The Military Sketch-Book, Vol. 2 (of 2): Reminiscences of seventeen years in the service abroad and at homeMaginn, William
General
The Military Sketch-Book, Vol. 2 (of 2): Reminiscences of seventeen years in the service abroad and at home
Maginn, William
Bushrangers; Military biography; Soldiers -- Conduct of life
come down; and this being done, three more were sent round to about
fifty yards distance, an’ posted at different points, while four others
were placed at each flank o’ the big house on the side o’ the hill--all
ordthered to allow nobody to pass in or out; an’ not to move from their
posts till further ordthers, unless obliged by force. Ensign Morris
then marched the remaining twelve, and the Sergeant and myself, down
the slope for about a hundthred yards, an’ halted us undther cover o’
the wail, close to the gate o’ the house.
“The excisemen now went softly into the yard o’ the house--for there
was no gate--an’ in about five minutes they came out again, to say that
there were at least eight or ten men in the house--they saw through
a crack in the wall. I must tell ye that the excisemen said they had
been in the house twice, but it was in the day time, an’ if they were
to be d----d for it, they could not find either still or one o’ the
men,--it was so sacretly done between ’em; so they came to-night from
information they had received, that a grate quantity o’ potyeen was to
be sent out about twelve o’clock; an’ we were to wait ’till they began
to load their cars with the stuff.--‘The cars are all harnessed,’ says
one o’ the Excisemen, coming out o’ the yard, ’an’ I hard a dale o’
voices inside--so they will soon come out.’
“Here we waited for a little time, when a light from the door stramed
out across the road through the gateway, and the excisemen got on
their hands an’ feet, an’ kept watching the fellows coming out o’ the
house to load the stuff. We heard the cars dthrawing up before the
door, and in about five minutes the excisemen got up, and said that
they would creep inside o’ the gate, an’ round the wall to the door,
so as to get into the house before any alarm was given; an’ that the
word “Captain!” roared out by one o’ them, would be the signal for our
party to advance an’ support them. So in they crept, like cats, while
the men were loading the cars: and we were expecting the signal every
instant, when we sees a fellow’s head poking out o’ the gate: at first
he didn’t see us, but walked softly out (I suppose to see was the
ground clear), when he turned round an’ spies us, an’ immajetly bawled
out, as loud as he could, ‘Murther! Dinis, shut the door; here’s the
sodgers!’ The signal was instantly given; we didn’t mind the fellow at
the gate, but advanced at double quick, right into the yard--Ensign
Morris at our head. The door was open--a woman held a light, an’ was
pulling in a man, while the excisemen were both knocked down like cocks
before our faces. We were dthrawn up in line about ten yards from the
door, while Ensign Morris ran forward, undther one o’ the horses’
heads, calling out he would fire if they would not surrendther; but
the men were all in, an’ the door slapped right into his face, just
as he was grabbing howld o’ one o’ them. You know Misther Morris is
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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