went with the Captain to draw the billets, the ladies took me for an officer, having so much gold-lace on me. They were full of talk, and I as full of weakness, weariness, and hunger.

"There was something marvellous in my finding my billet. Every door was shut; not a light or person to be seen. After rapping at doors which none would open, and walking till eleven o'clock, I was ready to drop down. I leaned on one of the guns, and said, 'O, my gracious Lord, Thou knowest I am able to stand no longer! Grant, for Jesus's sake, that some door may be opened, where I may rest my weary head.' When I had opened my eyes, a Spaniard stood by me, who asked to see my billet. Having read it, he took me by the hand, and led me to the place. Let infidels think as they please: I say, here was the finger of God. Praised be His name eternally!"

The army retreated from Astargo in three columns. The picture he draws of their condition, as they returned to Corunna, is sufficiently melancholy

"4th. We halt to-day, to get our horses shod. This is a great mercy, as it is very wet. We are to make Corunna in two days. The Lord grant strength! The French are pressing our rear. Whether we shall get embarked, I know not. The army is in the most wretched plight, most of them without shoes; wading, not marching, through the mud and snow, from twenty to thirty-six miles daily, poorly clothed, and badly treated by the inhabitants. When will England

be wise?

"5th. We marched from Lugo at one o'clock

in the morning. Our horses were stiff and weak. We halted at four leagues' distance, for the space of two hours. It rained prodigiously. Having marched four leagues more, or rather waded, we were scarce able to move when we came to quarters-a single house on a mountain: poor accommodations for one hundred and thirty men, wet, dirty, and weary. We started at four, came to Britanza at eleven, halted for refreshment, and at seven arrived at Corunna; more rejoiced to get to the end of our journey than those who have not experienced like hardships can at all imagine.

"I have been so often deceived with reports, that I can depend on nothing I hear. But it is plain we are now obliged to make a stand, as there are no ships in the harbour to take us off. The troops are coming into town in a straggling manner. Corunna is commanded by several hills. and therefore cannot hold out long. The wind is contrary for the shipping, and it blows and rains surprisingly. To all appearance, our fate is to be taken prisoners. I have pleaded with the Lord to have mercy upon us. May He deliver us, for His great name's sake; for we have no hope but in His mercy!"

These memoirs may be perused by some young men who incorrectly informed, or wrongly impressed, and irritated by disappointments or other causes are under strong impulse to enlist as soldiers, in expectation of freedom from restraint, ease, preferment, or other enjoyments. In addition to the foregoing details, a letter written by Sergeant Field to his sons, from Corunna, two days before the battle, discloses the real glories of military life, especially in time of war :—

"CORUNNA, January 14th, 1809.

"MY DEAR CHILDREN,-I purposed, when a fair opportunity offered, to have written largely to you on a new subject; but lest that opportunity may never be afforded, I think it better to write in noise, darkness, confusion, and haste, than not at all, as it may be the means of preventing your destruction. I most earnestly beg you will read this letter, whenever you have a desire to enlist, with consideration and prayer.

"You have known somewhat of the army on home-service; but your childhood prevented you from seeing its evils; and not being in the barrackroom immediately, you had not the means, even if you had the capacity, of acquaintance with the knavery and great wickedness of soldiers in general,-wickedness that, flowing together like a mighty torrent, and gathering strength from every stream, bears all before it rapidly in the broad way, except those who are firmly established on the Rock of ages.

6

"The old soldiers are bent on corrupting the recruit. They sleep not, except they cause some to fall.' They cannot bear that any should be wiser or richer than themselves. Their mouth is like the tomb, it never has enough; their thirst can never be quenched. If the young soldier is known to have a shilling, many a scheme is laid to decoy him to the tap-room, and many arguments there used to make him drink heartily, swear, and mock religion. The brothel is next proposed, and the man, now drunk, is willing to yield to anything the devil or man proposes. Rather than be reproached as a coward, he voluntarily rends from his heart the remains of virtue,

complies, and gives his body to the surgeon, and his soul to the devil. Miserable wretch! good for him if he had never been born!

"Now he is a brave fellow; but the more money he can procure, the better he is esteemed. He runs in debt with the Pay-Sergeant; and when his credit fails in every tavern, his necessaries are sold, and he will then be persuaded to steal. Roll-calls and parades are neglected; and, becoming daily more careless of his arms and accoutrements, his character, that he should value above gold, is gone. Confinement, disgrace, and other punishments ensue. His life is wretched.

"But, suppose the youth has grace to stand against the powers of earth and hell, is everything in that case agreeable in the army? Far from it. He has to endure the oaths and blasphemies of his superiors in rank against him, sometimes for the neglects of others, or to evade reproof themselves; unnecessary or unjust calls to duty by drunken or partial non-commissioned officers; and abuse and confinement, if he pleads his own cause. This is painful from men perhaps every way his inferiors; for persons of merit are not always promoted: eye-servants are most esteemed.

"On ship-board, the men are crowded. They must be one-third or one-half time on deck, night and day, wet and dry. The heat betweendecks throws them into perspiration, which, when routed up in the night, the sharp sea-air obstructs. Cold is contracted, which not only impairs the constitution, but throws many into consumption.

"The danger of landing on an enemy's shore neither I can describe nor you conceive. The long-boats are filled with men, marshalled in

order, who row with all speed to the shore in the manner the line is to be formed. They have to suffer the fire of the batteries, which generally does great execution, without returning one shot. When they arrive at shoal-water, being pinned too close in the boats, the enemy's infantry, who with the batteries cease firing, wheel into divisions, and, with the cavalry from the rear, charge on the boats, the men plunging into the water, and defending themselves with the bayonet until they can form the line, and then in turn charge both cavalry and infantry, and also the batteries. Witness my landing at Ostend.

commence.

"Then the marching and counter-marching The fatigued soldier regards not the dangers of the field so much as the hardships of the road,-hungry, thirsty, and again so sleepy, that we walk upon each other, or tumble into the ditch. I speak by experience. Of all the sufferings I have ever endured, I think this is the greatest,-marching in the night through deep roads, under snow, rain, and storm, and perhaps in danger of an attack. It is most unnaturalabove the ability of man to bear.

"When the soldier's shoes are worn out, his feet swell, or are so torn, that he marks the road with his blood. Chilled with frost, his empty stomach invaded with wind, a general weakness pervades his whole frame, he drops, he dies,-a miserable end to his career! O, the awful sights I have seen! Tender youths, some of them delicately bred, lying in scores and hundreds on the roads, after long marches, and death pictured in their countenances. Rest they must have, though they should die, or fall into the enemy's hands;