OR,

THE YOUNG RIFLEMAN.

BY

CAPTAIN RAFTER,

AUTHOR OF THE GUARDS," "OUR INDIAN ARMY," &c.

"There was an ancient sage philosopher,

Who had read Alexander Ross over;
And swore the world, as he could prove,
Was made of fighting and of love."-HUDIBRAS.

HURST AND BLACKETT, PUBLISHERS,

SUCCESSORS TO HENRY COLBURN,

13, GREAT MARLBOROUGH STREET.

1855.

249. X. 488.

LONDON:

Printed by Schulze and Co., 13, Poland Street.

PERCY BLAKE.

CHAPTER I.

THE IRISH BRIGADE.

Ir is customary, I believe, with authors who have but little to relate, to press into their service every possible resource of the literary art; that, by the charm of their eloquence, they may hide the paucity of their material. The contrary, however, being my case, I trust the reader will be content to receive a plain, unvarnished tale of military life, instead of a flowing dissertation de omnibus rebus, which I have neither ability nor inclination to cook up for his amusement.

VOL. I.

B