At the Siege of Badajoz, in April, 1812, when the final attack was made on the night of the 6th April, amongst the foremost in the escalade was John McLauchlan, the Piper of the 74th, who, the instant he mounted the Castle wall, began playing the regimental quick step, “The Campbells are coming,” at the head of the advance along the ramparts, as coolly as if he was on parade, until his music was stopped by a shot through the bag of his pipes. He was afterwards seen seated on a gun carriage, quietly repairing the damage, perfectly unconcerned about the shots flying around him, and presently recommenced his animating tune. The poor piper was afterwards cut in two by a cannon shot at the battle of Vittoria, 21st June in the following year, whilst playing his charming music in rear of the colours of his Regiment.
IT’S BETTER TO LEAVE “WELL” ALONE.
The Governor of Gibraltar, during the siege by the French and Spanish in 1781, was surprised to see certain of the soldiers constantly intoxicated, although the sale of spirituous liquors was strictly prohibited. It was at length remarked that the men were desirous to obtain water from one particular well in the Medical garden, and considering that there must be a reason for the preference, it was resolved to examine it, when the water was found to be strongly impregnated with rum. This circumstance was accounted for by the fact that the Governor had received a quantity of rum, and for its greater security, and to keep it from the knowledge of the soldiers, had it buried near the well mentioned, close to which a shell had exploded; this, tearing up the earth, and bursting the casks, caused the spirit to flow into the well. Another amusing anecdote of a well has been preserved. During the Peninsular War, certain officers at the Mess table were observed to decline the soup, which made the General at the head of the table anxious to ascertain the cause, whereupon it was mentioned that a French soldier had been discovered that morning in the well from which the water had been obtained, in a state of decomposition. This did not spoil the General’s appetite, for it is said that he immediately asked for another basin of soup, at the same time remarking that “it would have been much better, and taste the sweeter, if the whole French army, with Napoleon, had been in it.”
“HARD UP, HARD UP, THE DAYS WHEN WE WERE HARD UP.”
During one part of the Peninsular War our people were so hard up for shot that they had to, and did, collect all the French shot that was fired at us, and thus paid the enemy back in their own coin. A letter from the Duke of Wellington to some of his friends at home thus referred to it:—
Camp, Villa Fremosa, 11th May 1811.
“You at home will hardly believe that we are so hard up for shot that we are compelled to pick up the enemy’s shot in our camp to supply our guns with.”
My readers, perhaps, are not aware, that this practice was resumed during the siege of Sebastopol; as will be seen by the following General Order issued by Lord Raglan, 24th October, 1854:—
Camp before Sevastopol, 24th October, 1854.
The Commander-in-Chief is pleased to authorise the payment of four pence for each small shot, and sixpence for each large one, which may be brought into the Camp of Lieut.-Colonel Gambier, Royal Artillery, near the Light Division, by any soldier or seaman.