rds crossed the
frontier and reached the field of Salamanca. The dead still lay
unburied, and flocks of vultures rose sullenly as the travellers
threaded their way across that terrible scene of carnage. However,
neither Lord John's phlegm nor his philosophy deserted him, though the
awfulness of the spectacle was not lost upon him. 'The blood spilt on
that day will become a real saving of life if it become the means of
delivering Spain from French dominion,' was his remark.

At Burgos the young civilian renewed his acquaintance with the
Commander-in-Chief, and added to his experience of war by being for a
short time under fire from the French, who held the neighbouring
fortress. Wellington, however, like other good soldiers, did not care
for non-combatants at the front, and accordingly the youths started for
Madrid. Finding that the French were in possession, they pushed
southwards, and spent Christmas at Cadiz. The prolonged campaign decided
them to carry out their original scheme. Leaving Cadiz at the end of
January they set off, _via_ Gibraltar, Cordova, and Cartagena, for
Alicante, where they proposed to embark for Sicily. But on the way
reports reached them of French reverses, and they were emboldened once
more to move towards Madrid. They had hardly started when other and less
reassuring rumours reached them, and Lord John's two companions resolved
to return to Alicante; but he himself determined to ride across the
country to the head-quarters of the army, at Frenida, a distance of 150
miles. We are indebted to Mr. Bridgeman's published letters for the
following account of Lord John's plucky ride:--'Finding the French did
not continue the retreat, John Russell, my strange cousin and your
ladyship's mad nephew, determined to execute a plan which he had often
threatened, but it appeared to Clive and me so very injudicious a one
that we never had an idea of his putting it into execution. However, the
evening previous to our leaving Almaden, he said, "Well, I shall go to
the army and see William, and I will meet you either at Madrid or
Alicante." We found he was quite serious, and he then informed us of his
intentions.... He would not take his servant, but ordered him to leave
out half-a-dozen changes of linen, and his gun loaded. He was dressed in
a blue greatcoat, overalls, and sword, and literally took nothing else
except his dressing-case, a pair of pantaloons and shoes, a journal and
an account book, pens and ink,