Second to None: A Military Romance, Volume 3 (of 3)Grant, James
General
Second to None: A Military Romance, Volume 3 (of 3)
Grant, James
Soldiers -- Fiction
"Colonel Fury was remarkable for the liveliness and gaiety of his
disposition, and his spirits, on an occasion like the present, when
about to enter into action, were uniformly observed to be unusually
elevated. His habitual sprightliness and good humour made him a
general favourite in the regiment; besides, he was a man of
distinguished gallantry and an excellent officer. Among other good
qualities, he paid especial attention to the filling of his canteen,
and on the morning in question he sat down under a tree, inviting
several of his brother officers to breakfast.
"For the _first time_ in his life, on the eve of an engagement, he
seemed pensive and dull, and on being rallied on the subject by some
of the gentlemen present--
"'I don't know how it is,' he answered, 'but I think I shall be
killed to-day.'
"The cannonade having just begun, he mounted his horse, and rode up
to the regiment, where he had been but a very short time when his
head was carried off by a cannon shot."
Our _total_ loss was five hundred men, and fifteen pieces of cannon.
We rejoined the main body of the allied army full of rage and disgust
at our discomfiture, and clamouring for an opportunity to encounter
the foe again; nor was it long before that opportunity came.
Among the papers found in the sabretache of Boisguiller, was one
which informed Prince Ferdinand of a proposed movement of the French
from Corbach towards Ziegenheim, and on this point he fixed his
attention.
Not many days after our last affair, tidings came that a body of the
French, commanded by Major General Glaubitz and Colonel Count
Bourgneuf, had advanced in that direction.
Immediately on hearing this, our leader directed the young hereditary
prince, who was eager and burning to wipe out the late disgrace, to
drive them back, and on this service he departed, with six battalions
of Hussars, the Scots Greys, 11th Light Dragoons, Luckner's Hussars,
and two brigades of Chasseurs.
In high spirits and full of ardour we marched on the 16th of July,
came suddenly upon the enemy at Emsdorff, attacked them with great
fury, slew a great number of all ranks, took the Major-General, all
the artillery and baggage, one hundred and twenty-seven officers and
two thousand two hundred soldiers prisoners.
Count Bourgneuf, however, contrived to make his escape, after a rough
hand-to-hand combat with Captain Cunningham of the Greys.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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