Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 2.djvu/36

 NOTES AND QUERIES.

[9 th S. II. JULY 9, 'S

" John Mansel, Colonel of the 3rd Dragoon Guards, directed by General Otto, attacked the French in the valley of Cawdry and defeated them. He then rushed at the head of his brigade against a battery of fourteen cannon placed on an eminence behind a deep ravine, into which many of the front rank fell. His charge met with complete success, but at the mouth of this battery General Mansel, after having three horses killed under him, received his death wound ; one grape shot entered his chin, fracturing his spine and coming out between his shoulder, while another broke his arm to splinters."

Some sixty years later, on the occasion of the heroic Balaclava Charge, Lord Ellen- borough said in the House of Lords :

" I know not the instance, although it may exist, in which cavalry has before charged the cavalry, infantry, and artillery belonging to a powerful army in position. I have never heard of such a thing, and I do not believe it has existed."

General Mansel's grandson instantly sup" plied the Times with the details of the fore" going far more splendid achievement, whereby 1,500 of the British cavalry gained a complete victory over 22,000 men in sight of their corps de reserve, consisting of 5,000 men and twenty pieces of cannon.* History does not furnish a parallel instance of valour.

I have also the records of the 3rd Dragoon Guards, and the Duke of York's despatch on the occasion gives the following :

"Heights above Gateau, 26 April, 1794.

" SIR, It is from the field of battle that I have the satisfaction to acquaint you for His Majesty's information, &c.

" The enemy, General Chapuy, is taken prisoner, and we are masters of thirty-five of the enemy's cannon. The behaviour of the British cavalry has been beyond all x>raise, &c.

" The only officers of whom I have any informa- tion as yet, and who, I believe, are all that have fallen upon this occasion, are Major-General Mansel, Captain Pigott, and Lieutenant Fellowes, of the 3rd Dragoon Guards."

Surely there must have been heavy fighting similar to this before or after 26 April, 1794, and I should much like to know where I can find a history of it and the whole campaign. WM. GRAHAM F. PIGOTT.

Abiugton Pigotts.

KUBENS AND EAPHAEL. It is stated in the life of Eubens that, for reasons known to his first wife (Isabel Brant) and Van Dyke, after her death he placed her in Gehenna, in his 'Last Judgment,' amongst the condemned. Was he not following the lead of Raphael, who in his ' Last Judgment ' (in my posses- sion) placed (1) a lady (fair) in the arms of (2) his Satanic Majesty (an Italian with black

H. L. M. ," quoting from the Evening Mail, 14 May,
 * See a letter to the Times of 20 Jan., 1855, signed

1794. This paper I cannot find in the British

Museum.

beard and moustache) ; while (3) a male attendant (fallen angel, of course, but with a very intelligent face) is raising up preparatory to carrying down (4) a male figure 1 Another (5) amongst the condemned is encircled by a huge serpent. These last (4 and 5) have the portraits of Cardinals Rossi and Jules de Medicis ; their portraits as attendants on Leo X. are in the Pitti Palace. Raphael has placed Leo X. amongst the blessed, in the highest rank, in this ' Last Judgment.' Can any one supply the names of the owners of the faces Nos. 1, 2, and 3 ? GEO. ESDAILE. Platt-in-Rusholme, Manchester.

VINCENT MEGGS. Can somebody help one of our American cousins by giving informa- tion, or a clue to information, respecting Vincent Meigs, or Meggs ? With his sons John and Mark, and possibly a third son Vincent, he emigrated to America about 1640, and died in 1658. Hitherto his descendants have not succeeded in finding out his native place. It does not appear to have been Brad- ford Peverel, Dorset, an old seat of a family of the name in question. Letters will be very welcome to me. H. J. MOULE.

Dorchester.

COLIN TAMPON. Who was Colin Tampon ; and why is this the national nickname for a Swiss 1 Is it anything to do with the French tampo?i, a plug or bung ? It is not given in either B. E. Smith's ' Cyclopaedia of Names ' or Frey's 'Nicknames.' J. H. McMiCHAEL.

REV. WILLIAM DAUNTON. He was rector of Stourmouth, 1599-1605, when he died. Further particulars wanted.

ARTHUR HUSSEY.

Wingham, Kent.

SHERIDAN AND DUNDAS. Col. Dalbiac quotes Sneridan's famous mot, " The right honourable gentleman is indebted to his memory for his jests, and to his imagination for his facts," from " speech in the House of Commons in reply to Mr. Dundas." An exact reference will be of value to the ' Historical English Dictionary.' ROBT. J. WHITWELL. -

70, Banbury Road, Oxford.

" FLAM." What are the origin and meaning of a military word " flam," no longer, I think, known to soldiers ? I see that it occurs constantly in a pamphlet, ' Explanation of the Eighteen Manoeuvres,' 8vo. 51 pp., n.d., printed by C. Mottley, Portsmouth, which I picked up recently at an Edinburgh book- stall. Thus when a square (manoeuvre vi.) receives the caution " Prepare to fire," the "remarks" state that "on the flam" the