“Eh!” said he again, motioning them to the crucifix. “Don’t you know the second commandment, ‘Thou shalt not bow down to them.’” The old man, terrified, immediately appealed to me for protection. I ordered the marine instantly to leave, and would have given him in charge of the guard, had I not discovered it was his over zeal and not drunkenness, as I at first imagined, agitated him so; luckily for the methodist, there were only a few in the chapel, as had it been in the time of service, the congregation would certainly have made a martyr of him.
CHAPTER XXXIII.
Disorganised state of the Legion—Three months’ pay—A holiday—The 6th and 8th Scotch lay down their arms—Reasons—My wishes to retire from the Legion—I give up the command of the company—A reflection—I embark for Santander—Report myself to Colonel Arbuthnot—My new command—The convent of Carbon—Short description—Inhabitants of—First sample—A speculation—A Quarter-master’s conscience—I place him under arrest—A horse! A horse!
About this period nothing could exceed the disorganised state of the Legion (the men being now full six months in arrears of pay). Disgusted with the privations they had endured through the Spaniards and their own officers, and clamorous for their money, they at last broke out into open mutiny, and carried it to such a pitch, that they even refused to mount guard, much less meet the enemy, unless their demands were satisfied. Three months’ pay, at length, by a general levy on the inhabitants, was with difficulty procured, and given to them. But the confusion, nevertheless, grew even more terrible. The whole neighbourhood instantly became one scene of uproar and beastly intoxication: the guard-houses were nightly filled with men, and every hedge and ditch was strewed with drunken soldiers. Had the Carlists attempted to surprise the Legion quartered in the villages and farm-houses in advance of San Sebastian, I have no doubt that not ten of a company would have been found able to stand to their arms, and the whole must have been cut to pieces. Many of the unfortunates who had so abused their hard earnings, found themselves woefully deficient the next morning, the more sober or wide awake ones having picked their pockets during their insensibility. These, however, on discovering their deficiency, in turn took to robbing their comrades even of great-coats, shirts, shoes, and even their rations. This became so universal, that complaints to the officers became altogether useless, for scarcely one could “cast the first stone.”
I must here remark, that a great number of the men had enlisted only for a twelvemonth, and held documents to that effect, signed by the officers who enlisted them. Their time of service was now up, and whole companies of the 6th and 8th Scotch gave notice to their officers, and the next day followed it up. I was present when they piled arms, and hung their accoutrements upon them. The whole Legion, however, was in such a state of insubordination, that it was with much ado they could muster enough men to march the delinquents to the castle (which was effected after all only by stratagem), from whence they were shipped on board a steamer to Santander and Santona.
I now began to feel tired of an inactive life; and as my wounds were of a nature to disable me for future service, I expressed a wish to the General then commanding the brigade, that a medical board should examine me. He spoke to the Adjutant-General on the subject, who suggested that a month or two at Santander might recover and enable me to rejoin. To this, I of course consented, and got in readiness for starting. I made up my books, and settled with my company, up to the last day of April, 1836, giving credit to the Spanish Government for one sergeant-major, five sergeants, three corporals, and sixteen rank and file, who died in hospital at Vittoria. I gave up the command to my first lieutenant, de Burgh.
I was not a little delighted at the anticipated change of scene, and looked anxiously for the time of my departure. San Sebastian, at one time so welcome to me, from pride and military reminiscences, had now sunk into the medley of strange and indescribable events I had so lately partook in. I was on the point of leaving—perhaps for ever—a Legion from which I had expected so much, but now, alas! nothing. Truly, with Hamlet, I might have exclaimed—
Take it for all in all,
I ne’er shall look upon its like again.
Nor did I ever wish it—so much abused, badly used, and worse officered.