e scarlet. As I cast my glance along our lines, they looked like
trails of flame. The French were drawn up in columns in front of their
camp, which, by the most extraordinary exertion, they had covered during
the night with numerous batteries, and fortified with a circle of
powerful redoubts; the guns of the fortress defended their flank and
rear, and their position was evidently of the most formidable kind. But
all view was lost, from the moment when the head of our brigade
advanced. Every gun that could be brought to bear upon us opened at
once, and all was enveloped in smoke. For a full hour we could see
nothing but the effect of the grape-shot on our own ranks as we poured
on, and hear nothing but the roar of the batteries. But at length shouts
began to arise in distant parts of the field, and we felt that the
division which had been appointed to assault the rear of the camp was
making progress. Walmoden, commanding a brigade under Ferrari, now
galloped up, to ascertain whether our men were ready to assault the
intrenchments. "The British troops are _always_ ready," was Abercromby's
expressive, and somewhat indignant, answer. In the instant of our
rushing forward, an aide-de-camp rode up, to acquaint the general that
the column under the Duke of York had already stormed three redoubts.
"Gentlemen," said Abercromby, turning to the colonels round him, "we
must try to save our friends further trouble--forward!" Within a quarter
of an hour we were within the enemy's lines, every battery was stormed
or turned, and the French were in confusion. Some hurried towards the
fortress, which now began to fire; a large body fled into the open
country, and fell into the hands of his royal highness; and some,
seizing the boats on the river, dropped down with the stream. All was
victory: yet this was to be my day of ill luck. In pursuing the enemy
towards the fortress, a battalion, which had attempted to cover the
retreat, broke at the moment when my company were on the point of
charging them. This was too tempting a chance to be resisted; we rushed
on, taking prisoners at every step, until we actually came within sight
of the gate by which the fugitives were making their escape into the
town. But we were in a trap, and soon felt that we were discovered, by a
heavy discharge of musketry from the rampart. We had now only to return
on our steps, and I had just given the word, when the firing was renewed
on a bastion, round which we were