The Boy Soldier; Or, Garibaldi's Young Captain — page 367: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE BOY SOLDIER OR, GARIBALDI’S YOUNG CAPTAIN. 44, th (ps4 =. WS SY SN Mi \ vil! THE DEATH STRUGGLE! *“‘ Mortified at their failure, the enemy followed our trail vigorously, and, owing to some miscarriage of orders, two waggon trains of miscellaneous, but not valuable baggage, fell into their hands, toge- ther with several hundred sick, and a few old arms. “Tdo not know, but believe we did not lose a single gun, caisson, or pouod of ammunition ; for, when we had left, it proved Bazaine had been quietly withdrawing from Matamoras for a space of three weeks, but so strictly had all orders been fulfilled, and so secretly, that three-fourths of the army could not realize and would not believe it. “It was true, nevertheless, and, had it not been for the accidental capture of the two small baggage trains, through wilful carelessness, this retreat would perhaps stand unrivalled in the history of ae as being the most secret, succeessful, and isastrous blow which a feeble army ever dealt to an all-powerful and confident enemy, “Escobedo proved most expert, and deserves credit, for you are aware that miles of fine roads and mammoth earth-works had been erected at great cost, to within four hundred yards of us, “Bazaine had stored his camps. with immense supplies, destroying hundreds and hundreds of horses, waggons, mules, carts, &c., in transpor- tation. ‘“He had prepared for a bombardment of an in- definite period, built magazines, barracks, repaired railroads, built bridges, &c., thus occupying the whole spring in preparation, No, 46. “In one moment all these plans were thwarted, and the hot season too far advanced for them to move a mile farther into the interior. “Thus all the labour, expectation, patience, loss in life, immense expense, and fruitless strategy of Bazaine proved worthless, and his army weakened by sickness, far more than could ever have been from actual battle. ‘Save a few hundred sick, and the baggage trains mentioned, we lost scarcely anything worth men- tioning, and arrived at Monterey without adven- tures of any kind, save flying rumours from the rear, where the enemy was following us up, shelling the woods furiously on every hand, but never ap- proachicg within gun-shot of our rear-guard, The distance was twenty-five miles south of Matamoras, and the place selected for our stand an excellent one. ‘The enemy did not follow, however ; the season was unfavourable, so that finding a supply of good water, and eligible sites for fortifications, we were comfortably placed, and not fearful of conse- quences. ‘ ‘You can very well imagine Bazaine’s chagrin at Escobedo’s retreat, and, as might be expected, the French were railing at us for running away, calling us ‘cowards,’ &c., for not remaining to be shelled out at discretion. “Much comment exists in the army regarding this movement, and it took all by surprise, ‘Opinions differ materially, and it is said that