A Military Romance.
BY
JAMES GRANT,
AUTHOR OF
"THE ROMANCE OF WAR," "THE CAPTAIN OF THE GUARD,"
"THE YELLOW FRIGATE," ETC. ETC.
IN THREE VOLUMES.
VOL. I.
LONDON:
ROUTLEDGE, WARNE, AND ROUTLEDGE,
BROADWAY, LUDGATE HILL.
NEW YORK: 129, GRAND STREET.
1864.
PREFACE.
In the following pages, and in delineatingthe character of my hero, I have chosenthe ranks of the 2nd Dragoons, notbecause of any national partiality, butfrom the desire to describe the adventuresof a soldier in a brave old regiment,which has served with distinction inevery war since its formation—in short,from the battles of the Covenant to thosein the Crimea; which had the prouddistinction of capturing the Colours of theRegiment du Roi at Ramillies, the WhiteStandard of King Louis' Household Troopsat Dettingen, and the Colour and Eagle ofNapoleon's 45th Foot at Waterloo.
Several historical incidents, and one ortwo traditions of the Service areinterwoven with the story of Basil Gauntlet,the Scots Grey.
I may mention that the misfortunes ofhis comrade Charters are nearly similarto those which befel an officer of the15th Hussars prior to the war in thePeninsula; and that the dark story anddeath of the engineer Monjoy and ofMadame d'Escombas formed one of thecauses célèbres before the Parliament ofParis during the middle of the lastcentury.
EDINBURGH, 1st May, 1864.
CONTENTS
OF
THE FIRST VOLUME.
CHAP.
I. BY THE WAYSIDE
II. RUTH WYLIE
III. THE SEQUEL
IV. MY COUSIN TONY
V. THE INN
VI. ENLISTMENT
VII. MY COMRADES
VIII. HEAD QUARTERS
IX. MY HOPE FOR THE FUTURE
X. THE FRENCH DESERTERS
XI. WANDSWORTH COMMON
XII. THE RACE
XIII. THE HANDKERCHIEF
XIV. THE RED LION AT GUILDFORD
XV. SAIL FOR FRANCE
XVI. THE LANDING AT CANCALLE
XVII. THE VIDETTE
XVIII. HALT AT ST. SERVAND
XIX. THE SACK OF ST. SOLIDORE
XX. AN EPISODE
XXI. JACQUELINE
My adventures were my sole inheritancelong before I thought of committing themto paper for the amusement of myself,and—may I hope—for the instruction ofothers.
Wayward has been my fate—my storystrange; for my path in life—one portionof it at leas