Joseph Donaldson

Recollections of the Eventful Life of a Soldier Joseph Donaldson

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1845. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... Recollections of the eventful life of a soldier Joseph Donaldson OF THE EVENTFUL LIFE OF A SOLDIER. BY THE LATE JOSEPH DONALDSON, SERGEANT IN THE NINETY-FOURTH SCOTS BRIGADE. I will a round unvarnishM tale deliver-- Of moving accidents by flood and field, Of hair-breadth 'scipes i> the imminent deadly breach, And with it all my travel's history. Shakespeare. The romance of real life certainly goes beyond all other romances. Mist Edgeworth. PHILADELPHIA: G. B. ZIEBER & CO. C. SHERMAN, PRINTER. INTRODUCTORY NOTICE. * The ensuing narrative, from its outset to its close in 1814, embraces a period of about twenty-one years, fifteen of which relate to the author's boyhood, and the remaining six to his career in the army. The only part of the soldier's story which begets a feeling of disappointment is its abrupt termination. The vicissitudes of his subsequent career might have formed an interesting, though melan. choly, sequel to the present volume. The few particulars we have gathered refer chiefly to that period of his life. While in Ireland in 1814, about a year previous to the conclusion of the narrative, the author married the individual of whom, under the name of Ellen M'Carthy, he speaks in such high terms of admiration in the " Scenes and Sketches." By this union he became the father of ten children, seven of whom died in early life. In 1815, he returned with his family to Glasgow, where he underwent various changes of fortune, more particularly adverted to in tbe narrative, which induced him " to resume the uniform of a soldier." He accordingly embarked with his family for London, and enlisted in the service of the East India Company, in which he was soon promoted to the rank of recruiting sergeant. This...