I was in great
fear that your army would have been captured. I see that you have been
wounded on the head."
"It can scarcely be called a wound, Marquis. I was carrying a message on
the battle-field; when I was taking a wall my horse was struck with a
round shot. I was thrown over his head onto a heap of rough stones, and it
was a marvel to me that I was not killed."
"I am just going to breakfast, senor, and shall be glad if you will join
me. I have no doubt that you will do justice to it."
Romana, who had commanded the Spanish troops which had escaped from
Holland, was the most energetic of the Spanish generals. Defeated often,
he was speedily at the head of fresh gatherings, and ready to take the
field again. As a partisan chief he was excellent, but possessed no
military talent, and was, like the Spaniards generally, full of grand but
utterly impracticable schemes, and in spite of his experience to the
contrary, confident that the Spaniards would overthrow the French.
"I have been unfortunate," he said, in reply to the inquiry as to how many
troops he had with him. "At your English general's request I took a
different course with my army to that which he was pursuing, in order that
his magazines should be untouched. I crossed his line of retreat, but
unfortunately Franceschi's cavalry come down upon us, cut up my artillery
and infantry, and scattered my force entirely.
Pages:
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261