Doyle, Arthur Conan. The Adventures of Gerard
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THE ADVENTURES OF GERARD
OTHER BOOKS BY A. CONAN DOYLE
The Great Boer War
The Green Flag
The Hound of the Baskervilles
Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
Exploits of Brigadier Gerard
Micah Clarke
The White Company
"It appeared to me that the plaster would crack if it were taken from the support of the wall."
THE ADVENTURES OF GERARD
BY A. CONAN DOYLE
Il était brave mais avec cette graine de folie dans sa bravoure que les Français aiment.
FRENCH BIOGRAPHY.
NEW YORK
McCLURE, PHILLIPS & CO.
MCMIII
COPYRIGHT, 1903, BY
A. CONAN DOYLE
COPYRIGHT, 1902, BY GEORGE NEWNES, LIMITED
COPYRIGHT, 1903, BY GEORGE NEWNES, LIMITED
Published, September, 1903
Second Edition
PREFACE
I hope that some readers may possibly be interested in these little tales of the Napoleonic soldiers to the extent of following them up to the springs from which they flow. The age was rich in military material, some of it the most human and the most picturesque that I have ever read. Setting aside historical works or the biographies of the leaders there is a mass of evidence written by the actual fighting men themselves, which describes their feelings and their experiences, stated always from the point of view of the particular branch of the service to which they belonged. The Cavalry were particularly happy in their writers of memoirs. Thus De Rocca in his Mémoires sur la guerre des Français en Espagne
has given the narrative of a Hussar, while De Naylies in his Mémoires sur la guerre d'Espagne
gives the same campaigns from the point of view of the Dragoon. Then we have the Souvenirs Militaires du Colonel de Gonneville,
which treats a series of wars, including that of Spain, as seen from under the steel- brimmed hair-crested helmet of a Cuirassier. Pre-eminent among all these works, and among all military memoirs, are the famous reminiscences of Marbot, which can be obtained in an English form. Marbot was a Chasseur, so again we obtain the Cavalry point of view. Among other books which help one to an understanding of the Napoleonic soldier I would specially recommend Les Cahiers du Capitaine Coignet,
which treat the wars from the point of view of the private of the Guards, and Les Mémoires du Sergeant Bourgoyne,
who was a non-commissioned officer in the same corps. The Journal of Sergeant Fricasse and the Recollections of de Fézenac and of de Ségur complete the materials from which I have worked in my endeavour to give a true historical and military atmosphere to an imaginary figure.
ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE. March, 1903.
CONTENTS
I. HOW BRIGADIER GERARD LOST HIS EAR 3
II. HOW THE BRIGADIER CAPTURED SARAGOSSA 41
III. HOW THE BRIGADIER SLEW THE FOX 79
IV. HOW THE BRIGADIER SAVED THE ARMY 103
V. HOW THE BRIGADIER TRIUMPHED IN ENGLAND 141
VI. HOW THE BRIGADIER RODE TO MINSK 171
VII. HOW THE BRIGADIER BORE HIMSELF AT WATERLOO 207
VIII. THE LAST ADVENTURE OF THE BRIGADIER 273
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
"It appeared to me that the plaster would crack if it were taken from the support of the wall." Frontispiece
"With dignity I advanced toward the tribunal." 18
"A cold chill passed up my back and my hair rose." 52
"With one impulse the twelve swords flew from their
scabbards and were raised in salute." 76
"This plan I laid before Massena that very evening." 104
"Does this mean that Massena is about to retreat?" 132
"His bullet would have blown out my brains had I been
erect." 166
"Quick as a flash I raised my pistol and fired." 168
"We shall very soon find someone who will translate
this despatch." 184
"The words were his death warrant." 204
" `Have a care, Sire,' said Soult. `The
English infantry is very solid.' " 212
"There is Marshal Blucher. Deliver your message!" 242
"The guard is beaten! The guard is beaten!" 244
"He rode in silence." 250
"Burns explained to me that we should see no more land until we came to our port." 284
"He seized the unfortunate mate by the throat." 286
