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126 LETTERS.
even at a distance, the hearts of the inhabitants with terror,
and dreadful was the havoc committed by them wherever
their sharp swords encountered any resistance. The earth
shook under the thunder of their war-engines ; the danger
was pressing; while, with noble self-sacrifice, Brigadier-
General Hedda di Bravura made a sortie from the for-
tress of Arsta, at the head of the regiment ‘ Fredrika,’ so
renowned for its bravery, but now reduced, in consequence
of heavy losses, to a small corps. In another direction
was seen hastening to the attack, in double-quick time, and
with loud war-cries of ‘ Bow-wow!’ the heroic volunteers
Terrible, Vainqueur, Diana, Camilla, the youthful hero Ar-
row, the undaunted Hunter, led on by the Général-en-clef
of the jumping infantry, the incomparable Agatha della
Poltronna. Their plan was to surround the enemy. The
attack of our generals from two opposite sides was made
with the greatest valor ; and notwithstanding the triple su-
periority of the Barbarians in numerical strength, their war-
cry becoming louder and louder every moment, they began
to show that disorder and terror was spreading through their
ranks ; when all at once, in consequence of the too great
ardor of the curveting volunteers, a momentary confusion
arose among our troops; friend and foe were fighting in
one entangled mass, scarcely able to recognize each other ;
every thing was in a hurly-burly, and terror and confusion
reached its height, when, in the very brunt of the battle,
General Hedda di Bravura, while performing deeds of mar-
velous gallantry, fell, as there is every reason to suspect,
more in consequence of the incautious onset of the curvet-
ing volunteers, than in consequence of the cuffs of the Bar-
barians. ‘The regiment ‘ Fredrika,’ seeing with despair its
undaunted leader down, took to flight with inconceivable
celerity ; while the youthful Della Poltronna stood alone
and unconquered, in the midst of the combatants, animat-
ing by voice and example his volunteers, already flagging
from over-exertion, to a renewed attack. It seemed as if
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