Adventures of a Soldier, Written by Himself: Being the Memoirs of Edward Costello, K.S.F. Formerly a Non-Commissioned Officer in the Rifle Brigade, Late Captain in the British Legion, and Now One of the Wardens of the Tower of London; Comprising Narratives of the Campaigns in the Peninsula under the Duke of Wellington, and the Subsequent Civil Wars in Spain.Costello, Edward
History
Adventures of a Soldier, Written by Himself: Being the Memoirs of Edward Costello, K.S.F. Formerly a Non-Commissioned Officer in the Rifle Brigade, Late Captain in the British Legion, and Now One of the Wardens of the Tower of London; Comprising Narratives of the Campaigns in the Peninsula under the Duke of Wellington, and the Subsequent Civil Wars in Spain.
Costello, Edward
Peninsular War, 1807-1814 -- Personal narratives, British
“Do not think,” he again continued, “that I wish you to return me, that
is impossible. But I cannot help my feelings!”
This was only replied to by reproaches; which I did not listen to, for
as it was no business of mine I turned to converse with my companions.
The grenadier, at last, made a move to take his departure, and his wife,
for such she evidently was, had agreed to accompany him a little of the
way, and they walked together. I did not know how to account for it, but
there was a certain uneasiness attended me, which had kept me, as it
were, on their trail all the evening; and Battersby and myself followed
in their rear. They had proceeded a few hundred yards, and were some
distance in advance, when she turned to wish him good-night. The poor
fellow paused again, as if in deep thought, fixing on her the same cool,
deliberate look that he had exhibited all the evening.
“So you are determined, Nelly,” said he at length, “to continue this way
of living?”
“Yes,” said she.
“Well, then,” he exclaimed, holding her firmly by the left hand, which
she had extended for him to shake, while he drew his bayonet with his
right, “take that,” and he drove it right through her body. The blow was
given with such force that it actually tripped him over her, and both
fell, the bayonet still sticking in her side. The poor woman gave a
convulsive scream, and in a moment expired. The grenadier bounded
instantly on his feet again, and stamping one foot on the body of his
victim, jerked forth the bayonet reeking with her blood. Wheeling
himself round on his heel, the fatal weapon tightly clutched in his
right hand, his eyes instantaneously caught the direction Battersby had
taken, and he flew after him with the speed and countenance of a fiend,
to wreak a second vengeance.
The sergeant fortunately arrived in the camp in time enough to call out
the rear-guard, who, of course, were instantly on the alarm to meet him.
The grenadier no sooner beheld him in safety than he stopped, and
casting a half contemptuous smile towards the body of his dead wife,
wiped the bayonet through his fingers, returned it to the scabbard, and
drawing himself to his full height, calmly awaited the approach of the
guard. When brought before the Colonel, he said in a rough and manly
tone of voice, while he extended his arm towards his wife, “I have done
the deed, but sorry her seducer has escaped.”
He was afterwards brought to a court-martial, and sentenced to three
months’ solitary confinement. But he suffered for one month only, when,
as I suppose, in consideration of his case, he was ordered to return to
his regiment. I have since been informed that he was shot in one of the
actions on the Pyrennees. He certainly was a fine-looking fellow, and by
name Bryen.
As for Nelly, we buried her that very night near the spot where she
fell, having dug her grave with the same kind of weapon as that by which
she had been deprived of life.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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