Hesaidhequiteenjoyedthetrainingwithalltheotherhorses,trottingtogether,turningtogether,totherighthandortheleft,haltingatthewordofcommand,ordashingforwardatfullspeedatthesoundofthetrumpetorsignaloftheofficer.
Hismaster,ayoung,high-spiritedgentleman,wasveryfondofhim,andtreatedhimfromthefirstwiththegreatestcareandkindness.
Hetoldmehethoughtthelifeofanarmyhorsewasverypleasant;butwhenitcametobeingsentabroadovertheseainagreatship,healmostchangedhismind.
Ofcoursewecouldnotwalkoffthelandintotheship;sotheywereobligedtoputstrongstrapsunderourbodies,andthenwewereliftedoffourlegsinspiteofourstruggles,andwereswungthroughtheairoverthewater,tothedeckofthegreatvessel.
"However,atlastitcametoanend,andwewerehauledup,andswungoveragaintotheland;wewereveryglad,andsnortedandneighedforjoy,whenweoncemorefeltfirmgroundunderourfeet.
"Wesoonfoundthatthecountrywehadcometowasverydifferentfromourownandthatwehadmanyhardshipstoendurebesidesthefighting;butmanyofthemenweresofondoftheirhorsesthattheydideverythingtheycouldtomakethemcomfortableinspiteofsnow,wet,andallthingsoutoforder."
"Well,"saidhe,"Ihardlyknow;wealwayslikedtohearthetrumpetsound,andtobecalledout,andwereimpatienttostartoff,thoughsometimeswehadtostandforhours,waitingforthewordofcommand;andwhenthewordwasgivenweusedtospringforwardasgaylyandeagerlyasiftherewerenocannonballs,bayonets,orbullets.
Ibelievesolongaswefeltourriderfirminthesaddle,andhishandsteadyonthebridle,notoneofusgavewaytofear,notevenwhentheterriblebomb-shellswhirledthroughtheairandburstintoathousandpieces.
"I,withmynoblemaster,wentintomanyactionstogetherwithoutawound;andthoughIsawhorsesshotdownwithbullets,piercedthroughwithlances,andgashedwithfearfulsaber-cuts;thoughweleftthemdeadonthefield,ordyingintheagonyoftheirwounds,Idon'tthinkIfearedformyself.
Ihadheardthecriesandgroansofthedying,Ihadcanteredovergroundslipperywithblood,andfrequentlyhadtoturnasidetoavoidtramplingonwoundedmanorhorse,but,untilonedreadfulday,Ihadneverfeltterror;thatdayIshallneverforget."
"Itwasoneautumnmorning,andasusual,anhourbeforedaybreakourcavalryhadturnedout,readycaparisonedfortheday'swork,whetheritmightbefightingorwaiting.
Asthelightincreasedthereseemedtobesomeexcitementamongtheofficers;andbeforethedaywaswellbegunweheardthefiringoftheenemy'sguns.
"Thenoneoftheofficersrodeupandgavethewordforthementomount,andinasecondeverymanwasinhissaddle,andeveryhorsestoodexpectingthetouchoftherein,orthepressureofhisrider'sheels,allanimated,alleager;butstillwehadbeentrainedsowellthat,exceptbythechampingofourbits,andtherestivetossingofourheadsfromtimetotime,itcouldnotbesaidthatwestirred.
"MydearmasterandIwereattheheadoftheline,andasallsatmotionlessandwatchful,hetookalittlestraylockofmymanewhichhadturnedoveronthewrongside,laiditoverontheright,andsmootheditdownwithhishand;thenpattingmyneck,hesaid,'Weshallhaveadayofitto-day,Bayard,mybeauty;butwe'lldoourdutyaswehavedone.'
Hestrokedmyneckthatmorningmore,Ithink,thanhehadeverdonebefore;quietlyonandon,asifhewerethinkingofsomethingelse.
Ilovedtofeelhishandonmyneck,andarchedmycrestproudlyandhappily;butIstoodverystill,forIknewallhismoods,andwhenhelikedmetobequiet,andwhengay.
"Icannottellallthathappenedonthatday,butIwilltellofthelastchargethatwemadetogether;itwasacrossavalleyrightinfrontoftheenemy'scannon.
Bythistimewewerewellusedtotheroarofheavyguns,therattleofmusketfire,andtheflyingofshotnearus;butneverhadIbeenundersuchafireaswerodethroughonthatday.
Manyabravemanwentdown,manyahorsefell,flinginghisridertotheearth;manyahorsewithoutariderranwildlyoutoftheranks;thenterrifiedatbeingalone,withnohandtoguidehim,camepressinginamonghisoldcompanions,togallopwiththemtothecharge.
Everymomenttherankswerethinned,butasourcomradesfell,weclosedintokeepthemtogether;andinsteadofbeingshakenorstaggeredinourpaceourgallopbecamefasterandfasteraswenearedthecannon.
"Mymaster,mydearmasterwascheeringonhiscomradeswithhisrightarmraisedonhigh,whenoneoftheballswhizzingclosetomyheadstruckhim.
Ifelthimstaggerwiththeshock,thoughheutterednocry;Itriedtocheckmyspeed,butthesworddroppedfromhisrighthand,thereinfellloosefromtheleft,andsinkingbackwardfromthesaddlehefelltotheearth;theotherriderssweptpastus,andbytheforceoftheirchargeIwasdrivenfromthespot.
"Iwantedtokeepmyplacebyhissideandnotleavehimunderthatrushofhorses'feet,butitwasinvain;andnowwithoutamasterorafriendIwasaloneonthatgreatslaughterground;thenfeartookholdonme,andItrembledasIhadnevertrembledbefore;andItoo,asIhadseenotherhorsesdo,triedtojoinintheranksandgallopwiththem;butIwasbeatenoffbytheswordsofthesoldiers.
Justthenasoldierwhosehorsehadbeenkilledunderhimcaughtatmybridleandmountedme,andwiththisnewmasterIwasagaingoingforward;butourgallantcompanywascruellyoverpowered,andthosewhoremainedaliveafterthefiercefightforthegunscamegallopingbackoverthesameground.
Someofthehorseshadbeensobadlywoundedthattheycouldscarcelymovefromthelossofblood;othernoblecreaturesweretryingonthreelegstodragthemselvesalong,andotherswerestrugglingtoriseontheirforefeet,whentheirhindlegshadbeenshatteredbyshot.
"No,thearmyfarrierswentoverthefieldwiththeirpistolsandshotallthatwereruined;somethathadonlyslightwoundswerebroughtbackandattendedto,butthegreaterpartofthenoble,willingcreaturesthatwentoutthatmorningnevercameback!
Iwentintomanyotherengagements,butwasonlyoncewounded,andthennotseriously;andwhenthewarwasoverIcamebackagaintoEngland,assoundandstrongaswhenIwentout."
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