the army being always served first, we, who were in advance, seldom got enough. For four or five days, we were so close up with the French, that we had skirmishes with them every day; but, having received no bread for three days, we were forced to halt for two, until we got a supply. During these two days, I had an opportunity of witnessing the desolation caused by the French soldiers. In one small village, I counted seventeen dead bodies of men, women, and children ; and most of the houses were burnt to the ground.

The Portuguese were not unrevenged of their destroyers; great numbers of whom had lain down, unable to proceed, from wounds or fatigue, and had been either killed by the peasantry, or died, unheard, amongst the devastation themselves or their fellows had made.

At this time, we were forced either to forage or starve, as we were far in advance of our supplies. I was now as much a soldier as any of my comrades, when it fell to my turn. At this time I was so fortunate as to procure the full of my haversack of Indian corn heads, which we used to call turkeys. I was welcomed with joy; we rubbed out some of our corn, and boiled it with a piece of beef; roasted some of our turkeys, and were happy. Bread at length coming up, we received three days' allowance a man, and recommenced our advance; but never came up with the enemy until they reached the Aguida, on the 9th April 1811.

Our

We were marched into winter quarters. division, the 2d, was posted in a small town called Alberguira, on the frontiers of Spain, where we remained till the 30th April. During our stay, I

had an adventure of a disagreeable kind. I was strolling, as usual, when I heard a voice pleading, in the most earnest manner, in great distress. I hastened to the spot, and found a Portuguese muleteer taking a bundle from a girl. I ran up to him and bade him desist: he flew into a passion, drew his knife, and made a stab at me. I knocked him down with my fist; the girl screamed and wept. I stood on my guard, and bade him throw away his knife. He rose, his eyes glistening with rage, and stabbed furiously at me. In vain I called to him: I drew my bayonet. I had no choice; yet, unwilling to kill, I held it by the point, and knocked him to the ground with the hilt, as he rushed to close with me; left him there, and brought home the weeping girl to her parents.

On the 30th of April, we set off for Fuentes de Honore, where we arrived, after a fatiguing march of three days; and formed line, about two miles in rear of the town, hungry and weary, having had no bread for the last two days.

On the 3d of May, at day-break, all the cavalry, and sixteen light companies, occupied the town. We stood under arms until three o'clock, when a staff-officer rode up to our Colonel, and gave orders for our advance. Colonel Cadogan put himself at our head, saying "My lads, you have had no provision these two days; there is plenty in the hollow in front, let us down and divide it. We advanced, as quick as we could run, and met the light companies retreating as fast as they could. We continued to advance, at double-quick time, our firelocks at the trail, our bonnets in our hands. They called to us, Seventy-first, you will come

We soon came The Colonel cried, Thrice we

back quicker than you advance.
full in front of the enemy.
"Here is food, my lads, cut away.

waved our bonnets, and thrice we cheered; brought our firelocks to the charge, and forced them back through the town.

How different the duty of the French officers from ours! They, stimulating the men by their example; the men vociferating, each chafing each until they appear in a fury, shouting, to the points of our bayonets. After the first huzza, the British officers, restraining their men, still as death"Steady, lads, steady," is all you hear; and that in an under tone.

The French had lost a great number of men in the streets. We pursued them about a mile out of the town, trampling over the dead and wounded; but their cavalry bore down upon us, and forced us back into the town, where we kept our ground, in spite of their utmost efforts.

In this affair, my life was most wonderfully preserved. In forcing the French through the town, during our first advance, a bayonet went through between my side and clothes, to my knapsack, which stopped its progress. The Frenchman to whom the bayonet belonged, fell, pierced by a musket ball from my rear-rank man. Whilst freeing myself from the bayonet, a ball took off part of my right-shoulder wing, and killed my rear-rank man, who fell upon me., Narrow as this escape was, I felt no uneasiness, I was become so inured to danger and fatigue.

During this day, the loss of men was great. In our retreat back to the town, when we halted to check the enemy, who bore hard upon us, in

their attempts to break our line, often was I obliged to stand with a foot upon each side of a wounded man, who wrung my soul with prayers I could not answer, and pierced my heart with his cries to be lifted out of the way of the cavalry. While my heart bled for them, I have shaken them rudely off. We kept up our fire, until long after dark. About one o'clock in the morning, we got four ounces of bread served out to each man, which had been collected out of the haversacks of the Foot Guards. After the firing had ceased, we began to search through the town, and found plenty of flour, bacon, and sausages, on which we feasted heartily, and lay down in our blankets, wearied to death. My shoulder was as black as a coal, from the recoil of my musket; for this day I had fired 107 round of ball-cartridge. Sore as I was, I slept as sound as a top, till I was awakened by the loud call of the bugle, an hour before day.

Soon as it was light, the firing commenced, and was kept up until about ten o'clock, when Lieutenant Stewart, of our regiment, was sent with a flag of truce, for leave to carry off our wounded from the enemy's lines, which was granted; and, at the same time, they carried off theirs from ours, As soon as the wounded were all got in, many of whom had lain bleeding all night,-many both a day and a night,-the French brought down a number of bands of music to a level piece of ground, about ninety or a hundred yards broad, that lay between us. They continued to play until sunset; whilst the men were dancing, and diverting themselves at football. We were busy cooking the remainder of our sausages, bacon, and flour. After dark, a deserter from the French told us,

that there were five regiments of grenadiers picked out to storm the town. In the French army, the grenadiers are all in regiments by themselves. We lay down, fully accoutred, as usual, and slept in our blankets. An hour before day, we were ready to receive the enemy.

About half-past nine o'clock, a great gun from the French line, which was answered by one from ours, was the signal to engage. Down they came, shouting as usual. We kept them at bay, in spite of their cries and formidable looks. How different their appearance from ours! their hats set round with feathers, their beards long and black, gave them a fierce look. Their stature was superior to ours; most of us were young. We looked like boys; they like savages. But we had the true spirit in us. We foiled them, in every attempt to take the town, until about eleven o'clock, when we were overpowered, and forced through the streets, contesting every inch.

A French dragoon, who was dealing death around, forced his way up to near where I stood. Every moment I expected to be cut down. My piece was empty; there was not a moment to lose. I got a stab at him, beneath the ribs, upwards; he gave a back stroke, before he fell, and cut the stock of my musket in two; thus I stood unarmed. I soon got another, and fell to work again.

During the preceding night, we had been reinforced by the 79th regiment, Colonel Cameron commanding, who was killed about this time. Notwithstanding all our efforts, the enemy forced us out of the town, then halted, and formed close column betwixt us and it. While they stood thus, the havoc amongst them was dreadful. Gap after