marauding bands who were marvellously skilled at finding out where
supplies were being assembled for the enemy, and using ruse and
audacity to lay hands on them.

A rascally horse-dealer had told the clique that a herd of cattle
which he had sold to the Austrians was in a meadow a quarter of a
league from Dego, and now sixty Hussars, armed only with their
carbines, were on their way to capture it. Avoiding the main road, we
went several leagues into the mountain by winding and atrociously
rough tracks. We surprised five Croats, who had been left to guard
the herd, asleep in a shed. To prevent them from going to waken the
garrison at Dego, we tied them up and left them there. We drove away
the herd without a shot being fired and returned to the camp, tired
out, but delighted to have played such a successful trick on the
enemy, and at the same time acquired some food.

This event illustrates the already wretched condition of the army
of Italy, and demonstrates to what a state of disorganisation such
neglect will bring troops; whose officers are obliged not only to
tolerate these sort of expeditions, but to take advantage of the
supplies they procure without seeming to know whence they come.

Chap. 9.

Happy in my military career, I had not even reached the rank of
corporal when I was raised immediately to that of sergeant. This is
how it came about.

On the left of my father's division was that commanded by General
Séras, whose headquarters were at Finale. This division, which