Page 117 - A Jacobite Exile

"Russians!" Captain Jervoise exclaimed, and shouted to the men, who were
marching at ease, to close up.

The king did not hesitate a moment, but, at the head of his fifty cavalry,

charged right down upon the Russians, who were at least five hundred
strong. The little body disappeared in the melee, and then seemed to be
swallowed up.

"Keep together, shoulder to shoulder, men. Double!" and the company set

off at a run.

When they came close to the mass of horsemen, they poured in a volley,

and then rushed forward, hastily fitting the short pikes they carried into
their musket barrels; for, as yet, the modern form of bayonets was not used.

The Russians fought obstinately, but the infantry pressed their way step by
step through them, until they reached the spot where the king, with his little
troop of cavalry, were defending themselves desperately from the attacks of

the Russians.

The arrival of the infantry decided the contest, and the Russians began to
draw off, the king hastening the movement by plunging into the midst of
them with his horsemen.

Charlie was on the flank of the company as it advanced, and, after running

through a Russian horseman with the short pike that was carried by
officers, he received a tremendous blow on his steel cap, that stretched him
insensible on the ground. When he recovered, he felt that he was being

carried, and soon awoke to the fact that he was a prisoner.

After a long ride, the Russians arrived at Plescow. They had lost some sixty
men in the fight. Charlie was the only prisoner taken. He was, on
dismounting, too weak to stand, but he was half carried and half dragged to

the quarters of the Russian officer in command. The latter addressed him,
but, finding that he was not understood, sent for an officer who spoke

Swedish.