s from a battery; sometimes
they'd capture half-a-dozen asses, and ride forward as if to charge, and
then, affecting to tumble off, the fellows would pick down any of the
enemy's officers that were fools enough to come near--scampering back to
the cover of the line, laughing and joking as if the whole were sport. I
saw one--when his wrist was shattered by a shot, and he couldn't
fire--take a comrade on his back and caper away like a horse, just to
tempt the Germans to come out of their lines. It was with these blessed
youths I was now to serve, for the Tambour of the Marboeuf was drowned
in crossing the Sambre a few days before. Well, we passed the river
safely, and, unperceived by the enemy, gained the pine wood, where we
formed in two columns, one of attack, and the other of support, the
voltigeurs about five hundred paces in advance of the leading files. The
morning was dull and hazy, for a heavy rain had fallen during the night,
and the country is flat, and so much intersected with drains, and dykes,
and ditches, that, after rain, the vapor is too thick to see twenty
yards on any side. Our business was to make a counter-march to the
right, and, guided by the noise of the cannonade, to come down upon the
enemy's flank in the thickest of the engagement. As we advanced, we
found ourselves in a kind of marshy plain, planted with willows, and so
thick, that it was often difficult for three men to march abreast. This
extended for a considerable distance, and, on escaping from it, we saw
that we were not above a mile from the enemy's left, which rested on a
little village."

"I know it well," broke in the cannonier; "it's called Huyningen."

"Just so. There was a formidable battery in position there; and part of
the place was stockaded, as if they expected an attack. Still there were
no videttes, nor any look-out party, so far as we could see; and our
commanding officer didn't well know what to make of it, whether it was a
point of concealed strength, or a position they were about to withdraw
from. At all events, it required caution; and, although the battle had
already begun on the right--as a loud cannonade and a heavy smoke told
us--he halted the brigade in the wood, and held a council of his
officers to see what was to be done. The resolution come to was, that
the voltigeurs should advance alone to explore the way, the rest of the
force remaining in ambush. We were to go out in sections of companies,
and, spreading ov