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UNDER FOURTEEN FLAGS UNDER FOURTEEN FLAGS BEING THE LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF BRIGADIER-GENERAL MACIVER, A SOLDIER OF FORTUNE BY CAPTAIN W. D. L'ESTRANGE AUTHOB 03? " HABJIADUKE INGLEBY," " CLAUGHTOX ABBEY," ETC., ETC. LONDON SPENCER BLACKETT GSamasor to J. * SI. JftnxtMI) MILTON HOUSE, 35, ST. BRIDE STREET, LUDGATE CIRCUS, E.C. [All rights reserved'] TO HIS EXCELLENCY GENERAL TCHERNAIEFF, GOVERNOE-GENEEAL AND COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OP THE FORCES IN TUEKESTAN, ^Eltts JBuok is wspcctfttll]) ^fiixcattii, IN ADMIRATION OF HIS GENIUS AND HIS CAREEE AS A SOLDIER, AND AS A TRIBUTE, HOWEVER SLIGHT, TO THE DISTINGUISHED CHIEF FROM WHOSE HANDS ON THE FIELD OF BATTLE THE SUBJECT OF THESE MEMOIRS RECEIVED HIS MOST HIGHLY-PRIZED DECORATIONS, THE SERVIAN CROSS OF TAKAVO AND THE GOLD MEDAL FOE VALOUR. — CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. PAeE The Parentage and Education of Bonald Maclver—Receives his Commission and gains his first Experience of War . 1 CHAPTER II. A great Chief— A Highland Volunteer—Life on Shipboard A daring Act 13 CHAPTER III. The celebrated Countess de la Torre— Quarrels in Camp in . Maclver Love . .22 CHAPTER IV. Strange Friendship formed with the famous General Wheat Maclver's first Duel and its Consequences .... 28 CHAPTER V. Dangerous Ground—A startling Adventure—And a narrow Escape 35 CHAPTER VI. A Sequel to the attempted Assassination—A projected Elope. ment 43 CHAPTER VII. A rash Promise, and a foolish Expedition — Palls amongst Rogues ; but not discourteous ones—A Night amongsc the Brigands 48 CHAPTER VIII. Maclver receives the Cross of Savoy—A Lover's Stratagem . 58 CHAPTER IX. An intercepted Elopement—Home again 66 vi CONTENTS CHAPTER X. pace The Outbreak of the Civil War in America—Maclver arrives in Washington and refuses to take service under the Federals — Imprisoned at Alexandria (Virginia) as a Secessionist 72 CHAPTER XI. Amongst the Federals—Another fortunate Escape—Borrowed Plumage 78 CHAPTER XII. Crossing the Confederate Lines—Meeting with Colonel Scott —Proceeds to Richmond . t(j CHAPTER XIII. Jackson's Campaign in the Valley of Virginia—An Irishman for the first time under Fire—The Battle of Fort Royal . 93 CHAPTER XIV. The Battles of Cross Keys and Fort Republic—The Death of Turner Ashby . ICO CHAPTER XV. Capture of Percy Wyndham—Jackson's Opinion of Turner Ashby—The March on Richmond—The Battle of Gaines's Mills, and the Death of Wheat 108 CHAPTER XVI. The Seven Days' Fighting round Richmond —The Fighting at Savage Station, Frazer Farm, and Malvern Hill—The Battles of Cedar Run and Manassas—Maclver wounded and taken Prisoner 114 CHAPTER XVII. Lieutenant Maclver taken to Alexandria—Meets and is recog- nised by his former Jailer—Lee's Operations in the Enemy's Territory 122 CHAPTER XVIII. Camp Life at Winchester—The end of the Sixty-two Campaign —A Night Adventure on the Mississippi—The Confederate Batteries and the Yankee Gunboats 129 CHAPTER XIX. An unfortunate Accident—Captain Maclver receives orders to proceed to Europe with Despatches—Running the Blockade —Arrival in England . 138 CHAPTER XX. A nice little Plot interrupted—The end of the American War —Maclver starts for Mexico—Another fatal Duel . 144 CONTENTS vii CHAPTER XXL PAGE Another Duel—Anecdotes of Maclver—A Fight with the Indians . 152 CHAPTER XXII. A desperate Defence—an attempted Escape, and Capture by the Indians— Life among the Rod Men .... 159 CHAPTER XXIII. The Major made into an Indian Chief—A successful Attempt to Escape—Crosses the Mexican Frontier and falls into the hands of the Republicans—Sobbing a Robber . 166 CHAPTER XXIV. Maclver joins the Mexican Royalist Army— Receives the Order of Guadaloupe— The end of the War, and the Death of the Emperor Maximilian—Colonel Maclver endures great Privations, and escapes at last 170 CHAPTER XXV. Joins the Brazilian and Argentine Armies—Commissioned to form a Foreign Legion—Two Attempts on Maclver' s Life defeated 176 CHAPTER XXVI. Maclver fights two more Duels—A Mutiny in the Foreign Legion—The Outbreak of the Cholera in Buenos Ayres, and its Consequences ........ 184 CHAPTER XXVII. At Death's Door—The End of the Foreign Legion —Leaves the Argentine Service, and receives a Commission from the Cretan Provisional Government ...... 190 CHAPTER XXVIII. Colonel Maclver's Sojourn at Athens—Joins the Greek Ser- vice, and serves under Corroneus—Brigand-hunting on the Frontier of Thessaly—Returns to America . 196 CHAPTER XXIX. The Cuban Expedition—Appointed to the Command of a Corps of Officers—Failure of the lirst Attempt to reach Cuba . 205 CHAPTER XXX. Seizure of the Lilian—Taken to Nassau—Maclver Sick unto Death—Leaves for Cuba—An order for his Arrest, and a narrow Escape 210 CHAPTER XXXI. Cuba and her Claims—The Insurrection—Disaster . 218 — viii CONTENTS CHAPTER XXXII. page Friends in Need—A Love Affair and a Quarrel —Flight and a lucky Escape ......... 225 CHAPTER XXXIII. Lost in the Forest—Dangerous Neighbours—Alone on the wide Atlantic in an open Boat . .231 CHAPTER XXXIV. A Dreary Voyage— Ghastly Companions—Picked up by a Steamer 2.37 CHAPTER XXXV. An Agreement with Ismail Pasha—MacTver receives his Com- mission as Colonel of Cavalry— Joins the Egyptian Army . 211 CHAPTER XXXVI. The Climate affects Colonel Maclver's Health, and he resigns his Commission—Leaves for Constantinople—Intention of joining the French in the War against Germany . 252 CHAPTER XXXVII. The Close of the Franco-German War—Arrival of Maclver in France—Joins General Chanzy, and is wounded at the Battle of Orleans —The Battle of St. Quintin—Life in Paris after the Commune ....... 257 CHAPTER XXXVIIT. Colonel Maclver presented to the Wife of Don Carlos in Swit- zerland—Returns to England and establishes the Carlist League—Joins Don Carlos on the Spanish Frontier . 271 CHAPTER XXXIX. A new Love Affair—A Rival and a Q,uarrel at the Cafe Riche —A Fatal Duel—The Herzegovinian Struggle . 285 CHAPTER XL. Colonel MacTver leaves England for Servia —Receives his Commission, and raises a Foreign Legion of Cavalry . 294 CHAPTER XLI. Appointed to the Staff of the Commander-in-Chief—Receives the Order of the Takavo—Mission to England—The End of the War 315 CHAPTER XLII. General Tchernaieff in London—Maclver returns to Servia Receives a Commission under the Greek Government, with Instructions to form a Foreign Legion . 327 UNDER FOURTEEN FLAGS CHAPTER I. THE PARENTAGE AND EDUCATION OF RONALD MACIVER— RECEIVES HIS COMMISSION AND GAINS HIS FIRST EXPERIENCE OP WAR ^NB evening in the year eighteen hundred and forty, amongst the guests assembled at one of the principal mansions iu the city of Edinburgh was a young lady named Anna Douglas, who was comparatively a stranger in the Scottish capital, having but recently arrived from America. Her advent had caused quite a sensation in the fashionable world of Scott's " ain romantic toon/' and from her beauty and elegance she was the acknowledged belle of the season. This lovely girl, although not a native of Scotland, was one of an old Cavalier family, and possessed all the pride and dignity of the ancient house of Douglas. A Virginian by birth, she was descended from a scion of this old Scottish clan, who had formed one of that gallant company of gentlemen adventurers which, in sixteen hundred and seven, in the reign B 2 UXDEB FOURTEEX FLAGS of our first James, colonised ''' His Majesty's Planta- tions of Virginia.-" In that beautiful and fruitful spot, those of the little band who survived the first hardships of a new life became lords and seigniors of the soil. Proud of their lineage, these gentlemen adventurers, many of whom were married, established amongst themselves and their families a society as aristocratic, as accomplished, and as exclusive as that of the most refined Court in the Old World. Such did Virginian society continue from genera- tion to generation, and of this select coterie Miss Anna Douo-las was one of the brio-litest ornaments. When nearly twenty-two. however, this fair daughter of the sunny Southern State evinced a delicacv of constitution which caused grave alarm to her friends. After consultation, her medical advisers determined that she must travel abroad for the benefit of her health. Her father, Mr. Douglas, was unable at the time to leave his largo plantations, but arrangements having been made for his daughter to visit a branch of his family then residing in Edinburgh, Miss Douglas left for Europe accompanied by two at- tendants. The sea voyage was so beneficial that the fair Virginian arrived in the Scottish capital restored to health, where her beauty, her vivacity, and her amiability won not only admiration, but the regard of many friends. On this particular night on which our chapter opens, Miss Douglas was to meet for the first tune her future husband. As she came out of the supper- room, leaning ou the arm of her host, there stood by PARENTAGE AND EDUCATION 3 the door a stalwart, broad-shouldered, manly young fellow, who was introduced to the fair American as Mr. Ronald Maclver. In those days there were few handsomer or more distinguished-looking men amongst those who strolled up or down Prince's Street than this young High- lander, who now bowed low before Miss Douglas. He was a Ross-shire gentleman, a son of the chief of the clan Maclver, and was well known in the upper circles of Edinburgh. After this casual introduction the young couple met frequently, and liked each other's company. They had much in common, too, in taste and feeling. She, with her old Cavalier instincts, and he, with the strong Jacobite proclivities of his forefathers, had one theme upon which they were ever in thorough unison.