Life and diary of Lieut. Col. J. Blackader

390 LIFE OF COL. BLACK ADEri. CHAP. XVI.
and sleep after long watching. I was sent for to sup
abroad, where we had much idle conversation. Lord,
cleanse my soul from the filth and sin I contract in
evil company. I endeavoured also to testify my dis-
like at vice, and abominable things, as they came to
be the subject of conversation.
May 23. Unwell and feverish. I sent for a sur-
geon, and took blood, and grew better. I was pre-
paring for my post, but the Colonel would not permit
me to go into the trenches with the regiment, because
the night air might do me hurt.
By this temporary malady, he probably made an
escape from an unforeseen danger ; for, as it appears
in the following letter, an accident happened, by the
blowing up of some grenades, which killed or hurt
several of his men,
Wednesday, May 24.
There is nothing extraordinary among us since I
last wrote you. The siege goes slowly on. It is a
very great mercy we have had such fair weather all
along, for otherwise it would have been sad working
in the trenches. There is no appearance of the enemy's
coming near us to relieve the town. — Yesternight
we had sixteen men wounded and burnt by an acci-
dent of the blowing up of some powder and grenades.
Two of them are dead. Lieutenant Graham is hurt,
and Serjeant Davidson. We have but little loss now,
except by these accidents that cannot be foreseen. —
Our regiment goes in again to the trenches to-morrow,
and I hope the Divine care and protection will be
around us as it has been. The Lord keep and pre-
serve you. J. B.
Madam Blackader, chez Madam Penieman,?
St. Michael, a Gand. $