Page:A short account of the life and death of John Dillon..djvu/3



Y Mr. Johnson's advice, I will endeavour to leave some little account of myself behind me. But I must be very brief: my weakness being such, that I cannot say much at once.

I was born in the army, and received his Majesty's pay at about fourteen years of age, belonging to General Mountague's regiment. In the year 1746 I was called abroad, and was in the battle of Dettinge, in the midst of the French Gens d'arms and Gard a corp, which were cutting down our men on every side. Yet not a hair of my head was hurt : but I was nothing affected either by the danger or the deliverance.

At the battle of Fountenoy, thousands fell on my right and my left. I was taken prisoner, but had not one wound. This did affect me deeply, and I solemnly resolved, to lead a new life. But it was in my own strength, so that after a few weeks I was the same man as before.

Another danger I was in, from which, humanly speaking, it was scarce possible to escape. We were fourteen regiments of English, Hanoverian and Dutch, who were left near Maestrich, to cover the retreat of our grand army. The next morning, about nine o'clock, we saw the French grand army