Jackson found his
co-mates in misfortune very dirty, very ragged, but perfectly civil
and good-tempered. Having a little recovered his serenity--for it is
easy to see, though our hero is described as a man of placid
demeanour and somewhat Quakerly appearance, he could be not a little
fiery at times--he sat down and wrote to the commanding officer,
entreating leave to sleep at an inn, and proffering the deposit of
all his money as a pledge for his reappearance next morning. The
reply was an order that he should surrender his writing materials.
At seven o'clock, the appointed sleeping hour, the sergeant returned
and gave the signal for bed by rapping with his cane on the floor,
which was speedily covered by a number of dirty bags of mouldy
straw--the regulation mattresses, it would seem, for involuntary
recruits. Jackson--peppery again--refused to lie down, but was at
last compelled to do so, and between two of the dirtiest fellows of
the lot, each of whom had a leg chained to an arm. The next morning,
at his own request, he was brought before the commandant of the
town, who had only arrived late the preceding evening, and whom he
found seated in his bedroom, 'with all his officers standing round
him receiving orders,' says Jackson, 'with more humility than
orderly-sergeants.' The commandant repeated the offer of 'cavalry or
infantry;' adding that a war was about to commence with the Turks,
and that good-behaviour would insure promotion.
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