Part 16 (1/2)
”It is shameful, sir, shameful,” Ralph said.
”Yes,” the officer said, gloomily. ”This is to make war as the Vandals made it, not as it is made in the nineteenth century. In the Crimea, in Italy--ay, even in China--we did not make war in this way. In China we burnt the Emperor's summer palace, because his soldiers had murdered our prisoners in cold blood, but we did not burn a single village.”
”No,” Ralph said; ”and I have read that, in Abyssinia, we never as much as took a fowl or a bundle of gra.s.s from the natives, without paying for it; and we only burned the fortress of Magdala after offering it, in succession, to the various kings of the country; and destroyed it, at last, to prevent it becoming a stronghold of the Gallas--the enemies of Abyssinia.
”Don't you think,” he asked, after a pause, ”we shall have fighting tomorrow, sir?”
”I think it very likely, indeed,” the lieutenant said. ”I have just sent off a messenger to the commandant, with a full report; and asked him to send over a reply whether he will come to our a.s.sistance, or if we are to fall back.”
”Faith, and I hope that it's not falling back we'll be, till after we've had the satisfaction of spaking to them a bit,” Tim Doyle put in. ”Barring the little affair of today--which isn't worth mentioning--I haven't had a chance of a scrimmage since I joined the corps. It's been jist marching and counter-marching, over the most onraisonable country; nothing but up hill and down hill and through trees, with big stones breaking our poor feet into pieces, and the rain running down us fit to give us the ague.
”Sure, lieutenant, ye won't be for marching us away, till we've had a little divars.h.i.+n?”
The boys all laughed at Tim's complaint, which had been delivered in English; for although he could now understand French, he never attempted to speak it, except to ask some necessary question. Percy translated it to the lieutenant.
”You will have fighting enough, before you have done, Tim. Whether you will have it tomorrow, I don't know. There are a hundred infantry--they can't use their cavalry--and we are only twenty-six men, all told. Fortunately, we have a strong line of retreat; or I should not even wait for the chance of being attacked.”
”At any rate, you think that we are safe until morning, sir?”
”Yes, I think so,” the lieutenant said.
”Then we will go in to our dinner,” Ralph said. ”Who knows where we may dine, tomorrow?”
Day was just beginning to break, when Percy Barclay started up in his bed. He listened for an instant, and heard the crack of a rifle.
”Up, Ralph; up all of you!” he shouted. ”We are attacked.”
The others were on their feet in an instant. None of them had thought of undressing and, as they seized their arms and equipments, the whistle of Lieutenant de Maupas sounded loud and shrill. As they issued out there was, already, a scene of bustle and confusion in the village. The franc tireurs were rus.h.i.+ng from the doors. The villagers were also pouring out, women screaming and men swearing.
”You had better drive off your animals up into the forest, and carry off whatever you can of value, and send the women and children off, at once,” De Maupas shouted, to the head man of the village. ”We will give you as much time as we can but, if they are in full strength, it will not be long.
”Now, lads, forward! Don't throw away a shot. Take advantage of every possible cover, and fall back as slowly and steadily as you can. The commandant will be here, with the second company, in half an hour. I had a message from him, late last night.”
The men advanced at once, at the double, and in an instant had a view of what was going on. The six men out, as sentries, were falling back rapidly towards the village; and two dark bodies of infantry were approaching, abreast of each other, but at a distance of two or three hundred yards apart. They were some five hundred yards beyond the retreating sentries; who were, themselves, a few hundred yards below the village. The enemy had, at present, made no reply whatever to the fire of the sentries.
”Advance slowly, in skirmis.h.i.+ng order,” De Maupas said. ”One flank of the company oppose each column. Open fire at once, sight for seven hundred yards, take advantage of cover, and fire steadily.”
A steady fire was at once opened and, although its effects could not be perceived, they were evidently sensible; for the columns immediately threw out half their strength, as skirmishers, and opened fire. In a hundred paces De Maupas halted his men, and told them to lie down behind shelter.
The enemy were now five hundred yards off, and the franc tireurs had been joined by the sentries. The numbers were four to one and, although the position was of considerable advantage to the smaller force--as well as the fact that they were lying quiet, in shelter, while their adversaries had to fire as they advanced--the odds were far too great to hope for success. Every moment, however, it was getting lighter; and the franc tireurs could see that their fire was doing considerable execution, whereas only two of their men had received slight wounds. The enemy, however, pushed on steadily; and were now little more than three hundred yards distant.
”Fall back,” the lieutenant shouted; ”six men, alternately, of each half company. Back fifty paces, at the double!”
At the word, twelve men retreated, at full speed, for fifty yards; the others redoubling the fire from their breechloaders, to cover the retreat. The instant that the first men had gone fifty yards, they turned, threw themselves upon the ground, and opened fire; while those in front ran back at full speed, pa.s.sed them, and halted, in turn, fifty paces in the rear. The maneuver was repeated three times, and they then gained the end house of the village.
Under shelter of a low wall, another stand was made; but the superior force of the enemy enabled them to threaten to outflank them. Many of the Germans had fallen; but the rest advanced, with as much coolness and precision as if on parade.
”How beautifully these fellows do fight!” Ralph exclaimed, in admiration.
”Now, lads, we must retreat,” the lieutenant said. ”We have done very well. Now, across the village, and then make for the forest as hard as you can. It's not over five hundred yards. When you are once there, make a stand again.”
The men turned and, in another moment, would have carried out the order when--from a house in a line with them, but about fifty yards off--a heavy fire of musketry suddenly broke out.