Lawrence's forlorn state of mind in Dorchester -- He meets with a
friend in need, who takes him to enlist -- Is discovered and
recovered by his parents, and ordered back sharp to his master --
His military spirit proves too strong for him on the way, and
carries him, through the agency of a friendly soldier, first to
Bridport, and then to Taunton -- Various further attempts at
enlisting, slightly influenced by the disinterestedness of his
friend, and ending in his joining the Fortieth Regiment --
Subsequent changes of quarters, and final orders for foreign
service.
Dorchester was only about eight miles from my parents' house, but I
had never really had one serious thought of going to them. I seemed to
myself to be completely friendless, and wandered through and through
the town, watching the preparations for the fair, which was to take
place the next day, not being able to make up my mind what to do or
where to go.
At length, more by instinct than aim, I wandered into the stable-yard
of one of the principal inns, where I was brought nearer to my senses
by hearing the ostler sing out sharply, "Hullo, my man, what is your
business?" I told him I was a friendless boy in search of some
employment by which I might get a livelihood, as I was very hungry and
had no money, or something to that effect; to which he replied that if
I would brush about a bit, and help him rub over the horses, he would
find me plenty to eat. I soon went to work, and finished the task he
gave me; and sure enough he fulfilled his share of the bargain by
bringing the requisite article in the shape of a lump of bread and
beef enough for two or three meals. After eating as much as I wanted,
as I felt very tired, I made up a bed for myself with some straw, and
putting the remainder of my meal into my handkerchief to serve as a
pillow, laid myself down, and the ostler having given me a rug to pull
over me, I slept soundly there the whole night.
In the morning, after I had done a little more in the stable, I walked
out with my new friend into the street, where seeing some soldiers, I
told him I should like to become one. He said he knew where he could
enlist me, and took me straight to the rendezvous, which was in a
public-house, where we met a sergeant of artillery, who gave him two
guineas for bringing me and myself five for coming, and when my
measurement had been taken, a proceeding which was accompanied with no
small amount of joking, I was put into an old soldier's coat, and with
three or four yards of ribbon hanging from my cap, paraded the town
with other recruits, entering and treating some one or other in almost
every public-house.
It almost seemed, however, as if my hopes were again to be blighted,
for in the very first house I entered, there sat a farmer from my home
who knew me very well, and exclaimed on seeing me, "Hullo, young
fellow, as you make your bed so you must lie on it." I entreated him
not to tell my father and mother where and how he had seen me, and
made my exit as quickly as possible; but later in the day I
encountered another man, my father's next-door neighbour, who also
recognized me immediately. I offered him the price of a gallon of ale
not to say anything, and he promised, taking the money, but as soon as
he got home he went to my father and acquainted him with what I was up
to.
How I was spending the rest of the night meanwhile can better be
conceived than described; but next morning, as I was going up to the
Town Hall with an officer to be sworn in, who should meet us but my
father and mother. On their telling the officer that I was an
apprentice, he gave me up to them without any further trouble, except
that he asked me what had become of my bounty money, and on finding
that I had only seventeen shillings and sixpence left out of my whole
five guineas, kindly took the care of even that off my hands. Then we
marched off home, and my father went to find out what was to be done
in the matter from a magistrate, who advised him to take me back to
Dorchester to be tried at the next sittings; which advice being acted
on, I was severely reprimanded by the bench, and given my choice of
serving my time or else going to prison. Of course I chose the former,
and they gave me a letter to take with me to my master. When I got
downstairs I met the officer who had enlisted me, who told me that if
my master was unwilling to take me back, he would enlist me again; and
finding on asking me if I had any money that he had taken all I
possessed, he gave me a shilling and wished me well.
My father sent me off at once with strict orders to get back to
Studland as quickly as I could, and that was all I received from him
either in the way of blessing or anything: so with a heavy heart I set
out on my retreat from Dorchester. I had not gone very far when I was
overtaken by a dairyman's cart, in which the owner gave me a lift,
asking me where I was bound for. I told him a little of my story, and
showed him the letter, that he might open it and see what was inside:
which, when he had done, he said I could go back quite safely, for my
master would not be able to hurt me. That put me into rather better
spirits, though I did not intend to go back all the same.
I rode along with the man as far as he went, and then continued on
foot to a village called Winfrith, where I went into a public-house,
and feeling hungry, ordered some bread and cheese. A soldier happened
to be in there, who was on furlough, bound for Bridport, and the very
sight of him again revived my old spirit and made me long to be like
him. I got into conversation with him, and said how much I wished to
be a soldier, to which he straightway answered that he could enlist me
for the Fortieth Regiment Foot, which gave sixteen guineas bounty. I
thought that was a great deal, and that if I got it I should not want
for money for some time, so I quickly accepted his proposal: I soon
found out, though, that I was very mistaken in my views about the
money lasting.
I was rather afraid of finding myself in Dorchester again, so tried to
persuade him to go round another way, but we at last slipped through
at night, and got to Winterborne, where we put up, going on next
morning in the coach to Bridport. I was again baffled for a time on
arriving there, for the coachman knew all about me, and remarked in a
way that was no doubt meant well, that it was but yesterday that my
father had got me out of the artillery. The soldier then asked me if I
was an apprentice, and I thought there seemed nothing to do but to
tell him I was: on which he promptly made me get down, and taking me
across some fields to his home, kept me there quietly for three days.
It seemed best after that to go on to Taunton in Somersetshire, where
we went to the barracks and saw the colonel, who on the soldier
telling him that he had brought me up as a recruit, asked me of what
trade I was. I replied that I was a labourer, which he said was all
right, for labourers made the best soldiers: but he could only give me
two and a half guineas bounty: at which point we parted from him, and
went to try the recruiting sergeant of the Marines, who promised us
sixteen guineas bounty when I arrived at the Plymouth headquarters.
This did not suit my conductor, however, as there was nothing for him
after paying my coach expenses, so he asked me what I intended to do,
and for his part advised me to go back to my master, saying he would
not mind the expenses he had gone to for me. But as I had by this time
destroyed the letter, I preferred going back to the Fortieth Regiment,
so we went and again saw the colonel, who gave my companion two
guineas, and sent me into barracks.
Next day I received my clothes, and in about a week more was sworn in
before a magistrate, receiving my bounty at the same time. Very
shortly afterwards orders came for the regiment to march to
Winchester, where we remained for about a month without anything of
any note occurring. I began to drill twice a day directly I joined,
and soon learnt the foot drill, after which I was put on to musketry
drill.
From Winchester we removed to Portsmouth, where we lay for a week, and
were then ordered to Bexhill barracks in Sussex, where our First
battalion was lying, and on our arrival a number of men were drafted
out of our battalion, which was the Second, into the First, to make it
a thousand strong, myself being one of the number. Then orders came
for us to proceed to Portsmouth to embark on foreign service, our
country being at the time at war with France and Spain.