their retreat. As it is, I fear that but few of the three thousand
who were with me will reach Philippsburg. I shall be glad if you
yourself will remain near me. If your regiment were going to keep
together I would not take you from them, but being broken up
into fragments, you could exercise no supervision over them in the
darkness."

Hector at once called the officers together, and gave them the
necessary orders. "You understand," he said, "that your main object
is not so much to save yourselves, though that is most important,
but to enable the cavalry to beat back the Bavarian horse."

It was a terrible march; both horse and foot made their way along
with difficulty through the darkness. Men and horses were alike
fatigued, and the cavalry for the most part dismounted and led
their animals along. There were several sharp fights with bodies
of the enemy, who, ignorant of the line by which the French were
retreating, feared to press the rearguard too close, lest they
should find them in very superior numbers. Once, when they passed
a lane running down to the river, Turenne -- who had taken every
opportunity of making his way across the line of retreat and
seeing how all was going on -- said to Hector, "Will you ride up
here, Campbell, and cheer up any parties you may come across. Tell
them that all is going on well, and that by morning we shall find
that the enemy have given up the pursuit, and shall be able to halt
and take a few hours' rest, and give battle should the enemy come
up in force. Their horses must be as fatigued as ours, for they
must have been marching for eight or ten hours since the morning."

Hector had only Paolo now with him, having appointed the four