22 CHAPTER II. GHENT.-ASCHAFFENBURG. 1742-1743. In the beginning of the year 1742, when England had once more embarked in European warfare, the British. army was comprised of fifteen cavalry regiments, in addition to the Horse Guards, fifty infantry regiments, besides the Foot Guards, and four companies of Royal Artillery. Sixteen thousand men had been set apart for Continental service; and of these, such corps as were ready for embarkation in the spring were collected upon Blackheath. Accordingly, on Tuesday the 27th of April-one month exactly after the date of Ensign Wolfe's commissionKing George II., accompanied by his sons, their Royal Highnesses the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Cumberland, and attended by Field Marshal the Earl of Stair, with a large staff of Generals, proceeded to the Heath, in order to review the flower of his Majesty's army. There were three troops of the Horse Guards, and the whole of the "Blues," with five regiments of Dragoons; and of foot, there were thirteen regiments, one of which was Colonel Duroure's.* As such a sight was not often to be seen, no small *Gentleman's Magazine.' number of citizens turned out to view the show. It was a busy time upon the Thames, for the "silent highway" was preferred before the Greenwich road, long ere steamboats upset the vested rights of the "jolly young waterman." Of little significance, amidst the brilliant array whose manœuvres were criticized by the crowd upon this April day, was the blue-eyed boy that carried the colours of Duroure's. Some few friends and neighbours there were, indeed, who felt more interested in him than in either Field Marshal, Prince, or King. Although his father had not yet returned from the West Indies, Mrs. Wolfe and young Edward had not far to come; Mr. Swinden was probably there with some of his scholars; and George Warde was certainly there,-a cornet of dragoons. Judging by the manly air and lofty stature of the young ensign, those who did not know him would have supposed his age to have been much more than fifteen years and three months; nor was this premature appearance of age lessened by the powdered wig, which, according to the fashion of the time, concealed his own naturally red hair. Although the most partial admirer could not have considered him by any means a handsome youth, yet his countenance was so expressive of an ingenuous, hopeful spirit as to make it remarkably attractive. The most striking lineament, however, was the singular form of his profile, which might be nearly represented by two lines of an obtuse angle meeting at the tip of the nose.* When in repose, his face had little colour, but when excited-owing to that transparency of the skin which com * Wolfe's profile bears a remarkable resemblance to that of the younger Pitt, as may be perceived by comparing his portrait by High monly accompanies a sanguine complexion-it blushed all over; and the somewhat high and prominent cheekbones betrayed the share of Celtic blood he inherited. The mouth denoted great decision and firmness, while the leading expression of the sparkling azure eyes might be most truly qualified as inquiring. The military costume of the day, though not so smart perhaps as that of the modern soldier, was much more picturesque, as well as more comfortable. The scarlet frock, instead of being buttoned up in front, was merely closed by two or three loops above the waist, while from the chest it was folded back in broad lapels, exposing the bosom of the shirt. The skirts descended to the knees, where the corners were turned up, displaying, as at the breast, the white or yellow lining of the coat. Breeches and gaiters covered the legs, and the head was surmounted by a cocked hat,* edged with gold lace. Without noticing minuter points, if to the above are added the belt and sword, a sufficiently accurate conception may be formed of Wolfe's appearance at his first review. more with the bust of the statesman in the National Portrait Gallery. The likeness has been noticed by Neale, in his 'Westminster Abbey.' **** The cockade was simply the knot of the ribbon that served to cock the broad flapped hat worn by military men in the eighteenth century, and which in fine weather, or going into action, etc., they used to cock, by means of hooks, laces, and ribbons. We still see in the cocked hats of coachmen and beadles the traces of these old ligaments. ... Coats were of the shape we now call frocks, and lined throughout, generally, with a different colour from the outside. When a person in one of these coats was going about any active work, and particularly into fight, he doubled back his sleeves, and folded back the collar, which being of a different colour came to be what we now call the facings of military uniforms. The French, truer to their origin, still call them the revers." (Notes and Queries.) The spectacle over, there was but little time left for parting scenes. Two regiments at least-Howard's and Duroure's-marched immediately from the ground, the first for Woolwich, the other for Deptford, where they embarked in the transports ready to convey them to the Austrian dominions in Flanders.* After being for : several days wind-bound at the Nore, they at length reached Ostend, whither they were convoyed by the 'Argyle,' of 50 guns, on the 10th of May; and next day they proceeded to Bruges. It appears that their arrival was anticipated by another body from England :—“ "By our last advices from Ostend," says one of the newspapers, "we learn that on the 2nd instant a large body of British troops arrived there for the service of her Hungarian Majesty; but that as they were all of the fair sex, and no provision having been made by Brigadier Bland for quartering them, it occasioned a great confusion in the town; however, it is said they will soon be reinforced by their husbands and sweethearts, who are now confined at the Nore by contrary winds."+ Nothing further is to be learned of our young soldier's proceedings until after his arrival at Ghent, in which garrison Duroure's was quartered, but where the troops of their sovereign's ally were by no means welcome to the inhabitants. The Ghentois were composed of a mixture of French and Dutch, not well incorporated, and, therefore, not the most loyal of Maria Theresa's subjects. They hate the English, and we hate them,” writes one of the British officers, in a letter home; "and *The Country Journal; or, the Craftsman.' the Queen of Hungary holds them like a wolf by the ears. it * It is no wonder, then, to hear of frequent collisions between the people and their garrison. The most trifling circumstance excited a tumult; for instance, we learn from a contemporaneous letter:-"On the 3rd instant (July), at night, some English soldiers being in the market-place, one of them, as the butchers say, stole a piece of meat, but, as the soldiers say, that he only took up to smell if it was sweet; upon which the butcher cut him across the face with a knife, and one of the soldiers ran the butcher through the body. Immediately the fray became general; the butchers with knives and cleavers, and the burghers with old rusty swords and spits, killed some of the soldiers; but twelve dragoons coming to the relief of the Foot, cut down all before them, and put the mob to flight. The rest of the soldiers were, by direction of the officers, locked up in the barracks. The tumult continued above two hours, and several were killed on both sides. On this occasion the magistrates assembled, and ordered an edict to be issued, that whoever should offer the least affront to the subjects of the King of Great Britain, should be whipped, burnt in the back, and turned out of the town.”† Ghent, since known as the "Belgian Manchester," had then no manufactures, and but little trade. The priest-ridden population, if report be true, kept at least two, and sometimes three or four holidays in each week. Their dress was somewhat after the Spanish mode; but, *Gentleman's Magazine,' 1743, p. 528. |