-
Articles/Ads
Article THE GUIDE. ← Page 5 of 8 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Guide.
and you are saved . ' I then gave him a more coherent account of all that had occurred , and the recital evidently affected him deeply . " ' And these are our enemies ! ' he murmured to himself ; ' I deserved death at their hands , ancl they spare me . '
" ' Do not forget , hoAvever , ' I said anxiously , ' the obligation which you are about to contract with the French army . ' " 'I clo not , ' he replied , ' and I swear to you by the most solemn oaths never again to bear arms against your countrymen . ' " At nightfall Ave parted , having deferred until the morroAV the promised history of his life ; ancl an hour afterwards I
communicated to my superior officers all that had passed between us . I found that during my absence they had made a subscription , and it was with sincere pleasure that I received the money destined to supply the immediate necessities of my new friend , together with an intimation of then intention to visit him on the following day in his cell .
" I rejoined my battalion , which was bivouacked near one of the city gates , ancl was preparing to go to rest full of delight at the prospect of the morrow , when an order reached us to march before daylight . My military duties left me no time to go to the prison : and I was accordingly compelled to despatch a noncommissioned officer of my company to the prisoner with some
provisions which I had purchased for him , ancl the purse which had been intrusted to me . My messenger returned laden with the acknowledgments and good- wishes of the poor captive , and a card upon ivhich he had Avritten his name ; and to my intense disappointment , I saw myself obliged to leave Truxillo Avithout a parting interview with the extraordinary man for whom I felt so strong ancl mysterious an attachment , ancl without hearing the recital Avhich I had anticipated with so much interest .
" The main body of the army followed within a feAV hours ; and the marshal , having left a small garrison in Truxillo , had rejoined his vanguard , and was advancing upon Medellin . " The enemy hacl been awaiting us at that point during the last three days ; and General Cuesta , who had selected his own ground , had in that interval been manoeuvring the 45 , 000
infantry and 10 , 000 horse which composed his army—rehearsing , in fact , the battle , which only required our presence to complete its grand performance . That day was a fearful one for the Spanish troops ! "On the evening after the battle I was on guard on the field , and had caused a number of the wounded Spaniards to be conveyed to my post , where the surgeon of my regiment was soon actively employed in alleviating their sufferings . Among
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Guide.
and you are saved . ' I then gave him a more coherent account of all that had occurred , and the recital evidently affected him deeply . " ' And these are our enemies ! ' he murmured to himself ; ' I deserved death at their hands , ancl they spare me . '
" ' Do not forget , hoAvever , ' I said anxiously , ' the obligation which you are about to contract with the French army . ' " 'I clo not , ' he replied , ' and I swear to you by the most solemn oaths never again to bear arms against your countrymen . ' " At nightfall Ave parted , having deferred until the morroAV the promised history of his life ; ancl an hour afterwards I
communicated to my superior officers all that had passed between us . I found that during my absence they had made a subscription , and it was with sincere pleasure that I received the money destined to supply the immediate necessities of my new friend , together with an intimation of then intention to visit him on the following day in his cell .
" I rejoined my battalion , which was bivouacked near one of the city gates , ancl was preparing to go to rest full of delight at the prospect of the morrow , when an order reached us to march before daylight . My military duties left me no time to go to the prison : and I was accordingly compelled to despatch a noncommissioned officer of my company to the prisoner with some
provisions which I had purchased for him , ancl the purse which had been intrusted to me . My messenger returned laden with the acknowledgments and good- wishes of the poor captive , and a card upon ivhich he had Avritten his name ; and to my intense disappointment , I saw myself obliged to leave Truxillo Avithout a parting interview with the extraordinary man for whom I felt so strong ancl mysterious an attachment , ancl without hearing the recital Avhich I had anticipated with so much interest .
" The main body of the army followed within a feAV hours ; and the marshal , having left a small garrison in Truxillo , had rejoined his vanguard , and was advancing upon Medellin . " The enemy hacl been awaiting us at that point during the last three days ; and General Cuesta , who had selected his own ground , had in that interval been manoeuvring the 45 , 000
infantry and 10 , 000 horse which composed his army—rehearsing , in fact , the battle , which only required our presence to complete its grand performance . That day was a fearful one for the Spanish troops ! "On the evening after the battle I was on guard on the field , and had caused a number of the wounded Spaniards to be conveyed to my post , where the surgeon of my regiment was soon actively employed in alleviating their sufferings . Among