Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1874-05-20
Wellington and the Bagman.

For a full quarter of an hour, during
one of the greatest crises Of the battle of
Waterloo, when the great Duke had work
enough on his hands to have employed a
staff of double the dimensions of that al
lotted to him, and when he had, in addi-
ton to his regular aides-de-camp, volun-
teer ones, in the persons of the then Duke
of Richmond, Lord William Lennox Ca
youth not siXteen), and Lord Bathurt (then
Lord ApSley), all flying about the field for
him with messages, oral or written, he
found himself alone-and alone at the very
moment when he most needed help. While
traversing the horizon with his telescope,
he had deserted the commencement of Il
movement on the part of Sir James
kempt's brigade, which he foresaw, if not
promptly countcrmanded. would he likely
10 operate fatally on the successful issue of
the battle. He had no one ut his elbow
bv whom he could make the desired COM
municaton with the gallant brigadier. In
this irving dilemma he turned himself
round in his saddle and beheld. some hun
dred yards behind him, a single horseman,
so quantity attired as almost to excite
smile on his cOuntcnance. He Wore a
green cut-away coat (known in these days
as 4 duck-hunter), drab vest, drab breech
es and mahogony- tinted top boots. He
beStrode black short -lointed Flemish
cob He carried an English hunting whip
in his hand; and had on his head civil
/ ian'S hat with Il colonel's feather stuck in
/ it.
The Instant the Duke caught sight of
| him he beckOned him to him, and in his
curt, pithy manner, asked him who he
! was? what he was there for? how he had
passed the lines? etc, etc, His answer
was concise and direct enough, but pre-
/ fer to tell it rs it was told to me by one
who, in 1919, four years OTTER the battle,
| had heard al the particulars from the lips
of both parties concerned.
He told the Duke that he was a CONNER
/ cal gentleman : in other words, u bag
man-traveling for great wholesale Bir-
mington button manufactory; that he had
been engaged in showing "specimens " to
a reta house in Brussels, when his ears
were assailed bv the reverberation of heavy
ordnance, and having an intense desire
all his life to see Il battle, he begged leave
to suspend his negotiation, abruptly left
the shop, rushed to a horse -iobber, hired
from him the best animal he could find,
MP to his weight, and made the best of his
way to the scene of action. On coming to
Il turn of the road on Il particular wood,
he found two regiments, with piled arms,
bivouacking. On attempting to pass, he
was challenged by one of the sentries, and
roughly ordered to be off, While the
bagman was trying to propitiate him, and
other soldiers, looking on, We're disputing
the propriety of yielding to his solicitation,
one of the officers. who heard the alterca-
ton, went up and asked what was the
matter. The stranger begged that he night
be allowed to explain his position; and in
doing So pleaded SO strenuously, yet re-
spectfullv for leave ito see the fun that
the officer in question determined, if prac-
ticahle, to grant his request. Before doing
so, however. he warned him of the prob
able risk to his own person. "Oh," said
he, Il will brave the risks, if only | may
crafty my curiosity" Turning to Il cor
poral who was standing near him, he asked
him .'what were his orders" Nothing
under colonels feather to pass, captain.
, ''Well," said the good-natured officer
- we will soon settle that matter. Send
out Il man or two, and let them search
among the bodies of the dead for Il colo
nel's feather" In a few minutes one was
found, brought and inserted in our Bir'
mingham friends hat, and the sanction he
craved was granted.
The bagman. carefully noting the lay O
the ground, and guided by his natural in
| telligence. pushed on towards the only ell
evated spot he could perceive. As he be
| held the clouds of smoke and the lurit
sky, and shifted the scent of powder anG
cf carnage as he got nearer and nearer
heard the clash of steel and the stunning
roar of artillery, he became wildly excite(
| and eager for the fray" pnt spurs to hi
/ horse and galloped like madman on ant
= on, till suddenly he saw before him. on tn
= hillock, for which he was making, fig
f ure, the sight of which sobered his i'm
4 petuosity, caused him instinctively to draw
Y in his bridle-rein, take breath. and halt, a
if petrified, in his course. The figure tina
met his eyes was seated on horsebac
rigid as a statue! The cooked hat, tn
5 military cloak. with its short cape, droot
b ing in long folds from his shoulders. tn
h arms raised and extended, the hands hole
e ing in their grip a Kaleidoscope, wit
e which an eagle glance was busily scannin
n the fiery hosts below and beyond, tol
V him he was within ear-shot of the fore
l. most man in Europe.
IS As he took out from his coat-pocket h
IS handkerchief, and nervously wiped h
n heated brow, an indefinable sense of av
:, set his pulses throbbing. He felt guilt
+ He felt like trespasser. He felt he W