Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1845 edition. Excerpt: ... On the morning of the 22nd of June, 1813, the atmosphere was overcast, and being without either cloaks or blankets to cover us, our uniforms were very damp, owing to the heavy dew which had fallen during the night; notwithstanding, we arose from the ground exceedingly refreshed, and gazed around, in mute amazement, at the prodigious wreck of plundered Spain, for beneath the French caissons, tumbrils, and brass cannon, lay scattered los dolilones de oro, of the same virgin gold which had been extracted in former times from the peaceful incas of the New World, by those vindictive Spanish adventurers, whose avaricious veins boiled at that epoch with the hot blood of the Moors. At nine o'clock the rolling of the tenor and bass drums, and the clank of cymbals, beating the marching time, announced that the leading regiments of the division were in motion for the purpose of following the enemy. During the rest of the day we marched through a valley, enclosed by highlands, but did not overtake the enemy; the corn was trampled down in many places, which shewed they had moved in three columns, wherever the ground would admit of it. Soon after dark, the division bivouacked in a wood; a drizzling rain began to fall, and we lay down under a tree to enjoy a nap, until the arrival of our sumpter mules, heavily laden with flour and live stock, which we had industriously scraped together from the refuse of Vittoria's field. At midnight we were awoke, with keen appetites, by the wellknown neighing of the horses, and braying of donkeys; but none of the baggage animals came our way, and during our anxious and broken slumbers the night passed away, and the morning was ushered in by a sweeping rain, which thoroughly saturated the.troops before they began...
