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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/36778-8.txt b/36778-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f2ad592 --- /dev/null +++ b/36778-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,13290 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Twenty-Five Years in the Rifle Brigade, by +William Surtees + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Twenty-Five Years in the Rifle Brigade + +Author: William Surtees + +Release Date: July 19, 2011 [EBook #36778] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN THE *** + + + + +Produced by Steven Gibbs, Moti Ben-Ari and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net. + + + + + + + + + + TWENTY-FIVE YEARS + IN + THE RIFLE BRIGADE. + + BY THE LATE + WILLIAM SURTEES, + QUARTERMASTER. + + WILLIAM BLACKWOOD, EDINBURGH; AND + T. CADELL, STRAND, LONDON. + + MDCCCXXXIII. + + + EDINBURGH: + PRINTED BY BALLANTYNE AND COMPANY, PAUL'S WORK, CANONGATE. + + + + + TO + MAJOR-GEN. SIR ANDREW F. BARNARD, + K.C.B. and K.C.H. + AND THE OFFICERS OF THE RIFLE BRIGADE, + THESE REMAINS OF MY DECEASED BROTHER + ARE MOST RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED, + BY THEIR OBLIGED AND MOST + OBEDIENT SERVANT, + JOHN SURTEES. + + + + +PREFATORY NOTICE. + + +The Author of the following Narrative entered the Army in early life. He +commenced his military career in 1795, as a private soldier in the +Northumberland Militia; and in the following year he volunteered into +the Pompadours. In this regiment he first faced the enemy, during the +expedition to Holland under the Duke of York. On getting his discharge +from the Pompadours, in 1802, he again entered the service as a private +in the Rifle Brigade, to which he was attached for a period of +twenty-five years. From his steady conduct, and ardent love for his +profession, he was soon advanced from the ranks, and, after various +intermediate steps, was appointed Quartermaster; a situation which he +held as long as he continued in the corps, enjoying the respect and +esteem of his brother officers of all ranks, as is amply testified by +the letters which form the Appendix to this volume. + +Though, as Quartermaster, the Author was not called by duty to join in +battle, yet he lost no opportunity of entering the scene of action, or +of placing himself in a favourable situation for observing what was +passing. It is unnecessary to enumerate the arduous services of the +Rifle Brigade from 1802 to 1815. During the whole of that period the +Author was actively engaged with his corps. + +The Narrative is faithfully--indeed literally--printed from the Author's +MS. as he left it at his death. The critical reader may therefore detect +various inaccuracies which, had life been spared to the Author, would +probably have been corrected; but he will find much to approve, and, +hackneyed as Narratives of the Peninsular War have become, he will also +find much that is new. There is no embellishment in the style of the +Author's composition, but there is a quiet Defoe-like sincerity and +simplicity characteristic of his pages, and a strain of unaffected +piety, that is very pleasing; and the scenes and descriptions which he +gives, though sometimes singularly chosen, and reported quite with a +manner of his own, are on the whole portrayed with strong graphic +effect. One word, however, before closing,--our Author is never vulgar. + +A severe pulmonary affection compelled him to quit his corps in 1826. He +retired to Corbridge, his native village, where he arrived on the 24th +of October in that year, and continued there, respected and beloved, and +constantly engaged in acts of benevolence, till the period of his death, +28th May, 1830. + + _November 23, 1832._ + + + + +CONTENTS. + + + CHAPTER I. + PAGE. + + Birth and Parentage--Enters the Militia--Volunteers into the + Line--Joins the army destined for Holland--The troops embark at + Deal--Land at the Helder--Laxity of discipline--March for + Schagen--Detachment under Sir Ralph Abercromby sent to surprise + Hoorne--Hoorne surrenders, 1 + + CHAPTER II. + + The Russian Allies carry Bergen--Allow themselves to be + surprised, and the whole army forced to retire to their former + position--Skirmishing in the vicinity of Old Patten--The + Russians endeavour to force their way back to Bergen--The + Russian and British forces joined--The enemy forced to abandon + Egmont-op-Zee--Alkmaar surrenders--The troops advance to Egmont + Binnen--Skirmishing--General engagement--The Enemy + repulsed--The Forces retire to Zaand Wyck--Armistice + concluded--Return to England, 13 + + CHAPTER III. + + Arrive in England--The Pompadours embark for Ireland--Arrive at + Kinsale--Privations in Ireland in 1800--Peace concluded--Our + Author resolves to return home, but ultimately volunteers into + the Rifle Corps or 95th--Embarks for England, and joins his + Regiment at Sussex--Is promoted, 35 + + CHAPTER IV. + + Made Pay-sergeant--Moral Reflections--Wreck of a Dutch East + Indiaman--Reduced Officers--War with France in 1803--Encampment + at Thorncliffe under the command of General Sir John + Moore--Encampment broke up, November 1804--Embark for Germany, + October 1805--Vicissitudes at Sea--Land at Cuxhaven--March to + Bremen--Outposts established--Retrograde movements, in + consequence of the defeat of the Allied Forces at + Austerlitz--The Allied Forces evacuate Germany--Re-embarkation + of the troops--The Rifle Corps, or 95th, land at Yarmouth, 45 + + CHAPTER IV.* + + Our Author made Quartermaster-Sergeant of the 2d battalion, + which he joins at Feversham, Kent--Expedition to + Denmark--Embark at Deal--Land at Vedbeck, Zealand--Partial + Engagements--Siege of Copenhagen--A division under Sir Arthur + Wellesley advance to Kioge--Copenhagen capitulates--Amnesty + between the Danish forces in the Island of Zealand, and the + British--The British evacuate Denmark--Embark at + Copenhagen--Arrive in the Downs--Land at Deal, 59 + + CHAPTER V. + + Our Author marries--The Battalion to which he belongs ordered + to join the Expedition fitting out for Corunna--Movements of + the Army in Spain--Return to England, 73 + + CHAPTER VI. + + Volunteering--Farther Promotion--Embarks for Portugal, with two + Companies of the Second Battalion--Debark at Cadiz--Advance to + the Isla--The French occupy all the adjacent Towns, except + Cadiz and Isla--Cannonading--Spanish Army--Detachment of the + Allied Army sent round by Gibraltar and Chiclana, to take the + Enemy in the rear of his works, and compel him either to fight + or abandon them--Come up with a portion of the Enemy in the + vicinity of Veger--Bravery of the British--The Enemy repulsed + with great loss, but, from the apathy and misconduct of General + La Pena, and the Spaniards under his command, the French are + allowed to retain their Works in the vicinity of Cadiz, 99 + + CHAPTER VII. + + The 2d Battalion of the Pompadours ordered to proceed to + Portugal--Our Author visits England--Returns to Portugal, and + joins his Regiment at Rodrigo--The Army move towards + Badajos--Siege of Badajos--Badajos surrenders--Insubordination + among the Troops--Quelled by the prompt measures of Lord + Wellington, 128 + + CHAPTER VIII. + + The Army leave Badajos on the 11th of April, and move into + quarters near the river Agueda, where they remain, till the + 11th of June--Advance towards Salamanca, which, with the + exception of three Forts, the enemy had evacuated--The Forts + invested--The main bodies of both armies bivouack within a mile + and a half of each other, in the vicinity of Monte Rubio and + Morisco--The Forts of Salamanca surrender--The main body of the + Enemy retire to Tordesillas--Movements of the Army, 153 + + CHAPTER IX. + + Preparations for the Field--Amusements in winter + quarters--Grand Review--Advance of the Army in pursuit of the + Enemy--Come up with their rearguard in the vicinity of Hornilla + de Camino--Skirmishing--Encounter with the 1st Brigade of the + Enemy, who are beaten, and forced to retreat--Our Army advance + in pursuit--An affair between the rearguard of the Enemy and + our 4th Brigade--Vittoria--General Engagement--The Enemy + defeated--Remarks, 185 + + CHAPTER X. + + Advance in pursuit of the Enemy--Our Forces retreat, in order + to counteract Soult's movements for the succour of + Pamplona--Total defeat of Soult in the several Actions near + Pamplona--Our Forces again advance--Come up with the retreating + Enemy at the Bridge of Yanzi--The Enemy take up a position, + behind Vera--A considerable body of the Enemy attached at the + Pass of Echallar, and forced to retreat, 214 + + CHAPTER XI. + + The Author, from a mistake, loses his Servants for a few + days--A Feast of Death--A Feast of Life--Fighting near St + Sebastian--Singular instance of Spanish Bravery--St Sebastian + is captured, but no Details given, the Author not having been + present--Attack of the Pass of Vera, 232 + + CHAPTER XII. + + The British Army advance farther into France--Pass the + Nive--Soult's Plans baffled--Two or three battalions of the + Nassau and Frankfort regiments come over from the + French--French Politesse--Threatened Attack by the + French--Battle of the Nive--Account of the Basques, 253 + + CHAPTER XIII. + + The Author's Battalion quartered in Aurantz on 3d January + 1814--The cantonments at Aurantz broke up on the 16th February, + and the Campaign of 1814 commenced--Farther Advance into + France--Skirmishing with the Enemy--Military Manoeuvres--Battle + of Orthes--Defeat and Pursuit of the Enemy--Succession of + Attacks on them--They are driven from their Position in and + near Tarbes--Skirmishing at Tournefoile--The Enemy retire + towards Toulouse, 269 + + CHAPTER XIV. + + The British Army cross the Garonne--Advance on + Toulouse--Prepare for the Attack--The Attack--Spaniards driven + back--Battle very hot--French completely defeated--Soult + evacuates Toulouse, and tardily adheres to the Bourbons, 295 + + CHAPTER XV. + + Author's happy state during 1813 and 1814--Character of the + veritable French--British distributed over the + Country--Civility of the Inhabitants of Grissolles--Amusements + in quarters--The British prepare to quit France, 308 + + CHAPTER XVI. + + Author's Battalion embark for England--Land at Plymouth--Expect + to be again ordered on Foreign Service--Order received--Embark, + with other Troops, for America--Land at Pine Island, 322 + + CHAPTER XVII. + + Proceed to attack the Enemy, and capture one of their + picquets--Advance in search of a Bivouack--Alarmed by shots in + front--Fired on by an American schooner--Captain Hallen + severely attacked--Manoeuvres on both sides--Ruse of the + Enemy--Fighting continues--Enemy repulsed at all + points--Courage of the British--Battery brought into + play--Activity of the Enemy, 339 + + CHAPTER XVIII. + + British Army told off into Brigades--Advance, and are hotly + received--Heroism of a young Artillery Officer--We take up a + fresh position--The Enemy work incessantly in raising an + extensive breastwork--Two Batteries erected, from which our + heavy Ship Artillery are brought to bear against it, but + without effect--The Enemy also place their Ship Guns on + Batteries--Colonel Lambert arrives with the 7th and 43d + regiments--Preparations for a grand attack on the Enemy's + lines, which entirely fails, and the British are repulsed with + great loss, 357 + + CHAPTER XIX. + + Bravery and Success of Colonel Thornton--Negotiation for leave + to transport the Wounded across the River--Insult offered to + the British--They retreat--Our Army embark, and determine to + make an Attack upon Mobile--Proceed in the direction of Mobile + Bay--A Brigade detached to reduce Fort Boyer--The Fort + surrenders, the garrison becoming Prisoners of + War--Intelligence of a Treaty of Peace being concluded at + Ghent--Cessation of Hostilities, 378 + + CHAPTER XX. + + Ratification of the Treaty of Peace--Exchange of Prisoners--Our + Troops Embark for England--When off the coast of Ireland, + receive Intelligence of Bonaparte's escape from Elba--The + Author and his Battalion reach the Downs, and proceed to + Thorncliffe--Embark for France--Arrive at Paris, and occupy the + Champs Elysées--Review of the Russian Guards--Russian + Discipline--British Troops reviewed--Accident to Prince + Blucher--Amusements in Paris--The Allied Forces, except the + Army of Occupation, leave Paris--The Author's Battalion embark + for England--Reach Dover, and return to Thorncliffe--He obtains + leave of absence, and visits his Family--His Battalion ordered + to Ireland--Sets out to join it, accompanied by his Wife, who + dies three days after they reach Dublin--His Battalion + reduced--Joins the first Battalion at Gosport, which is ordered + to Scotland--Arrive at Leith, and march to Glasgow--The Author + returns home in ill health--His Father dies--Joins his + Battalion again--Winters at home--His Battalion ordered to + Ireland--Joins it at Belfast--They occupy different stations + during the Whiteboy Insurrection--Six companies of his + Battalion ordered to Nova Scotia, but the Author remains with + the other four companies--He is shortly ordered to proceed to + Nova Scotia--His health declines--Returns home in consequence, + takes advantage of Lord Palmerston's Bill, and retires on full + pay, 401 + + APPENDIX.--TESTIMONIALS.--No. 1. From Lieutenant-Colonel + Duffy--No. 2. From Major Travers--No. 3. From Officers of the + 2d Battalion--No. 4. From Lieut.-Colonel Ross, C.B.--No. 5. + From Lieut.-Col. Smith, C.B.--No. 6. From Officers of the 1st + Battalion Rifle Brigade--No. 7. From Colonel Norcott, C.B.--No. + 8. From Lieut.-Col. Fullarton, C.B.--No. 9. From Lieut.-Col. + Balvaird--No. 10. From Major-General Sir A. F. Barnard, + K.C.B.--No. 11. From Major Logan--No. 12. From Lieut.-Col. + Beckwith, C.B.--No. 13. From Lieut.-General the Hon. Sir Wm. + Stewart, G.C.B.--No. 14. From Major Eeles--No. 15. From + Major-General Sir T. S. Beckwith, K.C.B., 425 + + + + +TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN THE RIFLE BRIGADE. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + + Birth and Parentage--Enters the Militia--Volunteers into the + Line--Joins the Army destined for Holland--The Troops embark at + Deal--Land at the Helder--Laxity of discipline--March for + Schagen--Detachment under Sir Ralph Abercromby sent to surprise + Hoorne--Hoorne surrenders. + + +I was born on the 4th of August, 1781, in the village of Corbridge, in +the county of Northumberland; of parents who may be said to have been +among the middle classes, my father being a tradesman. They gave me such +an education as was customary with people of their station in life; viz. +reading, writing, and arithmetic. My mother having sprung from a pious +race, was the first to implant in my mind any sense of religion; indeed, +it is to the spiritual seed sown in my heart by her during my youth, +that I am indebted, under God, for having been brought, many years +afterwards, to consider my ways, and to turn to Him. Nevertheless, being +naturally of a sensual and wicked disposition, I, as might be expected, +spent a dissolute youth, which often caused great pain and uneasiness to +my good and pious mother. But I did not continue long under the paternal +roof; for, having from my infancy a great predilection for a military +life, I embraced almost the first opportunity that offered, after I +became sufficiently grown, to enter into the militia of my native +county. I enlisted on the 15th of November, 1798, being then little more +than seventeen years of age. I entered this service with the +determination that, should I not like a soldier's life, I would then, +after remaining a few years in it, return home; but, if I did like it, +to volunteer into the line, and make that my occupation for life. It +will readily be believed that this undutiful step affected deeply my +excellent parents; for though my father was not _then_ a religious man, +he had a heart susceptible of the tenderest feelings; and I really +believe that no parents ever felt more deeply the combined emotions of +tender regret at my leaving them so young, and for such a purpose, and +at the disgrace which my wayward conduct had, as they imagined, brought +upon myself. But though evil in itself, God overruled it for good to me, +and, I trust, to them also. I would here remark that the life of a +soldier was by no means considered in my native village, at that time, +as at all creditable; and when I sometimes in my boyhood used to exhibit +symptoms of a military inclination, I was often taunted with the then +opprobrious expression, "Ay, thou likes the smell of poother," +intimating thereby that I was likely to disgrace myself by going for a +soldier. + +I left my family in much grief in the beginning of 1799, and marched +with several other recruits to join my regiment at Chelmsford in Essex, +where we arrived in about a month, and where I began my military career. +I always liked a soldier's life, consequently I did not suffer from many +of those parts of it which are so unpleasant to those of a contrary +disposition; and, as I took pleasure in it, I of course made more +progress in acquiring a knowledge of my duty than some others who set +out with me. I was early placed in the first squad, an honour which I +considered no trifling one in those days,--but none of us finished our +drill; for, in July of the same year, an order was issued, permitting +such men as chose to extend their services, to volunteer into the line, +in order to recruit the army then destined for Holland. We had +previously marched from Chelmsford to Colchester, a distance of +twenty-one miles, which march was to me, I think, the severest I ever +underwent; for being young, and totally unaccustomed to any thing like +it, the weight of the musket, bayonet, accoutrements, and knapsack, +appeared, towards the latter end of the march, to be almost intolerable; +but I kept up, although excessively tired. This will show how necessary +it is at all times to accustom troops, destined for service, to move in +such order as they will be expected to do when they take the field--for, +if unaccustomed to the carriage of the knapsack, and to frequent marches +with it for exercise, they will be utterly unable to perform any +movement against, or in the face of an enemy, with that celerity +necessary to ensure success. I volunteered, with several of my comrades, +into the 56th regiment, or Pompadours, so called from their facings +being Madame Pompadour's favourite colour, and we set off (carried in +waggons to accelerate our movements) for Canterbury, which we reached in +two days and one night, having travelled without making a halt; and +there we joined the skeleton of our regiment, just then returned from +the West Indies, where twice, during the war, it had been nearly +exterminated by disease. + +In a few days after our arrival, a selection was made throughout the +volunteers for fit subjects for the light company, when, fortunately, +both myself and William Sutherland (who had been in the same company +with me in the militia, and who, from our names and size being so nearly +similar, had always stood next me in the ranks) were chosen for this, +in my mind, honourable service. I felt not a little proud at my +advancement, as I considered it, (and as I believe the generality of +soldiers consider it,) to be made a light-bob. + +The regiment had not at this time either arms, appointments, or +clothing; but, being in a few days sent off to Barham Downs, where the +army for Holland was assembled and encamped, we soon after were supplied +with the necessary equipment, and commenced without delay to drill and +get the men in readiness for embarkation. At this time the flank +companies of all those regiments destined for Holland were separated +from their battalions, and formed into what are termed flank battalions. +That in which my company was placed consisted of eleven light companies, +the command of which was given to Lieut.-Col. Sharpe, of the 9th +regiment, an experienced and gallant veteran, who had commanded a +similar battalion in the eastern district, under the Earl of Chatham. +The grenadier battalion was composed of an equal number of grenadier +companies, and belonged to the same regiments to which ours belonged. +Before our arrival on Barham Downs, the first division of the +expedition, under Sir Ralph Abercromby, had sailed; and we soon after +were called out to fire a _feu de joie_ for their capture of the Dutch +fleet, and their having effected a landing and gained a victory near the +Helder. Nothing could be more brilliant than our display upon this +occasion appeared to me--we were nearly 20,000 strong, I imagine, and, +being formed in one extensive line, the firing of the _feu de joie_ +produced a fine effect. To my non-military readers, perhaps, it will be +necessary to explain what is termed a _feu de joie_. The usual mode is, +when formed in line, for the fire to commence by signal with the right +file of the whole, and each of those on their left take it up rapidly +in succession, so that, to a looker-on, it has the appearance of a +wild-fire running along the line; but on this occasion we heightened the +effect, by beginning with the right of the front rank only, and when it +had passed along by the front, the left-hand man of the rear rank took +it up, and so it passed along by the rear to the right again. It +appeared to me, at that time, certainly the finest sight I had ever +witnessed. Every heart present was elated with joy, and beat high to be +led on to share in those glorious achievements which we were then +celebrating; but, alas! we were then ignorant that we were as unfit at +that time to suffer the toils and privations of a campaign, as if we had +never seen a soldier; we were all young, and inexperienced in the +highest degree, and our discipline, as might be naturally expected, was +far from good; for, being an army hastily collected from every regiment +of militia in the kingdom, the officers of course neither had that +knowledge of the characters of their men, which is so essential, nor had +the latter that confidence in their officers, which only a service +together for some length of time can engender, and which is absolutely +necessary to secure an unreserved and active obedience to their +commands. But the period of our embarkation fast approached; previously +to which, we were reviewed by his Royal Highness the Duke of York, (who +was destined to command us,) accompanied by several others of the Royal +Family, and by General Sir Charles Grey, my countryman. I believe they +all expressed themselves highly satisfied with our appearance and +movements, and hoped that we would shortly add fresh laurels to those +already gained by our forerunners. + +As it was expected to be a service of only a short duration, it was +determined that the men should embark in what is called "light marching" +or "service order," that is, with only about half the usual complement +of necessaries, consequently every soldier had to leave a considerable +portion of his things behind him; and, in order to deposit them safely, +empty casks were procured for each company, into which every man was +ordered to stow his extra things, after being properly packed and +labelled with his name, &c. This rather grieved me, for I had brought +with me from home as good a kit (as the soldiers term it) as any in the +army. My dear mother had prepared me shirts fine enough for any officer, +and abundance of them, but of those thus left I never saw one +afterwards. During our stay in this camp, I never enjoyed better health +or greater lightness of spirits, forgetful or heedless of the deep and +lasting anguish which my late rash step must naturally inflict upon the +hearts of my tender and affectionate parents; but I was no doubt +stimulated to this thoughtless forgetfulness of them, by witnessing the +animating scenes around me, where all was bustle and high anticipation +of more glorious doings. + +We marched from this camp to Deal, where we embarked in transports +already prepared to receive us. As soon as we arrived we were instantly +put on board, but never shall I forget the effect which the sight of the +sea, and such a number of ships of various sizes and descriptions, had +upon me; for before this I had never been near the sea, although I had +marched from the north to the south of England. But, to add to all the +strange things which then met my view, we were instantly on marching +down put into a large boat that lay high upon the beach; which, when +filled with troops, they run down into the sea with astonishing +rapidity, turning my stomach, as we entered the water, completely +topsy-turvy. The effect of all this can better be conceived than +described; we were immediately rowed off to, and put on board our +transport, which happened to be a brig called the Zephyr of Shields. +Here also every thing was quite new to me; but all was met and performed +with the highest spirits, so far as sea-sickness permitted. We remained +on board two or three days before the fleet was ready for sea; but at +length we sailed with a favourable breeze, and in two or three days more +we made the coast of Holland, and soon afterwards came to anchor within +the Texel. Every thing being ready for landing, and the Helder being in +our possession, we disembarked there on the 15th of September, 1799, +having been just one week on board. We were formed on landing near the +town, and waited till some others had disembarked, before we moved off. +Among those regiments which landed, I remember the 35th was one. This +regiment, after coming on shore, was drawn up close to us; they had not +been long landed before the men began with their knives to cut off each +other's hair, which then was worn in the shape of a club; this was done +without any orders from their officers, and appeared to me, I confess, +such a breach of discipline, as I could not have anticipated; for though +on the whole it was an improvement, as later usage has shown, yet I +apprehend for a body of soldiers, without any permission from higher +authority, to take upon them to break through the long-established +custom of the service, was such an utter renunciation of all obedience +to authority, as directly to threaten with destruction the best +interests of the army to which they belonged; however, at such a time it +would perhaps have been attended with still worse consequences to have +made an example of the offenders, although, had stricter discipline been +enforced from the outset, I feel assured the army in general would have +benefited by it. + +Towards evening, we moved forward through the town of Helder, and +proceeded on our route towards Schagen, and halted for the night on the +road, and where such as could find houses, of which there were a few +straggling ones in the neighbourhood, got into them. I awoke in the +night, and still fancied myself on board ship; for the wind and rain +were beating violently against the little hovel into which a few of us +had crept, and I imagined it was the dashing of the sea against the bow +of the vessel. Indeed so strong was this imagination, that when I got +up, I literally could not stand steady, not having been long enough on +board, to acquire what is termed my "sea legs;" that is, I had not +learned the art of standing steady when the vessel heeled; and, strange +as it may appear to a person who has never been at sea, I believe most +landsmen have the same feeling for some short time after being put on +shore. We had each man been supplied with a blanket while in camp on +Barham Downs, but had no proper or uniform mode of carrying them; we had +no great-coats, but made use of the blanket sometimes as a substitute in +the morning, when we turned out to proceed on our march. We certainly +made a strange appearance. Some had their blankets thrown around them, +others had them twisted up like a horse collar, and tied over their +shoulders in the manner of a plaid; while some had them stuffed into, +and others tied on to the top of their knapsack; in short, we appeared +like any thing but _regular_ troops. We moved forward as soon as we were +formed, and early in the day reached Schagen-bruck, where his Royal +Highness stood to inspect us as we marched past. Near this place we fell +in with some of the Russian regiments, they having landed nearly at the +same time, and of which nation there were, I believe, about 20,000 +troops expected to join our army. But if we appeared irregular and +grotesque, I know not well how to describe them; their riflemen were +shod with boots very much resembling those of our fishermen, coming up +considerably higher than the knee; thus rendering them, I should +imagine, incapable of celerity of movement, one of the chief requisites +in a rifle corps; they also wore large cocked hats and long green coats. +Their grenadiers were dressed more apropos, having high sugar-loaf +shaped caps, mounted with a great deal of brass, and projecting forward +at the top, with long coats, and gaiters reaching above the knee. Their +regular infantry were nearly similar to the grenadiers, only they wore +cocked hats instead of caps. The regiment which we saw on this occasion +had with it, I should think, full half as many followers as soldiers, +some of whom carried immensely large copper kettles; others the +provisions, and others the officers' baggage; in short, these were the +scullions, the cooks, and, as it were, the beasts of burden of the +regiment; but this was a bad system, for it increased by one half the +number of mouths to fill, and must have been attended with the worst +consequences when provisions were scarce. The officers, I remember, +carried what was formerly used in our service, a long sort of pole, with +a head like a halberd, and called, I believe, a "spontoon." This, on +passing a general at a review, the officer twists and twirls around his +head, precisely as a drum-major in our service does his cane. When we +had passed his Royal Highness at the bridge, we moved forward to the +town of Schagen, and took up our quarters in the church. I thought this +extremely odd, as I had been accustomed to view so sacred an edifice +with more reverence than to suppose they would quarter soldiers in it; +but we were stowed in it as thick as we could well be, and made the best +of our quarters; some taking the chancel, others the vestry, and some +the body of the church; nay, some even took up their lodging in the +reading-desk and pulpit. We could contrive to make out the Lord's prayer +in Dutch, but could not well proceed further, although there is much +similarity between that language and the English of my native county. +Here, for the first time, we learnt that our brigade was what was called +the _reserve_, and commanded by Colonel M'Donald of the 55th regiment; +but on this occasion and in Egypt, the reserve was not what is generally +understood by that term, for in both places it was composed of some of +the best troops in the expedition, and was generally first called into +action. On this occasion, the reserve consisted of the 23d Welsh +fusileers, the 55th regiment, the grenadier battalion before mentioned, +and our light battalion. + +We remained here till the 18th, when towards evening we were ordered +under arms, having been previously supplied with provisions; and, after +every preliminary was adjusted, we set forward on our march towards the +city of Hoorne, situated on the Zuyder Zee. Of our destination, the men, +of course, were totally ignorant, but no doubt the officers knew. It +turned out that about 8000 troops had been appointed for this service, +the execution of which was intrusted to that gallant old veteran, and +hitherto successful general, Sir Ralph Abercromby. The intention was to +make a rapid and extensive flank movement during the night, and surprise +and capture the said city, while his Royal Highness was to attack the +enemy in front. We moved off as it became dark, but such was the state +of the roads that it became the most trying and distressing march that I +believe ever troops undertook; the roads were literally knee deep in mud +in most places, while every now and then they were rendered nearly +impassable, both by the enemy having broken down the bridges over the +innumerable canals and dikes which intersect this country, and these +canals in many places having overflowed their banks. None but those who +have experienced this or something similar, can form an idea of the +fatigue attending a night march in such a country, where the column is +large. We marched, I think, in sections of about eight file, that is, +with eight men abreast in the front rank, and the like number in the +rear rank covering them. Conceive, then, your arriving at an obstacle +which the darkness of the night multiplies a hundred-fold. Not more than +one man will attempt to pass this obstacle at the same time, and he has +to grope his way; consequently all the other fifteen men must stand +still, or nearly so, till he is over, before they each move on in turn. +Multiply this by the 300 sections behind, and you will have a halt for +the rear of probably an hour or more; standing all this while nearly up +to the knees in mire; or, what is worse, as each regiment has +accomplished the task of getting over, this of course causes the others +in the rear to be drawing up towards it by degrees, so that probably you +are compelled to stand (or, if you choose, you may lie down in the mud) +for a quarter of an hour, or more perhaps; and then move on again for +the space of a few hundred yards, and then another halt; so that could +you lie down to enjoy a little rest, the constant cry of "forward" +resounding in your ears, just as you begin to close your eyes, renders +it the most tiresome and trying situation that I know of. It is true, +the head of the column does not suffer in an equal proportion with those +in the rear, or a night march in an enemy's country would be a dangerous +operation. + +During this march, I remember, when the road was extremely deep, some +one on the right of my section called out that there was an excellent +path a little beyond him; when one poor fellow moved in that direction, +but had not made many steps, till souse he went into a deep canal. +Whether the man who called out had been actually deceived by the smooth +surface of the water, which appeared in the dark like a nice level +road; or whether he did it through mischief, I know not, but the poor +simpleton who followed his advice paid dearly for his curiosity, being +with some difficulty extricated from his uncomfortable situation. I may +observe that these canals or dikes skirt both sides of every road in +this part of Holland, and are even made use of as fences for the fields, +there not being any hedges or walls that I remember to have seen. + +About break of day we reached the city, which at once surrendered; but +just before daylight, I became so excessively weary that I could not +continue in the ranks any longer; indeed men had been dropping out for +some hours before, so that, I suppose, when the head of the column +reached Hoorne, one half the number had fallen out; for it was beyond +the powers of human nature to sustain such excessive fatigue. I, with +two or three others, got behind a house that stood by the roadside, and +laid ourselves down on a paved footpath which led from the back-door. +Never in my life did I experience a greater luxury than this appeared to +be, where something hard, and that would keep me out of the deep and +filthy mire, could be found to rest upon. + +I laid me down and slept as soundly as ever I did in my life for about +an hour, which quite refreshed me. We then got up and set off with all +despatch to overtake the column, which we came up with and joined just +as they halted after reaching the city. None of the troops entered the +place, I believe; but my battalion being towards the rear of the column, +was at a considerable distance from it. All now lay down to rest, and +such as had houses near them occupied them; but those who had not, chose +the driest parts of the canal bank or road, and all were soon buried in +profound sleep, excepting those who were placed on guard. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + + The Russian Allies carry Bergen--Allow themselves to be + surprised, and the whole Army forced to retire to their former + position--Skirmishing in the vicinity of Old Patten--The + Russians endeavour to force their way back to Bergen--The + Russian and British Forces joined--The Enemy forced to abandon + Egmont-op-Zee--Alkmaar surrenders--The Troops advance to Egmont + Binnen--Skirmishing--General Engagement--The Enemy + repulsed--The Forces retire to Zaand Wyck--Armistice + concluded--Return to England. + + +From daylight we had heard a heavy and constant cannonade towards our +right and rear. His Royal Highness, with the remainder of the army, as +was before intimated, had moved forward and attacked the main body of +the enemy; but as I did not witness this action, I forbear to relate +what I heard concerning it, further than this, that the Russians who +attacked the enemy posted in the neighbourhood of Bergen, having by some +mismanagement allowed themselves to be surprised after having carried +that village, the whole army had been obliged to retire to their former +position. In consequence of this failure, I believe, we were ordered +towards evening to fall in, and (what appeared annoying in the extreme) +to retrace our weary footsteps by the same dirty road by which we had +advanced. Nearly the same fatigue and misery were endured as in our +advance; but the column did not keep so much together as before, the men +falling out by hundreds, so that the stoppages were not quite so great. +We did not return to Schagen after our retreat, but were cantoned in +some villages in front of that town; and a few days afterwards we were +moved to the right of Schagen, through Schagen-bruck, to a farm hamlet +called Zaand Wyck. + +Here we remained till the 1st of October; but I should not omit to +mention, that we had, during the intervening period, several marches, +all of which were made by night, and in which similar sufferings and +fatigue were endured as in the march to Hoorne. This, it may probably be +remembered, was one of the wettest autumns almost upon record; and in +these marches we generally had the full benefit of the torrents which +fell in this naturally wet country. I have actually seen the water +running out at the bottom of the men's trowsers like that from the +gutter which carries the rain from the roof of a house. When we had not +a night march, we invariably had to be at our alarm post an hour before +daybreak,--and that being about four miles distant from our quarter at +this time, we never had what may be called a full night's rest. + +Military men will know that the custom of being at the alarm post before +daybreak is almost universal; for, that being the usual time of attack, +it behoves those who are apprehensive of a visit from the enemy to be on +the look-out, and to be prepared to receive them when they come--here +they remain, till, as the vulgar phrase goes, "You can see a white horse +a mile off," that is, till it is clear daylight, and they have +ascertained that no enemy is in the neighbourhood; after which, if all +be quiet, they retire to their quarters. Our accommodations at Zaand +Wyck may be said to have been good, for our officers had a farm-house to +live in, and we had a good dry barn and other outhouses to lie down in; +and in which I enjoyed some comfortable nights' lodgings. But on the 1st +of October, in the afternoon, we were ordered to fall in, it having +been previously intimated to us that we might probably have a brush with +the enemy. + +We were, of course, all life and glee on receiving the information, and +the usual quantity of provisions having been issued, and every other +preparation made in the night, we moved off by the same road by which we +had usually advanced to our alarm post. This we passed, and then entered +a most unpleasant country to march through; it being nearer the enemy, +of course all bridges and other communications had been destroyed. As we +moved on, a little after daylight we were overtaken by the 11th light +dragoons, on which we were ordered to open to the right and left to let +them pass us. They seemed in high spirits, and some of them cried out, +as they passed us, "Go on, my lads, lather them well, and we'll come up +and shave them." + +Sir Walter Scott mentions this saying as made use of by some of the +cavalry at Waterloo, as if it were at that time new; but I can assure +him it is as old as 1799, if not much older, for I certainly heard it +used on this occasion, and I know not but it may have been said long +before. The cavalry inclined, after passing us, to their left, while we +kept down towards the sea; and soon after, on ascending a small +eminence, we got a view of the village of Old Patten, where we +discovered about 10,000 or 12,000 of our army drawn up near the +sea-beach. We passed them, and moved forward in the direction of a high +range of sand-hills, which commenced about a mile beyond the village, +and which overlooked all the plain below. Here the enemy was posted, and +I was told that they began as soon as we were within reach to cannonade +us; but from the heads of the men in front, I could not perceive any +appearance of such cannonade, nor do I believe that any of their shot +reached us. A little farther on, however, we met a Russian yager, or +rifleman, coming back and holding out his hand, which had been wounded, +and from which the blood was flowing pretty copiously. + +This was the first blood that I had ever seen as drawn in hostile +conflict, and it certainly produced a somewhat strange effect upon me; +it showed plainly that we were in the immediate vicinity of that enemy +we had so often talked about, and whom we hoped to conquer; that now the +time had arrived which would infallibly prove what every man, boaster or +not, was made of; and that it might happen that it was my lot to fall. +Having reflected (rather confusedly I own) on the passing scene before +me, and offered up an occasional prayer to Him who alone can cover the +head in the day of battle, we now approached the bottom of this sandy +eminence, when my company was ordered to unfix bayonets, (for we had +previously primed and loaded,) and dash on at double quick time till we +came in contact with the enemy. No time was left for reflection now, the +immediate duty we had to perform occupied all our attention fully; we +soon got into a smart fire from the enemy's riflemen, which we found was +the only description of troops, except a few artillery, that we had to +contend with, their main bodies of heavy infantry being on the right and +left of this sandy range, which in some places was about a mile in +breadth, in others more or less. + +After the fight had fairly commenced, we kept but little order, owing +partly to the want of discipline and experience in our people, and +partly to the nature of the ground, which was rugged and uneven in the +extreme, being one continued range of sand-hills, with hollows more or +less deep between them; and partly it may be attributed to the ardour of +our young men, who pressed on perhaps too rapidly. We continued to +advance, and never once made a retrograde movement, the enemy regularly +retiring from height to height on our approach; but they had greatly +the advantage over us in point of shooting, their balls doing much more +execution than ours; indeed it cannot be wondered at, for they were all +riflemen, trained to fire with precision, and armed with a weapon which +seldom fails its object if truly pointed; while we were (what shall I +say) totally ignorant of that most essential part of a soldier's duty. +They consequently suffered little from our fire; but we could not +believe this, and tried to persuade ourselves they had either buried +their dead in the sand before we came up to them, or carried them off as +they retreated; but experience has since taught me to know that we then +must have done them little harm. + +About the middle of the day, as I and a young man of the name of Thomas +Bambrough (a countryman of my own, and who had volunteered with me,) +were moving on in company, in passing through one of the valleys to an +opposite height, we were assailed by a little volley from a group of the +enemy which we discovered on a hill in front of us; one of which shots +took effect in poor Bambrough's thigh just about the ham; he instantly +fell, and roared out most piteously; I laid down my musket and +endeavoured to hoist him on my back, in order to take him out of the +fire, which they now poured in without intermission; but in this I +failed, for he was so completely disabled by the wound, as to be +rendered totally helpless, and it was so extremely painful that he could +not bear the least movement. + +I felt constrained to leave him, although I did so with reluctance, +telling him that I would push on to the height we had first in view, to +which I then perceived some more of our men had advanced, and would +drive the enemy from their position; of course all this was not +literally told him, but something to that effect was said; and I found +that the moment I left him they ceased to fire on him; and, as I +promised, we did drive off the enemy. Shortly after, some of our own +people came up to where poor Bambrough lay, and carried him off to the +rear; he was sent to an hospital, where he soon after died, they not +being able, I understand, to extract the ball. Soon after this, there +were some tremendous volleys of musketry heard on our left, apparently +down in the plain below us. I, with one or two others, now inclined a +little towards the left, in order to have a peep at the troops there, so +hotly opposed to each other, in doing which, we still kept our line in +front of the enemy's skirmishers. + +We found it was the Russian army endeavouring to force their way towards +the village of Bergen, the scene of their former disaster; but they were +most distressingly retarded by the innumerable canals or ditches, by +which the country was so intersected, and which were generally +impassable by fording. On some occasions I could perceive, when they had +found an entrance into an enclosure, and had fought their way to the +farther side of it, they were obliged to retrace their steps, and get +out by the same way by which they had entered, the enemy all this while +pouring into them a close and destructive fire. This appeared to me to +be most trying to their patience, and very disheartening; but they bore +it with great steadiness. + +Meantime, our own heavy troops were advancing on the right by the +sea-beach, where was a plain of sand, of perhaps from 100 to 200 yards +in breadth; the sand-hills between the two wings, as I said before, +being swept by us, assisted by a small corps of Russian riflemen. We +moved on till we got a little in advance of the Russian army, (which, +from the obstacles they had to contend with, did not make very rapid +progress,) and immediately over the village of Bergen, which stood on +the plain, close under the sand-hills. Here, the enemy being in +possession of considerable field-works, plied us pretty plenteously +with shells from their howitzers, (their guns they could not elevate +sufficiently to reach us,) but from which we suffered very little; for +our people being much extended, and the sand being deep, the bursting of +the shells was attended with very little mischief. Indeed, for a long +time, I did not know what they were; for, having several times heard a +loud explosion pretty near, I actually looked round to see the gun, +which I imagined had fired, but could perceive nothing but a cloud of +smoke rising from the spot, and the small bushes and herbs about it on +fire. I thought it strange, and it was not till it was several times +repeated, that we discovered what it really was, for my comrades were +equally ignorant with myself. + +At length, towards the close of the afternoon, a loud and heavy fire of +musketry broke out on our right, which continued for a considerable +time, and then ceased. This was our heavy infantry, who had advanced by +the sea-shore, and who had now approached the village of Egmont-op-Zee, +where the enemy made a most determined stand, but at last were driven +back with great slaughter, and our people took possession of the town. +From this place the battle derives its name. A little after dark, the +enemy abandoned Bergen also, so that we ceased any longer to be annoyed +by their shells, which they continued to throw while they held +possession of the place. But a short while before they retired, one was +thrown, which pitched just close over my company, (for we had then been +collected, and were formed in close order immediately above the town,) +and where Colonel Sharpe and another officer were walking; it lay for a +second or two hissing and burning, and might be expected every moment to +explode. Their road lay close past it; the veteran however took no +notice of it, but continued his walk and conversation the same as if +nothing had occurred, and without going an inch out of his way. It +burst with a tremendous report, but fortunately without doing either of +them the least injury. I confess I thought it rather _too brave_; for it +appeared to me that he might have walked a little farther from it, or +stopped for a moment or two without any imputation on his courage; but +people do not all see things exactly alike. + +Our loss in this action was but trifling, considering the extent of the +operations. We had in my company only about fourteen or fifteen men +killed and wounded; among the latter were my two countrymen, Bambrough, +as before noticed, and Sutherland. One man of our company, I was told, +in charging a fieldpiece, was struck down by the wind of the ball, and +which, although it did not touch him, brought blood from his mouth, +nose, and ears; he never after thoroughly recovered the effects of it. I +do not remember ever to have felt more fatigued than I did after this +day's work. We had marched before commencing the action, I should think, +twelve miles or more. We had been kept upon the run the greater part of +the day, and had fought over nearly as much more ground, through loose +sand, sometimes nearly up to the middle of the leg, and over ground so +extremely uneven, that a few miles of leisurely walking on such, would +be more than I should be able to accomplish now; and we had been nearly +all the day deprived of every sort of liquid, for our canteens were soon +emptied of what little they contained in the morning, and having myself +fired nearly 150 rounds of ammunition, the powder of which, in biting +off the ends of the cartridges, had nearly choked me. What would I not +have given for a good drink? I felt completely exhausted, and laid me +down with the others with great good-will on the top of one of the +sand-hills. But the night proved extremely wet, so that every one of us +was very soon as completely soaked as if he had been dragged through a +river; and, to crown my misfortunes, I was without a blanket. Here I +must confess my folly, that others similarly situated may profit by my +experience. Soon after the commencement of the action a rumour was +spread along the line of skirmishers, that the Duke, seeing the very +arduous duty we had to perform, had said, "Never mind, my lads, if your +knapsacks are any encumbrance to you, and impede your running, throw +them off, and I will take care you shall be furnished with others." No +sooner did this silly report reach my ears, than I, with many others, +equally simple, believed it, without taking time to consider that if +even it were true, a knapsack and a blanket, (for they were together,) +to be useful should be at hand when wanted. But, simpleton like, away +went knapsack and blanket, and I felt greatly relieved in getting rid of +such a burden, and now pushed on after the enemy with increased vigour, +trying at the same time to persuade myself the report was true; although +I own I occasionally had my doubts on the subject. But night came on, as +I have said, and such a one as I have seldom seen for wet, and then I +plainly perceived that I had played the young soldier. + +An officer of ours of the name of Lacy, who had formerly been the +captain of the Northumberland light company, and who volunteered with +us, offered any man half a guinea for the use of a blanket for that +night only, but without being able to obtain one: this will give some +idea of the kind of night it was. I had nothing for it, but just to put +the cock of my musket between my knees, to keep it as dry as possible, +and lay myself down as I was. I endeavoured to get as close as I could +to one who had a blanket, and lay down with my head at his feet, which +he had covered up very comfortably with his blanket. The rain pelted so +heavily and so incessantly on my face, that I ventured after a while to +pull a little corner of this man's blanket just to cover my cheek from +the pitiless storm, and in this situation snatched a comfortable nap; +but he awakening in the night, and finding that I had made free with the +corner of his blanket, rudely pulled it from off my face, and rolled it +round his feet again. + +I was fain to lie still and let it pelt away, and even in this exposed +situation I got some sleep, so completely were the powers of nature +exhausted by fatigue. At length morning arose and showed us to +ourselves, and such a group of sweeps we had seldom seen. Our clothing +was literally all filth and dirt; our arms the colour of our coats with +rust; and our faces as black as if we had come out of a coal-pit. In +biting off the ends of the cartridges, there are generally a few grains +of powder left sticking on the lips and about the mouth; these, +accumulated as they must have been by the great quantity of ammunition +each of us had fired, and with the profuse perspiration we were in +during the heat of the day, added to the wet which fell upon us during +the night, had caused the powder to run all over our faces; so that in +the morning we cut the most ludicrous figure imaginable. However we +immediately set about getting our arms again in trim, for though the +enemy had left us masters of the field of action, they were not far +distant from us. We soon got our firelocks again in fighting order; that +is, they would go off, though the brightness, on which a clean soldier +piques himself, was gone past recovery at this time. I now felt rather +sore from firing my piece so often; the recoil against my shoulder and +breast had blackened them, and rendered them rather painful, and the +middle finger of my right hand was completely blackened and swoln from +the same cause. + +At this time it was reported that a sad accident had occurred in our +battalion; a soldier of one of our companies, in cleaning his musket, +had by some awkwardness allowed it to go off, and an officer being +immediately in front of where he was standing, the ball had taken effect +upon him, and killed him on the spot. + +After getting ourselves brushed up a little, the whole battalion was +brought together, and moved to the right into the town of Egmont-op-Zee, +where the guards and some other regiments had been since the evening +before, after beating the enemy out of it, as I before mentioned. We +remained here for that day, during which Alkmaar surrendered, and then +advanced to the village of Egmont Binnen, or Egmont-op-Hoof, I am not +certain which it is called, a few miles in front, and close by the sea. + +I omitted to mention, that our fight of the 2d took place over the +ground from which Lord Duncan's victory derived its name, _i. e._ +Camperdown. This headland, I fancy, we must have passed during that +day's operations--But to return. We remained in Egmont Binnen till the +morning of the 6th, when my battalion was ordered to fall in and march +towards the outposts, a few miles in front, in order, as we understood, +to relieve our grenadier battalion, which had been out since the day +before. We advanced by the sea-shore, but had not gone far before we saw +and heard unequivocal signs that we should have something more than +outpost duty to perform; the fact is, the enemy was rapidly advancing, +their force in front having been greatly augmented by reinforcements; +but when about two miles from the village, we met a soldier of the 11th +light dragoons bringing in a French officer, whom he had taken prisoner. +He belonged to the chasseurs-à-cheval, a sort of mounted light troops, +who can act either as infantry or cavalry, as occasion may require. When +we met them, and while they stood talking for a moment, I could not help +thinking it would have made a fine subject for a painting; for the +officer was most superbly dressed in dark green, with a richly +embroidered pouch-belt over his shoulder, and with a deep cut across his +cheek, from which the blood was streaming over an extremely handsome +face; indeed he was altogether a most interesting figure, and, +contrasted with the rough features and haughty bearing of the proud +trooper who had taken him, produced a fine effect. The fellow gave his +horse a slap over the flank with the flat of his sword, and set off with +his prisoner, crying out, that there were plenty more of them to take, +and that he would soon return and bring in another. + +As we advanced, we could plainly perceive the enemy in front, +skirmishing with our grenadiers, and we also saw that they possessed a +pretty strong body of cavalry--a species of troops we had not +encountered on the 2d. We could distinctly perceive the cavalry wading +into the sea as far as their horses could go, in order, as we imagined, +to see past the point of a projecting sand-hill, which obstructed their +view of the beach beyond it; but when they perceived that the force +which was advancing against them was not great, they attacked our +grenadiers with increased vivacity, and we soon after came in contact +with them, for they were advancing with as great rapidity as if no force +was in front to oppose them. + +We soon perceived that they were nearly four times our numbers, and were +obliged to adopt such a _ruse de guerre_ as is frequently practised by +the weaker party, but which had no effect, I am sorry to say, on this +occasion,--that is, while one part of our force was skirmishing, the +remainder got behind sand-hills a little in rear, and letting the men's +heads just show over their tops, as if standing in columns of +battalions, tried to induce the enemy to believe that each separate body +which appeared was of that force; but no, Johnny (as the soldiers +sometimes call the French) was not so easily gulled, for they had +previously ascertained pretty accurately the strength of our force in +front of them, by the operation of the cavalry before mentioned. They +therefore pressed on us with the most desperate fury, and in +overwhelming numbers. + +We maintained the action as well as our limited means permitted, and for +a while kept tolerable order; but as the fight became hotter, and the +disparity of force more apparent, I regret to say, our young troops fell +into considerable disorder and confusion. This giving the enemy greater +confidence, of course he availed himself of it, and attacked us with +redoubled impetuosity; and, I lament to say, our dismayed and +disheartened young soldiers fell from one degree of confusion to +another, till at length all order seemed entirely lost amongst us; and +what was at first a rather regular retreat, became at last a disorderly +flight; for wherever an attempt was made to check the ardour of the +enemy, the immense inequality of force they possessed soon completely +overthrew the few that stood; and many were the brave fellows, both +officers and men, who fell in this unequal contest, without their having +the slightest chance of successfully opposing our impetuous foe. + +The flight now became more like a race than any thing else, and I +imagine they drove us not less than three or four miles without giving +us time to breathe; but when we had reached within about a mile of the +village we had left in the morning, we perceived some regiments +advancing to our succour; among them was the 23d, which advanced in +line, and showed so good and steady a front as quite delighted us. We +could also perceive to our left, that the Russians had become engaged +with the force in front of them, and were holding it at bay; indeed by +this time the action had extended considerably into the country, and +some others of the British troops, I understand, were soon engaged. + +On the coming up of the reinforcement, the 23d in particular, our +straggling and broken troops, which had been so wofully beaten, now +united, and again advanced upon the enemy; and when the 23d had given +them a volley or two, the French gave way and retreated with as great +precipitation as they had advanced. In short the tables were turned upon +them, and the pursuit of them now was equally rapid with our retreat +before them a short while previously; and before the action ceased, we +had driven them considerably beyond where we encountered them in the +morning. Night scarcely put an end to the action, for the firing +continued long after dark, each party being directed by the fire from +the arms of their opponents; the unwillingness to desist on our part, I +attribute to a desire of revenge for the disgrace they had inflicted on +us in the morning. Towards the evening it came on exceedingly wet. + +Nothing could surpass the steadiness and fine appearance of the 23d, on +entering into action; but they were all old soldiers, while our two +battalions were composed altogether, I may say, of volunteers from the +militia, who had as little idea of service in the field, as if newly +taken from the plough. I would just remark here, that from what I have +witnessed upon different occasions, I should never be inclined to put +very much confidence in raw troops of whatever nation, or of what stuff +soever they may be composed, for it is certain, that without being at +all deficient in point of courage, they have not that confidence in +their own powers which soldiers who are inured to service possess; and +if hastily or hotly set upon, while without the aid and example of +others more experienced than themselves, it is many chances to one I +think that they will give way. So it was on this occasion. Nothing could +exceed the materials of which these two battalions were composed, had +they had the advantage of a little more experience; and no troops could +fight better than they did, after gaining the support and countenance of +the old regiments which were sent to reinforce them. + +But I confess with shame, we showed a great want of nerve in the early +part of the day, although to any troops the occasion must have been one +of severe trial. When the retreat had degenerated into a flight, and +every one seemed intent only on making the best of his way to the rear, +I, with some others who were among the hills, imagined we could get on +faster if we took to the sea-beach, which, although it also was composed +of deep sand, yet was level, and could not be so very fatiguing as +climbing the innumerable hills over which we had to retreat. Away we +accordingly set for the beach; but we had forgotten to calculate that if +the beach would facilitate our retreat, it also would the enemy's +advance. This we soon discovered, for we had scarcely descended from the +hills when we found ourselves almost surrounded by the enemy; and it was +not without the utmost exertion in our power that we were enabled to +effect our escape, the balls flying thicker about us during our short +stay here than they had done all the day before. My haversack was a +great encumbrance to me on this occasion, for, having lost my knapsack +as before related, I was obliged to stuff every thing I possessed into +this inconvenient bag; which, hanging so low as to knock against my +thighs, greatly impeded my progress to the rear, and had nigh got me +lodged in a French prison. + +A girl, who had followed a grenadier belonging to my regiment when he +volunteered out of the militia, accompanied her protector during the +whole of this day's operations, and shared equally with him every danger +and fatigue to which he was exposed, and no argument could prevail upon +her to leave him till the whole business was over, and till the +battalion to which her sweetheart belonged was sent to the rear at +night. I am not certain whether it was his Royal Highness's intention to +have fought this day, or whether the action was brought on fortuitously; +but certainly, although we began the fight under very unfavourable +circumstances, and things looked rather awkward at one part of the day, +no army ever got a more complete drubbing than the French did before the +business terminated. I have since learnt that the action became general +along the whole line towards the close of the day. Thus ended the last +affair between the British and French troops during that unfortunate +expedition. + +The next day we fell back upon Egmont Binnen, leaving sufficiently +strong outposts to occupy the ground we had taken, and this day I was +fortunate enough to pick up the shell of an artilleryman's knapsack who +had been killed in one of the late fights; but for necessaries I was +totally destitute, and began soon after to feel the effects of my folly +in throwing away my own. A little before midnight of the evening of the +7th, we were again ordered under arms with all dispatch and without +noise, and had no doubt it was for the purpose of advancing as before, +so as to reach the enemy's line by daylight next morning. How great then +was our surprise and disappointment, when we turned our faces towards +the rear, and filed out of the village by the road leading towards our +old quarters! We moved on in silence till we reached Egmont-op-Zee, +where the flashes from a large coal fire erected by way of lighthouse, +shed a melancholy gleam over our columns as we passed beneath the hill +on which it was erected. Here also by the sea lay innumerable dead +bodies, both of men and horses, together with broken tumbrils and other +sad emblems of the devastation which a few days previously had been made +on this very ground; for here it was that the heat and principal part of +the action of the 2d took place, when the heavy columns of the opposing +armies came in contact with each other. It would not be easy to describe +our feelings as we moved sadly and silently along, knowing, as we now +did, that we were for ever abandoning all the advantages that we had +hitherto gained, after so much toil, privations, and loss as we had +suffered; but it was useless to repine. Our leaders must know better +than we could possibly do, what state the army was in, and what +likelihood remained of effecting the object for which we came into the +country; our duty therefore was to obey, without questioning the +propriety of our present movement, however unpleasant it might be to our +feelings. + +We passed by Old Patten, near to which the action of the 2d commenced, +and finally returned to our old quarters at Zaand Wyck, which we reached +some time next day, and where I found my comrade Sutherland, who had +been here for some days; his wound, which was through the shoulder, not +having disabled him from making his way thus far. He had some mutton +already cooked, of which I partook with great relish, for I needed +refreshment much; and after taking a swig out of his canteen, I laid me +down and slept most soundly, rejoiced and thankful that I had so +comfortable a home to return to. + +We remained in this quarter only a day or two, and then our brigade was +removed towards the left of the line, which, as well as I remember, +rested upon Kolhorn. My battalion occupied the village of Basingohorn, +to which we had retired on a former occasion; I mean on our retreat from +Hoorne. This was one of the villages farthest in advance, consequently +it became an outpost. A night or two passed quietly, but on the second +or third night, a firing commenced from the advanced sentries all along +the line. Whether the enemy had merely been making a reconnoissance, or +whether they had intended to advance in force, and our discovering them +altered their plan, I know not, but think the former the more probable; +but be as it may, it had the effect of turning out our whole line of +outposts, which, as might be expected, prepared to give them the best +reception we were able. I remember on this occasion putting in two balls +when we were ordered to load, as I was determined not to spare them, for +I (with all my comrades I believe) felt sore at having been obliged to +yield up all the advantages we had gained, to an enemy which we +certainly did not consider as having fairly won them from us in action, +but who were more indebted to the severity of the weather, producing +such disastrous consequences on our young army, than to their prowess in +the field. They retired, however, without giving us an opportunity of +welcoming them in the manner we intended. A few days after this, on the +19th October, it came to my turn to be one of the advanced sentries. +About break of day, while musing of many things, of home with all its +comforts, and contrasting it with my then rather uncomfortable +situation, I was suddenly aroused from my reverie by the beating of +drums and sounding of trumpets and music, &c., all along the French +line. I could not conjecture the cause of all this, for although it is +customary to sound and beat the réveille at this hour, yet never having +heard the French do so before, I concluded something more than ordinary +had occurred to cause them to do so on this occasion, and I need hardly +inform my reader that I kept a good look-out, in order that they should +not catch us napping. In a short while, however, the mystery was cleared +up; for an officer of ours came round all the advanced sentries to tell +us, that, as an armistice had been concluded, we were not any longer to +prevent the country-people from passing and repassing, as we had +formerly had orders to do. I imagine the festive noises which I heard +arose from this circumstance having taken place, for I believe the +French were tired enough of the business, although they had now become +in some measure the assailants; or else the cessation of hostilities +allowed them to resume their wonted custom of beating the réveille in +the morning. + +Seeing we had failed in our attempt to wrest the country from the +French, and that no hope now remained of our ever being in a condition +to effect it, the prospect of returning home once more became a pleasing +consideration, and I fully gave way to it. My comrades also now began to +turn their thoughts homeward, and cheerfulness once more beamed on +countenances which for some days past had been rather gloomy. But by +this time the dysentery had made sad ravages among our young and +inexperienced soldiery, for on a day soon after this, we could in my +company muster on parade only eighteen men out of one hundred, of which +it was composed at the outset. This inefficiency was caused principally +by disease, although we had certainly lost a fair proportion in the +field. It was therefore well that our removal to a more favourable soil +was about speedily to take place; and wisely had his Royal Highness +acted in agreeing to evacuate a country, the climate of which had been +so extremely prejudicial to his army. About this time also, I began to +have my personal trials and sufferings; for now I began to feel the full +effect of my folly on the 2d inst., in throwing away my knapsack, for I +had not a change of any description, and the consequence may be easily +conjectured. Filth and vermin now began to add poignancy to my other +sufferings, but I bore up against them all as well as I was able; and I +have reason to thank God, that the strength of a good constitution +enabled me to continue my duty without yielding for one day to the +accumulated effects of these disagreeables. Soon after this also, the +good people of England, commiserating our uncomfortable situation, sent +out presents of flannel shirts and shoes, which arrived most +opportunely. I was not fortunate enough to obtain one of the former +necessary articles, but my sergeant kindly put me down for a pair of +shoes, of which I stood in great need, and now beg to return my best +thanks to the kind friends who sent them, although at the time we +expected we should have to pay for them. In a short while after this, +the grenadiers and light battalions were broken up, and each company +returned and joined its own proper regiment. We joined ours (the 56th) +at a weeshaus (or poorhouse), situated on the great canal which connects +this part of Holland with Alkmaer, and not far from Schagen-bruck. Here +we were occupied for a few days in putting things in the best order we +could, previous to our embarkation. + +About the 3d November we marched for the Helder, from whence we went on +board. On our way down, one of my comrades, who was not over scrupulous +in expressing his sentiments, was railing bitterly against the +mismanagement (as he imagined) of the expedition, and saying, "he hoped +the next time we came to that country, should we ever come again, that +we would leave it under more favourable circumstances." General Manners +(to whose brigade we now belonged) was riding close behind, unknown to +this complainer, and overheard every word he said. When the soldier had +finished, the General most good-naturedly rode up to him, and began to +argue the matter with him. "Why," says he, "although we are leaving the +country, it is not from the enemy having compelled us to do so from his +superior bravery or success in the field, for we have fought only five +actions since landing, and in four of these we have been the conquerors; +it is owing solely to the great sickness and consequent inefficiency of +the army that we have been compelled to this measure." I could not but +admire the affability and kindness of the General, and was fully +satisfied myself, and so were all who heard him, of, I believe, the +justness of the remarks he made. We reached the Helder the same day, +where we remained doing duty till the 10th November, on which we +embarked on board his Majesty's ship Romney, of fifty guns, commanded by +Captain Lawford, (afterwards by Sir Home Popham.) She was only a small +vessel of her class, and yet our whole regiment was put on board her; we +indeed were not very strong, but she was crowded beyond measure, for +many, nay, most of the troops had not literally lying room, each company +having barely the space between two guns, which, I should think, is not +more than twelve feet at the utmost, and even here the sailors, whether +with or without orders I know not, slung their hammocks over us. I +particularly remember this being the case, for I had the second night, +by way of securing room to stretch myself, lain down between decks early +in the evening, and had had some little repose, when a sailor, whose +hammock was slung right over me, and while standing and making it, put +his foot right on my cheek, and stood there till he had finished. I know +not whether he knew that it was a human head he was treading on, but I +judged it best to be as quiet as possible; preferring the pain of +bearing his weight on my head, rather than, by moving or crying out, to +incur the risk of his foot slipping, and peeling the skin off my face. +The voyage was fortunately short, for in seven days we landed at +Yarmouth, glad and rejoiced that this unpleasant and ill-fated +expedition was terminated. I know not whether my reader is old enough to +remember the autumn of which I have been speaking, but to me it appeared +one of the wettest and most uncomfortable that I ever remember; and it +was here, while exposed to its effects, that were laid, most probably, +the seeds of that severe pulmonic affection from which I have since +suffered so much. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + + Arrive in England--The Pompadours embark for Ireland--Arrive at + Kinsale--Privations in Ireland in 1800--Peace concluded--Our + Author resolves to return home, but ultimately volunteers into + the Rifle Corps or 95th--Embarks for England, and joins his + Regiment at Sussex--Is promoted. + + +We landed at Yarmouth on the 17th November, and the next day marched to +Norwich, where we remained a few days, and where we found the people +remarkably kind and attentive to our comforts; and, indeed, we now cut a +most sorry figure, being literally nothing but rags and dirt; it was +certainly a sad tax on the good landlords on whom we were billeted, to +be compelled to find us lodgings, for we never left the beds unoccupied +by some of the uncomfortable companions of our travels when we arose in +the morning. I here began to find myself very unwell, for though I had +borne up against sickness in the field, I could not now receive my food +without feeling the most afflicting nausea, my stomach being completely +out of order; and it was no wonder, for we had been compelled for +several weeks past to drink the brackish water of the ditches of +Holland, no springs (that ever I saw) being there to be found, and the +little water in their wells, when we arrived in the country, being +speedily exhausted. We had also been deprived of salt nearly all the +time of our sojourn in that country, one of the greatest privations that +I know of. Through the nursing of my kind landlady, however, I gradually +regained my appetite, and with it my health, for which I have reason to +be truly thankful to Him who has ever dealt so mercifully with me. + +In a few days we left Norwich on our route to Chelmsford, and on our way +passed through Bury St Edmunds, where my late regiment, the +Northumberland militia, was quartered; they vied with each other in +showing us kind attentions, but our miserable appearance put the +soldiers of this regiment sadly out of love with the regular service. + +We did not remain at Chelmsford long, but marched again for Horsham in +Sussex, on which occasion I for the first time had a view of the +metropolis, as we passed through it, by way of Whitechapel and London +Bridge, &c. At Horsham we were quartered during the remainder of this +winter. About the 10th or 12th of February 1800, we marched for +Portsmouth, where we embarked for Ireland on the 14th. On this occasion +the regiment was put on board two first-rate frigates; the Endymion was +that on which the left wing went on board, but I do not recollect the +name of the other. An agreement was entered into between the two +captains, I understood, to sail for fifty guineas, they both being +considered fast vessels; our destination was Cork; they were to start +together, and the first there of course to be the winner. + +We sailed with a favourable breeze, and got on most delightfully, +having, soon after sailing, parted from our antagonist, and passing, if +I recollect right, inside the Isles of Scilly, we in a few days drew +near our destined port. But on the 19th, as we were pushing on with all +our might, having every stitch of sail set, a squall came on so +suddenly, that, before she could be stripped of her superfluous +clothing, she was actually running bows under water, the sea entering +the bow-ports, and making its way along between decks, like to wash +every thing away before it. At this time the log was hove, and we were +going at the (I believe) unparalleled rate of fifteen knots an hour. But +unfortunately for our captain, the vessel was completely driven out of +her course, and towards evening we entered the harbour of Kinsale, thus +losing the fifty guineas, although we were no doubt the better sailer. + +This was the first gale I had experienced, and I did not relish it; but +when we entered the harbour, where the water was quite smooth, the +sensation I felt was most delightful, after having been buffeted most +violently by the sea without. The next day we landed, and were billeted +in Kinsale, and here I had the first view of Irishmen and Irish manners. +I need not attempt to describe them; for could I, so many have done it +before me, that the subject is almost exhausted. In a day or two after +landing, we marched to Cork, where the right wing had been landed, and +with which we of course formed a junction. + +We remained in Ireland from this time till the peace of 1802 was +concluded, and were quartered successively in the towns of Cork, +Kilkenny, Clonmel, Fermoy, and Kinsale; but as there was nothing which +could interest a reader that occurred to me during this period, I shall +pass it over in silence, save mentioning the following:--In the year +1800, it is well known the utmost distress was experienced by the poor +of both countries, a scarcity, the effects of the wet harvest of 1799, +having grievously afflicted all the British dominions. But in Ireland, +the sufferings of the poor were great, beyond the conception of an +Englishman who has not witnessed them, and many hundreds of them, I +believe, actually perished of want. + +But my tale relates more immediately to my own sufferings and those of +my comrades; for we had then but what was termed a "black shilling a +day," that is twelve pence Irish, an English or white shilling, or Hog, +going in that country for thirteen pence; we had not then any beer money +either, but had solely this black shilling to subsist on. Meat at this +time was no less than 10d. per lb., of which each man received half a +pound; bread was 5d. per lb., of which we also got half a pound. This +half pound of bread, and half pound of meat, and that not of the best, +was all we had to live on, and do our duty, which was not always of the +easiest description. The remainder of our shilling was taken to furnish +necessaries, washing, pipeclay, &c., for I do not remember that we ever +laid in any sort of vegetables for the pot. Potatoes were out of the +question, for they were no less than three shillings a stone of fourteen +pounds. + +Although we did not absolutely suffer want, the reader will perceive +that we were but sparely dieted; the consequence was, innumerable +robberies of potato fields, and gardens, &c., in the neighbourhood of +our quarters; and many were the men that got punished for this crime, +but it could not be put a stop to, for hunger is not easily borne. +Indeed, on one occasion, I myself was seduced, by the persuasion of my +comrades and by the cravings of hunger, into the commission of this +crime. I remember well I was on what was termed the Commissariat guard, +a short distance from the town of Fermoy, when my companions, thinking +it a favourable opportunity for procuring something to eat, prevailed +upon me to accompany them to a garden near the bridge, into which we +entered, and each of us returned loaded with a fine cabbage, and which +afforded us an excellent meal after our relief from guard. It is +impossible to justify such an act, but the reader will be convinced, I +trust, that sheer hunger alone urged me to the perpetration of this +crime. Others, I have no doubt, were equally ill off, who did not resort +to such disgraceful means of satisfying their hunger, but bore it with +patient resignation. I believe that such was the case, and take shame to +myself for yielding either to the calls of nature or the solicitations +of my companions, some others of whom were not so scrupulous. During +this distressing season I sold a watch which had formerly been my +father's, and with which I felt extremely loath to part. I also received +a little money from home, all, or nearly all, of which was expended in +procuring food. + +The hedges and fields, &c. in the vicinity, were ransacked in all +directions, for the purpose of procuring bramble-berries, nettles, &c. +&c.; in short, for any thing that was eatable. Such was our situation +during several months, while under the command of Lieut.-Col. Skinner, +who, although an excellent officer, had little idea of disposing of a +soldier's pay to the best advantage; but latterly we were commanded by +Major Keating, who, making the comfort of the soldiers under his command +his continual study and delight, soon adopted a system which secured to +us plenty in comparison of our former state. He left off the meat and +bread save occasionally, and procured for us plenty of oatmeal and milk, +by which means our wasted bodies began shortly after to resume quite +another appearance. + +We were quartered at Lap's Island, in Cork, when the news arrived of +peace having been concluded; and as the bulk of the regiment had +volunteered from the militia for five years, or during the war, measures +were taken for discharging all those who did not re-enlist either into +their own or other regiments. My mind was fully made up to return home; +for although, as I said before, I never repented of having entered the +regular service, yet I knew that the anxiety of my dear parents for my +return was so great, that I had settled it fully in my own mind to leave +the army. + +Another reason operated with me partly in forming this resolution--I had +persuaded myself that I ought to have been promoted--for I judged myself +fully capable of conducting the duties of a non-commissioned officer, +and I flattered myself my conduct had been generally unexceptionable; +but I was disappointed, for the great numbers in my company, who were +judged both more deserving and better qualified, and withal +better-looking soldiers, put it out of the question for me to look +forward to promotion. + +I was in this state when an officer and a party of the Rifle corps +arrived at Cork, to receive such of the men of the different regiments +then about to be discharged, as chose to volunteer, for this novel, and, +as some thought, dangerous service. I cannot account for the impulse +with which I was urged on, from the moment I had seen one of the men, to +enter this corps. Something strange seemed to push me on, contrary to +the full determination to return home, which had possessed me an hour +before. I will not attempt to account for it, but such was the fact. I +immediately, with some others of my regiment, gave in my name as a +volunteer for the Rifle corps, and was in consequence in a day or two +sworn into that corps, in which I have ever considered it an honour to +serve, and which I have reason to thank a kind and overruling Providence +I ever entered. + +No news of course could be so afflictive to my dear parents, as to hear +of the last rash and irretrievable step which I had taken. It had +wellnigh broken their hearts, for they fully calculated on my returning +home, as I had written to that effect. Judge then of their surprise and +sorrow, when they learnt that I had entered, what was deemed by some, a +condemned corps, and that for life--and that the West Indies would no +doubt soon be my grave. + +On my leaving the 56th, the officers of my company expressed their +regret that I should quit the regiment, and told me, that although the +mode hitherto pursued of keeping all the best-looking men in the light +company had kept many from obtaining promotion, who otherwise would have +been made non-commissioned officers, yet that mode was no longer to be +adhered to, and that I might shortly expect to be promoted into another +company, if I would consent to remain. I thanked them, and told them I +had made up my mind, on which they each gave me a certificate as to +character, &c., recommending me to the officers of my new corps, and +which were of service to me afterwards. + +The sergeant who had been sent to receive us, at once became my stanch +friend, and employed me, as the party was now become pretty strong, to +act as a non-commissioned officer. Every thing went on quite smoothly, +and I felt happy in my new corps, and in my new employment. + +We marched soon after to Waterford, and thence to Passage, and there +embarked for the Isle of Wight, and without encountering any remarkable +event arrived at Cowes on the 27th June, 1802; here we remained a day or +two, and then marched for the regiment in Sussex. We found them at East +Bourne, although Blatchington was their quarter, but they had been sent +out of it on account of the assizes or election, I do not remember +which. + +We immediately commenced our light drill, in which I took great delight; +but most of all I liked the shooting at the target. As recruits, we were +first drilled at what is termed the horse, _i. e._ a machine to assist +young riflemen in taking aim. At this I pleased my commanding-officer so +much the first time I tried, that he ordered me to the front, and told +me to load, and fire at the target. I did, and made a pretty good shot, +hitting pretty near the bull's eye; on which he made me load again and +fire, and hitting that also, he made me go on till I had fired ten +rounds, all of which hit the target, and two of which had struck the +bull's eye. The distance indeed was only fifty yards, but for a recruit, +that is, a person unaccustomed to rifle-shooting, he called it a +wonderful exhibition, and in consequence he gave me sixpence out of his +pocket, and ordered me home. I thought the reward quite inadequate, so +natural is it for us to overrate our own deservings. + +This officer (Major Wade) was one of the best shots himself that I have +almost ever seen. I have known him, and a soldier of the name of +Smeaton, hold the target for each other at the distance of 150 yards, +while the other fired at it, so steady and so accurate was both their +shooting. + +I continued to maintain my character as a good shot, which in a rifle +corps is a great recommendation, and proceeded in acquiring a knowledge +of my other duties with such steadiness as obtained the approbation of +my officers. We soon after marched to Chatham--and while there, several +non-commissioned officers being employed on the recruiting service, I +was employed in doing the duty of one, having been appointed what is +termed a "chosen man." + +I must record the manner of my appointment. An acting-sergeant was doing +the duty of pay-sergeant of our company, but he took it into his head to +go all wrong, spending the money intrusted to him for the payment of the +men. He of course was deprived of the situation; and on this occasion it +was, that the officer commanding the company came to me one day, and +said to me, "Surtees, I shall be _forced_ to make you a chosen man." I +thanked him, but could not help reflecting on the strange mode of +expressing himself which he had adopted. The fact is, I believe, without +thinking about the opinion I must form of the compliment he was paying +me, he had been indeed forced to it, for he had no one to pay the +company besides; and as I was not yet dismissed from the drill, it was +an unprecedented measure. But he need not have told the _whole_ truth on +this occasion, for I should have been no worse a non-commissioned +officer, had he been more complimentary; but he was a _plain_ man, and +not much given to compliment. + +On our march hither, some of the men broke into the plate chest of the +officers' mess, while the baggage stopped in Maidstone; one man was +discovered, and tried for it, and sentenced to receive 800 lashes, all +of which he took at one standing, and that without evincing much +suffering; this was the most I ever saw inflicted at one time. + +We marched again from Chatham in September, and on the 2d of October +arrived at Thorncliffe. While here, my parents interested Mr Beaumont, +M.P. for my native county, to solicit my discharge from the Honourable +Colonel Stewart, my then commanding-officer, they paying the regulated +sum to the government. The colonel sent for me, and talked with me on +the subject, and argued most forcibly in favour of my remaining in the +regiment, saying he had intended to promote me the first vacancy; and +that he had no doubt whatever of seeing me one day an officer. I own my +views were not so sanguine; but his reasoning prevailed, and I consented +to remain. Soon after, an opportunity offering, I was appointed corporal +on the 24th of the same month. + +Here again I had disappointed my beloved and tender parents, for it was +not without considerable trouble and difficulty they obtained the +interference of Mr Beaumont, and now I had again thrown cold water on +all their endeavours to obtain my discharge. I fear I have much to +answer for, as respects my conduct towards them. May God forgive me! + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + + Made Pay-sergeant--Moral Reflections--Wreck of a Dutch East + Indiaman--Reduced Officers--War with France in 1803--Encampment + at Thorncliffe under the command of General Sir John + Moore--Encampment broke up, November, 1804--Embark for Germany, + October, 1805--Vicissitudes at Sea--Land at Cuxhaven--March to + Bremen--Outposts established--Retrograde movements, in + consequence of the defeat of the Allied Forces at + Austerlitz--The Allied Forces evacuate Germany--Re-embarkation + of the troops--The Rifle Corps, or 95th, land at Yarmouth. + + +Having given satisfaction as a corporal, I was shortly after appointed +acting-sergeant; and in that capacity also, having pleased my officers, +I was, on a vacancy occurring on the 19th of February following, +appointed sergeant, and given the payment of a company. My head was +almost turned by such rapid promotion, and I began in earnest to +contemplate the possibility of my colonel's predictions being one day +verified. Kind Providence watched over me, however, and kept me from +being too much elated, and of committing myself as I otherwise might +have done. Indeed I many times did commit things which, if strictly +searched into, would have brought censure upon me, and lowered the high +opinion that both myself and others entertained of me; but nothing that +openly violated the law by which I was then governed (although many of +God's laws I daily transgressed) was done by me. + +I was at this time, although careful to secure the good opinion of my +officers, little solicitous to please Him who had alone lavished all +this bounty upon me. Indeed I believe I was as ungodly at this time as +I ever remember to have been, and yet He caused me to prosper. Oh! how I +ought to feel shame and confusion of face at the recollection of such +abused goodness and mercy! May He pardon me for Christ's sake! + +A short while before my appointment as sergeant, a most melancholy +occurrence took place in the neighbourhood of our cantonment. A large +Dutch East Indiaman, outward bound to Batavia, and full of troops, in +passing down channel, mistook, I understand, the light at Dungeness for +one on the French coast, and in consequence stood in towards Dymchurch +wall instead of keeping out to sea. As might be expected, she was not +long in striking on the wall, running with her bow quite close under the +road, and in an instant, almost, went to pieces; and although numbers of +people were early at the spot, and some, I believe, at the very moment +she struck, they could render the unfortunate sufferers no effectual +aid, although only a few yards distant from them. Out of about 800 +persons on board, only seven men were saved. Many poor fellows, I +understand, attempted to swim on shore, some on planks, and others +without any aid; but such was the tremendous swell, and the general +destruction of the ship so rapid, that only those seven before mentioned +succeeded; and they not without being all more or less injured by pieces +of the wreck. An admiral, I understood, was on board, and perished; +several beautiful females were afterwards cast ashore among the dead, +the wives or daughters, no doubt, of some on board; they were for the +most part nearly naked, so that it is conjectured they had been in bed. + +As might be expected, the allurement to plunder so valuable a wreck was +not resisted by the natives of this part of the coast, but Colonel +Stewart humanely placed strong bodies of the regiment at different +points where the wreck had drifted, to secure as much of the property as +he could for the Dutch government, and also to collect and bring in the +numerous dead bodies which floated along the shore; all of which he had +decently interred in the churchyard at Thorncliffe, and had the poor +wounded survivors taken into hospital, where every care was taken of +them. Indeed nothing could exceed the unremitting attention which he +paid both to the dead and living on this most melancholy occasion, and +for which he received, as he well merited, the thanks of the Dutch +government. + +About this period we had several individuals serving in the corps as +soldiers, who had been officers in the army during the late war, but +who, from different causes, had been reduced to the necessity of +enlisting as private soldiers. The first that I remember was a person of +the name of Conway Welch, who, I understood, had been an officer, and I +think the Adjutant of the Surrey Rangers. He got on to the rank of +Corporal, but, being excessively wild, I believe he never attained a +higher rank. I do not remember what became of him. + +The second was called Hughes; he was, I believe, when he enlisted, +actually in the receipt of half-pay as a lieutenant of the line. He was +a person of good conduct, and was soon promoted to the rank of corporal, +and the colonel took him for his own private clerk, or secretary, as he +was denominated; but he did not remain long in this situation, for he +was shortly after called upon full pay of his rank in the army. I +believe his case was a singular one. + +The third unfortunate individual was of the name of Tait. He had been a +captain in the Caithness Legion, but reduced when the regiment was +broken up at the peace. He conducted himself extremely well for some +time after he came into the regiment, and got on so far as to become +pay-sergeant of a company. But in this situation, having considerable +sums at his command, he became involved through his dissipation, and +being unable to extricate himself from his difficulties, he adopted the +fatal resolution of committing suicide, and accordingly, when quartered +at Woodbridge, he one day retired to his room, loaded his rifle, and +blew out his brains. + +The story of the fourth individual is a scarcely less melancholy one. +His name was M'Laughlan. I had known him while serving in my late +regiment, as he had been an officer in the light company of the 35th +regiment, and stood next in the light battalion to the company to which +I belonged. He, shortly before our embarkation for Holland, got +involved, through a gambling transaction I heard, and was in consequence +obliged to dispose of his commission, which, it would appear from this, +he had originally purchased. But interest was made in his behalf, and he +was permitted to accompany his regiment to Holland in the capacity of a +volunteer, and he accordingly assumed the firelock and bayonet in place +of his former weapon, the sword. He was fortunate enough to obtain +another commission before the return of the troops to England, but how +he became deprived of that I have been unable to learn. But about the +latter end of 1803, he enlisted as a private in my corps. His conduct +here was far from good, and he consequently never rose higher, for he +was continually in scrapes from his dissipated habits; and becoming +tired of the restraint laid upon him by the strict discipline which our +excellent commanding-officer enforced, he one day made an attempt to +desert and join the French at Boulogne, and was picked up by one of our +cruisers in endeavouring to cross the channel in an open boat. He was +brought back handcuffed, and lodged in the guard-house one day when I +happened to be sergeant commanding the guard. + +As I looked on him, I could not help reflecting on the strange +vicissitudes which attend some men in their passage through life. Here +was a person whom I had known only a few years before while encamped on +Barham Downs, a gay and handsome young officer, moving in the circle of +men of gallantry and honour; and now behold him a wretched culprit, +stretched on the wooden guard-bed, manacled like a felon. In contrasting +his miserable situation with my own so much happier lot, what ample +cause had I for gratitude to that kind and indulgent Providence, which +had preserved me from those excesses, which entailed so much misery on +others. He was shortly after tried by a general court-martial, and +transported as a felon for life. I understand a sister of his was at +Thorncliffe at the time of his trial, &c., the wife of a brevet +lieutenant-colonel in the 4th regiment. What must she have felt! + +It will be recollected that, in 1803, war again broke out between this +country and France, as my preceding story had intimated. The army was +consequently augmented again, and my corps, till now called the "Rifle +Corps," was made the 95th. This year a camp was formed on Thorncliffe, +under the command of that able general and excellent man Sir John Moore. +This was termed by some the "Vanguard of England," for here it was that +the then threatened invasion of this country by Bonaparte must most +likely have taken place, it being immediately opposite to the grand camp +then forming at Boulogne. Daily rencontres took place between our +cruisers and his far-famed flotilla; and on one occasion, the belief +that he was sending forth his invincible host was so great, that our +camp was struck, the troops turned out, and received each man his sixty +rounds of ammunition; the waggons and carts were all put in immediate +requisition, and the inhabitants were flying in all directions. But to +our disappointment, I will not say whether disagreeable or otherwise, it +all ended in smoke; it happened to have been some of his flotilla making +a movement along the coast, which had been set on by our cruisers and +pretty roughly handled. + +We remained in this camp till the 24th of November, I think, having +occasionally before this period had our tents blown from over our heads +by the autumnal gales. The next year a more formidable camp was formed +on the same ground, the force having been augmented by a second line, +composed of regiments of militia. This year also, like the last, passed +over without witnessing the long-threatened invasion of Old England, +although Bonaparte, in the pride of his heart and the vanity of his +mind, had begun to erect a monument near Boulogne, to commemorate that +glorious achievement. My regiment, on the breaking up of the camp, +marched into Hythe Barracks, where we remained till the month of April, +1805. + +In the spring of this year another volunteering from the militia into +regiments of the line was ordered, on which occasion I was selected by +my commanding-officer, Lieut.-Colonel Beckwith, to accompany Lieutenant +Evans, of the regiment, down to my native county, to receive such men of +the militia regiments there as chose to enter the 95th. On this occasion +we were very successful, having obtained between seventy and eighty men +from the different regiments in the north. It was on this occasion that +I had the first opportunity, since I became a soldier, of visiting my +native village, and my greatly-distressed parents and family. I need not +describe the meeting that took place between us, on my first seeing +them--it will be better conceived than told;--suffice it to say, joy +and sorrow were strangely mingled together--joy to see me once more safe +and sound--but sorrow that the line of life I had adopted should so +soon, so very soon, call upon me to part from them again. In fact, I +could only remain with them three days, at the end of which, I had +orders to join my party at Morpeth. + +With this respectable batch of volunteers we marched, and joined the +regiment at Canterbury, whither it had been removed during our absence, +and, on our arrival, received the thanks of our commanding-officer for +our exertions. Here, and at this time, a second battalion to the 95th +was formed, the sergeant-majorship of which I was in hopes of obtaining; +but in this I was disappointed, for a sergeant, who was both much older +than me, and had much stronger claims than I could pretend to, was +selected for the situation; and although he did not turn out so well +afterwards as was expected, yet these circumstances ought to have +satisfied me at the time that no injustice was done me by bestowing it +upon him. But such was my folly, and the over-high opinion I entertained +of my own merits, that I could not quietly acquiesce in this most just +arrangement; and foolishly imagining myself ill-used, the chagrin of +which drove me to the adoption of one of the worst expedients possible, +I immediately took to drinking and to the neglect of my proper duties, +thinking, like an ass as I was, that I should thus revenge myself for my +supposed ill-usage, forgetting that it was only on myself that this +revenge could ultimately fall. However, the same good Providence which +has mercifully and so continually watched over me, stepped in to my aid +in this my most dangerous situation; for one day my captain, who had +always been my friend, sent for me, and urged upon me the folly and the +baseness of my present conduct, and the unhappy consequences to myself +that were likely to result from persisting in a course so absurd and +blame-worthy. This, with my own reasoning on the subject, brought me at +length to a better disposition of mind, and induced me once more to +resume my duties with cheerfulness and alacrity. + +I have mentioned this circumstance, because I believe I was nearer at +this time to falling into my original nothingness, than I ever have +been, either before or since; and I have no doubt that many an excellent +non-commissioned officer and soldier have been involved in the like +error, who have not been so fortunate as I was in escaping its +consequences. + +From Canterbury we marched to Brabourn Lees Barracks, in the same +county, where we remained till some time in October, when we were called +upon to embark for Lower Germany. During our stay at Brabourn Lees, a +circumstance occurred which called forth an exhibition of as great +magnanimity, on the part of Colonel Beckwith, as I almost ever remember +to have witnessed: We had received about 200 Irish volunteers, who were +wild and ungovernable in the extreme; a party of these, in strolling +about one day, had fallen in with Mrs Beckwith, with her maid and child, +taking a walk along the Ashford road. Not knowing, I imagine, who the +lady and her maid were, they set on and assaulted them in the most +violent and outrageous manner, proceeding to such lengths as perhaps +delicacy forbids to mention. It was, I believe, discovered who they +were. Accordingly, the next day, the Colonel formed the battalion into a +square, and proceeded to relate the circumstance to the regiment; "But," +says he, "although I know who the ruffians are, I will not proceed any +farther in the business, because it was _my own wife_ that they +attacked; but, had it been the wife of the meanest soldier in the +regiment, I solemnly declare I would have given you every lash which a +court-martial might have sentenced you." Such a trait of generous +forbearance is not often met with; but by this, and similar instances of +liberal feeling, he completely gained the heart of every soldier in the +battalion, a thing not always attainable by very excellent +commanding-officers. + +About the latter end of October, 1805, we marched to Ramsgate, and there +embarked, as before noticed, for Germany. It was my lot, on this +occasion, to be put on board a small and ill-shaped collier brig, called +the Jane of Shields, but the master I have forgot. She was a most +miserable sailer, making on a wind almost as much lee as head-way, and +in every respect ill adapted for the transport service. We had not been +many days at sea before we lost the fleet, and in our endeavours to find +it again were at one time on the coast of Jutland. All this time we had +been beating against a contrary wind; but while here, the wind became +favourable, and we appeared to have nothing to do but to bear away for +the mouth of the Elbe, which river it was our destination to enter; but +unfortunately, by some mismanagement, we fell quite away to leeward of +it, and got entangled between the mainland and the Island of Wangeroog, +not far from the mouth of Jade River, instead of the Elbe. + +While in this uncomfortable situation, it came on to blow a tremendous +gale, which rendered our position not only most unpleasant, but +extremely perilous, for we were embayed, and the wind blowing on a lee +shore, and the vessel became almost unmanageable, her bad sailing +becoming distressingly more apparent the more she was put on her mettle. +In the midst of the confusion attendant on such circumstances, the +master (with what intention I know not, whether to drown dull care, or +to fortify him against his exposure to the watery element) went down +below, and swallowed the best part of a bottle of brandy. In doing +which, his corner cupboard, with all its contents, came rattling down +about his ears. He would fain have had me to pledge him, but I begged to +be excused. The consequence was, he became quite drunk at the time when +all his abilities as a seaman were likely to be called into operation; +but he probably saw things clearest after having his eye wet. + +My commanding-officer now became quite alarmed for the safety of the +troops, seeing the master had incapacitated himself, as he conceived, +for the management of the vessel; and, after a consultation among our +officers, an attempt was made to deprive him of the command, and intrust +it to the mate, who had in this case, in order to save as many of the +troops as possible, determined on running the vessel high and dry, as he +termed it, on the sandy beach, near the Jade River. + +At this proposal, however, the master stormed and blasphemed like a +madman, swearing there was neither soldier nor sailor on board the ship +but himself. He went so far, and became so outrageous, that our +commanding-officer talked of hanging him up at the yard-arm; but it +being a ticklish thing to take the command of a ship from the person +legally authorized to exercise it, the major did not enforce the wishes +of the officers. The poor mate sat down on the companion and cried like +a child, partly owing to the abuse the captain gave him, and partly, I +imagine, from the hopelessness of our situation. The captain, in his +refusal to yield up the command, told the major he had been several +times wrecked, and had been, I know not how many times, exposed for a +considerable length of time in the water; and that he was not afraid to +encounter it again. This, however, was but poor consolation to landsmen, +who had not been accustomed to such duckings. + +A desperate case requires a desperate remedy--so our captain +thought--for he instantly clapped on the vessel the square mainsail, +which every moment threatened to carry away the mast, and in which case, +nothing could have prevented our destruction; however, Providence so +ordered it, that she bore it through the gale, and he, after putting her +on the outward tack, continued to stand from the land till he imagined +he had completely weathered Wangeroog; but at midnight, when he ordered +to put about the ship, had it not been for the cabin-boy providentially +seeing close to leeward of us the light of Wangeroog, we should +instantly have been upon the rocks. This will show either what a bad +sailer the vessel was, or how far the master had miscalculated the +distance; for he imagined himself by this time to be quite clear of all +the land, and considerably out to sea. He continued, after this +providential escape, to stand on the same tack, and just cleared the +island; and in the morning, the wind having somewhat abated, and shifted +a little in our favour, we were enabled, soon after, to lay our course. + +We arrived in the Elbe, and landed at Cuxhaven on the 18th of November, +1805, the day on which our fleet there was celebrating the victory of +Trafalgar--clouded indeed it was by the death of the hero who fell while +achieving it--yet glorious to the nation to which that fleet belonged. +We, immediately after landing, marched for Dorum, a village twelve or +fourteen miles distant, and from thence by Osterholtz and Bremer Lehe to +the city of Bremen. On our arrival there, (my battalion forming the +advanced guard,) we found the gates were shut against us; a Prussian +garrison was in the town, the commandant of which seemingly did not +know how to act, whether to admit us as allies, or not, the policy of +his government at that time being so extremely ambiguous. Colonel +Beckwith, who commanded the advance, was not however easily to be +deterred from executing his orders, and he hesitated not to tell them, +that if they did not choose to admit us peaceably, force should be +resorted to to gain an entrance. This had the desired effect, for the +gate was soon after thrown open, and we were received by the authorities +of the town, and by the inhabitants in general, with the warmest +expressions of friendship and cordial attachment; the Prussian officers, +all the while looking on, apparently not over-well pleased with the +conduct of their hosts; they were soon afterwards, however, withdrawn +from the territory, and we then remained sole occupiers of this part of +the country. + +Our army assembled in this city in considerable force, when it becoming +necessary to establish outposts in advance, my battalion was sent out +first to the town of Delmenhorst, and subsequently a part of it to the +city of Oldenburg, and the remainder to the town of Wildishausen; to +this latter place two companies were detached, under the command of +Major Travers, and to which he appointed me to act as sergeant-major. We +did not remain long in this situation, but were again recalled from +Wildishausen to Delmenhorst, and afterwards sent to join the other +companies at Oldenburg. + +Here we staid some time, during which we experienced the most unbounded +hospitality and kindness from the whole of the inhabitants, but more +particularly from the Duke. He actually did not know how sufficiently to +express his friendly disposition towards our officers in general,--his +kindness also extended to the soldiers,--for when we afterwards +received an order to retrograde again to Delmenhorst, he sent forward to +the half-way house refreshments of every description, for both officers +and men; and the night before we left this hospitable city, he gave a +splendid ball in honour of the officers of our corps, to which, of +course, every inhabitant of a suitable rank was invited. Nay, I heard, +and have no reason to doubt the correctness of the report, that he wrote +to the burgomaster of Bremen, to which city we again retired, to +endeavour, if possible, to have us quartered in his immediate +neighbourhood, in the best part of the town, for that not only the +officers, but the soldiers of the corps, were perfect gentlemen; indeed, +the conduct of the battalion at this time, under its kind and excellent +commanding-officer, was such as to entitle it to the highest praise. Our +retreat on this occasion, I understood, was rendered necessary, in +consequence of the defeat of the allied forces at Austerlitz, and of the +fatal termination by that sanguinary action of the campaign in that part +of Germany. + +Although I am no prophet, I predicted at this period what the result +would be to the King of Prussia, whose hesitating and equivocal conduct +kept him aloof from taking an active part, when his co-operation might +have been of the utmost advantage to the general cause. It required no +second sight to perceive, that when Bonaparte could clear his hands of +his present antagonists, he would not hesitate for a moment to turn his +arms against a monarch on whom he could not cordially rely, and whose +dominions offered such a strong temptation to an ambitious and aspiring +mind like his. + +We continued to occupy Bremen till towards the beginning of February +1806, when the whole army gradually drew down towards our place of +embarkation, for the purpose of evacuating the country, our stay now +having been rendered useless by the unsuccessful and unfortunate turn +which the allied affairs had taken. My battalion covered the retreat of +the army; but as great numbers of the German Legion, which formed part +of the British force in this country, were deserting and returning to +their homes, we were sent away into the interior to endeavour to +intercept such of them as might pass by the villages we occupied, and +restore them to the army. We took some, but not many; and soon after we +also retired, and went on board at Cuxhaven, and again returned to +England, landing at Yarmouth on the 19th of the same month. + +During the whole of my military career, I never witnessed so cordial an +attachment to the British name and character, as was manifested during +this service, by the good people among whom we had been residing. +Nothing was too good for us--and nothing was left undone by them to +render us comfortable and happy. It is true they have their vices like +other people; but barring one or two peculiar to continental nations, I +believe them to be, generally speaking, as moral as any people among +whom it has been my lot to sojourn. But, oh! with what shame and sorrow +do I look back on the part I acted at this period--how profligate and +abandoned was my conduct at the very time that a kind and gracious +Providence was showering its choicest blessings upon me! but, alas, I +paid no regard to the remonstrances of conscience, which I endeavoured +and succeeded in drowning in debauchery and intemperance. + + + + +CHAPTER IV.* + + Our Author made Quartermaster-Sergeant of the 2d battalion, + which he joins at Feversham, Kent--Expedition to + Denmark--Embark at Deal--Land at Vedbeck, Zealand--Partial + Engagements--Siege of Copenhagen--A Division under Sir Arthur + Wellesley advance to Kioge--Copenhagen capitulates--Amnesty + between the Danish Forces in the Island of Zealand, and the + British--The British evacuate Denmark--Embark at + Copenhagen--Arrive in the Downs--Land at Deal. + + +We landed, as I before stated, at Yarmouth, and proceeded by way of +Lowestoft to Woodbridge, in Suffolk, in the barracks of which my +battalion was quartered. Here also was the 23d regiment, that which I +had seen act so nobly in Holland: and as it was determined by its +commanding-officer to give the regiment some idea of light movements, I +was selected for the purpose of instructing their non-commissioned +officers. But I did not long continue to instruct them, for in the May +following, an offer was made me by Colonel Beckwith of the situation of +sergeant-major in the Cornwall Miners, a regiment of militia, with the +prospect, he told me, of shortly becoming adjutant. This, however, after +due consideration, I declined accepting--preferring to remain in a +regiment and service which I liked so well, and in which I hoped one day +to rise to something higher than my present situation. I believe my +conduct on this occasion was approved, for not long after, it was +intimated to me, that the offer I had refused, had been made to the +quartermaster-sergeant of our second battalion, and that he had, after +some hesitation, accepted it, thus leaving his situation open for me. +Accordingly, I departed for the purpose of joining that battalion, and +entering on my new duties. + +I joined it at Feversham, in Kent. My means increasing, the sinfulness +of my course of life was increased in proportion. It is true, I +generally performed my various military duties to the satisfaction of my +superiors; but could not at all times please my present +commanding-officer, against whose wish and inclination I had been +appointed to my present situation; he naturally wishing to have a person +of his own selection. Soon after this, an expedition being ordered for +South America, of which three companies of my present battalion were to +form a part, I waited on him, and requested him to permit me to +accompany them in the capacity of acting quartermaster. He said no; but +if I chose to resign my present situation, and go as a sergeant, he +would permit me. This I of course declined, as it would have been paying +a bad compliment indeed to my benefactor, Colonel Beckwith, thus to give +up for nothing what he had been at pains to procure for me. + +This, and some other little things which occurred about the same time, +proved to me that I was no favourite with my new lieutenant-colonel, and +that it behoved me to be very guarded in my conduct. We were, after +this, removed to Brabourn Lees again, and remained there, without any +occurrence arising, till we were summoned to take part in the expedition +fitting out for Denmark. + +We accordingly repaired to Deal, where we embarked on the 26th of July, +1807, and shortly after sailed for our destination. We arrived in the +Sound about the 10th of August, where the whole fleet was assembled; one +of the largest I had yet seen. On the 16th, every thing having been +previously got ready, we landed at the village of Vedbeck, in the island +of Zealand, about ten or twelve miles below Copenhagen. It was a most +beautiful and glorious sight to witness the debarkation of the first +division, or advanced guard, to which my battalion belonged. The most +perfect arrangements had been made by Sir Home Popham, who superintended +the landing of the troops; and nothing could exceed the beauty and +regularity in which the different divisions of boats approached the +shore, covered by some small brigs and bombs, which had orders to clear +the beach by grape shot, of any enemy that might appear. Some light +artillery also landed with us, prepared for immediate action, for it was +not known but the Danes might attempt to oppose our landing, they having +rejected every overture on the part of our commanders for the delivery +of their fleet. + +After landing, mine and the first battalion of my regiment were sent +forward in the direction of Copenhagen; and on this occasion, I for the +first time saw the illustrious General, who has since made the world +resound with his exploits. He commanded us, who formed the advance, and +directed our two battalions during the operations of the day. But we met +with no force of the enemy, save a small patrol of cavalry, which passed +in front of us, and then retired towards the city; this showed that they +were observing our movements. We halted for the night at a village +called, I think, Lingbye, on the great road from Copenhagen towards +Elsineur. We rested on our arms all night, and early in the morning +moved forward on the Copenhagen road, and about mid-day took up +cantonments within a long gun-shot of the city, and began to invest the +place. All was quiet till about three o'clock in the afternoon, when a +general cry of turn out, set the whole of our people in motion. A +considerable body of the enemy were advancing from the town, and by this +time had attacked the advanced picquets on our left, towards the +sea-shore; but instant succour being sent, they maintained their ground. + +The force opposed to the enemy was but small, consisting of two +companies of the 4th regiment, four of the 23d, and four of my +battalion, with two light fieldpieces; in all not more than 1000 men, +while the Danes were near 3000. Nevertheless, the moment the armies came +in contact, they instantly gave way, leaving a considerable number of +killed and wounded behind them, and retreated into the town. + +On this occasion, I attached myself to my commanding-officer, who, with +the surgeon, and some others of the staff, advanced with one of the guns +on the great road, having some of our companies on each flank. He gave +me his glass to take care of, with which I soon after busied myself in +watching the motions of the enemy. I discovered at a short distance to +our left and front, a considerable body of troops, dressed in long red +coats, which I knew could not be British, for that description of dress +had long been laid aside by us; I accordingly began, pointing them out +as an excellent mark for the artillery, which was then with us; but I +had scarcely spoken, when an officer present, cried out, after looking, +did I wish the artillery to fire on our own people? The colonel also +made some severe and reproachful remarks, telling me, if I would fight, +to go and take a rifle. I said nothing; but he had scarcely finished his +harangue, when a round shot came directly from this body of supposed +British troops, which nigh carried away one of the legs of the first +officer who spoke. + +The enemy were soon repulsed, and the troops retired again to their +former cantonments. After their troops retreated, a body of their +gun-boats advanced against some of our small craft which happened to be +rather close in shore, but their attack occasioned little injury, the +distance being considerable. + +The next morning the enemy opened a heavy and rather destructive fire of +artillery upon our outposts, by which we lost an officer of artillery +and several men; their fire was chiefly directed against what was called +the windmill battery, which was our farthest advance at this time. + +On the 19th, my battalion was moved farther to the right, and nearer the +town; there was constant firing between the advanced posts of the two +armies, and this continued for several days, during which the investment +of the city was proceeding with, and batteries, &c. marked out for the +purpose of bombarding it. All kinds of ordnance stores were at the same +time disembarked, and sent off to the army with the utmost dispatch. In +short, nothing could exceed the vigour with which the siege was now +prosecuted, after the final rejection of pacific overtures by the Danish +general. + +On the 24th, we were ordered under arms at two o'clock in the morning, +and immediately advanced, driving in the enemy's outposts, with the view +of carrying our works nearer the town. In this movement we experienced +considerable opposition and suffered some loss, from their guns on the +town walls, and from musketry from the windows. + +We this day established two strong and well advanced batteries, and at +night set fire to a windmill in their possession, which obstructed our +view of some of their works. During the whole of the 25th, there was a +constant fire both of artillery and fire-arms, by which one of the light +battalions of the German Legion suffered rather severely. My battalion +relieved them at the outposts a little before dark, and was fortunate +enough not to lose a man, where they had lost considerable numbers. + +On the 26th, a corps or division of the army was assembled, and placed +under the immediate orders of Sir Arthur Wellesley. It consisted of the +following regiments, viz. 43d, 52d, 92d, 95th, and 6th Battalion King's +German Legion, with six squadrons of German cavalry, and some artillery, +and was destined to advance against a body of the enemy composed +principally of militia, which had been for some time past collecting in +the neighbourhood of Kioge. + +At three o'clock P.M., we started from the neighbourhood of Copenhagen, +the troops making their way through the country to the left of the great +road to Roskild. I had charge of the baggage, which was carried on light +German waggons, the bodies of which are formed chiefly of wicker-work, +and are so light and easy of draught that the natives travel in them in +the same manner nearly of our coaches--they going sometimes at a +considerable rate. + +I found it impracticable to continue in the same direction the troops +had gone, for they presently left all traces of a road, and struck right +across the country--and as I knew I should be expected to have the +baggage with them that night if possible, I determined to run all +hazards, and proceed along the great high-road in hopes of afterwards +being enabled to find them out--accordingly I moved forward, and +presently passed the outposts of the German cavalry stationed in the +direction of Roskild; the men, I doubt not, wondering at my temerity in +pushing on with a few baggage waggons, where they were all on the alert +with swords drawn, and with carbines and pistols loaded. I own it was a +hazardous undertaking, for a very small party of the enemy would easily +have captured both me and my baggage; but I knew my commanding-officer +to be such a person as to pay little attention to excuses of any kind +when he wished a thing to be done, and withal he loved his comforts, and +would not have been easily pacified had he been deprived of them. +Fortunately, after advancing for some miles beyond the outposts of our +army before mentioned, I fell in with a road branching off towards the +left, apparently in the very direction the troops had taken. + +Till I reached this point, I had advanced with considerable caution, and +slowly; determined, if any enemy should appear in front, to endeavour to +effect a retreat. But now, having left the great road, and taken that +which I judged would bring me to the neighbourhood of those I was +seeking, I accordingly ordered all my guards to mount, and set off at a +brisk trot, keeping a good look-out to my right flank, for fear of +surprise, and fortunately fell in with the division at the very moment +it was entering the road by which I had come. I received great credit +for my generalship, and was complimented by the officers of my corps, +they being the only people in the division, I believe, who had the +comfort of their baggage that night. The name of the village where we +halted is Caughstrup. + +The next day we continued to advance in the direction of Kioge, and in +the afternoon we reached a village which I forget the name of, and where +evident traces appeared of the enemy having shortly left it; indeed, we +found two or three stragglers in the village, who were of course made +prisoners. We halted outside the village for the night. + +A short while before we reached this village, I saw a body of troops +dressed in red, marching on our right flank, at right angles to the road +by which we were advancing, and which I instantly concluded must be a +part of the enemy's force, as we had no troops in that direction. But +remembering the rebuke I received on the 17th for interfering with +concerns that did not belong to me, I shut my mouth in silence, and did +not, I believe, mention the matter. It is evident it was a part of the +enemy's force, for the General's information led him to take that very +same direction the next day; and that being towards Roskild, we set out +and reached that city in the afternoon, but found the enemy had again +given us the slip, and doubled back to nearly the same place from whence +we had started. + +The next morning about three o'clock we left Roskild, and took the road +for Kioge, near which it was now ascertained the enemy had come to a +resolution to make a stand. I forgot to mention that previous to this +our force had been divided and formed into two brigades; the 52d, 92d, +our 1st battalion, and some cavalry and artillery, remaining under the +command of Sir Arthur; while the 43d, the 6th German Legion, and our +five companies, with the remainder of the cavalry, were put under the +command of Baron Linsengen, one of the generals of the German Legion. +Sir Arthur's people had not been with us for a day or two back, but +where I do not exactly know. But this morning it was arranged that his +brigade was to march directly upon Kioge and attack it in front, while +we fetched a circuit behind, and came upon a part of their force +stationed in a forest or wood behind the town--and thus cut off their +retreat. But the poor creatures were unable to stand above a round or +two, and almost immediately broke and fled in all directions. + +As we approached the wood we were destined to attack, the appearance was +certainly rather formidable; for from the immense cloud of dust they +raised in performing their movements, we calculated on meeting with a +considerable body of troops; and indeed, just as we approached the wood, +our cavalry laid hold of an officer of their horse, dressed partly in +uniform and partly as a civilian. From him we obtained information that +they had in the field 12,000 men; 5000 of which were armed with pikes, +1000 cavalry, and the remainder consisted of artillery and infantry. He +must, I think, have overrated their numbers, or surely they might have +made some sort of a stand against 5500 men, the strength of our +division. + +On Sir Arthur attacking them in the town of Kioge, they stood, as before +said, only for a round or two, and fled, many of them coming in contact +afterwards with our brigade; but from the extent of (and intricate roads +through) the wood, very few of them were made prisoners; till towards +evening, when a company of my battalion, with some of the German +cavalry, overtook a considerable body in the village of Herfolge, +apparently the rearguard of the enemy. In this village they made a +stand, getting into the churchyard, which afforded an excellent +position, it being considerably higher than any other part of the +village. Here also they soon began to waver, and after a few shots from +our people, they all laid down their arms and became prisoners of war. +Their numbers were 1550 men, with 56 officers, and Major-General Oxholm, +the second in command of this part of the Danish army. A considerable +quantity of artillery, small arms, baggage, and provisions, &c., with +two stands of colours, fell into the hands of the captors on this +occasion. These poor creatures were instantly sent off as prisoners, and +put on board our ships at Copenhagen; many of them apparently quite glad +that they had done with fighting. Great numbers of them had nothing +better by way of shoeing than wooden clogs--a very inconvenient kind I +should imagine for a rapid retreat. + +The loss of the British during this day's operations was, as might be +expected, quite trifling. I had this day followed the ill-natured +advice of my commanding-officer on a former occasion, and had taken a +rifle, but had little opportunity of using it, not having fired more +than eight or ten shots. My battalion halted in the village of Herfolge +for the night, and the next morning moved forward towards the town of +Kingsted, that being the direction in which the broken fragments of the +Danish army had retired. + +Our two battalions had been employed all the day of the 29th, after the +first onset, in scouring the woods from Kioge to Herfolge. We continued +this service on the 30th also, and took numbers of poor creatures who +had been engaged in yesterday's operations, but who had not yet been +able totally to divest themselves of their military habiliments, +although apparently anxious to do so. We reached Kingsted on the 31st, +and finding that the only regular part of the late army had retired into +one of the islands in the Great Belt, and that the militia portion had +totally disbanded itself, we halted here till the fall of Copenhagen, +which took place on the 7th of September. But to prevent surprise from +any lurking parties of the enemy, which might still have kept together, +and to deprive them of the means of injuring us, strong detachments were +sent out to scour the country, and to bring in all the military arms +they could discover. A party of this description, consisting of 100 +cavalry, and 100 of my battalion mounted on light waggons, traversed the +country for a considerable distance, and returned after having +discovered and taken possession of ten pieces of ordnance of small +calibre, and forty rifles belonging to the Kallundburg rifle company, +with several muskets. They also gained correct information respecting +the regular troops that had been lately opposed to us, and found they +had retired into the islands of Falstar and Meon. + +On the capitulation of Copenhagen, terms of amity and peace were +entered into between the Danish forces in the island of Zealand and the +British; but these did not extend to the islands before mentioned, nor +to the other parts of his Danish Majesty's dominions; consequently, we +still remained at war with such of his forces as were not included in +the capitulation; and he might at any time have collected an army, had +he been able, and attacked us without any infringement of those terms. +It behoved our generals, therefore, to watch against any attempt of this +nature; and accordingly strong outposts were established all along the +Belt, composed principally of the men of our two battalions. The 1st +battalion occupied Kallundburg, Slagelse, Korsoer, and Skielskiore; +whilst the following towns and ports were occupied by my battalion, viz. +Mestyed, Lundbye, Wordingburg and Prestoe; thus forming a complete chain +of posts around the west and south coasts of the island. We remained so +posted till the 15th of October, by which time the greater part of the +naval stores taken in the dockyard having been taken on board, and the +period fast approaching for our evacuation of the country, we began to +retire towards Copenhagen, which we reached on the 17th, and immediately +embarked on board the Princess Caroline, a Danish seventy-four which had +been surrendered with the others of that fleet, and which are mentioned +below.[1] + +We remained in the roads till the 20th, when the fleet dropped down +towards the Sound; and on the 21st the whole passed the Castle of +Elsineur, with a favourable and pleasant breeze, the British ensign +waving proudly from the lofty masts of their late gallant fleet; it must +have been an extremely galling sight for them (the Danes) to witness, +and I dare say they did not pray for many benedictions on our heads; I +pitied them from the bottom of my heart. On taking leave of this +country, I could not help remarking on the great similarity between its +inhabitants and the Germans about Bremen--kind-hearted, hospitable, and +inoffensive in the highest degree; and although suffering at that time +so severely from the policy of our country, they were high in our +praises as individuals and as a nation. I have great cause to speak well +of those innocent and worthy people, for I have seldom experienced more +kindness and attention than was shown me by them whenever circumstances +rendered such kindness and attention suitable, particularly at Nestyde, +where I met a young man who had formerly been in the West Indies, where +he had learnt to speak a little English, (for of Danish I could not +understand a word.) He introduced me to one worthy man, who had been an +officer, and fought in the famous action of Kioge above narrated. Poor +fellow, he felt heartily ashamed of the sorry attempt they had made to +act the part of an army, and I daresay would gladly have blotted from +his memory for ever the recollection of the ridiculous part they had +acted. I was not aware of this circumstance at first, and when it was +brought upon the tapis in the course of conversation, (my young friend +being interpreter,) I unluckily said, that "any man armed with a +bludgeon only, could easily beat three such soldiers." + +I felt quite ashamed of myself afterwards, when I discovered that he, +poor man, had made one in that memorable action; but he took it all in +good part, apparently conscious of the justness of my remark. Indeed, I +was partly led on to use such expressions by the young fellow condemning +so bitterly their conduct, and which I afterwards would have given +something to have unsaid. He, however, bore no resentment, and kindly +took me home and introduced me to his wife, and requested me to salute +her with a kiss. I hesitated, thinking that I could not have understood +him right, and feeling awkward in such a situation; but my young friend +assured me it was the custom there to do so, on which I of course +complied. They are, in my opinion, an extremely moral race of people, no +vices that I know of being practised by them, save occasionally a little +drunkenness by some few individuals. I heartily wish them well. + +We sailed, as I said before, on the 21st of October, and had fine +weather till we arrived in Yarmouth Roads. We passed one Sunday on our +voyage home, at a certain hour of which our pious naval commander (Lord +Gambier) made signal for the whole fleet to lay to, and have divine +service, that is, in such ships as there were chaplains on board of. +This caused the irreligious and profligate part of our people on board +the Princess Caroline to blaspheme and storm at a terrible rate, for +being so long detained when the wind was so fair. + +It happened, when we arrived in the Roads at Yarmouth, or near there, I +think it was on the Galloper Sand, that a tremendous gale began to blow, +which baffled all exertions to withstand it. We cast out the anchors, +but without effect, for we ran away with them both, and in the endeavour +to vere out cable, or rather by the rapidity with which it was dragged +out of the ship by the force of the wind, our bits caught fire, which +with considerable difficulty were got extinguished after great +exertions. During the gale, I understand a sailor was blown off the +foreyard; and nearly at the same moment a woman, one of our corporals' +wives, fell down the hatches into the hold, and broke her back, of +which, indeed, she afterwards recovered, but never after regained her +upright posture. + +Those scoffing gentlemen before mentioned, attributed the whole of our +misfortunes to the delay occasioned by the divine service before +adverted to, and were not sparing of invective against the individual +who caused its performance, forgetful, it would seem, that _He_, whom +that commander invoked on that day, holds the winds in His hand, and can +at pleasure let them loose upon an ungodly fleet, whether for correction +or judgment, at what time, and in what manner, best pleases him. I doubt +not the excellent commander alluded to has been a blessing to many. May +he long continue to ornament the exalted station he fills! We weighed +again after the storm abated, and proceeded round to the Downs, and the +next day, the 16th of November, landed at Deal, and from thence marched +to our old quarters at Hythe Barracks. + + +FOOTNOTE: + +[1] List of Ships and Vessels captured at Copenhagen, 7th September, +1807. + + Guns. + Christian the Seventh, 98 + Neptune, 84 + Waldemer, 84 + Princess Sophia Fredrica, 84 + Justice, 74 + Heir Apparent Frederick, 74 + Crown Prince Frederick, 74 + Frien, 74 + Oden, 74 + Three Crowns, 74 + Shield, 74 + Crown Princess Maria, 74 + Denmark, 74 + Norway, 74 + Princess Caroline, 74 + Conqueror, 64 + Norge, 74 + Dalmakin, 64 + Pirle, 44 + Wory Wife, 44 + Liberty, 44 + Iris, 44 + Rotar, 44 + Denry, 44 + Mayed, 36 + Triton, 28 + Fredrington, 28 + Kline Belt, 28 + St Thomas, 22 + Tylto, 24 + Elbe, 20 + Eydeman, 20 + Gluckstadt, 20 + Sarp, 18 + Glowman, 18 + Nid Elvin, 18 + Dolphin, 18 + Marcur, 18 + Cousier, 14 + Flying Fish, 14 + + Total, 40 + +Together with eleven gun boats, with two guns each in the bow, and +fourteen do with one gun in the bow and one astern. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + + Our Author marries--The Battalion to which he belongs ordered to + join the Expedition fitting out for Corunna--Movements of the + Army in Spain--Return to England. + + +Some little time after our return from the Baltic, I obtained a short +leave of absence, for the purpose of visiting my parents, and the other +members of my family; and, during my stay in my native village, +contracted a marriage with a young woman whom I had known from my +boyhood, she having been one of my earliest schoolfellows. I cannot say +that I enjoyed in the marriage state that happiness which I expected +from it, partly owing to the frequent and long separations which my +calling rendered unavoidable, and partly from other causes which have no +connexion with my narrative. I believe, during the eight years which my +wife lived after our union, I spent more than six of these in absence +from her. + +At the expiration of my leave, we set off to join the regiment, which +still remained at Hythe, where we remained till the beginning of +September following, when my battalion having again been ordered for +foreign service in the expedition fitting out for Corunna, it became +indispensable that my poor wife should return to Northumberland, and +remain under the protection of her parents, till my return, should it +please God to spare me. This, no doubt, was a severe trial to us both, +but particularly to her, who had such a journey to undertake, alone and +unprotected, and she at the time far advanced in pregnancy; but, however +distressing, it must be undertaken, and I unfortunately could not be +spared from the regiment, for our orders were to proceed immediately to +Ramsgate, for embarkation. + +We parted, after I had accompanied her as far as I was able, and seeing +her safely stowed in the coach. It may be supposed that a new-married +pair, under such circumstances, would part with heavy and afflicted +hearts. + +My battalion embarked at Ramsgate on the 10th of September. On this +occasion, I was very fortunate in getting on board an excellent +transport, called the Nautilus, of Shields, commanded by Captain Watson +(my wife's maiden name), and the steward, a native of the Hermitage, a +place within four miles of my home. Of course, we were mutually glad to +meet each other, and often talked over old Northumbrian stories, which +recalled delightful recollections of our younger years. The fleet in +which we sailed rendezvoused at Falmouth, whence we took our departure, +and arrived at Corunna on the 26th of October. + +On our passage, when we made Cape Ortegal, a pilot-boat came off, in +which were the first Spaniards I remember to have seen; certainly, they +did not prepossess me greatly in favour of their countrymen, but they +are now so well known in England, that a description of those I here +saw, would be only to repeat what has been so often and so much better +told by others. We landed at Corunna, as before said, on the 26th, and a +day or two after, proceeded up the country, halting for the first night +at Betanzos. Our force consisted of cavalry, infantry, and artillery, in +all, about 10,000 men, and was commanded by General Sir David Baird, +and intended to co-operate, or form a junction, with that under Sir John +Moore, then in Portugal, and who was then advancing into Spain. + +My battalion, and some companies of the first battalion of my regiment, +formed the advanced guard, a situation which I consider the most +enviable of any in the army--for here all is untried, and, as it were, +unbroken ground; every thing is fresh, and although attended sometimes +with a little more danger of being cut off while separated from the main +body, yet possessing so many countervailing advantages, that I hesitate +not to say it is the most desirable post of any in an army. + +At Betanzos, we began to experience the great defectiveness of our +commissariat department, at this period of our history; for the +gentleman sent forward to provide our two battalions with food, was so +utterly unacquainted with his business, that he was actually afraid to +make an attempt to issue provisions. Although bread had been baked by +order of the Spanish authorities, he not understanding, as he said, the +Spanish weights and measures, durst not issue any thing without his own, +which were behind; but it was evident the troops could not remain +without provisions. We were here, as in most of the towns we afterwards +passed through, lodged in convents, the officers generally either being +quartered on the inhabitants of the town, or lodged by the monks in +their cells. On these occasions the men occupied only the corridors, +into which straw was generally put by the authorities of the place, the +men lying as close as pigs in a sty, which indeed was necessary to keep +each other warm; but these lodgings were not to be complained of, as +clean straw, and shelter overhead in that country, are no contemptible +quarters. + +We moved forward by fair and easy stages, by way of Lugo, Villa Franca, +Cacabelos, and Astorga; this latter place we reached on the 19th +November, but during the march, we had experienced considerable +difficulty in obtaining supplies both of provisions and the means of +transport. This is a considerable town, containing probably about 5000 +inhabitants. Both it and Lugo are surrounded by old Moorish walls, which +may formerly have been considered strong, but which, according to the +present mode of warfare, would offer but a feeble resistance to a +besieging army. It contains a number of convents, both in the town and +suburbs, and, of course, a proportionate number of idle monks, &c. Here, +as in many towns in Spain, they have a curious mode of keeping out of +their houses unwelcome visiters; for the doors being all made remarkably +strong, and kept constantly shut, you cannot enter till the inmates have +first reconnoitred you through an aperture above the door, made for the +purpose; and it is not till they are satisfied who you are, and with +your business, that they will open the door, which they generally do by +a cord communicating with the latch from their peep-hole above. + +Here we were pretty plentifully supplied with provisions, and rested for +some days, my battalion having been pushed forward to a village called +Zalada, about a league in front of the town. After having been refreshed +by a few days' rest, my battalion was again pushed forward, and occupied +the town of Labeneza, about four leagues in front of Astorga, while the +main body of the army assembled in and around that town; but we had not +remained more than a few days in Labeneza, before a report arrived of +the enemy being in our front, and advancing in force; and we were +consequently recalled to Zalada, in order to form a junction with our +main body. Not long after this, about the latter end of November, +orders were received from Sir John Moore, for our division to retreat +and fall back upon Corunna. This measure, I understand, was rendered +necessary, in consequence of the Spanish armies having been completely +beaten and dispersed, so that nothing remained to oppose an overwhelming +French force, which it was ascertained had entered Spain, but the few +British troops comprising the armies under Sir John Moore, and ours. + +We accordingly set to the right-about, and fell back as far as +Cacabelos, the main body occupying Villa Franca and its neighbourhood. +This movement was not by any means liked by any of us; for, independent +of its being so uncongenial to the spirit of Britons to turn their backs +upon an enemy, we felt disappointed at what we saw and heard of the +celebrated Spanish patriots. We had been given to understand that the +whole nation was up in arms against the French, and that we should have +been received, on entering their country, as liberators, and treated as +brethren, but in both these points we were miserably disappointed; for, +instead of a hearty welcome on our arrival, we could with great +difficulty obtain leave to land, and still more to obtain the necessary +supplies of carriages and provisions to enable us to come forward; and +with regard to the patriotism of the people, whatever might have been +their good-will to act in defence of their beloved country and +Ferdinand, they appeared as little likely as any people I had ever seen, +to effect any thing against such an enemy as the French. In fact, those +of them who formed their armies, at least of those straggling parties we +so often met, could be called nothing better than mere rabble--no +organization, no subordination, but every one evidently pursued that +plan which seemed right in his own eyes. + +While we remained at Cacabelos, (a place famous for good wine,) many +were the schemes adopted by some of our bibbers, to obtain a sufficient +quantum of this excellent beverage. I understand they occasionally +borrowed each other's clothes; that is, a 43d man would borrow a +rifleman's green jacket, and _vice versa_, and go and steal, or in some +other illegal mode obtain, a camp-kettle full or two; and when the owner +came to point out the person who had robbed him, of course he could not +be found. + +We had not remained above a day or two in our new quarters, before an +express arrived from Sir John Moore, with orders for us to advance again +immediately; and which, notwithstanding we had little or no prospect of +assistance and co-operation from the Patriots, was cheerfully complied +with. We retraced our former steps, passing through Astorga and +Labeneza, and reached Benevente on the 15th December. + +Our cavalry, consisting of the 7th, 10th, and 15th hussars, under Lord +Paget, had by this time come up from Corunna, and had been pushed +forward to join Sir John Moore's force; they fell in with a party of the +French cavalry at the town of Rueda, not far from Tordesillas, and of +which they either killed, or took prisoners, nearly the whole; in fact, +through the whole of this service, nothing could exceed the gallantry +and intrepid conduct of our cavalry under his lordship. At this town, as +well as at Astorga and Villa Franca, depots of provisions began to be +formed soon after our arrival. + +On the 17th December, we again advanced from Benevente, in order to form +a junction with Sir John Moore's army, and passing through Valderas, +Majorga, and Sahagun, we reached the convent of Trianon, about a league +in front of the latter place. On the 20th, here the two forces were +united, and a fresh distribution into brigades took place. Ours, under +Brigadier-general Crawford, was termed the Light Brigade, and consisted +of the 1st battalion 43d, 2d battalion 52d, and the 2d battalion of my +regiment. + +The whole army was assembled in this neighbourhood, and consisted of +about 26,000 men, the whole _now_ under the command of Sir John Moore. +Previous to our arrival at Sahagun, Lord Paget, with a part of the 10th +and 15th hussars, discovered that a considerable body of the enemy's +cavalry occupied that town. He therefore detached the 10th by a +circuitous road, while he with the 15th approached it by the more direct +one. They were, however, discovered by the French before reaching the +town, which gave the enemy time to turn out and form to receive the +attack. His lordship, when a favourable opportunity offered, charged the +French, who were greatly superior in numbers, and completely overthrew +them, taking two colonels, eleven other officers, and about 150 men. + +On the evening of the 23d, the whole army was put in motion, with an +intention, it was said, of attacking Marshal Soult, who, with a corps of +about 16 or 18,000 men, was posted behind the River Carrion, his +head-quarters being at Saldanha. The Spanish General Romana, was to take +a part in this movement; his small and sadly inefficient force had +approached the left of our army, or rather we had drawn towards his +position, and he was, I believe, perfectly willing to lend all the +assistance in his power, in the contemplated attack; but our General, I +fancy, did not calculate upon any material help, from a force so greatly +out of order as his was said to be. Soon after dark, the troops fell in; +and as it was understood an attack was going to be made on the enemy, +every pulse beat high, in expectation of soon congratulating each other +on a victory. All was life and animation; and the necessary +preparations, by the light of our blazing fires, for such an event as a +battle, after the many long and harassing marches we had had, gave an +interesting appearance to the scene. + +When all was ready, the troops moved forward. It was a cold and bitter +night, and there were some small brooks on the road. An officer of my +battalion, who was not very well, when he came to one of those, instead +of marching straight through, as it appears had been ordered, went a +little way round by the bridge, although not off the road. A certain +general officer, who happened to be there at the time, observed it, and +getting into a great rage at the officer leaving his section, made him +turn back, and march through and through repeatedly, by way of +punishment. Such a mode of treating an officer, certainly appeared +rather harsh; but this general piqued himself on his being able to make +his brigade better marchers than any other troops in the army; and in +this he certainly succeeded, although it was not without frequent +exhibitions, such as the above. Our people had not gone far, however, +till they were countermanded, and returned back to our convent. I rather +think the main body of the army had not moved out of their cantonments; +but ours being the advanced brigade, it was necessary we should move +before the others. + +It appears Sir John Moore, just before he intended to set out, had +received information, not only of Soult having been greatly reinforced, +but that several strong corps of the French army were marching directly +upon us, by which, should he delay only a few days, we should be +completely surrounded, and cut off from a retreat. This was most +distressing information, for never was an army more eager to come in +contact with the enemy than ours was at this moment, and never was there +a fairer prospect of success, had things remained as they were; but now, +instead of honour and glory being acquired, by showing the French what +British troops could do in the field, it was evident nothing remained +but to commence a retrograde movement, the worst and most unpleasant, in +a British soldier's view, of any other. + +Winter had now completely set in; the face of the country being covered +with deep snow, the weather was unusually severe. Our prospect, +therefore, was by no means a pleasant one. To commence a retreat in +front of a greatly superior force, and with the probability that other +French armies might be before us, and intercept our retreat upon the +sea, which was distant from us nearly 250 miles, with the country in our +rear being already exhausted of every thing that could contribute to our +support, and with such excessively bad weather to perform the retreat +in, rendered it, I may say, as unpleasant a situation as troops could +well be placed in. Added to which, our commissariat was by no means so +efficient in those days as they have latterly become; and our troops in +general being young, and unaccustomed to privation, it was but too +obvious, that should the retreat continue long, many would be the +disasters attending it. On Christmas day, our brigade, as the rear of +the infantry, commenced its uncomfortable retreat, and continued +marching till late at night, when we reached a convent near Majorga. The +next day, although we started early, we only reached the village of St +Miguel about midnight. + +Here I had considerable difficulty with the baggage. I had had charge of +it all day, my guard being composed of officers' servants, &c., who, the +moment they got into the village, set off to their masters, and left me +alone with the mules, the troops having, by the time I got in, all lain +down to sleep. Several of the muleteers had been pressed into the +service against their wills, and of course would have made their escape +whenever an opportunity offered. I was therefore compelled to drive them +all into the churchyard, and watch them myself, till luckily, after +waiting in this situation a considerable time, without daring to go to +sleep after the fatigues of such a day, some men happened to wander in +that direction in search of meat, by whom I sent to our quartermaster to +request he would send a guard, which he did soon after, and I had the +happiness to be allowed to throw myself down and take some rest. + +This day Lord Paget had another brush with the French cavalry, who, +being apprized of our retreat, had advanced to Majorga. He attacked them +with that gallantry which shone so conspicuously in the cavalry during +the whole of this service, and completely overthrew them, killing and +wounding many, and taking a number prisoners; in this affair the 10th +hussars were engaged, and behaved nobly. The next day we reached Castro +Gonzales, and Castro Pipa. At the latter village, my battalion halted +for the night and the next day. These two villages command the passage +over the river Eslar, they being about equidistant from the bridge, and +something more than a mile apart on high ground over the river, which +runs about a league in front of Benevente. Here we were obliged to +remain during the time mentioned, in order that the heavy divisions of +the army might get sufficiently forward before we moved. + +I had still the charge of the baggage, and not knowing where my +battalion was to be quartered for the night, I had crossed the Eslar to +the Benevente side, till I learnt long after dark that Castro Pipa was +its quarters. I consequently turned back and recrossed the river, and +just as I reached the end of the bridge, I heard a shot immediately in +my front. The 43d regiment guarded the bridge. It turned out to be a +patrol of the enemy's cavalry who had come close to the top of the +slope leading down to the bridge, and where a double sentry of the 43d +was posted. By some accident these two men were not loaded; the French +dragoons were consequently permitted to come close up to them without +their being able to give any alarm. One of them, however, run his +bayonet into one of the Frenchmen's horses, and retreated, but the other +was not only cut down with the sabre, but had a pistol fired at him, +which was the report I had just heard. I saw the wounded man, who was +severely hurt, but whether he survived or not I know not. + +When I reached Castro Pipa, my commanding-officer would scarcely credit +the report I gave him, conceiving it impossible the French could be such +near neighbours. I was a good deal chagrined at his suspecting my +veracity, but he had never been what I may call a friendly +commanding-officer to me, as the story of the rifle at Copenhagen will +prove; indeed, as I had been put into the situation I held contrary to +his wish, it was hardly to be expected that he would show himself very +friendly. During the night, however, our quarters were beat up, not +indeed by the enemy, but by our brigadier, who was not sparing of his +censure for our want of alertness in turning out. Indeed, we neither had +so good a look-out as we ought to have kept, nor did we get under arms +with that promptitude which was desirable, and from the cause before +assigned; that is, that our commandant did not believe the enemy was so +near. + +I own I was not sorry that the General paid us such a visit, as it not +only put us more upon our guard, a thing so indispensably necessary in +the presence of an enemy, but it gave me some satisfaction for the +dishonour put upon me by disbelieving my information. + +The enemy did not disturb us during the remainder of the night, and +next morning the brigade was assembled on the height above, and in front +of the bridge; considerable bodies of the enemy's cavalry appearing in +the plain before us. Some skirmishing between our people and the enemy +took place, but nothing of any importance occurred. Our brigade was left +in this position to cover the working party who were preparing to blow +up the bridge, at which they worked all day; during the night our people +were withdrawn from the farther side, and the explosion soon after took +place, but the destruction of the bridge was by no means so effectual as +was wished and expected. When we turned out in the morning to move +towards the bridge, I (still having charge of my battalion's baggage) +discovered that a vast quantity of excellent biscuit was stored up in an +empty house in the village, which, no doubt, had been baked for the +purpose of supplying the magazine at Benevente; and as our people had +been but very indifferently supplied with bread since we commenced the +retreat, I determined to load a bullock-cart with it, and try to get it +to a place of safety, where I hoped to be able to issue it to them. + +I accordingly took a cart and two bullocks, there being plenty in the +village, and apparently without owners, for the inhabitants had mostly +either abandoned the place on the appearance of the French, or had hid +themselves. I loaded the cart, but still I wanted a person to drive it; +and although I used both promises and threats, I could not prevail upon +any person to go with me. I therefore mounted the cart myself, and using +my sword by way of a goad, I entered the river at a place which looked +like a ford, and had the good fortune to reach the other side in safety. +I mention this to show that so much importance need not have been +attached to the destruction of the bridge, as both here, and near Castro +Gonzales, the river was perfectly fordable, for near the latter place +the French cavalry forded it on the following morning. + +I now made my way to Benevente, where I remained during the day of the +28th; and at night, as before hinted, the troops which had been guarding +the bridge arrived, leaving cavalry piquets on the plain between the +town and the river. The next morning our people left Benevente, and as I +was a little behind them with the baggage, on my reaching a height in +rear of the town, I observed in the plain in front a considerable body +of the enemy's cavalry, who had, as before stated, crossed the river +near Castro Gonzales, and were advancing towards the town, opposed, +though feebly at first, by the few of our cavalry left there on piquet; +but the cavalry regiments which were in town quickly turning out to +their support, they were at length completely able to oppose, and +finally overthrow them. + +During the time I remained here, I saw our brave dragoons make three +most gallant and successful charges against superior numbers of the +enemy, completely breaking and dispersing the different bodies against +which the charges were made. The enemy appeared to be drawn up in +different lines, the front one of which was that always charged; and I +observed, that as our people advanced upon them, they were always +received with a fire either from the carbines or pistols of the enemy, +but this never appeared in the least to check the ardour of the charge, +for in a minute or two after I observed the French troops retired in +confusion, and formed behind the other lines. At length they were +completely driven back to the ford by which they had crossed; and in a +charge now made upon them, General le Febvre, with about seventy men, +fell into our people's hands. These troops were a part of Bonaparte's +Imperial Guard, and the flower of his army, being fine-looking men, +dressed in dark-green long coats, with high bear-skin caps, and +mustaches, which gave them a formidable appearance. It was said that +Bonaparte was looking on at this affair, and witnessed the defeat of his +hitherto invincible Old Guard; it is certain that he slept the night +before at Villalpando, a place only four leagues distant from the field. +I now set off and overtook the baggage and the bullock cart, not having +had an opportunity of issuing the biscuit; but before I had proceeded +above a few miles, the bullocks knocked up, and notwithstanding every +exertion I found it impossible to get them any farther. Thus was I +reluctantly compelled to abandon a cart-load of excellent biscuit, after +having had so much trouble with it, at the time when I knew it was +greatly needed by my hungry fellow soldiers, and to whom it would have +been a most welcome offering. On this day's march, a most lamentable +number of stragglers were overtaken by us, we being in rear of all the +infantry; they had either fallen out from excessive fatigue, or from +having (as in too many instances) drunk too much; indeed, the +destruction of the magazine of provisions at the place we had left, +enabled too many of them to obtain by one means or other considerable +quantities of spirits, and which, of course, rendered them incapable of +marching. This was a long and wearisome day's journey of nearly thirty +miles; we did not reach Labeneza till late at night, where a +considerable quantity of ammunition was obliged to be destroyed, the +animals failing which drew it. + +The next day we reached our old quarters at Zalada, a league in front of +Astorga, where we halted for the night, the remainder of the brigade +going into the town. It was to this village, it may be remembered, that +we were sent on our first advance, and subsequently after our first +retreat from Labeneza; but besides these movements from the village and +back again, during the time we remained in it, we almost every morning +had orders to pack up and move a short distance out of the place. This +was done no doubt to accustom us to a ready turning out, as till this +period our baggage had been transported on bullock-carts; but now we had +mules, and it was necessary to accustom those whose duty it was, to load +the mules with dispatch. But on every occasion of this kind, the +inhabitants always imagined we were actually going to leave them, and +the moment we were clean gone, as they thought, they set to work and +rung the church bell with all their might. This was either to testify +their regret at losing our company, or to evince their gratitude to +Heaven for having got rid of such a band of heretics, by which their +most pure and holy dwellings had been defiled; it was laughable to see +the long faces they put on when we, so contrary to their hopes and +expectations, always returned to our wretched and uncomfortable +quarters. + +During the whole of the time we remained in this village, I, as a +staff-sergeant, could find no better lodgings than a dirty open shed; +the reader will therefore judge how ill the privates must have been off. +Our fellows began about this time to pick up little bits of Spanish, and +would often exercise their ability to converse in the native tongue, by +telling the inhabitants that we were certainly going to "_marcha +manana_", that is, to march to-morrow, so that it became quite a +by-word, which annoyed our hosts not a little. If I mistake not, the +Padre of this village was a great knave, and did not scruple to help +himself to such things as he had a mind for, belonging to our officers, +whenever a fit opportunity presented itself. The next day, the 31st, we +moved into Astorga, where we halted for an hour or two, till the +destruction of the magazine there was completed, although nothing but +rum remained; and here I witnessed such a brutal and swinish eagerness +for drink as was quite disgusting. The rum casks were ordered to be +staved, and to let the contents run out on the street, that they might +not fall into the hands of the enemy: thus the rum which had cost so +much trouble in bringing up all the way from Corunna was about to be +lost for ever; a thing most heart-rending to the numerous soldiers +looking on, who loved it so dearly. However, they were determined not to +lose all, for when the heads of the casks were knocked in, and their +contents permitted to run in streams down the gutters, some of those +brutes deliberately took off their greasy caps, and laving up the rum +and the mud together, drank, or rather ate, the swinish mixture. What +noble soldiers would our country produce, were not that detestable vice +of drunkenness so common among us; but to it how many have I seen +deliberately sacrifice their own and country's honour, nay their very +life itself, rather than forego the beastly gratification! + +All this morning we had been told to keep a sharp look-out on the Leon +side of Astorga, for the enemy was every moment expected to make his +appearance from that quarter; however, we were not disturbed during the +short time we remained. We here fell in with a considerable body of +Romana's army, apparently all confusion, and destitute of every thing. +We understood that they were not to be marched in the same line we were +taking, but that it had been concerted between the two generals that our +route should be kept free; however, here, and for several days +afterwards, we suffered greatly from their contiguity. + +We continued our march from Astorga the same day, and reached at night +the village of Foncevadon, about twenty miles distant. Here we pigged +in as well as we were able, there being only five or six houses; but as +we had a few tents with us, we managed not amiss. Till now our brigade +had formed the rear of the infantry, there being some cavalry in rear of +us; but it was now determined that ours and the Light German Brigade +under Brigadier-general Charles Alten, should strike off from the great +road, and take the route for Orense and Vigo. This was done, I +understand, with a view to secure a passage across the Minho at the +former place, should Sir John, with the main army, be compelled to +retreat in that direction, and probably with the view also of drawing +off a part of the enemy's overwhelming force from the pursuit of that +body, and to induce them to follow us into the mountains. +Notwithstanding this, they continued to pursue Sir John on the great +road, whilst they left us free altogether. + +I beg to notice here, that both Mr Gifford and Mr Moore (Sir John's +brother), have fallen into a trifling error respecting the period of our +separation from the main body, they both making us be detached before +our arrival at Astorga, whereas it was not till we had passed a day's +march beyond it that we were sent off. The thing is of no consequence, +only it is as well to be correct. + +The next day, the 1st of January 1809, we marched by a most difficult +road through the mountains, to Ponferrada, situated about a league to +the left of the great road to Corunna, on which the main army was +retreating. When we got in, our commissary immediately made a +requisition to the Alcalde of the town, to provide bread for the two +brigades, as we began to be in most fearful want. He promised to set the +bakers to work immediately, and in a few hours, he said, the bread would +be ready. We called on him repeatedly, without obtaining any, he still +alleging it was not yet quite ready, and putting us off from time to +time, till midnight, when the patience of our commissary being fairly +worn out, he yielded to the anger so naturally inspired by such +shuffling conduct, and used some strong language to the Alcalde. +Whereupon, we discovered at once that he had been only amusing us with +promises he did not intend to fulfil; and told the commissary that he +did not fear any of his threats, for that, as Romana's army had now also +entered the town, he had no doubt they would protect him, and revenge +any insult offered to him. The commissary had indeed talked about +hanging him for his double-dealing, and leaving the troops utterly +starving; but if he could have got any bread ready, it is most natural +to suppose he would prefer letting his own countrymen have it; this, +however, as might be expected, had a most pernicious effect upon our +suffering soldiers, for when provisions could not be procured in the +regular and ordinary mode, it is evident they would take them wherever +they were to be found--for hunger is not easily borne, accompanied by +incessant fatigue. In the morning, when we turned out to continue our +march towards Orense, we heard a heavy firing towards our right and +front, and this proved to be an attack made by the enemy's light troops +upon our first battalion, who, with some cavalry, had been left in +Cacabelos as a rearguard. Our first battalion gained great credit for +their conduct on this occasion. The force of the enemy greatly exceeded +ours, yet our people drove them back with great loss, killing General +Colbert, who commanded the advance. This was done by a noted pickle of +the name of Tom Plunkett, who, fearless of all danger to himself, got +sufficiently nigh to make sure of his mark, and shot him, which, with +the fire of the others, caused great havoc in the enemy's ranks, and set +them flying to the rear much faster than they advanced. Our situation +was thus, in a manner, in rear of the enemy's advance guard, yet they +did not turn in our direction. Cacabelos was distant from us only about +a league. + +Our road this day lay over high and almost inaccessible mountains, +deeply covered with snow. On the top of one of these, as our General was +passing the column, a cry was passed from the rear to open out to allow +him to pass, the road being very narrow. One of our men, as the General +came near, happened to say, loud enough for him to hear, that "he had +more need to give us some bread," or words to that effect, which so +exasperated the General, that he instantly halted the whole brigade, +ordered the man to be tried by a drum-head court-martial, and flogged +him on the spot. It was a severe, but perhaps necessary discipline, in +order to check in the bud the seeds of murmuring and insubordination, +although I own it appeared harsh. + +Our march was a long and toilsome one indeed, and did not terminate till +about ten at night, when we reached St Domingo-Flores, where nothing +could be procured but a very small quantity of black bread, the village +being quite small. Tired with the journey, we felt rather inclined to +sleep than eat; and, wet and dirty as we were, we laid ourselves down +till dawn, when we commenced another such day's march, and reached at +night the village of La Rua. During these two days, want and fatigue had +compelled many to fall out, some of whom, no doubt, perished in the snow +on the bleak mountains, over which our road, or rather path, had lain; +others fell into the hands of the enemy, and some few rejoined us after +having obtained some little refreshment from the natives. + +It would but be a repetition of the privations and fatigues we +underwent, to notice all that befell us on our way thence to Orense, +which place we reached on the 7th of January, having previously pushed +on, by double forced marches, a few hundred men, to take possession of +the bridge over the Minho at this place. Here we remained a day, and +obtained provisions, then much needed by us all, for the men had been +literally starving for several days past. We had time and opportunity +here also to strip and change our linen, that is, those who had a +change; the others washed the shirt they took off, sitting without one +till it was dry. Indeed, by this time we were in a most miserable +plight; our shoes, of course, were nearly all worn out, and many +travelling barefoot; and our clothes, as might be expected, were ragged +and filthy in the extreme; indeed they could not be otherwise, for I +suppose none of us had put any thing off since we commenced the retreat. +This day's rest, however, refreshed us greatly, and enabled us to +perform the remainder of our toilsome journey with more comfort; indeed, +since we had secured the passage of the Minho, and thus prevented the +enemy from getting in before us, our minds were more at ease, for strong +apprehensions were entertained that the French would have detached a +corps from their main body to seize this pass, and thus cut off our +retreat to Vigo. A part of Romana's army entered Orense before we left +it, worse, if possible, in point of appearance than ourselves; but they, +in their best days, are more like an armed mob than regularly organized +soldiers. + +It is a pity that Romana did not adopt the plan pointed out to him by +Sir John Moore, either to retire into the Asturias with his army +unbroken, or hang upon the flanks of the enemy as he passed through the +mountains; and which he could have done with ease and safety, for these +fellows could live where regular troops would starve, and there was no +doubt but the peasantry would have assisted their countrymen with all +their means. This would have in some measure retarded the too rapid +progress of the French, and probably been the means of saving to our +country one of its bravest and most skilful generals. + +Some of our men who had been compelled to stop behind from fatigue and +starvation, rejoined us here, having generally been assisted by the +peasantry, who gave them food, and helped them forward. + +On the 9th, in the morning, we left Orense, crossing the Minho to the +north side of that river, and continued our march to the town of +Ribadavia, situated at the junction of the rivers Avia and Minho, both +of which, from the melting of the snow, and the immense quantities of +rain that had fallen, were greatly swollen. So much so, that when I +approached the town with the baggage, (the troops having gone on +before,) and which I did not reach till near midnight, I found the road +completely overflowed with water; and being without a guide, I could not +of course in the night be certain where the road lay, the whole bank of +the river being completely under water. We were in consequence obliged +to climb the mountains to our left, and proceed in the best manner we +were able with the loaded mules; but so precipitous were they in one +place, that a load of ammunition slid off the mule's back, and the casks +rolled rapidly down the hill towards the river. I durst not venture to +leave them, although my chance of finding them in such a situation +appeared small indeed; however, we halted the remainder of the mules, +while a few of us set off down the steep in the direction we had seen +them go, and after a long and anxious groping in every hollow of the +rocky mountain, succeeded in recovering them; but the powder in them, +and indeed nearly all the ammunition we had, was rendered completely +useless, from the constant heavy rain that had fallen. I am almost +astonished that no accident happened to either man or beast in this +perilous journey, for our feet literally "stumbled upon the dark +mountains," without either guide or path, and where the ground was most +uneven and dangerous. We however at length reached our destination, wet +and weary enough, and, just as we entered the town, were informed that +the corridor of one of the convents where two of our companies were +sleeping, had just fallen to the ground with a tremendous crash, and +that several men had had their limbs broken by the fall; I do not +remember that any were killed. It being so late, I could not procure any +kind of quarter, so I was fain to sit down by the side of a fire kindled +in the yard of this convent for the remainder of the night. + +We next morning resumed our journey, and in three days more from this +place we reached Vigo. On this last day's march we had a pretty high +eminence to ascend at some distance from the town, from which the view +of the town, the shipping, and the sea, broke all at once upon us. It +was a most delightful prospect, and it was highly amusing to observe the +joy which seemed to animate the woe-worn countenances of our ragged and +dirty soldiers. Fellows without a shoe or a stocking, and who before +were shuffling along with sore and lacerated feet like so many lame +ducks, now made an attempt to dance for joy; laughter and mirth, and the +joke, now succeeded to the gloomy silence with which they had in general +prosecuted their wearisome journey for several days past, as the +friendly element before them promised shortly to put a period to long +and toilsome wanderings. Indeed, although I am a bad sailor, and suffer +always severely when at sea, I do not remember ever to have witnessed a +sight which inspired me with greater pleasure than the shipping and the +sea did on this occasion. + +The fleet of transports for the army under Sir John Moore, was just +clearing the bay as we came in sight, but we observed that a sufficient +number remained at Vigo to transport us to our native land, a place we +sorely longed for, as we had often contrasted the happiness and security +and comfort of our friends at home, with the poverty and misery we had +lately witnessed in the country we were leaving; and this no doubt +increased our anxiety for the change. We marched into Vigo, and were +soon after put on board the vessels destined to receive us. It was my +fortune to be sent on board the Alfred, 74, with two of our companies; a +great number of men were still behind, for even the few last days' +marches had deprived us of many who till then had braved the toils and +privations of the journey, but who now had fairly sunk under exhaustion. +The Commodore, therefore, remained as long in the bay as it was safe, +sending the stragglers as they arrived on board the different ships; but +within a few days after our arrival, the enemy entered the town, which +of course precluded all hope of more escaping. We consequently weighed +and stood out towards the outer bay, where we again came to anchor. + +A Russian ship-of-war was in a small harbour in this bay, which it was +intended to board and cut out. As we were then, I believe, on rather bad +terms with that nation, never did I witness such alacrity and delight as +our tars on board the Alfred manifested when buckling on their cutlasses +for the occasion, and I feel certain that if confidence in themselves +would tend to insure the victory, no men had a better chance of +succeeding; but from some cause or other with which I am unacquainted, +the enterprise was abandoned. + +On the 21st January we weighed and stood out to sea; but a gale coming +on we were obliged to come to anchor again under the shelter of the +Isle of Bagona. We did not get to sea till the 24th, but on the 25th we +spoke a frigate going out to Lisbon with General Dyatt on board, who +informed us of the fatal business at Corunna. Indeed the people on board +this ship had, from vague reports, greatly magnified our loss on that +occasion, telling us that the whole army had been nearly cut to pieces, +and that very few indeed had been able to effect their escape. We each, +of course, mourned for his particular friends, not doubting but they had +fallen among the rest. I think it was the same night on which we saw +this ship, a fatal accident had very nigh taken place. Our captain was +the Commodore, and the captain of the Hindostan store-ship had charge of +the rear of the fleet; his place was consequently always behind all the +other vessels. Some time after dark, however, our look-out people gave +notice of a large vessel on our starboard quarter. We shortened sail and +let her come up pretty close to us, and made the private signal, but no +answer was returned. At length, when near enough, we hailed her, but +still no answer. An order was now given to stand to quarters and prepare +for action, not doubting she was an enemy which had got among the fleet. +The guns were accordingly run out, the matches lit, and every thing +prepared for action. She appeared a large ship, but of what force they +could not guess. Again she was hailed, and again she disregarded it. Our +first lieutenant was now fully convinced she was an enemy, and pleaded +hard with the captain to give the word fire, but the captain said he +would hail her once more, and if she did not answer he would fire. +Providentially they heard us this time, and answered it was the +Hindostan. What they had been about I know not, for we were quite near +each other; and had she received our broadside, as was the intention had +she not then answered, it is most probable she would have gone down; at +all events the consequences must have been awful, for she had the whole +of the 43d regiment on board, besides her own crew. Our captain +certainly censured him in no very mild terms for leaving his station in +the rear, and getting to the very head of the fleet. She was a very +lofty ship, and carried forty-four guns I believe, and had not less than +1000 men on board, many of whom must have suffered had we fired upon +her. + +A few days after this we encountered a most tremendous gale, and came in +sight of the English coast, somewhere near the Lizard or the Start; but +our master not knowing exactly where he was, we stood off again towards +the French coast. + +The next day the gale was if possible more severe, and the ship rolled +so much that they were afraid her guns would break loose from their +lashings, in consequence of which large spikes were driven in behind the +wheels of each gun-carriage to prevent such an accident. In this +situation, I know not whether I did not almost wish myself on the snowy +mountains of Galicia again, rather than where I was, so miserable a +sailor am I, and so much do I suffer from sea-sickness. + +The fleet was by this time completely scattered, every one making the +best shift he could for himself; some got into Plymouth, some reached +Portsmouth, and some, I believe, foundered in the gale, among which, if +I mistake not, was a brig, on board of which my two companies had been +first embarked, but were subsequently removed to the Alfred, and some of +the German Legion, I think, put on board her. + +At length we made the Isle of Wight, and subsequently Spithead, which we +reached on the 31st, and the next day landed once more on the happy +shore of our native Britain. Thankful indeed I ought to have been for +the ever watchful care of an indulgent and kind Providence, who had +brought me safely through the toils and sufferings under which so many +more robust and hardy than myself had sunk; but, alas! I had then no +sense of the gratitude due for such unmerited favours, and instead of +rendering thanks to Him who had thus preserved me, I entered, with all +the eagerness of a person devoid of reason and religion, into every vice +and sensuality that presented itself. I here learnt with sorrow the +great loss which my friends in the first battalion had sustained, but +glad nevertheless that it was not to the extent we apprehended, and that +none of my particular friends had fallen. + +We left Portsmouth, and returned to our old quarters at Hythe, in Kent, +passing again on the road my native county militia at Battle, in Sussex, +as I did at Bury, on my return from Holland; and truly our appearance on +this occasion was, if possible, more deplorable than on the former. +However, our tattered and worn-out habiliments had the effect of +inspiring some of my countrymen in that regiment with a desire of +sharing in the glory, as they termed it, of suffering so much in the +defence of our beloved country; and they accordingly made up their minds +to volunteer into our corps the first opportunity that offered, and +which they put in execution that same year, as will be told hereafter. +We took up our abode in the comfortable barracks at Hythe, and +immediately set about putting every thing in order, and truly much was +wanting to fit us again for duty as soldiers. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + + Volunteering--Farther Promotion--Embarks for Portugal, with two + Companies of the Second Battalion--Debark at Cadiz--Advance to the + Isla--The French occupy all the adjacent Towns, except Cadiz and the + Isla--Cannonading--Spanish Army--Detachment of the Allied Army sent + Around by Gibraltar and Chiclana, to take the Enemy in the rear of + his works, and compel him either to fight or abandon them--Come up + with a portion of the Enemy in the vicinity of Veger--Bravery of the + British--The Enemy repulsed with great Loss, but, from the apathy + and misconduct of General La Pena, and the Spaniards under his + command, the French are allowed to retain their Works in the + vicinity of Cadiz. + + +In April of this year, an order was issued to allow the militia +regiments to volunteer, for the purpose of filling up the regiments of +the line; and I was sent by Colonel Beckwith (our two battalions being +then both at Hythe) to receive those who chose to volunteer from the +Northumberland militia before-mentioned, which had now been removed to +Ipswich. Lieutenant Beckwith had the charge of our party, but proceeded +_incog._ to Ipswich, the general orders not permitting officers of the +line to be seen in the quarters of the militia. On our arrival at +Ipswich, I had the pleasure of obtaining the names of thirty fine young +fellows, among whom the patriots formerly mentioned of course were +included. Several other militia regiments in this district also gave +volunteers to us, so that in three days, from the commencement of the +volunteering, we obtained upwards of 1100 men; and had we not, by an +order from the Horse-Guards, been precluded from taking any more, I +doubt not we should have obtained several hundreds besides, for our +regiment alone had near eighty names down for us, who were not allowed +to enter from the above cause. Indeed the Commander-in-Chief, Sir David +Dundas, (afterwards our Colonel,) appeared quite astonished, and not +well pleased, that we had run away with so many men when others wanted +them so much. He was obliged, however, to grant us a 3d battalion, as we +had so many more men than were required to fill up the 1st and 2d; and +our respected Colonel, Major-general Coote Manningham, dying about this +time of the fatigue he had undergone in Spain, Sir David took us to +himself, and became our Colonel-in-Chief, giving the command of the 3d +battalion to my respected (and now lamented) friend and benefactor, +Major-general the Honourable William Stewart. The Lieutenant-colonelcy +was given to Major Norman M'Leod, our senior Major, and only two or +three other steps were given to the officers of the regiment, although +it was alone owing to their exertions in obtaining men, and to the high +character the regiment had acquired, that such numbers had volunteered +into it. + +It becomes not me to censure or criticise the measures of government, +but I cannot help thinking that more favour was certainly due to the +corps as a body. For myself, I ought and must speak with gratitude, not +of them, but of that kind Providence which has favoured me so far, so +very far, beyond my deserts, for, on the 8th of June following, I was +appointed Quartermaster of the 3d battalion. + +Our 1st battalion was again sent out to join the army in Portugal, while +mine was sent to Brabournlees to equip and drill our new levies. Every +exertion was made to this effect, and the battalion was soon completed +and rendered fit for service. Here my wife joined me again, the child to +which she gave birth in my absence having died when six weeks old. This +was the only child she ever had, and it was perhaps a providential +dispensation, for she was extremely delicate, and by no means a healthy +person, and it is not unlikely her offspring might have inherited her +disease, that is, an affection of the chest. We had only lived a few +months together, till another call for service separated us again. + +In June 1810, we received orders to send out to Cadiz two companies of +my battalion, together with the commanding-officer and staff, three +others having been already sent thither in the spring. The melancholy +business of parting with my wife was again to be gone through; but on +this occasion I was favoured by being permitted to accompany her to +London, where, parting from her with a heavy heart, I took my place for +Chichester, at which place my detachment would be quartered next day, on +their way to Portsmouth. I omitted to mention, that Lieutenant-colonel +Barnard of the 1st or Royals, had exchanged with Lieutenant-colonel +M'Leod some time previous, and he consequently was now going out as my +commanding-officer. We embarked at Portsmouth on the 11th July, on board +the Mercury frigate, armed _en flute_, and commanded by Captain Tancock. + +We had a favourable passage, and landed at Cadiz on the 29th of that +month. This city, it may be remembered, was besieged at this time by a +French army under Marshal Victor; consequently, when we arrived, we were +amused by seeing immense shells flying from one party to the other, but +without doing any serious injury to either, the distance being too great +to produce any effect of moment. As we came in sight of Cadiz, the view +was most enchanting, for the city appeared as if composed of lofty and +elegant snow-white buildings, apparently rising from the bosom of the +ocean, for the land on which it is built cannot be seen at a distance; +added to which, the numerous and beautiful towns about the bay, and a +little beyond it, rendered it a most delightful scene. On the right was +Cadiz, with its lofty lighthouse, and its strong sea-walls rising out of +the water; on the left was Rota, an apparently neat little town. Farther +up the bay, on the same side, was Port St Mary's, and beyond that +Porto Real, both considerable towns. In the centre rises the Isla de +Leon, now called St Ferdinand; beyond that Chiclana, composed of the +elegant country residences of the more wealthy Cadiz merchants; and, in +the distance, towering on the mountains behind, the dazzling white town +of Medina Sidonia shining in the sun; indeed altogether imagination can +scarcely picture to itself a more interesting _coup-d'oeil_, the scene +being closed by the lofty snow-clad mountains of Ronda. We landed at +Cadiz, and remained for the night in the barracks situated in the +barrier, on the land-side of the town, and which is remarkably strong, +the fortifications being composed of solid masonry, and the barracks all +bomb-proof. I suffered dreadfully from the myriads of fleas which preyed +upon me during the night, and was glad when morning appeared. + +We marched next day to the Isla, (be it observed the town is called by +that name as well as the island on which it and Cadiz are situated,) +distant from Cadiz about seven miles; the island is of a most singular +form, being about ten miles broad at the end next the continent, from +which it is separated by the river Santi Petri; immediately below the +town of Isla it begins to narrow very rapidly, forming from thence to +Cadiz nothing more than a narrow sand-bank, in some places not more +than a hundred yards across, and on which a causeway has been built to +connect the two places. We took up our abode in the Isla, where the +Spanish government, such as it was, at this time resided; and here I +witnessed the first opening of the Spanish Cortes in 1810, which was +attended with all the pomp and show of a truly Roman Catholic people. +_Te Deums_ and other pompous and brilliant ceremonies marked the event; +indeed, here we had an opportunity of seeing a great number of the +grandees of the Spanish nation, for, as I said before, the government +had retired to this place from Madrid, and most of the courtiers and +others attached to the government had assembled here, together with the +deputies from the different provinces; altogether the scenes we +witnessed here were sometimes very imposing. + +The French occupied all the towns before named save Cadiz and Isla, +their advanced piquets being thrown forward to near the river Santi +Petri, except near the Bridge of Luaza, which is the only communication +across from the island to the mainland; here our pickets were advanced a +considerable distance beyond the bridge upon a causeway on which is the +road leading to Seville, through a broad salt marsh on the banks of the +river; it is here about two miles wide, and utterly impassable, except +to those who know the footpaths across it, being intersected at every +few paces by deep salt-pits or pans. The enemy, as mentioned before, had +their sentries at some parts pretty far into the centre of this marsh, +and there were some fellows in the Spanish service called by the name of +"creepers," they obtaining their livelihood by killing sea-fowl and +other animals in this marsh; and so dexterous were they at this +_creeping_, that they could steal upon the birds unperceived, which +enabled them to get them with ease. Sometimes a fellow of this calling +would set off on a _creeping_ excursion, and instead of bagging a +wild-duck, or some other such bird, would plunge his stiletto into the +heart of an unsuspecting French sentry, and leave him weltering in his +gore. This was a noble exploit in their estimation, and marks strongly +the character of the Spaniard, who, inured to blood by the frequency of +their bull-fights and other similar exhibitions, hesitates not a moment +at assassination if urged on by what he deems his own or country's +wrongs; this inhuman act, of course, was perpetrated in the dark. + +I may mention, in connexion with this, that on the Christmas of 1810, it +was reported that sixteen people had been assassinated in Isla alone, on +the evening or night before; it is probable the number may have been +exaggerated, but the thing was such an almost everyday occurrence that +it appeared not to excite the least horror at its atrocity. I had +occasion to go down the town during the Christmas day, and I saw still +lying at the corner of one of the most frequented streets, one of the +unhappy beings who had thus fallen. No one seemed inclined to own him; +and his body, foul with blood and dust, was thus permitted to remain in +the public streets without any enquiry being made with respect to the +perpetrator of so foul a deed. In truth they are, as it were, trained up +to this recklessness of human life from their infancy, for in the town +of Isla there was a sort of naval academy, where a number of boys, from +perhaps eight to twelve years of age, were educated; these urchins were +permitted to wear swords, and it is really astonishing how desirous they +appeared to make use of them, for they could scarcely ever pass along +the streets without trying the sharpness of their points upon the backs +of pigs or dogs, or any other unfortunate animal that came in their way. + +The French also occupied a long low tongue of land which stretches out +into the Bay of Cadiz, taking its rise from between Port St Mary's and +Porto Real, and extending to within about two and a half miles of Cadiz, +and about one from Puntalis, a fort erected on the island opposite the +extremity of this low tongue; this is called the Trocadero, since become +famous as the field on which the Duke D'Angouleme, and Prince Carignan +of Naples, gained so many honours. On the point of this tongue the +enemy's principal batteries were erected, and from thence they contrived +occasionally, but not often, and never with any great effect, to throw +shells into the town of Cadiz. The mortar now in St James' Park, called +the "Prince Regent's bomb," was cast at Seville on purpose to enable +them to reach the town, no ordnance of common dimensions being capable +of throwing a shell so far; but it did not answer the end proposed, or +at least the effect expected from it, for it was imagined by them, that +if they could once succeed in throwing shells into the city, the +inhabitants would become so alarmed that they would compel the military +to surrender. This, however, was far from being realized, although they +did throw a few in; but the distance being so great, they were +necessarily thrown much at random, some of them falling short of the +town, others flying completely over into the bay near the lighthouse on +the other side, and some few, as I said, falling in the city, but from +which very few casualties occurred.[2] I am told they were obliged to +have the mortar slung in chains at the time of firing it, the +concussion being so great as to destroy the bed in which it was fixed. +As may be supposed, there was constant war between our fort Puntalis, +before mentioned, and the enemy's batteries on this point; in fact our +people had orders to throw a thirteen-inch shell every quarter of an +hour, besides the occasional firing from the guns and other mortars when +any thing appeared on the opposite side; and you may be certain the +French were not behind us in the expenditure of ammunition; they were +remarkably fond of firing what are termed salvos, that is, volleys of +artillery. On one occasion I happened to be looking out from a high +tower near Isla, called the Tore Alto, and while all was deep and +profound silence, and I happened to be looking towards the point of +Trocadero, in a moment the smoke rose from at least 100 pieces of +artillery, fired by signal, and the noise they made was tremendous. Our +poor little fort of Puntalis appeared almost enveloped in the dust +raised by the striking of the shot, and the smoke from them which fell +about it, and seemed as if almost deprived of power by so sudden and +unexpected a salute; but she began at length to return the compliment, +although feebly in comparison of the tremendous volley she had received. +This and such like were of frequent occurrence, scarcely a day passing +without something interesting taking place. + +To enable us to cope in some measure with the French, a large double +fortified sea-mortar was brought from Gibraltar, which threw +thirteen-inch shells. It was brought up to the back of the town of Isla, +near some powder magazines, and an attempt made there to throw some +shells over to the Trocadero. The first trial, an empty shell was put +in, with not less than thirty-two pounds of powder in the chamber. On +firing it, the shell flew all to atoms, from the violent shock +occasioned by so great a quantity of powder; and the shell being too +weak for that description of mortar, another was tried filled with sand, +to give it more weight and solidity; this answered the purpose, for it +fell on the land on the opposite coast, but still, from the great range, +much uncertainty must naturally attend the practice, and it was +eventually given up. The next day, however, we were saluted from the +opposite side with both shot and shell, the French thus showing us that +they were better able to play at long bowls than we were; neither, +however, did their practice continue, for there was nothing at the point +where their shot and shells fell to be injured by them, the magazines +before noticed being now empty. + +On another occasion an attack was made by our people on the Trocadero +itself, where it was reported the French had got a considerable number +of boats, &c., laid up on shore, about half-way between the point and +Porto Real; our folks took gun-boats and boats with rockets, the +intention being to set fire to the enemy's craft. They accordingly +advanced in good style, keeping as far, however, as possible out of the +range of the French batteries at the point, which, as they were directed +towards Cadiz and Puntalis, could not easily bring their artillery to +bear upon our boats. They reached the place where it was said the French +craft was lying, and fired a considerable number of rockets, but without +being able to effect any thing farther than burning one boat, I believe. +As they were returning, however, they met the French commander, who had +been down to the point in a light boat, and he, like a brave fellow, +determined to run completely the gauntlet rather than return, keeping as +close in shore, however, as possible. The whole of our gun-boats fired +at him as he passed, and knocked the water up about him in all +directions without ever once touching him, although, to look at him, one +would have imagined it impossible he could escape; but here the old +soldier's adage was verified, for there was still more room to miss than +to hit him, and he accordingly escaped scot-free. + +While here, I had a most ample opportunity of closely viewing the +Spanish army, great numbers being stationed in and about the Isla, and +great numbers constantly coming into and going out of the place, after +receiving such equipment as the government was able to provide for them. +Nothing could exceed the hardy and robust appearance of the men in +general; and had they been clothed, appointed, and disciplined like +either their enemies or their allies, there could not have been a finer +soldiery. I cannot, however, say so much for their officers; most of +them appeared to be utterly unfit and unable to command their men. Those +who had the means, seemed to think of nothing else but dressing like +apes or mountebanks, and intriguing with the women. It was really absurd +and ludicrous to see the strange figures they generally made themselves. +In one regiment alone you might have observed more different uniforms +than both we and the French have in all our armies. One would have had +on a blue coat turned up with red, with a chaco and a straight sword, +the uniform prescribed for officers of the infantry, I believe; the next +would have most likely had on a hussar dress, with an enormous sabre +dangling by his side; another would have had a red coat, a fourth +yellow, a fifth white, and so on. In short, all the colours of the +rainbow were generally exhibited in the uniforms of one regiment's +officers; and every one of them appeared to vie with the other who could +make the greatest harlequin of himself, whilst those of them who were +mounted would caper and prance about the streets like so many fools, +riding with their legs at full stretch, and the toe of the boot (if they +had one) just touching the stirrup, and drawing the reins continually +through the fingers of their right hand; and if by any chance an ape of +this kind came near the window of his dulcinea, and thought there was a +likelihood of her seeing him, I pitied the poor foot-passengers who +might happen to be near him, for he would make his unfortunate Rosinante +prance and caper by the immense long bit in its mouth, and the pieces of +iron in the shape of spurs on his (shoes perhaps), till the poor animal +was like to fall under him. In short, they had all the pride, arrogance, +and self-sufficiency of the best officers in the world, with the very +least of all pretension to have an high opinion of themselves; it is +true they were not all alike, but the majority of them were the most +haughty, and at the same time the most contemptible creatures in the +shape of officers, that I ever beheld. It was, therefore, not to be +expected that the soldiers would or could look upon them with that +degree of respect and reverence so essential to a due maintenance of +subordination in an army. + +About the month of February 1811, it was concerted between the Spanish +government and General Graham, who commanded us, to undertake an +expedition which should land in the vicinity of Gibraltar; and being +there reinforced by some troops from that fortress, the whole should +move forward in the direction of Chiclana, and, taking the enemy in the +rear of his works, compel him either to abandon them or fight a battle. +Accordingly, on the 18th of that month, we embarked on board some small +vessels that had been fitted up for the occasion in the bay of Cadiz, +and, sailing soon after, we reached Algeziras, ten miles on this side of +Gibraltar, and landed there on the 24th. Our force consisted of a +brigade of artillery, with ten guns; two battalions of Foot Guards; the +28th, 67th, and 87th regiments; a battalion composed of flank companies +from Gibraltar; two companies of the 47th regiment, and two of the 20th +Portuguese regiment, with six companies of our corps and one squadron of +cavalry,--in all about 4500 men. The Spanish army, under the command of +General La Pena, (who, being senior officer, directed the whole,) +consisted of two divisions,--in all from ten to eleven thousand. We were +not allowed to take any baggage with us, consequently we could not +expect much comfort during the service, which was expected to be short. +The day we landed we bivouacked on a height near Algeziras, and the next +morning moved on towards Tarifa, where we remained for that day and the +next, to allow time to get the artillery and cavalry horses on shore. +Here I observed a strange custom among the females of this place, the +remains, I apprehend, of the Moorish fashion, (which no doubt would +continue longer in this place than others, it being immediately opposite +to and in sight of Africa.) The Spanish women all wear what they term a +mantilla, that is, a kind of scarf made of cloth, generally black, which +they throw over their heads lengthwise, letting the two ends come over +their shoulders, and meeting and crossing on the breast, it forms a sort +of head-dress which shows only the face, and keeps them close and snug +about the head; but here, they bring it so far forward as to completely +cover the face, leaving nothing but a very small hole in front of their +left eye (I think it is), at which they peep out, without showing any +part of the face. Colonel Brown of the 28th, who was then a most wild +and eccentric character, although now I understand completely altered, +could not relish this hiding of their beauty by the modest dames of +Tarifa. All, therefore, that he met in the streets he stopped, and made +them open the mantilla, that he might have a fair peep at them, to the +great scandal of the good ladies of this still Moorish town, and which, +had it been on any other occasion, might have been attended with +unpleasant consequences to himself. + +When every thing was ready we moved forward from Tarifa, and halted for +the night on a height about twelve miles distant. The next day we +reached Casas Vejas, or "Old Houses," where we bivouacked on a scrubby +hill, the weather being very bitter, which we felt in all its force, +having no covering whatever. Next day we had to cross a considerable +lake of fresh water, by a sort of ford which crossed it about the +middle. We had started before daylight, and, through some mismanagement, +did not reach this lake till near mid-day, although it was only a few +miles distant from our last night's quarters. One division of the +Spaniards led the column, and another was behind us, we being thus in +the centre, as being the least thought of probably by our Spanish +Commander-in-Chief; for indeed we had often heard it said in and about +Isla, "what fine-looking and well-disciplined soldiers the British +are!--what a pity they cannot fight!" So thought La Pena, probably; but +by two o'clock the first division of Spaniards had not near got over the +lake, at which the patience of our General was so completely exhausted, +that he requested the Spanish General to allow him to bring forward the +British troops, to show him the way how he and they would act. My +battalion led the van, and were ordered to march straight through it +without any picking of steps, and to go forward in regular sections, one +man supporting another. They went in and marched right through it, as if +it had been plain ground, the water taking them generally about +mid-deep. The rest of the British army followed, and were all through in +less than half an hour; a one-horse cart, indeed, stuck fast in the +middle of it, from the wheels having got entangled between the large +stones at the bottom. General Graham seeing this, instantly dismounted, +and, plunging in, set his shoulder to the wheel, and fairly lifted it +clear of the obstruction. + +La Pena, and those about him, after witnessing the example set them by +our General and his troops, seemed really ashamed of their former +conduct, and, setting to in good earnest, they contrived to urge their +soldiers and officers to take the water with more freedom, and before +dark the whole army had got over. While we were so long detained by the +first division of Spaniards getting across, I, with several other +mounted people, rode forward to the ford, to ascertain the cause of our +stoppage for so long a time. The Spaniards were going into the water one +at a time,--here one, and there one,--while the creatures of officers +were making the men carry them on their backs. Had the whole army acted +thus, we should not have got over before daylight next morning. + +When all were across, and the columns formed, we moved forward, and +reached the neighbourhood of Veger, which stands on a high hill not far +distant from the memorable Cape Trafalgar. We halted in an olive-grove +below the town, and bivouacked for the night; it was bitter cold, and +the troops could find but little wood for firing, which they much +needed, from having got so completely wet in crossing the lake. + +We remained at Veger all the next day, and a little after dark commenced +our march. We being now in the neighbourhood of the enemy, it became +necessary to conceal our movements as much as possible. During the night +we passed the fishing town of Conil, and, keeping near the coast, we +arrived the next morning on the plain of Chiclana. I quote from our +General's dispatch, as it states the thing in a much more clear and +satisfactory manner than I could do. He says,--"After a night march of +sixteen hours from the camp (bivouack) near Veger, we arrived on the +morning of the 5th on the low ridge of Barossa, about four miles from +the Santi Petri river. This height extends inland about a mile and a +half, continuing on the north the extensive heathy plain of Chiclana. A +great pine-forest skirts the plain, and circles round the height at some +distance, terminating down towards Santi Petri, the intermediate space +between the north side of the height and the forest being uneven and +broken." + +The two Spanish divisions had preceded us, who, after having rested a +while on the plain, moved down towards the Santi Petri, where a bridge +was to be thrown over by the troops in the Isla de Leon, and thus open a +communication between the two armies, that is, between those inside the +island and us. + +The General goes on to say,--"A well-conducted and successful attack on +the rear of the enemy's lines, near Santi Petri, by the vanguard of the +Spanish army under Brigadier-general Ladrizabel, having opened the +communication with the Isla de Leon, I received General La Pena's +directions to move down from the position of Barossa to that of the +Torre de Bermesa, about half-way to the Santi Petri river, over which a +bridge had been lately established. This latter position occupies a +narrow woody ridge, the right on the sea-cliff, and the left falling +down to the Almanza creek, on the edge of the marsh; a hard sandy beach +gives an easy communication between the western points of these two +positions. + +"My division being halted on the eastern slope of the Barossa height, +was marched about twelve o'clock through the wood towards Bermesa, +(cavalry patrols having previously been sent towards Chiclana, without +meeting with the enemy.) On the march I received notice that the enemy +had appeared in force on the plain, and was advancing towards the +heights of Barossa. As I considered that position as the key of Santi +Petri, I immediately countermarched, in order to support the troops left +for its defence; and the alacrity with which this manoeuvre was +executed, served as a favourable omen. It was, however, impossible, in +such intricate and difficult ground, to preserve order in the columns, +and there never was time to restore it entirely. But before we could get +ourselves quite disentangled from the wood, the troops on the Barossa +hill were seen returning from it, while the enemy's left wing was +rapidly ascending. At the same time his right wing stood on the plain, +on the edge of the wood, within cannon-shot. A retreat in the face of +such an enemy, already within reach of the easy communication by the +sea-beach, must have involved the whole allied army in all the danger of +being attacked during the unavoidable confusion of the different corps +arriving on the narrow ridge of Bermesa nearly at the same time. + +"Trusting to the known heroism of British troops, regardless of the +numbers and position of the enemy, an immediate attack was determined +on. Major Duncan soon opened a powerful battery of ten guns in the +centre. Brigadier-general Dilkes, with the brigade of Guards, +Lieutenant-colonel Brown's (of the 28th) flank battalion, +Lieutenant-colonel Norcott's two companies of the 2d rifle corps, and +Major Acheson, with a part of the 67th, (separated from the regiment in +the wood,) formed on the right. + +"Colonel Wheately's brigade, (consisting of the 28th, 67th, and 87th,) +with three companies of the Coldstream Guards, under Lieutenant-colonel +Jackson (separated likewise from his battalion in the wood), and +Lieutenant-colonel Barnard's flank battalion (being two companies 47th, +two ditto 20th Portuguese, and four of third battalion 95th) formed on +the left. As soon as the infantry was thus hastily got together, the +guns advanced to a more favourable position, and kept up a destructive +fire. The right wing proceeded to the attack of General Ruffin's +division on the hill, while Lieutenant-colonel Barnard's flank +battalion, and Lieutenant-colonel Bush's detachment of the 20th +Portuguese, were warmly engaged with the enemy's tirailleurs on our +left. + +"General Laval's division, notwithstanding the havoc made by Major +Duncan's battery, continued to advance in very imposing masses, opening +his fire of musketry, and was only checked by that of the left wing. The +left wing now advanced firing. A most destructive charge, by the three +companies of the Guards and the 87th regiment, supported by all the +remainder of the wing, decided the defeat of General Laval's division. + +"The eagle of the 8th regiment of light infantry, which suffered +immensely, and a howitzer, rewarded this charge, and remained in +possession of Major Gough of the 87th regiment. These attacks were +zealously supported by Colonel Bilson with the 28th regiment, and +Lieutenant-colonel Prevost with a part of the 67th. A reserve, formed +beyond the narrow valley, across which the enemy was closely pursued, +next shared the same fate, and was routed by the same means. + +"Meanwhile, the right wing was not less successful. The enemy, confident +of success, met General Dilkes on the ascent of the hill, and the +contest was sanguinary; but the undaunted perseverance of the brigade of +Guards, of Lieutenant-colonel Brown's battalion, and of +Lieutenant-colonel Norcott's and Major Acheson's detachments, overcame +every obstacle, and General Ruffin's division was driven from the +heights in confusion, leaving two pieces of cannon. + +"No expressions of mine could do justice to the conduct of the troops +throughout--nothing less than the almost unparalleled exertions of every +officer, the invincible bravery of every soldier, and the most +determined devotion of the honour of his Majesty's arms in all, could +have achieved this brilliant success against such a formidable enemy, so +posted. In less than an hour and a half from the commencement of the +action, the enemy was in full retreat. The retiring divisions met, +halted, and seemed inclined to form; a new and more advanced position of +our artillery quickly dispersed them. The exhausted state of the troops +made pursuit impossible. A position was taken up on the eastern side of +the hill; and we were strengthened on our right by the return of two +Spanish regiments, that had been attached before to my division, but +which I had left on the hill, and which had been ordered to retire. + +"An eagle, six pieces of cannon, the General of Division Ruffin, and the +General of Brigade Rousseau, wounded and taken; the Chief of the Staff, +General Bellegarde, and aide-de-camp of Marshal Victor, and the colonel +of the 8th regiment, with many other officers killed, and several +wounded and taken prisoners, the field covered with the dead bodies of +the enemy, attest that my confidence in this division was nobly repaid. +The animated charges of the 87th regiment were most conspicuous. +Lieutenant-colonel Barnard, (twice wounded,) and the officers of his +flank-battalion, executed the duty of skirmishing in advance with the +enemy in a masterly manner; and were ably seconded by Lieutenant-Colonel +Bush, of the 20th Portuguese, who (likewise twice wounded) fell into +the enemy's hands, but was afterwards rescued." + +The dispatch contains many more acknowledgments, which, as they have no +connexion with my narrative, I have omitted. + +I beg now to make such remarks and observations as may tend to throw +light upon the different parts of the foregoing dispatch. + +The two Spanish battalions attached to our division, together with +Lieutenant-colonel Brown's flank-battalion, were left upon the height of +Barossa, when we moved down into the wood, in order to secure that +position till we had possessed ourselves of the height of Bermesa; but +we had not left the plain more than half an hour, I think, and descended +into the wood, till an officer came galloping after us, saying the +French had debouched from the wood, and were moving on to the high +ground in our rear, and had attacked the troops left there for its +defence. Orders were instantly given us to countermarch, and to get on +to the plain and into action as soon as possible. In coming about, one +of the guns got entangled with a pine-tree; there was no time to +disengage it, and setting to with the whip, they pushed the horses +forward, and tore up the tree completely by the roots, although one of +considerable size. I thought (as our General says) it appeared a good +omen, and that a trifling obstacle would not be allowed to impede their +career. + +When we reached the plain, and perceived the enemy, never did a finer +sight present itself. They were manoeuvring on the high ground before +us; and as Home says, + + "The hill they gained, and moving on its top, + Of more than mortal size, towering, they seemed + An host angelic, clad in burning arms." + +Those immediately in front of my battalion were the famed 8th regiment, +and consisted of two battalions of 700 men each; one was composed of +grenadiers, and the other of voltigeurs, or light infantry. The +grenadiers had long waving red plumes in their caps, at least a foot in +length; while the light infantry had feathers of the same length and +make, but green, with yellow tops. The whole of the French army had on +their best or holyday suits of clothing, with their arms as bright as +silver, and glancing in the sun as they moved in column, gave them +really a noble and martial appearance. We had no sooner cleared the wood +than we inclined to our left, and went immediately at them. Major +Duncan's guns commenced playing upon their column the moment he could +get a clear piece of ground. The two companies of the 47th, attached to +my battalion, were taken to cover and remain with the guns. Our people +extended as we went up the hill, the Portuguese supporting us in the +rear; and in a very short time we were hotly engaged with the fellows +with the beautiful green feathers, many of which fell on the ground in a +short time. As we advanced, the battalions to our right and in rear of +us got formed in line, and moving forward in fine style, took up +stronger ground in advance; the guns in the centre also moving onward, +and causing dreadful havoc in the enemy's ranks. + +Early in the action my horse was killed, being shot in the head, which +ball, had his head not stopped it, would in all probability have entered +my body. He fell like a stone. I then went on and joined the ranks, and +finding a rifle of a man that had just fallen, (poor little Croudace's +servant, who afterwards fell himself,) I took a few shots at them in +revenge for my horse. At this time the grenadier battalion of the 8th, +with their waving red plumes, began to advance in close column, the +drums beating all the time the _pas de charge_. They were supported by +other columns in their rear, together with one, the French 54th, which +they sent into the wood to try to turn our left. The 8th advanced, +notwithstanding the galling fire kept up by our people and the +Portuguese, every shot almost of which must have told, as they were in a +solid body, not more than from 100 to 150 yards' distance. Our people +were of course compelled to give way to this imposing column, when the +regiments on our right and in our rear, opening out upon them a +destructive fire, and the 87th and Guards immediately after attacking +them with the bayonet, their rout and discomfiture was complete. The +8th, which suffered most, and from whom the eagle was taken, never yet +got into line--nor did they intend, I believe--but advanced as a solid +body, (occasionally firing from their front,) till, coming in contact +with the regiments above mentioned, and in this state receiving the +charge, their loss was excessive, for they could not get away. I +understand, when the 87th charged, Ensign Keogh of that regiment made +the first attempt to wrench the eagle from the officer who carried it; +but in so doing he was run through by several of those who supported it, +and fell lifeless to the ground. Sergeant Masterson of that regiment +then dashed at it, and was more fortunate, he succeeding in securing it. +I understand there was some dispute between them and the Guards, who +charged at the same time with the 87th, to whom it properly belonged; +but I imagine the 87th must have been the captors, for Sergeant +Masterson soon after received a commission for his gallantry, and is now +a captain in that regiment. + +The 54th, the French regiment, which had been sent into the wood to turn +our left flank, by some means got entangled; for, except their light +company, no part of the regiment ever got into action again; and when +their columns were routed, they found some difficulty in effecting their +retreat. There is something rather extraordinary and very interesting in +the story of the eagle and the 8th regiment, if it be true, and which I +see no reason to doubt. They were one of the regiments, it is said, +which were engaged at Talavera, and were particularly distinguished; and +it is further said, that the 87th was one of the regiments opposed to +them, and over which they gained some advantage; that is, the French +troops caused the British brigade, in which the 87th was serving, to +retire with considerable loss; and that it was for their conduct in this +action that Bonaparte had placed a golden wreath of laurel round the +neck of the regimental eagle with his own hand. If such was the case, it +is most remarkable that the very regiment by whom they should have +obtained this honour, should be the regiment that deprived them of their +eagle, which had been so highly honoured. But here, poor fellows, +although they did not lose their honour, they lost very nearly the whole +regiment; for out of 1400 which entered the field, not more than 200 of +them entered Chiclana after the action. Indeed I never witnessed any +field so thickly strewed with dead as this plain was after the action; +and I feel confident, and all accounts agree in confirming the opinion, +that the loss of the French on this occasion was little short of 3000 +men; ours was about 1250. Here then we have a loss of 4000 men in about +an hour and a half, out of about 12,000 which composed the two armies. + +In this action, Colonel Bush was almost absurdly brave and conspicuous. +As soon as he got his Portuguese fairly into action, he rode slowly +backward and forward among them, with his spectacles on, crying out as +the balls whistled past him, "Que bella musica!" what delightful music! +Poor fellow, he did not ride there many minutes; for, being within a +very short distance of the enemy's tirailleurs so conspicuous an object, +it was not to be expected he could escape. He died a few days after the +action. + +Colonel Barnard, my commandant, (now Sir Andrew,) about the middle of +the action, received a severe wound, and was borne away to the rear. +Whilst the surgeon was dressing him, another shot struck him, and +inflicted, I believe, a worse wound than the former. The horses of my +battalion suffered greatly in proportion to their numbers. We had only +four in the field, two of which, Major Ross's and my own, were killed, +and Colonel Barnard's wounded; only the adjutant's escaped with a whole +skin. Indeed there was scarcely an officer or soldier in the action that +had not marks of shot about him. The caps of the tall guardsmen were +riddled as it were; while the greater part of the enemy's shot passed +over our little fellows, who were both too near them, and too low for +their fire. I may remark on this subject that the French generally fire +high, but here I think unusually so; for, after a considerable quantity +of ammunition had been expended by my battalion, it became my duty to +look out for a fresh supply. I accordingly posted off to the rear, where +I expected to have found some mules which had been attached to us, with +ammunition on their backs; but on my way thither, the ground was +actually ploughing up on all sides by the enemy's large shot, and their +musket-balls falling very thick; so much so, that some of our mules far +to the rear had been wounded, and the others had dispersed. Hence also +the second wound which my gallant commander received, where he ought to +have been completely out of danger. Some ammunition for our rifles was, +however, found in a one-horse cart belonging to the artillery, and out +of it those whose ammunition was expended were replenished. But during +my absence to the rear, the gallant and decisive charge had been made; +and when I again reached the front, I perceived the enemy's columns in +full retreat, covered by the remainder of their light troops, closely +followed by some of my people. The retreat was accordingly sounded to +recall them from the pursuit, and our brave and victorious little army +cheered the enemy as his beaten and disheartened columns left the field. + +Immediately after our army began to move off towards the Isla, our +General being, as I understood, so much exasperated with the apathy +evinced by the Spanish General, that he would no longer co-operate with +him, and consequently drew off our troops into the Isle of Leon. My +battalion, however, was destined to remain on the field all night to +protect the numerous wounded from any marauders, or small parties and +cavalry patrols of the enemy, which might happen to return. However, not +a Frenchman made his appearance there again that night. When it was +determined to withdraw the British army, Major Duncan, with great +humanity, (approved of course by our excellent General,) cast off from +the artillery-carriages all the spare ammunition, in order to make room +for as many of our wounded officers and soldiers as those carriages +could accommodate, and thus a considerable number of them were carried +from the field immediately. + +After they had left us, and my battalion was still standing in front of +the position last occupied by our troops, all having retired but +ourselves, and it now began to draw towards night, and we were preparing +to move off, an unfortunate French sergeant attracted our notice. Poor +fellow, he had been shot in the small of the back, and (on our surgeon +examining him) pronounced to be mortally. He appeared to be a man above +forty, and apparently a veteran, who had fought many a hard field; and +was, I think, one of the most respectable-looking men of his class that +I have seen. When he saw us preparing to leave him to his fate, the +expression of his countenance became the most piteous and beseeching +imaginable; imploring us in French not to leave him there to perish. My +heart bled for him; but unhappily we had no means of removing him, had +there even been a hope of his recovery. When he saw that his fate was +inevitable, he crawled in the best manner he was able to a broken +ammunition-box, and raising himself on his knees, supported by it, +besought that Being who never casts out the cry of the unfortunate, and +who, I sincerely hope, imparted to him that strength and comfort which +his unhappy circumstances so greatly required. I doubt not he was a +sincere Christian; never shall I forget the impression his unhappy fate +made on my mind. To be left in solitude and darkness on this +blood-stained heath, with the prospect of his own certain death before +his eyes, and without any to comfort him in his last agony, must indeed +have been a severe trial to his fortitude. Would to God I could have +relieved him! His case was not singular, it is true; but none ever +presented itself to my view under such truly affecting circumstances as +this unhappy veteran's did. + +After dark, my battalion retired over the field where the thickest of +the dead and wounded were strewed, and many were the dying groans which +struck upon our ears, as we traversed this bloody field; but, except +these groans, no sound was heard, where lately the din of arms had been +loud and fierce, and where war had raged in all its fury; till coming to +the house upon the sea-beach, where many of the wounded had been +collected, we were formed into square on a sand-hill near it, and in +this position rested on our arms for the remainder of the night. On our +way from the front, we passed not far from where my horse had fallen; +and as saddlery was scarce at Cadiz, I thought it would be prudent to +try to recover that on which I had been riding. I found it; but my horse +having fallen with his back inclined to the front, it was perforated by +shot in five places, and the tree was broken. However, I disengaged it, +and giving it to one of the men, whose rifle I carried in return, I got +it safely into Isla. + +About twelve at night, poor General Rousseau died, a cannon-shot having +carried away the greater part of the flesh of one of his thighs; and as +no other troops were near, the task of paying him the last sad duty +devolved upon me. I went to the house aforesaid, and procured a shovel +or a spade, and digging a hole in the sand by the light of the moon, his +body was deposited, where it in all probability will remain till the +last trumpet shall summon it to rise. Poor drunken Gilles, one of the +men I had employed on the occasion, pronounced the only service as he +was committed to the dust, which was, "God rest his soul!" I indeed +sincerely hope so. Poor Rousseau had been a noble soldier; in his pocket +was found a leave which he had obtained to return to France on account +of ill health; but in the prospect of the approaching action he had +delayed his departure, and thus fell a victim as it were to his +patriotism and his sense of honour. He was military governor of Xeres de +la Frontera, from whence we have our wine called Sherry, a corruption of +Xeres. He was a small slender person, and apparently had suffered +greatly from ill health. During the night some Spaniards were sent into +the field to look for and bring off the guns we had taken, which they +did. + +As it approached towards morning, Major Ross, seeing all was quiet, +moved us off by the beach towards our former quarters; and passing over +the position of Bermesa, which the Spaniards still occupied, and +crossing the Santi Petri by the lately erected bridge, we returned weary +and hungry to La Isla, and where our friends received us once again with +great cordiality. If my reader is not tired of the subject, I would just +beg to draw his attention for a moment to the circumstances attending +this action. The French troops were at least 7500 (some say 8000) +strong, well clothed and appointed, and apparently well fed, and fresh +from their cantonments, none of them probably having marched more than +four miles. They were some of the best in the French service, and +commanded by one of Bonaparte's ablest generals, a marshal of France, +Victor, Duke of Belluno. They occupied a fine position, having the +ground completely at their choice; while we did not muster more than +4500 at most. We had been marching for sixteen hours successively +through the night over bad roads; and being taken in a manner by +surprise, we came out of the wood _beneath_ the enemy, broken and +disjointed, and were instantly hurried into action. + +The French fought desperately; for when their marauding columns came +down upon us with an intrepidity seldom seen in the French army, and +opening out their heavy and destructive fire, my heart quaked within me +for the safety of our little army, and the honour of our country, for I +thought it would be impossible to resist them. However, the steady +valour of our troops repelled the assailants, and, taking advantage of +their proximity, charged as before stated, and completely overthrew +them. It is certain, as General Graham says, that _all_ must have done +their duty on this occasion; notwithstanding, we may sing with great +propriety, "Non nobis, Domine"--"Not unto us, O Lord, but unto thy name +be the praise;" for it is certain we must have been specially favoured +by a kind Providence, or it is impossible we could have gained _such_ a +victory under so many and so great disadvantages; for never was victory +more complete. In less than three hours from the first glimpse we had of +them as we debouched from the wood, a Frenchman was not to be seen in +all the field, save the numerous killed and wounded. + +Although our General did not say any thing in his public dispatch of the +abominable conduct of La Pena, no doubt he stated truly in his private +information how ill that General had behaved; for he and the 10,000 or +11,000 Spaniards he had with him remained within two miles of the field +of action, quiet and passive spectators of the scene, without making one +effort to support us had we been beaten, or to take advantage of the +victory should we gain it; and the consequence was, the French retained +their ground and works by which they invested Cadiz and La Isla, +whereas, had he made the slightest movement during or after the fight, +they would have all gone off, and the siege would have been raised, for +it is evident they contemplated and were prepared for this, the soldiers +having each three or four days' bread in his possession. + +A considerable number of other officers besides Generals Ruffin and +Rousseau were taken. Ruffin was wounded in the neck by a rifle-shot, +which touched the spinal marrow, depriving him of the use of his limbs. +He was soon after embarked for England, but died as he came within sight +of the Isle of Wight. He was an immense and a fine-looking man, about +six feet two inches or six feet three inches high, and ate enormously. +He every day received a mess from our General's table. The other +officers also were treated with the greatest politeness and attention, +dining first at one regimental mess, and then at another. They were +fully sensible of the kindness shown them, and expressed themselves very +grateful. They were afterwards sent to England. + +I cannot omit here noticing the high estimation in which General Graham +was held by every officer and soldier of this little army. I may truly +say, he lived in their affections; they not only looked up to him with +confidence as their commander, but they esteemed and respected him as +their firm friend and protector, which indeed he always showed himself +to be. + +In all my fighting I never was in an action where the chances of death +were so numerous as in this; and I may say, I never was in an action +where I was less prepared to die. It is therefore of the Lord's mercies +that he spared me--I hope, for good at last. + + +FOOTNOTE: + +[2] The distance to which the French threw these shells is truly +amazing. The longest range of heavy iron sea mortars is only about 4200 +yards, whereas the distance from the French batteries on the Trocadero +to the nearest point of Cadiz was, I believe, 4500 or more; but they +exceeded this considerably, for, as I said above, some of their shells +fell in the sea beyond the town, near the lighthouse, a distance of at +least 500 or 600 yards farther. The shells were always half filled with +lead, to increase their flight, so that when they burst the mischief +they occasioned was never extensive; I believe not more than about +half-a-dozen individuals suffered from them in all. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + + The 2d Battalion of the 95th Rifles ordered to proceed to + Portugal--Our Author visits England--Returns to Portugal, and + joins his Regiment at Rodrigo--The Army move towards + Badajos--Siege of Badajos--Badajos surrenders--Insubordination + among the Troops--Quelled by the prompt measures of Lord + Wellington. + + +We remained at Isla till June, without any thing of importance +occurring, but at this time I was brought nigh to death's door by the +bursting of a bloodvessel in the lungs. I was so ill that it was deemed +necessary to send me home for change of air, it being exceedingly hot at +this time at Isla. I was accordingly removed to Cadiz to wait for the +first ship returning to England, and while there I suffered greatly, not +being able to lie down in bed. However, before a vessel could be had, an +order was received for my battalion to proceed to Portugal, and our +esteemed commander was likewise ordered to proceed to that country. As I +felt myself somewhat better, I obtained permission to accompany my +battalion to Portugal, and I accordingly embarked with it at Cadiz on +the 30th of that month, on board a transport, the name of which I +forget. General Graham intended to have gone in a 50 gun ship that was +leaving that port for England, he being to be left at Lisbon in passing. +He sent an aide-de-camp on board to prepare for his reception; but he +met with such treatment while on board, as induced the General to alter +his plan and go in a frigate, on board which some of our people were +embarked. It is said, that after the aide-de-camp had been shown the +accommodation, the captain intimated to him, that it was expected the +military officers would always keep on the leeward side of the +quarter-deck. The windward side on board a man-of-war is considered the +most honourable, therefore this was in fact putting the General beneath +himself. He suffered, however, for his ill-timed assumption of +supremacy, for there was a quantity of specie at Cadiz which was to be +transported at the same time for the use of the army in Portugal, and +which was intended to have gone in the ship with the General; but after +this reception of his aide-de-camp, and the imperious condition attached +to his going in this ship, he went on board the frigate with his suite, +and took the money with him, thus depriving him of a considerable +premium for its transport, to which he would have been entitled had the +General gone with him. He, however, being the senior officer, we were +all put under his charge, save the frigate before mentioned, and we were +greatly annoyed by him during our passage, which our master said he +prolonged in looking out for American merchantmen, there being then an +appearance of war between the two countries. They said he actually +detained one or two which left Cadiz when we did, and that he fired +small arms into them to bring them to, although war had not been +declared. One day during the passage he made a signal to the transports +which we did not immediately perceive. We were astonished at the report +of a gun, and at the same time a cannon-shot whizzed past our rigging. +This is not, I believe, customary, a blank gun being generally fired +first, and when nothing else will do, a shot a-head of the vessel, but +he appeared not to stand on any ceremony. + +We were glad when the voyage was over, it continuing from the 30th June +to the 19th July, although three or four days only is the usual time. + +We landed at Lisbon, and immediately set about preparing for our journey +up the country to join the army; but Colonel Barnard having received +letters respecting the settlement of our late Colonel (General +Manningham's) affairs, which could not be easily arranged without my +presence, determined to send me home for the purpose, with a promise, +however, that I should immediately come out again. I accordingly +embarked on board the same transport with a ship full of all kinds and +descriptions of people, sick and wounded, and lame and lazy; such a +motley group I have seldom seen. Our paymaster also returned home with +me, and besides him I did not know a person on board. + +We had a long and tedious passage, not reaching Portsmouth till the 27th +August, although we embarked on the 1st of that month. When we entered +the chops of the Channel, there was a considerable swell in the sea. Our +master, for some purpose or other, had got up from the hold a small +quantity of ballast (gravel), which was laid upon the quarter-deck. A +fine stout young Irishman, an officer on board, came up the companion, +and seeing the ballast lying there, asked where it came from. + +"Why, don't you see," says the master, "how rough the sea is? it has +been washed up from the bottom and thrown upon the deck." + +The Hibernian seemed quite astonished at the effect of the swell, but +believed the story with all the simple-hearted credulity of a +Johnny-raw, as the soldiers term a young and inexperienced soldier. Our +paymaster was a little of a gourmand, and having for some time been +deprived of luxuries, determined to indulge a little now we had come to +the land of plenty. On our road, therefore, to London, (he and another +officer and myself posting it,) we stopped at Godalming for dinner; he +would needs have a carp, which he happened to see in a pond in the +garden, made ready for our dinner. It was prepared according to his +request, and with it and other good things we contrived to fare pretty +well; although, according to my taste, a fresh herring would have been +preferable. But lo, and behold! when the bill was called for, the awful +sum of _half a guinea_ for the carp was added to the other items of the +dinner, which amounted to quite enough without it. To remonstrate would +have been useless; we therefore paid the bill and set off, determined to +be more economical in future. + +I passed through London, and reached the depôt of my battalion, then +stationed at Ashford in Kent, where, after having arranged the business +for which I had been sent home, I obtained a three months' leave of +absence to visit my native place, where I arrived, thank God, in a much +improved state of health, and where I found all my friends and +connexions as well as could be expected, and no doubt happy to see me. + +About the middle of November of the same year, I started once more for +foreign service, and embarked at Portsmouth for Lisbon on the 22d of +that month, on board a small brig heavily laden with corn for the army +in Portugal. We remained some time wind-bound, but at length got to sea +and proceeded on our voyage, but shortly after the wind headed us and +began to blow very fresh. We were therefore compelled to run for the +Race of Portland, where we came to anchor. But the wind coming more +favourable in a day or two, we weighed again, and got as far on our +voyage as opposite Torbay; but here again the wind coming foul, we were +obliged to enter the bay and drop anchor again. We were detained here a +good many days, during which I went ashore with another officer, who was +on board with me, and indulged in some Devonshire clotted cream at +Brixham. + +In about a week we again started, and got about half way across the Bay +of Biscay, when a heavy gale overtook us, and in which we lost a +considerable portion of our quarter-bulwarks (I think they are called). +Indeed, from the brig being so heavily laden, the water being within a +very little of her gunwale, she did not weather the heavy seas which +struck her very well, for during the night one came clean over her, +partly filling the cabin where we lay with water; and I own I had +considerable apprehension for our safety, which I believe was pretty +universal on board. It pleased Him, however, who ruleth over all things, +to bring us through the gale without further injury, although we +appeared next morning in a very shattered condition, and after a few +more days' sailing, we reached the Tagus, and landed at Lisbon about the +middle of January 1812, and immediately commenced equipping for a +campaign with the army which was at this time besieging Ciudad Rodrigo. +I had to purchase a riding-horse and a mule to carry my baggage, and a +great deal more of essential requisites to enable me to do my duty in +the field; and to say truth, I had not, by any means, sufficient funds +to meet these considerable expenses, and was consequently forced to +borrow, and glad enough to find a friend who could and would lend me +enough for the occasion. And here I cannot but remark, that it seemed +peculiarly hard on junior officers, on their taking the field, to be +compelled to furnish all this equipment at their own expense. I have +known several who did not recover from the debt they thus incurred +(could they find a friend, as I did, to lend them what they wanted) for +a considerable time after they had joined the army; nay, I believe some +never recovered it, and the persons who were kind enough to oblige them +lost several large sums in this manner. In my own case, I know, I was +most wofully put to it to raise a sufficiency for this purpose; and +many, I know, have been compelled to take the field without the +necessary equipment to render them efficient. They were thus of little +service to the army for a considerable time after joining, and many of +them were obliged to leave it again, after striving to do their duty, +inadequately provided with the conveniences and comforts requisite to +enable a man to bear up against the fatigues he had to encounter. It +struck me as but just, and in this opinion I am not singular, that all +officers who have not sufficient pay and allowances to enable them to +provide themselves with the means of transport, ought to be furnished in +the first instance at the public expense, and then be afterwards obliged +to keep them in a fit state for service at their own. + +I set out from Lisbon soon after, and joined my regiment, which was one +of those that formed the light division, and found them cantoned in the +neighbourhood of Rodrigo, that fortress having fallen some days previous +to my arrival. I had not been many days with the regiment till the +division was assembled at a village called Ituera, on the banks of the +Azava, to carry into execution the sentence of a general court-martial, +before which seven men of the division had been arraigned for desertion +to the enemy, they having been taken in Rodrigo at the capture of that +place. They were of course all found guilty, as they were taken as it +were out of the enemy's ranks, and never attempted to plead not guilty; +but they had said in palliation of their heinous crime, that they were +forced to desert from want of food and clothing; indeed the army had not +been so well supplied for a short while previously, as they had been +accustomed to, but there never was any thing like want. I understood the +clothing also was getting bad, but the men could not be got up the +country for want of transport, and they were no worse off than their +comrades. Indeed, from all I could learn, they had acted in a most +diabolical manner; for at the attack of the breaches in assaulting the +place, they were distinctly heard crying out to one another, "Now here +comes the light division; let us give it them, the rascals," or +something to that effect, and had, it is said, done more injury to the +assailing party than twice their number of Frenchmen. Death of course +was their sentence, and now the wretched victims of delusion were to +atone with their lives for one of the greatest crimes known in the +criminal code of the army. + +The division was formed into three sides square, on a plain in front of +the village, the graves of the hapless beings occupying a part of the +fourth face of the square. When all was ready, and a firing party from +each regiment had been formed in the centre, the provost-marshal went to +the guard-tent, where the prisoners were in waiting, to conduct them to +the place of execution. They soon after appeared, poor wretches, moving +towards the square, with faces pale and wan, and with all the dejection +such a situation is calculated to produce. Their arms had been pinioned +one by one as they came out from the guard-tent, and all being ready, +the melancholy procession advanced towards the centre of the square. The +proceedings of the court which tried them, together with the sentence, +and the approval of the Commander of the Forces, was read by the +Assistant Adjutant-general, in the hearing of the whole division; which +concluded, the prisoners were marched round in front of every regiment, +that all might see and avoid their unhappy fate. They were then moved +towards their graves. I ought to observe that the chaplain of the +division had been with them in the guard-tent some little time +previously to their leaving it, and when they quitted as above +described, he followed them at a considerable distance, apparently +ashamed of his peculiar calling, and the duty incumbent on him in such a +conjuncture. They were led, as I said before, towards their graves; and +when they reached the bank of earth in front of each, they were made to +kneel down with their faces fronting the square, and then being one +after another blindfolded, and left for a few moments to their own +reflections or their prayers, the provost-marshal proceeded to the +firing party, who had been previously loaded, and directing the men of +each regiment to fire at their own prisoner, he advanced them to within +about ten or twelve paces of the wretched men, and giving the signals by +motion for their making ready and firing, the whole fired at once, and +plunged the unhappy criminals into eternity. There was, indeed, one +melancholy exception to this. One of the prisoners belonged to the troop +of horse artillery attached to the division, and it seems the provost, +in giving his orders for the soldiers of each regiment to fire at their +own man, had not recollected that the artillery had no men there to +fire. He was thus left sitting on his knees, when the others had fallen +all around him. What his feelings must have been it is in vain to guess; +but, poor fellow, he was not suffered long to remain in suspense, for a +reserve party immediately approaching, they fired and stretched him also +along with his companions in crime and misery; and in such of the others +as they perceived life still remaining, they also immediately put an +end to their sufferings, by placing their muskets close to their body, +and firing into them. One poor man, when he received his death wound, +sprung to a considerable height, and giving a loud shriek, he fell, and +instantly expired. + +When all was finished, the division was formed into column, and marched +round in front of the bodies, where each soldier might distinctly +perceive the sad and melancholy effects of such a fatal dereliction of +duty. They were then, without more ado, thrown into their graves, which +were filled up without delay, and the division separating, each regiment +marched to its quarters. + +I cannot describe the uncomfortable feelings this spectacle produced in +my mind--nay, not only there, but in my body also--for I felt sick at +heart; a sort of loathing ensued; and from the recollection of what I +then suffered, I could not easily be persuaded to witness such another +scene, if I had the option of staying away. Death in the hundred shapes +it assumes on the field of battle seems honourable, and not near so +revolting to the feelings, and withal comes suddenly; but to witness the +slow and melancholy preparations for an execution such as this, is +productive, in any heart that can feel, of the most unpleasant +sensations, I think, imaginable. + +One of the poor wretches was the little shoemaker of our Highland +company, by name M'Guiniss, whom I had known for many years, and who +formerly bore an excellent character; but he had most likely been +seduced by some of his companions to commit this heinous crime. + +Not many days after this, the whole army began to move towards Badajos. +On the 26th of February we left our cantonments, and passing by way of +Castello Branca and Villa Velha, we reached a village not far from Niza, +called Povo das Meadas, where my battalion took up its quarters for a +time. From hence I was dispatched to Lisbon for the regimental clothing, +which had then arrived at that port; but being unable to procure the +means of transport, I was obliged to return without it. I rejoined them +in the camp before Badajos about the 25th of March, and witnessed the +siege of that fortress from this period to its fall on the 6th of April. +The breaches having been reported practicable by the engineers on the +5th, in the evening the army was assembled for the assault, and was +disposed as follows: the 3d division under General Picton was ordered to +attack the citadel, and to endeavour to establish himself there by +escalade; the 4th and light divisions, the former under General +Colville, and the latter commanded by Colonel Barnard, were destined for +the breaches; the 5th division, which had not co-operated hitherto in +the siege, but brought this evening into the neighbourhood, was ordered +to occupy the ground in front of the town by way of reserve. One brigade +of that division was ordered to make a false attack on a work called the +Pardeleras, which was connected with the town, although not actually +belonging to it. Another brigade of the same division was ordered to +make another false attack round towards the gate near the river +Guadiana, which latter was to be turned into a real attack, if +circumstances permitted General Walker, who commanded it, to do so. +There was also a brigade of Portuguese, which was ordered to attack St +Cristoval, a fort on the other side of the river. Every thing was +arranged in the clearest and most satisfactory manner; all knew what +they had to do, the point they were to occupy in the attack having been +pointed out to most of them the day before. Soon after dark, the +different divisions began to move towards their destined posts, all +elated with the certainty of success. + +I was then in the mess of the senior captain of my battalion, who +commanded it on this occasion; and my other messmates were poor little +Croudace and Cary, both lieutenants, the latter acting adjutant, and +another. We had taken a farewell glass before we got up from dinner, not +knowing which of them would survive the bloody fray that was likely soon +to commence. Poor Croudace, a native of the county of Durham, and +consequently a near countryman, put into my hand a small leather purse, +containing half a doubloon, and requested me to take care of it for him, +as he did not know whose fate it might be to fall or to survive. I took +it according to his wish, and put it into my pocket, and, after a little +more conversation, and another glass, for the poor little fellow liked +his wine, we parted, and they moved off. Although I had thus, as it +were, settled it in my mind that I would not go with them on this +occasion, for my services could have been of but very little utility, +yet, when they went away, I felt as if I was left desolate as it were, +and was quite uneasy at parting from my beloved comrades, whom I had +always accompanied hitherto. I therefore slung over my back my +haversack, containing my pistol and a few other things, and moved +forward, to try if I could find them; but falling in with some of my +friends, staff-officers of the 43d, who were in the same brigade, they +strongly dissuaded me from it, representing to me the folly of uselessly +exposing myself, and the little service I could render there; and one of +them requested me to accompany him to a hill immediately in front of the +breaches, where we could see the business as it proceeded. + +We waited till about ten o'clock, when the fire first commenced from the +castle upon the 3d division, as they approached it; but the fire from +thence did not appear very heavy. Not long after it opened out at the +breaches, and was most awfully severe; indeed it was so heavy and so +incessant, that it appeared like one continued sheet of fire along the +ramparts near the breaches, and we could distinctly see the faces of the +French troops, although the distance was near a mile. All sorts of arms, +&c. were playing at once, guns, mortars, musketry, grenades, and shells +thrown from the walls, while every few minutes explosions from mines +were taking place. The firing too appeared to have such a strange +deathlike sound, quite different from all I had ever heard before. This +was occasioned by the muzzles being pointed downwards into the ditch, +which gave the report an unusual and appalling effect. This continued +without a moment's cessation, or without any apparent advantage being +gained by our struggling but awfully circumstanced comrades. Lord +Wellington had also taken his stand upon this hill, and appeared quite +uneasy at the troops seeming to make no progress, and often asked, or +rather repeated to himself, "What can be the matter?" + +The enemy had adopted an excellent plan to ascertain where our columns +were posted; they threw an immense number of light balls on all sides of +the town, and when they found out where there was a large body, a rocket +was fired in the direction of where it stood, and instantly every gun, +mortar, and howitzer, not previously engaged, was turned in that +direction, and grievous was the destruction their shot made in the ranks +of these columns. Still our people at the breaches did not get forward, +although we distinctly heard, with emotion, the bugles of our division +sounding the advance. His lordship seemed now to lose all patience, and +aides-de-camp were sent to ascertain the cause of the delay. They flew +like lightning, while the whole rampart round the town seemed enveloped +in one flame of fire. Our brave but unsuccessful comrades were heard +cheering every now and then; but still the fire at the breaches did not +slacken. At length a dispatch arrived from General Picton, stating, that +he had established himself in the castle. This was cheering news to his +lordship, who expressed very strongly the gratitude he felt for that +gallant General. + +During the reading of the dispatch, which was done by torchlight, the +enemy, perceiving the light, and that a number of people had assembled +on the hill, directed a shell in that direction; but it fell short, and +did us no injury. His lordship now rode off, and ordered our people at +the breaches to retire, as the town was now perfectly secure. I also set +off to inform my people of the happy circumstance. I found them drawn +off from the glacis a few hundred yards; but, oh! what a difference in +their appearance now from what they were previous to the attack! The +whole division scarcely mustered at this time 2000 men, so many had been +killed and wounded, and many had been sent to the rear with the latter. +I informed them that General Picton had got possession of the castle, +but my story appeared to them an incredible tale; for it was actually +impossible, they thought; and although they made me repeat it over and +over again, they could scarcely bring their minds to credit such +unexpected news. + +It was now dawn of day, and the firing had ceased at every point. Here I +learnt the fate of my two beloved friends and messmates: Croudace had +been shot through the body, and carried to the rear; Cary had fallen, +but they could not tell what had become of him. I now went forward +towards the breaches, where I found that several men of both the 4th and +light divisions had remained; and when General Picton moved from the +castle towards that point, which I believe he stated in his dispatch to +be his intention, the enemy, finding themselves attacked in rear, began +to abandon the defence of the breaches, and our people were then enabled +to enter. Never did I witness any thing like the artificial impediments +which the enemy had here thrown up, which, added to the natural ones, +that is, to the breaches not having been so perfectly practicable as was +desirable, rendered it next to impossible to enter, even after all +opposition on their part had ceased. In one breach (the large one) this +was literally the case; for at the top of it was fixed a +chevaux-de-frize extending the whole width of the breach, and composed +of a strong beam of wood, with sharp-pointed sword-blades fixed in every +direction, they being generally about three quarters of a yard long, and +so closely set together, that it was impossible either to leap over them +or penetrate between them, and the whole so firmly fixed to the works at +the top, that it could not be moved. In addition, they had fitted a +number of long and thick planks, with spikes about an inch or more in +length, and laid them all down the breach, but fixed at the top, so that +it was impossible for any one to get up without falling on these. Beyond +the chevaux-de-frize several ditches had been cut, into which those must +have fallen who surmounted the obstacles on the breach; but I believe +none did, although I saw one Portuguese lying dead upon the ramparts; +but I imagine he must either have been thrown up there by some +explosion, or been one of those of the 3d division who came from the +castle. In addition to all the above, from the covered way down into the +ditch was, I should imagine, at least thirty feet; our people had +descended by ladders, and, I doubt not, in the dark, and, in the hurry +and confusion of the moment, many were thrown down and killed. In the +middle of the large ditch a smaller one had been cut, which was filled +with water, and in which, added to the inundation close to the right of +the breaches, (which had been caused by bringing the river partly into +the ditch,) numbers were drowned. Small mines had been constructed all +along in the ditch, which were exploded when it was filled with people, +and which produced infinite mischief. + +On the top of the ramparts the enemy had a considerable number of shells +of the largest size, ready filled and fused; and when our people had +filled the ditch below, these were lighted, and thrown over on their +heads, each shell being capable of destroying from twelve to twenty men +or more. They had beams of wood also laid on the ramparts, with old +carriage-wheels, and every sort of missile imaginable, which were poured +upon the unfortunate people below. + +When these things are taken into consideration, added to the incessant +and destructive fire of from 3000 to 4000 men, all emulous to do their +duty, at the short distance of perhaps twenty yards, with the ditch as +full as it could possibly stow, the reader will be able to form some +idea of the destruction that must naturally ensue: and awful indeed it +was, for, within the space of less than an acre of ground, I should +imagine not less than from 1200 to 1500 men were lying: it was a +heart-rending sight. I learnt afterwards that many were the desperate +efforts that had been made to ascend the breaches, but all in vain; that +many had nearly reached the top, but they being either shot or blown up, +the others were forced down again. Another and another trial still was +made, but each succeeding party shared the fate of their predecessors. +At last the bottoms of the breaches were nearly blocked up with the +bodies of those who fell. + +By this time, General Philippon, the French governor, had surrendered. +When he found the 3d division had got possession of the castle, and were +preparing to move down to second the attack of the breaches by taking +the enemy in rear, and that General Walker, with a part of the 5th +division, had escaladed, and established themselves at the other end of +the town, he deemed further resistance useless, and retired, with the +garrison, to St Cristoval, on the opposite side of the river; and +shortly after the whole surrendered prisoners of war, the troops, after +being stripped of their arms and accoutrements, being marched along in +the ditch to one of the gates, from whence they were escorted on their +way to Elvas. They passed near the breaches while I was there, and I had +a full view of them as they moved along. I thought they seemed under +great apprehension for their safety, as they appeared quite downcast and +dejected, which is not generally the case with French prisoners, who +will shrug their shoulders, and tell you it is the fortune of war; but +these poor fellows, who certainly had made a noble defence, seemed +low-spirited and timid to a degree. Certainly by the rules of war, I +believe, they might have been put to death, for having stood an assault +of the place; but a British general does not resort to the same measures +which their Marshal Suchet did at Tarragona, when he put all, both +soldiers and inhabitants, to the sword. + +Soon after daylight, the remaining men of attacking divisions began to +rush into the town, in hopes of sharing, with those who had already +entered, the plunder they imagined it would afford; and though every +thing was done by Colonel Barnard, aided by the other officers, to keep +out those of the light division, it was useless, although he even risked +his life to prevent their entering. He had bravely, during the attack, +repeatedly ascended the breach, in hopes of overcoming the obstacles +which presented themselves, but he had always been driven back, although +he escaped unhurt where all was death around him; and now his life +nearly fell a sacrifice, in endeavouring to restore that discipline in +his division which this unfortunate and unsuccessful assault had +considerably impaired. He opposed his personal and bodily strength to +the entrance of the plunderers, but in vain. They rushed in, in spite of +all opposition; and in wrenching a musket from one of the soldiers of +the 52d, who was forcing past him, he fell, and was nigh precipitated +into the ditch. He, however, finding resistance here in vain, set off, +accompanied by several other officers, into the town, to endeavour to +restrain, as much as lay in his power, the licentiousness of those +inside, whose bad passions, it was but too evident, would be let loose +upon the defenceless inhabitants. + +I had been in company with Captain Percival, my commanding-officer +before alluded to, from the time of my first coming down to the division +before daylight; and now he and I, hearing the heart-piercing and +afflicting groans which arose from the numbers of wounded still lying in +the ditch, set to work to get as many of these poor fellows removed as +was in our power. This we found a most arduous and difficult +undertaking, as we could not do it without the aid of a considerable +number of men; and it was a work of danger to attempt to force the now +lawless soldiers to obey, and stop with us till this work of necessity +and humanity was accomplished. + +All thought of what they owed their wounded comrades, and of the +probability that ere long a similar fate might be their own, was +swallowed up in their abominable rage for drink and plunder; however, by +perseverance, and by occasionally using his stick, my commandant at +length compelled a few fellows to lend their assistance in removing +what we could into the town, where it was intended that hospitals should +be established. But this was a most heart-rending duty, for, from the +innumerable cries of,--"Oh! for God's sake, come and remove me!" it was +difficult to select the most proper objects for such care. Those who +appeared likely to die, of course it would have been but cruelty to put +them to the pain of a removal; and many who, from the nature of their +wounds, required great care and attention in carrying them, the +half-drunken brutes whom we were forced to employ exceedingly tortured +and injured; nay, in carrying one man out of the ditch they very +frequently kicked or trode upon several others, whom to touch was like +death to them, and which produced the most agonizing cries imaginable. + +I remember at this time Colonel (the late Sir Niel) Campbell passed out +at the breach, and, as he had formerly been a Captain in our regiment, +many of the poor fellows who lay there knew him, and beseeched him in +the most piteous manner to have them removed. He came to me, and urged +upon me in the strongest manner to use every exertion to get the poor +fellows away. This evinced he had a feeling heart; but he was not +probably aware, that for that very purpose both my commanding-officer +and myself had been labouring for hours; but it soon began to grow +excessively hot, and what with the toil and the heat of the sun, and the +very unpleasant effluvia which now arose from the numerous dead and +wounded, we were both compelled, about mid-day, to desist from our +distressing though gratifying labours. + +It was now between twelve and one o'clock, and though we had had a great +many removed, a much greater number lay groaning in the ditch; but our +strength was exhausted, for he was lame and unable to move much, and I +had been obliged to assist in carrying many myself, the drunken +scoundrels whom we had pressed into the service seldom making more than +one or two trips till they deserted us. But my lamented friend and +messmate, poor Cary, was still to search for, and, after a considerable +time, he was found beneath one of the ladders by which they had +descended into the ditch. He was shot through the head, and I doubt not +received his death-wound on the ladder, from which in all probability he +fell. He was stripped completely naked, save a flannel waistcoat which +he wore next his skin. I had him taken up and placed upon a shutter, (he +still breathed a little, though quite insensible,) and carried him to +the camp. A sergeant and some men, whom we had pressed to carry him, +were so drunk that they let him fall from off their shoulders, and his +body fell with great force to the ground. I shuddered, but poor Cary, I +believe, was past all feeling, or the fall would have greatly injured +him. We laid him in bed in his tent, but it was not long ere my kind, +esteemed, and lamented friend breathed his last. Poor Croudace had also +died immediately after reaching the hospital, whither he had been +carried when he was shot. + +Thus I lost two of my most particular and intimate acquaintances, from +both of whom I had received many acts of kindness and friendship. They +will long live in my memory. Cary was buried next day behind our tents, +one of the officers (my other messmate) reading the funeral service. + +I cannot help adverting to some of the scenes which I witnessed in the +ditch, while employed there as above noticed. One of the first strange +sights that attracted our notice, was soon after our arrival. An officer +with yellow facings came out of the town with a frail fair one leaning +on his arm, and carrying in her other hand a cage with a bird in it; and +she tripped it over the bodies of the dead and dying with all the ease +and indifference of a person moving in a ball-room,--no more concern +being evinced by either of them, than if nothing extraordinary had +occurred. It was really lamentable to see such an utter absence of all +right feeling. + +Soon after this the men began to come out with their plunder. Some of +them had dressed themselves in priests' or friars' garments--some +appeared in female dresses, as nuns, &c.; and, in short, all the +whimsical and fantastical figures imaginable almost were to be seen +coming reeling out of the town, for by this time they were nearly all +drunk. I penetrated no farther into the town that day than to a house a +little beyond the breach, where I had deposited the wounded; but I saw +enough in this short trip to disgust me with the doings in Badajos at +this time. I learnt that no house, church, or convent, was held sacred +by the infuriated and now ungovernable soldiery, but that priests or +nuns, and common people, all shared alike, and that any who showed the +least resistance were instantly sacrificed to their fury. They had a +method of firing through the lock of any door that happened to be shut +against them, which almost invariably had the effect of forcing it open; +and such scenes were witnessed in the streets as baffle description. + +One man of our first battalion, I am told, had got a hogshead of brandy +into the streets, and, getting his mess-tin, and filling it from the +cask, and seating himself astride like Bacchus, swore that every person +who came past should drink, be who he may. His commanding-officer +happened to be one who came that way, and he was compelled to take the +tin and drink, for, had he refused, it is not improbable the wretch +would have shot him, for his rifle was loaded by his side, and the +soldiers had by this time become quite past all control. Another, who +had been fortunate enough to obtain a considerable quantity of +doubloons, put them in his haversack, and was making his way out of the +town, but was induced, before he left it, to drink more than he could +carry. He laid him down somewhere to take a nap, and awoke soon after +without even his shoes, and not only were the doubloons gone, but all +his own necessaries also. + +In, short, a thousand of the most tragi-comical spectacles that can +possibly be imagined, might be witnessed in this devoted city. The +officers did all they could to repress these outrages, but the soldiers +were now so completely dispersed that one quarter of them could not be +found; and indeed the only benefit almost that the officers could render +was, by each placing himself in a house, which generally secured it from +being broken open and plundered. The different camps of our army were +for several days after more like rag-fairs than military encampments, +such quantities of wearing-apparel of all kinds were disposing of by one +set of plunderers to the other. But they were not content with what they +had brought out of Badajos; they had now got such relish for plunder, +that they could not leave it off when driven out of the town. + +A night or two after the surrender of the place, they stole no less than +eight horses and mules belonging to my battalion, and took them to some +of the other divisions, where they sold them as animals captured from +the enemy. I lost on this occasion an excellent little mule, worth at +least L.20, and for which I of course never obtained a farthing. We +used every exertion to discover both the perpetrators and the animals, +but without success. + +An English army is perhaps, generally speaking, under stricter +discipline than any other in the world; but in proportion as they are +held tight while they are in hand, if circumstances occur to give them +liberty, I know of no army more difficult to restrain when once broke +loose. A reason may perhaps be assigned for it in part. On such +occasions as this siege, where they were long and much exposed to +fatigue almost insupportable, to the most trying scenes of difficulty +and danger, which were generally borne with cheerfulness and alacrity, +they perhaps reasoned with themselves and one another in this +manner,--that as they had borne so much and so patiently to get +possession of the place, it was but fair that they should have some +indulgence when their work and trials were crowned with success, +especially as the armies of other powers make it a rule generally to +give an assaulted fortress up to plunder. They had also become quite +reckless of life from so long exposure to death; but an English army +cannot plunder like the French. The latter keep themselves more sober, +and look more to the solid and substantial benefit to be derived from +it, while the former sacrifice every thing to drink; and when once in a +state of intoxication, with all the bad passions set loose at the same +time, I know not what they will hesitate to perpetrate. + +The reader will judge of the state of our soldiers who had been engaged +in the siege, when Lord Wellington found it absolutely necessary to +order in a Portuguese brigade to force the stragglers out of the town at +the point of the bayonet. At this time I think I was fairly tired of +life, so disgusting and so sickening were the scenes the few last days +had presented. I had also lost two of those for whom I had a great +regard, together with several others of my brother officers, all +excellent young men, with still a greater number wounded,--in all, in +our fifteen companies, to the amount of twenty-six,--and men in equal +proportion. It was indeed a trying time. + +Notwithstanding what has been said above of the bad conduct of the +British troops on this occasion, I am fully persuaded there is more +humanity and generosity to be found in the breast of an English soldier +than in any other in the world, for, except when inflamed by drink, I am +confident it would be most revolting to his feelings to be ordered to +proceed with cool deliberation to the execution of such horrid +butcheries as we read of in the armies of other nations.--No! When calm +and sober, no man acts with more tenderness towards those in his power +than an English soldier. Bonaparte would not have found in them the +willing actors in his political tragedy in Egypt, when he coolly +fusiladed several thousands of his unfortunate Turkish prisoners, as +related by Sir R. Wilson. + +If I may be permitted to make a few remarks on the taking of this strong +fortress, and of the conduct of the besiegers, I would say that never in +the annals of military warfare was greater devotion shown by those of +all ranks, from the General to the common soldier. The arduous and +dangerous service of the trenches was cheerfully performed by every +individual whose duty called him there; but the most conspicuous +gallantry was manifested in the assault. Conceive of the heroic Picton +and his brave division escalading a wall probably forty feet high, built +on the summit of an almost inaccessible rock, and with troops at the top +of all to oppose them as they reached its summit. It is true the enemy +were not numerous here, having only about 200 men in the castle, but +still one man in this situation was able to destroy probably twenty of +the assailants, by throwing down a ladder after it had been set up; most +of those ascending would be crushed to death by the fall over such a +precipice. But he carried every thing before him, and after establishing +his own division in this commanding situation, he either actually did, +or prepared to move upon the body of the enemy, who were defending the +breaches. General Walker also, who commanded a part of the 5th division, +bravely forced an entrance into the town at the opposite side, +overcoming every one of the numerous barriers and obstacles which +presented themselves; and where he himself, in the act, I believe, of +mounting the rampart, received a most desperate wound. It was said, but +I know not how truly, that when he fell, the French soldier who wounded +him was about to repeat the blow, which in all probability would have +deprived him of life, but that the General, whether intentionally or not +it is not said, made the masonic sign, which was understood by one of +the Frenchmen, and that he instantly interfered in his behalf and +stopped the blow. They say the General some time after found out that +his brave deliverer had been sent to Scotland with his fellow-prisoners, +and that he had him searched for and handsomely rewarded, and, I +believe, procured him his liberty. + +It is well known, I believe, to be the rule in all services like the +assault of fortresses, &c., that those, both officers and men, who form +the forlorn hope and the storming party, are volunteers, these being +services of extreme danger, and which generally procure for the officers +who survive a step of promotion; but it might as well have gone (in the +light division at least) as a tour of duty, for on all occasions of this +nature, with only one or two exceptions, the senior officers of each +rank insisted upon being sent on that duty. Nay, in one instance this +heroic feeling was carried to an almost censurable excess. Lieutenant +Harvest of the 43d having been some time the senior of his rank in that +regiment, and there being a vacancy for a captain, he had been +recommended for the company; and although he had not been gazetted, yet +it had been intimated to him through his commanding-officer that his +name should shortly appear as captain. Thus his promotion was perfectly +secure; notwithstanding, when volunteers were called for for the +storming party, he insisted on his right of going as senior lieutenant; +so over scrupulous was he that his permitting a junior officer to occupy +this post might be construed to the detriment of his honour. He went, +and fell; and thus not only lost his company but his life, and by his +too refined sense of honour deprived another officer, probably, of that +promotion which would have been the consequence of going on this duty +had he survived. + +Among the men also the same noble enthusiasm prevailed, for he who was +selected for this dangerous service out of the superabundant numbers who +always volunteered, was envied by his comrades as truly fortunate. In +fact, it required a character for good conduct to entitle a man to this +honourable employment. Whatever, therefore, their other faults might be, +a want of bravery was not one of them. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + + The army leave Badajos on the 11th of April, and move into + quarters near the river Agueda, where they remain till the 11th + of June--Advance towards Salamanca, which, with the exception + of three forts, the enemy had evacuated--The forts + invested--The main bodies of both armies bivouack within a mile + and a half of each other, in the vicinity of Monte Rubio and + Morisco--The forts of Salamanca surrender--The main body of the + enemy retire to Tordesillas--Movements of the army. + + +On the 11th April we left Badajos to return again to the neighbourhood +of Rodrigo, the French having, during the absence of our army from that +frontier, made an irruption into Portugal, and penetrated as far down as +below Castello Branca, completely ravaging the country. Our first march +was to Campa Mayor, where we were quartered in the town. We next day +reached Arronches, where we bivouacked in a wood near it. The following +day we marched into Portalegre, and on the 14th, Niza; the 15th we +crossed the Tagus at Villa Velha, and moved on to Larnadas. Here we +began to perceive some of the effects of the recent visit from the +French; but at Castello Branca, which we reached next day, the +devastation they had caused was truly deplorable. We halted here one day +to refresh the troops and get forward our supplies, and the next day +reached Escallas da Cima. Here we began to get very close upon the rear +of the enemy; it therefore became us to move forward with +circumspection, for our force on this side the Tagus was yet but small. +We advanced, however, and occupied successively St Miguel d'Arch, +Penamacor, and St Bartholomo, near Sabugal, which last town we passed +through on the 23d, and bivouacked that night at Alfyates. The utter +desolation of Sabugal was beyond conception; filth and misery presented +themselves in every direction. It had been made a depot for provisions +by the French, I imagine, for on all sides the entrails and other offal +of bullocks and sheep polluted the atmosphere by the abominable stench +they caused, and had attracted multitudes of vultures and other birds of +prey, who had by this time become horribly tame and familiar: one +vulture sat so long upon a dead horse as I was riding along the road, +that he allowed me to come near enough to make a cut at him with my +sword, as he stretched his enormous wings to mount up from his prey. + +On the 24th we reached Ituera, where we halted for two days. We had now +entered Spain, and it not being intended as yet to commence another +active campaign, we moved into quarters near the river Agueda, my +battalion and the 43d occupying the village of La Encina, or "The Oak." +Here it was necessary that every exertion should be used to re-equip and +prepare the troops for service, as it was intimated that another +campaign would speedily commence. + +All the winter and spring hitherto had been spent in active service, +consequently much required putting to rights before we again took the +field; all hands were therefore employed to patch up and repair our +clothing and shoes, and to get every thing in good order when our +services were again to be called for. + +While we were here, I began to experience some of the ill effects of a +deep-rooted enmity which one of my brother officers had conceived +against me, though till now partly concealed. I was unconscious of +having given him any cause for this; but he, without ever giving me any +opportunity for explanation, used all his influence in endeavouring to +injure me in the opinion of two of my superior officers, who had +hitherto been friendly to me; and not only with them, but, I have reason +to believe, with our acting brigadier, whose mind, with the others also, +he completely estranged from me for a time. But though he misled them +then, they did not retain the ill opinion of me which his +misrepresentations had produced, for there are testimonials from all +three at the end of this volume. I was not so fully aware of his dislike +of me, till one day I was dining at the table of our acting brigadier, +when he and one of those before noticed were also guests. I overheard +him telling this officer, (with an intention, I almost imagine, that I +should hear,) that I must be a bad man, for that I was sitting silent +when all the rest were talking, in order that I might listen to their +conversation. But I was the junior officer there, and it did not become +me to be talkative; besides, I never was loquacious. I said nothing, +(although some may blame me for it, but I loved peace,) trusting that +one day such forbearance would not be forgotten; but I felt it deeply, +and mourned over it in secret with great bitterness of spirit. + +In this place also I began to receive very pressing letters from the +merchants in England, from whom I had purchased a quantity of goods when +last at home, but which, for want of transport, could not be got up to +the army in order to their being disposed of; and, in short, scarcely a +post arrived that did not bring some unwelcome and distressing tidings. +I had purchased a fine mule in place of that stolen from me at Badajos, +for which I had given about £30. I sent him down to Lisbon with my +batman, to bring up as many of the goods as the mule could carry; but he +had not been long gone till I had the mortification to learn that this +mule also was lost. The man said he had been stolen, but I had every +reason afterwards to believe that he had sold him. Be it observed, I +could but very ill afford losses of this extent out of my pay and scanty +allowances; but I endeavoured to bear up as well as I could against +these misfortunes, although it is certain I was not able to bring +religion to my aid at this time of trial, for I had lived hitherto in +total neglect of that most momentous of all concerns, and, although I +endeavoured to amuse myself occasionally by fishing in the Agueda, my +mind began to be greatly depressed. + +About this time an order was issued for each British regiment in the +Peninsula to endeavour to enlist fifty Spaniards to be incorporated in +the regiment. I was sent in company with another officer into the +mountains of Gata, not far from the city of Placentia. We were not +successful, for although we obtained the names of some who promised they +would follow us to La Encina, they never made their appearance. However, +the beauty and magnificence of the mountain scenery amply repaid us for +our trouble. From this village also I had the pleasure of visiting, for +the first time, the lately captured fortress of Ciudad Rodrigo, and some +of my brother officers who had shared in the toils and dangers of the +siege, pointed out to me the most remarkable scenes about it. Like +Badajos, it had been battered till practicable breaches were made to +admit the besiegers, and then stormed in the same manner, but its +defence was feeble compared with Badajos; and yet, to look over the +ground in the neighbourhood of the trenches, one would imagine it +impossible for troops to have lived, so completely was it ploughed up +with shot and shells, each of the latter generally making an excavation +sufficiently large in which to bury a horse. + +Whilst we remained in these cantonments, the officers of the division +once or twice got up a sort of "pic-nic," every one contributing +something towards the feast, which was held in a large wood in the +neighbourhood of Ituera. On our way from La Encina to this assembly, we +passed over the ground where the 5th and 77th regiments had so +distinguished themselves in September 1811, against a very superior +force of the enemy's cavalry. The bones of the combatants lay bleaching +upon the plain, the flesh having been very soon devoured by the +innumerable birds of prey, which appeared as if collected from every +part of the Peninsula. Indeed so numerous were the battles and +skirmishes which took place along this frontier, together with the offal +from the animals killed for the use of the armies, that they were no +doubt better fed than they had in general been accustomed to. + +But the period of our stay in this vicinity drew to a close, and on the +11th June we broke up from our cantonments, and passing the Agueda, the +division assembled in a wood about a mile or two in front of Rodrigo. +While we were here a rather remarkable phenomenon appeared about +mid-day, or soon after; the sun, which shone most brightly, and the +moon, with several stars, appeared all at the same time, the latter +being distinctly visible. This of course attracted great numbers, and +many were the sage remarks that were made, some believing it ominous of +disastrous events; and indeed very shortly afterwards a circumstance +occurred which in some degree confirmed their prediction. A grenadier of +the 88th regiment (I think it was) had come over from his own division, +to endeavour to prevail upon his wife, who had deserted him and taken up +with a sergeant of our first battalion, to return with him, she having, +as I understand, left him with one or more children, the first of their +marriage, which he was anxious she should come and take care of. They +had often, I fancy, quarrelled, and he had probably used her ill, but he +was now desirous of a reconciliation, and entreated her to return with +him to his regiment. He prevailed upon her to accompany him to some +distance from the bivouack, that they might the more freely discuss the +subject, for she had hitherto refused to agree to his request, being +probably better provided for by the sergeant than she had been with him. +While walking in a field close to the wood in which the bivouack was +situated, and arguing the point with some heat, and she still persisting +in remaining where she was, he became so exasperated at her continued +refusal, that he, in a rage of jealousy and anger, drew his bayonet and +plunged it in her bosom. Her cries soon brought people to the spot, who +at once secured him, and he was instantly committed to the provost +prison tent, and her body of course brought in and buried. Poor +creature! she was one of the gayest of the females which graced our +rural balls near Ituera only a short while previous, and had often +danced with old General Vandaleur on those occasions. I believe he was +not brought to trial for it, as her ill conduct probably had been +considered as in some measure palliating what he did, and that he might +be supposed to have been irritated to a degree of madness when he +perpetrated the fatal act. I subsequently learnt that he was a brave +soldier, and that he afterwards fell in the hard-fought battle of the +Pyrenees. + +We moved forward the next day in the direction of Salamanca, halting on +the 13th at Alba de Yeltes, on the 14th at Sancho Bueno, the 15th at +Matillo, in a large plain in front of which we bivouacked, where were +the most luxuriant meadows I think I ever saw, the horses on our arrival +being literally up to their bellies in fine rich grass. What a pity the +natives know nothing of hay-making! This fine herbage is permitted to +stand there till it perishes, and yet in the winter they are frequently +very ill off for provender for their cattle; indeed I do not exactly +know how they contrive to feed them in that season, but I know we were +always greatly put to our shifts to procure any sort of long forage for +our animals, being generally compelled by necessity to resort to this +grass, rotten and dead as it was. I believe they use a considerable +quantity of straw, which they chop very short, and which in truth is no +bad substitute for hay; but when it is so very plentiful and so good, +common sense, one would imagine, would induce them to preserve it. + +Lord Wellington in the following season caused a considerable quantity +of hay to be made in Portugal, getting scythes, &c. out from England, +but we never returned that way afterwards to reap the benefit of it. All +this immensely rich and extensive plain is in a complete state of +nature--no enclosures to mark the different boundaries of the +proprietors, should it have any, but where there are "landmarks," the +mode of ancient days is resorted to. + +On the 16th we moved forward to within about five miles of Salamanca, +and bivouacked near a range of low hills extending from the Rio Valmuso +(which we had just crossed) to the city. In front of this place our +cavalry fell in with that of the enemy, with whom they had a _petit +affaire_, and had captured a few of them, who, in the afternoon, passed +our bivouack, on their way to the rear. We observed as they passed that +they wore long queues, which had an odd appearance in our eyes, the +British army having for so many years left them off. + +Next morning we advanced towards the city. We had gone, I think, about +three miles, when ascending one of those heights over which the road +passes, we had a most interesting view of this beautiful place. It +seemed thickly studded with elegant and highly ornamented spires, +springing from the numerous cathedrals and colleges, &c. which it +contained; but what heightened the effect was an immense column of smoke +rising from some magazines which the enemy (not having time to carry +off) had set on fire. We feared it was but the prelude to the whole city +sharing the same fate, for their barbarous conduct in Portugal during +Massena's retreat, rendered it but too doubtful they were resorting to +the same mode of warfare here. They still retained possession of a +portion of the town, in which they had constructed three forts; one very +strong, and capable of containing about 500 or 600 men; the other two +were smaller, to cover and act as supports to the principal one. In +constructing these works they had destroyed the greater part of the +colleges, and a considerable number of other public buildings, besides +several extensive streets which Salamanca had formerly contained; but +even now it was still a beautiful and interesting city. One of these +works commanded the bridge, which rendered our crossing the Tormes here +impracticable. We were in consequence moved about a league higher up the +river, where we crossed by a rather deep ford. However, all got safely +over, and we halted for the night on a small plain, a short distance +from the ford, the main body of the enemy having retired and left 800 +men in the forts before mentioned. These occupied but about one-third of +the town, of course the remainder was open and free, and, as might be +expected, every one was anxious to have a peep at this famous +university. Consequently away a number of us scampered, and soon entered +the city, the inhabitants of which were overjoyed to see us. The nuns +were seen waving white handkerchiefs out of their iron-grated windows, +and the Padres and other respectable inhabitants welcomed us with a +thousand vivas, embracing us, and using every means of testifying their +joy at our arrival. + +I need not attempt to describe the place, for I am not able, and it has +so often been described that my reader will not be disappointed at my +declining to do it here; suffice it to say, the buildings in general, +and the religious edifices in particular, were most superb; but the +Goths had destroyed the finest portion of the city. + +The forts were immediately invested, and we went and had a look also at +them. They seemed remarkably strong, having been constructed principally +of hewn stones, taken from the buildings they had destroyed; and on all +sides of them a space of perhaps two hundred yards or more was cleared +away to make room for the play of their artillery, and to prevent a +lodgement being made by the besiegers. + +We next day moved from our bivouack near the ford, and marched to the +village of Aldea Secco, in front of which our cavalry and the enemy had +a rencontre, after which the latter retired: this was about a league and +a half in front of Salamanca. Next day we were suddenly assembled in +consequence of the enemy, in great force, making his appearance at some +distance in front of our bivouack. We were then removed from the plain, +and took up a position on a height called Monte Rubio, or Red Hill, a +little to the right. Soon after, also, the other divisions of our army +began to assemble on the height, and our Chief arriving on the spot, +every thing had the appearance of something serious being about to take +place. + +Here also, for the first time, I saw Don Carlos de Espagna with his few +followers. These were better clothed and equipped than almost any other +Spanish troops that I had seen. The day passed over, however, without +the French making any attack, and without any movement being made on our +side, farther than putting the different divisions into position as they +arrived on the ground. The French were continually receiving +reinforcements, or rather their different divisions were rapidly +arriving in succession, when they all bivouacked in the plain in front +of us, at perhaps a mile and a half distance, and near to the village of +Morisco. This they very soon gutted of every portable article, whether +it was food, clothes, furniture, or whatever they could carry off; nay, +they unroofed the greater part of the houses for fuel for the troops, +but this latter proceeding could not be avoided, there being no wood +near them. Englishmen may well feel thankful that their dwellings have +not been exposed to such visitors, who, in half an hour, will convert a +comfortable and smiling village into a heap of ruins. + +We remained in this position for some days, the two armies, like two +experienced pugilists, each waiting for the other to strike the first +blow, by which he would in some measure lay himself open. It was not, +however, Lord Wellington's game to commence operations, seeing a part of +our army was then employed in the siege of the forts in Salamanca; +besides, it is said, when some one ventured to hint that we should +attack the enemy, that his lordship judged it would make a difference of +3000 men less on the side of the attacking army. I know not if this +story be true, but certainly great prudence was displayed on both sides. +However, the enemy had occasionally cannonaded us a little from the +first; but about three days after their arrival, they made a very brisk +and vigorous attack upon a conical hill immediately in front of our +position, and a little to the right of Morisco. It was defended by the +seventh division, which repelled the attack with great gallantry, +driving the enemy down the hill again with great precipitation. The 68th +regiment distinguished itself greatly, but in their pursuit of the +beaten enemy, they advanced too far into the plain, and which the French +observing, a forward movement was made again by them, and before our +people could recover the high ground, Captain M'Kay and Lieutenant +M'Donald, with a considerable number of their men, were made prisoners. +Poor M'Kay received I know not how many bayonet wounds on this occasion, +I believe not less than ten or twelve, but none of them very serious of +course, or he could not have survived. He, with the others, were taken +into the French lines, but he was so ill when they retired a few days +after, that they were obliged to leave him in Morisco. The enemy's +artillery played upon our line during the greater part of this attack, +and caused us some loss, but not of any consequence, the horses +appearing to have suffered more than the troops. + +The French seemed disappointed and annoyed at our sticking so +pertinaciously to the hills on this occasion, and told M'Donald (from +whom I afterwards had this information) that it was only when we had +every advantage on our side that we durst give them battle. Our armies +were, I think, pretty nearly equal, each having perhaps about 40,000, +but they were, I believe, superior in cavalry, and of course the plain +was the very ground for them. Marmont seeing himself thus foiled, +withdrew from before us, and made a movement to his left, crossing the +Tormes with a considerable part of his force, and advanced on the other +side of the river towards Salamanca. Our heavy German cavalry, under +General Baron Back, opposed them here, and greatly distinguished +themselves, driving the enemy's cavalry from the field. Our army made +corresponding movements with the enemy, changing in parts our position. + +Meantime the siege of the forts had been proceeding with from the first +day of our arrival, and as the distance from Monte Rubio to the town was +not great, several of us rode in to see how the siege was progressing, +as the Americans have it. An attempt had been made to carry them by +escalade, but it had failed; General Bowes, who led the attacking party, +with several officers and men, having fallen in the attempt. His +lordship now deemed it necessary to batter them regularly previous to +another assault being made upon them. Heavy ordnance was therefore got +into battery, which not only effected a breach in the smaller fort +nearest the principal one, but which also threw a considerable quantity +of hot shot into a building in the centre of it, which served as a +barrack to the troops, the roof of which was presently set on fire, and +the only shelter they had was thus destroyed. They thus were compelled +on the 27th to surrender prisoners of war. + +It is not easy to describe the effect produced on those inhabitants who +lived nearest to the forts while the siege was going forward. Just as I +entered one of our batteries, which had been established close behind a +street, still occupied by the people, one of our artillerymen was +carried out shot by a musket ball in the breast, and dead; the poor +people when he was brought out into the street assembled round his body, +and set up the most piteous lamentations imaginable. This impressed me +with the good feeling which must have existed in their minds towards the +English, for they are not a people, as the reader will be aware, who are +very susceptible of horror at the sight of blood. A few hours after +these forts surrendered, I went to visit the principal one--the +devastation caused by our hot shot on the house before mentioned was +awful. They had been obliged to make this their hospital also as well as +barrack, and it was really lamentable to see the poor wounded Frenchmen +lying there in a house that was literally falling about their ears, the +roof having been completely fired, while burning beams and rafters were +continually dropping upon these poor helpless beings. A French surgeon +was still in charge of these men, and he had the politeness to show us +all over the fort. As it had appeared from the outside, it was in +reality remarkably strong, and the place where our people had made an +attempt to escalade it, was pointed out to us; he said it was heavily +mined, and that if our people had carried it by escalade, the mines +would most likely have been sprung. There was fixed immediately opposite +the gate a beam of wood, with holes bored in it, and about twenty musket +barrels fitted into them, so as to command the entrance. These, I +imagine, it was intended to have fired by a train, as our people forced +the gate, and it would have been like a little volley, which must have +swept away the first of the assailants. The inhabitants seemed greatly +rejoiced when this business was concluded, and peace once more +established in their city, and they vied with each other in showing us +every mark of attention and kindness, looking upon us as their +deliverers. + +If I am not mistaken, it was here where our illustrious Chief played off +a sort of innocent _ruse_ upon some of the Padres of the place. Soon +after our arrival, and before the attempt upon the forts had failed, he +went to visit some of the principal cathedrals, &c. which remained +entire; the priests of course were proud to show their churches on such +an occasion. He admired them greatly, and praised them much; but what +seemed particularly to attract his attention was the extreme whiteness +and cleanness of their walls and ceilings, although they were so very +lofty. He enquired how they managed to get up to them to keep them so; +and the unsuspecting Padre, without hesitation, led him to where they +kept the immensely long ladders by which they ascended. This was just +the very thing he wanted in his meditated attempt upon the forts, and of +course they, with others of a similar description, were procured for +that service. I will not vouch for the truth of the above, although I +heard it, and I think it was not unlikely to have taken place. Indeed +had he made a formal demand for such things, it is not improbable they +might have denied they had them; but his having seen them himself +precluded this. + +The forts surrendered on the 27th, and on the 28th the enemy's main body +retired altogether; for they soon learned the fate of the besieged, as +they had occasionally communicated in some measure by rockets thrown up, +and answered. On the same day, our division moved forward to +Castilbanos; and the day following to Parada de Rubiallis. On the 30th, +we reached Castrillo de Aguerino; and on the 1st of July, the town of +Ravel-del-Rey. The next day, we moved on towards Rueda, a considerable +town. Here we found the French in some force, their main body having +retired across the Duero to Tordesillas. The force in and about Rueda +consisted of both cavalry and infantry, and seemed to act as a rearguard +till the enemy's columns had time to file over the bridge at +Tordesillas. I was at some distance in front of our division, the +cavalry having preceded it, with whom I went forward. As we approached +the place, a pretty large column of the enemy's infantry left it, and +moved in the direction of the bridge. Some of our horse-artillery at +this time came up, and fired Shrapnel shells into it, which did +considerable execution; one shell particularly having killed and wounded +great numbers, among whom was an officer, I think one of the handsomest +men I had almost ever seen. Our cavalry had a little brush with some +squadrons of the enemy a little further on in the plain, and captured a +few prisoners. One of these was the sergeant-major of one of their +hussar regiments, and of all the men I ever saw taken, this man evinced +the greatest trepidation and alarm. He was absolutely like to sink to +the earth, either from fear of what awaited himself, or from the effects +of the contest in which he had been engaged. He had lost his cap in the +fray, and seemed like a person deprived of his senses. He must, +notwithstanding, have been looked upon by the French as a good soldier, +and a valuable non-commissioned officer; for I learned afterwards that +they sent in a request that he might be exchanged for one of our +sergeants whom they had captured, as it was intended immediately to +promote him to the adjutancy of his regiment; of course this was +immediately complied with. The enemy retired to Tordesillas, and we +bivouacked near Rueda, a part of the officers being permitted to go into +houses in the town during the day. + +In this situation we remained for a day and a night; but the sun being +so powerful, the troops began to feel the ill effects of the heat. They +were accordingly brought into the town and quartered in the houses. Here +I experienced more of that hostility before spoken of, on the following +occasion. In the number of houses allotted to my battalion, there +happened to be some of the best of them without stables; but as there +was not time to examine farther than their outward appearance, this +could not be known by me. I therefore marked off the houses according to +custom, giving the best, in point of appearance, to the senior officers +in succession, and so on till all were served. It so happened that the +house allotted to this officer, who had nearly the best in the +battalion given him, had no stable. This I was, from the fore-mentioned +cause, totally ignorant of. Neither had I any stable in the house I +occupied, but, after some trouble, I had found one in a house occupied +by some of the men, where I had put up my horses and mules, and went +about the other duties of my station. In the evening I was informed by +my servant that my animals had been turned out by this officer, and his +own put in, in their stead; and that mine were running loose in a yard, +he not caring what became of them. My saddlery, and all the +mule-apparatus, (precious articles in this country,) had also been cast +out. He was my _senior_ officer, and I was consequently obliged to bear +this ill-treatment. + +I mention this little circumstance, because it will show with what +determined and unrelenting hostility he pursued me. Indeed it might not +have been so trifling an affair, for had I not heard of it in time, I +might have lost every horse and mule I possessed, which would have been +one of the most serious disasters that could have befallen me. I could +obtain no redress, for the captain before mentioned, who commanded the +battalion, and this officer, being on rather unfriendly terms, he felt +delicate in interfering in my behalf. Indeed I have some reason to +believe, that it was partly on account of his enmity to this captain +(with whom I still messed) that he so persecuted me. + +I own I was on this occasion strongly tempted to demand that +satisfaction which the rules of honour (as they are termed) dictate, for +I then had not a Christian feeling on this subject; but after +consideration and consultation with some friends, it was feared he might +take advantage of his superior rank, not only to decline giving me that +satisfaction, but to report me, and thus destroy my prospects for life, +for he would have been compelled to the latter step had he not acceded +to my demand; and from the feeling he displayed towards me, there is not +the least doubt he would have rejoiced at such an opportunity of ruining +me. At this time, also, I had very few _real_ friends who would have +stood by me; for his secret machinations, and his having the ear of our +brigadier, tended greatly to estrange my former friends from me. + +All this, as might be expected, tended powerfully to depress my spirits, +and to cast a gloom over a mind but too susceptible of impressions of +that nature; for there is not any thing almost I would not do or submit +to, to live on good terms with those I associate with, and indeed with +all men. My mind was also much harassed at this time by receiving very +unpleasant letters from England on the subject of the goods I before +mentioned, and which had not yet reached any farther than Abrantes; and +as the men began to be ill off for want of clothing, I obtained leave to +proceed forthwith to Abrantes, to endeavour to get both the clothing and +goods brought up to the regiment. I therefore set off, accompanied by +one servant on a mule, leaving the other animals with the battalion, and +proceeded on the 16th on my journey, and passing through Ravel-del-Rey, +I halted for the night in a village where the seventh division was +quartered. As I knew some of the officers of the 51st, I took up my +abode with them for the night, and they indeed received me very kindly. +My friends spent the evening very merrily; but, about midnight, they +were called out and put under arms, expecting shortly to turn in again, +as they told me; but they were marched off, and left the place entirely, +leaving only my servant and myself in occupation of the town. + +It seems that Marmont, with his whole force, had moved from Tordesillas, +and had threatened Lord Wellington's communication with Salamanca. In +order, then, to keep up a corresponding movement, and be ready to take +advantage of any false step the enemy might make, his lordship withdrew +his whole force, and began to retire as Marmont advanced. Thus, in the +morning, to my surprise, all the army had left the neighbourhood, and as +I was not certain who the next visitors might be, I quickly decamped +from a village now left open to the enemy. I got on at a considerable +pace, as both my servant and myself were riding, and on the 19th I +reached Salamanca. + +During yesterday's march I heard a considerable cannonade to my right +and rear, and I afterwards learnt that the two armies had come nearly in +contact with each other, and some skirmishing and exchange of shots had +taken place. I did not stop in Salamanca longer than to draw rations for +ourselves and animals, being anxious to get on as fast as possible, to +try to get up the supplies while the army remained near the frontiers, +for it was still expected they would advance into the heart of Spain, +notwithstanding the present partial retreat. I accordingly moved on that +evening to Matilla, and continued thus making stages of thirty or forty +miles a-day, and on the 25th I reached Abrantes; but on the preceding +day I was overtaken by Lord Clinton, going home with the dispatches +relative to the glorious and decisive battle of Salamanca, which took +place on the 22d. His lordship was nearly worn out, being actually +asleep on his horse as he rode past me, for he had never once stopped +from the time he first set out. I learnt the news from the person who +accompanied him. It is impossible to describe the joy this information +created among the Portuguese inhabitants of the village. I stopped for +the night at Gaviæ. + +I found at Abrantes a detachment of our second battalion proceeding to +join the army; but, to my sorrow, learnt there was no chance of +procuring transports for the clothing, &c., for months to come. This was +distressing information to me, and of course added to the despondency +already preying upon my spirits; for the merchants' letters I was +continually receiving began to be most importunate, and indeed +attributing the non-remittal of their money to a want of principle, and +talked of reporting my conduct to the Commander-in-Chief. + +Want of a proper religious feeling, under such circumstances, as might +be expected, laid me open to great temptations. I therefore, to drown +sorrow, and because I had always been too much addicted to it, began to +give way to intemperance, and, falling in with a number of officers of +very dissipated habits, I was led on to indulge in the most vile and +abominable of all vices, _drunkenness_, to an excess almost incredible. +But the gloom still seemed to thicken, and a dark cloud seemed impending +over me, of which I was fully aware, and wrote home to my friends to +that effect. At length my birthday, the 4th of August, arrived, and +which must, as my unhappy companions in sin urged on me, be kept with +all due jollity. Accordingly, a dozen of strong port-wine was procured, +and we boozed away most joyfully, the whole being drank by about four or +five of us. This produced constipation in the bowels, and had nigh +brought me to my end; but my mind was more affected, if possible, than +my body. About two days after this debauch, on my retiring to bed at +night, I felt an unusual inclination to rise up and fall down on my +knees, to offer up my evening prayer; for, notwithstanding all my +wickedness and forgetfulness of God, I had not altogether abandoned the +_form_ of _saying_ my prayers at night, but it was always after I lay +down. I resisted this impulse, however, to rise and pray, and, after +mumbling over my _form_ without the _spirit_, I endeavoured to compose +myself to sleep. I did sleep for a while, during which I was troubled +with some confused and incoherent dreams; but soon after awaking, +gracious God! what were my feelings then? Despair, black despair, had +seized upon me. I rushed out of bed, and rolled upon the floor like one +distracted, as indeed I was. Oh! what would I then have given that I had +never been born, or that I could cease to exist! Had it been possible, +by throwing my body into the flames, to annihilate for ever my +consciousness of being, how gladly would I have done it! But no--the +terrors of the Lord were upon me, and drank up my spirits; and no one +who has not been in a similar situation can form the most distant idea +of the misery which preyed upon me. The pains of hell got hold upon me, +and hope seemed for ever to be shut out from my mind. I believed I had +sinned past all redemption; that the mercy of God could not possibly be +extended to me; and of the efficacy of the Redeemer's blood I knew +nothing. Oh! this was a time much to be remembered by me, for none but +He who afflicted me, and my soul which bore the affliction, knows what I +then suffered! + +At length the morning came, but with it no comfort for me. One of my +sinful and dissolute companions came to see me, but he seemed greatly +shocked at the recital of my woful tale, and I believe then formed for +himself resolutions of amendment, which I fear, poor fellow, he never +was able to fulfil. He did not long survive, but was shortly after +called to his awful account, whilst I am spared,--a monument of the +long-suffering mercy of God. Amongst all my companions in error and +wickedness, I could not procure a Bible, and, as a proof of the ungodly +state I was then in, I had not one myself. This poor friend, however, +had a Prayer-book, which he lent me, and out of which I eagerly sought +for comfort and hope, but in vain, for all was against me. Yes--and all +who make God their enemy, will find in the hour of need, that every +other creature and thing will fail to yield them comfort; but I had +sinned too deeply and too perseveringly to find peace speedily. Oh! in +what black array did the sins of my whole life pass before me, and how +did I sigh for annihilation; or, if I could in any way atone for my +wickedness, if I could but go and bury myself in a cave or den of the +earth, and forego for ever all intercourse with mankind, how easily and +how cheaply did I then conceive I should purchase pardon and peace! But, +alas! I knew nothing of the way of reconciliation with an offended God, +although I had been duly instructed in my youth. I was in such agony of +mind that I scarcely heeded my body, but was prevailed upon to have a +surgeon, who administered what he considered necessary, but without +effect. My bowels had ceased to perform their functions, and this no +doubt would greatly affect my head; still, although this, as a _second_ +cause of the distraction of my mind, was easily discoverable, yet the +_great first cause_, not only of my disorder, but of all its effects, +was the God against whom I had so grievously sinned, and from whom alone +I could hope for the removal of my present sufferings. But hope was at +this time banished from my breast, and I gave myself up to all the +agonies of a soul that is lost for ever; but still I could not _rest_ in +this sad situation. I therefore now determined to set off for Lisbon, in +hopes that I might obtain from the chaplain, who was stationed there, +some slight alleviation of my misery, for none but Roman Catholic +priests were to be found where I then was. I accordingly set off, +accompanied by my servant, but in such a hurry, and so utterly +regardless of all worldly concerns, that I left my baggage in my +quarters, which was taken care of by the friend before mentioned. + +I started in the afternoon of the second day after my attack. The sun +was scorching hot above my head, but I regarded it not, seeing there was +a hotter fire within me; indeed I believed I could not mortify my flesh +sufficiently, so blind was I at this time of the nature of atonement. My +feeling was, that I had an Almighty enemy over me; that His eye was upon +me for evil, let me go where I would; and that I could not possibly +escape from the destruction which He would shortly inflict upon my soul. +How gladly, as I rode along, would I have solicited the rocks and +mountains to fall upon me, and hide me from His sight, did I believe +they could have availed for this purpose! But no--I felt it was +impossible, and that I must endure for a short while longer the lighter +punishment he had then laid upon me; and by and by I must drink to the +dregs the cup of His everlasting indignation. O, sinners! be persuaded +to flee from the wrath to come, for indeed one of the slightest terrors +of the Almighty is enough to drive to distraction the strongest mind, +and to appal the stoutest heart! + +I arrived at Galigao, the place of my intended rest for the night--and +here I was attacked with ague and fever in addition to my other +disorder--this was the effect of my exposure to the sun in so weak a +state. But I cared not for my body. I knew that would return to the dust +from whence it was taken. But oh! the never-dying soul--to think that it +should endure eternal and omnipotent wrath, overwhelmed me with dread +indescribable. My mind, it is true, was affected by my disorder; but it +could not be termed insanity or madness, for I even now remember with +great distinctness the feelings I then experienced, and those feelings +remained with me for a considerable time afterwards. + +Here I felt myself extremely ill, and believed I could not survive till +morning. I consequently got my servant to make down my bed in a corner +of the room I occupied, with his own near it, and told him to leave the +candle burning, for that my time could not be long. I was compelled to +submit, and quietly lay myself down, in dreadful expectation of the +fatal hour, and when, as I imagined, the infernal fiend would be +commissioned to seize and carry off my soul to its abode of everlasting +misery. I could not pray, nor had I any the most distant hope that my +sentence could be reversed, for I fully believed it had been finally +pronounced by Him who changeth not. + +During this woful night, I appeared to possess a sort of second self, a +being which existed and thought and reasoned quite distinct from that +_me_ who was stretched upon the floor, and which appeared to upbraid me +with the misery it was then suffering, and was still to suffer, for the +sins of my past abandoned life. I know not whether any other person in +despair ever experienced this feeling; but to me it was quite obvious, +for I remember distinctly the sin to which it more particularly drew my +guilty attention. Was not this the soul which will exist when the body +is dissolved, and may not such an upbraiding take place between the body +and the soul when the former shall be raised to join the latter in the +judgment? But the fact is, my soul was that night as it were on the +point of taking its departure from the tenement of clay, and seemed +strong to endure the everlasting wrath of God. + +I do not know whether I slept any during this dreadful night; but +morning came, and with it a certainty that I was still in this world, +but without the hope that this might have been expected to produce. I +felt as in a fire, yet I scarcely durst put my burning hands into the +water my servant brought me. I felt convinced that I had forfeited all +claim to any thing like blessings, and that curses, both in body and +soul, were alone my due. + +Ill as I was, however, I proceeded on my melancholy journey, not with +any hope that a minister of religion could give _me_ any relief, but a +drowning man will catch at a straw. Oh! how strong, how awfully strong, +did my soul appear at this time, to endure the tremendous wrath of +Omnipotence, whilst my body seemed fast sinking into its original +element! + +I reached Lisbon in two days from this time, having taken a boat at +Santarem. I ate nothing, with a trifling exception. I had no inclination +for food, nor did I think I ought, for the reason before given; my only +sustenance was a little water which I kept in a bottle, and with which I +now and then moistened my parched lips. + +I arrived at Lisbon about daybreak in the morning, and proceeded as well +as I was able to a friend's house, and knocked at the door; but shocked +indeed were he and his wife, when they saw me standing below, more like +a ghost than an inhabitant of this world. Indeed it is not easy to +describe my looks at this time; there must have been much of that +spiritual misery depicted in them which a confirmed despair no doubt +produces. They took me in, and after hearing my woful tale, prepared to +do for me the best that lay in their power; they gave me their own bed, +taking a pallet for themselves, and treated me as if I had been their +brother. He, poor fellow, is no more, but his beloved and kind partner +still lives, and may she always enjoy that happiness she seemed so +desirous of contributing to on this occasion, and everlasting happiness +hereafter! As soon as it could be conveniently done, the clergyman was +sent for, and also a medical officer, although from neither had I any +hope. But, alas! from the former, although a kind and sympathizing man, +I derived but little benefit. He did not direct me to the only source of +a sin-sick being's hopes, the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of +the world. He made my hopes to centre too much in my own resolutions and +after-doings. No doubt, as my sins had been enormous and flagrant, my +repentance ought to be proportioned; but when he saw me bowed down under +an indescribable sense of guilt, oh! had he, like Paul to the jailer, +pointed me to the Saviour, how unutterably precious and acceptable would +it have been to my soul! I do not remember that any one character in +scripture is described as having felt more fully and more keenly the +sinfulness of sin, and of its consequent danger to the soul, than I did +at this time. How thankfully would I have accepted the mode of salvation +pointed out in the gospel; for indeed I was but too much (as all natural +men are) inclined to expect pardon and happiness from the things which, +if God spared me, I intended to perform. But He only knows best. This +kind gentleman wrote me out prayers, and seemed much interested in my +welfare; notwithstanding, the gloom of despair still hung heavy on me, +and at length; and when the kind medical friend was enabled, after +repeated efforts, to procure me some relief, I felt as if it was only +the prolonging of my existence, in order that I might fill up the +measure of my iniquity. This, I am now fully persuaded, was a suggestion +of the Father of Lies, in hopes probably of prevailing upon me to adopt +the awful and miserable resolution of Judas to get rid of life. + +I thank God this was the only temptation of that nature which he +permitted me to be exercised with; for I felt no inclination even in my +darkest hours to commit suicide, fully believing that the utmost of my +sufferings here could bear no proportion to those of the damned in hell. +I consequently had no inclination to hasten them by rushing into +eternity; this, it is evident, was of the merciful goodness of the Lord, +and for which I am bound to be truly thankful. + +I continued in this state of mind for several months, and could not, +with all my reading, praying, and doing, find peace. My reading and +praying seemed to me more like an irksome task, than an exercise in +which I took delight. I had formed a resolution from the first to retire +from the service, where it appeared to me I was exposed to so many +temptations; but here the experienced Christian will perceive how +erroneous were my views, and I think feel pleased that I never fully +effected my purpose, although I made preparations for it. Indeed I could +not well feel _certain_ that I should act right by retiring from the +post to which God's providence had appointed me, although my firm +determination was to live devoted to Him. But, alas! how wofully have I +failed of maintaining that resolution! + +My health now gradually improved, under the kind and fostering +attentions of my warm-hearted host and hostess, and it became necessary +that I should resume my station at Abrantes, which I did, in hopes of +being able to obtain transport from thence, although the army was at +this time in the neighbourhood of Madrid. But after returning to +Abrantes I suffered a relapse, and was again brought to the borders of +the grave, my mind still deeply impressed with my former ill +forebodings, although not quite so distressing as before. I got my +servant to read to me while I lay groaning on the floor, for I could not +bear to sleep in a bed at this time, but felt little comfort from his +endeavours, the Scriptures being at this time "a sealed book" to me; so +true is it that till the grace of God dispels our darkness we have no +light in us. + +I think it is probable that some of my readers, on perusing this part of +my narrative, will be inclined to say, "surely this man must have been +an uncommon and atrocious sinner, above all others, or he never would +have suffered thus." I acknowledge with shame that I have been a most +abominable and vile sinner, deserving of all the Lord laid upon me, and +much more, for I was, and am, fully deserving of hell fire; and should +that be my portion (as, through the merits and sufferings of my Saviour, +I have a humble hope it will not be), I must acknowledge the kindness +and justice of God, although I perish for ever. But I would say to such +readers, as our Saviour said to the Jews, that "except _ye_ repent, _ye_ +shall likewise perish." Others may be inclined, on the contrary, to say, +that all this was merely the effect of disease, and not at all to be +resolved into God's hatred of sin and punishment of it in this instance. +I acknowledge that it was the effect of disease. But when God laid that +disease upon me, He knew what effect it would produce upon my mind; +consequently, both disease and mental agony came from Him; and, because +I knew it came from Him, "I held my tongue and said nothing." And I have +now, and I hope shall have for ever, the greatest cause to bless His +holy name for this, as one of the greatest mercies He ever showed me, +for having thus taught me to know how evil and bitter a thing sin is, +and to set a juster estimate upon his favour. He thus taught me also to +value and love the Saviour, who alone can deliver me from the +punishment, the power, the pollution, and the love of sin, and to make +me happy for ever. Blessed be His holy name, for He has done to me all +things well, and I humbly hope to enjoy His favour for ever. + +During my stay at Lisbon, my batman, whom I before mentioned as having +lost, or rather sold, my mule, and who had here rejoined me to take care +of the horse and mule I had with me, either from remorse, or some other +cause, made an attempt to cut his throat, and succeeded so far as to +sever the windpipe, I believe, but did not quite effect his purpose. He +was found in a field near Lisbon bleeding nearly to death, and brought +into the hospital, where, with great care, and after some time, he +recovered. Indeed 1812 was a sickly year, and many were affected +strongly in the mind, several having committed suicide, I believe. + +While I lay here ill the second time, I received a letter from the +regiment telling me that the paymastership had become vacant, the poor +old gentleman with whom I returned to England last year, having come out +again to the Peninsula, and got as far as Rodrigo on his way to the +regiment, and there, being attacked with the same disease I had suffered +so much from, died; and that as General Stewart, our colonel, had +arrived at Lisbon, I was to go and wait upon him, and that letters would +be written from the regiment requesting him to recommend me for the +situation. + +I with great difficulty again reached Lisbon, and waited upon the +general, but to my great mortification I found the promised letters from +the regiment had never been received, and that another person had, in +consequence, been recommended, he being the son of the late paymaster, +and had applied some time before. My disappointment did not prey upon my +mind, for at this time I set very light indeed by the good things of +this world, and felt conscious that I already possessed much more than I +deserved. I was compelled through illness to remain again in Lisbon some +time, but found great difficulty to obtain permission from the +commandant for so doing. My general, however, procured me leave to stay +till I should be able to resume my post at Abrantes. Here, not only +myself, but all the officers who were then in Lisbon, and also at the +army, suffered much from the want of subsistence. I had at this period +seven months' pay due me, and could not obtain a dollar from the public +chest, although I wrote a note to the commandant showing him how I was +suffering from want of money. + +The army had in the meantime pursued the French, as before noticed, on +one side to Madrid, and on the other to Burgos; but the attempt to take +the latter by storm having failed, and the enemy having been able to +assemble a more numerous force than Lord Wellington had before it, he +was obliged to retire from both those places to the frontiers of +Portugal. The division from Cadiz, the siege of which having been raised +by our forward movement in summer, had joined the army at Madrid. Much +was suffered, I understand, during this retreat, the troops having been +exposed to great privations, and the weather being exceedingly wet and +unpleasant. My division, after the retreat, took up its quarters again +in the villages on the Portuguese side of Rodrigo--my battalion being +stationed at the village of Espeja. The army, as might be expected from +the late severe and harassing service they had been engaged in, began to +be extremely ill off indeed for want of clothing, many of the men being +nearly quite naked; in consequence, the most pressing orders were sent +from head-quarters to use every means possible to have the supplies +immediately forwarded, for Abrantes at this time contained stores +belonging to almost every regiment in the army. My health having been +considerably improved, I again returned to that depot, and, after +waiting a few weeks, the means of transport were at last given me by the +commissary there. I need not say with what alacrity I prepared for and +commenced my long wished for journey. I had got a sufficient escort +assigned me, from a detachment of our men being about to join the +regiment. + +We started about the beginning of January 1813, and proceeded on our +route by way of Niza, &c. I had been obliged to buy another horse from +some cause which I do not now recollect, but when we were leaving the +town just named, I found, on turning out to move off, that a large nail +had been driven right up into the centre of one of his feet. Whether +this was done accidentally, or by design, I never could learn, but the +consequence was the loss of the horse. I had great trouble also to keep +the convoy, which consisted of about a dozen bullock carts, with as many +soldiers as an escort, together; the drivers, if they were not strictly +guarded, very often made their escape, taking their bullocks with them +during the night, and leaving the cart in our possession, glad, I dare +say, that they got off so cheaply, for they seemed to have a great +antipathy to go with us. I was therefore compelled to collect them all +together near Castello Branco, and making the soldiers load their rifles +before them, told them as well as I was able that they had orders to +shoot the first who attempted to desert with his bullocks. This had a +good effect, for I believe we lost no more till we reached the regiment; +but, as we approached the frontiers of Spain, several of the drivers ran +away without their cattle, preferring the loss of both bullocks, cart, +and payment, rather than enter that country, of which the peasantry in +general seemed to have a great dread. Those who stuck by us to the last, +were rewarded with the bullocks and carts of the deserters; but I think +we did not take more than two or three out of the twelve to the +regiment, the rest had all made their escape. Nothing can be conceived +more tiresome than travelling with such a convoy. The carts are all +constructed upon the principle of the Irish car; that is, the axle rolls +round with the wheels, they being firmly united; consequently the +creaking noise created by the friction is loud and most unpleasant, and +they have no idea of grease or tar to diminish this, but believe in many +parts, if not in all, the noise to be a sort of holy noise, which keeps +the devil from them. I found, in removing these stores, that great +robberies had taken place upon them, several of the bales having been +opened while on board ship, great quantities of goods taken out, and +their place filled up with old transport bedding, &c. I found it +necessary, however, to endeavour to bear up against all this, for my +mind would not suffer me to dwell too much upon such misfortunes. At +length I arrived at the regiment, where indeed I was a welcome guest, +for they were greatly in need of all kinds of equipment. + +The officer who had rendered my life so unhappy before, had left the +regiment, and gone into another far distant from my present place of +abode, for which I was truly thankful, and his absence I found produced +a great change in my favour; for every one seemed glad to see me, and +sympathized with me in my late alarming illness; in fact, the face of +things was entirely changed for the better. I myself had benefited much +by my late chastisement. I had learned to think meanly of myself, and to +be kind and submissive to all to whom I owed submission; a virtue which, +I fear, I was but too deficient in before. + +All things now went well with me. The goods, which before had been such +a source of uneasiness and trouble, were rapidly disposing of, and thus +the prospect of my soon being able to pay my creditors became every day +brighter. But, in the mean time, what I had hinted at before took place: +one of the merchants had actually reported me to his Royal Highness the +Duke of York. This might, indeed, have deprived me of my commission, had +his Royal Highness been harsh with me; but he caused a letter to be +written to my commanding-officer, (now Sir Andrew Barnard,) to call on +me to explain why I had not remitted the merchant what I owed him, and +to account for my not answering his letters, which he said I had failed +to do for several months. My answer was very simple, as the reader is +aware; but, with respect to the letters, I showed the colonel one, in +which the merchant acknowledged having received one from me a short time +previously. This also was satisfactory, and I had moreover remitted him +a short while before L.300 of the money I owed him. The colonel was +fully satisfied, and wrote off to his Royal Highness accordingly, and I +heard no more of the business. Soon after the captain, who had been +acting as paymaster, was obliged to return to England, on account of ill +health. After some necessary steps I was appointed to this duty, it +being an addition of 10s. per diem to my pay. According to the army +regulations, a person in my situation could not be appointed acting +paymaster; but a committee of three captains was formed, who took all +the responsibility of my transactions upon themselves, giving me, as +before said, the whole 10s. per diem. This showed, at least, that they +were not afraid to trust themselves in my hands; for I might have +involved them deeply. In short, whatever I did (almost) prospered, and a +kind Providence seemed to smile upon me; and I believe that from this to +the close of the Peninsular campaigns was the happiest part of my life. +I have reason, therefore, to bless God for his unbounded goodness to +me. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + + Preparations for the Field--Amusements in winter + quarters--Grand Review--Advance of the Army in pursuit of the + Enemy--Come up with their rearguard in the vicinity of Hornilla + de Camino--Skirmishing--Encounter with the 1st brigade of the + Enemy, who are beaten, and forced to retreat--Our Army advance + in pursuit--An affair between the rearguard of the Enemy and + our 4th Brigade--Vittoria--General Engagement--The Enemy + defeated--Remarks. + + +I begin this chapter, through the mercy and goodness of God, with +brighter prospects than any I have written hitherto; for though I was +still ignorant of the peculiar doctrines of Christianity, I believed God +was at peace with me, and, from my late dreadful sufferings for sin, I +certainly walked very circumspectly, and I believe I had also more of +the genuine feelings of a Christian, though not the knowledge; for I was +lowly in my own eyes, and loved all mankind. In me was fully verified at +this time that sublime, but seemingly ill understood, saying of our +Saviour's, "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." I +now was meek and lowly, and I had friends in abundance, and may truly be +said to have possessed or inherited the earth, for I had plenty of every +necessary good, and, withal, peace and contentment. I could not enjoy +more had I been in possession of more. Alas! how lamentable is it that +chastisement should produce a better effect upon me, than love and +gratitude to God is capable of doing; for, to my shame be it spoken, +pride and selfishness now prevail much more in my heart than they were +able to do then; and I find it much more difficult now to bring my mind +down to that lowly and contrite feeling which with God is so acceptable, +and with the possession of which only He promises to dwell. + +As the officer whom I have had occasion so often to mention owed me a +trifle of money, I wrote to him, in as friendly a manner as I could, +hoping, now we were separated, that his enmity would cease, and I was +desirous of being at peace with all mankind; for, as I said before, I +never yet knew why he was my enemy. He wrote back, with an order for the +money, telling me, he hoped never to hear from me again, for that he was +anxious to forget that such a person had ever existed in the world. +This, as might be supposed, wounded my feelings deeply, but I remembered +that I had myself sinned as deeply against God, and that He might raise +up such instruments for my correction as seemed good to Him. My +feelings, therefore, towards this person were more of regret and pity +than of resentment, and I think I did not forget to pray to God for him. +Poor fellow, he has a good while since been called to his account, and +that in rather an awful manner; he fell in a duel, but which (from all I +could learn) he was engaged in from the best motives, that of +endeavouring to prevent the seduction of a young female belonging to his +regiment. I hope he is at peace. + +During our stay in winter-quarters every exertion was made to put the +troops in a proper state to take the field again, so soon as the season +was sufficiently advanced. While we remained here also every sort of +innocent amusement, at least generally innocent, was had recourse to, +both by officers and men, not only to pass the time of inactivity with +pleasure, but to keep up that readiness for action always so necessary +in a state of warfare. We accordingly had races, balls, plays, and every +other description of pastime our situation admitted of. We in Espija +established what was termed a _trigger_ club, each one in turn giving an +entertainment at his house, and at which, as the name would imply, as +much game was produced as our sportsmen could procure. The plays were +generally held at Gallegos, the quarter of the 43d, and which were +indeed got up in a surprising style, considering the means of doing so. +A _walking_ club was established in our 1st battalion, which was +quartered at Alamada; we were of course frequently favoured with the +company of its members, for they thought nothing of setting out, each +with a long pole in his hand, and walking twenty or more miles to +dinner. Thus harmony and a brotherly feeling was promoted amongst the +officers of the division,--a thing of great moment where regiments have +to act together, as well as pleasant to all parties. Some of our people +also occasionally had a wolf-hunt, for these animals were quite numerous +in this part of the country; nay, so bold were they when pressed with +hunger, that they did not scruple sometimes to enter our villages, and +devour whatever fell in their way that they could master. An officer of +ours had an ass or a mule torn to pieces one night while standing in the +yard behind his house. The mode of hunting them was, to have a certain +number with arms stationed at the different passes in the wood, whilst a +large party of drivers scoured the wood in line, driving every thing +before them, when the animals, coming upon the armed people, were shot; +but I do not think they were at all successful: it requires people +accustomed to the business to enable them to kill many. There is a +premium given for every wolf's head, but I forget how much it is. + +I sometimes took a trip to the Azava, or the Agueda, on a fishing +excursion; but I was ill off for fishing tackle: the hooks the Spaniards +make are the clumsiest things imaginable, and would not, I am persuaded, +be made with less dexterity by the natives of New Zealand. Those which +we were forced to use for fly-hooks had a hole or eye at the top, like +the crook which you will sometimes see in a butcher's shop, intended to +be hung upon another, which was formed by turning the wire down again, +and through this they run their line; besides, they almost invariably +broke, and I have been wofully tantalized sometimes by having the hook +break off the only fly that the fish were taking; notwithstanding, I +caught some very fine trout in the Agueda, this river abounding with +them. I sometimes also caught barbel in that river; but it was literally +swarming with a sort of roach, or what some of our people called +rock-fish: they generally feed from some stuff they find on the large +stones. But as the season approached which was to call us to the field, +a review of the whole division was ordered to take place on the plain of +Espija, and which, I think, was as brilliant a spectacle of that +description as it was possible for 5000 men to make. Every regiment was +in high and complete order, the whole having by this time been fully +equipped for the campaign: the movements, too, were beautiful, and +executed with great precision and promptitude, and, as might be +anticipated, called forth the unqualified approbation of our illustrious +Chief. + +A new and different arrangement was made this campaign with respect to +both officers and men in their field-equipment. Experience had proved +that constant bivouacking injured the men's health, as the mode they had +adopted last year, though very ingenious, was not calculated to protect +them sufficiently from exposure to the weather. They had last campaign +been ordered each man to have loops sewed on at the corner of his +blanket; thus, when in the field, two of these were united, and spread +over two stand of arms set up at the ends for poles, and being fastened +down at the other corners with bayonets, they formed a sort of tent, +into which perhaps four men might creep; but then they had thus only two +blankets to serve as a bed for the whole four men; consequently they +would, in cold weather, be much exposed. This campaign each company +received four tents; thus allowing about twenty men for each, and the +officers of each company had one among them, and the field and staff +officers in like proportion. These were carried on mules, which before +had carried the camp-kettles; but these being exchanged for smaller +ones, the men carried them in turns upon their knapsacks. Thus it rarely +happened that the tents were not on the ground nearly as soon as the +men; but strict orders were given always to encamp out of sight of the +enemy, if practicable, that they might not be able to calculate our +numbers. How very different from the ancient mode of encamping! each of +which being more like a town laid out with regular streets, &c. &c. But +war was a very different thing in those days, and could Marlborough have +risen to see one of our straggling and irregular mountain camps, I know +not what his feelings would have been: he would, I fear, have thought we +had sadly degenerated. + +All being now ready for opening the campaign, a part of the army, under +Sir Thomas Graham, crossed the Douro low down in Portugal, and proceeded +up the right bank, while we, with Sir Rowland Hill's corps, moved +forward in the direction of Salamanca and Toro. On the 21st of May, our +division broke up from its cantonments, and assembled at the village of +St Felices el Chico, a few miles below Ciudad Rodrigo, each regiment +having had the Agueda to ford in its march to this camp. Our division at +this time consisted of the following corps:--viz. the 1st brigade, under +General Kempt, was composed of the 43d regiment, 17th Portuguese, and +the 1st and 3d battalions of my regiment; the 2d brigade, under General +Skerrit, contained the 52d regiment, 1st and 3d Portuguese caçadores, +and the 2d battalion of my regiment; one troop of horse artillery, under +Colonel Ross, was attached to the division; the whole being under the +command of General Charles Alten. On the 22d, we moved on to Martin del +Rey, near the river Yeltes, by the side of which we encamped. On the +23d, we marched to and encamped near San Munoz, where the division had, +I understand, suffered considerably during the retreat of last year, +from the French having gained ground upon them, and severely cannonaded +them from a height near this village. On the 25th, we moved on to +Robliza, having halted the day before to enable the other division to +come up with us. We next morning moved forward to the little river +Valmuzo, a few miles on the Portugal side of Salamanca, and alluded to +in my former advance. Here we halted for three hours during mid-day and +cooked, and in the afternoon advanced to the ford of El Canto, on the +river Tormes, and about two leagues below Salamanca. Here we encamped +for the night, and remained next day also. Lord Wellington, with some +cavalry we understood, had entered Salamanca, where only a small force +of the enemy's cavalry had been found, and which retired immediately; +but I believe some little skirmishing took place between the parties. On +the morning of the 28th we forded the Tormes, and advanced towards +Aldea Nueva de Figuera, which we reached late in the day, the distance +being about twenty-four miles. + +While we lay at El Canto, a few of our officers visited Salamanca, in +hopes of meeting some of their old friends of last year; but not a +_viva_ greeted their ears on entering the city; a sort of suspicious +look of recognition was all they could obtain from those people, who had +received us only last summer with such extravagant demonstrations of +joy. No doubt they had been made to suffer for their former expressions +of attachment to us, for the French had in almost every place their +partisans, who doubtless would not fail to give them, on their return, +an account of the manner in which the English had been received, and the +contributions would be laid on accordingly. + +We remained at Aldea from the 28th May to the 2d of June, waiting for +information from the corps under Sir Thomas Graham, it being intended to +form a junction at or about Toro, where it was expected the enemy had a +considerable force; this was distant from us about thirty miles. While +we continued here, I took a trip to Sir Rowland Hill's division, where I +had a townsman, an officer in the 28th, but had not the satisfaction of +seeing him. I had other friends in that division, however, with whom I +and my companions spent the day in great harmony and satisfaction, and +at evening returned to our camp, about four miles distant, highly +gratified. + +On the 2d of June, we set off early in the morning, and arrived at Villa +Buena about mid-day, where we halted for three hours to cook and +refresh, after which we continued our march towards Toro, which we +reached in the evening, but the enemy having destroyed the bridge across +the Douro at this place, we encamped for the night in some fields on the +left bank of the river. We learnt here that the hussars attached to Sir +Thomas Graham's division had attacked a corps of French cavalry soon +after their having quitted Toro, and with whom a very smart affair had +taken place, the enemy being completely routed, and about 150 prisoners +taken from them. Our cavalry, I believe, lost an officer on this +occasion, who fell into the hands of the enemy. Nothing could exceed the +miserable appearance of the horses taken from the French on this +occasion; they appeared really half starved, although at this season +there was plenty of green forage to be had; they must either have been +sadly neglected, or have been doing exceeding hard duty. + +The bridge having been rendered passable for the men, the division +crossed on the following morning, the horses and mules fording the +river. We left Toro immediately, and moved on in pursuit of the enemy, +and encamped that night at Terra Buena. On the 4th, we reached the +convent of Espinar, and encamped on a height just over it. It was a most +picturesque and beautiful piece of country around this convent, but +itself appeared to have been lately rendered uninhabitable. I believe +the monks had been driven away by the French, but not a soul remained to +enquire of; all about the building was desolation. We next day advanced +to the village of Muderra, and on the 6th to Amperdia, and on the 7th we +marched through the city of Palentia, and encamped outside the walls, on +the banks of the river Carrion. + +Here the inhabitants evinced the same degree of enthusiasm on our +entrance as we had been accustomed to witness in other large towns, till +the French had taught them a little more circumspection, and which the +good people of Palentia would have been most probably fully taught, had +these good friends of theirs ever got possession of their city again. +Some time after we had pitched our camp, and were strolling about the +city, the lifeguards entered, and were of course saluted with repeated +vivas. One of the men, a rather country-looking young fellow, cried out, +"Ay, the folks be always glad to see we lifeguards," happily supposing, +no doubt, that they were intended as a particular compliment to his +corps alone. All the country through which we had marched for several +days past, was one continued plain of waving corn, mostly wheat of the +very finest description. There are no hedges or dikes, but, as before +noticed, only landmarks to divide the different fields, so that its +appearance is like an immense sea, stretching as far as the eye can +reach, the long corn undulating with the wind as the waves in the ocean. + +On the 8th we marched forward and encamped at the village of Tamara, the +weather having, from being exceedingly fine, and indeed rather hot, set +in extremely wet and cold, and thus rendered marching very unpleasant. +We next day reached La Peña, (the name, it may be remembered, of the +Barossa Spanish hero,) the weather continuing very coarse and stormy. On +the 10th we continued to advance, and marching through the village of +Framosa, and passing over a canal which crosses here, we halted for the +night on the right bank of the river Pisuerga, near the village of +Lantadilla. In all these late movements, we had experienced a great +deficiency of fuel for cooking and drying our clothes when wet, neither +forest nor bush-wood being to be seen for days together, and indeed +scarcely one solitary tree to be met with--nothing but corn; so that we +were occasionally compelled to resort to the cruel and unchristianlike +expedient of pulling down houses to obtain the timber with which they +were built for the purpose of cooking, or we must have eaten our food +raw. This, however, was done in a regular and systematic order, the +Alcalde of the village pointing out such of the houses as were to be +doomed to the fire, and the troops taking no more than was absolutely +necessary. It is astonishing to me how the natives themselves exist for +want of this article of first necessity. + +From this village we moved forward on the 11th, and crossing the +Pisuerga, marched on the town of Pallacio, which we passed, and reached +the village of Landrino, near which we encamped for the night. + +From the time we left Toro, the enemy had been gradually retiring before +us, having withdrawn his forces from all the strong places on the Douro, +and seemed concentrating somewhere in the direction of Burgos or +Vittoria. Excepting our cavalry, no part of our forces ever had the +satisfaction of seeing a Frenchman hitherto during the whole of this +long and rapid march; but on the morning of the 12th, as we now +approached Burgos, it was fully expected that we should be able to get a +sight of the fugitives; and accordingly, after we had left our last +night's quarters, and marched a few miles in the direction of the city, +a pretty strong body of the enemy's cavalry was seen drawn out on a high +plain, a little above the village of Hornilla de Camiño. These were +supported by a division of infantry formed in square, and occupying the +outer edge of the high plain facing the way we advanced, and apparently +observing our motions. On discovering this force, our division was +halted to give the cavalry attached to us time to ride forward to +reconnoitre, and ascertain more exactly the force before us, than could +be done while we were on the low ground. + +I rode forward with our cavalry, which, passing by the enemy's square of +infantry, approached the main body of their cavalry. It not being, +however, the intention of the French to fight here, they slowly and +orderly retired before us across the plain; but as we had left the +square of infantry nearly behind us, the guns attached to our cavalry +turned in that direction, for this body seemed indifferent about the +movements of our cavalry, and it was not till our division began to +ascend the hill that they evinced the slightest intention of stirring. +On seeing them, however, they quickly decamped, and as they had to pass +within 150 yards of the position our guns had taken up, I imagined +considerable execution must have been done upon them before they got out +of our reach. But, strange to say, I believe only one single man was +knocked down by the great numbers of shot fired at them. It must have +been owing to the relative situations of the two parties; they passed +down a hollow way which led from the high plain in the direction of the +Burgos road, and which covered them completely till they came +immediately below our guns, when it became a difficult matter to depress +them so as to bear upon the enemy's square as they passed us. However +the whole turned round and gave us a regular volley, for, as we were so +much above them, there was no danger from their firing in square; but +this, although the shots flew pretty thick about us, was not productive +of any mischief that I remember. They retired across the plain below us, +pursued by another division of ours which had advanced on our right, and +between whom and the French a pretty smart skirmish took place. So soon +as their infantry were clear from us, their guns opened out from the +opposite side of the river upon us on the height, but, the distance +being considerable, their shot did little execution. It was evident this +force was only left here as a rearguard, to ascertain our movements and +force, &c. We encamped for the night near the road by which we had +ascended the high plain; but were awoke early next morning by a +tremendous explosion which shook the earth beneath us, although at the +distance of 6 or 7 miles from Burgos, the castle of which the enemy had +blown up, and retired altogether. We soon after commenced our march, +and, leaving that city to our right, made a long march in the direction +of the Ebro, and halted for the night near the village of Tovar. The +next day we moved on to Quintanajar, and on the 15th, after a long +march, we reached the Ebro, and halted at the village of Puente Arrenas, +situated in the delightful valley of Veras. This is one of the most +picturesque and beautiful valleys in Europe, I dare say. When you arrive +at the brow of the high ground over the Ebro, a sight breaks upon you +all at once which is indescribably grand and beautiful;--a large river +rolling under you, beyond which a rich and fertile valley, laden with +the fruits of a hundred orchards, with charming villas and farm-houses +dispersed through all the lawn; a stupendous bridge, of I know not how +many arches, leading you across this magnificent river; and the whole +closed by high and beetling rocks jutting out of the high woody bank on +the opposite side. It really appeared like enchantment when we first +arrived within sight of it, from the long dreary plains we had been so +long traversing. Here, for the first time since we entered Spain, did we +meet with "manteca de vaca," or "cow butter," all the other we had been +compelled to use hitherto for want of better, was what they call +"manteca de puerco," or "hog's-lard." The women who brought it wore a +quite different dress from those we had seen in the parts we had passed +through; the women had on generally yellow stockings, with abundance of +petticoats of red, yellow, green, &c. &c., and were all very stout-made; +they were, I believe, from Asturias. Poor creatures, many of them +followed us with loads of butter, wine, cheese, &c. &c., even into +France, so pleased were they with the excellent prices their +merchandise brought amongst us; indeed, we had been so long debarred the +enjoyment of butter and cheese, that we would have given almost any +price to get them sweet and good. They carried their loads (and +tremendous ones they were) as the flesh-wives in Newcastle carry theirs, +that is, by passing a broad leather belt across the forehead and over +the shoulders, and so underneath the heavy load upon their back. They +were a civil and obliging race of beings, and apparently much more +industrious and cleanly than the rest of their country people. + +We left this delightful spot on the morning of the 16th, following the +course of the river upwards for about a league, then turning short to +the right, passed through an enclosed country, and halted for the night +at the town of Medina del Pomar. This is a considerable-sized place, in +which was a nunnery, the inmates of which greeted us with hearty +welcomes and vivas, with waving of handkerchiefs, &c., through their +strongly iron-grated windows, where they more resembled criminals of the +worst description shut up in a strong prison, poor things, than people +who had devoted themselves to the service of their Maker. Next morning, +we moved forward through a country almost without roads; we were, in +fact, crossing the country in order to get nearer to the great road +leading from Madrid to Vittoria, and on which the enemy's army was then +retiring. We encamped for the night, after a fatiguing day's march, on a +woody height near the little river Loza. We took the high ground on this +occasion for our encampment, although extremely inconvenient and +uncomfortable, being among stumps and brushwood, where there was +scarcely room to pitch our tents; this was in consequence of being in +the neighbourhood of a considerable force of the enemy, which was +retreating, as before noticed, along the great road. + +The next morning, the 18th of June, we started pretty early, and +calculating that we should this day come in contact with the above +force, we marched in such a manner as to be ready, when that event took +place, to take advantage of any favourable circumstances that might +offer. We had in our front a squadron of Hussars belonging to the German +Legion, and which were generally attached to our division. About mid-day +the squadron in front of us reached the village of San Millan, where the +road on which we were then marching, and the great road on which the +enemy was retreating, unite; the latter descending from a high tableland +just above the village, and passing a narrow defile between two high +rocks. Our cavalry, on reaching this village, descried the advance of +the French, composed also of cavalry; and what was not a little +singular, they also were Germans in the French service. Our brave +Hussars instantly charged those of the enemy, and immediately overthrew +the body opposed to them, and in the charge captured several men and +horses, which they brought in prisoners. + +By this time the head of the division had reached the spot, (my 1st +battalion leading,) which in a few minutes got warmly engaged with the +enemy's voltigeurs, a considerable number of whom had advanced to oppose +us, in order that the main body of their division might be enabled, +under cover of their fire, to pass through the village on the way +towards Vittoria. Our people, however, pressed them so hard, that the +whole of their leading brigade was obliged to join in the action. At +this moment our illustrious Chief came galloping up; for, whenever any +thing was to be done, he was always present. He had also taken care to +have our 4th division moved so as to arrive at the village of Espija, a +town about a league in front of us on the great road, nearly about the +same time, so that, should the French contrive to get away from us, +they might fall into their hands. He immediately sent me off to the +leading company of our people who were engaged, for the guide they had +had with them, in order that he might conduct his lordship to Espija; +but that was no place for a Spanish peasant who had neither honour nor +glory to gain, and he had accordingly made his escape the moment our +folks got into action. His lordship instantly dashed off without a +guide, while our two battalions, that is, the 1st and 3d of my regiment, +kept advancing upon the enemy, and fairly drove them through the +village, being supported by the other regiments of the brigade, but who +had not any occasion to come into action. + +The first brigade of the enemy being thus beaten, retreated along the +great road in the direction of Espija, leaving their second brigade and +all their baggage to their fate. These latter being pressed by our +second or rear brigade, and seeing us in possession of the village, and +the road they had to pass, immediately broke in all directions, and +dispersed themselves in the mountains over the village, each man making +the best of his way. This their baggage could not do, and it +consequently fell into the hands of the captors, an easy and valuable +booty; but although my brigade, by beating and dispersing the enemy at +the village, had been the principal cause of its capture, yet those +whose hands it fell into had not the generosity to offer the least share +of it to us, but divided it amongst themselves. + +During the skirmish in the village, a French hussar chased one of our +officers several times round one of the trees growing by the side of the +road, and repeatedly cut at him with his sabre, and it is likely would +have cut him down at last, had not the officer seen a rifle lying near, +belonging to a man just killed; and luckily it was loaded when he picked +it up. He waited for the Frenchman, and coolly shot him through the +body, and instantly seized his horse as lawful prize; had the rifle +missed fire he was gone. We had not rested long after this brush till we +heard a firing in our front, where indeed it was expected. The troops +which had just left us, I imagine, had been attacked by the 4th +division, and we, the 1st brigade, were instantly ordered to their +support should they need it; but before we reached Espija, the enemy was +completely beaten, and had retired in the direction of Vittoria. We had +to retrace our steps and join our other brigade, and encamped for the +night in the neighbourhood of San Millan. + +Our loss on this occasion was but trifling, considering the smartness of +the affair. An officer of my regiment, of the name of Haggup, a +countryman of my own, received a most dangerous wound in the abdomen, of +which it was feared he would die, but he soon after completely +recovered. An aide-de-camp of the French General was wounded, and taken +prisoner, but he soon after died, poor fellow. Along with the captured +baggage were a number of Spanish ladies, who had been attached to the +French officers to whom it belonged, but they did not appear over +faithful to their protectors, for most of them, I believe, preferred +remaining in the hands of their captors, to being forwarded after their +beaten and now ill-provided former companions; such is generally the +fidelity to be expected from that sort of people. + +On the 19th we advanced by the same road the French had retired, till we +reached the town of Salinas, where there were very extensive salt-works, +as the name of the place denotes. We encamped for the night near the +village of Pobes, on a small rivulet named Bayas, I believe. Near the +end of our march to-day we had a view of the enemy's rearguard, as they +rounded the end of a mountain, which lay immediately before us, and over +which the road to Vittoria passes. After rounding the mountain, this +part of the enemy's force fell in with our 4th division again, which had +been moved forward from Espija by another road. A very smart skirmish +was the consequence, which we distinctly heard, and in which a good +number fell on both sides. The French retired from hence into their +position in front of Vittoria. During the next day, while we halted +here, it began to be whispered that the enemy had concentrated his +forces in and around Vittoria, which was distant from us perhaps about +ten or a dozen miles, and that the divisions of our own army had that +day approached nearer together, which indicated a determination on the +part of our Chief to try his hand with King Joseph, should he be bold +enough to stay where he then was. + +Many, of course, and various would be the reflections which occupied the +minds of the different individuals composing the two armies; but I can +speak from experience, that those are of a much more pleasing nature +which a consciousness of superiority and a good prospect of success +inspires, than those which a retreating army are compelled to entertain. + +Pretty early in the morning of the 21st, we fell in and moved forward by +the way the French rearguard before-mentioned had taken, and after +having passed the end of the mountain and descended into the valley on +the other side, we saw evident proofs that the affair between our 4th +division and the French, above alluded to, must have been pretty warm. +We continued to advance on the road to Vittoria, till, on ascending a +rising ground, the French army appeared in position immediately in front +of us. It was a noble and animating sight, for they appeared as numerous +almost as grashoppers, and were posted as nearly as I can recollect in +the following order. Immediately before us ran the river Zadora, +passing from our left and front to our right and rear. In the centre of +an extensive plain rose a pretty lofty conical hill, from which extended +to their left a sloping plain, through which the great road lay, and +terminated by a long range of mountains, stretching from Puebla de +Arlanzon, just above the river, to a considerable distance beyond +Vittoria. The city was shut out of our view by the conical hill before +mentioned, and was distant from it about four or five miles; to the +right of this hill, along the bank of the river, it appeared broken, and +not easily approachable. On the face of the conical hill, and to its +very summit, it appeared as thickly set with troops as if they had been +bees clustering together; it was also thickly studded with batteries and +other field-works. On the plain between that and the long range of +mountains, the troops appeared to stand so thick that you might imagine +you could walk on their heads. There did not appear any great force on +the mountains to their left, and what they had to the right of the +conical hill and towards Vittoria we could not discern, but it turned +out they had a strong force there. There were several small villages in +the plain and on the side of the mountains; the largest stood rather to +the right of the plain, with a wood immediately behind it; this, I +believe, is called Subijana de Alva. On the bank of the river also were +three or four villages, most of them on our side, with a bridge at each +village. The French army did not extend immediately to the river bank, +but was placed at some little distance beyond it. The river was easily +fordable. + +Our army began to arrive by divisions, and was posted as +follows--General Hill with the 2d division, consisting of about 12,000 +men, was on our extreme right, except about 3000 or 4000 Spaniards under +General Morillo, who were still more to the right, and facing the long +range of mountains before mentioned. In the centre was his lordship +with the 3d, 4th, 7th, and light divisions, perhaps 25,000 strong, with +the main force of artillery and cavalry. Sir Thomas Graham had been +early detached to our left with the 1st and 5th divisions and some +Portuguese, about 12,000 in all, to turn the enemy's right flank, and to +try to cut him off from the great road leading from Vittoria to France, +which ran in that direction. + +Whilst this movement was executing, and the different divisions were +getting into their several stations, we, who had arrived first, were +allowed to pile our arms and sit down. His lordship, with a numerous +staff, went down a little nearer to the river to reconnoitre the enemy's +position. I wandered down with them, and got as near as I could in order +to ascertain the opinion of the big-wigs as to the business about to +take place. One staff-officer, after carefully examining the position of +the enemy through his glass, gave it as his opinion, that we should +scarcely be able to make any impression upon so numerous an army, and so +very strongly posted; but this opinion must have been dictated, I think, +by his rather desponding temperament, for I believe it was entirely +singular. + +The enemy, however, did not fail to notice this movement of our General +and his staff, and instantly detached a corps of voltigeurs, who, +rushing down to the river, dashed across the bridge at the village of +Villoses, and immediately took possession of a small woody height on our +side of the river, from whence they opened a fire on his lordship and +those that were with him. This of course could not be borne; and as my +battalion was the leading battalion of the column and nearest at hand, +we were ordered (with two companies of our 1st battalion, which stood +next to us) to take our arms, and drive those fellows across the river +again. Thus we had, I believe, the high honour of commencing the action +on that memorable day. We soon chased the voltigeurs from the woody +height, down through the village, and over the bridge, where they took +post and remained, we not having orders to pursue them any farther. We +took possession of the village, and continued skirmishing with the +enemy, a good many men falling on both sides, as the river was not more +probably than thirty or forty yards wide, and a constant fire was kept +up by both parties till the French were afterwards driven away by our +divisions crossing lower down the river. + +After we had chased the enemy along the bridge, and they were fairly +clear of the village, a French battery, situated a little above the +river towards the conical hill, opened its fire upon us, from which we +suffered a good deal, one shot having taken our people, who were lining +a garden wall, in flank, and swept away five or six at a stroke; after +this we kept more under cover. + +Almost the first person who fell on our side was a lieutenant of the +name of Campbell. He had, I am sure, a strong presentiment of his death, +for he had, I believe, made his will the evening before; and when we +first came in sight of the French army, and the others were all animated +with life and glee at the prospect of gaining laurels in abundance, he, +poor fellow, sat down by himself quite pensive, and seemed lost in +thought. He received a shot in the forehead which terminated his career +in a moment as it were, and plunged him into an eternity of bliss or +woe. I hope he was prepared, but scarcely dare say I believe he was. Our +duty having been accomplished by taking possession of this village, and +keeping the French from coming over, we had now leisure to look round us +and see what was going forward; and we had certainly a noble field for +observation. My commanding-officer, with the rest of the staff-officers +and myself, together with half a company of men, took up our station at +the church, which, standing high, gave us a fine opportunity of +witnessing the movements of both armies. + +A short while after we had taken post here, we observed the smoke to +arise in dense columns in the direction which Sir Thomas Graham had +taken, which showed he had commenced the attack on that flank of the +enemy, and this was the signal for commencing operations on our right +and centre. Sir Rowland Hill's people, with the Spaniards, instantly +forded the river, and advanced along the top and side of the mountains +before mentioned; and as this was done in considerable force, it seemed +to disconcert King Joseph a good deal, for instantly his aides-de-camp +were seen galloping in every direction, and the troops which stood upon +the plain began to move in that direction, while those upon the conical +hill began to descend in great numbers into the plain. This was +precisely what our Chief had calculated upon; and now, by a rapid +movement, he threw the centre divisions across the river, by the bridges +of Trespuentes and Nanclara, a little below our village, and attacking +the remaining troops upon the conical hill, they were overthrown as fast +as our divisions reached them. The 2d, Sir Thomas Picton's division, +here particularly distinguished itself. + +General Hill's people were by this time very warmly engaged, for the +enemy having, as stated above, strongly reinforced that point, they made +a rather obstinate defence, particularly at the village and wood of +Subijana de Alva, which latter was filled with their light troops, and +where our 28th regiment, which was opposed to them, suffered +considerably, and were not able to make much impression. The action had +now become general, and our people on every side advancing; at this +moment old Douro, who never failed to inspire confidence wherever he +appeared, came dashing down into our village, and seeing the light +troops which had been opposed to us had retired, instantly ordered us to +advance, and join our division on the other side of the river. We +accordingly moved forward, and marched with all expedition to reach our +point; but the French had now begun to retire, and our people to follow +them, so that we found it difficult to overtake them, and did not do so +till they had passed the conical hill. When we came near that eminence, +I rode up to have a peep at the field before us, and never did I witness +a more interesting and magnificent sight. A beautiful and extensive +plain lay before me, covered with the cavalry, infantry, and artillery +of the contending armies; while the noise and din, occasioned by +repeated volleys and rolls of fire from the infantry, with the rattle of +upwards of 200 pieces of artillery, almost stunned the ear. Near the end +of this plain, and to the left, arose the lofty spires of Vittoria; and +beyond that again, the smoke arising from the attack of Sir Thomas +Graham's people added animation to the scene. + +I had not contemplated the scene before me above a minute or two, till a +howitzer-shell from the French fell close at my feet. My horse's bridle +was hooked on my arm, and I was standing looking through my glass; but +when this unwelcome visiter descended so near me, I thought it high time +to be packing. My horse, however, not having the same fear of the +consequences that I had, would not move but at a snail's pace. I was, +therefore, constrained to leave him to take his chance, and get myself +out of the way. It burst, but providentially without injuring either +horse or man, but in the scramble I lost the top of my glass, which I +could not afterwards find. + +I got down the hill, and joined my people, who had by this time passed +it; and just at this juncture I observed a body of troops a little to +our right, moving in the same direction we were. They were dressed in +blue, and had caps covered with white canvass. I took them for +Spaniards; but upon consideration that no Spaniards ought to be there, +and a closer inspection, I found they were a battalion of French, and +most likely those who had been so warmly engaged with the 28th at the +village of Subijana, and who having stood perhaps too long, and +afterwards having the wood to traverse, they had been detained +considerably behind the rest of the army; for by this time our advance, +and consequently the French rear, could not be less than half a mile in +front of us. I pointed them out to one of our lieutenant-colonels; but +as we had received orders to push on with all haste, and he not liking +to disobey his orders, and withal a ravine being between them and us, +which would have prevented our closing with them, they were allowed to +move quietly off, which they did with a pretty quick but steady pace. +Before we reached our division, we had to pass a village, over against +which was a very strong French battery, and where they peppered us +considerably, but without doing much harm, I believe. We here joined our +brigade. Immediately in front of this village the enemy made one of his +longest stands. Our brigade now formed lines of battalions, and lay down +in some ploughed fields, while their artillery kept playing upon us. On +our left the 3d division was warmly engaged. In about half an hour we +moved in that direction. The 45th we found posted behind a thin thorn +hedge, with its commanding-officer poor Colonel Ridewood, whom I had +known before, lying on its right, gasping in the agonies of death. A +great many men of this regiment had fallen here. We passed them, and +continued to advance along the plain by brigades and battalions; but we +found the ground much intersected with ditches, which would have +retarded us had we wished to advance rapidly; but from some cause or +other, which we could not then comprehend, we never pressed upon the +enemy closely, but gave them time to get quietly away. We were still, +however, in expectation of their making their final stand; for at every +short interval a beautiful little position presented itself, which the +French invariably occupied in the finest style possible, forming their +lines on these little eminences with the greatest precision, and in +beautiful order; but they never stood to let us get at them, for the +moment we began to come within musket-shot, they instantly began to +retire to another, which they took and abandoned in like manner. All +this time, indeed, there was continual skirmishing going on between the +light troops of the two armies, and a constant cannonade, and +occasionally the heavy lines came in contact; but their infantry +appeared to us to leave the field in the main unbroken. + +We continued these movements till near dark, by which time we had +considerably passed Vittoria, and the enemy's artillery had nearly +ceased. Our cavalry now got at them; and although, from the nature of +the ground, their movements were greatly cramped, yet they continued to +charge, and nearly captured King Joseph. We halted when we had got about +four miles beyond Vittoria, which we passed on the left hand. We thought +we had indeed gained a victory, but it appeared to us to be a most +barren and useless one; and many were not over well pleased that the +enemy had been allowed to get off so easily. But our noble Chief knew +well what he was about, for he reaped all the fruits from this that +could have been possibly gained from the most bloody battle. Indeed it +was far from being a bloodless victory, but he certainly did not +sacrifice one half the men that some in the action would have done; they +thought we should have pressed the enemy far more, and brought him to +closer action. + +After we halted, I (being the only quartermaster present) was sent in +search of the baggage belonging to the division, and which had followed +as far as they could along the great road. I passed through Vittoria on +my way to the rear in search of it, and saw as I entered it several of +Morillo's men, who had descended from the mountains and come into the +town. From the vivas and other marks of gratulation which some of the +inhabitants were rendering these ragged ruffians, a stranger would have +thought that Don Morillo, with his 3000 or 4000 Spaniards, had achieved +the whole victory themselves. It is certain they are a vainglorious +people. + +I passed through the town, and, taking the great road, I soon had ocular +proofs of the value of our day's work; the road being literally blocked +up with every description of carriage-guns, tumbrils, waggons, &c. &c. +which filled the great high-road for nearly two miles to the rear of +Vittoria. I found it difficult to make my way through them, but at last +fell in with the baggage; I could not, however, get it through, and was +obliged to leave it, after giving directions where to find the division +in the morning. I again passed through Vittoria in returning to the +division; but oh, what scenes had I now to witness! The followers of an +army are sometimes very numerous, and here they were abundantly so; +muleteers, Portuguese and Spanish concubines, with every description of +vagabond you can imagine. These were by this time all labouring hard in +their avocation of breaking open and plundering the carriages and +waggons, &c. that had been left by the enemy. Among these were hundreds +of soldiers, who were now beginning to feel the effects of the wine, &c. +which they had found in the enemy's baggage; and such a Babel was here +to be witnessed as is not easy to conceive. + +I had some difficulty in forcing my way through the town, at the end of +which I was accosted by five or six soldiers' wives, belonging to one of +our light cavalry regiments, who wished to accompany me, in order that +they might find their husbands, as that regiment was attached in some +measure to our division. Of course it would have been cruel to refuse +them; and as they were all mounted, away we posted, but had great +difficulty to make out where the division now was. Many were the waggons +and other carriages we passed on the road, either broken down, upset, or +with people plundering them; and I did not reach the division till 10 +o'clock at night. I was very glad when I found them, being then +excessively fatigued and hungry; and just as I reached my people, I +found the mess to which I belonged cooking a piece of thin mutton, which +they had cut off from a sheep that had been taken from the enemy. This +was all the plunder I got that memorable day, although, had I done as +many others did, I might have obtained a great deal both of money and +other valuables; for, as I said before, the numerous carriages I passed +gave me an opportunity which many would have rejoiced at of possessing +myself of immense wealth; but plundering never was my forte. One officer +whom I knew got, I believe, near L.1000 worth of money, and other +valuable property; and innumerable others got considerable sums, more or +less. I am glad now that I refrained from what _might_ have been +accomplished with ease and safety, but what also _might_ have entailed +upon me disgrace and ruin. One officer I heard of, who, while in the +rear, where he ought not to have been, found a box full of money, most +likely silver, but very heavy. A German dragoon coming up at the same +moment laid claim to half of it, and when this officer took hold of it +to remove it, the German also laid hold to prevent him. A sort of +scuffle ensued, when the German made use of most abusive and mutinous +language, with threats, which the officer was obliged to submit to, +knowing, as both of them did, how far he had descended from his station, +thus putting it in the power of the soldier to treat him as a brother +plunderer. Surely the mention of such an occurrence is enough to deter +any man who possesses the least spark of honour from ever putting it in +the power of a soldier to treat him so. Besides, if an officer plunders +before his men, what may not soldiers be expected to do? + +In looking back upon the events of this day, I cannot help being struck +with the bad generalship of those who commanded the French army. Marshal +Jourdan, I understand, was Joseph's adviser on this occasion. He had +always borne the character of an able General, but here he showed but +little ability. Why did he so much weaken his force on the conical hill +to support his left? Had he maintained his ground there, which is strong +by nature, and they had rendered it stronger by art, he might have +completely checked us on the right; for if we had advanced too far on +that side, our wings would have been separated, which would have been a +dangerous experiment; and I think Lord Wellington would not have +hazarded it. And after leaving his first position, why did he not fight +at every one of the beautiful little positions which he afterwards took +up but never defended? This conduct is most unaccountable, for had he +made a longer stand, even although he should be beaten, which no doubt +he would have ultimately been, yet, by making this stand, he might have +got off the greater part of his materiél, instead of which he carried +off with him one gun and one howitzer only, leaving upwards of 250 +pieces of ordnance in our hands. Most of his infantry left the field +apparently unbroken; for only here and there they had stood to let our +people get at them. It is true Sir Thomas Graham early cut off their +retreat by the great road to France; but what then? This ought to have +made them fight the more desperately, to enable them to get off the +better by the Pamplona road. The infantry should have stood till the +last, and not retired till fairly beaten out of the field. Nothing could +be finer than the movements of our army. + +Every thing our Chief attempted succeeded to a tittle. The only thing I +did not like was the delay we occasionally made in following up the +enemy; but I could not, of course, comprehend the general movements, +from seeing only a small part of them, and I believe the victory would +not have been more decisive by being more bloody. We lost in the +village, where we first began the fight, nearly thirty men, with the +officer before mentioned as killed, and a considerable number wounded. +There was something remarkable in the fate of one of the men who were +killed by the cannon-shot I before noticed. This man was remarkably +averse to fighting, and had shown, on all occasions, a disposition to +leave that kind of work as soon as practicable. Poor fellow! his failing +was known to all; and on this occasion those about him had orders to +watch him, and keep him to his duty. They had not been in the village +many minutes when this fatal shot swept him and about five others into +eternity in a moment. It has often been remarked, that this description +of people are generally the first to fall. + +It may not be generally known, perhaps, that a battle was fought on the +3d April 1367, a little higher up this river, near the village of +Novarete, between our Edward the Black Prince, and Henry the Bastard, +who had usurped the throne of Don Pedro, King of Castile. The history of +it is given by Froissart, who says, "a little before the two armies +met, the Prince of Wales, with eyes and hands uplifted towards heaven, +exclaimed, 'God of truth, the Father of Jesus Christ, who hast made and +fashioned me, grant, through thy benign grace, that the success of this +battle may be for me and my army; for thou knowest that in truth I have +been emboldened to undertake it in the support of justice and reason, to +reinstate the king upon his throne, who has been disinherited and driven +from it, as well as from his country.'" This zealous prayer was +immediately followed by the onset, the Prince crying aloud, "Advance +banners, in the name of God and St George!" + +"At the commencement," says Froissart, "the French and Arragonese made a +desperate resistance, and gave the good knights of England much trouble; +but at last, when all the divisions of the Prince were formed into one +large body, the enemy could no longer keep their ground, but began to +fly in great disorder; and Henry, the usurper, perceiving his army +defeated, without hope of recovery, called for his horse, mounted it, +and galloped off among the crowd of runaways. The English pursued them +through the town of Najara, where they gained considerable plunder; for +King Henry and his army had come thither with much splendour, and after +the defeat they had not leisure to return to place in security what they +had left behind them in the morning." + +There is a striking coincidence in many parts of the two actions and +their consequences, which the reader cannot fail to notice. The most +material difference, I think, in the two stories is, the offering up of +the prayer by the Prince, and the modern practice of not recognising, +publicly at least, the hand of God at all in any of our victories. This +is to be lamented. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + + Advance in pursuit of the Enemy--Our Forces retreat, in order + to counteract Soult's movements for the succour of + Pamplona--Total defeat of Soult in the several Actions near + Pamplona--Our Forces again advance--Come up with the retreating + Enemy at the Bridge of Yanzi--The Enemy take up a position + behind Vera--A considerable body of the Enemy attacked at the + Pass of Eschallar, and forced to retreat. + + +We remained in bivouack all night where the battle had terminated; and +did not begin to move till near mid-day on the 22d, when we set off in +the track of the enemy, and at night reached Salvatiera, where King +Joseph had slept the night after the action. + +The poor beaten French must have had a long march after the fight, for +this was probably sixteen or eighteen miles from Vittoria. We started +early on the morning of the 23d, and very soon began to overtake the +rear of the enemy. They now resorted to a system of retarding our march, +at once both cruel and cowardly; every village they passed through they +set on fire. Of course this caused us some delay, as the road generally +ran through the middle of the village, and the country on each side was +enclosed, but still nothing could justify such barbarity to the +unoffending natives, who were thus deprived of house and home, and +probably all they possessed in the world. We overtook their rearguard +near a village about two leagues from Salvatiera. They attempted to make +a stand while the village was in flames, but a shrapnell shell from our +horse artillery set them instantly in motion. We came upon a +considerable body of them again near the village of La Cunca, where we +again cannonaded them, and where our people had some slight skirmishing +with their rear. + +We encamped for the night near this village, and again started after +them in the morning early. My battalion led the column to-day, the post +of honour. We had marched, I think, about eight or ten miles without +overtaking any of the flying foe before us, but at last we came to an +open country, that which we had traversed being pretty thickly enclosed, +with bad roads and wet weather, which rendered marching very +uncomfortable. Here a halt was ordered, as the enemy was in front in +some force; here for the first time we got upon the great road leading +from Pamplona towards Bayonne; and here, where it turned the corner of a +mountain, forming a pretty acute angle, they had the only gun and +howitzer they had saved from the fight in position, and ready to receive +us. The men of my battalion, and a part of our 1st battalion, were +ordered to put their knapsacks up behind the hussars of the German +Legion, as it was not expected they would be wanted, and it thus +rendered our people better able to run. The enemy appeared to have two +battalions here, one of which remained on the great road near the two +pieces of artillery, while the other moved off more to our right, down a +valley which they imagined would, at the other end, let them out into +the great road again. + +We now began to move forward, and as I happened to be the first mounted +person who left the enclosed road we had been in, I was honoured with +the first shot from their gun, which, although a good shot, did me no +injury. Our people now pushed on at them pretty smartly, which caused +them, after firing a round or two more, to limber up and retire with +their artillery, though they of course retired as leisurely as possible, +to give time for their troops, whom they were covering, to get away. The +skirmishing between them and our people continued for about two miles, +they gradually retiring before us; but when they came to a sort of pass +in the road, formed by two rocks nearly meeting in the middle, their +bugles or trumpets sounded first the halt to their troops, and +afterwards the advance upon us. We could not comprehend the meaning of +this, till in a few minutes the battalion which we had observed go down +towards the right, suddenly made its appearance out of a wood among our +skirmishers. Of course a sharp contest now took place, and the firing on +both sides became more brisk; this battalion, it appears, had +miscalculated on getting out of the valley, down which it had retired, +and had been compelled, at whatever risk, to make the great road again +before they passed the rocks before mentioned; and in order to let it do +so, the other skirmishers had advanced to cover its movement. This +battalion suffered considerably before it reached the road, and we did +not get off scot-free, having lost out of our five companies about +twenty-four men. + +Our artillery being pretty near at hand, Colonel Ross brought up two +guns, and fired into their retreating column, doing considerable +execution. We now moved forward in close pursuit of the enemy for about +two miles farther, when a shot from Colonel Ross's guns having struck +one of the leaders in their gun, and our people at this time pressing +them so closely as not to give time to disentangle the dead horse, they +unwillingly were compelled to throw their only gun into the ditch, and +there abandon it. We continued the pursuit till we drove them under the +walls of Pamplona, which I understand, poor wretches, they were not +allowed to enter, on account of the scarcity of provisions in that +fortress, and which after events proved was the case. We retired to the +village of Aldava and others in the neighbourhood, where we remained for +the night. + +On the morning of the 25th, we advanced on the road to Pamplona, the +enemy having all retired towards France, till we came within about one +mile and a half of it, when we branched off to the left, and moved along +a range of hills at about a mile distant from the works of the place, +till we reached the town of Villaba, on the mountain-road from Pamplona +to France; thus cutting off all retreat from the garrison, and thus in +fact investing the place. During our movements to-day, my people being +in the rear of the 17th Portuguese regiment, I was riding in company +with my commanding-officer at the head of the battalion, when the horse +of the Portuguese major threw out with both his hind feet with all his +might, and struck me with one foot on my thigh, and the other on the +calf of the leg. The blow was so severe that I nearly fainted, and was +obliged to dismount and throw myself on the ground; but as no bones were +broken, I gathered myself up again, and mounted and set off after the +troops. + +We encamped on the Pamplona side of Villaba, distant from the former +about one mile and a half. The captain in whose mess I was, with his +company, was that night ordered on picquet within about three quarters +of a mile of the city. I went there to get my dinner, during which +several poor people, who had made their escape from the place, came and +welcomed us in the name of the people, telling us they were heartily +tired of their present lodgers; of course there would be different +opinions among them, but I believe the generality at that time hated the +French most cordially. + +There was a division of the French army under General Clausel, which had +not partaken of the flight at Vittoria, being then stationed at Logrona, +and he having learnt the fate of his companions in arms, and their +retreat into France, was moving through the country to our right, in +order to effect his retreat also. Next morning, therefore, the 3d and +our divisions were despatched in pursuit of this French corps. We +marched that day to near Taffala, and halted at the village of Muro, at +the junction of the great road from Logrona with that we now occupied, +but we learnt that Clausel had kept more to his right, and was directing +his course towards the mountain-road, which passes near Caceda and +Languessa, into France. + +We accordingly passed through Taffala and Olite, and encamped for the +night. Next day we started early, and moved on till mid-day, when we +halted for an hour or two to cook and refresh near the village of +Murillo del Fruto. We here came upon the river Arragon. This had been +already a long day's march, and the greater part of the division were +ready to lie down now, but a much longer portion still remained to be +accomplished. Accordingly, we set off after a short rest, and traversed +the right bank of this river for about ten hours longer. Night marches +at all times are unpleasant, but much more so on such a road or path as +this was, and every one so nearly tired before beginning it. + +We crossed the Arragon at the village of Galla Pienzo, and lay down in a +field not far from the village of Caseda. Very few of the division +reached this place until daylight next morning. But when I got in I +unfortunately lay down on a ridge immediately behind our column, and +where, had I given it a thought, I was continually liable to be +disturbed. And indeed I was most wofully disturbed, for every fresh +batch that came in tumbled themselves down upon me, or in blundering +about in the dark were sure to stumble over me. It must be observed that +my leg by this time, instead of getting better, had begun to swell +dreadfully and to suppurate, consequently I was in a high state of +fever; and to the thumps and kicks which I received in the dark during +this uncomfortable night, I cannot but attribute much of my subsequent +suffering. Next morning we discovered that all our labour had been in +vain, for Clausel had got the start of us, and had got off by another +road into France. + +We next day moved into Languessa, from which we were not far distant, +but I could no longer accompany or precede the troops, my leg was now so +bad. I was therefore obliged to get a pillow laid on my holsters, and +then ride with my leg resting upon it, (a most uncomfortable position, +could I have found a better,) while one of my men led my horse, and thus +follow them as well as I was able. We rested in Languessa all the 30th +and 1st July; and on the 2d reached Deriza, having passed through +Monreal. Here I was obliged to be lifted off my horse, and put to bed. I +was almost stupid from the pain I suffered; for my leg was now swoln as +large as my thigh. We next day moved into Villaba, from whence we had +started in pursuit of Clausel, and thence into some villages on the +plain, close to Pamplona. Here I believe some works were thrown up to +shelter the troops, either against the shot from the fortress, or a +sally from the garrison. This continued all next day. I remained very +ill in bed. + +On the 5th, the division left this quarter, and set off on the road +towards France; but I could not follow them. I got with great difficulty +from my present station, which was now occupied by other troops, and +stopped at a village, the name of which I forget, just over the ridge +where I received my hurt, and a few miles distant from Villaba. Here I +found out that Dr Jones of the 40th regiment was in the latter town; +and, as he had formerly been in our regiment, I took the liberty of +requesting he would come and see me. This I found out by my servant +going in for provisions. He very kindly came, and gave me the best +advice he could. By this time my leg had burst, and had discharged a +prodigious quantity of matter. + +I remained in this village till about the 10th, during which time a +priest had shown himself remarkably kind and attentive; there were very +few inhabitants remaining besides him. He told me in one of the +conversations that I had with him, that, from the first entry of the +French troops into this country, one million had passed out of France +into Spain, for he had had good opportunities of making a just +calculation; and that, out of that vast number, not more than 200,000 +had returned, thus proving that the enemy had lost in that country +800,000 men. And this is not to be wondered at, for nearly the whole +population during that time had been in arms against them; and, although +not acting as soldiers in the field, they never failed to assassinate +the French wherever they could accomplish it. He said, moreover, that +Mina, with his little band, could produce documents to prove that he had +destroyed 40,000 Frenchmen. + +About the 10th, I set off from this village, as my leg had by this time +become somewhat easier; and, passing through Lantz, Elizonda, and St +Estevan, arrived at Sumbilla on the 13th, still obliged to ride sideways +with my leg over the pillow and holster. Here I found my division; and, +as this journey had again brought my leg to nearly as bad a state as +before, I was obliged to have it opened in two places, but without +reaching the matter, as nothing but blood was discharged. + +On the 15th, my division moved forward to the town of Vera, the last +town on the Spanish frontier. Here the enemy had taken up a strong +position, both in front and rear of the town; the front position was on +Santa Barbara, an exceeding high and almost inaccessible mountain. They +were dislodged from the position before the town by my brigade, and +retired into the Puerta, or Pass of Vera. I was not present on this +occasion, having been again compelled to stay behind on account of my +leg. While I remained at Sumbilla, I had been obliged to have my horse +shod by a Spanish blacksmith, who drove a nail right into the quick. +This I did not discover till several days after, when I found my horse +quite lame. + +On the 18th, I again crept on after my people, whom I found encamped on +the height of Santa Barbara, from which I before said they had driven +the enemy. Here we remained till the 26th, During this time my horse's +foot had also suppurated, and he was quite unable to move. My leg also +was daily discharging a vast quantity of matter, so that I felt at this +time very uncomfortable; particularly as very stormy weather came on +while we were here, which killed a great number of our animals, horses +and mules, I believe not fewer than seven or eight in one night. + +It will be known to the reader, perhaps, that on the 25th, Soult (who +had now been appointed to the command of the French army) made an attack +upon our posts at Roncesvalles and Maya, and had driven the divisions +stationed there from their posts. He moved on towards Pamplona, in hopes +either of beating back our army to Vittoria, (as he vainly talked,) or +of being able to supply Pamplona with provisions, which it greatly +needed. In consequence of this movement of the enemy, we also were +compelled to fall back, although the troops in front of us made no +demonstration of advancing. + +Accordingly, on the 26th, we began our retrograde movement, being myself +at that time in as pitiable a plight as can well be conceived. My horse +was so utterly lame, that he could scarcely hop on three legs, while I +was totally unable to walk a step. My kind friend Captain Perceval, with +whom I had long messed, helped me out of my trouble, by dividing the +load of one of his baggage-ponies among the other animals, and lending +it me to ride upon. We retired from the height, and crossed the river +Bidassoa, near Lizacca, through which we passed, and kept along the +mountains on the left bank of that river till we reached a height +opposite Sumbilla, where we pitched our tents, and remained for the +night. We did not move all next day; but just as night set in, we were +ordered under arms, and continued our retreat. This was a still more +distressing night-march than any I had previously witnessed. + +We were now, it may be noticed, in the midst of the mountains of the +Pyrenees, where precipices abound; consequently the precaution to avoid +falling over them would be doubled. One little streamlet, I well +remember, delayed the division probably two hours. It came down from the +sides of the mountain which overhung the road, and crossed it at a very +dark and ugly-looking place, making a considerable noise as it fell from +rock to rock. This of course made every one extremely cautious; and in +consequence a poor good-natured corporal, who was killed soon after, got +himself into the middle of the streamlet, and took hold of every +person's hand as he passed, conducting him safely to the other side. +Poor fellow, he was extremely anxious to help me and my miserable little +pony safely over. This and a few other places, something similar, +prevented us reaching our destination till an hour after daylight next +morning, although the whole distance was not more than ten miles. + +We arrived at Zubietta in the morning. This place is about a league to +the right of St Estevan, more into the mountains. Here we remained that +day, and the next day moved higher up the mountain, behind the town, +where we encamped, and remained till evening, when we again commenced +our retreat. We had not quite so bad a march of it this night, the road +being much more even, although, just at the outset, our adjutant, in +riding along, had his cap pulled off by the bough of a tree, and in +endeavouring to save it from falling, he pulled his horse right over a +small precipice, which the two rolled down together. Luckily it was not +a deep ravine into which he fell, or he would not have escaped so well: +neither man nor horse were much hurt. We reached the village of Saldias +in the morning, where we remained for the day. Last night my servant +told me he had been obliged to leave my little horse behind, as he could +not get him to hop any farther. I felt grieved at this, for he had +brought me all the way from Lisbon, and shared both my good and bad +fortune; however, it was no use to fret, for that would not improve my +situation, which indeed was not an enviable one, my leg all this time +being extremely painful. + +On the 30th, we made an excessively long march, (by day,) and at night +reached Lecumberg, where we encamped. During the latter part of this +day's march, we had heard an incessant cannonade and firing of musketry +in the direction of Pamplona, from which we were apprehensive that Soult +had penetrated too far; but as it did not appear to recede, we believed +our people had been able to hold him in check at least. We were now on +the great road from Bayonne to Pamplona, in order to keep up the +communication between our right, where the fighting was now going on, +and Sir Thomas Graham, who was besieging St Sebastian. We were here also +to intercept any of the enemy's columns that might either advance or +retreat by this road. Towards evening of the 31st, an aide-de-camp +arrived from Lord Wellington, more dead than alive from the excessive +fatigue which he had undergone for the last three or four days, with +news of the total defeat of Soult in the several actions near Pamplona, +termed the Battle of the Pyrenees, and ordering us to retrace our steps, +and again advance. We set off in the evening, and reached Larissa, where +we halted for the night. It was whispered that it was expected we should +have gone much farther this night, but I am not certain whether it is +true; but certainly we might have proceeded to Saldias, if absolutely +necessary. + +On the morning of the 1st of August, we again started pretty early. It +was again reported this morning that another dispatch had been received +during the night, directing us to proceed with all haste, as the enemy +were retreating by St Estevan, and that we were to attack them wherever +we met them. We now of course stepped out very freely, and presently +gained Zubietta. Here I had ridden forward to get a shoe fastened on, my +horse having cast one in coming over the mountains; during which time +the quartermaster had been called for some purpose or other, as I was +not there. + +My General was not well satisfied: he saw me in this village, and asked +me why I had not been present when I was wanted. I told him the cause, +but he still did not appear satisfied, and, by way of punishment, +directed me to remain in the village till the baggage came up, and show +them the way the division had gone. I may here observe, that it was a +little unreasonable in my General to find any fault with me on this +occasion; for, had I not got the shoe put on my horse, I could not have +been of any use at all as a quartermaster. My punishment indeed was +slight, and I rather think he was glad to find any excuse to delay me +for the purpose for which I was left. I am confident the officers of the +infantry suffered more anxiety and even loss on account of the great +want of farriers or horse-shoers in their regiments, than from almost +any other cause. Without the officer was pretty high in rank, he had not +only to pay most exorbitantly for any thing of this kind which he got +done, but to beg and pray, and to look upon it as a favour conferred on +him. Most of the good shoers were taken by the staff or general +officers, consequently only the inferior ones were left for the +regimental officers, and in several cases none at all. The consequence +of all this was, the loss of several valuable animals, both horses and +mules; besides, in some cases, the officers being rendered incapable of +performing their duty as they otherwise would have done. To this I +attribute a considerable loss in animals during this service. It might +easily be remedied by each infantry regiment having a proper +establishment of farriers, (say two,) with tools, &c. in proportion, and +the means of carrying them; and then every officer, whose duty requires +him to be mounted, might be served. I myself bought tools to the amount +of L.4, and never had but one horse shod with them. I could not get a +man to do it. As soon as I saw the baggage on the right way, I pushed +forward, and joined the division again. We were literally at this time +climbing up a mountain, where I could not ride, but was obliged to crawl +up, and pull my horse after me. My leg by this time had much improved. +We followed the road by which we had retreated a few days before, and at +length came to the rivulet that had so alarmed us all on our +night-march. It was really surprising that we should have been stopped +so long by such a trifle; but in such a situation, and at such a time, +things of that kind are magnified a thousandfold by the imagination. We +passed our old camp ground opposite to Sumbilla, and here we came in +view of the enemy's columns retreating along the road on the opposite +bank of the Bidassoa. This gave our men new life; but here the 52d and +other regiments of the 2d brigade were obliged to halt: they could +proceed no farther. + +We had marched by this time to-day two and a half of the stages we made +in retreating; but the 2d brigade had been in the rear of the column all +day, and had consequently suffered much from stoppages, &c. My +battalion, our 1st battalion, and the 43d regiment, continued to move +on, and as they approached, the enemy seemed to acquire fresh vigour. At +length we reached the point of attack,--the bridge of Yanzi,--and here +the 1st battalion turning down towards the river, at once left the wood +and ground above the bridge to be occupied by us. The enemy sent a +pretty strong corps of light troops across, which got engaged with our +people; but we soon drove down through the wood again towards the +bridge. At length, we got two companies posted just over the bridge, in +front of which all the rear of the French column had to pass. Poor +creatures! they became so alarmed, that they instantly began to cut +away, and cast off, all the loads of baggage, and both cavalry and +infantry, &c. to make the best of their way. But the mountain on their +right was inaccessible; consequently they had all, as it were, to run +the gauntlet. Great was the execution done amongst the enemy at this +bridge, and many were the schemes they tried to avoid passing. At length +they got a battalion up behind a stone wall above the road, on the +opposite side, from whose fire we received some damage; consequently +those poor people who had afterwards to pass were not so much exposed. +Just about the close of the business, my kind friend, Captain Perceval, +received a shot through his right wrist. His left hand had been closed +for a length of time before, in consequence of a wound through that +wrist, which had contracted his fingers, besides being lame from a wound +in the hip. Now he was rendered completely useless. Towards dusk I went +with him a little to the rear, and got his tent pitched, and made as +comfortable as circumstances would admit. I pitied the French on this +occasion, they seemed so much alarmed. The whole of their baggage fell +into the hands of our 4th division, who were closely following them up +on their side of the Bidassoa. + +In this affair, the French were reduced to a dreadful dilemma; great +numbers of their wounded had been brought off from the battles of the +28th, 29th, and 30th, near Pamplona, which were carried on biers or +stretches by men of this division. When they saw us in front of them, +where they had to pass, as it were, immediately under the muzzles of our +pieces, they were compelled to adopt the cruel alternative of either +throwing their wounded men down to perish, or run the risk of being shot +or taken themselves. I believe the former, shocking as it seems, was +generally adopted; and I have reason to believe that the greater part of +them were thrown into the river; for, from the point where we first came +in view of them to near where this affair took place, the Bidassoa was +literally filled with the dead bodies of Frenchmen, and they could have +come into it in no other way. We lost only a very few men on this +occasion, not more than six or eight, while that of the enemy must have +been extremely severe. Here the effects of rifle-shooting were plainly +visible. + +In remarking on this affair, I beg to draw the reader's attention to the +following circumstances; viz. probably never troops made such a march +over such a country before. We travelled at least thirty-two miles over +mountains such as I before described, where you were sometimes nearly +obliged to scramble upon your hands and knees. The day was exceedingly +hot, and occasionally there was a great want of water. I am told that +one of the regiments in our 2d brigade, which, it may be remembered, +were obliged to halt, as they could go no farther, had no less than 200 +men fell out, unable to keep up, and that some of them actually died of +fatigue. I heard of one poor fellow, who, when he came to water and had +drunk, lost his senses, fell to the ground, and shortly after expired. I +have reason to be proud of my battalion on this occasion, which, when +the roll was called, just before the action commenced, had only nine men +fallen out; but they had been in the front all day, a great advantage in +marching, particularly over a mountainous country. + +This day's work gave me a higher idea of the powers of human nature, +when properly trained, than ever I possessed before; for when you +consider that each of those soldiers carried a weight of not less +probably than forty or fifty lbs. and some much more, it cannot but be +surprising that men should be able to sustain such fatigue for such a +length of time--at the end of which to fight, and gain a victory. + +Next morning were clearly observable the effects of the evening's work. +In the house, the yard, and on the road opposite the bridge, were a +great number of dead Frenchmen; and to the rear, by the way they had +advanced, the road was literally strewed with baggage, and equipments of +every description. Some of our people picked up a number of visiting +cards, with General Vandermason on them, very elegant; so that his +baggage, no doubt, had been cast off, as well as that of inferior +people. + +Soon after daylight, we were ordered to fall in, and move forward +towards Vera. Just as we cleared the bridge, old Douro, with his staff, +came riding up, who, when he saw how we had handled the enemy the night +before, gave his head a significant nod, and smiled, which conveyed most +intelligibly his approbation. We soon reached the neighbourhood of Vera, +behind which, in the pass of that name, as before stated, the enemy took +up a strong position, from which their picquets had never yet been +driven. We were ordered to encamp a little below the bridge leading to +Lezacca, between that and Vera, while the other regiments were intended +to occupy the heights of Santa Barbara, from which we had before +retreated. But towards mid-day it was discovered that the enemy still +had a considerable body of troops in and about the pass of Echallar, a +few miles to our right. Our brigade was therefore ordered again under +arms, with the intention of co-operating with the 7th division in an +attack upon those people. It was a thick mist, so that we could scarcely +see twenty yards before us; but when we reached the bottom of an +immensely high hill, on which the enemy were posted, we presently +discovered whereabouts we had them. + +Our 1st battalion extended to the right, and my battalion moved straight +forward up the hill. For a considerable time the enemy's fire did us no +injury, being deceived, I imagine, by the denseness of the fog. They +fired almost always over our heads, some of which shots struck the men +of the 43d, a considerable way below us. At length we began to approach +the summit of the mountain, where the enemy were of course much more +condensed, the ground they had to occupy being much smaller. Our people +were advancing regularly up the hill, when we run right up against a +rock, on the top of which was collected an immense body of the French, +and from whom our people received a most destructive fire, knocking down +fourteen men in an instant. This unlooked-for circumstance checked our +people, and made some of them retire for an instant behind a broken part +in the mountain, from which they kept up the best fire they could. +During this transaction, the French, who were not more than ten or +twelve yards distant, were calling out to us in Spanish to advance, and +abusing us most lustily. A Spaniard (one of the recruits I formerly +mentioned) was so much annoyed, that he began in his turn to abuse the +French; and, as if words were not enough, accompanying them with the +best shot he could give them. Poor fellow, he was instantly shot through +the body, and fell to rise no more. + +They now began to get courage, and made a show of advancing upon us: +they did do so on the right against our 1st battalion, but my +commanding-officer calling out to cheer our people, set up a shout, +which had the effect of intimidating them, and they did not dare to +advance. I was now sent away by Colonel Barnard to request the 43d (who +were behind us) to send a company to support our 1st battalion, which +they instantly did; and just as I returned, I found the French had +evacuated the rock from which they had annoyed us, on the top of which +we found a great number of caps and pouches, &c., belonging to men who +had fallen there. We followed them over the hill, but they now gave us +leg-bail, posting down into the valley towards France with all +expedition. + +The 7th division had some pretty sharp work before they dislodged the +people in front of them, and had suffered very severely in effecting +their object. When every thing was settled, one of our men thought he +saw a man hiding behind a tree just below us: he went to see what it +was, and dragged out by the neck a French soldier of the 2d light +infantry. Poor fellow, he came out shrugging his shoulders, and, putting +on a most beseeching look, begged we would spare him, as he was only a +"pauvre Italien." Of course no injury was done him, only the soldier who +took him claiming and taking from him his knapsack, which appeared a +fine full one, and which he appropriated to himself. I thought it cruel, +and would have prevented it, had my voice been of any weight; and yet, +had it not been taken from him now, it would very soon after, when he +became a prisoner. + +One battalion was ordered to remain and occupy this hill, which +dreadfully alarmed me, lest it should be ours, for it was bitter, bleak, +and cold. Luckily a Portuguese battalion was ordered up, and we returned +to our snug camp by the river side; and here, as if to crown our good +fortune, one of our men, who had been left behind in charge of the +tents, had got some meat roasted for our mess, of which we all partook +with great delight and thankfulness. + +A friend of mine of our 1st battalion, during the advance the French had +made upon that battalion, was nigh falling into their hands. They rushed +at him, but he perceiving, and endeavouring to avoid them, fell into a +bush, which scratched him most wofully, and in the fray lost his cap and +sword. They grasped at the latter, (which was not drawn,) but which +luckily broke loose from the belt, or they would have had him. This hill +was always known afterwards by the name of Barnard's Hill, in honour of +Colonel Barnard, who commanded on the occasion. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + + The Author, from a mistake, loses his Servants for a few + days--A Feast of Death--A Feast of Life--Fighting near St + Sebastian--Singular instance of Spanish Bravery--St Sebastian + is captured, but no Details given, the Author not having been + present--Attack of the Pass of Vera. + + +We remained at rest here for some time, during which I, as acting +paymaster, had several trips to Tolosa, a considerable town on the great +road from Bayonne to Madrid, where the paymaster-general had taken up +his residence with the military chest. In one of them I went and had a +peep at St Sebastian, the siege of which was then going on. While here, +I received directions from General Sir William Stewart to attend him at +Villaba, where he lay wounded, he having received two balls in the late +actions. I set off, directing my servants with my baggage to follow +close after me: by some means they were delayed a few minutes, and, +supposing I was going again to the paymaster-general at Tolosa, went off +in that direction, without asking any questions. I imagined they knew +very well where I was going, and still went on slowly, every now and +then looking back to see if I could descry them coming; but although +there was no appearance of them, I simply enough continued my route till +I reached St Estevan; and here I put up for the night, thinking, of +course, they would come by and by. In the morning, I was fully convinced +they must have gone some other road, and as all my books, &c., from +which I wanted information, were in my baggage, I thought it useless to +proceed any farther. In retracing my steps, which I did leisurely, I had +an opportunity of seeing the great number of bodies which the French had +thrown into the river, the road running close by its brink nearly all +the way. It was really shocking to behold such numerous wrecks of +mortality, with the disgusting appearance which most of them had +assumed; many of them were half eaten by the fish, and of others the +flesh was hanging in rags, and bleaching in the stream. Of course I +returned home, but did not see my servants again for several days, as it +took three or four to accomplish the journey to Tolosa and back, and +they had waited there a day for me. + +On the day that I was absent, all the officers of my corps had had a +sumptuous and splendid entertainment, it being the 25th August, the +anniversary of the regiment's first formation. They had dug a ditch in +an oblong shape in the middle of a field, the centre of which served for +a table, while they sat with their feet in the ditch. I am told the +French, who were just above, and overlooked them from the heights behind +the town, assembled and viewed them, as if in astonishment to see them +regaling themselves with so much glee in the midst of the wild Pyrenean +mountains. No doubt the wine went merrily round, and many were the +toasts which were drunk with three-times-three. + +During this interval, I often amused myself with fishing in the +Bidassoa, in which there were many excellent trout, and I was pretty +successful, for I had got some tackle from one of our captains, which he +had brought from England. On one of these occasions, while I was wading +in a pool, I spied a fine salmon laying just below me; I threw in and +brought my flies right over him, at which he instantly rose, but I +missed him. I tried again, and hooked him, but in a moment he plunged +right across the river, carrying with him all my flies and part of my +line, for I had no reel. I might have calculated upon this, if I had +thought for a moment; but the opportunity was so tempting, that I could +not resist it. + +At length the 31st of August arrived, the day on which St Sebastian was +to be stormed. We knew this, for we had furnished a number of +volunteers, both officers and men, to take part in the assault; many of +our higher officers had gone to witness the glorious spectacle. But +early in the morning, we were all astonished at the bugle sounding +through the camp the alarm, or assembly, and instantly orders were given +for the tents to be struck, the baggage to be packed, and to set off +with it to the rear without a moment's delay, for the French were +advancing; of course all this was done in as short a time as possible, +and the troops were ordered to move on to a hill just over the bridge of +Vera. A detachment of ours had joined the evening before, and it cannot +easily be conceived the strange effect this sudden alarm had on some of +them. One of them, a lieutenant, was all in a bustle getting his pistols +put in fighting order, and came to me begging I would take some money to +keep for him. I told him that it was likely to be in as much danger with +me as with himself, and of course declined. The old hands, on the +contrary, were as cool and quiet about it as if it was an everyday +occurrence. We moved to the height before mentioned, and saw a cloud of +fellows with white caps coming down to the left of the town, and of +course prepared to give them the best reception we could. I was sent +with orders to my commanding-officer from the General, 'that he was, +when pressed, to retire till he got on the ridge just over his house, +(which was on the road a little to the rear of where we then were,) and +that he was to stand there as long as it was possible.' I thought +something very warm was going to occur, seeing such a cloud of Frenchmen +were then approaching us, but we were all disappointed; they went +quickly to their right after descending from the heights, and forded the +river below the town, setting their faces towards St Sebastian. All this +was effected under a cannonade from the heights. + +Our 1st brigade (except my battalion) was then ordered to cross the +river by the Lezacca bridge a little behind us, and to move parallel to +the enemy along the ridge above that town, which had all along been Lord +Wellington's head-quarters. As soon as they got across, they sent a body +of troops to the bridge of Vera, close to which some of our people were +stationed, and from thence they kept firing on us all day from some +small mountain guns, which they had brought down with them, and +occasionally with musketry. We were now somewhat curiously situated. The +French position was on the side we occupied, while the other side of the +bridge had been fortified by the Spanish General Longa, to protect +himself during the last excursion of the French towards Pamplona; but +now they occupied the side on which the intrenchments had been thrown +up, and turned them against us of course; they did little execution by +their fire. Lord Wellington, seeing the intention of the enemy, +assembled all the British troops he could easily collect, and brought +them in rear of a corps of Spaniards, which met the French in this +direction; and finding this a fair opportunity of seeing what the Don +could do, withheld the British, and let the Spaniards attack them by +themselves. They had now the best chance of showing their valour that +ever had or might present itself; they had the high ground, and the +enemy had to climb up on their hands and knees to get at them; besides, +they had behind them backers that would not see them get foul play. So +away they set at them, and indeed they did tumble the French down in +good style, upsetting them in all directions; so that our English +division had nothing to do but to look on. This was the only time I ever +knew the Spaniards act in a body like good soldiers. + +The enemy, being beaten, were obliged of course to retrograde; but it +came on one of the bitterest nights I have almost ever witnessed; the +rain fell in torrents, and the lightning was very vivid. The French +endeavoured to retrace their steps during the night, fording the river +where they had crossed it in the morning; but the heavy rain had so +swoln the river by midnight, that they could not continue any longer to +wade it. A considerable number of them still remained on the other side, +and no way presented itself of extricating themselves, but by forcing +their passage across the bridge, near which a company of our 2d +battalion, under Captain Cadoux, was posted, with one of ours, a short +distance in the rear, to support him. Captain Cadoux's people were +stationed in houses about thirty yards from the bridge, and had a double +sentry on the bridge. The enemy's column approached very quietly, and +then made a rush; but the rain having wet the priming of the sentries' +rifles, they could not get them to go off to give the necessary alarm, +and were in a moment driven from their post. The French then, seeing +they had effected a passage, set up a shout, and rushed towards the +houses where Cadoux's people were, who turned out at once, and with the +supporting company, opened a deadly fire upon the enemy's column; but +poor Cadoux fell instantly almost, as he had imprudently mounted his +horse on the first alarm; his lieutenant also was severely wounded. The +firing of course soon brought the whole brigade to the spot, which kept +up a constant and well-directed fire during the whole of their progress +along the little plain towards Vera. + +The enemy suffered dreadfully on this occasion, leaving the ground +literally strewed with their dead, who, like the others before +mentioned, were next morning thrown into the river; so that the fish had +ample feeding for some time after. Some people afterwards reflected upon +General Skerrott, who commanded here, for not posting a stronger force +at the bridge, and for not blocking it up with an abbatis; the former he +might and ought to have done; but the latter was impracticable, from the +enemy holding the breastwork at the other end of the bridge, which was +not more than about thirty yards long. Had a battalion been posted +there, it is probable the French, who were compelled to have recourse to +this daring attempt, might have been induced to surrender; but I believe +the General never imagined they had need to make such an attempt. Our +loss on this occasion was rather severe also. A great many of Captain +Cadoux's men fell; Lieutenant Travers, who commanded the company of my +battalion, was wounded, and a considerable number of men were killed and +wounded; among the former, some of the poor fellows who had joined from +England only the day before. + +Thus was Soult's second attempt frustrated, and St Sebastian fell into +our hands. As I was not present at that glorious exhibition of British +valour and prowess, I cannot take upon me to give any account of its +capture. The volunteers who went from our division to assist in the +storm or assault, sustained their full share in the casualties attendant +thereon. The field-officer, Colonel Hunt of the 52d, was severely +wounded; a lieutenant of the 43d, brother to Mr O'Connell, the famous +Roman Catholic advocate, was killed; two lieutenants of our first +battalion, named Percival and Hamilton, were severely wounded. The +latter, I believe, was a volunteer on the occasion, not being entitled, +from his standing, to take it as a tour of duty. He was conspicuously +brave, and received two severe wounds, from which it would scarcely be +imagined possible any one could recover. + +A few days after the surrender of St Sebastian, I had again occasion to +go to Tolosa for money, and took the road by Passages, the port where we +now received all our supplies from England; and also to see the ruins of +that late formidable fortress. When I reached it, the houses were still +on fire, and not I believe half-a-dozen in the whole town that remained +habitable, or the inhabitants had quite deserted it. I went up to the +citadel and examined it, and I believe this, with proper casemates or +bomb-proofs, might be rendered one of the strongest places in Spain, +next to Gibraltar; but the French had suffered dreadfully from our +shells, which had literally ploughed the ground on the top of this +naturally strong height, and from which cause they had been compelled to +surrender. + +St Sebastian was indeed a melancholy spectacle at this time. I returned +from Tolosa by a part of the road which we had traversed in our late +retreat and advance again, as I now began to hope I might perhaps +recover my little horse, for I suspected from some cause that my +servant, instead of having been obliged to abandon him, because of his +lameness, as he told me, had sold him at that time; and this I actually +found had been the case. I compelled him to tell me where he had +disposed of him, and, with my broken Spanish, traced him from thence for +near twenty miles farther into the mountains, where I found him in a +village, the name of which I do not recollect, but where a squadron of +our German hussars were quartered. I of course claimed and took +possession of the horse, giving the person the amount he had paid for +him; but he being still lame, the commanding-officer of the hussars +kindly permitted me to leave him with his farrier till he got well. He +afterwards sent him to me, and would not even allow the farrier to +receive any remuneration for his trouble, so kindly and politely did he +behave. + +September passed away without any thing remarkable occurring. My friend +Captain (now Major) Perceval had been obliged to return to England, and +Captain Balvaird succeeded him as senior captain of my battalion. I +still continued in that company's mess. At length it was determined to +attack the Puerta, or Pass of Vera, which the enemy had rendered +exceedingly strong. The left of our army, under Sir Thomas Graham, were +ordered to attack in their front, and force the passage of the Bidassoa, +and establish themselves in France. We were merely to drive them from +the heights above the town of Vera, taking possession of all the strong +ground between that and France. The fourth division was brought up to +support our attack, and formed immediately in rear of the town. One of +the captains who formed the Committee of Paymastership, and who, it may +be remembered, were held responsible for my accounts, and the due +appropriation of all public money which might come into my hands, took +a fancy that I exposed myself too much, and requested the +commanding-officer, Colonel Ross, to prohibit my again entering into +action, except for the purpose of bringing ammunition, &c., when my duty +required me; in consequence of which the adjutant was sent to me this +morning, previous to the operations commencing, with an order for me not +to accompany the battalion. It may seem to the reader perhaps like +affectation when I tell him I felt hurt at this order, and determined +not very strictly to comply with it, for I believed that my respected +commanding-officer had no objection that I should accompany him, did not +this untoward circumstance interfere with my so doing. Accordingly I +remained a looker-on among the fourth division. My battalion was +destined to commence this attack by driving the enemy from a high and +rugged hill on the right of the Pass, which was a necessary operation +before the Pass itself could be attacked. Accordingly he extended the +battalion, and encircled its base on the side next to Vera; and I +believe, without firing a shot almost, he marched right up to the top of +the hill, notwithstanding the sturdy resistance made by the enemy, and +in a very short space of time completely cleared this formidable height. + +This operation was the admiration of the whole fourth division, (for it +was clearly observable by every one,) and they were most lavish of their +praises for such a workmanlike movement. When my people approached the +top of the hill, I felt alarmed for their safety and their honour, for +the French commander closed all his force to one point, and, forming +them into line, made them fix bayonets, apparently with a determination +to charge them down the hill again; and I saw that my people, for they +could not perceive what the French were doing, were likely to be taken +by surprise. Whether the Frenchman's heart failed him I know not, but +when Colonel Ross reached the top of the hill, the enemy went to the +right about, and instantly retired. + +I felt proud of belonging to that corps, and happy at such a termination +of this dangerous operation, and feeling a desire I could no longer +resist, I set off to join them. By the time I reached the height just +mentioned, the attack of the Puerta was going on, and a most arduous +undertaking it was. My brigade attacked the right or strongest pass, +which they carried in fine style, without much loss, although the enemy +had a breastwork at every available point of ground. Our 2d brigade did +not attack the left Pass quite so soon as the other, and when they had +got about half way up they encountered the most formidable opposition. + +A redoubt which the enemy possessed was filled with men, who waited till +our battalion came within a few yards of them, and then poured in the +most destructive fire imaginable, making the battalion recoil, and +leaving one-third of its numbers on the ensanguined ground. But the 52d +regiment being close behind, promptly supported them when rushing on +together to the charge, and the French, after some hard fighting, were +finally driven from this stronghold. After this they never made any +obstinate stand, although there was occasional fighting all the way from +the Pass down into the plain below, where some of our people followed +them; but it not being intended to quit for the present this high and +formidable barrier, they were afterwards recalled. The boundary lines +passed along this ridge. + +We lost a few men on ascending the first hill, and a few in skirmishing +afterwards, but our loss was not severe. But that of the 2d battalion, +before noticed, was awful; several of that battalion who fell in this +action had only a few days before joined from England, and this was +their first action. On looking at the ground on which this affair took +place, one would imagine it almost impossible that any army could force +a passage through such innumerable difficulties. The hill itself was +nearly impassable, and with the numerous redoubts and breastworks, with +which it was literally covered, no troops in the world, I think, but +British, would have dared to attempt it. + +We found that the French, who occupied this station, had rendered +themselves extremely comfortable, considering the kind of country and +ground where they were posted. They had been at great pains in building +very convenient and substantial huts in lines and streets, the same as +an encampment, and which were indeed remarkably clean and neat. They had +even built arm-racks at the end of each line, where their arms were +stowed away most securely, and where they were preserved from the +effects of the bad weather. Indeed, from the pains they had taken to +render themselves comfortable here, it would appear as if they had not +expected to be driven from it so soon. + +The left of our army, under Sir Thomas Graham, also established +themselves within the French territory. A corps of Spaniards on our +left, between us and Sir Thomas, had likewise made a forward movement +corresponding with the British. Some Spaniards were on the right of our +division also, and were destined to drive the French from La Rhune, an +exceeding high rock, which overlooks all the other mountains, as well as +the plain below. This they failed to accomplish, the enemy keeping +possession all that night, and the skirmishing between the two forces +continuing till after dark. + +My battalion was sent on the outpost duty in the evening down into the +French plain below, and relieved the Spanish General Longa, whose corps, +with our 2d brigade, were ordered to assist in the morning in dislodging +the enemy from La Rhune. I will not say whether the sight of the +red-coats coming against them the next morning had the effect of +alarming them, but they certainly evacuated that exceedingly strong post +without much farther opposition, and established themselves on a similar +rock, but lower, on the French side, and called by them Petit or Little +Rhune. But the possession of this lofty peak gave us the power of +overlooking all their movements for miles around us, as well as of +surveying La Belle France as far as the eye could see, and indeed, +compared with the bleak and barren mountains in which we had so long +been residing, it did appear a beautiful country, although, in reality, +it is far from being such. But we gazed upon it with strange and mingled +emotions, hardly believing it possible that we had now reached and +entered the territory of that once formidable nation whose victorious +armies had penetrated to the farthest confines of Europe, who had +overrun and subdued some of the most warlike nations of the continent, +and who had so often threatened, and as often alarmed, the inhabitants +of England with the invasion of that sacred soil, on which never yet a +Frenchman has dared, in hostile array, to set his foot since the days of +the Norman William, but who met there either with a prison or a grave. + +We now pitched our camps by battalions, each occupying a post more or +less important, and the enemy began again to construct their huts, and +make themselves as comfortable as their circumstances would admit; +Soult, no doubt, being mightily chagrined that we had now fairly beat +them out of Spain, when he (as we now learnt) had promised his followers +that he would soon lead them again to the plains of Vittoria, where +they might again retrieve their lost honours, and at which city they +would celebrate the Emperor's birthday. He thus boasted, and no doubt +would have effected his purpose, had he not been so promptly met near +Pamplona by his never-to-be outmanoeuvred antagonist. + +We now began to suffer greatly from the severity of the weather. It +became exceedingly wet and stormy; and not infrequently the tents were +blown away from over our heads, or the pole was forced up through the +top, letting the wet canvass fall comfortably down about our ears while +we were perhaps in a sound sleep. I had two streams flowing past my +head, one went round the trench outside my tent, while the other I was +fain to let pass through it; their murmurs lulled me to sleep, and I do +not remember that ever I slept sounder than I did here, having made my +couch comfortable by gathering dry fern, and spreading my mattress upon +it. + +Whilst we remained here, a few officers were appointed to watch the +motions of the enemy from an old work which we understood had been +constructed by the Spaniards and emigrant French against their +revolutionary neighbours, whom they endeavoured to keep from entering +Spain; and, of course, this was the daily lounge of those who had no +better employment, not only that they might themselves see, but hear +also from others what of importance was passing. On one of these +occasions, a vessel was descried (for the sea was not more than five or +six miles from us) making for the harbour of Bayonne, or St Jean de Luz, +with a small schooner following her in chase, and every now and then +giving her a shot. The vessel, (which turned out to be a French brig +going with provisions for the few Frenchmen who still retained the +castle of Santona,) seeing she could not get clear of her unwelcome +neighbours, her crew set her on fire, and taking to their boats, +abandoned her, and escaped on shore--she soon after blew up with a +tremendous explosion. + +On the 31st of this month Pamplona surrendered, the garrison, consisting +of 4000 men, under Major-general Cassan, the governor, becoming +prisoners of war. They had been compelled to adopt this measure from +sheer starvation, of which they, I understand, had suffered dreadfully. +I happened to be at Passages on the day they reached that port, where +they embarked, on their way to England. The General was a stout, +handsome, and intelligent-looking man, and such a one as I should +imagine would make a noble officer. The soldiers seemed quite +unconcerned about their fate; whether from the change being actually an +improvement of their condition, or from the lightness and gaiety of +their natural temper, I know not, but they were jesting and making as +merry as if nothing had happened. + +During the time we lay on these mountains, I regret to state my gallant +and respected commanding-officer, Colonel Ross, suffered so much from +rheumatism, that he was compelled to leave the regiment, and take up his +abode at Rentaria, a village near to Passages. + +It was reported that Lord Wellington intended attacking the enemy along +his whole line, early in November, but the weather having rendered the +roads impassable, it was postponed. On the day previous to the intended +attack, the commanding-officers had been taken up to La Rhune, and the +post that each corps had to occupy, with the movements they were +intended to make, were clearly pointed out to them; an excellent plan, +when practicable, as it leaves no one any excuse for mistakes or +blunders during the action. + +At length, on the 10th of that month, I believe, it was settled to take +place; but on the 9th I was ordered to set off with the mules of the +battalion, to fetch corn from Passages, a distance of about thirty +miles. I suspected this was a scheme of the captain I before mentioned, +as one of the committee of paymastership, in order the more effectually +to keep me out of danger, for certainly had any thing serious happened +me, they would have had some difficulty in rendering their accounts. It +was not quite certain the attack was to take place next day, although it +had been so rumoured; however, I was determined to try and reach the +division as early as possible on that day. I accordingly got my business +done in Passages as early as I could get the commissary to work; and +having got the corn, and come on to Rentaria, which I reached about +mid-day, I took the liberty of leaving the animals in the charge of the +non-commissioned officer who had accompanied me; and calling on Colonel +Ross, obtained his permission to let the sergeant proceed in charge of +them to the regiment, while I might, if I chose, push on at a quicker +rate. I had heard by this time, that the action had commenced by +daylight that morning. I accordingly set off at as quick a pace as my +starved animal could carry me; and passing Irun, and crossing the +Bidassoa, and keeping along the great road for a considerable distance, +I then inclined to my right, and skirted the Pyrenees along the whole +plain. I had thus an opportunity of witnessing the conflict carrying on +by the left wing of our army, as I passed along towards La Rhune, but +with every exertion of myself and my poor jaded horse, night closed in +upon me before I had nearly reached the station of the light division. I +was compelled to work my way through a country which I had not hitherto +passed, and which having been the scene of a sanguinary combat, +presented no very pleasing aspect. At last I heard some strange and +foreign voices before me, for it was now quite dark, on which I turned +into a field, and waited till they passed, by which I learned they were +Spaniards. I was apprehensive I might have kept too far to the left, and +had got into the French lines, which would not have been so comfortable; +but after finding them to be men of General Frere's Spanish division, I +then had hopes of shortly meeting with my own people. Directed by those +good Spaniards, I at last reached Petit La Rhune, the late formidable +position of the enemy, on which the blazes from a thousand of their huts +were rising to the clouds, and enlightening the atmosphere around. But +it being now ten o'clock, I found myself incapable of proceeding +farther, more particularly as the Portuguese, among whom I now found +myself, could not give me any certain directions which way my division +had gone. I was fain therefore to take up my abode, and gladly did so, +in a cottage with Colonel St Clair and several other officers of the +sixth Caçadores. Let it not be supposed that a fighting disposition +induced me to use so much exertion to reach my division on this +occasion--no; but as I considered that a sort of trick had been played +off upon me, I did what I could to render it nugatory; no man liking, as +I imagine, to be the dupe of any other party's manoeuvres, with whatever +friendly intention these may have been put in operation. I arose next +morning early, and hastened to the point where I expected to meet my +brave comrades, anxious to learn the fate of all I loved amongst them. I +saw them and the third division at a considerable distance, each on a +height in front, appearing like flocks of sheep huddled together as +close as possible. I soon reached them, and learned with sorrow, that +the brave Colonel Barnard was, as they supposed, mortally wounded, the +ball having passed through the chest, and that little Lieutenant Doyle +was killed. + +This was a most stupendous action; the scene of operations extending +from right to left, embracing, I imagine, not less than thirty miles of +country. The centre had fallen to the share of my division, which, in +the eyes of the best judges, was the strongest part of the enemy's line, +for it had been fortified with the most consummate skill, and no labour +had been spared to render it impregnable, as the enemy had been busily +employed in the construction of forts, redoubts, and other field-works +of every denomination, from the day we drove them from the Pass of Vera; +one in particular, a stone built fort, in the shape of a star, was +exceedingly strong, and which was attacked and carried in the finest +style possible, I understand, by the 43d regiment; the 52d also +surrounded a fort in which the French 88th regiment was posted, the +brave commander of which not having received any orders to evacuate it, +remained till the retreat of the French left him no other alternative +than to surrender at discretion. The part my battalion had to play, was +to cross the valley separating the two La Rhunes in double quick time, +and attack the French rock by a gorge, which allowed a passage from that +valley into their position. This was to be in conjunction with the +attack of the Star Fort by the 43d, as it in some measure took that work +in reverse. In short, every corps in the division, and I believe in the +army, had a most arduous duty to perform, and most nobly did they +execute it. The left of our army, under Sir Thomas Graham, did not +succeed in driving the enemy from his innumerable works which covered St +Jean de Luz, and which he retained possession of till the next morning; +when the centre, that is the 3d and light divisions, together with the +Spaniards on our right and left centre, made a movement in advance, and +crossed the Nivelle river, from which this action derives its name. Our +movement, which threatened to separate the wings of the French army, +caused the enemy to abandon his strong position in front of St Jean de +Luz, as well as that town, on which occasion he attempted, and partly +succeeded in destroying the bridge over the Nivelle at that place; but +it being soon after repaired, Sir Thomas Graham's corps took up their +quarters in the town. + +We encamped for the night in front of the village of Serres, or Sarre, +or Zarre. It had rained hard all the day of the 11th, and it continued +almost without intermission till our camp was literally swimming. I +remember perfectly that the water in my tent was several inches deep; +and when I awoke in the morning, I found a Portuguese boy (who had +followed us, and had attached himself to our mess as a sort of servant) +was sitting holding by the tent-pole, that being the only place where he +could find rest for the sole of his foot. In short, we were as wet, +clothes and beds and all, as if we had been dragged through a river. The +evening before, I well remember, we had been highly amused by my Scotch +quartermaster-sergeant and his friends, who had taken up their abode +close by, singing, till they rather grew tiresome, + + "We are nae fou', we're nae that fou', + But just a drappie in our e'e." + +This of course was done to drive away dull care, and to make the best of +an uncomfortable situation. + +The next day towards afternoon, a considerable firing was heard on our +right, which had continued but a short while, till our gallant and +unwearied Chief came galloping up, with some few of his staff following, +who could with difficulty keep pace with him, and asking most anxiously +whereabouts and what the firing was. We could only point out the +direction in which we heard it, but could give him no account as to its +cause. Away he galloped in the direction we pointed out, and no doubt +soon reached the spot. + +I forgot to mention, that a man of the Brunswick Oels corps had been +hung the day before for plundering by the Provost Marshal, no doubt in +compliance with superior orders. It was necessary thus to give the army +an example of severity, in order to deter them from committing those +acts to which all armies are but too prone. We found indeed very little +to plunder, had we been so inclined; for the greater part of the +inhabitants had left their houses, taking every thing portable with +them. This they had been induced to do from the false statements which +Soult had set forth in some proclamations he issued about this time, in +which he described the English as savages, nay, even as cannibals, who +would not scruple to commit the most monstrous atrocities; so ignorant +were the generality of these poor peasants, that many of them implicitly +believed his representations. This, no doubt, was done with the view of +raising the whole population in arms against us, in order to defend +their homes against such a set of wretches as he made it appear we were; +but, although many of the natives joined the French army at this time, +with which they were incorporated and led to battle, the result of his +famous proclamations was not equal to his expectations; for a great part +of them declined warlike proceedings, and retired into the interior of +the country with their families, leaving only a very small proportion +indeed who remained in their houses. As might be expected, the empty +houses suffered dreadfully; every piece of furniture almost being +destroyed, either for fire-wood, or in seeking for valuables; while the +houses of those who remained in general escaped. + +General Harispe, being a Basque himself, had the organizing of the new +levies now raised; indeed, many of these had taken a part in the +irruption into Spain on the 25th July for the relief of Pamplona, and +many of them fell on that occasion. We were not so fully aware of the +extent of the misrepresentation to which Soult had gone in these +proclamations, till some time after we had entered France, and had +penetrated considerably into the interior, when some of our officers, +either during or after a march, entered the cottage of a peasant who had +not left his home, to get a little milk. The poor woman was remarkably +civil, offering them any thing the house afforded. They got some milk, +for which they offered her money, but which she declined. Her child was +running about the house at this time, which, coming near one of the +officers, he took it between his knees, and patted it on the head, with +which the child seemed very well pleased; but the poor mother, standing +at a little distance, and eyeing most intently every motion of the +officer, was like to swoon with fear and agitation. But as the mother +had declined receiving any thing for the milk, the officer who had the +child gave it some small coin, and letting it go, it ran to its mother, +who snatched it up into her arms with the utmost joy, and altering her +look, began to say, she thought they had been deceived; for that they +had been led to believe from the proclamations of Soult, that we were +such barbarians that we would not scruple to kill and eat their +children, and which was the cause of her late fear and anxiety, as she +expected the officer had taken the child for that purpose; but now she +found we were not such people as she had been led to believe. Of course +the officer laughed most heartily at having been suspected of a +man-eating propensity, and soon convinced the poor woman that the +English were not quite such barbarians as that, whatever she might have +heard to the contrary. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + + The British Army advance farther into France--Pass the + Nive--Soult's Plans baffled--Two or three battalions of the + Nassau and Frankfort regiments come over from the + French--French Politesse--Threatened Attack by the + French--Battle of the Nive--Account of the Basques. + + +We left our wet camp on the 15th, and advanced to the village of +Arbonne, where, for the first time during the campaign, we were +quartered in houses, except once or twice. During our stay in the camp +at Serres, or Zarre, we sent our baggage animals to Passages for corn, +on which occasion I lost another horse, the batman pretending it had +been stolen, but which, no doubt, he sold, as that trick had often been +resorted to by this time, and there was no detecting it. + +On the 17th we left Arbonne, and advanced to Arcangues, sending forward +picquets to the village of Bassozari, about half a mile in front. My +battalion took up into quarters in some straggling houses in front of +the church of Arcangues, while our first battalion occupied the chateau +and outhouses of Arcangues, about a quarter of a mile to the right and +front of the church. The enemy's picquets were close to Bassozari, so +that in some places scarcely a quarter of a mile intervened between our +quarters and their outposts. They allowed us to take up our outposts +very quietly, they being now established in their intrenched camp in +front of Bayonne, and which was not far distant from our advance. There +were some houses in the line of posts occupied by the French, which, if +in our possession, would add greatly both to our security and +convenience, and which it was determined to wrest from them if +practicable. + +Accordingly, on the 23d the division was put under arms, and our +brigade, being in front, had this task assigned to them. The 43d, not +having had so much work during the campaign as our two battalions had, +was selected for the purpose of driving in the enemy's picquets, whilst +we supported them. They accordingly attacked and carried the houses +without a moment's delay; but unfortunately, Captain Hobkirk of that +regiment, advancing with his company beyond the line at which it was +intended to halt, got immediately in front of some of their +intrenchments, from which he could not extricate himself, in consequence +of which our first battalion was ordered to advance to cover his +retreat; but he had by this time fallen into the hands of the enemy, +with a considerable number of his men: his lieutenant was killed, and +altogether the company suffered great loss. The remainder retreated, our +first battalion people holding the houses it was intended to occupy. +This occurred on the left of the ridge. + +On the right, and adjoining a marsh which separated us from some high +ground near the river Nive, and which was occupied by another division +of our army, were two or three houses also which it was intended to +take, as their possession secured us a passage across this marsh by a +causeway, which connected two eminences, that on which we stood, and +that occupied by the other division, the principal object upon the +latter being a large chateau called Garratt's House. One company of the +43d also took those houses, supported by some more of that regiment and +my battalion; but after they were taken, from what cause I know not, an +order was sent to evacuate them, on which the 43d retired. Soon after, +they were again ordered to be re-occupied, when a company of ours +advanced, and took possession, but had not been there many minutes till +another order was sent for them to be evacuated. This order, however, +had scarcely reached them, when a charge was made on them by a body of +French cavalry, supported by a strong column of infantry. The officer +who commanded the company, either from the order he had received, or +from want of presence of mind, called to his men to run to the rear when +the cavalry charged him, by which he did not suffer much in point of +losing men, for only one was wounded by the cavalry; but it had a bad +appearance to run away from cavalry, a description of force which we had +learnt by this time almost to despise, especially as, from his post, he +might have knocked down great numbers of them, and finally have repulsed +them, had he allowed his men to fire. The houses were, however, +eventually taken possession of by another company of our battalion the +next day, which retained them in despite of the enemy. The man who was +wounded by the cavalry was shot in the head by a pistol ball: he came to +the surgeon, where the main body of the battalion was standing, to be +dressed; while this was doing, and the orderly man holding a tin-full of +water near, from which the surgeon was sponging and cleaning the wound, +a ball came, and, striking the tin, carried it right out from between +the hands of the orderly. I was standing close by, and shall not easily +forget the blank look which, as might be expected, the poor orderly put +on. There was a good deal of firing all day, which, except what the 43d +suffered, as before noticed, did little damage to the brigade. + +On the occasion of our company taking these houses the next day, a very +young officer, who happened to command it, evinced great fortitude and +presence of mind. He advanced on the enemy, who, being then rather +inclined to quietness, retreated gradually before him; but after +reaching the hedge, just beyond the principal house, told him (for they +were quite near enough to speak) that he must not advance any farther, +or they would be compelled to fire on him. The young fellow, solicitous +about nothing but obeying his orders, told them that he was determined +to have the house, and immediately putting his men under the best cover +he could, called out that they might begin to fire whenever they +pleased, he was ready for them. This young officer (whose name was Cary, +and brother to my friend who fell at Badajos) spoke excellent French, so +that the enemy understood him perfectly. The enemy did not contend any +longer for the post, but planted their sentries within about thirty +yards of ours. These sentries, indeed, were still so posted as to +prevent a passage across by the causeway, had they been so inclined; but +the next day I went with another officer across by this road, on which +occasion we actually passed to the rear of the French sentries. + +A disposition had for some time been gaining ground with both armies, to +mitigate the miseries of warfare, as much as was consistent with each +doing their duty to their country; and it had by this time proceeded to +such an extent, as to allow us to place that confidence in them that +they would not molest us even if we passed their outposts for the +purpose I have mentioned. And this mutual confidence in each other was +productive of the most comfortable results to both parties. We could +move about at any time, and almost in any place, shooting or otherwise +amusing ourselves, without the dread of falling in with an enemy's +patrol, or of getting among their sentries. They never molested us from +this time, except when we either advanced upon them, or they upon us, in +hostile array. Our division had two main picquets; all this took place +at the right picquet. A few days after I happened to be at the advanced +post on the left, commanded by one of my battalion, when the French +officers beckoned to us. We, to show we were peaceably inclined, pulled +off our swords, and advanced to meet them. A number of inhabitants, who +had left their houses on our first entering the country, having heard +that we were not what we had been represented, were desirous of +returning to their homes, and the officers wished us to admit them, and +see them safe through the advanced posts. This of course we gladly +promised, and the poor people were quite overjoyed at being permitted to +visit their dwelling-places once again; but, poor creatures, I fear they +would find little there except the bare walls, if indeed these remained +entire, for, from the reasons before assigned, it could scarcely be +expected that houses without inhabitants, in the midst of an invading +army, would be much respected. Each individual among them, old and +young, carried heavy bundles on their heads, no doubt they having +removed every thing that was valuable, if portable. + +The French officers were extremely polite, and asked us many questions +of the news of the day, &c.; but the commander-in-chief, hearing of the +familiarity which subsisted between the two armies, issued an order, +prohibiting British officers from holding conversations with the enemy; +for as all these conversations were necessarily conducted in French, +(very few indeed of their officers being able to speak English,) he was +apprehensive they might gain such information from our people, from +their imperfect knowledge of the French language, as might materially +injure our future proceedings. Before this order was issued, the most +unbounded confidence subsisted between us, and which it was a pity to +put a stop to, except for such weighty reasons. They used to get us such +things as we wanted from Bayonne, particularly brandy, which was cheap +and plentiful, and we in return gave them occasionally a little tea, of +which some of them had learnt to be fond. Some of them also, who had +been prisoners of war in England, sent letters through our army-post to +their sweethearts in England, our people receiving the letters and +forwarding them. They told us also how Hobkirk was situated, and were +astonished at the extent and splendour of his equipage, (for he was a +great dandy,) and could scarcely be persuaded he was only a captain. + +My present commanding-officer, who was the senior captain, and in whose +mess I then was, had sent to England, and got out from thence two +immense pies, weighing nearly a hundred-weight each, and packed in tin +cases. They were composed of every kind of game, and the best +description of fowls, such as turkeys, &c., with the bones taken out, +and the meat baked till it became like brawn when cut in slices. They +were most excellent. One of these he had made a present of to our +Major-general, and the other we were eating in the mess. We had also at +this time a considerable quantity of good wine, which, by some accident, +we had got hold of. We also had bought a pig and killed it, both living +quite sumptuously at present, and having a good stock for future use. + +But while we ourselves fared so well, our poor horses and mules were +literally starving. There was no kind of forage for them, except what +they could pick up in the now completely exhausted fields around us. We +had nothing else to give them. + +In this way we were going on, when, on the 9th of December, Lord +Wellington, determining on passing the Nive, preparatory to future +operations, ordered our division and all the left, under Sir John Hope, +who had now succeeded Sir Thomas Graham, to make a movement in advance, +in order that the enemy's attention might be attracted to this point, +while he threw over some divisions to the right bank of that river. My +battalion had to advance along the ridge by which I had formerly passed +in peace, to meet the returning inhabitants, as may be recollected; but +now the face of affairs was completely altered;--a heavy fire was kept +up by the French picquets from the moment they saw us advance in arms, +but we soon drove them from their advanced works, and they were obliged +to take shelter in their intrenched camp, which was remarkably strong, +and which it was not intended we should attack. We accordingly halted on +the brow of the ridge, while they kept up an incessant fire, both from +their guns and infantry, but which, considering its extent and duration, +was not by any means a destructive fire. + +Sir John Hope had a more laborious task to perform, or else his troops +went beyond the point intended, for they continued the fight nearly all +day, and at one time were considerably in advance, but afterwards +recalled. + +The passage of the Nive was completely effected, and in the evening we +returned to our comfortable houses, a short distance in the rear, and +went to bed as usual. Next morning, however, very early, orders were +given to turn out immediately, and stand to our arms, for the enemy was +advancing; and indeed, when I came to the door, I heard a good deal of +firing. The troops turned out at once, but the mules were to get, and +the baggage to pack, and send away to the rear, or it might be lost; so +I set myself about this with all dispatch; but before any of it was put +up, I saw posting by me, with all expedition, a civil officer, who had +only a short while joined us, and who, in his hurry, had put up all he +could scrape together on his horse, on which he himself was riding. His +boots, tied together, were slung over the horse's neck, and in short he +looked more like a bagman than an officer, from the number of things he +had hanging about him. It was most laughable to see him. I called out +and asked him why he was in such a hurry, but he did not stop to give me +an answer. + +I got up our baggage very well, but what to do with the pie, the pig, +and the wine, I knew not, so was constrained to leave them as they were, +hoping we might not allow the enemy to penetrate so far. I then moved +off the baggage, and, directing the servants who had charge of it to +proceed up a lane which carried them towards the rear, I moved on and +joined the battalion. Just as I reached the plateau, or high ground in +front of the church of Arcangues, I met an officer of ours to whom I had +lately lent a fine young mare, for which I had not food sufficient; and +he having no horse himself, I thought he would take care of her; but +here I met him going into the fight riding on the poor animal, although +scarcely able to drag one leg behind the other. I remonstrated with him, +but he did not mind me. The result was as might have been +anticipated--she soon after dropped down, unable to move farther, and +died; thus I lost L.35 more, which she had cost me. By this time the +enemy had driven in the regiment which had been on picquet, and one or +two of our companies were sent forward to cover their retreat to the +church behind us, where they were ordered to take post, it being a high +and fine position, and had by this time been partly fortified. My people +retired gradually before the enemy, who now advanced in great numbers. + +Our 1st battalion were not so fortunate in effecting their retreat. An +officer and some men having got into a hollow way, were surrounded by +the enemy and taken; another was killed; and another, with his section, +had to force their way through a strong body which had got in his rear. +My battalion did not fall into any scrape of that nature, but sustained +a considerable loss in killed and wounded, from the vast superiority of +the enemy in point of numbers, who, no doubt, did not escape with +impunity. We held our ground at the bottom of the hill on which the +church is built, the French not being able to force us farther back; the +1st battalion, at the same time, holding the fence and ditch in front of +the Chateau, as well as that building itself. But a rather unpleasant +occurrence took place at this time. When the enemy appeared on the +plateau before mentioned, a regiment behind us, without orders, I +believe, opened a heavy fire upon them, several shots of which struck +among our men. One of them went in at the back of one of our soldiers, +and killed him on the spot; another penetrated the back window of a +house into which a party of ours had entered for defence, and very near +struck an officer, who was in the room at the time. These shots must +have been fired either by young soldiers, who scarcely knew how they +pointed their muskets, or they must have taken our people for the enemy, +from which, indeed, they were not far distant. I am confident it was +purely accidental, for no two corps could be on better terms than that +regiment and ours always were. The skirmishing continued till dark. + +This was one of a series of masterly movements between the two +contending generals. Lord Wellington having sent a pretty strong force +across the Nive, as before mentioned, Soult imagined he had so weakened +his force on the left, as to render it probable he might penetrate it, +and thus cause his lordship to withdraw his troops again from the right +bank of the Nive; but he was anticipated; for Lord Wellington had no +sooner established himself on the other side of the Nive, than he +brought one of the supporting divisions of that movement to support us +at the church of Arcangues, it being an important post to hold; so that, +when we looked behind us, after we retired into position, we saw +innumerable bayonets glistening in the sun, and ready to move forward +whenever they should be required; but they never were wanted here, the +light division being quite sufficient to sustain any attack the enemy +had yet made on them. This, however, showed the provident care of his +lordship, and how completely he had penetrated Soult's design. + +This night two or three battalions of the Nassau and Frankfort regiments +came over and left the French. They had heard that the Dutch had +declared against Bonaparte, and wished to be transported to Holland, +with all their arms and appointments, which they brought with them. We +remained in bivouack on the ridge extending between the church and +chateau of Arcangues all night, our picquets remaining in possession of +the houses and hedges at the bottom of the hill, where we stopped the +French in the morning. I visited the picquets at night, in company with +my commanding-officer, where we found all well, and alert. The next day, +there being no firing between us and those in our front, three French +officers, seemingly anxious to prove how far politeness and good +breeding could be carried between the two nations, when war did not +compel them to be unfriendly, took a table and some chairs out of a +house which was immediately in our front, and one which we had lately +occupied as a barrack; and bringing them down into the middle of the +field, which separated the advance of the two armies, sat down within +100 yards of our picquet, and drank wine, holding up their glasses, as +much as to say your health, every time they drank. Of course we did not +molest them, but allowed them to have their frolic out. + +During the day, also, we saw soldiers of the three nations, viz. +English, Portuguese, and French, all plundering at the same time in one +unfortunate house, where our pie, our pig, and wine had been left. It +stood about 150 or 200 yards below the church, on a sort of neutral +ground between the two armies; hence the assemblage at the same moment +of such a group of these motley marauders. They plundered in perfect +harmony, no one disturbing the other on account of his nation or colour. +There were a great number of apples in it at the time we left it, +belonging to the owner of the house, but when we returned, two or three +days afterwards, the desolation was complete. Our once comfortable +quarter contained nothing now but filth and dirt. One poor girl had +remained in it all the while, but she could not save one article; +indeed, in such a case it would have been a service of danger to attempt +it. + +At night one of our sergeants played the French a trick. He took with +him a few men, and, knowing the ground well, they passed the French +sentry unobserved, having reached the house at the top of the field out +of which they had brought the table, &c., where their picquet was +stationed. He made a rush at their arms, which he found piled in front +of the house, and set to work and broke them before the French had time +to recover from the consternation into which they were thrown by so +unexpected an assault. He and his party then came running off without +sustaining any injury. He was a most determined brave soldier this, but +afterwards lost an arm at Toulouse, and was of course discharged with a +pension. + +On the 12th, the enemy made a mighty show of attacking our position, +having greatly increased their force in front of us, and had, some way +or other, found the means of spreading a report in our lines that 1800 +grenadiers had been chosen to lead on the attack. They also traced out +batteries, and cut embrasures, apparently with the intention of burning +or knocking down the chateau of Arcangues, the owner of which remained +in it all this time, and was rather suspected of holding correspondence +with his countrymen. It is not unlikely it was by his means the report +above alluded to was propagated. Every thing now wore a serious aspect, +and of course every thing was done to render their attack abortive. All +were animated with the best disposition to defend the post to the last +extremity; but while the generality believed all these preparations were +serious, there were others who thought it only a _ruse de guerre_; +indeed, had our friends, the German hussars, (with whom we had often +acted in concert,) been here at this time, it is more than probable they +would have been strongly inclined to the latter opinion, for they +scarcely ever saw the French make a great bustle and noise, as if about +immediately to advance and attack, but they would coolly say, after +eyeing them awhile, "Oh, he not come to-day!" "He go away!" and were +generally certain of being right. So full of trick and artifice are our +French antagonists, that they generally act in quite a contrary manner +to what appearances indicate. But they began to be known; hence the +scepticism of some of our people on the present occasion. Accordingly, +about midnight, when the attack was to have been made, away they went, +and retired nearly into their lines, leaving only a few to keep the +ground. + +At daylight next morning we again moved forward, on which there was a +good deal of firing between the Portuguese battalion that had followed +them and their rearguard; but when our people advanced to our old post +on the ridge, I, happening to be first, took off my cap, and, putting it +on the top of my sword, held it up, which the French taking for a signal +of peace, as it was intended, the firing on both sides ceased, each +party taking up the post they held previous to the late movements. We +wondered why the French had retired, but presently heard a tremendously +heavy firing in the direction of the Nive. Soult, it seems, had +withdrawn nearly all his troops from our flank, and marching rapidly +through Bayonne, had attacked General Hill, who commanded on the other +side of the Nive, with great impetuosity, thinking Lord Wellington had +weakened that force to strengthen us; but here again Soult was +outwitted, for he found on that side quite sufficient to give him as +sound a drubbing as he ever got; the Portuguese on this occasion, I +understand, performing wonders. + +These five days' fighting (for on every day there was firing, more or +less, in one part or other of the line) were called the Battle of the +Nive. We had had three days' work of it--they on our right two--and Sir +John Hope's people, on our left, four, I believe, and they not trifling +ones. In every thing Soult undertook, he was completely foiled--all his +schemes having been clearly seen through by his more sagacious opponent. +Indeed he had inflicted a heavy loss on our left wing, commanded by Sir +John Hope, where the fighting had been most severe, but no doubt he +suffered equally, if not more severely than they did. I am told that the +enemy's light troops were most insolent and annoying to our heavy +regiments on the left, on this occasion. What a pity that they could not +have been opposed by troops of a similar description! + +It may be remembered the civil officer of whom I made mention, as having +rode away with the greater part of his wardrobe hanging about his horse; +he was more fortunate than we were, for the things which he left, his +kind landlady took care of, and hid in some snug corner till the +business was over, and on his return restored them all to him. He said +the cause of his going off in such a hurry arose from a cannon-shot +having struck the lintel of the door or window of his house while he was +in the act of shaving, on which he bundled out with whatever he could +scrape together, and set off. I verily believe it must have been the +effect of imagination, for I remained behind him at least a quarter of +an hour, and although our houses were close together, I did not either +hear or see a shot fired in that direction till we had reached the hill, +nearly an hour after; but he constantly maintained that it was so. + +We again took up our old quarters in front of the church; but oh, how +changed were they now from what they had formerly been in point of +comfort! nevertheless, they still afforded us shelter from the +inclemency of the weather. Soon after dark on this evening, a rather +unpleasant affair occurred at the left advanced post of our division. An +officer and two men coming from the French advance, with what intention +is not known, were observed by the corporal who was stationed at our +abatis, who immediately took out his rifle and shot the officer through +the body, on which his two men lifted him up and carried him into their +picquet-house. We were apprehensive this would put an end to that good +understanding which had hitherto subsisted between the picquets of the +two nations, and much regretted the circumstance. It is more than +probable the officer was coming as a sort of patrol, to ascertain +whether or not we had left the post, which, being a military +undertaking, subjected him to all the chances of war attendant thereon. +This is the more probable from his having two soldiers with him armed, +as I understand they were; but if it was meant as a friendly visit, as +formerly sometimes took place, it was greatly to be lamented; however, +they did not, on account of this occurrence, manifest any soreness or +ill-will afterwards, and the mutual good understanding continued to +subsist between us. + +While we remain at rest here a short space, I will endeavour to put the +reader in possession of the character of the inhabitants, among whom we +have been sojourning for a few months past--I mean the Biscayans. From +the time we crossed the Ebro, a wonderful change took place in the +appearance of the natives; and I believe the same description of people +extend considerably into France, although under another government; +they, I understand, still retain their ancient customs, dress, and +language; they are denominated Basques, from the name of the province, I +apprehend, which is called Biscay. They speak a different language from +either the Spaniards, who border them on one side, or the French, on the +other; and some of our officers who spoke Welsh, said they could +understand a few of their words; it is denominated the Basque language. +They generally wear cloth of their own manufacture, which is commonly +blue, in some parts red or brown; in the neighbourhood of Pamplona, +almost always the latter. The men wear a sort of Scotch bonnet, with a +short jacket and trowsers, and are an amazingly athletic and active +people. The women wear a short jacket also, of the same colour with +their petticoat; and with their hair, which they encourage to grow to a +great length, plaited in one large plait, and tied with a small piece of +ribbon; it is allowed to hang down their back, and almost in all cases +reaches to, or below their middle. They wear a handkerchief tastefully +disposed upon their head. They are a fine, tall, and handsome race of +women; but they have a custom of compressing their breasts, so that they +appear as flat in the bosom as the men, which, to an English eye, is not +becoming. The women do the same kind of work as the men, that is, they +plough, and labour at all sorts of husbandry; but what seemed most +remarkable to us, was their sole management of the ferry-boats about +Passages and St Sebastian; they row as well as any men, being amazingly +strong and active; they seem content with their lot, and always appeared +cheerful and happy. I believe they are strictly virtuous; and although +very handsome in general, they did not seem so fond of admiration as the +females of many other countries are; upon the whole, I think they +resemble the Welsh more than any other people with whom I am acquainted; +their countries are exceedingly similar, being mountainous, and in +general not over fruitful, so that constant labour seems to be rendered +absolutely necessary to insure to them the means of subsistence; hence +they are industrious and frugal, and, upon the whole, an interesting and +moral people. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + + The Author's Battalion quartered in Aurantz on 3d January, + 1814--The Cantonments at Aurantz broke up on 16th February, and + the Campaign of 1814 commenced--Farther Advance into + France--Skirmishing with the Enemy--Military Manoeuvres--Battle + of Orthes--Defeat and Pursuit of the Enemy--Succession of + Attacks on them--They are driven from their Position in and + near Tarbes--Skirmishing at Tournefoile--The Enemy retire + towards Toulouse. + + +On the 3d of January 1814, we were ordered to quit a part of the +country, which, from the various occurrences that had taken place since +we first arrived in it, had, in some measure, rendered it interesting to +us. We moved a little to the right, and crossed the Nive, and again +moved in advance about a league or more. This movement was made in +support of some operations which Lord Wellington was conducting in the +direction of the Adour, which being completed, we returned to the Nive, +and took up our cantonments in the villages of Ustaritz and Aurantz. +About this time, nearly the whole of the peasantry, who had fled on our +entering France, were now returning to their habitations, all fear that +we should murder them, and eat their children, having by this time been +completely dissipated. Indeed we were often told after this, that they +would much prefer having a British army among them, to their own people, +for they were always haughty, they said, and overbearing, and never +scrupled to take whatever they had a mind for, while we were orderly and +quiet, and never took an article without amply repaying the owner for +it. Indeed I am well convinced the change the poor people had made in +their lodgers was greatly for the better to them. + +My battalion was quartered in the village of Aurantz, from which we +often took a stroll, to look at the scene of our late operations. The +French having, in consequence of Lord Wellington's movements near the +Adour, strengthened their army in that direction, which of course +rendered it necessary they should contract the limits of their front on +the side towards Spain, they had consequently withdrawn their advance +considerably within their former lines. We now also had plenty of +opportunity for shooting, but were but ill supplied with fowling-pieces, +or we might have killed an abundance of woodcocks, every thicket in the +neighbourhood being filled with them. + +The weather now was extremely bad, and the roads impassable, except by +yourself wading up to the knees, or having your horse almost continually +nearly up to his belly. In consequence of the difficulty of +communicating by dragoons, on account of the roads, telegraphs were +established all along from the right of the army, on the banks of the +Adour, to St Jean de Luz on our left, the head-quarters of the army. +While in these cantonments, an account arrived of our gallant +Major-general (Kempt) having been appointed to the colonelcy of the 8th +battalion of the 60th regiment, which had just been raised. At the +recommendation of my commanding-officer, now Major Balvaird, the general +kindly transmitted my name to the War Office for the appointment of +paymaster of his battalion; but unfortunately for me, before my name +arrived, his late Royal Highness the Duke of York, as Colonel-in-chief +of the regiment, had nominated another person to the situation. It had +always hitherto been customary for Colonels-commandant, and not the +Colonel-in-chief, to nominate their own staff, but on this occasion +another rule was adopted, which, of course, was a great disappointment +to me, as I had, with considerable trouble, got all my sureties, &c. +prepared, although they were now not needed. + +I had, during our stay here, one or more trips to the paymaster-general +for money, for although the paymaster of the battalion had by this time +arrived, I had several months' pay still to draw, the army being +considerably in arrear in their pay. I had thus an opportunity of +visiting St Jean de Luz, and all the enemy's late fortifications and +position in that neighbourhood, and amazingly strong they had indeed +rendered the ground in front of that town. It was a considerable and +well-built town, partaking a good deal of both the Spanish and French +character of course, it being the first French town next to the +frontier; and, as I said before, there being very little difference +between the Basques on either side of the Bidassoa, the change of +countries in respect to inhabitants was not very observable except among +the better orders. + +On the 16th of February we broke up from our cantonments in Aurantz, and +commenced the campaign of 1814, crossing the Nive at Ustaritz, and +moving on in the direction of La Bastide de Clarence. We encamped on a +wild heath, without any village or town being near us, and again the +next morning continued our route to the place above-named, which we +reached about noon, and encamped on a hill beyond it. + +On the 22d we advanced to St Palais, having passed other villages, the +names of which I have forgot, in the intermediate days. Nothing, +however, of any note occurred in that period. On the 23d we encamped +near La Chere and Charrette; on the 24th we crossed two rapid and deep +streams of the Bidowse. The first we got over with considerable +ease,--it was the Gave de Mauleon, which we crossed at Nabes; but the +second, the Gave d'Oleron, was not only both deeper and more rapid than +the other, but the passage seemed intended to be disputed with us; some +French cavalry having made their appearance on the opposite bank, as we +approached the river. The resistance they could offer, however, seemed +very trifling, for, on our bringing up some guns to the bank, and a few +shots having been fired from them, and from a company of our second +battalion, they withdrew. + +We now prepared to go over; accordingly, every man was ordered to take +off his pouch and buckle it on the top of his knapsack, the ford being +so deep as to take the men up to or above the middle. On this occasion I +had I know not how many of the poor men hanging about me and my horse. +Some were holding by the stirrup, some by the tail, and others by the +mane, or wherever they could lay hold, for the stream was so rapid as to +nearly sweep them off their legs. Indeed I understand several of those +who followed us were actually swept down, and perished. + +On reaching the farther bank, we found the French had endeavoured to +render it impassable, by throwing harrows, &c., with their spikes +upmost, in the only places where you could ascend from the river. I +believe a trumpeter of the French was all who fell on this day. + +We passed through Ville Neuve, and formed in a field beyond the village, +till the whole division had got over. It was in this village where the +scene between the mother, the child, and some of our officers, took +place. When joined and formed, we moved on to a high and ugly common, +not far in rear of the village of Orion, where we bivouacked for the +night. It was most uncomfortable. + +Before we reached our ground this evening, we observed, at a short +distance to our left, a body of about 200 French infantry moving on +parallel to us, but apparently making all haste to get away in front of +us. Some suggested the idea of attacking and taking them prisoners; but +as they were rather before us, it could not have been done without +setting one of the battalions at them in double-quick time, and which +would not have been an easy operation, after a long and fatiguing march, +and fording two rivers. Besides, as our Quartermaster-general said, it +was certain they could not be far from their support; consequently it +would only bring on an affair, which it was not the General's wish to do +at that time, for there was none near to support us should the enemy +send a force against us. This day General Picton's division had a sharp +affair at Navarreins, where they forced the passage of the Gave we had +crossed. + +On the 25th, we moved forward early in the morning, and on reaching the +village of Orion, we found that Soult had had his head-quarters the +night before, with a considerable portion of his army, in and around the +village; it was therefore fortunate we did not attack the French +detachment before mentioned, for we should certainly have had Soult, +with all his people, upon our single division. A French band had +remained in this village till our arrival, having deserted in a body +from the regiment to which they belonged, or they, seeing they could not +make their escape, pretended to desert and join our army. + +We bent our course towards Orthes, which was now only a few leagues in +front of us. A man brought a cask of excellent wine to the roadside, +with the intention of giving every man of the division a drink, but we +could not wait, and were consequently obliged to leave the good man's +gift. It showed that either good-will or fear had prompted him to this +act. I rather think the former was the cause, as he lived some distance +from the road. We had not continued long on the march, till we heard a +loud and thundering explosion in front of us, which, as it was expected, +turned out to be the bridge of Orthes, which the enemy had blown up. A +short while after we came in sight of the town, and one of our +Portuguese Caçadore regiments being sent forward, a smart skirmish +commenced between them and the French, who had been left on and about +the bridge to prevent our repairing it. I foolishly went down to see +what was going on, and had nigh paid for my curiosity. + +We took up our ground behind a height which overlooked the town, through +which the enemy were passing in large columns. In consequence of this, +we got some guns into a field in front of our hill, and commenced a +cannonade upon them, which, we could observe, made them hurry their pace +considerably. They also brought some heavy field-guns to bear upon us, +and fired some shots, but without doing us much injury. Throughout the +whole of the road by which the French had come before us, desolation and +misery marked their footsteps; and in the village of Orion, where Soult +himself had slept the night before, nothing could exceed the despair and +misery of the few remaining inhabitants, who told us they had been +literally stripped of their all; indeed, they appeared most forlorn and +wretched beings, and, as might be expected, poured out the most heavy +and bitter complaints, not unmingled with imprecations, on the heads of +their plundering countrymen. I went into a poor weaver's house here, +where, if I mistake not greatly, the marauders had actually cut the web +he was weaving out of the loom, and carried it off with them. + +We remained on this ground all night, and the next morning his lordship +was intently occupied for a considerable time in reconnoitring the +enemy's position. At length, as if he had fully made up his mind how to +act, he ordered our division to fall in, which was promptly obeyed; +then, sending his staff with directions, we were ordered to file to the +right, and to move down towards the river, apparently with the intention +of crossing a little above the bridge, which had been destroyed. On the +other side, immediately opposite what appeared to be the ford, were +large bodies of infantry, together with a great quantity of artillery. + +I recollect my battalion was leading the division, and it appeared at +this moment as if we were going to be engaged in a most arduous and +hazardous undertaking; for the enemy's artillery would have swept us off +the face of the earth before we could possibly have reached the farther +bank; however, this was only a _ruse de guerre_, and a most deep-planned +and well-executed one it was; for while we were moving down towards the +river, a staff-officer came riding, and ordered us all to hide as much +as possible from the view of the enemy, by crouching down, &c. as we +moved along. It may seem rather paradoxical to be ordered thus to act, +at the same time that we wished the enemy to observe our movement; but +the fact is, there were probably a thousand eyes fixed on us all the +time we lay here, and who watched most closely our every movement; +consequently, we could not stir without the enemy being aware of it; and +if on this occasion we had made a show and a parade of our movement, it +would have been suspected as only a feint at once, as the French +themselves, from often practising this stratagem, would have penetrated +immediately our object. But our Chief went a step too deep for them, +adepts as they are in all the arts of this kind; for he made a pretence +of hiding from them his movement, knowing well that we were observed; +and this completely deceived them. This threat of crossing here was made +in order to favour the construction of a bridge about eight or ten miles +down the river, and the crossing there by another division, as they were +thus enabled to guess where the principal force for opposition would be +required. I believe a better planned or more successful stratagem was +never practised. But I own, when we were marching down to the river to +cross in front of the immense masses which we saw ready to oppose us, I +believed that few would survive to tell the tale hereafter. + +The moment when we were just opening from the covered ground to plunge +into the river, we were instantly countermarched with all expedition, +and moved down the river at a quick pace till we reached the pontoon +bridge which had been so successfully constructed and thrown over at the +village of Sala. This being now perfectly safe, we encamped at the +village for the night. + +On the morning of the 27th, we early crossed the river called the Gave +de Pau, and moved forward in the direction of the town of Orthes by the +great road. On the right bank of that river, when we came within about +two miles of the town, we were moved more to our left, ascending the +high ridge which runs parallel with the river, and on which the French +had taken up a strong position, and were said to be between 30,000 and +40,000 strong. One division had been ordered to move along the summit of +this ridge, on which ran the great road to Peyrehourade, and to attack +the enemy on that flank, while our division communicated with that and +the 3d division to our right. When the action was commenced, the 2d +division had been directed to ford above the bridge, where our feint had +been made the day before, and passing through the town, to attack on the +opposite flank, and thus cut off their retreat towards the Pau. The +enemy's position proved to be exceedingly strong, and difficult of +access by us. + +The action commenced by the 4th division attacking on the road leading +along the ridge, where an obstinate and bloody conflict took place, +without our people being able to make any impression. The attack of the +3d division, on our right, also commenced immediately after; but such +was the nature of the ground on this side, being mostly in long pointed +ridges, running out like the rays of a star, and which were exceedingly +strong, that no efforts were able to force them from this ground. + +General Hill had by this time got over the river, and was approaching +the position. My division, having been deprived of two of its regiments, +which had been sent, previous to the commencement of our operations this +spring, to receive their clothing at St Jean de Luz, being rendered weak +in consequence, it was kept in reserve, as I before mentioned. During +this unsuccessful attack, our gallant Chief was for a considerable time +immediately in front of us, watching with the most anxious care every +motion of both armies. He appeared to me to be extremely thoughtful and +serious on the occasion, as our troops did not succeed in forcing this +stronghold of the enemy. The firing at this time was extremely animated, +particularly on the ridge to our left, where great slaughter was made on +both sides. And the French having discovered where he and his staff were +assembled, opened a smart cannonade on the group, but without doing any +mischief, I believe, and without being noticed by him. Their shots +generally fell about our division, which was formed immediately behind +the hill on which he stood. + +At length, whether from the request of Colonel Barnard, who was at this +time by his lordship's side, or whether by his own direction, I know +not, but the Colonel was ordered to take on the 52d and 1st Portuguese +belonging to the Caçadores, our 2d brigade, and endeavour to force a +passage through the French line, by the gorge of the valley, which lay +immediately in his front, and they would thus, if successful, penetrate +into the centre of the enemy's position. They accordingly moved up the +valley in column of companies, sustaining all the time the most galling +and destructive fire, for the enemy were thus on each of their flanks, +as well as in front. When they reached within a short distance of the +centre height, they formed line, and moving on at a brisk pace and +carrying every thing before them, they drove the enemy from the plateau, +and thus penetrated into the very heart of their army. This was a most +daring and intrepid movement, for although assailed by ten times their +force, and nearly surrounded by the enemy, these gallant corps hesitated +not to push on, although the very elements seemed as it were to fight +against them; for on the brow of the enemy's position the fire had been +so heavy and so incessant, that the very furze bushes and herbs of all +kinds were in a blaze along the front, through which, with innumerable +foes behind it, these gallant men forced a passage at the point of the +bayonet. + +This movement had the effect of at once deciding the fate of the day, +for Soult seeing his very centre and strongest position carried, which +separated between his wings, at once ordered a retreat of his whole +force. The remainder of our division were now despatched with all speed +in pursuit of the flying enemy, but they never attempted after this to +make a stand, and nothing was left for us to perform but to give chase +to the fugitives. When we reached the enemy's centre position, we found +that every thing had been cleared away which could in the least impede +his movements; every hedge and ditch had been completely levelled, so +that nothing remained but a beautiful plain on the top of the ridge, +except where works of defence had been thrown up. We were not successful +in capturing any of the enemy, except the wounded, who had necessarily +been left on the field, and we did not lay hold of any of his materiél, +except a few guns which he had been obliged to abandon in a swamp below +the position. + +I have related only such things as fell within my own observation, but +no doubt many were the heroic and gallant deeds that were performed in +this hard contested battle, besides what I have detailed. As might be +expected, the gallant 52d and its supporting corps, the 1st Portuguese +Caçadores, suffered dreadfully, leaving probably one-fourth of their +numbers on the field. But I must not omit mentioning one trait of +gallantry which attracted the admiration of the whole army. Lord March +(now the Duke of Richmond) had for some time been on the personal staff +of Lord Wellington, where his services had been most efficient. He also +was at this time a captain in the 52d regiment, but from his high civil +rank had never served as an infantry officer with his regiment. He was +determined to know and practice his duty in every situation, and +therefore requested leave from his lordship to be permitted to join his +corps as a captain, which was granted of course, and this was his first +debut in the character of an officer of foot. It was no doubt a sharp +trial; and poor fellow, while bravely leading on the company which his +Majesty had intrusted to his command, he fell dangerously (then supposed +mortally) wounded. This was a noble example to set our young nobility, +and they cannot do better than to follow such a precedent. I understand +he has been heard to say, "that the chance of a staff-officer being hit +in action, is not near so great as that of an officer of infantry, who +must quietly brave all that comes against him, while a staff-officer, +being well mounted, can quickly get out of danger; and that if a +gentleman wishes truly to learn his profession as an officer, he ought +to serve for a time in the infantry whilst engaged in operations in the +field." + +This was a most decided, but withal an unfruitful victory, and only +tended to establish more firmly the superior skill of our commander, and +the superior bravery of the British army. We had heard of the +proceedings of the allies in the north, and of a number of the French +generals having deserted the cause of their once potent, but now fallen +master. And I verily believed that Soult had collected his whole force +together here for the express purpose of either allowing himself to be +surrounded, and thus make a show of being compelled to surrender, or of +inducing his whole army to come over at once to the side of the +Bourbons, but in all these conjectures I was completely mistaken; for +whatever may have been Soult's faults as a man, he has always shown +himself a consistent and an able defender of the cause he first +espoused, and as such is certainly respectable. + +We pursued the flying columns of the enemy for about two leagues beyond +the field of action, crossing in our pursuit the river Luy de Bearne, +and at night took up our abode in bivouack, near the village of Bonne +Garde. The night proved extremely cold and frosty, for in the morning +when I intended to arise, I found my cloak frozen to the ground. We had +no kind of covering. My commanding-officer had taken up his abode in a +cottage close by, where there was no bed but what the people occupied. +He therefore got into the kneading-trough, in which he slept very +comfortably; but in the morning I remember he turned out like a miller. + +We started soon after daybreak, and continued our march, crossing the +small river Luy de France. Here I remember our assistant +Quartermaster-general told us what great difficulty he found in +obtaining information from the inhabitants as to the by-roads which run +parallel to the great road from Orthes; for these good people could not +conceive why he should be hunting after by-roads of this description, +which were generally very bad, while the great road, which was always +good, lay so near the line by which he wished to move, not knowing +perhaps, or not understanding, that other divisions of the army were +moving on the high-road, while we wished to make a corresponding +movement on their flank. They would always, however, after directing him +how to proceed for a while, bring him again on to the great road, which +he wished to avoid for the reason before given. + +The comfort, and the efficiency of an army in the field depends more, I +am persuaded, on the abilities and zeal of officers in the +Quartermaster-general's department, than on any other branch of the +service; for if they are remiss or unacquainted with their duty, the +marches and counter-marches, the halts, and the changes of direction, +are so numerous and annoying, that the spirits and strength of the +troops are soon worn out, and of course dissatisfaction and inefficiency +soon follow. But to the credit of the officers of this department at the +period of which I am writing, I believe never army possessed more able, +more zealous, or more active staff-officers, than we did, and that +principally owing to the excellent example set them by the head of this +department, than whom a more able conductor of an army does not exist. +On one of these occasions when our assistant Quartermaster-general had +occasion to wait upon the authorities of a village, he jokingly asked +them for passports, as is customary in France, to proceed into the +country. "Ma foi," says the worthy Mayor, "you obtained your passports +at Vittoria, you need no others now." + +We halted for the night near the village of Duerse. In the morning, we +forded the Adour near a small village, the name of which I forget, and +making a long and rapid march, we took possession of the city of Mont de +Marsan, where we found immense magazines of provisions, which had been +collected by the enemy. This was the most valuable capture that had been +made by the British army since its arrival in the Peninsula; for +although a great deal of treasure was obtained at Vittoria, yet a +considerable portion of that fell into the hands of individuals; but +this was secured for the benefit of the whole army. The enemy had +abandoned the city previous to our arrival, consequently it was a +bloodless conquest, which rendered it the more valuable. Mont de Marsan +is what may be termed a fine and an extensive city, containing about +3000 inhabitants. + +The people received us kindly upon the whole, and showed us great +attention. Here we had superb quarters, and the change from what we had +lately been accustomed to, produced a rather uncomfortable feeling; for +our clothes and all our equipments so little corresponded with the +magnificence around us, that we should have preferred less stately +mansions, if comfortable, as more congenial with our respective +establishments. But we did not long enjoy our splendid lodgings; for, +having secured the booty, we left the city, and returned to the banks of +the Adour. The march both to and from this city had been along straight +flat roads, cut through an immense pine forest, with which this +department is almost completely covered. The roads had been for some +time much traversed, and having a sandy bottom, were consequently very +bad at this season of the year; added to which, a violent storm of snow +and sleet assailed us all the march of this day, which made it a rather +uncomfortable business. We halted for the night in a village named, I +think, St Maurice, and the next day were moved into St Sever, a +considerable town on the left bank of the Adour, in which Lord +Wellington had taken up his head-quarters. Here we remained some days, +doing duty over his lordship, when we crossed to the right bank, and +moved up the river, halting at the town of Grenade. We next morning +continued our route up that bank till we reached Barcelonne, a +considerable town some little distance from the river, and nearly +opposite Aire, a large town on the left bank, and near which General the +Hon. Wm. Stewart, with the 2d division, had had a smart brush with the +enemy on the day we captured Mont de Marsan. + +On the evening of the 10th we halted at the village of Arblade, and, on +the 11th, entered Tarsac, where we remained for the night. We were next +morning pushed on to a village in front, about a league distant, but +were allowed to remain there only for one night, for the enemy now began +to appear in our front in considerable force. We were consequently +withdrawn, and, passing through Tarsac, the division formed in a wood +about half-way between that and Aire. We expected something serious was +about to occur, but, from what cause I know not, the enemy again +retreated, leaving a body of cavalry on the road about half-a-league +beyond Tarsac, to which we again returned and took up our quarters. + +On the 16th, as these fellows still continued so near us, although +evidently without any infantry to support them, it was determined either +to drive them away or take them prisoners. I must observe, our 15th +hussars were at this time occupying Tarsac with ourselves, and one +squadron of them were selected for this service. The advance of the +French consisted only of one squadron, the remainder of their regiment +being at some distance in rear as supports; consequently it was but fair +that an equal force should attack them. Captain Hancox's squadron (in +which was Captain Booth, with his troop) was pitched upon for this +affair. The remainder of the 15th were drawn out to support them, if +needed, but were not to take any part in the combat. Every one of course +went out to see the fight. + +Accordingly this squadron moved on to the front, and steadily advanced +upon the enemy, who seemed determined to stand the charge, as they put +every thing ready to receive our gallant dragoons. When within a proper +distance the word "trot" was given, and soon after "gallop," and then +"charge," when our fellows dashed in among the French, upsetting them in +all directions, and cutting many of them down to the ground. In a few +minutes the business was settled, for our people returned, bringing in +with them the captain commanding, (and who, I believe, had been +personally engaged with Captain Hancox,) with about twenty-five men, +prisoners. The rest made their escape. The French captain, and the +greater part of the twenty-five men, were wounded, and some were left +dead on the road. + +I shall not soon forget the little wounded captain. He, I believe, was +either a native of Tarsac, or somewhere near, and had been determined +to show his valour to the utmost; hence his standing, when he ought to +have retired; but all the way, as they were bringing him along into the +village, and after he reached the house where he directed them to take +him, he kept crying out, "I'm as brave as a lion!--I'm as brave as the +devil!" and could scarcely be got to hold his peace while the surgeon +was dressing him. Most piteous moaning was made by many of the +inhabitants, to whom it seems he was well known. + +We understood afterwards that this regiment, the 13th French hussars, +had fallen rather under the displeasure of Soult, for some ill conduct +on a former occasion, and that they were thus determined to wipe off the +stain and retrieve their character; but they would have shown more +sense, and have rendered more service to their country, had they retired +when they saw it was determined to drive them away. + +On the 18th, we again advanced by the road the French had taken, and, +crossing the Adour at the bridge and village of La Row or Arros, we +pursued our route till we reached the town of St Germain's, where we +halted for a short space; and thence to Plaisance, a good town, where we +remained for the night. An unfortunate circumstance occurred in or near +this town, which might have produced the most disastrous +consequences:--A man, who most likely had been resisting the plundering +of his house, was basely murdered by some soldier or soldiers of the +division; but although every endeavour was made to discover the +perpetrators of this vile act, they could not be found out; but a +subscription was set on foot among the officers of the division, and 100 +guineas were collected and paid to the unfortunate widow, who, though +grieved for the loss of her husband, was thankful for the money. I +strongly suspect my friends the Portuguese were the culprits on this +occasion. + +On the 19th we again moved forward, and, passing Obrigort, halted for +the night at the village of Aget. Towards the close of this day's march, +we both heard and saw smart skirmishing, down on the great road which +runs parallel to the ridge on which we were, and from Auch to Tarbes, +along the plain on our right, and passes through Vic Bigore. Near this +town the firing was very brisk. We understood it was Picton's division +driving the French before them. + +The next morning we started early, and, continuing our march along the +ridge of the height on which our last night's quarters were situated, we +reached pretty soon the town of Rabasteins, where we learnt that the +enemy had taken up a position in and near the town of Tarbes. We, +accordingly, changing our direction, moved to our right, down the road +leading from the former to the latter place. We passed on this road the +sixth division, which, it seems, was ordered to keep on the flank of the +enemy, which, should he make a stand, this division was to turn. When we +got within about a mile and a half of Tarbes, we discovered the enemy +posted on a strong woody height on the left of the road, with a windmill +on its highest and most distant point. + +The whole of our 95th people were accordingly ordered forward, to +endeavour to drive them from this position. My battalion formed the +right, the 2d battalion the centre, and the 1st battalion the left of +our line of skirmishers. We found them covered in front with a great +number of light troops, which occupied us some time in driving in, and +in which service we suffered considerably, for they occupied the hedges +and dikes on the high ground, from which it was necessary we should +dislodge them. We had also a considerably-sized brushwood to pass +through before we could get at them. At length, after much smart +skirmishing, we gained the height, but found the whole of their heavy +infantry drawn up on a steep acclivity, near the windmill, which allowed +them to have line behind line, all of which could fire at the same time +over each other's heads, like the tiers of guns in a three-decker. We +continued, however, to advance upon them, till we got within a hundred +paces of this formidable body, the firing from which was the hottest I +had ever been in, except perhaps Barossa. At this moment I received a +shot through my right shoulder, which compelled me for a moment to +retire; but meeting the main support of my battalion advancing with +Colonel Ross at its head, and finding my wound had not disabled me, I +again advanced with him, until we got close under the enemy's line, and +took post behind a hillock, which protected us from their fire. + +We here found Colonel Norcott, who then belonged to the 2d battalion, +riding about on his large black mare; but he had not ridden long till he +also was wounded through the shoulder, from which he still suffers. +While we were in this situation, a shot struck a captain of ours in the +side where he had his drinking-horn slung; in fact it struck both the +horn and his side; but, from some cause, it did not penetrate the flesh, +but bruised it sore, which is generally painful. The captain, and those +about him, thought he was shot through the body; they accordingly picked +him up, and were carrying him off to the rear, when he cried, "Stop, let +me feel," and putting his hand down to the place, and finding no wound, +he sprung out of their arms, and, with the most ludicrous appearance +possible, returned to his post again. No one present could refrain from +laughing at the ridiculousness of this occurrence, although at the +moment the men were falling fast around us. At this time also, a spent +shot, one which I imagine had first hit the ground, struck me on the +left arm, but did not injure me. I now thought it better to go to the +rear to get my shoulder dressed, immediately after which I became quite +faint from loss of blood. The firing still continued most animated on +both sides; but before an hour had elapsed, the French were driven +completely from every position they held on this very strong hill; and +as I returned, (after having been dressed, and having swallowed some +spirits to remove the faintness,) I found them posting away with all +expedition to the plain below, some guns, which had just arrived, giving +them an occasional shot, but from which they did not suffer much, they +marched with such rapidity. We immediately followed them down to the +plain, on reaching which, we perceived a body of French troops coming +apparently from the town of Tarbes, pursued by the 3d division, with +whom they had been engaged, and which, with some exertion, we thought we +could intercept and cut off; but they, perceiving our intention, +inclined considerably to the right, and marching with all speed, they +got away before us. + +The enemy now having all retired across the plain, began to take up a +strong position on a height at its extremity, towards which we continued +to advance; but Lord Wellington having expected that the 6th division +would by this time have reached their position, and, attacking in flank, +have rendered our attack in front more likely to succeed, and they not +making their appearance, although it was now nigh dusk, he ordered the +divisions here to halt, and bivouack for the night on the plain. I never +saw any one more disappointed, or apparently more annoyed by this last +order, than our Adjutant-general, the lamented Sir Edward Packenham; he +was for attacking them at once; but this could not have been done +without a great sacrifice of excellent troops, as all those were who now +filled the ranks of the British army, having by this time been +completely seasoned, and become almost invaluable. In reviewing the +operations of this day, I need say little, as facts speak for +themselves. The enemy had on the Windmill hill, as it was vulgarly +called, or more properly the hill of Oleac, I believe a whole division, +consisting of at least 5000 or 6000 men, while not a shot was fired by +any but by the sixteen companies of my regiment, amounting probably to +1000 or 1100 men; it is true the other regiments of the division were +drawn up in rear of us, and would have supported us had we been +repulsed. But it is not so much to the driving away of this so much +stronger force, that I would draw the reader's attention, as to the +great loss the enemy sustained, and solely from our fire. I believe I +shall not be far from the truth, if I state their loss in killed and +wounded as equal to the whole strength of our sixteen companies. + +Lord Wellington, in his dispatch, mentions the destruction caused in the +enemy's ranks as unusually severe; hence the advantage of rifles over +the common musket, or else the superior mode of using our arms beyond +what is practised in the line. The Americans tauntingly tell us, our +soldiers do not know how to use the weapons that are put into their +hands; and, truly, if we are to judge by the awful destruction which +they have occasionally inflicted upon our brave soldiers, we should be +led to suspect that they understand this science much better than +ourselves. It might, however, be easily remedied, if more attention were +paid to the instruction of the recruit in this most essential +qualification, and more time and ammunition devoted to target practice; +but, at the same time, every officer should be made to know something of +projectiles in general, or he will, as at present, be incapable of +instructing his men. I will venture to assert, that eight out of ten of +the soldiers of our regular regiments will aim in the same manner at an +object at the distance of 300 yards, as at one only 50. It must hence be +evident that the greater part of those shots are lost or expended in +vain; indeed the calculation has been made, that only one shot out of +200 fired from muskets in the field takes effect, while one out of +twenty from rifles is the average. My opinion is, that our line troops +ought to be armed with a better description of musket. If five shillings +more were added to the price, it would make a great difference in the +article, and be very trifling to the public. Our army has always been +too sparingly supplied with flints, which may be had almost for an old +song; but if wanted in the field, nothing can supply their place. Many a +brave soldier has fallen while hammering at a worn out flint. It is true +we can, with the weapons we have, drive any other army out of the field, +but not without occasionally sustaining an overwhelming loss, +particularly when opposed to the Americans; and could we meet them with +the same advantages they possess in point of shooting, our chances of +victory would be greater, and at less expense. These are my private +opinions only, and are deduced from the experience I have had, both as a +heavy infantry soldier and a rifleman. I am now firmly persuaded, that +of the near 200 shots I fired on the 2d of October 1799, in Holland, not +one took effect, from my total want of knowledge how to aim. What an +useless expenditure this was of both time and ammunition! Much indeed +has lately been done by Sir Henry Torrens, to supply the deficiency of +which I have been speaking, but still not sufficient, in my opinion, to +remedy all the evils attendant thereon. + +Our loss on this occasion was very heavy, being about 100 men and eleven +officers killed and wounded; the proportion of officers being nearly +double what usually takes place. The regiments which supported us also +had some casualties, arising from the shots which passed over our heads +striking among them; but they were not considerable. My servants having +heard I was wounded, went to Tarbes, (where all the wounded were +collected,) with my baggage. I should consequently have been very ill +off, had not my kind friend and messmate, Major Balvaird, lent me his +tent and bed, as he himself had been ordered on picquet. Immediately +after nightfall, the enemy had all retired from the position in front of +us. We accordingly next morning continued the pursuit, and halted at +night at the village of Lannemazen, not far from the borders of the +Pyrenees, towards which, in their retreat, they had been inclined. This +day and night, my shoulder had become extremely painful. We started +again in the morning; but leaving the Pyrenees, we turned our faces more +towards Toulouse, and took up our abode for the night at a +considerable-sized town, called Castelnau; here the inhabitants received +us very kindly, and we had excellent quarters. However, on the following +morning, we were obliged to continue our march, and passing through +several villages on the road, halted for the night at L'Isle, in Dodon. +During this day's march, my poor old horse played me a sad trick. He was +one which I had been compelled to purchase as soon after I lost my +little Portuguese one by the bad shoeing of the blacksmith at Sumbilla, +as I could fall in with one for sale. He was a very tall grey horse, +rather old, and whose mouth had not been well made in his breaking; he +was withal rather stubborn, or more properly speaking stupid, +consequently he did not always obey the rein as he ought. The roads were +excessively deep and dirty, and as I was riding at the head of the +battalion, and had occasion to pull him a little to one side, for some +purpose or other, he either would not, or could not, obey the pull of +the rein; and as I had but one hand, he took advantage of it, and sat +down completely on his haunches, in the very deepest of the mire. Of +course I was tumbled right over his rump, and rolled in the mud, and +after extricating myself as well as I could, I crawled out, as pretty a +figure as may well be imagined. This, as might be expected, raised the +laugh of all who saw it, at my expense; but, uncomfortable and +ridiculous as my situation was, I was not hurt, the mud being +sufficiently deep to protect me from any injury by the fall. In this +village I fell in with a Frenchman who had just come from Toulouse, +towards which he understood we were bending our course. He gave me such +a flaming account of the "belle position" in the neighbourhood of that +town, and of the impregnable works which Soult had caused to be thrown +up, and of the superb artillery which were stationed there, and which, +he said, were those who had served in the famous battle of Austerlitz, +and of the utter improbability of any impression ever being made on them +by an enemy, that if I had given credit to the half of what he told me, +I might have been filled with fear lest all our laurels might here be +tarnished. From what motive this rather exaggerated statement was made, +I know not, but am inclined to think it was merely an inclination to +indulge in a trifling gasconade. On the 25th we reached Mont Ferrand, +where we halted for the night. + +On the 27th, in the morning, we were moved forward to the village of +Tournefoile, where it seems some of our cavalry had been quartered the +night before, but who had had their quarters beat up during the night by +a body of the enemy, who still held the ground beyond the village. My +battalion, and a Portuguese battalion, were sent forward, the remainder +of the brigade following. We found the enemy occupying the road leading +from the village to a bridge about half a mile distant, together with +the hedges and enclosures in the vicinity. My people extended to the +left, while the Portuguese battalion kept on the road. A smart skirmish +now commenced, during which the enemy gradually retired towards the +bridge; but at this time a most remarkable occurrence took place. One of +our men (the servant of a friend of mine) received a shot in the mouth, +which struck out several of his teeth. One of these was propelled with +such force by the blow that it flew at least twenty yards, and, entering +the left arm of one of the Portuguese on the road, inflicted a deep and +severe wound. When the surgeon of the 43d, who was the nearest to this +man at the time, came to dress the wounded Portuguese, he, instead of a +ball as every one expected, extracted a tooth, at which, no doubt, both +he and all about him were quite astonished; and a report was immediately +set afloat that the enemy were firing bones instead of balls. This most +extraordinary circumstance was not cleared up till they were informed of +our man having had his teeth knocked out, when, after comparing the +relative situations of the two men, it became quite evident how this +most uncommon wound had been inflicted. If any thing like a joke might +be permitted on such an occasion, it may with great propriety be said, +the Frenchman who fired the shot had killed two birds with one stone. I +happened to be near our man at the time, and besides seeing him wounded, +I enquired minutely into the circumstances, or I own I should have +hesitated before I gave implicit credit to the story; so it may +probably be with my reader. Poor fellow, he had afterwards nearly all +his intestines torn out by a cannon-shot at the fatal attack near New +Orleans, and where I saw him writhing in the agonies of death; his name +was Powell, and he was, I believe, a Welshman. + +Not long after the commencement of the skirmish, the artillery on both +sides was brought into play; but the enemy kept gradually retiring till +they crossed the bridge, and as we did not pursue them, they quietly +walked off, taking the road towards Toulouse. I cannot conceive for what +purpose this body of troops had been sent here, unless it was intended +as a reconnoissance, to ascertain whether any, and what description, of +troops had arrived at this point, as their waiting, after driving out +our cavalry, to see whether any infantry approached, would seem to +indicate. Major Balvaird was conspicuously brave on this occasion. The +loss on either side was but trifling. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + + The British Army cross the Garonne--Advance on + Toulouse--Prepare for the Attack--The Attack--Spaniards driven + back--Battle very hot--French completely defeated--Soult + evacuates Toulouse, and tardily adheres to the Bourbons. + + +On the 28th or 29th, we were moved forward, and after a short march we +reached a beautiful plain, with Toulouse appearing most magnificent in +the distance. Here we went into cantonments, in the different villages +and chateaux in the neighbourhood, the greater part of which were +completely deserted, and many of them most wofully sacked and plundered, +which could have been done only by their own troops. A noble and stately +mansion, belonging to a Mr Villeneuve, stood immediately in front of our +outposts, which had shared the same fate with all the others, every +article of furniture having been entirely destroyed. The cloth had been +torn from the billiard-table, the splendid pier-glasses shivered into a +thousand atoms, and, in short, every article of luxury or splendour +which a man could wish for, might have been found in this princely +habitation previous to its desertion by its owner; but now devastation +and destruction had laid its unhallowed hands on all in which its +possessor had formerly delighted. I, with my messmates, took the liberty +of visiting Mr V.'s fish-ponds, where we found some fine-looking carp; +and having some hooks by me, we caught a considerable quantity, which we +imagined would be a great treat to our messmates; but we found them +excessively muddy, and not worth eating. Here also we rejoiced in being +able to procure some good provender for our still half-starved horses +and mules. The grass and cinquefoil which we found in this beautiful and +luxuriant plain, in a few days began to make a wonderful improvement in +our poor fellow-travellers. I know not a more gratifying feeling than we +experienced in thus being able to feed the hungry; for although they +were but of the inferior creation, yet so much did our own comforts, +and, indeed, efficiency for service, depend on their being capable of +performing the task allotted to them, and so much did the circumstance +of our having passed through trials and dangers together attach us to +them, that I very frequently would have preferred getting them a meal +even at the expense of wanting one myself. Here my little Portuguese +horse, which I had originally brought from Lisbon, and who had been my +companion in all my wanderings, (except when he was left for a while +owing to his bad foot,) began to look quite brisk and lively again; for +hitherto his spirits had been very low indeed since he happened by his +misfortune, and had been literally starved into the bargain. + +A pontoon bridge having been constructed some distance above the town, +and which our engineers had been able to accomplish on account of its +being thrown over above the junction of the Ariege with the Garonne, on +the 31st we moved down towards this point, and crossing it, my battalion +was left as its guard in a village on the bank of the river. The +remainder of the division, and the ---- division,[3] moved up the Ariege +river with the intention of crossing, and thus approaching Toulouse in +that direction; but, from the heavy rains, the river was too much +flooded, which, together with the dreadful state of the roads, these +troops were unable to effect this operation, and were consequently +recalled. + +By the 2d of April the whole had recrossed the Garonne, when we again +went into our cantonments on the plain, but now farther down the river +than before. We remained here a few days, and I cannot help recording a +remarkable circumstance which took place at this time. For want of +dwelling-houses we had been obliged to put a certain number of the men +of my battalion into a sort of wine-house; it was not a vault, for it +was above ground, but had a considerable number of barrels of wine in +it, amongst which the men were obliged to sleep. It will scarcely be +credited, but not one of these men ever appeared the least intoxicated +during the whole time they lay there. Whether they were completely tired +of wine, or whether their having been placed in such a situation +produced a feeling of honour and pride among them, I know not, but I +verily believe less wine was drunk by these men during the time they +remained here, than would have been had they had to pay most +exorbitantly for it. With soldiers I believe it is as with mankind in +general; what is prohibited always appears more valuable or more +pleasurable in our eyes, than what we may with freedom enjoy. + +On the 6th we moved down the river till within a short distance of +Grenade, about twelve miles below Toulouse. We halted near a small +village, and encamped. A pontoon bridge had been thrown over the Garonne +here, and one division (I believe the 3d) had crossed; but now, owing to +the swollen state of the river, together with several attempts which +were now made by the enemy to destroy the bridge, by floating down +trees, &c. which might eventually carry it away, it loosened at the +farther end, and the anchors being taken up, the whole was allowed to +float down to our side of the river, keeping fast the end next our own +bank. We remained in this situation for several days, one division only +being on the opposite side, with which it was impossible to communicate, +or, if attacked, to afford it almost any support. Now was the time for +the enemy to bestir himself; for had he marched out of Toulouse with +half his force, and been met at this place by the force he had at +Montauban, they must have annihilated this division, or taken them +prisoners. It is true we might have rendered them some little assistance +by our artillery from the bank we occupied, but the distance was so +great that a determined enemy would not have held back from the dread of +it. + +I took a trip from hence to Grenade, where the paymaster-general had +established the military chest, as I had not yet quite finished my +paymaster's duty. It is a good-sized town, but contains nothing +remarkable, only here I remember I got some excellent wine of the +Champagne kind, and which my friend poured out of an immense magnum +bottle. I understood our Chief was most anxious to have the bridge +re-established by the 9th, which was Easter eve, the weather having now +somewhat taken up, and the river of course had fallen; but although the +engineer thought he could effect it, and had promised his lordship it +should be ready by that time, it was not passable till the morning of +the 10th. Early on that morning, my division crossed to the other side, +together with the 4th and 6th divisions, and a whole host of Spaniards. + +I omitted to mention, that these latter gentry, on their entering +France, had behaved most wantonly, and had committed numerous +atrocities; on which, his lordship, as Generalissimo, had ordered them +back to their own country again; but upon the promise of good behaviour, +and an anxious desire to participate in the honourable achievements of +the allied troops, he had granted them permission to rejoin the army, +and they were to have a post of honour assigned them at the ensuing +battle. Such was the current report which prevailed among our army +newsmongers: be it as it may, however, they were here in number, I +should think, about 6000 or 8000. The whole army now present having +crossed, except General Hill with the 2d division, advanced upon the +town of Toulouse. We here found a beautiful country and excellent roads, +along which we got on rapidly. The town stands close to the right bank +of the river, along which there are numerous quays, and over which there +is an excellent bridge, communicating with the suburb on the opposite +side, called St Cyprian. From the river on the north side of the town +runs the famous canal of Languedoc, with which it communicates by locks, +and which, encircling the town on that and on the east sides, with the +river on the west, almost entirely encloses it. On the east side of the +town, and just beyond the canal, a considerable eminence arises, forming +a sort of chain or ridge, on the top of which numerous redoubts and +batteries had been constructed, and which, both from the nature of the +ground and by the great labour bestowed upon them, had been rendered, as +the Frenchman told me, nearly impregnable. + +The 6th division, supported by the 4th, had been ordered to move +considerably to the left, and, after crossing the Garonne, to attack +this formidable position on the outer side, while the Spaniards were to +attack it immediately in front. My division was ordered to communicate +with the right of the Spaniards, and, extending down to the great +Montauban road, was to press upon the town in this direction, in order +to aid the attack upon the height before mentioned. The 3d division +joined our right at the Montauban road, and extended from thence down to +the river, and were ordered to act similarly to us. The 2d division, +under General Hill, remained on the other side of the river, and was to +co-operate by attacking the suburb before mentioned, together with the +works for the protection of the bridge, and for the same purpose of our +attack, namely, to keep the troops in these parts of the town employed, +while the 6th division and Spaniards attacked the height. Immediately in +front of our division, we found considerable bodies of troops, at some +distance from the town, occupying the houses all along the road, and +which it took us a considerable time to drive in. They had also +constructed a battery on the bridge over the canal, where the great road +passes, and from which they kept up an almost incessant fire. At the +hither end of the bridge also there stood a very large convent, which +they had fortified in a very strong manner, having loopholed the whole +of the surrounding wall, which was twenty feet high, and had also looped +the upper part of the convent, which contained a garrison of probably +1000 or 1200 men. + +We commenced operations in conjunction with the 3d division on our +right, in driving these people in, and with whom a smart firing was kept +up during the whole day. The French had also other troops beyond the +canal, and on the Moorish or Roman wall which encircled the town inside +the canal, and both of which they had fortified; so that, had it been +intended we should force the town on this side, we should have found it +a difficult undertaking: we were, however, merely (as said before) to +press upon them without committing ourselves; but unfortunately, in the +eagerness of some of our people to push forward, they got immediately +under the muzzles of the pieces of the men who were defending the +convent, and from the loopholes several of our poor fellows were shot +without being able to see their antagonists. A good number fell here; +for it was not more than thirty yards distant where they had taken up +their post, and an unpleasant one it was as well as dangerous; for they +were obliged to stand in a drain which ran from a jakes, and which of +course emitted no very desirable flavour; or, if they had left it for a +moment, they were immediately shot. Our adjutant escaped here as by a +miracle, the bole of a very small tree having stopped the ball that +would have pierced his body. When, however, we had got them fairly +driven in, we had then time to look about us, and the first thing we saw +was the Don moving on to the attack of the height with all due ceremony. +They gained the first or lower ridge without much opposition, and here +getting up some artillery, a pretty heavy fire was opened on the enemy; +but the French remained quite passive, not offering to resist the +approaching Spaniards till they got within a certain distance of their +works on the top of the hill. + +The Spaniards, elated by having gained the first ridge so easily, pushed +on too rapidly, and without having taken time to re-form their columns +after the first conquest. They were not aware either that a rather deep +ravine separated them from the enemy's works; however, on they pushed, +in a very disorderly manner, till they reached the point the French +intended they should reach, when a fire was opened out upon them, such +as they had never witnessed before. Few troops would have remained +unshaken by such a reception, but to the Spaniards it was intolerable; +consequently they broke into a thousand parties, and, turning tail, it +was who should be first away from such unpleasant doings. I am told that +Lord Wellington at this moment could scarcely hold his sides for +laughing, and cried out he "wondered whether the Pyrenees would bring +them up again, they seemed to have got such a fright." He did not indeed +depend on their valour, or he would have made a bad winding up of his +Peninsular campaign. The moment they left the height, every man took the +way that seemed to him best, and they soon after literally covered the +whole plain, and set to work with all expedition to plunder at least, if +they would not fight. Some of the villains had the audacity to come and +take a poor man's horse out of the stable of the very house which we +were then, as it were, defending, and had nigh got off with it; but +having been perceived, it was taken from them, and restored again to its +owner. + +The left of our division was now obliged to be moved up to fill the +space vacated by these vagabonds; and in doing which a good deal of hard +fighting took place. This also made the people in front of us rally +again, and coming out in great numbers hurraing and shouting, we had +something to do to drive them back. But by this time we heard, in the +distance behind the hill, a dropping and now brisker fire; by and by, +approaching the summit, it became quite animated. We could plainly +perceive now the different appearance which the French assumed; they no +longer lay supine and passive till their enemy approached their works, +but fought for every inch of ground, and all was now animation and +bustle among them, hurrying to the support of those troops who defended +the redoubts, &c. on the point assailed. The battle now raged with great +fury, each party with all their might for the mastery, and the French, +we could perceive, when compelled by sheer force to yield ground, did +it with the utmost reluctance. At length, we saw the British colour +waving on the summit of the hill, with the most deadly warfare raging on +each side of it; but every move we saw was in favour of the British. + +The 42d regiment had by this time gained possession of the principal +redoubt, which they held till their ammunition was all expended, and +which the enemy perceiving, or suspecting, again advanced, and gained +possession of it. Things did not now wear quite so favourable an aspect; +but being promptly supported by other troops behind them, a movement was +again made in advance, and again the French were expelled from the +redoubt. Great was the slaughter in and about this place, as I saw next +day when I visited it. + +The enemy were now reluctantly compelled to yield up all those famous +works, on which so much time and labour had been expended, and on which +they so much relied, and were obliged to abandon (slowly indeed) this +long disputed ridge; but they fought till they were fairly forced down +into the town, where they still kept up a feeble fire; at length it +gradually subsided. This was the principal part of the drama; but it had +many subordinate plots. On our right, General Picton, with that ardour +which ever characterised him, was scarcely well satisfied to play an +under part on this occasion; and, instead of merely keeping his +opponents in play, as I before hinted, he was for effecting a forcible +entry into the town. He accordingly attacked with his division a strong +and well-secured battery, near the canal, in doing which his brave +Connaught Rangers, who had scarcely ever hitherto known a reverse, met +with a severe and bloody repulse, in which they lost a great number of +excellent officers and men. The other corps of his division, who +co-operated, also suffered greatly. General Hill strictly obeyed his +instructions, and, as he always did, effected every object at which he +aimed. + +In this action I had another opportunity of witnessing the effect of +presentiment. Early in it I was sent forward by my commanding-officer +with some orders to a company of ours, which was in front skirmishing, +and which had taken possession of a house, which partly screened them +from the enemy's battery on the bridge. Behind this house, one of the +men was sitting on a heap of stones with the most woe-worn countenance +possible. He had separated from the rest of the men, and was sitting +here apparently ruminating on his fate, and appeared to be quite +absorbed in his meditations. I remarked him most particularly, wondering +what could render him so different from the rest of his comrades, who +were all life and animation, and from what he had formerly been himself +in action. He presently went forward with some of the other men, and +soon after fell to rise no more. The poor man's melancholy look made a +deep impression upon me at the time, together with his fate soon after. + +Thus terminated the battle of Toulouse; our troops maintaining the +ground they had gained, while the enemy had retired into the town +completely beaten. Soult seemed undetermined how to act, whether to +endeavour to hold the town, (which indeed he might have done for a day +or two perhaps,) or to leave it by the road towards the south, the only +one now open to him. We rested on the field all night, the enemy sending +an occasional shot or shell in the direction of our camp. Next morning +we still found the enemy retaining possession of the town; and nothing +being likely to be done, I rode up with another officer to see the +bloody field, with all its redoubts and batteries, and also to see, if +I could, in what situation the enemy now appeared. Just as we reached +the summit, a cry was given by the 42d sentry, "Turn out the picquet." +There was a good deal of firing going on in the suburbs nearest to the +position, which this Highlander thought it right to apprize his people +of. We looked a considerable time with our glasses, and observed a good +number of troops on a green and open space in that part of the suburbs, +and who every now and then would fire their muskets. I thought it must +either be a sort of _feu-de-joie_, or a funeral, and it turned out to be +the latter. They were burying a general officer, who had fallen the day +before, and to whom they were paying the last melancholy honours; but it +was conducted in a quite different manner from our military funerals, +for they did not fire in volleys like us; but every few minutes +apparently a few men only fired, and by and by some others. This had the +effect, however, of turning out our whole line in the neighbourhood of +the position; and as I was afterwards returning, I met Colonel Barnard +and Colonel Colborne (than whom there were not two better officers in +the army) riding up to see what was the matter. Colonel Barnard asked me +what it was. I told him what I thought it was. He said the whole line +had fallen in, thinking it was an attack. + +Towards evening we heard that the inhabitants of the city had been most +urgent on Soult to withdraw from it; and that he had promised to do so. +Indeed, had he not, Lord Wellington might, if he chose, have soon +reduced the town to ashes; for the heights we had taken were not 500 +yards distant from the city, and completely overlooked it. On the +morning of the 12th, therefore, Soult marched out, and was not molested +by our troops. He took the road to Villefranche and Carcassonne, up the +canal of Languedoc, our cavalry following their track. Now all the +loyalists came rushing out of the town to meet and welcome us; every one +wearing white scarfs or favours to denote his attachment to the +Bourbons. Now all was joy and festivity, and nothing but shaking of +hands and embracing was to be seen in all directions. This day also +arrived Lord Stewart from Paris with the account of Bonaparte's +abdication, and of the Bourbons having been reinstated. It was also +rumoured that Soult had received this news previous to the battle; but +not being inclined to yield obedience to that dynasty, he had allowed +the warfare to proceed. Indeed, what almost puts this beyond a doubt, +was his still continuing for many days after this to refuse sending in +his submission to the Bourbon government. We also heard afterwards that +the courier bringing the official information of Bonaparte's fall, &c. +had been detained by the postmaster of Montauban by Soult's direction; +for although he had had private intelligence of the fact, he imagined +the detention of the official information might screen him hereafter. +Such are the surmises of the wise heads respecting this affair, which, +as it turned out, is to be regretted; for the sacrifice of so many +valuable lives on both sides was a thing of no trifling importance; but +I believe Soult felt sore at his having been so often worsted, and hoped +here in some measure to retrieve his lost honours; for it cannot be +doubted, I believe, that he expected to be able to repel our attack at +least, if not to force us to retire from Toulouse. + +On the 13th, the divisions marched into the town; my battalion having +the fauxbourg adjoining the lately disputed position assigned to it, and +in which we found very comfortable quarters. To show that the French +people of this place took Lord Wellington either for a very generous +person, or a great fool, a man who owned a house on the border of the +position, and which the French had fortified by loopholing it, and +otherwise rendering it unfit for occupation by its owner, sent in a +memorial to his lordship, praying him to order that he might receive out +of the military chest a sufficient sum to enable him to put his house in +its former state; and this, although it had been done by his own +countrymen. I suppose his lordship would laugh at it when he saw it. I +should have been inclined to be angry with the fellow. The man showed +the memorial to the adjutant and myself before he sent it in--a step +which of course we dissuaded him from taking. + +Notwithstanding it was notorious that Bonaparte's career was at that +time finished, Soult still made a show of holding out for him; in +consequence of which the army was again put in motion to compel him +either to send in his adhesion to the new government, or to resign his +command of troops who had not now a master. He had taken up a position +near Villefranche. Accordingly, we marched, I think, on the 15th or +16th, the which rather alarmed him; and in consequence he despatched +Count Gazan with terms to offer to his lordship, the which, after some +alterations, were finally agreed upon, and the army returned once more +to Toulouse, where we resumed our former quarters. + +Thus finished the Peninsular War, the last campaign of which had been +the most active probably that is recorded in history. In ten months and +a half we had marched from the frontiers of Portugal, had completely +traversed Spain, which we had cleared of its long troublesome and +insidious invaders; had penetrated far into the interior of that +country, which three years before gave law to most of the continental +nations; and had worsted, in various actions, those troops, which, +except when encountering the British, had been accustomed almost +invariably to conquer. + + +FOOTNOTE: + +[3] Some obscurity is occasioned here and elsewhere, by blanks being +left in the MS., which the death of the good-humoured and kindly author +has rendered it now impossible to fill up.--ED. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + + Author's happy state during 1813 and 1814--Character of the + veritable French--British distributed over the + Country--Civility of the Inhabitants of Grissolles--Amusements + in quarters--The British prepare to quit France. + + +When I look back on the events of 1813 and 1814, I cannot but deem that +the happiest period of my life, for I had been actively, and, as I +believed, usefully employed. My mind during this time was tranquil, and +I was, with a few exceptions, prosperous in my outward circumstances. +All those among whom my lot was cast were now sincerely friendly to me, +and I believe I may with confidence affirm that I had not (with the +exception of the person before mentioned, and who was now far removed +from me) a single enemy in the world. It is true my occupation had not +been, strictly speaking, of a Christian character, but I believed I was +fulfilling my duty; hence the peace of mind which I enjoyed. I have +since learned certainly, that a Christian, to resemble his Master, +should be more ready to save than to destroy men's lives; but, at the +same time, I cannot see why a Christian soldier should not be as +zealous in the defence of his king and country, as those who are +actuated by other motives; and it is certain, I believe, although I once +doubted whether there was such a precept, that in whatever calling or +occupation a man is in when called to become a Christian, that therein +he should abide, 1st Cor. vii. 17, 20, and 24. But I attribute the peace +of mind I then enjoyed as much to the constant employment which the +nature of our services entailed upon us, as to any other cause. Be it +remembered, I was doing the duties of both paymaster and quartermaster +during this period, and my battalion had been as often called into +action as any in the army, having been engaged in battles and skirmishes +no less than sixteen times in less than ten months. This naturally left +little time for reflection. But, above all, I am bound to render thanks +to where alone it is due, to that gracious and beneficent Being, who not +only watched over me during this period, and protected me from harm, but +who poured his choicest blessings upon me, even the blessings of a +cheerful and contented heart, together with the means of retrieving my +sadly deranged finances; for had I not been appointed acting paymaster, +I might have gone to prison on my return to my native country, from the +unavoidable losses I had sustained, and which I shall mention by and by. +Another cause of comfort and cheerfulness arose from our operations +against the enemy having been invariably successful; for we never, from +the time of our leaving the frontiers of Portugal, till we took +possession of Toulouse, met with any thing like a serious reverse. + +Most of my readers no doubt know that the city where we had now taken up +our quarters is one of the largest and finest in this part of France; +but as it has been so often described, I shall content myself with +merely informing my readers, that the people among whom we now resided +were truly and veritably French. The character of the inhabitants, +since we left our poor friends the Basques, had materially changed; that +kind, but rude and simple hospitality, which had on most occasions been +displayed by those honest mountaineers, had now given place to all that +imposing, but less sincere politeness of the real French character. We +were, indeed, treated here with every degree of respect; and perhaps +more, or at least an equal degree of attention, was paid to our +convenience and comfort, as they would have shown to their own troops. +We had every reason, therefore, to be perfectly satisfied. + +In this part of the country there are a great number of Protestants, +which, of course, permitted us to live on better terms with them than +had they been all such stanch and bigoted Catholics as we met with in +some parts of the Continent, and where our heretical presence was +frequently looked upon as a contamination; for I remember well in the +small village of Zalada, where we lay for some time, near Astorga, we +never left the village, as they supposed, for a permanency, but the joy +bells were rung for our departure. It was our lot, indeed, to be +frequently quartered in this village, and such was their invariable +custom. It is true the Padre and people of the place only expressed +openly the feeling that was covertly, but universally, entertained +throughout Spain and Portugal respecting us; for although the monks and +priests made great pretences of friendship and good-will towards us, +while we were upholding them in their iniquitous dominion over the minds +of the people, yet secretly they cordially hated us, and were glad when +at last our successes contributed to rid their country of both the +invaders and their conquerors. One noble Spanish lady, (I remember +well,) when I was quartered at Cadiz, made use of an expression which I +am sure would shock and horrify my simple and delicate countrywomen. +She said, "She should rejoice to see all the French then in their +country hung up in the intestines (las tripas) of the English, who had +come to drive them out." Thus they should get quit of both. This lady, +as might be supposed, was a most depraved and abandoned being, yet even +she, it seems, looked upon us in the light of a curse or plague sent +upon their country, rather than as a generous and gallant people, who +had not hesitated to sacrifice much, both of blood and money, in freeing +them from their French oppressors. But such, I fear, is the too general +feeling in that country; for while the innumerable religiosos which +overrun that nation maintain their cursed dominion over the minds of the +other classes, an Englishman will always be looked upon by them as a +dangerous and hateful being, uniting in himself both the mortal sins, +first, of having totally cast off the Pope's authority, and being the +subject of a free and popular government--than either of which, not even +Satan himself could be more odious to them. + +We were not allowed, however, to remain long in Toulouse, but were +distributed over the country in the neighbourhood, lines of demarcation +having been pointed out which were to separate the French and British +armies. My division was sent down the right bank of the river, and +occupied Castel Sarazin, Grissolles, and Castelnau, &c. My battalion was +stationed at Grissolles. During our stay here I had two or three +opportunities, in company with others, of going to see Montauban, the +seat of a Protestant college, and famed in romantic lore. The people +were kind and obliging, and showed us every attention; but unfortunately +a French garrison was quartered in it, the officers of which took every +opportunity of quarrelling with ours. Indeed we had no business there, +and were consequently obliged to put up with more than we should have +otherwise done, for we were strictly forbid to enter any place within +the French lines; but we did not conceive that those fellows, who had +shown themselves so friendly and polite near Bayonne, while we were +avowedly in arms against each other, would now turn round upon us when +peace was made, and endeavour to engage us in quarrels and duelling. But +I believe they felt a degree of soreness at our acknowledged superiority +as soldiers, (for even the inhabitants of Montauban, where they lay, did +not hesitate to express it,) and thus wished to be revenged for the many +victories we had gained over them. Indeed there was a sort of +recklessness about them which is not easily accounted for, unless they +supposed their occupation was gone, and cared not what became of +themselves; but they did not succeed, I think, in any instance in +obtaining their wishes, for they would not fight with pistols, the only +weapon which gives each a fair and equal chance, but insisted upon using +the sword,--a mode of fighting to which the English in general were +utter strangers. The people uniformly gave us warning as soon as ever +they learnt that a plot was laid to insult us, on which we generally +came away without subjecting ourselves to it; and when their designs +became too evident, we refrained from going there. It was only a short +distance from our quarters. + +During our stay here, also, the Marquis de Pompignan, a gentleman +residing between Grissolles and Castelnau, and where our Major-general +had taken up his quarters, gave to the officers of the brigade a +splendid fête. I know not exactly how to denominate it, for it was a +sort of dramatic medley, part of it being performed in the garden and +part in the house, where a private theatre had been fitted up; that in +the garden, it was said, was intended to represent some military +event,--I think it was the burning of Moscow, and in which the Marquis's +beautiful daughter bore a part. + +This young lady was said to be greatly enamoured of an honourable +gentleman, aide-de-camp to the General, who was quartered in their +house, and between whom it was expected a match would have taken place. +She was extremely beautiful and engaging. + +We sometimes went a-fishing while we remained here also, but were not +successful, there being none other than lake-fish, such as perch, &c., +in the neighbourhood, which were scarcely worth taking. + +Here, also, for want of better occupation, some of our young gentlemen +amused themselves by hunting and lashing the Spanish muleteers as they +were returning, after having delivered in their loads at the +commissary's stores. They always rode one mule, (sideways, like a +woman,) and led one or two more, and were most dexterous in handling the +long shank of the halter, with which they sometimes soundly belaboured +their pursuers; and had they not been set on by two or three at a time, +they would not have liked better fun than to fight one of our gentlemen +with his whip, for they saw that it was only for amusement, and +generally took it good-naturedly; but our young gentlemen, as they +generally do, carried the joke too far, and it was consequently put a +stop to. Of course none but the young and idle took any part in this +exercise. + +We had, while we lay here, also several little balls and hops; and here, +for the first time, several of our young men began to dance quadrilles; +in short, there was no want of amusement among this gay and lively +people, who are ever intent upon pleasure themselves, and who of course +found our wild and thoughtless young fellows ever as ready to second +their endeavours to get up something new and entertaining. Certainly +their morality is not the highest in the world, but their vices are most +of them divested of that coarse and disgusting appearance which similar +vices carry on their front in England; and thus, while they are +generally more pleasing, they are the more seducing, and consequently +the more dangerous. However, as no person is compelled to enter into +these scenes of dissipation and voluptuousness which they rejoice in, I +found it, upon the whole, a very comfortable country to live in. The +people were kind and civil, and were always good-natured and polite, +and, as we now had plenty of the good things of this world at our +command, I spent two months here very contentedly. It is true we had +none of those excellent privileges with which my native country abounds, +and which I have since learnt highly to prize,--I mean the privileges of +the gospel,--the food for the nobler and never-dying part; but I was +then ignorant of their value, for although I had been convinced and +convicted, I had not been converted. I was still in darkness respecting +the way, the truth, and the life, and yet my foolish and carnal mind +whispered peace; hence my contentedness in this situation. No! it was +not till some years that I discovered that there is but one way to real +happiness, but one true foundation on which to build our hope,--even +that which is laid in Zion. + +But the time had arrived for us to move down towards Bordeaux, +preparatory to our quitting France. Accordingly, on the 3d June, we +forded the Garonne, and stopped all night in Grenade, a place I formerly +mentioned. We next day reached Cadours, a village near Cologne, where +our 2d battalion was that evening quartered. In the afternoon of that +day, a storm collected in the north, which I think had the most +frightful appearance I ever witnessed. It was actually as black as night +in the direction in which we saw it. It did not reach us, but it alarmed +the inhabitants of our village so much, that they set on ringing the +church bells with the utmost fury imaginable. We could not account for +this strange proceeding till we enquired of them why it was done. They +told us the devil was in the storm, and the bells being holy, he durst +not, when he heard them, proceed any farther in that direction. Indeed +they had ample reason to be in dread of its reaching their village; for +the next day, as we passed along the country where it had raged most +furiously, the whole face of the country was desolated. It had been a +hail-storm such as I never before witnessed. The hailstones were still +lying, some of them larger than a bullet; the vines had been all +destroyed; the crops of corn completely swept from the face of the +earth. Trees knocked down, birds killed; in short, nothing could equal +the appearance of misery and woe which this awful hail-storm had +inflicted upon the unfortunate inhabitants, many of whom were going +about wringing their hands in all the bitterness of heart, which a +consciousness of being deprived of every hope of subsistence for the +year to come would naturally inspire. Indeed most of them were literally +stripped of their all. + +On the 6th we marched into Lectoure, a fine town on the river, and +famous for having given birth to Marshal Lannes, one of Bonaparte's best +generals. It stands on a high ground near the river, and overlooks one +of the richest and most beautiful plains I think I ever saw. Here I +experienced another misfortune in my steed. My little Portuguese horse +(which was now in high condition, and being an entire horse was apt to +fight) quarrelled with a large horse belonging to one of our officers, +while I was serving out the billets; and although we were both mounted +at the time, the quarrelsome animals reared up against each other, and +fought most desperately; but his, being the strongest, pulled mine and +myself down to the ground. I luckily fell clear of him, and was not +hurt; but he by some accident got a kick in his hind leg or foot, which +completely lamed him, and I could not ride him any longer. + +We passed through Condom, another fine town, and Nerac, also a good +town, and nearly full of Protestants. We next day halted at Castel +Jaloux, where I was quartered on a house of religeuse. Here my poor +little horse was so very ill that I could not drag him any farther. I +was consequently obliged to leave him with those good dames, to whom I +made him a present, and parted from him in the morning with sincere +regret. They promised to take care of him, which I hope they did. We +next reached the town of Bazas. Here there was to be another parting +scene exhibited. The Portuguese were ordered to leave us here, and +proceed towards their own country. The Spanish and Portuguese women who +had followed the men were either to be sent home from hence, or their +protectors were to consent to marry them. Some adopted the latter +alternative, having had children by them, and some others who had not, +and the remainder, of course, were compelled to separate. Our division +drew up in the morning they marched, and honoured the brave Portuguese +(for indeed they had always behaved well in the field) with three +cheers, as they turned their faces towards Portugal. Many were the heavy +hearts in both armies on this occasion; for it is not easy to conceive +how the circumstance of passing through scenes of hardship, trial, and +danger together, endeared the soldiers of the two armies to each other. +It was perhaps never before felt so fully how much each was attached to +the other; but the departure of the poor women caused many heavy hearts, +both among themselves, poor creatures, who had a long and dreary journey +before them, and among those with whom they had lived, and who had +shared in all their good and bad fortune; but among these, several on +both sides were not oppressed with too fine feelings. A friend of mine, +who was an officer in the Portuguese service, told me afterwards that +the women marched down to Spain and Portugal at the same time his +regiment did; that they formed a column of 800 or 900 strong; that they +were regularly told off into companies; and that the commanding-officer, +a major, and all the captains, were married men, who had their families +with them--all excellent arrangements; but that they were the most +unmanageable set of animals that ever marched across a country. The +officers had to draw rations for them all the way; but many of them, he +says, left the column and went wherever they pleased. Few reached +Portugal in the order in which they started. + +We reached Langon on the 12th, and Barsac on the 13th June. This latter +place is famed for a fine white-wine, something resembling sauterne. The +adjutant (who had now been my chum for some time) and I were here +quartered in a fine old baronial castle, the inmates of which showed us +great attention. A ball was given in the evening to the officers of the +brigade. + +On the 14th we halted at Castres, and on the 15th entered Bordeaux. This +was the finest town we had seen since we entered the Peninsula, except +Lisbon and Madrid. This town had been occupied by the British for some +time, a division of the army having been sent by Lord Wellington to take +charge of it in the name of Louis XVIII. + +We were not, however, destined to be quartered in this southern capital +of France, but marched right through it, on the road towards the +village of Blancfort. On the road the division was formed, and very +minutely inspected by our gallant Chief, who was dressed in all his +finery, his orders, and medals, and ribbons, &c., which he wore for the +first time that ever I had seen. He looked most splendid indeed, and +right proud were we to see him in them. After inspection we moved on to +the camp at Blancfort, where we found a great part of the army +assembled, waiting for the arrival of shipping to carry them off. Some +had sailed a considerable time before our arrival. Besides our tents, +the adjutant and I had got a cottage close by, in which our servants and +our baggage were put. We had not been here above two or three days, I +think, till his two servants, that is, his servant and groom, took it +into their heads to desert. This was not the first instance of desertion +that had taken place lately; for as we drew near the time of departure +great numbers ran off into the interior, mostly bad characters. However, +on this occasion, these worthies were determined to have something to +carry them on the road, and, without hesitation, broke open their +master's panniers, or boxes, and took away all the money he had, which +did not indeed amount to any great sum, for it was only 40 dollars, +(about L.10 British,) but it being all he was worth it was a great loss +to him. + +I have reason to be thankful to Providence for my escape on this +occasion. My paymaster's chest was standing close to the adjutant's +panniers when they broke them open, and they did not touch it, although +it contained about L.400 worth of gold. Had they taken that I might have +gone after them. I of course expressed my thankfulness for this lucky +escape, and told several people of it. I fancy some person (my groom, I +suspect) overheard me telling what a lucky escape I had been favoured +with, and determined in his own mind that I should not always come off +so well. The sequel will show: A few days after this I had occasion to +go into Bordeaux to draw some money from the Commissary-general. The +amount was 600 dollars, or about L.150. As I could not conveniently +carry them out to the camp, I requested Major Balvaird, who had a +quarter in town, to allow me to put them in his portmanteau till I had +an opportunity of getting them sent out. His servant had overheard this +conversation, and made up his mind at once to desert and take this money +with him; but providentially again I escaped. I found the means, before +night, of carrying it out to the camp, and the Major gave it me unknown +to the servant. That night he broke open the portmanteau, and, taking +every thing worth carrying away, (among which was a gold watch of mine,) +deserted, and got clear off. This money, also, had it been taken, would +have sorely crippled me, although I might perhaps have overcome the +loss. + +We marched in a few days after, passing through the district of Medoc, +famous for Bordeaux or claret wine, and halted for the night at +Castelnau de Medoc. The next day we passed through Chateau Margaux, +where the best and most expensive of the claret grows, and again +encamped at Pauillac, from whence we were to go on board. + +Now was the time for the person who had overheard me speaking about my +escape with the L.400, to make his grab and start off, or he would be +too late. Accordingly, after dark, he or they lifted up a part of the +tent where the box was standing, and, pulling it out, set off with it +bodily. But, again directed by Providence, I had taken the money out of +the box, and given it into the hands of a gentleman, to take care of for +me; and there remained in the box my papers and books, public and +private, about L.19 in money, an old silver watch, and, among other +things, the half doubloon which poor Croudace had given me to take care +of for him on the evening previous to his death at Badajos, and which I +was preserving as a memorial for his afflicted friends. + +As soon as the box was missed I instantly raised the hue and cry, and, +reporting the circumstance to my commanding-officer, he ordered the +rolls to be called, to see if any man had deserted; but no, they were +all present. I then offered a reward of forty dollars to any one who +would bring me the box and papers, and did not regard the money. +Instantly the whole camp was in a move to find the box, and search was +made in all directions. I of course was not idle myself on the occasion; +and having a man or two with me, I actually discovered where the box had +been opened, for I found the inkstand, that had been in it, lying near a +heap of wood close to the bank of the river, into which, after +plundering it, no doubt they had thrown it. I now went down to the town +and waited on the mayor, offering the same reward to any of his people +that would try to find it in the river; but, unfortunately, just as +there was the best chance of recovering it, the order came for us +instantly to go on board.--Thus was I deprived of every document I +possessed, both Paymaster's, Quartermaster's, and private. I had +fortunately got my Paymaster's accounts made out up to the very latest +period, and transmitted to the War-Office, or I know not what I should +have done; but my duplicates were gone, and when afterwards objections +were made to some of the items in the charges, (as is always the case,) +I, being unable to answer them, was obliged to submit to the loss of +them. I had also several private accounts unclosed, on which I lost +considerably, so that altogether I calculate this loss fully amounted to +L.100, besides the vexation of not having my papers to refer to when +wanted. + +I had been obliged to part with all my remaining animals for next to +nothing, for when the French people found we were obliged to leave them, +they offered us the most shameful trifles possible, but which we were +compelled to take or give the animals away. One I did actually make a +present of, besides my little Portuguese horse before-mentioned. I made +a close calculation, and found that my losses in horses and mules, from +the beginning of 1812 to June 1814, did not amount to less than L.150, +besides sums that I lost by officers who died. By one I lost L.84, and +another L.74 odd, so that, as I said before, had I not fortunately been +appointed Acting Paymaster, I should have been so much involved, that at +this time I durst not have returned to my native country. I do not +complain, for most of my losses were sent by Providence, who saw best +what was fitting and good for me; but never, till the Peninsular +campaigns, were officers obliged generally to provide and keep up their +own baggage-animals, and from the loss of which I had suffered so +severely; and I cannot but think that rule, always acted upon till these +campaigns, ought to be continued, and that subalterns at least ought to +have their baggage always carried at the public expense. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + + Author's Battalion embark for England--Land at Plymouth--Expect + to be again ordered on Foreign Service--Order received--Embark, + with other troops, for America--Land at Pine Island. + + +We embarked on the 8th July on board his Majesty's ship Dublin, of 74 +guns, commanded by Captain Elphinstone, which took the five companies of +my battalion, with two companies of the 43d. We sailed the next day, I +think, and had generally fine weather during our voyage, which lasted +till the 18th, when we arrived at Plymouth. She was but a dull sailer, +or we ought not to have occupied so many days in so short a passage. +During our voyage, as remarkable an instance of heroic fortitude and +bodily strength was exhibited by a sailor of this ship as I ever +remember to have witnessed. He was doing something on the fore-yard, and +by some accident he was precipitated into the water, but in his fall his +shoulder came in contact with the flue of one of the anchors, by which +it was deeply and severely cut. The ship was going at about five knots +an hour, and it took near half an hour before she could be brought +round and a boat sent to his assistance; and notwithstanding the severe +cut he had received, from which the blood was fast streaming, he not +only contrived to keep himself from sinking by buffeting with a heavy +sea, but actually stripped off his jacket in the water, as it seems it +had been an encumbrance to him. When the boat reached him, the poor +fellow was nigh exhausted, and a few minutes more would have deprived +the ship and the service of an excellent sailor, but having been got +into the boat, he was brought on board more dead than alive, where every +attention being paid to him, he soon afterwards recovered. + +We landed at Plymouth on the 18th, and occupied one of the barracks. We +did not exactly know what was to become of us. Kent being our regimental +station, we expected to be ordered to march and join the left wing in +that county, but were still kept at Plymouth, where we met with great +kindness and attention from the inhabitants in general, who are upon the +whole, I think, an excellent and a moral people. We also fared +sumptuously here, every description of food being both cheap and good. +Fish in particular is most abundant and excellent. In short, we were +here as comfortably and as well quartered as we could desire, and every +thing tended to make us perfectly satisfied with our lot. We relaxed by +attending the theatre occasionally, which is one of the best provincial +ones in the kingdom, and at this time could boast some very good actors. +There were a variety of other amusements, such as fishing, &c., which of +course we indulged in occasionally. From hence I was called up to London +to meet our Colonel, the Hon. Sir W. Stewart, to arrange our battalion +concerns, &c. for the few latter years of hurry and confusion, and which +was at last got done to the satisfaction of all concerned. Here also we +began to replenish our wardrobes, which, it will easily be imagined, +were not the most magnificent in the world on our first arrival. + +But we were not long permitted the enjoyment of English society or +English comforts, for we had scarcely been a month at Plymouth till we +received an order to prepare again for foreign service, and the nature +of that service being kept a profound secret, we scarcely knew what +necessary articles of equipment to prepare. The general opinion, +however, was, that our destination was some part of America, +consequently we endeavoured to meet all contingencies by preparing both +for a warm and cold climate. All hands of course were vigorously set to +work, in order to be ready when the summons arrived, which we knew might +be very soon expected. An alteration was made in the arrangement of our +battalion. The staff was ordered to proceed to join the other wing at +Thorncliffe, which of course included myself, but Major Mitchell, who +was now appointed to the command of these five companies, was anxious to +take me out with him in the capacity of acting paymaster, and to his +friendly and earnest endeavours, added to the kindness of Captain James +Travers, who had at first intended to apply for that situation himself, +but renounced it on my account, I am indebted for again having an +addition of 10s. per diem made to my regimental pay during the +continuance of service on this expedition. + +At length the order arrived for our embarkation, and on the 18th +September, just two months from the day of our arrival in England, our +five companies were sent on board his Majesty's ships Fox and Dover, +both frigates of the smaller class, and which had been prepared for the +reception of troops, by having a part of their guns taken out, and +being, as it is termed, armed "en flute." The commanding-officer, with +the staff and three companies, were put on board the Fox. We laid in an +immense sea stock of provisions, &c. not knowing how long we might be on +the water, but unfortunately for us we had scarcely put foot on board, +when the order was given to weigh and proceed to sea forthwith, so that +no time was given for the stowing away of all the stock, which had cost +us about L.24 per person; the consequence was, a great part of it was +lost or destroyed, from its being knocked about the deck in the midst of +the confusion and bustle consequent on the crew and the soldiers +(strangers to each other) being set to work to weigh anchor and make +sail in such a hurry. Little assistance was afforded us from the ship on +this occasion. We thus lost nearly the half of what we had been at so +much pains to provide; but such things being common occurrences in a +life like ours, it was therefore vain to fret. + +The force that embarked at the same time with us, consisted of the 93d +Highlanders, a company of artillery, some rocketeers, a squadron of the +14th light dragoons, without horses, and our five companies, the whole +under the command of General Keane. The good people of Plymouth, as is +customary, cheered us as we left their shore, wishing us the most ample +success and good fortune, and which we, who had for so long a time been +in the habit of conquering, did not for a moment admit a doubt of being +fully realized. + +We sailed, as I said, on the 18th September, and stood down the channel +with a pretty fair breeze, till we reached what are commonly called its +"chops," where we encountered adverse winds, and blowing a succession of +gales (equinoctial, I imagine) which detained us beating off and on for +seven days. This was as uncomfortable a beginning of our service as +could well be imagined. High winds, with rain, and contrary to the way +we wished them, were certainly rather trying to the patience of us +landsmen, and there was something in our situation on board this ship +which did not at all tend to alleviate our discomfort. In fact, we +wished our fortune had placed us on board a transport rather than where +we now found ourselves. All the discipline and strictness of a regular +man-of-war was enforced, without any of the countervailing comforts and +conveniences usually found on board such ships; and to such a length was +this carried, that because our officers sometimes stood on the +quarter-deck, holding on, in the rolling of the ship, by the hand-ropes +which surround the companion, not only these, but the ropes which were +stretched to prevent people falling out at the gangway, were ordered to +be removed, that nothing should remain by which lubbers like us might +hold on in the heavy rolls to which the vessel was subject in gales like +those I have been describing. We were no less than twenty-four people in +the cabin, twelve of our officers and twelve gentlemen of the +commissariat department, so that we were sufficiently crowded, besides +being in several other respects ill provided. But all this would have +been borne with cheerfulness and good-will, had we not experienced such +a total want of kindness and urbanity from a quarter where we least +expected it, and from which that unkindness could be made most +effectual. + +We lost the fleet during the continuance of these gales, but sealed +orders having apprized our commander where to rendezvous, we made sail +for the Island of Madeira, which we reached on the 9th October, and +where we found the fleet. Some of the wags of our other two companies on +board the Dover, pretending to think we must have been cast away and +lost, had erased all our names from the army list as defunct. This +rather annoyed some of our folks, but it might have been easily seen it +was only a little waggery in which they had been indulging themselves. + +A day or two before we reached Madeira, we fell in with a strange sail, +to which we gave chase, and brought her to; she proved to be an English +merchant brig. It was said our commander wished to have a little +independent cruise, which caused him to part from the fleet, and that +there was a famed American privateer called the Wasp that had made a +great number of captures, and which he was anxious to fall in with that +he might take her. Had such a thing occurred as the Wasp appearing in +sight, and we had given her chase, I could have compared it to nothing +but to a vulgar simile which I have sometimes heard used, that of a cow +endeavouring to catch a hare, for indeed she was, I believe, one of the +fastest sailers that had ever been known, while we, on the contrary, +were in comparison just like the cow to the hare. This also must have +been a piece of waggery on the part of those who first set such a report +afloat, for no man in his senses would have ever thought of chasing +privateers with the Fox frigate at the time of which I am now writing. I +regret I did not go on shore on this beautiful island, the town and +scenery of which were most inviting, but as our stay was only to be so +very short, it was scarcely worth while. + +We sailed again on the 11th, after having first got a cask of excellent +Madeira wine from the house of Messrs Gordon and Co. This was the best, +I think, I ever drank. We stood almost due south, passing pretty close +to Teneriffe and the other Canary Isles, until we fell in with the +trade-winds, when we kept more away towards the south-west. Our voyage +now became delightful, for a gentle and refreshing, but constant and +steady breeze, carried us on at the rate of about five or six knots an +hour, without having occasion hardly to alter a sail or rope. We passed +to the tropic of Capricorn on the 15th October, when our sailors +prepared to indulge in the same innocent but amusing ceremonies that are +adopted on crossing the equator. Neptune, with his Amphitrite, got +dressed in full costume, and every other appendage being ready, it only +now remained that the commander's sanction should be obtained to their +commencing the imposing ceremony; but no! his godship was dismissed in +no very courteous manner, and told to go and attend to his duty. Thus +the fiat of a greater than Neptune, even in his own element, reduced him +from the godlike rank he held to that of a mere forecastle sailor; and +thus were all our expectations frustrated. In all the other ships of the +fleet the amusement was carried on with the greatest good humour, as we +could plainly perceive with our glasses. + +On the 18th, we passed pretty near the Isle of St Antonio, the +westernmost of the Cape Verde Isles, and then bearing off still rather +more to the west, we kept our course generally at about 12 or 13 north +latitude, and in this manner crossed the Atlantic. + +From the time that we had entered between the tropics, we had seen +numerous shoals of flying fish, some of which, when closely pursued, (by +the dolphin generally,) actually fell on board our ship. A very accurate +drawing of one of these was made by one of our lieutenants, a friend of +mine, who, I believe, has it to this day. They were generally about the +size of a herring, and much resembling that fish in shape and colour, +with two fins projecting from behind their gills, nearly as long as +their body. These are their wings, with which they can fly generally for +100, or 150, or sometimes 200 yards, when they fall again into the +water. We also caught a dolphin about this time, our carpenter having +harpooned it from the bow of the ship; but I was considerably +disappointed in finding it did not exceed from twenty-four to thirty +inches in length; and the hues of it, though beautiful when dying, by no +means answered my expectations. + +On the ---- November, we made the island of Barbadoes, and anchored in +Carlisle Bay, off Bridgetown, the capital of the island. It is not easy +to describe the effect which is produced on an European the first time +he beholds the beauties of a tropical country, and which, I think, he +does in the greatest perfection while they are yet distant from him. +Robertson's description of Columbus's first view of a West India island +is, I think, as correct and as beautiful as any thing can possibly be; +and his feelings for the moment (heightened indeed by the circumstance +of his having at length attained to his long-looked-for Western India) +will describe pretty nearly what every one must feel, who has not before +beheld the productions of a tropical climate. But oh! how is the scene +changed when you get on shore! Nature indeed is still beautiful and rich +beyond the conception of a northern native; but man--how fallen! Here (I +think I shall not far err if I say) you behold man in his lowest state: +the savages of the woods are, in my opinion, much higher in the scale of +being than those whom our cursed cupidity has introduced to all our +vices, without one alleviating virtue to counterbalance the evil. But +how could the poor Africans learn any thing that is good from those who +do not practise good themselves? + +One of our people while here said, "he thought the men were all rogues, +and the women all unfaithful." Of the slave population the latter is +certainly a correct description, almost universally, in Bridgetown; for, +with shame be it spoken, their masters and mistresses calculate upon +their worth as if they were brood-mares, by the number and the +description of wretched beings which they can bring into this world of +misery. What indeed could you expect from those who can thus act, and +those who sanction such conduct, but the like treatment that Mr +Shrewsbury met with, if you endeavour to show them to themselves or to +others in a true light? While the strong man armed keepeth his castle, +his goods are in peace; but let another endeavour to bind this strong +man, and take his goods from him, and oh, what a resistance may not be +expected! Let the West Indians have slaves whom they may treat as cattle +for their own gain and profit, even if it be at the expense of the souls +of the poor wretches whom they thus destroy; but endeavour to show these +degraded human beings that they are capable of being raised to a level +with their unfeeling and avaricious masters, and you may shortly expect +the fate of a Smith or a Shrewsbury, so regardless are these dealers in +human flesh of their duty as men who must soon render an account of all +their actions. + +It may be said, that I saw little, while here, but the very worst of +society, and this may in a great measure be true; but it is evident that +such things were done and sanctioned at Bridgetown when I was there, in +1814, as led me to pray that my lot might never be cast among such +people. + +I now gladly turn from this scene of vice and misery, and pursue my +narrative. + +In the bay at this place a hulk was stationed for the reception of +prisoners of war. Our boats usually passed pretty near it on going on +shore for water. A number of Americans were on board as prisoners. On +one occasion, or more, I believe, they called out to our fellows as they +passed under her stern, "So you have come out from England to attack our +country, have you? I hope you have brought your coffins with you, for +you will need them before you return." And, in truth, many of those +fine fellows to whom this insolently coarse but patriotic speech was +addressed, did indeed require coffins before the business we were going +upon was finished. + +We left Barbadoes on the ----, and, passing down through the midst of +the islands, we left St Lucia on our left and Martinico on our right +hand. We also passed close to Dominico and Guadaloupe, with several +smaller islands which I do not recollect, and, keeping to the southward, +passed St Christopher's, Santa Cruz, Porto Rico, and St Domingo, having +a fine view of the whole as we moved delightfully along. This latter +large island took us more than two days in passing; but on the 21st we +came in sight of Jamaica, the chief of our West India possessions. We +stood off and on near to Port-Royal till the 23d, when we made sail to +the westward, and on the 25th came to anchor in Negril Bay, at the +extreme west end of the island of Jamaica. Here we found several sail +both of men-of-war and transports, having on board the troops which had +been engaged in the operations against Washington and Baltimore, &c., +and consisting of the 4th, 21st, 44th, and 85th regiments, with some +artillery. They were not strong indeed, having been considerably reduced +by their late arduous services; but their numbers, added to ours, we +thought quite sufficient to enable us to make a descent upon the +American coast, near New Orleans, which it was now whispered was our +destination: indeed this had been conjectured from the time we left +England, but nothing certain was known, and even now it was not +officially made public. A day or two after our arrival here, two of the +West India regiments also joined us, the 1st and 5th, at least a part of +both; so that we now mustered a respectable force. Admiral Sir Alexander +Cochran commanded the naval part of the expedition, he being here on +our arrival on board the Tonnant 84; several smaller vessels also, with +stores, &c. &c. joined us from Port-Royal. When the whole were collected +together, we felt proud of our fine force, which we vainly imagined +nothing we should have to encounter could withstand for a moment: but +the battle is not always to the strong; and we were shortly after +painfully reminded of this truth. But I must not anticipate,--evil +always comes early enough. + +During our stay here, I went on shore for a few hours, and visited some +of the farms or plantations. Indeed, while we remained, the place where +we landed was generally like a fair; for the inhabitants had assembled +in great numbers, bringing with them live stock and poultry and +vegetables, &c. for sale, all of which were greedily bought up at prices +high enough, I warrant you. The vegetation at this place was most +luxuriant, even in this the middle of winter almost; but I apprehend +this was the finest season of the year, for it was not at all +intolerably hot, and every thing, had the appearance which our country +assumes in the height of summer. An accident occurred whilst we +continued here, which had nigh proved serious. The Alceste frigate, one +day, in shifting her berth, run with her head right on board the Dover, +where our other two companies were on board. She cut her up from the +stern into the cabins, not less I am sure at the top than ten feet. Two +of our people were in the cabin at the time playing at backgammon, and +were not a little astonished to see the prow of another large vessel +tearing its way right into the very place where they were sitting. + +On the 29th, signal was made to weigh, when the whole got under way, and +started in fine style; our now gallant fleet covering the ocean for many +miles. We kept along on the south side of Cuba, and on the 3d December +made Cape St Antonio, the westernmost point of that large island. From +hence we now stood to the northward, crossing right athwart the Gulf of +Mexico. During our stay at Barbadoes, we had purchased a live sheep and +a pig, as we feared our stock might run out before we landed. The sheep +was productive of great amusement to our messmates, at the expense of +the poor caterer. In all hot climates, I believe, the wool of the sheep +becomes in course of time more like the hair of a goat than what it +really is. This was the case in the present instance, most of our people +declaring they would not eat of such an animal, which was, as they +conjectured, a sort of mule bred between a sheep and a goat; while the +poor caterer was like to have the sheep thrown on his hand. This +produced many a bickering, even after it was known that such was the +case in warm climates; for they kept up the fun as long as possible, +always trying to keep the unfortunate caterer in hot water about it. The +sheep was killed, and produced excellent mutton--not fat indeed, but +eatable. We were not so fortunate, however, with our pig; it appears it +must have been diseased--what, I believe, is usually termed measly. It +was dressed without this being known, and eaten; and the consequence +was, all the twenty-four of our mess, except myself and another were +literally poisoned. In the middle of the night, when it began to take +effect, the most distressing scene took place imaginable, and the +medical men were kept busily employed for a considerable time afterwards +preparing and administering emetics, which providentially had the +desired effect on all, for in a short time the whole recovered; but had +medical assistance not been promptly administered, the chances are some +of them would have suffered. Its effects were something like cholera +morbus, working both up and down in the most violent manner. + +On the 10th December we made the American coast off Mobile, where we +fell in with a vessel, on board of which was Colonel Nichols of the +marines, with three or four Indian chiefs of the Creek nation, to which +people he had been for some time previously attached, they being then at +war with the Americans, and consequently our allies. They came on board +our ship, and were shown every thing curious; but their reason for +visiting us was, that they might see our rifles, for they considered +themselves good shots, and wished to examine our arms, with which they +did not express themselves over-satisfied, as they had been accustomed +to see no other description of rifles than those used by the Americans, +which are both much longer and heavier, but carry a much smaller ball. +Indeed they had never seen any military rifles, but only such as the +above, and which are constructed solely for the purpose of killing deer +and other game. The gallant colonel endeavoured to amuse us a little on +this occasion with the wonderful feats of his protegés. He told us, that +they being generally very short of balls, were always very careful how +they expended them in hunting; and that their rule was never to fire at +a deer, until it was in the act of passing between them and a tree, +that, should the ball go through its body, as it sometimes did, it might +lodge in the tree on the other side, and they would then go and pick it +out, and recast it. We thought he ought to have told that story to his +own corps the marines; for I believe he did not get many of us to give +implicit credit to so wonderful a tale. They were most grotesque-looking +figures; most of them were dressed in some old red coats, which they had +got hold of by some means, with cocked hats of the old fashion. These I +believe had been given them by some of our people, for they were English +manufacture. But they had tremendous large rings, &c. hung in their +ears, the laps of which were stretched nearly to their shoulders; some +of them also wore rings in their noses; and some of them were without +any sort of lower garments, having nothing but a sort of cloth tied +round their waist, which passed through between their legs and fastened +before. These people it was intended should bring their warriors to join +us near New Orleans; but, owing to some cause with which I am not +acquainted, none but these three or four chiefs ever came near us. + +On the 11th we anchored near the Chandeleur Islands, at the entrance +into Lake Ponchartrain. But it was discovered that the Americans had +some gun-vessels, which, on account of their drawing only little water, +had been stationed in this lake for its protection, and on our +appearance had retired nearer to New Orleans. It was necessary that +these should be previously disposed of in some manner, before the +disembarkation of the troops could with safety be effected. None of our +ships could follow them on account of the shoalness of the lake. An +order was therefore issued for all the men-of-war to prepare their boats +for an attack on these vessels, the chief command of which was given to +Captain Lockyer of the Sophia gun-brig. On the morning of the ----, they +therefore assembled for this purpose, and pushed up the lake in search +of the gun-vessels, which were discovered moored near some islands +called by the natives, "Les Isles Malheureuse," or the "Unfortunate +Islands," and which form the entrance from Lake Ponchartrain into Lake +Borgne, or Blind Lake. No time was lost in attacking this formidable +flotilla, consisting of vessels carrying from five to six guns each, and +commanded by a lieutenant of the American navy, named by them Commodore +Jones. A most determined and gallant resistance was made by the +Americans; but superior numbers, with equal, if not superior courage and +seamanship, prevailed, and in a short space of time the whole were +captured. Both the commandants were severely wounded, with a great +number of officers and men killed and wounded. Nothing could exceed the +gallant intrepidity, I understand, with which our boats advanced to the +attack; for, from experience I am well convinced, the fire from those +gun-vessels must have been most destructive; for better shots, either +with artillery or small arms, do not exist than the Americans. Orders +were now issued for the army to prepare to land; but the distance, from +where we had been obliged from shoal water to stop to the town, being so +great, it was determined to form a sort of depot on a small island, near +the mouth of the Pearl River, called Pine Island; and farther to +facilitate the transport of the troops, small brigs, &c. were sent as +far up the lake as possible, into which the troops were put successively +from the larger vessels, and from which they generally took their +departure for the above island. + +On the 15th our people left the Fox, and were moved up the lake into one +of the brigs before noticed, where we were packed in as tight as +herrings, there being near 400 men on board a little thing scarcely +calculated to contain the fourth of that number, and where there was not +literally room to lie down. But, on the 19th, we were relieved from this +rather close confinement; and being put on board of long boats, we +pushed off for the island, which lay at a considerable distance, +notwithstanding the measures that had been adopted to shorten our +voyage. The weather proved extremely rough and unpleasant, which +rendered our trip neither over-safe nor comfortable; and to mend the +matter, the seamen on board our boat were rather in the wind, and did +not manage her so well as was desirable; for, poor fellows, they had +been engaged in this fatiguing service for several days, (a considerable +number of the troops having been previously landed,) and were +consequently the more easily prevailed upon to indulge when grog came in +their way. Our middy too was quite worn out with fatigue, and slept +nearly all the time we were on board. Our boat was several times on the +point of being swamped, for the water came in quite plentifully on +occasions of her being laid down by sudden squalls. Another boat, which +accompanied us, had her mast carried away. + +We landed on the island before mentioned in the evening, and of course +looked out for the best shelter we could find. But it was a complete +desert; nothing but reeds grew on it, except a few stunted and scrubby +bushes at the lower end of it. It came on a most severe frost during the +night, which I understand caused the death of several of the sailors, +who had indulged perhaps a little too freely, and had lain down without +any covering. Some of the poor blacks also, I understand, suffered in +consequence of the severe cold, a thing with which they were totally +unacquainted, and against which they were ill provided, having nothing +but their light and thin West India dress to keep it out. It was +laughable the next morning to see them examining so intently the ice +which had been formed on the pools near our bivouack. They could not +conjecture what it was; some of them asserting it was salt; while the +greater part were totally at a loss respecting it. I had by great good +luck got into a sort of hut belonging to some of the officers who had +previously landed; but I do not remember in all my campaigning to have +suffered more from cold than I did this night, and was extremely glad +when daylight appeared, that I might be able to move about. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + + Proceed to attack the Enemy, and capture one of their + picquets--Advance in search of a Bivouack--Alarmed by shots in + front--Fired on by an American schooner--Captain Hallen + severely attacked--Manoeuvres on both sides--Ruse of the + Enemy--Fighting continues--Enemy repulsed at all + points--Courage of the British--A British Battery brought into + play--Activity of the Enemy. + + +By the 21st, the whole army had been landed on this island, when they +were told off into brigades, and inspected by the General. During our +stay here, about five or six French Americans, (the natives of New +Orleans, or neighbourhood,) arrived as friends, and told us that there +were scarcely any troops in the district; so that we had nothing to do +but to land on the opposite side, and march right on to the town, and +that the inhabitants would welcome us most cordially, and that no +resistance might be expected. I did not, I confess, put much confidence +in their information, and believed at the time, that they came more as +spies than with any view of befriending, as they pretended, our cause. +More correct information was obtained from Spanish fishermen, who had +been following their occupation at the mouth of a creek on the New +Orleans side of the lake, and who had come across, I believe, at the +suggestion of Major Peddie, our assistant Quartermaster-general, who +had been despatched to find out a suitable landing-place for the army. +From one of them, I learned afterwards that there were troops in the +town, commanded by General Jackson, and that a battery of two guns had +been erected on the road, by which we must advance. What they told the +General, I do not know, but fancy he saw no reason to alter his plans, +from the information of either party. Every thing being ready by the +morning of the 22d, the advance guard, commanded by Colonel Thornton, +and consisting of the 85th and 95th regiments, with two light +three-pounders, some artillery and some rocketeers, accompanied by a few +artificers to repair bridges, &c. embarked on board the boats, that had +been assembled for the purpose--two companies of the 93d followed us; +these troops occupying the whole of the boats that could be mustered in +the fleet, consequently the remainder of the army had to remain where +they were till the return of the boats. The distance was not less, I +should think, than from thirty to forty miles. We pushed off about two +o'clock P.M., the wind being favourable for a considerable part of the +way, but it failing, the men were obliged to commence with the oars. We +were completely wedged in, so that there was no moving, let the call be +ever so urgent. I suffered much from a severe pain in my side, from +being obliged to remain so long in the same position; but we endeavoured +to divert the tedium in the best manner we could by amusing stories, &c. +My luck placed me on board the Bang-Up, a fine cutter belonging to the +admiral, and commanded by a countryman of mine, a Lieutenant Foster of +that ship. We did not reach the mouth of the creek, or bayou, as it is +called by the natives, till a long time after dark. As we approached it, +some light boats were sent forward with Captain Travers of ours and his +company, to endeavour to surprise a regiment of the enemy, which we +knew were stationed in some huts at the mouth of the creek, and which +huts belonged to the Spanish fishermen before mentioned. From the +information they gave, the best arrangements possible were made for +effecting this; for Travers, moving silently on, and landing his men at +the opposite ends of the hamlet, there remained no way of escape open +for the troops in the houses. As soon as all was ready, they rushed +forward and secured the whole picquet without a single shot being fired, +with the exception of two men, who preferred venturing into the marsh, +in rear of the huts, where it is not improbable they perished. The duty +was conducted so quietly, and so expeditiously, that very few of the +other troops knew any thing of the matter; but this alone secured us a +landing without opposition, for had a firing been begun on either side, +it must have alarmed the American army, who, no doubt, would have used +their endeavours to oppose our landing. + +We soon after began to enter the creek, but such was the darkness of the +night, and the shoalness of the water, and such the uncertainty of the +way by which we had to proceed, that very little progress was made +during the remainder of the night; daylight, however, enabled us to move +forward at a brisker pace, but from the obstacles that had presented +themselves in the dark, the squadron of boats was sadly dispersed; and +when we reached the head of the creek, only two or three of the light +boats, with the staff and naval officers, had arrived, and considerable +intervals of time elapsed between the arrival of the different boats +with troops; so that had the enemy been aware of our intention, and had +they had a force of a few hundred men hid in the high reeds which grow +in this marsh, they might, I am persuaded, have cut us off in detail, +for from the causes before mentioned, no two boats were sufficiently +near to assist each other. + +We got on shore about an hour after daylight; and right glad was I to be +enabled to stretch my legs, which had been kept motionless for the last +sixteen hours. As soon as the whole advance-guard had landed, and a few +planks had been thrown over a deep rill which we had to cross, we moved +forward towards the high ground, Captain Travers' company leading; and, +in order to magnify the appearance of our force, should any concealed +American be looking on, we extended our files to double the usual +distance, and thus passed through a wood which skirted the swamp, and +which it was necessary to traverse before we could reach the open +country, which we did about six miles below New Orleans. As soon as our +advance cleared this wood, they observed a good-looking farm onstead, +towards which they moved in double quick time, and arrived just in time +to seize and make prisoner a Monsieur Villerey, a major of the militia, +just then setting off to join his people. We heard (but I will not vouch +for the truth of the report) that a considerable body of the enemy had +been assembled on the high-road, near to Monsieur Villerey's house, but +on learning that we had landed, and were moving rapidly forward, they +separated, one part retiring towards the town, while the other went down +the river. Our advance now moved on with celerity, and dashing on to the +different farm-houses in the neighbourhood, seized several groups of +arms at each of them, which it seems had either been abandoned by the +troops to whom they belonged, or had been collected there for some +military purpose. They captured at some of these farm-houses to the +amount of twelve or twenty stand; and in all not less than fifty. + +Monsieur Villerey unfortunately contrived to make his escape, through +the too great leniency of one of our lieutenants. I think the most +probable opinion respecting the arms and the troops assembled near +Monsieur Villerey's is, that it was the militia of the district just at +that moment assembling, which will not only account for the arms being +found in such numbers, (under the verandas of the houses,) but also for +Monsieur Villerey himself being then on the point of setting out in his +warlike costume, and the number of men which were observed near his +house. + +About twenty militiamen were also captured in and about these houses. +Except there, the whites had all abandoned their houses; but a +considerable number of black slaves remained at each, whether of their +own accord, or left to protect the property, and occasionally convey +information to their masters, I know not. As soon as our advance had +sufficiently reconnoitred the adjacent houses, &c. the whole of the +troops moved on past the house of Monsieur Villerey, and turning to the +right, followed the great road to New Orleans for about half a mile, +till a suitable piece of ground presenting itself in the neighbourhood +of some other farm-houses, the whole turned in to a green field a short +distance from the road, and forming into close columns of battalions, +commenced bivouacking for the night. The road ran partly on, and partly +alongside of the river dike. Immediately between the troops and the +river, this dike was perhaps about three feet high. On our right was a +farm-house, and a little to the right and front another--the latter a +pretty large one--all these, and indeed all the farm-houses in this +neighbourhood, are surrounded at one end by the huts of the slaves, and +generally on the other by barns and other out-buildings, and in the rear +a garden or orchard. The ground in all this country, which is perfectly +flat, apparently of alluvial formation, is divided into fields, &c. by +wooden paling of the common description, very few hedges being to be +seen. + +The situation in which the troops were placed, was as follows, viz. The +artillery and rocketeers in one line; immediately behind them, my +battalion and the 85th, in close column; the 4th in rear of us, and the +93d two companies in rear of the 4th; the whole in close columns. The +men, as soon as dismissed, instantly set about cooking, for they had had +nothing from the morning before, and it was now considerably past +mid-day. Captain Travers' company, which had formed the advance-guard, +still remained in front as a picquet, and occupied a post on the great +road, about a mile in front of the division. + +About three o'clock P.M., we were all alarmed by some shots at the +advanced picquet; and, on enquiry, found that an American staff-officer, +escorted by about thirty cavalry, had come galloping down, no doubt for +the purpose of reconnoitring us; when within distance, our people +instantly fired, one of which shots wounded the staff-officer, and +another killed a horse, but they contrived to get him off. This caused +the whole of the troops to fall in till the cause of alarm was +ascertained, after which they set about their cooking again with great +glee. Considerable discussion now began to take place amongst the +knowing ones, as to the merits and demerits of our situation, in point +of security; and of course various opinions were given on the occasion. +One officer of ours, a particular friend of mine, did not hesitate +roundly to assert, that we were in a most unprotected and dangerous +situation. I do not remember exactly the reasons he assigned; but +certainly, could he have foreseen what yet remained in the womb of time, +he would have had much stronger reasons for his opinion. Another company +of ours, (Captain Hallen's,) and one of the 85th, were ordered to +prepare at dusk to relieve the picquet in advance; and as I messed with +Captain Hallen's company, I accompanied it on this duty. I did not go +with the main body of the company, there being no house at that post, +but with one section, commanded by Lieutenant Forbes, and we occupied a +small house to the right, and a little to the rear of Captain Hallen's +party, which was stationed on the great road. The company of the 85th +occupied the large farm-house before-mentioned, a little to the right +and front of the column. I had purchased an excellent turkey on our +arrival at Monsieur Villerey's house, which we had dressed at this +little house, and made a most hearty meal indeed, after which we took +each a tot or horn of grog to comfort us. + +We had not long finished our comfortable meal, when we were astounded by +the report of heavy ordnance, apparently close to the bivouack of the +column, and which reports followed each other in quick succession. A +cheer was also given, but by whom, or what the occasion of the firing +was, we were totally at a loss to conjecture. I at first imagined it was +some of our men-of-war that had been able to pass the forts down the +river, and that they were firing a salute and cheering in consequence; +and yet this seemed a strange conjecture; but we did not long remain in +suspense, for we were soon after informed of the real state of the case, +that it was a large American schooner, with at least fourteen guns, and +which she had been enabled to bring to bear upon our unfortunate +bivouack with the most deadly precision, great numbers having fallen at +her first broadside. The troops of course dispersed in some measure, +leaving their fires, which had too well served as a direction for the +fire of this terrible schooner. But the time was not far distant when we +should have other enemies to encounter; for by the time the schooner had +fired a dozen broadsides, a noise was heard in our front; and just at +this moment an American was brought in by a man from Captain Hallen's +post, who had foolishly come right into the centre of his picquet, and +asking if they could tell him which way the regulars had gone. This +showed that he was a young soldier, who did not know our troops from his +own; but it also showed that the regulars which he was seeking could not +be far distant; consequently, every thing was got ready to give them the +best reception possible; but as the people we had heard in front of the +post where I then was appeared to be rather to our right, I feared lest +they might get unawares upon the company of the 85th, which was +stationed in the farm behind us. I consequently set off with all +dispatch to give them timely warning, but when I arrived there, I could +not find the officers, nor could I see where the picquet was posted; I +therefore thought they must be on the alert at the bottom of the garden, +which lay in the direction in which we heard the noise; and meeting here +an officer and several of our men, who had moved in this direction, from +the fire of the schooner, I told him I was certain that Hallen would be +shortly most vigorously attacked, from the information I had learnt +respecting the regulars, and advised him to collect all the men he +could, and proceed forthwith to reinforce him at the advance. This he +instantly did, and it was well, for by this time the firing had +commenced in volleys at that post. I then returned to the picquet-house, +where I had previously dined, and found the officer was going round his +sentries; but as the firing was going briskly on at Hallen's post, I +expected every moment to be attacked here, and began, in the absence of +the officer, to post the men as advantageously as the nature of the +ground would admit. + +The house stood on a little path, or bye-road, running across the +country, from the river towards the wood, and which, before he could get +into, the enemy would have to clamber over a railing which lay on the +side from which they were advancing. On the hither side of the road was +a ditch, with a hedge, almost the only one to be met with, and a little +copse of small trees. Into this copse I put the men, extending them +along the inside of the hedge, which would not only keep them from the +view of the enemy, but be some little protection from their fire, and +would leave them the more at liberty to retreat when overpowered by +numbers, as it was certain they must shortly be. But all my labour was +in vain, for when Forbes came from visiting his sentries, he did not +approve of my disposition, but took them all out, and formed them on the +open road, without any cover, and with a hedge and ditch in their rear, +both of which they would be compelled to pass the moment the enemy +pressed upon him. I felt annoyed, not only at his want of courtesy to +me, but that he would thus expose his men to almost certain destruction, +without being able to effect any thing against the enemy, or at all +check his advance. I accordingly left him in a huff, and went again to +try to find the picquet of the 85th in the house behind us. I was +determined to make a more close and thorough search than I had done +before, and for this purpose went over the gates, &c. into the yard +behind, when lo, I found myself within a yard or two of a strong body of +the enemy, which had got into the garden at the lower end, and were just +advancing to the house. I crouched down, and hid in the best manner I +could, and luckily was enabled to creep off without their discovering +who I was. Just as I reached the outer gate, I found a sergeant of ours +there, to whom I said, we must set off with all possible speed; and +accordingly we both took to our heels, and ran like heroes; the noise +of which brought the fire of twenty or thirty rifles after us, but +luckily without effect. + +I now made the best of my way towards where I judged the main body of +our people were, on the great road, in order to inform Colonel Thornton +of what I had seen, of this column of the enemy having got possession of +the house and garden I had just left, and by doing which they had nearly +separated the advance picquet from the main body. He said he had sent +two companies of ours, and two of the 85th, to the house immediately in +the rear of this I speak of, and in a short time afterwards they and the +Americans came into close contact, for they immediately commenced +firing; and where as strange a description of fighting took place as is +perhaps on record. + +The enemy soon discovered from some men, whom they had unfortunately +taken, what the regiments were that were opposed to them--and with all +that cunning which the Yankees are famed for, instantly turned it to the +best account--for in several places they advanced in bodies, crying out +at the same time, "Come on, my brave 85th!" or "My brave 95th!" and thus +induced several of our small detached parties to go over the rails to +them, supposing they were some of our own people, when of course they +were instantly made prisoners. This _ruse_ did not always succeed, +however, for some of the parties turning restive on their hands, refused +to surrender, and thus a fight hand to hand took place, and in which +they generally had the worst of it. + +On one occasion of this kind our people made a body of them prisoners. +The men and officers being requested to lay down their arms, the +officer, after surrendering, when he saw there were not many of our +people, drew a sort of dirk or knife, and made a stab at the officer of +ours who had taken him. We instantly cried out to the men near him, one +of whom took up his rifle and shot the villain through the body. They +had before this time brought two of their regular battalions close in +front of our advance, which did not consist of more than 100 men, and +were pouring in dreadful volleys into that small but gallant detachment; +but even in this they showed themselves young soldiers, for they formed +up the two battalions in line at about forty or fifty yards in distance +from the post, and gave the words "ready--present--fire," with all the +precision of a field-day; but being so near, of course every word was +heard by our people, who, at the critical moment, always took care to +cleave as close to the ground as possible, by which they escaped most of +their shot. They then up and at them, and, pouring in a desultory but +most destructive fire, brought great numbers of them to the ground. +Their force, however, was too great to be opposed successfully by such a +handful of men, and these brave fellows were at length compelled to +yield a little ground; but it was not more than just to enable them to +cover themselves, and form again in proper order; and from this time all +the efforts of these two battalions were unable to remove them. Indeed, +not long after, our people became the assailants, and, advancing again, +retook their original position. Poor Hallen was severely wounded on this +occasion, and lost about forty of his men. + +Two or three naval captains came also to see the fight at Hallen's post, +one of whom soon fell severely wounded. The other, the gallant captain +of the Dover frigate, with whom part of our people went out, and with +whom we all came home, behaved most nobly. Whenever the enemy had fired +their volley, he cried, "Now, my lads, up and give them another +broadside!" and thus contributed, by his animating conduct, to inspire +all around him with confidence. + +Poor Forbes just met the fate that I expected. He stood upon the road, +and opened his fire upon the enemy as they approached; but they being +perhaps more than twenty times his number, he was instantly compelled to +give way, after being himself wounded, having his sergeant killed, and +losing nearly the half of his men. The schooner all this time kept up a +most galling and incessant fire. Some attempts were made with our light +three-pounders, and with rockets, and even with small-arms, to compel +her to sheer off, but they were all in vain. Her men, protected by her +stout bulwarks which surrounded them, defied all our efforts, and +continued to pour in both round and grape wherever they judged, from the +direction of the fire, our people were stationed. Luckily the darkness +of the night rendered her fire less destructive than it would otherwise +have been. + +A considerable body of the enemy had penetrated to the house immediately +on the right of our original bivouack, where the firing was kept up +between them and the parties opposed to them with great spirit for a +long time; but the General, having detached the 4th regiment to form +line a little to the rear and right of that house, completely secured +that flank from being farther turned. Notwithstanding this, the +skirmishers of both armies extended to the wood, some of whom we found +lying the next morning almost touching each other. The firing now began +to slacken, the enemy having been repulsed at all points, and, towards +three o'clock in the morning, it had completely ceased, when they +retired, leaving us in possession of the warmly-contested field. + +My battalion had been extremely unfortunate in this action; for almost +at the very outset, when the attack on Hallen's picquet commenced, +Major Mitchell, our commandant, had taken a party of about twenty or +thirty men, and advanced for the purpose of supporting that post. +Between the bivouack, however, and the point he intended to reach, he +unexpectedly fell in with a large body of Americans, (for it was so dark +he could not distinguish who they were,) when both himself, and all the +men he had with him, were made prisoners. The loss of our five companies +in this action was about 120 men; that of the 85th more, I believe; and +in all, I think, it amounted to about 300 men. The loss of the enemy +must have been considerably greater, if we are to judge from the number +of dead they left on the field, and, which is a good criterion, the +general average being about ten wounded for one killed. + +Nothing could equal the bravery of the few troops we had in the field on +this occasion. Their numbers certainly did not amount to 1800 men; while +the enemy could not have had fewer than from 4000 to 5000. They had two +regular regiments, the 7th and 44th; they had a large corps of irregular +riflemen from Kentucky, and another stronger corps from Tennessee, with +all the militia of New Orleans and its neighbourhood, every man who is +able being compelled to bear arms in case of invasion. They had about +300 irregular horse, whether militia or not I cannot tell, but think it +likely they were in all at least 4000 men--with the great and effectual +assistance of the schooner, which did us more mischief than 1000 men +could have done, probably not so much by the loss she occasioned us, as, +by being able to fire on our flank, and even in our rear, she rendered +the enemy the most essential service, besides the fire of the ship on +our advanced picquet. + +We were thus completely surrounded on three sides, and had not the +troops behaved with the most determined courage and intrepidity, we +must have been driven back, and eventually the greater part would have +been taken prisoners; for the path to the water was quite narrow, and +even should we reach the head of the creek where we landed, the boats +had probably all left it by this time to return for the other troops. +Indeed it was reported afterwards, that the arrangements of General +Jackson were such, that we were to have been attacked in the rear at the +same time as in front, and by the schooner; but the troops for that +purpose either not being in readiness, or being too distant to arrive in +time, were too late to take part in the action, but arrived about three +o'clock in the morning, when they met with a half-drunk artillery-driver +of ours near Mons. Villerey's house, as he was returning from the field, +and who, seeing a large body of men, which he took for some of our other +regiments that had landed, cried out to them, "Come on, my lads, for the +Yankees never got such a licking in their lives!" This, it is said, had +the effect of frightening them back, without proceeding farther. + +I will not vouch for this being fact, but such was the report the next +morning; and indeed it is feasible, from the number of people +(apparently going with orders, &c.) which we saw galloping down on the +other side of the river in the afternoon; and it is certain that a +considerable body of militia must have resided down the river, setting +aside the report which I mentioned, of some troops having retired in +that direction in the morning, when we first advanced; and nothing would +have tended more to our complete overthrow than such an attack on our +rear, could it have been accomplished. + +I might here mention, that Captain Hallen saw the schooner as she passed +his picquet, on her way down from New Orleans, on which he instantly +despatched a man with the information; but she having the current in +her favour, sailed much quicker than the man could run, consequently his +information came too late. + +I omitted to mention also, that a large ship of 20 guns came down the +river at the same time with the schooner, but being less manageable than +that vessel, she had anchored abreast of Hallen's picquet; and that he +had to sustain her fire, as well as that of the troops in his front, +during the whole of the attack of the 23d. She remained at that spot +without moving. + +I will here also notice another circumstance which took place at this +post. An American rifleman fell into the hands of some of Captain +Hallen's people, who, when he was brought in, were desired to take his +arms from him. These he seemed reluctant to part with, and said to the +officer, "Recollect I shall hold you responsible for that rifle, if you +take it from me!"--on which the officer took hold of it by the muzzle, +and flung it right into the river. I daresay the poor fellow thought +they were a strange sort of people he had got amongst; and I doubt not +he had set a great value upon his rifle. + +Another officer and myself had a providential escape the next morning, +for we had scarcely left a little wooden hut, behind which we had taken +up our abode, and slept for a few hours after the fight, when bang comes +an eighteen-pound shot right through the house, just at the very spot +where we had a minute or two before been sitting. It seems the captain +of the schooner, which still lay abreast of us at about 800 yards +distance, and from which this shot had been fired, was determined we +should not occupy any of the houses in the vicinity, for, beginning with +our hut, which was nearest to him, he fired into every house within +reach of his guns, although he saw as plainly as we did that most of +them were filled with the wounded; nay, he carried his savage cruelty so +far, that he actually fired on a party of the 85th as they were removing +one of their wounded officers. It could not be pleaded that he did not +know what it was, for, being only half-a-mile distant, and much elevated +above our level, with a glass he could see as well as we could what they +were doing, for they were carrying the poor fellow on a bier, on their +shoulders. He continued this cruel work all the next day, the ship also +giving us an occasional shot. One shot which he fired went through the +front of a house in which some of our wounded men were lying, and, +striking low, it carried the knapsack out from under the head of a man +of ours named Rayour, which he had put for a pillow, without doing him +the smallest injury. I could not credit the story till I went and +actually saw the hole by which it entered, the knapsack and the shot +lying near the fire-place. After this I went to view the house where I +had fallen in with the column of the enemy the night before, and where +the 85th were now stationed; but the fire of the schooner still +continued, one shot from which we saw was directed towards us. It fell +right in among the 85th, and, striking a corporal about the breach, as +he was endeavouring to get out of its way, it passed out at his breast, +on which he gave himself a sort of shake, and fell lifeless to the +earth. + +Nothing could exceed the great annoyance this mischievous schooner +continued to be to us all that and the next day, for they not only saw +every thing we did, but we could not move in any number without being +saluted with an 18 lb. shot, and we had no means of retaliation. But +during the 25th, efforts were made to get up some heavier guns from the +fleet, and every thing having been settled as to the plan, &c., a +battery was constructed as close to the water's edge as possible in the +river dike, and a number of gun barrels having been collected from those +broken, &c. during the late fight, a sort of furnace was erected for the +purpose of heating shot, with which it was determined to give her a +salute the next morning. Every thing succeeded admirably. The battery +was constructed, embrasures cut, and shot heated, and all ready by +daylight on the morning of the 26th; of course we were all looking out +to witness the effect, and most noble it was, for when the guns opened +out upon her, the people on board seemed quite thunderstruck, and +although they attempted to return our fire, it was only like the blows +of a man beat blind by his antagonist, for her shot fell in every other +direction but that in which she should have thrown them. However, they +could not stand to fire more than one round, as our hot shot rendered +their situation very soon untenable, and taking to their boats, they +made their escape to the opposite shore with all expedition. + +The distance from the battery to the schooner had been so accurately +measured by Major Blanchard, who superintended the construction of the +work, that almost every shot and shell penetrated the hull of the +vessel, and in a short time after her crew had left her, she broke out +into a blaze of fire, which soon reaching the magazine, she blew up with +a loud explosion, to the great comfort and joy of all our army. This of +course deserved and obtained three as hearty cheers as I believe were +ever given by Britons, and no doubt the Americans were greatly chagrined +at the loss of their fine and exceedingly useful vessel. A shell or two +were directed towards the ship, but she having seen the fate of the +schooner, got out her boats, which, taking her in tow, she set off up +the river in all haste. Could a battery have been constructed to fire +upon her at the same time, it would have saved us some hard knocks +afterwards. She, however, effected her escape, and we now remained in +peace for a few days at least. + +On the 25th, Sir Edward Packenham and General Gibbs had arrived; the +former immediately assumed the command, and they both set off to the +front to reconnoitre the enemy and the kind of country around us. Every +night since our arrival the enemy had been incessant in their means to +harass and annoy us, as in truth they had a right to do if they pleased, +but it was exceedingly distressing to the troops, and therefore I +mention it. They seldom let an hour pass during the night, that they +were not firing at some of our out sentries, and on some occasions they +brought the body of irregular cavalry, before mentioned, immediately in +front of our outposts, and fired volleys, which, although it did not do +much injury to our advanced picquets, had the effect of turning out the +whole line, and that often repeated, with the annoyance from the +schooner, certainly did not leave us much time for comfortable rest. +They frequently lay in ambush for the reliefs of our sentries also, and +patrols, and fired upon them sometimes with effect. In short, they did +all they could to annoy and weary us out, but of which we ought not to +complain, as they were defending their own country, and allowances ought +to be made in such a case that would not be tolerated in an army having +no interest in the soil. I trust Englishmen will be equally zealous and +bitter to their enemies should our country ever be invaded. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + + British Army told off into Brigades--Advance, and are hotly + received--Heroism of a young Artillery Officer--We take up a + fresh position--The Enemy work incessantly in raising an + extensive breastwork--Two Batteries erected, from which our + heavy Ship Artillery are brought to bear against it, but + without effect--The Enemy also place their Ship Guns on + Batteries--Colonel Lambert arrives with the 7th and 43d + regiments--Preparations for a grand attack on the Enemy's + lines, which entirely fails, and the British are repulsed with + great loss. + + +The remainder of the army all arrived during the 24th, and were put in +bivouack in an oblique direction, with their front to the late field of +action, their right thrown back towards the wood, and their left towards +Mons. Villerey's house. The 93d formed line in advance at an angle of +the wood, as a sort of outpost, while the 85th and ours were stationed +in and around the house, to which I have so often alluded, _i. e._ where +I fell in with the column of the enemy. Our advanced picquets remained +the same as before the action. If I might here be permitted to hazard an +opinion, I should say that had we advanced upon New Orleans the morning +after the fight, I think there is little doubt we should have been +successful; for when an irregular and undisciplined body of troops once +meet with a reverse, it is difficult to bring them into action again +with that steadiness and determination which they often evince in their +first essay. + +I understood General Jackson had some trouble in keeping them together +after their defeat on the night of the 23d, and the only mode in which +he could get them to form was, in planting the first who retired in line +near the road, and as each successive detachment arrived from the fight, +they were made to form on their left, the whole line sitting or laying +down for the remainder of the night. It is easy to perceive that they +would have been quite unmanageable should they have been seriously +attacked, while their spirits were depressed by their recent failure, +and as the works which we afterwards encountered did not then exist, at +least only in part, I think they would have retired after a very slight +resistance indeed. I had the information as to the manner in which they +formed, from some of those who were made prisoners, and who witnessed +it. All this, however, is merely the opinion of a private individual, +who judged from appearances only, and it is not in the nature of things +probable that I should be able to form so correct a one as those who +possessed more ample information. + +After the arrival of the two general officers before mentioned, the army +was told off into brigades as follows, viz. the 1st brigade, commanded +by General Gibbs, consisted of the 4th, 21st, and 44th British, and 5th +West India regiments; the 2d brigade, commanded by General Keane, +consisted of the 85th, 93d, and 95th British, and 1st West India +regiments, (observe, the West India regiments had by this time become +exceedingly reduced in point of numbers from cold and hardship, which +they seemed unable to bear, and very soon after almost ceased to be +regiments, so many of them were sent away sick;) the artillery was +commanded by Colonel Dickson, an excellent officer; the squadron of the +14th light dragoons not being able to get mounted, formed the guards at +the hospitals, and at head-quarters, &c. + +Every thing having been previously arranged on the morning of the 28th, +we advanced in two columns, the right near the wood commanded by General +Gibbs, and ours on the left by the great road near the river, commanded +by General Keane. The enemy had all along kept possession of those +farm-houses which lay at some distance in front of our picquets. They +were consequently driven from these as we moved forward, which we did, I +should imagine, to the distance of about three miles, their picquets +retiring gradually before us. We here discovered that the enemy had +thrown up a strong field-work, which extended from the river to the wood, +and which consequently shut up every avenue to our farther advance, +without fighting. We also found that their numbers had considerably +increased, as we could perceive by the immense bodies of troops behind +their works. As we pressed upon their picquets as they retired, we got a +shot or two at them with our field-guns; but every thing remained quiet +within their lines till we had arrived within about 400 yards of them, +when they opened out on the head of our columns as destructive a fire of +artillery as I ever witnessed. One shot struck in the column of the +85th, which knocked down two officers and about ten men. My battalion +was leading, and being partly extended skirmishing, they did not offer +so fair a mark for artillery as a solid body, and consequently escaped +this. + +The ship also, which was anchored a little in advance of their work, +opened her broadside on the columns on the road at the same time. Our +gun and howitzer, the only two pieces we had there, endeavoured to +return the fire of the ship, but without doing her much injury. When the +fire was found to be so galling, the troops were moved off the road +into the fields on the right, and my battalion advancing about 100 paces +farther, was ordered to lay down in a sort of ditch which was there, and +to shelter themselves the best way they could. The 85th and 93d formed +also more to the right, and secured themselves as well as the nature of +the ground would admit. It was only intended as a reconnoissance, +consequently the troops did not advance farther, as soon as the nature +of their position was ascertained. It appeared to be a high dike of +casks, formed as a breastwork, with a considerable quantity of artillery +mounted on it, and with a sort of canal or wet ditch in front of it. + +Of course, all this took some time to ascertain, during which they kept +up an incessant cannonade, both from their works and from the ship. The +latter poured in an immense quantity of large grape, which rendered the +situation of those exposed to it extremely unpleasant. Our two +fieldpieces were very soon silenced by the superior fire of the enemy, +and in an hour after our arrival at this point, there was not a man left +with them but the officer, who was quite a youth, but yet stood as +steady as if he had been on a common parade, although all his men were +knocked down about him. I never witnessed more devoted heroism than this +fine young man displayed. One shot, nearly towards the last, struck off +his sergeant's head, and sent his cap spinning over a ditch, where +another officer and I had taken up our post. Some rockets were also +tried from this point, both against the ship and the enemy's works, but +those directed against the vessel flew quite wide of the mark, and +totally failed. Some of those fired into the works, we saw pass over the +heads of the men posted in them, but whether they produced any effect we +could not see. + +The enemy either had set fire to the houses near us before they retired +from them, or they had fired heated shot with a view of producing that +effect; but we had not been long here ere the whole of the houses in the +neighbourhood were in one grand and terrific blaze of fire. I do not +exactly know what was done on the right, for we could not see distinctly +for some trees which grew in the garden of the farm in that direction, +but imagine they encountered something similar to ourselves, as the play +of artillery from the enemy's line in front of them was equally +unceasing with that in our front. Not a man showed himself out of the +enemy's works. + +When every thing was ascertained that could be, the troops began +gradually to draw off, but this was obliged to be conducted in a very +cautious manner, or the loss from their fire would have been severe. The +93d retired first, by separate wings, afterwards the 85th, but ours did +not leave their ground till after dark, when, I believe, some of the +Yankees began to advance in a rather triumphant and bullying manner, but +were taught to keep at a respectful distance by a few shots well laid in +among them. A party of sailors had been sent forward to bring off the +two fieldpieces, there being no artillerymen left to do it, and we had +no horses. They undertook and accomplished this task most cheerfully and +effectually, without a man hurt I believe. + +The loss of my battalion on this occasion was not great. The army now +took up a fresh position in which to bivouack, at about a mile and a +half distance from the enemy's line, but which they could easily reach +with the shot and shells of their larger pieces. The head-quarters were +removed from Monsieur Villerey's house to a large farm or chateau behind +our new lines, and which were formed in the following manner, viz.:--the +4th and 44th composed one line, with their right near the wood. The 21st +formed on their left, but with an intervening space between them. The +85th and 93d formed one line on the left of the 21st, with an interval +between their line and that regiment. This latter line was rather in an +oblique direction, with its front towards a farm-house in advance and to +the left, and where my battalion was ordered to take its station. This +latter post was more exposed to the enemy's shot than any of the others; +it being a good deal advanced, and being close to the river, the guns +from the opposite shore ceased not firing on it, generally with hot +shot. The men were put into a sugar house belonging to this chateau, the +floor of which being sunk a little below the surface of the adjoining +earth, protected them wonderfully; but on occasions they had their very +cooking utensils knocked off the fire by the enemy's shot, in +consequence of the exposed situation of this house. The acting +quartermaster and myself being deemed civilians, and having no +inclination to be deprived of our natural rest at night, as long as we +could be allowed to obtain it, took up our abode in one of the outhouses +at head-quarters, which we found unoccupied, and where our respective +duties could be carried on with as much facility as if we were in the +same house with the battalion, the distance between them being only +about half a mile. + +Here, also, the sick and wounded were brought, where they could enjoy +more comfort than in the sugar-house, till an opportunity offered of +sending them down to the shipping. To secure our front a little more, +and to protect the troops against the shot from the opposite shore, a +redoubt was thrown up about half a mile in front of the right, and +pretty near the wood; while batteries and breastworks were constructed +on the road, to fire on any vessels of the enemy which might come down +the river. These latter were principally constructed of hogsheads of +sugar, which were found in the sugar-houses of the different +plantations in the neighbourhood. But nothing could have answered worse +than they did for this purpose, the enemy's shot going quite through +them, without being at all deadened almost by the resistance they +offered. In front of the left also, inside the road, a breastwork was +thrown up, which secured the persons of a corps of marines and sailors, +who occupied that part of the line. This body was, soon after the 28th, +landed from the fleet; and the latter, having brought small arms on +shore with them, acted as a small battalion. + +It is evident the enemy must have worked incessantly, from our first +landing, to complete the work they occupied; for, from the information I +before mentioned, as given me by one of the Spanish fishermen, it is +clear they had only two guns, mounted on something like a battery, on +the great road. But now that work extended even into the wood, a +distance of at least three quarters of a mile, and at this time there +could not be less than ten or twelve pieces of heavy ordnance mounted on +it. We were told by the slaves who had remained in the houses, that the +ditch behind which they had constructed this work was a sort of small +canal, which the gentleman who owned the property used for the purpose +of transporting the produce of his farm from thence into the river. From +this time we could plainly perceive great numbers of men continually at +work upon it, mostly blacks, of which they would, of course, have +abundance; but their white people also (the army, we conclude) were +constantly employed upon it. We could see distinctly that they were +widening and deepening the canal in front of the work, and raising the +parapet to a considerable height. + +It was now determined to try what our heavy ship-artillery would do +against this work. Accordingly, the greater part of the army were +employed in bringing up these unwieldy machines, and to effect which +required no slight power and perseverance, as we had no means of +transport but the sheer strength of a number of men combined, to drag +them successively through the deep soil. A sufficient number of them +having been brought up by the 31st, strong working parties were employed +all night in erecting two batteries, as near to the enemy's works as +they could with safety venture, and getting the guns, carriages, and +ammunition, &c., into them. These were formed principally of casks, &c., +filled with earth; and I am not sure that some sugar hogsheads were not +used on the occasion. However, at daylight on the morning of the 1st +Jan. 1815, the whole of the troops were ordered under arms, and moved +forward to nearly the same points they occupied on the 28th ult. + +This morning there was an extremely thick fog, which greatly favoured +our movements, the Americans being, I believe, totally ignorant that any +alteration had taken place in the situation of our army. As soon as the +fog cleared away, our artillery opened out a tremendous and thundering +cannonade upon the enemy's line, which so completely astonished them, +that there was not a shot returned for twenty minutes at least, so +little did they expect heavy artillery there. Nay, we heard afterwards +that a great number of the irregular troops were so alarmed, that they +actually quitted the lines without orders, and were posting off to New +Orleans, and were with great difficulty brought back again. As soon as +they perceived, however, that nothing more than a cannonade was +intended, and that our troops did not advance to the attack, they +commenced gradually with their artillery against ours, the fire of which +increasing as their confidence increased, they were not long in +silencing our guns, and in dismounting some of them. The fact is, our +works had been thrown up in such haste, that they were not nearly so +strong as they ought to have been made, had there been more time; the +consequence was, their shot penetrated into every part of our works, and +caused us not only considerable loss in artillerymen, (with one officer +killed,) but, as I said before, actually dismounted a great many of our +guns. This consequently entirely failed of having the desired effect; +but with such a very favourable opportunity as this morning's fog +presented, together with the alarm and terror with which the enemy were +struck on opening our artillery upon them, there is not the most distant +doubt that we should have at once got possession of their lines, had we +but advanced to the attack. It is true, we were not prepared for passing +the ditch, having no fascines or other necessaries for that purpose; but +the resistance, in my opinion, would have been so slight, that we might +almost have chosen our own place to cross it; and it was not very deep +at any place. The battalion of sailors were quite annoyed at being kept +looking on, while so fair an opportunity, as they thought, offered, and +were crying out one to another, "Why don't we go on? what is keeping us +back?" + +'Tis not to be doubted that the first effect of any new thing in warfare +is always the most certain of producing success, particularly against +inexperienced troops; but let them see and know the whole of the effects +that such a thing is calculated to produce, and the alarm wears off, and +confidence and courage return with wonderful rapidity. So it was here; +the first fire of our guns struck them dumb with amazement and +terror--But mark the contrast! Both the latter part of this day, and on +the 8th, at the general attack, how little they seemed to care for all +the artillery we could bring against them! Their gun, a 32-pounder, was +a most bitter antagonist to our principal battery. This happened to be +erected nearly in front of that part of the line where this gun was +situated, and when it fired, its shot always struck the battery at the +first bound, and then it ricocheted into the redoubt where I had taken +up my post. General Keane, with a part of his brigade, was in this +latter work, and some of them narrowly escaped the effects of the +numerous balls thrown from this gun. We were told the captain of the +schooner, after having been deprived of his vessel, had been appointed +to the charge and management of this gun, with some of his crew to work +it; and indeed it seemed very like the bitter and determined manner of +our former opponent, for any of the other guns seemed like children's +play to the unceasing and destructive fire of this heavy piece of +ordnance. I could distinctly see that they were sailors that worked +it--one of whom, a large mulatto, with a red shirt, always spunging her +out after firing. + +In what I am going to relate, I know I shall incur the risk of being +deemed a _traveller_ by some of my readers, but that shall not deter me +from telling what I plainly and repeatedly saw with my own eyes, +assisted by a glass. At the distance of three quarters of a mile, I +could distinctly perceive the ball from this gun every time it was +fired, it appearing like a small black spot in the midst of the column +of white smoke, and which gradually grew larger in appearance as it +approached us. In many instances I was providentially the cause of +saving some of the men who were in the redoubt with us, because, seeing +which way the ball was coming, I told them when to lie down; and on one +occasion was the shave so close, that it actually carried away one of +the men's packs as he lay on the ground. Another shot struck about +three feet above our heads, and carried away part of a piece of timber +which supported a shed just behind us. + +I forgot to mention, that, after the 28th, the Americans, conceiving +that the guns of the ship would be of more use if taken out and placed +in batteries, this was accordingly done; the greater part of them being +planted on the other side of the river, and being completely on our +flank, were enabled to annoy our people considerably, who were posted +near the great road. + +About two or three o'clock in the afternoon of the 1st, the army began +again to retire to its bivouack, leaving covering parties to protect the +batteries; and after night, the whole having formed, working parties +were sent to bring off as many of the heavy guns as possible. Some of +these, however, they were obliged to bury in the earth, not being able +to drag them away before daylight next morning. This work seemed more +oppressive and fatiguing to the troops than the bringing of them up did, +inasmuch as they were animated in the latter instance by the hope of +their being able to effect something against the enemy through their +toil and labour; but now disappointment added poignancy to their +sufferings. However, although things began to assume not quite so +favourable an aspect as formerly, yet every thing was borne with the +greatest good-will, as they were still confident of all their laborious +services being ultimately crowned with success. In all these fatiguing +services, the sailors bore an ample share, and were of the very utmost +benefit to the whole army, for they could readily contrive the means of +moving those immense masses of metal by purchases, &c., which to a +soldier would be utterly impossible. Indeed, throughout the whole +service, the gallant tars deserved the very highest praise, for they +were equally brave as laborious and willing. + +All hands, both soldiers and sailors, had been up the whole of the night +of the 31st, and now up again all night of the 1st. This was very +trying, no doubt. If any thing like dissatisfaction was evinced, this +incessant toil and want of rest in encountering it, arose more from a +desire to be led on to the attack, than from any wish to be rid of their +labours, however painful these were. As this attempt had failed, no +other scheme now appeared to present itself, but a vigorous and well +sustained attack on their line; for several efforts had been made to +penetrate through the wood, to endeavour to ascertain whether it was +possible to turn their position at that point, but all these efforts had +failed. The last that was attempted was conducted by Lieutenant Wright +of the engineers, but both himself and nearly all his party perished; +for it seems they fell in with a body of American riflemen, who, being +much better accustomed to travelling in woods than our people were, fell +on them, and, as said before, nearly cut off the whole party; yet it is +evident it was not utterly impassable, or the two parties could not have +met. + +I do not recollect to what regiment the men belonged who accompanied +Wright, but think it probable they were altogether unacquainted with +that description of service, which led them into the fatal snare in +which they fell. I am confident I saw blacks, who passed and repassed by +the wood, but it is certain that no attempt upon a large scale could be +made in that direction to turn their position; and it was probably the +better plan to abandon the idea altogether. A very excellent expedient +was however devised, for the purpose of turning the right flank of the +enemy; it was certainly a bold and vigorous idea, and one which, if +successful, would no doubt have secured to us the victory and the +possession of New Orleans. This was no less than cutting a canal, in +order to unite the Mississippi with the lake by which we had arrived, +and by getting boats out of the latter into the river, to transport a +sufficient number of men to the opposite shore, for the purpose of +making a diversion in aid of the principal attack on this side. + +Nothing could exceed the grandness of the conception. Accordingly, all +hands were set to work to widen and deepen the rill of water which flows +into the creek at the landing-place, and, continuing it up past Monsieur +Villerey's house, to let it enter the river a little above that point. +This, as may easily be conceived, was most laborious and dirty work; +and, lest the health and spirits of the troops should suffer from such +incessant fatigue, they were told off into four watches or spells, each +of which followed the other in regular succession, so that the work +never stood still. When it had reached near the house and high-road, +screens were put up on the latter, to prevent the enemy on the opposite +bank of the river from seeing what was carrying on; but as the blacks +were passing and repassing almost continually by the wood, as I before +mentioned, no doubt the Americans were well acquainted with what we were +doing. + +On the ---- General Lambert arrived with the 7th and 43d regiments, to +our great joy, two finer regiments not being in the service. +Consequently every eye now sparkled with hope, that our labours and +privations would soon terminate, as every one confidently anticipated a +favourable result, and seemed still inclined to despise that enemy who +had shown us that we could not do so with impunity. We were glad to meet +many of our old Peninsular friends in these two fine corps, and of +course welcomed them to the New World in the best manner we were +capable of. They took up their ground a little in front of the canal +which was cutting, there not being room sufficient for them in the line +of our bivouack. We were now about 7000 effective troops, and all +beginning to cheer up again, imagined nothing could withstand us. + +By the 6th the canal was finished, and the boats brought up into it. +There was obliged to be a lock in it at the entrance from the river, for +the strength of which Sir Edward, our Chief, I understand, expressed his +apprehensions, but was assured by the engineer that there was not the +slightest danger. I give this merely as report. + +On the 7th the arrangements for the attack next morning having been +completed, orders were issued to that effect. The arrangements were as +follows, viz.--a corps consisting of the 85th regiment, with 200 sailors +and 400 marines, and the 5th West India regiment, with four light +fieldpieces, the whole under the command of Colonel Thornton, was to +embark in boats by twelve o'clock, and to be all across the river by +daylight next morning. This force would amount to about 1200 or 1300 +men, and were destined to attack and carry the works on the opposite +bank, getting possession of the guns without allowing them to be spiked +if possible, when they were to be turned upon the right flank of the +enemy's position, on this side the river, to favour our attack. It is +clear, then, that this movement should precede that of the grand attack +by a considerable space of time. In the grand attack the troops were to +be disposed as follows, viz.--The right column, under General Gibbs, was +to consist of the 4th, 21st, 44th, and three companies of my battalion, +which latter were to extend as close to the enemy's work as possible, +previous to the advance of the column, and, by maintaining a constant +fire, were to endeavour to keep the enemy down as much as possible. The +44th was to be divided; one-half of that corps was to carry fascines, +&c., which they were to throw into the ditch on reaching it, in order +that the remaining regiments of that column might be able to pass it. +These fascines were to be had in the redoubt I before mentioned. The +other wing of the 44th was to lead that column, followed by the 21st, +and then the 4th, regiments. This was to be the principal attack. The +left column, commanded by General Keane, was to be composed as follows, +viz.--one company of the 7th, one of the 21st, one of the 43d, and two +of ours. The whole to be supported by the 93d regiment. These were to +make a feint attack upon the half-moon work which the enemy had +constructed near the river, and if opportunity offered, to turn it into +a real attack, and penetrate the enemy's line, co-operating with the +other column. Our two companies were to act here in the same manner as +the other three with whom they were to form a junction, thus covering +the whole front of the enemy's work. Some blacks of the 1st West India +regiment were to enter the wood on the right of our right column, and to +keep up as much noise as possible by firing and sounding bugles, &c. to +induce a belief that a large body of troops was moving in that +direction. The reserve, under General Lambert, was to consist of the 7th +and 43d regiments, and was to be so stationed as to be able to render +aid to either of the attacking columns. Strict orders were given that no +obstacle was to be permitted to retard the advance of the columns, but +that they were to press forward and endeavour to overcome every +hinderance that might present itself. + +As far as I recollect, and from the information I have since gained, +these were substantially the orders issued, and arrangements made, on +this occasion. The commanding-officers and heads of departments were +also assembled, and each told the part he had to perform; on which +occasion, I understand, the commanding-officer of the 44th expressed +himself in terms which I could scarcely conceive it possible could fall +from the lips of a soldier, which were, that "it was a forlorn hope with +the 44th." In all my campaigning I never yet heard a commanding-officer +who did not look upon the post of danger as the post of honour, and who +did not rejoice, as if a favour was conferred on him, when appointed to +an arduous or hazardous duty. Had the commanding-officer of the 44th +served in the Peninsula under our illustrious leader there, he would, I +am confident, have been animated by a quite different spirit. After dark +I went with my commanding-officer and adjutant to view the ground over +which our battalion was to march next morning, and to find out the +wooden bridges, &c. over some ditches which lay in the way, that no +delay might take place when they were to be called upon to act. + +I was sadly disappointed at our not meeting with any other +commanding-officers engaged in this most necessary duty, and at the time +I expressed my apprehensions as to the result. I pointed out to him the +different manner in which the business had been conducted previous to +the assault of Badajos, and previous to the attack on the enemy's +position on the Nivelle, where every commanding-officer, or others, who +had any particular duty assigned to them in the next day's operations, +were brought to ground from which it was clearly pointed out to them how +they were to move and act; but here all seemed apathy and fatal +security, arising from our too much despising our enemy. This latter, I +believe, was the principal cause of our not taking the necessary +precautions, and consequently of our failure; particularly the +commanding-officer of the 44th ought to have been brought and shown +where the fascines were lodged, that no excuse of ignorance on that +score might be pleaded. A rocket thrown up was to be the signal for the +troops to advance to the attack, after they had been properly posted +under the cover of night for that purpose. I own I did not at all feel +satisfied with what I had seen and heard, and retired to rest with a +considerable degree of despondency on my mind; and as I knew I could +render little aid to the service in a case like the present, I +determined I should not take any part in it, for I almost felt confident +of its failure. + +The whole of the troops were at their post by the time appointed; but, +unfortunately, as the sailors, &c. were getting the boats out of the +canal into the river, the lock gave way after only a very few had passed +it. Thus the whole business seemed at one blow to be totally ruined. +Every effort was made to remedy the evil, but it was irremediable. They +toiled, however, to get more boats into the river, but the delay had +been so great that it began to draw towards dawn before they had +effected any thing worth mentioning. Poor Sir Edward seemed like one +bereft of his reason, for this failure had blasted all his most sanguine +hopes; and as the troops were now close under the enemy's works, and +could not be withdrawn before daybreak, nor without being perceived by +the enemy, he thought it as dangerous to turn back as to go forward with +the operation, consequently he ordered the rocket to be fired, although +it was considerably past the time for the attack to take place, and no +troops on the opposite shore. As soon as this was done, he galloped to +the front. But the enemy had been quite prepared, and opened such a +heavy fire upon the different columns, and upon our line of skirmishers, +(which had been formed for some time within about 100 or 150 yards of +the enemy's work,) as it is not easy to conceive. I was not in it as I +said before, but I was so posted as to see it plainly. But the 44th, +with the fascines, were not to be found. Their commanding-officer had +taken them considerably past the redoubt where the fascines were placed, +and when he bethought him of what he had to do, he and his men were +obliged to turn back to seek them; and thus, when he ought to have been +in front to throw them into the ditch to allow the other troops to pass +over, he was nearly half a mile in rear seeking for them. But I believe +it would not have availed much had they been there in time, for the +right column never reached the point to which it was directed; but from +the dreadful fire of every kind poured into it, some of the battalions +began to waver, to halt and fire, and at last one of them completely +broke, and became disorganized. Sir Edward seeing this rushed forward +with his hat in his hand, and endeavouring to animate them by his +presence, he cheered them on to advance again; but at this moment he +fell, after receiving two wounds, the last of which was mortal. General +Gibbs also fell nearly at the same time mortally wounded, and was borne +off the field. Thus was the right and principal column deprived of both +its leaders; and although one regiment gave ground, and could not be +brought again to the attack, the other continued to keep in a body, +although any attempt now must be hopeless, and they were losing such +numbers of men that they must shortly be annihilated. They accordingly +retired without effecting any thing. + +The left column succeeded somewhat better; but, as things turned out, it +was only to enhance their own loss. They forced their way into the +circular work before mentioned, in which they made all the men who +defended it prisoners. But the canal still lay between them and the +main work, which was passed only by a plank; and being so few in +numbers, it would have been madness in them to attempt to go beyond +where they had at present stationed themselves. Indeed, they were in a +most critical situation; for, being within a few yards of the enemy's +main body, they could not move without being shot through the head by +their riflemen; and it was not till they had threatened to shoot the +prisoners they had taken, that they induced the Americans to desist from +attacking them; for by this time General Keane also had fallen severely +wounded, and the 93d had been nearly cut to pieces; and General Lambert, +with the reserve, had been obliged to advance and cover the retreat of +the other columns. Colonel Dale, who commanded the 93d, fell early in +the action, and the command devolved on Colonel Creagh; this officer, +being unwilling to retire his regiment without effecting the object +aimed at, although the men were literally mown down by the murderous +fire of the enemy, and the other column had given way, still endeavoured +to advance, but was at length reluctantly compelled to retrograde, +taking care to keep his men together. This showed a fine and noble +feeling in him, and is equally honourable to his gallant regiment; but +unfortunately it tended only to swell the list of killed and wounded on +this lamentable occasion. + +My people were thus left to shift for themselves, and to get away in the +best manner they could. But being extended, and not being so good an +object for the artillery to fire at as the columns, they escaped with +much less loss than could well be supposed. Some few of them reached the +ditch when they saw the columns advancing, and which they say could have +been passed with ease; but the columns never advanced so far, which had +they done, and that rapidly, their loss would not have been half so +great; for the enemy's troops in front of the right column were +evidently intimidated, and ceased firing for some seconds as the column +approached; and there is little doubt, had they pushed on to the ditch +with celerity, the Americans would have abandoned their line; at least, +such is my humble opinion. But the poor fellows on the left, who had +gained the only work which fell into our hands on this bank of the +river, were still detained there, unable either to advance or retreat; +and not one durst show his head above the parapet, or he was instantly +shot dead. + +Such was their confined and critical situation at this period, that an +officer of the 7th, whose name I forget, being himself rather tall, and +wearing at this time the high narrow-topped cap, could not squeeze in +sufficiently close to cover himself completely by the parapet, the top +of the high cap he wore sticking above the top of the work. This part of +the cap, which was visible to the Americans within the line, had no less +than four or five rifle-shots put through it while he lay there, but +without touching his head. All this information respecting these three +companies I had from Lieutenant Steele of the 43d, one of the officers +who was in the work. + +They were obliged at last to adopt a very singular but politic +expedient, which was, to make one of the American prisoners embrace a +man of the 43d, and thus to stand up together to see what was going +forward; for hitherto they were totally ignorant, from the causes above +assigned. The enemy durst not fire in such a case, for fear of killing +their own man. The news they now learned was most disheartening indeed, +which was, that the whole of the British had retired, and that the +Americans were coming out of their lines, and were moving in the +direction of that work. Nothing now remained but to surrender, or to +make an attempt to retreat, at the risk of being every man knocked +down. The latter, however, they preferred; on which Colonel Rennie, of +the 21st, who commanded these three companies, was the first to make the +experiment, and in doing which, the moment after he left the fort, he +fell to rise no more. They thought it better for them all to go at once, +and instantly the whole party made a rush out of the work. The greater +part of them providentially succeeded in effecting their escape, +although many a brave fellow fell in the attempt. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + + Bravery and Success of Colonel Thornton--Negotiation for leave + to transport the Wounded across the River--Insult offered to + the British--They retreat--Our Army embark, and determine to + make an Attack upon Mobile--Proceed in the direction of Mobile + Bay--A Brigade detached to reduce Fort Boyer--The Fort + surrenders, the Garrison becoming Prisoners of + War--Intelligence of a Treaty of Peace being concluded at + Ghent--Cessation of Hostilities. + + +It now remains to detail the operations of Colonel Thornton's party. It +will be seen, that, although his people were all ready at the appointed +hour, they could not get a sufficient number of boats to transport them +to the opposite shore. In fact, they did not get on board till it was +near daylight, and then only about one-half of the appointed number. +But, although at the risk of sacrificing himself and the few men he took +with him, he hesitated not to make the attempt of fulfilling his orders. +The signal for the general attack, however, was made before he could +reach the opposite bank, and he had then to land, and after making his +disposition with the few troops he had, to advance and attack a corps of +2000 men, mostly covered by works, some of which were extremely strong. +He dashed on, however, the advance of the enemy giving way before him, +till coming to their principal battery, he was obliged to detach a part +of his force through the wood on his left to turn their flank, while he +with the remainder attacked in front. This was conducted in such a +soldierlike manner, that, after a short conflict, the enemy gave way on +all sides, and retiring with precipitation, abandoned to the victors +batteries and works containing sixteen guns of various calibre. + +But, alas! all this success came too late; for the principal attack had +by this time ended in a total failure, attended with the loss of three +out of four generals, and with nearly 2000 officers and men killed, +wounded, and made prisoners. Had Providence prospered the work of the +canal, and the troops could have been got across at the appointed hour, +and in sufficient numbers, there is every reason to believe that the +effect produced on the main body by such a powerful diversion, would +have tended to the complete overthrow of the whole force before us; for +so insecure did General Jackson feel himself to be after our +establishment on the other bank of the river, and so alarmed at its +consequences, that, in the evening of the fatal day, he would not +consent to a cessation of hostilities, to enable us to bring off our +numerous wounded, till General Lambert (who had now succeeded to the +command) agreed as a preliminary to withdraw the force under Colonel +Thornton from that bank; and this, although with great reluctance, the +General was compelled from motives of humanity and other causes to +consent to. + +Before, however, a final answer was returned to General Jackson, I +believe it was suggested to our General, that, with the possession of +the other bank of the river, and with the 7th and 43d nearly yet entire, +and with the remainders of the other regiments, our chances of success +had not yet entirely departed, particularly as Jackson evinced such +eagerness for our withdrawing from that bank. General Lambert in +consequence used means to ascertain the feelings of the troops on this +proposition, but without their knowledge of his having done so; but I +regret to state, they seemed utterly hopeless of ever being able to +overcome such formidable difficulties as had presented themselves, +particularly now that their means of overcoming them had been so +lamentably diminished. The idea was consequently abandoned. + +In this negotiation between the Generals, which continued for some +hours, Lieutenant-colonel Smith, our assistant adjutant-general, had +repeatedly to pass from army to army with flags of truce, before the +matter could be finally arranged. This officer was most indefatigable in +his exertions on this unfortunate expedition, and to him the army is +greatly indebted for his zeal, ability, and gallantry, on this and every +other occasion where they could be of service to his country, and by +those in authority no doubt they are duly appreciated. + +Thus terminated the fatal attack on the lines of New Orleans--a +termination probably as disastrous in its consequences as any of modern +date--not even excepting that of Buenos Ayres; for that, discreditable +as it was to our arms, did not cost the lives of such a number of fine +soldiers; and I fear we have not yet experienced the full consequences +of this failure, for it is certain that the Americans are greatly +elevated by it in their own estimation, and it is not improbable they +may be thence induced to maintain a higher tone in all their future +negotiations with this country. + +One instance may be to the point, as showing the feeling of individuals +of that country on this subject. A fellow in the shape of an officer +asked Colonel Smith, (I think it was,) "Well, what do you think of we +Yankees? Don't you think we could lick any of the troops of the +continent easily?"--"I don't know that," says our officer.--"Why, I'll +prove to you," says Jonathan, "that we have shown ourselves the best +troops in the world. Didn't the French beat the troops of every other +continental nation? Didn't you beat the French in the Peninsula? and +haven't we beat you just now?" This of course was conclusive, and no +farther argument on that subject could be advanced. + +The remainder of the troops retired in the evening to their sorrowful +bivouack, worn out and sadly dispirited. All that night was of course +devoted to bringing off the unfortunate wounded; but several of those +who fell far in advance had been taken into the American lines, and, I +have every reason to believe, were treated with the greatest humanity. +Every effort was used, during the continuance of the truce, to bring +away the great numbers who lay wounded in the different parts of the +field; and on this as on all other occasions, the sailors with their +officers, evinced the utmost solicitude to render assistance to the +army; a great number of them were employed all night on this distressing +duty. During the whole of that afternoon, both while the negotiations +were pending, and at other times, the American officers were unceasing +in their endeavours to induce our soldiers to desert and join their +army. Too many, I regret to say, listened to their offers, and accepted +them. To some they promised promotion, to others money or grants of +land; in short, they were more like recruiting sergeants, I understand, +than the officers of a hostile army. My battalion did not quit the field +till after dark, and it is from some of them I have this information. A +group of two sergeants and a private of ours were accosted by an +American officer of artillery with a request that they would enter the +service of the United States; that the sergeants should be promoted if +they wished to serve, or that they should have grants of land if they +preferred a civil life; but that, if they chose to enter the army, he +would ensure them the rank of officers. Our people listened to this +harangue for some time, and then began, I regret to say, to give him +some bad language; telling him, at the same time, that they would rather +be privates in the British army, than officers among such a set of +raggamuffins as the Americans, and told him to sheer off or they would +fire upon him. This so exasperated the cowardly villain, that he went +off instantly into the line, they watching him all the while, and +pointing the gun, of which, it seems, he had charge, it was fired, and +knocked down the private, who was only wounded, however, by the shot. +Innumerable attempts of this nature were made both now and all the time +we remained before their lines subsequently, but which attempts, I am +proud to say, as far as I have been able to learn, failed in every +instance in the men of my battalion. + +Much about the same time, an American soldier came within about 150 +yards of our line, and began to plunder such of the killed or wounded +men as he thought possessed of any thing valuable. He at length +commenced upon a poor wounded man belonging to my battalion, which being +perceived by a Corporal Scott of ours, he asked permission from his +captain to take a shot at him. This being granted, (although a sort of +truce had been established while the negotiations were going on,) he +took up his rifle, and taking a steady aim, he fired, and tumbled the +plundering villain right over the body of the poor wounded man. + +The loss of our five companies in this attack amounted to seven officers +and about ---- men killed and wounded. Some of the other regiments, the +93d in particular, had suffered dreadfully, having lost more than half +their numbers. The sad ceremony of burying such of the officers whose +bodies had been recovered, together with attention to the wounded, +occupied several days from this period, and sending the wounded, who +were able to bear removal, to the shipping, kept great numbers of the +remaining men continually employed; and the attention of all was now +turned towards drawing off from this scene of our late disastrous +attempt. + +The General entered into a negotiation with Jackson about being +permitted to send a portion of our wounded down the river in boats; for +which permission some equivalent, which I forget, was to be granted on +our part, and which, after considerable discussion, was eventually +agreed to. The sick, the wounded, the stores of every description, were +now despatched as fast as circumstances would allow; but the effecting +of this occupied not less than nine days, during the whole of which time +the enemy was incessant in his attempts to harass and annoy us. All +their heavy ordnance was brought to bear on our bivouack; the +sugar-house our people occupied, and even the head-quarters, did not +escape; night and day they kept up a fire of shot and shells upon these +points; but the distance being considerable, no very great mischief +resulted from it, further than the continual state of uneasiness and +alarm in which it kept the troops. On one occasion, however, a shell was +thrown into the lines of the 43d, who had since the attack occupied a +part of the general bivouack, and which, falling into a hut occupied by +Lieutenant Darcy of that regiment, while he lay asleep, carried off both +his legs as it fell. Poor fellow! he would thus be awakened in a rough +manner indeed. I have since seen him in Dublin, the government having +kindly compensated him by giving him a company, and I believe two +pensions. + +Several shells were thrown into the head-quarters premises, but +providentially without injuring any one. One fell in the yard while a +party of troops was halted there for a short while, and which falling on +one of the men's knapsacks, which he had put off, it carried it, with +itself, not less than six feet deep into the earth. It did not explode. +Some fell on the roof, which penetrated through all the stories to the +very ground. Every night also the picquets were kept in a state of +agitation and alarm by the continual attacks of small parties of our +skulking enemy, and my battalion, as did the others also, lost +considerable numbers by this petty warfare. In short, the men's lives +began almost to be a burden to them. + +There was another source of annoyance adopted on the part of the +Americans on this occasion, but which, affecting only the mental, and +not the bodily powers of our soldiers, was not so much heeded. Every day +almost they assembled in large bodies on the parapet of their line, with +flags of various descriptions, some with "sailors' rights" and numerous +other devices, &c. painted on them, using the most insulting +gesticulations towards those who were near enough to see them, a band +playing Yankee Doodle, and other national airs, all the while, and +sometimes ironically favouring us with Rule Britannia. Considerable +numbers of our men deserted about this time. Every encumbrance being +removed, however, by the 17th, orders were issued for the march of the +army on the following evening soon after dark, leaving the picquets as a +rearguard, which were not to march till a short while before daylight. +In retiring, some of the wounded, who were unable to bear removal, were +necessarily left in the houses where they had been collected; but there +were not many so left, and no doubt the enemy acted humanely by them. +There were seven men of my battalion left, out of which three rejoined +us after the conclusion of peace; the other four, I believe, were very +badly wounded, and died in consequence. It was also necessary to abandon +such of the guns as remained in the advanced batteries, because, both +from their weight and their being so near the enemy, they could not be +brought off without exposing our intentions of retreating. Neither were +these numerous, and most of them only iron ship-guns, which are of no +great value. + +The movement commenced according to the preconcerted plan, and being +conducted with secrecy and regularity, every soldier was brought off, +over a country almost impassable, and where, if followed and harassed by +an enterprising enemy, great numbers must have either fallen into their +hands or perished in the swamp. But I believe, had the Americans even +been aware of our intention, they would have hesitated before they came +into collision with our highly exasperated army, and would scarcely have +dared to attack us in the open field: they had had enough of that work +on the 23d, to give them a specimen of what British soldiers could do +when met fairly, front to front. + +The marsh, it may be necessary to mention, extended from the lower skirt +of the wood to the fishermen's huts at the mouth of the creek. This +creek we had sailed up on our advance, but this could not possibly be +the case at present, both on account of our numbers being much too great +for the number of boats, and of the danger to which it would have +exposed the troops had they been attacked from the shore, but +principally on the former account; a sort of road had therefore been +constructed by our artificers, by cutting down boughs from the wood, and +laying them across such places as required something on the surface on +which to tread. This road extended, as nigh as I can judge, about eight +or ten miles, and in passing which numerous slips were made into the +sloughs on each side; but there being plenty of assistance generally at +hand, they helped each other out: some men, I understand, were lost, +however, in this night-march through the swamp. + +Having arrived at the huts before-mentioned, the whole army set about +forming such places of shelter as the desert swamp afforded. There were +certainly reeds in abundance, but we wanted some sort of timbers for the +support of the outward covering. We, however, did the best we could; and +now every exertion was made by the navy to bring the army off from this +most uncomfortable place of abode, and regiment after regiment were +despatched as fast as the boats and other small craft could go and +return, the distance from hence to the shipping being about seventy +miles. While we remained here, we who were fond of shooting found plenty +of wild-ducks on which to exercise our sporting abilities; but, alas! we +wanted shot, and were therefore seldom able to bring home a couple for +dinner. + +A considerable number of slaves, belonging to the estates where we had +lately been stationed, followed us down thus far, some of whom would not +return, but were afterwards sent on board of ship. These, male and +female, often amused us with their native dances, the men generally +having a number of rings or bells about them, which sounded as they kept +time to the tune. Some of their dances were, however, far from decent, +particularly on the part of the females, which, it may be supposed, +highly delighted some of our young and thoughtless countrymen. Some were +induced to return to their masters: for those who came on board of ship, +I believe it was not till very lately that the two governments came to +terms as to the remuneration which their owners claimed for them. + +At length the turn came for my battalion to go on board, which we did on +the 25th of January, when our whole five companies were put on board the +Dover, the ship that had brought out two companies of the battalion, and +which were then not much fewer in number than the five at present were; +in fact, we had lost more than half. The whole army did not get embarked +till ----, when the 7th Fusileers came on board. This regiment had been +necessarily left alone at the fishermen's huts till the boats could +return, as before stated, to bring them off, and yet even this single +battalion the enemy, with upwards of 10,000 men, dared not come down and +attack, although there were no works to protect it in this exposed +situation. Nothing could possibly demonstrate more fully and clearly, +that, notwithstanding the repulse they had unfortunately given our +troops, they dreaded them in the open country; or else it must be +attributed to the prudent sagacity of their leader, who, having gained a +victory which he had previously scarce dared to hope for, now wisely +resolved not to risk the tarnishing of his dear-bought laurels. It is +not an easy matter to reconcile this cautious and timid conduct with +their furious onset on the night of the 23d, and with their boasting +speeches after our failure on the 8th instant. + +Now, while we remain at rest for a short while on board of ship, let us +take a retrospective glance at the late events. It is certain we were +singularly unfortunate. Providence, which had smiled upon us in our late +operations against the most formidable army in the world, the French, +here taught us most painfully, that the victory is not always to be +gained by strength or courage. Indeed it was but a just punishment for +the contempt we entertained for our opponents, and which unfortunate +feeling, I believe, was almost universal. I own I entertained it in a +high degree; for I judged it next to a moral impossibility that an army +of undisciplined and unmanageable peasants, however numerous, could for +a moment withstand the attack of those troops who had overthrown the +victorious legions of Bonaparte. But every soldier was a patriot, and +they fought for their country, and for a country of all others most +suitable for the operations of such troops; full of fastnesses, composed +of creeks, and necks, and woods, &c. of all which they did not fail to +take the utmost advantage. For this work of theirs, constructed on a +spot of ground said to have been pointed out by General Moreau, +completely shut us out from all approach towards the town, and +compensated for every disadvantage under which they, as irregulars, +laboured; for it was not only a formidable barrier to our army, but it +gave them, by the protection it afforded their persons, all the +steadiness of troops inured to combat, and permitted them the full +exercise of that superior skill as marksmen for which they are famed, +and which exposure in the open field would have deprived them of; for +here they were covered up to the chin, and suffered comparatively +nothing from all our fire. + +But I fear we have something for which to blame ourselves on this +occasion. It is certain, I believe, that they had been timely apprized +of the destination of our expedition, however secret we pretended to +keep it ourselves, and if rumour may in such a case be permitted to go +for any thing, it is said that information was conveyed from Jamaica to +New Orleans direct by a French ship, which left the former for the +latter place some time before our arrival. How she came into the +possession of that information, I cannot justly tell. It is certain, +however, that the Americans must have had timely notice, or General +Jackson could not have had the men from Kentucky and Tennessee to +oppose us the first night we landed. + +I before hazarded an opinion, that had we pushed forward on the 24th +December, we should in all probability have proved successful. I will +say nothing as to the point of debarkation being well or ill chosen, +although many have said we should have been more likely to succeed had +we attacked Fort ----, which, after carrying, would have allowed us to +land behind the town, instead of three leagues below it. These things I +am totally incapable of judging of, from my ignorance of the country. I +also before expressed my opinion, that had we attacked on New Year's +Day, when our artillery produced such an effect on the appalled +Americans, we should have had a better chance of carrying their works. + +Another thing in which I venture to differ from the plan adopted by our +lamented commander, is, that I would have employed the 7th and 43d to +the post of honour, instead of keeping them in reserve. They, it was +well known, had each established a reputation for being the finest +regiments in the service, and every reliance might have been placed in +their executing whatever task was assigned them, if executable by human +powers. Far different was it with those who unfortunately led the +attack, for except one of the regiments of the attacking column, they +had not any of them been conspicuous as fighting regiments. + +It was, I believe, a well known maxim of Bonaparte's, always to put his +best troops in front; if they were successful, their example served to +stimulate the others to copy their example; if unsuccessful, their +discipline and valour never permitted them to become so totally +disorganized as to render the reverse irretrievable. The onset also of +these better troops, must produce a far different effect on the enemy +than the hesitating and dispirited attack of inferior ones. Had our +troops on this occasion rushed forward to the ditch in double quick +time, or at least at a quick march, I venture to affirm the work would +have been carried with the fourth part of the loss of what they +suffered. Reason itself must point out to any man, whether acquainted +with military matters or not, that to move slowly under a galling fire +is more trying and destructive to the troops so moving, than to rush at +once to the point aimed at; but much more, to halt at the very point +where every fire-arm can be brought to bear upon them with the deadliest +effect, is of all other modes of proceeding the least likely to succeed. +They were thus exposed for hours to as destructive a fire as ever was +poured upon the heads of an attacking army, while, had they pushed on at +the rate I mention, a few minutes would have sufficed to put them from +under the fire of the artillery at least, for when close to the ditch, +it could not be brought to bear upon them. Mark the mode in which the +three companies on the left effected the task assigned to them. Before +the enemy were aware almost that they were to be attacked, these troops +were in possession of the work they were destined to storm; so quickly +indeed that the defenders of that work had not time to effect their +retreat, and were, as before noticed, made prisoners by the attacking +party. This not only secured their safety while left there by +themselves, but enabled them, in some degree, to effect their retreat +with less loss than they would otherwise have been exposed to. + +I have dwelt perhaps too long on this, but of all other causes I deem +this to have been the greatest of our sad failure. It is lamentable, +however, to be obliged to confess, that ill conduct on the part of some +parties, but of one individual in particular, contributed in no small +degree to our repulse on this melancholy occasion. For the rest, +nothing could exceed the determined courage and patient endurance of +hardship that the army in general evinced, and certainly nothing could +exceed the gallantry of our leaders. + +It was now determined to make an attempt upon Mobile, a town lying about +thirty or forty leagues to the eastward of New Orleans. Accordingly, the +fleet got under weigh and proceeded in the direction of the entrance +into Mobile Bay, which is protected on the west side by shoals and Isle +Dauphine, and on the east by a fort, built on a point of land called +Mobile Point, and mounting about twenty pieces of heavy ordnance. Its +name is Fort Boyer, I believe. Before our arrival in this country, an +attempt had been made on this fort by one of our frigates, but which +entirely failed, owing to her taking the ground on the shoals before +mentioned. As she could not be got off, and as she lay under the fire of +the fort, her crew were compelled to abandon her, but, I believe, not +till they had first set her on fire; her wreck lay here when we came. +Until this fort was taken, no vessel of any size could enter the bay, +consequently it became necessary to attack it in form. The brigade +formerly General Gibbs's, consisting of the 4th, 21st, and 44th, was +therefore landed a little behind the point, and proceeded without delay +to invest it; the remainder of the troops were landed on Isle Dauphine. + +We were put on shore on the 8th February, and instantly commenced +hutting ourselves by brigades. Some of the officers had tents issued out +to them; the acting Quartermaster and myself had one between us. This +island is almost covered with pine-wood, but in other respects it is +nearly a desert, and without any inhabitants resident on it, save one +family, a Mr Rooney, formerly from Belfast I understand, but now a +naturalized American. He was married to a native of Louisiana, a lady +of French extraction. He had been a midshipman in the American navy, but +had been dismissed for some misconduct, it was said, and banished to +this island. He appeared to us to be no great things. + +I omitted to mention that the 40th regiment had arrived from England +before we left the banks of the Mississippi, but it being after the +failure they were of no use, and were consequently not permitted to +land. They were afterwards placed in our brigade, which now bivouacked +near to the point of the island facing the bay. When we arrived, the +island contained a considerable number of cattle, with pigs, &c. +belonging to Rooney, but which had been permitted, as is customary in +this country, to run wild in the woods, there being no danger of their +leaving the island. These, however, soon fell a prey to such hungry +fellows as we were, who had been for some time past on rather short +commons. But they did not answer our expectations, being in taste, what +may appear singular, quite fishy. This was attributed to their feeding +so much on marine vegetables, there being little other pasture for them +on the island. + +A hoax was played off upon great numbers of our young hands respecting +this fishiness. There was on one point of the island a considerable +oyster-bed, and it was generally pretty near this that the cattle were +found and shot, that being the most distant from our bivouack. It was +therefore said the flesh of the cattle became of that peculiar flavour +from feeding upon oysters. Some, without reflecting, credited this +strange story, as the assertor generally said he had seen the cattle +opening the oysters with their tongues. This oyster-bed, however, was a +source of great luxury to us, for it not only afforded us the means of +rendering the salt junk more palatable by having an excellent sauce to +make it go down, but it even afforded a most wholesome and delicious +meal upon occasions by eating them raw. We also made the best use of our +time when not employed on military affairs, in endeavouring to catch as +many fish as we could; and for this purpose, my mess purchased from one +of the poor Spanish fishermen before mentioned (and who, for the +information and kindness they had shown us, were obliged to quit their +habitations and follow us), an excellent casting-net, with which the +acting Quartermaster and myself occupied ourselves from day to day, +generally bringing home a sufficient quantity of fish to serve our mess. +I never laboured more assiduously in any occupation than I did in this, +not only from a relish for such amusement, but because we really wanted +something to eke out our scanty meals. We at length got a siene-net from +one of the men-of-war, with which we were not only able to supply +ourselves most abundantly, but always had a large quantity to give away +to the soldiers. Wild-fowl also were very plentiful when we first +entered the island; but from the number killed, and the constant +shooting at them, they soon became scarce and difficult to get at. + +Here also there were abundance of alligators, and on our fishing and +shooting excursions we frequently started them from their +lurking-places, which were generally among the reeds by the side of an +inland lake, or rather creek of the sea. On these occasions we seldom +saw them, for they always endeavoured to avoid us; but wherever they ran +along the bottom of the water, they stirred up the mud so greatly all +the track they took, that we had no difficulty in tracing them. I never +remember to have seen a live one on these occasions, but a dead one once +afforded us considerable amusement. One evening, on our return home from +our constant occupation, there being three or four of us of the party, I +was in front, and the acting Quartermaster and the others in the rear +of me. On a sudden I was alarmed by the cry of "Oh stop, here's an +alligator!" and before I could look round, a shot was fired apparently +into the earth, close beside their feet. I went back to see what was the +matter, and found indeed, as he had said, an alligator, but one which I +suppose had been dead for several months at least. It was buried in the +sand, and only a part of its body appeared; but whether he imagined it +might have placed itself in that situation intentionally, with the view +of enticing its prey within its reach, or what other thought he had, I +cannot tell, but, to make assurance doubly sure, he fired his rifle +right into the body of the half-rotten alligator. He was long and often +severely roasted about this afterwards. A young one was caught alive, +however, by some of the 14th dragoons, and brought home to England, and +afterwards, I understand, presented to the British Museum. All this +while the siege of the fort was going forward, but as we had nothing to +do with it, we had plenty of time, not only to hunt for extra prog, but +to amuse ourselves in any other manner we pleased. + +The army, about this time, was inspected by our Chief, General Lambert, +by battalions. My kind late commanding-officer, Captain Travers, who was +severely wounded at the attack on the 8th, had rejoined by this time, +although still very lame. During the inspection, the General said to +him, "Travers, I am sorry to hear that your sergeant-major ran away on +the night of the 23d, during the attack."--"That is impossible, +General," said Travers, "for he fought as bravely as any man could +possibly do, and was carried off the field near the end of the fight, +severely wounded. But I have a guess what has given rise to this report. +A sergeant of ours left his battalion, I believe, either during or after +the fight, and having taken up his quarters near one of the houses +where the wounded were carried, the surgeon pressed him to remain with +him as hospital-sergeant. I made efforts to have him sent to his +battalion, but could not get it done. This must have been the cause of +such a story having got abroad."--"Ah," says the General, "I am sorry +that the poor sergeant-major should have lain under a stigma, of which +he was altogether undeserving; and, now since we have done him an +involuntary injustice, and he is a deserving man, we must try what +amends we can make him for it." He accordingly recommended him for an +ensigncy in one of the West India regiments; and before that day +twelvemonth, he had risen to the rank of lieutenant. Nothing could be +finer than the feeling of Sir John Lambert on this occasion; indeed, he +has always shown himself a most excellent upright man, and a gallant +officer. + +About this time, a Russian vessel was detained going up to New Orleans +with a cargo of wine from Bordeaux; but although she would, I doubt not, +have been a legal capture, for breaking the blockade, the master was +permitted to dispose of his cargo to our army, and an excellent thing he +made of it, for the wine, which he must have purchased for about one +shilling or one and sixpence a bottle, he charged us in general about +four shillings for; we were glad, however, to get it at any price, and a +most seasonable supply it was indeed. On one of our shooting excursions, +an officer of ours fell in with a sow and two or three pigs, in the +wood; he instantly fired at one of the pigs and killed it; but when +going to pick it up, the sow set upon him with such fury, that he was +glad to abandon his prize, and retreat with precipitation. + +When the army landed near New Orleans, the 14th light dragoons had taken +their saddles and other horse equipments with them, in hopes of being +able to get mounted in the country; and which, being bulky, required a +good large boat to bring off again. They were therefore put on board a +considerable-sized one, with an officer of the regiment and a guard to +protect them. On their way down towards the shipping, night overtook +them before they could reach their destination, on which they pushed +towards the shore, whether of an island or the mainland, I cannot say, +in hopes of being more secure for the night; they consequently put on a +sentry, and all lay down in the boat to sleep. Soon afterwards, however, +a boat came rowing rapidly alongside, and before the sentry could +discover who or what they were, they boarded, and instantly made the +party all prisoners. The officer, I believe, when called on to deliver +up his sword, was so annoyed at being trapped in such a manner, that he +threw it into the lake, as far as he could fling it. The American +officer who captured them was a lieutenant in their navy, and went by +the name of Commodore Shiel (for every fellow is a commodore who +commands even a few boats). He was so elated by his success on this +occasion, and, I believe, by having taken another boat with stores, that +he boasted to his prisoners, that he would take even Admiral Cochrane +himself yet, before he left the country. + +While we remained on Isle Dauphine, a commissary, with a sergeant and +party of our men, were sent on shore, on the mainland, to shoot bullocks +for the supply of the army. They had landed, and the commissary, with +the sergeant and I think two men, went off into the neighbouring wood, +leaving the two or three other men at the landing-place to protect the +boat. Here again Mr Shiel made his appearance, quite suddenly and +unexpectedly, having come round a jutting point before the men were +aware of his presence; he instantly, of course, made them prisoners, +and, taking their arms from them, he put them on board their own boat, +then, sending a part of his crew on board to manage it, despatched it +for the American harbour. He now with a few more of his people went in +search of the commissary and his party, whom he soon found; and they +seeing resistance would be vain, when their own boat was departed, were +compelled at once to surrender. He instantly put them into his own boat; +and taking the commissary into the after-sheets alongside of himself, +the sergeant and the other men were put forward to the head of the boat. +Whether any preconcerted scheme and signal had been agreed upon between +the commissary and the sergeant, I do not know, but an opportunity soon +after offering, the commissary gave the sergeant the wink, and instantly +seizing Mr Shiel by the thighs, pitched him right overboard in an +instant; the sergeant, at the same moment, seizing the stoutest of +Shiel's men, and serving him in a like manner. The others being attacked +by the remaining two men, at once surrendered, and, I believe, suffered +themselves to be bound; and our people, having now resumed their arms +and become masters of the boat, admitted Mr Shiel, who, I fancy, had +clung to the boat to prevent his drowning, to come once more on board. +What became of the other man who was thrown over, I know not; whether he +swam on shore, or was drowned, or was afterwards taken into the boat, I +cannot tell; but the result was, that the great, the boasting Commodore +Shiel, was brought to the island a prisoner, where he landed like a +drowned rat, and quite chopfallen. + +The commissary, who was a fine, stout, and gallant young fellow, spoke +highly in praise of Tom Fukes, our sergeant, for his bravery and good +management on the occasion. + +At length the works being all completed for battering the fort, Colonel +Smith was sent in with a flag of truce to demand its surrender. The +commandant was quite undecided how to act, and asked the Colonel what +he, as a man of honour, would advise him to do. "Why," says the Colonel, +"do you not see that our guns are now overlooking your whole work, and +that we could, in a very short time, knock it down about your ears? I +have no hesitation in telling you, that the rules of war will fully +justify you in surrendering to such a superior force, and when the siege +has advanced to such a point as it actually is." His arguments, together +with the truth of his statements, at length overcame the courage and +determination of Jonathan, and he instantly agreed to surrender, the +garrison, afterwards becoming prisoners of war, marching out and laying +down their arms on the glacis. + +Thus, on the 12th February, this important fortification fell into our +hands, together with 400 men of the 2d regiment of the United States, +and either one or two American colours. This obstacle removed, every +exertion was now made to advance up the lake to the attack of Mobile; +but on the 14th, a vessel arrived with the unexpected, but cheering +information, that peace had been concluded at Ghent between the two +nations, and that it only required the ratification of Mr Maddison, the +United States' president. Of course, all further operations of a warlike +nature were suspended for the present, till it was known whether the +treaty would be ratified or not. This ship also brought out the +notification of our two Generals, Lambert and Keane, being appointed +Knights of the Bath. Some of our Colonels also were included in the +list, viz. Blakeny of the the 7th, and Dickson of the royal artillery. + +And now nothing was thought of but amusement, and making ourselves as +comfortable as possible. But we began to get very short of provisions. +Our people were therefore obliged to send to the Havannah, where they +procured the strongest sort of beef I ever saw. It was not salted; but +after the cattle had been killed, all the thin belly part had been cut +round the whole bullock, in narrow stripes, of about two inches in +width; this being laid, or hung up in the sun, which is extremely +powerful in that country, it was dried without having the least +offensive taste or smell, farther than a little rancidity, which was not +by any means unpleasant; but when brought from on board, it had much +more the appearance of coils of ropes (for it was coiled up in a similar +manner) than provision for the use of man. An aide-de-camp of General +Lambert's, then Lieutenant, but now Major D'Este, son of his Royal +Highness the Duke of Sussex by Lady Augusta Murray, used frequently to +join the shooting party of our acting quartermaster and myself; and, on +one occasion, having obtained a canoe, a trip to the mainland was +projected, for the purpose of shooting; accordingly we took two or three +men with us, and started from the northernmost point of the island, that +being the nearest to the main, which we saw before us, and not more than +five or six miles distant. It was considered the best mode of proceeding +for us all to get into the boat, except one man, who was a famous wader, +(having often accompanied us in our expeditions around the island,) and +who was to wade as far out into the sea as he could, dragging the canoe +after him. This he could do very easily, for she was quite light, and +the water was exceeding shallow for a great distance into the sea. He +continued towing us in this manner for about half a mile, when, being +fairly up to his chin, he and we thought it was high time for him to +come on board; but, in doing this, he gave her such a cant as turned her +right over, and pitched us all into the water. I luckily had my eye +upon the man when he sprung to get into the canoe, and suspecting that +she could not bear so rough a pull, was ready; and accordingly, when I +saw her going, leaped out, without being plunged overhead, as all the +others were. But all our rifles, &c. were pitched out, and of course +sunk to the bottom, to which we were obliged to dive before we could get +them up. This accident put a stop to our excursion, and we waded out +again, looking extremely foolish. Nevertheless we ought to have been +truly thankful to Providence that it occurred before we got out of our +depth; for, with such a frail bark, it is more than probable some +accident would have happened before our return, had not this prevented +our further progress. + +Innumerable were our adventures of this nature, for the water was +delightfully warm, and having no military occupation at the time, we +could not find any better amusement. A party, indeed, suggested the +getting up of theatricals, which being approved on all hands, workmen +were instantly set about erecting the theatre-royal, Isle Dauphine. +This, of course, with the getting off of parts, occupied the managers +and the other performers for some time; but at length all being ready, +most excellent entertainments took place, following each other in quick +succession. At some of these parties, American officers, who now often +paid us visits, were highly entertained, and paid us high compliments, +not only as to the splendour and magnificence of our theatrical +representations, but to our ingenuity as displayed in hut-building, +which, they said, even surpassed the architectural abilities of the +Indians in that branch of the art,--a high compliment indeed! + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + + Ratification of the Treaty of Peace--Exchange of Prisoners--Our + Troops embark for England--When off the coast of Ireland, + receive intelligence of Bonaparte's escape from Elba--The + Author and his Battalion reach the Downs, and proceed to + Thorncliffe--Embark for France--Arrive at Paris, and occupy the + Champs Elysées--Review of the Russian Guards--Russian + Discipline--British Troops reviewed--Accident to Prince + Blucher--Amusements in Paris--The Allied Forces, except the + Army of Occupation, leave Paris--The Author's Battalion embark + for England--Reach Dover, and return to Thorncliffe--He obtains + leave of absence, and visits his Family--His Battalion ordered + to Ireland--Sets out to join it, accompanied by his Wife, who + dies three days after they reach Dublin--His Battalion + reduced--Joins the first Battalion at Gosport, which is ordered + to Scotland--Arrive at Leith, and march to Glasgow--The Author + returns home in ill health--His Father dies--Joins his + Battalion again--Winters at home--His Battalion ordered to + Ireland--Joins it at Belfast--They occupy different stations + during the Whiteboy Insurrection--Six companies of his + Battalion ordered to Nova Scotia, but the Author remains with + the other four companies--He is shortly ordered to proceed to + Nova Scotia--His health declines--Returns home in consequence, + takes advantage of Lord Palmerston's Bill, and retires on full + pay. + + +On the 5th March, the ratification of the treaty of peace, by Mr +Maddison, arrived; and now all our thoughts were turned towards our dear +native country. On the 15th also, all our poor fellows, who had been +made prisoners by the Americans, joined us at this island, an exchange +in consequence of peace having of course taken place. Many of these +were strange-looking figures when they came among us, most of them +having been stripped of great part of their uniforms, their caps +particularly, and wearing mocassins, a sort of Indian sandals, instead +of shoes or boots, and being so sunburnt as to be scarcely recognisable. + +Major Mitchell told us that General Jackson had treated him exceeding +harshly, because he did not choose to give the General such information +respecting our numbers, &c. as he wished. He also said he met with great +insolence on his way up to Natchez, where the prisoners were kept, from +the different parties of Kentucky men, and others, whom he met on their +way down "to take a shoot," as they termed it, "at his countrymen." He +met many thousands in this manner, so that 10 or 12,000 is the very +lowest number that Jackson could have had for the defence of his lines. + +I do not remember that we ever had Divine service performed during the +period of this expedition except once or twice, and that about this +time. Indeed the activity required of the army at all times, during the +continuance of hostilities, almost necessarily precluded it. At this +time I remember perfectly the preacher's text was, "My son, give me thy +heart." Alas! how few of the hearts of his hearers were given at that +time to Him who only had a right to demand them! I confess with shame +and sorrow, that almost any trifle, however unworthy, possessed a +greater interest in my heart than He who had formed it, and who alone is +worthy of supreme regard.--The good Lord pardon this neglect, for +Christ's sake! + +The regiments now began to go on board the different ships, as fast as +arrangements could be made to receive them; and when on board, they +sailed at once without waiting for the others, there being now no danger +of falling in with an enemy. The weather now began to grow exceedingly +warm, which brought out alligators and snakes in abundance. The latter +were extremely annoying, for they sometimes got into our very tents, and +one on one occasion so frightened a captain of ours (who was not afraid +of man) as to make him sprawl up the tent-pole to get out of its reach, +roaring out at the same time most lustily for help. It was killed and +put into a bottle of spirits, and I believe he brought it home. It was +an exceeding small one, but with the most beautiful crimson, or rather +pink-coloured wavy streak running down its back imaginable. We were told +it was one of the most venomous of all the American reptiles, save +probably the rattlesnake. + +The thunder and lightning also became very frequent, and the former, I +think, the most awfully grand I ever heard. It appeared to roll along +just on the very tops of the pine-trees, many of which indeed were +scathed to the very roots by the latter. + +On the 31st March our turn came to go on board, and we were rejoiced to +find that the Dover, our old friend was to be our principal ship, the +remainder of the men beyond what she could hold being sent on board the +Norfolk transport. While we were preparing for sea, I took a boat and a +party with a siene, and went on shore on a sandy point of the island, +where I had not been before, and in a short time caught a fine load of +fish, mostly grey mullet, with which we returned on board, greatly to +the satisfaction of all those who shared in them. Every thing being now +ready, we weighed and bid adieu to America on the 4th April, shaping our +course for the Havannah, where our captain intended to call for various +purposes, but principally to replenish his stock, which had begun to get +exceedingly low. + +On our passage thither we encountered a heavy gale, which detained us +longer than we had calculated for our voyage. We did not reach that +place till the 19th. Here we found ourselves once more in Espana, every +thing here being exactly like what you meet with in the mother +country,--the same stink of oil, garlic, and dried fish. Speaking of the +latter, which is called by them Bacalao, an officer of ours who kept a +journal, when describing this place, says, "The natives catch a great +quantity of fish on the coast, called Bacalao." Unfortunately it is not +called Bacalao till after it is dried, but Piscado. This brought, as it +might be expected, lots of laughter upon his head. + +I need not describe the Havannah, because any one who has a Gazetteer, +may there read an account of it; and which, though perhaps not +altogether a correct one, will be sufficient to give him an idea of what +it is; suffice it to say, it is an exceeding strong place, and would +not, I apprehend, be so easily taken, if the inhabitants are true to +their country, as it was in the year 1762. The capture of it at the time +above stated, made the place extremely interesting to me, for one of my +earliest and best friends served as a lieutenant in the 56th grenadiers +at the taking of it; and often have I heard him expatiate, with great +delight and animation, on the scenes he witnessed, and the dangers he +encountered, in this most arduous undertaking. He is now, poor man, no +more, having died only very lately, and I sincerely trust and hope he is +in peace. The Moro and the Punta, and all the other immense +fortifications, attracted my particular regard, on this old gentleman's +account; but so extremely jealous were the Spaniards, that they would +not permit even us, their late faithful helpers and friends, to view the +works. We visited the theatre, which is a fine building, but heavy and +badly lighted, but apparently well supplied with performers. The piece +on this occasion was Anthony and Cleopatra. There were also some +equestrian performers here from the United States. They had built a fine +circus, at about half a mile's distance from the city, to which every +one of course repaired. All the world was there; even little Connolly, +whom I had known at Cadiz as a major in the Spanish service, was here in +the command of a regiment, and had attained the rank of full Colonel. He +did not seem over anxious to recognise any of his former acquaintances, +nor even to let it be known that he was so much of a Briton as to have +acquaintance with any people of that country; in short, he wished to be +considered a complete Spaniard. I doubt not he is now a rank +apostolical. We paid a visit also to old Woodville, the famous +cigar-maker. He was an expatriated Englishman, from Portsmouth I +believe, obliged to flee his country on account of some smuggling +transaction, and, in doing this, he had changed his name. We found the +old man ill in bed, but able to sit up and speak with us. He wore an +immense long white beard, reaching down nearly to the bed as he sat up. +Yet this old man had a young black wife, and a whole fry of young +mulattoes running about the house like as many little pigs. He was very +kind, but apparently not over well to do. We bought each a considerable +quantity of his famed cigars, for which we paid him, I think, four +dollars a thousand--more, I apprehend, than he usually gets from the +Spaniards for them. + +Having laid in such sea stock as we could conveniently procure, and +having stored ourselves well with the delicious preserves of this +country, and withal bought a fine turtle, weighing about two cwt., on +the 24th we set sail for old and happy England, glad once more to set +our faces homeward. + +We had a quickish run through the Gulf of Florida, or, as it is more +properly called, the Bahama Channel, and, keeping to the northward of +Bermuda, shaped our course so that we passed a little to the south of +the Great Newfoundland Bank. From hence the wind was roughish generally, +but quite fair, so that we frequently ran at the rate of 200 miles in +the twenty-four hours, the transport being an excellent sailer. + +Nothing particular occurred till we were within a few days' sail of +Ireland, when we fell in with an American who had just left England. +From him we learned the totally unlooked-for information, that Bonaparte +had made his escape from Elba, and had returned to France, and that the +whole continent was once more involved in war. Nothing could exceed the +change which this unexpected news produced among our people. Some who +were desponding at the gloomy prospect of half-pay, revived in a moment, +and again set honour, glory, and promotion, once more before the eyes of +their imagination. Indeed, I think no one seemed sorry at the change; +but some probably would have preferred a short repose, before they were +called upon again to leave that home which they had painted to +themselves so comfortable and happy. + +On the ---- we arrived at Plymouth, where the good folks received us with +great cordiality; but the news from Flanders now engrossed all +attention, and our unfortunate business seemed forgotten. It was as well +perhaps that it was so, for we had no victory to boast; and with the +world it is but too often the case, that a want of good fortune is +almost tantamount to a want of good conduct. We were ordered on to +Portsmouth, which we reached in two days; and from thence proceeded +still onwards to the Downs. Our arrival was telegraphed to London, +from whence, after some communication by post also with the +Commander-in-Chief, we were ordered to disembark, which we did on the 2d +June. The cause of this being ordered, and of our not proceeding direct +to Flanders, was, that we were extremely ill off for equipment, nearly +one-fourth of our men being without arms or appointments, all those who +had been prisoners, and many of those who had been severely wounded, +having been deprived of them. In some respects the order for our landing +was unfortunate, as far as regards the honours of that great and +crowning victory of Waterloo, in which we consequently had no share; +and, on the other hand, as far as regards my own public accounts, at +least it was fortunate for me, for I was thus enabled to have them +prepared, and forwarded to the War Office, and finally settled without +loss of time, which I could not have done had we left England again +immediately. + +We were ordered from Deal to Thorncliffe, our old quarters, where we +found three companies of my battalion, and five or six of the other two. +All our old friends were of course glad to see us; and, under such +circumstances, the meeting of those between whom friendship has long +subsisted, is in a great measure a compensation for the toil and +sufferings of a soldier's life. We continued at Thorncliffe for some +time, but busily preparing once more to take the field; and had +Bonaparte not been so precipitate in his movements, we might have shared +in the glory of his final overthrow. + +I was compelled to go to London while we remained here, for the purpose +of settling a variety of accounts, &c., and while there was persuaded to +appear before the Medical Board, for the purpose of obtaining a +certificate as to the nature of my wound, on which to found a claim for +a year's pay, the amount at this time given to all whom that Board +recommended as fit subjects for this bounty. I had omitted doing so when +in London before, because I thought no one had any claim for it, except +such as had suffered most materially in health in consequence of their +wounds. However, at the suggestion of my friends I did appear before the +Board, who considered my wound of such severity as to entitle me to that +bounty; and I accordingly soon after received the sum of L.118, 12s. +6d., the amount of one year's pay. I have reason to be thankful both to +the government and to my friends for this unlooked-for augmentation of +my funds, and trust I did not make an ill use of it. + +But at length the news of the memorable battle of Waterloo arrived, and +we had no share in it. I know not whether I shall be believed, but I +think there were few of my companions in the late expedition but felt +somewhat disappointed, and rather vexed, that this decisive action +should have taken place so early, and almost wished that the government +had despatched us even as we were on our first arrival in England; for +really, as it turned out, it was most unfortunate to those of my +friends, who had been undergoing probably as severe and hazardous a +service as any our army had lately been engaged in, and that all that +should be looked upon as almost worse than nothing, while some young +fellows, who had never before seen an enemy, should be covered with the +honours and distinctions which were so amply lavished on them, merely +because they had the good fortune to share in that brilliant and +decisive victory. But regret is vain and unprofitable, and a soldier +must make up his mind to meet with bad as well as good fortune, or he +will only render his life the more miserable. + +On the 10th of July we embarked at Dover, and on the 13th landed at +Ostend; but we were entering only on a barren service, the honours +having been all acquired previous to our arrival. We moved forward by +the way of Bruges, Ghent, Oudenarde, and Mons, and then through Bavay +and Chatelet to Peronne; from Peronne through Roye, Pont Lant, Maxence, +and Louvre, to Paris. Here we were posted to the brigade in which our +other two companies were stationed, and occupied the Champs Elysées as +our camp. Certainly the sights we witnessed in this far-famed capital +amply repaid us for our trip to France, however devoid of military glory +that might be. + +It will not be expected that I should enter into a detail of all the +lions which this splendid city contains, and which have attracted the +curiosity of nearly half the gentry of this country. Suffice it to say, +we saw the palaces of the Tuilleries, St Cloud, Luxemburg, and +Versailles, with all the splendour they contain--the churches of Notre +Dame and the Pantheon--the Hospital of Invalids--the Garden of +Plants--the Hotel de Ville--the Palais Royal, and the far-famed Louvre. +In this latter, a person might at that time spend a twelvemonth, without +exhausting the curiosities and beauties it contained; but, during our +stay here, we witnessed its divestment of nearly all its most valued +specimens of art, to the great regret, grief, and annoyance of those who +had ransacked almost all nations to decorate this splendid gallery. This +was undertaken and executed by our illustrious Chief, in the name and on +the behalf of this our generous nation. He dealt out with a just and +impartial hand, to all who had claims upon this magnificent collection, +the specimens of art which had formerly adorned their national churches +and palaces, without one painting or one statue of the meanest +description being reserved for himself, who had been mainly +instrumental in this restoration, or for the nation which he +represented. + +We saw also the triumphal arch of Bonaparte, in the Place de Carousel, +stripped of its four matchless Venetian horses. The stately pillar in +the Place Vendome was also deprived of the effigy of him who erected it. +In short, every thing was done by the Bourbons at this period, +sanctioned by the Allies, to obliterate even the very remembrance of +such a character as Bonaparte. We visited also the splendid manufactory +of china at Sevres--the National Museum of Antiquities--the Royal +Library, and the Theatre Français, to witness Talma's performance of +Hamlet, with various other places of curiosity, too tedious to notice +here; and, finally, the catacombs, the repository of millions of human +bones. + +Here it is where man is taught to remember what he is--a worm--a shadow +that departeth--even a vapour, which appeareth for a moment, and then +passeth away for ever. Oh, how does all human greatness dwindle into +nothing, while you stand viewing these silent memorials of our frailty! +The myriads of generations that have passed away, multitudes of whose +bones are collected in this vast, dark cavern! Now how noiseless those +who perhaps once shook the world with alarms! I love to meditate on this +sad scene, which, if duly considered, teaches the soundest wisdom. How +apt are we to be allured by the gay fantastic follies of an hour, to +forget that we must soon, so very soon, take up our abode in the dark +and silent tomb! Oh! to be ready, when called upon, to descend into the +house appointed for all living! But though these meditations may be +pleasing to myself, they may not be so to my reader. I will therefore +leave this dark, deep, and capacious charnel-house, and once more ascend +with him to the light of the sun. + +We had not remained long in Paris, till there was a grand review of the +Emperor of Russia's Guards, and which took place in the Place of Louis +XV., immediately in front of the Tuilleries. Nothing could exceed the +uniformity and the steadiness of these Northern warriors. There were +troops of all armies amongst them; the Cossacks, the hussars, the +artillery, the grenadiers, and the regular infantry, all vied with each +other in their endeavours to please their beloved Czar. Here were all +the great ones of the earth assembled to witness this imposing +spectacle; exhibited, no doubt, as much as any thing, for the purpose of +showing the French the power of those who now held them in subjection. +But that arbitrary power which is so intolerable to the ideas of an +Englishman, was here exhibited in all its native deformity. A Colonel of +one of the regiments, whose movements did not please the Emperor, was, +without the least ceremony, taken from the head of his regiment, and +rammed into a common guard-house, where an English officer was on duty. +He hesitated to receive him, until assured that such was the custom in +the Russian service, and that it was the Emperor's orders. + +My battalion was soon after removed from the brigade it was originally +posted to, and joined another, stationed on Montmartre. Here the +adjutant and myself were quartered on a proprietor of the pits out of +which the famous plaster of Paris is dug. These pits are situated on the +side of this hill, facing the city. From hence I often took a fishing, +or a shooting, or a coursing excursion. The first was generally confined +to the Canal del Ourq, in which I found pike, perch, and tench. I never +was very successful, however, both from the vast numbers of fishermen +which frequented this water, and from the scarcity of fish. Partridges +and hares were abundant in the neighbourhood of Paris, but we had not a +good dog among us. We obtained leave from the Duke of Orleans to shoot +in one of the royal preserves, the Forest of Bondy. In our coursing +expeditions we were more successful, sometimes bringing in to the amount +of seven hares in a day. This would be looked upon almost as poaching in +England, but in France it was otherwise; they know nothing of coursing +there; and nothing could exceed the beautiful country round Paris for +that sport; it was a dead level generally, without a hedge, sometimes +for miles together, and a rich corn country, so that hares abounded. +Towards autumn, we had two or three reviews of the British troops; these +were splendid exhibitions of the tactics of our great General. But +though the army had the appearance of a fighting army, I do not think it +equalled the Russians in point of regularity and uniformity; with them +the whole army is nearly dressed alike, especially the infantry; while +the variety of our facings, and other distinctions of regiments, +detracts greatly from the appearance of the army as a whole. Here also +the crowned heads of Europe assembled in this city, paid us the +compliment of their presence, the Emperor Alexander inspecting most +minutely every regiment and division as it passed him. The Austrians and +the Prussians also occasionally showed themselves in bodies, but I do +not remember to have seen a general review of either of these armies; +indeed neither of them had a large force in or near Paris, they being +mostly at some distance from the capital, I believe. But we were often +delighted with the Austrian Emperor's band, in which there were no less, +I believe, than seventy performers, and all these the very first-rate +musicians. We also had horse-races occasionally, that is, among the +English officers; at one of which I witnessed poor old Blucher receive a +hurt, from which he never recovered. Near the winning-post, the course +was roped in, which the brave old fellow, as he came galloping down, all +life, from the city, did not perceive, and coming up against them with +great force, he was thrown from his horse, and unfortunately broke his +arm. He lingered some time afterwards, but never got well of it, till +death released him. We had two English boxers over there also, to amuse +the people; they only sparred of course, with gloves on; and I rather +think they realized a good deal of money by these exhibitions. Balloons +also were set up from the gardens of Tivoli, with various other sources +of amusement, so that to recount them all would only tire out my reader; +suffice it to say, that in Paris, with plenty of money, and with an +inclination to enter into all the gaieties of the place, no city on +earth, I believe, is so fruitful of the means of pleasure and +dissipation; but they leave a sting behind, which far outweighs these +momentary gratifications; and if I was asked which I considered the most +sinful city in the world, I would without hesitation say Paris. + +Towards December arrangements were made for the army leaving Paris, and +going into cantonments on the north-eastern frontier; but the remainder +of the troops above the number required for the army of occupation were +ordered home to England. My battalion was among the latter number; and, +accordingly, we left the French capital on the 3d December, and marched +out to St Denis, that famous burying-place of French royalty. From +thence we passed near Beaumont, through Noailles to Beauvais, thence +through some small villages, where we halted for the night, and on the +11th reached Abbeville. + +On the 14th we quartered in Montreuil-sur-Mer, and on the 20th reached +Calais, where we embarked for Dover. We landed at the latter place on +the 22d, and the next morning proceeded to our old quarter Thorncliffe. + +All warlike proceedings having now terminated, I made application for, +and obtained, leave of absence to revisit my wife and my family, whom I +had not seen for four years. I need not describe my feelings on once +more beholding those I loved, and the reader will best appreciate them +by placing himself in my situation. But I had not long enjoyed this +pleasure till I heard that my battalion had been ordered to Ireland. I +confess I did not much relish the information. When my leave expired I +started for that country, and endeavoured to procure a passage across to +Dublin; first from Maryport, in Cumberland, but without success. I then +tried Workington, next Whitehaven, but was equally unable to get off +from either of these. I then moved on to Liverpool, and took my place in +one of the packets; but, after waiting several days, I was obliged to +start for Holyhead, the only place from whence I was able to proceed to +Ireland. All this disappointment and fatigue, together with some sad +punches which a large woman in the coach had given my wife with her +masculine elbows, so preyed upon her health and spirits, that three days +after our arrival in Dublin she breathed her last. She had been in +delicate health for a number of years, of an affection in the chest, but +she complained mostly of this woman's elbows, which she said had injured +her much. It will easily be conceived how afflictive such a dispensation +must have been to him who had to bear it. But God does all things well; +and even in the midst of our severest chastisements, we should view Him +as a kind and tender parent, who only chastens us for our good, and who +does not willingly afflict the children of men. A part of the battalion +had arrived in Dublin when the melancholy event took place, almost all +the officers of which favoured me by their presence at the funeral. I +had her buried in St Mary's churchyard, Mary being her own name. + +We remained in Dublin for twenty-seven months--a longer period than any +other regiment I believe; and here I think I may truly say I acquired +the first knowledge of the only way of salvation; for although born and +reared a Christian, and having, as the reader may recollect, been +brought sensibly to the knowledge of myself as a condemned sinner, I had +as yet no distinct knowledge or apprehension of the nature of the +Christian faith; and I think I may, under the blessing of God, attribute +my earnest search after a sure foundation of hope to the reading of +Doddridge's "Rise and Progress of Religion in the Soul," and to the +truly evangelical sermons I heard from the many eminent preachers which +fill the pulpits of this capital, but more particularly to the Rev. Mr +Matthias, chaplain to the Bethesda Institution. My narrative will +contain nothing interesting from this period to the general reader. I +will, therefore, generalize as much as possible. From Dublin we marched +to Birr, in the King's County; and while here, it was determined upon by +government to reduce the battalion to which I belonged, which was +carried into effect in January 1819; but as I was then the senior +quartermaster of the regiment, I was ordered to join the 1st battalion +of the corps at Gosport, which I did in February. Here we remained till +September, when the Radical war called us to the north. + +We embarked on board the Liffy frigate and ---- corvette, in about three +or four hours' notice, on the 18th of that month, and landed at Leith on +the 28th, whence we marched to Glasgow, the seat of this unhappy +disturbance. I need not describe the Radical war, it being well known. +Here my health began to be much impaired. The affection of my chest, +occasioned by the rupturing of the bloodvessel at Cadiz, produced most +distressing effects upon my general health. I consequently obtained +leave, and returned home for a few months. + +During my stay at home my dear father departed this life; and I had thus +the melancholy satisfaction of witnessing the last sad scene, and of +paying the last duties of a child to a beloved parent. He was not, as I +mentioned at the beginning of my narrative, a religious man when I left +home; but towards the close of his life I have every reason to believe +he was a sincere penitent, and a believer in Him through whom alone our +sins can be forgiven; and I have a well-grounded hope that he is now +enjoying eternal felicity in heaven, whither I hope myself to come +through Him that loved me, and washed me from my sins in his own blood, +and to whom be praise and glory for ever. Amen. + +I joined again in the spring, and remained there all that summer, during +which I had many pleasant fishing excursions into the country. I visited +the falls of the Clyde, and proceeded to some a considerable distance +higher up, where another officer and myself caught abundance of trout. I +also took a trip into the Highlands of Argyleshire, where I had +excellent sport. But at the approach of winter I was again obliged to +leave Glasgow, the damp atmosphere of which, together with the smoke of +the numerous steam-engines employed in its manufactories, fairly drove +me out. I again went home for the winter; but during this period this +battalion also got an order to embark for Ireland, and I joined them in +Belfast in January 1821. From hence we marched in the spring to Armagh, +where I had the high privilege of becoming acquainted with a sincere and +pious clergyman, one of the reading vicars of the cathedral; and I +trust I benefited by this favourable opportunity. From Armagh we marched +to Naas, the country to the south having become much disturbed by the +Whiteboys, as they termed themselves. We did not remain long at Naas, +but were pushed on to Kilkenny, where I first became acquainted with +that truly Christian minister, the Rev. Peter Roe, a gentleman well +known in the religious world. I am proud and happy that I ever had the +privilege of knowing him. May God prosper his pious and unceasing +endeavours to benefit the souls of his fellow-creatures! + +We did not remain long, however, at Kilkenny, but moved on to Fermoy, +and thence to Newcastle, in the county of Limerick, the cradle of the +Whiteboy insurrection. Here we were for a time actually shut up as in a +besieged town; and no individual belonging to the army durst attempt to +move out without a sufficient number being together, to deter the +misguided peasantry from attacking us. Innumerable were the murders that +were committed about this neighbourhood at this time; and one's blood +runs chill to think that these miscreants, when taken and brought to the +gallows to atone for their crime, protested their innocence with their +last breath, although hundreds around them could attest their guilt. +This Rockite war gave us considerable trouble, and it was not for a long +time after that it was finally put down. + +We remained in Newcastle till September, when we marched to Rathkeale, +in the same county. Here we continued stationary till October 1823, when +we marched again for Dublin. I had thus an opportunity of again hearing +my favourite preacher; but the place was always so crowded that it was +seldom practicable for strangers to obtain seats. + +From Dublin we marched to Belfast, in September 1824, where we +continued till July 1825, when my battalion was ordered for service in +Nova Scotia. The orders of the army being now for only six companies out +of the ten to go abroad, the other four remained at home, to form what +is termed the depôt. Application was made for me to remain and act as +paymaster to this body; but it having been decided that quartermasters +could not act as paymasters, according to the new regulations, this boon +was refused me, although I had acted four times before. This is to be +attributed to the ill conduct of many of my brother quartermasters who +had obtained paymasterships during the war, but who generally did not +conduct themselves as men of honour and integrity ought to do, and many +were consequently dismissed from the service. It was perfectly correct +for those in authority to consult the good of the public in all +appointments of this nature, but it was hard on those who were thus made +to suffer for the sins of others,--nay, this ineligibility of +quartermasters extended farther than to the appointment of acting +paymaster. They have since 1817 been precluded from holding the +situation of full paymaster, however well recommended they might be. I +was a second time recommended, in 1820, by Lieutenant-General the Hon. +Sir William Stewart for the paymastership of his own battalion, that is, +the one in which I was serving, but received the same answer from the +Secretary-at-War, that quartermasters were ineligible to the situation. +I cannot but feel keenly the degradation to which the ill conduct of +certain individuals has reduced that situation, which formerly was only +like a step towards the more lucrative and more respectable one of +paymaster; but, as I said before, we must not murmur at the +dispensations of Providence, however severely they affect our worldly +prospects; and no doubt all this was done by the direction of Him who +cannot err. However, I have great reason also to be thankful to Lord +Palmerston, notwithstanding my disappointments as above stated; for +he--taking into consideration the injury that the present quartermasters +had sustained, in consequence of the ill conduct of the individuals +before noticed, and their consequent deprivation of all prospects of +farther promotion, however eligible in other respects they might be, and +however exemplary their conduct--brought in a bill in the session of +1826, to allow these officers to retire on _full_ pay after twenty +years' service in the army, provided their health was such as to render +them incapable of farther service. This could not formerly take place +till after thirty years' service. I have, therefore, abundant cause of +gratitude to that Right Honourable Lord, for his kind remembrance of us +on this occasion, as well as for his kindness in permitting me to avail +myself of the benefit of this act; and I have on this, as on all other +occasions, abundant cause of thankfulness to the Great Disposer of all +events, not only for what He has permitted me to enjoy, but for what He +has withheld from me; for He only knows what is really good for me, and +I doubt not will give me always that. I may with great truth declare, +that goodness and mercy have followed me all my days, notwithstanding my +seeming disappointments, and which I believe were inflicted on me solely +for my everlasting good. To Him, therefore, be praise and glory for +ever. + +But to return. Having been disappointed of obtaining the acting +paymaster's place, I remained with the depôt in my capacity as +quartermaster till the spring of 1826, when I received an order to be +ready for embarkation to join the battalion in Nova Scotia. Accordingly +I embarked, with four other officers, at Liverpool, on the 14th of June, +on board the Robert Burns merchant brig, and reached Halifax after a +rather tedious passage, in which we encountered some roughish weather on +the 22d July. + +I scarcely need say any thing of Halifax, which, being one of our oldest +colonies, must be well known to almost all my readers. Neither was I +there a sufficient time to enable me to enter into a minute description +of the town or country: suffice it to say, it appears to be a town built +mostly of wood along the face of a hill, on the left-hand side of the +harbour, reaching close down to the latter, which is so deep, capacious, +and sheltered, that I question whether there is a better in the world: a +seventy-four can lie close alongside the wharfs. The town contains, I +understand, about 13,000 inhabitants, composed of settlers from +different countries, but chiefly English, Irish, Scotch, and Dutch. +There are a few negroes, a part of the slaves taken from the Americans +during the late war having been located here. + +The colony is not so flourishing as it was during war, as it was then +greatly supported by the immense number of ships and troops which always +were stationed here. The country round Halifax is barren in the extreme, +except a very small portion, where hay is generally grown. It seems +incapable of cultivation, being little else than rock, with forests of +stunted pines, &c. growing upon it. In some parts of Nova Scotia, +however, there is excellent land, which yields a great return for +cultivation; and were it not for the severity of the winter, which in +this country is both long and severely trying to weak constitutions, it +would, I doubt not, be an excellent country to which to emigrate. The +waters in every direction afford abundance of fish, but not of the best +quality. There are portions of two tribes of Indians occasionally in the +neighbourhood of Halifax. I forget their names; but the men of one tribe +are exceedingly tall, being seldom below five feet ten inches, and many +reaching to six feet three inches. The men of the other are in general +short. Both tribes are fast diminishing in point of numbers. They are +greatly addicted to the fatal vice of drunkenness, whenever they can +command the means of becoming so; and in Halifax it is no difficult +matter, for the abominable rum which is sold here may be had almost as +cheap as ale in England. + +These unfortunate wanderers have hitherto resisted all efforts to induce +them to settle and cultivate the land, although many of them are _good +Christians_, their progenitors having been converted by the Roman +Catholic priests while the French held the country. + +The woods, &c. in the neighbourhood of Halifax contain little game of +any kind. There are a few what they call partridges, which, I believe, +roost on trees; but they have more the appearance of grouse than the +partridge of England. There are some woodcocks also in the season, but +they are rather scarce. Snipes also, and several species of plover, may +be met with occasionally; but you will seldom be able to fill your +game-bag with any thing. There are some hares of a very small +description, little larger than our rabbits; but these are rare. Bears +also, with a few other wild animals, occasionally show themselves; but +in winter, I am told, a deathlike silence pervades the whole face of the +country, as if every living animal had totally deserted it, and I +believe with all the winged tribes this is actually the case. + +The women here are remarkably fair and beautiful, and, generally +speaking, are, I believe, as virtuous as at home; but among the lower +orders, whose virtue is so frequently assailed by the temptations which +a large naval and military force always brings with it, like our +Portsmouth, and other places of a similar description, the scenes of +vice and abomination are extremely disgusting. A great many of the +unfortunate blacks before mentioned are included in the number of these +unhappy prostitutes. + +The places of worship in Halifax are both good and pretty numerous. +There are two churches, two or three Presbyterian or Scotch churches, +two Baptist, two or three Methodist, and one or two Roman Catholic +places of worship. + +I did not remain here long; for, finding that my broken and debilitated +constitution could not possibly withstand the severity of a winter in +this climate, I was ordered to be examined by a board of medical +officers, who recommended my return to England without delay. +Accordingly, on the 20th of September, I embarked on board the Borodino +transport. We sailed on the 22d, and on the 25th encountered one of the +severest gales I almost ever witnessed. It carried away every sail we +had set, and swept away our jolly-boat from the quarter. I often wished +I was once more snug in England, and my hope was, I should then tempt +the sea no more. That same all-gracious Being who had so long watched +over me, and had brought me in safety that far on my journey, He also +brought me to my native land once more in peace; for on the 13th of +October I landed at Portsmouth, having been only three weeks in +returning from, while we had been nearly six in going to, Halifax. + +I immediately set off for London, where, having reported myself to the +Secretary at War, I was ordered to be examined by the Director-General +of Hospitals as to the state of my health, and with a view to avail +myself of the benefits of the act of Parliament before mentioned, and +being prospered by Him who has always been better unto me than I could +possibly deserve, I have been permitted to set myself down in peace in +this my own native village for the remainder of my life, having the +unspeakable privilege of being surrounded by many kind and dear +relations, who vie with each other in their endeavours to render me +comfortable and happy, and where I can in serenity watch the gradual +approach of that enemy which my Saviour has overcome for me, and which, +my hope is, He will deprive of all his terrors, as I trust he has done +of his sting, and that, when I shall have continued my appointed time in +this vale of tears, I, as well as the reader of this narrative, shall be +taken to Himself, to dwell with Him for ever. + + + + +APPENDIX. + + +The following are copies of fifteen testimonials addressed to the late +Quartermaster Surtees. + + + No. 1.--FROM LIEUT.-COL. DUFFY. + + _Birr, 24th January, 1819._ + +DEAR SIR, + +As you are on the point of removing to the 1st battalion, I take this +opportunity of expressing my entire satisfaction at the very regular and +orderly manner in which your department has been conducted during the +time you have been placed under my command; and it will give me great +pleasure should an occasion occur where my testimony to your +gentlemanlike conduct can be of service to you. + + I remain, Dear Sir, + Very faithfully yours, + J. DUFFY, + Lt.-Col. Rifle Brigade. + + Quartermaster Surtees, + 1st Bat. Rifle Brigade. + + + No. 2.--FROM MAJOR TRAVERS. + + _Tuam County, Galway, 19th April 1820._ + +DEAR SURTEES, + +With feelings of most sincere regret I read your letter to me, which I +received yesterday, and lose not a moment in complying with your +request, which, should it prove to be of any use to you, I am sure will +be productive of the most heartfelt gratification to every one of those +concerned, whose opinions of you are, as they always have been, of the +highest description. Your conduct, both as a gentleman and soldier, has +ever been such as to excite in the breast of your brother officers +sentiments peculiarly favourable; and for myself, I have only to say, +that few of my old acquaintances in the corps have had my esteem in a +higher degree. I send you the sentiments of such of your old brother +officers, in the shape of a certificate, as I could obtain, whose +standing may have some influence in the procuring the accomplishment of +your wishes, and regret that the dispersed state of the regiment +prevents its being more general. + + Dear Surtees, + Yours faithfully, + JAS. TRAVERS. + + Wm. Surtees, Esq. + Quartermaster, Rifle Brigade. + + + No. 3.--FROM OFFICERS OF THE 2D BATTALION RIFLE BRIGADE. + +The following testimonial is subscribed by us, in hopes it may prove +beneficial to an officer who has so long supported the character which +we are desirous to portray in the terms it deserves. + +We certify, that Mr William Surtees, late Quartermaster in the Rifle +Brigade, has been for a considerable number of years known to us in the +regiment, and that for soldierlike and gentlemanly conduct, no person +bore a higher character. He served in the situation he filled in the +corps, particularly that of Acting Paymaster, for two considerable +periods in the Peninsula, and with the expedition to New Orleans, with +credit to himself, and satisfaction to his superiors, and, to our +knowledge, obtained the general esteem and approbation of all his +brother officers of the regiment who knew him. + + S. MITCHELL, Brevet Lieut.-Col. and Major, 2d Bat. Rifle Brigade. + JAS. TRAVERS, Brevet-Major, Rifle Brigade. + WM. COX, Capt. Rifle Brigade. + BOYLE TRAVERS, Capt. Rifle Brigade. + CHAS. GEO. GRAY, Brevet-Major, Rifle Brigade. + WM. HALLEN, Capt. Rifle Brigade. + T. H. RIDGWAY, M.D., Surgeon, Rifle Brigade. + + _Tuam, 19th April 1820._ + + + No. 4.--FROM LIEUT.-COL. ROSS, C.B. + + _Paisley, 15th July 1820._ + +DEAR SIR, + +I learn with extreme regret that you consider it to be expedient to make +application to be removed as Quartermaster to a veteran battalion. I +have stronger reason to feel this regret than I believe any other of +your brother officers, as I have known you longer, it being now about +twenty years since we met at the formation of the Rifle Corps; during +the greater part of this time you served, I may say, under my immediate +command; and I can bear the most ample and unqualified testimony to the +zeal, intelligence, and gallantry with which you discharged the duties +of the different situations you have filled in the corps. + +I shall have great pleasure in hearing of your future welfare; and +should it ever happen to be in my power to promote your views in any +way, I hope you will consider that you will only have to make them +known. + + Believe me, my Dear Sir, + Ever yours most sincerely, + JOHN ROSS, Lt.-Col. + Major, Rifle Brigade. + + Quartermaster Wm. Surtees, + Rifle Brigade. + + + No. 5.--FROM LIEUT.-COLONEL SMITH, C.B. + + _Halifax, Nova Scotia, 25th August 1826._ + +MY DEAR SIR, + +Were it permitted a soldier to regret the loss of his comrades, then +truly should I deplore yours; I have only just learned that you are +about to avail yourself of Lord Palmerston's permission to retire from +the service on account of ill health, after having in your present +situation completed your period of twenty years. You have struggled +against indisposition with manly fortitude in various climes, and have +ever performed your duty zealously and conscientiously. + +I, as well as the other officers of the corps, have ever lamented that +your natural zeal and talent as a soldier, should not have been called +forth in a more conspicuous situation; and there is not an old officer +in the regiment who has not witnessed your intrepid bravery in the +field. + +I must again assure you, that you leave us with the most heartfelt good +wishes for your welfare, and the universal regret of the corps, in which +you have served so many years with the most rigid integrity and zeal; +and should I have it in my power upon any future occasion to render you +any service whatever, it will afford me as much satisfaction as I now +feel distress, in losing one of my old companions in arms, with whom I +have been so many years happily associated. + + And ever believe me, + Your very sincere friend, + H. G. SMITH, + Brevet Lieut.-Col. Rifle Brigade. + + Quartermaster Surtees, + Rifle Brigade. + + + No. 6.--FROM OFFICERS OF THE 1ST BATT. RIFLE BRIGADE. + + _Halifax, Nova Scotia, 30th August 1826._ + +We the undersigned officers present with the 1st Battalion Rifle +Brigade, who have had the satisfaction of an intimate acquaintance with +Mr Surtees for a series of years at home and abroad, beg leave to add +our testimony as to the valour, integrity, zeal, and gentlemanlike +conduct which we have ever witnessed in him; and beg to express our +sincere regret at the prospect of losing his society and services. + + J. LOGAN, Major. + W. JOHNSTONE, Captain. + A. WADE PEMBERTON, Captain. + G. HOPE, Captain. + JOHN COX, Captain. + J. KINCAID, Lieutenant. + JOSEPH BURKE, M.D. Surgeon. + GEORGE SIMMONS, Lieutenant. + + + No. 7.--FROM COLONEL NORCOTT, C.B. + + _Halifax, Nova Scotia, 30th August 1826._ + +MY DEAR SIR, + +I most truly and sincerely regret that your long, zealous, and +indefatigable duties have so seriously undermined your constitution, as +to oblige you to retire from the service. + +Although I feel a very lively gratification in bearing testimony to your +merit and gallantry in the field, as well as to your public and private +character as an officer and a gentleman, in the most unqualified sense, +during a period of twenty-four years which I have known you, I cannot, +at the same time, but lament the circumstances which bind me, in justice +to your meritorious services, to tender you this my humble tribute of +regard and esteem for all you have done for the service and the corps, +and for such unremitted integrity and worth. You have my ardent wishes +for your health and happiness wherever you go. + + Believe me to be, + My Dear Sir, + Always sincerely yours, + A. NORCOTT, Colonel. + + + No. 8.--FROM LIEUT.-COLONEL FULLARTON, C.B. + + _Halifax, Nova Scotia, 25th August 1826._ + +DEAR SIR, + +Having served in the same battalion with you for eighteen years, during +which time I had every opportunity, both public and private, in various +situations of home and on foreign service, of witnessing your very +exemplary conduct, both as an officer and a gentleman, I, with my +brother officers, have to regret that your ill health has deprived the +regiment of a valuable officer, and your companions of a friend, whose +amiable and excellent qualities will ever be revered by them. + +With regard to myself, it will afford me the greatest pleasure if at any +future period I can in any way be of service to you. + + Believe me, my dear Sir, + Yours most truly, + JAS. FULLARTON, Lt.-Col. + Major, Rifle Brigade. + + Quartermaster Surtees, + Rifle Brigade. + + + No. 9.--FROM LIEUT.-COLONEL BALVAIRD. + + _Naas, 2d June 1826._ + +MY DEAR SIR, + +It affords me much pleasure to assure you, that during the time I was in +the Rifle Brigade (13 years), and more particularly when you served +under my immediate command, I can bear the most ample and unqualified +testimony to the zeal, intelligence, and gallantry with which you +discharged your duty--and wherever you may go, you carry with you the +good wishes of, + + Yours most sincerely, + W. BALVAIRD, Lt.-Col. + late Major, Rifle Brigade. + + Quartermaster Surtees, + Rifle Brigade. + + + No. 10.--FROM MAJOR-GENERAL SIR A. F. BARNARD, K.C.B. + + _Albany, 18th October 1826._ + +DEAR SIR, + +I have heard with great regret that your state of health has obliged you +to avail yourself of the regulation which enables you to retire from the +Rifle Brigade, in which corps I had such frequent cause to praise the +gallantry and assiduity which you showed in the discharge of your duties +in the field, and your regularity and assiduity in quarters. + +The officers of the corps, I am confident, will all regret the loss of a +person whose mild and gentlemanlike manners and disposition had so much +endeared him to them. + +With every wish for your future welfare, + + I remain, dear Sir, + Very sincerely yours, + A. F. BARNARD. + + Quartermaster Surtees, + Rifle-Brigade. + + + No. 11.--FROM MAJOR LOGAN. + + _London, 18th October, 1826._ + +MY DEAR SURTEES, + +I have just learnt with much regret that you are about to retire from +the Rifle Brigade, from an impaired constitution, owing to your +unwearied and zealous exertions in the service. + +From the period of my entering the Corps, _twenty-two years_ ago, I have +had the pleasure of being intimately acquainted with you, and I must do +you the justice to state, that a more gallant, zealous, and +indefatigable officer, I have seldom fallen in with. As a gentleman, +your conduct always won and gained the esteem of your brother officers. + +Believe me I shall ever feel warmly interested in your welfare. + + Yours, my dear Surtees, + Most faithfully, + J. LOGAN, + Major 1st Bat. Rifle Brigade. + + To Quartermaster Surtees, + 1st Bat. Rifle Brigade. + + + No. 12.--FROM LIEUT.-COLONEL BECKWITH, C.B. + + _London, 20th October, 1826._ + +MY DEAR SURTEES, + +I cannot suffer you to return to your home, without adding my mite of +applause to that of our brother officers, who have, together with +myself, known you so well and so long. + +From the day that we were employed together at Ipswich, in obtaining +volunteers from the Militia, when you were so instrumental in obtaining +so large a number of men for the service, and during the whole of our +services in the Peninsula, and elsewhere, when my situation as Assistant +Quartermaster-General of the Light Division threw us so constantly +together, until the last period of our regimental service, I have always +known and respected your courage, your active discharge of your duties +in times of difficulty and hardship, and your zeal and affection for the +Rifle Brigade. + +Your present poverty is the surest testimony of your integrity, which +you have always kept in times of strong temptation, when very many +others similarly placed have not resisted so well. + +All my feeble services are constantly at your disposal, and wishing you +content, and as much happiness as we can reasonably expect here, + + I remain, my dear Surtees, + Yours, most sincerely, + CHARLES BECKWITH, + Lieut.-Colonel. + + Quartermaster Surtees, + Rifle Brigade. + + + No. 13.--FROM LIEUT.-GENERAL THE HONOURABLE SIR WM. STEWART, G.C.B. + + _Cumloden, Newtonstewart, Nov. 19, 1826._ + +If the three or four-and-twenty years, my dear sir, that I have had the +satisfaction of having had you under my command in the Rifle Regiment or +Brigade, suffice not to authorize my full approval of your conduct, both +towards that corps and towards the public service, I know not what +experience would do so. To this extent and to still farther extent, if +it be required in detail, I am gratified by your having given me this +opportunity of certifying the above. The loss that my battalion will +sustain by the deprivation of your services will be great, and the only +consolation that I shall have will be in learning that your present +object of retiring on full pay be obtained, and that your health, +injured, as my own has been, by perhaps too great a zeal in the +fulfilment of our respective duties, may be somewhat amended by your +retirement in private life. I have much to thank you for the most justly +merited encomiums from your several commanders and from your elder +brother officers, enclosed in your letter of the 13th instant, and to +these honourable documents favour me by adding this one. I wish it was +in my power to be of any service to your views towards a civil +appointment under government, but as your age much exceeds that to which +all official nominations are now limited, application for such will be +fruitless. + +I have the honour to be, my dear Sir, + + With repeated assurance of regard, + Your faithful friend and obedient servant, + WM. STEWART, + Lieutenant-General. + + Quartermaster Surtees, + 1st Bat. Rifle Brigade. + + + No. 14.--FROM MAJOR EELES. + + _Dublin, Nov. 28, 1826._ + +MY DEAR SURTEES, + +I enclose herewith copies of two letters which I have received from the +office of his Royal Highness the Commander-in-Chief. + +In congratulating you on their contents, I cannot refrain from +expressing, strange as it may seem, not only my gratification but also +my regret; gratification that you have succeeded in obtaining the object +of your wishes, and regret the most lively, that your state of health +should have obliged you to quit the corps; the more particularly, as the +regiment will not only by your retirement be deprived of the benefit of +your zealous and meritorious services, but I shall lose the society of +one of my oldest and most valued friends. + +The senior part of the regiment will ever remember with pride the +glorious occasions in which you so often signalized yourself in the +field, while the younger members of the corps will not fail, equally +with the former, to admire the gentlemanlike conduct and urbanity of +manners which have secured to you the friendship and good wishes of us +all. + + Believe me, my Dear Surtees, + Very sincerely yours, + WILLIAM EELES, + Major, Rifle Brigade. + + To Quartermaster Surtees, + Rifle Brigade. + + + No. 15.--FROM MAJOR-GENERAL SIR T. S. BECKWITH, K.C.B. + + _Gilsland, June 26, 1827._ + +MY DEAR SIR, + +In returning to you the packet you have favoured me with the perusal of, +I cannot refrain from expressing, in common with all your old friends +and brother officers of the Rifle Brigade, my regret that your health +made it necessary for you to retire from a corps, where your faithful +and unremitting services for nearly thirty years had been so eminently +useful, and where you possessed the friendship and confidence of every +individual of any standing in it. + +That your concern is as sincere as theirs in parting with them, I am +perfectly convinced; yet it will be matter of real consolation to you to +be able to reflect that you never gave just cause of offence to any +member of the corps, and never neglected an opportunity of rendering +them a service when in your power. + +That you have not retired a richer man, is a subject of regret to us +all; and we shall learn with great satisfaction of any event, that may +tend to increase your means of doing good to those who look to you for +protection. + +Should any such opening present itself, I do not hesitate to express my +conviction, that whoever may employ you, will never have reason to +repent doing so; as I am well assured you will undertake no situation, +without due reflection, and the nature of which you do not understand; +and that, once taken in hand, you will discharge the duties of it with +the same diligence and fidelity that you have performed those of your +public life for so many years past. + +Earnestly wishing that a little repose after such a lengthened series of +toils and dangers, may restore you to health and strength, + + I remain, + My Dear Surtees, + Your sincere and faithful friend, + THOS. SIDNEY BECKWITH, + Col. 2d Bat. Rifle Brigade. + + To William Surtees, Esq. + Late Rifle Brigade. + + + FINIS. + + + EDINBURGH: PRINTED BY BALLANTYNE AND COMPANY, + PAUL'S WORK, CANONGATE. + + + * * * * * + + + Transcriber's Notes + +Obvious punctuation errors repaired. + +Presumed archaic spellings have not been changed: apprize, assertor, +fusileers, grashoppers, harraing, mocassins, reconnoissance, sailer, +siene, shrapnell, spunging, vere, visiters, woful. + +The following words appear both with and without diacritical marks and +have not been changed: Camiño, depôt, Peña. + +There are two chapters "IV". The second one is denoted with an asterisk. + +Hyphens removed: "quarter[-]master" (page 60), "wind[-]mill" (page 63, +twice), "Porto[-]Real" (page 102), "brush[-]wood" (page 197), +"death[-]like" (page 139), "road[-]side" (page 274), "fore[-]yard" (page +322). + +Hyphens added: "farm[-]house" (page 14), "mid[-]day" (page 61), +"half[-]way" (pages 107, 283), "field[-]work(s)" (page 248, 369). + +Page xi: "Ships'" changed to "Ship" (place their Ship Guns on +Batteries). + +Page 25: "apppeared" changed to "appeared" (separate body which +appeared). + +Page 45: "94th" changed to "95th" (The Rifle Corps, or 94th). + +Page 55: Removed duplicate "on" (to stand on the same tack). + +Page 55: "Lhe" changed to "Lehe" (Bremer Lehe to the city of Bremen). + +Page 60: "Feversham" changed to "Feversham" (I joined it at Feversham). + +Page 79: Illegible number changed to "2d" (2d battalion of my regiment). + +Page 82: "18th" changed to "10th" (in this affair the 10th hussars +were engaged). + +Page 106: "call" changed to "called" (called the Tore Alto). + +Page 128: "Pompadours" changed to "95th Rifles" (2d Battalion of the +95th Rifles). + +Page 157: "bettter" changed to "better" (no doubt better fed). + +Page 209: "Morilhl" changed to "Morillo" (thought that Don Morillo). + +Page 245: "officer" changed to "officers" (the commanding-officers had +been taken up). + +Page 258: "horse" changed to "horses" (our poor horses and mules). + +Page 297: "numder" changed to "number" (to put a certain number). + +Page 346: "chooner" changed to "schooner" (the fire of the schooner). + +Page 398: Redundant "the" removed (Blakeny of the 7th). + +Page 404: "brough, ast" changed to "brought, as" (This brought, as it +might be expected). + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Twenty-Five Years in the Rifle Brigade, by +William Surtees + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN THE *** + +***** This file should be named 36778-8.txt or 36778-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/6/7/7/36778/ + +Produced by Steven Gibbs, Moti Ben-Ari and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net. + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Twenty-Five Years in the Rifle Brigade + +Author: William Surtees + +Release Date: July 19, 2011 [EBook #36778] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN THE *** + + + + +Produced by Steven Gibbs, Moti Ben-Ari and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net. + + + + + + +</pre> + + + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_i" id="Page_i">[i]</a></span></p> + +<h1>TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN THE RIFLE BRIGADE.</h1> + +<div class="center">BY THE LATE</div> +<h2>WILLIAM SURTEES,</h2> +<div class="center">QUARTERMASTER.</div> + +<div class="center"> +WILLIAM BLACKWOOD, EDINBURGH; AND<br /> +T. CADELL, STRAND, LONDON.<br /> +MDCCCXXXIII. +</div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_ii" id="Page_ii">[ii]</a></span></p> + +<div class="center"> +EDINBURGH:<br /> +PRINTED BY BALLANTYNE AND COMPANY, PAUL'S WORK, CANONGATE. +</div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_iii" id="Page_iii">[iii]</a></span></p> + +<div class="center"> +TO<br /> +<br /> +MAJOR-GEN. SIR ANDREW F. BARNARD,<br /> +<br /> +K.C.B. and K.C.H.<br /> +<br /> +AND THE OFFICERS OF THE RIFLE BRIGADE,<br /> +<br /> +THESE REMAINS OF MY DECEASED BROTHER<br /> +<br /> +ARE MOST RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED,<br /> +<br /> +BY THEIR OBLIGED AND MOST<br /> +<br /> +OBEDIENT SERVANT,<br /> +</div> + +<h2>JOHN SURTEES.</h2> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_iv" id="Page_iv">[iv]</a></span> +<br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_v" id="Page_v">[v]</a></span> +</p> + +<h2>PREFATORY NOTICE.</h2> + +<p>The Author of the following Narrative entered the +Army in early life. He commenced his military career +in 1795, as a private soldier in the Northumberland +Militia; and in the following year he volunteered into +the Pompadours. In this regiment he first faced the +enemy, during the expedition to Holland under the +Duke of York. On getting his discharge from the +Pompadours, in 1802, he again entered the service +as a private in the Rifle Brigade, to which he was attached +for a period of twenty-five years. From his +steady conduct, and ardent love for his profession, he +was soon advanced from the ranks, and, after various +intermediate steps, was appointed Quartermaster; a +situation which he held as long as he continued in the +corps, enjoying the respect and esteem of his brother +officers of all ranks, as is amply testified by the letters +which form the Appendix to this volume.</p> + +<p>Though, as Quartermaster, the Author was not +called by duty to join in battle, yet he lost no opportunity +of entering the scene of action, or of placing +himself in a favourable situation for observing what +was passing. It is unnecessary to enumerate the arduous +services of the Rifle Brigade from 1802 to 1815.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_vi" id="Page_vi">[vi]</a></span> +During the whole of that period the Author was actively +engaged with his corps.</p> + +<p>The Narrative is faithfully—indeed literally—printed +from the Author's MS. as he left it at his +death. The critical reader may therefore detect various +inaccuracies which, had life been spared to the +Author, would probably have been corrected; but he +will find much to approve, and, hackneyed as Narratives +of the Peninsular War have become, he will also +find much that is new. There is no embellishment +in the style of the Author's composition, but there is +a quiet Defoe-like sincerity and simplicity characteristic +of his pages, and a strain of unaffected piety, that +is very pleasing; and the scenes and descriptions which +he gives, though sometimes singularly chosen, and reported +quite with a manner of his own, are on the whole +portrayed with strong graphic effect. One word, +however, before closing,—our Author is never vulgar.</p> + +<p>A severe pulmonary affection compelled him to quit +his corps in 1826. He retired to Corbridge, his native +village, where he arrived on the 24th of October in +that year, and continued there, respected and beloved, +and constantly engaged in acts of benevolence, till +the period of his death, 28th May, 1830.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"> +<i>November 23, 1832.</i> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>CONTENTS.</h2> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_vii" id="Page_vii">[vii]</a></span></p> + +<div class="right">PAGE.</div> + +<div class="center">CHAPTER I.</div> + +<div class="blockquot"><br /> +Birth and Parentage—Enters the Militia—Volunteers into the Line—Joins +the army destined for Holland—The troops embark at +Deal—Land at the Helder—Laxity of discipline—March for +Schagen—Detachment under Sir Ralph Abercromby sent to surprise +Hoorne—Hoorne surrenders, +</div> +<div class="right"><a href="#Page_1">1</a></div> + +<div class="center">CHAPTER II.</div> + +<div class="blockquot"><br /> +The Russian Allies carry Bergen—Allow themselves to be surprised, +and the whole army forced to retire to their former position—Skirmishing +in the vicinity of Old Patten—The Russians endeavour +to force their way back to Bergen—The Russian and British +forces joined—The enemy forced to abandon Egmont-op-Zee—Alkmaar +surrenders—The troops advance to Egmont Binnen—Skirmishing—General +engagement—The Enemy repulsed—The +Forces retire to Zaand Wyck—Armistice concluded—Return +to England, +</div> +<div class="right"><a href="#Page_13">13</a></div> + +<div class="center">CHAPTER III.</div> + +<div class="blockquot"><br /> +Arrive in England—The Pompadours embark for Ireland—Arrive +at Kinsale—Privations in Ireland in 1800—Peace concluded—Our +Author resolves to return home, but ultimately volunteers +into the Rifle Corps or 95th—Embarks for England, and joins +his Regiment at Sussex—Is promoted, +</div> +<div class="right"><a href="#Page_35">35</a></div> + +<div class="center">CHAPTER IV.</div> + +<div class="blockquot"><br /> +Made Pay-sergeant—Moral Reflections—Wreck of a Dutch East +Indiaman—Reduced Officers—War with France in 1803—Encampment +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_viii" id="Page_viii">[viii]</a></span>at Thorncliffe under the command of General Sir John +Moore—Encampment broke up, November 1804—Embark for +Germany, October 1805—Vicissitudes at Sea—Land at Cuxhaven—March +to Bremen—Outposts established—Retrograde movements, +in consequence of the defeat of the Allied Forces at Austerlitz—The +Allied Forces evacuate Germany—Re-embarkation +of the troops—The Rifle Corps, or 95th, land at Yarmouth, +</div> +<div class="right"><a href="#Page_45">45</a></div> + +<div class="center">CHAPTER IV.*</div> + +<div class="blockquot"><br /> +Our Author made Quartermaster-Sergeant of the 2d battalion, which +he joins at Feversham, Kent—Expedition to Denmark—Embark +at Deal—Land at Vedbeck, Zealand—Partial Engagements—Siege +of Copenhagen—A division under Sir Arthur Wellesley advance +to Kioge—Copenhagen capitulates—Amnesty between the +Danish forces in the Island of Zealand, and the British—The +British evacuate Denmark—Embark at Copenhagen—Arrive in +the Downs—Land at Deal, +</div> +<div class="right"><a href="#Page_59">59</a></div> + +<div class="center">CHAPTER V.</div> + +<div class="blockquot"><br /> +Our Author marries—The Battalion to which he belongs ordered to +join the Expedition fitting out for Corunna—Movements of the +Army in Spain—Return to England, +</div> +<div class="right"><a href="#Page_73">73</a></div> + +<div class="center">CHAPTER VI.</div> + +<div class="blockquot"><br /> +Volunteering—Farther Promotion—Embarks for Portugal, with two +Companies of the Second Battalion—Debark at Cadiz—Advance +to the Isla—The French occupy all the adjacent Towns, except +Cadiz and Isla—Cannonading—Spanish Army—Detachment of +the Allied Army sent round by Gibraltar and Chiclana, to take +the Enemy in the rear of his works, and compel him either to fight +or abandon them—Come up with a portion of the Enemy in the +vicinity of Veger—Bravery of the British—The Enemy repulsed +with great loss, but, from the apathy and misconduct of General +La Pena, and the Spaniards under his command, the French are +allowed to retain their Works in the vicinity of Cadiz, +</div> +<div class="right"><a href="#Page_99">99</a></div> + +<div class="center">CHAPTER VII.</div> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_ix" id="Page_ix">[ix]</a></span></p> + +<div class="blockquot"><br /> +The 2d Battalion of the Pompadours ordered to proceed to Portugal—Our +Author visits England—Returns to Portugal, and joins his +Regiment at Rodrigo—The Army move towards Badajos—Siege +of Badajos—Badajos surrenders—Insubordination among the +Troops—Quelled by the prompt measures of Lord Wellington, +</div> +<div class="right"><a href="#Page_128">128</a></div> + +<div class="center">CHAPTER VIII.</div> + +<div class="blockquot"><br /> +The Army leave Badajos on the 11th of April, and move into quarters +near the river Agueda, where they remain, till the 11th of +June—Advance towards Salamanca, which, with the exception of +three Forts, the enemy had evacuated—The Forts invested—The +main bodies of both armies bivouack within a mile and a half of +each other, in the vicinity of Monte Rubio and Morisco—The Forts +of Salamanca surrender—The main body of the Enemy retire to +Tordesillas—Movements of the Army, +</div> +<div class="right"><a href="#Page_153">153</a></div> + +<div class="center">CHAPTER IX.</div> + +<div class="blockquot"><br /> +Preparations for the Field—Amusements in winter quarters—Grand +Review—Advance of the Army in pursuit of the Enemy—Come +up with their rearguard in the vicinity of Hornilla de Camino—Skirmishing—Encounter +with the 1st Brigade of the Enemy, who +are beaten, and forced to retreat—Our Army advance in pursuit—An +affair between the rearguard of the Enemy and our 4th Brigade—Vittoria—General +Engagement—The Enemy defeated—Remarks, +</div> +<div class="right"><a href="#Page_185">185</a></div> + +<div class="center">CHAPTER X.</div> + +<div class="blockquot"><br /> +Advance in pursuit of the Enemy—Our Forces retreat, in order to +counteract Soult's movements for the succour of Pamplona—Total +defeat of Soult in the several Actions near Pamplona—Our +Forces again advance—Come up with the retreating Enemy at the +Bridge of Yanzi—The Enemy take up a position, behind Vera—A +considerable body of the Enemy attached at the Pass of Echallar, +and forced to retreat, +</div> +<div class="right"><a href="#Page_214">214</a></div> + +<div class="center">CHAPTER XI.</div> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_x" id="Page_x">[x]</a></span></p> + +<div class="blockquot"><br /> +The Author, from a mistake, loses his Servants for a few days—A +Feast of Death—A Feast of Life—Fighting near St Sebastian—Singular +instance of Spanish Bravery—St Sebastian is captured, +but no Details given, the Author not having been present—Attack +of the Pass of Vera, +</div> +<div class="right"><a href="#Page_232">232</a></div> + +<div class="center">CHAPTER XII.</div> + +<div class="blockquot"><br /> +The British Army advance farther into France—Pass the Nive—Soult's +Plans baffled—Two or three battalions of the Nassau and +Frankfort regiments come over from the French—French Politesse—Threatened +Attack by the French—Battle of the Nive—Account +of the Basques, +</div> +<div class="right"><a href="#Page_253">253</a></div> + +<div class="center">CHAPTER XIII.</div> + +<div class="blockquot"><br /> +The Author's Battalion quartered in Aurantz on 3d January 1814—The +cantonments at Aurantz broke up on the 16th February, +and the Campaign of 1814 commenced—Farther Advance into +France—Skirmishing with the Enemy—Military Manœuvres—Battle +of Orthes—Defeat and Pursuit of the Enemy—Succession +of Attacks on them—They are driven from their Position in +and near Tarbes—Skirmishing at Tournefoile—The Enemy retire +towards Toulouse, +</div> +<div class="right"><a href="#Page_269">269</a></div> + +<div class="center">CHAPTER XIV.</div> + +<div class="blockquot"><br /> +The British Army cross the Garonne—Advance on Toulouse—Prepare +for the Attack—The Attack—Spaniards driven back—Battle +very hot—French completely defeated—Soult evacuates Toulouse, +and tardily adheres to the Bourbons, +</div> +<div class="right"><a href="#Page_295">295</a></div> + +<div class="center">CHAPTER XV.</div> + +<div class="blockquot"><br /> +Author's happy state during 1813 and 1814—Character of the veritable +French—British distributed over the Country—Civility of +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xi" id="Page_xi">[xi]</a></span>the Inhabitants of Grissolles—Amusements in quarters—The British +prepare to quit France, +</div> +<div class="right"><a href="#Page_308">308</a></div> + +<div class="center">CHAPTER XVI.</div> + +<div class="blockquot"><br /> +Author's Battalion embark for England—Land at Plymouth—Expect +to be again ordered on Foreign Service—Order received—Embark, +with other Troops, for America—Land at Pine Island, +</div> +<div class="right"><a href="#Page_322">322</a></div> + +<div class="center">CHAPTER XVII.</div> + +<div class="blockquot"><br /> +Proceed to attack the Enemy, and capture one of their picquets—Advance +in search of a Bivouack—Alarmed by shots in front—Fired +on by an American schooner—Captain Hallen severely attacked—Manœuvres +on both sides—Ruse of the Enemy—Fighting +continues—Enemy repulsed at all points—Courage of the British—Battery +brought into play—Activity of the Enemy, +</div> +<div class="right"><a href="#Page_339">339</a></div> + +<div class="center">CHAPTER XVIII.</div> + +<div class="blockquot"><br /> +British Army told off into Brigades—Advance, and are hotly received—Heroism +of a young Artillery Officer—We take up a fresh position—The +Enemy work incessantly in raising an extensive breastwork—Two +Batteries erected, from which our heavy Ship Artillery +are brought to bear against it, but without effect—The Enemy +also place their Ship Guns on Batteries—Colonel Lambert +arrives with the 7th and 43d regiments—Preparations for a grand +attack on the Enemy's lines, which entirely fails, and the British +are repulsed with great loss, +</div> +<div class="right"><a href="#Page_357">357</a></div> + +<div class="center">CHAPTER XIX.</div> + +<div class="blockquot"><br /> +Bravery and Success of Colonel Thornton—Negotiation for leave to +transport the Wounded across the River—Insult offered to the +British—They retreat—Our Army embark, and determine to +make an Attack upon Mobile—Proceed in the direction of Mobile +Bay—A Brigade detached to reduce Fort Boyer—The Fort surrenders, +the garrison becoming Prisoners of War—Intelligence of +a Treaty of Peace being concluded at Ghent—Cessation of Hostilities, +</div> +<div class="right"><a href="#Page_378">378</a></div> + +<div class="center">CHAPTER XX.</div> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xii" id="Page_xii">[xii]</a></span></p> + +<div class="blockquot"><br /> +Ratification of the Treaty of Peace—Exchange of Prisoners—Our +Troops Embark for England—When off the coast of Ireland, receive +Intelligence of Bonaparte's escape from Elba—The Author +and his Battalion reach the Downs, and proceed to Thorncliffe—Embark +for France—Arrive at Paris, and occupy the Champs +Elysées—Review of the Russian Guards—Russian Discipline—British +Troops reviewed—Accident to Prince Blucher—Amusements +in Paris—The Allied Forces, except the Army of Occupation, +leave Paris—The Author's Battalion embark for England—Reach +Dover, and return to Thorncliffe—He obtains leave of absence, +and visits his Family—His Battalion ordered to Ireland—Sets +out to join it, accompanied by his Wife, who dies three days +after they reach Dublin—His Battalion reduced—Joins the first +Battalion at Gosport, which is ordered to Scotland—Arrive at +Leith, and march to Glasgow—The Author returns home in ill +health—His Father dies—Joins his Battalion again—Winters at +home—His Battalion ordered to Ireland—Joins it at Belfast—They +occupy different stations during the Whiteboy Insurrection—Six +companies of his Battalion ordered to Nova Scotia, but the +Author remains with the other four companies—He is shortly ordered +to proceed to Nova Scotia—His health declines—Returns +home in consequence, takes advantage of Lord Palmerston's Bill, +and retires on full pay, +</div> +<div class="right"><a href="#Page_401">401</a></div> + +<div class="blockquot"><br /> +<span class="smcap">Appendix.—Testimonials.</span>—No. 1. From Lieutenant-Colonel +Duffy—No. 2. From Major Travers—No. 3. From Officers of the +2d Battalion—No. 4. From Lieut.-Colonel Ross, C.B.—No. 5. +From Lieut.-Col. Smith, C.B.—No. 6. From Officers of the 1st +Battalion Rifle Brigade—No. 7. From Colonel Norcott, C.B.—No. +8. From Lieut.-Col. Fullarton, C.B.—No. 9. From Lieut.-Col. +Balvaird—No. 10. From Major-General Sir A. F. Barnard, +K.C.B.—No. 11. From Major Logan—No. 12. From +Lieut.-Col. Beckwith, C.B.—No. 13. From Lieut.-General the +Hon. Sir Wm. Stewart, G.C.B.—No. 14. From Major Eeles—No. +15. From Major-General Sir T. S. Beckwith, K.C.B., +</div> +<div class="right"><a href="#Page_425">425</a></div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[1]</a></span></p> +<h1>TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN THE RIFLE BRIGADE.</h1> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>CHAPTER I.</h2> + +<blockquote><p>Birth and Parentage—Enters the Militia—Volunteers into the Line—Joins +the Army destined for Holland—The Troops embark at Deal—Land +at the Helder—Laxity of discipline—March for Schagen—Detachment +under Sir Ralph Abercromby sent to surprise Hoorne—Hoorne +surrenders.</p></blockquote> + + +<p>I was born on the 4th of August, 1781, in the village +of Corbridge, in the county of Northumberland; of parents +who may be said to have been among the middle classes, +my father being a tradesman. They gave me such an education +as was customary with people of their station in life; +viz. reading, writing, and arithmetic. My mother having +sprung from a pious race, was the first to implant in my +mind any sense of religion; indeed, it is to the spiritual +seed sown in my heart by her during my youth, that I am +indebted, under God, for having been brought, many years +afterwards, to consider my ways, and to turn to Him. +Nevertheless, being naturally of a sensual and wicked disposition, +I, as might be expected, spent a dissolute youth, +which often caused great pain and uneasiness to my good +and pious mother. But I did not continue long under the +paternal roof; for, having from my infancy a great predilection +for a military life, I embraced almost the first opportunity<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[2]</a></span> +that offered, after I became sufficiently grown, to +enter into the militia of my native county. I enlisted on +the 15th of November, 1798, being then little more than +seventeen years of age. I entered this service with the determination +that, should I not like a soldier's life, I would +then, after remaining a few years in it, return home; but, +if I did like it, to volunteer into the line, and make that my +occupation for life. It will readily be believed that this +undutiful step affected deeply my excellent parents; for +though my father was not <i>then</i> a religious man, he had a +heart susceptible of the tenderest feelings; and I really believe +that no parents ever felt more deeply the combined +emotions of tender regret at my leaving them so young, +and for such a purpose, and at the disgrace which my wayward +conduct had, as they imagined, brought upon myself. +But though evil in itself, God overruled it for good to me, +and, I trust, to them also. I would here remark that the +life of a soldier was by no means considered in my native +village, at that time, as at all creditable; and when I sometimes +in my boyhood used to exhibit symptoms of a military +inclination, I was often taunted with the then opprobrious +expression, "Ay, thou likes the smell of poother," +intimating thereby that I was likely to disgrace myself by +going for a soldier.</p> + +<p>I left my family in much grief in the beginning of 1799, +and marched with several other recruits to join my regiment +at Chelmsford in Essex, where we arrived in about +a month, and where I began my military career. I always +liked a soldier's life, consequently I did not suffer from +many of those parts of it which are so unpleasant to those +of a contrary disposition; and, as I took pleasure in it, I +of course made more progress in acquiring a knowledge +of my duty than some others who set out with me. I was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[3]</a></span> +early placed in the first squad, an honour which I considered +no trifling one in those days,—but none of us +finished our drill; for, in July of the same year, an order +was issued, permitting such men as chose to extend their +services, to volunteer into the line, in order to recruit the +army then destined for Holland. We had previously marched +from Chelmsford to Colchester, a distance of twenty-one +miles, which march was to me, I think, the severest I ever +underwent; for being young, and totally unaccustomed to +any thing like it, the weight of the musket, bayonet, accoutrements, +and knapsack, appeared, towards the latter end +of the march, to be almost intolerable; but I kept up, although +excessively tired. This will show how necessary +it is at all times to accustom troops, destined for service, to +move in such order as they will be expected to do when +they take the field—for, if unaccustomed to the carriage of +the knapsack, and to frequent marches with it for exercise, +they will be utterly unable to perform any movement against, +or in the face of an enemy, with that celerity necessary to +ensure success. I volunteered, with several of my comrades, +into the 56th regiment, or Pompadours, so called from their +facings being Madame Pompadour's favourite colour, and we +set off (carried in waggons to accelerate our movements) +for Canterbury, which we reached in two days and one +night, having travelled without making a halt; and there +we joined the skeleton of our regiment, just then returned +from the West Indies, where twice, during the war, it had +been nearly exterminated by disease.</p> + +<p>In a few days after our arrival, a selection was made throughout +the volunteers for fit subjects for the light company, when, +fortunately, both myself and William Sutherland (who had +been in the same company with me in the militia, and who, +from our names and size being so nearly similar, had always<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[4]</a></span> +stood next me in the ranks) were chosen for this, in my mind, +honourable service. I felt not a little proud at my advancement, +as I considered it, (and as I believe the generality of +soldiers consider it,) to be made a light-bob.</p> + +<p>The regiment had not at this time either arms, appointments, +or clothing; but, being in a few days sent off to +Barham Downs, where the army for Holland was assembled +and encamped, we soon after were supplied with the necessary +equipment, and commenced without delay to drill and +get the men in readiness for embarkation. At this time +the flank companies of all those regiments destined for Holland +were separated from their battalions, and formed into +what are termed flank battalions. That in which my company +was placed consisted of eleven light companies, the +command of which was given to Lieut.-Col. Sharpe, of the +9th regiment, an experienced and gallant veteran, who had +commanded a similar battalion in the eastern district, under +the Earl of Chatham. The grenadier battalion was composed +of an equal number of grenadier companies, and belonged +to the same regiments to which ours belonged. +Before our arrival on Barham Downs, the first division of +the expedition, under Sir Ralph Abercromby, had sailed; +and we soon after were called out to fire a <i>feu de joie</i> for +their capture of the Dutch fleet, and their having effected a +landing and gained a victory near the Helder. Nothing +could be more brilliant than our display upon this occasion +appeared to me—we were nearly 20,000 strong, I imagine, +and, being formed in one extensive line, the firing of the +<i>feu de joie</i> produced a fine effect. To my non-military +readers, perhaps, it will be necessary to explain what is +termed a <i>feu de joie</i>. The usual mode is, when formed in +line, for the fire to commence by signal with the right file +of the whole, and each of those on their left take it up<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[5]</a></span> +rapidly in succession, so that, to a looker-on, it has the appearance +of a wild-fire running along the line; but on this +occasion we heightened the effect, by beginning with the +right of the front rank only, and when it had passed along +by the front, the left-hand man of the rear rank took it up, +and so it passed along by the rear to the right again. It +appeared to me, at that time, certainly the finest sight I had +ever witnessed. Every heart present was elated with joy, +and beat high to be led on to share in those glorious achievements +which we were then celebrating; but, alas! we were +then ignorant that we were as unfit at that time to suffer the +toils and privations of a campaign, as if we had never seen a +soldier; we were all young, and inexperienced in the highest +degree, and our discipline, as might be naturally expected, was +far from good; for, being an army hastily collected from every +regiment of militia in the kingdom, the officers of course +neither had that knowledge of the characters of their men, +which is so essential, nor had the latter that confidence in +their officers, which only a service together for some length +of time can engender, and which is absolutely necessary to +secure an unreserved and active obedience to their commands. +But the period of our embarkation fast approached; previously +to which, we were reviewed by his Royal Highness +the Duke of York, (who was destined to command +us,) accompanied by several others of the Royal Family, +and by General Sir Charles Grey, my countryman. I believe +they all expressed themselves highly satisfied with +our appearance and movements, and hoped that we would +shortly add fresh laurels to those already gained by our +forerunners.</p> + +<p>As it was expected to be a service of only a short duration, +it was determined that the men should embark in +what is called "light marching" or "service order," that is,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[6]</a></span> +with only about half the usual complement of necessaries, +consequently every soldier had to leave a considerable portion +of his things behind him; and, in order to deposit them +safely, empty casks were procured for each company, into +which every man was ordered to stow his extra things, after +being properly packed and labelled with his name, &c. This +rather grieved me, for I had brought with me from home as +good a kit (as the soldiers term it) as any in the army. My +dear mother had prepared me shirts fine enough for any officer, +and abundance of them, but of those thus left I never +saw one afterwards. During our stay in this camp, I never +enjoyed better health or greater lightness of spirits, forgetful +or heedless of the deep and lasting anguish which my +late rash step must naturally inflict upon the hearts of my +tender and affectionate parents; but I was no doubt stimulated +to this thoughtless forgetfulness of them, by witnessing +the animating scenes around me, where all was bustle +and high anticipation of more glorious doings.</p> + +<p>We marched from this camp to Deal, where we embarked +in transports already prepared to receive us. As soon as we +arrived we were instantly put on board, but never shall I +forget the effect which the sight of the sea, and such a number +of ships of various sizes and descriptions, had upon me; +for before this I had never been near the sea, although I +had marched from the north to the south of England. But, +to add to all the strange things which then met my view, +we were instantly on marching down put into a large boat +that lay high upon the beach; which, when filled with +troops, they run down into the sea with astonishing rapidity, +turning my stomach, as we entered the water, completely +topsy-turvy. The effect of all this can better be +conceived than described; we were immediately rowed off to, +and put on board our transport, which happened to be a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[7]</a></span> +brig called the Zephyr of Shields. Here also every thing +was quite new to me; but all was met and performed with +the highest spirits, so far as sea-sickness permitted. We +remained on board two or three days before the fleet was +ready for sea; but at length we sailed with a favourable +breeze, and in two or three days more we made the coast of +Holland, and soon afterwards came to anchor within the +Texel. Every thing being ready for landing, and the Helder +being in our possession, we disembarked there on the +15th of September, 1799, having been just one week on +board. We were formed on landing near the town, and waited +till some others had disembarked, before we moved off. +Among those regiments which landed, I remember the 35th +was one. This regiment, after coming on shore, was drawn up +close to us; they had not been long landed before the men +began with their knives to cut off each other's hair, which +then was worn in the shape of a club; this was done without +any orders from their officers, and appeared to me, I +confess, such a breach of discipline, as I could not have anticipated; +for though on the whole it was an improvement, +as later usage has shown, yet I apprehend for a body of +soldiers, without any permission from higher authority, to +take upon them to break through the long-established custom +of the service, was such an utter renunciation of all +obedience to authority, as directly to threaten with destruction +the best interests of the army to which they belonged; +however, at such a time it would perhaps have been attended +with still worse consequences to have made an example +of the offenders, although, had stricter discipline been enforced +from the outset, I feel assured the army in general +would have benefited by it.</p> + +<p>Towards evening, we moved forward through the town of +Helder, and proceeded on our route towards Schagen, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[8]</a></span> +halted for the night on the road, and where such as could find +houses, of which there were a few straggling ones in the +neighbourhood, got into them. I awoke in the night, and still +fancied myself on board ship; for the wind and rain were beating +violently against the little hovel into which a few of us +had crept, and I imagined it was the dashing of the sea against +the bow of the vessel. Indeed so strong was this imagination, +that when I got up, I literally could not stand steady, not +having been long enough on board, to acquire what is +termed my "sea legs;" that is, I had not learned the art +of standing steady when the vessel heeled; and, strange as +it may appear to a person who has never been at sea, I +believe most landsmen have the same feeling for some short +time after being put on shore. We had each man been supplied +with a blanket while in camp on Barham Downs, but +had no proper or uniform mode of carrying them; we had +no great-coats, but made use of the blanket sometimes as a +substitute in the morning, when we turned out to proceed +on our march. We certainly made a strange appearance. +Some had their blankets thrown around them, others had +them twisted up like a horse collar, and tied over their +shoulders in the manner of a plaid; while some had them +stuffed into, and others tied on to the top of their knapsack; +in short, we appeared like any thing but <i>regular</i> +troops. We moved forward as soon as we were formed, and +early in the day reached Schagen-bruck, where his Royal +Highness stood to inspect us as we marched past. Near +this place we fell in with some of the Russian regiments, +they having landed nearly at the same time, and of which +nation there were, I believe, about 20,000 troops expected +to join our army. But if we appeared irregular and grotesque, +I know not well how to describe them; their riflemen +were shod with boots very much resembling those of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[9]</a></span> +our fishermen, coming up considerably higher than the +knee; thus rendering them, I should imagine, incapable of +celerity of movement, one of the chief requisites in a rifle +corps; they also wore large cocked hats and long green +coats. Their grenadiers were dressed more apropos, having +high sugar-loaf shaped caps, mounted with a great deal of +brass, and projecting forward at the top, with long coats, +and gaiters reaching above the knee. Their regular infantry +were nearly similar to the grenadiers, only they wore cocked +hats instead of caps. The regiment which we saw on this +occasion had with it, I should think, full half as many followers +as soldiers, some of whom carried immensely large +copper kettles; others the provisions, and others the officers' +baggage; in short, these were the scullions, the cooks, and, +as it were, the beasts of burden of the regiment; but this +was a bad system, for it increased by one half the number of +mouths to fill, and must have been attended with the worst +consequences when provisions were scarce. The officers, +I remember, carried what was formerly used in our service, +a long sort of pole, with a head like a halberd, and called, I +believe, a "spontoon." This, on passing a general at a review, +the officer twists and twirls around his head, precisely +as a drum-major in our service does his cane. When we +had passed his Royal Highness at the bridge, we moved forward +to the town of Schagen, and took up our quarters in +the church. I thought this extremely odd, as I had been +accustomed to view so sacred an edifice with more reverence +than to suppose they would quarter soldiers in it; but we +were stowed in it as thick as we could well be, and made the +best of our quarters; some taking the chancel, others the +vestry, and some the body of the church; nay, some even +took up their lodging in the reading-desk and pulpit. We +could contrive to make out the Lord's prayer in Dutch,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[10]</a></span> +but could not well proceed further, although there is much +similarity between that language and the English of my +native county. Here, for the first time, we learnt that +our brigade was what was called the <i>reserve</i>, and commanded +by Colonel M'Donald of the 55th regiment; but on this +occasion and in Egypt, the reserve was not what is generally +understood by that term, for in both places it was +composed of some of the best troops in the expedition, and +was generally first called into action. On this occasion, the +reserve consisted of the 23d Welsh fusileers, the 55th regiment, +the grenadier battalion before mentioned, and our +light battalion.</p> + +<p>We remained here till the 18th, when towards evening +we were ordered under arms, having been previously supplied +with provisions; and, after every preliminary was +adjusted, we set forward on our march towards the city +of Hoorne, situated on the Zuyder Zee. Of our destination, +the men, of course, were totally ignorant, but no doubt +the officers knew. It turned out that about 8000 troops +had been appointed for this service, the execution of which +was intrusted to that gallant old veteran, and hitherto successful +general, Sir Ralph Abercromby. The intention +was to make a rapid and extensive flank movement during +the night, and surprise and capture the said city, while his +Royal Highness was to attack the enemy in front. We +moved off as it became dark, but such was the state of +the roads that it became the most trying and distressing +march that I believe ever troops undertook; the roads were +literally knee deep in mud in most places, while every now +and then they were rendered nearly impassable, both by the +enemy having broken down the bridges over the innumerable +canals and dikes which intersect this country, and +these canals in many places having overflowed their banks.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[11]</a></span> +None but those who have experienced this or something +similar, can form an idea of the fatigue attending a night +march in such a country, where the column is large. We +marched, I think, in sections of about eight file, that is, +with eight men abreast in the front rank, and the like number +in the rear rank covering them. Conceive, then, your +arriving at an obstacle which the darkness of the night +multiplies a hundred-fold. Not more than one man will +attempt to pass this obstacle at the same time, and he has +to grope his way; consequently all the other fifteen men +must stand still, or nearly so, till he is over, before they +each move on in turn. Multiply this by the 300 sections +behind, and you will have a halt for the rear of probably an +hour or more; standing all this while nearly up to the knees +in mire; or, what is worse, as each regiment has accomplished +the task of getting over, this of course causes the others in +the rear to be drawing up towards it by degrees, so that probably +you are compelled to stand (or, if you choose, you may +lie down in the mud) for a quarter of an hour, or more perhaps; +and then move on again for the space of a few hundred +yards, and then another halt; so that could you lie down +to enjoy a little rest, the constant cry of "forward" resounding +in your ears, just as you begin to close your eyes, renders +it the most tiresome and trying situation that I know of. +It is true, the head of the column does not suffer in an equal +proportion with those in the rear, or a night march in an +enemy's country would be a dangerous operation.</p> + +<p>During this march, I remember, when the road was extremely +deep, some one on the right of my section called +out that there was an excellent path a little beyond him; +when one poor fellow moved in that direction, but had not +made many steps, till souse he went into a deep canal. +Whether the man who called out had been actually deceived +by the smooth surface of the water, which appeared in the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[12]</a></span> +dark like a nice level road; or whether he did it through mischief, +I know not, but the poor simpleton who followed his +advice paid dearly for his curiosity, being with some difficulty +extricated from his uncomfortable situation. I may +observe that these canals or dikes skirt both sides of every +road in this part of Holland, and are even made use of as +fences for the fields, there not being any hedges or walls +that I remember to have seen.</p> + +<p>About break of day we reached the city, which at once +surrendered; but just before daylight, I became so excessively +weary that I could not continue in the ranks any +longer; indeed men had been dropping out for some hours +before, so that, I suppose, when the head of the column +reached Hoorne, one half the number had fallen out; for +it was beyond the powers of human nature to sustain such +excessive fatigue. I, with two or three others, got behind +a house that stood by the roadside, and laid ourselves down +on a paved footpath which led from the back-door. Never +in my life did I experience a greater luxury than this appeared +to be, where something hard, and that would keep +me out of the deep and filthy mire, could be found to rest +upon.</p> + +<p>I laid me down and slept as soundly as ever I did in my +life for about an hour, which quite refreshed me. We then +got up and set off with all despatch to overtake the column, +which we came up with and joined just as they halted after +reaching the city. None of the troops entered the place, I +believe; but my battalion being towards the rear of the column, +was at a considerable distance from it. All now lay +down to rest, and such as had houses near them occupied +them; but those who had not, chose the driest parts of the +canal bank or road, and all were soon buried in profound +sleep, excepting those who were placed on guard.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[13]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER II.</h2> + +<blockquote><p>The Russian Allies carry Bergen—Allow themselves to be surprised, +and the whole Army forced to retire to their former position—Skirmishing +in the vicinity of Old Patten—The Russians endeavour to +force their way back to Bergen—The Russian and British Forces +joined—The Enemy forced to abandon Egmont-op-Zee—Alkmaar +surrenders—The Troops advance to Egmont Binnen—Skirmishing—General +Engagement—The Enemy repulsed—The Forces retire +to Zaand Wyck—Armistice concluded—Return to England.</p></blockquote> + + +<p>From daylight we had heard a heavy and constant cannonade +towards our right and rear. His Royal Highness, with the +remainder of the army, as was before intimated, had moved +forward and attacked the main body of the enemy; but as I +did not witness this action, I forbear to relate what I heard +concerning it, further than this, that the Russians who +attacked the enemy posted in the neighbourhood of Bergen, +having by some mismanagement allowed themselves to be +surprised after having carried that village, the whole army +had been obliged to retire to their former position. In consequence +of this failure, I believe, we were ordered towards +evening to fall in, and (what appeared annoying in the extreme) +to retrace our weary footsteps by the same dirty road +by which we had advanced. Nearly the same fatigue and +misery were endured as in our advance; but the column did +not keep so much together as before, the men falling out +by hundreds, so that the stoppages were not quite so great.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[14]</a></span> +We did not return to Schagen after our retreat, but were +cantoned in some villages in front of that town; and a few +days afterwards we were moved to the right of Schagen, +through Schagen-bruck, to a farm hamlet called Zaand Wyck.</p> + +<p>Here we remained till the 1st of October; but I should +not omit to mention, that we had, during the intervening +period, several marches, all of which were made by night, +and in which similar sufferings and fatigue were endured +as in the march to Hoorne. This, it may probably be remembered, +was one of the wettest autumns almost upon +record; and in these marches we generally had the full +benefit of the torrents which fell in this naturally wet +country. I have actually seen the water running out at +the bottom of the men's trowsers like that from the gutter +which carries the rain from the roof of a house. When we +had not a night march, we invariably had to be at our alarm +post an hour before daybreak,—and that being about four +miles distant from our quarter at this time, we never had +what may be called a full night's rest.</p> + +<p>Military men will know that the custom of being at the +alarm post before daybreak is almost universal; for, that +being the usual time of attack, it behoves those who are +apprehensive of a visit from the enemy to be on the look-out, +and to be prepared to receive them when they come—here +they remain, till, as the vulgar phrase goes, "You can +see a white horse a mile off," that is, till it is clear daylight, +and they have ascertained that no enemy is in the neighbourhood; +after which, if all be quiet, they retire to their +quarters. Our accommodations at Zaand Wyck may be said +to have been good, for our officers had a farm-house to live +in, and we had a good dry barn and other outhouses to lie +down in; and in which I enjoyed some comfortable nights' +lodgings. But on the 1st of October, in the afternoon, we<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[15]</a></span> +were ordered to fall in, it having been previously intimated +to us that we might probably have a brush with the enemy.</p> + +<p>We were, of course, all life and glee on receiving the information, +and the usual quantity of provisions having been +issued, and every other preparation made in the night, +we moved off by the same road by which we had usually +advanced to our alarm post. This we passed, and then entered +a most unpleasant country to march through; it being +nearer the enemy, of course all bridges and other communications +had been destroyed. As we moved on, a little after +daylight we were overtaken by the 11th light dragoons, +on which we were ordered to open to the right and left to +let them pass us. They seemed in high spirits, and some +of them cried out, as they passed us, "Go on, my lads, +lather them well, and we'll come up and shave them."</p> + +<p>Sir Walter Scott mentions this saying as made use of by +some of the cavalry at Waterloo, as if it were at that +time new; but I can assure him it is as old as 1799, if not +much older, for I certainly heard it used on this occasion, +and I know not but it may have been said long before. The +cavalry inclined, after passing us, to their left, while we +kept down towards the sea; and soon after, on ascending a +small eminence, we got a view of the village of Old Patten, +where we discovered about 10,000 or 12,000 of our army +drawn up near the sea-beach. We passed them, and moved +forward in the direction of a high range of sand-hills, which +commenced about a mile beyond the village, and which overlooked +all the plain below. Here the enemy was posted, +and I was told that they began as soon as we were within +reach to cannonade us; but from the heads of the men in +front, I could not perceive any appearance of such cannonade, +nor do I believe that any of their shot reached us. A +little farther on, however, we met a Russian yager, or rifleman, +coming back and holding out his hand, which had been<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[16]</a></span> +wounded, and from which the blood was flowing pretty copiously.</p> + +<p>This was the first blood that I had ever seen as drawn +in hostile conflict, and it certainly produced a somewhat +strange effect upon me; it showed plainly that we were in +the immediate vicinity of that enemy we had so often talked +about, and whom we hoped to conquer; that now the time +had arrived which would infallibly prove what every man, +boaster or not, was made of; and that it might happen that +it was my lot to fall. Having reflected (rather confusedly I +own) on the passing scene before me, and offered up an occasional +prayer to Him who alone can cover the head in the +day of battle, we now approached the bottom of this sandy +eminence, when my company was ordered to unfix bayonets, +(for we had previously primed and loaded,) and dash +on at double quick time till we came in contact with the +enemy. No time was left for reflection now, the immediate +duty we had to perform occupied all our attention fully; we +soon got into a smart fire from the enemy's riflemen, which +we found was the only description of troops, except a few +artillery, that we had to contend with, their main bodies of +heavy infantry being on the right and left of this sandy +range, which in some places was about a mile in breadth, in +others more or less.</p> + +<p>After the fight had fairly commenced, we kept but little +order, owing partly to the want of discipline and experience +in our people, and partly to the nature of the ground, which +was rugged and uneven in the extreme, being one continued +range of sand-hills, with hollows more or less deep between +them; and partly it may be attributed to the ardour of our +young men, who pressed on perhaps too rapidly. We continued +to advance, and never once made a retrograde movement, +the enemy regularly retiring from height to height<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[17]</a></span> +on our approach; but they had greatly the advantage over +us in point of shooting, their balls doing much more execution +than ours; indeed it cannot be wondered at, for +they were all riflemen, trained to fire with precision, and +armed with a weapon which seldom fails its object if truly +pointed; while we were (what shall I say) totally ignorant +of that most essential part of a soldier's duty. They consequently +suffered little from our fire; but we could not believe +this, and tried to persuade ourselves they had either buried +their dead in the sand before we came up to them, or carried +them off as they retreated; but experience has since taught +me to know that we then must have done them little harm.</p> + +<p>About the middle of the day, as I and a young man of the +name of Thomas Bambrough (a countryman of my own, +and who had volunteered with me,) were moving on in company, +in passing through one of the valleys to an opposite +height, we were assailed by a little volley from a group of +the enemy which we discovered on a hill in front of us; one +of which shots took effect in poor Bambrough's thigh just +about the ham; he instantly fell, and roared out most piteously; +I laid down my musket and endeavoured to hoist +him on my back, in order to take him out of the fire, which +they now poured in without intermission; but in this I +failed, for he was so completely disabled by the wound, as +to be rendered totally helpless, and it was so extremely +painful that he could not bear the least movement.</p> + +<p>I felt constrained to leave him, although I did so with reluctance, +telling him that I would push on to the height we +had first in view, to which I then perceived some more of +our men had advanced, and would drive the enemy from +their position; of course all this was not literally told him, +but something to that effect was said; and I found that the +moment I left him they ceased to fire on him; and, as I promised,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[18]</a></span> +we did drive off the enemy. Shortly after, some of our +own people came up to where poor Bambrough lay, and carried +him off to the rear; he was sent to an hospital, where he soon +after died, they not being able, I understand, to extract the +ball. Soon after this, there were some tremendous volleys of +musketry heard on our left, apparently down in the plain +below us. I, with one or two others, now inclined a little +towards the left, in order to have a peep at the troops there, +so hotly opposed to each other, in doing which, we still kept +our line in front of the enemy's skirmishers.</p> + +<p>We found it was the Russian army endeavouring to force +their way towards the village of Bergen, the scene of their +former disaster; but they were most distressingly retarded +by the innumerable canals or ditches, by which the country +was so intersected, and which were generally impassable by +fording. On some occasions I could perceive, when they +had found an entrance into an enclosure, and had fought +their way to the farther side of it, they were obliged to +retrace their steps, and get out by the same way by which +they had entered, the enemy all this while pouring into them +a close and destructive fire. This appeared to me to be most +trying to their patience, and very disheartening; but they +bore it with great steadiness.</p> + +<p>Meantime, our own heavy troops were advancing on the +right by the sea-beach, where was a plain of sand, of perhaps +from 100 to 200 yards in breadth; the sand-hills between +the two wings, as I said before, being swept by us, assisted +by a small corps of Russian riflemen. We moved on till +we got a little in advance of the Russian army, (which, +from the obstacles they had to contend with, did not make +very rapid progress,) and immediately over the village of +Bergen, which stood on the plain, close under the sand-hills. +Here, the enemy being in possession of considerable<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[19]</a></span> +field-works, plied us pretty plenteously with shells from +their howitzers, (their guns they could not elevate sufficiently +to reach us,) but from which we suffered very little; +for our people being much extended, and the sand being +deep, the bursting of the shells was attended with very little +mischief. Indeed, for a long time, I did not know what +they were; for, having several times heard a loud explosion +pretty near, I actually looked round to see the gun, which I +imagined had fired, but could perceive nothing but a cloud +of smoke rising from the spot, and the small bushes and +herbs about it on fire. I thought it strange, and it was not till +it was several times repeated, that we discovered what it really +was, for my comrades were equally ignorant with myself.</p> + +<p>At length, towards the close of the afternoon, a loud and +heavy fire of musketry broke out on our right, which continued +for a considerable time, and then ceased. This was +our heavy infantry, who had advanced by the sea-shore, and +who had now approached the village of Egmont-op-Zee, +where the enemy made a most determined stand, but at last +were driven back with great slaughter, and our people took +possession of the town. From this place the battle derives +its name. A little after dark, the enemy abandoned Bergen +also, so that we ceased any longer to be annoyed by their +shells, which they continued to throw while they held possession +of the place. But a short while before they retired, +one was thrown, which pitched just close over my company, +(for we had then been collected, and were formed in close +order immediately above the town,) and where Colonel +Sharpe and another officer were walking; it lay for a second +or two hissing and burning, and might be expected every +moment to explode. Their road lay close past it; the +veteran however took no notice of it, but continued his +walk and conversation the same as if nothing had occurred,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[20]</a></span> +and without going an inch out of his way. It burst with +a tremendous report, but fortunately without doing either +of them the least injury. I confess I thought it rather <i>too +brave</i>; for it appeared to me that he might have walked a +little farther from it, or stopped for a moment or two without +any imputation on his courage; but people do not all +see things exactly alike.</p> + +<p>Our loss in this action was but trifling, considering the +extent of the operations. We had in my company only +about fourteen or fifteen men killed and wounded; among +the latter were my two countrymen, Bambrough, as before +noticed, and Sutherland. One man of our company, I was +told, in charging a fieldpiece, was struck down by the wind +of the ball, and which, although it did not touch him, +brought blood from his mouth, nose, and ears; he never +after thoroughly recovered the effects of it. I do not remember +ever to have felt more fatigued than I did after this +day's work. We had marched before commencing the +action, I should think, twelve miles or more. We had been +kept upon the run the greater part of the day, and had fought +over nearly as much more ground, through loose sand, sometimes +nearly up to the middle of the leg, and over ground +so extremely uneven, that a few miles of leisurely walking +on such, would be more than I should be able to accomplish +now; and we had been nearly all the day deprived of every +sort of liquid, for our canteens were soon emptied of what +little they contained in the morning, and having myself +fired nearly 150 rounds of ammunition, the powder of which, +in biting off the ends of the cartridges, had nearly choked +me. What would I not have given for a good drink? I +felt completely exhausted, and laid me down with the others +with great good-will on the top of one of the sand-hills. +But the night proved extremely wet, so that every one of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[21]</a></span> +us was very soon as completely soaked as if he had been +dragged through a river; and, to crown my misfortunes, +I was without a blanket. Here I must confess my folly, +that others similarly situated may profit by my experience. +Soon after the commencement of the action a rumour +was spread along the line of skirmishers, that the +Duke, seeing the very arduous duty we had to perform, had +said, "Never mind, my lads, if your knapsacks are any encumbrance +to you, and impede your running, throw them +off, and I will take care you shall be furnished with others." +No sooner did this silly report reach my ears, than I, with +many others, equally simple, believed it, without taking +time to consider that if even it were true, a knapsack and +a blanket, (for they were together,) to be useful should be +at hand when wanted. But, simpleton like, away went +knapsack and blanket, and I felt greatly relieved in getting +rid of such a burden, and now pushed on after the enemy +with increased vigour, trying at the same time to persuade +myself the report was true; although I own I occasionally +had my doubts on the subject. But night came on, as I have +said, and such a one as I have seldom seen for wet, and then +I plainly perceived that I had played the young soldier.</p> + +<p>An officer of ours of the name of Lacy, who had formerly +been the captain of the Northumberland light company, and +who volunteered with us, offered any man half a guinea for +the use of a blanket for that night only, but without being +able to obtain one: this will give some idea of the kind of +night it was. I had nothing for it, but just to put the cock +of my musket between my knees, to keep it as dry as possible, +and lay myself down as I was. I endeavoured to get +as close as I could to one who had a blanket, and lay down +with my head at his feet, which he had covered up very +comfortably with his blanket. The rain pelted so heavily and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[22]</a></span> +so incessantly on my face, that I ventured after a while to +pull a little corner of this man's blanket just to cover my +cheek from the pitiless storm, and in this situation snatched +a comfortable nap; but he awakening in the night, and finding +that I had made free with the corner of his blanket, +rudely pulled it from off my face, and rolled it round his +feet again.</p> + +<p>I was fain to lie still and let it pelt away, and even in +this exposed situation I got some sleep, so completely were +the powers of nature exhausted by fatigue. At length morning +arose and showed us to ourselves, and such a group of +sweeps we had seldom seen. Our clothing was literally all +filth and dirt; our arms the colour of our coats with rust; +and our faces as black as if we had come out of a coal-pit. +In biting off the ends of the cartridges, there are generally +a few grains of powder left sticking on the lips and about +the mouth; these, accumulated as they must have been by +the great quantity of ammunition each of us had fired, and +with the profuse perspiration we were in during the heat of +the day, added to the wet which fell upon us during the +night, had caused the powder to run all over our faces; so +that in the morning we cut the most ludicrous figure imaginable. +However we immediately set about getting our arms +again in trim, for though the enemy had left us masters of +the field of action, they were not far distant from us. We +soon got our firelocks again in fighting order; that is, they +would go off, though the brightness, on which a clean soldier +piques himself, was gone past recovery at this time. I +now felt rather sore from firing my piece so often; the recoil +against my shoulder and breast had blackened them, +and rendered them rather painful, and the middle finger of +my right hand was completely blackened and swoln from +the same cause.</p> + +<p>At<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[23]</a></span> this time it was reported that a sad accident had occurred +in our battalion; a soldier of one of our companies, in +cleaning his musket, had by some awkwardness allowed it +to go off, and an officer being immediately in front of where +he was standing, the ball had taken effect upon him, and +killed him on the spot.</p> + +<p>After getting ourselves brushed up a little, the whole battalion +was brought together, and moved to the right into +the town of Egmont-op-Zee, where the guards and some +other regiments had been since the evening before, after +beating the enemy out of it, as I before mentioned. We +remained here for that day, during which Alkmaar surrendered, +and then advanced to the village of Egmont Binnen, +or Egmont-op-Hoof, I am not certain which it is called, a +few miles in front, and close by the sea.</p> + +<p>I omitted to mention, that our fight of the 2d took place +over the ground from which Lord Duncan's victory derived +its name, <i>i. e.</i> Camperdown. This headland, I fancy, we must +have passed during that day's operations—But to return. +We remained in Egmont Binnen till the morning of the +6th, when my battalion was ordered to fall in and march +towards the outposts, a few miles in front, in order, as we +understood, to relieve our grenadier battalion, which had +been out since the day before. We advanced by the sea-shore, +but had not gone far before we saw and heard unequivocal +signs that we should have something more than +outpost duty to perform; the fact is, the enemy was rapidly +advancing, their force in front having been greatly +augmented by reinforcements; but when about two miles +from the village, we met a soldier of the 11th light dragoons +bringing in a French officer, whom he had taken prisoner. +He belonged to the chasseurs-à-cheval, a sort of mounted<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[24]</a></span> +light troops, who can act either as infantry or cavalry, as +occasion may require. When we met them, and while they +stood talking for a moment, I could not help thinking it +would have made a fine subject for a painting; for the +officer was most superbly dressed in dark green, with a richly +embroidered pouch-belt over his shoulder, and with a deep +cut across his cheek, from which the blood was streaming +over an extremely handsome face; indeed he was altogether +a most interesting figure, and, contrasted with the rough +features and haughty bearing of the proud trooper who had +taken him, produced a fine effect. The fellow gave his +horse a slap over the flank with the flat of his sword, and +set off with his prisoner, crying out, that there were plenty +more of them to take, and that he would soon return and +bring in another.</p> + +<p>As we advanced, we could plainly perceive the enemy +in front, skirmishing with our grenadiers, and we also saw +that they possessed a pretty strong body of cavalry—a +species of troops we had not encountered on the 2d. We +could distinctly perceive the cavalry wading into the sea as +far as their horses could go, in order, as we imagined, to see +past the point of a projecting sand-hill, which obstructed +their view of the beach beyond it; but when they perceived +that the force which was advancing against them was not +great, they attacked our grenadiers with increased vivacity, +and we soon after came in contact with them, for they were +advancing with as great rapidity as if no force was in front +to oppose them.</p> + +<p>We soon perceived that they were nearly four times our +numbers, and were obliged to adopt such a <i>ruse de guerre</i> +as is frequently practised by the weaker party, but which +had no effect, I am sorry to say, on this occasion,—that is, +while one part of our force was skirmishing, the remainder<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[25]</a></span> +got behind sand-hills a little in rear, and letting the men's +heads just show over their tops, as if standing in columns of +battalions, tried to induce the enemy to believe that each +separate body which appeared was of that force; but no, +Johnny (as the soldiers sometimes call the French) was not +so easily gulled, for they had previously ascertained pretty +accurately the strength of our force in front of them, by the +operation of the cavalry before mentioned. They therefore +pressed on us with the most desperate fury, and in overwhelming +numbers.</p> + +<p>We maintained the action as well as our limited means +permitted, and for a while kept tolerable order; but as the +fight became hotter, and the disparity of force more apparent, +I regret to say, our young troops fell into considerable +disorder and confusion. This giving the enemy greater +confidence, of course he availed himself of it, and attacked +us with redoubled impetuosity; and, I lament to say, our +dismayed and disheartened young soldiers fell from one degree +of confusion to another, till at length all order seemed +entirely lost amongst us; and what was at first a rather regular +retreat, became at last a disorderly flight; for wherever +an attempt was made to check the ardour of the enemy, +the immense inequality of force they possessed soon +completely overthrew the few that stood; and many were +the brave fellows, both officers and men, who fell in this +unequal contest, without their having the slightest chance +of successfully opposing our impetuous foe.</p> + +<p>The flight now became more like a race than any thing +else, and I imagine they drove us not less than three or +four miles without giving us time to breathe; but when +we had reached within about a mile of the village we had +left in the morning, we perceived some regiments advancing +to our succour; among them was the 23d, which advanced<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[26]</a></span> +in line, and showed so good and steady a front as quite delighted +us. We could also perceive to our left, that the +Russians had become engaged with the force in front of +them, and were holding it at bay; indeed by this time the +action had extended considerably into the country, and +some others of the British troops, I understand, were soon +engaged.</p> + +<p>On the coming up of the reinforcement, the 23d in particular, +our straggling and broken troops, which had been +so wofully beaten, now united, and again advanced upon +the enemy; and when the 23d had given them a volley or +two, the French gave way and retreated with as great precipitation +as they had advanced. In short the tables were +turned upon them, and the pursuit of them now was equally +rapid with our retreat before them a short while previously; +and before the action ceased, we had driven them considerably +beyond where we encountered them in the morning. +Night scarcely put an end to the action, for the firing continued +long after dark, each party being directed by the fire +from the arms of their opponents; the unwillingness to desist +on our part, I attribute to a desire of revenge for the +disgrace they had inflicted on us in the morning. Towards +the evening it came on exceedingly wet.</p> + +<p>Nothing could surpass the steadiness and fine appearance +of the 23d, on entering into action; but they were all old +soldiers, while our two battalions were composed altogether, +I may say, of volunteers from the militia, who had as little +idea of service in the field, as if newly taken from the plough. +I would just remark here, that from what I have witnessed +upon different occasions, I should never be inclined to put +very much confidence in raw troops of whatever nation, or +of what stuff soever they may be composed, for it is certain, +that without being at all deficient in point of courage, they<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[27]</a></span> +have not that confidence in their own powers which soldiers +who are inured to service possess; and if hastily or hotly +set upon, while without the aid and example of others more +experienced than themselves, it is many chances to one I +think that they will give way. So it was on this occasion. +Nothing could exceed the materials of which these two battalions +were composed, had they had the advantage of a +little more experience; and no troops could fight better than +they did, after gaining the support and countenance of the +old regiments which were sent to reinforce them.</p> + +<p>But I confess with shame, we showed a great want of +nerve in the early part of the day, although to any troops +the occasion must have been one of severe trial. When the +retreat had degenerated into a flight, and every one seemed +intent only on making the best of his way to the rear, I, +with some others who were among the hills, imagined we +could get on faster if we took to the sea-beach, which, although +it also was composed of deep sand, yet was level, +and could not be so very fatiguing as climbing the innumerable +hills over which we had to retreat. Away we accordingly +set for the beach; but we had forgotten to calculate +that if the beach would facilitate our retreat, it also would +the enemy's advance. This we soon discovered, for we had +scarcely descended from the hills when we found ourselves +almost surrounded by the enemy; and it was not without +the utmost exertion in our power that we were enabled to +effect our escape, the balls flying thicker about us during +our short stay here than they had done all the day before. +My haversack was a great encumbrance to me on this occasion, +for, having lost my knapsack as before related, I was +obliged to stuff every thing I possessed into this inconvenient +bag; which, hanging so low as to knock against my thighs, +greatly impeded my progress to the rear, and had nigh got +me lodged in a French prison.</p> + +<p>A girl,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[28]</a></span> who had followed a grenadier belonging to my +regiment when he volunteered out of the militia, accompanied +her protector during the whole of this day's +operations, and shared equally with him every danger and +fatigue to which he was exposed, and no argument could +prevail upon her to leave him till the whole business was +over, and till the battalion to which her sweetheart belonged +was sent to the rear at night. I am not certain whether +it was his Royal Highness's intention to have fought this +day, or whether the action was brought on fortuitously; +but certainly, although we began the fight under very unfavourable +circumstances, and things looked rather awkward +at one part of the day, no army ever got a more complete +drubbing than the French did before the business terminated. +I have since learnt that the action became general along +the whole line towards the close of the day. Thus ended +the last affair between the British and French troops during +that unfortunate expedition.</p> + +<p>The next day we fell back upon Egmont Binnen, leaving +sufficiently strong outposts to occupy the ground we had +taken, and this day I was fortunate enough to pick up the +shell of an artilleryman's knapsack who had been killed in +one of the late fights; but for necessaries I was totally +destitute, and began soon after to feel the effects of my folly +in throwing away my own. A little before midnight of +the evening of the 7th, we were again ordered under arms +with all dispatch and without noise, and had no doubt it +was for the purpose of advancing as before, so as to reach +the enemy's line by daylight next morning. How great +then was our surprise and disappointment, when we turned +our faces towards the rear, and filed out of the village by +the road leading towards our old quarters! We moved on +in silence till we reached Egmont-op-Zee, where the flashes<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[29]</a></span> +from a large coal fire erected by way of lighthouse, shed a +melancholy gleam over our columns as we passed beneath +the hill on which it was erected. Here also by the sea lay +innumerable dead bodies, both of men and horses, together +with broken tumbrils and other sad emblems of the devastation +which a few days previously had been made on this +very ground; for here it was that the heat and principal part +of the action of the 2d took place, when the heavy columns +of the opposing armies came in contact with each other. It +would not be easy to describe our feelings as we moved +sadly and silently along, knowing, as we now did, that we +were for ever abandoning all the advantages that we had +hitherto gained, after so much toil, privations, and loss as we +had suffered; but it was useless to repine. Our leaders +must know better than we could possibly do, what state the +army was in, and what likelihood remained of effecting the +object for which we came into the country; our duty +therefore was to obey, without questioning the propriety of +our present movement, however unpleasant it might be to +our feelings.</p> + +<p>We passed by Old Patten, near to which the action of the +2d commenced, and finally returned to our old quarters at +Zaand Wyck, which we reached some time next day, and +where I found my comrade Sutherland, who had been here +for some days; his wound, which was through the shoulder, +not having disabled him from making his way thus far. He +had some mutton already cooked, of which I partook with +great relish, for I needed refreshment much; and after taking +a swig out of his canteen, I laid me down and slept most +soundly, rejoiced and thankful that I had so comfortable a +home to return to.</p> + +<p>We remained in this quarter only a day or two, and then +our brigade was removed towards the left of the line,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[30]</a></span> +which, as well as I remember, rested upon Kolhorn. My +battalion occupied the village of Basingohorn, to which we +had retired on a former occasion; I mean on our retreat +from Hoorne. This was one of the villages farthest in +advance, consequently it became an outpost. A night or two +passed quietly, but on the second or third night, a firing +commenced from the advanced sentries all along the line. +Whether the enemy had merely been making a reconnoissance, +or whether they had intended to advance in force, and +our discovering them altered their plan, I know not, but +think the former the more probable; but be as it may, it +had the effect of turning out our whole line of outposts, +which, as might be expected, prepared to give them the +best reception we were able. I remember on this occasion +putting in two balls when we were ordered to load, as I was +determined not to spare them, for I (with all my comrades +I believe) felt sore at having been obliged to yield up all +the advantages we had gained, to an enemy which we +certainly did not consider as having fairly won them from +us in action, but who were more indebted to the severity of +the weather, producing such disastrous consequences on our +young army, than to their prowess in the field. They +retired, however, without giving us an opportunity of +welcoming them in the manner we intended. A few days +after this, on the 19th October, it came to my turn to be +one of the advanced sentries. About break of day, while +musing of many things, of home with all its comforts, and +contrasting it with my then rather uncomfortable situation, +I was suddenly aroused from my reverie by the beating of +drums and sounding of trumpets and music, &c., all along +the French line. I could not conjecture the cause of all +this, for although it is customary to sound and beat the +réveille at this hour, yet never having heard the French do<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[31]</a></span> +so before, I concluded something more than ordinary had +occurred to cause them to do so on this occasion, and I +need hardly inform my reader that I kept a good look-out, +in order that they should not catch us napping. In a +short while, however, the mystery was cleared up; for an +officer of ours came round all the advanced sentries to tell +us, that, as an armistice had been concluded, we were not +any longer to prevent the country-people from passing and +repassing, as we had formerly had orders to do. I imagine +the festive noises which I heard arose from this circumstance +having taken place, for I believe the French were tired +enough of the business, although they had now become +in some measure the assailants; or else the cessation of +hostilities allowed them to resume their wonted custom of +beating the réveille in the morning.</p> + +<p>Seeing we had failed in our attempt to wrest the country +from the French, and that no hope now remained of our ever +being in a condition to effect it, the prospect of returning +home once more became a pleasing consideration, and I +fully gave way to it. My comrades also now began to turn +their thoughts homeward, and cheerfulness once more +beamed on countenances which for some days past had been +rather gloomy. But by this time the dysentery had made sad +ravages among our young and inexperienced soldiery, for on +a day soon after this, we could in my company muster on parade +only eighteen men out of one hundred, of which it was +composed at the outset. This inefficiency was caused principally +by disease, although we had certainly lost a fair proportion +in the field. It was therefore well that our removal +to a more favourable soil was about speedily to take place; +and wisely had his Royal Highness acted in agreeing to +evacuate a country, the climate of which had been so extremely +prejudicial to his army. About this time also, I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[32]</a></span> +began to have my personal trials and sufferings; for now I +began to feel the full effect of my folly on the 2d inst., in +throwing away my knapsack, for I had not a change of any +description, and the consequence may be easily conjectured. +Filth and vermin now began to add poignancy to my other +sufferings, but I bore up against them all as well as I was +able; and I have reason to thank God, that the strength of +a good constitution enabled me to continue my duty without +yielding for one day to the accumulated effects of these +disagreeables. Soon after this also, the good people of +England, commiserating our uncomfortable situation, sent +out presents of flannel shirts and shoes, which arrived most +opportunely. I was not fortunate enough to obtain one of +the former necessary articles, but my sergeant kindly put +me down for a pair of shoes, of which I stood in great need, +and now beg to return my best thanks to the kind friends +who sent them, although at the time we expected we should +have to pay for them. In a short while after this, the grenadiers +and light battalions were broken up, and each company +returned and joined its own proper regiment. We +joined ours (the 56th) at a weeshaus (or poorhouse), +situated on the great canal which connects this part of +Holland with Alkmaer, and not far from Schagen-bruck. +Here we were occupied for a few days in putting things in +the best order we could, previous to our embarkation.</p> + +<p>About the 3d November we marched for the Helder, +from whence we went on board. On our way down, one +of my comrades, who was not over scrupulous in expressing +his sentiments, was railing bitterly against the mismanagement +(as he imagined) of the expedition, and saying, "he +hoped the next time we came to that country, should we +ever come again, that we would leave it under more favourable +circumstances." General Manners (to whose brigade<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[33]</a></span> +we now belonged) was riding close behind, unknown to this +complainer, and overheard every word he said. When the +soldier had finished, the General most good-naturedly rode +up to him, and began to argue the matter with him. +"Why," says he, "although we are leaving the country, it +is not from the enemy having compelled us to do so from +his superior bravery or success in the field, for we have +fought only five actions since landing, and in four of these +we have been the conquerors; it is owing solely to the great +sickness and consequent inefficiency of the army that we +have been compelled to this measure." I could not but +admire the affability and kindness of the General, and was +fully satisfied myself, and so were all who heard him, of, I +believe, the justness of the remarks he made. We reached +the Helder the same day, where we remained doing duty +till the 10th November, on which we embarked on board +his Majesty's ship Romney, of fifty guns, commanded by +Captain Lawford, (afterwards by Sir Home Popham.) She +was only a small vessel of her class, and yet our whole regiment +was put on board her; we indeed were not very strong, +but she was crowded beyond measure, for many, nay, most +of the troops had not literally lying room, each company +having barely the space between two guns, which, I should +think, is not more than twelve feet at the utmost, and even +here the sailors, whether with or without orders I know not, +slung their hammocks over us. I particularly remember +this being the case, for I had the second night, by way of +securing room to stretch myself, lain down between decks +early in the evening, and had had some little repose, when +a sailor, whose hammock was slung right over me, and +while standing and making it, put his foot right on my +cheek, and stood there till he had finished. I know not +whether he knew that it was a human head he was treading<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[34]</a></span> +on, but I judged it best to be as quiet as possible; preferring +the pain of bearing his weight on my head, rather than, by +moving or crying out, to incur the risk of his foot slipping, +and peeling the skin off my face. The voyage was fortunately +short, for in seven days we landed at Yarmouth, glad +and rejoiced that this unpleasant and ill-fated expedition +was terminated. I know not whether my reader is old +enough to remember the autumn of which I have been +speaking, but to me it appeared one of the wettest and most +uncomfortable that I ever remember; and it was here, +while exposed to its effects, that were laid, most probably, +the seeds of that severe pulmonic affection from which I +have since suffered so much.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[35]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_III" id="CHAPTER_III"></a>CHAPTER III.</h2> + +<blockquote><p>Arrive in England—The Pompadours embark for Ireland—Arrive at +Kinsale—Privations in Ireland in 1800—Peace concluded—Our +Author resolves to return home, but ultimately volunteers into the +Rifle Corps or 95th—Embarks for England, and joins his Regiment +at Sussex—Is promoted.</p></blockquote> + + +<p>We landed at Yarmouth on the 17th November, and the +next day marched to Norwich, where we remained a few +days, and where we found the people remarkably kind and +attentive to our comforts; and, indeed, we now cut a most +sorry figure, being literally nothing but rags and dirt; it +was certainly a sad tax on the good landlords on whom we +were billeted, to be compelled to find us lodgings, for we +never left the beds unoccupied by some of the uncomfortable +companions of our travels when we arose in the +morning. I here began to find myself very unwell, for +though I had borne up against sickness in the field, I could +not now receive my food without feeling the most afflicting +nausea, my stomach being completely out of order; and it +was no wonder, for we had been compelled for several weeks +past to drink the brackish water of the ditches of Holland, +no springs (that ever I saw) being there to be found, and +the little water in their wells, when we arrived in the +country, being speedily exhausted. We had also been deprived<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[36]</a></span> +of salt nearly all the time of our sojourn in that country, +one of the greatest privations that I know of. Through +the nursing of my kind landlady, however, I gradually regained +my appetite, and with it my health, for which I have +reason to be truly thankful to Him who has ever dealt so +mercifully with me.</p> + +<p>In a few days we left Norwich on our route to Chelmsford, +and on our way passed through Bury St Edmunds, +where my late regiment, the Northumberland militia, was +quartered; they vied with each other in showing us kind +attentions, but our miserable appearance put the soldiers of +this regiment sadly out of love with the regular service.</p> + +<p>We did not remain at Chelmsford long, but marched +again for Horsham in Sussex, on which occasion I for the +first time had a view of the metropolis, as we passed through +it, by way of Whitechapel and London Bridge, &c. At +Horsham we were quartered during the remainder of this +winter. About the 10th or 12th of February 1800, we +marched for Portsmouth, where we embarked for Ireland +on the 14th. On this occasion the regiment was put on +board two first-rate frigates; the Endymion was that on +which the left wing went on board, but I do not recollect +the name of the other. An agreement was entered into between +the two captains, I understood, to sail for fifty +guineas, they both being considered fast vessels; our destination +was Cork; they were to start together, and the +first there of course to be the winner.</p> + +<p>We sailed with a favourable breeze, and got on most +delightfully, having, soon after sailing, parted from our +antagonist, and passing, if I recollect right, inside the +Isles of Scilly, we in a few days drew near our destined port. +But on the 19th, as we were pushing on with all our might, +having every stitch of sail set, a squall came on so suddenly,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[37]</a></span> +that, before she could be stripped of her superfluous clothing, +she was actually running bows under water, the sea +entering the bow-ports, and making its way along between +decks, like to wash every thing away before it. At this time +the log was hove, and we were going at the (I believe) +unparalleled rate of fifteen knots an hour. But unfortunately +for our captain, the vessel was completely driven out of her +course, and towards evening we entered the harbour of +Kinsale, thus losing the fifty guineas, although we were no +doubt the better sailer.</p> + +<p>This was the first gale I had experienced, and I did not +relish it; but when we entered the harbour, where the +water was quite smooth, the sensation I felt was most +delightful, after having been buffeted most violently by +the sea without. The next day we landed, and were billeted +in Kinsale, and here I had the first view of Irishmen and +Irish manners. I need not attempt to describe them; for +could I, so many have done it before me, that the subject +is almost exhausted. In a day or two after landing, we +marched to Cork, where the right wing had been landed, +and with which we of course formed a junction.</p> + +<p>We remained in Ireland from this time till the peace of +1802 was concluded, and were quartered successively in the +towns of Cork, Kilkenny, Clonmel, Fermoy, and Kinsale; +but as there was nothing which could interest a reader that +occurred to me during this period, I shall pass it over in +silence, save mentioning the following:—In the year 1800, +it is well known the utmost distress was experienced by the +poor of both countries, a scarcity, the effects of the wet +harvest of 1799, having grievously afflicted all the British +dominions. But in Ireland, the sufferings of the poor were +great, beyond the conception of an Englishman who has not<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[38]</a></span> +witnessed them, and many hundreds of them, I believe, +actually perished of want.</p> + +<p>But my tale relates more immediately to my own sufferings +and those of my comrades; for we had then but what +was termed a "black shilling a day," that is twelve pence +Irish, an English or white shilling, or Hog, going in that +country for thirteen pence; we had not then any beer +money either, but had solely this black shilling to subsist +on. Meat at this time was no less than 10d. per lb., of +which each man received half a pound; bread was 5d. per +lb., of which we also got half a pound. This half pound of +bread, and half pound of meat, and that not of the best, was +all we had to live on, and do our duty, which was not always +of the easiest description. The remainder of our shilling was +taken to furnish necessaries, washing, pipeclay, &c., for I +do not remember that we ever laid in any sort of vegetables +for the pot. Potatoes were out of the question, for they +were no less than three shillings a stone of fourteen +pounds.</p> + +<p>Although we did not absolutely suffer want, the reader will +perceive that we were but sparely dieted; the consequence +was, innumerable robberies of potato fields, and gardens, +&c., in the neighbourhood of our quarters; and many were +the men that got punished for this crime, but it could not +be put a stop to, for hunger is not easily borne. Indeed, +on one occasion, I myself was seduced, by the persuasion of +my comrades and by the cravings of hunger, into the commission +of this crime. I remember well I was on what was +termed the Commissariat guard, a short distance from the +town of Fermoy, when my companions, thinking it a favourable +opportunity for procuring something to eat, prevailed +upon me to accompany them to a garden near the bridge, +into which we entered, and each of us returned loaded with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[39]</a></span> +a fine cabbage, and which afforded us an excellent meal after +our relief from guard. It is impossible to justify such an act, +but the reader will be convinced, I trust, that sheer hunger +alone urged me to the perpetration of this crime. Others, I +have no doubt, were equally ill off, who did not resort to such +disgraceful means of satisfying their hunger, but bore it +with patient resignation. I believe that such was the case, +and take shame to myself for yielding either to the calls of +nature or the solicitations of my companions, some others +of whom were not so scrupulous. During this distressing +season I sold a watch which had formerly been my father's, +and with which I felt extremely loath to part. I also received +a little money from home, all, or nearly all, of which +was expended in procuring food.</p> + +<p>The hedges and fields, &c. in the vicinity, were ransacked +in all directions, for the purpose of procuring bramble-berries, +nettles, &c. &c.; in short, for any thing that was +eatable. Such was our situation during several months, +while under the command of Lieut.-Col. Skinner, who, +although an excellent officer, had little idea of disposing of +a soldier's pay to the best advantage; but latterly we were +commanded by Major Keating, who, making the comfort +of the soldiers under his command his continual study and +delight, soon adopted a system which secured to us plenty +in comparison of our former state. He left off the meat and +bread save occasionally, and procured for us plenty of oatmeal +and milk, by which means our wasted bodies began +shortly after to resume quite another appearance.</p> + +<p>We were quartered at Lap's Island, in Cork, when the +news arrived of peace having been concluded; and as the +bulk of the regiment had volunteered from the militia for +five years, or during the war, measures were taken for discharging +all those who did not re-enlist either into their own<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[40]</a></span> +or other regiments. My mind was fully made up to return +home; for although, as I said before, I never repented of +having entered the regular service, yet I knew that the +anxiety of my dear parents for my return was so great, that +I had settled it fully in my own mind to leave the army.</p> + +<p>Another reason operated with me partly in forming this +resolution—I had persuaded myself that I ought to have +been promoted—for I judged myself fully capable of conducting +the duties of a non-commissioned officer, and I +flattered myself my conduct had been generally unexceptionable; +but I was disappointed, for the great numbers in +my company, who were judged both more deserving and +better qualified, and withal better-looking soldiers, put it +out of the question for me to look forward to promotion.</p> + +<p>I was in this state when an officer and a party of the +Rifle corps arrived at Cork, to receive such of the men of +the different regiments then about to be discharged, as +chose to volunteer, for this novel, and, as some thought, +dangerous service. I cannot account for the impulse with +which I was urged on, from the moment I had seen one of +the men, to enter this corps. Something strange seemed +to push me on, contrary to the full determination to return +home, which had possessed me an hour before. I will not +attempt to account for it, but such was the fact. I immediately, +with some others of my regiment, gave in my name +as a volunteer for the Rifle corps, and was in consequence +in a day or two sworn into that corps, in which I have ever +considered it an honour to serve, and which I have reason +to thank a kind and overruling Providence I ever entered.</p> + +<p>No news of course could be so afflictive to my dear +parents, as to hear of the last rash and irretrievable step +which I had taken. It had wellnigh broken their hearts, +for they fully calculated on my returning home, as I had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[41]</a></span> +written to that effect. Judge then of their surprise and sorrow, +when they learnt that I had entered, what was deemed +by some, a condemned corps, and that for life—and that the +West Indies would no doubt soon be my grave.</p> + +<p>On my leaving the 56th, the officers of my company +expressed their regret that I should quit the regiment, and +told me, that although the mode hitherto pursued of keeping +all the best-looking men in the light company had kept +many from obtaining promotion, who otherwise would have +been made non-commissioned officers, yet that mode was no +longer to be adhered to, and that I might shortly expect +to be promoted into another company, if I would consent to +remain. I thanked them, and told them I had made up my +mind, on which they each gave me a certificate as to character, +&c., recommending me to the officers of my new +corps, and which were of service to me afterwards.</p> + +<p>The sergeant who had been sent to receive us, at once +became my stanch friend, and employed me, as the party +was now become pretty strong, to act as a non-commissioned +officer. Every thing went on quite smoothly, and I felt +happy in my new corps, and in my new employment.</p> + +<p>We marched soon after to Waterford, and thence to Passage, +and there embarked for the Isle of Wight, and without +encountering any remarkable event arrived at Cowes on +the 27th June, 1802; here we remained a day or two, and +then marched for the regiment in Sussex. We found them +at East Bourne, although Blatchington was their quarter, +but they had been sent out of it on account of the assizes +or election, I do not remember which.</p> + +<p>We immediately commenced our light drill, in which I +took great delight; but most of all I liked the shooting at +the target. As recruits, we were first drilled at what is<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[42]</a></span> +termed the horse, <i>i. e.</i> a machine to assist young riflemen +in taking aim. At this I pleased my commanding-officer so +much the first time I tried, that he ordered me to the front, +and told me to load, and fire at the target. I did, and made +a pretty good shot, hitting pretty near the bull's eye; on +which he made me load again and fire, and hitting that also, +he made me go on till I had fired ten rounds, all of which +hit the target, and two of which had struck the bull's eye. +The distance indeed was only fifty yards, but for a recruit, +that is, a person unaccustomed to rifle-shooting, he called it +a wonderful exhibition, and in consequence he gave me +sixpence out of his pocket, and ordered me home. I +thought the reward quite inadequate, so natural is it for us +to overrate our own deservings.</p> + +<p>This officer (Major Wade) was one of the best shots +himself that I have almost ever seen. I have known him, +and a soldier of the name of Smeaton, hold the target for +each other at the distance of 150 yards, while the other +fired at it, so steady and so accurate was both their shooting.</p> + +<p>I continued to maintain my character as a good shot, +which in a rifle corps is a great recommendation, and proceeded +in acquiring a knowledge of my other duties with +such steadiness as obtained the approbation of my officers. +We soon after marched to Chatham—and while there, +several non-commissioned officers being employed on the +recruiting service, I was employed in doing the duty of one, +having been appointed what is termed a "chosen man."</p> + +<p>I must record the manner of my appointment. An acting-sergeant +was doing the duty of pay-sergeant of our +company, but he took it into his head to go all wrong, +spending the money intrusted to him for the payment of +the men. He of course was deprived of the situation; and on +this occasion it was, that the officer commanding the company<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[43]</a></span> +came to me one day, and said to me, "Surtees, I +shall be <i>forced</i> to make you a chosen man." I thanked +him, but could not help reflecting on the strange mode of +expressing himself which he had adopted. The fact is, I +believe, without thinking about the opinion I must form of +the compliment he was paying me, he had been indeed +forced to it, for he had no one to pay the company besides; +and as I was not yet dismissed from the drill, it was an unprecedented +measure. But he need not have told the <i>whole</i> +truth on this occasion, for I should have been no worse a +non-commissioned officer, had he been more complimentary; +but he was a <i>plain</i> man, and not much given to compliment.</p> + +<p>On our march hither, some of the men broke into the +plate chest of the officers' mess, while the baggage stopped +in Maidstone; one man was discovered, and tried for it, +and sentenced to receive 800 lashes, all of which he took +at one standing, and that without evincing much suffering; +this was the most I ever saw inflicted at one time.</p> + +<p>We marched again from Chatham in September, and on +the 2d of October arrived at Thorncliffe. While here, my +parents interested Mr Beaumont, M.P. for my native county, +to solicit my discharge from the Honourable Colonel +Stewart, my then commanding-officer, they paying the regulated +sum to the government. The colonel sent for me, +and talked with me on the subject, and argued most forcibly +in favour of my remaining in the regiment, saying he +had intended to promote me the first vacancy; and that he +had no doubt whatever of seeing me one day an officer. I +own my views were not so sanguine; but his reasoning +prevailed, and I consented to remain. Soon after, an opportunity +offering, I was appointed corporal on the 24th of +the same month.</p> + +<p>Here<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[44]</a></span> again I had disappointed my beloved and tender +parents, for it was not without considerable trouble and difficulty +they obtained the interference of Mr Beaumont, and +now I had again thrown cold water on all their endeavours +to obtain my discharge. I fear I have much to answer for, +as respects my conduct towards them. May God forgive +me!</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[45]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER IV.</h2> + +<blockquote><p>Made Pay-sergeant—Moral Reflections—Wreck of a Dutch East +Indiaman—Reduced Officers—War with France in 1803—Encampment +at Thorncliffe under the command of General Sir John Moore—Encampment +broke up, November, 1804—Embark for Germany, +October, 1805—Vicissitudes at Sea—Land at Cuxhaven—March to +Bremen—Outposts established—Retrograde movements, in consequence +of the defeat of the Allied Forces at Austerlitz—The Allied +Forces evacuate Germany—Re-embarkation of the troops—The +Rifle Corps, or 95th, land at Yarmouth.</p></blockquote> + + +<p>Having given satisfaction as a corporal, I was shortly +after appointed acting-sergeant; and in that capacity also, +having pleased my officers, I was, on a vacancy occurring +on the 19th of February following, appointed sergeant, and +given the payment of a company. My head was almost +turned by such rapid promotion, and I began in earnest to +contemplate the possibility of my colonel's predictions being +one day verified. Kind Providence watched over me, +however, and kept me from being too much elated, and of +committing myself as I otherwise might have done. Indeed +I many times did commit things which, if strictly +searched into, would have brought censure upon me, and +lowered the high opinion that both myself and others entertained +of me; but nothing that openly violated the law by +which I was then governed (although many of God's laws +I daily transgressed) was done by me.</p> + +<p>I was at this time, although careful to secure the good +opinion of my officers, little solicitous to please Him who +had alone lavished all this bounty upon me. Indeed I believe<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[46]</a></span> +I was as ungodly at this time as I ever remember to +have been, and yet He caused me to prosper. Oh! how +I ought to feel shame and confusion of face at the recollection +of such abused goodness and mercy! May He pardon +me for Christ's sake!</p> + +<p>A short while before my appointment as sergeant, a most +melancholy occurrence took place in the neighbourhood of +our cantonment. A large Dutch East Indiaman, outward +bound to Batavia, and full of troops, in passing down channel, +mistook, I understand, the light at Dungeness for one +on the French coast, and in consequence stood in towards +Dymchurch wall instead of keeping out to sea. As might +be expected, she was not long in striking on the wall, running +with her bow quite close under the road, and in an +instant, almost, went to pieces; and although numbers of +people were early at the spot, and some, I believe, at the +very moment she struck, they could render the unfortunate +sufferers no effectual aid, although only a few yards distant +from them. Out of about 800 persons on board, only seven +men were saved. Many poor fellows, I understand, attempted +to swim on shore, some on planks, and others without any +aid; but such was the tremendous swell, and the general +destruction of the ship so rapid, that only those seven before +mentioned succeeded; and they not without being all +more or less injured by pieces of the wreck. An admiral, I +understood, was on board, and perished; several beautiful +females were afterwards cast ashore among the dead, the +wives or daughters, no doubt, of some on board; they were +for the most part nearly naked, so that it is conjectured +they had been in bed.</p> + +<p>As might be expected, the allurement to plunder so valuable +a wreck was not resisted by the natives of this part +of the coast, but Colonel Stewart humanely placed strong<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[47]</a></span> +bodies of the regiment at different points where the wreck +had drifted, to secure as much of the property as he could +for the Dutch government, and also to collect and bring in +the numerous dead bodies which floated along the shore; +all of which he had decently interred in the churchyard at +Thorncliffe, and had the poor wounded survivors taken into +hospital, where every care was taken of them. Indeed nothing +could exceed the unremitting attention which he paid +both to the dead and living on this most melancholy occasion, +and for which he received, as he well merited, the +thanks of the Dutch government.</p> + +<p>About this period we had several individuals serving in +the corps as soldiers, who had been officers in the army +during the late war, but who, from different causes, had +been reduced to the necessity of enlisting as private soldiers. +The first that I remember was a person of the name of +Conway Welch, who, I understood, had been an officer, and +I think the Adjutant of the Surrey Rangers. He got on to +the rank of Corporal, but, being excessively wild, I believe +he never attained a higher rank. I do not remember what +became of him.</p> + +<p>The second was called Hughes; he was, I believe, when +he enlisted, actually in the receipt of half-pay as a lieutenant +of the line. He was a person of good conduct, and was +soon promoted to the rank of corporal, and the colonel took +him for his own private clerk, or secretary, as he was denominated; +but he did not remain long in this situation, for +he was shortly after called upon full pay of his rank in the +army. I believe his case was a singular one.</p> + +<p>The third unfortunate individual was of the name of Tait. +He had been a captain in the Caithness Legion, but reduced +when the regiment was broken up at the peace. He +conducted himself extremely well for some time after he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[48]</a></span> +came into the regiment, and got on so far as to become +pay-sergeant of a company. But in this situation, having +considerable sums at his command, he became involved +through his dissipation, and being unable to extricate himself +from his difficulties, he adopted the fatal resolution of +committing suicide, and accordingly, when quartered at +Woodbridge, he one day retired to his room, loaded his +rifle, and blew out his brains.</p> + +<p>The story of the fourth individual is a scarcely less melancholy +one. His name was M'Laughlan. I had known +him while serving in my late regiment, as he had been an +officer in the light company of the 35th regiment, and +stood next in the light battalion to the company to which +I belonged. He, shortly before our embarkation for Holland, +got involved, through a gambling transaction I heard, +and was in consequence obliged to dispose of his commission, +which, it would appear from this, he had originally purchased. +But interest was made in his behalf, and he was +permitted to accompany his regiment to Holland in the +capacity of a volunteer, and he accordingly assumed the firelock +and bayonet in place of his former weapon, the sword. +He was fortunate enough to obtain another commission +before the return of the troops to England, but how he became +deprived of that I have been unable to learn. But +about the latter end of 1803, he enlisted as a private in my +corps. His conduct here was far from good, and he consequently +never rose higher, for he was continually in scrapes +from his dissipated habits; and becoming tired of the restraint +laid upon him by the strict discipline which our excellent +commanding-officer enforced, he one day made an +attempt to desert and join the French at Boulogne, and was +picked up by one of our cruisers in endeavouring to cross +the channel in an open boat. He was brought back handcuffed,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[49]</a></span> +and lodged in the guard-house one day when I happened +to be sergeant commanding the guard.</p> + +<p>As I looked on him, I could not help reflecting on the +strange vicissitudes which attend some men in their passage +through life. Here was a person whom I had known only +a few years before while encamped on Barham Downs, a gay +and handsome young officer, moving in the circle of men of +gallantry and honour; and now behold him a wretched culprit, +stretched on the wooden guard-bed, manacled like a +felon. In contrasting his miserable situation with my own +so much happier lot, what ample cause had I for gratitude +to that kind and indulgent Providence, which had preserved +me from those excesses, which entailed so much misery on +others. He was shortly after tried by a general court-martial, +and transported as a felon for life. I understand a sister +of his was at Thorncliffe at the time of his trial, &c., the +wife of a brevet lieutenant-colonel in the 4th regiment. +What must she have felt!</p> + +<p>It will be recollected that, in 1803, war again broke out +between this country and France, as my preceding story had +intimated. The army was consequently augmented again, +and my corps, till now called the "Rifle Corps," was made +the 95th. This year a camp was formed on Thorncliffe, +under the command of that able general and excellent man +Sir John Moore. This was termed by some the "Vanguard +of England," for here it was that the then threatened +invasion of this country by Bonaparte must most likely have +taken place, it being immediately opposite to the grand +camp then forming at Boulogne. Daily rencontres took place +between our cruisers and his far-famed flotilla; and on one +occasion, the belief that he was sending forth his invincible +host was so great, that our camp was struck, the troops +turned out, and received each man his sixty rounds of ammunition;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[50]</a></span> +the waggons and carts were all put in immediate +requisition, and the inhabitants were flying in all directions. +But to our disappointment, I will not say whether disagreeable +or otherwise, it all ended in smoke; it happened to have +been some of his flotilla making a movement along the coast, +which had been set on by our cruisers and pretty roughly +handled.</p> + +<p>We remained in this camp till the 24th of November, I +think, having occasionally before this period had our tents +blown from over our heads by the autumnal gales. The +next year a more formidable camp was formed on the same +ground, the force having been augmented by a second line, +composed of regiments of militia. This year also, like the +last, passed over without witnessing the long-threatened +invasion of Old England, although Bonaparte, in the pride +of his heart and the vanity of his mind, had begun to erect +a monument near Boulogne, to commemorate that glorious +achievement. My regiment, on the breaking up of the +camp, marched into Hythe Barracks, where we remained +till the month of April, 1805.</p> + +<p>In the spring of this year another volunteering from the +militia into regiments of the line was ordered, on which +occasion I was selected by my commanding-officer, Lieut.-Colonel +Beckwith, to accompany Lieutenant Evans, of the +regiment, down to my native county, to receive such men +of the militia regiments there as chose to enter the 95th. +On this occasion we were very successful, having obtained +between seventy and eighty men from the different regiments +in the north. It was on this occasion that I had the +first opportunity, since I became a soldier, of visiting my +native village, and my greatly-distressed parents and family. +I need not describe the meeting that took place between +us, on my first seeing them—it will be better conceived<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[51]</a></span> +than told;—suffice it to say, joy and sorrow were strangely +mingled together—joy to see me once more safe and sound—but +sorrow that the line of life I had adopted should so +soon, so very soon, call upon me to part from them again. +In fact, I could only remain with them three days, at the +end of which, I had orders to join my party at Morpeth.</p> + +<p>With this respectable batch of volunteers we marched, +and joined the regiment at Canterbury, whither it had been +removed during our absence, and, on our arrival, received +the thanks of our commanding-officer for our exertions. +Here, and at this time, a second battalion to the 95th was +formed, the sergeant-majorship of which I was in hopes of +obtaining; but in this I was disappointed, for a sergeant, +who was both much older than me, and had much stronger +claims than I could pretend to, was selected for the situation; +and although he did not turn out so well afterwards +as was expected, yet these circumstances ought to have +satisfied me at the time that no injustice was done me by +bestowing it upon him. But such was my folly, and the +over-high opinion I entertained of my own merits, that I +could not quietly acquiesce in this most just arrangement; +and foolishly imagining myself ill-used, the chagrin of which +drove me to the adoption of one of the worst expedients +possible, I immediately took to drinking and to the neglect +of my proper duties, thinking, like an ass as I was, that I +should thus revenge myself for my supposed ill-usage, forgetting +that it was only on myself that this revenge could +ultimately fall. However, the same good Providence which +has mercifully and so continually watched over me, stepped +in to my aid in this my most dangerous situation; for one +day my captain, who had always been my friend, sent for +me, and urged upon me the folly and the baseness of my +present conduct, and the unhappy consequences to myself<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[52]</a></span> +that were likely to result from persisting in a course so +absurd and blame-worthy. This, with my own reasoning +on the subject, brought me at length to a better disposition +of mind, and induced me once more to resume my duties +with cheerfulness and alacrity.</p> + +<p>I have mentioned this circumstance, because I believe I +was nearer at this time to falling into my original nothingness, +than I ever have been, either before or since; and +I have no doubt that many an excellent non-commissioned +officer and soldier have been involved in the like error, who +have not been so fortunate as I was in escaping its consequences.</p> + +<p>From Canterbury we marched to Brabourn Lees Barracks, +in the same county, where we remained till some +time in October, when we were called upon to embark for +Lower Germany. During our stay at Brabourn Lees, a +circumstance occurred which called forth an exhibition of +as great magnanimity, on the part of Colonel Beckwith, as +I almost ever remember to have witnessed: We had received +about 200 Irish volunteers, who were wild and ungovernable +in the extreme; a party of these, in strolling +about one day, had fallen in with Mrs Beckwith, with her +maid and child, taking a walk along the Ashford road. Not +knowing, I imagine, who the lady and her maid were, they +set on and assaulted them in the most violent and outrageous +manner, proceeding to such lengths as perhaps delicacy +forbids to mention. It was, I believe, discovered who +they were. Accordingly, the next day, the Colonel formed +the battalion into a square, and proceeded to relate the circumstance +to the regiment; "But," says he, "although I +know who the ruffians are, I will not proceed any farther +in the business, because it was <i>my own wife</i> that they attacked; +but, had it been the wife of the meanest soldier<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[53]</a></span> +in the regiment, I solemnly declare I would have given +you every lash which a court-martial might have sentenced +you." Such a trait of generous forbearance is not often +met with; but by this, and similar instances of liberal feeling, +he completely gained the heart of every soldier in the +battalion, a thing not always attainable by very excellent +commanding-officers.</p> + +<p>About the latter end of October, 1805, we marched to +Ramsgate, and there embarked, as before noticed, for Germany. +It was my lot, on this occasion, to be put on board +a small and ill-shaped collier brig, called the Jane of +Shields, but the master I have forgot. She was a most +miserable sailer, making on a wind almost as much lee as +head-way, and in every respect ill adapted for the transport +service. We had not been many days at sea before we lost +the fleet, and in our endeavours to find it again were at one +time on the coast of Jutland. All this time we had been +beating against a contrary wind; but while here, the wind +became favourable, and we appeared to have nothing to do +but to bear away for the mouth of the Elbe, which river it +was our destination to enter; but unfortunately, by some +mismanagement, we fell quite away to leeward of it, and +got entangled between the mainland and the Island of +Wangeroog, not far from the mouth of Jade River, instead +of the Elbe.</p> + +<p>While in this uncomfortable situation, it came on to blow +a tremendous gale, which rendered our position not only +most unpleasant, but extremely perilous, for we were +embayed, and the wind blowing on a lee shore, and the vessel +became almost unmanageable, her bad sailing becoming +distressingly more apparent the more she was put on her +mettle. In the midst of the confusion attendant on such +circumstances, the master (with what intention I know not,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[54]</a></span> +whether to drown dull care, or to fortify him against his +exposure to the watery element) went down below, and +swallowed the best part of a bottle of brandy. In doing +which, his corner cupboard, with all its contents, came +rattling down about his ears. He would fain have had me +to pledge him, but I begged to be excused. The consequence +was, he became quite drunk at the time when all +his abilities as a seaman were likely to be called into operation; +but he probably saw things clearest after having his +eye wet.</p> + +<p>My commanding-officer now became quite alarmed for +the safety of the troops, seeing the master had incapacitated +himself, as he conceived, for the management of the vessel; +and, after a consultation among our officers, an attempt was +made to deprive him of the command, and intrust it to the +mate, who had in this case, in order to save as many of the +troops as possible, determined on running the vessel high +and dry, as he termed it, on the sandy beach, near the Jade +River.</p> + +<p>At this proposal, however, the master stormed and blasphemed +like a madman, swearing there was neither soldier +nor sailor on board the ship but himself. He went so far, +and became so outrageous, that our commanding-officer +talked of hanging him up at the yard-arm; but it being a +ticklish thing to take the command of a ship from the person +legally authorized to exercise it, the major did not enforce +the wishes of the officers. The poor mate sat down +on the companion and cried like a child, partly owing to the +abuse the captain gave him, and partly, I imagine, from the +hopelessness of our situation. The captain, in his refusal +to yield up the command, told the major he had been several +times wrecked, and had been, I know not how many +times, exposed for a considerable length of time in the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[55]</a></span> +water; and that he was not afraid to encounter it again. +This, however, was but poor consolation to landsmen, who +had not been accustomed to such duckings.</p> + +<p>A desperate case requires a desperate remedy—so our +captain thought—for he instantly clapped on the vessel the +square mainsail, which every moment threatened to carry +away the mast, and in which case, nothing could have prevented +our destruction; however, Providence so ordered it, +that she bore it through the gale, and he, after putting her +on the outward tack, continued to stand from the land till +he imagined he had completely weathered Wangeroog; but +at midnight, when he ordered to put about the ship, had it +not been for the cabin-boy providentially seeing close to +leeward of us the light of Wangeroog, we should instantly +have been upon the rocks. This will show either what a +bad sailer the vessel was, or how far the master had miscalculated +the distance; for he imagined himself by this time +to be quite clear of all the land, and considerably out to sea. +He continued, after this providential escape, to stand +on the same tack, and just cleared the island; and in the +morning, the wind having somewhat abated, and shifted a +little in our favour, we were enabled, soon after, to lay our +course.</p> + +<p>We arrived in the Elbe, and landed at Cuxhaven on the +18th of November, 1805, the day on which our fleet there was +celebrating the victory of Trafalgar—clouded indeed it was +by the death of the hero who fell while achieving it—yet +glorious to the nation to which that fleet belonged. We, +immediately after landing, marched for Dorum, a village +twelve or fourteen miles distant, and from thence by Osterholtz +and Bremer Lehe to the city of Bremen. On our arrival +there, (my battalion forming the advanced guard,) we +found the gates were shut against us; a Prussian garrison<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[56]</a></span> +was in the town, the commandant of which seemingly did +not know how to act, whether to admit us as allies, or not, +the policy of his government at that time being so extremely +ambiguous. Colonel Beckwith, who commanded +the advance, was not however easily to be deterred from +executing his orders, and he hesitated not to tell them, that +if they did not choose to admit us peaceably, force should +be resorted to to gain an entrance. This had the desired +effect, for the gate was soon after thrown open, and we were +received by the authorities of the town, and by the inhabitants +in general, with the warmest expressions of friendship +and cordial attachment; the Prussian officers, all the while +looking on, apparently not over-well pleased with the conduct +of their hosts; they were soon afterwards, however, +withdrawn from the territory, and we then remained sole +occupiers of this part of the country.</p> + +<p>Our army assembled in this city in considerable force, +when it becoming necessary to establish outposts in advance, +my battalion was sent out first to the town of +Delmenhorst, and subsequently a part of it to the city of +Oldenburg, and the remainder to the town of Wildishausen; +to this latter place two companies were detached, under the +command of Major Travers, and to which he appointed me +to act as sergeant-major. We did not remain long in this +situation, but were again recalled from Wildishausen to +Delmenhorst, and afterwards sent to join the other companies +at Oldenburg.</p> + +<p>Here we staid some time, during which we experienced +the most unbounded hospitality and kindness from the +whole of the inhabitants, but more particularly from the +Duke. He actually did not know how sufficiently to express +his friendly disposition towards our officers in general,—his +kindness also extended to the soldiers,—for when we<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[57]</a></span> +afterwards received an order to retrograde again to Delmenhorst, +he sent forward to the half-way house refreshments +of every description, for both officers and men; and +the night before we left this hospitable city, he gave a +splendid ball in honour of the officers of our corps, to which, +of course, every inhabitant of a suitable rank was invited. +Nay, I heard, and have no reason to doubt the correctness +of the report, that he wrote to the burgomaster of Bremen, +to which city we again retired, to endeavour, if possible, +to have us quartered in his immediate neighbourhood, +in the best part of the town, for that not only the officers, +but the soldiers of the corps, were perfect gentlemen; indeed, +the conduct of the battalion at this time, under its +kind and excellent commanding-officer, was such as to entitle +it to the highest praise. Our retreat on this occasion, +I understood, was rendered necessary, in consequence of the +defeat of the allied forces at Austerlitz, and of the fatal termination +by that sanguinary action of the campaign in that +part of Germany.</p> + +<p>Although I am no prophet, I predicted at this period +what the result would be to the King of Prussia, whose +hesitating and equivocal conduct kept him aloof from taking +an active part, when his co-operation might have been of +the utmost advantage to the general cause. It required no +second sight to perceive, that when Bonaparte could clear +his hands of his present antagonists, he would not hesitate +for a moment to turn his arms against a monarch on whom +he could not cordially rely, and whose dominions offered +such a strong temptation to an ambitious and aspiring mind +like his.</p> + +<p>We continued to occupy Bremen till towards the beginning +of February 1806, when the whole army gradually +drew down towards our place of embarkation, for the purpose<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[58]</a></span> +of evacuating the country, our stay now having been +rendered useless by the unsuccessful and unfortunate turn +which the allied affairs had taken. My battalion covered +the retreat of the army; but as great numbers of the German +Legion, which formed part of the British force in this +country, were deserting and returning to their homes, we +were sent away into the interior to endeavour to intercept +such of them as might pass by the villages we occupied, and +restore them to the army. We took some, but not many; +and soon after we also retired, and went on board at Cuxhaven, +and again returned to England, landing at Yarmouth +on the 19th of the same month.</p> + +<p>During the whole of my military career, I never witnessed +so cordial an attachment to the British name and character, +as was manifested during this service, by the good +people among whom we had been residing. Nothing was +too good for us—and nothing was left undone by them to +render us comfortable and happy. It is true they have their +vices like other people; but barring one or two peculiar to +continental nations, I believe them to be, generally speaking, +as moral as any people among whom it has been my +lot to sojourn. But, oh! with what shame and sorrow do +I look back on the part I acted at this period—how profligate +and abandoned was my conduct at the very time that +a kind and gracious Providence was showering its choicest +blessings upon me! but, alas, I paid no regard to the remonstrances +of conscience, which I endeavoured and succeeded +in drowning in debauchery and intemperance.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[59]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER IV.*</h2> + +<blockquote><p>Our Author made Quartermaster-Sergeant of the 2d battalion, which +he joins at Feversham, Kent—Expedition to Denmark—Embark at +Deal—Land at Vedbeck, Zealand—Partial Engagements—Siege of +Copenhagen—A Division under Sir Arthur Wellesley advance to +Kioge—Copenhagen capitulates—Amnesty between the Danish +Forces in the Island of Zealand, and the British—The British evacuate +Denmark—Embark at Copenhagen—Arrive in the Downs—Land +at Deal.</p></blockquote> + + +<p>We landed, as I before stated, at Yarmouth, and proceeded +by way of Lowestoft to Woodbridge, in Suffolk, in +the barracks of which my battalion was quartered. Here +also was the 23d regiment, that which I had seen act so +nobly in Holland: and as it was determined by its commanding-officer +to give the regiment some idea of light +movements, I was selected for the purpose of instructing +their non-commissioned officers. But I did not long continue +to instruct them, for in the May following, an offer +was made me by Colonel Beckwith of the situation of sergeant-major +in the Cornwall Miners, a regiment of militia, +with the prospect, he told me, of shortly becoming adjutant. +This, however, after due consideration, I declined accepting—preferring +to remain in a regiment and service which I +liked so well, and in which I hoped one day to rise to something +higher than my present situation. I believe my +conduct on this occasion was approved, for not long after, +it was intimated to me, that the offer I had refused, had +been made to the quartermaster-sergeant of our second<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[60]</a></span> +battalion, and that he had, after some hesitation, accepted +it, thus leaving his situation open for me. Accordingly, I +departed for the purpose of joining that battalion, and entering +on my new duties.</p> + +<p>I joined it at Feversham, in Kent. My means increasing, +the sinfulness of my course of life was increased in +proportion. It is true, I generally performed my various military +duties to the satisfaction of my superiors; but could +not at all times please my present commanding-officer, +against whose wish and inclination I had been appointed to +my present situation; he naturally wishing to have a person +of his own selection. Soon after this, an expedition +being ordered for South America, of which three companies +of my present battalion were to form a part, I waited on +him, and requested him to permit me to accompany them +in the capacity of acting quartermaster. He said no; but +if I chose to resign my present situation, and go as a sergeant, +he would permit me. This I of course declined, as +it would have been paying a bad compliment indeed to my +benefactor, Colonel Beckwith, thus to give up for nothing +what he had been at pains to procure for me.</p> + +<p>This, and some other little things which occurred about +the same time, proved to me that I was no favourite with +my new lieutenant-colonel, and that it behoved me to be +very guarded in my conduct. We were, after this, removed +to Brabourn Lees again, and remained there, without +any occurrence arising, till we were summoned to take part +in the expedition fitting out for Denmark.</p> + +<p>We accordingly repaired to Deal, where we embarked on +the 26th of July, 1807, and shortly after sailed for our destination. +We arrived in the Sound about the 10th of August, +where the whole fleet was assembled; one of the +largest I had yet seen. On the 16th, every thing having<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[61]</a></span> +been previously got ready, we landed at the village of Vedbeck, +in the island of Zealand, about ten or twelve miles +below Copenhagen. It was a most beautiful and glorious +sight to witness the debarkation of the first division, or +advanced guard, to which my battalion belonged. The most +perfect arrangements had been made by Sir Home Popham, +who superintended the landing of the troops; and nothing +could exceed the beauty and regularity in which the different +divisions of boats approached the shore, covered by +some small brigs and bombs, which had orders to clear the +beach by grape shot, of any enemy that might appear. +Some light artillery also landed with us, prepared for immediate +action, for it was not known but the Danes might +attempt to oppose our landing, they having rejected every +overture on the part of our commanders for the delivery of +their fleet.</p> + +<p>After landing, mine and the first battalion of my regiment +were sent forward in the direction of Copenhagen; +and on this occasion, I for the first time saw the illustrious +General, who has since made the world resound with his exploits. +He commanded us, who formed the advance, and +directed our two battalions during the operations of the day. +But we met with no force of the enemy, save a small patrol +of cavalry, which passed in front of us, and then retired +towards the city; this showed that they were observing +our movements. We halted for the night at a village called, +I think, Lingbye, on the great road from Copenhagen +towards Elsineur. We rested on our arms all night, and +early in the morning moved forward on the Copenhagen +road, and about mid-day took up cantonments within a long +gun-shot of the city, and began to invest the place. All +was quiet till about three o'clock in the afternoon, when a +general cry of turn out, set the whole of our people in motion.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[62]</a></span> +A considerable body of the enemy were advancing +from the town, and by this time had attacked the advanced +picquets on our left, towards the sea-shore; but instant +succour being sent, they maintained their ground.</p> + +<p>The force opposed to the enemy was but small, consisting +of two companies of the 4th regiment, four of the 23d, +and four of my battalion, with two light fieldpieces; in all +not more than 1000 men, while the Danes were near 3000. +Nevertheless, the moment the armies came in contact, they +instantly gave way, leaving a considerable number of killed +and wounded behind them, and retreated into the town.</p> + +<p>On this occasion, I attached myself to my commanding-officer, +who, with the surgeon, and some others of the staff, +advanced with one of the guns on the great road, having +some of our companies on each flank. He gave me his glass +to take care of, with which I soon after busied myself in +watching the motions of the enemy. I discovered at a short +distance to our left and front, a considerable body of troops, +dressed in long red coats, which I knew could not be +British, for that description of dress had long been laid +aside by us; I accordingly began, pointing them out as an +excellent mark for the artillery, which was then with us; +but I had scarcely spoken, when an officer present, cried +out, after looking, did I wish the artillery to fire on our +own people? The colonel also made some severe and reproachful +remarks, telling me, if I would fight, to go and +take a rifle. I said nothing; but he had scarcely finished +his harangue, when a round shot came directly from this +body of supposed British troops, which nigh carried away +one of the legs of the first officer who spoke.</p> + +<p>The enemy were soon repulsed, and the troops retired +again to their former cantonments. After their troops +retreated, a body of their gun-boats advanced against some<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[63]</a></span> +of our small craft which happened to be rather close in +shore, but their attack occasioned little injury, the distance +being considerable.</p> + +<p>The next morning the enemy opened a heavy and rather +destructive fire of artillery upon our outposts, by which +we lost an officer of artillery and several men; their fire +was chiefly directed against what was called the windmill +battery, which was our farthest advance at this time.</p> + +<p>On the 19th, my battalion was moved farther to the +right, and nearer the town; there was constant firing +between the advanced posts of the two armies, and this +continued for several days, during which the investment of +the city was proceeding with, and batteries, &c. marked out +for the purpose of bombarding it. All kinds of ordnance +stores were at the same time disembarked, and sent off to +the army with the utmost dispatch. In short, nothing +could exceed the vigour with which the siege was now +prosecuted, after the final rejection of pacific overtures by +the Danish general.</p> + +<p>On the 24th, we were ordered under arms at two o'clock +in the morning, and immediately advanced, driving in the +enemy's outposts, with the view of carrying our works +nearer the town. In this movement we experienced considerable +opposition and suffered some loss, from their guns +on the town walls, and from musketry from the windows.</p> + +<p>We this day established two strong and well advanced +batteries, and at night set fire to a windmill in their possession, +which obstructed our view of some of their works. +During the whole of the 25th, there was a constant fire both +of artillery and fire-arms, by which one of the light battalions +of the German Legion suffered rather severely. My +battalion relieved them at the outposts a little before dark,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[64]</a></span> +and was fortunate enough not to lose a man, where they +had lost considerable numbers.</p> + +<p>On the 26th, a corps or division of the army was assembled, +and placed under the immediate orders of Sir Arthur +Wellesley. It consisted of the following regiments, viz. +43d, 52d, 92d, 95th, and 6th Battalion King's German +Legion, with six squadrons of German cavalry, and some +artillery, and was destined to advance against a body of the +enemy composed principally of militia, which had been for +some time past collecting in the neighbourhood of Kioge.</p> + +<p>At three o'clock <span class="smcap">P.M.</span>, we started from the neighbourhood +of Copenhagen, the troops making their way through +the country to the left of the great road to Roskild. I had +charge of the baggage, which was carried on light German +waggons, the bodies of which are formed chiefly of wicker-work, +and are so light and easy of draught that the natives +travel in them in the same manner nearly of our coaches—they +going sometimes at a considerable rate.</p> + +<p>I found it impracticable to continue in the same direction +the troops had gone, for they presently left all traces of a +road, and struck right across the country—and as I knew +I should be expected to have the baggage with them that +night if possible, I determined to run all hazards, and proceed +along the great high-road in hopes of afterwards being +enabled to find them out—accordingly I moved forward, +and presently passed the outposts of the German cavalry +stationed in the direction of Roskild; the men, I doubt +not, wondering at my temerity in pushing on with a few +baggage waggons, where they were all on the alert with +swords drawn, and with carbines and pistols loaded. I own +it was a hazardous undertaking, for a very small party of +the enemy would easily have captured both me and my +baggage; but I knew my commanding-officer to be such a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[65]</a></span> +person as to pay little attention to excuses of any kind when +he wished a thing to be done, and withal he loved his comforts, +and would not have been easily pacified had he been +deprived of them. Fortunately, after advancing for some +miles beyond the outposts of our army before mentioned, +I fell in with a road branching off towards the left, apparently +in the very direction the troops had taken.</p> + +<p>Till I reached this point, I had advanced with considerable +caution, and slowly; determined, if any enemy should +appear in front, to endeavour to effect a retreat. But now, +having left the great road, and taken that which I judged would +bring me to the neighbourhood of those I was seeking, I +accordingly ordered all my guards to mount, and set off at a +brisk trot, keeping a good look-out to my right flank, for +fear of surprise, and fortunately fell in with the division +at the very moment it was entering the road by which I +had come. I received great credit for my generalship, and +was complimented by the officers of my corps, they being +the only people in the division, I believe, who had the +comfort of their baggage that night. The name of the village +where we halted is Caughstrup.</p> + +<p>The next day we continued to advance in the direction +of Kioge, and in the afternoon we reached a village which +I forget the name of, and where evident traces appeared of +the enemy having shortly left it; indeed, we found two or +three stragglers in the village, who were of course made +prisoners. We halted outside the village for the night.</p> + +<p>A short while before we reached this village, I saw a +body of troops dressed in red, marching on our right flank, +at right angles to the road by which we were advancing, +and which I instantly concluded must be a part of the +enemy's force, as we had no troops in that direction. But +remembering the rebuke I received on the 17th for interfering<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[66]</a></span> +with concerns that did not belong to me, I shut my +mouth in silence, and did not, I believe, mention the +matter. It is evident it was a part of the enemy's force, for +the General's information led him to take that very same +direction the next day; and that being towards Roskild, +we set out and reached that city in the afternoon, but found +the enemy had again given us the slip, and doubled back to +nearly the same place from whence we had started.</p> + +<p>The next morning about three o'clock we left Roskild, +and took the road for Kioge, near which it was now ascertained +the enemy had come to a resolution to make a +stand. I forgot to mention that previous to this our force +had been divided and formed into two brigades; the 52d, +92d, our 1st battalion, and some cavalry and artillery, +remaining under the command of Sir Arthur; while the +43d, the 6th German Legion, and our five companies, with +the remainder of the cavalry, were put under the command +of Baron Linsengen, one of the generals of the German +Legion. Sir Arthur's people had not been with us for a +day or two back, but where I do not exactly know. But +this morning it was arranged that his brigade was to +march directly upon Kioge and attack it in front, while we +fetched a circuit behind, and came upon a part of their +force stationed in a forest or wood behind the town—and +thus cut off their retreat. But the poor creatures were +unable to stand above a round or two, and almost immediately +broke and fled in all directions.</p> + +<p>As we approached the wood we were destined to attack, +the appearance was certainly rather formidable; for from +the immense cloud of dust they raised in performing their +movements, we calculated on meeting with a considerable +body of troops; and indeed, just as we approached +the wood, our cavalry laid hold of an officer of their horse,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[67]</a></span> +dressed partly in uniform and partly as a civilian. From +him we obtained information that they had in the field +12,000 men; 5000 of which were armed with pikes, 1000 +cavalry, and the remainder consisted of artillery and infantry. +He must, I think, have overrated their numbers, +or surely they might have made some sort of a stand against +5500 men, the strength of our division.</p> + +<p>On Sir Arthur attacking them in the town of Kioge, +they stood, as before said, only for a round or two, and fled, +many of them coming in contact afterwards with our brigade; +but from the extent of (and intricate roads through) +the wood, very few of them were made prisoners; till towards +evening, when a company of my battalion, with some +of the German cavalry, overtook a considerable body in the +village of Herfolge, apparently the rearguard of the enemy. +In this village they made a stand, getting into the churchyard, +which afforded an excellent position, it being considerably +higher than any other part of the village. Here +also they soon began to waver, and after a few shots from +our people, they all laid down their arms and became prisoners +of war. Their numbers were 1550 men, with +56 officers, and Major-General Oxholm, the second in command +of this part of the Danish army. A considerable +quantity of artillery, small arms, baggage, and provisions, +&c., with two stands of colours, fell into the hands of the +captors on this occasion. These poor creatures were instantly +sent off as prisoners, and put on board our ships at +Copenhagen; many of them apparently quite glad that they +had done with fighting. Great numbers of them had nothing +better by way of shoeing than wooden clogs—a very inconvenient +kind I should imagine for a rapid retreat.</p> + +<p>The loss of the British during this day's operations was, +as might be expected, quite trifling. I had this day followed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[68]</a></span> +the ill-natured advice of my commanding-officer on a former +occasion, and had taken a rifle, but had little opportunity +of using it, not having fired more than eight or ten shots. +My battalion halted in the village of Herfolge for the +night, and the next morning moved forward towards the +town of Kingsted, that being the direction in which the +broken fragments of the Danish army had retired.</p> + +<p>Our two battalions had been employed all the day of the +29th, after the first onset, in scouring the woods from Kioge +to Herfolge. We continued this service on the 30th also, and +took numbers of poor creatures who had been engaged in +yesterday's operations, but who had not yet been able totally +to divest themselves of their military habiliments, although +apparently anxious to do so. We reached Kingsted on the +31st, and finding that the only regular part of the late army +had retired into one of the islands in the Great Belt, and +that the militia portion had totally disbanded itself, we +halted here till the fall of Copenhagen, which took place on +the 7th of September. But to prevent surprise from any +lurking parties of the enemy, which might still have kept +together, and to deprive them of the means of injuring us, +strong detachments were sent out to scour the country, +and to bring in all the military arms they could discover. +A party of this description, consisting of 100 cavalry, and +100 of my battalion mounted on light waggons, traversed +the country for a considerable distance, and returned after +having discovered and taken possession of ten pieces of +ordnance of small calibre, and forty rifles belonging to the +Kallundburg rifle company, with several muskets. They also +gained correct information respecting the regular troops +that had been lately opposed to us, and found they had retired +into the islands of Falstar and Meon.</p> + +<p>On the capitulation of Copenhagen, terms of amity and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[69]</a></span> +peace were entered into between the Danish forces in the +island of Zealand and the British; but these did not extend +to the islands before mentioned, nor to the other parts +of his Danish Majesty's dominions; consequently, we still +remained at war with such of his forces as were not included +in the capitulation; and he might at any time have +collected an army, had he been able, and attacked us without +any infringement of those terms. It behoved our generals, +therefore, to watch against any attempt of this nature; and +accordingly strong outposts were established all along the +Belt, composed principally of the men of our two battalions. +The 1st battalion occupied Kallundburg, Slagelse, Korsoer, +and Skielskiore; whilst the following towns and ports were +occupied by my battalion, viz. Mestyed, Lundbye, Wordingburg +and Prestoe; thus forming a complete chain of +posts around the west and south coasts of the island. We +remained so posted till the 15th of October, by which time +the greater part of the naval stores taken in the dockyard +having been taken on board, and the period fast approaching +for our evacuation of the country, we began to retire +towards Copenhagen, which we reached on the 17th, and +immediately embarked on board the Princess Caroline, a +Danish seventy-four which had been surrendered with the +others of that fleet, and which are mentioned below.<a name="FNanchor_A_1" id="FNanchor_A_1" href="#Footnote_A_1" class="fnanchor">[1]</a></p> + +<p>We remained in the roads till the 20th, when the fleet<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[70]</a></span> +dropped down towards the Sound; and on the 21st the whole +passed the Castle of Elsineur, with a favourable and pleasant +breeze, the British ensign waving proudly from the lofty +masts of their late gallant fleet; it must have been an extremely +galling sight for them (the Danes) to witness, and +I dare say they did not pray for many benedictions on our +heads; I pitied them from the bottom of my heart. On +taking leave of this country, I could not help remarking on +the great similarity between its inhabitants and the Germans +about Bremen—kind-hearted, hospitable, and inoffensive +in the highest degree; and although suffering at that +time so severely from the policy of our country, they were +high in our praises as individuals and as a nation. I have +great cause to speak well of those innocent and worthy +people, for I have seldom experienced more kindness and +attention than was shown me by them whenever circumstances +rendered such kindness and attention suitable, particularly +at Nestyde, where I met a young man who had +formerly been in the West Indies, where he had learnt to +speak a little English, (for of Danish I could not understand +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[71]</a></span>a word.) He introduced me to one worthy man, who +had been an officer, and fought in the famous action of Kioge +above narrated. Poor fellow, he felt heartily ashamed of the +sorry attempt they had made to act the part of an army, +and I daresay would gladly have blotted from his memory +for ever the recollection of the ridiculous part they had +acted. I was not aware of this circumstance at first, and +when it was brought upon the tapis in the course of conversation, +(my young friend being interpreter,) I unluckily +said, that "any man armed with a bludgeon only, could +easily beat three such soldiers."</p> + +<p>I felt quite ashamed of myself afterwards, when I discovered +that he, poor man, had made one in that memorable +action; but he took it all in good part, apparently conscious +of the justness of my remark. Indeed, I was partly led on to +use such expressions by the young fellow condemning so +bitterly their conduct, and which I afterwards would have +given something to have unsaid. He, however, bore no +resentment, and kindly took me home and introduced me +to his wife, and requested me to salute her with a kiss. I +hesitated, thinking that I could not have understood him +right, and feeling awkward in such a situation; but my +young friend assured me it was the custom there to do so, +on which I of course complied. They are, in my opinion, an +extremely moral race of people, no vices that I know of +being practised by them, save occasionally a little drunkenness +by some few individuals. I heartily wish them well.</p> + +<p>We sailed, as I said before, on the 21st of October, and +had fine weather till we arrived in Yarmouth Roads. We +passed one Sunday on our voyage home, at a certain hour +of which our pious naval commander (Lord Gambier) +made signal for the whole fleet to lay to, and have divine +service, that is, in such ships as there were chaplains on<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[72]</a></span> +board of. This caused the irreligious and profligate part of +our people on board the Princess Caroline to blaspheme +and storm at a terrible rate, for being so long detained when +the wind was so fair.</p> + +<p>It happened, when we arrived in the Roads at Yarmouth, +or near there, I think it was on the Galloper Sand, that a +tremendous gale began to blow, which baffled all exertions +to withstand it. We cast out the anchors, but without +effect, for we ran away with them both, and in the endeavour +to vere out cable, or rather by the rapidity with which +it was dragged out of the ship by the force of the wind, our +bits caught fire, which with considerable difficulty were got +extinguished after great exertions. During the gale, I +understand a sailor was blown off the foreyard; and nearly +at the same moment a woman, one of our corporals' wives, +fell down the hatches into the hold, and broke her back, of +which, indeed, she afterwards recovered, but never after regained +her upright posture.</p> + +<p>Those scoffing gentlemen before mentioned, attributed +the whole of our misfortunes to the delay occasioned by the +divine service before adverted to, and were not sparing of +invective against the individual who caused its performance, +forgetful, it would seem, that <i>He</i>, whom that commander +invoked on that day, holds the winds in His hand, and can +at pleasure let them loose upon an ungodly fleet, whether +for correction or judgment, at what time, and in what manner, +best pleases him. I doubt not the excellent commander +alluded to has been a blessing to many. May he long continue +to ornament the exalted station he fills! We weighed +again after the storm abated, and proceeded round to the +Downs, and the next day, the 16th of November, landed +at Deal, and from thence marched to our old quarters at +Hythe Barracks.</p> + +<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTE:</h3> +<div class="footnote"> +<a name="Footnote_A_1" id="Footnote_A_1"></a> +<a href="#FNanchor_A_1"><span class="label">[1]</span></a> +<p>List of Ships and Vessels captured at Copenhagen, 7th September, 1807.</p> +<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary=""> +<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">Guns.</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Christian the Seventh, + + +</td><td align="right">98</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Neptune,</td><td align="right">84</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Waldemer,</td><td align="right">84</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Princess Sophia Fredrica,</td><td align="right">84</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Justice,</td><td align="right">74</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Heir Apparent Frederick,</td><td align="right">74</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Crown Prince Frederick,</td><td align="right">74</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Frien,</td><td align="right">74</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Oden,</td><td align="right">74</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Three Crowns,</td><td align="right">74</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Shield,</td><td align="right">74</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Crown Princess Maria,</td><td align="right">74</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Denmark,</td><td align="right">74</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Norway,</td><td align="right">74</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Princess Caroline,</td><td align="right">74</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Conqueror,</td><td align="right">64</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Norge,</td><td align="right">74</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Dalmakin,</td><td align="right">64</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Pirle,</td><td align="right">44</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Wory Wife,</td><td align="right">44</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Liberty,</td><td align="right">44</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Iris,</td><td align="right">44</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Rotar,</td><td align="right">44</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Denry,</td><td align="right">44</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Mayed,</td><td align="right">36</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Triton,</td><td align="right">28</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Fredrington,</td><td align="right">28</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Kline Belt,</td><td align="right">28</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">St Thomas,</td><td align="right">22</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Tylto,</td><td align="right">24</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Elbe,</td><td align="right">20</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Eydeman,</td><td align="right">20</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Gluckstadt,</td><td align="right">20</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Sarp,</td><td align="right">18</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Glowman,</td><td align="right">18</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Nid Elvin,</td><td align="right">18</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Dolphin,</td><td align="right">18</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Marcur,</td><td align="right">18</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Cousier,</td><td align="right">14</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Flying Fish,</td><td align="right">14</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">---</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Total,</td><td align="right">40</td></tr> +</table> +<br /> +<p> +Together with eleven gun boats, with two guns each in the bow, and +fourteen do with one gun in the bow and one astern. +</p> +</div> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[73]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER V.</h2> + +<blockquote><p>Our Author marries—The Battalion to which he belongs ordered to +join the Expedition fitting out for Corunna—Movements of the +Army in Spain—Return to England.</p></blockquote> + + +<p>Some little time after our return from the Baltic, I obtained +a short leave of absence, for the purpose of visiting +my parents, and the other members of my family; and, +during my stay in my native village, contracted a marriage +with a young woman whom I had known from my boyhood, +she having been one of my earliest schoolfellows. I +cannot say that I enjoyed in the marriage state that happiness +which I expected from it, partly owing to the frequent +and long separations which my calling rendered unavoidable, +and partly from other causes which have no connexion with +my narrative. I believe, during the eight years which my +wife lived after our union, I spent more than six of these +in absence from her.</p> + +<p>At the expiration of my leave, we set off to join the regiment, +which still remained at Hythe, where we remained +till the beginning of September following, when my battalion +having again been ordered for foreign service in the +expedition fitting out for Corunna, it became indispensable +that my poor wife should return to Northumberland, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[74]</a></span> +remain under the protection of her parents, till my return, +should it please God to spare me. This, no doubt, was a +severe trial to us both, but particularly to her, who had such +a journey to undertake, alone and unprotected, and she at +the time far advanced in pregnancy; but, however distressing, +it must be undertaken, and I unfortunately could not +be spared from the regiment, for our orders were to proceed +immediately to Ramsgate, for embarkation.</p> + +<p>We parted, after I had accompanied her as far as I was +able, and seeing her safely stowed in the coach. It may be +supposed that a new-married pair, under such circumstances, +would part with heavy and afflicted hearts.</p> + +<p>My battalion embarked at Ramsgate on the 10th of September. +On this occasion, I was very fortunate in getting +on board an excellent transport, called the Nautilus, of +Shields, commanded by Captain Watson (my wife's maiden +name), and the steward, a native of the Hermitage, a place +within four miles of my home. Of course, we were mutually +glad to meet each other, and often talked over old +Northumbrian stories, which recalled delightful recollections +of our younger years. The fleet in which we sailed rendezvoused +at Falmouth, whence we took our departure, +and arrived at Corunna on the 26th of October.</p> + +<p>On our passage, when we made Cape Ortegal, a pilot-boat +came off, in which were the first Spaniards I remember +to have seen; certainly, they did not prepossess me +greatly in favour of their countrymen, but they are now so +well known in England, that a description of those I here +saw, would be only to repeat what has been so often and so +much better told by others. We landed at Corunna, as +before said, on the 26th, and a day or two after, proceeded +up the country, halting for the first night at Betanzos. Our +force consisted of cavalry, infantry, and artillery, in all,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[75]</a></span> +about 10,000 men, and was commanded by General Sir +David Baird, and intended to co-operate, or form a junction, +with that under Sir John Moore, then in Portugal, and +who was then advancing into Spain.</p> + +<p>My battalion, and some companies of the first battalion +of my regiment, formed the advanced guard, a situation +which I consider the most enviable of any in the army—for +here all is untried, and, as it were, unbroken ground; every +thing is fresh, and although attended sometimes with a little +more danger of being cut off while separated from the main +body, yet possessing so many countervailing advantages, +that I hesitate not to say it is the most desirable post of +any in an army.</p> + +<p>At Betanzos, we began to experience the great defectiveness +of our commissariat department, at this period of our +history; for the gentleman sent forward to provide our two +battalions with food, was so utterly unacquainted with his +business, that he was actually afraid to make an attempt to +issue provisions. Although bread had been baked by order of +the Spanish authorities, he not understanding, as he said, +the Spanish weights and measures, durst not issue any thing +without his own, which were behind; but it was evident +the troops could not remain without provisions. We were +here, as in most of the towns we afterwards passed through, +lodged in convents, the officers generally either being quartered +on the inhabitants of the town, or lodged by the +monks in their cells. On these occasions the men occupied +only the corridors, into which straw was generally put by +the authorities of the place, the men lying as close as pigs +in a sty, which indeed was necessary to keep each other +warm; but these lodgings were not to be complained of, as +clean straw, and shelter overhead in that country, are no +contemptible quarters.</p> + +<p>We<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[76]</a></span> moved forward by fair and easy stages, by way of +Lugo, Villa Franca, Cacabelos, and Astorga; this latter +place we reached on the 19th November, but during the +march, we had experienced considerable difficulty in obtaining +supplies both of provisions and the means of transport. +This is a considerable town, containing probably +about 5000 inhabitants. Both it and Lugo are surrounded +by old Moorish walls, which may formerly have been considered +strong, but which, according to the present mode +of warfare, would offer but a feeble resistance to a besieging +army. It contains a number of convents, both in the town +and suburbs, and, of course, a proportionate number of idle +monks, &c. Here, as in many towns in Spain, they have a +curious mode of keeping out of their houses unwelcome +visiters; for the doors being all made remarkably strong, +and kept constantly shut, you cannot enter till the inmates +have first reconnoitred you through an aperture above the +door, made for the purpose; and it is not till they are satisfied +who you are, and with your business, that they will +open the door, which they generally do by a cord communicating +with the latch from their peep-hole above.</p> + +<p>Here we were pretty plentifully supplied with provisions, +and rested for some days, my battalion having been pushed +forward to a village called Zalada, about a league in front of +the town. After having been refreshed by a few days' +rest, my battalion was again pushed forward, and occupied +the town of Labeneza, about four leagues in front of Astorga, +while the main body of the army assembled in and +around that town; but we had not remained more than a +few days in Labeneza, before a report arrived of the enemy +being in our front, and advancing in force; and we were +consequently recalled to Zalada, in order to form a junction +with our main body. Not long after this, about the latter<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[77]</a></span> +end of November, orders were received from Sir John Moore, +for our division to retreat and fall back upon Corunna. +This measure, I understand, was rendered necessary, in +consequence of the Spanish armies having been completely +beaten and dispersed, so that nothing remained to oppose an +overwhelming French force, which it was ascertained had +entered Spain, but the few British troops comprising the +armies under Sir John Moore, and ours.</p> + +<p>We accordingly set to the right-about, and fell back as +far as Cacabelos, the main body occupying Villa Franca and +its neighbourhood. This movement was not by any means +liked by any of us; for, independent of its being so uncongenial +to the spirit of Britons to turn their backs upon an +enemy, we felt disappointed at what we saw and heard of +the celebrated Spanish patriots. We had been given to understand +that the whole nation was up in arms against the +French, and that we should have been received, on entering +their country, as liberators, and treated as brethren, but in +both these points we were miserably disappointed; for, instead +of a hearty welcome on our arrival, we could with +great difficulty obtain leave to land, and still more to obtain +the necessary supplies of carriages and provisions to enable +us to come forward; and with regard to the patriotism of +the people, whatever might have been their good-will to act +in defence of their beloved country and Ferdinand, they +appeared as little likely as any people I had ever seen, to +effect any thing against such an enemy as the French. In +fact, those of them who formed their armies, at least of +those straggling parties we so often met, could be called +nothing better than mere rabble—no organization, no subordination, +but every one evidently pursued that plan which +seemed right in his own eyes.</p> + +<p>While we remained at Cacabelos, (a place famous for<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[78]</a></span> +good wine,) many were the schemes adopted by some of +our bibbers, to obtain a sufficient quantum of this excellent +beverage. I understand they occasionally borrowed each +other's clothes; that is, a 43d man would borrow a rifleman's +green jacket, and <i>vice versa</i>, and go and steal, or in +some other illegal mode obtain, a camp-kettle full or two; +and when the owner came to point out the person who had +robbed him, of course he could not be found.</p> + +<p>We had not remained above a day or two in our new +quarters, before an express arrived from Sir John Moore, +with orders for us to advance again immediately; and +which, notwithstanding we had little or no prospect of assistance +and co-operation from the Patriots, was cheerfully +complied with. We retraced our former steps, passing +through Astorga and Labeneza, and reached Benevente on +the 15th December.</p> + +<p>Our cavalry, consisting of the 7th, 10th, and 15th hussars, +under Lord Paget, had by this time come up from Corunna, +and had been pushed forward to join Sir John Moore's +force; they fell in with a party of the French cavalry at the +town of Rueda, not far from Tordesillas, and of which they +either killed, or took prisoners, nearly the whole; in fact, +through the whole of this service, nothing could exceed +the gallantry and intrepid conduct of our cavalry under +his lordship. At this town, as well as at Astorga and +Villa Franca, depots of provisions began to be formed soon +after our arrival.</p> + +<p>On the 17th December, we again advanced from Benevente, +in order to form a junction with Sir John Moore's +army, and passing through Valderas, Majorga, and Sahagun, +we reached the convent of Trianon, about a league in +front of the latter place. On the 20th, here the two forces +were united, and a fresh distribution into brigades took<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[79]</a></span> +place. Ours, under Brigadier-general Crawford, was termed +the Light Brigade, and consisted of the 1st battalion 43d, +2d battalion 52d, and the 2d battalion of my regiment.</p> + +<p>The whole army was assembled in this neighbourhood, +and consisted of about 26,000 men, the whole <i>now</i> under +the command of Sir John Moore. Previous to our arrival +at Sahagun, Lord Paget, with a part of the 10th and 15th +hussars, discovered that a considerable body of the enemy's +cavalry occupied that town. He therefore detached the 10th +by a circuitous road, while he with the 15th approached it +by the more direct one. They were, however, discovered +by the French before reaching the town, which gave the +enemy time to turn out and form to receive the attack. +His lordship, when a favourable opportunity offered, +charged the French, who were greatly superior in numbers, +and completely overthrew them, taking two colonels, eleven +other officers, and about 150 men.</p> + +<p>On the evening of the 23d, the whole army was put in +motion, with an intention, it was said, of attacking Marshal +Soult, who, with a corps of about 16 or 18,000 men, was +posted behind the River Carrion, his head-quarters being at +Saldanha. The Spanish General Romana, was to take a +part in this movement; his small and sadly inefficient force +had approached the left of our army, or rather we had +drawn towards his position, and he was, I believe, perfectly +willing to lend all the assistance in his power, in the contemplated +attack; but our General, I fancy, did not calculate +upon any material help, from a force so greatly out of +order as his was said to be. Soon after dark, the troops +fell in; and as it was understood an attack was going to be +made on the enemy, every pulse beat high, in expectation +of soon congratulating each other on a victory. All was +life and animation; and the necessary preparations, by the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[80]</a></span> +light of our blazing fires, for such an event as a battle, after +the many long and harassing marches we had had, gave an +interesting appearance to the scene.</p> + +<p>When all was ready, the troops moved forward. It was +a cold and bitter night, and there were some small brooks +on the road. An officer of my battalion, who was not very +well, when he came to one of those, instead of marching +straight through, as it appears had been ordered, went a +little way round by the bridge, although not off the road. +A certain general officer, who happened to be there at the +time, observed it, and getting into a great rage at the officer +leaving his section, made him turn back, and march +through and through repeatedly, by way of punishment. +Such a mode of treating an officer, certainly appeared rather +harsh; but this general piqued himself on his being able to +make his brigade better marchers than any other troops in +the army; and in this he certainly succeeded, although it +was not without frequent exhibitions, such as the above. +Our people had not gone far, however, till they were countermanded, +and returned back to our convent. I rather +think the main body of the army had not moved out of +their cantonments; but ours being the advanced brigade, it +was necessary we should move before the others.</p> + +<p>It appears Sir John Moore, just before he intended to +set out, had received information, not only of Soult having +been greatly reinforced, but that several strong corps of the +French army were marching directly upon us, by which, +should he delay only a few days, we should be completely +surrounded, and cut off from a retreat. This was most distressing +information, for never was an army more eager to +come in contact with the enemy than ours was at this +moment, and never was there a fairer prospect of success, +had things remained as they were; but now, instead of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[81]</a></span> +honour and glory being acquired, by showing the French +what British troops could do in the field, it was evident +nothing remained but to commence a retrograde movement, +the worst and most unpleasant, in a British soldier's view, of +any other.</p> + +<p>Winter had now completely set in; the face of the country +being covered with deep snow, the weather was unusually +severe. Our prospect, therefore, was by no means a +pleasant one. To commence a retreat in front of a greatly +superior force, and with the probability that other French +armies might be before us, and intercept our retreat upon +the sea, which was distant from us nearly 250 miles, with +the country in our rear being already exhausted of every +thing that could contribute to our support, and with such +excessively bad weather to perform the retreat in, rendered +it, I may say, as unpleasant a situation as troops could well +be placed in. Added to which, our commissariat was by no +means so efficient in those days as they have latterly become; +and our troops in general being young, and unaccustomed +to privation, it was but too obvious, that should the +retreat continue long, many would be the disasters attending +it. On Christmas day, our brigade, as the rear of the +infantry, commenced its uncomfortable retreat, and continued +marching till late at night, when we reached a convent +near Majorga. The next day, although we started +early, we only reached the village of St Miguel about midnight.</p> + +<p>Here I had considerable difficulty with the baggage. I +had had charge of it all day, my guard being composed of +officers' servants, &c., who, the moment they got into the +village, set off to their masters, and left me alone with the +mules, the troops having, by the time I got in, all lain down +to sleep. Several of the muleteers had been pressed into the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[82]</a></span> +service against their wills, and of course would have made +their escape whenever an opportunity offered. I was therefore +compelled to drive them all into the churchyard, and +watch them myself, till luckily, after waiting in this situation +a considerable time, without daring to go to sleep after +the fatigues of such a day, some men happened to wander +in that direction in search of meat, by whom I sent to our +quartermaster to request he would send a guard, which he +did soon after, and I had the happiness to be allowed to +throw myself down and take some rest.</p> + +<p>This day Lord Paget had another brush with the French +cavalry, who, being apprized of our retreat, had advanced to +Majorga. He attacked them with that gallantry which +shone so conspicuously in the cavalry during the whole of +this service, and completely overthrew them, killing and +wounding many, and taking a number prisoners; in this +affair the 10th hussars were engaged, and behaved nobly. +The next day we reached Castro Gonzales, and Castro +Pipa. At the latter village, my battalion halted for the +night and the next day. These two villages command the +passage over the river Eslar, they being about equidistant +from the bridge, and something more than a mile apart on +high ground over the river, which runs about a league in +front of Benevente. Here we were obliged to remain during +the time mentioned, in order that the heavy divisions +of the army might get sufficiently forward before we moved.</p> + +<p>I had still the charge of the baggage, and not knowing +where my battalion was to be quartered for the night, I +had crossed the Eslar to the Benevente side, till I learnt long +after dark that Castro Pipa was its quarters. I consequently +turned back and recrossed the river, and just as I reached the +end of the bridge, I heard a shot immediately in my front. +The 43d regiment guarded the bridge. It turned out to be +a patrol of the enemy's cavalry who had come close to the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[83]</a></span> +top of the slope leading down to the bridge, and where a +double sentry of the 43d was posted. By some accident +these two men were not loaded; the French dragoons were +consequently permitted to come close up to them without +their being able to give any alarm. One of them, however, +run his bayonet into one of the Frenchmen's horses, and +retreated, but the other was not only cut down with the +sabre, but had a pistol fired at him, which was the report +I had just heard. I saw the wounded man, who was severely +hurt, but whether he survived or not I know not.</p> + +<p>When I reached Castro Pipa, my commanding-officer +would scarcely credit the report I gave him, conceiving it +impossible the French could be such near neighbours. I +was a good deal chagrined at his suspecting my veracity, +but he had never been what I may call a friendly commanding-officer +to me, as the story of the rifle at Copenhagen +will prove; indeed, as I had been put into the situation +I held contrary to his wish, it was hardly to be +expected that he would show himself very friendly. During +the night, however, our quarters were beat up, not indeed +by the enemy, but by our brigadier, who was not sparing +of his censure for our want of alertness in turning out. +Indeed, we neither had so good a look-out as we ought to +have kept, nor did we get under arms with that promptitude +which was desirable, and from the cause before assigned; +that is, that our commandant did not believe the enemy +was so near.</p> + +<p>I own I was not sorry that the General paid us such a +visit, as it not only put us more upon our guard, a thing so +indispensably necessary in the presence of an enemy, but it +gave me some satisfaction for the dishonour put upon me +by disbelieving my information.</p> + +<p>The enemy did not disturb us during the remainder of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[84]</a></span> +the night, and next morning the brigade was assembled on +the height above, and in front of the bridge; considerable +bodies of the enemy's cavalry appearing in the plain before +us. Some skirmishing between our people and the enemy +took place, but nothing of any importance occurred. Our +brigade was left in this position to cover the working party +who were preparing to blow up the bridge, at which they +worked all day; during the night our people were withdrawn +from the farther side, and the explosion soon after +took place, but the destruction of the bridge was by no +means so effectual as was wished and expected. When we +turned out in the morning to move towards the bridge, I +(still having charge of my battalion's baggage) discovered +that a vast quantity of excellent biscuit was stored up in an +empty house in the village, which, no doubt, had been baked +for the purpose of supplying the magazine at Benevente; +and as our people had been but very indifferently supplied +with bread since we commenced the retreat, I determined +to load a bullock-cart with it, and try to get it to a place of +safety, where I hoped to be able to issue it to them.</p> + +<p>I accordingly took a cart and two bullocks, there being +plenty in the village, and apparently without owners, for +the inhabitants had mostly either abandoned the place on the +appearance of the French, or had hid themselves. I loaded +the cart, but still I wanted a person to drive it; and although +I used both promises and threats, I could not prevail upon +any person to go with me. I therefore mounted the cart +myself, and using my sword by way of a goad, I entered +the river at a place which looked like a ford, and had the +good fortune to reach the other side in safety. I mention +this to show that so much importance need not have been +attached to the destruction of the bridge, as both here, and +near Castro Gonzales, the river was perfectly fordable, for<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[85]</a></span> +near the latter place the French cavalry forded it on the +following morning.</p> + +<p>I now made my way to Benevente, where I remained +during the day of the 28th; and at night, as before hinted, +the troops which had been guarding the bridge arrived, +leaving cavalry piquets on the plain between the town and the +river. The next morning our people left Benevente, and +as I was a little behind them with the baggage, on my reaching +a height in rear of the town, I observed in the plain in +front a considerable body of the enemy's cavalry, who had, +as before stated, crossed the river near Castro Gonzales, +and were advancing towards the town, opposed, though +feebly at first, by the few of our cavalry left there on piquet; +but the cavalry regiments which were in town quickly +turning out to their support, they were at length completely +able to oppose, and finally overthrow them.</p> + +<p>During the time I remained here, I saw our brave dragoons +make three most gallant and successful charges +against superior numbers of the enemy, completely breaking +and dispersing the different bodies against which the +charges were made. The enemy appeared to be drawn up +in different lines, the front one of which was that always +charged; and I observed, that as our people advanced upon +them, they were always received with a fire either from the +carbines or pistols of the enemy, but this never appeared +in the least to check the ardour of the charge, for in a +minute or two after I observed the French troops retired in +confusion, and formed behind the other lines. At length +they were completely driven back to the ford by which +they had crossed; and in a charge now made upon them, +General le Febvre, with about seventy men, fell into our +people's hands. These troops were a part of Bonaparte's +Imperial Guard, and the flower of his army, being fine-looking<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[86]</a></span> +men, dressed in dark-green long coats, with high +bear-skin caps, and mustaches, which gave them a formidable +appearance. It was said that Bonaparte was looking +on at this affair, and witnessed the defeat of his hitherto +invincible Old Guard; it is certain that he slept the night +before at Villalpando, a place only four leagues distant from +the field. I now set off and overtook the baggage and the +bullock cart, not having had an opportunity of issuing the +biscuit; but before I had proceeded above a few miles, the +bullocks knocked up, and notwithstanding every exertion +I found it impossible to get them any farther. Thus was I +reluctantly compelled to abandon a cart-load of excellent +biscuit, after having had so much trouble with it, at the +time when I knew it was greatly needed by my hungry +fellow soldiers, and to whom it would have been a most +welcome offering. On this day's march, a most lamentable +number of stragglers were overtaken by us, we being in +rear of all the infantry; they had either fallen out from +excessive fatigue, or from having (as in too many instances) +drunk too much; indeed, the destruction of the magazine +of provisions at the place we had left, enabled too many of +them to obtain by one means or other considerable quantities +of spirits, and which, of course, rendered them incapable +of marching. This was a long and wearisome day's +journey of nearly thirty miles; we did not reach Labeneza +till late at night, where a considerable quantity of ammunition +was obliged to be destroyed, the animals failing +which drew it.</p> + +<p>The next day we reached our old quarters at Zalada, a +league in front of Astorga, where we halted for the night, +the remainder of the brigade going into the town. It was +to this village, it may be remembered, that we were sent +on our first advance, and subsequently after our first retreat<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[87]</a></span> +from Labeneza; but besides these movements from +the village and back again, during the time we remained in +it, we almost every morning had orders to pack up and +move a short distance out of the place. This was done no +doubt to accustom us to a ready turning out, as till this +period our baggage had been transported on bullock-carts; +but now we had mules, and it was necessary to accustom +those whose duty it was, to load the mules with dispatch. +But on every occasion of this kind, the inhabitants always +imagined we were actually going to leave them, and the +moment we were clean gone, as they thought, they set to +work and rung the church bell with all their might. This +was either to testify their regret at losing our company, or +to evince their gratitude to Heaven for having got rid of +such a band of heretics, by which their most pure and holy +dwellings had been defiled; it was laughable to see the long +faces they put on when we, so contrary to their hopes and +expectations, always returned to our wretched and uncomfortable +quarters.</p> + +<p>During the whole of the time we remained in this village, +I, as a staff-sergeant, could find no better lodgings than a +dirty open shed; the reader will therefore judge how ill the +privates must have been off. Our fellows began about this +time to pick up little bits of Spanish, and would often exercise +their ability to converse in the native tongue, by telling +the inhabitants that we were certainly going to "<i>marcha +manana</i>", that is, to march to-morrow, so that it became +quite a by-word, which annoyed our hosts not a little. If +I mistake not, the Padre of this village was a great knave, +and did not scruple to help himself to such things as he had +a mind for, belonging to our officers, whenever a fit opportunity +presented itself. The next day, the 31st, we moved +into Astorga, where we halted for an hour or two, till the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[88]</a></span> +destruction of the magazine there was completed, although +nothing but rum remained; and here I witnessed such a +brutal and swinish eagerness for drink as was quite disgusting. +The rum casks were ordered to be staved, and to let +the contents run out on the street, that they might not fall +into the hands of the enemy: thus the rum which had cost +so much trouble in bringing up all the way from Corunna +was about to be lost for ever; a thing most heart-rending to +the numerous soldiers looking on, who loved it so dearly. +However, they were determined not to lose all, for when +the heads of the casks were knocked in, and their contents +permitted to run in streams down the gutters, some of +those brutes deliberately took off their greasy caps, and +laving up the rum and the mud together, drank, or rather +ate, the swinish mixture. What noble soldiers would our +country produce, were not that detestable vice of drunkenness +so common among us; but to it how many have I seen +deliberately sacrifice their own and country's honour, nay +their very life itself, rather than forego the beastly gratification!</p> + +<p>All this morning we had been told to keep a sharp look-out +on the Leon side of Astorga, for the enemy was every +moment expected to make his appearance from that quarter; +however, we were not disturbed during the short time +we remained. We here fell in with a considerable body of +Romana's army, apparently all confusion, and destitute of +every thing. We understood that they were not to be +marched in the same line we were taking, but that it had +been concerted between the two generals that our route +should be kept free; however, here, and for several days +afterwards, we suffered greatly from their contiguity.</p> + +<p>We continued our march from Astorga the same day, +and reached at night the village of Foncevadon, about<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[89]</a></span> +twenty miles distant. Here we pigged in as well as we were +able, there being only five or six houses; but as we had a +few tents with us, we managed not amiss. Till now our +brigade had formed the rear of the infantry, there being +some cavalry in rear of us; but it was now determined that +ours and the Light German Brigade under Brigadier-general +Charles Alten, should strike off from the great road, and +take the route for Orense and Vigo. This was done, I understand, +with a view to secure a passage across the Minho at +the former place, should Sir John, with the main army, be +compelled to retreat in that direction, and probably with +the view also of drawing off a part of the enemy's overwhelming +force from the pursuit of that body, and to induce them +to follow us into the mountains. Notwithstanding this, +they continued to pursue Sir John on the great road, whilst +they left us free altogether.</p> + +<p>I beg to notice here, that both Mr Gifford and Mr Moore +(Sir John's brother), have fallen into a trifling error respecting +the period of our separation from the main body, +they both making us be detached before our arrival at Astorga, +whereas it was not till we had passed a day's march +beyond it that we were sent off. The thing is of no consequence, +only it is as well to be correct.</p> + +<p>The next day, the 1st of January 1809, we marched by +a most difficult road through the mountains, to Ponferrada, +situated about a league to the left of the great road to Corunna, +on which the main army was retreating. When we +got in, our commissary immediately made a requisition to +the Alcalde of the town, to provide bread for the two brigades, +as we began to be in most fearful want. He promised +to set the bakers to work immediately, and in a few +hours, he said, the bread would be ready. We called on +him repeatedly, without obtaining any, he still alleging it<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[90]</a></span> +was not yet quite ready, and putting us off from time to +time, till midnight, when the patience of our commissary +being fairly worn out, he yielded to the anger so naturally +inspired by such shuffling conduct, and used some strong +language to the Alcalde. Whereupon, we discovered at once +that he had been only amusing us with promises he did not +intend to fulfil; and told the commissary that he did not +fear any of his threats, for that, as Romana's army had now +also entered the town, he had no doubt they would protect +him, and revenge any insult offered to him. The commissary +had indeed talked about hanging him for his double-dealing, +and leaving the troops utterly starving; but if he +could have got any bread ready, it is most natural to suppose +he would prefer letting his own countrymen have it; +this, however, as might be expected, had a most pernicious +effect upon our suffering soldiers, for when provisions could +not be procured in the regular and ordinary mode, it is evident +they would take them wherever they were to be found—for +hunger is not easily borne, accompanied by incessant +fatigue. In the morning, when we turned out to continue +our march towards Orense, we heard a heavy firing towards +our right and front, and this proved to be an attack made +by the enemy's light troops upon our first battalion, who, +with some cavalry, had been left in Cacabelos as a rearguard. +Our first battalion gained great credit for their conduct +on this occasion. The force of the enemy greatly exceeded +ours, yet our people drove them back with great +loss, killing General Colbert, who commanded the advance. +This was done by a noted pickle of the name of Tom Plunkett, +who, fearless of all danger to himself, got sufficiently +nigh to make sure of his mark, and shot him, which, with +the fire of the others, caused great havoc in the enemy's +ranks, and set them flying to the rear much faster than<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[91]</a></span> +they advanced. Our situation was thus, in a manner, in +rear of the enemy's advance guard, yet they did not turn in +our direction. Cacabelos was distant from us only about a +league.</p> + +<p>Our road this day lay over high and almost inaccessible +mountains, deeply covered with snow. On the top of one +of these, as our General was passing the column, a cry was +passed from the rear to open out to allow him to pass, the +road being very narrow. One of our men, as the General +came near, happened to say, loud enough for him to hear, +that "he had more need to give us some bread," or words +to that effect, which so exasperated the General, that he +instantly halted the whole brigade, ordered the man to be +tried by a drum-head court-martial, and flogged him on the +spot. It was a severe, but perhaps necessary discipline, in +order to check in the bud the seeds of murmuring and insubordination, +although I own it appeared harsh.</p> + +<p>Our march was a long and toilsome one indeed, and did +not terminate till about ten at night, when we reached St +Domingo-Flores, where nothing could be procured but a +very small quantity of black bread, the village being quite +small. Tired with the journey, we felt rather inclined to +sleep than eat; and, wet and dirty as we were, we laid ourselves +down till dawn, when we commenced another such +day's march, and reached at night the village of La Rua. +During these two days, want and fatigue had compelled +many to fall out, some of whom, no doubt, perished in the +snow on the bleak mountains, over which our road, or rather +path, had lain; others fell into the hands of the enemy, and +some few rejoined us after having obtained some little refreshment +from the natives.</p> + +<p>It would but be a repetition of the privations and fatigues +we underwent, to notice all that befell us on our way thence<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[92]</a></span> +to Orense, which place we reached on the 7th of January, +having previously pushed on, by double forced marches, a +few hundred men, to take possession of the bridge over the +Minho at this place. Here we remained a day, and obtained +provisions, then much needed by us all, for the men had +been literally starving for several days past. We had time +and opportunity here also to strip and change our linen, that +is, those who had a change; the others washed the shirt +they took off, sitting without one till it was dry. Indeed, +by this time we were in a most miserable plight; our shoes, +of course, were nearly all worn out, and many travelling +barefoot; and our clothes, as might be expected, were ragged +and filthy in the extreme; indeed they could not be +otherwise, for I suppose none of us had put any thing off +since we commenced the retreat. This day's rest, however, +refreshed us greatly, and enabled us to perform the remainder +of our toilsome journey with more comfort; indeed, +since we had secured the passage of the Minho, and thus +prevented the enemy from getting in before us, our minds +were more at ease, for strong apprehensions were entertained +that the French would have detached a corps from their +main body to seize this pass, and thus cut off our retreat to +Vigo. A part of Romana's army entered Orense before we +left it, worse, if possible, in point of appearance than ourselves; +but they, in their best days, are more like an armed +mob than regularly organized soldiers.</p> + +<p>It is a pity that Romana did not adopt the plan pointed +out to him by Sir John Moore, either to retire into the +Asturias with his army unbroken, or hang upon the flanks +of the enemy as he passed through the mountains; and +which he could have done with ease and safety, for these +fellows could live where regular troops would starve, and +there was no doubt but the peasantry would have assisted<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[93]</a></span> +their countrymen with all their means. This would have in +some measure retarded the too rapid progress of the French, +and probably been the means of saving to our country one +of its bravest and most skilful generals.</p> + +<p>Some of our men who had been compelled to stop behind +from fatigue and starvation, rejoined us here, having +generally been assisted by the peasantry, who gave +them food, and helped them forward.</p> + +<p>On the 9th, in the morning, we left Orense, crossing the +Minho to the north side of that river, and continued our +march to the town of Ribadavia, situated at the junction of +the rivers Avia and Minho, both of which, from the melting +of the snow, and the immense quantities of rain that +had fallen, were greatly swollen. So much so, that when I +approached the town with the baggage, (the troops having +gone on before,) and which I did not reach till near midnight, +I found the road completely overflowed with water; +and being without a guide, I could not of course in the +night be certain where the road lay, the whole bank of the +river being completely under water. We were in consequence +obliged to climb the mountains to our left, and proceed +in the best manner we were able with the loaded +mules; but so precipitous were they in one place, that a +load of ammunition slid off the mule's back, and the casks +rolled rapidly down the hill towards the river. I durst not +venture to leave them, although my chance of finding them +in such a situation appeared small indeed; however, we +halted the remainder of the mules, while a few of us set off +down the steep in the direction we had seen them go, and +after a long and anxious groping in every hollow of the +rocky mountain, succeeded in recovering them; but the +powder in them, and indeed nearly all the ammunition we +had, was rendered completely useless, from the constant<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[94]</a></span> +heavy rain that had fallen. I am almost astonished that no +accident happened to either man or beast in this perilous +journey, for our feet literally "stumbled upon the dark +mountains," without either guide or path, and where the +ground was most uneven and dangerous. We however at +length reached our destination, wet and weary enough, and, +just as we entered the town, were informed that the corridor +of one of the convents where two of our companies were +sleeping, had just fallen to the ground with a tremendous +crash, and that several men had had their limbs broken by +the fall; I do not remember that any were killed. It being +so late, I could not procure any kind of quarter, so I was +fain to sit down by the side of a fire kindled in the yard of +this convent for the remainder of the night.</p> + +<p>We next morning resumed our journey, and in three +days more from this place we reached Vigo. On this last +day's march we had a pretty high eminence to ascend at +some distance from the town, from which the view of the +town, the shipping, and the sea, broke all at once upon us. +It was a most delightful prospect, and it was highly amusing +to observe the joy which seemed to animate the woe-worn +countenances of our ragged and dirty soldiers. Fellows +without a shoe or a stocking, and who before were +shuffling along with sore and lacerated feet like so many +lame ducks, now made an attempt to dance for joy; laughter +and mirth, and the joke, now succeeded to the gloomy silence +with which they had in general prosecuted their wearisome +journey for several days past, as the friendly element before +them promised shortly to put a period to long and toilsome +wanderings. Indeed, although I am a bad sailor, and suffer +always severely when at sea, I do not remember ever to +have witnessed a sight which inspired me with greater +pleasure than the shipping and the sea did on this occasion.</p> + +<p>The<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[95]</a></span> fleet of transports for the army under Sir John +Moore, was just clearing the bay as we came in sight, but +we observed that a sufficient number remained at Vigo to +transport us to our native land, a place we sorely longed +for, as we had often contrasted the happiness and security +and comfort of our friends at home, with the poverty and +misery we had lately witnessed in the country we were +leaving; and this no doubt increased our anxiety for the +change. We marched into Vigo, and were soon after put +on board the vessels destined to receive us. It was my fortune +to be sent on board the Alfred, 74, with two of our +companies; a great number of men were still behind, for +even the few last days' marches had deprived us of many who +till then had braved the toils and privations of the journey, +but who now had fairly sunk under exhaustion. The Commodore, +therefore, remained as long in the bay as it was +safe, sending the stragglers as they arrived on board the different +ships; but within a few days after our arrival, the +enemy entered the town, which of course precluded all +hope of more escaping. We consequently weighed and stood +out towards the outer bay, where we again came to anchor.</p> + +<p>A Russian ship-of-war was in a small harbour in this bay, +which it was intended to board and cut out. As we were then, +I believe, on rather bad terms with that nation, never did I +witness such alacrity and delight as our tars on board the +Alfred manifested when buckling on their cutlasses for the +occasion, and I feel certain that if confidence in themselves +would tend to insure the victory, no men had a better +chance of succeeding; but from some cause or other with +which I am unacquainted, the enterprise was abandoned.</p> + +<p>On the 21st January we weighed and stood out to sea; +but a gale coming on we were obliged to come to anchor<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[96]</a></span> +again under the shelter of the Isle of Bagona. We did not +get to sea till the 24th, but on the 25th we spoke a frigate +going out to Lisbon with General Dyatt on board, who informed +us of the fatal business at Corunna. Indeed the people +on board this ship had, from vague reports, greatly magnified +our loss on that occasion, telling us that the whole +army had been nearly cut to pieces, and that very few indeed +had been able to effect their escape. We each, of course, +mourned for his particular friends, not doubting but they +had fallen among the rest. I think it was the same night +on which we saw this ship, a fatal accident had very nigh +taken place. Our captain was the Commodore, and the +captain of the Hindostan store-ship had charge of the rear +of the fleet; his place was consequently always behind all +the other vessels. Some time after dark, however, our look-out +people gave notice of a large vessel on our starboard +quarter. We shortened sail and let her come up pretty +close to us, and made the private signal, but no answer was +returned. At length, when near enough, we hailed her, but +still no answer. An order was now given to stand to quarters +and prepare for action, not doubting she was an enemy +which had got among the fleet. The guns were accordingly +run out, the matches lit, and every thing prepared for +action. She appeared a large ship, but of what force they +could not guess. Again she was hailed, and again she disregarded +it. Our first lieutenant was now fully convinced +she was an enemy, and pleaded hard with the captain to give +the word fire, but the captain said he would hail her once +more, and if she did not answer he would fire. Providentially +they heard us this time, and answered it was the +Hindostan. What they had been about I know not, for we +were quite near each other; and had she received our broadside, +as was the intention had she not then answered, it is<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[97]</a></span> +most probable she would have gone down; at all events the +consequences must have been awful, for she had the whole +of the 43d regiment on board, besides her own crew. Our +captain certainly censured him in no very mild terms for +leaving his station in the rear, and getting to the very head +of the fleet. She was a very lofty ship, and carried forty-four +guns I believe, and had not less than 1000 men on +board, many of whom must have suffered had we fired upon +her.</p> + +<p>A few days after this we encountered a most tremendous +gale, and came in sight of the English coast, somewhere +near the Lizard or the Start; but our master not knowing +exactly where he was, we stood off again towards the French +coast.</p> + +<p>The next day the gale was if possible more severe, and the +ship rolled so much that they were afraid her guns would +break loose from their lashings, in consequence of which +large spikes were driven in behind the wheels of each gun-carriage +to prevent such an accident. In this situation, I +know not whether I did not almost wish myself on the +snowy mountains of Galicia again, rather than where I was, +so miserable a sailor am I, and so much do I suffer from +sea-sickness.</p> + +<p>The fleet was by this time completely scattered, every one +making the best shift he could for himself; some got into +Plymouth, some reached Portsmouth, and some, I believe, +foundered in the gale, among which, if I mistake not, was +a brig, on board of which my two companies had been first +embarked, but were subsequently removed to the Alfred, +and some of the German Legion, I think, put on board her.</p> + +<p>At length we made the Isle of Wight, and subsequently +Spithead, which we reached on the 31st, and the next day +landed once more on the happy shore of our native Britain.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[98]</a></span> +Thankful indeed I ought to have been for the ever watchful +care of an indulgent and kind Providence, who had brought +me safely through the toils and sufferings under which so +many more robust and hardy than myself had sunk; but, alas! +I had then no sense of the gratitude due for such unmerited +favours, and instead of rendering thanks to Him who had +thus preserved me, I entered, with all the eagerness of a person +devoid of reason and religion, into every vice and sensuality +that presented itself. I here learnt with sorrow the +great loss which my friends in the first battalion had sustained, +but glad nevertheless that it was not to the extent +we apprehended, and that none of my particular friends had +fallen.</p> + +<p>We left Portsmouth, and returned to our old quarters at +Hythe, in Kent, passing again on the road my native county +militia at Battle, in Sussex, as I did at Bury, on my return +from Holland; and truly our appearance on this occasion +was, if possible, more deplorable than on the former. However, +our tattered and worn-out habiliments had the effect +of inspiring some of my countrymen in that regiment with +a desire of sharing in the glory, as they termed it, of suffering +so much in the defence of our beloved country; and +they accordingly made up their minds to volunteer into +our corps the first opportunity that offered, and which they +put in execution that same year, as will be told hereafter. +We took up our abode in the comfortable barracks at Hythe, +and immediately set about putting every thing in order, +and truly much was wanting to fit us again for duty as +soldiers.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[99]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER VI.</h2> + +<blockquote><p>Volunteering—Farther Promotion—Embarks for Portugal, with two +Companies of the Second Battalion—Debark at Cadiz—Advance to the +Isla—The French occupy all the adjacent Towns, except Cadiz and +the Isla—Cannonading—Spanish Army—Detachment of the Allied +Army sent round by Gibraltar and Chiclana, to take the Enemy in +the rear of his works, and compel him either to fight or abandon +them—Come up with a portion of the Enemy in the vicinity of Veger—Bravery +of the British—The Enemy repulsed with great Loss, but, +from the apathy and misconduct of General La Pena, and the Spaniards +under his command, the French are allowed to retain their +Works in the vicinity of Cadiz.</p></blockquote> + + +<p>In April of this year, an order was issued to allow the +militia regiments to volunteer, for the purpose of filling up +the regiments of the line; and I was sent by Colonel Beckwith +(our two battalions being then both at Hythe) to +receive those who chose to volunteer from the Northumberland +militia before-mentioned, which had now been removed +to Ipswich. Lieutenant Beckwith had the charge +of our party, but proceeded <i>incog.</i> to Ipswich, the general +orders not permitting officers of the line to be seen in the +quarters of the militia. On our arrival at Ipswich, I had +the pleasure of obtaining the names of thirty fine young +fellows, among whom the patriots formerly mentioned of +course were included. Several other militia regiments in +this district also gave volunteers to us, so that in three +days, from the commencement of the volunteering, we obtained<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[100]</a></span> +upwards of 1100 men; and had we not, by an order +from the Horse-Guards, been precluded from taking any +more, I doubt not we should have obtained several hundreds +besides, for our regiment alone had near eighty names +down for us, who were not allowed to enter from the above +cause. Indeed the Commander-in-Chief, Sir David Dundas, +(afterwards our Colonel,) appeared quite astonished, and +not well pleased, that we had run away with so many men +when others wanted them so much. He was obliged, however, +to grant us a 3d battalion, as we had so many more +men than were required to fill up the 1st and 2d; and our +respected Colonel, Major-general Coote Manningham, dying +about this time of the fatigue he had undergone in Spain, +Sir David took us to himself, and became our Colonel-in-Chief, +giving the command of the 3d battalion to my respected +(and now lamented) friend and benefactor, Major-general +the Honourable William Stewart. The Lieutenant-colonelcy +was given to Major Norman M'Leod, our senior +Major, and only two or three other steps were given to the +officers of the regiment, although it was alone owing to +their exertions in obtaining men, and to the high character +the regiment had acquired, that such numbers had volunteered +into it.</p> + +<p>It becomes not me to censure or criticise the measures +of government, but I cannot help thinking that more favour +was certainly due to the corps as a body. For myself, I +ought and must speak with gratitude, not of them, but of +that kind Providence which has favoured me so far, so very +far, beyond my deserts, for, on the 8th of June following, I +was appointed Quartermaster of the 3d battalion.</p> + +<p>Our 1st battalion was again sent out to join the army in +Portugal, while mine was sent to Brabournlees to equip +and drill our new levies. Every exertion was made to this<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[101]</a></span> +effect, and the battalion was soon completed and rendered +fit for service. Here my wife joined me again, the child to +which she gave birth in my absence having died when six +weeks old. This was the only child she ever had, and it +was perhaps a providential dispensation, for she was extremely +delicate, and by no means a healthy person, and it +is not unlikely her offspring might have inherited her disease, +that is, an affection of the chest. We had only lived +a few months together, till another call for service separated +us again.</p> + +<p>In June 1810, we received orders to send out to Cadiz +two companies of my battalion, together with the commanding-officer +and staff, three others having been already +sent thither in the spring. The melancholy business of +parting with my wife was again to be gone through; but +on this occasion I was favoured by being permitted to accompany +her to London, where, parting from her with a +heavy heart, I took my place for Chichester, at which place +my detachment would be quartered next day, on their way +to Portsmouth. I omitted to mention, that Lieutenant-colonel +Barnard of the 1st or Royals, had exchanged with +Lieutenant-colonel M'Leod some time previous, and he +consequently was now going out as my commanding-officer. +We embarked at Portsmouth on the 11th July, on board +the Mercury frigate, armed <i>en flute</i>, and commanded by +Captain Tancock.</p> + +<p>We had a favourable passage, and landed at Cadiz on the +29th of that month. This city, it may be remembered, was +besieged at this time by a French army under Marshal +Victor; consequently, when we arrived, we were amused +by seeing immense shells flying from one party to the +other, but without doing any serious injury to either, the +distance being too great to produce any effect of moment.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[102]</a></span> +As we came in sight of Cadiz, the view was most enchanting, +for the city appeared as if composed of lofty and elegant +snow-white buildings, apparently rising from the bosom of +the ocean, for the land on which it is built cannot be seen +at a distance; added to which, the numerous and beautiful +towns about the bay, and a little beyond it, rendered it a +most delightful scene. On the right was Cadiz, with its +lofty lighthouse, and its strong sea-walls rising out of the +water; on the left was Rota, an apparently neat little town. +Farther up the bay, on the same side, was Port St Mary's, +and beyond that Porto Real, both considerable towns. In +the centre rises the Isla de Leon, now called St Ferdinand; +beyond that Chiclana, composed of the elegant country +residences of the more wealthy Cadiz merchants; and, in +the distance, towering on the mountains behind, the dazzling +white town of Medina Sidonia shining in the sun; indeed +altogether imagination can scarcely picture to itself a more +interesting <i>coup-d'œil</i>, the scene being closed by the lofty +snow-clad mountains of Ronda. We landed at Cadiz, and +remained for the night in the barracks situated in the barrier, +on the land-side of the town, and which is remarkably +strong, the fortifications being composed of solid masonry, +and the barracks all bomb-proof. I suffered dreadfully from +the myriads of fleas which preyed upon me during the night, +and was glad when morning appeared.</p> + +<p>We marched next day to the Isla, (be it observed the town +is called by that name as well as the island on which it and +Cadiz are situated,) distant from Cadiz about seven miles; +the island is of a most singular form, being about ten +miles broad at the end next the continent, from which it is +separated by the river Santi Petri; immediately below the +town of Isla it begins to narrow very rapidly, forming from +thence to Cadiz nothing more than a narrow sand-bank, in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[103]</a></span> +some places not more than a hundred yards across, and on +which a causeway has been built to connect the two places. +We took up our abode in the Isla, where the Spanish government, +such as it was, at this time resided; and here I +witnessed the first opening of the Spanish Cortes in 1810, +which was attended with all the pomp and show of a truly +Roman Catholic people. <i>Te Deums</i> and other pompous +and brilliant ceremonies marked the event; indeed, here we +had an opportunity of seeing a great number of the grandees +of the Spanish nation, for, as I said before, the government +had retired to this place from Madrid, and most of the courtiers +and others attached to the government had assembled +here, together with the deputies from the different provinces; +altogether the scenes we witnessed here were sometimes +very imposing.</p> + +<p>The French occupied all the towns before named save +Cadiz and Isla, their advanced piquets being thrown forward +to near the river Santi Petri, except near the Bridge of Luaza, +which is the only communication across from the island +to the mainland; here our pickets were advanced a considerable +distance beyond the bridge upon a causeway on which +is the road leading to Seville, through a broad salt marsh +on the banks of the river; it is here about two miles wide, +and utterly impassable, except to those who know the footpaths +across it, being intersected at every few paces by deep +salt-pits or pans. The enemy, as mentioned before, had +their sentries at some parts pretty far into the centre of +this marsh, and there were some fellows in the Spanish +service called by the name of "creepers," they obtaining +their livelihood by killing sea-fowl and other animals in this +marsh; and so dexterous were they at this <i>creeping</i>, that +they could steal upon the birds unperceived, which enabled +them to get them with ease. Sometimes a fellow of this<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[104]</a></span> +calling would set off on a <i>creeping</i> excursion, and instead of +bagging a wild-duck, or some other such bird, would plunge +his stiletto into the heart of an unsuspecting French sentry, +and leave him weltering in his gore. This was a noble exploit +in their estimation, and marks strongly the character +of the Spaniard, who, inured to blood by the frequency of +their bull-fights and other similar exhibitions, hesitates not +a moment at assassination if urged on by what he deems his +own or country's wrongs; this inhuman act, of course, was +perpetrated in the dark.</p> + +<p>I may mention, in connexion with this, that on the Christmas +of 1810, it was reported that sixteen people had been +assassinated in Isla alone, on the evening or night before; +it is probable the number may have been exaggerated, but +the thing was such an almost everyday occurrence that it +appeared not to excite the least horror at its atrocity. I +had occasion to go down the town during the Christmas day, +and I saw still lying at the corner of one of the most frequented +streets, one of the unhappy beings who had thus +fallen. No one seemed inclined to own him; and his body, +foul with blood and dust, was thus permitted to remain in +the public streets without any enquiry being made with respect +to the perpetrator of so foul a deed. In truth they +are, as it were, trained up to this recklessness of human life +from their infancy, for in the town of Isla there was a sort +of naval academy, where a number of boys, from perhaps +eight to twelve years of age, were educated; these urchins +were permitted to wear swords, and it is really astonishing +how desirous they appeared to make use of them, for they +could scarcely ever pass along the streets without trying the +sharpness of their points upon the backs of pigs or dogs, or +any other unfortunate animal that came in their way.</p> + +<p>The French also occupied a long low tongue of land which<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[105]</a></span> +stretches out into the Bay of Cadiz, taking its rise from between +Port St Mary's and Porto Real, and extending to +within about two and a half miles of Cadiz, and about one +from Puntalis, a fort erected on the island opposite the +extremity of this low tongue; this is called the Trocadero, +since become famous as the field on which the Duke D'Angouleme, +and Prince Carignan of Naples, gained so many +honours. On the point of this tongue the enemy's principal +batteries were erected, and from thence they contrived +occasionally, but not often, and never with any great effect, +to throw shells into the town of Cadiz. The mortar now +in St James' Park, called the "Prince Regent's bomb," was +cast at Seville on purpose to enable them to reach the town, +no ordnance of common dimensions being capable of throwing +a shell so far; but it did not answer the end proposed, +or at least the effect expected from it, for it was imagined +by them, that if they could once succeed in throwing shells +into the city, the inhabitants would become so alarmed that +they would compel the military to surrender. This, however, +was far from being realized, although they did throw +a few in; but the distance being so great, they were necessarily +thrown much at random, some of them falling short +of the town, others flying completely over into the bay near +the lighthouse on the other side, and some few, as I said, +falling in the city, but from which very few casualties occurred.<a name="FNanchor_A_2" id="FNanchor_A_2"></a><a href="#Footnote_A_2" class="fnanchor">[2]</a> +I am told they were obliged to have the mortar +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[106]</a></span>slung in chains at the time of firing it, the concussion being +so great as to destroy the bed in which it was fixed. As +may be supposed, there was constant war between our fort +Puntalis, before mentioned, and the enemy's batteries on +this point; in fact our people had orders to throw a thirteen-inch +shell every quarter of an hour, besides the occasional +firing from the guns and other mortars when any thing appeared +on the opposite side; and you may be certain the French +were not behind us in the expenditure of ammunition; they +were remarkably fond of firing what are termed salvos, that is, +volleys of artillery. On one occasion I happened to be looking +out from a high tower near Isla, called the Tore Alto, and +while all was deep and profound silence, and I happened to be +looking towards the point of Trocadero, in a moment the +smoke rose from at least 100 pieces of artillery, fired by signal, +and the noise they made was tremendous. Our poor little +fort of Puntalis appeared almost enveloped in the dust raised +by the striking of the shot, and the smoke from them which +fell about it, and seemed as if almost deprived of power by +so sudden and unexpected a salute; but she began at length +to return the compliment, although feebly in comparison of +the tremendous volley she had received. This and such like +were of frequent occurrence, scarcely a day passing without +something interesting taking place.</p> + +<p>To enable us to cope in some measure with the French, +a large double fortified sea-mortar was brought from Gibraltar, +which threw thirteen-inch shells. It was brought up +to the back of the town of Isla, near some powder magazines, +and an attempt made there to throw some shells over +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[107]</a></span>to the Trocadero. The first trial, an empty shell was put in, +with not less than thirty-two pounds of powder in the chamber. +On firing it, the shell flew all to atoms, from the violent +shock occasioned by so great a quantity of powder; and +the shell being too weak for that description of mortar, another +was tried filled with sand, to give it more weight and +solidity; this answered the purpose, for it fell on the land +on the opposite coast, but still, from the great range, much +uncertainty must naturally attend the practice, and it was +eventually given up. The next day, however, we were +saluted from the opposite side with both shot and shell, the +French thus showing us that they were better able to play +at long bowls than we were; neither, however, did their +practice continue, for there was nothing at the point where +their shot and shells fell to be injured by them, the magazines +before noticed being now empty.</p> + +<p>On another occasion an attack was made by our people +on the Trocadero itself, where it was reported the French +had got a considerable number of boats, &c., laid up on shore, +about half-way between the point and Porto Real; our folks +took gun-boats and boats with rockets, the intention being +to set fire to the enemy's craft. They accordingly advanced +in good style, keeping as far, however, as possible out of the +range of the French batteries at the point, which, as they +were directed towards Cadiz and Puntalis, could not easily +bring their artillery to bear upon our boats. They reached +the place where it was said the French craft was lying, +and fired a considerable number of rockets, but without being +able to effect any thing farther than burning one boat, I believe. +As they were returning, however, they met the French +commander, who had been down to the point in a light boat, +and he, like a brave fellow, determined to run completely +the gauntlet rather than return, keeping as close in shore,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[108]</a></span> +however, as possible. The whole of our gun-boats fired at +him as he passed, and knocked the water up about him in +all directions without ever once touching him, although, to +look at him, one would have imagined it impossible he could +escape; but here the old soldier's adage was verified, for +there was still more room to miss than to hit him, and he +accordingly escaped scot-free.</p> + +<p>While here, I had a most ample opportunity of closely +viewing the Spanish army, great numbers being stationed +in and about the Isla, and great numbers constantly coming +into and going out of the place, after receiving such equipment +as the government was able to provide for them. Nothing +could exceed the hardy and robust appearance of the +men in general; and had they been clothed, appointed, and +disciplined like either their enemies or their allies, there +could not have been a finer soldiery. I cannot, however, +say so much for their officers; most of them appeared to be +utterly unfit and unable to command their men. Those who +had the means, seemed to think of nothing else but dressing +like apes or mountebanks, and intriguing with the women. +It was really absurd and ludicrous to see the strange figures +they generally made themselves. In one regiment alone you +might have observed more different uniforms than both we +and the French have in all our armies. One would have had +on a blue coat turned up with red, with a chaco and a straight +sword, the uniform prescribed for officers of the infantry, I +believe; the next would have most likely had on a hussar +dress, with an enormous sabre dangling by his side; another +would have had a red coat, a fourth yellow, a fifth white, +and so on. In short, all the colours of the rainbow were +generally exhibited in the uniforms of one regiment's officers; +and every one of them appeared to vie with the other who +could make the greatest harlequin of himself, whilst those<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[109]</a></span> +of them who were mounted would caper and prance about +the streets like so many fools, riding with their legs at full +stretch, and the toe of the boot (if they had one) just touching +the stirrup, and drawing the reins continually through +the fingers of their right hand; and if by any chance an ape of +this kind came near the window of his dulcinea, and thought +there was a likelihood of her seeing him, I pitied the poor +foot-passengers who might happen to be near him, for he +would make his unfortunate Rosinante prance and caper by +the immense long bit in its mouth, and the pieces of iron in +the shape of spurs on his (shoes perhaps), till the poor animal +was like to fall under him. In short, they had all the +pride, arrogance, and self-sufficiency of the best officers in +the world, with the very least of all pretension to have an +high opinion of themselves; it is true they were not all +alike, but the majority of them were the most haughty, and +at the same time the most contemptible creatures in the +shape of officers, that I ever beheld. It was, therefore, not +to be expected that the soldiers would or could look upon +them with that degree of respect and reverence so essential +to a due maintenance of subordination in an army.</p> + +<p>About the month of February 1811, it was concerted +between the Spanish government and General Graham, who +commanded us, to undertake an expedition which should +land in the vicinity of Gibraltar; and being there reinforced +by some troops from that fortress, the whole should move +forward in the direction of Chiclana, and, taking the enemy +in the rear of his works, compel him either to abandon them +or fight a battle. Accordingly, on the 18th of that month, +we embarked on board some small vessels that had been +fitted up for the occasion in the bay of Cadiz, and, sailing +soon after, we reached Algeziras, ten miles on this side of +Gibraltar, and landed there on the 24th. Our force consisted<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[110]</a></span> +of a brigade of artillery, with ten guns; two battalions +of Foot Guards; the 28th, 67th, and 87th regiments; a +battalion composed of flank companies from Gibraltar; two +companies of the 47th regiment, and two of the 20th Portuguese +regiment, with six companies of our corps and one +squadron of cavalry,—in all about 4500 men. The Spanish +army, under the command of General La Pena, (who, being +senior officer, directed the whole,) consisted of two divisions,—in +all from ten to eleven thousand. We were not +allowed to take any baggage with us, consequently we could +not expect much comfort during the service, which was +expected to be short. The day we landed we bivouacked +on a height near Algeziras, and the next morning moved +on towards Tarifa, where we remained for that day and the +next, to allow time to get the artillery and cavalry horses +on shore. Here I observed a strange custom among the +females of this place, the remains, I apprehend, of the +Moorish fashion, (which no doubt would continue longer in +this place than others, it being immediately opposite to and +in sight of Africa.) The Spanish women all wear what they +term a mantilla, that is, a kind of scarf made of cloth, generally +black, which they throw over their heads lengthwise, +letting the two ends come over their shoulders, and meeting +and crossing on the breast, it forms a sort of head-dress which +shows only the face, and keeps them close and snug about +the head; but here, they bring it so far forward as to completely +cover the face, leaving nothing but a very small hole +in front of their left eye (I think it is), at which they peep +out, without showing any part of the face. Colonel Brown +of the 28th, who was then a most wild and eccentric character, +although now I understand completely altered, could +not relish this hiding of their beauty by the modest dames +of Tarifa. All, therefore, that he met in the streets he stopped,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[111]</a></span> +and made them open the mantilla, that he might +have a fair peep at them, to the great scandal of the good +ladies of this still Moorish town, and which, had it been on +any other occasion, might have been attended with unpleasant +consequences to himself.</p> + +<p>When every thing was ready we moved forward from +Tarifa, and halted for the night on a height about twelve +miles distant. The next day we reached Casas Vejas, or +"Old Houses," where we bivouacked on a scrubby hill, the +weather being very bitter, which we felt in all its force, +having no covering whatever. Next day we had to cross a +considerable lake of fresh water, by a sort of ford which +crossed it about the middle. We had started before daylight, +and, through some mismanagement, did not reach +this lake till near mid-day, although it was only a few miles +distant from our last night's quarters. One division of the +Spaniards led the column, and another was behind us, we +being thus in the centre, as being the least thought of probably +by our Spanish Commander-in-Chief; for indeed we +had often heard it said in and about Isla, "what fine-looking +and well-disciplined soldiers the British are!—what a +pity they cannot fight!" So thought La Pena, probably; +but by two o'clock the first division of Spaniards had not +near got over the lake, at which the patience of our General +was so completely exhausted, that he requested the Spanish +General to allow him to bring forward the British troops, to +show him the way how he and they would act. My battalion +led the van, and were ordered to march straight through +it without any picking of steps, and to go forward in regular +sections, one man supporting another. They went in and +marched right through it, as if it had been plain ground, +the water taking them generally about mid-deep. The rest +of the British army followed, and were all through in less<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[112]</a></span> +than half an hour; a one-horse cart, indeed, stuck fast in +the middle of it, from the wheels having got entangled +between the large stones at the bottom. General Graham +seeing this, instantly dismounted, and, plunging in, set his +shoulder to the wheel, and fairly lifted it clear of the obstruction.</p> + +<p>La Pena, and those about him, after witnessing the example +set them by our General and his troops, seemed really +ashamed of their former conduct, and, setting to in good +earnest, they contrived to urge their soldiers and officers to +take the water with more freedom, and before dark the +whole army had got over. While we were so long detained +by the first division of Spaniards getting across, I, with +several other mounted people, rode forward to the ford, to +ascertain the cause of our stoppage for so long a time. The +Spaniards were going into the water one at a time,—here +one, and there one,—while the creatures of officers were +making the men carry them on their backs. Had the whole +army acted thus, we should not have got over before daylight +next morning.</p> + +<p>When all were across, and the columns formed, we moved +forward, and reached the neighbourhood of Veger, which +stands on a high hill not far distant from the memorable +Cape Trafalgar. We halted in an olive-grove below the +town, and bivouacked for the night; it was bitter cold, and +the troops could find but little wood for firing, which they +much needed, from having got so completely wet in crossing +the lake.</p> + +<p>We remained at Veger all the next day, and a little after +dark commenced our march. We being now in the neighbourhood +of the enemy, it became necessary to conceal our +movements as much as possible. During the night we +passed the fishing town of Conil, and, keeping near the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[113]</a></span> +coast, we arrived the next morning on the plain of Chiclana. +I quote from our General's dispatch, as it states the thing +in a much more clear and satisfactory manner than I could +do. He says,—"After a night march of sixteen hours +from the camp (bivouack) near Veger, we arrived on the +morning of the 5th on the low ridge of Barossa, about four +miles from the Santi Petri river. This height extends +inland about a mile and a half, continuing on the north the +extensive heathy plain of Chiclana. A great pine-forest +skirts the plain, and circles round the height at some distance, +terminating down towards Santi Petri, the intermediate +space between the north side of the height and the +forest being uneven and broken."</p> + +<p>The two Spanish divisions had preceded us, who, after +having rested a while on the plain, moved down towards +the Santi Petri, where a bridge was to be thrown over by +the troops in the Isla de Leon, and thus open a communication +between the two armies, that is, between those inside +the island and us.</p> + +<p>The General goes on to say,—"A well-conducted and +successful attack on the rear of the enemy's lines, near +Santi Petri, by the vanguard of the Spanish army under +Brigadier-general Ladrizabel, having opened the communication +with the Isla de Leon, I received General La Pena's +directions to move down from the position of Barossa to +that of the Torre de Bermesa, about half-way to the Santi +Petri river, over which a bridge had been lately established. +This latter position occupies a narrow woody ridge, the +right on the sea-cliff, and the left falling down to the Almanza +creek, on the edge of the marsh; a hard sandy beach +gives an easy communication between the western points of +these two positions.</p> + +<p>"My division being halted on the eastern slope of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[114]</a></span> +Barossa height, was marched about twelve o'clock through +the wood towards Bermesa, (cavalry patrols having previously +been sent towards Chiclana, without meeting with +the enemy.) On the march I received notice that the +enemy had appeared in force on the plain, and was advancing +towards the heights of Barossa. As I considered that +position as the key of Santi Petri, I immediately countermarched, +in order to support the troops left for its defence; +and the alacrity with which this manœuvre was executed, +served as a favourable omen. It was, however, impossible, +in such intricate and difficult ground, to preserve order in +the columns, and there never was time to restore it entirely. +But before we could get ourselves quite disentangled from +the wood, the troops on the Barossa hill were seen returning +from it, while the enemy's left wing was rapidly ascending. +At the same time his right wing stood on the plain, +on the edge of the wood, within cannon-shot. A retreat in +the face of such an enemy, already within reach of the easy +communication by the sea-beach, must have involved the +whole allied army in all the danger of being attacked during +the unavoidable confusion of the different corps arriving on +the narrow ridge of Bermesa nearly at the same time.</p> + +<p>"Trusting to the known heroism of British troops, regardless +of the numbers and position of the enemy, an immediate +attack was determined on. Major Duncan soon +opened a powerful battery of ten guns in the centre. Brigadier-general +Dilkes, with the brigade of Guards, Lieutenant-colonel +Brown's (of the 28th) flank battalion, Lieutenant-colonel +Norcott's two companies of the 2d rifle corps, +and Major Acheson, with a part of the 67th, (separated from +the regiment in the wood,) formed on the right.</p> + +<p>"Colonel Wheately's brigade, (consisting of the 28th, +67th, and 87th,) with three companies of the Coldstream<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[115]</a></span> +Guards, under Lieutenant-colonel Jackson (separated likewise +from his battalion in the wood), and Lieutenant-colonel +Barnard's flank battalion (being two companies 47th, +two ditto 20th Portuguese, and four of third battalion 95th) +formed on the left. As soon as the infantry was thus hastily +got together, the guns advanced to a more favourable +position, and kept up a destructive fire. The right wing +proceeded to the attack of General Ruffin's division on the +hill, while Lieutenant-colonel Barnard's flank battalion, +and Lieutenant-colonel Bush's detachment of the 20th +Portuguese, were warmly engaged with the enemy's tirailleurs +on our left.</p> + +<p>"General Laval's division, notwithstanding the havoc +made by Major Duncan's battery, continued to advance in +very imposing masses, opening his fire of musketry, and +was only checked by that of the left wing. The left wing +now advanced firing. A most destructive charge, by the +three companies of the Guards and the 87th regiment, +supported by all the remainder of the wing, decided the +defeat of General Laval's division.</p> + +<p>"The eagle of the 8th regiment of light infantry, which +suffered immensely, and a howitzer, rewarded this charge, +and remained in possession of Major Gough of the 87th +regiment. These attacks were zealously supported by Colonel +Bilson with the 28th regiment, and Lieutenant-colonel +Prevost with a part of the 67th. A reserve, formed +beyond the narrow valley, across which the enemy was +closely pursued, next shared the same fate, and was routed +by the same means.</p> + +<p>"Meanwhile, the right wing was not less successful. +The enemy, confident of success, met General Dilkes on +the ascent of the hill, and the contest was sanguinary; but +the undaunted perseverance of the brigade of Guards, of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[116]</a></span> +Lieutenant-colonel Brown's battalion, and of Lieutenant-colonel +Norcott's and Major Acheson's detachments, overcame +every obstacle, and General Ruffin's division was driven +from the heights in confusion, leaving two pieces of cannon.</p> + +<p>"No expressions of mine could do justice to the conduct +of the troops throughout—nothing less than the almost unparalleled +exertions of every officer, the invincible bravery +of every soldier, and the most determined devotion of the +honour of his Majesty's arms in all, could have achieved +this brilliant success against such a formidable enemy, so +posted. In less than an hour and a half from the commencement +of the action, the enemy was in full retreat. +The retiring divisions met, halted, and seemed inclined to +form; a new and more advanced position of our artillery +quickly dispersed them. The exhausted state of the troops +made pursuit impossible. A position was taken up on the +eastern side of the hill; and we were strengthened on our +right by the return of two Spanish regiments, that had +been attached before to my division, but which I had left +on the hill, and which had been ordered to retire.</p> + +<p>"An eagle, six pieces of cannon, the General of Division +Ruffin, and the General of Brigade Rousseau, wounded and +taken; the Chief of the Staff, General Bellegarde, and +aide-de-camp of Marshal Victor, and the colonel of the +8th regiment, with many other officers killed, and several +wounded and taken prisoners, the field covered with the +dead bodies of the enemy, attest that my confidence in +this division was nobly repaid. The animated charges of +the 87th regiment were most conspicuous. Lieutenant-colonel +Barnard, (twice wounded,) and the officers of his +flank-battalion, executed the duty of skirmishing in advance +with the enemy in a masterly manner; and were ably +seconded by Lieutenant-Colonel Bush, of the 20th Portuguese,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[117]</a></span> +who (likewise twice wounded) fell into the enemy's +hands, but was afterwards rescued."</p> + +<p>The dispatch contains many more acknowledgments, +which, as they have no connexion with my narrative, I +have omitted.</p> + +<p>I beg now to make such remarks and observations as +may tend to throw light upon the different parts of the +foregoing dispatch.</p> + +<p>The two Spanish battalions attached to our division, together +with Lieutenant-colonel Brown's flank-battalion, +were left upon the height of Barossa, when we moved down +into the wood, in order to secure that position till we had +possessed ourselves of the height of Bermesa; but we had +not left the plain more than half an hour, I think, and +descended into the wood, till an officer came galloping after +us, saying the French had debouched from the wood, and +were moving on to the high ground in our rear, and had +attacked the troops left there for its defence. Orders were +instantly given us to countermarch, and to get on to the +plain and into action as soon as possible. In coming about, +one of the guns got entangled with a pine-tree; there was +no time to disengage it, and setting to with the whip, they +pushed the horses forward, and tore up the tree completely +by the roots, although one of considerable size. I thought +(as our General says) it appeared a good omen, and that a +trifling obstacle would not be allowed to impede their +career.</p> + +<p>When we reached the plain, and perceived the enemy, +never did a finer sight present itself. They were manœuvring +on the high ground before us; and as Home says,</p> + +<div class="poem"> +"The hill they gained, and moving on its top,<br /> +Of more than mortal size, towering, they seemed<br /> +An host angelic, clad in burning arms."<br /> +</div> + +<p>Those<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[118]</a></span> immediately in front of my battalion were the famed +8th regiment, and consisted of two battalions of 700 men +each; one was composed of grenadiers, and the other of +voltigeurs, or light infantry. The grenadiers had long +waving red plumes in their caps, at least a foot in length; +while the light infantry had feathers of the same length +and make, but green, with yellow tops. The whole of the +French army had on their best or holyday suits of clothing, +with their arms as bright as silver, and glancing in the sun +as they moved in column, gave them really a noble and +martial appearance. We had no sooner cleared the wood +than we inclined to our left, and went immediately at them. +Major Duncan's guns commenced playing upon their column +the moment he could get a clear piece of ground. +The two companies of the 47th, attached to my battalion, +were taken to cover and remain with the guns. Our people +extended as we went up the hill, the Portuguese supporting +us in the rear; and in a very short time we were +hotly engaged with the fellows with the beautiful green +feathers, many of which fell on the ground in a short time. +As we advanced, the battalions to our right and in rear of +us got formed in line, and moving forward in fine style, +took up stronger ground in advance; the guns in the centre +also moving onward, and causing dreadful havoc in the +enemy's ranks.</p> + +<p>Early in the action my horse was killed, being shot in +the head, which ball, had his head not stopped it, would in +all probability have entered my body. He fell like a stone. +I then went on and joined the ranks, and finding a rifle of +a man that had just fallen, (poor little Croudace's servant, +who afterwards fell himself,) I took a few shots at them in +revenge for my horse. At this time the grenadier battalion +of the 8th, with their waving red plumes, began to advance<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[119]</a></span> +in close column, the drums beating all the time the <i>pas de +charge</i>. They were supported by other columns in their +rear, together with one, the French 54th, which they sent +into the wood to try to turn our left. The 8th advanced, +notwithstanding the galling fire kept up by our people and +the Portuguese, every shot almost of which must have told, +as they were in a solid body, not more than from 100 to +150 yards' distance. Our people were of course compelled +to give way to this imposing column, when the regiments +on our right and in our rear, opening out upon them a +destructive fire, and the 87th and Guards immediately after +attacking them with the bayonet, their rout and discomfiture +was complete. The 8th, which suffered most, and +from whom the eagle was taken, never yet got into line—nor +did they intend, I believe—but advanced as a solid body, +(occasionally firing from their front,) till, coming in contact +with the regiments above mentioned, and in this state +receiving the charge, their loss was excessive, for they +could not get away. I understand, when the 87th charged, +Ensign Keogh of that regiment made the first attempt to +wrench the eagle from the officer who carried it; but in so +doing he was run through by several of those who supported +it, and fell lifeless to the ground. Sergeant Masterson +of that regiment then dashed at it, and was more +fortunate, he succeeding in securing it. I understand there +was some dispute between them and the Guards, who +charged at the same time with the 87th, to whom it properly +belonged; but I imagine the 87th must have been +the captors, for Sergeant Masterson soon after received a +commission for his gallantry, and is now a captain in that +regiment.</p> + +<p>The 54th, the French regiment, which had been sent +into the wood to turn our left flank, by some means got<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[120]</a></span> +entangled; for, except their light company, no part of the +regiment ever got into action again; and when their columns +were routed, they found some difficulty in effecting +their retreat. There is something rather extraordinary and +very interesting in the story of the eagle and the 8th regiment, +if it be true, and which I see no reason to doubt. +They were one of the regiments, it is said, which were +engaged at Talavera, and were particularly distinguished; +and it is further said, that the 87th was one of the regiments +opposed to them, and over which they gained some +advantage; that is, the French troops caused the British +brigade, in which the 87th was serving, to retire with considerable +loss; and that it was for their conduct in this +action that Bonaparte had placed a golden wreath of laurel +round the neck of the regimental eagle with his own hand. +If such was the case, it is most remarkable that the very +regiment by whom they should have obtained this honour, +should be the regiment that deprived them of their eagle, +which had been so highly honoured. But here, poor fellows, +although they did not lose their honour, they lost +very nearly the whole regiment; for out of 1400 which +entered the field, not more than 200 of them entered Chiclana +after the action. Indeed I never witnessed any field +so thickly strewed with dead as this plain was after the +action; and I feel confident, and all accounts agree in confirming +the opinion, that the loss of the French on this +occasion was little short of 3000 men; ours was about +1250. Here then we have a loss of 4000 men in about an +hour and a half, out of about 12,000 which composed the +two armies.</p> + +<p>In this action, Colonel Bush was almost absurdly brave +and conspicuous. As soon as he got his Portuguese fairly +into action, he rode slowly backward and forward among<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[121]</a></span> +them, with his spectacles on, crying out as the balls whistled +past him, "Que bella musica!" what delightful music! Poor +fellow, he did not ride there many minutes; for, being within +a very short distance of the enemy's tirailleurs so conspicuous +an object, it was not to be expected he could escape. +He died a few days after the action.</p> + +<p>Colonel Barnard, my commandant, (now Sir Andrew,) +about the middle of the action, received a severe wound, +and was borne away to the rear. Whilst the surgeon was +dressing him, another shot struck him, and inflicted, I believe, +a worse wound than the former. The horses of my +battalion suffered greatly in proportion to their numbers. +We had only four in the field, two of which, Major Ross's +and my own, were killed, and Colonel Barnard's wounded; +only the adjutant's escaped with a whole skin. Indeed there +was scarcely an officer or soldier in the action that had not +marks of shot about him. The caps of the tall guardsmen +were riddled as it were; while the greater part of the enemy's +shot passed over our little fellows, who were both too +near them, and too low for their fire. I may remark on this +subject that the French generally fire high, but here I +think unusually so; for, after a considerable quantity of +ammunition had been expended by my battalion, it became +my duty to look out for a fresh supply. I accordingly +posted off to the rear, where I expected to have found some +mules which had been attached to us, with ammunition on +their backs; but on my way thither, the ground was actually +ploughing up on all sides by the enemy's large shot, and their +musket-balls falling very thick; so much so, that some of +our mules far to the rear had been wounded, and the others +had dispersed. Hence also the second wound which my +gallant commander received, where he ought to have been +completely out of danger. Some ammunition for our rifles<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[122]</a></span> +was, however, found in a one-horse cart belonging to the +artillery, and out of it those whose ammunition was expended +were replenished. But during my absence to the +rear, the gallant and decisive charge had been made; and +when I again reached the front, I perceived the enemy's +columns in full retreat, covered by the remainder of their +light troops, closely followed by some of my people. The +retreat was accordingly sounded to recall them from the +pursuit, and our brave and victorious little army cheered +the enemy as his beaten and disheartened columns left the +field.</p> + +<p>Immediately after our army began to move off towards +the Isla, our General being, as I understood, so much exasperated +with the apathy evinced by the Spanish General, +that he would no longer co-operate with him, and consequently +drew off our troops into the Isle of Leon. My battalion, +however, was destined to remain on the field all night +to protect the numerous wounded from any marauders, or +small parties and cavalry patrols of the enemy, which might +happen to return. However, not a Frenchman made his +appearance there again that night. When it was determined +to withdraw the British army, Major Duncan, with +great humanity, (approved of course by our excellent +General,) cast off from the artillery-carriages all the spare +ammunition, in order to make room for as many of our +wounded officers and soldiers as those carriages could accommodate, +and thus a considerable number of them were +carried from the field immediately.</p> + +<p>After they had left us, and my battalion was still standing +in front of the position last occupied by our troops, all +having retired but ourselves, and it now began to draw +towards night, and we were preparing to move off, an unfortunate +French sergeant attracted our notice. Poor fellow,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[123]</a></span> +he had been shot in the small of the back, and (on +our surgeon examining him) pronounced to be mortally. +He appeared to be a man above forty, and apparently a +veteran, who had fought many a hard field; and was, I +think, one of the most respectable-looking men of his class +that I have seen. When he saw us preparing to leave him +to his fate, the expression of his countenance became the +most piteous and beseeching imaginable; imploring us in +French not to leave him there to perish. My heart bled +for him; but unhappily we had no means of removing him, +had there even been a hope of his recovery. When he saw +that his fate was inevitable, he crawled in the best manner +he was able to a broken ammunition-box, and raising himself +on his knees, supported by it, besought that Being who +never casts out the cry of the unfortunate, and who, I sincerely +hope, imparted to him that strength and comfort +which his unhappy circumstances so greatly required. I +doubt not he was a sincere Christian; never shall I forget +the impression his unhappy fate made on my mind. To be +left in solitude and darkness on this blood-stained heath, +with the prospect of his own certain death before his eyes, +and without any to comfort him in his last agony, must +indeed have been a severe trial to his fortitude. Would +to God I could have relieved him! His case was not singular, +it is true; but none ever presented itself to my view +under such truly affecting circumstances as this unhappy +veteran's did.</p> + +<p>After dark, my battalion retired over the field where the +thickest of the dead and wounded were strewed, and many +were the dying groans which struck upon our ears, as we +traversed this bloody field; but, except these groans, no +sound was heard, where lately the din of arms had been<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[124]</a></span> +loud and fierce, and where war had raged in all its fury; +till coming to the house upon the sea-beach, where many +of the wounded had been collected, we were formed into +square on a sand-hill near it, and in this position rested on +our arms for the remainder of the night. On our way +from the front, we passed not far from where my horse had +fallen; and as saddlery was scarce at Cadiz, I thought it +would be prudent to try to recover that on which I had +been riding. I found it; but my horse having fallen with his +back inclined to the front, it was perforated by shot in five +places, and the tree was broken. However, I disengaged +it, and giving it to one of the men, whose rifle I carried in +return, I got it safely into Isla.</p> + +<p>About twelve at night, poor General Rousseau died, a +cannon-shot having carried away the greater part of the +flesh of one of his thighs; and as no other troops were +near, the task of paying him the last sad duty devolved upon +me. I went to the house aforesaid, and procured a shovel +or a spade, and digging a hole in the sand by the light of +the moon, his body was deposited, where it in all probability +will remain till the last trumpet shall summon it to +rise. Poor drunken Gilles, one of the men I had employed +on the occasion, pronounced the only service as he was +committed to the dust, which was, "God rest his soul!" I +indeed sincerely hope so. Poor Rousseau had been a noble +soldier; in his pocket was found a leave which he had obtained +to return to France on account of ill health; but in +the prospect of the approaching action he had delayed his +departure, and thus fell a victim as it were to his patriotism +and his sense of honour. He was military governor of Xeres +de la Frontera, from whence we have our wine called Sherry, +a corruption of Xeres. He was a small slender person, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[125]</a></span> +apparently had suffered greatly from ill health. During +the night some Spaniards were sent into the field to look +for and bring off the guns we had taken, which they did.</p> + +<p>As it approached towards morning, Major Ross, seeing +all was quiet, moved us off by the beach towards our former +quarters; and passing over the position of Bermesa, +which the Spaniards still occupied, and crossing the Santi +Petri by the lately erected bridge, we returned weary and +hungry to La Isla, and where our friends received us once +again with great cordiality. If my reader is not tired of the +subject, I would just beg to draw his attention for a moment +to the circumstances attending this action. The French +troops were at least 7500 (some say 8000) strong, well +clothed and appointed, and apparently well fed, and fresh +from their cantonments, none of them probably having +marched more than four miles. They were some of the best +in the French service, and commanded by one of Bonaparte's +ablest generals, a marshal of France, Victor, Duke +of Belluno. They occupied a fine position, having the ground +completely at their choice; while we did not muster more +than 4500 at most. We had been marching for sixteen +hours successively through the night over bad roads; and +being taken in a manner by surprise, we came out of the +wood <i>beneath</i> the enemy, broken and disjointed, and were +instantly hurried into action.</p> + +<p>The French fought desperately; for when their marauding +columns came down upon us with an intrepidity seldom +seen in the French army, and opening out their heavy and +destructive fire, my heart quaked within me for the safety +of our little army, and the honour of our country, for I +thought it would be impossible to resist them. However, +the steady valour of our troops repelled the assailants, and, +taking advantage of their proximity, charged as before<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[126]</a></span> +stated, and completely overthrew them. It is certain, as +General Graham says, that <i>all</i> must have done their duty +on this occasion; notwithstanding, we may sing with great +propriety, "Non nobis, Domine"—"Not unto us, O Lord, +but unto thy name be the praise;" for it is certain we must +have been specially favoured by a kind Providence, or it is +impossible we could have gained <i>such</i> a victory under so +many and so great disadvantages; for never was victory +more complete. In less than three hours from the first +glimpse we had of them as we debouched from the wood, a +Frenchman was not to be seen in all the field, save the +numerous killed and wounded.</p> + +<p>Although our General did not say any thing in his public +dispatch of the abominable conduct of La Pena, no doubt +he stated truly in his private information how ill that General +had behaved; for he and the 10,000 or 11,000 Spaniards +he had with him remained within two miles of the field of +action, quiet and passive spectators of the scene, without +making one effort to support us had we been beaten, or to take +advantage of the victory should we gain it; and the consequence +was, the French retained their ground and works by +which they invested Cadiz and La Isla, whereas, had he +made the slightest movement during or after the fight, they +would have all gone off, and the siege would have been +raised, for it is evident they contemplated and were prepared +for this, the soldiers having each three or four days' +bread in his possession.</p> + +<p>A considerable number of other officers besides Generals +Ruffin and Rousseau were taken. Ruffin was wounded in the +neck by a rifle-shot, which touched the spinal marrow, depriving +him of the use of his limbs. He was soon after +embarked for England, but died as he came within sight of +the Isle of Wight. He was an immense and a fine-looking<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[127]</a></span> +man, about six feet two inches or six feet three inches high, +and ate enormously. He every day received a mess from +our General's table. The other officers also were treated +with the greatest politeness and attention, dining first at +one regimental mess, and then at another. They were fully +sensible of the kindness shown them, and expressed themselves +very grateful. They were afterwards sent to England.</p> + +<p>I cannot omit here noticing the high estimation in +which General Graham was held by every officer and soldier +of this little army. I may truly say, he lived in their +affections; they not only looked up to him with confidence +as their commander, but they esteemed and respected him +as their firm friend and protector, which indeed he always +showed himself to be.</p> + +<p>In all my fighting I never was in an action where the +chances of death were so numerous as in this; and I may +say, I never was in an action where I was less prepared to +die. It is therefore of the Lord's mercies that he spared me—I +hope, for good at last.</p> + +<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTE:</h3> +<div class="footnote"> +<p> +<a name="Footnote_A_2" id="Footnote_A_2"></a> +<a href="#FNanchor_A_2"><span class="label">[2]</span></a> +The distance to which the French threw these shells is truly amazing. +The longest range of heavy iron sea mortars is only about 4200 yards, +whereas the distance from the French batteries on the Trocadero to the +nearest point of Cadiz was, I believe, 4500 or more; but they exceeded +this considerably, for, as I said above, some of their shells fell in the sea +beyond the town, near the lighthouse, a distance of at least 500 or 600 +yards farther. The shells were always half filled with lead, to increase +their flight, so that when they burst the mischief they occasioned was +never extensive; I believe not more than about half-a-dozen individuals +suffered from them in all. +</p> +</div> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[128]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER VII.</h2> + +<blockquote><p>The 2d Battalion of the 95th Rifles ordered to proceed to Portugal—Our +Author visits England—Returns to Portugal, and joins his Regiment +at Rodrigo—The Army move towards Badajos—Siege of +Badajos—Badajos surrenders—Insubordination among the Troops—Quelled +by the prompt measures of Lord Wellington.</p></blockquote> + + +<p>We remained at Isla till June, without any thing of importance +occurring, but at this time I was brought nigh to +death's door by the bursting of a bloodvessel in the lungs. +I was so ill that it was deemed necessary to send me home +for change of air, it being exceedingly hot at this time at +Isla. I was accordingly removed to Cadiz to wait for the +first ship returning to England, and while there I suffered +greatly, not being able to lie down in bed. However, before +a vessel could be had, an order was received for my +battalion to proceed to Portugal, and our esteemed commander +was likewise ordered to proceed to that country. As +I felt myself somewhat better, I obtained permission to accompany +my battalion to Portugal, and I accordingly embarked +with it at Cadiz on the 30th of that month, on board +a transport, the name of which I forget. General Graham<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[129]</a></span> +intended to have gone in a 50 gun ship that was leaving that +port for England, he being to be left at Lisbon in passing. +He sent an aide-de-camp on board to prepare for his reception; +but he met with such treatment while on board, as +induced the General to alter his plan and go in a frigate, on +board which some of our people were embarked. It is said, +that after the aide-de-camp had been shown the accommodation, +the captain intimated to him, that it was expected the +military officers would always keep on the leeward side of the +quarter-deck. The windward side on board a man-of-war is considered +the most honourable, therefore this was in fact putting +the General beneath himself. He suffered, however, for +his ill-timed assumption of supremacy, for there was a quantity +of specie at Cadiz which was to be transported at the +same time for the use of the army in Portugal, and which +was intended to have gone in the ship with the General; but +after this reception of his aide-de-camp, and the imperious +condition attached to his going in this ship, he went on +board the frigate with his suite, and took the money with +him, thus depriving him of a considerable premium for its +transport, to which he would have been entitled had the +General gone with him. He, however, being the senior officer, +we were all put under his charge, save the frigate +before mentioned, and we were greatly annoyed by him +during our passage, which our master said he prolonged in +looking out for American merchantmen, there being then +an appearance of war between the two countries. They +said he actually detained one or two which left Cadiz when +we did, and that he fired small arms into them to bring +them to, although war had not been declared. One day +during the passage he made a signal to the transports which +we did not immediately perceive. We were astonished at +the report of a gun, and at the same time a cannon-shot<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[130]</a></span> +whizzed past our rigging. This is not, I believe, customary, +a blank gun being generally fired first, and when nothing +else will do, a shot a-head of the vessel, but he appeared not +to stand on any ceremony.</p> + +<p>We were glad when the voyage was over, it continuing +from the 30th June to the 19th July, although three or four +days only is the usual time.</p> + +<p>We landed at Lisbon, and immediately set about preparing +for our journey up the country to join the army; but +Colonel Barnard having received letters respecting the settlement +of our late Colonel (General Manningham's) affairs, +which could not be easily arranged without my presence, +determined to send me home for the purpose, with a promise, +however, that I should immediately come out again. +I accordingly embarked on board the same transport with a +ship full of all kinds and descriptions of people, sick and +wounded, and lame and lazy; such a motley group I have +seldom seen. Our paymaster also returned home with me, +and besides him I did not know a person on board.</p> + +<p>We had a long and tedious passage, not reaching Portsmouth +till the 27th August, although we embarked on the +1st of that month. When we entered the chops of the Channel, +there was a considerable swell in the sea. Our master, +for some purpose or other, had got up from the hold a small +quantity of ballast (gravel), which was laid upon the quarter-deck. +A fine stout young Irishman, an officer on board, +came up the companion, and seeing the ballast lying there, +asked where it came from.</p> + +<p>"Why, don't you see," says the master, "how rough the +sea is? it has been washed up from the bottom and thrown +upon the deck."</p> + +<p>The Hibernian seemed quite astonished at the effect of +the swell, but believed the story with all the simple-hearted<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[131]</a></span> +credulity of a Johnny-raw, as the soldiers term a young +and inexperienced soldier. Our paymaster was a little of a +gourmand, and having for some time been deprived of luxuries, +determined to indulge a little now we had come to +the land of plenty. On our road, therefore, to London, (he +and another officer and myself posting it,) we stopped at +Godalming for dinner; he would needs have a carp, which +he happened to see in a pond in the garden, made ready for +our dinner. It was prepared according to his request, and +with it and other good things we contrived to fare pretty +well; although, according to my taste, a fresh herring would +have been preferable. But lo, and behold! when the bill was +called for, the awful sum of <i>half a guinea</i> for the carp was +added to the other items of the dinner, which amounted to +quite enough without it. To remonstrate would have been +useless; we therefore paid the bill and set off, determined to +be more economical in future.</p> + +<p>I passed through London, and reached the depôt of my +battalion, then stationed at Ashford in Kent, where, after +having arranged the business for which I had been sent home, +I obtained a three months' leave of absence to visit my native +place, where I arrived, thank God, in a much improved +state of health, and where I found all my friends and connexions +as well as could be expected, and no doubt happy +to see me.</p> + +<p>About the middle of November of the same year, I started +once more for foreign service, and embarked at Portsmouth +for Lisbon on the 22d of that month, on board a +small brig heavily laden with corn for the army in Portugal. +We remained some time wind-bound, but at length +got to sea and proceeded on our voyage, but shortly after +the wind headed us and began to blow very fresh. We were +therefore compelled to run for the Race of Portland, where<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[132]</a></span> +we came to anchor. But the wind coming more favourable +in a day or two, we weighed again, and got as far on our +voyage as opposite Torbay; but here again the wind coming +foul, we were obliged to enter the bay and drop anchor again. +We were detained here a good many days, during which I +went ashore with another officer, who was on board with +me, and indulged in some Devonshire clotted cream at +Brixham.</p> + +<p>In about a week we again started, and got about half way +across the Bay of Biscay, when a heavy gale overtook us, +and in which we lost a considerable portion of our quarter-bulwarks +(I think they are called). Indeed, from the brig +being so heavily laden, the water being within a very little +of her gunwale, she did not weather the heavy seas which +struck her very well, for during the night one came clean +over her, partly filling the cabin where we lay with water; +and I own I had considerable apprehension for our safety, +which I believe was pretty universal on board. It pleased +Him, however, who ruleth over all things, to bring us +through the gale without further injury, although we appeared +next morning in a very shattered condition, and after +a few more days' sailing, we reached the Tagus, and landed +at Lisbon about the middle of January 1812, and immediately +commenced equipping for a campaign with the army +which was at this time besieging Ciudad Rodrigo. I had +to purchase a riding-horse and a mule to carry my baggage, +and a great deal more of essential requisites to enable me to +do my duty in the field; and to say truth, I had not, by any +means, sufficient funds to meet these considerable expenses, +and was consequently forced to borrow, and glad enough +to find a friend who could and would lend me enough for +the occasion. And here I cannot but remark, that it seemed +peculiarly hard on junior officers, on their taking the field,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[133]</a></span> +to be compelled to furnish all this equipment at their own +expense. I have known several who did not recover from +the debt they thus incurred (could they find a friend, as I +did, to lend them what they wanted) for a considerable time +after they had joined the army; nay, I believe some never +recovered it, and the persons who were kind enough to +oblige them lost several large sums in this manner. In my +own case, I know, I was most wofully put to it to raise a +sufficiency for this purpose; and many, I know, have been +compelled to take the field without the necessary equipment +to render them efficient. They were thus of little service +to the army for a considerable time after joining, and +many of them were obliged to leave it again, after striving +to do their duty, inadequately provided with the conveniences +and comforts requisite to enable a man to bear up against +the fatigues he had to encounter. It struck me as but just, +and in this opinion I am not singular, that all officers who +have not sufficient pay and allowances to enable them to +provide themselves with the means of transport, ought to +be furnished in the first instance at the public expense, and +then be afterwards obliged to keep them in a fit state for +service at their own.</p> + +<p>I set out from Lisbon soon after, and joined my regiment, +which was one of those that formed the light division, and +found them cantoned in the neighbourhood of Rodrigo, that +fortress having fallen some days previous to my arrival. I +had not been many days with the regiment till the division +was assembled at a village called Ituera, on the banks of the +Azava, to carry into execution the sentence of a general +court-martial, before which seven men of the division had +been arraigned for desertion to the enemy, they having been +taken in Rodrigo at the capture of that place. They were +of course all found guilty, as they were taken as it were out<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[134]</a></span> +of the enemy's ranks, and never attempted to plead not +guilty; but they had said in palliation of their heinous crime, +that they were forced to desert from want of food and clothing; +indeed the army had not been so well supplied for a +short while previously, as they had been accustomed to, but +there never was any thing like want. I understood the +clothing also was getting bad, but the men could not be got +up the country for want of transport, and they were no +worse off than their comrades. Indeed, from all I could learn, +they had acted in a most diabolical manner; for at the attack +of the breaches in assaulting the place, they were distinctly +heard crying out to one another, "Now here comes +the light division; let us give it them, the rascals," or something +to that effect, and had, it is said, done more injury to +the assailing party than twice their number of Frenchmen. +Death of course was their sentence, and now the wretched +victims of delusion were to atone with their lives for one of +the greatest crimes known in the criminal code of the army.</p> + +<p>The division was formed into three sides square, on a +plain in front of the village, the graves of the hapless beings +occupying a part of the fourth face of the square. When all +was ready, and a firing party from each regiment had been +formed in the centre, the provost-marshal went to the +guard-tent, where the prisoners were in waiting, to conduct +them to the place of execution. They soon after appeared, +poor wretches, moving towards the square, with faces pale +and wan, and with all the dejection such a situation is calculated +to produce. Their arms had been pinioned one by +one as they came out from the guard-tent, and all being +ready, the melancholy procession advanced towards the centre +of the square. The proceedings of the court which tried +them, together with the sentence, and the approval of the +Commander of the Forces, was read by the Assistant Adjutant-general,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[135]</a></span> +in the hearing of the whole division; which +concluded, the prisoners were marched round in front of +every regiment, that all might see and avoid their unhappy +fate. They were then moved towards their graves. I ought +to observe that the chaplain of the division had been with +them in the guard-tent some little time previously to their +leaving it, and when they quitted as above described, he +followed them at a considerable distance, apparently ashamed +of his peculiar calling, and the duty incumbent on him +in such a conjuncture. They were led, as I said before, towards +their graves; and when they reached the bank of earth +in front of each, they were made to kneel down with their +faces fronting the square, and then being one after another +blindfolded, and left for a few moments to their own reflections +or their prayers, the provost-marshal proceeded to the +firing party, who had been previously loaded, and directing +the men of each regiment to fire at their own prisoner, he +advanced them to within about ten or twelve paces of the +wretched men, and giving the signals by motion for their +making ready and firing, the whole fired at once, and plunged +the unhappy criminals into eternity. There was, indeed, one +melancholy exception to this. One of the prisoners belonged +to the troop of horse artillery attached to the division, +and it seems the provost, in giving his orders for the +soldiers of each regiment to fire at their own man, had not +recollected that the artillery had no men there to fire. He +was thus left sitting on his knees, when the others had +fallen all around him. What his feelings must have been it +is in vain to guess; but, poor fellow, he was not suffered +long to remain in suspense, for a reserve party immediately +approaching, they fired and stretched him also along with his +companions in crime and misery; and in such of the others +as they perceived life still remaining, they also immediately<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[136]</a></span> +put an end to their sufferings, by placing their muskets +close to their body, and firing into them. One poor man, +when he received his death wound, sprung to a considerable +height, and giving a loud shriek, he fell, and instantly +expired.</p> + +<p>When all was finished, the division was formed into column, +and marched round in front of the bodies, where +each soldier might distinctly perceive the sad and melancholy +effects of such a fatal dereliction of duty. They +were then, without more ado, thrown into their graves, +which were filled up without delay, and the division separating, +each regiment marched to its quarters.</p> + +<p>I cannot describe the uncomfortable feelings this spectacle +produced in my mind—nay, not only there, but in +my body also—for I felt sick at heart; a sort of loathing +ensued; and from the recollection of what I then suffered, +I could not easily be persuaded to witness such another +scene, if I had the option of staying away. Death in the +hundred shapes it assumes on the field of battle seems +honourable, and not near so revolting to the feelings, and +withal comes suddenly; but to witness the slow and melancholy +preparations for an execution such as this, is productive, +in any heart that can feel, of the most unpleasant sensations, +I think, imaginable.</p> + +<p>One of the poor wretches was the little shoemaker of +our Highland company, by name M'Guiniss, whom I had +known for many years, and who formerly bore an excellent +character; but he had most likely been seduced by some of +his companions to commit this heinous crime.</p> + +<p>Not many days after this, the whole army began to move +towards Badajos. On the 26th of February we left our +cantonments, and passing by way of Castello Branca and +Villa Velha, we reached a village not far from Niza, called<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[137]</a></span> +Povo das Meadas, where my battalion took up its quarters +for a time. From hence I was dispatched to Lisbon for the +regimental clothing, which had then arrived at that port; +but being unable to procure the means of transport, I was +obliged to return without it. I rejoined them in the camp +before Badajos about the 25th of March, and witnessed the +siege of that fortress from this period to its fall on the 6th +of April. The breaches having been reported practicable +by the engineers on the 5th, in the evening the army was +assembled for the assault, and was disposed as follows: the +3d division under General Picton was ordered to attack the +citadel, and to endeavour to establish himself there by escalade; +the 4th and light divisions, the former under General +Colville, and the latter commanded by Colonel Barnard, +were destined for the breaches; the 5th division, which had +not co-operated hitherto in the siege, but brought this +evening into the neighbourhood, was ordered to occupy +the ground in front of the town by way of reserve. One +brigade of that division was ordered to make a false attack +on a work called the Pardeleras, which was connected with +the town, although not actually belonging to it. Another +brigade of the same division was ordered to make another +false attack round towards the gate near the river Guadiana, +which latter was to be turned into a real attack, if circumstances +permitted General Walker, who commanded it, to +do so. There was also a brigade of Portuguese, which was +ordered to attack St Cristoval, a fort on the other side of +the river. Every thing was arranged in the clearest and +most satisfactory manner; all knew what they had to do, +the point they were to occupy in the attack having been +pointed out to most of them the day before. Soon after +dark, the different divisions began to move towards their +destined posts, all elated with the certainty of success.</p> + +<p>I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[138]</a></span> was then in the mess of the senior captain of my battalion, +who commanded it on this occasion; and my other +messmates were poor little Croudace and Cary, both +lieutenants, the latter acting adjutant, and another. We +had taken a farewell glass before we got up from dinner, +not knowing which of them would survive the bloody fray +that was likely soon to commence. Poor Croudace, a native +of the county of Durham, and consequently a near +countryman, put into my hand a small leather purse, containing +half a doubloon, and requested me to take care of it +for him, as he did not know whose fate it might be to fall or +to survive. I took it according to his wish, and put it into +my pocket, and, after a little more conversation, and another +glass, for the poor little fellow liked his wine, we parted, +and they moved off. Although I had thus, as it were, +settled it in my mind that I would not go with them on +this occasion, for my services could have been of but very +little utility, yet, when they went away, I felt as if I was +left desolate as it were, and was quite uneasy at parting +from my beloved comrades, whom I had always accompanied +hitherto. I therefore slung over my back my haversack, +containing my pistol and a few other things, and +moved forward, to try if I could find them; but falling in +with some of my friends, staff-officers of the 43d, who were +in the same brigade, they strongly dissuaded me from it, +representing to me the folly of uselessly exposing myself, and +the little service I could render there; and one of them requested +me to accompany him to a hill immediately in front +of the breaches, where we could see the business as it proceeded.</p> + +<p>We waited till about ten o'clock, when the fire first +commenced from the castle upon the 3d division, as they +approached it; but the fire from thence did not appear<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[139]</a></span> +very heavy. Not long after it opened out at the breaches, +and was most awfully severe; indeed it was so heavy +and so incessant, that it appeared like one continued +sheet of fire along the ramparts near the breaches, and +we could distinctly see the faces of the French troops, +although the distance was near a mile. All sorts of arms, +&c. were playing at once, guns, mortars, musketry, grenades, +and shells thrown from the walls, while every few +minutes explosions from mines were taking place. The +firing too appeared to have such a strange deathlike sound, +quite different from all I had ever heard before. This was +occasioned by the muzzles being pointed downwards into +the ditch, which gave the report an unusual and appalling +effect. This continued without a moment's cessation, or +without any apparent advantage being gained by our +struggling but awfully circumstanced comrades. Lord +Wellington had also taken his stand upon this hill, and appeared +quite uneasy at the troops seeming to make no progress, +and often asked, or rather repeated to himself, "What +can be the matter?"</p> + +<p>The enemy had adopted an excellent plan to ascertain +where our columns were posted; they threw an immense +number of light balls on all sides of the town, and when +they found out where there was a large body, a rocket was +fired in the direction of where it stood, and instantly every +gun, mortar, and howitzer, not previously engaged, was +turned in that direction, and grievous was the destruction +their shot made in the ranks of these columns. Still our +people at the breaches did not get forward, although we +distinctly heard, with emotion, the bugles of our division +sounding the advance. His lordship seemed now to lose +all patience, and aides-de-camp were sent to ascertain the +cause of the delay. They flew like lightning, while the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[140]</a></span> +whole rampart round the town seemed enveloped in one +flame of fire. Our brave but unsuccessful comrades were +heard cheering every now and then; but still the fire at the +breaches did not slacken. At length a dispatch arrived +from General Picton, stating, that he had established himself +in the castle. This was cheering news to his lordship, +who expressed very strongly the gratitude he felt for +that gallant General.</p> + +<p>During the reading of the dispatch, which was done by +torchlight, the enemy, perceiving the light, and that a number +of people had assembled on the hill, directed a shell in +that direction; but it fell short, and did us no injury. His +lordship now rode off, and ordered our people at the +breaches to retire, as the town was now perfectly secure. I +also set off to inform my people of the happy circumstance. +I found them drawn off from the glacis a few hundred yards; +but, oh! what a difference in their appearance now from +what they were previous to the attack! The whole division +scarcely mustered at this time 2000 men, so many had +been killed and wounded, and many had been sent to the +rear with the latter. I informed them that General Picton +had got possession of the castle, but my story appeared to +them an incredible tale; for it was actually impossible, they +thought; and although they made me repeat it over and over +again, they could scarcely bring their minds to credit such +unexpected news.</p> + +<p>It was now dawn of day, and the firing had ceased at +every point. Here I learnt the fate of my two beloved +friends and messmates: Croudace had been shot through +the body, and carried to the rear; Cary had fallen, but they +could not tell what had become of him. I now went forward +towards the breaches, where I found that several men +of both the 4th and light divisions had remained; and when<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[141]</a></span> +General Picton moved from the castle towards that point, +which I believe he stated in his dispatch to be his intention, +the enemy, finding themselves attacked in rear, began to +abandon the defence of the breaches, and our people were +then enabled to enter. Never did I witness any thing like the +artificial impediments which the enemy had here thrown up, +which, added to the natural ones, that is, to the breaches +not having been so perfectly practicable as was desirable, +rendered it next to impossible to enter, even after all opposition +on their part had ceased. In one breach (the +large one) this was literally the case; for at the top of it +was fixed a chevaux-de-frize extending the whole width +of the breach, and composed of a strong beam of wood, with +sharp-pointed sword-blades fixed in every direction, they +being generally about three quarters of a yard long, and so +closely set together, that it was impossible either to leap +over them or penetrate between them, and the whole so +firmly fixed to the works at the top, that it could not be +moved. In addition, they had fitted a number of long and +thick planks, with spikes about an inch or more in length, +and laid them all down the breach, but fixed at the top, so +that it was impossible for any one to get up without falling +on these. Beyond the chevaux-de-frize several ditches had +been cut, into which those must have fallen who surmounted +the obstacles on the breach; but I believe none did, +although I saw one Portuguese lying dead upon the ramparts; +but I imagine he must either have been thrown up +there by some explosion, or been one of those of the 3d +division who came from the castle. In addition to all the +above, from the covered way down into the ditch was, I +should imagine, at least thirty feet; our people had descended +by ladders, and, I doubt not, in the dark, and, in the +hurry and confusion of the moment, many were thrown down<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[142]</a></span> +and killed. In the middle of the large ditch a smaller one +had been cut, which was filled with water, and in which, +added to the inundation close to the right of the breaches, +(which had been caused by bringing the river partly into +the ditch,) numbers were drowned. Small mines had been +constructed all along in the ditch, which were exploded +when it was filled with people, and which produced infinite +mischief.</p> + +<p>On the top of the ramparts the enemy had a considerable +number of shells of the largest size, ready filled and fused; +and when our people had filled the ditch below, these were +lighted, and thrown over on their heads, each shell being +capable of destroying from twelve to twenty men or more. +They had beams of wood also laid on the ramparts, with +old carriage-wheels, and every sort of missile imaginable, +which were poured upon the unfortunate people below.</p> + +<p>When these things are taken into consideration, added to +the incessant and destructive fire of from 3000 to 4000 men, +all emulous to do their duty, at the short distance of perhaps +twenty yards, with the ditch as full as it could possibly +stow, the reader will be able to form some idea of the +destruction that must naturally ensue: and awful indeed it +was, for, within the space of less than an acre of ground, I +should imagine not less than from 1200 to 1500 men were +lying: it was a heart-rending sight. I learnt afterwards +that many were the desperate efforts that had been made to +ascend the breaches, but all in vain; that many had nearly +reached the top, but they being either shot or blown up, +the others were forced down again. Another and another +trial still was made, but each succeeding party shared the +fate of their predecessors. At last the bottoms of the +breaches were nearly blocked up with the bodies of those +who fell.</p> + +<p>By<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[143]</a></span> this time, General Philippon, the French governor, +had surrendered. When he found the 3d division had got +possession of the castle, and were preparing to move down +to second the attack of the breaches by taking the enemy in +rear, and that General Walker, with a part of the 5th division, +had escaladed, and established themselves at the other +end of the town, he deemed further resistance useless, and +retired, with the garrison, to St Cristoval, on the opposite +side of the river; and shortly after the whole surrendered +prisoners of war, the troops, after being stripped of their arms +and accoutrements, being marched along in the ditch to one +of the gates, from whence they were escorted on their way +to Elvas. They passed near the breaches while I was there, +and I had a full view of them as they moved along. I +thought they seemed under great apprehension for their +safety, as they appeared quite downcast and dejected, which +is not generally the case with French prisoners, who will +shrug their shoulders, and tell you it is the fortune of war; +but these poor fellows, who certainly had made a noble defence, +seemed low-spirited and timid to a degree. Certainly +by the rules of war, I believe, they might have been put to +death, for having stood an assault of the place; but a British +general does not resort to the same measures which their +Marshal Suchet did at Tarragona, when he put all, both +soldiers and inhabitants, to the sword.</p> + +<p>Soon after daylight, the remaining men of attacking divisions +began to rush into the town, in hopes of sharing, +with those who had already entered, the plunder they imagined +it would afford; and though every thing was done by +Colonel Barnard, aided by the other officers, to keep out +those of the light division, it was useless, although he even +risked his life to prevent their entering. He had bravely, +during the attack, repeatedly ascended the breach, in hopes<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[144]</a></span> +of overcoming the obstacles which presented themselves, +but he had always been driven back, although he escaped +unhurt where all was death around him; and now his life +nearly fell a sacrifice, in endeavouring to restore that discipline +in his division which this unfortunate and unsuccessful +assault had considerably impaired. He opposed his personal +and bodily strength to the entrance of the plunderers, +but in vain. They rushed in, in spite of all opposition; and +in wrenching a musket from one of the soldiers of the 52d, +who was forcing past him, he fell, and was nigh precipitated +into the ditch. He, however, finding resistance here in +vain, set off, accompanied by several other officers, into the +town, to endeavour to restrain, as much as lay in his power, +the licentiousness of those inside, whose bad passions, it was +but too evident, would be let loose upon the defenceless inhabitants.</p> + +<p>I had been in company with Captain Percival, my commanding-officer +before alluded to, from the time of my first +coming down to the division before daylight; and now he +and I, hearing the heart-piercing and afflicting groans which +arose from the numbers of wounded still lying in the ditch, +set to work to get as many of these poor fellows removed +as was in our power. This we found a most arduous and +difficult undertaking, as we could not do it without the aid +of a considerable number of men; and it was a work of +danger to attempt to force the now lawless soldiers to obey, +and stop with us till this work of necessity and humanity +was accomplished.</p> + +<p>All thought of what they owed their wounded comrades, +and of the probability that ere long a similar fate might be +their own, was swallowed up in their abominable rage for +drink and plunder; however, by perseverance, and by occasionally +using his stick, my commandant at length compelled<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[145]</a></span> +a few fellows to lend their assistance in removing what +we could into the town, where it was intended that hospitals +should be established. But this was a most heart-rending +duty, for, from the innumerable cries of,—"Oh! +for God's sake, come and remove me!" it was difficult to +select the most proper objects for such care. Those who +appeared likely to die, of course it would have been but +cruelty to put them to the pain of a removal; and many +who, from the nature of their wounds, required great care +and attention in carrying them, the half-drunken brutes +whom we were forced to employ exceedingly tortured and +injured; nay, in carrying one man out of the ditch they +very frequently kicked or trode upon several others, whom +to touch was like death to them, and which produced the +most agonizing cries imaginable.</p> + +<p>I remember at this time Colonel (the late Sir Niel) +Campbell passed out at the breach, and, as he had formerly +been a Captain in our regiment, many of the poor fellows +who lay there knew him, and beseeched him in the most +piteous manner to have them removed. He came to me, +and urged upon me in the strongest manner to use every +exertion to get the poor fellows away. This evinced he +had a feeling heart; but he was not probably aware, that +for that very purpose both my commanding-officer and +myself had been labouring for hours; but it soon began to +grow excessively hot, and what with the toil and the heat +of the sun, and the very unpleasant effluvia which now +arose from the numerous dead and wounded, we were both +compelled, about mid-day, to desist from our distressing +though gratifying labours.</p> + +<p>It was now between twelve and one o'clock, and though +we had had a great many removed, a much greater number +lay groaning in the ditch; but our strength was exhausted,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[146]</a></span> +for he was lame and unable to move much, and I had been +obliged to assist in carrying many myself, the drunken +scoundrels whom we had pressed into the service seldom +making more than one or two trips till they deserted +us. But my lamented friend and messmate, poor Cary, was +still to search for, and, after a considerable time, he was +found beneath one of the ladders by which they had descended +into the ditch. He was shot through the head, +and I doubt not received his death-wound on the ladder, +from which in all probability he fell. He was stripped +completely naked, save a flannel waistcoat which he wore +next his skin. I had him taken up and placed upon a +shutter, (he still breathed a little, though quite insensible,) +and carried him to the camp. A sergeant and some men, +whom we had pressed to carry him, were so drunk that +they let him fall from off their shoulders, and his body fell +with great force to the ground. I shuddered, but poor +Cary, I believe, was past all feeling, or the fall would have +greatly injured him. We laid him in bed in his tent, but +it was not long ere my kind, esteemed, and lamented friend +breathed his last. Poor Croudace had also died immediately +after reaching the hospital, whither he had been carried +when he was shot.</p> + +<p>Thus I lost two of my most particular and intimate acquaintances, +from both of whom I had received many acts +of kindness and friendship. They will long live in my +memory. Cary was buried next day behind our tents, one +of the officers (my other messmate) reading the funeral +service.</p> + +<p>I cannot help adverting to some of the scenes which I +witnessed in the ditch, while employed there as above noticed. +One of the first strange sights that attracted our +notice, was soon after our arrival. An officer with yellow<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[147]</a></span> +facings came out of the town with a frail fair one leaning +on his arm, and carrying in her other hand a cage with a +bird in it; and she tripped it over the bodies of the dead +and dying with all the ease and indifference of a person +moving in a ball-room,—no more concern being evinced by +either of them, than if nothing extraordinary had occurred. +It was really lamentable to see such an utter absence of all +right feeling.</p> + +<p>Soon after this the men began to come out with their +plunder. Some of them had dressed themselves in priests' +or friars' garments—some appeared in female dresses, as +nuns, &c.; and, in short, all the whimsical and fantastical +figures imaginable almost were to be seen coming reeling out +of the town, for by this time they were nearly all +drunk. I penetrated no farther into the town that day than +to a house a little beyond the breach, where I had deposited +the wounded; but I saw enough in this short trip to disgust +me with the doings in Badajos at this time. I learnt +that no house, church, or convent, was held sacred by the +infuriated and now ungovernable soldiery, but that priests +or nuns, and common people, all shared alike, and that any +who showed the least resistance were instantly sacrificed to +their fury. They had a method of firing through the lock +of any door that happened to be shut against them, which +almost invariably had the effect of forcing it open; and +such scenes were witnessed in the streets as baffle description.</p> + +<p>One man of our first battalion, I am told, had got a +hogshead of brandy into the streets, and, getting his mess-tin, +and filling it from the cask, and seating himself astride +like Bacchus, swore that every person who came past should +drink, be who he may. His commanding-officer happened +to be one who came that way, and he was compelled to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[148]</a></span> +take the tin and drink, for, had he refused, it is not improbable +the wretch would have shot him, for his rifle was +loaded by his side, and the soldiers had by this time become +quite past all control. Another, who had been fortunate +enough to obtain a considerable quantity of doubloons, put +them in his haversack, and was making his way out of the +town, but was induced, before he left it, to drink more +than he could carry. He laid him down somewhere to take +a nap, and awoke soon after without even his shoes, and not +only were the doubloons gone, but all his own necessaries +also.</p> + +<p>In, short, a thousand of the most tragi-comical spectacles +that can possibly be imagined, might be witnessed in this +devoted city. The officers did all they could to repress +these outrages, but the soldiers were now so completely +dispersed that one quarter of them could not be found; +and indeed the only benefit almost that the officers could +render was, by each placing himself in a house, which generally +secured it from being broken open and plundered. +The different camps of our army were for several days after +more like rag-fairs than military encampments, such quantities +of wearing-apparel of all kinds were disposing of by +one set of plunderers to the other. But they were not +content with what they had brought out of Badajos; they +had now got such relish for plunder, that they could not +leave it off when driven out of the town.</p> + +<p>A night or two after the surrender of the place, they +stole no less than eight horses and mules belonging to my +battalion, and took them to some of the other divisions, +where they sold them as animals captured from the enemy. +I lost on this occasion an excellent little mule, worth at +least L.20, and for which I of course never obtained a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[149]</a></span> +farthing. We used every exertion to discover both the +perpetrators and the animals, but without success.</p> + +<p>An English army is perhaps, generally speaking, under +stricter discipline than any other in the world; but in +proportion as they are held tight while they are in hand, +if circumstances occur to give them liberty, I know of no +army more difficult to restrain when once broke loose. A +reason may perhaps be assigned for it in part. On such +occasions as this siege, where they were long and much +exposed to fatigue almost insupportable, to the most trying +scenes of difficulty and danger, which were generally borne +with cheerfulness and alacrity, they perhaps reasoned with +themselves and one another in this manner,—that as they +had borne so much and so patiently to get possession of the +place, it was but fair that they should have some indulgence +when their work and trials were crowned with success, +especially as the armies of other powers make it a rule generally +to give an assaulted fortress up to plunder. They +had also become quite reckless of life from so long exposure +to death; but an English army cannot plunder like the +French. The latter keep themselves more sober, and look +more to the solid and substantial benefit to be derived from +it, while the former sacrifice every thing to drink; and +when once in a state of intoxication, with all the bad passions +set loose at the same time, I know not what they will +hesitate to perpetrate.</p> + +<p>The reader will judge of the state of our soldiers who +had been engaged in the siege, when Lord Wellington +found it absolutely necessary to order in a Portuguese brigade +to force the stragglers out of the town at the point of +the bayonet. At this time I think I was fairly tired of life, +so disgusting and so sickening were the scenes the few last +days had presented. I had also lost two of those for whom<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[150]</a></span> +I had a great regard, together with several others of my +brother officers, all excellent young men, with still a greater +number wounded,—in all, in our fifteen companies, to the +amount of twenty-six,—and men in equal proportion. It +was indeed a trying time.</p> + +<p>Notwithstanding what has been said above of the bad +conduct of the British troops on this occasion, I am fully +persuaded there is more humanity and generosity to be +found in the breast of an English soldier than in any other +in the world, for, except when inflamed by drink, I am +confident it would be most revolting to his feelings to be +ordered to proceed with cool deliberation to the execution +of such horrid butcheries as we read of in the armies of +other nations.—No! When calm and sober, no man acts +with more tenderness towards those in his power than an +English soldier. Bonaparte would not have found in them +the willing actors in his political tragedy in Egypt, when +he coolly fusiladed several thousands of his unfortunate +Turkish prisoners, as related by Sir R. Wilson.</p> + +<p>If I may be permitted to make a few remarks on the +taking of this strong fortress, and of the conduct of the +besiegers, I would say that never in the annals of military +warfare was greater devotion shown by those of all ranks, +from the General to the common soldier. The arduous and +dangerous service of the trenches was cheerfully performed +by every individual whose duty called him there; but the +most conspicuous gallantry was manifested in the assault. +Conceive of the heroic Picton and his brave division escalading +a wall probably forty feet high, built on the summit +of an almost inaccessible rock, and with troops at the top +of all to oppose them as they reached its summit. It is +true the enemy were not numerous here, having only about<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[151]</a></span> +200 men in the castle, but still one man in this situation +was able to destroy probably twenty of the assailants, by +throwing down a ladder after it had been set up; most of +those ascending would be crushed to death by the fall over +such a precipice. But he carried every thing before him, +and after establishing his own division in this commanding +situation, he either actually did, or prepared to move upon +the body of the enemy, who were defending the breaches. +General Walker also, who commanded a part of the 5th +division, bravely forced an entrance into the town at the +opposite side, overcoming every one of the numerous +barriers and obstacles which presented themselves; and +where he himself, in the act, I believe, of mounting the +rampart, received a most desperate wound. It was said, but +I know not how truly, that when he fell, the French soldier +who wounded him was about to repeat the blow, which +in all probability would have deprived him of life, but that +the General, whether intentionally or not it is not said, +made the masonic sign, which was understood by one of +the Frenchmen, and that he instantly interfered in his +behalf and stopped the blow. They say the General some +time after found out that his brave deliverer had been sent +to Scotland with his fellow-prisoners, and that he had him +searched for and handsomely rewarded, and, I believe, procured +him his liberty.</p> + +<p>It is well known, I believe, to be the rule in all services +like the assault of fortresses, &c., that those, both officers +and men, who form the forlorn hope and the storming party, +are volunteers, these being services of extreme danger, and +which generally procure for the officers who survive a step +of promotion; but it might as well have gone (in the light +division at least) as a tour of duty, for on all occasions of +this nature, with only one or two exceptions, the senior<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[152]</a></span> +officers of each rank insisted upon being sent on that duty. +Nay, in one instance this heroic feeling was carried to an +almost censurable excess. Lieutenant Harvest of the 43d +having been some time the senior of his rank in that regiment, +and there being a vacancy for a captain, he had been +recommended for the company; and although he had not +been gazetted, yet it had been intimated to him through +his commanding-officer that his name should shortly appear +as captain. Thus his promotion was perfectly secure; notwithstanding, +when volunteers were called for for the +storming party, he insisted on his right of going as senior +lieutenant; so over scrupulous was he that his permitting a +junior officer to occupy this post might be construed to the +detriment of his honour. He went, and fell; and thus not +only lost his company but his life, and by his too refined +sense of honour deprived another officer, probably, of that +promotion which would have been the consequence of going +on this duty had he survived.</p> + +<p>Among the men also the same noble enthusiasm prevailed, +for he who was selected for this dangerous service +out of the superabundant numbers who always volunteered, +was envied by his comrades as truly fortunate. In fact, it +required a character for good conduct to entitle a man to +this honourable employment. Whatever, therefore, their +other faults might be, a want of bravery was not one of +them.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[153]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER VIII.</h2> + +<blockquote><p>The army leave Badajos on the 11th of April, and move into quarters +near the river Agueda, where they remain till the 11th of June—Advance +towards Salamanca, which, with the exception of three +forts, the enemy had evacuated—The forts invested—The main bodies +of both armies bivouack within a mile and a half of each other, in +the vicinity of Monte Rubio and Morisco—The forts of Salamanca +surrender—The main body of the enemy retire to Tordesillas—Movements +of the army.</p></blockquote> + + +<p>On the 11th April we left Badajos to return again to +the neighbourhood of Rodrigo, the French having, during +the absence of our army from that frontier, made an irruption +into Portugal, and penetrated as far down as below +Castello Branca, completely ravaging the country. Our +first march was to Campa Mayor, where we were quartered +in the town. We next day reached Arronches, where we +bivouacked in a wood near it. The following day we marched +into Portalegre, and on the 14th, Niza; the 15th we +crossed the Tagus at Villa Velha, and moved on to Larnadas. +Here we began to perceive some of the effects of the +recent visit from the French; but at Castello Branca, +which we reached next day, the devastation they had caused +was truly deplorable. We halted here one day to refresh +the troops and get forward our supplies, and the next day +reached Escallas da Cima. Here we began to get very +close upon the rear of the enemy; it therefore became<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[154]</a></span> +us to move forward with circumspection, for our force on +this side the Tagus was yet but small. We advanced, +however, and occupied successively St Miguel d'Arch, +Penamacor, and St Bartholomo, near Sabugal, which last +town we passed through on the 23d, and bivouacked that +night at Alfyates. The utter desolation of Sabugal was beyond +conception; filth and misery presented themselves in +every direction. It had been made a depot for provisions +by the French, I imagine, for on all sides the entrails and +other offal of bullocks and sheep polluted the atmosphere +by the abominable stench they caused, and had attracted +multitudes of vultures and other birds of prey, who had by +this time become horribly tame and familiar: one vulture +sat so long upon a dead horse as I was riding along the +road, that he allowed me to come near enough to make a +cut at him with my sword, as he stretched his enormous +wings to mount up from his prey.</p> + +<p>On the 24th we reached Ituera, where we halted for two +days. We had now entered Spain, and it not being intended +as yet to commence another active campaign, we +moved into quarters near the river Agueda, my battalion +and the 43d occupying the village of La Encina, or "The +Oak." Here it was necessary that every exertion should +be used to re-equip and prepare the troops for service, as it +was intimated that another campaign would speedily commence.</p> + +<p>All the winter and spring hitherto had been spent in active +service, consequently much required putting to rights +before we again took the field; all hands were therefore +employed to patch up and repair our clothing and shoes, +and to get every thing in good order when our services +were again to be called for.</p> + +<p>While we were here, I began to experience some of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[155]</a></span> +ill effects of a deep-rooted enmity which one of my brother +officers had conceived against me, though till now partly +concealed. I was unconscious of having given him any +cause for this; but he, without ever giving me any opportunity +for explanation, used all his influence in endeavouring +to injure me in the opinion of two of my superior officers, +who had hitherto been friendly to me; and not only +with them, but, I have reason to believe, with our acting +brigadier, whose mind, with the others also, he completely +estranged from me for a time. But though he misled them +then, they did not retain the ill opinion of me which his +misrepresentations had produced, for there are testimonials +from all three at the end of this volume. I was not so +fully aware of his dislike of me, till one day I was dining +at the table of our acting brigadier, when he and one of +those before noticed were also guests. I overheard him +telling this officer, (with an intention, I almost imagine, +that I should hear,) that I must be a bad man, for that I +was sitting silent when all the rest were talking, in order +that I might listen to their conversation. But I was the +junior officer there, and it did not become me to be talkative; +besides, I never was loquacious. I said nothing, +(although some may blame me for it, but I loved peace,) +trusting that one day such forbearance would not be forgotten; +but I felt it deeply, and mourned over it in secret +with great bitterness of spirit.</p> + +<p>In this place also I began to receive very pressing letters +from the merchants in England, from whom I had purchased +a quantity of goods when last at home, but which, for +want of transport, could not be got up to the army in order +to their being disposed of; and, in short, scarcely a post +arrived that did not bring some unwelcome and distressing +tidings. I had purchased a fine mule in place of that stolen<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[156]</a></span> +from me at Badajos, for which I had given about £30. +I sent him down to Lisbon with my batman, to bring up as +many of the goods as the mule could carry; but he had not +been long gone till I had the mortification to learn that +this mule also was lost. The man said he had been stolen, +but I had every reason afterwards to believe that he had +sold him. Be it observed, I could but very ill afford losses +of this extent out of my pay and scanty allowances; but I +endeavoured to bear up as well as I could against these misfortunes, +although it is certain I was not able to bring religion +to my aid at this time of trial, for I had lived hitherto +in total neglect of that most momentous of all concerns, +and, although I endeavoured to amuse myself occasionally +by fishing in the Agueda, my mind began to be greatly +depressed.</p> + +<p>About this time an order was issued for each British +regiment in the Peninsula to endeavour to enlist fifty Spaniards +to be incorporated in the regiment. I was sent in +company with another officer into the mountains of Gata, +not far from the city of Placentia. We were not successful, +for although we obtained the names of some who promised +they would follow us to La Encina, they never made +their appearance. However, the beauty and magnificence +of the mountain scenery amply repaid us for our trouble. +From this village also I had the pleasure of visiting, for the +first time, the lately captured fortress of Ciudad Rodrigo, +and some of my brother officers who had shared in the toils +and dangers of the siege, pointed out to me the most remarkable +scenes about it. Like Badajos, it had been battered +till practicable breaches were made to admit the besiegers, +and then stormed in the same manner, but its defence was +feeble compared with Badajos; and yet, to look over the +ground in the neighbourhood of the trenches, one would<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[157]</a></span> +imagine it impossible for troops to have lived, so completely +was it ploughed up with shot and shells, each of the latter +generally making an excavation sufficiently large in which +to bury a horse.</p> + +<p>Whilst we remained in these cantonments, the officers +of the division once or twice got up a sort of "pic-nic," +every one contributing something towards the feast, which +was held in a large wood in the neighbourhood of Ituera. +On our way from La Encina to this assembly, we passed +over the ground where the 5th and 77th regiments had so +distinguished themselves in September 1811, against a very +superior force of the enemy's cavalry. The bones of the +combatants lay bleaching upon the plain, the flesh having +been very soon devoured by the innumerable birds of prey, +which appeared as if collected from every part of the Peninsula. +Indeed so numerous were the battles and skirmishes +which took place along this frontier, together with the offal +from the animals killed for the use of the armies, that they +were no doubt better fed than they had in general been accustomed +to.</p> + +<p>But the period of our stay in this vicinity drew to a close, +and on the 11th June we broke up from our cantonments, +and passing the Agueda, the division assembled in a wood +about a mile or two in front of Rodrigo. While we were +here a rather remarkable phenomenon appeared about mid-day, +or soon after; the sun, which shone most brightly, and +the moon, with several stars, appeared all at the same time, +the latter being distinctly visible. This of course attracted +great numbers, and many were the sage remarks that were +made, some believing it ominous of disastrous events; and +indeed very shortly afterwards a circumstance occurred +which in some degree confirmed their prediction. A grenadier +of the 88th regiment (I think it was) had come over<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[158]</a></span> +from his own division, to endeavour to prevail upon his wife, +who had deserted him and taken up with a sergeant of our +first battalion, to return with him, she having, as I understand, +left him with one or more children, the first of their +marriage, which he was anxious she should come and take +care of. They had often, I fancy, quarrelled, and he had probably +used her ill, but he was now desirous of a reconciliation, +and entreated her to return with him to his regiment. +He prevailed upon her to accompany him to some distance +from the bivouack, that they might the more freely discuss +the subject, for she had hitherto refused to agree to his request, +being probably better provided for by the sergeant than +she had been with him. While walking in a field close to +the wood in which the bivouack was situated, and arguing +the point with some heat, and she still persisting in remaining +where she was, he became so exasperated at her continued +refusal, that he, in a rage of jealousy and anger, drew +his bayonet and plunged it in her bosom. Her cries soon +brought people to the spot, who at once secured him, and +he was instantly committed to the provost prison tent, and +her body of course brought in and buried. Poor creature! +she was one of the gayest of the females which graced our +rural balls near Ituera only a short while previous, and had +often danced with old General Vandaleur on those occasions. +I believe he was not brought to trial for it, as her ill conduct +probably had been considered as in some measure palliating +what he did, and that he might be supposed to have +been irritated to a degree of madness when he perpetrated +the fatal act. I subsequently learnt that he was a brave +soldier, and that he afterwards fell in the hard-fought battle +of the Pyrenees.</p> + +<p>We moved forward the next day in the direction of Salamanca, +halting on the 13th at Alba de Yeltes, on the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[159]</a></span> +14th at Sancho Bueno, the 15th at Matillo, in a large plain +in front of which we bivouacked, where were the most luxuriant +meadows I think I ever saw, the horses on our +arrival being literally up to their bellies in fine rich grass. +What a pity the natives know nothing of hay-making! This +fine herbage is permitted to stand there till it perishes, and +yet in the winter they are frequently very ill off for provender +for their cattle; indeed I do not exactly know how +they contrive to feed them in that season, but I know we +were always greatly put to our shifts to procure any sort of +long forage for our animals, being generally compelled by +necessity to resort to this grass, rotten and dead as it was. +I believe they use a considerable quantity of straw, which +they chop very short, and which in truth is no bad substitute +for hay; but when it is so very plentiful and so good, +common sense, one would imagine, would induce them to +preserve it.</p> + +<p>Lord Wellington in the following season caused a considerable +quantity of hay to be made in Portugal, getting scythes, +&c. out from England, but we never returned that way afterwards +to reap the benefit of it. All this immensely rich +and extensive plain is in a complete state of nature—no +enclosures to mark the different boundaries of the proprietors, +should it have any, but where there are "landmarks," +the mode of ancient days is resorted to.</p> + +<p>On the 16th we moved forward to within about five miles +of Salamanca, and bivouacked near a range of low hills extending +from the Rio Valmuso (which we had just crossed) +to the city. In front of this place our cavalry fell in with +that of the enemy, with whom they had a <i>petit affaire</i>, and +had captured a few of them, who, in the afternoon, passed +our bivouack, on their way to the rear. We observed as they +passed that they wore long queues, which had an odd appearance<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[160]</a></span> +in our eyes, the British army having for so many years +left them off.</p> + +<p>Next morning we advanced towards the city. We had +gone, I think, about three miles, when ascending one of +those heights over which the road passes, we had a most +interesting view of this beautiful place. It seemed thickly +studded with elegant and highly ornamented spires, springing +from the numerous cathedrals and colleges, &c. which +it contained; but what heightened the effect was an immense +column of smoke rising from some magazines which the +enemy (not having time to carry off) had set on fire. We +feared it was but the prelude to the whole city sharing the +same fate, for their barbarous conduct in Portugal during +Massena's retreat, rendered it but too doubtful they were resorting +to the same mode of warfare here. They still retained +possession of a portion of the town, in which they had constructed +three forts; one very strong, and capable of containing +about 500 or 600 men; the other two were smaller, to +cover and act as supports to the principal one. In constructing +these works they had destroyed the greater part of the +colleges, and a considerable number of other public buildings, +besides several extensive streets which Salamanca had +formerly contained; but even now it was still a beautiful +and interesting city. One of these works commanded the +bridge, which rendered our crossing the Tormes here impracticable. +We were in consequence moved about a league +higher up the river, where we crossed by a rather deep ford. +However, all got safely over, and we halted for the night +on a small plain, a short distance from the ford, the main +body of the enemy having retired and left 800 men in the +forts before mentioned. These occupied but about one-third +of the town, of course the remainder was open and free, and, +as might be expected, every one was anxious to have a peep<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[161]</a></span> +at this famous university. Consequently away a number of +us scampered, and soon entered the city, the inhabitants of +which were overjoyed to see us. The nuns were seen waving +white handkerchiefs out of their iron-grated windows, +and the Padres and other respectable inhabitants welcomed +us with a thousand vivas, embracing us, and using every +means of testifying their joy at our arrival.</p> + +<p>I need not attempt to describe the place, for I am not +able, and it has so often been described that my reader will +not be disappointed at my declining to do it here; suffice it +to say, the buildings in general, and the religious edifices in +particular, were most superb; but the Goths had destroyed +the finest portion of the city.</p> + +<p>The forts were immediately invested, and we went and +had a look also at them. They seemed remarkably strong, +having been constructed principally of hewn stones, taken +from the buildings they had destroyed; and on all sides of +them a space of perhaps two hundred yards or more was +cleared away to make room for the play of their artillery, +and to prevent a lodgement being made by the besiegers.</p> + +<p>We next day moved from our bivouack near the ford, and +marched to the village of Aldea Secco, in front of which +our cavalry and the enemy had a rencontre, after which the +latter retired: this was about a league and a half in front of +Salamanca. Next day we were suddenly assembled in consequence +of the enemy, in great force, making his appearance +at some distance in front of our bivouack. We were +then removed from the plain, and took up a position on a +height called Monte Rubio, or Red Hill, a little to the right. +Soon after, also, the other divisions of our army began to +assemble on the height, and our Chief arriving on the spot, +every thing had the appearance of something serious being +about to take place.</p> + +<p>Here also,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[162]</a></span> for the first time, I saw Don Carlos de Espagna +with his few followers. These were better clothed +and equipped than almost any other Spanish troops that I +had seen. The day passed over, however, without the French +making any attack, and without any movement being made +on our side, farther than putting the different divisions into +position as they arrived on the ground. The French were +continually receiving reinforcements, or rather their different +divisions were rapidly arriving in succession, when they +all bivouacked in the plain in front of us, at perhaps a mile +and a half distance, and near to the village of Morisco. This +they very soon gutted of every portable article, whether it +was food, clothes, furniture, or whatever they could carry +off; nay, they unroofed the greater part of the houses for +fuel for the troops, but this latter proceeding could not be +avoided, there being no wood near them. Englishmen may +well feel thankful that their dwellings have not been exposed +to such visitors, who, in half an hour, will convert a +comfortable and smiling village into a heap of ruins.</p> + +<p>We remained in this position for some days, the two armies, +like two experienced pugilists, each waiting for the +other to strike the first blow, by which he would in some +measure lay himself open. It was not, however, Lord Wellington's +game to commence operations, seeing a part of our +army was then employed in the siege of the forts in Salamanca; +besides, it is said, when some one ventured to hint +that we should attack the enemy, that his lordship judged +it would make a difference of 3000 men less on the side of +the attacking army. I know not if this story be true, but +certainly great prudence was displayed on both sides. However, +the enemy had occasionally cannonaded us a little from +the first; but about three days after their arrival, they made +a very brisk and vigorous attack upon a conical hill immediately<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[163]</a></span> +in front of our position, and a little to the right of +Morisco. It was defended by the seventh division, which +repelled the attack with great gallantry, driving the enemy +down the hill again with great precipitation. The 68th regiment +distinguished itself greatly, but in their pursuit of +the beaten enemy, they advanced too far into the plain, and +which the French observing, a forward movement was made +again by them, and before our people could recover the high +ground, Captain M'Kay and Lieutenant M'Donald, with a +considerable number of their men, were made prisoners. +Poor M'Kay received I know not how many bayonet wounds +on this occasion, I believe not less than ten or twelve, but +none of them very serious of course, or he could not have +survived. He, with the others, were taken into the French +lines, but he was so ill when they retired a few days after, +that they were obliged to leave him in Morisco. The enemy's +artillery played upon our line during the greater part +of this attack, and caused us some loss, but not of any consequence, +the horses appearing to have suffered more than +the troops.</p> + +<p>The French seemed disappointed and annoyed at our +sticking so pertinaciously to the hills on this occasion, and +told M'Donald (from whom I afterwards had this information) +that it was only when we had every advantage on our +side that we durst give them battle. Our armies were, I +think, pretty nearly equal, each having perhaps about +40,000, but they were, I believe, superior in cavalry, and of +course the plain was the very ground for them. Marmont +seeing himself thus foiled, withdrew from before us, and +made a movement to his left, crossing the Tormes with a +considerable part of his force, and advanced on the other +side of the river towards Salamanca. Our heavy German +cavalry, under General Baron Back, opposed them here, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[164]</a></span> +greatly distinguished themselves, driving the enemy's cavalry +from the field. Our army made corresponding movements +with the enemy, changing in parts our position.</p> + +<p>Meantime the siege of the forts had been proceeding with +from the first day of our arrival, and as the distance from +Monte Rubio to the town was not great, several of us rode +in to see how the siege was progressing, as the Americans +have it. An attempt had been made to carry them by +escalade, but it had failed; General Bowes, who led the +attacking party, with several officers and men, having +fallen in the attempt. His lordship now deemed it necessary +to batter them regularly previous to another assault +being made upon them. Heavy ordnance was therefore got +into battery, which not only effected a breach in the smaller +fort nearest the principal one, but which also threw a considerable +quantity of hot shot into a building in the centre +of it, which served as a barrack to the troops, the roof of +which was presently set on fire, and the only shelter they +had was thus destroyed. They thus were compelled on the +27th to surrender prisoners of war.</p> + +<p>It is not easy to describe the effect produced on those inhabitants +who lived nearest to the forts while the siege was +going forward. Just as I entered one of our batteries, which +had been established close behind a street, still occupied by +the people, one of our artillerymen was carried out shot by +a musket ball in the breast, and dead; the poor people when +he was brought out into the street assembled round his body, +and set up the most piteous lamentations imaginable. This +impressed me with the good feeling which must have existed +in their minds towards the English, for they are not a people, +as the reader will be aware, who are very susceptible of +horror at the sight of blood. A few hours after these forts +surrendered, I went to visit the principal one—the devastation<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[165]</a></span> +caused by our hot shot on the house before mentioned +was awful. They had been obliged to make this their hospital +also as well as barrack, and it was really lamentable to +see the poor wounded Frenchmen lying there in a house that +was literally falling about their ears, the roof having been +completely fired, while burning beams and rafters were continually +dropping upon these poor helpless beings. A French +surgeon was still in charge of these men, and he had the +politeness to show us all over the fort. As it had appeared +from the outside, it was in reality remarkably strong, and +the place where our people had made an attempt to escalade +it, was pointed out to us; he said it was heavily mined, and +that if our people had carried it by escalade, the mines would +most likely have been sprung. There was fixed immediately +opposite the gate a beam of wood, with holes bored in it, +and about twenty musket barrels fitted into them, so as to +command the entrance. These, I imagine, it was intended +to have fired by a train, as our people forced the gate, and +it would have been like a little volley, which must have +swept away the first of the assailants. The inhabitants +seemed greatly rejoiced when this business was concluded, +and peace once more established in their city, and they vied +with each other in showing us every mark of attention and +kindness, looking upon us as their deliverers.</p> + +<p>If I am not mistaken, it was here where our illustrious +Chief played off a sort of innocent <i>ruse</i> upon some of the +Padres of the place. Soon after our arrival, and before the +attempt upon the forts had failed, he went to visit some +of the principal cathedrals, &c. which remained entire; the +priests of course were proud to show their churches on such +an occasion. He admired them greatly, and praised them +much; but what seemed particularly to attract his attention +was the extreme whiteness and cleanness of their walls and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[166]</a></span> +ceilings, although they were so very lofty. He enquired how +they managed to get up to them to keep them so; and the +unsuspecting Padre, without hesitation, led him to where +they kept the immensely long ladders by which they ascended. +This was just the very thing he wanted in his meditated +attempt upon the forts, and of course they, with others of +a similar description, were procured for that service. I will +not vouch for the truth of the above, although I heard it, +and I think it was not unlikely to have taken place. Indeed +had he made a formal demand for such things, it is not improbable +they might have denied they had them; but his +having seen them himself precluded this.</p> + +<p>The forts surrendered on the 27th, and on the 28th the +enemy's main body retired altogether; for they soon learned +the fate of the besieged, as they had occasionally communicated +in some measure by rockets thrown up, and answered. +On the same day, our division moved forward to Castilbanos; +and the day following to Parada de Rubiallis. On the 30th, +we reached Castrillo de Aguerino; and on the 1st of July, +the town of Ravel-del-Rey. The next day, we moved on +towards Rueda, a considerable town. Here we found the +French in some force, their main body having retired across +the Duero to Tordesillas. The force in and about Rueda +consisted of both cavalry and infantry, and seemed to act as +a rearguard till the enemy's columns had time to file over +the bridge at Tordesillas. I was at some distance in front +of our division, the cavalry having preceded it, with whom +I went forward. As we approached the place, a pretty large +column of the enemy's infantry left it, and moved in the +direction of the bridge. Some of our horse-artillery at this +time came up, and fired Shrapnel shells into it, which did +considerable execution; one shell particularly having killed +and wounded great numbers, among whom was an officer,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[167]</a></span> +I think one of the handsomest men I had almost ever seen. +Our cavalry had a little brush with some squadrons of the +enemy a little further on in the plain, and captured a few +prisoners. One of these was the sergeant-major of one of +their hussar regiments, and of all the men I ever saw taken, +this man evinced the greatest trepidation and alarm. He +was absolutely like to sink to the earth, either from fear of +what awaited himself, or from the effects of the contest in +which he had been engaged. He had lost his cap in the +fray, and seemed like a person deprived of his senses. +He must, notwithstanding, have been looked upon by the +French as a good soldier, and a valuable non-commissioned +officer; for I learned afterwards that they sent in a request +that he might be exchanged for one of our sergeants whom +they had captured, as it was intended immediately to promote +him to the adjutancy of his regiment; of course this +was immediately complied with. The enemy retired to +Tordesillas, and we bivouacked near Rueda, a part of the +officers being permitted to go into houses in the town during +the day.</p> + +<p>In this situation we remained for a day and a night; but +the sun being so powerful, the troops began to feel the ill +effects of the heat. They were accordingly brought into +the town and quartered in the houses. Here I experienced +more of that hostility before spoken of, on the following +occasion. In the number of houses allotted to my battalion, +there happened to be some of the best of them without +stables; but as there was not time to examine farther +than their outward appearance, this could not be known by +me. I therefore marked off the houses according to custom, +giving the best, in point of appearance, to the senior +officers in succession, and so on till all were served. It so +happened that the house allotted to this officer, who had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">[168]</a></span> +nearly the best in the battalion given him, had no stable. +This I was, from the fore-mentioned cause, totally ignorant +of. Neither had I any stable in the house I occupied, but, +after some trouble, I had found one in a house occupied by +some of the men, where I had put up my horses and mules, +and went about the other duties of my station. In the +evening I was informed by my servant that my animals +had been turned out by this officer, and his own put in, in +their stead; and that mine were running loose in a yard, +he not caring what became of them. My saddlery, and all +the mule-apparatus, (precious articles in this country,) had +also been cast out. He was my <i>senior</i> officer, and I was +consequently obliged to bear this ill-treatment.</p> + +<p>I mention this little circumstance, because it will show +with what determined and unrelenting hostility he pursued +me. Indeed it might not have been so trifling an affair, +for had I not heard of it in time, I might have lost every +horse and mule I possessed, which would have been one of +the most serious disasters that could have befallen me. I +could obtain no redress, for the captain before mentioned, +who commanded the battalion, and this officer, being on +rather unfriendly terms, he felt delicate in interfering in +my behalf. Indeed I have some reason to believe, that it +was partly on account of his enmity to this captain (with +whom I still messed) that he so persecuted me.</p> + +<p>I own I was on this occasion strongly tempted to demand +that satisfaction which the rules of honour (as they +are termed) dictate, for I then had not a Christian feeling +on this subject; but after consideration and consultation +with some friends, it was feared he might take advantage +of his superior rank, not only to decline giving me that +satisfaction, but to report me, and thus destroy my prospects +for life, for he would have been compelled to the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">[169]</a></span> +latter step had he not acceded to my demand; and from +the feeling he displayed towards me, there is not the least +doubt he would have rejoiced at such an opportunity of +ruining me. At this time, also, I had very few <i>real</i> friends +who would have stood by me; for his secret machinations, +and his having the ear of our brigadier, tended greatly to +estrange my former friends from me.</p> + +<p>All this, as might be expected, tended powerfully to depress +my spirits, and to cast a gloom over a mind but too +susceptible of impressions of that nature; for there is not +any thing almost I would not do or submit to, to live on +good terms with those I associate with, and indeed with all +men. My mind was also much harassed at this time by +receiving very unpleasant letters from England on the subject +of the goods I before mentioned, and which had not yet +reached any farther than Abrantes; and as the men began +to be ill off for want of clothing, I obtained leave to proceed +forthwith to Abrantes, to endeavour to get both the clothing +and goods brought up to the regiment. I therefore set off, +accompanied by one servant on a mule, leaving the other +animals with the battalion, and proceeded on the 16th on +my journey, and passing through Ravel-del-Rey, I halted +for the night in a village where the seventh division was +quartered. As I knew some of the officers of the 51st, I +took up my abode with them for the night, and they indeed +received me very kindly. My friends spent the evening +very merrily; but, about midnight, they were called out +and put under arms, expecting shortly to turn in again, as +they told me; but they were marched off, and left the place +entirely, leaving only my servant and myself in occupation +of the town.</p> + +<p>It seems that Marmont, with his whole force, had moved +from Tordesillas, and had threatened Lord Wellington's<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">[170]</a></span> +communication with Salamanca. In order, then, to keep up +a corresponding movement, and be ready to take advantage +of any false step the enemy might make, his lordship withdrew +his whole force, and began to retire as Marmont advanced. +Thus, in the morning, to my surprise, all the army +had left the neighbourhood, and as I was not certain who +the next visitors might be, I quickly decamped from a village +now left open to the enemy. I got on at a considerable +pace, as both my servant and myself were riding, and +on the 19th I reached Salamanca.</p> + +<p>During yesterday's march I heard a considerable cannonade +to my right and rear, and I afterwards learnt that the +two armies had come nearly in contact with each other, +and some skirmishing and exchange of shots had taken +place. I did not stop in Salamanca longer than to draw +rations for ourselves and animals, being anxious to get on +as fast as possible, to try to get up the supplies while the +army remained near the frontiers, for it was still expected +they would advance into the heart of Spain, notwithstanding +the present partial retreat. I accordingly moved on +that evening to Matilla, and continued thus making stages +of thirty or forty miles a-day, and on the 25th I reached +Abrantes; but on the preceding day I was overtaken by +Lord Clinton, going home with the dispatches relative to +the glorious and decisive battle of Salamanca, which took +place on the 22d. His lordship was nearly worn out, being +actually asleep on his horse as he rode past me, for he had +never once stopped from the time he first set out. I learnt +the news from the person who accompanied him. It is +impossible to describe the joy this information created +among the Portuguese inhabitants of the village. I stopped +for the night at Gaviæ.</p> + +<p>I found at Abrantes a detachment of our second battalion<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">[171]</a></span> +proceeding to join the army; but, to my sorrow, learnt +there was no chance of procuring transports for the clothing, +&c., for months to come. This was distressing information +to me, and of course added to the despondency already +preying upon my spirits; for the merchants' letters I was +continually receiving began to be most importunate, and +indeed attributing the non-remittal of their money to a +want of principle, and talked of reporting my conduct to +the Commander-in-Chief.</p> + +<p>Want of a proper religious feeling, under such circumstances, +as might be expected, laid me open to great temptations. +I therefore, to drown sorrow, and because I had +always been too much addicted to it, began to give way to +intemperance, and, falling in with a number of officers of +very dissipated habits, I was led on to indulge in the most +vile and abominable of all vices, <i>drunkenness</i>, to an excess +almost incredible. But the gloom still seemed to thicken, +and a dark cloud seemed impending over me, of which I +was fully aware, and wrote home to my friends to that +effect. At length my birthday, the 4th of August, arrived, +and which must, as my unhappy companions in sin urged +on me, be kept with all due jollity. Accordingly, a dozen +of strong port-wine was procured, and we boozed away +most joyfully, the whole being drank by about four or five +of us. This produced constipation in the bowels, and had +nigh brought me to my end; but my mind was more affected, +if possible, than my body. About two days after this +debauch, on my retiring to bed at night, I felt an unusual +inclination to rise up and fall down on my knees, to offer +up my evening prayer; for, notwithstanding all my wickedness +and forgetfulness of God, I had not altogether abandoned +the <i>form</i> of <i>saying</i> my prayers at night, but it was +always after I lay down. I resisted this impulse, however,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">[172]</a></span> +to rise and pray, and, after mumbling over my <i>form</i> without +the <i>spirit</i>, I endeavoured to compose myself to sleep. I +did sleep for a while, during which I was troubled with +some confused and incoherent dreams; but soon after awaking, +gracious God! what were my feelings then? Despair, +black despair, had seized upon me. I rushed out of bed, +and rolled upon the floor like one distracted, as indeed I +was. Oh! what would I then have given that I had never +been born, or that I could cease to exist! Had it been possible, +by throwing my body into the flames, to annihilate for +ever my consciousness of being, how gladly would I have +done it! But no—the terrors of the Lord were upon me, +and drank up my spirits; and no one who has not been in +a similar situation can form the most distant idea of the +misery which preyed upon me. The pains of hell got hold +upon me, and hope seemed for ever to be shut out from my +mind. I believed I had sinned past all redemption; that +the mercy of God could not possibly be extended to me; +and of the efficacy of the Redeemer's blood I knew nothing. +Oh! this was a time much to be remembered by me, for +none but He who afflicted me, and my soul which bore +the affliction, knows what I then suffered!</p> + +<p>At length the morning came, but with it no comfort for +me. One of my sinful and dissolute companions came to +see me, but he seemed greatly shocked at the recital of my +woful tale, and I believe then formed for himself resolutions +of amendment, which I fear, poor fellow, he never was able +to fulfil. He did not long survive, but was shortly after +called to his awful account, whilst I am spared,—a monument +of the long-suffering mercy of God. Amongst all my +companions in error and wickedness, I could not procure a +Bible, and, as a proof of the ungodly state I was then in, I +had not one myself. This poor friend, however, had a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">[173]</a></span> +Prayer-book, which he lent me, and out of which I eagerly +sought for comfort and hope, but in vain, for all was against +me. Yes—and all who make God their enemy, will find in +the hour of need, that every other creature and thing will +fail to yield them comfort; but I had sinned too deeply and +too perseveringly to find peace speedily. Oh! in what +black array did the sins of my whole life pass before me, +and how did I sigh for annihilation; or, if I could in any +way atone for my wickedness, if I could but go and bury +myself in a cave or den of the earth, and forego for ever all +intercourse with mankind, how easily and how cheaply did +I then conceive I should purchase pardon and peace! But, +alas! I knew nothing of the way of reconciliation with an +offended God, although I had been duly instructed in my +youth. I was in such agony of mind that I scarcely heeded +my body, but was prevailed upon to have a surgeon, who +administered what he considered necessary, but without +effect. My bowels had ceased to perform their functions, +and this no doubt would greatly affect my head; still, although +this, as a <i>second</i> cause of the distraction of my mind, +was easily discoverable, yet the <i>great first cause</i>, not only +of my disorder, but of all its effects, was the God against +whom I had so grievously sinned, and from whom alone I +could hope for the removal of my present sufferings. But +hope was at this time banished from my breast, and I gave +myself up to all the agonies of a soul that is lost for ever; +but still I could not <i>rest</i> in this sad situation. I therefore +now determined to set off for Lisbon, in hopes that I might +obtain from the chaplain, who was stationed there, some +slight alleviation of my misery, for none but Roman Catholic +priests were to be found where I then was. I accordingly +set off, accompanied by my servant, but in such a +hurry, and so utterly regardless of all worldly concerns,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">[174]</a></span> +that I left my baggage in my quarters, which was taken +care of by the friend before mentioned.</p> + +<p>I started in the afternoon of the second day after my +attack. The sun was scorching hot above my head, but I +regarded it not, seeing there was a hotter fire within me; +indeed I believed I could not mortify my flesh sufficiently, +so blind was I at this time of the nature of atonement. My +feeling was, that I had an Almighty enemy over me; that +His eye was upon me for evil, let me go where I would; +and that I could not possibly escape from the destruction +which He would shortly inflict upon my soul. How gladly, +as I rode along, would I have solicited the rocks and mountains +to fall upon me, and hide me from His sight, did I +believe they could have availed for this purpose! But no—I +felt it was impossible, and that I must endure for a short +while longer the lighter punishment he had then laid upon +me; and by and by I must drink to the dregs the cup +of His everlasting indignation. O, sinners! be persuaded +to flee from the wrath to come, for indeed one of the +slightest terrors of the Almighty is enough to drive to distraction +the strongest mind, and to appal the stoutest +heart!</p> + +<p>I arrived at Galigao, the place of my intended rest for the +night—and here I was attacked with ague and fever in addition +to my other disorder—this was the effect of my exposure +to the sun in so weak a state. But I cared not for my +body. I knew that would return to the dust from whence +it was taken. But oh! the never-dying soul—to think that +it should endure eternal and omnipotent wrath, overwhelmed +me with dread indescribable. My mind, it is true, was +affected by my disorder; but it could not be termed insanity +or madness, for I even now remember with great distinctness<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">[175]</a></span> +the feelings I then experienced, and those feelings remained +with me for a considerable time afterwards.</p> + +<p>Here I felt myself extremely ill, and believed I could not +survive till morning. I consequently got my servant to +make down my bed in a corner of the room I occupied, with +his own near it, and told him to leave the candle burning, +for that my time could not be long. I was compelled to submit, +and quietly lay myself down, in dreadful expectation of +the fatal hour, and when, as I imagined, the infernal fiend +would be commissioned to seize and carry off my soul to its +abode of everlasting misery. I could not pray, nor had I +any the most distant hope that my sentence could be reversed, +for I fully believed it had been finally pronounced +by Him who changeth not.</p> + +<p>During this woful night, I appeared to possess a sort of +second self, a being which existed and thought and reasoned +quite distinct from that <i>me</i> who was stretched upon the +floor, and which appeared to upbraid me with the misery it +was then suffering, and was still to suffer, for the sins of my +past abandoned life. I know not whether any other person in +despair ever experienced this feeling; but to me it was quite +obvious, for I remember distinctly the sin to which it more +particularly drew my guilty attention. Was not this the +soul which will exist when the body is dissolved, and may not +such an upbraiding take place between the body and the soul +when the former shall be raised to join the latter in the +judgment? But the fact is, my soul was that night as it +were on the point of taking its departure from the tenement +of clay, and seemed strong to endure the everlasting +wrath of God.</p> + +<p>I do not know whether I slept any during this dreadful +night; but morning came, and with it a certainty that I was +still in this world, but without the hope that this might have<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">[176]</a></span> +been expected to produce. I felt as in a fire, yet I scarcely +durst put my burning hands into the water my servant +brought me. I felt convinced that I had forfeited all claim +to any thing like blessings, and that curses, both in body +and soul, were alone my due.</p> + +<p>Ill as I was, however, I proceeded on my melancholy +journey, not with any hope that a minister of religion could +give <i>me</i> any relief, but a drowning man will catch at a straw. +Oh! how strong, how awfully strong, did my soul appear +at this time, to endure the tremendous wrath of Omnipotence, +whilst my body seemed fast sinking into its original +element!</p> + +<p>I reached Lisbon in two days from this time, having taken +a boat at Santarem. I ate nothing, with a trifling exception. +I had no inclination for food, nor did I think I ought, +for the reason before given; my only sustenance was a little +water which I kept in a bottle, and with which I now and +then moistened my parched lips.</p> + +<p>I arrived at Lisbon about daybreak in the morning, and +proceeded as well as I was able to a friend's house, and +knocked at the door; but shocked indeed were he and his +wife, when they saw me standing below, more like a ghost +than an inhabitant of this world. Indeed it is not easy to +describe my looks at this time; there must have been much +of that spiritual misery depicted in them which a confirmed +despair no doubt produces. They took me in, and after +hearing my woful tale, prepared to do for me the best that +lay in their power; they gave me their own bed, taking a +pallet for themselves, and treated me as if I had been their +brother. He, poor fellow, is no more, but his beloved and +kind partner still lives, and may she always enjoy that happiness +she seemed so desirous of contributing to on this occasion, +and everlasting happiness hereafter! As soon as it<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">[177]</a></span> +could be conveniently done, the clergyman was sent for, +and also a medical officer, although from neither had I any +hope. But, alas! from the former, although a kind and sympathizing +man, I derived but little benefit. He did not +direct me to the only source of a sin-sick being's hopes, the +Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world. He +made my hopes to centre too much in my own resolutions +and after-doings. No doubt, as my sins had been enormous +and flagrant, my repentance ought to be proportioned; but +when he saw me bowed down under an indescribable sense +of guilt, oh! had he, like Paul to the jailer, pointed me to +the Saviour, how unutterably precious and acceptable would +it have been to my soul! I do not remember that any one +character in scripture is described as having felt more fully +and more keenly the sinfulness of sin, and of its consequent +danger to the soul, than I did at this time. How thankfully +would I have accepted the mode of salvation pointed out in +the gospel; for indeed I was but too much (as all natural +men are) inclined to expect pardon and happiness from the +things which, if God spared me, I intended to perform. But +He only knows best. This kind gentleman wrote me out +prayers, and seemed much interested in my welfare; notwithstanding, +the gloom of despair still hung heavy on me, +and at length; and when the kind medical friend was enabled, +after repeated efforts, to procure me some relief, I felt as if +it was only the prolonging of my existence, in order that I +might fill up the measure of my iniquity. This, I am now +fully persuaded, was a suggestion of the Father of Lies, in +hopes probably of prevailing upon me to adopt the awful and +miserable resolution of Judas to get rid of life.</p> + +<p>I thank God this was the only temptation of that nature +which he permitted me to be exercised with; for I felt no +inclination even in my darkest hours to commit suicide,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">[178]</a></span> +fully believing that the utmost of my sufferings here could +bear no proportion to those of the damned in hell. I consequently +had no inclination to hasten them by rushing into +eternity; this, it is evident, was of the merciful goodness of +the Lord, and for which I am bound to be truly thankful.</p> + +<p>I continued in this state of mind for several months, and +could not, with all my reading, praying, and doing, find +peace. My reading and praying seemed to me more like an +irksome task, than an exercise in which I took delight. I +had formed a resolution from the first to retire from the service, +where it appeared to me I was exposed to so many +temptations; but here the experienced Christian will perceive +how erroneous were my views, and I think feel pleased that +I never fully effected my purpose, although I made preparations +for it. Indeed I could not well feel <i>certain</i> that I +should act right by retiring from the post to which God's +providence had appointed me, although my firm determination +was to live devoted to Him. But, alas! how wofully +have I failed of maintaining that resolution!</p> + +<p>My health now gradually improved, under the kind and +fostering attentions of my warm-hearted host and hostess, +and it became necessary that I should resume my station at +Abrantes, which I did, in hopes of being able to obtain transport +from thence, although the army was at this time in +the neighbourhood of Madrid. But after returning to Abrantes +I suffered a relapse, and was again brought to the +borders of the grave, my mind still deeply impressed with +my former ill forebodings, although not quite so distressing +as before. I got my servant to read to me while I lay groaning +on the floor, for I could not bear to sleep in a bed at +this time, but felt little comfort from his endeavours, the +Scriptures being at this time "a sealed book" to me; so true<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">[179]</a></span> +is it that till the grace of God dispels our darkness we have +no light in us.</p> + +<p>I think it is probable that some of my readers, on perusing +this part of my narrative, will be inclined to say, +"surely this man must have been an uncommon and atrocious +sinner, above all others, or he never would have suffered +thus." I acknowledge with shame that I have been a +most abominable and vile sinner, deserving of all the Lord +laid upon me, and much more, for I was, and am, fully deserving +of hell fire; and should that be my portion (as, +through the merits and sufferings of my Saviour, I have a +humble hope it will not be), I must acknowledge the kindness +and justice of God, although I perish for ever. But I +would say to such readers, as our Saviour said to the Jews, +that "except <i>ye</i> repent, <i>ye</i> shall likewise perish." Others +may be inclined, on the contrary, to say, that all this was +merely the effect of disease, and not at all to be resolved +into God's hatred of sin and punishment of it in this instance. +I acknowledge that it was the effect of disease. But +when God laid that disease upon me, He knew what effect +it would produce upon my mind; consequently, both disease +and mental agony came from Him; and, because I knew it +came from Him, "I held my tongue and said nothing." +And I have now, and I hope shall have for ever, the greatest +cause to bless His holy name for this, as one of the greatest +mercies He ever showed me, for having thus taught me +to know how evil and bitter a thing sin is, and to set a juster +estimate upon his favour. He thus taught me also to value and +love the Saviour, who alone can deliver me from the punishment, +the power, the pollution, and the love of sin, and +to make me happy for ever. Blessed be His holy name, for +He has done to me all things well, and I humbly hope to +enjoy His favour for ever.</p> + +<p>During<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">[180]</a></span> my stay at Lisbon, my batman, whom I before +mentioned as having lost, or rather sold, my mule, and who +had here rejoined me to take care of the horse and mule I +had with me, either from remorse, or some other cause, +made an attempt to cut his throat, and succeeded so far as to +sever the windpipe, I believe, but did not quite effect his purpose. +He was found in a field near Lisbon bleeding nearly +to death, and brought into the hospital, where, with great +care, and after some time, he recovered. Indeed 1812 was +a sickly year, and many were affected strongly in the mind, +several having committed suicide, I believe.</p> + +<p>While I lay here ill the second time, I received a letter +from the regiment telling me that the paymastership had become +vacant, the poor old gentleman with whom I returned +to England last year, having come out again to the Peninsula, +and got as far as Rodrigo on his way to the regiment, +and there, being attacked with the same disease I had +suffered so much from, died; and that as General Stewart, +our colonel, had arrived at Lisbon, I was to go and wait +upon him, and that letters would be written from the regiment +requesting him to recommend me for the situation.</p> + +<p>I with great difficulty again reached Lisbon, and waited +upon the general, but to my great mortification I found the +promised letters from the regiment had never been received, +and that another person had, in consequence, been recommended, +he being the son of the late paymaster, and had +applied some time before. My disappointment did not prey +upon my mind, for at this time I set very light indeed by +the good things of this world, and felt conscious that I +already possessed much more than I deserved. I was compelled +through illness to remain again in Lisbon some time, +but found great difficulty to obtain permission from the +commandant for so doing. My general, however, procured<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">[181]</a></span> +me leave to stay till I should be able to resume my post at +Abrantes. Here, not only myself, but all the officers who +were then in Lisbon, and also at the army, suffered much +from the want of subsistence. I had at this period seven +months' pay due me, and could not obtain a dollar from the +public chest, although I wrote a note to the commandant +showing him how I was suffering from want of money.</p> + +<p>The army had in the meantime pursued the French, as +before noticed, on one side to Madrid, and on the other to +Burgos; but the attempt to take the latter by storm having +failed, and the enemy having been able to assemble a more +numerous force than Lord Wellington had before it, he was +obliged to retire from both those places to the frontiers of +Portugal. The division from Cadiz, the siege of which having +been raised by our forward movement in summer, had joined +the army at Madrid. Much was suffered, I understand, +during this retreat, the troops having been exposed to great +privations, and the weather being exceedingly wet and unpleasant. +My division, after the retreat, took up its +quarters again in the villages on the Portuguese side of +Rodrigo—my battalion being stationed at the village of +Espeja. The army, as might be expected from the late +severe and harassing service they had been engaged in, +began to be extremely ill off indeed for want of clothing, +many of the men being nearly quite naked; in consequence, +the most pressing orders were sent from head-quarters to +use every means possible to have the supplies immediately +forwarded, for Abrantes at this time contained stores belonging +to almost every regiment in the army. My health +having been considerably improved, I again returned to +that depot, and, after waiting a few weeks, the means of +transport were at last given me by the commissary there. +I need not say with what alacrity I prepared for and commenced<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">[182]</a></span> +my long wished for journey. I had got a sufficient +escort assigned me, from a detachment of our men being +about to join the regiment.</p> + +<p>We started about the beginning of January 1813, and +proceeded on our route by way of Niza, &c. I had been +obliged to buy another horse from some cause which I do not +now recollect, but when we were leaving the town just +named, I found, on turning out to move off, that a large +nail had been driven right up into the centre of one of +his feet. Whether this was done accidentally, or by design, +I never could learn, but the consequence was the +loss of the horse. I had great trouble also to keep the +convoy, which consisted of about a dozen bullock carts, with +as many soldiers as an escort, together; the drivers, if they +were not strictly guarded, very often made their escape, +taking their bullocks with them during the night, and +leaving the cart in our possession, glad, I dare say, that they +got off so cheaply, for they seemed to have a great antipathy +to go with us. I was therefore compelled to collect them +all together near Castello Branco, and making the soldiers +load their rifles before them, told them as well as I was able +that they had orders to shoot the first who attempted to +desert with his bullocks. This had a good effect, for I believe +we lost no more till we reached the regiment; but, as we +approached the frontiers of Spain, several of the drivers ran +away without their cattle, preferring the loss of both bullocks, +cart, and payment, rather than enter that country, of which +the peasantry in general seemed to have a great dread. +Those who stuck by us to the last, were rewarded with the +bullocks and carts of the deserters; but I think we did not +take more than two or three out of the twelve to the regiment, +the rest had all made their escape. Nothing can be +conceived more tiresome than travelling with such a convoy.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">[183]</a></span> +The carts are all constructed upon the principle of the Irish +car; that is, the axle rolls round with the wheels, they being +firmly united; consequently the creaking noise created by +the friction is loud and most unpleasant, and they have no +idea of grease or tar to diminish this, but believe in many +parts, if not in all, the noise to be a sort of holy noise, +which keeps the devil from them. I found, in removing +these stores, that great robberies had taken place upon them, +several of the bales having been opened while on board ship, +great quantities of goods taken out, and their place filled +up with old transport bedding, &c. I found it necessary, +however, to endeavour to bear up against all this, for my +mind would not suffer me to dwell too much upon such +misfortunes. At length I arrived at the regiment, where +indeed I was a welcome guest, for they were greatly in need +of all kinds of equipment.</p> + +<p>The officer who had rendered my life so unhappy before, +had left the regiment, and gone into another far distant +from my present place of abode, for which I was truly +thankful, and his absence I found produced a great change +in my favour; for every one seemed glad to see me, and +sympathized with me in my late alarming illness; in fact, +the face of things was entirely changed for the better. I +myself had benefited much by my late chastisement. I had +learned to think meanly of myself, and to be kind and +submissive to all to whom I owed submission; a virtue +which, I fear, I was but too deficient in before.</p> + +<p>All things now went well with me. The goods, which +before had been such a source of uneasiness and trouble, +were rapidly disposing of, and thus the prospect of my soon +being able to pay my creditors became every day brighter. +But, in the mean time, what I had hinted at before took +place: one of the merchants had actually reported me to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">[184]</a></span> +his Royal Highness the Duke of York. This might, +indeed, have deprived me of my commission, had his Royal +Highness been harsh with me; but he caused a letter to be +written to my commanding-officer, (now Sir Andrew Barnard,) +to call on me to explain why I had not remitted the +merchant what I owed him, and to account for my not +answering his letters, which he said I had failed to do for +several months. My answer was very simple, as the reader +is aware; but, with respect to the letters, I showed the +colonel one, in which the merchant acknowledged having +received one from me a short time previously. This also +was satisfactory, and I had moreover remitted him a short +while before L.300 of the money I owed him. The colonel +was fully satisfied, and wrote off to his Royal Highness +accordingly, and I heard no more of the business. Soon +after the captain, who had been acting as paymaster, was +obliged to return to England, on account of ill health. +After some necessary steps I was appointed to this duty, it +being an addition of 10s. per diem to my pay. According +to the army regulations, a person in my situation could not +be appointed acting paymaster; but a committee of three +captains was formed, who took all the responsibility of my +transactions upon themselves, giving me, as before said, +the whole 10s. per diem. This showed, at least, that they +were not afraid to trust themselves in my hands; for I might +have involved them deeply. In short, whatever I did +(almost) prospered, and a kind Providence seemed to smile +upon me; and I believe that from this to the close of the +Peninsular campaigns was the happiest part of my life. I +have reason, therefore, to bless God for his unbounded +goodness to me.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">[185]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER IX.</h2> + +<blockquote><p>Preparations for the Field—Amusements in winter quarters—Grand +Review—Advance of the Army in pursuit of the Enemy—Come up +with their rearguard in the vicinity of Hornilla de Camino—Skirmishing—Encounter +with the 1st brigade of the Enemy, who are +beaten, and forced to retreat—Our Army advance in pursuit—An +affair between the rearguard of the Enemy and our 4th Brigade—Vittoria—General +Engagement—The Enemy defeated—Remarks.</p></blockquote> + + +<p>I begin this chapter, through the mercy and goodness +of God, with brighter prospects than any I have written +hitherto; for though I was still ignorant of the peculiar +doctrines of Christianity, I believed God was at peace with +me, and, from my late dreadful sufferings for sin, I certainly +walked very circumspectly, and I believe I had also more +of the genuine feelings of a Christian, though not the +knowledge; for I was lowly in my own eyes, and loved all +mankind. In me was fully verified at this time that sublime, +but seemingly ill understood, saying of our Saviour's, +"Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." +I now was meek and lowly, and I had friends in abundance, +and may truly be said to have possessed or inherited the earth, +for I had plenty of every necessary good, and, withal, peace +and contentment. I could not enjoy more had I been in possession +of more. Alas! how lamentable is it that chastisement<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">[186]</a></span> +should produce a better effect upon me, than love and +gratitude to God is capable of doing; for, to my shame be +it spoken, pride and selfishness now prevail much more in +my heart than they were able to do then; and I find it much +more difficult now to bring my mind down to that lowly +and contrite feeling which with God is so acceptable, and +with the possession of which only He promises to dwell.</p> + +<p>As the officer whom I have had occasion so often to +mention owed me a trifle of money, I wrote to him, in as +friendly a manner as I could, hoping, now we were separated, +that his enmity would cease, and I was desirous of being at +peace with all mankind; for, as I said before, I never yet +knew why he was my enemy. He wrote back, with an +order for the money, telling me, he hoped never to hear +from me again, for that he was anxious to forget that such +a person had ever existed in the world. This, as might be supposed, +wounded my feelings deeply, but I remembered that I +had myself sinned as deeply against God, and that He might +raise up such instruments for my correction as seemed good to +Him. My feelings, therefore, towards this person were more +of regret and pity than of resentment, and I think I did not +forget to pray to God for him. Poor fellow, he has a good +while since been called to his account, and that in rather +an awful manner; he fell in a duel, but which (from all I +could learn) he was engaged in from the best motives, that +of endeavouring to prevent the seduction of a young female +belonging to his regiment. I hope he is at peace.</p> + +<p>During our stay in winter-quarters every exertion was +made to put the troops in a proper state to take the field +again, so soon as the season was sufficiently advanced. While +we remained here also every sort of innocent amusement, +at least generally innocent, was had recourse to, both by +officers and men, not only to pass the time of inactivity<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">[187]</a></span> +with pleasure, but to keep up that readiness for action +always so necessary in a state of warfare. We accordingly +had races, balls, plays, and every other description of pastime +our situation admitted of. We in Espija established +what was termed a <i>trigger</i> club, each one in turn giving an +entertainment at his house, and at which, as the name would +imply, as much game was produced as our sportsmen could +procure. The plays were generally held at Gallegos, the +quarter of the 43d, and which were indeed got up in a surprising +style, considering the means of doing so. A <i>walking</i> club +was established in our 1st battalion, which was quartered at +Alamada; we were of course frequently favoured with the +company of its members, for they thought nothing of setting +out, each with a long pole in his hand, and walking twenty +or more miles to dinner. Thus harmony and a brotherly +feeling was promoted amongst the officers of the division,—a +thing of great moment where regiments have to act together, +as well as pleasant to all parties. Some of our people +also occasionally had a wolf-hunt, for these animals were +quite numerous in this part of the country; nay, so bold +were they when pressed with hunger, that they did not +scruple sometimes to enter our villages, and devour whatever +fell in their way that they could master. An officer +of ours had an ass or a mule torn to pieces one night while +standing in the yard behind his house. The mode of hunting +them was, to have a certain number with arms stationed +at the different passes in the wood, whilst a large party +of drivers scoured the wood in line, driving every thing +before them, when the animals, coming upon the armed +people, were shot; but I do not think they were at all +successful: it requires people accustomed to the business +to enable them to kill many. There is a premium given for +every wolf's head, but I forget how much it is.</p> + +<p>I sometimes<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188">[188]</a></span> took a trip to the Azava, or the Agueda, on +a fishing excursion; but I was ill off for fishing tackle: the +hooks the Spaniards make are the clumsiest things imaginable, +and would not, I am persuaded, be made with less dexterity +by the natives of New Zealand. Those which we +were forced to use for fly-hooks had a hole or eye at the +top, like the crook which you will sometimes see in a +butcher's shop, intended to be hung upon another, which +was formed by turning the wire down again, and through +this they run their line; besides, they almost invariably +broke, and I have been wofully tantalized sometimes by having +the hook break off the only fly that the fish were +taking; notwithstanding, I caught some very fine trout +in the Agueda, this river abounding with them. I +sometimes also caught barbel in that river; but it was +literally swarming with a sort of roach, or what some of our +people called rock-fish: they generally feed from some +stuff they find on the large stones. But as the season approached +which was to call us to the field, a review of the +whole division was ordered to take place on the plain of +Espija, and which, I think, was as brilliant a spectacle +of that description as it was possible for 5000 men to make. +Every regiment was in high and complete order, the whole +having by this time been fully equipped for the campaign: +the movements, too, were beautiful, and executed with +great precision and promptitude, and, as might be anticipated, +called forth the unqualified approbation of our illustrious +Chief.</p> + +<p>A new and different arrangement was made this campaign +with respect to both officers and men in their field-equipment. +Experience had proved that constant bivouacking +injured the men's health, as the mode they had +adopted last year, though very ingenious, was not calculated<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189">[189]</a></span> +to protect them sufficiently from exposure to the +weather. They had last campaign been ordered each man +to have loops sewed on at the corner of his blanket; thus, +when in the field, two of these were united, and spread over +two stand of arms set up at the ends for poles, and being +fastened down at the other corners with bayonets, they formed +a sort of tent, into which perhaps four men might creep; +but then they had thus only two blankets to serve as a bed +for the whole four men; consequently they would, in cold +weather, be much exposed. This campaign each company +received four tents; thus allowing about twenty men for +each, and the officers of each company had one among them, +and the field and staff officers in like proportion. These +were carried on mules, which before had carried the camp-kettles; +but these being exchanged for smaller ones, the +men carried them in turns upon their knapsacks. Thus it +rarely happened that the tents were not on the ground +nearly as soon as the men; but strict orders were given always +to encamp out of sight of the enemy, if practicable, +that they might not be able to calculate our numbers. +How very different from the ancient mode of encamping! +each of which being more like a town laid out with regular +streets, &c. &c. But war was a very different thing in those +days, and could Marlborough have risen to see one of our +straggling and irregular mountain camps, I know not what +his feelings would have been: he would, I fear, have +thought we had sadly degenerated.</p> + +<p>All being now ready for opening the campaign, a part of +the army, under Sir Thomas Graham, crossed the Douro +low down in Portugal, and proceeded up the right bank, +while we, with Sir Rowland Hill's corps, moved forward in +the direction of Salamanca and Toro. On the 21st of +May, our division broke up from its cantonments, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190">[190]</a></span> +assembled at the village of St Felices el Chico, a few miles +below Ciudad Rodrigo, each regiment having had the +Agueda to ford in its march to this camp. Our division at +this time consisted of the following corps:—viz. the 1st +brigade, under General Kempt, was composed of the 43d +regiment, 17th Portuguese, and the 1st and 3d battalions of +my regiment; the 2d brigade, under General Skerrit, contained +the 52d regiment, 1st and 3d Portuguese caçadores, +and the 2d battalion of my regiment; one troop of horse +artillery, under Colonel Ross, was attached to the division; +the whole being under the command of General Charles +Alten. On the 22d, we moved on to Martin del Rey, near +the river Yeltes, by the side of which we encamped. On +the 23d, we marched to and encamped near San Munoz, +where the division had, I understand, suffered considerably +during the retreat of last year, from the French having +gained ground upon them, and severely cannonaded them +from a height near this village. On the 25th, we moved +on to Robliza, having halted the day before to enable the +other division to come up with us. We next morning +moved forward to the little river Valmuzo, a few miles on +the Portugal side of Salamanca, and alluded to in my former +advance. Here we halted for three hours during mid-day +and cooked, and in the afternoon advanced to the ford of +El Canto, on the river Tormes, and about two leagues below +Salamanca. Here we encamped for the night, and remained +next day also. Lord Wellington, with some cavalry +we understood, had entered Salamanca, where only a small +force of the enemy's cavalry had been found, and which retired +immediately; but I believe some little skirmishing +took place between the parties. On the morning of the +28th we forded the Tormes, and advanced towards Aldea<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191">[191]</a></span> +Nueva de Figuera, which we reached late in the day, the +distance being about twenty-four miles.</p> + +<p>While we lay at El Canto, a few of our officers visited +Salamanca, in hopes of meeting some of their old friends of +last year; but not a <i>viva</i> greeted their ears on entering the +city; a sort of suspicious look of recognition was all they +could obtain from those people, who had received us only +last summer with such extravagant demonstrations of joy. +No doubt they had been made to suffer for their former expressions +of attachment to us, for the French had in almost +every place their partisans, who doubtless would not fail to +give them, on their return, an account of the manner in +which the English had been received, and the contributions +would be laid on accordingly.</p> + +<p>We remained at Aldea from the 28th May to the 2d of +June, waiting for information from the corps under Sir +Thomas Graham, it being intended to form a junction at or +about Toro, where it was expected the enemy had a considerable +force; this was distant from us about thirty miles. +While we continued here, I took a trip to Sir Rowland Hill's +division, where I had a townsman, an officer in the 28th, +but had not the satisfaction of seeing him. I had other +friends in that division, however, with whom I and my companions +spent the day in great harmony and satisfaction, and +at evening returned to our camp, about four miles distant, +highly gratified.</p> + +<p>On the 2d of June, we set off early in the morning, and +arrived at Villa Buena about mid-day, where we halted for +three hours to cook and refresh, after which we continued +our march towards Toro, which we reached in the evening, +but the enemy having destroyed the bridge across the Douro +at this place, we encamped for the night in some fields on +the left bank of the river. We learnt here that the hussars<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_192" id="Page_192">[192]</a></span> +attached to Sir Thomas Graham's division had attacked a +corps of French cavalry soon after their having quitted Toro, +and with whom a very smart affair had taken place, the +enemy being completely routed, and about 150 prisoners +taken from them. Our cavalry, I believe, lost an officer on +this occasion, who fell into the hands of the enemy. Nothing +could exceed the miserable appearance of the horses +taken from the French on this occasion; they appeared really +half starved, although at this season there was plenty of +green forage to be had; they must either have been sadly +neglected, or have been doing exceeding hard duty.</p> + +<p>The bridge having been rendered passable for the men, +the division crossed on the following morning, the horses +and mules fording the river. We left Toro immediately, and +moved on in pursuit of the enemy, and encamped that night +at Terra Buena. On the 4th, we reached the convent of +Espinar, and encamped on a height just over it. It was a +most picturesque and beautiful piece of country around this +convent, but itself appeared to have been lately rendered +uninhabitable. I believe the monks had been driven away +by the French, but not a soul remained to enquire of; all +about the building was desolation. We next day advanced +to the village of Muderra, and on the 6th to Amperdia, and +on the 7th we marched through the city of Palentia, and +encamped outside the walls, on the banks of the river Carrion.</p> + +<p>Here the inhabitants evinced the same degree of enthusiasm +on our entrance as we had been accustomed to witness +in other large towns, till the French had taught them a little +more circumspection, and which the good people of Palentia +would have been most probably fully taught, had these +good friends of theirs ever got possession of their city again. +Some time after we had pitched our camp, and were strolling<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_193" id="Page_193">[193]</a></span> +about the city, the lifeguards entered, and were of course +saluted with repeated vivas. One of the men, a rather country-looking +young fellow, cried out, "Ay, the folks be always +glad to see we lifeguards," happily supposing, no doubt, +that they were intended as a particular compliment to his +corps alone. All the country through which we had marched +for several days past, was one continued plain of waving +corn, mostly wheat of the very finest description. There +are no hedges or dikes, but, as before noticed, only landmarks +to divide the different fields, so that its appearance is +like an immense sea, stretching as far as the eye can reach, +the long corn undulating with the wind as the waves in the +ocean.</p> + +<p>On the 8th we marched forward and encamped at the village +of Tamara, the weather having, from being exceedingly +fine, and indeed rather hot, set in extremely wet and cold, +and thus rendered marching very unpleasant. We next day +reached La Peña, (the name, it may be remembered, of the +Barossa Spanish hero,) the weather continuing very coarse +and stormy. On the 10th we continued to advance, and +marching through the village of Framosa, and passing over +a canal which crosses here, we halted for the night on the +right bank of the river Pisuerga, near the village of Lantadilla. +In all these late movements, we had experienced a +great deficiency of fuel for cooking and drying our clothes +when wet, neither forest nor bush-wood being to be seen for +days together, and indeed scarcely one solitary tree to be +met with—nothing but corn; so that we were occasionally +compelled to resort to the cruel and unchristianlike expedient +of pulling down houses to obtain the timber with +which they were built for the purpose of cooking, or we +must have eaten our food raw. This, however, was done in +a regular and systematic order, the Alcalde of the village<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_194" id="Page_194">[194]</a></span> +pointing out such of the houses as were to be doomed to +the fire, and the troops taking no more than was absolutely +necessary. It is astonishing to me how the natives themselves +exist for want of this article of first necessity.</p> + +<p>From this village we moved forward on the 11th, and +crossing the Pisuerga, marched on the town of Pallacio, +which we passed, and reached the village of Landrino, near +which we encamped for the night.</p> + +<p>From the time we left Toro, the enemy had been gradually +retiring before us, having withdrawn his forces from +all the strong places on the Douro, and seemed concentrating +somewhere in the direction of Burgos or Vittoria. Excepting +our cavalry, no part of our forces ever had the satisfaction +of seeing a Frenchman hitherto during the whole +of this long and rapid march; but on the morning of the +12th, as we now approached Burgos, it was fully expected +that we should be able to get a sight of the fugitives; and +accordingly, after we had left our last night's quarters, and +marched a few miles in the direction of the city, a pretty +strong body of the enemy's cavalry was seen drawn out on +a high plain, a little above the village of Hornilla de Camiño. +These were supported by a division of infantry +formed in square, and occupying the outer edge of the high +plain facing the way we advanced, and apparently observing +our motions. On discovering this force, our division was +halted to give the cavalry attached to us time to ride forward +to reconnoitre, and ascertain more exactly the force +before us, than could be done while we were on the low +ground.</p> + +<p>I rode forward with our cavalry, which, passing by the +enemy's square of infantry, approached the main body of +their cavalry. It not being, however, the intention of the +French to fight here, they slowly and orderly retired before<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_195" id="Page_195">[195]</a></span> +us across the plain; but as we had left the square of infantry +nearly behind us, the guns attached to our cavalry turned +in that direction, for this body seemed indifferent about the +movements of our cavalry, and it was not till our division +began to ascend the hill that they evinced the slightest intention +of stirring. On seeing them, however, they quickly +decamped, and as they had to pass within 150 yards of the +position our guns had taken up, I imagined considerable +execution must have been done upon them before they got +out of our reach. But, strange to say, I believe only one +single man was knocked down by the great numbers of shot +fired at them. It must have been owing to the relative +situations of the two parties; they passed down a hollow +way which led from the high plain in the direction of the +Burgos road, and which covered them completely till they +came immediately below our guns, when it became a difficult +matter to depress them so as to bear upon the enemy's +square as they passed us. However the whole turned round +and gave us a regular volley, for, as we were so much above +them, there was no danger from their firing in square; +but this, although the shots flew pretty thick about us, was +not productive of any mischief that I remember. They retired +across the plain below us, pursued by another division +of ours which had advanced on our right, and between whom +and the French a pretty smart skirmish took place. So +soon as their infantry were clear from us, their guns opened +out from the opposite side of the river upon us on the +height, but, the distance being considerable, their shot did +little execution. It was evident this force was only left +here as a rearguard, to ascertain our movements and force, +&c. We encamped for the night near the road by which +we had ascended the high plain; but were awoke early +next morning by a tremendous explosion which shook the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_196" id="Page_196">[196]</a></span> +earth beneath us, although at the distance of 6 or 7 miles +from Burgos, the castle of which the enemy had blown up, +and retired altogether. We soon after commenced our march, +and, leaving that city to our right, made a long march in the +direction of the Ebro, and halted for the night near the +village of Tovar. The next day we moved on to Quintanajar, +and on the 15th, after a long march, we reached the Ebro, +and halted at the village of Puente Arrenas, situated in the +delightful valley of Veras. This is one of the most +picturesque and beautiful valleys in Europe, I dare say. +When you arrive at the brow of the high ground over the +Ebro, a sight breaks upon you all at once which is indescribably +grand and beautiful;—a large river rolling under you, +beyond which a rich and fertile valley, laden with the fruits +of a hundred orchards, with charming villas and farm-houses +dispersed through all the lawn; a stupendous bridge, of +I know not how many arches, leading you across this +magnificent river; and the whole closed by high and beetling +rocks jutting out of the high woody bank on the opposite +side. It really appeared like enchantment when we first +arrived within sight of it, from the long dreary plains we +had been so long traversing. Here, for the first time since +we entered Spain, did we meet with "manteca de vaca," or +"cow butter," all the other we had been compelled to use +hitherto for want of better, was what they call "manteca +de puerco," or "hog's-lard." The women who brought it +wore a quite different dress from those we had seen in the +parts we had passed through; the women had on generally +yellow stockings, with abundance of petticoats of red, yellow, +green, &c. &c., and were all very stout-made; they were, I +believe, from Asturias. Poor creatures, many of them +followed us with loads of butter, wine, cheese, &c. &c., even +into France, so pleased were they with the excellent prices<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_197" id="Page_197">[197]</a></span> +their merchandise brought amongst us; indeed, we had been +so long debarred the enjoyment of butter and cheese, that +we would have given almost any price to get them sweet and +good. They carried their loads (and tremendous ones they +were) as the flesh-wives in Newcastle carry theirs, that is, +by passing a broad leather belt across the forehead and over +the shoulders, and so underneath the heavy load upon their +back. They were a civil and obliging race of beings, +and apparently much more industrious and cleanly than +the rest of their country people.</p> + +<p>We left this delightful spot on the morning of the 16th, +following the course of the river upwards for about a league, +then turning short to the right, passed through an enclosed +country, and halted for the night at the town of Medina +del Pomar. This is a considerable-sized place, in which was +a nunnery, the inmates of which greeted us with hearty +welcomes and vivas, with waving of handkerchiefs, &c., +through their strongly iron-grated windows, where they +more resembled criminals of the worst description shut up +in a strong prison, poor things, than people who had devoted +themselves to the service of their Maker. Next +morning, we moved forward through a country almost without +roads; we were, in fact, crossing the country in order to +get nearer to the great road leading from Madrid to Vittoria, +and on which the enemy's army was then retiring. We +encamped for the night, after a fatiguing day's march, on a +woody height near the little river Loza. We took the high +ground on this occasion for our encampment, although extremely +inconvenient and uncomfortable, being among +stumps and brushwood, where there was scarcely room to +pitch our tents; this was in consequence of being in the +neighbourhood of a considerable force of the enemy, which +was retreating, as before noticed, along the great road.</p> + +<p>The next morning,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_198" id="Page_198">[198]</a></span> the 18th of June, we started pretty +early, and calculating that we should this day come in contact +with the above force, we marched in such a manner as +to be ready, when that event took place, to take advantage +of any favourable circumstances that might offer. We had +in our front a squadron of Hussars belonging to the German +Legion, and which were generally attached to our division. +About mid-day the squadron in front of us reached the +village of San Millan, where the road on which we were +then marching, and the great road on which the enemy was +retreating, unite; the latter descending from a high tableland +just above the village, and passing a narrow defile +between two high rocks. Our cavalry, on reaching this +village, descried the advance of the French, composed also +of cavalry; and what was not a little singular, they also were +Germans in the French service. Our brave Hussars instantly +charged those of the enemy, and immediately overthrew the body +opposed to them, and in the charge captured several +men and horses, which they brought in prisoners.</p> + +<p>By this time the head of the division had reached the +spot, (my 1st battalion leading,) which in a few minutes got +warmly engaged with the enemy's voltigeurs, a considerable +number of whom had advanced to oppose us, in order +that the main body of their division might be enabled, under +cover of their fire, to pass through the village on the way +towards Vittoria. Our people, however, pressed them so hard, +that the whole of their leading brigade was obliged to join +in the action. At this moment our illustrious Chief came galloping +up; for, whenever any thing was to be done, he was +always present. He had also taken care to have our 4th division +moved so as to arrive at the village of Espija, a town +about a league in front of us on the great road, nearly about the +same time, so that, should the French contrive to get away<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_199" id="Page_199">[199]</a></span> +from us, they might fall into their hands. He immediately +sent me off to the leading company of our people who were +engaged, for the guide they had had with them, in order +that he might conduct his lordship to Espija; but that +was no place for a Spanish peasant who had neither honour +nor glory to gain, and he had accordingly made his escape +the moment our folks got into action. His lordship instantly +dashed off without a guide, while our two battalions, that is, +the 1st and 3d of my regiment, kept advancing upon the +enemy, and fairly drove them through the village, being +supported by the other regiments of the brigade, but who +had not any occasion to come into action.</p> + +<p>The first brigade of the enemy being thus beaten, retreated +along the great road in the direction of Espija, leaving +their second brigade and all their baggage to their fate. +These latter being pressed by our second or rear brigade, and +seeing us in possession of the village, and the road they had +to pass, immediately broke in all directions, and dispersed +themselves in the mountains over the village, each man +making the best of his way. This their baggage could not +do, and it consequently fell into the hands of the captors, +an easy and valuable booty; but although my brigade, by +beating and dispersing the enemy at the village, had been +the principal cause of its capture, yet those whose hands it +fell into had not the generosity to offer the least share of it +to us, but divided it amongst themselves.</p> + +<p>During the skirmish in the village, a French hussar +chased one of our officers several times round one of the +trees growing by the side of the road, and repeatedly cut at +him with his sabre, and it is likely would have cut him +down at last, had not the officer seen a rifle lying near, belonging +to a man just killed; and luckily it was loaded when +he picked it up. He waited for the Frenchman, and coolly<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_200" id="Page_200">[200]</a></span> +shot him through the body, and instantly seized his horse +as lawful prize; had the rifle missed fire he was gone. We +had not rested long after this brush till we heard a firing in +our front, where indeed it was expected. The troops which +had just left us, I imagine, had been attacked by the 4th +division, and we, the 1st brigade, were instantly ordered to +their support should they need it; but before we reached +Espija, the enemy was completely beaten, and had retired +in the direction of Vittoria. We had to retrace our steps and +join our other brigade, and encamped for the night in the +neighbourhood of San Millan.</p> + +<p>Our loss on this occasion was but trifling, considering +the smartness of the affair. An officer of my regiment, of the +name of Haggup, a countryman of my own, received a most +dangerous wound in the abdomen, of which it was feared he +would die, but he soon after completely recovered. An aide-de-camp +of the French General was wounded, and taken prisoner, +but he soon after died, poor fellow. Along with the +captured baggage were a number of Spanish ladies, who had +been attached to the French officers to whom it belonged, +but they did not appear over faithful to their protectors, for +most of them, I believe, preferred remaining in the hands +of their captors, to being forwarded after their beaten and +now ill-provided former companions; such is generally the +fidelity to be expected from that sort of people.</p> + +<p>On the 19th we advanced by the same road the French +had retired, till we reached the town of Salinas, where there +were very extensive salt-works, as the name of the place denotes. +We encamped for the night near the village of Pobes, +on a small rivulet named Bayas, I believe. Near the end +of our march to-day we had a view of the enemy's rearguard, +as they rounded the end of a mountain, which lay +immediately before us, and over which the road to Vittoria<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_201" id="Page_201">[201]</a></span> +passes. After rounding the mountain, this part of the +enemy's force fell in with our 4th division again, which +had been moved forward from Espija by another road. A +very smart skirmish was the consequence, which we distinctly +heard, and in which a good number fell on both sides. +The French retired from hence into their position in front +of Vittoria. During the next day, while we halted here, it +began to be whispered that the enemy had concentrated his +forces in and around Vittoria, which was distant from us +perhaps about ten or a dozen miles, and that the divisions +of our own army had that day approached nearer together, +which indicated a determination on the part of our Chief to +try his hand with King Joseph, should he be bold enough +to stay where he then was.</p> + +<p>Many, of course, and various would be the reflections +which occupied the minds of the different individuals composing +the two armies; but I can speak from experience, that +those are of a much more pleasing nature which a consciousness +of superiority and a good prospect of success inspires, +than those which a retreating army are compelled to entertain.</p> + +<p>Pretty early in the morning of the 21st, we fell in and +moved forward by the way the French rearguard before-mentioned +had taken, and after having passed the end of +the mountain and descended into the valley on the other +side, we saw evident proofs that the affair between our 4th +division and the French, above alluded to, must have been +pretty warm. We continued to advance on the road to Vittoria, +till, on ascending a rising ground, the French army +appeared in position immediately in front of us. It was a +noble and animating sight, for they appeared as numerous +almost as grashoppers, and were posted as nearly as I can +recollect in the following order. Immediately before us ran<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_202" id="Page_202">[202]</a></span> +the river Zadora, passing from our left and front to our +right and rear. In the centre of an extensive plain rose a +pretty lofty conical hill, from which extended to their left +a sloping plain, through which the great road lay, and terminated +by a long range of mountains, stretching from +Puebla de Arlanzon, just above the river, to a considerable +distance beyond Vittoria. The city was shut out of our view +by the conical hill before mentioned, and was distant from +it about four or five miles; to the right of this hill, along +the bank of the river, it appeared broken, and not easily approachable. +On the face of the conical hill, and to its very +summit, it appeared as thickly set with troops as if they had +been bees clustering together; it was also thickly studded with +batteries and other field-works. On the plain between that +and the long range of mountains, the troops appeared to +stand so thick that you might imagine you could walk on +their heads. There did not appear any great force on the +mountains to their left, and what they had to the right of +the conical hill and towards Vittoria we could not discern, +but it turned out they had a strong force there. There were +several small villages in the plain and on the side of the +mountains; the largest stood rather to the right of the +plain, with a wood immediately behind it; this, I believe, is +called Subijana de Alva. On the bank of the river also +were three or four villages, most of them on our side, with +a bridge at each village. The French army did not extend +immediately to the river bank, but was placed at some little +distance beyond it. The river was easily fordable.</p> + +<p>Our army began to arrive by divisions, and was posted as +follows—General Hill with the 2d division, consisting of +about 12,000 men, was on our extreme right, except about +3000 or 4000 Spaniards under General Morillo, who were +still more to the right, and facing the long range of mountains<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_203" id="Page_203">[203]</a></span> +before mentioned. In the centre was his lordship with +the 3d, 4th, 7th, and light divisions, perhaps 25,000 strong, +with the main force of artillery and cavalry. Sir Thomas +Graham had been early detached to our left with the 1st and +5th divisions and some Portuguese, about 12,000 in all, to +turn the enemy's right flank, and to try to cut him off from +the great road leading from Vittoria to France, which ran +in that direction.</p> + +<p>Whilst this movement was executing, and the different +divisions were getting into their several stations, we, +who had arrived first, were allowed to pile our arms and sit +down. His lordship, with a numerous staff, went down a +little nearer to the river to reconnoitre the enemy's position. +I wandered down with them, and got as near as I +could in order to ascertain the opinion of the big-wigs as to +the business about to take place. One staff-officer, after +carefully examining the position of the enemy through his +glass, gave it as his opinion, that we should scarcely be able +to make any impression upon so numerous an army, and so +very strongly posted; but this opinion must have been dictated, +I think, by his rather desponding temperament, for I +believe it was entirely singular.</p> + +<p>The enemy, however, did not fail to notice this movement +of our General and his staff, and instantly detached a corps +of voltigeurs, who, rushing down to the river, dashed across +the bridge at the village of Villoses, and immediately took +possession of a small woody height on our side of the river, +from whence they opened a fire on his lordship and those +that were with him. This of course could not be borne; and +as my battalion was the leading battalion of the column and +nearest at hand, we were ordered (with two companies of +our 1st battalion, which stood next to us) to take our arms, +and drive those fellows across the river again. Thus we had,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_204" id="Page_204">[204]</a></span> +I believe, the high honour of commencing the action on that +memorable day. We soon chased the voltigeurs from the +woody height, down through the village, and over the +bridge, where they took post and remained, we not having +orders to pursue them any farther. We took possession of +the village, and continued skirmishing with the enemy, a +good many men falling on both sides, as the river was not +more probably than thirty or forty yards wide, and a constant +fire was kept up by both parties till the French were +afterwards driven away by our divisions crossing lower down +the river.</p> + +<p>After we had chased the enemy along the bridge, and +they were fairly clear of the village, a French battery, situated +a little above the river towards the conical hill, opened +its fire upon us, from which we suffered a good deal, one +shot having taken our people, who were lining a garden +wall, in flank, and swept away five or six at a stroke; after +this we kept more under cover.</p> + +<p>Almost the first person who fell on our side was a lieutenant +of the name of Campbell. He had, I am sure, a strong +presentiment of his death, for he had, I believe, made his +will the evening before; and when we first came in sight of +the French army, and the others were all animated with life +and glee at the prospect of gaining laurels in abundance, he, +poor fellow, sat down by himself quite pensive, and seemed +lost in thought. He received a shot in the forehead which +terminated his career in a moment as it were, and plunged +him into an eternity of bliss or woe. I hope he was prepared, +but scarcely dare say I believe he was. Our duty +having been accomplished by taking possession of this village, +and keeping the French from coming over, we had now +leisure to look round us and see what was going forward; +and we had certainly a noble field for observation. My commanding-officer,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_205" id="Page_205">[205]</a></span> +with the rest of the staff-officers and myself, +together with half a company of men, took up our station +at the church, which, standing high, gave us a fine opportunity +of witnessing the movements of both armies.</p> + +<p>A short while after we had taken post here, we observed +the smoke to arise in dense columns in the direction which +Sir Thomas Graham had taken, which showed he had commenced +the attack on that flank of the enemy, and this was +the signal for commencing operations on our right and centre. +Sir Rowland Hill's people, with the Spaniards, instantly +forded the river, and advanced along the top and side of the +mountains before mentioned; and as this was done in considerable +force, it seemed to disconcert King Joseph a good +deal, for instantly his aides-de-camp were seen galloping in +every direction, and the troops which stood upon the plain +began to move in that direction, while those upon the conical +hill began to descend in great numbers into the plain. +This was precisely what our Chief had calculated upon; and +now, by a rapid movement, he threw the centre divisions +across the river, by the bridges of Trespuentes and Nanclara, +a little below our village, and attacking the remaining +troops upon the conical hill, they were overthrown as fast +as our divisions reached them. The 2d, Sir Thomas Picton's +division, here particularly distinguished itself.</p> + +<p>General Hill's people were by this time very warmly engaged, +for the enemy having, as stated above, strongly reinforced +that point, they made a rather obstinate defence, particularly +at the village and wood of Subijana de Alva, which +latter was filled with their light troops, and where our 28th +regiment, which was opposed to them, suffered considerably, +and were not able to make much impression. The action +had now become general, and our people on every side advancing; +at this moment old Douro, who never failed to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_206" id="Page_206">[206]</a></span> +inspire confidence wherever he appeared, came dashing down +into our village, and seeing the light troops which had been +opposed to us had retired, instantly ordered us to advance, +and join our division on the other side of the river. We accordingly +moved forward, and marched with all expedition +to reach our point; but the French had now begun to retire, +and our people to follow them, so that we found it difficult +to overtake them, and did not do so till they had passed the +conical hill. When we came near that eminence, I rode up +to have a peep at the field before us, and never did I witness +a more interesting and magnificent sight. A beautiful and +extensive plain lay before me, covered with the cavalry, +infantry, and artillery of the contending armies; while the +noise and din, occasioned by repeated volleys and rolls of fire +from the infantry, with the rattle of upwards of 200 pieces +of artillery, almost stunned the ear. Near the end of this plain, +and to the left, arose the lofty spires of Vittoria; and beyond +that again, the smoke arising from the attack of Sir Thomas +Graham's people added animation to the scene.</p> + +<p>I had not contemplated the scene before me above a +minute or two, till a howitzer-shell from the French fell +close at my feet. My horse's bridle was hooked on my arm, +and I was standing looking through my glass; but when this +unwelcome visiter descended so near me, I thought it high +time to be packing. My horse, however, not having the +same fear of the consequences that I had, would not move +but at a snail's pace. I was, therefore, constrained to leave +him to take his chance, and get myself out of the way. It +burst, but providentially without injuring either horse or +man, but in the scramble I lost the top of my glass, which +I could not afterwards find.</p> + +<p>I got down the hill, and joined my people, who had by +this time passed it; and just at this juncture I observed a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_207" id="Page_207">[207]</a></span> +body of troops a little to our right, moving in the same direction +we were. They were dressed in blue, and had caps +covered with white canvass. I took them for Spaniards; +but upon consideration that no Spaniards ought to be there, +and a closer inspection, I found they were a battalion of +French, and most likely those who had been so warmly engaged +with the 28th at the village of Subijana, and who +having stood perhaps too long, and afterwards having the +wood to traverse, they had been detained considerably behind +the rest of the army; for by this time our advance, +and consequently the French rear, could not be less than +half a mile in front of us. I pointed them out to one of our +lieutenant-colonels; but as we had received orders to push +on with all haste, and he not liking to disobey his orders, +and withal a ravine being between them and us, which +would have prevented our closing with them, they were +allowed to move quietly off, which they did with a pretty +quick but steady pace. Before we reached our division, we +had to pass a village, over against which was a very strong +French battery, and where they peppered us considerably, +but without doing much harm, I believe. We here joined +our brigade. Immediately in front of this village the enemy +made one of his longest stands. Our brigade now +formed lines of battalions, and lay down in some ploughed +fields, while their artillery kept playing upon us. On our +left the 3d division was warmly engaged. In about half an +hour we moved in that direction. The 45th we found posted +behind a thin thorn hedge, with its commanding-officer +poor Colonel Ridewood, whom I had known before, lying on +its right, gasping in the agonies of death. A great many men +of this regiment had fallen here. We passed them, and continued +to advance along the plain by brigades and battalions; +but we found the ground much intersected with ditches, which<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_208" id="Page_208">[208]</a></span> +would have retarded us had we wished to advance rapidly; +but from some cause or other, which we could not then +comprehend, we never pressed upon the enemy closely, but +gave them time to get quietly away. We were still, however, +in expectation of their making their final stand; for +at every short interval a beautiful little position presented +itself, which the French invariably occupied in the finest +style possible, forming their lines on these little eminences +with the greatest precision, and in beautiful order; but they +never stood to let us get at them, for the moment we began +to come within musket-shot, they instantly began to retire to +another, which they took and abandoned in like manner. All +this time, indeed, there was continual skirmishing going on +between the light troops of the two armies, and a constant +cannonade, and occasionally the heavy lines came in contact; +but their infantry appeared to us to leave the field in the main +unbroken.</p> + +<p>We continued these movements till near dark, by which +time we had considerably passed Vittoria, and the enemy's +artillery had nearly ceased. Our cavalry now got at them; +and although, from the nature of the ground, their movements +were greatly cramped, yet they continued to charge, +and nearly captured King Joseph. We halted when we had +got about four miles beyond Vittoria, which we passed on +the left hand. We thought we had indeed gained a victory, +but it appeared to us to be a most barren and useless one; +and many were not over well pleased that the enemy had +been allowed to get off so easily. But our noble Chief +knew well what he was about, for he reaped all the fruits +from this that could have been possibly gained from the +most bloody battle. Indeed it was far from being a bloodless +victory, but he certainly did not sacrifice one half the +men that some in the action would have done; they thought<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_209" id="Page_209">[209]</a></span> +we should have pressed the enemy far more, and brought +him to closer action.</p> + +<p>After we halted, I (being the only quartermaster present) +was sent in search of the baggage belonging to the +division, and which had followed as far as they could along +the great road. I passed through Vittoria on my way to the +rear in search of it, and saw as I entered it several of Morillo's +men, who had descended from the mountains and +come into the town. From the vivas and other marks of +gratulation which some of the inhabitants were rendering +these ragged ruffians, a stranger would have thought that +Don Morillo, with his 3000 or 4000 Spaniards, had achieved +the whole victory themselves. It is certain they are a vainglorious +people.</p> + +<p>I passed through the town, and, taking the great road, I +soon had ocular proofs of the value of our day's work; the +road being literally blocked up with every description of +carriage-guns, tumbrils, waggons, &c. &c. which filled the +great high-road for nearly two miles to the rear of Vittoria. +I found it difficult to make my way through them, +but at last fell in with the baggage; I could not, however, +get it through, and was obliged to leave it, after giving +directions where to find the division in the morning. I +again passed through Vittoria in returning to the division; +but oh, what scenes had I now to witness! The followers +of an army are sometimes very numerous, and here they +were abundantly so; muleteers, Portuguese and Spanish +concubines, with every description of vagabond you can +imagine. These were by this time all labouring hard in +their avocation of breaking open and plundering the carriages +and waggons, &c. that had been left by the enemy. +Among these were hundreds of soldiers, who were now beginning +to feel the effects of the wine, &c. which they had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_210" id="Page_210">[210]</a></span> +found in the enemy's baggage; and such a Babel was here +to be witnessed as is not easy to conceive.</p> + +<p>I had some difficulty in forcing my way through the +town, at the end of which I was accosted by five or six +soldiers' wives, belonging to one of our light cavalry regiments, +who wished to accompany me, in order that they +might find their husbands, as that regiment was attached in +some measure to our division. Of course it would have +been cruel to refuse them; and as they were all mounted, +away we posted, but had great difficulty to make out where +the division now was. Many were the waggons and other +carriages we passed on the road, either broken down, upset, +or with people plundering them; and I did not reach the +division till 10 o'clock at night. I was very glad when I +found them, being then excessively fatigued and hungry; and +just as I reached my people, I found the mess to which +I belonged cooking a piece of thin mutton, which they had +cut off from a sheep that had been taken from the enemy. +This was all the plunder I got that memorable day, +although, had I done as many others did, I might have obtained +a great deal both of money and other valuables; for, +as I said before, the numerous carriages I passed gave me +an opportunity which many would have rejoiced at of possessing +myself of immense wealth; but plundering never +was my forte. One officer whom I knew got, I believe, +near L.1000 worth of money, and other valuable property; +and innumerable others got considerable sums, more or less. +I am glad now that I refrained from what <i>might</i> have been +accomplished with ease and safety, but what also <i>might</i> +have entailed upon me disgrace and ruin. One officer I +heard of, who, while in the rear, where he ought not to +have been, found a box full of money, most likely silver, +but very heavy. A German dragoon coming up at the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_211" id="Page_211">[211]</a></span> +same moment laid claim to half of it, and when this officer +took hold of it to remove it, the German also laid hold to +prevent him. A sort of scuffle ensued, when the German +made use of most abusive and mutinous language, with +threats, which the officer was obliged to submit to, knowing, +as both of them did, how far he had descended from his +station, thus putting it in the power of the soldier to treat +him as a brother plunderer. Surely the mention of such an +occurrence is enough to deter any man who possesses the +least spark of honour from ever putting it in the power of +a soldier to treat him so. Besides, if an officer plunders +before his men, what may not soldiers be expected to do?</p> + +<p>In looking back upon the events of this day, I cannot help +being struck with the bad generalship of those who commanded +the French army. Marshal Jourdan, I understand, +was Joseph's adviser on this occasion. He had always +borne the character of an able General, but here he showed +but little ability. Why did he so much weaken his force on +the conical hill to support his left? Had he maintained his +ground there, which is strong by nature, and they had +rendered it stronger by art, he might have completely +checked us on the right; for if we had advanced too far on +that side, our wings would have been separated, which +would have been a dangerous experiment; and I think +Lord Wellington would not have hazarded it. And after +leaving his first position, why did he not fight at every one +of the beautiful little positions which he afterwards took up +but never defended? This conduct is most unaccountable, +for had he made a longer stand, even although he should be +beaten, which no doubt he would have ultimately been, yet, +by making this stand, he might have got off the greater +part of his materiél, instead of which he carried off with him +one gun and one howitzer only, leaving upwards of 250<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_212" id="Page_212">[212]</a></span> +pieces of ordnance in our hands. Most of his infantry left +the field apparently unbroken; for only here and there they +had stood to let our people get at them. It is true Sir +Thomas Graham early cut off their retreat by the great road +to France; but what then? This ought to have made them +fight the more desperately, to enable them to get off the better +by the Pamplona road. The infantry should have stood +till the last, and not retired till fairly beaten out of the field. +Nothing could be finer than the movements of our army.</p> + +<p>Every thing our Chief attempted succeeded to a tittle. +The only thing I did not like was the delay we occasionally +made in following up the enemy; but I could not, of course, +comprehend the general movements, from seeing only a +small part of them, and I believe the victory would not have +been more decisive by being more bloody. We lost in the +village, where we first began the fight, nearly thirty men, with +the officer before mentioned as killed, and a considerable +number wounded. There was something remarkable in the +fate of one of the men who were killed by the cannon-shot +I before noticed. This man was remarkably averse to fighting, +and had shown, on all occasions, a disposition to leave +that kind of work as soon as practicable. Poor fellow! his +failing was known to all; and on this occasion those about +him had orders to watch him, and keep him to his duty. +They had not been in the village many minutes when this +fatal shot swept him and about five others into eternity in +a moment. It has often been remarked, that this description +of people are generally the first to fall.</p> + +<p>It may not be generally known, perhaps, that a battle +was fought on the 3d April 1367, a little higher up this +river, near the village of Novarete, between our Edward the +Black Prince, and Henry the Bastard, who had usurped the +throne of Don Pedro, King of Castile. The history of it is<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_213" id="Page_213">[213]</a></span> +given by Froissart, who says, "a little before the two armies +met, the Prince of Wales, with eyes and hands uplifted towards +heaven, exclaimed, 'God of truth, the Father of Jesus +Christ, who hast made and fashioned me, grant, through thy +benign grace, that the success of this battle may be for me +and my army; for thou knowest that in truth I have been +emboldened to undertake it in the support of justice and +reason, to reinstate the king upon his throne, who has been +disinherited and driven from it, as well as from his country.'" +This zealous prayer was immediately followed by the +onset, the Prince crying aloud, "Advance banners, in the +name of God and St George!"</p> + +<p>"At the commencement," says Froissart, "the French and +Arragonese made a desperate resistance, and gave the good +knights of England much trouble; but at last, when all the +divisions of the Prince were formed into one large body, the +enemy could no longer keep their ground, but began to fly +in great disorder; and Henry, the usurper, perceiving his +army defeated, without hope of recovery, called for his horse, +mounted it, and galloped off among the crowd of runaways. +The English pursued them through the town of Najara, +where they gained considerable plunder; for King Henry +and his army had come thither with much splendour, and +after the defeat they had not leisure to return to place in +security what they had left behind them in the morning."</p> + +<p>There is a striking coincidence in many parts of the two +actions and their consequences, which the reader cannot fail +to notice. The most material difference, I think, in the two +stories is, the offering up of the prayer by the Prince, and +the modern practice of not recognising, publicly at least, the +hand of God at all in any of our victories. This is to be +lamented.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_214" id="Page_214">[214]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER X.</h2> + +<blockquote><p>Advance in pursuit of the Enemy—Our Forces retreat, in order to +counteract Soult's movements for the succour of Pamplona—Total +defeat of Soult in the several Actions near Pamplona—Our Forces +again advance—Come up with the retreating Enemy at the Bridge +of Yanzi—The Enemy take up a position behind Vera—A considerable +body of the Enemy attacked at the Pass of Eschallar, and forced +to retreat.</p></blockquote> + + +<p>We remained in bivouack all night where the battle had +terminated; and did not begin to move till near mid-day on +the 22d, when we set off in the track of the enemy, and at +night reached Salvatiera, where King Joseph had slept the +night after the action.</p> + +<p>The poor beaten French must have had a long march +after the fight, for this was probably sixteen or eighteen +miles from Vittoria. We started early on the morning +of the 23d, and very soon began to overtake the rear of +the enemy. They now resorted to a system of retarding our +march, at once both cruel and cowardly; every village they +passed through they set on fire. Of course this caused us +some delay, as the road generally ran through the middle of +the village, and the country on each side was enclosed, but +still nothing could justify such barbarity to the unoffending +natives, who were thus deprived of house and home, and +probably all they possessed in the world. We overtook their<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_215" id="Page_215">[215]</a></span> +rearguard near a village about two leagues from Salvatiera. +They attempted to make a stand while the village was in +flames, but a shrapnell shell from our horse artillery set them +instantly in motion. We came upon a considerable body of +them again near the village of La Cunca, where we again +cannonaded them, and where our people had some slight +skirmishing with their rear.</p> + +<p>We encamped for the night near this village, and again +started after them in the morning early. My battalion led +the column to-day, the post of honour. We had marched, I +think, about eight or ten miles without overtaking any of +the flying foe before us, but at last we came to an open country, +that which we had traversed being pretty thickly enclosed, +with bad roads and wet weather, which rendered +marching very uncomfortable. Here a halt was ordered, as +the enemy was in front in some force; here for the first time +we got upon the great road leading from Pamplona towards +Bayonne; and here, where it turned the corner of a mountain, +forming a pretty acute angle, they had the only gun +and howitzer they had saved from the fight in position, and +ready to receive us. The men of my battalion, and a part of +our 1st battalion, were ordered to put their knapsacks up +behind the hussars of the German Legion, as it was not +expected they would be wanted, and it thus rendered our +people better able to run. The enemy appeared to have two +battalions here, one of which remained on the great road +near the two pieces of artillery, while the other moved off +more to our right, down a valley which they imagined would, +at the other end, let them out into the great road again.</p> + +<p>We now began to move forward, and as I happened to be +the first mounted person who left the enclosed road we had +been in, I was honoured with the first shot from their gun, +which, although a good shot, did me no injury. Our people<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_216" id="Page_216">[216]</a></span> +now pushed on at them pretty smartly, which caused them, +after firing a round or two more, to limber up and retire +with their artillery, though they of course retired as leisurely +as possible, to give time for their troops, whom they were covering, +to get away. The skirmishing between them and our +people continued for about two miles, they gradually retiring +before us; but when they came to a sort of pass in the road, +formed by two rocks nearly meeting in the middle, their +bugles or trumpets sounded first the halt to their troops, +and afterwards the advance upon us. We could not comprehend +the meaning of this, till in a few minutes the battalion +which we had observed go down towards the right, suddenly +made its appearance out of a wood among our skirmishers. +Of course a sharp contest now took place, and the firing +on both sides became more brisk; this battalion, it appears, +had miscalculated on getting out of the valley, down which +it had retired, and had been compelled, at whatever risk, to +make the great road again before they passed the rocks before +mentioned; and in order to let it do so, the other skirmishers +had advanced to cover its movement. This battalion +suffered considerably before it reached the road, and we +did not get off scot-free, having lost out of our five companies +about twenty-four men.</p> + +<p>Our artillery being pretty near at hand, Colonel Ross +brought up two guns, and fired into their retreating column, +doing considerable execution. We now moved forward in +close pursuit of the enemy for about two miles farther, when +a shot from Colonel Ross's guns having struck one of the +leaders in their gun, and our people at this time pressing +them so closely as not to give time to disentangle the dead +horse, they unwillingly were compelled to throw their only +gun into the ditch, and there abandon it. We continued +the pursuit till we drove them under the walls of Pamplona,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_217" id="Page_217">[217]</a></span> +which I understand, poor wretches, they were not +allowed to enter, on account of the scarcity of provisions in +that fortress, and which after events proved was the case. +We retired to the village of Aldava and others in the neighbourhood, +where we remained for the night.</p> + +<p>On the morning of the 25th, we advanced on the road to +Pamplona, the enemy having all retired towards France, till +we came within about one mile and a half of it, when we +branched off to the left, and moved along a range of hills at +about a mile distant from the works of the place, till we +reached the town of Villaba, on the mountain-road from Pamplona +to France; thus cutting off all retreat from the garrison, +and thus in fact investing the place. During our movements +to-day, my people being in the rear of the 17th Portuguese +regiment, I was riding in company with my commanding-officer +at the head of the battalion, when the horse +of the Portuguese major threw out with both his hind feet +with all his might, and struck me with one foot on my thigh, +and the other on the calf of the leg. The blow was so severe +that I nearly fainted, and was obliged to dismount and +throw myself on the ground; but as no bones were broken, +I gathered myself up again, and mounted and set off after +the troops.</p> + +<p>We encamped on the Pamplona side of Villaba, distant +from the former about one mile and a half. The captain in +whose mess I was, with his company, was that night ordered +on picquet within about three quarters of a mile of the city. +I went there to get my dinner, during which several poor +people, who had made their escape from the place, came and +welcomed us in the name of the people, telling us they were +heartily tired of their present lodgers; of course there would +be different opinions among them, but I believe the generality +at that time hated the French most cordially.</p> + +<p>There was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_218" id="Page_218">[218]</a></span> a division of the French army under General +Clausel, which had not partaken of the flight at Vittoria, +being then stationed at Logrona, and he having learnt the +fate of his companions in arms, and their retreat into France, +was moving through the country to our right, in order to +effect his retreat also. Next morning, therefore, the 3d and +our divisions were despatched in pursuit of this French corps. +We marched that day to near Taffala, and halted at the village +of Muro, at the junction of the great road from Logrona +with that we now occupied, but we learnt that Clausel +had kept more to his right, and was directing his course +towards the mountain-road, which passes near Caceda and +Languessa, into France.</p> + +<p>We accordingly passed through Taffala and Olite, and +encamped for the night. Next day we started early, and +moved on till mid-day, when we halted for an hour or two to +cook and refresh near the village of Murillo del Fruto. We +here came upon the river Arragon. This had been already +a long day's march, and the greater part of the division were +ready to lie down now, but a much longer portion still remained +to be accomplished. Accordingly, we set off after a +short rest, and traversed the right bank of this river for +about ten hours longer. Night marches at all times are unpleasant, +but much more so on such a road or path as this +was, and every one so nearly tired before beginning it.</p> + +<p>We crossed the Arragon at the village of Galla Pienzo, +and lay down in a field not far from the village of Caseda. +Very few of the division reached this place until daylight +next morning. But when I got in I unfortunately lay down +on a ridge immediately behind our column, and where, had +I given it a thought, I was continually liable to be disturbed. +And indeed I was most wofully disturbed, for every fresh +batch that came in tumbled themselves down upon me,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_219" id="Page_219">[219]</a></span> +or in blundering about in the dark were sure to stumble +over me. It must be observed that my leg by this time, instead +of getting better, had begun to swell dreadfully +and to suppurate, consequently I was in a high state of fever; +and to the thumps and kicks which I received in the dark +during this uncomfortable night, I cannot but attribute much +of my subsequent suffering. Next morning we discovered +that all our labour had been in vain, for Clausel had got the +start of us, and had got off by another road into France.</p> + +<p>We next day moved into Languessa, from which we were +not far distant, but I could no longer accompany or precede +the troops, my leg was now so bad. I was therefore obliged +to get a pillow laid on my holsters, and then ride with my +leg resting upon it, (a most uncomfortable position, could I +have found a better,) while one of my men led my horse, +and thus follow them as well as I was able. We rested in +Languessa all the 30th and 1st July; and on the 2d reached +Deriza, having passed through Monreal. Here I was obliged +to be lifted off my horse, and put to bed. I was almost +stupid from the pain I suffered; for my leg was now +swoln as large as my thigh. We next day moved into +Villaba, from whence we had started in pursuit of Clausel, +and thence into some villages on the plain, close to Pamplona. +Here I believe some works were thrown up to +shelter the troops, either against the shot from the fortress, +or a sally from the garrison. This continued all next day. +I remained very ill in bed.</p> + +<p>On the 5th, the division left this quarter, and set off on +the road towards France; but I could not follow them. I +got with great difficulty from my present station, which +was now occupied by other troops, and stopped at a village, +the name of which I forget, just over the ridge where I +received my hurt, and a few miles distant from Villaba.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_220" id="Page_220">[220]</a></span> +Here I found out that Dr Jones of the 40th regiment was +in the latter town; and, as he had formerly been in our +regiment, I took the liberty of requesting he would come +and see me. This I found out by my servant going in for +provisions. He very kindly came, and gave me the best +advice he could. By this time my leg had burst, and had +discharged a prodigious quantity of matter.</p> + +<p>I remained in this village till about the 10th, during +which time a priest had shown himself remarkably kind and +attentive; there were very few inhabitants remaining besides +him. He told me in one of the conversations that I had +with him, that, from the first entry of the French troops +into this country, one million had passed out of France into +Spain, for he had had good opportunities of making a just +calculation; and that, out of that vast number, not more +than 200,000 had returned, thus proving that the enemy +had lost in that country 800,000 men. And this is not to +be wondered at, for nearly the whole population during that +time had been in arms against them; and, although not +acting as soldiers in the field, they never failed to assassinate +the French wherever they could accomplish it. He said, +moreover, that Mina, with his little band, could produce documents +to prove that he had destroyed 40,000 Frenchmen.</p> + +<p>About the 10th, I set off from this village, as my leg +had by this time become somewhat easier; and, passing +through Lantz, Elizonda, and St Estevan, arrived at Sumbilla +on the 13th, still obliged to ride sideways with my leg +over the pillow and holster. Here I found my division; +and, as this journey had again brought my leg to nearly as +bad a state as before, I was obliged to have it opened in two +places, but without reaching the matter, as nothing but +blood was discharged.</p> + +<p>On the 15th, my division moved forward to the town of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_221" id="Page_221">[221]</a></span> +Vera, the last town on the Spanish frontier. Here the +enemy had taken up a strong position, both in front and rear +of the town; the front position was on Santa Barbara, an +exceeding high and almost inaccessible mountain. They +were dislodged from the position before the town by my +brigade, and retired into the Puerta, or Pass of Vera. I was +not present on this occasion, having been again compelled +to stay behind on account of my leg. While I remained at +Sumbilla, I had been obliged to have my horse shod by a +Spanish blacksmith, who drove a nail right into the quick. +This I did not discover till several days after, when I found +my horse quite lame.</p> + +<p>On the 18th, I again crept on after my people, whom I +found encamped on the height of Santa Barbara, from which +I before said they had driven the enemy. Here we remained +till the 26th, During this time my horse's foot had also +suppurated, and he was quite unable to move. My leg also +was daily discharging a vast quantity of matter, so that I +felt at this time very uncomfortable; particularly as very +stormy weather came on while we were here, which killed +a great number of our animals, horses and mules, I believe +not fewer than seven or eight in one night.</p> + +<p>It will be known to the reader, perhaps, that on the 25th, +Soult (who had now been appointed to the command of the +French army) made an attack upon our posts at Roncesvalles +and Maya, and had driven the divisions stationed +there from their posts. He moved on towards Pamplona, +in hopes either of beating back our army to Vittoria, (as +he vainly talked,) or of being able to supply Pamplona +with provisions, which it greatly needed. In consequence +of this movement of the enemy, we also were compelled to +fall back, although the troops in front of us made no demonstration +of advancing.</p> + +<p>Accordingly,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_222" id="Page_222">[222]</a></span> on the 26th, we began our retrograde movement, +being myself at that time in as pitiable a plight as can +well be conceived. My horse was so utterly lame, that he +could scarcely hop on three legs, while I was totally unable +to walk a step. My kind friend Captain Perceval, with +whom I had long messed, helped me out of my trouble, by +dividing the load of one of his baggage-ponies among the +other animals, and lending it me to ride upon. We retired +from the height, and crossed the river Bidassoa, near Lizacca, +through which we passed, and kept along the mountains on +the left bank of that river till we reached a height opposite +Sumbilla, where we pitched our tents, and remained for the +night. We did not move all next day; but just as night +set in, we were ordered under arms, and continued our +retreat. This was a still more distressing night-march +than any I had previously witnessed.</p> + +<p>We were now, it may be noticed, in the midst of the +mountains of the Pyrenees, where precipices abound; consequently +the precaution to avoid falling over them would be +doubled. One little streamlet, I well remember, delayed +the division probably two hours. It came down from the +sides of the mountain which overhung the road, and crossed +it at a very dark and ugly-looking place, making a considerable +noise as it fell from rock to rock. This of course +made every one extremely cautious; and in consequence a +poor good-natured corporal, who was killed soon after, got +himself into the middle of the streamlet, and took hold of +every person's hand as he passed, conducting him safely to +the other side. Poor fellow, he was extremely anxious to +help me and my miserable little pony safely over. This +and a few other places, something similar, prevented us +reaching our destination till an hour after daylight next<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_223" id="Page_223">[223]</a></span> +morning, although the whole distance was not more than +ten miles.</p> + +<p>We arrived at Zubietta in the morning. This place is +about a league to the right of St Estevan, more into the +mountains. Here we remained that day, and the next day +moved higher up the mountain, behind the town, where we +encamped, and remained till evening, when we again commenced +our retreat. We had not quite so bad a march of +it this night, the road being much more even, although, just +at the outset, our adjutant, in riding along, had his cap +pulled off by the bough of a tree, and in endeavouring to +save it from falling, he pulled his horse right over a small +precipice, which the two rolled down together. Luckily it +was not a deep ravine into which he fell, or he would not +have escaped so well: neither man nor horse were much +hurt. We reached the village of Saldias in the morning, +where we remained for the day. Last night my servant +told me he had been obliged to leave my little horse +behind, as he could not get him to hop any farther. I felt +grieved at this, for he had brought me all the way from +Lisbon, and shared both my good and bad fortune; however, +it was no use to fret, for that would not improve my +situation, which indeed was not an enviable one, my leg all +this time being extremely painful.</p> + +<p>On the 30th, we made an excessively long march, (by +day,) and at night reached Lecumberg, where we encamped. +During the latter part of this day's march, we had heard an +incessant cannonade and firing of musketry in the direction +of Pamplona, from which we were apprehensive that Soult +had penetrated too far; but as it did not appear to recede, +we believed our people had been able to hold him in check +at least. We were now on the great road from Bayonne to +Pamplona, in order to keep up the communication between<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_224" id="Page_224">[224]</a></span> +our right, where the fighting was now going on, and Sir +Thomas Graham, who was besieging St Sebastian. We were +here also to intercept any of the enemy's columns that +might either advance or retreat by this road. Towards +evening of the 31st, an aide-de-camp arrived from Lord +Wellington, more dead than alive from the excessive fatigue +which he had undergone for the last three or four days, with +news of the total defeat of Soult in the several actions near +Pamplona, termed the Battle of the Pyrenees, and ordering +us to retrace our steps, and again advance. We set off in +the evening, and reached Larissa, where we halted for the +night. It was whispered that it was expected we should +have gone much farther this night, but I am not certain +whether it is true; but certainly we might have proceeded +to Saldias, if absolutely necessary.</p> + +<p>On the morning of the 1st of August, we again started +pretty early. It was again reported this morning that another +dispatch had been received during the night, directing +us to proceed with all haste, as the enemy were retreating +by St Estevan, and that we were to attack them wherever +we met them. We now of course stepped out very freely, +and presently gained Zubietta. Here I had ridden forward +to get a shoe fastened on, my horse having cast one in +coming over the mountains; during which time the quartermaster +had been called for some purpose or other, as I was +not there.</p> + +<p>My General was not well satisfied: he saw me in this +village, and asked me why I had not been present when I +was wanted. I told him the cause, but he still did not appear +satisfied, and, by way of punishment, directed me to remain +in the village till the baggage came up, and show them +the way the division had gone. I may here observe, that +it was a little unreasonable in my General to find any fault<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_225" id="Page_225">[225]</a></span> +with me on this occasion; for, had I not got the shoe put on +my horse, I could not have been of any use at all as a quartermaster. +My punishment indeed was slight, and I rather +think he was glad to find any excuse to delay me for the purpose +for which I was left. I am confident the officers of +the infantry suffered more anxiety and even loss on account +of the great want of farriers or horse-shoers in their regiments, +than from almost any other cause. Without the +officer was pretty high in rank, he had not only to pay most +exorbitantly for any thing of this kind which he got done, +but to beg and pray, and to look upon it as a favour conferred +on him. Most of the good shoers were taken by the +staff or general officers, consequently only the inferior ones +were left for the regimental officers, and in several cases +none at all. The consequence of all this was, the loss of +several valuable animals, both horses and mules; besides, in +some cases, the officers being rendered incapable of performing +their duty as they otherwise would have done. To this +I attribute a considerable loss in animals during this service. +It might easily be remedied by each infantry regiment having +a proper establishment of farriers, (say two,) with tools, &c. +in proportion, and the means of carrying them; and then +every officer, whose duty requires him to be mounted, might +be served. I myself bought tools to the amount of L.4, and +never had but one horse shod with them. I could not get +a man to do it. As soon as I saw the baggage on the right +way, I pushed forward, and joined the division again. We +were literally at this time climbing up a mountain, where I +could not ride, but was obliged to crawl up, and pull my +horse after me. My leg by this time had much improved. +We followed the road by which we had retreated a few days +before, and at length came to the rivulet that had so alarmed +us all on our night-march. It was really surprising that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_226" id="Page_226">[226]</a></span> +we should have been stopped so long by such a trifle; but +in such a situation, and at such a time, things of that kind +are magnified a thousandfold by the imagination. We +passed our old camp ground opposite to Sumbilla, and here +we came in view of the enemy's columns retreating along +the road on the opposite bank of the Bidassoa. This gave +our men new life; but here the 52d and other regiments of +the 2d brigade were obliged to halt: they could proceed no +farther.</p> + +<p>We had marched by this time to-day two and a half of +the stages we made in retreating; but the 2d brigade had +been in the rear of the column all day, and had consequently +suffered much from stoppages, &c. My battalion, our 1st +battalion, and the 43d regiment, continued to move on, and +as they approached, the enemy seemed to acquire fresh +vigour. At length we reached the point of attack,—the +bridge of Yanzi,—and here the 1st battalion turning down +towards the river, at once left the wood and ground above +the bridge to be occupied by us. The enemy sent a pretty +strong corps of light troops across, which got engaged with +our people; but we soon drove down through the wood +again towards the bridge. At length, we got two companies +posted just over the bridge, in front of which all the +rear of the French column had to pass. Poor creatures! they +became so alarmed, that they instantly began to cut away, +and cast off, all the loads of baggage, and both cavalry and +infantry, &c. to make the best of their way. But the +mountain on their right was inaccessible; consequently they +had all, as it were, to run the gauntlet. Great was the execution +done amongst the enemy at this bridge, and many +were the schemes they tried to avoid passing. At length +they got a battalion up behind a stone wall above the road, on +the opposite side, from whose fire we received some damage;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_227" id="Page_227">[227]</a></span> +consequently those poor people who had afterwards to pass +were not so much exposed. Just about the close of the +business, my kind friend, Captain Perceval, received a +shot through his right wrist. His left hand had been +closed for a length of time before, in consequence of a +wound through that wrist, which had contracted his fingers, +besides being lame from a wound in the hip. Now he was +rendered completely useless. Towards dusk I went with +him a little to the rear, and got his tent pitched, and made +as comfortable as circumstances would admit. I pitied the +French on this occasion, they seemed so much alarmed. +The whole of their baggage fell into the hands of our 4th +division, who were closely following them up on their side +of the Bidassoa.</p> + +<p>In this affair, the French were reduced to a dreadful +dilemma; great numbers of their wounded had been brought +off from the battles of the 28th, 29th, and 30th, near Pamplona, +which were carried on biers or stretches by men of this +division. When they saw us in front of them, where they +had to pass, as it were, immediately under the muzzles of +our pieces, they were compelled to adopt the cruel alternative +of either throwing their wounded men down to perish, +or run the risk of being shot or taken themselves. I believe +the former, shocking as it seems, was generally adopted; +and I have reason to believe that the greater part of them +were thrown into the river; for, from the point where we +first came in view of them to near where this affair took +place, the Bidassoa was literally filled with the dead bodies +of Frenchmen, and they could have come into it in no +other way. We lost only a very few men on this occasion, +not more than six or eight, while that of the enemy must +have been extremely severe. Here the effects of rifle-shooting +were plainly visible.</p> + +<p>In remarking<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_228" id="Page_228">[228]</a></span> on this affair, I beg to draw the reader's +attention to the following circumstances; viz. probably +never troops made such a march over such a country before. +We travelled at least thirty-two miles over mountains +such as I before described, where you were sometimes +nearly obliged to scramble upon your hands and knees. +The day was exceedingly hot, and occasionally there was a +great want of water. I am told that one of the regiments +in our 2d brigade, which, it may be remembered, were +obliged to halt, as they could go no farther, had no less than +200 men fell out, unable to keep up, and that some of them +actually died of fatigue. I heard of one poor fellow, who, +when he came to water and had drunk, lost his senses, +fell to the ground, and shortly after expired. I have reason +to be proud of my battalion on this occasion, which, when +the roll was called, just before the action commenced, had +only nine men fallen out; but they had been in the front all +day, a great advantage in marching, particularly over a +mountainous country.</p> + +<p>This day's work gave me a higher idea of the powers of +human nature, when properly trained, than ever I possessed +before; for when you consider that each of those soldiers +carried a weight of not less probably than forty or fifty lbs. +and some much more, it cannot but be surprising that men +should be able to sustain such fatigue for such a length of +time—at the end of which to fight, and gain a victory.</p> + +<p>Next morning were clearly observable the effects of the +evening's work. In the house, the yard, and on the road +opposite the bridge, were a great number of dead Frenchmen; +and to the rear, by the way they had advanced, the +road was literally strewed with baggage, and equipments of +every description. Some of our people picked up a number +of visiting cards, with General Vandermason on them, very<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_229" id="Page_229">[229]</a></span> +elegant; so that his baggage, no doubt, had been cast off, +as well as that of inferior people.</p> + +<p>Soon after daylight, we were ordered to fall in, and move +forward towards Vera. Just as we cleared the bridge, old +Douro, with his staff, came riding up, who, when he saw how +we had handled the enemy the night before, gave his head a +significant nod, and smiled, which conveyed most intelligibly +his approbation. We soon reached the neighbourhood of +Vera, behind which, in the pass of that name, as before stated, +the enemy took up a strong position, from which their +picquets had never yet been driven. We were ordered to encamp +a little below the bridge leading to Lezacca, between that +and Vera, while the other regiments were intended to occupy +the heights of Santa Barbara, from which we had before +retreated. But towards mid-day it was discovered that the +enemy still had a considerable body of troops in and about +the pass of Echallar, a few miles to our right. Our brigade +was therefore ordered again under arms, with the intention +of co-operating with the 7th division in an attack upon +those people. It was a thick mist, so that we could scarcely +see twenty yards before us; but when we reached the +bottom of an immensely high hill, on which the enemy +were posted, we presently discovered whereabouts we had +them.</p> + +<p>Our 1st battalion extended to the right, and my battalion +moved straight forward up the hill. For a considerable +time the enemy's fire did us no injury, being deceived, I +imagine, by the denseness of the fog. They fired almost +always over our heads, some of which shots struck the men +of the 43d, a considerable way below us. At length we +began to approach the summit of the mountain, where the +enemy were of course much more condensed, the ground +they had to occupy being much smaller. Our people were<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_230" id="Page_230">[230]</a></span> +advancing regularly up the hill, when we run right up +against a rock, on the top of which was collected an immense +body of the French, and from whom our people received a +most destructive fire, knocking down fourteen men in an +instant. This unlooked-for circumstance checked our +people, and made some of them retire for an instant behind +a broken part in the mountain, from which they kept up the +best fire they could. During this transaction, the French, +who were not more than ten or twelve yards distant, were +calling out to us in Spanish to advance, and abusing us +most lustily. A Spaniard (one of the recruits I formerly +mentioned) was so much annoyed, that he began in his turn +to abuse the French; and, as if words were not enough, +accompanying them with the best shot he could give them. +Poor fellow, he was instantly shot through the body, and +fell to rise no more.</p> + +<p>They now began to get courage, and made a show of advancing +upon us: they did do so on the right against our +1st battalion, but my commanding-officer calling out to +cheer our people, set up a shout, which had the effect of +intimidating them, and they did not dare to advance. I was +now sent away by Colonel Barnard to request the 43d +(who were behind us) to send a company to support our +1st battalion, which they instantly did; and just as I returned, +I found the French had evacuated the rock from +which they had annoyed us, on the top of which we found +a great number of caps and pouches, &c., belonging to men +who had fallen there. We followed them over the hill, +but they now gave us leg-bail, posting down into the valley +towards France with all expedition.</p> + +<p>The 7th division had some pretty sharp work before they +dislodged the people in front of them, and had suffered very +severely in effecting their object. When every thing was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_231" id="Page_231">[231]</a></span> +settled, one of our men thought he saw a man hiding behind +a tree just below us: he went to see what it was, and +dragged out by the neck a French soldier of the 2d light +infantry. Poor fellow, he came out shrugging his shoulders, +and, putting on a most beseeching look, begged we would +spare him, as he was only a "pauvre Italien." Of course +no injury was done him, only the soldier who took him +claiming and taking from him his knapsack, which appeared +a fine full one, and which he appropriated to himself. I +thought it cruel, and would have prevented it, had my voice +been of any weight; and yet, had it not been taken from +him now, it would very soon after, when he became a +prisoner.</p> + +<p>One battalion was ordered to remain and occupy this +hill, which dreadfully alarmed me, lest it should be ours, +for it was bitter, bleak, and cold. Luckily a Portuguese +battalion was ordered up, and we returned to our snug +camp by the river side; and here, as if to crown our good +fortune, one of our men, who had been left behind in +charge of the tents, had got some meat roasted for our +mess, of which we all partook with great delight and thankfulness.</p> + +<p>A friend of mine of our 1st battalion, during the advance +the French had made upon that battalion, was nigh +falling into their hands. They rushed at him, but he perceiving, +and endeavouring to avoid them, fell into a bush, +which scratched him most wofully, and in the fray lost his +cap and sword. They grasped at the latter, (which was +not drawn,) but which luckily broke loose from the belt, or +they would have had him. This hill was always known +afterwards by the name of Barnard's Hill, in honour of +Colonel Barnard, who commanded on the occasion.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_232" id="Page_232">[232]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XI.</h2> + +<blockquote><p>The Author, from a mistake, loses his Servants for a few days—A +Feast of Death—A Feast of Life—Fighting near St Sebastian—Singular +instance of Spanish Bravery—St Sebastian is captured, +but no Details given, the Author not having been present—Attack +of the Pass of Vera.</p></blockquote> + + +<p>We remained at rest here for some time, during which +I, as acting paymaster, had several trips to Tolosa, a considerable +town on the great road from Bayonne to Madrid, +where the paymaster-general had taken up his residence +with the military chest. In one of them I went and had a +peep at St Sebastian, the siege of which was then going +on. While here, I received directions from General Sir +William Stewart to attend him at Villaba, where he lay +wounded, he having received two balls in the late actions. +I set off, directing my servants with my baggage to follow +close after me: by some means they were delayed a few +minutes, and, supposing I was going again to the paymaster-general +at Tolosa, went off in that direction, without +asking any questions. I imagined they knew very well<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_233" id="Page_233">[233]</a></span> +where I was going, and still went on slowly, every now and +then looking back to see if I could descry them coming; +but although there was no appearance of them, I simply +enough continued my route till I reached St Estevan; and +here I put up for the night, thinking, of course, they would +come by and by. In the morning, I was fully convinced +they must have gone some other road, and as all my books, +&c., from which I wanted information, were in my baggage, +I thought it useless to proceed any farther. In retracing +my steps, which I did leisurely, I had an opportunity of +seeing the great number of bodies which the French had +thrown into the river, the road running close by its brink +nearly all the way. It was really shocking to behold such +numerous wrecks of mortality, with the disgusting appearance +which most of them had assumed; many of them were +half eaten by the fish, and of others the flesh was hanging in +rags, and bleaching in the stream. Of course I returned +home, but did not see my servants again for several days, +as it took three or four to accomplish the journey to Tolosa +and back, and they had waited there a day for me.</p> + +<p>On the day that I was absent, all the officers of my corps +had had a sumptuous and splendid entertainment, it being +the 25th August, the anniversary of the regiment's first +formation. They had dug a ditch in an oblong shape in +the middle of a field, the centre of which served for a table, +while they sat with their feet in the ditch. I am told the +French, who were just above, and overlooked them from +the heights behind the town, assembled and viewed them, +as if in astonishment to see them regaling themselves +with so much glee in the midst of the wild Pyrenean +mountains. No doubt the wine went merrily round, and +many were the toasts which were drunk with three-times-three.</p> + +<p>During this interval,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_234" id="Page_234">[234]</a></span> I often amused myself with fishing +in the Bidassoa, in which there were many excellent trout, +and I was pretty successful, for I had got some tackle from +one of our captains, which he had brought from England. +On one of these occasions, while I was wading in a pool, I +spied a fine salmon laying just below me; I threw in and +brought my flies right over him, at which he instantly rose, +but I missed him. I tried again, and hooked him, but in a +moment he plunged right across the river, carrying with +him all my flies and part of my line, for I had no reel. I +might have calculated upon this, if I had thought for a moment; +but the opportunity was so tempting, that I could +not resist it.</p> + +<p>At length the 31st of August arrived, the day on which +St Sebastian was to be stormed. We knew this, for we had +furnished a number of volunteers, both officers and men, to +take part in the assault; many of our higher officers had gone +to witness the glorious spectacle. But early in the morning, +we were all astonished at the bugle sounding through +the camp the alarm, or assembly, and instantly orders were +given for the tents to be struck, the baggage to be packed, +and to set off with it to the rear without a moment's delay, +for the French were advancing; of course all this was done +in as short a time as possible, and the troops were ordered +to move on to a hill just over the bridge of Vera. A +detachment of ours had joined the evening before, and it +cannot easily be conceived the strange effect this sudden +alarm had on some of them. One of them, a lieutenant, +was all in a bustle getting his pistols put in fighting order, +and came to me begging I would take some money to keep +for him. I told him that it was likely to be in as much +danger with me as with himself, and of course declined. +The old hands, on the contrary, were as cool and quiet about<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_235" id="Page_235">[235]</a></span> +it as if it was an everyday occurrence. We moved to the +height before mentioned, and saw a cloud of fellows with +white caps coming down to the left of the town, and of +course prepared to give them the best reception we could. +I was sent with orders to my commanding-officer from the +General, 'that he was, when pressed, to retire till he got +on the ridge just over his house, (which was on the road +a little to the rear of where we then were,) and that he was +to stand there as long as it was possible.' I thought something +very warm was going to occur, seeing such a cloud of +Frenchmen were then approaching us, but we were all disappointed; +they went quickly to their right after descending +from the heights, and forded the river below the town, setting +their faces towards St Sebastian. All this was effected +under a cannonade from the heights.</p> + +<p>Our 1st brigade (except my battalion) was then ordered +to cross the river by the Lezacca bridge a little behind us, +and to move parallel to the enemy along the ridge above +that town, which had all along been Lord Wellington's +head-quarters. As soon as they got across, they sent a +body of troops to the bridge of Vera, close to which some +of our people were stationed, and from thence they kept +firing on us all day from some small mountain guns, which +they had brought down with them, and occasionally with +musketry. We were now somewhat curiously situated. +The French position was on the side we occupied, while +the other side of the bridge had been fortified by the Spanish +General Longa, to protect himself during the last +excursion of the French towards Pamplona; but now they +occupied the side on which the intrenchments had been +thrown up, and turned them against us of course; they did +little execution by their fire. Lord Wellington, seeing the +intention of the enemy, assembled all the British troops he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_236" id="Page_236">[236]</a></span> +could easily collect, and brought them in rear of a corps of +Spaniards, which met the French in this direction; and +finding this a fair opportunity of seeing what the Don +could do, withheld the British, and let the Spaniards attack +them by themselves. They had now the best chance of +showing their valour that ever had or might present itself; +they had the high ground, and the enemy had to climb up +on their hands and knees to get at them; besides, they had +behind them backers that would not see them get foul play. +So away they set at them, and indeed they did tumble the +French down in good style, upsetting them in all directions; +so that our English division had nothing to do but to look +on. This was the only time I ever knew the Spaniards act +in a body like good soldiers.</p> + +<p>The enemy, being beaten, were obliged of course to retrograde; +but it came on one of the bitterest nights I have +almost ever witnessed; the rain fell in torrents, and the +lightning was very vivid. The French endeavoured to +retrace their steps during the night, fording the river where +they had crossed it in the morning; but the heavy rain +had so swoln the river by midnight, that they could not +continue any longer to wade it. A considerable number +of them still remained on the other side, and no way presented +itself of extricating themselves, but by forcing their +passage across the bridge, near which a company of our 2d +battalion, under Captain Cadoux, was posted, with one of +ours, a short distance in the rear, to support him. Captain +Cadoux's people were stationed in houses about thirty yards +from the bridge, and had a double sentry on the bridge. +The enemy's column approached very quietly, and then +made a rush; but the rain having wet the priming of +the sentries' rifles, they could not get them to go off to give +the necessary alarm, and were in a moment driven from<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_237" id="Page_237">[237]</a></span> +their post. The French then, seeing they had effected a +passage, set up a shout, and rushed towards the houses +where Cadoux's people were, who turned out at once, and +with the supporting company, opened a deadly fire upon +the enemy's column; but poor Cadoux fell instantly almost, +as he had imprudently mounted his horse on the first alarm; +his lieutenant also was severely wounded. The firing of +course soon brought the whole brigade to the spot, which +kept up a constant and well-directed fire during the whole +of their progress along the little plain towards Vera.</p> + +<p>The enemy suffered dreadfully on this occasion, leaving +the ground literally strewed with their dead, who, like the +others before mentioned, were next morning thrown into +the river; so that the fish had ample feeding for some time +after. Some people afterwards reflected upon General +Skerrott, who commanded here, for not posting a stronger +force at the bridge, and for not blocking it up with an +abbatis; the former he might and ought to have done; +but the latter was impracticable, from the enemy holding +the breastwork at the other end of the bridge, which was +not more than about thirty yards long. Had a battalion +been posted there, it is probable the French, who were +compelled to have recourse to this daring attempt, might +have been induced to surrender; but I believe the General +never imagined they had need to make such an attempt. +Our loss on this occasion was rather severe also. A great +many of Captain Cadoux's men fell; Lieutenant Travers, +who commanded the company of my battalion, was wounded, +and a considerable number of men were killed and +wounded; among the former, some of the poor fellows +who had joined from England only the day before.</p> + +<p>Thus was Soult's second attempt frustrated, and St Sebastian +fell into our hands. As I was not present at that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_238" id="Page_238">[238]</a></span> +glorious exhibition of British valour and prowess, I cannot +take upon me to give any account of its capture. The volunteers +who went from our division to assist in the storm +or assault, sustained their full share in the casualties attendant +thereon. The field-officer, Colonel Hunt of the 52d, +was severely wounded; a lieutenant of the 43d, brother to +Mr O'Connell, the famous Roman Catholic advocate, was +killed; two lieutenants of our first battalion, named Percival +and Hamilton, were severely wounded. The latter, I +believe, was a volunteer on the occasion, not being entitled, +from his standing, to take it as a tour of duty. He was +conspicuously brave, and received two severe wounds, from +which it would scarcely be imagined possible any one could +recover.</p> + +<p>A few days after the surrender of St Sebastian, I had +again occasion to go to Tolosa for money, and took the +road by Passages, the port where we now received all our +supplies from England; and also to see the ruins of that +late formidable fortress. When I reached it, the houses +were still on fire, and not I believe half-a-dozen in the +whole town that remained habitable, or the inhabitants had +quite deserted it. I went up to the citadel and examined +it, and I believe this, with proper casemates or bomb-proofs, +might be rendered one of the strongest places in +Spain, next to Gibraltar; but the French had suffered +dreadfully from our shells, which had literally ploughed +the ground on the top of this naturally strong height, and +from which cause they had been compelled to surrender.</p> + +<p>St Sebastian was indeed a melancholy spectacle at this +time. I returned from Tolosa by a part of the road which +we had traversed in our late retreat and advance again, as I +now began to hope I might perhaps recover my little horse,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_239" id="Page_239">[239]</a></span> +for I suspected from some cause that my servant, instead of +having been obliged to abandon him, because of his lameness, +as he told me, had sold him at that time; and this I +actually found had been the case. I compelled him to tell +me where he had disposed of him, and, with my broken +Spanish, traced him from thence for near twenty miles farther +into the mountains, where I found him in a village, +the name of which I do not recollect, but where a squadron +of our German hussars were quartered. I of course claimed +and took possession of the horse, giving the person the +amount he had paid for him; but he being still lame, the +commanding-officer of the hussars kindly permitted me to +leave him with his farrier till he got well. He afterwards +sent him to me, and would not even allow the farrier to +receive any remuneration for his trouble, so kindly and +politely did he behave.</p> + +<p>September passed away without any thing remarkable occurring. +My friend Captain (now Major) Perceval had been +obliged to return to England, and Captain Balvaird succeeded +him as senior captain of my battalion. I still continued in +that company's mess. At length it was determined to attack +the Puerta, or Pass of Vera, which the enemy had rendered +exceedingly strong. The left of our army, under Sir Thomas +Graham, were ordered to attack in their front, and +force the passage of the Bidassoa, and establish themselves +in France. We were merely to drive them from the heights +above the town of Vera, taking possession of all the strong +ground between that and France. The fourth division was +brought up to support our attack, and formed immediately +in rear of the town. One of the captains who formed the +Committee of Paymastership, and who, it may be remembered, +were held responsible for my accounts, and the due +appropriation of all public money which might come into<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_240" id="Page_240">[240]</a></span> +my hands, took a fancy that I exposed myself too much, +and requested the commanding-officer, Colonel Ross, to +prohibit my again entering into action, except for the purpose +of bringing ammunition, &c., when my duty required +me; in consequence of which the adjutant was sent to me +this morning, previous to the operations commencing, with +an order for me not to accompany the battalion. It may +seem to the reader perhaps like affectation when I tell him +I felt hurt at this order, and determined not very strictly to +comply with it, for I believed that my respected commanding-officer +had no objection that I should accompany him, +did not this untoward circumstance interfere with my so +doing. Accordingly I remained a looker-on among the +fourth division. My battalion was destined to commence +this attack by driving the enemy from a high and rugged +hill on the right of the Pass, which was a necessary operation +before the Pass itself could be attacked. Accordingly +he extended the battalion, and encircled its base on the +side next to Vera; and I believe, without firing a shot +almost, he marched right up to the top of the hill, notwithstanding +the sturdy resistance made by the enemy, and +in a very short space of time completely cleared this formidable +height.</p> + +<p>This operation was the admiration of the whole fourth +division, (for it was clearly observable by every one,) and +they were most lavish of their praises for such a workmanlike +movement. When my people approached the top of +the hill, I felt alarmed for their safety and their honour, for +the French commander closed all his force to one point, +and, forming them into line, made them fix bayonets, apparently +with a determination to charge them down the hill +again; and I saw that my people, for they could not perceive +what the French were doing, were likely to be taken<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_241" id="Page_241">[241]</a></span> +by surprise. Whether the Frenchman's heart failed him I +know not, but when Colonel Ross reached the top of the +hill, the enemy went to the right about, and instantly retired.</p> + +<p>I felt proud of belonging to that corps, and happy at such +a termination of this dangerous operation, and feeling a desire +I could no longer resist, I set off to join them. By +the time I reached the height just mentioned, the attack of +the Puerta was going on, and a most arduous undertaking +it was. My brigade attacked the right or strongest pass, +which they carried in fine style, without much loss, although +the enemy had a breastwork at every available point of +ground. Our 2d brigade did not attack the left Pass quite +so soon as the other, and when they had got about half way +up they encountered the most formidable opposition.</p> + +<p>A redoubt which the enemy possessed was filled with +men, who waited till our battalion came within a few yards +of them, and then poured in the most destructive fire imaginable, +making the battalion recoil, and leaving one-third +of its numbers on the ensanguined ground. But the 52d +regiment being close behind, promptly supported them +when rushing on together to the charge, and the French, +after some hard fighting, were finally driven from this +stronghold. After this they never made any obstinate +stand, although there was occasional fighting all the way +from the Pass down into the plain below, where some of +our people followed them; but it not being intended to quit +for the present this high and formidable barrier, they were +afterwards recalled. The boundary lines passed along this +ridge.</p> + +<p>We lost a few men on ascending the first hill, and a few +in skirmishing afterwards, but our loss was not severe. But +that of the 2d battalion, before noticed, was awful; several<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_242" id="Page_242">[242]</a></span> +of that battalion who fell in this action had only a few days +before joined from England, and this was their first action. +On looking at the ground on which this affair took place, +one would imagine it almost impossible that any army could +force a passage through such innumerable difficulties. The +hill itself was nearly impassable, and with the numerous +redoubts and breastworks, with which it was literally +covered, no troops in the world, I think, but British, would +have dared to attempt it.</p> + +<p>We found that the French, who occupied this station, +had rendered themselves extremely comfortable, considering +the kind of country and ground where they were posted. +They had been at great pains in building very convenient +and substantial huts in lines and streets, the same as an +encampment, and which were indeed remarkably clean and +neat. They had even built arm-racks at the end of each +line, where their arms were stowed away most securely, and +where they were preserved from the effects of the bad +weather. Indeed, from the pains they had taken to render +themselves comfortable here, it would appear as if they had +not expected to be driven from it so soon.</p> + +<p>The left of our army, under Sir Thomas Graham, also +established themselves within the French territory. A corps +of Spaniards on our left, between us and Sir Thomas, had +likewise made a forward movement corresponding with the +British. Some Spaniards were on the right of our division +also, and were destined to drive the French from La Rhune, +an exceeding high rock, which overlooks all the other mountains, +as well as the plain below. This they failed to accomplish, +the enemy keeping possession all that night, and the +skirmishing between the two forces continuing till after +dark.</p> + +<p>My battalion was sent on the outpost duty in the evening<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_243" id="Page_243">[243]</a></span> +down into the French plain below, and relieved the +Spanish General Longa, whose corps, with our 2d brigade, +were ordered to assist in the morning in dislodging the +enemy from La Rhune. I will not say whether the sight of +the red-coats coming against them the next morning had +the effect of alarming them, but they certainly evacuated +that exceedingly strong post without much farther opposition, +and established themselves on a similar rock, but lower, +on the French side, and called by them Petit or Little Rhune. +But the possession of this lofty peak gave us the power of +overlooking all their movements for miles around us, as +well as of surveying La Belle France as far as the eye could +see, and indeed, compared with the bleak and barren mountains +in which we had so long been residing, it did appear +a beautiful country, although, in reality, it is far from being +such. But we gazed upon it with strange and mingled +emotions, hardly believing it possible that we had now +reached and entered the territory of that once formidable +nation whose victorious armies had penetrated to the farthest +confines of Europe, who had overrun and subdued some of +the most warlike nations of the continent, and who had so +often threatened, and as often alarmed, the inhabitants of +England with the invasion of that sacred soil, on which +never yet a Frenchman has dared, in hostile array, to set +his foot since the days of the Norman William, but who +met there either with a prison or a grave.</p> + +<p>We now pitched our camps by battalions, each occupying +a post more or less important, and the enemy began again +to construct their huts, and make themselves as comfortable +as their circumstances would admit; Soult, no doubt, being +mightily chagrined that we had now fairly beat them out of +Spain, when he (as we now learnt) had promised his followers +that he would soon lead them again to the plains of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_244" id="Page_244">[244]</a></span> +Vittoria, where they might again retrieve their lost honours, +and at which city they would celebrate the Emperor's birthday. +He thus boasted, and no doubt would have effected his +purpose, had he not been so promptly met near Pamplona +by his never-to-be outmanœuvred antagonist.</p> + +<p>We now began to suffer greatly from the severity of the +weather. It became exceedingly wet and stormy; and not +infrequently the tents were blown away from over our +heads, or the pole was forced up through the top, letting +the wet canvass fall comfortably down about our ears while +we were perhaps in a sound sleep. I had two streams flowing +past my head, one went round the trench outside my +tent, while the other I was fain to let pass through it; their +murmurs lulled me to sleep, and I do not remember that +ever I slept sounder than I did here, having made my couch +comfortable by gathering dry fern, and spreading my mattress +upon it.</p> + +<p>Whilst we remained here, a few officers were appointed +to watch the motions of the enemy from an old work which +we understood had been constructed by the Spaniards and +emigrant French against their revolutionary neighbours, +whom they endeavoured to keep from entering Spain; and, +of course, this was the daily lounge of those who had no +better employment, not only that they might themselves +see, but hear also from others what of importance was passing. +On one of these occasions, a vessel was descried (for +the sea was not more than five or six miles from us) making +for the harbour of Bayonne, or St Jean de Luz, with +a small schooner following her in chase, and every now and +then giving her a shot. The vessel, (which turned out to +be a French brig going with provisions for the few Frenchmen +who still retained the castle of Santona,) seeing she +could not get clear of her unwelcome neighbours, her crew<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_245" id="Page_245">[245]</a></span> +set her on fire, and taking to their boats, abandoned her, +and escaped on shore—she soon after blew up with a tremendous +explosion.</p> + +<p>On the 31st of this month Pamplona surrendered, the +garrison, consisting of 4000 men, under Major-general Cassan, +the governor, becoming prisoners of war. They had +been compelled to adopt this measure from sheer starvation, +of which they, I understand, had suffered dreadfully. I +happened to be at Passages on the day they reached that +port, where they embarked, on their way to England. The +General was a stout, handsome, and intelligent-looking man, +and such a one as I should imagine would make a noble officer. +The soldiers seemed quite unconcerned about their +fate; whether from the change being actually an improvement +of their condition, or from the lightness and gaiety of +their natural temper, I know not, but they were jesting +and making as merry as if nothing had happened.</p> + +<p>During the time we lay on these mountains, I regret to +state my gallant and respected commanding-officer, Colonel +Ross, suffered so much from rheumatism, that he was compelled +to leave the regiment, and take up his abode at +Rentaria, a village near to Passages.</p> + +<p>It was reported that Lord Wellington intended attacking +the enemy along his whole line, early in November, but the +weather having rendered the roads impassable, it was postponed. +On the day previous to the intended attack, the commanding-officers +had been taken up to La Rhune, and the +post that each corps had to occupy, with the movements +they were intended to make, were clearly pointed out to +them; an excellent plan, when practicable, as it leaves no +one any excuse for mistakes or blunders during the action.</p> + +<p>At length, on the 10th of that month, I believe, it was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_246" id="Page_246">[246]</a></span> +settled to take place; but on the 9th I was ordered to set +off with the mules of the battalion, to fetch corn from +Passages, a distance of about thirty miles. I suspected this +was a scheme of the captain I before mentioned, as one of +the committee of paymastership, in order the more effectually +to keep me out of danger, for certainly had any thing +serious happened me, they would have had some difficulty +in rendering their accounts. It was not quite certain the +attack was to take place next day, although it had been so +rumoured; however, I was determined to try and reach the +division as early as possible on that day. I accordingly got +my business done in Passages as early as I could get the +commissary to work; and having got the corn, and come +on to Rentaria, which I reached about mid-day, I took the +liberty of leaving the animals in the charge of the non-commissioned +officer who had accompanied me; and calling +on Colonel Ross, obtained his permission to let the sergeant +proceed in charge of them to the regiment, while I might, +if I chose, push on at a quicker rate. I had heard by this +time, that the action had commenced by daylight that +morning. I accordingly set off at as quick a pace as my +starved animal could carry me; and passing Irun, and crossing +the Bidassoa, and keeping along the great road for a considerable +distance, I then inclined to my right, and skirted +the Pyrenees along the whole plain. I had thus an opportunity +of witnessing the conflict carrying on by the left +wing of our army, as I passed along towards La Rhune, +but with every exertion of myself and my poor jaded horse, +night closed in upon me before I had nearly reached the +station of the light division. I was compelled to work my +way through a country which I had not hitherto passed, +and which having been the scene of a sanguinary combat,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_247" id="Page_247">[247]</a></span> +presented no very pleasing aspect. At last I heard some +strange and foreign voices before me, for it was now quite +dark, on which I turned into a field, and waited till they +passed, by which I learned they were Spaniards. I was apprehensive +I might have kept too far to the left, and had +got into the French lines, which would not have been so +comfortable; but after finding them to be men of General +Frere's Spanish division, I then had hopes of shortly meeting +with my own people. Directed by those good Spaniards, +I at last reached Petit La Rhune, the late formidable position +of the enemy, on which the blazes from a thousand of +their huts were rising to the clouds, and enlightening the +atmosphere around. But it being now ten o'clock, I found +myself incapable of proceeding farther, more particularly as +the Portuguese, among whom I now found myself, could +not give me any certain directions which way my division +had gone. I was fain therefore to take up my abode, and +gladly did so, in a cottage with Colonel St Clair and several +other officers of the sixth Caçadores. Let it not be supposed +that a fighting disposition induced me to use so much +exertion to reach my division on this occasion—no; but as +I considered that a sort of trick had been played off upon +me, I did what I could to render it nugatory; no man liking, +as I imagine, to be the dupe of any other party's manœuvres, +with whatever friendly intention these may have been put in +operation. I arose next morning early, and hastened to +the point where I expected to meet my brave comrades, +anxious to learn the fate of all I loved amongst them. I +saw them and the third division at a considerable distance, +each on a height in front, appearing like flocks of sheep +huddled together as close as possible. I soon reached them, +and learned with sorrow, that the brave Colonel Barnard +was, as they supposed, mortally wounded, the ball having<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_248" id="Page_248">[248]</a></span> +passed through the chest, and that little Lieutenant Doyle +was killed.</p> + +<p>This was a most stupendous action; the scene of operations +extending from right to left, embracing, I imagine, not +less than thirty miles of country. The centre had fallen to +the share of my division, which, in the eyes of the best +judges, was the strongest part of the enemy's line, for it had +been fortified with the most consummate skill, and no labour +had been spared to render it impregnable, as the enemy +had been busily employed in the construction of forts, redoubts, +and other field-works of every denomination, from +the day we drove them from the Pass of Vera; one in particular, +a stone built fort, in the shape of a star, was exceedingly +strong, and which was attacked and carried in the finest +style possible, I understand, by the 43d regiment; the 52d +also surrounded a fort in which the French 88th regiment +was posted, the brave commander of which not having received +any orders to evacuate it, remained till the retreat of +the French left him no other alternative than to surrender +at discretion. The part my battalion had to play, was to +cross the valley separating the two La Rhunes in double +quick time, and attack the French rock by a gorge, which +allowed a passage from that valley into their position. This +was to be in conjunction with the attack of the Star Fort +by the 43d, as it in some measure took that work in reverse. +In short, every corps in the division, and I believe in the +army, had a most arduous duty to perform, and most nobly +did they execute it. The left of our army, under Sir +Thomas Graham, did not succeed in driving the enemy +from his innumerable works which covered St Jean de Luz, +and which he retained possession of till the next morning; +when the centre, that is the 3d and light divisions, together +with the Spaniards on our right and left centre, made a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_249" id="Page_249">[249]</a></span> +movement in advance, and crossed the Nivelle river, from +which this action derives its name. Our movement, which +threatened to separate the wings of the French army, caused +the enemy to abandon his strong position in front of +St Jean de Luz, as well as that town, on which occasion he +attempted, and partly succeeded in destroying the bridge +over the Nivelle at that place; but it being soon after repaired, +Sir Thomas Graham's corps took up their quarters +in the town.</p> + +<p>We encamped for the night in front of the village of +Serres, or Sarre, or Zarre. It had rained hard all the day +of the 11th, and it continued almost without intermission +till our camp was literally swimming. I remember perfectly +that the water in my tent was several inches deep; and +when I awoke in the morning, I found a Portuguese boy +(who had followed us, and had attached himself to our mess +as a sort of servant) was sitting holding by the tent-pole, +that being the only place where he could find rest for the +sole of his foot. In short, we were as wet, clothes and beds +and all, as if we had been dragged through a river. The +evening before, I well remember, we had been highly +amused by my Scotch quartermaster-sergeant and his +friends, who had taken up their abode close by, singing, till +they rather grew tiresome,</p> + +<div class="poem"> +"We are nae fou', we're nae that fou',<br /> +But just a drappie in our e'e."<br /> +</div> + +<p>This of course was done to drive away dull care, and to +make the best of an uncomfortable situation.</p> + +<p>The next day towards afternoon, a considerable firing +was heard on our right, which had continued but a short +while, till our gallant and unwearied Chief came galloping +up, with some few of his staff following, who could with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_250" id="Page_250">[250]</a></span> +difficulty keep pace with him, and asking most anxiously +whereabouts and what the firing was. We could only +point out the direction in which we heard it, but could +give him no account as to its cause. Away he galloped +in the direction we pointed out, and no doubt soon reached +the spot.</p> + +<p>I forgot to mention, that a man of the Brunswick Oels +corps had been hung the day before for plundering by the +Provost Marshal, no doubt in compliance with superior +orders. It was necessary thus to give the army an example +of severity, in order to deter them from committing those +acts to which all armies are but too prone. We found +indeed very little to plunder, had we been so inclined; for +the greater part of the inhabitants had left their houses, +taking every thing portable with them. This they had been +induced to do from the false statements which Soult had +set forth in some proclamations he issued about this time, +in which he described the English as savages, nay, even as +cannibals, who would not scruple to commit the most monstrous +atrocities; so ignorant were the generality of these +poor peasants, that many of them implicitly believed his +representations. This, no doubt, was done with the view +of raising the whole population in arms against us, in order +to defend their homes against such a set of wretches as he +made it appear we were; but, although many of the natives +joined the French army at this time, with which they were +incorporated and led to battle, the result of his famous proclamations +was not equal to his expectations; for a great +part of them declined warlike proceedings, and retired into +the interior of the country with their families, leaving only +a very small proportion indeed who remained in their +houses. As might be expected, the empty houses suffered +dreadfully; every piece of furniture almost being destroyed,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_251" id="Page_251">[251]</a></span> +either for fire-wood, or in seeking for valuables; while the +houses of those who remained in general escaped.</p> + +<p>General Harispe, being a Basque himself, had the organizing +of the new levies now raised; indeed, many of these +had taken a part in the irruption into Spain on the 25th +July for the relief of Pamplona, and many of them fell on +that occasion. We were not so fully aware of the extent +of the misrepresentation to which Soult had gone in these +proclamations, till some time after we had entered France, +and had penetrated considerably into the interior, when +some of our officers, either during or after a march, entered +the cottage of a peasant who had not left his home, to get +a little milk. The poor woman was remarkably civil, offering +them any thing the house afforded. They got some +milk, for which they offered her money, but which she +declined. Her child was running about the house at this +time, which, coming near one of the officers, he took it +between his knees, and patted it on the head, with which +the child seemed very well pleased; but the poor mother, +standing at a little distance, and eyeing most intently every +motion of the officer, was like to swoon with fear and agitation. +But as the mother had declined receiving any thing +for the milk, the officer who had the child gave it some +small coin, and letting it go, it ran to its mother, who +snatched it up into her arms with the utmost joy, and altering +her look, began to say, she thought they had been +deceived; for that they had been led to believe from the +proclamations of Soult, that we were such barbarians that +we would not scruple to kill and eat their children, and +which was the cause of her late fear and anxiety, as she +expected the officer had taken the child for that purpose; +but now she found we were not such people as she had been +led to believe. Of course the officer laughed most heartily<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_252" id="Page_252">[252]</a></span> +at having been suspected of a man-eating propensity, and +soon convinced the poor woman that the English were not +quite such barbarians as that, whatever she might have +heard to the contrary.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_253" id="Page_253">[253]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XII.</h2> + +<blockquote><p>The British Army advance farther into France—Pass the Nive—Soult's +Plans baffled—Two or three battalions of the Nassau and +Frankfort regiments come over from the French—French Politesse—Threatened +Attack by the French—Battle of the Nive—Account of +the Basques.</p></blockquote> + + +<p>We left our wet camp on the 15th, and advanced to the +village of Arbonne, where, for the first time during the +campaign, we were quartered in houses, except once or twice. +During our stay in the camp at Serres, or Zarre, we sent +our baggage animals to Passages for corn, on which occasion +I lost another horse, the batman pretending it had +been stolen, but which, no doubt, he sold, as that trick had +often been resorted to by this time, and there was no detecting +it.</p> + +<p>On the 17th we left Arbonne, and advanced to Arcangues, +sending forward picquets to the village of Bassozari, +about half a mile in front. My battalion took up into +quarters in some straggling houses in front of the church +of Arcangues, while our first battalion occupied the chateau +and outhouses of Arcangues, about a quarter of a mile to the +right and front of the church. The enemy's picquets were<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_254" id="Page_254">[254]</a></span> +close to Bassozari, so that in some places scarcely a quarter +of a mile intervened between our quarters and their outposts. +They allowed us to take up our outposts very +quietly, they being now established in their intrenched +camp in front of Bayonne, and which was not far distant from +our advance. There were some houses in the line of posts +occupied by the French, which, if in our possession, would +add greatly both to our security and convenience, and which +it was determined to wrest from them if practicable.</p> + +<p>Accordingly, on the 23d the division was put under arms, +and our brigade, being in front, had this task assigned to +them. The 43d, not having had so much work during the +campaign as our two battalions had, was selected for the +purpose of driving in the enemy's picquets, whilst we supported +them. They accordingly attacked and carried the +houses without a moment's delay; but unfortunately, Captain +Hobkirk of that regiment, advancing with his company +beyond the line at which it was intended to halt, got immediately +in front of some of their intrenchments, from which +he could not extricate himself, in consequence of which our +first battalion was ordered to advance to cover his retreat; +but he had by this time fallen into the hands of the enemy, +with a considerable number of his men: his lieutenant was +killed, and altogether the company suffered great loss. The +remainder retreated, our first battalion people holding the +houses it was intended to occupy. This occurred on the +left of the ridge.</p> + +<p>On the right, and adjoining a marsh which separated us +from some high ground near the river Nive, and which was +occupied by another division of our army, were two or three +houses also which it was intended to take, as their possession +secured us a passage across this marsh by a causeway, +which connected two eminences, that on which we stood,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_255" id="Page_255">[255]</a></span> +and that occupied by the other division, the principal object +upon the latter being a large chateau called Garratt's House. +One company of the 43d also took those houses, supported +by some more of that regiment and my battalion; but after +they were taken, from what cause I know not, an order +was sent to evacuate them, on which the 43d retired. +Soon after, they were again ordered to be re-occupied, when +a company of ours advanced, and took possession, but had +not been there many minutes till another order was sent +for them to be evacuated. This order, however, had scarcely +reached them, when a charge was made on them by a body +of French cavalry, supported by a strong column of infantry. +The officer who commanded the company, either from the +order he had received, or from want of presence of mind, +called to his men to run to the rear when the cavalry +charged him, by which he did not suffer much in point of +losing men, for only one was wounded by the cavalry; but +it had a bad appearance to run away from cavalry, a description +of force which we had learnt by this time almost to +despise, especially as, from his post, he might have knocked +down great numbers of them, and finally have repulsed +them, had he allowed his men to fire. The houses were, +however, eventually taken possession of by another company +of our battalion the next day, which retained them in +despite of the enemy. The man who was wounded by the +cavalry was shot in the head by a pistol ball: he came to +the surgeon, where the main body of the battalion was standing, +to be dressed; while this was doing, and the orderly +man holding a tin-full of water near, from which the surgeon +was sponging and cleaning the wound, a ball came, +and, striking the tin, carried it right out from between the +hands of the orderly. I was standing close by, and shall +not easily forget the blank look which, as might be expected,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_256" id="Page_256">[256]</a></span> +the poor orderly put on. There was a good deal of firing +all day, which, except what the 43d suffered, as before noticed, +did little damage to the brigade.</p> + +<p>On the occasion of our company taking these houses the +next day, a very young officer, who happened to command +it, evinced great fortitude and presence of mind. He advanced +on the enemy, who, being then rather inclined to +quietness, retreated gradually before him; but after reaching +the hedge, just beyond the principal house, told him +(for they were quite near enough to speak) that he must +not advance any farther, or they would be compelled to fire +on him. The young fellow, solicitous about nothing but +obeying his orders, told them that he was determined to have +the house, and immediately putting his men under the best +cover he could, called out that they might begin to fire +whenever they pleased, he was ready for them. This young +officer (whose name was Cary, and brother to my friend +who fell at Badajos) spoke excellent French, so that the +enemy understood him perfectly. The enemy did not contend +any longer for the post, but planted their sentries +within about thirty yards of ours. These sentries, indeed, +were still so posted as to prevent a passage across by the +causeway, had they been so inclined; but the next day I +went with another officer across by this road, on which +occasion we actually passed to the rear of the French +sentries.</p> + +<p>A disposition had for some time been gaining ground +with both armies, to mitigate the miseries of warfare, as +much as was consistent with each doing their duty to their +country; and it had by this time proceeded to such an +extent, as to allow us to place that confidence in them that +they would not molest us even if we passed their outposts +for the purpose I have mentioned. And this mutual confidence<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_257" id="Page_257">[257]</a></span> +in each other was productive of the most comfortable +results to both parties. We could move about at any time, +and almost in any place, shooting or otherwise amusing +ourselves, without the dread of falling in with an enemy's +patrol, or of getting among their sentries. They never +molested us from this time, except when we either advanced +upon them, or they upon us, in hostile array. Our division +had two main picquets; all this took place at the right +picquet. A few days after I happened to be at the advanced +post on the left, commanded by one of my battalion, when +the French officers beckoned to us. We, to show we were +peaceably inclined, pulled off our swords, and advanced to +meet them. A number of inhabitants, who had left their +houses on our first entering the country, having heard that +we were not what we had been represented, were desirous +of returning to their homes, and the officers wished us to +admit them, and see them safe through the advanced posts. +This of course we gladly promised, and the poor people +were quite overjoyed at being permitted to visit their dwelling-places +once again; but, poor creatures, I fear they would +find little there except the bare walls, if indeed these remained +entire, for, from the reasons before assigned, it could +scarcely be expected that houses without inhabitants, in the +midst of an invading army, would be much respected. Each +individual among them, old and young, carried heavy bundles +on their heads, no doubt they having removed every thing +that was valuable, if portable.</p> + +<p>The French officers were extremely polite, and asked us +many questions of the news of the day, &c.; but the commander-in-chief, +hearing of the familiarity which subsisted +between the two armies, issued an order, prohibiting British +officers from holding conversations with the enemy; for as +all these conversations were necessarily conducted in French,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_258" id="Page_258">[258]</a></span> +(very few indeed of their officers being able to speak English,) +he was apprehensive they might gain such information +from our people, from their imperfect knowledge of the +French language, as might materially injure our future +proceedings. Before this order was issued, the most unbounded +confidence subsisted between us, and which it was +a pity to put a stop to, except for such weighty reasons. +They used to get us such things as we wanted from Bayonne, +particularly brandy, which was cheap and plentiful, and we +in return gave them occasionally a little tea, of which some +of them had learnt to be fond. Some of them also, who had +been prisoners of war in England, sent letters through our +army-post to their sweethearts in England, our people receiving +the letters and forwarding them. They told us also +how Hobkirk was situated, and were astonished at the extent +and splendour of his equipage, (for he was a great +dandy,) and could scarcely be persuaded he was only a +captain.</p> + +<p>My present commanding-officer, who was the senior +captain, and in whose mess I then was, had sent to England, +and got out from thence two immense pies, weighing +nearly a hundred-weight each, and packed in tin cases. +They were composed of every kind of game, and the best +description of fowls, such as turkeys, &c., with the bones +taken out, and the meat baked till it became like brawn +when cut in slices. They were most excellent. One of +these he had made a present of to our Major-general, and +the other we were eating in the mess. We had also at this +time a considerable quantity of good wine, which, by some +accident, we had got hold of. We also had bought a pig +and killed it, both living quite sumptuously at present, and +having a good stock for future use.</p> + +<p>But while we ourselves fared so well, our poor horses<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_259" id="Page_259">[259]</a></span> +and mules were literally starving. There was no kind of +forage for them, except what they could pick up in the now +completely exhausted fields around us. We had nothing +else to give them.</p> + +<p>In this way we were going on, when, on the 9th of December, +Lord Wellington, determining on passing the Nive, +preparatory to future operations, ordered our division and +all the left, under Sir John Hope, who had now succeeded +Sir Thomas Graham, to make a movement in advance, in +order that the enemy's attention might be attracted to this +point, while he threw over some divisions to the right bank +of that river. My battalion had to advance along the ridge +by which I had formerly passed in peace, to meet the returning +inhabitants, as may be recollected; but now the +face of affairs was completely altered;—a heavy fire was +kept up by the French picquets from the moment they saw +us advance in arms, but we soon drove them from their +advanced works, and they were obliged to take shelter in +their intrenched camp, which was remarkably strong, and +which it was not intended we should attack. We accordingly +halted on the brow of the ridge, while they kept up +an incessant fire, both from their guns and infantry, but +which, considering its extent and duration, was not by any +means a destructive fire.</p> + +<p>Sir John Hope had a more laborious task to perform, or +else his troops went beyond the point intended, for they +continued the fight nearly all day, and at one time were +considerably in advance, but afterwards recalled.</p> + +<p>The passage of the Nive was completely effected, and in +the evening we returned to our comfortable houses, a short +distance in the rear, and went to bed as usual. Next +morning, however, very early, orders were given to turn +out immediately, and stand to our arms, for the enemy was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_260" id="Page_260">[260]</a></span> +advancing; and indeed, when I came to the door, I heard a +good deal of firing. The troops turned out at once, but the +mules were to get, and the baggage to pack, and send +away to the rear, or it might be lost; so I set myself about +this with all dispatch; but before any of it was put up, I +saw posting by me, with all expedition, a civil officer, who +had only a short while joined us, and who, in his hurry, had +put up all he could scrape together on his horse, on which +he himself was riding. His boots, tied together, were slung +over the horse's neck, and in short he looked more like a +bagman than an officer, from the number of things he had +hanging about him. It was most laughable to see him. I +called out and asked him why he was in such a hurry, but +he did not stop to give me an answer.</p> + +<p>I got up our baggage very well, but what to do with the +pie, the pig, and the wine, I knew not, so was constrained +to leave them as they were, hoping we might not allow the +enemy to penetrate so far. I then moved off the baggage, +and, directing the servants who had charge of it to proceed +up a lane which carried them towards the rear, I moved on +and joined the battalion. Just as I reached the plateau, or +high ground in front of the church of Arcangues, I met an +officer of ours to whom I had lately lent a fine young mare, +for which I had not food sufficient; and he having no horse +himself, I thought he would take care of her; but here I +met him going into the fight riding on the poor animal, +although scarcely able to drag one leg behind the other. I +remonstrated with him, but he did not mind me. The result +was as might have been anticipated—she soon after +dropped down, unable to move farther, and died; thus I +lost L.35 more, which she had cost me. By this time the +enemy had driven in the regiment which had been on +picquet, and one or two of our companies were sent forward<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_261" id="Page_261">[261]</a></span> +to cover their retreat to the church behind us, where they +were ordered to take post, it being a high and fine position, +and had by this time been partly fortified. My people +retired gradually before the enemy, who now advanced in +great numbers.</p> + +<p>Our 1st battalion were not so fortunate in effecting their +retreat. An officer and some men having got into a +hollow way, were surrounded by the enemy and taken; +another was killed; and another, with his section, had to +force their way through a strong body which had got in his +rear. My battalion did not fall into any scrape of that +nature, but sustained a considerable loss in killed and +wounded, from the vast superiority of the enemy in point +of numbers, who, no doubt, did not escape with impunity. +We held our ground at the bottom of the hill on which the +church is built, the French not being able to force us +farther back; the 1st battalion, at the same time, holding +the fence and ditch in front of the Chateau, as well as that +building itself. But a rather unpleasant occurrence took +place at this time. When the enemy appeared on the +plateau before mentioned, a regiment behind us, without +orders, I believe, opened a heavy fire upon them, several +shots of which struck among our men. One of them went in +at the back of one of our soldiers, and killed him on the spot; +another penetrated the back window of a house into which +a party of ours had entered for defence, and very near +struck an officer, who was in the room at the time. These +shots must have been fired either by young soldiers, who +scarcely knew how they pointed their muskets, or they +must have taken our people for the enemy, from which, +indeed, they were not far distant. I am confident it was +purely accidental, for no two corps could be on better terms<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_262" id="Page_262">[262]</a></span> +than that regiment and ours always were. The skirmishing +continued till dark.</p> + +<p>This was one of a series of masterly movements between +the two contending generals. Lord Wellington having +sent a pretty strong force across the Nive, as before mentioned, +Soult imagined he had so weakened his force on the +left, as to render it probable he might penetrate it, and thus +cause his lordship to withdraw his troops again from the +right bank of the Nive; but he was anticipated; for Lord +Wellington had no sooner established himself on the other +side of the Nive, than he brought one of the supporting +divisions of that movement to support us at the church of +Arcangues, it being an important post to hold; so that, when +we looked behind us, after we retired into position, we saw +innumerable bayonets glistening in the sun, and ready to +move forward whenever they should be required; but they +never were wanted here, the light division being quite sufficient +to sustain any attack the enemy had yet made on +them. This, however, showed the provident care of his +lordship, and how completely he had penetrated Soult's +design.</p> + +<p>This night two or three battalions of the Nassau and +Frankfort regiments came over and left the French. They +had heard that the Dutch had declared against Bonaparte, +and wished to be transported to Holland, with all their +arms and appointments, which they brought with them. +We remained in bivouack on the ridge extending between +the church and chateau of Arcangues all night, our picquets +remaining in possession of the houses and hedges at the +bottom of the hill, where we stopped the French in the +morning. I visited the picquets at night, in company with +my commanding-officer, where we found all well, and alert. +The next day, there being no firing between us and those<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_263" id="Page_263">[263]</a></span> +in our front, three French officers, seemingly anxious to +prove how far politeness and good breeding could be carried +between the two nations, when war did not compel +them to be unfriendly, took a table and some chairs out of +a house which was immediately in our front, and one which +we had lately occupied as a barrack; and bringing them +down into the middle of the field, which separated the advance +of the two armies, sat down within 100 yards of our +picquet, and drank wine, holding up their glasses, as much +as to say your health, every time they drank. Of course +we did not molest them, but allowed them to have their +frolic out.</p> + +<p>During the day, also, we saw soldiers of the three nations, +viz. English, Portuguese, and French, all plundering +at the same time in one unfortunate house, where our pie, +our pig, and wine had been left. It stood about 150 or +200 yards below the church, on a sort of neutral ground +between the two armies; hence the assemblage at the same +moment of such a group of these motley marauders. They +plundered in perfect harmony, no one disturbing the other +on account of his nation or colour. There were a great +number of apples in it at the time we left it, belonging to +the owner of the house, but when we returned, two or three +days afterwards, the desolation was complete. Our once +comfortable quarter contained nothing now but filth and +dirt. One poor girl had remained in it all the while, but +she could not save one article; indeed, in such a case it +would have been a service of danger to attempt it.</p> + +<p>At night one of our sergeants played the French a trick. +He took with him a few men, and, knowing the ground +well, they passed the French sentry unobserved, having +reached the house at the top of the field out of which they +had brought the table, &c., where their picquet was stationed.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_264" id="Page_264">[264]</a></span> +He made a rush at their arms, which he found piled +in front of the house, and set to work and broke them before +the French had time to recover from the consternation +into which they were thrown by so unexpected an assault. +He and his party then came running off without sustaining +any injury. He was a most determined brave soldier this, +but afterwards lost an arm at Toulouse, and was of course +discharged with a pension.</p> + +<p>On the 12th, the enemy made a mighty show of attacking +our position, having greatly increased their force in +front of us, and had, some way or other, found the means +of spreading a report in our lines that 1800 grenadiers had +been chosen to lead on the attack. They also traced out +batteries, and cut embrasures, apparently with the intention +of burning or knocking down the chateau of Arcangues, the +owner of which remained in it all this time, and was rather +suspected of holding correspondence with his countrymen. +It is not unlikely it was by his means the report above +alluded to was propagated. Every thing now wore a serious +aspect, and of course every thing was done to render +their attack abortive. All were animated with the best +disposition to defend the post to the last extremity; but +while the generality believed all these preparations were +serious, there were others who thought it only a <i>ruse de +guerre</i>; indeed, had our friends, the German hussars, +(with whom we had often acted in concert,) been here at +this time, it is more than probable they would have been +strongly inclined to the latter opinion, for they scarcely +ever saw the French make a great bustle and noise, as if +about immediately to advance and attack, but they would +coolly say, after eyeing them awhile, "Oh, he not come +to-day!" "He go away!" and were generally certain of being +right. So full of trick and artifice are our French antagonists,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_265" id="Page_265">[265]</a></span> +that they generally act in quite a contrary manner +to what appearances indicate. But they began to be known; +hence the scepticism of some of our people on the present +occasion. Accordingly, about midnight, when the attack +was to have been made, away they went, and retired nearly +into their lines, leaving only a few to keep the ground.</p> + +<p>At daylight next morning we again moved forward, on +which there was a good deal of firing between the Portuguese +battalion that had followed them and their rearguard; +but when our people advanced to our old post on the ridge, +I, happening to be first, took off my cap, and, putting it on +the top of my sword, held it up, which the French taking +for a signal of peace, as it was intended, the firing on both +sides ceased, each party taking up the post they held previous +to the late movements. We wondered why the French +had retired, but presently heard a tremendously heavy firing +in the direction of the Nive. Soult, it seems, had withdrawn +nearly all his troops from our flank, and marching +rapidly through Bayonne, had attacked General Hill, who +commanded on the other side of the Nive, with great impetuosity, +thinking Lord Wellington had weakened that force +to strengthen us; but here again Soult was outwitted, for +he found on that side quite sufficient to give him as sound +a drubbing as he ever got; the Portuguese on this occasion, +I understand, performing wonders.</p> + +<p>These five days' fighting (for on every day there was +firing, more or less, in one part or other of the line) were +called the Battle of the Nive. We had had three days' work +of it—they on our right two—and Sir John Hope's people, +on our left, four, I believe, and they not trifling ones. In +every thing Soult undertook, he was completely foiled—all +his schemes having been clearly seen through by his more +sagacious opponent. Indeed he had inflicted a heavy loss on<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_266" id="Page_266">[266]</a></span> +our left wing, commanded by Sir John Hope, where the +fighting had been most severe, but no doubt he suffered +equally, if not more severely than they did. I am told that +the enemy's light troops were most insolent and annoying +to our heavy regiments on the left, on this occasion. What +a pity that they could not have been opposed by troops of +a similar description!</p> + +<p>It may be remembered the civil officer of whom I made +mention, as having rode away with the greater part of his +wardrobe hanging about his horse; he was more fortunate +than we were, for the things which he left, his kind landlady +took care of, and hid in some snug corner till the business +was over, and on his return restored them all to him. +He said the cause of his going off in such a hurry arose +from a cannon-shot having struck the lintel of the door or +window of his house while he was in the act of shaving, on +which he bundled out with whatever he could scrape together, +and set off. I verily believe it must have been the +effect of imagination, for I remained behind him at least a +quarter of an hour, and although our houses were close together, +I did not either hear or see a shot fired in that direction +till we had reached the hill, nearly an hour after; but +he constantly maintained that it was so.</p> + +<p>We again took up our old quarters in front of the church; +but oh, how changed were they now from what they had +formerly been in point of comfort! nevertheless, they still +afforded us shelter from the inclemency of the weather. +Soon after dark on this evening, a rather unpleasant affair +occurred at the left advanced post of our division. An officer +and two men coming from the French advance, with +what intention is not known, were observed by the corporal +who was stationed at our abatis, who immediately took +out his rifle and shot the officer through the body, on which<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_267" id="Page_267">[267]</a></span> +his two men lifted him up and carried him into their picquet-house. +We were apprehensive this would put an end to +that good understanding which had hitherto subsisted between +the picquets of the two nations, and much regretted +the circumstance. It is more than probable the officer was +coming as a sort of patrol, to ascertain whether or not we +had left the post, which, being a military undertaking, subjected +him to all the chances of war attendant thereon. +This is the more probable from his having two soldiers with +him armed, as I understand they were; but if it was meant +as a friendly visit, as formerly sometimes took place, it was +greatly to be lamented; however, they did not, on account +of this occurrence, manifest any soreness or ill-will afterwards, +and the mutual good understanding continued to +subsist between us.</p> + +<p>While we remain at rest here a short space, I will endeavour +to put the reader in possession of the character of the +inhabitants, among whom we have been sojourning for a +few months past—I mean the Biscayans. From the time +we crossed the Ebro, a wonderful change took place in the +appearance of the natives; and I believe the same description +of people extend considerably into France, although +under another government; they, I understand, still retain +their ancient customs, dress, and language; they are denominated +Basques, from the name of the province, I apprehend, +which is called Biscay. They speak a different language +from either the Spaniards, who border them on one +side, or the French, on the other; and some of our officers +who spoke Welsh, said they could understand a few of their +words; it is denominated the Basque language. They generally +wear cloth of their own manufacture, which is commonly +blue, in some parts red or brown; in the neighbourhood +of Pamplona, almost always the latter. The men<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_268" id="Page_268">[268]</a></span> +wear a sort of Scotch bonnet, with a short jacket and trowsers, +and are an amazingly athletic and active people. The +women wear a short jacket also, of the same colour with +their petticoat; and with their hair, which they encourage +to grow to a great length, plaited in one large plait, and +tied with a small piece of ribbon; it is allowed to hang +down their back, and almost in all cases reaches to, or below +their middle. They wear a handkerchief tastefully disposed +upon their head. They are a fine, tall, and handsome race +of women; but they have a custom of compressing their +breasts, so that they appear as flat in the bosom as the men, +which, to an English eye, is not becoming. The women do +the same kind of work as the men, that is, they plough, +and labour at all sorts of husbandry; but what seemed +most remarkable to us, was their sole management of the +ferry-boats about Passages and St Sebastian; they row as +well as any men, being amazingly strong and active; they +seem content with their lot, and always appeared cheerful +and happy. I believe they are strictly virtuous; and although +very handsome in general, they did not seem so +fond of admiration as the females of many other countries +are; upon the whole, I think they resemble the Welsh +more than any other people with whom I am acquainted; +their countries are exceedingly similar, being mountainous, +and in general not over fruitful, so that constant labour +seems to be rendered absolutely necessary to insure to them +the means of subsistence; hence they are industrious and +frugal, and, upon the whole, an interesting and moral people.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_269" id="Page_269">[269]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XIII.</h2> + +<blockquote><p>The Author's Battalion quartered in Aurantz on 3d January, 1814—The +Cantonments at Aurantz broke up on 16th February, and the +Campaign of 1814 commenced—Farther Advance into France—Skirmishing +with the Enemy—Military Manœuvres—Battle of Orthes—Defeat +and Pursuit of the Enemy—Succession of Attacks on them—They +are driven from their Position in and near Tarbes—Skirmishing +at Tournefoile—The Enemy retire towards Toulouse.</p></blockquote> + + +<p>On the 3d of January 1814, we were ordered to quit a +part of the country, which, from the various occurrences +that had taken place since we first arrived in it, had, in +some measure, rendered it interesting to us. We moved a +little to the right, and crossed the Nive, and again moved +in advance about a league or more. This movement was +made in support of some operations which Lord Wellington +was conducting in the direction of the Adour, which being +completed, we returned to the Nive, and took up our cantonments +in the villages of Ustaritz and Aurantz. About +this time, nearly the whole of the peasantry, who had fled +on our entering France, were now returning to their habitations, +all fear that we should murder them, and eat their +children, having by this time been completely dissipated.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_270" id="Page_270">[270]</a></span> +Indeed we were often told after this, that they would much +prefer having a British army among them, to their own +people, for they were always haughty, they said, and overbearing, +and never scrupled to take whatever they had a +mind for, while we were orderly and quiet, and never took +an article without amply repaying the owner for it. Indeed +I am well convinced the change the poor people had made +in their lodgers was greatly for the better to them.</p> + +<p>My battalion was quartered in the village of Aurantz, +from which we often took a stroll, to look at the scene of +our late operations. The French having, in consequence +of Lord Wellington's movements near the Adour, strengthened +their army in that direction, which of course rendered +it necessary they should contract the limits of their front +on the side towards Spain, they had consequently withdrawn +their advance considerably within their former lines. +We now also had plenty of opportunity for shooting, but +were but ill supplied with fowling-pieces, or we might have +killed an abundance of woodcocks, every thicket in the +neighbourhood being filled with them.</p> + +<p>The weather now was extremely bad, and the roads impassable, +except by yourself wading up to the knees, or having +your horse almost continually nearly up to his belly. In consequence +of the difficulty of communicating by dragoons, on +account of the roads, telegraphs were established all along +from the right of the army, on the banks of the Adour, to +St Jean de Luz on our left, the head-quarters of the army. +While in these cantonments, an account arrived of our gallant +Major-general (Kempt) having been appointed to the +colonelcy of the 8th battalion of the 60th regiment, which +had just been raised. At the recommendation of my commanding-officer, +now Major Balvaird, the general kindly +transmitted my name to the War Office for the appointment<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_271" id="Page_271">[271]</a></span> +of paymaster of his battalion; but unfortunately for me, +before my name arrived, his late Royal Highness the Duke +of York, as Colonel-in-chief of the regiment, had nominated +another person to the situation. It had always hitherto +been customary for Colonels-commandant, and not the +Colonel-in-chief, to nominate their own staff, but on this +occasion another rule was adopted, which, of course, was a +great disappointment to me, as I had, with considerable +trouble, got all my sureties, &c. prepared, although they +were now not needed.</p> + +<p>I had, during our stay here, one or more trips to the +paymaster-general for money, for although the paymaster +of the battalion had by this time arrived, I had several +months' pay still to draw, the army being considerably in +arrear in their pay. I had thus an opportunity of visiting +St Jean de Luz, and all the enemy's late fortifications and +position in that neighbourhood, and amazingly strong they +had indeed rendered the ground in front of that town. It +was a considerable and well-built town, partaking a good +deal of both the Spanish and French character of course, it +being the first French town next to the frontier; and, as I +said before, there being very little difference between the +Basques on either side of the Bidassoa, the change of countries +in respect to inhabitants was not very observable except +among the better orders.</p> + +<p>On the 16th of February we broke up from our cantonments +in Aurantz, and commenced the campaign of 1814, +crossing the Nive at Ustaritz, and moving on in the direction +of La Bastide de Clarence. We encamped on a wild +heath, without any village or town being near us, and again +the next morning continued our route to the place above-named, +which we reached about noon, and encamped on a +hill beyond it.</p> + +<p>On the 22d<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_272" id="Page_272">[272]</a></span> we advanced to St Palais, having passed +other villages, the names of which I have forgot, in the +intermediate days. Nothing, however, of any note occurred +in that period. On the 23d we encamped near La Chere +and Charrette; on the 24th we crossed two rapid and deep +streams of the Bidowse. The first we got over with considerable +ease,—it was the Gave de Mauleon, which we +crossed at Nabes; but the second, the Gave d'Oleron, +was not only both deeper and more rapid than the other, +but the passage seemed intended to be disputed with us; +some French cavalry having made their appearance on +the opposite bank, as we approached the river. The resistance +they could offer, however, seemed very trifling, for, on +our bringing up some guns to the bank, and a few shots +having been fired from them, and from a company of our +second battalion, they withdrew.</p> + +<p>We now prepared to go over; accordingly, every man +was ordered to take off his pouch and buckle it on the top +of his knapsack, the ford being so deep as to take the men up +to or above the middle. On this occasion I had I know not +how many of the poor men hanging about me and my horse. +Some were holding by the stirrup, some by the tail, and +others by the mane, or wherever they could lay hold, for +the stream was so rapid as to nearly sweep them off their +legs. Indeed I understand several of those who followed +us were actually swept down, and perished.</p> + +<p>On reaching the farther bank, we found the French had +endeavoured to render it impassable, by throwing harrows, +&c., with their spikes upmost, in the only places where you +could ascend from the river. I believe a trumpeter of the +French was all who fell on this day.</p> + +<p>We passed through Ville Neuve, and formed in a field +beyond the village, till the whole division had got over. It<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_273" id="Page_273">[273]</a></span> +was in this village where the scene between the mother, the +child, and some of our officers, took place. When joined and +formed, we moved on to a high and ugly common, not far +in rear of the village of Orion, where we bivouacked for the +night. It was most uncomfortable.</p> + +<p>Before we reached our ground this evening, we observed, +at a short distance to our left, a body of about 200 French +infantry moving on parallel to us, but apparently making +all haste to get away in front of us. Some suggested the +idea of attacking and taking them prisoners; but as they +were rather before us, it could not have been done without +setting one of the battalions at them in double-quick time, +and which would not have been an easy operation, after a +long and fatiguing march, and fording two rivers. Besides, +as our Quartermaster-general said, it was certain they could +not be far from their support; consequently it would only +bring on an affair, which it was not the General's wish to do +at that time, for there was none near to support us should +the enemy send a force against us. This day General +Picton's division had a sharp affair at Navarreins, where +they forced the passage of the Gave we had crossed.</p> + +<p>On the 25th, we moved forward early in the morning, +and on reaching the village of Orion, we found that Soult +had had his head-quarters the night before, with a considerable +portion of his army, in and around the village; it was +therefore fortunate we did not attack the French detachment +before mentioned, for we should certainly have had +Soult, with all his people, upon our single division. A +French band had remained in this village till our arrival, +having deserted in a body from the regiment to which they +belonged, or they, seeing they could not make their escape, +pretended to desert and join our army.</p> + +<p>We bent our course towards Orthes, which was now only<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_274" id="Page_274">[274]</a></span> +a few leagues in front of us. A man brought a cask of +excellent wine to the roadside, with the intention of giving +every man of the division a drink, but we could not wait, +and were consequently obliged to leave the good man's gift. +It showed that either good-will or fear had prompted him +to this act. I rather think the former was the cause, as he +lived some distance from the road. We had not continued +long on the march, till we heard a loud and thundering explosion +in front of us, which, as it was expected, turned +out to be the bridge of Orthes, which the enemy had +blown up. A short while after we came in sight of the +town, and one of our Portuguese Caçadore regiments being +sent forward, a smart skirmish commenced between them +and the French, who had been left on and about the bridge +to prevent our repairing it. I foolishly went down to see +what was going on, and had nigh paid for my curiosity.</p> + +<p>We took up our ground behind a height which overlooked +the town, through which the enemy were passing in +large columns. In consequence of this, we got some guns +into a field in front of our hill, and commenced a cannonade +upon them, which, we could observe, made them hurry +their pace considerably. They also brought some heavy +field-guns to bear upon us, and fired some shots, but without +doing us much injury. Throughout the whole of the +road by which the French had come before us, desolation +and misery marked their footsteps; and in the village of +Orion, where Soult himself had slept the night before, nothing +could exceed the despair and misery of the few remaining +inhabitants, who told us they had been literally +stripped of their all; indeed, they appeared most forlorn +and wretched beings, and, as might be expected, poured out +the most heavy and bitter complaints, not unmingled with +imprecations, on the heads of their plundering countrymen.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_275" id="Page_275">[275]</a></span> +I went into a poor weaver's house here, where, if I mistake +not greatly, the marauders had actually cut the web he was +weaving out of the loom, and carried it off with them.</p> + +<p>We remained on this ground all night, and the next +morning his lordship was intently occupied for a considerable +time in reconnoitring the enemy's position. At +length, as if he had fully made up his mind how to act, he +ordered our division to fall in, which was promptly obeyed; +then, sending his staff with directions, we were ordered to +file to the right, and to move down towards the river, +apparently with the intention of crossing a little above the +bridge, which had been destroyed. On the other side, +immediately opposite what appeared to be the ford, were +large bodies of infantry, together with a great quantity of +artillery.</p> + +<p>I recollect my battalion was leading the division, and it +appeared at this moment as if we were going to be engaged in +a most arduous and hazardous undertaking; for the enemy's +artillery would have swept us off the face of the earth before +we could possibly have reached the farther bank; however, +this was only a <i>ruse de guerre</i>, and a most deep-planned +and well-executed one it was; for while we were +moving down towards the river, a staff-officer came riding, +and ordered us all to hide as much as possible from the view +of the enemy, by crouching down, &c. as we moved along. +It may seem rather paradoxical to be ordered thus to act, at +the same time that we wished the enemy to observe our +movement; but the fact is, there were probably a thousand +eyes fixed on us all the time we lay here, and who watched +most closely our every movement; consequently, we could +not stir without the enemy being aware of it; and if on this +occasion we had made a show and a parade of our movement, +it would have been suspected as only a feint at once,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_276" id="Page_276">[276]</a></span> +as the French themselves, from often practising this stratagem, +would have penetrated immediately our object. But +our Chief went a step too deep for them, adepts as they are +in all the arts of this kind; for he made a pretence of +hiding from them his movement, knowing well that we +were observed; and this completely deceived them. This +threat of crossing here was made in order to favour the +construction of a bridge about eight or ten miles down the +river, and the crossing there by another division, as they +were thus enabled to guess where the principal force for +opposition would be required. I believe a better planned +or more successful stratagem was never practised. But I +own, when we were marching down to the river to cross +in front of the immense masses which we saw ready to oppose +us, I believed that few would survive to tell the tale +hereafter.</p> + +<p>The moment when we were just opening from the covered +ground to plunge into the river, we were instantly +countermarched with all expedition, and moved down the +river at a quick pace till we reached the pontoon bridge +which had been so successfully constructed and thrown +over at the village of Sala. This being now perfectly safe, +we encamped at the village for the night.</p> + +<p>On the morning of the 27th, we early crossed the river +called the Gave de Pau, and moved forward in the direction +of the town of Orthes by the great road. On the right +bank of that river, when we came within about two miles +of the town, we were moved more to our left, ascending the +high ridge which runs parallel with the river, and on which +the French had taken up a strong position, and were said +to be between 30,000 and 40,000 strong. One division had +been ordered to move along the summit of this ridge, on +which ran the great road to Peyrehourade, and to attack the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_277" id="Page_277">[277]</a></span> +enemy on that flank, while our division communicated with +that and the 3d division to our right. When the action +was commenced, the 2d division had been directed to ford +above the bridge, where our feint had been made the day +before, and passing through the town, to attack on the +opposite flank, and thus cut off their retreat towards the +Pau. The enemy's position proved to be exceedingly +strong, and difficult of access by us.</p> + +<p>The action commenced by the 4th division attacking on +the road leading along the ridge, where an obstinate and +bloody conflict took place, without our people being able to +make any impression. The attack of the 3d division, on our +right, also commenced immediately after; but such was the +nature of the ground on this side, being mostly in long +pointed ridges, running out like the rays of a star, and +which were exceedingly strong, that no efforts were able to +force them from this ground.</p> + +<p>General Hill had by this time got over the river, and +was approaching the position. My division, having been +deprived of two of its regiments, which had been sent, previous +to the commencement of our operations this spring, +to receive their clothing at St Jean de Luz, being rendered +weak in consequence, it was kept in reserve, as I before +mentioned. During this unsuccessful attack, our gallant +Chief was for a considerable time immediately in front +of us, watching with the most anxious care every motion +of both armies. He appeared to me to be extremely +thoughtful and serious on the occasion, as our troops did +not succeed in forcing this stronghold of the enemy. The +firing at this time was extremely animated, particularly on +the ridge to our left, where great slaughter was made on +both sides. And the French having discovered where he +and his staff were assembled, opened a smart cannonade on<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_278" id="Page_278">[278]</a></span> +the group, but without doing any mischief, I believe, and +without being noticed by him. Their shots generally fell +about our division, which was formed immediately behind +the hill on which he stood.</p> + +<p>At length, whether from the request of Colonel Barnard, +who was at this time by his lordship's side, or whether by +his own direction, I know not, but the Colonel was ordered +to take on the 52d and 1st Portuguese belonging to the Caçadores, +our 2d brigade, and endeavour to force a passage +through the French line, by the gorge of the valley, which +lay immediately in his front, and they would thus, if successful, +penetrate into the centre of the enemy's position. +They accordingly moved up the valley in column of companies, +sustaining all the time the most galling and destructive +fire, for the enemy were thus on each of their flanks, as +well as in front. When they reached within a short distance +of the centre height, they formed line, and moving on at a +brisk pace and carrying every thing before them, they drove +the enemy from the plateau, and thus penetrated into the +very heart of their army. This was a most daring and +intrepid movement, for although assailed by ten times +their force, and nearly surrounded by the enemy, these gallant +corps hesitated not to push on, although the very elements +seemed as it were to fight against them; for on the +brow of the enemy's position the fire had been so heavy and +so incessant, that the very furze bushes and herbs of all +kinds were in a blaze along the front, through which, with +innumerable foes behind it, these gallant men forced a passage +at the point of the bayonet.</p> + +<p>This movement had the effect of at once deciding the fate +of the day, for Soult seeing his very centre and strongest +position carried, which separated between his wings, at once +ordered a retreat of his whole force. The remainder of our<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_279" id="Page_279">[279]</a></span> +division were now despatched with all speed in pursuit of the +flying enemy, but they never attempted after this to make a +stand, and nothing was left for us to perform but to give +chase to the fugitives. When we reached the enemy's +centre position, we found that every thing had been cleared +away which could in the least impede his movements; every +hedge and ditch had been completely levelled, so that nothing +remained but a beautiful plain on the top of the ridge, +except where works of defence had been thrown up. We +were not successful in capturing any of the enemy, except +the wounded, who had necessarily been left on the field, and +we did not lay hold of any of his materiél, except a few guns +which he had been obliged to abandon in a swamp below the +position.</p> + +<p>I have related only such things as fell within my own +observation, but no doubt many were the heroic and gallant +deeds that were performed in this hard contested battle, +besides what I have detailed. As might be expected, the +gallant 52d and its supporting corps, the 1st Portuguese +Caçadores, suffered dreadfully, leaving probably one-fourth +of their numbers on the field. But I must not omit mentioning +one trait of gallantry which attracted the admiration +of the whole army. Lord March (now the Duke of +Richmond) had for some time been on the personal staff of +Lord Wellington, where his services had been most efficient. +He also was at this time a captain in the 52d regiment, but +from his high civil rank had never served as an infantry +officer with his regiment. He was determined to know and +practice his duty in every situation, and therefore requested +leave from his lordship to be permitted to join his corps as +a captain, which was granted of course, and this was his +first debut in the character of an officer of foot. It was no +doubt a sharp trial; and poor fellow, while bravely leading<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_280" id="Page_280">[280]</a></span> +on the company which his Majesty had intrusted to his +command, he fell dangerously (then supposed mortally) +wounded. This was a noble example to set our young nobility, +and they cannot do better than to follow such a precedent. +I understand he has been heard to say, "that the +chance of a staff-officer being hit in action, is not near so +great as that of an officer of infantry, who must quietly +brave all that comes against him, while a staff-officer, being +well mounted, can quickly get out of danger; and that if a +gentleman wishes truly to learn his profession as an officer, +he ought to serve for a time in the infantry whilst engaged +in operations in the field."</p> + +<p>This was a most decided, but withal an unfruitful victory, +and only tended to establish more firmly the superior skill +of our commander, and the superior bravery of the British +army. We had heard of the proceedings of the allies in the +north, and of a number of the French generals having +deserted the cause of their once potent, but now fallen master. +And I verily believed that Soult had collected his +whole force together here for the express purpose of either +allowing himself to be surrounded, and thus make a show +of being compelled to surrender, or of inducing his whole +army to come over at once to the side of the Bourbons, but +in all these conjectures I was completely mistaken; for +whatever may have been Soult's faults as a man, he has +always shown himself a consistent and an able defender of +the cause he first espoused, and as such is certainly respectable.</p> + +<p>We pursued the flying columns of the enemy for about +two leagues beyond the field of action, crossing in our +pursuit the river Luy de Bearne, and at night took up our +abode in bivouack, near the village of Bonne Garde. The +night proved extremely cold and frosty, for in the morning<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_281" id="Page_281">[281]</a></span> +when I intended to arise, I found my cloak frozen to the +ground. We had no kind of covering. My commanding-officer +had taken up his abode in a cottage close by, where +there was no bed but what the people occupied. He therefore +got into the kneading-trough, in which he slept very +comfortably; but in the morning I remember he turned out +like a miller.</p> + +<p>We started soon after daybreak, and continued our march, +crossing the small river Luy de France. Here I remember +our assistant Quartermaster-general told us what great difficulty +he found in obtaining information from the inhabitants +as to the by-roads which run parallel to the great road +from Orthes; for these good people could not conceive why +he should be hunting after by-roads of this description, +which were generally very bad, while the great road, which +was always good, lay so near the line by which he wished +to move, not knowing perhaps, or not understanding, that +other divisions of the army were moving on the high-road, +while we wished to make a corresponding movement on +their flank. They would always, however, after directing +him how to proceed for a while, bring him again on to the +great road, which he wished to avoid for the reason before +given.</p> + +<p>The comfort, and the efficiency of an army in the field +depends more, I am persuaded, on the abilities and zeal of +officers in the Quartermaster-general's department, than on +any other branch of the service; for if they are remiss or +unacquainted with their duty, the marches and counter-marches, +the halts, and the changes of direction, are so numerous +and annoying, that the spirits and strength of the +troops are soon worn out, and of course dissatisfaction and +inefficiency soon follow. But to the credit of the officers of +this department at the period of which I am writing, I believe<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_282" id="Page_282">[282]</a></span> +never army possessed more able, more zealous, or more +active staff-officers, than we did, and that principally owing +to the excellent example set them by the head of this department, +than whom a more able conductor of an army +does not exist. On one of these occasions when our assistant +Quartermaster-general had occasion to wait upon the +authorities of a village, he jokingly asked them for passports, +as is customary in France, to proceed into the country. +"Ma foi," says the worthy Mayor, "you obtained +your passports at Vittoria, you need no others now."</p> + +<p>We halted for the night near the village of Duerse. In the +morning, we forded the Adour near a small village, the name +of which I forget, and making a long and rapid march, we +took possession of the city of Mont de Marsan, where we +found immense magazines of provisions, which had been +collected by the enemy. This was the most valuable capture +that had been made by the British army since its arrival +in the Peninsula; for although a great deal of treasure +was obtained at Vittoria, yet a considerable portion of that +fell into the hands of individuals; but this was secured for +the benefit of the whole army. The enemy had abandoned the +city previous to our arrival, consequently it was a bloodless +conquest, which rendered it the more valuable. Mont +de Marsan is what may be termed a fine and an extensive +city, containing about 3000 inhabitants.</p> + +<p>The people received us kindly upon the whole, and +showed us great attention. Here we had superb quarters, +and the change from what we had lately been accustomed +to, produced a rather uncomfortable feeling; for our clothes +and all our equipments so little corresponded with the magnificence +around us, that we should have preferred less +stately mansions, if comfortable, as more congenial with +our respective establishments. But we did not long enjoy<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_283" id="Page_283">[283]</a></span> +our splendid lodgings; for, having secured the booty, +we left the city, and returned to the banks of the +Adour. The march both to and from this city had been +along straight flat roads, cut through an immense pine forest, +with which this department is almost completely +covered. The roads had been for some time much traversed, +and having a sandy bottom, were consequently very +bad at this season of the year; added to which, a violent +storm of snow and sleet assailed us all the march of this +day, which made it a rather uncomfortable business. We +halted for the night in a village named, I think, St Maurice, +and the next day were moved into St Sever, a considerable +town on the left bank of the Adour, in which Lord Wellington +had taken up his head-quarters. Here we remained +some days, doing duty over his lordship, when we crossed +to the right bank, and moved up the river, halting +at the town of Grenade. We next morning continued our +route up that bank till we reached Barcelonne, a considerable +town some little distance from the river, and nearly +opposite Aire, a large town on the left bank, and near +which General the Hon. Wm. Stewart, with the 2d division, +had had a smart brush with the enemy on the day we captured +Mont de Marsan.</p> + +<p>On the evening of the 10th we halted at the village of +Arblade, and, on the 11th, entered Tarsac, where we remained +for the night. We were next morning pushed on +to a village in front, about a league distant, but were allowed +to remain there only for one night, for the enemy now +began to appear in our front in considerable force. We were +consequently withdrawn, and, passing through Tarsac, the +division formed in a wood about half-way between that and +Aire. We expected something serious was about to occur, +but, from what cause I know not, the enemy again retreated,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_284" id="Page_284">[284]</a></span> +leaving a body of cavalry on the road about half-a-league +beyond Tarsac, to which we again returned and took up our +quarters.</p> + +<p>On the 16th, as these fellows still continued so near us, +although evidently without any infantry to support them, +it was determined either to drive them away or take them +prisoners. I must observe, our 15th hussars were at this +time occupying Tarsac with ourselves, and one squadron of +them were selected for this service. The advance of the +French consisted only of one squadron, the remainder of +their regiment being at some distance in rear as supports; +consequently it was but fair that an equal force should +attack them. Captain Hancox's squadron (in which was +Captain Booth, with his troop) was pitched upon for this +affair. The remainder of the 15th were drawn out to support +them, if needed, but were not to take any part in the +combat. Every one of course went out to see the fight.</p> + +<p>Accordingly this squadron moved on to the front, and +steadily advanced upon the enemy, who seemed determined +to stand the charge, as they put every thing ready to receive +our gallant dragoons. When within a proper distance +the word "trot" was given, and soon after "gallop," and +then "charge," when our fellows dashed in among the +French, upsetting them in all directions, and cutting many +of them down to the ground. In a few minutes the business +was settled, for our people returned, bringing in with +them the captain commanding, (and who, I believe, had +been personally engaged with Captain Hancox,) with about +twenty-five men, prisoners. The rest made their escape. +The French captain, and the greater part of the twenty-five +men, were wounded, and some were left dead on the road.</p> + +<p>I shall not soon forget the little wounded captain. He, +I believe, was either a native of Tarsac, or somewhere near,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_285" id="Page_285">[285]</a></span> +and had been determined to show his valour to the utmost; +hence his standing, when he ought to have retired; but all +the way, as they were bringing him along into the village, +and after he reached the house where he directed them to +take him, he kept crying out, "I'm as brave as a lion!—I'm +as brave as the devil!" and could scarcely be got to +hold his peace while the surgeon was dressing him. Most +piteous moaning was made by many of the inhabitants, to +whom it seems he was well known.</p> + +<p>We understood afterwards that this regiment, the 13th +French hussars, had fallen rather under the displeasure of +Soult, for some ill conduct on a former occasion, and that +they were thus determined to wipe off the stain and retrieve +their character; but they would have shown more +sense, and have rendered more service to their country, had +they retired when they saw it was determined to drive them +away.</p> + +<p>On the 18th, we again advanced by the road the French +had taken, and, crossing the Adour at the bridge and village +of La Row or Arros, we pursued our route till we reached +the town of St Germain's, where we halted for a short space; +and thence to Plaisance, a good town, where we remained +for the night. An unfortunate circumstance occurred in or +near this town, which might have produced the most disastrous +consequences:—A man, who most likely had been +resisting the plundering of his house, was basely murdered +by some soldier or soldiers of the division; but although +every endeavour was made to discover the perpetrators of +this vile act, they could not be found out; but a subscription +was set on foot among the officers of the division, and +100 guineas were collected and paid to the unfortunate +widow, who, though grieved for the loss of her husband,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_286" id="Page_286">[286]</a></span> +was thankful for the money. I strongly suspect my friends +the Portuguese were the culprits on this occasion.</p> + +<p>On the 19th we again moved forward, and, passing Obrigort, +halted for the night at the village of Aget. Towards +the close of this day's march, we both heard and saw smart +skirmishing, down on the great road which runs parallel to +the ridge on which we were, and from Auch to Tarbes, +along the plain on our right, and passes through Vic Bigore. +Near this town the firing was very brisk. We understood +it was Picton's division driving the French before them.</p> + +<p>The next morning we started early, and, continuing our +march along the ridge of the height on which our last +night's quarters were situated, we reached pretty soon the +town of Rabasteins, where we learnt that the enemy had +taken up a position in and near the town of Tarbes. We, +accordingly, changing our direction, moved to our right, +down the road leading from the former to the latter place. +We passed on this road the sixth division, which, it seems, +was ordered to keep on the flank of the enemy, which, +should he make a stand, this division was to turn. When +we got within about a mile and a half of Tarbes, we discovered +the enemy posted on a strong woody height on the +left of the road, with a windmill on its highest and most +distant point.</p> + +<p>The whole of our 95th people were accordingly ordered +forward, to endeavour to drive them from this position. My +battalion formed the right, the 2d battalion the centre, and +the 1st battalion the left of our line of skirmishers. We found +them covered in front with a great number of light troops, +which occupied us some time in driving in, and in which +service we suffered considerably, for they occupied the hedges +and dikes on the high ground, from which it was necessary +we should dislodge them. We had also a considerably-sized<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_287" id="Page_287">[287]</a></span> +brushwood to pass through before we could get at them. +At length, after much smart skirmishing, we gained the +height, but found the whole of their heavy infantry drawn +up on a steep acclivity, near the windmill, which allowed +them to have line behind line, all of which could fire at the +same time over each other's heads, like the tiers of guns in +a three-decker. We continued, however, to advance upon +them, till we got within a hundred paces of this formidable +body, the firing from which was the hottest I had ever been +in, except perhaps Barossa. At this moment I received a +shot through my right shoulder, which compelled me for a +moment to retire; but meeting the main support of my +battalion advancing with Colonel Ross at its head, and +finding my wound had not disabled me, I again advanced +with him, until we got close under the enemy's line, and +took post behind a hillock, which protected us from their +fire.</p> + +<p>We here found Colonel Norcott, who then belonged +to the 2d battalion, riding about on his large black mare; +but he had not ridden long till he also was wounded through +the shoulder, from which he still suffers. While we were +in this situation, a shot struck a captain of ours in the side +where he had his drinking-horn slung; in fact it struck both +the horn and his side; but, from some cause, it did not penetrate +the flesh, but bruised it sore, which is generally +painful. The captain, and those about him, thought he was +shot through the body; they accordingly picked him up, +and were carrying him off to the rear, when he cried, "Stop, +let me feel," and putting his hand down to the place, and +finding no wound, he sprung out of their arms, and, with +the most ludicrous appearance possible, returned to his post +again. No one present could refrain from laughing at the +ridiculousness of this occurrence, although at the moment<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_288" id="Page_288">[288]</a></span> +the men were falling fast around us. At this time also, a +spent shot, one which I imagine had first hit the ground, +struck me on the left arm, but did not injure me. I now +thought it better to go to the rear to get my shoulder +dressed, immediately after which I became quite faint +from loss of blood. The firing still continued most animated +on both sides; but before an hour had elapsed, the +French were driven completely from every position they +held on this very strong hill; and as I returned, (after having +been dressed, and having swallowed some spirits to +remove the faintness,) I found them posting away with all +expedition to the plain below, some guns, which had just +arrived, giving them an occasional shot, but from which +they did not suffer much, they marched with such rapidity. +We immediately followed them down to the plain, on +reaching which, we perceived a body of French troops +coming apparently from the town of Tarbes, pursued by the +3d division, with whom they had been engaged, and which, +with some exertion, we thought we could intercept and cut +off; but they, perceiving our intention, inclined considerably +to the right, and marching with all speed, they got away +before us.</p> + +<p>The enemy now having all retired across the plain, began +to take up a strong position on a height at its extremity, +towards which we continued to advance; but Lord Wellington +having expected that the 6th division would by +this time have reached their position, and, attacking in +flank, have rendered our attack in front more likely to +succeed, and they not making their appearance, although +it was now nigh dusk, he ordered the divisions here to +halt, and bivouack for the night on the plain. I never +saw any one more disappointed, or apparently more annoyed +by this last order, than our Adjutant-general, the lamented<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_289" id="Page_289">[289]</a></span> +Sir Edward Packenham; he was for attacking them at +once; but this could not have been done without a great +sacrifice of excellent troops, as all those were who now +filled the ranks of the British army, having by this time +been completely seasoned, and become almost invaluable. +In reviewing the operations of this day, I need say little, +as facts speak for themselves. The enemy had on the +Windmill hill, as it was vulgarly called, or more properly +the hill of Oleac, I believe a whole division, consisting of +at least 5000 or 6000 men, while not a shot was fired by +any but by the sixteen companies of my regiment, amounting +probably to 1000 or 1100 men; it is true the other regiments +of the division were drawn up in rear of us, and would +have supported us had we been repulsed. But it is not so +much to the driving away of this so much stronger force, +that I would draw the reader's attention, as to the great loss +the enemy sustained, and solely from our fire. I believe I +shall not be far from the truth, if I state their loss in killed +and wounded as equal to the whole strength of our sixteen +companies.</p> + +<p>Lord Wellington, in his dispatch, mentions the destruction +caused in the enemy's ranks as unusually severe; hence +the advantage of rifles over the common musket, or else +the superior mode of using our arms beyond what is practised +in the line. The Americans tauntingly tell us, our +soldiers do not know how to use the weapons that are put +into their hands; and, truly, if we are to judge by the awful +destruction which they have occasionally inflicted upon our +brave soldiers, we should be led to suspect that they understand +this science much better than ourselves. It might, +however, be easily remedied, if more attention were paid to +the instruction of the recruit in this most essential qualification,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_290" id="Page_290">[290]</a></span> +and more time and ammunition devoted to target +practice; but, at the same time, every officer should be +made to know something of projectiles in general, or he +will, as at present, be incapable of instructing his men. I +will venture to assert, that eight out of ten of the soldiers +of our regular regiments will aim in the same manner at an +object at the distance of 300 yards, as at one only 50. It +must hence be evident that the greater part of those shots +are lost or expended in vain; indeed the calculation has +been made, that only one shot out of 200 fired from muskets +in the field takes effect, while one out of twenty from +rifles is the average. My opinion is, that our line troops +ought to be armed with a better description of musket. If +five shillings more were added to the price, it would make +a great difference in the article, and be very trifling to the +public. Our army has always been too sparingly supplied +with flints, which may be had almost for an old song; but +if wanted in the field, nothing can supply their place. Many +a brave soldier has fallen while hammering at a worn out +flint. It is true we can, with the weapons we have, drive +any other army out of the field, but not without occasionally +sustaining an overwhelming loss, particularly when +opposed to the Americans; and could we meet them with +the same advantages they possess in point of shooting, our +chances of victory would be greater, and at less expense. +These are my private opinions only, and are deduced from +the experience I have had, both as a heavy infantry soldier +and a rifleman. I am now firmly persuaded, that of the near +200 shots I fired on the 2d of October 1799, in Holland, +not one took effect, from my total want of knowledge how +to aim. What an useless expenditure this was of both +time and ammunition! Much indeed has lately been done +by Sir Henry Torrens, to supply the deficiency of which I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_291" id="Page_291">[291]</a></span> +have been speaking, but still not sufficient, in my opinion, +to remedy all the evils attendant thereon.</p> + +<p>Our loss on this occasion was very heavy, being +about 100 men and eleven officers killed and wounded; +the proportion of officers being nearly double what usually +takes place. The regiments which supported us also had +some casualties, arising from the shots which passed over +our heads striking among them; but they were not considerable. +My servants having heard I was wounded, went +to Tarbes, (where all the wounded were collected,) with +my baggage. I should consequently have been very ill off, +had not my kind friend and messmate, Major Balvaird, lent +me his tent and bed, as he himself had been ordered on +picquet. Immediately after nightfall, the enemy had all +retired from the position in front of us. We accordingly +next morning continued the pursuit, and halted at night at +the village of Lannemazen, not far from the borders of the +Pyrenees, towards which, in their retreat, they had been +inclined. This day and night, my shoulder had become extremely +painful. We started again in the morning; but +leaving the Pyrenees, we turned our faces more towards +Toulouse, and took up our abode for the night at a considerable-sized +town, called Castelnau; here the inhabitants +received us very kindly, and we had excellent quarters. +However, on the following morning, we were obliged to +continue our march, and passing through several villages +on the road, halted for the night at L'Isle, in Dodon. During +this day's march, my poor old horse played me a sad +trick. He was one which I had been compelled to purchase +as soon after I lost my little Portuguese one by the bad +shoeing of the blacksmith at Sumbilla, as I could fall in +with one for sale. He was a very tall grey horse, rather +old, and whose mouth had not been well made in his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_292" id="Page_292">[292]</a></span> +breaking; he was withal rather stubborn, or more properly +speaking stupid, consequently he did not always obey the +rein as he ought. The roads were excessively deep and +dirty, and as I was riding at the head of the battalion, and +had occasion to pull him a little to one side, for some purpose +or other, he either would not, or could not, obey the +pull of the rein; and as I had but one hand, he took advantage +of it, and sat down completely on his haunches, in the +very deepest of the mire. Of course I was tumbled right +over his rump, and rolled in the mud, and after extricating +myself as well as I could, I crawled out, as pretty a figure +as may well be imagined. This, as might be expected, raised +the laugh of all who saw it, at my expense; but, uncomfortable +and ridiculous as my situation was, I was not hurt, the +mud being sufficiently deep to protect me from any injury +by the fall. In this village I fell in with a Frenchman who +had just come from Toulouse, towards which he understood +we were bending our course. He gave me such a flaming +account of the "belle position" in the neighbourhood of +that town, and of the impregnable works which Soult +had caused to be thrown up, and of the superb artillery +which were stationed there, and which, he said, were those +who had served in the famous battle of Austerlitz, and of +the utter improbability of any impression ever being made +on them by an enemy, that if I had given credit to the half +of what he told me, I might have been filled with fear lest +all our laurels might here be tarnished. From what motive +this rather exaggerated statement was made, I know not, +but am inclined to think it was merely an inclination to +indulge in a trifling gasconade. On the 25th we reached +Mont Ferrand, where we halted for the night.</p> + +<p>On the 27th, in the morning, we were moved forward +to the village of Tournefoile, where it seems some of our<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_293" id="Page_293">[293]</a></span> +cavalry had been quartered the night before, but who had +had their quarters beat up during the night by a body of +the enemy, who still held the ground beyond the village. +My battalion, and a Portuguese battalion, were sent forward, +the remainder of the brigade following. We found +the enemy occupying the road leading from the village to +a bridge about half a mile distant, together with the hedges +and enclosures in the vicinity. My people extended to the +left, while the Portuguese battalion kept on the road. A +smart skirmish now commenced, during which the enemy +gradually retired towards the bridge; but at this time a most +remarkable occurrence took place. One of our men (the +servant of a friend of mine) received a shot in the mouth, +which struck out several of his teeth. One of these was +propelled with such force by the blow that it flew at least +twenty yards, and, entering the left arm of one of the Portuguese +on the road, inflicted a deep and severe wound. +When the surgeon of the 43d, who was the nearest to this +man at the time, came to dress the wounded Portuguese, he, +instead of a ball as every one expected, extracted a tooth, +at which, no doubt, both he and all about him were quite +astonished; and a report was immediately set afloat that the +enemy were firing bones instead of balls. This most extraordinary +circumstance was not cleared up till they were informed +of our man having had his teeth knocked out, when, +after comparing the relative situations of the two men, it +became quite evident how this most uncommon wound had +been inflicted. If any thing like a joke might be permitted +on such an occasion, it may with great propriety be said, +the Frenchman who fired the shot had killed two birds with +one stone. I happened to be near our man at the time, and +besides seeing him wounded, I enquired minutely into the +circumstances, or I own I should have hesitated before I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_294" id="Page_294">[294]</a></span> +gave implicit credit to the story; so it may probably be +with my reader. Poor fellow, he had afterwards nearly all +his intestines torn out by a cannon-shot at the fatal attack +near New Orleans, and where I saw him writhing in the +agonies of death; his name was Powell, and he was, I believe, +a Welshman.</p> + +<p>Not long after the commencement of the skirmish, the +artillery on both sides was brought into play; but the +enemy kept gradually retiring till they crossed the bridge, +and as we did not pursue them, they quietly walked off, +taking the road towards Toulouse. I cannot conceive for +what purpose this body of troops had been sent here, unless +it was intended as a reconnoissance, to ascertain whether +any, and what description, of troops had arrived at this +point, as their waiting, after driving out our cavalry, to see +whether any infantry approached, would seem to indicate. +Major Balvaird was conspicuously brave on this occasion. +The loss on either side was but trifling.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_295" id="Page_295">[295]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XIV.</h2> + +<blockquote><p>The British Army cross the Garonne—Advance on Toulouse—Prepare +for the Attack—The Attack—Spaniards driven back—Battle very +hot—French completely defeated—Soult evacuates Toulouse, and +tardily adheres to the Bourbons.</p></blockquote> + + +<p>On the 28th or 29th, we were moved forward, and after +a short march we reached a beautiful plain, with Toulouse +appearing most magnificent in the distance. Here we went +into cantonments, in the different villages and chateaux in +the neighbourhood, the greater part of which were completely +deserted, and many of them most wofully sacked +and plundered, which could have been done only by their +own troops. A noble and stately mansion, belonging to a +Mr Villeneuve, stood immediately in front of our outposts, +which had shared the same fate with all the others, every +article of furniture having been entirely destroyed. The +cloth had been torn from the billiard-table, the splendid +pier-glasses shivered into a thousand atoms, and, in short, +every article of luxury or splendour which a man could +wish for, might have been found in this princely habitation +previous to its desertion by its owner; but now devastation<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_296" id="Page_296">[296]</a></span> +and destruction had laid its unhallowed hands on all in which +its possessor had formerly delighted. I, with my messmates, +took the liberty of visiting Mr V.'s fish-ponds, where +we found some fine-looking carp; and having some hooks by +me, we caught a considerable quantity, which we imagined +would be a great treat to our messmates; but we found +them excessively muddy, and not worth eating. Here also +we rejoiced in being able to procure some good provender for +our still half-starved horses and mules. The grass and cinquefoil +which we found in this beautiful and luxuriant plain, +in a few days began to make a wonderful improvement in +our poor fellow-travellers. I know not a more gratifying +feeling than we experienced in thus being able to feed the +hungry; for although they were but of the inferior creation, +yet so much did our own comforts, and, indeed, efficiency +for service, depend on their being capable of performing the +task allotted to them, and so much did the circumstance of +our having passed through trials and dangers together attach +us to them, that I very frequently would have preferred +getting them a meal even at the expense of wanting one +myself. Here my little Portuguese horse, which I had +originally brought from Lisbon, and who had been my companion +in all my wanderings, (except when he was left for +a while owing to his bad foot,) began to look quite brisk +and lively again; for hitherto his spirits had been very low +indeed since he happened by his misfortune, and had been +literally starved into the bargain.</p> + +<p>A pontoon bridge having been constructed some distance +above the town, and which our engineers had been able to +accomplish on account of its being thrown over above the +junction of the Ariege with the Garonne, on the 31st we +moved down towards this point, and crossing it, my battalion +was left as its guard in a village on the bank of the river.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_297" id="Page_297">[297]</a></span> +The remainder of the division, and the —— division,<a name="FNanchor_A_3" id="FNanchor_A_3"></a><a href="#Footnote_A_3" class="fnanchor">[3]</a> moved +up the Ariege river with the intention of crossing, and thus +approaching Toulouse in that direction; but, from the heavy +rains, the river was too much flooded, which, together with +the dreadful state of the roads, these troops were unable to +effect this operation, and were consequently recalled.</p> + +<p>By the 2d of April the whole had recrossed the Garonne, +when we again went into our cantonments on the plain, +but now farther down the river than before. We remained +here a few days, and I cannot help recording a remarkable +circumstance which took place at this time. For want of +dwelling-houses we had been obliged to put a certain number +of the men of my battalion into a sort of wine-house; +it was not a vault, for it was above ground, but had a considerable +number of barrels of wine in it, amongst which the +men were obliged to sleep. It will scarcely be credited, +but not one of these men ever appeared the least intoxicated +during the whole time they lay there. Whether they were +completely tired of wine, or whether their having been +placed in such a situation produced a feeling of honour and +pride among them, I know not, but I verily believe less +wine was drunk by these men during the time they remained +here, than would have been had they had to pay most exorbitantly +for it. With soldiers I believe it is as with mankind +in general; what is prohibited always appears more +valuable or more pleasurable in our eyes, than what we may +with freedom enjoy.</p> + +<p>On the 6th we moved down the river till within a short +distance of Grenade, about twelve miles below Toulouse. +We halted near a small village, and encamped. A pontoon +bridge had been thrown over the Garonne here, and one +division (I believe the 3d) had crossed; but now, owing to +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_298" id="Page_298">[298]</a></span>the swollen state of the river, together with several attempts +which were now made by the enemy to destroy the bridge, +by floating down trees, &c. which might eventually carry it +away, it loosened at the farther end, and the anchors being +taken up, the whole was allowed to float down to our side +of the river, keeping fast the end next our own bank. We +remained in this situation for several days, one division only +being on the opposite side, with which it was impossible to +communicate, or, if attacked, to afford it almost any support. +Now was the time for the enemy to bestir himself; for had +he marched out of Toulouse with half his force, and been +met at this place by the force he had at Montauban, they +must have annihilated this division, or taken them prisoners. +It is true we might have rendered them some little assistance +by our artillery from the bank we occupied, but the +distance was so great that a determined enemy would not +have held back from the dread of it.</p> + +<p>I took a trip from hence to Grenade, where the paymaster-general +had established the military chest, as I had not +yet quite finished my paymaster's duty. It is a good-sized +town, but contains nothing remarkable, only here I remember +I got some excellent wine of the Champagne kind, and +which my friend poured out of an immense magnum bottle. +I understood our Chief was most anxious to have the +bridge re-established by the 9th, which was Easter eve, the +weather having now somewhat taken up, and the river of +course had fallen; but although the engineer thought he +could effect it, and had promised his lordship it should be +ready by that time, it was not passable till the morning of +the 10th. Early on that morning, my division crossed to +the other side, together with the 4th and 6th divisions, and +a whole host of Spaniards.</p> + +<p>I omitted to mention, that these latter gentry, on their +entering France, had behaved most wantonly, and had committed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_299" id="Page_299">[299]</a></span> +numerous atrocities; on which, his lordship, as Generalissimo, +had ordered them back to their own country again; +but upon the promise of good behaviour, and an anxious desire +to participate in the honourable achievements of the +allied troops, he had granted them permission to rejoin the +army, and they were to have a post of honour assigned +them at the ensuing battle. Such was the current report +which prevailed among our army newsmongers: be it as it +may, however, they were here in number, I should think, +about 6000 or 8000. The whole army now present having +crossed, except General Hill with the 2d division, advanced +upon the town of Toulouse. We here found a beautiful +country and excellent roads, along which we got on rapidly. +The town stands close to the right bank of the river, +along which there are numerous quays, and over which +there is an excellent bridge, communicating with the +suburb on the opposite side, called St Cyprian. From the +river on the north side of the town runs the famous canal +of Languedoc, with which it communicates by locks, and +which, encircling the town on that and on the east sides, +with the river on the west, almost entirely encloses it. On +the east side of the town, and just beyond the canal, a considerable +eminence arises, forming a sort of chain or ridge, +on the top of which numerous redoubts and batteries had +been constructed, and which, both from the nature of the +ground and by the great labour bestowed upon them, had +been rendered, as the Frenchman told me, nearly impregnable.</p> + +<p>The 6th division, supported by the 4th, had been ordered +to move considerably to the left, and, after crossing +the Garonne, to attack this formidable position on the +outer side, while the Spaniards were to attack it immediately +in front. My division was ordered to communicate<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_300" id="Page_300">[300]</a></span> +with the right of the Spaniards, and, extending down to +the great Montauban road, was to press upon the town in +this direction, in order to aid the attack upon the height before +mentioned. The 3d division joined our right at the +Montauban road, and extended from thence down to the +river, and were ordered to act similarly to us. The 2d +division, under General Hill, remained on the other side of +the river, and was to co-operate by attacking the suburb +before mentioned, together with the works for the protection +of the bridge, and for the same purpose of our attack, +namely, to keep the troops in these parts of the town employed, +while the 6th division and Spaniards attacked the +height. Immediately in front of our division, we found +considerable bodies of troops, at some distance from the +town, occupying the houses all along the road, and which +it took us a considerable time to drive in. They had +also constructed a battery on the bridge over the canal, +where the great road passes, and from which they kept up +an almost incessant fire. At the hither end of the bridge +also there stood a very large convent, which they had fortified +in a very strong manner, having loopholed the whole +of the surrounding wall, which was twenty feet high, and +had also looped the upper part of the convent, which contained +a garrison of probably 1000 or 1200 men.</p> + +<p>We commenced operations in conjunction with the 3d +division on our right, in driving these people in, and with +whom a smart firing was kept up during the whole day. +The French had also other troops beyond the canal, and +on the Moorish or Roman wall which encircled the town +inside the canal, and both of which they had fortified; so that, +had it been intended we should force the town on this side, +we should have found it a difficult undertaking: we were, +however, merely (as said before) to press upon them without<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_301" id="Page_301">[301]</a></span> +committing ourselves; but unfortunately, in the eagerness +of some of our people to push forward, they got +immediately under the muzzles of the pieces of the men +who were defending the convent, and from the loopholes +several of our poor fellows were shot without being able to +see their antagonists. A good number fell here; for it was +not more than thirty yards distant where they had taken +up their post, and an unpleasant one it was as well as dangerous; +for they were obliged to stand in a drain which ran +from a jakes, and which of course emitted no very desirable +flavour; or, if they had left it for a moment, they were immediately +shot. Our adjutant escaped here as by a miracle, +the bole of a very small tree having stopped the ball that +would have pierced his body. When, however, we had got +them fairly driven in, we had then time to look about us, +and the first thing we saw was the Don moving on to the +attack of the height with all due ceremony. They gained +the first or lower ridge without much opposition, and here +getting up some artillery, a pretty heavy fire was opened on +the enemy; but the French remained quite passive, not offering +to resist the approaching Spaniards till they got within +a certain distance of their works on the top of the hill.</p> + +<p>The Spaniards, elated by having gained the first ridge so +easily, pushed on too rapidly, and without having taken time +to re-form their columns after the first conquest. They +were not aware either that a rather deep ravine separated +them from the enemy's works; however, on they pushed, +in a very disorderly manner, till they reached the point the +French intended they should reach, when a fire was opened +out upon them, such as they had never witnessed before. +Few troops would have remained unshaken by such a reception, +but to the Spaniards it was intolerable; consequently +they broke into a thousand parties, and, turning<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_302" id="Page_302">[302]</a></span> +tail, it was who should be first away from such unpleasant +doings. I am told that Lord Wellington at this moment +could scarcely hold his sides for laughing, and cried out +he "wondered whether the Pyrenees would bring them up +again, they seemed to have got such a fright." He did +not indeed depend on their valour, or he would have +made a bad winding up of his Peninsular campaign. The +moment they left the height, every man took the way that +seemed to him best, and they soon after literally covered the +whole plain, and set to work with all expedition to plunder +at least, if they would not fight. Some of the villains had +the audacity to come and take a poor man's horse out of +the stable of the very house which we were then, as it were, +defending, and had nigh got off with it; but having been +perceived, it was taken from them, and restored again to its +owner.</p> + +<p>The left of our division was now obliged to be moved up +to fill the space vacated by these vagabonds; and in doing +which a good deal of hard fighting took place. This also +made the people in front of us rally again, and coming out +in great numbers hurraing and shouting, we had something +to do to drive them back. But by this time we heard, in +the distance behind the hill, a dropping and now brisker +fire; by and by, approaching the summit, it became quite +animated. We could plainly perceive now the different +appearance which the French assumed; they no longer lay +supine and passive till their enemy approached their works, +but fought for every inch of ground, and all was now animation +and bustle among them, hurrying to the support of +those troops who defended the redoubts, &c. on the point +assailed. The battle now raged with great fury, each party +with all their might for the mastery, and the French, we could +perceive, when compelled by sheer force to yield ground,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_303" id="Page_303">[303]</a></span> +did it with the utmost reluctance. At length, we saw the +British colour waving on the summit of the hill, with the +most deadly warfare raging on each side of it; but every +move we saw was in favour of the British.</p> + +<p>The 42d regiment had by this time gained possession of +the principal redoubt, which they held till their ammunition +was all expended, and which the enemy perceiving, or suspecting, +again advanced, and gained possession of it. Things +did not now wear quite so favourable an aspect; but being +promptly supported by other troops behind them, a movement +was again made in advance, and again the French +were expelled from the redoubt. Great was the slaughter +in and about this place, as I saw next day when I visited it.</p> + +<p>The enemy were now reluctantly compelled to yield up +all those famous works, on which so much time and labour +had been expended, and on which they so much relied, and +were obliged to abandon (slowly indeed) this long disputed +ridge; but they fought till they were fairly forced down into +the town, where they still kept up a feeble fire; at length +it gradually subsided. This was the principal part of the +drama; but it had many subordinate plots. On our right, +General Picton, with that ardour which ever characterised +him, was scarcely well satisfied to play an under part on this +occasion; and, instead of merely keeping his opponents in +play, as I before hinted, he was for effecting a forcible +entry into the town. He accordingly attacked with his +division a strong and well-secured battery, near the canal, +in doing which his brave Connaught Rangers, who had +scarcely ever hitherto known a reverse, met with a severe +and bloody repulse, in which they lost a great number of +excellent officers and men. The other corps of his division, +who co-operated, also suffered greatly. General Hill<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_304" id="Page_304">[304]</a></span> +strictly obeyed his instructions, and, as he always did, +effected every object at which he aimed.</p> + +<p>In this action I had another opportunity of witnessing +the effect of presentiment. Early in it I was sent forward +by my commanding-officer with some orders to a company +of ours, which was in front skirmishing, and which had +taken possession of a house, which partly screened them +from the enemy's battery on the bridge. Behind this house, +one of the men was sitting on a heap of stones with the most +woe-worn countenance possible. He had separated from the +rest of the men, and was sitting here apparently ruminating +on his fate, and appeared to be quite absorbed in his meditations. +I remarked him most particularly, wondering what +could render him so different from the rest of his comrades, +who were all life and animation, and from what he had formerly +been himself in action. He presently went forward +with some of the other men, and soon after fell to rise no +more. The poor man's melancholy look made a deep impression +upon me at the time, together with his fate soon +after.</p> + +<p>Thus terminated the battle of Toulouse; our troops +maintaining the ground they had gained, while the enemy +had retired into the town completely beaten. Soult seemed +undetermined how to act, whether to endeavour to hold +the town, (which indeed he might have done for a day or +two perhaps,) or to leave it by the road towards the south, +the only one now open to him. We rested on the field all +night, the enemy sending an occasional shot or shell in the +direction of our camp. Next morning we still found the +enemy retaining possession of the town; and nothing being +likely to be done, I rode up with another officer to see the +bloody field, with all its redoubts and batteries, and also to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_305" id="Page_305">[305]</a></span> +see, if I could, in what situation the enemy now appeared. +Just as we reached the summit, a cry was given by the 42d +sentry, "Turn out the picquet." There was a good deal +of firing going on in the suburbs nearest to the position, +which this Highlander thought it right to apprize his people +of. We looked a considerable time with our glasses, and +observed a good number of troops on a green and open space +in that part of the suburbs, and who every now and then +would fire their muskets. I thought it must either be a +sort of <i>feu-de-joie</i>, or a funeral, and it turned out to be the +latter. They were burying a general officer, who had fallen +the day before, and to whom they were paying the last +melancholy honours; but it was conducted in a quite different +manner from our military funerals, for they did not +fire in volleys like us; but every few minutes apparently a +few men only fired, and by and by some others. This had +the effect, however, of turning out our whole line in the +neighbourhood of the position; and as I was afterwards +returning, I met Colonel Barnard and Colonel Colborne +(than whom there were not two better officers in the army) +riding up to see what was the matter. Colonel Barnard +asked me what it was. I told him what I thought it was. +He said the whole line had fallen in, thinking it was an +attack.</p> + +<p>Towards evening we heard that the inhabitants of the +city had been most urgent on Soult to withdraw from it; +and that he had promised to do so. Indeed, had he not, +Lord Wellington might, if he chose, have soon reduced the +town to ashes; for the heights we had taken were not 500 +yards distant from the city, and completely overlooked it. +On the morning of the 12th, therefore, Soult marched out, +and was not molested by our troops. He took the road to +Villefranche and Carcassonne, up the canal of Languedoc,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_306" id="Page_306">[306]</a></span> +our cavalry following their track. Now all the loyalists +came rushing out of the town to meet and welcome us; +every one wearing white scarfs or favours to denote his +attachment to the Bourbons. Now all was joy and festivity, +and nothing but shaking of hands and embracing was +to be seen in all directions. This day also arrived Lord +Stewart from Paris with the account of Bonaparte's abdication, +and of the Bourbons having been reinstated. It was +also rumoured that Soult had received this news previous +to the battle; but not being inclined to yield obedience to +that dynasty, he had allowed the warfare to proceed. Indeed, +what almost puts this beyond a doubt, was his still +continuing for many days after this to refuse sending in his +submission to the Bourbon government. We also heard +afterwards that the courier bringing the official information +of Bonaparte's fall, &c. had been detained by the postmaster +of Montauban by Soult's direction; for although he had +had private intelligence of the fact, he imagined the detention +of the official information might screen him hereafter. +Such are the surmises of the wise heads respecting this +affair, which, as it turned out, is to be regretted; for the +sacrifice of so many valuable lives on both sides was a thing +of no trifling importance; but I believe Soult felt sore at +his having been so often worsted, and hoped here in some +measure to retrieve his lost honours; for it cannot be doubted, +I believe, that he expected to be able to repel our attack at +least, if not to force us to retire from Toulouse.</p> + +<p>On the 13th, the divisions marched into the town; my +battalion having the fauxbourg adjoining the lately disputed +position assigned to it, and in which we found very +comfortable quarters. To show that the French people of +this place took Lord Wellington either for a very generous +person, or a great fool, a man who owned a house on the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_307" id="Page_307">[307]</a></span> +border of the position, and which the French had fortified +by loopholing it, and otherwise rendering it unfit for occupation +by its owner, sent in a memorial to his lordship, +praying him to order that he might receive out of the military +chest a sufficient sum to enable him to put his house +in its former state; and this, although it had been done by +his own countrymen. I suppose his lordship would laugh at +it when he saw it. I should have been inclined to be angry +with the fellow. The man showed the memorial to the +adjutant and myself before he sent it in—a step which of +course we dissuaded him from taking.</p> + +<p>Notwithstanding it was notorious that Bonaparte's career +was at that time finished, Soult still made a show of holding +out for him; in consequence of which the army was +again put in motion to compel him either to send in his +adhesion to the new government, or to resign his command +of troops who had not now a master. He had taken up a +position near Villefranche. Accordingly, we marched, I +think, on the 15th or 16th, the which rather alarmed him; +and in consequence he despatched Count Gazan with terms +to offer to his lordship, the which, after some alterations, +were finally agreed upon, and the army returned once more +to Toulouse, where we resumed our former quarters.</p> + +<p>Thus finished the Peninsular War, the last campaign +of which had been the most active probably that is recorded +in history. In ten months and a half we had marched from +the frontiers of Portugal, had completely traversed Spain, +which we had cleared of its long troublesome and insidious +invaders; had penetrated far into the interior of that country, +which three years before gave law to most of the continental +nations; and had worsted, in various actions, those +troops, which, except when encountering the British, had +been accustomed almost invariably to conquer.</p> + +<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTE:</h3> +<div class="footnote"> +<p> +<a name="Footnote_A_3" id="Footnote_A_3"></a> +<a href="#FNanchor_A_3"><span class="label">[3]</span></a> +Some obscurity is occasioned here and elsewhere, by blanks being +left in the MS., which the death of the good-humoured and kindly +author has rendered it now impossible to fill up.—<span class="smcap">Ed.</span> +</p> +</div> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_308" id="Page_308">[308]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XV.</h2> + +<blockquote><p>Author's happy state during 1813 and 1814—Character of the veritable +French—British distributed over the Country—Civility of the Inhabitants +of Grissolles—Amusements in quarters—The British prepare +to quit France.</p></blockquote> + + +<p>When I look back on the events of 1813 and 1814, I +cannot but deem that the happiest period of my life, for I +had been actively, and, as I believed, usefully employed. +My mind during this time was tranquil, and I was, with a +few exceptions, prosperous in my outward circumstances. +All those among whom my lot was cast were now sincerely +friendly to me, and I believe I may with confidence affirm +that I had not (with the exception of the person before +mentioned, and who was now far removed from me) a single +enemy in the world. It is true my occupation had not +been, strictly speaking, of a Christian character, but I believed +I was fulfilling my duty; hence the peace of mind +which I enjoyed. I have since learned certainly, that a +Christian, to resemble his Master, should be more ready to +save than to destroy men's lives; but, at the same time, I +cannot see why a Christian soldier should not be as zealous<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_309" id="Page_309">[309]</a></span> +in the defence of his king and country, as those who are +actuated by other motives; and it is certain, I believe, +although I once doubted whether there was such a precept, +that in whatever calling or occupation a man is in when +called to become a Christian, that therein he should abide, +1st Cor. vii. 17, 20, and 24. But I attribute the peace of +mind I then enjoyed as much to the constant employment +which the nature of our services entailed upon us, as to any +other cause. Be it remembered, I was doing the duties of +both paymaster and quartermaster during this period, and +my battalion had been as often called into action as any in +the army, having been engaged in battles and skirmishes +no less than sixteen times in less than ten months. This +naturally left little time for reflection. But, above all, I +am bound to render thanks to where alone it is due, to that +gracious and beneficent Being, who not only watched over +me during this period, and protected me from harm, but +who poured his choicest blessings upon me, even the blessings +of a cheerful and contented heart, together with the +means of retrieving my sadly deranged finances; for had I +not been appointed acting paymaster, I might have gone to +prison on my return to my native country, from the unavoidable +losses I had sustained, and which I shall mention +by and by. Another cause of comfort and cheerfulness +arose from our operations against the enemy having been +invariably successful; for we never, from the time of our +leaving the frontiers of Portugal, till we took possession of +Toulouse, met with any thing like a serious reverse.</p> + +<p>Most of my readers no doubt know that the city where +we had now taken up our quarters is one of the largest and +finest in this part of France; but as it has been so often +described, I shall content myself with merely informing my +readers, that the people among whom we now resided were<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_310" id="Page_310">[310]</a></span> +truly and veritably French. The character of the inhabitants, +since we left our poor friends the Basques, had materially +changed; that kind, but rude and simple hospitality, which +had on most occasions been displayed by those honest +mountaineers, had now given place to all that imposing, +but less sincere politeness of the real French character. +We were, indeed, treated here with every degree of respect; +and perhaps more, or at least an equal degree of attention, +was paid to our convenience and comfort, as they would +have shown to their own troops. We had every reason, +therefore, to be perfectly satisfied.</p> + +<p>In this part of the country there are a great number of +Protestants, which, of course, permitted us to live on better +terms with them than had they been all such stanch and +bigoted Catholics as we met with in some parts of the +Continent, and where our heretical presence was frequently +looked upon as a contamination; for I remember well in +the small village of Zalada, where we lay for some time, +near Astorga, we never left the village, as they supposed, +for a permanency, but the joy bells were rung for our departure. +It was our lot, indeed, to be frequently quartered +in this village, and such was their invariable custom. It is +true the Padre and people of the place only expressed +openly the feeling that was covertly, but universally, entertained +throughout Spain and Portugal respecting us; for +although the monks and priests made great pretences of +friendship and good-will towards us, while we were upholding +them in their iniquitous dominion over the minds of +the people, yet secretly they cordially hated us, and were +glad when at last our successes contributed to rid their +country of both the invaders and their conquerors. One +noble Spanish lady, (I remember well,) when I was quartered +at Cadiz, made use of an expression which I am sure<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_311" id="Page_311">[311]</a></span> +would shock and horrify my simple and delicate countrywomen. +She said, "She should rejoice to see all the +French then in their country hung up in the intestines +(las tripas) of the English, who had come to drive them +out." Thus they should get quit of both. This lady, as +might be supposed, was a most depraved and abandoned +being, yet even she, it seems, looked upon us in the light +of a curse or plague sent upon their country, rather than +as a generous and gallant people, who had not hesitated to +sacrifice much, both of blood and money, in freeing them +from their French oppressors. But such, I fear, is the too +general feeling in that country; for while the innumerable +religiosos which overrun that nation maintain their cursed +dominion over the minds of the other classes, an Englishman +will always be looked upon by them as a dangerous +and hateful being, uniting in himself both the mortal sins, +first, of having totally cast off the Pope's authority, and +being the subject of a free and popular government—than +either of which, not even Satan himself could be more +odious to them.</p> + +<p>We were not allowed, however, to remain long in Toulouse, +but were distributed over the country in the neighbourhood, +lines of demarcation having been pointed out +which were to separate the French and British armies. My +division was sent down the right bank of the river, and +occupied Castel Sarazin, Grissolles, and Castelnau, &c. My +battalion was stationed at Grissolles. During our stay here +I had two or three opportunities, in company with others, +of going to see Montauban, the seat of a Protestant college, +and famed in romantic lore. The people were kind and +obliging, and showed us every attention; but unfortunately +a French garrison was quartered in it, the officers of which +took every opportunity of quarrelling with ours. Indeed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_312" id="Page_312">[312]</a></span> +we had no business there, and were consequently obliged to +put up with more than we should have otherwise done, for +we were strictly forbid to enter any place within the French +lines; but we did not conceive that those fellows, who had +shown themselves so friendly and polite near Bayonne, +while we were avowedly in arms against each other, would +now turn round upon us when peace was made, and endeavour +to engage us in quarrels and duelling. But I believe +they felt a degree of soreness at our acknowledged superiority +as soldiers, (for even the inhabitants of Montauban, +where they lay, did not hesitate to express it,) and thus +wished to be revenged for the many victories we had gained +over them. Indeed there was a sort of recklessness about +them which is not easily accounted for, unless they supposed +their occupation was gone, and cared not what became of +themselves; but they did not succeed, I think, in any instance +in obtaining their wishes, for they would not fight +with pistols, the only weapon which gives each a fair and +equal chance, but insisted upon using the sword,—a mode +of fighting to which the English in general were utter +strangers. The people uniformly gave us warning as soon +as ever they learnt that a plot was laid to insult us, on +which we generally came away without subjecting ourselves +to it; and when their designs became too evident, we refrained +from going there. It was only a short distance from +our quarters.</p> + +<p>During our stay here, also, the Marquis de Pompignan, +a gentleman residing between Grissolles and Castelnau, and +where our Major-general had taken up his quarters, gave to +the officers of the brigade a splendid fête. I know not exactly +how to denominate it, for it was a sort of dramatic +medley, part of it being performed in the garden and part +in the house, where a private theatre had been fitted up;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_313" id="Page_313">[313]</a></span> +that in the garden, it was said, was intended to represent +some military event,—I think it was the burning of Moscow, +and in which the Marquis's beautiful daughter bore a +part.</p> + +<p>This young lady was said to be greatly enamoured of an +honourable gentleman, aide-de-camp to the General, who +was quartered in their house, and between whom it was +expected a match would have taken place. She was extremely +beautiful and engaging.</p> + +<p>We sometimes went a-fishing while we remained here +also, but were not successful, there being none other than +lake-fish, such as perch, &c., in the neighbourhood, which +were scarcely worth taking.</p> + +<p>Here, also, for want of better occupation, some of our +young gentlemen amused themselves by hunting and lashing +the Spanish muleteers as they were returning, after +having delivered in their loads at the commissary's stores. +They always rode one mule, (sideways, like a woman,) and +led one or two more, and were most dexterous in handling +the long shank of the halter, with which they sometimes +soundly belaboured their pursuers; and had they not been +set on by two or three at a time, they would not have liked +better fun than to fight one of our gentlemen with his whip, +for they saw that it was only for amusement, and generally +took it good-naturedly; but our young gentlemen, as they +generally do, carried the joke too far, and it was consequently +put a stop to. Of course none but the young and +idle took any part in this exercise.</p> + +<p>We had, while we lay here, also several little balls and +hops; and here, for the first time, several of our young +men began to dance quadrilles; in short, there was no want +of amusement among this gay and lively people, who are +ever intent upon pleasure themselves, and who of course<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_314" id="Page_314">[314]</a></span> +found our wild and thoughtless young fellows ever as ready +to second their endeavours to get up something new and +entertaining. Certainly their morality is not the highest +in the world, but their vices are most of them divested of +that coarse and disgusting appearance which similar vices +carry on their front in England; and thus, while they are +generally more pleasing, they are the more seducing, and +consequently the more dangerous. However, as no person +is compelled to enter into these scenes of dissipation and +voluptuousness which they rejoice in, I found it, upon the +whole, a very comfortable country to live in. The people +were kind and civil, and were always good-natured and +polite, and, as we now had plenty of the good things of this +world at our command, I spent two months here very contentedly. +It is true we had none of those excellent privileges +with which my native country abounds, and which I +have since learnt highly to prize,—I mean the privileges of +the gospel,—the food for the nobler and never-dying part; +but I was then ignorant of their value, for although I had +been convinced and convicted, I had not been converted. I +was still in darkness respecting the way, the truth, and +the life, and yet my foolish and carnal mind whispered +peace; hence my contentedness in this situation. No! it +was not till some years that I discovered that there is but +one way to real happiness, but one true foundation on which +to build our hope,—even that which is laid in Zion.</p> + +<p>But the time had arrived for us to move down towards +Bordeaux, preparatory to our quitting France. Accordingly, +on the 3d June, we forded the Garonne, and stopped +all night in Grenade, a place I formerly mentioned. We +next day reached Cadours, a village near Cologne, where our +2d battalion was that evening quartered. In the afternoon +of that day, a storm collected in the north, which I think<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_315" id="Page_315">[315]</a></span> +had the most frightful appearance I ever witnessed. It was +actually as black as night in the direction in which we saw +it. It did not reach us, but it alarmed the inhabitants of +our village so much, that they set on ringing the church +bells with the utmost fury imaginable. We could not +account for this strange proceeding till we enquired of them +why it was done. They told us the devil was in the storm, +and the bells being holy, he durst not, when he heard them, +proceed any farther in that direction. Indeed they had +ample reason to be in dread of its reaching their village; +for the next day, as we passed along the country where it +had raged most furiously, the whole face of the country was +desolated. It had been a hail-storm such as I never before witnessed. +The hailstones were still lying, some of them larger +than a bullet; the vines had been all destroyed; the crops +of corn completely swept from the face of the earth. Trees +knocked down, birds killed; in short, nothing could equal +the appearance of misery and woe which this awful hail-storm +had inflicted upon the unfortunate inhabitants, many +of whom were going about wringing their hands in all the +bitterness of heart, which a consciousness of being deprived +of every hope of subsistence for the year to come would naturally +inspire. Indeed most of them were literally stripped +of their all.</p> + +<p>On the 6th we marched into Lectoure, a fine town on +the river, and famous for having given birth to Marshal +Lannes, one of Bonaparte's best generals. It stands on a +high ground near the river, and overlooks one of the richest +and most beautiful plains I think I ever saw. Here I experienced +another misfortune in my steed. My little Portuguese +horse (which was now in high condition, and +being an entire horse was apt to fight) quarrelled with +a large horse belonging to one of our officers, while I was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_316" id="Page_316">[316]</a></span> +serving out the billets; and although we were both mounted +at the time, the quarrelsome animals reared up against +each other, and fought most desperately; but his, being the +strongest, pulled mine and myself down to the ground. I +luckily fell clear of him, and was not hurt; but he by some +accident got a kick in his hind leg or foot, which completely +lamed him, and I could not ride him any longer.</p> + +<p>We passed through Condom, another fine town, and +Nerac, also a good town, and nearly full of Protestants. +We next day halted at Castel Jaloux, where I was quartered +on a house of religeuse. Here my poor little horse was so +very ill that I could not drag him any farther. I was consequently +obliged to leave him with those good dames, to +whom I made him a present, and parted from him in the +morning with sincere regret. They promised to take care +of him, which I hope they did. We next reached the town +of Bazas. Here there was to be another parting scene exhibited. +The Portuguese were ordered to leave us here, and +proceed towards their own country. The Spanish and +Portuguese women who had followed the men were either +to be sent home from hence, or their protectors were to +consent to marry them. Some adopted the latter alternative, +having had children by them, and some others who +had not, and the remainder, of course, were compelled to +separate. Our division drew up in the morning they marched, +and honoured the brave Portuguese (for indeed they had +always behaved well in the field) with three cheers, +as they turned their faces towards Portugal. Many were +the heavy hearts in both armies on this occasion; for it is +not easy to conceive how the circumstance of passing through +scenes of hardship, trial, and danger together, endeared the +soldiers of the two armies to each other. It was perhaps +never before felt so fully how much each was attached to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_317" id="Page_317">[317]</a></span> +the other; but the departure of the poor women caused many +heavy hearts, both among themselves, poor creatures, who +had a long and dreary journey before them, and among those +with whom they had lived, and who had shared in all their +good and bad fortune; but among these, several on both +sides were not oppressed with too fine feelings. A friend +of mine, who was an officer in the Portuguese service, told +me afterwards that the women marched down to Spain and +Portugal at the same time his regiment did; that they +formed a column of 800 or 900 strong; that they were regularly +told off into companies; and that the commanding-officer, +a major, and all the captains, were married men, who +had their families with them—all excellent arrangements; +but that they were the most unmanageable set of animals +that ever marched across a country. The officers had to +draw rations for them all the way; but many of them, he +says, left the column and went wherever they pleased. Few +reached Portugal in the order in which they started.</p> + +<p>We reached Langon on the 12th, and Barsac on the 13th +June. This latter place is famed for a fine white-wine, +something resembling sauterne. The adjutant (who had +now been my chum for some time) and I were here quartered +in a fine old baronial castle, the inmates of which showed us +great attention. A ball was given in the evening to the +officers of the brigade.</p> + +<p>On the 14th we halted at Castres, and on the 15th entered +Bordeaux. This was the finest town we had seen since we +entered the Peninsula, except Lisbon and Madrid. This +town had been occupied by the British for some time, a division +of the army having been sent by Lord Wellington +to take charge of it in the name of Louis XVIII.</p> + +<p>We were not, however, destined to be quartered in this +southern capital of France, but marched right through it, on<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_318" id="Page_318">[318]</a></span> +the road towards the village of Blancfort. On the road the +division was formed, and very minutely inspected by our +gallant Chief, who was dressed in all his finery, his orders, +and medals, and ribbons, &c., which he wore for the first +time that ever I had seen. He looked most splendid indeed, +and right proud were we to see him in them. After inspection +we moved on to the camp at Blancfort, where we +found a great part of the army assembled, waiting for the +arrival of shipping to carry them off. Some had sailed a +considerable time before our arrival. Besides our tents, the +adjutant and I had got a cottage close by, in which our servants +and our baggage were put. We had not been here +above two or three days, I think, till his two servants, that +is, his servant and groom, took it into their heads to desert. +This was not the first instance of desertion that had taken +place lately; for as we drew near the time of departure +great numbers ran off into the interior, mostly bad characters. +However, on this occasion, these worthies were determined +to have something to carry them on the road, and, +without hesitation, broke open their master's panniers, or +boxes, and took away all the money he had, which did not +indeed amount to any great sum, for it was only 40 dollars, +(about L.10 British,) but it being all he was worth it was +a great loss to him.</p> + +<p>I have reason to be thankful to Providence for my escape +on this occasion. My paymaster's chest was standing close +to the adjutant's panniers when they broke them open, and +they did not touch it, although it contained about L.400 +worth of gold. Had they taken that I might have gone +after them. I of course expressed my thankfulness for this +lucky escape, and told several people of it. I fancy some +person (my groom, I suspect) overheard me telling what a +lucky escape I had been favoured with, and determined in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_319" id="Page_319">[319]</a></span> +his own mind that I should not always come off so well. +The sequel will show: A few days after this I had occasion +to go into Bordeaux to draw some money from the Commissary-general. +The amount was 600 dollars, or about +L.150. As I could not conveniently carry them out to the +camp, I requested Major Balvaird, who had a quarter in +town, to allow me to put them in his portmanteau till I had +an opportunity of getting them sent out. His servant had +overheard this conversation, and made up his mind at once +to desert and take this money with him; but providentially +again I escaped. I found the means, before night, of carrying +it out to the camp, and the Major gave it me unknown +to the servant. That night he broke open the portmanteau, +and, taking every thing worth carrying away, (among which +was a gold watch of mine,) deserted, and got clear off. This +money, also, had it been taken, would have sorely crippled +me, although I might perhaps have overcome the loss.</p> + +<p>We marched in a few days after, passing through the +district of Medoc, famous for Bordeaux or claret wine, and +halted for the night at Castelnau de Medoc. The next day +we passed through Chateau Margaux, where the best and +most expensive of the claret grows, and again encamped at +Pauillac, from whence we were to go on board.</p> + +<p>Now was the time for the person who had overheard me +speaking about my escape with the L.400, to make his +grab and start off, or he would be too late. Accordingly, +after dark, he or they lifted up a part of the tent where the +box was standing, and, pulling it out, set off with it bodily. +But, again directed by Providence, I had taken the money +out of the box, and given it into the hands of a gentleman, +to take care of for me; and there remained in the box my +papers and books, public and private, about L.19 in money, +an old silver watch, and, among other things, the half<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_320" id="Page_320">[320]</a></span> +doubloon which poor Croudace had given me to take care +of for him on the evening previous to his death at Badajos, +and which I was preserving as a memorial for his afflicted +friends.</p> + +<p>As soon as the box was missed I instantly raised the hue +and cry, and, reporting the circumstance to my commanding-officer, +he ordered the rolls to be called, to see if any +man had deserted; but no, they were all present. I then +offered a reward of forty dollars to any one who would +bring me the box and papers, and did not regard the money. +Instantly the whole camp was in a move to find the box, +and search was made in all directions. I of course was not +idle myself on the occasion; and having a man or two with +me, I actually discovered where the box had been opened, +for I found the inkstand, that had been in it, lying near a +heap of wood close to the bank of the river, into which, +after plundering it, no doubt they had thrown it. I now +went down to the town and waited on the mayor, offering +the same reward to any of his people that would try to find +it in the river; but, unfortunately, just as there was the +best chance of recovering it, the order came for us instantly +to go on board.—Thus was I deprived of every document I +possessed, both Paymaster's, Quartermaster's, and private. I +had fortunately got my Paymaster's accounts made out up +to the very latest period, and transmitted to the War-Office, +or I know not what I should have done; but my duplicates +were gone, and when afterwards objections were made to +some of the items in the charges, (as is always the case,) I, +being unable to answer them, was obliged to submit to the +loss of them. I had also several private accounts unclosed, +on which I lost considerably, so that altogether I calculate +this loss fully amounted to L.100, besides the vexation of +not having my papers to refer to when wanted.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_321" id="Page_321">[321]</a></span></p> + +<p>I had been obliged to part with all my remaining animals +for next to nothing, for when the French people found we +were obliged to leave them, they offered us the most shameful +trifles possible, but which we were compelled to take or +give the animals away. One I did actually make a present +of, besides my little Portuguese horse before-mentioned. I +made a close calculation, and found that my losses in horses +and mules, from the beginning of 1812 to June 1814, did +not amount to less than L.150, besides sums that I lost by +officers who died. By one I lost L.84, and another L.74 +odd, so that, as I said before, had I not fortunately been +appointed Acting Paymaster, I should have been so much +involved, that at this time I durst not have returned to my +native country. I do not complain, for most of my losses +were sent by Providence, who saw best what was fitting +and good for me; but never, till the Peninsular campaigns, +were officers obliged generally to provide and keep up their +own baggage-animals, and from the loss of which I had +suffered so severely; and I cannot but think that rule, +always acted upon till these campaigns, ought to be continued, +and that subalterns at least ought to have their baggage +always carried at the public expense.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_322" id="Page_322">[322]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XVI.</h2> + +<blockquote><p>Author's Battalion embark for England—Land at Plymouth—Expect +to be again ordered on Foreign Service—Order received—Embark, +with other troops, for America—Land at Pine Island.</p></blockquote> + + +<p>We embarked on the 8th July on board his Majesty's +ship Dublin, of 74 guns, commanded by Captain Elphinstone, +which took the five companies of my battalion, with +two companies of the 43d. We sailed the next day, I think, +and had generally fine weather during our voyage, which +lasted till the 18th, when we arrived at Plymouth. She was +but a dull sailer, or we ought not to have occupied so many +days in so short a passage. During our voyage, as remarkable +an instance of heroic fortitude and bodily strength was +exhibited by a sailor of this ship as I ever remember to +have witnessed. He was doing something on the fore-yard, +and by some accident he was precipitated into the water, but +in his fall his shoulder came in contact with the flue of one +of the anchors, by which it was deeply and severely cut. +The ship was going at about five knots an hour, and it took<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_323" id="Page_323">[323]</a></span> +near half an hour before she could be brought round and a +boat sent to his assistance; and notwithstanding the severe +cut he had received, from which the blood was fast streaming, +he not only contrived to keep himself from sinking by +buffeting with a heavy sea, but actually stripped off his +jacket in the water, as it seems it had been an encumbrance +to him. When the boat reached him, the poor fellow was +nigh exhausted, and a few minutes more would have deprived +the ship and the service of an excellent sailor, but +having been got into the boat, he was brought on board +more dead than alive, where every attention being paid to +him, he soon afterwards recovered.</p> + +<p>We landed at Plymouth on the 18th, and occupied one +of the barracks. We did not exactly know what was to +become of us. Kent being our regimental station, we expected +to be ordered to march and join the left wing in that +county, but were still kept at Plymouth, where we met with +great kindness and attention from the inhabitants in general, +who are upon the whole, I think, an excellent and a +moral people. We also fared sumptuously here, every description +of food being both cheap and good. Fish in particular +is most abundant and excellent. In short, we were +here as comfortably and as well quartered as we could desire, +and every thing tended to make us perfectly satisfied +with our lot. We relaxed by attending the theatre occasionally, +which is one of the best provincial ones in the +kingdom, and at this time could boast some very good +actors. There were a variety of other amusements, such as +fishing, &c., which of course we indulged in occasionally. +From hence I was called up to London to meet our Colonel, +the Hon. Sir W. Stewart, to arrange our battalion concerns, +&c. for the few latter years of hurry and confusion, and +which was at last got done to the satisfaction of all concerned.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_324" id="Page_324">[324]</a></span> +Here also we began to replenish our wardrobes, +which, it will easily be imagined, were not the most magnificent +in the world on our first arrival.</p> + +<p>But we were not long permitted the enjoyment of English +society or English comforts, for we had scarcely been a month +at Plymouth till we received an order to prepare again for foreign +service, and the nature of that service being kept a profound +secret, we scarcely knew what necessary articles of +equipment to prepare. The general opinion, however, was, +that our destination was some part of America, consequently +we endeavoured to meet all contingencies by preparing both +for a warm and cold climate. All hands of course were vigorously +set to work, in order to be ready when the summons +arrived, which we knew might be very soon expected. An +alteration was made in the arrangement of our battalion. The +staff was ordered to proceed to join the other wing at Thorncliffe, +which of course included myself, but Major Mitchell, +who was now appointed to the command of these five companies, +was anxious to take me out with him in the capacity +of acting paymaster, and to his friendly and earnest +endeavours, added to the kindness of Captain James Travers, +who had at first intended to apply for that situation +himself, but renounced it on my account, I am indebted for +again having an addition of 10s. per diem made to my regimental +pay during the continuance of service on this expedition.</p> + +<p>At length the order arrived for our embarkation, and on +the 18th September, just two months from the day of our +arrival in England, our five companies were sent on board +his Majesty's ships Fox and Dover, both frigates of the +smaller class, and which had been prepared for the reception +of troops, by having a part of their guns taken out, and +being, as it is termed, armed "en flute." The commanding-officer,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_325" id="Page_325">[325]</a></span> +with the staff and three companies, were put on board +the Fox. We laid in an immense sea stock of provisions, +&c. not knowing how long we might be on the water, but +unfortunately for us we had scarcely put foot on board, when +the order was given to weigh and proceed to sea forthwith, +so that no time was given for the stowing away of all the +stock, which had cost us about L.24 per person; the consequence +was, a great part of it was lost or destroyed, from its +being knocked about the deck in the midst of the confusion +and bustle consequent on the crew and the soldiers (strangers +to each other) being set to work to weigh anchor and +make sail in such a hurry. Little assistance was afforded us +from the ship on this occasion. We thus lost nearly the +half of what we had been at so much pains to provide; but +such things being common occurrences in a life like ours, +it was therefore vain to fret.</p> + +<p>The force that embarked at the same time with us, consisted +of the 93d Highlanders, a company of artillery, some +rocketeers, a squadron of the 14th light dragoons, without +horses, and our five companies, the whole under the command +of General Keane. The good people of Plymouth, +as is customary, cheered us as we left their shore, wishing +us the most ample success and good fortune, and which we, +who had for so long a time been in the habit of conquering, +did not for a moment admit a doubt of being fully realized.</p> + +<p>We sailed, as I said, on the 18th September, and stood +down the channel with a pretty fair breeze, till we reached +what are commonly called its "chops," where we encountered +adverse winds, and blowing a succession of gales (equinoctial, +I imagine) which detained us beating off and on for +seven days. This was as uncomfortable a beginning of +our service as could well be imagined. High winds, with +rain, and contrary to the way we wished them, were certainly<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_326" id="Page_326">[326]</a></span> +rather trying to the patience of us landsmen, and +there was something in our situation on board this ship +which did not at all tend to alleviate our discomfort. In +fact, we wished our fortune had placed us on board a transport +rather than where we now found ourselves. All the +discipline and strictness of a regular man-of-war was enforced, +without any of the countervailing comforts and conveniences +usually found on board such ships; and to such a length +was this carried, that because our officers sometimes stood +on the quarter-deck, holding on, in the rolling of the ship, +by the hand-ropes which surround the companion, not only +these, but the ropes which were stretched to prevent people +falling out at the gangway, were ordered to be removed, +that nothing should remain by which lubbers like us might +hold on in the heavy rolls to which the vessel was subject +in gales like those I have been describing. We were no less +than twenty-four people in the cabin, twelve of our officers +and twelve gentlemen of the commissariat department, so +that we were sufficiently crowded, besides being in several +other respects ill provided. But all this would have been borne +with cheerfulness and good-will, had we not experienced +such a total want of kindness and urbanity from a quarter +where we least expected it, and from which that unkindness +could be made most effectual.</p> + +<p>We lost the fleet during the continuance of these gales, +but sealed orders having apprized our commander where to +rendezvous, we made sail for the Island of Madeira, which +we reached on the 9th October, and where we found the +fleet. Some of the wags of our other two companies on +board the Dover, pretending to think we must have been +cast away and lost, had erased all our names from the army +list as defunct. This rather annoyed some of our folks, but<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_327" id="Page_327">[327]</a></span> +it might have been easily seen it was only a little waggery +in which they had been indulging themselves.</p> + +<p>A day or two before we reached Madeira, we fell in with +a strange sail, to which we gave chase, and brought her to; +she proved to be an English merchant brig. It was said our +commander wished to have a little independent cruise, +which caused him to part from the fleet, and that there was +a famed American privateer called the Wasp that had made +a great number of captures, and which he was anxious to +fall in with that he might take her. Had such a thing occurred +as the Wasp appearing in sight, and we had given her +chase, I could have compared it to nothing but to a vulgar +simile which I have sometimes heard used, that of a cow +endeavouring to catch a hare, for indeed she was, I believe, +one of the fastest sailers that had ever been known, while +we, on the contrary, were in comparison just like the cow +to the hare. This also must have been a piece of waggery +on the part of those who first set such a report afloat, for +no man in his senses would have ever thought of chasing +privateers with the Fox frigate at the time of which I am +now writing. I regret I did not go on shore on this beautiful +island, the town and scenery of which were most inviting, +but as our stay was only to be so very short, it was +scarcely worth while.</p> + +<p>We sailed again on the 11th, after having first got a cask +of excellent Madeira wine from the house of Messrs Gordon +and Co. This was the best, I think, I ever drank. +We stood almost due south, passing pretty close to Teneriffe +and the other Canary Isles, until we fell in with the trade-winds, +when we kept more away towards the south-west. +Our voyage now became delightful, for a gentle and refreshing, +but constant and steady breeze, carried us on at the rate +of about five or six knots an hour, without having occasion<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_328" id="Page_328">[328]</a></span> +hardly to alter a sail or rope. We passed to the tropic of Capricorn +on the 15th October, when our sailors prepared to indulge +in the same innocent but amusing ceremonies that are +adopted on crossing the equator. Neptune, with his Amphitrite, +got dressed in full costume, and every other appendage +being ready, it only now remained that the commander's +sanction should be obtained to their commencing the +imposing ceremony; but no! his godship was dismissed in +no very courteous manner, and told to go and attend to his +duty. Thus the fiat of a greater than Neptune, even in his +own element, reduced him from the godlike rank he held +to that of a mere forecastle sailor; and thus were all our +expectations frustrated. In all the other ships of the fleet +the amusement was carried on with the greatest good humour, +as we could plainly perceive with our glasses.</p> + +<p>On the 18th, we passed pretty near the Isle of St Antonio, +the westernmost of the Cape Verde Isles, and then +bearing off still rather more to the west, we kept our course +generally at about 12 or 13 north latitude, and in this manner +crossed the Atlantic.</p> + +<p>From the time that we had entered between the tropics, +we had seen numerous shoals of flying fish, some of which, +when closely pursued, (by the dolphin generally,) actually +fell on board our ship. A very accurate drawing of one of +these was made by one of our lieutenants, a friend of mine, +who, I believe, has it to this day. They were generally +about the size of a herring, and much resembling that fish +in shape and colour, with two fins projecting from behind +their gills, nearly as long as their body. These are their +wings, with which they can fly generally for 100, or 150, or +sometimes 200 yards, when they fall again into the water. +We also caught a dolphin about this time, our carpenter +having harpooned it from the bow of the ship; but I was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_329" id="Page_329">[329]</a></span> +considerably disappointed in finding it did not exceed from +twenty-four to thirty inches in length; and the hues of it, +though beautiful when dying, by no means answered my +expectations.</p> + +<p>On the —— November, we made the island of Barbadoes, +and anchored in Carlisle Bay, off Bridgetown, the capital of +the island. It is not easy to describe the effect which is +produced on an European the first time he beholds the +beauties of a tropical country, and which, I think, he does in +the greatest perfection while they are yet distant from him. +Robertson's description of Columbus's first view of a West +India island is, I think, as correct and as beautiful as any +thing can possibly be; and his feelings for the moment +(heightened indeed by the circumstance of his having at +length attained to his long-looked-for Western India) will +describe pretty nearly what every one must feel, who has not +before beheld the productions of a tropical climate. But oh! +how is the scene changed when you get on shore! Nature +indeed is still beautiful and rich beyond the conception of +a northern native; but man—how fallen! Here (I think +I shall not far err if I say) you behold man in his lowest +state: the savages of the woods are, in my opinion, much +higher in the scale of being than those whom our cursed +cupidity has introduced to all our vices, without one alleviating +virtue to counterbalance the evil. But how could the +poor Africans learn any thing that is good from those who +do not practise good themselves?</p> + +<p>One of our people while here said, "he thought the men +were all rogues, and the women all unfaithful." Of the +slave population the latter is certainly a correct description, +almost universally, in Bridgetown; for, with shame be it +spoken, their masters and mistresses calculate upon their +worth as if they were brood-mares, by the number and the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_330" id="Page_330">[330]</a></span> +description of wretched beings which they can bring into +this world of misery. What indeed could you expect from +those who can thus act, and those who sanction such conduct, +but the like treatment that Mr Shrewsbury met with, +if you endeavour to show them to themselves or to others +in a true light? While the strong man armed keepeth his +castle, his goods are in peace; but let another endeavour to +bind this strong man, and take his goods from him, and +oh, what a resistance may not be expected! Let the West +Indians have slaves whom they may treat as cattle for their +own gain and profit, even if it be at the expense of the souls +of the poor wretches whom they thus destroy; but endeavour +to show these degraded human beings that they are +capable of being raised to a level with their unfeeling and +avaricious masters, and you may shortly expect the fate of +a Smith or a Shrewsbury, so regardless are these dealers in +human flesh of their duty as men who must soon render an +account of all their actions.</p> + +<p>It may be said, that I saw little, while here, but the very +worst of society, and this may in a great measure be true; +but it is evident that such things were done and sanctioned +at Bridgetown when I was there, in 1814, as led me to +pray that my lot might never be cast among such people.</p> + +<p>I now gladly turn from this scene of vice and misery, +and pursue my narrative.</p> + +<p>In the bay at this place a hulk was stationed for the reception +of prisoners of war. Our boats usually passed pretty +near it on going on shore for water. A number of Americans +were on board as prisoners. On one occasion, or +more, I believe, they called out to our fellows as they passed +under her stern, "So you have come out from England +to attack our country, have you? I hope you have +brought your coffins with you, for you will need them before<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_331" id="Page_331">[331]</a></span> +you return." And, in truth, many of those fine fellows +to whom this insolently coarse but patriotic speech was addressed, +did indeed require coffins before the business we +were going upon was finished.</p> + +<p>We left Barbadoes on the ——, and, passing down through +the midst of the islands, we left St Lucia on our left and +Martinico on our right hand. We also passed close to +Dominico and Guadaloupe, with several smaller islands +which I do not recollect, and, keeping to the southward, +passed St Christopher's, Santa Cruz, Porto Rico, and St +Domingo, having a fine view of the whole as we moved delightfully +along. This latter large island took us more than +two days in passing; but on the 21st we came in sight of +Jamaica, the chief of our West India possessions. We stood +off and on near to Port-Royal till the 23d, when we made +sail to the westward, and on the 25th came to anchor in +Negril Bay, at the extreme west end of the island of Jamaica. +Here we found several sail both of men-of-war and +transports, having on board the troops which had been engaged +in the operations against Washington and Baltimore, +&c., and consisting of the 4th, 21st, 44th, and 85th regiments, +with some artillery. They were not strong indeed, +having been considerably reduced by their late arduous services; +but their numbers, added to ours, we thought quite +sufficient to enable us to make a descent upon the American +coast, near New Orleans, which it was now whispered +was our destination: indeed this had been conjectured from +the time we left England, but nothing certain was known, +and even now it was not officially made public. A day or +two after our arrival here, two of the West India regiments +also joined us, the 1st and 5th, at least a part of both; so +that we now mustered a respectable force. Admiral Sir +Alexander Cochran commanded the naval part of the expedition,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_332" id="Page_332">[332]</a></span> +he being here on our arrival on board the Tonnant +84; several smaller vessels also, with stores, &c. &c. joined +us from Port-Royal. When the whole were collected together, +we felt proud of our fine force, which we vainly +imagined nothing we should have to encounter could withstand +for a moment: but the battle is not always to the +strong; and we were shortly after painfully reminded of +this truth. But I must not anticipate,—evil always comes +early enough.</p> + +<p>During our stay here, I went on shore for a few hours, +and visited some of the farms or plantations. Indeed, +while we remained, the place where we landed was generally +like a fair; for the inhabitants had assembled in great +numbers, bringing with them live stock and poultry and +vegetables, &c. for sale, all of which were greedily bought +up at prices high enough, I warrant you. The vegetation +at this place was most luxuriant, even in this the middle of +winter almost; but I apprehend this was the finest season +of the year, for it was not at all intolerably hot, and every +thing, had the appearance which our country assumes in the +height of summer. An accident occurred whilst we continued +here, which had nigh proved serious. The Alceste +frigate, one day, in shifting her berth, run with her head +right on board the Dover, where our other two companies +were on board. She cut her up from the stern into the +cabins, not less I am sure at the top than ten feet. Two +of our people were in the cabin at the time playing at backgammon, +and were not a little astonished to see the prow of +another large vessel tearing its way right into the very place +where they were sitting.</p> + +<p>On the 29th, signal was made to weigh, when the whole +got under way, and started in fine style; our now gallant +fleet covering the ocean for many miles. We kept along<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_333" id="Page_333">[333]</a></span> +on the south side of Cuba, and on the 3d December made +Cape St Antonio, the westernmost point of that large island. +From hence we now stood to the northward, crossing right +athwart the Gulf of Mexico. During our stay at Barbadoes, +we had purchased a live sheep and a pig, as we feared our +stock might run out before we landed. The sheep was productive +of great amusement to our messmates, at the expense +of the poor caterer. In all hot climates, I believe, +the wool of the sheep becomes in course of time more like +the hair of a goat than what it really is. This was the +case in the present instance, most of our people declaring +they would not eat of such an animal, which was, as they +conjectured, a sort of mule bred between a sheep and a goat; +while the poor caterer was like to have the sheep thrown +on his hand. This produced many a bickering, even after +it was known that such was the case in warm climates; for +they kept up the fun as long as possible, always trying to +keep the unfortunate caterer in hot water about it. The +sheep was killed, and produced excellent mutton—not fat +indeed, but eatable. We were not so fortunate, however, +with our pig; it appears it must have been diseased—what, +I believe, is usually termed measly. It was dressed without +this being known, and eaten; and the consequence was, +all the twenty-four of our mess, except myself and another +were literally poisoned. In the middle of the night, when +it began to take effect, the most distressing scene took +place imaginable, and the medical men were kept busily +employed for a considerable time afterwards preparing and +administering emetics, which providentially had the desired +effect on all, for in a short time the whole recovered; but +had medical assistance not been promptly administered, the +chances are some of them would have suffered. Its effects<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_334" id="Page_334">[334]</a></span> +were something like cholera morbus, working both up and +down in the most violent manner.</p> + +<p>On the 10th December we made the American coast off +Mobile, where we fell in with a vessel, on board of which +was Colonel Nichols of the marines, with three or four +Indian chiefs of the Creek nation, to which people he had +been for some time previously attached, they being then at +war with the Americans, and consequently our allies. They +came on board our ship, and were shown every thing curious; +but their reason for visiting us was, that they might +see our rifles, for they considered themselves good shots, +and wished to examine our arms, with which they did not +express themselves over-satisfied, as they had been accustomed +to see no other description of rifles than those used +by the Americans, which are both much longer and heavier, +but carry a much smaller ball. Indeed they had never +seen any military rifles, but only such as the above, and +which are constructed solely for the purpose of killing +deer and other game. The gallant colonel endeavoured to +amuse us a little on this occasion with the wonderful feats +of his protegés. He told us, that they being generally very +short of balls, were always very careful how they expended +them in hunting; and that their rule was never to fire at +a deer, until it was in the act of passing between them and +a tree, that, should the ball go through its body, as it sometimes +did, it might lodge in the tree on the other side, and +they would then go and pick it out, and recast it. We +thought he ought to have told that story to his own corps +the marines; for I believe he did not get many of us to +give implicit credit to so wonderful a tale. They were +most grotesque-looking figures; most of them were dressed +in some old red coats, which they had got hold of by some<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_335" id="Page_335">[335]</a></span> +means, with cocked hats of the old fashion. These I believe +had been given them by some of our people, for they +were English manufacture. But they had tremendous +large rings, &c. hung in their ears, the laps of which were +stretched nearly to their shoulders; some of them also wore +rings in their noses; and some of them were without any +sort of lower garments, having nothing but a sort of cloth +tied round their waist, which passed through between their +legs and fastened before. These people it was intended +should bring their warriors to join us near New Orleans; +but, owing to some cause with which I am not acquainted, +none but these three or four chiefs ever came near us.</p> + +<p>On the 11th we anchored near the Chandeleur Islands, +at the entrance into Lake Ponchartrain. But it was discovered +that the Americans had some gun-vessels, which, +on account of their drawing only little water, had been +stationed in this lake for its protection, and on our appearance +had retired nearer to New Orleans. It was necessary +that these should be previously disposed of in some manner, +before the disembarkation of the troops could with safety be +effected. None of our ships could follow them on account +of the shoalness of the lake. An order was therefore issued +for all the men-of-war to prepare their boats for an attack +on these vessels, the chief command of which was given to +Captain Lockyer of the Sophia gun-brig. On the morning +of the ——, they therefore assembled for this purpose, and +pushed up the lake in search of the gun-vessels, which were +discovered moored near some islands called by the natives, +"Les Isles Malheureuse," or the "Unfortunate Islands," +and which form the entrance from Lake Ponchartrain +into Lake Borgne, or Blind Lake. No time was lost in +attacking this formidable flotilla, consisting of vessels carrying +from five to six guns each, and commanded by a lieutenant<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_336" id="Page_336">[336]</a></span> +of the American navy, named by them Commodore +Jones. A most determined and gallant resistance was made +by the Americans; but superior numbers, with equal, if +not superior courage and seamanship, prevailed, and in a +short space of time the whole were captured. Both the +commandants were severely wounded, with a great number +of officers and men killed and wounded. Nothing +could exceed the gallant intrepidity, I understand, with +which our boats advanced to the attack; for, from experience +I am well convinced, the fire from those gun-vessels +must have been most destructive; for better shots, either +with artillery or small arms, do not exist than the Americans. +Orders were now issued for the army to prepare to +land; but the distance, from where we had been obliged +from shoal water to stop to the town, being so great, it was +determined to form a sort of depot on a small island, near +the mouth of the Pearl River, called Pine Island; and farther +to facilitate the transport of the troops, small brigs, +&c. were sent as far up the lake as possible, into which the +troops were put successively from the larger vessels, and +from which they generally took their departure for the +above island.</p> + +<p>On the 15th our people left the Fox, and were moved +up the lake into one of the brigs before noticed, where we +were packed in as tight as herrings, there being near 400 +men on board a little thing scarcely calculated to contain +the fourth of that number, and where there was not literally +room to lie down. But, on the 19th, we were relieved +from this rather close confinement; and being put +on board of long boats, we pushed off for the island, which +lay at a considerable distance, notwithstanding the measures +that had been adopted to shorten our voyage. The +weather proved extremely rough and unpleasant, which<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_337" id="Page_337">[337]</a></span> +rendered our trip neither over-safe nor comfortable; and to +mend the matter, the seamen on board our boat were rather +in the wind, and did not manage her so well as was desirable; +for, poor fellows, they had been engaged in this +fatiguing service for several days, (a considerable number +of the troops having been previously landed,) and were +consequently the more easily prevailed upon to indulge +when grog came in their way. Our middy too was quite +worn out with fatigue, and slept nearly all the time we +were on board. Our boat was several times on the point +of being swamped, for the water came in quite plentifully +on occasions of her being laid down by sudden squalls. Another +boat, which accompanied us, had her mast carried +away.</p> + +<p>We landed on the island before mentioned in the evening, +and of course looked out for the best shelter we could +find. But it was a complete desert; nothing but reeds +grew on it, except a few stunted and scrubby bushes at the +lower end of it. It came on a most severe frost during the +night, which I understand caused the death of several of +the sailors, who had indulged perhaps a little too freely, +and had lain down without any covering. Some of the +poor blacks also, I understand, suffered in consequence of +the severe cold, a thing with which they were totally unacquainted, +and against which they were ill provided, having +nothing but their light and thin West India dress to keep +it out. It was laughable the next morning to see them +examining so intently the ice which had been formed on +the pools near our bivouack. They could not conjecture +what it was; some of them asserting it was salt; while +the greater part were totally at a loss respecting it. I had +by great good luck got into a sort of hut belonging to some<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_338" id="Page_338">[338]</a></span> +of the officers who had previously landed; but I do not +remember in all my campaigning to have suffered more +from cold than I did this night, and was extremely glad +when daylight appeared, that I might be able to move +about.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_339" id="Page_339">[339]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XVII.</h2> + +<blockquote><p>Proceed to attack the Enemy, and capture one of their picquets—Advance +in search of a Bivouack—Alarmed by shots in front—Fired +on by an American schooner—Captain Hallen severely attacked—Manœuvres +on both sides—Ruse of the Enemy—Fighting continues—Enemy +repulsed at all points—Courage of the British—A British +Battery brought into play—Activity of the Enemy.</p></blockquote> + + +<p>By the 21st, the whole army had been landed on this +island, when they were told off into brigades, and inspected +by the General. During our stay here, about five or six +French Americans, (the natives of New Orleans, or neighbourhood,) +arrived as friends, and told us that there were +scarcely any troops in the district; so that we had nothing +to do but to land on the opposite side, and march right on +to the town, and that the inhabitants would welcome us +most cordially, and that no resistance might be expected. I +did not, I confess, put much confidence in their information, +and believed at the time, that they came more as +spies than with any view of befriending, as they pretended, +our cause. More correct information was obtained from +Spanish fishermen, who had been following their occupation +at the mouth of a creek on the New Orleans side of +the lake, and who had come across, I believe, at the suggestion<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_340" id="Page_340">[340]</a></span> +of Major Peddie, our assistant Quartermaster-general, +who had been despatched to find out a suitable landing-place +for the army. From one of them, I learned afterwards +that there were troops in the town, commanded by General +Jackson, and that a battery of two guns had been erected +on the road, by which we must advance. What they told +the General, I do not know, but fancy he saw no reason to +alter his plans, from the information of either party. Every +thing being ready by the morning of the 22d, the advance +guard, commanded by Colonel Thornton, and consisting of +the 85th and 95th regiments, with two light three-pounders, +some artillery and some rocketeers, accompanied by a few +artificers to repair bridges, &c. embarked on board the boats, +that had been assembled for the purpose—two companies of +the 93d followed us; these troops occupying the whole of +the boats that could be mustered in the fleet, consequently +the remainder of the army had to remain where they were +till the return of the boats. The distance was not less, I +should think, than from thirty to forty miles. We pushed +off about two o'clock <span class="smcap">P.M.</span>, the wind being favourable for a +considerable part of the way, but it failing, the men were +obliged to commence with the oars. We were completely +wedged in, so that there was no moving, let the call be ever +so urgent. I suffered much from a severe pain in my side, +from being obliged to remain so long in the same position; +but we endeavoured to divert the tedium in the best manner +we could by amusing stories, &c. My luck placed me +on board the Bang-Up, a fine cutter belonging to the admiral, +and commanded by a countryman of mine, a Lieutenant +Foster of that ship. We did not reach the mouth of the +creek, or bayou, as it is called by the natives, till a long time +after dark. As we approached it, some light boats were sent +forward with Captain Travers of ours and his company, to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_341" id="Page_341">[341]</a></span> +endeavour to surprise a regiment of the enemy, which we +knew were stationed in some huts at the mouth of the +creek, and which huts belonged to the Spanish fishermen +before mentioned. From the information they gave, the +best arrangements possible were made for effecting this; +for Travers, moving silently on, and landing his men at the +opposite ends of the hamlet, there remained no way of +escape open for the troops in the houses. As soon as all +was ready, they rushed forward and secured the whole +picquet without a single shot being fired, with the exception +of two men, who preferred venturing into the marsh, +in rear of the huts, where it is not improbable they perished. +The duty was conducted so quietly, and so expeditiously, +that very few of the other troops knew any thing +of the matter; but this alone secured us a landing without +opposition, for had a firing been begun on either side, it +must have alarmed the American army, who, no doubt, +would have used their endeavours to oppose our landing.</p> + +<p>We soon after began to enter the creek, but such was +the darkness of the night, and the shoalness of the water, +and such the uncertainty of the way by which we had to +proceed, that very little progress was made during the remainder +of the night; daylight, however, enabled us to +move forward at a brisker pace, but from the obstacles that +had presented themselves in the dark, the squadron of boats +was sadly dispersed; and when we reached the head of the +creek, only two or three of the light boats, with the staff +and naval officers, had arrived, and considerable intervals of +time elapsed between the arrival of the different boats with +troops; so that had the enemy been aware of our intention, +and had they had a force of a few hundred men hid in the +high reeds which grow in this marsh, they might, I am +persuaded, have cut us off in detail, for from the causes before<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_342" id="Page_342">[342]</a></span> +mentioned, no two boats were sufficiently near to assist +each other.</p> + +<p>We got on shore about an hour after daylight; and right +glad was I to be enabled to stretch my legs, which had +been kept motionless for the last sixteen hours. As soon +as the whole advance-guard had landed, and a few planks +had been thrown over a deep rill which we had to cross, we +moved forward towards the high ground, Captain Travers' +company leading; and, in order to magnify the appearance +of our force, should any concealed American be looking on, +we extended our files to double the usual distance, and thus +passed through a wood which skirted the swamp, and which +it was necessary to traverse before we could reach the open +country, which we did about six miles below New Orleans. +As soon as our advance cleared this wood, they observed a +good-looking farm onstead, towards which they moved in +double quick time, and arrived just in time to seize and +make prisoner a Monsieur Villerey, a major of the militia, +just then setting off to join his people. We heard (but +I will not vouch for the truth of the report) that a considerable +body of the enemy had been assembled on the high-road, +near to Monsieur Villerey's house, but on learning that +we had landed, and were moving rapidly forward, they separated, +one part retiring towards the town, while the other +went down the river. Our advance now moved on with +celerity, and dashing on to the different farm-houses in the +neighbourhood, seized several groups of arms at each of +them, which it seems had either been abandoned by the +troops to whom they belonged, or had been collected there +for some military purpose. They captured at some of these +farm-houses to the amount of twelve or twenty stand; and +in all not less than fifty.</p> + +<p>Monsieur Villerey unfortunately contrived to make his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_343" id="Page_343">[343]</a></span> +escape, through the too great leniency of one of our lieutenants. +I think the most probable opinion respecting the +arms and the troops assembled near Monsieur Villerey's is, +that it was the militia of the district just at that moment +assembling, which will not only account for the arms being +found in such numbers, (under the verandas of the houses,) +but also for Monsieur Villerey himself being then on the +point of setting out in his warlike costume, and the number +of men which were observed near his house.</p> + +<p>About twenty militiamen were also captured in and +about these houses. Except there, the whites had all abandoned +their houses; but a considerable number of black +slaves remained at each, whether of their own accord, or +left to protect the property, and occasionally convey information +to their masters, I know not. As soon as our advance +had sufficiently reconnoitred the adjacent houses, &c. the +whole of the troops moved on past the house of Monsieur +Villerey, and turning to the right, followed the great road +to New Orleans for about half a mile, till a suitable piece +of ground presenting itself in the neighbourhood of some +other farm-houses, the whole turned in to a green field a +short distance from the road, and forming into close columns +of battalions, commenced bivouacking for the night. +The road ran partly on, and partly alongside of the river +dike. Immediately between the troops and the river, this +dike was perhaps about three feet high. On our right was +a farm-house, and a little to the right and front another—the +latter a pretty large one—all these, and indeed all the +farm-houses in this neighbourhood, are surrounded at one +end by the huts of the slaves, and generally on the other +by barns and other out-buildings, and in the rear a garden +or orchard. The ground in all this country, which is perfectly +flat, apparently of alluvial formation, is divided into<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_344" id="Page_344">[344]</a></span> +fields, &c. by wooden paling of the common description, +very few hedges being to be seen.</p> + +<p>The situation in which the troops were placed, was as +follows, viz. The artillery and rocketeers in one line; immediately +behind them, my battalion and the 85th, in close +column; the 4th in rear of us, and the 93d two companies +in rear of the 4th; the whole in close columns. The men, +as soon as dismissed, instantly set about cooking, for they +had had nothing from the morning before, and it was now +considerably past mid-day. Captain Travers' company, which +had formed the advance-guard, still remained in front as a +picquet, and occupied a post on the great road, about a mile +in front of the division.</p> + +<p>About three o'clock <span class="smcap">P.M.</span>, we were all alarmed by some +shots at the advanced picquet; and, on enquiry, found that +an American staff-officer, escorted by about thirty cavalry, +had come galloping down, no doubt for the purpose of reconnoitring +us; when within distance, our people instantly +fired, one of which shots wounded the staff-officer, and another +killed a horse, but they contrived to get him off. This +caused the whole of the troops to fall in till the cause of alarm +was ascertained, after which they set about their cooking +again with great glee. Considerable discussion now began to +take place amongst the knowing ones, as to the merits and +demerits of our situation, in point of security; and of course +various opinions were given on the occasion. One officer +of ours, a particular friend of mine, did not hesitate roundly +to assert, that we were in a most unprotected and dangerous +situation. I do not remember exactly the reasons he +assigned; but certainly, could he have foreseen what yet +remained in the womb of time, he would have had much +stronger reasons for his opinion. Another company of ours, +(Captain Hallen's,) and one of the 85th, were ordered to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_345" id="Page_345">[345]</a></span> +prepare at dusk to relieve the picquet in advance; and as +I messed with Captain Hallen's company, I accompanied it +on this duty. I did not go with the main body of the company, +there being no house at that post, but with one section, +commanded by Lieutenant Forbes, and we occupied a +small house to the right, and a little to the rear of Captain +Hallen's party, which was stationed on the great road. The +company of the 85th occupied the large farm-house before-mentioned, +a little to the right and front of the column. I +had purchased an excellent turkey on our arrival at Monsieur +Villerey's house, which we had dressed at this little +house, and made a most hearty meal indeed, after which we +took each a tot or horn of grog to comfort us.</p> + +<p>We had not long finished our comfortable meal, when we +were astounded by the report of heavy ordnance, apparently +close to the bivouack of the column, and which reports followed +each other in quick succession. A cheer was also +given, but by whom, or what the occasion of the firing was, +we were totally at a loss to conjecture. I at first imagined +it was some of our men-of-war that had been able to pass +the forts down the river, and that they were firing a salute +and cheering in consequence; and yet this seemed a strange +conjecture; but we did not long remain in suspense, for we +were soon after informed of the real state of the case, that +it was a large American schooner, with at least fourteen guns, +and which she had been enabled to bring to bear upon our +unfortunate bivouack with the most deadly precision, great +numbers having fallen at her first broadside. The troops of +course dispersed in some measure, leaving their fires, which +had too well served as a direction for the fire of this terrible +schooner. But the time was not far distant when we should +have other enemies to encounter; for by the time the +schooner had fired a dozen broadsides, a noise was heard in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_346" id="Page_346">[346]</a></span> +our front; and just at this moment an American was +brought in by a man from Captain Hallen's post, who had +foolishly come right into the centre of his picquet, and asking +if they could tell him which way the regulars had gone. +This showed that he was a young soldier, who did not +know our troops from his own; but it also showed that the +regulars which he was seeking could not be far distant; +consequently, every thing was got ready to give them the +best reception possible; but as the people we had heard in +front of the post where I then was appeared to be rather +to our right, I feared lest they might get unawares upon the +company of the 85th, which was stationed in the farm behind +us. I consequently set off with all dispatch to give +them timely warning, but when I arrived there, I could +not find the officers, nor could I see where the picquet was +posted; I therefore thought they must be on the alert at +the bottom of the garden, which lay in the direction in +which we heard the noise; and meeting here an officer and +several of our men, who had moved in this direction, from +the fire of the schooner, I told him I was certain that +Hallen would be shortly most vigorously attacked, from the +information I had learnt respecting the regulars, and advised +him to collect all the men he could, and proceed forthwith +to reinforce him at the advance. This he instantly +did, and it was well, for by this time the firing had commenced +in volleys at that post. I then returned to the +picquet-house, where I had previously dined, and found the +officer was going round his sentries; but as the firing was +going briskly on at Hallen's post, I expected every moment +to be attacked here, and began, in the absence of the officer, +to post the men as advantageously as the nature of the +ground would admit.</p> + +<p>The house stood on a little path, or bye-road, running<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_347" id="Page_347">[347]</a></span> +across the country, from the river towards the wood, and +which, before he could get into, the enemy would have to +clamber over a railing which lay on the side from which +they were advancing. On the hither side of the road was a +ditch, with a hedge, almost the only one to be met with, +and a little copse of small trees. Into this copse I put the +men, extending them along the inside of the hedge, which +would not only keep them from the view of the enemy, +but be some little protection from their fire, and would leave +them the more at liberty to retreat when overpowered by +numbers, as it was certain they must shortly be. But all +my labour was in vain, for when Forbes came from visiting +his sentries, he did not approve of my disposition, but took +them all out, and formed them on the open road, without +any cover, and with a hedge and ditch in their rear, both of +which they would be compelled to pass the moment the +enemy pressed upon him. I felt annoyed, not only at his +want of courtesy to me, but that he would thus expose his +men to almost certain destruction, without being able to +effect any thing against the enemy, or at all check his advance. +I accordingly left him in a huff, and went again to +try to find the picquet of the 85th in the house behind us. +I was determined to make a more close and thorough +search than I had done before, and for this purpose went +over the gates, &c. into the yard behind, when lo, I found +myself within a yard or two of a strong body of the enemy, +which had got into the garden at the lower end, and were +just advancing to the house. I crouched down, and hid in +the best manner I could, and luckily was enabled to creep +off without their discovering who I was. Just as I reached +the outer gate, I found a sergeant of ours there, to whom I +said, we must set off with all possible speed; and accordingly +we both took to our heels, and ran like heroes; the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_348" id="Page_348">[348]</a></span> +noise of which brought the fire of twenty or thirty rifles +after us, but luckily without effect.</p> + +<p>I now made the best of my way towards where I judged +the main body of our people were, on the great road, in +order to inform Colonel Thornton of what I had seen, of +this column of the enemy having got possession of the +house and garden I had just left, and by doing which they +had nearly separated the advance picquet from the main +body. He said he had sent two companies of ours, and two +of the 85th, to the house immediately in the rear of this I +speak of, and in a short time afterwards they and the Americans +came into close contact, for they immediately commenced +firing; and where as strange a description of fighting +took place as is perhaps on record.</p> + +<p>The enemy soon discovered from some men, whom they +had unfortunately taken, what the regiments were that +were opposed to them—and with all that cunning which +the Yankees are famed for, instantly turned it to the best +account—for in several places they advanced in bodies, +crying out at the same time, "Come on, my brave 85th!" +or "My brave 95th!" and thus induced several of our +small detached parties to go over the rails to them, supposing +they were some of our own people, when of course +they were instantly made prisoners. This <i>ruse</i> did not +always succeed, however, for some of the parties turning +restive on their hands, refused to surrender, and thus a +fight hand to hand took place, and in which they generally +had the worst of it.</p> + +<p>On one occasion of this kind our people made a body of +them prisoners. The men and officers being requested to +lay down their arms, the officer, after surrendering, when +he saw there were not many of our people, drew a sort of +dirk or knife, and made a stab at the officer of ours who<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_349" id="Page_349">[349]</a></span> +had taken him. We instantly cried out to the men near +him, one of whom took up his rifle and shot the villain +through the body. They had before this time brought two +of their regular battalions close in front of our advance, +which did not consist of more than 100 men, and were +pouring in dreadful volleys into that small but gallant detachment; +but even in this they showed themselves young +soldiers, for they formed up the two battalions in line at +about forty or fifty yards in distance from the post, and +gave the words "ready—present—fire," with all the precision +of a field-day; but being so near, of course every word +was heard by our people, who, at the critical moment, +always took care to cleave as close to the ground as possible, +by which they escaped most of their shot. They then +up and at them, and, pouring in a desultory but most destructive +fire, brought great numbers of them to the ground. +Their force, however, was too great to be opposed successfully +by such a handful of men, and these brave fellows +were at length compelled to yield a little ground; but it +was not more than just to enable them to cover themselves, +and form again in proper order; and from this time all the +efforts of these two battalions were unable to remove them. +Indeed, not long after, our people became the assailants, +and, advancing again, retook their original position. Poor +Hallen was severely wounded on this occasion, and lost +about forty of his men.</p> + +<p>Two or three naval captains came also to see the fight at +Hallen's post, one of whom soon fell severely wounded. +The other, the gallant captain of the Dover frigate, with +whom part of our people went out, and with whom we all +came home, behaved most nobly. Whenever the enemy +had fired their volley, he cried, "Now, my lads, up and +give them another broadside!" and thus contributed, by his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_350" id="Page_350">[350]</a></span> +animating conduct, to inspire all around him with confidence.</p> + +<p>Poor Forbes just met the fate that I expected. He stood +upon the road, and opened his fire upon the enemy as they +approached; but they being perhaps more than twenty +times his number, he was instantly compelled to give way, +after being himself wounded, having his sergeant killed, +and losing nearly the half of his men. The schooner all +this time kept up a most galling and incessant fire. Some +attempts were made with our light three-pounders, and +with rockets, and even with small-arms, to compel her to +sheer off, but they were all in vain. Her men, protected +by her stout bulwarks which surrounded them, defied all +our efforts, and continued to pour in both round and grape +wherever they judged, from the direction of the fire, our +people were stationed. Luckily the darkness of the night +rendered her fire less destructive than it would otherwise +have been.</p> + +<p>A considerable body of the enemy had penetrated to the +house immediately on the right of our original bivouack, +where the firing was kept up between them and the parties +opposed to them with great spirit for a long time; but the +General, having detached the 4th regiment to form line a +little to the rear and right of that house, completely secured +that flank from being farther turned. Notwithstanding this, +the skirmishers of both armies extended to the wood, some +of whom we found lying the next morning almost touching +each other. The firing now began to slacken, the enemy +having been repulsed at all points, and, towards three o'clock +in the morning, it had completely ceased, when they retired, +leaving us in possession of the warmly-contested field.</p> + +<p>My battalion had been extremely unfortunate in this +action; for almost at the very outset, when the attack on<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_351" id="Page_351">[351]</a></span> +Hallen's picquet commenced, Major Mitchell, our commandant, +had taken a party of about twenty or thirty men, +and advanced for the purpose of supporting that post. Between +the bivouack, however, and the point he intended to +reach, he unexpectedly fell in with a large body of Americans, +(for it was so dark he could not distinguish who they +were,) when both himself, and all the men he had with him, +were made prisoners. The loss of our five companies in this +action was about 120 men; that of the 85th more, I believe; +and in all, I think, it amounted to about 300 men. +The loss of the enemy must have been considerably greater, +if we are to judge from the number of dead they left on the +field, and, which is a good criterion, the general average +being about ten wounded for one killed.</p> + +<p>Nothing could equal the bravery of the few troops we +had in the field on this occasion. Their numbers certainly +did not amount to 1800 men; while the enemy could not +have had fewer than from 4000 to 5000. They had two regular +regiments, the 7th and 44th; they had a large corps of +irregular riflemen from Kentucky, and another stronger +corps from Tennessee, with all the militia of New Orleans +and its neighbourhood, every man who is able being compelled +to bear arms in case of invasion. They had about +300 irregular horse, whether militia or not I cannot tell, +but think it likely they were in all at least 4000 men—with +the great and effectual assistance of the schooner, +which did us more mischief than 1000 men could have +done, probably not so much by the loss she occasioned us, +as, by being able to fire on our flank, and even in our rear, +she rendered the enemy the most essential service, besides +the fire of the ship on our advanced picquet.</p> + +<p>We were thus completely surrounded on three sides, and +had not the troops behaved with the most determined courage<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_352" id="Page_352">[352]</a></span> +and intrepidity, we must have been driven back, and +eventually the greater part would have been taken prisoners; +for the path to the water was quite narrow, and even +should we reach the head of the creek where we landed, the +boats had probably all left it by this time to return for the +other troops. Indeed it was reported afterwards, that the +arrangements of General Jackson were such, that we were +to have been attacked in the rear at the same time as in +front, and by the schooner; but the troops for that purpose +either not being in readiness, or being too distant to arrive +in time, were too late to take part in the action, but +arrived about three o'clock in the morning, when they +met with a half-drunk artillery-driver of ours near Mons. +Villerey's house, as he was returning from the field, and +who, seeing a large body of men, which he took for some +of our other regiments that had landed, cried out to them, +"Come on, my lads, for the Yankees never got such a +licking in their lives!" This, it is said, had the effect of +frightening them back, without proceeding farther.</p> + +<p>I will not vouch for this being fact, but such was the +report the next morning; and indeed it is feasible, from +the number of people (apparently going with orders, &c.) +which we saw galloping down on the other side of the river +in the afternoon; and it is certain that a considerable body +of militia must have resided down the river, setting aside +the report which I mentioned, of some troops having retired +in that direction in the morning, when we first advanced; +and nothing would have tended more to our complete overthrow +than such an attack on our rear, could it have been +accomplished.</p> + +<p>I might here mention, that Captain Hallen saw the +schooner as she passed his picquet, on her way down from +New Orleans, on which he instantly despatched a man with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_353" id="Page_353">[353]</a></span> +the information; but she having the current in her favour, +sailed much quicker than the man could run, consequently +his information came too late.</p> + +<p>I omitted to mention also, that a large ship of 20 guns +came down the river at the same time with the schooner, +but being less manageable than that vessel, she had anchored +abreast of Hallen's picquet; and that he had to sustain her +fire, as well as that of the troops in his front, during the +whole of the attack of the 23d. She remained at that spot +without moving.</p> + +<p>I will here also notice another circumstance which took +place at this post. An American rifleman fell into the +hands of some of Captain Hallen's people, who, when he was +brought in, were desired to take his arms from him. These +he seemed reluctant to part with, and said to the officer, +"Recollect I shall hold you responsible for that rifle, if you +take it from me!"—on which the officer took hold of it by +the muzzle, and flung it right into the river. I daresay the +poor fellow thought they were a strange sort of people he +had got amongst; and I doubt not he had set a great value +upon his rifle.</p> + +<p>Another officer and myself had a providential escape the +next morning, for we had scarcely left a little wooden hut, +behind which we had taken up our abode, and slept for a few +hours after the fight, when bang comes an eighteen-pound +shot right through the house, just at the very spot where +we had a minute or two before been sitting. It seems the +captain of the schooner, which still lay abreast of us at +about 800 yards distance, and from which this shot had +been fired, was determined we should not occupy any of the +houses in the vicinity, for, beginning with our hut, which +was nearest to him, he fired into every house within reach +of his guns, although he saw as plainly as we did that most<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_354" id="Page_354">[354]</a></span> +of them were filled with the wounded; nay, he carried his +savage cruelty so far, that he actually fired on a party of the +85th as they were removing one of their wounded officers. +It could not be pleaded that he did not know what it was, +for, being only half-a-mile distant, and much elevated above +our level, with a glass he could see as well as we could +what they were doing, for they were carrying the poor fellow +on a bier, on their shoulders. He continued this cruel +work all the next day, the ship also giving us an occasional +shot. One shot which he fired went through the front of +a house in which some of our wounded men were lying, and, +striking low, it carried the knapsack out from under the +head of a man of ours named Rayour, which he had put for +a pillow, without doing him the smallest injury. I could +not credit the story till I went and actually saw the hole by +which it entered, the knapsack and the shot lying near the +fire-place. After this I went to view the house where I had +fallen in with the column of the enemy the night before, +and where the 85th were now stationed; but the fire of the +schooner still continued, one shot from which we saw was +directed towards us. It fell right in among the 85th, and, +striking a corporal about the breach, as he was endeavouring +to get out of its way, it passed out at his breast, on +which he gave himself a sort of shake, and fell lifeless to +the earth.</p> + +<p>Nothing could exceed the great annoyance this mischievous +schooner continued to be to us all that and the +next day, for they not only saw every thing we did, but we +could not move in any number without being saluted with +an 18 lb. shot, and we had no means of retaliation. But +during the 25th, efforts were made to get up some heavier +guns from the fleet, and every thing having been settled as +to the plan, &c., a battery was constructed as close to the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_355" id="Page_355">[355]</a></span> +water's edge as possible in the river dike, and a number of +gun barrels having been collected from those broken, &c. +during the late fight, a sort of furnace was erected for the +purpose of heating shot, with which it was determined to +give her a salute the next morning. Every thing succeeded +admirably. The battery was constructed, embrasures cut, +and shot heated, and all ready by daylight on the morning +of the 26th; of course we were all looking out to witness +the effect, and most noble it was, for when the guns opened +out upon her, the people on board seemed quite thunderstruck, +and although they attempted to return our fire, it +was only like the blows of a man beat blind by his antagonist, +for her shot fell in every other direction but that in +which she should have thrown them. However, they could +not stand to fire more than one round, as our hot shot rendered +their situation very soon untenable, and taking to +their boats, they made their escape to the opposite shore +with all expedition.</p> + +<p>The distance from the battery to the schooner had been +so accurately measured by Major Blanchard, who superintended +the construction of the work, that almost every shot +and shell penetrated the hull of the vessel, and in a short +time after her crew had left her, she broke out into a blaze +of fire, which soon reaching the magazine, she blew up with +a loud explosion, to the great comfort and joy of all our +army. This of course deserved and obtained three as hearty +cheers as I believe were ever given by Britons, and no doubt +the Americans were greatly chagrined at the loss of their +fine and exceedingly useful vessel. A shell or two were +directed towards the ship, but she having seen the fate of +the schooner, got out her boats, which, taking her in tow, +she set off up the river in all haste. Could a battery have +been constructed to fire upon her at the same time, it would<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_356" id="Page_356">[356]</a></span> +have saved us some hard knocks afterwards. She, however, +effected her escape, and we now remained in peace for a few +days at least.</p> + +<p>On the 25th, Sir Edward Packenham and General Gibbs +had arrived; the former immediately assumed the command, +and they both set off to the front to reconnoitre the enemy +and the kind of country around us. Every night since our +arrival the enemy had been incessant in their means to harass +and annoy us, as in truth they had a right to do if they +pleased, but it was exceedingly distressing to the troops, +and therefore I mention it. They seldom let an hour pass +during the night, that they were not firing at some of our +out sentries, and on some occasions they brought the body +of irregular cavalry, before mentioned, immediately in front +of our outposts, and fired volleys, which, although it did +not do much injury to our advanced picquets, had the effect +of turning out the whole line, and that often repeated, with +the annoyance from the schooner, certainly did not leave us +much time for comfortable rest. They frequently lay in ambush +for the reliefs of our sentries also, and patrols, and +fired upon them sometimes with effect. In short, they did +all they could to annoy and weary us out, but of which we +ought not to complain, as they were defending their own +country, and allowances ought to be made in such a case +that would not be tolerated in an army having no interest +in the soil. I trust Englishmen will be equally zealous +and bitter to their enemies should our country ever be invaded.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_357" id="Page_357">[357]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XVIII.</h2> + +<blockquote><p>British Army told off into Brigades—Advance, and are hotly received—Heroism +of a young Artillery Officer—We take up a fresh position—The +Enemy work incessantly in raising an extensive breastwork—Two +Batteries erected, from which our heavy Ship Artillery are +brought to bear against it, but without effect—The Enemy also place +their Ship Guns on Batteries—Colonel Lambert arrives with the 7th +and 43d regiments—Preparations for a grand attack on the Enemy's +lines, which entirely fails, and the British are repulsed with great +loss.</p></blockquote> + +<p>The remainder of the army all arrived during the 24th, +and were put in bivouack in an oblique direction, with +their front to the late field of action, their right thrown back +towards the wood, and their left towards Mons. Villerey's +house. The 93d formed line in advance at an angle of the +wood, as a sort of outpost, while the 85th and ours were +stationed in and around the house, to which I have so often +alluded, <i>i. e.</i> where I fell in with the column of the enemy. +Our advanced picquets remained the same as before the +action. If I might here be permitted to hazard an opinion, +I should say that had we advanced upon New Orleans the +morning after the fight, I think there is little doubt we +should have been successful; for when an irregular and undisciplined +body of troops once meet with a reverse, it is +difficult to bring them into action again with that steadiness +and determination which they often evince in their first +essay.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_358" id="Page_358">[358]</a></span></p> + +<p>I understood General Jackson had some trouble in keeping +them together after their defeat on the night of the 23d, +and the only mode in which he could get them to form was, +in planting the first who retired in line near the road, and +as each successive detachment arrived from the fight, they +were made to form on their left, the whole line sitting or +laying down for the remainder of the night. It is easy to +perceive that they would have been quite unmanageable +should they have been seriously attacked, while their spirits +were depressed by their recent failure, and as the works +which we afterwards encountered did not then exist, at +least only in part, I think they would have retired after a +very slight resistance indeed. I had the information as to +the manner in which they formed, from some of those who +were made prisoners, and who witnessed it. All this, however, +is merely the opinion of a private individual, who +judged from appearances only, and it is not in the nature of +things probable that I should be able to form so correct a +one as those who possessed more ample information.</p> + +<p>After the arrival of the two general officers before mentioned, +the army was told off into brigades as follows, viz. +the 1st brigade, commanded by General Gibbs, consisted of +the 4th, 21st, and 44th British, and 5th West India regiments; +the 2d brigade, commanded by General Keane, +consisted of the 85th, 93d, and 95th British, and 1st West +India regiments, (observe, the West India regiments had +by this time become exceedingly reduced in point of numbers +from cold and hardship, which they seemed unable to +bear, and very soon after almost ceased to be regiments, so +many of them were sent away sick;) the artillery was +commanded by Colonel Dickson, an excellent officer; the +squadron of the 14th light dragoons not being able to get<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_359" id="Page_359">[359]</a></span> +mounted, formed the guards at the hospitals, and at head-quarters, +&c.</p> + +<p>Every thing having been previously arranged on the +morning of the 28th, we advanced in two columns, the +right near the wood commanded by General Gibbs, and ours +on the left by the great road near the river, commanded by +General Keane. The enemy had all along kept possession +of those farm-houses which lay at some distance in front of +our picquets. They were consequently driven from these +as we moved forward, which we did, I should imagine, to +the distance of about three miles, their picquets retiring +gradually before us. We here discovered that the enemy +had thrown up a strong field-work, which extended from +the river to the wood, and which consequently shut up +every avenue to our farther advance, without fighting. We +also found that their numbers had considerably increased, +as we could perceive by the immense bodies of troops behind +their works. As we pressed upon their picquets as +they retired, we got a shot or two at them with our field-guns; +but every thing remained quiet within their lines till +we had arrived within about 400 yards of them, when +they opened out on the head of our columns as destructive +a fire of artillery as I ever witnessed. One shot struck in +the column of the 85th, which knocked down two officers and +about ten men. My battalion was leading, and being partly +extended skirmishing, they did not offer so fair a mark for +artillery as a solid body, and consequently escaped this.</p> + +<p>The ship also, which was anchored a little in advance of +their work, opened her broadside on the columns on the +road at the same time. Our gun and howitzer, the only two +pieces we had there, endeavoured to return the fire of the +ship, but without doing her much injury. When the fire +was found to be so galling, the troops were moved off the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_360" id="Page_360">[360]</a></span> +road into the fields on the right, and my battalion advancing +about 100 paces farther, was ordered to lay down in a sort +of ditch which was there, and to shelter themselves the best +way they could. The 85th and 93d formed also more to +the right, and secured themselves as well as the nature of +the ground would admit. It was only intended as a reconnoissance, +consequently the troops did not advance farther, +as soon as the nature of their position was ascertained. It +appeared to be a high dike of casks, formed as a breastwork, +with a considerable quantity of artillery mounted on it, and +with a sort of canal or wet ditch in front of it.</p> + +<p>Of course, all this took some time to ascertain, during +which they kept up an incessant cannonade, both from their +works and from the ship. The latter poured in an immense +quantity of large grape, which rendered the situation of +those exposed to it extremely unpleasant. Our two fieldpieces +were very soon silenced by the superior fire of the +enemy, and in an hour after our arrival at this point, there +was not a man left with them but the officer, who was quite +a youth, but yet stood as steady as if he had been on a +common parade, although all his men were knocked down +about him. I never witnessed more devoted heroism than +this fine young man displayed. One shot, nearly towards +the last, struck off his sergeant's head, and sent his cap +spinning over a ditch, where another officer and I had taken +up our post. Some rockets were also tried from this point, +both against the ship and the enemy's works, but those directed +against the vessel flew quite wide of the mark, and +totally failed. Some of those fired into the works, we saw +pass over the heads of the men posted in them, but whether +they produced any effect we could not see.</p> + +<p>The enemy either had set fire to the houses near us before +they retired from them, or they had fired heated shot<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_361" id="Page_361">[361]</a></span> +with a view of producing that effect; but we had not been +long here ere the whole of the houses in the neighbourhood +were in one grand and terrific blaze of fire. I do not exactly +know what was done on the right, for we could not +see distinctly for some trees which grew in the garden of the +farm in that direction, but imagine they encountered something +similar to ourselves, as the play of artillery from the +enemy's line in front of them was equally unceasing with +that in our front. Not a man showed himself out of the +enemy's works.</p> + +<p>When every thing was ascertained that could be, the +troops began gradually to draw off, but this was obliged to +be conducted in a very cautious manner, or the loss from +their fire would have been severe. The 93d retired first, +by separate wings, afterwards the 85th, but ours did not +leave their ground till after dark, when, I believe, some of +the Yankees began to advance in a rather triumphant and +bullying manner, but were taught to keep at a respectful +distance by a few shots well laid in among them. A party +of sailors had been sent forward to bring off the two fieldpieces, +there being no artillerymen left to do it, and we had +no horses. They undertook and accomplished this task +most cheerfully and effectually, without a man hurt I believe.</p> + +<p>The loss of my battalion on this occasion was not great. +The army now took up a fresh position in which to bivouack, +at about a mile and a half distance from the enemy's +line, but which they could easily reach with the shot and +shells of their larger pieces. The head-quarters were removed +from Monsieur Villerey's house to a large farm or chateau +behind our new lines, and which were formed in the following +manner, viz.:—the 4th and 44th composed one line, +with their right near the wood. The 21st formed on their<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_362" id="Page_362">[362]</a></span> +left, but with an intervening space between them. The 85th +and 93d formed one line on the left of the 21st, with an +interval between their line and that regiment. This latter +line was rather in an oblique direction, with its front towards +a farm-house in advance and to the left, and where +my battalion was ordered to take its station. This latter +post was more exposed to the enemy's shot than any of the +others; it being a good deal advanced, and being close to the +river, the guns from the opposite shore ceased not firing on +it, generally with hot shot. The men were put into a sugar +house belonging to this chateau, the floor of which being +sunk a little below the surface of the adjoining earth, protected +them wonderfully; but on occasions they had their +very cooking utensils knocked off the fire by the enemy's +shot, in consequence of the exposed situation of this house. +The acting quartermaster and myself being deemed civilians, +and having no inclination to be deprived of our natural +rest at night, as long as we could be allowed to obtain +it, took up our abode in one of the outhouses at head-quarters, +which we found unoccupied, and where our respective +duties could be carried on with as much facility as if we +were in the same house with the battalion, the distance between +them being only about half a mile.</p> + +<p>Here, also, the sick and wounded were brought, where +they could enjoy more comfort than in the sugar-house, till +an opportunity offered of sending them down to the shipping. +To secure our front a little more, and to protect the +troops against the shot from the opposite shore, a redoubt +was thrown up about half a mile in front of the right, and +pretty near the wood; while batteries and breastworks +were constructed on the road, to fire on any vessels of the +enemy which might come down the river. These latter +were principally constructed of hogsheads of sugar, which<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_363" id="Page_363">[363]</a></span> +were found in the sugar-houses of the different plantations +in the neighbourhood. But nothing could have answered +worse than they did for this purpose, the enemy's shot +going quite through them, without being at all deadened +almost by the resistance they offered. In front of the left +also, inside the road, a breastwork was thrown up, which +secured the persons of a corps of marines and sailors, who +occupied that part of the line. This body was, soon after +the 28th, landed from the fleet; and the latter, having +brought small arms on shore with them, acted as a small +battalion.</p> + +<p>It is evident the enemy must have worked incessantly, +from our first landing, to complete the work they occupied; +for, from the information I before mentioned, as given me +by one of the Spanish fishermen, it is clear they had only +two guns, mounted on something like a battery, on the great +road. But now that work extended even into the wood, a +distance of at least three quarters of a mile, and at this time +there could not be less than ten or twelve pieces of heavy +ordnance mounted on it. We were told by the slaves +who had remained in the houses, that the ditch behind +which they had constructed this work was a sort of small +canal, which the gentleman who owned the property used +for the purpose of transporting the produce of his farm +from thence into the river. From this time we could plainly +perceive great numbers of men continually at work upon it, +mostly blacks, of which they would, of course, have abundance; +but their white people also (the army, we conclude) +were constantly employed upon it. We could see distinctly +that they were widening and deepening the canal in front +of the work, and raising the parapet to a considerable height.</p> + +<p>It was now determined to try what our heavy ship-artillery +would do against this work. Accordingly, the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_364" id="Page_364">[364]</a></span> +greater part of the army were employed in bringing up +these unwieldy machines, and to effect which required no +slight power and perseverance, as we had no means of +transport but the sheer strength of a number of men combined, +to drag them successively through the deep soil. A +sufficient number of them having been brought up by the +31st, strong working parties were employed all night in +erecting two batteries, as near to the enemy's works as they +could with safety venture, and getting the guns, carriages, +and ammunition, &c., into them. These were formed +principally of casks, &c., filled with earth; and I am not +sure that some sugar hogsheads were not used on the occasion. +However, at daylight on the morning of the 1st Jan. +1815, the whole of the troops were ordered under arms, +and moved forward to nearly the same points they occupied +on the 28th ult.</p> + +<p>This morning there was an extremely thick fog, which +greatly favoured our movements, the Americans being, I +believe, totally ignorant that any alteration had taken place +in the situation of our army. As soon as the fog cleared +away, our artillery opened out a tremendous and thundering +cannonade upon the enemy's line, which so completely +astonished them, that there was not a shot returned for +twenty minutes at least, so little did they expect heavy +artillery there. Nay, we heard afterwards that a great +number of the irregular troops were so alarmed, that they +actually quitted the lines without orders, and were posting +off to New Orleans, and were with great difficulty brought +back again. As soon as they perceived, however, that +nothing more than a cannonade was intended, and that our +troops did not advance to the attack, they commenced gradually +with their artillery against ours, the fire of which +increasing as their confidence increased, they were not<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_365" id="Page_365">[365]</a></span> +long in silencing our guns, and in dismounting some of +them. The fact is, our works had been thrown up in such +haste, that they were not nearly so strong as they ought to +have been made, had there been more time; the consequence +was, their shot penetrated into every part of our +works, and caused us not only considerable loss in artillerymen, +(with one officer killed,) but, as I said before, actually +dismounted a great many of our guns. This consequently +entirely failed of having the desired effect; but with such +a very favourable opportunity as this morning's fog presented, +together with the alarm and terror with which the +enemy were struck on opening our artillery upon them, there +is not the most distant doubt that we should have at once +got possession of their lines, had we but advanced to the +attack. It is true, we were not prepared for passing the +ditch, having no fascines or other necessaries for that purpose; +but the resistance, in my opinion, would have been +so slight, that we might almost have chosen our own place +to cross it; and it was not very deep at any place. The +battalion of sailors were quite annoyed at being kept looking +on, while so fair an opportunity, as they thought, offered, +and were crying out one to another, "Why don't we +go on? what is keeping us back?"</p> + +<p>'Tis not to be doubted that the first effect of any new +thing in warfare is always the most certain of producing +success, particularly against inexperienced troops; but let +them see and know the whole of the effects that such a +thing is calculated to produce, and the alarm wears off, and +confidence and courage return with wonderful rapidity. So +it was here; the first fire of our guns struck them dumb +with amazement and terror—But mark the contrast! Both +the latter part of this day, and on the 8th, at the general +attack, how little they seemed to care for all the artillery<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_366" id="Page_366">[366]</a></span> +we could bring against them! Their gun, a 32-pounder, +was a most bitter antagonist to our principal battery. This +happened to be erected nearly in front of that part of the +line where this gun was situated, and when it fired, its shot +always struck the battery at the first bound, and then it +ricocheted into the redoubt where I had taken up my post. +General Keane, with a part of his brigade, was in this latter +work, and some of them narrowly escaped the effects of +the numerous balls thrown from this gun. We were told +the captain of the schooner, after having been deprived of +his vessel, had been appointed to the charge and management +of this gun, with some of his crew to work it; and +indeed it seemed very like the bitter and determined manner +of our former opponent, for any of the other guns +seemed like children's play to the unceasing and destructive +fire of this heavy piece of ordnance. I could distinctly see +that they were sailors that worked it—one of whom, a +large mulatto, with a red shirt, always spunging her out +after firing.</p> + +<p>In what I am going to relate, I know I shall incur the +risk of being deemed a <i>traveller</i> by some of my readers, +but that shall not deter me from telling what I plainly and +repeatedly saw with my own eyes, assisted by a glass. At +the distance of three quarters of a mile, I could distinctly +perceive the ball from this gun every time it was fired, it +appearing like a small black spot in the midst of the column +of white smoke, and which gradually grew larger in appearance +as it approached us. In many instances I was providentially +the cause of saving some of the men who were in +the redoubt with us, because, seeing which way the ball +was coming, I told them when to lie down; and on one +occasion was the shave so close, that it actually carried +away one of the men's packs as he lay on the ground. Another<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_367" id="Page_367">[367]</a></span> +shot struck about three feet above our heads, and +carried away part of a piece of timber which supported a +shed just behind us.</p> + +<p>I forgot to mention, that, after the 28th, the Americans, +conceiving that the guns of the ship would be of more use +if taken out and placed in batteries, this was accordingly +done; the greater part of them being planted on the other +side of the river, and being completely on our flank, were +enabled to annoy our people considerably, who were posted +near the great road.</p> + +<p>About two or three o'clock in the afternoon of the 1st, +the army began again to retire to its bivouack, leaving covering +parties to protect the batteries; and after night, the +whole having formed, working parties were sent to bring +off as many of the heavy guns as possible. Some of these, +however, they were obliged to bury in the earth, not being +able to drag them away before daylight next morning. This +work seemed more oppressive and fatiguing to the troops +than the bringing of them up did, inasmuch as they were +animated in the latter instance by the hope of their being +able to effect something against the enemy through their +toil and labour; but now disappointment added poignancy +to their sufferings. However, although things began to +assume not quite so favourable an aspect as formerly, yet +every thing was borne with the greatest good-will, as they +were still confident of all their laborious services being ultimately +crowned with success. In all these fatiguing services, +the sailors bore an ample share, and were of the very utmost +benefit to the whole army, for they could readily contrive +the means of moving those immense masses of metal by +purchases, &c., which to a soldier would be utterly impossible. +Indeed, throughout the whole service, the gallant tars<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_368" id="Page_368">[368]</a></span> +deserved the very highest praise, for they were equally +brave as laborious and willing.</p> + +<p>All hands, both soldiers and sailors, had been up the +whole of the night of the 31st, and now up again all night +of the 1st. This was very trying, no doubt. If any thing +like dissatisfaction was evinced, this incessant toil and want +of rest in encountering it, arose more from a desire to be led +on to the attack, than from any wish to be rid of their +labours, however painful these were. As this attempt had +failed, no other scheme now appeared to present itself, but +a vigorous and well sustained attack on their line; for +several efforts had been made to penetrate through the +wood, to endeavour to ascertain whether it was possible to +turn their position at that point, but all these efforts had +failed. The last that was attempted was conducted by +Lieutenant Wright of the engineers, but both himself and +nearly all his party perished; for it seems they fell in with +a body of American riflemen, who, being much better accustomed +to travelling in woods than our people were, fell +on them, and, as said before, nearly cut off the whole party; +yet it is evident it was not utterly impassable, or the two +parties could not have met.</p> + +<p>I do not recollect to what regiment the men belonged who +accompanied Wright, but think it probable they were altogether +unacquainted with that description of service, which +led them into the fatal snare in which they fell. I am confident +I saw blacks, who passed and repassed by the wood, +but it is certain that no attempt upon a large scale could +be made in that direction to turn their position; and it was +probably the better plan to abandon the idea altogether. +A very excellent expedient was however devised, for the +purpose of turning the right flank of the enemy; it was +certainly a bold and vigorous idea, and one which, if successful,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_369" id="Page_369">[369]</a></span> +would no doubt have secured to us the victory and +the possession of New Orleans. This was no less than +cutting a canal, in order to unite the Mississippi with the +lake by which we had arrived, and by getting boats out of +the latter into the river, to transport a sufficient number of +men to the opposite shore, for the purpose of making a +diversion in aid of the principal attack on this side.</p> + +<p>Nothing could exceed the grandness of the conception. +Accordingly, all hands were set to work to widen and +deepen the rill of water which flows into the creek at the +landing-place, and, continuing it up past Monsieur Villerey's +house, to let it enter the river a little above that point. +This, as may easily be conceived, was most laborious and +dirty work; and, lest the health and spirits of the troops +should suffer from such incessant fatigue, they were told +off into four watches or spells, each of which followed the +other in regular succession, so that the work never stood +still. When it had reached near the house and high-road, +screens were put up on the latter, to prevent the enemy on +the opposite bank of the river from seeing what was carrying +on; but as the blacks were passing and repassing +almost continually by the wood, as I before mentioned, no +doubt the Americans were well acquainted with what we +were doing.</p> + +<p>On the —— General Lambert arrived with the 7th and +43d regiments, to our great joy, two finer regiments not +being in the service. Consequently every eye now sparkled +with hope, that our labours and privations would soon terminate, +as every one confidently anticipated a favourable +result, and seemed still inclined to despise that enemy who +had shown us that we could not do so with impunity. We +were glad to meet many of our old Peninsular friends in +these two fine corps, and of course welcomed them to the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_370" id="Page_370">[370]</a></span> +New World in the best manner we were capable of. They +took up their ground a little in front of the canal which +was cutting, there not being room sufficient for them in the +line of our bivouack. We were now about 7000 effective +troops, and all beginning to cheer up again, imagined nothing +could withstand us.</p> + +<p>By the 6th the canal was finished, and the boats brought +up into it. There was obliged to be a lock in it at the entrance +from the river, for the strength of which Sir Edward, +our Chief, I understand, expressed his apprehensions, but +was assured by the engineer that there was not the slightest +danger. I give this merely as report.</p> + +<p>On the 7th the arrangements for the attack next morning +having been completed, orders were issued to that effect. +The arrangements were as follows, viz.—a corps consisting +of the 85th regiment, with 200 sailors and 400 marines, and +the 5th West India regiment, with four light fieldpieces, +the whole under the command of Colonel Thornton, was to +embark in boats by twelve o'clock, and to be all across the +river by daylight next morning. This force would amount +to about 1200 or 1300 men, and were destined to attack +and carry the works on the opposite bank, getting possession +of the guns without allowing them to be spiked if possible, +when they were to be turned upon the right flank of +the enemy's position, on this side the river, to favour our +attack. It is clear, then, that this movement should precede +that of the grand attack by a considerable space of time. +In the grand attack the troops were to be disposed as follows, +viz.—The right column, under General Gibbs, was to +consist of the 4th, 21st, 44th, and three companies of my +battalion, which latter were to extend as close to the enemy's +work as possible, previous to the advance of the +column, and, by maintaining a constant fire, were to endeavour<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_371" id="Page_371">[371]</a></span> +to keep the enemy down as much as possible. The +44th was to be divided; one-half of that corps was to carry +fascines, &c., which they were to throw into the ditch on +reaching it, in order that the remaining regiments of that +column might be able to pass it. These fascines were to be +had in the redoubt I before mentioned. The other wing +of the 44th was to lead that column, followed by the 21st, +and then the 4th, regiments. This was to be the principal +attack. The left column, commanded by General Keane, +was to be composed as follows, viz.—one company of the +7th, one of the 21st, one of the 43d, and two of ours. The +whole to be supported by the 93d regiment. These were +to make a feint attack upon the half-moon work which the +enemy had constructed near the river, and if opportunity +offered, to turn it into a real attack, and penetrate the enemy's +line, co-operating with the other column. Our two +companies were to act here in the same manner as the other +three with whom they were to form a junction, thus covering +the whole front of the enemy's work. Some blacks of +the 1st West India regiment were to enter the wood on the +right of our right column, and to keep up as much noise as +possible by firing and sounding bugles, &c. to induce a belief +that a large body of troops was moving in that direction. +The reserve, under General Lambert, was to consist of the +7th and 43d regiments, and was to be so stationed as to be +able to render aid to either of the attacking columns. Strict +orders were given that no obstacle was to be permitted to +retard the advance of the columns, but that they were to +press forward and endeavour to overcome every hinderance +that might present itself.</p> + +<p>As far as I recollect, and from the information I have +since gained, these were substantially the orders issued, and +arrangements made, on this occasion. The commanding-officers<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_372" id="Page_372">[372]</a></span> +and heads of departments were also assembled, and +each told the part he had to perform; on which occasion, I +understand, the commanding-officer of the 44th expressed +himself in terms which I could scarcely conceive it possible +could fall from the lips of a soldier, which were, that "it +was a forlorn hope with the 44th." In all my campaigning +I never yet heard a commanding-officer who did not look +upon the post of danger as the post of honour, and who did +not rejoice, as if a favour was conferred on him, when appointed +to an arduous or hazardous duty. Had the commanding-officer +of the 44th served in the Peninsula under +our illustrious leader there, he would, I am confident, have +been animated by a quite different spirit. After dark I +went with my commanding-officer and adjutant to view the +ground over which our battalion was to march next morning, +and to find out the wooden bridges, &c. over some +ditches which lay in the way, that no delay might take +place when they were to be called upon to act.</p> + +<p>I was sadly disappointed at our not meeting with any +other commanding-officers engaged in this most necessary +duty, and at the time I expressed my apprehensions as to +the result. I pointed out to him the different manner in +which the business had been conducted previous to the +assault of Badajos, and previous to the attack on the enemy's +position on the Nivelle, where every commanding-officer, +or others, who had any particular duty assigned to +them in the next day's operations, were brought to ground +from which it was clearly pointed out to them how they +were to move and act; but here all seemed apathy and fatal +security, arising from our too much despising our enemy. +This latter, I believe, was the principal cause of our not +taking the necessary precautions, and consequently of our +failure; particularly the commanding-officer of the 44th<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_373" id="Page_373">[373]</a></span> +ought to have been brought and shown where the fascines +were lodged, that no excuse of ignorance on that score might +be pleaded. A rocket thrown up was to be the signal for the +troops to advance to the attack, after they had been properly +posted under the cover of night for that purpose. I own +I did not at all feel satisfied with what I had seen and heard, +and retired to rest with a considerable degree of despondency +on my mind; and as I knew I could render little aid +to the service in a case like the present, I determined I +should not take any part in it, for I almost felt confident of +its failure.</p> + +<p>The whole of the troops were at their post by the time +appointed; but, unfortunately, as the sailors, &c. were +getting the boats out of the canal into the river, the lock +gave way after only a very few had passed it. Thus the +whole business seemed at one blow to be totally ruined. +Every effort was made to remedy the evil, but it was irremediable. +They toiled, however, to get more boats into +the river, but the delay had been so great that it began to +draw towards dawn before they had effected any thing worth +mentioning. Poor Sir Edward seemed like one bereft of +his reason, for this failure had blasted all his most sanguine +hopes; and as the troops were now close under the enemy's +works, and could not be withdrawn before daybreak, nor +without being perceived by the enemy, he thought it as +dangerous to turn back as to go forward with the operation, +consequently he ordered the rocket to be fired, although it +was considerably past the time for the attack to take place, +and no troops on the opposite shore. As soon as this was +done, he galloped to the front. But the enemy had been +quite prepared, and opened such a heavy fire upon the different +columns, and upon our line of skirmishers, (which had +been formed for some time within about 100 or 150 yards<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_374" id="Page_374">[374]</a></span> +of the enemy's work,) as it is not easy to conceive. I was +not in it as I said before, but I was so posted as to see it +plainly. But the 44th, with the fascines, were not to be +found. Their commanding-officers had taken them considerably +past the redoubt where the fascines were placed, and +when he bethought him of what he had to do, he and his +men were obliged to turn back to seek them; and thus, when +he ought to have been in front to throw them into the ditch +to allow the other troops to pass over, he was nearly half a +mile in rear seeking for them. But I believe it would not +have availed much had they been there in time, for the +right column never reached the point to which it was directed; +but from the dreadful fire of every kind poured +into it, some of the battalions began to waver, to halt and +fire, and at last one of them completely broke, and became +disorganized. Sir Edward seeing this rushed forward with +his hat in his hand, and endeavouring to animate them by +his presence, he cheered them on to advance again; but at +this moment he fell, after receiving two wounds, the last +of which was mortal. General Gibbs also fell nearly at the +same time mortally wounded, and was borne off the field. +Thus was the right and principal column deprived of both +its leaders; and although one regiment gave ground, and +could not be brought again to the attack, the other continued +to keep in a body, although any attempt now must be hopeless, +and they were losing such numbers of men that they +must shortly be annihilated. They accordingly retired without +effecting any thing.</p> + +<p>The left column succeeded somewhat better; but, as +things turned out, it was only to enhance their own loss. +They forced their way into the circular work before mentioned, +in which they made all the men who defended it +prisoners. But the canal still lay between them and the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_375" id="Page_375">[375]</a></span> +main work, which was passed only by a plank; and being +so few in numbers, it would have been madness in them to +attempt to go beyond where they had at present stationed +themselves. Indeed, they were in a most critical situation; +for, being within a few yards of the enemy's main body, +they could not move without being shot through the head +by their riflemen; and it was not till they had threatened +to shoot the prisoners they had taken, that they induced +the Americans to desist from attacking them; for by this +time General Keane also had fallen severely wounded, and +the 93d had been nearly cut to pieces; and General Lambert, +with the reserve, had been obliged to advance and +cover the retreat of the other columns. Colonel Dale, +who commanded the 93d, fell early in the action, and the +command devolved on Colonel Creagh; this officer, being +unwilling to retire his regiment without effecting the object +aimed at, although the men were literally mown down by +the murderous fire of the enemy, and the other column had +given way, still endeavoured to advance, but was at length +reluctantly compelled to retrograde, taking care to keep his +men together. This showed a fine and noble feeling in +him, and is equally honourable to his gallant regiment; but +unfortunately it tended only to swell the list of killed and +wounded on this lamentable occasion.</p> + +<p>My people were thus left to shift for themselves, and to +get away in the best manner they could. But being extended, +and not being so good an object for the artillery to +fire at as the columns, they escaped with much less loss +than could well be supposed. Some few of them reached +the ditch when they saw the columns advancing, and which +they say could have been passed with ease; but the columns +never advanced so far, which had they done, and that rapidly, +their loss would not have been half so great; for the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_376" id="Page_376">[376]</a></span> +enemy's troops in front of the right column were evidently +intimidated, and ceased firing for some seconds as the column +approached; and there is little doubt, had they pushed +on to the ditch with celerity, the Americans would have +abandoned their line; at least, such is my humble opinion. +But the poor fellows on the left, who had gained the only +work which fell into our hands on this bank of the river, +were still detained there, unable either to advance or retreat; +and not one durst show his head above the parapet, +or he was instantly shot dead.</p> + +<p>Such was their confined and critical situation at this +period, that an officer of the 7th, whose name I forget, +being himself rather tall, and wearing at this time the high +narrow-topped cap, could not squeeze in sufficiently close +to cover himself completely by the parapet, the top of the +high cap he wore sticking above the top of the work. This +part of the cap, which was visible to the Americans within +the line, had no less than four or five rifle-shots put through +it while he lay there, but without touching his head. All +this information respecting these three companies I had +from Lieutenant Steele of the 43d, one of the officers who +was in the work.</p> + +<p>They were obliged at last to adopt a very singular but +politic expedient, which was, to make one of the American +prisoners embrace a man of the 43d, and thus to stand up +together to see what was going forward; for hitherto they +were totally ignorant, from the causes above assigned. The +enemy durst not fire in such a case, for fear of killing their +own man. The news they now learned was most disheartening +indeed, which was, that the whole of the British had +retired, and that the Americans were coming out of their +lines, and were moving in the direction of that work. Nothing +now remained but to surrender, or to make an attempt<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_377" id="Page_377">[377]</a></span> +to retreat, at the risk of being every man knocked down. +The latter, however, they preferred; on which Colonel +Rennie, of the 21st, who commanded these three companies, +was the first to make the experiment, and in doing +which, the moment after he left the fort, he fell to rise no +more. They thought it better for them all to go at once, +and instantly the whole party made a rush out of the work. +The greater part of them providentially succeeded in effecting +their escape, although many a brave fellow fell in the +attempt.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_378" id="Page_378">[378]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XIX.</h2> + +<blockquote><p>Bravery and Success of Colonel Thornton—Negotiation for leave to +transport the Wounded across the River—Insult offered to the British—They +retreat—Our Army embark, and determine to make an +Attack upon Mobile—Proceed in the direction of Mobile Bay—A +Brigade detached to reduce Fort Boyer—The Fort surrenders, the +Garrison becoming Prisoners of War—Intelligence of a Treaty of +Peace being concluded at Ghent—Cessation of Hostilities.</p></blockquote> + + +<p>It now remains to detail the operations of Colonel +Thornton's party. It will be seen, that, although his +people were all ready at the appointed hour, they could not +get a sufficient number of boats to transport them to the +opposite shore. In fact, they did not get on board till it +was near daylight, and then only about one-half of the +appointed number. But, although at the risk of sacrificing +himself and the few men he took with him, he hesitated +not to make the attempt of fulfilling his orders. The signal +for the general attack, however, was made before he could +reach the opposite bank, and he had then to land, and after +making his disposition with the few troops he had, to advance +and attack a corps of 2000 men, mostly covered by +works, some of which were extremely strong. He dashed +on, however, the advance of the enemy giving way before +him, till coming to their principal battery, he was obliged<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_379" id="Page_379">[379]</a></span> +to detach a part of his force through the wood on his +left to turn their flank, while he with the remainder attacked +in front. This was conducted in such a soldierlike +manner, that, after a short conflict, the enemy gave way on +all sides, and retiring with precipitation, abandoned to the +victors batteries and works containing sixteen guns of +various calibre.</p> + +<p>But, alas! all this success came too late; for the principal +attack had by this time ended in a total failure, attended +with the loss of three out of four generals, and with +nearly 2000 officers and men killed, wounded, and made +prisoners. Had Providence prospered the work of the +canal, and the troops could have been got across at the +appointed hour, and in sufficient numbers, there is every +reason to believe that the effect produced on the main +body by such a powerful diversion, would have tended to +the complete overthrow of the whole force before us; for +so insecure did General Jackson feel himself to be after our +establishment on the other bank of the river, and so alarmed +at its consequences, that, in the evening of the fatal day, +he would not consent to a cessation of hostilities, to enable +us to bring off our numerous wounded, till General Lambert +(who had now succeeded to the command) agreed as a +preliminary to withdraw the force under Colonel Thornton +from that bank; and this, although with great reluctance, +the General was compelled from motives of humanity and +other causes to consent to.</p> + +<p>Before, however, a final answer was returned to General +Jackson, I believe it was suggested to our General, that, +with the possession of the other bank of the river, and +with the 7th and 43d nearly yet entire, and with the remainders +of the other regiments, our chances of success +had not yet entirely departed, particularly as Jackson evinced<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_380" id="Page_380">[380]</a></span> +such eagerness for our withdrawing from that bank. General +Lambert in consequence used means to ascertain the +feelings of the troops on this proposition, but without their +knowledge of his having done so; but I regret to state, +they seemed utterly hopeless of ever being able to overcome +such formidable difficulties as had presented themselves, +particularly now that their means of overcoming +them had been so lamentably diminished. The idea was +consequently abandoned.</p> + +<p>In this negotiation between the Generals, which continued +for some hours, Lieutenant-colonel Smith, our assistant +adjutant-general, had repeatedly to pass from army to +army with flags of truce, before the matter could be finally +arranged. This officer was most indefatigable in his exertions +on this unfortunate expedition, and to him the army +is greatly indebted for his zeal, ability, and gallantry, on +this and every other occasion where they could be of service +to his country, and by those in authority no doubt +they are duly appreciated.</p> + +<p>Thus terminated the fatal attack on the lines of New +Orleans—a termination probably as disastrous in its consequences +as any of modern date—not even excepting that +of Buenos Ayres; for that, discreditable as it was to our +arms, did not cost the lives of such a number of fine soldiers; +and I fear we have not yet experienced the full consequences +of this failure, for it is certain that the Americans +are greatly elevated by it in their own estimation, and +it is not improbable they may be thence induced to maintain +a higher tone in all their future negotiations with this +country.</p> + +<p>One instance may be to the point, as showing the feeling +of individuals of that country on this subject. A fellow in +the shape of an officer asked Colonel Smith, (I think it<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_381" id="Page_381">[381]</a></span> +was,) "Well, what do you think of we Yankees? Don't +you think we could lick any of the troops of the continent +easily?"—"I don't know that," says our officer.—"Why, +I'll prove to you," says Jonathan, "that we have shown +ourselves the best troops in the world. Didn't the French +beat the troops of every other continental nation? Didn't +you beat the French in the Peninsula? and haven't we +beat you just now?" This of course was conclusive, and +no farther argument on that subject could be advanced.</p> + +<p>The remainder of the troops retired in the evening to +their sorrowful bivouack, worn out and sadly dispirited. +All that night was of course devoted to bringing off the +unfortunate wounded; but several of those who fell far in +advance had been taken into the American lines, and, I have +every reason to believe, were treated with the greatest humanity. +Every effort was used, during the continuance of +the truce, to bring away the great numbers who lay wounded +in the different parts of the field; and on this as on all +other occasions, the sailors with their officers, evinced the +utmost solicitude to render assistance to the army; a great +number of them were employed all night on this distressing +duty. During the whole of that afternoon, both while +the negotiations were pending, and at other times, the +American officers were unceasing in their endeavours to induce +our soldiers to desert and join their army. Too many, +I regret to say, listened to their offers, and accepted them. +To some they promised promotion, to others money or +grants of land; in short, they were more like recruiting +sergeants, I understand, than the officers of a hostile army. +My battalion did not quit the field till after dark, and it is +from some of them I have this information. A group of +two sergeants and a private of ours were accosted by an +American officer of artillery with a request that they would<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_382" id="Page_382">[382]</a></span> +enter the service of the United States; that the sergeants +should be promoted if they wished to serve, or that they +should have grants of land if they preferred a civil life; but +that, if they chose to enter the army, he would ensure +them the rank of officers. Our people listened to this harangue +for some time, and then began, I regret to say, to +give him some bad language; telling him, at the same time, +that they would rather be privates in the British army, than +officers among such a set of raggamuffins as the Americans, +and told him to sheer off or they would fire upon him. +This so exasperated the cowardly villain, that he went off +instantly into the line, they watching him all the while, +and pointing the gun, of which, it seems, he had charge, it +was fired, and knocked down the private, who was only +wounded, however, by the shot. Innumerable attempts of +this nature were made both now and all the time we remained +before their lines subsequently, but which attempts, +I am proud to say, as far as I have been able to learn, failed +in every instance in the men of my battalion.</p> + +<p>Much about the same time, an American soldier came +within about 150 yards of our line, and began to plunder +such of the killed or wounded men as he thought possessed +of any thing valuable. He at length commenced upon a +poor wounded man belonging to my battalion, which being +perceived by a Corporal Scott of ours, he asked permission +from his captain to take a shot at him. This being granted, +(although a sort of truce had been established while the +negotiations were going on,) he took up his rifle, and taking +a steady aim, he fired, and tumbled the plundering villain +right over the body of the poor wounded man.</p> + +<p>The loss of our five companies in this attack amounted to +seven officers and about —— men killed and wounded. Some +of the other regiments, the 93d in particular, had suffered<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_383" id="Page_383">[383]</a></span> +dreadfully, having lost more than half their numbers. The +sad ceremony of burying such of the officers whose bodies +had been recovered, together with attention to the wounded, +occupied several days from this period, and sending the +wounded, who were able to bear removal, to the shipping, +kept great numbers of the remaining men continually employed; +and the attention of all was now turned towards +drawing off from this scene of our late disastrous attempt.</p> + +<p>The General entered into a negotiation with Jackson +about being permitted to send a portion of our wounded +down the river in boats; for which permission some equivalent, +which I forget, was to be granted on our part, and +which, after considerable discussion, was eventually agreed +to. The sick, the wounded, the stores of every description, +were now despatched as fast as circumstances would allow; +but the effecting of this occupied not less than nine days, +during the whole of which time the enemy was incessant in +his attempts to harass and annoy us. All their heavy ordnance +was brought to bear on our bivouack; the sugar-house +our people occupied, and even the head-quarters, did +not escape; night and day they kept up a fire of shot and +shells upon these points; but the distance being considerable, +no very great mischief resulted from it, further than +the continual state of uneasiness and alarm in which it kept +the troops. On one occasion, however, a shell was thrown +into the lines of the 43d, who had since the attack occupied +a part of the general bivouack, and which, falling into a hut +occupied by Lieutenant Darcy of that regiment, while he +lay asleep, carried off both his legs as it fell. Poor fellow! +he would thus be awakened in a rough manner indeed. +I have since seen him in Dublin, the government having +kindly compensated him by giving him a company, and I +believe two pensions.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_384" id="Page_384">[384]</a></span></p> + +<p>Several shells were thrown into the head-quarters premises, +but providentially without injuring any one. One +fell in the yard while a party of troops was halted there +for a short while, and which falling on one of the men's +knapsacks, which he had put off, it carried it, with itself, +not less than six feet deep into the earth. It did not +explode. Some fell on the roof, which penetrated through +all the stories to the very ground. Every night also the +picquets were kept in a state of agitation and alarm by the +continual attacks of small parties of our skulking enemy, +and my battalion, as did the others also, lost considerable +numbers by this petty warfare. In short, the men's lives +began almost to be a burden to them.</p> + +<p>There was another source of annoyance adopted on the +part of the Americans on this occasion, but which, affecting +only the mental, and not the bodily powers of our +soldiers, was not so much heeded. Every day almost +they assembled in large bodies on the parapet of their line, +with flags of various descriptions, some with "sailors' +rights" and numerous other devices, &c. painted on them, +using the most insulting gesticulations towards those who +were near enough to see them, a band playing Yankee +Doodle, and other national airs, all the while, and sometimes +ironically favouring us with Rule Britannia. Considerable +numbers of our men deserted about this time. +Every encumbrance being removed, however, by the 17th, +orders were issued for the march of the army on the +following evening soon after dark, leaving the picquets as a +rearguard, which were not to march till a short while before +daylight. In retiring, some of the wounded, who were +unable to bear removal, were necessarily left in the houses +where they had been collected; but there were not many +so left, and no doubt the enemy acted humanely by them.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_385" id="Page_385">[385]</a></span> +There were seven men of my battalion left, out of which +three rejoined us after the conclusion of peace; the other +four, I believe, were very badly wounded, and died in consequence. +It was also necessary to abandon such of the +guns as remained in the advanced batteries, because, both +from their weight and their being so near the enemy, they +could not be brought off without exposing our intentions of +retreating. Neither were these numerous, and most of +them only iron ship-guns, which are of no great value.</p> + +<p>The movement commenced according to the preconcerted +plan, and being conducted with secrecy and regularity, +every soldier was brought off, over a country almost impassable, +and where, if followed and harassed by an enterprising +enemy, great numbers must have either fallen into their +hands or perished in the swamp. But I believe, had the +Americans even been aware of our intention, they would +have hesitated before they came into collision with our +highly exasperated army, and would scarcely have dared to +attack us in the open field: they had had enough of that +work on the 23d, to give them a specimen of what British +soldiers could do when met fairly, front to front.</p> + +<p>The marsh, it may be necessary to mention, extended +from the lower skirt of the wood to the fishermen's huts at +the mouth of the creek. This creek we had sailed up on +our advance, but this could not possibly be the case at present, +both on account of our numbers being much too great +for the number of boats, and of the danger to which it +would have exposed the troops had they been attacked from +the shore, but principally on the former account; a sort of +road had therefore been constructed by our artificers, by cutting +down boughs from the wood, and laying them across +such places as required something on the surface on which +to tread. This road extended, as nigh as I can judge, about<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_386" id="Page_386">[386]</a></span> +eight or ten miles, and in passing which numerous slips +were made into the sloughs on each side; but there being +plenty of assistance generally at hand, they helped each +other out: some men, I understand, were lost, however, in +this night-march through the swamp.</p> + +<p>Having arrived at the huts before-mentioned, the whole +army set about forming such places of shelter as the desert +swamp afforded. There were certainly reeds in abundance, +but we wanted some sort of timbers for the support of the +outward covering. We, however, did the best we could; and +now every exertion was made by the navy to bring the +army off from this most uncomfortable place of abode, and +regiment after regiment were despatched as fast as the boats +and other small craft could go and return, the distance from +hence to the shipping being about seventy miles. While +we remained here, we who were fond of shooting found +plenty of wild-ducks on which to exercise our sporting +abilities; but, alas! we wanted shot, and were therefore +seldom able to bring home a couple for dinner.</p> + +<p>A considerable number of slaves, belonging to the estates +where we had lately been stationed, followed us down thus +far, some of whom would not return, but were afterwards +sent on board of ship. These, male and female, often amused +us with their native dances, the men generally having a +number of rings or bells about them, which sounded as they +kept time to the tune. Some of their dances were, however, +far from decent, particularly on the part of the females, +which, it may be supposed, highly delighted some of +our young and thoughtless countrymen. Some were induced +to return to their masters: for those who came on +board of ship, I believe it was not till very lately that the +two governments came to terms as to the remuneration +which their owners claimed for them.</p> + +<p>At length<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_387" id="Page_387">[387]</a></span> the turn came for my battalion to go on board, +which we did on the 25th of January, when our whole five +companies were put on board the Dover, the ship that had +brought out two companies of the battalion, and which were +then not much fewer in number than the five at present +were; in fact, we had lost more than half. The whole army +did not get embarked till ——, when the 7th Fusileers came +on board. This regiment had been necessarily left alone at +the fishermen's huts till the boats could return, as before +stated, to bring them off, and yet even this single battalion +the enemy, with upwards of 10,000 men, dared not come +down and attack, although there were no works to protect +it in this exposed situation. Nothing could possibly demonstrate +more fully and clearly, that, notwithstanding the +repulse they had unfortunately given our troops, they +dreaded them in the open country; or else it must be attributed +to the prudent sagacity of their leader, who, having +gained a victory which he had previously scarce dared to +hope for, now wisely resolved not to risk the tarnishing +of his dear-bought laurels. It is not an easy matter to reconcile +this cautious and timid conduct with their furious +onset on the night of the 23d, and with their boasting +speeches after our failure on the 8th instant.</p> + +<p>Now, while we remain at rest for a short while on board +of ship, let us take a retrospective glance at the late events. +It is certain we were singularly unfortunate. Providence, +which had smiled upon us in our late operations against the +most formidable army in the world, the French, here +taught us most painfully, that the victory is not always to +be gained by strength or courage. Indeed it was but a just +punishment for the contempt we entertained for our opponents, +and which unfortunate feeling, I believe, was almost +universal. I own I entertained it in a high degree; for I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_388" id="Page_388">[388]</a></span> +judged it next to a moral impossibility that an army of undisciplined +and unmanageable peasants, however numerous, +could for a moment withstand the attack of those troops +who had overthrown the victorious legions of Bonaparte. +But every soldier was a patriot, and they fought for their +country, and for a country of all others most suitable for +the operations of such troops; full of fastnesses, composed +of creeks, and necks, and woods, &c. of all which they did +not fail to take the utmost advantage. For this work of +theirs, constructed on a spot of ground said to have been +pointed out by General Moreau, completely shut us out from +all approach towards the town, and compensated for every +disadvantage under which they, as irregulars, laboured; for +it was not only a formidable barrier to our army, but it gave +them, by the protection it afforded their persons, all the +steadiness of troops inured to combat, and permitted them +the full exercise of that superior skill as marksmen for +which they are famed, and which exposure in the open +field would have deprived them of; for here they were +covered up to the chin, and suffered comparatively nothing +from all our fire.</p> + +<p>But I fear we have something for which to blame ourselves +on this occasion. It is certain, I believe, that they +had been timely apprized of the destination of our expedition, +however secret we pretended to keep it ourselves, and +if rumour may in such a case be permitted to go for any +thing, it is said that information was conveyed from Jamaica +to New Orleans direct by a French ship, which left the former +for the latter place some time before our arrival. How +she came into the possession of that information, I cannot +justly tell. It is certain, however, that the Americans must +have had timely notice, or General Jackson could not have<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_389" id="Page_389">[389]</a></span> +had the men from Kentucky and Tennessee to oppose us +the first night we landed.</p> + +<p>I before hazarded an opinion, that had we pushed forward +on the 24th December, we should in all probability have +proved successful. I will say nothing as to the point of debarkation +being well or ill chosen, although many have said +we should have been more likely to succeed had we attacked +Fort ——, which, after carrying, would have allowed +us to land behind the town, instead of three leagues below +it. These things I am totally incapable of judging of, from +my ignorance of the country. I also before expressed my +opinion, that had we attacked on New Year's Day, when +our artillery produced such an effect on the appalled Americans, +we should have had a better chance of carrying their +works.</p> + +<p>Another thing in which I venture to differ from the plan +adopted by our lamented commander, is, that I would have +employed the 7th and 43d to the post of honour, instead of +keeping them in reserve. They, it was well known, had +each established a reputation for being the finest regiments +in the service, and every reliance might have been placed +in their executing whatever task was assigned them, if executable +by human powers. Far different was it with those +who unfortunately led the attack, for except one of the regiments +of the attacking column, they had not any of them +been conspicuous as fighting regiments.</p> + +<p>It was, I believe, a well known maxim of Bonaparte's, +always to put his best troops in front; if they were successful, +their example served to stimulate the others to copy +their example; if unsuccessful, their discipline and valour +never permitted them to become so totally disorganized as +to render the reverse irretrievable. The onset also of these +better troops, must produce a far different effect on the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_390" id="Page_390">[390]</a></span> +enemy than the hesitating and dispirited attack of inferior +ones. Had our troops on this occasion rushed forward to +the ditch in double quick time, or at least at a quick march, +I venture to affirm the work would have been carried with +the fourth part of the loss of what they suffered. Reason +itself must point out to any man, whether acquainted with +military matters or not, that to move slowly under a galling +fire is more trying and destructive to the troops so moving, +than to rush at once to the point aimed at; but much +more, to halt at the very point where every fire-arm can be +brought to bear upon them with the deadliest effect, is of +all other modes of proceeding the least likely to succeed. +They were thus exposed for hours to as destructive a fire +as ever was poured upon the heads of an attacking army, +while, had they pushed on at the rate I mention, a few minutes +would have sufficed to put them from under the fire +of the artillery at least, for when close to the ditch, it could +not be brought to bear upon them. Mark the mode in which +the three companies on the left effected the task assigned to +them. Before the enemy were aware almost that they were +to be attacked, these troops were in possession of the work +they were destined to storm; so quickly indeed that the defenders +of that work had not time to effect their retreat, and +were, as before noticed, made prisoners by the attacking +party. This not only secured their safety while left there +by themselves, but enabled them, in some degree, to effect +their retreat with less loss than they would otherwise have +been exposed to.</p> + +<p>I have dwelt perhaps too long on this, but of all other +causes I deem this to have been the greatest of our sad +failure. It is lamentable, however, to be obliged to confess, +that ill conduct on the part of some parties, but of +one individual in particular, contributed in no small degree<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_391" id="Page_391">[391]</a></span> +to our repulse on this melancholy occasion. For the rest, +nothing could exceed the determined courage and patient +endurance of hardship that the army in general evinced, and +certainly nothing could exceed the gallantry of our leaders.</p> + +<p>It was now determined to make an attempt upon Mobile, +a town lying about thirty or forty leagues to the eastward +of New Orleans. Accordingly, the fleet got under weigh and +proceeded in the direction of the entrance into Mobile Bay, +which is protected on the west side by shoals and Isle Dauphine, +and on the east by a fort, built on a point of land +called Mobile Point, and mounting about twenty pieces of +heavy ordnance. Its name is Fort Boyer, I believe. Before +our arrival in this country, an attempt had been made on +this fort by one of our frigates, but which entirely failed, +owing to her taking the ground on the shoals before mentioned. +As she could not be got off, and as she lay under +the fire of the fort, her crew were compelled to abandon her, +but, I believe, not till they had first set her on fire; her wreck +lay here when we came. Until this fort was taken, no vessel of +any size could enter the bay, consequently it became necessary +to attack it in form. The brigade formerly General +Gibbs's, consisting of the 4th, 21st, and 44th, was therefore +landed a little behind the point, and proceeded without delay +to invest it; the remainder of the troops were landed on +Isle Dauphine.</p> + +<p>We were put on shore on the 8th February, and instantly +commenced hutting ourselves by brigades. Some of the officers +had tents issued out to them; the acting Quartermaster +and myself had one between us. This island is almost covered +with pine-wood, but in other respects it is nearly a desert, +and without any inhabitants resident on it, save one family, +a Mr Rooney, formerly from Belfast I understand, but now +a naturalized American. He was married to a native of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_392" id="Page_392">[392]</a></span> +Louisiana, a lady of French extraction. He had been a midshipman +in the American navy, but had been dismissed for +some misconduct, it was said, and banished to this island. +He appeared to us to be no great things.</p> + +<p>I omitted to mention that the 40th regiment had arrived +from England before we left the banks of the Mississippi, but +it being after the failure they were of no use, and were consequently +not permitted to land. They were afterwards +placed in our brigade, which now bivouacked near to the +point of the island facing the bay. When we arrived, the +island contained a considerable number of cattle, with pigs, +&c. belonging to Rooney, but which had been permitted, as +is customary in this country, to run wild in the woods, there +being no danger of their leaving the island. These, however, +soon fell a prey to such hungry fellows as we were, +who had been for some time past on rather short commons. +But they did not answer our expectations, being in taste, +what may appear singular, quite fishy. This was attributed +to their feeding so much on marine vegetables, there being +little other pasture for them on the island.</p> + +<p>A hoax was played off upon great numbers of our young +hands respecting this fishiness. There was on one point +of the island a considerable oyster-bed, and it was generally +pretty near this that the cattle were found and shot, that +being the most distant from our bivouack. It was therefore +said the flesh of the cattle became of that peculiar flavour +from feeding upon oysters. Some, without reflecting, credited +this strange story, as the assertor generally said he had +seen the cattle opening the oysters with their tongues. This +oyster-bed, however, was a source of great luxury to us, for +it not only afforded us the means of rendering the salt junk +more palatable by having an excellent sauce to make it +go down, but it even afforded a most wholesome and delicious<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_393" id="Page_393">[393]</a></span> +meal upon occasions by eating them raw. We also +made the best use of our time when not employed on military +affairs, in endeavouring to catch as many fish as we +could; and for this purpose, my mess purchased from one of +the poor Spanish fishermen before mentioned (and who, for +the information and kindness they had shown us, were obliged +to quit their habitations and follow us), an excellent +casting-net, with which the acting Quartermaster and myself +occupied ourselves from day to day, generally bringing +home a sufficient quantity of fish to serve our mess. I never +laboured more assiduously in any occupation than I did in +this, not only from a relish for such amusement, but because +we really wanted something to eke out our scanty +meals. We at length got a siene-net from one of the men-of-war, +with which we were not only able to supply ourselves +most abundantly, but always had a large quantity to +give away to the soldiers. Wild-fowl also were very plentiful +when we first entered the island; but from the number +killed, and the constant shooting at them, they soon became +scarce and difficult to get at.</p> + +<p>Here also there were abundance of alligators, and on our +fishing and shooting excursions we frequently started them +from their lurking-places, which were generally among the +reeds by the side of an inland lake, or rather creek of the +sea. On these occasions we seldom saw them, for they always +endeavoured to avoid us; but wherever they ran along +the bottom of the water, they stirred up the mud so greatly +all the track they took, that we had no difficulty in tracing +them. I never remember to have seen a live one on these +occasions, but a dead one once afforded us considerable +amusement. One evening, on our return home from our +constant occupation, there being three or four of us of the +party, I was in front, and the acting Quartermaster and the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_394" id="Page_394">[394]</a></span> +others in the rear of me. On a sudden I was alarmed by the +cry of "Oh stop, here's an alligator!" and before I could look +round, a shot was fired apparently into the earth, close beside +their feet. I went back to see what was the matter, +and found indeed, as he had said, an alligator, but one which +I suppose had been dead for several months at least. It was +buried in the sand, and only a part of its body appeared; but +whether he imagined it might have placed itself in that situation +intentionally, with the view of enticing its prey within +its reach, or what other thought he had, I cannot tell, but, +to make assurance doubly sure, he fired his rifle right into +the body of the half-rotten alligator. He was long and often +severely roasted about this afterwards. A young one was +caught alive, however, by some of the 14th dragoons, and +brought home to England, and afterwards, I understand, +presented to the British Museum. All this while the siege +of the fort was going forward, but as we had nothing to +do with it, we had plenty of time, not only to hunt for +extra prog, but to amuse ourselves in any other manner we +pleased.</p> + +<p>The army, about this time, was inspected by our Chief, +General Lambert, by battalions. My kind late commanding-officer, +Captain Travers, who was severely wounded at the +attack on the 8th, had rejoined by this time, although still +very lame. During the inspection, the General said to him, +"Travers, I am sorry to hear that your sergeant-major ran +away on the night of the 23d, during the attack."—"That +is impossible, General," said Travers, "for he fought as +bravely as any man could possibly do, and was carried off +the field near the end of the fight, severely wounded. +But I have a guess what has given rise to this report. A +sergeant of ours left his battalion, I believe, either during +or after the fight, and having taken up his quarters near one<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_395" id="Page_395">[395]</a></span> +of the houses where the wounded were carried, the surgeon +pressed him to remain with him as hospital-sergeant. I +made efforts to have him sent to his battalion, but could not +get it done. This must have been the cause of such a story +having got abroad."—"Ah," says the General, "I am sorry +that the poor sergeant-major should have lain under a stigma, +of which he was altogether undeserving; and, now +since we have done him an involuntary injustice, and he is +a deserving man, we must try what amends we can make +him for it." He accordingly recommended him for an ensigncy +in one of the West India regiments; and before that +day twelvemonth, he had risen to the rank of lieutenant. +Nothing could be finer than the feeling of Sir John Lambert +on this occasion; indeed, he has always shown himself +a most excellent upright man, and a gallant officer.</p> + +<p>About this time, a Russian vessel was detained going up +to New Orleans with a cargo of wine from Bordeaux; but +although she would, I doubt not, have been a legal capture, +for breaking the blockade, the master was permitted to dispose +of his cargo to our army, and an excellent thing he +made of it, for the wine, which he must have purchased for +about one shilling or one and sixpence a bottle, he charged +us in general about four shillings for; we were glad, however, +to get it at any price, and a most seasonable supply +it was indeed. On one of our shooting excursions, an officer +of ours fell in with a sow and two or three pigs, in +the wood; he instantly fired at one of the pigs and killed +it; but when going to pick it up, the sow set upon him +with such fury, that he was glad to abandon his prize, and +retreat with precipitation.</p> + +<p>When the army landed near New Orleans, the 14th light +dragoons had taken their saddles and other horse equipments +with them, in hopes of being able to get mounted in the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_396" id="Page_396">[396]</a></span> +country; and which, being bulky, required a good large +boat to bring off again. They were therefore put on board a +considerable-sized one, with an officer of the regiment and a +guard to protect them. On their way down towards the shipping, +night overtook them before they could reach their +destination, on which they pushed towards the shore, whether +of an island or the mainland, I cannot say, in hopes +of being more secure for the night; they consequently put +on a sentry, and all lay down in the boat to sleep. Soon +afterwards, however, a boat came rowing rapidly alongside, +and before the sentry could discover who or what they +were, they boarded, and instantly made the party all prisoners. +The officer, I believe, when called on to deliver up his +sword, was so annoyed at being trapped in such a manner, +that he threw it into the lake, as far as he could fling it. +The American officer who captured them was a lieutenant +in their navy, and went by the name of Commodore Shiel +(for every fellow is a commodore who commands even a +few boats). He was so elated by his success on this occasion, +and, I believe, by having taken another boat with +stores, that he boasted to his prisoners, that he would take +even Admiral Cochrane himself yet, before he left the +country.</p> + +<p>While we remained on Isle Dauphine, a commissary, +with a sergeant and party of our men, were sent on shore, +on the mainland, to shoot bullocks for the supply of the +army. They had landed, and the commissary, with the sergeant +and I think two men, went off into the neighbouring +wood, leaving the two or three other men at the landing-place +to protect the boat. Here again Mr Shiel made +his appearance, quite suddenly and unexpectedly, having +come round a jutting point before the men were aware of +his presence; he instantly, of course, made them prisoners,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_397" id="Page_397">[397]</a></span> +and, taking their arms from them, he put them on board +their own boat, then, sending a part of his crew on board +to manage it, despatched it for the American harbour. He +now with a few more of his people went in search of the +commissary and his party, whom he soon found; and they +seeing resistance would be vain, when their own boat was +departed, were compelled at once to surrender. He instantly +put them into his own boat; and taking the commissary +into the after-sheets alongside of himself, the sergeant and +the other men were put forward to the head of the boat. +Whether any preconcerted scheme and signal had been +agreed upon between the commissary and the sergeant, I do +not know, but an opportunity soon after offering, the commissary +gave the sergeant the wink, and instantly seizing +Mr Shiel by the thighs, pitched him right overboard in an +instant; the sergeant, at the same moment, seizing the +stoutest of Shiel's men, and serving him in a like manner. +The others being attacked by the remaining two men, at +once surrendered, and, I believe, suffered themselves to be +bound; and our people, having now resumed their arms +and become masters of the boat, admitted Mr Shiel, who, I +fancy, had clung to the boat to prevent his drowning, to +come once more on board. What became of the other man +who was thrown over, I know not; whether he swam on +shore, or was drowned, or was afterwards taken into the +boat, I cannot tell; but the result was, that the great, the +boasting Commodore Shiel, was brought to the island a +prisoner, where he landed like a drowned rat, and quite +chopfallen.</p> + +<p>The commissary, who was a fine, stout, and gallant young +fellow, spoke highly in praise of Tom Fukes, our sergeant, +for his bravery and good management on the occasion.</p> + +<p>At length the works being all completed for battering<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_398" id="Page_398">[398]</a></span> +the fort, Colonel Smith was sent in with a flag of truce to +demand its surrender. The commandant was quite undecided +how to act, and asked the Colonel what he, as a man of +honour, would advise him to do. "Why," says the Colonel, +"do you not see that our guns are now overlooking your +whole work, and that we could, in a very short time, knock +it down about your ears? I have no hesitation in telling +you, that the rules of war will fully justify you in surrendering +to such a superior force, and when the siege has +advanced to such a point as it actually is." His arguments, +together with the truth of his statements, at length overcame +the courage and determination of Jonathan, and he +instantly agreed to surrender, the garrison, afterwards becoming +prisoners of war, marching out and laying down +their arms on the glacis.</p> + +<p>Thus, on the 12th February, this important fortification +fell into our hands, together with 400 men of the 2d regiment +of the United States, and either one or two American +colours. This obstacle removed, every exertion was now +made to advance up the lake to the attack of Mobile; but +on the 14th, a vessel arrived with the unexpected, but +cheering information, that peace had been concluded at +Ghent between the two nations, and that it only required +the ratification of Mr Maddison, the United States' president. +Of course, all further operations of a warlike nature +were suspended for the present, till it was known whether +the treaty would be ratified or not. This ship also brought +out the notification of our two Generals, Lambert and +Keane, being appointed Knights of the Bath. Some of our +Colonels also were included in the list, viz. Blakeny of the +the 7th, and Dickson of the royal artillery.</p> + +<p>And now nothing was thought of but amusement, and +making ourselves as comfortable as possible. But we began<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_399" id="Page_399">[399]</a></span> +to get very short of provisions. Our people were therefore +obliged to send to the Havannah, where they procured the +strongest sort of beef I ever saw. It was not salted; but after +the cattle had been killed, all the thin belly part had been +cut round the whole bullock, in narrow stripes, of about +two inches in width; this being laid, or hung up in the +sun, which is extremely powerful in that country, it was +dried without having the least offensive taste or smell, farther +than a little rancidity, which was not by any means +unpleasant; but when brought from on board, it had much +more the appearance of coils of ropes (for it was coiled up +in a similar manner) than provision for the use of man. An +aide-de-camp of General Lambert's, then Lieutenant, but +now Major D'Este, son of his Royal Highness the Duke +of Sussex by Lady Augusta Murray, used frequently to +join the shooting party of our acting quartermaster and +myself; and, on one occasion, having obtained a canoe, a +trip to the mainland was projected, for the purpose of +shooting; accordingly we took two or three men with us, +and started from the northernmost point of the island, that +being the nearest to the main, which we saw before us, and +not more than five or six miles distant. It was considered +the best mode of proceeding for us all to get into the boat, +except one man, who was a famous wader, (having often accompanied +us in our expeditions around the island,) and who +was to wade as far out into the sea as he could, dragging +the canoe after him. This he could do very easily, for she +was quite light, and the water was exceeding shallow for a +great distance into the sea. He continued towing us in this +manner for about half a mile, when, being fairly up to his +chin, he and we thought it was high time for him to come +on board; but, in doing this, he gave her such a cant as +turned her right over, and pitched us all into the water. I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_400" id="Page_400">[400]</a></span> +luckily had my eye upon the man when he sprung to get +into the canoe, and suspecting that she could not bear so +rough a pull, was ready; and accordingly, when I saw her +going, leaped out, without being plunged overhead, as all +the others were. But all our rifles, &c. were pitched out, +and of course sunk to the bottom, to which we were obliged +to dive before we could get them up. This accident put a +stop to our excursion, and we waded out again, looking +extremely foolish. Nevertheless we ought to have been +truly thankful to Providence that it occurred before we got +out of our depth; for, with such a frail bark, it is more +than probable some accident would have happened before +our return, had not this prevented our further progress.</p> + +<p>Innumerable were our adventures of this nature, for the +water was delightfully warm, and having no military occupation +at the time, we could not find any better amusement. +A party, indeed, suggested the getting up of theatricals, +which being approved on all hands, workmen were instantly +set about erecting the theatre-royal, Isle Dauphine. This, +of course, with the getting off of parts, occupied the managers +and the other performers for some time; but at length +all being ready, most excellent entertainments took place, +following each other in quick succession. At some of these +parties, American officers, who now often paid us visits, +were highly entertained, and paid us high compliments, not +only as to the splendour and magnificence of our theatrical +representations, but to our ingenuity as displayed in hut-building, +which, they said, even surpassed the architectural +abilities of the Indians in that branch of the art,—a high +compliment indeed!</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_401" id="Page_401">[401]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XX.</h2> + +<blockquote><p>Ratification of the Treaty of Peace—Exchange of Prisoners—Our Troops +embark for England—When off the coast of Ireland, receive intelligence +of Bonaparte's escape from Elba—The Author and his Battalion +reach the Downs, and proceed to Thorncliffe—Embark for +France—Arrive at Paris, and occupy the Champs Elysées—Review +of the Russian Guards—Russian Discipline—British Troops reviewed—Accident +to Prince Blucher—Amusements in Paris—The Allied +Forces, except the Army of Occupation, leave Paris—The Author's +Battalion embark for England—Reach Dover, and return to Thorncliffe—He +obtains leave of absence, and visits his Family—His Battalion +ordered to Ireland—Sets out to join it, accompanied by his Wife, +who dies three days after they reach Dublin—His Battalion reduced—Joins +the first Battalion at Gosport, which is ordered to Scotland—Arrive +at Leith, and march to Glasgow—The Author returns home +in ill health—His Father dies—Joins his Battalion again—Winters +at home—His Battalion ordered to Ireland—Joins it at Belfast—They +occupy different stations during the Whiteboy Insurrection—Six +companies of his Battalion ordered to Nova Scotia, but the Author +remains with the other four companies—He is shortly ordered to +proceed to Nova Scotia—His health declines—Returns home in consequence, +takes advantage of Lord Palmerston's Bill, and retires on +full pay.</p></blockquote> + + +<p>On the 5th March, the ratification of the treaty of peace, +by Mr Maddison, arrived; and now all our thoughts were +turned towards our dear native country. On the 15th also, +all our poor fellows, who had been made prisoners by the +Americans, joined us at this island, an exchange in consequence +of peace having of course taken place. Many of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_402" id="Page_402">[402]</a></span> +these were strange-looking figures when they came among +us, most of them having been stripped of great part of their +uniforms, their caps particularly, and wearing mocassins, a +sort of Indian sandals, instead of shoes or boots, and being +so sunburnt as to be scarcely recognisable.</p> + +<p>Major Mitchell told us that General Jackson had treated +him exceeding harshly, because he did not choose to give +the General such information respecting our numbers, &c. +as he wished. He also said he met with great insolence on +his way up to Natchez, where the prisoners were kept, from +the different parties of Kentucky men, and others, whom +he met on their way down "to take a shoot," as they +termed it, "at his countrymen." He met many thousands +in this manner, so that 10 or 12,000 is the very lowest +number that Jackson could have had for the defence of his +lines.</p> + +<p>I do not remember that we ever had Divine service performed +during the period of this expedition except once or +twice, and that about this time. Indeed the activity required +of the army at all times, during the continuance of +hostilities, almost necessarily precluded it. At this time I +remember perfectly the preacher's text was, "My son, give +me thy heart." Alas! how few of the hearts of his hearers +were given at that time to Him who only had a right to +demand them! I confess with shame and sorrow, that +almost any trifle, however unworthy, possessed a greater +interest in my heart than He who had formed it, and who +alone is worthy of supreme regard.—The good Lord pardon +this neglect, for Christ's sake!</p> + +<p>The regiments now began to go on board the different +ships, as fast as arrangements could be made to receive +them; and when on board, they sailed at once without +waiting for the others, there being now no danger of falling<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_403" id="Page_403">[403]</a></span> +in with an enemy. The weather now began to grow exceedingly +warm, which brought out alligators and snakes +in abundance. The latter were extremely annoying, for they +sometimes got into our very tents, and one on one occasion +so frightened a captain of ours (who was not afraid of +man) as to make him sprawl up the tent-pole to get out of +its reach, roaring out at the same time most lustily for help. +It was killed and put into a bottle of spirits, and I believe +he brought it home. It was an exceeding small one, but +with the most beautiful crimson, or rather pink-coloured +wavy streak running down its back imaginable. We were +told it was one of the most venomous of all the American +reptiles, save probably the rattlesnake.</p> + +<p>The thunder and lightning also became very frequent, +and the former, I think, the most awfully grand I ever +heard. It appeared to roll along just on the very tops of +the pine-trees, many of which indeed were scathed to the +very roots by the latter.</p> + +<p>On the 31st March our turn came to go on board, and +we were rejoiced to find that the Dover, our old friend was +to be our principal ship, the remainder of the men beyond +what she could hold being sent on board the Norfolk transport. +While we were preparing for sea, I took a boat and +a party with a siene, and went on shore on a sandy point +of the island, where I had not been before, and in a short +time caught a fine load of fish, mostly grey mullet, with +which we returned on board, greatly to the satisfaction of +all those who shared in them. Every thing being now +ready, we weighed and bid adieu to America on the 4th +April, shaping our course for the Havannah, where our +captain intended to call for various purposes, but principally +to replenish his stock, which had begun to get exceedingly +low.</p> + +<p>On our passage<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_404" id="Page_404">[404]</a></span> thither we encountered a heavy gale, +which detained us longer than we had calculated for our +voyage. We did not reach that place till the 19th. Here +we found ourselves once more in Espana, every thing here +being exactly like what you meet with in the mother +country,—the same stink of oil, garlic, and dried fish. +Speaking of the latter, which is called by them Bacalao, an +officer of ours who kept a journal, when describing this +place, says, "The natives catch a great quantity of fish on +the coast, called Bacalao." Unfortunately it is not called +Bacalao till after it is dried, but Piscado. This brought, as +it might be expected, lots of laughter upon his head.</p> + +<p>I need not describe the Havannah, because any one who +has a Gazetteer, may there read an account of it; and +which, though perhaps not altogether a correct one, will be +sufficient to give him an idea of what it is; suffice it to say, +it is an exceeding strong place, and would not, I apprehend, +be so easily taken, if the inhabitants are true to their country, +as it was in the year 1762. The capture of it at the +time above stated, made the place extremely interesting to +me, for one of my earliest and best friends served as a lieutenant +in the 56th grenadiers at the taking of it; and often +have I heard him expatiate, with great delight and animation, +on the scenes he witnessed, and the dangers he encountered, +in this most arduous undertaking. He is now, poor +man, no more, having died only very lately, and I sincerely +trust and hope he is in peace. The Moro and the Punta, +and all the other immense fortifications, attracted my particular +regard, on this old gentleman's account; but so extremely +jealous were the Spaniards, that they would not +permit even us, their late faithful helpers and friends, to +view the works. We visited the theatre, which is a fine +building, but heavy and badly lighted, but apparently well<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_405" id="Page_405">[405]</a></span> +supplied with performers. The piece on this occasion was +Anthony and Cleopatra. There were also some equestrian +performers here from the United States. They had built a +fine circus, at about half a mile's distance from the city, to +which every one of course repaired. All the world was +there; even little Connolly, whom I had known at Cadiz as +a major in the Spanish service, was here in the command +of a regiment, and had attained the rank of full Colonel. +He did not seem over anxious to recognise any of his former +acquaintances, nor even to let it be known that he was so +much of a Briton as to have acquaintance with any people +of that country; in short, he wished to be considered a complete +Spaniard. I doubt not he is now a rank apostolical. +We paid a visit also to old Woodville, the famous cigar-maker. +He was an expatriated Englishman, from Portsmouth +I believe, obliged to flee his country on account of +some smuggling transaction, and, in doing this, he had +changed his name. We found the old man ill in bed, but +able to sit up and speak with us. He wore an immense +long white beard, reaching down nearly to the bed as he +sat up. Yet this old man had a young black wife, and a +whole fry of young mulattoes running about the house like +as many little pigs. He was very kind, but apparently not +over well to do. We bought each a considerable quantity of +his famed cigars, for which we paid him, I think, four dollars +a thousand—more, I apprehend, than he usually gets +from the Spaniards for them.</p> + +<p>Having laid in such sea stock as we could conveniently +procure, and having stored ourselves well with the delicious +preserves of this country, and withal bought a fine turtle, +weighing about two cwt., on the 24th we set sail for old +and happy England, glad once more to set our faces homeward.</p> + +<p>We had a quickish<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_406" id="Page_406">[406]</a></span> run through the Gulf of Florida, or, +as it is more properly called, the Bahama Channel, and, +keeping to the northward of Bermuda, shaped our course +so that we passed a little to the south of the Great Newfoundland +Bank. From hence the wind was roughish +generally, but quite fair, so that we frequently ran at the +rate of 200 miles in the twenty-four hours, the transport +being an excellent sailer.</p> + +<p>Nothing particular occurred till we were within a few +days' sail of Ireland, when we fell in with an American who +had just left England. From him we learned the totally +unlooked-for information, that Bonaparte had made his +escape from Elba, and had returned to France, and that the +whole continent was once more involved in war. Nothing +could exceed the change which this unexpected news produced +among our people. Some who were desponding at +the gloomy prospect of half-pay, revived in a moment, and +again set honour, glory, and promotion, once more before +the eyes of their imagination. Indeed, I think no one +seemed sorry at the change; but some probably would have +preferred a short repose, before they were called upon again +to leave that home which they had painted to themselves +so comfortable and happy.</p> + +<p>On the —— we arrived at Plymouth, where the good +folks received us with great cordiality; but the news from +Flanders now engrossed all attention, and our unfortunate +business seemed forgotten. It was as well perhaps that it +was so, for we had no victory to boast; and with the world +it is but too often the case, that a want of good fortune is +almost tantamount to a want of good conduct. We were +ordered on to Portsmouth, which we reached in two days; +and from thence proceeded still onwards to the Downs. +Our arrival was telegraphed to London, from whence, after<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_407" id="Page_407">[407]</a></span> +some communication by post also with the Commander-in-Chief, +we were ordered to disembark, which we did on the +2d June. The cause of this being ordered, and of our not +proceeding direct to Flanders, was, that we were extremely +ill off for equipment, nearly one-fourth of our men being +without arms or appointments, all those who had been prisoners, +and many of those who had been severely wounded, +having been deprived of them. In some respects the order +for our landing was unfortunate, as far as regards the +honours of that great and crowning victory of Waterloo, +in which we consequently had no share; and, on the other +hand, as far as regards my own public accounts, at least it +was fortunate for me, for I was thus enabled to have them +prepared, and forwarded to the War Office, and finally settled +without loss of time, which I could not have done had +we left England again immediately.</p> + +<p>We were ordered from Deal to Thorncliffe, our old quarters, +where we found three companies of my battalion, and +five or six of the other two. All our old friends were of +course glad to see us; and, under such circumstances, the +meeting of those between whom friendship has long subsisted, +is in a great measure a compensation for the toil and +sufferings of a soldier's life. We continued at Thorncliffe +for some time, but busily preparing once more to take the +field; and had Bonaparte not been so precipitate in his +movements, we might have shared in the glory of his final +overthrow.</p> + +<p>I was compelled to go to London while we remained +here, for the purpose of settling a variety of accounts, &c., +and while there was persuaded to appear before the Medical +Board, for the purpose of obtaining a certificate as to the +nature of my wound, on which to found a claim for a year's +pay, the amount at this time given to all whom that Board<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_408" id="Page_408">[408]</a></span> +recommended as fit subjects for this bounty. I had omitted +doing so when in London before, because I thought no +one had any claim for it, except such as had suffered most +materially in health in consequence of their wounds. However, +at the suggestion of my friends I did appear before the +Board, who considered my wound of such severity as to +entitle me to that bounty; and I accordingly soon after +received the sum of L.118, 12s. 6d., the amount of one +year's pay. I have reason to be thankful both to the government +and to my friends for this unlooked-for augmentation +of my funds, and trust I did not make an ill use +of it.</p> + +<p>But at length the news of the memorable battle of Waterloo +arrived, and we had no share in it. I know not +whether I shall be believed, but I think there were few of +my companions in the late expedition but felt somewhat +disappointed, and rather vexed, that this decisive action +should have taken place so early, and almost wished that +the government had despatched us even as we were on our +first arrival in England; for really, as it turned out, it was +most unfortunate to those of my friends, who had been +undergoing probably as severe and hazardous a service as +any our army had lately been engaged in, and that all that +should be looked upon as almost worse than nothing, while +some young fellows, who had never before seen an enemy, +should be covered with the honours and distinctions which +were so amply lavished on them, merely because they had +the good fortune to share in that brilliant and decisive victory. +But regret is vain and unprofitable, and a soldier +must make up his mind to meet with bad as well as good +fortune, or he will only render his life the more miserable.</p> + +<p>On the 10th of July we embarked at Dover, and on the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_409" id="Page_409">[409]</a></span> +13th landed at Ostend; but we were entering only on a +barren service, the honours having been all acquired previous +to our arrival. We moved forward by the way of +Bruges, Ghent, Oudenarde, and Mons, and then through +Bavay and Chatelet to Peronne; from Peronne through +Roye, Pont Lant, Maxence, and Louvre, to Paris. Here +we were posted to the brigade in which our other two +companies were stationed, and occupied the Champs Elysées +as our camp. Certainly the sights we witnessed in +this far-famed capital amply repaid us for our trip to France, +however devoid of military glory that might be.</p> + +<p>It will not be expected that I should enter into a detail +of all the lions which this splendid city contains, and which +have attracted the curiosity of nearly half the gentry of this +country. Suffice it to say, we saw the palaces of the +Tuilleries, St Cloud, Luxemburg, and Versailles, with +all the splendour they contain—the churches of Notre +Dame and the Pantheon—the Hospital of Invalids—the +Garden of Plants—the Hotel de Ville—the Palais Royal, +and the far-famed Louvre. In this latter, a person might +at that time spend a twelvemonth, without exhausting the +curiosities and beauties it contained; but, during our stay +here, we witnessed its divestment of nearly all its most +valued specimens of art, to the great regret, grief, and annoyance +of those who had ransacked almost all nations to +decorate this splendid gallery. This was undertaken and +executed by our illustrious Chief, in the name and on the +behalf of this our generous nation. He dealt out with a +just and impartial hand, to all who had claims upon this +magnificent collection, the specimens of art which had +formerly adorned their national churches and palaces, without +one painting or one statue of the meanest description +being reserved for himself, who had been mainly instrumental<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_410" id="Page_410">[410]</a></span> +in this restoration, or for the nation which he represented.</p> + +<p>We saw also the triumphal arch of Bonaparte, in the +Place de Carousel, stripped of its four matchless Venetian +horses. The stately pillar in the Place Vendome was also +deprived of the effigy of him who erected it. In short, +every thing was done by the Bourbons at this period, sanctioned +by the Allies, to obliterate even the very remembrance +of such a character as Bonaparte. We visited also +the splendid manufactory of china at Sevres—the National +Museum of Antiquities—the Royal Library, and the Theatre +Français, to witness Talma's performance of Hamlet, with +various other places of curiosity, too tedious to notice here; +and, finally, the catacombs, the repository of millions of +human bones.</p> + +<p>Here it is where man is taught to remember what he is—a +worm—a shadow that departeth—even a vapour, which +appeareth for a moment, and then passeth away for ever. +Oh, how does all human greatness dwindle into nothing, +while you stand viewing these silent memorials of our +frailty! The myriads of generations that have passed away, +multitudes of whose bones are collected in this vast, dark +cavern! Now how noiseless those who perhaps once +shook the world with alarms! I love to meditate on this +sad scene, which, if duly considered, teaches the soundest +wisdom. How apt are we to be allured by the gay fantastic +follies of an hour, to forget that we must soon, so +very soon, take up our abode in the dark and silent tomb! +Oh! to be ready, when called upon, to descend into the +house appointed for all living! But though these meditations +may be pleasing to myself, they may not be so to my +reader. I will therefore leave this dark, deep, and capacious +charnel-house, and once more ascend with him to the +light of the sun.</p> + +<p>We had not<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_411" id="Page_411">[411]</a></span> remained long in Paris, till there was a +grand review of the Emperor of Russia's Guards, and which +took place in the Place of Louis XV., immediately in +front of the Tuilleries. Nothing could exceed the uniformity +and the steadiness of these Northern warriors. +There were troops of all armies amongst them; the Cossacks, +the hussars, the artillery, the grenadiers, and the +regular infantry, all vied with each other in their endeavours +to please their beloved Czar. Here were all the +great ones of the earth assembled to witness this imposing +spectacle; exhibited, no doubt, as much as any thing, for +the purpose of showing the French the power of those who +now held them in subjection. But that arbitrary power +which is so intolerable to the ideas of an Englishman, was +here exhibited in all its native deformity. A Colonel +of one of the regiments, whose movements did not please +the Emperor, was, without the least ceremony, taken from +the head of his regiment, and rammed into a common +guard-house, where an English officer was on duty. He +hesitated to receive him, until assured that such was the +custom in the Russian service, and that it was the Emperor's +orders.</p> + +<p>My battalion was soon after removed from the brigade +it was originally posted to, and joined another, stationed on +Montmartre. Here the adjutant and myself were quartered +on a proprietor of the pits out of which the famous +plaster of Paris is dug. These pits are situated on the side +of this hill, facing the city. From hence I often took a fishing, +or a shooting, or a coursing excursion. The first was +generally confined to the Canal del Ourq, in which I found +pike, perch, and tench. I never was very successful, however, +both from the vast numbers of fishermen which frequented +this water, and from the scarcity of fish. Partridges<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_412" id="Page_412">[412]</a></span> +and hares were abundant in the neighbourhood of Paris, but +we had not a good dog among us. We obtained leave from +the Duke of Orleans to shoot in one of the royal preserves, +the Forest of Bondy. In our coursing expeditions we were +more successful, sometimes bringing in to the amount of +seven hares in a day. This would be looked upon almost as +poaching in England, but in France it was otherwise; they +know nothing of coursing there; and nothing could exceed +the beautiful country round Paris for that sport; it was a +dead level generally, without a hedge, sometimes for miles +together, and a rich corn country, so that hares abounded. +Towards autumn, we had two or three reviews of the British +troops; these were splendid exhibitions of the tactics +of our great General. But though the army had the appearance +of a fighting army, I do not think it equalled the Russians +in point of regularity and uniformity; with them the +whole army is nearly dressed alike, especially the infantry; +while the variety of our facings, and other distinctions of +regiments, detracts greatly from the appearance of the army +as a whole. Here also the crowned heads of Europe assembled +in this city, paid us the compliment of their presence, +the Emperor Alexander inspecting most minutely every +regiment and division as it passed him. The Austrians and +the Prussians also occasionally showed themselves in bodies, +but I do not remember to have seen a general review of +either of these armies; indeed neither of them had a large +force in or near Paris, they being mostly at some distance +from the capital, I believe. But we were often delighted +with the Austrian Emperor's band, in which there were no +less, I believe, than seventy performers, and all these the +very first-rate musicians. We also had horse-races occasionally, +that is, among the English officers; at one of which I +witnessed poor old Blucher receive a hurt, from which he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_413" id="Page_413">[413]</a></span> +never recovered. Near the winning-post, the course was +roped in, which the brave old fellow, as he came galloping +down, all life, from the city, did not perceive, and coming +up against them with great force, he was thrown from his +horse, and unfortunately broke his arm. He lingered some +time afterwards, but never got well of it, till death released +him. We had two English boxers over there also, to amuse +the people; they only sparred of course, with gloves on; and +I rather think they realized a good deal of money by these +exhibitions. Balloons also were set up from the gardens of +Tivoli, with various other sources of amusement, so that to +recount them all would only tire out my reader; suffice it +to say, that in Paris, with plenty of money, and with an inclination +to enter into all the gaieties of the place, no city +on earth, I believe, is so fruitful of the means of pleasure +and dissipation; but they leave a sting behind, which far +outweighs these momentary gratifications; and if I was +asked which I considered the most sinful city in the world, +I would without hesitation say Paris.</p> + +<p>Towards December arrangements were made for the +army leaving Paris, and going into cantonments on the +north-eastern frontier; but the remainder of the troops +above the number required for the army of occupation were +ordered home to England. My battalion was among the +latter number; and, accordingly, we left the French capital +on the 3d December, and marched out to St Denis, that +famous burying-place of French royalty. From thence we +passed near Beaumont, through Noailles to Beauvais, thence +through some small villages, where we halted for the night, +and on the 11th reached Abbeville.</p> + +<p>On the 14th we quartered in Montreuil-sur-Mer, and on +the 20th reached Calais, where we embarked for Dover.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_414" id="Page_414">[414]</a></span> +We landed at the latter place on the 22d, and the next +morning proceeded to our old quarter Thorncliffe.</p> + +<p>All warlike proceedings having now terminated, I made +application for, and obtained, leave of absence to revisit my +wife and my family, whom I had not seen for four years. I +need not describe my feelings on once more beholding those +I loved, and the reader will best appreciate them by placing +himself in my situation. But I had not long enjoyed this +pleasure till I heard that my battalion had been ordered to +Ireland. I confess I did not much relish the information. +When my leave expired I started for that country, and endeavoured +to procure a passage across to Dublin; first from +Maryport, in Cumberland, but without success. I then tried +Workington, next Whitehaven, but was equally unable to +get off from either of these. I then moved on to Liverpool, +and took my place in one of the packets; but, after +waiting several days, I was obliged to start for Holyhead, +the only place from whence I was able to proceed to Ireland. +All this disappointment and fatigue, together with some +sad punches which a large woman in the coach had given +my wife with her masculine elbows, so preyed upon her +health and spirits, that three days after our arrival in Dublin +she breathed her last. She had been in delicate health +for a number of years, of an affection in the chest, but she +complained mostly of this woman's elbows, which she said +had injured her much. It will easily be conceived how +afflictive such a dispensation must have been to him who +had to bear it. But God does all things well; and even in +the midst of our severest chastisements, we should view +Him as a kind and tender parent, who only chastens us for +our good, and who does not willingly afflict the children of +men. A part of the battalion had arrived in Dublin when +the melancholy event took place, almost all the officers of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_415" id="Page_415">[415]</a></span> +which favoured me by their presence at the funeral. I had +her buried in St Mary's churchyard, Mary being her own +name.</p> + +<p>We remained in Dublin for twenty-seven months—a +longer period than any other regiment I believe; and here +I think I may truly say I acquired the first knowledge of +the only way of salvation; for although born and reared a +Christian, and having, as the reader may recollect, been +brought sensibly to the knowledge of myself as a condemned +sinner, I had as yet no distinct knowledge or apprehension +of the nature of the Christian faith; and I think I may, +under the blessing of God, attribute my earnest search +after a sure foundation of hope to the reading of Doddridge's +"Rise and Progress of Religion in the Soul," and to the +truly evangelical sermons I heard from the many eminent +preachers which fill the pulpits of this capital, but more +particularly to the Rev. Mr Matthias, chaplain to the Bethesda +Institution. My narrative will contain nothing interesting +from this period to the general reader. I will, +therefore, generalize as much as possible. From Dublin we +marched to Birr, in the King's County; and while here, it +was determined upon by government to reduce the battalion +to which I belonged, which was carried into effect in January +1819; but as I was then the senior quartermaster of +the regiment, I was ordered to join the 1st battalion of the +corps at Gosport, which I did in February. Here we remained +till September, when the Radical war called us to +the north.</p> + +<p>We embarked on board the Liffy frigate and —— corvette, +in about three or four hours' notice, on the 18th +of that month, and landed at Leith on the 28th, whence we +marched to Glasgow, the seat of this unhappy disturbance. +I need not describe the Radical war, it being well known.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_416" id="Page_416">[416]</a></span> +Here my health began to be much impaired. The affection +of my chest, occasioned by the rupturing of the bloodvessel +at Cadiz, produced most distressing effects upon my general +health. I consequently obtained leave, and returned home +for a few months.</p> + +<p>During my stay at home my dear father departed this +life; and I had thus the melancholy satisfaction of witnessing +the last sad scene, and of paying the last duties of a +child to a beloved parent. He was not, as I mentioned at +the beginning of my narrative, a religious man when I left +home; but towards the close of his life I have every reason +to believe he was a sincere penitent, and a believer in Him +through whom alone our sins can be forgiven; and I have +a well-grounded hope that he is now enjoying eternal felicity +in heaven, whither I hope myself to come through Him +that loved me, and washed me from my sins in his own +blood, and to whom be praise and glory for ever. Amen.</p> + +<p>I joined again in the spring, and remained there all that +summer, during which I had many pleasant fishing excursions +into the country. I visited the falls of the Clyde, +and proceeded to some a considerable distance higher up, +where another officer and myself caught abundance of trout. +I also took a trip into the Highlands of Argyleshire, where I +had excellent sport. But at the approach of winter I was +again obliged to leave Glasgow, the damp atmosphere of +which, together with the smoke of the numerous steam-engines +employed in its manufactories, fairly drove me out. +I again went home for the winter; but during this period +this battalion also got an order to embark for Ireland, and +I joined them in Belfast in January 1821. From hence we +marched in the spring to Armagh, where I had the high +privilege of becoming acquainted with a sincere and pious<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_417" id="Page_417">[417]</a></span> +clergyman, one of the reading vicars of the cathedral; and +I trust I benefited by this favourable opportunity. From +Armagh we marched to Naas, the country to the south having +become much disturbed by the Whiteboys, as they +termed themselves. We did not remain long at Naas, but +were pushed on to Kilkenny, where I first became acquainted +with that truly Christian minister, the Rev. Peter Roe, +a gentleman well known in the religious world. I am +proud and happy that I ever had the privilege of knowing +him. May God prosper his pious and unceasing endeavours +to benefit the souls of his fellow-creatures!</p> + +<p>We did not remain long, however, at Kilkenny, but moved +on to Fermoy, and thence to Newcastle, in the county of +Limerick, the cradle of the Whiteboy insurrection. Here +we were for a time actually shut up as in a besieged town; +and no individual belonging to the army durst attempt to +move out without a sufficient number being together, to +deter the misguided peasantry from attacking us. Innumerable +were the murders that were committed about this +neighbourhood at this time; and one's blood runs chill to +think that these miscreants, when taken and brought to the +gallows to atone for their crime, protested their innocence +with their last breath, although hundreds around them could +attest their guilt. This Rockite war gave us considerable +trouble, and it was not for a long time after that it was +finally put down.</p> + +<p>We remained in Newcastle till September, when we +marched to Rathkeale, in the same county. Here we continued +stationary till October 1823, when we marched again +for Dublin. I had thus an opportunity of again hearing my +favourite preacher; but the place was always so crowded that +it was seldom practicable for strangers to obtain seats.</p> + +<p>From Dublin we marched to Belfast, in September 1824,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_418" id="Page_418">[418]</a></span> +where we continued till July 1825, when my battalion was +ordered for service in Nova Scotia. The orders of the army +being now for only six companies out of the ten to go +abroad, the other four remained at home, to form what is +termed the depôt. Application was made for me to remain +and act as paymaster to this body; but it having been decided +that quartermasters could not act as paymasters, +according to the new regulations, this boon was refused me, +although I had acted four times before. This is to be attributed +to the ill conduct of many of my brother quartermasters +who had obtained paymasterships during the war, +but who generally did not conduct themselves as men of +honour and integrity ought to do, and many were consequently +dismissed from the service. It was perfectly correct +for those in authority to consult the good of the public in all +appointments of this nature, but it was hard on those who +were thus made to suffer for the sins of others,—nay, this +ineligibility of quartermasters extended farther than to +the appointment of acting paymaster. They have since +1817 been precluded from holding the situation of full +paymaster, however well recommended they might be. I was +a second time recommended, in 1820, by Lieutenant-General +the Hon. Sir William Stewart for the paymastership of his +own battalion, that is, the one in which I was serving, but +received the same answer from the Secretary-at-War, that +quartermasters were ineligible to the situation. I cannot +but feel keenly the degradation to which the ill conduct of +certain individuals has reduced that situation, which formerly +was only like a step towards the more lucrative and +more respectable one of paymaster; but, as I said before, +we must not murmur at the dispensations of Providence, +however severely they affect our worldly prospects; and no +doubt all this was done by the direction of Him who cannot<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_419" id="Page_419">[419]</a></span> +err. However, I have great reason also to be thankful to +Lord Palmerston, notwithstanding my disappointments as +above stated; for he—taking into consideration the injury +that the present quartermasters had sustained, in consequence +of the ill conduct of the individuals before noticed, +and their consequent deprivation of all prospects of farther +promotion, however eligible in other respects they might +be, and however exemplary their conduct—brought in a +bill in the session of 1826, to allow these officers to retire +on <i>full</i> pay after twenty years' service in the army, provided +their health was such as to render them incapable of +farther service. This could not formerly take place till +after thirty years' service. I have, therefore, abundant +cause of gratitude to that Right Honourable Lord, for his +kind remembrance of us on this occasion, as well as for his +kindness in permitting me to avail myself of the benefit of +this act; and I have on this, as on all other occasions, abundant +cause of thankfulness to the Great Disposer of all events, +not only for what He has permitted me to enjoy, but for +what He has withheld from me; for He only knows what +is really good for me, and I doubt not will give me always +that. I may with great truth declare, that goodness and +mercy have followed me all my days, notwithstanding my +seeming disappointments, and which I believe were inflicted +on me solely for my everlasting good. To Him, therefore, +be praise and glory for ever.</p> + +<p>But to return. Having been disappointed of obtaining +the acting paymaster's place, I remained with the depôt in +my capacity as quartermaster till the spring of 1826, when +I received an order to be ready for embarkation to join the +battalion in Nova Scotia. Accordingly I embarked, with +four other officers, at Liverpool, on the 14th of June, on +board the Robert Burns merchant brig, and reached Halifax<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_420" id="Page_420">[420]</a></span> +after a rather tedious passage, in which we encountered +some roughish weather on the 22d July.</p> + +<p>I scarcely need say any thing of Halifax, which, being +one of our oldest colonies, must be well known to almost all +my readers. Neither was I there a sufficient time to enable +me to enter into a minute description of the town or +country: suffice it to say, it appears to be a town built +mostly of wood along the face of a hill, on the left-hand side +of the harbour, reaching close down to the latter, which is +so deep, capacious, and sheltered, that I question whether +there is a better in the world: a seventy-four can lie close +alongside the wharfs. The town contains, I understand, +about 13,000 inhabitants, composed of settlers from different +countries, but chiefly English, Irish, Scotch, and Dutch. +There are a few negroes, a part of the slaves taken from +the Americans during the late war having been located +here.</p> + +<p>The colony is not so flourishing as it was during war, +as it was then greatly supported by the immense number +of ships and troops which always were stationed here. +The country round Halifax is barren in the extreme, except +a very small portion, where hay is generally grown. +It seems incapable of cultivation, being little else than +rock, with forests of stunted pines, &c. growing upon it. +In some parts of Nova Scotia, however, there is excellent +land, which yields a great return for cultivation; and were it +not for the severity of the winter, which in this country is +both long and severely trying to weak constitutions, it would, +I doubt not, be an excellent country to which to emigrate. +The waters in every direction afford abundance of fish, but +not of the best quality. There are portions of two tribes +of Indians occasionally in the neighbourhood of Halifax. I +forget their names; but the men of one tribe are exceedingly<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_421" id="Page_421">[421]</a></span> +tall, being seldom below five feet ten inches, and many +reaching to six feet three inches. The men of the other are +in general short. Both tribes are fast diminishing in point +of numbers. They are greatly addicted to the fatal vice of +drunkenness, whenever they can command the means of becoming +so; and in Halifax it is no difficult matter, for the +abominable rum which is sold here may be had almost as +cheap as ale in England.</p> + +<p>These unfortunate wanderers have hitherto resisted all +efforts to induce them to settle and cultivate the land, although +many of them are <i>good Christians</i>, their progenitors +having been converted by the Roman Catholic priests +while the French held the country.</p> + +<p>The woods, &c. in the neighbourhood of Halifax contain +little game of any kind. There are a few what they call +partridges, which, I believe, roost on trees; but they have +more the appearance of grouse than the partridge of England. +There are some woodcocks also in the season, but +they are rather scarce. Snipes also, and several species of +plover, may be met with occasionally; but you will seldom be +able to fill your game-bag with any thing. There are some +hares of a very small description, little larger than our rabbits; +but these are rare. Bears also, with a few other wild +animals, occasionally show themselves; but in winter, I am +told, a deathlike silence pervades the whole face of the +country, as if every living animal had totally deserted it, +and I believe with all the winged tribes this is actually the +case.</p> + +<p>The women here are remarkably fair and beautiful, and, +generally speaking, are, I believe, as virtuous as at home; +but among the lower orders, whose virtue is so frequently +assailed by the temptations which a large naval and +military force always brings with it, like our Portsmouth,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_422" id="Page_422">[422]</a></span> +and other places of a similar description, the scenes of vice +and abomination are extremely disgusting. A great many +of the unfortunate blacks before mentioned are included in +the number of these unhappy prostitutes.</p> + +<p>The places of worship in Halifax are both good and +pretty numerous. There are two churches, two or three +Presbyterian or Scotch churches, two Baptist, two or three +Methodist, and one or two Roman Catholic places of worship.</p> + +<p>I did not remain here long; for, finding that my broken +and debilitated constitution could not possibly withstand the +severity of a winter in this climate, I was ordered to be examined +by a board of medical officers, who recommended +my return to England without delay. Accordingly, on the +20th of September, I embarked on board the Borodino +transport. We sailed on the 22d, and on the 25th encountered +one of the severest gales I almost ever witnessed. +It carried away every sail we had set, and swept away our +jolly-boat from the quarter. I often wished I was once more +snug in England, and my hope was, I should then tempt the +sea no more. That same all-gracious Being who had so long +watched over me, and had brought me in safety that far on +my journey, He also brought me to my native land once +more in peace; for on the 13th of October I landed at +Portsmouth, having been only three weeks in returning +from, while we had been nearly six in going to, Halifax.</p> + +<p>I immediately set off for London, where, having reported +myself to the Secretary at War, I was ordered to be examined +by the Director-General of Hospitals as to the state of my +health, and with a view to avail myself of the benefits of +the act of Parliament before mentioned, and being prospered +by Him who has always been better unto me than I could +possibly deserve, I have been permitted to set myself down<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_423" id="Page_423">[423]</a></span> +in peace in this my own native village for the remainder of +my life, having the unspeakable privilege of being surrounded +by many kind and dear relations, who vie with each +other in their endeavours to render me comfortable and +happy, and where I can in serenity watch the gradual approach +of that enemy which my Saviour has overcome for +me, and which, my hope is, He will deprive of all his terrors, +as I trust he has done of his sting, and that, when I +shall have continued my appointed time in this vale of tears, +I, as well as the reader of this narrative, shall be taken to +Himself, to dwell with Him for ever.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_424" id="Page_424">[424]</a></span> +<br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_425" id="Page_425">[425]</a></span> +</p> +<h2>APPENDIX.</h2> + + +<p>The following are copies of fifteen testimonials addressed +to the late Quartermaster Surtees.<br /><br /> +</p> + + +<div class="center">No. 1.—<span class="smcap">From Lieut.-Col. Duffy.</span></div> + +<div class="right"> +<i>Birr, 24th January, 1819.</i><br /> +</div> + +<p><span class="smcap">Dear Sir</span>,</p> + +<p>As you are on the point of removing to the 1st battalion, I take +this opportunity of expressing my entire satisfaction at the very regular +and orderly manner in which your department has been conducted +during the time you have been placed under my command; +and it will give me great pleasure should an occasion occur where my +testimony to your gentlemanlike conduct can be of service to you.</p> + +<div class="right"> +I remain, Dear Sir,<br /> +Very faithfully yours,<br /> +<span class="smcap">J. Duffy</span>,<br /> +Lt.-Col. Rifle Brigade.<br /> +</div> +<p> +Quartermaster Surtees,<br /> +1st Bat. Rifle Brigade.<br /> +</p> + +<hr style="width: 40%;" /> + +<div class="center">No. 2.—<span class="smcap">From Major Travers.</span> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_426" id="Page_426">[426]</a></span> +</div> + +<div class="right"> +<i>Tuam County, Galway, 19th April 1820.</i><br /> +</div> + +<p><span class="smcap">Dear Surtees</span>,</p> + +<p>With feelings of most sincere regret I read your letter to me, which +I received yesterday, and lose not a moment in complying with your +request, which, should it prove to be of any use to you, I am sure +will be productive of the most heartfelt gratification to every one of +those concerned, whose opinions of you are, as they always have been, +of the highest description. Your conduct, both as a gentleman and +soldier, has ever been such as to excite in the breast of your brother +officers sentiments peculiarly favourable; and for myself, I have only +to say, that few of my old acquaintances in the corps have had my +esteem in a higher degree. I send you the sentiments of such of your +old brother officers, in the shape of a certificate, as I could obtain, +whose standing may have some influence in the procuring the accomplishment +of your wishes, and regret that the dispersed state of the +regiment prevents its being more general.</p> + +<div class="right"> +Dear Surtees,<br /> +Yours faithfully,<br /> +<span class="smcap">Jas. Travers.</span><br /> +</div> +<p> +Wm. Surtees, Esq.<br /> +Quartermaster, Rifle Brigade.<br /> +</p> + +<hr style="width: 40%;" /> + +<div class="center">No. 3.—<span class="smcap">From Officers of the 2d Battalion Rifle Brigade.</span></div> + +<p>The following testimonial is subscribed by us, in hopes it may +prove beneficial to an officer who has so long supported the character +which we are desirous to portray in the terms it deserves.</p> + +<p>We certify, that Mr William Surtees, late Quartermaster in the +Rifle Brigade, has been for a considerable number of years known to +us in the regiment, and that for soldierlike and gentlemanly conduct, +no person bore a higher character. He served in the situation he +filled in the corps, particularly that of Acting Paymaster, for two +considerable periods in the Peninsula, and with the expedition to New +Orleans, with credit to himself, and satisfaction to his superiors, and,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_427" id="Page_427">[427]</a></span> +to our knowledge, obtained the general esteem and approbation of all +his brother officers of the regiment who knew him.</p> + +<div class="right"> +<span class="smcap">S. Mitchell</span>, Brevet Lieut.-Col. and Major, 2d Bat. Rifle Brigade.<br /> +<span class="smcap">Jas. Travers</span>, Brevet-Major, Rifle Brigade.<br /> +<span class="smcap">Wm. Cox</span>, Capt. Rifle Brigade.<br /> +<span class="smcap">Boyle Travers</span>, Capt. Rifle Brigade.<br /> +<span class="smcap">Chas. Geo. Gray</span>, Brevet-Major, Rifle Brigade.<br /> +<span class="smcap">Wm. Hallen</span>, Capt. Rifle Brigade.<br /> +<span class="smcap">T. H. Ridgway</span>, M.D., Surgeon, Rifle Brigade.<br /> +</div> +<p> +Tuam, 19th April 1820.<br /> +</p> + + +<hr style="width: 40%;" /> + +<div class="center">No. 4.—<span class="smcap">From Lieut.-Col. Ross, C.B.</span></div> + +<div class="right"> +<i>Paisley, 15th July 1820.</i><br /> +</div> + +<p><span class="smcap">Dear Sir</span>,</p> + +<p>I learn with extreme regret that you consider it to be expedient to +make application to be removed as Quartermaster to a veteran battalion. +I have stronger reason to feel this regret than I believe any +other of your brother officers, as I have known you longer, it being +now about twenty years since we met at the formation of the Rifle +Corps; during the greater part of this time you served, I may say, +under my immediate command; and I can bear the most ample and unqualified +testimony to the zeal, intelligence, and gallantry with which +you discharged the duties of the different situations you have filled +in the corps.</p> + +<p>I shall have great pleasure in hearing of your future welfare; and +should it ever happen to be in my power to promote your views in +any way, I hope you will consider that you will only have to make +them known.</p> + +<div class="right"> +Believe me, my Dear Sir,<br /> +Ever yours most sincerely,<br /> +<span class="smcap">John Ross</span>, Lt.-Col.<br /> +Major, Rifle Brigade.<br /> +</div> +<p> +Quartermaster Wm. Surtees,<br /> +Rifle Brigade.<br /> +</p> + +<hr style="width: 40%;" /> + +<div class="center">No. 5.—<span class="smcap">From Lieut.-Colonel Smith, C.B.</span> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_428" id="Page_428">[428]</a></span> +</div> + +<div class="right"> +<i>Halifax, Nova Scotia, 25th August 1826.</i><br /> +</div> + +<p><span class="smcap">My Dear Sir</span>,</p> + +<p>Were it permitted a soldier to regret the loss of his comrades, then +truly should I deplore yours; I have only just learned that you are +about to avail yourself of Lord Palmerston's permission to retire from +the service on account of ill health, after having in your present situation +completed your period of twenty years. You have struggled +against indisposition with manly fortitude in various climes, and +have ever performed your duty zealously and conscientiously.</p> + +<p>I, as well as the other officers of the corps, have ever lamented that +your natural zeal and talent as a soldier, should not have been called +forth in a more conspicuous situation; and there is not an old officer +in the regiment who has not witnessed your intrepid bravery in the +field.</p> + +<p>I must again assure you, that you leave us with the most heartfelt +good wishes for your welfare, and the universal regret of the corps, +in which you have served so many years with the most rigid integrity +and zeal; and should I have it in my power upon any future occasion +to render you any service whatever, it will afford me as much +satisfaction as I now feel distress, in losing one of my old companions +in arms, with whom I have been so many years happily associated.</p> + +<div class="right"> +And ever believe me,<br /> +Your very sincere friend,<br /> +<span class="smcap">H. G. Smith</span>,<br /> +Brevet Lieut.-Col. Rifle Brigade.<br /> +</div> +<p> +Quartermaster Surtees,<br /> +Rifle Brigade.<br /> +</p> + +<hr style="width: 40%;" /> + +<div class="center">No. 6.—<span class="smcap">From Officers of the 1st Batt. Rifle Brigade.</span></div> + +<div class="right"> +<i>Halifax, Nova Scotia, 30th August 1826.</i><br /> +</div> + +<p>We the undersigned officers present with the 1st Battalion Rifle +Brigade, who have had the satisfaction of an intimate acquaintance +with Mr Surtees for a series of years at home and abroad, beg leave<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_429" id="Page_429">[429]</a></span> +to add our testimony as to the valour, integrity, zeal, and gentlemanlike +conduct which we have ever witnessed in him; and beg to express +our sincere regret at the prospect of losing his society and +services.</p> + +<div class="right"> +<span class="smcap">J. Logan</span>, Major.<br /> +<span class="smcap">W. Johnstone</span>, Captain.<br /> +<span class="smcap">A. Wade Pemberton</span>, Captain.<br /> +<span class="smcap">G. Hope</span>, Captain.<br /> +<span class="smcap">John Cox</span>, Captain.<br /> +<span class="smcap">J. Kincaid</span>, Lieutenant.<br /> +<span class="smcap">Joseph Burke</span>, M.D. Surgeon.<br /> +<span class="smcap">George Simmons</span>, Lieutenant.<br /> +</div> + +<hr style="width: 40%;" /> + +<div class="center">No. 7.—<span class="smcap">From Colonel Norcott, C.B.</span></div> + +<div class="right"> +<i>Halifax, Nova Scotia, 30th August 1826.</i><br /> +</div> + +<p><span class="smcap">My Dear Sir</span>,</p> + +<p>I most truly and sincerely regret that your long, zealous, and indefatigable +duties have so seriously undermined your constitution, as +to oblige you to retire from the service.</p> + +<p>Although I feel a very lively gratification in bearing testimony to +your merit and gallantry in the field, as well as to your public and private +character as an officer and a gentleman, in the most unqualified +sense, during a period of twenty-four years which I have known you, +I cannot, at the same time, but lament the circumstances which bind +me, in justice to your meritorious services, to tender you this my +humble tribute of regard and esteem for all you have done for the +service and the corps, and for such unremitted integrity and worth. +You have my ardent wishes for your health and happiness wherever +you go.</p> + +<div class="right"> +Believe me to be,<br /> +My Dear Sir,<br /> +Always sincerely yours,<br /> +<span class="smcap">A. Norcott</span>, Colonel.<br /> +</div> + +<hr style="width: 40%;" /> + +<div class="center">No. 8.—<span class="smcap">From Lieut.-Colonel Fullarton, C.B.</span> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_430" id="Page_430">[430]</a></span> +</div> + +<div class="right"> +<i>Halifax, Nova Scotia, 25th August 1826.</i><br /> +</div> + +<p><span class="smcap">Dear Sir</span>,</p> + +<p>Having served in the same battalion with you for eighteen years, +during which time I had every opportunity, both public and private, +in various situations of home and on foreign service, of witnessing +your very exemplary conduct, both as an officer and a gentleman, +I, with my brother officers, have to regret that your ill health has +deprived the regiment of a valuable officer, and your companions of a +friend, whose amiable and excellent qualities will ever be revered by +them.</p> + +<p>With regard to myself, it will afford me the greatest pleasure if at +any future period I can in any way be of service to you.</p> + +<div class="right"> +Believe me, my dear Sir,<br /> +Yours most truly,<br /> +<span class="smcap">Jas. Fullarton</span>, Lt.-Col.<br /> +Major, Rifle Brigade.<br /> +</div> + +<p> +Quartermaster Surtees,<br /> +Rifle Brigade.<br /> +</p> + +<hr style="width: 40%;" /> + +<div class="center">No. 9.—<span class="smcap">From Lieut.-Colonel Balvaird.</span></div> + +<div class="right"> +<i>Naas, 2d June 1826.</i><br /> +</div> + +<p><span class="smcap">My dear Sir</span>,</p> + +<p>It affords me much pleasure to assure you, that during the time I +was in the Rifle Brigade (13 years), and more particularly when +you served under my immediate command, I can bear the most +ample and unqualified testimony to the zeal, intelligence, and gallantry +with which you discharged your duty—and wherever you may go, +you carry with you the good wishes of,</p> + +<div class="right"> +Yours most sincerely,<br /> +<span class="smcap">W. Balvaird</span>, Lt.-Col.<br /> +late Major, Rifle Brigade.<br /> +</div> + +<p> +Quartermaster Surtees,<br /> +Rifle Brigade.<br /> +</p> + +<hr style="width: 40%;" /> + +<div class="center">No. 10.—<span class="smcap">From Major-General Sir A. F. Barnard, K.C.B.</span> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_431" id="Page_431">[431]</a></span> +</div> + +<div class="right"> +<i>Albany, 18th October 1826.</i><br /> +</div> + +<p><span class="smcap">Dear Sir</span>,</p> + +<p>I have heard with great regret that your state of health has obliged +you to avail yourself of the regulation which enables you to +retire from the Rifle Brigade, in which corps I had such frequent +cause to praise the gallantry and assiduity which you showed in the +discharge of your duties in the field, and your regularity and assiduity +in quarters.</p> + +<p>The officers of the corps, I am confident, will all regret the loss of +a person whose mild and gentlemanlike manners and disposition had +so much endeared him to them.</p> + +<p>With every wish for your future welfare,</p> + +<div class="right"> +I remain, dear Sir,<br /> +Very sincerely yours,<br /> +<span class="smcap">A. F. Barnard.</span><br /> +</div> + +<p> +Quartermaster Surtees,<br /> +Rifle-Brigade.<br /> +</p> + +<hr style="width: 40%;" /> + +<div class="center">No. 11.—<span class="smcap">From Major Logan.</span></div> + +<div class="right"> +<i>London, 18th October, 1826.</i><br /> +</div> + +<p><span class="smcap">My Dear Surtees</span>,</p> + +<p>I have just learnt with much regret that you are about to retire +from the Rifle Brigade, from an impaired constitution, owing to +your unwearied and zealous exertions in the service.</p> + +<p>From the period of my entering the Corps, <i>twenty-two years</i> ago, +I have had the pleasure of being intimately acquainted with you, and +I must do you the justice to state, that a more gallant, zealous, and +indefatigable officer, I have seldom fallen in with. As a gentleman, +your conduct always won and gained the esteem of your brother +officers.</p> + +<p>Believe me I shall ever feel warmly interested in your welfare.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_432" id="Page_432">[432]</a></span></p> + +<div class="right"> +Yours, my dear Surtees,<br /> +Most faithfully,<br /> +<span class="smcap">J. Logan</span>,<br /> +Major 1st Bat. Rifle Brigade.<br /> +</div> + +<p> +To Quartermaster Surtees,<br /> +1st Bat. Rifle Brigade.<br /> +</p> + + +<hr style="width: 40%;" /> + +<div class="center">No. 12.—<span class="smcap">From Lieut.-Colonel Beckwith, C.B.</span></div> + +<div class="right"> +<i>London, 20th October, 1826.</i><br /> +</div> + +<p><span class="smcap">My dear Surtees</span>,</p> + +<p>I cannot suffer you to return to your home, without adding my +mite of applause to that of our brother officers, who have, together +with myself, known you so well and so long.</p> + +<p>From the day that we were employed together at Ipswich, in obtaining +volunteers from the Militia, when you were so instrumental +in obtaining so large a number of men for the service, and during the +whole of our services in the Peninsula, and elsewhere, when my +situation as Assistant Quartermaster-General of the Light Division +threw us so constantly together, until the last period of our regimental +service, I have always known and respected your courage, +your active discharge of your duties in times of difficulty and hardship, +and your zeal and affection for the Rifle Brigade.</p> + +<p>Your present poverty is the surest testimony of your integrity, +which you have always kept in times of strong temptation, when +very many others similarly placed have not resisted so well.</p> + +<p>All my feeble services are constantly at your disposal, and wishing +you content, and as much happiness as we can reasonably expect +here,</p> + +<div class="right"> +I remain, my dear Surtees,<br /> +Yours, most sincerely,<br /> +<span class="smcap">Charles Beckwith</span>,<br /> +Lieut.-Colonel.<br /> +</div> + +<p> +Quartermaster Surtees,<br /> +Rifle Brigade.<br /> +</p> + +<hr style="width: 40%;" /> + +<div class="center">No. 13.—<span class="smcap">From Lieut.-General the Honourable +Sir Wm. Stewart, G.C.B.</span> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_433" id="Page_433">[433]</a></span> +</div> + +<div class="right"> +<i>Cumloden, Newtonstewart, Nov. 19, 1826.</i><br /> +</div> + +<p>If the three or four-and-twenty years, my dear sir, that I have +had the satisfaction of having had you under my command in the +Rifle Regiment or Brigade, suffice not to authorize my full approval +of your conduct, both towards that corps and towards the public +service, I know not what experience would do so. To this extent +and to still farther extent, if it be required in detail, I am gratified +by your having given me this opportunity of certifying the above. +The loss that my battalion will sustain by the deprivation of your +services will be great, and the only consolation that I shall have will +be in learning that your present object of retiring on full pay be obtained, +and that your health, injured, as my own has been, by perhaps +too great a zeal in the fulfilment of our respective duties, may be +somewhat amended by your retirement in private life. I have much +to thank you for the most justly merited encomiums from your several +commanders and from your elder brother officers, enclosed in +your letter of the 13th instant, and to these honourable documents +favour me by adding this one. I wish it was in my power to be of +any service to your views towards a civil appointment under government, +but as your age much exceeds that to which all official nominations +are now limited, application for such will be fruitless.</p> + +<div class="right"> +I have the honour to be, my dear Sir,<br /> +With repeated assurance of regard,<br /> +Your faithful friend and obedient servant,<br /> +<span class="smcap">Wm. Stewart</span>,<br /> +Lieutenant-General.<br /> +</div> + +<p> +Quartermaster Surtees,<br /> +1st Bat. Rifle Brigade.<br /> +</p> + +<hr style="width: 40%;" /> + +<div class="center">No. 14.—<span class="smcap">From Major Eeles.</span> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_434" id="Page_434">[434]</a></span> +</div> + +<div class="right"> +<i>Dublin, Nov. 28, 1826.</i><br /> +</div> + +<p><span class="smcap">My Dear Surtees</span>,</p> + +<p>I enclose herewith copies of two letters which I have received +from the office of his Royal Highness the Commander-in-Chief.</p> + +<p>In congratulating you on their contents, I cannot refrain from +expressing, strange as it may seem, not only my gratification but also +my regret; gratification that you have succeeded in obtaining the +object of your wishes, and regret the most lively, that your state of +health should have obliged you to quit the corps; the more particularly, +as the regiment will not only by your retirement be deprived +of the benefit of your zealous and meritorious services, but I shall +lose the society of one of my oldest and most valued friends.</p> + +<p>The senior part of the regiment will ever remember with pride +the glorious occasions in which you so often signalized yourself in +the field, while the younger members of the corps will not fail, equally +with the former, to admire the gentlemanlike conduct and urbanity +of manners which have secured to you the friendship and good wishes +of us all.</p> + +<div class="right"> +Believe me, my Dear Surtees,<br /> +Very sincerely yours,<br /> +<span class="smcap">William Eeles</span>,<br /> +Major, Rifle Brigade.<br /> +</div> + +<p> +To Quartermaster Surtees,<br /> +Rifle Brigade.<br /> +</p> + + +<hr style="width: 40%;" /> + +<div class="center">No. 15.—<span class="smcap">From Major-General Sir T. S. Beckwith,</span> K.C.B.</div> + +<div class="right"> +<i>Gilsland, June 26, 1827.</i><br /> +</div> + +<p><span class="smcap">My Dear Sir</span>,</p> + +<p>In returning to you the packet you have favoured me with the +perusal of, I cannot refrain from expressing, in common with all +your old friends and brother officers of the Rifle Brigade, my regret +that your health made it necessary for you to retire from a corps, +where your faithful and unremitting services for nearly thirty years<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_435" id="Page_435">[435]</a></span> +had been so eminently useful, and where you possessed the friendship +and confidence of every individual of any standing in it.</p> + +<p>That your concern is as sincere as theirs in parting with them, +I am perfectly convinced; yet it will be matter of real consolation to +you to be able to reflect that you never gave just cause of offence to +any member of the corps, and never neglected an opportunity of +rendering them a service when in your power.</p> + +<p>That you have not retired a richer man, is a subject of regret to +us all; and we shall learn with great satisfaction of any event, that +may tend to increase your means of doing good to those who look to +you for protection.</p> + +<p>Should any such opening present itself, I do not hesitate to express +my conviction, that whoever may employ you, will never have reason +to repent doing so; as I am well assured you will undertake no +situation, without due reflection, and the nature of which you do +not understand; and that, once taken in hand, you will discharge +the duties of it with the same diligence and fidelity that you have +performed those of your public life for so many years past.</p> + +<p>Earnestly wishing that a little repose after such a lengthened +series of toils and dangers, may restore you to health and strength,</p> + +<div class="right"> +I remain,<br /> +My Dear Surtees,<br /> +Your sincere and faithful friend,<br /> +<span class="smcap">Thos. Sidney Beckwith</span>,<br /> +Col. 2d Bat. Rifle Brigade.<br /> +</div> + +<p> +To William Surtees, Esq.<br /> +Late Rifle Brigade.<br /> +</p> + + +<div class="center"><br /><br />FINIS. +<br /><br /> +EDINBURGH: PRINTED BY BALLANTYNE AND COMPANY,<br /> +PAUL'S WORK, CANONGATE.<br /> +</div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<div class='tnote'><h3>Transcriber's Notes:</h3> + +<p>Obvious punctuation errors repaired.</p> + +<p>Presumed archaic spellings have not been changed: apprize, assertor, +fusileers, grashoppers, harraing, mocassins, reconnoissance, sailer, +siene, shrapnell, spunging, vere, visiters, woful. +</p> + +<p>The following words appear both with and without diacritical marks +and have not been changed: Camiño, depôt, Peña.</p> + +<p>There are two chapters "IV". The second one is denoted with an asterisk.</p> + +<p>Hyphens removed: "quarter[-]master" (page 60), "wind[-]mill" (page 63, twice), +"Porto[-]Real" (page 102), "brush[-]wood" (page 197), "death[-]like" (page 139), +"road[-]side" (page 274), "fore[-]yard" (page 322).</p> + +<p>Hyphens added: "farm[-]house" (page 14), "mid[-]day" (page 61), +"half[-]way" (pages 107, 283), "field[-]work(s)" (page 248, 369).</p> + +<p>Page xi: "Ships'" changed to "Ship" (place their Ship Guns on +Batteries).</p> + +<p>Page 25: "apppeared" changed to "appeared" (separate body which appeared).</p> + +<p>Page 45: "94th" changed to "95th" (The Rifle Corps, or 94th).</p> + +<p>Page 55: Removed duplicate "on" (to stand on the same tack).</p> + +<p>Page 55: "Lhe" changed to "Lehe" (Bremer Lehe to the city of Bremen).</p> + +<p>Page 79: Illegible number changed to "2d" (2d battalion of my regiment).</p> + +<p>Page 82: "18th" changed to "10th" (in this affair the 10th hussars +were engaged).</p> + +<p>Page 106: "call" changed to "called" (called the Tore Alto).</p> + +<p>Page 128: "Pompadours" changed to "95th Rifles" (2d Battalion of the +95th Rifles).</p> + +<p>Page 157: "bettter" changed to "better" (no doubt better fed).</p> + +<p>Page 209: "Morilhl" changed to "Morillo" (thought that Don Morillo).</p> + +<p>Page 245: "officer" changed to "officers" (the commanding-officers had +been taken up).</p> + +<p>Page 258: "horse" changed to "horses" (our poor horses and mules).</p> + +<p>Page 297: "numder" changed to "number" (to put a certain number).</p> + +<p>Page 346: "chooner" changed to "schooner" (the fire of the schooner).</p> + +<p>Page 398: Redundant "the" removed (Blakeny of the 7th).</p> + +<p>Page 404: "brough, ast" changed to "brought, as" (This brought, as it might be expected).</p> + +</div> + + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Twenty-Five Years in the Rifle Brigade, by +William Surtees + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN THE *** + +***** This file should be named 36778-h.htm or 36778-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/6/7/7/36778/ + +Produced by Steven Gibbs, Moti Ben-Ari and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net. + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Twenty-Five Years in the Rifle Brigade + +Author: William Surtees + +Release Date: July 19, 2011 [EBook #36778] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN THE *** + + + + +Produced by Steven Gibbs, Moti Ben-Ari and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net. + + + + + + + + + + TWENTY-FIVE YEARS + IN + THE RIFLE BRIGADE. + + BY THE LATE + WILLIAM SURTEES, + QUARTERMASTER. + + WILLIAM BLACKWOOD, EDINBURGH; AND + T. CADELL, STRAND, LONDON. + + MDCCCXXXIII. + + + EDINBURGH: + PRINTED BY BALLANTYNE AND COMPANY, PAUL'S WORK, CANONGATE. + + + + + TO + MAJOR-GEN. SIR ANDREW F. BARNARD, + K.C.B. and K.C.H. + AND THE OFFICERS OF THE RIFLE BRIGADE, + THESE REMAINS OF MY DECEASED BROTHER + ARE MOST RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED, + BY THEIR OBLIGED AND MOST + OBEDIENT SERVANT, + JOHN SURTEES. + + + + +PREFATORY NOTICE. + + +The Author of the following Narrative entered the Army in early life. He +commenced his military career in 1795, as a private soldier in the +Northumberland Militia; and in the following year he volunteered into +the Pompadours. In this regiment he first faced the enemy, during the +expedition to Holland under the Duke of York. On getting his discharge +from the Pompadours, in 1802, he again entered the service as a private +in the Rifle Brigade, to which he was attached for a period of +twenty-five years. From his steady conduct, and ardent love for his +profession, he was soon advanced from the ranks, and, after various +intermediate steps, was appointed Quartermaster; a situation which he +held as long as he continued in the corps, enjoying the respect and +esteem of his brother officers of all ranks, as is amply testified by +the letters which form the Appendix to this volume. + +Though, as Quartermaster, the Author was not called by duty to join in +battle, yet he lost no opportunity of entering the scene of action, or +of placing himself in a favourable situation for observing what was +passing. It is unnecessary to enumerate the arduous services of the +Rifle Brigade from 1802 to 1815. During the whole of that period the +Author was actively engaged with his corps. + +The Narrative is faithfully--indeed literally--printed from the Author's +MS. as he left it at his death. The critical reader may therefore detect +various inaccuracies which, had life been spared to the Author, would +probably have been corrected; but he will find much to approve, and, +hackneyed as Narratives of the Peninsular War have become, he will also +find much that is new. There is no embellishment in the style of the +Author's composition, but there is a quiet Defoe-like sincerity and +simplicity characteristic of his pages, and a strain of unaffected +piety, that is very pleasing; and the scenes and descriptions which he +gives, though sometimes singularly chosen, and reported quite with a +manner of his own, are on the whole portrayed with strong graphic +effect. One word, however, before closing,--our Author is never vulgar. + +A severe pulmonary affection compelled him to quit his corps in 1826. He +retired to Corbridge, his native village, where he arrived on the 24th +of October in that year, and continued there, respected and beloved, and +constantly engaged in acts of benevolence, till the period of his death, +28th May, 1830. + + _November 23, 1832._ + + + + +CONTENTS. + + + CHAPTER I. + PAGE. + + Birth and Parentage--Enters the Militia--Volunteers into the + Line--Joins the army destined for Holland--The troops embark at + Deal--Land at the Helder--Laxity of discipline--March for + Schagen--Detachment under Sir Ralph Abercromby sent to surprise + Hoorne--Hoorne surrenders, 1 + + CHAPTER II. + + The Russian Allies carry Bergen--Allow themselves to be + surprised, and the whole army forced to retire to their former + position--Skirmishing in the vicinity of Old Patten--The + Russians endeavour to force their way back to Bergen--The + Russian and British forces joined--The enemy forced to abandon + Egmont-op-Zee--Alkmaar surrenders--The troops advance to Egmont + Binnen--Skirmishing--General engagement--The Enemy + repulsed--The Forces retire to Zaand Wyck--Armistice + concluded--Return to England, 13 + + CHAPTER III. + + Arrive in England--The Pompadours embark for Ireland--Arrive at + Kinsale--Privations in Ireland in 1800--Peace concluded--Our + Author resolves to return home, but ultimately volunteers into + the Rifle Corps or 95th--Embarks for England, and joins his + Regiment at Sussex--Is promoted, 35 + + CHAPTER IV. + + Made Pay-sergeant--Moral Reflections--Wreck of a Dutch East + Indiaman--Reduced Officers--War with France in 1803--Encampment + at Thorncliffe under the command of General Sir John + Moore--Encampment broke up, November 1804--Embark for Germany, + October 1805--Vicissitudes at Sea--Land at Cuxhaven--March to + Bremen--Outposts established--Retrograde movements, in + consequence of the defeat of the Allied Forces at + Austerlitz--The Allied Forces evacuate Germany--Re-embarkation + of the troops--The Rifle Corps, or 95th, land at Yarmouth, 45 + + CHAPTER IV.* + + Our Author made Quartermaster-Sergeant of the 2d battalion, + which he joins at Feversham, Kent--Expedition to + Denmark--Embark at Deal--Land at Vedbeck, Zealand--Partial + Engagements--Siege of Copenhagen--A division under Sir Arthur + Wellesley advance to Kioge--Copenhagen capitulates--Amnesty + between the Danish forces in the Island of Zealand, and the + British--The British evacuate Denmark--Embark at + Copenhagen--Arrive in the Downs--Land at Deal, 59 + + CHAPTER V. + + Our Author marries--The Battalion to which he belongs ordered + to join the Expedition fitting out for Corunna--Movements of + the Army in Spain--Return to England, 73 + + CHAPTER VI. + + Volunteering--Farther Promotion--Embarks for Portugal, with two + Companies of the Second Battalion--Debark at Cadiz--Advance to + the Isla--The French occupy all the adjacent Towns, except + Cadiz and Isla--Cannonading--Spanish Army--Detachment of the + Allied Army sent round by Gibraltar and Chiclana, to take the + Enemy in the rear of his works, and compel him either to fight + or abandon them--Come up with a portion of the Enemy in the + vicinity of Veger--Bravery of the British--The Enemy repulsed + with great loss, but, from the apathy and misconduct of General + La Pena, and the Spaniards under his command, the French are + allowed to retain their Works in the vicinity of Cadiz, 99 + + CHAPTER VII. + + The 2d Battalion of the Pompadours ordered to proceed to + Portugal--Our Author visits England--Returns to Portugal, and + joins his Regiment at Rodrigo--The Army move towards + Badajos--Siege of Badajos--Badajos surrenders--Insubordination + among the Troops--Quelled by the prompt measures of Lord + Wellington, 128 + + CHAPTER VIII. + + The Army leave Badajos on the 11th of April, and move into + quarters near the river Agueda, where they remain, till the + 11th of June--Advance towards Salamanca, which, with the + exception of three Forts, the enemy had evacuated--The Forts + invested--The main bodies of both armies bivouack within a mile + and a half of each other, in the vicinity of Monte Rubio and + Morisco--The Forts of Salamanca surrender--The main body of the + Enemy retire to Tordesillas--Movements of the Army, 153 + + CHAPTER IX. + + Preparations for the Field--Amusements in winter + quarters--Grand Review--Advance of the Army in pursuit of the + Enemy--Come up with their rearguard in the vicinity of Hornilla + de Camino--Skirmishing--Encounter with the 1st Brigade of the + Enemy, who are beaten, and forced to retreat--Our Army advance + in pursuit--An affair between the rearguard of the Enemy and + our 4th Brigade--Vittoria--General Engagement--The Enemy + defeated--Remarks, 185 + + CHAPTER X. + + Advance in pursuit of the Enemy--Our Forces retreat, in order + to counteract Soult's movements for the succour of + Pamplona--Total defeat of Soult in the several Actions near + Pamplona--Our Forces again advance--Come up with the retreating + Enemy at the Bridge of Yanzi--The Enemy take up a position, + behind Vera--A considerable body of the Enemy attached at the + Pass of Echallar, and forced to retreat, 214 + + CHAPTER XI. + + The Author, from a mistake, loses his Servants for a few + days--A Feast of Death--A Feast of Life--Fighting near St + Sebastian--Singular instance of Spanish Bravery--St Sebastian + is captured, but no Details given, the Author not having been + present--Attack of the Pass of Vera, 232 + + CHAPTER XII. + + The British Army advance farther into France--Pass the + Nive--Soult's Plans baffled--Two or three battalions of the + Nassau and Frankfort regiments come over from the + French--French Politesse--Threatened Attack by the + French--Battle of the Nive--Account of the Basques, 253 + + CHAPTER XIII. + + The Author's Battalion quartered in Aurantz on 3d January + 1814--The cantonments at Aurantz broke up on the 16th February, + and the Campaign of 1814 commenced--Farther Advance into + France--Skirmishing with the Enemy--Military Manoeuvres--Battle + of Orthes--Defeat and Pursuit of the Enemy--Succession of + Attacks on them--They are driven from their Position in and + near Tarbes--Skirmishing at Tournefoile--The Enemy retire + towards Toulouse, 269 + + CHAPTER XIV. + + The British Army cross the Garonne--Advance on + Toulouse--Prepare for the Attack--The Attack--Spaniards driven + back--Battle very hot--French completely defeated--Soult + evacuates Toulouse, and tardily adheres to the Bourbons, 295 + + CHAPTER XV. + + Author's happy state during 1813 and 1814--Character of the + veritable French--British distributed over the + Country--Civility of the Inhabitants of Grissolles--Amusements + in quarters--The British prepare to quit France, 308 + + CHAPTER XVI. + + Author's Battalion embark for England--Land at Plymouth--Expect + to be again ordered on Foreign Service--Order received--Embark, + with other Troops, for America--Land at Pine Island, 322 + + CHAPTER XVII. + + Proceed to attack the Enemy, and capture one of their + picquets--Advance in search of a Bivouack--Alarmed by shots in + front--Fired on by an American schooner--Captain Hallen + severely attacked--Manoeuvres on both sides--Ruse of the + Enemy--Fighting continues--Enemy repulsed at all + points--Courage of the British--Battery brought into + play--Activity of the Enemy, 339 + + CHAPTER XVIII. + + British Army told off into Brigades--Advance, and are hotly + received--Heroism of a young Artillery Officer--We take up a + fresh position--The Enemy work incessantly in raising an + extensive breastwork--Two Batteries erected, from which our + heavy Ship Artillery are brought to bear against it, but + without effect--The Enemy also place their Ship Guns on + Batteries--Colonel Lambert arrives with the 7th and 43d + regiments--Preparations for a grand attack on the Enemy's + lines, which entirely fails, and the British are repulsed with + great loss, 357 + + CHAPTER XIX. + + Bravery and Success of Colonel Thornton--Negotiation for leave + to transport the Wounded across the River--Insult offered to + the British--They retreat--Our Army embark, and determine to + make an Attack upon Mobile--Proceed in the direction of Mobile + Bay--A Brigade detached to reduce Fort Boyer--The Fort + surrenders, the garrison becoming Prisoners of + War--Intelligence of a Treaty of Peace being concluded at + Ghent--Cessation of Hostilities, 378 + + CHAPTER XX. + + Ratification of the Treaty of Peace--Exchange of Prisoners--Our + Troops Embark for England--When off the coast of Ireland, + receive Intelligence of Bonaparte's escape from Elba--The + Author and his Battalion reach the Downs, and proceed to + Thorncliffe--Embark for France--Arrive at Paris, and occupy the + Champs Elysees--Review of the Russian Guards--Russian + Discipline--British Troops reviewed--Accident to Prince + Blucher--Amusements in Paris--The Allied Forces, except the + Army of Occupation, leave Paris--The Author's Battalion embark + for England--Reach Dover, and return to Thorncliffe--He obtains + leave of absence, and visits his Family--His Battalion ordered + to Ireland--Sets out to join it, accompanied by his Wife, who + dies three days after they reach Dublin--His Battalion + reduced--Joins the first Battalion at Gosport, which is ordered + to Scotland--Arrive at Leith, and march to Glasgow--The Author + returns home in ill health--His Father dies--Joins his + Battalion again--Winters at home--His Battalion ordered to + Ireland--Joins it at Belfast--They occupy different stations + during the Whiteboy Insurrection--Six companies of his + Battalion ordered to Nova Scotia, but the Author remains with + the other four companies--He is shortly ordered to proceed to + Nova Scotia--His health declines--Returns home in consequence, + takes advantage of Lord Palmerston's Bill, and retires on full + pay, 401 + + APPENDIX.--TESTIMONIALS.--No. 1. From Lieutenant-Colonel + Duffy--No. 2. From Major Travers--No. 3. From Officers of the + 2d Battalion--No. 4. From Lieut.-Colonel Ross, C.B.--No. 5. + From Lieut.-Col. Smith, C.B.--No. 6. From Officers of the 1st + Battalion Rifle Brigade--No. 7. From Colonel Norcott, C.B.--No. + 8. From Lieut.-Col. Fullarton, C.B.--No. 9. From Lieut.-Col. + Balvaird--No. 10. From Major-General Sir A. F. Barnard, + K.C.B.--No. 11. From Major Logan--No. 12. From Lieut.-Col. + Beckwith, C.B.--No. 13. From Lieut.-General the Hon. Sir Wm. + Stewart, G.C.B.--No. 14. From Major Eeles--No. 15. From + Major-General Sir T. S. Beckwith, K.C.B., 425 + + + + +TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN THE RIFLE BRIGADE. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + + Birth and Parentage--Enters the Militia--Volunteers into the + Line--Joins the Army destined for Holland--The Troops embark at + Deal--Land at the Helder--Laxity of discipline--March for + Schagen--Detachment under Sir Ralph Abercromby sent to surprise + Hoorne--Hoorne surrenders. + + +I was born on the 4th of August, 1781, in the village of Corbridge, in +the county of Northumberland; of parents who may be said to have been +among the middle classes, my father being a tradesman. They gave me such +an education as was customary with people of their station in life; viz. +reading, writing, and arithmetic. My mother having sprung from a pious +race, was the first to implant in my mind any sense of religion; indeed, +it is to the spiritual seed sown in my heart by her during my youth, +that I am indebted, under God, for having been brought, many years +afterwards, to consider my ways, and to turn to Him. Nevertheless, being +naturally of a sensual and wicked disposition, I, as might be expected, +spent a dissolute youth, which often caused great pain and uneasiness to +my good and pious mother. But I did not continue long under the paternal +roof; for, having from my infancy a great predilection for a military +life, I embraced almost the first opportunity that offered, after I +became sufficiently grown, to enter into the militia of my native +county. I enlisted on the 15th of November, 1798, being then little more +than seventeen years of age. I entered this service with the +determination that, should I not like a soldier's life, I would then, +after remaining a few years in it, return home; but, if I did like it, +to volunteer into the line, and make that my occupation for life. It +will readily be believed that this undutiful step affected deeply my +excellent parents; for though my father was not _then_ a religious man, +he had a heart susceptible of the tenderest feelings; and I really +believe that no parents ever felt more deeply the combined emotions of +tender regret at my leaving them so young, and for such a purpose, and +at the disgrace which my wayward conduct had, as they imagined, brought +upon myself. But though evil in itself, God overruled it for good to me, +and, I trust, to them also. I would here remark that the life of a +soldier was by no means considered in my native village, at that time, +as at all creditable; and when I sometimes in my boyhood used to exhibit +symptoms of a military inclination, I was often taunted with the then +opprobrious expression, "Ay, thou likes the smell of poother," +intimating thereby that I was likely to disgrace myself by going for a +soldier. + +I left my family in much grief in the beginning of 1799, and marched +with several other recruits to join my regiment at Chelmsford in Essex, +where we arrived in about a month, and where I began my military career. +I always liked a soldier's life, consequently I did not suffer from many +of those parts of it which are so unpleasant to those of a contrary +disposition; and, as I took pleasure in it, I of course made more +progress in acquiring a knowledge of my duty than some others who set +out with me. I was early placed in the first squad, an honour which I +considered no trifling one in those days,--but none of us finished our +drill; for, in July of the same year, an order was issued, permitting +such men as chose to extend their services, to volunteer into the line, +in order to recruit the army then destined for Holland. We had +previously marched from Chelmsford to Colchester, a distance of +twenty-one miles, which march was to me, I think, the severest I ever +underwent; for being young, and totally unaccustomed to any thing like +it, the weight of the musket, bayonet, accoutrements, and knapsack, +appeared, towards the latter end of the march, to be almost intolerable; +but I kept up, although excessively tired. This will show how necessary +it is at all times to accustom troops, destined for service, to move in +such order as they will be expected to do when they take the field--for, +if unaccustomed to the carriage of the knapsack, and to frequent marches +with it for exercise, they will be utterly unable to perform any +movement against, or in the face of an enemy, with that celerity +necessary to ensure success. I volunteered, with several of my comrades, +into the 56th regiment, or Pompadours, so called from their facings +being Madame Pompadour's favourite colour, and we set off (carried in +waggons to accelerate our movements) for Canterbury, which we reached in +two days and one night, having travelled without making a halt; and +there we joined the skeleton of our regiment, just then returned from +the West Indies, where twice, during the war, it had been nearly +exterminated by disease. + +In a few days after our arrival, a selection was made throughout the +volunteers for fit subjects for the light company, when, fortunately, +both myself and William Sutherland (who had been in the same company +with me in the militia, and who, from our names and size being so nearly +similar, had always stood next me in the ranks) were chosen for this, +in my mind, honourable service. I felt not a little proud at my +advancement, as I considered it, (and as I believe the generality of +soldiers consider it,) to be made a light-bob. + +The regiment had not at this time either arms, appointments, or +clothing; but, being in a few days sent off to Barham Downs, where the +army for Holland was assembled and encamped, we soon after were supplied +with the necessary equipment, and commenced without delay to drill and +get the men in readiness for embarkation. At this time the flank +companies of all those regiments destined for Holland were separated +from their battalions, and formed into what are termed flank battalions. +That in which my company was placed consisted of eleven light companies, +the command of which was given to Lieut.-Col. Sharpe, of the 9th +regiment, an experienced and gallant veteran, who had commanded a +similar battalion in the eastern district, under the Earl of Chatham. +The grenadier battalion was composed of an equal number of grenadier +companies, and belonged to the same regiments to which ours belonged. +Before our arrival on Barham Downs, the first division of the +expedition, under Sir Ralph Abercromby, had sailed; and we soon after +were called out to fire a _feu de joie_ for their capture of the Dutch +fleet, and their having effected a landing and gained a victory near the +Helder. Nothing could be more brilliant than our display upon this +occasion appeared to me--we were nearly 20,000 strong, I imagine, and, +being formed in one extensive line, the firing of the _feu de joie_ +produced a fine effect. To my non-military readers, perhaps, it will be +necessary to explain what is termed a _feu de joie_. The usual mode is, +when formed in line, for the fire to commence by signal with the right +file of the whole, and each of those on their left take it up rapidly +in succession, so that, to a looker-on, it has the appearance of a +wild-fire running along the line; but on this occasion we heightened the +effect, by beginning with the right of the front rank only, and when it +had passed along by the front, the left-hand man of the rear rank took +it up, and so it passed along by the rear to the right again. It +appeared to me, at that time, certainly the finest sight I had ever +witnessed. Every heart present was elated with joy, and beat high to be +led on to share in those glorious achievements which we were then +celebrating; but, alas! we were then ignorant that we were as unfit at +that time to suffer the toils and privations of a campaign, as if we had +never seen a soldier; we were all young, and inexperienced in the +highest degree, and our discipline, as might be naturally expected, was +far from good; for, being an army hastily collected from every regiment +of militia in the kingdom, the officers of course neither had that +knowledge of the characters of their men, which is so essential, nor had +the latter that confidence in their officers, which only a service +together for some length of time can engender, and which is absolutely +necessary to secure an unreserved and active obedience to their +commands. But the period of our embarkation fast approached; previously +to which, we were reviewed by his Royal Highness the Duke of York, (who +was destined to command us,) accompanied by several others of the Royal +Family, and by General Sir Charles Grey, my countryman. I believe they +all expressed themselves highly satisfied with our appearance and +movements, and hoped that we would shortly add fresh laurels to those +already gained by our forerunners. + +As it was expected to be a service of only a short duration, it was +determined that the men should embark in what is called "light marching" +or "service order," that is, with only about half the usual complement +of necessaries, consequently every soldier had to leave a considerable +portion of his things behind him; and, in order to deposit them safely, +empty casks were procured for each company, into which every man was +ordered to stow his extra things, after being properly packed and +labelled with his name, &c. This rather grieved me, for I had brought +with me from home as good a kit (as the soldiers term it) as any in the +army. My dear mother had prepared me shirts fine enough for any officer, +and abundance of them, but of those thus left I never saw one +afterwards. During our stay in this camp, I never enjoyed better health +or greater lightness of spirits, forgetful or heedless of the deep and +lasting anguish which my late rash step must naturally inflict upon the +hearts of my tender and affectionate parents; but I was no doubt +stimulated to this thoughtless forgetfulness of them, by witnessing the +animating scenes around me, where all was bustle and high anticipation +of more glorious doings. + +We marched from this camp to Deal, where we embarked in transports +already prepared to receive us. As soon as we arrived we were instantly +put on board, but never shall I forget the effect which the sight of the +sea, and such a number of ships of various sizes and descriptions, had +upon me; for before this I had never been near the sea, although I had +marched from the north to the south of England. But, to add to all the +strange things which then met my view, we were instantly on marching +down put into a large boat that lay high upon the beach; which, when +filled with troops, they run down into the sea with astonishing +rapidity, turning my stomach, as we entered the water, completely +topsy-turvy. The effect of all this can better be conceived than +described; we were immediately rowed off to, and put on board our +transport, which happened to be a brig called the Zephyr of Shields. +Here also every thing was quite new to me; but all was met and performed +with the highest spirits, so far as sea-sickness permitted. We remained +on board two or three days before the fleet was ready for sea; but at +length we sailed with a favourable breeze, and in two or three days more +we made the coast of Holland, and soon afterwards came to anchor within +the Texel. Every thing being ready for landing, and the Helder being in +our possession, we disembarked there on the 15th of September, 1799, +having been just one week on board. We were formed on landing near the +town, and waited till some others had disembarked, before we moved off. +Among those regiments which landed, I remember the 35th was one. This +regiment, after coming on shore, was drawn up close to us; they had not +been long landed before the men began with their knives to cut off each +other's hair, which then was worn in the shape of a club; this was done +without any orders from their officers, and appeared to me, I confess, +such a breach of discipline, as I could not have anticipated; for though +on the whole it was an improvement, as later usage has shown, yet I +apprehend for a body of soldiers, without any permission from higher +authority, to take upon them to break through the long-established +custom of the service, was such an utter renunciation of all obedience +to authority, as directly to threaten with destruction the best +interests of the army to which they belonged; however, at such a time it +would perhaps have been attended with still worse consequences to have +made an example of the offenders, although, had stricter discipline been +enforced from the outset, I feel assured the army in general would have +benefited by it. + +Towards evening, we moved forward through the town of Helder, and +proceeded on our route towards Schagen, and halted for the night on the +road, and where such as could find houses, of which there were a few +straggling ones in the neighbourhood, got into them. I awoke in the +night, and still fancied myself on board ship; for the wind and rain +were beating violently against the little hovel into which a few of us +had crept, and I imagined it was the dashing of the sea against the bow +of the vessel. Indeed so strong was this imagination, that when I got +up, I literally could not stand steady, not having been long enough on +board, to acquire what is termed my "sea legs;" that is, I had not +learned the art of standing steady when the vessel heeled; and, strange +as it may appear to a person who has never been at sea, I believe most +landsmen have the same feeling for some short time after being put on +shore. We had each man been supplied with a blanket while in camp on +Barham Downs, but had no proper or uniform mode of carrying them; we had +no great-coats, but made use of the blanket sometimes as a substitute in +the morning, when we turned out to proceed on our march. We certainly +made a strange appearance. Some had their blankets thrown around them, +others had them twisted up like a horse collar, and tied over their +shoulders in the manner of a plaid; while some had them stuffed into, +and others tied on to the top of their knapsack; in short, we appeared +like any thing but _regular_ troops. We moved forward as soon as we were +formed, and early in the day reached Schagen-bruck, where his Royal +Highness stood to inspect us as we marched past. Near this place we fell +in with some of the Russian regiments, they having landed nearly at the +same time, and of which nation there were, I believe, about 20,000 +troops expected to join our army. But if we appeared irregular and +grotesque, I know not well how to describe them; their riflemen were +shod with boots very much resembling those of our fishermen, coming up +considerably higher than the knee; thus rendering them, I should +imagine, incapable of celerity of movement, one of the chief requisites +in a rifle corps; they also wore large cocked hats and long green coats. +Their grenadiers were dressed more apropos, having high sugar-loaf +shaped caps, mounted with a great deal of brass, and projecting forward +at the top, with long coats, and gaiters reaching above the knee. Their +regular infantry were nearly similar to the grenadiers, only they wore +cocked hats instead of caps. The regiment which we saw on this occasion +had with it, I should think, full half as many followers as soldiers, +some of whom carried immensely large copper kettles; others the +provisions, and others the officers' baggage; in short, these were the +scullions, the cooks, and, as it were, the beasts of burden of the +regiment; but this was a bad system, for it increased by one half the +number of mouths to fill, and must have been attended with the worst +consequences when provisions were scarce. The officers, I remember, +carried what was formerly used in our service, a long sort of pole, with +a head like a halberd, and called, I believe, a "spontoon." This, on +passing a general at a review, the officer twists and twirls around his +head, precisely as a drum-major in our service does his cane. When we +had passed his Royal Highness at the bridge, we moved forward to the +town of Schagen, and took up our quarters in the church. I thought this +extremely odd, as I had been accustomed to view so sacred an edifice +with more reverence than to suppose they would quarter soldiers in it; +but we were stowed in it as thick as we could well be, and made the best +of our quarters; some taking the chancel, others the vestry, and some +the body of the church; nay, some even took up their lodging in the +reading-desk and pulpit. We could contrive to make out the Lord's prayer +in Dutch, but could not well proceed further, although there is much +similarity between that language and the English of my native county. +Here, for the first time, we learnt that our brigade was what was called +the _reserve_, and commanded by Colonel M'Donald of the 55th regiment; +but on this occasion and in Egypt, the reserve was not what is generally +understood by that term, for in both places it was composed of some of +the best troops in the expedition, and was generally first called into +action. On this occasion, the reserve consisted of the 23d Welsh +fusileers, the 55th regiment, the grenadier battalion before mentioned, +and our light battalion. + +We remained here till the 18th, when towards evening we were ordered +under arms, having been previously supplied with provisions; and, after +every preliminary was adjusted, we set forward on our march towards the +city of Hoorne, situated on the Zuyder Zee. Of our destination, the men, +of course, were totally ignorant, but no doubt the officers knew. It +turned out that about 8000 troops had been appointed for this service, +the execution of which was intrusted to that gallant old veteran, and +hitherto successful general, Sir Ralph Abercromby. The intention was to +make a rapid and extensive flank movement during the night, and surprise +and capture the said city, while his Royal Highness was to attack the +enemy in front. We moved off as it became dark, but such was the state +of the roads that it became the most trying and distressing march that I +believe ever troops undertook; the roads were literally knee deep in mud +in most places, while every now and then they were rendered nearly +impassable, both by the enemy having broken down the bridges over the +innumerable canals and dikes which intersect this country, and these +canals in many places having overflowed their banks. None but those who +have experienced this or something similar, can form an idea of the +fatigue attending a night march in such a country, where the column is +large. We marched, I think, in sections of about eight file, that is, +with eight men abreast in the front rank, and the like number in the +rear rank covering them. Conceive, then, your arriving at an obstacle +which the darkness of the night multiplies a hundred-fold. Not more than +one man will attempt to pass this obstacle at the same time, and he has +to grope his way; consequently all the other fifteen men must stand +still, or nearly so, till he is over, before they each move on in turn. +Multiply this by the 300 sections behind, and you will have a halt for +the rear of probably an hour or more; standing all this while nearly up +to the knees in mire; or, what is worse, as each regiment has +accomplished the task of getting over, this of course causes the others +in the rear to be drawing up towards it by degrees, so that probably you +are compelled to stand (or, if you choose, you may lie down in the mud) +for a quarter of an hour, or more perhaps; and then move on again for +the space of a few hundred yards, and then another halt; so that could +you lie down to enjoy a little rest, the constant cry of "forward" +resounding in your ears, just as you begin to close your eyes, renders +it the most tiresome and trying situation that I know of. It is true, +the head of the column does not suffer in an equal proportion with those +in the rear, or a night march in an enemy's country would be a dangerous +operation. + +During this march, I remember, when the road was extremely deep, some +one on the right of my section called out that there was an excellent +path a little beyond him; when one poor fellow moved in that direction, +but had not made many steps, till souse he went into a deep canal. +Whether the man who called out had been actually deceived by the smooth +surface of the water, which appeared in the dark like a nice level +road; or whether he did it through mischief, I know not, but the poor +simpleton who followed his advice paid dearly for his curiosity, being +with some difficulty extricated from his uncomfortable situation. I may +observe that these canals or dikes skirt both sides of every road in +this part of Holland, and are even made use of as fences for the fields, +there not being any hedges or walls that I remember to have seen. + +About break of day we reached the city, which at once surrendered; but +just before daylight, I became so excessively weary that I could not +continue in the ranks any longer; indeed men had been dropping out for +some hours before, so that, I suppose, when the head of the column +reached Hoorne, one half the number had fallen out; for it was beyond +the powers of human nature to sustain such excessive fatigue. I, with +two or three others, got behind a house that stood by the roadside, and +laid ourselves down on a paved footpath which led from the back-door. +Never in my life did I experience a greater luxury than this appeared to +be, where something hard, and that would keep me out of the deep and +filthy mire, could be found to rest upon. + +I laid me down and slept as soundly as ever I did in my life for about +an hour, which quite refreshed me. We then got up and set off with all +despatch to overtake the column, which we came up with and joined just +as they halted after reaching the city. None of the troops entered the +place, I believe; but my battalion being towards the rear of the column, +was at a considerable distance from it. All now lay down to rest, and +such as had houses near them occupied them; but those who had not, chose +the driest parts of the canal bank or road, and all were soon buried in +profound sleep, excepting those who were placed on guard. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + + The Russian Allies carry Bergen--Allow themselves to be + surprised, and the whole Army forced to retire to their former + position--Skirmishing in the vicinity of Old Patten--The + Russians endeavour to force their way back to Bergen--The + Russian and British Forces joined--The Enemy forced to abandon + Egmont-op-Zee--Alkmaar surrenders--The Troops advance to Egmont + Binnen--Skirmishing--General Engagement--The Enemy + repulsed--The Forces retire to Zaand Wyck--Armistice + concluded--Return to England. + + +From daylight we had heard a heavy and constant cannonade towards our +right and rear. His Royal Highness, with the remainder of the army, as +was before intimated, had moved forward and attacked the main body of +the enemy; but as I did not witness this action, I forbear to relate +what I heard concerning it, further than this, that the Russians who +attacked the enemy posted in the neighbourhood of Bergen, having by some +mismanagement allowed themselves to be surprised after having carried +that village, the whole army had been obliged to retire to their former +position. In consequence of this failure, I believe, we were ordered +towards evening to fall in, and (what appeared annoying in the extreme) +to retrace our weary footsteps by the same dirty road by which we had +advanced. Nearly the same fatigue and misery were endured as in our +advance; but the column did not keep so much together as before, the men +falling out by hundreds, so that the stoppages were not quite so great. +We did not return to Schagen after our retreat, but were cantoned in +some villages in front of that town; and a few days afterwards we were +moved to the right of Schagen, through Schagen-bruck, to a farm hamlet +called Zaand Wyck. + +Here we remained till the 1st of October; but I should not omit to +mention, that we had, during the intervening period, several marches, +all of which were made by night, and in which similar sufferings and +fatigue were endured as in the march to Hoorne. This, it may probably be +remembered, was one of the wettest autumns almost upon record; and in +these marches we generally had the full benefit of the torrents which +fell in this naturally wet country. I have actually seen the water +running out at the bottom of the men's trowsers like that from the +gutter which carries the rain from the roof of a house. When we had not +a night march, we invariably had to be at our alarm post an hour before +daybreak,--and that being about four miles distant from our quarter at +this time, we never had what may be called a full night's rest. + +Military men will know that the custom of being at the alarm post before +daybreak is almost universal; for, that being the usual time of attack, +it behoves those who are apprehensive of a visit from the enemy to be on +the look-out, and to be prepared to receive them when they come--here +they remain, till, as the vulgar phrase goes, "You can see a white horse +a mile off," that is, till it is clear daylight, and they have +ascertained that no enemy is in the neighbourhood; after which, if all +be quiet, they retire to their quarters. Our accommodations at Zaand +Wyck may be said to have been good, for our officers had a farm-house to +live in, and we had a good dry barn and other outhouses to lie down in; +and in which I enjoyed some comfortable nights' lodgings. But on the 1st +of October, in the afternoon, we were ordered to fall in, it having +been previously intimated to us that we might probably have a brush with +the enemy. + +We were, of course, all life and glee on receiving the information, and +the usual quantity of provisions having been issued, and every other +preparation made in the night, we moved off by the same road by which we +had usually advanced to our alarm post. This we passed, and then entered +a most unpleasant country to march through; it being nearer the enemy, +of course all bridges and other communications had been destroyed. As we +moved on, a little after daylight we were overtaken by the 11th light +dragoons, on which we were ordered to open to the right and left to let +them pass us. They seemed in high spirits, and some of them cried out, +as they passed us, "Go on, my lads, lather them well, and we'll come up +and shave them." + +Sir Walter Scott mentions this saying as made use of by some of the +cavalry at Waterloo, as if it were at that time new; but I can assure +him it is as old as 1799, if not much older, for I certainly heard it +used on this occasion, and I know not but it may have been said long +before. The cavalry inclined, after passing us, to their left, while we +kept down towards the sea; and soon after, on ascending a small +eminence, we got a view of the village of Old Patten, where we +discovered about 10,000 or 12,000 of our army drawn up near the +sea-beach. We passed them, and moved forward in the direction of a high +range of sand-hills, which commenced about a mile beyond the village, +and which overlooked all the plain below. Here the enemy was posted, and +I was told that they began as soon as we were within reach to cannonade +us; but from the heads of the men in front, I could not perceive any +appearance of such cannonade, nor do I believe that any of their shot +reached us. A little farther on, however, we met a Russian yager, or +rifleman, coming back and holding out his hand, which had been wounded, +and from which the blood was flowing pretty copiously. + +This was the first blood that I had ever seen as drawn in hostile +conflict, and it certainly produced a somewhat strange effect upon me; +it showed plainly that we were in the immediate vicinity of that enemy +we had so often talked about, and whom we hoped to conquer; that now the +time had arrived which would infallibly prove what every man, boaster or +not, was made of; and that it might happen that it was my lot to fall. +Having reflected (rather confusedly I own) on the passing scene before +me, and offered up an occasional prayer to Him who alone can cover the +head in the day of battle, we now approached the bottom of this sandy +eminence, when my company was ordered to unfix bayonets, (for we had +previously primed and loaded,) and dash on at double quick time till we +came in contact with the enemy. No time was left for reflection now, the +immediate duty we had to perform occupied all our attention fully; we +soon got into a smart fire from the enemy's riflemen, which we found was +the only description of troops, except a few artillery, that we had to +contend with, their main bodies of heavy infantry being on the right and +left of this sandy range, which in some places was about a mile in +breadth, in others more or less. + +After the fight had fairly commenced, we kept but little order, owing +partly to the want of discipline and experience in our people, and +partly to the nature of the ground, which was rugged and uneven in the +extreme, being one continued range of sand-hills, with hollows more or +less deep between them; and partly it may be attributed to the ardour of +our young men, who pressed on perhaps too rapidly. We continued to +advance, and never once made a retrograde movement, the enemy regularly +retiring from height to height on our approach; but they had greatly +the advantage over us in point of shooting, their balls doing much more +execution than ours; indeed it cannot be wondered at, for they were all +riflemen, trained to fire with precision, and armed with a weapon which +seldom fails its object if truly pointed; while we were (what shall I +say) totally ignorant of that most essential part of a soldier's duty. +They consequently suffered little from our fire; but we could not +believe this, and tried to persuade ourselves they had either buried +their dead in the sand before we came up to them, or carried them off as +they retreated; but experience has since taught me to know that we then +must have done them little harm. + +About the middle of the day, as I and a young man of the name of Thomas +Bambrough (a countryman of my own, and who had volunteered with me,) +were moving on in company, in passing through one of the valleys to an +opposite height, we were assailed by a little volley from a group of the +enemy which we discovered on a hill in front of us; one of which shots +took effect in poor Bambrough's thigh just about the ham; he instantly +fell, and roared out most piteously; I laid down my musket and +endeavoured to hoist him on my back, in order to take him out of the +fire, which they now poured in without intermission; but in this I +failed, for he was so completely disabled by the wound, as to be +rendered totally helpless, and it was so extremely painful that he could +not bear the least movement. + +I felt constrained to leave him, although I did so with reluctance, +telling him that I would push on to the height we had first in view, to +which I then perceived some more of our men had advanced, and would +drive the enemy from their position; of course all this was not +literally told him, but something to that effect was said; and I found +that the moment I left him they ceased to fire on him; and, as I +promised, we did drive off the enemy. Shortly after, some of our own +people came up to where poor Bambrough lay, and carried him off to the +rear; he was sent to an hospital, where he soon after died, they not +being able, I understand, to extract the ball. Soon after this, there +were some tremendous volleys of musketry heard on our left, apparently +down in the plain below us. I, with one or two others, now inclined a +little towards the left, in order to have a peep at the troops there, so +hotly opposed to each other, in doing which, we still kept our line in +front of the enemy's skirmishers. + +We found it was the Russian army endeavouring to force their way towards +the village of Bergen, the scene of their former disaster; but they were +most distressingly retarded by the innumerable canals or ditches, by +which the country was so intersected, and which were generally +impassable by fording. On some occasions I could perceive, when they had +found an entrance into an enclosure, and had fought their way to the +farther side of it, they were obliged to retrace their steps, and get +out by the same way by which they had entered, the enemy all this while +pouring into them a close and destructive fire. This appeared to me to +be most trying to their patience, and very disheartening; but they bore +it with great steadiness. + +Meantime, our own heavy troops were advancing on the right by the +sea-beach, where was a plain of sand, of perhaps from 100 to 200 yards +in breadth; the sand-hills between the two wings, as I said before, +being swept by us, assisted by a small corps of Russian riflemen. We +moved on till we got a little in advance of the Russian army, (which, +from the obstacles they had to contend with, did not make very rapid +progress,) and immediately over the village of Bergen, which stood on +the plain, close under the sand-hills. Here, the enemy being in +possession of considerable field-works, plied us pretty plenteously +with shells from their howitzers, (their guns they could not elevate +sufficiently to reach us,) but from which we suffered very little; for +our people being much extended, and the sand being deep, the bursting of +the shells was attended with very little mischief. Indeed, for a long +time, I did not know what they were; for, having several times heard a +loud explosion pretty near, I actually looked round to see the gun, +which I imagined had fired, but could perceive nothing but a cloud of +smoke rising from the spot, and the small bushes and herbs about it on +fire. I thought it strange, and it was not till it was several times +repeated, that we discovered what it really was, for my comrades were +equally ignorant with myself. + +At length, towards the close of the afternoon, a loud and heavy fire of +musketry broke out on our right, which continued for a considerable +time, and then ceased. This was our heavy infantry, who had advanced by +the sea-shore, and who had now approached the village of Egmont-op-Zee, +where the enemy made a most determined stand, but at last were driven +back with great slaughter, and our people took possession of the town. +From this place the battle derives its name. A little after dark, the +enemy abandoned Bergen also, so that we ceased any longer to be annoyed +by their shells, which they continued to throw while they held +possession of the place. But a short while before they retired, one was +thrown, which pitched just close over my company, (for we had then been +collected, and were formed in close order immediately above the town,) +and where Colonel Sharpe and another officer were walking; it lay for a +second or two hissing and burning, and might be expected every moment to +explode. Their road lay close past it; the veteran however took no +notice of it, but continued his walk and conversation the same as if +nothing had occurred, and without going an inch out of his way. It +burst with a tremendous report, but fortunately without doing either of +them the least injury. I confess I thought it rather _too brave_; for it +appeared to me that he might have walked a little farther from it, or +stopped for a moment or two without any imputation on his courage; but +people do not all see things exactly alike. + +Our loss in this action was but trifling, considering the extent of the +operations. We had in my company only about fourteen or fifteen men +killed and wounded; among the latter were my two countrymen, Bambrough, +as before noticed, and Sutherland. One man of our company, I was told, +in charging a fieldpiece, was struck down by the wind of the ball, and +which, although it did not touch him, brought blood from his mouth, +nose, and ears; he never after thoroughly recovered the effects of it. I +do not remember ever to have felt more fatigued than I did after this +day's work. We had marched before commencing the action, I should think, +twelve miles or more. We had been kept upon the run the greater part of +the day, and had fought over nearly as much more ground, through loose +sand, sometimes nearly up to the middle of the leg, and over ground so +extremely uneven, that a few miles of leisurely walking on such, would +be more than I should be able to accomplish now; and we had been nearly +all the day deprived of every sort of liquid, for our canteens were soon +emptied of what little they contained in the morning, and having myself +fired nearly 150 rounds of ammunition, the powder of which, in biting +off the ends of the cartridges, had nearly choked me. What would I not +have given for a good drink? I felt completely exhausted, and laid me +down with the others with great good-will on the top of one of the +sand-hills. But the night proved extremely wet, so that every one of us +was very soon as completely soaked as if he had been dragged through a +river; and, to crown my misfortunes, I was without a blanket. Here I +must confess my folly, that others similarly situated may profit by my +experience. Soon after the commencement of the action a rumour was +spread along the line of skirmishers, that the Duke, seeing the very +arduous duty we had to perform, had said, "Never mind, my lads, if your +knapsacks are any encumbrance to you, and impede your running, throw +them off, and I will take care you shall be furnished with others." No +sooner did this silly report reach my ears, than I, with many others, +equally simple, believed it, without taking time to consider that if +even it were true, a knapsack and a blanket, (for they were together,) +to be useful should be at hand when wanted. But, simpleton like, away +went knapsack and blanket, and I felt greatly relieved in getting rid of +such a burden, and now pushed on after the enemy with increased vigour, +trying at the same time to persuade myself the report was true; although +I own I occasionally had my doubts on the subject. But night came on, as +I have said, and such a one as I have seldom seen for wet, and then I +plainly perceived that I had played the young soldier. + +An officer of ours of the name of Lacy, who had formerly been the +captain of the Northumberland light company, and who volunteered with +us, offered any man half a guinea for the use of a blanket for that +night only, but without being able to obtain one: this will give some +idea of the kind of night it was. I had nothing for it, but just to put +the cock of my musket between my knees, to keep it as dry as possible, +and lay myself down as I was. I endeavoured to get as close as I could +to one who had a blanket, and lay down with my head at his feet, which +he had covered up very comfortably with his blanket. The rain pelted so +heavily and so incessantly on my face, that I ventured after a while to +pull a little corner of this man's blanket just to cover my cheek from +the pitiless storm, and in this situation snatched a comfortable nap; +but he awakening in the night, and finding that I had made free with the +corner of his blanket, rudely pulled it from off my face, and rolled it +round his feet again. + +I was fain to lie still and let it pelt away, and even in this exposed +situation I got some sleep, so completely were the powers of nature +exhausted by fatigue. At length morning arose and showed us to +ourselves, and such a group of sweeps we had seldom seen. Our clothing +was literally all filth and dirt; our arms the colour of our coats with +rust; and our faces as black as if we had come out of a coal-pit. In +biting off the ends of the cartridges, there are generally a few grains +of powder left sticking on the lips and about the mouth; these, +accumulated as they must have been by the great quantity of ammunition +each of us had fired, and with the profuse perspiration we were in +during the heat of the day, added to the wet which fell upon us during +the night, had caused the powder to run all over our faces; so that in +the morning we cut the most ludicrous figure imaginable. However we +immediately set about getting our arms again in trim, for though the +enemy had left us masters of the field of action, they were not far +distant from us. We soon got our firelocks again in fighting order; that +is, they would go off, though the brightness, on which a clean soldier +piques himself, was gone past recovery at this time. I now felt rather +sore from firing my piece so often; the recoil against my shoulder and +breast had blackened them, and rendered them rather painful, and the +middle finger of my right hand was completely blackened and swoln from +the same cause. + +At this time it was reported that a sad accident had occurred in our +battalion; a soldier of one of our companies, in cleaning his musket, +had by some awkwardness allowed it to go off, and an officer being +immediately in front of where he was standing, the ball had taken effect +upon him, and killed him on the spot. + +After getting ourselves brushed up a little, the whole battalion was +brought together, and moved to the right into the town of Egmont-op-Zee, +where the guards and some other regiments had been since the evening +before, after beating the enemy out of it, as I before mentioned. We +remained here for that day, during which Alkmaar surrendered, and then +advanced to the village of Egmont Binnen, or Egmont-op-Hoof, I am not +certain which it is called, a few miles in front, and close by the sea. + +I omitted to mention, that our fight of the 2d took place over the +ground from which Lord Duncan's victory derived its name, _i. e._ +Camperdown. This headland, I fancy, we must have passed during that +day's operations--But to return. We remained in Egmont Binnen till the +morning of the 6th, when my battalion was ordered to fall in and march +towards the outposts, a few miles in front, in order, as we understood, +to relieve our grenadier battalion, which had been out since the day +before. We advanced by the sea-shore, but had not gone far before we saw +and heard unequivocal signs that we should have something more than +outpost duty to perform; the fact is, the enemy was rapidly advancing, +their force in front having been greatly augmented by reinforcements; +but when about two miles from the village, we met a soldier of the 11th +light dragoons bringing in a French officer, whom he had taken prisoner. +He belonged to the chasseurs-a-cheval, a sort of mounted light troops, +who can act either as infantry or cavalry, as occasion may require. When +we met them, and while they stood talking for a moment, I could not help +thinking it would have made a fine subject for a painting; for the +officer was most superbly dressed in dark green, with a richly +embroidered pouch-belt over his shoulder, and with a deep cut across his +cheek, from which the blood was streaming over an extremely handsome +face; indeed he was altogether a most interesting figure, and, +contrasted with the rough features and haughty bearing of the proud +trooper who had taken him, produced a fine effect. The fellow gave his +horse a slap over the flank with the flat of his sword, and set off with +his prisoner, crying out, that there were plenty more of them to take, +and that he would soon return and bring in another. + +As we advanced, we could plainly perceive the enemy in front, +skirmishing with our grenadiers, and we also saw that they possessed a +pretty strong body of cavalry--a species of troops we had not +encountered on the 2d. We could distinctly perceive the cavalry wading +into the sea as far as their horses could go, in order, as we imagined, +to see past the point of a projecting sand-hill, which obstructed their +view of the beach beyond it; but when they perceived that the force +which was advancing against them was not great, they attacked our +grenadiers with increased vivacity, and we soon after came in contact +with them, for they were advancing with as great rapidity as if no force +was in front to oppose them. + +We soon perceived that they were nearly four times our numbers, and were +obliged to adopt such a _ruse de guerre_ as is frequently practised by +the weaker party, but which had no effect, I am sorry to say, on this +occasion,--that is, while one part of our force was skirmishing, the +remainder got behind sand-hills a little in rear, and letting the men's +heads just show over their tops, as if standing in columns of +battalions, tried to induce the enemy to believe that each separate body +which appeared was of that force; but no, Johnny (as the soldiers +sometimes call the French) was not so easily gulled, for they had +previously ascertained pretty accurately the strength of our force in +front of them, by the operation of the cavalry before mentioned. They +therefore pressed on us with the most desperate fury, and in +overwhelming numbers. + +We maintained the action as well as our limited means permitted, and for +a while kept tolerable order; but as the fight became hotter, and the +disparity of force more apparent, I regret to say, our young troops fell +into considerable disorder and confusion. This giving the enemy greater +confidence, of course he availed himself of it, and attacked us with +redoubled impetuosity; and, I lament to say, our dismayed and +disheartened young soldiers fell from one degree of confusion to +another, till at length all order seemed entirely lost amongst us; and +what was at first a rather regular retreat, became at last a disorderly +flight; for wherever an attempt was made to check the ardour of the +enemy, the immense inequality of force they possessed soon completely +overthrew the few that stood; and many were the brave fellows, both +officers and men, who fell in this unequal contest, without their having +the slightest chance of successfully opposing our impetuous foe. + +The flight now became more like a race than any thing else, and I +imagine they drove us not less than three or four miles without giving +us time to breathe; but when we had reached within about a mile of the +village we had left in the morning, we perceived some regiments +advancing to our succour; among them was the 23d, which advanced in +line, and showed so good and steady a front as quite delighted us. We +could also perceive to our left, that the Russians had become engaged +with the force in front of them, and were holding it at bay; indeed by +this time the action had extended considerably into the country, and +some others of the British troops, I understand, were soon engaged. + +On the coming up of the reinforcement, the 23d in particular, our +straggling and broken troops, which had been so wofully beaten, now +united, and again advanced upon the enemy; and when the 23d had given +them a volley or two, the French gave way and retreated with as great +precipitation as they had advanced. In short the tables were turned upon +them, and the pursuit of them now was equally rapid with our retreat +before them a short while previously; and before the action ceased, we +had driven them considerably beyond where we encountered them in the +morning. Night scarcely put an end to the action, for the firing +continued long after dark, each party being directed by the fire from +the arms of their opponents; the unwillingness to desist on our part, I +attribute to a desire of revenge for the disgrace they had inflicted on +us in the morning. Towards the evening it came on exceedingly wet. + +Nothing could surpass the steadiness and fine appearance of the 23d, on +entering into action; but they were all old soldiers, while our two +battalions were composed altogether, I may say, of volunteers from the +militia, who had as little idea of service in the field, as if newly +taken from the plough. I would just remark here, that from what I have +witnessed upon different occasions, I should never be inclined to put +very much confidence in raw troops of whatever nation, or of what stuff +soever they may be composed, for it is certain, that without being at +all deficient in point of courage, they have not that confidence in +their own powers which soldiers who are inured to service possess; and +if hastily or hotly set upon, while without the aid and example of +others more experienced than themselves, it is many chances to one I +think that they will give way. So it was on this occasion. Nothing could +exceed the materials of which these two battalions were composed, had +they had the advantage of a little more experience; and no troops could +fight better than they did, after gaining the support and countenance of +the old regiments which were sent to reinforce them. + +But I confess with shame, we showed a great want of nerve in the early +part of the day, although to any troops the occasion must have been one +of severe trial. When the retreat had degenerated into a flight, and +every one seemed intent only on making the best of his way to the rear, +I, with some others who were among the hills, imagined we could get on +faster if we took to the sea-beach, which, although it also was composed +of deep sand, yet was level, and could not be so very fatiguing as +climbing the innumerable hills over which we had to retreat. Away we +accordingly set for the beach; but we had forgotten to calculate that if +the beach would facilitate our retreat, it also would the enemy's +advance. This we soon discovered, for we had scarcely descended from the +hills when we found ourselves almost surrounded by the enemy; and it was +not without the utmost exertion in our power that we were enabled to +effect our escape, the balls flying thicker about us during our short +stay here than they had done all the day before. My haversack was a +great encumbrance to me on this occasion, for, having lost my knapsack +as before related, I was obliged to stuff every thing I possessed into +this inconvenient bag; which, hanging so low as to knock against my +thighs, greatly impeded my progress to the rear, and had nigh got me +lodged in a French prison. + +A girl, who had followed a grenadier belonging to my regiment when he +volunteered out of the militia, accompanied her protector during the +whole of this day's operations, and shared equally with him every danger +and fatigue to which he was exposed, and no argument could prevail upon +her to leave him till the whole business was over, and till the +battalion to which her sweetheart belonged was sent to the rear at +night. I am not certain whether it was his Royal Highness's intention to +have fought this day, or whether the action was brought on fortuitously; +but certainly, although we began the fight under very unfavourable +circumstances, and things looked rather awkward at one part of the day, +no army ever got a more complete drubbing than the French did before the +business terminated. I have since learnt that the action became general +along the whole line towards the close of the day. Thus ended the last +affair between the British and French troops during that unfortunate +expedition. + +The next day we fell back upon Egmont Binnen, leaving sufficiently +strong outposts to occupy the ground we had taken, and this day I was +fortunate enough to pick up the shell of an artilleryman's knapsack who +had been killed in one of the late fights; but for necessaries I was +totally destitute, and began soon after to feel the effects of my folly +in throwing away my own. A little before midnight of the evening of the +7th, we were again ordered under arms with all dispatch and without +noise, and had no doubt it was for the purpose of advancing as before, +so as to reach the enemy's line by daylight next morning. How great then +was our surprise and disappointment, when we turned our faces towards +the rear, and filed out of the village by the road leading towards our +old quarters! We moved on in silence till we reached Egmont-op-Zee, +where the flashes from a large coal fire erected by way of lighthouse, +shed a melancholy gleam over our columns as we passed beneath the hill +on which it was erected. Here also by the sea lay innumerable dead +bodies, both of men and horses, together with broken tumbrils and other +sad emblems of the devastation which a few days previously had been made +on this very ground; for here it was that the heat and principal part of +the action of the 2d took place, when the heavy columns of the opposing +armies came in contact with each other. It would not be easy to describe +our feelings as we moved sadly and silently along, knowing, as we now +did, that we were for ever abandoning all the advantages that we had +hitherto gained, after so much toil, privations, and loss as we had +suffered; but it was useless to repine. Our leaders must know better +than we could possibly do, what state the army was in, and what +likelihood remained of effecting the object for which we came into the +country; our duty therefore was to obey, without questioning the +propriety of our present movement, however unpleasant it might be to our +feelings. + +We passed by Old Patten, near to which the action of the 2d commenced, +and finally returned to our old quarters at Zaand Wyck, which we reached +some time next day, and where I found my comrade Sutherland, who had +been here for some days; his wound, which was through the shoulder, not +having disabled him from making his way thus far. He had some mutton +already cooked, of which I partook with great relish, for I needed +refreshment much; and after taking a swig out of his canteen, I laid me +down and slept most soundly, rejoiced and thankful that I had so +comfortable a home to return to. + +We remained in this quarter only a day or two, and then our brigade was +removed towards the left of the line, which, as well as I remember, +rested upon Kolhorn. My battalion occupied the village of Basingohorn, +to which we had retired on a former occasion; I mean on our retreat from +Hoorne. This was one of the villages farthest in advance, consequently +it became an outpost. A night or two passed quietly, but on the second +or third night, a firing commenced from the advanced sentries all along +the line. Whether the enemy had merely been making a reconnoissance, or +whether they had intended to advance in force, and our discovering them +altered their plan, I know not, but think the former the more probable; +but be as it may, it had the effect of turning out our whole line of +outposts, which, as might be expected, prepared to give them the best +reception we were able. I remember on this occasion putting in two balls +when we were ordered to load, as I was determined not to spare them, for +I (with all my comrades I believe) felt sore at having been obliged to +yield up all the advantages we had gained, to an enemy which we +certainly did not consider as having fairly won them from us in action, +but who were more indebted to the severity of the weather, producing +such disastrous consequences on our young army, than to their prowess in +the field. They retired, however, without giving us an opportunity of +welcoming them in the manner we intended. A few days after this, on the +19th October, it came to my turn to be one of the advanced sentries. +About break of day, while musing of many things, of home with all its +comforts, and contrasting it with my then rather uncomfortable +situation, I was suddenly aroused from my reverie by the beating of +drums and sounding of trumpets and music, &c., all along the French +line. I could not conjecture the cause of all this, for although it is +customary to sound and beat the reveille at this hour, yet never having +heard the French do so before, I concluded something more than ordinary +had occurred to cause them to do so on this occasion, and I need hardly +inform my reader that I kept a good look-out, in order that they should +not catch us napping. In a short while, however, the mystery was cleared +up; for an officer of ours came round all the advanced sentries to tell +us, that, as an armistice had been concluded, we were not any longer to +prevent the country-people from passing and repassing, as we had +formerly had orders to do. I imagine the festive noises which I heard +arose from this circumstance having taken place, for I believe the +French were tired enough of the business, although they had now become +in some measure the assailants; or else the cessation of hostilities +allowed them to resume their wonted custom of beating the reveille in +the morning. + +Seeing we had failed in our attempt to wrest the country from the +French, and that no hope now remained of our ever being in a condition +to effect it, the prospect of returning home once more became a pleasing +consideration, and I fully gave way to it. My comrades also now began to +turn their thoughts homeward, and cheerfulness once more beamed on +countenances which for some days past had been rather gloomy. But by +this time the dysentery had made sad ravages among our young and +inexperienced soldiery, for on a day soon after this, we could in my +company muster on parade only eighteen men out of one hundred, of which +it was composed at the outset. This inefficiency was caused principally +by disease, although we had certainly lost a fair proportion in the +field. It was therefore well that our removal to a more favourable soil +was about speedily to take place; and wisely had his Royal Highness +acted in agreeing to evacuate a country, the climate of which had been +so extremely prejudicial to his army. About this time also, I began to +have my personal trials and sufferings; for now I began to feel the full +effect of my folly on the 2d inst., in throwing away my knapsack, for I +had not a change of any description, and the consequence may be easily +conjectured. Filth and vermin now began to add poignancy to my other +sufferings, but I bore up against them all as well as I was able; and I +have reason to thank God, that the strength of a good constitution +enabled me to continue my duty without yielding for one day to the +accumulated effects of these disagreeables. Soon after this also, the +good people of England, commiserating our uncomfortable situation, sent +out presents of flannel shirts and shoes, which arrived most +opportunely. I was not fortunate enough to obtain one of the former +necessary articles, but my sergeant kindly put me down for a pair of +shoes, of which I stood in great need, and now beg to return my best +thanks to the kind friends who sent them, although at the time we +expected we should have to pay for them. In a short while after this, +the grenadiers and light battalions were broken up, and each company +returned and joined its own proper regiment. We joined ours (the 56th) +at a weeshaus (or poorhouse), situated on the great canal which connects +this part of Holland with Alkmaer, and not far from Schagen-bruck. Here +we were occupied for a few days in putting things in the best order we +could, previous to our embarkation. + +About the 3d November we marched for the Helder, from whence we went on +board. On our way down, one of my comrades, who was not over scrupulous +in expressing his sentiments, was railing bitterly against the +mismanagement (as he imagined) of the expedition, and saying, "he hoped +the next time we came to that country, should we ever come again, that +we would leave it under more favourable circumstances." General Manners +(to whose brigade we now belonged) was riding close behind, unknown to +this complainer, and overheard every word he said. When the soldier had +finished, the General most good-naturedly rode up to him, and began to +argue the matter with him. "Why," says he, "although we are leaving the +country, it is not from the enemy having compelled us to do so from his +superior bravery or success in the field, for we have fought only five +actions since landing, and in four of these we have been the conquerors; +it is owing solely to the great sickness and consequent inefficiency of +the army that we have been compelled to this measure." I could not but +admire the affability and kindness of the General, and was fully +satisfied myself, and so were all who heard him, of, I believe, the +justness of the remarks he made. We reached the Helder the same day, +where we remained doing duty till the 10th November, on which we +embarked on board his Majesty's ship Romney, of fifty guns, commanded by +Captain Lawford, (afterwards by Sir Home Popham.) She was only a small +vessel of her class, and yet our whole regiment was put on board her; we +indeed were not very strong, but she was crowded beyond measure, for +many, nay, most of the troops had not literally lying room, each company +having barely the space between two guns, which, I should think, is not +more than twelve feet at the utmost, and even here the sailors, whether +with or without orders I know not, slung their hammocks over us. I +particularly remember this being the case, for I had the second night, +by way of securing room to stretch myself, lain down between decks early +in the evening, and had had some little repose, when a sailor, whose +hammock was slung right over me, and while standing and making it, put +his foot right on my cheek, and stood there till he had finished. I know +not whether he knew that it was a human head he was treading on, but I +judged it best to be as quiet as possible; preferring the pain of +bearing his weight on my head, rather than, by moving or crying out, to +incur the risk of his foot slipping, and peeling the skin off my face. +The voyage was fortunately short, for in seven days we landed at +Yarmouth, glad and rejoiced that this unpleasant and ill-fated +expedition was terminated. I know not whether my reader is old enough to +remember the autumn of which I have been speaking, but to me it appeared +one of the wettest and most uncomfortable that I ever remember; and it +was here, while exposed to its effects, that were laid, most probably, +the seeds of that severe pulmonic affection from which I have since +suffered so much. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + + Arrive in England--The Pompadours embark for Ireland--Arrive at + Kinsale--Privations in Ireland in 1800--Peace concluded--Our + Author resolves to return home, but ultimately volunteers into + the Rifle Corps or 95th--Embarks for England, and joins his + Regiment at Sussex--Is promoted. + + +We landed at Yarmouth on the 17th November, and the next day marched to +Norwich, where we remained a few days, and where we found the people +remarkably kind and attentive to our comforts; and, indeed, we now cut a +most sorry figure, being literally nothing but rags and dirt; it was +certainly a sad tax on the good landlords on whom we were billeted, to +be compelled to find us lodgings, for we never left the beds unoccupied +by some of the uncomfortable companions of our travels when we arose in +the morning. I here began to find myself very unwell, for though I had +borne up against sickness in the field, I could not now receive my food +without feeling the most afflicting nausea, my stomach being completely +out of order; and it was no wonder, for we had been compelled for +several weeks past to drink the brackish water of the ditches of +Holland, no springs (that ever I saw) being there to be found, and the +little water in their wells, when we arrived in the country, being +speedily exhausted. We had also been deprived of salt nearly all the +time of our sojourn in that country, one of the greatest privations that +I know of. Through the nursing of my kind landlady, however, I gradually +regained my appetite, and with it my health, for which I have reason to +be truly thankful to Him who has ever dealt so mercifully with me. + +In a few days we left Norwich on our route to Chelmsford, and on our way +passed through Bury St Edmunds, where my late regiment, the +Northumberland militia, was quartered; they vied with each other in +showing us kind attentions, but our miserable appearance put the +soldiers of this regiment sadly out of love with the regular service. + +We did not remain at Chelmsford long, but marched again for Horsham in +Sussex, on which occasion I for the first time had a view of the +metropolis, as we passed through it, by way of Whitechapel and London +Bridge, &c. At Horsham we were quartered during the remainder of this +winter. About the 10th or 12th of February 1800, we marched for +Portsmouth, where we embarked for Ireland on the 14th. On this occasion +the regiment was put on board two first-rate frigates; the Endymion was +that on which the left wing went on board, but I do not recollect the +name of the other. An agreement was entered into between the two +captains, I understood, to sail for fifty guineas, they both being +considered fast vessels; our destination was Cork; they were to start +together, and the first there of course to be the winner. + +We sailed with a favourable breeze, and got on most delightfully, +having, soon after sailing, parted from our antagonist, and passing, if +I recollect right, inside the Isles of Scilly, we in a few days drew +near our destined port. But on the 19th, as we were pushing on with all +our might, having every stitch of sail set, a squall came on so +suddenly, that, before she could be stripped of her superfluous +clothing, she was actually running bows under water, the sea entering +the bow-ports, and making its way along between decks, like to wash +every thing away before it. At this time the log was hove, and we were +going at the (I believe) unparalleled rate of fifteen knots an hour. But +unfortunately for our captain, the vessel was completely driven out of +her course, and towards evening we entered the harbour of Kinsale, thus +losing the fifty guineas, although we were no doubt the better sailer. + +This was the first gale I had experienced, and I did not relish it; but +when we entered the harbour, where the water was quite smooth, the +sensation I felt was most delightful, after having been buffeted most +violently by the sea without. The next day we landed, and were billeted +in Kinsale, and here I had the first view of Irishmen and Irish manners. +I need not attempt to describe them; for could I, so many have done it +before me, that the subject is almost exhausted. In a day or two after +landing, we marched to Cork, where the right wing had been landed, and +with which we of course formed a junction. + +We remained in Ireland from this time till the peace of 1802 was +concluded, and were quartered successively in the towns of Cork, +Kilkenny, Clonmel, Fermoy, and Kinsale; but as there was nothing which +could interest a reader that occurred to me during this period, I shall +pass it over in silence, save mentioning the following:--In the year +1800, it is well known the utmost distress was experienced by the poor +of both countries, a scarcity, the effects of the wet harvest of 1799, +having grievously afflicted all the British dominions. But in Ireland, +the sufferings of the poor were great, beyond the conception of an +Englishman who has not witnessed them, and many hundreds of them, I +believe, actually perished of want. + +But my tale relates more immediately to my own sufferings and those of +my comrades; for we had then but what was termed a "black shilling a +day," that is twelve pence Irish, an English or white shilling, or Hog, +going in that country for thirteen pence; we had not then any beer money +either, but had solely this black shilling to subsist on. Meat at this +time was no less than 10d. per lb., of which each man received half a +pound; bread was 5d. per lb., of which we also got half a pound. This +half pound of bread, and half pound of meat, and that not of the best, +was all we had to live on, and do our duty, which was not always of the +easiest description. The remainder of our shilling was taken to furnish +necessaries, washing, pipeclay, &c., for I do not remember that we ever +laid in any sort of vegetables for the pot. Potatoes were out of the +question, for they were no less than three shillings a stone of fourteen +pounds. + +Although we did not absolutely suffer want, the reader will perceive +that we were but sparely dieted; the consequence was, innumerable +robberies of potato fields, and gardens, &c., in the neighbourhood of +our quarters; and many were the men that got punished for this crime, +but it could not be put a stop to, for hunger is not easily borne. +Indeed, on one occasion, I myself was seduced, by the persuasion of my +comrades and by the cravings of hunger, into the commission of this +crime. I remember well I was on what was termed the Commissariat guard, +a short distance from the town of Fermoy, when my companions, thinking +it a favourable opportunity for procuring something to eat, prevailed +upon me to accompany them to a garden near the bridge, into which we +entered, and each of us returned loaded with a fine cabbage, and which +afforded us an excellent meal after our relief from guard. It is +impossible to justify such an act, but the reader will be convinced, I +trust, that sheer hunger alone urged me to the perpetration of this +crime. Others, I have no doubt, were equally ill off, who did not resort +to such disgraceful means of satisfying their hunger, but bore it with +patient resignation. I believe that such was the case, and take shame to +myself for yielding either to the calls of nature or the solicitations +of my companions, some others of whom were not so scrupulous. During +this distressing season I sold a watch which had formerly been my +father's, and with which I felt extremely loath to part. I also received +a little money from home, all, or nearly all, of which was expended in +procuring food. + +The hedges and fields, &c. in the vicinity, were ransacked in all +directions, for the purpose of procuring bramble-berries, nettles, &c. +&c.; in short, for any thing that was eatable. Such was our situation +during several months, while under the command of Lieut.-Col. Skinner, +who, although an excellent officer, had little idea of disposing of a +soldier's pay to the best advantage; but latterly we were commanded by +Major Keating, who, making the comfort of the soldiers under his command +his continual study and delight, soon adopted a system which secured to +us plenty in comparison of our former state. He left off the meat and +bread save occasionally, and procured for us plenty of oatmeal and milk, +by which means our wasted bodies began shortly after to resume quite +another appearance. + +We were quartered at Lap's Island, in Cork, when the news arrived of +peace having been concluded; and as the bulk of the regiment had +volunteered from the militia for five years, or during the war, measures +were taken for discharging all those who did not re-enlist either into +their own or other regiments. My mind was fully made up to return home; +for although, as I said before, I never repented of having entered the +regular service, yet I knew that the anxiety of my dear parents for my +return was so great, that I had settled it fully in my own mind to leave +the army. + +Another reason operated with me partly in forming this resolution--I had +persuaded myself that I ought to have been promoted--for I judged myself +fully capable of conducting the duties of a non-commissioned officer, +and I flattered myself my conduct had been generally unexceptionable; +but I was disappointed, for the great numbers in my company, who were +judged both more deserving and better qualified, and withal +better-looking soldiers, put it out of the question for me to look +forward to promotion. + +I was in this state when an officer and a party of the Rifle corps +arrived at Cork, to receive such of the men of the different regiments +then about to be discharged, as chose to volunteer, for this novel, and, +as some thought, dangerous service. I cannot account for the impulse +with which I was urged on, from the moment I had seen one of the men, to +enter this corps. Something strange seemed to push me on, contrary to +the full determination to return home, which had possessed me an hour +before. I will not attempt to account for it, but such was the fact. I +immediately, with some others of my regiment, gave in my name as a +volunteer for the Rifle corps, and was in consequence in a day or two +sworn into that corps, in which I have ever considered it an honour to +serve, and which I have reason to thank a kind and overruling Providence +I ever entered. + +No news of course could be so afflictive to my dear parents, as to hear +of the last rash and irretrievable step which I had taken. It had +wellnigh broken their hearts, for they fully calculated on my returning +home, as I had written to that effect. Judge then of their surprise and +sorrow, when they learnt that I had entered, what was deemed by some, a +condemned corps, and that for life--and that the West Indies would no +doubt soon be my grave. + +On my leaving the 56th, the officers of my company expressed their +regret that I should quit the regiment, and told me, that although the +mode hitherto pursued of keeping all the best-looking men in the light +company had kept many from obtaining promotion, who otherwise would have +been made non-commissioned officers, yet that mode was no longer to be +adhered to, and that I might shortly expect to be promoted into another +company, if I would consent to remain. I thanked them, and told them I +had made up my mind, on which they each gave me a certificate as to +character, &c., recommending me to the officers of my new corps, and +which were of service to me afterwards. + +The sergeant who had been sent to receive us, at once became my stanch +friend, and employed me, as the party was now become pretty strong, to +act as a non-commissioned officer. Every thing went on quite smoothly, +and I felt happy in my new corps, and in my new employment. + +We marched soon after to Waterford, and thence to Passage, and there +embarked for the Isle of Wight, and without encountering any remarkable +event arrived at Cowes on the 27th June, 1802; here we remained a day or +two, and then marched for the regiment in Sussex. We found them at East +Bourne, although Blatchington was their quarter, but they had been sent +out of it on account of the assizes or election, I do not remember +which. + +We immediately commenced our light drill, in which I took great delight; +but most of all I liked the shooting at the target. As recruits, we were +first drilled at what is termed the horse, _i. e._ a machine to assist +young riflemen in taking aim. At this I pleased my commanding-officer so +much the first time I tried, that he ordered me to the front, and told +me to load, and fire at the target. I did, and made a pretty good shot, +hitting pretty near the bull's eye; on which he made me load again and +fire, and hitting that also, he made me go on till I had fired ten +rounds, all of which hit the target, and two of which had struck the +bull's eye. The distance indeed was only fifty yards, but for a recruit, +that is, a person unaccustomed to rifle-shooting, he called it a +wonderful exhibition, and in consequence he gave me sixpence out of his +pocket, and ordered me home. I thought the reward quite inadequate, so +natural is it for us to overrate our own deservings. + +This officer (Major Wade) was one of the best shots himself that I have +almost ever seen. I have known him, and a soldier of the name of +Smeaton, hold the target for each other at the distance of 150 yards, +while the other fired at it, so steady and so accurate was both their +shooting. + +I continued to maintain my character as a good shot, which in a rifle +corps is a great recommendation, and proceeded in acquiring a knowledge +of my other duties with such steadiness as obtained the approbation of +my officers. We soon after marched to Chatham--and while there, several +non-commissioned officers being employed on the recruiting service, I +was employed in doing the duty of one, having been appointed what is +termed a "chosen man." + +I must record the manner of my appointment. An acting-sergeant was doing +the duty of pay-sergeant of our company, but he took it into his head to +go all wrong, spending the money intrusted to him for the payment of the +men. He of course was deprived of the situation; and on this occasion it +was, that the officer commanding the company came to me one day, and +said to me, "Surtees, I shall be _forced_ to make you a chosen man." I +thanked him, but could not help reflecting on the strange mode of +expressing himself which he had adopted. The fact is, I believe, without +thinking about the opinion I must form of the compliment he was paying +me, he had been indeed forced to it, for he had no one to pay the +company besides; and as I was not yet dismissed from the drill, it was +an unprecedented measure. But he need not have told the _whole_ truth on +this occasion, for I should have been no worse a non-commissioned +officer, had he been more complimentary; but he was a _plain_ man, and +not much given to compliment. + +On our march hither, some of the men broke into the plate chest of the +officers' mess, while the baggage stopped in Maidstone; one man was +discovered, and tried for it, and sentenced to receive 800 lashes, all +of which he took at one standing, and that without evincing much +suffering; this was the most I ever saw inflicted at one time. + +We marched again from Chatham in September, and on the 2d of October +arrived at Thorncliffe. While here, my parents interested Mr Beaumont, +M.P. for my native county, to solicit my discharge from the Honourable +Colonel Stewart, my then commanding-officer, they paying the regulated +sum to the government. The colonel sent for me, and talked with me on +the subject, and argued most forcibly in favour of my remaining in the +regiment, saying he had intended to promote me the first vacancy; and +that he had no doubt whatever of seeing me one day an officer. I own my +views were not so sanguine; but his reasoning prevailed, and I consented +to remain. Soon after, an opportunity offering, I was appointed corporal +on the 24th of the same month. + +Here again I had disappointed my beloved and tender parents, for it was +not without considerable trouble and difficulty they obtained the +interference of Mr Beaumont, and now I had again thrown cold water on +all their endeavours to obtain my discharge. I fear I have much to +answer for, as respects my conduct towards them. May God forgive me! + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + + Made Pay-sergeant--Moral Reflections--Wreck of a Dutch East + Indiaman--Reduced Officers--War with France in 1803--Encampment + at Thorncliffe under the command of General Sir John + Moore--Encampment broke up, November, 1804--Embark for Germany, + October, 1805--Vicissitudes at Sea--Land at Cuxhaven--March to + Bremen--Outposts established--Retrograde movements, in + consequence of the defeat of the Allied Forces at + Austerlitz--The Allied Forces evacuate Germany--Re-embarkation + of the troops--The Rifle Corps, or 95th, land at Yarmouth. + + +Having given satisfaction as a corporal, I was shortly after appointed +acting-sergeant; and in that capacity also, having pleased my officers, +I was, on a vacancy occurring on the 19th of February following, +appointed sergeant, and given the payment of a company. My head was +almost turned by such rapid promotion, and I began in earnest to +contemplate the possibility of my colonel's predictions being one day +verified. Kind Providence watched over me, however, and kept me from +being too much elated, and of committing myself as I otherwise might +have done. Indeed I many times did commit things which, if strictly +searched into, would have brought censure upon me, and lowered the high +opinion that both myself and others entertained of me; but nothing that +openly violated the law by which I was then governed (although many of +God's laws I daily transgressed) was done by me. + +I was at this time, although careful to secure the good opinion of my +officers, little solicitous to please Him who had alone lavished all +this bounty upon me. Indeed I believe I was as ungodly at this time as +I ever remember to have been, and yet He caused me to prosper. Oh! how I +ought to feel shame and confusion of face at the recollection of such +abused goodness and mercy! May He pardon me for Christ's sake! + +A short while before my appointment as sergeant, a most melancholy +occurrence took place in the neighbourhood of our cantonment. A large +Dutch East Indiaman, outward bound to Batavia, and full of troops, in +passing down channel, mistook, I understand, the light at Dungeness for +one on the French coast, and in consequence stood in towards Dymchurch +wall instead of keeping out to sea. As might be expected, she was not +long in striking on the wall, running with her bow quite close under the +road, and in an instant, almost, went to pieces; and although numbers of +people were early at the spot, and some, I believe, at the very moment +she struck, they could render the unfortunate sufferers no effectual +aid, although only a few yards distant from them. Out of about 800 +persons on board, only seven men were saved. Many poor fellows, I +understand, attempted to swim on shore, some on planks, and others +without any aid; but such was the tremendous swell, and the general +destruction of the ship so rapid, that only those seven before mentioned +succeeded; and they not without being all more or less injured by pieces +of the wreck. An admiral, I understood, was on board, and perished; +several beautiful females were afterwards cast ashore among the dead, +the wives or daughters, no doubt, of some on board; they were for the +most part nearly naked, so that it is conjectured they had been in bed. + +As might be expected, the allurement to plunder so valuable a wreck was +not resisted by the natives of this part of the coast, but Colonel +Stewart humanely placed strong bodies of the regiment at different +points where the wreck had drifted, to secure as much of the property as +he could for the Dutch government, and also to collect and bring in the +numerous dead bodies which floated along the shore; all of which he had +decently interred in the churchyard at Thorncliffe, and had the poor +wounded survivors taken into hospital, where every care was taken of +them. Indeed nothing could exceed the unremitting attention which he +paid both to the dead and living on this most melancholy occasion, and +for which he received, as he well merited, the thanks of the Dutch +government. + +About this period we had several individuals serving in the corps as +soldiers, who had been officers in the army during the late war, but +who, from different causes, had been reduced to the necessity of +enlisting as private soldiers. The first that I remember was a person of +the name of Conway Welch, who, I understood, had been an officer, and I +think the Adjutant of the Surrey Rangers. He got on to the rank of +Corporal, but, being excessively wild, I believe he never attained a +higher rank. I do not remember what became of him. + +The second was called Hughes; he was, I believe, when he enlisted, +actually in the receipt of half-pay as a lieutenant of the line. He was +a person of good conduct, and was soon promoted to the rank of corporal, +and the colonel took him for his own private clerk, or secretary, as he +was denominated; but he did not remain long in this situation, for he +was shortly after called upon full pay of his rank in the army. I +believe his case was a singular one. + +The third unfortunate individual was of the name of Tait. He had been a +captain in the Caithness Legion, but reduced when the regiment was +broken up at the peace. He conducted himself extremely well for some +time after he came into the regiment, and got on so far as to become +pay-sergeant of a company. But in this situation, having considerable +sums at his command, he became involved through his dissipation, and +being unable to extricate himself from his difficulties, he adopted the +fatal resolution of committing suicide, and accordingly, when quartered +at Woodbridge, he one day retired to his room, loaded his rifle, and +blew out his brains. + +The story of the fourth individual is a scarcely less melancholy one. +His name was M'Laughlan. I had known him while serving in my late +regiment, as he had been an officer in the light company of the 35th +regiment, and stood next in the light battalion to the company to which +I belonged. He, shortly before our embarkation for Holland, got +involved, through a gambling transaction I heard, and was in consequence +obliged to dispose of his commission, which, it would appear from this, +he had originally purchased. But interest was made in his behalf, and he +was permitted to accompany his regiment to Holland in the capacity of a +volunteer, and he accordingly assumed the firelock and bayonet in place +of his former weapon, the sword. He was fortunate enough to obtain +another commission before the return of the troops to England, but how +he became deprived of that I have been unable to learn. But about the +latter end of 1803, he enlisted as a private in my corps. His conduct +here was far from good, and he consequently never rose higher, for he +was continually in scrapes from his dissipated habits; and becoming +tired of the restraint laid upon him by the strict discipline which our +excellent commanding-officer enforced, he one day made an attempt to +desert and join the French at Boulogne, and was picked up by one of our +cruisers in endeavouring to cross the channel in an open boat. He was +brought back handcuffed, and lodged in the guard-house one day when I +happened to be sergeant commanding the guard. + +As I looked on him, I could not help reflecting on the strange +vicissitudes which attend some men in their passage through life. Here +was a person whom I had known only a few years before while encamped on +Barham Downs, a gay and handsome young officer, moving in the circle of +men of gallantry and honour; and now behold him a wretched culprit, +stretched on the wooden guard-bed, manacled like a felon. In contrasting +his miserable situation with my own so much happier lot, what ample +cause had I for gratitude to that kind and indulgent Providence, which +had preserved me from those excesses, which entailed so much misery on +others. He was shortly after tried by a general court-martial, and +transported as a felon for life. I understand a sister of his was at +Thorncliffe at the time of his trial, &c., the wife of a brevet +lieutenant-colonel in the 4th regiment. What must she have felt! + +It will be recollected that, in 1803, war again broke out between this +country and France, as my preceding story had intimated. The army was +consequently augmented again, and my corps, till now called the "Rifle +Corps," was made the 95th. This year a camp was formed on Thorncliffe, +under the command of that able general and excellent man Sir John Moore. +This was termed by some the "Vanguard of England," for here it was that +the then threatened invasion of this country by Bonaparte must most +likely have taken place, it being immediately opposite to the grand camp +then forming at Boulogne. Daily rencontres took place between our +cruisers and his far-famed flotilla; and on one occasion, the belief +that he was sending forth his invincible host was so great, that our +camp was struck, the troops turned out, and received each man his sixty +rounds of ammunition; the waggons and carts were all put in immediate +requisition, and the inhabitants were flying in all directions. But to +our disappointment, I will not say whether disagreeable or otherwise, it +all ended in smoke; it happened to have been some of his flotilla making +a movement along the coast, which had been set on by our cruisers and +pretty roughly handled. + +We remained in this camp till the 24th of November, I think, having +occasionally before this period had our tents blown from over our heads +by the autumnal gales. The next year a more formidable camp was formed +on the same ground, the force having been augmented by a second line, +composed of regiments of militia. This year also, like the last, passed +over without witnessing the long-threatened invasion of Old England, +although Bonaparte, in the pride of his heart and the vanity of his +mind, had begun to erect a monument near Boulogne, to commemorate that +glorious achievement. My regiment, on the breaking up of the camp, +marched into Hythe Barracks, where we remained till the month of April, +1805. + +In the spring of this year another volunteering from the militia into +regiments of the line was ordered, on which occasion I was selected by +my commanding-officer, Lieut.-Colonel Beckwith, to accompany Lieutenant +Evans, of the regiment, down to my native county, to receive such men of +the militia regiments there as chose to enter the 95th. On this occasion +we were very successful, having obtained between seventy and eighty men +from the different regiments in the north. It was on this occasion that +I had the first opportunity, since I became a soldier, of visiting my +native village, and my greatly-distressed parents and family. I need not +describe the meeting that took place between us, on my first seeing +them--it will be better conceived than told;--suffice it to say, joy +and sorrow were strangely mingled together--joy to see me once more safe +and sound--but sorrow that the line of life I had adopted should so +soon, so very soon, call upon me to part from them again. In fact, I +could only remain with them three days, at the end of which, I had +orders to join my party at Morpeth. + +With this respectable batch of volunteers we marched, and joined the +regiment at Canterbury, whither it had been removed during our absence, +and, on our arrival, received the thanks of our commanding-officer for +our exertions. Here, and at this time, a second battalion to the 95th +was formed, the sergeant-majorship of which I was in hopes of obtaining; +but in this I was disappointed, for a sergeant, who was both much older +than me, and had much stronger claims than I could pretend to, was +selected for the situation; and although he did not turn out so well +afterwards as was expected, yet these circumstances ought to have +satisfied me at the time that no injustice was done me by bestowing it +upon him. But such was my folly, and the over-high opinion I entertained +of my own merits, that I could not quietly acquiesce in this most just +arrangement; and foolishly imagining myself ill-used, the chagrin of +which drove me to the adoption of one of the worst expedients possible, +I immediately took to drinking and to the neglect of my proper duties, +thinking, like an ass as I was, that I should thus revenge myself for my +supposed ill-usage, forgetting that it was only on myself that this +revenge could ultimately fall. However, the same good Providence which +has mercifully and so continually watched over me, stepped in to my aid +in this my most dangerous situation; for one day my captain, who had +always been my friend, sent for me, and urged upon me the folly and the +baseness of my present conduct, and the unhappy consequences to myself +that were likely to result from persisting in a course so absurd and +blame-worthy. This, with my own reasoning on the subject, brought me at +length to a better disposition of mind, and induced me once more to +resume my duties with cheerfulness and alacrity. + +I have mentioned this circumstance, because I believe I was nearer at +this time to falling into my original nothingness, than I ever have +been, either before or since; and I have no doubt that many an excellent +non-commissioned officer and soldier have been involved in the like +error, who have not been so fortunate as I was in escaping its +consequences. + +From Canterbury we marched to Brabourn Lees Barracks, in the same +county, where we remained till some time in October, when we were called +upon to embark for Lower Germany. During our stay at Brabourn Lees, a +circumstance occurred which called forth an exhibition of as great +magnanimity, on the part of Colonel Beckwith, as I almost ever remember +to have witnessed: We had received about 200 Irish volunteers, who were +wild and ungovernable in the extreme; a party of these, in strolling +about one day, had fallen in with Mrs Beckwith, with her maid and child, +taking a walk along the Ashford road. Not knowing, I imagine, who the +lady and her maid were, they set on and assaulted them in the most +violent and outrageous manner, proceeding to such lengths as perhaps +delicacy forbids to mention. It was, I believe, discovered who they +were. Accordingly, the next day, the Colonel formed the battalion into a +square, and proceeded to relate the circumstance to the regiment; "But," +says he, "although I know who the ruffians are, I will not proceed any +farther in the business, because it was _my own wife_ that they +attacked; but, had it been the wife of the meanest soldier in the +regiment, I solemnly declare I would have given you every lash which a +court-martial might have sentenced you." Such a trait of generous +forbearance is not often met with; but by this, and similar instances of +liberal feeling, he completely gained the heart of every soldier in the +battalion, a thing not always attainable by very excellent +commanding-officers. + +About the latter end of October, 1805, we marched to Ramsgate, and there +embarked, as before noticed, for Germany. It was my lot, on this +occasion, to be put on board a small and ill-shaped collier brig, called +the Jane of Shields, but the master I have forgot. She was a most +miserable sailer, making on a wind almost as much lee as head-way, and +in every respect ill adapted for the transport service. We had not been +many days at sea before we lost the fleet, and in our endeavours to find +it again were at one time on the coast of Jutland. All this time we had +been beating against a contrary wind; but while here, the wind became +favourable, and we appeared to have nothing to do but to bear away for +the mouth of the Elbe, which river it was our destination to enter; but +unfortunately, by some mismanagement, we fell quite away to leeward of +it, and got entangled between the mainland and the Island of Wangeroog, +not far from the mouth of Jade River, instead of the Elbe. + +While in this uncomfortable situation, it came on to blow a tremendous +gale, which rendered our position not only most unpleasant, but +extremely perilous, for we were embayed, and the wind blowing on a lee +shore, and the vessel became almost unmanageable, her bad sailing +becoming distressingly more apparent the more she was put on her mettle. +In the midst of the confusion attendant on such circumstances, the +master (with what intention I know not, whether to drown dull care, or +to fortify him against his exposure to the watery element) went down +below, and swallowed the best part of a bottle of brandy. In doing +which, his corner cupboard, with all its contents, came rattling down +about his ears. He would fain have had me to pledge him, but I begged to +be excused. The consequence was, he became quite drunk at the time when +all his abilities as a seaman were likely to be called into operation; +but he probably saw things clearest after having his eye wet. + +My commanding-officer now became quite alarmed for the safety of the +troops, seeing the master had incapacitated himself, as he conceived, +for the management of the vessel; and, after a consultation among our +officers, an attempt was made to deprive him of the command, and intrust +it to the mate, who had in this case, in order to save as many of the +troops as possible, determined on running the vessel high and dry, as he +termed it, on the sandy beach, near the Jade River. + +At this proposal, however, the master stormed and blasphemed like a +madman, swearing there was neither soldier nor sailor on board the ship +but himself. He went so far, and became so outrageous, that our +commanding-officer talked of hanging him up at the yard-arm; but it +being a ticklish thing to take the command of a ship from the person +legally authorized to exercise it, the major did not enforce the wishes +of the officers. The poor mate sat down on the companion and cried like +a child, partly owing to the abuse the captain gave him, and partly, I +imagine, from the hopelessness of our situation. The captain, in his +refusal to yield up the command, told the major he had been several +times wrecked, and had been, I know not how many times, exposed for a +considerable length of time in the water; and that he was not afraid to +encounter it again. This, however, was but poor consolation to landsmen, +who had not been accustomed to such duckings. + +A desperate case requires a desperate remedy--so our captain +thought--for he instantly clapped on the vessel the square mainsail, +which every moment threatened to carry away the mast, and in which case, +nothing could have prevented our destruction; however, Providence so +ordered it, that she bore it through the gale, and he, after putting her +on the outward tack, continued to stand from the land till he imagined +he had completely weathered Wangeroog; but at midnight, when he ordered +to put about the ship, had it not been for the cabin-boy providentially +seeing close to leeward of us the light of Wangeroog, we should +instantly have been upon the rocks. This will show either what a bad +sailer the vessel was, or how far the master had miscalculated the +distance; for he imagined himself by this time to be quite clear of all +the land, and considerably out to sea. He continued, after this +providential escape, to stand on the same tack, and just cleared the +island; and in the morning, the wind having somewhat abated, and shifted +a little in our favour, we were enabled, soon after, to lay our course. + +We arrived in the Elbe, and landed at Cuxhaven on the 18th of November, +1805, the day on which our fleet there was celebrating the victory of +Trafalgar--clouded indeed it was by the death of the hero who fell while +achieving it--yet glorious to the nation to which that fleet belonged. +We, immediately after landing, marched for Dorum, a village twelve or +fourteen miles distant, and from thence by Osterholtz and Bremer Lehe to +the city of Bremen. On our arrival there, (my battalion forming the +advanced guard,) we found the gates were shut against us; a Prussian +garrison was in the town, the commandant of which seemingly did not +know how to act, whether to admit us as allies, or not, the policy of +his government at that time being so extremely ambiguous. Colonel +Beckwith, who commanded the advance, was not however easily to be +deterred from executing his orders, and he hesitated not to tell them, +that if they did not choose to admit us peaceably, force should be +resorted to to gain an entrance. This had the desired effect, for the +gate was soon after thrown open, and we were received by the authorities +of the town, and by the inhabitants in general, with the warmest +expressions of friendship and cordial attachment; the Prussian officers, +all the while looking on, apparently not over-well pleased with the +conduct of their hosts; they were soon afterwards, however, withdrawn +from the territory, and we then remained sole occupiers of this part of +the country. + +Our army assembled in this city in considerable force, when it becoming +necessary to establish outposts in advance, my battalion was sent out +first to the town of Delmenhorst, and subsequently a part of it to the +city of Oldenburg, and the remainder to the town of Wildishausen; to +this latter place two companies were detached, under the command of +Major Travers, and to which he appointed me to act as sergeant-major. We +did not remain long in this situation, but were again recalled from +Wildishausen to Delmenhorst, and afterwards sent to join the other +companies at Oldenburg. + +Here we staid some time, during which we experienced the most unbounded +hospitality and kindness from the whole of the inhabitants, but more +particularly from the Duke. He actually did not know how sufficiently to +express his friendly disposition towards our officers in general,--his +kindness also extended to the soldiers,--for when we afterwards +received an order to retrograde again to Delmenhorst, he sent forward to +the half-way house refreshments of every description, for both officers +and men; and the night before we left this hospitable city, he gave a +splendid ball in honour of the officers of our corps, to which, of +course, every inhabitant of a suitable rank was invited. Nay, I heard, +and have no reason to doubt the correctness of the report, that he wrote +to the burgomaster of Bremen, to which city we again retired, to +endeavour, if possible, to have us quartered in his immediate +neighbourhood, in the best part of the town, for that not only the +officers, but the soldiers of the corps, were perfect gentlemen; indeed, +the conduct of the battalion at this time, under its kind and excellent +commanding-officer, was such as to entitle it to the highest praise. Our +retreat on this occasion, I understood, was rendered necessary, in +consequence of the defeat of the allied forces at Austerlitz, and of the +fatal termination by that sanguinary action of the campaign in that part +of Germany. + +Although I am no prophet, I predicted at this period what the result +would be to the King of Prussia, whose hesitating and equivocal conduct +kept him aloof from taking an active part, when his co-operation might +have been of the utmost advantage to the general cause. It required no +second sight to perceive, that when Bonaparte could clear his hands of +his present antagonists, he would not hesitate for a moment to turn his +arms against a monarch on whom he could not cordially rely, and whose +dominions offered such a strong temptation to an ambitious and aspiring +mind like his. + +We continued to occupy Bremen till towards the beginning of February +1806, when the whole army gradually drew down towards our place of +embarkation, for the purpose of evacuating the country, our stay now +having been rendered useless by the unsuccessful and unfortunate turn +which the allied affairs had taken. My battalion covered the retreat of +the army; but as great numbers of the German Legion, which formed part +of the British force in this country, were deserting and returning to +their homes, we were sent away into the interior to endeavour to +intercept such of them as might pass by the villages we occupied, and +restore them to the army. We took some, but not many; and soon after we +also retired, and went on board at Cuxhaven, and again returned to +England, landing at Yarmouth on the 19th of the same month. + +During the whole of my military career, I never witnessed so cordial an +attachment to the British name and character, as was manifested during +this service, by the good people among whom we had been residing. +Nothing was too good for us--and nothing was left undone by them to +render us comfortable and happy. It is true they have their vices like +other people; but barring one or two peculiar to continental nations, I +believe them to be, generally speaking, as moral as any people among +whom it has been my lot to sojourn. But, oh! with what shame and sorrow +do I look back on the part I acted at this period--how profligate and +abandoned was my conduct at the very time that a kind and gracious +Providence was showering its choicest blessings upon me! but, alas, I +paid no regard to the remonstrances of conscience, which I endeavoured +and succeeded in drowning in debauchery and intemperance. + + + + +CHAPTER IV.* + + Our Author made Quartermaster-Sergeant of the 2d battalion, + which he joins at Feversham, Kent--Expedition to + Denmark--Embark at Deal--Land at Vedbeck, Zealand--Partial + Engagements--Siege of Copenhagen--A Division under Sir Arthur + Wellesley advance to Kioge--Copenhagen capitulates--Amnesty + between the Danish Forces in the Island of Zealand, and the + British--The British evacuate Denmark--Embark at + Copenhagen--Arrive in the Downs--Land at Deal. + + +We landed, as I before stated, at Yarmouth, and proceeded by way of +Lowestoft to Woodbridge, in Suffolk, in the barracks of which my +battalion was quartered. Here also was the 23d regiment, that which I +had seen act so nobly in Holland: and as it was determined by its +commanding-officer to give the regiment some idea of light movements, I +was selected for the purpose of instructing their non-commissioned +officers. But I did not long continue to instruct them, for in the May +following, an offer was made me by Colonel Beckwith of the situation of +sergeant-major in the Cornwall Miners, a regiment of militia, with the +prospect, he told me, of shortly becoming adjutant. This, however, after +due consideration, I declined accepting--preferring to remain in a +regiment and service which I liked so well, and in which I hoped one day +to rise to something higher than my present situation. I believe my +conduct on this occasion was approved, for not long after, it was +intimated to me, that the offer I had refused, had been made to the +quartermaster-sergeant of our second battalion, and that he had, after +some hesitation, accepted it, thus leaving his situation open for me. +Accordingly, I departed for the purpose of joining that battalion, and +entering on my new duties. + +I joined it at Feversham, in Kent. My means increasing, the sinfulness +of my course of life was increased in proportion. It is true, I +generally performed my various military duties to the satisfaction of my +superiors; but could not at all times please my present +commanding-officer, against whose wish and inclination I had been +appointed to my present situation; he naturally wishing to have a person +of his own selection. Soon after this, an expedition being ordered for +South America, of which three companies of my present battalion were to +form a part, I waited on him, and requested him to permit me to +accompany them in the capacity of acting quartermaster. He said no; but +if I chose to resign my present situation, and go as a sergeant, he +would permit me. This I of course declined, as it would have been paying +a bad compliment indeed to my benefactor, Colonel Beckwith, thus to give +up for nothing what he had been at pains to procure for me. + +This, and some other little things which occurred about the same time, +proved to me that I was no favourite with my new lieutenant-colonel, and +that it behoved me to be very guarded in my conduct. We were, after +this, removed to Brabourn Lees again, and remained there, without any +occurrence arising, till we were summoned to take part in the expedition +fitting out for Denmark. + +We accordingly repaired to Deal, where we embarked on the 26th of July, +1807, and shortly after sailed for our destination. We arrived in the +Sound about the 10th of August, where the whole fleet was assembled; one +of the largest I had yet seen. On the 16th, every thing having been +previously got ready, we landed at the village of Vedbeck, in the island +of Zealand, about ten or twelve miles below Copenhagen. It was a most +beautiful and glorious sight to witness the debarkation of the first +division, or advanced guard, to which my battalion belonged. The most +perfect arrangements had been made by Sir Home Popham, who superintended +the landing of the troops; and nothing could exceed the beauty and +regularity in which the different divisions of boats approached the +shore, covered by some small brigs and bombs, which had orders to clear +the beach by grape shot, of any enemy that might appear. Some light +artillery also landed with us, prepared for immediate action, for it was +not known but the Danes might attempt to oppose our landing, they having +rejected every overture on the part of our commanders for the delivery +of their fleet. + +After landing, mine and the first battalion of my regiment were sent +forward in the direction of Copenhagen; and on this occasion, I for the +first time saw the illustrious General, who has since made the world +resound with his exploits. He commanded us, who formed the advance, and +directed our two battalions during the operations of the day. But we met +with no force of the enemy, save a small patrol of cavalry, which passed +in front of us, and then retired towards the city; this showed that they +were observing our movements. We halted for the night at a village +called, I think, Lingbye, on the great road from Copenhagen towards +Elsineur. We rested on our arms all night, and early in the morning +moved forward on the Copenhagen road, and about mid-day took up +cantonments within a long gun-shot of the city, and began to invest the +place. All was quiet till about three o'clock in the afternoon, when a +general cry of turn out, set the whole of our people in motion. A +considerable body of the enemy were advancing from the town, and by this +time had attacked the advanced picquets on our left, towards the +sea-shore; but instant succour being sent, they maintained their ground. + +The force opposed to the enemy was but small, consisting of two +companies of the 4th regiment, four of the 23d, and four of my +battalion, with two light fieldpieces; in all not more than 1000 men, +while the Danes were near 3000. Nevertheless, the moment the armies came +in contact, they instantly gave way, leaving a considerable number of +killed and wounded behind them, and retreated into the town. + +On this occasion, I attached myself to my commanding-officer, who, with +the surgeon, and some others of the staff, advanced with one of the guns +on the great road, having some of our companies on each flank. He gave +me his glass to take care of, with which I soon after busied myself in +watching the motions of the enemy. I discovered at a short distance to +our left and front, a considerable body of troops, dressed in long red +coats, which I knew could not be British, for that description of dress +had long been laid aside by us; I accordingly began, pointing them out +as an excellent mark for the artillery, which was then with us; but I +had scarcely spoken, when an officer present, cried out, after looking, +did I wish the artillery to fire on our own people? The colonel also +made some severe and reproachful remarks, telling me, if I would fight, +to go and take a rifle. I said nothing; but he had scarcely finished his +harangue, when a round shot came directly from this body of supposed +British troops, which nigh carried away one of the legs of the first +officer who spoke. + +The enemy were soon repulsed, and the troops retired again to their +former cantonments. After their troops retreated, a body of their +gun-boats advanced against some of our small craft which happened to be +rather close in shore, but their attack occasioned little injury, the +distance being considerable. + +The next morning the enemy opened a heavy and rather destructive fire of +artillery upon our outposts, by which we lost an officer of artillery +and several men; their fire was chiefly directed against what was called +the windmill battery, which was our farthest advance at this time. + +On the 19th, my battalion was moved farther to the right, and nearer the +town; there was constant firing between the advanced posts of the two +armies, and this continued for several days, during which the investment +of the city was proceeding with, and batteries, &c. marked out for the +purpose of bombarding it. All kinds of ordnance stores were at the same +time disembarked, and sent off to the army with the utmost dispatch. In +short, nothing could exceed the vigour with which the siege was now +prosecuted, after the final rejection of pacific overtures by the Danish +general. + +On the 24th, we were ordered under arms at two o'clock in the morning, +and immediately advanced, driving in the enemy's outposts, with the view +of carrying our works nearer the town. In this movement we experienced +considerable opposition and suffered some loss, from their guns on the +town walls, and from musketry from the windows. + +We this day established two strong and well advanced batteries, and at +night set fire to a windmill in their possession, which obstructed our +view of some of their works. During the whole of the 25th, there was a +constant fire both of artillery and fire-arms, by which one of the light +battalions of the German Legion suffered rather severely. My battalion +relieved them at the outposts a little before dark, and was fortunate +enough not to lose a man, where they had lost considerable numbers. + +On the 26th, a corps or division of the army was assembled, and placed +under the immediate orders of Sir Arthur Wellesley. It consisted of the +following regiments, viz. 43d, 52d, 92d, 95th, and 6th Battalion King's +German Legion, with six squadrons of German cavalry, and some artillery, +and was destined to advance against a body of the enemy composed +principally of militia, which had been for some time past collecting in +the neighbourhood of Kioge. + +At three o'clock P.M., we started from the neighbourhood of Copenhagen, +the troops making their way through the country to the left of the great +road to Roskild. I had charge of the baggage, which was carried on light +German waggons, the bodies of which are formed chiefly of wicker-work, +and are so light and easy of draught that the natives travel in them in +the same manner nearly of our coaches--they going sometimes at a +considerable rate. + +I found it impracticable to continue in the same direction the troops +had gone, for they presently left all traces of a road, and struck right +across the country--and as I knew I should be expected to have the +baggage with them that night if possible, I determined to run all +hazards, and proceed along the great high-road in hopes of afterwards +being enabled to find them out--accordingly I moved forward, and +presently passed the outposts of the German cavalry stationed in the +direction of Roskild; the men, I doubt not, wondering at my temerity in +pushing on with a few baggage waggons, where they were all on the alert +with swords drawn, and with carbines and pistols loaded. I own it was a +hazardous undertaking, for a very small party of the enemy would easily +have captured both me and my baggage; but I knew my commanding-officer +to be such a person as to pay little attention to excuses of any kind +when he wished a thing to be done, and withal he loved his comforts, and +would not have been easily pacified had he been deprived of them. +Fortunately, after advancing for some miles beyond the outposts of our +army before mentioned, I fell in with a road branching off towards the +left, apparently in the very direction the troops had taken. + +Till I reached this point, I had advanced with considerable caution, and +slowly; determined, if any enemy should appear in front, to endeavour to +effect a retreat. But now, having left the great road, and taken that +which I judged would bring me to the neighbourhood of those I was +seeking, I accordingly ordered all my guards to mount, and set off at a +brisk trot, keeping a good look-out to my right flank, for fear of +surprise, and fortunately fell in with the division at the very moment +it was entering the road by which I had come. I received great credit +for my generalship, and was complimented by the officers of my corps, +they being the only people in the division, I believe, who had the +comfort of their baggage that night. The name of the village where we +halted is Caughstrup. + +The next day we continued to advance in the direction of Kioge, and in +the afternoon we reached a village which I forget the name of, and where +evident traces appeared of the enemy having shortly left it; indeed, we +found two or three stragglers in the village, who were of course made +prisoners. We halted outside the village for the night. + +A short while before we reached this village, I saw a body of troops +dressed in red, marching on our right flank, at right angles to the road +by which we were advancing, and which I instantly concluded must be a +part of the enemy's force, as we had no troops in that direction. But +remembering the rebuke I received on the 17th for interfering with +concerns that did not belong to me, I shut my mouth in silence, and did +not, I believe, mention the matter. It is evident it was a part of the +enemy's force, for the General's information led him to take that very +same direction the next day; and that being towards Roskild, we set out +and reached that city in the afternoon, but found the enemy had again +given us the slip, and doubled back to nearly the same place from whence +we had started. + +The next morning about three o'clock we left Roskild, and took the road +for Kioge, near which it was now ascertained the enemy had come to a +resolution to make a stand. I forgot to mention that previous to this +our force had been divided and formed into two brigades; the 52d, 92d, +our 1st battalion, and some cavalry and artillery, remaining under the +command of Sir Arthur; while the 43d, the 6th German Legion, and our +five companies, with the remainder of the cavalry, were put under the +command of Baron Linsengen, one of the generals of the German Legion. +Sir Arthur's people had not been with us for a day or two back, but +where I do not exactly know. But this morning it was arranged that his +brigade was to march directly upon Kioge and attack it in front, while +we fetched a circuit behind, and came upon a part of their force +stationed in a forest or wood behind the town--and thus cut off their +retreat. But the poor creatures were unable to stand above a round or +two, and almost immediately broke and fled in all directions. + +As we approached the wood we were destined to attack, the appearance was +certainly rather formidable; for from the immense cloud of dust they +raised in performing their movements, we calculated on meeting with a +considerable body of troops; and indeed, just as we approached the wood, +our cavalry laid hold of an officer of their horse, dressed partly in +uniform and partly as a civilian. From him we obtained information that +they had in the field 12,000 men; 5000 of which were armed with pikes, +1000 cavalry, and the remainder consisted of artillery and infantry. He +must, I think, have overrated their numbers, or surely they might have +made some sort of a stand against 5500 men, the strength of our +division. + +On Sir Arthur attacking them in the town of Kioge, they stood, as before +said, only for a round or two, and fled, many of them coming in contact +afterwards with our brigade; but from the extent of (and intricate roads +through) the wood, very few of them were made prisoners; till towards +evening, when a company of my battalion, with some of the German +cavalry, overtook a considerable body in the village of Herfolge, +apparently the rearguard of the enemy. In this village they made a +stand, getting into the churchyard, which afforded an excellent +position, it being considerably higher than any other part of the +village. Here also they soon began to waver, and after a few shots from +our people, they all laid down their arms and became prisoners of war. +Their numbers were 1550 men, with 56 officers, and Major-General Oxholm, +the second in command of this part of the Danish army. A considerable +quantity of artillery, small arms, baggage, and provisions, &c., with +two stands of colours, fell into the hands of the captors on this +occasion. These poor creatures were instantly sent off as prisoners, and +put on board our ships at Copenhagen; many of them apparently quite glad +that they had done with fighting. Great numbers of them had nothing +better by way of shoeing than wooden clogs--a very inconvenient kind I +should imagine for a rapid retreat. + +The loss of the British during this day's operations was, as might be +expected, quite trifling. I had this day followed the ill-natured +advice of my commanding-officer on a former occasion, and had taken a +rifle, but had little opportunity of using it, not having fired more +than eight or ten shots. My battalion halted in the village of Herfolge +for the night, and the next morning moved forward towards the town of +Kingsted, that being the direction in which the broken fragments of the +Danish army had retired. + +Our two battalions had been employed all the day of the 29th, after the +first onset, in scouring the woods from Kioge to Herfolge. We continued +this service on the 30th also, and took numbers of poor creatures who +had been engaged in yesterday's operations, but who had not yet been +able totally to divest themselves of their military habiliments, +although apparently anxious to do so. We reached Kingsted on the 31st, +and finding that the only regular part of the late army had retired into +one of the islands in the Great Belt, and that the militia portion had +totally disbanded itself, we halted here till the fall of Copenhagen, +which took place on the 7th of September. But to prevent surprise from +any lurking parties of the enemy, which might still have kept together, +and to deprive them of the means of injuring us, strong detachments were +sent out to scour the country, and to bring in all the military arms +they could discover. A party of this description, consisting of 100 +cavalry, and 100 of my battalion mounted on light waggons, traversed the +country for a considerable distance, and returned after having +discovered and taken possession of ten pieces of ordnance of small +calibre, and forty rifles belonging to the Kallundburg rifle company, +with several muskets. They also gained correct information respecting +the regular troops that had been lately opposed to us, and found they +had retired into the islands of Falstar and Meon. + +On the capitulation of Copenhagen, terms of amity and peace were +entered into between the Danish forces in the island of Zealand and the +British; but these did not extend to the islands before mentioned, nor +to the other parts of his Danish Majesty's dominions; consequently, we +still remained at war with such of his forces as were not included in +the capitulation; and he might at any time have collected an army, had +he been able, and attacked us without any infringement of those terms. +It behoved our generals, therefore, to watch against any attempt of this +nature; and accordingly strong outposts were established all along the +Belt, composed principally of the men of our two battalions. The 1st +battalion occupied Kallundburg, Slagelse, Korsoer, and Skielskiore; +whilst the following towns and ports were occupied by my battalion, viz. +Mestyed, Lundbye, Wordingburg and Prestoe; thus forming a complete chain +of posts around the west and south coasts of the island. We remained so +posted till the 15th of October, by which time the greater part of the +naval stores taken in the dockyard having been taken on board, and the +period fast approaching for our evacuation of the country, we began to +retire towards Copenhagen, which we reached on the 17th, and immediately +embarked on board the Princess Caroline, a Danish seventy-four which had +been surrendered with the others of that fleet, and which are mentioned +below.[1] + +We remained in the roads till the 20th, when the fleet dropped down +towards the Sound; and on the 21st the whole passed the Castle of +Elsineur, with a favourable and pleasant breeze, the British ensign +waving proudly from the lofty masts of their late gallant fleet; it must +have been an extremely galling sight for them (the Danes) to witness, +and I dare say they did not pray for many benedictions on our heads; I +pitied them from the bottom of my heart. On taking leave of this +country, I could not help remarking on the great similarity between its +inhabitants and the Germans about Bremen--kind-hearted, hospitable, and +inoffensive in the highest degree; and although suffering at that time +so severely from the policy of our country, they were high in our +praises as individuals and as a nation. I have great cause to speak well +of those innocent and worthy people, for I have seldom experienced more +kindness and attention than was shown me by them whenever circumstances +rendered such kindness and attention suitable, particularly at Nestyde, +where I met a young man who had formerly been in the West Indies, where +he had learnt to speak a little English, (for of Danish I could not +understand a word.) He introduced me to one worthy man, who had been an +officer, and fought in the famous action of Kioge above narrated. Poor +fellow, he felt heartily ashamed of the sorry attempt they had made to +act the part of an army, and I daresay would gladly have blotted from +his memory for ever the recollection of the ridiculous part they had +acted. I was not aware of this circumstance at first, and when it was +brought upon the tapis in the course of conversation, (my young friend +being interpreter,) I unluckily said, that "any man armed with a +bludgeon only, could easily beat three such soldiers." + +I felt quite ashamed of myself afterwards, when I discovered that he, +poor man, had made one in that memorable action; but he took it all in +good part, apparently conscious of the justness of my remark. Indeed, I +was partly led on to use such expressions by the young fellow condemning +so bitterly their conduct, and which I afterwards would have given +something to have unsaid. He, however, bore no resentment, and kindly +took me home and introduced me to his wife, and requested me to salute +her with a kiss. I hesitated, thinking that I could not have understood +him right, and feeling awkward in such a situation; but my young friend +assured me it was the custom there to do so, on which I of course +complied. They are, in my opinion, an extremely moral race of people, no +vices that I know of being practised by them, save occasionally a little +drunkenness by some few individuals. I heartily wish them well. + +We sailed, as I said before, on the 21st of October, and had fine +weather till we arrived in Yarmouth Roads. We passed one Sunday on our +voyage home, at a certain hour of which our pious naval commander (Lord +Gambier) made signal for the whole fleet to lay to, and have divine +service, that is, in such ships as there were chaplains on board of. +This caused the irreligious and profligate part of our people on board +the Princess Caroline to blaspheme and storm at a terrible rate, for +being so long detained when the wind was so fair. + +It happened, when we arrived in the Roads at Yarmouth, or near there, I +think it was on the Galloper Sand, that a tremendous gale began to blow, +which baffled all exertions to withstand it. We cast out the anchors, +but without effect, for we ran away with them both, and in the endeavour +to vere out cable, or rather by the rapidity with which it was dragged +out of the ship by the force of the wind, our bits caught fire, which +with considerable difficulty were got extinguished after great +exertions. During the gale, I understand a sailor was blown off the +foreyard; and nearly at the same moment a woman, one of our corporals' +wives, fell down the hatches into the hold, and broke her back, of +which, indeed, she afterwards recovered, but never after regained her +upright posture. + +Those scoffing gentlemen before mentioned, attributed the whole of our +misfortunes to the delay occasioned by the divine service before +adverted to, and were not sparing of invective against the individual +who caused its performance, forgetful, it would seem, that _He_, whom +that commander invoked on that day, holds the winds in His hand, and can +at pleasure let them loose upon an ungodly fleet, whether for correction +or judgment, at what time, and in what manner, best pleases him. I doubt +not the excellent commander alluded to has been a blessing to many. May +he long continue to ornament the exalted station he fills! We weighed +again after the storm abated, and proceeded round to the Downs, and the +next day, the 16th of November, landed at Deal, and from thence marched +to our old quarters at Hythe Barracks. + + +FOOTNOTE: + +[1] List of Ships and Vessels captured at Copenhagen, 7th September, +1807. + + Guns. + Christian the Seventh, 98 + Neptune, 84 + Waldemer, 84 + Princess Sophia Fredrica, 84 + Justice, 74 + Heir Apparent Frederick, 74 + Crown Prince Frederick, 74 + Frien, 74 + Oden, 74 + Three Crowns, 74 + Shield, 74 + Crown Princess Maria, 74 + Denmark, 74 + Norway, 74 + Princess Caroline, 74 + Conqueror, 64 + Norge, 74 + Dalmakin, 64 + Pirle, 44 + Wory Wife, 44 + Liberty, 44 + Iris, 44 + Rotar, 44 + Denry, 44 + Mayed, 36 + Triton, 28 + Fredrington, 28 + Kline Belt, 28 + St Thomas, 22 + Tylto, 24 + Elbe, 20 + Eydeman, 20 + Gluckstadt, 20 + Sarp, 18 + Glowman, 18 + Nid Elvin, 18 + Dolphin, 18 + Marcur, 18 + Cousier, 14 + Flying Fish, 14 + + Total, 40 + +Together with eleven gun boats, with two guns each in the bow, and +fourteen do with one gun in the bow and one astern. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + + Our Author marries--The Battalion to which he belongs ordered to + join the Expedition fitting out for Corunna--Movements of the + Army in Spain--Return to England. + + +Some little time after our return from the Baltic, I obtained a short +leave of absence, for the purpose of visiting my parents, and the other +members of my family; and, during my stay in my native village, +contracted a marriage with a young woman whom I had known from my +boyhood, she having been one of my earliest schoolfellows. I cannot say +that I enjoyed in the marriage state that happiness which I expected +from it, partly owing to the frequent and long separations which my +calling rendered unavoidable, and partly from other causes which have no +connexion with my narrative. I believe, during the eight years which my +wife lived after our union, I spent more than six of these in absence +from her. + +At the expiration of my leave, we set off to join the regiment, which +still remained at Hythe, where we remained till the beginning of +September following, when my battalion having again been ordered for +foreign service in the expedition fitting out for Corunna, it became +indispensable that my poor wife should return to Northumberland, and +remain under the protection of her parents, till my return, should it +please God to spare me. This, no doubt, was a severe trial to us both, +but particularly to her, who had such a journey to undertake, alone and +unprotected, and she at the time far advanced in pregnancy; but, however +distressing, it must be undertaken, and I unfortunately could not be +spared from the regiment, for our orders were to proceed immediately to +Ramsgate, for embarkation. + +We parted, after I had accompanied her as far as I was able, and seeing +her safely stowed in the coach. It may be supposed that a new-married +pair, under such circumstances, would part with heavy and afflicted +hearts. + +My battalion embarked at Ramsgate on the 10th of September. On this +occasion, I was very fortunate in getting on board an excellent +transport, called the Nautilus, of Shields, commanded by Captain Watson +(my wife's maiden name), and the steward, a native of the Hermitage, a +place within four miles of my home. Of course, we were mutually glad to +meet each other, and often talked over old Northumbrian stories, which +recalled delightful recollections of our younger years. The fleet in +which we sailed rendezvoused at Falmouth, whence we took our departure, +and arrived at Corunna on the 26th of October. + +On our passage, when we made Cape Ortegal, a pilot-boat came off, in +which were the first Spaniards I remember to have seen; certainly, they +did not prepossess me greatly in favour of their countrymen, but they +are now so well known in England, that a description of those I here +saw, would be only to repeat what has been so often and so much better +told by others. We landed at Corunna, as before said, on the 26th, and a +day or two after, proceeded up the country, halting for the first night +at Betanzos. Our force consisted of cavalry, infantry, and artillery, in +all, about 10,000 men, and was commanded by General Sir David Baird, +and intended to co-operate, or form a junction, with that under Sir John +Moore, then in Portugal, and who was then advancing into Spain. + +My battalion, and some companies of the first battalion of my regiment, +formed the advanced guard, a situation which I consider the most +enviable of any in the army--for here all is untried, and, as it were, +unbroken ground; every thing is fresh, and although attended sometimes +with a little more danger of being cut off while separated from the main +body, yet possessing so many countervailing advantages, that I hesitate +not to say it is the most desirable post of any in an army. + +At Betanzos, we began to experience the great defectiveness of our +commissariat department, at this period of our history; for the +gentleman sent forward to provide our two battalions with food, was so +utterly unacquainted with his business, that he was actually afraid to +make an attempt to issue provisions. Although bread had been baked by +order of the Spanish authorities, he not understanding, as he said, the +Spanish weights and measures, durst not issue any thing without his own, +which were behind; but it was evident the troops could not remain +without provisions. We were here, as in most of the towns we afterwards +passed through, lodged in convents, the officers generally either being +quartered on the inhabitants of the town, or lodged by the monks in +their cells. On these occasions the men occupied only the corridors, +into which straw was generally put by the authorities of the place, the +men lying as close as pigs in a sty, which indeed was necessary to keep +each other warm; but these lodgings were not to be complained of, as +clean straw, and shelter overhead in that country, are no contemptible +quarters. + +We moved forward by fair and easy stages, by way of Lugo, Villa Franca, +Cacabelos, and Astorga; this latter place we reached on the 19th +November, but during the march, we had experienced considerable +difficulty in obtaining supplies both of provisions and the means of +transport. This is a considerable town, containing probably about 5000 +inhabitants. Both it and Lugo are surrounded by old Moorish walls, which +may formerly have been considered strong, but which, according to the +present mode of warfare, would offer but a feeble resistance to a +besieging army. It contains a number of convents, both in the town and +suburbs, and, of course, a proportionate number of idle monks, &c. Here, +as in many towns in Spain, they have a curious mode of keeping out of +their houses unwelcome visiters; for the doors being all made remarkably +strong, and kept constantly shut, you cannot enter till the inmates have +first reconnoitred you through an aperture above the door, made for the +purpose; and it is not till they are satisfied who you are, and with +your business, that they will open the door, which they generally do by +a cord communicating with the latch from their peep-hole above. + +Here we were pretty plentifully supplied with provisions, and rested for +some days, my battalion having been pushed forward to a village called +Zalada, about a league in front of the town. After having been refreshed +by a few days' rest, my battalion was again pushed forward, and occupied +the town of Labeneza, about four leagues in front of Astorga, while the +main body of the army assembled in and around that town; but we had not +remained more than a few days in Labeneza, before a report arrived of +the enemy being in our front, and advancing in force; and we were +consequently recalled to Zalada, in order to form a junction with our +main body. Not long after this, about the latter end of November, +orders were received from Sir John Moore, for our division to retreat +and fall back upon Corunna. This measure, I understand, was rendered +necessary, in consequence of the Spanish armies having been completely +beaten and dispersed, so that nothing remained to oppose an overwhelming +French force, which it was ascertained had entered Spain, but the few +British troops comprising the armies under Sir John Moore, and ours. + +We accordingly set to the right-about, and fell back as far as +Cacabelos, the main body occupying Villa Franca and its neighbourhood. +This movement was not by any means liked by any of us; for, independent +of its being so uncongenial to the spirit of Britons to turn their backs +upon an enemy, we felt disappointed at what we saw and heard of the +celebrated Spanish patriots. We had been given to understand that the +whole nation was up in arms against the French, and that we should have +been received, on entering their country, as liberators, and treated as +brethren, but in both these points we were miserably disappointed; for, +instead of a hearty welcome on our arrival, we could with great +difficulty obtain leave to land, and still more to obtain the necessary +supplies of carriages and provisions to enable us to come forward; and +with regard to the patriotism of the people, whatever might have been +their good-will to act in defence of their beloved country and +Ferdinand, they appeared as little likely as any people I had ever seen, +to effect any thing against such an enemy as the French. In fact, those +of them who formed their armies, at least of those straggling parties we +so often met, could be called nothing better than mere rabble--no +organization, no subordination, but every one evidently pursued that +plan which seemed right in his own eyes. + +While we remained at Cacabelos, (a place famous for good wine,) many +were the schemes adopted by some of our bibbers, to obtain a sufficient +quantum of this excellent beverage. I understand they occasionally +borrowed each other's clothes; that is, a 43d man would borrow a +rifleman's green jacket, and _vice versa_, and go and steal, or in some +other illegal mode obtain, a camp-kettle full or two; and when the owner +came to point out the person who had robbed him, of course he could not +be found. + +We had not remained above a day or two in our new quarters, before an +express arrived from Sir John Moore, with orders for us to advance again +immediately; and which, notwithstanding we had little or no prospect of +assistance and co-operation from the Patriots, was cheerfully complied +with. We retraced our former steps, passing through Astorga and +Labeneza, and reached Benevente on the 15th December. + +Our cavalry, consisting of the 7th, 10th, and 15th hussars, under Lord +Paget, had by this time come up from Corunna, and had been pushed +forward to join Sir John Moore's force; they fell in with a party of the +French cavalry at the town of Rueda, not far from Tordesillas, and of +which they either killed, or took prisoners, nearly the whole; in fact, +through the whole of this service, nothing could exceed the gallantry +and intrepid conduct of our cavalry under his lordship. At this town, as +well as at Astorga and Villa Franca, depots of provisions began to be +formed soon after our arrival. + +On the 17th December, we again advanced from Benevente, in order to form +a junction with Sir John Moore's army, and passing through Valderas, +Majorga, and Sahagun, we reached the convent of Trianon, about a league +in front of the latter place. On the 20th, here the two forces were +united, and a fresh distribution into brigades took place. Ours, under +Brigadier-general Crawford, was termed the Light Brigade, and consisted +of the 1st battalion 43d, 2d battalion 52d, and the 2d battalion of my +regiment. + +The whole army was assembled in this neighbourhood, and consisted of +about 26,000 men, the whole _now_ under the command of Sir John Moore. +Previous to our arrival at Sahagun, Lord Paget, with a part of the 10th +and 15th hussars, discovered that a considerable body of the enemy's +cavalry occupied that town. He therefore detached the 10th by a +circuitous road, while he with the 15th approached it by the more direct +one. They were, however, discovered by the French before reaching the +town, which gave the enemy time to turn out and form to receive the +attack. His lordship, when a favourable opportunity offered, charged the +French, who were greatly superior in numbers, and completely overthrew +them, taking two colonels, eleven other officers, and about 150 men. + +On the evening of the 23d, the whole army was put in motion, with an +intention, it was said, of attacking Marshal Soult, who, with a corps of +about 16 or 18,000 men, was posted behind the River Carrion, his +head-quarters being at Saldanha. The Spanish General Romana, was to take +a part in this movement; his small and sadly inefficient force had +approached the left of our army, or rather we had drawn towards his +position, and he was, I believe, perfectly willing to lend all the +assistance in his power, in the contemplated attack; but our General, I +fancy, did not calculate upon any material help, from a force so greatly +out of order as his was said to be. Soon after dark, the troops fell in; +and as it was understood an attack was going to be made on the enemy, +every pulse beat high, in expectation of soon congratulating each other +on a victory. All was life and animation; and the necessary +preparations, by the light of our blazing fires, for such an event as a +battle, after the many long and harassing marches we had had, gave an +interesting appearance to the scene. + +When all was ready, the troops moved forward. It was a cold and bitter +night, and there were some small brooks on the road. An officer of my +battalion, who was not very well, when he came to one of those, instead +of marching straight through, as it appears had been ordered, went a +little way round by the bridge, although not off the road. A certain +general officer, who happened to be there at the time, observed it, and +getting into a great rage at the officer leaving his section, made him +turn back, and march through and through repeatedly, by way of +punishment. Such a mode of treating an officer, certainly appeared +rather harsh; but this general piqued himself on his being able to make +his brigade better marchers than any other troops in the army; and in +this he certainly succeeded, although it was not without frequent +exhibitions, such as the above. Our people had not gone far, however, +till they were countermanded, and returned back to our convent. I rather +think the main body of the army had not moved out of their cantonments; +but ours being the advanced brigade, it was necessary we should move +before the others. + +It appears Sir John Moore, just before he intended to set out, had +received information, not only of Soult having been greatly reinforced, +but that several strong corps of the French army were marching directly +upon us, by which, should he delay only a few days, we should be +completely surrounded, and cut off from a retreat. This was most +distressing information, for never was an army more eager to come in +contact with the enemy than ours was at this moment, and never was there +a fairer prospect of success, had things remained as they were; but now, +instead of honour and glory being acquired, by showing the French what +British troops could do in the field, it was evident nothing remained +but to commence a retrograde movement, the worst and most unpleasant, in +a British soldier's view, of any other. + +Winter had now completely set in; the face of the country being covered +with deep snow, the weather was unusually severe. Our prospect, +therefore, was by no means a pleasant one. To commence a retreat in +front of a greatly superior force, and with the probability that other +French armies might be before us, and intercept our retreat upon the +sea, which was distant from us nearly 250 miles, with the country in our +rear being already exhausted of every thing that could contribute to our +support, and with such excessively bad weather to perform the retreat +in, rendered it, I may say, as unpleasant a situation as troops could +well be placed in. Added to which, our commissariat was by no means so +efficient in those days as they have latterly become; and our troops in +general being young, and unaccustomed to privation, it was but too +obvious, that should the retreat continue long, many would be the +disasters attending it. On Christmas day, our brigade, as the rear of +the infantry, commenced its uncomfortable retreat, and continued +marching till late at night, when we reached a convent near Majorga. The +next day, although we started early, we only reached the village of St +Miguel about midnight. + +Here I had considerable difficulty with the baggage. I had had charge of +it all day, my guard being composed of officers' servants, &c., who, the +moment they got into the village, set off to their masters, and left me +alone with the mules, the troops having, by the time I got in, all lain +down to sleep. Several of the muleteers had been pressed into the +service against their wills, and of course would have made their escape +whenever an opportunity offered. I was therefore compelled to drive them +all into the churchyard, and watch them myself, till luckily, after +waiting in this situation a considerable time, without daring to go to +sleep after the fatigues of such a day, some men happened to wander in +that direction in search of meat, by whom I sent to our quartermaster to +request he would send a guard, which he did soon after, and I had the +happiness to be allowed to throw myself down and take some rest. + +This day Lord Paget had another brush with the French cavalry, who, +being apprized of our retreat, had advanced to Majorga. He attacked them +with that gallantry which shone so conspicuously in the cavalry during +the whole of this service, and completely overthrew them, killing and +wounding many, and taking a number prisoners; in this affair the 10th +hussars were engaged, and behaved nobly. The next day we reached Castro +Gonzales, and Castro Pipa. At the latter village, my battalion halted +for the night and the next day. These two villages command the passage +over the river Eslar, they being about equidistant from the bridge, and +something more than a mile apart on high ground over the river, which +runs about a league in front of Benevente. Here we were obliged to +remain during the time mentioned, in order that the heavy divisions of +the army might get sufficiently forward before we moved. + +I had still the charge of the baggage, and not knowing where my +battalion was to be quartered for the night, I had crossed the Eslar to +the Benevente side, till I learnt long after dark that Castro Pipa was +its quarters. I consequently turned back and recrossed the river, and +just as I reached the end of the bridge, I heard a shot immediately in +my front. The 43d regiment guarded the bridge. It turned out to be a +patrol of the enemy's cavalry who had come close to the top of the +slope leading down to the bridge, and where a double sentry of the 43d +was posted. By some accident these two men were not loaded; the French +dragoons were consequently permitted to come close up to them without +their being able to give any alarm. One of them, however, run his +bayonet into one of the Frenchmen's horses, and retreated, but the other +was not only cut down with the sabre, but had a pistol fired at him, +which was the report I had just heard. I saw the wounded man, who was +severely hurt, but whether he survived or not I know not. + +When I reached Castro Pipa, my commanding-officer would scarcely credit +the report I gave him, conceiving it impossible the French could be such +near neighbours. I was a good deal chagrined at his suspecting my +veracity, but he had never been what I may call a friendly +commanding-officer to me, as the story of the rifle at Copenhagen will +prove; indeed, as I had been put into the situation I held contrary to +his wish, it was hardly to be expected that he would show himself very +friendly. During the night, however, our quarters were beat up, not +indeed by the enemy, but by our brigadier, who was not sparing of his +censure for our want of alertness in turning out. Indeed, we neither had +so good a look-out as we ought to have kept, nor did we get under arms +with that promptitude which was desirable, and from the cause before +assigned; that is, that our commandant did not believe the enemy was so +near. + +I own I was not sorry that the General paid us such a visit, as it not +only put us more upon our guard, a thing so indispensably necessary in +the presence of an enemy, but it gave me some satisfaction for the +dishonour put upon me by disbelieving my information. + +The enemy did not disturb us during the remainder of the night, and +next morning the brigade was assembled on the height above, and in front +of the bridge; considerable bodies of the enemy's cavalry appearing in +the plain before us. Some skirmishing between our people and the enemy +took place, but nothing of any importance occurred. Our brigade was left +in this position to cover the working party who were preparing to blow +up the bridge, at which they worked all day; during the night our people +were withdrawn from the farther side, and the explosion soon after took +place, but the destruction of the bridge was by no means so effectual as +was wished and expected. When we turned out in the morning to move +towards the bridge, I (still having charge of my battalion's baggage) +discovered that a vast quantity of excellent biscuit was stored up in an +empty house in the village, which, no doubt, had been baked for the +purpose of supplying the magazine at Benevente; and as our people had +been but very indifferently supplied with bread since we commenced the +retreat, I determined to load a bullock-cart with it, and try to get it +to a place of safety, where I hoped to be able to issue it to them. + +I accordingly took a cart and two bullocks, there being plenty in the +village, and apparently without owners, for the inhabitants had mostly +either abandoned the place on the appearance of the French, or had hid +themselves. I loaded the cart, but still I wanted a person to drive it; +and although I used both promises and threats, I could not prevail upon +any person to go with me. I therefore mounted the cart myself, and using +my sword by way of a goad, I entered the river at a place which looked +like a ford, and had the good fortune to reach the other side in safety. +I mention this to show that so much importance need not have been +attached to the destruction of the bridge, as both here, and near Castro +Gonzales, the river was perfectly fordable, for near the latter place +the French cavalry forded it on the following morning. + +I now made my way to Benevente, where I remained during the day of the +28th; and at night, as before hinted, the troops which had been guarding +the bridge arrived, leaving cavalry piquets on the plain between the +town and the river. The next morning our people left Benevente, and as I +was a little behind them with the baggage, on my reaching a height in +rear of the town, I observed in the plain in front a considerable body +of the enemy's cavalry, who had, as before stated, crossed the river +near Castro Gonzales, and were advancing towards the town, opposed, +though feebly at first, by the few of our cavalry left there on piquet; +but the cavalry regiments which were in town quickly turning out to +their support, they were at length completely able to oppose, and +finally overthrow them. + +During the time I remained here, I saw our brave dragoons make three +most gallant and successful charges against superior numbers of the +enemy, completely breaking and dispersing the different bodies against +which the charges were made. The enemy appeared to be drawn up in +different lines, the front one of which was that always charged; and I +observed, that as our people advanced upon them, they were always +received with a fire either from the carbines or pistols of the enemy, +but this never appeared in the least to check the ardour of the charge, +for in a minute or two after I observed the French troops retired in +confusion, and formed behind the other lines. At length they were +completely driven back to the ford by which they had crossed; and in a +charge now made upon them, General le Febvre, with about seventy men, +fell into our people's hands. These troops were a part of Bonaparte's +Imperial Guard, and the flower of his army, being fine-looking men, +dressed in dark-green long coats, with high bear-skin caps, and +mustaches, which gave them a formidable appearance. It was said that +Bonaparte was looking on at this affair, and witnessed the defeat of his +hitherto invincible Old Guard; it is certain that he slept the night +before at Villalpando, a place only four leagues distant from the field. +I now set off and overtook the baggage and the bullock cart, not having +had an opportunity of issuing the biscuit; but before I had proceeded +above a few miles, the bullocks knocked up, and notwithstanding every +exertion I found it impossible to get them any farther. Thus was I +reluctantly compelled to abandon a cart-load of excellent biscuit, after +having had so much trouble with it, at the time when I knew it was +greatly needed by my hungry fellow soldiers, and to whom it would have +been a most welcome offering. On this day's march, a most lamentable +number of stragglers were overtaken by us, we being in rear of all the +infantry; they had either fallen out from excessive fatigue, or from +having (as in too many instances) drunk too much; indeed, the +destruction of the magazine of provisions at the place we had left, +enabled too many of them to obtain by one means or other considerable +quantities of spirits, and which, of course, rendered them incapable of +marching. This was a long and wearisome day's journey of nearly thirty +miles; we did not reach Labeneza till late at night, where a +considerable quantity of ammunition was obliged to be destroyed, the +animals failing which drew it. + +The next day we reached our old quarters at Zalada, a league in front of +Astorga, where we halted for the night, the remainder of the brigade +going into the town. It was to this village, it may be remembered, that +we were sent on our first advance, and subsequently after our first +retreat from Labeneza; but besides these movements from the village and +back again, during the time we remained in it, we almost every morning +had orders to pack up and move a short distance out of the place. This +was done no doubt to accustom us to a ready turning out, as till this +period our baggage had been transported on bullock-carts; but now we had +mules, and it was necessary to accustom those whose duty it was, to load +the mules with dispatch. But on every occasion of this kind, the +inhabitants always imagined we were actually going to leave them, and +the moment we were clean gone, as they thought, they set to work and +rung the church bell with all their might. This was either to testify +their regret at losing our company, or to evince their gratitude to +Heaven for having got rid of such a band of heretics, by which their +most pure and holy dwellings had been defiled; it was laughable to see +the long faces they put on when we, so contrary to their hopes and +expectations, always returned to our wretched and uncomfortable +quarters. + +During the whole of the time we remained in this village, I, as a +staff-sergeant, could find no better lodgings than a dirty open shed; +the reader will therefore judge how ill the privates must have been off. +Our fellows began about this time to pick up little bits of Spanish, and +would often exercise their ability to converse in the native tongue, by +telling the inhabitants that we were certainly going to "_marcha +manana_", that is, to march to-morrow, so that it became quite a +by-word, which annoyed our hosts not a little. If I mistake not, the +Padre of this village was a great knave, and did not scruple to help +himself to such things as he had a mind for, belonging to our officers, +whenever a fit opportunity presented itself. The next day, the 31st, we +moved into Astorga, where we halted for an hour or two, till the +destruction of the magazine there was completed, although nothing but +rum remained; and here I witnessed such a brutal and swinish eagerness +for drink as was quite disgusting. The rum casks were ordered to be +staved, and to let the contents run out on the street, that they might +not fall into the hands of the enemy: thus the rum which had cost so +much trouble in bringing up all the way from Corunna was about to be +lost for ever; a thing most heart-rending to the numerous soldiers +looking on, who loved it so dearly. However, they were determined not to +lose all, for when the heads of the casks were knocked in, and their +contents permitted to run in streams down the gutters, some of those +brutes deliberately took off their greasy caps, and laving up the rum +and the mud together, drank, or rather ate, the swinish mixture. What +noble soldiers would our country produce, were not that detestable vice +of drunkenness so common among us; but to it how many have I seen +deliberately sacrifice their own and country's honour, nay their very +life itself, rather than forego the beastly gratification! + +All this morning we had been told to keep a sharp look-out on the Leon +side of Astorga, for the enemy was every moment expected to make his +appearance from that quarter; however, we were not disturbed during the +short time we remained. We here fell in with a considerable body of +Romana's army, apparently all confusion, and destitute of every thing. +We understood that they were not to be marched in the same line we were +taking, but that it had been concerted between the two generals that our +route should be kept free; however, here, and for several days +afterwards, we suffered greatly from their contiguity. + +We continued our march from Astorga the same day, and reached at night +the village of Foncevadon, about twenty miles distant. Here we pigged +in as well as we were able, there being only five or six houses; but as +we had a few tents with us, we managed not amiss. Till now our brigade +had formed the rear of the infantry, there being some cavalry in rear of +us; but it was now determined that ours and the Light German Brigade +under Brigadier-general Charles Alten, should strike off from the great +road, and take the route for Orense and Vigo. This was done, I +understand, with a view to secure a passage across the Minho at the +former place, should Sir John, with the main army, be compelled to +retreat in that direction, and probably with the view also of drawing +off a part of the enemy's overwhelming force from the pursuit of that +body, and to induce them to follow us into the mountains. +Notwithstanding this, they continued to pursue Sir John on the great +road, whilst they left us free altogether. + +I beg to notice here, that both Mr Gifford and Mr Moore (Sir John's +brother), have fallen into a trifling error respecting the period of our +separation from the main body, they both making us be detached before +our arrival at Astorga, whereas it was not till we had passed a day's +march beyond it that we were sent off. The thing is of no consequence, +only it is as well to be correct. + +The next day, the 1st of January 1809, we marched by a most difficult +road through the mountains, to Ponferrada, situated about a league to +the left of the great road to Corunna, on which the main army was +retreating. When we got in, our commissary immediately made a +requisition to the Alcalde of the town, to provide bread for the two +brigades, as we began to be in most fearful want. He promised to set the +bakers to work immediately, and in a few hours, he said, the bread would +be ready. We called on him repeatedly, without obtaining any, he still +alleging it was not yet quite ready, and putting us off from time to +time, till midnight, when the patience of our commissary being fairly +worn out, he yielded to the anger so naturally inspired by such +shuffling conduct, and used some strong language to the Alcalde. +Whereupon, we discovered at once that he had been only amusing us with +promises he did not intend to fulfil; and told the commissary that he +did not fear any of his threats, for that, as Romana's army had now also +entered the town, he had no doubt they would protect him, and revenge +any insult offered to him. The commissary had indeed talked about +hanging him for his double-dealing, and leaving the troops utterly +starving; but if he could have got any bread ready, it is most natural +to suppose he would prefer letting his own countrymen have it; this, +however, as might be expected, had a most pernicious effect upon our +suffering soldiers, for when provisions could not be procured in the +regular and ordinary mode, it is evident they would take them wherever +they were to be found--for hunger is not easily borne, accompanied by +incessant fatigue. In the morning, when we turned out to continue our +march towards Orense, we heard a heavy firing towards our right and +front, and this proved to be an attack made by the enemy's light troops +upon our first battalion, who, with some cavalry, had been left in +Cacabelos as a rearguard. Our first battalion gained great credit for +their conduct on this occasion. The force of the enemy greatly exceeded +ours, yet our people drove them back with great loss, killing General +Colbert, who commanded the advance. This was done by a noted pickle of +the name of Tom Plunkett, who, fearless of all danger to himself, got +sufficiently nigh to make sure of his mark, and shot him, which, with +the fire of the others, caused great havoc in the enemy's ranks, and set +them flying to the rear much faster than they advanced. Our situation +was thus, in a manner, in rear of the enemy's advance guard, yet they +did not turn in our direction. Cacabelos was distant from us only about +a league. + +Our road this day lay over high and almost inaccessible mountains, +deeply covered with snow. On the top of one of these, as our General was +passing the column, a cry was passed from the rear to open out to allow +him to pass, the road being very narrow. One of our men, as the General +came near, happened to say, loud enough for him to hear, that "he had +more need to give us some bread," or words to that effect, which so +exasperated the General, that he instantly halted the whole brigade, +ordered the man to be tried by a drum-head court-martial, and flogged +him on the spot. It was a severe, but perhaps necessary discipline, in +order to check in the bud the seeds of murmuring and insubordination, +although I own it appeared harsh. + +Our march was a long and toilsome one indeed, and did not terminate till +about ten at night, when we reached St Domingo-Flores, where nothing +could be procured but a very small quantity of black bread, the village +being quite small. Tired with the journey, we felt rather inclined to +sleep than eat; and, wet and dirty as we were, we laid ourselves down +till dawn, when we commenced another such day's march, and reached at +night the village of La Rua. During these two days, want and fatigue had +compelled many to fall out, some of whom, no doubt, perished in the snow +on the bleak mountains, over which our road, or rather path, had lain; +others fell into the hands of the enemy, and some few rejoined us after +having obtained some little refreshment from the natives. + +It would but be a repetition of the privations and fatigues we +underwent, to notice all that befell us on our way thence to Orense, +which place we reached on the 7th of January, having previously pushed +on, by double forced marches, a few hundred men, to take possession of +the bridge over the Minho at this place. Here we remained a day, and +obtained provisions, then much needed by us all, for the men had been +literally starving for several days past. We had time and opportunity +here also to strip and change our linen, that is, those who had a +change; the others washed the shirt they took off, sitting without one +till it was dry. Indeed, by this time we were in a most miserable +plight; our shoes, of course, were nearly all worn out, and many +travelling barefoot; and our clothes, as might be expected, were ragged +and filthy in the extreme; indeed they could not be otherwise, for I +suppose none of us had put any thing off since we commenced the retreat. +This day's rest, however, refreshed us greatly, and enabled us to +perform the remainder of our toilsome journey with more comfort; indeed, +since we had secured the passage of the Minho, and thus prevented the +enemy from getting in before us, our minds were more at ease, for strong +apprehensions were entertained that the French would have detached a +corps from their main body to seize this pass, and thus cut off our +retreat to Vigo. A part of Romana's army entered Orense before we left +it, worse, if possible, in point of appearance than ourselves; but they, +in their best days, are more like an armed mob than regularly organized +soldiers. + +It is a pity that Romana did not adopt the plan pointed out to him by +Sir John Moore, either to retire into the Asturias with his army +unbroken, or hang upon the flanks of the enemy as he passed through the +mountains; and which he could have done with ease and safety, for these +fellows could live where regular troops would starve, and there was no +doubt but the peasantry would have assisted their countrymen with all +their means. This would have in some measure retarded the too rapid +progress of the French, and probably been the means of saving to our +country one of its bravest and most skilful generals. + +Some of our men who had been compelled to stop behind from fatigue and +starvation, rejoined us here, having generally been assisted by the +peasantry, who gave them food, and helped them forward. + +On the 9th, in the morning, we left Orense, crossing the Minho to the +north side of that river, and continued our march to the town of +Ribadavia, situated at the junction of the rivers Avia and Minho, both +of which, from the melting of the snow, and the immense quantities of +rain that had fallen, were greatly swollen. So much so, that when I +approached the town with the baggage, (the troops having gone on +before,) and which I did not reach till near midnight, I found the road +completely overflowed with water; and being without a guide, I could not +of course in the night be certain where the road lay, the whole bank of +the river being completely under water. We were in consequence obliged +to climb the mountains to our left, and proceed in the best manner we +were able with the loaded mules; but so precipitous were they in one +place, that a load of ammunition slid off the mule's back, and the casks +rolled rapidly down the hill towards the river. I durst not venture to +leave them, although my chance of finding them in such a situation +appeared small indeed; however, we halted the remainder of the mules, +while a few of us set off down the steep in the direction we had seen +them go, and after a long and anxious groping in every hollow of the +rocky mountain, succeeded in recovering them; but the powder in them, +and indeed nearly all the ammunition we had, was rendered completely +useless, from the constant heavy rain that had fallen. I am almost +astonished that no accident happened to either man or beast in this +perilous journey, for our feet literally "stumbled upon the dark +mountains," without either guide or path, and where the ground was most +uneven and dangerous. We however at length reached our destination, wet +and weary enough, and, just as we entered the town, were informed that +the corridor of one of the convents where two of our companies were +sleeping, had just fallen to the ground with a tremendous crash, and +that several men had had their limbs broken by the fall; I do not +remember that any were killed. It being so late, I could not procure any +kind of quarter, so I was fain to sit down by the side of a fire kindled +in the yard of this convent for the remainder of the night. + +We next morning resumed our journey, and in three days more from this +place we reached Vigo. On this last day's march we had a pretty high +eminence to ascend at some distance from the town, from which the view +of the town, the shipping, and the sea, broke all at once upon us. It +was a most delightful prospect, and it was highly amusing to observe the +joy which seemed to animate the woe-worn countenances of our ragged and +dirty soldiers. Fellows without a shoe or a stocking, and who before +were shuffling along with sore and lacerated feet like so many lame +ducks, now made an attempt to dance for joy; laughter and mirth, and the +joke, now succeeded to the gloomy silence with which they had in general +prosecuted their wearisome journey for several days past, as the +friendly element before them promised shortly to put a period to long +and toilsome wanderings. Indeed, although I am a bad sailor, and suffer +always severely when at sea, I do not remember ever to have witnessed a +sight which inspired me with greater pleasure than the shipping and the +sea did on this occasion. + +The fleet of transports for the army under Sir John Moore, was just +clearing the bay as we came in sight, but we observed that a sufficient +number remained at Vigo to transport us to our native land, a place we +sorely longed for, as we had often contrasted the happiness and security +and comfort of our friends at home, with the poverty and misery we had +lately witnessed in the country we were leaving; and this no doubt +increased our anxiety for the change. We marched into Vigo, and were +soon after put on board the vessels destined to receive us. It was my +fortune to be sent on board the Alfred, 74, with two of our companies; a +great number of men were still behind, for even the few last days' +marches had deprived us of many who till then had braved the toils and +privations of the journey, but who now had fairly sunk under exhaustion. +The Commodore, therefore, remained as long in the bay as it was safe, +sending the stragglers as they arrived on board the different ships; but +within a few days after our arrival, the enemy entered the town, which +of course precluded all hope of more escaping. We consequently weighed +and stood out towards the outer bay, where we again came to anchor. + +A Russian ship-of-war was in a small harbour in this bay, which it was +intended to board and cut out. As we were then, I believe, on rather bad +terms with that nation, never did I witness such alacrity and delight as +our tars on board the Alfred manifested when buckling on their cutlasses +for the occasion, and I feel certain that if confidence in themselves +would tend to insure the victory, no men had a better chance of +succeeding; but from some cause or other with which I am unacquainted, +the enterprise was abandoned. + +On the 21st January we weighed and stood out to sea; but a gale coming +on we were obliged to come to anchor again under the shelter of the +Isle of Bagona. We did not get to sea till the 24th, but on the 25th we +spoke a frigate going out to Lisbon with General Dyatt on board, who +informed us of the fatal business at Corunna. Indeed the people on board +this ship had, from vague reports, greatly magnified our loss on that +occasion, telling us that the whole army had been nearly cut to pieces, +and that very few indeed had been able to effect their escape. We each, +of course, mourned for his particular friends, not doubting but they had +fallen among the rest. I think it was the same night on which we saw +this ship, a fatal accident had very nigh taken place. Our captain was +the Commodore, and the captain of the Hindostan store-ship had charge of +the rear of the fleet; his place was consequently always behind all the +other vessels. Some time after dark, however, our look-out people gave +notice of a large vessel on our starboard quarter. We shortened sail and +let her come up pretty close to us, and made the private signal, but no +answer was returned. At length, when near enough, we hailed her, but +still no answer. An order was now given to stand to quarters and prepare +for action, not doubting she was an enemy which had got among the fleet. +The guns were accordingly run out, the matches lit, and every thing +prepared for action. She appeared a large ship, but of what force they +could not guess. Again she was hailed, and again she disregarded it. Our +first lieutenant was now fully convinced she was an enemy, and pleaded +hard with the captain to give the word fire, but the captain said he +would hail her once more, and if she did not answer he would fire. +Providentially they heard us this time, and answered it was the +Hindostan. What they had been about I know not, for we were quite near +each other; and had she received our broadside, as was the intention had +she not then answered, it is most probable she would have gone down; at +all events the consequences must have been awful, for she had the whole +of the 43d regiment on board, besides her own crew. Our captain +certainly censured him in no very mild terms for leaving his station in +the rear, and getting to the very head of the fleet. She was a very +lofty ship, and carried forty-four guns I believe, and had not less than +1000 men on board, many of whom must have suffered had we fired upon +her. + +A few days after this we encountered a most tremendous gale, and came in +sight of the English coast, somewhere near the Lizard or the Start; but +our master not knowing exactly where he was, we stood off again towards +the French coast. + +The next day the gale was if possible more severe, and the ship rolled +so much that they were afraid her guns would break loose from their +lashings, in consequence of which large spikes were driven in behind the +wheels of each gun-carriage to prevent such an accident. In this +situation, I know not whether I did not almost wish myself on the snowy +mountains of Galicia again, rather than where I was, so miserable a +sailor am I, and so much do I suffer from sea-sickness. + +The fleet was by this time completely scattered, every one making the +best shift he could for himself; some got into Plymouth, some reached +Portsmouth, and some, I believe, foundered in the gale, among which, if +I mistake not, was a brig, on board of which my two companies had been +first embarked, but were subsequently removed to the Alfred, and some of +the German Legion, I think, put on board her. + +At length we made the Isle of Wight, and subsequently Spithead, which we +reached on the 31st, and the next day landed once more on the happy +shore of our native Britain. Thankful indeed I ought to have been for +the ever watchful care of an indulgent and kind Providence, who had +brought me safely through the toils and sufferings under which so many +more robust and hardy than myself had sunk; but, alas! I had then no +sense of the gratitude due for such unmerited favours, and instead of +rendering thanks to Him who had thus preserved me, I entered, with all +the eagerness of a person devoid of reason and religion, into every vice +and sensuality that presented itself. I here learnt with sorrow the +great loss which my friends in the first battalion had sustained, but +glad nevertheless that it was not to the extent we apprehended, and that +none of my particular friends had fallen. + +We left Portsmouth, and returned to our old quarters at Hythe, in Kent, +passing again on the road my native county militia at Battle, in Sussex, +as I did at Bury, on my return from Holland; and truly our appearance on +this occasion was, if possible, more deplorable than on the former. +However, our tattered and worn-out habiliments had the effect of +inspiring some of my countrymen in that regiment with a desire of +sharing in the glory, as they termed it, of suffering so much in the +defence of our beloved country; and they accordingly made up their minds +to volunteer into our corps the first opportunity that offered, and +which they put in execution that same year, as will be told hereafter. +We took up our abode in the comfortable barracks at Hythe, and +immediately set about putting every thing in order, and truly much was +wanting to fit us again for duty as soldiers. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + + Volunteering--Farther Promotion--Embarks for Portugal, with two + Companies of the Second Battalion--Debark at Cadiz--Advance to the + Isla--The French occupy all the adjacent Towns, except Cadiz and the + Isla--Cannonading--Spanish Army--Detachment of the Allied Army sent + Around by Gibraltar and Chiclana, to take the Enemy in the rear of + his works, and compel him either to fight or abandon them--Come up + with a portion of the Enemy in the vicinity of Veger--Bravery of the + British--The Enemy repulsed with great Loss, but, from the apathy + and misconduct of General La Pena, and the Spaniards under his + command, the French are allowed to retain their Works in the + vicinity of Cadiz. + + +In April of this year, an order was issued to allow the militia +regiments to volunteer, for the purpose of filling up the regiments of +the line; and I was sent by Colonel Beckwith (our two battalions being +then both at Hythe) to receive those who chose to volunteer from the +Northumberland militia before-mentioned, which had now been removed to +Ipswich. Lieutenant Beckwith had the charge of our party, but proceeded +_incog._ to Ipswich, the general orders not permitting officers of the +line to be seen in the quarters of the militia. On our arrival at +Ipswich, I had the pleasure of obtaining the names of thirty fine young +fellows, among whom the patriots formerly mentioned of course were +included. Several other militia regiments in this district also gave +volunteers to us, so that in three days, from the commencement of the +volunteering, we obtained upwards of 1100 men; and had we not, by an +order from the Horse-Guards, been precluded from taking any more, I +doubt not we should have obtained several hundreds besides, for our +regiment alone had near eighty names down for us, who were not allowed +to enter from the above cause. Indeed the Commander-in-Chief, Sir David +Dundas, (afterwards our Colonel,) appeared quite astonished, and not +well pleased, that we had run away with so many men when others wanted +them so much. He was obliged, however, to grant us a 3d battalion, as we +had so many more men than were required to fill up the 1st and 2d; and +our respected Colonel, Major-general Coote Manningham, dying about this +time of the fatigue he had undergone in Spain, Sir David took us to +himself, and became our Colonel-in-Chief, giving the command of the 3d +battalion to my respected (and now lamented) friend and benefactor, +Major-general the Honourable William Stewart. The Lieutenant-colonelcy +was given to Major Norman M'Leod, our senior Major, and only two or +three other steps were given to the officers of the regiment, although +it was alone owing to their exertions in obtaining men, and to the high +character the regiment had acquired, that such numbers had volunteered +into it. + +It becomes not me to censure or criticise the measures of government, +but I cannot help thinking that more favour was certainly due to the +corps as a body. For myself, I ought and must speak with gratitude, not +of them, but of that kind Providence which has favoured me so far, so +very far, beyond my deserts, for, on the 8th of June following, I was +appointed Quartermaster of the 3d battalion. + +Our 1st battalion was again sent out to join the army in Portugal, while +mine was sent to Brabournlees to equip and drill our new levies. Every +exertion was made to this effect, and the battalion was soon completed +and rendered fit for service. Here my wife joined me again, the child to +which she gave birth in my absence having died when six weeks old. This +was the only child she ever had, and it was perhaps a providential +dispensation, for she was extremely delicate, and by no means a healthy +person, and it is not unlikely her offspring might have inherited her +disease, that is, an affection of the chest. We had only lived a few +months together, till another call for service separated us again. + +In June 1810, we received orders to send out to Cadiz two companies of +my battalion, together with the commanding-officer and staff, three +others having been already sent thither in the spring. The melancholy +business of parting with my wife was again to be gone through; but on +this occasion I was favoured by being permitted to accompany her to +London, where, parting from her with a heavy heart, I took my place for +Chichester, at which place my detachment would be quartered next day, on +their way to Portsmouth. I omitted to mention, that Lieutenant-colonel +Barnard of the 1st or Royals, had exchanged with Lieutenant-colonel +M'Leod some time previous, and he consequently was now going out as my +commanding-officer. We embarked at Portsmouth on the 11th July, on board +the Mercury frigate, armed _en flute_, and commanded by Captain Tancock. + +We had a favourable passage, and landed at Cadiz on the 29th of that +month. This city, it may be remembered, was besieged at this time by a +French army under Marshal Victor; consequently, when we arrived, we were +amused by seeing immense shells flying from one party to the other, but +without doing any serious injury to either, the distance being too great +to produce any effect of moment. As we came in sight of Cadiz, the view +was most enchanting, for the city appeared as if composed of lofty and +elegant snow-white buildings, apparently rising from the bosom of the +ocean, for the land on which it is built cannot be seen at a distance; +added to which, the numerous and beautiful towns about the bay, and a +little beyond it, rendered it a most delightful scene. On the right was +Cadiz, with its lofty lighthouse, and its strong sea-walls rising out of +the water; on the left was Rota, an apparently neat little town. Farther +up the bay, on the same side, was Port St Mary's, and beyond that +Porto Real, both considerable towns. In the centre rises the Isla de +Leon, now called St Ferdinand; beyond that Chiclana, composed of the +elegant country residences of the more wealthy Cadiz merchants; and, in +the distance, towering on the mountains behind, the dazzling white town +of Medina Sidonia shining in the sun; indeed altogether imagination can +scarcely picture to itself a more interesting _coup-d'oeil_, the scene +being closed by the lofty snow-clad mountains of Ronda. We landed at +Cadiz, and remained for the night in the barracks situated in the +barrier, on the land-side of the town, and which is remarkably strong, +the fortifications being composed of solid masonry, and the barracks all +bomb-proof. I suffered dreadfully from the myriads of fleas which preyed +upon me during the night, and was glad when morning appeared. + +We marched next day to the Isla, (be it observed the town is called by +that name as well as the island on which it and Cadiz are situated,) +distant from Cadiz about seven miles; the island is of a most singular +form, being about ten miles broad at the end next the continent, from +which it is separated by the river Santi Petri; immediately below the +town of Isla it begins to narrow very rapidly, forming from thence to +Cadiz nothing more than a narrow sand-bank, in some places not more +than a hundred yards across, and on which a causeway has been built to +connect the two places. We took up our abode in the Isla, where the +Spanish government, such as it was, at this time resided; and here I +witnessed the first opening of the Spanish Cortes in 1810, which was +attended with all the pomp and show of a truly Roman Catholic people. +_Te Deums_ and other pompous and brilliant ceremonies marked the event; +indeed, here we had an opportunity of seeing a great number of the +grandees of the Spanish nation, for, as I said before, the government +had retired to this place from Madrid, and most of the courtiers and +others attached to the government had assembled here, together with the +deputies from the different provinces; altogether the scenes we +witnessed here were sometimes very imposing. + +The French occupied all the towns before named save Cadiz and Isla, +their advanced piquets being thrown forward to near the river Santi +Petri, except near the Bridge of Luaza, which is the only communication +across from the island to the mainland; here our pickets were advanced a +considerable distance beyond the bridge upon a causeway on which is the +road leading to Seville, through a broad salt marsh on the banks of the +river; it is here about two miles wide, and utterly impassable, except +to those who know the footpaths across it, being intersected at every +few paces by deep salt-pits or pans. The enemy, as mentioned before, had +their sentries at some parts pretty far into the centre of this marsh, +and there were some fellows in the Spanish service called by the name of +"creepers," they obtaining their livelihood by killing sea-fowl and +other animals in this marsh; and so dexterous were they at this +_creeping_, that they could steal upon the birds unperceived, which +enabled them to get them with ease. Sometimes a fellow of this calling +would set off on a _creeping_ excursion, and instead of bagging a +wild-duck, or some other such bird, would plunge his stiletto into the +heart of an unsuspecting French sentry, and leave him weltering in his +gore. This was a noble exploit in their estimation, and marks strongly +the character of the Spaniard, who, inured to blood by the frequency of +their bull-fights and other similar exhibitions, hesitates not a moment +at assassination if urged on by what he deems his own or country's +wrongs; this inhuman act, of course, was perpetrated in the dark. + +I may mention, in connexion with this, that on the Christmas of 1810, it +was reported that sixteen people had been assassinated in Isla alone, on +the evening or night before; it is probable the number may have been +exaggerated, but the thing was such an almost everyday occurrence that +it appeared not to excite the least horror at its atrocity. I had +occasion to go down the town during the Christmas day, and I saw still +lying at the corner of one of the most frequented streets, one of the +unhappy beings who had thus fallen. No one seemed inclined to own him; +and his body, foul with blood and dust, was thus permitted to remain in +the public streets without any enquiry being made with respect to the +perpetrator of so foul a deed. In truth they are, as it were, trained up +to this recklessness of human life from their infancy, for in the town +of Isla there was a sort of naval academy, where a number of boys, from +perhaps eight to twelve years of age, were educated; these urchins were +permitted to wear swords, and it is really astonishing how desirous they +appeared to make use of them, for they could scarcely ever pass along +the streets without trying the sharpness of their points upon the backs +of pigs or dogs, or any other unfortunate animal that came in their way. + +The French also occupied a long low tongue of land which stretches out +into the Bay of Cadiz, taking its rise from between Port St Mary's and +Porto Real, and extending to within about two and a half miles of Cadiz, +and about one from Puntalis, a fort erected on the island opposite the +extremity of this low tongue; this is called the Trocadero, since become +famous as the field on which the Duke D'Angouleme, and Prince Carignan +of Naples, gained so many honours. On the point of this tongue the +enemy's principal batteries were erected, and from thence they contrived +occasionally, but not often, and never with any great effect, to throw +shells into the town of Cadiz. The mortar now in St James' Park, called +the "Prince Regent's bomb," was cast at Seville on purpose to enable +them to reach the town, no ordnance of common dimensions being capable +of throwing a shell so far; but it did not answer the end proposed, or +at least the effect expected from it, for it was imagined by them, that +if they could once succeed in throwing shells into the city, the +inhabitants would become so alarmed that they would compel the military +to surrender. This, however, was far from being realized, although they +did throw a few in; but the distance being so great, they were +necessarily thrown much at random, some of them falling short of the +town, others flying completely over into the bay near the lighthouse on +the other side, and some few, as I said, falling in the city, but from +which very few casualties occurred.[2] I am told they were obliged to +have the mortar slung in chains at the time of firing it, the +concussion being so great as to destroy the bed in which it was fixed. +As may be supposed, there was constant war between our fort Puntalis, +before mentioned, and the enemy's batteries on this point; in fact our +people had orders to throw a thirteen-inch shell every quarter of an +hour, besides the occasional firing from the guns and other mortars when +any thing appeared on the opposite side; and you may be certain the +French were not behind us in the expenditure of ammunition; they were +remarkably fond of firing what are termed salvos, that is, volleys of +artillery. On one occasion I happened to be looking out from a high +tower near Isla, called the Tore Alto, and while all was deep and +profound silence, and I happened to be looking towards the point of +Trocadero, in a moment the smoke rose from at least 100 pieces of +artillery, fired by signal, and the noise they made was tremendous. Our +poor little fort of Puntalis appeared almost enveloped in the dust +raised by the striking of the shot, and the smoke from them which fell +about it, and seemed as if almost deprived of power by so sudden and +unexpected a salute; but she began at length to return the compliment, +although feebly in comparison of the tremendous volley she had received. +This and such like were of frequent occurrence, scarcely a day passing +without something interesting taking place. + +To enable us to cope in some measure with the French, a large double +fortified sea-mortar was brought from Gibraltar, which threw +thirteen-inch shells. It was brought up to the back of the town of Isla, +near some powder magazines, and an attempt made there to throw some +shells over to the Trocadero. The first trial, an empty shell was put +in, with not less than thirty-two pounds of powder in the chamber. On +firing it, the shell flew all to atoms, from the violent shock +occasioned by so great a quantity of powder; and the shell being too +weak for that description of mortar, another was tried filled with sand, +to give it more weight and solidity; this answered the purpose, for it +fell on the land on the opposite coast, but still, from the great range, +much uncertainty must naturally attend the practice, and it was +eventually given up. The next day, however, we were saluted from the +opposite side with both shot and shell, the French thus showing us that +they were better able to play at long bowls than we were; neither, +however, did their practice continue, for there was nothing at the point +where their shot and shells fell to be injured by them, the magazines +before noticed being now empty. + +On another occasion an attack was made by our people on the Trocadero +itself, where it was reported the French had got a considerable number +of boats, &c., laid up on shore, about half-way between the point and +Porto Real; our folks took gun-boats and boats with rockets, the +intention being to set fire to the enemy's craft. They accordingly +advanced in good style, keeping as far, however, as possible out of the +range of the French batteries at the point, which, as they were directed +towards Cadiz and Puntalis, could not easily bring their artillery to +bear upon our boats. They reached the place where it was said the French +craft was lying, and fired a considerable number of rockets, but without +being able to effect any thing farther than burning one boat, I believe. +As they were returning, however, they met the French commander, who had +been down to the point in a light boat, and he, like a brave fellow, +determined to run completely the gauntlet rather than return, keeping as +close in shore, however, as possible. The whole of our gun-boats fired +at him as he passed, and knocked the water up about him in all +directions without ever once touching him, although, to look at him, one +would have imagined it impossible he could escape; but here the old +soldier's adage was verified, for there was still more room to miss than +to hit him, and he accordingly escaped scot-free. + +While here, I had a most ample opportunity of closely viewing the +Spanish army, great numbers being stationed in and about the Isla, and +great numbers constantly coming into and going out of the place, after +receiving such equipment as the government was able to provide for them. +Nothing could exceed the hardy and robust appearance of the men in +general; and had they been clothed, appointed, and disciplined like +either their enemies or their allies, there could not have been a finer +soldiery. I cannot, however, say so much for their officers; most of +them appeared to be utterly unfit and unable to command their men. Those +who had the means, seemed to think of nothing else but dressing like +apes or mountebanks, and intriguing with the women. It was really absurd +and ludicrous to see the strange figures they generally made themselves. +In one regiment alone you might have observed more different uniforms +than both we and the French have in all our armies. One would have had +on a blue coat turned up with red, with a chaco and a straight sword, +the uniform prescribed for officers of the infantry, I believe; the next +would have most likely had on a hussar dress, with an enormous sabre +dangling by his side; another would have had a red coat, a fourth +yellow, a fifth white, and so on. In short, all the colours of the +rainbow were generally exhibited in the uniforms of one regiment's +officers; and every one of them appeared to vie with the other who could +make the greatest harlequin of himself, whilst those of them who were +mounted would caper and prance about the streets like so many fools, +riding with their legs at full stretch, and the toe of the boot (if they +had one) just touching the stirrup, and drawing the reins continually +through the fingers of their right hand; and if by any chance an ape of +this kind came near the window of his dulcinea, and thought there was a +likelihood of her seeing him, I pitied the poor foot-passengers who +might happen to be near him, for he would make his unfortunate Rosinante +prance and caper by the immense long bit in its mouth, and the pieces of +iron in the shape of spurs on his (shoes perhaps), till the poor animal +was like to fall under him. In short, they had all the pride, arrogance, +and self-sufficiency of the best officers in the world, with the very +least of all pretension to have an high opinion of themselves; it is +true they were not all alike, but the majority of them were the most +haughty, and at the same time the most contemptible creatures in the +shape of officers, that I ever beheld. It was, therefore, not to be +expected that the soldiers would or could look upon them with that +degree of respect and reverence so essential to a due maintenance of +subordination in an army. + +About the month of February 1811, it was concerted between the Spanish +government and General Graham, who commanded us, to undertake an +expedition which should land in the vicinity of Gibraltar; and being +there reinforced by some troops from that fortress, the whole should +move forward in the direction of Chiclana, and, taking the enemy in the +rear of his works, compel him either to abandon them or fight a battle. +Accordingly, on the 18th of that month, we embarked on board some small +vessels that had been fitted up for the occasion in the bay of Cadiz, +and, sailing soon after, we reached Algeziras, ten miles on this side of +Gibraltar, and landed there on the 24th. Our force consisted of a +brigade of artillery, with ten guns; two battalions of Foot Guards; the +28th, 67th, and 87th regiments; a battalion composed of flank companies +from Gibraltar; two companies of the 47th regiment, and two of the 20th +Portuguese regiment, with six companies of our corps and one squadron of +cavalry,--in all about 4500 men. The Spanish army, under the command of +General La Pena, (who, being senior officer, directed the whole,) +consisted of two divisions,--in all from ten to eleven thousand. We were +not allowed to take any baggage with us, consequently we could not +expect much comfort during the service, which was expected to be short. +The day we landed we bivouacked on a height near Algeziras, and the next +morning moved on towards Tarifa, where we remained for that day and the +next, to allow time to get the artillery and cavalry horses on shore. +Here I observed a strange custom among the females of this place, the +remains, I apprehend, of the Moorish fashion, (which no doubt would +continue longer in this place than others, it being immediately opposite +to and in sight of Africa.) The Spanish women all wear what they term a +mantilla, that is, a kind of scarf made of cloth, generally black, which +they throw over their heads lengthwise, letting the two ends come over +their shoulders, and meeting and crossing on the breast, it forms a sort +of head-dress which shows only the face, and keeps them close and snug +about the head; but here, they bring it so far forward as to completely +cover the face, leaving nothing but a very small hole in front of their +left eye (I think it is), at which they peep out, without showing any +part of the face. Colonel Brown of the 28th, who was then a most wild +and eccentric character, although now I understand completely altered, +could not relish this hiding of their beauty by the modest dames of +Tarifa. All, therefore, that he met in the streets he stopped, and made +them open the mantilla, that he might have a fair peep at them, to the +great scandal of the good ladies of this still Moorish town, and which, +had it been on any other occasion, might have been attended with +unpleasant consequences to himself. + +When every thing was ready we moved forward from Tarifa, and halted for +the night on a height about twelve miles distant. The next day we +reached Casas Vejas, or "Old Houses," where we bivouacked on a scrubby +hill, the weather being very bitter, which we felt in all its force, +having no covering whatever. Next day we had to cross a considerable +lake of fresh water, by a sort of ford which crossed it about the +middle. We had started before daylight, and, through some mismanagement, +did not reach this lake till near mid-day, although it was only a few +miles distant from our last night's quarters. One division of the +Spaniards led the column, and another was behind us, we being thus in +the centre, as being the least thought of probably by our Spanish +Commander-in-Chief; for indeed we had often heard it said in and about +Isla, "what fine-looking and well-disciplined soldiers the British +are!--what a pity they cannot fight!" So thought La Pena, probably; but +by two o'clock the first division of Spaniards had not near got over the +lake, at which the patience of our General was so completely exhausted, +that he requested the Spanish General to allow him to bring forward the +British troops, to show him the way how he and they would act. My +battalion led the van, and were ordered to march straight through it +without any picking of steps, and to go forward in regular sections, one +man supporting another. They went in and marched right through it, as if +it had been plain ground, the water taking them generally about +mid-deep. The rest of the British army followed, and were all through in +less than half an hour; a one-horse cart, indeed, stuck fast in the +middle of it, from the wheels having got entangled between the large +stones at the bottom. General Graham seeing this, instantly dismounted, +and, plunging in, set his shoulder to the wheel, and fairly lifted it +clear of the obstruction. + +La Pena, and those about him, after witnessing the example set them by +our General and his troops, seemed really ashamed of their former +conduct, and, setting to in good earnest, they contrived to urge their +soldiers and officers to take the water with more freedom, and before +dark the whole army had got over. While we were so long detained by the +first division of Spaniards getting across, I, with several other +mounted people, rode forward to the ford, to ascertain the cause of our +stoppage for so long a time. The Spaniards were going into the water one +at a time,--here one, and there one,--while the creatures of officers +were making the men carry them on their backs. Had the whole army acted +thus, we should not have got over before daylight next morning. + +When all were across, and the columns formed, we moved forward, and +reached the neighbourhood of Veger, which stands on a high hill not far +distant from the memorable Cape Trafalgar. We halted in an olive-grove +below the town, and bivouacked for the night; it was bitter cold, and +the troops could find but little wood for firing, which they much +needed, from having got so completely wet in crossing the lake. + +We remained at Veger all the next day, and a little after dark commenced +our march. We being now in the neighbourhood of the enemy, it became +necessary to conceal our movements as much as possible. During the night +we passed the fishing town of Conil, and, keeping near the coast, we +arrived the next morning on the plain of Chiclana. I quote from our +General's dispatch, as it states the thing in a much more clear and +satisfactory manner than I could do. He says,--"After a night march of +sixteen hours from the camp (bivouack) near Veger, we arrived on the +morning of the 5th on the low ridge of Barossa, about four miles from +the Santi Petri river. This height extends inland about a mile and a +half, continuing on the north the extensive heathy plain of Chiclana. A +great pine-forest skirts the plain, and circles round the height at some +distance, terminating down towards Santi Petri, the intermediate space +between the north side of the height and the forest being uneven and +broken." + +The two Spanish divisions had preceded us, who, after having rested a +while on the plain, moved down towards the Santi Petri, where a bridge +was to be thrown over by the troops in the Isla de Leon, and thus open a +communication between the two armies, that is, between those inside the +island and us. + +The General goes on to say,--"A well-conducted and successful attack on +the rear of the enemy's lines, near Santi Petri, by the vanguard of the +Spanish army under Brigadier-general Ladrizabel, having opened the +communication with the Isla de Leon, I received General La Pena's +directions to move down from the position of Barossa to that of the +Torre de Bermesa, about half-way to the Santi Petri river, over which a +bridge had been lately established. This latter position occupies a +narrow woody ridge, the right on the sea-cliff, and the left falling +down to the Almanza creek, on the edge of the marsh; a hard sandy beach +gives an easy communication between the western points of these two +positions. + +"My division being halted on the eastern slope of the Barossa height, +was marched about twelve o'clock through the wood towards Bermesa, +(cavalry patrols having previously been sent towards Chiclana, without +meeting with the enemy.) On the march I received notice that the enemy +had appeared in force on the plain, and was advancing towards the +heights of Barossa. As I considered that position as the key of Santi +Petri, I immediately countermarched, in order to support the troops left +for its defence; and the alacrity with which this manoeuvre was +executed, served as a favourable omen. It was, however, impossible, in +such intricate and difficult ground, to preserve order in the columns, +and there never was time to restore it entirely. But before we could get +ourselves quite disentangled from the wood, the troops on the Barossa +hill were seen returning from it, while the enemy's left wing was +rapidly ascending. At the same time his right wing stood on the plain, +on the edge of the wood, within cannon-shot. A retreat in the face of +such an enemy, already within reach of the easy communication by the +sea-beach, must have involved the whole allied army in all the danger of +being attacked during the unavoidable confusion of the different corps +arriving on the narrow ridge of Bermesa nearly at the same time. + +"Trusting to the known heroism of British troops, regardless of the +numbers and position of the enemy, an immediate attack was determined +on. Major Duncan soon opened a powerful battery of ten guns in the +centre. Brigadier-general Dilkes, with the brigade of Guards, +Lieutenant-colonel Brown's (of the 28th) flank battalion, +Lieutenant-colonel Norcott's two companies of the 2d rifle corps, and +Major Acheson, with a part of the 67th, (separated from the regiment in +the wood,) formed on the right. + +"Colonel Wheately's brigade, (consisting of the 28th, 67th, and 87th,) +with three companies of the Coldstream Guards, under Lieutenant-colonel +Jackson (separated likewise from his battalion in the wood), and +Lieutenant-colonel Barnard's flank battalion (being two companies 47th, +two ditto 20th Portuguese, and four of third battalion 95th) formed on +the left. As soon as the infantry was thus hastily got together, the +guns advanced to a more favourable position, and kept up a destructive +fire. The right wing proceeded to the attack of General Ruffin's +division on the hill, while Lieutenant-colonel Barnard's flank +battalion, and Lieutenant-colonel Bush's detachment of the 20th +Portuguese, were warmly engaged with the enemy's tirailleurs on our +left. + +"General Laval's division, notwithstanding the havoc made by Major +Duncan's battery, continued to advance in very imposing masses, opening +his fire of musketry, and was only checked by that of the left wing. The +left wing now advanced firing. A most destructive charge, by the three +companies of the Guards and the 87th regiment, supported by all the +remainder of the wing, decided the defeat of General Laval's division. + +"The eagle of the 8th regiment of light infantry, which suffered +immensely, and a howitzer, rewarded this charge, and remained in +possession of Major Gough of the 87th regiment. These attacks were +zealously supported by Colonel Bilson with the 28th regiment, and +Lieutenant-colonel Prevost with a part of the 67th. A reserve, formed +beyond the narrow valley, across which the enemy was closely pursued, +next shared the same fate, and was routed by the same means. + +"Meanwhile, the right wing was not less successful. The enemy, confident +of success, met General Dilkes on the ascent of the hill, and the +contest was sanguinary; but the undaunted perseverance of the brigade of +Guards, of Lieutenant-colonel Brown's battalion, and of +Lieutenant-colonel Norcott's and Major Acheson's detachments, overcame +every obstacle, and General Ruffin's division was driven from the +heights in confusion, leaving two pieces of cannon. + +"No expressions of mine could do justice to the conduct of the troops +throughout--nothing less than the almost unparalleled exertions of every +officer, the invincible bravery of every soldier, and the most +determined devotion of the honour of his Majesty's arms in all, could +have achieved this brilliant success against such a formidable enemy, so +posted. In less than an hour and a half from the commencement of the +action, the enemy was in full retreat. The retiring divisions met, +halted, and seemed inclined to form; a new and more advanced position of +our artillery quickly dispersed them. The exhausted state of the troops +made pursuit impossible. A position was taken up on the eastern side of +the hill; and we were strengthened on our right by the return of two +Spanish regiments, that had been attached before to my division, but +which I had left on the hill, and which had been ordered to retire. + +"An eagle, six pieces of cannon, the General of Division Ruffin, and the +General of Brigade Rousseau, wounded and taken; the Chief of the Staff, +General Bellegarde, and aide-de-camp of Marshal Victor, and the colonel +of the 8th regiment, with many other officers killed, and several +wounded and taken prisoners, the field covered with the dead bodies of +the enemy, attest that my confidence in this division was nobly repaid. +The animated charges of the 87th regiment were most conspicuous. +Lieutenant-colonel Barnard, (twice wounded,) and the officers of his +flank-battalion, executed the duty of skirmishing in advance with the +enemy in a masterly manner; and were ably seconded by Lieutenant-Colonel +Bush, of the 20th Portuguese, who (likewise twice wounded) fell into +the enemy's hands, but was afterwards rescued." + +The dispatch contains many more acknowledgments, which, as they have no +connexion with my narrative, I have omitted. + +I beg now to make such remarks and observations as may tend to throw +light upon the different parts of the foregoing dispatch. + +The two Spanish battalions attached to our division, together with +Lieutenant-colonel Brown's flank-battalion, were left upon the height of +Barossa, when we moved down into the wood, in order to secure that +position till we had possessed ourselves of the height of Bermesa; but +we had not left the plain more than half an hour, I think, and descended +into the wood, till an officer came galloping after us, saying the +French had debouched from the wood, and were moving on to the high +ground in our rear, and had attacked the troops left there for its +defence. Orders were instantly given us to countermarch, and to get on +to the plain and into action as soon as possible. In coming about, one +of the guns got entangled with a pine-tree; there was no time to +disengage it, and setting to with the whip, they pushed the horses +forward, and tore up the tree completely by the roots, although one of +considerable size. I thought (as our General says) it appeared a good +omen, and that a trifling obstacle would not be allowed to impede their +career. + +When we reached the plain, and perceived the enemy, never did a finer +sight present itself. They were manoeuvring on the high ground before +us; and as Home says, + + "The hill they gained, and moving on its top, + Of more than mortal size, towering, they seemed + An host angelic, clad in burning arms." + +Those immediately in front of my battalion were the famed 8th regiment, +and consisted of two battalions of 700 men each; one was composed of +grenadiers, and the other of voltigeurs, or light infantry. The +grenadiers had long waving red plumes in their caps, at least a foot in +length; while the light infantry had feathers of the same length and +make, but green, with yellow tops. The whole of the French army had on +their best or holyday suits of clothing, with their arms as bright as +silver, and glancing in the sun as they moved in column, gave them +really a noble and martial appearance. We had no sooner cleared the wood +than we inclined to our left, and went immediately at them. Major +Duncan's guns commenced playing upon their column the moment he could +get a clear piece of ground. The two companies of the 47th, attached to +my battalion, were taken to cover and remain with the guns. Our people +extended as we went up the hill, the Portuguese supporting us in the +rear; and in a very short time we were hotly engaged with the fellows +with the beautiful green feathers, many of which fell on the ground in a +short time. As we advanced, the battalions to our right and in rear of +us got formed in line, and moving forward in fine style, took up +stronger ground in advance; the guns in the centre also moving onward, +and causing dreadful havoc in the enemy's ranks. + +Early in the action my horse was killed, being shot in the head, which +ball, had his head not stopped it, would in all probability have entered +my body. He fell like a stone. I then went on and joined the ranks, and +finding a rifle of a man that had just fallen, (poor little Croudace's +servant, who afterwards fell himself,) I took a few shots at them in +revenge for my horse. At this time the grenadier battalion of the 8th, +with their waving red plumes, began to advance in close column, the +drums beating all the time the _pas de charge_. They were supported by +other columns in their rear, together with one, the French 54th, which +they sent into the wood to try to turn our left. The 8th advanced, +notwithstanding the galling fire kept up by our people and the +Portuguese, every shot almost of which must have told, as they were in a +solid body, not more than from 100 to 150 yards' distance. Our people +were of course compelled to give way to this imposing column, when the +regiments on our right and in our rear, opening out upon them a +destructive fire, and the 87th and Guards immediately after attacking +them with the bayonet, their rout and discomfiture was complete. The +8th, which suffered most, and from whom the eagle was taken, never yet +got into line--nor did they intend, I believe--but advanced as a solid +body, (occasionally firing from their front,) till, coming in contact +with the regiments above mentioned, and in this state receiving the +charge, their loss was excessive, for they could not get away. I +understand, when the 87th charged, Ensign Keogh of that regiment made +the first attempt to wrench the eagle from the officer who carried it; +but in so doing he was run through by several of those who supported it, +and fell lifeless to the ground. Sergeant Masterson of that regiment +then dashed at it, and was more fortunate, he succeeding in securing it. +I understand there was some dispute between them and the Guards, who +charged at the same time with the 87th, to whom it properly belonged; +but I imagine the 87th must have been the captors, for Sergeant +Masterson soon after received a commission for his gallantry, and is now +a captain in that regiment. + +The 54th, the French regiment, which had been sent into the wood to turn +our left flank, by some means got entangled; for, except their light +company, no part of the regiment ever got into action again; and when +their columns were routed, they found some difficulty in effecting their +retreat. There is something rather extraordinary and very interesting in +the story of the eagle and the 8th regiment, if it be true, and which I +see no reason to doubt. They were one of the regiments, it is said, +which were engaged at Talavera, and were particularly distinguished; and +it is further said, that the 87th was one of the regiments opposed to +them, and over which they gained some advantage; that is, the French +troops caused the British brigade, in which the 87th was serving, to +retire with considerable loss; and that it was for their conduct in this +action that Bonaparte had placed a golden wreath of laurel round the +neck of the regimental eagle with his own hand. If such was the case, it +is most remarkable that the very regiment by whom they should have +obtained this honour, should be the regiment that deprived them of their +eagle, which had been so highly honoured. But here, poor fellows, +although they did not lose their honour, they lost very nearly the whole +regiment; for out of 1400 which entered the field, not more than 200 of +them entered Chiclana after the action. Indeed I never witnessed any +field so thickly strewed with dead as this plain was after the action; +and I feel confident, and all accounts agree in confirming the opinion, +that the loss of the French on this occasion was little short of 3000 +men; ours was about 1250. Here then we have a loss of 4000 men in about +an hour and a half, out of about 12,000 which composed the two armies. + +In this action, Colonel Bush was almost absurdly brave and conspicuous. +As soon as he got his Portuguese fairly into action, he rode slowly +backward and forward among them, with his spectacles on, crying out as +the balls whistled past him, "Que bella musica!" what delightful music! +Poor fellow, he did not ride there many minutes; for, being within a +very short distance of the enemy's tirailleurs so conspicuous an object, +it was not to be expected he could escape. He died a few days after the +action. + +Colonel Barnard, my commandant, (now Sir Andrew,) about the middle of +the action, received a severe wound, and was borne away to the rear. +Whilst the surgeon was dressing him, another shot struck him, and +inflicted, I believe, a worse wound than the former. The horses of my +battalion suffered greatly in proportion to their numbers. We had only +four in the field, two of which, Major Ross's and my own, were killed, +and Colonel Barnard's wounded; only the adjutant's escaped with a whole +skin. Indeed there was scarcely an officer or soldier in the action that +had not marks of shot about him. The caps of the tall guardsmen were +riddled as it were; while the greater part of the enemy's shot passed +over our little fellows, who were both too near them, and too low for +their fire. I may remark on this subject that the French generally fire +high, but here I think unusually so; for, after a considerable quantity +of ammunition had been expended by my battalion, it became my duty to +look out for a fresh supply. I accordingly posted off to the rear, where +I expected to have found some mules which had been attached to us, with +ammunition on their backs; but on my way thither, the ground was +actually ploughing up on all sides by the enemy's large shot, and their +musket-balls falling very thick; so much so, that some of our mules far +to the rear had been wounded, and the others had dispersed. Hence also +the second wound which my gallant commander received, where he ought to +have been completely out of danger. Some ammunition for our rifles was, +however, found in a one-horse cart belonging to the artillery, and out +of it those whose ammunition was expended were replenished. But during +my absence to the rear, the gallant and decisive charge had been made; +and when I again reached the front, I perceived the enemy's columns in +full retreat, covered by the remainder of their light troops, closely +followed by some of my people. The retreat was accordingly sounded to +recall them from the pursuit, and our brave and victorious little army +cheered the enemy as his beaten and disheartened columns left the field. + +Immediately after our army began to move off towards the Isla, our +General being, as I understood, so much exasperated with the apathy +evinced by the Spanish General, that he would no longer co-operate with +him, and consequently drew off our troops into the Isle of Leon. My +battalion, however, was destined to remain on the field all night to +protect the numerous wounded from any marauders, or small parties and +cavalry patrols of the enemy, which might happen to return. However, not +a Frenchman made his appearance there again that night. When it was +determined to withdraw the British army, Major Duncan, with great +humanity, (approved of course by our excellent General,) cast off from +the artillery-carriages all the spare ammunition, in order to make room +for as many of our wounded officers and soldiers as those carriages +could accommodate, and thus a considerable number of them were carried +from the field immediately. + +After they had left us, and my battalion was still standing in front of +the position last occupied by our troops, all having retired but +ourselves, and it now began to draw towards night, and we were preparing +to move off, an unfortunate French sergeant attracted our notice. Poor +fellow, he had been shot in the small of the back, and (on our surgeon +examining him) pronounced to be mortally. He appeared to be a man above +forty, and apparently a veteran, who had fought many a hard field; and +was, I think, one of the most respectable-looking men of his class that +I have seen. When he saw us preparing to leave him to his fate, the +expression of his countenance became the most piteous and beseeching +imaginable; imploring us in French not to leave him there to perish. My +heart bled for him; but unhappily we had no means of removing him, had +there even been a hope of his recovery. When he saw that his fate was +inevitable, he crawled in the best manner he was able to a broken +ammunition-box, and raising himself on his knees, supported by it, +besought that Being who never casts out the cry of the unfortunate, and +who, I sincerely hope, imparted to him that strength and comfort which +his unhappy circumstances so greatly required. I doubt not he was a +sincere Christian; never shall I forget the impression his unhappy fate +made on my mind. To be left in solitude and darkness on this +blood-stained heath, with the prospect of his own certain death before +his eyes, and without any to comfort him in his last agony, must indeed +have been a severe trial to his fortitude. Would to God I could have +relieved him! His case was not singular, it is true; but none ever +presented itself to my view under such truly affecting circumstances as +this unhappy veteran's did. + +After dark, my battalion retired over the field where the thickest of +the dead and wounded were strewed, and many were the dying groans which +struck upon our ears, as we traversed this bloody field; but, except +these groans, no sound was heard, where lately the din of arms had been +loud and fierce, and where war had raged in all its fury; till coming to +the house upon the sea-beach, where many of the wounded had been +collected, we were formed into square on a sand-hill near it, and in +this position rested on our arms for the remainder of the night. On our +way from the front, we passed not far from where my horse had fallen; +and as saddlery was scarce at Cadiz, I thought it would be prudent to +try to recover that on which I had been riding. I found it; but my horse +having fallen with his back inclined to the front, it was perforated by +shot in five places, and the tree was broken. However, I disengaged it, +and giving it to one of the men, whose rifle I carried in return, I got +it safely into Isla. + +About twelve at night, poor General Rousseau died, a cannon-shot having +carried away the greater part of the flesh of one of his thighs; and as +no other troops were near, the task of paying him the last sad duty +devolved upon me. I went to the house aforesaid, and procured a shovel +or a spade, and digging a hole in the sand by the light of the moon, his +body was deposited, where it in all probability will remain till the +last trumpet shall summon it to rise. Poor drunken Gilles, one of the +men I had employed on the occasion, pronounced the only service as he +was committed to the dust, which was, "God rest his soul!" I indeed +sincerely hope so. Poor Rousseau had been a noble soldier; in his pocket +was found a leave which he had obtained to return to France on account +of ill health; but in the prospect of the approaching action he had +delayed his departure, and thus fell a victim as it were to his +patriotism and his sense of honour. He was military governor of Xeres de +la Frontera, from whence we have our wine called Sherry, a corruption of +Xeres. He was a small slender person, and apparently had suffered +greatly from ill health. During the night some Spaniards were sent into +the field to look for and bring off the guns we had taken, which they +did. + +As it approached towards morning, Major Ross, seeing all was quiet, +moved us off by the beach towards our former quarters; and passing over +the position of Bermesa, which the Spaniards still occupied, and +crossing the Santi Petri by the lately erected bridge, we returned weary +and hungry to La Isla, and where our friends received us once again with +great cordiality. If my reader is not tired of the subject, I would just +beg to draw his attention for a moment to the circumstances attending +this action. The French troops were at least 7500 (some say 8000) +strong, well clothed and appointed, and apparently well fed, and fresh +from their cantonments, none of them probably having marched more than +four miles. They were some of the best in the French service, and +commanded by one of Bonaparte's ablest generals, a marshal of France, +Victor, Duke of Belluno. They occupied a fine position, having the +ground completely at their choice; while we did not muster more than +4500 at most. We had been marching for sixteen hours successively +through the night over bad roads; and being taken in a manner by +surprise, we came out of the wood _beneath_ the enemy, broken and +disjointed, and were instantly hurried into action. + +The French fought desperately; for when their marauding columns came +down upon us with an intrepidity seldom seen in the French army, and +opening out their heavy and destructive fire, my heart quaked within me +for the safety of our little army, and the honour of our country, for I +thought it would be impossible to resist them. However, the steady +valour of our troops repelled the assailants, and, taking advantage of +their proximity, charged as before stated, and completely overthrew +them. It is certain, as General Graham says, that _all_ must have done +their duty on this occasion; notwithstanding, we may sing with great +propriety, "Non nobis, Domine"--"Not unto us, O Lord, but unto thy name +be the praise;" for it is certain we must have been specially favoured +by a kind Providence, or it is impossible we could have gained _such_ a +victory under so many and so great disadvantages; for never was victory +more complete. In less than three hours from the first glimpse we had of +them as we debouched from the wood, a Frenchman was not to be seen in +all the field, save the numerous killed and wounded. + +Although our General did not say any thing in his public dispatch of the +abominable conduct of La Pena, no doubt he stated truly in his private +information how ill that General had behaved; for he and the 10,000 or +11,000 Spaniards he had with him remained within two miles of the field +of action, quiet and passive spectators of the scene, without making one +effort to support us had we been beaten, or to take advantage of the +victory should we gain it; and the consequence was, the French retained +their ground and works by which they invested Cadiz and La Isla, +whereas, had he made the slightest movement during or after the fight, +they would have all gone off, and the siege would have been raised, for +it is evident they contemplated and were prepared for this, the soldiers +having each three or four days' bread in his possession. + +A considerable number of other officers besides Generals Ruffin and +Rousseau were taken. Ruffin was wounded in the neck by a rifle-shot, +which touched the spinal marrow, depriving him of the use of his limbs. +He was soon after embarked for England, but died as he came within sight +of the Isle of Wight. He was an immense and a fine-looking man, about +six feet two inches or six feet three inches high, and ate enormously. +He every day received a mess from our General's table. The other +officers also were treated with the greatest politeness and attention, +dining first at one regimental mess, and then at another. They were +fully sensible of the kindness shown them, and expressed themselves very +grateful. They were afterwards sent to England. + +I cannot omit here noticing the high estimation in which General Graham +was held by every officer and soldier of this little army. I may truly +say, he lived in their affections; they not only looked up to him with +confidence as their commander, but they esteemed and respected him as +their firm friend and protector, which indeed he always showed himself +to be. + +In all my fighting I never was in an action where the chances of death +were so numerous as in this; and I may say, I never was in an action +where I was less prepared to die. It is therefore of the Lord's mercies +that he spared me--I hope, for good at last. + + +FOOTNOTE: + +[2] The distance to which the French threw these shells is truly +amazing. The longest range of heavy iron sea mortars is only about 4200 +yards, whereas the distance from the French batteries on the Trocadero +to the nearest point of Cadiz was, I believe, 4500 or more; but they +exceeded this considerably, for, as I said above, some of their shells +fell in the sea beyond the town, near the lighthouse, a distance of at +least 500 or 600 yards farther. The shells were always half filled with +lead, to increase their flight, so that when they burst the mischief +they occasioned was never extensive; I believe not more than about +half-a-dozen individuals suffered from them in all. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + + The 2d Battalion of the 95th Rifles ordered to proceed to + Portugal--Our Author visits England--Returns to Portugal, and + joins his Regiment at Rodrigo--The Army move towards + Badajos--Siege of Badajos--Badajos surrenders--Insubordination + among the Troops--Quelled by the prompt measures of Lord + Wellington. + + +We remained at Isla till June, without any thing of importance +occurring, but at this time I was brought nigh to death's door by the +bursting of a bloodvessel in the lungs. I was so ill that it was deemed +necessary to send me home for change of air, it being exceedingly hot at +this time at Isla. I was accordingly removed to Cadiz to wait for the +first ship returning to England, and while there I suffered greatly, not +being able to lie down in bed. However, before a vessel could be had, an +order was received for my battalion to proceed to Portugal, and our +esteemed commander was likewise ordered to proceed to that country. As I +felt myself somewhat better, I obtained permission to accompany my +battalion to Portugal, and I accordingly embarked with it at Cadiz on +the 30th of that month, on board a transport, the name of which I +forget. General Graham intended to have gone in a 50 gun ship that was +leaving that port for England, he being to be left at Lisbon in passing. +He sent an aide-de-camp on board to prepare for his reception; but he +met with such treatment while on board, as induced the General to alter +his plan and go in a frigate, on board which some of our people were +embarked. It is said, that after the aide-de-camp had been shown the +accommodation, the captain intimated to him, that it was expected the +military officers would always keep on the leeward side of the +quarter-deck. The windward side on board a man-of-war is considered the +most honourable, therefore this was in fact putting the General beneath +himself. He suffered, however, for his ill-timed assumption of +supremacy, for there was a quantity of specie at Cadiz which was to be +transported at the same time for the use of the army in Portugal, and +which was intended to have gone in the ship with the General; but after +this reception of his aide-de-camp, and the imperious condition attached +to his going in this ship, he went on board the frigate with his suite, +and took the money with him, thus depriving him of a considerable +premium for its transport, to which he would have been entitled had the +General gone with him. He, however, being the senior officer, we were +all put under his charge, save the frigate before mentioned, and we were +greatly annoyed by him during our passage, which our master said he +prolonged in looking out for American merchantmen, there being then an +appearance of war between the two countries. They said he actually +detained one or two which left Cadiz when we did, and that he fired +small arms into them to bring them to, although war had not been +declared. One day during the passage he made a signal to the transports +which we did not immediately perceive. We were astonished at the report +of a gun, and at the same time a cannon-shot whizzed past our rigging. +This is not, I believe, customary, a blank gun being generally fired +first, and when nothing else will do, a shot a-head of the vessel, but +he appeared not to stand on any ceremony. + +We were glad when the voyage was over, it continuing from the 30th June +to the 19th July, although three or four days only is the usual time. + +We landed at Lisbon, and immediately set about preparing for our journey +up the country to join the army; but Colonel Barnard having received +letters respecting the settlement of our late Colonel (General +Manningham's) affairs, which could not be easily arranged without my +presence, determined to send me home for the purpose, with a promise, +however, that I should immediately come out again. I accordingly +embarked on board the same transport with a ship full of all kinds and +descriptions of people, sick and wounded, and lame and lazy; such a +motley group I have seldom seen. Our paymaster also returned home with +me, and besides him I did not know a person on board. + +We had a long and tedious passage, not reaching Portsmouth till the 27th +August, although we embarked on the 1st of that month. When we entered +the chops of the Channel, there was a considerable swell in the sea. Our +master, for some purpose or other, had got up from the hold a small +quantity of ballast (gravel), which was laid upon the quarter-deck. A +fine stout young Irishman, an officer on board, came up the companion, +and seeing the ballast lying there, asked where it came from. + +"Why, don't you see," says the master, "how rough the sea is? it has +been washed up from the bottom and thrown upon the deck." + +The Hibernian seemed quite astonished at the effect of the swell, but +believed the story with all the simple-hearted credulity of a +Johnny-raw, as the soldiers term a young and inexperienced soldier. Our +paymaster was a little of a gourmand, and having for some time been +deprived of luxuries, determined to indulge a little now we had come to +the land of plenty. On our road, therefore, to London, (he and another +officer and myself posting it,) we stopped at Godalming for dinner; he +would needs have a carp, which he happened to see in a pond in the +garden, made ready for our dinner. It was prepared according to his +request, and with it and other good things we contrived to fare pretty +well; although, according to my taste, a fresh herring would have been +preferable. But lo, and behold! when the bill was called for, the awful +sum of _half a guinea_ for the carp was added to the other items of the +dinner, which amounted to quite enough without it. To remonstrate would +have been useless; we therefore paid the bill and set off, determined to +be more economical in future. + +I passed through London, and reached the depot of my battalion, then +stationed at Ashford in Kent, where, after having arranged the business +for which I had been sent home, I obtained a three months' leave of +absence to visit my native place, where I arrived, thank God, in a much +improved state of health, and where I found all my friends and +connexions as well as could be expected, and no doubt happy to see me. + +About the middle of November of the same year, I started once more for +foreign service, and embarked at Portsmouth for Lisbon on the 22d of +that month, on board a small brig heavily laden with corn for the army +in Portugal. We remained some time wind-bound, but at length got to sea +and proceeded on our voyage, but shortly after the wind headed us and +began to blow very fresh. We were therefore compelled to run for the +Race of Portland, where we came to anchor. But the wind coming more +favourable in a day or two, we weighed again, and got as far on our +voyage as opposite Torbay; but here again the wind coming foul, we were +obliged to enter the bay and drop anchor again. We were detained here a +good many days, during which I went ashore with another officer, who was +on board with me, and indulged in some Devonshire clotted cream at +Brixham. + +In about a week we again started, and got about half way across the Bay +of Biscay, when a heavy gale overtook us, and in which we lost a +considerable portion of our quarter-bulwarks (I think they are called). +Indeed, from the brig being so heavily laden, the water being within a +very little of her gunwale, she did not weather the heavy seas which +struck her very well, for during the night one came clean over her, +partly filling the cabin where we lay with water; and I own I had +considerable apprehension for our safety, which I believe was pretty +universal on board. It pleased Him, however, who ruleth over all things, +to bring us through the gale without further injury, although we +appeared next morning in a very shattered condition, and after a few +more days' sailing, we reached the Tagus, and landed at Lisbon about the +middle of January 1812, and immediately commenced equipping for a +campaign with the army which was at this time besieging Ciudad Rodrigo. +I had to purchase a riding-horse and a mule to carry my baggage, and a +great deal more of essential requisites to enable me to do my duty in +the field; and to say truth, I had not, by any means, sufficient funds +to meet these considerable expenses, and was consequently forced to +borrow, and glad enough to find a friend who could and would lend me +enough for the occasion. And here I cannot but remark, that it seemed +peculiarly hard on junior officers, on their taking the field, to be +compelled to furnish all this equipment at their own expense. I have +known several who did not recover from the debt they thus incurred +(could they find a friend, as I did, to lend them what they wanted) for +a considerable time after they had joined the army; nay, I believe some +never recovered it, and the persons who were kind enough to oblige them +lost several large sums in this manner. In my own case, I know, I was +most wofully put to it to raise a sufficiency for this purpose; and +many, I know, have been compelled to take the field without the +necessary equipment to render them efficient. They were thus of little +service to the army for a considerable time after joining, and many of +them were obliged to leave it again, after striving to do their duty, +inadequately provided with the conveniences and comforts requisite to +enable a man to bear up against the fatigues he had to encounter. It +struck me as but just, and in this opinion I am not singular, that all +officers who have not sufficient pay and allowances to enable them to +provide themselves with the means of transport, ought to be furnished in +the first instance at the public expense, and then be afterwards obliged +to keep them in a fit state for service at their own. + +I set out from Lisbon soon after, and joined my regiment, which was one +of those that formed the light division, and found them cantoned in the +neighbourhood of Rodrigo, that fortress having fallen some days previous +to my arrival. I had not been many days with the regiment till the +division was assembled at a village called Ituera, on the banks of the +Azava, to carry into execution the sentence of a general court-martial, +before which seven men of the division had been arraigned for desertion +to the enemy, they having been taken in Rodrigo at the capture of that +place. They were of course all found guilty, as they were taken as it +were out of the enemy's ranks, and never attempted to plead not guilty; +but they had said in palliation of their heinous crime, that they were +forced to desert from want of food and clothing; indeed the army had not +been so well supplied for a short while previously, as they had been +accustomed to, but there never was any thing like want. I understood the +clothing also was getting bad, but the men could not be got up the +country for want of transport, and they were no worse off than their +comrades. Indeed, from all I could learn, they had acted in a most +diabolical manner; for at the attack of the breaches in assaulting the +place, they were distinctly heard crying out to one another, "Now here +comes the light division; let us give it them, the rascals," or +something to that effect, and had, it is said, done more injury to the +assailing party than twice their number of Frenchmen. Death of course +was their sentence, and now the wretched victims of delusion were to +atone with their lives for one of the greatest crimes known in the +criminal code of the army. + +The division was formed into three sides square, on a plain in front of +the village, the graves of the hapless beings occupying a part of the +fourth face of the square. When all was ready, and a firing party from +each regiment had been formed in the centre, the provost-marshal went to +the guard-tent, where the prisoners were in waiting, to conduct them to +the place of execution. They soon after appeared, poor wretches, moving +towards the square, with faces pale and wan, and with all the dejection +such a situation is calculated to produce. Their arms had been pinioned +one by one as they came out from the guard-tent, and all being ready, +the melancholy procession advanced towards the centre of the square. The +proceedings of the court which tried them, together with the sentence, +and the approval of the Commander of the Forces, was read by the +Assistant Adjutant-general, in the hearing of the whole division; which +concluded, the prisoners were marched round in front of every regiment, +that all might see and avoid their unhappy fate. They were then moved +towards their graves. I ought to observe that the chaplain of the +division had been with them in the guard-tent some little time +previously to their leaving it, and when they quitted as above +described, he followed them at a considerable distance, apparently +ashamed of his peculiar calling, and the duty incumbent on him in such a +conjuncture. They were led, as I said before, towards their graves; and +when they reached the bank of earth in front of each, they were made to +kneel down with their faces fronting the square, and then being one +after another blindfolded, and left for a few moments to their own +reflections or their prayers, the provost-marshal proceeded to the +firing party, who had been previously loaded, and directing the men of +each regiment to fire at their own prisoner, he advanced them to within +about ten or twelve paces of the wretched men, and giving the signals by +motion for their making ready and firing, the whole fired at once, and +plunged the unhappy criminals into eternity. There was, indeed, one +melancholy exception to this. One of the prisoners belonged to the troop +of horse artillery attached to the division, and it seems the provost, +in giving his orders for the soldiers of each regiment to fire at their +own man, had not recollected that the artillery had no men there to +fire. He was thus left sitting on his knees, when the others had fallen +all around him. What his feelings must have been it is in vain to guess; +but, poor fellow, he was not suffered long to remain in suspense, for a +reserve party immediately approaching, they fired and stretched him also +along with his companions in crime and misery; and in such of the others +as they perceived life still remaining, they also immediately put an +end to their sufferings, by placing their muskets close to their body, +and firing into them. One poor man, when he received his death wound, +sprung to a considerable height, and giving a loud shriek, he fell, and +instantly expired. + +When all was finished, the division was formed into column, and marched +round in front of the bodies, where each soldier might distinctly +perceive the sad and melancholy effects of such a fatal dereliction of +duty. They were then, without more ado, thrown into their graves, which +were filled up without delay, and the division separating, each regiment +marched to its quarters. + +I cannot describe the uncomfortable feelings this spectacle produced in +my mind--nay, not only there, but in my body also--for I felt sick at +heart; a sort of loathing ensued; and from the recollection of what I +then suffered, I could not easily be persuaded to witness such another +scene, if I had the option of staying away. Death in the hundred shapes +it assumes on the field of battle seems honourable, and not near so +revolting to the feelings, and withal comes suddenly; but to witness the +slow and melancholy preparations for an execution such as this, is +productive, in any heart that can feel, of the most unpleasant +sensations, I think, imaginable. + +One of the poor wretches was the little shoemaker of our Highland +company, by name M'Guiniss, whom I had known for many years, and who +formerly bore an excellent character; but he had most likely been +seduced by some of his companions to commit this heinous crime. + +Not many days after this, the whole army began to move towards Badajos. +On the 26th of February we left our cantonments, and passing by way of +Castello Branca and Villa Velha, we reached a village not far from Niza, +called Povo das Meadas, where my battalion took up its quarters for a +time. From hence I was dispatched to Lisbon for the regimental clothing, +which had then arrived at that port; but being unable to procure the +means of transport, I was obliged to return without it. I rejoined them +in the camp before Badajos about the 25th of March, and witnessed the +siege of that fortress from this period to its fall on the 6th of April. +The breaches having been reported practicable by the engineers on the +5th, in the evening the army was assembled for the assault, and was +disposed as follows: the 3d division under General Picton was ordered to +attack the citadel, and to endeavour to establish himself there by +escalade; the 4th and light divisions, the former under General +Colville, and the latter commanded by Colonel Barnard, were destined for +the breaches; the 5th division, which had not co-operated hitherto in +the siege, but brought this evening into the neighbourhood, was ordered +to occupy the ground in front of the town by way of reserve. One brigade +of that division was ordered to make a false attack on a work called the +Pardeleras, which was connected with the town, although not actually +belonging to it. Another brigade of the same division was ordered to +make another false attack round towards the gate near the river +Guadiana, which latter was to be turned into a real attack, if +circumstances permitted General Walker, who commanded it, to do so. +There was also a brigade of Portuguese, which was ordered to attack St +Cristoval, a fort on the other side of the river. Every thing was +arranged in the clearest and most satisfactory manner; all knew what +they had to do, the point they were to occupy in the attack having been +pointed out to most of them the day before. Soon after dark, the +different divisions began to move towards their destined posts, all +elated with the certainty of success. + +I was then in the mess of the senior captain of my battalion, who +commanded it on this occasion; and my other messmates were poor little +Croudace and Cary, both lieutenants, the latter acting adjutant, and +another. We had taken a farewell glass before we got up from dinner, not +knowing which of them would survive the bloody fray that was likely soon +to commence. Poor Croudace, a native of the county of Durham, and +consequently a near countryman, put into my hand a small leather purse, +containing half a doubloon, and requested me to take care of it for him, +as he did not know whose fate it might be to fall or to survive. I took +it according to his wish, and put it into my pocket, and, after a little +more conversation, and another glass, for the poor little fellow liked +his wine, we parted, and they moved off. Although I had thus, as it +were, settled it in my mind that I would not go with them on this +occasion, for my services could have been of but very little utility, +yet, when they went away, I felt as if I was left desolate as it were, +and was quite uneasy at parting from my beloved comrades, whom I had +always accompanied hitherto. I therefore slung over my back my +haversack, containing my pistol and a few other things, and moved +forward, to try if I could find them; but falling in with some of my +friends, staff-officers of the 43d, who were in the same brigade, they +strongly dissuaded me from it, representing to me the folly of uselessly +exposing myself, and the little service I could render there; and one of +them requested me to accompany him to a hill immediately in front of the +breaches, where we could see the business as it proceeded. + +We waited till about ten o'clock, when the fire first commenced from the +castle upon the 3d division, as they approached it; but the fire from +thence did not appear very heavy. Not long after it opened out at the +breaches, and was most awfully severe; indeed it was so heavy and so +incessant, that it appeared like one continued sheet of fire along the +ramparts near the breaches, and we could distinctly see the faces of the +French troops, although the distance was near a mile. All sorts of arms, +&c. were playing at once, guns, mortars, musketry, grenades, and shells +thrown from the walls, while every few minutes explosions from mines +were taking place. The firing too appeared to have such a strange +deathlike sound, quite different from all I had ever heard before. This +was occasioned by the muzzles being pointed downwards into the ditch, +which gave the report an unusual and appalling effect. This continued +without a moment's cessation, or without any apparent advantage being +gained by our struggling but awfully circumstanced comrades. Lord +Wellington had also taken his stand upon this hill, and appeared quite +uneasy at the troops seeming to make no progress, and often asked, or +rather repeated to himself, "What can be the matter?" + +The enemy had adopted an excellent plan to ascertain where our columns +were posted; they threw an immense number of light balls on all sides of +the town, and when they found out where there was a large body, a rocket +was fired in the direction of where it stood, and instantly every gun, +mortar, and howitzer, not previously engaged, was turned in that +direction, and grievous was the destruction their shot made in the ranks +of these columns. Still our people at the breaches did not get forward, +although we distinctly heard, with emotion, the bugles of our division +sounding the advance. His lordship seemed now to lose all patience, and +aides-de-camp were sent to ascertain the cause of the delay. They flew +like lightning, while the whole rampart round the town seemed enveloped +in one flame of fire. Our brave but unsuccessful comrades were heard +cheering every now and then; but still the fire at the breaches did not +slacken. At length a dispatch arrived from General Picton, stating, that +he had established himself in the castle. This was cheering news to his +lordship, who expressed very strongly the gratitude he felt for that +gallant General. + +During the reading of the dispatch, which was done by torchlight, the +enemy, perceiving the light, and that a number of people had assembled +on the hill, directed a shell in that direction; but it fell short, and +did us no injury. His lordship now rode off, and ordered our people at +the breaches to retire, as the town was now perfectly secure. I also set +off to inform my people of the happy circumstance. I found them drawn +off from the glacis a few hundred yards; but, oh! what a difference in +their appearance now from what they were previous to the attack! The +whole division scarcely mustered at this time 2000 men, so many had been +killed and wounded, and many had been sent to the rear with the latter. +I informed them that General Picton had got possession of the castle, +but my story appeared to them an incredible tale; for it was actually +impossible, they thought; and although they made me repeat it over and +over again, they could scarcely bring their minds to credit such +unexpected news. + +It was now dawn of day, and the firing had ceased at every point. Here I +learnt the fate of my two beloved friends and messmates: Croudace had +been shot through the body, and carried to the rear; Cary had fallen, +but they could not tell what had become of him. I now went forward +towards the breaches, where I found that several men of both the 4th and +light divisions had remained; and when General Picton moved from the +castle towards that point, which I believe he stated in his dispatch to +be his intention, the enemy, finding themselves attacked in rear, began +to abandon the defence of the breaches, and our people were then enabled +to enter. Never did I witness any thing like the artificial impediments +which the enemy had here thrown up, which, added to the natural ones, +that is, to the breaches not having been so perfectly practicable as was +desirable, rendered it next to impossible to enter, even after all +opposition on their part had ceased. In one breach (the large one) this +was literally the case; for at the top of it was fixed a +chevaux-de-frize extending the whole width of the breach, and composed +of a strong beam of wood, with sharp-pointed sword-blades fixed in every +direction, they being generally about three quarters of a yard long, and +so closely set together, that it was impossible either to leap over them +or penetrate between them, and the whole so firmly fixed to the works at +the top, that it could not be moved. In addition, they had fitted a +number of long and thick planks, with spikes about an inch or more in +length, and laid them all down the breach, but fixed at the top, so that +it was impossible for any one to get up without falling on these. Beyond +the chevaux-de-frize several ditches had been cut, into which those must +have fallen who surmounted the obstacles on the breach; but I believe +none did, although I saw one Portuguese lying dead upon the ramparts; +but I imagine he must either have been thrown up there by some +explosion, or been one of those of the 3d division who came from the +castle. In addition to all the above, from the covered way down into the +ditch was, I should imagine, at least thirty feet; our people had +descended by ladders, and, I doubt not, in the dark, and, in the hurry +and confusion of the moment, many were thrown down and killed. In the +middle of the large ditch a smaller one had been cut, which was filled +with water, and in which, added to the inundation close to the right of +the breaches, (which had been caused by bringing the river partly into +the ditch,) numbers were drowned. Small mines had been constructed all +along in the ditch, which were exploded when it was filled with people, +and which produced infinite mischief. + +On the top of the ramparts the enemy had a considerable number of shells +of the largest size, ready filled and fused; and when our people had +filled the ditch below, these were lighted, and thrown over on their +heads, each shell being capable of destroying from twelve to twenty men +or more. They had beams of wood also laid on the ramparts, with old +carriage-wheels, and every sort of missile imaginable, which were poured +upon the unfortunate people below. + +When these things are taken into consideration, added to the incessant +and destructive fire of from 3000 to 4000 men, all emulous to do their +duty, at the short distance of perhaps twenty yards, with the ditch as +full as it could possibly stow, the reader will be able to form some +idea of the destruction that must naturally ensue: and awful indeed it +was, for, within the space of less than an acre of ground, I should +imagine not less than from 1200 to 1500 men were lying: it was a +heart-rending sight. I learnt afterwards that many were the desperate +efforts that had been made to ascend the breaches, but all in vain; that +many had nearly reached the top, but they being either shot or blown up, +the others were forced down again. Another and another trial still was +made, but each succeeding party shared the fate of their predecessors. +At last the bottoms of the breaches were nearly blocked up with the +bodies of those who fell. + +By this time, General Philippon, the French governor, had surrendered. +When he found the 3d division had got possession of the castle, and were +preparing to move down to second the attack of the breaches by taking +the enemy in rear, and that General Walker, with a part of the 5th +division, had escaladed, and established themselves at the other end of +the town, he deemed further resistance useless, and retired, with the +garrison, to St Cristoval, on the opposite side of the river; and +shortly after the whole surrendered prisoners of war, the troops, after +being stripped of their arms and accoutrements, being marched along in +the ditch to one of the gates, from whence they were escorted on their +way to Elvas. They passed near the breaches while I was there, and I had +a full view of them as they moved along. I thought they seemed under +great apprehension for their safety, as they appeared quite downcast and +dejected, which is not generally the case with French prisoners, who +will shrug their shoulders, and tell you it is the fortune of war; but +these poor fellows, who certainly had made a noble defence, seemed +low-spirited and timid to a degree. Certainly by the rules of war, I +believe, they might have been put to death, for having stood an assault +of the place; but a British general does not resort to the same measures +which their Marshal Suchet did at Tarragona, when he put all, both +soldiers and inhabitants, to the sword. + +Soon after daylight, the remaining men of attacking divisions began to +rush into the town, in hopes of sharing, with those who had already +entered, the plunder they imagined it would afford; and though every +thing was done by Colonel Barnard, aided by the other officers, to keep +out those of the light division, it was useless, although he even risked +his life to prevent their entering. He had bravely, during the attack, +repeatedly ascended the breach, in hopes of overcoming the obstacles +which presented themselves, but he had always been driven back, although +he escaped unhurt where all was death around him; and now his life +nearly fell a sacrifice, in endeavouring to restore that discipline in +his division which this unfortunate and unsuccessful assault had +considerably impaired. He opposed his personal and bodily strength to +the entrance of the plunderers, but in vain. They rushed in, in spite of +all opposition; and in wrenching a musket from one of the soldiers of +the 52d, who was forcing past him, he fell, and was nigh precipitated +into the ditch. He, however, finding resistance here in vain, set off, +accompanied by several other officers, into the town, to endeavour to +restrain, as much as lay in his power, the licentiousness of those +inside, whose bad passions, it was but too evident, would be let loose +upon the defenceless inhabitants. + +I had been in company with Captain Percival, my commanding-officer +before alluded to, from the time of my first coming down to the division +before daylight; and now he and I, hearing the heart-piercing and +afflicting groans which arose from the numbers of wounded still lying in +the ditch, set to work to get as many of these poor fellows removed as +was in our power. This we found a most arduous and difficult +undertaking, as we could not do it without the aid of a considerable +number of men; and it was a work of danger to attempt to force the now +lawless soldiers to obey, and stop with us till this work of necessity +and humanity was accomplished. + +All thought of what they owed their wounded comrades, and of the +probability that ere long a similar fate might be their own, was +swallowed up in their abominable rage for drink and plunder; however, by +perseverance, and by occasionally using his stick, my commandant at +length compelled a few fellows to lend their assistance in removing +what we could into the town, where it was intended that hospitals should +be established. But this was a most heart-rending duty, for, from the +innumerable cries of,--"Oh! for God's sake, come and remove me!" it was +difficult to select the most proper objects for such care. Those who +appeared likely to die, of course it would have been but cruelty to put +them to the pain of a removal; and many who, from the nature of their +wounds, required great care and attention in carrying them, the +half-drunken brutes whom we were forced to employ exceedingly tortured +and injured; nay, in carrying one man out of the ditch they very +frequently kicked or trode upon several others, whom to touch was like +death to them, and which produced the most agonizing cries imaginable. + +I remember at this time Colonel (the late Sir Niel) Campbell passed out +at the breach, and, as he had formerly been a Captain in our regiment, +many of the poor fellows who lay there knew him, and beseeched him in +the most piteous manner to have them removed. He came to me, and urged +upon me in the strongest manner to use every exertion to get the poor +fellows away. This evinced he had a feeling heart; but he was not +probably aware, that for that very purpose both my commanding-officer +and myself had been labouring for hours; but it soon began to grow +excessively hot, and what with the toil and the heat of the sun, and the +very unpleasant effluvia which now arose from the numerous dead and +wounded, we were both compelled, about mid-day, to desist from our +distressing though gratifying labours. + +It was now between twelve and one o'clock, and though we had had a great +many removed, a much greater number lay groaning in the ditch; but our +strength was exhausted, for he was lame and unable to move much, and I +had been obliged to assist in carrying many myself, the drunken +scoundrels whom we had pressed into the service seldom making more than +one or two trips till they deserted us. But my lamented friend and +messmate, poor Cary, was still to search for, and, after a considerable +time, he was found beneath one of the ladders by which they had +descended into the ditch. He was shot through the head, and I doubt not +received his death-wound on the ladder, from which in all probability he +fell. He was stripped completely naked, save a flannel waistcoat which +he wore next his skin. I had him taken up and placed upon a shutter, (he +still breathed a little, though quite insensible,) and carried him to +the camp. A sergeant and some men, whom we had pressed to carry him, +were so drunk that they let him fall from off their shoulders, and his +body fell with great force to the ground. I shuddered, but poor Cary, I +believe, was past all feeling, or the fall would have greatly injured +him. We laid him in bed in his tent, but it was not long ere my kind, +esteemed, and lamented friend breathed his last. Poor Croudace had also +died immediately after reaching the hospital, whither he had been +carried when he was shot. + +Thus I lost two of my most particular and intimate acquaintances, from +both of whom I had received many acts of kindness and friendship. They +will long live in my memory. Cary was buried next day behind our tents, +one of the officers (my other messmate) reading the funeral service. + +I cannot help adverting to some of the scenes which I witnessed in the +ditch, while employed there as above noticed. One of the first strange +sights that attracted our notice, was soon after our arrival. An officer +with yellow facings came out of the town with a frail fair one leaning +on his arm, and carrying in her other hand a cage with a bird in it; and +she tripped it over the bodies of the dead and dying with all the ease +and indifference of a person moving in a ball-room,--no more concern +being evinced by either of them, than if nothing extraordinary had +occurred. It was really lamentable to see such an utter absence of all +right feeling. + +Soon after this the men began to come out with their plunder. Some of +them had dressed themselves in priests' or friars' garments--some +appeared in female dresses, as nuns, &c.; and, in short, all the +whimsical and fantastical figures imaginable almost were to be seen +coming reeling out of the town, for by this time they were nearly all +drunk. I penetrated no farther into the town that day than to a house a +little beyond the breach, where I had deposited the wounded; but I saw +enough in this short trip to disgust me with the doings in Badajos at +this time. I learnt that no house, church, or convent, was held sacred +by the infuriated and now ungovernable soldiery, but that priests or +nuns, and common people, all shared alike, and that any who showed the +least resistance were instantly sacrificed to their fury. They had a +method of firing through the lock of any door that happened to be shut +against them, which almost invariably had the effect of forcing it open; +and such scenes were witnessed in the streets as baffle description. + +One man of our first battalion, I am told, had got a hogshead of brandy +into the streets, and, getting his mess-tin, and filling it from the +cask, and seating himself astride like Bacchus, swore that every person +who came past should drink, be who he may. His commanding-officer +happened to be one who came that way, and he was compelled to take the +tin and drink, for, had he refused, it is not improbable the wretch +would have shot him, for his rifle was loaded by his side, and the +soldiers had by this time become quite past all control. Another, who +had been fortunate enough to obtain a considerable quantity of +doubloons, put them in his haversack, and was making his way out of the +town, but was induced, before he left it, to drink more than he could +carry. He laid him down somewhere to take a nap, and awoke soon after +without even his shoes, and not only were the doubloons gone, but all +his own necessaries also. + +In, short, a thousand of the most tragi-comical spectacles that can +possibly be imagined, might be witnessed in this devoted city. The +officers did all they could to repress these outrages, but the soldiers +were now so completely dispersed that one quarter of them could not be +found; and indeed the only benefit almost that the officers could render +was, by each placing himself in a house, which generally secured it from +being broken open and plundered. The different camps of our army were +for several days after more like rag-fairs than military encampments, +such quantities of wearing-apparel of all kinds were disposing of by one +set of plunderers to the other. But they were not content with what they +had brought out of Badajos; they had now got such relish for plunder, +that they could not leave it off when driven out of the town. + +A night or two after the surrender of the place, they stole no less than +eight horses and mules belonging to my battalion, and took them to some +of the other divisions, where they sold them as animals captured from +the enemy. I lost on this occasion an excellent little mule, worth at +least L.20, and for which I of course never obtained a farthing. We +used every exertion to discover both the perpetrators and the animals, +but without success. + +An English army is perhaps, generally speaking, under stricter +discipline than any other in the world; but in proportion as they are +held tight while they are in hand, if circumstances occur to give them +liberty, I know of no army more difficult to restrain when once broke +loose. A reason may perhaps be assigned for it in part. On such +occasions as this siege, where they were long and much exposed to +fatigue almost insupportable, to the most trying scenes of difficulty +and danger, which were generally borne with cheerfulness and alacrity, +they perhaps reasoned with themselves and one another in this +manner,--that as they had borne so much and so patiently to get +possession of the place, it was but fair that they should have some +indulgence when their work and trials were crowned with success, +especially as the armies of other powers make it a rule generally to +give an assaulted fortress up to plunder. They had also become quite +reckless of life from so long exposure to death; but an English army +cannot plunder like the French. The latter keep themselves more sober, +and look more to the solid and substantial benefit to be derived from +it, while the former sacrifice every thing to drink; and when once in a +state of intoxication, with all the bad passions set loose at the same +time, I know not what they will hesitate to perpetrate. + +The reader will judge of the state of our soldiers who had been engaged +in the siege, when Lord Wellington found it absolutely necessary to +order in a Portuguese brigade to force the stragglers out of the town at +the point of the bayonet. At this time I think I was fairly tired of +life, so disgusting and so sickening were the scenes the few last days +had presented. I had also lost two of those for whom I had a great +regard, together with several others of my brother officers, all +excellent young men, with still a greater number wounded,--in all, in +our fifteen companies, to the amount of twenty-six,--and men in equal +proportion. It was indeed a trying time. + +Notwithstanding what has been said above of the bad conduct of the +British troops on this occasion, I am fully persuaded there is more +humanity and generosity to be found in the breast of an English soldier +than in any other in the world, for, except when inflamed by drink, I am +confident it would be most revolting to his feelings to be ordered to +proceed with cool deliberation to the execution of such horrid +butcheries as we read of in the armies of other nations.--No! When calm +and sober, no man acts with more tenderness towards those in his power +than an English soldier. Bonaparte would not have found in them the +willing actors in his political tragedy in Egypt, when he coolly +fusiladed several thousands of his unfortunate Turkish prisoners, as +related by Sir R. Wilson. + +If I may be permitted to make a few remarks on the taking of this strong +fortress, and of the conduct of the besiegers, I would say that never in +the annals of military warfare was greater devotion shown by those of +all ranks, from the General to the common soldier. The arduous and +dangerous service of the trenches was cheerfully performed by every +individual whose duty called him there; but the most conspicuous +gallantry was manifested in the assault. Conceive of the heroic Picton +and his brave division escalading a wall probably forty feet high, built +on the summit of an almost inaccessible rock, and with troops at the top +of all to oppose them as they reached its summit. It is true the enemy +were not numerous here, having only about 200 men in the castle, but +still one man in this situation was able to destroy probably twenty of +the assailants, by throwing down a ladder after it had been set up; most +of those ascending would be crushed to death by the fall over such a +precipice. But he carried every thing before him, and after establishing +his own division in this commanding situation, he either actually did, +or prepared to move upon the body of the enemy, who were defending the +breaches. General Walker also, who commanded a part of the 5th division, +bravely forced an entrance into the town at the opposite side, +overcoming every one of the numerous barriers and obstacles which +presented themselves; and where he himself, in the act, I believe, of +mounting the rampart, received a most desperate wound. It was said, but +I know not how truly, that when he fell, the French soldier who wounded +him was about to repeat the blow, which in all probability would have +deprived him of life, but that the General, whether intentionally or not +it is not said, made the masonic sign, which was understood by one of +the Frenchmen, and that he instantly interfered in his behalf and +stopped the blow. They say the General some time after found out that +his brave deliverer had been sent to Scotland with his fellow-prisoners, +and that he had him searched for and handsomely rewarded, and, I +believe, procured him his liberty. + +It is well known, I believe, to be the rule in all services like the +assault of fortresses, &c., that those, both officers and men, who form +the forlorn hope and the storming party, are volunteers, these being +services of extreme danger, and which generally procure for the officers +who survive a step of promotion; but it might as well have gone (in the +light division at least) as a tour of duty, for on all occasions of this +nature, with only one or two exceptions, the senior officers of each +rank insisted upon being sent on that duty. Nay, in one instance this +heroic feeling was carried to an almost censurable excess. Lieutenant +Harvest of the 43d having been some time the senior of his rank in that +regiment, and there being a vacancy for a captain, he had been +recommended for the company; and although he had not been gazetted, yet +it had been intimated to him through his commanding-officer that his +name should shortly appear as captain. Thus his promotion was perfectly +secure; notwithstanding, when volunteers were called for for the +storming party, he insisted on his right of going as senior lieutenant; +so over scrupulous was he that his permitting a junior officer to occupy +this post might be construed to the detriment of his honour. He went, +and fell; and thus not only lost his company but his life, and by his +too refined sense of honour deprived another officer, probably, of that +promotion which would have been the consequence of going on this duty +had he survived. + +Among the men also the same noble enthusiasm prevailed, for he who was +selected for this dangerous service out of the superabundant numbers who +always volunteered, was envied by his comrades as truly fortunate. In +fact, it required a character for good conduct to entitle a man to this +honourable employment. Whatever, therefore, their other faults might be, +a want of bravery was not one of them. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + + The army leave Badajos on the 11th of April, and move into + quarters near the river Agueda, where they remain till the 11th + of June--Advance towards Salamanca, which, with the exception + of three forts, the enemy had evacuated--The forts + invested--The main bodies of both armies bivouack within a mile + and a half of each other, in the vicinity of Monte Rubio and + Morisco--The forts of Salamanca surrender--The main body of the + enemy retire to Tordesillas--Movements of the army. + + +On the 11th April we left Badajos to return again to the neighbourhood +of Rodrigo, the French having, during the absence of our army from that +frontier, made an irruption into Portugal, and penetrated as far down as +below Castello Branca, completely ravaging the country. Our first march +was to Campa Mayor, where we were quartered in the town. We next day +reached Arronches, where we bivouacked in a wood near it. The following +day we marched into Portalegre, and on the 14th, Niza; the 15th we +crossed the Tagus at Villa Velha, and moved on to Larnadas. Here we +began to perceive some of the effects of the recent visit from the +French; but at Castello Branca, which we reached next day, the +devastation they had caused was truly deplorable. We halted here one day +to refresh the troops and get forward our supplies, and the next day +reached Escallas da Cima. Here we began to get very close upon the rear +of the enemy; it therefore became us to move forward with +circumspection, for our force on this side the Tagus was yet but small. +We advanced, however, and occupied successively St Miguel d'Arch, +Penamacor, and St Bartholomo, near Sabugal, which last town we passed +through on the 23d, and bivouacked that night at Alfyates. The utter +desolation of Sabugal was beyond conception; filth and misery presented +themselves in every direction. It had been made a depot for provisions +by the French, I imagine, for on all sides the entrails and other offal +of bullocks and sheep polluted the atmosphere by the abominable stench +they caused, and had attracted multitudes of vultures and other birds of +prey, who had by this time become horribly tame and familiar: one +vulture sat so long upon a dead horse as I was riding along the road, +that he allowed me to come near enough to make a cut at him with my +sword, as he stretched his enormous wings to mount up from his prey. + +On the 24th we reached Ituera, where we halted for two days. We had now +entered Spain, and it not being intended as yet to commence another +active campaign, we moved into quarters near the river Agueda, my +battalion and the 43d occupying the village of La Encina, or "The Oak." +Here it was necessary that every exertion should be used to re-equip and +prepare the troops for service, as it was intimated that another +campaign would speedily commence. + +All the winter and spring hitherto had been spent in active service, +consequently much required putting to rights before we again took the +field; all hands were therefore employed to patch up and repair our +clothing and shoes, and to get every thing in good order when our +services were again to be called for. + +While we were here, I began to experience some of the ill effects of a +deep-rooted enmity which one of my brother officers had conceived +against me, though till now partly concealed. I was unconscious of +having given him any cause for this; but he, without ever giving me any +opportunity for explanation, used all his influence in endeavouring to +injure me in the opinion of two of my superior officers, who had +hitherto been friendly to me; and not only with them, but, I have reason +to believe, with our acting brigadier, whose mind, with the others also, +he completely estranged from me for a time. But though he misled them +then, they did not retain the ill opinion of me which his +misrepresentations had produced, for there are testimonials from all +three at the end of this volume. I was not so fully aware of his dislike +of me, till one day I was dining at the table of our acting brigadier, +when he and one of those before noticed were also guests. I overheard +him telling this officer, (with an intention, I almost imagine, that I +should hear,) that I must be a bad man, for that I was sitting silent +when all the rest were talking, in order that I might listen to their +conversation. But I was the junior officer there, and it did not become +me to be talkative; besides, I never was loquacious. I said nothing, +(although some may blame me for it, but I loved peace,) trusting that +one day such forbearance would not be forgotten; but I felt it deeply, +and mourned over it in secret with great bitterness of spirit. + +In this place also I began to receive very pressing letters from the +merchants in England, from whom I had purchased a quantity of goods when +last at home, but which, for want of transport, could not be got up to +the army in order to their being disposed of; and, in short, scarcely a +post arrived that did not bring some unwelcome and distressing tidings. +I had purchased a fine mule in place of that stolen from me at Badajos, +for which I had given about L30. I sent him down to Lisbon with my +batman, to bring up as many of the goods as the mule could carry; but he +had not been long gone till I had the mortification to learn that this +mule also was lost. The man said he had been stolen, but I had every +reason afterwards to believe that he had sold him. Be it observed, I +could but very ill afford losses of this extent out of my pay and scanty +allowances; but I endeavoured to bear up as well as I could against +these misfortunes, although it is certain I was not able to bring +religion to my aid at this time of trial, for I had lived hitherto in +total neglect of that most momentous of all concerns, and, although I +endeavoured to amuse myself occasionally by fishing in the Agueda, my +mind began to be greatly depressed. + +About this time an order was issued for each British regiment in the +Peninsula to endeavour to enlist fifty Spaniards to be incorporated in +the regiment. I was sent in company with another officer into the +mountains of Gata, not far from the city of Placentia. We were not +successful, for although we obtained the names of some who promised they +would follow us to La Encina, they never made their appearance. However, +the beauty and magnificence of the mountain scenery amply repaid us for +our trouble. From this village also I had the pleasure of visiting, for +the first time, the lately captured fortress of Ciudad Rodrigo, and some +of my brother officers who had shared in the toils and dangers of the +siege, pointed out to me the most remarkable scenes about it. Like +Badajos, it had been battered till practicable breaches were made to +admit the besiegers, and then stormed in the same manner, but its +defence was feeble compared with Badajos; and yet, to look over the +ground in the neighbourhood of the trenches, one would imagine it +impossible for troops to have lived, so completely was it ploughed up +with shot and shells, each of the latter generally making an excavation +sufficiently large in which to bury a horse. + +Whilst we remained in these cantonments, the officers of the division +once or twice got up a sort of "pic-nic," every one contributing +something towards the feast, which was held in a large wood in the +neighbourhood of Ituera. On our way from La Encina to this assembly, we +passed over the ground where the 5th and 77th regiments had so +distinguished themselves in September 1811, against a very superior +force of the enemy's cavalry. The bones of the combatants lay bleaching +upon the plain, the flesh having been very soon devoured by the +innumerable birds of prey, which appeared as if collected from every +part of the Peninsula. Indeed so numerous were the battles and +skirmishes which took place along this frontier, together with the offal +from the animals killed for the use of the armies, that they were no +doubt better fed than they had in general been accustomed to. + +But the period of our stay in this vicinity drew to a close, and on the +11th June we broke up from our cantonments, and passing the Agueda, the +division assembled in a wood about a mile or two in front of Rodrigo. +While we were here a rather remarkable phenomenon appeared about +mid-day, or soon after; the sun, which shone most brightly, and the +moon, with several stars, appeared all at the same time, the latter +being distinctly visible. This of course attracted great numbers, and +many were the sage remarks that were made, some believing it ominous of +disastrous events; and indeed very shortly afterwards a circumstance +occurred which in some degree confirmed their prediction. A grenadier of +the 88th regiment (I think it was) had come over from his own division, +to endeavour to prevail upon his wife, who had deserted him and taken up +with a sergeant of our first battalion, to return with him, she having, +as I understand, left him with one or more children, the first of their +marriage, which he was anxious she should come and take care of. They +had often, I fancy, quarrelled, and he had probably used her ill, but he +was now desirous of a reconciliation, and entreated her to return with +him to his regiment. He prevailed upon her to accompany him to some +distance from the bivouack, that they might the more freely discuss the +subject, for she had hitherto refused to agree to his request, being +probably better provided for by the sergeant than she had been with him. +While walking in a field close to the wood in which the bivouack was +situated, and arguing the point with some heat, and she still persisting +in remaining where she was, he became so exasperated at her continued +refusal, that he, in a rage of jealousy and anger, drew his bayonet and +plunged it in her bosom. Her cries soon brought people to the spot, who +at once secured him, and he was instantly committed to the provost +prison tent, and her body of course brought in and buried. Poor +creature! she was one of the gayest of the females which graced our +rural balls near Ituera only a short while previous, and had often +danced with old General Vandaleur on those occasions. I believe he was +not brought to trial for it, as her ill conduct probably had been +considered as in some measure palliating what he did, and that he might +be supposed to have been irritated to a degree of madness when he +perpetrated the fatal act. I subsequently learnt that he was a brave +soldier, and that he afterwards fell in the hard-fought battle of the +Pyrenees. + +We moved forward the next day in the direction of Salamanca, halting on +the 13th at Alba de Yeltes, on the 14th at Sancho Bueno, the 15th at +Matillo, in a large plain in front of which we bivouacked, where were +the most luxuriant meadows I think I ever saw, the horses on our arrival +being literally up to their bellies in fine rich grass. What a pity the +natives know nothing of hay-making! This fine herbage is permitted to +stand there till it perishes, and yet in the winter they are frequently +very ill off for provender for their cattle; indeed I do not exactly +know how they contrive to feed them in that season, but I know we were +always greatly put to our shifts to procure any sort of long forage for +our animals, being generally compelled by necessity to resort to this +grass, rotten and dead as it was. I believe they use a considerable +quantity of straw, which they chop very short, and which in truth is no +bad substitute for hay; but when it is so very plentiful and so good, +common sense, one would imagine, would induce them to preserve it. + +Lord Wellington in the following season caused a considerable quantity +of hay to be made in Portugal, getting scythes, &c. out from England, +but we never returned that way afterwards to reap the benefit of it. All +this immensely rich and extensive plain is in a complete state of +nature--no enclosures to mark the different boundaries of the +proprietors, should it have any, but where there are "landmarks," the +mode of ancient days is resorted to. + +On the 16th we moved forward to within about five miles of Salamanca, +and bivouacked near a range of low hills extending from the Rio Valmuso +(which we had just crossed) to the city. In front of this place our +cavalry fell in with that of the enemy, with whom they had a _petit +affaire_, and had captured a few of them, who, in the afternoon, passed +our bivouack, on their way to the rear. We observed as they passed that +they wore long queues, which had an odd appearance in our eyes, the +British army having for so many years left them off. + +Next morning we advanced towards the city. We had gone, I think, about +three miles, when ascending one of those heights over which the road +passes, we had a most interesting view of this beautiful place. It +seemed thickly studded with elegant and highly ornamented spires, +springing from the numerous cathedrals and colleges, &c. which it +contained; but what heightened the effect was an immense column of smoke +rising from some magazines which the enemy (not having time to carry +off) had set on fire. We feared it was but the prelude to the whole city +sharing the same fate, for their barbarous conduct in Portugal during +Massena's retreat, rendered it but too doubtful they were resorting to +the same mode of warfare here. They still retained possession of a +portion of the town, in which they had constructed three forts; one very +strong, and capable of containing about 500 or 600 men; the other two +were smaller, to cover and act as supports to the principal one. In +constructing these works they had destroyed the greater part of the +colleges, and a considerable number of other public buildings, besides +several extensive streets which Salamanca had formerly contained; but +even now it was still a beautiful and interesting city. One of these +works commanded the bridge, which rendered our crossing the Tormes here +impracticable. We were in consequence moved about a league higher up the +river, where we crossed by a rather deep ford. However, all got safely +over, and we halted for the night on a small plain, a short distance +from the ford, the main body of the enemy having retired and left 800 +men in the forts before mentioned. These occupied but about one-third of +the town, of course the remainder was open and free, and, as might be +expected, every one was anxious to have a peep at this famous +university. Consequently away a number of us scampered, and soon entered +the city, the inhabitants of which were overjoyed to see us. The nuns +were seen waving white handkerchiefs out of their iron-grated windows, +and the Padres and other respectable inhabitants welcomed us with a +thousand vivas, embracing us, and using every means of testifying their +joy at our arrival. + +I need not attempt to describe the place, for I am not able, and it has +so often been described that my reader will not be disappointed at my +declining to do it here; suffice it to say, the buildings in general, +and the religious edifices in particular, were most superb; but the +Goths had destroyed the finest portion of the city. + +The forts were immediately invested, and we went and had a look also at +them. They seemed remarkably strong, having been constructed principally +of hewn stones, taken from the buildings they had destroyed; and on all +sides of them a space of perhaps two hundred yards or more was cleared +away to make room for the play of their artillery, and to prevent a +lodgement being made by the besiegers. + +We next day moved from our bivouack near the ford, and marched to the +village of Aldea Secco, in front of which our cavalry and the enemy had +a rencontre, after which the latter retired: this was about a league and +a half in front of Salamanca. Next day we were suddenly assembled in +consequence of the enemy, in great force, making his appearance at some +distance in front of our bivouack. We were then removed from the plain, +and took up a position on a height called Monte Rubio, or Red Hill, a +little to the right. Soon after, also, the other divisions of our army +began to assemble on the height, and our Chief arriving on the spot, +every thing had the appearance of something serious being about to take +place. + +Here also, for the first time, I saw Don Carlos de Espagna with his few +followers. These were better clothed and equipped than almost any other +Spanish troops that I had seen. The day passed over, however, without +the French making any attack, and without any movement being made on our +side, farther than putting the different divisions into position as they +arrived on the ground. The French were continually receiving +reinforcements, or rather their different divisions were rapidly +arriving in succession, when they all bivouacked in the plain in front +of us, at perhaps a mile and a half distance, and near to the village of +Morisco. This they very soon gutted of every portable article, whether +it was food, clothes, furniture, or whatever they could carry off; nay, +they unroofed the greater part of the houses for fuel for the troops, +but this latter proceeding could not be avoided, there being no wood +near them. Englishmen may well feel thankful that their dwellings have +not been exposed to such visitors, who, in half an hour, will convert a +comfortable and smiling village into a heap of ruins. + +We remained in this position for some days, the two armies, like two +experienced pugilists, each waiting for the other to strike the first +blow, by which he would in some measure lay himself open. It was not, +however, Lord Wellington's game to commence operations, seeing a part of +our army was then employed in the siege of the forts in Salamanca; +besides, it is said, when some one ventured to hint that we should +attack the enemy, that his lordship judged it would make a difference of +3000 men less on the side of the attacking army. I know not if this +story be true, but certainly great prudence was displayed on both sides. +However, the enemy had occasionally cannonaded us a little from the +first; but about three days after their arrival, they made a very brisk +and vigorous attack upon a conical hill immediately in front of our +position, and a little to the right of Morisco. It was defended by the +seventh division, which repelled the attack with great gallantry, +driving the enemy down the hill again with great precipitation. The 68th +regiment distinguished itself greatly, but in their pursuit of the +beaten enemy, they advanced too far into the plain, and which the French +observing, a forward movement was made again by them, and before our +people could recover the high ground, Captain M'Kay and Lieutenant +M'Donald, with a considerable number of their men, were made prisoners. +Poor M'Kay received I know not how many bayonet wounds on this occasion, +I believe not less than ten or twelve, but none of them very serious of +course, or he could not have survived. He, with the others, were taken +into the French lines, but he was so ill when they retired a few days +after, that they were obliged to leave him in Morisco. The enemy's +artillery played upon our line during the greater part of this attack, +and caused us some loss, but not of any consequence, the horses +appearing to have suffered more than the troops. + +The French seemed disappointed and annoyed at our sticking so +pertinaciously to the hills on this occasion, and told M'Donald (from +whom I afterwards had this information) that it was only when we had +every advantage on our side that we durst give them battle. Our armies +were, I think, pretty nearly equal, each having perhaps about 40,000, +but they were, I believe, superior in cavalry, and of course the plain +was the very ground for them. Marmont seeing himself thus foiled, +withdrew from before us, and made a movement to his left, crossing the +Tormes with a considerable part of his force, and advanced on the other +side of the river towards Salamanca. Our heavy German cavalry, under +General Baron Back, opposed them here, and greatly distinguished +themselves, driving the enemy's cavalry from the field. Our army made +corresponding movements with the enemy, changing in parts our position. + +Meantime the siege of the forts had been proceeding with from the first +day of our arrival, and as the distance from Monte Rubio to the town was +not great, several of us rode in to see how the siege was progressing, +as the Americans have it. An attempt had been made to carry them by +escalade, but it had failed; General Bowes, who led the attacking party, +with several officers and men, having fallen in the attempt. His +lordship now deemed it necessary to batter them regularly previous to +another assault being made upon them. Heavy ordnance was therefore got +into battery, which not only effected a breach in the smaller fort +nearest the principal one, but which also threw a considerable quantity +of hot shot into a building in the centre of it, which served as a +barrack to the troops, the roof of which was presently set on fire, and +the only shelter they had was thus destroyed. They thus were compelled +on the 27th to surrender prisoners of war. + +It is not easy to describe the effect produced on those inhabitants who +lived nearest to the forts while the siege was going forward. Just as I +entered one of our batteries, which had been established close behind a +street, still occupied by the people, one of our artillerymen was +carried out shot by a musket ball in the breast, and dead; the poor +people when he was brought out into the street assembled round his body, +and set up the most piteous lamentations imaginable. This impressed me +with the good feeling which must have existed in their minds towards the +English, for they are not a people, as the reader will be aware, who are +very susceptible of horror at the sight of blood. A few hours after +these forts surrendered, I went to visit the principal one--the +devastation caused by our hot shot on the house before mentioned was +awful. They had been obliged to make this their hospital also as well as +barrack, and it was really lamentable to see the poor wounded Frenchmen +lying there in a house that was literally falling about their ears, the +roof having been completely fired, while burning beams and rafters were +continually dropping upon these poor helpless beings. A French surgeon +was still in charge of these men, and he had the politeness to show us +all over the fort. As it had appeared from the outside, it was in +reality remarkably strong, and the place where our people had made an +attempt to escalade it, was pointed out to us; he said it was heavily +mined, and that if our people had carried it by escalade, the mines +would most likely have been sprung. There was fixed immediately opposite +the gate a beam of wood, with holes bored in it, and about twenty musket +barrels fitted into them, so as to command the entrance. These, I +imagine, it was intended to have fired by a train, as our people forced +the gate, and it would have been like a little volley, which must have +swept away the first of the assailants. The inhabitants seemed greatly +rejoiced when this business was concluded, and peace once more +established in their city, and they vied with each other in showing us +every mark of attention and kindness, looking upon us as their +deliverers. + +If I am not mistaken, it was here where our illustrious Chief played off +a sort of innocent _ruse_ upon some of the Padres of the place. Soon +after our arrival, and before the attempt upon the forts had failed, he +went to visit some of the principal cathedrals, &c. which remained +entire; the priests of course were proud to show their churches on such +an occasion. He admired them greatly, and praised them much; but what +seemed particularly to attract his attention was the extreme whiteness +and cleanness of their walls and ceilings, although they were so very +lofty. He enquired how they managed to get up to them to keep them so; +and the unsuspecting Padre, without hesitation, led him to where they +kept the immensely long ladders by which they ascended. This was just +the very thing he wanted in his meditated attempt upon the forts, and of +course they, with others of a similar description, were procured for +that service. I will not vouch for the truth of the above, although I +heard it, and I think it was not unlikely to have taken place. Indeed +had he made a formal demand for such things, it is not improbable they +might have denied they had them; but his having seen them himself +precluded this. + +The forts surrendered on the 27th, and on the 28th the enemy's main body +retired altogether; for they soon learned the fate of the besieged, as +they had occasionally communicated in some measure by rockets thrown up, +and answered. On the same day, our division moved forward to +Castilbanos; and the day following to Parada de Rubiallis. On the 30th, +we reached Castrillo de Aguerino; and on the 1st of July, the town of +Ravel-del-Rey. The next day, we moved on towards Rueda, a considerable +town. Here we found the French in some force, their main body having +retired across the Duero to Tordesillas. The force in and about Rueda +consisted of both cavalry and infantry, and seemed to act as a rearguard +till the enemy's columns had time to file over the bridge at +Tordesillas. I was at some distance in front of our division, the +cavalry having preceded it, with whom I went forward. As we approached +the place, a pretty large column of the enemy's infantry left it, and +moved in the direction of the bridge. Some of our horse-artillery at +this time came up, and fired Shrapnel shells into it, which did +considerable execution; one shell particularly having killed and wounded +great numbers, among whom was an officer, I think one of the handsomest +men I had almost ever seen. Our cavalry had a little brush with some +squadrons of the enemy a little further on in the plain, and captured a +few prisoners. One of these was the sergeant-major of one of their +hussar regiments, and of all the men I ever saw taken, this man evinced +the greatest trepidation and alarm. He was absolutely like to sink to +the earth, either from fear of what awaited himself, or from the effects +of the contest in which he had been engaged. He had lost his cap in the +fray, and seemed like a person deprived of his senses. He must, +notwithstanding, have been looked upon by the French as a good soldier, +and a valuable non-commissioned officer; for I learned afterwards that +they sent in a request that he might be exchanged for one of our +sergeants whom they had captured, as it was intended immediately to +promote him to the adjutancy of his regiment; of course this was +immediately complied with. The enemy retired to Tordesillas, and we +bivouacked near Rueda, a part of the officers being permitted to go into +houses in the town during the day. + +In this situation we remained for a day and a night; but the sun being +so powerful, the troops began to feel the ill effects of the heat. They +were accordingly brought into the town and quartered in the houses. Here +I experienced more of that hostility before spoken of, on the following +occasion. In the number of houses allotted to my battalion, there +happened to be some of the best of them without stables; but as there +was not time to examine farther than their outward appearance, this +could not be known by me. I therefore marked off the houses according to +custom, giving the best, in point of appearance, to the senior officers +in succession, and so on till all were served. It so happened that the +house allotted to this officer, who had nearly the best in the +battalion given him, had no stable. This I was, from the fore-mentioned +cause, totally ignorant of. Neither had I any stable in the house I +occupied, but, after some trouble, I had found one in a house occupied +by some of the men, where I had put up my horses and mules, and went +about the other duties of my station. In the evening I was informed by +my servant that my animals had been turned out by this officer, and his +own put in, in their stead; and that mine were running loose in a yard, +he not caring what became of them. My saddlery, and all the +mule-apparatus, (precious articles in this country,) had also been cast +out. He was my _senior_ officer, and I was consequently obliged to bear +this ill-treatment. + +I mention this little circumstance, because it will show with what +determined and unrelenting hostility he pursued me. Indeed it might not +have been so trifling an affair, for had I not heard of it in time, I +might have lost every horse and mule I possessed, which would have been +one of the most serious disasters that could have befallen me. I could +obtain no redress, for the captain before mentioned, who commanded the +battalion, and this officer, being on rather unfriendly terms, he felt +delicate in interfering in my behalf. Indeed I have some reason to +believe, that it was partly on account of his enmity to this captain +(with whom I still messed) that he so persecuted me. + +I own I was on this occasion strongly tempted to demand that +satisfaction which the rules of honour (as they are termed) dictate, for +I then had not a Christian feeling on this subject; but after +consideration and consultation with some friends, it was feared he might +take advantage of his superior rank, not only to decline giving me that +satisfaction, but to report me, and thus destroy my prospects for life, +for he would have been compelled to the latter step had he not acceded +to my demand; and from the feeling he displayed towards me, there is not +the least doubt he would have rejoiced at such an opportunity of ruining +me. At this time, also, I had very few _real_ friends who would have +stood by me; for his secret machinations, and his having the ear of our +brigadier, tended greatly to estrange my former friends from me. + +All this, as might be expected, tended powerfully to depress my spirits, +and to cast a gloom over a mind but too susceptible of impressions of +that nature; for there is not any thing almost I would not do or submit +to, to live on good terms with those I associate with, and indeed with +all men. My mind was also much harassed at this time by receiving very +unpleasant letters from England on the subject of the goods I before +mentioned, and which had not yet reached any farther than Abrantes; and +as the men began to be ill off for want of clothing, I obtained leave to +proceed forthwith to Abrantes, to endeavour to get both the clothing and +goods brought up to the regiment. I therefore set off, accompanied by +one servant on a mule, leaving the other animals with the battalion, and +proceeded on the 16th on my journey, and passing through Ravel-del-Rey, +I halted for the night in a village where the seventh division was +quartered. As I knew some of the officers of the 51st, I took up my +abode with them for the night, and they indeed received me very kindly. +My friends spent the evening very merrily; but, about midnight, they +were called out and put under arms, expecting shortly to turn in again, +as they told me; but they were marched off, and left the place entirely, +leaving only my servant and myself in occupation of the town. + +It seems that Marmont, with his whole force, had moved from Tordesillas, +and had threatened Lord Wellington's communication with Salamanca. In +order, then, to keep up a corresponding movement, and be ready to take +advantage of any false step the enemy might make, his lordship withdrew +his whole force, and began to retire as Marmont advanced. Thus, in the +morning, to my surprise, all the army had left the neighbourhood, and as +I was not certain who the next visitors might be, I quickly decamped +from a village now left open to the enemy. I got on at a considerable +pace, as both my servant and myself were riding, and on the 19th I +reached Salamanca. + +During yesterday's march I heard a considerable cannonade to my right +and rear, and I afterwards learnt that the two armies had come nearly in +contact with each other, and some skirmishing and exchange of shots had +taken place. I did not stop in Salamanca longer than to draw rations for +ourselves and animals, being anxious to get on as fast as possible, to +try to get up the supplies while the army remained near the frontiers, +for it was still expected they would advance into the heart of Spain, +notwithstanding the present partial retreat. I accordingly moved on that +evening to Matilla, and continued thus making stages of thirty or forty +miles a-day, and on the 25th I reached Abrantes; but on the preceding +day I was overtaken by Lord Clinton, going home with the dispatches +relative to the glorious and decisive battle of Salamanca, which took +place on the 22d. His lordship was nearly worn out, being actually +asleep on his horse as he rode past me, for he had never once stopped +from the time he first set out. I learnt the news from the person who +accompanied him. It is impossible to describe the joy this information +created among the Portuguese inhabitants of the village. I stopped for +the night at Gaviae. + +I found at Abrantes a detachment of our second battalion proceeding to +join the army; but, to my sorrow, learnt there was no chance of +procuring transports for the clothing, &c., for months to come. This was +distressing information to me, and of course added to the despondency +already preying upon my spirits; for the merchants' letters I was +continually receiving began to be most importunate, and indeed +attributing the non-remittal of their money to a want of principle, and +talked of reporting my conduct to the Commander-in-Chief. + +Want of a proper religious feeling, under such circumstances, as might +be expected, laid me open to great temptations. I therefore, to drown +sorrow, and because I had always been too much addicted to it, began to +give way to intemperance, and, falling in with a number of officers of +very dissipated habits, I was led on to indulge in the most vile and +abominable of all vices, _drunkenness_, to an excess almost incredible. +But the gloom still seemed to thicken, and a dark cloud seemed impending +over me, of which I was fully aware, and wrote home to my friends to +that effect. At length my birthday, the 4th of August, arrived, and +which must, as my unhappy companions in sin urged on me, be kept with +all due jollity. Accordingly, a dozen of strong port-wine was procured, +and we boozed away most joyfully, the whole being drank by about four or +five of us. This produced constipation in the bowels, and had nigh +brought me to my end; but my mind was more affected, if possible, than +my body. About two days after this debauch, on my retiring to bed at +night, I felt an unusual inclination to rise up and fall down on my +knees, to offer up my evening prayer; for, notwithstanding all my +wickedness and forgetfulness of God, I had not altogether abandoned the +_form_ of _saying_ my prayers at night, but it was always after I lay +down. I resisted this impulse, however, to rise and pray, and, after +mumbling over my _form_ without the _spirit_, I endeavoured to compose +myself to sleep. I did sleep for a while, during which I was troubled +with some confused and incoherent dreams; but soon after awaking, +gracious God! what were my feelings then? Despair, black despair, had +seized upon me. I rushed out of bed, and rolled upon the floor like one +distracted, as indeed I was. Oh! what would I then have given that I had +never been born, or that I could cease to exist! Had it been possible, +by throwing my body into the flames, to annihilate for ever my +consciousness of being, how gladly would I have done it! But no--the +terrors of the Lord were upon me, and drank up my spirits; and no one +who has not been in a similar situation can form the most distant idea +of the misery which preyed upon me. The pains of hell got hold upon me, +and hope seemed for ever to be shut out from my mind. I believed I had +sinned past all redemption; that the mercy of God could not possibly be +extended to me; and of the efficacy of the Redeemer's blood I knew +nothing. Oh! this was a time much to be remembered by me, for none but +He who afflicted me, and my soul which bore the affliction, knows what I +then suffered! + +At length the morning came, but with it no comfort for me. One of my +sinful and dissolute companions came to see me, but he seemed greatly +shocked at the recital of my woful tale, and I believe then formed for +himself resolutions of amendment, which I fear, poor fellow, he never +was able to fulfil. He did not long survive, but was shortly after +called to his awful account, whilst I am spared,--a monument of the +long-suffering mercy of God. Amongst all my companions in error and +wickedness, I could not procure a Bible, and, as a proof of the ungodly +state I was then in, I had not one myself. This poor friend, however, +had a Prayer-book, which he lent me, and out of which I eagerly sought +for comfort and hope, but in vain, for all was against me. Yes--and all +who make God their enemy, will find in the hour of need, that every +other creature and thing will fail to yield them comfort; but I had +sinned too deeply and too perseveringly to find peace speedily. Oh! in +what black array did the sins of my whole life pass before me, and how +did I sigh for annihilation; or, if I could in any way atone for my +wickedness, if I could but go and bury myself in a cave or den of the +earth, and forego for ever all intercourse with mankind, how easily and +how cheaply did I then conceive I should purchase pardon and peace! But, +alas! I knew nothing of the way of reconciliation with an offended God, +although I had been duly instructed in my youth. I was in such agony of +mind that I scarcely heeded my body, but was prevailed upon to have a +surgeon, who administered what he considered necessary, but without +effect. My bowels had ceased to perform their functions, and this no +doubt would greatly affect my head; still, although this, as a _second_ +cause of the distraction of my mind, was easily discoverable, yet the +_great first cause_, not only of my disorder, but of all its effects, +was the God against whom I had so grievously sinned, and from whom alone +I could hope for the removal of my present sufferings. But hope was at +this time banished from my breast, and I gave myself up to all the +agonies of a soul that is lost for ever; but still I could not _rest_ in +this sad situation. I therefore now determined to set off for Lisbon, in +hopes that I might obtain from the chaplain, who was stationed there, +some slight alleviation of my misery, for none but Roman Catholic +priests were to be found where I then was. I accordingly set off, +accompanied by my servant, but in such a hurry, and so utterly +regardless of all worldly concerns, that I left my baggage in my +quarters, which was taken care of by the friend before mentioned. + +I started in the afternoon of the second day after my attack. The sun +was scorching hot above my head, but I regarded it not, seeing there was +a hotter fire within me; indeed I believed I could not mortify my flesh +sufficiently, so blind was I at this time of the nature of atonement. My +feeling was, that I had an Almighty enemy over me; that His eye was upon +me for evil, let me go where I would; and that I could not possibly +escape from the destruction which He would shortly inflict upon my soul. +How gladly, as I rode along, would I have solicited the rocks and +mountains to fall upon me, and hide me from His sight, did I believe +they could have availed for this purpose! But no--I felt it was +impossible, and that I must endure for a short while longer the lighter +punishment he had then laid upon me; and by and by I must drink to the +dregs the cup of His everlasting indignation. O, sinners! be persuaded +to flee from the wrath to come, for indeed one of the slightest terrors +of the Almighty is enough to drive to distraction the strongest mind, +and to appal the stoutest heart! + +I arrived at Galigao, the place of my intended rest for the night--and +here I was attacked with ague and fever in addition to my other +disorder--this was the effect of my exposure to the sun in so weak a +state. But I cared not for my body. I knew that would return to the dust +from whence it was taken. But oh! the never-dying soul--to think that it +should endure eternal and omnipotent wrath, overwhelmed me with dread +indescribable. My mind, it is true, was affected by my disorder; but it +could not be termed insanity or madness, for I even now remember with +great distinctness the feelings I then experienced, and those feelings +remained with me for a considerable time afterwards. + +Here I felt myself extremely ill, and believed I could not survive till +morning. I consequently got my servant to make down my bed in a corner +of the room I occupied, with his own near it, and told him to leave the +candle burning, for that my time could not be long. I was compelled to +submit, and quietly lay myself down, in dreadful expectation of the +fatal hour, and when, as I imagined, the infernal fiend would be +commissioned to seize and carry off my soul to its abode of everlasting +misery. I could not pray, nor had I any the most distant hope that my +sentence could be reversed, for I fully believed it had been finally +pronounced by Him who changeth not. + +During this woful night, I appeared to possess a sort of second self, a +being which existed and thought and reasoned quite distinct from that +_me_ who was stretched upon the floor, and which appeared to upbraid me +with the misery it was then suffering, and was still to suffer, for the +sins of my past abandoned life. I know not whether any other person in +despair ever experienced this feeling; but to me it was quite obvious, +for I remember distinctly the sin to which it more particularly drew my +guilty attention. Was not this the soul which will exist when the body +is dissolved, and may not such an upbraiding take place between the body +and the soul when the former shall be raised to join the latter in the +judgment? But the fact is, my soul was that night as it were on the +point of taking its departure from the tenement of clay, and seemed +strong to endure the everlasting wrath of God. + +I do not know whether I slept any during this dreadful night; but +morning came, and with it a certainty that I was still in this world, +but without the hope that this might have been expected to produce. I +felt as in a fire, yet I scarcely durst put my burning hands into the +water my servant brought me. I felt convinced that I had forfeited all +claim to any thing like blessings, and that curses, both in body and +soul, were alone my due. + +Ill as I was, however, I proceeded on my melancholy journey, not with +any hope that a minister of religion could give _me_ any relief, but a +drowning man will catch at a straw. Oh! how strong, how awfully strong, +did my soul appear at this time, to endure the tremendous wrath of +Omnipotence, whilst my body seemed fast sinking into its original +element! + +I reached Lisbon in two days from this time, having taken a boat at +Santarem. I ate nothing, with a trifling exception. I had no inclination +for food, nor did I think I ought, for the reason before given; my only +sustenance was a little water which I kept in a bottle, and with which I +now and then moistened my parched lips. + +I arrived at Lisbon about daybreak in the morning, and proceeded as well +as I was able to a friend's house, and knocked at the door; but shocked +indeed were he and his wife, when they saw me standing below, more like +a ghost than an inhabitant of this world. Indeed it is not easy to +describe my looks at this time; there must have been much of that +spiritual misery depicted in them which a confirmed despair no doubt +produces. They took me in, and after hearing my woful tale, prepared to +do for me the best that lay in their power; they gave me their own bed, +taking a pallet for themselves, and treated me as if I had been their +brother. He, poor fellow, is no more, but his beloved and kind partner +still lives, and may she always enjoy that happiness she seemed so +desirous of contributing to on this occasion, and everlasting happiness +hereafter! As soon as it could be conveniently done, the clergyman was +sent for, and also a medical officer, although from neither had I any +hope. But, alas! from the former, although a kind and sympathizing man, +I derived but little benefit. He did not direct me to the only source of +a sin-sick being's hopes, the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of +the world. He made my hopes to centre too much in my own resolutions and +after-doings. No doubt, as my sins had been enormous and flagrant, my +repentance ought to be proportioned; but when he saw me bowed down under +an indescribable sense of guilt, oh! had he, like Paul to the jailer, +pointed me to the Saviour, how unutterably precious and acceptable would +it have been to my soul! I do not remember that any one character in +scripture is described as having felt more fully and more keenly the +sinfulness of sin, and of its consequent danger to the soul, than I did +at this time. How thankfully would I have accepted the mode of salvation +pointed out in the gospel; for indeed I was but too much (as all natural +men are) inclined to expect pardon and happiness from the things which, +if God spared me, I intended to perform. But He only knows best. This +kind gentleman wrote me out prayers, and seemed much interested in my +welfare; notwithstanding, the gloom of despair still hung heavy on me, +and at length; and when the kind medical friend was enabled, after +repeated efforts, to procure me some relief, I felt as if it was only +the prolonging of my existence, in order that I might fill up the +measure of my iniquity. This, I am now fully persuaded, was a suggestion +of the Father of Lies, in hopes probably of prevailing upon me to adopt +the awful and miserable resolution of Judas to get rid of life. + +I thank God this was the only temptation of that nature which he +permitted me to be exercised with; for I felt no inclination even in my +darkest hours to commit suicide, fully believing that the utmost of my +sufferings here could bear no proportion to those of the damned in hell. +I consequently had no inclination to hasten them by rushing into +eternity; this, it is evident, was of the merciful goodness of the Lord, +and for which I am bound to be truly thankful. + +I continued in this state of mind for several months, and could not, +with all my reading, praying, and doing, find peace. My reading and +praying seemed to me more like an irksome task, than an exercise in +which I took delight. I had formed a resolution from the first to retire +from the service, where it appeared to me I was exposed to so many +temptations; but here the experienced Christian will perceive how +erroneous were my views, and I think feel pleased that I never fully +effected my purpose, although I made preparations for it. Indeed I could +not well feel _certain_ that I should act right by retiring from the +post to which God's providence had appointed me, although my firm +determination was to live devoted to Him. But, alas! how wofully have I +failed of maintaining that resolution! + +My health now gradually improved, under the kind and fostering +attentions of my warm-hearted host and hostess, and it became necessary +that I should resume my station at Abrantes, which I did, in hopes of +being able to obtain transport from thence, although the army was at +this time in the neighbourhood of Madrid. But after returning to +Abrantes I suffered a relapse, and was again brought to the borders of +the grave, my mind still deeply impressed with my former ill +forebodings, although not quite so distressing as before. I got my +servant to read to me while I lay groaning on the floor, for I could not +bear to sleep in a bed at this time, but felt little comfort from his +endeavours, the Scriptures being at this time "a sealed book" to me; so +true is it that till the grace of God dispels our darkness we have no +light in us. + +I think it is probable that some of my readers, on perusing this part of +my narrative, will be inclined to say, "surely this man must have been +an uncommon and atrocious sinner, above all others, or he never would +have suffered thus." I acknowledge with shame that I have been a most +abominable and vile sinner, deserving of all the Lord laid upon me, and +much more, for I was, and am, fully deserving of hell fire; and should +that be my portion (as, through the merits and sufferings of my Saviour, +I have a humble hope it will not be), I must acknowledge the kindness +and justice of God, although I perish for ever. But I would say to such +readers, as our Saviour said to the Jews, that "except _ye_ repent, _ye_ +shall likewise perish." Others may be inclined, on the contrary, to say, +that all this was merely the effect of disease, and not at all to be +resolved into God's hatred of sin and punishment of it in this instance. +I acknowledge that it was the effect of disease. But when God laid that +disease upon me, He knew what effect it would produce upon my mind; +consequently, both disease and mental agony came from Him; and, because +I knew it came from Him, "I held my tongue and said nothing." And I have +now, and I hope shall have for ever, the greatest cause to bless His +holy name for this, as one of the greatest mercies He ever showed me, +for having thus taught me to know how evil and bitter a thing sin is, +and to set a juster estimate upon his favour. He thus taught me also to +value and love the Saviour, who alone can deliver me from the +punishment, the power, the pollution, and the love of sin, and to make +me happy for ever. Blessed be His holy name, for He has done to me all +things well, and I humbly hope to enjoy His favour for ever. + +During my stay at Lisbon, my batman, whom I before mentioned as having +lost, or rather sold, my mule, and who had here rejoined me to take care +of the horse and mule I had with me, either from remorse, or some other +cause, made an attempt to cut his throat, and succeeded so far as to +sever the windpipe, I believe, but did not quite effect his purpose. He +was found in a field near Lisbon bleeding nearly to death, and brought +into the hospital, where, with great care, and after some time, he +recovered. Indeed 1812 was a sickly year, and many were affected +strongly in the mind, several having committed suicide, I believe. + +While I lay here ill the second time, I received a letter from the +regiment telling me that the paymastership had become vacant, the poor +old gentleman with whom I returned to England last year, having come out +again to the Peninsula, and got as far as Rodrigo on his way to the +regiment, and there, being attacked with the same disease I had suffered +so much from, died; and that as General Stewart, our colonel, had +arrived at Lisbon, I was to go and wait upon him, and that letters would +be written from the regiment requesting him to recommend me for the +situation. + +I with great difficulty again reached Lisbon, and waited upon the +general, but to my great mortification I found the promised letters from +the regiment had never been received, and that another person had, in +consequence, been recommended, he being the son of the late paymaster, +and had applied some time before. My disappointment did not prey upon my +mind, for at this time I set very light indeed by the good things of +this world, and felt conscious that I already possessed much more than I +deserved. I was compelled through illness to remain again in Lisbon some +time, but found great difficulty to obtain permission from the +commandant for so doing. My general, however, procured me leave to stay +till I should be able to resume my post at Abrantes. Here, not only +myself, but all the officers who were then in Lisbon, and also at the +army, suffered much from the want of subsistence. I had at this period +seven months' pay due me, and could not obtain a dollar from the public +chest, although I wrote a note to the commandant showing him how I was +suffering from want of money. + +The army had in the meantime pursued the French, as before noticed, on +one side to Madrid, and on the other to Burgos; but the attempt to take +the latter by storm having failed, and the enemy having been able to +assemble a more numerous force than Lord Wellington had before it, he +was obliged to retire from both those places to the frontiers of +Portugal. The division from Cadiz, the siege of which having been raised +by our forward movement in summer, had joined the army at Madrid. Much +was suffered, I understand, during this retreat, the troops having been +exposed to great privations, and the weather being exceedingly wet and +unpleasant. My division, after the retreat, took up its quarters again +in the villages on the Portuguese side of Rodrigo--my battalion being +stationed at the village of Espeja. The army, as might be expected from +the late severe and harassing service they had been engaged in, began to +be extremely ill off indeed for want of clothing, many of the men being +nearly quite naked; in consequence, the most pressing orders were sent +from head-quarters to use every means possible to have the supplies +immediately forwarded, for Abrantes at this time contained stores +belonging to almost every regiment in the army. My health having been +considerably improved, I again returned to that depot, and, after +waiting a few weeks, the means of transport were at last given me by the +commissary there. I need not say with what alacrity I prepared for and +commenced my long wished for journey. I had got a sufficient escort +assigned me, from a detachment of our men being about to join the +regiment. + +We started about the beginning of January 1813, and proceeded on our +route by way of Niza, &c. I had been obliged to buy another horse from +some cause which I do not now recollect, but when we were leaving the +town just named, I found, on turning out to move off, that a large nail +had been driven right up into the centre of one of his feet. Whether +this was done accidentally, or by design, I never could learn, but the +consequence was the loss of the horse. I had great trouble also to keep +the convoy, which consisted of about a dozen bullock carts, with as many +soldiers as an escort, together; the drivers, if they were not strictly +guarded, very often made their escape, taking their bullocks with them +during the night, and leaving the cart in our possession, glad, I dare +say, that they got off so cheaply, for they seemed to have a great +antipathy to go with us. I was therefore compelled to collect them all +together near Castello Branco, and making the soldiers load their rifles +before them, told them as well as I was able that they had orders to +shoot the first who attempted to desert with his bullocks. This had a +good effect, for I believe we lost no more till we reached the regiment; +but, as we approached the frontiers of Spain, several of the drivers ran +away without their cattle, preferring the loss of both bullocks, cart, +and payment, rather than enter that country, of which the peasantry in +general seemed to have a great dread. Those who stuck by us to the last, +were rewarded with the bullocks and carts of the deserters; but I think +we did not take more than two or three out of the twelve to the +regiment, the rest had all made their escape. Nothing can be conceived +more tiresome than travelling with such a convoy. The carts are all +constructed upon the principle of the Irish car; that is, the axle rolls +round with the wheels, they being firmly united; consequently the +creaking noise created by the friction is loud and most unpleasant, and +they have no idea of grease or tar to diminish this, but believe in many +parts, if not in all, the noise to be a sort of holy noise, which keeps +the devil from them. I found, in removing these stores, that great +robberies had taken place upon them, several of the bales having been +opened while on board ship, great quantities of goods taken out, and +their place filled up with old transport bedding, &c. I found it +necessary, however, to endeavour to bear up against all this, for my +mind would not suffer me to dwell too much upon such misfortunes. At +length I arrived at the regiment, where indeed I was a welcome guest, +for they were greatly in need of all kinds of equipment. + +The officer who had rendered my life so unhappy before, had left the +regiment, and gone into another far distant from my present place of +abode, for which I was truly thankful, and his absence I found produced +a great change in my favour; for every one seemed glad to see me, and +sympathized with me in my late alarming illness; in fact, the face of +things was entirely changed for the better. I myself had benefited much +by my late chastisement. I had learned to think meanly of myself, and to +be kind and submissive to all to whom I owed submission; a virtue which, +I fear, I was but too deficient in before. + +All things now went well with me. The goods, which before had been such +a source of uneasiness and trouble, were rapidly disposing of, and thus +the prospect of my soon being able to pay my creditors became every day +brighter. But, in the mean time, what I had hinted at before took place: +one of the merchants had actually reported me to his Royal Highness the +Duke of York. This might, indeed, have deprived me of my commission, had +his Royal Highness been harsh with me; but he caused a letter to be +written to my commanding-officer, (now Sir Andrew Barnard,) to call on +me to explain why I had not remitted the merchant what I owed him, and +to account for my not answering his letters, which he said I had failed +to do for several months. My answer was very simple, as the reader is +aware; but, with respect to the letters, I showed the colonel one, in +which the merchant acknowledged having received one from me a short time +previously. This also was satisfactory, and I had moreover remitted him +a short while before L.300 of the money I owed him. The colonel was +fully satisfied, and wrote off to his Royal Highness accordingly, and I +heard no more of the business. Soon after the captain, who had been +acting as paymaster, was obliged to return to England, on account of ill +health. After some necessary steps I was appointed to this duty, it +being an addition of 10s. per diem to my pay. According to the army +regulations, a person in my situation could not be appointed acting +paymaster; but a committee of three captains was formed, who took all +the responsibility of my transactions upon themselves, giving me, as +before said, the whole 10s. per diem. This showed, at least, that they +were not afraid to trust themselves in my hands; for I might have +involved them deeply. In short, whatever I did (almost) prospered, and a +kind Providence seemed to smile upon me; and I believe that from this to +the close of the Peninsular campaigns was the happiest part of my life. +I have reason, therefore, to bless God for his unbounded goodness to +me. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + + Preparations for the Field--Amusements in winter + quarters--Grand Review--Advance of the Army in pursuit of the + Enemy--Come up with their rearguard in the vicinity of Hornilla + de Camino--Skirmishing--Encounter with the 1st brigade of the + Enemy, who are beaten, and forced to retreat--Our Army advance + in pursuit--An affair between the rearguard of the Enemy and + our 4th Brigade--Vittoria--General Engagement--The Enemy + defeated--Remarks. + + +I begin this chapter, through the mercy and goodness of God, with +brighter prospects than any I have written hitherto; for though I was +still ignorant of the peculiar doctrines of Christianity, I believed God +was at peace with me, and, from my late dreadful sufferings for sin, I +certainly walked very circumspectly, and I believe I had also more of +the genuine feelings of a Christian, though not the knowledge; for I was +lowly in my own eyes, and loved all mankind. In me was fully verified at +this time that sublime, but seemingly ill understood, saying of our +Saviour's, "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." I +now was meek and lowly, and I had friends in abundance, and may truly be +said to have possessed or inherited the earth, for I had plenty of every +necessary good, and, withal, peace and contentment. I could not enjoy +more had I been in possession of more. Alas! how lamentable is it that +chastisement should produce a better effect upon me, than love and +gratitude to God is capable of doing; for, to my shame be it spoken, +pride and selfishness now prevail much more in my heart than they were +able to do then; and I find it much more difficult now to bring my mind +down to that lowly and contrite feeling which with God is so acceptable, +and with the possession of which only He promises to dwell. + +As the officer whom I have had occasion so often to mention owed me a +trifle of money, I wrote to him, in as friendly a manner as I could, +hoping, now we were separated, that his enmity would cease, and I was +desirous of being at peace with all mankind; for, as I said before, I +never yet knew why he was my enemy. He wrote back, with an order for the +money, telling me, he hoped never to hear from me again, for that he was +anxious to forget that such a person had ever existed in the world. +This, as might be supposed, wounded my feelings deeply, but I remembered +that I had myself sinned as deeply against God, and that He might raise +up such instruments for my correction as seemed good to Him. My +feelings, therefore, towards this person were more of regret and pity +than of resentment, and I think I did not forget to pray to God for him. +Poor fellow, he has a good while since been called to his account, and +that in rather an awful manner; he fell in a duel, but which (from all I +could learn) he was engaged in from the best motives, that of +endeavouring to prevent the seduction of a young female belonging to his +regiment. I hope he is at peace. + +During our stay in winter-quarters every exertion was made to put the +troops in a proper state to take the field again, so soon as the season +was sufficiently advanced. While we remained here also every sort of +innocent amusement, at least generally innocent, was had recourse to, +both by officers and men, not only to pass the time of inactivity with +pleasure, but to keep up that readiness for action always so necessary +in a state of warfare. We accordingly had races, balls, plays, and every +other description of pastime our situation admitted of. We in Espija +established what was termed a _trigger_ club, each one in turn giving an +entertainment at his house, and at which, as the name would imply, as +much game was produced as our sportsmen could procure. The plays were +generally held at Gallegos, the quarter of the 43d, and which were +indeed got up in a surprising style, considering the means of doing so. +A _walking_ club was established in our 1st battalion, which was +quartered at Alamada; we were of course frequently favoured with the +company of its members, for they thought nothing of setting out, each +with a long pole in his hand, and walking twenty or more miles to +dinner. Thus harmony and a brotherly feeling was promoted amongst the +officers of the division,--a thing of great moment where regiments have +to act together, as well as pleasant to all parties. Some of our people +also occasionally had a wolf-hunt, for these animals were quite numerous +in this part of the country; nay, so bold were they when pressed with +hunger, that they did not scruple sometimes to enter our villages, and +devour whatever fell in their way that they could master. An officer of +ours had an ass or a mule torn to pieces one night while standing in the +yard behind his house. The mode of hunting them was, to have a certain +number with arms stationed at the different passes in the wood, whilst a +large party of drivers scoured the wood in line, driving every thing +before them, when the animals, coming upon the armed people, were shot; +but I do not think they were at all successful: it requires people +accustomed to the business to enable them to kill many. There is a +premium given for every wolf's head, but I forget how much it is. + +I sometimes took a trip to the Azava, or the Agueda, on a fishing +excursion; but I was ill off for fishing tackle: the hooks the Spaniards +make are the clumsiest things imaginable, and would not, I am persuaded, +be made with less dexterity by the natives of New Zealand. Those which +we were forced to use for fly-hooks had a hole or eye at the top, like +the crook which you will sometimes see in a butcher's shop, intended to +be hung upon another, which was formed by turning the wire down again, +and through this they run their line; besides, they almost invariably +broke, and I have been wofully tantalized sometimes by having the hook +break off the only fly that the fish were taking; notwithstanding, I +caught some very fine trout in the Agueda, this river abounding with +them. I sometimes also caught barbel in that river; but it was literally +swarming with a sort of roach, or what some of our people called +rock-fish: they generally feed from some stuff they find on the large +stones. But as the season approached which was to call us to the field, +a review of the whole division was ordered to take place on the plain of +Espija, and which, I think, was as brilliant a spectacle of that +description as it was possible for 5000 men to make. Every regiment was +in high and complete order, the whole having by this time been fully +equipped for the campaign: the movements, too, were beautiful, and +executed with great precision and promptitude, and, as might be +anticipated, called forth the unqualified approbation of our illustrious +Chief. + +A new and different arrangement was made this campaign with respect to +both officers and men in their field-equipment. Experience had proved +that constant bivouacking injured the men's health, as the mode they had +adopted last year, though very ingenious, was not calculated to protect +them sufficiently from exposure to the weather. They had last campaign +been ordered each man to have loops sewed on at the corner of his +blanket; thus, when in the field, two of these were united, and spread +over two stand of arms set up at the ends for poles, and being fastened +down at the other corners with bayonets, they formed a sort of tent, +into which perhaps four men might creep; but then they had thus only two +blankets to serve as a bed for the whole four men; consequently they +would, in cold weather, be much exposed. This campaign each company +received four tents; thus allowing about twenty men for each, and the +officers of each company had one among them, and the field and staff +officers in like proportion. These were carried on mules, which before +had carried the camp-kettles; but these being exchanged for smaller +ones, the men carried them in turns upon their knapsacks. Thus it rarely +happened that the tents were not on the ground nearly as soon as the +men; but strict orders were given always to encamp out of sight of the +enemy, if practicable, that they might not be able to calculate our +numbers. How very different from the ancient mode of encamping! each of +which being more like a town laid out with regular streets, &c. &c. But +war was a very different thing in those days, and could Marlborough have +risen to see one of our straggling and irregular mountain camps, I know +not what his feelings would have been: he would, I fear, have thought we +had sadly degenerated. + +All being now ready for opening the campaign, a part of the army, under +Sir Thomas Graham, crossed the Douro low down in Portugal, and proceeded +up the right bank, while we, with Sir Rowland Hill's corps, moved +forward in the direction of Salamanca and Toro. On the 21st of May, our +division broke up from its cantonments, and assembled at the village of +St Felices el Chico, a few miles below Ciudad Rodrigo, each regiment +having had the Agueda to ford in its march to this camp. Our division at +this time consisted of the following corps:--viz. the 1st brigade, under +General Kempt, was composed of the 43d regiment, 17th Portuguese, and +the 1st and 3d battalions of my regiment; the 2d brigade, under General +Skerrit, contained the 52d regiment, 1st and 3d Portuguese cacadores, +and the 2d battalion of my regiment; one troop of horse artillery, under +Colonel Ross, was attached to the division; the whole being under the +command of General Charles Alten. On the 22d, we moved on to Martin del +Rey, near the river Yeltes, by the side of which we encamped. On the +23d, we marched to and encamped near San Munoz, where the division had, +I understand, suffered considerably during the retreat of last year, +from the French having gained ground upon them, and severely cannonaded +them from a height near this village. On the 25th, we moved on to +Robliza, having halted the day before to enable the other division to +come up with us. We next morning moved forward to the little river +Valmuzo, a few miles on the Portugal side of Salamanca, and alluded to +in my former advance. Here we halted for three hours during mid-day and +cooked, and in the afternoon advanced to the ford of El Canto, on the +river Tormes, and about two leagues below Salamanca. Here we encamped +for the night, and remained next day also. Lord Wellington, with some +cavalry we understood, had entered Salamanca, where only a small force +of the enemy's cavalry had been found, and which retired immediately; +but I believe some little skirmishing took place between the parties. On +the morning of the 28th we forded the Tormes, and advanced towards +Aldea Nueva de Figuera, which we reached late in the day, the distance +being about twenty-four miles. + +While we lay at El Canto, a few of our officers visited Salamanca, in +hopes of meeting some of their old friends of last year; but not a +_viva_ greeted their ears on entering the city; a sort of suspicious +look of recognition was all they could obtain from those people, who had +received us only last summer with such extravagant demonstrations of +joy. No doubt they had been made to suffer for their former expressions +of attachment to us, for the French had in almost every place their +partisans, who doubtless would not fail to give them, on their return, +an account of the manner in which the English had been received, and the +contributions would be laid on accordingly. + +We remained at Aldea from the 28th May to the 2d of June, waiting for +information from the corps under Sir Thomas Graham, it being intended to +form a junction at or about Toro, where it was expected the enemy had a +considerable force; this was distant from us about thirty miles. While +we continued here, I took a trip to Sir Rowland Hill's division, where I +had a townsman, an officer in the 28th, but had not the satisfaction of +seeing him. I had other friends in that division, however, with whom I +and my companions spent the day in great harmony and satisfaction, and +at evening returned to our camp, about four miles distant, highly +gratified. + +On the 2d of June, we set off early in the morning, and arrived at Villa +Buena about mid-day, where we halted for three hours to cook and +refresh, after which we continued our march towards Toro, which we +reached in the evening, but the enemy having destroyed the bridge across +the Douro at this place, we encamped for the night in some fields on the +left bank of the river. We learnt here that the hussars attached to Sir +Thomas Graham's division had attacked a corps of French cavalry soon +after their having quitted Toro, and with whom a very smart affair had +taken place, the enemy being completely routed, and about 150 prisoners +taken from them. Our cavalry, I believe, lost an officer on this +occasion, who fell into the hands of the enemy. Nothing could exceed the +miserable appearance of the horses taken from the French on this +occasion; they appeared really half starved, although at this season +there was plenty of green forage to be had; they must either have been +sadly neglected, or have been doing exceeding hard duty. + +The bridge having been rendered passable for the men, the division +crossed on the following morning, the horses and mules fording the +river. We left Toro immediately, and moved on in pursuit of the enemy, +and encamped that night at Terra Buena. On the 4th, we reached the +convent of Espinar, and encamped on a height just over it. It was a most +picturesque and beautiful piece of country around this convent, but +itself appeared to have been lately rendered uninhabitable. I believe +the monks had been driven away by the French, but not a soul remained to +enquire of; all about the building was desolation. We next day advanced +to the village of Muderra, and on the 6th to Amperdia, and on the 7th we +marched through the city of Palentia, and encamped outside the walls, on +the banks of the river Carrion. + +Here the inhabitants evinced the same degree of enthusiasm on our +entrance as we had been accustomed to witness in other large towns, till +the French had taught them a little more circumspection, and which the +good people of Palentia would have been most probably fully taught, had +these good friends of theirs ever got possession of their city again. +Some time after we had pitched our camp, and were strolling about the +city, the lifeguards entered, and were of course saluted with repeated +vivas. One of the men, a rather country-looking young fellow, cried out, +"Ay, the folks be always glad to see we lifeguards," happily supposing, +no doubt, that they were intended as a particular compliment to his +corps alone. All the country through which we had marched for several +days past, was one continued plain of waving corn, mostly wheat of the +very finest description. There are no hedges or dikes, but, as before +noticed, only landmarks to divide the different fields, so that its +appearance is like an immense sea, stretching as far as the eye can +reach, the long corn undulating with the wind as the waves in the ocean. + +On the 8th we marched forward and encamped at the village of Tamara, the +weather having, from being exceedingly fine, and indeed rather hot, set +in extremely wet and cold, and thus rendered marching very unpleasant. +We next day reached La Pena, (the name, it may be remembered, of the +Barossa Spanish hero,) the weather continuing very coarse and stormy. On +the 10th we continued to advance, and marching through the village of +Framosa, and passing over a canal which crosses here, we halted for the +night on the right bank of the river Pisuerga, near the village of +Lantadilla. In all these late movements, we had experienced a great +deficiency of fuel for cooking and drying our clothes when wet, neither +forest nor bush-wood being to be seen for days together, and indeed +scarcely one solitary tree to be met with--nothing but corn; so that we +were occasionally compelled to resort to the cruel and unchristianlike +expedient of pulling down houses to obtain the timber with which they +were built for the purpose of cooking, or we must have eaten our food +raw. This, however, was done in a regular and systematic order, the +Alcalde of the village pointing out such of the houses as were to be +doomed to the fire, and the troops taking no more than was absolutely +necessary. It is astonishing to me how the natives themselves exist for +want of this article of first necessity. + +From this village we moved forward on the 11th, and crossing the +Pisuerga, marched on the town of Pallacio, which we passed, and reached +the village of Landrino, near which we encamped for the night. + +From the time we left Toro, the enemy had been gradually retiring before +us, having withdrawn his forces from all the strong places on the Douro, +and seemed concentrating somewhere in the direction of Burgos or +Vittoria. Excepting our cavalry, no part of our forces ever had the +satisfaction of seeing a Frenchman hitherto during the whole of this +long and rapid march; but on the morning of the 12th, as we now +approached Burgos, it was fully expected that we should be able to get a +sight of the fugitives; and accordingly, after we had left our last +night's quarters, and marched a few miles in the direction of the city, +a pretty strong body of the enemy's cavalry was seen drawn out on a high +plain, a little above the village of Hornilla de Camino. These were +supported by a division of infantry formed in square, and occupying the +outer edge of the high plain facing the way we advanced, and apparently +observing our motions. On discovering this force, our division was +halted to give the cavalry attached to us time to ride forward to +reconnoitre, and ascertain more exactly the force before us, than could +be done while we were on the low ground. + +I rode forward with our cavalry, which, passing by the enemy's square of +infantry, approached the main body of their cavalry. It not being, +however, the intention of the French to fight here, they slowly and +orderly retired before us across the plain; but as we had left the +square of infantry nearly behind us, the guns attached to our cavalry +turned in that direction, for this body seemed indifferent about the +movements of our cavalry, and it was not till our division began to +ascend the hill that they evinced the slightest intention of stirring. +On seeing them, however, they quickly decamped, and as they had to pass +within 150 yards of the position our guns had taken up, I imagined +considerable execution must have been done upon them before they got out +of our reach. But, strange to say, I believe only one single man was +knocked down by the great numbers of shot fired at them. It must have +been owing to the relative situations of the two parties; they passed +down a hollow way which led from the high plain in the direction of the +Burgos road, and which covered them completely till they came +immediately below our guns, when it became a difficult matter to depress +them so as to bear upon the enemy's square as they passed us. However +the whole turned round and gave us a regular volley, for, as we were so +much above them, there was no danger from their firing in square; but +this, although the shots flew pretty thick about us, was not productive +of any mischief that I remember. They retired across the plain below us, +pursued by another division of ours which had advanced on our right, and +between whom and the French a pretty smart skirmish took place. So soon +as their infantry were clear from us, their guns opened out from the +opposite side of the river upon us on the height, but, the distance +being considerable, their shot did little execution. It was evident this +force was only left here as a rearguard, to ascertain our movements and +force, &c. We encamped for the night near the road by which we had +ascended the high plain; but were awoke early next morning by a +tremendous explosion which shook the earth beneath us, although at the +distance of 6 or 7 miles from Burgos, the castle of which the enemy had +blown up, and retired altogether. We soon after commenced our march, +and, leaving that city to our right, made a long march in the direction +of the Ebro, and halted for the night near the village of Tovar. The +next day we moved on to Quintanajar, and on the 15th, after a long +march, we reached the Ebro, and halted at the village of Puente Arrenas, +situated in the delightful valley of Veras. This is one of the most +picturesque and beautiful valleys in Europe, I dare say. When you arrive +at the brow of the high ground over the Ebro, a sight breaks upon you +all at once which is indescribably grand and beautiful;--a large river +rolling under you, beyond which a rich and fertile valley, laden with +the fruits of a hundred orchards, with charming villas and farm-houses +dispersed through all the lawn; a stupendous bridge, of I know not how +many arches, leading you across this magnificent river; and the whole +closed by high and beetling rocks jutting out of the high woody bank on +the opposite side. It really appeared like enchantment when we first +arrived within sight of it, from the long dreary plains we had been so +long traversing. Here, for the first time since we entered Spain, did we +meet with "manteca de vaca," or "cow butter," all the other we had been +compelled to use hitherto for want of better, was what they call +"manteca de puerco," or "hog's-lard." The women who brought it wore a +quite different dress from those we had seen in the parts we had passed +through; the women had on generally yellow stockings, with abundance of +petticoats of red, yellow, green, &c. &c., and were all very stout-made; +they were, I believe, from Asturias. Poor creatures, many of them +followed us with loads of butter, wine, cheese, &c. &c., even into +France, so pleased were they with the excellent prices their +merchandise brought amongst us; indeed, we had been so long debarred the +enjoyment of butter and cheese, that we would have given almost any +price to get them sweet and good. They carried their loads (and +tremendous ones they were) as the flesh-wives in Newcastle carry theirs, +that is, by passing a broad leather belt across the forehead and over +the shoulders, and so underneath the heavy load upon their back. They +were a civil and obliging race of beings, and apparently much more +industrious and cleanly than the rest of their country people. + +We left this delightful spot on the morning of the 16th, following the +course of the river upwards for about a league, then turning short to +the right, passed through an enclosed country, and halted for the night +at the town of Medina del Pomar. This is a considerable-sized place, in +which was a nunnery, the inmates of which greeted us with hearty +welcomes and vivas, with waving of handkerchiefs, &c., through their +strongly iron-grated windows, where they more resembled criminals of the +worst description shut up in a strong prison, poor things, than people +who had devoted themselves to the service of their Maker. Next morning, +we moved forward through a country almost without roads; we were, in +fact, crossing the country in order to get nearer to the great road +leading from Madrid to Vittoria, and on which the enemy's army was then +retiring. We encamped for the night, after a fatiguing day's march, on a +woody height near the little river Loza. We took the high ground on this +occasion for our encampment, although extremely inconvenient and +uncomfortable, being among stumps and brushwood, where there was +scarcely room to pitch our tents; this was in consequence of being in +the neighbourhood of a considerable force of the enemy, which was +retreating, as before noticed, along the great road. + +The next morning, the 18th of June, we started pretty early, and +calculating that we should this day come in contact with the above +force, we marched in such a manner as to be ready, when that event took +place, to take advantage of any favourable circumstances that might +offer. We had in our front a squadron of Hussars belonging to the German +Legion, and which were generally attached to our division. About mid-day +the squadron in front of us reached the village of San Millan, where the +road on which we were then marching, and the great road on which the +enemy was retreating, unite; the latter descending from a high tableland +just above the village, and passing a narrow defile between two high +rocks. Our cavalry, on reaching this village, descried the advance of +the French, composed also of cavalry; and what was not a little +singular, they also were Germans in the French service. Our brave +Hussars instantly charged those of the enemy, and immediately overthrew +the body opposed to them, and in the charge captured several men and +horses, which they brought in prisoners. + +By this time the head of the division had reached the spot, (my 1st +battalion leading,) which in a few minutes got warmly engaged with the +enemy's voltigeurs, a considerable number of whom had advanced to oppose +us, in order that the main body of their division might be enabled, +under cover of their fire, to pass through the village on the way +towards Vittoria. Our people, however, pressed them so hard, that the +whole of their leading brigade was obliged to join in the action. At +this moment our illustrious Chief came galloping up; for, whenever any +thing was to be done, he was always present. He had also taken care to +have our 4th division moved so as to arrive at the village of Espija, a +town about a league in front of us on the great road, nearly about the +same time, so that, should the French contrive to get away from us, +they might fall into their hands. He immediately sent me off to the +leading company of our people who were engaged, for the guide they had +had with them, in order that he might conduct his lordship to Espija; +but that was no place for a Spanish peasant who had neither honour nor +glory to gain, and he had accordingly made his escape the moment our +folks got into action. His lordship instantly dashed off without a +guide, while our two battalions, that is, the 1st and 3d of my regiment, +kept advancing upon the enemy, and fairly drove them through the +village, being supported by the other regiments of the brigade, but who +had not any occasion to come into action. + +The first brigade of the enemy being thus beaten, retreated along the +great road in the direction of Espija, leaving their second brigade and +all their baggage to their fate. These latter being pressed by our +second or rear brigade, and seeing us in possession of the village, and +the road they had to pass, immediately broke in all directions, and +dispersed themselves in the mountains over the village, each man making +the best of his way. This their baggage could not do, and it +consequently fell into the hands of the captors, an easy and valuable +booty; but although my brigade, by beating and dispersing the enemy at +the village, had been the principal cause of its capture, yet those +whose hands it fell into had not the generosity to offer the least share +of it to us, but divided it amongst themselves. + +During the skirmish in the village, a French hussar chased one of our +officers several times round one of the trees growing by the side of the +road, and repeatedly cut at him with his sabre, and it is likely would +have cut him down at last, had not the officer seen a rifle lying near, +belonging to a man just killed; and luckily it was loaded when he picked +it up. He waited for the Frenchman, and coolly shot him through the +body, and instantly seized his horse as lawful prize; had the rifle +missed fire he was gone. We had not rested long after this brush till we +heard a firing in our front, where indeed it was expected. The troops +which had just left us, I imagine, had been attacked by the 4th +division, and we, the 1st brigade, were instantly ordered to their +support should they need it; but before we reached Espija, the enemy was +completely beaten, and had retired in the direction of Vittoria. We had +to retrace our steps and join our other brigade, and encamped for the +night in the neighbourhood of San Millan. + +Our loss on this occasion was but trifling, considering the smartness of +the affair. An officer of my regiment, of the name of Haggup, a +countryman of my own, received a most dangerous wound in the abdomen, of +which it was feared he would die, but he soon after completely +recovered. An aide-de-camp of the French General was wounded, and taken +prisoner, but he soon after died, poor fellow. Along with the captured +baggage were a number of Spanish ladies, who had been attached to the +French officers to whom it belonged, but they did not appear over +faithful to their protectors, for most of them, I believe, preferred +remaining in the hands of their captors, to being forwarded after their +beaten and now ill-provided former companions; such is generally the +fidelity to be expected from that sort of people. + +On the 19th we advanced by the same road the French had retired, till we +reached the town of Salinas, where there were very extensive salt-works, +as the name of the place denotes. We encamped for the night near the +village of Pobes, on a small rivulet named Bayas, I believe. Near the +end of our march to-day we had a view of the enemy's rearguard, as they +rounded the end of a mountain, which lay immediately before us, and over +which the road to Vittoria passes. After rounding the mountain, this +part of the enemy's force fell in with our 4th division again, which had +been moved forward from Espija by another road. A very smart skirmish +was the consequence, which we distinctly heard, and in which a good +number fell on both sides. The French retired from hence into their +position in front of Vittoria. During the next day, while we halted +here, it began to be whispered that the enemy had concentrated his +forces in and around Vittoria, which was distant from us perhaps about +ten or a dozen miles, and that the divisions of our own army had that +day approached nearer together, which indicated a determination on the +part of our Chief to try his hand with King Joseph, should he be bold +enough to stay where he then was. + +Many, of course, and various would be the reflections which occupied the +minds of the different individuals composing the two armies; but I can +speak from experience, that those are of a much more pleasing nature +which a consciousness of superiority and a good prospect of success +inspires, than those which a retreating army are compelled to entertain. + +Pretty early in the morning of the 21st, we fell in and moved forward by +the way the French rearguard before-mentioned had taken, and after +having passed the end of the mountain and descended into the valley on +the other side, we saw evident proofs that the affair between our 4th +division and the French, above alluded to, must have been pretty warm. +We continued to advance on the road to Vittoria, till, on ascending a +rising ground, the French army appeared in position immediately in front +of us. It was a noble and animating sight, for they appeared as numerous +almost as grashoppers, and were posted as nearly as I can recollect in +the following order. Immediately before us ran the river Zadora, +passing from our left and front to our right and rear. In the centre of +an extensive plain rose a pretty lofty conical hill, from which extended +to their left a sloping plain, through which the great road lay, and +terminated by a long range of mountains, stretching from Puebla de +Arlanzon, just above the river, to a considerable distance beyond +Vittoria. The city was shut out of our view by the conical hill before +mentioned, and was distant from it about four or five miles; to the +right of this hill, along the bank of the river, it appeared broken, and +not easily approachable. On the face of the conical hill, and to its +very summit, it appeared as thickly set with troops as if they had been +bees clustering together; it was also thickly studded with batteries and +other field-works. On the plain between that and the long range of +mountains, the troops appeared to stand so thick that you might imagine +you could walk on their heads. There did not appear any great force on +the mountains to their left, and what they had to the right of the +conical hill and towards Vittoria we could not discern, but it turned +out they had a strong force there. There were several small villages in +the plain and on the side of the mountains; the largest stood rather to +the right of the plain, with a wood immediately behind it; this, I +believe, is called Subijana de Alva. On the bank of the river also were +three or four villages, most of them on our side, with a bridge at each +village. The French army did not extend immediately to the river bank, +but was placed at some little distance beyond it. The river was easily +fordable. + +Our army began to arrive by divisions, and was posted as +follows--General Hill with the 2d division, consisting of about 12,000 +men, was on our extreme right, except about 3000 or 4000 Spaniards under +General Morillo, who were still more to the right, and facing the long +range of mountains before mentioned. In the centre was his lordship +with the 3d, 4th, 7th, and light divisions, perhaps 25,000 strong, with +the main force of artillery and cavalry. Sir Thomas Graham had been +early detached to our left with the 1st and 5th divisions and some +Portuguese, about 12,000 in all, to turn the enemy's right flank, and to +try to cut him off from the great road leading from Vittoria to France, +which ran in that direction. + +Whilst this movement was executing, and the different divisions were +getting into their several stations, we, who had arrived first, were +allowed to pile our arms and sit down. His lordship, with a numerous +staff, went down a little nearer to the river to reconnoitre the enemy's +position. I wandered down with them, and got as near as I could in order +to ascertain the opinion of the big-wigs as to the business about to +take place. One staff-officer, after carefully examining the position of +the enemy through his glass, gave it as his opinion, that we should +scarcely be able to make any impression upon so numerous an army, and so +very strongly posted; but this opinion must have been dictated, I think, +by his rather desponding temperament, for I believe it was entirely +singular. + +The enemy, however, did not fail to notice this movement of our General +and his staff, and instantly detached a corps of voltigeurs, who, +rushing down to the river, dashed across the bridge at the village of +Villoses, and immediately took possession of a small woody height on our +side of the river, from whence they opened a fire on his lordship and +those that were with him. This of course could not be borne; and as my +battalion was the leading battalion of the column and nearest at hand, +we were ordered (with two companies of our 1st battalion, which stood +next to us) to take our arms, and drive those fellows across the river +again. Thus we had, I believe, the high honour of commencing the action +on that memorable day. We soon chased the voltigeurs from the woody +height, down through the village, and over the bridge, where they took +post and remained, we not having orders to pursue them any farther. We +took possession of the village, and continued skirmishing with the +enemy, a good many men falling on both sides, as the river was not more +probably than thirty or forty yards wide, and a constant fire was kept +up by both parties till the French were afterwards driven away by our +divisions crossing lower down the river. + +After we had chased the enemy along the bridge, and they were fairly +clear of the village, a French battery, situated a little above the +river towards the conical hill, opened its fire upon us, from which we +suffered a good deal, one shot having taken our people, who were lining +a garden wall, in flank, and swept away five or six at a stroke; after +this we kept more under cover. + +Almost the first person who fell on our side was a lieutenant of the +name of Campbell. He had, I am sure, a strong presentiment of his death, +for he had, I believe, made his will the evening before; and when we +first came in sight of the French army, and the others were all animated +with life and glee at the prospect of gaining laurels in abundance, he, +poor fellow, sat down by himself quite pensive, and seemed lost in +thought. He received a shot in the forehead which terminated his career +in a moment as it were, and plunged him into an eternity of bliss or +woe. I hope he was prepared, but scarcely dare say I believe he was. Our +duty having been accomplished by taking possession of this village, and +keeping the French from coming over, we had now leisure to look round us +and see what was going forward; and we had certainly a noble field for +observation. My commanding-officer, with the rest of the staff-officers +and myself, together with half a company of men, took up our station at +the church, which, standing high, gave us a fine opportunity of +witnessing the movements of both armies. + +A short while after we had taken post here, we observed the smoke to +arise in dense columns in the direction which Sir Thomas Graham had +taken, which showed he had commenced the attack on that flank of the +enemy, and this was the signal for commencing operations on our right +and centre. Sir Rowland Hill's people, with the Spaniards, instantly +forded the river, and advanced along the top and side of the mountains +before mentioned; and as this was done in considerable force, it seemed +to disconcert King Joseph a good deal, for instantly his aides-de-camp +were seen galloping in every direction, and the troops which stood upon +the plain began to move in that direction, while those upon the conical +hill began to descend in great numbers into the plain. This was +precisely what our Chief had calculated upon; and now, by a rapid +movement, he threw the centre divisions across the river, by the bridges +of Trespuentes and Nanclara, a little below our village, and attacking +the remaining troops upon the conical hill, they were overthrown as fast +as our divisions reached them. The 2d, Sir Thomas Picton's division, +here particularly distinguished itself. + +General Hill's people were by this time very warmly engaged, for the +enemy having, as stated above, strongly reinforced that point, they made +a rather obstinate defence, particularly at the village and wood of +Subijana de Alva, which latter was filled with their light troops, and +where our 28th regiment, which was opposed to them, suffered +considerably, and were not able to make much impression. The action had +now become general, and our people on every side advancing; at this +moment old Douro, who never failed to inspire confidence wherever he +appeared, came dashing down into our village, and seeing the light +troops which had been opposed to us had retired, instantly ordered us to +advance, and join our division on the other side of the river. We +accordingly moved forward, and marched with all expedition to reach our +point; but the French had now begun to retire, and our people to follow +them, so that we found it difficult to overtake them, and did not do so +till they had passed the conical hill. When we came near that eminence, +I rode up to have a peep at the field before us, and never did I witness +a more interesting and magnificent sight. A beautiful and extensive +plain lay before me, covered with the cavalry, infantry, and artillery +of the contending armies; while the noise and din, occasioned by +repeated volleys and rolls of fire from the infantry, with the rattle of +upwards of 200 pieces of artillery, almost stunned the ear. Near the end +of this plain, and to the left, arose the lofty spires of Vittoria; and +beyond that again, the smoke arising from the attack of Sir Thomas +Graham's people added animation to the scene. + +I had not contemplated the scene before me above a minute or two, till a +howitzer-shell from the French fell close at my feet. My horse's bridle +was hooked on my arm, and I was standing looking through my glass; but +when this unwelcome visiter descended so near me, I thought it high time +to be packing. My horse, however, not having the same fear of the +consequences that I had, would not move but at a snail's pace. I was, +therefore, constrained to leave him to take his chance, and get myself +out of the way. It burst, but providentially without injuring either +horse or man, but in the scramble I lost the top of my glass, which I +could not afterwards find. + +I got down the hill, and joined my people, who had by this time passed +it; and just at this juncture I observed a body of troops a little to +our right, moving in the same direction we were. They were dressed in +blue, and had caps covered with white canvass. I took them for +Spaniards; but upon consideration that no Spaniards ought to be there, +and a closer inspection, I found they were a battalion of French, and +most likely those who had been so warmly engaged with the 28th at the +village of Subijana, and who having stood perhaps too long, and +afterwards having the wood to traverse, they had been detained +considerably behind the rest of the army; for by this time our advance, +and consequently the French rear, could not be less than half a mile in +front of us. I pointed them out to one of our lieutenant-colonels; but +as we had received orders to push on with all haste, and he not liking +to disobey his orders, and withal a ravine being between them and us, +which would have prevented our closing with them, they were allowed to +move quietly off, which they did with a pretty quick but steady pace. +Before we reached our division, we had to pass a village, over against +which was a very strong French battery, and where they peppered us +considerably, but without doing much harm, I believe. We here joined our +brigade. Immediately in front of this village the enemy made one of his +longest stands. Our brigade now formed lines of battalions, and lay down +in some ploughed fields, while their artillery kept playing upon us. On +our left the 3d division was warmly engaged. In about half an hour we +moved in that direction. The 45th we found posted behind a thin thorn +hedge, with its commanding-officer poor Colonel Ridewood, whom I had +known before, lying on its right, gasping in the agonies of death. A +great many men of this regiment had fallen here. We passed them, and +continued to advance along the plain by brigades and battalions; but we +found the ground much intersected with ditches, which would have +retarded us had we wished to advance rapidly; but from some cause or +other, which we could not then comprehend, we never pressed upon the +enemy closely, but gave them time to get quietly away. We were still, +however, in expectation of their making their final stand; for at every +short interval a beautiful little position presented itself, which the +French invariably occupied in the finest style possible, forming their +lines on these little eminences with the greatest precision, and in +beautiful order; but they never stood to let us get at them, for the +moment we began to come within musket-shot, they instantly began to +retire to another, which they took and abandoned in like manner. All +this time, indeed, there was continual skirmishing going on between the +light troops of the two armies, and a constant cannonade, and +occasionally the heavy lines came in contact; but their infantry +appeared to us to leave the field in the main unbroken. + +We continued these movements till near dark, by which time we had +considerably passed Vittoria, and the enemy's artillery had nearly +ceased. Our cavalry now got at them; and although, from the nature of +the ground, their movements were greatly cramped, yet they continued to +charge, and nearly captured King Joseph. We halted when we had got about +four miles beyond Vittoria, which we passed on the left hand. We thought +we had indeed gained a victory, but it appeared to us to be a most +barren and useless one; and many were not over well pleased that the +enemy had been allowed to get off so easily. But our noble Chief knew +well what he was about, for he reaped all the fruits from this that +could have been possibly gained from the most bloody battle. Indeed it +was far from being a bloodless victory, but he certainly did not +sacrifice one half the men that some in the action would have done; they +thought we should have pressed the enemy far more, and brought him to +closer action. + +After we halted, I (being the only quartermaster present) was sent in +search of the baggage belonging to the division, and which had followed +as far as they could along the great road. I passed through Vittoria on +my way to the rear in search of it, and saw as I entered it several of +Morillo's men, who had descended from the mountains and come into the +town. From the vivas and other marks of gratulation which some of the +inhabitants were rendering these ragged ruffians, a stranger would have +thought that Don Morillo, with his 3000 or 4000 Spaniards, had achieved +the whole victory themselves. It is certain they are a vainglorious +people. + +I passed through the town, and, taking the great road, I soon had ocular +proofs of the value of our day's work; the road being literally blocked +up with every description of carriage-guns, tumbrils, waggons, &c. &c. +which filled the great high-road for nearly two miles to the rear of +Vittoria. I found it difficult to make my way through them, but at last +fell in with the baggage; I could not, however, get it through, and was +obliged to leave it, after giving directions where to find the division +in the morning. I again passed through Vittoria in returning to the +division; but oh, what scenes had I now to witness! The followers of an +army are sometimes very numerous, and here they were abundantly so; +muleteers, Portuguese and Spanish concubines, with every description of +vagabond you can imagine. These were by this time all labouring hard in +their avocation of breaking open and plundering the carriages and +waggons, &c. that had been left by the enemy. Among these were hundreds +of soldiers, who were now beginning to feel the effects of the wine, &c. +which they had found in the enemy's baggage; and such a Babel was here +to be witnessed as is not easy to conceive. + +I had some difficulty in forcing my way through the town, at the end of +which I was accosted by five or six soldiers' wives, belonging to one of +our light cavalry regiments, who wished to accompany me, in order that +they might find their husbands, as that regiment was attached in some +measure to our division. Of course it would have been cruel to refuse +them; and as they were all mounted, away we posted, but had great +difficulty to make out where the division now was. Many were the waggons +and other carriages we passed on the road, either broken down, upset, or +with people plundering them; and I did not reach the division till 10 +o'clock at night. I was very glad when I found them, being then +excessively fatigued and hungry; and just as I reached my people, I +found the mess to which I belonged cooking a piece of thin mutton, which +they had cut off from a sheep that had been taken from the enemy. This +was all the plunder I got that memorable day, although, had I done as +many others did, I might have obtained a great deal both of money and +other valuables; for, as I said before, the numerous carriages I passed +gave me an opportunity which many would have rejoiced at of possessing +myself of immense wealth; but plundering never was my forte. One officer +whom I knew got, I believe, near L.1000 worth of money, and other +valuable property; and innumerable others got considerable sums, more or +less. I am glad now that I refrained from what _might_ have been +accomplished with ease and safety, but what also _might_ have entailed +upon me disgrace and ruin. One officer I heard of, who, while in the +rear, where he ought not to have been, found a box full of money, most +likely silver, but very heavy. A German dragoon coming up at the same +moment laid claim to half of it, and when this officer took hold of it +to remove it, the German also laid hold to prevent him. A sort of +scuffle ensued, when the German made use of most abusive and mutinous +language, with threats, which the officer was obliged to submit to, +knowing, as both of them did, how far he had descended from his station, +thus putting it in the power of the soldier to treat him as a brother +plunderer. Surely the mention of such an occurrence is enough to deter +any man who possesses the least spark of honour from ever putting it in +the power of a soldier to treat him so. Besides, if an officer plunders +before his men, what may not soldiers be expected to do? + +In looking back upon the events of this day, I cannot help being struck +with the bad generalship of those who commanded the French army. Marshal +Jourdan, I understand, was Joseph's adviser on this occasion. He had +always borne the character of an able General, but here he showed but +little ability. Why did he so much weaken his force on the conical hill +to support his left? Had he maintained his ground there, which is strong +by nature, and they had rendered it stronger by art, he might have +completely checked us on the right; for if we had advanced too far on +that side, our wings would have been separated, which would have been a +dangerous experiment; and I think Lord Wellington would not have +hazarded it. And after leaving his first position, why did he not fight +at every one of the beautiful little positions which he afterwards took +up but never defended? This conduct is most unaccountable, for had he +made a longer stand, even although he should be beaten, which no doubt +he would have ultimately been, yet, by making this stand, he might have +got off the greater part of his materiel, instead of which he carried +off with him one gun and one howitzer only, leaving upwards of 250 +pieces of ordnance in our hands. Most of his infantry left the field +apparently unbroken; for only here and there they had stood to let our +people get at them. It is true Sir Thomas Graham early cut off their +retreat by the great road to France; but what then? This ought to have +made them fight the more desperately, to enable them to get off the +better by the Pamplona road. The infantry should have stood till the +last, and not retired till fairly beaten out of the field. Nothing could +be finer than the movements of our army. + +Every thing our Chief attempted succeeded to a tittle. The only thing I +did not like was the delay we occasionally made in following up the +enemy; but I could not, of course, comprehend the general movements, +from seeing only a small part of them, and I believe the victory would +not have been more decisive by being more bloody. We lost in the +village, where we first began the fight, nearly thirty men, with the +officer before mentioned as killed, and a considerable number wounded. +There was something remarkable in the fate of one of the men who were +killed by the cannon-shot I before noticed. This man was remarkably +averse to fighting, and had shown, on all occasions, a disposition to +leave that kind of work as soon as practicable. Poor fellow! his failing +was known to all; and on this occasion those about him had orders to +watch him, and keep him to his duty. They had not been in the village +many minutes when this fatal shot swept him and about five others into +eternity in a moment. It has often been remarked, that this description +of people are generally the first to fall. + +It may not be generally known, perhaps, that a battle was fought on the +3d April 1367, a little higher up this river, near the village of +Novarete, between our Edward the Black Prince, and Henry the Bastard, +who had usurped the throne of Don Pedro, King of Castile. The history of +it is given by Froissart, who says, "a little before the two armies +met, the Prince of Wales, with eyes and hands uplifted towards heaven, +exclaimed, 'God of truth, the Father of Jesus Christ, who hast made and +fashioned me, grant, through thy benign grace, that the success of this +battle may be for me and my army; for thou knowest that in truth I have +been emboldened to undertake it in the support of justice and reason, to +reinstate the king upon his throne, who has been disinherited and driven +from it, as well as from his country.'" This zealous prayer was +immediately followed by the onset, the Prince crying aloud, "Advance +banners, in the name of God and St George!" + +"At the commencement," says Froissart, "the French and Arragonese made a +desperate resistance, and gave the good knights of England much trouble; +but at last, when all the divisions of the Prince were formed into one +large body, the enemy could no longer keep their ground, but began to +fly in great disorder; and Henry, the usurper, perceiving his army +defeated, without hope of recovery, called for his horse, mounted it, +and galloped off among the crowd of runaways. The English pursued them +through the town of Najara, where they gained considerable plunder; for +King Henry and his army had come thither with much splendour, and after +the defeat they had not leisure to return to place in security what they +had left behind them in the morning." + +There is a striking coincidence in many parts of the two actions and +their consequences, which the reader cannot fail to notice. The most +material difference, I think, in the two stories is, the offering up of +the prayer by the Prince, and the modern practice of not recognising, +publicly at least, the hand of God at all in any of our victories. This +is to be lamented. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + + Advance in pursuit of the Enemy--Our Forces retreat, in order + to counteract Soult's movements for the succour of + Pamplona--Total defeat of Soult in the several Actions near + Pamplona--Our Forces again advance--Come up with the retreating + Enemy at the Bridge of Yanzi--The Enemy take up a position + behind Vera--A considerable body of the Enemy attacked at the + Pass of Eschallar, and forced to retreat. + + +We remained in bivouack all night where the battle had terminated; and +did not begin to move till near mid-day on the 22d, when we set off in +the track of the enemy, and at night reached Salvatiera, where King +Joseph had slept the night after the action. + +The poor beaten French must have had a long march after the fight, for +this was probably sixteen or eighteen miles from Vittoria. We started +early on the morning of the 23d, and very soon began to overtake the +rear of the enemy. They now resorted to a system of retarding our march, +at once both cruel and cowardly; every village they passed through they +set on fire. Of course this caused us some delay, as the road generally +ran through the middle of the village, and the country on each side was +enclosed, but still nothing could justify such barbarity to the +unoffending natives, who were thus deprived of house and home, and +probably all they possessed in the world. We overtook their rearguard +near a village about two leagues from Salvatiera. They attempted to make +a stand while the village was in flames, but a shrapnell shell from our +horse artillery set them instantly in motion. We came upon a +considerable body of them again near the village of La Cunca, where we +again cannonaded them, and where our people had some slight skirmishing +with their rear. + +We encamped for the night near this village, and again started after +them in the morning early. My battalion led the column to-day, the post +of honour. We had marched, I think, about eight or ten miles without +overtaking any of the flying foe before us, but at last we came to an +open country, that which we had traversed being pretty thickly enclosed, +with bad roads and wet weather, which rendered marching very +uncomfortable. Here a halt was ordered, as the enemy was in front in +some force; here for the first time we got upon the great road leading +from Pamplona towards Bayonne; and here, where it turned the corner of a +mountain, forming a pretty acute angle, they had the only gun and +howitzer they had saved from the fight in position, and ready to receive +us. The men of my battalion, and a part of our 1st battalion, were +ordered to put their knapsacks up behind the hussars of the German +Legion, as it was not expected they would be wanted, and it thus +rendered our people better able to run. The enemy appeared to have two +battalions here, one of which remained on the great road near the two +pieces of artillery, while the other moved off more to our right, down a +valley which they imagined would, at the other end, let them out into +the great road again. + +We now began to move forward, and as I happened to be the first mounted +person who left the enclosed road we had been in, I was honoured with +the first shot from their gun, which, although a good shot, did me no +injury. Our people now pushed on at them pretty smartly, which caused +them, after firing a round or two more, to limber up and retire with +their artillery, though they of course retired as leisurely as possible, +to give time for their troops, whom they were covering, to get away. The +skirmishing between them and our people continued for about two miles, +they gradually retiring before us; but when they came to a sort of pass +in the road, formed by two rocks nearly meeting in the middle, their +bugles or trumpets sounded first the halt to their troops, and +afterwards the advance upon us. We could not comprehend the meaning of +this, till in a few minutes the battalion which we had observed go down +towards the right, suddenly made its appearance out of a wood among our +skirmishers. Of course a sharp contest now took place, and the firing on +both sides became more brisk; this battalion, it appears, had +miscalculated on getting out of the valley, down which it had retired, +and had been compelled, at whatever risk, to make the great road again +before they passed the rocks before mentioned; and in order to let it do +so, the other skirmishers had advanced to cover its movement. This +battalion suffered considerably before it reached the road, and we did +not get off scot-free, having lost out of our five companies about +twenty-four men. + +Our artillery being pretty near at hand, Colonel Ross brought up two +guns, and fired into their retreating column, doing considerable +execution. We now moved forward in close pursuit of the enemy for about +two miles farther, when a shot from Colonel Ross's guns having struck +one of the leaders in their gun, and our people at this time pressing +them so closely as not to give time to disentangle the dead horse, they +unwillingly were compelled to throw their only gun into the ditch, and +there abandon it. We continued the pursuit till we drove them under the +walls of Pamplona, which I understand, poor wretches, they were not +allowed to enter, on account of the scarcity of provisions in that +fortress, and which after events proved was the case. We retired to the +village of Aldava and others in the neighbourhood, where we remained for +the night. + +On the morning of the 25th, we advanced on the road to Pamplona, the +enemy having all retired towards France, till we came within about one +mile and a half of it, when we branched off to the left, and moved along +a range of hills at about a mile distant from the works of the place, +till we reached the town of Villaba, on the mountain-road from Pamplona +to France; thus cutting off all retreat from the garrison, and thus in +fact investing the place. During our movements to-day, my people being +in the rear of the 17th Portuguese regiment, I was riding in company +with my commanding-officer at the head of the battalion, when the horse +of the Portuguese major threw out with both his hind feet with all his +might, and struck me with one foot on my thigh, and the other on the +calf of the leg. The blow was so severe that I nearly fainted, and was +obliged to dismount and throw myself on the ground; but as no bones were +broken, I gathered myself up again, and mounted and set off after the +troops. + +We encamped on the Pamplona side of Villaba, distant from the former +about one mile and a half. The captain in whose mess I was, with his +company, was that night ordered on picquet within about three quarters +of a mile of the city. I went there to get my dinner, during which +several poor people, who had made their escape from the place, came and +welcomed us in the name of the people, telling us they were heartily +tired of their present lodgers; of course there would be different +opinions among them, but I believe the generality at that time hated the +French most cordially. + +There was a division of the French army under General Clausel, which had +not partaken of the flight at Vittoria, being then stationed at Logrona, +and he having learnt the fate of his companions in arms, and their +retreat into France, was moving through the country to our right, in +order to effect his retreat also. Next morning, therefore, the 3d and +our divisions were despatched in pursuit of this French corps. We +marched that day to near Taffala, and halted at the village of Muro, at +the junction of the great road from Logrona with that we now occupied, +but we learnt that Clausel had kept more to his right, and was directing +his course towards the mountain-road, which passes near Caceda and +Languessa, into France. + +We accordingly passed through Taffala and Olite, and encamped for the +night. Next day we started early, and moved on till mid-day, when we +halted for an hour or two to cook and refresh near the village of +Murillo del Fruto. We here came upon the river Arragon. This had been +already a long day's march, and the greater part of the division were +ready to lie down now, but a much longer portion still remained to be +accomplished. Accordingly, we set off after a short rest, and traversed +the right bank of this river for about ten hours longer. Night marches +at all times are unpleasant, but much more so on such a road or path as +this was, and every one so nearly tired before beginning it. + +We crossed the Arragon at the village of Galla Pienzo, and lay down in a +field not far from the village of Caseda. Very few of the division +reached this place until daylight next morning. But when I got in I +unfortunately lay down on a ridge immediately behind our column, and +where, had I given it a thought, I was continually liable to be +disturbed. And indeed I was most wofully disturbed, for every fresh +batch that came in tumbled themselves down upon me, or in blundering +about in the dark were sure to stumble over me. It must be observed that +my leg by this time, instead of getting better, had begun to swell +dreadfully and to suppurate, consequently I was in a high state of +fever; and to the thumps and kicks which I received in the dark during +this uncomfortable night, I cannot but attribute much of my subsequent +suffering. Next morning we discovered that all our labour had been in +vain, for Clausel had got the start of us, and had got off by another +road into France. + +We next day moved into Languessa, from which we were not far distant, +but I could no longer accompany or precede the troops, my leg was now so +bad. I was therefore obliged to get a pillow laid on my holsters, and +then ride with my leg resting upon it, (a most uncomfortable position, +could I have found a better,) while one of my men led my horse, and thus +follow them as well as I was able. We rested in Languessa all the 30th +and 1st July; and on the 2d reached Deriza, having passed through +Monreal. Here I was obliged to be lifted off my horse, and put to bed. I +was almost stupid from the pain I suffered; for my leg was now swoln as +large as my thigh. We next day moved into Villaba, from whence we had +started in pursuit of Clausel, and thence into some villages on the +plain, close to Pamplona. Here I believe some works were thrown up to +shelter the troops, either against the shot from the fortress, or a +sally from the garrison. This continued all next day. I remained very +ill in bed. + +On the 5th, the division left this quarter, and set off on the road +towards France; but I could not follow them. I got with great difficulty +from my present station, which was now occupied by other troops, and +stopped at a village, the name of which I forget, just over the ridge +where I received my hurt, and a few miles distant from Villaba. Here I +found out that Dr Jones of the 40th regiment was in the latter town; +and, as he had formerly been in our regiment, I took the liberty of +requesting he would come and see me. This I found out by my servant +going in for provisions. He very kindly came, and gave me the best +advice he could. By this time my leg had burst, and had discharged a +prodigious quantity of matter. + +I remained in this village till about the 10th, during which time a +priest had shown himself remarkably kind and attentive; there were very +few inhabitants remaining besides him. He told me in one of the +conversations that I had with him, that, from the first entry of the +French troops into this country, one million had passed out of France +into Spain, for he had had good opportunities of making a just +calculation; and that, out of that vast number, not more than 200,000 +had returned, thus proving that the enemy had lost in that country +800,000 men. And this is not to be wondered at, for nearly the whole +population during that time had been in arms against them; and, although +not acting as soldiers in the field, they never failed to assassinate +the French wherever they could accomplish it. He said, moreover, that +Mina, with his little band, could produce documents to prove that he had +destroyed 40,000 Frenchmen. + +About the 10th, I set off from this village, as my leg had by this time +become somewhat easier; and, passing through Lantz, Elizonda, and St +Estevan, arrived at Sumbilla on the 13th, still obliged to ride sideways +with my leg over the pillow and holster. Here I found my division; and, +as this journey had again brought my leg to nearly as bad a state as +before, I was obliged to have it opened in two places, but without +reaching the matter, as nothing but blood was discharged. + +On the 15th, my division moved forward to the town of Vera, the last +town on the Spanish frontier. Here the enemy had taken up a strong +position, both in front and rear of the town; the front position was on +Santa Barbara, an exceeding high and almost inaccessible mountain. They +were dislodged from the position before the town by my brigade, and +retired into the Puerta, or Pass of Vera. I was not present on this +occasion, having been again compelled to stay behind on account of my +leg. While I remained at Sumbilla, I had been obliged to have my horse +shod by a Spanish blacksmith, who drove a nail right into the quick. +This I did not discover till several days after, when I found my horse +quite lame. + +On the 18th, I again crept on after my people, whom I found encamped on +the height of Santa Barbara, from which I before said they had driven +the enemy. Here we remained till the 26th, During this time my horse's +foot had also suppurated, and he was quite unable to move. My leg also +was daily discharging a vast quantity of matter, so that I felt at this +time very uncomfortable; particularly as very stormy weather came on +while we were here, which killed a great number of our animals, horses +and mules, I believe not fewer than seven or eight in one night. + +It will be known to the reader, perhaps, that on the 25th, Soult (who +had now been appointed to the command of the French army) made an attack +upon our posts at Roncesvalles and Maya, and had driven the divisions +stationed there from their posts. He moved on towards Pamplona, in hopes +either of beating back our army to Vittoria, (as he vainly talked,) or +of being able to supply Pamplona with provisions, which it greatly +needed. In consequence of this movement of the enemy, we also were +compelled to fall back, although the troops in front of us made no +demonstration of advancing. + +Accordingly, on the 26th, we began our retrograde movement, being myself +at that time in as pitiable a plight as can well be conceived. My horse +was so utterly lame, that he could scarcely hop on three legs, while I +was totally unable to walk a step. My kind friend Captain Perceval, with +whom I had long messed, helped me out of my trouble, by dividing the +load of one of his baggage-ponies among the other animals, and lending +it me to ride upon. We retired from the height, and crossed the river +Bidassoa, near Lizacca, through which we passed, and kept along the +mountains on the left bank of that river till we reached a height +opposite Sumbilla, where we pitched our tents, and remained for the +night. We did not move all next day; but just as night set in, we were +ordered under arms, and continued our retreat. This was a still more +distressing night-march than any I had previously witnessed. + +We were now, it may be noticed, in the midst of the mountains of the +Pyrenees, where precipices abound; consequently the precaution to avoid +falling over them would be doubled. One little streamlet, I well +remember, delayed the division probably two hours. It came down from the +sides of the mountain which overhung the road, and crossed it at a very +dark and ugly-looking place, making a considerable noise as it fell from +rock to rock. This of course made every one extremely cautious; and in +consequence a poor good-natured corporal, who was killed soon after, got +himself into the middle of the streamlet, and took hold of every +person's hand as he passed, conducting him safely to the other side. +Poor fellow, he was extremely anxious to help me and my miserable little +pony safely over. This and a few other places, something similar, +prevented us reaching our destination till an hour after daylight next +morning, although the whole distance was not more than ten miles. + +We arrived at Zubietta in the morning. This place is about a league to +the right of St Estevan, more into the mountains. Here we remained that +day, and the next day moved higher up the mountain, behind the town, +where we encamped, and remained till evening, when we again commenced +our retreat. We had not quite so bad a march of it this night, the road +being much more even, although, just at the outset, our adjutant, in +riding along, had his cap pulled off by the bough of a tree, and in +endeavouring to save it from falling, he pulled his horse right over a +small precipice, which the two rolled down together. Luckily it was not +a deep ravine into which he fell, or he would not have escaped so well: +neither man nor horse were much hurt. We reached the village of Saldias +in the morning, where we remained for the day. Last night my servant +told me he had been obliged to leave my little horse behind, as he could +not get him to hop any farther. I felt grieved at this, for he had +brought me all the way from Lisbon, and shared both my good and bad +fortune; however, it was no use to fret, for that would not improve my +situation, which indeed was not an enviable one, my leg all this time +being extremely painful. + +On the 30th, we made an excessively long march, (by day,) and at night +reached Lecumberg, where we encamped. During the latter part of this +day's march, we had heard an incessant cannonade and firing of musketry +in the direction of Pamplona, from which we were apprehensive that Soult +had penetrated too far; but as it did not appear to recede, we believed +our people had been able to hold him in check at least. We were now on +the great road from Bayonne to Pamplona, in order to keep up the +communication between our right, where the fighting was now going on, +and Sir Thomas Graham, who was besieging St Sebastian. We were here also +to intercept any of the enemy's columns that might either advance or +retreat by this road. Towards evening of the 31st, an aide-de-camp +arrived from Lord Wellington, more dead than alive from the excessive +fatigue which he had undergone for the last three or four days, with +news of the total defeat of Soult in the several actions near Pamplona, +termed the Battle of the Pyrenees, and ordering us to retrace our steps, +and again advance. We set off in the evening, and reached Larissa, where +we halted for the night. It was whispered that it was expected we should +have gone much farther this night, but I am not certain whether it is +true; but certainly we might have proceeded to Saldias, if absolutely +necessary. + +On the morning of the 1st of August, we again started pretty early. It +was again reported this morning that another dispatch had been received +during the night, directing us to proceed with all haste, as the enemy +were retreating by St Estevan, and that we were to attack them wherever +we met them. We now of course stepped out very freely, and presently +gained Zubietta. Here I had ridden forward to get a shoe fastened on, my +horse having cast one in coming over the mountains; during which time +the quartermaster had been called for some purpose or other, as I was +not there. + +My General was not well satisfied: he saw me in this village, and asked +me why I had not been present when I was wanted. I told him the cause, +but he still did not appear satisfied, and, by way of punishment, +directed me to remain in the village till the baggage came up, and show +them the way the division had gone. I may here observe, that it was a +little unreasonable in my General to find any fault with me on this +occasion; for, had I not got the shoe put on my horse, I could not have +been of any use at all as a quartermaster. My punishment indeed was +slight, and I rather think he was glad to find any excuse to delay me +for the purpose for which I was left. I am confident the officers of the +infantry suffered more anxiety and even loss on account of the great +want of farriers or horse-shoers in their regiments, than from almost +any other cause. Without the officer was pretty high in rank, he had not +only to pay most exorbitantly for any thing of this kind which he got +done, but to beg and pray, and to look upon it as a favour conferred on +him. Most of the good shoers were taken by the staff or general +officers, consequently only the inferior ones were left for the +regimental officers, and in several cases none at all. The consequence +of all this was, the loss of several valuable animals, both horses and +mules; besides, in some cases, the officers being rendered incapable of +performing their duty as they otherwise would have done. To this I +attribute a considerable loss in animals during this service. It might +easily be remedied by each infantry regiment having a proper +establishment of farriers, (say two,) with tools, &c. in proportion, and +the means of carrying them; and then every officer, whose duty requires +him to be mounted, might be served. I myself bought tools to the amount +of L.4, and never had but one horse shod with them. I could not get a +man to do it. As soon as I saw the baggage on the right way, I pushed +forward, and joined the division again. We were literally at this time +climbing up a mountain, where I could not ride, but was obliged to crawl +up, and pull my horse after me. My leg by this time had much improved. +We followed the road by which we had retreated a few days before, and at +length came to the rivulet that had so alarmed us all on our +night-march. It was really surprising that we should have been stopped +so long by such a trifle; but in such a situation, and at such a time, +things of that kind are magnified a thousandfold by the imagination. We +passed our old camp ground opposite to Sumbilla, and here we came in +view of the enemy's columns retreating along the road on the opposite +bank of the Bidassoa. This gave our men new life; but here the 52d and +other regiments of the 2d brigade were obliged to halt: they could +proceed no farther. + +We had marched by this time to-day two and a half of the stages we made +in retreating; but the 2d brigade had been in the rear of the column all +day, and had consequently suffered much from stoppages, &c. My +battalion, our 1st battalion, and the 43d regiment, continued to move +on, and as they approached, the enemy seemed to acquire fresh vigour. At +length we reached the point of attack,--the bridge of Yanzi,--and here +the 1st battalion turning down towards the river, at once left the wood +and ground above the bridge to be occupied by us. The enemy sent a +pretty strong corps of light troops across, which got engaged with our +people; but we soon drove down through the wood again towards the +bridge. At length, we got two companies posted just over the bridge, in +front of which all the rear of the French column had to pass. Poor +creatures! they became so alarmed, that they instantly began to cut +away, and cast off, all the loads of baggage, and both cavalry and +infantry, &c. to make the best of their way. But the mountain on their +right was inaccessible; consequently they had all, as it were, to run +the gauntlet. Great was the execution done amongst the enemy at this +bridge, and many were the schemes they tried to avoid passing. At length +they got a battalion up behind a stone wall above the road, on the +opposite side, from whose fire we received some damage; consequently +those poor people who had afterwards to pass were not so much exposed. +Just about the close of the business, my kind friend, Captain Perceval, +received a shot through his right wrist. His left hand had been closed +for a length of time before, in consequence of a wound through that +wrist, which had contracted his fingers, besides being lame from a wound +in the hip. Now he was rendered completely useless. Towards dusk I went +with him a little to the rear, and got his tent pitched, and made as +comfortable as circumstances would admit. I pitied the French on this +occasion, they seemed so much alarmed. The whole of their baggage fell +into the hands of our 4th division, who were closely following them up +on their side of the Bidassoa. + +In this affair, the French were reduced to a dreadful dilemma; great +numbers of their wounded had been brought off from the battles of the +28th, 29th, and 30th, near Pamplona, which were carried on biers or +stretches by men of this division. When they saw us in front of them, +where they had to pass, as it were, immediately under the muzzles of our +pieces, they were compelled to adopt the cruel alternative of either +throwing their wounded men down to perish, or run the risk of being shot +or taken themselves. I believe the former, shocking as it seems, was +generally adopted; and I have reason to believe that the greater part of +them were thrown into the river; for, from the point where we first came +in view of them to near where this affair took place, the Bidassoa was +literally filled with the dead bodies of Frenchmen, and they could have +come into it in no other way. We lost only a very few men on this +occasion, not more than six or eight, while that of the enemy must have +been extremely severe. Here the effects of rifle-shooting were plainly +visible. + +In remarking on this affair, I beg to draw the reader's attention to the +following circumstances; viz. probably never troops made such a march +over such a country before. We travelled at least thirty-two miles over +mountains such as I before described, where you were sometimes nearly +obliged to scramble upon your hands and knees. The day was exceedingly +hot, and occasionally there was a great want of water. I am told that +one of the regiments in our 2d brigade, which, it may be remembered, +were obliged to halt, as they could go no farther, had no less than 200 +men fell out, unable to keep up, and that some of them actually died of +fatigue. I heard of one poor fellow, who, when he came to water and had +drunk, lost his senses, fell to the ground, and shortly after expired. I +have reason to be proud of my battalion on this occasion, which, when +the roll was called, just before the action commenced, had only nine men +fallen out; but they had been in the front all day, a great advantage in +marching, particularly over a mountainous country. + +This day's work gave me a higher idea of the powers of human nature, +when properly trained, than ever I possessed before; for when you +consider that each of those soldiers carried a weight of not less +probably than forty or fifty lbs. and some much more, it cannot but be +surprising that men should be able to sustain such fatigue for such a +length of time--at the end of which to fight, and gain a victory. + +Next morning were clearly observable the effects of the evening's work. +In the house, the yard, and on the road opposite the bridge, were a +great number of dead Frenchmen; and to the rear, by the way they had +advanced, the road was literally strewed with baggage, and equipments of +every description. Some of our people picked up a number of visiting +cards, with General Vandermason on them, very elegant; so that his +baggage, no doubt, had been cast off, as well as that of inferior +people. + +Soon after daylight, we were ordered to fall in, and move forward +towards Vera. Just as we cleared the bridge, old Douro, with his staff, +came riding up, who, when he saw how we had handled the enemy the night +before, gave his head a significant nod, and smiled, which conveyed most +intelligibly his approbation. We soon reached the neighbourhood of Vera, +behind which, in the pass of that name, as before stated, the enemy took +up a strong position, from which their picquets had never yet been +driven. We were ordered to encamp a little below the bridge leading to +Lezacca, between that and Vera, while the other regiments were intended +to occupy the heights of Santa Barbara, from which we had before +retreated. But towards mid-day it was discovered that the enemy still +had a considerable body of troops in and about the pass of Echallar, a +few miles to our right. Our brigade was therefore ordered again under +arms, with the intention of co-operating with the 7th division in an +attack upon those people. It was a thick mist, so that we could scarcely +see twenty yards before us; but when we reached the bottom of an +immensely high hill, on which the enemy were posted, we presently +discovered whereabouts we had them. + +Our 1st battalion extended to the right, and my battalion moved straight +forward up the hill. For a considerable time the enemy's fire did us no +injury, being deceived, I imagine, by the denseness of the fog. They +fired almost always over our heads, some of which shots struck the men +of the 43d, a considerable way below us. At length we began to approach +the summit of the mountain, where the enemy were of course much more +condensed, the ground they had to occupy being much smaller. Our people +were advancing regularly up the hill, when we run right up against a +rock, on the top of which was collected an immense body of the French, +and from whom our people received a most destructive fire, knocking down +fourteen men in an instant. This unlooked-for circumstance checked our +people, and made some of them retire for an instant behind a broken part +in the mountain, from which they kept up the best fire they could. +During this transaction, the French, who were not more than ten or +twelve yards distant, were calling out to us in Spanish to advance, and +abusing us most lustily. A Spaniard (one of the recruits I formerly +mentioned) was so much annoyed, that he began in his turn to abuse the +French; and, as if words were not enough, accompanying them with the +best shot he could give them. Poor fellow, he was instantly shot through +the body, and fell to rise no more. + +They now began to get courage, and made a show of advancing upon us: +they did do so on the right against our 1st battalion, but my +commanding-officer calling out to cheer our people, set up a shout, +which had the effect of intimidating them, and they did not dare to +advance. I was now sent away by Colonel Barnard to request the 43d (who +were behind us) to send a company to support our 1st battalion, which +they instantly did; and just as I returned, I found the French had +evacuated the rock from which they had annoyed us, on the top of which +we found a great number of caps and pouches, &c., belonging to men who +had fallen there. We followed them over the hill, but they now gave us +leg-bail, posting down into the valley towards France with all +expedition. + +The 7th division had some pretty sharp work before they dislodged the +people in front of them, and had suffered very severely in effecting +their object. When every thing was settled, one of our men thought he +saw a man hiding behind a tree just below us: he went to see what it +was, and dragged out by the neck a French soldier of the 2d light +infantry. Poor fellow, he came out shrugging his shoulders, and, putting +on a most beseeching look, begged we would spare him, as he was only a +"pauvre Italien." Of course no injury was done him, only the soldier who +took him claiming and taking from him his knapsack, which appeared a +fine full one, and which he appropriated to himself. I thought it cruel, +and would have prevented it, had my voice been of any weight; and yet, +had it not been taken from him now, it would very soon after, when he +became a prisoner. + +One battalion was ordered to remain and occupy this hill, which +dreadfully alarmed me, lest it should be ours, for it was bitter, bleak, +and cold. Luckily a Portuguese battalion was ordered up, and we returned +to our snug camp by the river side; and here, as if to crown our good +fortune, one of our men, who had been left behind in charge of the +tents, had got some meat roasted for our mess, of which we all partook +with great delight and thankfulness. + +A friend of mine of our 1st battalion, during the advance the French had +made upon that battalion, was nigh falling into their hands. They rushed +at him, but he perceiving, and endeavouring to avoid them, fell into a +bush, which scratched him most wofully, and in the fray lost his cap and +sword. They grasped at the latter, (which was not drawn,) but which +luckily broke loose from the belt, or they would have had him. This hill +was always known afterwards by the name of Barnard's Hill, in honour of +Colonel Barnard, who commanded on the occasion. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + + The Author, from a mistake, loses his Servants for a few + days--A Feast of Death--A Feast of Life--Fighting near St + Sebastian--Singular instance of Spanish Bravery--St Sebastian + is captured, but no Details given, the Author not having been + present--Attack of the Pass of Vera. + + +We remained at rest here for some time, during which I, as acting +paymaster, had several trips to Tolosa, a considerable town on the great +road from Bayonne to Madrid, where the paymaster-general had taken up +his residence with the military chest. In one of them I went and had a +peep at St Sebastian, the siege of which was then going on. While here, +I received directions from General Sir William Stewart to attend him at +Villaba, where he lay wounded, he having received two balls in the late +actions. I set off, directing my servants with my baggage to follow +close after me: by some means they were delayed a few minutes, and, +supposing I was going again to the paymaster-general at Tolosa, went off +in that direction, without asking any questions. I imagined they knew +very well where I was going, and still went on slowly, every now and +then looking back to see if I could descry them coming; but although +there was no appearance of them, I simply enough continued my route till +I reached St Estevan; and here I put up for the night, thinking, of +course, they would come by and by. In the morning, I was fully convinced +they must have gone some other road, and as all my books, &c., from +which I wanted information, were in my baggage, I thought it useless to +proceed any farther. In retracing my steps, which I did leisurely, I had +an opportunity of seeing the great number of bodies which the French had +thrown into the river, the road running close by its brink nearly all +the way. It was really shocking to behold such numerous wrecks of +mortality, with the disgusting appearance which most of them had +assumed; many of them were half eaten by the fish, and of others the +flesh was hanging in rags, and bleaching in the stream. Of course I +returned home, but did not see my servants again for several days, as it +took three or four to accomplish the journey to Tolosa and back, and +they had waited there a day for me. + +On the day that I was absent, all the officers of my corps had had a +sumptuous and splendid entertainment, it being the 25th August, the +anniversary of the regiment's first formation. They had dug a ditch in +an oblong shape in the middle of a field, the centre of which served for +a table, while they sat with their feet in the ditch. I am told the +French, who were just above, and overlooked them from the heights behind +the town, assembled and viewed them, as if in astonishment to see them +regaling themselves with so much glee in the midst of the wild Pyrenean +mountains. No doubt the wine went merrily round, and many were the +toasts which were drunk with three-times-three. + +During this interval, I often amused myself with fishing in the +Bidassoa, in which there were many excellent trout, and I was pretty +successful, for I had got some tackle from one of our captains, which he +had brought from England. On one of these occasions, while I was wading +in a pool, I spied a fine salmon laying just below me; I threw in and +brought my flies right over him, at which he instantly rose, but I +missed him. I tried again, and hooked him, but in a moment he plunged +right across the river, carrying with him all my flies and part of my +line, for I had no reel. I might have calculated upon this, if I had +thought for a moment; but the opportunity was so tempting, that I could +not resist it. + +At length the 31st of August arrived, the day on which St Sebastian was +to be stormed. We knew this, for we had furnished a number of +volunteers, both officers and men, to take part in the assault; many of +our higher officers had gone to witness the glorious spectacle. But +early in the morning, we were all astonished at the bugle sounding +through the camp the alarm, or assembly, and instantly orders were given +for the tents to be struck, the baggage to be packed, and to set off +with it to the rear without a moment's delay, for the French were +advancing; of course all this was done in as short a time as possible, +and the troops were ordered to move on to a hill just over the bridge of +Vera. A detachment of ours had joined the evening before, and it cannot +easily be conceived the strange effect this sudden alarm had on some of +them. One of them, a lieutenant, was all in a bustle getting his pistols +put in fighting order, and came to me begging I would take some money to +keep for him. I told him that it was likely to be in as much danger with +me as with himself, and of course declined. The old hands, on the +contrary, were as cool and quiet about it as if it was an everyday +occurrence. We moved to the height before mentioned, and saw a cloud of +fellows with white caps coming down to the left of the town, and of +course prepared to give them the best reception we could. I was sent +with orders to my commanding-officer from the General, 'that he was, +when pressed, to retire till he got on the ridge just over his house, +(which was on the road a little to the rear of where we then were,) and +that he was to stand there as long as it was possible.' I thought +something very warm was going to occur, seeing such a cloud of Frenchmen +were then approaching us, but we were all disappointed; they went +quickly to their right after descending from the heights, and forded the +river below the town, setting their faces towards St Sebastian. All this +was effected under a cannonade from the heights. + +Our 1st brigade (except my battalion) was then ordered to cross the +river by the Lezacca bridge a little behind us, and to move parallel to +the enemy along the ridge above that town, which had all along been Lord +Wellington's head-quarters. As soon as they got across, they sent a body +of troops to the bridge of Vera, close to which some of our people were +stationed, and from thence they kept firing on us all day from some +small mountain guns, which they had brought down with them, and +occasionally with musketry. We were now somewhat curiously situated. The +French position was on the side we occupied, while the other side of the +bridge had been fortified by the Spanish General Longa, to protect +himself during the last excursion of the French towards Pamplona; but +now they occupied the side on which the intrenchments had been thrown +up, and turned them against us of course; they did little execution by +their fire. Lord Wellington, seeing the intention of the enemy, +assembled all the British troops he could easily collect, and brought +them in rear of a corps of Spaniards, which met the French in this +direction; and finding this a fair opportunity of seeing what the Don +could do, withheld the British, and let the Spaniards attack them by +themselves. They had now the best chance of showing their valour that +ever had or might present itself; they had the high ground, and the +enemy had to climb up on their hands and knees to get at them; besides, +they had behind them backers that would not see them get foul play. So +away they set at them, and indeed they did tumble the French down in +good style, upsetting them in all directions; so that our English +division had nothing to do but to look on. This was the only time I ever +knew the Spaniards act in a body like good soldiers. + +The enemy, being beaten, were obliged of course to retrograde; but it +came on one of the bitterest nights I have almost ever witnessed; the +rain fell in torrents, and the lightning was very vivid. The French +endeavoured to retrace their steps during the night, fording the river +where they had crossed it in the morning; but the heavy rain had so +swoln the river by midnight, that they could not continue any longer to +wade it. A considerable number of them still remained on the other side, +and no way presented itself of extricating themselves, but by forcing +their passage across the bridge, near which a company of our 2d +battalion, under Captain Cadoux, was posted, with one of ours, a short +distance in the rear, to support him. Captain Cadoux's people were +stationed in houses about thirty yards from the bridge, and had a double +sentry on the bridge. The enemy's column approached very quietly, and +then made a rush; but the rain having wet the priming of the sentries' +rifles, they could not get them to go off to give the necessary alarm, +and were in a moment driven from their post. The French then, seeing +they had effected a passage, set up a shout, and rushed towards the +houses where Cadoux's people were, who turned out at once, and with the +supporting company, opened a deadly fire upon the enemy's column; but +poor Cadoux fell instantly almost, as he had imprudently mounted his +horse on the first alarm; his lieutenant also was severely wounded. The +firing of course soon brought the whole brigade to the spot, which kept +up a constant and well-directed fire during the whole of their progress +along the little plain towards Vera. + +The enemy suffered dreadfully on this occasion, leaving the ground +literally strewed with their dead, who, like the others before +mentioned, were next morning thrown into the river; so that the fish had +ample feeding for some time after. Some people afterwards reflected upon +General Skerrott, who commanded here, for not posting a stronger force +at the bridge, and for not blocking it up with an abbatis; the former he +might and ought to have done; but the latter was impracticable, from the +enemy holding the breastwork at the other end of the bridge, which was +not more than about thirty yards long. Had a battalion been posted +there, it is probable the French, who were compelled to have recourse to +this daring attempt, might have been induced to surrender; but I believe +the General never imagined they had need to make such an attempt. Our +loss on this occasion was rather severe also. A great many of Captain +Cadoux's men fell; Lieutenant Travers, who commanded the company of my +battalion, was wounded, and a considerable number of men were killed and +wounded; among the former, some of the poor fellows who had joined from +England only the day before. + +Thus was Soult's second attempt frustrated, and St Sebastian fell into +our hands. As I was not present at that glorious exhibition of British +valour and prowess, I cannot take upon me to give any account of its +capture. The volunteers who went from our division to assist in the +storm or assault, sustained their full share in the casualties attendant +thereon. The field-officer, Colonel Hunt of the 52d, was severely +wounded; a lieutenant of the 43d, brother to Mr O'Connell, the famous +Roman Catholic advocate, was killed; two lieutenants of our first +battalion, named Percival and Hamilton, were severely wounded. The +latter, I believe, was a volunteer on the occasion, not being entitled, +from his standing, to take it as a tour of duty. He was conspicuously +brave, and received two severe wounds, from which it would scarcely be +imagined possible any one could recover. + +A few days after the surrender of St Sebastian, I had again occasion to +go to Tolosa for money, and took the road by Passages, the port where we +now received all our supplies from England; and also to see the ruins of +that late formidable fortress. When I reached it, the houses were still +on fire, and not I believe half-a-dozen in the whole town that remained +habitable, or the inhabitants had quite deserted it. I went up to the +citadel and examined it, and I believe this, with proper casemates or +bomb-proofs, might be rendered one of the strongest places in Spain, +next to Gibraltar; but the French had suffered dreadfully from our +shells, which had literally ploughed the ground on the top of this +naturally strong height, and from which cause they had been compelled to +surrender. + +St Sebastian was indeed a melancholy spectacle at this time. I returned +from Tolosa by a part of the road which we had traversed in our late +retreat and advance again, as I now began to hope I might perhaps +recover my little horse, for I suspected from some cause that my +servant, instead of having been obliged to abandon him, because of his +lameness, as he told me, had sold him at that time; and this I actually +found had been the case. I compelled him to tell me where he had +disposed of him, and, with my broken Spanish, traced him from thence for +near twenty miles farther into the mountains, where I found him in a +village, the name of which I do not recollect, but where a squadron of +our German hussars were quartered. I of course claimed and took +possession of the horse, giving the person the amount he had paid for +him; but he being still lame, the commanding-officer of the hussars +kindly permitted me to leave him with his farrier till he got well. He +afterwards sent him to me, and would not even allow the farrier to +receive any remuneration for his trouble, so kindly and politely did he +behave. + +September passed away without any thing remarkable occurring. My friend +Captain (now Major) Perceval had been obliged to return to England, and +Captain Balvaird succeeded him as senior captain of my battalion. I +still continued in that company's mess. At length it was determined to +attack the Puerta, or Pass of Vera, which the enemy had rendered +exceedingly strong. The left of our army, under Sir Thomas Graham, were +ordered to attack in their front, and force the passage of the Bidassoa, +and establish themselves in France. We were merely to drive them from +the heights above the town of Vera, taking possession of all the strong +ground between that and France. The fourth division was brought up to +support our attack, and formed immediately in rear of the town. One of +the captains who formed the Committee of Paymastership, and who, it may +be remembered, were held responsible for my accounts, and the due +appropriation of all public money which might come into my hands, took +a fancy that I exposed myself too much, and requested the +commanding-officer, Colonel Ross, to prohibit my again entering into +action, except for the purpose of bringing ammunition, &c., when my duty +required me; in consequence of which the adjutant was sent to me this +morning, previous to the operations commencing, with an order for me not +to accompany the battalion. It may seem to the reader perhaps like +affectation when I tell him I felt hurt at this order, and determined +not very strictly to comply with it, for I believed that my respected +commanding-officer had no objection that I should accompany him, did not +this untoward circumstance interfere with my so doing. Accordingly I +remained a looker-on among the fourth division. My battalion was +destined to commence this attack by driving the enemy from a high and +rugged hill on the right of the Pass, which was a necessary operation +before the Pass itself could be attacked. Accordingly he extended the +battalion, and encircled its base on the side next to Vera; and I +believe, without firing a shot almost, he marched right up to the top of +the hill, notwithstanding the sturdy resistance made by the enemy, and +in a very short space of time completely cleared this formidable height. + +This operation was the admiration of the whole fourth division, (for it +was clearly observable by every one,) and they were most lavish of their +praises for such a workmanlike movement. When my people approached the +top of the hill, I felt alarmed for their safety and their honour, for +the French commander closed all his force to one point, and, forming +them into line, made them fix bayonets, apparently with a determination +to charge them down the hill again; and I saw that my people, for they +could not perceive what the French were doing, were likely to be taken +by surprise. Whether the Frenchman's heart failed him I know not, but +when Colonel Ross reached the top of the hill, the enemy went to the +right about, and instantly retired. + +I felt proud of belonging to that corps, and happy at such a termination +of this dangerous operation, and feeling a desire I could no longer +resist, I set off to join them. By the time I reached the height just +mentioned, the attack of the Puerta was going on, and a most arduous +undertaking it was. My brigade attacked the right or strongest pass, +which they carried in fine style, without much loss, although the enemy +had a breastwork at every available point of ground. Our 2d brigade did +not attack the left Pass quite so soon as the other, and when they had +got about half way up they encountered the most formidable opposition. + +A redoubt which the enemy possessed was filled with men, who waited till +our battalion came within a few yards of them, and then poured in the +most destructive fire imaginable, making the battalion recoil, and +leaving one-third of its numbers on the ensanguined ground. But the 52d +regiment being close behind, promptly supported them when rushing on +together to the charge, and the French, after some hard fighting, were +finally driven from this stronghold. After this they never made any +obstinate stand, although there was occasional fighting all the way from +the Pass down into the plain below, where some of our people followed +them; but it not being intended to quit for the present this high and +formidable barrier, they were afterwards recalled. The boundary lines +passed along this ridge. + +We lost a few men on ascending the first hill, and a few in skirmishing +afterwards, but our loss was not severe. But that of the 2d battalion, +before noticed, was awful; several of that battalion who fell in this +action had only a few days before joined from England, and this was +their first action. On looking at the ground on which this affair took +place, one would imagine it almost impossible that any army could force +a passage through such innumerable difficulties. The hill itself was +nearly impassable, and with the numerous redoubts and breastworks, with +which it was literally covered, no troops in the world, I think, but +British, would have dared to attempt it. + +We found that the French, who occupied this station, had rendered +themselves extremely comfortable, considering the kind of country and +ground where they were posted. They had been at great pains in building +very convenient and substantial huts in lines and streets, the same as +an encampment, and which were indeed remarkably clean and neat. They had +even built arm-racks at the end of each line, where their arms were +stowed away most securely, and where they were preserved from the +effects of the bad weather. Indeed, from the pains they had taken to +render themselves comfortable here, it would appear as if they had not +expected to be driven from it so soon. + +The left of our army, under Sir Thomas Graham, also established +themselves within the French territory. A corps of Spaniards on our +left, between us and Sir Thomas, had likewise made a forward movement +corresponding with the British. Some Spaniards were on the right of our +division also, and were destined to drive the French from La Rhune, an +exceeding high rock, which overlooks all the other mountains, as well as +the plain below. This they failed to accomplish, the enemy keeping +possession all that night, and the skirmishing between the two forces +continuing till after dark. + +My battalion was sent on the outpost duty in the evening down into the +French plain below, and relieved the Spanish General Longa, whose corps, +with our 2d brigade, were ordered to assist in the morning in dislodging +the enemy from La Rhune. I will not say whether the sight of the +red-coats coming against them the next morning had the effect of +alarming them, but they certainly evacuated that exceedingly strong post +without much farther opposition, and established themselves on a similar +rock, but lower, on the French side, and called by them Petit or Little +Rhune. But the possession of this lofty peak gave us the power of +overlooking all their movements for miles around us, as well as of +surveying La Belle France as far as the eye could see, and indeed, +compared with the bleak and barren mountains in which we had so long +been residing, it did appear a beautiful country, although, in reality, +it is far from being such. But we gazed upon it with strange and mingled +emotions, hardly believing it possible that we had now reached and +entered the territory of that once formidable nation whose victorious +armies had penetrated to the farthest confines of Europe, who had +overrun and subdued some of the most warlike nations of the continent, +and who had so often threatened, and as often alarmed, the inhabitants +of England with the invasion of that sacred soil, on which never yet a +Frenchman has dared, in hostile array, to set his foot since the days of +the Norman William, but who met there either with a prison or a grave. + +We now pitched our camps by battalions, each occupying a post more or +less important, and the enemy began again to construct their huts, and +make themselves as comfortable as their circumstances would admit; +Soult, no doubt, being mightily chagrined that we had now fairly beat +them out of Spain, when he (as we now learnt) had promised his followers +that he would soon lead them again to the plains of Vittoria, where +they might again retrieve their lost honours, and at which city they +would celebrate the Emperor's birthday. He thus boasted, and no doubt +would have effected his purpose, had he not been so promptly met near +Pamplona by his never-to-be outmanoeuvred antagonist. + +We now began to suffer greatly from the severity of the weather. It +became exceedingly wet and stormy; and not infrequently the tents were +blown away from over our heads, or the pole was forced up through the +top, letting the wet canvass fall comfortably down about our ears while +we were perhaps in a sound sleep. I had two streams flowing past my +head, one went round the trench outside my tent, while the other I was +fain to let pass through it; their murmurs lulled me to sleep, and I do +not remember that ever I slept sounder than I did here, having made my +couch comfortable by gathering dry fern, and spreading my mattress upon +it. + +Whilst we remained here, a few officers were appointed to watch the +motions of the enemy from an old work which we understood had been +constructed by the Spaniards and emigrant French against their +revolutionary neighbours, whom they endeavoured to keep from entering +Spain; and, of course, this was the daily lounge of those who had no +better employment, not only that they might themselves see, but hear +also from others what of importance was passing. On one of these +occasions, a vessel was descried (for the sea was not more than five or +six miles from us) making for the harbour of Bayonne, or St Jean de Luz, +with a small schooner following her in chase, and every now and then +giving her a shot. The vessel, (which turned out to be a French brig +going with provisions for the few Frenchmen who still retained the +castle of Santona,) seeing she could not get clear of her unwelcome +neighbours, her crew set her on fire, and taking to their boats, +abandoned her, and escaped on shore--she soon after blew up with a +tremendous explosion. + +On the 31st of this month Pamplona surrendered, the garrison, consisting +of 4000 men, under Major-general Cassan, the governor, becoming +prisoners of war. They had been compelled to adopt this measure from +sheer starvation, of which they, I understand, had suffered dreadfully. +I happened to be at Passages on the day they reached that port, where +they embarked, on their way to England. The General was a stout, +handsome, and intelligent-looking man, and such a one as I should +imagine would make a noble officer. The soldiers seemed quite +unconcerned about their fate; whether from the change being actually an +improvement of their condition, or from the lightness and gaiety of +their natural temper, I know not, but they were jesting and making as +merry as if nothing had happened. + +During the time we lay on these mountains, I regret to state my gallant +and respected commanding-officer, Colonel Ross, suffered so much from +rheumatism, that he was compelled to leave the regiment, and take up his +abode at Rentaria, a village near to Passages. + +It was reported that Lord Wellington intended attacking the enemy along +his whole line, early in November, but the weather having rendered the +roads impassable, it was postponed. On the day previous to the intended +attack, the commanding-officers had been taken up to La Rhune, and the +post that each corps had to occupy, with the movements they were +intended to make, were clearly pointed out to them; an excellent plan, +when practicable, as it leaves no one any excuse for mistakes or +blunders during the action. + +At length, on the 10th of that month, I believe, it was settled to take +place; but on the 9th I was ordered to set off with the mules of the +battalion, to fetch corn from Passages, a distance of about thirty +miles. I suspected this was a scheme of the captain I before mentioned, +as one of the committee of paymastership, in order the more effectually +to keep me out of danger, for certainly had any thing serious happened +me, they would have had some difficulty in rendering their accounts. It +was not quite certain the attack was to take place next day, although it +had been so rumoured; however, I was determined to try and reach the +division as early as possible on that day. I accordingly got my business +done in Passages as early as I could get the commissary to work; and +having got the corn, and come on to Rentaria, which I reached about +mid-day, I took the liberty of leaving the animals in the charge of the +non-commissioned officer who had accompanied me; and calling on Colonel +Ross, obtained his permission to let the sergeant proceed in charge of +them to the regiment, while I might, if I chose, push on at a quicker +rate. I had heard by this time, that the action had commenced by +daylight that morning. I accordingly set off at as quick a pace as my +starved animal could carry me; and passing Irun, and crossing the +Bidassoa, and keeping along the great road for a considerable distance, +I then inclined to my right, and skirted the Pyrenees along the whole +plain. I had thus an opportunity of witnessing the conflict carrying on +by the left wing of our army, as I passed along towards La Rhune, but +with every exertion of myself and my poor jaded horse, night closed in +upon me before I had nearly reached the station of the light division. I +was compelled to work my way through a country which I had not hitherto +passed, and which having been the scene of a sanguinary combat, +presented no very pleasing aspect. At last I heard some strange and +foreign voices before me, for it was now quite dark, on which I turned +into a field, and waited till they passed, by which I learned they were +Spaniards. I was apprehensive I might have kept too far to the left, and +had got into the French lines, which would not have been so comfortable; +but after finding them to be men of General Frere's Spanish division, I +then had hopes of shortly meeting with my own people. Directed by those +good Spaniards, I at last reached Petit La Rhune, the late formidable +position of the enemy, on which the blazes from a thousand of their huts +were rising to the clouds, and enlightening the atmosphere around. But +it being now ten o'clock, I found myself incapable of proceeding +farther, more particularly as the Portuguese, among whom I now found +myself, could not give me any certain directions which way my division +had gone. I was fain therefore to take up my abode, and gladly did so, +in a cottage with Colonel St Clair and several other officers of the +sixth Cacadores. Let it not be supposed that a fighting disposition +induced me to use so much exertion to reach my division on this +occasion--no; but as I considered that a sort of trick had been played +off upon me, I did what I could to render it nugatory; no man liking, as +I imagine, to be the dupe of any other party's manoeuvres, with whatever +friendly intention these may have been put in operation. I arose next +morning early, and hastened to the point where I expected to meet my +brave comrades, anxious to learn the fate of all I loved amongst them. I +saw them and the third division at a considerable distance, each on a +height in front, appearing like flocks of sheep huddled together as +close as possible. I soon reached them, and learned with sorrow, that +the brave Colonel Barnard was, as they supposed, mortally wounded, the +ball having passed through the chest, and that little Lieutenant Doyle +was killed. + +This was a most stupendous action; the scene of operations extending +from right to left, embracing, I imagine, not less than thirty miles of +country. The centre had fallen to the share of my division, which, in +the eyes of the best judges, was the strongest part of the enemy's line, +for it had been fortified with the most consummate skill, and no labour +had been spared to render it impregnable, as the enemy had been busily +employed in the construction of forts, redoubts, and other field-works +of every denomination, from the day we drove them from the Pass of Vera; +one in particular, a stone built fort, in the shape of a star, was +exceedingly strong, and which was attacked and carried in the finest +style possible, I understand, by the 43d regiment; the 52d also +surrounded a fort in which the French 88th regiment was posted, the +brave commander of which not having received any orders to evacuate it, +remained till the retreat of the French left him no other alternative +than to surrender at discretion. The part my battalion had to play, was +to cross the valley separating the two La Rhunes in double quick time, +and attack the French rock by a gorge, which allowed a passage from that +valley into their position. This was to be in conjunction with the +attack of the Star Fort by the 43d, as it in some measure took that work +in reverse. In short, every corps in the division, and I believe in the +army, had a most arduous duty to perform, and most nobly did they +execute it. The left of our army, under Sir Thomas Graham, did not +succeed in driving the enemy from his innumerable works which covered St +Jean de Luz, and which he retained possession of till the next morning; +when the centre, that is the 3d and light divisions, together with the +Spaniards on our right and left centre, made a movement in advance, and +crossed the Nivelle river, from which this action derives its name. Our +movement, which threatened to separate the wings of the French army, +caused the enemy to abandon his strong position in front of St Jean de +Luz, as well as that town, on which occasion he attempted, and partly +succeeded in destroying the bridge over the Nivelle at that place; but +it being soon after repaired, Sir Thomas Graham's corps took up their +quarters in the town. + +We encamped for the night in front of the village of Serres, or Sarre, +or Zarre. It had rained hard all the day of the 11th, and it continued +almost without intermission till our camp was literally swimming. I +remember perfectly that the water in my tent was several inches deep; +and when I awoke in the morning, I found a Portuguese boy (who had +followed us, and had attached himself to our mess as a sort of servant) +was sitting holding by the tent-pole, that being the only place where he +could find rest for the sole of his foot. In short, we were as wet, +clothes and beds and all, as if we had been dragged through a river. The +evening before, I well remember, we had been highly amused by my Scotch +quartermaster-sergeant and his friends, who had taken up their abode +close by, singing, till they rather grew tiresome, + + "We are nae fou', we're nae that fou', + But just a drappie in our e'e." + +This of course was done to drive away dull care, and to make the best of +an uncomfortable situation. + +The next day towards afternoon, a considerable firing was heard on our +right, which had continued but a short while, till our gallant and +unwearied Chief came galloping up, with some few of his staff following, +who could with difficulty keep pace with him, and asking most anxiously +whereabouts and what the firing was. We could only point out the +direction in which we heard it, but could give him no account as to its +cause. Away he galloped in the direction we pointed out, and no doubt +soon reached the spot. + +I forgot to mention, that a man of the Brunswick Oels corps had been +hung the day before for plundering by the Provost Marshal, no doubt in +compliance with superior orders. It was necessary thus to give the army +an example of severity, in order to deter them from committing those +acts to which all armies are but too prone. We found indeed very little +to plunder, had we been so inclined; for the greater part of the +inhabitants had left their houses, taking every thing portable with +them. This they had been induced to do from the false statements which +Soult had set forth in some proclamations he issued about this time, in +which he described the English as savages, nay, even as cannibals, who +would not scruple to commit the most monstrous atrocities; so ignorant +were the generality of these poor peasants, that many of them implicitly +believed his representations. This, no doubt, was done with the view of +raising the whole population in arms against us, in order to defend +their homes against such a set of wretches as he made it appear we were; +but, although many of the natives joined the French army at this time, +with which they were incorporated and led to battle, the result of his +famous proclamations was not equal to his expectations; for a great part +of them declined warlike proceedings, and retired into the interior of +the country with their families, leaving only a very small proportion +indeed who remained in their houses. As might be expected, the empty +houses suffered dreadfully; every piece of furniture almost being +destroyed, either for fire-wood, or in seeking for valuables; while the +houses of those who remained in general escaped. + +General Harispe, being a Basque himself, had the organizing of the new +levies now raised; indeed, many of these had taken a part in the +irruption into Spain on the 25th July for the relief of Pamplona, and +many of them fell on that occasion. We were not so fully aware of the +extent of the misrepresentation to which Soult had gone in these +proclamations, till some time after we had entered France, and had +penetrated considerably into the interior, when some of our officers, +either during or after a march, entered the cottage of a peasant who had +not left his home, to get a little milk. The poor woman was remarkably +civil, offering them any thing the house afforded. They got some milk, +for which they offered her money, but which she declined. Her child was +running about the house at this time, which, coming near one of the +officers, he took it between his knees, and patted it on the head, with +which the child seemed very well pleased; but the poor mother, standing +at a little distance, and eyeing most intently every motion of the +officer, was like to swoon with fear and agitation. But as the mother +had declined receiving any thing for the milk, the officer who had the +child gave it some small coin, and letting it go, it ran to its mother, +who snatched it up into her arms with the utmost joy, and altering her +look, began to say, she thought they had been deceived; for that they +had been led to believe from the proclamations of Soult, that we were +such barbarians that we would not scruple to kill and eat their +children, and which was the cause of her late fear and anxiety, as she +expected the officer had taken the child for that purpose; but now she +found we were not such people as she had been led to believe. Of course +the officer laughed most heartily at having been suspected of a +man-eating propensity, and soon convinced the poor woman that the +English were not quite such barbarians as that, whatever she might have +heard to the contrary. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + + The British Army advance farther into France--Pass the + Nive--Soult's Plans baffled--Two or three battalions of the + Nassau and Frankfort regiments come over from the + French--French Politesse--Threatened Attack by the + French--Battle of the Nive--Account of the Basques. + + +We left our wet camp on the 15th, and advanced to the village of +Arbonne, where, for the first time during the campaign, we were +quartered in houses, except once or twice. During our stay in the camp +at Serres, or Zarre, we sent our baggage animals to Passages for corn, +on which occasion I lost another horse, the batman pretending it had +been stolen, but which, no doubt, he sold, as that trick had often been +resorted to by this time, and there was no detecting it. + +On the 17th we left Arbonne, and advanced to Arcangues, sending forward +picquets to the village of Bassozari, about half a mile in front. My +battalion took up into quarters in some straggling houses in front of +the church of Arcangues, while our first battalion occupied the chateau +and outhouses of Arcangues, about a quarter of a mile to the right and +front of the church. The enemy's picquets were close to Bassozari, so +that in some places scarcely a quarter of a mile intervened between our +quarters and their outposts. They allowed us to take up our outposts +very quietly, they being now established in their intrenched camp in +front of Bayonne, and which was not far distant from our advance. There +were some houses in the line of posts occupied by the French, which, if +in our possession, would add greatly both to our security and +convenience, and which it was determined to wrest from them if +practicable. + +Accordingly, on the 23d the division was put under arms, and our +brigade, being in front, had this task assigned to them. The 43d, not +having had so much work during the campaign as our two battalions had, +was selected for the purpose of driving in the enemy's picquets, whilst +we supported them. They accordingly attacked and carried the houses +without a moment's delay; but unfortunately, Captain Hobkirk of that +regiment, advancing with his company beyond the line at which it was +intended to halt, got immediately in front of some of their +intrenchments, from which he could not extricate himself, in consequence +of which our first battalion was ordered to advance to cover his +retreat; but he had by this time fallen into the hands of the enemy, +with a considerable number of his men: his lieutenant was killed, and +altogether the company suffered great loss. The remainder retreated, our +first battalion people holding the houses it was intended to occupy. +This occurred on the left of the ridge. + +On the right, and adjoining a marsh which separated us from some high +ground near the river Nive, and which was occupied by another division +of our army, were two or three houses also which it was intended to +take, as their possession secured us a passage across this marsh by a +causeway, which connected two eminences, that on which we stood, and +that occupied by the other division, the principal object upon the +latter being a large chateau called Garratt's House. One company of the +43d also took those houses, supported by some more of that regiment and +my battalion; but after they were taken, from what cause I know not, an +order was sent to evacuate them, on which the 43d retired. Soon after, +they were again ordered to be re-occupied, when a company of ours +advanced, and took possession, but had not been there many minutes till +another order was sent for them to be evacuated. This order, however, +had scarcely reached them, when a charge was made on them by a body of +French cavalry, supported by a strong column of infantry. The officer +who commanded the company, either from the order he had received, or +from want of presence of mind, called to his men to run to the rear when +the cavalry charged him, by which he did not suffer much in point of +losing men, for only one was wounded by the cavalry; but it had a bad +appearance to run away from cavalry, a description of force which we had +learnt by this time almost to despise, especially as, from his post, he +might have knocked down great numbers of them, and finally have repulsed +them, had he allowed his men to fire. The houses were, however, +eventually taken possession of by another company of our battalion the +next day, which retained them in despite of the enemy. The man who was +wounded by the cavalry was shot in the head by a pistol ball: he came to +the surgeon, where the main body of the battalion was standing, to be +dressed; while this was doing, and the orderly man holding a tin-full of +water near, from which the surgeon was sponging and cleaning the wound, +a ball came, and, striking the tin, carried it right out from between +the hands of the orderly. I was standing close by, and shall not easily +forget the blank look which, as might be expected, the poor orderly put +on. There was a good deal of firing all day, which, except what the 43d +suffered, as before noticed, did little damage to the brigade. + +On the occasion of our company taking these houses the next day, a very +young officer, who happened to command it, evinced great fortitude and +presence of mind. He advanced on the enemy, who, being then rather +inclined to quietness, retreated gradually before him; but after +reaching the hedge, just beyond the principal house, told him (for they +were quite near enough to speak) that he must not advance any farther, +or they would be compelled to fire on him. The young fellow, solicitous +about nothing but obeying his orders, told them that he was determined +to have the house, and immediately putting his men under the best cover +he could, called out that they might begin to fire whenever they +pleased, he was ready for them. This young officer (whose name was Cary, +and brother to my friend who fell at Badajos) spoke excellent French, so +that the enemy understood him perfectly. The enemy did not contend any +longer for the post, but planted their sentries within about thirty +yards of ours. These sentries, indeed, were still so posted as to +prevent a passage across by the causeway, had they been so inclined; but +the next day I went with another officer across by this road, on which +occasion we actually passed to the rear of the French sentries. + +A disposition had for some time been gaining ground with both armies, to +mitigate the miseries of warfare, as much as was consistent with each +doing their duty to their country; and it had by this time proceeded to +such an extent, as to allow us to place that confidence in them that +they would not molest us even if we passed their outposts for the +purpose I have mentioned. And this mutual confidence in each other was +productive of the most comfortable results to both parties. We could +move about at any time, and almost in any place, shooting or otherwise +amusing ourselves, without the dread of falling in with an enemy's +patrol, or of getting among their sentries. They never molested us from +this time, except when we either advanced upon them, or they upon us, in +hostile array. Our division had two main picquets; all this took place +at the right picquet. A few days after I happened to be at the advanced +post on the left, commanded by one of my battalion, when the French +officers beckoned to us. We, to show we were peaceably inclined, pulled +off our swords, and advanced to meet them. A number of inhabitants, who +had left their houses on our first entering the country, having heard +that we were not what we had been represented, were desirous of +returning to their homes, and the officers wished us to admit them, and +see them safe through the advanced posts. This of course we gladly +promised, and the poor people were quite overjoyed at being permitted to +visit their dwelling-places once again; but, poor creatures, I fear they +would find little there except the bare walls, if indeed these remained +entire, for, from the reasons before assigned, it could scarcely be +expected that houses without inhabitants, in the midst of an invading +army, would be much respected. Each individual among them, old and +young, carried heavy bundles on their heads, no doubt they having +removed every thing that was valuable, if portable. + +The French officers were extremely polite, and asked us many questions +of the news of the day, &c.; but the commander-in-chief, hearing of the +familiarity which subsisted between the two armies, issued an order, +prohibiting British officers from holding conversations with the enemy; +for as all these conversations were necessarily conducted in French, +(very few indeed of their officers being able to speak English,) he was +apprehensive they might gain such information from our people, from +their imperfect knowledge of the French language, as might materially +injure our future proceedings. Before this order was issued, the most +unbounded confidence subsisted between us, and which it was a pity to +put a stop to, except for such weighty reasons. They used to get us such +things as we wanted from Bayonne, particularly brandy, which was cheap +and plentiful, and we in return gave them occasionally a little tea, of +which some of them had learnt to be fond. Some of them also, who had +been prisoners of war in England, sent letters through our army-post to +their sweethearts in England, our people receiving the letters and +forwarding them. They told us also how Hobkirk was situated, and were +astonished at the extent and splendour of his equipage, (for he was a +great dandy,) and could scarcely be persuaded he was only a captain. + +My present commanding-officer, who was the senior captain, and in whose +mess I then was, had sent to England, and got out from thence two +immense pies, weighing nearly a hundred-weight each, and packed in tin +cases. They were composed of every kind of game, and the best +description of fowls, such as turkeys, &c., with the bones taken out, +and the meat baked till it became like brawn when cut in slices. They +were most excellent. One of these he had made a present of to our +Major-general, and the other we were eating in the mess. We had also at +this time a considerable quantity of good wine, which, by some accident, +we had got hold of. We also had bought a pig and killed it, both living +quite sumptuously at present, and having a good stock for future use. + +But while we ourselves fared so well, our poor horses and mules were +literally starving. There was no kind of forage for them, except what +they could pick up in the now completely exhausted fields around us. We +had nothing else to give them. + +In this way we were going on, when, on the 9th of December, Lord +Wellington, determining on passing the Nive, preparatory to future +operations, ordered our division and all the left, under Sir John Hope, +who had now succeeded Sir Thomas Graham, to make a movement in advance, +in order that the enemy's attention might be attracted to this point, +while he threw over some divisions to the right bank of that river. My +battalion had to advance along the ridge by which I had formerly passed +in peace, to meet the returning inhabitants, as may be recollected; but +now the face of affairs was completely altered;--a heavy fire was kept +up by the French picquets from the moment they saw us advance in arms, +but we soon drove them from their advanced works, and they were obliged +to take shelter in their intrenched camp, which was remarkably strong, +and which it was not intended we should attack. We accordingly halted on +the brow of the ridge, while they kept up an incessant fire, both from +their guns and infantry, but which, considering its extent and duration, +was not by any means a destructive fire. + +Sir John Hope had a more laborious task to perform, or else his troops +went beyond the point intended, for they continued the fight nearly all +day, and at one time were considerably in advance, but afterwards +recalled. + +The passage of the Nive was completely effected, and in the evening we +returned to our comfortable houses, a short distance in the rear, and +went to bed as usual. Next morning, however, very early, orders were +given to turn out immediately, and stand to our arms, for the enemy was +advancing; and indeed, when I came to the door, I heard a good deal of +firing. The troops turned out at once, but the mules were to get, and +the baggage to pack, and send away to the rear, or it might be lost; so +I set myself about this with all dispatch; but before any of it was put +up, I saw posting by me, with all expedition, a civil officer, who had +only a short while joined us, and who, in his hurry, had put up all he +could scrape together on his horse, on which he himself was riding. His +boots, tied together, were slung over the horse's neck, and in short he +looked more like a bagman than an officer, from the number of things he +had hanging about him. It was most laughable to see him. I called out +and asked him why he was in such a hurry, but he did not stop to give me +an answer. + +I got up our baggage very well, but what to do with the pie, the pig, +and the wine, I knew not, so was constrained to leave them as they were, +hoping we might not allow the enemy to penetrate so far. I then moved +off the baggage, and, directing the servants who had charge of it to +proceed up a lane which carried them towards the rear, I moved on and +joined the battalion. Just as I reached the plateau, or high ground in +front of the church of Arcangues, I met an officer of ours to whom I had +lately lent a fine young mare, for which I had not food sufficient; and +he having no horse himself, I thought he would take care of her; but +here I met him going into the fight riding on the poor animal, although +scarcely able to drag one leg behind the other. I remonstrated with him, +but he did not mind me. The result was as might have been +anticipated--she soon after dropped down, unable to move farther, and +died; thus I lost L.35 more, which she had cost me. By this time the +enemy had driven in the regiment which had been on picquet, and one or +two of our companies were sent forward to cover their retreat to the +church behind us, where they were ordered to take post, it being a high +and fine position, and had by this time been partly fortified. My people +retired gradually before the enemy, who now advanced in great numbers. + +Our 1st battalion were not so fortunate in effecting their retreat. An +officer and some men having got into a hollow way, were surrounded by +the enemy and taken; another was killed; and another, with his section, +had to force their way through a strong body which had got in his rear. +My battalion did not fall into any scrape of that nature, but sustained +a considerable loss in killed and wounded, from the vast superiority of +the enemy in point of numbers, who, no doubt, did not escape with +impunity. We held our ground at the bottom of the hill on which the +church is built, the French not being able to force us farther back; the +1st battalion, at the same time, holding the fence and ditch in front of +the Chateau, as well as that building itself. But a rather unpleasant +occurrence took place at this time. When the enemy appeared on the +plateau before mentioned, a regiment behind us, without orders, I +believe, opened a heavy fire upon them, several shots of which struck +among our men. One of them went in at the back of one of our soldiers, +and killed him on the spot; another penetrated the back window of a +house into which a party of ours had entered for defence, and very near +struck an officer, who was in the room at the time. These shots must +have been fired either by young soldiers, who scarcely knew how they +pointed their muskets, or they must have taken our people for the enemy, +from which, indeed, they were not far distant. I am confident it was +purely accidental, for no two corps could be on better terms than that +regiment and ours always were. The skirmishing continued till dark. + +This was one of a series of masterly movements between the two +contending generals. Lord Wellington having sent a pretty strong force +across the Nive, as before mentioned, Soult imagined he had so weakened +his force on the left, as to render it probable he might penetrate it, +and thus cause his lordship to withdraw his troops again from the right +bank of the Nive; but he was anticipated; for Lord Wellington had no +sooner established himself on the other side of the Nive, than he +brought one of the supporting divisions of that movement to support us +at the church of Arcangues, it being an important post to hold; so that, +when we looked behind us, after we retired into position, we saw +innumerable bayonets glistening in the sun, and ready to move forward +whenever they should be required; but they never were wanted here, the +light division being quite sufficient to sustain any attack the enemy +had yet made on them. This, however, showed the provident care of his +lordship, and how completely he had penetrated Soult's design. + +This night two or three battalions of the Nassau and Frankfort regiments +came over and left the French. They had heard that the Dutch had +declared against Bonaparte, and wished to be transported to Holland, +with all their arms and appointments, which they brought with them. We +remained in bivouack on the ridge extending between the church and +chateau of Arcangues all night, our picquets remaining in possession of +the houses and hedges at the bottom of the hill, where we stopped the +French in the morning. I visited the picquets at night, in company with +my commanding-officer, where we found all well, and alert. The next day, +there being no firing between us and those in our front, three French +officers, seemingly anxious to prove how far politeness and good +breeding could be carried between the two nations, when war did not +compel them to be unfriendly, took a table and some chairs out of a +house which was immediately in our front, and one which we had lately +occupied as a barrack; and bringing them down into the middle of the +field, which separated the advance of the two armies, sat down within +100 yards of our picquet, and drank wine, holding up their glasses, as +much as to say your health, every time they drank. Of course we did not +molest them, but allowed them to have their frolic out. + +During the day, also, we saw soldiers of the three nations, viz. +English, Portuguese, and French, all plundering at the same time in one +unfortunate house, where our pie, our pig, and wine had been left. It +stood about 150 or 200 yards below the church, on a sort of neutral +ground between the two armies; hence the assemblage at the same moment +of such a group of these motley marauders. They plundered in perfect +harmony, no one disturbing the other on account of his nation or colour. +There were a great number of apples in it at the time we left it, +belonging to the owner of the house, but when we returned, two or three +days afterwards, the desolation was complete. Our once comfortable +quarter contained nothing now but filth and dirt. One poor girl had +remained in it all the while, but she could not save one article; +indeed, in such a case it would have been a service of danger to attempt +it. + +At night one of our sergeants played the French a trick. He took with +him a few men, and, knowing the ground well, they passed the French +sentry unobserved, having reached the house at the top of the field out +of which they had brought the table, &c., where their picquet was +stationed. He made a rush at their arms, which he found piled in front +of the house, and set to work and broke them before the French had time +to recover from the consternation into which they were thrown by so +unexpected an assault. He and his party then came running off without +sustaining any injury. He was a most determined brave soldier this, but +afterwards lost an arm at Toulouse, and was of course discharged with a +pension. + +On the 12th, the enemy made a mighty show of attacking our position, +having greatly increased their force in front of us, and had, some way +or other, found the means of spreading a report in our lines that 1800 +grenadiers had been chosen to lead on the attack. They also traced out +batteries, and cut embrasures, apparently with the intention of burning +or knocking down the chateau of Arcangues, the owner of which remained +in it all this time, and was rather suspected of holding correspondence +with his countrymen. It is not unlikely it was by his means the report +above alluded to was propagated. Every thing now wore a serious aspect, +and of course every thing was done to render their attack abortive. All +were animated with the best disposition to defend the post to the last +extremity; but while the generality believed all these preparations were +serious, there were others who thought it only a _ruse de guerre_; +indeed, had our friends, the German hussars, (with whom we had often +acted in concert,) been here at this time, it is more than probable they +would have been strongly inclined to the latter opinion, for they +scarcely ever saw the French make a great bustle and noise, as if about +immediately to advance and attack, but they would coolly say, after +eyeing them awhile, "Oh, he not come to-day!" "He go away!" and were +generally certain of being right. So full of trick and artifice are our +French antagonists, that they generally act in quite a contrary manner +to what appearances indicate. But they began to be known; hence the +scepticism of some of our people on the present occasion. Accordingly, +about midnight, when the attack was to have been made, away they went, +and retired nearly into their lines, leaving only a few to keep the +ground. + +At daylight next morning we again moved forward, on which there was a +good deal of firing between the Portuguese battalion that had followed +them and their rearguard; but when our people advanced to our old post +on the ridge, I, happening to be first, took off my cap, and, putting it +on the top of my sword, held it up, which the French taking for a signal +of peace, as it was intended, the firing on both sides ceased, each +party taking up the post they held previous to the late movements. We +wondered why the French had retired, but presently heard a tremendously +heavy firing in the direction of the Nive. Soult, it seems, had +withdrawn nearly all his troops from our flank, and marching rapidly +through Bayonne, had attacked General Hill, who commanded on the other +side of the Nive, with great impetuosity, thinking Lord Wellington had +weakened that force to strengthen us; but here again Soult was +outwitted, for he found on that side quite sufficient to give him as +sound a drubbing as he ever got; the Portuguese on this occasion, I +understand, performing wonders. + +These five days' fighting (for on every day there was firing, more or +less, in one part or other of the line) were called the Battle of the +Nive. We had had three days' work of it--they on our right two--and Sir +John Hope's people, on our left, four, I believe, and they not trifling +ones. In every thing Soult undertook, he was completely foiled--all his +schemes having been clearly seen through by his more sagacious opponent. +Indeed he had inflicted a heavy loss on our left wing, commanded by Sir +John Hope, where the fighting had been most severe, but no doubt he +suffered equally, if not more severely than they did. I am told that the +enemy's light troops were most insolent and annoying to our heavy +regiments on the left, on this occasion. What a pity that they could not +have been opposed by troops of a similar description! + +It may be remembered the civil officer of whom I made mention, as having +rode away with the greater part of his wardrobe hanging about his horse; +he was more fortunate than we were, for the things which he left, his +kind landlady took care of, and hid in some snug corner till the +business was over, and on his return restored them all to him. He said +the cause of his going off in such a hurry arose from a cannon-shot +having struck the lintel of the door or window of his house while he was +in the act of shaving, on which he bundled out with whatever he could +scrape together, and set off. I verily believe it must have been the +effect of imagination, for I remained behind him at least a quarter of +an hour, and although our houses were close together, I did not either +hear or see a shot fired in that direction till we had reached the hill, +nearly an hour after; but he constantly maintained that it was so. + +We again took up our old quarters in front of the church; but oh, how +changed were they now from what they had formerly been in point of +comfort! nevertheless, they still afforded us shelter from the +inclemency of the weather. Soon after dark on this evening, a rather +unpleasant affair occurred at the left advanced post of our division. An +officer and two men coming from the French advance, with what intention +is not known, were observed by the corporal who was stationed at our +abatis, who immediately took out his rifle and shot the officer through +the body, on which his two men lifted him up and carried him into their +picquet-house. We were apprehensive this would put an end to that good +understanding which had hitherto subsisted between the picquets of the +two nations, and much regretted the circumstance. It is more than +probable the officer was coming as a sort of patrol, to ascertain +whether or not we had left the post, which, being a military +undertaking, subjected him to all the chances of war attendant thereon. +This is the more probable from his having two soldiers with him armed, +as I understand they were; but if it was meant as a friendly visit, as +formerly sometimes took place, it was greatly to be lamented; however, +they did not, on account of this occurrence, manifest any soreness or +ill-will afterwards, and the mutual good understanding continued to +subsist between us. + +While we remain at rest here a short space, I will endeavour to put the +reader in possession of the character of the inhabitants, among whom we +have been sojourning for a few months past--I mean the Biscayans. From +the time we crossed the Ebro, a wonderful change took place in the +appearance of the natives; and I believe the same description of people +extend considerably into France, although under another government; +they, I understand, still retain their ancient customs, dress, and +language; they are denominated Basques, from the name of the province, I +apprehend, which is called Biscay. They speak a different language from +either the Spaniards, who border them on one side, or the French, on the +other; and some of our officers who spoke Welsh, said they could +understand a few of their words; it is denominated the Basque language. +They generally wear cloth of their own manufacture, which is commonly +blue, in some parts red or brown; in the neighbourhood of Pamplona, +almost always the latter. The men wear a sort of Scotch bonnet, with a +short jacket and trowsers, and are an amazingly athletic and active +people. The women wear a short jacket also, of the same colour with +their petticoat; and with their hair, which they encourage to grow to a +great length, plaited in one large plait, and tied with a small piece of +ribbon; it is allowed to hang down their back, and almost in all cases +reaches to, or below their middle. They wear a handkerchief tastefully +disposed upon their head. They are a fine, tall, and handsome race of +women; but they have a custom of compressing their breasts, so that they +appear as flat in the bosom as the men, which, to an English eye, is not +becoming. The women do the same kind of work as the men, that is, they +plough, and labour at all sorts of husbandry; but what seemed most +remarkable to us, was their sole management of the ferry-boats about +Passages and St Sebastian; they row as well as any men, being amazingly +strong and active; they seem content with their lot, and always appeared +cheerful and happy. I believe they are strictly virtuous; and although +very handsome in general, they did not seem so fond of admiration as the +females of many other countries are; upon the whole, I think they +resemble the Welsh more than any other people with whom I am acquainted; +their countries are exceedingly similar, being mountainous, and in +general not over fruitful, so that constant labour seems to be rendered +absolutely necessary to insure to them the means of subsistence; hence +they are industrious and frugal, and, upon the whole, an interesting and +moral people. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + + The Author's Battalion quartered in Aurantz on 3d January, + 1814--The Cantonments at Aurantz broke up on 16th February, and + the Campaign of 1814 commenced--Farther Advance into + France--Skirmishing with the Enemy--Military Manoeuvres--Battle + of Orthes--Defeat and Pursuit of the Enemy--Succession of + Attacks on them--They are driven from their Position in and + near Tarbes--Skirmishing at Tournefoile--The Enemy retire + towards Toulouse. + + +On the 3d of January 1814, we were ordered to quit a part of the +country, which, from the various occurrences that had taken place since +we first arrived in it, had, in some measure, rendered it interesting to +us. We moved a little to the right, and crossed the Nive, and again +moved in advance about a league or more. This movement was made in +support of some operations which Lord Wellington was conducting in the +direction of the Adour, which being completed, we returned to the Nive, +and took up our cantonments in the villages of Ustaritz and Aurantz. +About this time, nearly the whole of the peasantry, who had fled on our +entering France, were now returning to their habitations, all fear that +we should murder them, and eat their children, having by this time been +completely dissipated. Indeed we were often told after this, that they +would much prefer having a British army among them, to their own people, +for they were always haughty, they said, and overbearing, and never +scrupled to take whatever they had a mind for, while we were orderly and +quiet, and never took an article without amply repaying the owner for +it. Indeed I am well convinced the change the poor people had made in +their lodgers was greatly for the better to them. + +My battalion was quartered in the village of Aurantz, from which we +often took a stroll, to look at the scene of our late operations. The +French having, in consequence of Lord Wellington's movements near the +Adour, strengthened their army in that direction, which of course +rendered it necessary they should contract the limits of their front on +the side towards Spain, they had consequently withdrawn their advance +considerably within their former lines. We now also had plenty of +opportunity for shooting, but were but ill supplied with fowling-pieces, +or we might have killed an abundance of woodcocks, every thicket in the +neighbourhood being filled with them. + +The weather now was extremely bad, and the roads impassable, except by +yourself wading up to the knees, or having your horse almost continually +nearly up to his belly. In consequence of the difficulty of +communicating by dragoons, on account of the roads, telegraphs were +established all along from the right of the army, on the banks of the +Adour, to St Jean de Luz on our left, the head-quarters of the army. +While in these cantonments, an account arrived of our gallant +Major-general (Kempt) having been appointed to the colonelcy of the 8th +battalion of the 60th regiment, which had just been raised. At the +recommendation of my commanding-officer, now Major Balvaird, the general +kindly transmitted my name to the War Office for the appointment of +paymaster of his battalion; but unfortunately for me, before my name +arrived, his late Royal Highness the Duke of York, as Colonel-in-chief +of the regiment, had nominated another person to the situation. It had +always hitherto been customary for Colonels-commandant, and not the +Colonel-in-chief, to nominate their own staff, but on this occasion +another rule was adopted, which, of course, was a great disappointment +to me, as I had, with considerable trouble, got all my sureties, &c. +prepared, although they were now not needed. + +I had, during our stay here, one or more trips to the paymaster-general +for money, for although the paymaster of the battalion had by this time +arrived, I had several months' pay still to draw, the army being +considerably in arrear in their pay. I had thus an opportunity of +visiting St Jean de Luz, and all the enemy's late fortifications and +position in that neighbourhood, and amazingly strong they had indeed +rendered the ground in front of that town. It was a considerable and +well-built town, partaking a good deal of both the Spanish and French +character of course, it being the first French town next to the +frontier; and, as I said before, there being very little difference +between the Basques on either side of the Bidassoa, the change of +countries in respect to inhabitants was not very observable except among +the better orders. + +On the 16th of February we broke up from our cantonments in Aurantz, and +commenced the campaign of 1814, crossing the Nive at Ustaritz, and +moving on in the direction of La Bastide de Clarence. We encamped on a +wild heath, without any village or town being near us, and again the +next morning continued our route to the place above-named, which we +reached about noon, and encamped on a hill beyond it. + +On the 22d we advanced to St Palais, having passed other villages, the +names of which I have forgot, in the intermediate days. Nothing, +however, of any note occurred in that period. On the 23d we encamped +near La Chere and Charrette; on the 24th we crossed two rapid and deep +streams of the Bidowse. The first we got over with considerable +ease,--it was the Gave de Mauleon, which we crossed at Nabes; but the +second, the Gave d'Oleron, was not only both deeper and more rapid than +the other, but the passage seemed intended to be disputed with us; some +French cavalry having made their appearance on the opposite bank, as we +approached the river. The resistance they could offer, however, seemed +very trifling, for, on our bringing up some guns to the bank, and a few +shots having been fired from them, and from a company of our second +battalion, they withdrew. + +We now prepared to go over; accordingly, every man was ordered to take +off his pouch and buckle it on the top of his knapsack, the ford being +so deep as to take the men up to or above the middle. On this occasion I +had I know not how many of the poor men hanging about me and my horse. +Some were holding by the stirrup, some by the tail, and others by the +mane, or wherever they could lay hold, for the stream was so rapid as to +nearly sweep them off their legs. Indeed I understand several of those +who followed us were actually swept down, and perished. + +On reaching the farther bank, we found the French had endeavoured to +render it impassable, by throwing harrows, &c., with their spikes +upmost, in the only places where you could ascend from the river. I +believe a trumpeter of the French was all who fell on this day. + +We passed through Ville Neuve, and formed in a field beyond the village, +till the whole division had got over. It was in this village where the +scene between the mother, the child, and some of our officers, took +place. When joined and formed, we moved on to a high and ugly common, +not far in rear of the village of Orion, where we bivouacked for the +night. It was most uncomfortable. + +Before we reached our ground this evening, we observed, at a short +distance to our left, a body of about 200 French infantry moving on +parallel to us, but apparently making all haste to get away in front of +us. Some suggested the idea of attacking and taking them prisoners; but +as they were rather before us, it could not have been done without +setting one of the battalions at them in double-quick time, and which +would not have been an easy operation, after a long and fatiguing march, +and fording two rivers. Besides, as our Quartermaster-general said, it +was certain they could not be far from their support; consequently it +would only bring on an affair, which it was not the General's wish to do +at that time, for there was none near to support us should the enemy +send a force against us. This day General Picton's division had a sharp +affair at Navarreins, where they forced the passage of the Gave we had +crossed. + +On the 25th, we moved forward early in the morning, and on reaching the +village of Orion, we found that Soult had had his head-quarters the +night before, with a considerable portion of his army, in and around the +village; it was therefore fortunate we did not attack the French +detachment before mentioned, for we should certainly have had Soult, +with all his people, upon our single division. A French band had +remained in this village till our arrival, having deserted in a body +from the regiment to which they belonged, or they, seeing they could not +make their escape, pretended to desert and join our army. + +We bent our course towards Orthes, which was now only a few leagues in +front of us. A man brought a cask of excellent wine to the roadside, +with the intention of giving every man of the division a drink, but we +could not wait, and were consequently obliged to leave the good man's +gift. It showed that either good-will or fear had prompted him to this +act. I rather think the former was the cause, as he lived some distance +from the road. We had not continued long on the march, till we heard a +loud and thundering explosion in front of us, which, as it was expected, +turned out to be the bridge of Orthes, which the enemy had blown up. A +short while after we came in sight of the town, and one of our +Portuguese Cacadore regiments being sent forward, a smart skirmish +commenced between them and the French, who had been left on and about +the bridge to prevent our repairing it. I foolishly went down to see +what was going on, and had nigh paid for my curiosity. + +We took up our ground behind a height which overlooked the town, through +which the enemy were passing in large columns. In consequence of this, +we got some guns into a field in front of our hill, and commenced a +cannonade upon them, which, we could observe, made them hurry their pace +considerably. They also brought some heavy field-guns to bear upon us, +and fired some shots, but without doing us much injury. Throughout the +whole of the road by which the French had come before us, desolation and +misery marked their footsteps; and in the village of Orion, where Soult +himself had slept the night before, nothing could exceed the despair and +misery of the few remaining inhabitants, who told us they had been +literally stripped of their all; indeed, they appeared most forlorn and +wretched beings, and, as might be expected, poured out the most heavy +and bitter complaints, not unmingled with imprecations, on the heads of +their plundering countrymen. I went into a poor weaver's house here, +where, if I mistake not greatly, the marauders had actually cut the web +he was weaving out of the loom, and carried it off with them. + +We remained on this ground all night, and the next morning his lordship +was intently occupied for a considerable time in reconnoitring the +enemy's position. At length, as if he had fully made up his mind how to +act, he ordered our division to fall in, which was promptly obeyed; +then, sending his staff with directions, we were ordered to file to the +right, and to move down towards the river, apparently with the intention +of crossing a little above the bridge, which had been destroyed. On the +other side, immediately opposite what appeared to be the ford, were +large bodies of infantry, together with a great quantity of artillery. + +I recollect my battalion was leading the division, and it appeared at +this moment as if we were going to be engaged in a most arduous and +hazardous undertaking; for the enemy's artillery would have swept us off +the face of the earth before we could possibly have reached the farther +bank; however, this was only a _ruse de guerre_, and a most deep-planned +and well-executed one it was; for while we were moving down towards the +river, a staff-officer came riding, and ordered us all to hide as much +as possible from the view of the enemy, by crouching down, &c. as we +moved along. It may seem rather paradoxical to be ordered thus to act, +at the same time that we wished the enemy to observe our movement; but +the fact is, there were probably a thousand eyes fixed on us all the +time we lay here, and who watched most closely our every movement; +consequently, we could not stir without the enemy being aware of it; and +if on this occasion we had made a show and a parade of our movement, it +would have been suspected as only a feint at once, as the French +themselves, from often practising this stratagem, would have penetrated +immediately our object. But our Chief went a step too deep for them, +adepts as they are in all the arts of this kind; for he made a pretence +of hiding from them his movement, knowing well that we were observed; +and this completely deceived them. This threat of crossing here was made +in order to favour the construction of a bridge about eight or ten miles +down the river, and the crossing there by another division, as they were +thus enabled to guess where the principal force for opposition would be +required. I believe a better planned or more successful stratagem was +never practised. But I own, when we were marching down to the river to +cross in front of the immense masses which we saw ready to oppose us, I +believed that few would survive to tell the tale hereafter. + +The moment when we were just opening from the covered ground to plunge +into the river, we were instantly countermarched with all expedition, +and moved down the river at a quick pace till we reached the pontoon +bridge which had been so successfully constructed and thrown over at the +village of Sala. This being now perfectly safe, we encamped at the +village for the night. + +On the morning of the 27th, we early crossed the river called the Gave +de Pau, and moved forward in the direction of the town of Orthes by the +great road. On the right bank of that river, when we came within about +two miles of the town, we were moved more to our left, ascending the +high ridge which runs parallel with the river, and on which the French +had taken up a strong position, and were said to be between 30,000 and +40,000 strong. One division had been ordered to move along the summit of +this ridge, on which ran the great road to Peyrehourade, and to attack +the enemy on that flank, while our division communicated with that and +the 3d division to our right. When the action was commenced, the 2d +division had been directed to ford above the bridge, where our feint had +been made the day before, and passing through the town, to attack on the +opposite flank, and thus cut off their retreat towards the Pau. The +enemy's position proved to be exceedingly strong, and difficult of +access by us. + +The action commenced by the 4th division attacking on the road leading +along the ridge, where an obstinate and bloody conflict took place, +without our people being able to make any impression. The attack of the +3d division, on our right, also commenced immediately after; but such +was the nature of the ground on this side, being mostly in long pointed +ridges, running out like the rays of a star, and which were exceedingly +strong, that no efforts were able to force them from this ground. + +General Hill had by this time got over the river, and was approaching +the position. My division, having been deprived of two of its regiments, +which had been sent, previous to the commencement of our operations this +spring, to receive their clothing at St Jean de Luz, being rendered weak +in consequence, it was kept in reserve, as I before mentioned. During +this unsuccessful attack, our gallant Chief was for a considerable time +immediately in front of us, watching with the most anxious care every +motion of both armies. He appeared to me to be extremely thoughtful and +serious on the occasion, as our troops did not succeed in forcing this +stronghold of the enemy. The firing at this time was extremely animated, +particularly on the ridge to our left, where great slaughter was made on +both sides. And the French having discovered where he and his staff were +assembled, opened a smart cannonade on the group, but without doing any +mischief, I believe, and without being noticed by him. Their shots +generally fell about our division, which was formed immediately behind +the hill on which he stood. + +At length, whether from the request of Colonel Barnard, who was at this +time by his lordship's side, or whether by his own direction, I know +not, but the Colonel was ordered to take on the 52d and 1st Portuguese +belonging to the Cacadores, our 2d brigade, and endeavour to force a +passage through the French line, by the gorge of the valley, which lay +immediately in his front, and they would thus, if successful, penetrate +into the centre of the enemy's position. They accordingly moved up the +valley in column of companies, sustaining all the time the most galling +and destructive fire, for the enemy were thus on each of their flanks, +as well as in front. When they reached within a short distance of the +centre height, they formed line, and moving on at a brisk pace and +carrying every thing before them, they drove the enemy from the plateau, +and thus penetrated into the very heart of their army. This was a most +daring and intrepid movement, for although assailed by ten times their +force, and nearly surrounded by the enemy, these gallant corps hesitated +not to push on, although the very elements seemed as it were to fight +against them; for on the brow of the enemy's position the fire had been +so heavy and so incessant, that the very furze bushes and herbs of all +kinds were in a blaze along the front, through which, with innumerable +foes behind it, these gallant men forced a passage at the point of the +bayonet. + +This movement had the effect of at once deciding the fate of the day, +for Soult seeing his very centre and strongest position carried, which +separated between his wings, at once ordered a retreat of his whole +force. The remainder of our division were now despatched with all speed +in pursuit of the flying enemy, but they never attempted after this to +make a stand, and nothing was left for us to perform but to give chase +to the fugitives. When we reached the enemy's centre position, we found +that every thing had been cleared away which could in the least impede +his movements; every hedge and ditch had been completely levelled, so +that nothing remained but a beautiful plain on the top of the ridge, +except where works of defence had been thrown up. We were not successful +in capturing any of the enemy, except the wounded, who had necessarily +been left on the field, and we did not lay hold of any of his materiel, +except a few guns which he had been obliged to abandon in a swamp below +the position. + +I have related only such things as fell within my own observation, but +no doubt many were the heroic and gallant deeds that were performed in +this hard contested battle, besides what I have detailed. As might be +expected, the gallant 52d and its supporting corps, the 1st Portuguese +Cacadores, suffered dreadfully, leaving probably one-fourth of their +numbers on the field. But I must not omit mentioning one trait of +gallantry which attracted the admiration of the whole army. Lord March +(now the Duke of Richmond) had for some time been on the personal staff +of Lord Wellington, where his services had been most efficient. He also +was at this time a captain in the 52d regiment, but from his high civil +rank had never served as an infantry officer with his regiment. He was +determined to know and practice his duty in every situation, and +therefore requested leave from his lordship to be permitted to join his +corps as a captain, which was granted of course, and this was his first +debut in the character of an officer of foot. It was no doubt a sharp +trial; and poor fellow, while bravely leading on the company which his +Majesty had intrusted to his command, he fell dangerously (then supposed +mortally) wounded. This was a noble example to set our young nobility, +and they cannot do better than to follow such a precedent. I understand +he has been heard to say, "that the chance of a staff-officer being hit +in action, is not near so great as that of an officer of infantry, who +must quietly brave all that comes against him, while a staff-officer, +being well mounted, can quickly get out of danger; and that if a +gentleman wishes truly to learn his profession as an officer, he ought +to serve for a time in the infantry whilst engaged in operations in the +field." + +This was a most decided, but withal an unfruitful victory, and only +tended to establish more firmly the superior skill of our commander, and +the superior bravery of the British army. We had heard of the +proceedings of the allies in the north, and of a number of the French +generals having deserted the cause of their once potent, but now fallen +master. And I verily believed that Soult had collected his whole force +together here for the express purpose of either allowing himself to be +surrounded, and thus make a show of being compelled to surrender, or of +inducing his whole army to come over at once to the side of the +Bourbons, but in all these conjectures I was completely mistaken; for +whatever may have been Soult's faults as a man, he has always shown +himself a consistent and an able defender of the cause he first +espoused, and as such is certainly respectable. + +We pursued the flying columns of the enemy for about two leagues beyond +the field of action, crossing in our pursuit the river Luy de Bearne, +and at night took up our abode in bivouack, near the village of Bonne +Garde. The night proved extremely cold and frosty, for in the morning +when I intended to arise, I found my cloak frozen to the ground. We had +no kind of covering. My commanding-officer had taken up his abode in a +cottage close by, where there was no bed but what the people occupied. +He therefore got into the kneading-trough, in which he slept very +comfortably; but in the morning I remember he turned out like a miller. + +We started soon after daybreak, and continued our march, crossing the +small river Luy de France. Here I remember our assistant +Quartermaster-general told us what great difficulty he found in +obtaining information from the inhabitants as to the by-roads which run +parallel to the great road from Orthes; for these good people could not +conceive why he should be hunting after by-roads of this description, +which were generally very bad, while the great road, which was always +good, lay so near the line by which he wished to move, not knowing +perhaps, or not understanding, that other divisions of the army were +moving on the high-road, while we wished to make a corresponding +movement on their flank. They would always, however, after directing him +how to proceed for a while, bring him again on to the great road, which +he wished to avoid for the reason before given. + +The comfort, and the efficiency of an army in the field depends more, I +am persuaded, on the abilities and zeal of officers in the +Quartermaster-general's department, than on any other branch of the +service; for if they are remiss or unacquainted with their duty, the +marches and counter-marches, the halts, and the changes of direction, +are so numerous and annoying, that the spirits and strength of the +troops are soon worn out, and of course dissatisfaction and inefficiency +soon follow. But to the credit of the officers of this department at the +period of which I am writing, I believe never army possessed more able, +more zealous, or more active staff-officers, than we did, and that +principally owing to the excellent example set them by the head of this +department, than whom a more able conductor of an army does not exist. +On one of these occasions when our assistant Quartermaster-general had +occasion to wait upon the authorities of a village, he jokingly asked +them for passports, as is customary in France, to proceed into the +country. "Ma foi," says the worthy Mayor, "you obtained your passports +at Vittoria, you need no others now." + +We halted for the night near the village of Duerse. In the morning, we +forded the Adour near a small village, the name of which I forget, and +making a long and rapid march, we took possession of the city of Mont de +Marsan, where we found immense magazines of provisions, which had been +collected by the enemy. This was the most valuable capture that had been +made by the British army since its arrival in the Peninsula; for +although a great deal of treasure was obtained at Vittoria, yet a +considerable portion of that fell into the hands of individuals; but +this was secured for the benefit of the whole army. The enemy had +abandoned the city previous to our arrival, consequently it was a +bloodless conquest, which rendered it the more valuable. Mont de Marsan +is what may be termed a fine and an extensive city, containing about +3000 inhabitants. + +The people received us kindly upon the whole, and showed us great +attention. Here we had superb quarters, and the change from what we had +lately been accustomed to, produced a rather uncomfortable feeling; for +our clothes and all our equipments so little corresponded with the +magnificence around us, that we should have preferred less stately +mansions, if comfortable, as more congenial with our respective +establishments. But we did not long enjoy our splendid lodgings; for, +having secured the booty, we left the city, and returned to the banks of +the Adour. The march both to and from this city had been along straight +flat roads, cut through an immense pine forest, with which this +department is almost completely covered. The roads had been for some +time much traversed, and having a sandy bottom, were consequently very +bad at this season of the year; added to which, a violent storm of snow +and sleet assailed us all the march of this day, which made it a rather +uncomfortable business. We halted for the night in a village named, I +think, St Maurice, and the next day were moved into St Sever, a +considerable town on the left bank of the Adour, in which Lord +Wellington had taken up his head-quarters. Here we remained some days, +doing duty over his lordship, when we crossed to the right bank, and +moved up the river, halting at the town of Grenade. We next morning +continued our route up that bank till we reached Barcelonne, a +considerable town some little distance from the river, and nearly +opposite Aire, a large town on the left bank, and near which General the +Hon. Wm. Stewart, with the 2d division, had had a smart brush with the +enemy on the day we captured Mont de Marsan. + +On the evening of the 10th we halted at the village of Arblade, and, on +the 11th, entered Tarsac, where we remained for the night. We were next +morning pushed on to a village in front, about a league distant, but +were allowed to remain there only for one night, for the enemy now began +to appear in our front in considerable force. We were consequently +withdrawn, and, passing through Tarsac, the division formed in a wood +about half-way between that and Aire. We expected something serious was +about to occur, but, from what cause I know not, the enemy again +retreated, leaving a body of cavalry on the road about half-a-league +beyond Tarsac, to which we again returned and took up our quarters. + +On the 16th, as these fellows still continued so near us, although +evidently without any infantry to support them, it was determined either +to drive them away or take them prisoners. I must observe, our 15th +hussars were at this time occupying Tarsac with ourselves, and one +squadron of them were selected for this service. The advance of the +French consisted only of one squadron, the remainder of their regiment +being at some distance in rear as supports; consequently it was but fair +that an equal force should attack them. Captain Hancox's squadron (in +which was Captain Booth, with his troop) was pitched upon for this +affair. The remainder of the 15th were drawn out to support them, if +needed, but were not to take any part in the combat. Every one of course +went out to see the fight. + +Accordingly this squadron moved on to the front, and steadily advanced +upon the enemy, who seemed determined to stand the charge, as they put +every thing ready to receive our gallant dragoons. When within a proper +distance the word "trot" was given, and soon after "gallop," and then +"charge," when our fellows dashed in among the French, upsetting them in +all directions, and cutting many of them down to the ground. In a few +minutes the business was settled, for our people returned, bringing in +with them the captain commanding, (and who, I believe, had been +personally engaged with Captain Hancox,) with about twenty-five men, +prisoners. The rest made their escape. The French captain, and the +greater part of the twenty-five men, were wounded, and some were left +dead on the road. + +I shall not soon forget the little wounded captain. He, I believe, was +either a native of Tarsac, or somewhere near, and had been determined +to show his valour to the utmost; hence his standing, when he ought to +have retired; but all the way, as they were bringing him along into the +village, and after he reached the house where he directed them to take +him, he kept crying out, "I'm as brave as a lion!--I'm as brave as the +devil!" and could scarcely be got to hold his peace while the surgeon +was dressing him. Most piteous moaning was made by many of the +inhabitants, to whom it seems he was well known. + +We understood afterwards that this regiment, the 13th French hussars, +had fallen rather under the displeasure of Soult, for some ill conduct +on a former occasion, and that they were thus determined to wipe off the +stain and retrieve their character; but they would have shown more +sense, and have rendered more service to their country, had they retired +when they saw it was determined to drive them away. + +On the 18th, we again advanced by the road the French had taken, and, +crossing the Adour at the bridge and village of La Row or Arros, we +pursued our route till we reached the town of St Germain's, where we +halted for a short space; and thence to Plaisance, a good town, where we +remained for the night. An unfortunate circumstance occurred in or near +this town, which might have produced the most disastrous +consequences:--A man, who most likely had been resisting the plundering +of his house, was basely murdered by some soldier or soldiers of the +division; but although every endeavour was made to discover the +perpetrators of this vile act, they could not be found out; but a +subscription was set on foot among the officers of the division, and 100 +guineas were collected and paid to the unfortunate widow, who, though +grieved for the loss of her husband, was thankful for the money. I +strongly suspect my friends the Portuguese were the culprits on this +occasion. + +On the 19th we again moved forward, and, passing Obrigort, halted for +the night at the village of Aget. Towards the close of this day's march, +we both heard and saw smart skirmishing, down on the great road which +runs parallel to the ridge on which we were, and from Auch to Tarbes, +along the plain on our right, and passes through Vic Bigore. Near this +town the firing was very brisk. We understood it was Picton's division +driving the French before them. + +The next morning we started early, and, continuing our march along the +ridge of the height on which our last night's quarters were situated, we +reached pretty soon the town of Rabasteins, where we learnt that the +enemy had taken up a position in and near the town of Tarbes. We, +accordingly, changing our direction, moved to our right, down the road +leading from the former to the latter place. We passed on this road the +sixth division, which, it seems, was ordered to keep on the flank of the +enemy, which, should he make a stand, this division was to turn. When we +got within about a mile and a half of Tarbes, we discovered the enemy +posted on a strong woody height on the left of the road, with a windmill +on its highest and most distant point. + +The whole of our 95th people were accordingly ordered forward, to +endeavour to drive them from this position. My battalion formed the +right, the 2d battalion the centre, and the 1st battalion the left of +our line of skirmishers. We found them covered in front with a great +number of light troops, which occupied us some time in driving in, and +in which service we suffered considerably, for they occupied the hedges +and dikes on the high ground, from which it was necessary we should +dislodge them. We had also a considerably-sized brushwood to pass +through before we could get at them. At length, after much smart +skirmishing, we gained the height, but found the whole of their heavy +infantry drawn up on a steep acclivity, near the windmill, which allowed +them to have line behind line, all of which could fire at the same time +over each other's heads, like the tiers of guns in a three-decker. We +continued, however, to advance upon them, till we got within a hundred +paces of this formidable body, the firing from which was the hottest I +had ever been in, except perhaps Barossa. At this moment I received a +shot through my right shoulder, which compelled me for a moment to +retire; but meeting the main support of my battalion advancing with +Colonel Ross at its head, and finding my wound had not disabled me, I +again advanced with him, until we got close under the enemy's line, and +took post behind a hillock, which protected us from their fire. + +We here found Colonel Norcott, who then belonged to the 2d battalion, +riding about on his large black mare; but he had not ridden long till he +also was wounded through the shoulder, from which he still suffers. +While we were in this situation, a shot struck a captain of ours in the +side where he had his drinking-horn slung; in fact it struck both the +horn and his side; but, from some cause, it did not penetrate the flesh, +but bruised it sore, which is generally painful. The captain, and those +about him, thought he was shot through the body; they accordingly picked +him up, and were carrying him off to the rear, when he cried, "Stop, let +me feel," and putting his hand down to the place, and finding no wound, +he sprung out of their arms, and, with the most ludicrous appearance +possible, returned to his post again. No one present could refrain from +laughing at the ridiculousness of this occurrence, although at the +moment the men were falling fast around us. At this time also, a spent +shot, one which I imagine had first hit the ground, struck me on the +left arm, but did not injure me. I now thought it better to go to the +rear to get my shoulder dressed, immediately after which I became quite +faint from loss of blood. The firing still continued most animated on +both sides; but before an hour had elapsed, the French were driven +completely from every position they held on this very strong hill; and +as I returned, (after having been dressed, and having swallowed some +spirits to remove the faintness,) I found them posting away with all +expedition to the plain below, some guns, which had just arrived, giving +them an occasional shot, but from which they did not suffer much, they +marched with such rapidity. We immediately followed them down to the +plain, on reaching which, we perceived a body of French troops coming +apparently from the town of Tarbes, pursued by the 3d division, with +whom they had been engaged, and which, with some exertion, we thought we +could intercept and cut off; but they, perceiving our intention, +inclined considerably to the right, and marching with all speed, they +got away before us. + +The enemy now having all retired across the plain, began to take up a +strong position on a height at its extremity, towards which we continued +to advance; but Lord Wellington having expected that the 6th division +would by this time have reached their position, and, attacking in flank, +have rendered our attack in front more likely to succeed, and they not +making their appearance, although it was now nigh dusk, he ordered the +divisions here to halt, and bivouack for the night on the plain. I never +saw any one more disappointed, or apparently more annoyed by this last +order, than our Adjutant-general, the lamented Sir Edward Packenham; he +was for attacking them at once; but this could not have been done +without a great sacrifice of excellent troops, as all those were who now +filled the ranks of the British army, having by this time been +completely seasoned, and become almost invaluable. In reviewing the +operations of this day, I need say little, as facts speak for +themselves. The enemy had on the Windmill hill, as it was vulgarly +called, or more properly the hill of Oleac, I believe a whole division, +consisting of at least 5000 or 6000 men, while not a shot was fired by +any but by the sixteen companies of my regiment, amounting probably to +1000 or 1100 men; it is true the other regiments of the division were +drawn up in rear of us, and would have supported us had we been +repulsed. But it is not so much to the driving away of this so much +stronger force, that I would draw the reader's attention, as to the +great loss the enemy sustained, and solely from our fire. I believe I +shall not be far from the truth, if I state their loss in killed and +wounded as equal to the whole strength of our sixteen companies. + +Lord Wellington, in his dispatch, mentions the destruction caused in the +enemy's ranks as unusually severe; hence the advantage of rifles over +the common musket, or else the superior mode of using our arms beyond +what is practised in the line. The Americans tauntingly tell us, our +soldiers do not know how to use the weapons that are put into their +hands; and, truly, if we are to judge by the awful destruction which +they have occasionally inflicted upon our brave soldiers, we should be +led to suspect that they understand this science much better than +ourselves. It might, however, be easily remedied, if more attention were +paid to the instruction of the recruit in this most essential +qualification, and more time and ammunition devoted to target practice; +but, at the same time, every officer should be made to know something of +projectiles in general, or he will, as at present, be incapable of +instructing his men. I will venture to assert, that eight out of ten of +the soldiers of our regular regiments will aim in the same manner at an +object at the distance of 300 yards, as at one only 50. It must hence be +evident that the greater part of those shots are lost or expended in +vain; indeed the calculation has been made, that only one shot out of +200 fired from muskets in the field takes effect, while one out of +twenty from rifles is the average. My opinion is, that our line troops +ought to be armed with a better description of musket. If five shillings +more were added to the price, it would make a great difference in the +article, and be very trifling to the public. Our army has always been +too sparingly supplied with flints, which may be had almost for an old +song; but if wanted in the field, nothing can supply their place. Many a +brave soldier has fallen while hammering at a worn out flint. It is true +we can, with the weapons we have, drive any other army out of the field, +but not without occasionally sustaining an overwhelming loss, +particularly when opposed to the Americans; and could we meet them with +the same advantages they possess in point of shooting, our chances of +victory would be greater, and at less expense. These are my private +opinions only, and are deduced from the experience I have had, both as a +heavy infantry soldier and a rifleman. I am now firmly persuaded, that +of the near 200 shots I fired on the 2d of October 1799, in Holland, not +one took effect, from my total want of knowledge how to aim. What an +useless expenditure this was of both time and ammunition! Much indeed +has lately been done by Sir Henry Torrens, to supply the deficiency of +which I have been speaking, but still not sufficient, in my opinion, to +remedy all the evils attendant thereon. + +Our loss on this occasion was very heavy, being about 100 men and eleven +officers killed and wounded; the proportion of officers being nearly +double what usually takes place. The regiments which supported us also +had some casualties, arising from the shots which passed over our heads +striking among them; but they were not considerable. My servants having +heard I was wounded, went to Tarbes, (where all the wounded were +collected,) with my baggage. I should consequently have been very ill +off, had not my kind friend and messmate, Major Balvaird, lent me his +tent and bed, as he himself had been ordered on picquet. Immediately +after nightfall, the enemy had all retired from the position in front of +us. We accordingly next morning continued the pursuit, and halted at +night at the village of Lannemazen, not far from the borders of the +Pyrenees, towards which, in their retreat, they had been inclined. This +day and night, my shoulder had become extremely painful. We started +again in the morning; but leaving the Pyrenees, we turned our faces more +towards Toulouse, and took up our abode for the night at a +considerable-sized town, called Castelnau; here the inhabitants received +us very kindly, and we had excellent quarters. However, on the following +morning, we were obliged to continue our march, and passing through +several villages on the road, halted for the night at L'Isle, in Dodon. +During this day's march, my poor old horse played me a sad trick. He was +one which I had been compelled to purchase as soon after I lost my +little Portuguese one by the bad shoeing of the blacksmith at Sumbilla, +as I could fall in with one for sale. He was a very tall grey horse, +rather old, and whose mouth had not been well made in his breaking; he +was withal rather stubborn, or more properly speaking stupid, +consequently he did not always obey the rein as he ought. The roads were +excessively deep and dirty, and as I was riding at the head of the +battalion, and had occasion to pull him a little to one side, for some +purpose or other, he either would not, or could not, obey the pull of +the rein; and as I had but one hand, he took advantage of it, and sat +down completely on his haunches, in the very deepest of the mire. Of +course I was tumbled right over his rump, and rolled in the mud, and +after extricating myself as well as I could, I crawled out, as pretty a +figure as may well be imagined. This, as might be expected, raised the +laugh of all who saw it, at my expense; but, uncomfortable and +ridiculous as my situation was, I was not hurt, the mud being +sufficiently deep to protect me from any injury by the fall. In this +village I fell in with a Frenchman who had just come from Toulouse, +towards which he understood we were bending our course. He gave me such +a flaming account of the "belle position" in the neighbourhood of that +town, and of the impregnable works which Soult had caused to be thrown +up, and of the superb artillery which were stationed there, and which, +he said, were those who had served in the famous battle of Austerlitz, +and of the utter improbability of any impression ever being made on them +by an enemy, that if I had given credit to the half of what he told me, +I might have been filled with fear lest all our laurels might here be +tarnished. From what motive this rather exaggerated statement was made, +I know not, but am inclined to think it was merely an inclination to +indulge in a trifling gasconade. On the 25th we reached Mont Ferrand, +where we halted for the night. + +On the 27th, in the morning, we were moved forward to the village of +Tournefoile, where it seems some of our cavalry had been quartered the +night before, but who had had their quarters beat up during the night by +a body of the enemy, who still held the ground beyond the village. My +battalion, and a Portuguese battalion, were sent forward, the remainder +of the brigade following. We found the enemy occupying the road leading +from the village to a bridge about half a mile distant, together with +the hedges and enclosures in the vicinity. My people extended to the +left, while the Portuguese battalion kept on the road. A smart skirmish +now commenced, during which the enemy gradually retired towards the +bridge; but at this time a most remarkable occurrence took place. One of +our men (the servant of a friend of mine) received a shot in the mouth, +which struck out several of his teeth. One of these was propelled with +such force by the blow that it flew at least twenty yards, and, entering +the left arm of one of the Portuguese on the road, inflicted a deep and +severe wound. When the surgeon of the 43d, who was the nearest to this +man at the time, came to dress the wounded Portuguese, he, instead of a +ball as every one expected, extracted a tooth, at which, no doubt, both +he and all about him were quite astonished; and a report was immediately +set afloat that the enemy were firing bones instead of balls. This most +extraordinary circumstance was not cleared up till they were informed of +our man having had his teeth knocked out, when, after comparing the +relative situations of the two men, it became quite evident how this +most uncommon wound had been inflicted. If any thing like a joke might +be permitted on such an occasion, it may with great propriety be said, +the Frenchman who fired the shot had killed two birds with one stone. I +happened to be near our man at the time, and besides seeing him wounded, +I enquired minutely into the circumstances, or I own I should have +hesitated before I gave implicit credit to the story; so it may +probably be with my reader. Poor fellow, he had afterwards nearly all +his intestines torn out by a cannon-shot at the fatal attack near New +Orleans, and where I saw him writhing in the agonies of death; his name +was Powell, and he was, I believe, a Welshman. + +Not long after the commencement of the skirmish, the artillery on both +sides was brought into play; but the enemy kept gradually retiring till +they crossed the bridge, and as we did not pursue them, they quietly +walked off, taking the road towards Toulouse. I cannot conceive for what +purpose this body of troops had been sent here, unless it was intended +as a reconnoissance, to ascertain whether any, and what description, of +troops had arrived at this point, as their waiting, after driving out +our cavalry, to see whether any infantry approached, would seem to +indicate. Major Balvaird was conspicuously brave on this occasion. The +loss on either side was but trifling. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + + The British Army cross the Garonne--Advance on + Toulouse--Prepare for the Attack--The Attack--Spaniards driven + back--Battle very hot--French completely defeated--Soult + evacuates Toulouse, and tardily adheres to the Bourbons. + + +On the 28th or 29th, we were moved forward, and after a short march we +reached a beautiful plain, with Toulouse appearing most magnificent in +the distance. Here we went into cantonments, in the different villages +and chateaux in the neighbourhood, the greater part of which were +completely deserted, and many of them most wofully sacked and plundered, +which could have been done only by their own troops. A noble and stately +mansion, belonging to a Mr Villeneuve, stood immediately in front of our +outposts, which had shared the same fate with all the others, every +article of furniture having been entirely destroyed. The cloth had been +torn from the billiard-table, the splendid pier-glasses shivered into a +thousand atoms, and, in short, every article of luxury or splendour +which a man could wish for, might have been found in this princely +habitation previous to its desertion by its owner; but now devastation +and destruction had laid its unhallowed hands on all in which its +possessor had formerly delighted. I, with my messmates, took the liberty +of visiting Mr V.'s fish-ponds, where we found some fine-looking carp; +and having some hooks by me, we caught a considerable quantity, which we +imagined would be a great treat to our messmates; but we found them +excessively muddy, and not worth eating. Here also we rejoiced in being +able to procure some good provender for our still half-starved horses +and mules. The grass and cinquefoil which we found in this beautiful and +luxuriant plain, in a few days began to make a wonderful improvement in +our poor fellow-travellers. I know not a more gratifying feeling than we +experienced in thus being able to feed the hungry; for although they +were but of the inferior creation, yet so much did our own comforts, +and, indeed, efficiency for service, depend on their being capable of +performing the task allotted to them, and so much did the circumstance +of our having passed through trials and dangers together attach us to +them, that I very frequently would have preferred getting them a meal +even at the expense of wanting one myself. Here my little Portuguese +horse, which I had originally brought from Lisbon, and who had been my +companion in all my wanderings, (except when he was left for a while +owing to his bad foot,) began to look quite brisk and lively again; for +hitherto his spirits had been very low indeed since he happened by his +misfortune, and had been literally starved into the bargain. + +A pontoon bridge having been constructed some distance above the town, +and which our engineers had been able to accomplish on account of its +being thrown over above the junction of the Ariege with the Garonne, on +the 31st we moved down towards this point, and crossing it, my battalion +was left as its guard in a village on the bank of the river. The +remainder of the division, and the ---- division,[3] moved up the Ariege +river with the intention of crossing, and thus approaching Toulouse in +that direction; but, from the heavy rains, the river was too much +flooded, which, together with the dreadful state of the roads, these +troops were unable to effect this operation, and were consequently +recalled. + +By the 2d of April the whole had recrossed the Garonne, when we again +went into our cantonments on the plain, but now farther down the river +than before. We remained here a few days, and I cannot help recording a +remarkable circumstance which took place at this time. For want of +dwelling-houses we had been obliged to put a certain number of the men +of my battalion into a sort of wine-house; it was not a vault, for it +was above ground, but had a considerable number of barrels of wine in +it, amongst which the men were obliged to sleep. It will scarcely be +credited, but not one of these men ever appeared the least intoxicated +during the whole time they lay there. Whether they were completely tired +of wine, or whether their having been placed in such a situation +produced a feeling of honour and pride among them, I know not, but I +verily believe less wine was drunk by these men during the time they +remained here, than would have been had they had to pay most +exorbitantly for it. With soldiers I believe it is as with mankind in +general; what is prohibited always appears more valuable or more +pleasurable in our eyes, than what we may with freedom enjoy. + +On the 6th we moved down the river till within a short distance of +Grenade, about twelve miles below Toulouse. We halted near a small +village, and encamped. A pontoon bridge had been thrown over the Garonne +here, and one division (I believe the 3d) had crossed; but now, owing to +the swollen state of the river, together with several attempts which +were now made by the enemy to destroy the bridge, by floating down +trees, &c. which might eventually carry it away, it loosened at the +farther end, and the anchors being taken up, the whole was allowed to +float down to our side of the river, keeping fast the end next our own +bank. We remained in this situation for several days, one division only +being on the opposite side, with which it was impossible to communicate, +or, if attacked, to afford it almost any support. Now was the time for +the enemy to bestir himself; for had he marched out of Toulouse with +half his force, and been met at this place by the force he had at +Montauban, they must have annihilated this division, or taken them +prisoners. It is true we might have rendered them some little assistance +by our artillery from the bank we occupied, but the distance was so +great that a determined enemy would not have held back from the dread of +it. + +I took a trip from hence to Grenade, where the paymaster-general had +established the military chest, as I had not yet quite finished my +paymaster's duty. It is a good-sized town, but contains nothing +remarkable, only here I remember I got some excellent wine of the +Champagne kind, and which my friend poured out of an immense magnum +bottle. I understood our Chief was most anxious to have the bridge +re-established by the 9th, which was Easter eve, the weather having now +somewhat taken up, and the river of course had fallen; but although the +engineer thought he could effect it, and had promised his lordship it +should be ready by that time, it was not passable till the morning of +the 10th. Early on that morning, my division crossed to the other side, +together with the 4th and 6th divisions, and a whole host of Spaniards. + +I omitted to mention, that these latter gentry, on their entering +France, had behaved most wantonly, and had committed numerous +atrocities; on which, his lordship, as Generalissimo, had ordered them +back to their own country again; but upon the promise of good behaviour, +and an anxious desire to participate in the honourable achievements of +the allied troops, he had granted them permission to rejoin the army, +and they were to have a post of honour assigned them at the ensuing +battle. Such was the current report which prevailed among our army +newsmongers: be it as it may, however, they were here in number, I +should think, about 6000 or 8000. The whole army now present having +crossed, except General Hill with the 2d division, advanced upon the +town of Toulouse. We here found a beautiful country and excellent roads, +along which we got on rapidly. The town stands close to the right bank +of the river, along which there are numerous quays, and over which there +is an excellent bridge, communicating with the suburb on the opposite +side, called St Cyprian. From the river on the north side of the town +runs the famous canal of Languedoc, with which it communicates by locks, +and which, encircling the town on that and on the east sides, with the +river on the west, almost entirely encloses it. On the east side of the +town, and just beyond the canal, a considerable eminence arises, forming +a sort of chain or ridge, on the top of which numerous redoubts and +batteries had been constructed, and which, both from the nature of the +ground and by the great labour bestowed upon them, had been rendered, as +the Frenchman told me, nearly impregnable. + +The 6th division, supported by the 4th, had been ordered to move +considerably to the left, and, after crossing the Garonne, to attack +this formidable position on the outer side, while the Spaniards were to +attack it immediately in front. My division was ordered to communicate +with the right of the Spaniards, and, extending down to the great +Montauban road, was to press upon the town in this direction, in order +to aid the attack upon the height before mentioned. The 3d division +joined our right at the Montauban road, and extended from thence down to +the river, and were ordered to act similarly to us. The 2d division, +under General Hill, remained on the other side of the river, and was to +co-operate by attacking the suburb before mentioned, together with the +works for the protection of the bridge, and for the same purpose of our +attack, namely, to keep the troops in these parts of the town employed, +while the 6th division and Spaniards attacked the height. Immediately in +front of our division, we found considerable bodies of troops, at some +distance from the town, occupying the houses all along the road, and +which it took us a considerable time to drive in. They had also +constructed a battery on the bridge over the canal, where the great road +passes, and from which they kept up an almost incessant fire. At the +hither end of the bridge also there stood a very large convent, which +they had fortified in a very strong manner, having loopholed the whole +of the surrounding wall, which was twenty feet high, and had also looped +the upper part of the convent, which contained a garrison of probably +1000 or 1200 men. + +We commenced operations in conjunction with the 3d division on our +right, in driving these people in, and with whom a smart firing was kept +up during the whole day. The French had also other troops beyond the +canal, and on the Moorish or Roman wall which encircled the town inside +the canal, and both of which they had fortified; so that, had it been +intended we should force the town on this side, we should have found it +a difficult undertaking: we were, however, merely (as said before) to +press upon them without committing ourselves; but unfortunately, in the +eagerness of some of our people to push forward, they got immediately +under the muzzles of the pieces of the men who were defending the +convent, and from the loopholes several of our poor fellows were shot +without being able to see their antagonists. A good number fell here; +for it was not more than thirty yards distant where they had taken up +their post, and an unpleasant one it was as well as dangerous; for they +were obliged to stand in a drain which ran from a jakes, and which of +course emitted no very desirable flavour; or, if they had left it for a +moment, they were immediately shot. Our adjutant escaped here as by a +miracle, the bole of a very small tree having stopped the ball that +would have pierced his body. When, however, we had got them fairly +driven in, we had then time to look about us, and the first thing we saw +was the Don moving on to the attack of the height with all due ceremony. +They gained the first or lower ridge without much opposition, and here +getting up some artillery, a pretty heavy fire was opened on the enemy; +but the French remained quite passive, not offering to resist the +approaching Spaniards till they got within a certain distance of their +works on the top of the hill. + +The Spaniards, elated by having gained the first ridge so easily, pushed +on too rapidly, and without having taken time to re-form their columns +after the first conquest. They were not aware either that a rather deep +ravine separated them from the enemy's works; however, on they pushed, +in a very disorderly manner, till they reached the point the French +intended they should reach, when a fire was opened out upon them, such +as they had never witnessed before. Few troops would have remained +unshaken by such a reception, but to the Spaniards it was intolerable; +consequently they broke into a thousand parties, and, turning tail, it +was who should be first away from such unpleasant doings. I am told that +Lord Wellington at this moment could scarcely hold his sides for +laughing, and cried out he "wondered whether the Pyrenees would bring +them up again, they seemed to have got such a fright." He did not indeed +depend on their valour, or he would have made a bad winding up of his +Peninsular campaign. The moment they left the height, every man took the +way that seemed to him best, and they soon after literally covered the +whole plain, and set to work with all expedition to plunder at least, if +they would not fight. Some of the villains had the audacity to come and +take a poor man's horse out of the stable of the very house which we +were then, as it were, defending, and had nigh got off with it; but +having been perceived, it was taken from them, and restored again to its +owner. + +The left of our division was now obliged to be moved up to fill the +space vacated by these vagabonds; and in doing which a good deal of hard +fighting took place. This also made the people in front of us rally +again, and coming out in great numbers hurraing and shouting, we had +something to do to drive them back. But by this time we heard, in the +distance behind the hill, a dropping and now brisker fire; by and by, +approaching the summit, it became quite animated. We could plainly +perceive now the different appearance which the French assumed; they no +longer lay supine and passive till their enemy approached their works, +but fought for every inch of ground, and all was now animation and +bustle among them, hurrying to the support of those troops who defended +the redoubts, &c. on the point assailed. The battle now raged with great +fury, each party with all their might for the mastery, and the French, +we could perceive, when compelled by sheer force to yield ground, did +it with the utmost reluctance. At length, we saw the British colour +waving on the summit of the hill, with the most deadly warfare raging on +each side of it; but every move we saw was in favour of the British. + +The 42d regiment had by this time gained possession of the principal +redoubt, which they held till their ammunition was all expended, and +which the enemy perceiving, or suspecting, again advanced, and gained +possession of it. Things did not now wear quite so favourable an aspect; +but being promptly supported by other troops behind them, a movement was +again made in advance, and again the French were expelled from the +redoubt. Great was the slaughter in and about this place, as I saw next +day when I visited it. + +The enemy were now reluctantly compelled to yield up all those famous +works, on which so much time and labour had been expended, and on which +they so much relied, and were obliged to abandon (slowly indeed) this +long disputed ridge; but they fought till they were fairly forced down +into the town, where they still kept up a feeble fire; at length it +gradually subsided. This was the principal part of the drama; but it had +many subordinate plots. On our right, General Picton, with that ardour +which ever characterised him, was scarcely well satisfied to play an +under part on this occasion; and, instead of merely keeping his +opponents in play, as I before hinted, he was for effecting a forcible +entry into the town. He accordingly attacked with his division a strong +and well-secured battery, near the canal, in doing which his brave +Connaught Rangers, who had scarcely ever hitherto known a reverse, met +with a severe and bloody repulse, in which they lost a great number of +excellent officers and men. The other corps of his division, who +co-operated, also suffered greatly. General Hill strictly obeyed his +instructions, and, as he always did, effected every object at which he +aimed. + +In this action I had another opportunity of witnessing the effect of +presentiment. Early in it I was sent forward by my commanding-officer +with some orders to a company of ours, which was in front skirmishing, +and which had taken possession of a house, which partly screened them +from the enemy's battery on the bridge. Behind this house, one of the +men was sitting on a heap of stones with the most woe-worn countenance +possible. He had separated from the rest of the men, and was sitting +here apparently ruminating on his fate, and appeared to be quite +absorbed in his meditations. I remarked him most particularly, wondering +what could render him so different from the rest of his comrades, who +were all life and animation, and from what he had formerly been himself +in action. He presently went forward with some of the other men, and +soon after fell to rise no more. The poor man's melancholy look made a +deep impression upon me at the time, together with his fate soon after. + +Thus terminated the battle of Toulouse; our troops maintaining the +ground they had gained, while the enemy had retired into the town +completely beaten. Soult seemed undetermined how to act, whether to +endeavour to hold the town, (which indeed he might have done for a day +or two perhaps,) or to leave it by the road towards the south, the only +one now open to him. We rested on the field all night, the enemy sending +an occasional shot or shell in the direction of our camp. Next morning +we still found the enemy retaining possession of the town; and nothing +being likely to be done, I rode up with another officer to see the +bloody field, with all its redoubts and batteries, and also to see, if +I could, in what situation the enemy now appeared. Just as we reached +the summit, a cry was given by the 42d sentry, "Turn out the picquet." +There was a good deal of firing going on in the suburbs nearest to the +position, which this Highlander thought it right to apprize his people +of. We looked a considerable time with our glasses, and observed a good +number of troops on a green and open space in that part of the suburbs, +and who every now and then would fire their muskets. I thought it must +either be a sort of _feu-de-joie_, or a funeral, and it turned out to be +the latter. They were burying a general officer, who had fallen the day +before, and to whom they were paying the last melancholy honours; but it +was conducted in a quite different manner from our military funerals, +for they did not fire in volleys like us; but every few minutes +apparently a few men only fired, and by and by some others. This had the +effect, however, of turning out our whole line in the neighbourhood of +the position; and as I was afterwards returning, I met Colonel Barnard +and Colonel Colborne (than whom there were not two better officers in +the army) riding up to see what was the matter. Colonel Barnard asked me +what it was. I told him what I thought it was. He said the whole line +had fallen in, thinking it was an attack. + +Towards evening we heard that the inhabitants of the city had been most +urgent on Soult to withdraw from it; and that he had promised to do so. +Indeed, had he not, Lord Wellington might, if he chose, have soon +reduced the town to ashes; for the heights we had taken were not 500 +yards distant from the city, and completely overlooked it. On the +morning of the 12th, therefore, Soult marched out, and was not molested +by our troops. He took the road to Villefranche and Carcassonne, up the +canal of Languedoc, our cavalry following their track. Now all the +loyalists came rushing out of the town to meet and welcome us; every one +wearing white scarfs or favours to denote his attachment to the +Bourbons. Now all was joy and festivity, and nothing but shaking of +hands and embracing was to be seen in all directions. This day also +arrived Lord Stewart from Paris with the account of Bonaparte's +abdication, and of the Bourbons having been reinstated. It was also +rumoured that Soult had received this news previous to the battle; but +not being inclined to yield obedience to that dynasty, he had allowed +the warfare to proceed. Indeed, what almost puts this beyond a doubt, +was his still continuing for many days after this to refuse sending in +his submission to the Bourbon government. We also heard afterwards that +the courier bringing the official information of Bonaparte's fall, &c. +had been detained by the postmaster of Montauban by Soult's direction; +for although he had had private intelligence of the fact, he imagined +the detention of the official information might screen him hereafter. +Such are the surmises of the wise heads respecting this affair, which, +as it turned out, is to be regretted; for the sacrifice of so many +valuable lives on both sides was a thing of no trifling importance; but +I believe Soult felt sore at his having been so often worsted, and hoped +here in some measure to retrieve his lost honours; for it cannot be +doubted, I believe, that he expected to be able to repel our attack at +least, if not to force us to retire from Toulouse. + +On the 13th, the divisions marched into the town; my battalion having +the fauxbourg adjoining the lately disputed position assigned to it, and +in which we found very comfortable quarters. To show that the French +people of this place took Lord Wellington either for a very generous +person, or a great fool, a man who owned a house on the border of the +position, and which the French had fortified by loopholing it, and +otherwise rendering it unfit for occupation by its owner, sent in a +memorial to his lordship, praying him to order that he might receive out +of the military chest a sufficient sum to enable him to put his house in +its former state; and this, although it had been done by his own +countrymen. I suppose his lordship would laugh at it when he saw it. I +should have been inclined to be angry with the fellow. The man showed +the memorial to the adjutant and myself before he sent it in--a step +which of course we dissuaded him from taking. + +Notwithstanding it was notorious that Bonaparte's career was at that +time finished, Soult still made a show of holding out for him; in +consequence of which the army was again put in motion to compel him +either to send in his adhesion to the new government, or to resign his +command of troops who had not now a master. He had taken up a position +near Villefranche. Accordingly, we marched, I think, on the 15th or +16th, the which rather alarmed him; and in consequence he despatched +Count Gazan with terms to offer to his lordship, the which, after some +alterations, were finally agreed upon, and the army returned once more +to Toulouse, where we resumed our former quarters. + +Thus finished the Peninsular War, the last campaign of which had been +the most active probably that is recorded in history. In ten months and +a half we had marched from the frontiers of Portugal, had completely +traversed Spain, which we had cleared of its long troublesome and +insidious invaders; had penetrated far into the interior of that +country, which three years before gave law to most of the continental +nations; and had worsted, in various actions, those troops, which, +except when encountering the British, had been accustomed almost +invariably to conquer. + + +FOOTNOTE: + +[3] Some obscurity is occasioned here and elsewhere, by blanks being +left in the MS., which the death of the good-humoured and kindly author +has rendered it now impossible to fill up.--ED. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + + Author's happy state during 1813 and 1814--Character of the + veritable French--British distributed over the + Country--Civility of the Inhabitants of Grissolles--Amusements + in quarters--The British prepare to quit France. + + +When I look back on the events of 1813 and 1814, I cannot but deem that +the happiest period of my life, for I had been actively, and, as I +believed, usefully employed. My mind during this time was tranquil, and +I was, with a few exceptions, prosperous in my outward circumstances. +All those among whom my lot was cast were now sincerely friendly to me, +and I believe I may with confidence affirm that I had not (with the +exception of the person before mentioned, and who was now far removed +from me) a single enemy in the world. It is true my occupation had not +been, strictly speaking, of a Christian character, but I believed I was +fulfilling my duty; hence the peace of mind which I enjoyed. I have +since learned certainly, that a Christian, to resemble his Master, +should be more ready to save than to destroy men's lives; but, at the +same time, I cannot see why a Christian soldier should not be as +zealous in the defence of his king and country, as those who are +actuated by other motives; and it is certain, I believe, although I once +doubted whether there was such a precept, that in whatever calling or +occupation a man is in when called to become a Christian, that therein +he should abide, 1st Cor. vii. 17, 20, and 24. But I attribute the peace +of mind I then enjoyed as much to the constant employment which the +nature of our services entailed upon us, as to any other cause. Be it +remembered, I was doing the duties of both paymaster and quartermaster +during this period, and my battalion had been as often called into +action as any in the army, having been engaged in battles and skirmishes +no less than sixteen times in less than ten months. This naturally left +little time for reflection. But, above all, I am bound to render thanks +to where alone it is due, to that gracious and beneficent Being, who not +only watched over me during this period, and protected me from harm, but +who poured his choicest blessings upon me, even the blessings of a +cheerful and contented heart, together with the means of retrieving my +sadly deranged finances; for had I not been appointed acting paymaster, +I might have gone to prison on my return to my native country, from the +unavoidable losses I had sustained, and which I shall mention by and by. +Another cause of comfort and cheerfulness arose from our operations +against the enemy having been invariably successful; for we never, from +the time of our leaving the frontiers of Portugal, till we took +possession of Toulouse, met with any thing like a serious reverse. + +Most of my readers no doubt know that the city where we had now taken up +our quarters is one of the largest and finest in this part of France; +but as it has been so often described, I shall content myself with +merely informing my readers, that the people among whom we now resided +were truly and veritably French. The character of the inhabitants, +since we left our poor friends the Basques, had materially changed; that +kind, but rude and simple hospitality, which had on most occasions been +displayed by those honest mountaineers, had now given place to all that +imposing, but less sincere politeness of the real French character. We +were, indeed, treated here with every degree of respect; and perhaps +more, or at least an equal degree of attention, was paid to our +convenience and comfort, as they would have shown to their own troops. +We had every reason, therefore, to be perfectly satisfied. + +In this part of the country there are a great number of Protestants, +which, of course, permitted us to live on better terms with them than +had they been all such stanch and bigoted Catholics as we met with in +some parts of the Continent, and where our heretical presence was +frequently looked upon as a contamination; for I remember well in the +small village of Zalada, where we lay for some time, near Astorga, we +never left the village, as they supposed, for a permanency, but the joy +bells were rung for our departure. It was our lot, indeed, to be +frequently quartered in this village, and such was their invariable +custom. It is true the Padre and people of the place only expressed +openly the feeling that was covertly, but universally, entertained +throughout Spain and Portugal respecting us; for although the monks and +priests made great pretences of friendship and good-will towards us, +while we were upholding them in their iniquitous dominion over the minds +of the people, yet secretly they cordially hated us, and were glad when +at last our successes contributed to rid their country of both the +invaders and their conquerors. One noble Spanish lady, (I remember +well,) when I was quartered at Cadiz, made use of an expression which I +am sure would shock and horrify my simple and delicate countrywomen. +She said, "She should rejoice to see all the French then in their +country hung up in the intestines (las tripas) of the English, who had +come to drive them out." Thus they should get quit of both. This lady, +as might be supposed, was a most depraved and abandoned being, yet even +she, it seems, looked upon us in the light of a curse or plague sent +upon their country, rather than as a generous and gallant people, who +had not hesitated to sacrifice much, both of blood and money, in freeing +them from their French oppressors. But such, I fear, is the too general +feeling in that country; for while the innumerable religiosos which +overrun that nation maintain their cursed dominion over the minds of the +other classes, an Englishman will always be looked upon by them as a +dangerous and hateful being, uniting in himself both the mortal sins, +first, of having totally cast off the Pope's authority, and being the +subject of a free and popular government--than either of which, not even +Satan himself could be more odious to them. + +We were not allowed, however, to remain long in Toulouse, but were +distributed over the country in the neighbourhood, lines of demarcation +having been pointed out which were to separate the French and British +armies. My division was sent down the right bank of the river, and +occupied Castel Sarazin, Grissolles, and Castelnau, &c. My battalion was +stationed at Grissolles. During our stay here I had two or three +opportunities, in company with others, of going to see Montauban, the +seat of a Protestant college, and famed in romantic lore. The people +were kind and obliging, and showed us every attention; but unfortunately +a French garrison was quartered in it, the officers of which took every +opportunity of quarrelling with ours. Indeed we had no business there, +and were consequently obliged to put up with more than we should have +otherwise done, for we were strictly forbid to enter any place within +the French lines; but we did not conceive that those fellows, who had +shown themselves so friendly and polite near Bayonne, while we were +avowedly in arms against each other, would now turn round upon us when +peace was made, and endeavour to engage us in quarrels and duelling. But +I believe they felt a degree of soreness at our acknowledged superiority +as soldiers, (for even the inhabitants of Montauban, where they lay, did +not hesitate to express it,) and thus wished to be revenged for the many +victories we had gained over them. Indeed there was a sort of +recklessness about them which is not easily accounted for, unless they +supposed their occupation was gone, and cared not what became of +themselves; but they did not succeed, I think, in any instance in +obtaining their wishes, for they would not fight with pistols, the only +weapon which gives each a fair and equal chance, but insisted upon using +the sword,--a mode of fighting to which the English in general were +utter strangers. The people uniformly gave us warning as soon as ever +they learnt that a plot was laid to insult us, on which we generally +came away without subjecting ourselves to it; and when their designs +became too evident, we refrained from going there. It was only a short +distance from our quarters. + +During our stay here, also, the Marquis de Pompignan, a gentleman +residing between Grissolles and Castelnau, and where our Major-general +had taken up his quarters, gave to the officers of the brigade a +splendid fete. I know not exactly how to denominate it, for it was a +sort of dramatic medley, part of it being performed in the garden and +part in the house, where a private theatre had been fitted up; that in +the garden, it was said, was intended to represent some military +event,--I think it was the burning of Moscow, and in which the Marquis's +beautiful daughter bore a part. + +This young lady was said to be greatly enamoured of an honourable +gentleman, aide-de-camp to the General, who was quartered in their +house, and between whom it was expected a match would have taken place. +She was extremely beautiful and engaging. + +We sometimes went a-fishing while we remained here also, but were not +successful, there being none other than lake-fish, such as perch, &c., +in the neighbourhood, which were scarcely worth taking. + +Here, also, for want of better occupation, some of our young gentlemen +amused themselves by hunting and lashing the Spanish muleteers as they +were returning, after having delivered in their loads at the +commissary's stores. They always rode one mule, (sideways, like a +woman,) and led one or two more, and were most dexterous in handling the +long shank of the halter, with which they sometimes soundly belaboured +their pursuers; and had they not been set on by two or three at a time, +they would not have liked better fun than to fight one of our gentlemen +with his whip, for they saw that it was only for amusement, and +generally took it good-naturedly; but our young gentlemen, as they +generally do, carried the joke too far, and it was consequently put a +stop to. Of course none but the young and idle took any part in this +exercise. + +We had, while we lay here, also several little balls and hops; and here, +for the first time, several of our young men began to dance quadrilles; +in short, there was no want of amusement among this gay and lively +people, who are ever intent upon pleasure themselves, and who of course +found our wild and thoughtless young fellows ever as ready to second +their endeavours to get up something new and entertaining. Certainly +their morality is not the highest in the world, but their vices are most +of them divested of that coarse and disgusting appearance which similar +vices carry on their front in England; and thus, while they are +generally more pleasing, they are the more seducing, and consequently +the more dangerous. However, as no person is compelled to enter into +these scenes of dissipation and voluptuousness which they rejoice in, I +found it, upon the whole, a very comfortable country to live in. The +people were kind and civil, and were always good-natured and polite, +and, as we now had plenty of the good things of this world at our +command, I spent two months here very contentedly. It is true we had +none of those excellent privileges with which my native country abounds, +and which I have since learnt highly to prize,--I mean the privileges of +the gospel,--the food for the nobler and never-dying part; but I was +then ignorant of their value, for although I had been convinced and +convicted, I had not been converted. I was still in darkness respecting +the way, the truth, and the life, and yet my foolish and carnal mind +whispered peace; hence my contentedness in this situation. No! it was +not till some years that I discovered that there is but one way to real +happiness, but one true foundation on which to build our hope,--even +that which is laid in Zion. + +But the time had arrived for us to move down towards Bordeaux, +preparatory to our quitting France. Accordingly, on the 3d June, we +forded the Garonne, and stopped all night in Grenade, a place I formerly +mentioned. We next day reached Cadours, a village near Cologne, where +our 2d battalion was that evening quartered. In the afternoon of that +day, a storm collected in the north, which I think had the most +frightful appearance I ever witnessed. It was actually as black as night +in the direction in which we saw it. It did not reach us, but it alarmed +the inhabitants of our village so much, that they set on ringing the +church bells with the utmost fury imaginable. We could not account for +this strange proceeding till we enquired of them why it was done. They +told us the devil was in the storm, and the bells being holy, he durst +not, when he heard them, proceed any farther in that direction. Indeed +they had ample reason to be in dread of its reaching their village; for +the next day, as we passed along the country where it had raged most +furiously, the whole face of the country was desolated. It had been a +hail-storm such as I never before witnessed. The hailstones were still +lying, some of them larger than a bullet; the vines had been all +destroyed; the crops of corn completely swept from the face of the +earth. Trees knocked down, birds killed; in short, nothing could equal +the appearance of misery and woe which this awful hail-storm had +inflicted upon the unfortunate inhabitants, many of whom were going +about wringing their hands in all the bitterness of heart, which a +consciousness of being deprived of every hope of subsistence for the +year to come would naturally inspire. Indeed most of them were literally +stripped of their all. + +On the 6th we marched into Lectoure, a fine town on the river, and +famous for having given birth to Marshal Lannes, one of Bonaparte's best +generals. It stands on a high ground near the river, and overlooks one +of the richest and most beautiful plains I think I ever saw. Here I +experienced another misfortune in my steed. My little Portuguese horse +(which was now in high condition, and being an entire horse was apt to +fight) quarrelled with a large horse belonging to one of our officers, +while I was serving out the billets; and although we were both mounted +at the time, the quarrelsome animals reared up against each other, and +fought most desperately; but his, being the strongest, pulled mine and +myself down to the ground. I luckily fell clear of him, and was not +hurt; but he by some accident got a kick in his hind leg or foot, which +completely lamed him, and I could not ride him any longer. + +We passed through Condom, another fine town, and Nerac, also a good +town, and nearly full of Protestants. We next day halted at Castel +Jaloux, where I was quartered on a house of religeuse. Here my poor +little horse was so very ill that I could not drag him any farther. I +was consequently obliged to leave him with those good dames, to whom I +made him a present, and parted from him in the morning with sincere +regret. They promised to take care of him, which I hope they did. We +next reached the town of Bazas. Here there was to be another parting +scene exhibited. The Portuguese were ordered to leave us here, and +proceed towards their own country. The Spanish and Portuguese women who +had followed the men were either to be sent home from hence, or their +protectors were to consent to marry them. Some adopted the latter +alternative, having had children by them, and some others who had not, +and the remainder, of course, were compelled to separate. Our division +drew up in the morning they marched, and honoured the brave Portuguese +(for indeed they had always behaved well in the field) with three +cheers, as they turned their faces towards Portugal. Many were the heavy +hearts in both armies on this occasion; for it is not easy to conceive +how the circumstance of passing through scenes of hardship, trial, and +danger together, endeared the soldiers of the two armies to each other. +It was perhaps never before felt so fully how much each was attached to +the other; but the departure of the poor women caused many heavy hearts, +both among themselves, poor creatures, who had a long and dreary journey +before them, and among those with whom they had lived, and who had +shared in all their good and bad fortune; but among these, several on +both sides were not oppressed with too fine feelings. A friend of mine, +who was an officer in the Portuguese service, told me afterwards that +the women marched down to Spain and Portugal at the same time his +regiment did; that they formed a column of 800 or 900 strong; that they +were regularly told off into companies; and that the commanding-officer, +a major, and all the captains, were married men, who had their families +with them--all excellent arrangements; but that they were the most +unmanageable set of animals that ever marched across a country. The +officers had to draw rations for them all the way; but many of them, he +says, left the column and went wherever they pleased. Few reached +Portugal in the order in which they started. + +We reached Langon on the 12th, and Barsac on the 13th June. This latter +place is famed for a fine white-wine, something resembling sauterne. The +adjutant (who had now been my chum for some time) and I were here +quartered in a fine old baronial castle, the inmates of which showed us +great attention. A ball was given in the evening to the officers of the +brigade. + +On the 14th we halted at Castres, and on the 15th entered Bordeaux. This +was the finest town we had seen since we entered the Peninsula, except +Lisbon and Madrid. This town had been occupied by the British for some +time, a division of the army having been sent by Lord Wellington to take +charge of it in the name of Louis XVIII. + +We were not, however, destined to be quartered in this southern capital +of France, but marched right through it, on the road towards the +village of Blancfort. On the road the division was formed, and very +minutely inspected by our gallant Chief, who was dressed in all his +finery, his orders, and medals, and ribbons, &c., which he wore for the +first time that ever I had seen. He looked most splendid indeed, and +right proud were we to see him in them. After inspection we moved on to +the camp at Blancfort, where we found a great part of the army +assembled, waiting for the arrival of shipping to carry them off. Some +had sailed a considerable time before our arrival. Besides our tents, +the adjutant and I had got a cottage close by, in which our servants and +our baggage were put. We had not been here above two or three days, I +think, till his two servants, that is, his servant and groom, took it +into their heads to desert. This was not the first instance of desertion +that had taken place lately; for as we drew near the time of departure +great numbers ran off into the interior, mostly bad characters. However, +on this occasion, these worthies were determined to have something to +carry them on the road, and, without hesitation, broke open their +master's panniers, or boxes, and took away all the money he had, which +did not indeed amount to any great sum, for it was only 40 dollars, +(about L.10 British,) but it being all he was worth it was a great loss +to him. + +I have reason to be thankful to Providence for my escape on this +occasion. My paymaster's chest was standing close to the adjutant's +panniers when they broke them open, and they did not touch it, although +it contained about L.400 worth of gold. Had they taken that I might have +gone after them. I of course expressed my thankfulness for this lucky +escape, and told several people of it. I fancy some person (my groom, I +suspect) overheard me telling what a lucky escape I had been favoured +with, and determined in his own mind that I should not always come off +so well. The sequel will show: A few days after this I had occasion to +go into Bordeaux to draw some money from the Commissary-general. The +amount was 600 dollars, or about L.150. As I could not conveniently +carry them out to the camp, I requested Major Balvaird, who had a +quarter in town, to allow me to put them in his portmanteau till I had +an opportunity of getting them sent out. His servant had overheard this +conversation, and made up his mind at once to desert and take this money +with him; but providentially again I escaped. I found the means, before +night, of carrying it out to the camp, and the Major gave it me unknown +to the servant. That night he broke open the portmanteau, and, taking +every thing worth carrying away, (among which was a gold watch of mine,) +deserted, and got clear off. This money, also, had it been taken, would +have sorely crippled me, although I might perhaps have overcome the +loss. + +We marched in a few days after, passing through the district of Medoc, +famous for Bordeaux or claret wine, and halted for the night at +Castelnau de Medoc. The next day we passed through Chateau Margaux, +where the best and most expensive of the claret grows, and again +encamped at Pauillac, from whence we were to go on board. + +Now was the time for the person who had overheard me speaking about my +escape with the L.400, to make his grab and start off, or he would be +too late. Accordingly, after dark, he or they lifted up a part of the +tent where the box was standing, and, pulling it out, set off with it +bodily. But, again directed by Providence, I had taken the money out of +the box, and given it into the hands of a gentleman, to take care of for +me; and there remained in the box my papers and books, public and +private, about L.19 in money, an old silver watch, and, among other +things, the half doubloon which poor Croudace had given me to take care +of for him on the evening previous to his death at Badajos, and which I +was preserving as a memorial for his afflicted friends. + +As soon as the box was missed I instantly raised the hue and cry, and, +reporting the circumstance to my commanding-officer, he ordered the +rolls to be called, to see if any man had deserted; but no, they were +all present. I then offered a reward of forty dollars to any one who +would bring me the box and papers, and did not regard the money. +Instantly the whole camp was in a move to find the box, and search was +made in all directions. I of course was not idle myself on the occasion; +and having a man or two with me, I actually discovered where the box had +been opened, for I found the inkstand, that had been in it, lying near a +heap of wood close to the bank of the river, into which, after +plundering it, no doubt they had thrown it. I now went down to the town +and waited on the mayor, offering the same reward to any of his people +that would try to find it in the river; but, unfortunately, just as +there was the best chance of recovering it, the order came for us +instantly to go on board.--Thus was I deprived of every document I +possessed, both Paymaster's, Quartermaster's, and private. I had +fortunately got my Paymaster's accounts made out up to the very latest +period, and transmitted to the War-Office, or I know not what I should +have done; but my duplicates were gone, and when afterwards objections +were made to some of the items in the charges, (as is always the case,) +I, being unable to answer them, was obliged to submit to the loss of +them. I had also several private accounts unclosed, on which I lost +considerably, so that altogether I calculate this loss fully amounted to +L.100, besides the vexation of not having my papers to refer to when +wanted. + +I had been obliged to part with all my remaining animals for next to +nothing, for when the French people found we were obliged to leave them, +they offered us the most shameful trifles possible, but which we were +compelled to take or give the animals away. One I did actually make a +present of, besides my little Portuguese horse before-mentioned. I made +a close calculation, and found that my losses in horses and mules, from +the beginning of 1812 to June 1814, did not amount to less than L.150, +besides sums that I lost by officers who died. By one I lost L.84, and +another L.74 odd, so that, as I said before, had I not fortunately been +appointed Acting Paymaster, I should have been so much involved, that at +this time I durst not have returned to my native country. I do not +complain, for most of my losses were sent by Providence, who saw best +what was fitting and good for me; but never, till the Peninsular +campaigns, were officers obliged generally to provide and keep up their +own baggage-animals, and from the loss of which I had suffered so +severely; and I cannot but think that rule, always acted upon till these +campaigns, ought to be continued, and that subalterns at least ought to +have their baggage always carried at the public expense. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + + Author's Battalion embark for England--Land at Plymouth--Expect + to be again ordered on Foreign Service--Order received--Embark, + with other troops, for America--Land at Pine Island. + + +We embarked on the 8th July on board his Majesty's ship Dublin, of 74 +guns, commanded by Captain Elphinstone, which took the five companies of +my battalion, with two companies of the 43d. We sailed the next day, I +think, and had generally fine weather during our voyage, which lasted +till the 18th, when we arrived at Plymouth. She was but a dull sailer, +or we ought not to have occupied so many days in so short a passage. +During our voyage, as remarkable an instance of heroic fortitude and +bodily strength was exhibited by a sailor of this ship as I ever +remember to have witnessed. He was doing something on the fore-yard, and +by some accident he was precipitated into the water, but in his fall his +shoulder came in contact with the flue of one of the anchors, by which +it was deeply and severely cut. The ship was going at about five knots +an hour, and it took near half an hour before she could be brought +round and a boat sent to his assistance; and notwithstanding the severe +cut he had received, from which the blood was fast streaming, he not +only contrived to keep himself from sinking by buffeting with a heavy +sea, but actually stripped off his jacket in the water, as it seems it +had been an encumbrance to him. When the boat reached him, the poor +fellow was nigh exhausted, and a few minutes more would have deprived +the ship and the service of an excellent sailor, but having been got +into the boat, he was brought on board more dead than alive, where every +attention being paid to him, he soon afterwards recovered. + +We landed at Plymouth on the 18th, and occupied one of the barracks. We +did not exactly know what was to become of us. Kent being our regimental +station, we expected to be ordered to march and join the left wing in +that county, but were still kept at Plymouth, where we met with great +kindness and attention from the inhabitants in general, who are upon the +whole, I think, an excellent and a moral people. We also fared +sumptuously here, every description of food being both cheap and good. +Fish in particular is most abundant and excellent. In short, we were +here as comfortably and as well quartered as we could desire, and every +thing tended to make us perfectly satisfied with our lot. We relaxed by +attending the theatre occasionally, which is one of the best provincial +ones in the kingdom, and at this time could boast some very good actors. +There were a variety of other amusements, such as fishing, &c., which of +course we indulged in occasionally. From hence I was called up to London +to meet our Colonel, the Hon. Sir W. Stewart, to arrange our battalion +concerns, &c. for the few latter years of hurry and confusion, and which +was at last got done to the satisfaction of all concerned. Here also we +began to replenish our wardrobes, which, it will easily be imagined, +were not the most magnificent in the world on our first arrival. + +But we were not long permitted the enjoyment of English society or +English comforts, for we had scarcely been a month at Plymouth till we +received an order to prepare again for foreign service, and the nature +of that service being kept a profound secret, we scarcely knew what +necessary articles of equipment to prepare. The general opinion, +however, was, that our destination was some part of America, +consequently we endeavoured to meet all contingencies by preparing both +for a warm and cold climate. All hands of course were vigorously set to +work, in order to be ready when the summons arrived, which we knew might +be very soon expected. An alteration was made in the arrangement of our +battalion. The staff was ordered to proceed to join the other wing at +Thorncliffe, which of course included myself, but Major Mitchell, who +was now appointed to the command of these five companies, was anxious to +take me out with him in the capacity of acting paymaster, and to his +friendly and earnest endeavours, added to the kindness of Captain James +Travers, who had at first intended to apply for that situation himself, +but renounced it on my account, I am indebted for again having an +addition of 10s. per diem made to my regimental pay during the +continuance of service on this expedition. + +At length the order arrived for our embarkation, and on the 18th +September, just two months from the day of our arrival in England, our +five companies were sent on board his Majesty's ships Fox and Dover, +both frigates of the smaller class, and which had been prepared for the +reception of troops, by having a part of their guns taken out, and +being, as it is termed, armed "en flute." The commanding-officer, with +the staff and three companies, were put on board the Fox. We laid in an +immense sea stock of provisions, &c. not knowing how long we might be on +the water, but unfortunately for us we had scarcely put foot on board, +when the order was given to weigh and proceed to sea forthwith, so that +no time was given for the stowing away of all the stock, which had cost +us about L.24 per person; the consequence was, a great part of it was +lost or destroyed, from its being knocked about the deck in the midst of +the confusion and bustle consequent on the crew and the soldiers +(strangers to each other) being set to work to weigh anchor and make +sail in such a hurry. Little assistance was afforded us from the ship on +this occasion. We thus lost nearly the half of what we had been at so +much pains to provide; but such things being common occurrences in a +life like ours, it was therefore vain to fret. + +The force that embarked at the same time with us, consisted of the 93d +Highlanders, a company of artillery, some rocketeers, a squadron of the +14th light dragoons, without horses, and our five companies, the whole +under the command of General Keane. The good people of Plymouth, as is +customary, cheered us as we left their shore, wishing us the most ample +success and good fortune, and which we, who had for so long a time been +in the habit of conquering, did not for a moment admit a doubt of being +fully realized. + +We sailed, as I said, on the 18th September, and stood down the channel +with a pretty fair breeze, till we reached what are commonly called its +"chops," where we encountered adverse winds, and blowing a succession of +gales (equinoctial, I imagine) which detained us beating off and on for +seven days. This was as uncomfortable a beginning of our service as +could well be imagined. High winds, with rain, and contrary to the way +we wished them, were certainly rather trying to the patience of us +landsmen, and there was something in our situation on board this ship +which did not at all tend to alleviate our discomfort. In fact, we +wished our fortune had placed us on board a transport rather than where +we now found ourselves. All the discipline and strictness of a regular +man-of-war was enforced, without any of the countervailing comforts and +conveniences usually found on board such ships; and to such a length was +this carried, that because our officers sometimes stood on the +quarter-deck, holding on, in the rolling of the ship, by the hand-ropes +which surround the companion, not only these, but the ropes which were +stretched to prevent people falling out at the gangway, were ordered to +be removed, that nothing should remain by which lubbers like us might +hold on in the heavy rolls to which the vessel was subject in gales like +those I have been describing. We were no less than twenty-four people in +the cabin, twelve of our officers and twelve gentlemen of the +commissariat department, so that we were sufficiently crowded, besides +being in several other respects ill provided. But all this would have +been borne with cheerfulness and good-will, had we not experienced such +a total want of kindness and urbanity from a quarter where we least +expected it, and from which that unkindness could be made most +effectual. + +We lost the fleet during the continuance of these gales, but sealed +orders having apprized our commander where to rendezvous, we made sail +for the Island of Madeira, which we reached on the 9th October, and +where we found the fleet. Some of the wags of our other two companies on +board the Dover, pretending to think we must have been cast away and +lost, had erased all our names from the army list as defunct. This +rather annoyed some of our folks, but it might have been easily seen it +was only a little waggery in which they had been indulging themselves. + +A day or two before we reached Madeira, we fell in with a strange sail, +to which we gave chase, and brought her to; she proved to be an English +merchant brig. It was said our commander wished to have a little +independent cruise, which caused him to part from the fleet, and that +there was a famed American privateer called the Wasp that had made a +great number of captures, and which he was anxious to fall in with that +he might take her. Had such a thing occurred as the Wasp appearing in +sight, and we had given her chase, I could have compared it to nothing +but to a vulgar simile which I have sometimes heard used, that of a cow +endeavouring to catch a hare, for indeed she was, I believe, one of the +fastest sailers that had ever been known, while we, on the contrary, +were in comparison just like the cow to the hare. This also must have +been a piece of waggery on the part of those who first set such a report +afloat, for no man in his senses would have ever thought of chasing +privateers with the Fox frigate at the time of which I am now writing. I +regret I did not go on shore on this beautiful island, the town and +scenery of which were most inviting, but as our stay was only to be so +very short, it was scarcely worth while. + +We sailed again on the 11th, after having first got a cask of excellent +Madeira wine from the house of Messrs Gordon and Co. This was the best, +I think, I ever drank. We stood almost due south, passing pretty close +to Teneriffe and the other Canary Isles, until we fell in with the +trade-winds, when we kept more away towards the south-west. Our voyage +now became delightful, for a gentle and refreshing, but constant and +steady breeze, carried us on at the rate of about five or six knots an +hour, without having occasion hardly to alter a sail or rope. We passed +to the tropic of Capricorn on the 15th October, when our sailors +prepared to indulge in the same innocent but amusing ceremonies that are +adopted on crossing the equator. Neptune, with his Amphitrite, got +dressed in full costume, and every other appendage being ready, it only +now remained that the commander's sanction should be obtained to their +commencing the imposing ceremony; but no! his godship was dismissed in +no very courteous manner, and told to go and attend to his duty. Thus +the fiat of a greater than Neptune, even in his own element, reduced him +from the godlike rank he held to that of a mere forecastle sailor; and +thus were all our expectations frustrated. In all the other ships of the +fleet the amusement was carried on with the greatest good humour, as we +could plainly perceive with our glasses. + +On the 18th, we passed pretty near the Isle of St Antonio, the +westernmost of the Cape Verde Isles, and then bearing off still rather +more to the west, we kept our course generally at about 12 or 13 north +latitude, and in this manner crossed the Atlantic. + +From the time that we had entered between the tropics, we had seen +numerous shoals of flying fish, some of which, when closely pursued, (by +the dolphin generally,) actually fell on board our ship. A very accurate +drawing of one of these was made by one of our lieutenants, a friend of +mine, who, I believe, has it to this day. They were generally about the +size of a herring, and much resembling that fish in shape and colour, +with two fins projecting from behind their gills, nearly as long as +their body. These are their wings, with which they can fly generally for +100, or 150, or sometimes 200 yards, when they fall again into the +water. We also caught a dolphin about this time, our carpenter having +harpooned it from the bow of the ship; but I was considerably +disappointed in finding it did not exceed from twenty-four to thirty +inches in length; and the hues of it, though beautiful when dying, by no +means answered my expectations. + +On the ---- November, we made the island of Barbadoes, and anchored in +Carlisle Bay, off Bridgetown, the capital of the island. It is not easy +to describe the effect which is produced on an European the first time +he beholds the beauties of a tropical country, and which, I think, he +does in the greatest perfection while they are yet distant from him. +Robertson's description of Columbus's first view of a West India island +is, I think, as correct and as beautiful as any thing can possibly be; +and his feelings for the moment (heightened indeed by the circumstance +of his having at length attained to his long-looked-for Western India) +will describe pretty nearly what every one must feel, who has not before +beheld the productions of a tropical climate. But oh! how is the scene +changed when you get on shore! Nature indeed is still beautiful and rich +beyond the conception of a northern native; but man--how fallen! Here (I +think I shall not far err if I say) you behold man in his lowest state: +the savages of the woods are, in my opinion, much higher in the scale of +being than those whom our cursed cupidity has introduced to all our +vices, without one alleviating virtue to counterbalance the evil. But +how could the poor Africans learn any thing that is good from those who +do not practise good themselves? + +One of our people while here said, "he thought the men were all rogues, +and the women all unfaithful." Of the slave population the latter is +certainly a correct description, almost universally, in Bridgetown; for, +with shame be it spoken, their masters and mistresses calculate upon +their worth as if they were brood-mares, by the number and the +description of wretched beings which they can bring into this world of +misery. What indeed could you expect from those who can thus act, and +those who sanction such conduct, but the like treatment that Mr +Shrewsbury met with, if you endeavour to show them to themselves or to +others in a true light? While the strong man armed keepeth his castle, +his goods are in peace; but let another endeavour to bind this strong +man, and take his goods from him, and oh, what a resistance may not be +expected! Let the West Indians have slaves whom they may treat as cattle +for their own gain and profit, even if it be at the expense of the souls +of the poor wretches whom they thus destroy; but endeavour to show these +degraded human beings that they are capable of being raised to a level +with their unfeeling and avaricious masters, and you may shortly expect +the fate of a Smith or a Shrewsbury, so regardless are these dealers in +human flesh of their duty as men who must soon render an account of all +their actions. + +It may be said, that I saw little, while here, but the very worst of +society, and this may in a great measure be true; but it is evident that +such things were done and sanctioned at Bridgetown when I was there, in +1814, as led me to pray that my lot might never be cast among such +people. + +I now gladly turn from this scene of vice and misery, and pursue my +narrative. + +In the bay at this place a hulk was stationed for the reception of +prisoners of war. Our boats usually passed pretty near it on going on +shore for water. A number of Americans were on board as prisoners. On +one occasion, or more, I believe, they called out to our fellows as they +passed under her stern, "So you have come out from England to attack our +country, have you? I hope you have brought your coffins with you, for +you will need them before you return." And, in truth, many of those +fine fellows to whom this insolently coarse but patriotic speech was +addressed, did indeed require coffins before the business we were going +upon was finished. + +We left Barbadoes on the ----, and, passing down through the midst of +the islands, we left St Lucia on our left and Martinico on our right +hand. We also passed close to Dominico and Guadaloupe, with several +smaller islands which I do not recollect, and, keeping to the southward, +passed St Christopher's, Santa Cruz, Porto Rico, and St Domingo, having +a fine view of the whole as we moved delightfully along. This latter +large island took us more than two days in passing; but on the 21st we +came in sight of Jamaica, the chief of our West India possessions. We +stood off and on near to Port-Royal till the 23d, when we made sail to +the westward, and on the 25th came to anchor in Negril Bay, at the +extreme west end of the island of Jamaica. Here we found several sail +both of men-of-war and transports, having on board the troops which had +been engaged in the operations against Washington and Baltimore, &c., +and consisting of the 4th, 21st, 44th, and 85th regiments, with some +artillery. They were not strong indeed, having been considerably reduced +by their late arduous services; but their numbers, added to ours, we +thought quite sufficient to enable us to make a descent upon the +American coast, near New Orleans, which it was now whispered was our +destination: indeed this had been conjectured from the time we left +England, but nothing certain was known, and even now it was not +officially made public. A day or two after our arrival here, two of the +West India regiments also joined us, the 1st and 5th, at least a part of +both; so that we now mustered a respectable force. Admiral Sir Alexander +Cochran commanded the naval part of the expedition, he being here on +our arrival on board the Tonnant 84; several smaller vessels also, with +stores, &c. &c. joined us from Port-Royal. When the whole were collected +together, we felt proud of our fine force, which we vainly imagined +nothing we should have to encounter could withstand for a moment: but +the battle is not always to the strong; and we were shortly after +painfully reminded of this truth. But I must not anticipate,--evil +always comes early enough. + +During our stay here, I went on shore for a few hours, and visited some +of the farms or plantations. Indeed, while we remained, the place where +we landed was generally like a fair; for the inhabitants had assembled +in great numbers, bringing with them live stock and poultry and +vegetables, &c. for sale, all of which were greedily bought up at prices +high enough, I warrant you. The vegetation at this place was most +luxuriant, even in this the middle of winter almost; but I apprehend +this was the finest season of the year, for it was not at all +intolerably hot, and every thing, had the appearance which our country +assumes in the height of summer. An accident occurred whilst we +continued here, which had nigh proved serious. The Alceste frigate, one +day, in shifting her berth, run with her head right on board the Dover, +where our other two companies were on board. She cut her up from the +stern into the cabins, not less I am sure at the top than ten feet. Two +of our people were in the cabin at the time playing at backgammon, and +were not a little astonished to see the prow of another large vessel +tearing its way right into the very place where they were sitting. + +On the 29th, signal was made to weigh, when the whole got under way, and +started in fine style; our now gallant fleet covering the ocean for many +miles. We kept along on the south side of Cuba, and on the 3d December +made Cape St Antonio, the westernmost point of that large island. From +hence we now stood to the northward, crossing right athwart the Gulf of +Mexico. During our stay at Barbadoes, we had purchased a live sheep and +a pig, as we feared our stock might run out before we landed. The sheep +was productive of great amusement to our messmates, at the expense of +the poor caterer. In all hot climates, I believe, the wool of the sheep +becomes in course of time more like the hair of a goat than what it +really is. This was the case in the present instance, most of our people +declaring they would not eat of such an animal, which was, as they +conjectured, a sort of mule bred between a sheep and a goat; while the +poor caterer was like to have the sheep thrown on his hand. This +produced many a bickering, even after it was known that such was the +case in warm climates; for they kept up the fun as long as possible, +always trying to keep the unfortunate caterer in hot water about it. The +sheep was killed, and produced excellent mutton--not fat indeed, but +eatable. We were not so fortunate, however, with our pig; it appears it +must have been diseased--what, I believe, is usually termed measly. It +was dressed without this being known, and eaten; and the consequence +was, all the twenty-four of our mess, except myself and another were +literally poisoned. In the middle of the night, when it began to take +effect, the most distressing scene took place imaginable, and the +medical men were kept busily employed for a considerable time afterwards +preparing and administering emetics, which providentially had the +desired effect on all, for in a short time the whole recovered; but had +medical assistance not been promptly administered, the chances are some +of them would have suffered. Its effects were something like cholera +morbus, working both up and down in the most violent manner. + +On the 10th December we made the American coast off Mobile, where we +fell in with a vessel, on board of which was Colonel Nichols of the +marines, with three or four Indian chiefs of the Creek nation, to which +people he had been for some time previously attached, they being then at +war with the Americans, and consequently our allies. They came on board +our ship, and were shown every thing curious; but their reason for +visiting us was, that they might see our rifles, for they considered +themselves good shots, and wished to examine our arms, with which they +did not express themselves over-satisfied, as they had been accustomed +to see no other description of rifles than those used by the Americans, +which are both much longer and heavier, but carry a much smaller ball. +Indeed they had never seen any military rifles, but only such as the +above, and which are constructed solely for the purpose of killing deer +and other game. The gallant colonel endeavoured to amuse us a little on +this occasion with the wonderful feats of his proteges. He told us, that +they being generally very short of balls, were always very careful how +they expended them in hunting; and that their rule was never to fire at +a deer, until it was in the act of passing between them and a tree, +that, should the ball go through its body, as it sometimes did, it might +lodge in the tree on the other side, and they would then go and pick it +out, and recast it. We thought he ought to have told that story to his +own corps the marines; for I believe he did not get many of us to give +implicit credit to so wonderful a tale. They were most grotesque-looking +figures; most of them were dressed in some old red coats, which they had +got hold of by some means, with cocked hats of the old fashion. These I +believe had been given them by some of our people, for they were English +manufacture. But they had tremendous large rings, &c. hung in their +ears, the laps of which were stretched nearly to their shoulders; some +of them also wore rings in their noses; and some of them were without +any sort of lower garments, having nothing but a sort of cloth tied +round their waist, which passed through between their legs and fastened +before. These people it was intended should bring their warriors to join +us near New Orleans; but, owing to some cause with which I am not +acquainted, none but these three or four chiefs ever came near us. + +On the 11th we anchored near the Chandeleur Islands, at the entrance +into Lake Ponchartrain. But it was discovered that the Americans had +some gun-vessels, which, on account of their drawing only little water, +had been stationed in this lake for its protection, and on our +appearance had retired nearer to New Orleans. It was necessary that +these should be previously disposed of in some manner, before the +disembarkation of the troops could with safety be effected. None of our +ships could follow them on account of the shoalness of the lake. An +order was therefore issued for all the men-of-war to prepare their boats +for an attack on these vessels, the chief command of which was given to +Captain Lockyer of the Sophia gun-brig. On the morning of the ----, they +therefore assembled for this purpose, and pushed up the lake in search +of the gun-vessels, which were discovered moored near some islands +called by the natives, "Les Isles Malheureuse," or the "Unfortunate +Islands," and which form the entrance from Lake Ponchartrain into Lake +Borgne, or Blind Lake. No time was lost in attacking this formidable +flotilla, consisting of vessels carrying from five to six guns each, and +commanded by a lieutenant of the American navy, named by them Commodore +Jones. A most determined and gallant resistance was made by the +Americans; but superior numbers, with equal, if not superior courage and +seamanship, prevailed, and in a short space of time the whole were +captured. Both the commandants were severely wounded, with a great +number of officers and men killed and wounded. Nothing could exceed the +gallant intrepidity, I understand, with which our boats advanced to the +attack; for, from experience I am well convinced, the fire from those +gun-vessels must have been most destructive; for better shots, either +with artillery or small arms, do not exist than the Americans. Orders +were now issued for the army to prepare to land; but the distance, from +where we had been obliged from shoal water to stop to the town, being so +great, it was determined to form a sort of depot on a small island, near +the mouth of the Pearl River, called Pine Island; and farther to +facilitate the transport of the troops, small brigs, &c. were sent as +far up the lake as possible, into which the troops were put successively +from the larger vessels, and from which they generally took their +departure for the above island. + +On the 15th our people left the Fox, and were moved up the lake into one +of the brigs before noticed, where we were packed in as tight as +herrings, there being near 400 men on board a little thing scarcely +calculated to contain the fourth of that number, and where there was not +literally room to lie down. But, on the 19th, we were relieved from this +rather close confinement; and being put on board of long boats, we +pushed off for the island, which lay at a considerable distance, +notwithstanding the measures that had been adopted to shorten our +voyage. The weather proved extremely rough and unpleasant, which +rendered our trip neither over-safe nor comfortable; and to mend the +matter, the seamen on board our boat were rather in the wind, and did +not manage her so well as was desirable; for, poor fellows, they had +been engaged in this fatiguing service for several days, (a considerable +number of the troops having been previously landed,) and were +consequently the more easily prevailed upon to indulge when grog came in +their way. Our middy too was quite worn out with fatigue, and slept +nearly all the time we were on board. Our boat was several times on the +point of being swamped, for the water came in quite plentifully on +occasions of her being laid down by sudden squalls. Another boat, which +accompanied us, had her mast carried away. + +We landed on the island before mentioned in the evening, and of course +looked out for the best shelter we could find. But it was a complete +desert; nothing but reeds grew on it, except a few stunted and scrubby +bushes at the lower end of it. It came on a most severe frost during the +night, which I understand caused the death of several of the sailors, +who had indulged perhaps a little too freely, and had lain down without +any covering. Some of the poor blacks also, I understand, suffered in +consequence of the severe cold, a thing with which they were totally +unacquainted, and against which they were ill provided, having nothing +but their light and thin West India dress to keep it out. It was +laughable the next morning to see them examining so intently the ice +which had been formed on the pools near our bivouack. They could not +conjecture what it was; some of them asserting it was salt; while the +greater part were totally at a loss respecting it. I had by great good +luck got into a sort of hut belonging to some of the officers who had +previously landed; but I do not remember in all my campaigning to have +suffered more from cold than I did this night, and was extremely glad +when daylight appeared, that I might be able to move about. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + + Proceed to attack the Enemy, and capture one of their + picquets--Advance in search of a Bivouack--Alarmed by shots in + front--Fired on by an American schooner--Captain Hallen + severely attacked--Manoeuvres on both sides--Ruse of the + Enemy--Fighting continues--Enemy repulsed at all + points--Courage of the British--A British Battery brought into + play--Activity of the Enemy. + + +By the 21st, the whole army had been landed on this island, when they +were told off into brigades, and inspected by the General. During our +stay here, about five or six French Americans, (the natives of New +Orleans, or neighbourhood,) arrived as friends, and told us that there +were scarcely any troops in the district; so that we had nothing to do +but to land on the opposite side, and march right on to the town, and +that the inhabitants would welcome us most cordially, and that no +resistance might be expected. I did not, I confess, put much confidence +in their information, and believed at the time, that they came more as +spies than with any view of befriending, as they pretended, our cause. +More correct information was obtained from Spanish fishermen, who had +been following their occupation at the mouth of a creek on the New +Orleans side of the lake, and who had come across, I believe, at the +suggestion of Major Peddie, our assistant Quartermaster-general, who +had been despatched to find out a suitable landing-place for the army. +From one of them, I learned afterwards that there were troops in the +town, commanded by General Jackson, and that a battery of two guns had +been erected on the road, by which we must advance. What they told the +General, I do not know, but fancy he saw no reason to alter his plans, +from the information of either party. Every thing being ready by the +morning of the 22d, the advance guard, commanded by Colonel Thornton, +and consisting of the 85th and 95th regiments, with two light +three-pounders, some artillery and some rocketeers, accompanied by a few +artificers to repair bridges, &c. embarked on board the boats, that had +been assembled for the purpose--two companies of the 93d followed us; +these troops occupying the whole of the boats that could be mustered in +the fleet, consequently the remainder of the army had to remain where +they were till the return of the boats. The distance was not less, I +should think, than from thirty to forty miles. We pushed off about two +o'clock P.M., the wind being favourable for a considerable part of the +way, but it failing, the men were obliged to commence with the oars. We +were completely wedged in, so that there was no moving, let the call be +ever so urgent. I suffered much from a severe pain in my side, from +being obliged to remain so long in the same position; but we endeavoured +to divert the tedium in the best manner we could by amusing stories, &c. +My luck placed me on board the Bang-Up, a fine cutter belonging to the +admiral, and commanded by a countryman of mine, a Lieutenant Foster of +that ship. We did not reach the mouth of the creek, or bayou, as it is +called by the natives, till a long time after dark. As we approached it, +some light boats were sent forward with Captain Travers of ours and his +company, to endeavour to surprise a regiment of the enemy, which we +knew were stationed in some huts at the mouth of the creek, and which +huts belonged to the Spanish fishermen before mentioned. From the +information they gave, the best arrangements possible were made for +effecting this; for Travers, moving silently on, and landing his men at +the opposite ends of the hamlet, there remained no way of escape open +for the troops in the houses. As soon as all was ready, they rushed +forward and secured the whole picquet without a single shot being fired, +with the exception of two men, who preferred venturing into the marsh, +in rear of the huts, where it is not improbable they perished. The duty +was conducted so quietly, and so expeditiously, that very few of the +other troops knew any thing of the matter; but this alone secured us a +landing without opposition, for had a firing been begun on either side, +it must have alarmed the American army, who, no doubt, would have used +their endeavours to oppose our landing. + +We soon after began to enter the creek, but such was the darkness of the +night, and the shoalness of the water, and such the uncertainty of the +way by which we had to proceed, that very little progress was made +during the remainder of the night; daylight, however, enabled us to move +forward at a brisker pace, but from the obstacles that had presented +themselves in the dark, the squadron of boats was sadly dispersed; and +when we reached the head of the creek, only two or three of the light +boats, with the staff and naval officers, had arrived, and considerable +intervals of time elapsed between the arrival of the different boats +with troops; so that had the enemy been aware of our intention, and had +they had a force of a few hundred men hid in the high reeds which grow +in this marsh, they might, I am persuaded, have cut us off in detail, +for from the causes before mentioned, no two boats were sufficiently +near to assist each other. + +We got on shore about an hour after daylight; and right glad was I to be +enabled to stretch my legs, which had been kept motionless for the last +sixteen hours. As soon as the whole advance-guard had landed, and a few +planks had been thrown over a deep rill which we had to cross, we moved +forward towards the high ground, Captain Travers' company leading; and, +in order to magnify the appearance of our force, should any concealed +American be looking on, we extended our files to double the usual +distance, and thus passed through a wood which skirted the swamp, and +which it was necessary to traverse before we could reach the open +country, which we did about six miles below New Orleans. As soon as our +advance cleared this wood, they observed a good-looking farm onstead, +towards which they moved in double quick time, and arrived just in time +to seize and make prisoner a Monsieur Villerey, a major of the militia, +just then setting off to join his people. We heard (but I will not vouch +for the truth of the report) that a considerable body of the enemy had +been assembled on the high-road, near to Monsieur Villerey's house, but +on learning that we had landed, and were moving rapidly forward, they +separated, one part retiring towards the town, while the other went down +the river. Our advance now moved on with celerity, and dashing on to the +different farm-houses in the neighbourhood, seized several groups of +arms at each of them, which it seems had either been abandoned by the +troops to whom they belonged, or had been collected there for some +military purpose. They captured at some of these farm-houses to the +amount of twelve or twenty stand; and in all not less than fifty. + +Monsieur Villerey unfortunately contrived to make his escape, through +the too great leniency of one of our lieutenants. I think the most +probable opinion respecting the arms and the troops assembled near +Monsieur Villerey's is, that it was the militia of the district just at +that moment assembling, which will not only account for the arms being +found in such numbers, (under the verandas of the houses,) but also for +Monsieur Villerey himself being then on the point of setting out in his +warlike costume, and the number of men which were observed near his +house. + +About twenty militiamen were also captured in and about these houses. +Except there, the whites had all abandoned their houses; but a +considerable number of black slaves remained at each, whether of their +own accord, or left to protect the property, and occasionally convey +information to their masters, I know not. As soon as our advance had +sufficiently reconnoitred the adjacent houses, &c. the whole of the +troops moved on past the house of Monsieur Villerey, and turning to the +right, followed the great road to New Orleans for about half a mile, +till a suitable piece of ground presenting itself in the neighbourhood +of some other farm-houses, the whole turned in to a green field a short +distance from the road, and forming into close columns of battalions, +commenced bivouacking for the night. The road ran partly on, and partly +alongside of the river dike. Immediately between the troops and the +river, this dike was perhaps about three feet high. On our right was a +farm-house, and a little to the right and front another--the latter a +pretty large one--all these, and indeed all the farm-houses in this +neighbourhood, are surrounded at one end by the huts of the slaves, and +generally on the other by barns and other out-buildings, and in the rear +a garden or orchard. The ground in all this country, which is perfectly +flat, apparently of alluvial formation, is divided into fields, &c. by +wooden paling of the common description, very few hedges being to be +seen. + +The situation in which the troops were placed, was as follows, viz. The +artillery and rocketeers in one line; immediately behind them, my +battalion and the 85th, in close column; the 4th in rear of us, and the +93d two companies in rear of the 4th; the whole in close columns. The +men, as soon as dismissed, instantly set about cooking, for they had had +nothing from the morning before, and it was now considerably past +mid-day. Captain Travers' company, which had formed the advance-guard, +still remained in front as a picquet, and occupied a post on the great +road, about a mile in front of the division. + +About three o'clock P.M., we were all alarmed by some shots at the +advanced picquet; and, on enquiry, found that an American staff-officer, +escorted by about thirty cavalry, had come galloping down, no doubt for +the purpose of reconnoitring us; when within distance, our people +instantly fired, one of which shots wounded the staff-officer, and +another killed a horse, but they contrived to get him off. This caused +the whole of the troops to fall in till the cause of alarm was +ascertained, after which they set about their cooking again with great +glee. Considerable discussion now began to take place amongst the +knowing ones, as to the merits and demerits of our situation, in point +of security; and of course various opinions were given on the occasion. +One officer of ours, a particular friend of mine, did not hesitate +roundly to assert, that we were in a most unprotected and dangerous +situation. I do not remember exactly the reasons he assigned; but +certainly, could he have foreseen what yet remained in the womb of time, +he would have had much stronger reasons for his opinion. Another company +of ours, (Captain Hallen's,) and one of the 85th, were ordered to +prepare at dusk to relieve the picquet in advance; and as I messed with +Captain Hallen's company, I accompanied it on this duty. I did not go +with the main body of the company, there being no house at that post, +but with one section, commanded by Lieutenant Forbes, and we occupied a +small house to the right, and a little to the rear of Captain Hallen's +party, which was stationed on the great road. The company of the 85th +occupied the large farm-house before-mentioned, a little to the right +and front of the column. I had purchased an excellent turkey on our +arrival at Monsieur Villerey's house, which we had dressed at this +little house, and made a most hearty meal indeed, after which we took +each a tot or horn of grog to comfort us. + +We had not long finished our comfortable meal, when we were astounded by +the report of heavy ordnance, apparently close to the bivouack of the +column, and which reports followed each other in quick succession. A +cheer was also given, but by whom, or what the occasion of the firing +was, we were totally at a loss to conjecture. I at first imagined it was +some of our men-of-war that had been able to pass the forts down the +river, and that they were firing a salute and cheering in consequence; +and yet this seemed a strange conjecture; but we did not long remain in +suspense, for we were soon after informed of the real state of the case, +that it was a large American schooner, with at least fourteen guns, and +which she had been enabled to bring to bear upon our unfortunate +bivouack with the most deadly precision, great numbers having fallen at +her first broadside. The troops of course dispersed in some measure, +leaving their fires, which had too well served as a direction for the +fire of this terrible schooner. But the time was not far distant when we +should have other enemies to encounter; for by the time the schooner had +fired a dozen broadsides, a noise was heard in our front; and just at +this moment an American was brought in by a man from Captain Hallen's +post, who had foolishly come right into the centre of his picquet, and +asking if they could tell him which way the regulars had gone. This +showed that he was a young soldier, who did not know our troops from his +own; but it also showed that the regulars which he was seeking could not +be far distant; consequently, every thing was got ready to give them the +best reception possible; but as the people we had heard in front of the +post where I then was appeared to be rather to our right, I feared lest +they might get unawares upon the company of the 85th, which was +stationed in the farm behind us. I consequently set off with all +dispatch to give them timely warning, but when I arrived there, I could +not find the officers, nor could I see where the picquet was posted; I +therefore thought they must be on the alert at the bottom of the garden, +which lay in the direction in which we heard the noise; and meeting here +an officer and several of our men, who had moved in this direction, from +the fire of the schooner, I told him I was certain that Hallen would be +shortly most vigorously attacked, from the information I had learnt +respecting the regulars, and advised him to collect all the men he +could, and proceed forthwith to reinforce him at the advance. This he +instantly did, and it was well, for by this time the firing had +commenced in volleys at that post. I then returned to the picquet-house, +where I had previously dined, and found the officer was going round his +sentries; but as the firing was going briskly on at Hallen's post, I +expected every moment to be attacked here, and began, in the absence of +the officer, to post the men as advantageously as the nature of the +ground would admit. + +The house stood on a little path, or bye-road, running across the +country, from the river towards the wood, and which, before he could get +into, the enemy would have to clamber over a railing which lay on the +side from which they were advancing. On the hither side of the road was +a ditch, with a hedge, almost the only one to be met with, and a little +copse of small trees. Into this copse I put the men, extending them +along the inside of the hedge, which would not only keep them from the +view of the enemy, but be some little protection from their fire, and +would leave them the more at liberty to retreat when overpowered by +numbers, as it was certain they must shortly be. But all my labour was +in vain, for when Forbes came from visiting his sentries, he did not +approve of my disposition, but took them all out, and formed them on the +open road, without any cover, and with a hedge and ditch in their rear, +both of which they would be compelled to pass the moment the enemy +pressed upon him. I felt annoyed, not only at his want of courtesy to +me, but that he would thus expose his men to almost certain destruction, +without being able to effect any thing against the enemy, or at all +check his advance. I accordingly left him in a huff, and went again to +try to find the picquet of the 85th in the house behind us. I was +determined to make a more close and thorough search than I had done +before, and for this purpose went over the gates, &c. into the yard +behind, when lo, I found myself within a yard or two of a strong body of +the enemy, which had got into the garden at the lower end, and were just +advancing to the house. I crouched down, and hid in the best manner I +could, and luckily was enabled to creep off without their discovering +who I was. Just as I reached the outer gate, I found a sergeant of ours +there, to whom I said, we must set off with all possible speed; and +accordingly we both took to our heels, and ran like heroes; the noise +of which brought the fire of twenty or thirty rifles after us, but +luckily without effect. + +I now made the best of my way towards where I judged the main body of +our people were, on the great road, in order to inform Colonel Thornton +of what I had seen, of this column of the enemy having got possession of +the house and garden I had just left, and by doing which they had nearly +separated the advance picquet from the main body. He said he had sent +two companies of ours, and two of the 85th, to the house immediately in +the rear of this I speak of, and in a short time afterwards they and the +Americans came into close contact, for they immediately commenced +firing; and where as strange a description of fighting took place as is +perhaps on record. + +The enemy soon discovered from some men, whom they had unfortunately +taken, what the regiments were that were opposed to them--and with all +that cunning which the Yankees are famed for, instantly turned it to the +best account--for in several places they advanced in bodies, crying out +at the same time, "Come on, my brave 85th!" or "My brave 95th!" and thus +induced several of our small detached parties to go over the rails to +them, supposing they were some of our own people, when of course they +were instantly made prisoners. This _ruse_ did not always succeed, +however, for some of the parties turning restive on their hands, refused +to surrender, and thus a fight hand to hand took place, and in which +they generally had the worst of it. + +On one occasion of this kind our people made a body of them prisoners. +The men and officers being requested to lay down their arms, the +officer, after surrendering, when he saw there were not many of our +people, drew a sort of dirk or knife, and made a stab at the officer of +ours who had taken him. We instantly cried out to the men near him, one +of whom took up his rifle and shot the villain through the body. They +had before this time brought two of their regular battalions close in +front of our advance, which did not consist of more than 100 men, and +were pouring in dreadful volleys into that small but gallant detachment; +but even in this they showed themselves young soldiers, for they formed +up the two battalions in line at about forty or fifty yards in distance +from the post, and gave the words "ready--present--fire," with all the +precision of a field-day; but being so near, of course every word was +heard by our people, who, at the critical moment, always took care to +cleave as close to the ground as possible, by which they escaped most of +their shot. They then up and at them, and, pouring in a desultory but +most destructive fire, brought great numbers of them to the ground. +Their force, however, was too great to be opposed successfully by such a +handful of men, and these brave fellows were at length compelled to +yield a little ground; but it was not more than just to enable them to +cover themselves, and form again in proper order; and from this time all +the efforts of these two battalions were unable to remove them. Indeed, +not long after, our people became the assailants, and, advancing again, +retook their original position. Poor Hallen was severely wounded on this +occasion, and lost about forty of his men. + +Two or three naval captains came also to see the fight at Hallen's post, +one of whom soon fell severely wounded. The other, the gallant captain +of the Dover frigate, with whom part of our people went out, and with +whom we all came home, behaved most nobly. Whenever the enemy had fired +their volley, he cried, "Now, my lads, up and give them another +broadside!" and thus contributed, by his animating conduct, to inspire +all around him with confidence. + +Poor Forbes just met the fate that I expected. He stood upon the road, +and opened his fire upon the enemy as they approached; but they being +perhaps more than twenty times his number, he was instantly compelled to +give way, after being himself wounded, having his sergeant killed, and +losing nearly the half of his men. The schooner all this time kept up a +most galling and incessant fire. Some attempts were made with our light +three-pounders, and with rockets, and even with small-arms, to compel +her to sheer off, but they were all in vain. Her men, protected by her +stout bulwarks which surrounded them, defied all our efforts, and +continued to pour in both round and grape wherever they judged, from the +direction of the fire, our people were stationed. Luckily the darkness +of the night rendered her fire less destructive than it would otherwise +have been. + +A considerable body of the enemy had penetrated to the house immediately +on the right of our original bivouack, where the firing was kept up +between them and the parties opposed to them with great spirit for a +long time; but the General, having detached the 4th regiment to form +line a little to the rear and right of that house, completely secured +that flank from being farther turned. Notwithstanding this, the +skirmishers of both armies extended to the wood, some of whom we found +lying the next morning almost touching each other. The firing now began +to slacken, the enemy having been repulsed at all points, and, towards +three o'clock in the morning, it had completely ceased, when they +retired, leaving us in possession of the warmly-contested field. + +My battalion had been extremely unfortunate in this action; for almost +at the very outset, when the attack on Hallen's picquet commenced, +Major Mitchell, our commandant, had taken a party of about twenty or +thirty men, and advanced for the purpose of supporting that post. +Between the bivouack, however, and the point he intended to reach, he +unexpectedly fell in with a large body of Americans, (for it was so dark +he could not distinguish who they were,) when both himself, and all the +men he had with him, were made prisoners. The loss of our five companies +in this action was about 120 men; that of the 85th more, I believe; and +in all, I think, it amounted to about 300 men. The loss of the enemy +must have been considerably greater, if we are to judge from the number +of dead they left on the field, and, which is a good criterion, the +general average being about ten wounded for one killed. + +Nothing could equal the bravery of the few troops we had in the field on +this occasion. Their numbers certainly did not amount to 1800 men; while +the enemy could not have had fewer than from 4000 to 5000. They had two +regular regiments, the 7th and 44th; they had a large corps of irregular +riflemen from Kentucky, and another stronger corps from Tennessee, with +all the militia of New Orleans and its neighbourhood, every man who is +able being compelled to bear arms in case of invasion. They had about +300 irregular horse, whether militia or not I cannot tell, but think it +likely they were in all at least 4000 men--with the great and effectual +assistance of the schooner, which did us more mischief than 1000 men +could have done, probably not so much by the loss she occasioned us, as, +by being able to fire on our flank, and even in our rear, she rendered +the enemy the most essential service, besides the fire of the ship on +our advanced picquet. + +We were thus completely surrounded on three sides, and had not the +troops behaved with the most determined courage and intrepidity, we +must have been driven back, and eventually the greater part would have +been taken prisoners; for the path to the water was quite narrow, and +even should we reach the head of the creek where we landed, the boats +had probably all left it by this time to return for the other troops. +Indeed it was reported afterwards, that the arrangements of General +Jackson were such, that we were to have been attacked in the rear at the +same time as in front, and by the schooner; but the troops for that +purpose either not being in readiness, or being too distant to arrive in +time, were too late to take part in the action, but arrived about three +o'clock in the morning, when they met with a half-drunk artillery-driver +of ours near Mons. Villerey's house, as he was returning from the field, +and who, seeing a large body of men, which he took for some of our other +regiments that had landed, cried out to them, "Come on, my lads, for the +Yankees never got such a licking in their lives!" This, it is said, had +the effect of frightening them back, without proceeding farther. + +I will not vouch for this being fact, but such was the report the next +morning; and indeed it is feasible, from the number of people +(apparently going with orders, &c.) which we saw galloping down on the +other side of the river in the afternoon; and it is certain that a +considerable body of militia must have resided down the river, setting +aside the report which I mentioned, of some troops having retired in +that direction in the morning, when we first advanced; and nothing would +have tended more to our complete overthrow than such an attack on our +rear, could it have been accomplished. + +I might here mention, that Captain Hallen saw the schooner as she passed +his picquet, on her way down from New Orleans, on which he instantly +despatched a man with the information; but she having the current in +her favour, sailed much quicker than the man could run, consequently his +information came too late. + +I omitted to mention also, that a large ship of 20 guns came down the +river at the same time with the schooner, but being less manageable than +that vessel, she had anchored abreast of Hallen's picquet; and that he +had to sustain her fire, as well as that of the troops in his front, +during the whole of the attack of the 23d. She remained at that spot +without moving. + +I will here also notice another circumstance which took place at this +post. An American rifleman fell into the hands of some of Captain +Hallen's people, who, when he was brought in, were desired to take his +arms from him. These he seemed reluctant to part with, and said to the +officer, "Recollect I shall hold you responsible for that rifle, if you +take it from me!"--on which the officer took hold of it by the muzzle, +and flung it right into the river. I daresay the poor fellow thought +they were a strange sort of people he had got amongst; and I doubt not +he had set a great value upon his rifle. + +Another officer and myself had a providential escape the next morning, +for we had scarcely left a little wooden hut, behind which we had taken +up our abode, and slept for a few hours after the fight, when bang comes +an eighteen-pound shot right through the house, just at the very spot +where we had a minute or two before been sitting. It seems the captain +of the schooner, which still lay abreast of us at about 800 yards +distance, and from which this shot had been fired, was determined we +should not occupy any of the houses in the vicinity, for, beginning with +our hut, which was nearest to him, he fired into every house within +reach of his guns, although he saw as plainly as we did that most of +them were filled with the wounded; nay, he carried his savage cruelty so +far, that he actually fired on a party of the 85th as they were removing +one of their wounded officers. It could not be pleaded that he did not +know what it was, for, being only half-a-mile distant, and much elevated +above our level, with a glass he could see as well as we could what they +were doing, for they were carrying the poor fellow on a bier, on their +shoulders. He continued this cruel work all the next day, the ship also +giving us an occasional shot. One shot which he fired went through the +front of a house in which some of our wounded men were lying, and, +striking low, it carried the knapsack out from under the head of a man +of ours named Rayour, which he had put for a pillow, without doing him +the smallest injury. I could not credit the story till I went and +actually saw the hole by which it entered, the knapsack and the shot +lying near the fire-place. After this I went to view the house where I +had fallen in with the column of the enemy the night before, and where +the 85th were now stationed; but the fire of the schooner still +continued, one shot from which we saw was directed towards us. It fell +right in among the 85th, and, striking a corporal about the breach, as +he was endeavouring to get out of its way, it passed out at his breast, +on which he gave himself a sort of shake, and fell lifeless to the +earth. + +Nothing could exceed the great annoyance this mischievous schooner +continued to be to us all that and the next day, for they not only saw +every thing we did, but we could not move in any number without being +saluted with an 18 lb. shot, and we had no means of retaliation. But +during the 25th, efforts were made to get up some heavier guns from the +fleet, and every thing having been settled as to the plan, &c., a +battery was constructed as close to the water's edge as possible in the +river dike, and a number of gun barrels having been collected from those +broken, &c. during the late fight, a sort of furnace was erected for the +purpose of heating shot, with which it was determined to give her a +salute the next morning. Every thing succeeded admirably. The battery +was constructed, embrasures cut, and shot heated, and all ready by +daylight on the morning of the 26th; of course we were all looking out +to witness the effect, and most noble it was, for when the guns opened +out upon her, the people on board seemed quite thunderstruck, and +although they attempted to return our fire, it was only like the blows +of a man beat blind by his antagonist, for her shot fell in every other +direction but that in which she should have thrown them. However, they +could not stand to fire more than one round, as our hot shot rendered +their situation very soon untenable, and taking to their boats, they +made their escape to the opposite shore with all expedition. + +The distance from the battery to the schooner had been so accurately +measured by Major Blanchard, who superintended the construction of the +work, that almost every shot and shell penetrated the hull of the +vessel, and in a short time after her crew had left her, she broke out +into a blaze of fire, which soon reaching the magazine, she blew up with +a loud explosion, to the great comfort and joy of all our army. This of +course deserved and obtained three as hearty cheers as I believe were +ever given by Britons, and no doubt the Americans were greatly chagrined +at the loss of their fine and exceedingly useful vessel. A shell or two +were directed towards the ship, but she having seen the fate of the +schooner, got out her boats, which, taking her in tow, she set off up +the river in all haste. Could a battery have been constructed to fire +upon her at the same time, it would have saved us some hard knocks +afterwards. She, however, effected her escape, and we now remained in +peace for a few days at least. + +On the 25th, Sir Edward Packenham and General Gibbs had arrived; the +former immediately assumed the command, and they both set off to the +front to reconnoitre the enemy and the kind of country around us. Every +night since our arrival the enemy had been incessant in their means to +harass and annoy us, as in truth they had a right to do if they pleased, +but it was exceedingly distressing to the troops, and therefore I +mention it. They seldom let an hour pass during the night, that they +were not firing at some of our out sentries, and on some occasions they +brought the body of irregular cavalry, before mentioned, immediately in +front of our outposts, and fired volleys, which, although it did not do +much injury to our advanced picquets, had the effect of turning out the +whole line, and that often repeated, with the annoyance from the +schooner, certainly did not leave us much time for comfortable rest. +They frequently lay in ambush for the reliefs of our sentries also, and +patrols, and fired upon them sometimes with effect. In short, they did +all they could to annoy and weary us out, but of which we ought not to +complain, as they were defending their own country, and allowances ought +to be made in such a case that would not be tolerated in an army having +no interest in the soil. I trust Englishmen will be equally zealous and +bitter to their enemies should our country ever be invaded. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + + British Army told off into Brigades--Advance, and are hotly + received--Heroism of a young Artillery Officer--We take up a + fresh position--The Enemy work incessantly in raising an + extensive breastwork--Two Batteries erected, from which our + heavy Ship Artillery are brought to bear against it, but + without effect--The Enemy also place their Ship Guns on + Batteries--Colonel Lambert arrives with the 7th and 43d + regiments--Preparations for a grand attack on the Enemy's + lines, which entirely fails, and the British are repulsed with + great loss. + + +The remainder of the army all arrived during the 24th, and were put in +bivouack in an oblique direction, with their front to the late field of +action, their right thrown back towards the wood, and their left towards +Mons. Villerey's house. The 93d formed line in advance at an angle of +the wood, as a sort of outpost, while the 85th and ours were stationed +in and around the house, to which I have so often alluded, _i. e._ where +I fell in with the column of the enemy. Our advanced picquets remained +the same as before the action. If I might here be permitted to hazard an +opinion, I should say that had we advanced upon New Orleans the morning +after the fight, I think there is little doubt we should have been +successful; for when an irregular and undisciplined body of troops once +meet with a reverse, it is difficult to bring them into action again +with that steadiness and determination which they often evince in their +first essay. + +I understood General Jackson had some trouble in keeping them together +after their defeat on the night of the 23d, and the only mode in which +he could get them to form was, in planting the first who retired in line +near the road, and as each successive detachment arrived from the fight, +they were made to form on their left, the whole line sitting or laying +down for the remainder of the night. It is easy to perceive that they +would have been quite unmanageable should they have been seriously +attacked, while their spirits were depressed by their recent failure, +and as the works which we afterwards encountered did not then exist, at +least only in part, I think they would have retired after a very slight +resistance indeed. I had the information as to the manner in which they +formed, from some of those who were made prisoners, and who witnessed +it. All this, however, is merely the opinion of a private individual, +who judged from appearances only, and it is not in the nature of things +probable that I should be able to form so correct a one as those who +possessed more ample information. + +After the arrival of the two general officers before mentioned, the army +was told off into brigades as follows, viz. the 1st brigade, commanded +by General Gibbs, consisted of the 4th, 21st, and 44th British, and 5th +West India regiments; the 2d brigade, commanded by General Keane, +consisted of the 85th, 93d, and 95th British, and 1st West India +regiments, (observe, the West India regiments had by this time become +exceedingly reduced in point of numbers from cold and hardship, which +they seemed unable to bear, and very soon after almost ceased to be +regiments, so many of them were sent away sick;) the artillery was +commanded by Colonel Dickson, an excellent officer; the squadron of the +14th light dragoons not being able to get mounted, formed the guards at +the hospitals, and at head-quarters, &c. + +Every thing having been previously arranged on the morning of the 28th, +we advanced in two columns, the right near the wood commanded by General +Gibbs, and ours on the left by the great road near the river, commanded +by General Keane. The enemy had all along kept possession of those +farm-houses which lay at some distance in front of our picquets. They +were consequently driven from these as we moved forward, which we did, I +should imagine, to the distance of about three miles, their picquets +retiring gradually before us. We here discovered that the enemy had +thrown up a strong field-work, which extended from the river to the wood, +and which consequently shut up every avenue to our farther advance, +without fighting. We also found that their numbers had considerably +increased, as we could perceive by the immense bodies of troops behind +their works. As we pressed upon their picquets as they retired, we got a +shot or two at them with our field-guns; but every thing remained quiet +within their lines till we had arrived within about 400 yards of them, +when they opened out on the head of our columns as destructive a fire of +artillery as I ever witnessed. One shot struck in the column of the +85th, which knocked down two officers and about ten men. My battalion +was leading, and being partly extended skirmishing, they did not offer +so fair a mark for artillery as a solid body, and consequently escaped +this. + +The ship also, which was anchored a little in advance of their work, +opened her broadside on the columns on the road at the same time. Our +gun and howitzer, the only two pieces we had there, endeavoured to +return the fire of the ship, but without doing her much injury. When the +fire was found to be so galling, the troops were moved off the road +into the fields on the right, and my battalion advancing about 100 paces +farther, was ordered to lay down in a sort of ditch which was there, and +to shelter themselves the best way they could. The 85th and 93d formed +also more to the right, and secured themselves as well as the nature of +the ground would admit. It was only intended as a reconnoissance, +consequently the troops did not advance farther, as soon as the nature +of their position was ascertained. It appeared to be a high dike of +casks, formed as a breastwork, with a considerable quantity of artillery +mounted on it, and with a sort of canal or wet ditch in front of it. + +Of course, all this took some time to ascertain, during which they kept +up an incessant cannonade, both from their works and from the ship. The +latter poured in an immense quantity of large grape, which rendered the +situation of those exposed to it extremely unpleasant. Our two +fieldpieces were very soon silenced by the superior fire of the enemy, +and in an hour after our arrival at this point, there was not a man left +with them but the officer, who was quite a youth, but yet stood as +steady as if he had been on a common parade, although all his men were +knocked down about him. I never witnessed more devoted heroism than this +fine young man displayed. One shot, nearly towards the last, struck off +his sergeant's head, and sent his cap spinning over a ditch, where +another officer and I had taken up our post. Some rockets were also +tried from this point, both against the ship and the enemy's works, but +those directed against the vessel flew quite wide of the mark, and +totally failed. Some of those fired into the works, we saw pass over the +heads of the men posted in them, but whether they produced any effect we +could not see. + +The enemy either had set fire to the houses near us before they retired +from them, or they had fired heated shot with a view of producing that +effect; but we had not been long here ere the whole of the houses in the +neighbourhood were in one grand and terrific blaze of fire. I do not +exactly know what was done on the right, for we could not see distinctly +for some trees which grew in the garden of the farm in that direction, +but imagine they encountered something similar to ourselves, as the play +of artillery from the enemy's line in front of them was equally +unceasing with that in our front. Not a man showed himself out of the +enemy's works. + +When every thing was ascertained that could be, the troops began +gradually to draw off, but this was obliged to be conducted in a very +cautious manner, or the loss from their fire would have been severe. The +93d retired first, by separate wings, afterwards the 85th, but ours did +not leave their ground till after dark, when, I believe, some of the +Yankees began to advance in a rather triumphant and bullying manner, but +were taught to keep at a respectful distance by a few shots well laid in +among them. A party of sailors had been sent forward to bring off the +two fieldpieces, there being no artillerymen left to do it, and we had +no horses. They undertook and accomplished this task most cheerfully and +effectually, without a man hurt I believe. + +The loss of my battalion on this occasion was not great. The army now +took up a fresh position in which to bivouack, at about a mile and a +half distance from the enemy's line, but which they could easily reach +with the shot and shells of their larger pieces. The head-quarters were +removed from Monsieur Villerey's house to a large farm or chateau behind +our new lines, and which were formed in the following manner, viz.:--the +4th and 44th composed one line, with their right near the wood. The 21st +formed on their left, but with an intervening space between them. The +85th and 93d formed one line on the left of the 21st, with an interval +between their line and that regiment. This latter line was rather in an +oblique direction, with its front towards a farm-house in advance and to +the left, and where my battalion was ordered to take its station. This +latter post was more exposed to the enemy's shot than any of the others; +it being a good deal advanced, and being close to the river, the guns +from the opposite shore ceased not firing on it, generally with hot +shot. The men were put into a sugar house belonging to this chateau, the +floor of which being sunk a little below the surface of the adjoining +earth, protected them wonderfully; but on occasions they had their very +cooking utensils knocked off the fire by the enemy's shot, in +consequence of the exposed situation of this house. The acting +quartermaster and myself being deemed civilians, and having no +inclination to be deprived of our natural rest at night, as long as we +could be allowed to obtain it, took up our abode in one of the outhouses +at head-quarters, which we found unoccupied, and where our respective +duties could be carried on with as much facility as if we were in the +same house with the battalion, the distance between them being only +about half a mile. + +Here, also, the sick and wounded were brought, where they could enjoy +more comfort than in the sugar-house, till an opportunity offered of +sending them down to the shipping. To secure our front a little more, +and to protect the troops against the shot from the opposite shore, a +redoubt was thrown up about half a mile in front of the right, and +pretty near the wood; while batteries and breastworks were constructed +on the road, to fire on any vessels of the enemy which might come down +the river. These latter were principally constructed of hogsheads of +sugar, which were found in the sugar-houses of the different +plantations in the neighbourhood. But nothing could have answered worse +than they did for this purpose, the enemy's shot going quite through +them, without being at all deadened almost by the resistance they +offered. In front of the left also, inside the road, a breastwork was +thrown up, which secured the persons of a corps of marines and sailors, +who occupied that part of the line. This body was, soon after the 28th, +landed from the fleet; and the latter, having brought small arms on +shore with them, acted as a small battalion. + +It is evident the enemy must have worked incessantly, from our first +landing, to complete the work they occupied; for, from the information I +before mentioned, as given me by one of the Spanish fishermen, it is +clear they had only two guns, mounted on something like a battery, on +the great road. But now that work extended even into the wood, a +distance of at least three quarters of a mile, and at this time there +could not be less than ten or twelve pieces of heavy ordnance mounted on +it. We were told by the slaves who had remained in the houses, that the +ditch behind which they had constructed this work was a sort of small +canal, which the gentleman who owned the property used for the purpose +of transporting the produce of his farm from thence into the river. From +this time we could plainly perceive great numbers of men continually at +work upon it, mostly blacks, of which they would, of course, have +abundance; but their white people also (the army, we conclude) were +constantly employed upon it. We could see distinctly that they were +widening and deepening the canal in front of the work, and raising the +parapet to a considerable height. + +It was now determined to try what our heavy ship-artillery would do +against this work. Accordingly, the greater part of the army were +employed in bringing up these unwieldy machines, and to effect which +required no slight power and perseverance, as we had no means of +transport but the sheer strength of a number of men combined, to drag +them successively through the deep soil. A sufficient number of them +having been brought up by the 31st, strong working parties were employed +all night in erecting two batteries, as near to the enemy's works as +they could with safety venture, and getting the guns, carriages, and +ammunition, &c., into them. These were formed principally of casks, &c., +filled with earth; and I am not sure that some sugar hogsheads were not +used on the occasion. However, at daylight on the morning of the 1st +Jan. 1815, the whole of the troops were ordered under arms, and moved +forward to nearly the same points they occupied on the 28th ult. + +This morning there was an extremely thick fog, which greatly favoured +our movements, the Americans being, I believe, totally ignorant that any +alteration had taken place in the situation of our army. As soon as the +fog cleared away, our artillery opened out a tremendous and thundering +cannonade upon the enemy's line, which so completely astonished them, +that there was not a shot returned for twenty minutes at least, so +little did they expect heavy artillery there. Nay, we heard afterwards +that a great number of the irregular troops were so alarmed, that they +actually quitted the lines without orders, and were posting off to New +Orleans, and were with great difficulty brought back again. As soon as +they perceived, however, that nothing more than a cannonade was +intended, and that our troops did not advance to the attack, they +commenced gradually with their artillery against ours, the fire of which +increasing as their confidence increased, they were not long in +silencing our guns, and in dismounting some of them. The fact is, our +works had been thrown up in such haste, that they were not nearly so +strong as they ought to have been made, had there been more time; the +consequence was, their shot penetrated into every part of our works, and +caused us not only considerable loss in artillerymen, (with one officer +killed,) but, as I said before, actually dismounted a great many of our +guns. This consequently entirely failed of having the desired effect; +but with such a very favourable opportunity as this morning's fog +presented, together with the alarm and terror with which the enemy were +struck on opening our artillery upon them, there is not the most distant +doubt that we should have at once got possession of their lines, had we +but advanced to the attack. It is true, we were not prepared for passing +the ditch, having no fascines or other necessaries for that purpose; but +the resistance, in my opinion, would have been so slight, that we might +almost have chosen our own place to cross it; and it was not very deep +at any place. The battalion of sailors were quite annoyed at being kept +looking on, while so fair an opportunity, as they thought, offered, and +were crying out one to another, "Why don't we go on? what is keeping us +back?" + +'Tis not to be doubted that the first effect of any new thing in warfare +is always the most certain of producing success, particularly against +inexperienced troops; but let them see and know the whole of the effects +that such a thing is calculated to produce, and the alarm wears off, and +confidence and courage return with wonderful rapidity. So it was here; +the first fire of our guns struck them dumb with amazement and +terror--But mark the contrast! Both the latter part of this day, and on +the 8th, at the general attack, how little they seemed to care for all +the artillery we could bring against them! Their gun, a 32-pounder, was +a most bitter antagonist to our principal battery. This happened to be +erected nearly in front of that part of the line where this gun was +situated, and when it fired, its shot always struck the battery at the +first bound, and then it ricocheted into the redoubt where I had taken +up my post. General Keane, with a part of his brigade, was in this +latter work, and some of them narrowly escaped the effects of the +numerous balls thrown from this gun. We were told the captain of the +schooner, after having been deprived of his vessel, had been appointed +to the charge and management of this gun, with some of his crew to work +it; and indeed it seemed very like the bitter and determined manner of +our former opponent, for any of the other guns seemed like children's +play to the unceasing and destructive fire of this heavy piece of +ordnance. I could distinctly see that they were sailors that worked +it--one of whom, a large mulatto, with a red shirt, always spunging her +out after firing. + +In what I am going to relate, I know I shall incur the risk of being +deemed a _traveller_ by some of my readers, but that shall not deter me +from telling what I plainly and repeatedly saw with my own eyes, +assisted by a glass. At the distance of three quarters of a mile, I +could distinctly perceive the ball from this gun every time it was +fired, it appearing like a small black spot in the midst of the column +of white smoke, and which gradually grew larger in appearance as it +approached us. In many instances I was providentially the cause of +saving some of the men who were in the redoubt with us, because, seeing +which way the ball was coming, I told them when to lie down; and on one +occasion was the shave so close, that it actually carried away one of +the men's packs as he lay on the ground. Another shot struck about +three feet above our heads, and carried away part of a piece of timber +which supported a shed just behind us. + +I forgot to mention, that, after the 28th, the Americans, conceiving +that the guns of the ship would be of more use if taken out and placed +in batteries, this was accordingly done; the greater part of them being +planted on the other side of the river, and being completely on our +flank, were enabled to annoy our people considerably, who were posted +near the great road. + +About two or three o'clock in the afternoon of the 1st, the army began +again to retire to its bivouack, leaving covering parties to protect the +batteries; and after night, the whole having formed, working parties +were sent to bring off as many of the heavy guns as possible. Some of +these, however, they were obliged to bury in the earth, not being able +to drag them away before daylight next morning. This work seemed more +oppressive and fatiguing to the troops than the bringing of them up did, +inasmuch as they were animated in the latter instance by the hope of +their being able to effect something against the enemy through their +toil and labour; but now disappointment added poignancy to their +sufferings. However, although things began to assume not quite so +favourable an aspect as formerly, yet every thing was borne with the +greatest good-will, as they were still confident of all their laborious +services being ultimately crowned with success. In all these fatiguing +services, the sailors bore an ample share, and were of the very utmost +benefit to the whole army, for they could readily contrive the means of +moving those immense masses of metal by purchases, &c., which to a +soldier would be utterly impossible. Indeed, throughout the whole +service, the gallant tars deserved the very highest praise, for they +were equally brave as laborious and willing. + +All hands, both soldiers and sailors, had been up the whole of the night +of the 31st, and now up again all night of the 1st. This was very +trying, no doubt. If any thing like dissatisfaction was evinced, this +incessant toil and want of rest in encountering it, arose more from a +desire to be led on to the attack, than from any wish to be rid of their +labours, however painful these were. As this attempt had failed, no +other scheme now appeared to present itself, but a vigorous and well +sustained attack on their line; for several efforts had been made to +penetrate through the wood, to endeavour to ascertain whether it was +possible to turn their position at that point, but all these efforts had +failed. The last that was attempted was conducted by Lieutenant Wright +of the engineers, but both himself and nearly all his party perished; +for it seems they fell in with a body of American riflemen, who, being +much better accustomed to travelling in woods than our people were, fell +on them, and, as said before, nearly cut off the whole party; yet it is +evident it was not utterly impassable, or the two parties could not have +met. + +I do not recollect to what regiment the men belonged who accompanied +Wright, but think it probable they were altogether unacquainted with +that description of service, which led them into the fatal snare in +which they fell. I am confident I saw blacks, who passed and repassed by +the wood, but it is certain that no attempt upon a large scale could be +made in that direction to turn their position; and it was probably the +better plan to abandon the idea altogether. A very excellent expedient +was however devised, for the purpose of turning the right flank of the +enemy; it was certainly a bold and vigorous idea, and one which, if +successful, would no doubt have secured to us the victory and the +possession of New Orleans. This was no less than cutting a canal, in +order to unite the Mississippi with the lake by which we had arrived, +and by getting boats out of the latter into the river, to transport a +sufficient number of men to the opposite shore, for the purpose of +making a diversion in aid of the principal attack on this side. + +Nothing could exceed the grandness of the conception. Accordingly, all +hands were set to work to widen and deepen the rill of water which flows +into the creek at the landing-place, and, continuing it up past Monsieur +Villerey's house, to let it enter the river a little above that point. +This, as may easily be conceived, was most laborious and dirty work; +and, lest the health and spirits of the troops should suffer from such +incessant fatigue, they were told off into four watches or spells, each +of which followed the other in regular succession, so that the work +never stood still. When it had reached near the house and high-road, +screens were put up on the latter, to prevent the enemy on the opposite +bank of the river from seeing what was carrying on; but as the blacks +were passing and repassing almost continually by the wood, as I before +mentioned, no doubt the Americans were well acquainted with what we were +doing. + +On the ---- General Lambert arrived with the 7th and 43d regiments, to +our great joy, two finer regiments not being in the service. +Consequently every eye now sparkled with hope, that our labours and +privations would soon terminate, as every one confidently anticipated a +favourable result, and seemed still inclined to despise that enemy who +had shown us that we could not do so with impunity. We were glad to meet +many of our old Peninsular friends in these two fine corps, and of +course welcomed them to the New World in the best manner we were +capable of. They took up their ground a little in front of the canal +which was cutting, there not being room sufficient for them in the line +of our bivouack. We were now about 7000 effective troops, and all +beginning to cheer up again, imagined nothing could withstand us. + +By the 6th the canal was finished, and the boats brought up into it. +There was obliged to be a lock in it at the entrance from the river, for +the strength of which Sir Edward, our Chief, I understand, expressed his +apprehensions, but was assured by the engineer that there was not the +slightest danger. I give this merely as report. + +On the 7th the arrangements for the attack next morning having been +completed, orders were issued to that effect. The arrangements were as +follows, viz.--a corps consisting of the 85th regiment, with 200 sailors +and 400 marines, and the 5th West India regiment, with four light +fieldpieces, the whole under the command of Colonel Thornton, was to +embark in boats by twelve o'clock, and to be all across the river by +daylight next morning. This force would amount to about 1200 or 1300 +men, and were destined to attack and carry the works on the opposite +bank, getting possession of the guns without allowing them to be spiked +if possible, when they were to be turned upon the right flank of the +enemy's position, on this side the river, to favour our attack. It is +clear, then, that this movement should precede that of the grand attack +by a considerable space of time. In the grand attack the troops were to +be disposed as follows, viz.--The right column, under General Gibbs, was +to consist of the 4th, 21st, 44th, and three companies of my battalion, +which latter were to extend as close to the enemy's work as possible, +previous to the advance of the column, and, by maintaining a constant +fire, were to endeavour to keep the enemy down as much as possible. The +44th was to be divided; one-half of that corps was to carry fascines, +&c., which they were to throw into the ditch on reaching it, in order +that the remaining regiments of that column might be able to pass it. +These fascines were to be had in the redoubt I before mentioned. The +other wing of the 44th was to lead that column, followed by the 21st, +and then the 4th, regiments. This was to be the principal attack. The +left column, commanded by General Keane, was to be composed as follows, +viz.--one company of the 7th, one of the 21st, one of the 43d, and two +of ours. The whole to be supported by the 93d regiment. These were to +make a feint attack upon the half-moon work which the enemy had +constructed near the river, and if opportunity offered, to turn it into +a real attack, and penetrate the enemy's line, co-operating with the +other column. Our two companies were to act here in the same manner as +the other three with whom they were to form a junction, thus covering +the whole front of the enemy's work. Some blacks of the 1st West India +regiment were to enter the wood on the right of our right column, and to +keep up as much noise as possible by firing and sounding bugles, &c. to +induce a belief that a large body of troops was moving in that +direction. The reserve, under General Lambert, was to consist of the 7th +and 43d regiments, and was to be so stationed as to be able to render +aid to either of the attacking columns. Strict orders were given that no +obstacle was to be permitted to retard the advance of the columns, but +that they were to press forward and endeavour to overcome every +hinderance that might present itself. + +As far as I recollect, and from the information I have since gained, +these were substantially the orders issued, and arrangements made, on +this occasion. The commanding-officers and heads of departments were +also assembled, and each told the part he had to perform; on which +occasion, I understand, the commanding-officer of the 44th expressed +himself in terms which I could scarcely conceive it possible could fall +from the lips of a soldier, which were, that "it was a forlorn hope with +the 44th." In all my campaigning I never yet heard a commanding-officer +who did not look upon the post of danger as the post of honour, and who +did not rejoice, as if a favour was conferred on him, when appointed to +an arduous or hazardous duty. Had the commanding-officer of the 44th +served in the Peninsula under our illustrious leader there, he would, I +am confident, have been animated by a quite different spirit. After dark +I went with my commanding-officer and adjutant to view the ground over +which our battalion was to march next morning, and to find out the +wooden bridges, &c. over some ditches which lay in the way, that no +delay might take place when they were to be called upon to act. + +I was sadly disappointed at our not meeting with any other +commanding-officers engaged in this most necessary duty, and at the time +I expressed my apprehensions as to the result. I pointed out to him the +different manner in which the business had been conducted previous to +the assault of Badajos, and previous to the attack on the enemy's +position on the Nivelle, where every commanding-officer, or others, who +had any particular duty assigned to them in the next day's operations, +were brought to ground from which it was clearly pointed out to them how +they were to move and act; but here all seemed apathy and fatal +security, arising from our too much despising our enemy. This latter, I +believe, was the principal cause of our not taking the necessary +precautions, and consequently of our failure; particularly the +commanding-officer of the 44th ought to have been brought and shown +where the fascines were lodged, that no excuse of ignorance on that +score might be pleaded. A rocket thrown up was to be the signal for the +troops to advance to the attack, after they had been properly posted +under the cover of night for that purpose. I own I did not at all feel +satisfied with what I had seen and heard, and retired to rest with a +considerable degree of despondency on my mind; and as I knew I could +render little aid to the service in a case like the present, I +determined I should not take any part in it, for I almost felt confident +of its failure. + +The whole of the troops were at their post by the time appointed; but, +unfortunately, as the sailors, &c. were getting the boats out of the +canal into the river, the lock gave way after only a very few had passed +it. Thus the whole business seemed at one blow to be totally ruined. +Every effort was made to remedy the evil, but it was irremediable. They +toiled, however, to get more boats into the river, but the delay had +been so great that it began to draw towards dawn before they had +effected any thing worth mentioning. Poor Sir Edward seemed like one +bereft of his reason, for this failure had blasted all his most sanguine +hopes; and as the troops were now close under the enemy's works, and +could not be withdrawn before daybreak, nor without being perceived by +the enemy, he thought it as dangerous to turn back as to go forward with +the operation, consequently he ordered the rocket to be fired, although +it was considerably past the time for the attack to take place, and no +troops on the opposite shore. As soon as this was done, he galloped to +the front. But the enemy had been quite prepared, and opened such a +heavy fire upon the different columns, and upon our line of skirmishers, +(which had been formed for some time within about 100 or 150 yards of +the enemy's work,) as it is not easy to conceive. I was not in it as I +said before, but I was so posted as to see it plainly. But the 44th, +with the fascines, were not to be found. Their commanding-officer had +taken them considerably past the redoubt where the fascines were placed, +and when he bethought him of what he had to do, he and his men were +obliged to turn back to seek them; and thus, when he ought to have been +in front to throw them into the ditch to allow the other troops to pass +over, he was nearly half a mile in rear seeking for them. But I believe +it would not have availed much had they been there in time, for the +right column never reached the point to which it was directed; but from +the dreadful fire of every kind poured into it, some of the battalions +began to waver, to halt and fire, and at last one of them completely +broke, and became disorganized. Sir Edward seeing this rushed forward +with his hat in his hand, and endeavouring to animate them by his +presence, he cheered them on to advance again; but at this moment he +fell, after receiving two wounds, the last of which was mortal. General +Gibbs also fell nearly at the same time mortally wounded, and was borne +off the field. Thus was the right and principal column deprived of both +its leaders; and although one regiment gave ground, and could not be +brought again to the attack, the other continued to keep in a body, +although any attempt now must be hopeless, and they were losing such +numbers of men that they must shortly be annihilated. They accordingly +retired without effecting any thing. + +The left column succeeded somewhat better; but, as things turned out, it +was only to enhance their own loss. They forced their way into the +circular work before mentioned, in which they made all the men who +defended it prisoners. But the canal still lay between them and the +main work, which was passed only by a plank; and being so few in +numbers, it would have been madness in them to attempt to go beyond +where they had at present stationed themselves. Indeed, they were in a +most critical situation; for, being within a few yards of the enemy's +main body, they could not move without being shot through the head by +their riflemen; and it was not till they had threatened to shoot the +prisoners they had taken, that they induced the Americans to desist from +attacking them; for by this time General Keane also had fallen severely +wounded, and the 93d had been nearly cut to pieces; and General Lambert, +with the reserve, had been obliged to advance and cover the retreat of +the other columns. Colonel Dale, who commanded the 93d, fell early in +the action, and the command devolved on Colonel Creagh; this officer, +being unwilling to retire his regiment without effecting the object +aimed at, although the men were literally mown down by the murderous +fire of the enemy, and the other column had given way, still endeavoured +to advance, but was at length reluctantly compelled to retrograde, +taking care to keep his men together. This showed a fine and noble +feeling in him, and is equally honourable to his gallant regiment; but +unfortunately it tended only to swell the list of killed and wounded on +this lamentable occasion. + +My people were thus left to shift for themselves, and to get away in the +best manner they could. But being extended, and not being so good an +object for the artillery to fire at as the columns, they escaped with +much less loss than could well be supposed. Some few of them reached the +ditch when they saw the columns advancing, and which they say could have +been passed with ease; but the columns never advanced so far, which had +they done, and that rapidly, their loss would not have been half so +great; for the enemy's troops in front of the right column were +evidently intimidated, and ceased firing for some seconds as the column +approached; and there is little doubt, had they pushed on to the ditch +with celerity, the Americans would have abandoned their line; at least, +such is my humble opinion. But the poor fellows on the left, who had +gained the only work which fell into our hands on this bank of the +river, were still detained there, unable either to advance or retreat; +and not one durst show his head above the parapet, or he was instantly +shot dead. + +Such was their confined and critical situation at this period, that an +officer of the 7th, whose name I forget, being himself rather tall, and +wearing at this time the high narrow-topped cap, could not squeeze in +sufficiently close to cover himself completely by the parapet, the top +of the high cap he wore sticking above the top of the work. This part of +the cap, which was visible to the Americans within the line, had no less +than four or five rifle-shots put through it while he lay there, but +without touching his head. All this information respecting these three +companies I had from Lieutenant Steele of the 43d, one of the officers +who was in the work. + +They were obliged at last to adopt a very singular but politic +expedient, which was, to make one of the American prisoners embrace a +man of the 43d, and thus to stand up together to see what was going +forward; for hitherto they were totally ignorant, from the causes above +assigned. The enemy durst not fire in such a case, for fear of killing +their own man. The news they now learned was most disheartening indeed, +which was, that the whole of the British had retired, and that the +Americans were coming out of their lines, and were moving in the +direction of that work. Nothing now remained but to surrender, or to +make an attempt to retreat, at the risk of being every man knocked +down. The latter, however, they preferred; on which Colonel Rennie, of +the 21st, who commanded these three companies, was the first to make the +experiment, and in doing which, the moment after he left the fort, he +fell to rise no more. They thought it better for them all to go at once, +and instantly the whole party made a rush out of the work. The greater +part of them providentially succeeded in effecting their escape, +although many a brave fellow fell in the attempt. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + + Bravery and Success of Colonel Thornton--Negotiation for leave + to transport the Wounded across the River--Insult offered to + the British--They retreat--Our Army embark, and determine to + make an Attack upon Mobile--Proceed in the direction of Mobile + Bay--A Brigade detached to reduce Fort Boyer--The Fort + surrenders, the Garrison becoming Prisoners of + War--Intelligence of a Treaty of Peace being concluded at + Ghent--Cessation of Hostilities. + + +It now remains to detail the operations of Colonel Thornton's party. It +will be seen, that, although his people were all ready at the appointed +hour, they could not get a sufficient number of boats to transport them +to the opposite shore. In fact, they did not get on board till it was +near daylight, and then only about one-half of the appointed number. +But, although at the risk of sacrificing himself and the few men he took +with him, he hesitated not to make the attempt of fulfilling his orders. +The signal for the general attack, however, was made before he could +reach the opposite bank, and he had then to land, and after making his +disposition with the few troops he had, to advance and attack a corps of +2000 men, mostly covered by works, some of which were extremely strong. +He dashed on, however, the advance of the enemy giving way before him, +till coming to their principal battery, he was obliged to detach a part +of his force through the wood on his left to turn their flank, while he +with the remainder attacked in front. This was conducted in such a +soldierlike manner, that, after a short conflict, the enemy gave way on +all sides, and retiring with precipitation, abandoned to the victors +batteries and works containing sixteen guns of various calibre. + +But, alas! all this success came too late; for the principal attack had +by this time ended in a total failure, attended with the loss of three +out of four generals, and with nearly 2000 officers and men killed, +wounded, and made prisoners. Had Providence prospered the work of the +canal, and the troops could have been got across at the appointed hour, +and in sufficient numbers, there is every reason to believe that the +effect produced on the main body by such a powerful diversion, would +have tended to the complete overthrow of the whole force before us; for +so insecure did General Jackson feel himself to be after our +establishment on the other bank of the river, and so alarmed at its +consequences, that, in the evening of the fatal day, he would not +consent to a cessation of hostilities, to enable us to bring off our +numerous wounded, till General Lambert (who had now succeeded to the +command) agreed as a preliminary to withdraw the force under Colonel +Thornton from that bank; and this, although with great reluctance, the +General was compelled from motives of humanity and other causes to +consent to. + +Before, however, a final answer was returned to General Jackson, I +believe it was suggested to our General, that, with the possession of +the other bank of the river, and with the 7th and 43d nearly yet entire, +and with the remainders of the other regiments, our chances of success +had not yet entirely departed, particularly as Jackson evinced such +eagerness for our withdrawing from that bank. General Lambert in +consequence used means to ascertain the feelings of the troops on this +proposition, but without their knowledge of his having done so; but I +regret to state, they seemed utterly hopeless of ever being able to +overcome such formidable difficulties as had presented themselves, +particularly now that their means of overcoming them had been so +lamentably diminished. The idea was consequently abandoned. + +In this negotiation between the Generals, which continued for some +hours, Lieutenant-colonel Smith, our assistant adjutant-general, had +repeatedly to pass from army to army with flags of truce, before the +matter could be finally arranged. This officer was most indefatigable in +his exertions on this unfortunate expedition, and to him the army is +greatly indebted for his zeal, ability, and gallantry, on this and every +other occasion where they could be of service to his country, and by +those in authority no doubt they are duly appreciated. + +Thus terminated the fatal attack on the lines of New Orleans--a +termination probably as disastrous in its consequences as any of modern +date--not even excepting that of Buenos Ayres; for that, discreditable +as it was to our arms, did not cost the lives of such a number of fine +soldiers; and I fear we have not yet experienced the full consequences +of this failure, for it is certain that the Americans are greatly +elevated by it in their own estimation, and it is not improbable they +may be thence induced to maintain a higher tone in all their future +negotiations with this country. + +One instance may be to the point, as showing the feeling of individuals +of that country on this subject. A fellow in the shape of an officer +asked Colonel Smith, (I think it was,) "Well, what do you think of we +Yankees? Don't you think we could lick any of the troops of the +continent easily?"--"I don't know that," says our officer.--"Why, I'll +prove to you," says Jonathan, "that we have shown ourselves the best +troops in the world. Didn't the French beat the troops of every other +continental nation? Didn't you beat the French in the Peninsula? and +haven't we beat you just now?" This of course was conclusive, and no +farther argument on that subject could be advanced. + +The remainder of the troops retired in the evening to their sorrowful +bivouack, worn out and sadly dispirited. All that night was of course +devoted to bringing off the unfortunate wounded; but several of those +who fell far in advance had been taken into the American lines, and, I +have every reason to believe, were treated with the greatest humanity. +Every effort was used, during the continuance of the truce, to bring +away the great numbers who lay wounded in the different parts of the +field; and on this as on all other occasions, the sailors with their +officers, evinced the utmost solicitude to render assistance to the +army; a great number of them were employed all night on this distressing +duty. During the whole of that afternoon, both while the negotiations +were pending, and at other times, the American officers were unceasing +in their endeavours to induce our soldiers to desert and join their +army. Too many, I regret to say, listened to their offers, and accepted +them. To some they promised promotion, to others money or grants of +land; in short, they were more like recruiting sergeants, I understand, +than the officers of a hostile army. My battalion did not quit the field +till after dark, and it is from some of them I have this information. A +group of two sergeants and a private of ours were accosted by an +American officer of artillery with a request that they would enter the +service of the United States; that the sergeants should be promoted if +they wished to serve, or that they should have grants of land if they +preferred a civil life; but that, if they chose to enter the army, he +would ensure them the rank of officers. Our people listened to this +harangue for some time, and then began, I regret to say, to give him +some bad language; telling him, at the same time, that they would rather +be privates in the British army, than officers among such a set of +raggamuffins as the Americans, and told him to sheer off or they would +fire upon him. This so exasperated the cowardly villain, that he went +off instantly into the line, they watching him all the while, and +pointing the gun, of which, it seems, he had charge, it was fired, and +knocked down the private, who was only wounded, however, by the shot. +Innumerable attempts of this nature were made both now and all the time +we remained before their lines subsequently, but which attempts, I am +proud to say, as far as I have been able to learn, failed in every +instance in the men of my battalion. + +Much about the same time, an American soldier came within about 150 +yards of our line, and began to plunder such of the killed or wounded +men as he thought possessed of any thing valuable. He at length +commenced upon a poor wounded man belonging to my battalion, which being +perceived by a Corporal Scott of ours, he asked permission from his +captain to take a shot at him. This being granted, (although a sort of +truce had been established while the negotiations were going on,) he +took up his rifle, and taking a steady aim, he fired, and tumbled the +plundering villain right over the body of the poor wounded man. + +The loss of our five companies in this attack amounted to seven officers +and about ---- men killed and wounded. Some of the other regiments, the +93d in particular, had suffered dreadfully, having lost more than half +their numbers. The sad ceremony of burying such of the officers whose +bodies had been recovered, together with attention to the wounded, +occupied several days from this period, and sending the wounded, who +were able to bear removal, to the shipping, kept great numbers of the +remaining men continually employed; and the attention of all was now +turned towards drawing off from this scene of our late disastrous +attempt. + +The General entered into a negotiation with Jackson about being +permitted to send a portion of our wounded down the river in boats; for +which permission some equivalent, which I forget, was to be granted on +our part, and which, after considerable discussion, was eventually +agreed to. The sick, the wounded, the stores of every description, were +now despatched as fast as circumstances would allow; but the effecting +of this occupied not less than nine days, during the whole of which time +the enemy was incessant in his attempts to harass and annoy us. All +their heavy ordnance was brought to bear on our bivouack; the +sugar-house our people occupied, and even the head-quarters, did not +escape; night and day they kept up a fire of shot and shells upon these +points; but the distance being considerable, no very great mischief +resulted from it, further than the continual state of uneasiness and +alarm in which it kept the troops. On one occasion, however, a shell was +thrown into the lines of the 43d, who had since the attack occupied a +part of the general bivouack, and which, falling into a hut occupied by +Lieutenant Darcy of that regiment, while he lay asleep, carried off both +his legs as it fell. Poor fellow! he would thus be awakened in a rough +manner indeed. I have since seen him in Dublin, the government having +kindly compensated him by giving him a company, and I believe two +pensions. + +Several shells were thrown into the head-quarters premises, but +providentially without injuring any one. One fell in the yard while a +party of troops was halted there for a short while, and which falling on +one of the men's knapsacks, which he had put off, it carried it, with +itself, not less than six feet deep into the earth. It did not explode. +Some fell on the roof, which penetrated through all the stories to the +very ground. Every night also the picquets were kept in a state of +agitation and alarm by the continual attacks of small parties of our +skulking enemy, and my battalion, as did the others also, lost +considerable numbers by this petty warfare. In short, the men's lives +began almost to be a burden to them. + +There was another source of annoyance adopted on the part of the +Americans on this occasion, but which, affecting only the mental, and +not the bodily powers of our soldiers, was not so much heeded. Every day +almost they assembled in large bodies on the parapet of their line, with +flags of various descriptions, some with "sailors' rights" and numerous +other devices, &c. painted on them, using the most insulting +gesticulations towards those who were near enough to see them, a band +playing Yankee Doodle, and other national airs, all the while, and +sometimes ironically favouring us with Rule Britannia. Considerable +numbers of our men deserted about this time. Every encumbrance being +removed, however, by the 17th, orders were issued for the march of the +army on the following evening soon after dark, leaving the picquets as a +rearguard, which were not to march till a short while before daylight. +In retiring, some of the wounded, who were unable to bear removal, were +necessarily left in the houses where they had been collected; but there +were not many so left, and no doubt the enemy acted humanely by them. +There were seven men of my battalion left, out of which three rejoined +us after the conclusion of peace; the other four, I believe, were very +badly wounded, and died in consequence. It was also necessary to abandon +such of the guns as remained in the advanced batteries, because, both +from their weight and their being so near the enemy, they could not be +brought off without exposing our intentions of retreating. Neither were +these numerous, and most of them only iron ship-guns, which are of no +great value. + +The movement commenced according to the preconcerted plan, and being +conducted with secrecy and regularity, every soldier was brought off, +over a country almost impassable, and where, if followed and harassed by +an enterprising enemy, great numbers must have either fallen into their +hands or perished in the swamp. But I believe, had the Americans even +been aware of our intention, they would have hesitated before they came +into collision with our highly exasperated army, and would scarcely have +dared to attack us in the open field: they had had enough of that work +on the 23d, to give them a specimen of what British soldiers could do +when met fairly, front to front. + +The marsh, it may be necessary to mention, extended from the lower skirt +of the wood to the fishermen's huts at the mouth of the creek. This +creek we had sailed up on our advance, but this could not possibly be +the case at present, both on account of our numbers being much too great +for the number of boats, and of the danger to which it would have +exposed the troops had they been attacked from the shore, but +principally on the former account; a sort of road had therefore been +constructed by our artificers, by cutting down boughs from the wood, and +laying them across such places as required something on the surface on +which to tread. This road extended, as nigh as I can judge, about eight +or ten miles, and in passing which numerous slips were made into the +sloughs on each side; but there being plenty of assistance generally at +hand, they helped each other out: some men, I understand, were lost, +however, in this night-march through the swamp. + +Having arrived at the huts before-mentioned, the whole army set about +forming such places of shelter as the desert swamp afforded. There were +certainly reeds in abundance, but we wanted some sort of timbers for the +support of the outward covering. We, however, did the best we could; and +now every exertion was made by the navy to bring the army off from this +most uncomfortable place of abode, and regiment after regiment were +despatched as fast as the boats and other small craft could go and +return, the distance from hence to the shipping being about seventy +miles. While we remained here, we who were fond of shooting found plenty +of wild-ducks on which to exercise our sporting abilities; but, alas! we +wanted shot, and were therefore seldom able to bring home a couple for +dinner. + +A considerable number of slaves, belonging to the estates where we had +lately been stationed, followed us down thus far, some of whom would not +return, but were afterwards sent on board of ship. These, male and +female, often amused us with their native dances, the men generally +having a number of rings or bells about them, which sounded as they kept +time to the tune. Some of their dances were, however, far from decent, +particularly on the part of the females, which, it may be supposed, +highly delighted some of our young and thoughtless countrymen. Some were +induced to return to their masters: for those who came on board of ship, +I believe it was not till very lately that the two governments came to +terms as to the remuneration which their owners claimed for them. + +At length the turn came for my battalion to go on board, which we did on +the 25th of January, when our whole five companies were put on board the +Dover, the ship that had brought out two companies of the battalion, and +which were then not much fewer in number than the five at present were; +in fact, we had lost more than half. The whole army did not get embarked +till ----, when the 7th Fusileers came on board. This regiment had been +necessarily left alone at the fishermen's huts till the boats could +return, as before stated, to bring them off, and yet even this single +battalion the enemy, with upwards of 10,000 men, dared not come down and +attack, although there were no works to protect it in this exposed +situation. Nothing could possibly demonstrate more fully and clearly, +that, notwithstanding the repulse they had unfortunately given our +troops, they dreaded them in the open country; or else it must be +attributed to the prudent sagacity of their leader, who, having gained a +victory which he had previously scarce dared to hope for, now wisely +resolved not to risk the tarnishing of his dear-bought laurels. It is +not an easy matter to reconcile this cautious and timid conduct with +their furious onset on the night of the 23d, and with their boasting +speeches after our failure on the 8th instant. + +Now, while we remain at rest for a short while on board of ship, let us +take a retrospective glance at the late events. It is certain we were +singularly unfortunate. Providence, which had smiled upon us in our late +operations against the most formidable army in the world, the French, +here taught us most painfully, that the victory is not always to be +gained by strength or courage. Indeed it was but a just punishment for +the contempt we entertained for our opponents, and which unfortunate +feeling, I believe, was almost universal. I own I entertained it in a +high degree; for I judged it next to a moral impossibility that an army +of undisciplined and unmanageable peasants, however numerous, could for +a moment withstand the attack of those troops who had overthrown the +victorious legions of Bonaparte. But every soldier was a patriot, and +they fought for their country, and for a country of all others most +suitable for the operations of such troops; full of fastnesses, composed +of creeks, and necks, and woods, &c. of all which they did not fail to +take the utmost advantage. For this work of theirs, constructed on a +spot of ground said to have been pointed out by General Moreau, +completely shut us out from all approach towards the town, and +compensated for every disadvantage under which they, as irregulars, +laboured; for it was not only a formidable barrier to our army, but it +gave them, by the protection it afforded their persons, all the +steadiness of troops inured to combat, and permitted them the full +exercise of that superior skill as marksmen for which they are famed, +and which exposure in the open field would have deprived them of; for +here they were covered up to the chin, and suffered comparatively +nothing from all our fire. + +But I fear we have something for which to blame ourselves on this +occasion. It is certain, I believe, that they had been timely apprized +of the destination of our expedition, however secret we pretended to +keep it ourselves, and if rumour may in such a case be permitted to go +for any thing, it is said that information was conveyed from Jamaica to +New Orleans direct by a French ship, which left the former for the +latter place some time before our arrival. How she came into the +possession of that information, I cannot justly tell. It is certain, +however, that the Americans must have had timely notice, or General +Jackson could not have had the men from Kentucky and Tennessee to +oppose us the first night we landed. + +I before hazarded an opinion, that had we pushed forward on the 24th +December, we should in all probability have proved successful. I will +say nothing as to the point of debarkation being well or ill chosen, +although many have said we should have been more likely to succeed had +we attacked Fort ----, which, after carrying, would have allowed us to +land behind the town, instead of three leagues below it. These things I +am totally incapable of judging of, from my ignorance of the country. I +also before expressed my opinion, that had we attacked on New Year's +Day, when our artillery produced such an effect on the appalled +Americans, we should have had a better chance of carrying their works. + +Another thing in which I venture to differ from the plan adopted by our +lamented commander, is, that I would have employed the 7th and 43d to +the post of honour, instead of keeping them in reserve. They, it was +well known, had each established a reputation for being the finest +regiments in the service, and every reliance might have been placed in +their executing whatever task was assigned them, if executable by human +powers. Far different was it with those who unfortunately led the +attack, for except one of the regiments of the attacking column, they +had not any of them been conspicuous as fighting regiments. + +It was, I believe, a well known maxim of Bonaparte's, always to put his +best troops in front; if they were successful, their example served to +stimulate the others to copy their example; if unsuccessful, their +discipline and valour never permitted them to become so totally +disorganized as to render the reverse irretrievable. The onset also of +these better troops, must produce a far different effect on the enemy +than the hesitating and dispirited attack of inferior ones. Had our +troops on this occasion rushed forward to the ditch in double quick +time, or at least at a quick march, I venture to affirm the work would +have been carried with the fourth part of the loss of what they +suffered. Reason itself must point out to any man, whether acquainted +with military matters or not, that to move slowly under a galling fire +is more trying and destructive to the troops so moving, than to rush at +once to the point aimed at; but much more, to halt at the very point +where every fire-arm can be brought to bear upon them with the deadliest +effect, is of all other modes of proceeding the least likely to succeed. +They were thus exposed for hours to as destructive a fire as ever was +poured upon the heads of an attacking army, while, had they pushed on at +the rate I mention, a few minutes would have sufficed to put them from +under the fire of the artillery at least, for when close to the ditch, +it could not be brought to bear upon them. Mark the mode in which the +three companies on the left effected the task assigned to them. Before +the enemy were aware almost that they were to be attacked, these troops +were in possession of the work they were destined to storm; so quickly +indeed that the defenders of that work had not time to effect their +retreat, and were, as before noticed, made prisoners by the attacking +party. This not only secured their safety while left there by +themselves, but enabled them, in some degree, to effect their retreat +with less loss than they would otherwise have been exposed to. + +I have dwelt perhaps too long on this, but of all other causes I deem +this to have been the greatest of our sad failure. It is lamentable, +however, to be obliged to confess, that ill conduct on the part of some +parties, but of one individual in particular, contributed in no small +degree to our repulse on this melancholy occasion. For the rest, +nothing could exceed the determined courage and patient endurance of +hardship that the army in general evinced, and certainly nothing could +exceed the gallantry of our leaders. + +It was now determined to make an attempt upon Mobile, a town lying about +thirty or forty leagues to the eastward of New Orleans. Accordingly, the +fleet got under weigh and proceeded in the direction of the entrance +into Mobile Bay, which is protected on the west side by shoals and Isle +Dauphine, and on the east by a fort, built on a point of land called +Mobile Point, and mounting about twenty pieces of heavy ordnance. Its +name is Fort Boyer, I believe. Before our arrival in this country, an +attempt had been made on this fort by one of our frigates, but which +entirely failed, owing to her taking the ground on the shoals before +mentioned. As she could not be got off, and as she lay under the fire of +the fort, her crew were compelled to abandon her, but, I believe, not +till they had first set her on fire; her wreck lay here when we came. +Until this fort was taken, no vessel of any size could enter the bay, +consequently it became necessary to attack it in form. The brigade +formerly General Gibbs's, consisting of the 4th, 21st, and 44th, was +therefore landed a little behind the point, and proceeded without delay +to invest it; the remainder of the troops were landed on Isle Dauphine. + +We were put on shore on the 8th February, and instantly commenced +hutting ourselves by brigades. Some of the officers had tents issued out +to them; the acting Quartermaster and myself had one between us. This +island is almost covered with pine-wood, but in other respects it is +nearly a desert, and without any inhabitants resident on it, save one +family, a Mr Rooney, formerly from Belfast I understand, but now a +naturalized American. He was married to a native of Louisiana, a lady +of French extraction. He had been a midshipman in the American navy, but +had been dismissed for some misconduct, it was said, and banished to +this island. He appeared to us to be no great things. + +I omitted to mention that the 40th regiment had arrived from England +before we left the banks of the Mississippi, but it being after the +failure they were of no use, and were consequently not permitted to +land. They were afterwards placed in our brigade, which now bivouacked +near to the point of the island facing the bay. When we arrived, the +island contained a considerable number of cattle, with pigs, &c. +belonging to Rooney, but which had been permitted, as is customary in +this country, to run wild in the woods, there being no danger of their +leaving the island. These, however, soon fell a prey to such hungry +fellows as we were, who had been for some time past on rather short +commons. But they did not answer our expectations, being in taste, what +may appear singular, quite fishy. This was attributed to their feeding +so much on marine vegetables, there being little other pasture for them +on the island. + +A hoax was played off upon great numbers of our young hands respecting +this fishiness. There was on one point of the island a considerable +oyster-bed, and it was generally pretty near this that the cattle were +found and shot, that being the most distant from our bivouack. It was +therefore said the flesh of the cattle became of that peculiar flavour +from feeding upon oysters. Some, without reflecting, credited this +strange story, as the assertor generally said he had seen the cattle +opening the oysters with their tongues. This oyster-bed, however, was a +source of great luxury to us, for it not only afforded us the means of +rendering the salt junk more palatable by having an excellent sauce to +make it go down, but it even afforded a most wholesome and delicious +meal upon occasions by eating them raw. We also made the best use of our +time when not employed on military affairs, in endeavouring to catch as +many fish as we could; and for this purpose, my mess purchased from one +of the poor Spanish fishermen before mentioned (and who, for the +information and kindness they had shown us, were obliged to quit their +habitations and follow us), an excellent casting-net, with which the +acting Quartermaster and myself occupied ourselves from day to day, +generally bringing home a sufficient quantity of fish to serve our mess. +I never laboured more assiduously in any occupation than I did in this, +not only from a relish for such amusement, but because we really wanted +something to eke out our scanty meals. We at length got a siene-net from +one of the men-of-war, with which we were not only able to supply +ourselves most abundantly, but always had a large quantity to give away +to the soldiers. Wild-fowl also were very plentiful when we first +entered the island; but from the number killed, and the constant +shooting at them, they soon became scarce and difficult to get at. + +Here also there were abundance of alligators, and on our fishing and +shooting excursions we frequently started them from their +lurking-places, which were generally among the reeds by the side of an +inland lake, or rather creek of the sea. On these occasions we seldom +saw them, for they always endeavoured to avoid us; but wherever they ran +along the bottom of the water, they stirred up the mud so greatly all +the track they took, that we had no difficulty in tracing them. I never +remember to have seen a live one on these occasions, but a dead one once +afforded us considerable amusement. One evening, on our return home from +our constant occupation, there being three or four of us of the party, I +was in front, and the acting Quartermaster and the others in the rear +of me. On a sudden I was alarmed by the cry of "Oh stop, here's an +alligator!" and before I could look round, a shot was fired apparently +into the earth, close beside their feet. I went back to see what was the +matter, and found indeed, as he had said, an alligator, but one which I +suppose had been dead for several months at least. It was buried in the +sand, and only a part of its body appeared; but whether he imagined it +might have placed itself in that situation intentionally, with the view +of enticing its prey within its reach, or what other thought he had, I +cannot tell, but, to make assurance doubly sure, he fired his rifle +right into the body of the half-rotten alligator. He was long and often +severely roasted about this afterwards. A young one was caught alive, +however, by some of the 14th dragoons, and brought home to England, and +afterwards, I understand, presented to the British Museum. All this +while the siege of the fort was going forward, but as we had nothing to +do with it, we had plenty of time, not only to hunt for extra prog, but +to amuse ourselves in any other manner we pleased. + +The army, about this time, was inspected by our Chief, General Lambert, +by battalions. My kind late commanding-officer, Captain Travers, who was +severely wounded at the attack on the 8th, had rejoined by this time, +although still very lame. During the inspection, the General said to +him, "Travers, I am sorry to hear that your sergeant-major ran away on +the night of the 23d, during the attack."--"That is impossible, +General," said Travers, "for he fought as bravely as any man could +possibly do, and was carried off the field near the end of the fight, +severely wounded. But I have a guess what has given rise to this report. +A sergeant of ours left his battalion, I believe, either during or after +the fight, and having taken up his quarters near one of the houses +where the wounded were carried, the surgeon pressed him to remain with +him as hospital-sergeant. I made efforts to have him sent to his +battalion, but could not get it done. This must have been the cause of +such a story having got abroad."--"Ah," says the General, "I am sorry +that the poor sergeant-major should have lain under a stigma, of which +he was altogether undeserving; and, now since we have done him an +involuntary injustice, and he is a deserving man, we must try what +amends we can make him for it." He accordingly recommended him for an +ensigncy in one of the West India regiments; and before that day +twelvemonth, he had risen to the rank of lieutenant. Nothing could be +finer than the feeling of Sir John Lambert on this occasion; indeed, he +has always shown himself a most excellent upright man, and a gallant +officer. + +About this time, a Russian vessel was detained going up to New Orleans +with a cargo of wine from Bordeaux; but although she would, I doubt not, +have been a legal capture, for breaking the blockade, the master was +permitted to dispose of his cargo to our army, and an excellent thing he +made of it, for the wine, which he must have purchased for about one +shilling or one and sixpence a bottle, he charged us in general about +four shillings for; we were glad, however, to get it at any price, and a +most seasonable supply it was indeed. On one of our shooting excursions, +an officer of ours fell in with a sow and two or three pigs, in the +wood; he instantly fired at one of the pigs and killed it; but when +going to pick it up, the sow set upon him with such fury, that he was +glad to abandon his prize, and retreat with precipitation. + +When the army landed near New Orleans, the 14th light dragoons had taken +their saddles and other horse equipments with them, in hopes of being +able to get mounted in the country; and which, being bulky, required a +good large boat to bring off again. They were therefore put on board a +considerable-sized one, with an officer of the regiment and a guard to +protect them. On their way down towards the shipping, night overtook +them before they could reach their destination, on which they pushed +towards the shore, whether of an island or the mainland, I cannot say, +in hopes of being more secure for the night; they consequently put on a +sentry, and all lay down in the boat to sleep. Soon afterwards, however, +a boat came rowing rapidly alongside, and before the sentry could +discover who or what they were, they boarded, and instantly made the +party all prisoners. The officer, I believe, when called on to deliver +up his sword, was so annoyed at being trapped in such a manner, that he +threw it into the lake, as far as he could fling it. The American +officer who captured them was a lieutenant in their navy, and went by +the name of Commodore Shiel (for every fellow is a commodore who +commands even a few boats). He was so elated by his success on this +occasion, and, I believe, by having taken another boat with stores, that +he boasted to his prisoners, that he would take even Admiral Cochrane +himself yet, before he left the country. + +While we remained on Isle Dauphine, a commissary, with a sergeant and +party of our men, were sent on shore, on the mainland, to shoot bullocks +for the supply of the army. They had landed, and the commissary, with +the sergeant and I think two men, went off into the neighbouring wood, +leaving the two or three other men at the landing-place to protect the +boat. Here again Mr Shiel made his appearance, quite suddenly and +unexpectedly, having come round a jutting point before the men were +aware of his presence; he instantly, of course, made them prisoners, +and, taking their arms from them, he put them on board their own boat, +then, sending a part of his crew on board to manage it, despatched it +for the American harbour. He now with a few more of his people went in +search of the commissary and his party, whom he soon found; and they +seeing resistance would be vain, when their own boat was departed, were +compelled at once to surrender. He instantly put them into his own boat; +and taking the commissary into the after-sheets alongside of himself, +the sergeant and the other men were put forward to the head of the boat. +Whether any preconcerted scheme and signal had been agreed upon between +the commissary and the sergeant, I do not know, but an opportunity soon +after offering, the commissary gave the sergeant the wink, and instantly +seizing Mr Shiel by the thighs, pitched him right overboard in an +instant; the sergeant, at the same moment, seizing the stoutest of +Shiel's men, and serving him in a like manner. The others being attacked +by the remaining two men, at once surrendered, and, I believe, suffered +themselves to be bound; and our people, having now resumed their arms +and become masters of the boat, admitted Mr Shiel, who, I fancy, had +clung to the boat to prevent his drowning, to come once more on board. +What became of the other man who was thrown over, I know not; whether he +swam on shore, or was drowned, or was afterwards taken into the boat, I +cannot tell; but the result was, that the great, the boasting Commodore +Shiel, was brought to the island a prisoner, where he landed like a +drowned rat, and quite chopfallen. + +The commissary, who was a fine, stout, and gallant young fellow, spoke +highly in praise of Tom Fukes, our sergeant, for his bravery and good +management on the occasion. + +At length the works being all completed for battering the fort, Colonel +Smith was sent in with a flag of truce to demand its surrender. The +commandant was quite undecided how to act, and asked the Colonel what +he, as a man of honour, would advise him to do. "Why," says the Colonel, +"do you not see that our guns are now overlooking your whole work, and +that we could, in a very short time, knock it down about your ears? I +have no hesitation in telling you, that the rules of war will fully +justify you in surrendering to such a superior force, and when the siege +has advanced to such a point as it actually is." His arguments, together +with the truth of his statements, at length overcame the courage and +determination of Jonathan, and he instantly agreed to surrender, the +garrison, afterwards becoming prisoners of war, marching out and laying +down their arms on the glacis. + +Thus, on the 12th February, this important fortification fell into our +hands, together with 400 men of the 2d regiment of the United States, +and either one or two American colours. This obstacle removed, every +exertion was now made to advance up the lake to the attack of Mobile; +but on the 14th, a vessel arrived with the unexpected, but cheering +information, that peace had been concluded at Ghent between the two +nations, and that it only required the ratification of Mr Maddison, the +United States' president. Of course, all further operations of a warlike +nature were suspended for the present, till it was known whether the +treaty would be ratified or not. This ship also brought out the +notification of our two Generals, Lambert and Keane, being appointed +Knights of the Bath. Some of our Colonels also were included in the +list, viz. Blakeny of the the 7th, and Dickson of the royal artillery. + +And now nothing was thought of but amusement, and making ourselves as +comfortable as possible. But we began to get very short of provisions. +Our people were therefore obliged to send to the Havannah, where they +procured the strongest sort of beef I ever saw. It was not salted; but +after the cattle had been killed, all the thin belly part had been cut +round the whole bullock, in narrow stripes, of about two inches in +width; this being laid, or hung up in the sun, which is extremely +powerful in that country, it was dried without having the least +offensive taste or smell, farther than a little rancidity, which was not +by any means unpleasant; but when brought from on board, it had much +more the appearance of coils of ropes (for it was coiled up in a similar +manner) than provision for the use of man. An aide-de-camp of General +Lambert's, then Lieutenant, but now Major D'Este, son of his Royal +Highness the Duke of Sussex by Lady Augusta Murray, used frequently to +join the shooting party of our acting quartermaster and myself; and, on +one occasion, having obtained a canoe, a trip to the mainland was +projected, for the purpose of shooting; accordingly we took two or three +men with us, and started from the northernmost point of the island, that +being the nearest to the main, which we saw before us, and not more than +five or six miles distant. It was considered the best mode of proceeding +for us all to get into the boat, except one man, who was a famous wader, +(having often accompanied us in our expeditions around the island,) and +who was to wade as far out into the sea as he could, dragging the canoe +after him. This he could do very easily, for she was quite light, and +the water was exceeding shallow for a great distance into the sea. He +continued towing us in this manner for about half a mile, when, being +fairly up to his chin, he and we thought it was high time for him to +come on board; but, in doing this, he gave her such a cant as turned her +right over, and pitched us all into the water. I luckily had my eye +upon the man when he sprung to get into the canoe, and suspecting that +she could not bear so rough a pull, was ready; and accordingly, when I +saw her going, leaped out, without being plunged overhead, as all the +others were. But all our rifles, &c. were pitched out, and of course +sunk to the bottom, to which we were obliged to dive before we could get +them up. This accident put a stop to our excursion, and we waded out +again, looking extremely foolish. Nevertheless we ought to have been +truly thankful to Providence that it occurred before we got out of our +depth; for, with such a frail bark, it is more than probable some +accident would have happened before our return, had not this prevented +our further progress. + +Innumerable were our adventures of this nature, for the water was +delightfully warm, and having no military occupation at the time, we +could not find any better amusement. A party, indeed, suggested the +getting up of theatricals, which being approved on all hands, workmen +were instantly set about erecting the theatre-royal, Isle Dauphine. +This, of course, with the getting off of parts, occupied the managers +and the other performers for some time; but at length all being ready, +most excellent entertainments took place, following each other in quick +succession. At some of these parties, American officers, who now often +paid us visits, were highly entertained, and paid us high compliments, +not only as to the splendour and magnificence of our theatrical +representations, but to our ingenuity as displayed in hut-building, +which, they said, even surpassed the architectural abilities of the +Indians in that branch of the art,--a high compliment indeed! + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + + Ratification of the Treaty of Peace--Exchange of Prisoners--Our + Troops embark for England--When off the coast of Ireland, + receive intelligence of Bonaparte's escape from Elba--The + Author and his Battalion reach the Downs, and proceed to + Thorncliffe--Embark for France--Arrive at Paris, and occupy the + Champs Elysees--Review of the Russian Guards--Russian + Discipline--British Troops reviewed--Accident to Prince + Blucher--Amusements in Paris--The Allied Forces, except the + Army of Occupation, leave Paris--The Author's Battalion embark + for England--Reach Dover, and return to Thorncliffe--He obtains + leave of absence, and visits his Family--His Battalion ordered + to Ireland--Sets out to join it, accompanied by his Wife, who + dies three days after they reach Dublin--His Battalion + reduced--Joins the first Battalion at Gosport, which is ordered + to Scotland--Arrive at Leith, and march to Glasgow--The Author + returns home in ill health--His Father dies--Joins his + Battalion again--Winters at home--His Battalion ordered to + Ireland--Joins it at Belfast--They occupy different stations + during the Whiteboy Insurrection--Six companies of his + Battalion ordered to Nova Scotia, but the Author remains with + the other four companies--He is shortly ordered to proceed to + Nova Scotia--His health declines--Returns home in consequence, + takes advantage of Lord Palmerston's Bill, and retires on full + pay. + + +On the 5th March, the ratification of the treaty of peace, by Mr +Maddison, arrived; and now all our thoughts were turned towards our dear +native country. On the 15th also, all our poor fellows, who had been +made prisoners by the Americans, joined us at this island, an exchange +in consequence of peace having of course taken place. Many of these +were strange-looking figures when they came among us, most of them +having been stripped of great part of their uniforms, their caps +particularly, and wearing mocassins, a sort of Indian sandals, instead +of shoes or boots, and being so sunburnt as to be scarcely recognisable. + +Major Mitchell told us that General Jackson had treated him exceeding +harshly, because he did not choose to give the General such information +respecting our numbers, &c. as he wished. He also said he met with great +insolence on his way up to Natchez, where the prisoners were kept, from +the different parties of Kentucky men, and others, whom he met on their +way down "to take a shoot," as they termed it, "at his countrymen." He +met many thousands in this manner, so that 10 or 12,000 is the very +lowest number that Jackson could have had for the defence of his lines. + +I do not remember that we ever had Divine service performed during the +period of this expedition except once or twice, and that about this +time. Indeed the activity required of the army at all times, during the +continuance of hostilities, almost necessarily precluded it. At this +time I remember perfectly the preacher's text was, "My son, give me thy +heart." Alas! how few of the hearts of his hearers were given at that +time to Him who only had a right to demand them! I confess with shame +and sorrow, that almost any trifle, however unworthy, possessed a +greater interest in my heart than He who had formed it, and who alone is +worthy of supreme regard.--The good Lord pardon this neglect, for +Christ's sake! + +The regiments now began to go on board the different ships, as fast as +arrangements could be made to receive them; and when on board, they +sailed at once without waiting for the others, there being now no danger +of falling in with an enemy. The weather now began to grow exceedingly +warm, which brought out alligators and snakes in abundance. The latter +were extremely annoying, for they sometimes got into our very tents, and +one on one occasion so frightened a captain of ours (who was not afraid +of man) as to make him sprawl up the tent-pole to get out of its reach, +roaring out at the same time most lustily for help. It was killed and +put into a bottle of spirits, and I believe he brought it home. It was +an exceeding small one, but with the most beautiful crimson, or rather +pink-coloured wavy streak running down its back imaginable. We were told +it was one of the most venomous of all the American reptiles, save +probably the rattlesnake. + +The thunder and lightning also became very frequent, and the former, I +think, the most awfully grand I ever heard. It appeared to roll along +just on the very tops of the pine-trees, many of which indeed were +scathed to the very roots by the latter. + +On the 31st March our turn came to go on board, and we were rejoiced to +find that the Dover, our old friend was to be our principal ship, the +remainder of the men beyond what she could hold being sent on board the +Norfolk transport. While we were preparing for sea, I took a boat and a +party with a siene, and went on shore on a sandy point of the island, +where I had not been before, and in a short time caught a fine load of +fish, mostly grey mullet, with which we returned on board, greatly to +the satisfaction of all those who shared in them. Every thing being now +ready, we weighed and bid adieu to America on the 4th April, shaping our +course for the Havannah, where our captain intended to call for various +purposes, but principally to replenish his stock, which had begun to get +exceedingly low. + +On our passage thither we encountered a heavy gale, which detained us +longer than we had calculated for our voyage. We did not reach that +place till the 19th. Here we found ourselves once more in Espana, every +thing here being exactly like what you meet with in the mother +country,--the same stink of oil, garlic, and dried fish. Speaking of the +latter, which is called by them Bacalao, an officer of ours who kept a +journal, when describing this place, says, "The natives catch a great +quantity of fish on the coast, called Bacalao." Unfortunately it is not +called Bacalao till after it is dried, but Piscado. This brought, as it +might be expected, lots of laughter upon his head. + +I need not describe the Havannah, because any one who has a Gazetteer, +may there read an account of it; and which, though perhaps not +altogether a correct one, will be sufficient to give him an idea of what +it is; suffice it to say, it is an exceeding strong place, and would +not, I apprehend, be so easily taken, if the inhabitants are true to +their country, as it was in the year 1762. The capture of it at the time +above stated, made the place extremely interesting to me, for one of my +earliest and best friends served as a lieutenant in the 56th grenadiers +at the taking of it; and often have I heard him expatiate, with great +delight and animation, on the scenes he witnessed, and the dangers he +encountered, in this most arduous undertaking. He is now, poor man, no +more, having died only very lately, and I sincerely trust and hope he is +in peace. The Moro and the Punta, and all the other immense +fortifications, attracted my particular regard, on this old gentleman's +account; but so extremely jealous were the Spaniards, that they would +not permit even us, their late faithful helpers and friends, to view the +works. We visited the theatre, which is a fine building, but heavy and +badly lighted, but apparently well supplied with performers. The piece +on this occasion was Anthony and Cleopatra. There were also some +equestrian performers here from the United States. They had built a fine +circus, at about half a mile's distance from the city, to which every +one of course repaired. All the world was there; even little Connolly, +whom I had known at Cadiz as a major in the Spanish service, was here in +the command of a regiment, and had attained the rank of full Colonel. He +did not seem over anxious to recognise any of his former acquaintances, +nor even to let it be known that he was so much of a Briton as to have +acquaintance with any people of that country; in short, he wished to be +considered a complete Spaniard. I doubt not he is now a rank +apostolical. We paid a visit also to old Woodville, the famous +cigar-maker. He was an expatriated Englishman, from Portsmouth I +believe, obliged to flee his country on account of some smuggling +transaction, and, in doing this, he had changed his name. We found the +old man ill in bed, but able to sit up and speak with us. He wore an +immense long white beard, reaching down nearly to the bed as he sat up. +Yet this old man had a young black wife, and a whole fry of young +mulattoes running about the house like as many little pigs. He was very +kind, but apparently not over well to do. We bought each a considerable +quantity of his famed cigars, for which we paid him, I think, four +dollars a thousand--more, I apprehend, than he usually gets from the +Spaniards for them. + +Having laid in such sea stock as we could conveniently procure, and +having stored ourselves well with the delicious preserves of this +country, and withal bought a fine turtle, weighing about two cwt., on +the 24th we set sail for old and happy England, glad once more to set +our faces homeward. + +We had a quickish run through the Gulf of Florida, or, as it is more +properly called, the Bahama Channel, and, keeping to the northward of +Bermuda, shaped our course so that we passed a little to the south of +the Great Newfoundland Bank. From hence the wind was roughish generally, +but quite fair, so that we frequently ran at the rate of 200 miles in +the twenty-four hours, the transport being an excellent sailer. + +Nothing particular occurred till we were within a few days' sail of +Ireland, when we fell in with an American who had just left England. +From him we learned the totally unlooked-for information, that Bonaparte +had made his escape from Elba, and had returned to France, and that the +whole continent was once more involved in war. Nothing could exceed the +change which this unexpected news produced among our people. Some who +were desponding at the gloomy prospect of half-pay, revived in a moment, +and again set honour, glory, and promotion, once more before the eyes of +their imagination. Indeed, I think no one seemed sorry at the change; +but some probably would have preferred a short repose, before they were +called upon again to leave that home which they had painted to +themselves so comfortable and happy. + +On the ---- we arrived at Plymouth, where the good folks received us with +great cordiality; but the news from Flanders now engrossed all +attention, and our unfortunate business seemed forgotten. It was as well +perhaps that it was so, for we had no victory to boast; and with the +world it is but too often the case, that a want of good fortune is +almost tantamount to a want of good conduct. We were ordered on to +Portsmouth, which we reached in two days; and from thence proceeded +still onwards to the Downs. Our arrival was telegraphed to London, +from whence, after some communication by post also with the +Commander-in-Chief, we were ordered to disembark, which we did on the 2d +June. The cause of this being ordered, and of our not proceeding direct +to Flanders, was, that we were extremely ill off for equipment, nearly +one-fourth of our men being without arms or appointments, all those who +had been prisoners, and many of those who had been severely wounded, +having been deprived of them. In some respects the order for our landing +was unfortunate, as far as regards the honours of that great and +crowning victory of Waterloo, in which we consequently had no share; +and, on the other hand, as far as regards my own public accounts, at +least it was fortunate for me, for I was thus enabled to have them +prepared, and forwarded to the War Office, and finally settled without +loss of time, which I could not have done had we left England again +immediately. + +We were ordered from Deal to Thorncliffe, our old quarters, where we +found three companies of my battalion, and five or six of the other two. +All our old friends were of course glad to see us; and, under such +circumstances, the meeting of those between whom friendship has long +subsisted, is in a great measure a compensation for the toil and +sufferings of a soldier's life. We continued at Thorncliffe for some +time, but busily preparing once more to take the field; and had +Bonaparte not been so precipitate in his movements, we might have shared +in the glory of his final overthrow. + +I was compelled to go to London while we remained here, for the purpose +of settling a variety of accounts, &c., and while there was persuaded to +appear before the Medical Board, for the purpose of obtaining a +certificate as to the nature of my wound, on which to found a claim for +a year's pay, the amount at this time given to all whom that Board +recommended as fit subjects for this bounty. I had omitted doing so when +in London before, because I thought no one had any claim for it, except +such as had suffered most materially in health in consequence of their +wounds. However, at the suggestion of my friends I did appear before the +Board, who considered my wound of such severity as to entitle me to that +bounty; and I accordingly soon after received the sum of L.118, 12s. +6d., the amount of one year's pay. I have reason to be thankful both to +the government and to my friends for this unlooked-for augmentation of +my funds, and trust I did not make an ill use of it. + +But at length the news of the memorable battle of Waterloo arrived, and +we had no share in it. I know not whether I shall be believed, but I +think there were few of my companions in the late expedition but felt +somewhat disappointed, and rather vexed, that this decisive action +should have taken place so early, and almost wished that the government +had despatched us even as we were on our first arrival in England; for +really, as it turned out, it was most unfortunate to those of my +friends, who had been undergoing probably as severe and hazardous a +service as any our army had lately been engaged in, and that all that +should be looked upon as almost worse than nothing, while some young +fellows, who had never before seen an enemy, should be covered with the +honours and distinctions which were so amply lavished on them, merely +because they had the good fortune to share in that brilliant and +decisive victory. But regret is vain and unprofitable, and a soldier +must make up his mind to meet with bad as well as good fortune, or he +will only render his life the more miserable. + +On the 10th of July we embarked at Dover, and on the 13th landed at +Ostend; but we were entering only on a barren service, the honours +having been all acquired previous to our arrival. We moved forward by +the way of Bruges, Ghent, Oudenarde, and Mons, and then through Bavay +and Chatelet to Peronne; from Peronne through Roye, Pont Lant, Maxence, +and Louvre, to Paris. Here we were posted to the brigade in which our +other two companies were stationed, and occupied the Champs Elysees as +our camp. Certainly the sights we witnessed in this far-famed capital +amply repaid us for our trip to France, however devoid of military glory +that might be. + +It will not be expected that I should enter into a detail of all the +lions which this splendid city contains, and which have attracted the +curiosity of nearly half the gentry of this country. Suffice it to say, +we saw the palaces of the Tuilleries, St Cloud, Luxemburg, and +Versailles, with all the splendour they contain--the churches of Notre +Dame and the Pantheon--the Hospital of Invalids--the Garden of +Plants--the Hotel de Ville--the Palais Royal, and the far-famed Louvre. +In this latter, a person might at that time spend a twelvemonth, without +exhausting the curiosities and beauties it contained; but, during our +stay here, we witnessed its divestment of nearly all its most valued +specimens of art, to the great regret, grief, and annoyance of those who +had ransacked almost all nations to decorate this splendid gallery. This +was undertaken and executed by our illustrious Chief, in the name and on +the behalf of this our generous nation. He dealt out with a just and +impartial hand, to all who had claims upon this magnificent collection, +the specimens of art which had formerly adorned their national churches +and palaces, without one painting or one statue of the meanest +description being reserved for himself, who had been mainly +instrumental in this restoration, or for the nation which he +represented. + +We saw also the triumphal arch of Bonaparte, in the Place de Carousel, +stripped of its four matchless Venetian horses. The stately pillar in +the Place Vendome was also deprived of the effigy of him who erected it. +In short, every thing was done by the Bourbons at this period, +sanctioned by the Allies, to obliterate even the very remembrance of +such a character as Bonaparte. We visited also the splendid manufactory +of china at Sevres--the National Museum of Antiquities--the Royal +Library, and the Theatre Francais, to witness Talma's performance of +Hamlet, with various other places of curiosity, too tedious to notice +here; and, finally, the catacombs, the repository of millions of human +bones. + +Here it is where man is taught to remember what he is--a worm--a shadow +that departeth--even a vapour, which appeareth for a moment, and then +passeth away for ever. Oh, how does all human greatness dwindle into +nothing, while you stand viewing these silent memorials of our frailty! +The myriads of generations that have passed away, multitudes of whose +bones are collected in this vast, dark cavern! Now how noiseless those +who perhaps once shook the world with alarms! I love to meditate on this +sad scene, which, if duly considered, teaches the soundest wisdom. How +apt are we to be allured by the gay fantastic follies of an hour, to +forget that we must soon, so very soon, take up our abode in the dark +and silent tomb! Oh! to be ready, when called upon, to descend into the +house appointed for all living! But though these meditations may be +pleasing to myself, they may not be so to my reader. I will therefore +leave this dark, deep, and capacious charnel-house, and once more ascend +with him to the light of the sun. + +We had not remained long in Paris, till there was a grand review of the +Emperor of Russia's Guards, and which took place in the Place of Louis +XV., immediately in front of the Tuilleries. Nothing could exceed the +uniformity and the steadiness of these Northern warriors. There were +troops of all armies amongst them; the Cossacks, the hussars, the +artillery, the grenadiers, and the regular infantry, all vied with each +other in their endeavours to please their beloved Czar. Here were all +the great ones of the earth assembled to witness this imposing +spectacle; exhibited, no doubt, as much as any thing, for the purpose of +showing the French the power of those who now held them in subjection. +But that arbitrary power which is so intolerable to the ideas of an +Englishman, was here exhibited in all its native deformity. A Colonel of +one of the regiments, whose movements did not please the Emperor, was, +without the least ceremony, taken from the head of his regiment, and +rammed into a common guard-house, where an English officer was on duty. +He hesitated to receive him, until assured that such was the custom in +the Russian service, and that it was the Emperor's orders. + +My battalion was soon after removed from the brigade it was originally +posted to, and joined another, stationed on Montmartre. Here the +adjutant and myself were quartered on a proprietor of the pits out of +which the famous plaster of Paris is dug. These pits are situated on the +side of this hill, facing the city. From hence I often took a fishing, +or a shooting, or a coursing excursion. The first was generally confined +to the Canal del Ourq, in which I found pike, perch, and tench. I never +was very successful, however, both from the vast numbers of fishermen +which frequented this water, and from the scarcity of fish. Partridges +and hares were abundant in the neighbourhood of Paris, but we had not a +good dog among us. We obtained leave from the Duke of Orleans to shoot +in one of the royal preserves, the Forest of Bondy. In our coursing +expeditions we were more successful, sometimes bringing in to the amount +of seven hares in a day. This would be looked upon almost as poaching in +England, but in France it was otherwise; they know nothing of coursing +there; and nothing could exceed the beautiful country round Paris for +that sport; it was a dead level generally, without a hedge, sometimes +for miles together, and a rich corn country, so that hares abounded. +Towards autumn, we had two or three reviews of the British troops; these +were splendid exhibitions of the tactics of our great General. But +though the army had the appearance of a fighting army, I do not think it +equalled the Russians in point of regularity and uniformity; with them +the whole army is nearly dressed alike, especially the infantry; while +the variety of our facings, and other distinctions of regiments, +detracts greatly from the appearance of the army as a whole. Here also +the crowned heads of Europe assembled in this city, paid us the +compliment of their presence, the Emperor Alexander inspecting most +minutely every regiment and division as it passed him. The Austrians and +the Prussians also occasionally showed themselves in bodies, but I do +not remember to have seen a general review of either of these armies; +indeed neither of them had a large force in or near Paris, they being +mostly at some distance from the capital, I believe. But we were often +delighted with the Austrian Emperor's band, in which there were no less, +I believe, than seventy performers, and all these the very first-rate +musicians. We also had horse-races occasionally, that is, among the +English officers; at one of which I witnessed poor old Blucher receive a +hurt, from which he never recovered. Near the winning-post, the course +was roped in, which the brave old fellow, as he came galloping down, all +life, from the city, did not perceive, and coming up against them with +great force, he was thrown from his horse, and unfortunately broke his +arm. He lingered some time afterwards, but never got well of it, till +death released him. We had two English boxers over there also, to amuse +the people; they only sparred of course, with gloves on; and I rather +think they realized a good deal of money by these exhibitions. Balloons +also were set up from the gardens of Tivoli, with various other sources +of amusement, so that to recount them all would only tire out my reader; +suffice it to say, that in Paris, with plenty of money, and with an +inclination to enter into all the gaieties of the place, no city on +earth, I believe, is so fruitful of the means of pleasure and +dissipation; but they leave a sting behind, which far outweighs these +momentary gratifications; and if I was asked which I considered the most +sinful city in the world, I would without hesitation say Paris. + +Towards December arrangements were made for the army leaving Paris, and +going into cantonments on the north-eastern frontier; but the remainder +of the troops above the number required for the army of occupation were +ordered home to England. My battalion was among the latter number; and, +accordingly, we left the French capital on the 3d December, and marched +out to St Denis, that famous burying-place of French royalty. From +thence we passed near Beaumont, through Noailles to Beauvais, thence +through some small villages, where we halted for the night, and on the +11th reached Abbeville. + +On the 14th we quartered in Montreuil-sur-Mer, and on the 20th reached +Calais, where we embarked for Dover. We landed at the latter place on +the 22d, and the next morning proceeded to our old quarter Thorncliffe. + +All warlike proceedings having now terminated, I made application for, +and obtained, leave of absence to revisit my wife and my family, whom I +had not seen for four years. I need not describe my feelings on once +more beholding those I loved, and the reader will best appreciate them +by placing himself in my situation. But I had not long enjoyed this +pleasure till I heard that my battalion had been ordered to Ireland. I +confess I did not much relish the information. When my leave expired I +started for that country, and endeavoured to procure a passage across to +Dublin; first from Maryport, in Cumberland, but without success. I then +tried Workington, next Whitehaven, but was equally unable to get off +from either of these. I then moved on to Liverpool, and took my place in +one of the packets; but, after waiting several days, I was obliged to +start for Holyhead, the only place from whence I was able to proceed to +Ireland. All this disappointment and fatigue, together with some sad +punches which a large woman in the coach had given my wife with her +masculine elbows, so preyed upon her health and spirits, that three days +after our arrival in Dublin she breathed her last. She had been in +delicate health for a number of years, of an affection in the chest, but +she complained mostly of this woman's elbows, which she said had injured +her much. It will easily be conceived how afflictive such a dispensation +must have been to him who had to bear it. But God does all things well; +and even in the midst of our severest chastisements, we should view Him +as a kind and tender parent, who only chastens us for our good, and who +does not willingly afflict the children of men. A part of the battalion +had arrived in Dublin when the melancholy event took place, almost all +the officers of which favoured me by their presence at the funeral. I +had her buried in St Mary's churchyard, Mary being her own name. + +We remained in Dublin for twenty-seven months--a longer period than any +other regiment I believe; and here I think I may truly say I acquired +the first knowledge of the only way of salvation; for although born and +reared a Christian, and having, as the reader may recollect, been +brought sensibly to the knowledge of myself as a condemned sinner, I had +as yet no distinct knowledge or apprehension of the nature of the +Christian faith; and I think I may, under the blessing of God, attribute +my earnest search after a sure foundation of hope to the reading of +Doddridge's "Rise and Progress of Religion in the Soul," and to the +truly evangelical sermons I heard from the many eminent preachers which +fill the pulpits of this capital, but more particularly to the Rev. Mr +Matthias, chaplain to the Bethesda Institution. My narrative will +contain nothing interesting from this period to the general reader. I +will, therefore, generalize as much as possible. From Dublin we marched +to Birr, in the King's County; and while here, it was determined upon by +government to reduce the battalion to which I belonged, which was +carried into effect in January 1819; but as I was then the senior +quartermaster of the regiment, I was ordered to join the 1st battalion +of the corps at Gosport, which I did in February. Here we remained till +September, when the Radical war called us to the north. + +We embarked on board the Liffy frigate and ---- corvette, in about three +or four hours' notice, on the 18th of that month, and landed at Leith on +the 28th, whence we marched to Glasgow, the seat of this unhappy +disturbance. I need not describe the Radical war, it being well known. +Here my health began to be much impaired. The affection of my chest, +occasioned by the rupturing of the bloodvessel at Cadiz, produced most +distressing effects upon my general health. I consequently obtained +leave, and returned home for a few months. + +During my stay at home my dear father departed this life; and I had thus +the melancholy satisfaction of witnessing the last sad scene, and of +paying the last duties of a child to a beloved parent. He was not, as I +mentioned at the beginning of my narrative, a religious man when I left +home; but towards the close of his life I have every reason to believe +he was a sincere penitent, and a believer in Him through whom alone our +sins can be forgiven; and I have a well-grounded hope that he is now +enjoying eternal felicity in heaven, whither I hope myself to come +through Him that loved me, and washed me from my sins in his own blood, +and to whom be praise and glory for ever. Amen. + +I joined again in the spring, and remained there all that summer, during +which I had many pleasant fishing excursions into the country. I visited +the falls of the Clyde, and proceeded to some a considerable distance +higher up, where another officer and myself caught abundance of trout. I +also took a trip into the Highlands of Argyleshire, where I had +excellent sport. But at the approach of winter I was again obliged to +leave Glasgow, the damp atmosphere of which, together with the smoke of +the numerous steam-engines employed in its manufactories, fairly drove +me out. I again went home for the winter; but during this period this +battalion also got an order to embark for Ireland, and I joined them in +Belfast in January 1821. From hence we marched in the spring to Armagh, +where I had the high privilege of becoming acquainted with a sincere and +pious clergyman, one of the reading vicars of the cathedral; and I +trust I benefited by this favourable opportunity. From Armagh we marched +to Naas, the country to the south having become much disturbed by the +Whiteboys, as they termed themselves. We did not remain long at Naas, +but were pushed on to Kilkenny, where I first became acquainted with +that truly Christian minister, the Rev. Peter Roe, a gentleman well +known in the religious world. I am proud and happy that I ever had the +privilege of knowing him. May God prosper his pious and unceasing +endeavours to benefit the souls of his fellow-creatures! + +We did not remain long, however, at Kilkenny, but moved on to Fermoy, +and thence to Newcastle, in the county of Limerick, the cradle of the +Whiteboy insurrection. Here we were for a time actually shut up as in a +besieged town; and no individual belonging to the army durst attempt to +move out without a sufficient number being together, to deter the +misguided peasantry from attacking us. Innumerable were the murders that +were committed about this neighbourhood at this time; and one's blood +runs chill to think that these miscreants, when taken and brought to the +gallows to atone for their crime, protested their innocence with their +last breath, although hundreds around them could attest their guilt. +This Rockite war gave us considerable trouble, and it was not for a long +time after that it was finally put down. + +We remained in Newcastle till September, when we marched to Rathkeale, +in the same county. Here we continued stationary till October 1823, when +we marched again for Dublin. I had thus an opportunity of again hearing +my favourite preacher; but the place was always so crowded that it was +seldom practicable for strangers to obtain seats. + +From Dublin we marched to Belfast, in September 1824, where we +continued till July 1825, when my battalion was ordered for service in +Nova Scotia. The orders of the army being now for only six companies out +of the ten to go abroad, the other four remained at home, to form what +is termed the depot. Application was made for me to remain and act as +paymaster to this body; but it having been decided that quartermasters +could not act as paymasters, according to the new regulations, this boon +was refused me, although I had acted four times before. This is to be +attributed to the ill conduct of many of my brother quartermasters who +had obtained paymasterships during the war, but who generally did not +conduct themselves as men of honour and integrity ought to do, and many +were consequently dismissed from the service. It was perfectly correct +for those in authority to consult the good of the public in all +appointments of this nature, but it was hard on those who were thus made +to suffer for the sins of others,--nay, this ineligibility of +quartermasters extended farther than to the appointment of acting +paymaster. They have since 1817 been precluded from holding the +situation of full paymaster, however well recommended they might be. I +was a second time recommended, in 1820, by Lieutenant-General the Hon. +Sir William Stewart for the paymastership of his own battalion, that is, +the one in which I was serving, but received the same answer from the +Secretary-at-War, that quartermasters were ineligible to the situation. +I cannot but feel keenly the degradation to which the ill conduct of +certain individuals has reduced that situation, which formerly was only +like a step towards the more lucrative and more respectable one of +paymaster; but, as I said before, we must not murmur at the +dispensations of Providence, however severely they affect our worldly +prospects; and no doubt all this was done by the direction of Him who +cannot err. However, I have great reason also to be thankful to Lord +Palmerston, notwithstanding my disappointments as above stated; for +he--taking into consideration the injury that the present quartermasters +had sustained, in consequence of the ill conduct of the individuals +before noticed, and their consequent deprivation of all prospects of +farther promotion, however eligible in other respects they might be, and +however exemplary their conduct--brought in a bill in the session of +1826, to allow these officers to retire on _full_ pay after twenty +years' service in the army, provided their health was such as to render +them incapable of farther service. This could not formerly take place +till after thirty years' service. I have, therefore, abundant cause of +gratitude to that Right Honourable Lord, for his kind remembrance of us +on this occasion, as well as for his kindness in permitting me to avail +myself of the benefit of this act; and I have on this, as on all other +occasions, abundant cause of thankfulness to the Great Disposer of all +events, not only for what He has permitted me to enjoy, but for what He +has withheld from me; for He only knows what is really good for me, and +I doubt not will give me always that. I may with great truth declare, +that goodness and mercy have followed me all my days, notwithstanding my +seeming disappointments, and which I believe were inflicted on me solely +for my everlasting good. To Him, therefore, be praise and glory for +ever. + +But to return. Having been disappointed of obtaining the acting +paymaster's place, I remained with the depot in my capacity as +quartermaster till the spring of 1826, when I received an order to be +ready for embarkation to join the battalion in Nova Scotia. Accordingly +I embarked, with four other officers, at Liverpool, on the 14th of June, +on board the Robert Burns merchant brig, and reached Halifax after a +rather tedious passage, in which we encountered some roughish weather on +the 22d July. + +I scarcely need say any thing of Halifax, which, being one of our oldest +colonies, must be well known to almost all my readers. Neither was I +there a sufficient time to enable me to enter into a minute description +of the town or country: suffice it to say, it appears to be a town built +mostly of wood along the face of a hill, on the left-hand side of the +harbour, reaching close down to the latter, which is so deep, capacious, +and sheltered, that I question whether there is a better in the world: a +seventy-four can lie close alongside the wharfs. The town contains, I +understand, about 13,000 inhabitants, composed of settlers from +different countries, but chiefly English, Irish, Scotch, and Dutch. +There are a few negroes, a part of the slaves taken from the Americans +during the late war having been located here. + +The colony is not so flourishing as it was during war, as it was then +greatly supported by the immense number of ships and troops which always +were stationed here. The country round Halifax is barren in the extreme, +except a very small portion, where hay is generally grown. It seems +incapable of cultivation, being little else than rock, with forests of +stunted pines, &c. growing upon it. In some parts of Nova Scotia, +however, there is excellent land, which yields a great return for +cultivation; and were it not for the severity of the winter, which in +this country is both long and severely trying to weak constitutions, it +would, I doubt not, be an excellent country to which to emigrate. The +waters in every direction afford abundance of fish, but not of the best +quality. There are portions of two tribes of Indians occasionally in the +neighbourhood of Halifax. I forget their names; but the men of one tribe +are exceedingly tall, being seldom below five feet ten inches, and many +reaching to six feet three inches. The men of the other are in general +short. Both tribes are fast diminishing in point of numbers. They are +greatly addicted to the fatal vice of drunkenness, whenever they can +command the means of becoming so; and in Halifax it is no difficult +matter, for the abominable rum which is sold here may be had almost as +cheap as ale in England. + +These unfortunate wanderers have hitherto resisted all efforts to induce +them to settle and cultivate the land, although many of them are _good +Christians_, their progenitors having been converted by the Roman +Catholic priests while the French held the country. + +The woods, &c. in the neighbourhood of Halifax contain little game of +any kind. There are a few what they call partridges, which, I believe, +roost on trees; but they have more the appearance of grouse than the +partridge of England. There are some woodcocks also in the season, but +they are rather scarce. Snipes also, and several species of plover, may +be met with occasionally; but you will seldom be able to fill your +game-bag with any thing. There are some hares of a very small +description, little larger than our rabbits; but these are rare. Bears +also, with a few other wild animals, occasionally show themselves; but +in winter, I am told, a deathlike silence pervades the whole face of the +country, as if every living animal had totally deserted it, and I +believe with all the winged tribes this is actually the case. + +The women here are remarkably fair and beautiful, and, generally +speaking, are, I believe, as virtuous as at home; but among the lower +orders, whose virtue is so frequently assailed by the temptations which +a large naval and military force always brings with it, like our +Portsmouth, and other places of a similar description, the scenes of +vice and abomination are extremely disgusting. A great many of the +unfortunate blacks before mentioned are included in the number of these +unhappy prostitutes. + +The places of worship in Halifax are both good and pretty numerous. +There are two churches, two or three Presbyterian or Scotch churches, +two Baptist, two or three Methodist, and one or two Roman Catholic +places of worship. + +I did not remain here long; for, finding that my broken and debilitated +constitution could not possibly withstand the severity of a winter in +this climate, I was ordered to be examined by a board of medical +officers, who recommended my return to England without delay. +Accordingly, on the 20th of September, I embarked on board the Borodino +transport. We sailed on the 22d, and on the 25th encountered one of the +severest gales I almost ever witnessed. It carried away every sail we +had set, and swept away our jolly-boat from the quarter. I often wished +I was once more snug in England, and my hope was, I should then tempt +the sea no more. That same all-gracious Being who had so long watched +over me, and had brought me in safety that far on my journey, He also +brought me to my native land once more in peace; for on the 13th of +October I landed at Portsmouth, having been only three weeks in +returning from, while we had been nearly six in going to, Halifax. + +I immediately set off for London, where, having reported myself to the +Secretary at War, I was ordered to be examined by the Director-General +of Hospitals as to the state of my health, and with a view to avail +myself of the benefits of the act of Parliament before mentioned, and +being prospered by Him who has always been better unto me than I could +possibly deserve, I have been permitted to set myself down in peace in +this my own native village for the remainder of my life, having the +unspeakable privilege of being surrounded by many kind and dear +relations, who vie with each other in their endeavours to render me +comfortable and happy, and where I can in serenity watch the gradual +approach of that enemy which my Saviour has overcome for me, and which, +my hope is, He will deprive of all his terrors, as I trust he has done +of his sting, and that, when I shall have continued my appointed time in +this vale of tears, I, as well as the reader of this narrative, shall be +taken to Himself, to dwell with Him for ever. + + + + +APPENDIX. + + +The following are copies of fifteen testimonials addressed to the late +Quartermaster Surtees. + + + No. 1.--FROM LIEUT.-COL. DUFFY. + + _Birr, 24th January, 1819._ + +DEAR SIR, + +As you are on the point of removing to the 1st battalion, I take this +opportunity of expressing my entire satisfaction at the very regular and +orderly manner in which your department has been conducted during the +time you have been placed under my command; and it will give me great +pleasure should an occasion occur where my testimony to your +gentlemanlike conduct can be of service to you. + + I remain, Dear Sir, + Very faithfully yours, + J. DUFFY, + Lt.-Col. Rifle Brigade. + + Quartermaster Surtees, + 1st Bat. Rifle Brigade. + + + No. 2.--FROM MAJOR TRAVERS. + + _Tuam County, Galway, 19th April 1820._ + +DEAR SURTEES, + +With feelings of most sincere regret I read your letter to me, which I +received yesterday, and lose not a moment in complying with your +request, which, should it prove to be of any use to you, I am sure will +be productive of the most heartfelt gratification to every one of those +concerned, whose opinions of you are, as they always have been, of the +highest description. Your conduct, both as a gentleman and soldier, has +ever been such as to excite in the breast of your brother officers +sentiments peculiarly favourable; and for myself, I have only to say, +that few of my old acquaintances in the corps have had my esteem in a +higher degree. I send you the sentiments of such of your old brother +officers, in the shape of a certificate, as I could obtain, whose +standing may have some influence in the procuring the accomplishment of +your wishes, and regret that the dispersed state of the regiment +prevents its being more general. + + Dear Surtees, + Yours faithfully, + JAS. TRAVERS. + + Wm. Surtees, Esq. + Quartermaster, Rifle Brigade. + + + No. 3.--FROM OFFICERS OF THE 2D BATTALION RIFLE BRIGADE. + +The following testimonial is subscribed by us, in hopes it may prove +beneficial to an officer who has so long supported the character which +we are desirous to portray in the terms it deserves. + +We certify, that Mr William Surtees, late Quartermaster in the Rifle +Brigade, has been for a considerable number of years known to us in the +regiment, and that for soldierlike and gentlemanly conduct, no person +bore a higher character. He served in the situation he filled in the +corps, particularly that of Acting Paymaster, for two considerable +periods in the Peninsula, and with the expedition to New Orleans, with +credit to himself, and satisfaction to his superiors, and, to our +knowledge, obtained the general esteem and approbation of all his +brother officers of the regiment who knew him. + + S. MITCHELL, Brevet Lieut.-Col. and Major, 2d Bat. Rifle Brigade. + JAS. TRAVERS, Brevet-Major, Rifle Brigade. + WM. COX, Capt. Rifle Brigade. + BOYLE TRAVERS, Capt. Rifle Brigade. + CHAS. GEO. GRAY, Brevet-Major, Rifle Brigade. + WM. HALLEN, Capt. Rifle Brigade. + T. H. RIDGWAY, M.D., Surgeon, Rifle Brigade. + + _Tuam, 19th April 1820._ + + + No. 4.--FROM LIEUT.-COL. ROSS, C.B. + + _Paisley, 15th July 1820._ + +DEAR SIR, + +I learn with extreme regret that you consider it to be expedient to make +application to be removed as Quartermaster to a veteran battalion. I +have stronger reason to feel this regret than I believe any other of +your brother officers, as I have known you longer, it being now about +twenty years since we met at the formation of the Rifle Corps; during +the greater part of this time you served, I may say, under my immediate +command; and I can bear the most ample and unqualified testimony to the +zeal, intelligence, and gallantry with which you discharged the duties +of the different situations you have filled in the corps. + +I shall have great pleasure in hearing of your future welfare; and +should it ever happen to be in my power to promote your views in any +way, I hope you will consider that you will only have to make them +known. + + Believe me, my Dear Sir, + Ever yours most sincerely, + JOHN ROSS, Lt.-Col. + Major, Rifle Brigade. + + Quartermaster Wm. Surtees, + Rifle Brigade. + + + No. 5.--FROM LIEUT.-COLONEL SMITH, C.B. + + _Halifax, Nova Scotia, 25th August 1826._ + +MY DEAR SIR, + +Were it permitted a soldier to regret the loss of his comrades, then +truly should I deplore yours; I have only just learned that you are +about to avail yourself of Lord Palmerston's permission to retire from +the service on account of ill health, after having in your present +situation completed your period of twenty years. You have struggled +against indisposition with manly fortitude in various climes, and have +ever performed your duty zealously and conscientiously. + +I, as well as the other officers of the corps, have ever lamented that +your natural zeal and talent as a soldier, should not have been called +forth in a more conspicuous situation; and there is not an old officer +in the regiment who has not witnessed your intrepid bravery in the +field. + +I must again assure you, that you leave us with the most heartfelt good +wishes for your welfare, and the universal regret of the corps, in which +you have served so many years with the most rigid integrity and zeal; +and should I have it in my power upon any future occasion to render you +any service whatever, it will afford me as much satisfaction as I now +feel distress, in losing one of my old companions in arms, with whom I +have been so many years happily associated. + + And ever believe me, + Your very sincere friend, + H. G. SMITH, + Brevet Lieut.-Col. Rifle Brigade. + + Quartermaster Surtees, + Rifle Brigade. + + + No. 6.--FROM OFFICERS OF THE 1ST BATT. RIFLE BRIGADE. + + _Halifax, Nova Scotia, 30th August 1826._ + +We the undersigned officers present with the 1st Battalion Rifle +Brigade, who have had the satisfaction of an intimate acquaintance with +Mr Surtees for a series of years at home and abroad, beg leave to add +our testimony as to the valour, integrity, zeal, and gentlemanlike +conduct which we have ever witnessed in him; and beg to express our +sincere regret at the prospect of losing his society and services. + + J. LOGAN, Major. + W. JOHNSTONE, Captain. + A. WADE PEMBERTON, Captain. + G. HOPE, Captain. + JOHN COX, Captain. + J. KINCAID, Lieutenant. + JOSEPH BURKE, M.D. Surgeon. + GEORGE SIMMONS, Lieutenant. + + + No. 7.--FROM COLONEL NORCOTT, C.B. + + _Halifax, Nova Scotia, 30th August 1826._ + +MY DEAR SIR, + +I most truly and sincerely regret that your long, zealous, and +indefatigable duties have so seriously undermined your constitution, as +to oblige you to retire from the service. + +Although I feel a very lively gratification in bearing testimony to your +merit and gallantry in the field, as well as to your public and private +character as an officer and a gentleman, in the most unqualified sense, +during a period of twenty-four years which I have known you, I cannot, +at the same time, but lament the circumstances which bind me, in justice +to your meritorious services, to tender you this my humble tribute of +regard and esteem for all you have done for the service and the corps, +and for such unremitted integrity and worth. You have my ardent wishes +for your health and happiness wherever you go. + + Believe me to be, + My Dear Sir, + Always sincerely yours, + A. NORCOTT, Colonel. + + + No. 8.--FROM LIEUT.-COLONEL FULLARTON, C.B. + + _Halifax, Nova Scotia, 25th August 1826._ + +DEAR SIR, + +Having served in the same battalion with you for eighteen years, during +which time I had every opportunity, both public and private, in various +situations of home and on foreign service, of witnessing your very +exemplary conduct, both as an officer and a gentleman, I, with my +brother officers, have to regret that your ill health has deprived the +regiment of a valuable officer, and your companions of a friend, whose +amiable and excellent qualities will ever be revered by them. + +With regard to myself, it will afford me the greatest pleasure if at any +future period I can in any way be of service to you. + + Believe me, my dear Sir, + Yours most truly, + JAS. FULLARTON, Lt.-Col. + Major, Rifle Brigade. + + Quartermaster Surtees, + Rifle Brigade. + + + No. 9.--FROM LIEUT.-COLONEL BALVAIRD. + + _Naas, 2d June 1826._ + +MY DEAR SIR, + +It affords me much pleasure to assure you, that during the time I was in +the Rifle Brigade (13 years), and more particularly when you served +under my immediate command, I can bear the most ample and unqualified +testimony to the zeal, intelligence, and gallantry with which you +discharged your duty--and wherever you may go, you carry with you the +good wishes of, + + Yours most sincerely, + W. BALVAIRD, Lt.-Col. + late Major, Rifle Brigade. + + Quartermaster Surtees, + Rifle Brigade. + + + No. 10.--FROM MAJOR-GENERAL SIR A. F. BARNARD, K.C.B. + + _Albany, 18th October 1826._ + +DEAR SIR, + +I have heard with great regret that your state of health has obliged you +to avail yourself of the regulation which enables you to retire from the +Rifle Brigade, in which corps I had such frequent cause to praise the +gallantry and assiduity which you showed in the discharge of your duties +in the field, and your regularity and assiduity in quarters. + +The officers of the corps, I am confident, will all regret the loss of a +person whose mild and gentlemanlike manners and disposition had so much +endeared him to them. + +With every wish for your future welfare, + + I remain, dear Sir, + Very sincerely yours, + A. F. BARNARD. + + Quartermaster Surtees, + Rifle-Brigade. + + + No. 11.--FROM MAJOR LOGAN. + + _London, 18th October, 1826._ + +MY DEAR SURTEES, + +I have just learnt with much regret that you are about to retire from +the Rifle Brigade, from an impaired constitution, owing to your +unwearied and zealous exertions in the service. + +From the period of my entering the Corps, _twenty-two years_ ago, I have +had the pleasure of being intimately acquainted with you, and I must do +you the justice to state, that a more gallant, zealous, and +indefatigable officer, I have seldom fallen in with. As a gentleman, +your conduct always won and gained the esteem of your brother officers. + +Believe me I shall ever feel warmly interested in your welfare. + + Yours, my dear Surtees, + Most faithfully, + J. LOGAN, + Major 1st Bat. Rifle Brigade. + + To Quartermaster Surtees, + 1st Bat. Rifle Brigade. + + + No. 12.--FROM LIEUT.-COLONEL BECKWITH, C.B. + + _London, 20th October, 1826._ + +MY DEAR SURTEES, + +I cannot suffer you to return to your home, without adding my mite of +applause to that of our brother officers, who have, together with +myself, known you so well and so long. + +From the day that we were employed together at Ipswich, in obtaining +volunteers from the Militia, when you were so instrumental in obtaining +so large a number of men for the service, and during the whole of our +services in the Peninsula, and elsewhere, when my situation as Assistant +Quartermaster-General of the Light Division threw us so constantly +together, until the last period of our regimental service, I have always +known and respected your courage, your active discharge of your duties +in times of difficulty and hardship, and your zeal and affection for the +Rifle Brigade. + +Your present poverty is the surest testimony of your integrity, which +you have always kept in times of strong temptation, when very many +others similarly placed have not resisted so well. + +All my feeble services are constantly at your disposal, and wishing you +content, and as much happiness as we can reasonably expect here, + + I remain, my dear Surtees, + Yours, most sincerely, + CHARLES BECKWITH, + Lieut.-Colonel. + + Quartermaster Surtees, + Rifle Brigade. + + + No. 13.--FROM LIEUT.-GENERAL THE HONOURABLE SIR WM. STEWART, G.C.B. + + _Cumloden, Newtonstewart, Nov. 19, 1826._ + +If the three or four-and-twenty years, my dear sir, that I have had the +satisfaction of having had you under my command in the Rifle Regiment or +Brigade, suffice not to authorize my full approval of your conduct, both +towards that corps and towards the public service, I know not what +experience would do so. To this extent and to still farther extent, if +it be required in detail, I am gratified by your having given me this +opportunity of certifying the above. The loss that my battalion will +sustain by the deprivation of your services will be great, and the only +consolation that I shall have will be in learning that your present +object of retiring on full pay be obtained, and that your health, +injured, as my own has been, by perhaps too great a zeal in the +fulfilment of our respective duties, may be somewhat amended by your +retirement in private life. I have much to thank you for the most justly +merited encomiums from your several commanders and from your elder +brother officers, enclosed in your letter of the 13th instant, and to +these honourable documents favour me by adding this one. I wish it was +in my power to be of any service to your views towards a civil +appointment under government, but as your age much exceeds that to which +all official nominations are now limited, application for such will be +fruitless. + +I have the honour to be, my dear Sir, + + With repeated assurance of regard, + Your faithful friend and obedient servant, + WM. STEWART, + Lieutenant-General. + + Quartermaster Surtees, + 1st Bat. Rifle Brigade. + + + No. 14.--FROM MAJOR EELES. + + _Dublin, Nov. 28, 1826._ + +MY DEAR SURTEES, + +I enclose herewith copies of two letters which I have received from the +office of his Royal Highness the Commander-in-Chief. + +In congratulating you on their contents, I cannot refrain from +expressing, strange as it may seem, not only my gratification but also +my regret; gratification that you have succeeded in obtaining the object +of your wishes, and regret the most lively, that your state of health +should have obliged you to quit the corps; the more particularly, as the +regiment will not only by your retirement be deprived of the benefit of +your zealous and meritorious services, but I shall lose the society of +one of my oldest and most valued friends. + +The senior part of the regiment will ever remember with pride the +glorious occasions in which you so often signalized yourself in the +field, while the younger members of the corps will not fail, equally +with the former, to admire the gentlemanlike conduct and urbanity of +manners which have secured to you the friendship and good wishes of us +all. + + Believe me, my Dear Surtees, + Very sincerely yours, + WILLIAM EELES, + Major, Rifle Brigade. + + To Quartermaster Surtees, + Rifle Brigade. + + + No. 15.--FROM MAJOR-GENERAL SIR T. S. BECKWITH, K.C.B. + + _Gilsland, June 26, 1827._ + +MY DEAR SIR, + +In returning to you the packet you have favoured me with the perusal of, +I cannot refrain from expressing, in common with all your old friends +and brother officers of the Rifle Brigade, my regret that your health +made it necessary for you to retire from a corps, where your faithful +and unremitting services for nearly thirty years had been so eminently +useful, and where you possessed the friendship and confidence of every +individual of any standing in it. + +That your concern is as sincere as theirs in parting with them, I am +perfectly convinced; yet it will be matter of real consolation to you to +be able to reflect that you never gave just cause of offence to any +member of the corps, and never neglected an opportunity of rendering +them a service when in your power. + +That you have not retired a richer man, is a subject of regret to us +all; and we shall learn with great satisfaction of any event, that may +tend to increase your means of doing good to those who look to you for +protection. + +Should any such opening present itself, I do not hesitate to express my +conviction, that whoever may employ you, will never have reason to +repent doing so; as I am well assured you will undertake no situation, +without due reflection, and the nature of which you do not understand; +and that, once taken in hand, you will discharge the duties of it with +the same diligence and fidelity that you have performed those of your +public life for so many years past. + +Earnestly wishing that a little repose after such a lengthened series of +toils and dangers, may restore you to health and strength, + + I remain, + My Dear Surtees, + Your sincere and faithful friend, + THOS. SIDNEY BECKWITH, + Col. 2d Bat. Rifle Brigade. + + To William Surtees, Esq. + Late Rifle Brigade. + + + FINIS. + + + EDINBURGH: PRINTED BY BALLANTYNE AND COMPANY, + PAUL'S WORK, CANONGATE. + + + * * * * * + + + Transcriber's Notes + +Obvious punctuation errors repaired. + +Presumed archaic spellings have not been changed: apprize, assertor, +fusileers, grashoppers, harraing, mocassins, reconnoissance, sailer, +siene, shrapnell, spunging, vere, visiters, woful. + +The following words appear both with and without diacritical marks and +have not been changed: Camino, depot, Pena. + +There are two chapters "IV". The second one is denoted with an asterisk. + +Hyphens removed: "quarter[-]master" (page 60), "wind[-]mill" (page 63, +twice), "Porto[-]Real" (page 102), "brush[-]wood" (page 197), +"death[-]like" (page 139), "road[-]side" (page 274), "fore[-]yard" (page +322). + +Hyphens added: "farm[-]house" (page 14), "mid[-]day" (page 61), +"half[-]way" (pages 107, 283), "field[-]work(s)" (page 248, 369). + +Page xi: "Ships'" changed to "Ship" (place their Ship Guns on +Batteries). + +Page 25: "apppeared" changed to "appeared" (separate body which +appeared). + +Page 45: "94th" changed to "95th" (The Rifle Corps, or 94th). + +Page 55: Removed duplicate "on" (to stand on the same tack). + +Page 55: "Lhe" changed to "Lehe" (Bremer Lehe to the city of Bremen). + +Page 60: "Feversham" changed to "Feversham" (I joined it at Feversham). + +Page 79: Illegible number changed to "2d" (2d battalion of my regiment). + +Page 82: "18th" changed to "10th" (in this affair the 10th hussars +were engaged). + +Page 106: "call" changed to "called" (called the Tore Alto). + +Page 128: "Pompadours" changed to "95th Rifles" (2d Battalion of the +95th Rifles). + +Page 157: "bettter" changed to "better" (no doubt better fed). + +Page 209: "Morilhl" changed to "Morillo" (thought that Don Morillo). + +Page 245: "officer" changed to "officers" (the commanding-officers had +been taken up). + +Page 258: "horse" changed to "horses" (our poor horses and mules). + +Page 297: "numder" changed to "number" (to put a certain number). + +Page 346: "chooner" changed to "schooner" (the fire of the schooner). + +Page 398: Redundant "the" removed (Blakeny of the 7th). + +Page 404: "brough, ast" changed to "brought, as" (This brought, as it +might be expected). + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Twenty-Five Years in the Rifle Brigade, by +William Surtees + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN THE *** + +***** This file should be named 36778.txt or 36778.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/6/7/7/36778/ + +Produced by Steven Gibbs, Moti Ben-Ari and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net. + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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