, and would have resigned,
but there was chance of fighting,
the enemy were making advances,
and so he remained till he should