Autobiography

Seitenzahl:

58

Gewicht:

95 g

Erschienen bei:

Cambridge Scholars Publishing

Kurzbeschreibung

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER III The author reverts to his own history?la taken prisoner by Cossacks, but makes his escape?Arrives in Mayence, where he is taken ill?Returns to his father's house?Again leaves home, and proceeds towards Metz?Goes to Paris, where he meets with a long-lost friend?Strange adventure at Chalons-sur-Marne? He is providentially deterred from plunging into the Rhine?Is ordered to march to Bremen, where he meets with his uncle? Becomes a linen-draper?His adventures in that capacity? Meditates settling in life, but is prevented doing so?He proceeds to England. T NOW revert to my own history. During the retreat after the battle described in the last chapter, the French were so sensibly affected by fear that they did not know what they were about, for wherever they went the Cossacks and Russians were before them. Artillery, cavalry and infantry, were so confused that they were always in each other's way, for the downfall of Napoleon had been so sudden, they knew not where to fly for protection, not having any leaders; and had the retreat been conducted in a proper manner thousands of lives would have been saved. I have here to mention an occurrence of which I was a painful witness, illustrating the disastrous results which occur from inexperience, and the not being thoroughly initiated into every particular of whatever avocation a person may pursue. After one day's march towards Langensala, we were quartered in a small town and slept in a kind of barn. About three o'clock in the morning I was awoke by the tramp of horses, and on looking out beheld from fifty to sixty of the light cavalry enter from one side of the town, and a few minutes after, on the opposite side, between twenty and thirty Polish lancers marched in, who wore a similar uniform to the Cossacks, having in t...

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Mehr von:  Godfrey Zimmerman, Cambridge Scholars Publishing