[143] I am informed by Mr. Wright that he was _not_ wounded on this occasion. This is a curious illustration of Byron’s remark about ‘Gazette fame’ (‘Don Juan,’ canto viii., stanza 18 and note). The officer of the 1st Battalion who was wounded at Merxem on February 2 was Lieutenant Church. He had been taken prisoner in one of the fights at Arcangues on December 10, 1813 (see p. 160); but had made his escape, had found his way across France without being discovered, and had joined Glasse’s company in Holland. Like M’Cullock after the Coa (p. 56) he had trusted himself to the fair sex, who had assisted his disguise, and favoured his escape. [144] ‘London Gazette,’and 2nd Battalion Record. As the ‘Gazette’ does not distinguish the regiments of the non-commissioned officers and lower ranks, I am unable to state the losses of the detachments of the other two Battalions. [145] I derive this information from Michael Mappin, a pensioner in the Royal Hospital at Chelsea, who served in the 3rd Battalion from April 1813 till it was disbanded, and afterwards in the 2nd Battalion, and who was himself on this picquet. He was wounded before Antwerp. [146] ‘Wellington Supplementary Despatches,’ x. 704-5-6, and 718. [147] I owe almost all the particulars of this expedition to the kindness of Lieutenant Wright, on half-pay of the Regiment, who served in it, and who survives in good health and perfect memory, whose acquaintance I had the pleasure of making while these sheets were passing through the press. The information and papers he communicated to me enable me to supply many details of this campaign, which, squeezed out between the Peninsular and Waterloo campaigns, and eclipsed by the latter, has never had its history sufficiently written. Yet it was arduous service, albeit unsuccessful. [148] Leach, ‘Sketch of Field Services,’ 27. [149] Their loss between December 25 and 31 was 1 Rifleman killed; 1 Sergeant and 3 Riflemen wounded; and 1 Rifleman missing. [150] Major James Travers, K.H., died February 5, 1841. The ball received at New Orleans had never been extracted, and is said eventually to have caused his death. Lieutenant Backhouse died of his wounds. [151] Gleig, ‘Campaigns of the British Army at Washington and New Orleans’ p. 186. He regrets that he has forgotten, or did not know, the name of this soldier; a regret in which all Riflemen will join. CHAPTER VI. I now return to the narrative of services of the 1st Battalion, who had marched to Dover on their return from the Peninsula in 1814. Napoleon having landed from Elba, on the resumption of hostilities against him, six companies of this Battalion, under the command of Sir Andrew Barnard, embarked at Dover on the 25th April 1815 on board the ‘Wensleydale’ transport and landed at Ostend on the 27th. The officers present with these six companies were: