228 BATTLE OF THE ALJIA. CHAP, soldier, and it was with a deference no less wise ' than graceful that the Duke of Cambridge loved to seek and to follow his counsels. Bir Colin Whilst Eusigu Campbell was passing from boy- Cainiibcll. , . hood to mans estate, lie w,is made partaker m the great transactions which were then beginning to work out the liberation of Europe. In the May of 1808 he received his first commission — a commission in the 6th Foot ; and a few weeks afterwards — then too young to carry the colours — he was serving with his regiment upon the heights of Vimieira. There, the lad saAV the turning of a tide in human affairs ; saw the opening of the mighty strife between 'Column' and ' Line ; ' * saw France, long unmatched upon the Continent, retreating before British infantry ; saw the first of Napoleon's stumbles, and the fame of Sir Artlnir Wellesley beginning to dawn over Europe. He was in Sir John Moore's campaign, and at its closing scene — Corunna. He was with the Walcheren expedition ; and afterwards, returning to the Peninsula, he was at the battle of Barossa, the defence of Tarifa, the relief of Taragona, and the combats at Malaga and Osma. He led a
- In Iiis most interesting and most valuable ' Life of the Duke
' of Wellington,' Mr Gleig repeats the description of Vimieira, which the Duke once gave in his presence at Strathfieldsaye. The Duke's words are thus given by Mr Gleig : ' The French ' came on, on that occasion, with great boldness, and seemed ' to feel their way less than I always found them to do after- ' wards. They came on, as usual, in very heavy columns, and
- I received them in line, which they were not accu.stomed to,
' and we repulsed them three several times.'
