Regardless of
every other matter I ran to the rear, and found Grey lying behind
the dung-heap, motionless and cold. A little pool of blood which
had coagulated under his head, pointed out the spot where the
ball had entered, and the position of his limbs gave proof that
he must have died without a struggle. I cannot pretend to
describe what were then my sensations, but of whatever nature
they might be, little time was given for their indulgence; the
bugle sounding the alarm, I was compelled to leave him as he lay,
and to join my corps. Though the alarm proved to be a false one,
it had the good effect of bringing all the troops together, by
which means a regular line was now, for the first time since the
commencement of the action, formed. In this order, having
defiled considerably to the left, so as to command the highway,
we stood in front of our bivouac till dawn began to appear; when,
to avoid the fire of the schooner, we once more moved to the
river's bank and lay down. Here, during the whole of the
succeeding day, the troops were kept shivering in the cold frosty
air, without fires, without provisions, and exhausted with
fatigue; nor was it till the return of night that any attempt to
extricate them from their comfortless situation could be made.

FIELD OF BATTLE.

Whilst others were thus reposing, I stole away with two or three
men for the purpose of performing the last sad act of affection
which it was possible for me to perform to my friend Grey. As we
had completely changed our ground, it was not possible for me at
once to discover the spot where he lay; indeed I traversed a
large portion of the field before I hit upon it. Whilst thus
wandering over the arena of last night's contest, the most
shocking and most disgusting spectacles everywhere met my eyes.
I have frequently beheld a greater number of dead bodies within
as narrow a compass, though these, to speak the truth, were
numerous enough, but wounds more disfiguring or more horrible I
certainly never witnessed. A man shot through the head or heart
lies as if he were in a deep slumber; insomuch that when you gaze
upon him you experience little else than pity. But of these,
many had met their deaths from bayonet wounds, sabre cuts, or
heavy blows from the butt ends of muskets; and the consequence
was, that not only were the wounds themselves exceedingly
frightful, but the very countenances of the dead exhibited the
most savage and ghastly expre