Passages from a Military Journal. 273 



of artillery on their flank, halting for us to come up. They were 

 drawn up in open column, and carried their knapsacks. The artil- 

 lery-rnen were quietly seated on the gun-carriages and tumbrils, 

 and were patiently awaiting the approaching addition to their not 

 very formidable force. 



In a few minutes we had effected a junction, and our major can- 

 tered forward to receive the next commands of the officer entrusted 

 with the direction of the service. 



" Major, well met !" said he, " the convent is not more than a 

 league before us. We must now commence our dispositions for at- 

 tack. Do you advance with your three troops, and clear the ground 

 of advanced parties or stragglers, if you should meet any. The in- 

 fantry shall, meantime, advance in column, headed by the artillery. 

 When we get near the object of our attack, the artillery shall file off 

 to the right, and commence a fire on the building, while our bayo- 

 neteers push boldly forward and endeavour to carry the place by a 

 coup de main. When you have beat the ground before us, gather 

 your skirmishers together, and close in to our rear. For further 

 movements I will give further orders." 



Our commanding officer pranced back without an answer, and gave 

 the word, " Form into open order ! Forward ! March !" The clat- 

 ter of our hoofs was the immediate answer to the mandate. The 

 three gallant hussar troops whisked swiftly by the square of infantry, 

 and were, in a few minutes, a hundred yards in advance of the whole 

 body. 



We continued, at a rapid pace, to sweep on for some time.- At 

 length, taking the word from the officer in command, the leading 

 troop pranced off into skirmishing order, and, dispersing themselves 

 over the ground, galloped hither and thither, though still in a forward 

 direction. 



rou think, 

 man, in 



the'peasant's usual garb, by the side of Colonel when I joined 



him to ask further directions ?'* 



" I did not/' returned I. " I was in the rear of the first company 

 of infantry. Besides, my men stood so close before me that I could 

 only see those on horseback, and this man that you are speaking of, I 

 presume, was on foot." 



" He was,' 7 said B . " Poor fellow 1 he has lost his daughter. 



She has been carried off by a villain of a French officer, and is now 

 with the rascal in the convent we are going to attack. Four days 

 since, the village to which the old man belongs was entered by a re- 

 giment of French infantry ; they behaved in a most disgraceful man- 

 ner, plundered the inhabitants of all they thought worth carrying 

 away, and, among the rest, marched off with the old man's daughter, 

 an only child, not more than sixteen, and, as her father says, a mira- 

 cle of beauty. For that, however, we can only take his word. Do 

 you feel knight-errant enough to attempt the rescue of this damsel in 

 distress ? I confess I feel inclined myself to lend a helping hand. 

 The old man is inconsolable, as may naturally be expected. He left 

 his village, and betook himself to head-quarters, hearing that an at- 



MARCH, 1837. T 



Major B galloped up to my side. " What do yo 



II ?" said he. " Did you observe a decent-looking old 



