The Life of James O'Malley ... Late of the 17th Leicester Royal Bengall Tigers

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Chap. I

When I was young, I had a notion that I would like to join the army an^ be a soldier to light for the honor and glory of my Queen and country. I had frequently s6en splendid, well-proportioned, bravelooking soldiers, gaily dressed, marching in Gal way, with the band in front of the regiment, discoursing sweet music, which thrilled my soul with a feeling of enchantment. I used to march after them, keeping time to the music until they reached the Castle Barracks, and I made up my mind to enlist as a soldier. One day my attention was directed to a crowd on the green in Galway, around a recruiting party, under the commend of a tall sergeant of prepossessing appearance, gaily dressed in a scarlet uniform.

From his neat jaunty little forage cap, (wich sat on three hairs) a bunch of gay coloured ribbons floated in the air, and, by his side, his brass mounted polished sword dangled against his heels. The corporal and privates with him, were also tall and well proportioned young fellows ; dressed like the sergeant only not quite so expensively. Proudly did they march through the streets ; gay and independant as the Roman warriors of old. The sergeant with his penetrating eye and determined countenance, softened with

Digitized by VjOO^ IC a cheerfuJ look and pleasant smile, winning admiration as he glanced upwards at the windows filled with handsome young maidens and children, who looked on from their elevated positions in wonder and amazement at these noble specimens of the British army.

'* Halt ! " cried the sergeant in a commanding tone, which was instinctively obeyed by the party and lu\)Ught them to a standstill in the middle of the street Here the sergeant took the opportunity of jyiving a vivid picture of military life. Of its good t>AV splendid uniforms, first class rations, and noble discharge. When speaking of campaigns, battle fields, long nuu*ches, and forlorn hopes, (the hard viscissitudes of martial life), he declaimed like one who knew something of the terrible drama of war and all its horrors, Ju which soldiers are the principal actors. " We want able bodied men," continued the sergeant, "of fine ** limb and martial appearance, from five feet eight «* upwards and from 18 to 25 years of age, with good " charactei's free from any disease, blemish or impede- *' ments, fit to work at a fortress, throw up earthworks, " dig trenches, haul big guns into position, and possess- " ing courage enough to mount the scaling ladders *' or citadel, fight single handed with the Indians, '* capture the sword of the Czar or the Great Mogul *' himself, when called upon so to do. I want no '' lubbers mind, but strong, gallant fellows with heroic " minds and any amount of endurance ; ready to *' volunteer for the greatest danger or to go anywhere. " To freeze to death in Northern Russia or to simmer " on the burning sands of the Sahara desert." Then followed an oration about glory, blood-money, prizemoney and beer-money, medals campaigning, etc, likewise commissions, which was wound up with an exciting invitation to all the young fellows around to join him. " Now", boys, who'll enlist for this and a great '* deial more ? You'll get double p^y, double clothing, ^* tools for nothing, superior bedding of long feathers, " and three square meals a day. Two holidays a week " a pair of trousers, and two pairs of boots a year. " You'll be taught everything in the army and made " as straight as a tent pole,

" The humps will be taken off your backs by a pair " of loaded clubs, which you'll swing for an hour *' before breakfast, every morning, in order to sharpen " your appetites for that luxurious meal. And here boys " I may tell you that yoti are at liberty to have all the " luxuries of the season at that meal if you can pay for " them. You'll be taught to turn properly on your " heels and toes, and to stand as stiff as starch. You'U " be taught the march of intellect and several other " marches. The goose step, balance step, front step, " back step, side step, quick step and slow step. The " running step, the jumping step and to step before " the commanding officer in case you misbehave, and " from there to step into the Black hole, if you dont " act as becomes a soldier and a gentleman. Now, boys, " I am ready to enlist as many as like on the condi- " tions I have specified and treat you as gentlemen. " There is no compulsion mind ! you must all be free " and willing ! Remember that the corps I am enlist- " ing for, is an^opgst the bravest and most honorable

" in the service ; with the best officers to be found in " the British Army. " I hold Her Ma esty*s commis- ^* sion to enlist for the 17th Regiment, The Leicester- ** shire Royal Bengali Tigers, Scarlet uniforms, lilly '" white facings. Now ! Gentlemen, select this choice " corps. For young fellows, who can do nothing '" better, it holds out the following inducements, it is a " noble profession, it creates ambition, gives oppor- '" tunity for distinction as well as due credit to genius *^ and leads through valor, and duty faithfuUj^ " performed to promotion and honor. Heroes are not " found amongst peasants but in the army rustics may, " and often do, achieve fame far bej^ond what they " might suppose possible. For such young men as you " the service is the proper place ; where you can make " a fortune in a few years, and may be, win your " swords and spurs, as many a noble fellow has done " before and as any one of you can do if you are so "minded. Hurrah ! ! Hurrah ! !

The Queen was cheered and blessed, and the Serfifeant was beseiged by applicants, ready to take the Queen's Shilling. After he had performed the solemn ceremony of enlisting a half dozen countr}^ fellows I myself stepped boldly up and said " Sergeant " I wish to enlist in the 17th Regiment. Bravo ! " shouted the Sergeant " you are just the young lad " I want for that galland regiment. Upon my reputa- " tion there is not a gentleman in the three kingdoms " does me greater honor than yourself by selecting " the Royal Bengali Tigers for your future career. I '* have not the slightest doubt but that you will be one

" if the best and bravest soldiers and attain the " highest rung in the ladder of promotion. "

He then told me to hold out my hand, and answer the following questions :

" Are you free, able, and willing to serve Her " Majesty, Queen Victoria, her heirs and successors for " a period of 10 years or until you are legally discharged ? " I answered, " I am ". The customary ceremony on such occasions was then gone through in a manner that did credit to the sergeant. The " significant shilling " was placed in my hand " in the navie of the Queen ", binding me irrevocably to Her Majesty's Service and as an addition to the 17th Regiment. The ribbons were affixed to my hat by the gallant sergeant who marched me and six others before the doctor, who approved of our appearance and before whom we subsequently passed satisfactorily. Here I may say incidentaly that I have never had cause to regret joining Her Majesty's Service. The morning following my enlistment, the sergeant took me and the others before a magistrate at 10 o'clock and we were sworn in, after which each received half-a-crown called swearing in money.

Probably few happier groups of young fellows could be encountered than that of which I was one. Laughter and good stories were the rule to which (particularly, the latter) the sergeant contributed no small share. Of the many battles which he described, none made such an impression on my mind as his description of the battle of " Waterloo " in which he was an active participant. As the descriptic: ^ given in his own words (as nearly as my memory will bear me out) may interest my readers, I will endeavour to produce the story here, verbatim.

Chap. II

Before commencing, he took a long pull at his canteen, which was slung by a leather strap at his side. The smack of his lips and his jolly manners impressed me with the belief that the canteen contained something stronger and more to his taste than "Adam*8 ale" Fortifying himself still further with a pinch of snufF he said : *' On the 18th of June 1815, when Napoleon had formed his line of battle, his brother Jerome commanded on the left, Marshalls Soult, and Ney, acted as Lieut-Generals to the Emperor. The French forces in the field consisted of 80,000 men : the British army not exceeding that number. Each was commanded by the chief under whom they were prepared to conquer the world, and to whom, eacli believed defeat an absolute impossibilfty. So far as the leadei-s themselves were concerned, they were nearly on an equality as respects military tactics, courage and experience. The Duke of Wellington had caused the British army to be formed into two lines, the cavalry being stationed in the rear and distributed along them, but was chiefly concentrated in the immediate rear of the centre : the

THE LIFE OF JAMES o'MALLEV. 15

whole Brstish position in fact formed a sort of curve, or more properly speaking a wedge, the centre of which was nearest to the enemy. The plans of the two great leaders were very simple but gave evidence of the fact that the militalry genius attributed to each of them by the world at large, was not confined to mere theory. The morning broke heavily, but the day although stormy at first ultimately turned out tolerable, fine.

Soon after 10 o'clock, some great agitation was observed in the French lines. Mounted officers were seen galloping with orders from Napoleon in various directions. Shortly before noon the battle commenced in earnest with a cannonade from the French troups, followed by a fierce attack under Jerome Bonoparte, on the advanced post of Hougenots. A croud of Voltigeurs preceded the column, and the Naseau soldiers in the wood, were driven back. The assailants encompassed the house of the Hougenots on three sides, and made the most desperate attemps to enter, but a detachment of the British Guards who occupied the villa defended it, and from the loopholed walls and garden, poured upon the French so severe a fire, that the ground was covered with their slain and w^ounded. Fresh British troops were now sent to the relief of this post and after severe loss the Coldstream Guards effectually dispossed the enemy and took possession. This however by no means stopped the fighting as assaults were made upon it again and again, but in the end the French were repulsed, and put to the rout at the point of the bayonet. Not long after the roof was set on fire by the shells of the French batteries, yet the combat was heroically maintained and from the now battle-begrimed walls, a constant and deadly stream of musketry poured forth. Whilst this scene of carnage was being enacted, the whole of the French guns kept up an incessant fire upon the British lines whose guns by no means slow to return the compliment, soon succeeded in silencing many of those of their opponents : the advanced batteries using both shot and shell, causing dreadful havock amongst the French columns.

Napoleon, under cover of his big guns, ordered a formidable attack upon the left centre. It took all the firmness, prowess and bravery of the British to withstand the shock, although they were formed in that impregnable position known as " squares. " The distance between the battallions afforded suflicient room to deploy into line, when ordered to do so, consequently the appearance of the battallions from a birdseye view resembled the chequered squares of a chess board, so that when a squadron of the enemy's cavalry charged between squares, they were exposed at once to a fire in front, from the squares in the rear and to volleys upon both flanks. During the day the French Cavalry often experienced the effect of these combined fires. As the French column came up General Kempt Colde, one of the Lords of Colde of Inneskillen, (one of the bravest men that ever wore a sword,) advanced against it with but three British regiments in line and poured in a terrible volley following this up with the true British charge that has made so many of England's enemies quake with fear. At the same'time Peek's Brigade bore down upon the right division of this column with the bayonet. The French who had gained the crest of the position, could not stand the British onslaught and after delivering their fire, were forced to beat a hasty retreat.

England, however, sustained a great loss by the death of Picton, who fell in the engagement, a musket ball having passed through his shoulder blade and f jom thence to his heart. At this moment, the British Cavalry made such an effective charge upon the flank of the French Column, at the time when they were staggering under the effects of the previous assaults, that they broke the column and compelled them to retreat with great slaughter. On this occasion the British took not only 350 prisoners, but two eagles from the enemy. The prisoners were sent to Brussels as the first fruits of British success. But our cavalry pushing their advantage too far, were met by a strong body of Cuirassiers, on one flank and Lancers on the other, and having charged up to the enemy's guns (which covered the attacking columns) and cut down the gunners, were forced to retire cutting off an angular portion in their retreat. This movement was however dearly purchased by the death of their commander, but his brigade avenged him so well, that almost the whole of the Polish Lancers were cut to pieces, before the strife terminated. Napoleon still persisted in obstinate attacks, and his infantry columns advanced, supported by a division of Cuirassiers., Opposed to these were the British brigade of heavy cavalry, a corps that has ever done England *' Yoe man s Service "; Their meeting was worthy of the ancient Roman arena, as they fought, not at long range like the modern mode of warfare, but sword to sword ; desperate blows and passes being exchanged. But notwithstanding the weight and armour of the Cuirassiers the power of their horses and the undoubted courage of their riders, they could not stand the shock, but were ridden down in masses. Proljably this was one of the fiercest and closest cavalry fights that was ever witnessed, and ended in several hundreds of the French being driven headlong over a deep gravel pit, in a confused mixture of men and horses, exposed to a close fire, which quickly ended their sufferings. One good effect of this impetuous British charge was to cause the enemy to pause, but only to be followed by a more furious onslaught of fresh squadrons. Napoleon exhausted his energies in fierce attacks both horse and foot, relying upon his artillery for support ; 250 guns keeping up a constant fire upon the allied position, this fire was so destructive, that the " Iron Duke " directed his troops to retire beyond the exposed ridge and lie down on the ground, until on the near advance of the enemy's horse, they were ordered to stand up in squares advance, meet aQ.d repel their charge. Nothing dismayed the French cavalry repeatedly charged the very centre of our position column, following column like the waves of the sea. Vain and useless was their devotion to their cause and country as they came up time and again to break the British square, only to retire with great loss. Their

THE LIFE OF JAMES cVmALLEY. 19

(Jefeat as they were forced back by the deadly voUies, caused them to assume the appearance of a heavy sea pouring itself upon a chain of rocks, which was continually driving it back. Amidst all the tumult of that desperate action, the discharge of artillery the clash of arms the shouts of the infuriated combattants, the groans and shrieks of the wounded, and dying, the British remained cool and determined, thus causing their bravery to shine with the greatest lustre. In vain did desperate heroes amongst the French cavalry, discharge their firearms at those solid squares in order to compel them to break ranks. They regarded nothing but the actual charge and waited for the word of command to repel the squadrons by their musketry. In vain did the Cuirassiers ride round and round the bristling walls of steel watching for an opening. Cut and thrust as desperately as they might at the men, or stand and gaze till shot down, the end was practically the same. In vain did the most formidable artillery, literally plow furrows throught the ranks of the squares. As the men dropped they were promptly replaced by others : their comrades always being ready to fill up the vacant places, and the fronts remained unbroken. Never did the French make more desperate efforts. They simply courted destruction and more than once did their cavalry seize for a moment the British Batteries on the brow of the position.

The cannons were never withdrawn, only the horses were taken to the rear. The gunners did their duty until the last moment and then with their implements took refuge in the nearest squares. When the French were beaten back again, they made haste to re-man their guns and discharged their contents at the retiring foe. Thinned as the artillery ot Napoleon had by this time become, the fire kept up by them was incessant, and its formidable discharges were supported by the continuous rolling fire kept up by the whole British line. Notwithstanding the undaunted defence the situation of our army was becoming critical in the extreme.

Wellington had placed his best troops in the front line, these had already suffered severely and the quality of the foreign troops brought to support them proved unequal to the arduous task imposed upon them. The Duke himself saw a Belgian regiment waver as it crossed the hill and was on the advance from the second to the first line. Upon which he rode up to them, halted the Regiment and endeavoured to lead them into the fire himself, but all his efforts were in vain and other troops had to replace these " battle scared" soldiers. All through the thickest of this blood-shed and carnage, the Duke of Wellington was everywhere (like 'bad luck "as one of his soldiers said). On account of the position of the armies and the nature of the ground, there was scarcely a square which he did not visit, ^'encouraging the men by his presence and stimulating the officers to their duty by his directions. During the hostile charges, he frequently threw himself into the nearest square for protection watching every movement and advance of the enemy and piercing through the smoke with an eagle eye, galloped to every point, however exposed, if it seemed to require his presence. Many of the short phrases he addressed to his troops had a perfectly talismanic effect. Distinguishable as he was by his suite and the movements of his staff who went and came with orders, it is a matter of no little surprise that, like the immortal Nelson, a stray bullet did not lay him low especially as they were falling thickly around him- " That's good practice " he remarked to one of his staff on seeing a bullet just graze the tip of his boot. " I think; that the French are firing better than they did in Spain." Again, riding up to the 95th regiment when in front of the line and threatened with a formidable charge of cavalry, he said : " Stand fast 95th, we must not be beaten ! ! What they will say in England ? ! ! ! On another occasion when brave men were falling very fast, he said with the utmost coolness, " Hard pounding this, but never mind, boys, we'll win the battle yet. Let us see who will pound longest ! ! "

All who heard him issue orders received fresh confidence from his readiness and cool composure. His staff fell man by man beside him. An aide-de-camp was sent with an important message to a brigadiermajor. On his return he was shot through the lungs, but bourn up by the conciousness of duty to be performed, he rode up to the Duke delivered his • answer and then dropped dead from his horse. And at this time there was no certainty that all this sacrifice had not been made in vain. The French although repulsed on every side persisted in making incessant attacks, and the British squadrons from the constant fireing and assaults, presented a diminished and less formidable appearance.

One general oflScer stated that his brigade had lost one third of its number and that the survivors were so exhausted with fatigue, that a brief respite however short, seemed absolutely necessary. The " Iron " Duke replied, " what you propose is impossible. You and I " and every British soldier must die on the spot we " now occupy rather than be beaten ! 1 " " It is enough/' replied the general, " I and every man under my com- " mand will die or stand to the last ! ' " All this time the battle was raging fiercely, without any apparent advantage to either side. The frightfull contest was maintained along the entire line, with unabated stubbonness and ferocity, the infantry advancing in echelon of squares to meet the advances of the French cavalry, whilst the artillery literally cut up the enemy between the squares as they advanced. The British cavalry were then in reserve, but were prepared to charge and only too eager to get the word to do so. All this time, despite the desperate onslaughts of the French, not one British square had been broken, but the enemy had suffered most severely from their rash attempts to cause our men to " run " : a thing unknown to the British soldier. Our ranks however had been thinned by the superior numbers and formidable artillery that had been brought to bear upon them for so many hours. About half past four, two brigades were brought from Hills' corps on the right, to the left centre, in anticipation of an attack on the weakest

THE LIB^E OF JAMES O'MALLEY. 23

part of the position. A slight pause occurred on both aides, owing partly to the fact that both commanders were watching^ each other's tactics, some what uncertain as to what was going to be the next move, or where it was likely to take place. This was only broken by the roar of big guns, and victory seemed still undecided for either side. The crisis of the struggle, however, was at hand. Napoleon was desperate, and resolved to sacrifice his last chance of retreat before the Prussians came up. Although his cavalry were already wrecked, and he had lost besides 17,000 men, his hopes of victory had evidently not left him. There was no time to be lost for the Prussian guns were beginning to thunder on his flank, to the great delight of Wellington, who cried out in a paroxysm of joy " There goes old Blucher at last I ! ! " and by the light of the setting sun, his forces were seen issuing from the woods. Napoldon had still some 20,000 men of his faithful guard, who were placed during the action in reserve behind " La Belle Alliance " and had hardly pulled a trigger. Leaving his more remote point of observation on the heights in rear of his line. Napoleon himself led them forward to the foot of the allied position. He then had them defile before him and telling them that the British army was nearly destroyed, and that to carry the position they had only to brave the fire of the artillery, pointing to the causeway he examined, '* Gentlemen ! there lies the road to Brussels ! "

He was answered by loud shouts of " Vive TEmpereur! Vive I'Empereur" which induced the British to believe that Napoleon himself was going to lead the troups in person, to the attack and consequently every eye was directed to that quarter, but owing to the clouds of smoke nothing could be seen distinctly. In the meantime Wellington changed the position oi his forces so as to repell the assaults, and two battalions of the Guards were formed into line and marched to the brow of the hill, where they were ordered to lie down. Led by Marshall Ney, the Imperial Guards dauntlessly advanced, rallying as they went, such of of the broken cavalry and infantry as yet maintained the conflict. The British line by their successes on the right, had pushed forward and now changed from a convex, to a concave position, so that our artillery raked the French columns as they advanced and, so accurately were the guns directed, that the heads of the columns were constantly cut off.

Bourn in however by the impetuosity of those in the rear, they at lenght attained the summit of the ridge where the British lay concealed. At this important moment, Wellington (who had placed himself in the rear of the Guards), when he thought the French were near enough gave the order at the top of his voice : " Up guards and at them ! ! " They sprang to their feet as if by magic and poured in on the French a well-directed fire which staggered theiri very considerably. A second volley put them in a sort of panic, and the Duke galloping close to ther rear cried out : " Forward Guards, charge ! ! ! " and with a ringing hurrah they obeyed ana rushing down the hill were upon the French with charged bayonets, causing even that crack regiment the Veteran Guards of France, the chosen of Napoleon's Array to turn tail and fly. The British followed them in fine style and nearly destroyed them. Ney fought sword in hand even after his horse was shot from under him. His uniform was completely riddled by bullets and he w^as the last to quit the strugpfle. Napoleon's last hope was gone, when he saw the flower of his army fly before the impetuous charge of the British troops, but when he saw his cavalry fly and mixing with the fugitives trample them down, he cried " all is lost " then, shook his head and turned as pale as death. Soon after, two bodies of British cavalry rapidly advanced upon either flank and the Prussians were closing up his rear. Now was the time (had Napoleon's spirit dictated it) for him to die a brave warrior's death. But no, he said to his aide-de-camp who remained at his side, the fatal words " All is lost ! and it is time to save ourselves ! ! " and putting spurs to his horse, turned and fled leaving to their fate the gallant soldiers who had that day shed their blood with such profusion. Considering that he was looked upon by his army as perfectly invincible, it may well be imagined what an utterly " routed " feeling must have prevailed amongst his adherents when his crack regiment turned and fled. Meanwhile the whole British army, led by the illustrious conqueror himself, charged the French who still maintained the combat, Amidst increasing slaughter, the whole of Napoleon's grand army, fled from the indomitable bravery of the British. As our troops followed up, the f rench guns had gradually ceased Airing, the gunners having abandoned them. The drivers cut the traces of their horses, in order to enable them to fly the quicker. Infantry, cavalry, officers and men, were mixed Up in their head-long flight, strewing the ground as they went with their wounded, dead and dying. ,

As they rushed over waggons, arms, and over-turned artillery, pursuers and pursued tore madly over all that lay in their path. A slight attempt at resistance was made by four or five battallions of the Old Imperif»l Guards, who threw themselves into squares and stood firm, but even these tried and heroic fellows were very soon disposed of by the impetuosity of the British. The Allies still continued the pursuit of the flying foe and the once ** grand army " of Napoleon was virtually annihilated. The advance on Paris by the victors wa§ made at once and met with but very little opposition. Not long afterwards, Napoleon whilst attempting to escape from the British, was captilred and banished to the Island of St. Helena, some distance from the Cape of^Good Hope, where he died in exile on the 5th May 1821.