Modesty forbids individuals to arrogate to themselves great successes or victories, the glory of which is generally engrossed by the commander—­nay, which is rather awkward, by kings and queens who never smelt gunpowder but at the field-days and reviews of their troops; never saw a field of battle, or an enemy in battle array.

Nor do I claim any particular share of glory in the great engagements with the enemy.  We all did our duty, which, in the patriot’s, soldier’s, and gentleman’s language, is a very comprehensive word, of great honour, meaning, and import, and of which the generality of idle quidnuncs and coffee-house politicians can hardly form any but a very mean and contemptible idea.  However, having had the command of a body of hussars, I went upon several expeditions, with discretionary powers; and the success I then met with is, I think, fairly and only to be placed to my account, and to that of the brave fellows whom I led on to conquest and to victory.  We had very hot work once in the van of the army, when we drove the Turks into Oczakow.  My spirited Lithuanian had almost brought me into a scrape:  I had an advanced fore-post, and saw the enemy coming against me in a cloud of dust, which left me rather uncertain about their actual numbers and real intentions:  to wrap myself up in a similar cloud was common prudence, but would not have much advanced my knowledge, or answered the end for which I had been sent out; therefore I let my flankers on both wings spread to the right and left and make what dust they could, and I myself led on straight upon the enemy, to have nearer sight of them:  in this I was gratified, for they stood and fought, till, for fear of my flankers, they began to move off rather disorderly.  This was the moment to fall upon them with spirit; we broke them entirely—­made a terrible havoc amongst them, and drove them not only back to a walled town in their rear, but even through it, contrary to our most sanguine expectation.

The swiftness of my Lithuanian enabled me to be foremost in the pursuit; and seeing the enemy fairly flying through the opposite gate, I thought it would be prudent to stop in the market-place, to order the men to rendezvous.  I stopped, gentlemen; but judge of my astonishment when in this market-place I saw not one of my hussars about me!  Are they scouring the other streets? or what is become of them?  They could not be far off, and must, at all events, soon join me.  In that expectation I walked my panting Lithuanian to a spring in this market-place, and let him drink.  He drank uncommonly, with an eagerness not to be satisfied, but natural enough; for when I looked round for my men, what should I see, gentlemen! the hind part of the poor creature—­croup and legs were missing, as if he had been cut in two, and the water ran out as it came in, without refreshing or doing him any good!  How it could have happened was quite a mystery to me, till I returned with him to the town-gate.