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Updated: June 29, 2025
Failing to meet him, however, through all the closing scenes of the great war, Doubledick, by this time promoted to his lieutenancy, follows the old regimental colours, ragged, scarred, and riddled with shot, through the fierce conflicts of Quatre Bras and Ligny, falling at last desperately wounded all but dead upon the field of Waterloo.
Sorely cut up in every battle, but always reinforced by the bravest of men, for the fame of following the old colours, shot through and through, which Ensign Richard Doubledick had saved, inspired all breasts, this regiment fought its way through the Peninsular war, up to the investment of Badajos in eighteen hundred and twelve.
He associated with the dregs of every regiment; he was as seldom sober as he could be, and was constantly under punishment. It became clear to the whole barracks that Private Richard Doubledick would very soon be flogged.
This finished him. This brought him down to Chatham. This made him Private Richard Doubledick, with a determination to be shot. There was not a more dissipated and reckless soldier in Chatham barracks, in the year one thousand seven hundred and ninety-nine, than Private Richard Doubledick.
But, if I had told it now, I could have added that the time has since come when the son of Major Richard Doubledick, and the son of that French officer, friends as their fathers were before them, fought side by side in one cause, with their respective nations, like long-divided brothers whom the better times have brought together, fast united.
At this juncture, at the very moment when Doubledick sees the officer at the head of the enemy's soldiery "a courageous, handsome, gallant officer of five-and-thirty" waving his sword, and with an eager and excited cry rallying his men, they fire, and Major Taunton has dropped.
Hold your course unchanged a little longer, and you know what must happen. I know even better than you can imagine, that, after that has happened, you are lost. No man who could shed those tears could bear those marks." "I fully believe it, sir," in a low, shivering voice said Private Richard Doubledick.
Captain Taunton then remonstrates with him thus earnestly: "Doubledick, since I entered his Majesty's service, a boy of seventeen, I have been pained to see many men of promise going that road; but I have never been so pained to see a man determined to make the shameful journey, as I have been, ever since you joined the regiment, to see you."
After recounting how Private Doubledick was clearly going to the dogs, associating himself with the dregs of every regiment, seldom being sober and constantly under punishment, until it became plain at last to the whole barracks that very soon indeed he would come to be flogged, when the Reader came at this point to the words "Now the captain of Doubledick's company was a young gentleman not above five years his senior, whose eyes had an expression in them which affected Private Doubledick in a very remarkable way" the effect was singularly striking.
Three little spots of blood are visible on the shirt of Major Taunton as he lies there with the breast of his uniform opened. "Dear Doubledick, I am dying." "For the love of Heaven, no! Taunton! My preserver, my guardian angel, my witness! Dearest, truest, kindest of human beings! Taunton! For God's sake!"
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