ng in our country, funded property would
not be worth an old song. I could at all times have risked my life in
defence of my native land, for the love I bore it; though you will perceive
that I had a double motive to do so; and the more particularly, as, out of
the interest of my funded capital, I maintained in competence an
affectionate wife and a dutiful son--our only child. The name of my wife
was Agnes, and the name of my son--who, at the time of the alarm, was
sixteen--was Robert. Upon their account it often caused me great
uneasiness, when I read and heard of the victories and the threatenings of
the terrible Corsican. I sometimes dreamed that he had marched a mighty
army on a bridge of boats across the straits of Dover, and that he had not
only seized my sixteen hundred pounds, but drawn my son, my only son,
Robie, as a conscript, to fight against his own natural and lawful country,
and, perhaps, to shoot his father! I therefore, as in duty bound, as a true
and loyal subject, had enrolled myself in the Dunse volunteers. Some joined
the volunteers to escape being drawn for the militia, but I could give my
solemn affidavit, that I had no motive but the defence of my country--and
my property, which, as I have said, was a double inducement.

I did not make a distinguished figure in the corps, for my stature did not
exceed five feet two inches. But although my body was small, no man was
more punctual on the parade; and I will affirm, without vanity, none more
active, or had a bolder heart. It always appeared to me to be the height of
folly to refuse to admit a man into a regiment, because nature had not
formed him a giant. The little man is not so apt to shoot over the head of
an enemy, and he runs less risk of being shot himself--two things very
necessary to be considered in a battle; and were I a general, I would have
a regiment where five feet two should be the maximum height even for the
grenadier company.

But, as I was saying, it was early in the February of 1804, on the second
night, if I recollect aright--I had been an hour abed, and was lying about
three parts asleep, when I was started with a sort of bum, bumming, like
the beating of a drum. I thought also that I heard people running along the
road, past the door. I listened, and, to my horror, I distinctly heard the
alarm drum beating to arms. It was a dreadful sound to arouse a man from
his sleep in our peaceful land.

"Robie!" cried I to my son, "rise, m