me, is left on guard over a
Portuguese cottage -- Surprises and discomfits a French intruder
-- Sad end of a hungry corporal -- Lawrence made sergeant.

We marched slowly on, following up the enemy as closely as possible,
often even having them in sight: and both armies were sometimes
encamped for a week at a time, and employed meanwhile in skirmishing
with each other.

At one of these halts the enemy by some means or other got three
pieces of cannon on to the top of a steep mountain, probably by men
dragging them up with ropes, as it was impossible for horses to have
done it; and on our entering the valley, Lord Wellington happening to
be with us, a shot from one of these carried his cocked hat completely
off. Our colonel remarked to him, "That was a near miss, my Lord;" to
which he replied, "Yes, and I wish you would try to stop them, for
they seem determined to annoy us." Our colonel immediately said he
would send some of the grenadiers up for that purpose, so I, being a
corporal and right-hand man of the company, volunteered with a section
to undertake the job. Six men were accordingly chosen besides myself;
rather a small storming-party for the object in hand, as they numbered
twenty-one artillerymen and an officer, according to my own counting.

I led my little band along the valley and approached the mountain
whence they were tormenting us. The artillerymen kept up a fire at us
from the cannon, which consisted of light six-pounders, but owing to
our movement they could not get the elevation. We slowly scaled the
hill zigzag fashion to baffle their aim, until we got so close that
the cannon could not possibly touch us, owing to a slight mound on the
hill. We were then within a hundred yards of them, and I took their
number, and found at the same time that they had no firearms with them
but the cannon, which were of not much use at close quarters for such
a few men. I should say we lay there on the ground for at least ten
minutes, contemplating which would be the best mode of attack, while
they were anxiously watching for our reappearance.

At last when ready I said, "Now my men, examine your flints and
priming, so that all things may go right." They did so, saying, "All
right, corporal, we will follow you;" so I too sang out, "Now for a
gold chain or a wooden leg!" and having told them what to do and to
act together, we jumped up, and giving them a volley, we charged them
before they had any time t