SECOND RIFLE BATTALION. 467 



into a battalion, and disciplined ready to 

 take the field in the short space of four 

 months, by Colonel Pigot. This meritorious 

 officer, after having had a horse shot under 

 him at Legaraarra, in the plains of Apur6, 

 through ill health, was obliged to resign 

 the command to Major Arthur Sandes, who 

 remained at its head during the arduous 

 campaign of 1819, — had his horse shot un- 

 der him, and was himself wounded in the 

 foot, while leading it to victory in the action 

 of Pantano de Bargas. At Santa Martha, 

 Carabobo, and Bombona, Lieutenant-colonel 

 Sandes's conduct was highly eulogized by 

 the Liberator ; in fact, his is what may be 

 called the crack regiment of the guard, and 

 its commander most justly one of the great- 

 est favourites of Bolivar. 



We now come to the second battalion of 

 rifles, composed entirely of British and Ger- 

 mans, raised in London, agreeably to a con- 

 tract with Captain Elsom, and originally in- 

 2 H 2 



