326 MILITARY MEMOIRS. 



were heard, and a second officer arrived at full speed with another report. 

 The General then stopped the execution, and turning round to the reserve, 

 said, ' Soldiers ! if you promise to behave well for the future, I will forgive 

 those men say yes, in an instant.' ' Yes !' was said by every one. ' Say 

 it again/ said the General. ' Yes, yes !' was again exclaimed by all. ' Say 

 it a third time/ ' Yes ! yes ! yes !' and a cheer followed. The men were 

 forgiven ; the square was reduced ; and the 52d regiment, under Colonel 

 Barclay, went through the village in double-quick time, and in the most 

 beautiful manner took possession'of the vineyards on the opposite side of 

 the river ; while the remainder of the reserve crossed the bridge under 

 cover of the 95th, and formed on the hill behind the 52d. By this time 

 the enemy were close upon us, and attacked the 95th in great force, the 

 cavalry joining in the onset. They were terribly galled by the rifles, as 

 they advanced through the village. The 95th then retired up the road to 

 the right and left, the French being at the same time exposed to a mur- 

 derous fire from the 52d, in the vineyards, which completely checked them. 

 The 52d then retired up the road, when the enemy were again most gal- 

 lantly repulsed." 



We pass over the disasters of the ill-judged expedition to Walche- 

 ren, in which Colonel Cadell and the 28th were much exposed, and 

 snatch a passage from the details of the second campaign in the Pe- 

 ninsula, which is replete with anecdote, and all but actually stirring 

 with military life. 



" We suffered much, both in officers and men. Our artillery, which was 

 admirably served, made dreadful carnage in the ranks of the enemy. 

 Marshal Victor, who commanded them, must have been rather disap- 

 pointed, for it was told by some of the prisoners that he put new clothing 

 on his army, in anticipation of a triumph, for he had made sure of beating 

 the English. One of the battalions which suffered most was Colonel 

 Browne's : their bravery cannot be too highly praised. When the enemy 

 came within range of his gallant corps of flankers, he made them the fol- 

 lowing laconic speech: ' There they are, you rascals, if you don't kill them, 

 they will kill you ; so fire away !' Colonel Browne escaped in a wonderful 

 manner ; he was mounted on a large Spanish horse, and rode between the 

 cross fire without any injury either to himself or his charger. Our poor 

 fellows rested a short time on the hill, after the termination of such a hard- 

 fought action : but what would Britons not do, when led by so gallant a 

 chief! After a most harassing night's march, they had beaten a force of 

 more than double their numbers, fresh from their snug quarters at Chi- 

 clana. Hearing that we were to march to the Isla de Leon in the evening, 

 I, accompanied by the late Lieutenant and Adjutant Bridgeland (then 

 serjeant-major), went to that part of the field where Colonel Browne's 

 flank battalion had so nobly fought, to look for the body of Lieut. Bennet. 

 After a short search we found it. The spectacle was truly horrible. A 

 musket-ball had entered his forehead, and had carried away the whole of 

 the back of the head : a portion of the brain was lying in his cap ; still he 

 breathed ! The serjeant-major said he would never leave him as long as 

 he had breath in his body ; and perceiving the army moving down to the 

 beach, on their way to the Isla, a force being left to cover the removal of 

 the wounded, he tied up the shattered head, and placing the body on his 

 shoulder, carried it four miles to the Bermuga Heights, where the army 

 halted. The surgeon coming up, examined the body, and said that it was 

 perfectly ridiculous to think of conveying it a yard further, for although 

 breath remained, all feeling was past. We therefore procured two great 

 coats, and in the most retired place we could find, placed one under and 



