Fantasy fiction; Imaginary wars and battles -- Fiction; War stories
Little Arthur, who had been delighted at the bustle and the uniforms,
and in high spirits, became at last very cross, and eventually cried
himself to sleep in his father’s arms, his golden hair and one little
dimpled arm hanging over his shoulder. Thus went on the weary hours,
till suddenly the assembly sounded, and we all started up. We were to
return to Waterloo. The landing on the east was only a feint--so ran
the rumour--the real attack was on the south. Anything seemed better
than indecision and delay, and, tired though we were, the march back
was gladly hailed. Mrs. Travers, who made us take the remains of the
luncheon with us, we left to look for her carriage; little Arthur, who
was awake again, but very good and quiet, in her arms.
We did not reach Waterloo till nearly midnight, and there was some
delay in starting again. Several volunteer and militia regiments had
arrived from the north; the station and all its approaches were jammed
up with men, and trains were being despatched away as fast as they
could be made up. All this time no news had reached us since the first
announcement; but the excitement then aroused had now passed away under
the influence of fatigue and want of sleep, and most of us dozed off
as soon as we got under way. I did, at any rate, and was awoke by the
train stopping at Leatherhead. There was an up-train returning to town,
and some persons in it were bringing up news from the coast. We could
not, from our part of the train, hear what they said, but the rumour
was passed up from one carriage to another. The enemy had landed in
force at Worthing. Their position had been attacked by the troops from
the camp near Brighton, and the action would be renewed in the morning.
The volunteers had behaved very well. This was all the information
we could get. So, then, the invasion had come at last. It was clear,
at any rate, from what was said, that the enemy had not been driven
back yet, and we should be in time most likely to take a share in the
defence. It was sunrise when the train crawled into Dorking, for there
had been numerous stoppages on the way; and here it was pulled up for
a long time, and we were told to get out and stretch ourselves--an
order gladly responded to, for we had been very closely packed all
night. Most of us, too, took the opportunity to make an early breakfast
off the food we had brought from Shoreditch. I had the remains of Mrs.
Travers’s fowl and some bread wrapped up in my waterproof, which I
shared with one or two less provident comrades. We could see from our
halting-place that the line was blocked with trains beyond and behind.
It must have been about eight o’clock when we got orders to take our
seats again, and the train began to move slowly on towards Horsham.
Horsham Junction was the point to be occupied--so the rumour went;
but about ten o’clock, when halting at a small station a few miles
short of it, the order came to leave the train, and our brigade formed
in column on the high road.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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