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bringing visitants, increased so much as the day advanced, that they began to recognise their faces. Their boldness much provoked our men. They galloped up to the bayonet points, where of course their horses made a full stop, to the great danger of pitching their riders into the square. They then rode round and round the fearless bulwark of bayonets; and in all the confidence of panoply, often coolly walked their horses, to have more time to search for some chasm in the ranks, where they might ride in. The balls absolutely rung upon their mail; and nothing incommoded the rider, except bringing down his horse, which at last became the general order. In that event he surrendered himself, and was received within the square, till he could be sent prisoner to the rear; — a generosity ill-merited, when it is considered that the French spared very few lives, which it was in their power to take. Many officers were murdered, after giving up their swords; and when prisoners were collected, cavalry were sent to cut them down, when circumstances at the moment prevented their removal! A young officer of the Greys, well known to the author, was shot by a French officer whose life he had preserved. The object of the Frenchman was to make his escape, He did not effect his purpose; being overtaken and cut to pieces by the enraged soldiers.
Visit to the French hospitals.
Beyond the citadel is the Corderie, a building constructed by Buonaparte, as a rope-work, 1300 feet long, to give space for a cable of a first-rate ship of war. It was fitted up as the hospital of about 1500 of his wounded soldiers, prisoners of war.
