 CHAPTER 7 THE ADVANCE It is enough to drive Sir John out of his senses, the Colonel said, as the news was discussed after mess. These people must be the champion liars of the world. Not content with doing nothing themselves, they seem to delight in inventing lies to prevent our doing anything for them. Whoever heard of an army marching, without artillery and cavalry, one way while these arms travelled by a different road entirely, and that not for a march of twenty miles, but for a march of three hundred. One battery is to go with us, but what will be the use of six guns against an enemy with sixty? Every day the baggage is being cut down owing to these blaggered Portuguese breaking their engagements to furnish wagons, and we shall have to march pretty nearly as we stand and to take with us nothing beyond one change of clothes. About exclamations of discontent ran round the table, it was bad enough that in the midst of a campaign wagon should break down and baggage be left behind. But that troop should start upon a campaign, with scarcely the necessities of life had caused general anger in the army, and no order would have been more willingly obeyed than one to march upon Lisbon, shoot every public official, establish a status siege, and rule by martial law, ceasing for the use of the army every draught animal, wagon, and carriage that could be found in the city, or swept in from the country round. The Colonel had not exaggerated matters, the number of tents to be taken were all together insufficient for the regiment, even with the utmost crowding possible. The officer's baggage had been cut down to twenty pounds ahead, an amount scarcely sufficient for a single change of clothes and boots. Even the amount of ammunition to be taken would be insufficient to refill the soldier's pouches after the supply they carried was exhausted. The paucity of baggage would not have mattered so much had the march begun at the commence with a summer, instead of just as winter was setting in. In the former case men could have slept in the open air and a solitary blanket and one change of clothes would have suffice, but with a wet season at hand to be followed by winter cold, the grievance was a very serious one. Terrence had already learned that the brigade was to march in two days, and that the great bulk of the baggage was to be stored at Tordes Vedras, which was to be occupied on their leaving by some of the troops that would remain in Portugal. Faith! It is an evil lookout, tenants, O'Grady, who was sitting next to him said pathetically, Salah drop a whiskey, is there in the camp, and now we shan't be able to have even a drink of their basely spirits, unless one can find it at the towns, and as Anstruthor's division has gone on ahead of us, it is likely that every drop will have been drunk up. It will be all the better for you, O'Grady. Dally tells me that your arm is not fully healed yet, I know that you would not like to be left behind when we at once started. That is true enough, but a drop of the crater had no one. I beg your pardon, O'Grady, it is very bad for anything like a wound. The doctor told me, when I was chatting with him before dinner, that he really did not think you could go, for you would not obey his orders to give up spirits altogether. Well, I own that in a bed smart in a good deal the last few days, O'Grady admitted reluctantly, though I have not said as much to the doctor. I don't know that you are not about right, tenants, but faith, after being upon the basely slops by a flirty, it was not in human nature to drink nothing but water when one gets the chance. At any rate, I am not likely to find any great temptation after we have started. Well, you had better begin tonight, O'Grady. I am going to get away as soon as I can, and if you will take my advice, you will come too. What? And us to march in two days? It is not to be thought of. You man well, tenants, but a lad like you must not take the lecturing as a pariah officer. Sure, and I don't know what to do for myself better than any other. Terrence saw that it was useless to endeavor to persuade him to move, and presently went round to Dr. Daly and said quietly, Doctor, O'Grady tells me that his arm has been hurting him a good deal more during the last two days. I expect they will make a night of it this evening and again tomorrow, and if he once begins, nothing will stop him until they break up. Could not you do anything? I will talk to him like a father tenants. You are a good boy to have told me. I might have gone away without thinking of it. Don't mention my name, Doctor. The Doctor nodded, and Terrence went away and took a vacant seat at some distance from him. Presently the Doctor got up and went round to O'Grady. The supply of Claree had just been finished, and the bottles of spirits have been placed upon the table. O'Grady stretched out his hand to wander near him, but the Doctor quietly removed it. Not for you, O'Grady, he said. You have had more than sufficient wine already. I have been doubting whether you are fit to go on with a regiment, and by the powers, if you touch spirits tonight or tomorrow, I will put your name down in a list of those who are to be left behind as unfit for service. God, and you're joking, Doctor. Never was more earnest in my life, O'Grady. You don't want to be left behind, I suppose, in some filthy Portuguese town while we march on, and that is what will come to you if you're wound in flames. I told you this morning that it was not doing as well as it ought to, and that you must cut off liquor altogether. I have had my eye upon you, and you have taken down more than a bottle of wine already. I don't think I ought to let you go with us even as it is, but by the piper that played before Moses, if you don't go off to your quarters without touching a drunk moor, I will have you left behind. You are a mighty hard on a poor fellow, and must have a hard stone to treat a man who has lost his arm and wants a bit of comfort in such fashion. Faith, I will not do it to a dog. There would be no occasional gritty, a dog has got sense. And I haven't. Thank you for the compliment, and I'll appeal to the colonel. Colonel, the doctor says if I drink a drop of spirits tonight or tomorrow he will put me down in the blacklist. Now I'll ask you, do the regulations justify his using such a threat as that? I think they do, the colonel said with a laugh. I think that his order is good and sensible, and I endorse it. You know yourself that spirits are bad for you with an arm only just healed up. Now behave like a reason about fellow, and go off to your quarters. You know well enough that if you stop here you won't be able to keep from it. Faith, if the two of you are against me I have nothing more to say. It is mighty hard that after having lost an arm in the service of my country I should be traded like a child and sent off to bed. I'm going to O'Grady, Terence who had gone back to his original place now said. There is no occasion to go to bed. I have a box of good cigars in my tent, and we can sit there and chat as long as you like. But O'Grady's dignity was ruffled. Thank you, Mr. O'Connor, he said stiffly, but with your love I will do as I said. That is the best thing, the doctor said. You have not had a long night's rest since you rejoined. I'm going myself, and I see that some of the others are getting up too, and it would be a good thing if all would do so, for with such work as we have got before us the more sleep we get, while we can, the better. As nearly half the officers now rose from their seats, O'Grady was modified, and as he went out he said, I think after all the tents, I will try one of those cigars of yours. On the 14th of October, Faines Brigade left Tortoise Vedras. A number of the troops had been stationed along the line of route to be followed, and these had started simultaneously with the departure of Faines Brigade from Tortoise Vedras. The discontent as to the reduction of baggins ceased as soon as the troops were in motion. They were going to invade Spain and, ignorant as the soldiers were of the real state of affairs, none doubted but that success would attend them there. Among the officers better acquainted with the state of things, there was no such feeling of confidence. But they hoped that they should at least give a good account of themselves as before, against any French force of anything like equal strength they might encounter. O'Grady, influenced by the Doctor of Threats, which he knew the latter would be firm enough to carry out, had obeyed his orders, and had confided to Terence, when the regiment formed up a daybreak for the march, that his arm felt much better. I don't say that the Doctor may not have been right, Tenence, but he need not have threatened me in that way at all at all. I don't know, Terence replied. I feel pretty sure that if he hadn't you would not have knocked off spirits. Well, it is a glorious morning for Stardee, but I'm afraid the fine weather won't last long. Everyone says that the rains generally begin about this time. As Terence fell in with his company, the adjutant rode up. Mr. O'Connor, you are to report yourself to the Brigadier. Wondering much at the message, Terence hurried to the house occupied by General Fane. He and several officers were standing in front of it. I am told you wish to speak to me, General? He said, saluting. Oh, you are Mr. O'Connor. Can you ride? Yes, sir, Terence replied. Friad often had a scamper across the hills among Athlone on half broken ponies, and occasionally on the horses of some of his friends in the regiment. I have a vacancy on my staff. Lieutenant Anders was thrown when riding out from Lisbon with a dispatch last night and broke a leg. I was on board the flagship when your Colonel brought his report about the fight between the transport and the two privateers. I read it, and was so much struck with the quickness and intelligence you displayed that I made a note at the time that if I should have a vacancy on my staff, I would appoint you. I am very much obliged, General, Terence said, but I have no horse. I have arranged that. Lieutenant Anders will not be fit for service for a long time. It is a compound fracture, and he will, the doctor says, probably be sent back to England by the first ship that arrives after he reaches Lisbon. His horse is therefore useless to him, and as it is only a native animal it would not fetch a ten-pound note. He agreed at once to hand it over to his successor, and in fact was rather glad to get it off his hands. He has an English saddle bridled in holsters. He will take five pounds for them. If he happens to be short of cash, the Paymaster will settle it for you. Thank you, sir. I have the money about me. I am very much obliged to you for making the arrangement. Terence was indeed in funds, for in addition to the ten pounds that had fallen to him as his share of the prize money, his pay had been almost untouched from the day he left England, and his father had, unembarking, added ten pounds to his store. I won't want it, Terence, he said. I have got another twenty pounds by me, and by the time I get to England I shall have another month's pay to draw, and shall no doubt be put in a military hospital where I shall have no occasion for money till I am out again. But I shall not want it, either, father. There is never any saying, lad. It is always useful to have money on a campaign. You may be in places where the commissariat breaks down altogether, and you have to depend on what you buy. You may be left behind wounded, or may be taken prisoner, one can never tell. I shall feel more comfortable about you if I know that you are well provided with cash, whatever may happen. My advice is, Terence, get fifteen or twenty pounds in gold sold up in your boot, have an extra soul put on, and the money sown inside. If it is your bad luck to be taken prisoner, you will find the money mighty useful in a great many ways. Terence had followed this advice and had fifteen pounds hidden away besides the ten that he carried in his pockets. He therefore hurried to the hut where Lieutenant Andrews was lying. He was slightly equated with him, as he had been feigned aid to camp from the time of landing. The young Lieutenant's servant was standing at the door with a horse ready, saddled, and bridal. I am very sorry to hear of your injury, he said to the young officer. Yes, it is a horrible nuisance, the other replied, and just as we were starting to, there is an end to my campaigning for the present. I should not have minded if it had been a French ball, but to be merely thrown from the horse is disgusting. I am extremely obliged to you for the horse, Andrews, but I would rather pay you for it. It is not fair that I should get it for nothing. Oh, that is all right. It would be a bother taking it down, and I should not know what to do with it when I got it to Lisbon. It would be a nuisance altogether, and I am glad to get rid of it. The money is of no consequence to me one way or the other. I wish you better luck with it than I have had. At any rate, here are five pounds for the saddle and bridal, and he put the money down on the table by the bed. That is all right, the other said without looking at it. They are well off my hands, too. I hope the authorities will send me straight on board ship when I get to Lisbon. My servants will go down with me. If I am kept there, he will of course stay with me until I sail. If not, he will rejoin as soon as he has seen me on board. He is a good servant, and I can recommend him to you. He is rather fond of the bottle, but that is his only fault as far as I know. He is a countryman of yours, and you will be able to make allowances for his failing, he added with a laugh. There was no time to be lost. The bugles were sounding, so, with a brief adieu, Terence went out, mounting the horse and rode after the general, who had just left with his staff, and taken his place at the head of the column. As he passed his regiment, he stopped for a moment to speak to the Colonel. I heard that you were wanted by the general Terence, the latter said, and I congratulate you on your appointment. I am sorry that you are to be leaving us, but as you will be with the Brigade, we shall often see you. Old Driscoll is a savage of the bull at the loss of one of his small ball turns. Well, it is your own luck that you have, and another's. Drop in this evening, if you can, and tell us how it was that Fane came to pick you out. It was thanks to you, Colonel, if you remember, you told us at Vigo, that Fane was on board when you went to make your report, and that he and Sir Arthur's Adjutant General read it over together, and asked you a good many questions. It was only to that affair that he thought of me. That is good, lad. I thought at the time that more might come of it than just being mentioned in orders, and I am very glad that it was for that you got it. At any rate, come in this evening. I want to hear where you are stolen that horse from, and all about it. Terence rode off and took his place with his fellow aide-de-camp behind the two other officers of the staff. He scarcely knew whether to be glad or sorry. At present, at the chains that had so suddenly taken place, it was gratifying to have been selected as he had been. It was certainly more pleasant to ride through a campaign than to march, and there would be a good many more chances at distinguishing himself than there would be as a regimental officer. Well, on the other hand, he would be away from the circle of his friends and comrades, and should greatly miss the fun and jollity of the life with them. An unfortunate affair this of Andrews, Lieutenant Taylor, his fellow aide-de-camp said. Most unfortunate. I little thought when you and he had lunched with us two days since that today he would be down with a broken leg and eye-riding in his place. Just at present, I certainly do not feel very delighted at the change. You see, for my father being a captain in the regiment, I have been brought up with it, and to be taken so suddenly away from them seems a tremendous wrench. Yes, I can understand that, the other said. In my case, it is different. My regiment was not coming out, and of course, I was greatly pleased when the general gave me a chance of going with him. Still, you see, as your regiment is in the brigade, you will still be able to be with it when off duty. And when the end of the campaign comes, you will return to it. Besides, there are compensations. You will at least get a roof to sleep under, and any right nine times out of ten. I don't know how you feel it, but to me it is no small comfort being on a horseback instead of tramping along these heavy roads on foot. The Brigadier is a capital fellow, and though he does keep us at hard work, at any rate he works hard himself, and he does not send us galloping about with all sorts of trivial messages that might as well be unsent. Besides, he is always thoughtful and considerate. Is he related to you in any way? Not at all. Then I suppose you had good interest in some way, or else how did he come to pick you out? It was just a piece of luck, Teran said. It was because he had heard my name in connection with a fight the transport I came over in had with two French privateers. Oh yes, I don't remember now, the other said. I had forgotten that the name was O'Connor. I remember all about it now. He told us the story of Vigo, and you were put in general orders by Sir Arthur. I know that she spoke very highly about your conduct in that affair. It is just like him to remember it, and to pick you out to take Andrew's place. Well, you fairly wanted it, which is more than one can say for most staff appointments, which are 99 cases out of a hundred, the result of pure favoritism or interest. Well, O'Connor, I am very glad to have you on the staff. You see, it makes a lot of difference when there are only two of us that we should like each other. I own I have not done anything as yet to get any credit, for at Vimera it was just stand up and beat them back, and I had not a single message to carry. And of course, at Rulissa, a brigade was not in it, but I hope I shall get a turn someday. Then it was your father who was badly wounded. Yes, I saw him off to England four days ago. I hope that he will be able to rejoin before long, but it is not certain yet that the wound won't bring on permanent lameness. I am very anxious about it, especially as he now got his step, and it would be awfully hard on him to lead the service just as he got field officers rank. Yes, it would be hard. However, I hope the sea voyage in English Air will set him up again. Presently, one of the officers who were in front turned and said, The general wishes you to ride back along the line, Mr. Trevor, and report whether the intervals between the regiments are properly kept, and also as to how the baggage wagons are going on. As Trevor turned to ride back, the general can turned on, followed by the three officers and the four troopers who served as orderlies. Two miles ahead, they came to a bridge across the torrent. The road, always a bad one, had been completely cut up by the passage of the provision and ammunition carts going to the front, and was now almost impassable. Will you ride back, Mr. O'Connor, and request the Colonel of the leading regiment to send on the pioneers and the company of men at the double to clear the road and make it passable for the wagons. The work was quickly done. While some men filled up the deep ruts, others got down shrubs and bushes growing by the riverbank, tied them into bundles, and put them across the narrow road and threw earth and stones upon them, and in half an hour from the order being given, the bugle sounded the advance. The head of the column had been halted just before it reached the bridge, and the men fell out, many of them running down to the stream to refill their water bottles. As the bugle sounded, they at once fell in again and the column got into motion. General Fane and his staff remained at the bridge until the wagons had all crossed it. It is not much of a job, Fane said. Of course, the four regiments passing over it flattened the earth well down, but the wagons have cut it all up again. The first heavy shower will wash all the earth away, and in a couple days it will be as bad as before. There are plenty of stones down in the river, but we have no means of breaking up the large ones, or of carrying any quantity of small ones. A few hundred sappers and engineers with proper tools would soon go a long way towards making the road barely fit for traffic, but nothing can be done without tools and wheel barrels, or at least ham barrels for carrying stones. You see, the men wanted to use their blankets, but the poor fellows would want them badly enough before long, and those contractor's goods would go all to the pieces by the time they had carried half a dozen loads of stones. At any rate, we will content ourselves with making the road passable for our own wagons, and the troops who come after us must do the same. By the way, Mr. O'Connor, you have not got your kit yet. No, sir, but I have no doubt that it is with the regimental baggage, and I will get it when we haul tonight. Do so, the general said. Of course it can be carried with ours, but I should advise you always to take a change of clothes in your valise, and a blanket strapped on with your great coat. I have Mr. Andrew's blanket, sir. It was strapped on when I mounted, and I did not notice it. That is all right. The store blankets are very little used for keeping off rain, but we all provide ourselves with good thick horse claws before leaving England. They are a good deal warmer than blankets, and are practically waterproof. I have no doubt that Mr. Andrew's totes servant to strap it on as usual. Many and many a time during the campaign had Terence good reason for thinking with gratitude of Andrew's kindly thought. His great coat, which, like those of all the officers of the regiment, had been made an athelone of good Irish frees lying with slano, would stand almost any amount of rain, but it was not long enough to protect his legs while lying down. But by rolling himself in the horse cough, he was able to sleep warm and dry, when without it he would have been half frozen or soaked through with the rain from above and moisture from the ground below. He found that the brigadier and his staff carried the same amount of baggage as other officers. The only difference being that the general had a tent for himself. His assistant adjutant and quartermaster won between them, while a third was used as an office tent in a day and was occupied by the two aides to camp at night. The baggage wagon, allotted to them, carried the three tents, their scanty kits, and a box of stationery and official forms. But was mainly laden with musketry ammunition for the use of the brigade. After marching 18 miles to column halted at a small village, the tents were speedily pitched, rations served out, and fires lighted. The general took possession of the principal house in the village for the use of himself and his staff, and the quartermaster general apportioned the rest of the houses between the officers of the four battalions. The two aides to camp, accompanying the general in his tour of inspection for the camp. It'll be an hour before dinner is ready, Trevor said as they returned to the house, and you won't be wanted before that. I should be about if the chief has any orders to send out. I don't think it is likely he will have. He is not given, as some brigadiers are, to worry. And besides, there are the orderlies here to take any routine orders about. So you could be off if you like. Terrence at once went down to the camp of the Mayo Fusiliers. The officers were all there, though a quartermaster having gone into the village to fix their respective quarters. Hooray, Terrence Miboli! O'grady shout as he came up. We all congratulate you. Faith, it is a comfort to see that for once merit has been recognized. I'm sure that there is not a man in the regiment but would have liked to have given you a cheer as you rode along this morning just before we started. We shall miss you, but as you will be up and down all day and can look in of an evening, it will be as if you had been put on the staff of another brigade. As to Dickie Ryan, he is altogether down in the mouth. Whether it is regret for your loss or whether it is from jealousy of seeing you capering the bouts on horseback while he is trampling along on foot is more than I know. If you are not my superior officer, Captain O'grady, I should make a personal onslaught of you, Ryan Lass. You will have to mind how you behave now, Terrence. The Brigadier is an awfully good fellow, but he is pretty strict in matters of discipline. I would take Terrence myself, Dickie, and now that you will have nobody to help you out of your scrapes, you'll have to mind yourself too. I am glad you have got a lift, Terrence, Captain O'grady said, but it is rather hard on me losing a subvolter just as the campaign is beginning in earnest. Menzies likes doing all the work, Terrence said, so it won't make so much difference to you. It wouldn't matter if I was always with my company, Terrence, but now you see I am acting as field officer to the left wing till your father rejoins. It makes it awkward. I will intend to attach prices to your company, old Driscoll, the Colonel said. Terrence went off so subtly as to worry that I had no time to think of it before we marched, but he shall march with your company tomorrow. You will not mind, I hope, Captain Holland. I shall mind, of course, Colonel, but as Old Driscoll's company has now really only one officer, of course it cannot be helped. And as Menzies is the senior lieutenant, I have no doubt that he can manage very well with Parsons, who is very well up in his work. Thank you, Captain Holland. It is the first compliment you have ever paid me. It is abuse that I am most accustomed to. It is thanks to that that you are a decent officer of Parsons, Captain Holland laughed. You were the awkwardest young beggar I ever saw when you first joined, and you have given me no end to trouble in licking you into shape. How do you think you will like your work, Terence? I think I should like it very much, the lad replied. The other aide to Camp Trevor is a very nice fellow, and everyone likes Fane. As to Major Dowdswell and Major Arrington, I haven't exchanged a word with either of them, and you know as much about them as I do. Arrington is a very good fellow, but the other man is very unpopular. He is always talking about the regulations, as if anyone cared to hang about the regulations when one is on service. I expect that if Fane were not such a good fellow, Dowdswell would make himself a best of a nuisance, and may bother us about pipe clay and buttons, and all sorts of rigmarole, O'Grady said, as if a man would fight any better for having the belt white as snow. He would not fight any better, O'Grady, but the regiment would do so, the Colonel put in. All these little matters are nothing in themselves, but they have a good deal to do with the discipline of the regiment. There is no doubt that we are not as smart in appearance as we ought to be, and that the other regiments in the brigade show up better than we do. It is a matter that I must be saying to. I shall expect the regiment very carefully before we march tomorrow. There was a little silence among the group, but a smile stole over several of the faces. As a rule, the Colonel was very lax in small matters of this kind, but occasionally he thought it necessary to put on an era of severity and to insist upon the most rigid accuracy in his respect. But the fit seldom lasted beyond 24 hours, after which things went on pleasantly again. Some of the officers presently songs went off to warn the color sergeants that the Colonel himself intended to expect the regiment closely before marching the next morning, and that the man must be warned to have their uniforms, belts, and firearms in perfect order. Terrence remained for some little time longer chatting, and then got possession of his kit, which was carried by Tim Huland across to his quarters. We are all sorry you've left us, Your Honor, that worthy said as he walked a short distance behind Terrence. The regiment won't be like itself without you. Not that it has been quite the same since you joined us regular, and have taken to be having yourself. What do you mean you impudent rascal, Terrence said with a pretence at Ignatian? Not a fancy, Your Honor, but faith the games that you and Mr. Ryan and some of the others used to play kept the boys alive and gave mighty contentment to the regiment. I was only a lad then, Huland. That was so, Your Honor, but now you are a man and an officer. It is natural that it should be different. Tim Huland, you are a humbug, Terrence said laughing. Sort of a bit of one, Your Honor. I'm not saying you won't grow a bit more. Everyone says what the fine man you will make, but sure you saved our wing from being captured, and you will not have us admit that if it had not been for a boy, a wing in the mild future liars would have been captured by the French. No, Your Honor, when we tell that story, we spake of one of our officers who had the idea that saved the seahorse and brought them two privateer vessels into Vigo. Well, Tim, it is only three months since I joined, and I don't suppose I changed much in that time. But, of course, I cannot play tricks now as I used to before I got my commission. That is all, Your Honor. The regimen misses your checks, and though they did bother us a bit, three times were we turned out at night under odds when we were aslo. Once on a wet night, too, and stood there for two hours till the Colonel found out there was a false alarm. And there was me and Mr. Ryan and two or three others, as was in the secret, nigh choking ourselves with laughter to hear the man charsen and swearing at being called out of bed. That was a fine time, Your Honor. Attention, Tim," Tyran said sharply. They had now entered the village, and the burst of laughter in which Hulan indulged at the thought of the regimen being turned out on a false alarm was unseemly, as he was accompanying an officer. So Tim straightened himself up, and then followed in Tyran's footsteps with military precision and stiffness. There is a time for all things, Tim, the latter said as he took the little portmanteau from him. It won't do to be laughing like that in sight of headquarters. I can't ask you to have a drink now. There's no drink to be had. But the first time we get a chance, I will make it up to you. All right, Your Honor. I was wrong entirely, but I could not have helped it if the Commander of Chief had been standing there. Tyran's went up to the attic that he and Trevor shared. There was no changing for dinner, but after a wash he went below again. You were just in time, Trevor said, and we are in luck. The headman of the village sent the general couple of ducks, and they will help out our rations. I have been foraging, and have got hold of half a dozen bottles of good wine from the priest. We always try to get the best of things in the village, and if they will butt parts with them. That is an essential part of our duties. Tomorrow it would be your time. But our servants always did that sort of thing, Tyran said in some surprise. I dare say, Your Honor, but it would not do for the general servant to be going about picking up things. No matter what he paid, we should have tales going about in no time of the shameful extortion practiced by our servants, who under threats compelled the peasantry to sell provisions for the use of their masters at nominal prices. I did not think of that, Tyran's laughed. Yes, and of the Portuguese have circulated scores of Calamus Lies on less foundation. One cannot be too particular. I will see what I can do tomorrow. The march was continued until the brigade arrived at Almeida, which they reached on the 7th of November, and Sir John Moore and the headquarters staff came up on the following day. All troops were now assembled at that place, for Ann Struther, by some misconception of orders, had halted the leading division instead of, as intended by the general, continuing his march to Salamanca. The condition of the troops was excellent. Discipline, which had been somewhat relaxed during the period of inactivity, was now thoroughly restored. The weather had continued fine, and the steady exercise had well prepared them for the campaign, which was beginning. Things, however, were in other respects going on favorably. The junta of Coruna had given the most solemn promises that transport and everything necessary for the advance of Sir David Baird's force should be ready by the time that officer arrived. Yet nothing whatever had been done, and so conscious were the junta of their shortcomings that when the fleet with the troops arrived off the port, they refused to allow them to enter without an order from the central junta, and 15 days were wasted before the troops could disembark. Then it was found that neither provisions nor transport had been provided, and that nothing whatever was to be hoped for from the Spanish authorities. Baird was entirely unprovided with money, and was supplied with 8,000 pounds for more scanty military chests, while at the very time the British agent, Mr. Freyr, was in Coruna with two millions of dollars for the use of the Spaniards, which he was squandering like other British agents, right and left among the men who refused to put themselves to the slightest trouble to further the expedition. Spain was at this time boasting of the enthusiasm of its armies and of the immense force that it had in the field, and succeeding in persuading the English cabinet and the English people that with the help of a little money they could alone in unaided drive the French right across the frontier. The emptiness of this braggadocio and the utter incapacity of the Spanish authorities and generals was now speedily exposed, for Napoleon's newly arrived army scattered the Spaniards before them like sheep, and it was only on one or two occasions that anything like severe fighting took place. Within the space of three weeks the remained of the great armies of Spain but a few thousand fugitives hanging together without arms or discipline. Madrid, the center of this pretended enthusiasm and patriotism surrendered after a day's pretense at resistance, and the whole of the eastern provinces fell practically without a blow into the hands of the invaders. At present however, Moore still hoped for some assistance from the Spaniards. He, like Baird, was crippled for want of money but determined not to delay his march and sent agents to Madrid and other places to make contracts and raise money. Thus while the ministers at home squandered huge sums on the Spaniards they left it to their own military commanders to raise money by means of loans to enable them to march. Never in the course of the military history of England were her operations so crippled and foiled by the utter incapacity of her government as in the opening campaigns of the Peninsular War. While Baird was vainly trying to obtain transport at Caruna a reinforcement of some 5,000 Spanish troops under General Romana landed at San Anduro and, being equipped from the British stores, joined the Spanish General Blake in Biscay. These troops had been raised for the French service at the time Napoleon's brother Joseph was undisputed king of Spain. They were stationed in Holland and when the insurrection at home broke out the news of the rising was sent to them and in pursuance of a plan agreed upon they suddenly rose, marched down to a port and embarked an English ship sent to receive them and were in these transported to the northern coast of Spain. Sir David Baird was a man of great energy and, having succeeded in borrowing a little more money from Mr. Friere he started on his march to join General Moore. He had with great difficulty hired some country cards at an exorbitant rate but the number was so small that he was obliged to send up his force in half battalions and so was able to proceed but very slowly. Sir John Moore was still in utter ignorance of the situation in Spain, the jealousy among the generals and the disinclination of the central junta to appoint any one person to oppose that might enable him to interfere with their intrigues had combined to prevent the appointment of a commander-in-chief and there was no one therefore with whom Sir John could open negotiations and learn what plans, if any, had been decided upon for general operations against the advancing enemy. On the day that Moore arrived at El Mida Blake was in full flight pursued by a French army 50,000 strong and Napoleon was at Victoria with 170,000 troops. These facts he was ignorant but the letters that he received from Lord William Bentink and Colonel Graham exposing the folly of the Spanish generals reached him. On the 11th he crossed the frontier of Spain marching to see a dead Rodrigo. On that day Blake was finally defeated and one of the other armies completely crushed and dispersed. These events left a large French army free to act against the British. Sir John Moore, however, did not hear this until a week later. He knew, however, that the situation was serious and after all the reports of Spanish enthusiasm he was astonished to find that complete apathy prevailed that no effort was made to enroll the population or even to distribute the vast quantity of British muskets stored up in the magazines of the cities. The general ride that Salamanca was 4,000 British infantry. The French cavalry were at Val d'Orlid but three marches distant. On the 18th more troops had arrived and on the 23rd 12,000 infantry and six guns were at Salamanca but Moore now knew of the defeat of Blake and that the French army that had crushed him was free to advance against Salamanca but he did not yet know of the utter dispersal of the Asturian army or that the two armies of Castanos and Pelafox were also defeated and scattered beyond any attempt at rallying and that their conquerors were also free to march against him. Although ignorant of the force with which Napoleon had entered Spain and having no idea of its enormous strength he knew that it could not be less than 80,000 men that it could be joined by at least 30,000 more. His position was indeed a desperate one. Baird was still 20 marches distant his cavalry and artillery still far away. It would require another five days to bring the rear of his own army to Salamanca as only a small portion could come forward each day only to want to transport. And yet while in this position of imminent danger the Spanish authorities their Mr. Friere and other agents were violently urging in advance to Madrid. General Moore was indeed in a position of imminent danger but the lying reports as to the strength of the Spanish army induced him for a moment to make preparations for such a movement. When however he learned that the other overthrow and dispersal of the whole of the Spanish armies he saw that nothing remained but the fallback if possible upon Portugal. It was necessary however that he should remain at Salamanca until hope should arrive with the guns and the army be in a position to show a front to the enemy. Instructions had been previously sent to Hope to march to the Esquerel. Hope had endeavored to find a road across the mountains of Ciudad Rodrigo but the road was so bad that he dared not venture upon it as the number of horses was barely sufficient to drag the guns and ammunition wagons along a good road. He therefore kept on his way until he reached the Esquerel but after advancing three days farther towards Madrid he heard of the utter defeat of the Spaniards and the flight of their armies. His cavalry outposts brought in work that more than 4,000 cavalry were but 12 miles away and that other French troops were at Segovia and other places. The prospect of his making this way to join Sir John Moore seemed well nigh hopeless. But with admirable skill and resolution Hope succeeding in eluding some of his foes and checking others by destroying or defending bridges without the loss of any of the important convoy of guns and ammunition that he was escorting. The satisfaction of the troops at the arrival of the force that had been regarded as loss was unbounded. Hitherto, unprovided as they were with artillery and cavalry they could have fought only under such disadvantages as would render defeat almost inevitable. For an enemy could have pounded them with artillery from a distance beyond their musket range and Hitherto may no effectual reply whatever. His cavalry could have circled round them cut their communications and charged down on their lines in flank and rear while engaged with his infantry. Now every man felt that once again he formed part of an army and that the army could be relied upon to beat any other of equal numbers. Terrence had enjoyed the march to Salamanca. The fine weather had broken up and heavy rains had often fallen but his thick coat kept him dry except in the steadiest downpours. While on one and two occasions only the general and his staff had failed to find quarters available. As they proceeded they gradually closed up with the troops forming a part of the same division and at Almeida came under the command of General Fraser whose division was made complete by their arrival. Up to this point the young aid to camps duties had been confined solely to the work of the brigade to seeing that the regiments kept their proper distances that none of the wagons loitered behind and that the roads were repaired were absolutely necessary for the baggage to pass. In the afternoon he generally rolled forward with Major Earrington the quartermaster general of the brigade to examine the place fixed upon for the halt to apportion the ground between the regiments and ascertain the accommodation to be attained in the village. Two orderlies accompanying them each carrying a bundle of light rods. With these the ground was marked off a card with the name of the regiment being inserted in a slit at the end of the rod. The village was then divided in four quarters for the accommodation of the officers. Beyond fixing the name of each regiment to the part assigned to it no attempt was made to allot any special quarters to individual officers this being left for the regimental quartermaster to do on the arrival of the troops. When the column came up Terrace led each regiment to the spar marked off and directed the baggage wagons to their respective places. While he was doing this Trevor with the other orderlies saw the headquarters baggage carried to the house chosen for the general's use and that the place was made as comfortable as might be and then endeavored to add to the rations by purchases in the village. Fane himself always remained with the troops until the tents were erected and they were under cover. The rations distributed and the fires lighted. The latter operation was often delayed by the necessity of fetching wood from a distance. The wood in the immediate neighborhood having been cut down and burned either by the French on their advance or by the British regiments ahead. He then went to his quarters where he received the reports of the medical commissariat and transport officers wrote a report of the state of the road and the obstacles that he had encountered and sent it back by an orderly to the officer commanding the six guns which were following a day's march behind him. These had been brought along with great labor it being often necessary to take them off their carriages and carrying them up or down difficult places while the men were frequently compelled to harness themselves to robes and aid the horses to drag the guns and wagons through the deep mud. Between the arrival of the troops and dinner Terrence had his time to himself and generally spent it with his regiment. Never did I see such a country Terrence, O'Grady complained to him one day. Go where you will in Old Ireland you could always get a jug full of poutine a pot full of taties and a rasher of bacon. And if it is a village I've found an eggs. Here they're not even spirits or wine. As for a chicken I have not seen a feather one since we started and I don't believe the peasants would know an egg if they saw it. Nonsense O'Grady if we were to go off the main road we should be able to buy all these things barring the poutine and maybe the potatoes but you could get plenty of onions instead. You must remember that the French army came along here and I expect they must have eaten nearly everything up on their way. And you may be sure that Ann Stutters' brigade gleaned all they left. As we marched from the Mondago we found the villagers well supplied better a good deal than places of the same size would be in Ireland except at our first holding place. I own that although Hulun sometimes fails to add to our rations we have not been so badly off talents he goes out with two or three more of the boys directly we halt live in the other servants to get the tents ready and he generally brings us half a dozen fish sometimes a dozen that he has got out of the stream. He has an old ham is to him and if he can't get them for dinner he gets them for breakfast. He catches them with night lines his snares and all sorts of poaching tricks. I know he bought a bag with four or five pounds of lime and tortoise vidrus and managed to smuggle it away in a regimental baggage. I asked him what it was for and the rescue tipped me awake as much as to say don't ask no questions master and I believe that he dropped a handful into a likely pool when he comes across one. I have never dared to ask him who I conscious would not let me countenance such an unsportsman like way of getting around the fish. I don't think there's much harm in it under the present circumstance since Terence left. It is not sport but it is food. I'm afraid Tim that you must have been poaching a good deal at home or you would never thought of buying lime before starting on this march. I was going to take in an orange fish your honor who then said indignantly but it seems to me that if the people here are trading us in just a black gutterly a manner as they can sure it is the least we can do to catch their fish anyway we can just to pay them off. Well looking at it in that light Tim I would say no more against the practice. I don't think I can bring myself to lime even Portuguese water but my conscious would not trouble me at eating fish that have been caught by someone else. I will bear with you mind your honor and the next time we come on a good pool a dish of fine fish shall be left at your quarters but your honor must not mention to the general where you get them from. Maybe his conscience in the matter of eating lime fish would be more tender than your own and it might get me into trouble. I will take care about that Tim at any rate I will try and manufacture two or three hooks and when we hold for a day we'll try and do a little fishing on my own account. How long make you two or three Mr. Connor? I made a couple up for Mr. Orion and he caught two bientôt yesterday evening. Thank you Hulan fond as I am a fishing I wonder did not strike me before. I can make a line by plating some off his string with twisted horse hair instead of gut. I expect that that is just what Mr. Ryan did your honor. I heard the adjutant using powerful language this morning because he could not find a ball of twine. After this parents generally managed to get an hours fishing before the evening twilight had quite faded away and by the aid of a long rod cut on the river bank a line manufactured by himself and Hulan's hook baited with worms he generally can try to catch enough fish to supplement the ordinary fare at the following morning's breakfast. This is a welcome surprise Trevor the ricketer said the first time the fish appeared at the table. I thought I smelled fish frying but I felt sure I must be mistaken. Where on earth did you get them from? It is not my doing general but O'Connor's. I was just as much surprised as yourself when I saw Burke squatting over the fire frying three fine fish. I asked him where I'd stolen them. He told me that Mr. O'Connor brought them in at eight o'clock yesterday evening. Where did you get them from O'Connor? I caught them in the stream that we crossed half a mile back sir. I found a likely pool a hundred yards down it and an hour's work there gave me those three fish. They stopped biting as soon as it got dark. What did you catch them with? Terricks explaining the nature of his tackle. You have certainly given us a very pleasant change of food and a hold that you will continue the practice whenever there is a chance. There are often to be one general we cross half a dozen little mountain streets every day and the villages are generally built close to one. I don't suppose I should have thought of it if I had not found that some of the men of my regiment have been supplying the mess with them. I hope to do better in the future for going over the ground where some of the troops in front of us have bivouacked I came upon some white feathers blowing about and I shall try to tie a fly. That ought to be a good deal more killing than a worm when the light begins to fade. You have been a fisherman then at home. Yes, sir. I did a good deal fishing around Athlon and was taught to tie my own flies. I wish I had a packet of hooks. The two one of our fellows made for me are well enough for worms but they are rather clumsy for flies. I used to be fallen to fishing myself, Fane said, but I have always bought my tackle and doubt whether I should make much hand of it if left to my own devices. We are not likely to be able to get any hooks till we get to El Mita but I should think you would find some there. I shall be able to get some wire to make them with no doubt, sir. I fancy after we have left El Mita you won't find many opportunities of Fissional Connor. We shall have other work on hand then and shall I hope be able to buy what we want at any rate we shall have as good a chance of doing so as others. While along this road there is nothing to be had for love or money and the peasants would no doubt be glad to sell as anything they have but they are living on black blared themselves and indeed the greater part have moved away to less frequented places. No doubt they will come back again as soon as we have all passed but how long they will be allowed to live in peace and quietness is more than I can say. As long as it is only our troops will come along they have nothing much to complain of for they can sell everything they have to dispose at prices they never dreamt of before but they complain better than the French who ate their fruit and drank their wine killed their pigs and fowls appropriated their cattle and horses and they thought themselves lucky to escape with their lides. You see there are very few men about here they have all gone off to join one or other of the Portuguese bands. I fancy these Portuguese fellows will turn out useful someday general Major Arrington said they are style fellows and though I don't think the town's people would be of any good the peasantry ought to make good soldiers that they were well drilled and led. That is a very large if fame laughed I see no signs of any leader and the last we could lend them a few hundred non-commissioned officers I don't see where their drill instructors are to come from. Still I have more hope of them than I have of the Spaniards. Those men under Trent were never tried much under fire but they certainly improved in discipline very much in the short time they were with us. If we could but get rid of all the Portuguese authorities and take the people and hand ourselves we ought to be able to turn out 50,000 good fighting troops in the course of a few months. A so long as things go on as they are I see no hope of any efficient aid for them. At Almeida Terrence managed to procure some hooks. They were clumsily made but greatly superior to anything he could turn out himself. He was also able to procure some strong lines but the use of fly seemed to be all together unknown. However during his stay he made half a dozen different patterns and with these in a small tin box and a coil of line stowed away at the bottom of one of his holsters he felt that if opportunities should occur he ought to be able to have fair sport. He had suffered a good deal during the heavy rains which came on occasionally from the fact that his infantry croak was not ample enough to cover his legs when riding. He was fortunate enough here to be able to buy a pair of long riding boots and with these and a pair of thick canvas trousers made by one of the regimental tailors and coming down just below the knee he felt that in the future he could defy the rain. At Salamenca there were far better opportunities of the officers supplanting their outfits. Landing on the Mondego early in August they had made provision against the heat but had brought no outfit at all suited for wear in winter and all CC opportunity of providing themselves with warm undergarments had lining sewn into great coats and otherwise prayer for the coal which would shortly set in. The greater part of the troops were here quartered in the convents and other extensive buildings and as Fane's Brigade was one of the first to arrive they enjoyed a short period of well earned rest. Terence had by this time picked up a good deal of Portuguese and was able to make himself pretty well understood by the Spanish shopkeepers. He as well other officers was astonished and disgusted at the lethargy that prevailed when as all now knew the great Spanish armies were scattered to the winds and large bodies of French troops were advancing in all directions to cross out the last spark of resistance. The officers of the Mayo fusiliers had established a mess and Terence often dying there. He was always eagerly questioned as to what was to be done. I can assure you old Grady he said one day that aides to camps are not admitted to the confidence of the officer commanding in chief. I know no more as the Sir John St. Tencent so the youngest drummer boy. I suppose that everything will depend upon the weather and whether general hope with the artillery and cavalry manages to join us. If he does I suppose we shall fight a battle before we fall back. If he does not I suppose we shall have to fall back without fighting if the French will let us. I wish times you would give these lazy Spaniers a good fright. Just as you get the people of Athlone faith I will give a couple months' pay to see them regularly scared. If I were not on the staff on my triadle Grady but it would never do for me to try such a thing now. Dick Ryan who was standing by winked significantly and in a short time he and Terence were talking eagerly together in a corner of the room. Who is Denali you are a staff officer Terence? Isn't it an infantry uniform you are wearing? An anchor hundreds of infantry officers here? It was good fun in Athlone but I don't think that many of them believed there was any real danger. It would be all together different here they are scared enough as it is though they walk about with their cloaks wrapped around them and pretend to be mighty confident. Let us come and talk it over outside Dick. It did not much matter before if it had been discovered we had a hand in it. Of course the Colonel would have given us a waging but at heart he would have been pleased as the joke as any of us but it is different affair here. Going out they continued their talk and arranged their plans. Late the following night two English officers rushed suddenly into a drinking shop close to the gate through which the road to Valladolid passed. The French the French one is claimed run for your lives and give the alarm. The men all left to their feet rushed out too multuously and scattered through the streets shouting at the top of their voices the French are coming the French are coming get up or you will all be murdered in your beds. The alarm spread like wildfire and Terrence and Ryan made their way back by the shortest line to the room where most of the officers were still sitting smoking and chatting. Any news O'Connor? The Colonel asked. Nothing that I heard of Colonel I thought it would drop in first to God before turning in. A few minutes later Tim Hulan entered. There is a Cindy in town Yana. He said to the Colonel. Me self does not know what it is about but they are hallowing and balling fit to kill themselves. One of the officers went to the window and threw it up. Hulan is like Colonel there was something to matter. There he broke off at the church bell peeled out with loud and rapid strokes. That is the alarm sure enough the Colonel exclaimed. Be off at once gentlemen and get the men up and under arms. I must be off to the General's quarters. Terrence exclaimed hastily putting on his great coat again. The devil fly away with them. O'Grady grumbled as he hastily finished the glass before him. Saller a bit of peace can I get a tall at all in the baseless country. Terrence hurried away to his quarters. A score of church bells were now peeling out the alarm. From every house men and women rushed out panic stricken and eagerly crushed in each other. All sorts of wild reports were circulated. The British outposts have been driven in. The velodough the gate has been captured. Napoleon himself with his whole army is pouring into the town. The shrieks of frightened women added to the den above which the British bugles calling the troops to arms could be heard in various quarters of the city. Oh here are Mr O'Connor. General Fane exclaimed has he hurried in. Mr Trevor has just started for the convent. He may be intercepted and therefore do you carry the same message. The brigade is to get under arms at once and to remain in readiness for action until I arrive. For what I could gather from these frightened fools the French have already entered the town. If the convent is attacked it is to be defended until the last. I'm going to the headquarters for orders. A good deal alarmed that the consequences of the tumult that he and Dick Ryan had excited. Terrence made his way through the streets at a run. His progress however was impeded by the crowd. Many of whom seized him as he passed and implored him to tell them the news. He observed that not a weapon was to be seen among the crowd. Evidently resistance was absolutely unthought of. Trevor had reached the convent before him. The four regiments had already gathered there under arms. Have you any orders Mr O'Connor? Colonel Corcoran asked eagerly for the mail fusiliers happened to be formed up next the gate of the convent. No sir all int to be repeated those brought by Mr Trevor as the general thought that he might be intercepted on the way. The troops are to remain here in readiness until he arrives if attacked they are to hold the convent until the last. Have you seen any signs of the French? None whatever Colonel. Did you hear any firing? No sir but there was such an uproar while with the church bells everyone shouting and the women screaming that I don't suppose I should have heard it unless it had been quite close. We thought we heard musketry the Colonel replied but it might have been only fancy. There are such a hullabaloo in the city that we might not have heard the fire small arms but I think that we must have heard artillery in 10 minutes feigned with his staff galloped in. The brigade will march down towards the Valladola gate. He said if you encounter any enemies Colonel Corcoran you will once occupy the houses on both sides of the street and open fire upon them from the windows and roofs. Other regiments will charge them. At present he went on as the Colonel gave the order for the regiment to march. We can obtain no information as to the cause of this uproar. An officer rode in just as I was starting from Anstrutter's force and camped outside the walls asking for orders and reporting that his outposts have seen no signs of the enemy. I believe it is a false alarm after all and we are marching rather to reassure the populace than with any idea meeting the enemy. The troops marched rapidly through the streets making their way without ceremony through the terrified crowd. They had gone but short distance when the bells of the churches one by one ceased their clamor and a hush succeeded the din that had before prevailed. When the head of the column reached the gate they saw Sir John Moore and his staff sitting there on horseback. Fane rode up to him for orders. It is as I fancied wholly a false alarm the general said. Hallow could have started I have no idea. I have had another report from Anstrutter all this quiet at the outposts and there is no sign whatever the enemy. There is nothing to do but to march the troops back to the barracks. However I am not sorry for possibly the scare may wake the authorities up to the necessity of taking some steps for the protection of the town. Terence rode back with general Fane to his quarters. I cannot make out. Trevor said as they went how the scare can have begun. Everything was quiet enough. I was just thinking of turning in when we heard a shouting in the streets in three minutes the whole town seemed to have gone mad and I made sure that the friends must be upon us but I could not make out how they could have done so without our outposts giving the alarm. Where were you when it began? I was in the mess room with the mayos when one of the servants ran in to say that there was a rowel. Directly afterwards the alarm bells began to ring. The colonel once gave orders for the regiment to be got under arms and it ran back to the general for orders and I must have passed you somewhere on the road. Did you ever see such cowards as these Spaniards? Though there are arms enough in the town for every man to bear a musket and certainly the greater portion of them have weapons of some sort or other I did not see a man with arms of any kind in his hand. I noticed the same thing Trevor said. It is disgusting. It was evident that the soul thought that possessed him was as to their own wretched lies. I have no doubt that if they could have had their will they would have disarmed all our truths in order that no resistance whatever should be offered. And yet only yesterday the fellows were all bragging about their patriotism and the bravery that would be shown should the French make their appearance. It makes one sick to be fighting for such people. The following afternoon Terrence went up to the convent. Well though Connor have you heard how it all began? The colonel asked as he went into the master room. No one seems to know at all colonel the authorities are making inquiries but as far as I have heard nothing has taken place to account for it. It reminds me the colonel said shutting one eye and looking fixedly at Terrence of a certain affair that took place at Athlone. I was thinking the same myself Terrence replied quietly only the scare was a good deal greater here than it was there. Besides a good made the townspeople on Athlone did turn out with the guns in their hands whereas here I believe every man in the town hid his gun in his bed before running out. I always suspected you having the hand of the matter Terrence. Did you colonel? Terrence said in a tone of surprise. Well as fortunately I was sitting here when this role began. You cannot suspect me this time. I don't know. You and Ryan came in together which was suspicious in itself and it was not two minutes after you come in but the rumpus began. Just give me a wink lad if you had a finger in the matter. You know you are safe with me. Besides ain't you a staff officer now and outside my jurisdiction altogether? Well colonel a wink does not cost anything Terrence said. So here is T.E. He exchanged a wink with the colonel who burst into a fit of laughter so loud that he startled all the officers who at once came to hear the joke. It is just a little story that Terrence has been telling me the girl said when he had recovered his breath about the scare last night and how a young woman with necks and nothing on her threw her arms round his neck and begged him to save her. The poor young fellow blushed up to his eyelids with a shame of it in the public straits. Ender Chapter 8 Recording by Charles Zapp Chapter 9 of With More at Karuna by Gia Henty This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings were in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Charles Zapp With More at Karuna by Gia Henty Chapter 9 The Retreat O'Grady asked no questions but presently whispered to Terrence, Faith, you did well, me boy. Did what well, O'Grady? You need not tell me about it, Terrence. I was expecting it. Didn't I speck to you the day before and thought about it and didn't I feel sure that something would come of it? When that role began last night I looked out at you hard and saw you wink at that young spaline, dicky Ryan and sure all the time that we were standing there far and up I wound my burst of buttons off my coatie and holding in me laughter when everyone else was full of excitement. Are you ill, O'Grady? the Colonel said for I had to sit myself down on some steps and rock myself to and fro to ease myself. Is it sick, Yarr? A sudden pace that sees me kind of says I but I'll be all right in a minute. Take a dram out of me flash says he something must have gone wrong with you. I took a drink that I may be sure you did Terrence interrupted and then told him that I felt better but as we marched down through the crowd and saw the fright of the men and the women screaming in their nightgowns at the windows faith how well I choked. Have you spoken to Ryan about this absurd suspicion, O'Grady? I spoke to him but I might as well have spoke to a brick wall. Dibble a thing could I get out of him. How did you manage it at all, lad? How could I manage it, Terrence said indignantly? No, no, O'Grady. I know you did make some remark about the scared Athlon and said it would be fun to have one here. I was a little shocked at hearing such a thing from, as you often say, a superior officer and it certainly appears to me that it was you who first broached the idea. So I have much more right to feel a suspicion that you had a hand in the carrying out of it than for you to suspect me. Well, Terrence, O'Grady said, in an insinuating way, I won't ask you any questions now and maybe someday when you have marched away from this place, you will tell me the ins and outs of the business. Maybe, O'Grady, and perhaps you will also confess to me how you managed to bring the scare about. Go along with your Terrence. It is to yourself knows better than anyone else that I had nothing to do with it and I will never forgive you until you make a clean breast of it to me. We shall see about that, Terrence left. Anyhow, if you allude to the subject again, I shall feel it my duty to inform the colonel of my reasons for suspecting that you were concerned in spreading those false reports last night. It was first rate, wasn't it? Dick Ryan said as he joined Terrence when the latter left the mess room. It was good fun, Dicky, but I tell you, for a time I was quite as much scared as anyone else. I never thought that it would have gone quite so far. When it came to all the troops turning out and Sir John and everyone, I felt that there would be an awful row if we weren't ever found out. It was friend and Terrence. I knew that we could not be found out when we had not total soul. Did you ever see such a funk as the Spaniards were all in? And after all their bragging and the heirs that they had given themselves, our men were so savage as their cowardice that I believed that they would have liked nothing better than an order to pitch into them. And didn't the woman yell and howl? It is the best luck we have ever had. It is good fun to look back at, Dicky, but I should be glad when we are out of this. The Spanish authorities are making all sorts of inquiries, and I have no doubt that they will get hold of some of the men in that wine shop. And it will come out that two British officers started the alarm. What if it did? Ryan said. There were only two wretched candles burning in the place, and they could not have got a fair sight of us. And indeed, they all jumped up and bolted the moment we spoke. I will bet that there is not one among them who would be able to swear to us, though we were standing before him. And I have no doubt if they were questioned, every man would give a different account of what we were like. I have no fear that they will ever find this out. Still, I should be glad when we are out of this old place, not because I'm afraid about our share in that business being discovered. But we have been here nearly a fortnight now, and as we know there is a strong French force within ten miles of us, I think that is about time that the fun began. You don't think we're going to retreat, do you? I don't know any more about it than you do, Dicky, but I feel absolutely sure that we shall retreat. I don't see anything else for us to do. Every day fresh news comes in about the strength of the French, and as the Spanish resistance is now pretty well over, and Madrid has fallen, they will all be free to march against us. And even when hope has joined us, we shall only be about 20,000 strong, and they have, at the least, 10 times that force. I think we should be mighty lucky if we get back across the frontier into Portugal before they are all on us. Sir John Moore, however, was not disposed to retire without doing something for the cause of Spain. The French armies had not yet penetrated into the southern provinces, and he nobly resolved to make a movement that would draw the whole strength of the French towards him and give time for the Spanish in the south to gather the remains of their armies together and organize the resistance of the French advance. In view of the number and strength of the enemy, no more heroic resolution was ever taken by a military commander, and it was all the more to be admired in as much as he could hope to win no victory that would cover himself and his army with glory, no success that would satisfy the public at home, and at best he could but hope after long, fatiguing, and dangerous marches to affect his retreat from the overwhelming forces that would be hurled against him. While remaining at Salamanca, Sir John, foreseeing that a retreat into Portugal must be finally carried out, took steps to have magazines established on two of the principal routes to the coast. That a choice might be left open to him by which to retire when he had accomplished his main object of diverting the great French wave of invasion from the south. On the 11th of December, the march began, and for the next 10 days, the army advanced farther and farther into the country. So far, More only had Soult's army opposing his advance towards Burgos, and it might be possible to strike a heavy blow at that general before Napoleon, who was convinced that the British must fall back into Portugal if they had not already begun to do so, should come up. He had been solemnly assured that he should be joined by Romana with 14,000 pick-men, but that general had with him but 5,000 peasants who were in such a miserable condition that when the British reached the spot where the junction was to be affected, he was ashamed to show them, and marched away into Leon. The British, in order to obtain forage, were obliged to move along several lines of route. Sir David Baird's division joined them as they advanced, and when they reached the carrion, their effective force amounted to 23,583 men with 60 pieces of artillery. On the French side, Soult had, on hearing of the British advance to the northeast, by which, if successful, they would cut the French lines of communication between Madrid and the frontier, called up all his detached troops and rode to the governor of Burgos to divert to his assistance all troops coming along the road from France, whatever their destination might be. On the 21st, Lord Paget, with the 10th and 15th Hussars, surprised the French cavalry force at Sahagun and ordered the 15th to turn their position and endeavor to cut them off. When with the 10th Hussars, Lord Paget arrived in the rear of the village. He found 600 French dragoons drawn up and ready to attack him. He had once charged and broke them and pursued them for some distance. 20 were killed, 13 officers, and 154 men taking prisoners. On the 23rd, Solt had concentrated his forces at the town of Kerion, and that night the British troops were got into motion to attack them. The two forces being about even in numbers, but scarcely had he moved forward were reports, both from Romana and his own spies reached Sir John Moore to the effect that his march had achieved the object with which it was undertaken. Orders had been sent by Napoleon for the whole of the French armies to move at once against the British, while he himself, with the troops at Madrid, 70,000 strong had started by force marches to fall upon him. The instant Moore received this information, he arrested the forward movement of his troops. His object had been attained, the French invasion in the south was arrested, and time given to the Spaniards. There was nothing now but to fall back with all speed. It was well indeed that he did not carry out his intention of attacking Solt. The latter had that day received orders from the Emperor not to give battle. But the fall back, and so tempt Moore to pursue, in which case his line of retreat would have been intercepted and his army irretrievably lost. The order to retreat was an unwelcome one indeed to the troops. For twelve days they had marched through deep snow and suffered fatigues, privations, and hardships. That evening they had expected to be repaid for their exertions by a battle and a victory on the following morning. And the order to retreat coming at such a moment was a bitter disappointment indeed. They were, of course, ignorant of the reasons for this sudden change and the officers shared the discontent of the troops, a feeling that largely accounted for the disorders and losses that took place during the retreat. Napoleon led his troops north with his usual impetuosity. The deep snow choked the passes through the mountains. The generals, after twelve hours of labor, reported the rows impracticable. But Napoleon placed himself at the head of the column and, amidst a storm of snow and driving hail, led them over the mountain. With tremendous effort he reached De Siles on the 26th while Houssidier entered Valladolid on the same day. And Nay, with the sixth corps, arrived at Rio Secoe. Full of hope that he had caught the breach, the Emperor pushed on towards Buras only to find that he was twelve hours too late. More had, the instant he received the news, sent back the heavy baggage with the main body of infantry, himself following more slowly with the light brigade and cavalry, the latter at times pushing parties up to the enemy's line and skirmishing with his outpost to prevent sold from suspecting that the army had retreated. On the 26th, the whole army, moving by different routes, approached the river Esla, which they crossed in a thick fog, which greatly hindered the operation. A brigade remained on the left bank to protect the passage. For the enemy's cavalry were already close at hand and salt was hotly pressing in pursuit. A strong body of horse, belonging to the Emperor's army, intercepted Lord Padgett near Mallorga, but two squadrons of the 10th Houssars charged up the rising ground on which they had posted themselves and, notwithstanding their disadvantage in numbers and position, killed twenty and took a hundred prisoners. More made but a short pause on the Esla, for that position could be turned by the forces advancing from the south. He waited, therefore, only until he could clear out his magazines, collect his stragglers, and send for his baggage. He ordered the bridge by which the army had crossed to be broken down and left Crawford to perform this duty. Short as the retreat had been, it had already sufficed to damage most seriously the morality army. The splendid discipline in order that had been shown during the advance was now gone. Many of the regimental officers altogether neglected their duties and the truths were insubordinate. Great numbers struggled, plundered the villages, and committed excesses of all sorts, and already the General had been forced to issue an order reproaching the army for his conduct, and appealing to the honour of the soldiers to second his efforts. Valiant in battle, capable of the greatest efforts on the march, hardy in endearing fatigue, and the inclemancy of weather, the British soldier always deteriorates rapidly when his back is turned to the enemy. Confident in his bravery, regarding victory as assured, he is unable to understand the necessity for retreat, and considers himself degraded by being ordered to retire, and regards prudence on the part of his generals as equivalent to cowardice. The armies of Wellington deteriorated with the same rapidity as this force went upon two occasions and was necessary to retreat when threatened by overwhelming forces. And yet, however disorganized, the British soldier recovers his discipline the instant he is attacked, and fiercely turns upon his pursuers. At the bridge across the Esla, two privates of the Third gave an example of splendid courage and determination. It was night, some of the baggage was still on the Father Bank, and the two men were posted as sentries beyond the bridge, their orders being that if an enemy appeared, one should fire and then run back to the bridge and shout to warn the guard whether the enemy were enforced or not. The other was to maintain his post as long as possible. During the night, the light cavalry of the Imperial Guard rowed down. Jackson, one of the sentries, fired and rammed back to get the alarm. He was overtaken and received over a dozen saber cuts. Nevertheless, he staggered on until he reached the bridge and gave the signal. Walton, the other sentry, with equal resolution, stood his ground and wounded several of his assailants who, as they drew off, left him unhurt, although his cap, knapsack, belt, and musket were cut in over 20 places and his bayonet bent double. Terence O'Connor's duties had been lightened up during the advance, but during the three days of the retreat to the Esla, he had been incessantly occupied. He and Trevor had both been directed to ride backwards and forwards along the line of the brigade to see that there were no straggling in the ranks and that the baggage car just in the rear kept close up. The task was no easy one and was unpleasant as well as hard. Many of the officers plotted sulkily along, paying no attention whatever to their men, allowing them to struggle as they chose, and they were obliged to report several of the worst cases to the Brigadier. With the manual fusiliers, they had less trouble than with others. Terence had, when he joined them at their first hold after the retreat began, found them as angry and discontented as the rest of the unexpected order, and was at once assailed with questions and complaints. He listened to them quietly and then said, Of course, if you all prefer a French prison to a few days hard marching, you have good reason to grumble at being balked in your wishes. That is all I have to say about it. What do you mean, Terence? O'Grady asked angrily. Sold's forces was not stronger than ours, at least so we had, and if it had been, it would make no difference. We would have thrashed them out of their boots in no time. I dare say we should, O'Grady, and what then? Well, I don't know what then, O'Grady said after a moment's silence. That would have been the General's business. Quite so, and so is this. There you would have been with perhaps a couple of thousands wounded and as many French prisoners, and Napoleon with sixty thousand men or so, and Nay with as many more, and Hussay with his cavalry division, all in your rear cutting you off in the sea. What would have been your course then? A general silence fell upon the officers. Is this so? The Colonel asked at last. That is so, Terence had gravely. All these and other trues are marching night and day to intercept us. It is no question of fighting now. Victory over salt, so far from being of any use, would have only have burdened us with wounded and prisoners, and even a day's delay would be absolutely fatal. As it is, it is a question whether we shall have time to get back to the coast before they are all posted in our front. Every hour is of the greatest importance. You all know that we have talked over lots of times how dangerous our position is. General Fein told us when the orders to retreat were issued, that he believed the peril to be even more imminent than we thought. We all know when we marched north from Salamanca, that without a single Spaniard to back us, all that could be hoped for was to aid Saragossa and Seville and Condiz to gather the levies in the south and prepare for defense. And that ere long we shall have any number of enemies upon us. That is what is precisely happened. And now there is grumbling because the object has been attained and that you are not allowed to fight a battle that, whether one or lost, would equally ruin us. Sharia, right? O Grady said warmly. And we are a set of oomahoons. You have sense in your head tenants, and there is no gain saying you. I was grumbling more than the rest of them, but I won't grumble any more. Still, I suppose that there is no harm in helping them. We shall have just a bit of fighting before we get back to Portugal. We shall be lucky if we don't have a good deal fighting, O Grady, and against odds that will satisfy even you. As to Portugal, there is no chance of her getting there. Nay will certainly cut that road, and the Emperor will, most likely, also do so, as you can see for yourself on the map. Divalent map have I ever looked at since I was at school? O Grady said. Then if we can't get back to Portugal, where shall we get to? To one of the northern sea ports, of course, I don't know which has been decided upon. I don't suppose the General himself has settled that yet. It must depend upon the roads and the movements of the enemy, and whether there is a defensible position near the port that we can hold in case the fleet and transports cannot be got there by the time we arrive. Faith, Temmins, you are a walking encyclopedia. You have got the matter at your fingers ends. I don't pretend to know any more than anyone else, Terence said with a laugh, but of course I hear matters talked over at the brigade mess. I don't think that Fein knows more of the General's absolute plans than you do. I dare say the divisional generals know, but it would not go further. Still, as Fein and Earrington and Dowswell know something about war besides the absolute fighting, they can form some idea as to the plans that will be adopted. Well, Terence, the Colonel said, I didn't think that the time was coming so soon when I was to be instructed by your father's son, but I will own that you have made me feel that I have begun campaigning too late in life and that you have given me a lesson. I did not mean to do that, Colonel, Terence said a good deal abashed. It was O'Grady I was chiefly speaking to. Yes, a perry an officer, O'Grady murmured. My superior officer certainly, Terence went on with a smile. But who, having, as he says, never looked at a map since he left school, while I have naturally studied one every evening since we started from Tortas Vigas, can therefore know no more about the situation than does Tim Huland, but I certainly never intended my remarks to apply to you, Colonel. They hit me all the same, lad, and the shame is mine and not yours. I think you have done us all good. One doesn't care when one is retreating for a good reason, but when one marches for twelve days to meet an enemy, and then, when just close to him, one turns one's back and runs away. It is enough to disgust an Englishman, let alone an Irishman. Well, boys, now we see it is all right. We will do our duty as well on the retreat as we did on the advance, and Divello Grumble shall there be in my hearing. From that moment therefore, the Mayofus of theirs were example to the brigade. Any grumble in the ranks was met with a cheerful. Whist, boys, do you think that you know the General's business better than he does himself? It is plenty of fighting you are likely to get before you have done, never fear. Now is the time, boys, to get the regiment of good name. The General knows that we can fight. Now let him see that we can wait patiently till we get another chance. Remember, the better temper you are in, the less you will feel the cold. So laughing and joking, and occasionally breaking into a song, the Mayofus of theirs pushed steadily forward, and the Colonel that evening congratulated the men that not one had fallen out. He thought up, boys, he said, it will be a proud day for me when we get to our journey's end, wherever that may be. To be able to say to the Brigadier, except those who have been killed by the enemy, here is my regiment just as it was when it started from the Kerrion. Not a man has fallen out, not a man has struggled away, not a man has made a best of himself and was unfit to fall in the next morning. I know them, he said to Odrisco as the regiment was dismissed from parade, they will not fall out and they will not straddle, but if they come to a place where wines in plenty, they will make base of themselves. And after all, he added, after the work they have gone through, who is to blame them? At the halt next evening at Bembrie Bray, the Colonel's foreboding said the men could not be trusted where liquor was plentiful, were happily not verified. There were immense wine vaults in the town. These were broken open and were speedily crowded by disbanded Spaniards, soldiers, camp followers, mule-tiers, women and children, the latter taking refuge there from the terrible cold. The rearguard, to which the Mayo Regiment had been attached to eating before, found that Barrett's division had gone on, but that vast numbers of drunken soldiers had been left behind. General Moore was himself with the rearguard and the utmost efforts were made to induce the drunkers to rejoin their regiments. He himself appealed to the troops instructing the commanders of the different regiments to say that he relied implicitly upon the soldiers to do their duty. The French might at any moment be up and every man must be in his ranks. No men were to fall out or to enter any wine house or cellar, but each should have at once a pint of wine served out to him and as much more before they marched in the morning. After the Colonel read out this order he supplemented by saying, Now, boys, the credit to the regiment has at stake. It is a big honor that has been paid you in choosing you to join the rearguard and you have got the show that you deserve it. As soon as it can be drawn you will have your pint of wine each which will be enough to warm your fingers and toes. Wait here on the ranks till you have drunk your wine and eaten some of the bread in your haversacks and by that time I will see what I can do for you. You will have another pint before starting, but mind, though I hope there isn't a mother son who will bring this credit on the regiment. I warn you that I shall give the officers instructions to shoot down any man who wanders from the ranks in search of liquor. The French may be here in half an hour after we have started. It is better to be shot than to be sabered by a French dragoon which will happen surely enough to every base till it has drunk too much to go on with the troops. Only a few murmurs were heard at the conclusion of the speech. Now, gentlemen, the Colonel said, We'll have a dozen of you see to the wine. Get hold of some of those fellows loafing about there and make them roll out as many barrels as will supply a pint to every man in the regiment, ourselves as well as the men. O'Grady, take Lieutenant Horton and Mr. Halden and two sergeants with you. Here is my pass. Go through the town and get some bread and anything else in the way of food that you can lay your hands upon. And, if you can, above all things get some tobacco. O'Grady's search was for a time unsuccessful as the soldier's camp followers had already broken into the shops and stores. In an unfrequented street, however, they came across a large building. He knocked at the door with the hilt of his sword. It was opened after a time by an old man. What house is this? It is a tobacco factory, he replied. But, Jebus, we've come to the right place. I want about half a ton of it. We are not robbers and I will pay for what we take. Then another idea struck him. Wait a moment. I'll be back again in no time. Horton, do you stay here and take charge of the men? I'm going back to the Colonel. He found on reaching the regiment that the men were already drinking their wine and eating their bread. I'm afraid I shall never keep them, O'Grady, the Colonel said mournfully. It is scarcely in human nature to see men struggling about as full as they can hold and know that there is liquor to be had for taking it and not to go for it. It is all right, Colonel. I know that we can never keep the men if we turn them into the houses to sleep, but I have found a big building that will hold the whole regiment, and the best of it is that it is a tobacco factory. I expect it is run by the authorities at the place, and as we are doing what we can for them, they need not grudge us what we take, and faith the boys will be quiet and contented enough so that they do but get enough to keep their pipes going and know that they will march in the morning with a bit in their knapsacks. The very thing, O'Grady, passed the word to the regiment to fall in the instant they have finished their meal. It was not long before they were ready, and in a few minutes, guided by O'Grady, the head of the regiment reached the building. Who is the owner of this place, the Colonel asked the old man, who, with a lantern in his hand, was still standing at the door? The center of junta at the province has of late taken it, your Excellency. Good! Then we will be the guests at the central junta of the province for the night. He then raised his voice, Boys, here is a warm lodging for you for the night and to beckon galore for your pipes, and for those who haven't got them, cigars. Just wait until I've got some lights, and then file inside in good order. There was no difficulty about this, for the factory was in winter worked long after dark set in. In a very few minutes, the place was lighted up from end to end. The troops were then marched in and divided amongst the various runes. Now, boys, tell the men to smoke a couple of pipes and then to lie down to sleep, and the morning each man could put as much tobacco into his knapsack and pockets as they would hold, and when we hold, they could give some of it away to regiments that had not been as lucky as themselves. The men sat down in the highest state of satisfaction. Poxas and cigars were broken open, and in a couple of minutes almost every man and officer in the regiment had one alight in his mouth. There were few, however, who got beyond one cigar. The warmth of the place, after their long march in the snows, speedily had its effect, and in half an hour silence reigned in the factory, saying for a murmur of voices in one of the lower rooms where the officers were located. Well, Gritty, you were a broth of a boy, the Colonel said. The men have scarce had a smoke for the last week, and will do them a world of good. We have got them all under one roof, and there is no fear that anyone will want to get out, and they will fall in the morning as fresh as paint. Half an hour before the bugle call, three or four of you had best turn out with a dozen men and roll up enough barrels from the vaults to give them the drink promised to them before starting. Who will volunteer? Half a dozen officers had once offered to go, and a captain and three left tenants were told off for the work. They know how to make cigars if they don't know anything else, Captain O'Driscoll said. This is a first-rate weed. So it ought to be by the brand, another said. I took the two boxes from a cover that was locked up. There are a dozen more like them, and I thought it was as well to take them out. They are present under the table. I have no doubt that they are real Havana's, and have probably been got for some grandee or other. He will have to deal without them, O Gritty said calmly as he lighted his second cigar. They are too good for any Spaniard under the sun, and more of a good friend. Moreover, if we did not take them, you may be sure that the French would have them to model, and I should say that the central junta of the province will be mighty pleased to know that the tobacco was smoked by their allies instead of by the French. I don't suppose they will care much about it one way or the other, O'Driscoll remarked. Their pockets are so full of English gold that the loss of a few tons of tobacco won't affect them much. I enjoy my cigar immensely, and had the satisfaction of knowing that for once I've got something out of a Spaniard. It's the first thing since I've landed. Well, boys, we'd better be off to sleep, the Colonel said. I am so sleepy that I could hardly keep my eyes open. And you ought to be worse, for you have trapped well nine forty miles today. See that the sentry of the door keeps awake. Captain Humphrey, you are the officer of the day. Upon my word, I am sorry for you. Tell him he can light up if he likes, but if he sees an officer coming round, he must get rid of it. Mine the sentries are changed regularly, for I expect that we shall sleep so soundly that if all the bugles in the place were sounding an alarm, we should not hear them. All right, Colonel. I have got Sergeant Jackson in charge of the reliefs in the passage outside, and I think that I can depend upon him. But I will tell him to wake me up whenever he changes the sentries. I don't say I shall turn out myself, but as long as he calls me, I shall know that he is awake, and that it is all right. I had better tell him to call you half an hour before bugle calls, Sullivan, so you can wake the others to get the wine here. He mustn't be a minute after the half hour. Thank goodness we don't have to furnish the outpost tonight. In ten minutes, all were asleep on the floor, wrapped in their great coats. The officer of the day taking his place next to the door, so that he could be roused easily. Every hour, one or other of the two non-commissioned officers in charge of the guard in the passage opened the door a few inches and said softly, I am relieving the sentries, sir, and each time the officer murmured a scent. Sullivan was called at the appointed time and got up and stretched himself, grumbling, I don't believe that I have been asleep ten minutes. I'm going out into the passage, however, where a light was burning, his watch told him that it was indeed time to be moving. He woke the others, and with the men went down to the cellars. Here the scene of confusion was great. Drunken men lay thickly about the floor, others sat cup in hand, talking or singing snatch as a song, Spanish or English. Hastily picking out enough unbroken cats for the purpose, he set the men to carry them out to the street, and they were then rolled along to the factory. Just as they reached the door, the bugle call sounded. The men were soon on their feet, refreshed by a good night's sleep. The casks were broached, and the wine served out. It is awful, colonel, Sullivan said. There will be hundreds of men left behind. There must have been over that number in the cellar I went into, and there are a dozen others in the town. I never saw such a disgusting scene. Scaresily had they finished when the assemble sounded, and the regiment had once fell in outside the factory. Every man with knapsack and haversack bulging out with tobacco. They then joined the rest of the troops in the main street. General Moore had made a vain attempt to rouse the besoughtened men. A few of those least overcome joined the rear guard, but the greater number were too drunk to listen to orders, or even to the warning that the French would be into the town as soon as the troops marched out. End of Chapter 9, Recording by Charles Sapp