‘And pray, whose arms are these?’
‘The picquet’s arms,’ replied the sergeant.
‘Poh! nonsense! you don’t intend to make me believe these arms belong to British soldiers. Send for the Spaniards, and make them take away their arms.’ So saying, he walked down the hill. Each man felt his honour implicated, and the colonel had not gone many paces when they were all busy cleaning their muskets. It was in this manner that he could convey severe reproof, and endear himself to his men at the same time.
From this place we marched across the country to Sanguessa, and on the march I was left on duty, which detained me behind the regiment. In my route to join them I had halted for the day with my party at a house a short distance off the road. There was a wood to the rear of the house, and we had not long taken up our quarters, when I perceived a lady galloping from it with great speed down a by-path towards us. As she approached I observed that her dress was in great disorder, her face stained with blood, and she held a pistol in her hand, with which she urged on her horse. I was struck with surprise on seeing a lady in such trim, and did not know well what to think of her, when she reined up her horse at the door, and before I had time to assist her, sprung to the ground, and replacing the pistol in the holster, removed the saddle from her horse, and turned him loose to graze; then sitting down, she drew forth a small pocket mirror, and began to arrange her dishevelled tresses. As a favour she asked me to procure her a little water, and when I had brought it—‘Thank you,’ said she, ‘I believe I stand in need of this, for I have had a severe scuffle and a brisk gallop. I am on my way to join the Spanish army, and although eager to get forward, I could not persuade my lazy servants to dispense with their usual siesta, and when the fellows went to sleep I left them and pushed forward myself; but I had not travelled far when I was stopped by three brigands, who, seizing my horse’s bridle, demanded my money. Powder and shot are more plentiful with me than money in these times, and I drew out a pistol and sent a ball through the fellow’s head who asked it—he fell, and I urged forward my horse; but one of the villains still held by the bridle, and I was near unhorsed. Having another pistol left, I lost no time in making him relax his hold. My horse was now free, and sprung forward with me; but a bullet from the surviving robber nearly stopped my flight, for it grazed my cheek here,’ said she, pointing to a slight wound which she was bathing with the cold water: ‘it was a narrow escape, certainly.’ I was not a little surprised at the sang froid with which she described the imminent danger she had been in, and could not sufficiently admire her courage and presence of mind; but I ceased to wonder, when her servants coming up a short time after, told me that I had been conversing with the heroine of Saragossa.
In half an hour after they arrived, she again set forward. I had seen her before at Cadiz; but I did not recollect her features. Every one has read or heard of her conduct at Saragossa; it will, therefore, be needless for me to recapitulate it here.
Having remained in camp at Sanguessa a few days, we returned, and were quartered in a small village, called Olaz, about three miles from Pampeluna, sending out working parties to the batteries which were forming against the town.
General Graham having pushed on by the sea side as far as Passages, and General Hill having dislodged the enemy on the right—the whole had now retired into France.
We remained in this place until the 25th of August, when Soult having hastily collected an army of forty thousand men, made a furious attack on the fourth division. Our division advanced to their support, but not being able to keep our ground against such a force as they had brought up, the whole were obliged to retreat precipitately that night upon Huarte, where a position was taken up by the army. On the 27th they made a desperate attack on the left of our line, where we had possession of a hill, which they made repeated attempts to gain possession of, but without success—for whenever they drove in our skirmishers, so as to reach the top, the regiments stationed to defend it came forward, and having poured a volley into them, charged them down the hill with dreadful slaughter.
On the 28th they again attempted it, but with like success. A desperate attack was then made on the fourth division, but they charged with the bayonet, and repulsed the enemy with immense loss. On the 29th Soult manœuvred to turn our left; but on the 30th, our army in turn attacked—the seventh division their right, our division their left, and the other divisions their centre—when they were defeated and fled in all directions, losing in their retreat many prisoners, among whom were a number of raw conscripts, who had not been four months enlisted.
During the time we lay in position, the French occupied a hill on one side, while our division were posted on a rise opposite, a small valley being between; in this valley there was a sort of entrenchment formed, where our picquets lay. It could be of little use to either side, as it was exposed to the fire of both armies; but the French, out of bravado, determined on taking it, and selected a party for that purpose. A brave fellow of an officer headed them, and came cheering down the hill; our men did not incommode themselves in the least, until they were so near that they could take a sure aim, when those in the rear of the entrenchment starting up, saluted them with a volley of musketry that brought down an immense number, among others the officer, who was some way in front: whenever they saw him fall, they turned to the right-about, and ascended the hill, leaving him on the ground. We felt sorry for the fate of the brave fellow who had led them, and reprehended the cowardly scoundrels who had left him.