 19. Confirmed in command Terrence, after lunch was over, first related to the officers all that he knew of the siege of a porto, explaining why he did not choose to sacrifice the men under him by joining the undisciplined rabble in the entrenchments, but determined to keep the head of the bridge. They listened with breathless interest to his narrative of the attack and capture of a porto. But how was it that the 50 gun battery did not knock the bridge to pieces when the French tried to cross? That is more than I can say, Colonel. I should fancy that they were also terrified at the utter rout on the other side, which they could see well enough, for they had a view right over the town to the entrenchments, that they simply fired wildly. I don't believe a single ball hit the bridge, though, of course, they ought to have sunk a dozen boats in a couple of minutes. My man could have held it for days, though they were suffering somewhat from the fire of two of the French field batteries, but I found that no steps whatever have been taken to remove the boats from the other side. There were great numbers of them all along the bank, and the enemy could have crossed a mile higher up, at the spot where I took my man over, and so fallen on a rear. Therefore, I withdrew the save them from being cut up or captured uselessly. Now tell us about those troops of yours, Colonel. Terrence gave a somewhat detailed account of the manner in which he took the command and of the subsequent operations, being desirous of doing justice to Harara and his troopers, and to his own two orderlies. There was much laughter among the officers at his assumption of command, and at the subsequent steps he took to form his mob of men into an orderly body. But interest took the place of amusement, as he told how they had prevented the French from crossing at the mouth of the Minho, and calls to take the circuitous and difficult route by Orence. His subsequent defense of the defile, and the night attack upon the French, surprised them much, and when he brought his story to a conclusion there were warm expressions of approval among his hearers. I must congratulate you most heartily, Mr. O'Connor," the Colonel said, what seemed at first a very wild and hair-brained enterprise, if you don't mind my saying so, certainly turned out a singular success. It would have seemed almost impossible that you, a young ensign, should be able to exercise any authority over a great body of mere peasants, who have everywhere shown themselves utterly insubordinate and useless under their native officers. It is nothing short of astonishing, and it is most gratifying to find that the Portuguese should, under an English officer, develop fighting powers far beyond anything with which they have been hitherto credited. What are you going to do now? I was intending to send my dispatches on to Sir John Craddock, and will wait here for orders. I think that you would better take your dispatches on yourself, Mr. O'Connor. I don't suppose that they are anything like so full as the story you have told us, which I am sure would be of as much interest to the general as it has been to us. I will do so, sir, and will start this evening. My horse had three days' rest at Villanova, and is quite fit for travel. You must be feeling terribly anxious about your cousin, the officer who had first told him about her remark. There is no saying what may have happened in Oporto after it was stormed. I should indeed be if she were there, Terrence replied, but I am happy to say that she is at present at Coimbra, having travelled with us under the charge of some Portuguese ladies, friends of her aura. You don't mean to say that you persuaded the bishop to let her out of the convent? Scarcely, Terrence laughed, though the bishop did unwittingly aid me. I congratulate you on getting her out, the Colonel said. Traverse was telling us the day after you left what a curious coincidence it was that the nun who threw him out a letter should turn out to be a cousin of yours. Will you tell us how you managed it? I don't mind telling it, sir, if all here will promise not to repeat it. The bishop of Oporto is a somewhat formidable person, and were he to lodge a complaint against me, he might get me into serious trouble, and is perfectly capable of having me stab some dark night in the streets of Lisbon. Therefore, I think it would be as well to omit any details of the share he played in the matter. Without that, the story is simple enough. Having got a boat with two men in it at the end of the street in which stood the convent, I went there in the dress of Ecclesiastic, just as the French burst into the town. The bishop had fled on the night before to the Serra convent on the other side of the river, and I was able to produce an authority from him which satisfied the Lady Superior that I was the bearer of his order for her and the nuns to make for the bridge and to cross the river at once. Of course I accompanied them. The crowd was great and they naturally got separated. In the confusion, my orderlies managed to get my cousin out of the crowd and took her straight to the boat. As soon as I saw that they had gone, I persuaded the Lady Superior to take the rest of the nuns back to the convent at once, as the bridge was by this time broken and the French had made their appearance. She got the nuns together and made off with them as fast as they could run, and after seeing that they were all nearly back to their convent, without any signs of the French being near, I joined the others in the boat and we rode across the river. It was a simple business altogether, and though at first it seemed very hopeless. Especially to get the authority of the bishop, the Colonel said with a smile. That certainly seemed the most hopeless part of the business, Terrence replied, but happily I was able to manage it somehow. Well, you certainly had a most remarkable series of adventures, Mr. O'Connor. Now we will go and inspect your core. Of course they will be rationed while they were here and will be under my general orders until I hear from Craddock. Quite so, Colonel, I am sure that they will be proud of being inspected by you. Of course they are unable to do any complicated maneuvers, but those they do know they know pretty thoroughly and can do them in a rough and ready way that for actual work is, I think, just as good as a parade ground performance. I will go on ahead, sir, and form them up. I would rather, if you don't mind, that they should have no warning, the Colonel said. We will just go down quietly and see how quickly they can turn out. Very well, sir. All there expressed their wish to go, and as all were provided with horses or ponies of some kind, in ten minutes they rode off in a body. His officers had been very busy all the time that Terrence had been away, serving out the uniforms and seeing that they were properly put on. The work was just over and the men were sauntering about round their tents when the party arrived. Horrara came up and saluted. He was known to the Colonel as he had dined with Terrence at the mess on their way through. After a few words, Terrence said to Horrara, have the assembly blown and let the men fall in. Horrara walked back to the tents and a moment later a horn blew. It had an uncouth sound and bore no resemblance to the ordinary call, but it was promptly obeyed. The men snatched their muskets from the piles in front of the tents and in a wonderfully short time the hole were formed up in their ranks, stiff and immovable. Excellently done, the Colonel said, no British regimen could have fallen in more smartly. Accompanying by Terrence and followed by the rest of the officers, he rode along the line. The evening before Terrence had impressed upon the captains of companies the necessity for having the rifles perfectly clean as they were about to join a British camp, so that the pieces were all in perfect order. When the inspection was over, the mounted group drew off a little. The troops have formed in columns of companies. Terrence said and Bola McWitty, who are the head of their respective regiments, gave the orders. The movements were well executed. The men, proud of their uniform and on their metal at being inspected by British officers, did their best and that best left little to be desired. After marching past, they formed in the company squares to resist cavalry, then retired by alternate companies and then formed into line. Excellently done, said the Colonel. Indeed, I can hardly believe it possible that a party of peasants have in a month's time been formed into a body of good soldiers. I should like the officers to come up. Call the officers. There was an officer's call and this now sounded and the 12 captains with their two majors rode to the front and saluted. Mr. Harara, the Colonel said, I have seen with surprise in the greatest satisfaction, the movements of the men under you. They do you the greatest credit and I shall have pleasure in sending in a most favorable report to the general, the results of my inspection of the regiments. I hear from Mr. O'Connor that your men have shown themselves capable of holding their own against the French and I could say that I should feel perfectly confident in going into action with my regiment supported by such brave and capable troops would that instead 2000 we had 100,000 Portuguese troops equally to be trusted. We should very speedily turn the French out of Portugal and drive them from the peninsula. The officers bowed and rode off. The troops had not learned the salute and when the horn sounded, they were at once dismissed drill. Well, Mr. O'Connor, I must congratulate you most heartily on what you have done. If nothing else, you have added to our army a couple of strong regiments of capable soldiers. If I not say it myself, I should have thought it impossible that over 2000 men could be converted into soldiers in so short a time and that without experienced non-commissioned officers to work them up. Returning to Coimbra with the Colonel, Terrence rode to the house where Harara's friends had taken rooms and told them that he was going to leave them. Don Josea once wrote several letters of introduction to influential friends at Lisbon telling them that he and his daughters had escaped from the sack of a portal and asking them to show every kindness to the officer to whom they chiefly owed their safety. Terrence meanwhile returned to camp, arranged with Harara and the two majors that everything was to go on as usual during his absence, urging them to work hard at their drill and to press upon the men the necessity now that they were in uniform of carrying themselves as soldiers and doing credit to their corps. Five days later, he arrived at Lisbon, taking with him a report from the Commodant of his inspection of the Corps. I had begun to be afraid that you had been killed or taken prisoner, Mr. O'Connor, Sir John Credit said as Terrence presented himself, or that you must have fallen back with Romana into Spain. He seems to have behaved very badly for as I hear, although he had 10,000 men with him, half of them regular troops. He had retired without a shot being fired, except by two regiments who were mauled by the French cavalry and left Sylvia in the lurch. I was on other business general and I fear that you will think that I exceeded my orders by a halt that you will consider that the result has justified my doing so. Will you kindly first run your eye over this report by the officer commanding at Coimbra? Sir John Credit read the report with a puzzled expression of face. Then he said, But what regiments are these that Colonel Wilberforce speaks of in such high terms? Would they part of Romana's force? He speaks of them as a corps under your command and as being 2,300 strong. They were not Romana's men, sir, but a body of Ordenenka's. Of whom, as my report will inform you, I came by a combination of circumstances to take the command, appointing Lieutenant Harara, who commanded my escort Colonel, my two orderlies as majors and the Portuguese troopers of my escort as captains of companies. We have been several times engaged with the French and I cannot speak too highly of the behavior of officers and men. Sir John Credit burst into a laugh. You certainly are a cool hand, Mr. O'Connor. Assuredly, I did not contemplate when I sent you all that you would return as Colonel of two regiments. Nor did I, sir, but you see, you gave me general instructions to concert measures with Romana for the defense of the frontier. I saw on ones that Romana was hopeless and was therefore myself driven to take these measures. As the portal has fallen, I cannot say they were successful, but at least I may say that we gave a portal 14 days extra time to prepare her defense and as she did not take advantage of the time, it was not my fault. The lack of amusement on the general's face turned to one of interest. How did you do that, sir? My Corps prevented assault from crossing at the mouth of the Minho General, killing some 200 of his men and driving his boats back across the river. When the French general saw that he could now cross and face such opposition, he was obliged to march his army round by your rents and down by the passes, which ought to have been successfully defended by the Portuguese. That was good service indeed, Mr. O'Connor. I received dispatches from our agents at Porto, saying that soldiers' landing had been repulsed by armed peasants. My men were little more than armed peasants then, sir, though they had a few days' hard drill. Still, a British officer would scarcely have called them soldiers. Well, I think that Wilberford's report shows that they have a right to that title now. Take a seat, Mr. O'Connor, and a newspaper. There are some that arrived two days ago while I look over your report. Terrence had written in much greater detail than is usual in official reports, as he wished the general to see how well the men and their officers had behaved. It was 20 minutes before the general finished it. A very remarkable report, Mr. O'Connor. Very remarkable. You must die with me this evening. I have many questions to ask you about it and also about the storming for Porto, of which we have, as yet, received no details, although a messenger from the bishop brought his news some days ago. He seems to have made a terrible mess of it. He ought to be hung, sir, Terrence said indignantly. After getting all those unfortunate peasants together, he sneaked off and hid himself in a convent on the other side of the river on the very night before the French attacked. Unfortunately, Mr. O'Connor, we cannot give all men their desserts, or we should want all the rope on board the ships in the harbor for the purpose. The bishop is a firebrand of the most dangerous kind, and I suppose we shall have them here in a day or two, for he said in this letter that he was on his way. There is one comfort. He will be too busy in quarrelling with the authorities to have any time to spend on his quarrels with us. Then I shall see you in an hour's time. Please ask Captain Nelson to come in here. I have some notes for him to write. Terrence bowed and retired. What a nuisance, Captain Nelson said. I was wanting to hear all that you have been doing. I am to dine with the General, Terrence said. Perhaps I shall meet you there. Captain Nelson found that he was wanted to write notes of invitation to such of the officers who were still at Lisbon, as had dined there when Terrence was last the General's guest, and as the General's invitations overrode all other engagements, most of them were present when Terrence returned. Mr. O'Connor has another story for you gentlemen, the General said when the cloth was removed and the wine was put on the table. I am not sure whether I am right in calling him Mr. O'Connor, for he has been performing the duties of a colonel, commanding two regiments in the Portuguese service. I will preface his story by reading the report of Colonel Wilberforce commanding at Conbra of the state of efficiency of his command. There was a look of surprise at the General's remarks, and that surprise was greatly heightened on the reading of Colonel Wilberforce's report. No, Mr. O'Connor, the General said when he had finished. I am sure that we shall all be obliged by your giving us a detailed statement of the manner in which you raised those regiments and of the operations that you undertook with them, and the more details you give us the better, for it is well that we should understand how the Portuguese can best be handled. I may say at once that personally we are greatly indebted to you for having proved that when even partially disciplined and well led, they are capable of doing very good service, a fact of which I own, I have been hitherto very doubtful. Smiles were exchanged among the auditors when Teres described the manner in which he came to command the body of undisciplined ordinecas. When he spoke of the state in which he found Romanus' army, and the reason for his determination to keep his column intact, they listened more attentively and exchanged looks of surprise when he described his rapid march to the mouth in the Minho, and the repulse of Salt's attempt to cross Ventoli. He then described how he had joined Silvira and the mutiny of that General's troops. Still more surprise was manifested when he related the action in the defile and the bravery with which his troops had behaved, and the manner in which they had been handled by the troopers that he had appointed as their officers. The night attack on the cavalry and infantry of the head of Salt's column was equally well received. His reasons for not joining the army at Braga and of keeping aloof from the mob of peasants at a portal were as much approved as was the holding of the bridge for a while and his actions for withdrawing. Well, gentlemen, the General said when Terence had finished, I think you will allow that my aid account, Mr. O'Connor, has given a good account of himself and that if he went outside my orders, his doing so has been most amply justified. It has indeed, General, one of the senior officers said warmly, I can answer for myself that I should have been proud to have been able to tell such a story. A murmur of approval ran round the table. It is difficult to say whether Mr. O'Connor's readiness to accept responsibility of the manner in which in the short space of a month he turned a mob of peasants into regular soldiers of the quickness with which he marched to the spot threatened by salt and so compelled him to entirely change the plan of his campaign or his conduct in the defense of the defile and in his night attack are most remarkable. I should wish to say, General, that in telling this story, I have been chiefly anxious to do justice to the hardy cooperation of Lieutenant Harara and the services rendered by my own two orderlies and his troopers. By myself, I could have done absolutely nothing. Their work was hard and incessant and the drill and discipline of the troops was wholly due to them. I understand, Mr. O'Connor. It is quite right for you to say so and I thoroughly recognize that they must have done good service, but it is the man that plans, organizes and infuses his own spirit into those under his command that everything is due. Now, Mr. O'Connor, I think I will ask you to leave us for a few minutes. The case is rather an exceptional one and I should be glad to chat the matter over with the officers present. Well, gentlemen, what do you think that we are to do with Mr. O'Connor? He went on with a smile as the door closed behind Terrence. My experience affords me no guide, General. Another, the senior officer said, It is simply amazing that a lad of 17, I suppose he's not much over that, Shadow conceived and carried out such a plan. It sounds like a piece of old knight erratory. Clive did as much, but Clive was some years older when he first became a thorn in the side of the French. What is your opinion, sir? He is already a lieutenant, the general said. I sent home a strong recommendation that he should be promoted when he was last here and received an intimation three days ago that he had been gazetted, lieutenant and transferred to my staff. This time, I shall simply send home a copy of the report he has furnished me with and that of Colonel Wilberforce and say that I lead the reports to speak for themselves, but that in my opinion, it is the case altogether exceptional. That is all I can do now. The question of course is whether he shall return to staff service again or shall he continue in command of the Corps with which he had done so much? If he does the latter, he must have local rank. Otherwise, he would be liable to be overruled by any Portuguese officer of superior rank. I think that the best way would be to send a copy of the reports to the Lord Beersford saying that in my opinion, it is very strong that Lieutenant O'Connor should be allowed to retain an independent command of the Corps that he has raised and disciplined and that I will either by self bestow local rank upon him and treat the Corps as forming a part of the British Army, like that of Trent or that he should give him a local rank as its Colonel in which case he would operate still independently but in connection with Beersford's own force. I should almost think that the first step would be the best general if I might say so. In the first place, Beersford will have any number of irregular parties operating with him while such a court would be invaluable to us. They are capable of taking long marches. They know the mountains of force and would keep us supplied with news while they harassed the enemy. As an officer on your staff, O'Connor would have a much greater power among the Portuguese population than he would have on his own account in their own army and he would be very much less likely to be interfered with by the leaders of other parties and corps. Perhaps that would be the best way Colonel I will send the reports to Beersford and say that I have appointed Lieutenant O'Connor to remain the command of this Corps which I shall attach to my own command and saying that I shall be obliged if he would have a commission made out for him giving him the local rank of Colonel in the Portuguese army. Beersford is himself a Gallant soldier and will appreciate as you do the work that O'Connor has done and as he knows nothing of the lads age he will comply as a matter of course with my request. I shall in writing home strongly recommend his two cavalrymen for commissions. As to Harara I shall ask Beersford to give him the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. I shall suggest to Beersford that his troopers should all receive commissions in his army. They have all earned them which is more than I could say of any other Portuguese soldiers so far as I have heard. Terrence was then called in again. In the first place I have a pleasant piece of news to give you Mr. O'Connor namely that I have received from home an official letter that on my recommendation you have been gazetted to the rank of Lieutenant and transferred to my staff. In the second place I've decided that while still retaining you on my staff you will be continued in your present command. I shall obtain for you a commission as Colonel in the Portuguese service but your core will form part of my command and act with the British Army. I shall request Lord Beersford to appoint Mr. Harara to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and shall recommend that commissions be given to his troopers. Two orderlies of whom services you spoke so highly I shall recommend for commissions in our army and shall request Lord Beersford to give them local rank as majors Terrence coloured with pleasure and confusion I am greatly obliged to you General he said but I do not at all feel that the services that I've tried to perform that is for me to judge the general said kindly all the officers here quite agree with me that those services have been very market and exceptional and are at one with me as to how they should be recognized moreover in obtaining for you the rank of Colonel in the Portuguese army I am not only recognizing those services but I am adding to the power that you will have rendering further services to the army although attached to our forces you will receive your colonels commission from Lord Beersford who is now the general appointed by the Portuguese government to command their army it was late and the party rose all of them shook hands warmly with Terrence who retired with his friend Captain the latter told him before they went into dinner that he had had a bed put up for him in his own room well Mr. Connor Nelson laughed you must allow me to be the first to salute you as my superior officer it is absurd all together Terrence said almost ruefully still Captain Nelson though I may hold the superior rank in the Portuguese army that goes for very little I have seen enough of Portuguese officers to know that even their own soldiers have not got any respect for them and in our own army I am only Lieutenant that is so that however there was never promotion more deserved and as you hung or rather left to be hung a Portuguese Colonel is only right that you should supply the deficiency I hope I shall not have to wear a Portuguese uniform Terrence said earnestly I should think not Connor but I will ask the general in the morning of course she will not wear your present uniform because you are now gazetted into the staff and out of your own regiment now we will smoke a quiet cigar before we turn in have you any other story to tell me that you have not already related well yes I have won but it is only of a personal interest and he then gave an account of his discovery of his cousin in the convent of a portal and how he managed to rescue her indeed my saying I have told you the story Nelson so that if by any unexpected accident it is found out that she is an escape none and her friends appeal to the general for protection you may be aware of the circumstances and help certainly I will do so Captain Nelson said worldly you certainly have a wonderful head for devising plans I began in early Terrence laughed I was always in Bishop before I got my commission I suppose that helps me but you see I had wonderful luck I don't say anything against your luck but good luck is of no use unless a fellow knows how to take advantage of it and that is just what you have done I suppose that you will stay here for a day or two my horse wants a couple days rest and I have my uniform to get I suppose I could get one made in a couple of days whether it is a Portuguese or English one I dare say you will be able to manage that Terrence learned that the general said he had better wear staff uniform and he currently went with Captain Nelson and was measured your Portuguese seems to have proved amazingly in the two months you have been away the latter said as it came out from the shop you seem to jabber away quite fluently I have been talking nothing else and Harara has acted as my instructor so I get on very fairly now ship of a portal said Terrence I suppose he is just arrived it is a good thing that he does not know you as well as you know him Captain Nelson said dryly if he did your adventures would be likely to be cut short by knife between your shoulder some dark night he does not know me at all Terrence laughed the advantages are all on my side in the present case it is an advantage Captain you've raised your hand against the venerable but somewhat truculant prelate I shudder at your boldness I only caught a glimpse of him as he passed but I could see that he looked rather scared perhaps he hasn't recovered yet from the Friday gave him laughed Terrence I have seen and heard enough of his doings and paid him a very small installment of the debt due to him the uniforms were promised for the next evening and Terrence felt that they were a considerable improvement upon his late one stained and discolored as it was by wet mud and travel after paying a visit to the general to say goodbye Terrence mounted and started for Coimbra upon his arrival there four days later he had once reported himself to the commandant I received a copy of the journal order of last Tuesday the latter said and congratulate you most warmly on being conformed in your rank I thought that it would be so for one could not reckon that had another taking your place your core would have maintained its present state of efficiency you are very good to say so Colonel but any British officer appointed to command it would do as well or better than I should I don't think that he would in any way but certainly he would not be followed with the same confidence by his men as they would follow you and with troops like these everything depends upon their confidence to our army Colonel you were good enough to order them to be rationed before but I have now in order from the general for them to draw pay and rations the same as the British troops that is all right the Colonel said examining the document I will take a copy of it but as it is a general order you must keep the original yourself I see that you have now adopted the uniform of the staff it is certainly a great improvement upon that of an infantry officer I see by the way that you have got your step in our army yes Colonel the general was good enough to recommend me of course I am glad in one way but I am sorry that has put me out of the regiment that I have been brought up with but of course it was necessary for I could not have gone over other men's heads in it No when a man gets special promotion is always into another regiment for that reason you'll be glad to hear that your man have been behaving extremely well I have not heard of a single case of drunkenness or misconduct among them I have been down there several times and always found them hard at work drilling they seem to me to improve every time I see them on leaving the Colonel's quarters terrorist rode to his cousins Mary rose with an exclamation of surprise as he entered what a handsome uniform Terrence how is it you have changed it I am now regularly on the general staff Mary and this is the uniform you look very well at it she said don't you think so Lorenzo I do indeed her friend agreed it does make a difference well to begin with it is clean a new terrorist laughed and though the other was not old it had seen his best days but I have more news Mary you will now have to address your cousin as Colonel Mary clapped her hands and Don Jose and his family uttered exclamations of pleasure it is quite right Mary said it is ridiculous that senior Herrera should be Colonel and you only Mr. O'Connor it does not matter much about a name he said I commanded before and I shall do so now but I have got Portuguese rank why did they not make you an English Colonel Mary asked rather indignantly Terrence laughed I shall be lucky if I get that in another 20 years Mary I have got the steps as you saw me last but I am to rank as a Colonel in the Portuguese Army as long as I command this core which I'm glad to say is now to form a part of the British Army Herrera is to have the rank a Lieutenant Colonel Bola McWitty will I hope get their commissions as ensigns in the British Army with local rank of majors the general will recommend that Herrera's troopers all get commissions in the Portuguese Army Oh well I am pleased that your services are appreciated Terrence we are very glad that you have come back Lorenza especially so as now you have returned she think she will see more of senior Herrera the Bishop is in Lisbon Mary that is not such good news Terrence I will be very careful to keep out of his way do he said I have spoken to Captain Nelson one of the general staff about you and if by any chance you will go to him at once and ask him to attain the general's protection for you which will I am sure be given your father was an Irishman you are a British subject and have a right to protection you won't forget the name Don Jose Captain Nelson I shall rate it down at once the Portuguese said but this Donna Mary will pass into the name of Dylan and her dress is so changed her appearance I do not think that there is the smallest fear no one can know her except the bishop himself you may be sure that I shall not go well much in Lisbon Mary said and if I do I will keep my promise to be always closely veiled and the chapter 19 recording by Charles sap chapter 20 of with more at Karuna by Jean Henty this is a LiberVox recording all LiberVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LiberVox dot org recording by Charles sap with more at Karuna by Jean Henty chapter 20 with the Myos the news the Terrence brought to the Regiment gave great and general satisfaction Harara was delighted to hear that he was to be made a Lieutenant Colonel in his army Bull and McWitty were overjoyed on hearing that they had both been recommended for commissions and were equally pleased the rank and file felt no less gratification both at the honor of being attached to the British Army and at the substantial improvement in their condition that this would entail on the following day Harara's friends and Mary O'Connor left for Lisbon on the latter astonished Terrence by bursting into tears as she said goodbye to him I have said nothing yet that the gratitude that I feel to you Terrence for all that you have stopped me whenever I tried to but I shall always feel it always and shall think of you and love you dearly it has been just as fortunate for me has has been good for you Mary he said I have never had a sister and I seem to have found one now the girl looked up pouting I don't think she said I should particularly care about being a sister I think I would rather remain a cousin Terrence looks surprised and a little hurt you are only a silly boy she left but we'll understand better some day well goodbye Terrence and the smile faded from her face goodbye dear take care of yourself and Lisbon and be sure that you look out to see if the my own fusiliers arrive while you are there I heard that they were about to embark again with the force that General Hill is bringing out but my father won't be with them I'm afraid I have not heard from him but I should hardly think that he will be fit for hard service again yet if he should be he will tell you where to go till we get back at any rate don't start for England until the regimen comes I fancy that it will be at Lisbon before you are and Don Jose can easily find out for you whether father is with it if he is not go to Ballin Agra I have written instructions how you are to travel but you would better have no doubt that he will come over and fetch you I don't know anything about London but you would better see Captain Nelson at Lisbon here is a note I've written to him asking him where you would better go and what you would better do when you get to London the day after the party had left Terence March with his core north and establish himself at Carvello where the road from a portal passed over the spurs of the Sierra de caramula in order to check the incursions of the French cavalry from a portal in the course of the next fortnight he has several sharp engagements with them in the last of these when making a reconnaissance with both regiments he was met by the whole of French Jesse's cavalry they charged down on all four sides of the square into which he formed his force expecting that as upon two previous occasions the Portuguese would at once break up at their approach they stood however perfectly withering volleys the French Jesse's speedily drew off leaving upwards of 200 dead behind him the day after this fight parents received the letter from Mary saying that General Hill had a ride before they reached Lisbon and that Don Jose had learned that Major O'Connor had retired on half pay also that Captain Nelson had obtained a passage for her in one of the returning transports and had given her a letter to his mother who resided in London asking her to receive her from the major a few days afterwards he learned from Colonel Wilber Force that the English Army had marched for Lyria General Hill's force of 5,000 men and 300 horses for the artillery arrived at an opportune moment the storming of a porto the approach of Victor to Bada Hose after totally defeating Cuesta Spanish Army killing three fists of his men and capturing thousands of prisoners while the pace was advancing from the east had created a terrible Beersford's orders were disobeyed many of his regiments abandoned their posts and the populace and Lisbon were in a state of furious turmoil Hill's arrival to some extent restored confidence the disorders were repressed and Surgeon Critic now felt himself strong enough to advance Here is his report of the repulsive Francesi's cavalry was answered by a letter from Critic himself expressing warm approval at the conduct of the core There is but little fear of advance by sold himself at present he said he must know that we have received reinforcements and he will not venture to march on Lisbon as the force now gathering at Lyria could operate upon his flank in rear I should be glad therefore if you would march with your command to the letter town the example of your troops cannot but have a good effect upon the raw Portuguese levies and in the event of our advancing to the relief a seodad Rodrigo clearing the passes driving in the French outposts and keeping me well informed of the state of the roads the accommodation available for the troops and the existence of supplies immediately unreceded this Terrence marched for Lyria where the British army was under canvas on the way down they halted for a night at Coenbra an official letter came for you last night O'Connor Colonel will before said I kept it until I should have an opportunity affording it to you here it is duly address Colonel O'Connor the Minho regiment this was the name Sir John Critic suggested to Terrence as a memorial of the service they had rendered in repulsing salt at that river it was the first time Terrence has seen his name with the prefix of Colonel it looks like a farce he said as he broke the seal inside was an official document signed by Lord Beardsford to the effect that as a recognition of the very great services rendered by Lieutenant O'Connor an officer of the staff of Sir John Critic went in command of the two battalions of the Minho regiment and in accordance with the strong recommendation of the British general Lieutenant Terrence O'Connor is hereby appointed to the rank Colonel in the Portuguese service with the pay and allowances of his rank Colonel O'Connor is to continue in command of the regiments which will be attached to the British Army under the command of Sir John Critic here is a letter for your friend Harara and a much more bulky one will you hand it to him? Harara's letter contained his promotion to Lieutenant Colonel with an order to remain under Terrence's command also 14 commissions to giving Bull in McWitty the Portuguese rank of major the remaining being captain's commissions for the 12 troopers two days later they reached Lyria the April Sun rendered shelter unnecessary for the Portuguese and after establishing them for the present a quarter mile away from the British camp he went to report his arrival to the officer in command and was told that he could not do better than Bivouac on the ground he had selected leaving the headquarters he soon found where the Mayo Regiment was a camp and made his way to the officer's marquee they were just sitting down to lunch when at the entry of an officer on the general staff the Colonel at once rose gravely old Grady was the first to recognize the newcomer Jabas he shouted but it is himself there was a general rush to shake hands with him and a dinner voices and a confusion of questions and greetings and what did the world have you got that uniform on for Terrence old Grady asked when they didn't somewhat subsided we saw that the general had appointed you as one of his aides the camp when you got here after Corona but you would wear your own uniform all the same what matters about what we want to know is how we save this life at Corona when we all thought that he was either killed or taken prisoner wait till the lad has got something to eat and drink the colonel said pre-emptorly pray take your seats gentlemen you take this chair by me O'Connor and now while you are waiting for your plate tell us in a few words how you escaped everyone made sure that you were killed we heard that feign that sent you sent you to carry in order that you had delivered it and then started to rejoin him from that time no one saw you alive or dead the matter was very simple Colonel my horse was hit in the head with a round shot I went a frightful cropper on some stones in the middle of a clump of bushes I laid there insensible all night and coming to in the morning saw that the French had advanced and the firing on the hill over the town told me that the troops had got safely on board ship I lay quiet all day and at night made off shelter for a couple of days with some peasants on the other side of the hill joined Romana went there to the Portuguese frontier with him and then rode to Lisbon which Sir John Craddick was good enough to put me on a staff we heard that you had turned on safely at Lisbon and glad we were as you may be sure and a good justification we had over it as well Grady it has served as an excuse for an extra tumbler ever since that excuses are better than none Terence laughed and if it hadn't been that it would have been something else shut up you young scamp or grady said how is it you have not answered my question why are you wearing staff opposite uniform instead of your own have you not heard Colonel Terence said that I no longer belong to the regiment there was a chorus of expressions of regret round the table and how has that happened Terence the colonel asked that is bad news for us all anyway I was gazetted Lieutenant a month ago Colonel I suppose you had sailed from England before the Gazette came out I suppose the lad well you richly deserve your promotion if it was only for that affair on board the seahorse and you ought to have had it long ago I am awfully sorry to lead the regiment it has been my home as long as I can remember and wherever I may be I shall always regarded in that light and so you remain on the staff at President O'Connor well sir I am on the staff still but for the president I am on detached duty what sort of duty Terence I have the honor to command two Portuguese regiments that marched in an hour ago a shout a laughter followed the announcement but dad Terence O'Gray said that crack on your head hasn't changed your nature thanks to your six skull I suppose it is poking fun attest as you are but you won't take us in this time I saw the regiments pass at a distance the colonel said and they marched in good order too which is more than I have seen any other Portuguese troops do now you mention it I did see an officer and what looked like a British uniform riding with the men but it was too far off to see what he belonged to that was you was it that was me sure enough colonel and what were you doing there tell us like a good boy absurd as it may appear and indeed is served as it is I am a command to those two regiments again a burst of incredulous laughter arose Terrence took out his commission and handed it to the colonel perhaps colonel if assurance will be believed faith it was not here as shines that we doubted Terrence me boy O'Grady exclaimed you had plenty of a shines and a spare it is a statement we are doubting the colonel glanced down at the document and his face assumed an expression of extreme surprise gentlemen he said rising if you will endeavor to keep silence for a minute I will read this document the surprise on his face was repeated on the faces of all those presidents as he proceeded with his reading O'Grady was the first to break the silence in the name of Saint Peter he said what does it all mean are you sure that it is a genuine document colonel Terrence is capable of anything by way of a joke it is undoubtedly genuine O'Grady it is stated in Lord Beersford's quarters and signed by his Lordship himself as commander achieved for the what comes about beats me as much as it does you but before we ask any questions we will drink a toast gentlemen fill your glasses here is to the health of colonel Terrence O'Connor the toast was drank with much enthusiasm mingled with laughter for many of them still had a suspicion that the whole matter was somehow an elaborate trick played by Terrence Now Colonel O'Connor will you please to favor us with an account of how general have both united and giving you so big a step up it is a long story Colonel so much the better the Colonel replied we have nothing to do and it will keep us all awake Terrence's account of his interview with the Colonel of the Ordenencas the demand by Cortingos that he should hand over the money he was escorting and the subsequent gathering to attack the house and the manner in which the leaders were captured the rioters appeased and subsequently advised to direct their efforts to attain arms exciting exclamations of approval but the belief that the story was a pure romance still prevailed in the minds of many and Terrence saw Captain O'Grady and Dick Ryan exchange you wings it was not until Terrence spoke of his rapid march to the mouth of the Minho as soon as he heard that the French were concentrating there that he began to be seriously listened to and when he told how sold's attempt to cross him been defeated and the French general obliged to change the conviction that all this was true was forced upon them by the powers Terrence the colonel exclaimed bringing his hand down on his shoulder you are a credit to the old country I am proud of you my boy and it is little I thought when over the herty and myself conspired to get you into the regiment that you were going to be such a credit to it gentlemen before Colonel Connor goes further we will drink to his health again mixed with the cheers many of the officers left their seats and came round to shake his hand warmly O'grady foremost among them sure I thought at first that it was blathering your talents but but Gora I see that it's gospel truth you are telling I am proud of you faith I'm as proud as if I were your own father for haven't I brought you up in mischief of all kinds be the poker I would have given me other men with you the rest of the story was listened to without interruption when it was concluded Colonel Corcoran again rose gentlemen we will for the third time drink to the health of Colonel O'Connor and I think that you will agree with me that if ever a man deserve to be made a colonel it's himself this time O'grady and three others rushed to where Terrence was sitting sees him and before he knew what they were going to do and carried him and triumph round the table when at length quiet was restored and Terrence had resumed his seat the Colonel said by the way Terrence there was a little old gentlemen called on me three days after we landed to ask if major O'Connor was with the regiment I told him that he was not having gone on half pay for the present on account of a wound he seemed rather pleased and otherwise I thought and I asked him pretty bluntly what he wanted to know for he brought an interpreter with him and said through him that he hoped that I would not press that question especially as a lady was concerned on the matter it bothered me entirely why when the time we landed at the Montego till your father was hit a view mirror I don't believe we ever had the chance to speak to a woman it may be that it was some lady that noticed him there after we emerged away and who had taken a fancy to him the old man may have been her father and mighty glad to hear that the major was not coming back again Terrence burst into a shout of laughter my dear Colonel he said the respectable old gentlemen did not call on behalf of his daughter but on behalf of a cousin of mine who was wanting to find my father and Don Jose who was in charge of her was glad to hear that he was going to remain in England A cousin O'Grady exclaimed why a cousin of yours couldn't be cruising about at such not landage place as this that is another story Colonel and I have talked until I am hoarse now so that that must keep until another sitting it is quite time that I was off to see how my men are getting on of course you will dine with us not tonight Colonel this has been a long sitting and I would rather not begin a fresh one well we will come and have a look at your regiments I would rather you did not come until tomorrow Colonel the men have March five and twenty miles a day for the last five days and they want rest so I should not like to parade them again if you will come over say at twelve o'clock tomorrow I shall be proud to show them the core now possess five tents Terence having obtained four more at Coenbra Herrara in himself occupied one while two were allotted to the Ossers of each regiment Bull and McWitty had both by this time picked up sufficient and had agreed with Terence that although they would like to remain together it was better that they should stay with the Ossers of his own regiment at twelve o'clock the next day Colonel Corcoran came over with nearly the whole of the Ossers of the Mayo Regiment and was accompanied by many others as they had the night before given many of their acquaintances an outline of Terence's story the men had been on foot from an early hour after breakfast there been a parade every man's fire look very closely inspected and when they fell in again at a quarter to twelve a most rigid expectation would have failed to find any fault with their appearance Terence joined the Colonel as soon as he came on the ground so your officers are all mounted I see Terence yes Colonel you see the company is are over 200 strong for the losses we had have been filled up since and one officer to each core could do but little unless you were mounted the men look uncommonly well Terence uncommonly well I should like to walk along the line before you move them by all means Colonel they're you know for it's not fit as well I should like but I had to take them as they were served out and have had no opportunity of getting them altered since the inspection at Coenbra the men have been taught the salute and as Terence shouted attention general salute present arms the men executed the order with a sharpness and precision that would have done no discredit to a British line then the Colonel in officers walked along the line after which the truce were put through their maneuvers for an hour and then dismissed upon my word it is wonderful Colonel Corker and said why if the beggars had been hard at at six months they could not have done better there was a chorus of agreement from all the officers round we could not have done some of those movements better ourselves could we just go that we could not the major said heartily another work and these two regiments will be equal to our best and I can understand now how they stood up against the charge of Franceschi's cavalry regiments now Colonel I cannot ask you all to a meal Terrin said my arrangements are not sufficiently advanced for that yet but I managed to get hold of some very good wine this morning and I hope that you will take a glass all round before you go back to camp that we will end with pleasure for the dust as well night choked me ground from drilling on a stretch of good turf of course you will come back and lunch with us and bring your friend Harara Harara however excused himself he did not know a word of English and felt that until he can make himself understood he would feel uncomfortable at a gathering of English officers after lunch Terrin was called upon to tell the story about his cousin among his friends of the regiment yet no fear of his venture with the bishop getting abroad and he therefore related the whole story as it happened by my scowl O'Grady said to him afterwards Terrin so Connor you take me breath away all together they think that a year ago you were just a gassoon and here you are a colonel a Portuguese colonel like grand but still a colonel fighting salt and holding the files and making night attacks and thrashing the French cavalry and carrying off a nun from a convent and out parts of the versions and based me entirely there is Dickie Ryan who as I told him yesterday had just the same chances as you had just Dickie Ryan still I told him he ought to bludge down to his boots and what did he say O'Grady the young's Pauline had the impudence to say that there was I Captain O'Grady just the same as when he first joined and barring the loss of an arm given a bit the better and the west of it is it was truly entirely if I could but find a pretty cousin shut up in a convent you would see that I would not be backward and doing what had to be done but no such luck comes to me at all at all quite solo O'Grady I have had tremendous luck and it has all come about owing to my happening to think it would be a good thing to take possession of that French Lugger Don't you think at me boy O'Grady said seriously no doubt a man may have a turn of luck though it is not everyone who takes advantage of it when it comes but when you see a man always succeeding always doing something that other fellows don't do and making his way up step by step you may put it down that luck has very little to do with the matter and that he has got something in him that other men haven't got you may have had some luck to start with though I don't say that it was luck but you cannot put the rest of it down to that at this moment Dick Ryan came and joined them well did he Karen said have you had no fun lately in the regiment not this cramp Ryan said dismally there was not much chance of fun on that long March on board shit there was a storm all the way then we were kept on board the transport a cork nearly three week on board the ship I have had a bad time of it since the day we lost you Oh well you will have plenty of chances yet Dicky it is not but the same thing since you have gone ten and seen crumbled of course we cannot always be having fun but you know that we were always putting our heads together and talking over what might be done it was good fun even if we we cannot carry it it out I tried to stir up the others of our lot but they don't seem to have it in them I wish you could get me transferred to your regiment I know that we should have plenty of fun there I'm afraid that it could not be done Dicky though I should like it immensely but you see you have not learned a word of Portuguese and you would be of no use in the world There it is you see O'grady said that is one of the points which had to talk away with the peasants and writing about that you did as Fane said to camp you had opportunity to do and so and made the most of them now there are not three other fellows in their regiment who can ask a simple question I can shout Ketterholt and a mule driver who loites us behind and could add two or three other strong Portuguese words but there is an end of it Craddic would never have sent you that air into Romana if you could not have talked enough to make yourself understood you could never have jawed those mutineers and put them out to getting hold of the arms if Dickie Ryan and I have been sent on that mission we should just have been as helpless as babies and should like enough have been murdered by that mob there was no luck about it you see it was just because you had done your best to pick up the language and nobody else had taken the trouble I don't have the tenants a bit I know that he is quite deserved what he has got and that if I had had his thought I should never got any father still I wish I could go with him I know that he has always been the one who invented our plans still I have had a good idea sometimes certainly you have Dickie and if I have generally started an idea you have always worked it up with me well if you will get our Portuguese a bit and I see a chance of asking for another English officer say as an adjutant I will see if I cannot get you but I could not ask for you without being able to give a reason that you could speak Portuguese well I will try tenants upon my honor I will try hard I will get hold of a fellow and begin today quite right Dickie Ogrini said hey I would do it myself if it wasn't in the first place I'm too old to learn and in the second place that I never could learn anything when I was a boy I used to get trashed every day regularly but there a bit of a difference didn't make I got to read and write and there I stuck as for the ancients I was always mixing them up together and whether it was Alexander or Caesar who marched over the Alps and bansterism develop it do I know and I don't see that if I did know would do me a hip of good I don't think that particular piece of knowledge would Ogrini Terrence agreed with a hardie if you did learn Portuguese I couldn't ask you I don't mind Dickie because he is only a year senior to me but if they made me commander chief of the Portuguese army I could never have the cheek to give you an order three weeks later came the startling news that Sir Arthur Wellesley had arrived at Lisbon and was to assume the command of the army Sir John Credit was to command at Gibralter there was general satisfaction of the news for the events of the last campaign but it was felt that Sir John Credit had been very hardly treated in the first place he was a good way senior to Sir Arthur in the second place he had battled against innumerable difficulties and the time was now approaching when he would read the benefits of his labors to Terrence the news came almost as a blow for he felt that it was probable he might be at once appointed to a British regiment personally he will not have cared so much but he would have regretted it greatly for the sake of the man who had followed him it was sure that they might obey Harara as willingly as they did himself but he knew that the native officers did not possess anything like the same influence with the Portuguese that the English did and that there might be a rapid deterioration in their discipline and morale he remained in a state of uncertainty for a week at the end of which time he received the letter from Captain Nelson and tearing it open read as follows my dear O'Connor I dare say you have been feeling somewhat doubtful as to your position since you heard that Sir Arthur had superseded Sir John credit I may tell you once that he has taken over the whole of Sir John staff yourself of course included I ventured to suggest to Sir John that he should mention your case to Sir Arthur and he told me that he had intended to take the opportunity of the first informal talk he had with him to do so the opportunity came yesterday and Sir John went fully into your case and showed him the reports and mentioned how he came to appoint you because of the clear and lucid description you gave of the movements of every division of Moore's army Sir Arthur remembered your name at once and the circumstances under which he had mentioned you in general orders for your conduct and bore the transport coming out Sir John told me that he said there is no doubt that O'Connor is seniorly promising young officer Sir John the check that he gave sold to the Minho might have completely reversed the success of the Frenchman's campaign had he had any but Spanius and Portuguese to oppose him the report shows that O'Connor is done wonders with these two regiments of his and I shall not think of removing him from their command a trustworthy native core of that description would be of the greatest advantage and will act like Trant and Wilson's commands as the eyes of the army I am much obliged to you for you're having brought the case before my notice for otherwise not knowing the circumstances I might very well have considered that the position of a lieutenant on my staff as the commander of two native regiments was an anomalous one I should no doubt have acquired how it occurred before I thought of superseding an officer you had selected but your explanation more than justifies his appointment so you see Terrence the change will make no difference in your position and as I fancy Sir Arthur will not let the grass grow under his feet you are likely to have a lively time of it before long by the way a Gazette has arrived and it contains the appointment of your two men to commissions while lady that Liria Terrence had ordered uniforms for all the officers he had after consultation with Harara decided upon one approximating rather to the cavalry than to the infantry guess as being more convenient for mounted officers and consisted of tight fitting green patrol jackets preaches of the same color and half high booths and a gold embroidered belt and slings the two English officers wore a yellow band round their caps and Harara a gold one I am sure Colonel Connor Bull said when Terrence told McWitty and him that they have been gazetted to commissions we cannot thank you enough McWitty and I have done our best but he has been nothing more than teaching drill to a lot of accrues we had two or three hard fights to bull and I have very good reason for thinking most highly of you for I should never have got the core into an efficient state without your assistance and indeed I doubt whether I should adventure upon the task at all if I had not been sure that I should be well seconded by you it is good of you to say so Colonel McWitty said but at any rate it has been a rare bit of luck for us and little did we think when we were ordered to accompany you it was going to lead to our getting commissions while we would do our best to deserve them that I am sure you will McWitty and now that the campaign is going to commence an earnest and we may have two or three years hard fighting you may have opportunities are getting another step in order came to terrorists to march north again with his core and to place himself in some defensible position north in the Mondego and to cooperate if necessary with Trent and Silvera also ordered to take post beyond the river Cuesta the Portuguese general I gathered a fresh army a 6000 cavalry and 30,000 infantry the greater portion were in a position in front of Victor's outpost between the Tagas and the Mondego were 16,000 Portuguese troops of the line under Lord Beersford that have been drilled and organized to some extent by British officers the British and German troops number 22,000 fighting men Sir Arthur Wellesley at Lisbon had the choice of either falling upon Victor or sold the formal would be the most advantageous operation but upon the other hand the Portuguese were most anxious to recover a porto their second city with the fertile country rounded another fact which influenced the decision was that Cuesta was the like incapable and obstinate was wholly indisposed to cooperate warmly with the British the British commander therefore decided in the first place to attack sold and the force at the area was ordered to march to Coimbra five British battalions and two regiments of cavalry with 7,000 Portuguese troops were ordered to Abrantes and Santarem to check Victor should he endeavor to make a rapid march upon Lisbon four Portuguese battalions were incorporated in each British brigade at Coimbra Beersford retaining 6000 command on the second of May Sir Arthur reached Coimbra and reviewed the force 25,000 strong 9,000 being Portuguese 3000 Germans and 13,000 British sold was badly informed of the storm that was gathering about him or many of his officers were disaffected and were engaged in a plot to have them supplanted consequently they kept back the information they received that the movements of the British and the chapter 20 by Charles Sapp Chapter 21 of with more at Caruna by G Henty this is a liverbox recording all liverbox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit liverbox dot org recording by Charles Sapp with more at Caruna by G Henty Chapter 21 Portugal freed on the 9th of May Terrence was directing the movements of his men who were practicing skirmishing among some rough ground at the bottom of the hill upon which he had taken up his position to defend if necessary the road that crossed it these men had thrown up several lines of breastworks along the face of the hill to a point where steep ravines protected the flank of his position presently he saw a party of horseman riding down the hill behind him they rained up suddenly went halfway down the hill and paused to watch what was being done then they came on again as they approached Terrence recognized the erect figure of the officer who rode at the head of the party he cantered up and saluted who are you sir and what troops are these sir Arthur asked sharply my name is O'Connor sir these men constitute the core that I had the honor to command phone them up in nine the general said briefly Terrence rode away at the gallop and as soon as he reached a spot where his bugler was standing where bugles are now taking the place of the horns headed before serve the purpose the latter at once blew the assembly and then the order to form line the man dashed down at the top of their speed and in a very short time formed up in a long line with their officers in front break them into columns of companies the general who had now ridden with the staff to the front said the maneuver was performed steadily and well send out alternate companies as skirmishers while the other companies form line and move forward in support when this have been done the order came skirmishers form into company squares to resist enemies cavalry this have been so frequently practiced and in a few seconds the six squares were formed up in an attitude to receive cavalry that is very well done Colonel Connor sir Arthur said with more warmth than was usual with him your men are well in hand and know their business it is a very credible display indeed who have proved your capacity for command I've not forgot him what I've heard of you sir and it will not be long before your services are utilized so saying he wrote on Captain Nelson Linger behind for him with a shake hands with Terrence you may feel proud of that O'Connor who said Sir Arthur is not given to praise I can assure you goodbye I must cast them up and turning he soon overtook the general staff that the general was well satisfied was proved by the fact that three days later the following appeared in general orders the officer commanding in chief on Thursday inspected the core under the command of Lieutenant with the rank of Colonel in the Portuguese Army O'Connor he was much pleased with the discipline and quickness with which the core went through certain movements ordered by him this core has already greatly distinguished itself as Sir Arthur would point to it as an example to be imitated by all officers having command of Portuguese troops Solt's position had now become very dangerous the Spanish and Portuguese insurgents were upon the Lima and the principal portion of his own force was south of the Duro Francesi's cavalry supported by infantry and artillery and by Mermet's division occupied the country between that river and the Vuga and was without communication with the center at Oporto except by the bridge of boats although aware that there was a considerable force gathering at Cumbra the French general had no idea that the whole of the British Army was assembling there confident that success would attend his operations Sir Arthur directed the Portuguese Corps to be in readiness to harass Solt's retreats to the mountain Denny's and up the valley of the Tomega and so to force him to march north instead of making for Salamanca where he could unite with the French Army there a mounted officer brought similar orders to Terrence half an hour after receiving them the corps was on the march the instructions were brief and civil as he retreats across the trust of Montez and tried to head him off to the north act as circumstances may dictate the service was a dangerous one and Terrence felt that it was a high honor that the general should have appointed him to undertake it for he assuredly would not have sent the corps on such a mission having not considered that they could be relied upon to take care of themselves. They would be wholly unsupported saved by parties of peasants and broken doubtless by defeat for all the more determined to push on as delay might mean total loss. He followed the line of the Vuga to the point where emerged from the hills crossed these and came down upon the Dural some 10 miles of Bonsan Joa. At nearly the same spot where he had before made the passage went on his way to join Romana. He was now well beyond the district held by the French south of the Dural and then made for Mirandela on the River to a and halted some distance from the town having made a march of over 17 miles in two days learning from the peasants that there were no French troops west of the Tomega he marched the next day to the crest looking down into the valley and they're halted until he could learn that salt was retreating and what road he was following he had not long to wait for news for the night of the ninth while he was on the to a Vero Hills division had their taking boats and proceeding out the lake to Ovar had landed a sunrise on the 10th and placed himself on franchise right in the meantime patches division had marched to alberg area while cotton's division and trans command move to term franchise position on its right the darkness and their ignorance of the roads prevented the movement being attended with the hope for success had the operation been carried out which franchise and Mermet would both have been driven off the line of retreat to the bridge of a portal and must have been captured or destroyed as it was franchise fell back fighting join Mermet's division at Cree Joe a day's march in the rear and although the whole were driven on the following day from this position they retired in good order and that night affected their retreat across the bridge of boats which was then destroyed as the whole force of the allies was now upon him he had once sent off his heavy artillery and baggage by the road to a Monday Mermet was posted at Valongo with orders to patrol the river and to seize every boat those at a portal were also secured on the morning of the 12th the British force was concentrated behind the hill of Villanova and so Arthur took his place on the top of the Sarah convent from whence he commanded a view of the city and office and bank station for the most part below a portal Francesi's report had led sold to believe that hills division had come by sea and he expected that the transports would go up to the mouth of the duro and that the British would attempt to effect a landing there. The river took a sharp turn round the Sarah convent and sir Arthur saw that another large convent on the opposite bank notice the seminary was concealed by the hill from sold's position and that it might be occupied without attracting the attention of the French. After much search a little boat was found in this a few men cross and brought back two large boats from the opposite side of the river. In these the troops at once began to cross and two companies had taken possession of the convent before sold was aware of what was going on. Then a prodigious dinner rose. troops were hurried to the town the bugles and trumpets sounded the alarm while the populace thronged to the roofs of their houses widely cheering and waving handker shifts and scarves and the church bells added to the clamor. Three batteries of artillery have been brought up close to Sierra Convent and now that there was no longer need a concealment these were brought forward and as the French issued from the town and hurried towards the post held by the two companies that had crossed opened a heavy fire upon them. The French pushed on gallantly in spite of this fire and the musketry of the soldiers but the wall of the convent was strong more boats had been the defenders the attack was nevertheless obstinately continued the French artillery endeavor to blow in the gate for a time the position of the defenders was serious but the enemy's troops were now evacuating the lower part of the town and immediately they did so the inhabitants brought boats over and a brigade under Sherwood crossed there. In the meantime General Murray had been sent with the German division to affect the passage of the river two miles further up. Sold's orders to take possession of all the boats have been neglected and it was not long before Murray crossed with his force. The confusion in the French line retreat was now terrible. A battery of artillery who brought up the rear were smitten by the fire of Sherwood's men. Many were killed and the rest cut their traces and galloped on to join the retreating army. Sherwood's men pressed these in the rear. The infantry on the roof of the seminary poured their fire on the retiring masses. And the guns and the rock swept along the line. Had Murray now fallen upon the disordered crowd, their dissemblature would have been complete. But he held his force inactive afraid that the French might turn upon him and drive him into the river. General Stuart and Major Harvey furious and his inactivity charged the French at the head of two squadrons of cavalry only dashed through the enemy's column unhorsed General LeBaud and wounded General Foy receiving however no support whatever from Murray the gallant little band of cavalry were forced to fight their way back with loss. Thus as franchisee had been saved from destruction from an error as to the road sold was saved the loss of this army by Murray's timidity and in both cases Sir Arthur's masterly plans failed in attaining the complete success they deserved. Terrence had engaged several pets to watch the roads leading from the portal and as soon leaving the city by the road to Aramonte he crossed the valley took up a position on the Cantalina hill flanking the road and as the wagons came along opened a sudden and heavy fire upon them although protected by a strong guard the convoy fell into confusion many of the horses being killed by the first volley. Some of the drivers left from their seats and deserted their charges others flogged their horses and tried to push through the struggling mass an incessant fire was kept up but just as Terrence was about to order the whole corps to charge down and complete the work a large body of cavalry followed by a heavy body of infantry appeared on the scene. This was Merley's division that had hasten up from Velonga on hearing the firing the advance of the cavalry was checked by the musketry fire but Merley had once ordered his inventory to mount the hill and dried the Portuguese off. The latter stood their ground gallantly for some time inflicting heavy loss upon their assaults. However, that he could not hope to withstand long the attack of a whole French division and leaving two companies behind to check the enemy's advance. He marched along the crest of the hill until he came upon the road crossing from Amorente to the Ave River. By this time he had been joined by the rear guard who are retired in time to make their escape before the French reached the top of the hill. Merley posted a brigade along the crest of the ridge to prevent a repetition retreat if you were forced to fall back. While Terrence took of his position near Pombriero whence he presently saw the convoy enter Amorente. He had the satisfaction however of noticing that it was greatly diminished in length. A great many of the wagons have been left behind owing to the number of horses that have been killed. His attack had had another advantage of which she was unaware for a sole occupied Merley's attention which enabled Murray's command to cross the next day. An error which had Murray been possessed of any dash and energy would have proved fatal to the French army. The next day Terrence heard the sound of the guns on the Cira height but the distance was too great for the crack of the musketry to reach him and he had no idea that the British were crossing the river until he saw the French marching across the mouth of the valley to his Amorente. Among such veteran troops discipline was speedily recovered and they encamped in good order on the valley. That town was however in the hands of the Portuguese. Loison either from treachery or incapacity having disobeyed Solte's orders and retired before the advance of the Portuguese force under Lord Beersford and evacuating Amorente taken the road to Guimarãnes passing by Palm B. Row. He had sent no news to Solte and the latter general was altogether ignorant that he had left Amorente. Upon receiving the news from the head of the column he had once saw that the position had now become a desperate one. Beersford he learned at the same time and marched up the Tomega Valley to take both to Chavez where Silvira had joined him. A retreat in that direction therefore was impossible and he had once destroyed his baggage spiked his guns and at nightfall guided by a peasant ascended a path of the Sierra Catalina and marching all night rejoined Loison Aguimo Reigns passing on his way to Palm B Row Terence had left the place a few hours before believing that Solte must return out the Valley of the Tomega and ignorant that Beersford and Silvira barred the way he marched after nightfall towards Chavez and took up a position where he could arrest for a time the retreat of the French Army. He had left two of his men at Palm B row and had halted by a short time after completing his long in arduous march when his two man came out with the news that Solte had passed by the very place he had a few hours before left as there was more than one route opened the Solte Terence was unable to decide which he had best take. His men had already performed a very long march and it was absolutely necessary to give them a rest. He therefore allowed them to sleep during the day. Towards evening he crossed Osir de Cabrira and came down upon Salamende and sent out scouts for a loysians division. Solte reached the Carvalho on the evening of the 14th drew up his army on the position that he had occupied two months before at the battle of Braga reorganized his forces and ordering Loysen to lead the advance while he himself took command of the Rear continued his march. The next day Sir Arthur Wellesley who had been obliged to halt at a portal until the whole army with his artillery and train had passed the river reached Braga having marched by a much shorter road. Terrence and Scowles brought news that the whole of the French army were marching towards Salamende wholly unsupported as he was ignorant of the position of Beersford and Silvira and knowing nothing of Sir Arthur's march towards Braga he decided not to attempt with his force to bar the way to Solte's 20,000 men but to hold Salamende for our time and then fall back up the mountains. Before doing so he sent a party to blow at the bridge and and also sent his second regiment to defend the passage at Rue Veillens thinking it likely that Solte would again cross the mountains to Chavez he sent Harara in command of the force at the bridge while he himself remained a Salamende here he had the houses facing the road by which the enemy would approach loop hold and the road itself barricaded late in the afternoon the French cavalry were seen approaching and a heavy fire was at once open upon them. The place was held by more than a mere party of peasants and he drew off his cavalry and allowed the infantry to pass him for half an hour the Portuguese held their ground and repulsed three determined assaults then seen a strong body of troops ascending the hillside to take the position in flank Terence ordered his troops to fall back this they did in good order and took up a position high up on the hill. French made a short pause a small body of cavalry that the British army was entering that town. Scouts were sent forward at once and their report that the bridge of Reuvens was destroyed and that 1200 Portuguese regular troops were on the opposite bank decided him to take the road by the Pontonova. The night was a terrible one. The rain had for two days been continuous and the troops were drenched to the skin and impatient at the hardship that they had suffered. The Scouts reported that the bridge here had also been destroyed but that one of the parapets was still unbroken and that the force on the other side consisted only of peasants. Sold to order Major Doulan an officer celebrated for his courage to take a hundred guenadiers and secure the passage. A violent storm was now raging and their footsteps being deadened by the roar of the wind the French crept up killed the Portuguese sentry on their side of the bridge before he could get the alarm and then crawled across a narrow line of masonry. They then rushed up the office at heights shouting and firing and the peasantry believing that the whole French army were upon them fled at once. The bridge was hastily repaired and at four o'clock in the morning the whole of the French army had crossed. The retreat was opposed at a bridge of a single arch over a torrent by a party of Portuguese peasantry but after two repulses the French led by Major Doulan carried it. They were just in time for the afternoon the British came upon a strong rearguard left the salamende some night troops have once turned their flank while sure would attack them in front and they fled in confusion to the Pantanova. As the general imagine that Solt would take the other road the retreat in this direction was for some time unperceived but just as they were crossing the bridge artillery opened fire upon the bridge with terrible effect. Very many of the enemy being killed before they could affect a passage. Their further retreat was performed without molestation. The British troops had made very long marches in the hopes of cutting Solt's line of retreat. And as the French unlike the British carry no provisions for their march there is now little hope of overtaking them especially as their main body was far ahead. Sir Arthur halted it for a day at Rue Veillens where Terence's corps was now concentrated. He having marched there the night he was driven out of salamende. As soon as the British entered the place the general inquire what corps was holding it and a one cent for Terence. Let me hear what you've been doing. Colonel Connor. Terence had as soon as he had heard that the army had arrived the salamende written out a report of his movements from the time that he had marched from Vuga. He now presented it. The general waived it aside. Tell me yourself he said Terence related as briefly as possible the course he had followed and the reason of his movements. Good the general said when he had finished your calculations were all well-founded but of course you could not calculate on Solt's night march across the Cantalina Hills and as you knew nothing of the whereabouts of Beersford and Silvira you a good reason to suppose that Solt would continue his march at the Valley of the Tomega to Chavez. That was the only mistake you committed and an older soldier might well have fallen into the same error. When you had found out your mistake you acted promptly and could now for you naturally suppose as I suppose myself the Solt would follow this road down to Chavez. You were again deceived but in no way to blame. Your position was most judiciously chosen on the Cantalina Hills on Solt's natural line of retreat and I heard that the enemy's Begetrain had been very severely mauled and was only safe from destruction by Merle we saw a large number of French dead there as we marched in if everyone else had done as well as you have done young sir Solt's army would never have escaped me. Terrence bowed and retired deeply gratified for he had been doubtful what his reception would be. He knew that he had done his best but twice he'd been mistaken and each time the mistake had allowed Solt to pass unmolested and he was therefore all more pleased on learning that he had declared that these mistakes although unfortunate were yet natural Solt reached Orence on the 20th without guns stores ammunition or baggage his men exhausted with fatigue and misery most of them shoeless and some without muskets he had left Orence 76 days before with 22,000 men and had 300 having lost 6000 by sword sickness assassination and capture of these 3600 were taken in the hospitals at a portal Chavez Viana and Brega 1000 were killed in the advance and the remainder captured or killed within the last eight days a day later the news arrived that Victor was at last advancing and a considerable number of the troops assembled ordered to march to join the force opposed to him Terence started two hours before the bulk of the force got into motion and traversing the ground at a high rate of speed struck the road from Lisbon a day in advance of the British troops there was however no occasion for action for Victor who had taken Abbrantes had on receiving news of the fall of a portal at once evacuated that town and fallen back and for a time all operations ceased on that side the British army had suffered but slight loss in battle but the law marches the terribly wet weather and the effect of climate toll heavily upon them and upwards of 4,000 men were in a short time in hospital fortunately however a reinforcement of equal strength arrived from England and the fighting strength of the army was therefore maintained there was still however a great want to transport animals the commissariat or the presence of prostitutes and ignorance of the language Sir Arthur Wellesley was engaged to get Coop Coop plans was adopted in impracticable character that sir Arthur preferred to act alone who The pause of operations in Spain, entailed by the concentration of the command's assault, ney, victor, and lepeze on the frontier at given breathing time to Spain, large armies had again been raised, and the same confident ideas, the same jealousy between generals, and the same quarrels between the hutas had been prevalent. Once again Spain was confident that she could alone, and unaided, drive the French across the frontier altogether, forgetful of the easy and crushing defeats that had before been inflicted upon her. Like more, Sir Arthur Wellesley was to some extent to see by these boastings, and believed that he should attain material assistance in the way of transports and provisions, and that at least, valuable diversions might be made by the Spanish army. He accepted to, to some extent, the estimate of the Spaniards as to the strength of the French, and believed that their fighting forces and peninsula did not exceed 130,000 men, whereas in reality, it amounted to over 250,000 men. The greatest impediment to the advance was the want of money, for while the British government continued to pour vast sands into cadiz and savil for the use of the Spaniards, they were unable to find money for the advance of their own army. The soldiers consequently were unpaid, badly fed, almost in rags, and a large proportion of them shoeless, and to meet the most urgent wants, the general was forced to raise loans at exorbitant raids at Lisbon. And yet, while a great general and a victorious army were nearly starving in Portugal, the British government had landed 12,000 troops in Italy and had dispatched one of the finest expeditions that ever sailed from England, consisting of 40,000 troops, and as many seamen and Marines of the fleet, to Waldscherring, where no small proportion of them died of fever, and the rest returned home broken in health and unfit for active service, without having performed a single action worthy of merit. The Maio Fusiliers were among the regiments stationed at Abrantes, and Terence received orders to take up a position four miles ahead of that town, and hold it unless Victor again advanced in overwhelming strength, and then to fall back on Abrantes. This exactly suited his own wishes. It was present to him to be within a short ride of his old regiment. While at the same time, his corps were not in camp with the British Division, where his own position was an anomalous one. And among the officers who did not know him, he was regarded as a young staff officer. He could not explain the position he held without constantly repeating the manner in which he had gained a commission as colonel in the Portuguese service. During the month that had passed without movement, he continued his efforts to improve his corps and borrowed a dozen non-commissioned officers from Colonel Corcoran to instruct his sergeants in their duty, and thus enable them to train others and relieve the officers with some of their work. He had, in his first report, stayed that he had kept back 1000 pounds of the money he carried to Romana for the use of his corps. And as he had never received any comment or instructions as to the portion that had not been expended, he had still some money in hand. This he spent in supplanting the scanty rations served out. Frequently, he rode into a Brantes and spent the evening with the Maya Fusiliers. The first time he did so, he requested the officers always to call him, as before, Terrence O'Connor. It is absurd being addressed as Colonel when I'm only a left tenant in the service. Of course, when I am with the corps, it is a different thing. I am as Colonel, must be called so, but it is really very annoying to be called so here. You must be feeling quite rusty, Colonel Corcoran said to him, sitting here doing nothing after nine months of incessant moving about. I'm not resting, Colonel. I am hard at work sharpening my blade, that is improving my core. Your men drill my sergeants four hours a day. And for the other eight, each of them is repeating the instructions that he has received to three others. So that by the time we are in movement again, I hope to have a sergeant who knows something of his duty to each 50 men. I can assure you that in addition to the great need for such men, when the troops are out skirmishing or otherwise detached in small parties, I felt that their appearance on parade was greatly marred by the fact that the non-commissioned officers did not know their proper places or their proper work, which neither bull, nor wick, witty nor indeed the company officers could distract them in, all being cavalrymen. Yes, I noticed that when I saw them at Lyria, the Colonel said, of course, it was of no consequence at all, as far as their efficiency went, but to the eye of an English officer, naturally, something seemed wanting. I should be glad if at least four more officers to each company, and at one time thought of writing to Lord Beersford to ask him to sublime him with some. But I came to the conclusion that we had better leave matters as they were. In the first place, young officers would know nothing of their work and nothing of me. And in the second place, if they were men of good family, they would not like servidender officers who have been raised from the ranks. And lastly, if they became discontented, they might render the men so. We have done very fairly at present, and we have better go on as we are. And when I get a sufficient number of trained men to furnish the full supply of non-commissioned officers, I should do better than with commissioned ones. But the men are, of course, carefully selected. I know them to be trustworthy, whereas those they sent me might be idle or worse than useless. Yes, back like King Solomon Terence, O'Grady said, Not that he can have known anything whatever about military mataz. A roar of laughter greeted this very doubtful compliment. Thank you, O'Grady, Terence said. That is one of the prettiest speeches I have heard for a long time. I shall know where to come for a character. You are right there, Terence, but you may live a good many years before you get a chance of calling the whole British army under arms as you did at Santa Menca. Terence was at once assailed with a storm of questions, for with the exception of O'Grady no one had suspected the share that he and Dickie Ryan had in that affair. Terence knew that the latter had kept the secret, for he had asked him only two or three days before, and he therefore assumed an expression of innocence. What on earth do you mean, O'Grady? What do I mean? Why, that somehow or other, you were at the bottom of that shindane when all the troops are turned out on a false alarm. Really, O'Grady, that is too bad. You know that every trick that was played at Athlone was your suggested, and as we never could find out how that alarm originated, of course you put it down to me, whereas it is just as likely to abandon your own work. Colonel Corcoran knows that Dickie and I were in the mess room at the convent at the time when the alarm broke out. That was so, the Colonel agreed. For I know that you were talking to me when Hulan ran in and told us that there was a row in the town. On what do you base your suspicions, O'Grady? Just upon me knowledge of the two lads, Colonel. Faith, there never was a peace from best of a float that they were not mixed up with. If that is all you got to say, O'Grady, terrorist replied, I should advise you not to go hunting for maresness again. I know that you can see as far into a brick wall as most people, but you cannot see what is going on on the other side. All the same, tenants, O'Grady said doggedly. To the end of my life, I would always believe that you had a hand in the matter. There is no one else that I know of, except you and the lion, who have had to cheat to do such a thing, and I don't believe that you can deny it yourself. I shall not trouble myself to plead not guilty, except before a regularly constituted court terrorist laughed. At any rate, as when the march begins, we shall go on first to scouts. It may be that I shall send the news which will turn out a British army again. I will forgive you if you do, for it is likely that we should have some diversion after turning out, instead of marching out and back again, like a regiment of Oomahoons. End of Chapter Twenty-One, Recording by Charles Sapp.