9. " They shall run to and fro in the citie: they shall run upon the wall, they shall climbe up upon the houses: they shall enter in at the windows like a thief. 10. « The earth shall quake before them, the heavens shall tremble, the sunne and the moon shall be dark, and the starres shall withdraw their shining.»> In verse 20th also, which announces the retreat of the northern army, described in such dreadful colours, into a «land barren and desolate,» and the dishonour with which God afflicted them for having magnified themselves to do great things,» there are particulars not inapplicable to the retreat of Masséna; Divine Providence having, in all ages, attached disgrace as the natural punishment of cruelty and presumption. Note 15. Conclusion. Stanza vii. The rudest sentinel, in Britain born, . dulged themselves in parading their bands of music, Note 17. Conclusion. Stanza x. With frantic charge and tenfold odds, in vain! In the severe action of Fuentes d'Honoro, upon 5th May, 1811, the grand mass of the French cavalry attacked the right of the British position, covered by two guns of the horse-artillery, and two squadrons of cavalry. After suffering considerably from the fire of Gave his poor crust to feed some wretch forlorn. the guns, which annoyed them in every attempt at Even the unexampled gallantry of the British army formation, the enemy turned their wrath entirely toin the campaign of 1810-11, although they never wards them, distributed brandy among their troopers, fought but to conquer, will do them less honour in his- and advanced to carry the field-pieces with the despetory than their humanity, attentive to soften to the ut-ration of drunken fury. They were in no ways checked most of their power the horrors which war, in its mildest aspect, must always inflict upon the defenceless inhabitants of the country in which it is waged, and which, on this occasion, were tenfold augmented by the barbarous cruelties of the French. Soupkitchens were established by subscription among the officers, wherever the troops were quartered for any length of time. The commissaries contributed the heads, feet, etc. of the cattle slaughtered for the soldiery; rice, vegetables, and bread, where it could be had, were purchased by the officers. Fifty or sixty starving peasants were daily fed at one of these regimental establishments, and carried home the relics to their famished households. The emaciated wretches, who could not crawl from weakness, were speedily employed in pruning their vines. While pursuing Masséna, the soldiers evinced the same spirit of humanity; and, in many instances, when reduced themselves to short allowance, from having out-marched their supplies, they shared their pittance with the starving inhabitants who had ventured back to view the ruins of their habitations, burnt by the retreating enemy, and to bury the bodies of their relations whom they had butchered.Is it possible to know such facts without feeling a sort of confidence, that those who so well deserve victory are most likely to attain it?-It is not the least of Lord Wellington's military merits, that the slightest disposition towards marauding meets immediate punishment. Independently of all moral obligation, the army which is most orderly in a friendly country, has always proved most formidable to an armed enemy. Note 16. Conclusion. Stanza viii. Vain-glorious fugitive!" by the heavy loss which they sustained in this daring attempt, but closed, and fairly mingled with the British cavalry, to whom they bore the proportion of ten to one. Captain Ramsay (let me be permitted to name a gallant countryman), who commanded the two guns, dismissed them at the gallop, and, putting himself at the head of the mounted artillerymen, ordered them to fall upon the French, sabre in hand. This very unexpected conversion of artillerymen into dragoons contributed greatly to the defeat of the enemy, already disconcerted by the reception they had met from the two British squadrons; and the appearance of some small reinforcements, notwithstanding the immense disproportion of force, put them to absolute rout. A colonel or major of their cavalry, and many prisoners (almost all intoxicated), remained in our possession. Those who consider for a moment the difference of the services, and how much an artilleryman is necessarily and naturally led to identify his own safety and utility with abiding by the tremendous implement of war, to the exercise of which he is chiefly, if not exclusively, trained, will know how to estimate the presence of mind which commanded so bold a manoeuvre, and the steadiness and confidence with which it was executed. Note 18. Conclusion. Stanza x. And what avails thee that, for CAMERON slain, Wild from his plaided ranks the yell was given. during the desperate contest in the streets of the village The gallant Colonel Cameron was wounded mortally called Fuentes d'Honoro. He fell at the head of his native Highlanders, the 71st and 79th, who raised a dreadful shriek of grief and rage. They charged, with irresistible fury, the finest body of French grenaThe French conducted this memorable retreat with diers ever seen, being a part of Buonaparte's selected much of the fanfarronade proper to their country, by guard. The officer who led the French, a man remarkwhich they attempt to impose upon others, and per- able for stature and symmetry, was killed on the spot. haps on themselves, a belief that they are triumphing The Frenchman who stepped out of his rank to take in the very moment of their discomfiture. On the 30th aim at Colonel Cameron, was also bayoneted, pierced March, 1811, their rear-guard was overtaken near Pega with a thousand wounds, and almost torn to pieces by by the British cavalry. Being well posted, and conceiv- the furious Highlanders, who, under the command of ing themselves safe from infantry (who were indeed Colonel Cadogan, bore the enemy out of the contested many miles in the rear), and from artillery, they in-ground at the point of the bayonet. Masséna pays my countrymen a singular compliment in his account of able manner in which these opinions have been retractthe attack and defence of this village, in which he says, the British lost many officers, and Scotch. Note 19. Conclusion. Stanza xiv. O who shall grudge him Albuera's bays, Who brought a race regenerate to the field, Temper'd their headlong rage, their courage steel'd. ed. The success of this plan, with all its important consequences, we owe to the indefatigable exertions of Field-Marshal Beresford. Note 20. Conclusion. Stanza xvii. a race renown'd of old, Whose war-cry oft bas waked the battle-swell. the warlike family of Græme, or Graham. They are Nothing during the war of Portugal seems, to a distinct observer, more deserving of praise, than the self-said, by tradition, to have descended from the Scottish devotion of Field-Marshal Beresford, who was contented to undertake all the hazard of obloquy which might have been founded upon any miscarriage in the highly important experiment of training the Portuguese troops to an improved state of discipline. In exposing his military reputation to the censure of imprudence from the most moderate, and all manner of unutterable ca chief, under whose command his countrymen stormed the wall built by the Emperor Severus between the friths of Forth and Clyde, the fragments of which are still popularly called Græme's Dyke. Sir John the Græme, « the hardy, wight, and wise,» is well known as the friend of Sir William Wallace. Alderne, Kilsyth, and Tibbermuir, were scenes of the victories of the heroic Marquis of Montrose. The pass of Killycrankie is famous for the action between King William's forces and the Highlanders in 1689, Where glad Dundee in faint huzzas expired. lumnies from the ignorant and malignant, he placed at stake the dearest pledge which a military man had to offer, and nothing but the deepest conviction of the high and essential importance attached to success can be supposed an adequate motive. How great the chance of miscarriage was supposed, may be estimated from the general opinion of officers of unquestioned talents and experience, possessed of every opportunity of information; how completely the experiment has succeeded, and how much the spirit and patriotism of our The allusions to the private history and character of ancient allies had been under-rated, is evident, not only General Graham may be illustrated by referring to the from those victories in which they have borne a distin- eloquent and affecting speech of Mr Sheridan, upon the guished share, but from the liberal and highly honour-vote of thanks to the victor of Barrossa. It is seldom that one line can number so many heroes, and yet more rare when it can appeal to the glory of a living descendant in support of its ancient renown. A brighter, livelier scene succeeds; The peasant, at his labour blithe, Plies the hook'd staff and shorten'd scythe :-(1) Their ripening to have seen! Their architecture view; . III. Fear not the heat, though full and high And sinks so gently on the dale, In easier curves can flow. Brief space from thence, the ground again, Forms an opposing screen, The soften'd vale between Slopes smooth and fair for courser's tread; Nor fosse nor fence are found, Save where, from out her shatter'd bowers, Rise Hougoumont's dismantled towers. IV. Now, seest thou aught in this lone scene << The bare extent of stubble-plain And where the earth seems scorch'd by flame, V. So deem'st thou-so each mortal deems, Of that which is from that which seems: But other harvest here Than that which peasant's scythe demands, Was gather'd in by sterner hands, With bayonet, blade, and spear. Fell thick as ripen'd grain; VI. Ay, look again-that line so black And close beside, the harden'd mud From yonder trenched mound? Vain hope!-that morn's o'erclouded sun Heard the wild shout of fight begun Ere he attain'd his height, And through the war-smoke volumed high Still peals that unremitted cry, Though now he stoops to night. For ten long hours of doubt and dread, Still down the slope they drew, Nor ceased the storm of shell and shot; Of skill and force, was proved that day, IX. Pale Brussels! then what thoughts were thine, (2) When ceaseless from the distant line Continued thunders came! Each burgher held his breath to hear Of rapine and of flame. What ghastly sights were thine to meet, Points to his prey in vain, X. « On! On!» was still his stern exclaim, My Guard-my chosen-charge for France, Loud answer'd their acclaiming shout, In action prompt, in sentence brief— « Soldiers, stand firm !» exclaim'd the chief, England shall tell the fight!» (5) XI. On came the whirlwind-like the last On came the whirlwind-steal-gleams broke Three hundred cannon-mouths roar'd loud, The cohorts' eagles flew. In one dark torrent broad and strong, XII. But on the British heart were lost Till from their line scarce spears' length three, As when they practise to display Then down went helm and lance, Wheel'd full against their staggering flanks, Then to the musket-knell succeeds XIII. Then, WELLINGTON! thy piercing eye This crisis caught of destiny. The British host had stood That morn 'gainst charge of sword and lance, As their own ocean-rocks hold stance, But when thy voice had said « Advance !» O thou, whose inauspicious aim Or will thy chosen brook to feel Think not that in you columns file Thy conquering troops from distant Dyle- Or dwells not in thy memory still In Prussia's trumpet tone? What yet remains?-shall it be thine In one dread effort more? The Roman lore thy leisure loved, And thou canst tell what fortune proved That chieftain, who, of yore, Ambition's dizzy paths essay'd, And with the gladiators' aid For empire enterprised-- He stood the cast his rashness play'd, XIV. But if revolves thy fainter thought Then turn thy fearful rein and ride, Though twice ten thousand men have died On this eventful day, To gild the military fame, Which thou, for life, in traffic tame Shall future ages tell this tale Of inconsistence faint and frail? That, swell'd by winter storm and shower, A torrent fierce and wide; By which these wrecks were made! XV. Spur on thy way?-since now thine ear But yet, to sum this hour of ill, And, to the ruin'd peasant's eye, Down the dread current burl'd- XVI. Redden'd and thaw'd with flame and blood, And, pressing on thy desperate way, The children of the Don. Of aid, the valiant Polack left- Have felt the final stroke; Since live thou wilt-refuse not now By Roman and by Grecian voice, Then safely come-in one so low,- That << yet imperial hope ;» We yield thee means or scope. We leave thee no confederate band, To be a dagger in the hand From which we wrench'd the sword. |