The Soldier of Three Queens Author:Robert Henderson 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 in. The Legion having been disbanded, immediately another force was constructed out of such men and officers who preferred remaining in Spain to retur... more »ning to England. This force, organised by Colonel Maurice O'Connell, a son of General O'Connell, and nephew of the celebrated Daniel, was called the Now British Auxiliary Legion. But, before saying anything of its short career, it may be as well to try back a little upon the defunct Legion. When General Evans left us at San Sebastian, the greatest dissatisfaction prevailed. The causes were manifold. To say nothing of imaginary grievances, such as thecomplaints of every subaltern, who believed he ought to have been a captain, and every nndecorated officer, who believed he ought to have had a decoration or two ; there were real and serious causes for the grumbling we heard at every turn. One prominent and sufficient cause was, the long arrears of pay and gratuity due to most of the officers. When the Legion was first formed, one of the conditions of service was, that the officers and men were to receive their pay in advance, as in the British army, and that there were to be monthly settlements. An advance of three months' pay was made to the officers before they left England, and the men received their bounty-money. But the first three months had hardly elapsed before a proposal was made by the Madrid Government that the Legion officers should give it three months' credit for their pay. This proposal was submitted to General Evans, as chief of the Legion, by him to the commanding officers, and by them to those under their respective commands.It caused the greatest dissatisfaction; but, unfortunately, it was ultimately agreed to, and the result was fatal to the future well-being of many a promising young man. G...« less