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The Scottish Soldiers of Fortune, Their Adventures and Achievements in the Armies of Europe
The Scottish Soldiers of Fortune Their Adventures and Achievements in the Armies of Europe Author:James Grant This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1889 edition. Excerpt: ... to fall back beyond the Tidone, covered by the fire of his artillery till nightfall. Early on the dawn of the 18th the a... more »llied Russians and Anstrians crossed the slender Tidone, and in four great columns hurled their strength against him, as he drew up in order of battle again along the line of the Trebia. As the country was thickly intersected by hedges and ditches, the approach was tedious, the attack difficult; but the vanguard, under Prince Pangrazion, consisting of Cossacks, turned the flank with their bayonets. So dreadful was their charge that 500 Republicans perished there, while the adjutant-general, two colonels, and 600 of the Polish regiment of Dombroceski were taken prisoners; but Macdonald, undismayed and unvanquished, with 10,000 men crossed the river, and, sword in hand, led them up the opposite bank, till repelled by a dreadful cannon and musketry fire, which continued to flash out till eleven at night. The battle of the third day, 19th June, did not begin till noon, as Macdonald waited for the Ligurians to come up under Lapoype; then, over ground strewn by the dead, the wounded, and the awful tfe'ftrc's of the two days' previous fighting, the conflict began with freshened fury, when the column of Sweyskowski rushed into action, and, under cover of their batteries, the French forded the Trebia. Long and doubtful was the contest, horrible the carnage, till Melas, the Austrian, brought up his cannon at the critical moment, and Macdonald, with stern reluctance, began his retreat along the right bank of the river, leaving in possession of the enemy the field, where 12,000 of them lay dead, with 700 prisoners, three pairs of colours, and some artillery. While the defeat of the Count Bellegarde and the surrender of Turin took...« less