was very young, and did not then know that men are never strong
against the right, and that a bad cause is always a weak one.

It was about the middle of June when we reached Strasbourg, where now
about forty thousand troops were assembled. I shall not readily forget
the mingled astonishment and disappointment our appearance excited as
the regiment entered the town. The Tapageurs, so celebrated for all
their terrible excesses and insubordination, were seen to be a fine
corps of soldier-like fellows, their horses in high condition, their
equipments and arms in the very best order. Neither did our conduct at
all tally with the reputation that preceded us. All was orderly and
regular in the several billets; the parade was particularly observed;
not a man late at the night muster. What was the cause of this sudden
and remarkable change? Some said we were marching against the enemy; but
the real explanation lay in a few words of a general order read to us by
our colonel the day before we entered the city:

"The 9th Hussars have obtained the unworthy reputation of being an
ill-disciplined and ill-conducted regiment, relying upon their
soldier-like qualities in face of the enemy to cover the disgrace
of-their misconduct in quarters. This is a mistake that must be
corrected. All Frenchmen are brave; none can arrogate to themselves any
prerogative of valor. If any wish to establish such a belief, a campaign
can always attest it. If any profess to think so without such proof, and
acting in conformity with this impression, disobey their orders or
infringe regimental discipline, I will have them shot.

"REGNIER,
"_Adjutant-general_."

This was, at least, a very straight-forward and intelligible
announcement, and as such my comrades generally acknowledged it. I,
however regarded it as a piece of monstrous and intolerable tyranny,
and sought to make converts to my opinion by declaiming about the rights
of Frenchmen, the liberty of free discussion, the glorious privilege of
equality, and so on; but these arguments sounded faint in presence of
the drum-head; and while some slunk away from the circle around me,
others significantly hinted that they would accept no part of the danger
my doctrines might originate.

However I might have respected my comrades, had they been always the
well-disciplined body I now saw them, I confess, that this sudden
conversion from fear, was in nowise to my taste, and rashly confounded
their