“Good, my lad. You will serve under a gallant Irish gentleman, and it will not be his fault if he does not give yon a thousand chances of ‘a bed on the field of honour.’ “Death or Victory” is the motto of the regiment.”
An officer riding up to the tent announced that the lieutenant-general was waiting for the colonel.
“Au revoir, mon camarade,” as he held out his hand to me, adding, with a laugh, “perhaps you have not yet caught up this foreign lingo, which would hardly pass current in the County Mayo. So slan leat.”
The colonel vaulted lightly into his saddle, and many an admiring eye followed him as he rode with tossing plumes towards the tent of the Lieutenant-General, the Marquis de Sylvestre.
I returned to that of Sergeant O’Kelly.
“Well, young gentleman, you saw the colonel, and what did he say to you and what do you think of him.”
“I think he is worth fighting with,” I replied, “and worth dying with, and he said—well he said that in serving under you I should serve under a gallant Irish gentleman who would give me every chance of death or glory.”
The sergeant drew himself up.
“My faith, lad, the colonel himself will give it you, but I am proud to have you with me.”
For the next week we were kept very busy. The colonel was a strict disciplinarian, and his men were exercised for several hours every day. I quickly picked up a fair knowledge of my duties, and it was with a certain self-confidence I heard the news that we were ordered to revictual Ostalric which had been captured from the Spaniards a year or two previously. The task was easily accomplished, as the enemy retired on our approach, but when returning towards the evening, our regiment, which formed the rearguard, was suddenly attacked by over three thousand miquelets or guerillas. They seemed to have sprung out of the ground, and charged us with the utmost fury; but our men, facing round, were as steady as a rock against which the wave dashes impotently. Some of the guerillas impaled themselves on our bayonets, and a well-directed volley threw their front ranks into confusion.