98 



HORSE, FOOT, AND DRAGOONS. 



of the soldiers in the ring. Strong, heavily framed young 

 peasants most of them,' though here and there the more refined 

 features of some " Freiwilliger," or volunteer from the higher 

 classes of society, were distinguishable, in spite of the coarse 

 private's uniform. Now and again one or another among 

 the men stirred or muttered something in his sleep, while 

 two or three, who, like myself, were unable to again close 

 their eyes in slumber, sat or stood before the fire, smoking 

 and talking in undertones. 



^^^K\ ^|#rf;; l?il?9^f • 



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With the first rosy blushes of the dawn the men began to 

 rise, and before the sun was fairly over the horizon the place 

 was all astir with preparations for the early breakfast of rye- 

 bread and coffee. The rough camp toilet was quickly made 

 — in my own case by cold water poured over my head and 

 face from a bucket in the ready hands of a good-natured, grin- 

 ning soldier — and having hastily drunk our coffee, we were 

 soon on the march to rejoin the main body. 



