The writer of the following pages, in the descriptions of Battles, Sieges, and Military Incidents, is indebted to the History of the War in the Peninsula and the South of France , by W. F. P. Napier, C.B....

AUTHOR’S FAMILY AND BIRTH—CONDITION OF IRELAND—THE REBELLION—ITS CAUSES—ACTION AT RATHANGAN—MICHAEL MURPHY, THE FIGHTING PRIEST—MURDER OF JOHN TINKLER—THE PRETENDED MIRACLE WORKER—PRIEST ROCHE—ACTION AT ARKLOW—DEFEAT OF THE REBELS—ENTERS THE ARMY—APPREHENDED INVASION OF THE FRENCH—ORDERED ON ACTUAL SERVICE—THE SOLDIER AND HIS FAMILY—THE MILITARY ASYLUM. I have the advantage of being an Irishman. My parents had also the felicity of first seeing the light of day as it shone upon the soil of the la

EMBARKS FOR DENMARK—NARROW ESCAPE FROM DROWNING—LANDING OF THE FORCES—FORMIDABLE DEFENCE OF THE DANES—THEIR DEFEAT—BOMBARDMENT OF COPENHAGEN—PATRIOTISM OF THE DANES—DESCRIPTION OF THE CITY—RUINOUS EFFECTS OF THE SIEGE—SURRENDER OF THE FLEET—SUSPENSION OF HOSTILITIES—DANGEROUS PASSAGE HOME—LANDS AT YARMOUTH. The fleet destined for the north bore away from the Downs with a fine leading breeze. It consisted of forty-two ships of war, twenty-two of which were of the line, several frigates, and a for

ORDERED TO SPAIN—LANDS AT CORUNNA—MARCH TO SAHAGAN—ARMY UNDER SIR JOHN MOORE OBLIGED TO RETREAT—ARRIVES AT CORUNNA—THE FRENCH REPULSED—SIR JOHN MOORE KILLED—EMBARKATION OF THE TROOPS. When war’s alarms are heard, the soldier reckons only upon short repose; and after remaining a few weeks on the coast, the regiment to which I belonged was ordered into winter quarters. While stationed there, we had the misfortune to lose two of our officers, both of whom sank into an untimely grave. One of them fe

DISASTERS OF THE RETREAT—VOYAGE HOME IN THE HINDOSTAN—ORDERED TO PORTUGAL—LANDED AT LISBON—ARRIVAL AT TALAVERA—THE HEROINE OF MATAGORDA—SIEGE OF CIUDAD RODRIGO BY THE FRENCH—THE DEFENCE OF LISBON—CAPTAIN GUACHÉ—GALLANTRY OF GENERAL CRAUFORD—TERRIBLE COMBAT AT BARBA DEL PUERCO. During a violent snow-storm which overtook us on our march upon Corunna, several of my comrades, and myself among the rest, wearied with fatigue, took refuge one evening in a small out-house or hovel, as it afforded tempor

ADVANCE OF LORD WELLINGTON TO THE SIERRA BUSACO—BATTLE OF BUSACO—DISASTERS AT COIMBRA—MASSÉNA OUT-GENERALLED—TEMPTED BY A BUNCH OF GRAPES—DINNER INTERRUPTED BY THE ENEMY—LINES OF TORRES VEDRAS—GALLANT FIGHT AT BAROSSA—BADAJOS BETRAYED TO THE FRENCH—RETREAT OF MASSÉNA FROM TORRES VEDRAS. The captain of the company in which I served being in want of a servant, I had the honour of being engaged in that capacity. My place, however, was no sinecure, and often amounted to a rather dangerous distinctio

COMBAT OF SABUGAL—FUENTES D’ONORO—BATTLE OF ALBUERA—AUTHOR SENT TO LISBON—GETS INTO TROUBLE—SIEGE OF CIUDAD RODRIGO—GENERAL CRAUFORD KILLED—FORTITUDE OF THE BRITISH SOLDIERS. At daylight on the 3rd of April our nearness to the enemy indicated the approach of another collision. The English general, having ten thousand men pivoted on the 5th division at Sabugal, designed to turn Reynier’s left, and surround him before he could be succoured. This well-concerted plan was marred by one of those accid

PRIZE MONEY—SIEGE OF BADAJOS—THE AUTHOR WOUNDED BY A MUSKET BALL—JOURNEY TO ELVAS—DESERTERS SHOT—RETURN TO ENGLAND—VISIT TO RELATIONS IN IRELAND—REJOINS AT MAIDSTONE—THE DROWNING MAN’S GRATITUDE. Soon after the close of the siege just described, I received, in conjunction with others who were similarly entitled, my share of prizemoney on account of the property captured some years before at Copenhagen. Some arrears of pay were also supplied by the hands of Major Wells. A little good advice was k

THE AUTHOR RETIRES FROM THE ARMY—SHOULD A SOLDIER BE RELIGIOUS?—SCRIPTURE HEROES: ABRAM, JOSHUA, DEBORAH, JEPHTHAH, GIDEON, SAMSON, SAUL, AND DAVID—OTHER GODFEARING SOLDIERS: THE THUNDERING LEGION, ALFRED THE GREAT, GENERAL DYKERN, COLONEL GARDINER, FREDERIC OF PRUSSIA, COLONEL BERDELEBEN. In November, 1823, on another reduction in the army, I finally retired from the service. The leisure thus afforded induced me to look within, not with the superficial survey of former years, but with a desire

JOHN HAIME—ALLEGED CAUSES OF WAR—THE AUTHOR AND POPERY—CONFESSION TO MAN USELESS—PURGATORY—TRANSUBSTANTIATION—IDOLATRY—LEGENDS—PAPAL PERSECUTIONS. Instances of genuine conversion to the faith of the Gospel, attended by the fruits of the Spirit, are also to be met with among what are generally termed ‘common soldiers,’ by which are understood the private men composing the main body of an army, by whom, as making up the physical force employed, the brunt of actual fighting is chiefly sustained; an

THE AUTHOR RENOUNCES POPERY—OBTAINS A SITUATION IN THE CHELSEA MILITARY ASYLUM—ATTENDS SLOANE-TERRACE CHAPEL—THE SERVICE DESCRIBED—SIMPLICITY OF PROTESTANT WORSHIP. No one, I apprehend, will wonder, that at the close of the preceding view, my mind was at rest as to the course most advisable. A voice seemed to sound in my ears, ‘Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partaker in her sins.’ With gratitude unfeigned, I thank God, who has delivered me from such antichristian articles of faith. I

JOINS THE METHODIST SOCIETY—NATURE AND USE OF CLASS-MEETINGS—THE WITNESS OF THE SPIRIT—FAITH AND ITS FRUITS—RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE—RESOLVES TO END HIS DAYS IN THE SERVICE OF GOD. My views of the way of life were by this time greatly enlightened; I had also thoroughly informed myself relative to the drift and tenor of Methodism. Under a deep persuasion that the truth and power of scriptural piety prevailed among its professors, I joined their Society in January, 1828; and trust never to be found wi