Before day-break on the 6th November, a Spanish piquet, posted in a
valley about a mile in front of Roncesvalles, was attacked by the
enemy, and almost all killed or wounded. Although surprised, the
Spaniards defended themselves with bravery, and rendered the success of
their opponents rather dearly purchased.
The surrender of Pampeluna having placed a farther effective force of
ten thousand men at the disposal of the Marquis of Wellington, and
changed the whole aspect of our affairs on the Pyrenees, no time was
lost in making the necessary preparations for a successful attack on
the enemy's fortified position, extending from St Jean Pied-de-Port
on the left, to St Jean-de-Luz on the right. Accordingly the second,
third, and fourth brigades of the second division, marched from
Roncesvalles on the 6th November for the valley of Bastan.
Our advanced posts having been withdrawn from the right of our
position, to the block-house half-way between it and Roncesvalles,
the enemy, anxious no doubt to discover what we were doing, pushed
forward a strong reconnoitring party on the afternoon of the 7th,
and attacked the block-house, in which there was a captain's piquet,
composed almost exclusively of men of the 92d regiment, and commanded
by a Captain Holmes of that corps. On the first alarm the first brigade
got under arms, and marched towards the scene of action. General Mina,
who had for some time suspected the retailers of vegetables, &c. from
the French side of the heights, of giving the enemy information of our
movements, flew into the little market-place, and with a whip made them
scamper off at a gallop, squeaking and screaming like as many pigs. On
performing what the Spanish chief thought an act of justice, he mounted
his charger, and made the best of his way towards the block-house.
Falling in with a few hundreds of his own troops returning from a
reconnoitring excursion, he caused them to wheel to the right about,
and follow him. These brave fellows, preceded by their leader, and
followed by us, ascended the mountain at a rapid pace. On drawing near,
the enemy's fire was withdrawn in a great measure from the block-house,
and directed upon the Spaniards, although at rather too great a
distance to do much execution, and before the latter got very close,
the French made off, hotly pursued by them.
About four o'clock, P.M. of the 8th, the first brigade marched in the
direction of Maya, and between twelve and one o'clock next morning,
arrived in the village of Los Alduides. The night being extremely
dark, the road narrow, and winding occasionally round the corners of
frightful precipices, our movements were not unattended with danger.
The mule of a brother officer, which was fastened to mine, slipt a
foot on rounding one of the sharp turns of the road, and falling over,
rolled to the bottom, and was killed on the spot.
At day-break on the 9th we resumed our arms, and rejoined the other
brigades in rear of Maya, about four o'clock in the afternoon. On
descending the high ridge which bounds the valley of Bastan on the
east, the whole space from Elizonda to the heights of Maya, seemed
covered with men, horses, cannon, and baggage. On such an occasion the
heart of the bachelor beats light, but--
Ten thousand thousand fleet ideas, such
As never mingled with the vulgar dream,
Crowd fast into the mind's creative eye
of their married brethren, who, far from an amiable wife and darling
children, feel those inward pangs which the former never feel, and
which, but for hope, sweet hope, would in many instances render them
any thing but efficient members of a battalion in the field of strife.
But
Hope springs eternal in the human breast,
Man never is, but always _to be_ blest.
On finishing our cooking operations, the men stretched their wearied
limbs on the cold ground till about nine o'clock in the evening, when
they prepared to resume their march. Being in orders for the brigade
baggage-guard, my name had scarcely appeared in the orderly books,
when my tent was filled to an overflow with officers, some depositing
gold, others secrets, and a third party the addresses of friends to
whom I was to make known their melancholy death, should they fall in
the conflict. The scene altogether was affecting. But previous to
leaving our bivouac, I prevailed upon my commanding-officer to relieve
me of this duty and appoint another more advanced in years, to whom I
delivered up all the secrets, gold, and addresses, and proceeded with
my company.
Leaving our resting-place a little after nine o'clock, we crossed
before mid-night the summit of that memorable ridge, where, far from
friends or home, many of our companions had reposed ever since the 25th
of July.
O valiant race,
Though overpowered--triumphant, and in death
Unconquered.
From the heights we moved down the top of a ridge which leads thence
towards the village of Urdax. The march, though short, was of the most
unpleasant description. The night being dark, the ground uneven, and
covered with long grass and heather, and the eyes of the whole being
more than half-closed in sleep, every moment some of us were tumbling
heels over head, to the imminent danger of our noses, but to the great
amusement of those few who kept themselves awake.
The rear of the first brigade was in the act of crossing the small
river Nivelle, when at half-past six o'clock, A.M. on the 10th, the
artillery of the left wing announced to us that the grand struggle had
commenced. A few hundred yards from the left bank of the river, we were
ushered into a field, where we found the other brigades of our division
preparing to take part in the business of the day. Being by this time
dreadfully jaded, our brigade was permitted to take a little repose
before being called into active employment.
The left of the enemy's position rested on a height in rear, and
considerably to the left of the village of Anhoe, and thence extended
along a range of connected little hills, which there runs across the
country in front of the towns of St Pe and St Jean-de-Luz to the
sea. On their extreme left the French had crowned the heights with
two strong redoubts, and occupied them with a considerable body of
infantry. A little lower down, on the same ridge, and immediately
behind the village of Anhoe, there were three redoubts, each mounting
several pieces of cannon of large calibre. Farther to their right, and
towards the left centre of their position, the enemy had every little
eminence decorated with a field work of some description or other; and
from the centre to the extreme right, the whole was very strong, Soult
expecting that our principal attack would be made in that direction.
The third, fourth, sixth, and light divisions were directed to move
against the centre, and right and left centre of the French lines. The
first and fifth were to amuse the enemy on the right, and the second
division, General Hamilton's division of Portuguese infantry, and
Morillo's Spanish corps, were directed to attack the redoubts in rear
of Anhoe.
The first operations of the armies were completely hid from our
view; but by degrees the tide of war began to roll towards us from
the centre, and by ten o'clock the battle had begun to rage with
considerable fury along almost every part of the enemy's line. In the
centre, our companions had warm work of it for some time; but having,
after a desperate struggle, obtained possession of one of the enemy's
principal redoubts, in which were nearly six hundred men, the others
deemed it more prudent to walk off, after doing all the mischief they
could, than yielding without or braving assault.
The grand object of the attack on the centre, the breaking the enemy's
chain of fortified posts, being obtained, the troops engaged at that
point were ordered to bring up their right and left shoulders;--the
sixth division, and General Hamilton's Portuguese their left;--and the
third, fourth, and light their right, and attack the inward flanks of
the enemy's right and left wings, and in conjunction with the troops on
their right and left, endeavour to make them relinquish their hold of
the other portions of the position.
Generals Stewart, Clinton, and Hamilton, severally led their divisions
to the attack of the enemy behind Anhoe in fine style. Nothing indeed
could possibly be more beautiful than the operations of all the three,
preceding, and pending the assault of the heights and redoubts.
The face of the ridge being in some places a good deal cut up, and
in others thickly studded with breast-works, our companions found
the ascent more difficult than some of them anticipated. But these
obstacles, instead of dispiriting the assailants, rather urged them
forward with a firmer and more determined pace, for
The love of praise, howe'er concealed by art,
Reigns, more or less, and glows in every heart:
It aids the dancer's heels--the writer's head,
And heaps the plain with mountains of the dead.
Having, therefore, after a long and a tough pull, fairly obtained
a footing on the higher part of the ridge, they proposed to carry
the forts by assault. This part of the operations was particularly
interesting, as in the execution of it our troops were to shew to the
world whether their military prowess was confined to field operations,
unobstructed by stone walls, or whether every description of military
work was to them the same. The conflict was severe, but not very long,
for the enemy, seeing that the British were determined to bear down all
opposition, retired from their strongholds one after another, and at
length making a virtue of necessity, finally left the heights, (their
own guns giving them a parting salute,) and retired towards Cambo, on
the Nive.
The allied forces which moved against the French right wing, were long
and sharply engaged in the neighbourhood of St Pe. They at length
succeeded, however, in forcing the enemy from the town to some heights
above it, from which they annoyed our men very much with a sharp
discharge of musketry till it was pretty late in the evening, when
The bugles sang truce for the night cloud had lowered,
And the sentinel stars set their watch in the sky,
And thousands had sunk on the ground overpowered,
The weary to sleep, and the wounded to die.
Pending these operations, a body of Spanish troops crossed the heights
of Maya, and attacked the advanced posts of the enemy's left wing with
spirit; but pushing their success farther than prudence warranted, they
were attacked in turn, and driven into the valley of Bastan, where
the French succeeded in capturing some of our light cavalry baggage.
How the enemy accomplished this, was a complete puzzle to many. It
was related at the time, and very generally credited, that if common
prudence or exertion had been used, not a particle of baggage would
have fallen into the hands of the French. On obtaining possession of
the person and personal baggage of a British pay-master, the enemy
pressed him hard for cash. Conceiving that a few guineas would satisfy
his unwelcome visitants, he handed them as many as would have made the
whole party more than half-seas-over. These they most kindly accepted,
and politely solicited a fresh supply. In hopes that a few more would
rid him of their presence, the pay-master consented to make a farther
sacrifice, but instead of satisfying, it only tended to sharpen the
appetite of the plunderers for the precious metal. A fresh supply
was necessary, and down came a hundred guineas. Surely the fellows
will now cry enough, thought the pay-master, but, no! another hundred
rung in his ears like the sound of a funeral bell. On tendering the
second hundred--I have no more, said the pay-master--we will prove
that replied the French. Tapping him on the shoulder, the latter said
in a jocular manner, "Come now, just another hundred if you please,"
and repeated the same thing on receiving every additional hundred,
till the pay-master had "dropped," not quite so many guineas as the
blind beggar of Bethlehem-Green did on the marriage of his daughter,
but considerably more than he could afford to lose, or any government
should under similar circumstances be called upon to pay.
In this battle, generally termed the battle of the Nivelle, our loss
was 3000 killed and wounded; that of the enemy was estimated at 4000
killed and wounded, and 1500 prisoners. Fifty-one pieces of cannon also
fell into our hands.
Soult having withdrawn his right wing from its position in front of St
Jean-de-Luz during the night of the 10th, and morning of the 11th, the
allied army moved forward on the latter, the left wing towards Bayonne,
the right upon Cambo on the Nive. About ten o'clock, A.M. on the 11th,
the second division quitted the heights from which they had driven the
enemy the preceding day, and after a trip of three or four miles halted
in a field, where, under a torrent of rain, it remained the whole day
without making any attempt to drive the French farther back, although
they were but a little way from us all the time. The French, however,
retired about sun-set; we advanced to an eminence covered with heath,
on the left of the principal road from Anhoe to Cambo, and about three
miles from the latter. Here we spent a most uncomfortable night, for
the brush-wood being so wet that it would not burn, we were deprived of
our usual allowance of warm water, either made into soup, or its more
refreshing relative, tea.
Sir Rowland Hill being ordered to dislodge the enemy from Cambo, the
division got under arms a little before mid-day on the 12th. The
second and third brigades moved first towards the river Nive, but on
arriving within a few hundred yards of it, they brought up their left
shoulders, and then advanced direct upon Cambo. The first brigade moved
obliquely to the right, till it gained the high road, and then pushed
along, drove back the enemy's piquets within a short distance of their
works, and turning to the right, ascended an eminence which overlooked
the town, and the whole of the enemy's defences within range of the
artillery. Here Sir Rowland reconnoitered the French, when finding them
better prepared for us than was expected, he contented himself with
driving back their light troops, and cannonading the garrison. In the
evening we retired about a mile, and encamped.
Two worthy pay-masters, anxious to see how the heads took leave of
the shoulders of their friends, but at such a distance as to preclude
every chance of a similar compliment being paid to themselves, very
knowingly rode round the rear base of the ridge on which we were
posted, conversing on every subject save dead and wounded pay-masters.
Moving along, therefore, in conscious security, and casting an eye
occasionally to the left to see if any friendly sconce was twirling
down the face of the hill, Mr A. had just withdrawn his optics from
that quarter, and remarked to Mr B. that they had a better berth of it
than their friends on the top of the hill, when a large cannon-ball
plunged into the earth, under his horse's belly,--on perceiving which,
Away went Gilpin--away went he.
We had not been long in our bivouack, before the rain began to pour
on us with its usual severity, and continued to pelt us unmercifully
throughout the whole of the night. Our baggage being still in rear, and
the wind being high, nothing could be more truly miserable than the
situation of the whole brigade at day-break on the 13th. By arranging
ourselves around a few blazing fires, however, we contrived at length
to have one side always pretty comfortable. Thus while one-half of our
persons was nearly roasted, the other was cold as a piece of ice.
On the arrival of our baggage in the afternoon, we were more
comfortable, but the rain ceased not night or day, from the evening of
the 12th, to the morning of the 16th, when the enemy retired across the
Nive, and destroyed two arches of the bridge to prevent us following
them. On taking possession of Cambo, a few hours afterwards, its whole
population consisted of a dragoon who had been left behind, an old man
and his wife, completely bed-ridden, and a pig, for the head of which I
paid a few days after no less than _four dollars_. The absence of the
inhabitants we did not regret, for having left all their bedding behind
them, it afforded us a treat such as we had seldom experienced during
the previous six months, having been only _thirteen nights_ under the
roof of a house, out of one hundred and eighty-one days the campaign
had continued.
Liberty is so highly prized by, and is so essentially necessary to
the well-being of every individual, that we cannot be surprised that
men should be tenacious of what they conceive to be their glory and
happiness, and in defence of, or to preserve it, sacrifice all, even
life itself. An example of the strength of this feeling, appears in the
following occurrence:--
About an hour after we took possession of Cambo, a private soldier
of the 66th British regiment, who was made prisoner by the enemy on
the 10th of November, escaped from his jailers, and from a village
immediately opposite to Cambo, made direct for the bridge, amid a sharp
fire from a long chain of sentries. Finding the bridge destroyed, he
seemed to hesitate whether he would return to his prison, or commit
himself to the raging waters. A great part of our brigade having by
this time lined the bank of the river, provided with ropes, canteen
straps, &c. to assist him, cheered on seeing him stop, which no doubt
encouraged him to attempt a passage from the right to the left bank
of the Nive. In an instant he plunged into the river, which being
dreadfully swollen, carried him down at a fearful rate; for a few
seconds, appearances were in favour of his gaining the left bank in
safety, but after being more than two-third parts of the way across,
he sunk, then rose, but sunk again. A second time he appeared on the
surface of the foaming deep, but in two or three seconds he again
disappeared, and never rose again.
The French having destroyed all the bridges on the Nive, and the river
being so far above its usual level, as to render a passage by the fords
impracticable, the two armies remained cantoned on the Nive and the
Adour, from the 16th November to the 8th of December, without either
party attempting to resume the offensive. During all this time we
were really on a friendly footing with our opponents. The latter came
down to the right bank of the Nive, and conversed with us freely on
every subject save politics. They were particularly anxious, however,
to obtain information regarding the campaign in Germany, for they
candidly admitted that the retreat of Bonaparte towards France, but ill
corresponded with the bulletins he had caused to be published at Paris.
To enlighten them in the matter, we sent them some London newspapers,
for which we received a few Moniteurs in return. This we continued to
do on the arrival of every succeeding packet from England, until our
intercourse was again interrupted by active operations.
War, even when conducted according to the law of civilized nations, is
attended with so many evils, that every man possessed of one spark of
humanity, will forbear to add to them; and when measures of severity
are absolutely necessary to accomplish those things which his duty may
require him to perform, they will still be tempered with moderation
and humanity, and instantly cease when the object he has in view is
obtained. The lustre of military achievements is tarnished by nothing
so much as by cruelty, which affords pleasure only to men of the most
depraved habits. Acts such as that which I am about to relate, whether
to gratify a mean grovelling revenge, or to suit political convenience,
cannot fail to expose the perpetrators to the indignation of every
person in whose breast there is to be found one particle of justice or
humanity.
An officer of the 92nd regiment being on piquet at the bridge one
evening, hailed the French sentry posted at the opposite side of the
chasm made by the enemy when they retired from Cambo, and as he spoke
the French language fluently, desired him to say to the officer on
piquet, that he wished to have a little chit-chat with him. The latter
instantly appeared, but instead of agreeing to the proposal of his
opponent, he threatened him with the vengeance of all the men under
his command if he did not immediately retire. In vain did Lieutenant
H----bs explain the object he had in view. Bellowing and stamping like
a madman, the French officer would listen to no explanation--would
hear of no apology--the opportunity or lessening the number of his
enemy's being too favourable to allow to pass unimproved. Finding that
the wrath of the hot-headed mortal would only be appeased by blood,
Lieutenant H----bs considered it more prudent to retire than brave the
other alternative offered him. He accordingly walked away towards the
piquet-house at the end of the bridge, on entering which, a ball struck
the door a few inches from his head, fired from a French musket, by
order of this disgrace to the military habit.
A few days afterwards I was detached one morning before day-break
up the left bank of the Nive, to watch the motions of our
not-to-be-trusted _friends_. Placing myself behind a very large tree,
immediately opposite to a village where the enemy had a considerable
body of infantry, I fancied myself completely out of their view.
Obtaining a glimpse of me, however, before they had dismissed their
troops from the alarm-post, the officer commanding the out-lying piquet
advanced towards the river, and lifting his cap, pointed to Cambo.
Paying no attention to the hint, it was instantly repeated. Having
again disregarded it, he, instead of repeating the friendly signal,
called down two files of his piquet, and detached as many to his right
and left. These ominous preparations, particularly as my mission had
ended, induced me to remove from my hiding-place, and wend my way to
Cambo. With my friend's bridge adventure fresh in my recollection,
and not knowing but I might be treated in a similar manner, I quitted
my retreat cautiously, which my opponent observing, he, to remove all
suspicion from my mind, again stepped forward, and after saluting me
two or three times in the most gentlemanly manner, rejoined his piquet,
evidently pleased with the issue of the affair. The conduct of this
officer forms a delightful contrast with that of his brother sub. at
the bridge of Cambo, who, of all the French officers then immediately
opposed to us, was perhaps the only one who could have been guilty of
such a cruel, and truly ungentlemanly act.
Being of opinion that the death of every officer killed with the first
battalion, whose proper place at the time was the second battalion at
home, would afford his countrymen good grounds for charging him with
the crime of MURDER, Colonel Cameron laid it down as an invaluable
rule, to apply for leave to send home the officers belonging to the
second battalion, on their being relieved by the effective members from
home. Accordingly, on the arrival of a detachment at Cambo, on the 27th
November, the Colonel applied, and obtained permission for myself and
three other officers to proceed to England.
The latter having arranged with the pay-master early in the forenoon,
took leave of Cambo at three o'clock on the 8th of December. But eight
o'clock having tolled before that indispensable personage and myself
had adjusted our matters, and as an order had been issued some hours
before, for a general attack upon the enemy's position along the whole
line of the Nive, I waited upon the commanding-officer, and requested
permission to accompany him across the river on the following morning.
To this application he quickly and sternly replied, "No, Sir, you have
done enough;" and as if this refusal was not sufficient, he sent the
Adjutant to me a few minutes afterwards to intimate, that if I did
not leave Cambo immediately, I would incur his displeasure,--and if I
attempted to join the regiment in the morning, he would place me under
arrest. Although perfectly aware that the Colonel's conduct proceeded
from a friendly intention, I was nevertheless dreadfully disappointed,
for on such an occasion I thought he might have indulged me.
The night being dark, and my knowledge of the road being slender, I
ventured for the first time in my life to disobey the orders of my
commanding-officer, and join a party of my friends who had assembled
to dedicate a cup to him who was on the eve of bidding some of them an
eternal farewell. After spending two or three happy hours, we threw
ourselves upon our mattresses, to catch a little repose before we
should be called upon--my brethren to proceed in search of new dangers
and victories, and I in search of home and friends. When I gazed on
the gay and joyous countenances of the group, as each individual rose
to retire from the festive scene, and reflected on what an important
change they severally might undergo before the close of another day,
my feelings had nearly overpowered me. To describe them on that
occasion words are inadequate. Suffice it to say that they were the
feelings of a man taking leave of companions whose friendship he
possessed,--friendship contracted in the haunts of peace, and cemented
in the field of strife. Not that kind of friendship which grows out of
interested motives or designs, but that which makes one man take as
much interest in the fate and fortunes of another, as if they were his
own.
Having performed the painful task of taking leave of my friends, I
bade adieu to Cambo about four o'clock in the morning of the 9th
of December, and proceeded towards Espalete. I had not proceeded
far, however, before I fell in with a column of Portuguese infantry
hastening to the place of rendezvous. Ashamed to meet them under such
circumstances, I quitted the road, but had scarcely done so, when I
popped into a ditch filled with water and clay. In a most uncomfortable
state I jogged along till I reached Espalete; where meeting with an
old acquaintance in the person of a commissary, I walked with him to
his lodgings, and there spent a couple of hours, cracking the shells
of a dozen of my friend's eggs, and exchanging the mid-night dress for
one more comfortable and less offensive to the eye. On arriving at
St Pe, we procured a little refreshment in a house which still bore
numerous marks of the conflict of the 10th of November, some of the
musket-balls being still in the wood of the partitions and windows.
The worthy occupants having a son a prisoner of war in Scotland, they
begged our acceptance of a few apples to carry with us to the Land of
Cakes.
Arriving in St Jean-de-Luz about sun-set, we procured a billet upon a
fifth-rate tavern. The entertainment was bad, and prices exorbitant.
Next morning we quitted St Jean, and proceeded towards Passages, the
place of embarkation. On a height on the right bank of the Bidassoa
we remained half-an-hour, indulging ourselves with a distant view of
the conflict between Sir John Hope's corps and the enemy near Bayonne.
Crossing the river soon after, we passed through Irun, and halted for
the night at Renteria. On the 11th we arrived in Passages, and next
day embarked in the Britannia transport for England. Previous to going
on board, we had the pleasure of seeing Colonel Kruse, at the head of
the regiments of Frankfort and Nassau, march into Passages to embark.
These two corps quitted the standards of the enemy during the action of
the 10th near Bayonne. They were very fine looking fellows, and seemed
quite delighted with the prospect of returning to their native country.
Early in the morning of the 17th December, our transport, and
ten others, under convoy of a gun-brig, sailed from Passages. On
clearing the harbour, we cast a wistful eye towards the spot whence
we had come, and could not resist repeating, Farewell ye tented
fields!--farewell ye plains and towering heights, stained with the
blood of the best and dearest of our friends! For our native land
we now leave thy shores, where in the bosom of our families we
hope to spend a few days in peace and domestic felicity. Gallant
companions,--of your heroic deeds we will read with delight, and in the
fond expectation of again joining you at an early period to share in
your dangers and your glory, we bid you all farewell!
At this time the sky was clear--not a cloud in the horizon, and scarce
a ripple on the water. So beautiful indeed, and cheering were the rays
of the Sun, that the mighty Leviathans themselves skipped and gamboled
for joy. Two of these tremendous marine animals actually remained
alongside of us for more than an hour. At sun-set the weather was
equally promising, but soon after, the clouds,
Dispersed and wild, 'twixt earth and sky
Hung like a shattered canopy!
While
---- unheeded from the Bay
The vessel ploughed her mournful way.
At seven, P.M. the wind became foul, and blew fresh. An hour
after,--the lightning flashed, and the thunder rolled,--at first like
the long-roll of the muffled drum, but latterly like the salvo's of a
numerous artillery. At three o'clock, A.M. on the 18th, the thunder
ceased,--but from that hour down to four o'clock in the afternoon of
the 20th, when we returned into port, the wind blew a perfect hurricane.
We again put to sea on the 27th of December, and after a very pleasant
passage, landed at Plymouth on the 4th of January 1814. On the 6th
we proceeded towards London, where we arrived on the evening of the
8th, after a tedious ride. On arriving in London, we quitted the
stage-coach in the Haymarket, placed all our trunks in a street coach,
under charge of Captain M'R---- of the 79th regiment, and walked to the
Old Slaughter's Coffee-house, St Martin's Lane,--for many years the
head-quarters of the officers of our regiment, when duty or curiosity
led any of us to visit the metropolis. On the gallant Captain's
arrival, a trunk of mine was found to be absent without leave, in which
were deposited upwards of twenty letters from officers, and two orders
for money, besides a number of valuable articles of wearing apparel.
On perceiving my loss, I wished to advertise it as stolen, but Mr
Reid of the Old Slaughter's strongly opposed this, and it was finally
advertised as lost. The result showed the soundness of Mr Reid's
advice, for by ten o'clock on the morning the advertisement appeared
in the Times, the portmanteau was at the bar _unopened_. In London,
gangs of depredators are constantly prowling the streets in search
of plunder; and when they obtain it in the way they got hold of my
baggage, they generally keep it past them for some time unopened, when,
if advertised as lost, and a reward offered, as in my case, the thief
then returns the property like an _honest_ man, and receives the reward
of his DISHONESTY.
At the end of a week I took leave of the metropolis, and after spending
a few days with my friends on the way, I rejoined the second battalion
of the regiment in Glasgow, in the end of January.