PREFACE.

SOME episodes which are facts have been woven up with the following story of the War in the Crimea.

I may mention that the sorrowful adventure of Major Singleton is no fiction, save so far as the names are concerned, as it happened to a Scottish medical officer during one of our late wars in India.

The famous duel fought by De l'Lisle and De la Fosse occurred, as narrated, in the days of the French Monarchy; and, by a letter which I had the pleasure to receive from General Lord de Ros (who has referred to it in a recent military work), he informs me that it was first recorded in a volume entitled, "The Military Mentor," supposed to be by General Burgoyne

of unfortunate memory-the same officer whose army had to capitulate at Saratoga.

A gambling quarrel nearly similar to that of Major Chesters in the troop-ship once occupied the attention of a court martial, and suggested the idea of his exposure by the French Colonel as described in the text.

Of the rest of the narrative the Author leaves his readers to judge for themselves, as those parts which belong to history are sufficiently apparent.

September, 1870.