The Two Armies Joined At Westerstretton, Thence Proceeded By Easy
Marches Towards Donawert, Between Which And Scellenberg The Enemy Was
Encamped.
Fatigued as they were, the duke made them pass over a little
river and endeavour to force the intrenchments;
Which enterprize
succeeded, notwithstanding all the disadvantages the confederate armies
were in, and the others were obliged to retire with great precipitation,
many of whom were drowned in endeavouring to pass the Danube.
In this action was our young soldier unlisted, and had the glory to be
signalized by two remarkable accidents; one was, that pressing among the
foremost in this hazardous attempt, he had his hat taken off by a cannon
ball; and the other was, that seeing a standard about to be taken by the
enemy, the person who carried it happening to be kill'd, he ran among
those who were carrying it away, and being seconded by some others,
retrieved that badge of English honour; and as this was done in sight of
the duke, he rode up to him directly and presented it to him. Take it
for your pains, cried he, you have ventured hard, and well deserve the
prize. There was no time for thanks; the duke, who was almost every
where at once, was immediately gone where he found his presence
necessary, and Horatio returned to take the place of the dead cornet,
doubly animated by the encouragement he had received.
This victory opening a way into the elector of Bavaria's dominions, that
poor country was terribly ravaged, no less than 300 towns, villages and
castles being utterly consumed by a detachment of horse and dragoons the
duke sent for that purpose. Some old officers told Horatio that now
would be the time to make his fortune if he went with these squadrons,
there being many rich things which would fall to the share of the
plunderers; to which he answered, that he came to fight for the honour
of his country, and not to rob for its disgrace. This they laughed at,
and endeavoured to make him sensible, that the taking away an enemy's
treasure was to take away their strength; but all they could say was
ineffectual; he was not to be perswaded out of what he thought reason
and justice: and this conversation being afterward repeated to the duke,
he smil'd and said, he was yet too young to know the value of money.
After this, prince Lewis of Baden dividing from the duke, in order to
undertake the siege of Ingoldstadt, our young cornet attended his grace
to the relief of prince Eugene, who expected to be attacked by the
united army of Bavarians and French, then encamped near Hockstadt.
It would be needless to give any description of this famous battle, few
of my readers but must be acquainted with it, so I shall only say, that
among the number of those few prisoners the French had to boast of in
attonement for so great a defeat, was the young brave Horatio, who fell
to the lot of the baron de la Valiere, nephew to the marquis of Sille.
This nobleman being extremely taken with his person and behaviour,
treated him in the politest manner; and tho' he carried him with him
into France, assured him, that it was more for the pleasure of
entertaining him there than any other consideration. Horatio was not
much afflicted at this misfortune, because it gave him an opportunity of
seeing a country he had heard so much commended, and also to make
himself master of a language, which, tho' he understood, he spoke but
imperfectly.
The baron was not only one of the most gallant, but also one of the best
humoured men in the world; he spared nothing during the whole time they
tarried in his quarters, nor in their journey to Paris, which might
contribute to make his prisoner easy under his present circumstances;
and among other things, often said to him, if you and some others have
fallen under the common chance of war, you have yet the happiness of
knowing your army in general has been victorious, and that, there are
infinitely a greater number of ours who, against their will, must see
England, than, there are of yours conducted into France.
On their arrival, Horatio wrote an account to Dorilaus of all had
happened to him, not doubting but he would use his interest to have him
either mentioned when there should come an exchange of prisoners, or
that he would randsom him himself; but receiving no answer, he concluded
his letter, by some accident, had miscarried, and sent another, but that
meeting the same fate as the former, he wrote a third, accompanied with
one to his sister directed to the boarding-school, where he imagined she
still was: to this last, after some time, he had the following return
from the governess:
SIR,
'A letter directed for miss Louisa coming to
my house, I was in debate with myself
what to do with it, that young lady having been
gone from me last September, since which time
I have never heard any thing of her: - at last I
sent it to Dorilaus's country seat by a messenger,
who brought it to me again, with intelligence
that he was gone with some friends into the north
of Ireland, and that it was probable they had
taken miss with them: - I then thought proper
to open it, believing she had no secrets I might
not be entrusted with, and finding it came from
you, could do no less than give you this information
to prevent your being under any surprize
for not receiving answers to your letters. I am
sorry to find by yours that you have had such ill
success in your first campaign; but would not
have you be cast down, since you need not doubt
but on the return of Dorilaus you will have remittances
for your ransom, or whatever else you
may have occasion for.'
I am, SIR,
Your most humble and obedient Servant,
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