[2] It is very common for the wounded to cheer their more fortunate comrades as they pass on to the attack. The most remarkable occurrence of this description took place at the battle of Vimiera, five days after the battle above described. A man of the name of Stuart, the piper belonging to the 71st regiment, was wounded in the thigh very severely, at an early period of the action; and having refused to be removed, he sat upon a bank, playing martial airs during the remainder of the battle. He was heard to address his comrades thus:—“Weel, my bra’ lads, I can gang na’ longer wi’ ye a fightin’, but Deel burn my saul if ye shall want music.” For this the Highland Society justly voted him a handsome set of pipes with a flattering inscription engraved upon them.
[3] Men under sentence of court-martial were allowed the option of either suffering the sentence, or volunteering to serve on the coast of Africa.
[4] Such articles as sugar, wine, sago, &c., are termed medical comforts.
[5] Conquer or die.
[6] This valuable officer was soon after killed in the trenches before St. Sebastian.
[7] While this General was observing the attack of the storming party, a cannon-ball struck the bottom of the hill, and rolled at a moderate pace, close to his feet.
[8] The author of “the Subaltern,” says that the day the town was taken, was dark and tempestuous: the morning, perhaps, might have begun so; but from nine o’clock, it was to my recollection a sunny and delightful day. However, I agree with him when he says that the weather was bad, the day Soult attempted to push across the Bidassoa, to relieve San Sebastian—I know that the Portuguese who were ordered from the siege, to assist in opposing him, were wetted through just as they started; but I think this was not on the day of storming the town.
[9] The author of the “Subaltern” has gone too far in heightening the horrors of the siege, by stating that it was burnt; his words are “long before midnight it was one sheet of flame, and by noon on the following day, little remained of it except its smoking ashes.” I walked about the town many times on the following day, but saw no marks of fire; perhaps the town was subsequently burnt.
[10] The prepared skin of a pig, in which the Spaniards transport the wine from one place to another.
[11] The author of this little sketch has had the account of the circumstances related in it from the Benedict Colonel himself.