sity, the scorching rays of
the sun. There were only two wells at the village, and there was a
fierce contest for precedence at them, it being known that there was
neither spring nor stream of any kind in the desert which we were about
to traverse. The Infantry entered on this cheerless waste about three in
the afternoon and the Cavalry followed about five. The former were fully
accoutred, and carried sixty rounds of ball cartridge each. At two
o'clock the following morning the cavalry overtook them and the general
halt sounded. So great was the fatigue of the infantry that numbers
threw themselves upon the ground in despair, declaring, it was
impossible for human nature to sustain more, and they could proceed no
further. It must be borne in mind that our rations had, for two months
previous, consisted of only half a pound of flour and an equal quantity
of red rice, with about four ounces of meat, and the latter was in some
instances of no use to us, from the difficulty of procuring fuel to cook
it. The order of march having been again given, several refused to move
from sheer exhaustion, and their situation became one of great
embarrassment to their colonel, who was aware that if he left them
behind, they would be instantly sabred by the enemy, who were always
hovering on our rear. Recollecting it was St. Patrick's Day, and that
most of the recusants were Irishmen, he ordered, as a last resource,
that the band of the regiment should strike up their national anthem.
The effect was electrical, the poor devils, whose limbs, a short time
previous, had refused to perform their accustomed office, and whose
countenances wore the aspect of the most abject despondency, seemed at
once to have new life and energy infused into them. They felt that this
was an appeal to their proverbial bravery and powers of endurance, and
gratified vanity did that which threats and remonstrances had failed to
effect. A faint smile lit up their features, and slowly rising from the
ground they tottered on their way. Had they adhered to their first
determination they would have fallen victims to the most savage
cruelties, as the following circumstance will soon convince the
reader:--

Three of the cooks belonging to our division, who followed with the camp
kettles at a short distance in its wake, lost their way in the darkness
of the night, and as chance would have it, stumbled upon a party of the
enemy. They were immediately seized, and each man was