No Rest for the Weary

1st Light Battalion, King's German Legion
R. Knötel
Source

In the end it took the three men, three horses, two mules, and one wagon six days to reach Brussels. The weather had been wet and miserable. The main chaussée from Ostend was crowded with official traffic, so they had been forced to take side roads, many little more than farm tracks. Christian thought he knew William well, but the amount of profanity the man tended to unleash at every setback along the road impressed him.

"He's wound a bit tight, in't he, Sir?" Thomas observed after a vicious tongue-lashing had been administered to the two mules drawing the wagon.

"He's always been, shall we say, colorful. More so since he lost the arm at Albuera. Now that was a vicious fight."

"I wasn't there, Sir. I was home raising recruits. Glad I missed that one."

Christian nodded, then noticed a dispatch rider headed towards them, odd since this wasn't the main route. The man reined up.

"You Kaltenweide?"

"Yes, I am Major Christian von Kaltenweide."

"Odd chance I found you here, Sir. I have new orders for you."

"Of course, you do."

They arrived at the 1st Light Battalion's bivouac shortly before nightfall on the sixth day. With his new orders in hand, he sought out the 1st's commander. The man had his quarters in the small village's single inn. The sentry at the door informed him that Lieutenant Colonel von dem Bussche was upstairs, preparing for dinner.

"Thomas," he said turning to the man, "wait with William, I hope to be done shortly."

"Take your time, Sir. I'll try and find quarters for you, and for me and William, of course."

Christian nodded, then entered the building. He looked up as he heard someone coming down the stairs. He knew Bussche by sight but not personally. He snapped his heels together and reported for duty.

"Ah yes, Kaltenweide, we've been expecting you. As the Duke has judged his staff to be far too large, I've been sent back to my battalion, but, I have no second-in-command. Baron von Ompteda said I could keep you. Is that all right with you, old fellow?"

Christian noticed that Bussche liked to salt his German with various English expressions and slang words. Christian did that himself.

"Jolly good, Sir. I'm glad to have a posting. Any news of the French?"

"Reports from Paris indicate that Boney will be moving north, probably to meet us at the French border when we invade alongside the Prussians."

"When might that be?"

"Beginning of July, we're almost ready. Good thing it's mid-May, gives us time to put the lads through their paces. We have a lot of veterans but we also have a large number of rather young soldiers who have never seen action."

"I see, Sir. Perhaps I should go find quarters for myself, my batman, and my wagon-man."

"Very well, when you're done, come back here. Bring your men, I'll see they get fed."

"Thank you, Sir." Crashing his heels together once more, Christian took his leave.

"A barn, Sir, Thomas has us in a bloody barn!" William was beside himself with anger.

"Is it at least clean?"

"Christ no, begging your pardon Sir, but it's a f**king barn. Course it ain't clean. Sir."

Christian chuckled, "Well, we shall make the best of it. Of course, if you'd like to sleep outside ..."

William shook his head as it started to rain, again.

"I've got cots for all of us, so at least you won't be up in the hayloft. Is that acceptable? Or perhaps I should ask the Colonel if he'd mind you bedding down at the inn?"

William shot Christian a hopeful look, then he realized his officer was having him on. "Nah Sir, cot's fine, sorry Sir."

Thomas was at the barn, he'd already got the wagon in under cover, the animals out to the small pasture behind the farmer's cottage, and the cots set up and ready. Christian had slept in far worse places in the Peninsula, this would do.

"Alright lads, the Colonel has invited us for supper. Hungry? This time I'm not joking, William."

"I'm in, my stomach thinks my throat's been cut, been rumbling all evening it has." Thomas was obviously ready, as was William.

Christian told William and Thomas to head around back to the kitchen, "Don't rush, get yourselves a proper meal, don't know if we'll have the chance again in the next few days."

Then he noticed a man on horseback in front of the inn, he thought he looked familiar.

"Well hello, Christian, good to see you."

Kurt von Weiding leaned forward from the saddle, his hand extended.

"Kurt, what a pleasant surprise. What brings you here? I had heard you were on the Prince's staff."

"I am," Elsbeth's husband smiled, "bringing your lot new orders it seems. You're seconded to the 1st Light, correct?"

"Yes, yes I am. Are we on the road again, I just bloody got here."

"Afraid so, in the morning your brigade will be moving further south, towards Mons. At least you should get a night's rest before moving off."

As he turned his horse's head, "Well, must be off. Oh, by the way, Elsbeth sends her regards!"

"Uh, well, thank you, remember me to her, won't you?"

"I will Christian, now keep your head down and your powder dry!"

As they set out down the road to Mons, Christian walked alongside the men, he wanted to get a feel for their morale, get to know them if he could. The company he marched with had a nice leavening of veterans, one or two he recognized from the Peninsula. There were a number of very young soldiers who hadn't been in the army for more than a few months. Those concerned him.

As they marched it began to rain again. One of the men suggested he should ride his horse, "I mean that's why you've got one, right Sir?"

A sergeant barked, "Johan, keep your mouth shut and your feet moving."

Then to Christian the same sergeant explained, "Sorry Sir, he's a new lad, thinks his opinion is something others want to hear. But he's right you know, you should get back on your horse. Tired officers make bad decisions, begging your pardon, Sir."

"And bad decisions get men killed, I'll take the lad's advice."

Looking at the young soldier, Christian winked. Mounting his horse he called out to the sergeant, "Pankow, right? Sergeant Pankow isn't it?"

The sergeant blushed, "Uh, yes Sir, Pankow it is. Good to see you again, Sir. Been a while since Vittoria, hasn't it, Sir?"

"Indeed, Pankow, nearly two years to the day. Keep the lads in hand, I'll be watching."

"Of course, Sir, I will, Sir!"