14. While downward on the land his legions press, Before them it was rich with vine and flock, And smiled like Eden in her summer dress: Behind their wasteful march, a reeking wilderness, P. 374. I have ventured to apply to the movements of the French army that sublime passage in the prophecies of Joel, which seems applicable to them in more respects than that I have adopted in the text. One would think their ravages, their military appointments, the terror which they spread among invaded nations, their military discipline, their arts of political intrigue and deceit, were distinctly pointed out in the following verses of Scripture: feet, &c. of the cattle slaughtered for the soldiery; rice, vegetables, and bread, where it could be had, were purchased by the officers. Fifty or sixty starv ing peasants were daily fed at one of these regimental establishments, and carried home the relics to their famished households. The maciated 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, burned 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 3. "A fire devoureth before them, and behind the slightest disposition towards marauding meets them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden immediate punishment. Independently of all moof Eden before them, and behinde them a desolateral obligation, the army which is most orderly in wildernesse, yea, and nothing shall escape them. a friendly country, has always proved most formi4. "The appearance of them is as the appear-dable to an armed enemy. ance of horses and as horsemen, so shall they runne. 5. "Like the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble, as a strong people set in battle array. 2. A day of darknesse and of gloominesse, a day of clouds and of thick darknesse, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong, there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations. 6. Before their face shall the people be much pained: all faces shall gather blacknesse. 7. "They shall run like mighty men, they shall climbe the wall like men of warre, and they shall march every one in his wayes, and they shall not break their ranks. 16. Vainglorious fugitive-P. 374. The French conducted this memorable retreat with much of the fanfarronade proper to their country, by which they attempt to impose upon others, and perhaps upon themselves, a belief that they are triumphing in the very moment of their discomfiture. On the 30th March, 1811, their rearguard was overtaken near Pega by the British cavalry. Being well posted, and conceiving themselves safe from infantry, (who were indeed many miles in the rear,) and from artillery, they indulged themselves in parading their bands of mu"God save the king." sic, and actually performed Their minstrelsy was however deranged by the undesired accompaniment of the British horseartillery, on whose part in the concert they had not calculated. The surprise was sudden, and the rout complete; for the artillery and cavalry did 10. "The earth shall quake before them, the hea-execution upon them for about four miles, pursuvens shall tremble, the sunne and the moon shall ing at the gallop as often as they got beyond the be dark, and the starres shall withdraw their shin-range of the guns. 8. "Neither shall one trust another, they shall walk every one in his path: and when they fall upon the sword they shall not be wounded. 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. ing." 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 Massena; Divine Providence having, in all ages, attached disgrace as the natural punishment of cruelty and presumption. 15. The rudest sentinel, in Britain born, 17. Vainly thy squadrons hide Assuava's plain, With frantic charge and ten-fold odds, in vain!-P. 374. 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 the guns, which annoyed them in every attempt at formation, the enemy turned their wrath entirely towards them, distributed brandy among their troopers, and advanced to carry the field-pieces with the desperation of drunken Gave his poor crust to feed some wretch forlorn.-P. 374. fury. They were in no ways checked by the heavy Even the unexampled gallantry of the British loss which they sustained in this daring attempt, army in the campaign of 1810-11, although they but closed, and fairly mingled with the British never fought but to conquer, will do them less cavalry, to whom they bore the proportion of ten honour in history than their humanity, attentive to one. Captain Ramsey, (let me be permitted to to soften to the utmost of their power the horrors name a gallant countryman,) who commanded the which war, in its mildest aspect, must always in- two guns, dismissed them at the gallop, and, putflict upon the defenceless inhabitants of the coun- ting himself at the head of the mounted artillerytry in which it is waged, and which, on this oc- men, ordered them to fall upon the French, sabrecasion, were tenfold augmented by the barbarous in-hand. This very unexpected conversion of arcruelties of the French. Soup-kitchens were esta- tillerymen into dragoons contributed greatly to blished by subscription among the officers, wher- the defeat of the enemy, already disconcerted by ever the troops were quartered for any length of the reception they had met from the two British time. The commissaries contributed the heads, squadrons; and the appearance of some small rein forcements, notwithstanding the immense dispro- state of discipline. In exposing his military repuportion of force, put them to absolute rout. A co-tation to the censure of imprudence from the most lonel or major of their cavalry, and many prisoners, moderate, and all manner of unutterable calumnies (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 manœuvre, and the steadiness and confidence with which it was executed. 18. And what avails thee that, for Cameron slain, Wild from his plaided ranks the yell was given. P. 374. from the ignorant and malignant, he placed at stake The gallant colonel Cameron was wounded mortally during the desperate contest in the streets of the village 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 Whose war-cry oft has waked the battle-swell.-P. 375. body of French grenadiers ever seen, being a part This stanza alludes to the various achievements of Bonaparte's selected guard. The officer who led the French, a man remarkable for stature and of the warlike family of Græme, or Graham. They symmetry, was killed on the spot. The French-are said, by tradition, to have descended from the man who stepped out of his rank to take aim at Scottish chief, under whose command his countrycolonel Cameron, was also bayoneted, pierced with men stormed the wall built by the emperor Sevea thousand wounds, and almost torn to pieces by rus between the firths of Forth and Clyde, the the furious highlanders, who, under the command fragments of which are still popularly called of colonel Cadogan, bore the enemy out of the Græme's dyke. Sir John the Græme," the hardy, contested ground at the point of the bayonet. Mas-wight, and wise," is well known as the friend of sena pays my countrymen a singular compliment in his account of the attack and defence of this village, in which, he says, the British lost many officers, and Scotch. 19. O who shall grudge him Albuera's bays, Who brought a race regenerate to the field, sir William Wallace. Alderne, Kilsyth, and Tibbermuir, were scenes of the victories of the heroic marquis of Montrose. The pass of Killy-crankie is famous for the action between king William's forces and the highlanders in 1689, "Where glad Dundee in faint huzzas expired." 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. Nothing during the war of Portugal seems, to a distinct observer, more deserving of praise, than The allusions to the private history and characthe self-devotion of field-marshal Beresford, who was contented to undertake all the hazard of oblo-ter of general Graham may be illustrated by requy which might have been founded upon any mis-ferring to the eloquent and affecting speech of Mr. carriage in the highly important experiment of Sheridan, upon the vote of thanks to the victor of training the Portuguese troops to an improved | Barosa, The Field of Waterloo: A POEM. Though Valois braved young Edward's gentle hand, With Europe's chosen sons in arms renown'd, Yet not on Vere's bold archers long they look'd, Nor Audley's squires nor Mowbray's yeomen brook'd They saw their standard fall, and left their monarch bound.-AKENSIDE. TO HER GRACE THE DUCHESS OF WELLINGTON, PRINCESS OF WATERLOO, &c., &c., &c. THE FOLLOWING VERSES ARE MOST RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED, BY THE AUTHOR. THE FIELD OF WATERLOO. I. FAIR Brussels, thou art far behind, Pealed over orchard and canal, With voice prolonged and measured fall, With birch and darksome oak between, Spreads deep and far a pathless screen, Of tangled forest ground. Stems planted close by stems defy Th' adventurous foot-the curious eye For access seeks in vain! And the brown tapestry of leaves, Strewed on the blighted ground, receives Nor sun, nor air, nor rain. No opening glade dawns on our way, No streamlet, glancing to the ray, Our woodland path has crossed; And the straight causeway which we tread Unvarying through the unvaried shade, IL. A brighter, livelier scene succeeds; Plies the hooked staff and shortened sithe:1 But when these ears were green, Ill. Fear not the heat, though full and high In easier curves can flow. Brief space from thence, the ground again, Forms an opposing screen, The softened vale between Slopes smooth and fair for courser's tread; Nor fosse nor fence are found, Save where, from out her shattered bowers, Rise Hougoumont's dismantled towers. IV. Now, seest thou aught in this lone scene Marks of the peasant's ponderous wain, On these broad spots of trampled ground, As Teniers loved to draw; And where the earth seems scorched by flame, V. So deem'st thou--so each mortal deems, With bayonet, blade, and spear. Fell thick as ripened grain; VI. Ay, look again-that line so black Yon deep-graved ruts, the artillery's track, And close beside, the hardened mud From yonder trenched mound? VII. Far other harvest-home and feast, A summons of his own. Through rolling smoke the demon's eye Distinguish every tone That filled the chorus of the fray From cannon-roar and trumpet-bray, From charging squadrons' wild hurra, And the last sob of life's decay When breath was all but flown. Feast on, stern foe of mortal life, The deadly tug of war at length Ere he attained his height, And through the war-smoke volumed high, Though now he stoops to night. Still down the slope they drew, Of skill and force, was proved that day, Pale Brussels! then what thoughts were thine,2 Continued thunders came! Each burgher held his breath to hear What ghastly sights were thine to meet, Points to his prey in vain, X. "On! On!" was still his stern exclaim, Loud answered their acclaiming shout, On came the whirlwind-like the last Three hundred cannon-mouths roared loud, In one dark torrent, broad and strong, XII. But on the British heart were lost Then waked their fire at once! Then down went helm and lance, And to augment the fray, Wheeled full against their staggering flanks, Then to the musket-knell succeeds Then, WELLINGTON! thy piercing eye The British host had stood That morn 'gainst charge of sword and lance, O thou, whose inauspicious aim Or dost thou turn thine eye Or dwells not in thy memory still, What yet remains?-shall it be thine The Roman lore thy leisure loved, For empire enterprised- But if revolves thy fainter thought Though twice ten thousand men have died On this eventful day, To gild the military fame, Which thou, for life, in traffick tame Wilt barter thus away. Or is thy soul like mountain-tide, A torrent fierce and wide; Whose channel shows displayed By which these wrecks were made. Spur on thy way!-since now thine ear "Oh that he had but died!" But yet, to sum this hour of ill, Back on yon broken ranks— Down the dread current hurled-- XVI. Reddened and thawed with flame and blood, And now, o'er thy devoted head XVII. By Roman and by Grecian voice, Then safely come-in one so low, We yield thee means or scope. We leave thee no confederate band, From which we wrenched the sword. Yet, e'en in yon sequestered spot, Than yet thy life has known; A triumph all thine own. Such waits thee when thou shalt control That marred thy prosperous scene: Thou, too, whose deeds of fame renewed To thine own noble heart must owe XX. Look forth, once more, with softened heart |