_Horatio's reception by the officers of the army; his behaviour in the
battle; his being taken prisoner by the French; his treatment among
them, and many other particulars._
The extreme graceful person of Horatio, his youth, handsome equipage,
and the letters sent by Dorilaus to several of the principal officers in
his favour, engaged him a reception answerable to his wishes: but none
was of greater service than the recommendation he had to colonel
Brindfield, who being in great favour with the duke of Marlborough, was
highly respected by the whole army. This gentleman made him dine
frequently with him, and testified the regard he had for Dorilaus, by
doing all the good offices he could to a youth whom he perceived by his
letter he had a great concern for. He not only introduced him to the
acquaintance of many officers of condition, but took an opportunity of
presenting him to the duke himself, giving at the same time his grace an
account that he was a gentleman whose inclinations to arms, and the
honour of serving under his grace, had made him renounce all other
advantages for the hope of doing something worthy of his favour. The
duke looked all the time he was speaking very attentively on the young
Horatio, and finding something in his air that corroborated the
colonel's description, was pleased to say, that he was charm'd with his
early thirst after same; and then turning toward him, you will soon,
pursued he, have an opportunity of seeing how the face of war looks,
near at hand:--I can tell you, that you must not always expect smiles.
No, my lord, replied he, without being at all daunted at the presence of
so great a man; but where we love all countenances are agreeable.
He arrived indeed opportunely to be a witness of the dangers of that
glorious campaign which brought such shame to the French, such honour to
the English, and such real advantages to the empire. Prince Eugene of
Savoy, and prince Lewis of Baden were come to the duke's quarters, which
were then at Mondesheim, to consult on proper operations; the result
was, that the duke and prince Lewis should join armies, and command each
day alternately, and that prince Eugene should head a separate army and
repair towards Philipsburg, to defend the passage of the Rhine, the
lines of Stolhoffen, and the country of Wirtenberg.
The two armies joined at Westerstretton, thence proceeded by easy
marches towards Donawert, between which and Scellenberg the enemy was
encamped. Fatigued as they were, the duke made them pass over a little
river and endeavour to force the intrenchments; which enterprize
succeeded, notwithstanding all the disadvantages the confederate armies
were in, and the others were obliged to retire with great precipitation,
many of whom were drowned in endeavouring to pass the Danube.
In this action was our young soldier unlisted, and had the glory to be
signalized by two remarkable accidents; one was, that pressing among the
foremost in this hazardous attempt, he had his hat taken off by a cannon
ball; and the other was, that seeing a standard about to be taken by the
enemy, the person who carried it happening to be kill'd, he ran among
those who were carrying it away, and being seconded by some others,
retrieved that badge of English honour; and as this was done in sight of
the duke, he rode up to him directly and presented it to him. Take it
for your pains, cried he, you have ventured hard, and well deserve the
prize. There was no time for thanks; the duke, who was almost every
where at once, was immediately gone where he found his presence
necessary, and Horatio returned to take the place of the dead cornet,
doubly animated by the encouragement he had received.
This victory opening a way into the elector of Bavaria's dominions, that
poor country was terribly ravaged, no less than 300 towns, villages and
castles being utterly consumed by a detachment of horse and dragoons the
duke sent for that purpose. Some old officers told Horatio that now
would be the time to make his fortune if he went with these squadrons,
there being many rich things which would fall to the share of the
plunderers; to which he answered, that he came to fight for the honour
of his country, and not to rob for its disgrace. This they laughed at,
and endeavoured to make him sensible, that the taking away an enemy's
treasure was to take away their strength; but all they could say was
ineffectual; he was not to be perswaded out of what he thought reason
and justice: and this conversation being afterward repeated to the duke,
he smil'd and said, he was yet too young to know the value of money.
After this, prince Lewis of Baden dividing from the duke, in order to
undertake the siege of Ingoldstadt, our young cornet attended his grace
to the relief of prince Eugene, who expected to be attacked by the
united army of Bavarians and French, then encamped near Hockstadt.
It would be needless to give any description of this famous battle, few
of my readers but must be acquainted with it, so I shall only say, that
among the number of those few prisoners the French had to boast of in
attonement for so great a defeat, was the young brave Horatio, who fell
to the lot of the baron de la Valiere, nephew to the marquis of Sille.
This nobleman being extremely taken with his person and behaviour,
treated him in the politest manner; and tho' he carried him with him
into France, assured him, that it was more for the pleasure of
entertaining him there than any other consideration. Horatio was not
much afflicted at this misfortune, because it gave him an opportunity of
seeing a country he had heard so much commended, and also to make
himself master of a language, which, tho' he understood, he spoke but
imperfectly.
The baron was not only one of the most gallant, but also one of the best
humoured men in the world; he spared nothing during the whole time they
tarried in his quarters, nor in their journey to Paris, which might
contribute to make his prisoner easy under his present circumstances;
and among other things, often said to him, if you and some others have
fallen under the common chance of war, you have yet the happiness of
knowing your army in general has been victorious, and that, there are
infinitely a greater number of ours who, against their will, must see
England, than, there are of yours conducted into France.
On their arrival, Horatio wrote an account to Dorilaus of all had
happened to him, not doubting but he would use his interest to have him
either mentioned when there should come an exchange of prisoners, or
that he would randsom him himself; but receiving no answer, he concluded
his letter, by some accident, had miscarried, and sent another, but that
meeting the same fate as the former, he wrote a third, accompanied with
one to his sister directed to the boarding-school, where he imagined she
still was: to this last, after some time, he had the following return
from the governess: