"The most unpleasant work that I ever did was when under Marshal
de Catinat. Eight Irish battalions were sent up, in 1694, from
Pignerolle into the valley of La Perouse, to oppose the Vaudois,
who had always offered a vigorous resistance to the passage of our
troops through their passes. They were wild mountaineers, and
Huguenots to a man, who had, I believe, generations ago been
forced to fly from France and take refuge in the mountains, and
maintained themselves sturdily against various expeditions sent
against them.

"I own the business was not at all to my taste, and many others of
our officers shared my opinions. It was too much like what we
remembered so bitterly at home, when William's troopers pursued
our fugitives to the hills, burning, destroying, and killing, and,
above all, hunting down the priests. This was the other way, but
was as cruel and barbarous. The poor people had given no offence,
save that they held to their own religion. An Irishman should be
the last to blame another for that, and, seeing they had
successfully opposed the efforts of the French to root them out,
it was much against my will that I marched with my regiment. I
hope that, when it comes to fighting against regular troops, of
whatever nationality, I am ready to do my work; but to carry fire
and sword among a quiet people, in little mountain villages, went
against the grain.

"It seemed to us that it was to be a massacre rather than
fighting, but there we were mistaken. It was the hardest work that
I ever went through. It was impossible in such a country to move
in large bodies, and we were broken up into small parties, which