Page 255 - A Jacobite Exile

The general, and many of the mounted officers, effected their escape,
rallied the broken cavalry, and fell back towards Revel. The Russians

spread over the country and plundered it, burning the little town of Valk,
murdering its inhabitants, and carrying off into slavery the whole of the

population who fell into their hands.

The arrival of the three regiments was hailed with much satisfaction by the

people of Revel, who feared that the Russians might besiege the town.
They did not, however, approach within many miles, but, after completely

wasting the country, retired across the frontier.

The victory that had been gained over the Swedes at Embach, and the

destruction of the greater part of General Schlippenbach's force, enabled the
czar to turn his arms against Ingria, the extreme eastern province of

Sweden, which included the shores of Lake Ladoga and the whole of the
coast of the Baltic between Narva and Finland. Urgent messages were sent
by the governor of that province to General Schlippenbach, requesting him

to send him aid, as he had not even sufficient men to garrison the walled
towns. The general was, however, afraid that Narva would be again

besieged, and he therefore dared not reduce his small force to any
considerable degree, but drew one company from each of the three
regiments, and embarked them on board a ship for the mouth of the Neva.

As there seemed little prospect of service, for a time, near Revel, all the

officers were eager that their company should be chosen for the service in
Ingria. Colonel Jamieson therefore said:

"I do not wish to choose one company more than another; all can equally be
depended upon. Therefore, I think the fairest way will be to draw lots as to

which shall go."

The lot fell upon Charlie's company, which therefore formed part of the

expedition. On reaching the mouth of the Neva, they heard that the town of
Notteburg, situated at the point where the Neva issues from the lake, was

already besieged by the Russians, and that the Swedish vessels on the lake
had been obliged to come down the river. A fort had been raised by the