f the Russian arms, which had been
blemished a little by Czar Peter's last campaign on the Pruth; and this
we fully accomplished by several very fatiguing and glorious campaigns
under the command of that great general I mentioned before.

Modesty forbids individuals to arrogate to themselves great successes
or victories, the glory of which is generally engrossed by the
commander--nay, which is rather awkward, by kings and queens who never
smelt gunpowder but at the field-days and reviews of their troops; never
saw a field of battle, or an enemy in battle array.

Nor do I claim any particular share of glory in the great engagements
with the enemy. We all did our duty, which, in the patriot's, soldier's,
and gentleman's language, is a very comprehensive word, of great honour,
meaning, and import, and of which the generality of idle quidnuncs
and coffee-house politicians can hardly form any but a very mean and
contemptible idea. However, having had the command of a body of hussars,
I went upon several expeditions, with discretionary powers; and the
success I then met with is, I think, fairly and only to be placed to my
account, and to that of the brave fellows whom I led on to conquest and
to victory. We had very hot work once in the van of the army, when we
drove the Turks into Oczakow. My spirited Lithuanian had almost brought
me into a scrape: I had an advanced fore-post, and saw the enemy coming
against me in a cloud of dust, which left me rather uncertain about
their actual numbers and real intentions: to wrap myself up in a
similar cloud was common prudence, but would not have much advanced my
knowledge, or answered the end for which I had been sent out; therefore
I let my flankers on both wings spread to the right and left and make
what dust they could, and I myself led on straight upon the enemy, to
have nearer sight of them: in this I was gratified, for they stood and
fought, till, for fear of my flankers, they began to move off rather
disorderly. This was the moment to fall upon them with spirit; we broke
them entirely--made a terrible havoc amongst them, and drove them not
only back to a walled town in their rear, but even through it, contrary
to our most sanguine expectation.

The swiftness of my Lithuanian enabled me to be foremost in the pursuit;
and seeing the enemy fairly flying through the opposite gate, I thought
it would be prudent to stop in the market-place, to order the men to
rendezvous. I stopped,