those in every grade
of command an absolute necessity.

After passing through the hands of the drill sergeant with my friends
Dashwood, Batty, Browne, Lascelles, Hume, and Masters, and mounting
guard at St. James's for a few months, we were hurried off, one fine
morning, in charge of a splendid detachment of five hundred men to join
Lord Wellington in Spain. Macadam had just begun to do for England
what Marshal Wade did in Scotland seventy years before; and we were
able to march twenty miles a day with ease until we reached Portsmouth.
There we found transports ready to convey a large reinforcement, of
which we formed part, to Lord Wellington, who was now making his
arrangements, after taking St. Sebastian, for a yet more important
event in the history of the Peninsular War--the invasion of France.

DEPARTURE FOR AND ARRIVAL IN SPAIN

We sailed under convoy of the Madagascar frigate, commanded by Captain
Curtis; and, after a favourable voyage, we arrived at Passages. Our
stay there was short, for we were ordered to join the army without loss
of time. In three hours we got fairly into camp, where we were
received with loud cheers by our brothers in arms.

The whole British army was here under canvas; our allies, the Spaniards
and Portuguese, being in the rear. About the middle of October, to our
great delight, the army received orders to cross the Bidassoa. At three
o'clock on the morning of the 15th our regiment advanced through a
difficult country, and, after a harassing march, reached the top of a
hill as the gray light of morning began to dawn. We marched in
profound silence, but with a pleasurable feeling of excitement amongst
all ranks at the thought of meeting the enemy, and perhaps with not an
equally agreeable idea that we might be in the next world before the
day was over.

As we ascended the rugged side of the hill, I saw, for the first time,
the immortal Wellington. He was accompanied by the Spanish General,
Alava, Lord Fitzroy Somerset, and Major, afterwards Colonel Freemantle.
He was very stern and grave-looking; he was in deep meditation, so long
as I kept him in view, and spoke to no one. His features were bold,
and I saw much decision of character in his expression. He rode a
knowing-looking, thorough-bred horse, and wore a gray overcoat, Hessian
boots, and a large cocked hat. We commenced the passage of the Bidassoa
about five in the morning, and in a short time infantry, cavalry, a