e Horn, and begged they would send one; but just then
one of ours drifted astern, and the Spaniards, smelling a rat, opened
fire on us. Instantly the admiral ordered the troops to land, and a
launch, with the gallant Major Miller, and some forty-four marines,
shoved off, and under a heavy shower of musket-balls, pushed for the
shore. His coxswain was wounded, and he received a shot through his
hat. On we shoved (for I was with him), and leaping on shore with loud
cheers, we drove the enemy before us at the point of the bayonet. I
forgot to tell you that when the _O'Higgins_ got on shore, we had nearly
all our powder spoiled, so that he had to depend entirely on the
bayonet. There's no better weapon to be used when Spaniards are
concerned. They can't stand it. Other boats followed, and in less than
a hour we had 300 troops landed. We waited till it was dark to begin
the attack. There was a gallant young ensign, Mr Vidal. While the
main body advanced in front, firing off their muskets, and shouting to
show the Spaniards that we were going to give them a taste of the
bayonet, he got round to the rear of the forts, and opening his fire,
the enemy got frightened, and took to their heels, while we took the
forts--which was what we had come to take. At the same time 300 more
Spaniards, who were marching into Fort Ingles, were seized with a panic,
and all fled together. The brave Chilians bayoneted them by dozens; and
when the gates of the other forts were opened to receive the fugitives,
they entered at the same time, and thus fort after fort was taken with
very little loss to us, but a good deal to the enemy. Two days after,
we attacked the forts on the other side of the water with the same
success, and then took the town of Valdivia itself, which is some little
way up the river. We found a large supply of ammunition in the place,
and I know that I got a fair share of prize-money. That Major Miller I
was telling you of was soon after this again desperately wounded in
attempting to take another fort. When he had fallen, his faithful
marines made a desperate charge, and brought him off. They were all
Chilians, it must be remembered. One of them, named Roxas, was a very
brave fellow. He was the first to land with the major, and had helped
to carry him to the beach on their retreat. Two out of three were
wounded, and when the major invited him to step into the boat, `No,
sir,' says he; `I was the first to land,