Page 94 - A Jacobite Exile

Russians so furiously that they cut a way through their ranks, losing,
however, many of their men, while Major Patkul and another officer were

made prisoners.

The king was at Revel when this engagement took place, and, although but
few of the troops had arrived, he was too impatient for action to wait until
the coming of the fleet. He therefore marched to Wesenberg, with his

bodyguard and a few troops from Revel. He at once despatched a thousand
men, to cover the frontier, and issued orders for the rest of the troops to

leave the whole of their baggage behind them, to take three days' provision
in their haversacks, and to prepare to march the next morning.

Major Jamieson came into the cottage, occupied by Captain Jervoise and
his officers, late in the evening. They had a blazing fire, for it was now the

middle of November, and the nights were very sharp.

"Well, Jervoise, what do you think of the orders?" he asked, as he seated

himself on a log that had been brought in for the fire.

"I have not thought much about them, except that we are going to do a long
and quick march somewhere."

"And where is that somewhere, do you think?"

"That, I have not the slightest idea."

"You would not say that it was to Narva?"

"I certainly should not, considering that we have but five thousand infantry,

and three thousand cavalry, and of these a large number have been so
weakened, by fever, as to be unfit for fighting; while at Narva, report says
there are eighty thousand Russians, in a strongly intrenched camp."

"Well, that is where we are going, Jervoise, nevertheless. At least, that is

what the colonel has told me."