Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1874-12-26

confidence and favor. BY his inter
est and exertions, / was promotes
: in a short time to a nOn. n.cOmmissiOu
ed officer, and in few years l hat
: the honor of being intrusted wit
the regimental color,
. Tolosa aud myself were the warm
est friends, and che acquaintance @
. such man, the gayety Of militia
ry life, and the perpetual change O
place, scene, and character, had al
most obliterated from my mind th'
thoughts of by-gone days. Yet
Notwithstanding this, when the bois
ferrous mirth had somewhat subsid
ed, when l had retired to rest, i'm
agination would plant in forciblt
oolors the little village of San Eli
zario, and still more strongly the in
nOcent, and no doubt discOnsOlatt
Pepita. But the morning came, anG
with it's cares, duties and pleasures
banished the musings Of an unhap.
py man.
The day of battle was near, the
clouds of night were dispensing, and
the morning was to prepare us more
fully for the engagement. The morn.
ing came, the battalions were re-
viewed, the lines were formed, and
the terrible conflict commenced.
Tolosa did all that bravery could do.
Twice | saved him from the steel
of the foe, but in vain; his days
were numbered, and he died glori-
Ously. We were maddened at the
sight, charged furicusly, and the
day was ours.
My conduct had not been unnotic-
ed by the Colonel. He bestowed
great encomiums on my valor, and
was promoted to a subaltern. 1t
will be unnecessary to describe how,
by good fortune and hard fighting,
l was finally made captain and
placed in cammand of the very
company in which | had been en-
rolled by my friend Tolosa. My
misery now drew on apace, for the
greatest elevation of fortune can
never secure one against a reverse.
Nay, the sunshine of our life is gen
orally a forerunner of clouds and
storms.
A few months after my promo.
ton began tho war between France
and my native country. Napoleon
l. was on the French throne, and
Europe was reeling beneath his
blows. We marched Immediately
to the frontier, and into the province
of Catalonia. Need | say with what
a heavy heart obeyed the orders
of my general =? But soldier must
follow wherever he is led, the CON-
mand is imperious. Happy are they
who fight only against unjust enc.
mics, the oppressors of their country.
But what were my feelings, when
we were ordered to proceed to the
district where l was born! Even
to the village where lived all that l
held dear in life ?
The Spanish troops were assem-
bled at some little distance from
the village. | was out at the head
of command, with orders to EN-
camp near them for the night, and
to reconnoitre their numbers and
This was, indeed, the
most miserable night l ever spent.
My soul was rent asSunder. | felt
all the desolation of grief and the
wildness of despair. could not
still the remorse at my heart. And
must 1 then, I thought, raise my
traitOrOus arm against the land of
my brave and patriotic ancestors
Against the companions of my child
hood, against my own blood? Must
| behold my native village in flames,
and m yse!f light the torch which
was to consume and destroy it?
Unhappy man, to what state had
my first crime reduced me?
/ could not compose myself for
repose, and looking out l
oeheld the little old church of our
village, and could distinguish by
jhe light of the moon, my own hap.
)y and peaceful home. What recol-
ections then crowded my mind and
narrowed up my soul with the keen
,st sensations.
threw cloak over my shoulders,
md with feelings which it is impos-
'ible to describe, wandered over the I
we'll known scenes of my boyhood.
With what emotions | traversed {
he little green where 1 had spent s
he innocent and only happy days
If my life, l shall not attempt to