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 THE 
 
 ADVENTURES OF A SOLDIER; 
 
 OH, 
 
 MEMOIRS 
 
 EDWARD COSTELLO, K.S.F. 
 
 FORMERLY A NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICER 
 
 IN THE RIFLE BRIGADE, AND LATE CAPTAIN IN THE 
 
 BRITISH LEGION, 
 
 COMPRISING 
 
 NARRATIVES OF THE CAMPAIGNS IN THE PENINSULAR 
 
 UNDER THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON, AND THE 
 
 RECENT CIVIL WARS IN SPAIN. 
 
 What, must I tell it thee? 
 As o'er my ev'ning fire I musine; sat 
 Some few days since, my mind's eye backward turn'd 
 Upon the various changes I have pass'd — 
 How in my youth with gay attire allur'd. 
 And all the grand accoutrements of war, 
 I left my peaceful home : Then my first battles, 
 When clashing arms, and sights of blood were new : 
 Then all the after-chances of the war ; 
 Ay, and that field, a well-fought field it was. 
 
 CouxT Basil. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 HENRY COLBURN, PUBLISHER, 
 
 13, GREAT MARLBOROUGH STREET. 
 
 1841.
 
 /, 
 
 a 
 
 t OXnON : 
 PniXTED DY SCnULZB AND CO., 13, POLAND STREET.
 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 In the late expedition under Sir De Lacy Evans, 
 the objects of those who undertook to serve the 
 regnant Queen of Spain, were as varied as their 
 professions and characters. Many went to fight ; 
 amongst these, perhaps, my own countrymen 
 rather preponderated. Numbers went also to see 
 the world, as they termed it ; and received in its 
 organised bands the ugliest of its knocks ; and 
 many went to acquire what they had lost or could 
 not gain in their own country — which if not fame 
 and respectability, they hoped would be some- 
 thing approaching very close to the fashionable 
 idea of one or both. 
 
 Among these last were a certain few, who, 
 searching for the marvellous and the profitable,
 
 IV PREFACE. 
 
 chanced on various occasions to fall into my 
 company, or else introduced themselves with the 
 object of drawing from me, when in the midst of 
 strong w^aters and strong impulses, recollections 
 of a life, wdiich, however humble the actor, yet 
 for the singular characteristics of the circum- 
 stances in which I had been placed, could not 
 fail to interest the wonder- ad miring part of the 
 people. 
 
 It was, therefore, with no little surprise that, 
 on my return to England, I witnessed, in the 
 A'arious periodicals of the time, certain extracts 
 from my career, which I instantly recognised as 
 mine, and mine only. The fact was, like my im- 
 mortal countryman, poor Oliver Goldsnfith ! in 
 the storm of conflicting interests, I discovered 
 that a lot had been cast for me, and that my fel- 
 low-sufferers, kindly keeping it a secret from all 
 but themselves, had already had me immolated, 
 and nearly all of me that was palatable had been 
 devoured by their insatiable jaws. The most 
 tasty portions had nearly vanished, when I ven- 
 tured to claim " my own ;" and atlength suc- 
 ceeded in putting together this volume ; the 
 materials of which might have lost their attrac- 
 tions in their distributed and mangled condition. 
 
 The pleasures I have enjoyed in passing anew
 
 PREFACE. V 
 
 over the campaigns of old times, are only to be 
 equalled by the pain felt in the retrospective 
 remembrances of my honored and never-to-be- 
 forgotten brother campaigners. Spain first gave 
 rise to my earliest and noblest friendships and 
 social feelings. Holding what remains of al- 
 most all the former, it, however, could not re- 
 tain the latter, although innumerable changes 
 had filled up the interval that elapsed since I 
 first left the Peninsular, and my return. My 
 re-visit would have been a very interesting one, 
 but for the very different scenes I was obliged to 
 witness, and which occupied the whole of my 
 sympathies in making a comparison between a 
 British soldier in 1835, &c. and the same cha- 
 racter during his glorious career under Wel- 
 lington. 
 
 This, however, is a series of memoirs not of 
 comments. If, in the Legion, I witnessed any 
 thing derogatory to the regulation of the service, 
 notwithstanding we were said to be purely ruled 
 by the British military regulations, I always, 
 when it lay in my power, marked the difference, 
 and finding it not redressed, it remained only for 
 me to recount the circumstances and hold the 
 facts up to the interested ; and so far as they are 
 herein detailed, no man can substantially deny 
 them.
 
 VI PREFACE. 
 
 Little, however, as I can sympathise with the 
 greater number of the oificers of that Legion, 
 I must bear my best feehngs towards its hum- 
 bler members. They were a noble set of fellows, 
 maugre all the misrepresentations, all the asper- 
 sions, that party spirit fabricated for their des- 
 truction — men, whose intimate histories, if gene- 
 rally known, would have found their names and 
 profession amongst the most respectable of the 
 land ; and surely if circumstances ever proved 
 its overwhelming influence in any body of indi- 
 viduals, it did on the British auxiliaries, 
 
 " Whose peers were beggars, and whose beggars peers !" 
 
 .And these last rode " rough shod," even to the 
 last gasp of their authority. 
 
 ADDRESS TO THE READER. 
 
 So many " Lives of a Soldier" have already 
 been written, and those too by abler pens than 
 mine, and so many tales have arisen out of the 
 chequered scenes of the late Peninsular war, and 
 the short existence of the British Legion, that 1 
 dare not be very sanguine of creating for mv 
 work any great degree of interest.
 
 ADDRESS. VU 
 
 But every man's life is a volume of change, 
 felt and expressed according to his peculiar dis- 
 positions and feelings, which are as varied under 
 a military as they can be under a civil life. 
 Could the never to be forgotten Tom Crawley 
 but give his own detail ! — could Long Tom of 
 Lincoln, once one of the smartest of our re- 
 giment, now the forlorn bone -picker of Knights 
 bridge, but pen his own eventful track — could 
 Wilkie, Hetherington, Plunkett, and many others 
 of those humbler heroes, conquerors in such 
 well contested fields as Rodrigo, Badajos, Sala- 
 manca, and Waterloo, &c., whose exploits form 
 the principal attractions in these volumes, and 
 whose stubborn spirits and perforated bodies 
 formed key-stones for the fame of our immortal 
 Wellington, whose standard might have found a 
 sandy support but for the individual bravery of 
 the soldiers of his invincible divisions : could 
 they but recount their varied casts of fortune 
 who would fail to read their histories and help to 
 rear a cypress to their memories ? 
 
 With these considerations, therefore, I send 
 these volumes forth, trusting that the reader 
 will bear in mind that he who wrote them was 
 both actor and spectator in the scenes he has
 
 Vlll ADDRESS. 
 
 narrated, and feels assured that by their perusal, 
 he will be enabled to guess at what is generally 
 felt and experienced by the individual soldier. 
 
 In the British Legion I held a medium rank. 
 I saw not only what its soldiers were, but caught 
 a glance at their officers : with them my military 
 career flickered out its last moments of existence. 
 Its brighter fortunes, short as they were however, 
 gave me sufficient opportunity to value those 
 unfortunate men — my humbler comrades, and to 
 be convinced by their deeds, that the British 
 soldier, with sickness, oppression, the lash, and 
 other distresses, still possessed his old spirit, and 
 was as fitted to reap laurels as he had been in 
 more glorious times. 
 
 EDWARD COSTELLO. 
 
 Tower, 
 London, August 28th, 1841.
 
 CONTENTS, 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 PAGB 
 
 Introduction of myself to the reader — To the service — 
 Wiio would not be a Soldier? — A recruit — Wilkie — 
 Cupid's Row-dow — The service endangered by another 
 — Arrival at Liverpool — I am made prisoner, but not 
 by the French — Recaptured by our sergeant — Lichfield 
 round-house — St. Paul's — I join my regiment, and the 
 regiment joins us — Great numbers of rank and tile 
 burnt alive. ........ 1 
 
 CHAPTER n. 
 
 Ijohi Captain O'Hare's Company — He falls in love — 
 The " fair" and " unfair" appointment — Disappoint- 
 ment — Things of a private nature — Tom Crawley — 
 An example — The Hero — How to catch " flats" in 
 " squads" — New way to tap a barrel— A Rifleman's 
 plan for sweeping chimneys and tap-rooms — Pipe-clay 
 and parade — The Regiment embarks for Portugal. . 10 
 
 CHAPl^ER III. 
 Tom Plunket's Military Career IS
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 Arrival in Portugal — Crauford's forced marches — Teeto- 
 talism with a vengeance — The effect of the opposite ex- 
 treme — Spanish mode of keeping a man from stealing 
 wine — False reports — Talavera — We arrive the day after 
 the fight — A battle scene— Sir Arthur Wellesley — Ge- 
 neral Cuesta — Dough boy hiU — The fever — I am taken 
 ill — Elvas hospital — How to cure a fever — Convales- 
 cence — Burial scenes — Our Sextons — March to my 
 regiment — The Germans — Pig-sldns in danger, our 
 own also — Captain Pakenham — Hanging matters — ^Two 
 dozen of each — Not sham pain— German discipline. . 30 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 Old Trowsers — Sleeping and waking — O'Hare again— 
 Colonel Beckwith — Two upon one — Meagher — Barba 
 del Puerco — General Crauford taken by surprise — The 
 Portuguese incorporation with the light division — Ro- 
 drigo — Gallegos — The beacon — Night scenes on picquet 
 — Lord Wellington — Napoleon's Marriage — Crauford's 
 stratagem — The French spy — We retreat to Fort Con- 
 ception. ......... 42 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 Villa de Mula — Night expedition to Villa de Puerco — Both 
 parties retire — Death of Colonel Talbot — A soldier's 
 grave — The effects of a miscarriage — Fort Conception 
 blown up — A mistake and no mistake — Another mis- 
 take, a ball in the right knee — The bridge over the Coa 
 — A friend in need, a friend indeed — Charity abroad 
 and at home — A surgeon's advice — A blessing — A 
 cough, an uncomfortaljle companion — Spanish apathy — 
 Wc arrive at Fraxedas. . . . . , . 52
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 Mondego — The Coimbra — Figueras — The maggots — Lis- 
 bon — Battle of Busaco — Retreat to Torres Vedras — 
 Lord Wellington's Generalship — Belem — Jack ashore 
 and Jonathan also — Yankey and Lankey — Billy IVIc. 
 Crabb the Highland Kite and Lowland tail — Josh. 
 Hetherington — Sperum Poco — Portuguese Piety — 
 Arruda — Doing what the enemy left undone — Tom 
 Crawley again — In state — A hot birth — Our enemies 
 laugh at Tom in his glory. . . , . . 62 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 The enemy retire upon Santarera — We retire upon Valine 
 — The Bridge over the Rio Mayor — The French out- 
 lying sentries — Their camp ground — Comparative — 
 quietude — The stiU — Escape from assassination — Tom 
 Crawley's Ghost-story — The " Death and Glory men" — 
 Tlie charms of a Brunswickian appetite — Their deser- 
 tions — Sergeant Fleming — His Court Martial — We 
 meet our enemies on the water and contend — A com- 
 ment on both sides . . . . . . .76 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 General Crauford leaves for England — Sir William Ers- 
 kine takes the command — Mounseer Strauss — We enter 
 Santarem — Scenes of horror — Mile posts of the " grande 
 armee" — Retaliations of the Portuguese — Two upon 
 one — Pombal — Smart work — German gallantry — Auc- 
 tion — A new division — Redinha — An accident — Long 
 Tom of Lincoln — The deserter — A return of favours . 87 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 Our march upon Condacia — Tom Crawley again — Hot and 
 cold — Affcur of Casal Nova — Death of Major Stewart
 
 Xai CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 — The French continue retreating — The two brothers 
 — Night scene — The French continue their havoc — The 
 Cacadore — The pet Goat — Lord WelHngton again — 
 Our old Colonel — The promise of the staff — The Re- 
 cruits — British enthusiasm inspired — The two French 
 prisoners — Particulars of Massena's retreat and state of 
 his troops — St. Patrick's day — If I had a donkey — The 
 river Caira — Our distressing privations — O'Brien and 
 the old Patrone — Arrival at Friexedas — Adjutant Stewart 
 killed — Sabugal — CaiTying oif the enemy's position — 
 Encomiums of our Colonel — Death of Lieut. Arbuthnot 
 Disagreeable bed fellow — A light on the subject — Eva- 
 cuation of Portugal by the French — Almeida excepted — 
 The British follow into Spain — Arrival in GaUegos — 
 The enemy active in Rodrigo — The skulker — Poor 
 Burke — Expedition and disappointment in search of a 
 convoy ......... 99 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 Our advance videttes, and the French cavalry — Manoeu- 
 vring in front of Villa Formosa — The Suttlers and the 
 Dragoons — Sergeant-Major SharjD — Morning of the 
 .5 th of May — General Crauford returns — Portuguese 
 "Welcome — Fuentes d'Onor — French dragoon's chal- 
 lenge to single combat — Retreat on Navez d'Aver — 
 Charges of Cavalry — A deeji game by the French — 
 Squaring it with the enemy — The 79 th Highlanders — 
 A prisoner against his will — The French sentry and 
 General Crauford — The Light Dragoons again — Ser- 
 geant-Major Sharp again — Scene of Discipline — The 
 lash disappointed — The German fratricide . . .117 
 
 CHAPTER Xn. 
 
 Almeida closely invested by the 5th division, but not close 
 enough — Evacuation by the French — Suicide of the
 
 CONTENTS. Xlll 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Colonel of the 4th — Sabugal — We cross the Coa — The 
 comet — Much ado about nothing — Tom Crawley's fears 
 — March through Castello Branco — Portalegre, &c., to 
 Campo Mayor — Tom Crawley poisoned — Blockade of 
 Ciudad Rodrigo — Atalaya — Hunting excursion with the 
 Staff — Our 3rd Battalion joins us — Colonel Barnard — 
 Jemmy Searchfield — Middy ashore — Deficiency of ra- 
 tions — A new arrival — His adventure — Spanish spite — 
 The pigs — Rodrigo reUeved by the French — Our divi- 
 sion — We rejoin the army — Battle of El Bodon — We 
 return to Guinaldo — Again invest Rodrigo — January, 
 1812 — Fort Piquerine stormed — The stripping of the 
 prisoners by the Portuguese — Tom Crawley again — Cure 
 for a skulk ISO 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 Cold reception — Preparation to storm Rodrigo — I join the 
 " Forlorn Hope" — The Breaches — General Crauford 
 killed — Uniacke mortally wounded — Major Napier 
 wounded — Taking of the town — A rough customer — 
 Wilkie again — Death of Wilkie — A gift — The left breach 
 after the l)attle — Wilkie's grave — Horror's of a storm 
 — This is my niece, Sir — The right breach — Captain 
 Uniacke — The light Division leave Rodrigo in disguise 
 — Who the devil are those fellows — We enter El Bodon. 142 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 Burial of General Crauford — Anecdote of Ladrone ! La- 
 drone ! — Corporal Miles — Burial of Uniacke — A French 
 seat of honour in jeopardy — A wolf ! a wolf ! — Deserters 
 shot — Scene of execution — March to Castello de Y'lde 
 across the Tagus — Execution of Corporal Ormond for 
 desertion — Badajos — A man dreaming of his head being 
 off with liis head on ; singular fulfilment — Tom Crawley's 
 dislike to conchologj' — His alarms — The Duke of Wei-
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 lington saluted by the enemy — Remarkable feature of 
 the case — A French curative or an iU-wind, &c. . .153 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 Storming of Badajos — I join the Forlorn Hope again — 
 Presentiments of Major O'Hare and Captain Jones — 
 Their dteaths — The Stormers — The Ladder-men — I am 
 wounded — The French prisoner — O'Brien — Sacking of 
 the town — Scene of hoiTor — Reflections — The Duke of 
 WeUington and his men — Johnny Castles introduced 
 with a rope round his neck — The drummer-boy — A 
 fire-lock goes off and so does a Corporal — I return to 
 the camp — Casualties at Badajos — The French prisoner 
 and a new acquaintance — His account of the evacua- 
 tion of Almeida — His opinion of the British soldiers . 1 69 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 1 recover from my wounds and rejoin my regiment at 
 Ituera — " Nine holes " — March for Salamanca — Ser- 
 geant Battersby — The grenadier and the murder of his 
 wife, &c., &c. — Marmont out- manoeuvred — Assault of 
 Fort St. Vincent — Retreat of .the enemy — We arrive at 
 Rueda — The wine -vaults — My descent into one — Fright, 
 &c. — Manoeuvring of the two armies — Slcirmishing — A 
 gallant Frenchman — Pratt and his prisoner . .187 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 Battle of Salamanca — My wounds break out afresh — I go 
 into the Hospital at Salamanca — The Germans and their 
 prisoners — A recognition — Michael Connelly — His death 
 and buried — Josh. Hethcrington again — A new ac- 
 quaintance — His accounts of the Guerillas, &c. — A keep- 
 sake for a sweetheart — The Guerilla — The army retrace 
 their steps to Salamanca — Proceed to Rodrigo — Heavy 
 wet — Spanish payment acknowledgment — A dry coat —
 
 CONTENTS. XV 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Lord Charles Spencer and his acorns — We continue our 
 march — The babes in the wood — Hard skirmishing with 
 the enemy's advanced guard — A woman in distress — 
 Pepper — Hunger, cold, and fatigue — Finish of the Bur- 
 gos retreat . . . . . . . .198 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 Head-quarters at Grenalda — Don Juhan Sanchez, the cele- 
 brated Guerilla Chief — Weakness of our numbers — In- 
 cori)oration of Spaniards into our regiments — A thief — 
 Punishment of, and opinion of the men — General or- 
 ders for a collection among the men and officers to re- 
 lieve Russian losses — A ball, in which thousands were 
 present — Campaign of 1812 commenced — The Life 
 Guards and the Blues jom us — The French retreat to 
 Burgos — Secret expedition for bread — Our surprise — 
 Retreat — General Sir Lowry Cole — His temple specta- 
 cles made use of to reconnoitre — Our escape — A few 
 remarks — Three alternatives — A cavahy alfair on the 
 18th June — German brotherhood again . . .213 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 We encamp near Puebla, on the road to Vittoria — Battle 
 of Vittoria — A man obhged to hold his jaw — Affair of 
 Bayonets — The 88th — Blanco — Daly — French defeated 
 — A prisoner rescued — The carriage of Joseph Napo- 
 leon — His wife, &c. — His baton — A prize — Attempt to 
 rob me — Sergeant Lee — Night scenes after the battle — 
 The sale of the spoils — I distribute my money for safety 
 — We march on Salvatierra — Halt at Pampeluna — 
 Another brush wanted — Lesaca — The enemy on the 
 heights of Santa Barbara dislodged — The French at- 
 tempt to reheve Pampeluna — TheBidassoa — The French 
 too late for the " fare" — We also — A race back by
 
 CONTEXTS. 
 
 TAG 
 
 way of " hurry" — The Regiment's birth-day^ — Ser- 
 geant's Fawfoot's loss and re-instalment — My treasure 
 — My comrade — His good faith — Siege and storm of 
 San Sebastian — The four hundred gallant Frenchmen 
 — Their charge and escape — The 52nd and their 
 badges — Remarks, &c. ...... 226 
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 We encamp on the banks of the Bidassoa — ScenSs on the 
 water-edge — A narrow escape with a lady in question, 
 " Ah ! there's the rub" — Tom Crawley and the bis- 
 cuits — Our 3d battahon carry the heights of Vera — 
 The French camp, " the last of the French" — The 
 Pyrenees — The mountain farther up liiU and do\vn dale 
 — The battle of the Nivelle — Manly and Spanish af- 
 fection — Blanco again — His gallantry — Tom Crawley 
 — A hug from a granny dear — The last struggle — 
 Crawley's departure — A tear for Tom — A reel — St. 
 Jean de Luz — The French endeavour to make a stand 
 — Colonel Sir Andrew Barnard wounded — Death mes- 
 sengers fly fast . . . . . . .249 
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 9 th December — Our picquets driven in — We are nearly 
 out-flanked — We retire — A rally under the eye of Wel- 
 lington — Lieutenant Hopwood and Sergeant Brother- 
 wood killed — Excellent feeling between the French and 
 English soldiers — Consequent Genend Order — Johnny 
 Castles in the advance — Picquct-house — Murder at 
 Tarbes — Blanco again — Collection made for the widow 
 — Battle of Toulouse — " Amende Honorable" — We 
 encamp on the banks of the Garonne — " Fcdl in" — The 
 Sj)aniards make a mistake — General Picton rectifies it 
 — The enemy retreat into Toulouse — They evacuate the 
 town — French leave — Theatre of Toulouse — " A Rifle- 
 man on the look out" , . . . . . 2G1
 
 CONTENTS. XVU 
 
 CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 We continue to pursue tlie enemy on their retreat — 
 Halted on the second day — A carriage brings Soult and 
 Peace — French troops disbanded — Friendly intercourse 
 with our men — Castle Sarazin — Our men prefer the 
 ground for a bed, in preference to a feather one — The 
 French sergeant — The mvitation — Parade — The dinner 
 — Farewell to the Spaniards and Portuguese — Cupid 
 enlisting deserters — Poor Blanco — Embarcation for Eng- 
 land — The VUle de Paris — The sergeant in hope of a 
 wife — Arrival at Portsmouth — The sergeant in search 
 of a wife — Their meeting and parting . . .271 
 
 CHAPTER XXIII. 
 
 Quartered in Dover — Receive our new clothing, &c. May, 
 1815 — Receive orders to embark for Ostend — We arrive 
 safe — Bruges — Ghent — Brussels — 15th of June — Be- 
 long to the 5th Division under General Picton — De- 
 scend the wood of Soignies to Waterloo — Duke of Wel- 
 lington arrives from Brussels — Battle of Waterloo — 
 I receive a wound in my right hand, shatters one of my 
 fingers — Return to Brussels — The pretty house-keeper 
 — The chUd — Its dead mother — Gemappe — Scenes on 
 the road to Brussels — Arrival at Brussels — Numbers of 
 wounded in the streets — Kindness and attention of the 
 Brussels' ladies — The fair surgeon .... 282 
 
 CHAPTER XXIV. 
 
 Brussels' hospitals — The British and French soldiers under 
 amputation — I lose ray finger — Another loss also — I 
 leave the hospital and am removed to the Provost 
 guard — The Belgian marauders bared to the skin — The 
 point of honour — Sensation produced on their comrades 
 — The Belffian regiment under arms — Guard house sur-
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 roimded — Narrow escape — Removal of the Belgians- 
 Assassination of a French count by a Cossack officer — 
 Medals sent from England — Consequent dissensions — 
 Poor Wheatley — Quarters at Mouvres — Augustine — An 
 old acquaintance — A rival — Augustine leaves her father's 
 house — Pursued — Her father's despair — Removal to 
 Cambray — The regiment receives orders to embark for 
 England— We part 294 
 
 CHAPTER XXV. 
 
 Disembark at Dover — Shorn Chff BaiTacks — I am an 
 invalid, and pass the board at Chelsea — Augustine's 
 arrival — Sixpence a day — Sir Andi-ew Barnard — Sir 
 David Dundas — My hopeless condition — Blood-money 
 — The Honourable Doctor WeUesley — Mr. Woodford — 
 Augustine returns with me to France — I retrace my 
 steps alone to Calais — To Dover — Dreadful extremes — 
 A new field for practice — A friend in need — Another 
 " Forlorn Hope" — Colonel Ford — A Rifleman without 
 an appetite — Death of Augustine .... 309 
 
 CHAPTER XXVI. 
 
 I enter the British legion as lieutenant — Raise a regiment 
 of Riflemen — Appoint the non-commissioned officers — 
 Recruiting districts — The peer and the dustmen — Ge- 
 neral Evans' thanks — Embark at Gravesend — Voyage 
 across the Bay of Biscay — Arrival in Spain — We land 
 at Portugaletta — Pat's logic — Spanish sentries shoot a 
 man by mistake — A bad omen — Men confined for not 
 wearmg that which they never had — Modem rifle 
 officers — Colonel de Rottenburgh — Legion officers clas- 
 sified — Fine appearance of the men — lliflcs march to 
 Zorossa — Head quarters at Bilboa — Bad quarters of the 
 men — Severe drills — Bad beginning — The men begin
 
 CONTENTS. XIX 
 
 PAOB 
 
 to droop through ill-treatment — " Cats" indiscrimi- 
 nately used — Lieutenant Robinson drowned , .319 
 
 CHAPTER XXVII. 
 
 Intention of the Spanish Government respecting our 
 winter quarters — March to Vittoria — Enemy oblige us 
 to go round — The rear of the legion engaged — Bag- 
 gage divided from it — Commencement of the plunder 
 at Bilboa — Arrival at Castro — Enemy supposed to 
 be in the vicinity — We remain at Castro — March 
 tlie next day — Mountainous route — An accident — The 
 pass of Las Goras — March to Brevdesca — My company 
 placed m the advance — Orders to prepare for cavalry — 
 Doubts and fears — A narrow escape — Arrival at 
 Bre\desca — Head Quarters — My old Patrone — Hints to 
 revolutionists — System of regular drill begun — Rifle- 
 men drilled collectively — I practice my company in sham 
 fighting — Provosts and hardship— Lay in a winter stock 
 of sickness — Legion paid up to November, 1835 — Last 
 Payment — March of death — We march for Vittoria — 
 Pass of Pancorbo — The dead Patrone — Approach to 
 Vittoria— My old recollections — The 45th — Halt about 
 three miles from the city — Spanish troops come out to 
 meet us — Triumphant entry into Vittoria — The vete- 
 ran Colonel ........ 332 
 
 CHAPTER XXVIII. 
 
 Vittoria as it then was — A bad wind that blows nobody any 
 good — Rifles rather comfortable at first — Severe weather 
 — Morning scenes and cries in Vittoria — The flogging 
 system — Men not stained — A comparison of facts — Hos- 
 pitals get crammed with sick — Singular economy — The 
 old Colonel's two sons — The Chapelgorris — Decimated
 
 XX CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 byorderof Espartero — The Rifles march toMatuca — The 
 whole Legion assemble at Matuca — Cordova engaged 
 — A Carlist \nllage — A confession — A night retreat — 
 Colonel's anxietj'- — Arlaban — Change of looks both in 
 the men and the inhabitants — March to Trevena — 
 Sharp winter of 1835 347 
 
 CHAPTER XXIX. 
 
 Return to Vittoria — The mortality and state of the hos- 
 pitals — Deaths among the medical officers — Scenes in 
 the wards — Legion supi:)osed to be poisoned — Don Jose 
 Elgoez — His first ordeal — A discovery — Execution of 
 the two bakers — Description of the " Garotta" — Le- 
 gion march and countermarches — Mode of warfare 
 adopted by General Evans — Frequent desertion . 357 
 
 CHAPTER XXX. 
 
 Sudden and unjust dismissal of the officers — Copies from 
 General Orders — Spanish compliments to the French 
 and British Legions — Cordova between two fires — Some 
 French officers resign — Difference betwixt the British 
 and French Legion — Parting moments between a French 
 Colonel and his men — Legion receive orders to proceed 
 to San Sebastian — The sick left behind to guard the 
 sick — March through the country to Santander — Arri- 
 val at the Convent at Carbon — New clothing — Recruits, 
 &c. — My opinion of the Legion .... 366 
 
 CHAPTER XXXL 
 
 Embark for San Sebastian — A 3'2-poundcr, and no mis- 
 take — A bloody farce — Brains where tliey were wanted, 
 unfortunately— A prize — Arrival at San Sebastian —
 
 CONTENTS. XXI 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Anticipated attack — Colonel de Rottenburgh talcen ill — 
 Major Fortescue — Oinnions — His mciiden speech — Two 
 -companies broke up the others of the regiment — 5 th of 
 May — Attack on the lines of San Sebastian — A hulla- 
 baloo — 6th Scotch taken for enemies — Helter skelter — 
 I receive a severe wound — Am carried into San Sebas- 
 tian — Letter to my wife . . . . . .372 
 
 CHAPTER XXXII. 
 
 The loss of my company in the late action — Apprehen- 
 sions about my leg — Medal and pewter — A candidate 
 for Knighthood — Captain Plunkett — His death, &c, 
 A Rifleman assassinated — Fire eaters — Sketch of San 
 Sebastian — Lord John Hay's battery — Something 
 serious — Awkward squads — Singular decline of Spa- 
 nish bigotiy — A Sectai'ian alarmed .... 383 
 
 CHAPTER XXXIII. 
 
 Disorganised state of the Legion — Three months' pay — A 
 holiday — The Gth and 8th Scotch lay down their arms 
 — Reasons — Mj'' wishes to retire from the Legion — I 
 give up the command of the company — A reflexion — 
 I embark for Santander — Report myself to Colonel 
 Arbuthnot — My new command — The convent of Car- 
 bon — Short description — Inhabitants of — First sample 
 — A speculation — A Quarter-master's conscience — I 
 place him under arrest — A horse ! A horse !. . .392 
 
 CHAPTER XXXIV. 
 
 An orderly dragoon puts us all in confusion — A stir — 
 Retreat upon Santander — The dangers of forgetful- 
 ness — Cure for a fever — We return to our old quarters 
 — Captain Shields and Major Clark's visit — An appeal
 
 tU CONTEXTS. 
 
 PACE 
 
 — A new mode of raising " Volunteers" — Glory or 
 death by famine — One hundred and twenty men are 
 starved into the service again — Scene in Santander — 
 British soldiers and subjects — More assassinations — 
 A cold-blooded Spaniard — A peace-loving Comman- 
 dant — Captain Oakley and his " cats" — Continued 
 horrors of the convent — Assassination — A relief from 
 purgatory — A conclusion ...... 400
 
 THE 
 
 LIFE OF A RIFLEMAN. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 ^ 
 
 To give a young gentleman right education, 
 The ai'my's the only good school in the nation. 
 
 SWIFT. 
 
 Introduction of myself to the reader — To the service — Who 
 would not be a Soldier ? — A recruit — Wilkie — Cupid's 
 Row-dow — ^The service endangered by another — Arrival at 
 Liverpool — I am made prisoner, but not by the French — 
 Recaptured by our sergeant — Lichfield round-house — St. 
 Paul's — I join my regiment, and the regiment joins us — 
 Great numbers of rank and file burnt ahve. 
 
 It has ever been the fashion in story telUng 
 to begin, I beUeve, with the birth of the hero, 
 and as I do not forget, for a moment, that I am 
 my own, I can only modestly say with young 
 Norval I am, 
 
 of parentage obscure 
 
 Who nought can boast, but my desire to be 
 A soldier.
 
 Z EARLY EMPLOYMENTS. 
 
 I was born at the town of Mount Mellick, 
 Queen's County, Ireland, on the 26th October, 
 1788. When I was seven years old my father 
 removed to Dublin, w^here he had been appointed 
 to the situation of tide waiter. As soon as I be- 
 came a good sized youth, my father bound 
 me apprentice to a cabinet maker, in King 
 William Street, in the aforesaid city ; but urged 
 by a roving and restless spirit, I soon grew tired 
 of my occupation which I left one morning early 
 " without beat of drum." 
 
 I next went to live with an uncle, a shoe- 
 maker, who employed several men to work in 
 his business. Among these was an old sol- 
 dier, who had lost a leg, fighting under Sir Ralph 
 Abercrombie, in Egypt. From this old blade, I 
 think it was, I first acquired that martial ardour 
 that so frequently infects young men in time 
 of war. There was, indeed, no resisting the 
 old pensioner's description of glory. I became 
 red hot for a soldier's life, and although rejected, 
 as too young for the regulars, I ' listed,' as it 
 is technically called, in the Dublin Militia on 
 the 17th of June, 1806. 
 
 At the latter end of the following year, our 
 regiment was stationed at Londonderry, in the 
 north of Ireland, where I volunteered into the 
 95th, since made the "Rifle Brigade." It was 
 rather singular, but I remember I was the only 
 volunteer from the regiment who joined the rifles. 
 
 After receiving my bounty of the eighteen 
 guineas (£4 of which were deducted for my
 
 RECRUITING. 6 
 
 kit, which I was to have on joining) the sum 
 allowed at that time to those who volunteered 
 from the militia, I took the mail coach for 
 Dublin, where I found a recruiting party of 
 my new regiment, consisting of one sergeant,, 
 a corporal and six privates. I must say I felt 
 highly delighted with the smart appearance of 
 the men, as well as with their green uniform. 
 The sergeant proposed that I should remain in 
 Dublin, being as it w^ere, almost a native of that 
 city, from which circumstance he thought I 
 might materially assist in raising recruits. 
 
 Recruiting, on the pay of a private soldier, is 
 any thing but pleasant, and particularly if he be 
 confined to the mere shilling a day, doled out to 
 him once a week, for he not unfrequently spends 
 it all the first night he receives it. I myself 
 had wofuUy experienced this, having been fre- 
 quently, for days, without food, through my 
 irregularities and my unwillingness to acquaint 
 my friends that I w^as so near them. 
 
 I was crawling about one day in this man- 
 ner, heartily tired of my first sample of military 
 life, garbed in an old green jacket of the ser- 
 geant's, when I was accosted by a smart young 
 fellow. After eyeing me rather shrewdly from 
 head to foot for several seconds, *' I say, green 
 boy," said he, " do you belong to the Croppies ? 
 
 D me, but I like your dress. What bounty 
 
 do you give?" 
 
 " Eighteen guineas," replied I. 
 
 " Come then," said he, " tip us a shilling." 
 
 B 2
 
 4 ELEMENTS OF A SOLDIER. 
 
 Unfortunately for me, I had not a farthing, for I 
 had eaten nothing for that and the whole of the 
 previous day. However, knowing that we re- 
 ceived two pounds for every recruit, I hurried 
 into a jDublic-house near at hand, and requested 
 of the landlord to lend me a shilling, telling him 
 the use for which I wanted it. This he very 
 kindly did, and I handed it over to the recruit, 
 who, chucking it instantly on the counter, 
 called for the worth of it in whiskey. While 
 we remained drinking, the sergeant, whom I had 
 sent for, arrived, and supplying us with money, 
 the recruit passed the doctor and was sworn in 
 for our corps. 
 
 His name was Wilkie, he was an Englishman ; 
 his father having been sent for from Manchester, 
 to superintend a glass manufactory in Dublin, ac- 
 counted for his being here. He was a fine young 
 fellow of about five feet eight inches, in height, and 
 possessed all the genuine elements of a soldier, 
 that is, was quarrelsome, generous and brave, of 
 which qualities he gave us a specimen the evening 
 he enlisted, by quilting a pair of coal-heavers. 
 After a few days, he introduced me to his family, 
 consisting of his parents and a sister, a remark- 
 ably pretty girl of about seventeen. Had war 
 not claimed me with her iron grasp as her pro- 
 selyte, I, no doubt, should have interv;oven my 
 destinies with the silken web of Cupid, who, 
 very naturally, when my youth and early pas- 
 sions are considered, for I was' but nineteen, 
 tapped me very seriously on the shoulder.
 
 A PREDICAMENT. .0 
 
 I, however, went on recruiting, and the two 
 pounds I received for enlisting Wilkie, 1 handed 
 over to my landlady in advance for future food, 
 which my last misfortune had taught me to 
 value. This precaution, as is generally the case, 
 was now no longer necessary, for in a short time 
 after v/e enlisted so many recruits, that money 
 became very plentiful, and I was enabled to get 
 coloured clothes. While we remained in Dublin, 
 I became a constant visitor at the house of 
 Wilkie's father, and the young lady I have al- 
 luded to, not disapproving of my advances, a 
 serious attachment followed. But my stay threat- 
 ened to be speedily terminated, 
 
 Mars and Cupid beat to arms, 
 
 and placed me in the predicament of the donkey 
 betwixt the hay stacks. I became bewildered as 
 to which to take, both being, as it were, neces- 
 sary to the calls of my nature. 
 
 At last, the time for parting arrived, which 
 took place after a little private snivelling and 
 simpering, and the usual vows of eternal fidelity, 
 passion and remembrance — which last I have 
 kept to this day. She and her mother accom- 
 panied Wilkie and myself towards the Pigeon 
 House, Ringsend, and in something more than 
 twenty-four hours, we found ourselves cheek by 
 jowl with the quays of Liverpool. It was past 
 midnight when we cast anchor. We were ordered 
 to remain on board ; but Wilkie's and my own 
 anxiety to see the place, took advantage of a
 
 b GETTING INTO TROUBLE. 
 
 loop hole in the waterman's pocket, and we got 
 ashore in our coloured clothes ; from the late- 
 ness of the hour, however, we were obliged to 
 take lodgings in a cellar. We had not been long 
 settled and asleep below stairs, before I was 
 awoke by the bright glare of a bull's eye lanthorn 
 staring me full in the face, and some five or six 
 rough sailors all armed to the teeth, standing 
 before us. 
 
 The first thing they did was to feel our hands, 
 which, finding to be rather soft, one remarked to 
 the other, that we had never been sailors, though 
 nevertheless they took us as lawful prey. Wilkie, 
 at first, wanted to fight with them, but was per- 
 suaded by half a dozen bull dogs, and some cut- 
 lasses to walk quietly to the tender, in which 
 we most probably should have taken a voyage, 
 but, for one thing, we had been sea-sick, and 
 were sick of the sea, and on being examined by 
 the officer on board the next morning, we gladly 
 sent for our sergeant, who, claiming us, accord- 
 ingly, we were liberated. 
 
 Our party continued their march, and Wilkie, 
 whom for more reasons than one, I was growing 
 exceedingly attached to, was always my com- 
 panion and many a scrape he got me into. He 
 was continually in hot water; on several oc- 
 casions and particularly at Lichfield where we 
 were caged, for kicking up disturbances amongst 
 some Irish recruits in which, however, I sup- 
 ported my friend, we w^ere detained for want 
 of means to pay for the damage done to a public
 
 PRACTICAL JOKES, 7 
 
 house, the scene of riot. Sergeant Crooks (for 
 that was our sergeant's name) had not unfortu- 
 nately the means to satisfy this demand, having 
 nothing but the men's bare allowance to carry 
 us to London. Meanwhile, we remained in the 
 cage, which was in a very conspicuous part of 
 the market place. 
 
 The fact of an Irishman being there, seemed 
 to have aroused all the little brats and black- 
 guards of the neighbourhood, (my countrymen 
 were not so plentifully scattered then, as they are 
 now), and every minute of the day we were an- 
 noyed by," I say Paddy, Hilloa Paddy, which way 
 does the bull run ?" Taking both of us for Irish, 
 the young devils kept twirling their fingers on 
 their noses, even through the bars of the cage. 
 The poor sergeant, who was a mild good fellow, 
 arranged matters, after all, with the magistrates ; 
 the money was to be sent to the injured parties 
 as soon as we joined the regiment, and deducted 
 from our pay — which was done, accordingly. 
 
 Wilkie, however, continued his pranks, and 
 once while in London when on a visit to St. 
 Paul's Cathedral, stopped the pendulum of the 
 clock, and set the bells ringing ; for this we were 
 again imprisoned, but escaped this time, by pay- 
 ing a fine of five shillings for being drunk, after 
 which nothing occurred till we arrived at Col- 
 chester. Here I joined the 1st battalion, then 
 under the command of Colonel Beckwith, after- 
 wards known as General Sir Sidney Beckwith, 
 and was attached to Captain Glass's company.
 
 8 A MORTIFICATION. 
 
 Shortly after ray arrival, the regiment was 
 ordered to Spain, the campaign having then com- 
 menced. But not being perfect in my exercises, 
 I was left behind as depot, until time and prac- 
 tice had made me a greater proficient in Light 
 Infantry duty. Although this was a necessary 
 consequence to a mere recruit, at that time, I 
 felt not a little mortification at being prevented 
 sharing in the glory, which I believed the regi- 
 ment about to reap. 
 
 As it was, however, I had no great reason to 
 complain. I became an adept in my drill, and a 
 tolerable shot along with some other recruits, 
 before the regiment returned. This took place in 
 the month of January, 1 809, at Hythe, where 
 we were at that time stationed, the depot having 
 moved from Colchester. 
 
 The Rifle regiment, it is well known, had dis- 
 tinguished itself, and had suffered severely, es- 
 pecially in the retreat to Corunna under the 
 gallant Moore. From thence, they had em- 
 barked for England, where, on their landing, 
 they presented a most deplorable sight. The 
 appearance of the men was squalid and miserable 
 in the extreme. There was scarcely a man 
 amongst them, who had not lost some of his 
 appointments, and many, owing to the horrors 
 of that celebrated retreat, were even without rifles. 
 Their clothing, too, was in tatters, and in such 
 an absolute state of filth, as to swarm with 
 vermin. New clothing was immediately served 
 out, and the old ordered to be burnt, which
 
 THE RIFLE BRIGADE, 9 
 
 order was put into execution at the back of our 
 barracks amid the jests of the men, who con- 
 gratulated each other on thus getting effect- 
 ually rid of those myriads of enemies, that had 
 proved such a source of personal discomfort to 
 them abroad. 
 
 B 3
 
 30 
 
 CHAPTER 11. 
 
 I join Captain O'Hare's company — He falls in a passion — The 
 " fair" and " unfair" appointment — Disappointment — Things 
 of a private nature — Tom Crawley — An example — The Hero 
 — How tD catch "flats" in " squads" — New way to tap a 
 barrel — A Rifleman's plan for sweeping chimneys and tap- 
 rooms — Pipe-clay and parade — The regiment embark for 
 Portugal. 
 
 Shortly after the return of the regiment, I 
 was drafted into the company commanded by 
 Captain Peter O'Hare ; a man whose eccentric 
 habits were equalled only by his extremely ugly 
 countenance, Peter, for that was the cognomen 
 by which he was generally known to the men, 
 was as brave as a lion ; and had risen, it was 
 said, to his present commission from the ranks. 
 
 While here, he got in tow with a young lady 
 of Hythe, whom he was in the habit frequently 
 of escorting about the barracks and the neigh- 
 bouring heights. This the men as often took ad- 
 vantage of, and throwing themselves in his way, 
 when arm-in-arm with the lady, would ask any 
 lavour they might have required of him. This 
 Peter, who we presumed had an eye to the opinion 
 and future requital of, perhaps, his own wishes 
 
 4
 
 A CHALLENGE. 11 
 
 upon the fair one herself, would always readily 
 grant; until, at last, through their importunities 
 he became awake to the scheme, and swore he 
 would flog the first man who made another at- 
 tempt of the kind, when the lady was present. 
 
 A rather humorous adventure, which came 
 to my knowledge through his servant, occurred 
 while here. One day at Hythe with a dinner 
 party, at which the young lady was present, he 
 chanced, unintentionally, to give offence to some 
 Militia officer, one of the party ; the consequence 
 was, that the next morning he received, what he 
 perhaps supposed a ' billet doux,' but which, to 
 his surprise, turned out to be a challenge. He 
 was sitting shaving himself when the note was 
 delivered to him by his servant, and of course 
 dropped the razor to peruse it. 
 
 " John," said he, calling his man back ; " who 
 brought this ? Faith, it's a challenge." 
 
 " A gentleman !" replied John, " now waiting 
 at the door." 
 
 " Oh, then," says Peter, *' tell the gentleman 
 that 1 am going to Spain, and that if he follows 
 me, he'll not find me behind a hedge ; and with 
 my compliments, tell him also to take back this 
 bit of paper to the fool who sent it ; for by 
 Jove!" he continued, closing the door, "cap- 
 tain's commissions are not to be got every day !" 
 
 Our commanding officer, who was considered 
 as one of the most humane of the whole army, 
 was an excellent man, and well deserving of his 
 fame; he seldom had recourse to the ' cats,' think-
 
 12 PUNISHMENT. 
 
 ing, perhaps, with a great deal of truth, that it 
 was necessary only in extreme cases. The plan 
 of punishment, generally adopted by him, was 
 to put the offender on extra drill with all his 
 accoutrements on. When, however, the men 
 became incorrigible, he would order a six pound 
 shot to be affixed to the leg, with a long chain 
 attached to it, and so oblige them to trail it 
 about with them. 
 
 We had in our regiment, at this time, a man 
 of the name of Tom Crawley, who was always 
 getting into scrapes, and who was one of those 
 singular characters with which every regiment 
 abounds. To enormous strength, and great 
 meekness of temper, he added an infinity of dry 
 humour, which I shall better illustrate by intro- 
 ducing him to the reader at once, as bearing no 
 little part in my career — in which he first became 
 known to me as one of the " incorrigibles." 
 Tom, however, made light of every punishment, 
 even of the "six-pounder," which he would 
 generally chuck under his arm as if it were a 
 mere toy. To obviate this, another move was 
 made by our Colonel, which was the obliging 
 him to wear a kind of long smock-frock, with a 
 green cross painted on the back and front of it. 
 The barrack in which we were, being only 
 temporary, presented no outward wall to pre- 
 vent our free intercourse with the town where 
 Tom was a general favourite. Tom used, there- 
 fore, at night, while under disgrace, to take 
 advantage of the dusk, and steal by the sentries
 
 TOM PLUNKET. 13 
 
 into the town. liere, of course, his strange 
 dress elicited innumerable queries. 
 
 " Arrah and sure!" Tom would reply with 
 a knowing side leer of the eye, " sure and is it 
 not the new regulation of the Duke of York, and 
 must'nt all the likes of me, that are Catholics 
 in our regiment, wear the cross on their dress !" 
 
 The first parade we had after our men had 
 received their new equipments, was imprinted 
 upon my memory from a circumstance attend- 
 ing it, that was well calculated to make an im- 
 pression upon the mind of a youthful soldier, 
 such as I then was ; and to inspire that " esprit 
 de corps" in a regiment, which is absolutely 
 essential to even disciplined valour. I had pre- 
 viously, more than once, heard a man of the 
 name of Tom Plunket eulogised by the men for 
 his courage. He was a smart, well-made fel- 
 low, about the middle height, in the prime of 
 manhood ; with a clear grey eye, and handsome 
 countenance ; and was a general favourite with 
 both officers and men, besides being the best 
 shot in the regiment. 
 
 On the occasion I have above alluded to, we 
 were formed into hollow square, and ordered to 
 face inwards ; as we knew it was a punishment 
 parade, we naturally expected some address from 
 the commanding officer, and were wondering in 
 our own minds what was coming, when Colonel 
 Beckwith broke the silence by calling out, 
 
 " Private Thomas Plunket, step into the 
 square!" all eyes, it is needless to say, were
 
 14 A DISTINGUISHED SOLDIER. 
 
 fixed upon Plunket, as he halted with his rifle 
 shouldered, in the finest position of military at- 
 tention, within a few paces of his officer. 
 
 "Here, men," exclaimed the commanding 
 officer, pointing to Plunket, "here stands a pat- 
 tern for the battalion !" Then addressing Tom, 
 he added, " I have ordered a medal for you, in 
 approval of your late gallant conduct at Co- 
 runna. Present yourself. Sir, to the master tai- 
 lor and get on a corporal's stripes, and I will see 
 you do not want higher promotion, as you 
 continue to deserve it. I love to reward conduct 
 such as yours has hitherto been !" 
 
 Making his salute, Tom retired, when we 
 formed into column and marched back to our 
 barracks, duly fired with a love of emulation to 
 deserve the praise that had been bestowed on the 
 fortunate Plunket. I have since often thought of 
 the judicious conduct pursued by our Colonel in 
 the foregoing instance, as I am convinced that it 
 was attended with the happiest effects among 
 many of the men, and, perhaps, indeed, in- 
 duced much of that spirit of personal gallan- 
 try and daring for which our corps afterwards 
 became celebrated. 
 
 Our regiment was shortly afterwards raised to 
 one thousand strong, chiefly through volun- 
 teering from the Mihtia, our common medium of 
 supply at the time at which I write, and it is a 
 compliment justly due to the Militia regiments, 
 to say, that in tlie knowledge and exercise of 
 their mihtary duties, during the war, they were
 
 VOLUNTEERING. 15 
 
 very little inferior to the troops of the line. The 
 men who joined our battalion, were in general 
 a fine set of young fellows, and chiefly the elite 
 of the light companies of the different provincial 
 corps. 
 
 For his qualifications, as before stated, Tom 
 Plunket, with a few others, was selected to re- 
 cruit from the Lincoln Militia, which lay at 
 Hythe, wliile we remained in temporary barracks 
 on the heights. 
 
 While the volunteering went on, the Militia 
 colonels were ordered to give their men full li- 
 berty to do as they liked, and the better to attain 
 the object in view, barrels of beer with the 
 heads knocked in, were, by order of government, 
 placed in the different streets of the town, for 
 those to partake of who chose. The butts, con- 
 sequently, were dipped into by every kind of per- 
 son with utensils of every description. This we 
 must not wonder at, when we consider the 
 double thirst those times gave rise to, " Bar- 
 clay" as well as " Glory." 
 
 Tom's manner of attack was rather singular, 
 but joined to the profusion of government, very 
 efficacious. The Rifles, from the dark colour of 
 their uniforms, and the total absence of all or- 
 nament, had gained the nick name of " Sweeps," 
 an appellation, which, nevertheless, held out a 
 kind of temptation to the " wide awake" of the 
 squads. The pipe clay and button stick were 
 always hateful to the eyes of all soldiers ; but to 
 none so much as to the Riflemen, who looked
 
 16 A TALE OF A TUB. 
 
 upon them as fitted only for men less useful than 
 themselves. This, Tom took advantage of on all 
 occasions. He was the soul of every company 
 he mixed in, and amongst his other accomplish- 
 ments, numbered that of dancing excellently. 
 
 One day, the better to attract the ' awk wards,' 
 he commenced a shuffle on the head of one of 
 the aforesaid barrels of beer, to the infinite amuse- 
 ment of a very large crowd ; in the course of a 
 few steps, however, the head suddenly gave way, 
 and soused Tom up to his neck in the liquid. 
 The whole crowd laughed uproariously. But 
 Tom, whose head only was to be seen, stared 
 very gravely round the edge of the cask, then 
 suddenly recovering himself, ancl bolting out of 
 the butt, he made his way instantly to the public- 
 house chimney, which, having ascended some dis- 
 tance and descended, he as quickly re-appeared 
 amongst the crowd. 
 
 " There now," said he, giving himself a New- 
 foundland shake, that opened a wide and instan- 
 taneous circle of Militia men, " there now," he 
 exclaimed, " d — n your pipe clay, now I'm ready 
 for the grand parade !" 
 
 I must now notice an order that arrived for 
 our immediate embarkation for Portugal, to join 
 the army under Sir Arther Wellesley. We went 
 on board the transports lying for us at Dover in 
 March, 1809, in the best of spirits ; such, in 
 fact, as sportsmen feel in anticipation of the plea- 
 sures of the chase. 
 
 Shipboard, though perhaps not quite so for-
 
 A HORNPIPE. 
 
 17 
 
 lorn as Doctor Johnson has portrayed it, soon be- 
 comes sufficiently irksome and unpleasant to those 
 not accustomed to it, especially when three or 
 four hundred men are crowded into a small ves- 
 sel. Our officers, who were mostly a jolly set of 
 fellows, had recourse to various expedients to 
 while away the time on our voyage. Among 
 these was one extremely popular, and that was 
 getting Plunket to dance a hornpipe to the mu- 
 sic of our band upon the quarter-deck. Tom 
 danced it famously ; and the beating of his feet, 
 in the " double shuffle," used to draw the loud- 
 est plaudits from our men and the crew of the 
 vessel. 
 
 As I have already been induced to mention 
 Plunket, while we are now on our voyage to Por- 
 tugal, I will introduce a sketch of his life, which 
 well known as it is to many individuals formerly 
 in the regiment, possibly may not form an un- 
 amusing episode in my own.
 
 18 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 Wlien I'm in want I'll thanlcfuUy receive 
 Because I'm poor ; but not because I'm brave. 
 
 TOM PLUNKET TO TUE LIFE. 
 
 Tom Plunket's Military Career. 
 
 Plunket's first career in arms was in South 
 America with General Wiiitelocke, where he ac- 
 quired the reputation, in his company, of a good 
 soldier. It was at the retreat of Corunna, some 
 years afterwards, that an opportunity particu- 
 larly presented itself of getting distinguished, and 
 which Tom took in the nick of time. The rear- 
 guard of the British, partly composed of the 
 Light Brigade, notwithstanding the gallantry of 
 some of our cavalry, were exceedingly pressed 
 by the French horse, who were vastly superior 
 to us in that arm. In the neighbourhood of As- 
 torga, in particular, they made several determin- 
 ed charges. In these onsets, a French general, 
 named Colbert, was remarkably active, as well, 
 as conspicuous, from riding a grey horse, and, 
 though frequently aimed at by our men, seemed 
 to bear a charmed life, as he invariably escaped. 
 In one of the French charges, headed by this
 
 A THIRSTY SOUL. 19 
 
 officer, our General, Sir Edward Paget, rode up 
 to the rifles, and offered any man his purse who 
 would shoot this daring Frenchman, whom he 
 pointed out. Plunket immediately started from 
 his company, and running about a hundred yards 
 nearer to the enemy, he threw himself on his 
 back on the road, which was covered v/ith snow, 
 placing his foot in the sling of his rifle, and tak- 
 ing a deliberate aim, shot General Colbert. His 
 Trumpet-Major riding up to him, shared the same 
 fate, from Tom's unerring rifle. Our men, who 
 had been anxiously watching Tom, immediately 
 cheered him ; and he had just time, by running 
 in upon the rear-most sections, to escape some 
 dozen troopers wiio made chase after him. Our 
 General immediately gave Tom the purse he had 
 promised, with encomiums upon his gallantry, 
 and promised to recommend him to his Colonel, 
 which he did in high terms to Colonel Beckwith. 
 A few days alterwards, when the French attacked 
 Sir John Moore's position at Corunna, Plunket 
 again became noted for his cool bravery and dar- 
 ing, especially in making some admirable shots, 
 by which they lost many officers. 
 
 But the truth must be told. Like all heroes, 
 Tom had his faults. Among these, in particular, 
 was one which, in its destructive consequences, 
 was calculated to counterbalance in a soldier a 
 thousand virtues. In other words, Tom was a 
 thirsty soul, and exceedingly fond of a " drop." 
 This was his unfortunate failing through life, and 
 but for which he must have got on in the service.
 
 20 INSUBORDINATION. 
 
 One deplorable instance of insubordination, 
 arising from this vice, 1 well remember, which 
 took place at Campo Mayor, after the battle of 
 Talavera. Tom had been promoted to the rank 
 of sergeant, and was in the Hon. Captain Stew- 
 art's compan}?-. One morning, when the com- 
 pany was on private parade, Tom appeared quite 
 tipsy, and, in giving the words of command for 
 inspection, previous to the arrival of the officers, 
 he set the men laughing. The pay-sergeant, his 
 superior in rank, immediately ordered him to de- 
 sist. Tom refused, and, while an altercation was 
 going on, Captain Stewart came up, who, perceiv- 
 ing the state he was in, put him under arrest, and 
 ordered him to be confined to his quarters. 
 
 Here he was no sooner left alone than, con- 
 ceiving that a great indignity had been placed 
 upon him, thoughts of vengeance immediately 
 suggested themselves to his mind. Under the 
 influence of intoxication that man, who, when 
 sober, was noted for his good humour and hu- 
 manity, now conceived the diabolical intention of 
 shooting his Captain. He immediately barricaded 
 the door of the room, and then set about loading 
 some ten or twelve rifles, belonging to men, then 
 on fatigue duty. Taking up one of these, and 
 cocking it, he placed himself at an open window 
 for the avowed purpose, as he stated to several 
 of the men, of shooting Captain Stewart as he 
 passed. 
 
 Fortunately the Captain got notice of the danger 
 of going near th^ house, while several of the men,
 
 SENTENCE OF A COURT MARTIAL. 21 
 
 by coaxing and force, alternately, endeavoured, 
 without effect to get into the room Tom had bar- 
 red. At length the unfortunate Plunket was in- 
 duced to relent on the appearance of a Lieutenant 
 of the company named Johnson, who was a great 
 favourite with the men, among whom he was 
 known by a very famiUar nick-name. The door 
 was opened and Tom made prisoner. 
 
 Although Tom was a general favourite, and his 
 conduct had resulted from the madness of intoxi- 
 cation, hisinsubordination was too glaring tostand 
 a chance of being passed over. He was brought 
 to a regimental court-martial, found guilty, and 
 sentenced to be reduced to the ranks, and to re- 
 ceive three hundred lashes. Poor Plunket, when 
 he had recovered his reason, after the commission 
 of his crime, had experienced and: expressed the 
 most unfeigned contrition, so that when his sen- 
 tence became known, there was a general sorrow 
 felt for him throughout the regiment, particularly 
 on account of the corporal punishment. In this 
 feeling, I believe, the officers participated almost 
 as much as the men. 
 
 At length the time arrived when the bravest 
 soldier of our battalion was to suffer the penalty of 
 his crime in the presence of those very men before 
 whom he had been held up as a pattern but some 
 few short months before. The square was formed 
 for punishment : there was a tree in the centre to 
 wdiich the culprit was to be tied, andclose to which 
 he stood with folded arms and downcast eyes, in 
 front of his guard. The surgeon stood by, while
 
 22 AN APPEAL. 
 
 the buglers were busily engaged untangling the 
 strings of the cats. 
 
 There was a solemn stillness on that parade 
 that was remarkable ; a pensiveness on the fea- 
 tures of both officers and men, deeper than usual, 
 as though the honour of the profession was to 
 suffer in the person of the prisoner. Flogging is 
 at all times a disgusting subject of contemplation : 
 in the present instance, it seemed doubly so, now 
 that a gallant, and until within a few days, an 
 honoured and respected man was to suffer. 
 
 The sentence of the court-martial was read by 
 the Adjutant in a loud voice. Poor Tom, who had 
 the commiseration of the whole regiment, looked 
 deadly pale. That countenance which the brunt 
 of the fiercest battle had been unable to turn from 
 its ruddy hue — that countenance which the fear 
 of death could not change — was now blanched in 
 dread of a worse fate. 
 
 " Buglers, do your duty," exclaimed Colonel 
 Beck with, in a voice husky with emotion, I 
 thought, as the men seemed to hesitate in their 
 business of stripping and binding the prisoner to 
 the tree. This, however, was soon accomplished, 
 Tom only once attempting to catch the eye of his 
 Colonel w^itli an imploring glance, while he ex- 
 claimed in broken accents — 
 
 '* Colonel, you won't, will you ? You won't — 
 you cannot mean to flog me !" 
 
 The appeal, although it went .to the heart of 
 every one present, was vain. Colonel Beckwith 
 betrayed much uneasiness ; I beheld him give a
 
 MEMORABLE SCENE. 23 
 
 slight start at the commencement of the punish- 
 ment ; but his sense of duty became paramount 
 the moment he beheld the punishing bugler laying 
 on rather lighter than was common. 
 
 " Do your duty, Sir, fairly !" he uttered in a 
 loud voice. 
 
 The first man had bestowed his quantum of pu- 
 nishment, twenty -five lashes, when he was succeed- 
 ed by another. This man, as if determined that 
 his reputation as a fiogger should not suffer, how- 
 ever his victim might, laid on like a hardened 
 hand. Plunket's sufferings were becoming in- 
 tense : he bit his lip to stifle the utterance of his 
 pangs ; but nature, too strong for suppression, 
 gave place more than once, to a half-agonized 
 cry, that seemed to thrill through the very blood 
 in my veins. Happily this wretched scene was 
 destined to a brief termination : at the thirty-fifth 
 lash, the Colonel ordered the punishment to cease, 
 and the prisoner to be taken down. When this 
 was done, he addressed Plunket: — " You see. Sir, 
 now, how very easy it is to commit a blackguard's 
 crime, but how difficult it is to take his punish- 
 ment." 
 
 So ended the most memorable punishment- 
 scene I have ever witnessed. It has usually been 
 contended, by those averse to the system of flog- 
 ging, common in our army, that it destroys the 
 pride and spirit of the man. That it has had 
 that effect, in many instances, I have myself wit- 
 nessed, where the character of the soldier was not 
 previously depraved. But with reference to Plun-
 
 24 SIXPENCE A-DAY. 
 
 ket, he appeared soon to get over the recollection 
 of his former disgrace. He got into favour with 
 his officers again, and, notwithstanding little fits 
 of inebriety, was made corporal, and went through 
 the sanguinary scenes of the Peninsula, unscathed 
 from shot or steel. His usual luck, howeViCr, for- 
 sook him at Waterloo, where a ball struck the 
 peak of his cap and tore his forehead across, 
 leaving a very ugly scar. I recollect having gone 
 wounded at the time to the rear, where I saw 
 him under the hands of the surgeon. 
 
 After Waterloo, he was invalided to England, 
 where he passed the board of Chelsea ; but only 
 being awarded the pittance of sixpence a-day for 
 his wound and long services, he felt disgusted, and 
 expressed himself to the Lords Commissioners in 
 a way that induced them to strike him off the list 
 altogether. The following day he started off for 
 Ireland, where he duly arrived in rags and wretch- 
 edness. To relieve himself, he again enlisted in 
 either the thirty-first or thirty-second regiment 
 of the line, then quartered somewhere in the 
 north. 
 
 While wearing a red coat, he had a singular 
 meeting with his former Colonel, then General Sir 
 Sydney Beckwith, which I have often heard him 
 relate. It is customary, as the reader may pro- 
 bably be aware, to have half-yearly inspections 
 of our regiments at home. Shortly after Tom's 
 having enlisted, it so happened, on one of the 
 above occasions, when his regiment was formed 
 for inspection, that the duty devolved upon his old
 
 A TOAST. 25 
 
 commander, Sir Sydney, who was in command of 
 the district. 
 
 In walking down the front rank, scrutinising 
 the appearance of the men, the General suddenly 
 came to Tom, distinguished as he was by two 
 medals on his breast. 
 
 " Do my eyes deceive me?" said Sir Sydney. 
 *' Surely you are Tom Plunket, formerly of ray 
 own regiment." 
 
 " What's left of me. Sir," replied Tom, who 
 was seldom deficient in a prompt reply. 
 
 " And what has again brought you into the ser- 
 vice?" inquired Sir Sydney. " I thought you 
 had passed the board at Chelsea ?" 
 
 " So I did," said Tom ; " but they only allowed 
 me sixpence a-day. Sir ; so I told them to keep 
 it for the young soldiers, as it wasn't enough for 
 the old, who had seen all the tough work out." 
 
 " Ha ! the old thing, Tom, I perceive," ob- 
 served Sir Sydney, shaking his head ; then imme- 
 diately remarked to the Colonel of the regiment, 
 as he proceeded down the ranks — " One of my 
 bravest soldiers." 
 
 The same day the General dined at the officers' 
 mess, when Tom was sent for after dinner.l 
 
 " Here, Plunket, I have sent for you to give us 
 a toast," observed Sir Sydney, as he handed him 
 a glass of w^ine. 
 
 " Then, Sir, here's to the immortal memory of 
 the poor fellows who fell in the Peninsular, Sir," 
 said Tom. 
 
 The toast was drunk by all with much solem- 
 
 c
 
 26 A DEFACED LADY. 
 
 iiity, when Tom was dismissed with a present 
 from Sir Sydney. The following day Tom was 
 made a corporal, and shortly afterwards, through 
 the medium, I beheve, of Sir Sydney, went up and 
 passed the pension board at Kilmainham, which 
 granted him a shilling a-day. 
 
 But I had forgotten to mention, in its place, 
 an event common in man's life — I mean his mar- 
 riage. Shortly after the battle of Waterloo, Tom 
 had wedded a lady remarkable for being deficient 
 in one essential to beauty — she actually had no 
 face, or, at all events, was so defaced, it amount- 
 ed to the same thing. This slight flaw in the 
 beauty of Tom's wife, who 
 
 'o' 
 
 Had gallantly follo\y'd the camp through the war, 
 
 arose from the bursting of an ammunition-wag- 
 gon at Quatre Bras, near to which the lady stood, 
 and by which her countenance was rendered a 
 blue, shapeless, noseless, mass. This event was 
 duly commemorated by the government, who al- 
 lowed the heroine a shilling a-day pension, in 
 allusion to which Tom used facetiously to say — 
 " It was an ill blowing up of powder that blew 
 nobody good." 
 
 The story of Tom Plunket, already narrated at 
 greater length than I had intended, draws fast to 
 a close. Imbued with roving inclinations, partly 
 owing to his nature, and more perhaps to his pro- 
 fession, for nothing more unsettles a man than the 
 ever-changing chequered course of a soldier's life, 
 he at one time determined to become a settler in
 
 MATCH-SELLING. 27 
 
 Canada, and, accordingly, accepted the offer held 
 out by government to all pensioners, of allowing 
 them so much land, and giving them four years' 
 pay for their pensions. Plunket, ever eager for 
 the handling of cash, got two years' pay down 
 here, and started off with some two or three hun- 
 dred others to try their fortune. This proved to 
 be a very miserable one : Tom was not a man to 
 rusticate on the other side of the Atlantic amid 
 privations, and with the recollection of old En- 
 gland fresh in his mind. 
 
 Before a year had elapsed, he returned to En- 
 gland with his wife, and, by way of apology to his 
 friends, stated his grant of land was so wild and 
 swampy that it made him quite melancholy, look- 
 ing at it in a morning out of the chinks of a 
 wretched log hut he had managed to erect upon 
 bis estate. He returned home swearing loudly 
 against forest-land, a swampy soil, and a bad cli- 
 mate, having, of course, duly forfeited his own 
 pension for ever. 
 
 The last time I saw Tom Planket was in Bur- 
 ton Crescent, most picturesquely habited, and 
 selhng matches. I did not disdain to speak to an 
 old comrade who had been less fortunate in "life's 
 march" than myself. I asked him how he got 
 on, when w^ith one of his usual cheerful smiles he 
 informed me, that the match-selling business kept 
 him on his legs. 
 
 " I should have thought, Tom, you had seen 
 enough of /;•»?(;," I remarked, " without endea- 
 vouring to live by it now." 
 
 c 2
 
 28 VICISSITUDES. 
 
 " A man must do something these hard times 
 for bread," repUed Tom, as he passed his hand 
 thoughtfully across the furrow made by the bullet 
 at Waterloo. 
 
 Poor Tom ! I felt for him. I was sorry to see 
 him neglected ; others, whose service were many 
 days' march behind his, were taken better care of. 
 But Tom's incorrigible failing was his own stum- 
 bling block. 
 
 I did not, however, leave him my mere re- 
 flection, but giving him a portion of that coin, 
 he so well knew how to get rid of, I w^ished him 
 success in his new business, and went my way, 
 musing on the strange vicissitudes of a soldier's 
 life. 
 
 Alas ! the brave too oft are doom'd to bear, 
 The gripes of poverty, the stings of care. 
 
 But after this digressive sketch, it is high time 
 to return to my own career in the field that was 
 just now commencing. Returning to ship-board, 
 from whence I conducted the peruser of this ve- 
 ritable narrative, allow me to say, that after a 
 tolerably pleasant voyage we anchored off Lisbon. 
 From thence, in a few days, we proceeded in open 
 boats up the river Tagus, and landed about four 
 miles from Santarem, where we encamped for the 
 night. 
 
 On the following morning, we marched into 
 the city of Santarem amid the cheers of its in- 
 habitants, who welcomed us with loud cries of
 
 ARRIVAL IN PORTUGAL. 29 
 
 " Viva OS Ingleses valerosos /" Long live the 
 brave English ! 
 
 Here we immediately became brigaded with the 
 43rd and 52nd regiments of Light Lifantry, under 
 the command of Major-General Crauford.
 
 30 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 Arrival in Portugal — Crauford's forced marches — ^Teetotalism 
 with a vengeance — Tlie effect of the opposite extreme — Spa- 
 nish mode of keeping a man from stealing wine — False re- 
 ports — Talavera — We arrive the day after the fight — A battle 
 scene — Sir Arthur Wellesley — General Cuesta — Dough boy 
 hill — The fever — I am taken ill — Elvas hospital — How to cure 
 a fever — Convalescence — Burial scenes — Our Sextons — 
 March to my regiment — The Germans — Pig skins in danger, 
 our own also — Captfiin Pakenham — Hanging matters — Two 
 dozen of each — Not sham pain — German discipline. 
 
 On the third day after our arrival at Santarem, 
 we commenced a series of forced marches to join 
 the main arni)'^ under Sir Arthur Wellesley, at 
 Talavera, then almost hourly expecting an en- 
 gagement with the French corps commanded by 
 Marshal Victor. Our men suffered dreadfully on 
 the route, chiefly from excessive fatigue and the 
 heat of the weather, it being the melting month 
 of July. The brain fever soon commenced, mak- 
 ing fearful ravages in our ranks, and many men 
 dropped by the road-side and died. Two men 
 of the 52nd, unable to continue facing the suffer- 
 ings we daily endured, actually put a period to 
 their existence by shooting themselves.
 
 SUFFERINGS ON A MARCH. 31 
 
 The greatest efforts possible were made by 
 Major-General Crauford to arrive in time to join 
 the Commander-in-chief, previously to a battle 
 being fought. The excellent orders our brigadier 
 issued for maintaining order and discipline on 
 the line of march on this occasion, though ex- 
 ceedingly unpopular at first, have since become 
 justly celebrated in the service. No man, on 
 any pretext whatever, was allowed to fall out of 
 the ranks without a pass from the officer of 
 his company, and then only on indispensable 
 occasions. 
 
 This pass, however, was not a complete 
 security, for on the return of the stragglers to 
 camp, the orderly sergeants were compelled to 
 parade them before their regimental-surgeons, 
 when, if pronounced as skulkers, they were 
 instantly tried by a drum-head court martial, and 
 punished accordingly ; thus, frequently, when 
 almost dying with thirst, we were obliged to pass 
 springs of the finest water by the road-side un- 
 tasted. But all this apparent severity, as we 
 afterwards learnt, was considered as absolutely 
 essential to the great purpose. General Crau- 
 ford had in view — dispatch. 
 
 Fortunately for us, our longest halt took place 
 during the heat of the day, and our longest 
 marches were made at night, at this time, there- 
 fore, it was a usual scene to see the number of 
 defaulters with their knapsacks on their heads, 
 and their bodies enveloped in the loose great 
 coats — to ease the wounds inflicted by the lash.
 
 32 PADDY IN GAOL. 
 
 But yet with all this, strange as it may appear, 
 Craiiford maintained a popularity among the 
 men, who, on every other occasion, always found 
 him to be their best friend. 
 
 A few days before we came to Malpartida de 
 Placentia, w^e were going through a small town, 
 the name of which I forget, when in passing the 
 gaol, a man looking through one of the high 
 barred windows of the building, vociferated, in 
 accents not to be mistaken — 
 
 " Od's blood and 'ounds, boys, are you 
 English ?" 
 
 On several of our men answering in the affirm- 
 ative, the prisoner exclaimed, in a tone that 
 set our men in a roar of laughter — 
 
 " Oh ! by Jasus, the Spaniards have poked 
 me into this hole for getting a drop of wine, 
 boys ; — get me out, pray." 
 
 When we halted about half a mile on the 
 other side, Colonel Beckwith sent, and obtained 
 the man's release. He proved to be one of the 
 23rd Light Dragoons, who had been taken pri- 
 soner by the French, but had made his escape in 
 the dress of a peasant ; when, in passing through 
 this place, he had been incarcerated on a charge 
 of taking some wine from a man without paying 
 for it. Much merriment was excited by his ap- 
 pearance, and the droll and earnest manner in 
 which he narrated his adventures. 
 
 On the following day, we bivouacked near 
 Malpartida de Placentia, when a report reached 
 our corps that a battle had been fought at
 
 A LONG MARCH. 33 
 
 Talavera, and that the English had been beaten 
 and dispersed. Although I believe few of us 
 gave credit to the story, still it created some un- 
 easiness among men and officers. Its effect, 
 however, upon our brigadier, was to make him 
 hurry forward with, if possible, increased speed. 
 Our bivouac was immediately broken up. We 
 got under arms, and leaving the sick of the bri- 
 gade behind us in the town under charge of a 
 subaltern from each regiment, we commenced 
 one of the longest marches, with scarcely a halt 
 or pause, on the military records of any country. 
 To use the words of our admirable historian of 
 the Peninsular War, we " passed over sixty- two 
 miles, and in the hottest season of the year in 
 twenty-six hours." As Colonel Napier justly 
 observes, " Had the historian Gibbon known of 
 such a march, he would have spared his sneer 
 about ' the delicacy of modern soldiers.' " 
 
 As we approached Talavera, we learned for a 
 fact, that a battle had been fought from the 
 crowds of disorderly Spanish soldiery we con- 
 tinued to meet upon the road ; some few of them 
 were wounded. These men were part of Ge- 
 neral Cuesta's army that had been beaten by 
 the French on the 27th, and who chose to give 
 the most disastrous account of the Enghsh army, 
 which they stated was completely destroyed. We 
 could not but remark, that these Spaniards, 
 whom we knew to be a disorganized crew, had 
 not forgotten to help themselves to plunder in 
 their flight, as most of them carried some article 
 
 c 3
 
 34 THE FIELD OF BATTLE. 
 
 or other to which they could have httle claim, 
 such as hams, cheese and fowls. Some, although 
 infantry-men, rode on excellent horses, while 
 others drove mules, carrying sacks of flour, &c. 
 Never was seen such a thoroughly demoralized 
 WTeck of an army. 
 
 As we advanced nearer to the scene of action 
 the reports became less formidable, until the 
 heights of Talavera burst upon our sight, and 
 we hailed, with three loud huzzas, the news that 
 the British, in the action of the preceding day 
 with the French, had been victorious. 
 
 Our bugles struck up merrily as we crossed 
 the field of battle early in the morning, on 
 the 29th of July. The scene, however, was most 
 appalling, especially to the young soldiers ; w^e 
 had partaken in no encounter as yet, and here 
 had missed the interest which blunted the feel- 
 ings of the men engaged. We ' raw ones,' in- 
 deed, had as yet scarcely seen the enemy, and 
 recognized no comrades among the fallen. The 
 ice still remained to be broken which the experi- 
 ence of one engagement would have done eftect- 
 ually. The field of action had occupied an ex- 
 tensive valley, situated between two ranges of 
 hills, on which the British and French armies 
 were posted. It was now strewn with all the 
 wreck of the recent battle. The dead and dying, 
 to the amount of some thousands, conquerors 
 and conquered, lay diversely in little heaps, in- 
 terspersed with dismounted guns, and shattered 
 ammunition waggons, while broken horse-trap-
 
 PRIVATIONS. 35 
 
 pings, and blood-stained chacots, and other torn 
 paraphernalia of military pomp and distinction, 
 completed the reality of the battle scene. 
 
 The long grass which had taken fire during the 
 action was still burning, and added dreadfully to 
 the sufferings of the wounded and dying of both 
 armies ; their cries for assistance were horrify- 
 ing, and hundreds might have been seen exert- 
 ing the last remnant of their strength, crawhng 
 to places of safety. 
 
 In the midst of this, it was that I saw, for 
 the first time, our immortal chief Sir Arthur 
 Wellesley. I also then beheld that deformed- 
 looking lump of pride, ignorance, and treachery: 
 General Cuesta. He was the most murderous- 
 looking old man I ever saw. 
 
 On our arrival we were immediately ordered 
 upon outpost duty : in executing which we had 
 to throw out a line of sentinels facing tli^' 
 French position. Another and a more painful 
 duty that devolved upon us, was to carry the 
 wounded men into the town of Talavera. Many 
 of these poor fellows, I remarked, were dread- 
 fully burnt. 
 
 In consequence of the increasing weakness of 
 the British army at this period, the ranks of 
 which were daily thinned through the scantiness 
 and wretched quality of the food with which 
 they were, of necessity, supplied, as well per- 
 haps as by the accession of strength which the 
 French had received, Lord Wellington was in- 
 duced to retire. After retracing, for a few days,
 
 36 
 
 SCARCITY OF RATIONS. 
 
 the route by which we had arrived, our brigade 
 was left by the main army encamped upon a 
 rocky eminence partly surrounded by wood, and 
 overlooking the river Tagus. It was a wild and 
 beautiful scene, with several corn-fields in our 
 immediate neighbourhood. 
 
 Our living here became truly savage. Al- 
 though we remained at this place for two or 
 three weeks, I think we scarcely received half-a- 
 dozen rations during that period, but existed, as 
 we could, by our own ingenuity. Fortunately for 
 us, as regards meat, there were some droves of 
 pigs that were taken into the woods to feed, and 
 which fattened upon the acorns. To these ani- 
 mals, that were generally under the charge of 
 some Spaniards, we were obliged to have recourse 
 for food. For bread we took the corn from the 
 fields, and, having no proper means of winnow- 
 ing and grinding it, were obhged as a substitute 
 to rub out the ears between our hands, and then 
 pound them between stones to make into dough, 
 such as it was. From this latter wretched prac- 
 tice, we christened the place " Dough Boy Hill," 
 a name by which it is well remembered by the 
 men of our division. 
 
 From the precedingplacewe marched to Carapo 
 Mayor ; we remained here three months, during 
 which time a dreadful mortality took place. In 
 our regiment, alone, the flux and brain fever 
 reigned to so frightful an extent, that three hun- 
 dred men died in hospital. I myself was seized 
 with the prevailing fever shortly after our arrival.
 
 REVOLTING OFFICE. 37 
 
 and was sent to the Convent of St. Paul, the 
 general hospital at Elvas. 
 
 I could not help remarking the manner of cure 
 adopted by our doctors ; it principally consisted 
 in throwing cold water from canteens or mess 
 kettles as often as possible over the bodies of 
 the patients ; this in many cases was effectual, 
 and I think cured me. 
 
 I, however, had a narrow squeak for my life, 
 though I fortunately recovered after an illness of 
 nearly six weeks, thanks to my good constitution, 
 but none to the brute of an orderly, who, during 
 the delirium of the fever, beat me once most 
 furiously with a broom stick. On leaving the 
 hospital with other convalescents, I w:a»<^ent to 
 the Bomb Proof Barracks, where it frequently 
 became our duty to see the dead interred. This 
 wa§_ a most horrible office, and obliged us to at- 
 tend at the hospital to receive the bodies, which 
 were conveyed away in cart-loads at a time to 
 the ground appropriated for their burial. This 
 lay outside the town beneath the ramparts, and 
 was so very small for the purpose required, that 
 we were obliged to get large oblong and deep 
 holes excavated, in which two stout Portuguese 
 were emploj^ed to pack the bodies, heads and 
 heels together, to save room. For this duty these 
 two brutes seemed duly born — for never before 
 did I see two such ruffianly looking fellows. 
 
 It was singularly revolting to witness how the 
 pair went to work when handing the bodies from 
 the hospital to the cart ; each carried a skin of
 
 do BURYING THE DEAD. 
 
 vinegar, with which they first soused themselves 
 over the neck and face ; this done, with one jerk 
 they jilted a single corpse at a.time across their 
 shoulders, naked as it was born, and bolted off 
 to the cart, into which it was pitched as if it 
 had been a log of wood. The women, however, 
 who fell victims to the epidemic were generally 
 sewed in a wrapper of calico or some such thing, 
 but they partook of the same hole as the oppo- 
 site sex, and otherwise were as little privileged. 
 Many were the scores of my poor comrades I 
 thus saw committed to their first parent, and 
 many were the coarse jests the grave diggers made 
 over their obsequies. 
 
 While I was confined in hospital, the brigade 
 marched and took up their cantonments between 
 Ciudad Roderigo and Almeida. In the beginning 
 of February about three hundred convalescents, 
 among whom I was one, were marched, under 
 charge of an officer of the German Legion, to 
 join their respective regiments. Nothing of any 
 consequence, in the march of our party, occurred, 
 with the exception of a very narrow escape I had 
 of being provosted, or in other words flogged. 
 As the anecdote serves to show the light in which 
 our Germans regarded this description of punish- 
 ment during the war, I will detail it. 
 
 The men being from different regiments, and 
 under the command of a foreigner, some availed 
 themselves of what they considered a fair oppor- 
 tunity of pilfering from the country people as we 
 pursued our march, and I am sorry to say that 
 
 4
 
 THE HON. CAPTAIN PAKENHAM. 39 
 
 drunkenness and robbery were not unfrequent. 
 The German officer, as is usual under such cir- 
 cumstances, experienced great difficulty in keep- 
 ing the skulkers and disorderly from lingering 
 in the rear. In compliment to my steadiness, he 
 had made me an acting Corporal, with strict 
 orders to make the rear men of our detachment 
 keep up. Just before we arrived at the town of 
 Viseu, then occupied by the Foot Guards, and 
 the head-quarters of the Commander-in-Chief, I 
 came up to some of our party who were doing 
 their best to empty a pig-skin of wine they had 
 stolen. Being dreadfully fatigued and thirsty, 1 
 had not sufficient restraint upon myself to refuse 
 the invitation held out to me to drink, which I 
 did, and so became a partner in the crime. I 
 was in the act of taking the jug of wine from 
 my lips, when a party of the IGth Light Dragoons 
 rode up and made us prisoners ; the peasant, 
 from whom the wine had been taken having 
 made his complaint at head quarters. We were 
 imprisoned, nine of us in number, in Viseu. The 
 second day, the Hon. Captain Fakenham,* of 
 
 * The Honourable Captain Pakenham was a brother-in-law 
 to the Duke of "Wellington. This gentleman, who belonged to 
 my regiment, was very much beloved by us all. He was al- 
 ways so considerate ! On every occasion when the fresh arrival 
 of necessaries, meat, wine, &c., brought the men in crowds 
 about the stores, he invariably would abide his turn, and, as 
 though he were one of ourselves, oblige every new comer, 
 whatever his rank, to submit to the same. This, though mere 
 justice, for its rare occurrence with the other officers, was 
 never forgotten bv the men. Since his return from the Penin-
 
 40 HANGING AND FLOGGING. 
 
 the Adjutant-General's department, paid us a 
 visit, and told us he had had great difficulty in 
 saving us from being hanged. Although this 
 was probably said to frighten, still it was not 
 altogether a joke, as a man of the name of Ma- 
 guire of the 27th regiment, who had been with 
 me in hospital, was hung for stopping and rob- 
 bing a Portuguese of a few vintems. 
 
 As it was, the German officer in charge of the 
 detachment received orders, on leaving Viseu, 
 to see that we received two dozen each from 
 the Provost-Martial every morning, until we re- 
 joined our regiments. This comfortable kind of 
 a breakfast I was not much inclined to relish, 
 particularly as we had seven days' march to get 
 through before we reached our battalion. The 
 following day, the eight culprits and myself were 
 summoned during a halt, to appear before the 
 German, expecting to be punished. We were, 
 however, agreeably undeceived by the officer 
 addressing us as follows, to the best of my re- 
 collection, in broken English : — 
 
 " I have been told to have you mens flogged, 
 for a crime dat is very bad and disgraceful to 
 de soldier — robbing de people you come paid to 
 fight for. But we do not flog in my country, so 
 I shall not flog you, it not being de manner of 
 my people ; I shall give you all to your Colonels, 
 if they like to flog you, they may." 
 
 sula I have been told he was ordered to New Orleans, where 
 he was lolled.
 
 THE GERMANS. 41 
 
 Being thus relieved, each of us saluted the 
 kind German and retired. From that moment, 
 I have always entertained a high respect for our 
 Germans, which indeed they ever showed them- 
 selves deserving of, from the British, not only 
 on account of their humanity and general good 
 feeling to us, but from their determined bravery 
 and discipline in the field. As cavalry, they were 
 the finest and most efficient I ever saw in action ; 
 and I had many opportunities of judging, as some 
 troops of them generally did duty with us during 
 the war. Indeed, while alluding to the cavalry 
 of the German Legion, I cannot help remarking 
 on the care and fondness with which they regarded 
 their horses. A German soldier seldom thought 
 of food or rest for the night until his horse had 
 been provided for. The noble animals, them- 
 selves, seemed perfectly aware of this attention on 
 the part of their riders, and I have often been 
 amused by seeing some of the horses of the 
 Germans run after their masters with all the play- 
 fulness of a dog. The consequence of this atten- 
 tion to their horses was, they were in condition 
 when those of our own cavalry were dying, or 
 in an otherwise very deplorable state ; this, with- 
 out wishing to throw a disparagement upon 
 our own countrymen, I attributed to the difference 
 of custom between the two countries. We never 
 saw a German vidette or express galloping furi- 
 ously, that we did not immediately know there 
 was work for some one to do. While on out- 
 post duty their vigilance was most admirable.
 
 42 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 Old Trowsers — Sleeping and waking — O'Hare again — Colonel 
 Beckwith — Two upon one — Meagher — Barba del Puerco — 
 General Crauford taken by surprise — The Portuguese incor- 
 poration with the light division — Roderigo — Gallegos — The 
 Beacon night scenes on picquet — Lord Wellington — Napo- 
 leon's Marriage — Crauford's stratagem — The French spy — 
 We retreat to Fort Conception. 
 
 I rejoined my regiment at Barba del Piierco, a 
 small village near the banks of the river Coa, on 
 the other side of which the enemy had taken up 
 their position. Our regiment was cantoned in the 
 surrounding villages, while nightly we mounted 
 a captain's picquet on a height facing a bridge, on 
 the other side of which the French had thrown 
 out their advanced sentry. Two of our sentries 
 were posted on the bridge, while a third was 
 stationed half-way down the steep, to keep up 
 the communication with our picquet above. 
 
 On the 19th of May, the company to which 
 1 belonged was on picquet. It was a fine, though 
 windy night, a fleecy scud occasionally obscur- 
 ing the light of the moon. About twelve o'clock, 
 while our men were mostly asleep, we were sud- 
 denly woke by the rille reports of our sentries,
 
 A SURPRISE. 43 
 
 and the French drums plaj'ing their advance, 
 " rub-a-dub-dub," which our men designated 
 with the name of " old trowsers." I was now, as 
 it were, but a young sleepy headed boy, and as 
 yet had been scarcely aroused to a true sense of 
 the profession I had embraced. I had never been 
 under the fire of a French musket, and 1 felt an 
 indescribable thrill on this occasion. The chilly 
 hour of the night and peculiar inclination to sleep, 
 at the time, had sunk my senses below zero. But 
 I was speedily startled out of my lethargy by the 
 whizzing of the enemies' bullets, as they greeted 
 my astonished hearing. My surprise soon, how- 
 ever, gave place to perfect recollection, and in 
 less than a minute we were all under arms, the 
 balls of the French whistling about us as a 
 column came rushing over the bridge to force our 
 position. Captain O 'Hare, with his characteristic 
 coolness, immediately gave us the word to '* seek 
 cover," and we threw ourselves forward among 
 the rocky and broken ground, from whence we 
 kept up a galling fire upon those who had com- 
 menced storming our heights. 
 
 We were exceedingly hard pressed when three 
 companies of our regiment, under Colonel Beck-" 
 with, came up to our relief, and the contest for a 
 while was both doubtful and bloody. But, after 
 about half an hour's hard fighting, the enemy were 
 obliged to retreat with much precipitation, and 
 under a close and murderous fire from us. 
 During this brief conflict some incidents occurred 
 that, perhaps, are worth mentioning. Colonel
 
 44 AN AFFRxVY. 
 
 Beckwith actually employed himself, at one time, 
 in heaving large fragments of stone upon the 
 French as they attempted to ascend the acclivity 
 on which we were placed, and, while so engaged, 
 got a musket shot through his cap. 
 
 Another officer of ours, the Adjutant Lieu- 
 tenant Stewart, a fine tall fellow, was engaged 
 in a personal contest with two of the grenadiers, 
 a number of whom had managed to ascend the 
 hill on our right ; at this critical moment one of 
 our men, named Ballard, fortunately came to his 
 aid, and shot one of his assailants, at which the 
 other instantly surrendered. The above gallant 
 officer, however, afterw^ards fell on our advance 
 from Santarem the following year. 
 
 This was, 1 believe, the first and last time 
 the French ever attempted surprising a ritle 
 picquet. 
 
 Both our sentries at the bridge were taken pri- 
 soners, one of them badly wounded. A rather 
 interesting recollection is attached to one of 
 them, named Meagher, who, when the exchange 
 of prisoners took place in 1814, returned to 
 England and rejoined us at Dover. He was with 
 us in France at the time of Waterloo, which, 
 however, he was not present at on account of 
 the following circumstance. 
 
 A quarrel had originated a few nights before 
 the battle of Waterloo in a wine house at Brus- 
 sels, between some of our men, and the Belgian 
 gens-d'armes, the consequence was, that the in- 
 habitants were forced to send for the guards.
 
 THE general's VALET. 45 
 
 These, of course, were soon on the spot, but were 
 as soon attacked and beaten back by the Belgians, 
 who would have driven them into the guard-house 
 but for Meagher, who, suddenly turning to the 
 assailants, levelled his rifle and shot the foremost 
 through the body ; on this, the whole of the gens- 
 d'armes retreated, not, however, till after Meagher 
 had received a cut on the side of the neck. For 
 this affair, he was put into prison, and a general 
 court martial honourably acquitted him, not until 
 that battle had been fought which for ever des- 
 troyed Napoleon's hopes. Our company, to 
 which Meagher belonged, soon after presented 
 a requisition to Captain Leach, who then com- 
 manded us, and through his intercession, Mea- 
 gher obtained a Waterloo medal. 
 
 Shortly after this attempted surprise, we quitted 
 Barba del Puerco for the town of Gallegos, 
 situated some five or six miles from Ciudad 
 Roderigo. 
 
 The following laughable incident occurred to 
 me while we lay at Gallegos : — I happened to be 
 acquainted with General Crauford's private ser- 
 vant, a Frenchman, chiefly through my being 
 employed as orderly to the brigadier. At times 
 when an opportunity offered, we used to take a 
 glass of wine together upon the most convivial 
 terms. One morning, however, when I thought 
 the brigadier had gone out, as was his usual 
 custom, I went to his room to ask the valet to 
 partake of some wine which I had received from 
 the patron of the house. On opening the door,
 
 46 A MISTAKE. 
 
 I unhesitatingly went in, and beheld, as I 
 imagined, the individual I wanted in a morning 
 gown looking out of the window. It entered 
 into my head to surprise my servant friend, so, 
 as he had not been disturbed by my approach, I 
 stepped softly up to his rear, and with a sudden 
 laugh, gave him a smart slap on the back. But 
 my consternation and surprise may be better ima- 
 gined than described, when the gentleman in the 
 dressing-gown, starting round with a " Who 
 the devil is that ?" disclosed — not the merry phiz 
 of the valet, but the stern features of General 
 Crauford himself. 
 
 I thought I should have sunk through the 
 ground at the moment, had it have opened t6 
 swallow me. I could only attempt to explain 
 the mistake I had made, in a very humble way, 
 as I gradually retreated to the door. 
 
 " And where did you get the wine from. Sir?" 
 inquired the General, with a good-humoured 
 smile ; for he observed the fright I was in. 
 
 I informed him. 
 
 " Well, well, you may go," said the General ; 
 " but, pray, Sir, never again do me the honour 
 to take me for my servant." 
 
 I needed not the permission to vanish in a 
 moment. And many a laugh and jest were 
 created at my expense afterwards among the 
 men, as the circumstance got circulated by the 
 valet. 
 
 We were here joined by the 1st and 3rd regi- 
 ments of the Portuguese Cacadores. These
 
 SEVERE DUTY. 47 
 
 fellows I never had any opinion of from the 
 very first moment I saw them. They were the 
 dirtiest and noisest brutes I ever came across. 
 Historians of the day have given them great 
 credit ; but during the wdiole of the Peninsular 
 war, or, at least, the time they were with us, I 
 never knew them to perform one gallant act. 
 On the line of march they often reminded me 
 of a band of strollers. They- were very fond of 
 gambling, and every halt we made was sure to 
 find them squatted, and with cards in their hands. 
 
 One of these regiments was placed under 
 the command of a captain of ours, named Eider, 
 a brave officer, wdio was made Colonel of the 
 3rd ; and being afterwards severely wounded at 
 Badajos, returned to England ; at the same 
 period, also, we W'Cre incorporated with the 14th 
 and 16th Light Dragoons, together with the 3rd 
 regiment of German Hussars, and Captain Bull's 
 troop of horse artillery. 
 
 The French had now commenced laying siege 
 to Roderigo, and w^e were terribly harassed by 
 the severity of our duty, being both day and 
 night accoutred and under arms ; indeed, we. 
 w'ere daily expecting an attack. 
 
 A section of our rifles usually mounted picquet 
 ■with a troop of dragoons, and occupied, accord- 
 ingly, three difterent points — Carpio, IMolinados 
 Flores and Marialva ; all about two miles nearer 
 to Roderigo. Bull's troop of artillery remained 
 ahvays near a church, in the centre of the village 
 of Gallegos, and at all times kept a gun ready
 
 48 A HASTY TOILET. 
 
 loaded with blank cartridge, and a sentry near 
 it, watching a beacon erected on a hill, about a 
 mile from the village. A vidette and one of our 
 riflemen were placed near the beacon in case 
 of the picquets being attacked, to give alarm by 
 discharging his piece into the combustibles, and 
 so setting it on fire ; or, in case of its not ig- 
 niting, to ride round it three times, with his cap 
 mounted on his sword, at which signal the gun 
 w^as instantly fired, and the whole division were 
 immediately under arms. 
 
 As I have remarked, we were greatly harassed ; 
 our picquets and the French were constantly in 
 the habit of firing at each other, and scarce a 
 day passed without some of the men being 
 brought in, either killed or wounded. We had 
 not yet established that understanding with the 
 enemy which avoided unnecessary bloodshed at 
 the outposts which afterwards tended much to 
 humanize the war. 
 
 Meanwhile the siege of Roderigo was vigo- 
 rously carried on by the French. The weather 
 was intensely hot, and we delighted in bathing in 
 a small river that flowed between the beacon- 
 hill and the village. Many of us, while so amus- 
 ing ourselves, would take these opportunities to 
 wash our shirts in the running stream, laying 
 them out to dry on the sand. Frequently, how- 
 ever, when thus employed, the alarm gun would 
 be fired, and in a moment we might be observed, 
 like so many water sprites, jumping out of the 
 stream and hurrying on the wet shirts, actually
 
 TAKING A VIEW. 49 
 
 wringing and throwing them over our shoulders, 
 while we fell in with our comrades. It was ratliei 
 surprising, that I never felt any ill effects from 
 these wet habiliments; but the men, from constant 
 exposure, had become as hardy as the soil itself. 
 From the novelty, however, of the picquet duty, 
 the men preferred it always to any other : as we 
 amused ourselves generally at night watching the 
 shells exchanged between the besieged and the 
 assailants, the sight was very beautiful, some- 
 times as many as seven or eight-and-twenty cross • 
 ing each other, like so many comets. 
 
 Once we were visited by tire Duke himself, 
 who, although his head-quarters were at the time, 
 I believe, at Viseu, distant somewhat about 
 twenty leagues, had come on a reconnoitring ex- 
 cursion to our outline picquets. While on sentry 
 one day I recollect his Grace placing his telescope 
 on my shoulders to take a view of the enemy's 
 position. Our intelligence was chiefly derived 
 from deserters, a number of whom daily came 
 oqer to us, and gave information that Ciudad 
 could not hold out much longer. 
 
 One day we were unusually alarmed by an ex- 
 traordinary bustle in the French camp ; being on 
 the advanced picquet, I could distinctly hear the 
 cheering of men and firing of cannon : the whole 
 of our division was ordered to fall in, and it was 
 not until the morning following, that we learned 
 that it originated in the news from Paris, of the 
 Emperor's marriage with the Archduchess Marie 
 Louise of Austria.
 
 50 A FRENCH SPY. 
 
 We now daily held ourselves in expectation of 
 an attack, and were under arms every morning 
 at one o'clock, five minutes only being allowed 
 for the whole division to fall in. But we seldom 
 took our accoutrements off, and used both to sleep 
 and to cook with them on. The baggage was 
 paraded every morning half a mile to the rear, 
 and every other precaution taken by the Brigadier 
 for an orderly retreat, as the French were in our 
 front and in overwhelming force, while our divi- 
 sion was scarcely more than 4000 strong. One 
 of the General's stratagems to make our small force 
 appear more numerous in the eyes of the French, 
 was to draw the regiment s|up in rank entire. Af- 
 ter, however, several months of severe hardship at 
 Gallegos, General Crauford was at last obhged to 
 change his ground, and we retreated to AUameda, 
 a little town about two miles in our rear, and on 
 the main road leading to the fortified town of 
 Almeida : we remained here a few days, and took 
 a French spy, who had passed among us as a 
 lemonade-merchant. His indifference and care- 
 lessness in accepting remuneration for his beve- 
 rage, which was in constant request, together with 
 his laughing one day very significantly when one 
 of our men was swearing at the French for the 
 trouble they caused, induced a sergeant to ap- 
 prehend him. He was brought before General 
 Crauford, and on his being searched, letters were 
 found upon him that proved him to be a French 
 Colonel. He was sent to the rear : how, indeed, 
 he managed to escape the doom he had rendered 
 himself liable to, I know not.
 
 BORDERS OF PORTUGAL. 51 
 
 A few mornings after this, the French came 
 down in great force, and we were obUged to retire. 
 This we did slowly, covered by Captain Pooss's 
 guns and our Rifles, assisted also by a few troops 
 of the 14th and 16th Dragoons and 3rd German 
 Hussars. We retired with very little loss, for a 
 distance of four or live miles, to Fort Conception 
 in front of the little town of Villa de Mula. 
 Here we went into cantonments. We were now 
 close on the borders of Portugal, which is here 
 divided from Spain only by a small stream — at 
 this spot, so narrow, that in some places it may 
 be jumped over. We daily mounted a picquet of 
 two companies at the fort, which was a beautiful 
 work, in the shape of a star. 
 
 D 'J
 
 52 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 Villa de Mula — Night expedition to Villa de Puerco — Both 
 parties retire — Death of Colonel Talbot — A soldier's grave — 
 The effects of a miscarriage — Fort Conception blown up — A 
 mistake and no mistake — Another mistake, a ball in the right 
 knee — The bridge over the Coa — A friend in need, a friend 
 indeed — Charity abroad and at home — A surgeon's advice — 
 A blessing — A cough, an uncomfortable companion — Spanish 
 apathy — We arrive at Fraxedas. 
 
 A FEW days after our arrival at Villa de Mula, 
 a part of the division formed a night expedition 
 to surprise and cut off one or two French regi- 
 ments that nightly occupied an advanced position 
 on our right, retiring every morning about day- 
 light. The rifles got under arms at ten o'clock 
 at night, and were soon afterwards joined by 
 several companies of the 43rd and 52nd regi- 
 ments, together with one or two troops of the 14th 
 Light Dragoons, and some of our favourite Ger- 
 mans. AVc soon guessed that some secret enter- 
 prise was about to be undertaken, as strict orders 
 were issued to keep the men from talking, and 
 to make them refrain from lighting their pipes, 
 lest our approach should be noticed by the enemy.
 
 CHARGE OF CAVALRY. 
 
 53 
 
 Even the wheels of two of Captain Ross's guns 
 that accompanied us, were muffled round with 
 hay bands to prevent their creaking. 
 
 In this disposition we proceeded in the direction 
 of the left of the enemy's position which rested on 
 Villa de Puerco. We had all loaded before march- 
 ing, and were anxiously looking forward to the 
 result, when a whispering order was given to enter a 
 large field of standing corn and to throw ourselves 
 on the ground. There we anxiously waited the 
 first dawn of day for the expected engagement. 
 At length the cold gray of the morning appeared 
 faintly in the east, when the commands were 
 given with scarce a pause between to " fall in," 
 "double," and "extend." This was accom- 
 plished in a moment, and forward we ran through 
 the corn field up to an eminence, looking down 
 from which we beheld a gallant skirmish on the 
 plain beneath. The 14th Dragoons were in the 
 act of charging a body of French infantry, who 
 had, however, thrown themselves into square. The 
 cavalry cheered forward in gallant style, but the 
 French, veteran like, stood firm to meet the 
 onset pouring in, at the same time, a close run- 
 ning fire that emptied many saddles. Lieutenant- 
 Colonel Talbot, who headed the charge, fell al- 
 most immediately, together with the quarter- 
 master and from sixteen to eighteen privates. 
 After an unavailing attempt to shake the square, 
 the cavalry was obliged to retire — a movement 
 which the enemy on their part immediately imi- 
 tated. An attempt was made to annoy them with
 
 54 FORT CONCEPTION. 
 
 our guns, but in consequence of their smallness, 
 being but light field-pieces, our shots were at- 
 tended with very little effect. 
 
 The following day, we buried Colonel Talbot 
 and the quarter-master close to the porch of the 
 little chapel in the village we occupied — a some- 
 what romantic-looking spot for a soldier's grave. 
 The miscarriage of our enterprise, it was gene- 
 rally rumoured, had brought our general into bad 
 odour at head-quarters ; indeed, for some days 
 after, I thought he \yore a troubled look, as though 
 he took our failure to heart. 
 
 As I have already remarked two of our com- 
 panies alternately did duty in front of our posi- 
 tion, at Fort Conception. The orders issued to 
 the officer commanding the picquet were to blow 
 up the fort immediately on the apprg^ch of the 
 enemy, for which purpose it was undermined in 
 several places by the artillerymen, who were 
 left to fire the mines when the order should be 
 given. 
 
 On the morning of the 19th of July, our com- 
 pany and another were on duty at this point, and 
 it was generally expected we should be attacked 
 on the morrow. I think the intelligence was 
 brought by a deserter. The fort contained a great 
 quantity of good English rum and biscuit, which 
 Captain O'Hare allowed the men of both com- 
 panies to help themselves to and fill their can- 
 teens, upon their promise, which they kept, not 
 to get drunk. The following morning, before it 
 was scarcely light, the enemy proved the correct-
 
 FIRING A MINE. 55 
 
 ness of our anticipations by advancing upon us 
 in heavy columns, preceded by their light troops. 
 The command was instantly given to fire the 
 mines, and we retired upon our division. A 
 few minutes after our quitting the fort, its beau- 
 tiful proportions, which had excited the admira- 
 tion of so many beholders, was broken, as by the 
 shock of an earthquake, into a blackened heap of 
 ruin. 
 
 We retreated to near the walls of Almeida, 
 where we halted until the 23rd, when at night 
 we experienced a storm that for violence, while 
 it lasted, exceeded anything I had ever before 
 beheld. The lightning, thunder, wind, and rain 
 were absolutely awful. With a few otber men, 
 I had sought shelter in the hollow of a rock, 
 where we were not a little amazed at the numbers 
 of snakes and lizards which the occasional gleams 
 of lightning exhibited to us running about in all 
 directions, as though the tempest had the effect 
 of bringing them all from their holes. 
 
 At break of day, the music that we were now 
 getting quite accustomed to— i. e. the cracking 
 of the rifles of our outline picquet, gave intel- 
 ligence of the enemy's advance. Our company 
 was immediately ordered to support them. Cap- 
 tain O'Hare accordingly placed us behind some 
 dilapidated walls, where we awaited the approach 
 of the picquet then under the Hon. Captain 
 Steward engaged about half a mile in our front, 
 and slowly retreating upon us. They had alreadj^, 
 as it afterwards appeared, several men killed.
 
 56 BURSTING OF A SHELL. 
 
 while Lieutenant M'Culloch bad been wounded 
 and taken prisoner with a number of others. We 
 could distinctly see the enemy's columns in great 
 force but had little time for observation, as our 
 advance ran in upon us followed by the French 
 tirailleurs, with whom we were speedily and 
 hotly engaged. The right wing of the 52nd regi- 
 ment, at this period, was drawn up about one 
 hundred yards in our rear behind a low wall, 
 when a shell, which with several others was 
 thrown amongst us, from the town, burst so 
 near, that it killed several of our men and buried 
 a sergeant so completely in mud, but without hurt- 
 ing him, that we were obliged to drag him out of 
 the heap, toprevent his being taken by the enemy* 
 — at this moment also Lieutenant Cohen who 
 stood close to me received a shot through the 
 body. My old Captain O'Hare, perceiving him 
 roll his eyes, and stagger, caught him by the arm, 
 saying in a rather soft tone to the men about him, 
 " Take that poor boy to the rear, he does not 
 know what is the matter with him," and with the 
 same characteristic coolness, he continued his 
 duties. While hotly engaged, however, with the 
 French in our front, one or two troops of their 
 cavalry which, from the similarity of uniform, 
 
 * I must here remark, that these shells were thrown at us hy 
 mistake, as the town was in the possession of our friends the 
 Portuguese, under the command of Colonel Cox, a British 
 officer, who from our position being near the enemy, as well 
 as our green dress, must have mistaken us for the latter. Al- 
 meida was afterwards taken hy the French.
 
 ATTACK OF FRENCH CAVALRY. 57 
 
 we had taken for Germans, whipped on our left 
 flank between our company and the wing of the 
 52nd when a cry of " the French cavalry are upon 
 us," came too late as they charged in amongst us. 
 Taken thus unprepared, we could oppose but 
 little or no resistance, and our men were trampled 
 down and sabred, on every side. A French 
 dragoon had seized me by the collar, while 
 several others, as they passed, did me the 
 "honour" of aiming at me with their swords. 
 The man who had collared me had his sabre's 
 point at my breast, when a volley was fired from 
 our rear by the 52nd, who, by this time had dis- 
 covered their mistake, which tumbled the horse of 
 my captor. He fell heavily with the animal on 
 his leg, dragging me down with him. 
 
 It was but for a moment nevertheless : deter- 
 mined to have one brief struggle for liberty, I 
 freed myself from the dragoon's grasp and deal- 
 ing him a severe blow with the butt of my rifle, 
 I rushed up to the wall of our 52nd, which I was 
 in the act of clearing at a jump, when I received 
 a shot under the cap of my right knee and in- 
 stantly fell. In this emergency, there seemed a 
 speedy prospect of my again falling into the 
 hands of the French, as the division was in rapid 
 retreat, but a comrade of the name of Little 
 instantly took me on his back, and was proceed- 
 ing, as quick as possible with me, towards the 
 bridge of the Coa, over which our men were fast 
 pouring, when he, poor fellow ! also received a 
 shot, which passing through his arm smashed 
 
 D 3
 
 58 PERILS OF WAR. 
 
 the bone, and finally lodged itself in my thigh, 
 where it has ever since remained. In this ex- 
 tremity, Little was obliged to abandon me, but 
 urged by a strong desire to escape imprisonment, 
 I made another desperate effort, and managed to 
 get over the bridge, from the other side of which 
 Captain Ross's guns were in full roar, covering 
 our retreat ; in this crippled state and faint 
 through loss of blood, I made a second appeal to 
 a comrade, who assisted me to ascend 'a hill on 
 the other side of the river. 
 
 On the summit, we found a chapel which had 
 been turned into a temporary hospital, where a 
 number of wounded men were being taken to 
 have their wounds dressed by the surgeons. For- 
 tunately, I had not long to wait for my turn, for 
 as we momentarily expected the coming of 
 the French, everything was done with the great- 
 est dispatch. 
 
 In this affair our company sustained a very 
 
 severe loss ; our return was, " one officer, Lieut. 
 
 (<^^ Cohen, quite a youth, dangerously wounded, 
 
 eleven file killed and wounded, and forty five 
 
 taken prisoners." 
 
 My old Captain O'Hare had only eleven men 
 on parade next day. The preceding facts will 
 serve to show the unmilitary reader, that skir- 
 mishes are frequently more partially destructive 
 than general actions to Riflemen, although at- 
 tended with but little of their celebrity. For my 
 own part, I was never nearer death, excepting 
 on the night we took Badajos.
 
 A SINGULAR ESCAPE. 59 
 
 1 must not forget a singular escape that oc- 
 curred : a man of the name of Charity, of my own 
 company, when the cavalry first rushed upon us, 
 had fallen, wounded in the head by a sabre, 
 while on the ground, he received another severe 
 sword slash on the seat of honour, and a shot 
 through the arm, the latter, no doubt, from the 
 52nd. Yet after all this, he managed to escape, 
 and 
 
 Clothed in scarlet lived to tell the tale, 
 
 as a pensioner in Chelsea Hospital. 
 
 Having no mules nor waggons to accommodate 
 us, the surgeons advised all who were by any 
 means capable of moving, to get on as quick as 
 they could to Pinhel. 
 
 There were of our regiment about seventy or 
 eighty disabled, a number of those hobbled on- 
 wards assisting each other by turns. 
 
 We commenced our slow and painful march, 
 and by the help of a couple of rides that served 
 as crutches, I managed to reach the first village 
 where the Juiz or chief magistrate selected, and 
 put the worst of our wounded into bullock carts. 
 Amongst those I fortunately was one ; and al- 
 though crammed with six others into a wretched 
 little vehicle, scarcely capable of accommodating 
 more than two, I thought it a blessing for which 
 I could not feel sufficiently thankful. 
 
 In this manner, we were dragged along all night, 
 and by the following daylight we halted at another 
 village, where I felt so dreadfully faint from loss
 
 60 LORD WELLINGTON. 
 
 of blood and my confined position, that I could 
 not move at all. While refreshing our parched 
 lips with some water that had been eagerly de- 
 manded, Lord Wellington and some of his staff 
 galloped up. Glancing his eye at us for a mo- 
 ment, and seeing our crowded condition in the 
 carts, he instantly gave an order to one of his 
 aids-de-camp to obtain additional conveyance 
 from the Juiz de Fora, and also bread and wine. 
 His Lordship then rode off towards Almeida. 
 
 Although neither bread nor wine made their 
 appearance, a few additional carts were procured, 
 into one of which I was transferred with four 
 other men. 
 
 We again continued our march, until we came 
 to a stream of water where we halted ; here we 
 lost a most excellent officer, a Lieutenant Pratt, 
 who was wounded through the neck, and at first, 
 as I could see, was doing very well. He was seated 
 on one of the men's knapsacks conversing with 
 some of his wounded brother officers, when he was 
 suddenly seized with a violent fit of coughing, 
 and almost instantly began pumping a quantity 
 of blood from the wound. 1 never before saw 
 so much come from any man. 
 
 It appeared that the ball, which went through 
 his neck, had passed so close to the carrotid 
 artery, that the exertion of coughing had burst 
 it, and it became impossible to stop the hemorr- 
 hage. He bled to death, and warm as he was, they 
 covered him in the sand and proceeded. After we 
 had been driven some few miles further, one of
 
 UNPLEASANT SITUATION. 61 
 
 my wounded comrades, who was shot through the 
 body, and whose end seemed momentarily ap- 
 proaching, at length, in a dying state relaxed 
 his hold from the cart sides and fell across me as 
 I lay at the bottom. Weak and wounded myself, 
 I had not power to move him, and in this situa- 
 tion, the horrors of which survived for some 
 time in my mind, death put an end to his suf- 
 ferings but without granting me any respite for 
 some hours. His struggles having ceased, how- 
 ever, I was enabled to recover myself a little, and 
 called to the driver to remove the body. But 
 the scoundrel of a Portuguese, who kept as much 
 a head of his bullocks as possible, was so afraid 
 of the French, that I could get no other answer 
 from him than " non quireo," or " don't bother 
 me," and a significant shrug of the shoulder, 
 which bespoke even more than his w^ords. 
 
 At length we arrived at Fraxedas on the road 
 to Coimbra, Avhere we found the 1st division en- 
 camped outside the town. Here I got rid of my 
 dead comrade, and we had our wounds dressed. 
 The guards, who belonged to the 1st division, 
 behaved to us with a kindness which I never can 
 forget ; as we had no men of our own to attend to 
 us, forty of their number, under an officer, were 
 ordered to supply our wants until we arrived at 
 Lisbon.
 
 62 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 Mondego — The Coimbra — Figueras — The maggots — Lisbon — 
 Battle of Busaco — Retreat to Torres Vedras — Lord Wel- 
 lington's Generalship — Belem — Jack ashore and Jonathan 
 also — Yankey and Lankey — BUly Mc.Crabb the Highland 
 Kite and Lowland tail — Josh. Hetherington — Sperum Poco 
 — Portuguese piety — Arruda — Doing what the enemy left 
 undone — Tom Crawley again — In state — A hot birth — Our 
 enemies laugh at Tom in his glory. 
 
 From Fraxedas we pursued our way to Mon- 
 dego, and from thence we passed in boats down 
 the river through Coimbra, to the sea port of 
 Figueras. Sick and ill as I was, I well recollect 
 the exquisite scenery that met our gaze on the 
 banks of that beautiful river, as we floated over 
 its surface to our destination. 
 
 The heat of the weather however was intense 
 and dreadfully affected our wounds. The scar- 
 city of doctors too, and the fear of falhng into the 
 hands of the enemy, spurred every one forward, 
 and so took up the moments that the surgeons 
 had not time sufficient nor opportunity to look 
 after us. The consequence was, that this neglect 
 caused maggots to be engendered in the sores, 
 and the bandages, when withdrawn, brought away
 
 Wellington's retreat. 63 
 
 on them lumps of putrid flesh and maggots. 
 Many died on board, and numbers were reduced 
 in consequence to the necessity of amputation. 
 By care and syringing sweet oil into my wounds, 
 I however had managed to get rid of them. 
 
 At Figueras we embarked on board some trans- 
 ports that there waited our arrival, and we sailed 
 for Lisbon where, in a short time, we landed and 
 borne on stretches by some men of the Ordinanza 
 or Portuguese Militia, were conveyed to the hos- 
 pital. 
 
 From regular and kind treatment there, I 
 soon recovered ; but during my convalescence 
 the battle of Busaco was fought, and the British 
 army retired towards Lisbon. ' 
 
 It may perhaps be necessary, or before I con- 
 tinue my personal narrative, to observe, that Lord 
 Wellington, finding his numbers greatly unequal 
 to the enemy was obliged to retreat. This, it is 
 well known, he directed in a very skilful manner, 
 having long before anticipated the probability of 
 such an event by the erection of the lines of 
 Torres Vedrds. During the retreat, his Lordship 
 ordered the people of the country to accompany 
 the troops, and to destroy all those things which 
 they could not carry with them. By this precau- 
 tion, Massena's army, on the track of the British 
 and Portuguese, through want of food and ne- 
 cessaries, were reduced to the greatest privations, 
 of which the Marshal bitterly complained in his 
 despatches of that period. 
 
 Perhaps few events in the Peninsular war re-
 
 64 BELEM. 
 
 fleet more credit upon Lord Wellington, as a 
 commander, than the admirable manner in which 
 he had thus drawn nn overwhelming force of the 
 French into actual famine, in front of works that 
 afforded security and plenty to his own compa- 
 ratively small force. 
 
 In a few weeks after our arrival at Lisbon, I 
 became sufficiently recovered to leave the hos- 
 pital and was accordingly transferred to Belem, 
 a place much noted amongst us for every species 
 of skulk, bat better known to my fellow soldiers 
 as the "Belem rangers." The chief part of the 
 58th. and 87th. regiments, the latter I believe 
 from the severe loss they had sustained at 
 Talavera, were doing duty there. 
 
 Belem itself is about two miles from Lisbon, 
 but contiguous to it, or, as the suburbs of 
 London are to the city. I was here, as it were, 
 quite at my ease ; and usually spent my time 
 rambling about the quays. The port was thronged 
 with shipping, bringing troops and stores from 
 England, and if I recollect rightly, the Hibernia, 
 the Caledonia, and the Britannia, and other ships 
 of war lay in the bay ; at all events, we con- 
 stantly intermixed with the sailors, and were 
 mostly coupled with them ; some recognising 
 old friends — town-mates ; and others, nearer and 
 dearer ties, and forming new links and acquaint- 
 ances ; — this the peculiarity of our situations 
 naturally tended to strengthen, fighting as we 
 were in the same cause, though on different ele- 
 ments. One day, however, I remember being
 
 YANKEE AND LANCASHIRE. 65 
 
 present at a regular row in a wine-house, between 
 an American and a Lancashire man. They bo Ji 
 belonged to the same ship, and from what I 
 could understand, were very quarrelsome fellows, 
 and the most unfair fighters on board. 
 
 The Yankee was from Kentucky, and had a 
 precious knack of " gouging" as they termed 
 it, or, screwing his finger into the side locks of 
 his opponent, and so with his thumb poking his 
 eyes out. One or two on board had been 
 "jockied" in this way. The Lancashire man, 
 alias " Tummas, "alias " Lankey,"who had nearly 
 lost one eye by a splinter at Trafalgar, seemed 
 unwilling to risk the loss of the other in any 
 encounter with him. 
 
 " But," said he, " I tell you what, you 
 cowardly sea sarpent, if it warnt that I fear'd 
 your fingering this 'ere solitary blinker o' mine, 
 I'd dust your Yankee jacket for you." 
 
 The " gouger," however, despite the confes- 
 sion, though ready for a scrimmage, had some 
 inward dread also, and seemed to dislike alto- 
 gether the hazard of being bit, slobbered, and 
 perhaps kicked to a jelly. The Englishman's 
 friends, nevertheless, came to a council of war ; 
 and it w^as agreed at last, that though ashore, 
 they should thump it out " ship fashion." 
 
 " For you know," said a short, fat, big-whisk- 
 ered, little sailor, who, I believe, was the boat- 
 swain, " I'm d — d if they can kick, scratch, 
 gouge, or bite, when they hangs by their starn 
 sheets."
 
 66 PREPARATIONS FOR BATTLE. 
 
 It was settled, therefore, that they should have 
 it out on a barrel. 
 
 A butt big enough to hold the rations of a 
 whole division, was soon procured of the Patrone, 
 and the little man bolted to the boats for some 
 large nails and a hammer. 
 
 The barrel meantime, was rolled out to the 
 centre of the quay, and to keep it steady, settled 
 longways between two heaps of stones. Mean- 
 while the two combatants could scarcely be kept 
 from each other, till the " little-whiskers" re- 
 turned. 
 
 " Clear the gangways !" at last roared a voice 
 from the crowd, and the boatswain bounced, 
 almost breathless, to the barrel. In a few mi- 
 nutes, Yankee and Lanky were seated, and the 
 little man first nailing one by a small bit of the 
 bottom of his canvas trowsers to the barrel edge, 
 and the other by the same contingency to the 
 other, brought them fronting and about two feet 
 apart. The two then proceeded to balance their 
 fists, like rope dancers' poles, and fixing their 
 eyes on each other, awaited the signal to begin. 
 
 " Now gemmen," bellowed the boatswain, 
 " clear the decks ; and you, Tummas for the 
 honour of your mess-mates lets have no sham- 
 ming afore these ere Portugals and biled lobsters. 
 Now, soitly my lads : when you sees me put my 
 quid into my jaws — " the two men looked at each 
 other ; " heave in your broadsides." 
 
 The words were scarcely out, when in flopped 
 the quid, and the combatants commenced ham-
 
 SINGULAR FIGHT. 67 
 
 mering away at each other at what both, perhaps, 
 thought hurricane rate. 
 
 In the course of a few rounds Tummas fell, 
 but caught by his breech, remained hanging over 
 the barrel edge ; up however, he was re-seated, and 
 at it they went again until Yankey fell also, and 
 hung in the same manner. 
 
 " Excellent!" roared the boatswain, " excellent 
 preventative, or my old aunt warnt a virgin !" 
 
 Yankey was soon himself, and they closed again, 
 round after round, until the two champions hung 
 powerless at the same moment. 
 
 " Drawn fight !" bellowed the Httle man again ; 
 " both tough ones !" and he proceeded to sepa- 
 rate with an enormous clasp knife the fixtures at 
 their trowsers : all this while the crowd about 
 them were convulsed with laughter, which was 
 further increased by a hole in each of the com- 
 batant's trowsers, which the boatswain had care- 
 fully cut large enough almost to admit the barrel. 
 The two sailors however, having recovered them- 
 selves and tucked back the blue check, steered 
 away with a growl to the wine house. 
 
 Among the officers of our battalion that had 
 been wounded at Almeida, was one Captain 
 Mitchell, who having received a ball through the 
 arm, was transferred with us to Lisbon: when suffi- 
 ciently recovered, he one morning came to the 
 convalescent barrack to muster those who were 
 willing and able to rejoin their regiments. 
 Amongst others selected, was a man named Billy 
 M'Nabb, of our corps, a most notorious skulker
 
 68 A SKULKER. 
 
 and a methodist. He had scarcely ever done duty 
 with his company, but had remained sneaking 
 about the hospital as an orderly ; and occasion- 
 ally preaching and praying to the drunken soldiers 
 in the streets of Lisbon. Captain Mitchell, how- 
 ever, had made up his mind that M'Nabb should 
 see the enemy before he returned to England, and 
 as a "persuasive," when Billy most violently re- 
 sisted the summons, ordered him to be tied to 
 the bullock-cart, amid the jeers of the soldiers, 
 and conveyed back to his regiment. But it was 
 only for a short period, as Billy got tired of the 
 " sight, "and took the earliest opportunity to de- 
 camp, for he suddenly disappeared from among 
 us, and but for my having seen him since preach- 
 ing in the streets of London, should have been 
 inclined to think he never returned home at all. 
 
 The morning that the convalescents fell in to 
 start for the main-army, we were joined by a 
 batch of recruits, chiefly intended for the 68th and 
 85th regiments. They were a squad of plump, 
 rosy cheeked, smart-looking fellows, and like 
 ourselves, each of them had been provided with 
 five days' rations in advance ; consisting of 
 salt pork, biscuits, and rum, the first of which, 
 they cooked ready for the march. 
 
 Their officer in command was an astonishing 
 man nearly seven feet high. I shall never forget 
 him : by his high-cheeked bones and dark com- 
 plexion, I took him at first to be a foreigner : but 
 as soon as he spoke, his broad accent declared him 
 to be a North Briton, as far North as could be.
 
 HALTING AND EATING. 6S^ 
 
 He seemed well acquainted with every theory, 
 or that part of a campaign which is generally di- 
 gested at home ; and as a sample of this, he or- 
 dered his men, in accordance with the regulations 
 ofDundas, the then Commander-in-chief, to halt 
 and rest ten minutes or quarter of an hour at the 
 end of every three miles. 
 
 *' Coom men," he would say, pulling out his 
 gold watch, " ye ken, I suppose, yer three miles 
 is up, set ye down and eat a pound, the mair ye 
 tak into yer stomachs the less ye '11 carry on yer 
 backs." This over, the watch would be again in 
 requisition, and it would be, " Coom men, yer 
 quarter of an hour is nearly up, ye maun aye be 
 gangingagain;" and the men, of course, would fall 
 in. By thus halting every three miles, and eating a 
 pound each time, before we reached Maffra, at 
 the end of the second day's march, the men had 
 " pounded" the whole of their five days' rations, 
 and some of them began to growl most confound- 
 edly from the want of provisions. Wishing to 
 know the cause, he sent for the sergeant, and 
 desired him to inquire, when the latter informed 
 him , 
 
 " Hoot inon, ye dinna say that, do ye? Tell 
 them all to fall in. I fear I maun chop a wee logic 
 w^ith them." 
 
 " Oh ye hungry hounds," exclaimed he, when 
 the men appeared before him. " Ye dinna ken the 
 grand army yet ; not content now, ye maun aye 
 whistle then, for ye waunna get in ten days then 
 what your hungry maw's have now devoor'd in
 
 70 A TALL OFFICER. 
 
 twa !" saying which, he placed himself at their 
 head, to direct their movements. I used to liken 
 him to a kite, while the files of short men after 
 him, reminded me of the tail. His shoulders 
 were so broad and yet so skinny and square, and 
 his height so convenient, that without stirring a 
 peg from the front section, he would wave his 
 sword and look over their heads down the ranks, 
 and see every manoeuvre. 
 
 Amongst the convalescents, but very recently 
 from cockneyshire, was a man named Josias 
 Hetherington. This fellow was oneof the queer- 
 est I ever met with, and I verily believe had seen 
 service before, but amongst gypsies, prigs, goal- 
 birds, and travelling showmen. There was not a 
 move but what he was up to, and in addition to 
 these, he was an excellent ventriloquist, and terri- 
 fied the nihabitants as we went along, whenever 
 an occasion off'ered. 
 
 I think it was on the third day's march, we 
 had stopped for the night in a small village, and 
 as it happened, Josh, and I got billeted in the 
 same house together. Outside our quarters in 
 front of the house, was a small square (every 
 town, village and pig-stye in Portugal has one,) 
 in the middle of whicb and while we were cooking 
 our rations the inhabitants had commenced a fan- 
 dango. This also is usual on Sundays in Portugal. 
 Attracted by the whistle and a small drum beaten 
 by a short, dumpy ugly looking lump of a Portu- 
 guese, Josh, and I would occasionally run down 
 to join, and leave our pots beside the Patrone's
 
 VENTRILOQUISM. 71 
 
 wood fire as close as we could to the red embers. 
 But invariably, when we came in to take a peep 
 at the boiling progress, we found our utensils 
 moved aside and the contents as cold as charity. 
 Josh, looked at me and I at Josh., the same as to 
 say, " Who the blazes moves our meat about so ?" 
 Josh, however hearing footsteps on the stairs, 
 popped me and himself after into a kind of pantry. 
 I partially closed the door, and there we stood 
 watching. 
 
 In a few minutes in came the Patrone or lady 
 of the house, and looking about her a little, 
 bounced to our little utensils, and was proceeding 
 to purloin the meat, muttering something to 
 herself at the same moment. But she had 
 scarcely put a hand to it, when a voice as if from 
 the pot plainly told her to " Sperum poco," (wait 
 a little.) The old woman frisked up, looked doubt- 
 ful, crossed herself, and with the courage thiscxfford- 
 ed, again attacked the pots. But the same words 
 only quick and smart as a rifle shot, sent her 
 reeling and screechingto the corner of the kitchen. 
 " Oh Santa Maria ! oh Jesu, oh la deos ! Pedro 
 aye el demonio ei in panello, (the devil's in the 
 pot,) SantaMariaora — ora — ora — orapro nobis !" 
 and the good soul went off in a Portuguese fit. 
 
 Josh, and I, scarcely able to contain our mirth, 
 rushed out of the house instantly and joined in 
 the crowd, which her screams were collecting 
 about the door-way. The old Patrone recovered, 
 and was off in a twinkling to the Priest and the 
 Alcalde, but it was all in vain, the billet could
 
 72 ARRUDA. 
 
 not be changed, for the whole village equally 
 feared the devil, and we held quiet possession till 
 the next morning, and might have carried away 
 the house for what the old Patrone cared, for she 
 left her domicile and never returned till we had 
 marched out of the place. 
 
 The following day, 12th of October 1810, I re- 
 joined my regiment encamped near a small vil- 
 lage on the lines of Torres Vedras, called Arruda, 
 where I found my old Captain, who despite his se- 
 vere loss, had scraped together a snug company, 
 partly from men who had made their escape from 
 the French after the affair at Almeida, but chiefly 
 from a batch of recruits that joined our lirst 
 battalion with the third of our regiment that came 
 from England while I was in hospital. Arruda 
 was a pretty little place enough until we mounted 
 our picquets, when the men dreadfully defaced it, 
 perhaps from a belief that the French might enter 
 — a pleasure they never had. 
 
 The inhabitants whose fears had been enhanced 
 by its exposed situation had nearly all evacuated 
 the place, taking with them only the most port- 
 able and valuable of their effects, and leaving the 
 houses as it were, furnished and tenantless. The 
 change was the more extraordinary from the cir- 
 cumstance of its pleasant site having for many 
 years made it a country resort for the rich citizens 
 of Lisbon. 
 
 For a few days after our arrival, it presented 
 a picture of most wanton desolation. Furniture 
 of a most splendid description in many instances
 
 HAVOC. 73 
 
 was laid open to the spoliation of the soldiery. 
 Elegant looking glasses wrenched from the mantle 
 pieces were wantonly broken to obtain bits to 
 shave by, and their encasures, with chairs, tables, 
 &c. &c. used as common firewood for the pic- 
 quets ; an Israelite would have gloated over the 
 gilded embers, and have deemed perhaps one of 
 them as under the value of what our united fire 
 places might have been reduced to. These pro- 
 ceedings, however, unravel the secret of spending 
 " half-a-crown out of sixpence a day," and the 
 philosophical reader will perhaps admit of the plea, 
 that if we had not, the French would have done 
 it for us, an event which we expected, though it 
 fortunately never was realized. 
 
 Tom Crawley was particularly pre-eminent in 
 this havoc ; his enormous strength and length 
 fitting him especially for the pulling down and 
 '* breaking up" department. 
 
 Our company was one night on picquet at 
 Arruda; we had, as usual, made a blazing fire close 
 to the stable of a large house, which in the morn- 
 ing we had noticed, contained a very handsome 
 carriage, (the only one by-the-bye that I had ever 
 seen in Portugal.) Rather late in the evening we 
 missed Tom — who, by the way, had a great love 
 of exploring the houses of the village, and whom 
 we imagined to be employed in his favourite 
 amusement, " looking for wine." After having 
 consumed sundry chairs to keep alive our fire, we 
 found it necessary to obtain fresh fuel, and while 
 consulting where it was to come from, one man, 
 
 £
 
 /I A JOLLY ROAST. 
 
 with an oath, proposed to hum the Portuguese 
 coach. The novelty of the thing among our 
 thoughtless fellows was received with acclama- 
 tions, and as our officers were ahsent in a house 
 close by, several started up on their legs for the 
 purpose. The stable-doors were immxediately 
 opened, and the coach wheeled backwards into the 
 large blazing fire. " This will make a jolly 
 roast !" exclaimed several of the men, as the 
 paint and paneling began to crack under the 
 influence of the heat. Our scamps w^ere laughing 
 and enjoying what they called a capital joke, 
 but just as the flames w'ere beginning to curl up 
 around the devoted vehicle, a roar like that of 
 a bull came from its interior, and threw us for 
 a moment into consternation : immediately after- 
 wards one of the glasses was dashed out, and Tom 
 Crawley's big head was thrust through the window^ 
 amid shouts of laughter from the men, as he cried 
 out — " Oh bad luck to your sowls ! are you going 
 to burn me -alive ?" At the same moment, urged 
 pow'erfully by the heat of his berth, he made the 
 most violent efforts to open the door, which from 
 the handle being heated, was a difficult and pain- 
 ful operation. We had some trouble ere we could 
 extricate the poor fellow, and then not before he 
 was severely scorclied. It afterwards appeared 
 he had gone half tipsy into the carriage, and was 
 taking a snooze, when he was so w^armly awoke. 
 After this occurrence, Crawley used to boast of 
 going to sleep with one eye open. 
 
 At this period the French soldiers and ourselves 
 
 n
 
 FRENCH AND ENGLISH. 75 
 
 began to establish a very amicable feeling, apart 
 from duty in the field. It was a cominon thing 
 for us to meet each other daily at the houses be- 
 tween our lines, when perhaps both parties would 
 be in search of w^ine and food. In one of the houses 
 so situated, I remember once finding Crawley in 
 a drunken state in company with two French 
 soldiers. I was mortified exceedingly by the 
 merriment his appearance had excited, and could 
 with difiiculty get him away, as he stripped, and 
 offered to fight the whole three of us for laughing 
 at him. 
 
 E 2
 
 7Q 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 The enemy retire upon Santarem — We retire uponVallee — The 
 Bridge over the Rio Mayor — The French out-lying sentries — 
 Their camp ground — Comparative quietude — The still — Es- 
 cape fi'om assassination — Tom Crawley's Ghost-stor}' — The 
 " Death and Glor}^ men" — T\\e charms of a Brunswickian ap- 
 petite — Their desertions — Sergeant Fleming — His Court 
 Martial — We meet our enemies on the water and contend — 
 A comment on both sides. 
 
 About the middle of November the enemy 
 retired, and we made a movement to follow them 
 towards Santarem, which they immediately occu- 
 pied and strongly fortified. As soon as we came 
 in sight of their works, our battalion received 
 orders to cross a river (the Rio Mayor,) which 
 discharged itself into the Tagus, about half a 
 mile lower down on our right. While executing 
 this movement, we met with rather a warm re- 
 ception, which became more intense as we at- 
 tempted to get a peep into their position ; we 
 however were obliged in turn to retreat, and 
 finally took up our cantonments at a place called 
 Vallee. The regiment was distributed in compa- 
 nies on the houses on both sides of the main road,
 
 THE TWO ARMIES. 77 
 
 that to which I was attached being quartered in an 
 old wine store near the bridge crossing the Mayor. 
 
 On this bridge we had double sentries, and ab- 
 batis of fallen trees. But the better to foil the 
 incursions of the enemy, the arches had been 
 undermined, and the powder secured from the 
 wet by bullocks' hides, trained ready for explo- 
 sion. 
 
 About two hundred yards in front of this were 
 the French outlying sentries and a little in their 
 rear, on a slight eminence, their camp ground, 
 which they had very beautifully built over with 
 ranges of huts. 
 
 About three or four miles to our left, and 
 divided from us by the Rio Mayor, rose the pretty 
 town of Santarem ; its towers and steeples peer- 
 ing up from the summit of a hill, studded on all 
 sides with groves of olive trees. The prospect 
 from it must have been very " soul-stirring," as 
 the two armies lay within shell range, although 
 they never interfered with each other for the 
 whole of the four or five months that we were 
 there ; during this time we were flanked on the 
 left and right by the 43rd and 52nd regiments, 
 and enjoyed the most uninterrupted repose, 
 almost our sole employment being to watch the 
 French movements. 
 
 Some of the men, for want of better pastime, 
 succeeded in constructing a still, with which they 
 managed to make spirits from a quantity of dried 
 grapes, found in the old wine house ; a discovery, 
 however, soon took place, much to our chagrin,
 
 78 THE PORTUGUESE. 
 
 and the still was destroyed by our old Captain, 
 Peter O'Hare. 
 
 The sanguinary nature of the Portuguese du- 
 ring the whole period of the war was notorious. 
 When crossed or excited, nothing but the shed- 
 ding of blood could allay their passion. It was 
 always with the greatest difficulty that we could 
 preserve our French prisoners from being butch- 
 ered by them even in cold blood. They would 
 hang upon the rear of a detachment with pri- 
 soners like so many carrion birds waiting every 
 opportunity to satiate their love of vengeance ; 
 and it required all the firmness and vigilance of 
 our troops to keep them in check. It was well 
 known that even our men fell in stepping be- 
 tween them and the French, whom they had 
 marked out as victims. Indeed it was not un- 
 frequent for our own men to suffer from the 
 consequences of their ferocity, and I myself, 
 while at Vallee, had a narrow escape. I had 
 crossed the hills to purchase some necessaries at 
 the quarters of the 52nd Regiment, and on my 
 return fell in with several of the soldiers of the 
 3rd Cacadores ; one of them, a fierce looking 
 scoundrel, evinced a great inclination to quarrel, 
 the more particularly as he perceived that I was 
 unarmed and alone. Having replied rather sharply 
 to some abuse they had cast upon the English, 
 by reflecting on their countrymen in return, he 
 flew into a rage, drew his bayonet, and made a 
 rush at me, which I avoided by stepping aside, 
 and tripping him head foremost on the ground ;
 
 A GHOST STORY. 79 
 
 I was in the act of seizing his bayonet, when a 
 number of his comrades came up, to whom he 
 related, in exaggerated terms, tlie cause of our 
 disagreement. Before lie had half concluded, a 
 general cry arose of " kill the English dog," and 
 the whole drawing their bayonets, were advanc- 
 ing upon me when a party of the 52nd came up, 
 the tables were turned, and the Cacadores fled in 
 all directions. 
 
 Further on in my narrative I shall have occasion 
 to give many more instances of their ferocity. 
 
 Among other laughable circumstances that 
 made the time pass gaily while we remained 
 here, was a ghost story, in which Tom Crawley 
 cut rather a conspicuous figure. Our company 
 turned into quarters for repose, when shortly after 
 in rushed Tom Crawley like a distracted man. 
 
 " Bring me some salt and water for the love of 
 God, boys !" he immediately demanded ; " I have 
 seen a ghost." 
 
 "What sort of ghost Crawley?" sung out a 
 dozen voices from the men, who immediately 
 became alive to the fun. 
 
 " Oh, a Portuguese ghost, as sure as the Lord," 
 replied Crawley. " Give me a little water with 
 some salt in it." 
 
 This salt, I must explain to the uninitiated, 
 according to a vulgar superstition in Ireland, is 
 absolutely necessary to be drunk by those who 
 may have seen a phantom before seeing a light, as 
 a neglect of the precaution was sure to be fol- 
 lowed by an evil influence. As soon, therefore.
 
 80 SALT AND WATER. 
 
 as a tin measure was brought to the agitated Tom, 
 (not filled indeed, with salt and water, but I am 
 sorry to say, a much more objectionable liquid) 
 Crawley drank it off with as much avidity as if 
 his future salvation depended upon it : the men, 
 meanwhile, nearly convulsed with laughter at 
 Tom's credulity. 
 
 At length, something like silence being re- 
 stored, Crawley took a seat, at the same time 
 making many wTy faces (that were sufficiently ac- 
 counted for by the potion he had swallowed.) 
 He then told us, in a very solemn manner, that 
 he had distinctly seen the semblance of a Cacadore 
 in Colonel Eldar's regiment, the 3rd Cacadores, 
 who used to sell our men rum on the retreat 
 from Almeida, and who w^as afterwards killed 
 at the battle of Busaco. 
 
 " But did you not speak to it ?" inquired Jack 
 Murphy. 
 
 " You know I can't talk Portuguese," replied 
 Crawley. 
 
 " A ghost can talk any language ; he would 
 have spoken English to you if you had talked to 
 him," observed another. 
 
 " But I was in too great a fright to talk at 
 all to him till he vanished away among the trees." 
 
 Poor Tom Crawley ! His ghost story afforded 
 us ample amusement for many weeks afterwards, 
 although I remember it served to procure him 
 a few extra guards for having woke the Captain 
 of our company in an adjoining room by the 
 noise he had occasioned by his spiritual narration.
 
 BRUNSWICKERS. 81 
 
 About this period we had a regiment of 
 Brunswickers sent to join our division, and one 
 of our least amusing duties soon consisted in 
 watching them, to prevent their deserting to the 
 enemy. It was the prevalence of this honour- 
 able propensity among them, I believe, that 
 induced Lord Weihngton to distribute their 
 force among the different divisions of the 
 army. These "death and glory men," as we 
 used to term them, from their badge of the skull 
 and cross bones which was worn on their shakos 
 and accoutrements, were dressed in dark green, 
 which but too frequently enabled them to steal 
 past our guards and join the French, with whom 
 many of their connexions were. Among other at- 
 tributes, with which these alHes were gifted, was 
 a canine appetite, that induced them to kill and 
 eat all the dogs they could privately lay hold 
 of. By this means the different dogs of the 
 division disappeared before the Germans with 
 a celerity truly astonishing, and we were in ig- 
 norance of their fate until the fact became openly 
 proclaimed and acknowledged. Among other 
 animals thus " potted for consumption" was a dog 
 which, from its having attached itself to our regi- 
 ment, we had christened *' Rifle." Rifle could 
 never be induced to leave us, and upon one 
 or two occasions when we had lost it, had always 
 managed to rejoin us again. We used often to 
 joke among ourselves at Rifle's antipathy to a 
 red coat, and his decided preference to green ; 
 but although, poor fellow, he had survived 
 
 £ 3
 
 82 DESERTION. 
 
 many of our skirmishes, in which he used to run 
 ahout barking and expressing his deUght as much 
 as a dog could, it was only, after all, to be de- 
 voured by the insatiable jaws of the Bruns- 
 wickers. 
 
 We had in the company a sergeant of the 
 name of Fleming, a tall athletic brave fellow, 
 from the Lake of Killarney. One night being 
 posted in picquet, he unluckily came in collision 
 with one of the Brunswick officers, and suspecting 
 his intentions to bolt to the enemy, knocked him 
 down with his rifle, and otherwise maltreated him. 
 The result was, that Fleming was tried by a 
 Brigade Court-martial, convicted for the assault, 
 sentenced to be reduced to the ranks, and to 
 receive a corporal punishment of five hundred 
 lashes. This put us all on the alert, and the 
 officers also, by whom he was very much liked. 
 The division being formed, by order of General 
 Crauford, the prisoner was brought to the centre 
 of the square, and the minutes of the Court- 
 martial read aloud, Fleming proceeded to strip 
 while the men stood attentively yet sullenly 
 awaiting the result. The General now addressed 
 him, saying, 
 
 " Prisoner Fleming, the offence which you 
 have been guilty of, is of so heinous a nature, 
 that could it be proved to be wilfully committed, 
 it would be most unpardonable ; but the excellent 
 character for gallantry and honourable conduct, 
 given of you by your officers, is such that I take 
 the responsibility on myself, relying on the plea
 
 THE FRENCH. 83 
 
 made by you. I shall not flog you, therefore, but 
 your stripes will be cut off, and I trust your future 
 conduct will testify that the discretion I now 
 use, is not misplaced; (and I here," proceeded the 
 General, turning round to the division,) "take 
 the opportunity of declaring, that if any of 
 those gentlemen," (meaning the Brunswickers,) 
 " have a wish to go over to the enemy, let them 
 express it, and I give my word of honour, I will 
 grant them a pass to that effect instantly, for we 
 are better without such." 
 
 Fleming was shortly afterwards reinstated, 
 but poor fellow he was destined to an early 
 though a more honourable fate, and fell leading 
 on the ladder party, in the forlorn hope at 
 Badajoz. 
 
 All this time, and for a great part of that in 
 which we were quartered here, a very friendly 
 intercourse was carried on between the French 
 and ourselves. We frequently met them bathing 
 in the Rio Mayor, and would as often have 
 swimming and even jumping matches. In these 
 games, however, we mostly beat them, but that 
 was attributed perhaps, to their half starved dis- 
 tressed condition. This our stolen intercourses 
 soon made us more awake to until at length, 
 touched with pity, our men went so far as to 
 share with them the ration biscuits, wiiich we 
 were regularly supplied with from England, by 
 our shipping ; indeed we buried all national hos- 
 tility in our anxiety to assist and reheve them. 
 Tobacco was in great request ; we used to carry
 
 84 THE FRENCH IN SPAIN. 
 
 some of ours to them, while they in return would 
 bring us a little brandy. Their "reveille" was 
 our summons as well as theirs, and althoagh our 
 old captain seldom troubled us to fall in at the 
 " reveille," it was not unusual to find the rear 
 of our army under arms, and, perhaps, expecting 
 an attack. But the captain knew his customers, 
 for though playful as lambs, we were watchful 
 as leopards. 
 
 It will not be amiss, perhaps, if I give the 
 reader an idea of the resources and intrinsic po- 
 sition of the two armies, thus contending on a 
 soil to which both were aliens. It will be ne- 
 cessary to enter a little into the holds either 
 party had on the opinions of the inhabitants. 
 
 The French, it must be recollected, were light- 
 ing for the usurpation — if it may be so termed — 
 of the Spanish throne by Joseph Bonaparte, and 
 had to contend with all the elements that com- 
 posed and monopolised the prejudices of the 
 Spanish and Portuguese people. The whole war 
 was one between innovation, and long and deeply 
 rooted prejudice ; and the French troops, conse- 
 quently, were on all occasions, nightly and daily, 
 not only open to attacks from the British, but in 
 constant alarm from the natives, whose animo- 
 sity made them alive to the slightest opportu- 
 nity that presented itself for doing them mischief. 
 
 No Frenchman, however fatigued, dared to 
 straggle or fall back ; it was instant death to 
 him. The Guerillas and peasantry watched with 
 the thirst of wolves, and slaughtered all who fell
 
 THE ENGLISH IN SPAIN. 85 
 
 m 
 
 into their hands. These dangers were, also, 
 doubly increased by the absence of uniforms 
 amongst the Spaniards, who, up to this time, 
 wore their own peasant dresses. This disabled 
 the French from recognising either friends or 
 foes. In addition to these, they had another 
 of greater magnitude than any, their provision 
 and ammunition resources depended entirely on 
 their communication with France — separated 
 from them by the Pyrenees, and long distances 
 from the scene of contention itself; this made 
 their supplies exceedingly precarious, and but 
 for the contributions levied by the French gene- 
 rals on the inhabitants, would have kept them 
 oft-times pendant twixt hunger and the bayonets 
 of their enemies. 
 
 The priesthood, also, numbers of whom were 
 of the French church had to return many obliga- 
 tions to their revolutionary opponents, such as 
 their banishment, wholesale, from their " snug- 
 geries" during the y^ear of terror ; these, there- 
 fore, sided always with the Spaniards, and by 
 their influence, combined Avith the Spanish in- 
 quisitorial clergy, gave a colour and energy to 
 the cause we had engaged in. 
 
 Our ease was, consequently, widely different as 
 the quiet imprisonment of our disorderly comrade 
 before-mentioned fully proved ; we were received, 
 also, every where with open arms, and were well 
 backed, if not by the courage, by their best pro- 
 vision resources. We could, with safety, leave 
 whole hospitals behind us, whilst the sick and
 
 86 THE SPANIARDS. 
 
 wounded of our opponents — the French — were, 
 in many instances, slaughtered wholesale by the 
 citizens. 
 
 But with all these advantages in our favour, 
 we yet, as it were, lay between two stools. The 
 natives were not to be relied on, and though 
 drawn up with us on most occasions, generally 
 left the British to bear the brunt of action. Thus 
 often and too truly showing that a weak friend 
 is frequently more dangerous than a determined 
 enemy.
 
 87 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 General Crauforcl leaves for England — Sir William Erskine 
 takes the command — Mounseer Strauss — We enter Santa- 
 rem — Scenes of horror — Mile posts of the " grande armee" 
 — Retaliations of the Portuguese — Two upon one — Pombal 
 — Smart work — German gallantry — Auction — A new division 
 — Redinha — An accident — Long Tom of Lincoln — The de- 
 serter — A return of favours. 
 
 In the month of February, General Crauforcl 
 went to England on leave and the command of 
 the light division, during his absence, devolved 
 upon Major-General Sir William Erskine. 
 
 On the night of the 5th of March we were sud- 
 denly ordered to fall in, as inteUigence had reach- 
 ed us that the French were evacuating Santarera. 
 This was soon ascertained to be the fact, and we 
 immediately commenced an advance, crossing the 
 bridge in our front at three o'clock on the morn- 
 ing of the 6th. 
 
 Ours being the senior captain of the regiment, 
 the company, as was usual, were in the advance, 
 when some of the front files suddenly came with- 
 in a few yards of what appeared to be a French 
 sentinel, leaning against a wall that ran along
 
 OO A MAN OF STRAW. 
 
 from the bridge. One of our fellows fired, but 
 perceiving no movement made, we all rushed 
 up, and discovered Jwn to be, what our money- 
 changers at home have so great a horror of, "a 
 man of straw," or a piece of sacking stuffed and 
 accoutred. This afforded a fit theme for joking, 
 as we carried our " prisoner" with us until we 
 came to Santarem. 
 
 Our march was uninterrupted, and over a 
 bold thickly wooded country, much cut up, how- 
 ever, by the retreating enemy ; about mid- day 
 we entered Santarem, where a sight of a most 
 horrifying description offered itself. The streets 
 and houses presented a mass of desolation and 
 filth, which, in some degree, contaminated the 
 air around, while to add to the picture, numbers 
 of half-starved looking Frenchmen were grouped 
 about in knots, and exhibiting the loathsome ap- 
 pearance of disease. The faces of many of these 
 poor fellows were dreadfully swollen and white. 
 Our men were moved to pity at the scene, and 
 threw them biscuits as we passed through the 
 town. 
 
 Massena had not the means of conveyance 
 for the whole of his sick, and had been obliged 
 to leave these to their fate. This, indeed, would 
 have been soon decided had the Portuguese first 
 come up with them. 
 
 At every mile the enemy, on their retreat, 
 had fixed finger posts with directions to the road 
 the " grande armee" had taken they sufficiently 
 directed us also. But after all, these were of lit-
 
 HORRIBLE SIGHT. 89 
 
 tie service, for straggling groups of the unfortu- 
 nate enemy strewed the road as we advanced 
 over it. The poor fellows, at first, would greet 
 the English with a faint hope of protection, and 
 turned up their swollen and pallid countenances 
 to us with expressions that needed not words to 
 explain them. But we were ohliged to pass on 
 and leave them, for aught I know, to be but- 
 chered by the inhabitants, who fearfully reta- 
 liated for all the scenes we had witnessed. At 
 night we encamped on the outskirts of a small 
 village, the name I do not recollect, but the 
 sights within it I never can forget. 
 
 In searching for a stream from which I might 
 procure water, I fell upon a small fountain, close 
 to which lay two or three murdered Portuguese ; 
 their brains and blood, which seemed freshly to 
 have oozed from their mangled remains, had 
 even streamed into the spring, and turned me 
 away with disgust from the water. Proceeding 
 onward, T observed a gaunt ghastly figure in a 
 cloak stealing towards a group of cadaverous 
 looking Frenchmen — on his getting a little nearer 
 to them, he suddenly spat in his hands and 
 throwing his cloak aside, produced a heavy club, 
 with which, I suppose, he was going to beat 
 their brains out. Struck with horror, I instantly 
 seized the stick from his half-famished grasp, 
 drove him away, and assisted by one or two 
 comrades got the poor men into a house, and 
 pursued my search. 
 
 As I, however, approached into the plaza, the
 
 90 UNPLEASANT RIDING. 
 
 desolation thickened ; all the havoc that can pos- 
 sibly be imagined in so small a compass lay be- 
 fore me — mm'dered and violated women — shriek- 
 ing and dying children — and, indeed, all that had 
 possessed life in the village, lay quivering in the 
 last agony of slaughter and awful vengeance. 
 
 These became every day scenes until we over- 
 took the French rear-guard at Pombal, which 
 we did on the 11th, my company had been hur- 
 ried forward by the cavalry, each dragoon mount- 
 ing a rifleman behind him on his horse — a me- 
 thod of riding peculiarly galling to the infantry, 
 but which we frequently had to experience during 
 the war. From the friction alone produced on 
 the legs and seat by the dragoon's saddle-bags, 
 it was sometime before the foot-soldier, when 
 placed upon his legs, could move with anything 
 like despatch. Besides, this method of riding 
 w^as generally attended by the loss of the men's 
 mess-tins, which became shaken off by the jolt- 
 ing. There were, indeed, few of our men who 
 would not have preferred marching twice the 
 distance on foot to being thus carried. "* 
 
 We first got sight of the enemy about two 
 miles from the town of Pombal. They had pos- 
 
 * "With regard to knapsacks of which so much has been 
 spoken, I cannot see why they could not be carried by the 
 quarter-master or commissariat, and given out with the same 
 ease as the rations. This I apply only to the rifles and other 
 light troops, who, being always exposed and in advance, have 
 need of aU their energies and activity to render them fully 
 effective.
 
 A SKIRMISH. 91 
 
 session of a wood, from which, however, we soon 
 managed to drive them. They retired in great 
 disorder in the direction of the town. The long 
 straight road that led to Pombal became filled, 
 for some hundred yards, with the confused 
 French ; but their distress was still further in- 
 creased by the arrival of Brigade- Major Mellish, 
 who came up, at the time, with a couple of 
 Ross's guns, and commenced playing upon them. 
 It soon became a complete rout with the enemy, 
 and they pressed pell-mell over the bridge of the 
 river between us and the town. They suffered 
 considerably in this business — the ground was 
 strewed with their dead, and as we followed we 
 found several poor fellows at the bridge badly 
 wounded by the rifles, and many dissevered legs 
 and arms, the latter, no doubt, caused by Ross's 
 two pieces. 
 
 It was during the preceding skirmish that, for 
 the first time, I heard the words that afterwards 
 became so common in our regiment, " kill a 
 Frenchman for yourself." Its origin was as fol- 
 lows : — Two men of known daring, named Pal- 
 mer and Tracey, during our approach to the 
 bridge, seeing a French sergeant fall, ran up to 
 claim the meed of conquest, by relieving him of 
 any valuables he might be possessed of. They 
 were quarrelling as to the appropriation of the 
 spoil, when Pahner, who was a known excellent 
 shot, told Tracey to go " and kill a Frenchman 
 for himself," as he had shot this man. 
 
 This circumstance afterwards gave birth to a
 
 92 BOMB PROOF. 
 
 little gasconade in the regiment, that every rifle- 
 man could and ought to kill a Frenchman in action. 
 From the period of the above occurrence, Palmer 
 received the nick-name of the " man-killer," 
 until a singular circumstance, that occurred at 
 the siege of Badajoz, gave him a new title. In 
 relieving picquet in the trenches, many of our 
 men, instead of going quietly through the trenches 
 or parallels in front of the walls of the town, 
 used to show their contempt of danger by jump- 
 ing out of them and running across in the face of 
 the enemy's fire. In executing this feat one day 
 with some others, a cannon-shot fired by the 
 French, struck the ground first, and then hit 
 Palmer on the back, and he fell, as we thought, 
 killed upon the spot. To our surprise, however, 
 in a moment he jumped up unhurt, the ball 
 having glanced off his knapsack. In com- 
 memoration of this event, he was afterwards 
 known by the appellation of "the bomb proof 
 man." 
 
 It must be borne in mind, that my own com- 
 pany only were present here, and we had to sus- 
 tain at a great disadvantage, a smart fire from 
 the different houses, occupied by the rear guard 
 of the enemy. As soon as we crossed the bridge we 
 took possession of the houses opposite those held 
 by the French, from which we kept up a brisk fire 
 out of the windows. Tired however, with this 
 cross work, several of our men, headed by Lieut, 
 Hop wood, dashed into one of the French holds 
 and found it crowded with the enemy, who to 
 
 I
 
 A GREAT RISK. 93 
 
 the number of thirty or forty quietly surrendered 
 themselves prisoners. I recollect Sergeant Flem- 
 ming, who was the first to mount the stairs, bun- 
 dling them neck and crop over the staircase. Lieu- 
 tenant Hop wood, however, fell severely wounded 
 in the thigh. We maintained the conflict until 
 the remainder of the regiment came up, and then 
 drove the enemy entirely out of their cover. 
 
 In the eagerness of pursuit, however, we had 
 nearly suffered severely : our men followed the 
 enemy a considerable distance out of the town, 
 galling them terribly in the street, when per- 
 ceiving how few our numbers were, being sup- 
 ported by a single troop only of our German 
 Hussars, they turned round and made it a hard 
 matter for us to escape the consequences of our 
 temerity. Several of the men were out-flanked, 
 and taken prisoners, and for myself, I had to run 
 a great risk, and should certainly have been 
 killed or captured, but for the gallantry of a Ger- 
 man dragoon, w^ho riding up, dragged me be- 
 hind him, and galloped away amidst a volley of 
 shots, unhurt. 
 
 At night, the French, who had posted them- 
 selves partly under cover of a wood, threw shells 
 from the distance, into the town of Pombal, of 
 which we had possession, and succeeded in setting 
 it on fire in several places. We nevertheless 
 remained for the night, and sold by auction 
 among the officers, the whole of some baggage 
 which we had taken, snugly packed on a grey 
 horse, from one of their Generals ; among other
 
 94 MILITARY PROSPECT. 
 
 valuables it contained, were two beautiful gold 
 medals, which one of the purchasers sent off to 
 England. By the desire of our old Captain, we 
 divided the proceeds, which amounted to six 
 dollars to each man of the company. 
 
 In the morning, the French continued their 
 retreat, and we were again in pursuit. After 
 crossing a well wooded hill, we came up with 
 them at Redinha, a small town situated in the 
 hollow of rather a difficult pass, — the company 
 ascending a hill covered with pine trees, on the 
 right of our battalion. 
 
 From its eminence, I remember to have seen 
 one of the finest views of the two armies I ever 
 witnessed. The rifles were extended in the dis- 
 tance for perhaps two miles, and rapidly on the 
 advance to the enemy's position. These were 
 followed by our heavy columns, whose heads 
 were just emerging from a wood about a quar- 
 ter of a mile in our rear. Everything seemed 
 conducted with the order and regularity of a 
 field day. Meanwhile the rear columns of the 
 French were slowly retiring, but in a few minutes 
 the scene became exceedingly animated by our 
 artillery opening their fire upon the retreating 
 forces. 
 
 This was the signal for us to set to work. We 
 instantly moved down from our lofty station, and 
 were soon engaged skirmishing and endeavouring 
 to out-flank and drive in their light troops, which, 
 after a hard struggle, we at length accomplished, 
 but not before many men had fallen on both sides.
 
 AN ACCIDENT. 95 
 
 The enemy, however, although they slowly re- 
 tired, continually turned, making temporary 
 stands, whenever the ground seemed favour- 
 able. 
 
 One affecting circumstance that took place in 
 this action, made a deep impression on my 
 memory, A French officer whom we had ob- 
 served very conspicuously cheering on his men, 
 had fallen by a rifle shot through the thigh, when 
 two of our buglers ran forwards for the purpose of 
 easing him of his money. This, I must observe, 
 the French generally kept concealed in a kind of 
 belt round their w^aists. As soon therefore, as 
 the buglers came up to him, they commenced 
 quarrelling as to w^hich of them should possess 
 his property. The more readily to disencumber 
 him of his belt, each of them had fallen on his 
 knees over the poor Frenchman, and one of the 
 buglers had drawn a knife to cut the strap that 
 secured the hoped-for treasure, when the other 
 endeavouring to restrain him brought on a scuffle, 
 during which, I am sorry to relate, the knife 
 entered the body of the wounded man, and he 
 expired on the spot. I had arrived just in time 
 to perceive the occurrence, and could with diffi- 
 culty restrain myself from shooting the owner of 
 the knife, on the spot, until he told me it was 
 purely accidental. 
 
 After pursuing the enemy through the town, 
 where we took a number of prisoners, (among whom 
 were some of ray own company, taken the day 
 before) in a water-mill, we encamped at night on
 
 96 LONG TOM OF LINCOLN. 
 
 the side of an extensive hill. The country, here 
 also, was well wooded and watered, and exceed- 
 ingly picturesque, as was also the position occu- 
 pied by the enemy. We were encamped on a range 
 of heights, while the French lay below in a beau- 
 tiful valley ; the outlying sentries of both armies 
 being not more than two hundred yards apart. 
 
 This night our company, with Captain Bel- 
 vard's, formed the outlying picquet. As we had 
 had no rations for two days previous, we were 
 soon busily employed in cooking what we had 
 taken from the prisoners ; during this ceremony, 
 a man of the name of Humphrey Allen, a tall 
 powerful fellow, whom we had also nick-named 
 " Long Tom of Lincoln," came up from the 
 rear, where, during the preceding skirmish, he 
 had been employed taking the wounded. On 
 asking to be allowed to join one of the messes, he 
 was immediately refused, on account of his having 
 gone out of action with the wounded, when the care 
 of them devolved upon the buglers or bandsmen 
 alone. This, I must remark, was at first a com- 
 mon excuse for getting from under fire, and soon 
 became marked with indignation by the braver 
 men ; at length, during the latter part of the 
 campaign, no good soldier would venture under 
 so frivolous a pretence, so to expose himself to 
 the indignation of his comrades, excepting for any 
 very extreme cases. In the preceding instance, 
 however, Allen proved himself more daring than 
 humane. 
 
 Taking up his rifle, very coolly observing that
 
 TOM ALLEN. 97 
 
 he would soon get something to eat if a French- 
 man had it ; walked quietly down to our out- 
 lying picquets, and taking deliberate aim, shot 
 one of the French sentries on the spot : in an 
 instant he was across the field to where he fell, 
 and having hoisted him on his shoulders, was in 
 the act of bearing him back to our line, which 
 the French perceiving, fired, pursued him, and 
 compelled him to drop his prize. 
 
 A general alarm, meanwhile, was occasioned 
 by this firing, and before it could be checked, 
 Colonel Beckwith came down, and having traced 
 its origin, sent for Allen. 
 
 " Why, Zur," replied Tom, to the inquiry of 
 the Colonel, " I arn't had nought to eat these 
 two days, and thought as how I might find sum- 
 mut in the Frencher's knapsack." 
 
 Although he had been guilty of a cruelty 
 which no law of arms could justify, he managed 
 to escape with a severe reprimand.* 
 
 In the course of an hour after, being on 
 sentry at our advance posts, I was leisurely 
 sauntering up and down, occasionally looking 
 about me, and stooping to cull some flowers that 
 grew in the field which divided us from the enemy. 
 It was just at the close of the evening, or between 
 
 * Any of my readers passing through Knightsbridge, may 
 chance to obsen-e a tall military figure, bent with years, a bag 
 throA\'n over his shoulders, stooping to pick up bones, &c. this 
 person is no other than the once redoubtable Humphrey Allen, 
 at that time one of the smartest and finest looking men in our 
 Rifles. 
 
 F
 
 98 A DESERTER. 
 
 the lights. The French sentry, who advanced 
 occasionally seemingly for the same purpose, at 
 last came so near, that I feared he was up to some 
 manoeuvre, or ahout to fire at me ; with this, I in- 
 stantly cocked my rifle, and was awaiting his ap- 
 proach, w^hen he suddenly rushed towards me, bel- 
 lowing out in French, " Deserteur ! Deserteur !" 
 Of course at the words I allowed him to approach, 
 which he did, exclaiming, " Je suis allemand," 
 and instantly turning on his quondam comrades, 
 fired into them. The report of his fire caused 
 the picquets of both parties to fall in, and the 
 whole line of sentries to be engaged. However, 
 he stuck by me all the time, shaking his fist at 
 them, and loading and firing with all the jav7- 
 breaking oaths that the French and his native 
 German could supply him with. 
 
 Colonel Beckwith, a second time alarmed, was 
 soon amongst us swearing also, at what he sup- 
 posed to be another Lincoln job, but he returned 
 rather pleased, leading the deserter.
 
 99 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 Our march upon Condacia — Tom Crawley again — Hot and 
 cold — Affair of Casal Nova — Death of Major Stewart — The 
 French continue retreating — The two brothers — Night scene 
 —The French contmue their havoc — The Cagadore — The 
 Pet Goat — Lord Wellington again — Our old Colonel — The 
 promise of the Staff — The Recruits — British enthusiasm in- 
 spired — The two French prisoners — Particulars of Massena's 
 retreat and state of his troops — St Patrick's day — If I had 
 a donkey — The river Caira — Oui' distressing privations — 
 O'Brien and the old Patrone — Arrival atFriexedas — Adjutant 
 Stewart killed — Sabugal — Carrpng of the enemy's position 
 — Encomiums of our Colonel — Death of Lieut. Arbuthnot — 
 Disagreeable bed-fellow — A light on the subject — Evacuation 
 of Portugal by the French — Almeida excepted — Tlie British 
 follow into Spam — Arrival at Gallegos — The enemy active 
 in Roderigo— The skulker — Poor Burke — Expedition and 
 disappointment in search cf a convoy. 
 
 The French got under arms before the dawn 
 of the morning, and we as usual, followed keep- 
 ing them well on before us. 
 
 In the course of the noon w^e passed through 
 the pretty little town of Condacia, which the 
 enemy had fired in several places. The main 
 street was completely blocked by the flames 
 darting across the road from the opposite houses. 
 
 F 2
 
 100 SKIRMISHING. 
 
 To enable the troops to pass, we were obliged 
 to ' break ' a way through some dry walls. 
 This caused a temporary halt, during which 
 the chief part of the division gallantly em- 
 ployed themselves extricating the unfortunate in- 
 habitants from the burning houses. Tom Craw- 
 ley, (forgetful of the coach), made use of his great 
 strength to some purpose, and chucked some five 
 or six old people, whom he had brought forth on 
 his shoulders, over a wall as he supposed, out of 
 immediate danger. Tom, however, who should 
 have " looked," before he made the old ones 
 " leap," was not aware that close to their descent 
 was a large well, into which, to their great terror, 
 he had very nearly dropped the terrified and 
 screeching sufferers. 
 
 Having cleared the houses " a way," we pro- 
 ceeded to Casal Nova, where we came up with 
 the incendiaries, whom we found perfectly pre- 
 pared to receive us. The country all about was 
 greatly intercepted by old walls, and afforded ex- 
 cellent facilities for skirmishing. In a few seconds 
 some of our division was observed moving upon 
 our right, and we were ordered instantly to extend, 
 and at it we went. After several hours' hard 
 fighting, kept up with great spirit on both sides, 
 we compelled the enemy to retire, but not before 
 we had lost an excellent officer in the person of 
 Major Stewart, who received a shot through the 
 body. I was close at hand and just in time by 
 catching the reins of his horse, to prevent him 
 from falling, blood and foam oozing from his mouth.
 
 RETREAT OF THE FRENCH. 101 
 
 He was led by two buglers to the rear, where he 
 died shortly after. The death of this officer gave 
 a step to my old Captain O'Hare, who obtained 
 the majority. 
 
 In this skirmish Lieutenant Stroud also receiv- 
 ed a severe wound. This officer in action, always 
 carried a rifle, for the skilful use of which he 
 was celebrated.* A man of our company named 
 Pat Mahon, received three balls on the hip at 
 the same instant, and so close together that a 
 dollar might have covered the three holes they 
 made. The enemy still continued the retreat, 
 their skirmishers, at times, making short stands 
 to keep our rifles in check, and a few of their 
 rear sections occasionally pouring a running fire 
 into us. We drove them, however, through 
 the village of Casal Nova. Some of the French 
 for a few minutes here availed themselves of 
 pieces of dilapidated walls, but as soon as we 
 commenced outflanking them, they all retreated, 
 with the exception of one man, who, to our sur- 
 prize remained loading and firing, as if he had a 
 whole division to back him. I scarcely know 
 
 * I have often felt surprised that our officers have not ge- 
 nerally adopted the plan of carrj'ing a rifle when in action ; 
 the defence it would afford to the individual himself in its 
 superiority over the sword or the pistol, which latter are 
 mere toys in the field, would, I imagine, bear its own 
 argument. The additional strength also it must give to the 
 efficiency of the regiments generally, from the number it 
 would add to each voUey, (in the proportion of fifty to a regi- 
 ment), and the confidence it must inspire in the officers, would, 
 one should think, carry every thing before it.
 
 102 MELANCHOLY INCIDENT. 
 
 ■what could have induced me to fire at this poor 
 fellow alone, and exposed as he was, to at least 
 twenty other shots; but my blood was up, through 
 his having once aimed at me, his ball whizzing 
 close by as I approached. Be that as it may, I had 
 approached within fifty yards when I fired. In an 
 instant I was beside him, the shot had entered 
 his head, and he had fallen in the act of loading, 
 the fusil lightly grasped in his left hand, while 
 his right clutched the ramrod. A few quick turns 
 of the eye as it rolled its dying glances on mine, 
 turned my whole blood within me, and I reproach- 
 ed myself as his destroyer. An indescribable unea- 
 siness came over me, I felt almost like a criminal, 
 I knelt to give him a little wine from a small cala- 
 bash, which hung at my side, and was wiping the 
 foam from his lips, when a heavy groan drew my 
 attention aside, and turning round my head I be- 
 held stretched near him and close to the wall, ano- 
 ther wounded Frenchman, a sergeant. " Helas," 
 exclaimed the wounded man, the big tears sudden- 
 ly gushing down his sun burnt countenance, as he 
 pointed with his finger, to my victim, " vous 
 avez tuemonpauvre frere," (you have killed my 
 poor brother,) and such indeed was the melan- 
 choly fact. 
 
 The sergeant, a stout heavy man, had fallen, 
 his thigh broken by a shot. The younger hrother, 
 unable to carry him oft' the field, had remained, 
 apparently with the intention of perishing by his 
 side. 
 
 We halted for the night on an adjacent hill,
 
 FRENCH ATROCITIES. 103 
 
 about a mile in advance. The French also took 
 their position opposite us. The picquets of both 
 armies occupied a beautiful ravine, that sloped 
 between them. I took advantaj^e of the few mo- 
 ments' leisure our position afforded to return 
 to the French sergeant. But I found him and 
 his brother both as naked as they were born, 
 perforated -with innumerable wounds, no doubt 
 administered by the Portuguese I turned back 
 to the camp, but in a very poor humour with 
 myself, though I could not well close my eyes to 
 the magnificent scene around me. The sun had 
 set, its light had been supplanted by burning 
 villages, and fires that on vale and mountain, 
 correctly pointed out where the hostile divisions 
 were extended. 
 
 The following morning, the French continued 
 their march of havoc and we closed after them, 
 village after village, giving flaming proofs of their 
 continued atrocities. Passing through one which 
 had not been fired, by reason, as we w^ere informed, 
 of its having been the quarters of Marshal Ney 
 and staff. 
 
 An appalling instance of vengeance here occur- 
 red. The parents of one of our Cacadores had 
 lived in this village, and immediately we entered, 
 he rushed to the house were they resided. On 
 reacliing the doorway, the soldier hesitated a few 
 seconds, but the door was open, and stretched 
 across the threshold he beheld the mangled 
 bodies of his father and mother, the blood still 
 warm and reeking through the bayonet stabs,
 
 104 A NARROW ESCAPE. 
 
 while an only sister lay breathing her last, and 
 exhibiting dreadful proofs of the brutality with 
 which she had been violated. The unhappy man 
 staggered, frenzied with grief, and stared wildly 
 around him ; till suddenly burying all other feel- 
 ings in the maddening passion of revenge, he 
 rushed forth from what had probably been once 
 a happy home. His first act was to dash at some 
 French prisoners that unfortunately were near the 
 spot, guarded by some of our dragoons. These 
 he attacked with the fury of a madman. One 
 he shot and another he wounded, and he would 
 have sacrificed a third, had not the guard made 
 him prisoner. On the circumstances being made 
 known to the General, he was liberated. 
 
 Outside the village, and on a gentle slope, we 
 came to the enemy's camp ground, which they 
 had been obliged toquit so precipitately as to have 
 left their fires lighted. We noticed a goat, which 
 by its frisking and jumping about, I supposed 
 to have been a pet of some French officer. 
 Whenever we went near, it would step aside, 
 until some of the men levelled their rifles and 
 shot it ; swords were out in a moment, and the 
 little animal, skin and all, dissected. I was just 
 apportioning the hind quarter, when who should 
 ride near, but Lord Wellington and staff ; for a 
 while, I felt as if the noose were already round my 
 neck, until our old Colonel coming up, re-es- 
 tablished my serenity, and congratulated us on 
 our lucky chance ; for this kindness we shared 
 our booty with him that same night.
 
 RECRUITS. 105 
 
 We had suffered dreadfully throughout the pre- 
 vious week; many of our men from weakness, and 
 through want of rations, having been unable to 
 keep up with their regiments, Colonel Beckwith, 
 in the hearing of many of us, took this oppor- 
 tunity of making it known to the Commander in 
 Chief, who immediately promised we should have 
 the first rations that came up. We then marched 
 to some high ground, from whence we could dis- 
 tinctly see the French camp at a place called Foz 
 d'Aouce, their fires hghted preparatory to passing 
 the night there. It was determined, however, 
 that they should not enjoy it so easily. Our 
 battalion was instantly ordered to the attack, 
 before proceeding to which, I will introduce to 
 my readers, a squad of ' gentlemen' who joined 
 us a few evenings preceding. We had been re- 
 inforced by a fresh batch of recruits from 
 England, a number of wliom had been drafted 
 into our company. These fellows' rosy cheeks 
 and plump appearance, with their new dresses, 
 formed a bright relief and amusing contrast to 
 our fierce embrowned visages, covered with 
 whisker and moustachio, as we then were, and 
 our clothing patched and of all colours. As these 
 new comers were now about to go through the or- 
 deal of fire, for the first time in their lives, Major 
 O'Hare thought proper to say a few w^ords by 
 way of advice to them, on so momentous an oc- 
 casion ; accordingly, he gave the command, 
 " Recruits to the front." 
 
 Some ten or twelve immediately stepped for- 
 
 F 3
 
 106 LOGIC. 
 
 ward, wondering, no doubt, what they were 
 wanted for. " Do you see those men on that 
 plam?" asked the Major, as he pomted to 
 the French camp. On several of the men 
 answering "Ees, Zur!" Major O 'Hare, with a 
 dry laugh, continued, " Well then, those are the 
 French, and our enemies. You must kill those 
 fellows, and not allow them to kill you. You 
 must learn and do as these old birds here do," 
 pointing to us, " and get cover where you can. 
 Recollect, recruits, you come here to kill, and 
 not be killed. Bear this in mind : if you don't 
 kill the French they'll kill you."— "Ees, Zurl" 
 said they again. 
 
 The Major's logic, although it elicited roars of 
 laughter, from the old soldiers, I believe had 
 more effect with the recruits than if Demosthenes 
 bad risen for the purpose. Immediately after this 
 out went our muzzle stoppers, and sallying down 
 the slope on which we had been drawn up, at the 
 enemy we went. Our battalion was soon hotly 
 engaged, assisted by some light companies of the 
 guards, belonging to the first division. The night 
 was fast setting in, but we soon succeeded in 
 beating the enemy out of their camp-ground, 
 and we dashed at them as they retired crowding 
 with precipitation, over a bridge which crossed 
 the river in their rear. Before two-thirds of 
 their force had accomplished this, the bridge, by 
 some irregularity, was blown up, and great num- 
 bers also were drowned, in attempting to ford the 
 stream.
 
 massena's troops. 107 
 
 At their camp-ground many of our men came 
 in for a bit of a wind-fall, as the French, in their 
 hurry to place the river between us and them, 
 had left their meat and cans on the fires. This 
 afforded a happy regale to some of our unfortu- 
 nate hungry stomachs, the more especially as the 
 food thus come by, was eaten with a sense of 
 having been fairly earned. 
 
 During the foregoing skirmish and while very 
 closely engaged, I perceived a horse gaily be- 
 dizened with French trappings, galloping about, 
 as though looking for an owner, and 1 managed 
 to catch it by the bridle. A minute afterwards 
 my prize received a shot, probably intended for 
 myself, but which stretched the poor animal 
 dead beside me. 
 
 The night was passed on the French camp- 
 ground. At the fire round which we thronged, 
 were two wounded Frenchmen ; it was a satis- 
 faction to mark the care and attention which 
 they received at the hands of our men. One 
 of the prisoners, whom I found to be a very 
 intelligent fellow, gave me interesting accounts 
 of the state and proceedings of Massena's 
 troops, which, as it much amused us at the 
 period, possibly may prove equally entertaining 
 to the reader. 
 
 " At the time that Massena and his troops," 
 said he, " lay at Santarem, we had encouraged 
 hopes of driving the English into Lisbon, or the 
 sea ; but finding these unavailing, it was given up 
 in despair, and the army prepared, at about the
 
 108 DISTRESS OF THE FRENCH. 
 
 beginning of the spring of 1811, to retire back 
 through the country into Spain. 
 
 * ' The batteries and other works which for 
 several months our men had been erecting, were 
 destroyed, and leaving behind us a great number 
 of our sick, whom we had no means of convey- 
 ing away, we shared the last of our provisions, 
 amounting to about ten biscuits each man 
 amongst us, and we prepared to retreat. 
 
 " Each of these biscuits had a hole in the centre, 
 to fit them for carriage, and were generally slung 
 on a string appended to the knapsack. 
 
 " The troops were in a most distressed state, 
 reduced to half their numbers almost naked and 
 without provisions, for most of them consumed 
 in a few days, the whole of their scanty allow- 
 ance. They could not expect aid from any of 
 their comrades, for all were without, and the 
 country around us devastated by both parties ; 
 our wants, however, urged us to plunder, and we 
 wandered in strong parties from the regiment, 
 and meeting with every species of resistance, 
 gave blow for blow. 
 
 " The Guerillas followed us everywhere ; they 
 fled in the front, and harassed us on our flanks, 
 so that not an hour passed but we were obliged 
 to be on the alert to save our lives ; out of this 
 arose every cruelty which ensued, and made 
 our Retreat almost unparalleled for devastation 
 and blood-shed. Meanwhile the British troops 
 came on in our rear, their light divisions harass- 
 ing us night and day, and completing the wreck
 
 FRENCH CRUELTY. 109 
 
 that never will be forgotten while Portugal re- 
 tains its name." 
 
 We continued to occupy the same spot the 
 whole of the following day, waiting very anxiously 
 for the promised supply of rations, one day's 
 rations however, to our exceeding joy, made 
 their appearance in the evening of the 16th. 
 The following being the morning of St. Patrick's 
 day, the whole of our battalion, English and 
 Irish duly celebrated the event, by a proper at- 
 tention to greens, and not having shamrocks, 
 leaves, grass and boughs of trees were substitut- 
 ed ; thus ornamented we commenced our march. 
 
 Just before we arrived at the River Caira, the 
 waters of which flowed over the body of many 
 an unfortunate French soldier, we came upon a 
 sight which was enough to make the "Humane 
 Society," declare eternal war against the men of 
 the wooden shoes. 
 
 This was some two or three hundred donkies 
 and mules, which the enemy, unable to drive ofl", 
 had maimed and hamstrung. The poor animals 
 looked up to us as if for vengeance, and every 
 mute appeal was sternly fulfilled, for they struck 
 home to the feelings of us all. 
 
 We continued our march for about two leagues, 
 when the battalion halted upon a hill covered 
 with pine trees. At the bottom of this and near 
 our advanced posts, flowed the river Alva, or> the 
 opposite side of which the retreating army lav 
 encamped. We had halted, and refreshed our- 
 selves, with the notion that we should spend the
 
 110 PURSUIT OF THE FRENCH. 
 
 night there quietly, but we were doomed to be 
 miserably undeceived, as a fresh order w^as given 
 for us to fall in, the artillery coming up, and com- 
 menced playing on the enemy's masses, and our 
 division was ordered to cross the river. Lord 
 WelHngton certainly was determined to allow the 
 French no rest if possible, and indeed, if truth 
 be added, ourselves as little. A pontoon was 
 thrown over the river for the division to cross, 
 while others forded the stream a little higher up 
 on our right. The enemy retired in excellent or- 
 der, and w^e pursued until both halted for the night. 
 The place w^e occupied was a little village called 
 Melo, where we remained during the following 
 day, having had one ration only for the last four 
 days. Never let it be said that John Bull cannot 
 fight upon an empty stomach. If ever one 
 division of our army proved this more than 
 another, I certainly think it was the light one. 
 Light enough w^e were at this and at other periods, 
 Heaven knows. While thus impelled by hunger, 
 myself and Wilkie searching about for something 
 to devour, proceeded down a lane where we came 
 upon the body of an elderly woman. She was lying 
 in the middle of the road dressed in white, and, 
 from the hands being bound together in a praying 
 attitude, and the general appearance of the corpse, 
 it was evident that she had been taken out for 
 the purpose of burial, as it is the custom in that 
 country to inter them in full dress, and without 
 a coffin, the arrival of the French no doubt had 
 obliged her attendants to abandon her.
 
 A STRANGE HIDING PLACE. Ill 
 
 The reader is expecting perhaps, that we set 
 to work and nibbled the old woman, but let me 
 assure him we did nothing of the kind, though 
 we thought many and many a time, and growled 
 sadly that we had not provided ourselves with a 
 bit from the donkeys. 
 
 The corpse had round its neck, a set of beads 
 with a gold cross at the end, which Wilkie very 
 ** piously" put into his pocket. 
 
 We still however, continued our prowling, and 
 stumbled at last on a small cottage, into which 
 we entered, in full hopes of having made a sub- 
 stantial discovery. 
 
 An old emaciated half starved looking hag, 
 sat squatted by some extinguished embers, like 
 the last survivor of a universal wreck. She was 
 indeed the only living inhabitant we had seen 
 in the village, and remained squatted by the 
 embers, as if permitted that privilege only to 
 jecount her tale. The old soul continued a fix- 
 ture, until Wilkie suspecting something, pressed 
 her to move. " Non hai nada!" screamed the 
 old lady, " Nonhai nada !" (" there is nothing.") 
 
 " Oh but there is," replied my comrade ; until 
 growing furious, he upset the old woman from 
 her position, and out rolled a loaf of bread from 
 under her, as natural as if it had been an egg 
 from under an hen. Wilkie pounced at it in- 
 stantly, and the miserable old creature burst into 
 tears, and screamed herself almost into hts. Her 
 cries in a few seconds brought in her daughter, 
 who unable to keep herself concealed at this
 
 112 AN ATTACK. 
 
 agonizing appeal of her parent, rushed forward 
 to her assistance. Never before did I see such a 
 pitiful pair, both were almost cadaverous with 
 want, and begged hard for the loaf. But we were 
 all of us half starved, and at last, Wilkie and 
 myself, unable to contain ourselves any longer, 
 wilHngly shared it with them. 
 
 We were engaged daily with the enemy until 
 w^e came to Friexedas, on the 28th of March, on 
 which day we lost our gallant adjutant. Lieutenant 
 Stewart, who fell by a musket shot. 
 
 On the 1st of April we again came up with 
 the enemy, who held possession of the town of 
 Sabugal, where they seemed inclined, to make a 
 final stand. 
 
 The town is situated partly upon a hill, with 
 some woodland interspersed about, while the 
 rapid river Coa winds between it and the Lisbon 
 side of the country. 
 
 On the day of the 3rd an attack upon the enemy 
 was commenced, by our battalions, when through 
 some mistake, we were left almost unsupported ; 
 after crossing the river, we advanced up the hill, 
 on the other side, and under a fleecy shower of 
 rain, soon became hotly engaged with the French. 
 They were at least four or five times our number, 
 and compelled us to retire twice before their 
 overwhelming masses. Led on, however, by our 
 gallant Colonel, we fixed swords, and came to 
 the charge and drove them up the hills before us. 
 There a strong reserve was prepared for our 
 reception. A third time we were obliged to give
 
 COLONEL BECKWITH. 113 
 
 ground, until our second brigade coming to our 
 aid, we again dashed at them, carried the position, 
 and after a hard contest, obhged the enemy to 
 retreat with the utmost precipitation, leaving 
 behind them a howitzer, which had been twice 
 taken and retaken. 
 
 No one that day could have observed our Co- 
 lonel during the heat of the action, and not have 
 admiredhis cool and soldier-likebearing. ' ' Steady, 
 lads — show no hurry," was his cheering exhorta- 
 tion, accompanied by a smile when we were ob- 
 liged to retreat, the blood, at the same time, flow- 
 ing copiously from a wound he had received across 
 his forehead. Never, perhaps, in any action, did 
 the rifles display more consummate tact and re- 
 solution than in this. Lord Wellington was too 
 just to pass over their services on this occasion, 
 and in general orders passed a high encomium up- 
 on the gallantry of Colonel Beckwith, and the bri- 
 gade under his command. We lost a fine young 
 
 fellow, an officer, Lieutenant the Honourable 
 
 Arbuthnot, whose head was smashed by a round- 
 shot. 
 
 At the conclusion of the battle the rain poured 
 down in torrents, and obliged us to take such shel- 
 ter as the walls and trees around afforded. The 
 enemy, meanwhile, were in rapid retreat, and we 
 should, in all probability, have continued in pur- 
 suit, but for the exhausted state of the men. 
 
 While endeavouring to obtain shelter. Lord 
 Wellington rode up, and knowing the chief busi- 
 ness of the day had fallen upon our brigade, he
 
 114 FRENCH BRUTALITIES. 
 
 ordered us into the town. We arrived just in time 
 to prevent the fifth division from supplanting us, 
 and they consequentlywere obhged to retrace their 
 steps, which they did with much grumbling and 
 discontent. It was dark before we got into the 
 house appropriated to us. Myself and one or two 
 others turned into a small square room, the floor 
 of which was covered with straw. Though wetted 
 through to the skin I soon fell into a sound sleep, 
 but was, however, quickly awakened by a hur- 
 ried exclamation from a man who had just entered 
 the room with a light. On looking around for 
 the cause of his surprise I beheld a stiff and naked 
 corpse placed upright against the walls of theroom, 
 brutally defaced ; at the same moment, and in the 
 act of turning, I placed my hand on the clammy 
 features of another body, partly concealed under 
 the straw, and across which I had actually been 
 sleeping ; we found four bodies altogether, evi- 
 dently Portuguese, and all of them bearing the 
 usual proofs of French retaliation. 
 
 The next day Massena evacuated Portugal, with 
 the exception of Almeida, and in a short time we 
 ourselves crossed the frontiers and took up our old 
 quarters at Gallegos ; here we found many of our 
 acquaintances of the preceding year, and the ene- 
 my having retired upon Ciudad Rodrigo, we were 
 sufiered for a while to recruit our strength. 
 
 Some weeks after our arrival at Gallegos, the 
 battalion had orders to prepare for marching at 
 an hour's notice, and to leave their knapsacks 
 behind. This was announced by Colonel Beck-
 
 A BRAVE FELLOW. 115 
 
 with on the afternoon parade, who, at the same 
 time, desiring those who were sick or weakly to 
 fall out, as a forced march was to be undertaken 
 to prevent the French throwing supplies into Ro- 
 drigo. On hearing this several skulkers in the re- 
 giment fell out of the ranks, but were obliged to 
 fall in again. 
 
 Passing down the regiment, Colonel Beckwith, 
 attracted by the evident looks of ill health of a , 
 man named Burke, noted for his daring courage, 
 very humanely advised him to remain behind, 
 " For you look very ill, Burke," said the Colonel. 
 " No, Sir," replied Burke, casting a. look of con- 
 tempt on the skulkers, " I certainly am not well, 
 but I still have the heart of a man, and will keep 
 up with my comrades as long as my legs will carry 
 me." The Colonel evinced a melancholy, but evi- 
 dent satisfaction, at this manly reply. " lamsorry," 
 said he, "that the sneaking propensities of others 
 should compel a brave man to act against himself." 
 This brave fellow Burke was afterwards one of the 
 forlorn hope at Ciudad Rodrigo, Badajoz, and St. 
 Sebastian, through the successive horrors of which 
 he lived to fall mortally wounded at Quatre Bras, 
 just previous to the battle of Waterloo. 
 
 Our expeditionary party marched early in the 
 morning. We took the direction of Rodrigo, ford- 
 ing the river Agueda in our way. We were doom- 
 ed to have only our march for our trouble — the 
 expected convoy of the enemy had escaped us ; 
 so that, harassed to death, we had the pleasure 
 of retracing our steps not a wit wiser than we went.
 
 116 CASUALTIES. 
 
 In re-crossing the river, a poor fellow of our com- 
 pany, spent with fatigue, was carried off his legs 
 and drowned. Another would have shared the 
 same fate, but for Brigade-Major MeUish, who, 
 by swimming his horse to his assistance, saved 
 the man.
 
 117 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 Our advance videttes, and the French cavalry — ManoemTing in 
 front of Villa Formosa — The Suttlers and the Dragoons — 
 Sergeant-Major Sharp — Morning of the 5th May — General 
 Crauford returns — ^Portuguese welcome — Fuentes d'Onor — 
 French Dragoons challenge to single combat — Retreat on 
 Navez d'Aver — Charges of Cavalry — A deep game by the 
 French — Squaring it with the enemy — The 79th Highlanders 
 — A prisoner against his will — The French sentry and Gene- 
 ral Crauford — The Light Dragoons again — Sergeant-Major 
 Sharp again — Scene of disciphne — That lash disappointed 
 — The German fratricide. 
 
 i^^ On the 4th May, about half-past 9 o'clock, 
 A.M. ; our advance videttes were observed circling, 
 one to the right, and the other to the left, at a 
 trot, by which information was conveyed that 
 bodies of infantry and cavalry were advancing. 
 The bugle immediately sounded the "assemblee," 
 and our division quickly assembled on its alarm 
 post, on the Gallegos road. My company was 
 attached to the 14th Light Dragoons, then under 
 the orders of General Slade, who commanded 
 the Cavalry-Brigade. He ordered them to take 
 ground to the right, and deploy into line in the 
 rear of a rivulet, which flowed between us and
 
 118 ARRIVAL OF A SUTTLER. 
 
 the French. In a few minutes the enemy's ca- 
 valr}^ were discovered emerging from a wood in 
 our front, where they had formed in close columns 
 and halted, throwing out strong bodies of skir- 
 mishers. 
 
 A sharp conflict ensued betwixt the cavalries, 
 yet the enemy were evidently awaiting the con- 
 centration of their advancing columns from Ciu- 
 dad Rodrigo. General Slade now ordered the 
 wiiole of us to retire, wdiich the cavalry did in 
 eschelons of squadrons, and covering us on the 
 road towards Navez d'Aver, which was quietly 
 effected ; the enemy still holding their old posi- 
 tion near the wood. One squadron of the 14th 
 was stationed on the verge of another wood, on 
 the right of Fuentes, as an advanced picquet, but 
 was withdrawn at the close of the evening, and 
 joined the regiments in bivouac within some stone 
 wall enclosures, near Villa Formosa. 
 
 During the night some of the dragoons dis- 
 covered the resting-place of a suttler,who had just 
 arrived from Abrantes with a string of mules laden 
 with rum, wine, aguardiente, &c. &c., and sar- 
 dinias, a species of red herring, which was then 
 considered a great luxury. News of such a neigh- 
 bour flew on eagle wings through the camp, but 
 in low whispers, lest the slumbers of the chief 
 should be disturbed, and check their merry mak- 
 ing. The secret, however, was soon discovered, 
 no doubt occasioned by the uproarious bursts of 
 merriment and songs which pealed from fire to 
 fire. Although these were the general charac-
 
 GENERAL CRAUFORD. 119 
 
 teristics of the British soldier on the eve of a 
 battle, on this occasion, they were heightened by 
 the liquor, and were louder than usual, while the 
 officers awakened from their slumbers, could not 
 for some moments conceive the cause of what they 
 heard. General Slade, however, with lungs that 
 roused the camp, as though a thirteen inch shell 
 had exploded amongst them, called for the regi- 
 mental Sergeant-Major Sharp, who, on making his 
 appearance, was discovered to have partaken too 
 freely of the suttler's strong waters, and was im- 
 mediately placed in arrest. A non-commissioned 
 officer was ordered to bundle off both suttler and 
 mules to some distance, placing a line of sentries 
 that no one might come in or go out of the camp. 
 The noise and hilarity soon ceased, the merry- 
 makers dispersed, and a few minutes found them 
 outstretched and asleep under cover of the dry 
 walls. 
 
 Early on the morning of the 5th, our company 
 was ordered to join the battalions ; we did so, and 
 took up our position to the left of the ruins of 
 Fort Conception, which, as I before mentioned, 
 had been previously destroyed, as it lay near the 
 main road to Almeida, the siege of which place 
 the French seemed anxious to raise. 
 
 While things were in this state, at an earlyhour 
 General Crauford made his re-appearance amongst 
 us from England, and was welcomed with much 
 enthusiasm by the division ; although a strict dis- 
 ciplinarian, the men knew his value in the field 
 too well not to testify their satisfaction at his re-
 
 120 RECONNOITRING. 
 
 turn. The Cacadores, particularly, caused much 
 laughter among us, by shouting out in Portuguese 
 the moment they caught sight of him, " Long 
 live General Crauford, who takes care of our bel- 
 lies !" meaning by this exclamation they got their 
 rations regularly, while under his command ; the 
 General seemed highly pleased, and bowed repea- 
 edly with his hat oiF as he rode down ther anks. 
 
 The whole of the British were in position and 
 under arms at day-break, earnestly expecting, 
 from the movements of the enemy that an attack 
 would be made ; this suspense was but short, for 
 very soon a heavy cannonading was heard on our 
 right, in which direction we were immediately or- 
 dered. While moving accordingly we passed the 
 Guards of the 1st division, entrenched behind the 
 town of Fuentes ; we immediately occupied some 
 old dry walls considerably in advance, and facing 
 the enemy's left, a fine extended plain laying be- 
 tween us, with a wood on the French side of which 
 the enemy had possession. In front of this a re- 
 giment of cavalry was conspicuously formed, a 
 troop of which came trotting leisurely towards us 
 to reconnoitre our position. 
 
 This movement induced a corresponding one 
 from some of our dragoons, when both parties 
 threw out their videttes, and remained halted 
 with some four hundred yards of ground between 
 them. 
 
 One of their videttes, after being posted facing 
 an English dragoon, of tlie 14th or IGth (for we 
 had only those two light dragoon regiments with
 
 A GALLANT FRENCnM\N. 121 
 
 US at the time, and the German Hussars), dis- 
 played an instance of individual gallantry, in 
 which the French, to do them justice, were sel- 
 dom wanting. Waving his long straight sword, 
 the Frenchman rode within sixty yards of our 
 dragoon, and challenged him to single combat. 
 We immediately expected to see our cavalry man 
 engage his opponent, sword in hand. Instead of 
 this, however, he unslung his carbine and fired at 
 the Frenchman, who not a whit dismayed, shout- 
 ed out so that every one could hear him, " Venez 
 avec le sabre : je suis pret pour Napoleon et la 
 belle France. " Having vainly endeavoured to induce 
 the Englishman to a personal conflict, and after 
 having endured two or three shots from his car- 
 bine, the Frenchman rode proudly back to his 
 ground, cheered even by our own men. We 
 were much amused by his gallantry, while we 
 hissed our own dragoon, who, it was afterwards 
 stated, for the credit of the gallant regiment he 
 belonged to, was a recruit. 
 
 Just after the preceding occurrence, a smart 
 action had commenced in the wood before men- 
 tioned, and our company was ordered to take 
 ground to the front, where the 85th regiment 
 Vv^ere very roughly handled by the enemy. This 
 was the first time since their arrival in the 
 country, that they had been engaged. Opposed, 
 with their conspicuous red dresses, to the old trained 
 French tirailleurs, it is no wonder that the gallant 
 85th should have suffered so severely. When we 
 came up, however, our practised fellows, in their 
 
 G
 
 122 ENGLISH AND FRENCH CAVALRY. 
 
 dark clothing, from the murderous nature of our 
 arms, soon turned back the advancing French, 
 who commenced gradually retreating before us, 
 until they got through the wood on the plain 
 that leads to Nave d'Aver. 
 
 We had no sooner beaten back the enemy than 
 a loud cheering to the right attracted our atten- 
 tion, and we perceived our 1st heavy dragoons 
 charge a French cavalry regiment. As this was 
 the first charge of cavalry most of us had ever 
 seen, we were all naturally much interested on 
 the occasion. The French skirmishers who were 
 extended against us seemed to participate in the 
 same feeling, and by general consent, both parties 
 agreed to suspend firing while the affair of dra- 
 goons was going on. The English and French 
 cavalry met in the most gallant manner, and with 
 the greatest show of resolution. The first shock, 
 Avhen they came in collision, seemed terrific, and 
 many men and horses fell on both sides. They 
 had ridden through and past each other, and now 
 they wiieeled round again. This was followed 
 by a second charge, accompanied by some very 
 pretty sabre-practice, by which many saddles 
 were emptied, and English and French chargers 
 were soon seen galloping about the field without 
 riders. These immediately occupied the attention 
 of the French skirmishers and ourselves, and we 
 were soon engaged in pursuing them, the men of 
 each nation endeavouring to secure the chargers of 
 the opposite one as legal spoil. While engaged 
 in this chase we frequently became intermixed,
 
 CHIVALROUS SPIRIT ON BOTH SIDES. 123 
 
 when much laughter was indulged in by both 
 parties at the different accidents that occurred 
 in our pursuit. 
 
 I had secured a very splendid charger, when 
 chancing to turn my head, I perceived that the 
 French were playing a deep game. They had 
 succeeded in moving a regiment of infantry, 
 with some cavalry, through the wood in our rear. 
 The alarm, however, was immediately given, and 
 our company as foremost, had to run for their 
 lives into a square formed by the 52nd, who were 
 close to the foot guards. During this sudden 
 movement, I was obliged to part with my horse, 
 the cavalry did not pursue us ; but their artillery 
 opened upon the 52nd's square, and did some 
 execution. 
 
 These incidents, though fearfully strange to 
 some of my readers, were very enlivening to us. 
 Our's indeed was a noble enemy ; they never per- 
 mitted us to flag, for want of stimuli, but kept 
 us ever on the " qui vive." We anticipated little 
 terror from capture, and though we ever found 
 them to be our roughest antagonists, yet we 
 always experienced a most generous opposition ; 
 indeed there was, on the whole, such a chivalrous 
 spirit carried on between us, that our men had a 
 kind of respect even for a wound inflicted by a 
 Frenchman. 
 
 Our next attempt was upon the left of Fuentes, 
 where one company was detached, while the re- 
 mainder of the regiment was ordered to take 
 possession of the town. The section to which I 
 
 G 2
 
 124 THE 79th HIGHLANDERS. 
 
 belonged were posted near the banks of the river 
 Duas Casas, The 79th Highlanders had suffered 
 very severely here, as the place was strewn about 
 with their bodies. Poor fellows ! they had not 
 been used to skirmishing, and instead of occupy- 
 ing the houses in the neighbourhood, and firing 
 from the windows, they had, as, I heard, exposed 
 themselves, by firing in sections. The French, 
 who still occupied part of the town, had not 
 escaped a rough handling, as their dead also 
 evinced. 
 
 During the latter part of the day the enemy 
 had made some prisoners, which they exhibited 
 to us as they marched them along their lines. 
 One man we saw make a determined attempt 
 to obtain his liberty. He had loitered in the 
 rear as the party were going over a small bridge 
 that crossed the Duas Casas by a mill, when, 
 turning suddenly upon a Frenchman behind him, 
 he threw him into the water, and immediately 
 made a dash for our position, but owing to 
 several of the French being between him and us, 
 we had the mortification of seeing the poor fellow 
 recaptured, without being enabled to render him 
 any assistance ; we could see by his kilt that he 
 belonged to the 79th regiment. 
 
 That same evening, the enemy evacuated the 
 town, and a flag of truce was sent us to bury the 
 dead, while occupied in this, at all times melan- 
 choly duty, some idea may be formed of the loss 
 sustained bv the 79th alone, when a man of our 
 company brougl it in his two arms full of the sable
 
 OPPOSING SENTRIES^ 125 
 
 plumes which he had taken from their honnets, 
 strewn about the town. 
 
 The opposing lines of sentries were very close 
 to each other : the French being divided from us 
 only by a narrow plank thrown across the mill- 
 dam, which was occupied on one side by our 
 company, who were now on picquet. 
 
 A blacksmith of ours of the name of Tidy, 
 who had erected his forge in the old mill, was at 
 work close by, shoeing the officers' horses. The 
 French sentry had crossed the plank to light his 
 pipe, and was standing carelessly chatting with 
 me, when who should I see approaching, but 
 General Crauford inquiring if Tidy had shod his 
 horse. The Frenchman's red wings soon attracted 
 the General's notice, and he suddenly with his 
 well known stern glance, inquired, 
 
 " Who the devil's that you're talking with, 
 rifleman ?" 
 
 I informed him the French sentry, who had 
 come over for a light for his pipe. 
 
 " Indeed," replied Crauford, " let him go 
 about his business, he has no right here, nor we 
 either," said he, in a low whisper to his aid-de- 
 camp, and away he walked. 
 
 Our battalion remained in the suburbs of 
 Fuentes a few days, and the enemy who had 
 desisted from their attempt to relieve Almeida, 
 retired; we followed them and took up our quar- 
 ters at Gallegos. Anxious to know the fate of 
 serjeant-major Sharp, of the 14th Light Dragoons, 
 immediately on our arrival I called on an old
 
 126 A DISORDERLY DRAGOON. 
 
 friend, a Corporal Henley,* of the same regiment, 
 and he gave me the following particulars and 
 further proceedings of that gallant and highly 
 distinguished regiment, 
 
 *' On the 5th, early in the morning," said he, 
 " after you left us, we assembled on our respec- 
 tive alarm posts, which at daylight w^e found to 
 be none other than the position so gloriously 
 contested and known as Fuentes d'Onor. 
 
 " The regiment formed in close columns and 
 dismounted, the commissariat having arrived 
 with his mules, rations were issued to both man 
 and horse, and to many it proved to be their 
 last. It so happened that during the distribution 
 of corn, the horses of Lieutenant Shields had 
 been forgotten. It was, therefore, necessary to 
 make a collection from each dragoon, to make 
 good the deficiency; one of these, named Trowers, 
 under the influence of the preceding night's hquor 
 refused to allow any of his corn to be taken, and 
 drawing his sword, declared wdth an oath, he 
 would cut down the first man who dared to take 
 a grain from his horse. As a matter of course, 
 he was placed under arrest, and a drum head 
 court martial, was instantly summoned for the 
 trial of the prisoner, at which also was arraigned 
 the unfortunate Serjeant Major Sharp, all the 
 
 * This veteran soldier who was afterwards promoted to the 
 rank of Sergeant Major, through the interest of his old com- 
 mander Sir Hussey Vivian, now holds a situation in the Tower, 
 where we frequently meet.
 
 AN ESCAPE FROM PUNISHMENT. 127 
 
 while the action was becoming general along the 
 lines. 
 
 " Captain Bull's troop of artillery, then on our 
 right, marked with the most accurate skill, the 
 movements of the enemy, who in turn did not 
 allow us to remain silent spectators, as their 
 round shot measured with equal exactness the 
 standing of our columns. The court martial being 
 closed, the troops stood to their horses, and the 
 proceedings were read, the dragoon was sentenced 
 to receive three hundred lashes, and the Serjeant 
 Major reduced to the rank and pay of a private 
 sentinel. The bars of the latter were immediately 
 cut off, and a gun from Captain Bull's train was 
 brought to the flank of the regiment, and the pri- 
 soner ordered to be tied to it ; in the moment of 
 doing this, one of the staff came galloping up, his 
 horse covered with foam, bearing orders for the 
 regiment to take ground to the right and charge, 
 covering our flank which in that direction was 
 falling back, harassed by the enemy's cavalry. 
 
 " The words, stand to your horses — Mount — 
 Three right — Gallop," followed in quick succes- 
 sion ; and like shots from a six pounder, we left 
 the scenes of military discipline. The prisoner 
 in this confusion, and half accoutred made a leap 
 into his saddle, and drawing his sword and giving 
 his horse the spur, rushed into the ranks, and the 
 non-commissioned officer, in whose charge he 
 had been left, unable to prevent him, galloped 
 after and mixed in the attack. 
 
 " This fortunate occurrence saved the poor fel-
 
 128 ATTACK OF CAVALRY. 
 
 low from the disgrace of the *' lash," but his 
 good fortune did not continue with him through- 
 out the day, as he was one of the brave, who fell 
 some short time afterwards, in the gallant charge 
 made by a squadron of ours, on two of the 
 enemy's guns. 
 
 " On our arrival on the right, our infantry had 
 formed square and were falling back menaced by 
 a numerous cavalry ; indeed I may say as it was 
 the case, our right flank was turned. Our guns 
 opened between the interval of squares, upon 
 their advancing columns, when one squadron of 
 the 1st Royal Dragoons, and one of our regiments 
 charged, led by Major Mills ; their cavalry were 
 driven back, and many prisoners taken. The in- 
 fantry continued to fall back with as much stead- 
 iness and order, as if in review. 
 
 ** I must here relate," continued Henley, with 
 deep emotion, " an event which at the time filled 
 all who were present with a sorrow which indeed 
 I shall never forget. General Slade, observing 
 the numerous cavalry against which his Brigade 
 had to contend, advised the officer in command, 
 not to allow their ranks to be weakened by con- 
 ducting prisoners to the rear, but after disarming 
 them, to let them proceed of their own accord. 
 It was not uncommon therefore to observe groups 
 of French dragoons riding quietly to the rear, 
 looking for any one to take them in charge. It 
 happened that a Hussar of the 3rd German's 
 having taken a prisoner, ordered him to fall back 
 also; the latter having ridden some little distance
 
 ACCIDENTAL FRATRICIDE. 129 
 
 as directed, suddenly applied both spurs to his 
 horse, making a detour to his regiment ; the 
 German, observing this, as quickly pursued, and 
 upon closing with him fired his pistol, and the 
 dragoon fell dead from his horse. 
 
 *' The hussar having secured the Frenchman's 
 rein conveyed him some little distance to the 
 rear, and proceeded to take off his valise, when 
 overhauling the contents, he discovered a letter 
 from his father, on reading which, he found that it 
 was his own brother who had fallen by his hands. 
 Stupified with horror, he sat motionless and 
 speechless on his horse for some minutes, when 
 he exclaimed, the big tears rolling down his veteran 
 cheek, " The king has commanded, and my God 
 will forgive me," at the same time applying his 
 spurs, he rushed headlong into the battle. 
 
 " A few days after, meeting a Patrole of the same 
 regiment near Gallegos, inquiry w^as made res- 
 pecting our unfortunate hussar, when we w^ere 
 informed that he too had that day numbered with 
 the dead, not far from the corpse of his bro- 
 ther." 
 
 G 3
 
 130 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 xllmeida closely invested by the 5tli division, but not close 
 enough — Evacuation by the French — Suicide of the Colonel 
 of the 4th — Sabugal — We cross the Coa — The comet — Much 
 ado about nothing — Tom Crawley's fears — March through 
 Castello Branco — Portalegre, &c., to Campo Mayor — Tom 
 Crawley poisoned — Blockade of Ciudad Rodrigo — Atalaya — 
 Hunting excursion with the Staff — Our 3rd Battalion joms 
 us — Colonel Barnard — Jemmy Searchfield — Middy ashore 
 — Deficiency of rations — A new arrival — His adventure — 
 Spanish spite — The pigs — Rodrigo relieved by the French 
 — Our division — We rejoin the army — Battle of El Bodon — 
 We return to Guinaldo — Again invest Rodrigo — January, 
 1812 — Fort Piquerine stormed — The stripping of the pri- 
 soners by the Portuguese — Tom Crawley again — Cure for a 
 skulk. 
 
 At this period Almeida was closely invested by 
 the fifth division, while we in front watched the 
 main army. Early on the morning of the 10th of 
 May we were ordered to get under arms, and march 
 towards Barba del Puerco, the scene of one of our 
 former skirmishes the year before. On arriving 
 near the town we heard some smart firing, and 
 we halted. We now were informed, for the first
 
 LIONS AND LAMBS. 131 
 
 time, that the French garrison at Almeida, after 
 blowing up the walls at night, evacuated the town, 
 and had cut their way through the blockading 
 force. 
 
 The brigades of the fifth division, I believe, did 
 duty by turns. That in w^hich were the 2nd and 
 4th Regiments happened to be on picquet when 
 the French made tlieir way through the investing 
 force, which gave rise to a verse that became very 
 common amongst the troops. But I must remark 
 that the badge of the 2nd Regiment was a lamb, 
 and that of the 4th a lion. The lines were as 
 follows : — 
 
 " The lion went to sleep, 
 And the lambs were at play ; 
 The eagle spread her wmgs. 
 And from Almeida flew away." 
 
 Although these regiments were rendered some- 
 what unpopular from this circumstance, it is ge- 
 nerally admitted, by those capable of judging, that 
 there were not two finer in the service. Our bat- 
 talion had been particularly fond of the 4th, while 
 they were quartered at Colchester, where they had 
 christened us in a friendly feeling, "The young 
 4th." The melancholy death of their Colonel, 
 who, from an over- sensitive feeling of honour, 
 shot himself shortly after the foregoing unlucky 
 affair, was generally regretted. 
 
 The evacuation of the fortress of Almeida hav- 
 ing rendered the presence of our division there- 
 abouts no longer necessary, another movement
 
 132 A PANIC. 
 
 was made to the southward to General Hill, who 
 commanded the 2nd division, at this time me- 
 naced by a very superior force of the French. 
 
 On the first day's march we passed through 
 Sabugal, crossed the Coa, and encamped in a 
 chesnut wood, close to our former scene of action. 
 
 Here a very strange panic occurred, that might 
 have been attended with most disastrous effects. 
 About twelve at night I was stretched on my 
 back under the boughs of a tree, admiring the 
 comet that at that period created some sensation 
 in Europe, from its nearness to the earth, when a 
 general alarm and outcry was raised in the divi- 
 sion that " The French were upon us." In a 
 moment I started up, and seized my rifle. The 
 different regiments were assembling in the great- 
 est disorder, while the general cries of alarm on 
 all sides induced many to feel a terror that was, 
 perhaps, never felt in battle. Among others I 
 plainly observed General Crauford, desiring all 
 whom he met to fall in and load. After a short 
 W'hile the panic ceased : we all looked foolish 
 enough at the great ado about nothing, though 
 some attributed the cause to French spies having 
 got among us, others to some bullocks grazing 
 by, that had knocked down several stands of arms ; 
 others again accused the comet, and among the 
 latter in our battalion was that worthy, Tom Craw- 
 ley, who stoutly contended the comet was a sign 
 tliat we ought to leave the country, as it would 
 shortly drop down and burn up that part of Eu- 
 rope. Tom himself at this period, it was shrewdly 
 
 J
 
 LORD Wellington's staff. 133 
 
 suspected, had a great desire to turn his steps 
 homewards. 
 
 We continued our march through Castelio Bran- 
 cOjPortalegre. and encamped on a low ground call- 
 ed Monte Reguingo, on the right of the road lead- 
 ing to Campo Mayor. There we remained about 
 six weeks, during which we suflered dreadfully 
 from the oppressive heat of the weather. Tom, 
 while we remained at Reguingo, imagined himself 
 poisoned. He had eaten rather ravenously of some 
 pork and caravances (a sort of pulse), and was 
 suddenly seized with violent paroxysms of pain 
 through his over-gorging. Old Doctor Burke, 
 who seldom did any thing by halves, gave him 
 -an emetic sufficient to physic a dromedary. Craw- 
 ley, however, who never feared death on the field, 
 now seemed to hesitate to meet him in quarters, 
 and between the groans he uttered, made the most 
 vehement promises of mending his sinful life if 
 spared. Never was an intended pious scene made 
 more truly ludicrous ; our men were in convul- 
 sions of laughter. 
 
 In July we returned to assist in the blockade 
 of Ciudad Rodrigo, and took up a position at a 
 village called Atalaya, at the base of the Sierra de 
 Gata, a range of mountains. Here Lord Welling- 
 ton's Staff frequently went out hunting. On these 
 occasions they generally had five or six men of 
 the Rifles to assist. The place abounded in wolves 
 and wild boars, so that a great deal of amusement 
 was experienced in this sport. I generally had 
 the good fortune to be selected, with others of our
 
 134 A YOUNG MIDDY. 
 
 battalion, to attend his Lordship's Staff in these 
 excursions. The chase was very exciting, parti- 
 cularly from the ferocious nature of the game we 
 sought. I well remember the first wild boar I 
 saw in one of these hunts : he was a huge fel- 
 low, with tusks of a most alarming size, but al- 
 though we fired several shots, and the hounds 
 pursued him, he escaped. One day we came 
 upon three young wolf cubs, the old ones having 
 abandoned them on our approach. These ani- 
 mals, which we presented to one of our ofiicers, 
 remained in his possession for a long time, and 
 became as docile and playful as kittens. 
 
 Here we were joined by our third battalion, 
 under the command of Colonel Barnard, a gal- 
 lant and very distinguished officer, now known 
 as Lieutenant-General Sir Andrew Barnard ; at 
 the same time, also, we were re-inforced, by 
 a batch of recruits from England, and by one 
 Tommy Searchfield, a character well known to 
 all the Light Brigade. This gentleman, a squat, 
 square little fellow, had formerly been a " middy'' 
 in the Royal Navy, and had now come over to 
 us a cadet, and subsequently obtained a lieuten- 
 ancy. 
 
 " Tommy's" first feat was somewhat after the 
 lessons he had received under the immortal Nel- 
 son. He had been accustomed hitherto to meet his 
 enemies" muzzle to muzzle," and, consequently, 
 whenever the least intimation was given of the 
 presence of the French, would imagine them al- 
 most passing through the loopholes, or as he
 
 WANT OF RATIONS. 135 
 
 termed them, our "ports." On one occasion 
 he bawled aloud, " to quarters," and seizing hold 
 of a rope, suspended outside the church of the 
 village, to one of the bells in the belfry ; to our 
 surprise, and that of the inhabitants also, ran up it 
 like a cat, to keep the " look-out" for the enemy. 
 We, however, were some distance from them. The 
 officers, for want of better employment, occupied 
 their own and our time erecting sham fortifica- 
 tions in the woods, &c., and thus turned "Tom's" 
 peculiarities to their amusement. Searchlield, 
 however, got " awake" to them, and his original 
 good natured simplicity giving way to experience, 
 he gently informed his tormentors that he kept 
 " a clean brace of pistols" about him, " at any 
 time at their sarvice." This unexpected show 
 of pluck made his " teazers" less gibing, and 
 " Tommy" took his proper position ; and, I be- 
 lieve, became as respectable as any of them. 
 
 At Atalaya we were very much in the advance 
 of the main army : the distance made it difficult 
 for the commissariat to forward our rations regu- 
 larly, and we, consequently, suffered dreadfully 
 through want ; and, I may say, underwent more 
 privations than at any other place in Spain, ex- 
 cepting at Dough Boy Hill. The deficiency of 
 bread we had been obliged to make up with 
 roasted or boiled chesnuts, of which we were al- 
 lowed a quart a day each. At length we found 
 it necessary to make an incursion into the moun- 
 tains, to press the Alcaldes of the different vil- 
 lages to supply us.
 
 136 THE irishman's escape. 
 
 On one of these expeditions, under charge of a 
 quarter-master, we observed two persons mount- 
 ed on mules, riding towards us. On their ap- 
 proach we remarked to one another the light- 
 haired appearance of one, and the singularity of 
 a " fiair cornplexioned Spaniard," when the fellow 
 suddenly stopped his mule, and jumping toward 
 us exclaimed, " Oh, by the merciful God, are ye 
 English ?" He was immediately answered from 
 a dozen voices in the affirmative, and we disco- 
 vered him to be one of our cavalry men, who 
 having been made a prisoner by the French at 
 Talavera, had since escaped. His short stay 
 among the Spaniards had not spoilt his * 'brogue," 
 and he gave us, in the real Irish accent, a full 
 account of his adventures. 
 
 When the enemy took him, dragoon-like, to- 
 gether with a slight wound, he could not keep up 
 with his captors, who, having no mules, were in 
 the practice of pressing the strongest and most ro- 
 bust of the inhabitants and making them carry 
 the English prisoners on their backs, now and then 
 keeping up their stamina by pricking their hind- 
 quarters with the bayonets. Our cavalier conse- 
 quently found himself mounted in like manner ; 
 the close contact, however, that this brought him 
 in with the ears of his bearers was followed by 
 whispers, and the Spaniards no doubt as tired of 
 their burthen as the burthen of the French, slip- 
 ped him into a house on the way-side, whence, 
 having quickly shaved the top of his sconce, they 
 passed him as a priest, and he escaped with them
 
 ACCIDENTAL HOMICIDE. 137 
 
 into the mountains. He there got amongst the 
 Guerillas, under Don Julian Sanchez, of whom 
 he gave us many amusing anecdotes, andwho pass- 
 ed him on till he reached us. As soon as we re- 
 turned to the village he reported himself to Ge- 
 neral Crauford, who laughed heartily at the de- 
 tails he gave of himself, and ordered his servant 
 to give him a coat to supply his almost naked 
 condition until he rejoined his regiment. Mean- 
 while he was ordered to stop with our company, 
 and took up his quarters in the house with me. 
 
 Among other amusements before detailed, we 
 used to get up jumping, throwing, and cuffing- 
 matches with the peasantry, who generally joined 
 most heartily in the fun. One day, however, a 
 Spaniard of theirs, being over-matched, became 
 exceedingly nettled, and commenced quarrelling 
 with one of our sergeants, named Kitchen ; the 
 result was they came to blows, when after two or 
 three slight cuffs the peasant fell suddenly and 
 expired. The village, of course, became a scene 
 of uproar, and we were obliged, to satisfy the in- 
 habitants, to hold a kind of inquest upon him. 
 However, the barber, or "Sangrado" of the place, 
 together with our own surgeon, to their extreme 
 mortification declared, that the man had injured 
 the spleen of his stomach, and actually had died 
 through spite. 
 
 I must not forget to mention the sagacity of 
 the pigs, which, in great numbers were kept by 
 the farmers of the village. Though belonging to 
 different owners they all obeyed one master, who,
 
 138 SAGACITY OF PIGS. 
 
 it may be said, with the Alcalde, held absolute 
 sway over " man and beast." Early in the morn- 
 ing the animals were taken by him into the wood 
 to feed, and at night were driven home again in 
 like manner, the swine-herd's only deputies being 
 a short iron and a long stick, somewhat like that 
 used by our shepherds. The anxiety of the ani- 
 mals, immediately they heard the tones of his in- 
 strument was remarkable, and if they chanced to 
 be confined at the time, their screams and grunts 
 grew most vociferous, and might be heard a mile 
 off. Indeed it was only for the herdsman to tune 
 up at any time of the day they would come to him 
 instantly, and seldom even one was missing, save 
 and except now and then when they chanced to 
 fall into the clutches of our riflemen. 
 
 About this period General Marmont, who had 
 succeeded Massena in command of the French 
 army, having concentrated his force, was enabled 
 to relieve Rodrigo. Making a forward movement 
 after this, it was found high time for our division 
 to retire. This we did at an hour's notice, as we 
 heard the enemy were stirring to beat up our quar- 
 ters. We fell in at dead of night, and after mak- 
 ing a semi-circular march, for there were some 
 fear of the enemy cutting us off, we arrived at El 
 Bodon. There we found the greater part of the 
 army assembled under Lord Wellington, together 
 with the remainder of our light division, who 
 loudly cheered us as we made our appearance, a 
 report having arisen amongst the rest of the tioops 
 that we had been taken prisoners.
 
 CIUDAD RODRIGO. 
 
 139 
 
 After our arrival, most of us were occupied 
 gleaning accounts of the battle of El Bodon, which 
 had been fought the daj^ before, in which the 5th 
 and 77th Regiments, as we then heard, had much 
 distinguished themselves, resisting the desperate 
 charges made upon them by the Polish Lancers 
 in the French service. 
 
 From El Bodon, wdiere we remained some time, 
 we retreated to Soito, and shortly afterwards re- 
 turned to Guinaldo, a town still closer to the city 
 of Rodrigo. In the beginning of January 1812, 
 our division commenced investing Ciudad. The 
 first day, our brigade crossed the Agueda, about 
 three miles up the river from the city, round which 
 we marched, keeping always at a most respectful 
 distance on account of their round shot. From 
 the idea this survey gave us of Rodrigo there 
 were few of our men not aware of the great 
 strength of the fortress and outworks, but it af- 
 forded only a subject for jest; as I believe at that 
 time, such was the confidence that filled the ranks 
 of our division, it would have been difficult to 
 persuade the men that they could not beat the 
 French, under any odds. 
 
 The same evening, Colonel Colborne, with less 
 than two hundred men, of the 43d, 52d, and 
 Rifles, carried in the most gallant manner a strong 
 fort of the enemy. Prior to its being stormed a 
 number of Cacadores had been ordered to take 
 blankets to convey away the wounded French as 
 well as the ^British. But most of those employed 
 in this duty took advantage of it to strip the pri-
 
 140 PORTUGUESE BARBARITY. 
 
 soners, whom to the number of fifty they left al- 
 most as naked as they were born, and exposed 
 to all the rigours of the inclement month of Ja- 
 nuary. 1 was present near the tent of General 
 Crauford, when a talkative, smart little French- 
 man, whom I guessed to be an officer,was brought 
 before him ; the poor fellow had nothing on 
 but his trowsers, and bled profusely from the nose 
 and mouth, through the blows he had received. 
 
 The General was very chagrined at the sight, 
 aud lamented his inabiUty to give him clothes, 
 his own baggage being so distant. Tom Craw- 
 ley, however, who had been actively employed 
 hunting the Portuguese from them immediately 
 stepped forward, and touching his hat after his 
 own inimitable manner, " Yer honner," said Tom, 
 his eyes sparkling at being able to assist, " I'll 
 lend him my great coat, if ye'll allow me." 
 
 Crauford, much pleased at his frank offer, in- 
 stantly answered, " You are very good, Rifle- 
 man ; let him have it," and Tom proceeded to 
 strip. Meanwhile more of the Frenchmen were 
 marched in, many worse off than their officer. 
 One of them, a sergeant, and a smart looking fel- 
 low, as soon as he perceived the officer, ran to 
 embrace him, and leaning his head on his shoul- 
 der, burst into tears over their mutual misery. 
 Captain Smith, the General's aide-de-camp, be- 
 ing present, generously pulled forth his pocket- 
 handkerchief and wrapped it round the Serjeant's 
 totally naked person, till further covering could 
 be obtained.
 
 A GOOD riRK. 141 
 
 The night of this occurrence came on remark- 
 ably cold, and when expecting to be marched 
 back to our quarters at El Bodon, we were sud- 
 denly ordered to break ground by commencing to 
 throw up intrenchments in the face of the city. 
 In executing this task, being unsheltered from the 
 enemy's shot, their grape and canister occasion- 
 ally played in among us, so that although it was 
 freezing hard at the time we had no reason to 
 complain of not having a good fire. 
 
 Now was the time to cure a skulker, or teach 
 a man to work for his " life." There we were, 
 in twos, each provided with a pick-axe and sho- 
 vel ; now digging with a vengeance into the fro- 
 zen mould, and then watching the glances of the 
 shot ; and again sticking to work like devils, or 
 perhaps pitching ourselves on our bellies to avoid 
 their being '' purged " with grape and cannister.
 
 142 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 Cold reception —Preparation to storm Rodrigo — I join the 
 " Forlorn Hope" — The breaches — General Crauford killed — 
 Uniacke mortally wounded — Major Napier womided — Taking 
 of the to^vn — A rough customer — Wilkie again — Death of 
 Wilkie— A gift— The left breach after the battle— Wilkie's 
 grave — Horrors of a storm — This is my niece, Sir — Tlie right 
 breach — Captain Uniacke — The Light Division leave Rodrigo 
 in disguise — Who the devil are those fellows — We enter El 
 Bodon. 
 
 The following day we were relieved by the third 
 division, and marched back to our quarters, cold, 
 hungry, and fatigued enough. One great annoy- 
 ance we experienced at this time, was having to 
 cross the Agueda in going to and returning from 
 the trenches. Pieces of ice that w^ere constantly 
 carried down this rapid stream bruised our men 
 so much, that, to obviate it the cavalry at length 
 were ordered to form four deep across the ford, 
 under the lee of whom we crossed comparatively 
 unharmed, although by the time we reached our 
 quarters, our clothes were frozen into a mass of 
 ice. 
 
 Our divisions continued relieving each other in 
 the trenches for some days, until two breaches 
 were considered practicable for an assault. On
 
 /^^^- A FORLORN HOPE. 143 
 
 the 18th, at night, an order came that we were to 
 proceed to the works the next morning. As this 
 took us out of our turn of duty, we all naturally 
 supposed that something unusual was to he done. 
 At daylight we joined the third division in the 
 works, and then heard that the city was to be 
 stormed. Volunteers were immediately required 
 from the different regiments of our division. Many 
 of our men came forward with alacrity for this 
 deadly service. With three others I had, as I then 
 considered, the good fortune to be chosen from our 
 company.* This was an occasion, as may be be- 
 lieved, momentous and interesting enough in the 
 life of a soldier, and so we seemed to consider it. 
 We shook hands with a feeling of friendly sin- 
 cerity, M'hile we speculated as to the chances of 
 outliving the assault, and, if truth must be told, 
 the chances of plunder in the town. We were at 
 this time in the trenches in front of the city, from 
 
 * As some of ray readers may not be acquainted with the 
 duty and the character of a " Forlorn Hope," I will proceed 
 to explain it. On the eve of the storming of a fortress, the 
 breaches, &c. being all ready, Captains of Companies, on their 
 private parade, give the men to understand that such and 
 such a place is to be taken by storm. Every man then, who 
 wishes to volunteer to head the stormers, steps forward to 
 the front, and his name is immediately taken down by the of- 
 ficer ; if none offer themselves the first men for duty are select- 
 ed. With our regiment this latter alternative was never re- 
 quired, as a sufficient number were always ready. 
 
 This serv'ice, or "Forlorn Hope," is designated by the French 
 in the not less aj)propriate term of " Les Enfants perdus," or 
 " Lost Children," and has always to lead or make the first 
 attack. '
 
 144 THE general's address. 
 
 whence proceeded a very smart tire of shot and 
 shell, probably to give ns an idea of the warm 
 reception we might expect on our visit at night. 
 
 Darkness had no sooner closed over the de- 
 voted city, and our imaginations awakened to the 
 horrors of the coming scene, than the " stormers" 
 were immediately ordered to "fall in" and 
 " form." We were four or five from each com- 
 pany, and in all about 120 men. The volunteers 
 of our regiment were led by Captain Mitchell and 
 Lieutenants Johnson and Kincaid ; the whole 
 of the storming division being commanded by 
 Major George Napier of the 52nd Regiment. 
 The forlorn-hope, or stormers, moved to a con- 
 vent, occupied by the 40th, the walls of which pro- 
 tected us from the enemy's shot. General Crau- 
 ford, who led us in person, while we stood formed 
 under the wall, addressed us upon the nature of 
 the duty assigned us. It was the last enterprise 
 his gallant spirit was ever destined to direct. On 
 this memorable occasion his voice was more than 
 ordinarily clear and distinct. His words sunk 
 deep in my memory, and although the shock of 
 many a battle has rolled over my grey locks since 
 that period, I remember some of his language as 
 follows : — 
 
 " Soldiers ! the eyes of your country are upon 
 you. Be steady, — be cool, — be firm in the as- 
 sault. The town must be yours this night. Once 
 masters of the wall, let your first duty be to clear 
 the ramparts, and in doing this keep together." 
 
 We were now waiting only for the signal, while
 
 THE IMMINENT DEADLY BREACH. 145 
 
 our division was formed immediately in our rear, 
 ready to second the effort. I could not help re- 
 marking at this awful crisis, when all most pro- 
 bably were on the brink of being dashed into 
 eternity, a certain solemnity and silence among 
 the men deeper than I had ever witnessed before. 
 With hearts beating, each was eagerly watching 
 the expected signal of the rocket, when up it went 
 from one of our batteries. 
 
 General Crauford, calUngout, "Now, lads, for 
 the breach !" led the way. We started off in 
 double time, and got under fire, in turning the left 
 corner of the wall. As we neared the breach, the 
 shot of the enemy swept our men away fast. Ca- 
 nister, grape, round shot and shell, with fire-balls 
 to show our ground, came pouring on and around 
 us, with a regular hail storm of bullets. General 
 Crauford fell almost immediately, mortally wound- 
 ed. Without a pause, however, we dashed on- 
 wards to the town, and precipitated ourselves into 
 the ditch before the walls, never waiting for the 
 ladders, which were carried by Portuguese, who 
 ran away and never made their appearance until 
 their use had been superseded by a series of jumps 
 made by our men into a trench some sixteen feet 
 deep ; at length one or two ladders having been pro- 
 cured, they were instantly placed against the scarp 
 of the trench, and up we mounted to attack the 
 breach. The fire kept up there was most deadly, 
 and our men for some minutes, as they appeared 
 in small bodies were swept away ; however they 
 still persevered, and gradually formed a lodg- 
 
 H
 
 146 THE TOWN ENTERED. 
 
 ment. At this time on our right, where the Third 
 Division were storming the second breach, we 
 could hear a loud cheering which had a magical 
 effect. Regardless of the enemy's fire and every 
 other impediment, the men dashed in over the 
 breach carrying everything before them. I had 
 got up among the first, and was struggling with 
 a crowd of our fellows to push over the splintered 
 and broken wall that formed the breach, when 
 I\Iajor Napier, who was by my side encouraging 
 on the men, received a shot, and, staggering back, 
 would in all probability have fallen into the trench, 
 had I not caught him. To my brief inquiry if he 
 were badly hurt, he squeezed my hand, whilst his 
 other arm hung shattered by his side, saying, 
 " Never mind me — push on, my lads, the town is 
 ours !" And so indeed it was, our men entering 
 it pell-mell. 
 
 Although dark, amongthefirst I saw, on mount- 
 ing the ramparts was my own Captain, Uniacke, 
 rushing along with a few men to the right of the 
 breach. Though not on the forlorn hope, this 
 gallant soldier was determined to be first in the 
 town. This was the last time he was doomed to 
 be at our head. A few moments afterwards the 
 French sprung a mine, by which the whole party 
 were killed or maimed. With a few others I had 
 taken a direction to the left. The French as 
 they retired kept up an occasional fire along the 
 ramparts ; while running forward I came against 
 a howitzer, and with such force that it actually 
 tumbled me over, and I found myself prostrate
 
 A FEARFUL STRUGGLE. 147 
 
 across the body of a wounded French officer ; be- 
 side him was a cannoneer of his own in the act 
 of assisting him. The latter instantly seized me, 
 and a fearful struggle ensued, till bent almost 
 double by the height, and heavy person of the 
 Frenchman I began to think that after all my 
 escapes my game was over ; at this crisis a few of 
 our men came rushing up, one of which was my 
 old " chum" Wilkie. The cannoneer in his turn 
 was fastened on, and tripped instantaneously by 
 the side of his master. But poor Wilkie the next 
 minute, himself staggered against the howitzer 
 mortally wounded ! I flew to his support. But 
 seizing me hastily by the hand, and giving it a 
 deadly squeeze, "Ned," he articulated, "it's all 
 up with me" and relaxing his grasp, he fell back 
 and expired.* The officer perceiving my agita- 
 tion, and fearful of my retaliating on him, handed 
 me over his gold watch. 
 
 The storm ers having by this time entirely 
 cleared the walls and adjoining houses of the ene- 
 my, next took possession of the market place, 
 where they commenced huzzaing and firing in the 
 air. — In the midst of this the ceremony of plant- 
 ing the colours was gone through. 
 
 The scene of desolation, crime, and horror that 
 
 * There is no doubt, but Wilkie, Major Napier, and indeed 
 several others in advance fell by the fire of the Portuguese ; who 
 being panic struck by the first volley they received from the town, 
 instantly lay down on the glacis, and commenced firing on the 
 breach, a random shot through the embrasure deprived my friend 
 of life. 
 
 H 2
 
 148 HORRORS OF AN ASSAULT. 
 
 follows fast upon the successful assault of a town 
 has been frequently described by pens more elo- 
 quent than mine, for which reason I shall merely 
 hurry over those to which I was an eye-witness. 
 The first place 1 found myself drawn to by some 
 comrades, was a large white house that had been 
 used as a commissary's store by the French : here 
 a crowd had assembled to break it open, when 
 they were warned off by a sentinel, a German, 
 who was posted to guard the premises. Not heed- 
 ing his threat, the throng rushed at the door. The 
 poor sentry, true to his trust, attempted to oppose 
 their entrance, and the following minute was run 
 through the body by a bayonet. 
 
 The house contained several puncheons of spi- 
 rits, wdiich the men present immediately tapped, 
 by striking in the heads. All now soon became 
 madly drunk ; and several wretches, especially, 
 those mounting the steps that had been placed 
 against the butts, to enable them to obtain the 
 rum, fell into the liquor head-foremost and perish- 
 ed, unnoticed by the crowd. Several fights took 
 place, in which the drunkenness of the parties 
 alone prevented mischief; and to crown the whole, 
 a light falHng into one of the barrels of spirit, the 
 place was set on fire, and many poor wretches, 
 who from the quantity of liquor they had swallow- 
 ed, were incapable of moving, were consumed in 
 the flames. 
 
 Turning from this scene of horrors, hardened 
 as I then w^as, I went with a comrade, to look for 
 a house where we might obtain refreshment and
 
 WILKIE. 149 
 
 take up our quarters for the night. This, after 
 some search, we found in the domicile of a doc- 
 tor, whom we took from under a bed clasped in 
 the arms of a very pretty girl whom he called his 
 niece, like himself, almost 
 
 Distill'd to jelly with th' effect of fear ! 
 
 This, however, w^esoon dispelled, and were re- 
 warded for our pains with a good supper crowned 
 by a bowl of excellent punch that at the time, in 
 own minds, compensated for all the sufferings we 
 had endured in the trenches during the siege. 
 
 The next morning I was anxious to visit the 
 left breach, to look for the body of Wilkie. I 
 found him, at length, cold and stiff, the bullet 
 having entered his breast close under the left 
 shoulder. He was stripped ! But I easily dis- 
 tinguished him by the likeness he bore to his sis- 
 ter ; old times then burst vividly o'er my recollec- 
 tion, and as I stood over his prostrate remains, 
 a few moments brought to mind all the scenes 
 in which he had been so active a coadjutor, my 
 quondam recruit, bed-fellow, press-man, and 
 pot companion, lay stretched before me clotted 
 and besmeared with his blood, a single drop of 
 which, at one time, was even more valued by me 
 than the whole of my own more lucky current. 
 The remembrance of his sister, much as my pro- 
 fession had tended to wipe her off my mind, now 
 resumed its almost pristine freshness ; my eyes 
 dimmed for a second, and perchance one soli- 
 tary proof of my weakness might have left its
 
 150 SPRINGING A MINE. 
 
 scalding course behind it, but I felt only as a 
 soldier. I held my own life as it were in my hand, 
 ready to part with it, at even a moment's notice, 
 and I presumed as much of all belonging to me. 
 
 The proceeds of the storming " business" had 
 enabled me to gain over a few half drunken sol- 
 diers, who had been staggering near me stupidly 
 staring at my anxiety. We buried poor Wilkie 
 in the glacis, near the breach, the whole wreck 
 around us displaying the veriest monument ever 
 reared to the memory of a soldier ! 
 
 I now proceeded to the right breach, which 
 had been carried by the 3rd division, near where 
 the mine had been sprung. The sight exhibited 
 was heart-rending in the extreme. The dead lay 
 in heaps, numbers of them stripped, and display- 
 ing the most ghastly wounds. Here and there, 
 half-buried under the blackened fragments of the 
 wall, or reeking on the surface of the ruin, lay 
 those who had been blown up in the explosion, 
 their remains dreadfully mangled and discoloured, 
 and strewed about amongst dissevered arms and 
 legs. 
 
 The 88th, or Connaught Rangers, had suffered 
 most severely at this spot, and I observed a num- 
 ber of poor Irish women hopelessly endeavouring 
 to distinguish the burnt features of their hus- 
 bands. 
 
 Though heartily sick of the morning's mourn- 
 ful perambulation, I yet felt anxious to see Cap- 
 tain Uniacke ; his remains lay on the suburbs, 
 in a house next to that where those of our brave
 
 COME ON, AND GO ON. 151 
 
 old General were stretched out. Several of the 
 men of his company crowded about his person, 
 hoping — for he was still living, and sensible ; that 
 he yet might return amongst us. But his arm 
 had been torn from the socket, and he died some 
 few days afterwards. 
 
 Here let me pay a brief, though sincere tri- 
 bute to his memory; though young in years — he 
 was gallant, daring, and just to all whom he com- 
 manded. 
 
 During the Peninsular war our men had divid- 
 ed the officers into two classes ; the " come on," 
 and the "go on ;" for as TomPlunkett in action 
 once observed to an officer, " The words ' go on' 
 don't befit a leader. Sir." — To the honour of the 
 service, the latter, with us Rifles, were exceed- 
 ingly few in numbers. But amongst the former, 
 none were seen so often in the van as Uniacke ; 
 his affability and personal courage had rendered 
 him the idol of the men of his company. 
 
 A very small portion only of the troops that 
 had taken Rodrigo were allowed to remain in 
 the city, and our battalion, among others, were 
 ordered back to their former quarters. The next 
 morning as we marched over the bridge, dressed 
 in all the varieties imaginable, some with jack- 
 boots on, others with frock-coats, epaulettes, &c., 
 and some with even monkies on their shoulders, 
 we met the fifth division on their way to repair 
 the breach ; they immediately formed upon the 
 left of the road, presented arms, and cheered us 
 as we went along.
 
 152 THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON. 
 
 I was afterwards told by several of our men 
 that the Duke of Wellington, who saw us on the 
 march, inquired of his staff, " Who the devil are 
 those fellows ?" 
 
 We entered El Bodon with songs; and wel- 
 comed by the " vivas" of the inhabitants.
 
 153 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 Burial of General Crauford — Anecdote of Ladrone ! Ladrone ! 
 — Corporal Miles — Burial of Uniacke — A French seat of 
 honour in jeopardy — A wolf ! a woK ! — Deserters shot — 
 Scene of execution — March to Castello de Vide across the 
 Tagus — Execution of Corporal Ormond for desertion — 
 Badajos — A man dreaming of his head being off with his 
 head on ; singular fulfillment — Tom Crawley's dislike to 
 conchology — His alarms — The Duke of Wellington saluted 
 by the enemy — Remarkable feature of the case — A French 
 curative or an ill- wind, &c. 
 
 The second day after the storming of Rodrigo 
 our brave General Crauford died of his wound, 
 and the chief part of the officers of the Rifles 
 went to pay the last tribute to his remains. He 
 was borne to the grave by four Sergeant- Majors 
 of his own division, and was buried in the breach 
 where he fell. The Duke of Wellington attended 
 the funeral of the gallant veteran ; who, though 
 most strict in discipline, was averse to punish- 
 ment, and was beloved by the men for his just- 
 ice and care for them, as well as for his bravery. 
 The following incident, of which I was an eye- 
 witness, will serve to show his character. 
 
 H 3
 
 154 THE GENERAL 
 
 I happened to be on guard one day, when 
 General Crauford came riding in from the front 
 with his orderly dragoon, as was his usual cus- 
 tom, when two of our men, one of them a corpo- 
 ral, came running out of a house wdth some 
 bread which they had stolen from the Spaniards ; 
 they were pursued by a Spanish woman crying 
 lustily, " Ladrone ! ladrone V — thief! thief! 
 They were immediately pursued by the General 
 and his orderly ; the bread was given back to 
 the woman, and the men were placed in the 
 guard-house. The next day they were tried by 
 a Brigade Court-Martial, and brought out to a 
 wood near the town for punishment. When £he 
 brigade was formed, and the Brigade-Major had 
 finished reading the proceedings of the court- 
 martial, General Crauford commenced lecturing 
 both men and officers on the nature of their cruel- 
 ty, as he said, to the harmless inhabitants, as he 
 called the Spaniards. He laid particular stress 
 on our regiment, who, he said, committed more 
 crimes than the whole of the British Army. " Be- 
 sides, you think," said he, " because you are 
 riflemen, and more exposed to the enemy's fire 
 than other regiments, that you are to rob the 
 inhabitants with impunity ; but, while I com- 
 mand you, you shall not:" then turning round 
 to the corporal, who stood in the centre of the 
 square, he said, with astern voice, " Strip, Sir." 
 
 The corporal, whose name was Miles, never 
 said a w^ord until tied up to a tree, when turning 
 his head round as far as his situation would al-
 
 AND THE CORPORAL. 155 
 
 low, and seeing the General pacing up and down 
 the square, he said, " General Crauford, I hope 
 you will forgive me." The General replied, '* No, 
 Sir, your crime is too great." The poor corpo- 
 ral, whose sentence was to be reduced to the pay 
 and rank of a private soldier, and to receive a 
 punishment of 150 lashes, and the other man 
 200, then addressed the General to the following 
 effect : — 
 
 " Do you recollect, Sir, when you and I were 
 taken prisoners, when under the command of Ge- 
 neral Whitelock, in Buenos Ayres ? We were 
 marched prisoners, with a number of others, to a 
 sort of pound surrounded with awall. — There was 
 a well in the centre, out of which I drew water 
 with my mess-tin, by means of canteen-straps I 
 collected from the men, who were prisoners like 
 myself. — You sat on my knapsack ; I parted my 
 last biscuit with you. You then told me you 
 would never forget my kindness to you. It is 
 now in your power. Sir. You know how short 
 we have been of rations for some time." 
 
 These words were spoken by the corporal in a 
 mild and respectful accent, which not only af- 
 fected the General, but the whole square. The 
 bugler, who stood waiting to commence the pu- 
 nishment close to the corporal, received the usual 
 nod from the Bugle-major to begin. The first lash 
 the corporal received the General started, and 
 turning hurriedly round, said, " Who taught that 
 bugler to flog ? Send him to drill— send him to 
 drill ! He cannot flog — he cannot flog ! Stop !
 
 156 BURIAL OF CAPTAIN UNIACKE. 
 
 stop ! Take him down ! take him down ! T re- 
 member it well — 1 remember it well 1" while he 
 paced up and down the square, muttering to 
 himself words that I could not catch ; at the 
 same time blowing his nose, and wiping his face 
 with his handkerchief, trying to hide the emo- 
 tion that was so evident to the whole square. 
 
 A dead silence prevailed for some time, until 
 our gallant General recovered a little his noble 
 feeling, when he uttered, with a broken accent, 
 " Why does a brave soldier like you commit 
 these crimes ?" Then beckoning to his orderly 
 to bring his horse, he mounted and rode off. It 
 is needless to say that the other man also was 
 pardoned, and in a few days the corporal was re- 
 stored to his rank. 
 
 On the fourth day, after we had taken the 
 town, the company received orders to pay the 
 last tribute to our Captain Uniacke. We marched 
 under the command of the lieutenant, and arrived 
 at Gallegos about twelve o'clock. The men hav- 
 ing plenty of money, which they had obtained at 
 Rodrigo, got drinking, and actually while con- 
 veying the body to the grave, stumbled under 
 the weight of the coffin, and the lid not having 
 been nailed down, out rolled the mangled remains 
 of our brave captain, to the consternation of a num- 
 ber of French officers, en parole (prisoners from 
 Rodrigo). One more careless than the rest view- 
 ed the occurrence with a kind of malicious sneer, 
 which so enraged our men, that one of them tak- 
 ing the little tawny-looking Italian by the nape
 
 DESERTERS. 157 
 
 of the neck, kicked his hind-quarters soundly 
 for it. 
 
 I could not, at the time, help remarking the 
 very undersized appearance of the Frenchmen. 
 They were the ugliest set I ever saw, and seemed 
 to be the refuse of their army, and looked more 
 like Italians than Frenchmen. 
 
 On our return to El Bodon, one of the men, 
 overpowered with liquor, laid himself down to 
 sleep in the wood that separates the road from 
 Gallegos. Poor fellow, it was his last sleep, for 
 on the roll being called, a party was sent in 
 search of him, and discovered his body under a 
 tree, torn to pieces by the wolves, which greatly 
 infested that part of Spain. 
 
 I now have to relate one of those melancholy 
 incidents peculiar to a soldier's life, that occurred 
 while we remained at El Bodon. On taking Ro- 
 drigo we had captured, among others, ten men 
 who had deserted from our division. These were 
 condemned to be shot. The place of execution 
 was on a plain near Ituera, where our division 
 was drawn up, forming three sides of a square ; 
 the culprits, as usual, being placed in front of a 
 trench, dug for a grave, on the vacant side. 
 
 Two of the deserters, the one a man of the 
 same company as myself, named Hudson, and a 
 very handsome fellow who had been persuaded 
 into the rash step, were pardoned on the ground. 
 The other a corporal, named Cummins, of the 
 52nd Regiment, and who had been mainly in- 
 strumental, I believe, in getting the others to
 
 158 MILITARY EXECUTION. 
 
 desert with him, was placed on the fatal ground 
 in a wounded state. He had been particularly 
 noticed at Rodrigo in one of the breaches, most 
 actively employed, opposing our entrance, and 
 cheering on the besieged to resist us. This man 
 was pardoned also. Why he w^as pardoned I 
 cannot say. 
 
 As this was the first military execution I had 
 ever witnessed, I felt not a little curiosity to see 
 the forms pursued. A large trench had been 
 dug as a grave for the wretched men who were 
 to suffer. Along the summit of the little heap of 
 mould that had been thrown up from the pit, 
 the deserters were placed in a row, with their 
 eyes bandaged, so that on receiving the fatal vol- 
 ley they should fall forward into the trench. 
 Some of the poor fellows, from debility, were 
 unable to kneel, and lay at their length, or 
 crouched up into an attitude of despair, upon 
 the loose earth. 
 
 The signal to the firing party was given by a 
 motion of the provost's cane, when the culprits 
 were all hurried together into eternity, with the 
 exception of one man of the 52nd, who, strange 
 to say, remained standing and untouched. His 
 countenance, that before had been deadly pale, 
 now exhibited a bright flush. Perhaps he might 
 have imagined himself pardoned ; if so, however, 
 he was doomed to be miserably deceived, as the 
 following minute two men of the reserve came up 
 and fired their pieces into his bosom, when giv- 
 ing a loud scream, that had a very horrible effect
 
 FRUITFUL COUNTRY. 159 
 
 upon those near, he sprang forward into his grave. 
 To prevent unnecessary suffering, a reserve fir- 
 ing party was brought up, who continued to fire 
 wherever the shghtest sign of remaining life ex- 
 hibited itself in the bodies, the provost himself 
 winding up the tragedy by discharging a pistol- 
 shot through the head of each corpse. 
 
 After this very solemn and impressive scene, 
 we were marched in column of companies round 
 the dead, so that the spectacle might be witness- 
 ed by every man in the division. 
 
 About the 26th of February we broke up our 
 cantonments in the environs of Ciudad Rodrigo, 
 and crossing the Tagus, marched southward for 
 six or seven days, at the expiration of which our 
 division took up their quarters in and about the 
 town of Castello de Vide. The country around 
 the town was the most fruitful and luxuriant I 
 had ever beheld. It was bounded with the most 
 delightful hills and valleys, that produced in 
 abundance the finest fruits, such as grapes, po- 
 megranates, oranges, and lemons. As may be 
 supposed, the men were delighted with such a 
 paradise. The wine was so plentiful, that our 
 fellows, while they remained here, made it an 
 invariable custom to boil their meat in it. 
 
 Another unhappy criminal was here doomed to 
 pay the forfeit of the crime of desertion. When 
 we took Rodrigo, he made his escape from the 
 town, and on his way to join the French at Sala- 
 manca was captured by some of the Spanish 
 troops, and brought back to the regiment a pri-
 
 IGO A DESERTER. 
 
 soner. The fate of this man, (Ormond by name,) 
 who had been a corporal in our battaUon, excited 
 much commiseration. I knew him well : he was 
 an exceedingly fine looking fellow, and up to the 
 period of his unhappy departure from duty, noted 
 for possessing the best qualities of a soldier. 
 Some harshness on the part of an officer was the 
 cause of Ormond's desertion ; but from the cir- 
 cumstance of his previous good character, and 
 the fact of his having been marched as a prisoner 
 for many days together during our march from 
 Rodrigo, it v*^as commonly thought he would be 
 pardoned. 
 
 I happened to be on guard over him the night 
 prior to his execution. The prisoner was playing 
 at cards with some of the men in the evening, 
 when the provost of the division entered the 
 guard-room, and gave him the intelligence that 
 he was doomed to suffer at ten o'clock the next 
 morning. 
 
 Sudden and utterly unexpected as the an- 
 nouncement was, Ormond's face was the only 
 one that showed scarcely any emotion. 
 
 "Well," he remarked to those around him, 
 " I am quite ready." 
 
 A short time afterwards he sent for the pay- 
 sergeant of the company he belonged to, from 
 whom he received the arrears of pay that were 
 due to him. This he spent on wine, which he 
 distributed among the men of the guard. Notic- 
 ing one man with very bad shoes, Ormond ob- 
 served his own were better, and taking them off he 
 
 m
 
 A BRAVE SOLDIER. IGI 
 
 exchanged them for the bad pair, saying, " They 
 will last me as long as I shall require them." 
 
 The morning turned out showery, the division 
 formed in three sides of a square, and the guard, 
 headed by the band with Ormond in front, slowly 
 marched round ; the muffled drum beat in dull 
 time the ' Dead march,' and the swell of its 
 solemn harmony, though it filled the eyes of 
 every man present, only seemed to strengthen 
 the glance of the doomed. He led the van of his 
 funeral procession, like one who was to live for 
 ever : his step was as firm and more correct than 
 any, and I thought at the time, a finer soldier 
 never stepped. Poor Ormond, I shall never for- 
 get when he halted at his own grave, the heavy 
 rains had filled it half with water, which he 
 noticed with a faint smile, and observed, 
 
 " Although a watery one, I shall sleep sound 
 enough in it." He then stood upright in a fine 
 military position, while the Brigade-Major read 
 aloud the proceedings of the court-martial. The 
 provost came to tie the handkerchief round his 
 eyes, when he coolly remarked, " There is no 
 occasion — I shall not flinch." Being told it was 
 customary, he said, " Very well, do your duty." 
 Before this last office was performed, he turned 
 round, and calling most of the guard by name, 
 bade them farewell. As I nodded to him in re- 
 turn, I fancied it was to a dead man, for in two 
 minutes he was no more. The intrepid and cool 
 manner in which he met his fate, drew forth a 
 general feeling of admiration.
 
 162 BADAJOS. 
 
 A few days after the execution we marched for 
 Badajos, in the environs of which we arrived on 
 the 17th of March. This celebrated city, of which 
 so much has been said and written, stands on 
 an extended plain equidistant three leagues from 
 Elvas and Campo Mayor. The Guadiana which 
 hereabouts forms the boundary between Spain and 
 Portugal, flows on one side of the fortification, and 
 connects with them by a bridge over its surface, 
 one or two forts on the opposite banks. The 
 fortress on all sides is surrounded by strong bas- 
 tions to the number of thirteen or fourteen, 
 which with trenches, and other forts and out- 
 works rendered it almost impregnable. In addi- 
 tion to these the Rivella a tributary stream to the 
 Guadiana flowed round and through the trenches 
 in our front. 
 
 Our battalion on its arrival took up its en- 
 campment on the Spanish side of the river, where 
 we occupied a small hill, and for the first time in 
 our campaigns made use of tents, belonging to 
 the Portuguese. 
 
 The first night of our arrival we commenced 
 laying siege, by breaking ground within three 
 or four hundred yards of the town, fort St. Roch 
 and fort Pumena rather on our left ; we lost a 
 man named Brooks, whose death was connected 
 with a very singular circumstance. 
 
 Brooks, several days before his death, dreamt 
 he saw the body of a rifleman without a head : 
 this apparition appeared three or four nights suc- 
 cessively in his dreams. Some days after we had
 
 A DREAM FULFILLED. 
 
 1G3 
 
 taken one of the forts from the enemy, our bat- 
 tahon was relieved in the trenches. On this 
 occasion, as was very customary with some of us, 
 Brooks, another man named Tracey, and myself, 
 jumped out of the trench, exposing ourselves to 
 a fire from the walls of the town while we ran 
 to the next parallel. In executing this feat I w^as 
 a little ahead of my comrades, when I heard the 
 rush of a cannon-ball, and feeling my jacket 
 splashed by something, as soon as I had jumped 
 into the next parallel, or trench, I turned round 
 and beheld the body of Brooks headless, w^hich 
 actually stood quivering with life for a few seconds 
 before it fell. His dream, poor fellow, had sin- 
 gularly augured the conclusion of his own career. 
 The shot had smashed and carried away the whole 
 of his head, bespattering my jacket with the 
 brains, while Tracey was materially injured by 
 having a splinter of the skull driven deep through 
 the skin behind his ear. The circumstance is 
 well known to several now living in London. 
 
 The greatest annoyance we experienced during 
 the siege arose from the shells thrown at us from 
 the town. Our works effectually skreened us 
 from the round-shot ; but these dangerous mis- 
 siles, falling into the trenches where we worked, 
 and exploding, frequently did great mischief. Im- 
 mediately a shell fell, every man threw himself 
 flat upon the ground until it had burst. Tom 
 Crawley, I remember, though tolerably fearless 
 with reference to other shot, had a most invete- 
 rate dislike to those deadly visitors. His fears
 
 164 
 
 SHELLS. 
 
 made him believe, that more of them were thrown 
 where he chanced to be, than in any other part 
 of the trenches. At night in particular, Tom 
 was always on the qui vive: as soon as he beheld 
 a shell coming he would call out, " Here's ano- 
 ther brute — look out!" and then instantly dive 
 his head into a mud- heap, which he would always 
 manage to have nigh at hand. This, however, 
 did not always protect us, for the head was no 
 sooner in the mud than its presence was again 
 required outside, to watch the falling splinters^ 
 These, from their composing large portions of 
 the metal of the missile descended with great 
 violence, and were sometimes of themselves suf- 
 ficient to crush a man into the earth. 
 
 Lord Wellington used occasionally to pay us a 
 visit during the work, to make observations, and 
 to examine the trenches, &c. 
 
 One day when Crawley and myself were work- 
 ing near each other in the trenches, a shell fell 
 inconveniently close to us. Tom was instantly 
 half buried in mud, awaiting the explosion. Per- 
 ceiving it had sunk itself deep into the earth, 
 the fuse being too long, I intended, availing my- 
 self of the opportunity, to play a trick upon 
 Crawley, by throwing a large lump of clay on 
 his head directly the shell exploded, and so make 
 him believe himself wounded. To obtain the 
 clod I sprang at the other side of the trench, but 
 exposed myself to a shot from the walls of the town, 
 which immediately came in the form of grape, 
 splashing me with mud from head to foot, and
 
 THE DUKE. 1G5 
 
 forcing me to throw myself back into the trench 
 upon Crawley, who in his fears, made sure that 
 a shell had fixed itself upon his rear, and roared 
 like a bull ; in an instant however, the sunken 
 missile really burst ; on the smoke dispersing, 
 who should I behold but the Duke himself, 
 crouched down, his head half averted, drily smil- 
 ing at Crawley and me. Shot and shell pay no 
 respect to persons, but the enemy did, as they 
 seemed awake to the near vicinity of his Grace, 
 and poured in shells, grape, and canister, with 
 other delicacies of the kind, with unusual liber- 
 ality, whenever he came amongst us ; which they 
 always appeared alive to. But the fact is, the 
 Duke, like his renowned contemporary, had a re- 
 markable cast of feature, which made him ever 
 distinguishable, at an almost incredible distance. 
 
 Before I go further into my narrative I must 
 detail an anecdote of Major O'Hare, my old 
 Captain, w^io was noted for his excellent soldierly 
 qualities. 
 
 We were on private parade one morning, when 
 a party of convalescents from hospital came up. 
 Among others was a sergeant of the name of 
 Jackson, who had been absent from our company 
 for the two previous years, during which period 
 it would seem, he had been chiefly employed as 
 hospital-sergeant at Belem, near Lisbon. 
 
 The Major's aversion to absentees from the 
 regiment was very well known among us, and we 
 anticipated a scene — nor were we deceived. 
 
 " Is that you, Mr. Sergeant Jackson ?" ex-
 
 166 A SKULKER DISGRACED. 
 
 claimed the Major, as soon as the party came up. 
 " And pray where, in God's name, have you been 
 for the last two years ? The company have seen 
 a little fighting during that period." 
 
 " The doctors would not allow me to leave the 
 hospital, Sir," replied Jackson. 
 
 " I am sorry for that," drily observed the 
 Major : " all that I can do for you is, to give you 
 your choice of a court-martial for absenting your- 
 self from duty without leave, or to have your 
 stripes taken off." 
 
 The sergeant, after a little hesitation, preferred 
 surrendering quietly his non-commissioned dig- 
 nity to standing an inquiry into his conduct. 
 
 Turning round to the men, the Major remarked 
 aloud, " By God, I will not have these brave 
 fellows commanded by skulkers." Then taking 
 the sash and stripes that were cut oft" by the Ser- 
 geant-Major,he handed them to Corporal Ballard, 
 observing at the same time, *' You will not dis- 
 grace them." 
 
 A very disagreeable duty, that usually fell 
 upon a few of the best shots of the battalion, 
 consisted in being obliged to run out, in inde- 
 pendent files, to occupy a number of holes, 
 that had been dug at night between our batteries 
 and the walls of the town. From these pits, of 
 which each man had one to himself, our particu- 
 lar business was to pick off any of the enemy 
 who exposed themselves at their guns, on the 
 walls through the embrasures. Many a French- 
 man was thus knocked ofl' by us. But it often
 
 UNPLEASANT DUTY. 167 
 
 occurred also that our own men were killed or 
 wounded in their holes, which made it doubly 
 dangerous for the man of the relieving party, w^ho, 
 instead of finding a ready covering, perceived it 
 occupied by a wounded or dead man. Before he 
 could get a shelter therefore or remove the body, 
 there was a great chance of his being shot. 
 
 While employed in this duty in front of our 
 batteries, the tremendous noise made by artil- 
 lery in both front and rear was attended at first 
 by a most unpleasant effect, as it destroyed the 
 sense of hearing for some hours after leaving the 
 trenches. It was amusing, during the siege, to 
 observe the motions of our artillerymen. They 
 were employed almost incessantly, and their 
 duties most arduous, as the batteries were the 
 chief object for the aim of the enemy's shot and 
 shells. An artilleryman was always stationed as 
 a sort of signal-man, to give notice of the ap- 
 pearance of either of these missiles, and it was 
 remarkable to observe the quickness with which 
 the men at the guns, on the word " shell," would 
 throw themselves on the ground for protection. 
 
 It not unfrequently happened that parties of 
 men were sent out in independent files to pick 
 up the dismembered legs, arms, &c., which some- 
 times might be seen scattered about by the burst- 
 ing shells. This precaution was thought neces- 
 sary to prevent any ill-effect their appearance 
 might cause on the courage of the Portuguese, 
 whose prognostications were quite as likely to 
 put the heels in motion as their heads.
 
 168 A CHANCE SHOT. 
 
 On one of these occasions I remember observing 
 a party of those gentlemen, after leaving the 
 trenches, carrying across the fields to their camp- 
 ground the body of a wounded officer of theirs, 
 wrapped in a bla ket. They had not proceeded 
 many yards, before a ball fired from the town 
 came bounding, half spent, along the ground. The 
 Portuguese, unconscious of its approach, were 
 just crossing the line of its progress, when the 
 shot glanced between them, and entering the 
 blanket, cut the unlucky officer in two. The 
 bearers, terrified, immediately took to their heels, 
 leaving the blanket behind them, which one of 
 our fellows observing, " That it was an ill wind 
 that did nobody good," instantly possessed him- 
 self of it. 
 
 The e^ect of our twenty-four pound shot upon 
 the wall gave notice that the breaches would soon 
 be practicable. On the 5th of April a storming 
 party was selected for the assault on the follow- 
 ing night.
 
 169 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 Storming of Badajos — I join the Forlorn Hope again — Pre- 
 sentiments of Major O'Hare and Captain Jones — Their 
 deaths — ^The Stormers — The Ladder-men — I am wounded 
 — The French prisoner — O'Brien — Sackmg of the town — 
 Scene of horror — Reflections — The Duke of WelHngton and 
 his men — Johnny Castles introduced with a rope round his 
 neck — The drummer-boy — A lire-lock goes off" and so does 
 a Corporal — I return to the camp — Casualties at Badajos — 
 The French prisoner and a new acquaintance — His account 
 of the evacuation of Almeida — His opinion of the British 
 Soldiers. 
 
 I AM now about entering into a personal nar- 
 rative of one of the most sanguinary and awful 
 engagements on the records of an}^ country. For 
 the second time I volunteered on the forlorn 
 hope. After having received a double allowance 
 of grog, we fell in about eight o'clock in the even- 
 ing, 6th April, 1812. The stormers were com- 
 posed of men from the different regiments of the 
 light division. T happened to be on the right of 
 the front section when my old Captain, Major 
 O'Hare, who commanded the wing to which my 
 company belonged, came up with Captain Jones 
 
 I
 
 170 THE AUTHOR JOINS THE FORLORN HOPE. 
 
 of the 52nd Regiment, both in command of the 
 storming party. A pair of ugUer men never 
 walked together, but a brace of better soldiers 
 never stood before the muzzle of a Frenchman's 
 gan. 
 
 " Well, O'Hare," said the Captain, "what do 
 you think of to-night's work ?" 
 
 " I don't know," rephed the Major, who seem- 
 ed, as I thought, in rather low spirits. " To- 
 night, I think, will be my last." 
 
 " Tut, tut, man ! I have the same sort of 
 feeling, but I keep it down with a drop of the 
 cratur,'" answered the Captain, as he handed his 
 calabash to the Major. 
 
 A Sergeant Flemming, a brave soldier, before 
 mentioned in these Memoirs, coming up, in- 
 formed Major O'Hare that a ladder party was 
 wanted. "Take the right files of the leading 
 sections," was the prompt order of the Major. 
 No sooner said than done. I and my front-rank 
 men were immediately tapped on the shoulder 
 for the ladder-party. I now gave up all hope of 
 ever returning. At Rodrigo, as before stated, 
 we had fatigue-parties for 4he ladders, but now 
 the case was altered ; besides which the ladders, 
 now in preparation, were much longer than those 
 employed at that fortress. 
 
 I may just mention that, whatever were my 
 own forebodings on the occasion, the presenti- 
 ments of our brave old ]\Iajor O'Hare and those 
 of Captain Jones were fatally realized, for in less 
 than twenty minutes after the above conversation, 
 both fell riddled with balls.
 
 THE LADDER PARTY. 171 
 
 The word was now given to the ladder- party to 
 move forward. We were accompanied at each side 
 by two men with hatchets to cut down any ob- 
 stacle that might oppose them, such as chevaux de 
 frise. There were six of us supporting the ladder 
 allotted to me, and I contrived to carry my grass- 
 bag before me.* We had proceeded but a short 
 distance when we heard the sound of voices on 
 our right, upon which we halted, and supposing 
 they might be enemies, I disengaged myself from 
 the ladder, and cocking my rifle, prepared for 
 action. Luckily we soon discovered our mis- 
 take, as one of our party cried — "Take care ! 
 'Tis the stormers of the 4th division com- 
 ing to join us." This proved to be the case. This 
 brief alarm over, we continued advancing to- 
 wards the walls the Rifles, as before, keeping in 
 front. We had to pass Fort St. Roche on our 
 left, near to the town, and as we approached it 
 the French sentry challenged. This was instant- 
 ly followed by a shot from the fort and another 
 from the walls of the town. A moment after- 
 wards, a fire-ball was thrown out, which threw a 
 bright red glare of light around us, and instantly 
 a volley of grape shot, canister, and small arms 
 
 * Grass-bags are long sacks about six feet by three, filled 
 with grass or hay, and so stuffed as to enable a party, in case 
 the ladders should not be fixed in sufficient time, by pitching 
 them into the trenches before them to descend with compara- 
 tive safety. With us, however, they answered a double pur- 
 pose, being carried by our men in front of their persons to 
 prevent the effects of the enemy's fire. 
 
 I 2
 
 172 
 
 PERILS OF AN ASSAULT. 
 
 poured in among us, as we stood on the glacis, 
 at a distance of about thirty yards from the 
 walls. 
 
 Three of the men carrying the ladder with me, 
 were shot dead in a breath, and its weight fall- 
 ing upon me, I fell backward with the grass-bag 
 on my breast. The remainder of the stormers 
 rushed up, regardless of my cries or those of the 
 wounded men around me, for by this time our 
 men were falling fast. Many in passing were 
 shot and fell upon me, so that I was actually 
 drenched in blood. The weight I had to sustain 
 became intolerable, and had it not been for the 
 grass bag which in some measure protected me, I 
 must have been suffocated. At length, by a strong 
 effort, I managed to extricate myself, in doing 
 which I left my rifle behind me, and drawing my 
 sword, rushed towards the breach. There T 
 found four men putting a ladder down the ditch ; 
 and, not daring to pause, fresh lights being still 
 thrown out of the town, with a continual dis- 
 charge of musketry, I slid quickly down the 
 ladder, but before I could recover my footing, 
 was knocked down again by the bodies of men 
 who were shot in attempting the descent. I, 
 however, succeeded in extricating myself from 
 underneath the dead, and rushing forward to 
 the right,, to my surprise and fear I found myself 
 nearly up to my neck in water. Until then I 
 was tolerably composed, but now all reflection 
 left me, and diving through the water, being 
 a good swimmer, I attempted to make to the
 
 HORRIBLE SCENE. 173 
 
 breach. In doing this I lost my sword. With- 
 out rifle, sword, or any other weapon, I suc- 
 ceeded in clambering up a part of the breach, 
 and came near to a chevaux de frise consisting 
 of a piece of heavy timber studded with sword- 
 blades, turning on an axis : but just before 
 reaching it I received a stroke on the breast, 
 whether from a grenade or a stone, or by the 
 butt-end of a musket, I cannot say, but down I 
 rolled senseless, and drenched with water, and 
 human gore. I could not have laid long in this 
 plight, for when my senses had in some measure 
 returned, I perceived our gallant fellows still 
 rushing forward, each seeming to share a fate 
 more deadly than my own. The fire continued 
 in one horrible and incessant peal, as if the 
 mouth of the infernal regions had opened to 
 vomit forth destruction upon all around us, 
 and tills was rendered still more appalling by 
 the fearful shouts of the combatants and cries 
 of the wounded that mingled in the uproar. 
 
 I now, strange to say, began to feel if my 
 arms and legs were entire : for at such moments 
 a man, I believe, is not always aware of his 
 wounds. I had now, indeed, lost all the frenzy 
 of the courage that had first possessed me, and 
 actually fell all weakness and prostration of spirit, 
 while I endeavoured, among the dead bodies 
 around me, to screen myself from the enemy's 
 shot ; but while 1 lay in this position, the fire 
 still continued blazing over me in all its horrors, 
 a^ ompanied by screams, groans, and shouts,
 
 174 THE AUTHOR WOUNDED. 
 
 and the crashing of stones and faUing of timbers. 
 I now, for the first time for many years, uttered 
 something hke a prayer. 
 
 After the horrible and well-known scene of 
 carnage had lasted some time, the fire gradually 
 slackened from the breach, and I heard a cheer- 
 ing which I knew to proceed from within the 
 town, and shortly afterwards a cry of " Blood 
 and 'ounds ! where's the Light Division ? — the 
 town's our own — hurrah !" This proceeded, no 
 doubt, from some of the third division. I now 
 attempted to rise, but, from a wound which I had 
 received, but at what time I know not, found my- 
 self unable to stand. A musket-ball had passed 
 through the lower part of my right leg — two 
 others had perforated my cap. At the moment 
 of this discovery I saw two or three men moving 
 towards me, who T was glad to find belonged to 
 the Rifles. One of them, named O'Brien, of the 
 same company as myself, immediately exclaimed, 
 " What ! is that you, Ned ? — we thought you 
 ladder-men all done for." He then assisted me 
 to rise. 
 
 In consequence of the chevaux de frise still re- 
 maining above the breach, we could not proceed 
 over it until more men arrived to remove its fas- 
 tenings. The third division meanwhile had en- 
 tered the town on our right by the castle where 
 there was no breach. We proceeded onwards, I 
 moving with great difficulty, though partly sup- 
 ported by O'Brien. At the top of the breach we 
 found another trench with a plank of wood lain
 
 SUCCESS OF THE ASSAULT. 175 
 
 across, leading into the town. Not until then I 
 felt drops of blood trickling down my face, and 
 found that one of the balls, in passing through 
 my cap, had torn the skin on my head. 
 
 In this crippled state, leaning upon my com- 
 rade, and using his rifle as a crutch, accom- 
 panied by a few of our riflemen, I entered the 
 town that had been so gloriously won. We still 
 however heard occasional firing and cheering 
 from the one end of the town, and imagined the 
 fight was still partially raging although, as we 
 soon afterwards learnt, the chief part of the 
 French had retired to the citadel or fort, where 
 they surrendered on the following morning. 
 Angry and irritated from the pain occasioned 
 by the wound, we had just turned the corner of 
 a street, when we observed some men, and, from 
 the light that shone from a window opposite, we 
 could see from their uniforms they were evidently 
 Frenchmen. The moment they saw us they dis- 
 appeared, with the exception of one man, who 
 seemed to make a rush at us with his musket. 
 O'Brien sprang forward and wrested the firelock 
 from his grasp. A feeling of revenge, prompted 
 by the suffering I endured from my wounds, ac- 
 tuated my feelings, and I exclaimed, " O'Brien, 
 let me have the pleasure of shooting this rascal, 
 for he may be the man who has brought me to 
 the state I am now in !" I then presented my 
 rifle close to his breast, with the full intention of 
 shooting him through the body, but as my finger 
 was about to press the trigger he fell upon his
 
 \76 TAKING A PRISONER. 
 
 knees and implored mercy. The next moment 
 the rifle dropped from my hand, and I felt a 
 degree of shame that a feeling of irritation 
 should have nearly betrayed me into the com- 
 mission of a crime for which I could never have 
 forgiven myself. 
 
 The Frenchman, as soon as he perceived me 
 desist, immediately started from his knees, on 
 which he had fallen trembling, and, by way of 
 showing his gratitude, threw his arms round my 
 neck, and wanted to kiss my cheek. He in- 
 stantly followed me, and I forthwith for the time 
 took hini under my protection. 
 
 We looked anxiously around for a house where 
 we could obtain refreshment, and, if truth must 
 be told, a little money at the same time. For even 
 w^ounded as I was, I had made up my mind to be 
 a gainer by our victory. At the first house Tve 
 knocked at, no notice was taken of the sum- 
 mons, we fired a rifle at the key-hole, which sent 
 the door flying open. This, indeed, was our usual 
 method of forcing locks. As soon as we entered 
 the house we, found a young Spanish woman cry- 
 ing bitterly, and praying for mercy. She in- 
 formed us she was the wife of a Frenchman ; and 
 to the demand of my companion O'Brien for re- 
 freshment, replied there was nothing but her poor 
 self in the house. She, however, produced some 
 spirits and chocolate, the latter of which, being 
 very hungry and faint, I partook of with much 
 relish. 
 
 As the house looked poor we soon quitted it in
 
 THE SACKING OF BADAJOS. 177 
 
 quest of a better. Supported by O'Brien and the 
 Frenchman, we proceeded in the direction of the 
 market-phice. It was a dark night, and the con- 
 fusion and uproar that prevailed in the town may 
 be better imagined than described. The shouts 
 and oaths of drunken soldiers in quest of more 
 liquor, the reports of fire-arms and crashing in of 
 doors, together with the appalling shrieks of hap- 
 less women might have induced any one to have 
 believed himself in the regions of the damned. 
 
 When we arrived at the market-place we found 
 a number of Spanish prisoners rushing out of a 
 gaol : they appeared like a set of savages sud- 
 denly let loose, many still bearing the chains they 
 had not had time to free themselves from, and 
 among these were men of the 5th and 88th Regi- 
 ments holding lighted candles. We then turned 
 down a street opposite to the foregoing scene, 
 and entered a house which was occupied by a 
 number of men of the 3rd Division. One of them 
 immediately, on perceiving me wounded, struck 
 off the neck of a bottle of wine with his bayonet, 
 and presented some of it to me, which relieved 
 me for a time from the faintness I had previously 
 felt. The scenes of wickedness that soldiers are 
 guilty of on capturing a besieged town are often- 
 times truly diabolical, and I now, in the reflec- 
 tions this subject gives rise to, shudder at the 
 past. I had not long been seated at the fire which 
 was blazing up the chimney, fed by mahogany 
 chairs, broken up for the purpose, when I heard 
 screams for mercy from an adjoining room. On 
 
 I 3
 
 178 PLUNDER. 
 
 hobbling in, I found an old man, the proprietor 
 of the house, on his knees, imploring mercy of a 
 soldier who had levelled his musket at him. I 
 with difficulty prevented the man from shooting 
 him, as he complained that the Spaniard would 
 not give up his money. I immediately informed 
 the wretched landlord in Spanish, as well as I 
 was able, that he could only save his life by sur- 
 rendering his cash. Upon this he brought out 
 with trembling hands a large bag of dollars from 
 under the mattrass of the bed. These by com- 
 mon consent were immediately divided among 
 us. The whole treasure to the amount of about 
 100 or 150 dollars enveloped in an old night- 
 cap, was instantly emptied and divided into small 
 heaps on the table, according to the number of 
 men present, and called out the same as messes 
 in a barrack room. I must confess that I par- 
 ticipated in the plunder, and received about 26 
 dollars for my own share. 
 
 As soon as I had resumed my seat at the fire, 
 a number of Portuguese soldiers entered, one of 
 whom, taking me for a Frenchman, for I had the 
 French soldier's jacket on, my own being wet, 
 snapped his piece at me, which luckily hung fire. 
 Forgetful of my wounds, I instantly rushed at 
 him, and a regular scuffle ensued between our 
 men and the Portuguese, until one of the latter 
 being stabbed by a bayonet, they retired, drag- 
 ging the wounded man with them. After thus 
 ejecting the Portuguese, the victors, who had by 
 this time got tolerably drunk, proceeded to ran-
 
 EXCESSES OF THE VICTORS. 179 
 
 sack the house. Unhappily they discovered the 
 two daughters of the old patrone, Avho had con- 
 cealed themselves up-stairs. They both were; 
 young and very pretty. The mother, too, was 
 shortly afterwards dragged from her hiding- 
 place. 
 
 Without dwelling on the frightful scene that 
 followed, it may be sufficient to add, that our 
 men, more infuriated by drink than before, again 
 seized on the old man, and insisted on a fresh 
 supply of liquor. And his protestations that he 
 possessed no more were as vain as were all at- 
 tempts to restrain them from ill-using him. 
 
 It is to be lamented that the memory of an old 
 soldier should be disturbed by such painful re- 
 flections as the foregoing scenes must give rise 
 to : but it is to be considered that the men who 
 besiege a town in the face of such dangers gene- 
 rally become desperate from their own privations 
 and sufferings ; and when once they get a foot- 
 ing within its walls — flushed by victory, hurried 
 on by the desire of liquor, and maddened by 
 drink, they stop at nothing : they are literally 
 mad, and hardly conscious of what they do in 
 such a state of excitement. I do not state this 
 in justification ; I only remark what I have ob- 
 served human nature to be on these occasions. 
 
 Sick of the scene of horrors that had been en- 
 acted, and attended by my French prisoner, I 
 left the house for one on the other side of the 
 street. This was found occupied by men of the 
 3rd Division, who were drinking chocolate, not
 
 180 THE DUKE AT BADAJOS. 
 
 made with water, but wine. They seemed rather 
 more sober and peaceable than those we had just 
 left ; but here, also, as in most of the houses in 
 Badajoz, the greatest outrages were being com- 
 mitted. 
 
 Having passed a wretched night, the next 
 morning I determined to rejoin what remained of 
 my regiment — for at this time I did not know 
 what number we had lost. I left the house, and 
 proceeded to trace my road through the crowds, 
 accompanied by my Frenchman, who rendered 
 me every assistance in his power. The town was 
 still in great confusion and uproar, although 
 every available means had been taken to sup- 
 press it. In one of the streets I saw the Duke of 
 Wellington, surrounded by a number of British 
 soldiers, who, holding up bottles with the heads 
 knocked off, containing wine and spirits, cried 
 out to him, a phrase then familiarly applied to 
 him by the men of the army, " Old boy ! will 
 you drink ? The town's our own — hurrah !" 
 In another street I observed a sort of gallows 
 erected with three nooses hanging from them, 
 ready for service. Johnny Castles, a man of our 
 company, and as quiet and inoffensive a little fel- 
 low as could be, but rather fond of a drop, but 
 not that distilled by Jack Ketch & Co., had a 
 near escape. He was actually brought under the 
 gallows in a cart and the rope placed round his 
 neck, but his life was spared. Whether this was 
 done to frighten him or not I cannot say ; but 
 the circumstance had such an effect on him, that
 
 A BABOON. 
 
 181 
 
 he took ill, and was a little deranged for some 
 time after. I am not aware that a single ex- 
 ecution took place, notwithstanding the known 
 severity of the Duke in matters of plunder and 
 outrage. I feel bound to say, that a prejudice 
 existed on the part of our men against the in- 
 habitants of Badajoz, owing to their having sub- 
 mitted so tamely to the French. It was different 
 at Ciudad Rodrigo, where the Spaniards had de- 
 fended themselves gallantly. 
 
 Feeling fatigued on my way to join the camp, 
 I sat down with my prisoner on a bench, opposite 
 the bridge which leads to Fort St. Christoval. 
 We had not been long seated when I was amused 
 by a large baboon surrounded by a number of 
 soldiers, who were tormenting him. The poor 
 animal had been wounded in the foot, probably 
 by one of our men, and by his chattering, grin- 
 ning, and droll gesticulations, he showed as 
 much aversion to the red coats as any of the 
 French could possibly have done. While the men 
 continued teazing the animal, a servant, stating 
 that it belonged to the Colonel of the 4th Regi- 
 ment, who he said was wounded, attempted to 
 take the beast away, whereupon the party being 
 divided in their sentiments, a scuffle ensued, in 
 which several men were wounded with bayonets. 
 
 As we got up to proceed, we saw a number of 
 Frenchmen guarded by our soldiers, coming over 
 the bridge. They were the prisoners taken in 
 Fort St. Christoval, which but an hour or two 
 previously had surrendered. These were soon
 
 182 AFFECTING SCENE. 
 
 surrounded by our men, who began examining 
 their knapsacks, from whence a number of 
 watches, dollars, &c., w^ere quickly extracted. 
 A short distance farther on we came up with a 
 mule, tied to a door, which, in my crippled state, 
 I immediately appropriated for my own use, but 
 I afterwards sold it to Lieut. Jackson of the 
 83rd Regiment. Mounted on the animal, led by 
 the Frenchman, we pursued our way until near 
 the gates that led to the camp, when rather an 
 affecting scene came under my eye. A little fel- 
 low, a drummer boy belonging to the 88th Regi- 
 ment, was lying wounded and crying bitterly, his 
 leg being broken by a shot. On telling him I 
 would get him carried by the Frenchman, if he 
 wished, " Oh no !— oh no !" said the boy ; " 1 
 don't care for myself. Look at my poor father, 
 where he lies !" pointing to a man shot through 
 the head, lying weltering in a gore of blood. 
 Poor little fellow ! I gave him a couple of dol- 
 lars, and called some men to his assistance, when 
 I was compelled to leave him. We soon arrived 
 at the camp-ground of the 3rd Division. I dis- 
 mounted, and while sitting on one of the men's 
 knapsacks, a soldier of the 83rd Regiment was 
 engaged in cleaning his firelock, when the piece 
 went off and shot a corporal through the head, 
 wounding also the hand of another man. The 
 Frenchman seemed dreadfully frightened : he 
 turned pale as marble, perhaps thinking the shot 
 aimed at him, as the corporal fell dead at his 
 side. This accident struck me as a forcible in-
 
 CASUALTIES. 183 
 
 stance of the casualties that attend a soldier's 
 life. I could not, indeed, help feeling for the 
 poor corporal, who after surviving the dangers 
 of the preceding night, had lost his life by a 
 clumsy hand cleaning a firelock. 
 
 It may appear strange that I did not wish 
 to remain in Badajoz, but I was sufi'ering from 
 my wound, and preferred the quiet of the camp. 
 We had no sooner arrived there than I was 
 obliged to part with my faithful Frenchman, who 
 was sent to join the other prisoners. I gave him 
 a few dollars, which most likely he was deprived 
 of before he got many yards. He left me with 
 many expressions of gratitude for the protection 
 I had afforded him. 
 
 I have been in many actions, but I never wit- 
 nessed such a complication of horrors as sur- 
 rounded me on the forlorn hope at Badajoz. 
 
 I remained three days in camp before there 
 was a possibility of my being conveyed into the 
 hospital at Badajoz, during which I had an op- 
 portunity of hearing of the casualties that occur- 
 red. The number of men killed, wounded, and 
 absent was such, that the company could not 
 muster a dozen men on parade for three days 
 afterwards. Parties were to be sent to the breaches 
 to bury the dead, which now began to smell most 
 dreadfully ; but we could not collect men enough 
 to perform that duty. My poor old captain, 
 Major O'Hare, was amongst the slain, and had 
 received not less than ten or a dozen balls through 
 his body. 
 
 While in hospital, here as in other places,
 
 184 THE FRENCH AT ALMEIDA. 
 
 we were intermingled with the French pri- 
 soners who, sick and wounded, were placed in- 
 discriminately in the wards wdth the British. 
 In that in which I myself lay, and in the next 
 bed, there was a smart young fellow, a French- 
 man, with whom I became intimately acquainted. 
 Indeed, he could speak a little English, which he 
 had acquired during a short stay as prisoner in 
 England, whence he had been exchanged to be 
 again captured. He was recovering fast from a 
 gun-shot wound he had received in his shoul- 
 der. 
 
 During one of our evening chats, he gave me 
 an account of his escape from Almeida, which he 
 had assisted in defending, and-afterwards in blow- 
 ing up and evacuating. 
 
 " A few evenings," said he, '' previous to our 
 determination to evacuate the fortress, an officer 
 from Massena entered the town, under the dis- 
 guise of a peasant, with orders to the Governor 
 to undermine and blow up the walls, and cut his 
 way with the garrison through the British lines. 
 The distresses of the besieged had been so ex- 
 cessive, that the message was received with de- 
 light. We had seen and felt innumerable hard- 
 ships, and had been so reduced by famine, as to 
 have been obliged, for food, to slaughter even the 
 horses and mules. On receipt of the order. Ge- 
 neral Bernier, who commanded, and who had 
 already escaped from the British, he having broken 
 his parole while prisoner with the English some 
 years before, was even more anxious than our- 
 selves, as he well knew had he been retaken, in 
 
 I
 
 ESCAPE OF THE GARRISON. 185 
 
 all probability he would have been shot. In our 
 dilemmas, he drew from us an oath to die or 
 effect our purpose. As a first step, we were for 
 several days employed undermining the walls, 
 which were soon hollowed and loaded in fourteen 
 different places, all communicating with each 
 other by trains of gunpowder, 
 
 "The evening of the evacuation, the whole 
 garrison, to the number of seven or eight hun- 
 dred men, after destroying the stores and spiking 
 the guns, assembled in one of the squares and at 
 about midnight slowly moved through the gates. 
 The first to oppose our progress was a picquet of 
 Portuguese, whom we bayoneted in an instant, 
 and just as the mines commenced exploding — a 
 loA' grumbling, as if of an earthquake, followed, 
 and in a few seconds the whole citadel rose, as it 
 were, in the air, and descended in shivered and 
 blackened masses. The noise of the explosion 
 brought the whole British division to their arms, 
 and our forlorn body dashed through your closing 
 columns. The moment was desperate, but starv- 
 ed as we were, the French soldiers gained new 
 strength from each reverse, and despite the well- 
 fed numbers of the British, cut their way through 
 the living w^all, and gained the approach to San 
 Felice. Here the inequalities of the ground for- 
 tunately and eflectually kept off your cavalry, 
 and after a few more trifling encounters, w^e reach- 
 ed the grand army. We had no sooner arrived 
 w'ithin hail of our comrades than the whole loca- 
 lity rung with one universal shout of enthusiasm.
 
 186 MASTERS AND PUPILS. 
 
 Our General was carried about on the men's 
 shoulders, and the day became one of joy through- 
 out the camp." 
 
 The relation was given in the most spirited 
 manner, just as we might expect it from a soldier 
 of the Emperor, whose very name took the place 
 of every other feeling. He spoke also of Marshal 
 Ney, who in his estimation, was second only to 
 Napoleon. 
 
 The foregoing, and many others equally enter- 
 taining, but which the lapse of years have blotted 
 from my memory, he would relate to me, gene- 
 rally finishing his relations with, "Eh bien, c'est 
 ^gal, les ecoliers sont dignes de leurs maitres. Les 
 Francais vous ont enseignes de terribles lecons, 
 et vous comprenez enfin I'art de faire la guerre 
 comme il faut." Well, well, it is all the same ; 
 the pupils are worthy of their teachers. The 
 French have taught you some terrible lessons, 
 and you understand, at length, the art of making 
 war as it is — as it should be.
 
 187 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 I recover from my wounds and rejoin my regiment at Itufira 
 — " Nine holes" — March for Salamanca — Sergeant Bat- 
 tersby — The grenadier and the murder of his wife, &c., &c. 
 — Marmont out-manoeuvred — Assault of Fort St. Vincent 
 — Retreat of the enemy — We arrive at Rueda — The wine- 
 vaults — My descent into one — Fright, &c. — Manoeuvring of 
 the two armies — Skirmishing — A gallant Frenchman — 
 Pratt and his prisoner. 
 
 Having recovered from my wounds, I left 
 the hospital and rejoined my regiment at Ituera, 
 near Ciudad Rodrigo ; an unfortunate accident 
 here occurred to one of our men. He was play- 
 ing at a game called " nine holes" with several 
 comrades, and was bowling along the ground a 
 grenade, used instead of a wooden-ball, believing 
 it to have been filled with earth only, when a 
 spark from his pipe fell into the hole, and instantly 
 exploded, wounding him dreadfully. The poor 
 fellow never recovered the injuries he received. 
 
 A short time after I had rejoined, our divison 
 marched for Salamanca. 
 
 On our first day's march we encamped in a 
 wood, on the right side of the road, leading to
 
 188 SERGEANT BATTERSBY. 
 
 that city. The evening was beautiful, and the 
 sun having long lost its meridian heat, imparted 
 a refreshing warmth to the wearied soldiers. 
 The camp was all a-stir for some time — every one 
 being busily engaged cooking and preparing for 
 the night's comfort ; which being completed, the 
 eve found us mostly seated and scattered about 
 in small groups, earnestly intent on enjoyment 
 of some sort. 1 am particular in my recol- 
 lection of the time, for reasons which the fol- 
 lowing occurrence will sufficiently account for. 
 I had finished my evening's meal, and was 
 sitting drinking a tot of wine, with a sergeant 
 of ours named Battersby, who a few days pre- 
 viously had rejoined us from Belem, where he 
 had been some time appointed hospital-sergeant. 
 He brought with him a very pretty looking 
 English woman, that passed for his wife, and 
 who was present with us, and assisted much to 
 keep up the spirit of our conversation. We had 
 been seated for some time, under the branches of 
 a clump of cork trees of which, indeed, the wood 
 was principally composed : when we were inter- 
 rupted by some of the men calling for Sergeant 
 Battersby, and in a second, or so, up marched a 
 tall, fine-looking grenadier of the 61st Regiment 
 of Foot, then belonging to the 6th Division, which 
 lay encamped some two or three miles in our rear; 
 as he ai)proached, however, he did not notice us, 
 but casting sundry determined glances about 
 him, more in anguish than ferocity, he drew 
 near the woman, and seated himself on a knap-
 
 THE GRENADIER. 189 
 
 sack near her. The latter, from the moment he 
 had first made his appearance, I had perceived, 
 seemed wondrously confused, and changed co- 
 lour several times. 
 
 " Nell}^" said he, fixing a firm and deliberate 
 look on her, his voice at first scarcely articulate 
 with emotion, " Nelly, why do you treat me so, 
 how can you stoop," and here he cast an almost 
 contemptuous glance of recognition on Bat- 
 tersby, "how can you stoop to such a dis- 
 graceful, so dishonourable a protection?" 
 
 *' I am with those," said she, rather snappish- 
 ly, "who know better how to treat me than 
 you." 
 
 " That," rejoined the grenadier, " may be your 
 opinion, but why leave the child, it is but three 
 years old, and what can I do with it ?" 
 
 To this she made no answer. 
 
 " Do not think," he again continued, " that I 
 wish you to return to me, that is impossible. 
 But I camiot help my feelings !" 
 
 This was only replied to by reproaches ; which 
 I did not listen to, for as it was no business of 
 mine I turned to converse with my companions. 
 
 The grenadier, at last, made a move to take 
 his departure, and his wife, for such she evi- 
 dently was, had agreed to accompany him a lit- 
 tle of the way, and they walked together. I did 
 not know how to account for it, but there was a 
 certain uneasiness attended me, which had kept 
 me, as it were, on their trail all the evening ; 
 and Battersby and myself followed in their rear.
 
 190 THE ADULTERESS PUNISHED. 
 
 They had proceeded a few hundred yards, and 
 were some distance in advance, when she turn- 
 ed to wish him good night. The poor fellow 
 paused again, as if in deep thought, fixing on her 
 the same cool, deliberate look that he had exhi- 
 bited all the evening, 
 
 " So you are determined, Nelly," said he at 
 length, " to continue this way of living ?" 
 
 " Yes," said she. 
 
 " Well, then," he exclaimed, holding her 
 firmly by the left hand, which she had extended 
 for him to shake, while he drew his bayonet 
 with his right, " take that," and he drove it 
 right through her body. The blow was given 
 with such force that it actually tripped him over 
 her, and both fell, the bayonet still sticking in 
 her side. The poor woman gave a convulsive 
 scream, and in a moment expired. The grenadier 
 bounded instantly on his feet again, and stamping 
 one foot on the body of his victim, jerked forth 
 the bayonet reeking with her blood. Wheeling 
 himself round on his heel, the fatal weapon tight- 
 ly clutched in his right hand, his eyes instanta- 
 neously caught the direction Battersby had taken, 
 and he flew after him with the speed and counte- 
 nance of a fiend, to wreak a second vengeance. 
 
 The sergeant fortunately arrived in the camp 
 in time enough to call out the rear guard, who, 
 of course, were instantly on the alarm to meet 
 him. The grenadier no sooner beheld him in 
 safety than he stopped, and casting a half con- 
 temptuous smile towards the body of his dead
 
 MARMONT OUT-MANCEUVRED. 191 
 
 « 
 
 wife, wiped the bayonet through his fingers, re- 
 turned it to the scabbard, and drawing himself 
 to his full height, calmly awaited the approach 
 of the guard. 
 
 He was afterward brought to a court-marlial, 
 and sentenced to three months' solitary confine- 
 ment. But he sufiered for one month only, when, 
 as I suppose, in consideration of his case, he was 
 ordered to return to his regiment. I have since 
 been informed that he was shot in one of the 
 actions on the Pyrennees. He certainly was a 
 fine-looking fellow, and by name Bryen. 
 
 As for Nelly, we buried her that very night 
 near the spot where she fell, having dug her 
 grave with the same kind of weapon as that by 
 which she had been deprived of life. 
 
 It was rather strange that Battersby was not 
 noticed, but still held his rank. It is also as c: ri- 
 ous, that he was the second man that I saw fall at 
 the battle of Quatre Bras, on the 1 6th June, } 8 1 5, 
 being shot by a musket-ball through the head. 
 
 On our arrival at Salamanca, we took up our 
 position to the right of that city, near the river 
 Tormes. 
 
 Here we remained for some days, our chief 
 having completely out-manoeuvred Marmont. On 
 the evening of the 4th of July stormers were re- 
 quired from our division, to lead in the assault 
 on Fort St. Vincent, the strongest of the three 
 forts that the enemy had constructed in the 
 city, and which commanded the other two ; two 
 men from each company of our regiment were
 
 192 WINE. 
 
 selected, the first for duty. After marching the 
 men down close to the fort, waiting the signal 
 for attack, they were countermanded. A few 
 days afterwards this fort was set on fire by red- 
 hot shot from our artillery, when it immediately 
 surrendered, along with the two others. 
 
 The enemy, baffled in their views on Salaman- 
 ca, slowly retreated, our army following until we 
 arrived near Rueda. Here our light troops had 
 a smart brush with their rear-guard, which ended 
 in the capture of some few French prisoners. I 
 remember seeing on this occasion a party of the 
 Rifles bringing in a very fine-looking man, a 
 French sergeant, who seemed inconsolable at his 
 capture. He actually shed tears as he lamented 
 the circumstance. The following day, however, 
 to his infinite joy, he was exchanged for a ser- 
 geant of our cavalry, who, also, had been made 
 prisoner a few days before. 
 
 After this skirmish, our regiment advanced to 
 the neighbourhood of Rueda, were we occupied a 
 hill, completely covered with vines, and close to 
 the town. The country thereabouts abounded in 
 grapes, from which an immense quantity of wine 
 was annually made. The places used for the 
 making of wine in this part of Spain are of a very 
 singular description. They are all subterranean, 
 and of immense extent, sometimes undermining 
 many acres of ground. Over these are chimne5's 
 constructed to admit the air and light. The vats, 
 into which the juice of the grape is pressed, are 
 in proportion to the size of the vaults, and would
 
 WINE-VAULTS. 193 
 
 entirely put to shame the same description of re- 
 ceptacle used for beer by Barclay and Perkins. 
 
 Our fellows, ever alive to the value of good 
 liquor, notwithstanding the French had well ran- 
 sacked the " wine-houses," used' frequently to 
 find something to reward them for their search 
 in these cellars. Our way of proceeding was to 
 let one or two of our men down the above men- 
 tioned chimneys by means of a rope. I shall 
 never forget the terror I experienced in one of 
 these adventures. Three or four comrades and 
 myself one evening assembled over the chimney 
 of one of these wine-vaults, and it was proposed 
 that one of us should descend to bring Up some 
 wine. This was no comfortable task, as the pro- 
 prietors frequently watched below, and would 
 scarcely hesitate to greet an intruder with his 
 cuchillo or long knife. After some deliberation, 
 and plenty of peeping, it was at last decided that 
 I should take the first chance ; a rope accord- 
 ingly was obtained from one of the muleteers, 
 and being secured round my waist with a num- 
 ber of canteens, which clinked enough to awake 
 almost the dead, I was gradually lowered. 
 
 The vaults were generally as deep as a three- 
 storied house, and before I got half way down, I 
 was left dangling in the air, the canteens chink- 
 ling as if with the intention of hailing a knife 
 the moment I arrived into the lower region ; at 
 last I touched the ground. The place was so 
 dark that 1 could scarcely see a couple of yards 
 before me, and was obliged to grope my way for 
 
 K
 
 194 TERRIBLE ADVENTURE. 
 
 the vats; at length one of the tins, that formed a 
 kind of hreast-work for my approach, came in 
 contact with something, and putting my hand 
 forward, I placed it upon the cold clammy face 
 of a corpse. My whole blood tingled, the can- 
 teens responded, and at a glance I perceived, from 
 the red wings, (for whether or not, I could see 
 now) that it was a French soldier, exhibiting most 
 frightful gashes, evidently inflicted by the same 
 kind of weapon, w^hich I at every turn, was ex- 
 pecting. 
 
 The canteens clattered awfully, for I confess 
 I shook Avith terror, having no weapon to defend 
 myself, and every instant looking for the arm of 
 some concealed assassins, who probably were 
 watching my movements. Afraid to call out, I 
 instantly tugged at the rope, (the signal to pull 
 up), an answer from above expressed a doubt of 
 the canteens being filled so soon, and damned 
 my eyes and limbs for me, but this only made 
 me shake the rope more violently, until, to my 
 great satisfaction, I found myself again dangling, 
 and ascending. My comrades seeing me really 
 come forth with hollow tins, and blowing with 
 agitation burst into roars of laughter. 
 
 I related my adventure, but this only increased 
 it, untd their mirth rallying us all, one, however, 
 more daring than the rest, loaded his rifle, and 
 with an oath, suffered himself to be lowered, and 
 shortly returned bringing up the canteens filled 
 with excellent wine. 
 
 After remaining here for some time, we left
 
 FRENCH GALLANTRY. 
 
 195 
 
 Rueda at twelve o'clock at night on the 16th, the 
 enemy, who had concentrated their forces at 
 Tordesillas, being on the advance. The following 
 morning the sun rose unclouded, presenting dis- 
 tinctly to the view the tw^o armies moving in 
 parallel lines along a ridge of low hills, separated 
 only by the intervening valley and a river ford- 
 able in most places. The French columns ap- 
 peared in such beautiful order, as to call forth 
 plaudits of even our own men. Skirmishing 
 however was soon commenced between some of 
 the cavalry and light troops. 
 
 One or tw^o companies of our Rifles, seconded 
 by a troop of the 14th Dragoons, w^ere soon par- 
 tially engaged with about a corresponding number 
 of the enemy, who w^ould occasionally dash 
 through the little river, and attempt to take up a 
 position to annoy our skirmishers. Our rifle-: 
 men, in particular, were highly delighted with 
 several little cavalry brushes that occurred this 
 day between our dragoons and the French. One 
 instance of gallantry on the part of a French 
 dragoon which fell under the eyes of most of us, 
 was particularly exciting : in a kind of half charge 
 that had been made by about a section of French 
 and English cavalry, one of the Frenchmen had 
 dashed alone through some of our dragoons. 
 His own party having retired, there seemed every 
 prospect of his being instantly killed or taken 
 prisoner, and, indeed, most of us thought so, as 
 there were at least a dozen of our 14th Dragoons 
 between him and his section, that he would sur- 
 
 K 2
 
 196 A FRENCH PRISONER. 
 
 render. Not so, however, thought the gallant 
 Frenchman, but wheeling round, he gently 
 trotted his horse for about twenty yards, when 
 he gave spurs to his steed ; after several hand- 
 to-hand conflicts with our dragoons in passing, 
 he actually succeeded in reaching his party, I 
 believe unhurt, and attended by the cheers of 
 our own men Avho were not insensible, at any 
 time, to the intrepidity even of an enemy. 
 
 Another incident occurred also, which, as an 
 appropriate companion to the foregoing, I will 
 relate. Indeed, in gratitude, perhaps, I ought to 
 do so, as 1 was a gainer on the occasion by a 
 new pair of trousers. A man of the 14th Dra- 
 goons named Pratt, a fine strapping young fellow, 
 and a townsman of my own, brought in a French 
 dragoon on his horse prisoner. The Frenchman 
 had lost his helmet, and displayed a severe cut 
 on the cheek. Poor fellow ! he seemed exceed- 
 ingly chop-fallen, and declared with much ve- 
 hemence to Lieutenant Gardiner of our company, 
 who spoke excellent French, that the Englishman 
 could not have taken him had he possessed a 
 better horse. This Mr. Gardiner repeated to 
 Pratt, who answered — " Then by Jasus, Sir, tell 
 him if he had the best horse in France, 1 would 
 bring him prisoner, if he stood to fight me." 
 The words caused roars of laughter from all but 
 the prisoner, who affectionately patting the goaded 
 and smoking steed, exclaimed, " My poor beast 
 has not had his saddle off for the last week." 
 And such indeed, appeared to have been the case,
 
 A SEASONABLE PHESENT. 197 
 
 as, on the saddle being removed, prior to the 
 sale of the poor horse, a part of the flesh that 
 had become a sore, came away with the saddle- 
 cloth. The animal in this condition was sold to 
 Lieutenant Gardiner for five dollars. Pratt, on 
 opening the valise of the unfortunate prisoner 
 (who with folded arms, looked on with a mournful 
 eye), came upon a pair of trousers which he threw 
 to me as a gift that was exceedingly welcome, 
 as my own were worn to rags. 
 
 The following day after some slight skirmishes 
 with the advance of the enemy, we retreated upon 
 Salamanca. As few occurrences of any interest 
 took place after this, for some days, beyond the 
 manoeuvring of the two armies, interesting only 
 to the tactician, and which so many professional 
 men have done ample justice to, I will at once 
 proceed to the battle ; which however I must 
 remark, the Rifles were less engaged than in any 
 other action fought during the war : for which 
 reason I shall have but little to state upon the 
 subject.
 
 198 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 Battle of Salamanca — My wounds break out afresh — I go into 
 the HosjDital at Salamanca — The Germans and their prisoners 
 — A recognition — Michael Connelly — His death and burial 
 — Josh Hetherington again — A new acquaintance — His ac- 
 coimts of the Guerillas, &c. — A keepsake for a sweetheart 
 — The Guerilla — The army retrace their steps to Salamanca 
 — Proceed to Rodrigo — Heavy wet — Spanish payment 
 acknowledgment — A dry coat — Lord Charles Spencer and 
 his acorns — We continue our march — The babes in the 
 wood — Hard skirmishing with the enemy's advanced guard 
 — A woman in distress — Pepper — Hunger, cold, and fatigue 
 — Finish of the Burgos retreat. 
 
 The night previous to the morn that ushered 
 in the day of battle, viz. the 22nd of July, 1812, 
 was the most stormy 1 think, I ever witnessed. 
 The thunder, lightning, and rain seemed striving 
 which should excel, while their united effect was 
 terrible. We lay, without covering, in an open 
 field close to tlie river Tormes. It is needless to 
 say, not a man that night had on a dry shred. 
 It has, I believe, been previously remarked, by 
 military and other writers, that rain has been the 
 forerunner of almost all our general battles. From 
 my own recollection, the truth of this assertion 
 is singularly supported by facts. 
 
 4
 
 CHARGE OF CAVALRY. 199 
 
 The battle of Salamanca commenced about 
 ten or twelve o'clock, upon our right, on a rising 
 ground. Our position was first disturbed by- 
 some cannon-shot of the enemy that fell very 
 near, but fortunately without doing any harm. 
 
 Although every moment expecting to be sent 
 into the thick of it, we kept undisturbed posses- 
 sion of our ground, from whence we could see 
 the columns of the enemy on the heights engaged 
 in attempting to repel the advance of our troops. 
 When the " glad sounds of victory" reached us, 
 a general feeling of pleasure pervaded our ranks, 
 mixed perhaps with some regret that we had not 
 taken a more active share in the battle. But all 
 we could do we did, which was to pepper the 
 French well in their hurried retreat from the field . 
 In fact it seemed to me as if the whole French 
 army might have been cut off by a little promp- 
 titude. 
 
 We halted at Huerta. The following morn- 
 ing our division crossed the river Tormes in pur- 
 suit of the enemy. We came up with their 
 rear strongly posted on the side of a hill on the 
 left of the road. Here we beheld one of those 
 few charges that so seldom succeed against well- 
 trained infantry : this was the celebrated charge 
 of Major-General Bock, who, at the head of his 
 heavy German cavalry, broke the French squares, 
 taking them prisoners, almost to a man. It was 
 the most gallant dash of cavalry that ever was 
 witnessed. 
 
 This day I began to feel the ill effects of the
 
 200 WOUNDED PRISONERS. 
 
 wound I had received at Badajos, which the 
 fatigue of marching and the warmth of the wea- 
 ther had again caused to break out. On inspect- 
 ing the sore our surgeon immediately recom- 
 mended me to go into hospital at Salamanca, for 
 a few days of medical treatment and rest. Ac- 
 cordingly I set out for Salamanca with the guard 
 appointed to escort the prisoners taken in the 
 recent cavalry affair by our Germans. I never 
 before saw such severe-looking sabre-cuts as 
 many of them had received ; several with both 
 their eyes cut out, and numbers had lost both 
 ears. Their wounded, who were carried in wag- 
 gons, were extremely numerous, and it was pain- 
 ful, even to an old soldier, to hear their groans 
 and incessant cries for water. The escort con- 
 sisted chiefly of the Germans that had taken 
 them prisoners, and it was pleasing to behold 
 these gallant fellows, in the true spirit of glory, 
 paying the greatest attention to the wants of the 
 wounded. Water, as I have remarked, from 
 the loss of blood that had taken place among 
 the wounded, was in particular request. One 
 of the prisoners, who had his arm hanging, pro- 
 bably in endeavouring to defend his head from a 
 sword-cut — for indeed, there were very few gun- 
 shot wounds among them — was in particular very 
 frequent in his demands for " eau" (water), when 
 none could be obtained. Perhaps imagining 
 himself neglected, we were not a little surprised 
 to hear him suddenly change his language and 
 call out in English — " For the love of Jesus, give
 
 HOSPITAL PRACTICE. 201 
 
 me something to quench my thirst ; I am a fel- 
 low-countryman of your own." On entering 
 into conversation with him I found he formerly 
 belonged to the 9th Regiment of Foot, and had 
 been taken prisoner with a number of others of 
 his regiment, while on board a ship some time pre- 
 vious, since which occurrence he had been pre- 
 vailed upon to enter the French service in pre- 
 ference to being kept in close confinement. At 
 Salamanca a sentry was placed over him ; what 
 became of him I know not. 
 
 On arriving at Salamanca our wounded pri- 
 soners, some other invalids, and myself were 
 immediately taken into hospital. There we were, 
 French and English, laid up together ; and there 
 I must say, I saw sufficient practice daily in the 
 use of the surgeon's knife to become perfectly 
 famihar with every form attendant upon amputa- 
 tion. While lying in hospital, at all times a 
 wretched place, from the groans of the nume- 
 rous sufferers, I w^as here placed under the im- 
 mediate attendance of Sergeant Michael Con- 
 nelly, in charge of our ward, who being suffici- 
 ently recovered from a shght wound, was ap- 
 pointed Sergeant to the hospital. He was one 
 of the most singular characters I ever met with, 
 and if an awkward person and uncouth face had 
 gained him the preferment, his match certainly 
 could not be found elsewhere. JNIike was ex- 
 ceedingly attentive to the sick, and particularly 
 anxious that the British soldier when dying, 
 should hold out a pattern of firmness to the 
 
 K 3
 
 202 A CROWDED FUNERAL. 
 
 Frenchmen who lay intermixed with us in the 
 same wards. 
 
 " Hould your tongue, ye blathering devil," he 
 would say, in a low tone, " and don't be after 
 disgracing your country in the teeth of these ere 
 furriners, by dying hard. Ye'll have the com- 
 pany at your burial, won't you ? Ye'll have the 
 drums beating and the guns firing over ye, won't 
 you ? Marciful God ! ye are not at Elvas — ye'll 
 be buried in a shroud and coffin, won't you ? 
 For God's sake, die like a man before these ere 
 Frenchers," 
 
 Mike, however, had one great failing, he drank 
 like a whale, and did not scruple to adopt as 
 gifts or legacies, the wine rations of both the 
 dying and the dead, until he drank himself out 
 of the world, and as his patients remarked, after 
 all, he died " like a beast." 
 
 The news of Mike's death spread like wild-fire, 
 and all his old friends and the convalescents 
 crowded to do honour to his remains. 
 
 The funeral of the Duke himself could not have 
 made a greater stir, for cavalier and foot soldier, 
 from the drum-boy to the trumpeter, and all the 
 women, children and camp-followers in the locali- 
 ty, flocked to follow his remains, the town became 
 unusually alive, and the variegated throng, headed 
 by the deceased sergeant, borne by four bearers, 
 and the usual complement of soldiers with their 
 arms reversed, slowly wound their way through 
 the city of Salamanca. Many a jest made the 
 streets ring with laughter, as the crowd followed
 
 VENTRILOQUISM. 203 
 
 the coffin, till they reached the burial ground 
 (near the French battery taken by us some time 
 previously.) The bearers here proceeded to enter 
 the gateway when they were suddenly aroused 
 by a slight cry from within the coffin, with a kind 
 of scraping noise, like an effort to open it. They 
 suddenly halted, paused, and listened. It w^as 
 surely Mike scraping. On they moved again 
 doubtfully. A second time the voice broke upon 
 their ears. "Whist !" ejaculated the bearers, their 
 caps moving almost off their heads. " Oh blood 
 and ouns ! where am I ? Oh bad luck to yer souls, 
 let me out, won't you? oh, merciful Jasus I'm 
 smoothered." In a twinkling out bolted the bear- 
 ers from under the coffin, and a dozen bayonets 
 in an instant were sunk under and lifted the lid. 
 The crowd crushed dreadfully to take a look. 
 But there lay Sergeant Michael Connelly, sure 
 enough as stiff as a fugleman but something 
 colder, and my old friend that blackguard JLosh 
 Hetherington, the cockney ventriloquist, who had 
 been one of the bearers, as " innocent " as you 
 please, joining in the astonishment of the rest 
 of us. 
 
 Josh winked at me and I at Josh. " Ned," 
 said he, " I'm blessed if I think he's dead. Why 
 don't some of them ere chaps go for a doctor." 
 " To be sure," cried the crowd, " send for the 
 doctor." Meanwhile a regular rush was made to 
 press him to swallow some of his favourite liquor, 
 but his teeth as obstinately opposed the draught, 
 so that the invalid had already pronounced Mike 
 *' not himself," when the doctor arrived.
 
 204 GUERILLAS. 
 
 While here, I got acquainted with a pleasant 
 and intelligent man who belonged to the 13th 
 Light Dragoons, and was fast recovering from a 
 wound he had received in the shoulder. We used 
 frequently to alleviate as much as we could the 
 unpleasantness of our situation by a little con- 
 versation. His history both amused and inte- 
 rested me. 
 
 He had been taken prisoner by the French 
 near Badajoz while serving in General Hill's divi- 
 sion, but managed shortly afterwards to make his 
 escape between Vittoria and Pampeluna. The fol- 
 lowing morning he fell in with a party of Gene- 
 ral Mina's Guerillas, who, as soon as they found 
 him to be an Englishman, wished him to enlist 
 in their band until he could regain his regiment. 
 This offer he was glad to accept. After giving 
 me a very amusing account of the manners of the 
 Guerillas, their rich picturesque dresses and arms, 
 and their wild military life in the mountains, he 
 proceeded to detail several anecdotes of their 
 cruelty and ferocity, among which I can well re- 
 member the following, from the impression it 
 then left upon my mind, and the simple manner 
 in which he related it : — 
 
 Uniting suddenly several of his Guerilla, bands 
 in the neighbourhood of Vittoria, Mina, whose 
 information of the movements of the French 
 seemed unerring, one morning surprised and cap- 
 tured a number of waggons filled with stores. 
 They had been sent from Madrid for the army at 
 Vittoiia, and were escorted by gendarmes, wlio
 
 SPANISH FEROCITY. 205 
 
 were all either killed or taken. The prisoners, 
 about twenty in number, were immediately 
 marched into the mountains, but not before they 
 had time to draw a dark augury of their own fate 
 by seeing all their wounded comrades brutally 
 stabbed to death on the ground where the skir- 
 mish had taken place. The prisoners, after hav- 
 ing been stripped of nearly every article of wear- 
 ing apparel, even to their boots, were confined in 
 a space of ground encircled by pens or hurdles, 
 and used for keeping cattle, round which were 
 planted many sentries. In the evening the fero- 
 cious mountaineers, elated with their day's suc- 
 cess, being joined by a number of females, their 
 sweethearts and wives made merry with drink- 
 ing wine and dancing to the music of several 
 guitars. During this merriment both men and 
 women frequently taunted their wretched pri- 
 soners, recapitulated the wrongs the Spaniards 
 had suffered at the hands of the French, until 
 they gradually had excited their passions to a par- 
 tial state of frenzy. In this state, the signal hav- 
 ing been given by one of their number, they 
 rushed in among their hapless prisoners, and 
 commenced a general massacre, drowning the 
 cries and supplications for merc3'^of their victims, 
 as they gave each blow, by enumerating the dif- 
 ferent losses each had sustained in his family 
 during the war. " Take that for my father you 
 shot," — " that for my son," — " this for my bro- 
 ther," &c., until the work of death was complete. 
 The most inhuman and perhaps most revolting
 
 206 A SAVAGE. 
 
 trait in this general murder was some of the wo- 
 men having actively assisted in the slaughter. 
 
 A short time after I had heard the preceding 
 sketch, I had an opportunity of observing that 
 sanguinary feeling of revenge that so peculiarly 
 characterized the Guerillas during the war. I re- 
 joined my regiment at a little village about three 
 leagues from Madrid, called Gataffe. In the farm- 
 house, where the greater part of our company 
 were quartered, was a very pretty Spanish girl who 
 had a brother serving with the Guerillas. One 
 hot summer evening, when several comrades and 
 myself were sitting on a bench outside the door, 
 joking with the girl, a swarthy, savage-looking 
 Spaniard came up and was welcomed with much 
 joy by the girl and her parents. The new comer 
 was armed to the teeth with pistols, daggers, and 
 a long gun, which, together with his crimson sash 
 and free bearing, at once proclaimed the Guerilla. 
 At first we imagined him the girl's brother, but 
 soon perceived another, though equally dear tie, 
 cemented their affection : he was her lover or 
 suitor. While engaged in conversation with his 
 sweetheart and her parents, we observed him take 
 rather ostentatiously from his side a long heavy- 
 looking silk purse, the contents of which he emp- 
 tied into the lap of his mistress. The Spaniard's 
 eyes sparkled with pleasure ; but, for the honour 
 of a British soldier, a general disgust pervaded 
 the minds of my comrades and myself when we 
 beheld a number of human ears and fingers, 
 which glistened with the golden ornaments they
 
 ACCIDENTAL DEATH. 207 
 
 still retained. He then told us, with an air of bra- 
 vado, that he had cut them from off the bodies of 
 the French whom he himself had slain in battle, 
 each ear and finger having on a gold ring. 
 
 " Napoleon," he observed, in his native dialect, 
 with a grim smile — " Napoleon loves his soldiers, 
 and so do the ravens ;" as he pointed to several 
 of those carrion birds perched on the walls of an 
 old convent covered with ivy. " We find them 
 plenty of food ; they shall never want— so long as 
 a Frenchman remains in Spain." Such are the 
 men who were considered the greatest patriots 
 attached to the Spanish army during the war. 
 
 At the latter end of October the whole of our 
 army began retracing their steps towards Sala- 
 manca, where we arrived after a tiresome march 
 of several days. There we took up our quarters 
 for a few days in a convent, which exhibited 
 such a loathsome picture of filth as to be abso- 
 lutely unendurable. In consequence of our men 
 having torn up a part of the balustrades for firing, 
 a young officer of the 3rd battalion fell down a 
 height of fifty feet, and was killed upon the spot. 
 
 On the second morning after our arrival we 
 again proceeded towards Rodrigo. The rain fell 
 in torrents, and from the heaviness of the roads, 
 which were in many places one or two feet in 
 depth, most of our men lost their shoes, and were 
 obliged to march barefooted. Among this num- 
 ber I was unfortunately included myself. When 
 we had reached our halting-ground for the night, 
 our prospect was most desolate. AVet to the
 
 208 PRIVATIONS. 
 
 skin — without fire or shelter, — and at the same 
 time, possessed of a ravenous appetite, with no- 
 thing to satisfy it, formed some of the disagree- 
 ables so often attendant upon our life in the Pe- 
 ninsula — to say nothing of incessant duty and 
 fatigue. It was these sufferings, in fact, I am 
 convinced, that oftentimes rendered our men so 
 callous about death : at different periods during 
 the war, as some men, from the privations they 
 endured, wished to be shot, and exposed them- 
 selves in action purposely. 
 
 On our halt on the above night, the first thing I 
 did was to take off my jacket and shirt, and after 
 ringing about half a gallon of water out of them, 
 I replaced them upon my back to dry as they 
 might. Most of our men had employed them- 
 selves in cutting down boughs of trees to keep 
 themselves out of the mud ; but it was some 
 hours before we could obtain that greatest of 
 luxuries, under our present circumstances, a 
 good fire. Still we had not a morsel to eat after 
 the day's fatigue — no rations having been issued 
 — and our men suffered from all the pangs of 
 cold and hunger. Fortune, however, during the 
 evening favoured a few of us. Towards the mid- 
 dle of the night one or two of our men brought 
 intelligence that several cars laden with spirits 
 and biscuit for the Spanish army were stuck fast 
 in the road, and could not proceed onwards. 
 The temptation to our hungry maws could not 
 be resisted ; .leaving our fires, and getting up 
 to the cars, screened by the darkness of the
 
 LORD CHARLES SPENCER. 209 
 
 night, we managed to get a portion both of biscuit 
 and apjuardiente ; but the Spanish guard, dis- 
 covering our fellows, commenced firing on them : 
 this was quickly returned, and several, I believe 
 were shot ; indeed, the firing continued all night, 
 which alarmed the chief part of our army. Had 
 the offenders been discovered, it would not have 
 been difficult to have foretold their fate, as the 
 Duke's orders were particularly strict against 
 plunder ; (if such this might be called, for after 
 all, the whole fell into the hands of the French 
 next morning.) For my own part, such were my 
 feelings this night, that I believe I should have 
 expired, but for the liquor I had drank. 
 
 With all their hunger, however, there existed 
 among the men, a sympathy for the officers, 
 which, considering their distance, was rather 
 remarkable ; several of the most haughty of the 
 latter gladly received little kindnesses from the 
 soldiers ; and if the noble lord be now living, he 
 may chance to recollect an instance connected 
 with it. Lord Charles Spencer, then a youth 
 about eighteen years of age, suffered dreadfully 
 from the hunger and fatigue of this retreat ; 
 trembling with cold and weakness, he stood 
 perched upon some branches, that had been 
 cut down for fuel, the tears silently starting 
 from his eyes through the pain he experienced, 
 while thus sharing in the common lot, anxiously 
 watching a few acorns, which to stay the pangs 
 of hunger, he had placed in the embers to roast. 
 I dare say his Lordship had never known till
 
 210 
 
 A RETREAT. 
 
 then, the joys of poverty — a good appetite ! 
 Nor will he, I expect, forget how willingly the 
 rough soldiers flew to offer him biscuits, which 
 their own sufferings could not withhold from one 
 so tenderly and delicately reared ; but his Lord- 
 ship was very much liked among us, and, no 
 doubt, it did many a heart good to hear his 
 thanks, and see the eagerness with which he de- 
 voured the oflering. These are times when 
 Lords find that they are men — and men, that 
 they are comrades. 
 
 Before daylight we pursued our route, the rain 
 continuing to fall in torrents, while the state of 
 our regiment was pitiable. To add to our com- 
 fort, the enemy were close upon our heels : this 
 night we spent something like the last — wet, 
 cold, and hungry. On the following morning 
 we were obliged to continue our retreat rather 
 precipitately, as the shots of the French, who 
 were in great force, came rattling in among us. 
 During the morning the enemy's cavalry suc- 
 ceeded in getting through a wood, and managed 
 to cut off the baggage of the 7th division, then 
 in front of ours. Among some captives the ene- 
 my made on this occasion were several children 
 in paniers carried by donkeys. One Irish- 
 woman, in particular, I remember seeing, whose 
 grief seemed inconsolable for the loss she had 
 sustained in that of her child. In a few days, 
 however, the French, desiring to be as little en- 
 cumbered as ourselves with children, sent them 
 back with a flag of truce. This was followed by
 
 HOT-PRESSED. 211 
 
 a most interesting scene, as the different mothers 
 rushed forward to clasp their darlings in their 
 arms. 
 
 This day we were hard pressed by the enemy's 
 advanced-guard, and two of our companies, the 
 one in which I served being one, were order- 
 ed to cover the retreat of our division. The 
 French, confident in their numbers, pressed us 
 vigorously, and it w^as with difficulty we could 
 check their advance. While hotly engaged 
 skirmishing, I was about taking possession of a 
 tree, when I beheld a poor woman at the foot of 
 it, w4io, being unable to keep up with the regi- 
 ment, had sunk down exhausted. Poor soul ! 
 she seized my hands, and begged of me to assist 
 her ; at the same moment the enemy's balls 
 came rapping into the tree that only partially 
 screened us. I was obliged, however, to leave her, 
 as there seemed every prospect of most of us being 
 cut off; the " assembly" sounded, and away we 
 dashed, " devil take the hindmost," in upon the 
 battalion. Here our illustrious chief, who was 
 generally to be found where danger was most ap- 
 parent, seeing us come puffing and blowing up 
 to our column, called out to us, in a cheering 
 voice — " Be cool, my lads ; don't be in a hurry!" 
 But, in faith, with all possible respect for his 
 Lordship, we were not in greater haste than the 
 occasion demanded, as the French were upon us, 
 and we were obliged to dash down the sides of the 
 hill, where we had halted for a moment, and his 
 Lordship also, and then ford a river. While en-
 
 212 THE BURGOS RETREAT. 
 
 gaged in crossing the stream that was much 
 swollen by the late rains, a round-shot from the 
 enemy, who were now peppering away at us, 
 took off the head of a Sergeant Fotheringham, of 
 our battalion, and smashed the thigh of another 
 man. On gaining the other side of the stream 
 we turned to give a salute in return, but owing 
 to the wet, our rifles were unserviceable. 
 
 We remained that night stationary on the 
 banks of the river, exposed to all the delights of 
 cold, hunger, and fatigue. These feelings were 
 not improved by a course of shelling that the 
 enemy did us the honour to indulge in at our 
 expense. But, as I have remarked, the suffer- 
 ings of our men were such at this period that 
 many of them considered death a happy relief. 
 The morning at length dawned upon our half- 
 famished persons, but brought no alleviation to 
 our miseries. The rain still continued to come 
 down in torrents, pursuing our route, we arrived 
 at Ciudad Rodrigo. In this manner we ended 
 the Burgos retreat.
 
 213 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 Head-quarters at Grenalda — Don Julian Sanchez, the cele- 
 brated Guerilla Chief — Weakness of our numbers — Incorpo- 
 ration of Spaniards into our regiments — A thief — Punishment 
 of, and opinion of the rneii — General orders for a collection 
 among the men and officers to relieve Russian losses — A 
 ball, in whch thousands were present — Campaign of 1812 
 commenced — The Life Guards and the Blues join us — The 
 French retreat to Burgos — Secret expedition for bread — Our 
 surprise — Retreat — General Sir Lowry Cole — His temple 
 spectacles made use of to reconnoitre — Our escape — A few 
 remarks — Three alternatives — A cavalrj' aft'air on the 18th 
 June — German brotherhood again. 
 
 Towards the end of November our battalion 
 again became stationed at its old quarters, in the 
 little village of Alamada. We obtained here fresh 
 clothing, certainly not before it was wanted ; 
 green having become by far the least conspicuous 
 colour in the regiment, while so various had been 
 the expedients resorted to for obtaining a substi- 
 tute for shoes, that the fresh supply from Eng- 
 land was welcomed with no common joy. It was 
 quite amusing to see how our fellows enjoyed 
 their clothing, strutting about as proud as pea-
 
 214 A GUERILLA CHIEF. 
 
 cocks among the Spanish peasant girls, in whose 
 estimation they doubtlessly conceived they should 
 be considerably advanced. 
 
 Head-quarters were at Grenalda, some miles 
 distant from where we lay, and a company of our 
 regiment occasionally did duty over the Duke, 
 whose quarters were in the house of the Alcalde. 
 We had strict orders to admit no one inside the 
 gates, leading to the house, unless some particu- 
 lar dispatch from the front, or from Don Julian 
 Sanchez, the Guerilla chieftain. Indeed, a report 
 had arisen amongst us, at the time, that his 
 Grace was not altogether right in his head — but 
 this w^as mere fiction. I used to observe him 
 w^alking through the Market-place, leading by the 
 hand a little Spanish girl some five or six years' 
 old, and humming a short tune, or dry whistle 
 and occasionally purchasing little sweets, at the 
 child's request, from the paysannes of the stalls. 
 
 Here, for the first time, I saw Don Julian San- 
 chez, the noted Guerilla leader, linked arm in 
 arm with the Duke — an instance peculiar to the 
 time of obscure merit rising of its own impulse, 
 to an equality with the greatest man of the age. 
 
 My readers may well suppose I did not sHghtly 
 notice the square well-set figure, dark scowl, 
 and flashing eyes of the Guerilla, whose humble 
 birth-place 1 afterwards visited, in a small village 
 between Rodrigo and Salamanca. 1 had been 
 informed tliat he first began his career as a pig- 
 boy, but owing to some cruelties exercised on 
 a branch of his family by the French, he took an
 
 SPANISH RECRUITS. 215 
 
 inveterate hatred to them, which he exeniphfied by 
 surprising and slaughtering two or three of their 
 soldiers, whom he found asleep in a wood. Ac- 
 companied by one or two others, he continued 
 and increased his sanguinary feats, and gradually 
 collected a small band, then a body, and eventu- 
 ally commanded upwards of twenty thousand 
 Guerillas, well-armed, and equipped with British 
 arms and accoutrements, and who rendered more 
 assistance to the cause of the British than all the 
 Spanish troops beside. 
 
 Our regiments, by constant collision with the 
 French, were getting exceedingly thinned, and 
 recruits from England came but very slowly, 
 until we found it necessary at last to incorporate 
 some of the Spaniards ; for this purpose several 
 non-commissioned officers and men were sent 
 into the adjacent villages recruiting. In the course 
 of a short time, and to our surprise, we w^ere 
 joined by a sufficient number of Spaniards to give 
 ten or twelve men to each company in the bat- 
 talion. But the mystery was soon unravelled,' 
 and by the recruits themselves, who, on joining, 
 gave us to understand, by a significant twist of 
 the neck, and a " Carago," (much like the very 
 breaking of one), that they had but three alterna- 
 tives to choose from, to enter either the British, 
 or Don Julian's service, or be hanged ! The des- 
 potic sway of Sanchez, and his threat in the 
 bargain, so disjointed their inclination for the 
 Guerillas, that they hastily fled their native 
 "woods" and "threshold," for fear of really
 
 216 A ROGUE. 
 
 finding themselves noosed up to them, and gladly- 
 joined the British regiments. Many of them 
 were even made corporals, and, indeed, proved 
 themselves worthy of their new comrades, whom 
 they rivalled in every undertaking of courage and 
 determination. 
 
 While lying here I will give a short description 
 of our regiment's opinion of flogging, not indeed 
 by words, but by signs, as the following anecdote 
 will show, although the sound of cats was seldom 
 heard in our battalion ; for I can safely say, that 
 for the six years I served in Spain not more than 
 six men, to my recollection, were punished in our 
 battalion, and yet withal I cannot brag of our 
 fellows being the bonestest branch in the British 
 army. At the time I speak of we had a man in 
 our regiment of the name of Stratton, who, after 
 robbing several of his comrades of trifling arti- 
 cles, took it into his head to desert to the enemy, 
 and was detected in the act, in a wood that leads 
 from Rodrigo to Salamanca, by the vigilant Gue- 
 rillas, and brought back prisoner to our canton- 
 ments. He was tried by a regimental court- 
 martial, and sentenced to receive four hundred 
 lashes. 
 
 After the proceedings of the court-martial were 
 read by the Adjutant, in a wood near the village 
 where the regiment was formed for punishment, 
 Major Cameron, who commanded us at the time, 
 devised tbe following plan to find out the true 
 character of the prisoner, for the Major was not 
 only a brave and gallant soldier, but a shrewd
 
 AN APPEAL. 217 
 
 man, and knew well that the men were Ijetter 
 judges of the good or bad qualities of each other 
 than the officers could possibly be. He address- 
 ed the prisoner as follows : — " Stratton, I ought 
 to have had you tried by a general court-martial ; 
 in that case you would have been shot ; but the 
 high character the regiment has borne in the 
 army prevents me from having it mentioned in 
 general orders, that a man of the Rifles could be 
 guilty of the heinous crime of desertion to the 
 enemy. I am yet willing to show you kindness. 
 Now, Sir, if the men of the battalion will be an- 
 swerable for your future good conduct, I shall 
 pardon you." Turning round at the same time, 
 Major Cameron looked the men in the face while 
 he stood in the square, as if waiting for an an- 
 swer. 
 
 A pause took place, no answer being given. 
 The Major said-—" Strip, Sir." He was tied to 
 a tree, and received twenty-five lashes — the se- 
 cond bugler was preparing to commence, when 
 the Major again said, " Will you not be answer- 
 able, men, for Stratton's conduct? Well, then, 
 if his own company will be answerable for his 
 good behaviour, I shall forgive him." The pri- 
 soner, at these words, looked round, with an im- 
 ploring eye, as far as his position would allow 
 him, looking towards his own company saying, 
 "Do, men, speak for me, I will not act so in 
 future." I recollect it well, each man leaning on 
 the muzzle of his rifle with his left hand, while 
 his right covered his face, and all silent ; not a 
 
 L
 
 218 A RASCAL PUNISHED. 
 
 man spoke. " Go on," said the Major ; the 
 culprit received twenty-five lashes more, when 
 the Major again said, "Now, Sir, if only one 
 man in the regiment will speak in your behalf 1 
 shall take you down." Still silent, while the 
 third bugler commenced : when the prisoner had 
 received about sixteen lashes, a voice from the 
 square cried out " Forgive him, Sir!" — "Stop, 
 bugler, stop!" said the Major; " who was the 
 man that spoke?" "I did. Sir!" was the an- 
 swer. " Step into the square;" when a man 
 of the prisoner's own company came forward, 
 "Oh ! is it you, Robinson ?" said Major Cameron ; 
 " I thought as much ; as little-good-for-nothing 
 a fellow as himself; but take him dowm." 
 
 When the prisoner was conducted out of the 
 square, the Major addressed the men, saying — 
 " Your conduct in the field is well known by the 
 British army; but," added the Major, "your 
 moral worth I have not known before ; not a 
 man would speak in that fellpw's behalf, except 
 the man who did, whom you know as well as I 
 do." This may serve to show, that however 
 soldiers dislike this mode of punishment, they 
 still like to see a rascal punished ; and nothing 
 tends to destroy all feeling of pity for his suffer- 
 ings more than his having been guilty of an act 
 of cowardice, or robbing his comrade." 
 
 Some months before our present sojourn at 
 Allamada, Napoleon had made his disastrous 
 campaign in Russia, when Moscow was burnt. 
 The circumstance was now brought to our notice
 
 A DAY OF JOLLITY. 219 
 
 by the general order, soliciting a day's pay from 
 the officers and men of the army towards defray- 
 ing the losses sustained by the Russians. This 
 was most cheerfully bestowed by every man in 
 our battalion except two, the above-mentioned 
 Stratton and another man of the name of Frost ; 
 and to crown the occurrence the day was made 
 one of jollity and fun. Country dances were 
 struck up by the band, and it was most laugh- 
 able to behold, one and all, officers as well as 
 private soldiers kicking about their heels to the 
 tune of " The Downfall of Paris." 
 
 Our division had been cantoned in and about 
 Allamada during the winter, when, soldier-like, 
 ever sighing after a change of scene, the men of 
 our battalion generally began to grow tired of 
 their monotonous and inactive life : however, we 
 received orders for marching. This occurred 
 about the middle of May, when we commenced 
 the campaign of 1812, and a spirit of enterprize, 
 notwithstanding past sufferings, extended itself 
 throughout the light division. We left Allamada 
 in high spirits. On the third day's march our 
 battalion encamped near Salamanca, in a wood, 
 Avhere we were joined by the Life Guards and 
 Oxford Blues, that had just come out from Eng- 
 land, and whom we beheld drawn up at the side 
 of the road. Their fresh and well-fed appear- 
 ance gave rise to many jests at the expense of 
 the " householders." They in fact as I learnt, 
 took us at first, from our dark clothing and em- 
 browned visages, for a foreign regiment. 
 
 l2
 
 220 EXPLOSION OF A MINE. 
 
 The first peep we got of the enemy was at a 
 place called Toro, on the road towards Burgos. 
 There our hussars had a sharp skirmish, in 
 which they took some prisoners. Continuing 
 our advance, we overtook the enemy's rear- 
 guard. After a Uttle skirmishing and cannonad- 
 ing they continued their retreat to Burgos. The 
 next morning we were startled by a tremendous 
 explosion, that at first induced many of our men 
 to think it an earthquake, until we ascertained 
 the fact that it arose from the explosion of a 
 mine, with which the French had destroyed the 
 castle and some of the works of the town of 
 Burgos. 
 
 On the 16th of June we passed through the 
 pretty little town of Medina del Pomar, and en- 
 camped on the other side of it close to the banks 
 of a fine river. On this march we suffered from 
 a deficiency of supplies from the Commissa- 
 riat, as any thing like rations we seldom receiv- 
 ed. Myself and one or two others, having some 
 few pence, determined to start off" on the sly, as 
 we were not allowed to move from our camp- 
 ground, and purchase bread at a little village we 
 beheld at the other side of the river. We forded 
 the river unobserved and entered the village. 
 There, however, the alarm of the people became 
 very great upon our appearance, and not wish- 
 ing apparently to have any dealings with us, they 
 asked an immense price for the bread. Irritated 
 at this conduct, and urged by hunger, every man 
 seized a loaf and threw down the usual price in
 
 AN AFFRAY. 221 
 
 the country. Seeing that we were all totally un- 
 armed, for we had not even our side-arms, an im- 
 mediate outcry was raised against us by the 
 people, and we had to run for safety. This we 
 did, carrying the loaves with us, until we were 
 overtaken by some of the swift-footed peasantry, 
 who came up to us with knives and clubs. Our 
 lives being thus in jeopardy for the dearly- 
 obtained bread, our party instantly had recourse 
 to stones for defence. " Muerte a los peros In- 
 gleses." — " Kill the English dogs," — was the ge- 
 neral cry of the Spaniards, as they brandished 
 their long knives. They w^ere evidently about 
 to make a rush in among us, by which my own 
 personal adventures, and those of my comrades, 
 would, in all probability, have been finished on 
 the spot, when several men of the 43rd and 52nd 
 regiments, belonging to our division, came run- 
 ning up, like ourselves, foraging. It was the 
 turn of the Spaniards now to retreat — which they 
 did in a hurry. 
 
 We had scarcely escaped the attack of the 
 Spaniards and arrived at the bank of the river, 
 when General Sir Lowry Cole came galloping up 
 to us with some of the staff, which indeed might 
 be termed the police of the army. *• Hallo ! you 
 plundering rascals of the light division — halt !" 
 was the General's command, as he pulled up his 
 temple spectacles, which he generally wore. Oae 
 only resource was left us, and that was to plunge 
 into the river, which at that part was very deep, 
 and swim across, holding the bread in our teeth.
 
 222 COMPOSITION OF THE ARMY. 
 
 This we immediately adopted, when Sir Lowry, 
 in an agitated tone, that did honour to his heart, 
 called out — '' Come back, men, for God's sake 
 — you'll be drowned ! Come back, and I'll not 
 punish you." But the General's fears were 
 needless ; we soon landed on the other side. 
 
 On arriving at our camp we found that the 
 roll had been called over several times, and that 
 we had been set down " absent without leave ;" 
 but we were lucky enough to escape with a slight 
 reprimand. 
 
 I cannot here forbear making a few remarks 
 with reference to the men who composed our 
 battalion in the Peninsula. The reader will be 
 apt to imagine, that those men who were in the 
 habit of foraging after a day's march, were but 
 indifferent soldiers. Allow me, with some pre- 
 tentions to the name of a veteran, to correct 
 this error, and inform the reader, that these 
 were the very men whose bravery and daring in 
 the field far exceeded the merits of their more 
 quiet comrades in quarters. 
 
 Our men, during the war, might be said to 
 have been composed of three classes. One was 
 zealous and brave to absolute devotion, but who, 
 apart from their fighting duties, considered some 
 little indulgence as a right ; the other class bare- 
 ly did their duty when under the eye of their 
 superior ; while the third, and I am happy to say, 
 by far the smallest in number, were skulkers and 
 poltroons — their excuse was weakness from want 
 of rations ; they would crawl to the rear, and
 
 FORAGING. 223 
 
 were seldom seen until after a battle liad been 
 fought, when they might be observed, in the ranks 
 until the Commissary again placed them on short 
 allowance, when oif they started ; in this manner 
 they swelled the muster-rolls. 
 
 But the first of these were the men who placed 
 the Duke on his present pinnacle as one of the 
 great captains of the age. During the whole 
 of our advance from the frontiers of Portugal, 
 until we entered the Pyrenees, not more (on the 
 average) than one biscuit per day was served out 
 to each man — and it consequently could not be 
 expected that a soldier, weighed down by a 
 heavy knapsack, and from sixty to eighty rounds 
 of ammunition (such as we Riflemen carried at 
 the time), could march from twenty to thirty 
 miles a day on so short an allowance. 
 
 It was not unfrequent, therefore, after a day's 
 march to observe groups of our regiment, and, 
 indeed, of the division, rooting up the fields with 
 their swords and bayonets, in search of potatoes, 
 &c., and these were the men who were able to 
 undergo the fatigue of the next day. 
 
 The French, also, in their hurried retreat be- 
 fore us, had been obliged to stock themselves 
 with several days' provisions in advance ; these 
 were hung very temptingly from their knap- 
 sacks,* and as it were, in defiance of our hungry 
 jaws ; as a consequence, this gave rise to the 
 well known remark, or alternatives of the Light 
 
 * As before stated, the French carry- no haversacks.
 
 224 A SMART COMBAT. 
 
 Divison. ** Damme boys, if the Commissary 
 don't show his front we must either find a pota- 
 toe field, or have a killing day !" 
 
 Indeed, but for these resources, so dependant 
 on our individual energies, his Grace, from our 
 being always in front, might have occasionally 
 found half his Light Division " stiff"," and the 
 other half tucked under the blankets as " Belem 
 Rangers." 
 
 On the 18th of June (a very memorable day 
 to our army afterwards) we passed along the 
 banks of a fine river. Our company, along with 
 but half a troop of our German hussars, formed 
 the advance. On turning a winding of the road, 
 we suddenly came within sight of a parly of the 
 enemy's cavalry who formed the tail of their 
 rear-guard. Our Germans, who were command- 
 ed by a very smart young fellow, immediately 
 charged them. The French, perceiving the num- 
 ber of our cavalry only equal to their own, in- 
 stantly wheeled about and calmly awaited the 
 attack. A very smart combat soon took place, 
 and was supported by great resolution for some 
 time on both sides, but terminated in the flight 
 or capture of the enemy. Several prisoners were 
 brought in, all of whom were badly wounded ; 
 and scarcely one of our gallant Germans had 
 escaped without some sabre-wound. Another 
 singular circumstance occurred at this skirmish. 
 One of the German cavalry, as he came in with 
 a prisoner and his horse, exclaimed in broken 
 English, as he came up to us — "Mine Got!
 
 A NOVEL SYSTEM. 225 
 
 mine Got ! he is mine own broder !" It ap- 
 peared he had brought in his own brother prison- 
 er, wounded, who was in the French service. 
 The officers of both parties had been killed in 
 the preceding charge ; and Lord Wellington, 
 who came up at the time, was so pleased with our 
 cavalry that he promised the sergeant a commis- 
 sion, which a few days after, I was told, he ob- 
 tained. 
 
 The whole of our battalion, which soon came 
 up, was ordered to push forward. We found the 
 French rear-guard in possession of a little town 
 called San Milan, in front of which they had 
 drawn themselves up, apparently with the inten- 
 tion of defending. As we continued to advance 
 in extended order, they changed their minds and 
 turned tail. This day I noticed a novel system 
 many of the enemy had adopted, of firing their 
 muskets over their shoulders in their retreat, with- 
 out turning round to face us. This resulted, in 
 all probability, from the excessive fatigue they 
 had endured. 
 
 L 3
 
 226 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 We encamp near Puebla, on the road to Vittoria — Battle of 
 Vittoria — A man obliged to hold his jaw — Affair of Bayonets 
 — The 88th — Blanco — Daly — French defeated — A prisoner 
 rescued — The carriage of Joseph Napoleon — His wdfe, &c. 
 — His baton — A prize — Attempt to rob me — Sergeant Lee 
 — Night scenes after the battle^ — The sale of the spoils — I 
 disti-ibute my money for safety — We march on Salvatierra 
 — Halt at Pampeluna — Another brush wanted — Lesaca — 
 The enemy on the heights of Santa Barbara dislodged — 
 The French attempt to relieve Pampeluna — The Bidassoa— 
 The French too late for the " fare" — We also — A race back 
 by way of " huiry" — The Regiment's birth-day — Sergeant's 
 Fawfoot's loss and re-instalment — My treasure — My comrade 
 — His good faith — Siege and storm of San Sebastian — The 
 four hundred gallant Frenchmen — Their charge and escape 
 — The o2nd and their badges — Remarks, &c. 
 
 On the 20th we remained encamped near Pue- 
 bla, a town within ten or twelve miles of Vit- 
 toria. On the following morning we fell in rather 
 earlier than usual, when a general rumour among 
 the ranks augured we should have a busy day. 
 We were, indeed, on the eve of the memorable 
 battle of Vittoria. We marched along the left 
 of the high road towards the previously men-
 
 BATTLE OF VITTORIA. 227 
 
 tioned city, leaving Puebla a little to the right. 
 Our battalion, as the advanced guard, pre- 
 ceded by the remainder of the division until 
 we came in sight of the enemy on the other side 
 of the river Zadora. We commenced a smart 
 brush with their voltigeurs, who slowly retreated, 
 and took up a position in the rear of some rocks, 
 from whence their fire swept a bridge in our im- 
 mediate front. While thus occupied in skirmish- 
 ing, we heard a loud cheering on our left, where 
 we beheld the third division charge over a bridge 
 much lower down the stream. Fired by the 
 sight, we instantly dashed over the bridge before 
 us in the face of a galling discharge from the 
 enemy. We then drove them from the rocks, 
 and in our turn had to sustain a heavy fire from 
 several guns mounted upon a hill that com- 
 manded our position. The rocks were splint- 
 ered round us in every direction from this fire, 
 and many of our men were killed or wounded by 
 shot or fragments of stone. 
 
 We were soon joined by the remainder of 
 our division, and pushed forward up a hill, from 
 the summit of which we could clearly discern 
 the city of Vittoria. By this time the action had 
 become pretty hot and general with the other 
 divisions, as well as our own. The chief scene 
 of conflict was on an extended plain within a 
 mile or two of the city on the left. Continu- 
 ing to advance, we arrived at a small village on 
 the main road, from which we were annoyed by 
 a furious fire, until, rushing in, we drove them
 
 228 A NARROW ESCAPE. 
 
 out, and captured a howitzer in the market- 
 place, the first that was taken. We were doomed 
 however, to have it but for a short time in our 
 possession, as a whole regiment of the enemy 
 came charging upon us, and our force, consisting 
 of only two companies, had to retreat with pre- 
 cipitation, when, turning round, however, we 
 beheld our favourite third division coming double 
 quick down the main road to our assistance — 
 with Picton, who was never absent in time of 
 need, at their head. 
 
 After retiring for about a hundred yards, this 
 sight encouraged us, and we were at them again. 
 While thus engaged, a grape or round-shot 
 struck my pouch with such violence that I was 
 hurled by the force a distance of several yards 
 along the ground. From the sudden shock I 
 thus experienced, I imagined myself mortally 
 wounded ; but, on being picked up, I found the 
 only damage I had sustained was the partial de- 
 struction of my pouch, which was nearly torn 
 off. 
 
 A man of the name of Hudson, who was one 
 of the pardoned deserters at Rodrigo, while run- 
 ning to my assistance as I afterwards learned, was 
 struck by a bullet in his mouth, which knocked 
 out several of his teeth, and came out at the 
 back of the ear. From this wound, severe as it 
 was, he however recovered. 
 
 Placing some of the ammunition in my haver- 
 sack and the remainder in my cap, we were at 
 them again, and recaptured the howitzer in the
 
 THE 88th REGIMENT. 229 
 
 village, by the assistance of part of the third di- 
 vision. 
 
 Still pursuing them, the chief part of my com- 
 pany kept on the right of the main road. In all 
 my military life, this sight surpassed any thing I 
 ever saw : the two armies hammering at each 
 other, yet apparently with all the coolness of 
 a field-day exercise — so beautifully were they 
 brought into action. 
 
 At this moment I noticed a regiment which by 
 its yellow facings I think was the 88th or Con- 
 naught rangers marching in close column of com- 
 panies to attack a French regiment which Avas 
 drawn up in line on the verge of a hill with a 
 small village in its rear. 
 
 The 88th, although at the time under a heavy 
 cannonade from the enemy's artillery, continued 
 advancing gallantly onwards, which, we skir- 
 mishers perceiving, took ground to the left close 
 to the road, in order to enable them to oppose 
 this line in front. 
 
 Though hotly engaged at the time, I deter- 
 mined to watch their movements. The 88th next 
 deployed into line, keeping advancing all the time 
 towards their opponents, who seemed to wait very 
 coolly for them. When they had approached to 
 within three or four hundred yards, the French 
 poured in a volley or I should say a running fire 
 from right to lelt. As soon as the British regi- 
 ment had recovered the first shock, and closed 
 their files on the gap it had made, they com- 
 menced advancing at double time until within
 
 230 VALUE OF THE BAYONET. 
 
 a fifty yards nearer to the enemy, when they 
 halted and m turn gave a running fire from their 
 whole line, and without a moment's pause cheered 
 and charged up the hill against them. The French 
 meanwhile were attempting to reload. But being 
 hard presssd by the British, who allowed them no 
 time to give a second volley, came immediately 
 to the right about, making the best of their way 
 to the village.* 
 
 * As of late, much has been said concemmg the use or non 
 use of the bayonet in action, I shall here take the liberty, sup- 
 ported by. the above fact, of intruding my o\vn opinions in the 
 matter ; an opinion, which falling from the mouth of an old 
 soldier only, might othenvise be thought worthless, if not pre- 
 sumptuous. 
 
 It is generally known of course that Riflemen, when in 
 action, are at all times extended, and have always better oppor- 
 timities of watching the movements of two armies, than those 
 troops who are compelled to march in compact and closely 
 wedged masses. 
 
 Both parties, it will be obsen'ed by the above, were with 
 their fire-locks unloaded, the Biitish having fired and charged 
 before the French could reload, and both consequently had no 
 resource left but their bayonets. Now I would ask the no- 
 bayonet gentlemen if the French, who well knew their mutual 
 position, had seen the British advance with bare muzzles or 
 with no bayonets, would they have given way mth their own 
 bayonets fixed to oppose them. If they did, they ought to be 
 hanged, from the colonel downwards. On the other band, if 
 the Enghsh had attempted to charge with bare muzzles against 
 fixed bayonets, each man from the commtrnding officer down 
 .<^hould be sent to a madhouse. 
 
 Upon this then I should say, if my opinion be acceptable, 
 that the bayonets had better remain in present use until such 
 time as we can bargain with the French or other enemies to 
 J)tfuse them.
 
 SPANISH FEROCITY. 231 
 
 As I have before observed, we had several Spa- 
 niards in our regiment. These men were gene- 
 rally brave ; but one in particular, named Blanco, 
 was one of the most skilful and daring skir- 
 mishers we had in the battaUon. His great cou- 
 rage, however, was sullied by a love of cruelty 
 towards the French whom he detested, and 
 never named but with the most ferocious expres- 
 sions. In every affair we had since the advance 
 from Portugal, he was always in the front ; and 
 the only wonder is how he managed to escape the 
 enemy's shot, but his singular activity and intel- 
 ligence frequently saved him. His hatred to the 
 French was, I believe, occasioned by his father 
 and brother, who were peasants, having been 
 murdered by a French foraging party. On this 
 day he gave many awful proofs of this feeling 
 by mercilessly stabbing aud mangling the wound- 
 ed French he came up to. In this massacre he 
 was, however, stopped by a veteran of our re- 
 giment, who, although suffering from a severe 
 wound in the face, was so exasperated at the Spa- 
 niard's cruelty, that he knocked him down with 
 a blow from the butt of his rifle. It was only by 
 force we could prevent the Spaniard from stab- 
 bing him on the spot. 
 
 I now observed the Duke come riding up with 
 some of his staff; and, seeing the confusion the 
 enemy were in, cried out to one of his aides-de- 
 camp, " Send up a few of Ross's guns ; here is 
 work for them :" saying to us at the same time, 
 " That's right, my lads ; keep up a good fire,"
 
 232 OUR ENTRANCE INTO VITTORIA. 
 
 as he galloped in our rear to the right. In an 
 instant up came Ross's guns, and commenced 
 peppering them at the distance of not more than 
 three hundred yards. Here the whole seemed 
 blocked together in a mass, while we stuck to 
 them like leeches. 
 
 When we arrived close to the barriers of Vit- 
 toria, w^e found them blocked up by a great por- 
 tion of the French waggons, bearing the " mate- 
 riel" of their army. After passing the gates, we 
 were still engaged through the town skir- 
 mishing with their rear-guard ; but, notwith- 
 standing the street-firing, many of the inha- 
 bitants threw open their windows, and, appear- 
 ing at their balconies, welcomed us with vivas, 
 while the ladies, according to the established 
 mode threw flowers into the streets on us, 
 as we passed along. 
 
 In following up the enemy, a few other men and 
 myself had left the company a little in the rear. 
 While going through the square I was fortunate 
 enough to save the life of a French soldier who 
 had been wounded. He was endeavouring, poor 
 fellow, to follow in the route of the French, when 
 observing me coming up, he dropped his musket, 
 with which he had been assisting himself, and 
 intimated that he surrendered ; a Spanish vaga- 
 bond, however observing him, brandished a club, 
 evidently intending to give the Frenchman the 
 covp de grace, when I knocked him down. The 
 poor Frenchman expressed his gratitude, but I 
 was obliged to leave him, probably after all to the
 
 AN ADVENTURE. 233 
 
 same fate I had just rescued him from, unless he 
 fell into the hands of our troops who were coming 
 up at the time. 
 
 A few minutes after this, some of the 1 0th Hus- 
 sars and a party of the Life Guards came dash- 
 ing through the town, sword in hand, shouting 
 as if they had taken it by storm. 
 
 When I had passed the gates, and forced my 
 way through the immense quantity of baggage 
 that blocked up the further end of the town, and 
 through which the cavalry could scarcely pass, I 
 beheld a French mounted officer, sword in hand, 
 escorting a carriage and four out of the town. 
 A comrade who had followed and myself imme- 
 diately fired, when the officer fell. At the same 
 moment the carriage stopped. On rushing up to 
 the vehicle we perceived it contained two ladies, 
 evidently of high rank. They seemed much 
 alarmed as the balls kept whisking round them 
 from both sides. We desired them not to enter- 
 tain any fears for their safety, as we would not 
 harm them. While thus engaged an officer of the 
 10th Hussars came galloping up, flourishing his 
 sword over his head. Not knowing his uniform 
 at first, I cocked my rifle, upon wdiich he ex- 
 claimed " I am an English officer, Sir." Hearing 
 this, I stepped on one side of the carriage, but in 
 withdrawing I observed a small but exceedingly 
 heavy portmanteau that was carried by a Spanish 
 muleteer in the French service. He was in the 
 act of conveying it towards the town, and as I 
 thought I contributed more towards its capture,
 
 234 A PRIZE. 
 
 I made him lay it down — not, indeed, before I 
 was compelled to give him a few whacks of my 
 rifle in the ribs. My comrades had gone in ano- 
 ther direction, so that I had no one to claim a 
 portion of my booty, which on inspection I fomid 
 to consist of several small bags filled with gold 
 and silver in doubloons and dollars. Although 
 I never knew exactly the amount, I should think 
 it not less than lOOOZ. I afterwards learnt that 
 the lady in the carriage was no other than the 
 Queen of Spain, the wife of Joseph Bonaparte.* 
 The officer of hussars, I also heard, obtained pos- 
 session of the baton of Josephf himself from the 
 same carriage. 
 
 My chief anxiety now was how to secure my 
 prize ; and, when all who had an opportunity 
 were employed in reaping some personal advan- 
 tages from our victory, I determined not to be 
 backward, but this was a difficult thing to accom- 
 plish. As I could not well carry the portmanteau 
 from its weight, I soon found means, taking one 
 of the many mules that were blocking up the road 
 to bear the valuable load ; but being at a loss 
 how to fasten the portmanteau, I resorted for aid 
 to a sergeant and two men of the 10th Hussars, 
 who were passing. For this service I, perhaps, 
 incautiously rewarded them too liberally, by giv- 
 ing them several handsful of dollars. In doing 
 this they got a glimpse of the gold, half of which 
 
 * Querj' Countess of Gazan. 
 t Query Jourdain's baton.
 
 DEFENDING MY TREASURE. 235 
 
 they demanded. Perceiving the probability of 
 being thus deprived of the only prize I had made 
 after years of hardship and suffering — and parti- 
 cularly by those new comers, as this regiment 
 had newly joined from England, made it still 
 worse — 1 inwardly resolved to forfeit it but with 
 my life. So catching up my loaded rifle, which 
 I had leant against a gun-carriage, I instantly 
 cocked, and, retiring three or four paces, brought 
 it to my shoulder, swearing I would shoot the 
 first man dead that placed his hands upon my 
 treasure. My determined air, and the ferocity of 
 my appearance — my face being completely co- 
 vered with perspiration and gunpowder — ^induced 
 them them to pause, and finally to desist. Tak- 
 ing the sergeant's word not to attempt molesting 
 me, with his assistance I completed the strapping 
 of my treasure, and departed for the camp.* 
 
 I had not proceeded far with the intention of 
 gaining the battalion, when I observed the Duke 
 of Wellington forcing his way, with some of his 
 staff, through gun-carriages and waggons into 
 Vittoria. To my great relief, however, he took 
 no notice of myself and mule. In fact, his grace 
 
 * Strange to say, this very sergeant, whose name wafe Lee, 
 and who had the fame of being the best boxer in his regiment, 
 after the battle of Waterloo, lay wounded in the bed next to 
 mine in the hospital at Antwerp. " Holloa, Rifleman !" said 
 he, when he first perceived me near him, " don't you recol- 
 lect me !" At first I did not. " By God," said he, again, 
 " you frightened me more than a bit at Vittoria, when guard- 
 ing your money-bags " This soon settled the recognition, but 
 poor fellow, he died after the amputation of liis arm.
 
 236 CAROUSING. 
 
 was too much occupied in securine: the brilliant 
 results of our victory in the capture of the entire 
 materiel of the French army which fell into our 
 hands. 
 
 Almost all our men at this time, I must re- 
 mark, to use a phrase much in vogue among us, 
 were endeavouring to see what they could make 
 — in other words take. I reached our camp, 
 however, in safety. 
 
 This night we encamped amidst the wreck of 
 the French army, every man bringing into 
 his camp-ground whatever he fancied — for the 
 unfortunate enemy were compelled to leave 
 everything behind them, even to their wo- 
 men and children — so that, if oar fellows were 
 inclined to be honest, their good fortune would 
 not allow them. The ground occupied by our 
 regiment was near a small village, a little off the 
 main road that leads to Pampeluna. 
 
 As soon as our fires were lighted, the men, 
 who had been under arms from three o'clock 
 in the morhing until eleven at night, and conse- 
 quently had not tasted food for the whole of the 
 day, began to fill their hungry maws from the 
 luxuries of the French camp. Roast fowls, hams, 
 mutton, &c. were in abundance, and at midnight 
 the wine and brandy went round in horn tots 
 which we generally carried about us. The men 
 mostly lay stretched on the ground, their feet 
 towards the fires, and elbows resting on their 
 knapsacks ; as soon as the grog began to rouse 
 up their spirits from the effects of the day's fa-
 
 DEAD COMRADES. 237 
 
 tigue, each one commenced inquiries about their 
 absent comrades, for Riflemen in action bein^^ 
 always extended, seldom know who falls until 
 the affray is over. 
 
 " Blood in ounds," said Dan Kelly, bouncing 
 up from his reclining posture ; " don't drink all 
 the wine, boys, until we hear something about our 
 absent messmates. Does any of you know where 
 Jack Connor is ?" 
 
 " He was shot through the body, when we took 
 the first gun in the little village near the main 
 road," was the reply. 
 
 " Where is Will John," asked Bob Roberts, 
 with a sudden glance of suspense. 
 
 " The ball passed through his head," said 
 another, " I saw poor Will fall." 
 
 " Musha, boys ! is there any hope of poor 
 Jemmy Copely getting over his wounds ?" said 
 Tom Tracy earnestly, lifting his head from his 
 knapsack. 
 
 " Poor Copely!" replied another; " both his 
 legs were knocked off by a round shot." 
 
 Tracy laid his head on his kit again, and was 
 silent. Here each man gave a short account of 
 his fallen comrade. 
 
 " Why, by Jasus !" exclaimed Tracy, who had 
 been eagerly listening all the while, " by Jasus, 
 they have kilt half our mess. But never mind 
 
 boys, fill a tot, fill a tot, and may I be d d 
 
 but here's luck :" heplaced the wine to'his mouth, 
 but took it away untasted, and laid it on the 
 ground. " Poor Jemmy Copely ! poor Jemmy !
 
 238 A DESIRE FOR VENGEANCE. 
 
 they had drilled him well with balls before, damn 
 them, now they have finished him. The best 
 comrade I ever had, or ever will have." 
 
 The last part of the sentence was uttered in 
 a broken accent as he wiped his eye, then com- 
 menced fining a wooden pipe, the bow^l made 
 from a tailor's thimble, his head stooping all the 
 while as if to hide the large drops that uncon- 
 sciously rolled over his nose ; a short pause took 
 place among the group until Tracy, recovering 
 himself a little, took up the tot of wine and 
 drank it off, and, jumping up at the same mo- 
 ment, with a loud voice, he called out to all, 
 " Hear me boys, hear me ! hear what I am going 
 to say." A deep silence followed. He knelt on 
 his knapsack, his hands squeezed together in the 
 attitude of prayer. " May the Lord God," eja- 
 culated Tracy, " grant that those fellows in yon- 
 der camp remain where they are until we have 
 the pleasure of thrashing them for the gap they 
 have this day made in our mess." 
 
 "Amen! amen!" responded a dozen voices, 
 with an emphasis that would have done credit to 
 a clerk in a country church, and I am certain 
 with a better inclination for the desired object. 
 
 Tracy laid himself at his length once more, 
 and after recapitulating their difterent losses, and 
 the good qualities of their fallen comrades, but 
 taking care not to mention any of their bad ones, 
 every man gradually relaxed into a sleep, from 
 which nothing could arouse him, save the sound 
 of the bugles, or the hard cracking of the rifle,
 
 A rifleman's rest. 239 
 
 which ever brings the soldier on his legs again, 
 ready to advance or retreat, or as the night 
 closed over the column, to lament or be lament- 
 ed, as one of the fallen or absent messmates. 
 
 Being on guard at the time, and, as I before 
 stated, having a round sum of money by me, I 
 kept one eye on the direction of the French 
 camp that was some distance from us, and the 
 other occasionally on the money bags. The 
 crackling of the fires soon ceased for want 
 of fuel, and nothing remained but the embers ; 
 the w^hole camp was as still as the grave ; 
 nothing to disturb the soldiers' repose, but 
 the casual braying of the donkeys, that an- 
 swered each other from camp to camp, and 
 gradually died away in the echo of the distant 
 woods. 
 
 I quietly walked round the fires to see that 
 none of the men's pouches were near it ; but, 
 no — there was each man with his rifle loaded, 
 and leaning on his arm, close to his breast, hug- 
 ged with all tlie affection a fond lover would 
 press to his bosom the girl of his heart — this was 
 our usual custom, as riflemen seldom pile arms ; 
 yet \Yith all, I never knew an accident to occur 
 by the rifles going off. It was a noble sight to see 
 those scathed warriors stretched on the ground 
 — some, indeed, I noticed, by the clear moon 
 that then shone, wath balls through their caps, 
 and, as they fell off" through sleep, the blood 
 oozing from the furrow^ of some French bullet : 
 but such trifles were unnoticed by those hardy
 
 240 SALE OF SPOIL. 
 
 veterans, who had stood the pelting of many as 
 pitiless storms as that which they had that day 
 to contend with. 
 
 The next morning the sale of the spoils, which 
 fell into our hands, took place in the village, near 
 the camp ground, where our battalion lay. The 
 Spaniards were in general the purchasers, and 
 property late belonging to the French, such as 
 uniforms, horses, camp-equipage, &c., were sold 
 in abundance at about one-tenth of its value. 
 Mules worth thirty or forty dollars brought on 
 an average three. As I had no means of con- 
 veyance for the spoil I had obtained, I set about 
 depositing it where I thought it would be safe : 
 £300 I entrusted to our quarter-master, and 
 several sums to other officers of the battalion, 
 distributing nearly the remainder of the silver, 
 to the amount, I suppose, of about £100, among 
 the men of my own squad, who undertook to 
 carry it for me ; very little of the latter, how- 
 ever, I ever received back. But after all money, 
 as may be imagined, was of very little use during 
 some of the hardships we afterwards endured, 
 when I state, that I frequently offered a doubloon 
 for a single glass of rum, and was not always 
 able to obtain it. 
 
 About twelve o'clock we marched in pursuit 
 of the enemy through the town of Salvatierra, 
 many of our men gibing me for my wealth, say- 
 ing, among other agreeable things, that if I fell 
 they would take care of my knapsack for me. 
 To tell the truth, I was not now over anxious to
 
 A TREAT. 241 
 
 go much to the front, as I began to look upon 
 my life as of some value. 
 
 On our second day's march we came up with 
 the rear-guard of the enemy, who made a stand 
 in the road, assisted by the only gun they had 
 carried from Vittoria. The first shot fired from 
 this piece took off the arm of one of our corpo- 
 rals at the socket. But on our dashing at them 
 they soon abandoned their gun, which we took, 
 making the first and last piece of ordnance we 
 had captured from them on this retreat. 
 
 We halted a couple of days in a small village 
 opposite Pampeluna ; and, as I considered that 
 our fellows had contributed towards my great- 
 ness in money matters, I could do no less than 
 treat them to a dinner ; but unfortunately, the 
 place afforded no other luxuries than bacon, eggs, 
 and wine, for which the inhabitants took care 
 to charge treble : I paid ten doubloons for three 
 flitches of bacon, and three pig skins of wine. 
 This we enjoyed within the walls of a house that 
 the French had burnt the roof off on their re- 
 treat. There were some excellent toasts given, 
 such as — " May we have another brush with 
 them before they get to Paris," &c., &c. 
 
 As nothing of any interest to the reader oc- 
 curred for some time, I shall merely say, that 
 we continued in pursuit of one division of the 
 French army night and day. During this period 
 the fatigue we underwent was almost incredible, 
 nor could we have supported it but for^the excel- 
 lent wine with which that part of the country 
 
 M
 
 *242 A NIGHT MARCH, 
 
 then abounded, and which we all had plenty of 
 money to purchase. After continuing these ha- 
 rassing marches for several days, we at length 
 chased them into France. We next retraced our 
 steps in some degree to Pampeluna, in the sub- 
 urbs of which city we remained two days, and 
 from thence we again advanced in the direction 
 of the Pyrenees, and took up our quarters at the 
 pretty little town of San Estevan ; here we halted 
 some days also. Our next march was to Lesaca. 
 The enemy had possession of the heights of 
 Santa Barbara, from whence we dislodged them 
 after some hard fighting. We remained upon 
 these mountains for several days, but the enemy 
 making an endeavour to relieve Pampeluna 
 which some of our troops were then besieging, a 
 part of our division were ordered to cross the 
 Bidassoa to frustrate this attempt. This could 
 only be done by a forced march at night. We 
 were obliged to have torches and lighted straw 
 to enable us to find our way over the moun- 
 tains, which, in most places rugged and precipi- 
 tous, were even without the semblance of a path. 
 The fatigue incident to that night-march, I think 
 I may say, was greater than any of the men of 
 our battalions had before endured ; and after all, 
 you could fire a rifle-ball to where we started 
 from. 
 
 Accidents were numerous, many of our men 
 had severe falls, and numbers of rifles were 
 broken. But all our hurry was of no avail, as 
 the enemy had been already frustrated in throw-
 
 FORBEARANCE. 243 
 
 ing supplies into Pampeluna. We had again the 
 agreeable task of retracing our steps, with the 
 same hurry we had advanced. By this addition 
 to the fatigue we had previously endured, we 
 lost many of our men who were unable to en- 
 dure it. There was a sort of rivalry between 
 the regiments of our division who should hold 
 out the longest, urged by this feeling many con- 
 tinued marching until they fell and expired by 
 the road-side. I myself, on the second day 
 fainted ; but, on having my stock taken off, 
 recovered sufficiently to stagger on and finish 
 the march. 
 
 Descending from the mountains we pursued 
 our march till we came to the bridge that crosses 
 the Bidassoa, where we beheld the French mov- 
 ing along on the other side of the river. Tiie 
 poor fellows, like ourselves, seemed dreadfully 
 harassed. Part of our battalion commenced 
 firing upon them across the river, every shot 
 telling as they retreated. To the honour of the 
 British soldiers, however, 1 am happy to say, 
 that many of our men knowing the sufferings of 
 the French from what they had theniselves en- 
 dured, declined firing, wiiile they called out to 
 the others to spare them, as it was little better 
 than murder. We remained encamped here this 
 night, and the next morning marched back to 
 the heights of Santa Barbara. 
 
 As soon as we had arrived on the hill, and 
 were anticipating a little rest, the assembly 
 sounded, and we were ordered to drive the ene- 
 
 M 2
 
 244 THE regiment's birthday. 
 
 my from a high mountain which they occupied 
 on our right. This was a heavy task at the time ; 
 but to it we went, and in extended order mount- 
 ed the hill, on the summit of which the enemy 
 were clustered as thick as bees on a hive. After 
 some very hard fighting w^e carried their posi- 
 tion, but not before we had lost many men. 
 While engaged I lost a friend to whom I was 
 much attached, a sergeant named Kelly. He 
 had just invited me to take a draught of wine 
 out of his canteen, and was in the act of handing 
 it to me, w^hen he received a shot through the 
 right temple that came out at the eye. J never 
 before saw a man die so hard. He writhed 
 about, poor fellow, in the greatest agony, with- 
 out it being in my power to afford him the 
 slightest relief. Some of our men raising a shout 
 that the enemy were flying, I was obliged to 
 leave him for a time. On m}^ return I found 
 him quite dead. This was a bad day's work. 
 Another regiment was left in charge of the hill, 
 and we returned to our camp-ground by the 
 river-side. 
 
 On the 2.5th of August, it being the anniver- 
 sary on wdiich the regiment was raised, call- 
 ed among us " The Regiment's Birth-day," a ge- 
 neral jollity was kept up throughout the regi- 
 ment. On this occasion I have often reflected 
 with pleasure on having assisted in saving a gal- 
 lant soldier from the consequences of a pecuni- 
 ary loss he had sustained, and which might have 
 embittered the remainder of his life. I allude to
 
 A PAY-SERGEANT ROBBED. 245 
 
 a pay-sergeant of one of the companies of our 
 battalion, who, getting rather tipsy, was robbed 
 while in that state of £31 belonging to his 
 company — the first money, indeed, that had ever 
 been entrusted to his hands, having only just 
 been appointed pay-sergeant. The circumstance 
 had so strong an effect upon him, that on wak- 
 ing me up the following morning and acquaint- 
 ing me with his loss, he stated to me his deter- 
 mination of deserting, as his credit would be for 
 ever destroyed in the regiment, and he could not 
 endure remaining with the battalion afterwards. 
 Havingmoney by me, I felt much pleasure in arrest- 
 ing thedespairthatseemed to take possession of the 
 mind of a gallant soldier, and one wdiom I much 
 esteemed : I enabled him to make up his losses. 
 Some time after, this very sergeant obtained a 
 commission in the 2nd battalion of our regiment : 
 this was the late Quartermaster Robert Fairfoot. 
 
 Having by me still a very considerable sum, 
 the remnant of my prize at Vittoria, I was natu- 
 rally apprehensive respecting its safety, particu- 
 larly as I had no place to keep it but in my 
 knapsack, which I could not always carry about 
 with me. 
 
 I was consequently obliged to entrust my trea- 
 sure to the care of a comrade of the name of 
 Bandle, who, true to his charge, never gave me 
 reason to repent my confidence. Many were 
 the stratagems resorted to, to persuade Bandle to 
 relinquish his guard. Sometimes he would be 
 suddenly warned for duty by the non-commis-
 
 246 SAN SEBASTIAN. 
 
 sioned officers, as these last assured me " for 
 fun " only, in hopes he would leave it behind 
 him ; but Bandle was always awake, and on these 
 occasions would take my knapsack on his back 
 and leave his own. He was wakeful as a weasel, 
 and faithful as the dog, for both of which qua- 
 lities I took good care not to be ungrateful. 
 
 San Sebastian was now closely invested by the 
 British, and eventually, the breaches being con- 
 sidered practicable, preparations were made for 
 the assault. Volunteers accordingly were re- 
 quired from our regiment. The duty was so 
 " attractive" that although two only were to be 
 selected out of each company, myself and five 
 others stepped forward from ours. This brought 
 on a controversy, and lots were drawn according 
 to regulation, and decided in favourof two, named 
 Royston and Ryan. 
 
 The reader may judge of the value attached to 
 this service, when I tell him that the ofier of £20. 
 was made and refused for the exchange, thus 
 illustrating the truth of the great dramatist, 
 
 " He that is truly dedicate to war 
 Hath no self-love ; nor he, that loves himself, 
 Hatli not essentially, but by circumstance, 
 The name of valour." 
 
 The next day the town was to be attacked. 
 Our men were all on the fidget to know the 
 result, and every tree and hillock within sight or 
 hearing of the scene was taken possession of.
 
 FORLORN HOPE REWARDS. 247 
 
 At about twelve o'clock (a. m.) the breaches 
 were assaulted, and the place carried after a severe 
 contest. 
 
 Three or four hundred French, unable from 
 the great rains to ford the Bidassoa, charged 
 fiercely upon one of our companies, and another 
 of the second battalion, then posted at the bridge 
 of Vera. After a sanguinary struggle they effected 
 their purpose, and escaped. They were the rem- 
 nant of the French troops that had forded the 
 river in the morning, and whom our Spanish 
 force distinguished themselves in repulsing. After 
 this we remained quiet for several days in our 
 camp ground. 
 
 It was about this time that those men of the 
 52nd, who were fortunate enough to have sur- 
 vived the " forlorn hope " of Rodrigo and Bada- 
 jos, were distinguished with a badge of laurel on 
 the right arm. It was given by their command- 
 ing officer as a testimonial of their gallant con- 
 duct, which was expressed by the two letters 
 (V. S.) or '* valiant stormer " placed beneath the 
 WTeath. Why the men of our battalion and those 
 of the 43rd, who had equally distinguished them- 
 selves on those occasions were not similarly 
 honoured I know not. 
 
 For my own part, all I ever received in the 
 way of reward, for my services as a stormer, was 
 the sum of six dollars. This was after the taking 
 of Badajos. In the French service, those men 
 who volunteered in the ranks of " Les enfants 
 perdus " were ahvays first in the list for com- 
 missions, and were distinguished also by a cross
 
 248 COLOUR SERGEANTS. 
 
 of the Legion of Honour, which was so respected 
 amongst their countrymen, that even their com- 
 rades were always ohUged to salute him who wore 
 it. How must the heart of those thus distinguished 
 beat at the possession of such a mark. How dif- 
 ferent is the case of the British soldier ! This 
 " hope " in his country remains unnoticed, and he 
 quits its service " equally forlorn " for obscurity 
 without distinction, save that which points him 
 out with his empty sleeves, or wooden stump 
 limping his way to Chelsea. Some, perhaps, may 
 argue that an improvement took place at Water- 
 loo. That maybe, if we allude to those, who on 
 that occasion, performed their first and last mili- 
 tary feat, and came away unscathed. How " plea- 
 sant" then must it be to the old peninsulars, whose 
 battles fought and won outnumber perhaps the 
 men of their company, to see whole squads of 
 Waterloos strutting about with medals dangling 
 on jackets, which as their first and last, had 
 scarcely been on long enough to collect the dust 
 of a " donkey's trot." 
 
 In this camp an order also arrived from the 
 Horse Guards for the appointment of a colour-ser- 
 geant in eacli company, to be considered as se- 
 nior or sergeant-major with an extra sixpence per 
 day. As no badges (the cross swords) had arrived 
 from England, the deficiency was supplied by 
 our master-tailor, who formed an imitation with 
 coloured silks, worked on the arms of the men 
 appointed.
 
 249 
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 We encamp on the banks of the Bidassoa — Scenes on the 
 water-edge — A narrow escape with a lad}^ in question, "Ah 
 there's the rub." — Tom Crawley and the biscuits. — Our 
 3rd battaUon carry the heights of Vera — Tlie French camp, 
 " the last of the French" — The Pyrenees — The mountain 
 farther up hill and down dale — The battle of the Nivelle — 
 Manly and Spanish affection — Blanco again — His gallantry 
 — Tom Crawley — A hug from a granny dear — The last 
 struggle — Crawley's departure — A tear for Tom — A reel — 
 St. Jean de Luz — The French endeavour to make a stand — 
 Colonel Sir Andrew Barnard wounded — Death messengers 
 fly fast. 
 
 We remained encamped, for several weeks, 
 close to the river Bidassoa, Lesaca in our rear, 
 and Vera in our front. We used to amuse our- 
 selves while here, bathing. This river which 
 divides the French and Spanish territories, we 
 were on the eve of crossing to go into France. 
 It was heart-stirring to witness our men, as it 
 were, unconsciously exposing to liberated Spaiji 
 the evidence of the dangers they had endured 
 for her liberation, stripped on its banks, and 
 prepared to dash into the clear water, the perfo- 
 rated and wounded exteriors of the Rifles proved 
 
 M 3
 
 250 A DANGEROUS SERVICE. 
 
 what they had seen and suffered. But the 
 veterans, not thinking thus, generally amused 
 themselves on these occasions by remarking and 
 jesting to each other on the peculiar situation of 
 the different bullet holes, and the direction the 
 shot had taken in passing through them. 
 
 One day I remember nearly losing my life by 
 my own folly. It was as follows : — We had a 
 very handsome little Spanish girl attached to one 
 of our sergeants, named Dillon : she by some 
 means got to the other side of the river, which 
 was generally occupied by the enemy, crying 
 bitterly, and begging of the men, that were on 
 our side, to get her over, as she v>^as afraid to go 
 to a bridge lower down lest she should be taken 
 by the French. Having a respect for her, I 
 instantly stripped off all except my trousers, and 
 swam across — for here the river was not wide 
 but deep — and, without a moment's hesitation, 
 placed pretty Louisa, for so she was called, on 
 my back, with the intention, as I thought, of 
 bringing her to our side. Placing her arms round 
 my neck, I waded as far as I was able, and then 
 commenced swimming ; but I no sooner got into 
 the deep water than she squeezed me so tight 
 round the neck that I lost all power, although a 
 good swimmer, and down I went. At first our 
 fellows thought I was playing tricks ; but on 
 rising and bellowing out for assistance, they 
 became alarmed, iov she stuck to me all the time 
 like a leech. Several of the men upon seeing me 
 go down a second time, stripped and jumped in
 
 TOM CRAWLEY. 251 
 
 to my assistance ; one of the name of Kelly, of 
 my own company, diving down, for the place 
 was twelve feet deep, seized her by her longhair, 
 and brought both to the surface of the water ; 
 and, by the assistance of the rest, dragged us to 
 land insensible. When I came to myself, I found 
 our head surgeon, Dr. Burke, with some of our 
 fellows, rubbing me to life again ; and, with the 
 assistance of a little brandy they had poured 
 down our throats, both recovered. For myself, 
 I was able to walk to my tent in the course of 
 some time : but not so with the pretty Louisa, as 
 she was kept wrapped in blankets the whole day. 
 Poor thing, she remained with the regiment 
 while in Spain, and afterwards followed us to 
 England ; but what ultimately became of her I 
 know not. 
 
 Here my old friend, Tom Crawley, got the 
 whole of our regiment out of a precious scrape. 
 It was as follows : — Our division was served out 
 with linen bags, made exactly to fit across our 
 knapsacks, and, at the same time, three days' 
 biscuit (31bs.) in each bag. This biscuit was to 
 be kept strapped on the top of each man's knap- 
 sack, well tied, with brigade orders for no man 
 to taste a morsel of it, unless given out in written 
 orders to that effect, as our brigadier expected 
 we should be on short commons while on the 
 Pyrenees, and this was to be, in case of scar- 
 city, our last resource. These bags were exa- 
 mined regularly every morning by officers com- 
 manding companies, but, while seen strapped
 
 252 THE BISCUITS. 
 
 snugly on the knapsacks, were considered by 
 them all right. However, our fellows, who were 
 never at a loss for a subterfuge, devised the fol- 
 lowing plan to evade the officers' vigilance : they 
 eat their biscuits except one whole one, which 
 they kept at top to be seen, and in their place 
 substituted chips. This passed on very well for 
 some time, as the sight of the top biscuit satis- 
 fied the officers, until one day Captain Johnson 
 of our regiment took it into his head to see his 
 company's biscuit shaken out, and whilst on 
 private parade ordered them to untie their bags 
 to see their biscuit. The first man on the right of 
 his company was the unfortunate Tom Crawley. 
 
 " Untie your bag, Crawley," says the Captain. 
 Tom instantly did as he was ordered, and showed 
 the Captain a very good-looking biscuit a-top. 
 
 " Shake the whole out," said the Captain, " un- 
 til I see if they are getting mouldy." 
 
 " Oh, faith, there is no fear of that," said the 
 astonished Crawley, looking the Captain hard in 
 the face, at the same time casting a woeful eye 
 on his bag. However, the Captain was not to 
 be baulked, and taking the bag by both ends, 
 emptied out its contents, which turned out to be 
 nothing more nor less than a few dry chips. 
 Poor Tom, as upright as a dart, stood scratching 
 his head, with a countenance that would make a 
 saint laugh. 
 
 "What have you done with your biscuit? 
 have you eaten it, Sir ?" said the Captain. Tom,
 
 A NOVEL PRIZE. 253 
 
 motionless, made no answer. " Do you know it 
 is against orders ?" 
 
 " To be sure I do, says Tom ; " but, for God's 
 sake, Sir, do you take me for a South American 
 jackass, that carries gookl and eats straw?" 
 This answer not only set the Captain, but the 
 whole company, in roars of laughter. On further 
 inspection, the Captain found his whole com- 
 pany, indeed the regiment, had adopted the same 
 plan. Through this our bags were taken away, 
 and we relieved from carrying chips. 
 
 About the beginning of October we had an 
 opportunity of witnessing the gallantry of our 
 third battalion. Although they had not seen 
 our service in the country, yet on this occasion 
 they showed themselves " old hands," and worthy 
 of their green jackets. They had to dislodge the 
 enemy, then holding possession of a high hill 
 behind Vera. This they did in most excellent 
 style, in the sight of our division and the 4tli. 
 Our battalion was not suffered to remain idle, 
 and we soon joined in pursuit of the enemy, who 
 took refuge in the valleys of France. On taking 
 possession of their camp-ground we found a 
 whole range of huts, constructed in the most 
 ingenious manner, of turf and stone. One of our 
 men came in for rather a novel prize : this w^as 
 a large monkey, which we kept in tlie regiment 
 for some time. One strange antipathy this ani- 
 mal was remarkable for, was his utter dislike to 
 the sight of a woman.
 
 Z04 THE FATHER OF THE PYRENEES. 
 
 On the morning of the 9th, the day after the 
 preceding skirmish of Vera heights, we took 
 ground considerably to the right, marching 
 along the summit of the Pyrenees until we 
 came to a very high hill, on the top of which 
 stood the remains of an ancient castle. Our 
 men styled the hill the " father of the Pyre- 
 nees," as it was by far the highest mountain we 
 had ever seen, and was called La Rhune by the 
 French, who had possession of it. On our arri- 
 val we had the satisfaction of compelling them, 
 after a smart skirmish, to evacute their lofty 
 tenement. Of the difficulty of this enterprize 
 some notion may be entertained when it is known 
 that our men had, in most instances, to crawl 
 up the mountain on their hands and knees, in 
 consequence of its steepness. The French, for- 
 tunately for them, had a less precipitous side to 
 retreat down, or they must all have been de- 
 stroyed. 
 
 My curiosity, after this, led me to explore the 
 old building, in company with one or two comrades. 
 It was originally the ruin of a very strong for- 
 tress or castle, in which, I subsequently heard, 
 the Spaniards used formerly to keep state prison- 
 ers. After searching about for some time we 
 discovered a narrow pathway that conducted us 
 to a cellar or cavern, which, to our surprise, we 
 found tenanted by an old gentleman with a ve- 
 nerable beard, and wlio received us very courteous- 
 ly. He seemed a hermit from his ap])earance, 
 but how he managed to maintain his residence
 
 A HERMJT. 255 
 
 against the dominion of eagles, vultures, and 
 owls, as well as the occasional jar of contending 
 parties, was a wonder he did not condescend to 
 explain. The only gift we could obtain was a lit- 
 tle spring water, which, after our scramble, was 
 refreshing. The splendid view from our elevated 
 position, however, made ample amends for our 
 work. 
 
 Our battalion at this time was stationed about 
 a mile below La Rhune, and greatl}' exposed to 
 the storms of wind and rain that w^e experienced 
 at this period, together with scarcity of provisions. 
 Few of the country people visited us, so that 
 even those in possession of money found little or 
 no benefit from it. Meanwhile the French army, 
 whowere encamped about three-quarters of a mile 
 in our front, w^e had reason to believe, were more 
 fortunate, as they were plentifully supplied with 
 provisions. Occasionally, too, some of our offi- 
 cers were visited by a supply that w^as smuggled 
 past the French lines. 
 
 A general attack upon the enemy was now daily 
 expected, as Lord Welhngton with his staff had 
 been observed inspecting the enemy's position 
 with more than ordinary care for the last two or 
 three mornings. On the 9th of November every 
 disposition having been made for attack, the fol- 
 lowing morning ushered in the battle of the Ni- 
 velle. The company I belonged to being this 
 night on picquet, we had orders on the first dawn 
 of light to attack and drive in the enemy's picquet 
 opposed to us ; and as we were preparing for the
 
 256 ROMANTIC INCIDENT. 
 
 task, to our surprise we beheld the whole of our 
 division about a hundred yards in our rear wait- 
 ing to support us. As soon as our attack com- 
 menced we could hear the alarm given by at 
 least a hundred drums and bugles ; and as the 
 light dawned more clearly, we could see the 
 French columns all in motion. The remainder 
 of our battalion and division coming up, we were 
 soon hotly engaged, a valley only, partially sepa- 
 rating us from the main body of the enemy. 
 
 After we had routed them from their first line, 
 and were getting close to their second, an inci- 
 dent occurred that fell under my observation,, 
 and I may say, of the greater part of our com- 
 pany. There was a man of the name of Mauley, 
 a shoemaker, who fell shot through the head. 
 This man, nearly the whole time we had been in 
 Spain, lived with a Spanish woman, who was ten- 
 derly attached to him. She always got as near to 
 her lover as possible during action, generally on 
 a donkey. On this occasion some of our wound- 
 ed men passing, informed her Mauley was killed. 
 The poor girl was almost distracted ; leaving her 
 donkey and stores behind her, (for she acted in 
 some degree as one of the suttlers to our regi- 
 ment), she rushed down to the spot where Mau- 
 ley had fallen. We were then in the thick of the 
 fight, and our only safety was cover, as the balls 
 came as thick as hail, so that every moment I 
 expected to see the poor woman shot. She, how- 
 ever, seemed callous to every danger : throwing 
 herself on the blood-stained body of her lover,
 
 SPANISH GALLANTRY. 257 
 
 she commenced giving way to the most appalling 
 ebullition of grief, tearing her hair and wringing 
 her hands. 
 
 The gallantry of Blanco, the revengeful Spa- 
 niard, whom I have previously mentioned at 
 Vittoria, was conspicuous on this occasion. He 
 had been an mtimate friend of Mauley. Seeing 
 the danger his countrywoman was exposed to, he 
 rushed boldly from his cover, and placing himself 
 in front of her, continued loading and firing at 
 the enemy, loudly swearing all the time such 
 oaths only as a Spaniard can do justice to. 
 Notwithstanding the real horrors of the scene, it 
 was impossible to resist the impulse of laughter 
 at the fierce grimaces and oaths of Blanco, who 
 escaped as it were almost by a miracle. 
 
 A part of our division at this time were endea- 
 vouring to enter the French lines on our right. 
 But the enemy seemed determined to defend 
 their huts, which they had doubtless been at con- 
 siderable trouble to construct, and the action 
 there was close and sanguinary ; part of our 
 battalion taking them on the right flank, they 
 were eventually obliged to yield. As soon as we 
 had arrived at the huts, which they had arranged 
 in most excellent order, and from which they 
 had reluctantly been compelled to retreat, in 
 passing along a row of them 1 heard a scuffle 
 going on in one, and on entering it I beheld a 
 huge French grenadier, with red wings, and 
 my old acquaintance Tom Crawley struggling 
 together on the ground. The Frenchman had
 
 258 TOM AND THE GRENADIER. 
 
 been surprised, but was getting the better of 
 Tom, when my appearance at once determined 
 the matter, and the grenadier surrendered. 
 
 It, appeared from what I could make out that 
 the Frenchman in his hasty retreat from the 
 hut had forgotten some of his needfuls, and on 
 his return for them, was met at the doorway 
 by Tom, who, according to his old custom, was 
 preparing to explore its interior. Crawley 
 was immediately attacked by the grenadier with 
 fixed bayonet. Poor Tom, in his attempt to 
 parry oft' a thrust, received the blade through 
 his right hand and bled profusely. We did not 
 kill the Frenchman but left him to the mercy of 
 the Cacadores, who were following close behind 
 us. Tom w^ent to the rear, and I never saw him 
 afterwards, nor can I say I have since heard of 
 him. Many an anxious inquiry was made, many 
 an old scene was revived, and passed current 
 amongst us, and Tom Crawley will live in our 
 recollections as long as we can enjoy the good 
 company of a comrade. (May this book be ex- 
 tensively read, if it only be to give celebrity to 
 Tom ; may penny publications quote freely from 
 Tom's adventures, in the hope that our veteran 
 sixpenny pensioners, whose small pittance will 
 not permit them to purchase the volume, have 
 an opportunity of recurring to old scenes) . 
 
 The enemy, although retreating, did so in an 
 orderly manner, keeping up a tolerably brisk fire. 
 I had no sooner regained the line of skirmishers 
 than I received a severe hit just about the centre
 
 SIR ANDREW BARNARD. 259 
 
 of my waist, that nearly knocked me down, and 
 for the moment I imagined myself mortally 
 wounded through the body ; however, on my 
 examining, I found myself only slightly bruised. 
 A ball had actually stuck in the serpent* of my 
 waistbelt, from whence it was afterwards taken 
 out with difficulty. 
 
 After I had recovered from the shock, I joined 
 in the pursuit of the enemy, who once or twice 
 attempted to make a stand, but we were close at 
 their heels, so they thought it better to pursue 
 their way at an accelerated pace, covered, how- 
 ever, by some battalions of light troops, who dis- 
 played considerable coolness. The French de- 
 scended the heights at the foot of which stands 
 the pretty little town of St. Jean de Luz, with 
 its white houses. Our battalion was hotly fol- 
 lowing, engaged in sharp skirmishing, when our 
 gallant Colonel, Sir Andrew Barnard, who was 
 very conspicuous during the day, on a brown 
 long- tailed horse, received a shot in the breast. 
 On running up to him, which I did with several 
 other men, we perceived him spit blood, but he 
 would not dismount. One of our buglers sup- 
 ported him on his horse, while another led it to 
 the rear. 
 
 Immediately after this occurrence, my atten- 
 tion was attracted by seeing the 52nd regiment 
 charge up the side of a hill on our right, and 
 take a fort. Shots are very strange things, and 
 
 * The brass clasp or hook that fastens the belt.
 
 260 A GOOD UNDERSTANDING. 
 
 fly fast : a Sergeant Watts, of the Rifles, at this 
 moment, received a ball in the head, being next 
 to him, he laid hold of me with both hands, at 
 the same time calling out — " Am I dead ? Am 
 I dead ?" Poor fellow ! he was mortally wound- 
 ed, and it was with difficulty I could extricate 
 myself from his deadly grasp. 
 
 The French, after a severe loss, made good 
 their retreat across the river that leads to St. 
 Jean de Luz, With our usual luck we took up 
 our camp on the side of/ a bleak and barren hill 
 for the night. After this we got into better 
 quarters on the other side of the river. This 
 was at a chateau called Arcangues. We were as 
 usual in the immediate front of the enemy, and 
 our outlying sentinels and theirs were little more 
 than thirty yards apart. While here, such a good 
 feeling reigned among the French and our men, 
 that they frequently went into each other's picquet 
 houses — terms of intimacy which they extended 
 to neither the Spanish nor Portuguese troops, for 
 whom they expressed an unmeasured contempt. 
 But this state of things at our outposts was too 
 subversive of discipline to be tolerated by those 
 in command, and of course was only done upon 
 a reliance of mutual honour on the sly ; still it 
 exhibits a pleasing picture of the absence of all 
 revenge and prejudice on either side among men 
 of opposing interests. This feeling, however, 
 could not stay the eftusion of blood that was still 
 to be shed.
 
 261 
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 9th December. Our picquets driven in — We are nearly out- 
 flanked — We retire — A rally under the eye of Wellington — 
 Lieutenant Hopwood and Sergeant Brotherwood killed — 
 Excellent feeling between the French and English soldiers — 
 Consequent General Order — Johnny Castles in the advance — 
 Picquet-house — Murder at Tarbes — Blanco again — Collection 
 made for the widow — Battle of Toulouse — " Amende Ho- 
 norable " — We encamp on the banks of the Garonne — 
 " Fall in" — The Spaniards make a mistake — General Picton 
 rectifies it — The enemy retreat into Toulouse — They eva- 
 cuate the toxATi — French leave — Theatre of Toulouse — " A 
 Rifleman on the look out." 
 
 On the 9th of December they drove in the 
 picquets, which where chiefly furnislied from our 
 battalion. The cohimns of the enemy came brisk- 
 ly forward with the apparent intention of driving 
 us from our position. Our company had been 
 ordered to line some brushwood on the side of a 
 lane that led from the chateau, where we received 
 them with a fierce and deadly fire as they came 
 on, which they replied to with spirit, at the same 
 time endeavouring to outflank our position. In
 
 262 A HOT ENGAGEMENT. 
 
 assisting to repel this attempt we came in for a 
 shower of shot, and Lieutenant Hopwood and 
 Sergeant Brotherwood, with several more of our 
 party, were killed on the spot. By this time they 
 were getting round us, and our opponents per- 
 ceiving how few our numbers were, comparatively 
 to their own, at once attempted to close, and 
 fairly obliged us to take to our heels down afield. 
 From thence we sprang into the lane ; in doing 
 which 1 remember dropping my cap, where it 
 remained during the day, until I regained posses- 
 sion of it on the retreat of the enemy. 
 
 At this period Lord Welhngton and his Staff 
 were watching our motions through their glasses 
 from the chateau, which some one made known. 
 Seeing ourselves under the eye of the Com- 
 mander in Chief, w^e instantly rallied. Our 
 third battalion meanwhile were hotly engaged on 
 our left. They, however, found themselves un- 
 able to make any serious impression, and were 
 not sorry, I dare say, when night closed upon 
 their baffled columns. As to ourselves, we had 
 little respite from the fatigues of the day, as we 
 w^ere busily employed in fortifying the chateau i 
 for the anticipated attack of the morrow. 
 
 On the following morning however, the enemy 
 retreated within their works upon which we took 
 possession of our former ground where we found 
 the bodies of Lieutenant Hopwood and of poor 
 Brotherwood, both of which had been stripped, 
 and covered i)artially with a little loose earth. 
 
 After this we had a succession of fights or
 
 INTERCOURSE WITH THE ENEMY. 2G3 
 
 skirmishes with the enemy for the five or six 
 days following, which is called the battle of 
 Bayonne, but without eliciting any particular 
 result. We still kept up an excellent private 
 feeling on both sides at the outposts. As an in- 
 stance, although I must remark a General Order 
 had been promulgated prohibiting all intercourse 
 with the enemy on pain of death, our company 
 was on picquet near a dwelling called Garrett's 
 house, when w^e clubbed half a dollar each, and 
 sent a man into the French picquet-house to pur- 
 chase brandy. It was, I recollect, Christmas- 
 night. Grindle, the name of the man who was 
 our messenger, staying longer than was usual, 
 we became alarmed, and imagining something 
 must have happened to him, sent two other men 
 in quest of him. These learnt from the nearest 
 French sentry that Grindle was lying drunk in 
 their picquet-house. Fearful that the circum- 
 stance should come to the knowledge of Lieute- 
 nant Gardiner, the officer of our picquet, they 
 went and brought Grindle back with them quite 
 drunk ; but just as they were emerging from the 
 French lines, who should ride down to the front 
 post but Sir James Kempt, who commanded our 
 division at that time. He instantly ordered Grin- 
 dle to be confined ; he was so fortunate as to es- 
 cape, however, with only a slight punishment. 
 
 About the beginning of January 1814, the enemy 
 were seen advancing, asweunderstood,to straight- 
 en our lines, that were in a half circle. With three 
 or four others, I was ordered to hold possession
 
 264 JOHNNY castle's 
 
 of a small farm house that communicated with 
 some cross roads, and to keep up a brisk fire un- 
 til the assemblee sounded, in which case we were 
 to retreat upon the company, who occupied 
 another, and a larger house about two hundred 
 yards in our rear. On our right was a high stone 
 wall, and on our left, in parallel was a hedge 
 that served as a cover for the French who, by 
 this time, had possession of it. Between was an 
 open field, our only passage. As soon as the 
 assemblee was heard, we of course, were on the 
 alert to retreat, but this was to be accomplished 
 only at very imminent risk, for the moment we 
 showed our noses we were saluted with a regular 
 hailstorm of bullets, which put us all in rather 
 moody condition. It was proposed, however, to 
 retire by independent files. 
 
 The first to " run the gauntlet" was a tall, 
 gaunt Irishman, and such a shower whizzed 
 about him as almost unnerved the rest of us. 
 Johnny Castle, who had figured at Badajos with 
 a rope round his neck, and yet had escaped, was 
 particularly at a stand still ; since the " hanging 
 business" he made up his mind to live for ever, 
 and had grown fat on it ; but his corpulency now 
 threatened to march him out. 
 
 " Oh, dom your limbs," growled Johnny, in 
 the true Caledonian dialect, with an awful grin, 
 "ye are the rascals to drink and carouse with 
 as ye did yesterday. Eh, look at 'em ! dom 
 their eyes, they are sure to hit me !" and away 
 he bolted, ducking his head, his face half avert-
 
 UNPLEASANT SPORT. 265 
 
 ed and covered by his hands, yeUing and scream- 
 ing all the way. Johnny, however, was spheri- 
 cal, and pufted and blowed like a whale, while 
 the French peppered away at him in prime style, 
 the dust rising from the balls in every direction. 
 Johnny however, escaped, with a brace of samples 
 through his knapsack and mess-tin, and rolled 
 over the hedge. 
 
 Taking advantage of the welcome given to 
 Castles, Gilbert and I, without allowing them 
 lime to reload, followed, and as the devil would 
 have it, the pair of us arrived as safely. There 
 now only remained our comrade Jones, a fine, 
 tall, good looking Welchman, who quickly came 
 after us, but he, poor fellow, was met half-way 
 by a shot in his hind quarters, passing from side 
 to side : the French ceased firing immediately 
 they saw him fall, and then he managed to scram- 
 ble forward over the hedge and join us. 
 
 After all the enemy never took the house, for 
 by a reinforcement from the 52nd we beat them 
 back again. I often laugh at the recollection of 
 Johnny Castles, though I must say, I funked 
 dreadfully. Like the frogs in the fable, though 
 death to us, it was sport to the French who kept 
 roaring with laughter as we bolted by. 
 
 Castles, after this affair, could never be in- 
 duced to drink or hold any acquaintance with 
 the enemy. 
 
 Having remained some four or five months 
 at Arcangues, on the 21st of February, 1814, 
 the army broke up their cantonments, and 
 
 N
 
 266 A PEASANT SHOT. 
 
 marched for Toulouse. Our battalion, standing 
 in need of new clothing, did not march with 
 the division, but were ordered into St. Jean de 
 Luz, where w^e received them. In the course of 
 some time afterwards we rejoined our division. 
 This was after the battle of Orthes had been 
 fought, and which our battalion felt much cha- 
 grined in not being present at. 
 
 On the 18th of March a circumstance occurred 
 at Plaisance, near the town of Tarbes, which I 
 cannot help noticing. A French peasant was 
 shot, under circumstances that fixed the crime 
 upon some of the men of our company. Although 
 the greatest endeavours were made to discover 
 the culprit, and the company punished to make 
 them give him up, still it w^as without avail. 
 The facts of the case were these. Blanco, the 
 Spaniard, accompanied by one or two of our men, 
 went out this evening in search of wine. They 
 entered the house of a peasant who, resisting 
 the intrusion, struck Blanco, for which the Spa- 
 niard .instantly shot him on the spot. A very 
 handsome collection was made for the widow 
 and children of the poor peasant, for whose dis- 
 tress a very sincere sympathy was entertained by 
 our battalion. Three months afterwards I was 
 told that Blanco was the perpetrator of this cruel 
 deed. 
 
 The morning we left Plaisance we had a long 
 and dreary march over a range of hills, until we 
 came to the village of Tarbes, a short distance 
 beyond which we observed the enemy in posses-
 
 THE AMENDE HONORABLE. 267 
 
 sion of a hill both sides of the road to Toulouse. 
 We were immediately ordered to commence an 
 attack /Upon them. Passing on at the '' double," 
 some of our regiments of cavalry gave us an 
 encouraging huzza as we passed down the road. 
 The French had thrown up strong entrenchments 
 and were, to use a nautical phrase, " tier above 
 tier." I never remember to have been so warmly 
 engaged as on this occasion. The enemy were in 
 great numbers, our attacking force few, being 
 only our three battalions of Rifles which their 
 bullets were fast thinning as we struggled up the 
 hill : still, although under every disadvantage, 
 the victors in a hundred fights were not to be 
 repelled, and the French were obliged to retreat. 
 I was very sorry this day for striking a poor 
 Frenchman whom I came up with, as I discovered 
 he was badly wounded ; but I made the amende 
 honorable by a sup from my canteen, w^hich he 
 received with grace. 
 
 We saw but little of the enemy after this, until 
 we came within sight of Toulouse, where they 
 seemed determined on a resolute stand. We 
 took up our cantonments on this side of the Ga- 
 ronne in the beginning of April. The aspect of 
 the country here was very agreeable : it abound- 
 ed in wine of a rather superior quality to what had 
 hitherto been served out as our rations. Although 
 the inhabitants, from Marshal Soult's orders, had 
 been obliged to fly on our approach, yet, I am 
 happy to say that our men were restrained from 
 most of those excesses in the waste and destruc- 
 
 N 2
 
 268 TOULOUSE. 
 
 tion of property, that had taken place in Portu- 
 gul and Spain. This was greatly occasioned by 
 the very excellent general order of Lord Wel- 
 lington, published throughout the army at that 
 period, explaining to the troops that although we 
 were at war with an usurper and his army, we 
 were not with the inoffensive country-people, who 
 were subjected by fear. 
 
 About twelve o'clock on the night of the 9th 
 of April we were ordered to fall in. We marched 
 to the side of the Garonne, which we crossed by 
 means of a pontoon bridge, and took up our sta- 
 tion behind the walls of a chateau about a mile 
 form the town. Having had scarcely any rest the 
 preceding night, most of our men were buried in 
 profound sleep, when we where suddenly roused 
 by the most expressive words to the ear of a 
 soldier — " Fall in." This was done in an instant, 
 and we were ordered to advance in double time. 
 
 As we jDroceeded, we heard a heavy firing as if 
 from the left of the town, and soon after beheld 
 a disorganised mass of Spanish soldiers flying 
 towards us. At first some of our fellows took 
 them for the French, and hred among them, by 
 wdiich some lives were lost. They were a part of 
 the Spanish force who attempted to carry a French 
 fort or redoubt, from which the enemy had sent 
 them to the right about faster than they had come. 
 We continued to approach the town, which was 
 protected by a long series of fortifications, and 
 that appeared full of men. On our approach- 
 ing, they opened a running fire from some field
 
 ATTACK ON TOULOUSE. 269 
 
 works, but with little execution, as we were shel- 
 tered by some trees and walls of houses near 
 the place where we halted. We had not re- 
 mained in this quiescent state long, when the 
 thunder of the conflict was heard going on in full 
 roar on our left : the salvos of artillery, with the 
 constant cracking of musquetry and the rushing 
 sound of shells, together with the occasional 
 wild " hurra," formed a very pretty concert. 
 The scene was still more electrifying when we 
 found it to be the sixth division engaged in 
 storming batteries, which the Spaniards had just 
 run from; they at length carried them, after a 
 hard tug, in glorious style ; General Picton's di- 
 vision was also conspicuously engaged on our 
 right, close to the river. Tlie general attack was 
 crowned with the Duke of Wellington's usual 
 success : the enemy retreating over the bridges 
 of the canal of Languedoc into the town of Tou- 
 louse, while we took possession of their outworks. 
 The French army on the second day evacuated 
 Toulouse, as the town was completely command- 
 ed by the batteries we had taken. Our batta- 
 lion was ordered to take possession of part of the 
 suburbs, near the canal. Although there was a 
 strict order that no man should be allowed to go 
 into the town, my curiosity induced me to take 
 " French leave" to see a place I had heard 
 so much of ; so I managed to elude the vigi- 
 lance of the sentry. I found almost all the shops 
 open, and business going on apparently as if 
 nothing had taken place. Hearing that the
 
 270 A VISIT TO THE THEATRE. 
 
 theatre was open, I was induced to pay it a visit : 
 it was very crowded. One box I perceived very 
 magnificently fitted up, and surmounted by laurel, 
 and while I was wondering for whose occupation 
 it was intended, my curiosity was at once allayed 
 by the arrival of the Duke and his staff, who were 
 received with loud acclamations. " God save 
 the King" was played, and all appeared to testify 
 the greatest pleasure on the occasion but myself. 
 I, indeed, I must fairly confess, feared that my 
 insignificance would not conceal me from the 
 glance of the Chief or some of his Staff, although 
 w^edged into the centre of a dense crowd in the 
 pit. My dark dress, however, effectually screened 
 me.
 
 271 
 
 CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 We continue to pursue the enemy on their retreat — Halted 
 on the second day — A carriage brings Soult and Peace — 
 French troops disbanded — Friendly intercourse with our 
 men — Castle Sarazin — Our men prefer the ground for a 
 bed, in preference to a feather one — The French sergeant 
 — The invitation — Parade — The dinner — Farewell to the 
 Spaniards and Portuguese — Cupid enlisting deserters — Poor 
 Blanco — Embarcation for England — The Ville de Paris — 
 The sergeant in hope of a wife — Arrival at Portsmouth — 
 The sergeant in search of a wife — Their meeting and part- 
 ing. 
 
 A FEW days after we had to execute our old 
 manoeuvre of allowing the French no time to 
 rest, as we were put in motion after them. 
 On the second day as we halted on the Paris 
 road our men reposing from the fatigue of 
 the morning's march, we heard several loud 
 huzzas in our front. This was followed by 
 the appearance of a carriage and four horses, 
 which contained a French officer, who we af- 
 terwards understood was Marshal Soult. The 
 carriage was attended by a detachment of Eng- 
 lish and French cavalry ; the shouting arose
 
 272 TOO PLEASANT. 
 
 from the tidings that were joyfully repeated, 
 that peace was proclaimed, and that Bonaparte 
 had retired to Elba. 
 
 We were immediately on this intelligence or- 
 dered to the right-about, and marched back to 
 Toulouse. Before we had proceeded many miles 
 we were overtaken on the road by great numbers 
 of French soldiers who had been disbanded, or 
 had disbanded themselves, and who now were 
 about returning to their homes, tired enough, no 
 doubt, like ourselves, of the war they had been 
 engaged so long in carrying on. The good feel- 
 ing testified by many of these really fine-looking 
 fellows, to us was general, the Frenchmen in 
 many instances sharing the fatigue in carrying 
 our men's knapsacks, &c. 
 
 " As for myself, upon my simple word, 
 
 I'd rather see a score of friendly fellows shaking hands. 
 
 Than all the world in arms." 
 
 From Toulouse we marched, in a few days, to 
 Castle Sarazin, situated on the right bank of the 
 Garonne, between the previously-mentioned town 
 and Bordeaux. Here we came in for most de- 
 lightful quarters, being billetted in the houses, 
 where we all had excellent beds. But it was 
 highly amusing to see our rough, hardy fellows 
 spurn this latter luxury — which one would have 
 thought would have been most welcome — with 
 contempt. From having almost constantly been 
 exposed for the previous five or six years to 
 have "the earth their rude bed, their canopy 
 the sky," with generally a stone for a pillow, our
 
 FENCING. 273 
 
 men could obtain no sleep on beds of down : and 
 it was actually a fact, that they preferred wrap- 
 ping a blanket round them and the hard floor, 
 as a place of rest : so much for custom. 
 
 At Castle Sarazin we used to be on our usual 
 excellent terms with the French quartered in the 
 neighbourhood, and to while away the time had 
 constant matches with them in running, jump- 
 ing, and gymnastic exercises. I got acquainted 
 here with a very smart fellow — a French sergeant 
 belonging to the 83rd regiment. A friendship 
 was cemented between us, naturally enough, by 
 our both being free-masons. 
 
 One day we were sitting in a wine house, when 
 the subject of fencing— a science at which the 
 French prize themselves in excelling — was start- 
 ed. My friend, the sergeant, was observing he 
 was a tolerable hand with the foil, when a short 
 lump of a fellow, who proved to be the fencing- 
 master of the town, overhearing him, immedi- 
 ately challenged him to a trial of skill. This the 
 sergeant in an instant accepted, and the sport, 
 at which he showed himself a perfect adept, at 
 the fencing-master's cost, was carried on with 
 perfect good humour, until a fierce dispute arose 
 about a hit, when it was mutually agreed to de- 
 termine the controversy with points. A pair of 
 foils with sharpened points, kept for this parti- 
 cular service were immediately produced, while 
 the bystanders instantly commenced betting upon 
 the combatants with all the aaug fro'id in the 
 world. Both had taken off their coats and bared 
 
 N 3
 
 274 SALUTING FRENCH OFFICERS. 
 
 their right arms for the strife, when — I am sorry 
 to disappoint the reader, who may expect an 
 account of a duel — our guard, which some good- 
 natured soul had privately summoned, came in 
 and put an end to the affair, greatly to the cha- 
 grin of the sergeant, who swore he would have 
 killed the professor on the spot. 
 
 That same evening the sergeant, whose name, 
 in the lapse of years, I have forgotten, went to 
 our Colonel and obtained leave for me to visit 
 him at Montauban, where his regiment, the 43rd, 
 was quartered. He had invited a corporal, ray- 
 self, and another, to a dinner given by the non- 
 commissioned officers of his regiment. On the 
 day appointed away we started, Gilbert, the cor- 
 poral, and myself. I shall never forget it. It 
 was a fine morning. After crossing the Garonne 
 in open boats, for the bridge had been destroyed 
 previous to the battle of Toulouse, we entered 
 Montauban, and found the 43rd and two other 
 regiments forming a brigade, drawn up on 
 parade in the square of the town, and two splen- 
 did bands playing in front. 
 
 As we went in search of our friend we had to 
 pass down the front of two of the French regi- 
 ments, which we did, saluting, soldier-like, their 
 officers. The latter returned our salute in the 
 manner for which they are so justly remarked, 
 and made us feel not a little proud of their 
 courtesy. Our uniforms were almost new, and 
 fitted us well. My two comrades had the advan- 
 tage of being tall, and exceedingly smart-looking
 
 SINGING. 275 
 
 men ; for myself, I was fat as a butt, and as 
 strong as I looked. We moved along the line, 
 until we fell in with the sergeant, who, starting 
 out of the ranks, gave us a hearty welcome. We 
 waited beside him while the band played some 
 favourite airs, until the regiments were dismiss- 
 ed. But they had scarcely broken their ranks 
 when their officers crowded around us, and seve- 
 rally shook us by the hand, giving us also sundry 
 smacks on the shoulders, with " Bravos les An- 
 glais, soyez les bien venus," &c. The sergeant 
 escorted us immediately to his quarters. The 
 dining-room was a splendid one, and fitted up 
 beautifully. The tables groaned under every de- 
 licacy of the season, and we did not forget, even 
 here, to do "justice" to the acknowledged 
 ** merits " of John Bull in all matters of this 
 " nature." 
 
 Much good feeling and conviviality followed ; 
 and encomiums and compliments were passed 
 on the English ; all went on very well until 
 singing was introduced with the removal of the 
 cloth. It had been agreed among the French 
 that no song should be sung that reflected upon 
 our country. Several famous songs, so far as 
 we could understand, were introduced. Our 
 sergeant gave us an excellent specimen ; and 
 Gilbert and myself joined also in our own rough 
 mianner. But a French corporal, under the in- 
 fluence of wine, commenced a " Chanson de 
 guerre," rather centre les Anglais, for which, 
 with a very proper feeling, he was by general
 
 276 OUR SPANISH AND PORTUGUESE ALLIES. 
 
 consent kicked down stairs. The guests, how- 
 ever, resumed their seats, and all went on as 
 quietly as before ; here we remained enjoying 
 ourselves till three the next morning, when we 
 were accompanied to the boats by a number of 
 their band, playing " Patrick's Day," as they es- 
 corted us down to the river-side. 
 
 The foregoing anecdote, trivial and uninte- 
 resting as it may seem, still serves to show, in a 
 pleasing point of view, the hospitality and kind 
 feelings of the French, who have always claimed 
 our highest respect. 
 
 In a few days we received an order to proceed 
 to Bordeaux, to embark for England. The de- 
 lightful emotions of pleasure this generally in- 
 duced throughout our men, after all their hard- 
 ships and sufferings, may be better imagined 
 than described. The second day's march we 
 stopped at a village, the name of which I forget, 
 where we had to part from our allies, the Spanish 
 and Portuguese. Much, and even deep feelings 
 of regret, were particularly felt by the men of 
 our battalion on parting from the Spaniards, who 
 had been for so long a period incorporated in our 
 ranks. They had been distinguished for their 
 gallantry, and although sixteen had been drafted 
 into our company, but five had survived to bid 
 us farewell. Poor fellows, they had grown at- 
 tached to the battalion, and expressed much 
 grief on leaving ! Even Blanco, the sanguinary 
 Blanco, actually shed tears. Notwithstanding 
 the wretched and ineffective state of the Spanish
 
 CUPID AND MARS. 277 
 
 armies during the campaigns in the Peninsula, I 
 am convinced, and have indeed become more so 
 from subsequent experience, that there is right 
 stuff in the men to make excellent soldiers, far 
 superior to the Portuguese. 
 
 Many men of our regiment, bound by the 
 charms of the Signorettas, who had followed 
 their fortunes throughout the war, took this op- 
 portunity to desert their country's cause, to take 
 up that of their dulcineas. Among others were 
 two of my own company, who, not contented 
 with the " arms" offered by these *' invincibles," 
 took rifles and all with them, and we never saw 
 or heard of them after. 
 
 We embarked in high spirits at Bordeaux, for 
 Portsmouth, on board the Ville de Paris, Capt. 
 Jones, commander. She was a splendid ship, 
 and astonished us all with the size and regularity 
 of her crew. The sailors, who seldom like a red 
 coat, went hand in hand with us green jackets, 
 and were a jolly set of fellows. 
 
 We had in our regiment, at this time, now on 
 board with us, and on his way to England, a ser- 
 geant of the name of S n, (which must be a 
 
 sufficient explanation to the reader, as he is, I 
 understand, now living, and in London), a fine, 
 smart-looking fellow, about six feet in height. 
 He had been with us during the whole of the 
 Peninsular campaign, and was one of those 
 who, after the battle of Corunna, had remained 
 in Spain. He was now on his passage home- 
 ward to his wife, to whom he had been married
 
 278 A SEARCH FOR A WIFE. 
 
 for ten or eleven years, and whom, some months 
 after the wedding, he was obhged to leave with 
 her friends at Portsmouth to rejoin his regiment, 
 then going abroad ; by some unaccountable cir- 
 cumstances, incidental to long campaigns, he 
 never had received any tidings of or from her ; 
 and he consequently was now very uncertain as 
 to where he should find her, or whether she were 
 living or dead. 
 
 On the 22nd July, 1814, we anchored at Spit- 
 head, the sailors cheering us and manning the 
 yards as we went ashore. As soon, however, as 
 we landed at our destination, he requested of 
 me to assist him in his search. After tramp- 
 ing up and down and around Portsmouth, in 
 vain, we at last made a stand in High-street 
 — indeed he was growing almost desperate with 
 disappointment— and here he made random in- 
 quiries of every person he met. This eventually 
 drew a crowd of w^omen of all ages about him 
 but not one could answer his inquiry. He was 
 on the point of giving it up altogether, when an 
 old woman on crutches, from the rear of the 
 crowd, casting a very shrewd keen look at him, 
 
 asked him to repeat the name, " Mary S n," 
 
 shouted my friend. " Ah !" exclaimed the hag, 
 rather musingly, " if you will just inquire at 
 No. — , near the Post-office, at the back of the 
 street, you will, I think, find the party you re- 
 quire," casting up her eye as she finished her 
 directions. Away we hurried, some five or six 
 women straggling after us, and in a few minutes
 
 AN UNEXPECTED VISIT. 279 
 
 found ourselves at the door of a small neat-built 
 cottage. After knocking — every moment seemed 
 an hour to my poor friend, until the door was 
 opened — a pretty-looking little girl, of about ten 
 years' of age, inquired his errand. 
 
 " Does Mrs. S n," asked the sergeant, 
 
 and paused to look at the child, *' does Mary 
 
 S n, live here ?"— *' Yes," said the little girl, 
 
 standing with surprize, " that's my name." 
 
 " Right," exclaimed the sergeant, clasping the 
 astonished little one in his arms, and dashing 
 into a side room well sprinkled with children. 
 
 " Where, where 's your mother ?" The words 
 were scarcely uttered, than a shrill shriek w^as 
 heard from the inner apartment, and at the same 
 moment the mother rushed before us, and gaz- 
 ing on him fell instantly into a fit of hysterics. 
 My poor friend looked perplexed ; his features 
 alternately changing from doubts to fears, with 
 uncertain satisfaction. The little one was in an 
 instant out of the house, and returned in a short 
 time, leading in a square, well-made, good-look- 
 ing man, in appearance a carpenter. 
 
 The facts were stubbornly plain to every one. 
 The children, the comfortable, respectable air of 
 the place, were too plain ; and the two husbands 
 now stood within range of each other, with nos- 
 trils dilated in agony, and hands clenched, await- 
 ing an expected onset. I think I never saw two 
 better models of manhood in its prime, wrought 
 up to melancholy and indescribable excitement. 
 The two men, as it were, dug their eyes into each
 
 280 A BARGAIN. 
 
 other, and then on the shrieking woman, who in 
 recovering a httle clung, as if for refuge, to the 
 carpenter. 
 
 My poor comrade, hitherto on the rack of 
 suspense, now suddenly drew breath, and taking 
 a skipping-rope which his daughter held in her 
 hand, threw it lightly over his wife's neck. 
 " Now," said he, in a somewhat collected tone, 
 " Now, Mr. Carpenter, as it appears that Mary, 
 who luas my wife, has decided on her choice, 
 suppose we have a bargain on the matter ? It's 
 no use our skirmishing about in this manner any 
 longer ; (and I have no doubt of your abilities,") 
 pointing to the children, who crowded round the 
 parents and opposite the sergeant, " With Mary's 
 consent, as she seems to prefer your manner of 
 doing business, suppose you clinch the bargain 
 with a sixpence and take her to you altogether?" 
 The money was handed out in a moment, and as 
 quickly passed between the sergeant's teeth, 
 while he employed both hands to withdraw his 
 sash aside, and taking from his pocket a guinea, 
 which throwing into his only daughter's lap, left 
 the scene, closed the door, and hurried into a 
 small public-house across the street. 
 
 " Come, landlord, a pot of your sixpenny," 
 throwing down the ill-fated bit of silver," and 
 take that for your settlement ; and Ned," said 
 he, turning to me," call for your likings." He 
 grasped the vessel as the landlord handed it, and 
 swallowed the whole at a draught, like a man 
 who had thirsted for a week ; smacked his lips,
 
 INDIFFERENCE. 281 
 
 in conclusion of the barter, cast two or three 
 glances up and down his person, then rubbing 
 his hands smartly together, strutted up the street 
 as if nothing whatever had annoyed him.
 
 282 
 
 CHAPTER XXIII. 
 
 Quartered in Dover — Receive our new clothing, &c. — May, 
 1815 — Receive orders to embark for Ostend — We arrive 
 safe — Bruges — Ghent — Brussels — 15th of June — Belong to 
 the 5th Division under General Picton — Descend the wood of 
 Soignies to Waterloo — Duke of Wellington arrives from 
 Brussels — Battle of Waterloo — I receive a wound in my 
 right hand, shatters one of my fingers — Return to Brussels 
 — The pretty house-keeper — The child — Its dead mother — 
 Genappe — Scenes on the road to Brussels — Arrival at Brus- 
 sels — Numbers of wounded in the streets — Kindness and 
 attention of the Brussels' ladies — The fair surgeon. 
 
 And now retire to have your wounds look'd to 
 Pray lean on me. 
 
 SARDANAPALUS. 
 
 Safely returned to England, and quartered 
 in Dover barracks, our men soon forgot the 
 fatigues of the Peninsular campaigns ; and being 
 joined by a batch of recruits, and supplied with 
 new clothing, the old soldiers once more panted 
 for fresh exploits ; for their souls were strong 
 for war, and peace became irksome to them —
 
 THE SIXTEENTH OF JUNE. 283 
 
 nor were they long disappointed. In the begin- 
 ning of May, 1815, we received orders to em- 
 bark at Dover for Ostend, where we arrived safe ; 
 from thence we proceeded through Bruges to 
 Ghent in open boats by the canal : here we halt- 
 ed a few days, and then marched to Brussels, 
 where we remained several weeks, not even dream- 
 ing an enemy was near us. 
 
 On the 15th of June, as I retired to bed, at 
 the hour of eleven o'clock at night, I heard bugles 
 sounding and drums beating through different 
 parts of the city. Equipping myself as quickly 
 as possible, and entering the market-place, I 
 found the whole of our division assembling. 1 
 then belon'^ed to the 5th Division, under the 
 command of General Sir Thomas Picton. Being 
 orderly non-commissioned officer of the com- 
 pany at the time, I received orders to draw three 
 days' rations for the men, the chief part of tTiis 
 was left behind, as none but old soldiers knew 
 its value, or felt inclined to take part with them ; 
 some of the men, however, cursed their hard 
 fate for not taking away a portion. All things 
 arranged, we passed the gates of Brussels, and 
 descended the wood of Soignies, that leads to 
 the little village of Waterloo. It v. as the 16th 
 — a beautiful summer morning — the sun slowly 
 rising above the horizon and peeping through the 
 trees, while our men were as merry as crickets, 
 laughing and joking with each other, and at 
 times pondered in their minds what all this fuss, 
 as they called it, could be about ; for even the
 
 284 
 
 TAKING UP A POSITION 
 
 old soldiers could not believe the enemy were so 
 near. We halted at the verge of the wood, on 
 the left of the road, behind the village of Water- 
 loo, where we remained for some hours ; the 
 recruits lay down to sleep, while the old soldiers 
 commenced cooking. I could not help noticing 
 while we remained here, the birds in full chorus, 
 straining their little throats as if to arouse the 
 spirits of the men to fresh vigour for the bloody 
 conflict they were about to engage in. Alas ! 
 how many of our brave companions, ere that 
 sun set, were no more ! About nine o'clock, the 
 Duke of WelUngton with his staff, came riding 
 from Brussels and passed us to the front ; shortly 
 afterwards, orders were given to the Rifles to 
 fall in and form the advanced-guard of our divi- 
 sion, and follow. We moved on through the 
 village of Waterloo, and had not proceeded far, 
 when, for the first time, we heard distant can- 
 non ; it was, I believe, the Prussians engaged on 
 our extreme left. 
 
 About three o'clock in the afternoon we arrived 
 at four roads ; at this time there was a smart fir- 
 ing going on in our front ; this, I believe, was 
 caused by some Belgians playing at long shot 
 with the enemy. Here I again saw the Duke of 
 Wellington looking through his glass, as we 
 halted a few moments ; this was at Quatre Bras, 
 and immediate orders were given by one of the 
 Duke's staff to occupy a clump of trees a little 
 on our left ; our company were ordered to take 
 possession of it. While performing this task I
 
 AT WATERLOO. 285 
 
 could see the enemy emerging from a wood about 
 a mile on our right, which was rather on a hill, 
 with a clear plain between us. We had scarcely 
 taken possession of the wood, when, for the first 
 time, I beheld a French cuirassier on vidette. 
 He was in an instant fired at by our men and his 
 horse shot under him ; he disengaged himself 
 from the stirrups as the horse was falling, waving 
 his sword over his head to put us at defiance, 
 but he was immediately dropped by another rifle- 
 shot. I think I can venture to assert that our 
 company was the first of the British army who 
 pulled a trigger at this celebrated battle. 
 
 The enemy's light troops, I could scon per- 
 ceive, in extended order, and in great force com- 
 ing down to oppose us. This caused a corres- 
 ponding movement on our part, and we were 
 ordered to take ground to our left, passing close 
 to a pond of water, the main road separating us 
 from the enemy. While executing this the French 
 commenced a very brisk fire on us, until we 
 gained possession of a few houses on the main 
 road on a rising ground, which two companies 
 of our Rifles instantly occupied. , The remainder 
 of our division was now enveloped in one blaze 
 of fire on the plain before mentioned. But we 
 remained very quietly where we were, until the 
 French bringing up some artillery, began rid- 
 dling the house with round shot. Feeling rather 
 thirsty, I had asked a young woman in the place 
 for a little water, which she was handing to me, 
 when a ball passed through the building, knock-
 
 286 UNFORTUNATE RECRUITS. 
 
 ing the dust about our ears ; strange to say, the 
 girl appeared less alarmed than m3-self. 
 
 Fearing that we might be surrounded, we were 
 at length obliged to leave the building, in doing 
 which we were fiercely attacked by a number of 
 the French voltigeurs, who forced us to extend 
 along a lane, from whence we as smartly retali- 
 ated, and a galling fire was kept up for some 
 time on both sides. 
 
 It is remarkable that recruits in action are 
 generally more unfortunate than the old sol- 
 diers. We had many fine fellows, who join- 
 ed us on the eve of our leaving England, who 
 were killed here. The reason of this is, that 
 an old rifleman will seek shelter, if there be any 
 near his post, while the inexperienced recruit 
 appears as if petrified to the spot by the whiz- 
 zing balls, and unnecessarily exposes himself 
 to the enemy's fire. 
 
 Being hard pressed by superior numbers, 
 we were at length joined by a number of Bel- 
 gians, and received orders to advance, which we 
 did, driving the enemy through the skirts of a 
 wood, and passing a field of rye, which obstruct- 
 ed them from our view. As soon, however, as we 
 emerged from the wood, a regiment of French 
 infantry on our right received us with a running 
 fire ; 1 was in the act of taking aim at some of 
 our opposing skirmishers, wiien a ball struck my 
 trigger finger, tearing it off, and turning the 
 trigger aside ; while a second shot passed through 
 the mess-tin on my knapsack. Several of our 
 
 /
 
 THE WOUNDED. 287 
 
 men were killed by this volley, and Lieutenant 
 Gardiner, a worthy little officer of the company, 
 was severely wounded in the lower part of the leg. 
 We wounded men made the best of our way to 
 the rear ; and on my return to the house at the 
 corner of the lane, 1 found the pretty Belgian still 
 in possession, looking out at the window, and 
 seemingly quite unconcerned, although a dozen 
 shots had perforated the house : all our entreat- 
 ies for her to leave were in vain, as her father, 
 she said, had desired her to take care of the 
 place until he returned from Brussels. 
 
 The dusk of the evening soon set in, myself 
 and numbers of others disabled, took up our 
 quarters for the night in another farm house 
 lower down, and some distance from, the main 
 road. 
 
 The house became soon thronged with the 
 wounded of our division, who were moment- 
 arily brought in, until the out- houses, courtlages, 
 &c., were literally crammed. All the straw and 
 hay that could be obtained was procured, of 
 which, fortunately, there was plenty, and stre^^ed 
 every where to lay the men on. To sleep was 
 impossible with the anguish of my shattered hand 
 and the groans of my fellow-sufferers. The dawn 
 came on before we were aware of it, and ere it 
 was near light, our advanced sentries were again 
 in continual skirmish along the wliole line ; in- 
 deed, the balls kept patting through the doors 
 and windows as we lay there. Such as were 
 able to walk soon started for Brussels ; but seve-
 
 288 AN ORPHAN. 
 
 ral of the severely wounded Avere obliged to be 
 left behind for want of conveyances. 
 
 We had not proceeded far towards the main 
 road along a pathway partially protected by a 
 hedge from the enemy's fire, when one of my 
 companions heard the cries of a child on the 
 other side ; on looking over he espied a fine boy, 
 about two or three years of age, by the side of 
 its dead mother, who was still bleeding copiously 
 from a wound in the head, occasioned, most like- 
 ly, by a random shot from the enemy. We car- 
 ried the motherless, and perhaps, orphan child, 
 by turns, to Genappe, where we found a number 
 of women of our division, one of w^iom recog- 
 nised the little fellow, I think she said, as be- 
 longing to a soldier of the first Royals. 
 
 Genappe, also, was literally crowded with the 
 wounded, who were conveyed with every possible 
 dispatch to Brussels. Feeling most anxious to 
 know the fate of our regiment, I stood on a hedge 
 row, on the skirts of the village, when I descried 
 the division retreating towards us, the rain at 
 the time coming down in torrents. I remained 
 until some of the regiments entered the village, 
 together with many of our wounded, who gave 
 me information that our regim.ent, with the 
 cavalry, formed the rear-guard. I now retraced 
 my steps the same road I had advanced, and once 
 more arrived at the little village of Waterloo, 
 which many of our men never saw again, as our 
 battalion lost more on the Kith than on the 18th 
 of June. Here I stopped for the night. The m
 
 THE REAR OF AN ARMY. 289 
 
 cries of the wounded on their way, in cart loads, 
 to Brussels, were most distressing, and many 
 carts broke down through being overloaded, and 
 through their haste to get forward. 
 
 It is curious to observe the confusion and up- 
 roar that generally exists in the rear of an army 
 in battle, while all in front is order and regularity. 
 Many people imagine the reverse. This, how- 
 ever, is generally to be imputed to the soldiers' 
 wives and camp followers of all descriptions, 
 who crowd in great numbers, making inquries 
 after their husbands, friends, &c., for whom they 
 generally are prepared with liquors, and other re- 
 freshments. I had no such ties, save my com- 
 rades, who now were too busily occupied watching 
 their enemies, and with their own personal con- 
 siderations, to have either time or opportunity to 
 inquire after mine. The crowds of carts, horses, 
 &c., which thickly thronged the roadway, were 
 greeted on all sides by anxious faces and earnest 
 inquiries. But now and then as one of the ve- 
 hicles hurried along, a burst of laughter hailed it, 
 and indeed, it seemed to bear a load of a more 
 enlivening nature than that which characterised 
 the others. My sound legs, for my arm only 
 was wounded, and hung suspended in a sling, 
 enabled me to approach the cart, and scrutinise 
 its contents. My surprise was soon dissipated, 
 and wounds almost forgotten, in the merry fea- 
 tures of my old friend. Josh Hetherington, who, 
 having received a flesh wound in the leg, was 
 
 o
 
 290 AN AMUSING CHEAT. 
 
 now being borne to the hospital with other fellow 
 sufferers. 
 
 Josh, like myself, had no ties — no one to bring 
 him brandy, &c. ; but wider awake, and better 
 acquainted with the world in the bustle of a dark 
 night, he had laid himself at his length on the 
 inside of a cart, and there awaited the current of 
 fortune. 
 
 One or two women in search of their husbands 
 he particularly knew, and knowing also their 
 spouses, he replied to their inquiries in as exact 
 an imitation of their voices, as one could reason- 
 ably give a man credit for. The result was, that 
 the bottle was instantly handed into his hiding 
 place. Josh took sundry deep gulps, while the 
 duped woman continued anxiously walking by 
 the side of the wheels, wishing to heaven that 
 the daylight, or some other light, would enable 
 her to enjoy the sight of her better half. The 
 denouement of the cheat came with the return of 
 the empty flask, and a sincere hope from Josh 
 that her husband would find enough liquor left 
 — and not be wounded at all — at all. 
 
 The disappointment and rage of the woman 
 only gave rise to a burst of merriment, in which 
 the wounded men joined heartily, and the cir- 
 cumstance travelled forward, among her com- 
 panions, and accompanied the cart the whole of 
 the way to Brussels. 
 
 The next morning I proceeded slowly onward, 
 for my wound, as yet, had not been dressed. I 
 could not help remarking on my way through the 
 woods I saw droves of Belgians, and even Eng-
 
 A FALSE ALARM. 291 
 
 lish also, with fires lighted, busily cooking, having 
 left their comrades in contest with the enemy, 
 and apparently with nothing the matter with them. 
 On my arrival at Brussels, and going to my 
 quarters, I found it so crowded with Belgian offi- 
 cers and men, (some of them quite free from 
 wounds), that I could get no reception. It was 
 about 8 o'clock in the evening of the 18th. I 
 was entering the large square, and gazing on 
 some hundreds of wounded men who were 
 there stretched out on straw, when an alarm was 
 given that the French were entering the city ; in 
 a moment all was in an uproar ; the inhabit- 
 ants running in all directions, closing their doors, 
 and some Belgian troops in the square, in great 
 confusion ; loading my rifle, I joined a party of 
 the 81st regiment who remained on duty here 
 during the action. The alarm, however, was 
 occasioned by the appearance of about 1700 or 
 1800 French prisoners, under escort of some of 
 our Dragoons. 
 
 The panic over, I partook of a little bread 
 and wine, and lay down for the night on some 
 straw in the square ; and in spite of the con- 
 fusion and uproar, occasioned by the conti- 
 nual arrival of waggons loaded with wounded 
 men, I slept soundly. In the morning th*e scene 
 surpassed all imagination, and baffles description: 
 upwards of 40,000 wounded French, Belgians, 
 Prussians and English, intermingled with carts, 
 waggons, and every other vehicle attainable, were 
 continually arriving heaped with unfortunate suf- 
 
 '1
 
 292 ATTENTION TO THE WOUNDED. 
 
 ferers. The wounded were laid, friends and foes 
 indiscriminately, on straw, with avenues between 
 them, in every part of the city, and nearly desti- 
 tute of surgical attendance. The humane and 
 indefatigable exertions of the fair ladies of Brus- 
 sels, however, greatly made up for this defici- 
 ency ; numbers were busily employed — some 
 strapping and bandaging wounds, others serving 
 out tea, coffee, soups, and other soothing nourish- 
 ments ; while many occupied themselves strip- 
 ping the sufferers of their gory and saturated 
 garments, and dressing them in clean shirts, and 
 other habilments ; indeed, altogether careless of 
 fashionable scruples, many of the fairest and 
 wealthiest of the ladies of that city, now ven- 
 tured to assert their pre-eminence on the 9cca- 
 sion. It was enough that their ordained com- 
 panions were in need, to call forth the sympathies 
 that ever must bind the sexes to mutual depend- 
 ance. 
 
 One lady I noticed particularly, she was at- 
 tended by a servant bearing on his shoulder a 
 kind of panier, containing warm and cold re- 
 freshments : her age I guessed about eighteen, 
 and the peculiarity of the moment made her 
 appear beyond the common order of humanity. 
 She moved along with an eye of lightning, 
 glancing about for those whom she thought most 
 in need of her assistance. A tall Highlander 
 lay near her as she hurried along, and drew her 
 attention with a deep groan, arising from the an- 
 guish of a severe wound in the thick part of the
 
 THE LADIES OF BRUSSELS. 293 
 
 thigh. The soldier fixed his eye with surprise on 
 her, as in a twinkhng she knelt at his side, and 
 gently moving aside his blood-stained kilt, com- 
 menced washing the wounded part ; the Scotch- 
 man seemed uneasy at her importunity. But with 
 the sweetest voice imaginable, she addressed him 
 in broken English, with, "Me no ashamed of 
 you — indeed, I will not hurt you !" and the 
 wounded man, ere he could recover his rough 
 serenity, found his wound bandaged, and at ease, 
 under the operations of his fair attendant. Such 
 acts as these must ever draw forth our admira- 
 tion.
 
 294 
 
 CHAPTER XXIV. 
 
 Brussels' hospitals— Tlie British and French soldiers under am- 
 putation — I lose my finger — Another loss also — 1 leave the 
 hospital and am removed to the Provost guard — The Belgian 
 mauraders bared to the skin — The point of honour — Sensa- 
 tion produced on their comrades — The Belgian regiment under 
 arms — Guard house siirroimded — Nan'ow escape — Removal of 
 the Belgians — Assassmation of a French count by a Cossack 
 officer — Medals sent from England — Consequent dissensions 
 — Poor Wheatley — Quarters at Mouvres — Augustiae — An 
 old acquaintance — A rival — Augustine leaves her father's 
 house — Pursued — Her father's despair — Removal to Cam- 
 bray — The regiment receives orders to embark for England — 
 We part. 
 
 I REMAINED in Brussels three days, and had 
 ample means here, as in several other places, 
 such as Salamanca, &c., for witnessing the cut- 
 ting off legs and arras. The French I have ever 
 found to be brave, yet I cannot say they will 
 undergo a surgical operation with the cool, un- 
 flinching spirit of a British soldier. An incident 
 which here came under my notice, may in some 
 measure show the difference of the two nations. 
 An English soldier belonging to, if 1 recollect 
 rightly, the J st Royal Dragoons, evidently an old
 
 AMPUTATION. 295 
 
 weather-beaten warfarer, while undergoing the 
 amputation of an arm below the elbow, held the 
 injured limb with his other hand without betray- 
 ing the slightest emotion, save occasionally help- 
 ing out his pain by spirting forth the proceeds 
 of a large plug of tobacco, which he chewed 
 most unmercifully while under the operation. 
 Near to him was a Frenchman, bellowing lustily, 
 while a surgeon was probing for a ball near the 
 shoulder. This seemed to annoy the Englishman 
 more than any thing else, and so much so, that 
 as soon as his arm was amputated, he struck the 
 Frenchman a smart blow across the breech with 
 the severed limb, holding it at the hand-wrist, 
 saying, " Here take that, and stuff it down your 
 throat, and stop your damned bellowing !" 
 
 The accommodation at Brussels not being suf- 
 ficient for the wounded, it was found expedient to 
 have many of them conveyed to Antwerp, myself 
 among the rest ; and the entire of the 81st regi- 
 ment were employed conveying the men on 
 stretchers to the boat on the canal, communicat- 
 ing between the two cities ; there I had my wound 
 attended to, and my shattered finger taken oft' 
 at the socket. A singular case of loss of limb 
 here fell under my notice : a young fellow, a 
 German, one of the drivers to the German Ar- 
 tillery, had lost both his legs by a round shot, 
 which passing through the horse's belly, had car- 
 ried away both limbs ; while on the ground in 
 this mangled state, he received a dreadful gash in 
 one his arms, from a French cuirassier, and a
 
 296 THE PROVOST GUARD. 
 
 ball in the other ; through these he was also 
 obliged to undergo the amputation of both arms, 
 one below the elbow and the other above ; here 
 the unfortunate youth (for he was not more than 
 nineteen), lay a branchless trunk, and up to the 
 moment I left, though numbers died from lesser 
 wounds, survived. At first the latter were so 
 numerous that it became a matter of surprise to 
 even the doctors, who at length discovered that 
 the water which .the patients were in the habit of 
 washing their wounds xnth, was brought from a 
 spa, which in some instances, had the effect of 
 poisoning the flesh.* In the course of a few 
 weeks, however, I was sufficiently recovered to 
 rejoin my regiment, at Clichy camp, near Paris. 
 
 Shortly after my arrival I was ordered on the 
 Provost Guard, which my readers will better 
 understand, is a kind of military police. We were 
 under the command of the Provost Marshal, 
 named Stanwa}^ whose instructions were to take 
 all whom he found marauding about the gardens 
 in the neighbourhood of Paris, and to march 
 them down to his guard-house for punishment. 
 
 The Provost was a keen fellow, and sometimes 
 would pounce on as many as eighteen or twenty 
 in the course of a morning ; these were immedi- 
 ately flogged, according to the amount of their 
 offence, or the resistance they made, and in- 
 stantly liberated. 
 
 * This being only a report amongst us wounded men, little 
 reliance can be placed on it.
 
 BELGIAN SOLDIERS. 297 
 
 The depredations, however, became so uni- 
 versal, that the inhabitants of Paris complained 
 to the generals of divisions, and we in conse- 
 quence, received orders to keep a stricter look 
 out, and take into custody and flog every man 
 we caught in the act of plunder. Our guard- 
 house consequently was daily filled by soldiers 
 of every uniform, indeed, ours may be said to 
 have been a true Owenite Guard, for we made 
 no objection to " sect, country, class, or colour," 
 as we served them all " alike." 
 
 We had a deal of trouble with the Belgians 
 especially. These fellows would go forth in 
 sections, and lay every thing waste before them. 
 This was not for want, as they were well suppli- 
 ed with regular rations daily from Paris, which 
 we were aware of. As soon as they perceived 
 the guard hemming them in on all sides, they 
 would invariably salute us with brickbats, stones, 
 and sometimes even make a regular attack. But 
 Stan way seldom let any escape him. 
 
 One morning we brought in sixteen of them, 
 and the Provost, as usual, marched them into 
 the little yard where the punishments were gene- 
 rally inflicted. The triangles stared them in the 
 face from the centre of the ground, and the 
 culprits one and all, as soon as they rolled their 
 eyes on it, gave a bellow of horror, fell on their 
 knees, and commenced praying and crossing 
 themselves, and other symptoms of repentance ; 
 but Stanway was inexorable. Our men had the 
 greatest difficulty in unbreeching them, and get- 
 
 o 3
 
 298 BELGIAN SOLDIERS PUNISHED. 
 
 ting tliem tied to the halberts. The first stripped, 
 I recollect was a short, stubby, fat, desperate- 
 looking fellow, who by the circumference of his 
 seat^of honour, and his struggles for its safety, 
 seemed to bear about it all the honour of his 
 native Belgium. The first whistle of the cat, 
 even before it reached him, appeared to have 
 verified the assumption, for he roared to such a 
 degree, and his fellow-culprits sympathised so 
 loudly, and with such a crash of Belgic, that it 
 set the whole vicinity by the ears, and actually 
 aroused their whole regiment quartered in the 
 village, and the place became in an uproar. The 
 Belgians flew to arms and instantly surrounded 
 the guard-house ; Stanway nevertheless was de- 
 termined not to relax his duty, and ordered every 
 man of us to load, and placed us in different 
 parts of the building, barricading the doorways, 
 ^nd preparing for every resistance, and during 
 intervals continued the flagellation. The assail- 
 ants meanwhile became furious, and attempted 
 to scale the walls for a rescue, but they were 
 kept off by the guard with fixed bayonets, until 
 a shower of brickbats, &c., being thrown over the 
 walls, made us gladly retire into the building. 
 Our lives were now in jeopardy ; not a man of 
 us dared to stir out, until a signal being given to 
 some English soldiers who were passing, these 
 gave the alarm to the division then encamped 
 outside the village, and our rifles, followed by 
 the 52nd, came instantly to our assistance. 
 The two regiments remained under arms the
 
 A COSSACK OFFICER. 299 
 
 whole night, and the Belgians, out of bravado, 
 retired to a field, a little distance from them, 
 and kept under arms also. The morning after 
 the occurrence they were removed from CUchy 
 and we saw no more of them. 
 
 Going into Paris a day or two after this distui'b- 
 ance to draw rations for the guard, I had to pass 
 theBarriere deClichy, and before entering the gates 
 I perceived a crowd collected round a doorway in 
 the street adjoining. Naturally anxious to know 
 the cause, I mingled with the throng, and pushing 
 to the centre perceived the dead body of a French 
 gentleman stretched out on some straw, literally 
 saturated in blood, and on inquiry, I was inform- 
 ed that he had been slain by a Cossack or Prus- 
 sian officer some few minutes before. The de- 
 ceased (who was a French count) and the Cos- 
 sack, it appeared, had quarrelled the night pre- 
 vious, and had decided on settling the matter 
 the next morning by a meeting with pistols. It 
 had been agreed by the seconds that the two 
 principals should be placed back to back, and 
 each measuring six of his own paces, should, as 
 the distance was completed, turn round and fire. 
 
 As soon, however, as the Count commenced 
 his first pace, the Cossack turned round dis- 
 charged his pistol into the back of his adver- 
 sary's head, and stretched him lifeless on the 
 ground, exclaiming as he did it, "I have been 
 shot at enough by your cursed countrymen, now 
 for my turn." 
 
 The assassin and his second fearful, however,
 
 300 WATERLOO MEDALS. 
 
 of the consequences fled instantly, and taking 
 horse, rode off to their camp, but they were 
 never discovered ; although I was told that the 
 Duke, when the circumstances were related to 
 him, offered a reward for his apprehension. 
 
 The unfortunate Count had been an officer in 
 the French service, and to all appearance was a 
 very smart young fellow. 
 
 In the beginning of February, 1816, we left 
 Paris, and marched to the environs of Cambray ; 
 shortly afterwards we were presented with medals 
 sent out by the British government, in comme- 
 moration of that celebrated battle ; every man 
 who was in the field on the IGth, 17th, and 18th 
 of Jane, was distinguished with this honourable 
 badge. I am sorry to say this caused many dissen- 
 sions among the men, particularly some of the 
 old veterans of the Peninsular campaigns. One 
 named Wheatley, as brave a man as any in the 
 service, was unfortunately in hospital at Brus- 
 sels during the action, and was not honoured 
 with this mark of bravery ; whenever he met 
 with badges on what he termed recruits, he 
 would instantly tear them off, and frequently 
 throw them away. For this too often repeated 
 offence, poor Wheatley was tried by a court- 
 martial, and sentenced to three months' solitary 
 confinement. He was sent to Valenciennes, 
 where the 43rd Regiment lay, who formerly 
 belonged to our light division during the Spanish 
 war. The men of that regiment who knew 
 Wheatley, as well as the offence he had com-
 
 GOOD QUARTERS. 301 
 
 mitted, not only fed him well during his impri- 
 sonment, but at the expiration of his confinement 
 sent him back in all the pomp a hero could 
 wish. He was conveyed in a carriage drawn by 
 four horses, Wheatley's head as well as those of 
 the postilion and horses, were decorated with 
 blue ribands. On seeing the gay equipage enter 
 the village, I was much surprised, but more so on 
 seeing Wheatley jump from the carriage amidst 
 the loud acclamations of his old companions. 
 Poor Wheatley felt neglected on receiving no 
 medal, and became, from one of the bravest, one 
 of the most dissipated men in the regiment ; he 
 was shortly afterwards discharged. 
 
 My own company was quartered at Mouvres, 
 a pretty little village oft' the main road that leads 
 to Douay, myself and three privates being billet- 
 ed on the house of a rich old fellow named Ber- 
 nard Loude ; he was the richest man in the village 
 possessing upwards of three hundred acres of land, 
 his own property, with stables, granary, waggons, 
 and cattle, induced every thing that constitutes a 
 farmer's stock. The house, like all others in 
 that part of the country, was built long, with 
 only a ground lloor. On entering it 1 observed 
 three pretty girls spinning ; the youngest, about 
 sixteen years of age, was named Leucade ; the 
 next, about nineteen, named Augustine ; and 
 the eldest, who was not above twenty-four years 
 of age, was named Julie ; they were all attractive 
 in appearance. 
 
 After living there some weeks, I looked upon
 
 302 A soldier's sweetheart. 
 
 myself as one of the household ; and, soldier- 
 like, began toying- with the girls : the one who 
 attracted my attention most was Augustine ; she 
 was a fine yoLnig woman, with light hair and 
 fair complexion. Her manners were playful, yet 
 gentle, and there was an air of innocence in her 
 freedom, which showed her thoughts were un- 
 tainted by that knowledge of the world, which 
 restrains the levity of youth. Her disposition 
 corresponded with her manners, frank, generous, 
 and confiding ; her sisters used to say she was 
 of a most forgiving temper, yet of a firm and de- 
 termined spirit, and they loved her with more 
 than the love sisters generally bestow upon each 
 other. I now, day after day, became more in- 
 timate with the family, and the fair Augustine, 
 whether serious or jesting, was always my fa- 
 vourite. The courtship of a soldier may be 
 somewhat rough ; I used to steal a kiss now and 
 then, which my pretty Augustine would check 
 me for doing ; yet so much goodness was there 
 in her manner, that her reproof, rather than 
 otherwise, tempted a repetition of the ofl'ence. 
 To those who knew the inconveniences to which 
 soldiers are subjected in being billeted, it must 
 appear I was now in clover ; I certainly never 
 shall forget the happy hours I then enjoyed. 
 
 One day, it was I remember on a Saturday, I 
 was ordered on duty to the head quarters of our 
 regiment, at a small village called Burloun, about 
 two miles from Mouvres. Previously to my de- 
 parture, the youngest sister Leucade told me Au-
 
 A RECOGNITION. 303 
 
 gustine was soon to be married, being engaged 
 to a young Frenchman who Uved one side of 
 Cambray, and had formerly been a prisoner in 
 England, jokingly adding, that he could speak a 
 little English. It was customary for me to dine 
 with the family every Sunday ; and on my re- 
 turn off guard next day, as usual, I joined the 
 domestic party. I noticed a stranger at table, 
 who by his manner appeared the favoured suitor 
 of Augustine. We had, however, scarcely been 
 seated, when he gazed intently upon me. and sud- 
 denly starting up, seized me by the hand, and 
 nearly bursting into tears, exclaimed, " Mon 
 brave soldat, est-ce vous ?" I immediately re- 
 cognized in him the faithful Frenchman whose 
 life I had spared in the streets of Badajos before 
 mentioned. Returning to his seat, he described 
 to the party the scenes we had gone through at 
 Badajos, v/hich sometimes called forth fits of 
 laughter, and sometimes tears. 
 
 All eyes were fixed on me ; I particularly 
 noticed Augustine ; she looked more serious than 
 I had ever seen her ; she did not shed a tear or 
 yet smile during the whole narrative of her young 
 French lover ; but I could plainly perceive by 
 the heaving of her bosom, she was more deeply 
 aftected than the rest. He extolled me to the 
 skies, but he knew not the interest he was ex- 
 citing in favour of an unknown rival. The 
 French I have observed to be a people fond of 
 glory and sentiment, and a story of la Gloire et 
 r Amour will always excite their admiration.
 
 304 COURTSHIP. 
 
 He then related to me the cruelty he had receiv- 
 ed from the Portuguese soldiers who conducted 
 him with the remainder of the garrison of Bada- 
 jos on their march to Lisbon, where he was put 
 on board a ship and conveyed to England. After 
 Bonaparte had been conducted to Elba, he with 
 some thousand other prisoners, returned to their 
 native homes. He took no part, he said, in the 
 battle of Waterloo. After dinner 1 and my old 
 companion parted, having both enjoyed mutual 
 good cheer. The attention of Augustine after 
 this accidental interview was redoubled, and what 
 I before suspected I now plainly discovered, I 
 had won her heart. From this time, we were 
 more frequently alone : and although her father 
 wished her married to the Frenchman, he being 
 a relation as well as in good circumstances, she 
 had never herself been seriously attached to him. 
 The affection that subsisted between us became 
 no secret in the family, and it was rumoured 
 even about the village ; at length it burst out in 
 songs composed by the " Troubadours" of the 
 neighbourhood. Her father thought it prudent 
 to get my quarters changed ; he accordingly 
 applied to the Colonel, and I was sent to another 
 hamlet in charge of tailors making clothing for 
 the regiment ; it was at a pretty neat little vil- 
 lage called Saint les Marquion, on the main road 
 to Cambray. At the house of an old widow 
 who lived at Mouvres I still corresponded with 
 Augustine, and enjoyed many stolen interviews. 
 At length, harassed with the remonstrances of
 
 AN ELOPEMENT. 305 
 
 her family, who insisted on diverting her affec- 
 tions from me, she determined on leaving her 
 fatlier's roof, and in the dusk one evening met 
 me at the widow's, where we betrothed ourselves 
 to each other. On hearing of her elopement, 
 her father unrelentingly pursued her ; he went to 
 Cambray and applied to the executor to deprive 
 her of her patrimony, but the law prevented him 
 doing so. He then appealed to the military 
 authorities, and one morning, about ten o'clock, 
 four gens d'armes, to my surprise, entered my 
 quarters in search of her. I was about to give 
 them a very rough reception, and some of my 
 comrades, who were quartered with me, proposed 
 giving them a threshing ; but the corporal who 
 commanded the party warning me I should be 
 held responsible for any ill-usage they might re- 
 ceive, then produced a written order for her re- 
 turn to her father's house, signed by General 
 Sir John Lambert, who commanded our brigade, 
 and counter-signed by Col. Balvaird, our head 
 colonel. Sir Andrew Barnard being at the time 
 Commandant of Cambray. 
 
 I saw all remonstrance was vain, and there 
 was no alternative ; so accompanying her myself, 
 she was obliged with a heavy heart to retrace 
 her steps. Her reception by her father was 
 most unkind ; he confined her in a room, the 
 windows of which were darkened and secured by 
 cross bars of iron, the handy-work of the village 
 smith, whose services were called in requisition 
 upon the occasion. In this gloomy prison she
 
 306 Augustine's devotion. 
 
 was not permitted to see her sisters ; her meals 
 were sent her at long intervals, and scantily sup- 
 plied ; a priest was sent for who was paid hand- 
 somely for trying to wean her affections from 
 me ; but the bars of iron, and the prayers of 
 the priest, were alike in vain. She contrived on 
 the first opportunity to escape from this durance 
 vile to me, as we had been clandestinely married 
 at her first elopement by an excommunicated 
 priest ; for I must here mention, the Duke of 
 Wellington had given positive orders that no 
 British soldiers should be allowed to marryFrench 
 women. Immediately on her return we went 
 together to our colonel, who lived at the Cha- 
 teau of the village, to request she might be al- 
 lowed to remain with me. On entering the 
 room, she threw herself in an impassioned man- 
 ner on her knees, and begged we might not be 
 separated. The Colonel, taking her by the hand, 
 raised her from her humiliating posture, saying 
 it was not in his power to grant the request, but 
 he would speak to General Lambert on the mat- 
 ter, which he did, and the was allowed to remain 
 with me. We now fancied ourselves in a great 
 measure protected, but she was again pursued 
 by her father, who one day very unceremoniously 
 rushed into our cottage, and desired she would 
 return with him. She instantly flew to me for 
 protection, throwing her arms around me, ex- 
 claiming, ''Mon Edouard, je ne te quitterai 
 jamais." Her father, as if seized with a sudden 
 fit of phrenzy, laid hold of a hammer that was on
 
 HER RELATIONS. 307 
 
 the table, and struck himself a blow on the fore- 
 head with such force that he fell, and remained 
 some time on the floor insensible. The distress 
 of poor Augustine cannot be imagined, for it was 
 some time ere she recovered, but after this we 
 remained unmolested, and lived happily toge- 
 ther. 
 
 About the latter end of June, 1818, we broke 
 up our cantonments, and encamped on the Glacis 
 of Cambray, where we remained until the latter 
 end of October, when we received orders to pro- 
 ceed to England, after remaining in its environs 
 for the space of three years. The Colonel, who 
 did not know we were married, sent ior me, and 
 informed me she must return to her parents, as 
 she would certainly not be permitted to embark 
 with me for England. We now consulted toge- 
 ther as to what step w^ould be most advisable to 
 adopt. It was agreed I should go to her anclo^. 
 who resided in Cambray, and request him to in- 
 tercede with her father to allow her to receive 
 part of her patrimony ; for, although he could 
 not deprive her of it after his death, she was not 
 entitled to receive it during his life time ; and, if 
 he consented to do so, I promised to obtain my 
 discharge from the army, and publicly marry 
 her. Her uncle, after my interview with him, 
 accompanied me to Mouvres, (a distance of about 
 three or four miles,) with the intention of dis- 
 cussing the matter with the father ; but, on my 
 entering tlie house, all was uproar ; a tumult of 
 voices from all the family assailed me, during
 
 308 THE PARTING. 
 
 which one of the brothers cried, '' Delie le chien ! 
 Dehe le chien !" Upon which a huge wolf-dog 
 was unchained ; but, instead of attacking me, 
 remembered that I had once lived in the house, 
 he came and fawned on me. In the midst of 
 this confusion I expected every moment would 
 be my last as there were no British soldiers 
 nearer than Cambray. At this instant Augustine 
 entered. She had heard at her uncle's that I 
 had gone with him to her father's, and, appre- 
 hensive of the consequences, had followed me. 
 Not attending to any other person present, she 
 entreated me to leave the house, and return to 
 Cambray with her. I did so ; and early next 
 morning, the regiment being in marching order, 
 I was reluctantly compelled to part from my 
 almost broken-hearted faithful Augustine. It was 
 agreed she should remain with the family of her 
 uncle until I could communicate with her from 
 England, where we hoped happier days awaited 
 us.
 
 309 
 
 CHAPTER XXV. 
 
 Disembark at Dover — Shorn Cliff Barracks — I am invalided, 
 and pass the board at Chelsea — Augustine's arrival — Six- 
 pence a day — Sir Andrew Barnard — Sir David Dundas — 
 My hopeless condition — Blood-money — The Honourable 
 Doctor Wellesley — Mr. Woodford — Augustine returns vidtli 
 me to France — I retrace my steps alone to Calais — To Dover 
 — Dreadful extremes — A new field for practice — A friend in 
 need — Another " Forlorn Hope " — Colonel Ford — A Rifle- 
 man without an appetite — Death of Augustine. 
 
 Disembarking at Dover, our regiment march- 
 ed to Shorn CHff Barracks, where we had not 
 been long quartered when an order arrived from 
 the Horse Guards for two sergeants and two 
 corporals of each company of the Rifles to be 
 discharged. Men who had been wounded were 
 to be first, and old men next. 1 was accordingly, 
 although only ahout thirty-one years of age, in- 
 valided by our doctor, on account of my wounds, 
 and immediately departed for Chatham, to await 
 an order from Chelsea to proceed to London, to 
 pass the Board. Here, to my astonishment, one 
 day Augustine presented herself before me. Her 
 appearance almost electrified me. " Edouard — 
 mon cher Edouard," she exclaimed, " je te sui-
 
 310 AUGUSTINE JOINS ME. 
 
 vrai partout." I then learned that, having arrived 
 at Shorn CUfF Barracks, and inquired for me, 
 Colonel Leach had kindly paid her passage by 
 coach to Chatham, directing her where to find 
 me. Here she gave birth to a child. Shortly 
 afterwards I received orders to appear before 
 the Chelsea Board, and we proceeded to Lon- 
 don, with others. On our arrival, our circum- 
 stances being very needy, we took a single room 
 in Red Lion-street, Chelsea, where we resolved 
 to live as sparingly as possible. I passed the 
 Board, but soon found the pittance allowed me 
 insufficient to maintain us, being only 6d. per 
 day. I had yet hopes, however, that my case 
 was not understood, and I therefore applied to 
 my Colonel, Sir Andrew Barnard, and explained 
 it to him. Sir Andrew instantly gave me a note 
 (which I now hold in my possession*) for Sir 
 
 * 28, Berkeley Square, March 2iid, 1819. 
 
 I strongly recommend to your notice, and to the attention 
 of the Board of Chelsea, the hearer, Edward Costcllo, late 
 sergeant in 1st Battalion Rifle Brigade, for an increase of pen- 
 sion for his gallant services, he having been discharged in con- 
 sequence of wounds received in action. 
 
 A. F. BARNARD, 
 
 Maj.-Gen. Commanding, 
 
 1st Battn. Rifle Brigade. 
 
 To Genl. Sir E. Dundas, 
 &c., &c., &c. 
 Colonel-in-Chief, Rifle Brigade. 
 
 To this hour it remained unaltered.
 
 SIR DAVID DUNDAS. 311 
 
 David Dundas, tlie then Governor of Chelsea. 
 Thus provided, and equipped in my uniform, I 
 set out for Sir David's residence, and found him 
 walking about the grounds in front of his house, 
 at Chelsea College. I handed my paper to him 
 in person, and retired aside while he perused it. 
 But Sir David having scanned it without turning 
 his head, tossing aside his pigtail with his fore- 
 finger, coolly handed the note over his shoulders 
 to me, remarking at the same moment, that he 
 dared say tlie Lords Commissioners of Chelsea 
 had given me what they thought I deserved. 
 
 The old gentleman, I suppose, possessed too 
 much of the Spartan blood, to notice me more 
 than he did ; and like the two survivors of Ther- 
 mopilse, he thouii,ht my return to England 
 highly inglorious, and unbefitting a soldier ; 
 since it had made me a sixpenny burthen on the 
 country I had served. 
 
 Day after day we struggled with our necessi- 
 ties, and I confess I saw nothing but starvation 
 staring me in the face. What was to be done ? 
 My faithful Augustine deliberated with me in 
 our misfortune, with great patience, and we 
 agreed that it would be most desirable for her 
 to return to her uncle, and endeavour to move 
 the family of her father to a reconciliation with 
 us both. Her infant, she thought, could not 
 fail to excite commiseration ; but how were we 
 to defray the expenses of so long a journey ? 
 however, having received several wounds in the 
 service, I was entitled to what is commonly
 
 312 BLOOD MONEY. 
 
 termed " blood money." A certificate to that 
 effect, and signed by my commanding officer and 
 the Adjutant of my regiment, I now had by 
 me. This was to be presented to the parson of 
 the parish in which I was resident one month 
 after my discharge. The Honourable Dr. Welles- 
 ley, brother to the Duke of AVellington, being 
 rector of Chelsea, I appealed to him, and he 
 referred me to a Mr. Woodford, Secretary of 
 the Patriotic Fund, No. 80, Cornhill. But this 
 gentleman was even more Spartan than the Lords 
 Commissioners, for after two or three stiff struts 
 up and down his office, he suddenly stopped, and 
 staring me very stupidly in the face, said, "Damn 
 it. Sir ! did 5^ou expect to fight with puddings or 
 Norfolk dumplings ? If men go to battle, wdiat 
 else can they expect but wounds ! I am now 
 busy, and cannot be troubled with you." I re- 
 turned to Chelsea — represented my situation to 
 Mr. Wellesley, and through him, succeeded in 
 obtaining a small sum — five pounds — for the 
 w^ound at Waterloo, but none for the others 
 which I received in the Peninsula. With this 
 scanty supply we proceeded to Dover, thence to 
 Calais, and from thence to St. Omer, where, 
 taking leave of my beloved Augustine and her 
 infixnt, {.f 07' the last time), we parted. She pro- 
 mised to write me word immediately she succeed- 
 ed with her family, and, if not, it was agreed that 
 as soon as my circumstances improved she should 
 return to me. " Ne m'oubliez pas" were her 
 last words : as she squeezed my hand. 
 
 I
 
 THE author's distress. 313 
 
 I felt a sudden tightness grasp my throat 
 As it would strangle me ; such as I felt, 
 I knew it well, some twcnt)'^ years ago, 
 When my good father shed his blessing on me. 
 I hate to weep, and so I came away. 
 
 Without a farthing in my pocket, for I had 
 given the last sou to her, [^and was determined 
 to forage my own way home the best way I could, 
 I again set off for Calais, where I arrived in 
 much distress. Here fortune was favourable to 
 me. A brother mason kindly befriended me, 
 and gave me a free passage to Dover. Had it 
 not been for this kind assistance, 1 know not how 
 I should have crossed the straits. At Dover 
 nothing could exceed my wretchedness ; I had 
 struggled with difficulties in a foreign country, 
 but I was now returned to my own as if I had 
 been an outcast upon earth, without a friend or 
 farthing in the world. The thought maddened 
 me. For a day and a night I walked the streets 
 of Dover, and scarcely tasted food. A thousand 
 times I asked myself " What can I do? How 
 shall I act ?" Begging was out of the question 
 — a soldier could not beg. More fitted in this 
 state of mind for a highwayman than a beggar, 
 I said to myself, " Can I not rob ?" I had no 
 fire arms. Thus, pondering how I should pro- 
 ceed, I walked slowly along the road that leads 
 to Canterbury, and on a sudden espied a num- 
 ber of hop poles in an adjoining field. The 
 thought flashed like lightning on my brain, that 
 I would seize one of these, and knock down the 
 
 p
 
 314 MEETING A COMRADE. 
 
 first man who came past. Clearing the hedge at 
 a jump, and pulling one of the poles out of the 
 pile, and snapping it off at the hutt-end, and 
 retiring to my position on the road, I resolutely 
 glanced about in search of the first passenger, 
 and as quickly at some distance, observed two 
 men walking smartly towards me. I squeezed 
 my cudgel firm in my hand, and awaiting their 
 approach ; — but ere I could bring myself to a 
 proper sense of what I was about, one of the 
 men suddenly shot himself beside me, saying, 
 " What, Ned I is that you, my boy ? How are 
 you ?" shaking me by the hand at the same time. 
 In an instant I recognised him to be a man of 
 my own regiment, named Jem Conner, but I 
 could scarcely answer him ; he noticed my con- 
 fusion, and in the same breath, while he still 
 held my hand, insisted on my returning with him 
 to Dover. Little dreaming the true cause of my 
 agitation, I returned with him, where he inform- 
 ed me he was married. I have often thought that 
 the circumstance of a friend being the person on 
 whom~I thus ahghted, was a providential inter- 
 ference that prevented my committing an act 
 which would ever have embittered my future 
 life. Perhaps, by similar interposition, however 
 imperceptible to man, many are saved from the 
 commission of crime. 
 
 Before parting from my generous comrade, 
 who insisted on my sleeping at his house that 
 night, and although himself in needy circum- 
 stances, he provided me most liberally with 
 
 1
 
 COLONEL FORD. 315 
 
 what I most required ; (poor fellow, he was 
 severely wounded at Waterloo, passed the 
 Board, and married a woman at Dover :)* I ex- 
 plained to him my abject situation, when he 
 advised me to lay my Chelsea discharge before 
 the Commandant at Dover, who was then Colo- 
 nel Ford, and solicit from him sufficient means 
 to carry me to London. This was to beg — a 
 task contrary to my nature. I asked him what 
 I was to say ? how act ? for I had been a soldier 
 since I was sixteen years of age, and was unac- 
 quainted with the forms of civil life. He gave 
 me such advice as occurred to him, accompanied 
 me on the road, and showed me the house at 
 which the Colone Iresided. It was, I remember, at 
 the end of the town, near the General Hospital. 
 With an unwilling hand I rung the bell. The 
 door was immediately opened. " Is the Colonel 
 at home ?" said I. " Do you wish to see him ?" 
 answered the footman, surveying my person. 
 " I do," was my reply, " tell him that a Sergeant 
 of the Rifles wishes to speak to him." The 
 servant then stepping across the hall, went into 
 the room, and while the door was ajar, I heard 
 the Colonel ask, " Is he in uniform or in coloured 
 clothes ?" " In coloured clothes," was the an- 
 swer. " Tell him to come in." I entered the 
 room slowly, and believe me, I went with more 
 spirits on the forlorn hope at Badajos than I now 
 
 * Tliis Conner now resides at Chelsea, and I am happy to 
 say, in good circumstances, at his trade as a tailor. 
 
 p 2
 
 316 A REPULSE. 
 
 did into the presence of this officer. He was 
 standing with his back to the fire-place. " Well 
 friend," said he, " what do you want?" In a 
 doubtful tone, I answered, ** I want to know. Sir, 
 if you will lend me a little money, to carry me 
 to London, and I will pay you when I get my 
 pension." While thus delivering myself,- which 
 I did in a very confused manner, the Colonel 
 stooped, and staring me full in the face, as if he 
 thought me mad, with a sententious voice, he 
 exclaimed, " God damn you. Sir ! who are you, 
 what are you, what do you want ?" The Colo- 
 nel's uncouth manner suddenly overwhelmed my 
 already sinking heart ; but the whole spirit of 
 the " man" rebounding from the shock, instan- 
 taneously brought me about again, for recovering 
 myself, in a firm, earnest, yet determined manner, 
 I replied, " Sir, I am a man brought to the last 
 pitch of distress, without friend or money. If 
 you will assist me, pray do so, but do not insult 
 my feelings." Then laying my papers on the 
 table, I added, "There, Sir, are my papers; 
 keep them until I refund the money. I am a 
 Sergeant of the Rifle Brigade, who has seen 
 service." Taking my Chelsea discharge, and 
 reading over attentively the wounds I had re- 
 ceived, looked at me with altogether an altered 
 expression, and said, "You must have been 
 a gallant fellow, or you would not have got so 
 many scars in the service ; which battalion did 
 you belong to ?" I told him the first. He then 
 asked me what money I wanted to take me to
 
 UNEXPECTED KINDNESS. 317 
 
 London. I answered it was only seventy five 
 miles, and two shillings would be sufficient, as I 
 could walk more than thirty five miles a day, I 
 had no knapsack to carry, and a shilling per day 
 would do for me. 
 
 There my feelings overpowered me, and he, see- 
 ing my emotion, turned himself round to the fire- 
 place, evidently affected ; then, facing me again, 
 said, ** Tut, tut ! a brave soldier should not mind 
 a little poverty ;" for at this time I could not 
 answer him ; then, ringing the bell, the footman 
 who was in attendance came into the room, "Tell 
 the cook," said he, " to get a good dinner ready 
 for a gallant soldier." Then, putting a chair to- 
 wards me, in a friendly manner told me to sit 
 down, and began conversing familiarly. He asked 
 a number of questions concerning the Peninsular 
 war ; but we were shortly interrupted by the ser- 
 vant, informing him dinner was ready. " Go, 
 now," said he, " and take some refreshment." 
 But, alas ! my appetite was gone ; I could have 
 eaten a donkey before, but now I could not break 
 bread. The servants, observing me so discom- 
 posed, went and informed the Colonel of it, when 
 he came to me himself, tapping me on the shoul- 
 der, saying, " Come, come, make a good dinner," 
 then, turning to the servant, ordered him to bring 
 a bottle of wine. After my repast he again re- 
 turned, accompanied by a lady, perhaps his wife 
 or daughter, to whom he had probably been speak- 
 ing of me, and who may have felt curious to see 
 the rough soldier who had gone through so me-
 
 318 MOURNFUL INTELLIGENCE. 
 
 morable a campaign. He now slipped some twelve 
 half-crowns into my hand, and desired me on no 
 account to walk, but to take coach to London ; 
 at the same time he presented me my papers. I 
 thanked him, but requested he would keep them 
 until 1 could return the money. "No, no ;" he re- 
 plied, " I make you a present of it." He then, in 
 a very kind manner said, " Your old Colonel, Co- 
 lonel Barnard, is made a General, and a Knight. 
 He is now Major-General Sir Andrew Barnard ; 
 and, if you wish it, I will write to him about you." 
 Again I thanked him, and said, " The Colonel 
 is well acquainted with me." I left the house 
 with feelings of gratitude which I could not give 
 utterance to ; and never, although many years 
 have passed, shall I forget the kindness of Colo- 
 nel Ford. 
 
 On my return to London I wrote to Augustine, 
 but received no answer. 1 waited with anxiety, 
 and then came the mournful intelhgence of her 
 death ; most likely owing to her father, as he 
 remained inexorable to the last. Poor Augus- 
 tine ! Peace be to thy memory ! 
 
 I
 
 319 
 
 CHAPTER XXVI. 
 
 I enter the British Legion as Lieutenant — I raise a regi- 
 ment of Riflemen — Appoint the non-commissioned officers 
 — Recruiting districts — The peer and the dustmen — Ge- 
 neral Evans thanks — Embark at Gravesend — Voyage across 
 the Bay of Biscay — Arrival in Spain. — We land at Portu- 
 galetta — Pat's logic — Spanish sentries shoot a man by mis- 
 take — A bad omen — Men confined for not wearing thatwhich 
 they never had — Modem rilje officers — Colonel de Rotten- 
 burgh — Legion officers classified — Fine appearance of the men 
 —Rifles march to Zorossa — Head quarters at Bilboa — Bad 
 quarters of the men — Severe drills — Bad beginning — The 
 men begin to droop through ill-treatment — " Cats " in- 
 discriminately used — Lieutenant Robinson drowned. 
 
 From early youth, war has my mistress been, 
 And tho' a rugged one, I'll constant prove, 
 And not forsake her now. 
 
 It will be unnecessary for me to drag the reader 
 through my chequered life, from the time I left 
 the British army until my last campaign in Spain. 
 I shall, therefore, jump across the interval, and 
 bring him at once to the period at which I en- 
 tered the British Legion.
 
 320 OLD SOLDIERS. 
 
 It is generally remarked that the life of a ser- 
 vice soldier is full of incident ; but the sphere 
 in which he is designed to move can be under- 
 stood only by those who have themselves moved 
 in it. In general, old soldiers in describing bat- 
 tles, fill their accounts with the roar of cannon, 
 the clouds of smoke, and the groans and cries 
 of the w^ounded and" dying ; but in this part of 
 my narrative, if I cannot relate the former, I will 
 endeavour to describe the miseries of the unfor- 
 tunate men with whom it was my fate to serve ; 
 and as I mean neither to borrow nor dispose of 
 any other man's stuff, I will relate those things 
 only that came under my own observation. 
 
 I am aware that some military men fancy a man 
 cannot fight unless he has his country's cause at 
 heart, that in their ideas being the only thing 
 capable of arousing his martial ardour ; but I beg 
 most humbly to differ from those gentlemen, and 
 to tell them, that when a British subject is put 
 into uniform, and placed in the ranks, with a 
 firelock in his hand, before an enemy, he requires 
 no stimulant nor patriotic impulse to urge him 
 in attacking those opposed to him ; neither can 
 I see why a British subject should be ridiculed or 
 prevented from (what he terms) " earning an 
 honest livelihood ;" nor why if he prefers being 
 knocked on the head in serving a Foreign Power, 
 he should be termed a mercenary and a mur- 
 derer, as has been the case with the Legion. 
 
 But if he be kidnapped by a recruiting-sergeant, 
 or pressed by a press-gang into the British ser-
 
 SIR DE LACY EVANS. 321 
 
 vice, there is no doubt but what John Bull and 
 his brethren of the sister kingdoms, will make 
 the best of a bad matter, which, as old soldiers 
 well know, is only to be done by going the whole 
 hog on every occasion ; most soldiers like myself, 
 find in their muskets and bayonets, their only 
 title-deeds, these from the "smaJlness'' of the 
 estates they represent are but poor guarantees, 
 when, cut up and well drilled by bullets, or long 
 and active service ; old age steals on, and pre- 
 mature infirmities commence their march upon 
 them. 
 
 In the beginning of July 1835, I enclosed 
 documents from officers of rank in the British 
 army, with a statement of my own service and 
 the rank I had held in that service to Colonel, 
 now Sir De Lacy Evans, and expressed a wish to 
 enter under his command. 
 
 In the course of a few days an answer was 
 sent to me from Mr. H. Bulwer, M.P. for St. 
 Mary le-bone, stating that Colonel Evans had 
 appointed me as Lieutenant in the 7th Light 
 Infantry, B.A.L., and requesting me to attend at 
 his house that day, as General Evans wished to 
 see me. 
 
 I attended at the hour appointed, and for the 
 first time had the honour of conversing with the 
 General himself, who treated me with that gen- 
 tlemanly courtesy for which he has ever been re- 
 marked ; among other matters, he asked me se- 
 veral questions concerning a Rifle regiment, and 
 their probable efficacy in the field. To these, 
 
 p 3
 
 322 MAN AND GAME SHOOTING. 
 
 according to my humble experience, I gave him 
 to understand that as the war was principally con- 
 fined to the Pyrenees, and the northern and more 
 mountainous provinces, no body of men could be 
 more efficient, both from their dress as well as 
 their arms. 
 
 He approved of my remark, and resolved ac- 
 cordingly to form at least one regiment of Rifles, 
 and, as a first step, to appoint me Lieutenant and 
 Adjutant of the regiment. He then ga\^e me in- 
 structions to form recruiting parties, to raise five 
 or six hundred men for that regiment, and par- 
 ticularly enjoined me to get as many old soldiers 
 of the British Rifles as I possibly could. The 
 Adjutancy I declined accepting, but I begged to 
 be empowered to appoint a few non-commissioned 
 officers as an encouragement to the old Peninsu- 
 lars. This power he instantly granted me, and 
 extended even to all whom I thought fitting for 
 that duty, adding, " I will acquaint the Colonel 
 of your regiment that I have granted you these 
 privileges." Mr. Bulwer remarking, "If I went 
 into the country I might pick up many game- 
 keepers, who, he thought, would make excellent 
 riflemen." I replied, " That man shooting and 
 game shooting were very different," at which 
 they both laughed heartily. 
 
 I immediately set to work and got hand bills 
 printed, and established recruiting parties at 
 Westminster, the Borough, and Tower Hill, &c., 
 and appointed about half a dozen sergeants and 
 corporals, who were immediately supplied with
 
 RECRUITING FOR THE LEGION. 323 
 
 green clothing. I next proceeded to Chatham 
 and Gravesend, and stationed recruiting parties 
 tiiere also ; I formed other parties, and in the 
 short space of two months we raised five hundred 
 men, appointing one sergeant and one corporal 
 to every fifteen rank and file. 
 
 A motley group I enlisted, from the sons of 
 peers, down even to dustmen, including doctors, 
 lawyers, parson's clerks, and all the trades ne- 
 cessary to form a national hive of cunning, craft 
 and industry. 1 had an honourable for a sergeant 
 (the Hon. A. Curzon), a doctor for a corporal 
 (A. M. Hart), the former of whom was afterwards 
 appointed Lieutenant. 
 
 These recruits I sent in small detachments on 
 board the Suiftsure, then lying at Portsmouth, 
 the head quarters of the regiment, appointing one 
 sergeant and one corporal to every sixteen pri- 
 vates. In the beginning of September 1835, I 
 received a letter from Baron de Rottenburgh, 
 our Colonel, that the regiment was about to start 
 for Spain, wishing me to make as little delay as 
 possible in joining. 
 
 A few days after this, I embarked from Graves- 
 end, with nearly one hundred men more for the 
 Rifles, on board the London Merchant Steamer, 
 and arrived at Portsmouth the following day ; 
 but, unfortunately, the whole of the regiment 
 had already sailed for Spain ; after paying the 
 men their bounty of £2. each, the next morning 
 we sailed also. 
 
 After a very pleasant voyage through the Bay
 
 324 THE COAST OF SPAIN. 
 
 of Biscay, about the middle of September, we came 
 in sight of the Spanish coast ; at first the eye 
 was struck with the wild and magnificent sweep 
 of the Pyrenean mountains, which to those un- 
 accustomed to such scenery must be truly sub- 
 lime. Through our glasses we could distinctly 
 perceive the various little towns that dotted 
 here and there the different inlets of the bay, 
 and which had a very peculiar and wild appear- 
 ance. But as we approached the land we could 
 plainly discern, marching up the mountain sides, 
 small bodies of soldiers which many on board 
 mistook for the troops of Don Carlos, but on 
 closer inspection we discerned to be the Queen's. 
 
 Brigadier General Evans, who was on board, 
 having determined to land here, the necessary 
 preparations were being made, when, to our sur- 
 prise a vessel hove in sight, bearing the remain- 
 der of the Rifles from Santander to Bilboa. They 
 were fully equipped with rifle and green clothing, 
 and disembarked near Portugaletta, while we 
 with the recruits landed also. 
 
 Thus, on the 19th September, about seven 
 o'clock on a beautiful summer evening, I again 
 landed on that soil on which, some four or five and 
 twenty years ago I had witnessed so many severe 
 contests. We landed near an old church, where 
 the recruits were to remain for the night, with- 
 out blankets, great-coats, or any sort of comfort 
 in the colonades of a damp church. I shall never 
 forget the discourse which took place between 
 two of the men. One said to the other, " Are
 
 MEN AND HORSES. 325 
 
 we to get no billets, but stop here for the night 
 without straw, and nothing but these cold damp 
 flag-stones to lie on ? why, I see the General's 
 horses over the wa)^ that have just landed, put 
 into warm stables with straw ; surely we are bet- 
 ter than horses ?" " Arrah, and who the devil 
 tould you so?" said a countryman of mine, look- 
 ing him hard in the face, — " be my soul, the 
 Queen of Spain only gave 21. a-head for such 
 fellows as you and me, and can get thousands 
 more at the same money ; while she is con:\pelled 
 to give 50/. for every horse!" Pat's logic had 
 the desired effect, and the poor recruits stretched 
 their weary limbs for the night, with nothing but 
 a thin smock-frock to keep them warm. 
 
 There was, at the time, in possession of Por- 
 tugaletta, a Spanish regiment of the Queen's 
 Infantry doing duty, this made it exceedingly 
 dangerous for any of our men to approach those 
 fellows, from their ignorance and stupidity, for 
 they looked upon any thing bearing arms to be an 
 enemy. One of my company had a melancholy 
 experience of this, for on comingclose to a Spanish 
 sentry, under the darkness of the evening, he was 
 challenged from a loop-hole through the mud-wall 
 surrounding Portugaletta. The Englishman not 
 knowing the language, could give no answer, and 
 the consequence was, the Spaniard instantly fired 
 and shot him through the knee. The poor fellow 
 remained on the spot where he fell until the morn- 
 ing, his comrades being afraid to approach him 
 for fear of a similar fate, and when brought to 
 the company the next day, through weakness and
 
 326 A BAD OMEN. 
 
 loss of blood, while under amputation he died 
 under the hands of the doctor. This for the first 
 night of our landing was rather a bad omen. 
 Passing the guard-house, with the intention 
 of seeing how the men had fared during the night, 
 at least half a dozen voices assailed my ears, say- 
 ing, "Oh ! Sir ! I hope you will get us released ; 
 we have been confined all night and have done 
 no crime." Perceiving they were some of the 
 recruits I had brought over, I called the sergeant 
 of the guard to inquire the cause ; he informed 
 me that they had been confined by oflicers of our 
 regiment, for walking about without their regi- 
 mentals ; the men, however, had disembarked 
 only the night before, and had not received their 
 clothing ; I ordered them to be released. 
 
 For this act of justice I shortly afterwards was 
 nearly what w^as termed " called out" by a brace 
 of officers of the Rifles, (whom I knew only by 
 their uniform), and who very abruptly asked me, 
 why I had released men whom they had confined ! 
 I answered, that no crime had been committed 
 by them, and that I deemed it right to release 
 them, as men in the British Army were nev^r 
 confined without cause. 
 
 ** Sir," said one, in an austere voice, " I know 
 what soldiering is. I have fought, and seen 
 service as well as the British Army." The 
 reader, has, perhaps, already guessed that these 
 " gentlemen" formerly belonged to Don Pedro, 
 and had served in Portugal during the struggle 
 for that crown. 
 
 I was anxious to see my Colonel to report my-
 
 THE OFFICERS. 327 
 
 self, but on going to his quarters I heard another 
 of my poor fellows lustily calling on me to inter- 
 cede for him. This was in a small field, close 
 to the village, where he was being held down, 
 across a low, dry wall, by two men, while the 
 bugler w^as belabouring him on the bare breech 
 with the " cats," and another of these Pedroite 
 officers standing by seeing the punishment inflict- 
 ed. This poor fellow^ had been formerly a bugler 
 in the British Army, and w^as now flogged for 
 straggling into Portugaletta without leave. I 
 had not yet been sixteen hours on the Spanish 
 soil, but I was growing heartily sick of the cam- 
 paign, even at this early period. 
 
 In the course of the day, I had an opportunity 
 of mixing with the officers ; who in appearance 
 were a fine set of fellows. 
 
 They were composed of three different classes. 
 The first were gentlemen who formerly held 
 commissions in the British Army; the second 
 were those wdio, through interest, had obtained 
 commissions from General Evans ; and the 
 third class, and who, I was sorry to find, were 
 treble in number to the other two, were what is 
 termed Pedroites. These last self-taught heroes 
 were brought up in neither military nor civil life, 
 but had passed a little Quixotic tour under Don 
 Pedro. In fact, every regiment of the Legion, 
 like my own, was full of Pedroites. 
 
 The recruits, at length, having received arms 
 and clothing, were drafted into companies, each 
 abouta hundred strong, and of which six com-
 
 328 PROMOTION. 
 
 pleted the regiment ; they were a fine set of 
 men, and with the Legion altogether, if pro- 
 perly handled, would have done credit to any 
 army in Europe. 
 
 During the few days that we remained here, 
 a Major, formerly in the British Army, named 
 Barton, of the Rifles, resigned ; this left a vacancy, 
 which was immediately filled by the senior Cap- 
 tain, Fortescue. This caused a vacancy for a 
 Captain, and I was promoted to that rank, in 
 his place, and took command of his company ; 
 I may say with safety, he was one of the few 
 ofiicers in command of a company, at the time, 
 that could put the men even through their 
 facings. After remaining here about a week, our 
 regiment was ordered to march, and we took 
 possession of a small village, Zorossa, about two 
 miles from Bilboa, and situated on the left bank 
 of the Nervion. This place had experienced all 
 the ravages and desolation a civil war could in- 
 flict ; the houses were in a most dilapidated 
 state. That in which myself and a number of 
 other ofiicers were quartered had been evidently 
 tenanted by an opulent person ; but the furni- 
 ture and interior decorations of the rooms had 
 been destroyed, or defaced by the soldiers of 
 Don Carlos, who had been in possession of the 
 village a short time before our entry. 
 
 Here lay one of her Britannic Majesty's gun- 
 brigs, (the Ringdove), to aflford assistance and 
 protection to vessels passing up the river from 
 the bay to Bilboa, with arms, ammunition, and
 
 NEGLECT OF GENERAL EVANS. 329 
 
 stores for the Legion : yet, strange to say, the 
 crew of the Ringdove were on the most friendly 
 terms with the CarUst troops until we arrived. 
 
 Bilboa was at this time the head quarters of 
 the Legion. With the view of relieving this 
 important commercial town from the state of 
 blockade which it had sustained ; and of affording 
 protection to the works which were at this time 
 erecting for its defence, and probably also for 
 keeping open a more easy communication with 
 England, for the supply of recruits, stores, &c. 
 Few troops were stationed at Bilboa — but in 
 straggling convents and houses about its sub- 
 urbs. The soldiers of the Legion, notwithstand- 
 ing these arrangements, were badly quartered — 
 the greater part of them laying on the cold stone 
 floors of churches and convents, without beds, 
 blankets, or even straw. It was evident to me, 
 even thus early in the campaign, that General 
 Evans did not display much solicitude or feeling 
 for the comforts of his soldiers. The men, who 
 were at this time chiefly raw recruitsj unaccus- 
 tomed to the change of diet as well as to the cli- 
 mate of the country, undergoing fatiguing military 
 instructions by a severe daily drill of six hours, 
 surely a representation of their situation to the 
 proper Spanish authorities by General Evans 
 would have made things better for the poor men : 
 but this was merely a foretaste of the treatment 
 that was to be endured by them, which I shall 
 have more particularly to allude to, after their 
 arrival at Vittoria, &c.
 
 330 EXCESSIVE PUNISHMENT. 
 
 But the miserable and comfortless condition 
 of the men was nothing to the disgraceful Pro- 
 vost system which was carried on most rigo- 
 rously in every regiment of the Legion. Any 
 officer, for the slightest supposed dereliction of 
 duty, or as he felt inclined, could order a man 
 from one to four dozen lashes. Every regiment 
 had its provost ; nay, in some there were two, 
 with a proportion of cats.* 
 
 It mattered not who they were, recruits or old 
 campaigners, of which last there were no less 
 than a dozen (Chelsea pensioners), in the com- 
 pany I commanded. Although the rules of the 
 service at first starting were boasted as being 
 purely British, I now found entirely different. 
 
 In the British army there was only one provost 
 in a division of perhaps eight or ten regi- 
 ments. Again, no officer, not even the pro- 
 vost himself, could order a dozen lashes un- 
 less he found the man in the act of plundering. 
 
 Vide, General Order under Evans. 
 
 * " G. O., Head Quarters, San Sebastian, 
 
 " September 2, 1835. 
 
 * * * " All provosts and their assistants are empowered to 
 inflict summary punishment on the breech to the amount of 
 twenty-four lashes, according to the degree of the offence, on 
 soldiers and follotvers of the army committing offences against 
 discipline, plundering, drunkenness, violence, and, in short, 
 everything tending to the subversion of good order in the 
 army. The provost must either witness the offence himself 
 or have it from the evidence of competent eye witnesses ; the 
 punishment in every case to be inflicted on the spot or near 
 the same."
 
 PROVOST SYSTEM. 331 
 
 Below is given a G.O.* issued by the Duke of 
 Wellington. 
 
 I had the misfortune to lose a fine active young 
 officer of my company, — a Second Lieutenant 
 named Robinson. In crossing the river from 
 Bilboa in the dark, by some accident he fell 
 overboard and was drowned. His body was not 
 found until next morning. His father is Cap- 
 tain and Paymaster in the 60th Regiment. This 
 unfortunate young man, like a number of others 
 who died in Spain, had an excellent kit, which 
 was sold amongst the officers of our regiment . 
 
 * " G. O. Head Quarters, Frenada, 
 
 "November 1, 1811. 
 
 " The office of Provost Marshal has existed in all British 
 armies in the field * * * his authoritj'' must be limited by the 
 necessity of the case, and whatever be the crime, of which a 
 soldier may be guilty, the Provost Marshal has not the power 
 of inflicting summary punishment for it unless he should see him 
 in the act of committing it. If he should not see him in the act 
 of committing it, he is directed to report the offence to the 
 Commander-in-Chief of the army, in order that the soldier be 
 tried, and evidence adduced against him. Further the Com- 
 mander of the Forces desires that it may be clearly understood 
 that no offence whatever has a right to order the Provost Mar- 
 shal, or his assistants, to exercise the authority entrusted to 
 them ; nor can the Provost Marshal, or his assistants, inflict 
 punishment on any man, except they should see him in the 
 act of committing a breach of orders and dicipline. Their 
 duty is, by vigilance and activit)^ to prevent those breaches 
 which the Commander of the Forces is sorry to observe 
 are too common, and to pvmish those they may catch in the 
 fact."
 
 332 
 
 CHAPTER XXVII. 
 
 Intention of the Spanish Government respecting our ^vinter 
 quarters — March to Vittoria — Enemy oblige us to go round 
 —The rear of the legion engaged — Baggage divided from 
 it — Commencement of the plunder at Bilbao — Arrival at 
 Castro — Enemy supposed to be in the vicinity — We remain 
 at Castro — March the next day — Mountainous route — An 
 accident — The pass of Las Goras — March to Bonia — My 
 company placed in the advance — Orders to prepai'e for 
 cavalry — Doubts and fears — A narrow escape — Arrival at 
 Breviesca — Breviesca — Head Quarters — My old Patrone — 
 Hints to revolutionists — System of regidar drill begun — 
 Riflemen drilled collectively — I practice my company in 
 sham fighting — Provosts and hardship — Lay in a winter 
 stock of sickness — Legion paid up to November, 1835 — 
 Last payment — March of death — We march for Vittoria — 
 Pass of Pancorbo — The dead Patrone — Approach to Vit- 
 toria — My old recollections — The 45th — Halt about three 
 miles from the city — Spanish troops come out to meet us — 
 Triumphant entry into Vittoria — The veteran Colonel. 
 
 In pursuance of the intention of the Spanish 
 government that the auxiUaries should wintei^ 
 and complete their military discipline in Vittoria 
 or Breviesca, on the 30th of October, 1835, the 
 Legion, in conjunction with a division under 
 Espaftero, commenced its march to those places. 
 It was well known that at this period the enemy 
 were anticipating our movements and intended
 
 PLUNDER OF THE BAGGAGE. 333 
 
 destination, and learning that our route would 
 be on the Durango road, they posted themselves 
 in great strength to give us a warm reception. 
 The formidable attitude of the Carlists, however, 
 induced General Evans to abandon this direct 
 line of march upon Vittoria, not more than 
 twelve leagues distant, and to take a more cir- 
 cuitous, and almost pathless route, of sixty 
 leagues, over a difficult and mountainous dis- 
 trict. 
 
 The main body of the Legion started about 
 six in the morning, but the whole had not 
 quitted till late at noon, when closed in upon 
 their rear by the Guerillas and Carlist peasantry. 
 They became separated from the baggage, which, 
 but for the contiguity of Bilboa, would have 
 been all taken. The consequence was, that 
 almost the whole returned, and was supposed to 
 have been placed under the care of the British 
 Consul and the Alcalde of the city ; who, in 
 conjunction with a few others, actively employed, 
 may be said to have originated the plunder which 
 subsequently devoured almost all the luggage of 
 the Legion officers ; quantities without lists, or 
 any regular accounts, having been indiscrimi- 
 nately heaped in stores, and thence as carelessly 
 embarked for Santander. 
 
 Meanwhile, on the second day's march, we 
 came to Castro, where, as we expected to 
 meet the enemy, my company was selected to 
 form a rear guard in the event of the Carlists 
 attacking our rear. Near the town, as expected,
 
 334 MARCHING. 
 
 a number of the Guerillas, who were always on 
 the look-out, fired on our rear sections, and a 
 poor fellow of the Westminster Grenadiers, who 
 through fatigue had straggled from his regiment, 
 was shot through the thigh. I instantly started 
 a few old soldiers after them, who very soon put 
 them to flight. This was the first time I had heard 
 the whistle of a Carlist ball. ' I then placed the 
 wounded soldier on my pony till we arrived at 
 Castro, where we halted for the night. We found 
 this place to be a wretchedly filthy hole ; a sea- 
 port on the bay of Biscay, and then occupied 
 by two regiments, and some artillery of the 
 Queen's troops. 
 
 At day-break the next morning, we left Castro, 
 and after an advance of five or six miles, a Spa- 
 nish officer who had been riding rapidly to over- 
 take us, informed the General that the enemy 
 were again advantageously posted, and in great 
 strength, awaiting our arrival a few miles further 
 on. On this intelligence we were again ordered 
 to the right about. However, my company, who 
 were on the advance in the morning with some 
 Lancers, received orders from General Reid to 
 remain where we were, until the main body had 
 reached the bottom of a hill, about two miles 
 distant ; but expecting to see the Carlists fast 
 advancing upon us, I thought it more prudent to 
 follow in quick time, with the Lancers behind us. 
 We remained for the night in the small villages 
 round Castro, 
 
 The next day's march was a very harassing one.
 
 FATAL ACCIDENT. 335 
 
 Our route led over high mountains, with scarcely 
 a path, and almost unknown even to our guides; 
 however, for my own part, this was compensated 
 for by one of the most majestic pieces of scenery 
 I ever beheld. The country around us was beau- 
 tifully romantic. The Bay of Biscay, from our 
 elevated position, appearing but a short distance 
 off, while the clouds which encircled that part 
 in our view, kept circhng upwards and throwing 
 a reflection on the serene surface of the sea, that 
 seemed almost enchanting. 
 
 At the entrance of a small village on the hill 
 just mentioned, the rifle of a sergeant Johnson, 
 of my[|company, while on trail, went off, and shot 
 a man named Neal, the ball entering at the back 
 and passing out at the groin. We conducted him 
 to a house where, for want of conveyance, we 
 were obliged to leave him to the mercy of the 
 mountain peasantry ; this poor fellow, strange to 
 say, was brother to the man who, the night of 
 our landing, had been shot by the sentry at Por- 
 tugaletta. They were both flne young men, and 
 deserved a better fate. 
 
 At night, after a fatiguing march, the brigade 
 as usual was quartered in a damp church. The 
 day following we proceeded on our march, but a 
 great deal of anxiety was experienced lest a cele- 
 brated i)ass (las Goras) which we had to advance 
 upon, should be occupied by the enemy. About 
 four o'clock we arrived, but found it in posses- 
 sion of the Queen's troops, and for the first time, 
 we bivouacked in a wood. The next morning
 
 33^ 
 
 FORMIDABLE PASS. 
 
 the harassed and jaded condition of the men 
 was so evident, that we could not proceed until 
 several bullock-carts had been procured. 
 
 On the following morning we continued our 
 march till we arrived at the banks of the river 
 Ebro, the scene of many of my former campaigns. 
 After passing the bridge the prospect became 
 beautifully varied, the Ebro silently meandering 
 in its serpentine course, through a broad and 
 fertile valley, at the base of a chain of mountains 
 which, verging towards the Mediterranean, were 
 here and there dotted with villages and lonely 
 cottages, the scattered husbandmen quietly oc- 
 cupied in the tillage of their fields. 
 
 We still continued to advance for about fifteen 
 miles, through a country increasing at every turn 
 in beauty and attraction, until we entered a very 
 narrow pass, surrounded on every side by stu- 
 pendous and rocky mountains, all rising so 
 abruptly, and to such a magnificent height, that 
 they seemed to threaten destruction to the whole 
 Legion as it passed beneath. 
 
 This formidable passage could with ease be de- 
 fended by a handful of men against several thou- 
 sand. The immense and natural magazines of 
 rocks that appeared to nod distinction to the pass- 
 ing stranger, might be hurled with awful effect 
 on troops marching below. 
 
 Early in the afternoon the Legion reached 
 Onai, a small and very ancient town, celebrated 
 for its splendid and richly endowed monastery. 
 Our brigade Avas quartered for the night in the
 
 AN EXPECTED ATTACK. 337 
 
 monastery, and as we entered, I observed the 
 monks and friars apparently in great consterna- 
 tion, making a hasty exit with their beds and 
 furniture. Time and war had made strange 
 changes in this magnificent convent, originally, 
 built for the reUgious exercises and devotional 
 retirement of its monkish recluses, was now 
 turned into a barrack ; its sacred silence seldom 
 disturbed but by the devotional hum of the pros- 
 trate " sinners," now broken in upon by bois- 
 terous clamour and the sacrilegious intrusion of 
 men whose worldly object and employment formed 
 a strong contrast to the ascetic life of the secluded 
 monks. 
 
 On the 9th of November, very early, we pro- 
 ceeded on our line of march towards Breviesca. 
 An attack of the enemy's cavalry was at this time 
 expected in great force, therefore the whole of the 
 Rifles, prior to marching, were ordered to load. 
 Our Colonel and General Reid called me on one 
 side, and told me, as my company were going to 
 take the advanced guard, they wished me to keep 
 a good look out, as every thing in the shape of 
 cavalry was sure to be our enemy. We had not 
 proceeded more than a mile on the road, and be- 
 fore the morning had clearly dawned, when the 
 advanced files cried out to me the cavalry were 
 formed across the road. I made it a rule, during the 
 march, to leave my two Lieutenants with the rear 
 subdivision, and take the advance myself, as they 
 were inexperienced, and knew little of these mat- 
 ters. I instantly ordered the bugler to sound the 
 
 Q
 
 338 ADVANTAGES OF CAUTION. 
 
 halt, merely to give notice to the hattalion in the 
 rear, and dismountingfrommyponytookoneof the 
 men's rifles. I sent directions for the Lieutenant to 
 see the men get under cover in the most secure 
 manner, in case the cavalry should charge, and to 
 keep up a brisk fire on them. I then advanced 
 to the front file, and immediately challenged the 
 cavalry, then about fifty yards from me, with 
 rifle cocked and half presented. The answer was 
 given, "amigos" (friends.) I then ordered them 
 to advance, which a few did, with their officer, 
 very cautiously. When I found them to be the 
 Queen's troops I allowed them to pass. There 
 was about a troop. Before we had proceeded a 
 quarter of a mile further, we came in sight of a 
 regiment of infantry, which immediately threw 
 out a company in extended order on both sides 
 of the road. This put us on our metal again, 
 and bringing up the rear section, I gave them 
 directions to extend ; but no man to fire without 
 receiving orders from me. We again advanced 
 most cautiously, when I perceived an officer 
 waving a white handkerchief on a sword, and 
 advancing towards me. I instantly met him, and 
 found these also to be Queen's troops, the cavalry 
 which we first met being their advance guard. 
 General M'Dougal and General Reid, with our 
 Colonel de Rottenberg, rode up, and thanked me 
 for the cautious manner in which I had acted, 
 remarking that, had any inexperienced officer 
 been in my place, most serious consequences 
 might have ensued, as the Queen's troops had
 
 WINTER QUARTERS. 339 
 
 taken us for the enemy, not knowing that any of 
 the Legion was dressed otherwise than in red 
 uniform. I jokingly repUed, I had been brought 
 up in Wellington's school, where we were taught 
 to make no blunders. 1 could find, the short 
 time I had been with the Legion, that chief part 
 of the officers did not well know a friend from 
 the enemy. We arrived at Breviesca about four 
 o'clock in the afternoon, much to the joy of the 
 Legion, as it was appointed as a temporary place 
 of rest, if not of winter quarters. 
 
 This march occupied nine days. The distance 
 from Bilboa, by the circuitous and difficult route 
 we had taken, w^as about sixty leagues, which is, 
 upon an average, about twenty English miles 
 a-day. 
 
 Breviesca is an ancient town, of considerable 
 extent situated in an open plain, in the province 
 of Castile ; and is distant from Vittoria about 
 forty miles, and twenty from Burgos ; it is sur- 
 rounded by a mud-wall. 
 
 Head quarters were now at Breviesca, but the 
 town not affiDrding accommodation sufficient for 
 the whole Legion, several regiments were quarter- 
 ed in the adjacent villages. 
 
 The inhabitants of this and the neighbouring 
 localities, had been much oppressed at different 
 periods, and particularly by the French, during 
 the Peninsular war. The old patrone of the 
 house in which I was quartered, gave me a long 
 recital of the exactions he had been subject to, 
 during that period, by soldiers of different armies, 
 
 Q 2
 
 340 REVOLUTION. 
 
 these he related with the tears roUing over his 
 aged cheeks, which no doubt his extraordinary 
 sufferings had mainly contributed to wither. 
 Indeed, the Spaniards since my last sojourn 
 amongst them, had made but very little progress 
 towards improvement. The joint influence of 
 foreign invasion, priestcraft, and civil strife, 
 having so long, and so continually absorbed 
 their energies, that they could scarcely be said 
 to have recovered themselves : their beautiful 
 country, rich as it was in natural resources, 
 now' bore the appearance of a desert, patched, 
 here and there only, by the hands of the culti- 
 vator, who planted in fear, and gathered in 
 trembling, under the dreadful probabilities of 
 having it uprooted, or trodden down by the sol- 
 diers of either party, and himself, perhaps, and 
 his family stretched lifeless amid the ruin. 
 
 If there are any among my readers so lost to 
 common sense and patriotism, as to glory in the 
 prospect of revolution in their own favoured 
 country, let me tell them that the *' lopping" of 
 the limb is a dangerous remedy, and that can 
 scarcely ever be justifiable. Few can wander amid 
 the realities of dissevered, and disjointed Spain, 
 and not to feel the truth of my observation. Her 
 treachery may be a good plea with some, but 
 war, and especially those inappropriately termed 
 " civil" are enough to make any nation treacher- 
 ous, especially when " pretended friends" ride 
 rough shod over the soil and feelings of the in- 
 habitants.
 
 DRILLING, 341 
 
 At Breviesca we commenced a regular system 
 of drilling, but, in my opinion, unless the Rifles 
 were drilled collectively, instead of being exer- 
 cised in light infantry manoeuvres, which last, 
 every practical soldier must well know, was bet- 
 ter adapted to the mountain warfare we were 
 about to engage in, (not only for the Rifles, but 
 for every regiment of the Legion). But instead 
 of this, they were confined to marching round in 
 columns of companies, saluting the General, 
 forming lines, &c. This I pointed out to our 
 Colonel, with a request that we might be allowed 
 fifteen or twenty rounds of blank cartridge, to 
 exercise the men a little in sham fighting ; to 
 this he acceded, and it afterwards proved of 
 great service. 
 
 During the short time we remained at Brevi- 
 esca, the drilling, and the provosting system 
 were as usual carried on most rigorously ; these, 
 with our long and harassing march from Bilboa, 
 together with the damp convents, &c., laid the 
 foundation of all the sickness and mortality that 
 afterwards befell the unfortunate Legion. 
 
 About this time an order came from Madrid, 
 for the whole of the men to be paid up to the 
 last day of November, 1835 ; this was the only 
 settlement that Captains of companies had with 
 the paymaster, until the dissolution of the Le- 
 gion. 
 
 After remaining in this town about three 
 weeks, the Legion marched for Vittoria, leaving 
 two large hospitals crowded with sick.
 
 342 MARCH OF THE INVALIDS. 
 
 The morning of our departure was exceed- 
 ingly inclement, and those who witnessed our 
 march from Breviesca, will not readily forget 
 the scene that presented itself. The ground was 
 covered with snow ; such of the sick as could 
 not be accommodated in the hospitals, in the 
 absence of every other conveyance, were mount- 
 ed upon donkeys, supported on each side by their 
 comrades, and enveloped in old rugs, watch- 
 coats, and blankets, as a protection against the 
 inclemency of the season. As this spectre group 
 moved along in sad and melancholy procession, 
 their gaunt appearance produced a strong sensa- 
 tion upon the troops, as they passed them on the 
 line of march. ' The Englishman commented on 
 their worn and wretched appearance, and com- 
 miserated their sufferings ; while the calculating 
 Scotchman anticipated that before long, such 
 probably, might be their own fate. But an Irish- 
 man roared out from the ranks, '* Prepare to re- 
 ceive cavalry !" and then making a full stop, and 
 scratching his head, as he deliberately surveyed, 
 with a serio-comic expression of countenance, 
 the melancholy cavalcade of invalids, exclaimed, 
 with a significant nod to his comrades, " by Jasus, 
 boys, there's no danger, they are quietly march- 
 ing to tother world !" 
 
 After going through the romantic pass of Pan- 
 corbo, we halted for the night in a mountain 
 village, on the left of the main road. My com- 
 pany was told off to two houses, and as I ever 
 made it a rule to visit the men's quarters after a
 
 REMINISCENCES. 343 
 
 day's march, I found in one of their billets, the 
 patrone and two of his children laying dead, 
 huddled together on some Indian corn leaves, 
 with an old blanket thrown over them, and the 
 unfortunate mother in another corner of the 
 room weeping most bitterly, with an infant in her 
 arms, without fire, or any other thing to comfort 
 her. 
 
 The next day at about two o'clock we came in 
 sight of the city of Vittoria ; its towers slowly 
 emerging to the view as we neared it over the 
 plains. 
 
 I cannot describe how I felt, on again behold- 
 ing this place, so celebrated for the victory we 
 had gloriously achieved here, under our immor- 
 tal Wellington some four or five and twenty 
 years before. The very hedges became familiar 
 to me, — but when we arrived at the village on 
 the main road where we had taken the first gun, 
 and where I so fortunately escaped death, — I 
 could no longer suppress my emotions ; but turn- 
 ing my pony off the road from my company, into 
 the fields, I gave vent to my feelings. Weak 
 as this may appear, it nevertheless is true and 
 I stood as one, — the last of the time -forgotten 
 numbers who had consecrated the scene. I felt 
 as it were amidst them, and, unconsciously look- 
 ed about, as if under the impression that the soil 
 would throw out some of my old comrades. But 
 all was one bleak flat, edged in on either side by 
 mountains, which seemed to rear their heads like 
 tombstones o'er the glorious sleepers at their base.
 
 344 THE BATTLE OF VITTORIA. 
 
 How many a year had passed, — how many a 
 care had done its best to wither up my heart- 
 strings, but oh ! how vain ! I was still the " old 
 soldier !" and though garbed and tilted with the 
 appointments of Captain of a company, it had 
 not altered my nature ; and I verily believe, if 
 the offer could have been made, that I should 
 have given up epaulettes and all for one short 
 hour's converse with my old brother campaign- 
 ers. 
 
 In the midst of my retrospections. General 
 Reid, together with my Colonel, rode up to ask 
 some questions about this celebrated battle, which 
 they were aware I had been present at, but see- 
 ing my discomposed state of mind, they most 
 kindly declined making inquiries. Between the 
 sorrow I felt for those brave companions, who 
 had fallen on every side of me, and the inward 
 pride that burnt in my bosom, as one of those 
 who had assisted in that ever memorable contest, I 
 could not compose my fluttering and overwhelm- 
 ing feeling ; but this agitated state was broken in 
 upon by one of the men of my company, who 
 coming up to me said : — 
 
 " You cannot conceive Sir, how queer I feel 
 at the sight of this town ; for there. Sir, I was 
 born, (pointing to Vittoria) my poor father was 
 dangerously wounded, and while my mother, who 
 so many a time told me the tale, attended to him 
 in the hospital, she took to her bed and brought 
 me into the world." 
 
 I inquired to what regiment his father had
 
 OUR RECEPTION AT VITTORIA. 345 
 
 belonged ; he informed me the 45th, he seemed 
 much affected as well as myself ; I slipped him a 
 trifle to drink to his father's memory. Poor- 
 fellow ! he came to keep his sire company and to 
 fatten the Spanish soil with his own remains, as 
 he died in about a month after his arrival in 
 ' his birth place.' 
 
 We halted for an hour about three miles from 
 the city ; we were joined by a number of Spanish 
 troops, both infantry and cavalry, who had 
 marched out to meet us ; as soon as the chief 
 part of the legion had come up, we proceeded to 
 march into the town, with Spanish bands at our 
 head, playing their national airs. The inhabi- 
 tants had placed over the gates an illuminated 
 globe and festoons of laurels &c.; on the former 
 was an inscription in variegated lamps, 
 
 To the brave and generous English 
 Who fight for the liberty of Nations. 
 
 The windows were crowded with old and young, 
 with beauty and deformity, some perhaps from 
 curiosity, some to welcome, but most of them 
 waving handkerchiefs, shouting vivas and giving 
 other demonstrations of what we supposed to be 
 a universal welcome, — to thousands a welcome 
 to their last home. Banners were hoisted from 
 tower and steeple, and bells jangled in every one 
 of them, and as the darkness set in, the whole 
 town was illuminated and a display of fireworks 
 in the Plaza finished the evening. But alas ! how 
 soon the Spaniards changed their tune ; vre had 
 
 Q 3
 
 346 OLD CAMPAIGNERS. 
 
 not been three weeks in this sepulchre of the 
 unfortunate Legion, before they wished us, Gene- 
 ral and all at the devil. 
 
 I was billeted as luck would have it, on an old 
 Colonel who formerly belonged to the Spanish 
 service and who had fought under the J)uke of 
 WelUngton. He had for some years retired on 
 half pay, and as he was very proficient in the 
 French language and I also had some knowledge 
 of it, we made the time pass very agreeably, 
 entertaining each other with anecdotes of our 
 respective services.
 
 347 
 
 CHAPTER XXVIII. 
 
 Vittoria as it then was — A bad wind that blows nobody any- 
 good — Rifles rather comfortable at first — Severe weather — 
 Morning scenes and cries in Vittoria — The flogging system — 
 Men not starved — A comparison of facts — Hospitals get 
 crammed with sick — Singular economy — The old Colonel's 
 two sons — The chapelgorris decimated by order of Espar- 
 tero — The Rifles march to Matuca — The whole Legion 
 assemble at Matuca — Cordova engaged — A CarhstAdUage — 
 A confession A night retreat — Colonel's anxiety — Aria- 
 ban — Change of looks both in the men and the inhabitants — 
 March to Trevina — Sharp winter of 1835. 
 
 The morning after our arrival, I took the ear- 
 liest opportunity to look about the town, and I 
 passed through the gates on the great road, lead- 
 ing to Parapeluna . On coming to the spot where 
 I fell in with the carriage of Joseph Bonaparte, 
 I found that a convent had been built over it, 
 which was now converted into a hospital for the 
 Spanish soldiers. 
 
 The city and its suburbs, however, were much 
 improved, which was accounted for in the im- 
 mense quantity of money and valuables left by 
 the French, in their hurried flight before the
 
 348 EXCESSIVE PUNISHMENT. 
 
 British troops. Indeed, as the old Colonel as- 
 sured me, the conquerors in that battle were the 
 making of Vittoria and had greatly enriched the 
 inhabitants. 
 
 The Rifles were quartered in a convent, and 
 enjoyed for a short time, more comforts than they 
 had known since their arrival in Spain ; as every 
 three men were allowed a straw mattrass and one 
 blanket, and I made it a practice, as long as I 
 could, to see each man provided every morning 
 with a pint of warm chocolate, at a charge of 
 three-half-pence per day, and also with soups 
 made with rice, flour, &c. This soon became 
 general throughout the regiment. 
 
 The weather set in very severely, and the 
 morning sun not unusually brought on a thaw, 
 after a night which had perhaps left the plains 
 ancle deep in snow. Our drill ground also lay 
 some distance from the city, and it frequently 
 happened that after serving the men with new 
 shoes at the morning parade, preparatory to their 
 going to drill, they as often returned with them 
 torn to pieces by the stiff mud. 
 
 But the most disgusting annoyance I ever met 
 with, was on going to inspect the company in the 
 colonnades of the convent ; as the whole of our 
 Brigade consisting of the Rifles, the 3rd West- 
 minster Grenadiers and the Gth Scotch were 
 quartered here ; every morning therefore at in- 
 spection my ears were saluted with the cries of 
 the unfortunate soldiers, receiving from one to 
 four dozen lashes, for misdemeanours committed
 
 PUNISHMENT IN THfi LEGION. 349 
 
 the evening previous. Indeed it was a dut} 
 imposed upon the captain of the day, to see these 
 punishments inflicted ; but the Colonel agreeing 
 with me that this might be performed by the 
 orderly subalterns, I escaped the unpleasant 
 office. 
 
 General Evans, however, possibly might not 
 really have been aware of the real state of the 
 men, and I should be sorry to say that he did 
 not care. He was very much of the " recluse " 
 at all times, and therefore insurmountable dif- 
 ficulties lay in the way of a man's getting a 
 hearing from him ; consequently there was no 
 hope for the poor fellows, save what might have 
 been expected from the mercy of the Provost, or 
 the whims of his judges, who may be said to 
 have administered as many sentences as would 
 have whipped every man in the Legion twice 
 over, with the exception of hanging, which, in 
 many instances, would have been preferable ; 
 never were punishments carried to such an extent, 
 nor authority so unlimited or arrogated by any 
 men, as that usurped by the chief part of the 
 officers of the British Auxiliaries. 
 
 Meanwhile, however, the reports circulated in 
 England that the men were starved for want of 
 rations were unfounded, as the resources of the 
 neighbourhood, and the fact of our being under 
 the employ of the Spanish Government, opened 
 even a better medium for supply than what for- 
 merly had been allotted to the British army under 
 the Duke of Wellington.
 
 350 A MYSTERY. 
 
 Here the hospitals were soon crammed with 
 sick ; but the most cruel part of this was, a man 
 was no sooner conveyed to hospital, than the 
 chief part of his clothing was taken from him, 
 and given to men able to perform their duty ; so 
 that, if he happened to recover, he rejoined his 
 regiment almost naked. From this cause he ge- 
 nerally got a relapse, returned to hospital, and 
 nothing more was heard of him. To give the 
 reader some slight idea of the number of men 
 who died through want and negligence, I will 
 subjoin the names of Sergeants alone belonging 
 to my own company (observing that I had the 
 charge of what is termed the staff company.) 
 They are as follows : Sergeant-Major Powley, 
 Colour-Sergeant Smith, Pay-Sergeant Madicott, 
 Sergeants Bushel, Watson, and Hornsby, and 
 Armoury-Sergeant Bleakey. 
 
 I remember one day, while sitting smoking a cigar 
 at my quarters at Vittoria, the Colonel's wife rush- 
 ed into the room, and throwing her arms around 
 my neck in tears and in the most heart-rending 
 tone, cried, " Mon Dieu,mon Dieu," and almost 
 fainted. At this moment her husband, the old 
 Colonel entered, with looks and attitude baffling 
 all description ; he approached near me, while 
 his wife still hung on my neck. He stood silent 
 and motionless ; at one moment despair de- 
 picted in his face, the next his eyes glistened with 
 apparent transports of joy, although the tears 
 rolled rapidly down his cheeks. I was transfixed 
 to my chair (while the old lady still remained
 
 THE CHAPELGORRIS. 351 
 
 crying on my shoulder), wondering what could 
 be the cause of this strange visit. But, with the 
 reader's permission, I will unravel the mystery. 
 Some time previously, the Chapelgorris — in which 
 regiment the Colonel's two sons had volunteered 
 — had taken a Carlist village, named LaBastide, 
 and in driving the enemy out, a priest, who was 
 flying with the Carlists, was shot. On the Cha- 
 pelgorris returning to the village, they plundered 
 the church, and drank wine out of the chalice. 
 This was made known to the government of 
 Madrid ; and it was falsely added, that the priest 
 had been murdered in the church, with a view to 
 spoliation. Espartero, the commander of this 
 division, was accordingly written to, and cen- 
 sured for having suffered such an outrage. 
 
 The means he adopted to justify himself was 
 cold, dehberate butchery. Although at the time 
 that this supposed sacrilege was committed, Es- 
 partero called them his noble, brave Chapelgor- 
 ris, on this day — the 12th of December — the 
 bravest of Spanish Soldiers, whose pride it was 
 to fight by the side of the English, were doomed 
 to have their laurels plucked from their brows, 
 and that enthusiastic and loyal spirit broken for 
 ever. The whole of the Chapelgorris were march- 
 ed a few miles on the Miranda road ; and, with- 
 out the slightest notice of what was intended, 
 they were ordered to ascend a rising ground. 
 Here they found a large body of infantry and 
 cavalry, which had preceded them from Vittoria, 
 all drawn up. When they had ascended the hill,
 
 352 Butchery. 
 
 they were ordered to pile arms, and marched to 
 some distance. The cavalry then rode between 
 the Chapelgorris and their arms, when, for the 
 first time, the poor fellows had some idea of what 
 w^as intended. Espartero, who commanded in per- 
 son at this scene, then ordered lots to be cast, 
 and every tenth man was set apart from the rest. 
 These ten were shot in the presence of their un- 
 armed comrades. The Colonel's two sons were 
 ever known to stand side by side in the ranks, 
 but on this morning one of their comrades had 
 taken his position betv/een the two brothers, and 
 this poor fellow, being the tenth man, fell by the 
 ruthless and murderous command of Espartero. 
 When my old host, the Colonel, and his wife, 
 heard of this providential escape of their sons, 
 their joy occasioned the sudden entrance and ex- 
 travagant conduct of the poor old Colonel and 
 his lady, who came to impart the tidings to me, 
 but were too overpowered by their feelings to 
 give them utterance. " But the most horrid 
 part of this butchery was," said the old veteran, 
 who by this time was a little collected, " that 
 the men were not despatched at one volley, but 
 individually, four men firing at each victim, who 
 was placed beside his dead comrades, until the 
 tragic scene was finished." 
 
 In the beginning of January 1836, we left Vit- 
 toria, and marched to a small town on the main 
 road to Salvaterra, called Matuca, about six miles 
 distant. Here we remained several weeks, chiefly 
 occupied in barricading our houses with loop-
 
 THE captain's LADY. 353 
 
 holes, &c., and occasionally going out on the hills, 
 opposite the castle of Guevara, a strongly for- 
 tified place, occupied by the Carlists. 
 
 The whole of the Legion having assembled at 
 Matuca, we moved towards the heights of Aria- 
 ban, where, as Cordova was warmly engaged on 
 our left ; we expected an encounter also, but after 
 manoeuvring for the day, we encamped on a bleak 
 hill without firing a shot. The following even- 
 ing we entered a village just quitted by the Car- 
 lists, where we remained for the night, using every 
 precaution by barricading the doors and windows 
 of all the houses we occupied. Meanwhile, from 
 its being a Carlist village, our men thought it 
 right to make free with whatever fell in their 
 way. 
 
 In the house in which I had taken up my bil- 
 let, the owner was a remarkable pretty woman, 
 with two children ; some of our men picking up 
 a Carlist muster-roll, she confessed to me that 
 her husband was a Captain in Don Carlos's army, 
 and had left her only a few nights before. The 
 house was well stored with wine, and with every, 
 necessary comfort; myself, and my two subal- 
 terns, fared most sumptuously ; our hostess 
 spreading the table with every delicacy the place 
 afforded. She was a very intelligent w^oman, 
 and spoke the French language fluently ; she 
 placed herself under our protection to avoid the 
 importunities of the men, but every thing else 
 these last " gentlemen" could lay their hands 
 upon they did.
 
 354 A DISTRESSING NIGHT. 
 
 We returned to the hills on which we were 
 stationed the day before : bat we still heard firing 
 on our left, and remained here till twelve o'clock 
 at night. After the men had collected wood, and 
 lighted large fires, and laid down beside them for 
 the night (it was severely cold, with frost and 
 snow, and a number of men without even watch- 
 coats,) to our surprise, about midnight, the 
 ** word " was silently passed to " fall in " as 
 quietly as possible, and make the best of our way 
 from the camp-ground, as the Carlists were in 
 great force around us. 
 
 We quietly moved about a mile lower down, 
 across a small river, where, as it was impossible 
 to light fires, we remained, ankle-deep in snow, 
 till the morning. This was one of the most dis- 
 tressing nights I ever experienced during my 
 whole life. In the morning I felt alarmed for the 
 safety of the Lieutenant of my company ; who, 
 being a favourite of the Colonel's, was in the 
 habit of remaining with him. On inquiry, the 
 Colonel told me he had not seen him, and clasp- 
 ing his hands together, he exclaimed, '* Good 
 (jod ! he must be taken and assassinated by the 
 Carlists." Fearing the truth of his supposition, 
 I instantly started for the camp-ground we had 
 left, with some of my company (such as were not 
 frost-bitten by the inclemency of the night,) and 
 on my arriving near the camp, to my pleasing 
 astonishment, I beheld Lieutenant Tottenham, 
 my lost officer, with one or two others, who had 
 not been disturbed by our silent retreat, but re-
 
 TREVINA. 355 
 
 mained comfortably sleeping by the large fires 
 the men had lighted, and most reluctantly left. 
 
 All the honour gained by this Arlaban expe- 
 dition, was about a dozen men, who happened to 
 straggle from the regiments, most brutally butch- 
 ered (by the Carlists ;) on one man in particu- 
 lar, whom Colonel de Rottenburg and myself 
 had stripped, we counted no less than twenty- 
 six stabs through his body; and about half a 
 dozen of my own company also were severely frost- 
 bitten ; indeed from our having no other convey- 
 ance, some of these men were obliged to be car- 
 ried on the backs of their comrades, to save them 
 from falling into the hands of the Carlists. Thus 
 ended the celebrated Arlaban expedition. Cer- 
 tain it is, Cordova did not cause all this by his 
 imputed treachery and bad faith. 
 
 We returned once more to Matuca, our old 
 quarters. I could see the inhabitants did not 
 regard us with the same eye as before w^e started; 
 but it was unjust to look scornfully on our poor 
 fellows, who would have fought if they had had 
 proper men to command them. 
 
 In the beginning of February the chief part 
 of the Legion left Matuca, and, marching to the 
 right, took up their position in a mountain town 
 called Trevina, about four leagues from Vittoria. 
 This town is surrounded by bleak and barren 
 mountains, which the Carlists a short time pre- 
 vious had quitted. The crowded state in which 
 we were in here, caused the men to die by sec- 
 tions. Beside two large hospitals, which were
 
 356 SEVERE WINTER. 
 
 filled, the sick were at last compelled to be sent 
 to Vittoria, guarded by strong detachments, as 
 there were not snfficient places for their recep- 
 tion, and, to crown our misfortunes, during the 
 greater part of our stay here, there was snow a 
 foot deep. The men, although nearly barefoot, 
 were constantly employed barricading the houses 
 and streets in every part of the town, which a 
 short time afterwards we left to the mercy of the 
 enemy. 
 
 The winter of 1835 was one of the severest 
 known in Spain for the last half century, as if 
 the elements also contended against the unfor- 
 tunate Legion. Here we were shorter, both in 
 money and rations, than at any other place since 
 our arrival in the country. We remained about 
 three weeks, and then retraced our steps to Vit- 
 toria ; the men completely harassed by fortifying 
 the place, that after all turned out to be of no 
 use to us.
 
 357 
 
 CHAPTER XXIX. 
 
 Return to ^'ittoria — The mortality and state of the hospitals — 
 Deaths among the medical officers — Scenes in the wards — 
 Legion supposed to be poisoned — Don Jose Elgoez — His 
 first ordeal — A discovery — Execution of the two bakers — 
 Description of the " Garotta" — Legion march and counter- 
 marches — Mode of warfare adopted by General Evans — 
 Frequent desertion. 
 
 At our return, the fever still continued to 
 rage most fearfully, and Vittoria resembled a 
 city infected with the plague. The scenes in the 
 hospital were truly appalUng. The wards were 
 so crowded, that suffocation must have been 
 inevitable, but for the inclement season ; which 
 had free access through the wards, from the 
 entire want of window sashes, and in many in- 
 stances doors, most of wdiich had been destroyed 
 by the monks — the former and forcibly ejected 
 occupants. But this prevention of one evil only 
 gave rise to another equally calamitous ; as 
 scarcely a patient escaped being frost bitten. 
 There was also a total absence of bedding of any 
 kind, or even bedstead, and many a poor fellow, 
 in the height of fever, w^as forced to content him.-
 
 358 HORRIBLE SCENES. 
 
 self with loose straw, and nothing to cover him 
 but a great coat or a rug ; hence the scenes in the 
 wards became disgusting in the extreme. 
 
 At length the medical men themselves began 
 to feel the pestilence, and the casualties among 
 them so reduced their number (for the most 
 attentive suffered first) that the requisite attend- 
 ance could not be given and death strode 
 amongst the sick unchecked. The delirious, 
 the dying, and the dead, were all indiscrimi- 
 nately huddled together, and sometimes mixed 
 up with their groans, might be heard, the cries 
 of some poor fellow undergoing a course, not of 
 medicine, but of cat-o'-nine-tails, which in many 
 instances were resorted to by the medical gentle- 
 men to beat out what they could not cure. Many 
 and many a sick soldier has been accused of 
 skulking, while his thin, cadaverous, wan, fevered 
 countenance alone has dared to belie the charge, 
 made by his tyrants. But happily this was not 
 general. 
 
 I remember going one day to the hospital to 
 see my servant, a worthy, honest Yorkshireman, 
 named Jackson, who at this time was also suf- 
 fering under the dreadful malady. I had to pass 
 through several wards before I arrived at that 
 in which he was ; such a sight I never witnessed 
 before. The raving maniac, in all the degrees 
 of delirium, made the room ring again, and 
 effectually withstood any attempt on the part of 
 the sick only, to keep them from annoying the 
 sleeping.
 
 A DELIRIOUS SERGEANT. 359 
 
 I particularly noticed one, a sergeant major, 
 sitting upright on the mattress. He was hag- 
 gard and worn to a skeleton, with a beard of at 
 least three weeks' growth. The wild and un- 
 settled glance of his eye told at once, that the 
 old soldier was delirious : his mind was actively 
 at work, and he was drilling an imaginary regi- 
 ment, in the most pressing yet deliberate man- 
 ner. I stood to hsten to him. At length, he 
 was interrupted by a brother sufferer in an ad- 
 joining pallet. In an instant he summoned an 
 hospital orderly and in the same imperative tone, 
 bade him go immediately and bring the provost, 
 that he might inflict summary punishment on 
 the delinquent, who had thus dared to commit 
 such a breach of discipline, as to interrupt him 
 in the performance of his duty. The orderly 
 was actually on the point of obeying his orders, 
 when I informed him his patient was not in his 
 right senses. 
 
 The sergeant seemed a veteran, who had seen 
 service ; and from the manner in w^hich he had 
 delivered his word of command, was no doubt 
 well qualified to put a regiment through its 
 manoeuvres. 
 
 The mortality amongst the troops increased to 
 a frightful extent in some regiments, as many 
 as a dozen or fifteen dying of a day, and the duty 
 of attending the dead to their last home became 
 so fatiguing that it was at last done away 
 with altogether. The bodies were carried from 
 the hospitals in cart loads. The surgeons stag-
 
 360 POISONING THE BREAD. 
 
 gered through sickness and laboured under a 
 want of medecines. At length it was whispered 
 about that the bread had been poisoned ; finally 
 the report became so loud, as to cause one 
 general thrill of horror, and immediate steps 
 were taken to discover the agents in so fiendish 
 an affair. 
 
 At length private information having been given 
 to the paymaster of the 7th regiment of the legion 
 he disguised himself, and went about making ob- 
 servations, which resulted in his taking prisoners 
 some agents of Don Carlos, in the act of per- 
 suading our men to desertion, a woman also was 
 amongst them, whose very pretty person was 
 made use of to decoy them off our boundaries to 
 the enemy ; and it was further said, a conspiracy 
 was traced to the house of a baker and his 
 assistant, who up to this time had supplied the 
 legion with ration bread. 
 
 At all events, on the day in question, this 
 pair of demons had already gone through an 
 ordeal enough, to cure even Carlos of his vil- 
 lanies. Some of the Spanish troops for want 
 of immediate rations applied to our com- 
 missariat, and having obtained permission to 
 take their bread from our stores, they had 
 received several hundreds of rations. In the 
 course of the day, however, a number of their 
 men were taken very ill, and many even to 
 sixty in number, it was reported, had died. 
 Whether these deaths be true or not I cannot say, 
 but the cause of their sudden illness was traced
 
 TTIE POISONERS. 361 
 
 to Don Jose Elgoez, who was instantly brought 
 bound to the Plaza and a piece of black bread, 
 slung on a bit of string, being tied round his 
 neck, the men commenced their retaliation. 
 
 Eight or ten of the strongest men in the batta- 
 lion, each armed with a long stafl', were selected, 
 and severally beat him over the back and 
 shoulders, until the culprit dropped powerless 
 and senseless on the ground. He was immediate- 
 ly taken from the scene to prepare for a second 
 ordeal of a more awful character, as his assistant 
 and himself were tried and sentenced to be 
 strangled on the charge of having been in 
 communication with the enemy, &c. During 
 the interval that elapsed between the sentence 
 and execution, great efforts were made by his 
 fellow partizans to get him off. As much as 
 30,000 dollars were offered as a ransom, but all 
 his friends could do was unavailing, and the 
 execution of both men took place in the space 
 outside the new Plaza of Vittoria, before 
 thousands of Spaniards, and the assembled 
 Legion. 
 
 They were executed after the Spanish custom 
 by the garotta. This appeared to me to be a 
 much better mode of fulfilling the last sentence 
 of law, than hanging or the guillotine, and not so 
 disgusting. It was performed as follows : a 
 platform was erected, about three feet high in 
 the centre of which two upright posts were fixed, 
 with a seat in each, sufficiently elevated for the 
 culprits to sit upon. To either post an iron 
 
 R
 
 OO^ THE GAROTTA. 
 
 collar was fitted, made so as to be opened or 
 compressea on one side of the post, by a winch 
 and screw on the opposite. 
 
 The fronts in which their necks were placed 
 were so formed, as, by the relaxing or tighten- 
 ing of the screws, to cause a lingering or instan- 
 taneous death, I should say, as the sentence 
 might dictate. As soon, however, as the exe- 
 cutioner gave the first twist, he rather triumph- 
 antly bellowed out, " Viva !" and then finished 
 the principal, who died in a more lingering 
 manner than his second or r.ssistant. Despite 
 the gravity of the melancholy spectacle, I could 
 not but listen with surprise to the attendant 
 priests, who doubtless were Carlists, exhorting 
 the departing spirits of the pair of prisoners, 
 with the words ' ' Monta a el ciel ! Monta a el 
 cielo !" — Go up to heaven ! Go up to Hea- 
 ven !* 
 
 * I feel bound, before quitting the subject, to declare it as 
 my opinion that the bread was not actually poisoned ; the 
 materials of v/hich it was made, no doubt, were of the worst 
 description, of which the colour, which was of the most disheart- 
 ening black, gave every proof; when two days old it would 
 be as hard almost as wood, and in another similar lapse of time, 
 it would mildew, and become green as old copper. The men, 
 however, who were not taken ill, always fed upon it, from 
 necessity ; while most of the officers, who were served with 
 good white bread (but at a less ration), were equally attacked by 
 the sickness. The baker, therefore, in this respect, did no more 
 than what our own contractors would have done, and which 
 the abominable quality of almost everything sent us went to 
 testify. That he conspired to favour Don Carlos's cause I 
 have no doubt, and the punishment was necessary, and a 
 wholesome one.
 
 OUT-POST DUTY. 363 
 
 Shortly after this our brigade was occasionally 
 sent out to the adjoining villages, for the benefit 
 of the air, and also to prevent the enemy from 
 laying close siege to the town. Indeed, so daring 
 were they, that they frequently at night would 
 come even to the gates of the city, and fire at 
 the first party they saw. This made our mode 
 of warfare different to that to which I had been 
 accustomed to during my former campaigns. 
 Our present plan was to occupy the villages and 
 houses in front of the enemy, and fortify them 
 with loop-holes and barricades, to obviate the 
 necessity of exposing our men to the attacks of 
 an enemy rather more blood-thirsty than the 
 gallant spirits under Soult and his predecessors. 
 
 This was a prudent step in General Evans, as 
 the Carlists we found followed up their practice 
 of stealing on us, under cover of the darkness, 
 aud sometimes under the fogs, which were very 
 frequent, and so firing on our men. While on 
 this out-post duty desertions became very fre- 
 quent, which may be attributed to the offer of 
 seven dollars to every foot-soldier, and twelve 
 dollars to every horseman, who would go over, 
 with arms and accoutrements, to Don Carlos. 
 Amongst the number induced to accept those 
 terms was a piper, well known as " Little 
 Jemmy," of the 6th Scotch, whose Highland 
 costume and uncouth music, at all times, at- 
 tracted a crowd of children about him. While 
 on picquet we could hear Little Jemmy, on the 
 Carlist outpost, playing "Over the waters to 
 
 R 2
 
 364 DESERTION. 
 
 Charlie ;" Jemmy's music proved attractive, too, 
 for numbers followed him, and with them a 
 bugler of the Rifles. This fellow, for the same 
 ends, also used regularly to sound the wine-call 
 three times a day, as a contrast to our own, 
 which was but once during the same period. 
 Letters also were found at our advanced posts, 
 written in English, and promising a return to 
 England, through France, to those who would 
 leave the ranks of the "foreign invaders," (as 
 they termed us). These persuasive offers were 
 in too many instances successful. 
 
 Soon after our brigade was removed to a small 
 village, some short distance from Vittoria, near 
 the main road, where I remember the French had 
 made a gallant stand against the Light and 3rd 
 divisions, it was not unfrequent, during the hours 
 of drill, to notice, here and there, bleached skulls 
 scattered about, melancholy evidences of the 
 sanguinary rencontre. I have often unconsci- 
 ously watched, lest some clumsy fellow should 
 disturb those weather-beaten relics ; and turned 
 to the olden scenes when, perhaps, their very 
 owners fought beside me in many a bloody field, 
 or helped to while away the moments by a camp 
 fire with some humorous recital. 
 
 On one of these occasions our bugle Major, 
 named M'Kay, and formerly a corporal in my 
 own battalion in which he had served during the 
 whole of the Peninsular war, picked up one of 
 the sculls and holding it in his hand whilst he 
 closely and anxiously examined it, coolly turned
 
 A RELIC. 
 
 365 
 
 to me, saying " About this spot, sir, we had 
 several of our company killed, and amongst them 
 my own comrade — poor Allan Cummings ! He 
 fell somewhere hereabout — who knows but what 
 this may be his head."* The old soldier's coun- 
 tenance spoke volumes, and he paused for several 
 minutes, as if in earnest converse with the relic ; 
 at last he muttered out again, " Well, well ! it 
 matters little with the dead ; but what remains 
 of you, if this be yours, Allan, shall be made a 
 foot-ball no longer !" saying which he nodded to 
 one of the buglers, and both, with their swords 
 commenced digging a hole, in which they depo- 
 sited the supposed remains of his old com- 
 rade. 
 
 M'Kay little dreamt how soon his own and a 
 similar fate awaited him, for he himself was shot 
 some short time after, at Andoun ; and singular 
 to relate, one ball struck the Waterloo medal 
 on his breast, and was immediately followed by 
 a second, which finished his career altogether. 
 Poor fellow ! it was through my persuasion that 
 he joined the Legion, he being at the time a 
 Chelsea Pensioner. 
 
 * There were seven brothers of the Cummings in our 1st 
 Battalion Rifles Brigade ; the above Allan was sergeant in tlie 
 band, and killed at Vittoria, 21st June, 1813.
 
 366 
 
 CHAPTER XXX. 
 
 Sudden and unjust dismissal of the officers — Copies from 
 General Orders — Spanish compliments to the French 
 and British Legions — Cordova between two fires — Some 
 French officers resign — Difference betwixt the British and 
 French Legion — Parting moments between a French Colonel 
 and his men — Legion receive orders to proceed to San Sebas- 
 tian — The sick left behind to guard the sick — March 
 through the country to Santander — Arrival at the Convent 
 of Carbon — New clothing — Recruits, &c. — My opinion of 
 the Legion. 
 
 During our stay in and about Vittoria, a 
 practice prevailed of dismissing officers without 
 granting them the right of either a court martial 
 or a court of inquiry, and in some instances on 
 the mere assertion of the commanding officer, 
 and not unfrequently through the silent medium 
 of the Brigadiers. In the Rifles alone, during 
 the above period, there were not less than one 
 captain (Lomax) ; two lieutenants (O'Brien and 
 Villars) ; and one assistant surgeon (Green- 
 wood), dismissed the service under these cir- 
 cumstances. This, whoever it originated from, 
 was excessively cruel, and was particularly ag-
 
 INJUSTICE TO THE OFFICERS. 367 
 
 gravated by the General Orders of the time. By 
 these '* Officers who had resigned their commis- 
 sions, or who had been dismissed from their regi- 
 ments, or departments, were not entitled to 
 receive rations after their resignations or re- 
 movals had been notified in General Orders. 
 Passages to England in vessels employed for the 
 service of the British Auxiliary Legion were not 
 to be allowed to such officers, unless directions 
 had been received from Head Quarters to that 
 effect." To crown the whole. Colonel Arbuthnot 
 (brother-in-law to General Evans), affixed a 
 paper at the portals of his own door, to the effect 
 that officers anxious to return to England might 
 have a free passage, provided they signed a 
 document, prior to going on board, relinquishing 
 all future claims on the Spanish government. 
 
 On our return to Vittoria, and when on the 
 point of leaving, the inhabitants gave a grand 
 ball to the officers of the Legion ; and a piece, 
 entitled " Des Circonstances," was got up at the 
 theatre ; at the same time, in honour of the 
 English, another, entitled " Charles the First," 
 in which that monarch was made a second Don 
 Carlos, and the English who dethroned and be- 
 headed him, were compared to the noble Span- 
 iards then fighting against the tyranny of the 
 Spanish Charles. 
 
 While the French Legion were at Vittoria, 
 they also were honoured with a fete ; the piece 
 selected to flatter their national pride w^as a 
 spectacle representing the life of Napoleon, from.
 
 368 FRENCH AND ENGLISH LEGIONS. 
 
 his first campaign in Italy to his death. But the 
 part he acted in Spain was entirely omitted. Yet 
 Sir Hudson Lowe was not forgotten, nor were 
 allusions wanting to the cruel conduct of the 
 British government towards the Man of the 
 Rock. 
 
 I could not help contrasting the healthy and 
 spirited appearance of the French soldiers to 
 that of the unfortunate English. But the priva- 
 tions the latter had endured, and still were suf- 
 fering, through neglect, and the continued lash 
 of those in command of them, actually had 
 pinched out that noble spirit which I ever found 
 the British soldier to possess. Indeed, I have 
 wondered since that the slightest subordination 
 was kept, under the system of cruelty pursued 
 towards them. Any, or the least dereliction of 
 duty, even the forgetting to touch the hat to a 
 passing officer, was commonly followed by the 
 cats ; while the distant bearing of most of the 
 commanding officers prevented the soldiers' com- 
 plaints being heard : the total disregard also, of 
 the latter to the billets and personal comforts of 
 their men — and in many cases, tyrannical ejec- 
 tions from quarters, where they interfered in 
 the least with those petty despots, had totally 
 alienated the man from the officer. 
 
 But with the " Foreign Legion," composed, as 
 it was, of men of all nations, everything went 
 pleasantly, and officers and men were so alive to 
 each others' welfare, that it extended its secret 
 services even to the unfortunate British Auxili-
 
 FRENCH OFFICERS AND THEIR MEN. 369 
 
 aries. Many and many were the instances in 
 which the miserable Legionite, stretched in liquor 
 on the street, has been dragged by them to con- 
 cealment, to screen him from the lash of the 
 provost. In truth, this sympathy was found 
 among the Spaniards, also, who constantly wit- 
 nessing the cruelty, had became quite alive to 
 the risk the delinquents daily incurred. 
 
 A day or two following that on which Cordova 
 withdrew from the positions about Arlaban, and 
 from between the British and Foreign Legion, 
 who were posted to the right and left of the 
 Spaniards, an occurrence took place which will 
 illustrate the sympathy that existed betwixt the 
 officers of the French Legion and their soldiers. 
 It will be remembered, that in consequence of 
 the above movement, many officers of the French 
 resigned, and Cordova, for the first time, was 
 stigmatised as a traitor. The two Legions with- 
 drew from their advance posts, and a recrimina- 
 tion followed between the Foreign and Spanish 
 Generals. 
 
 At about twelve o'clock in the day, a crowd of 
 French soldiers had collected around the door- 
 way of the house next to that in which I was 
 billeted. Being able to speak French, I inquired 
 the cause of the assemblage, when I was informed 
 that some French Colonel had resigned, and was 
 going back to France, and the men had come to 
 bid him farewell. In a short time the Colonel, 
 who seemed to be an elderly man, made his ap- 
 pearance, and the air resounded with acclama- 
 
 R 3
 
 370 A FRENCH COLONEL. 
 
 tions. The old soldiers flocked around him, and 
 a thousand eyes watched his every look ; many 
 strove to get forward to shake hands with him, 
 and several did ; the veteran seemed much affect- 
 ed. After a little desultory conversation with one 
 aud the other, he, at length, made a move to 
 depart, saying, as he waved his hand, " Adieu, 
 mes enfants — soyez heureux," &c., which latter 
 words I almost lost in the farewells that followed 
 from the soldiers : '* Adieu, mon Colonel !" said 
 some, " Adieu, notre pere !" exclaimed others, 
 and indeed, every one seemed to have some ex- 
 pression of regret suited to the kindness received 
 by them. 
 
 The old man could scarcely suppress his emo- 
 tion, but turning aside, passed his fore-finger 
 and thumb across his eyes to check the anguish 
 that visibly filled them ; suddenly he turned his 
 horse's head up the road, and after clearing the 
 crowd, galloped off towards the gates. In a 
 moment all was gloom, and the soldiers stood 
 watching his retiring form as it swiftly disap- 
 peared in the length and turning of the streets, 
 and then in gentle murmurings retired to their 
 quarters. 
 
 How different were ours ! Few of those in 
 command deserved so much, and none I believe, 
 ever experienced such a parting expression of 
 true soldierly sentiment. 
 
 In the beginning of April, 1836, the British 
 Legion received orders to leave Vittoria, and pro- 
 ceed towards San Sebastian. As it was rumour-
 
 SANTANDER. 371 
 
 ed that the Carhsts were laying close siege to 
 that fortress, and the whole marched with the 
 exception of the 2nd Lancers. Our invalids, 
 however, formed what is called a provisional 
 battalion, and the unfortunates in hospital were 
 left behind under their protection, who, actually 
 were incapable of taking care of themselves. 
 
 At length we reached our destination, (Santan- 
 der), and finally occupied the convent of Carbon, 
 distant about four miles from that town. This 
 place having been a kind of depot for the Legion 
 during our stay in the interior ; we were joined 
 here by a second batcli of recruits from England, 
 and the chief part of the rifles received new great 
 coats, shirts, shoes, and other necessaries, which 
 they stood much in need of. It was astonishing 
 to behold the change made in the exterior of the 
 battalion by this addition to their comforts. The 
 men, for the first time, exhibited a military ap- 
 pearance, which, to a soldier's eye was very pre- 
 possessing. They were a fine set of fellows, and 
 were now ripe and ready for any duty, and only 
 wanted efficient men at their head.
 
 372 
 
 CHAPTER XXXI. 
 
 Embark for San Sebastian — A 32-pounder, and no mistake — 
 A bloody farce — Brains where they were wanted, unfortu- 
 nately — A prize — Arrival at San Sebastian — Anticipated 
 attack — Colonel de Rottenberg taken ill — Major Fortescue 
 — Opinions — His maiden speech — Two companies broke up 
 the others of the regiment — 5 th of May — Attack on the lines 
 of San Sebastian — A hullabaloo — 6th Scotch taken for 
 enemies — Helter skelter — I receive a severe wound — Am 
 carried into San Sebastian — My letter to my wife. 
 
 On the 21st of April, about six in the evening, 
 four companies of the Rifles were shipped on 
 board an English steamer, under the command 
 of Commodore Henry, with orders to convey us 
 to San Sebastian. I was enjoying a comfortable 
 sleep about six o'clock the following morning, 
 when I was awoke by tlie thundering rattle of a 
 32-pounder. This rather electrified me ; and, 
 on jumping on deck, I found the vessel had laid 
 to about half-a-mile from the shore, — the jolly- 
 boat lowered and manned with soldiers and 
 sailors, and in full-pull after two of the enemy's 
 fishing-boats, which with a few soldiers on board 
 ot them, were smartly exchanging shots with 
 
 t
 
 A GALLANT PEDROITE. 373 
 
 ours. The report of the firing, however, at- 
 tracted the attention of a picquet of theirs, sta- 
 tioned near the water's edge, who immediately 
 threw themselves amongst the rocks, and covered 
 the landing of their comrades, while the Com- 
 modore kept blazing away at them with his32's. 
 The Carlists, jumping on land, and deserting 
 their boats made up the rocks to join their com- 
 rades ; our fellows, in the meanwhile, rowing 
 after them till within point-blank reach of the 
 picquet, who instantly began a most spirited 
 retaliation. 
 
 In the midst of this a Capt. N of the 
 
 Rifles, formerly a Pedroite, who had volunteered 
 for the enterprise, suddenly disappeared under 
 the seats of the boat in search of shelter, whilst 
 the men, of their own accord, gallantly returned 
 the fire. They succeeded in bringing away the 
 two boats, but not before we had lost two men ; 
 one sailor, and a soldier, a man of my own com- 
 pany, named Macnamara, who was shot through 
 the head, and fell at full length on the prostrate 
 body of the terrified Captain, and literally 
 drenched him with blood and brains. Thus 
 ended the silly adventure, at the sacrifice of two 
 hves. The boats, not being worth twenty shil- 
 lings, were instantly scuttled, and the tw^o men 
 being dropped overboard, the steamer continued 
 its way. About four in the afternoon we entered 
 the Bay of San Sebastian, amidst the whistHng 
 shots of the enemy, who were firing upon us 
 from the hills surrounding the harbour ; but their
 
 374 AN UNFORTUNATE PROMOTION. 
 
 distance from us precluded the possibility of 
 much danger. 
 
 In San Sebastian, for the first time, our men 
 were comfortably quartered. But our besiegers, 
 who from appearances, were very numerous, 
 gave us every reason to expect a regular brush. 
 They were very strongly entrenched on the op- 
 posite hills, and held complete command of the 
 bay. 
 
 At this period, I am sorry to state, our Colo- 
 nel Baron de Rottenberg, fell sick, and obtained 
 leave of absence ; the command of the battalion 
 devolved of course, on the Major, the next in 
 seniority, named Fortescue. 
 
 This was rather an unfortunate promotion, 
 both for the gentleman and the regiment, as it 
 placed the former in no enviable situation, a few 
 days after ; indeed, it was a mad idea to expect 
 that a young man, who had been but a short 
 period, a Lieutenant in the 4th British Foot, 
 could be properly entrusted with the lives of 
 four or five hundred men at his discretion ; when 
 in action, from what I myself had observed, he 
 was not capable of telling off a company. Baron 
 de Rottenberg, however, who is now serving on 
 the British Staff in America, formerly com- 
 manded the Light Company of the 81st Regi- 
 ment, and was one of the most efficient and best 
 disciplined officers, I ever witnessed. In fact, as 
 the Colonel informed me, his father General de 
 Rottenberg, was the originator of the rifle exer- 
 cise.
 
 A MAIDEN SPEECH. 375 
 
 On the 4th May, at evening parade, the rifles 
 were assembled on the Plaza, and the regiment 
 being formed into square, facing inwards, our 
 new Commander, Major F. thus addressed us. 
 
 *' Rifles ! to-morrow, we are to be engaged 
 with the enemy : they show no quarter — neither 
 shall we — skewer every man of them — take no 
 
 prisoners — skewer every b you meet!" 
 
 Meanwhile the Major imitated a charge with a 
 stick he held in his hand, the men staring with 
 surprize both at him and the order. " Now," 
 said he, taking off" his cap, *' let us have three 
 cheers, my lads," and commencing the uproar, 
 the men joined, and the whole Plaza rung 
 again. 
 
 This was his maiden speech, and I leave it to 
 the reader to judge of its effects, both on officer 
 and man ; indeed, on marching to the private 
 parade ground, I inquired of the Major if he 
 had received the order from the General. " No!" 
 he replied, rather sharply, " I have not; but you 
 know, Costello, it will be only tit for tat." 
 
 Being satisfied at this, I took the opportunity 
 when halting the men, to undo what he had so 
 earnestly wished to impress, by telling them, 
 that the order they had just received to butcher 
 every enemy we met, was not issued by General 
 Evans, and that they came to Spain to be 
 soldiers, not butchers. However blood thirsty the 
 enemy, we as British soldiers were bound to 
 set a very different example, and to treat with 
 less rigour those who might fall into our hands.
 
 376 PREPARATIONS FOR BATTLE. 
 
 I then requested my two lieutenants to use their 
 exertions, and see that the men gave quarter. 
 
 About twelve o'clock the next night, the 
 legion prepared themselves for the test, and the 
 inhabitants of the town were all alive for the 
 forthcoming effort. Prior to our marching, 
 General Reid who commanded our brigade, 
 broke up two of our companies, as he thought 
 their officers in command of them incompetent, 
 and distributed the men amongst the battalion, 
 thus forming the regiment into four companies, 
 each from eighty to ninety strong. 
 
 About three in the morning we slowly moved 
 through the gates towards the enemy's lines, 
 Avhich were not more than three quarters of a 
 mile distant. The Rifles were on the extreme 
 left of the legion, and our battalion marched 
 left in front, so that my company brought up 
 the rear. 
 
 The morning was very dull and heavy, being 
 ushered in by a kind of Scotch mist. The men, 
 however, were in great spirits, and seemed 
 determined to prove themselves worthy of their 
 British name ; my confidence in them was 
 such, that I almost imagined myself in the 
 midst of my old comrades, and panted like an 
 old hunter for the course. 
 
 In a few minutes we commenced ascending 
 the hills, when the enemy opened a brisk fire 
 on us, thus shewing they were not to be caught 
 napping ; and now the well known sound — the
 
 INCAPACITY OF THE OFFICERS. 377 
 
 whistling balls passed over my head — that 
 music at one time so familiar to my ears, that 
 I have often been obliged to breakfast, dine and 
 sup upon its harmony ; this brought my younger 
 days to recollection, as if I had recoiled twenty 
 years ; the Rifles, however, took possession of 
 their first lines, without firing a shot or losing a 
 man. 
 
 Meanwhile, we could hear a very smart firing 
 on our right, where the 7th, 9tli and 10th regi- 
 ments were hotly engaged ; however, as the 
 morning cleared, and the Carlists discovered 
 where we were, began to play very warmly 
 amongst us. The more the shots flew, the 
 greater confusion among the officers, for each 
 imagining his tactics better than his neighbour, 
 assumed the command (especially the Pedroites; . 
 This was further encouraged by " certain drops" 
 which the rawness of the morning, and the 
 *' business in hand," had influenced them to 
 sip rather plentifully, while waiting in the 
 Plaza. 
 
 In this hullabaloo, Lieutenant Macintosh of 
 our regiment, then aid- de-camp to General 
 Reid corning up restored some little order, and 
 actually took command of the regiment, ordering 
 us to march down a lane, a little to our right, 
 where he placed the battalion behind a bank, 
 opposite a Carlist breast work ; — here we formed, 
 right in front — the enemy at this time appearing 
 not more than four or five hundred yards off.
 
 378 SAD BLUNDERING. 
 
 We had scarcely formed and got into order, 
 when our commanding officer, Major Fortescue, 
 cried out, " No. I company, quick march !" 
 
 The men instantly scrambled forward over the 
 bank, that partially covered them ; seeing this, 
 I requested he would allow me to take command 
 of my company, tell me what to do, and it 
 should be complied with. But the Major was 
 too brave a soldier himself, to allow me that 
 honour, and replied only with the word, " Make 
 ready, present fire!" and fire they did, and did 
 some mischief too, for by the Major bringing up 
 their left shoulders more than he should have 
 done, they fired a volley into the 6th Scotch, 
 who were some distance on our right front, and 
 badly wounded fifteen or sixteen of their men ;* 
 this done he instantly ordered the men to fall 
 back behind the bank and reload, (no doubt to 
 give a second dose) when I again requested to be 
 allowed to take the command of my company, 
 remarking that riflemen never fired by compa- 
 nies, but independently and in extended order. 
 I also pointed out to him, his error in firing on 
 the 6th, on which he answered, " You may take 
 them where you like." 
 
 This was all I required, and when the men 
 had finished loading, I gave the word " right 
 face," and bringing them into the lane before 
 
 * This I was informed by the surgeon who dressed them 
 afterwards.
 
 CONFUSION INCREASED. 379 
 
 mentioned, we moved in the direction of the 
 6th who were busily at work. As we approached 
 nearer to the scene of action, one or two of my 
 men being wounded, I took a rifle and ten 
 rounds of ammunition, and placing them under 
 cover, I inquired if they would follow me and 
 undertake to storm a redoubt opposite, all 
 quickly answered, " We wdll, Sir." I begged 
 them to be cool and not to fire, until they closed 
 upon the breastwork, and then get under cover, 
 as soon as possible, extending from the centre ; 
 off we started, at double time, towards their 
 second line of entrenchments. 
 
 I had to pass close to the 6th. Hearing a 
 cheer in my rear, I turned and beheld the re- 
 mainder of the Rifles in close column. The in- 
 defatigable Fortescue in front, twirling a large 
 stick over his head, cheering and charging. At 
 this moment, noticing a deep ravine on the left, 
 I cried out to the men to bring up their left 
 shoulders, and close to the right, so as to 
 avoid it ; but before this could be accomplished, 
 the Major and his men got intermixed with 
 the 6th. Here the confusion increased, belter 
 skelter, pell mell, as the balls began to tell 
 fearfully among us, while the enemy seeing 
 our confusion, plied them to advantage, and to 
 mend the matter part of my company also 
 became intermixed with the remainder of the 
 battalion ; endeavouring to get them into some- 
 thing like order, tw^o balls struck me at the
 
 380 I AM WOUNDED. 
 
 same moment, one grazing the skin of my left 
 thigh, and the other entering under the right 
 knee joint, passed downward through the ham, 
 and out at the calf of the leg. 
 
 The brave fellows of my company stuck to 
 me gallantly, and the instant I fell flew to my 
 assistance and bore me to the rear. I was 
 carried back to the lane, whence we started, and 
 on my leg being dressed, I discovered that the 
 ball had entered an old wound made by a French 
 bullet at the action of Almeida, July 24th, 1810. 
 But it had come out in a different direction. I 
 was next placed on a stretcher and conveyed to 
 my old quarters at San Sebastian. As the men 
 were carrying me down the hill towards the 
 town, I observed two steamers in full play, 
 throwing shells into theCarlist redoubts. These 
 mainly contributed to the success of the morn- 
 ing, by the skilful manner in which they directed 
 their shells into the enemy's works. When a 
 little recovered from the loss of blood, after my 
 arrival at my quarters, I wrote the following 
 letter to my wife, which in some degree may 
 serve to show my feelings and opinions at the 
 time the action was fought. 
 
 '' San Sebastian, May 5, 1836. 
 
 " My dear Charlotte, 
 
 " I dare say by the time you receive this letter, 
 he streets of London will be crowded with
 
 LETTER TO MRS, COSTELLO. 381 
 
 fellows bellowing out, * The unfortunate Legion 
 is killed to a man, and poor Costello is no more.* 
 But if you have not purchased the widow's weeds, 
 I request you will not do so, as I am not yet 
 half killed ; certainly I have an extra ball through 
 my old trunk : and this I should have escaped 
 had I not exposed myself, perhaps rather unne- 
 cessarily, in endeavouring to keep the brave 
 fellows of my company in something like 
 military order. 
 
 " All were commanders, from the Second 
 Lieutenant to the Major. It appeared to me, 
 in truth, the Legion is not a school for the 
 young soldier to acquire knowledge, nor the old 
 to get credit. How different, indeed, were 
 things carried on in the British Army, there, i'l 
 the very height of the most desperate conflici, 
 all was cool and collected, and every officer's 
 word could be distinctly heard, at the slighicot 
 cessation of firing. 
 
 " The officer who commanded our regiment 
 to-day is a smart young fellow, and might be of 
 some service in a country fair in Ireland, with 
 a good shilelah ; but to command four or five 
 hundred men in action with fire-arms, against a 
 hardy race of mountaineers well disciplined, is 
 quite a different thing. I cannot say how many 
 of our regiment were killed, as I was reluctantly 
 compelled to leave them, by a ball passing 
 through my right knee , yet I hope I shall not 
 lose my limb. ]\Iy kindest love to our dear 
 children ; but do not think the worst, my dear
 
 382 LETTER TO MRS. COSTELLO. 
 
 Carlotte, — you shall soon again hear from 
 me. 
 
 " Affectionately yours, 
 
 " E. CoSTELLO. 
 
 " Mrs. Costello, 29, Hinden Street, 
 Yauxhall Road, London." 
 
 J
 
 383 
 
 CHAPTER XXXII. 
 
 The loss of my company in the late action — Apprehensions 
 about my leg — Medal and pewter — A candidate for Knight- 
 . hood — Captain Plunkett — His death, &c. — A Rifleman 
 assassinated — Fire eaters — Sketch of San Sebastian — Lord 
 John Hay's battery — Ramble towards Passages — Some- 
 thing serious — Awkward squads — Singular decline of Spa- 
 nish Bigotry — A Sectarian alarmed. 
 
 I HAD scarcely finished writing my letter 
 when word came that the Legion had taken pos- 
 session of the enemy's works, and compelled the 
 Carlists to retire. The loss sustained by my 
 company in the action, was one sergeant, one 
 corporal, and six privates wounded. As soon 
 as the news was made known, the bells were set 
 ringing, and the guns fired from the castle and 
 walls of the garrison, in honour of the victory ; 
 at night the town was illuminated, with other 
 demonstrations of joy by the inhabitants. 
 
 For several days I felt great apprehension 
 about my leg, as it had swollen to almost double 
 its natural size, and had changed to a livid 
 colour, while the nails of the toes fell off". I was
 
 384 PEWTER MEDALS. 
 
 now on the eve of fifty, and although in excellent 
 spirits, doubted my constitution being strong 
 enough to undergo amputation. But from evil 
 we sometimes derive good ; it proved so in my 
 case. This being my sixth confinement through 
 gun-shot wounds, I had acquired some skill in 
 the art of healing. My doctor, I found, knew 
 but little in such cases : his theory was obliged 
 to give way to my experience ; and as the know- 
 ledge of a disease is half its cure, I practised on 
 myself. By this means, and strict attention to 
 diet, &c., I was enabled, in the short space of 
 two months, not only to leave my bed, but move 
 about on crutches. For this I have additional 
 reason to be thankful, as few of the ofiicers, so 
 disabled, have as yet procured the least remu- 
 neration from the Spanish government. 
 
 For their conduct on the 5th of May the men 
 were honoured with pewter medals, in imitation 
 of those of Waterloo, and which may be fre- 
 quently observed appended to the ragged vest- 
 ments of the unfortunate remnant of the Legion, 
 numbers of whom are daily to be seen begging 
 in every large town of the kingdom. A de- 
 spatch was also sent from Madrid, conferring 
 the order of St. Ferdinand on those officers who 
 had most distinguished themselves, amongst 
 w horn 1 was named as one. But the honour of 
 the thing was almost lost in the indiscriminate 
 manner in which it was distributed. Numbers 
 procured the distinction without the least claim 
 to either skill or courage, and caused a deal of
 
 GAINING DISTINCTION. 385 
 
 dissatisfaction amongst the really deserving 
 officers, as the following humorous facts will 
 sufficiently show. 
 
 There were three captains billeted in the same 
 house as myself, and amongst them a Captain 
 
 , who, on the morning of the fight, left the 
 
 field and took to his bed. The doctor, on visit- 
 ing him, under the idea that he really was 
 wounded, could discover, however, neither the 
 least scratch, nor even bruise. This got wind, 
 and naturally enough caused a stir among his 
 brother officers, and the Captain was obhged to 
 resign. But he had formerly been in the service 
 of Don Pedro, and found a friend and powerful 
 advocate in the person of his old chieftain, 
 through whose interest he regained his captaincy, 
 and, to the surprise and indignation of the chief 
 part of the officers, actually in a few days at- 
 tained a majority, and had the order of San Fer- 
 nando conferred on him. Two officers of the 
 Rifles also bought the same honour at the price 
 of a dozen of champagne. But this last w^as 
 through the then acting Commander of the re- 
 giment. 
 
 The Spanish government, with their profusion 
 of honours and pewter, also paid the officers their 
 arrears up to the month of March, 1836, in bills 
 on Colonel Carbonel, in London, at the time pay- 
 able on delivery ; the last and only payment ever 
 made during the service — the officers having 
 been obliged to manage on their field-allowance. 
 
 About this time we were joined by a number 
 
 s
 
 386 DEATH OF CAPTAIN PLUNKETT. 
 
 of convalescents from Vittoria, consisting of 
 officers and men. My old friend, Captain Plun- 
 kett, came with them. This veteran soldier, 
 who had formerly served in the 60th Rifles, and 
 was now on half pay, by an apathy generally 
 evinced to those of the British service, found 
 himself spurned and deserted by the chief part 
 of the officers of our regiment who were, as 
 before stated, almost entirely composed of Pe- 
 droites. He was, at this period, very poor, and 
 was constantly seen in the market place, selling 
 his necessaries to procure the little requisites of 
 an invalid. But through want and neglect he 
 at last got a relapse, and took to his bed. In this 
 extremity all he had was disposed^ of. But for 
 my accidentally noticing his servant selling his 
 first, and now the last, resource of a soldier, his 
 sword ! he might have died unnoticed. I hobbled, 
 however, as well as I could, to his quarters and 
 was only in time to witness his expiring agonies. 
 Poor Plunkett, strange to say, was the creditor 
 of the Spanish government to the amount of 
 150/., though he died actually through want. 
 
 The gloom consequent on this, however, was 
 not permitted long to settle. Our leisure mo- 
 ments in San Sebastian were ever pregnant with 
 incident, and one scarcely occurred ere some 
 new event monopolized the attention. I had 
 proceeded but a short -distance from my deceased 
 friend's quarters, when my glance was directed 
 to a crowd of the Rifles clustered in confusion 
 round a door-way. Another victim ! A poor 
 
 I
 
 AN ASSASSIN. 387 
 
 fellow named Graham, through mistake, had 
 entered an apartment where a woman lay in hed. 
 On perceiving him she screamed out, and hefore 
 the man could retire, her husband, alarmed by 
 her cry, met him on the stairs, and without any 
 parley, the Spaniard plunged a knife into his 
 body. The unfortunate Rifleman lay weltering 
 in his blood, and died a short time after. The 
 assassin was never sought after, nor any means, 
 either civil or military, taken to bring him to 
 an account. He walked at large in the sunlight, 
 and plainly exhibited to us how little was to be 
 expected from the sympathies or vigilance of our 
 ofiicers. 
 
 There is little interesting at this period of my ca- 
 reer, excepting the casual scenes that came under 
 my observation during my strolls. Full opportunity 
 was now presented me to remark on the changes 
 that had worked themselves on the manners, 
 customs, and prejudices of the inhabitants, and 
 the ridiculous and extreme folly of \\\q fire-eaters 
 of the Legion. I was now more a spectator than 
 an actor, and claim, of course, the proverbial 
 superiority. 
 
 Sometimes at morn, or early towards the even- 
 ing, I amused myself in strolling about the walks 
 of the neighbourhood. San Sebastian is rather 
 pleasantly situated. To the left, as you approach 
 this fort-crowned peninsula, the Urumea winds 
 its course over some of the prettiest valley scenes 
 I ever beheld. Its banks now exposed to the 
 view the different positions and batteries of the 
 
 s 2
 
 388 SAN SEBASTIAN. 
 
 conflicting parties. A little to the extreme in 
 the same direction, and separated by a rising 
 ground, some four miles across, is Passages, a 
 town somewhat resembling Dartmouth, with 
 this difference, that its port is formed by an in- 
 let of the sea, and not by a river. To the right of 
 the Urumea, and divided from it by a natural and 
 narrow neck of land, the Bay of San Sebastian 
 forms its oval basin, of navigable depth, with a 
 point of land studded with a lighthouse, form- 
 ing one boundary to the entrance, which is pro- 
 tected and completed by the steep, and castle on 
 the other. A small island lies between them 
 both, and on this Lord John Hay had raised a 
 battery of cannon. My quarters were contigu- 
 ous to the breech made by Wellington in 1813 — 
 now distinguished only by the new appearance 
 of the rebuilt wall. It was curious to no- 
 tice, as I limped about, the little squads of 
 duellists scattered here and there, and particu- 
 larly towards the evening. " Twelve paces" 
 were all the " go," and they sometimes proved a 
 dangerous distance ; for many of the combatants 
 were seriously wounded. These were lament- 
 able proofs of the heterogeneous character of the 
 officers of the Legion ; for during the whole of 
 my career in our own service, I never knew of 
 but one duel which proved fatal to one of the 
 principals. 
 
 These singularities in the Legion were never 
 much to the taste or approbation of the Spa- 
 niards ; they naturally, however other changes
 
 CHANGES. 389 
 
 might have influenced them, still clung to their 
 old dislike of fighting, and rather looked upon 
 us as so many powder-barrels, or rather mon- 
 keys, than as partaking in their own peculiar 
 imperfections. But that spirit of bigotry which 
 had formerly possessed the prejudices of the 
 Spanish people had almost entirely vanished be- 
 fore the stride of improvement. This was most 
 probably owing to the introduction of the foreign 
 disputants during the last thirty-five years ! 
 Scarcely a monk was to be found at this time, 
 though the monasteries held their old situation. 
 Even the lovely dark eyed nuns had forsaken 
 their cloisters, and seemed to breathe a new life 
 under the more enlightened state ; as regarded 
 religious enthusiasm, I w^as astonished at its de- 
 crease. On one occasion, among several others, I 
 especially noticed it. This was evident on the festi- 
 val of Corpus Christi ; the streets through which 
 the procession w^ound were certainly hung with 
 what a zealot might call the richest tapestry, 
 but in which I could acknowledge scarcely any- 
 thing but old carpets, women's dresses, and old 
 bed counterpanes, &c. Triumphal arches were 
 also erected, and the procession was attended as 
 usual, by the civil and military authorities, and 
 by detachments from the difterent regiments of 
 the garrison with their bands preceding them : 
 the priests and canons also thickly followed after 
 them. As they passed where several British offi- 
 cers and myself stood gazing amid a crowd of 
 the inhabitants, I took off my hat, but except
 
 390 INTOLERANCE. 
 
 two or three old women, who went on their knees, 
 not one of the natives followed the example, 
 or even showed the slightest respect. This 
 dereliction at one time, in Spain, would not 
 have escaped severe penance. Indeed, under the 
 Duke of Wellington, the guards always turned 
 out, and British soldiers were compelled to salute 
 the Host as it passed. 
 
 But in my strictures on the old Spanish into- 
 lerance, let me not forget a little circumstance 
 reflecting a taint of the same nature, even from 
 our own toleration-loving countrymen. " Let 
 me alone, and I will let you alone," is too quiet 
 a doctrine for even sectarians : and the two great 
 contending parties on such weighty matters can 
 scarcely allow themselves breathing time, ere the 
 bone of contention which they had laid aside, 
 is again seized on by these little ones. The truth 
 of this was brought very forcibly to my mind 
 some few days after the festival, when on a visit 
 to the cathedral of San Sebastian I was amusing 
 myself staring at the paintings, &c., when my 
 attention was diverted to a tall, gaunt-looking, 
 British marine, (the marines were doing duty with 
 the Legion, at this time), who entered one of the 
 portals, as I thought, on the same errand as my- 
 self ; turning himself about two or three times, 
 and casting sundry contemptuous glances at the 
 different images and embellishments, his eye 
 chanced to ahght on the person of an old official 
 in a kneeling posture between two females, ab- 
 sorbed in prayer. The marine's eye brightened 
 
 1
 
 A METHODIST. 391 
 
 with indescribable expression. Taking off his cap, 
 which till then he had neglected to do, and wiping 
 down his long carroty wiry hair, over a low retir- 
 ing forehead, which reminded me of Mawworm's 
 in the play, he suddenly darted to the back of 
 the priest : 
 
 " Hypocrite," he shouted, suddenly interrupt- 
 ing them, while he pointed to the crucifix before 
 which they knelt; "What do you expect by 
 praying to those bits of timber ? Hath not the 
 Lord said, ' Thou shalt not make to thyself any 
 graven image,' &c." He was continuing, when 
 the trio, as if electrified by the foreign accent, 
 instantly started up, screaming out, and cross- 
 ing themselves, " Que, que quiere usted ?"(What 
 do you want ? what do you want ?) 
 
 "Eh !" said he again, motioning them to the 
 crucifix. "Don't you know the second com- 
 mandment, * Thou shalt not bow down to them.' " 
 The old man, terrified, immediately appealed to 
 me for protection. I ordered the marine instant- 
 ly to leave, and would have given him in charge 
 of the guard, had I not discovered it was his over 
 zeal and not drunkenness, as I at first imagined, 
 agitated him so ; luckily for the methodist, there 
 were only a few in the chapel, as had it been in 
 the time of service, the congregation would cer- 
 tainly have made a martyr of him.
 
 392 
 
 CHAPTER XXXIII. 
 
 Disorganised state of the Legion — Three months' pay — A holi- 
 day — The 6th and 8th Scotch lay down their arms — Rea- 
 sons — My wishes to retire from the Legion — I give up the 
 command of the company — A reflexion — I embark for San- 
 tander — Report myself to Colonel Arbuthnot — My new com- 
 mand — The convent of Carbon • — Short description — Inha- 
 bitants of — First sample — A speculation — A Quarter-master's 
 conscience — I place him under arrest — A horse ! A horse ! 
 
 About this period nothing could exceed 
 the disorganised state of the Legion (the men 
 being now full six months in arrears of pay). 
 Disgusted with the privations they had endured 
 through the Spaniards and their own officers, 
 and clamorous for their money, they at last broke 
 out into open mutiny, and carried it to such a 
 pitch, that they even refused to mount guard, 
 much less meet the enemy, unless their demands 
 were satisfied. Three months' pay, at length, 
 by a general levy on the inhabitants, was with 
 difficulty procured, and given to them. But the 
 confusion, nevertheless, grew even more terrible. 
 The whole neighbourhood instantly became one 
 
 I
 
 INSUBORDINATION. 393 
 
 scene of uproar and beastly intoxication : the 
 guard-houses were nightly tilled with men, and 
 every hedge and ditch w^as strewed with drunken 
 soldiers. Had the CarUsts attempted to surprise 
 the Legion quartered in the villages and farm- 
 houses in advance of San Sebastian, I have no 
 doubt that not ten of a company would have been 
 found able to stand to their arms, and the whole 
 must have been cut to pieces. Many of the 
 unfortunates who had so abused their hard earn- 
 ing, found themselves wofully deficient the next 
 morning, the more sober or wdde awake ones 
 having picked their pockets during their insensi- 
 bility. These, however, on discovering their 
 deficiency, in turn took to robbing their comrades 
 even of great-coats, shirts, shoes, and even their 
 rations. This became so universal, that com- 
 plaints to the officers became altogether useless, 
 for scarcely one could " cast the first stone." 
 
 I must here remark, that a great number of 
 the men had enlisted only for a twelvemonth, 
 and held documents to that effect, signed by the 
 officers who enlisted them. Their time of ser- 
 vice was now up, and w^hole companies of the 
 Gth and 8th Scotch gave notice to their officers, 
 and the next day followed it up. I was present 
 when they piled arms, and hung their accoutre- 
 ments upon them. The whole Legion, however, 
 was in such a state of insubordination, that it 
 was with much ado they could muster enough 
 men to march the delinquents to the castle, 
 (which was effected after all only by stratagem), 
 
 s 3
 
 394 PREPARATIONS FOR LEAVING. 
 
 from whence they were shipped on board a stea- 
 mer to Santander and Santona. 
 
 I now began to feel tired of an inactive life ; 
 and as my wounds were of a nature to disable 
 me for future service, I expressed a wish to the 
 General then commanding the brigade, that a 
 medical board should examine me. He spoke to 
 the Adjutant-General on the subject, who sug- 
 gested that a month or two at Santander might 
 recover and enable me to rejoin. To this, I, of 
 course consented, and got in readiness for start- 
 ing. I made up my books, and settled with my 
 company, up to the last day of April, 1836, giv- 
 ing credit to the Spanish government for one 
 sergeant-major, five sergeants, three corporals, 
 and sixteen rank and file, who died in hospital at 
 Vittoria. I gave up the command to my first 
 lieutenant, de Burgh. 
 
 I was not a little delighted at the anticipated 
 change of scene, and looked anxiously for the 
 time of my departure. San Sebastian, at one 
 time so welcome to me, from pride and military 
 reminiscences, had now sunk into the medley of 
 strange and indescribable events I had so lately 
 partook in. I was on the point of leaving — 
 perhaps for ever— a Legion from whicii I had 
 expected so much, but now, alas ! nothing. 
 Truly, with Hamlet, I might have exclaimed, — 
 
 Take it for all in all, 
 
 I ne'er shall look upon its like again. 
 
 Nor did I ever wish it — so much abused, badly 
 used, and worse officered.
 
 CONVENT OF CARBON. 395 
 
 After getting my little necessaries packed, and 
 on board, accompanied by my servant, I em- 
 barked for Santander. I must leave it to tlie 
 the reader to imagine my feelings when on the 
 deck of the James Watt steamer, as it weighed 
 anchor, and carefully made head out of the har- 
 bour. Little did I anticipate how great a change 
 was to be presented before me ; the horrors of 
 Vittoria sank into insignificance before those of 
 the convent to which I was on my way. 
 
 In the course of thirty-six hours we readied 
 our destination, over a distance of about one 
 hundred miles. I landed immediately, and pro- 
 ceeded to report myself to the Commandant, 
 Colonel Arbuthnot's quarters, from whom I re- 
 ceived orders to go instantly and take charge of 
 the Convent of Carbon. 
 
 The Convent of Carbon is situated at the ex- 
 tremity of a bleak morass, about four miles from 
 Santander, and presents one of the most gloomy 
 aspects imaginable. It is a large square building, 
 enclosing an extensive court and colonnade, and 
 has much the appearance of what it really now 
 was — a great gaol. The ground around it is 
 almost impassable for a dry foot, particularly in 
 damp weather. Napoleon, during his stay in the 
 neighbourhood, made it once his resting-place for 
 a night, and reviewed his army on some of the 
 adjacent grounds. The monks who had then, 
 and up till very lately occupied it, were scattered 
 about in the neighbouring hamlets, and were de- 
 pending on small pensions granted them for their
 
 396 A MISERABLE GROUP. 
 
 losses by the Spanish government, and on the 
 charity of the peasantry. The Convent had long 
 been a depot for the auxiliaries, and a sort of 
 magazine for stores, ammunition, &c. The com- 
 mandant was generally some field-officer, whose 
 power was almost despotic, and particularly se- 
 cure from complaint, as Colonel Arbuthnot sel- 
 dom, if ever visited it. 
 
 On my arrival, the first thing that caught my 
 attention was a number of Spanish sentries posted 
 round the different entrances and inside. On 
 entering I beheld a miserable-looking group, 
 seemingly belonging to the Legion. Anxious to 
 see the Commandant whom I was to relieve, I 
 found him in bed, in almost the last stage of 
 fever; his name was Deacon, Captain of the 1st 
 Regiment ; he had formerly been a Lieutenant 
 in the British Marines. There were also, besides, 
 several officers convalescent, and a number of 
 men disabled through wounds, &c. But the major 
 part of the inmates were composed of the 6th and 
 8th Scotch, to the number of two hundred and fifty 
 — being the men who had laid down their arms at 
 San Sebastian. The officer appointed to officiate, 
 during the Commandant's illness, was the Quar- 
 ter master of the depot, and one who might be 
 well compared to a land-shark. 
 
 I had scarcely left the sick Captain's quarters, 
 when one of the Ritles placed in my hand a small 
 bit of paper written on with a pencil, and begging 
 me to call at tlie guard-house and see their con- 
 dition. I followed him immediately, and was
 
 A SPECULATION. 397 
 
 proceeding to open the door, when an effluvium 
 of the most fetid description obliged me to retire 
 outside the building, I gave instant orders for 
 the prisoners to come out, and fall in before me ; 
 and out came thirty-six of the most cadaverous- 
 looking objects man ever beheld. The room from 
 which they thronged, and their misery-stricken 
 haggard forms and countenances, would have 
 well typified the horrors of the Hole of Calcutta. 
 It had been formerly used as a stable by the 
 monks : the only window was now blocked up 
 by the miserable beings to keep out the northern 
 blast. 
 
 Here, upon inquiry, I was informed they had 
 been placed on nothing more or less than a spe- 
 culation of the Quarter master's, who taking ad- 
 vantage of an order issued by Colonel Arbuthnot 
 *' to deprive all prisoners of their meat and wine," 
 had confined these invalids (for that they really 
 were,) and was in the habit of occasionally send- 
 ing the proceeds and selling them at Santander. 
 of this I afterwards found every proof. I, of 
 course, immediately released the whole, ordering 
 them to their rooms ; and the next morning gave 
 directions for every one to fall in, prisoners as 
 well as invalids. It would be impossible to por- 
 tray a faithful picture of the miserable creatures 
 before me. They stood like beings just come out 
 of the grave : their eyes sunk in their heads — 
 and their countenances with want, filth, and the 
 confinement, hardly recognizable. Scarcely a 
 dozen of them had even jackets or shirts, and
 
 398 THE QUARTERMASTER. 
 
 not one either shoes or stockings, and many were 
 covered only with a ragged rug. Their daily al- 
 lowance had heen a pound and a half of black 
 bread, and water ad libitum ; and if they strayed 
 beyond the boundaries to get a little maize or 
 Indian corn to eke out their miserable pittance, 
 they had, perhaps, a leaden bullet from the Spa- 
 nish sentry, to digest, for their temerity. 
 
 But in this there was but little difference be- 
 tween the prisoners and the invalids, excepting 
 in the rations, the latter having meat and wine ; 
 but even thus they were but little better off — the 
 meat being most unfairly dealt out to them, and 
 the wine measured in a tin, out of which it es- 
 caped as through a cullender. This utensil, from 
 its antique appearance, seemed to have been one 
 of those used by the fifty daughters of Danaus, 
 who could not have been better provided. 
 
 After a few days, and as soon as I got a little 
 settled, I determined on searching into the cause ; 
 and, as a first step, on an opportunity offering, or- 
 dered the Quarter master under an arrest, which 
 he refused to answer, but taking horse, rode off to 
 Santander. I had been influenced to this by per- 
 ceiving one day a quarter of beef and other things, 
 waiting in a cart at the gate to be sent to town. 
 On my asking him about them, 1 was answered 
 that they were surplus provisions, sent by the 
 Depot Commissary, and he was sending them 
 back ; but guessing the true cause, 1 did as 
 above. 
 
 I, however, as quickly procured one of the
 
 A CUNNING FELLOW. 399 
 
 Lancers' horses and set off after him, and suc- 
 ceeded in bringing him to a cpurt of inquiry some 
 short time after. I had innumerable witnesses, 
 and amongst them his own sergeant and the ser- 
 geant-major. But the court was either inefficient 
 or something worse ; so that the affair was bol- 
 stered up, and he escaped to resume his old tricks 
 — which, however, I counteracted as much as lay 
 in my power. But he was a cunning fellow ; 
 and, if bribery could have gained me, he certainly 
 tried it on, for never was a table better provided 
 than mine and the officers who messed with me. 
 But I had my eye on him, like an old soldier's 
 on a fugleman, and watched his every move, 
 ment.
 
 400 
 
 CHAPTER XXXIV. 
 
 An orderly dragoon puts us all in confusion — A stir — Retreat 
 upon Santander — The dangers of forgetfulness — Cure for a 
 fever — We return to our old quarters — Captain Shields and 
 Major Clark's visit — An appeal — A new mode of raising 
 " Volunteers " — Glory or death by famine — One hundred 
 and twenty men are starved into the service again — Scene in 
 Santander — British soldiers and subjects — More assassina- 
 tions — A cold-blooded Spaniard— ^A peace-loving Comman- 
 dant — Captain Oakley and his " cats" — Continued horrors 
 of the convent — Assassination — A relief from purgatory — 
 A conclusion. 
 
 In consequence of the weakened state of the 
 garrison and the convent, the inhabitants and 
 Commandant of Santander were in constant fear 
 of incursions from the enemy, who seemed to be 
 beating about the neighbourhood. Indeed, at 
 one time they crossed a river, some three leagues 
 distant from the town, on the Madrid road, by 
 means of pontoons, obhging the Spanish troops 
 doing duty thereabouts to retire upon Santander. 
 
 One evening an orderly dragoon came post- 
 haste from Colonel Arbuthnot, to inform me that 
 the Carlists were beating about our quarters,
 
 A RETREAT. 
 
 401 
 
 with orders to hold myself, the whole of the 
 prisoners and convalescents, in readiness to leave 
 the convent at a moment's notice ; but not to 
 stir until the Spanish guard doing duty over the 
 convent had retired, in which case our retreat was 
 to he covered by them. — Covered by them, in- 
 deed! Here was a pretty predicament ! upwards 
 of three hundred British soldiers, without arms, 
 under the auspices of a parcel of Spaniards ! We 
 had not a single stand of fire-arms, excepting my 
 servant's rifle ; for even the lancers, that were 
 performing orderly duty, had been deprived of 
 all but their swords. I instantly sent for the 
 sergeant-major and acquainted him with the or- 
 ders received, directing him to get the men in 
 readiness. I then ordered a couple of the lan- 
 cers to ride round and reconnoitre, and being 
 assured by the Captain of the Spanish guard of 
 his duly warning me before he marched, I laid 
 myself full dressed on my bed. 
 
 I had just dozed off, when in drove two of the 
 dragoons, informing me that our Spanish guard 
 had retired, and that there was every reason to 
 believe that the Carlists were in the wood behind 
 the convent. 1 instantly ordered the men to fall 
 in as quiet as possible, and placing them under 
 the command of Lieutenant de Becker of the 6th 
 and placing Captain Deacon (who at the time had 
 blisters applied to his head and breast) on an old 
 door, borne on the shoulders of men, off they 
 started. Having thus cleared the convent, the 
 sergeant-major, a few dragoons, and some Irish-
 
 402 A FALSE ALARM. 
 
 men armed with sticks, covered their retreat. 
 As we were about to follow the rest, two Spanish 
 soldiers made their appearance, nearly out of 
 breath, with their muskets and bayonets fixed. 
 It appeared that, in their hurried flight, they had 
 forgotten the Captain's cloak. Here was a lucky 
 chance ! — Up went their heels and down they 
 went on their backs, and, in a twinkling, their 
 muskets and pouches were wrenched from them 
 and shouldered for our own protection. The 
 reader is, I expect, with his hair on end, antici- 
 pating some dreadful encounter ; but this, after 
 all, turned out, like most of our air-castles, to be 
 nothing but a bottle of smoke — though contrary 
 to expectation, it certainly saved the life of Cap- 
 tain Deacon, whose illness took a turn through 
 the confusion, and he recovered rapidly. 
 
 Fortunately the night was of a fine starlight, 
 and we reached Santander at about three in the 
 morning, and discovered that the whole blunder 
 was occasioned by the Spanish troops moving 
 without orders ; we of course returned to our 
 old quarters. 
 
 Shortly after this, two officers — Captain Shields 
 of the 8th, and Major Clark of the 6th, were 
 sent from head-quarters to persuade, if possible, 
 the men to rejoin their regiments. They requested 
 me to order them to fall in ; which I did, — 
 and the whole formed in a field opposite the 
 convent. 
 
 The two officers, as their eyes first glanced on 
 the gloomy ranks before them, stared in silent
 
 INJUSTICE TO THE SOLDIERS. 403 
 
 astonishment. " Good God!" at length ejacu- 
 lated Shields, with deep emphasis, " can it be 
 possible that these men once formed my old com- 
 }.any, the grenadiers 1" It was too true. 
 
 Clark, stepping forward, appealed to them as 
 their old officer, and pathetically begged of them 
 to listen. Shields did the same. But they 
 v/ould not, they said, say or do anything until 
 Captain Costello had given his opinion, — on 
 whom, as an old soldier, they relied for just and 
 practical advice. 
 
 At this, I of course came forward, and ad- 
 dressed them somewhat to this effect : — 
 
 That the winter was fast approaching, and it 
 was the intention of the General to keep them 
 there during that season : the privations conse- 
 quently, which they would have to undergo would 
 be even worse than those they had already ex- 
 perienced. Under these circumstances, there- 
 fore, and the prospect of better food, and the 
 chances that might, more than probably, offer 
 themselves for their escaping through the Pyre- 
 nees into France, which closely bordered on San 
 Sebastian, I would strongly urge them to return 
 to their regiments. I spoke to them as a man, 
 and as I had once borne a musket, as a soldier. 
 Their claims I acknowledged as just.* 
 
 Here they all produced their agreements, duly 
 
 * Vide 1st article of conditions of service : — 
 " I. The time of service to be for one or two years, as may- 
 be preferred by the individual engaging to enter her Majesty's 
 service.
 
 404 THE STARVING SYSTEM. 
 
 signed by the officer with whom they first engag- 
 ed, to serve for one or two years, as might be 
 preferred by the individual so entering the service 
 of her Cathohc Majesty, the Queen of Spain. 
 
 Being empowered to grant full rations to those 
 who volunteered, I also promised them imme- 
 diate relief to their hunger. 
 
 They requested a quarter of an hour's conside- 
 ration, and in that time decided, on condition of 
 further certificates being given them, so that they 
 should be obliged to serve only for the two years 
 from the time they first engaged. These, signed 
 by Colonel Arbuthnot and myself, were after- 
 wards given them ; and a number, to the amount 
 of fifty non-commissioned officers and privates, 
 who that night volunteered, sat down, for the 
 first time for many months, to a bellyful, — but 
 these only were allowed it, which in this case was 
 a wise though a cruel expedient, for that meal 
 bought their birthright, and, for the sake of a 
 similar supply to the cravings of nature, then al- 
 most extinct, eighty more signed their names, 
 making in all one hundred and twenty.* 
 
 * The whole of these two regiments were almost entirely 
 Scotch, — a people whom I ever found justly submissive and 
 brave. Each man of these signed his name himself ; and, by 
 the ready manner, gave full i)roof of their being well informed 
 as well as intellectual. It will be recollected, also, that, up to 
 the time of their laying down arms, they had carried them only 
 on a matter of good faith ; for not one of them had taken the 
 oath of allegiance to either the British or the Spanish Govern- 
 ments. In the Rifles none laid down their arms or joined the 
 discontented. I had raised them myself; and they were the
 
 MELANCHOLY SPECTACLE. 405 
 
 The next morning it was my duty to march 
 them to Santander, and embark them on board 
 a steamer, for San Sebastian. But to get them 
 ready for this was a difficult task, for many of 
 them had not even — as I before stated — clothing 
 to cover their nakedness. The convent was ran- 
 sacked everywhere : all the old rugs were soon 
 monopolized, and divided amongst them ; and 
 even the old parchment records which had been 
 left by the monks, were converted into covers for 
 decency. 
 
 I never shall forget the sight, as these poor 
 fellows slowly emerged from the convent. Num- 
 bers alone kept them going, when, perhaps, sin- 
 gly, each man would have died rather than have 
 undergone such an exposure ; that blush which 
 should have for ever dyed the cheeks of their 
 oppressors, now mantled up those of the un- 
 fortunate victims, and they bent their heads in. 
 agony as they hurried through the streets of San- 
 tander. The inhabitants, struck at the melan- 
 choly procession, murmured, as they crowded 
 after them, " Povtcs Ingleses ! povres Ingleses !" 
 (Poor English ! poor English !) So much for 
 the generous English, " defenders of the liberty 
 
 only regiment that had not been buoyed up with false represen- 
 tations. The deficiency of allegiance was universal, I believe, 
 in the Legion ; and, under thcs^e facts, I feel surprised that any 
 man was punished by court-martial. They virtually were not 
 a Spanish or a British force, and constituted mere camj) fol- 
 lowers, answerable only — with certtiin exceptions — to civil 
 authorities, and not to their officers, who, I presume, are now 
 accountable to British laws for the cruelties they inflicted.
 
 406 FULFILLING ORDERS. 
 
 of nations." It was a great relief to me to see 
 them on board. I returned to Carbon the same 
 evening, and found those whom I had left in a 
 state of mutiny ; for two of their number had been 
 wounded, during my absence by the Spanish 
 guard. One, belonging to the Lancers, had been 
 shot through the arm ; the other, one of the 6th, 
 had received a bayonet stab in the breast. This, 
 I was informed, was occasioned by their having 
 strayed beyond the boundaries. I spoke to the 
 Captain of the Spanish guard on the cowardice 
 of his men firing on the unharmed English. He 
 answered me only with a shrug of the shoulder. 
 My blood rose at his apathy, — old times, when 
 I myself had been, as it were, one of themselves, 
 flashed across my memory, and lighted up the 
 indignation that now stifled all thoughts of my 
 rank and present distance. I felt as a man ; and 
 could not forbear telling him, that, had his Bri- 
 tish victims been armed, I would have made him 
 pay dearly for his cold-blooded villany. But the 
 phlegmatic scoundrel had neither courage nor 
 sympathy, and, so far from granting me the sa- 
 tisfaction 1 required of him, shrunk from me with 
 the hangman's plea, that he had merely fulfilled 
 orders. 
 
 What most surprised me was, that the men, 
 naked as they were, had not rushed on the 
 Spaniards, and taken their arms from them. 
 But, on second reflections, I attribute this want 
 of spirit to their half-stai^ved, weakened condi- 
 tion, — surrounded, too, as they were, by officers
 
 COLONEL ARBUTIINOT. 407 
 
 on whom even their claims of compatriotism 
 seemed lost amid the general apathy to every 
 manly feeUng. 
 
 I had the poor men conveyed to the general 
 hospital, and put myself immediately in commu- 
 nication with Colonel Arbuthnot. But the gal- 
 lant Commandant of Santander had become so 
 completely Spanish, that no reply even was sent ; 
 and I was obhged, at last, to press the matter 
 personally. 
 
 " We must not quarrel with the Spaniards/' 
 was all I could get out of him. On my return 
 I used every means in my power to alleviate 
 their forlorn condition. But my authority, as 
 Commandant, was a mere mockery, for we were 
 entirely at the disposal of the Spanish guard. 
 It was truly painful, despite the frequency of the 
 scene, to witness the daily return of misery. 
 Midnight, that hour when wretchedness gene- 
 rally forgets itself in sleep, seemed to have lost 
 its influence here, its silence being broken by 
 the passing footsteps of those unhappy men, as 
 many passed the time telling over the oft re- 
 peated list of grievances, while they promenaded 
 the gloomy avenues and colonnades of the old 
 convent. At times, and when the moon shone, 
 the whole building had the appearance of a 
 splendid mausoleiim, and the sufferers as they 
 passed from cell to cell, looked unearthly, and 
 put me in mind almost of the fabled and ghastly 
 inhabitants of the other world. 
 
 By custom, however, we got so familiarized
 
 408 REVOLTING TYRANNY. 
 
 to every thing revolling, that, at length, these 
 horrors became as ordinary matters of course. A 
 journalist would have thrown his pen aside, in 
 the monotony of daily cruelty ; and I myself, by 
 the lapse of a few years, am only now, as it were, 
 aroused from the lethargy it had thrown me into. 
 I look back with a thrill. I see them still, as 
 it were, before me, — the fierce look ! — the quick 
 order ! — the lash ! — and the gaunt, misery- 
 stricken countenances of one hundred and fifty 
 men, and all the changes their tyrants had rung 
 amongst them ! 
 
 Finding my complaints so unavailing, 1 made 
 up my mind to quit the service ; and, intimating 
 my wishes to head-quarters, that a medical 
 board might examine my wounds, I handed over 
 my commandantship to a Captain Oakley, of the 
 2nd Lancers. I met this gentleman on his way 
 to the convent, with a couple of sets of cats, 
 which he had procured from the British frigate — 
 I believe the Castor — then lying in the harbour 
 of Santander, He pulled them out of his pocket, 
 and, with an air well suited to his meaning, gave 
 me to understand that he would have no " non- 
 sense !" 
 
 While awaiting an answer from head-quarters, 
 I was obliged, much against my inclination, to 
 remain at the convent. This, however, gave 
 me an opportunity of witnessing his first essay 
 at the command. The wants and privations the 
 men had hitherto endured he did not deem suffi- 
 cient ; and, as a last resort, they were, to the
 
 MURDER. 409 
 
 number of one hundred and fifty placed at the 
 top of the building, in one room, the windows of 
 which having been totally demoHshed, laid them 
 open to the northern aspect, in the cold month 
 of November, without even the poor advantage 
 of a fire-place. Two Spanish soldiers were posted 
 sentry, with loaded muskets, to prevent ingress 
 or egress. One of these was employed to escort 
 the men to the closet, one at a time, by day ; and, 
 at night, a large tub, placed in the centre of the 
 room, served every purpose till morning. 
 
 I was one day on my return from Santander 
 to this gloomy prison-house, when I met a party, 
 bearing on their shoulders, the body of a man on 
 a shutter, to the general hospital. On inquiry, 
 I found his name to be John Bryant, of the 6th 
 — an invalid, not a prisoner. This poor fellow, 
 it appeared, while by order of Captain Oakley, 
 in the act of cutting a few boughs, to make a 
 broom to sweep the cloisters with, was watched 
 by one of the Spanish soldiers, and, while in the 
 tree, deliberately shot. Poor Bryant fell instant- 
 ly through the branches, mortally wounded, the 
 ball entering at the breast and passing out at the 
 shoulder. He died the same night ; but, as 
 usual, his murder was not taken the slightest 
 notice of. 
 
 An order at length arrived, and a medical 
 board having sat accordingly, I was pronounced, 
 through wounds, unfit for further service. I 
 packed up my traps, and hastened to leave the 
 neighbourhood. I felt as few ever felt before ;
 
 410 CONCLUSION. 
 
 and, even now, seated in my family circle, 
 though years have intervened, seem to breathe 
 anew the freedom I experienced at my delive- 
 rance from this worse than purgatory. 
 
 Thus ends my mihtary career; which, little 
 as it can boast of leading incident, may yet 
 prove interesting. I shall, however, feel con- 
 tented if it but assist to wile away a dull hour, 
 or keep alive the recollection of personal enter- 
 prise among those of my veteran comrades whom 
 war has permitted to live and peruse it. It is 
 but a plain, unvarnished attempt to relate my 
 individual adventures ; and, perhaps, like the 
 works of most men, might have amused its 
 author, but for the fatigues and intricacies of 
 compilation. " The fame of a scholar," an 
 eminent writer has observed, " is acquired only 
 in solitude ; and he connects but a chain of 
 silent and cool reflection." With me it is diffe- 
 rent : all my recollections are mixed up in ex- 
 traordinary broils and confusions, which make 
 it no easy task, from out so great a variety, to 
 connect even the few incidents, thus huddled 
 together in the 
 
 Adventures of a Soldier. 
 
 THE END. 
 
 L O NDO N: 
 VRIXTED BY 8CUUI.ZB AND CO., 13, POLAND STRSBT. 
 
 (/ 
 
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 33 
 
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