day, our friends, the tars, made their appearance; and all was bustle, preparing for embarkation. The whole artillery was embarked, save seven sixpounders and one howitzer, which were placed in line, and four Spanish guns, which were kept as a reserve. Our position was such, that we could not use many guns. The sick and dismounted cavalry were sent on board with all expedition. I supported my friend Donald, who was now very weak, and almost blind.

On my return to the camp, I witnessed a most moving scene. The beach was covered with dead horses, and resounded with the reports of the pistols that were carrying this havoc amongst them. The animals, as if warned by the dead bodies of their fellows, appeared frantic, neighed and screamed in the most frightful manner. Many broke loose, and galloped alongst the beach, with their manes erect, and their mouths wide open.

Our preparations continued until the 16th, when every thing was completed, and we were to begin our embarkation at four o'clock. About mid-day we were all under arms, when intelligence arrived that the French were advancing. We soon perceived them pouring down upon our right wing; our advanced picquets had commenced firing. The right had a bad position; yet, if we lost it, our ruin was inevitable. Lord William Bentinck's brigade, composed of the 4th, 42d, and 50th, had the honour of sustaining it, against every effort of the French, although the latter had every advantage in numbers and artillery. They commenced a heavy fire, from eleven great guns placed in a most favourable manner on the hill. Two strong columns advanced, on the right wing; the one

along the road, the other skirting its edges: a third advanced, on the centre; a fourth approached slowly, on the left; while a fifth remained half way down the hill, in the same direction, to take advantage of the first favourable moment. It was

at this time that Sir David Baird had his arm shattered. The space between the two lines was much intercepted by stone walls and hedges. It was perceived by Sir John Moore, as the two lines closed, that the French extended a considerable way beyond the right flank of the British; and a strong body of them were seen advancing up the valley, to turn it. One half of the fourth was ordered to fall back, and form an obtuse angle with the other half. This was done as correctly as could be wished, and a severe flanking fire commenced upon the advancing French. The 50th, after climbing over an enclosure, got right in front of the French, charged, and drove them out of the village Elvina. In this charge they lost Major Napier, who was wounded and made prisoner. Major Stanhope was mortally wounded. Sir John was at the head of every charge. Every thing was done under his own eye. "Remember Egypt!" said he; and the 42d drove all before them, as the gallant 50th had done. The Guards were ordered to their support. Their ammunition being all spent, through some mistake, they were falling back: "Ammunition is coming, you have your bayonets," said Sir John. This was enough; onwards they rushed, overturning every thing. The enemy kept up their hottest fire upon the spot where they were. It was at this moment Sir John received his death-wound. He was borne VOL. I.

F

off the field by six soldiers of the 42d, and the Guards. We now advanced to the support of the right, led by Lord Paget. Colonel Beckwith, with the Rifle corps, pushed all before him, and nearly took one of their cannon; but a very superior column forced him to retire. Lord Paget, however, repulsed this column, and dispersed every thing before him; when, the left wing of the French being quite exposed, they withdrew and attacked our centre, under Mannington and Leith; but this position being good, they were easily repulsed. They likewise failed in every attempt on our left. A body of them had got possession of a village on the road to Betanzos, and continued to fire, under cover of it, till dislodged by Lieutenant-Colonel Nicholls. Shortly after this, night put a period to the battle of Corunna.

At ten o'clock, General Hope ordered the army to march off the field by brigades, leaving strong picquets to guard the embarkation. I remained in the rear-guard, commanded by Major-General Beresford, occupying the lines in front of Corunna. We had made great fires, and a few of the freshest of our men were left to keep them up, and run round them, to deceive the enemy.

At dawn there was little to embark, save the rear-guard and the reserve, commanded by MajorGeneral Hill, who had occupied a promontory behind Corunna. We were scarcely arrived on the beach, ere the French began to fire upon the transports in the harbour, from the heights of St Lucia. Then all became a scene of confusion. Several of the masters of the transports cut their cables. Four of the transports ran ashore. Not having time to get them off, we were forced to

burn them. The ships of war soon silenced the French guns, and we saw no more of them. There was no regularity in our taking the boats. The transport that I got to, had part of seven regiments on board.

The Spaniards are a courageous people: the women waved their handkerchiefs to us from the rocks, whilst the men manned the batteries against the French, to cover our embarkation. Unmindful of themselves, they braved a superior enemy, to assist a friend who was unable to afford them further relief, whom they had no prospect of ever seeing again.

Secure within the wooden walls, bad as our condition was, I felt comparatively happy in being so fortunate as to be on board the same vessel with Donald. In relieving his wants, I felt less my own, and was less teased by the wit and ribaldry of my fellow-sufferers; who, now that they were regularly served with provisions, and exempt from the fatigues of marching and the miseries of cold, were as happy, in their rags and full bellies, as any men in England.

For two days after we came on board, I felt the most severe pains through my whole body: the change was so great, from the extreme cold of the winter nights, which we had passed almost without covering, to the suffocating heat of a crowded transport. This was not the most disagreeable part vermin began to abound. We had not been without them in our march: but now we had dozens for one we had then. In vain we killed them; they appeared to increase from the ragged and dirty clothes, of which we had no means of freeing ourselves. Complaint was vain. Many

were worse than myself: I had escaped without a wound; and, thank God! though I had not a shirt upon my back, I had my health, after the two first days, as well as ever I had it.

On the morning of the tenth day after our embarkation, I was condoling with Donald, who was now quite blind. "I will never be a soldier again, O Thomas! I will be nothing but Donald the blind man. Had I been killed,-if you had left me to die in Spain,-it would have been far better to have lain still in a wreath of snow, than be, all my life, a blind beggar, a burden on my friends. Oh! if it would please God to take my life from me!" “Land a-head! Old England once again! was called from mouth to mouth. Donald burst into tears: "I shall never see Scotland again; it is me that is the poor dark man! A hundred ideas rushed upon my mind, and overDonald clasped me to his breast ;

came me.

our tears flowed uninterrupted.

We anchored that same day at Plymouth, but were not allowed to land: Our Colonel kept us on board until we got new clothing. Upon our landing, the people came round us, showing all manner of kindness, carrying the lame and leading the blind. We were received into every house as if we had been their own relations. How proud did I feel to belong to such a people.

We were marched to Ashford barracks, in the county of Kent, where we remained from the month of February, 1809, until we were marched to Gosport camp, where the army was forming for a secret expedition. During the five weeks we lay in camp, Donald joined us in good health and spirits. All the time I lay at Ashford, I had let