1. The following narrative, is a paraphrase and an abridgment of a manuscript found among the papers of Lieutenant-General William Hawley, better known perhaps as "Bloody" Hawley; the same who, on January 23, 1746, was defeated by Prince Charles Edward at Falkirk. The epithet and the lost battle have tarnished Hawley's reputation; and, although the latter does not concem us here, it may be remarked that probably he was less cruel and more competent than is generally supposed. He lived in a harsh age; but he was a keen and experienced soldier, who studied every branch of his profession, acquired a library of military works, kept a diary of his campaigns, and to the end retained the confidence of the Duke of Cumberland, an exacting judge of merit.

In 1706 Hawley was a Captain in Lord Essex's Regiment of Dragoons, which at the close of the year was sent to join Galway's composite army in Portugal. Hawley returned to England after the battle of Almanza, in the following April. It was no doubt while in the Peninsula that he first heard of the incident recorded in the following pages; but it was at a later date, as appears from internal evidence, that he took it down from the lips of the actors. There is nothing to show in what especial way it interested him. The manuscript has come into the possession of Lieutenant- Colonel William Toovey Hawley, by whose courtesy the present writer is enabled to make use of it.

A few more words of introduction are desirable, to explain the military situation in the Peninsula in the year 1706. The long conflict between the Grand Alliance and Louis XIV, intermitted by the Peace of Ryswick, had been resumed in 1701, when to the questions already at issue was added that of the Spanish Succession. For in the same year, the direct line of the Austrian Princes of Spain having come to an end, the Duke of Anjou was crowned in Madrid. Spain became the instrument of France; and in due course the Austrian claimant, the Archduke Charles, landed in Portugal to attempt to regain in the larger kingdom.

In addition to the Portuguese army, a doubtful quantity, he had with him 6500 British troops and 2000 Dutch, the whole being under the command of the Duke of Schomberg, who had not inherited his father's talent. In the opening campaign the Franco-Spanish army under Berwick invaded Portugal and captured some of the border fortresses. The second campaign was indecisive, although a little colour and glory was lent to its drab record by the miraculous exploits of Peterborough in Catalonia. The third campaign, which opened in March 1706, at first promised greater results. The Huguenot Ruvigny, Earl of Galway, who had superseded Schomberg, advanced in earnest into Spain with 19,000 men, including a British contingent made up of Harvey's Regiment of Horse and the 2nd, 9th, 17th, 33rd, and Brudenell's Regiments of Foot. This contingent, however, mustered only 2200 sabres and bayonets, although at that time there were 10,000 British troops scattered about the Peninsula.

The invasion began well. Berwick was forced back, Alcantara, Plasencia, Ciudad Rodrigo, and Salamanca were taken; and on June 27 the invaders entered Madrid. Here they remained for three weeks, while nothing was done. The Portuguese troops were troublesome, and already the Spanish peasantry was threatening to rise. Partisan bands were attacking the lines of communication, intercepting convoys and driving in foraging parties: the populace of the capital was hostile; and on July 15 Galway marched out north- eastward to Alcala de Henares, in Guadalajara.

Here he was joined by Peterborough, clamouring for action, and the Archduke. But now the peasantry was up in earnest; and Berwick, having at length assembled a superior force, took the offensive and appeared between the allied army and Madrid, which he reoccupied. Galway decided to withdraw from a dangerous situation. He lingered in Spain for another month, but his force seems to have been reduced to about 14,000 men; and with the coming of October, when all orthodox generals then went into winter quarters, the campaign came to a disappointing end.

General Hawley's Manuscript

II. We can turn now to General Hawley's manuscript. It is headed as follows:

"A Narative of a Retreat of a party of Horse, in the Year 1706 during the war in Spain, collected from two Men of the Regt. of Horse, then Harvey's, one of the Men now a Qr.Master, the other a Gunner, who were both on that Command with Captn. Ravenall."

Harvey's Horse is still in the Army List as the 2nd Dragoon Guards. It was raised in 1685, its first Colonel being Henry, 2nd Earl of Peterborough. He was succeeded by Daniel Harvey, late Lieutenant-Colonel of the 2nd Troop (now 2nd Regiment) of Life Guards. Harvey became a Lieutenant-General in 1707. The second in command of the regiment was Lieutenant-Colonel Roper.

As originally raised, Harvey's consisted of only four troops, each of 60 men. These troops were reduced afterwards to 40 rank and file; but returned to their original strength, with the help of drafts from other regiments, when Harvey's left Ireland for Portugal in 1703.

About this time, also, the number of troops was increased to seven or eight, and the regiment mustered 418 officers and men in 1705. It sailed for Portugal without horses, and at the end of March 1704, only 20 men per troop were mounted, the Portuguese horses being as a rule quite unsuitable. The dress of a trooper in the Spanish campaign consisted of a scarlet coat, a silver-laced hat, a pistol-proof cuirass and pot, and tall boots. The man carried pistols, sword, and carbine.

Daniel Ravenall (or Ravenel) began his career as a comet in Macclesfield's Horse, a corps which was disbanded in 1712. In 1705 he exchanged into Harvey's as 2nd Lieutenant, joined his new regiment in Portugal, and there obtained another step in rank. He was promoted Captain a year after Almanza, and was killed in Lord Stanhope's action at Almenara in 1710. The whole of Harvey's Horse was captured with Stanhope at Brihuega, in the same year.

In continuing the narrative, it should be noted that the dates in the text are Old Style.

"About the 10th of July, 1706, the Confederat Army under Lord Galloway was encampt between Madrid and Alcala de Henares, when a party of 360 Horse was detached under the command of an Officer who was a Spaniard born, but had deserted and was then in the Portuguese Service (his name forgot) but by his Title of Commissario Generall guessed to be what we call a Brigadeer.

"This party formed three Squadrons. The next in command was Don Manuell de Alborez, a Portuguese, Major of Horse. The Captains and Subalterns were all Portuguese, except Lieut: Ravenall and one Qr Master Nashe, both of Harvey's Horse, the only Regt: of English Horse in the Army.

"The Squadron which was immediately under Lieut: Ravenall's command was composed of forty-two English, of Harvey's Horse, and twenty eight Dutch of Trimbern's Horse and Matta's Dragoons, 14 men of each, and the men of St. Juan's and Attalay's Horse, Portuguese. The other two squadrons were all Portuguese."

The duty of this detachment was to meet and bring into camp a convoy of clothing and other stores then due from Portugal. The route of the convoy lay through Salamanca and Avila to the pass over the Guadarama Mountains called El Puerto de Guadarama, which is some thirty miles west of Madrid; and thence by way of the capital to the camp at Alcala. Accordingly the Commissario General and his 360 men made a leisurely three day's march across country to the easter foot of the pass, near the Escurial.

Here they bivouacked in the open for fourteen days, awaiting news of the convoy and passing the time in foraging expeditions and "excursions" to Toledo and other places, "where the Brigadier raised some small contributions in Money." Ex-actions of this kind would not help their popularity with the neighbouring peasantry: in any case, by this time the whole country must have been on the verge of revolt, and waiting only for the arrival of Berwick's army, which now was closing on Madrid. Although none of the officers seem to have realised the fact, the situation of our isolated detachment of horse was highly perilous. It dawdled happily enough in the bivouac by the Escurial until August 6th, when it was aroused by the news - whence arrived we are not told - that it was waiting in vain. The convoy had been captured near Salamanca by a notorious renegade Irishman named Plunket, whose exploits have a peculiar significance at the date of writing, when some of his name and possibly of his family have just been executed for another piece of treachery.

There was nothing left for the cavalry detachment but a speedy return to the camp at Alcala. It was proposed to march by way of Madrid; and that night was passed within sight and hearing of the capital, "under a parcell of Trees, not far from one of the Kings Houses, calld La Casa del Campo."

During the night the men were disturbed by a great noise and the firing of rockets in the city. One of the narrators, the Quartermaster, then a corporal, was out on patrol; and he learned from a peasant that King Philip (the late Duke of Anjou) had just entered Madrid with his guards. No doubt the army of Berwick was close at hand.

A council of war was held beneath the "parcell of Trees," at which Ravenall proposed that they should cut their way through to Alcala along the road which ran to the north of the capital; but although it was discovered that this road was held by no more than a hundred horse, the General (as we will continue to call him) had other ideas. He was, in fact, in mortal fear of being captured and shot as a deserter, and he had decided to retreat forthwith to Portugal across the Guadarama Mountains. With this decision the Portuguese officers, naturally enough, concurred.

"About eleven at night," the narrative continues, "being the 7th of August, the Party had orders to Mount as quietly as possible: and strict orders for silence on the March; they had then two days Bread and Corn, received that morning. They passed the Escuriall and el Puerto de Guadarama without any action, but descending the mountains, at a little Estallage or Inn near a village, some of the Portuguese wanting some Provisions discovered them all, by their Language, for soon after they heard the alarm Bells of several Villages.

"This was the third night's march from Madrid; early in the morning they came to a large village, called St Vincente. Here they halted, to try to gett some provisions.

"The Gerill. sent an officer into the Place, to acquaint them, that they were a Party of Phillip's Troops, going to secure Salamanca from the Portuguese, and only desired to buy some refreshment; but this did not take, for a Priest answered him that they did not believe him, and that by the alarm in the Country he was sure they were Enemys, and that they must expect no refreshments there.

"The Priest came out soon after to the GcnII. and told him his only safety was to be gon immediately, for the whole country was in Arms. They stayed here in all near three hours, to rest the men and horses, but gott no refreshments: during this time they saw numbers of People, gathering from all the adjacent villages, with arms and weapons of several kinds.

"And about eleven o'clock, these Paizans began to fire upon the body, and killed and wounded some Men and Horses; upon this there was orders to Mount, and as Lieut: Ravenall told the Corporal, the Gerill's design was to endeavour to escape, without attacking or killing any of these Paizans.

"But they found themselves so surrounded by them that the Major, Don Manuell, and Lieut: Ravenall overruled this opinion of the Genll's, and made a disposition to Charge them, and so make their retreat through them.

"The Genll. was an old man; and seemed on this occasion to be in very great fear, and left the disposition entirely to the other two, whose intention was to distroy as many of the Enemy as they could, hoping thereby to intimidate the rest from pursuing them.

"There was an intervall, or space of ground, left unposessed by the Paizans, but contrary to the road which led through the Village and which of necessity they were obliged to take. The Body being divided into four little squadrons, they fell in at once among the Enemy, giving no quarter, and at last they gained the road thro: the village. This Action lasted about an hour, before they were got clear of the Town. On drawing together toward the Evening, they found they had lost forty odd men, and by the account of some Paizans they took the next day, there was 400 of them killd. or wounded."

During the next two days the cavalry pushed on without meeting any opposition, although it was plain that the peasantry was collecting together on all sides. But on the 13th, after a difficult night march to avoid a strongly held defile, there was a serious encounter.

"About ten in the morning, they entered a little Valley, the Sun exceeding hot and both men and horses very faint. Here they hoped to have rested a little, but as they supposed, the People who had guarded the pass all night, finding they had taken another Road, were now comeing in pursuit of them, for they saw numbers pouring down upon them, and a good maney among 'in mounted.

"They were soon harrassed for above an hour, with popping shots from the Hills round them, and from behind Trees and Rocks. Now the Horses began to faile very fast, and severall Men took to their Feet, with out Boots or Shoes, having none. Upon their begining to move, the Paizans crowded into the little Plain in great numbers: this caused some consternation, both in the officers and men, which route to take, and ye Corpll. thinks it was observed by the Spaniards, who till then had kept in separate bodys, but now joined, in order as he thought to attack them in a body.

"At this time all Cloaks and Walletts were ordered to be thrown away, and but 200 Horses and them hardly able to carry their riders.

"Here about half the body of the Enemy, being nearer than the others (and being greedy of the Booty they thought themselves sure of) as reported by some of them who were taken, began the attack, and were sustained by the other Body, and then began a very furious, confused Battle, for none expected Quarter or Life if they fell into the Paisans' hands. The road was guessed to lead over a small Hill, thro: a low wood of nutt Trees; and thither they were to cutt their way. They then fell in amoung the great croude of Spaniards, with such a kind of ftiry as Dispair may be imagined to force Men to, cutting as every Man was able, on all sides. Those who first got clear thro: allways made the Front; and endeavourd by short halts to gett up as many men as they could, or as Lieut: Ravenall thought consistent with the safety of the number who had got through. Those who were not able to join them were given over."

The fate of those poor wretches who were thus "given over" to the mercies of the peasantry may be imagined: it was never known.

"This lasted near two hours. There was no guessing certainly at the number of Paizans killed. He believes above two hundred. When they had passed over the Hill they saw before them a well inhabited country, full of Aldeas, or farm like houses, the Country somewhat hilly, but no villages in view. The road they were then in led them very near one of these farm houses, about which there was a croude of People. The Genll: ordered a Portuguese Capin. with some men to advance and disperse them; on their approach these Paizans retired into the House, and fireing from the windows they killd. the Captn. and three of the men: upon which the rest came back to the Body, who kept moving on, and were not further molested from that House, for the Spaniards were busy stripping the killed.

"It was then about five in the Evening. About half a league from this house another Party of Paizans had hid themselves in ambuscade, from whence they received a fire which killed a Portuguese Cornett and four men. This Evening the Men gott some Fruit in the hedges as they marched, which was some help to them, but they were always pursued by small Partys, who now and then knocked down a man or a Horse."

Before the evening was out the wearied detachment was again attacked. The Corporal who tells the story was given sixteen men as a rearguard. Of these sixteen eight were on foot, and the horses of the other eight were utterly exhausted. As the Corporal admits, this command "Shockd. him a good deal: because there had been often a rear guard, and he had observed that the Genll. had never halted to bring them off if they got up it was well; if not the Gerill. never stayed for them."

Moreover, the men on foot, who had clouts tied about their legs instead of boots, were without arms except a few guns and spades picked up from the peasants, their own having been lost or ruined in the retreat. It was plain that these poor fellows were to be sacrificed because they were the most useless of the party. They agreed, however, to sell their lives "as dear as possible," and the Corporal disposed them in some low shrubs through which the remainder of the detachment was then retiring. The Spaniards, some sixty in number, led by a priest in armour over his habit, were received by a fire which brought down the leader and five or six others, whereupon the rest turned and fled.

"The Priest, as he fell, kept fast hold of the Horse's reins, and his feet hung in the Stirup. The Corpll. made an end of the Priest and mounted his Horse.... Here they gott a Boracho of Wine, a Loafe of Bread, a good large piece of Bacon, and some ammunition which they soon divided, to their greatjoy and refreshment."

In due time the gallant little rearguard rejoined the main body, who had never looked to see them again. The General offered the Corporal fifty twenty pistoles for the captured horse, "but upon the Corpll. answering him, that the Horse was then his Life, and who ever offered to take one must take the other first, the Gerill. said no more." This incident throws some light on the character of the "General," as well as on the attitude of the English toward the Portuguese, and vice versa. We cannot doubt that the horse would have been seized without more ado but for the respect in which the small minority of Englishmen was held. Probably they would have been backed up by the Dutch in any quarrel.

And indeed the crisis was too acute for quarrels: it was essential that the detachment, or what was left of it, should keep together; and the retreat continued under the usual conditions of sniping and its attendant casualties. Th e Brigadier's Aide-de-Camp was among those who fell at this time. At length, toward midnight, they were able to halt and rest for a few hours: "during which time the Genll. sent out a Cornett and fifteen men, but for what the Corpli. never heard. This party never joined them again, nor they never knew what become of them."

And when day broke the General himself "that Castilian dog," as Don Manuel called him was gone also. He had slipped off in the night, and no one ever heard of him again. He was believed to have been killed.

The sniping had begun once more, and the weary and dishevelled band resumed the retreat. Not one of them knew the country, but they believed themselves to be in Estremadura, and hoped before long to reach the town of Coria, where, apparently, they expected to find succour. But they were nowhere near Coria. They had been driven far to the n9rth, and were on that morning (the 14th) within six or seven leagues of Salamanca.

"In about half a Leagues march Lieut: Ravenall's horse was shot dead: his servant gave him his and run on foot. This day proved fatall to QrMaster Nash, of Harveys, who tho: a fatt heavy man, was mounted upon an English Guelding who had held out to admiration.

"The QrMaster, it seems, had tasted no sustenance but water for four days. He at once appeared to be quite mad, and soon fell of his Horse. A trooper of Harveys stayed to assist him. The Corpli. saw the Paizans run in upon them, all striving who should murder them first, which they did both.

"This day there was nothing of any Bodys appeared only sculking Partys of ten or more, tho: the Country was well inhabited. A great part of the road was over Hills with little thicketts at small distances, which gave the Paizans opportunitys of picking up severall Men and Horses; especially those who were in the rear, being faint and not able to keep up Close.

"Those Men who happened to be best mounted, with Horses taken at several times from the Enemy, were very serviceable this day, for they killed a good many Paizans, who rode Horses or Mules, and gave them to the Officers and Men who wanted them most. They also gott Wallets, and some ammunition and arms. This day the Corpll. killed a Spaniard, who was well mounted, and gave the Horse to Lieut: Ravenall, whose own was very nearly failing quite.

"Notwithstanding, this was the easyest days march they had had from the begining, haveing had no general attack. They lost a good many of the faint and weak Men, picked off in the rear. They guesed this part of the country had not been so much Alarmed as to rise in large Bodys, for in the Evening they took several Paizans unarmed, who told them they came from Salamanca, which was five Leagues off. This was the first time they could form any judgment where about they were. Lieut: Ravenall treated the Paisans very kindly, and gave them money to fetch them some Provisions from the next village, but kept four of the lustiest for guides.

"They then marched on without staying the return of those who went for refreshments, in hopes that night and next mornings march would have carried them clear of Salamanca, but the next morning had like to have proved the most fatall of all. At about break of day they mett some people on the Road unarmed, who informed them they had intelligence at Salamanca of this Body of their Enemy's being in the Country; but they were told they were so shattered and fatigued that they could not be able to come so farr, at least not so soon, and that there was there a Captn. with a troop of brave Men, to whom was joined almost all the Cavalliers and Students, and many others of the City, and that they were resolved to take them all Prisoners if they came so far."

Breaking through this fog of pronouns, we find that the Captain in Salamanca was in fact the Irishman, Plunket. The fame he had won for his depredations along the Portuguese frontier had been increased greatly by his capture of the convoy; and he seems at this time to have held some irregular sort of command over the city. His only permanent force was a body of Irish and other renegades, numbering about a hundred.

These men were well mounted and armed, and wore a hussar uniform. The rest of Plunket's following, as we have heard, was made up of students, peasants, and the rabble of Salamanca. The leader himself is described as "a tall, lusty hansome man, in a hussar-dress, with a white feather in his cap." It is clear that he expected little or no resistance from the lost and diminished detachment of horse that had wandered within reach of his hand. And in fact, of the 360 men who had left the bivouac near Madrid a week before, no more than 180 remained.

Twenty of these were on foot: the horses of the rest were scarce able to carry their riders: there were only two officers - Don Manuel and Ravenall; and the Portuguese, except those in Ravenall's own squadron, were so thoroughly demoralised that they were only kept together by their knowledge of the certain fate that awaited stragglers. Like sheep they had drifted along day after day, unarmed, panic- stricken and useless, leaving the fighting to their stouter-hearted countrymen and the handful of English and Dutch who marched together under the Lieutenant. Ravenall, indeed, seems to have possessed the qualities of a good leader of men. The narrators may be over partial to him; but his own Portuguese followed him well, and the account reads as if he was virtually in command of the whole after the Brigadier's defection. The Portuguese Major, however, if he deferred to his junior, took his full share of the fighting.

They were about three leagues south of Salamanca when they received this unwelcome news of Plunket. As they continued their march, they learned from captured peasants details of the enemy's movements. The Irishman and his heterogeneous crowd of warriors were astir early; and, being doubtless no less well informed than Ravenall, pushed across the latter's path. The country was thickly wooded, with many olive groves, and the two parties almost fell upon each other unawares: indeed, it was only when the trumpets and voices of the Spaniards were heard that Ravenall realised that the time had come, and made his hurried dispositions for the fight. At the same time Plunket became aware of his enemy's approach; but as yet neither could see the other for the trees. The time was about 9 o'clock in the morning.

Plunket sent forward a trumpeter with a flag of truce, to demand the surrender of the detachment offering quarter and good usage. Ravenall and the Major, after a short consultation, put the position frankly before their men. They pointed out that Plunket was not likely to have the power, even if he really had the will, to keep his irregulars in hand; and, "considering the numbers they had killed, that when those Countrys they had come through should come to know they had them in their power, they would assuredly massacre them all, but if they would stand one brush more, and endeavour to kill Plunkett, his men would naturally run away, and they might have a fair chance of making good the rest of the retreat.

To this they added a particular description of Plunkett, which the Country People had given them in the Morning. This, when delivered by Lieut: Ravenall to the little Squadron he was at the head of, they all answered him, they would all follow him to the last drop of their blood. Don Manuell had a very different answer from the Portuguese, who were almost as unanimous for surrendering, upon which he, in a Passion, drew his sword and swore he would rather be killed than taken, and those who would fight might follow him.

About thirty moved out and joined him, with whom he came immediately and joined Lieut: Ravenall's little Squadron, which with this reinforcement made eighty men, whereof eight were on foot."

The three squadrons had been drawn up in line, with the dismounted men in the intervals; but those who refused to fight now moved off to the left. The remaining eighty were extended in single rank among the olive- trees, which being regularly planted, so lengthened the front that it outflanked Plunket's, although the latter had a great superiority of forces. His men were still invisible; but when, these dispositions having been completed, the flag of truce was dismissed and the Spaniards' trumpet presently heard sounding to horse, it was estimated that they were about four hundred paces distant.

"Lieut: Ravenall had given his squadron orders not to fire till the Enemy was within half Pistol] short, and when he fired his own Pistoll, that was to be the signal to begin, which the men observed very well.

"Plunkett's troop was attended with numbers of Vollunteers on their flanks, who fired severall scattering shotts and wounded three Men, before his Troop came near, for the Olive Trees hindered him pretty much in his march, being obliged to make severall stops to gett his Ranks in order.

"As Plunkett came up near them, with a good deal of aparent bravery, the Major ordered a Trumpett they had left to sound a Charge; but the poor Fellow's hand trembled so he could not. The Corpil thinks that Plunkett's Horse's head was within eight paces of them, before Lieut: Ravenall gave the signal, by fireing his Pistoll. Immediately his front Rank poured in a volley together upon Plunkett's squadron. Plunkett and his Horse both dropped, and about twenty of his Men, and that instant the rest of his squadron, and all his vollunteers, broke and ran away, and never made the least shew of stoping, or rallying, or oposing the Body any more.

"They saw them ride against the Trees and over numbers of their Vollunteers, who made a great outcry, calling upon all their Saints. As it was an uncoman sight it made all the men laugh.... Upon Plunkett's squadron runing away, Lieut: Ravenalls men gave a great huzza, which was quite new, for in all their former engagements they had always kept a profound Silance. Just at that time, the CorplI heard great fireing and noise upon their left, which, as he was afterwards informed, was by a great number of Paizans who had surrounded that Body of Portuguese who had separated from them in order to surrender, and were distroying them, for not a man of them was ever heard of after.

"The Corpli thinks, that this Body of Portuguese, drawing off and employing such a number of the Paizans, who certainly designed to have attacked the whole in the rear, while Plunkett attacked them in the front, was a great article in the Escape of Ravenall's squadron, for they received no farther damage, and were not at all pursued.

"Upon Plunkett's squadron breaking, the Major and Lieut: Ravenall moved strait forward, only cutting down those who were in their way, both of them calling aloud in Spanish, to pursue the Enemy, but at the same time in a low voice, and by Signs, made the men keep close and follow them.

"In half an hour the squadron was gott clear of the ground and the olive Trees, and had left the Enemy behind, but found themselves obliged to pass very near the City of Salamanca, which made them apprehend another attack. But by some Paizans they mett, and treated kindly, they were told that there was nobody in Arms in the City, for all those who loved fighting had followed Genii. Plunkett, and the gates were all shutt. And so they found it to be, for they passed close by two little Convents, very near the walls of the Town, without any obstruction, and saw very few people. After they had passed the Town they made a little halt to bring up some Men who had some wounds and were in sight."

Their tribulations, in fact, were almost over. Another halt was made a little later, at a deserted village, where forage was found for the horses. Here "one of Harvey's Men, who had a wound some days before, had a vast quantity of Magotts taken out of the wound;" and the other wounded had their injuries roughly dressed. A roll was called, when it was found that sixty men were left of the original 360. Of the forty-two men of Harvey's Horse, only six had survived: of the twenty-eight Dutch there were left three of Matta's Dragoons. The remainder were Portuguese.

The following day this remnant arrived at Castle Rodrigo, which was held by the Portuguese. The wounded, who numbered twenty, were taken in, but the rest were forced to lie outside the walls for three days, after which the whole were sent on to Ciudad Rodrigo. Here Ravenall fell ill from want and exhaustion, and several men died. Our friend the Corporal, "being idle there," attached himself to a force which Don Manuel presently led against Salamanca to make some reprisals; and finding, on his return, that Ravenall was recovered, he accompanied the latter to Lisbon, whence eventually they rejoined their regiment in Valencia.

So ends this little chronicle of suffering, cowardice, and heroism. The narrative is sent down in a style so bald and matter-of-fact that it is difficult in reading it to appreciate what privations this handful of survivors had undergone. After they left the village of San Vincente, on the westem slope of the Guadaramas, virtually no details of their route are given, because, presumably, none were known. For nearly a fortnight they were lost in a bitterly hostile country, where capture meant certain death, probably with the accompaniment of torture.

There was little water and less food: the clothing of the fugitives came to rags, their weapons were lost or broken, their horses were foundered or shot; and although the weather seems to have held fine, we are told that "the heats were very great," as they would be in the Peninsula in the height of summer. Finally, as the narrators point out in conclusion, "a large Map will shew what a little way in a direct Road they had to march from Madrid, and how strangly they must have been hunted about, to take up twelve days and nights, at the rate they marched, and continueally going."

Note. - All the peculiarities of spelling are taken from the text.