war diaries part 5

Francais returns
15th August 1796
There was to be a large clash of which my company played part in. We were held in reserve. The army took Vhich to our left and marched onto Riovn, we're there was a large battle to push the enemy from there position by late afternoon, we were ordered to advance north through some Marsh land to flush out some enemy skirmishers that had been firing on one of our artillery  batteries. We advanced in open order, but our progress was slowed by the ground, having to wade through the Marsh at times we had to hold our muskets and munitions above our heads to keep them dry. We gained dry ground, but no sooner as our feet hit soled ground we were fired at from some farm buildings, and surrounding walls. We fell back to behind the bluff in the ground to regroup  Captain Mathias, lead some of the company on an assault  on the nearest wall line. But he was driven back with 3 killed and 4 wounded on the ground. I was sent forward with a skirmish screen into what cover we could. After which we traded shots with the enemy Captain Mathias lead another assault on the walls he was wounded  yards from the wall but the men charged on and reached the wall and  fought there way over it. Me and the rest of the company charged in support  there followed  a very hard fight the Austrian light infantry  we hard fighters and they were not going to give us the wall easily  we fought well but we were pushed back with loss. My luck ran out as I was captured with 14 other wounded men. I awoke with the wounded both French and Austrian a Austrian sorebone  had bandaged my leg, I had taken a bayonet to my leg and was knocked to the ground by a musket butt.  An officer in very good  French told me they were withdrawing soon and my friends would be here soon "good luck to you sir"  he said and he left.
As night fell our battalion moved up to our position  we had taken heavy losses we had lost some officers to Captain Mathias was among them what was left of the battalion was sent back to the depot to await recruits.

18th  September 1796
At hospital,  my leg had become infected and it will take months to heal. I am bed ridden.
I hear of hard fighting with mixed results.

23rd March 1797
At the depot our battalion is back up to strength,  training and more training, our new recruits are eager but very raw, some can hardly fire there muskets.

11th July 1797
We are on the move, we are to join the Armies d' Allemagne.
Francais will return with further adventures.