Just afore the French came down to besiege Barcelona I was up with the brigade at Lerida.

The people were pretty much divided up there, but the news as the French was coming to drive us into the sea made the folks as was against us very bold.

The sentries had to be doubled at night, for lots of our men were found stabbed, and it was dangerous to go about outside the town except in parties.

Well, sir, Sergeant Adams of ours, as smart a soldier as ever wore pigtail, had fallen in love with the daughter of an innkeeper at a place four miles from Lerida.
"It wasn't much of a village, but there was a big convent close by, one of the richest in Spain, they said.

The girl was fond of Adams, and had agreed, so he told me, to cut and run when the regiment marched away, and to be spliced to him.