The Young Dragoon: Every Day Life of a SoldierDrayson, Alfred W. (Alfred Wilks)
History
The Young Dragoon: Every Day Life of a Soldier
Drayson, Alfred W. (Alfred Wilks)
Soldiers -- Juvenile fiction
"Who comes there?" said I.
"A friend!"
The door was opened, and in stepped a tall individual, wearing a curious
conical-shaped cap, apparently made of raccoon skins.
"Don't you know me?" said he, shaking hands with the corporal of the
guard, who was eyeing him over from head to foot; "I am Corporal L--,
who deserted with Sergeant B--from Liverpool," said he, laughing
heartily.
He was immediately placed under arrest; and afterwards informed us that
he had relatives in the United States, to whom he made his way on his
arrival in New York. He was a medical student at the time he enlisted,
and had wealthy connexions in London. Corresponding with these, he was
informed that an old uncle had died and left him a princely fortune, and
was advised by the family solicitor to come back to England without
delay, give himself up to his regiment, and when he had undergone the
punishment consequent on his indiscretion, arrangements would be made to
purchase his discharge.
The most noteworthy portion of his examination before the colonel on the
following morning was, that notwithstanding the hints thrown out that he
would probably be flogged if he did not render some account of the
sergeant who had deserted with him, he steadily refused to give any
information.
"I know where he is," said he; "but you may cut me to pieces before I
will tell you anything concerning him."
He was tried by court-martial, and, notwithstanding the intercession of
his friends and the powerful interest employed in his favour, was
sentenced to three months' imprisonment; at the expiration of which he
returned, very much broken down and emaciated, and was put to his duty,
pending the necessary preliminaries for his discharge, which he gained
in the course of a month; and in about three weeks after he left the
regiment he entered the barrack-yard, seated by the side of a lovely
girl--his wife--in a splendid barouche, drawn by a pair of high-stepping
Cleveland bays, coachman and footman in spanking new livery. He had
brought his wife down from London to show her a specimen of barrack
life.
We were at dinner. He laughed and chatted with all those with whom he
had been on intimate terms, and left us a five-pound note. We gave him
three cheers as he left the barracks; and, although once only a common
soldier, he is now a gentleman, residing with his wife and a numerous
family in the suburbs of the West End of London.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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