AN AFFECTING NARRATIVE: At the siege of Namur there were in the ranks of the company commanded by Captain Pincent, in Colonel Frederick Hamilton’s regiment, one Union, a corporal, and one Valentine, a private sentinel. There happened between these two men a dispute about a matter of love, which upon some aggravations grew into an irreconcilable hatred. Union, being the officer of Valentine, took all opportunities to strike his rival and to profess the spite and revenge which moved him to it. The sentinel bore it without resistance; but frequently said he would die to be revenged on that tyrant. They had spent whole months thus, one injuring, the other complaining; when, in the midst of this rage towards each other, they were commanded upon the attack of the castle, where the corporal received a shot in the thigh and fell; the French pressing on and he expecting to be trampled to death, called out to his enemy, “Ah, Valentine! can you leave me here? “Valentine immediately ran back, and in the midst of a thick fire of the French took the corporal upon his back, and brought him through all that danger, as far as the abbey of Salsine, where a cannonball took off his head; his body fell under his enemy whom he was carrying off. Union immediately forgot his wound, rose up, tearing his hair, and then threw himself upon the bleeding carcass crying “Ah, Valentine! Was it for me, who have so barbarously used thee that thou hast died? I will not live after thee. “He was not, by any means, to be forced from the body, but was removed with it bleeding in his arms and attended with tears by all their comrades who knew their enmity. When he was brought to a tent his wounds were dressed by force; but the next day, still calling upon Valentine, and lamenting his cruelties to him, he died in the pangs of remorse and despair. It may be a question among men of noble sentiments which of these unfortunate persons had the greater soul; he that was so generous as to venture his life for his enemy, or he who could not survive the man that died in laying upon him such an obligation. …
Transcribed in whole or part from scanned originals: Presented with or without modified text and punctuation. For absolute accuracy refer to the original newspapers. Source: The British Newspaper Archive.
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