Page:A biographical dictionary of eminent Scotsmen, vol 6.djvu/268

62 which were employed in the lines of defence, and four Spanish guns, kept as a reserve. On this and the preceding day, the sick, the dismounted cavalry, horses, and artillery, were carried on board the ships, and every arrangement was made for embarking the whole army on the following evening. Next morning the enemy remained quiet, and the preparations being completed, it was finally resolved that the embarkation should take place that evening, and all the necessary orders were accordingly issued. About noon, Sir John Moore sent for colonel Anderson, to whom the care of the embarkation was confided, and ordered him to have all the boats disengaged by four o'clock, as, if the enemy did not move, he would embark the reserve at that hour, and would go out himself as soon as it was dark, and send in the troops in the order he wished them to be embarked. At one o'clock, his horse was brought, when he took leave of Anderson, saying, "Remember I depend upon your paying particular attention to everything that concerns the embarkation, and let there be as little confusion as possible." Mounting his horse, he set out to visit the outposts, and to explain his designs to his officers. On his way, he was met by a report from general Hope, that the enemy's line was getting under arms, at which he expressed the highest satisfaction; but regretted that there would not be daylight enough to reap all the advantages he anticipated. Galloping into the field, he found the piquets already beginning to fire on the enemy's light troops, which were pouring down the hill. Having carefully examined the position, and the movements of the armies, he sent off almost all his staff officers with orders to the different generals, and hastened himself to the right wing, the position of which was bad, and which, if forced, would hare ruined his whole army. This dangerous post was held by the 4th, 42nd, and 50th regiments. As the general anticipated, a furious attack was made on this part of his line, which he saw nobly repelled by the 50th and 42nd, whom he cheered on in person, calling out to them to remember Egypt. Having ordered up a battalion of the guards, captain Hardinge was pointing out to him their position, when he was beat to the ground by a cannon ball, which struck him on the left shoulder, carrying it entirely away, with part of the collar bone. Notwithstanding the severity of the wound, he sat up, with an unaltered countenance, looking intently at the Highlanders, who were warmly engaged; and his countenance brightened, when he was told that they were advancing. With the assistance of a soldier of the 42nd, he was removed a few yards behind the shelter of a wall; colonel Graham of Balgowan and captain Woodford, coming up at the instant, rode off for a surgeon. Captain Hardinge, in the mean time, attempted to stop the blood, which was flowing in a torrent, with his sash; but this, from the size of the wound, was in vain. Having consented to be carried to the rear, he was raised up to be laid in a blanket for that purpose. His sword hanging on the wounded side seemed to annoy him, and captain Hardinge was unbuckling it from his waist, when he said with a distinct voice, "It is as well as it is, I had rather it should go out of the field with me." He was borne out of the field by six soldiers of the 42nd. Captain Hardinge remarking, that he trusted he would yet recover, he looked steadfastly at the wound, and said, "No, Hardinge, I feel that to be impossible." When this officer expressed a wish to accompany him, he said, "You need not go with me. Report to general Hope that I am wounded, and carried to the rear." A sergeant of the 42nd, and two spare files escorted the general to Corunna, while, captain Hardinge hastened to carry his orders to general Hope. The following is his friend colonel Anderson's account of his last moments. "I met the general in the evening of the 16th, bringing in, in a blanket and sashes; he knew me immediately, though it was almost dark; squeezed my hand, and said, 'Ander-