John Cheap, the Chapman's Library. Vol. 2: Religious and Scriptural: The Scottish Chap Literature of Last Century, ClassifiedGraham, Dougal
Religion
John Cheap, the Chapman's Library. Vol. 2: Religious and Scriptural: The Scottish Chap Literature of Last Century, Classified
Graham, Dougal
Chapbooks, Scottish; English literature -- 18th century; Popular literature -- Scotland
again and again, Cargil mounted the pulpit; he preached concord;
he called aloud for mutual forbearance. ‘Behold the banners of
the enemy,’ cried he, ‘hear ye not the fire of the foe, and of
our brethren? Our brothers and fathers are fallen beneath their
sword. Hasten to their aid. See the flag of the Covenant. See the
motto in letters of gold--“Christ’s Crown and the Covenant.” Hear
the wailings of the bleeding Kirk. Banish discord. And let us, as
a band of brothers present a bold front to the foeman--Follow me
all ye who love your country and the Covenant. I go to die in the
fore-front of the battle.’ All the ministers and officers followed
him, amidst a flourish of trumpets; but the great body remained to
listen to the harangues of the factious.--We sent again and again
for ammunition. My men were at the last round. Treachery, or a
fatal error, had sent a barrel of raisins instead of powder. My
heart sunk within me while I beheld the despair on the faces of my
brave fellows, as I struck out the head of the vessel. Hackstone
called his officers to him. We threw ourselves around him.--‘What
must be done?’ said he in an agony of despair. ‘Conquer or die,’
we said, as if with one voice. ‘We have our swords yet. Lead back
the men to their places and let the ensign bear down the blue and
scarlet colours. Our God and our country be the word.’ Hackstone
rushed forward. We ran to our respective corps--we cheered our
men but they were languid and disspirited. Their ammunition was
nearly expended, and they seemed anxious to husband what remained.
They fought only with their carabines. The cannons could no more
be loaded. The enemy soon perceived this. We saw a troop of horse
approach the bridge. It was that of the life-guards. I recognised
the plume of Clavers. They approached in rapid march. A solid
column of infantry followed. I sent a request to Captain Nesbit to
join his troop to mine. He was in an instant with me.--We charged
the life-guards. Our swords rung on their steel caps.--Many of our
brave lads fell on all sides of me. But we hewed down the foe. They
began to reel.--The whole column was kept stationary on the bridge.
Clavers’ dreadful voice was heard--more like the yell of a savage,
than the commanding voice of a soldier. He pushed forward his men,
and again we hewed them down. A third mass was pushed up. Our
exhausted dragoon fled.--Unsupported, I found myself by the brave
Nesbit, and Paton, and Hackstone. We looked for a moment’s space
in silence on each other. We galloped in front of our retreating
men. We rallied them. We pointed to the General almost alone. We
pointed to the white and to the scarlet colours floating near him.
We cried, ‘God and our Country.’ They faced about. We charged
Clavers once more.--‘Torfoot,’ cried Nesbit, ‘I dare you to the
fore-front of the battle.’ We rushed up at full gallop. Our men
seeing this followed also at full speed.--We broke down the enemy’s
line, bearing down those files which we encountered.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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