The Little Ball O' Fire; or, the Life and Adventures of John Marston Hall: The Works of G. P. R. James, Vol. XV.James, G. P. R. (George Payne Rainsford)
History
The Little Ball O' Fire; or, the Life and Adventures of John Marston Hall: The Works of G. P. R. James, Vol. XV.
James, G. P. R. (George Payne Rainsford)
France -- History -- Louis XIV, 1643-1715 -- Fiction
"Well, my little man," he replied, with a look of surprise, "what is
it?"
I saw at once, from his tone and his look, that I was right, and I
gave him the billet from Lord Norwich. He read it attentively; and
then asked "Can you lead me by some bypath to the left of the enemy's
line?" I answered that I could; and, without more ado, set off before
him, and conducted him by the back streets to a point where a lime
road led out into the country.
The moment that his eye gained a clear sight of the enemy, I observed
it mark every part of their position, rest fixed on one particular
spot for an instant longer than anywhere else; and I saw that God had
made him a soldier. His plan was evidently formed; his orders were
short, clear, and accurate; and, drawing out his regiment from the
town, he charged a large body of cavalry, who, together with some
pieces of artillery, lay upon the extreme left of the enemy's line,
and in a moment drove them to the devil.
I ran on as hard as I could to see what was going forward, and, just
as I came up, I found the Roundhead horse forced back into the lines
of the pikemen; and, one of the first faces that I beheld, amongst the
Parliamentarian foot, was that of the man who had killed my father. I
never forget faces, and his I was not likely to forget. The fellow was
pike in hand, in front of the young Cavalier; and I had just time to
mark him so as not to be mistaken, when Colonel Masterton's horse
passed the pike, and at one blow of the rider's sword the Roundhead
went down never to rise again.
The battle was like all other battles; but by one means or another I
contrived to keep near Colonel Masterton's regiment through the whole
affair, till just when they were in some difficulty I offered to guide
them up the lime road to Lord Goring, if one of the men would take me
behind him on his horse. The young gentleman seemed surprised to find
me so near him; and after another charge upon a body of London
troopers we made our way forward, and reached the brow of the hill
where the Commander-in-chief then stood.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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