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 ||W-'|V -
 
 THE 
 
 LIFE OF LORD HILL.
 
 London : 
 
 Pi-irted by A. Spottiswoode, 
 
 New- St reel- Square.
 
 .Hichmoaa.
 
 THE LIFE 
 
 or 
 
 LORD HILL, G.C.B. 
 
 LATE 
 
 COMMANDER OF THE FORCES. 
 
 THE EEV. EDWIN SIDNEY, A.M. 
 
 AUTHOR OF THE LIVES OF THE REV. ROWLAND HILL AND SIR RICHARD HILL, AND CHAPLAIN 
 
 TO THE VISCOl'NT HILL. 
 
 SECOND EDITION. 
 
 S WiLLiaW: 
 
 Lord HiIVs Column at Shrewsbury. 
 
 LONDON: 
 JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET. 
 
 1845.
 
 
 IJIIKARY 
 
 UJSIVERSi ; OF ( ALIFORNIA 
 
 SANTA EARBAKA 
 
 TO 
 
 THE QUEEN'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY, 
 
 BY HER SIAJESTY's GRACIOUS PERMISSION, 
 
 AND 
 
 WITH A VIVID SENSE OF THE HONOUR CONFEKRED ON 
 
 THE MEMORY OF 
 
 THE LATE LORD HILL, 
 
 BY SUCH A DISTINGUISHED MARK OF HER MAJESTy's ESTIMATION 
 OF HIS lordship's SERVICES, 
 
 ^bis iSarratib£ of jbis Hife 
 
 IS 
 MOST HUMBLY DEDICATED, 
 
 BY HER majesty's DEVOTED SUBJECT AND SERVANT, 
 
 THE AUTHOR. 
 
 A 3
 
 PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION. 
 
 The papers of the late Lord HiU having been con- 
 fided to my discretion with a view of presenting the 
 public with the narrative of his Life, I have endea- 
 voured to produce a faithful delineation of his rare 
 and estimable character. I have reason to believe 
 that my being selected as his biographer is, in a great 
 measure, due to the friendly approbation expressed 
 by his Lordship himself, and his nearest relatives, of 
 the manner in which I had discharged a similar duty 
 with regard to his two uncles, the Reverend Rowland 
 Hill and Sir Richard Hill. Thus encouraged, I ven- 
 tured on the task proposed to me, and with the more 
 readiness, because the history of the military achieve- 
 ments of Lord Hill has been already written in the 
 Despatches of the Duke of Wellington and the official 
 accounts of the battles in which he was engaged. My 
 endeavour in the present volume has been to compile, 
 from the materials preserved by himself and supplied 
 by his friends, an authentic detail of his own life, 
 and to make himself the principal narrator of his own 
 interesting career. Enough of his corresj)ondence and 
 memoranda has been preserved for this purpose, the 
 chief attraction of which will be found in that sim- 
 plicity of style whereby his own accounts of the 
 transactions in which he was engaged are rendered 
 intelligible to every class of readers. 
 
 A 4
 
 viii PREFACE. 
 
 I trust I have sufficiently acknowledged in the 
 progress of the work the assistance I have derived, 
 and the communications I have received, from the 
 friends and admirers of Lord HiU. Not a single ap- 
 plication was made to any one of them, of whatever 
 station, that did not receive the most kind and 
 favourable attention. 
 
 I have now only to hope for the indulgence of the 
 pubhc, and trust it will be found that I have not, in 
 the discharge of my office as a biographer, forgotten 
 the higher and more solemn one of a minister of the 
 
 Gospel. 
 
 EDWIN SIDNEY. 
 
 Acle, near Norwich, 
 Marcli 19. 1845. 
 
 SECOND EDITION. 
 
 The favourable reception afforded to this Memoir has 
 brought it to a reprint. I have found it necessary to 
 make only a few slight corrections, for which I am 
 principally indebted to those who accompanied Lord 
 Hill in his campaigns, and who have encouraged me 
 by their approbation of my volume. I have now only 
 to offer them my thanks for this assistance, and to 
 claim the kindness of future readers. 
 
 EDWIN SIDNEY. 
 
 Acle, near Norwich, 
 August 29. 1845.
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTEE I. 
 
 Characteristics of the Hill Family. — The First Sir Rowland Hill. 
 
 — His Namesake Lord Hill. — His Parentage and Birth. — His 
 Brothers and Sisters. — Compliment of George IV. — Mr. John 
 Hill. — Lord Hill's Memoranda of his early Life. — His Conduct 
 at School. — His Modesty and delicate Health. — His Sensibility. 
 
 — Anecdotes. — Chooses the Army. — His own Account. — 
 Obtains an Ensigncy in the 38th Regiment. — Goes to a 
 Military Academy at Strasburg. — Lieutenant in the 53rd. — 
 Returns to Strasburg. — Tour. — The Bottle of Champagne. — 
 Scotland. — Popularity in his Regiment. — Made Captain. — 
 L*eland. — L'ish Toilet and Wedding. — Toulon. — Prediction 
 of General O'Hara. — Action at Toulon. — Narrow Escajie. — 
 Lord Mulgrave and Captain Hill. — Wounded. — Takes Home 
 Despatches. — Major in the 90th. — Mr. Graham. — Lieu- 
 tenant-Colonel of the 90th. — Robespierre and O'Hara. — 
 Events of the Day. — Stadtholder at Hawkstone. — Isle Dieu. — 
 Gibraltar. — General O'Hara. — Sir Ralph Abercromby. — 
 Plans, and their Alteration. — Remarks - - Page 1 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 Change in Colonel Hill's Plans. — His Pocket Journal. — General 
 Whitelock. — Voyage. — Gibraltar. — General O'Hara. — The 
 Pegasus. — Curious Dinner. — Indisposition of Colonel Hill. — 
 The "Diversion." — Malta. — Proceeds to Egypt. — Lord Keith. 
 — The Landing. — Battle of the 13th of March. — Colonel Hill 
 wounded : saved by his Helmet. — Taken on board the Fou- 
 droyant. — Battle of the 21st: mortal Wound of Sir R. Aber- 
 cromby: he is carried to the same Cabin with Colonel Hill. — 
 His Death. — Capitan Pacha. — Presents. — The brave 90th. —
 
 X CONTENTS. 
 
 Campaign continued. — Colonel Hill's Notes. — The Grand 
 Vizier in the British Camp. — Evacuation of Egypt by the 
 French. — General Hope. — Congratulations. — Joseph Wil- 
 loughby. — Conduct of the 90tli. — The Wet Carpenter. — 
 Death and Character of General O'Hara. — Results of the 
 Egyptian Campaign Page 31 
 
 CHAPTER in. 
 
 Colonel Hill arrives in England, April 1. 1802. — Fete at Hawk- 
 stone. — Letter to Mr. Winfield. — Increase of the 90th. — 
 Ireland. — Colonel Hill made Brigadier- General. — Leaves the 
 90th. — His Proceedings in Ireland. — Alarms. — Empty Casks. 
 — The Galway Volunteers. — Precautions against the expected 
 Invasion. — Disaffection, and consequent Measures. — Signals. — 
 More Alarms about the French. — Activity on this Account. — 
 Ai-rears. — Lord Cathcart's Commimication. — Rumours, and their 
 Contradictions. — Vexatious Obstacles. — Disputes. — Another 
 Look-out for the French Fleet. — Impartial Character of General 
 HilL — He leaves Galway.— Amicable Society. — Verification 
 of a Remark of the Earl of Buchan - - - . 5 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 Preparations for the Continent. — Letters of the Duke of York 
 and Lord Cathcart. — Expedition to the Weser. — Christmas- 
 day, 1805. — General Hill's first Interview with Sir Ai'thur 
 Wellesley. — The Return from the Weser. — Pilot's News off 
 Yarmouth. — Death of General Hill's Mother. — Encampment 
 on Shorn Cliff. — Made Major-General. — Ireland again. — 
 Remains thci-e till ordered in 1808 to join Sir Ai-thur Wellesley. 
 
 — First Peninsular Campaign. — Pi-eparations. — Correspond- 
 ence. — Departure. — Voyage. — Landing in Mondego Bay 
 
 New Arj-angements. — Noble Bearing of Sir Arthur Wellesley. 
 
 — His Instructions for the first Movements of his Troops on the 
 Continent. — Battle of Roli^a Battle of Vimeiro. — Conven- 
 tion. — Sir John Moore. — His Campaign Battle of Coruiia. 
 
 — General Hill brings home Troops to Plymouth. — Kindness 
 of the Inhabitants. — Death of Sir Richard Hill. — General Hill 
 appointed to the Third Garrison Battalion. — Sent to Portugal. 
 
 — Anxiously expected by Sir J. Cradock. — Letter of Sir J. 
 Cradock. — Sir Arthur Wellesley arrives at Lisbon - 67
 
 CONTENTS. XI 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 Soult at Oporto. — Movements of Sir Ai-tliur Wellesley. — General 
 Hill commands the 3rd Division of Infantry. — Operations at 
 Lake Ovar. — Passage of the Douro. — Paget wounded. — 
 General Hill takes the Command. — His Success at the Semi- 
 nary. — Flight of the French towards Vallonga. — Letter of 
 General Hill. — Coolness of his Brother Clement. — Dido. — 
 Abrantes. — Victor. — IVIistake of Lord Castlereagh. — IMr. 
 Mackworth. — Movement towards Spain. — Cuesta. — Talavera. 
 
 — State of Affairs. — Sudden Attack of the French. — Battle at 
 Nio-ht. — Battle in the Morning. — General Hill's own Accounts 
 of both. — His Escape. — Conduct of Cuesta and the Spaniards. 
 — ■ Letter from Merida. — Letter from Montijo. — Lodgings in 
 the Farm-House. — Rural Pleasures. — Badajos very gay. — 
 Major-General Hill made Lieutenant-General. — Huntsman. — 
 Offer of Lord Wellington .... Page 91 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 Abrantes. — "Works. — Portalegre. — Hostess. — General Hill's 
 Movements. — Firmness of Lord Wellington. — General Hill 
 and the INIarquis de la Romana. — All quiet. — Letter of Mr. 
 Clement Hill. — Instructions for crossing the Tagus. — Sur- 
 render of Ciudad Rodrigo. — Regnier. — Letters of Romana. — 
 Movements. — Sarzedas. — Regnier not near enough. — General 
 Hill receives Lord Clinton in a Chapel. — Mutual Politeness of 
 English and French. — Almeida. — General Hill quits Sarzedas. 
 
 — Fearful Array. — General HiU ascends the Mountain of Bu- 
 saco. — Splendid Scene. — Battle on the Mountain. — Lord 
 Wellington and General Hill. — Regnier too near. — Services of 
 General HiU at Busaco. — Grand Spectacle by Night. — The 
 French decamp. — Movements of General Hill. — Lines of 
 Torres Vedras. — General HiU's Position. — Parties of Pleasure 
 from Lisbon. — Letters of General Hill. — His severe Illness. — 
 Sir W. Beresford commands for him. — General Hill goes home. 
 
 — Recovers. — His Anxiety to return to the Army - 123 
 
 CHAPTER VIL 
 
 General Hill's Return to the Army. — He arrives at Head- Quarters. 
 
 — His Welcome. — Extracts from his Letters. — Makes the
 
 Xll CONTENTS. 
 
 Acquaintance of the Prince of Orange. — Villa Vi^osa. — Por 
 talegre. — Letters of General Hill. — Portuguese Troops. — 
 General Hill operates against Girard. — Ai-royo de Molinos. — 
 Surprise of Girard. — General Hill's Hurrah. — Humour of the 
 Highlanders. — Panic of the French. — Pursuit on the Sierra de 
 Montanches. — Triumph of the Day. — Escape of Girard. — 
 Prince D'Aremberg and other Prisoners. — Lord Wellington's 
 Satisfaction at this Achievement. — Recommends General Hill 
 to the Prince Regent. — General Hill's Popularity with the 
 Ai*my. — His own Description of Arroyo de Molinos. — Flat- 
 tering Congratulations. — Captain C. Hill takes home the De- 
 spatches. — His Reception in England. — Letter of Prince 
 D'Ai-emberg. — Lord Mulgrave. — General Hill promised the 
 Order of the Bath. — New Movements. — Estremadura. — Ciudad 
 Rodrigo. — Gallantry of Colonel T. N. Hill. — New Plans. — 
 Speech of the Prince Regent. — Investment of the Order of the 
 Bath. — Sir Rowland Hill's Repugnance to be called by his new 
 Title. — Supporters. — Fall of Badajos. — New Projects. — 
 Almaraz -------- Page 157 
 
 CHAPTER Vni. 
 
 Major Currie at Head-Quarters. — His Letters to Sir Rowland 
 Hill. — Reception of the News from Almaraz in England. — 
 The Guerillas. — Letter of Joseph Bonaparte to Drouet. — Sir 
 Rowland Hill prepared. — Sir Rowland arrives at Albuera. — 
 His Caution and Judgment. — Letters to Lord Wellington. — 
 His Lordship's Wishes anticipated. — Zafra. — Prudent Consi- 
 derations. — Lord AVellington enters Madrid. — Soult alarmed. 
 
 — Movements of the French. — Sir Rowland crosses the Tagus. 
 
 — Examination of Mirabete. — Letter from Carpio. — General 
 Alten. — Sir Rowland "well posted to stop King Joe." — Ara- 
 vaca. — Sir Rowland marches to join Lord Wellington. — Re- 
 ports. — Sir Rowland reaches the Plains of Old Castile. — Close 
 Communication with Lord Wellington. — Sir Rowland elected 
 
 Member of Parliament for Shrewsbury. — Rolleda Coria. — 
 
 Winter Quarters 197
 
 CONTENTS. XI 11 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 Lord Wellington's Circular. — Neglect of Religious Instruction in 
 the Army. — Remonstrances. — Religious Soldiers. — Sir Row- 
 land Hill's Personal Influence. — Striking Description of it. — 
 Lord Wellington goes to Cadiz. — Sir Rowland in command. — 
 Ballesteros. — News from Russia. — Effect on the French. — 
 Officers' Reports. — Plundering prevented. — Bejar. — Captain 
 Egerton. — Sir Rowland Hill's Account of the Enemy's Force. — 
 Long Marches. — Dinner al-fresco. — March. — Castle of Burgos 
 blown up. — King Joseph enters the Basin of Vittoria. — Route 
 of Sir R. Hill. — Splendid Scenery. — Starving Portuguese. — 
 Battle of Vittoria. — Pampeluna. — Approach towards France — 
 Sir Rowland ascends the Pyrenees. — The first to drive the 
 Fi'ench out of Spain. — Letters concerning Officers. — Soult in 
 command of " the Army of Spain." — The Battles in the 
 Passes of the Mountains. — Tei'mination of the Conflicts of the 
 Pyrenees. — Roncesvalles. — St. Sebastian. — Sir T. N. Hill. — 
 Sir Rowland watches the Movements of Soult. — The Conde de 
 L'Abispal's Thirst for Glory. — Deep Snow on the Mountains. — 
 Letters to Sir George Murray _ - . - Page 225 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 Strength of the Enemy. — Battle of the Nivelle. — Sir Rowland's 
 Position. — Attack on him foreseen by Lord Wellington. — 
 Battle of the Nive. — Compliment of Lord Wellington. — Major 
 Clement Hill sent home with the News. — French Boats on the 
 Adour. — Intimacy between the French and English Soldiers. — 
 Patten and his "Pawn." — Admirable Conduct of Sir Rowland. 
 
 — Stx'atagems of the Enemy. — New Movements of the Army. 
 — Lord Wellington's Design effectually concealed. — Successes of 
 Sir Rowland. — Orthez. — Lord Wellington reconnoitres. — 
 Battle of Orthez. —Battle of Aire. — Death of Colonel Hill. — 
 Battle of Tarbes. — Arrangements for passing the Garonne. — 
 Sir Rowland in the Suburbs of Toulouse. — Battle of Toulouse. 
 
 — Arx'ival of Colonel Cook. — Abdication of Bonaparte. — 
 Armistice. — Sir Rowland made a Peer _ _ . 263
 
 XIV CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 Loi-d Hill arrives in London. — Proposal for his going to America. 
 
 — Breakfast at the Hanover Hotel. — Spoils of Vittoria. — 
 Heaphey's Picture. — Presentation of a Sword by the City of 
 London. — Shaking Hands. — Lord Hill at Hawkstone. — 
 The Bii-mingham Sword. — Rejoicings at Shrewsbury. — Sir 
 John HiU. — Scene in the Quarry. — Lord Hill obliged to fly 
 from his Friends. — Column at Shrewsbury. — Chester, — ]\Irs. 
 Winfield. — Letter of Lord Bathurst. — Letter of the Duke of 
 York. — Spring of 1815. — important Mission. — Listructions. 
 
 — Interview with the Prince of Orange. — The Duke of Wel- 
 lington arx'ives at Brussels. — Lord HiU's position at Grammont. 
 
 — Troops of Prince Frederic. — Lord Hill's Information re- 
 specting the Enemy. — Orders. — "Waterloo. — Lord Hill's Part 
 in the Battle. — Night in the Cottage. — Memorandum on the 
 Spot by Sir Digby Mackworth. — Finance. — Letters. — Guelphic 
 Order. — Gold Clasp for Orthez. — Paris. — Lord Hill's Party 
 fired at. — Gaieties. — Bois de Boulogne. — Remarks. Page 288 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 Entail of Lord Hill's Peerage. — He goes to Cambray. — Trying 
 Event. — Noble Letter of the Duke of Wellington. — Sportsmen 
 at Cambray. — Boar-huut. — Chateau Maniers. — Severe lUness. 
 
 — Kindness of the Duke of Wellington. — Mont St. Martin. — 
 Tour in the Netherlands. — Lord HiU visits Waterloo. — Gaieties 
 at Cambray. — Lord Hill in his Family Circle after leaving 
 Cambray. — His Country Life. — Southey's Peninsular War. — 
 Lord Hill's Nephew elected M. P. for Shropshire. — Death of 
 Sir John Hill. — The young Sir Rowland Hill moves the Address 
 in the House of Commons. — Letter of ]VIi'. Wilberforce. — Lord 
 HiU offered the command in India and the Master Generalship 
 of the Ordnance. — He declines both. — The Duke of Wel- 
 lington Prime Minister. — Proposal to Lord Hill to take the 
 Command in Chief of the Army. — He accepts it. — General 
 Orders. — Horse Guards. — Room with one Chair. — Lord Hill 
 unwell. — Kindness of George IV. — His Majesty's last Act in 
 favour of Lord Hill. — William IV. — Letter of Sir Herbert 
 Taylor. — Lord Hill's Dinner to the King. — His high Sense of 
 Duty. — The Steam Coach. — The Officer that could not ride. — 
 Note to the Lord and Lady Mayoress. — Observations - 318
 
 CONTENTS. XV 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 Private Thoughts of Lord Hill. — Dinners at Lord Teignmouth's 
 on the Anniversaries of the Bible Society. — Lord Hill's conduct 
 with regard to the Reform Bill. — Letter to Sir RoAvland Hill. — 
 Conversation with the King. — The " Crown " won and preserved. 
 
 — Uniform of George HI. — Fete at "Westboui-ne House. — Death 
 of Sir Noel Hill. — Lord Hill's Attention to his County. — Anec- 
 dotes. — Death of the Rev. Rowland Hill. — Lord Hill attends 
 his Funeral. — Instances of Lord Hill's Prudence and Firmness. 
 
 — Carries the Banner at the Funeral of William IV. — Queen 
 Adelaide. — His first Audience with Her present Majesty. — 
 Lord Hill and Marshal Soult. — Canada. — The Duke of "Wel- 
 lington's Love of Truth. — Monmouthshire Riots. — Royal 
 George and Colonel Pasley. — Mrs. Winfield. — Fire at the 
 Tower. — Westminster Hall saved by Lord Hill. — Compliments 
 of the Duke of Wellington. — Remarks of Lord Hill on the Whig 
 Government. — His Motives of Action - - - Page 349 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 Failure of the Health of Lord Hill. — Goes to Richmond, and calls 
 on Lord Sidmouth. — Remarkable Conversation. — Unwell at 
 Hardwick dui'ing the Visit of the King of Prussia. — Regret 
 expressed at his Inability to go to Windsor. — Death of Sir 
 Francis Hill. — Lord Hill exhausted by his Business. — Dinner 
 with the Duke of Sussex. — Fulham. — Determines to resign. 
 
 — Speaks to the Duke of Wellington. — Letter of Resignation 
 to Her Majesty. — The Queen's gracious Reply. — Answer of 
 Lord Hill. — Takes leave of the Horse Guards. — General 
 Order. — Colonel Egerton. — Secretaries at War in office 
 during Lord Hill's Command. — Letter of Sir Henry Hardinge. 
 
 — General Order of the Duke of Wellington. — Lord Hill made 
 a Viscount. — His declining State of Health. — Last Letter to 
 Colonel Egerton. — Loi-d Hill's last Illness. — His Devotion and 
 Penitence. — His Death. — Condolences. — Funeral. — Death of 
 Mrs. Hill. — Her Character. — Sir Robert Hill. — Death of 
 General Clement Hill. — Concluding Remarks - - 367
 
 LIFE 
 
 OS" 
 
 LORD HILL. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 CHARACTERISTICS OF THE HILL FAMILY, — THE FIRST SIR ROWLAND 
 
 HILL. HIS NAMESAKE LORD HILL. HIS PARENTAGE AND BIRTH. 
 
 HIS BROTHERS AND SISTERS. COMPLIMENT OF GEORGE IV. 
 
 JUR. JOHN HILL, — LORD HILL's IVIEMORANDA OF HIS EARLY 
 
 LIFE. HIS CONDUCT AT SCHOOL. HIS MODESTY AND DELICATE 
 
 HEALTH. HIS SENSIBILITY, ANECDOTES, CHOOSES THE ARMY. 
 
 HIS OVrS ACCOUNT. OBTAINS AN ENSIGNCY IN THE 38tH 
 
 REGIMENT, GOES TO A MILITARY ACADEMY AT STRASBURG 
 
 LIEUTENANT IN THE 53rD. RETURNS TO STRASBURG, TOUR, 
 
 THE BOTTLE OF CHA3IPAGNE, SCOTLAND. — POPULARITY IN 
 
 HIS REGIMENT. — MADE CAPTAIN. IRELAND. — IRISH TOILET 
 
 AND ^VEDDING. TOULON. PREDICTION OF GENERAL o'hARA. 
 
 — • ACTION AT TOULON. NARROAY ESCAPE. LORD JIULGRAVE 
 
 AND CAPTAIN HILL. WOUNDED. — TAKES HOME DESPATCHES. 
 
 MAJOR IN THE 90tH. 3IR. GRAHAM. LIEUTENANT-COLONEL 
 
 OF THE 90th. ROBESPIERRE AND o'hARA. E^T;NTS OF THE 
 
 DAY. STADTHOLDER AT HAWKSTONE. ISLE DIEU. GIBRAL- 
 TAR. GENERAL o'hARA. SHI RALPH ABERCROMBY. PLANS, 
 
 AND THEIR ALTERATION. REMARKS, 
 
 The patriotism and benevolence so admirably blended 
 toiretlier in the character of the late Lord Hill, were 
 the fruits of a rare union of firmness and kindness 
 which has distinguished other eminent members of 
 the same family, and may be said to be a property 
 
 B
 
 2 THE GREAT HILL. Chap. I. 
 
 of tlieir race. It obtained for Ricbard " tbe Great 
 Hill" tbe confidence of bis sovereigns, respect in 
 coiu-tl)- circles, success in his diplomatic under- 
 takings, influence witb tbe army, attention from 
 the legislature of his native realm, and the esteem 
 of all classes of society. The same excellence raised 
 the first Sir Rowland Hill — a column to whose 
 memory adorns tbe romantic park at Hawkstone — to 
 tbe enviable honour of being the first Protestant Lord 
 Mayor of the city of London. He was truly desig- 
 nated "a grave and worthy father of tbe citye," for 
 by his munificence he added to its approaches, and by 
 his charities enriched its hospitals. AYlien sheriff, be 
 was committed to the Tower for a defence of what 
 he belie^•ed to be its privileges, against tbe power of 
 Parliament; but his high reputation quickly moved 
 the Speaker and the Commons to give him his release. 
 He embellished bis native county with religious and 
 useful erections, and made the homes of bis tenants 
 happy by his liberality as a landlord. The exemplary 
 and illustrious nobleman whose life will form the sub- 
 ject of these pages was the inheritor of his name, and 
 of bis virtues, with a wider scope for their develop- 
 ment. Li my biographies of two eminent members of 
 his family*, I have shown the antiquity of his descent, 
 and exhibited the claims of his ancestors and cotem- 
 porary relatives, to the respect of the nation and 
 the gratitude of their own county. I shall therefore 
 proceed at once to trace that brilliant and modest 
 career, wliicb terminated in his elevation to the com- 
 
 * The Rev. Rowland Hill, and Sir Richard Hill, M.P, for Shrop- 
 shire.
 
 Chap. I. FAMILY OF LORD HILL. 3 
 
 mand in chief of the forces of Great Britain, and led 
 to the rank of Viscount in the peerage, Avith descent 
 to the representative of the elder branch of the house 
 of Hawkstone. 
 
 The retired village of Frees, in Shropshire, has the 
 honour of being the birth-place of this amiable and brave 
 man, where his father, Mr. John Hill, who succeeded 
 to the title and estates of his brother Sir Richard Hill, 
 occupied the Hall, till the decease of the latter placed 
 him in possession of the mansion of his family. He 
 married Mary, the youngest daughter of John Chambre, 
 Esquire, of Petton, in the county of Salop, and was 
 the father of no less than sixteen children. Their 
 names and order of birth are as follow: — John, 
 Mary, Jane, Rowland, the subject of this memoir, 
 Richard, Elizabeth Hannah, who died in infancy, 
 Elizabeth, Harriet, Robert Chambre, Francis Brian, 
 Emma, Clement, Charles, who died an infant, Thomas 
 Noel, William Henry, who died while yet a child, and 
 Edward. Such was the numerous progeny of the 
 parents of the late Lord Hill, five of whom the aged 
 father was permitted to see survivors of the great 
 conflict of Waterloo, while he himself was welcomed 
 at court by George the Fourth, then Prince Regent, 
 with the gratifying salutation, "I am glad, indeed, to 
 see the father of so many brave sons." It appears, 
 from the list just given, that Lord Hill was the second 
 son and fourth child of his attached parents. He was 
 born at the Hall, in the village before mentioned, 
 about three miles from Hawkstone, and in the same 
 county, on the 11th of August, 1772, and was nearly 
 three years junior to his brother John, whose birth- 
 
 B 2
 
 4 MR. JOHN HILL. C«^^p- ^^ 
 
 dav was the lOtli of October, 17G1). The character- 
 istic quaUties of their minds were extremely similar, 
 and both commenced life with the choice of the 
 profession of a soldier. ^Ir. John Hill entered the 
 Ko)-al Horse Guards, Blue, and was engaged on foreign 
 service in Flanders, under the command of his late 
 Royal Highness the Duke of York. His brother Row- 
 land said'^of him that " he was sure if Jack had fair 
 plaij, he would manage half a dozen Frenchmen;" 
 and that those in office entertained the same opinion, is 
 demonstrated by the fact of his being promoted to the 
 rank of field officer in the 25th Light Dragoons. On 
 liis marriage to Ehzabeth Rodes, daughter of Philip 
 Cornish, Esquire, of Exeter, he yielded to the earnest 
 solicitations of his relatives, and quitted tb j army, but 
 employed his military knowledge in rais'ng and organ- 
 izing an effective regiment of Volunteer Cavalry in his 
 native county. At the same time he discharged the 
 various duties of a country gentleman, in a manner 
 that won him the respect of all classes, exhibited in 
 gratifying testimonials while he lived, and in unequi- 
 vocal marks of universal regret when it pleased God 
 to remove him. This unhappy event happened hi the 
 month of January, 1814; and his loss was most sin- 
 cerely lamented. He left a widow with five sons, the 
 eldest of whom is the present Viscount Hill, and two 
 daugliters. Their bereaved mother, a person of much 
 energy and true piety, found comfort, while she dis- 
 played consummate judgment, in daily vigilance over 
 her children. J sludl reserve further particulars of 
 tlie interesting group now presented to the notice of 
 tlie reader, until the appropriate periods pass under
 
 Ghap. L lord HII.L at SCHOOL. 5 
 
 review in the course of this narrative, and at once 
 resume the history of the opening day of Lord HilL 
 
 The charm of biography is in making the subject 
 of it speak as much as possible for himself; and 
 fortunately Lord Hill, in the quietude of peace, drew 
 up a memorial of his early life, from which I shall 
 frequently have the advantage of quoting. It is dated 
 March 25, 1822, and is entitled " Memorandum from 
 Authentic Papers and Recollections." He commenced 
 it thus : " I was born August Uth, 1772. At the 
 age of seven or eight I was sent to Ightfield School, 
 where I remained about one year. From thence I was 
 sent to Mr. Vanburo;h's and Mr. Winfield's * schools 
 at Chester, where I continued till I was seventeen." 
 Both at Ightfield, which is a village in Shropshire, 
 where he was under the instruction of a clergyman 
 named Edwards, and at Chester, for a time, he had 
 the advantage of numbering his brother John amongst 
 his schoolfellows. Young Rowland manifested at 
 this stage of life those attractive qualities of heart and 
 manner, which caused him to be the object of such 
 extensive esteem both in private and public during 
 his lono; and arduous career. He was a o-reat favourite 
 with Mr. and Mrs. Winfield, and his straightforward 
 disposition gained him the confidence of the whole 
 school. Major Cotton of Chester, who was one of the 
 boys there with him, says, " He was extremely good- 
 natured and amiable, ever ready to assist a lad out of 
 
 * Mr. \V'infield was a clergy- Hills^ John and Rowland, with 
 
 man, and second master to the some other boys, were removed and 
 
 Rev. Robert Vanburgh. When Mr. placed under his care. 
 Winfield married in 1 783, the two 
 
 B 3
 
 6 LORD HILL AT SCHOOL. Chap. I. 
 
 a scrape, and never tumbled into one himself." He 
 also pleasantly describes him as " toiling through the 
 week's work, without ever coming in contact with 
 Doctor Birch or his partner Supple Jack^ The Dean 
 of Bangor, who was also at school with him at Chester, 
 of which place his father was Dean, testifies, " He 
 was a boy of gentle, unaifected manners, beloved by 
 all the younger boys, and ever the friend of the op- 
 pressed." He was naturally diffident and reserved, 
 but always wilhng to join in school sports, and to 
 contribute to the amusement of others, cheerfully 
 assisting his juniors in any little objects they had in 
 hand. This diffidence was not the result of timidity, 
 but was only part of that gentleness of nature which 
 rendered iho, contrast of his heroism the more brilliant, 
 just as the simplest setting displays to most advantage 
 the beauty of some precious jewel. It was not fear, 
 but keen sensibility, in regarding the troubles of 
 others ; and being coupled with a delicate constitution, 
 it caused his friends some solicitude. He required 
 many little indulgences, which brought him under the 
 constant notice of Mrs. Winfield, whose almost mater- 
 nal kindness he never forgot as long as he lived. She 
 was spared to see him in the high situation of Com- 
 mander-in-Chief ; and his attentions to her at that 
 time Avill be mentioned when we arrive at the proper 
 place for their introduction. Miss Winfield, in an 
 interesting communication of what she had heard her 
 parents relate of him, says, " He was remarkable for 
 the mildness and equanimity of his temper, and his 
 kindness and sensibility to the feelings of others were 
 evident upon all occasions. His dehcate health fre-
 
 Chap. I. HIS PURSUITS AND SENSIBILITY. 7 
 
 quently prevented him joining in tlie athletic exercises 
 of his more robust companions ; but his little garden, 
 and his numerous pet animals, testified his systematic 
 care and attention, by their succeeding better than 
 those of his schoolfellows. My mother used to say, 
 ' Every thing that Rowland Hill undertook pros- 
 pered.'" With regard to his fondness for his garden, 
 and his love of animals, if Miss Winfield had written 
 the account of his rural pleasures in later life, she 
 could not have hit upon subjects more characteristic 
 of him. His garden at Hardmck was the most pro- 
 ductive for its size I have ever seen, and he constantly 
 won the best prizes at the Salop Horticultural shows ; 
 while his fondness for tame animals of all descriptions, 
 and his delight in exhibiting them and watching them, 
 are notorious to his friends. With respect to the 
 tenderness of his spirit, Miss Winfield further ob- 
 serves, " His sensibility was almost feminine. One 
 of the boys happened to cut his finger, and was 
 brought by Rowland Hill to my mother to have it 
 dressed ; but her attention was soon drawn from the 
 wound to Rowland, who had fainted." Mrs. Winfield, 
 happening to see him on a visit to Chester — for he 
 invariably sought her out at every opportunity — 
 after one of his achievements in the war, brought this 
 fact to his recollection, remarking that she wondered 
 how he could have acted with such coolness and 
 vigour in the midst of the dreadful scenes of carnage 
 surrounding hun. " I have still," he replied, " the 
 same feelings ; but in the excitement of battle all in- 
 dividual sensation is lost sight of." Just before he 
 joined his regiment for the first time, he sickened at 
 
 B 4
 
 8 HIS CHOICE OF THE AKMY. Chap. I. 
 
 the sight of a human heart preserved m spirits, shown 
 him by his medical attendant ; and after he had en- 
 tered on his miUtary duties he was unable to look at 
 a prize-fight between Humphries and Mendoza, near 
 the windows of his lodging, and was taken out fainting 
 from the room. No common observer would have 
 imagined for an instant that the army could have been 
 his choice; yet as every one knows that bully and 
 coward may be almost placed in the list of synonyms, 
 so gentleness and bravery, sensibility and courage, 
 and we may add humility and piety, are capable of a 
 similar classification. 
 
 In the spring of the year 1790 his parents sug- 
 gested to him the choice of some profession, and 
 seemed desirous that he should adopt that of the law. 
 His reply still remains in the original letter he ad- 
 dressed to his mother from Chester, on the 6th of 
 March in that year. An extract from it mil exhibit 
 his own view. " Last Wednesday," he wrote, " I re- 
 ceived your very kind letter, in which you desired I 
 would let you know Avhat profession I should really 
 like best. I know it is your's and Papa's wish that I 
 should be in the law, but I hope you will forgive me 
 if I say I should not like that line of life ; for, indeed, 
 I have a dislike to the law, and am sure I should 
 neither be happy nor make any figure, as a lawyer. 
 The profession which I should like best, and 1 hope 
 you and Papa Avill not object to, is the army." To 
 this letter, which was transmitted to his father, that 
 kind-hearted and affectionate parent replied in the 
 following terms : —
 
 Chap. I. LETTER OF HIS FATHER. 9 
 
 " My dear Rowland, 
 
 "Your mother sent me the letter you wrote her, whereby. 
 I find you wish to decline folloAvlng the line of life we had 
 chalked out for you, and expressing a wish to go into the 
 army. Now, my dear lad, do not think me in the least angry 
 with you for coming to this resolution, but rather glad that 
 you have declared your sentiments, though I wish they had 
 been for what was struck out for you, as I think your pro- 
 sjDcct of comfort and happiness, and perliaps cutting a figure 
 in life, would have been much greater in the former than in 
 the latter line. You know my situation, and that I can do 
 very little more for my numerous family than jDutting them 
 in a way to get theii* living, and giving them the best advice 
 in my power. 
 
 "Immediately on seeing your letter, I consulted those 
 Avliom I thought most likely to inform me on the best plan 
 for a young man to pursue who went into the army. What 
 is most recommended is to go to a foreign academy for about 
 two years, where strict attention to the several studies neces- 
 sary to cut any figure in the profession must be attended to. 
 By great favour, a commission may be purchased before you 
 go abroad, with leave of absence, whereby you may stand a 
 chance of creeping a little forward towards rank, the same as 
 if you was w ith the regiment. This, to be sure, is a more 
 expensive plan than I can Avell afford ; but as I have not a 
 doubt but you will make every proper return, I will exert 
 myself to put it, or something of the sort, into execution 
 (provided you continue in your present resolution); for I 
 much dread the idea of a young man starting in any line of 
 life without his being determined to use his utmost endea- 
 vours to advance in it, which I am well assured no one can 
 in the military line, any more than any other, without a pro- 
 per previous education. It is true, a commission may be 
 purchased for a few hundreds: but what a miserable situation 
 for a young man of spirit, with scarce any thing but three 
 and sixpence per day, to saunter about from town to town, 
 unless he has a good prospect of advancing from it. I re- 
 turned from London last night, but shall go back again in
 
 10 ENSIGX IN THE 38X11. — STKASBURG. Chap. I. 
 
 the Easter week, when some plan for you must be cletermuied 
 on. In the meanwhile seriously reflect upon what I have 
 said above, and believe me to be 
 
 " Your sincere friend, as well as 
 
 " Your most affectionate father, 
 
 "J. H. 
 
 " I think I will ask jNIr. Winfield to let you come over to 
 Frees for a very few days at Easter. It is, at all events, 
 probable you will not leave him before Midsummer. Do 
 attend as much as possible to your French." 
 
 After this judicious statement of his views, Mr. Hill 
 speedily obtained the desired commission for his son. 
 It is stated in Lord Hill's own memoranda, " I got an 
 ensigncy in the 38th Regiment, and obtained leave of 
 absence to go to Strasburg, where I remained till the 
 24th of January, 1791, on which day my commission 
 as Lieutenant in Captain Broughton's Independent 
 Company is dated. During the time I was in this 
 company I was quartered with it at Wrotham in 
 Kent. On the 16th of March, 1791, 1 was appointed 
 Lieutenant in the 53rd, or Shropshire Regiment of 
 Foot. On receiving this appointment I obtained leave 
 to return to Strasburg, and had not been there many 
 weeks when Sir Richard Hill, Reverend Brian Hill, 
 and my brother John came to Strasburg on their 
 return to England from Italy. France at this time 
 Avas much disturbed, and it was thought advisable that 
 I should accompany Sir Richard to England, which I 
 did, by a pleasant tour down the Rhine through 
 Holland, Flanders, and the Netherlands. We arrived 
 at Hawkstone the end of the summer." The 38th
 
 Chap. I. TOUK. LIEUTENANT. 11 
 
 Regiment, in which Lord Hill commenced the duties 
 of a soldier, was commanded by Sir Robert Pigot : 
 and he was exceedingly esteemed by all his brother 
 officers. His worth}^ uncle and godfather. Sir Richard 
 Hill, placed him in a military academy at Strasburg, 
 with a view to his improvement in the knowledge of 
 the profession which he had now embraced ; and it 
 was for this purpose, and not for any object of ease or 
 pleasure, that his leave of absence was procured. As 
 he advanced, it was not by favour but by service, for 
 he added twelve men to Captain Broughton's Inde- 
 pendent Company before he was promoted to a lieu- 
 tenancy under that officer.* At this time the rela- 
 tions alluded to by Lord Hill were on an extensive 
 continental tour, and had left him engaged with his 
 military studies, and gone to Venice. Before they 
 parted they were all put into high spirits by an 
 amusing accident to Mr. Brian Hill. Their landlady, 
 to do them honour, insisted on bringing forth a bottle 
 of special Champagne Mousseux from her own vine- 
 yard. Mr. Brian Hill happened to be close against 
 the mouth of the bottle at the instant the cork was 
 unloosed, and out it flew with the fury of a pistol- 
 shot, and half the contents spirted over him. He 
 looked as most men would, completely wetted, with 
 no change of clothes unpacked, while the landlady, 
 instead of making apologies, laughed vociferously, and 
 cried out with evident dehght, " Monsieur, comment 
 vous trouvez-vous ?" The good-natured sufferer then 
 said, " I have the advantage of you all now, for I can 
 
 * Since Sir J. D. Broughton, Baronet.
 
 12 THE 53llD. — SCOTLAND. Chap. I. 
 
 boast of wearing a dress that has been washed in 
 cliampagne." This cheerful party had scarcely reached 
 A'enice, before the subject of this incident wi'ote to 
 his sister to mention that directions had been given 
 to young Rowland to return home. His words are, 
 " The same post that brought yours brought one from 
 Frees with information of Rowly's preferment. It 
 was sent immediately to Strasburg with directions for 
 him to return to England, where I presume he will 
 go directly, unless he receives a letter from his father 
 in the mean time to forbid him." He did return to 
 England, and, as he has stated, was quartered in 
 Kent. 
 
 On his removal into the 53rd Regiment, at that 
 time commanded by Major Mathews, his return to 
 Strasburg was permitted for the sake of perfecting 
 himself in miUtary knowledge, until he was taken 
 home, as he has recorded, by his relatives. His own 
 account proceeds — " I remained in Shropshire till the 
 January following, and joined my regiment (the 
 53rd), on the 18th of that month, in Edinburgh 
 Castle. We marched from thence about Midsummer 
 to Ayr, where I was stationed about two months, and 
 was then sent on detachment with a command of 
 eighteen men to Ballantrae, where I remained till the 
 end of 1792." 
 
 During this time of service in the North the ami- 
 able young officer won the regard of the whole regi- 
 ment, and gave many indications of those meritorious 
 qualities which shone forth so conspicuously as his star 
 •of fortune rose to a higher elevation. A letter from 
 Major Mathews to Sir Richard Hill has been pre-
 
 Chap. I. LETTER OF MAJOR MATHEWS. 13 
 
 served, which gives testimony to the truth of this 
 assertion. It is as follows: — 
 
 " Sir, "Ayr, 12th Sept. 1792. 
 
 " Tempted by the opportunity, and encouraged to embrace 
 it by the assurance of Lord Balgonie that it would not be 
 disagreeable to you to hear from me, though I have not the 
 honour of being known to you, I presume to take this liberty 
 in justice to your nephew, Mr. Hill, of the 53rd Regiment, 
 whom I have had under my particular observation and direc- 
 tion since he joined the regiment at Edinburgh, and who, 
 desirous of paying his duty to you, accompanies Captain 
 Houghton, of the 53rd, who will have the honour to deliver 
 this to you, to Buxton. You, sir, are sufficiently acquainted 
 with the many good qualities of this excellent young man, not 
 to be under any apprehensions for his conduct when at a chs- 
 tance from you. I nevertheless think it will be satisfactory 
 to yovi, and to Mr. Hill, his father, to learn from me that, as 
 an officer, his talents, disposition, and assiduity are of the 
 most promising nature ; and that his amiable manners, sweet- 
 ness of temper, and uncommon propriety of conduct, have 
 not only endeared him to the regiment, but procured him the 
 most flatterino; attentions from an extensive circle of the first 
 fashion in this country. And with regard to the regiment 
 and myself, in a selfish point of view, it is with much regret 
 that I look forward to the probability of our losing him ere 
 very long ; for, with the advantages which he possesses, it is 
 scarcely to be expected that he will wait the common course 
 of pi'omotion in any one regiment. Whenever this shall hap- 
 pen, it will be very much lamented by us all, and by no one 
 more than him Avho requests your forgiveness for the hberty 
 he has taken, and who has the honour to subscribe himself, sir, 
 " Your most obedient and most humble Servant, 
 
 « R. Mathews, Maj. 53rd Rcgt." 
 
 It has rarely happened to any one to be endowed 
 with an equal firmness of purpose in pursuit of his
 
 14 1793. — CAPTAIN. — IRELAND. Cuap. I. 
 
 own designs, combined with the same forgetful- 
 ness of self, whicli marked the conduct of him to 
 wliom such a tribute of regard was paid by his com- 
 manding officer. Throughout life his attention to 
 others was as remarkable as his vigilance over his 
 o"\vn interests. When invited, as a boy at school, to 
 the deanery at Chester, his chief object was to divert 
 the children of the family, who were younger than 
 himself; and, though manly for his age, he would 
 pass his afternoons in helping them to swim their 
 little ships in a cistern on their father's premises, and 
 in raising mimic storms for their enjoyment, evidently 
 best pleased when he could most amuse others. 
 Hence his presence always afforded gratification, and 
 his departure was viewed with regret; while all re- 
 flecting persons who regarded his talents, marked him 
 out in their opinions as one born to rise to eminence, 
 and adorn it. 
 
 The prognostication of Major Mathews was soon 
 verified. Determined to advance himself. Lieutenant 
 Hill made a successful effort to raise his rank in the 
 army. His own account continues — "In the beo'in- 
 ning of 1793 I raised an independent company, and 
 on the 23rd of March in that year I got my com- 
 mission as captain." The men were raised chiefly in 
 Shropshire : they were approved of by General Fox, 
 at Chatliam. On the 12th of April I embarked with 
 this company in the Aurora transport; arrived at Cork 
 in the course of one week ; marched from Cork, by 
 orders from Sir David Dundas, about the end of April, 
 to Belfost, Avhere I delivered the men of my company 
 over to the 38th Regiment, and returned to Shrop-
 
 Chap. I. IRISH TOILET AND WEDDING. 15 
 
 sliire about June." During the short time he was in 
 Ireland, where he was much noticed, he paid a visit to 
 an eminent literary gentleman, well kno^vn as one of 
 the most brilliant sons of Erin. I remember his tell- 
 ing me, that, on going to his house to pass a night, he 
 was shown to his room before dinner, and being about 
 to dress, he looked round for the usual washing ap- 
 paratus, but could see nothing of the sort. Just as he 
 was on the point of making an effort to obtain these 
 requisites of the toilet, he heard to his great surprise 
 and amusement a creaking in the floor, and a trap- 
 door gradually opened, through which ascended, by a 
 steady invisible movement, wash-hand-stand, basin, 
 towels, hot-water, and all other due accompaniments. 
 He used to say he never met with a parallel to this, 
 except in the house of a gentleman Avho had a rail- 
 road made from his kitchen to his dining-room, to send 
 in the dishes quick and hot. Among other invitations 
 in Ireland, he received one to a wedding of a Pro- 
 testant gentleman to a Roman Catholic lady. It 
 happened to be a Popish fast- day, but the bridegroom, 
 not thinking it necessary to keep it, permitted the 
 Protestant guests to help him to a variety of good 
 things on the table ; but as soon as the bride perceived 
 that any of them contained animal food, she desired a 
 servant to take his plate away from him. The com- 
 pany were highly excited by this commencement of a 
 wedded life ; and at last one of them proposed a reso- 
 lution, that if Papists and Protestants chose to wed, 
 their friends in that neighbourhood at least should 
 protest against its being on fast-days. Lord Hill used 
 to tell this story with great humour. The lady her-
 
 1 6 TOULON. — GEXEEAL O'hARA. CiiAr. I. 
 
 self only gave a specimen of wliat her mother church 
 would do in higher matters, if the half-Romanist move- 
 ments of the age should induce any alhance with her. 
 Soon after he left Ireland, not being attached to any 
 corps. Captain Hill accompanied Mr. Drake to Genoa. 
 " Thence," he says, " I proceeded to Toulon, and was 
 employed as aid-de-camp to Lord Mulgrave, General 
 O'Hara, and Sir David Dundas." The impression he 
 made on these officers, while on the staff of each in 
 succession, was of the most favourable kind ; and 
 General O'Hara emphatically predicted his future dis- 
 tinction in the service. One day as he quitted the 
 room this general said to those present, " That young 
 man will rise to be one of the first soldiers of the age." 
 Captain Hill's first active services commenced at this 
 period, and I give his own reminiscences of the pro- 
 ceedings in which he was engaged : — 
 
 " Lord Hood took possession of Toulon, August, 
 1793. On the 6th of September Lord Mulgrave ar- 
 rived there. About a Aveek afterwards I joined his 
 Lordship, who, at my earnest request, appointed me 
 his aid-de-camp — a situation I preferred much to being 
 an assistant-secretary to Mr. Drake. On the 30th of 
 September the enemy got possession of the important 
 port of Faron. This information was brought to Lord 
 Mulgrave by Mr. Graham.* His Lordship, with great 
 quickness and decision, attacked and drove the enemy 
 back amidst great difficulties. On this occasion I was 
 aid-de-camp. On the 8th of October we destroyed 
 the batteries in the Hauteur de Reiniere. On the 9th 
 
 * Afterwards Lord Lynedoch.
 
 Chap. I. PROCEEDINGS AT TOULON. 17 
 
 a spirited sortie by our troops ; on the 15tli the enemy- 
 got possession of Cape le Brun. About this time 
 General O'Hara arrived to take the command, Lord 
 Mulgrave returned to England, and I remained with 
 General O'Hara as his aid-de-camp. I remember 
 General O'Hara being much displeased at the favour- 
 able report made by Lord Mulgrave of the state of 
 affairs at Toulon, the general adding that it was quite 
 impossible to keep the place — that is, Toulon and 
 the harbour — with so small a force. The French hav- 
 ing erected a battery against the port of Malbourqiiet, 
 General O'Hara, on the 30th of November, prepared 
 to destroy it ; for which purpose Sir David Dundas 
 marched in, before day-break, with two thousand men, 
 composed of five nations, British, French Loyalists, 
 Neapolitans, Spaniards, and Piedmontese. Sir David 
 succeeded in obtaining full possession of the height 
 and battery ; but the impetuosity of some of tlie 
 troops led them to pursue the flying enemy, whilst 
 others were occupied in plundering the enemy's camp. 
 In this scattered and irregular state, the enemy, who 
 had collected in great force, made an attack, and 
 obliged us to relinquish the advantages we had gained. 
 General O'Hara arrived at the redoubt as it was 
 taken ; and, perceiving the disorder of the troops, was 
 extremely displeased at their having left the hill. He 
 used every exertion to form the troops, and sent me 
 to bring up the artillery-men, and order these to spike 
 the guns, and destroy them as effectually as possible. 
 This was the last time I saw General O'Hara*; for 
 
 * He means, on this occasion. 
 C
 
 18 o'nARA PrvISONER. — TEOVIDENTIAL ESCArE. Ciiap. I. 
 
 before I returned to the battery he received a wound, 
 and was taken prisoner. During the time General 
 O'Hara was prisoner, he was treated very ill. On 
 our return to the town, which we did with great haste, 
 Sir David Dundas assumed the command, and I was 
 appointed one of his aids-de-camp." 
 
 The conduct of Captain Hill, modestly passed over 
 by himself, was, on all these occasions, the subject of 
 high encomium from those under whom he served. 
 Lord Mulgrave wrote thus to Mr. Drake on the sub- 
 ject: — "For the particulars of our action of the 1st 
 of October, I must refer you to your relation and my 
 friend and aid-de-camp. Captain Hill, who was in the 
 midst of it, and whose intelligence, activity, and cou- 
 rage rendered him of great service to me." He had 
 a most providential escape just at the time when 
 General O'Hara was taken prisoner. He was called 
 doAvn by that general from a tree, into which he had 
 climbed to make observations, and Captain Snow, his 
 brother aid-de-camp, having ascended to replace him, 
 was instantly killed. Captain Hill was, however, 
 wounded slightly in the right hand, which he does 
 not notice, nor the fact of his having had committed 
 to him the direction of the retreat to Toulon, which 
 he conducted in the most satisfactory manner. His 
 talents gained confidence, and his unpretending 
 demeanour won affection, so that no one seemed 
 ever to regard him with jealousy. How his superior 
 officers felt towards him, though still so young a man, 
 will be easily collected from a letter of Lord Mulgrave, 
 who had left liim at Toulon : —
 
 Chap. I. LETTER OF LORD MULGRAVE. 19 
 
 " Dear Hill, " Harley Street, Nov. 28, 1793. 
 
 " I have this morning seen Sir Kichard Hill, who is very 
 much delighted with your conduct at Toulon, and happy to 
 hear that you are in General O'Hara's family. I enclosed 
 your letter to your father, and wrote him an account of you. 
 I shall be happy to hear from you when you have any good 
 news to send me from Toulon. Pray speak to Barailly about 
 the drawing of Mount Faron, which IMichel, of the INIarinc 
 Engineer corps, was to make for me, and send it by the first 
 favourable opportunity, and let me know if there is any thing 
 I can send Monsieur Michel from England, in return for his 
 trouble, that may be useful to him, and which is not to be got 
 at Toulon. Pray remember me to Kud swell. Smith, &c. 
 
 " Yours sincerely, 
 
 " MULGKAVE." 
 
 On tlie 13th of December, 1793, Lord Hood and 
 Sir David Dundas sent Captain Hill with despatches 
 to England, where he arrived on the 13th of January, 
 1794. Sir David observed, in his despatch, " This will 
 be delivered by Captain Hill, a very deserving young 
 man, who has been aid-de-camp to Lord Mulgrave, 
 Lieutenant-General O'Hara, and myself." "These de- 
 spatches," we learn from Lord Hill's own memoranda, 
 "contained the difficulties of the situation of our navy 
 and army. The evacuation of Toulon took place on 
 the 18th and 19th December, 1793. On my return 
 to England I saw the Duke of York at Ghent. His 
 Eoyal Highness commanded the allied armies in 
 Flanders at this time. I breakfasted with him and 
 his secretary, and reported the accoimts from Toulon." 
 
 Amongst those who witnessed the admirable con- 
 duct of Captain Hill at Toulon was the veteran Lord 
 Lynedoch, then Thomas Graham, Esq., ser\dng as a 
 
 c 2
 
 20 
 
 MR. GRAHAM. — THE 90tH. Chap. I. 
 
 volunteer, and gaming great honour. His admira- 
 tion of our young officer was such as to create m him 
 a desire that he should serve in the same regiment 
 with hivnself. Accordingly, Lord Hill has made the 
 followiQ- entry of this circumstance in his own notes: 
 _"In the early part of 1794 Mr. Graham raised a 
 re-iment of infantry, and oifered me the majority of 
 it on raising a certain quota of men." With his usual 
 simplicity and conciseness, he merely added to the 
 record of the proposal, "This I did." This regnnent 
 was the brave 90th, in which he was destined to win 
 so many honours, and to gather the laurels of the 
 hiohest achievements. It was afterwards augmented 
 to°a thousand strong, when he became the heutenant- 
 colonel on the usual terms. The year in which this 
 body of men was first formed, was an epoch of re- 
 markable events on the face of afflicted Europe. It 
 was the period of the Duke of York's operations near 
 Cambray and Tournay, while the arrival of Lord Moira 
 at Ostend preceded those in the Netherlands. France 
 was agitated by the insurrection in La Vendee, and 
 by Robespierre's brutal administration. That talent- 
 less monster—cunning without genius, and a tyrant 
 without a single quality calculated for wholesome 
 rule, as well as ferocious without a spark of courage 
 —found his sole element in fiendish cruelty. Under 
 his hands, the captive general suffered most unworthy 
 hardships. Lord Hill alludes to the subject thus : — 
 "General O'Hara was treated with the utmost rigour 
 and barbarity by him. The general has told me that 
 he was placed in the common gaol, and was fed on 
 artichoke leaves and bullock's liver." The ills which
 
 Chap. I. ROBESriEERE AND O'hARA. 21 
 
 desolated the French nation, and tins barbarism to- 
 wards a brave and honourable captive, convey to the 
 whole world a great practical illustration of the trutli, 
 that there is no such thing as infidel magnanimity or 
 atheistical virtue ; and that wherever God and his 
 Gospel are rejected, every production of nature that 
 promotes the health of the social system, becomes 
 stunted in its growtli and bitter in its essence, while 
 all that is destructive assumes a giant form of rank 
 luxuriance, poisoning the air and veihng the light, 
 whence a darkness covers the heavens, broken only at 
 intervals by the lightning-flash and thunder-peal of 
 anarchy and woe. From Christianity alone spring the 
 elements of high national character, and the sources 
 of high-minded actions; from nothing else can we 
 ever hope to derive a wisdom we can venerate, an 
 authority we can regard as parental, a goodness we 
 can love, because we experience its blessings. 
 
 The well-known occurrences of the time now occu- 
 pying our attention, are thus briefly adverted to by 
 Lord Hill ; and as enlargement upon them would be 
 foreign to the object before us, I shall merely give his 
 own words: — " The hard frost which marked the close 
 of 1794 and beo;innino- of 1795, enabled the French 
 to cross the Waal. The Duke of York departed for 
 England. On the 6th of January the British army 
 retired, or, more properly speaking, made a hasty re- 
 treat through HoUand, suffering extreme hardships. 
 The Stadtholder and Prince of Orange came to Eng- 
 land. The French took possession of Holland. In 
 April the British troops returned to England." While 
 the, Stadtholder was in this country, he was most 
 
 C 3
 
 22 
 
 THE STADTHOLDER AT HAWKSTONE. Chap. I. 
 
 splendidly entertained by Sir rdchard Hill at Hawk- 
 stone, where that excellent baronet drew around him 
 the most illustrious men of his age; while his chanties 
 succoured the poor, and his protection shielded the 
 pious, who were forgotten or opposed in those extra- 
 ordinary times. 
 
 The summer of 1795 was passed by the 90th regi- 
 ment, and its young lieutenant-colonel, on foreign 
 service. It was one of the regiments which, under 
 General Doyle, took possession of Isle Dieu, where 
 they remained unmolested by the French till the fol- 
 lowing December. Colonel Hill, who never could be 
 inactive, and had always a keen enjoyment of field 
 diversions, amused himself and brother officers by 
 coursing, keeping greyhounds for that purpose. He 
 and his senior and friend Lord Lynedoch were km- 
 dred spirits in this respect ; and the veteran in one of 
 his letters to Lord Hill, still preserved, coimnissioned 
 him to procure pointers and setters from Shropshire 
 for shooting— a pursuit he keenly relished throughout 
 his very long and distinguished life. In December 
 Colonel HiU gladly quitted Isle Dieu, where there was 
 so little scope for the developement of his military 
 genius. "I embarked," his words are, "from Isle 
 Dieu in the Artois, Sir Edmund Nagle's frigate. At 
 night we were on the rocks near Quiberon, and were 
 in^'considerable danger. The ship, however, reached 
 Portsmouth in safety about Christmas-Day. The 
 regiment afterwards was quartered at Poole for some 
 
 months." 
 
 The anxious spirit of Colonel Hill could not 
 reconcile itself to the narrow bounds of a small
 
 Chap. I. ISLEDIEU. GIBRALTAR. — O'lIARA. 23 
 
 ii^land, while the whole continent of Europe was in a 
 state of agitation at the progress of Napoleon, then 
 in the vigour of his days, a'ld the excitement of his 
 amazing projects. At this time his aspiring energies 
 were encaged in the Isle Dieu, and had scarcely any 
 thing to occupy them but field-sports. In 179G Jjona- 
 parte's Italian campaign was the wonder of the nations 
 and the theme of every discourse, and quickened in 
 the minds of the brave a desire for active employ. 
 Colonel Hill, accordingly, gladly welcomed an oppor- 
 tunity of going abroad. " I went," he has recorded, 
 "with the 90th to Gibraltar in the summer of 179G, 
 where I found my old general, O'Hara, in command 
 of the garrison. I had not seen him since the day 
 he was taken prisoner. He received me most kindly, 
 and gave me a house of his o^vn as a quarter." The 
 terms on which Colonel Hill was with this veteran, 
 ■sviU be perceptible from a laconic epistle to the former, 
 who had sent his esteemed general a comfortable cloak 
 or wrapper of some kind, as a mark of his gratitude. 
 The letter, too, is quite that of the old soldier. 
 
 " My dear Hill, " Convent, 26th of July, 1796- 
 
 "I am much obliged by the very comfortable present 
 you made me yesterday. I shall, however, put off being a 
 swaddled old fellow as long as I can. 
 
 " Yours ever, most sincerely and faithfully, 
 
 "CiiAS. O'Haka." 
 
 General O'Hara's kind disposition towards Colonel 
 Hill was founded upon a much firmer basis than a 
 mere value of his attentions or pleasure in his society: 
 he entirely confided in the clearness of his under- 
 
 c 4
 
 24 COLONEL HILL SENT TO LISBON. Chap. I. 
 
 standing and the soundness of his judgment ; and, 
 young as he was, he selected him for the discharge of 
 a dehcate duty. What this was, we learn from Lord 
 Hill's own notes : "In the beginning of October, 
 179G, General O'Hara entrusted me with a verbal 
 communication to convey to the British ambassador 
 at Lisbon. This communication was the expected 
 war with Spain. It proved correct ; for, before I 
 could return, hostilities had commenced, and it was 
 with difficulty I got back to the garrison of Gibraltar — 
 not only from the declaration of war, but also in con- 
 sequence of the illness occasioned by great exertion 
 to accomplish the duty I was employed on for my 
 respected general." The same spirit which breathes 
 in tliis sentence, animated its worthy writer through 
 the performance of the infinite number of arduous 
 trusts reposed in him as he rose in the army, and 
 brought him into the same confidence with the Duke 
 of Wellington, that he inspired in his superiors before 
 he was called upon to serve with that illustrious 
 leader. He knew not only how to command, but 
 how to obey ; and both by those to whom it was his 
 province to give, and by those from whom it was his 
 duty to receive orders, he was equally beloved. 
 
 On Colonel Hill's return to Gibraltar he found 
 himself almost as much confined as he was in Isle 
 Dieu, for the declaration of war between Spain and 
 England prevented any communication with the 
 country. Still it was the scene of much that was 
 interesting, and the focus of tidings respecting the 
 events of the day. In February, 1797, the news of
 
 Chap. I. SPANISH SHIP AND THE CUTTER. 25 
 
 Lord St. Vincent's victory over the Spanish fleet on 
 the 14th reached the garrison to their great joy. 
 Colonel Hill, who had a truly keen sense of the lu- 
 dicrous, was extremely amused by the account given 
 of one of the Spanish ships which was making her 
 escape into Cadiz, and the way in which his old friend 
 General O'Hara received it. The captain of a cutter 
 came and told the general that he had come across 
 her with his vessel as she was getting away. " She 
 is wonderfully damaged," he exclaimed, " and has 
 a hole in her side big enough to run my cutter-into." 
 " Then why on earth," replied the general, drily, 
 " did you not do so ? " 
 
 During this year England was threatened Avith the 
 boasted French invasion, and what was much more to 
 be dreaded, a mutiny in the navy ; but the absence of 
 Colonel Hill allowed him no acquaintance, except 
 that of distant report, with these serious affairs. In 
 July, 1798, the mission of Lord Malmesbury to 
 Lisle, to negotiate a peace with the French, proved a 
 failure ; and Bonaparte took possession of Malta, and 
 sought to make Egypt the scene of his conquests. 
 The check he received from Nelson's victory at Abou- 
 kir is fresh in the recollections of a grateful nation. 
 Colonel Hill, however, still remained with the 90th 
 regiment. The events of that period arc thus briefly 
 summed up in his manuscript: — "In August, 1798, 
 the French landed at Killala, under the command of 
 Humbert. This force did not exceed 844, officers 
 and men. I remained in arms till the 8th September. 
 I remained with the 90th regiment, which was under
 
 2G ACCIDENT. — EriTOME OF EVENTS. Chap, I. 
 
 the command of Lieutenant-Colonel MoncriefF, the 
 whole of this year." He then mentions various cir- 
 cumstances which induced him to apply for leave of 
 absence, "which," he adds, "was granted ;" continu- 
 ing:, "I came to Endand in 1799, and remained till 
 the expedition sailed from Portsmouth, under Sir 
 Ralph Abercromby. My leave, on this occasion, was 
 prolonged in consequence of an accident, occasioned 
 by Clement's setting fire to spirits of wine, which I 
 used for chilblains. The year 1799 exhibited a strange 
 picture of the world turned upside do^vn, — Turks, 
 Mahometans, Roman Catholics, Protestants, all at 
 war, and supporting each other. Bonaparte continued 
 in possession of Egypt ; various battles took place in 
 that country between Mamelukes, Turks, and French. 
 Sir Sidney Smith at Acre. In August, 1799, Sir R. 
 Abercromby landed at the Helder. Lord Duncan 
 commanded the fleet. The Duke of York afterwards 
 took the command of the army." This brief epitome 
 of events requires no further expansion, as they are 
 notorious matters of history, and contain no particulars 
 illustrative of the career of Lord Hill beyond the re- 
 flex eflects they had upon his movements. When he 
 came to London he was much struck with the noble 
 bearing and generous spirit of Sir Ralph Abercromby, 
 and had the privilege of conversing with that gallant 
 officer before he sailed. He used frequently to men- 
 tion Sir Ralph's liberal feelings towards his sons, of 
 whom he said, " They ought, as soldiers, never to 
 want money. I wish them to have what is handsome, 
 which both causes them to spend less, and never to be 
 embarrassed by appearing needy." For himself, Colo-
 
 Chap. I. SIR R. ABERCROMBY. 27 
 
 nel Hill had, notwithstanding his services, never re- 
 ceived any remuneration from the government beyond 
 his pay, at which several officers, who knew and appre- 
 ciated his exertions and successes, were exceedingly 
 surprised, and did not hesitate to say so. Still he 
 was in no degree disheartened, and quietly determined 
 to persevere in his efforts for advancement in his pro- 
 fession. Tor this purpose he was anxious to see the 
 service of the troops on the Continent, and applied to 
 the Duke of York for leave to accompany his friend 
 Mr. Drake, who was about to depart on a diplomatic 
 journey to Switzerland, and was willing to take him. 
 Colonel Hill made application to the Horse Guards 
 through the secretary of his Royal Highness, to whom 
 he wrote the subjoined letter : — 
 
 « Sir, 
 " I shall be extremely obliged if you will lay the following 
 request before his Royal Highness the Commandcr-iu-Cliief : 
 " Mr. Drake, who is going into Switzerland in a diplomatic 
 line, has offered to take me with him ; and as I am desirous of 
 accompanying him to the Continent, with a view of seeing 
 some more service with the Austrian and Russian armies, I 
 shall esteem it a very particular favour if the Duke of York 
 will grant me permission to go with him. And if I find, after 
 a short residence on the Continent, that my endeavours to serve 
 with the armies are of no avail, I will in that case immediately 
 proceed by way of Leghorn to join my regiment at Minorca. 
 I beg to assure his Royal Highness that the sole motive of 
 my making such a request is an ardent wish of improvmg 
 myself in my profession. 
 
 " I have the honour to be, 
 
 " Your obedient servant, 
 
 " R. Hill, Lt. Col. UOth Regt/'
 
 28 COLONEL HILL AND MR. DRAKE. Chap. I. 
 
 The leave sought in this letter was readily granted ; 
 and how near he was going out with Mr. Drake, will 
 appear in a summons to prepare himself from that 
 gentleman. 
 
 « My dear Sir, Wells, lAIarch 12, 1800. 
 
 " Sir liichard informed you of my having received orders 
 to prepare for my immediate departure for the Continent, and 
 of the necessity of your being ready to come to town on the 
 shortest notice. As my instructions could not be prepared 
 until the arrival of the Hamburgh mails, which are now ice- 
 bound in the Elbe, Lord Grcnville permitted me to return 
 hither upon condition that I should be ready to set out at 
 forty-eight hours' notice ; and as the thaw has now begun, it 
 is pi'obable that the mails Avill soon be released, and conse- 
 quently that I shall very soon be called upon. I therefore beg 
 to apprise you that it will be necessary for you to be prepared 
 to set out for London, the moment you receive an intimation 
 to that eifect from Sir Richard. It might, perhaps, be ad- 
 visable for you to forward immediately by the waggon to 
 London, such things as you may wish to carry with you be- 
 yond what you may have daily occasion for. Francis is very 
 well ; and we all join in kind regards to your father, mother, 
 and family. 
 
 " Believe me to be, 
 
 " Yours, very sincerely, 
 
 " Francis Drake." 
 
 Thus it seems that Colonel Hill was on the very 
 eve of departure for the continent of Europe : and if 
 this intention had been carried into effect, the whole 
 future current of his life would have probably been 
 altered, and the distinction placed within his reach, 
 and won by him so well and so early, more tardily, 
 if ever, awarded to the judgment, sagacity, hero- 
 ism, and inihtary talent he had soon an opportunity
 
 Chap. I, CHANGE OF TLANS, 29 
 
 of exhibiting to admiring superiors and a devoted 
 soldiery. 
 
 We have now traced the progress of his life up to 
 the momentous period which will form the subject of 
 the next chapter. Notwithstanding his natural sen- 
 sibihty, arising, not out of a pusillanimous constitution, 
 but an amiable spirit, deeply affected by the ills of 
 others, a latent and decided consciousness of his quali- 
 fications for such a choice, led him to select the army 
 as the sphere for their development. His indulgent 
 and amiable father yielded to his wish, but evidently 
 without the least conception that the germ of eminence 
 could be effectually matured, in the midst of traits of 
 character the very reverse of such as are usually sup- 
 posed requisites for a soldier. Mr. Winfield his worthy 
 tutor, his schoolfellows, his general acquaintances at 
 Chester, all regarded gazette after gazette, each con- 
 taining in succession stronger and stronger testimonies 
 to his triumphs and gallant conduct, with perfect 
 amazement, when they remembered his placid temper- 
 ament, gentle bearing, and quiet demeanour, which 
 made him the subject in boyhood of more than ordinary 
 tenderness and care. For these attentions he cherished, 
 from his entrance upon a military life to tlie latest 
 period of his existence, a vivid gratitude. Before he 
 went first to Toulon, when expecting to be called soon 
 into active service, he wrote to Mr. Winfield, "Nothing, 
 I assure you, w^ould give me greater pleasure than 
 to have it in my power to make you any return for the 
 great kindness and attention you showed me during 
 the time I was under your care," — the sincerity of 
 which profession he manifested on several occasions.
 
 30 KEMAKKS. Chap. I. 
 
 The secret of his constant advance at every step and 
 on every occasion was this — that to the most endearing 
 goodness of disposition there was added a fixed, simple 
 determination to do his duty according to the ability 
 he possessed, and, above all, the zeal and devotedness 
 to his country of a patriotic and courageous heart.
 
 31 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 CHANGE IN COLONEL HILL's PLANS. — ms POCKET JOURNAL 
 
 GENERAL "VVHITELOCK. VOYAGE. GIBRALTAR. GENERAL 
 
 O'hARA. THE PEGASUS. CURIOUS DINNER. — INDISPOSITION 
 
 OF COLONEL HILL. THE " DIVERSION." MALTA PROCEEDS 
 
 TO EGYPT. LORD KEITH. THE LANDING. BATTLE OF THE 
 
 13th of IMARCH. COLONEL HILL WOUNDED: SAVED BY HIS 
 
 HELMET. TAKEN ON BOARD THE FOUDROYANT. — BATTLE OF 
 
 THE 21ST : MORTAL WOUND OF SIR R. ABERCROMBY : HE IS CAR- 
 RIED TO THE SAJIE CABIN "WITH COLONEL HILL. IHS DEATH 
 
 CAPITAN PACHA. PRESENTS. THE BRAVE QOtH. — CAMPAIGN 
 
 CONTINUED. COLONEL HILL's NOTES THE GRAND VIZIER IN 
 
 THE BRITISH CAMP. EVACUATION OF EGYPT BY THE FRENCH. 
 
 GENERAL HOPE. CONGRATULATIONS. — JOSEPH WILLOUGHBY. — 
 
 CONDUCT OF THE 90tII. — THE WET CARPENTER. DEATH AND 
 
 CHARACTER OF GENERAL o'hARA. RESUXTS OF THE EGYPTIAN 
 
 CAIVIPAIGN. 
 
 On the 1st of January, 1800, Lieutenant- Colonel Hill 
 was made full Colonel ; and the year itself was destined 
 to be spent by him in very diiferent scenes from those 
 he had contemplated visiting under the auspices of 
 Mr. Drake. Thus, while we turn the thread of our 
 existence in one way, according to the best of our im- 
 perfect judgment, the supreme hand of Providence 
 often reverses its direction. Mr. Drake did not go 
 out, and this was the cause of Colonel Hill's finding 
 in Egypt such an arena of military glory. His own 
 narrative is written with his usual simplicity, both in 
 the memoranda quoted in the last chapter, and in a 
 small pocket journal kept amidst the sands of the 
 desert and on the banks of the Nile. The latter re-
 
 32 FOCKET JOURNAL. CiiAr. II. 
 
 cord commences thus : " Having procured leave from 
 the Duke of York to accompany Mr. Drake, and jom 
 my regiment by way of Italy, I waited in London 
 some months ; but finding it uncertain when he was 
 to set out, and hearing the 90th Regiment was to be 
 actively employed with Sir Ralph Abercromby, I 
 determined to join my regiment as soon as possible ; 
 therefore on May the 15th set out with Admiral Hol- 
 lo way for Portsmouth." 
 
 This diary continues : " Saturday the 24tli May, 
 embarked at Spithead on board the Pegasus, 28 guns, 
 fitted up as a troop-ship, and having on board about 
 200 men and 30 officers, and I, being senior officer, 
 gave out orders necessary to be observed on board — 
 25th dropped down to St. Helen's — 26th sailed, fine 
 breeze — 2 7th fine — 28tli placed the men at the guns 
 according to the directions of Captain Pingelly." Here 
 all the officers seem to have looked up to Colonel Hill 
 with the greatest deference. Amongst these were 
 Lord Blaney and others, forming the personal staff of 
 Sir Ralph Abercromby, who had become acquainted 
 with Colonel Hill at Portsmouth, where they were all 
 detained several days together. •' During this time," 
 he says, " the pompous Lieutenant-Governor, General 
 AYhitelock, showed attention to all the officers except 
 myself, which I could not account for, until his aid- 
 de-camp told me the reason, which was, because I 
 was not in uniform when I waited on him." This 
 individual was the only person in jDOwer, who ever 
 appears to have shghted one whom all others con- 
 curred in valuing and commending both for efficiency 
 and conduct.
 
 Chap II. VOYAGE. 33 
 
 Though Colonel Hill was gentle in the extreme, he 
 never permitted any deviation from discipline. An in- 
 stance of this occurred while he was in the Pegasus. 
 An officer on board that ship was reported to him, on 
 the 28th of IMay, as having been the previous night 
 intoxicated. This charge being fully substantiated, 
 he says, " I assembled all the officers, and before 
 
 them told that his conduct had been highly 
 
 improper, and that if he behaved in like manner again 
 I should report him to the Commander-in-Chief. 
 
 promised to conduct himself in future as an 
 
 officer ; and by the approbation of all the officers he 
 was re-admitted to their society." After passing a few 
 more days at sea, the party landed at Mevagissy, in 
 Cornwall, and made an expedition to see a tin-mine, 
 and then sailed again with a fair wind. " Sunday 
 the 1st of June " they were " off Scilly, and fell in with 
 the outward-bound East India fleet. The commander 
 reported the French fleet to be at sea, and imagined 
 Lord St. Vincent was between us and it. In the 
 evening placed the men at their quarters, two to each 
 gun." He also arranged that three captains and six 
 subalterns with sixty men should act as marines, and 
 put every thing in the ship into the most complete 
 order. On the 4th of June they fell in with Captain 
 Legg, who also informed them that he had heard the 
 French fleet was out ; and the very next day they came 
 across an enemy's vessel, which they chased and fired 
 at for four hours, but could not come up to her. After 
 the usual occurrences of a sea voyage, they made the 
 Straits of Gibraltar on the 10th of June; but the gun- 
 boat not coming out to them as was expected, they did 
 
 D
 
 34 CURIOUS DINNEE. Chap. II. 
 
 not go on shore till early the next morning. Colonel 
 Hill found his old friend General O'Hara up and on 
 parade, and went home to breakfast with him, when 
 " a very satisfactory conversation " ensued. After this 
 he " walked about the garrison, and saw the works 
 at Landport," but " at one got under way, and with 
 a fair wind and large convoy waited on Sir Ealph 
 Abercromby." In the evening a ship ran foul of the 
 Peo'asus, but nothino' disastrous was the result. She 
 does not seem to have been a good sailer, for on the 
 15th chase was given by her to four vessels, all of 
 which escaped. During this time Colonel Hill was 
 not negligent as to improving himself in his profession, 
 and was paying studious attention to the theory of field 
 fortification, reading diligently on that subject. The 
 24th found him near Cabrera, where they were much 
 distressed for provisions. At this place he mentions that 
 " a pair of boots were dressed, boiled, and roasted 
 with lemon, for dinner in the gun-room ; " but he does 
 not state with what appetite they were eaten, nor the 
 cause of this burlesque upon their scanty fare. On 
 arriving at Majorca, they were informed by "the 
 commander that Genoa had surrendered, and was re- 
 taken by lionaparte, and that Sir Ralph had sailed 
 with 3000 men." They made the utmost expedition 
 to join him ofi" Leghorn, and were becalmed near 
 Corsica, but reached that port on the 8th of July, 
 when they found the place in a state of disturbance, 
 and Sir Ralph gone to Malta. Lord Hill's remarks on 
 Leghorn are very brief. — " 10th, went on shore. Saw 
 Lord Keith. The Queen of Naples, with Sir William 
 and Lady Hamilton, on board the Alexander, Lord
 
 Chap. II. THE " DIVErtSION." 35 
 
 Nelson. Most of the shops and public places shut up." 
 It was on the 21st of July that he reached Minorca, 
 where he remained till the 27th of August, when he 
 embarked with Sir Kalph Abercromby and " an army 
 of 12,000 men." A brief entry in his journal shows 
 that though he had the satisfaction of joining his 
 general, he was tried by indisposition, "lltli Sep- 
 tember, I was taken very unwell, and so ill, not able 
 to keep a memorandum. Got to Gibraltar. Day after 
 dined with General O'Hara, but was so very ill at 
 dinner, I was obliged to leave the room. Two days 
 after I came on shore and lived with General Wemyss." 
 Sir James Pulteney at this time arrived at Gibraltar 
 with 5000 men. Soon after, the whole fleet, with an 
 army of 25,000 men, sailed for Cadiz, off which place 
 they remained three days. " The troops were ordered 
 to land, and General Moore's division was embarked in 
 the boats; but before they reached the shore, they were 
 recalled and the landino- abandoned. Sio'ual made to 
 return to Tetuan Bay. 10th October, much better. 
 Off the Straits of Gibraltar." These various ma- 
 noeuvres were performed with the intention of de- 
 ceiving the enemy ; but General O'Hara, who was 
 labouring under impaired health and spirits, and 
 whose tactics were all of the straightforward order, 
 became furiously enraged at the whole proceeding. 
 " What is the meaning of all this pretence of landing 
 at Cadiz, passing backwards and forwards, and all the 
 rest of it ?" " It is a diversion. General," was the answer 
 given to the brave and blunt veteran. " Diversion /" 
 he exclaimed. " 'Tis a diversion^ for all Europe is laugh- 
 ing at you. Why, your commander cannot see the 
 
 D 2
 
 36 HIGH TRICE or PROVISIONS. Chap. II.' 
 
 length of his nose; and as for your fighting-cock 
 Moore, he has trimmed his tail ! Pretty doings ! " 
 This ebullition of the worthy veteran was in allu- 
 sion, in the first instance, to the well-known near- 
 sightedness of Sir Ralph Abercromby ; and certainly the 
 general could not regard the rendezvous at Gibraltar 
 with much personal satisfaction, since the price of pro- 
 \asions had been enormously augmented by it. Lord 
 Hill used to mention, that being forbidden, on account 
 of his ilhiess at that time, to eat anything but fresh 
 meat, he was obliged to give three pounds twelve 
 shillings sterling for a turkey, and a guinea for a fowl. 
 Of course General O'Hara could not think this increase 
 in the expenses of his own very hospitable board, by 
 any means a diversion. And then, in those days of 
 all-prevailing powder and pomatum. Sir John Moore 
 had actually dared the innovation of a crop, and ap- 
 peared unfrizzled and unfloured upon parade. This 
 was the source of the second remark of the harassed 
 old soldier, who no doubt considered, as many of his 
 years would have done, that, with the curls and the 
 pigtail the age of chivalry was gone.* 
 
 On the 10th of October Colonel Hill was so much 
 better as to be able to proceed to Tetuan. " Stayed 
 
 * Probably the authorities were and Cadell tells us, " As soon as 
 of the same opinion, for it was not they had finished on board the 
 till the arrival of Sir John Moore head-quarter ship, the adjutant, 
 from Stockholm in 1808, that an Lieutenant Russell, proceeded with 
 order reached his troops to cut off them and a pattern man to the 
 their queues. It was dated 24th other troop-ships. The tails were 
 July, and gave universal delight, kept till all were docked, when, by 
 Tlie signal was made for all hair- a signal, the whole were hove over- 
 cutters to proceed to head quarters: board with three cheers."
 
 Chap. II. ILLNESS. — MALTA. 37 
 
 there," he says, " till a violent gale of wind from the 
 east obliged us to leave our anchor and come off Cape 
 Spartel. The fleet very much scattered ; all officers 
 on salt provisions." He then continues, " Monday, 
 October 20th, at anchor off Cape Spartel. 21st, Sir 
 Ralph joined the fleet, after being separated in the 
 last gale. Miserably bad ; no provisions ; all tired 
 with being on board so long ; very ill ; returned to 
 Gibraltar." 
 
 There seemed to be no end of this passing to and 
 fro, while various untoward circumstances, and above 
 all the illness ^vhich affected a constitution never 
 robust, threatened a far different termination to those 
 hopes of service and distinction which animated his 
 heroic breast, than fortunately for himself and his 
 country he was at last permitted to realize. But 
 we will let him teU the brief tale of his OAvn pro- 
 gress : — " 27th, sailed from Gibraltar : contrary 
 ■winds. Off Cape Gata till the 7th of November, 
 when we made ^Minorca, and anchored. Still unwell. 
 Remained at ]Minorca till the 16th of November; was 
 on shore most of the time for -the benefit of my health. 
 Sailed 17th, fine wind, for Malta." There they arrived 
 on the 20th, after a quick passage, but " blowing a 
 gale of wind," and " the regiment disembarked, and 
 remained on shore till the 13th of December," In his 
 notes on this celebrated island he makes allusion to 
 the shipwreck of St. Paul, in a manner that shows he 
 had been an attentive reader of his Bible. The im- 
 portance of this duty was often urged upon him by 
 more than one member of his family ; and hence it 
 was he derived the solace he experienced when the 
 
 D 3
 
 38 STORM. — LORD KEITH. Chap. II. 
 
 light of God's Word cheered the brief evening of his 
 long and eventful day. 
 
 The 1st of January, 1801, presented to his ad- 
 miring view the noble harbour of Marmora ; and 
 better health enabled him to hear with cheerful spirits, 
 the sounds of preparation for the campaign in Egypt. 
 His own note runs thus : — " January 1st, 1801, Mar- 
 mora ; all well ; wrote to Frees ; preparing for our 
 expedition against the French troops in Egypt." Here 
 they passed the whole month. " February 1st," he 
 continues, "still at Marmora; dined with Lord Keith. 
 Preparation for our departure." On the 9th there 
 arose a " tremendous storm, accompanied with most 
 violent thunder and lightning, and hailstones the size 
 of a pigeon's egg.'^ They did not sail for some time 
 after this, as appears from his own record : — " 2 2d, 
 sailed from Marmora, or Marmorice, with a fleet of 
 about 200 sail, some Turkish, some Greeks. 23d, fine 
 wind, steering for Egypt." A more magnificent sight 
 than the fleet under Lord Keith can scarcelv be ima- 
 gined ; but these notes of Colonel Hill plainly prove 
 that the noble Admiral knew better than to venture 
 its safety by bringing it out of Marmorice harbour in 
 a gale of wind, as has been stated by some writers. 
 At the same time, his determination to convey the 
 brave army on board to the coast of Egypt, manifested 
 the most cool and masterly seamanship; for it was 
 taken in the face of the opinion of all the pilots, who 
 designated the attempt no less than madness, and 
 proclaimed the landing impossible till the equinox 
 was past. The progress is thus shortly mentioned by 
 Colonel Hill : — " March 1st, saw Alexandria ; 2d, an-
 
 CiiAF. II. LANDING. BATTLE OF MARCH 13. 39 
 
 cliored in Aboukir Bay ; 8tli March, the landing was 
 gallantly made." Thus opened that effective cam- 
 paign, and with it opportunities for the display of 
 those high qualities in Colonel Hill, which brightened 
 each time they were exhibited, and at length com- 
 manded universal applause, blended with what is still 
 more valuable, universal respect. 
 
 The narrative of events in Egypt has been often 
 enough told. I therefore proceed with Colonel Hill's 
 modest notes of his own share in them. " 12th (March), 
 moved on towards Alexandria; 13th March, attacked 
 the French, defeated them, and gained a glorious vic- 
 tory. AVas wounded, and went on board the expe- 
 dition." This short extract is from his diary kept at 
 the time ; but the following cjuotation from the later 
 memoranda will give fuller particulars : — " On the 2 2d 
 February, 1801, the expedition under Sir R. Aber- 
 cromby and Lord Keith weighed. On the 27th it 
 blew tremendously. On the 1st March we anchored 
 in the celebrated bay of Aboukir. On the 8th we 
 landed in Egypt. On the 12th the army advanced, 
 skirmishing with the enemy till dusk. At night, the 
 90th, which I commanded, and the 92d, were placed 
 along the front of the army. On the morning of the 
 13th, at six, the British army began to move, the 90th 
 regiment as its advanced guard. At this moment a 
 considerable body of cavalry made a spirited and im- 
 petuous charge on the 90th, who, as Walsh says, with 
 the coolness and intrepidity of veterans received them, 
 unbroken, upon the points of their bayonets. The 
 French were obliged to retreat. I was wounded by a 
 musket-ball, which struck the peak of the hehnet, now 
 
 D 4
 
 40 COLONEL HILL WOUNDED. Chap. II. 
 
 at Hawkstoiie. After being wounded I was taken on 
 board Lord Keith's ship, where I remained about three 
 weeks, and then returned to the regiment." Colonel 
 Hill's escape was truly providential; and the helmet is 
 still kept as a memorial of his danger and his merciful 
 deliverance. In the general orders of Sir Ralph Aber- 
 cromby, issued the next day, was contained this un- 
 equivocal praise of the conduct of the 90th : — " He 
 desires that Major-General Cradock will assure the 
 officers and men of the 90th Regiment, that their 
 meritorious conduct commands his admiration." The 
 description of the gallantry of the 90th by Sir Robert 
 Wilson, plainly shows that this encomium was well de- 
 served. He says, " At the same time the cavalry, under 
 the orders of General Bron, charged down a height on 
 the 90th Regiment, forming the advanced guard of 
 the right column. This regiment, undismayed, firmly 
 maintained its ground, and, allowing the cavalry to 
 approach, fired such a volley as completely altered 
 their direction, and compelled them to retreat." 
 
 Though Colonel Hill was rendered insensible by the 
 violence of the concussion from the ball, which his 
 helmet was mercifully permitted to arrest, he speedily 
 revived, and was much consoled by the friendly in- 
 vitation of Lord Keith to come on board the Fou- 
 droyant. 
 
 "Dear Hill, " l6th M (arch), 1801. 
 
 " I am happy to hear you are so Avell, and I think you will 
 
 be more at ease here than where you are. I beg you will 
 
 come, and I will do all I can to make the ship comfortal^le to 
 
 you. I wish my poor friend Erskine were able to come also. 
 
 " Yours ever, 
 « Col. Hill, 90th Rco-t., Cyclops. " Keith. 
 
 ''Keith:'
 
 Chap. II. DEATH OF SIR R. ABERCROMBY. 41 
 
 The clay after the elate of this invitation Colonel 
 Hill removed to the Foudroyant. AVhile there, still 
 weak from the effect of his wound, he saw with grief 
 his brave commander brought from the battle-field of 
 the 21st of March, to die in the same cabin where he 
 himself was gradually recovering. He says, in his 
 diary, " Remained on board the Foudroyant till 14th 
 April. The glorious 21st of March, poor Sir R. 
 Abercromby was brought on board. He was in the 
 same cabin with me, and lived one week: his lady 
 sent to Malta in the Flora." 
 
 While Colonel Hill was confined in the Foudroyant, 
 the Capitan Pacha, who came to that ship, presented 
 him with a sabre, a gold box, and a handsome shawl, 
 as a testimony of admiration of the gallant manner in 
 which he had led the 90th Regiment on the 18 th of 
 March, and invited him to pay a visit to the Sultan 
 Selim. 
 
 It was the misfortune of this brave army, which 
 first taught Frenchmen under Bonaparte the sur- 
 passing skill and excellence both of our men and 
 officers, to have lost Sir Ralph Abercromby, the ad- 
 mirer of Colonel Hill, and his companion in the cabin 
 of the wounded, where the latter was obliged to remain 
 till the 14th of April. But the conflict of the 13th, and 
 the decisive victory of the 21st of March, had rendered 
 it impossible for the French to maintain themselves 
 for any great length of time in Egypt. Though many 
 that were arrayed against the English had crossed the 
 Alps with Napoleon, they confessed that they had 
 never fought till now. And who gave the first re- 
 pulse to their hitherto undaunted assaults and vie-
 
 42 SKIEMISH. — CAPTURE OF RAMANIEH. Chap. II. 
 
 torious movements ? It was the 90th Regiment, com- 
 mancled by Colonel Hill, on whom the opening on- 
 slaught was directed, and whose conduct became the 
 first omen of victory, brilliantly achieved, and only 
 clouded by the loss of Sir Ealph Abercromby, whom 
 every soldier loved as a father, and confided in as a 
 leader. 
 
 On the 19th of April Colonel Hill commanded the 
 camp at Hamed, and on the 4th of May orders were 
 given for the British and Turkish army to march for- 
 ward. From Colonel Hill's Diary it appears that 
 "the British army consisted of Major-General Cra- 
 dock's brigade, Brigadier-General Doyle's part of the 
 reserve, four three-pounders, four six, two howitzers, 
 and a few cavalry." As the British advanced, the 
 French receded before them, till, on the 10th of May, 
 the former marched towards Ramanieh. " About 
 four miles," he states, " before we reached that 
 place- the enemy came out, and with cavalry and 
 light troops skirmished with our advanced guards and 
 light troops. Our loss was about thirty killed and 
 wounded ; that of the Turks more considerable ; that 
 of the French may be about sixty or seventy. The 
 French at night evacuated their position. I was on 
 duty, and, from the noise I heard, I imagined they 
 were moving off. I reported the same to General 
 Cradock. On the 11th the fort of Ramanieh sur- 
 rendered. The same day a party of dragoons, coming 
 from Alexandria to Ramanieh, were taken, not know- 
 ing we were in possession of the place." Ramanieh 
 itself was by no means a strong fort, and the village 
 was filthy, but the produce of the surrounding coun-
 
 Chap. II. CONVOY TAKEN. CAIRO. 4 
 
 Q 
 
 try in corn, was such as to cover the land like the 
 years of plenty in the days of Josepli. 
 
 The army continued marching on without any en- 
 counter till the 1 7th, when, says Colonel Hill, "a convoy, 
 consisting of 600 French, 400 camels, and 200 cavalry, 
 &c., coming from Alexandria, were heard of in the 
 desert. The whole army was under arms, and pro- 
 ceeded in diiferent directions in three columns, and 
 after a fatiguing march in the desert, General Doyle's 
 brigade came up with the convoy, which surrendered. 
 At night I had the command of the guard over them." 
 Colonel Hill proceeds: — "1st of June, the army 
 changed its ground, and moved forward four miles. 
 2d, Osman Bey, with his noble cavalry, came into our 
 camp. 4th, the army moved forward, the band of the 
 90tli playing ' God save the King.' " A few more 
 changes occurred, and on the 16th the army " en- 
 camped before Grand Cairo;" and the next extract 
 from the diary will inform us under what circum- 
 stances. — " During the march from Hamed to Grand 
 Cairo the weather was extremely hot, and the fatigue 
 the soldiers endured, I believe to be unparalleled. 
 One day, about the 20th of June, the thermometer 
 was at 120°; some say 128°: it was generally near 
 100°. The country we passed through was covered 
 Avith corn, the finest possible. The villages were 
 nearly the same, and all equally miserable. In gene- 
 ral there was one mosque in each ; the houses built of 
 mud ; the inhabitants naked, wretched, and savage. 
 If the country had not been plundered by the French 
 and Turks, we might have had plenty of provisions. 
 Buffaloes in great abundance. On our march every
 
 44 CONFERENCE. — ALEXANDRIA. — THE 90tH. Chap. IT. 
 
 preparation, though slow, was making to bring up the 
 heavy artillery for the siege of Cairo." The result of 
 all these demonstrations is thus mentioned : — " On 
 the evening of the 21st I was Colonel for the day. 
 The next morning a French officer came out with a 
 letter for the Commander-in-Chief, in consequence of 
 which a conference took place, and ended in the French 
 agreeing to evacuate Egypt, and surrender the citadel 
 of Cairo in twelve days." 
 
 " July 6, the Grand Vizier came to the British 
 camp. On the 15th of July the army began its march 
 from Cairo, the Turks in front, then the British, and 
 afterwards the French." The march from Cairo to 
 Hamed occupied fourteen days, when the French, who 
 had left the former place, moved off by divisions and 
 embarked for France, and the British encamped among 
 the date-trees near Rosetta. From this place General 
 Hope's brigade marched to Alexandria ; and, on the 
 IGth of August, Colonel Hill and the 90th were placed 
 once more in the front of the line, and soon had the 
 pleasure of seeing the last remnant of the enemy de- 
 part from Egypt. On the 8th of September General 
 Hope inspected the 90th Regiment, and thus addressed 
 Colonel Hill: — "Sir, considering the service your 
 regiment has gone through, it is impossible a regiment 
 can be more complete than it is at present. I have 
 minutely inspected every part of it, and it is with 
 pleasure I tell you that the whole corps does you and 
 the officers the greatest credit." He also Avrote in the 
 most commendatory terms of tlieir gallant conduct to 
 General Hutchinson, who succeeded Sir Ralph Aber- 
 cromby in the command of the British army in Egypt.
 
 Chap. II. LETTER OF SIR RICHARD HILL. 45 
 
 But Colonel Hill had the happiness of receiving 
 congratulations on his escape and distinction, dearer 
 to him than all besides. These were letters from his 
 family and friends in England. One particularly from 
 Sir Richard Hill, is eminently characteristic of that 
 deservedly -popular and pious man. 
 
 "My very dear Rowland, " London, May 12. 1801. 
 
 " With the most inexpressible pleasure and satisfaction 
 have I this day received your letter mentioning your truly 
 providential escape on the 13th of March, for Avhich we can 
 never be sufficiently thankful to Him who screened your head 
 in the day of battle. God knows that my prayer for you, my 
 very dear lad, has been that you may return to your anxious 
 friends and relatives, whole in body and renewed in soul ; and 
 that the many wonderful instances you have experienced of 
 sparing mercy, may be crowned with that greatest of all mer- 
 cies, converting, sa\ang mercy. 
 
 " As soon as I received the most welcome epistle, I made 
 its contents known to many who had made frequent incpiiries 
 after you ; and the account has rejoiced them. Maria will 
 have told you that some of the newspapers had stated that 
 you were killed. However, a letter which I got from kind 
 Mr. Addington dispersed, or rather prevented, our appre- 
 hensions on that account, as it was the first which we had 
 from any quarter, and, indeed, was written before any other 
 accounts had transpired. 
 
 " I beheve that all the letters vou have forwarded to Eng- 
 land have been received. Yours written to me from Malta 
 
 came duly to hand. 
 
 ****** 
 
 " Maria has no doubt sent you what httle domestic news 
 may be stirring. However, that certainly is not much. The 
 best piece of news you can send us in return, is that we may 
 venture to entertain hopes of seeing you l^efore long In Eng- 
 land ; and I hope you will not fail to bring with you the
 
 46 DOMESTIC NEWS. Chap. II. 
 
 friendly helmet which first received the ball, and prevented 
 
 the stroke from being fetal to the wearer. 
 
 ****** 
 
 " Our stay in town will be very short ; and indeed the 
 country is now so delightful, that I care not how soon I visit 
 the romantic scenes at Hawkstone. 
 
 " As it is by no means certain when this may reach you, 
 or, indeed, whether you will get it at all, I will add no more 
 but that my best Avishes and prayers follow you whithersoever 
 you go, and that I remain, with love from all here, the Tud- 
 ways, &c. &c., 
 
 " My very dear Rowland, 
 " Yours most affectionately and truly, 
 
 « R. H." 
 
 All the domestic news was sent to Colonel Hill in 
 the way Sir Richard supposed, and that in a most 
 engaging and talented style of writing. One piece of 
 intelligence his sister made known to him was the 
 determination of his servant, who had been ill at 
 Hawkstone for some time, to set off at all hazards to 
 attend him in Egypt, the instant he heard of his 
 being wounded. She also communicated to him the 
 deep concern of other humble individuals in the em- 
 ployment of the family, whose attachment his kind 
 and condescending treatment had won. Nor did she 
 forget to mention the state of his pheasants and his 
 poultry, which were the subjects of his amusement 
 when at home. Nothing was more remarkable in his 
 rare and winning disposition, than the contrast exhi- 
 bited in his indulgence to dependants, and fondness 
 for tame animals, to the vigour of his military com- 
 mand, and the splendour of his victories. On the 
 latter, as regarded the campaign now before our view,
 
 Chap. II. LETTER OF MR. GRAHAM. J. WILLOUGIIBY. 47 
 
 he was tlms congratulated by the gallant founder of 
 his regiment : — 
 
 "Dear Hill, London, May 23. 1801. 
 
 " I rejoice to hear you are doing so well, and most sin- 
 cerely congratulate you on tlie conduct of the regiment, 
 which I never doubted would distinguish itself, though cer- 
 tainly the occasion was the most trying possible, and its beha- 
 ^'iour has estal)lished its reputation for ever. I am extremely 
 hurried, and have only time to request you will assure them 
 all of the pride and satisfaction I have felt on this glorious 
 occasion. With the best and sincerest wishes, I remain, 
 
 " Ever most truly yours, 
 
 " Thos. Grahajvi. 
 " Col. Hill, 90th Regt. 
 
 "&' 
 
 These letters reached Colonel Hill in the midst 
 of his arduous duties ; and the care with which he 
 preserved them in after-life, best proves the com- 
 fort they conveyed to him amidst the sands and 
 conflicts of Egypt. Notwithstanding his military 
 occupations, he found time to visit every object of 
 curiosity in Cairo, Alexandria, and the Pyramids. 
 He quitted Egypt on the 23d of September, carefully 
 superintending the embarkation of his regiment, and 
 on the 9tli of October anchored at Malta. Here he 
 lost the faithful servant, who had left the comforts 
 of Hawkstone to attend his wounded master. His 
 name was Joseph Willoughby, and he died on the 
 18th of October. The regiment stayed at Malta 
 till the 28th of February, 1802 ; and this honour- 
 able testimony to its conduct still remains in the 
 handwriting of its beloved Colonel : — " On the regi- 
 ment quitting Malta every one spoke highly of the
 
 48 DEATH OF GENERAL o'HARA. Chap. II. 
 
 corps, particularly General Valette, who expressed 
 regret that it was leaving his garrison. No soldier of 
 the 90th was punished on the public parade ; — two 
 tried, but both acquitted. Received great civilities 
 from Lord Keith, General Fox, and all the general 
 officers." On the passage from Malta to Gibraltar 
 they were twice in the most imminent danger, but had 
 what Colonel Hill very appropriately calls, each time, 
 " a most providential escape." On the Uth of March 
 they encountered a tremendous storm. The sea " broke 
 in upon the quarter-gallery of Colonel flill's vessel, 
 and nearly covered the cabin." Observing the car- 
 penter putting in the dead-lights, he inquired of him, 
 in his usual quiet manner, " Any damage done. Car- 
 penter?" " iVo," said he, coolly, '"'■ 07ily looor carpenter 
 ivet.''^ On the 12th the storm abated, and the rock 
 of Gibraltar once more met his eyes. There he had 
 hoped to see the countenance of his esteemed friend 
 General O'Hara lighted up with joy as he recounted 
 to him the adventures and conquests of Egypt. 
 But this pleasure was not awarded to him ; the first 
 news he heard being that of the death of the excellent 
 Governor, — " his worthy, good, and ever-to-be- 
 lamented friend." He has thus expressed his sen- 
 timents towards him : — " His abilities as an officer, 
 and his character as a man, never were surpassed. 
 Some say he was passionate ; — those who have 
 deserved censure have received it strongly from 
 him ; — those who have not, never. He was charitable 
 and generous to a degree, and none knew his gene- 
 rosity but the individuals who benefited by it." No 
 one would more cordially have rejoiced at the non-
 
 Chap. IL CHARACTER OF GENERAL O'hARA. 49 
 
 fulfilment of his prophetic forebodings as to the result 
 of the expedition, than this respected old officer, 
 whose eulogium was so justly pronounced by his grate- 
 ful friend. His more deliberate impression as to the 
 future eminence of that friend, as was likely, had its 
 accomplishment, rendering this tribute to O'Hara's 
 merits a memorial worthy of his name. 
 
 At the termination of this arduous service, the 
 army of Egypt received the thanks of both Houses of 
 Parliament, and of the Corporation of the City of 
 London, which were communicated to each officer in 
 command of a regiment by Sir John Doyle, in a cir- 
 cular couched in very flattering language. General 
 Hutchinson received the order of the Bath, and the 
 entire conduct of the army merited and won the 
 admiration of all men. The achievements of the 
 expedition were of extreme importance ; the Arabs 
 were astonished at deeds of arms, of which they had 
 not the remotest conception, and still more at the de- 
 portment and integrity of the high-minded victors 
 who obtained their confidence, and with it an ample 
 supply of provisions. The glittering Mamelukes 
 came again upon the scene, brilliant in costume and 
 marvellous in their feats, and even the dull Fellahs 
 roused themselves into energy under the exciting in- 
 fluence of the soldiers of Great Britain. The sleepy 
 Grand Vizier also, and the Capitan Pacha advanced 
 to meet our troops as friends. Though the army 
 of India, under Major-General Baird, appeared at 
 Jeddah, on the Red Sea, and was joined by a divi- 
 sion of infantry and horse from the Cape of Good 
 Hope, their aid was not required. The triumph had 
 
 E
 
 50 REMARKS. Chaf. II. 
 
 been won, and Egypt was cleared of tlie invaders, 
 before any union took place between the first army 
 and tliese forces ; and the whole world was taught 
 that Britons knew how to conquer, and how to win 
 respect even from the vanquished, while the uncivil- 
 ized spectators of their career reposed the utmost 
 reliance on their honour, as on their strength and 
 their sagacity. Nor were individuals overlooked by 
 the observers of these movements ; and it is no slight 
 testimony to Colonel Hill that the presents of the 
 Capitan Pacha, who expressed great regret that he 
 had no worthier offering to make, were the result of 
 the high reputation he had obtained, and the coolness 
 and courage which so fairly won and preserved it.
 
 51 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 COLONEL HILL ARRIVES IN ENGLAND, APRIL 1. 1802. — FJ^TE AT 
 
 HAWKSTONE. LETTER TO BIR. WINFIELD. — INCREASE OP THE 
 
 90th. IRELANT). COLONEL HILL IMADE BRIGADIER-GENERAL. 
 
 — LEAVES THE 90tH. HIS PROCEEDINGS IN IRELAND. 
 
 ALARMS. E3IPTY CASKS. THE GAL WAT VOLUNTEERS. PRE- 
 CAUTIONS AGAINST THE EXPECTED INVASION. — DISAFFECTION 
 
 AND CONSEQUENT MEASURES. SIGNALS. — MORE ALAR3IS ABOUT 
 
 THE FRENCH. ACTIVITY ON THIS ACCOUNT. ARREARS. 
 
 LORD CATHCARt's COMINIUNICATION. RUMOURS AND THEIR CON- 
 TRADICTIONS. — VEXATIOUS OBSTACLES. DISPUTES. ANOTHER 
 
 LOOK-OUT FOR THE FRENCH FLEET. — IMPARTIAL CHARACTER 
 
 OF GENERAL HILL. HE LEAVES GAL WAT. — ■ AJMICABLE SOCIETY. 
 
 VERIFICATION OF A REMARK OP THE EARL OF BUCHAN. 
 
 On the 1st of April, 1802, Colonel Hill, after a voyage 
 in which he encountered several dangerous incidents, 
 found himself comfortably anchored at Spithead, 
 where he " received very pleasant letters from Sir 
 Richard," breathing gratitude in all the writer's fer- 
 vour for his rising nephew's preservation. They were 
 not released from quarantine till the 6th, when he and 
 his companions trod once more on their native land, 
 an honour to its name. In Colonel Hill's diary, this 
 event is thus marked : — " 6th, released from quaran- 
 tine f went on shore at Portsmouth. 
 
 ' Well has thy bark o'er life's uncertain main 
 'Scaped the rough storm, and found the land of rest.' " 
 
 The regiment was landed at Chatham on the 15tli of 
 April, and "marched immediately to Chelmsford, where 
 
 E 2
 
 52 F:^TE at IIAWKSTONE. Chap. ni. 
 
 it remained a few months ; then proceeded to Scotland, 
 under the impression that it was to be reduced at Fort 
 George, where every necessary arrangement was made 
 for its being disbanded." In the month of June, 
 Colonel Hill visited his relatives in Shropshire, and 
 was received at Hawkstone with the honours due to 
 the high merit which reflected so much lustre on his 
 family. Sir Richard Hill gave a splendid fete in the 
 park, where the magnificent tent of Tippoo Saib, ob- 
 tained by Colonel Hill in Egypt*, was erected to 
 receive the numerous guests assembled to welcome his 
 return. When his health was given, and the helmet 
 that had so providentially saved his life was handed 
 round, the genuine simplicity of his bearing, and the 
 quiet shrinking of his manner, manifested a disposition 
 so unassuming, that those who saw him could scarcely 
 believe he was the same gallant officer, under whose 
 undaunted leadership the heretofore invincible cavalry 
 of Napoleon had been repelled and vanquished. " Dis- 
 play was of all things the least in unison with his 
 nature, retiring in quietude because never ostentatious, 
 active in emergencies because absorbed in fulfilment 
 of duty. His genuine simplicity and urbanity are 
 agreeably evidenced in a letter written to his tutor, 
 Mr. Winfield, during this pleasurable sojourn at 
 Hawkstone : — 
 
 " My dear Sir, *' Hawkstone, July 5th. 
 
 " I cannot delay a moment returning you my sincere 
 thanks for your kind and affectionate letter, which would 
 have afforded me the greatest pleasure if it had not contained 
 
 * From the army returning by the Red Sea from India.
 
 Chap. III. BRIGADIEE GENERAL. — IRELAND. 53 
 
 such an indifferent account of yourself ; but I trust and hope 
 you will soon be restored to perfect health. 
 
 " Since I saw you, I have been in various parts of the 
 world, and have had an opportunity of seeing several interest- 
 ing countries, and must acknowledge I have had some provi- 
 dential escapes ; but, thank God, I am returned to the best 
 country in the world, in health and safety. I imagine the 
 reduction of the 90th regiment will soon take place. I shall 
 then have time to visit all my old acquantances, and be as- 
 sured, my dear Sir, I shall never pass through Chester with- 
 out calling on you. I beg to be kindly remembered to all 
 your family, and believe me, 
 
 " My dear Sir, 
 
 " Your sincere and obedient 
 
 " K. Hill. 
 
 " Rev. James Winfield, Chester." 
 
 The expectation expressed in this letter was not to 
 be realized, and the reason is thus given in his own 
 words: — " At the end of 1802 the affairs of Europe 
 were unsettled; rumours of wars made it advisable 
 to increase the army, and the 90th, instead of being 
 reduced, had orders to use every exertion to get men, 
 in consequence of which I sent out various recruiting 
 parties in England and Scotland. I remained with 
 the regiment the greater part of the winter of 1802, 
 and beginning of 1803. In the spring of 1803 we 
 received orders to proceed to Ireland ; sailed from 
 Portsmouth, and were quartered at Belfast till August 
 following. During the period we were at Belfast, Ire- 
 land was in a very disturbed state. In August we 
 were ordered to march to Ballinasloe. On arrival at 
 Mullingar, I received an otficial letter informing me 
 that I was appointed a Brigadier-General on the staff 
 in Ireland, and was to be stationed at Loughrea." This 
 
 E 3
 
 54 ADDRESS ON QUITTING THE 90tH. Chap. III. 
 
 letter was dated August 20. 1803 ; and, of course, 
 produced the trying separation between Colonel Hill 
 and the distinguished corps he had so effectively and 
 acceptably commanded. How much his removal was 
 felt by his brother officers, is abundantly testified in 
 the address presented to him with their unanimous 
 concurrence, and which is here inserted from the 
 original : — 
 
 " The officers of the 90th regiment, in expressing to Colonel 
 Hill their unfeigned and heartfelt pleasure on learning of his 
 appointment of Brigadier-General to the Forces, must, at the 
 same time, assure him that his resigning the command of the 
 regiment fills them with sentiments of the most lively and 
 deep regret. 
 
 " On their taking their farewell of an officer who has ever 
 stood so high in their estimation, they feel themselves called 
 upon to declare that the discipline he maintained In the regi- 
 ment, has ever gained it the distinguished praise and approba- 
 tion of all the general officers they have ever served with, — 
 a discipline so tempered with mildness that must have en- 
 deared him to every individual in the regiment, as well as 
 his general attention to their private Interests. 
 
 " But their gratitude and private feelings must now give 
 Avay and be subordinate to the public service, and it is only 
 left for them to indulge the hope that it may be their good 
 fortune to serve under his command, and eventually in his 
 brigade. 
 
 " They are proud to think and reflect on the distinguished 
 honours they gained in Egypt, when he gloriously fell 
 wounded at their head, and hope under his command they 
 may acquire additional glory in future and no less important 
 services. 
 
 " They finally beg leave to assure him that tlielr best 
 wishes for his welfare and happiness ever attend him ; and 
 that In every honour he may acquire they will, though absent, 
 always participate.
 
 Chap. III. PROCEEDINGS IN IRELAND. 55 
 
 " Signed, in the name and at the request of all the oflEicers 
 of the 90tli reghiient, 
 
 " RUTHVEN, 
 
 " Major Commandhig 90th Regt. 
 "Athlone, 1st September, 1803." 
 
 The duties performed in Ireland by General Hill 
 were of various kinds, partly arising out of the internal 
 disaffection which at that time prevailed, and partly 
 out of the threatened danger of a French invasion. 
 The latter was in some degree connected with the 
 former, through the conduct of certain Irish exiles in 
 France, during the bubble peace of Amiens, blown by 
 the deceitful breath, of Napoleon, only to glitter and 
 to burst rather sooner than suited either his own 
 schemes, or those of the wily Talleyrand. At this 
 time the services of General Hill in Ireland, performed 
 with cool sagacity, tended to confirm the previously 
 high opinions he had won on the sands of Egypt. 
 The outline of his proceedings is thus sketched by 
 himself, Avith his usual simplicity: — " On being ap- 
 pointed a Brigadier-General in Ireland, I was stationed 
 at Loughrea, having under my immediate command 
 some fine light infantry corps formed from the militia 
 of Ireland ; also having charge of the whole western 
 part of the country. Ireland at this period was 
 threatened with the invasion of the French, and was 
 much disturbed by disaffection in the country. On 
 the 20th of October, 1803, Lieutenant-Colonel Skinner, 
 who commanded at Galway, informed me that he had 
 received by express an account of an enemy's fleet 
 
 E 4
 
 56 EMPTY CASKS. — GALWAY VOLUNTEEES. Chap. III. 
 
 being seen off the coast, in consequence of which the 
 troops were kept in readiness to move on the shortest 
 notice. Eeports of this kind, many without founda- 
 tion, kept us on the alert. General Dalrymple, on 
 the 20th of October, sent a report of the enemy's 
 actual landing at Killala Bay. This report originated 
 from the circumstance of two English frigates coming 
 in to water. Their empty casks were all floated to 
 the shore, and each was considered a boat full of 
 French troops." This imaginary alarm of the Irish- 
 men who were on the look-out, is probably witliout 
 parallel in the category of blunders, and must have 
 afforded infinite amusement at their expense, especi- 
 ally as the report stated " they were landing very 
 fast !" Lord Hard wick was at this time Lord Lieute- 
 nant, and General Fox commander of the forces, and 
 General Hill was soon brought into more useful ser- 
 vice than attending to summonses to repel incursions 
 of empty water-casks. " About the 10th of Novem- 
 ber, 1803," he says, " I was ordered to Galway, and 
 arrived two days afterwards at that town, to take the 
 command of the western district. On the 10th of 
 December, made arrangements for the police of the 
 town, which was badly managed. Orders were also 
 given to the commanding officers of corps, to be in 
 readiness to march at the shortest notice. Various 
 orders and regulations for the yeomanry corps, which 
 were in general in a bad [state]. The Light Com- 
 pany of Galwa}^ volunteers laid down their arms ; and 
 other troops behaved in nearly the same unmilitary 
 manner." Li these difficulties, General Hill manifested 
 the most admirable tact, the result of which was that
 
 Chap. III. COURT OF INQUIRY. 57 
 
 the Light Company, who had acted so disgracefully, 
 confessed their error with shame and regret. He con- 
 sidered that his duty was to ascertain the causes of 
 this conduct, and then to deal with them accordingly, 
 in the spirit of that mild but firm dignity which 
 adorned his character and office. His first step, there- 
 fore, was to order " a Court of Inquiry, comprised of 
 respectable yeomanry captains, to investigate the con- 
 duct of the men, and to inquire into the cause of their 
 complaints." General Hill, considering the affair one 
 of great delicacy, submitted their report to the inspec- 
 tion of Sir Eyre Coote, asking either his private advice 
 or official directions. He was anxious to heal the 
 matter in a wise and proper manner. His remark to 
 Sir Eyre Coote was, " It appears to me that Govern- 
 ment have not been regular in their disbursements to 
 the corps in this to-svm ; but the conduct of the com- 
 pany in question is not the less reprehensible on that 
 account, which they are indeed fully sensible of, and 
 promise to atone for their past irregularity, by future 
 obedience and observance of discipline. But notwith- 
 standing their present contrition, I have some hesita- 
 tion in restoring their arms." At the same time he 
 ordered two ringleaders into confinement, tiU Sir 
 Eyre's answer should arrive. This prudent line of 
 conduct had an admirable effect. On the 1st of Ja- 
 nuary, 1804, he had the pleasure of making a favour- 
 able report on the state of Ireland, yet, as usual, took 
 no merit to himself, but said, " This reformation pro- 
 bably may proceed in some degree from a failure of 
 promise from the French, who it was generally be- 
 lieved would visit their friends here six or eight weeks
 
 58 EXCURSIONS. — CAPTAIN CURRIE. Chap. III. 
 
 ago, and from the present conviction in the minds of 
 the people of the improbability of an enemy making 
 any strong impression, from the vigilance and activity 
 of Government in the rebellious counties, and from 
 the rigorous military measures adopted in the coun- 
 try." In his own memoranda his proceedings are 
 thus recorded: — " In the beginning of January, 1804 
 detailed instructions were given to the yeomanry corps 
 for their conduct in the event of the enemy's landing 
 on the coast, which was expected. I also examined all 
 the places on the coast likely for the enemy to land, 
 and visited more than once the wild country of Conne- 
 mara, which chiefly belongs to Mr. Richard Martin, 
 of Galway. In all these excursions I was accom- 
 panied and assisted by my friend and aid-de-camp, 
 Captain Currie." The precautionary measures which 
 were the judicious result of this inspection, will be 
 seen in the following letter, addressed by this officer 
 to Mr. Martin : — 
 
 « Sir, " Galway, 5th Jan. 1804. 
 
 " In the absence of Brigadier-General Hill, who is gone 
 to meet Sir E}a'e Coote, I am directed to inform you that, in 
 the event of an enemy's effecting a debarkation to the west 
 of the Connemara country, he recommends to your immediate 
 consideration to destroy Tindella Bridge, nine mQes to the 
 west of Ougliterard ; as also to occupy an important hill, 
 three miles west of the last-mentioned place, over which the 
 road runs, and which may be considered as a very strong hold 
 in the hands of a small number, and capable of stopping the 
 progress of an enemy advancing upon that quarter from Gal- 
 way. There are also three small bridges to the Avestward of 
 Ballynahinch, which it would be of importance to break up 
 and destroy.
 
 Chap. III. GUARDS OF NATIVE IRISH. 59 
 
 " It is unnecessary to point out to you the impracticability 
 of an enemy's advancing with artillery, &c., if these pre- 
 cautionary measures are adopted in time. The natural ob- 
 stacles which the country presents, and the facility with 
 which the road, the only road of approach, can be destroyed, 
 must be obvious to every person possessing your local know- 
 ledge of it. 
 
 " I have the honour to be. Sir, 
 
 " Your most obedient humble Servant, 
 
 "E. CURRIE. 
 
 "Kichd. Martin, Esq., &c. &c. &c." 
 
 General Hill, by various important steps, did ef- 
 fectual service, civil as well as military, in those 
 trying times. His proceedings are little known, 
 because eclipsed by the splendour of his Peninsular 
 glory; but they will be duly appreciated by all who 
 trace the satisfactory gradations of his rise to the 
 highest pinnacle of military honour. At this time, 
 the vigilance he exercised and the plans lie adopted 
 commanded great admiration ; and one of them was, 
 the raising effective bodies of native Irish, to act 
 under their superiors, as guards of passes. A gentle- 
 man of the name of Ireland may be given as the 
 example, and General Hill wrote respecting him in 
 these terms to Sir E. B. Littlehales : — " Mr. Ireland is 
 a Protestant, and a very respectable loyal subject ; and 
 I conceive a corps of such people of his own per- 
 suasion as he would be enabled to associate together, 
 might be rendered extremely useful in guarding the 
 pass of Cong, and thereby cutting off the communi- 
 cation of the disaffected with the Connemara coun- 
 try." In order to be prepared in case of necessity, 
 General HiU opened a communication between Lough-
 
 GO TELEGR^iPHS. ' Chap. III. 
 
 rea and Galway by signal, and how carefully he 
 arranged the necessary preparations, appears from 
 what he Avrote on the 9th of January, 1804, to Sir 
 Eyre Coote: — " Captain Trench, Royal Navy, has 
 been employed for some days in preparing a dictionary 
 containing every word that can possibly be used. 
 Each word is numbered ; and as the ten signals agreed 
 upon are capable of expressing any number whatever, 
 you will perceive the facility with which the most 
 detailed information may be communicated, and that 
 ivith the most prof ound secrecy ^ After this, the follow- 
 ing account will be read with surprise : — "In this 
 month (January) I also estabhshed a telegraph between 
 Loughrea and Galway, and had considerable trouble 
 in recovering the expenses incurred on the occasion. 
 I also had a survey of the country made." This 
 money was advanced out of his own private resources ; 
 but he bore this conduct on the part of the Govern- 
 ment with his usual placidity, and obtained a reim- 
 bursement at last, after a long and tiresome corre- 
 spondence. Towards the end of February, the disloyal 
 portion of X\\q Irish people were firmly persuaded that 
 the French would come, and General Hill's view of 
 their expectations is thus expressed in a private let- 
 ter : " I cannot avoid remarking that it is too evident 
 that disaffection has not yet subsided ; and although 
 it is not possible for me to speak positively on a sub- 
 ject of so much delicacy, yet I am led to believe that 
 the disaffected, particularly of the middling class, 
 rather begin to show themselves, and look forward 
 with nujch confidence to the invasion of this country, 
 ^vhich they pretend to say will take place in the course
 
 Chap. III. TRECAUTIONS. ATHLONE MILITIA. Gl 
 
 of this month. " The mstructions from the Lord 
 Lieutenant were to keep a vigilant watch, and to com- 
 municate all the information that could be acquired. 
 He had scarcely received these injunctions, when an 
 intimation was conveyed to hira that " the country 
 was laid out in departments, and commissioners of 
 various ranks assigned to fill those departments," and 
 also that the French would probably land in two or 
 three places, and the conflict be very severe. The 
 precautionary measures he took in consequence of this 
 information, to which he attached some credit, were 
 extensive and decided. He issued a circular of pri- 
 vate instruction to the captains of yeomanry, so to 
 dispose of the boats on Lough Carib that they could 
 not be available to an enemy, and himself paid a visit 
 of inspection to the isles of Arran, as being " particu- 
 larly well situated for a look-out post on the western 
 coast." He likewise issued orders how to deal with 
 those who appeared disposed to welcome the invaders ; 
 and having still in remembrance the empty-cask 
 bugbear, gave instructions for preventing false 
 alarms. Li these laudable measures General Hill 
 was cordially assisted by the well-disposed Irish 
 of all grades and persuasions, while the Athlone 
 militia tendered their services in any way, and in 
 any place in the United Kingdom, that might be 
 deemed expedient; nor was there the slightest rea- 
 son to apprehend that attempts made to tamper with 
 the yeomanry would be of any avail, so well were 
 they organized and disposed. The result was, tliat 
 on the 9th of May he was enabled to report to the Lord 
 Lieutenant that " nothing had occurred in the district
 
 62 SIGNALS. — REPORTS. Chap. III. 
 
 under his command to interrupt the pubhc tran- 
 quillity;" and further, on the 1st of June, "the 
 country is perfectly quiet, and I have no reason to 
 think that there are any improper meetings held." 
 The same also was stated in his official communica- 
 tions in July. But General Hill was not inactive ; 
 he was engaged on an important work. His own 
 account states, " in the summer I was employed by 
 Government to build towers for signals on the coast. 
 This duty gave me considerable trouble and anxiety, 
 which was greatly increased by the irregular manner 
 in which Government made their payments." This 
 irregularity embraced every department, and was the 
 subject of harassing correspondence, especially on 
 behalf of the arrears due to the yeomanry, in which 
 General Hill was warmly supported by General Pigot, 
 who had taken the command of the western district. 
 Lord Cathcart was commander of the forces ; and on 
 the 9th of August General Hill received from him the 
 subjoined secret communication relative to the long 
 anticipated arrival of the French, who were again sus- 
 pected of an attempt to land in Ireland : — 
 
 " Camp^ Curragh of Kildare, 9tli August^ 1 804. 
 " Dear General Hill, 
 " There is a tolerably well-grounded report that nine sail 
 of the French fleet have got out of Brest, destination said to 
 be the Mediterranean, hut of course that is quite uncertain. 
 " We must keep a good look-out. 
 
 " Any report to me will be forwarded either by the Secre- 
 tary's office or Adjutant General's office, Boyal Hospital, if I 
 am not there. 
 
 " Yours, dear General, truly and faithfully, 
 
 " Cathcart."
 
 CiiAP. III. CONTRADICTIONS. — DIFFICULTIES. 63 
 
 This, however, was altogether a false alarm, for two 
 days afterwards he received another letter on the sub- 
 ject from General Pigot in contradiction of the report. 
 
 " My dear Sir, " Ballinasloe, August 11. 1804. 
 
 " I have received a letter from Colonel Anstriither, inform- 
 ing me that Government have received advice that the report 
 of a French squadron having escaped from Brest is unfounded. 
 The whole of the French fleet in Brest harbour remained on 
 the third, in the same state in which they have been for some 
 time past. 
 
 " Believe me 
 
 " Most truly yours, 
 
 , " H. Pigot. 
 
 " P. S. Be so good as to inform Captain Trench of this, 
 and make it known where you may think necessary." 
 
 Thus, between alarms and their contradictions. 
 General Hill was at this time kept in a state by no 
 means enviable, while his patience was tried to the 
 utmost by obstacles of the most reprehensible kind, 
 raised by proprietors to the erection of the signals on 
 their properties, which became a source of great annoy- 
 ance to him. He overcame all these difficulties with 
 the most praiseworthy forbearance, and manifested in- 
 finite tact and kindness in settling certain disputes 
 between Irish officers of yeomanry, commencing in 
 bluster and ending in mutual apologies made under 
 his directions, who never in his life seems to have had 
 a dispute with any man. Besides these unpleasant 
 circumstances, he had to submit to a continual cliange 
 of aids-de-camp. His own narrative of events at this 
 time makes mention of these circumstances. " I was," 
 he says, " deprived of the services of Captain Currie,
 
 G-l MORE TROUBLES AND RUMOURS. Chap. III. 
 
 in consequence of the embarkation of the 90th Regi- 
 ment to the West Indies. On November 17th Brigade- 
 Major Foster repaired to Galway, for the purpose of 
 being attached to me in the situation held by Captain 
 Currie as Brigade-Major. In the early j)art of this 
 year (1805), I was chiefly occupied at Galway in the 
 
 erection of Naval Signal Posts. Mr. 's opposition 
 
 to the erecting a post near his house in Connemara, 
 was most reprehensible and troublesome to me. On 
 the 26th January I received a letter from the Adju- 
 tant-General, informing me that a large ship full of 
 troops had been seen ofi" the coast of Scotland, and de- 
 siring me to take every possible precaution." As usual 
 nothing came of this announcement, while General 
 Hill was obliged to write thus to head-quarters : — " I 
 have to request that his Lordship will be pleased to 
 recommend the payment of the money advanced by 
 me upwards of a year since." This letter was crossed 
 by one of an official character to the effect described 
 by himself. " On the 25th of April I received a letter 
 from head-quarters informing me that a large French 
 fleet with troops on board had been seen near Gibral- 
 tar, and desiring me to keep a good look-out." Then 
 came another change of aid-de-camp. " On the 14th 
 of May, Brigade-Major Foster, who was afterwards 
 kiUed in action, was ordered to join his regiment. He 
 was, at my request, replaced by Ca2:)tain Palmer of the 
 15tli foot." At the same time General HiU wrote to 
 Sir Eyre Coote, under whom Major Foster was about 
 to serve, recommending him to his friendly attention 
 as having been "unremitting in his duty as an officer, 
 and circumspect in his behaviour as a gentleman."
 
 Chap. III. DEPARTURE ERO.M GALWAY. 65 
 
 He manifested in all his recommendations the same 
 impartial patronage of merit, and merit alone, which 
 enabled him when at the head of the army to repel 
 every insinuation of political opponents. An officer 
 applied to him, while in Ireland, on the score of 
 relationship, for a vacant company, alleging at the 
 same time that several officers junior to himself 
 had received this promotion. His answer was, " Al- 
 though it is my wish to serve every deserving officer, 
 and particularly those I have the honour of being 
 related to, yet, in your case, I am sorry I do not feel 
 myself warranted to recommend you for promotion, 
 as I could only do it on the plea of your merit, with 
 which I am not acquainted." He then added, that 
 he had never seen him as a soldier, and that if his 
 pretensions were just, his own commanding-officer 
 would not overlook them. 
 
 In October, 1805, General Hill joined the camp on 
 the Curragh of Kildare, with which he remained till it 
 broke up, and then returned to Galway, after which he 
 finally departed from that town, to the great regret of 
 the inhabitants, who were unanimous in presenting 
 him a most gratifying and justly-merited address. 
 
 This address, and General Hill's reply, were pub- 
 lished in the Dublin Post and Connaught Journal. 
 
 The Amicable Society, of which he had been elected 
 President in the month of November, 1804, enrolled him 
 in the list of their honorary members, and addressed 
 to him a most touching farewell. Under his influence, 
 they said, they had " experienced all the advantages 
 of the strictest military discipline, without any of its 
 austerities." Thus General Hill quitted the district 
 
 F
 
 66 REMARK OF THE EARL OF BUCIIAN. Chap. III. 
 
 in which he had commanded, leaving the impression 
 which a tender heart, a most courteous bearing, and a 
 firm hand could not fail to make on the well-disposed 
 of all ranks. 
 
 The Earl of Buchan, who first saw him in Scotland 
 in 1792, remarked in a letter to Sir Richard Hill, " By 
 all the rules of Lavater, as well as my own, I should 
 have augured well of that young gentleman from his 
 appearance and manner." The same impression was 
 made upon every individual, of whatever grade, who 
 had the good fortune to have intercourse with him, 
 while experience more than confirmed the highest 
 expectations.
 
 67 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 PREPARATIONS FOR THE CONTINENT. LETTERS OF THE DUKE OF 
 
 YORK AND LORD CATHCART. EXPEDITION TO THE ^VESER. 
 
 CHRISTMAS-DAY, 1805. GENERAL IIILl's FIRST INTERVIEW WITH 
 
 SIR ARTHUR WELLESLET. THE RETURN FROM THE WESER. 
 
 pilot's news off YARMOUTH. — DEATH OF GENERAL HILl's 
 MOTHER. ENCAMPMENT ON SHORN CLIFF. MADE MAJOR- 
 GENERAL. IRELAND AGAIN. REMAINS THERE TILL ORDERED IN 
 
 1808 TO JOIN SIR ARTHUR AYELLESLEY. FHIST PENINSULAR 
 
 CAMPAIGN. PREPARATIONS. CORRESPONDENCE. DEPARTURE. 
 
 VOYAGE. — LANDING IN MONDEGO BAY. NEW ARRANGEMENTS. 
 
 NOBLE BEARING OF SIR ARTHUR WELLESLEY. HIS INSTRUC- 
 TIONS FOR THE FIRST BIOVEMENTS OF HIS TROOPS ON THE CON- 
 TINENT. BATTLE OF ROLI9A. BATTLE OF VUMEIRO. CONVEN- 
 TION. SIR JOHN MOORE. HIS CAMPAIGN. BATTLE OF CORUNA. 
 
 GENERAL HILL BRINGS HOME TROOPS TO PLYIVIOUTH. KINDNESS 
 
 OF THE INHABITANTS. DEATH OF SIR RICHARD HILL. GE- 
 NERAL HILL APPOINTED TO THE THIRD GARRISON BATTALION. 
 
 SENT TO PORTUGAL. ANXIOUSLY EXPECTED BY SIR J. CRADOCK. 
 
 LETTER OF SIR J. CRADOCK. SIR ARTHUR WELLESLEY ARRIVES 
 
 AT LISBON. 
 
 The cause of General Hill's departure from Galway 
 will be seen in a letter addressed to Lord Cathcart, by 
 his Royal tlighness the Commander-in-Chief. 
 
 "My Lord, " Horse Guards, Oct. lg. 1805. 
 
 " Having caused it to be intimated to your Lordship tliat 
 a force of 5000 men would be immediately ordered to embark 
 from Cork for this country, in consequence of the intention of 
 Government to send a considerable force from hence to the 
 Continent, I have now to desire that your Lordship may be 
 pleased to direct the under-mentioned regiments to be im- 
 mediately embarked on board of such transports as have been 
 provided for their reception, and to sail for England with the 
 
 F 2
 
 68 PKEPARATIONS FOR THE CONTINENT. Chap. IV. 
 
 first fair wind. The regiments will take with them respect- 
 ively their battalion guns, camp equipage, and as much spare 
 ammunition as will complete them, if possible, to 300 rounds 
 per gun, and 300 rounds per man. 
 
 " As it is very probable that the Middleton transport, which 
 was ordered to proceed with Sir Eyre Coote to Jamaica, with 
 camp equipage and medical stores for 6000 men, may yet be 
 at Cork, your Lordship yvWl be pleased to cause her to be de- 
 tained, and to return to England with the regiments hereafter 
 mentioned. 
 
 " The battalions to be embarked are as follows: viz. 1st 
 battalion 8th regiment, ditto 9th, ditto 28th, ditto 30th, ditto 
 36th, ditto 89th. 
 
 " The General Officer whom your Lordship will be pleased 
 to embark with the above force, will be Brigadier- General 
 Rowland Hill, and the whole to be placed for the present 
 under the command of that Brigadier-General. 
 
 " I am, my Lord, 
 
 « Yours, 
 
 " Feederick, 
 " Commander-in-Chief." 
 
 In consequence of this letter, Lord Catlicart 
 addressed the subjoined friendly notice to General 
 Hill: — 
 
 " Royal Hospital, Oct. 21. 1805. 
 " My dear General Hill, 
 
 " I have directed the Adjutant-General to forward to you 
 by express, the copy of a letter which I have this day received 
 from his Eoyal Highness the Commander-in-Chief. You 
 will, therefore, be pleased to report by express to Lieutenant- 
 General Lord Rosslyn, and to acquaint Brigadier-General 
 Stuart, at Cork, and the officers commanding at Ballinasloe 
 and at Loughrea, as well as at Athlone, of your motions, and 
 proceed as expeditiously as you can to Cork, in order to 
 superintend the embarkation of the troops. 
 
 " There being no battalion guns on this establishment, there 
 is considerable difficulty in suj^plying the demand on that sub-
 
 Chap. IV. LETTER OF LORD CATIICART. 69 
 
 ject. If, however, I can muster twelve guns, they will he 
 prepared at Cork, and due attention shall also be paid to the 
 stowage of the spare gun and musket ammunition on board 
 the transport. 
 
 " I have to request that you will give to Brigadier-General 
 Stuart what information you can in regard to Galway, as he 
 will probably, for the present, command there ; but you must 
 not delay your departure on any account relating to the ser- 
 vice here, as you are entrusted with a command, by order of 
 the Commander-in-Chief. 
 
 " I will use my best endeavours to procure for you the 
 price of your map. 
 
 " I am myself under orders for departure, having received 
 a notification that I am appointed ambassador to the Emperor* 
 of Russia ; but I have as yet no mstructions relative to making 
 over the command here, and I do not expect to leave this 
 place before the middle of the week. 
 
 " AYlierever you may go, my dear General, you will carry 
 with you my sincere regard, and you will be followed by my 
 best wishes for your health, honour, and happiness ; and I beg 
 to assure you of the grateful sense I shall always entertain of 
 your active assistance and attentions since I have been in this 
 command, and of the very great regard Avith which I remain, 
 " My dear General, 
 
 " Your faithful and obedient Servant, 
 
 " Cathcaet. 
 
 " P.S. The ladies of my family send you their compliments 
 and best wishes." 
 
 I have inserted these letters as evidences of the just 
 impression made in the highest quarters, as well as on 
 the inhabitants of his district, by the military talent 
 and private demeanour of General Hill in Ireland. 
 The map alluded to by Lord Cathcart, was a survey 
 he had caused to be made according to instructions ; 
 
 * Lord Cathcart did not at this time go to Russia, but to the Weser. 
 
 r 3
 
 70 GENERAL HILL AT THE WESEE. Chap. IV. 
 
 and though he had advanced a considerable sum in 
 payment for it, he could not obtain a reimbursement, 
 and was obhged to memorialize the Commander of the 
 Forces on the subject. 
 
 General Hill lost no time in proceeding to Cork 
 according to order. His own memorandum contains 
 the following notice of events at this exciting period : 
 — " On the 30th of October Lord Cathcart, as Com- 
 mander of the Forces, took leave of the army, being 
 ordered on service. The armies on the Continent at 
 this period were in active operation. Bonaparte 
 crossed the Danube. The capitulation of Ulm was 
 signed by General Mack, and not a vestige of the 
 Austrian force was left in Suabia. This armament 
 from Ireland and England was hurried to the Weser, 
 with the view of assisting the Continental powers to 
 check the rapid success of the French. — 21st of Oc- 
 tober: Lord Nelson's victory off Trafalgar. — In the 
 early part of December the great armies of the Con- 
 tinent were engaged near Olmutz. The uncertain 
 accounts of these operations which came to England, 
 induced Mr. Pitt to risk every thing to send troops to 
 the Continent, and notwithstanding the season of the 
 year, and the dangers of the North Seas, we were 
 ordered to proceed. After a tremendous passage, and 
 serious losses, some of us had the good fortune to 
 arrive in the Weser on Christmas Day, 1805." And 
 a miserable Christmas it was, clouded with disasters 
 and ill-tidings. " When I reached that river," says 
 General Hill, " the head-quarter ship of every regiment 
 beloiio'ino; to me was missins; ; some were wrecked on 
 the Dutch coast, and many souls perislied on the
 
 Chap. IV. FIRST IMEETING WITH SIR A. WELLESLEY. 71 
 
 Goodwin sands." No sooner had the General and his 
 lively aid-de-camp, Captain Peebles, stepped on shore, 
 than they were met by an old sugar-refiner who had re- 
 sided in England, who told them, in the most grotesque 
 attempt to speak their native language, of the triumphs 
 of the armies of Napoleon. Such was the unhappy 
 Christinas of 1805 ; but General Hill had one consola- 
 tion, that of having made the acquaintance, on his 
 w^ay from Cork, of the illustrious leader destined by 
 Providence to be the conqueror of Europe's scourge 
 and England's enemy, who had as yet to learn that a 
 nation whom God protected was as invincible by land 
 as she was triumphant by sea. " On our voyage from 
 Cork." he says, " we put into Falmouth, where we 
 remained about a week. General Houghton was under 
 my orders in command of his regiment. We also 
 anchored off Deal, where 1 first saw Sir Arthur Wel- 
 lesley. He dined with me at my lodgings at Mrs. 
 Chitty's, and was much amused with Captain Peebles. 
 Sir Arthur took the command of the troops collecting 
 for the Weser."* General Hill modestly leaves un- 
 
 * This expedition was fitted out in Ireland. It was in allusion to 
 under the command of Lord Cath- Sir Arthur's being only in com- 
 cart, and Major-General Sir Arthur mand of a brigade on the Weser 
 "Wellesley commanded a brigade in expedition^ that this true patriot 
 it, and on this occasion General soldier said, " I am nammukwallah, 
 Hill first served with him. On the as we say in India; I have eaten the 
 arrival of the tidings of the battle king's salt, and am therefore ready 
 of Austerlitz, they were recalled, to serve my king in any capacity." 
 and the troops were placed on our These are memorable words, which 
 own coast for defence in case of an have indeed been proved to be sin- 
 invasion. Sir Arthur Wellesley cere by the whole course of the 
 commanded a brigade at Hastings Duke of ^V^ellington's life, spent in 
 after this, and General HiU was at willing devotedness to his sovereign 
 Hythe, whence he went to the staff and country in and out of office. 
 
 F 4
 
 72 YARMOUTH PILOT. Chap. IV. 
 
 noticed the impression he himself made on the sa- 
 gacious mind of that illustrious man, an impression 
 which became more and more confirmed in each suc- 
 ceeding year of intercourse in war and in peace, and 
 was evinced under every possible modification that 
 could exhibit admiration, gratitude, and confidence, 
 as worthy of the breast whence they sprung as of the 
 noble spirit towards which they were directed. 
 
 The great successes of the French in 1805 caused 
 the return of the forces mth which General Hill had 
 gone to the Weser, and at the end of January, 1806, 
 he found himself, once more at Deal. On his voyage 
 to that port he anchored off Yarmouth, and as was 
 natural, the first question asked of the pilot was, 
 " What news ?" His reply was truly in accordance 
 with the quaint ignorance and roughness of his class 
 in those days, " Billy Pitt is dead, and Charley Fox 
 come into Parliament.''^ " This news," General Hill 
 says, " we soon found to be true. Pitt died on the 
 24th of January, aged 48, and Fox was placed at the 
 head of the Government. Bonaparte at this time was 
 triumphant over all the armies of the confederates. 
 These calamities deeply affected Mr. Pitt, and it was 
 supposed that the successes of the French at Austerlitz 
 had hastened his death." From Yarmouth this small 
 British force proceeded to Deal, and thence to Rams- 
 gate, where General Hill received the melancholy 
 tidings of the death of his mother. This event, hap- 
 pening at a period Avhen, for the first and last time, 
 he had come back from foreign service without 
 distinction, tried to the full his calm and resigned 
 spirit; but he who received his laurels with meek-
 
 Chap. IV. SHOKN CLIFF. 73 
 
 ness, knew how to wear the cypress with submission 
 to the will of Him, who gives and takes away ac- 
 cording to the wisdom of his supreme and gracious 
 Providence. 
 
 He thus announces his next movement : — " On the 
 17th of April I arrived at Brabourne Lees to take 
 the command of the troops in that neighbourhood, 
 establishing my quarters at a small house between 
 Brabourne Lees and Hythe. Lord Moira was ap- 
 pointed to the command of the Southern district on 
 the 15th of April, 1806. Sir John Moore was sta- 
 tioned at Canterbury, and I was directed to report to 
 liim until the 5th of June, when he and General 
 Mackenzie Frazer were removed to the staff of the 
 army serving in the Mediterranean, v/hen Sir George 
 Ludlow was appointed to the command at Canterbury. 
 On the 23d of June, my brigade, consisting of the 
 9th, 45th, and 62d, marched and encamped on Shorn 
 Cliff. I encamped with the troops on a beautiful spot 
 immediately above the Rev. Mr. Brockman's house." 
 There he lived a true soldier's life, under canvas, and 
 produced by his exertions and example such perfec- 
 tion in the brigade, that the highest commendations 
 were passed on it by Lord Moira and the Duke of 
 York in two successive inspections. He had pre- 
 viously been advanced to the rank of Major-General, 
 and was now appointed on the staff; and his brother, 
 Captain Thomas Noel Hill, became his aid-de-camp. 
 In October they went into cantonments, and remained 
 at Hythe till the end of December, when they were 
 ordered to Ireland. Before their departure General 
 Hill had the satisfaction of receiving a flattering com-
 
 74 IRELAND. Chap. IV. 
 
 munication from the mayor, to which he replied with 
 his usual courtesy. 
 
 He next went to Ireland, where he remained the 
 whole of the year 1807. The Duke of Bedford was 
 Lord-Lieutenant, and Lieutenant-Colonel Stewart was 
 Chief Secretary and Military Secretary, to whom 
 General Hill's principal communications of an official 
 character were addressed. His routine of duty was 
 very similar to that assigned him before the expedi- 
 tion to the Weser, except that he had not to deal 
 with alarms of French invasion. He was stationed at 
 Fermoy, and the chief objects of his attention appear 
 to have been the suppression of local disturbances, 
 and precautionary measures against banditti infesting 
 the mountains, in both of which he was eminently 
 successful. Every thing reported to the Yice-regal 
 Court and the Commander of the Forces, was carefully 
 sifted by him and represented in its proper light, 
 which occasioned considerable trouble, for the slight- 
 est insubordination, even a disturbance on a market 
 day, or a quarrel about leases and lands, was construed 
 by the vivid imagination of his reporters into insur- 
 rection and hostility to Government. He managed to 
 quiet all these false alarms, and allayed private animosi- 
 ties between the officers, as he did during his previous 
 residence amongst the sensitive people he had to deal 
 with. In this way he proceeded, to the admiration of 
 all parties, till, in the year 1808, he was ordered to 
 join the then Chief Secretary of Ireland, Sir Arthur 
 Wellesley, on his first campaign in the Peninsula, 
 where his military talents had full scope for their 
 exercise, in a series of achievements equally honour-
 
 Chap. IV. EXPEDITION TO PORTUGAL. 75 
 
 able to himself and serviceable to his country. Happily 
 for General Hill, with a change of government there 
 arose a change of projects, or he might have been 
 sent on the proposed Quixotic expedition to Spanish 
 South America, instead of going to reap victory and 
 honour on the fields of Europe. The ministers who 
 succeeded " the Talents" had the sense to relinquish 
 this scheme ; and guided principally by the advice of 
 the deputies who had arrived in England from the 
 Asturias and Galicia, they bade adieu to the projects 
 of the adventurer Miranda, and changed the destina- 
 tion of the troops in Ireland from South America to 
 Portugal, appointing Sir Arthur Wellesley to com- 
 mand them. These troops, amounting to about 9000 
 men, formed at that time the most disposable army of 
 this country, whose soldiers and treasure had been 
 alike scattered without judgment. Sir Arthur Wel- 
 lesley soon opened his correspondence with General 
 Hill, respecting the brigading and embarkation of the 
 forces. In his first letter* on these subjects, dated 
 " Dublin Castle, 23d June, 1808," he says, " My dear 
 Hill, I rejoice extremely at the prospect I have before 
 me of serving again with you, and I hope we shall 
 have more to do than we had on the last occasion 
 on which we were together." After giving him 
 the necessary instructions. Sir Arthur added, " You 
 may readily believe that I have plenty to do in closing 
 
 * The principal part of the let- ten by the former, and Lord Hill's 
 
 ters which passed between the own copies of the latter, are in my 
 
 Dukeof Wellington and Lord Hill, possession, and from therh I have 
 
 during the Peninsular War, have made such extracts as I have 
 
 been already published by Colonel thought it expedient to introduce 
 
 Garwood. But the originals, writ- into the present volume.
 
 76 LETTER OF SIR ARTHUR WELLESLEY. Chap. IV. 
 
 up a government in such a manner as that I may give 
 it up, and taking the command of a corps for service ; 
 but I shall not fail to attend to whatever you may 
 write to me." Nor did General Hill fail to attend to 
 every particular of the directions he received from Sir 
 Arthur Wellesley, relating to the embarkation of the 
 troops on board the transj)orts in which they were to 
 sail. The most anxious care was taken of their health 
 and comforts, and the men were occasionally ordered 
 on shore for air and exercise. Sir Arthur prepared 
 for sailing with his usual promptitude, and on the 
 receipt of his instructions, wrote to this effect: — 
 
 " My dear Hill, " Dublin Castle, July 3d, 1 808. 
 
 " I have received my instructions, and I understand that 
 the cavalry and some ships to receive the 36th and 45th regi- 
 ments sailed from the Downs and Portsmouth on the 30th. 
 I shall be at <Cork on Wednesday, and I hope that we shall 
 sail immediately afterwards. The horses of the Commissa- 
 riat will be at Cork on Tuesday and Wednesday, and I shall 
 be obliged to you if you will arrange with General Floyd 
 resi^ectlng the early embarkation. 
 
 " I would have taken horses of the Artillery if I could 
 have got them ; but, alas ! I could not, and have therefore 
 those which will probably only do our work till we shall get 
 others. 
 
 " I have written Malcolm a long letter respecting the ar- 
 rangement of the transports into divisions ; a code of signals 
 for the army; and return of transports and flat-bottomed 
 boats ; so that we may make all our arrangements for landing 
 while we shall be on the passage. He will probably speak 
 to you on these subjects, and I shall be obliged to you if you 
 will give him all the assistance and information in your 
 power.
 
 Chap. IV. THE EXPEDITION SAILS. 77 
 
 " Tell Arbuthnot that I have desired my groom to apply- 
 to him for orders when he shovild arrive at Cork; and that 
 I shall be obliged to him if he will have the horses embarked 
 in the transport allotted to the staff horses. He had better 
 send up to Cork to one of the officers of General Floyd's 
 staff, to desire that the horses may be forwarded to Cove 
 when they will arrive. 
 
 " Ever yours most sincerely, 
 
 " Arthur Wellesley. 
 
 " Major-General Hill." 
 
 Sir Arthur's instructions were dated the 30th of 
 June ; and on the 6th of July he arrived at Cork, 
 where he was delayed longer than he expected, and 
 became anxious to go in some small separate vessel to 
 Coruna. He however sailed with the troops on the 
 12th; but on the 13th quitted the fleet, and went on 
 board the Crocodile, commanded by the Honourable 
 G. Cadogan, in which he arrived at Coruna on the 
 20th. The exact number of the rank and file who 
 embarked at Cove was 9505, besides 215 horses, staff, 
 field officers, 550 Serjeants, and 227 drummers, which 
 appears to a civilian a goodly allowance ; but they 
 were going against the French, who out-drum every 
 other nation upon earth. The voyage proceeded pros- 
 perously, and progress was thus announced by General 
 Hill to Lord Castlereagh: — 
 
 " Lat. 48° 40', Long. 9° W. 
 « My Lord, " H. M. S. Donegal, 18th July, 1808. 
 
 " In the absence of Lieutenant-General Sir Arthur Wel- 
 lesley, it affords me particular satisfaction to inform your 
 Lordship by the La Gloria, that none of the transports that 
 sailed with the armament from Cove on the 12th of this
 
 78 LANDING IN MONDEGO BAY. Chap. IV. 
 
 month are missing, and that the troops are perfectly healthy. 
 Sir Arthur Wellesley went on board the Crocodile on the 
 13th, and in the evening proceeded for his destination. 
 
 ** I have, &c. 
 
 " R. Hill. 
 " Viscount Castlereagh." 
 
 After various events irrelevant to this memoir, as 
 having no connection with General Hill, Sir Arthur 
 Wellesley came on board the Donegal, on the 30th of 
 July, and began to land the troops in Mondego Bay 
 on the 1st of August under admirable regulations. 
 The operations occupied till the 5th, when a reinforce- 
 ment under General Spencer arrived, by which how- 
 ever the number of troops was only augmented, to 
 12,300 men. Before he commenced disembarking the 
 armament, Sir Arthur Wellesley had! been apprised 
 of the arrangements for the future command of the 
 several corps that the Government had determined 
 should form one army in Portugal, under the new 
 commander of the forces. Sir Hew Dalrymple, with 
 Sir Harry Burrard as the second in command. His 
 own great name stood last in the list of seven lieu- 
 tenant-generals in this programme of service, but 
 under these mortifying circumstances his noble dis- 
 position was fully manifested. "All," he wrote to 
 Lord Castlereagh, " I can say on the subject is, that 
 Avhether I am to command the army or not, or am to 
 quit it, I shall do my best to ensure its success ; and 
 you may depend upon it that I shall not hurry the 
 operations or commence them one moment sooner 
 than they ought to be commenced, in order that I 
 may acquire the credit of the success." He went on
 
 CuAP. IV. FIRST MOVEMENT. 79 
 
 issuing his orders from Lavaos with that compre- 
 hensiveness of judgment which has never been sur- 
 passed by any man in a like situation, until the ap- 
 proach of the hostile armies to each other indicated 
 the necessity of instructions in case of a conflict. On 
 the 9th he enclosed to General Hill a copy of orders 
 given to General Fane through Colonel Bathurst, 
 Lieutenant-Colonel and Deputy Quartermaster-Gene- 
 ral. On the original General Hill wrote the follow- 
 ing memorandum: — " Sir Arthur Wellesley's instruc- 
 tions for the first movement that was made by his 
 troops on the Continent." It is as follows: — 
 
 ''Sir, "Head-quarters, Lavaos, 8th August, 1808. 
 
 " I am directed by Lieut.-General Sir Arthur Wellesley 
 to desire that you will be pleased to march to-morrow morn- 
 ing, at three o'clock, towards Leyria, and take post in front 
 of Giao. Captain Douglas, Assistant Quartermaster-General, 
 will point out the ground. 
 
 " Captain Gomm wiU attend the column from the camp, 
 to show the road. In the evening you will be pleased to 
 push forwards some dragoons, with a detachment of 200 in- 
 fantry, as far as you may judge expedient ; and should you 
 receive intelligence that the enemy are not at Leyria, or in 
 the neighbourhood, you will cause the town of Leyria to be 
 occupied by this detachment either to-morrow evening or on 
 Wednesday morning. 
 
 " Should you find that the enemy are in any force at or in 
 the neighbourhood of Leyria, you wiU withdraw the detach- 
 ment, and remain in front of Giao, until you receive orders 
 from Sir Arthur Wellesley, to whom you will transmit the 
 earliest intelligence you may obtain. You will be pleased to 
 cause a detachment to remain in camp, to deliver over the 
 camp equipage of the 60th and 95th Regiments to the store- 
 keeper, who will be on the ground at three o'clock a.m. to 
 receive it.
 
 80 INSTRUCTIONS OF SIR A. WELLESLEY. Chap. IV. 
 
 " The tents are to be packed up In bales ready for em- 
 barkation, with the number in each bale marked on the 
 outside, and they are to be packed on the waggons by the 
 detachments of the resriments. 
 
 " An Assistant Commissary will attend the brigade to 
 supply provisions, and he will also make every inquiry res- 
 pecting the resources the enemy may be likely to find at and 
 near Leyria, and you will be pleased to give him any assist- 
 ance he may require to execute this duty. 
 " I have the honour to be, Sir, 
 
 " Your most obedient humble Servant, 
 "James Bathurst, 
 " Lieut.-Col. and Deputy Quart.-Mast.-General." 
 
 The next day General Hill Avas informed in a letter 
 from Sir Arthur Wellesley, that having heard that 
 the enemy might possibly be in some strength at 
 Levria, he had desired General Fane to wait for his 
 brigade and the brigade of General Ferguson, all of 
 which were to halt at St. Giao till Sir Arthur himself 
 should join them at five or six o'clock in the 
 morning, if the enemy were in possession of Leyria. 
 If not, he was to endeavour to feel his way into the 
 town with two hundred riflemen and a few dragoons, 
 and the next day to take up his position in front of 
 the place. Leyria was entered, the enemy occupying 
 Alcoba9a, about sixteen miles distant, under Generals 
 Laborde and Thomiere, and Santarem on the hiah 
 road to Lisbon, where Junot and Loison were esta- 
 blished. It is not my province to describe the plans, 
 movements, and difficulties of Sir Arthur Wellesley at 
 this moment, nor the conduct of the Portuguese Ge- 
 neral, Bernardim Freire, nor that of the ambitious 
 meddling bishop of Oporto, who had assumed a cha-
 
 Chap. IV. BATTLE OF riOLI9A. 81 
 
 ractei" and displayed a spirit so contrary to that of his 
 office as described by St. Paul — but to conduct the 
 reader at once to the first action in which the subject 
 of these pages gained his Peninsular laurels under his 
 unrivalled leader. General Laborde, pressed by Sir 
 Arthur Wellesley, had moved from his previous posi- 
 tion to a small plain in front of the village of Roli9a, 
 with the advantage of an elevation enabling him to 
 overlook the whole country as far as Obidos. Here 
 it was determined to attack him on the 17th of Au- 
 gust ; and General Hill's brigade formed a portion of 
 the central column commanded by Sir Arthur in per- 
 son. After the repulse occasioned by the first attack, 
 in which General Hill displayed the most eminent 
 activity and skill, Laborde retired into a formidable 
 position in the mountains, full of passes difiicult 
 of access, where he assumed, with consummate dex- 
 terity, an attitude of apparently impregnable defence. 
 Generals Hill and Nightingale advanced against this 
 well-guarded front, approachable only by defiles where 
 Nature had placed every conceivable obstacle of wood 
 rock, and ravine, which seemed to render the steep 
 ascent almost impossible to achieve by columns, whom 
 the rugged paths could not fail to throw into disorder. 
 But our generals pushed on undismayed by the difii- 
 culties of the passes, or the stern resolution of the 
 enemy. The mountain-hollows were soon heard to 
 ring with the echoing roll of musketry, mingled with 
 the war-shouts of the assailants and the still louder 
 responses of the assailed. Laborde was driven from 
 his stronghold with a considerable loss of men, and 
 
 G
 
 82 ViaiEIRO. Chap. IV. 
 
 with that also of three pieces of cannon ; but, owing to 
 a want of cavalry on the side of the British, effected 
 his retreat in good order. On this occasion General 
 Plill received the highest commendations ; and it may 
 be added, that the conduct of all the troops engaged, 
 in number by no means equal to that of the enemy, 
 was worthy of the British name, and of the cause in 
 which they fought. 
 
 At the celebrated battle of Yimeiro, on the 21st of 
 August, the brigade of General Hill was posted on a 
 mountain at the back of the village, as a reserve to 
 the whole army ; and if Sir Harry Burrard, who landed 
 during the action, had agreed to Sir Arthur Welles- 
 ley's proposal, he would have moved upon Torres 
 Yedras to the right, while the victorious left pursued 
 the advantages they had gained, and, in the opinion 
 of Sir Arthur, would have ensured the entrance of 
 the British into Lisbon before the French, if, indeed, 
 the whole opposing army had not been annihilated. 
 But the decision of Sir Harry, who, in the moment 
 of Wellesley's triumph, assumed the command, was 
 acrainst all movement from Yimeiro, so that nothin*? 
 remained for the victors but to dine with what appe- 
 tite they could, under the conviction that they had 
 been deprived of the glory of a consummation of their 
 success, which, confiding in the genius of their super- 
 seded leader, few men doubt they would have achieved. 
 As it was. Sir Harry determined to Avait at Yimeiro 
 till reinforcements should arrive under Sir John 
 Moore, and the French made good their retreat to 
 Torres Yedras. The command of Sir Arthur Welles-
 
 Chap. IV. CONVENTION. — INQUIRY. 83 
 
 ley Avas now at an end, to the regret of every officer 
 who served with him, evinced by a splendid testimo- 
 nial. He arrived in London on the 6tli of October, 
 where the affair of Yimeiro, and the armistice and 
 convention succeeding it, became the subjects of a 
 court of inquiry, followed by the thanks to Sir Arthur 
 of both Houses of Parliament, and his return to his 
 duties as Secretary of Ireland. But the history of 
 these circumstances belongs not to this memoir, as 
 General Hill remained with the army. 
 
 In pursuance of the stipulations of the convention 
 just alluded to, commonly but erroneously called the 
 Convention of Cintra, Junot's armv left Portu^-al in 
 British vessels, and landed at La Rochelle in the 
 month of October. Sir John Moore was appointed to 
 the command of the British forces ; Sir David Baird, 
 with a large body of troops, arrived at CoruRa ; Bona- 
 parte appeared in Spain ; Madrid was once more 
 occupied by the French ; the usurper Joseph tenanted 
 the palace of Saint Ildefonso ; and Moore essayed his 
 arduous and memorable movements in the Xorth of 
 Spain, during which Napoleon, alarmed at the demon- 
 strations of Austria, departed, leaving Soult to encoun- 
 ter the English General, whose chief embarrassments 
 arose from the inertness of the Spaniards and the 
 undisciplined troops of Romana. General Hill, like 
 the rest, was subject to the fluctuations of this trying 
 campaign, the movements of which were of necessity 
 uncertain, from the peculiarities of their situation. 
 An example of this is afforded by the following in- 
 structions from Sir John Hope : — 
 
 G 2
 
 84 SIR JOHN MOOllE. CiiAr. IV. 
 
 "Dear Sir, " Torricella, 14th December, 1808. 
 
 " Circumstances have occurred Avhich cause a change in 
 our movements to-morrow. I enclose the proposed disposi- 
 tion of the right of the army on the 15th and 16th, in conse- 
 quence of which you will be pleased to march with your 
 brio-ade to Castro Nuuo, on or near the Douro, and on the 
 16 th to Toro. 
 
 " I remain, dear Sir, 
 
 " Yours sincerely, 
 
 " John Hope. 
 " Major-General Hill." 
 
 These changes were due to an intercepted de- 
 spatch from Berthier to Soult, which proved that the 
 French Avere ignorant of the British movements, and 
 inspired Sir John Moore with a hope that he might 
 surprise and beat him before Bonaparte could come to 
 his assistance. The French Emperor himself was 
 astonished at the boldness of the British movements, 
 and pronounced Moore the only general fit to contend 
 with him, for he could neither surprise him into an 
 error, nor with all his energetic speed overtake him in 
 his masterly retreat ; so that he departed for his capital 
 foiled in his designs, as Soult was when he pursued Sir 
 John through Galicia, with the vain expectation that 
 superiority of numbers would prevent the embark- 
 ation of the British army at Coruna. Under the 
 guidance of this patient and sagacious leader our 
 troops, after trials often described but never exagger- 
 ated, arrived within sight of the sea on the loth of 
 January, short of provisions, but supported by the 
 expectation of finding transports in the harbour of 
 Coruna, in which they might be securely embarked ; 
 but a few small craft were all that appeared in view.
 
 Chap. IV. CORUXA. 85 
 
 Contrary winds had detained the transports at Vigo, 
 and the French army, in larger numbers than our 
 own, was rapidly advancing : but the mind of Sir John 
 Moore expanded under the pressure of these adverse 
 circumstances, and his measures were taken with 
 prudence and decision. He first secured his sick on 
 board the few small vessels at hand, put his wearied 
 soldiers into quarters in the town, fortified its weak 
 defences, and determined to effect his own embarkation 
 by the repulse of his pursuers. Fortunately, a maga- 
 zine of English arms was in the town, which were ex- 
 changed for the battered muskets of the late campaign ; 
 but two storehouses of gunpowder, at some distance 
 from each other, containing more than four thousand 
 barrels, had been placed three miles off Coruiia, and 
 were in danger of being captured by the enemy. To 
 prevent this it was unhesitatingly resolved to explode 
 them. The train first reached the smaller store, and 
 the town shook with the strong concussion ; but 
 scarcely had the larger taken fire when the result was 
 like the eruption of a volcano, in the trembling of 
 the earth, the bursting of the rocks, the upheaving 
 of smoke, dust, stones, and sparks into the air, and 
 the ao'itated foamino; of the disturbed waters of the 
 sea, followed by a shower of white ashes that seemed 
 to descend from the clouds. Both armies, the secret 
 being confided to one officer alone, were confounded : 
 but the panic subsided, and the preparations for the 
 fray proceeded ; and the English troops, cheered by 
 the arrival of the transports, were in high spirits, while 
 their leader rejected with disdain a proposal to nego- 
 tiate upon terms for leave to withdraw to them. He 
 
 G 3
 
 86 HILL AT CORUNA PLYMOUTH. Chap. IV. 
 
 would have retired without bloodshed if possible, but 
 would hear of no compromise, no convention. On the 
 mornino; of the 16th he had removed all encumbrances 
 to the ships, and was prepared to embark under cover 
 of the shades of evening ; but at noon the enemy at- 
 tacked, and he won the victory of Coruna, at the price 
 of his own life. The valour of those he commanded, 
 the heroism of his lofty spirit, the awful nature of 
 his wound, his death, his burial, his triumph, have 
 been recounted by numerous historians, and will ever 
 be remembered ; though we trust the spirit of the 
 Gospel will so pervade the earth, that a repetition 
 of his departhig words, " I always wished to die 
 thus," may become impossible. To the brigade of 
 General Hill was assigned the office of protecting 
 the British army as it proceeded to the ships, at the 
 close of the engagement ; and when the exhausted 
 soldiers had ceased to file down from the field, feeble 
 as the moon's wan beams on that chill and misty night, 
 he himself went on board, and sailed for the shores of 
 England. He reached Plymouth with a portion of 
 the suffering troops towards the end of January, where 
 they were received with extreme kindness and hu- 
 manity, the inhabitants paying the utmost attention 
 to their wants, and making liberal subscriptions to 
 supply them. 
 
 The people of Plymouth and General Hill Avere most 
 happily united in these acts of philanthropy towards 
 the soldiers on this trying occasion.* 
 
 * In 1812, after the brilliant of that hotly; and the Mayor, 
 affair of Almaraz, the corporation George Bellamy, Esq., in com- 
 of Plymouth voted him the freedom municating the tidings, made these
 
 CiiAP. IV. DEATH OF SIR RICnARD HILL, 87 
 
 During the whole of the retreat of Sir John Moore 
 General Hill's exertions were of the utmost service ; 
 and he stood high in the estimation of that distin- 
 guished man, who assured him, in a letter on private 
 business, of the great interest he took in his welfare. 
 On the inhabitants of Plymouth his humanity and 
 kindness to the distressed soldiers made a lasting im- 
 pression ; while the men under his command looked to 
 him as a father. During his absence on the expedi- 
 tion in Spain he lost his esteemed uncle. Sir Richard 
 Hill ; his father succeeded to the title and estates of 
 Hawkstone ; and lie himself became possessed of the 
 property at Hardwick Grange, bequeathed to him by 
 Sir Richard, which he occupied as his favourite resi- 
 dence to the end of his life, breathing his last within 
 its walls. 
 
 He had scarcely arrived in his native land before he 
 found himself promoted to the Colonelcy of the Third 
 Garrison Battalion; nor was he long before he was 
 again ordered by the Commander-in-Chief to prepare 
 for further service. By a letter from His Royal High- 
 ness the Duke of York, dated 17th February, 1809, 
 it appears that he was appointed to take the command 
 of the regiments then about to embark at Cork for 
 the Peninsula. 
 
 He allowed himself only a few days of repose with 
 his family in Shropshire, and proceeded at once to act 
 
 remarks : — " "When you were at ployed in the Committee of Inha- 
 
 Plymouth, I, in the midst of thou- bitants to administer relief to the 
 
 sands, silently admired you, and troops, their wives and children, 
 
 had a greater opportunity than when landed here from Coruna." 
 many of so doing, as I was em- 
 
 G 4
 
 88 EETURN TO PORTUGAL. Chap. IV. 
 
 on the instructions of Lord Castlereagh, conveyed to 
 him in these terms : — 
 
 " Sir, " Downing Street, 12th March, I8O9. 
 
 " I am to convey to you the King's commands, that, so soon 
 as the troojos placed under your orders are embarked and 
 ready for sea, you do proceed without loss of time to the 
 Tagus, there to place yourself under the orders of Lieute- 
 nant-General Sir John Cradock, Commander-in-Chief of 
 His Majesty's forces in Portugal. 
 
 " Three hundred artillery-horses are to accompany your 
 corps. The necessary proportion of artillery-men and guns 
 have already been forwarded from hence to Portugal. 
 
 " I am. Sir, 
 " Your most obedient and humble servant, 
 
 " Castlereagh. 
 " Major-General Hill, &c. &c., Cork." 
 
 General Hill's arrival in Portugal was anxiously 
 looked for by Sir John Cradock, who had resolved to 
 make no advance till he came, and was surrounded on 
 all sides by difficulties created by the alarming spirit 
 manifested by the troops and people, as Avell as by the 
 chance of a decisive movement on the part of Victor 
 and Lapisse, likely to be fraught with disastrous con- 
 sequences. Marshal Beresford was also much relieved 
 by the presence of these reinforcements, and urged Sir 
 John Cradock to move forward. 
 
 Sir John's own intentions, and the duties he im- 
 posed on General Hill, will be seen in the subjoined 
 communication from the former : 
 
 " Dear Sir, '<■ Leyria, April 22. I8O9. 
 
 "In sending forward the corps under your command, I 
 beg to explain to you that it is more to procure accommoda-
 
 CiiAi-. IV. LETTER OF SIR JOHN CRADOCK. 89 
 
 tion for the troops than for any other pnrposc. AVcrc I to 
 entertain any apprehension of the aj)pr()ach of the enemy hc- 
 yond Coinibra, I slioukl not think it prudent to station your 
 corps at Pombal, twenty miles distant, and so far from tlie 
 main body. But lest any unforeseen occnrrcnee should arise, 
 I conceive it proper to give you these instructions. 
 
 " I have reason to believe that there is a considerable col- 
 lection of Portuguese armed persons, at and about Coimbra, 
 even advanced as far as the Vouga Kiver, under the command 
 of Colonel Trant, Colonel Trant has written to me, that the 
 enemy had pushed patroles and videttes as far as the o})posite 
 side of the river ; and he states the enemy's force to be rather 
 considerable. In one of his letters he estimates the cavalry 
 at 2000, and the infantry at about 2500. But I understand 
 that latterly their advanced posts had been retired. Colonel 
 Trant, I am sure, will be very glad to receive any communica- 
 tion from you, and give you all the information he may 
 possess. 
 
 " Situated as you will be, your chief object is to gain as 
 much intelligence as your distant situation from the enemy 
 will permit, and prevent any predatory incursion, cither to 
 annoy you, or give us any alarm that would discredit the 
 opinion of security from all insult which we imagine. 
 
 " Should a small force of the enemy appear, I have no 
 doubt but that you will make him repent his temerity; but if he 
 approaches in superior numbers, or that you have reason to 
 imagine his strength may be an increasing one, and such as 
 would commit you in a general affair, I am to desire that you 
 will fall back upon the main body, or towards them, giving 
 me the most immediate notice. 
 
 " I have the honour to be. Sir, 
 
 " Your most obedient servant, 
 
 "J. Ckadock, Lieut.-Gencral. 
 
 " Major-General Hill." 
 
 The cautious spirit attributed to Sir John Cradock 
 breathes in every line of this letter : but two days after 
 its date, in the midst of the enthusiasm enkindled by
 
 90 SIR A. WELLESLEY'S HETURN. Chap. IV. 
 
 the arrival of Sir Arthur Welleslev in Lisbon, to as- 
 sume the command, he departed to Gibraltar. The 
 sickly aspect of uncertainty now changed into the 
 flush of highest expectation, and all were roused by 
 the conviction that the day of mighty achievements 
 had dawned for the deliverance of the Peninsula.
 
 91 
 
 CHAPTER y. 
 
 SOULT AT OPORTO. — MOVEMENTS OF SIR ARTHUR WELLESLEY. 
 
 GENERAL HILL COMMANDS THE oRD DmSION OP INPANTRY. 
 
 OPERATIONS AT LAKE OVAR. PASSAGE OF THE DOURO. 
 
 PAGET WOUNDED. GENERAL HILL TAKES THE COMMAND. HIS 
 
 SUCCESS AT THE SEMINARY. FLIGHT OP THE FRENCH TOWARDS 
 
 VALLONGA. LETTER OF GENERAL HILL. COOLNESS OF HIS BRO- 
 THER CLEMENT. DIDO. ABRANTES. — VICTOR. MISTAKE OF 
 
 LORD CASTLEREAGH. MR. MACKWORTH. MOVEMENT TOWARDS 
 
 SPAIN. CUESTA. TALAVERA. STATE OF AFFAIRS. SUDDEN 
 
 ATTACK OF THE FRENCH. BATTLE AT NIGHT. BATTLE IN 
 
 THE MORNING. GENERAL HILL's OAVN ACCOUNTS OF BOTH. 
 
 HIS ESCAPE. CONDUCT OF CUESTA AND THE SP^INIARDS. 
 
 LETTER FROM MERIDA. LETTER FROM MONTIJO. — LODGINGS 
 
 IN THE FARM-HOUSE. — RUT^AL PLEASURES. — BADAJOS VERY 
 
 GAY. MAJOR-GENERAL HILL IMADE LIEUTENANT-GENERAL. 
 
 HUNTSMAN. OFFER OF LORD WELLINGTON. 
 
 Marshal Soult, having invaded the northern pro- 
 vinces of Portugal from Galicia, had taken possession 
 of Oporto rather more than three Aveeks before Sir 
 Arthur Wellesley reached Lisbon. He hesitated for a 
 time as to whether he should combine with General 
 Cuesta in an operation against Victor, who was on the 
 Alemtejo frontier, or dispossess Soult of the town of 
 Oporto, and the fertile province in his hands. The latter 
 project was adopted ; and the British leader assembled 
 the chief portion of his troops at Coimbra, and, unknoAvn 
 to the French marshal — himself in a perilous position, 
 from the disaffection pervading his own ranks — 
 gained the advantage of securing two most important 
 lines of movement : the one lay through Yiseu and
 
 92 LAKE OVAR. Chap. Y. 
 
 Lamego, by which he might turn the left of the enemy, 
 and cut them oif from Tras-os-Montes ; the other was 
 the direct road to Oporto, by which he could come 
 suddenly on their right in superior numbers, and in- 
 flict on it a heavy blow, between the rivers Youga and 
 Douro. Sir Arthur availed himself of both these 
 routes, but decided that his principal attack should be 
 on the latter. Marshal Beresford, on the 6th of May, 
 marched towards Lamego, by the Yiseu road, with his 
 separate corps, including six thousand Portuguese; 
 and the bulk of the army was formed in three divisions 
 of infantry, and one of cavalry. Major-General Hill 
 commanded the third division of infantry ; the first 
 being under Lieutenant-General Paget, and the second 
 under Lieutenant-General Sherbrooke. The cavalry 
 was commanded by Lieutenant-General Payne. It 
 having been discovered by Sir Arthur Wellesley that 
 the lake of Ovar, extending twenty miles behind the 
 French outposts, was unguarded, he decided on en- 
 deavouring to turn their right, by conveying troops 
 by water to that town. This enterprise was en- 
 trusted to General Ilill, to whom he wrote thus from 
 Coimbra : — 
 
 " My dear Hill, ' ''' Coimbra, Sth May, I8O9, 2 p.m. 
 
 " We halted yesterday, to give General Beresford time to 
 get forward, and we proceed upon our operations to-morrow. 
 You will receive from the Quarter- Master-General a paper 
 fully explanatory to you of all that it is intended you should 
 perform ; to which I have only to add — first, that you will 
 find the boats ready for you at Aveiro, and will have to get 
 boatmen only, in which Douglas, whom I send to you, will 
 assist you ; secondly, that I mean you should bring to to- 
 morrow night in such a place as that the enemy cannot dis-
 
 Chap. V. AllRANGEMENTS. 03 
 
 cover you, in that part of the river or lake of which tlie l»aiikd 
 are swampy.; thirdly, that you should land your light infantry 
 below the town, where it is certain the enemy never is, in 
 order to secure the unmolested disembarkation of the remain- 
 der of your corps at Ovar, where it is possible the enemy 
 may have a small pati'ole. 
 
 " I recommend you to cook a day's provisions at Aveiro, 
 for your men for the 10th, and to refresh your men at Ovar, 
 while you will wait there to learn the progress of General 
 Cotton, with his cavalry. 
 
 " Having communicated with that General, you will then 
 move from Ovar by the road which leads from Ovar to 
 Feira, till that road meets the great road from Coimbra to 
 Oporto. You will halt there till you will be joined by the 
 cavalry. My intention is to push the enemy as far as I can 
 on the 10th, even into Oporto, if possible. 
 " Ever yours most sincerely, 
 
 " Arthur Wellesley. 
 
 " Major-General Hill." 
 
 This letter I have copied from the original ; and as 
 the advance upon Oporto was one of the most remark- 
 able movements of its illustrious writer, and an emi- 
 nent instance of the talent and sagacity of the officer 
 addressed, I subjoin the " paper" from the Quarter- 
 Master-General. It is headed — " Confidential m.Qnio- 
 randum of arrangements for the advance of the army 
 towards Oporto : " — 
 
 "Head-quarters, Coimbra, 8th May, 180p. 
 
 " The brigade under M.-General Hill, Avhicli is already 
 ordered to be at Aveiro on the 9th instant, will embark the 
 same day on board boats to be procured there, so as the em- 
 barkation may be completed a little before low water, about 
 4 o'clock P.M. 
 
 " M.-General Hill will then proceed from Aveiro towards 
 Ovar, but he will give previous orders to the boats to bring
 
 di MEMOIIANDUM. Cuap. V. 
 
 to about two or three leagues short of Ovar (the object of 
 this delay is to prevent the enemy being aware of General 
 Hill's approach before INI.-General Cotton has advanced upon 
 his out-posts), Avhere the boats will remain until slack water 
 on the morning of the 10th (about 4 a.m.), when the whole 
 will again proceed. 
 
 " M.-General Hill will cause three companies of light 
 infantry to be disembarked at a landing-place about half a 
 league from Ovar, upon the western side of the lake, which 
 companies Avill advance by land to Ovar, so as to possess 
 themselves of the town and harbour for the disembarkation of 
 the remainder of the corps. 
 
 " M.-General Hill will advance from Ovar on the morninof 
 of the 10th, but not until he has had communication with 
 M.-General Cotton, or has ascertained that M.-General Cot- 
 ton has reached Oliveira, upon the Oporto road. 
 
 " M.-General Cotton is instructed to endeavour to com- 
 municate with M.-General Hill from that point, and M.-Ge- 
 neral Hill will be pleased also to use every endeavour to 
 procure information of the movements of the enemy, and the 
 advance of IVL-General Cotton on the Oporto road. M.-Ge- 
 neral Hill will direct his march from Ovar by the road which 
 leads towards the village of Feira, and which crosses the great 
 road to Oporto, it is understood, in the neighbourhood of 
 Santo Ridondo. M.-General Hill will, however, obtain more 
 accurate information respecting his road at Ovar. 
 
 " At the point Avhere this road joins that to Oporto the 
 junction of M.- General Hill's corps, and that under M.- 
 Gcneral Cotton, will be formed, when both will proceed to 
 Oporto. 
 
 " M.-Gcneral Cotton will advance from the river Vouira 
 at a very early hour on the morning of the 10th instant, 
 supported by B.-General Stewart's brigade, and the King's 
 German Legion. The object of this movement is to surprise 
 and carry the posts of the enemy at Albcrgaria Nova, and 
 along the Oporto road, and after the junction with M.-Gene- 
 ral Hill, to jiress back the enemy, and, should an oi-)portunity 
 offer, to pass the bridge of Oporto with the rear-guard of the
 
 CuAP. V. IIETKEAT OF FRANCESCIII. 95 
 
 enemy ; at all events, to prevent liis destroying the bridge, 
 or removing the boats which may be upon the left Ijank of 
 the river. 
 
 " B.-General Cameron's brigade of infantry, with one 
 brigade of light six-pounders, will arrive at Aveiro on the 
 10th instant, to follow M.-General Hill's corps. Boats arc 
 to be sent back, therefore, without delay, for the conveyance 
 of that brigade to Ovar. 
 
 " Precautions must be taken to prevent the escape of the 
 boats, and ensure their proceeding direct to their destination. 
 
 " M.-General Hill will inform himself at Ovar respecting 
 the roads which lead from that place towards the river Vouga, 
 lest events should render it necessary to use them. A patrolc 
 of Portuguese cavalry will be directed to proceed very early 
 in the morning of the 10th, by the road Avhicli leads from 
 Angeja to Ovar, there to join M.-General Hill's corps. 
 
 " Geo. Murray, Q.-M.-G." 
 
 General Hill, having received his instructions, em- 
 barked at Aveiro on the evening of the 9th, and 
 arrived at Ovar on the 10th, just at sunrise, having 
 been assiduously helped in passing the lake by the 
 fishermen. Various circumstances of a trifling cha- 
 racter, however, arose to frustrate these arrangements, 
 and the enemy was, for a short time, rescued from his 
 peril by a masterly retreat on the part of Franceschi. 
 He passed within a tantalizing distance of General 
 Hill, who showed consummate judgment in refraining 
 from attacking him, as it was contrary to the rules 
 laid down for his guidance to act on the enemy's rear. 
 His division, therefore, moved on quietly towards 
 Oporto, which place the repulsed French reached with 
 considerable loss, in time to destroy the bridge across 
 the Douro, and to congratulate themselves on an 
 imaginary security because that river rolled between
 
 y 
 9G PASSAGE OF THE DOURO. Chap. V. 
 
 them and their pursuers, while the veterans of Napo- 
 leon's army were ready to defend the passage of its 
 wide and rapid stream. Thus apparently foiled in his 
 designs, Sir Arthur Wellesley ascended the height of 
 Sarea, fully impressed with the importance, especially 
 as regarded the operations of Marshal Beresford, of 
 instantly crossing the Douro. The glance of his 
 searching eye and the decision of his genius were 
 almost simultaneous, and he determined to pass over, 
 in spite of every ditiiculty, to a building called the 
 Seminary, at the very point which, from the obstacles 
 it presented, Soult supposed to be perfectly secure. 
 He had previously ordered Major-General Murray to 
 cross at Avintas, about four miles above Oporto, with 
 a battalion of the Hanoverian Legion, a squadron of 
 cavalry, and two six-pounders, if boats could be ob- 
 tained for this purpose. For himself he was resolved, 
 if only one boat could be found, to make his way 
 over the river to the Seminary ; and he succeeded 
 in obtaining, unperceived, three or four barges. 
 When the first of these came up, its arrival was 
 reported to Sir Arthur. " Well! let the men cross," 
 he answered in an instant ; and within a quarter of 
 an hour after the words had passed his lips, an officer 
 and twenty-five soldiers of the Buffs were upon the 
 bank occupied by the enemy, and the Seminary was 
 gained without the least symptom of alarm. A 
 second boat followed, then a third conveying Ge- 
 neral Paget ; and scarcely had they stepped on shore, 
 when the city rang with the din of arms, the roll of 
 drums, and the tumidtuous shouts of surprised citi- 
 zens and soldiers rushing to the Seminary. The brave
 
 Chap. V. EVACUATION OF OPORTO. 97 
 
 Paget appeared upon the walls, but was instantly 
 wounded and disabled. General Hill, avIio liad 
 crossed in splendid style with the 48th and 66th regi- 
 ments, assumed the command. Soult was his opponent, 
 and the assault furious in the extreme. Murray had 
 not come up. The moment was critical ; but Sir 
 Arthur had such confidence in Hill, that he was satis- 
 fied, on the earnest entreaties of those around him, 
 to remain on the spot, surveying the scene of action, 
 and directing the English guns to play upon the 
 enemy. General Hill did not disappoint him. Three 
 battalions were now in the Seminary; and he ad- 
 vanced coolly to the enclosure wall, whence he opened 
 such a fire on the passing columns of the French, 
 that the result was their dispersion and the cap- 
 ture of five pieces of artillery. Sherbrooke crossed, 
 and entered the town in time to harass the rear of 
 the hostile troops, who were quitting it. Then the 
 forces under Murray were seen descending the steep 
 from Avintas ; and soon the shouts of the inhabitants 
 proclaimed the evacuation of Oporto, and the flight 
 of the enemy on the road to Yallonga. General Hill 
 and his gallant aids-de-camp Captain Currie and 
 Lieutenant Clement Hill received, with the other brave 
 officers and troops, the cordial acknowledgments of 
 Sir Arthur Wellesley, who had, by their aid, achieved 
 the renowned passage of the Douro. " They have 
 marched," said his despatch, " in four days, over eighty 
 miles of most difficult country, have gained many 
 important positions, and have engaged and defeated 
 three diffisrent bodies of the enemy's troops." The 
 
 H
 
 98 LETTER OF GENERAL HILL. Chap. V. 
 
 results were briefly detailed by General Hill in a letter 
 to his sister : — 
 
 " My dear Sister, " Oporto, May 22. I8O9. 
 
 " On the 13th I wrote to you, and gave a hasty ac- 
 count of our proceedings to that day : the particulars you will 
 have seen in the Gazette before this reaches you. I am this 
 instant informed that a bag wiU be made up and despatched 
 for England by seven o'clock: and as it is nearly that time now, 
 I have not a moment to lose. Events have turned out exactly 
 as I expected. Marshal Soult's army got so comiDletely beat 
 and frightened on the 12th, that their retreat became a per- 
 fect flight. I cannot, for want of time, enter into particulars 
 at this moment, but beg to tell you that the morning after the 
 enemy ran from this place our army pursued them, keeping 
 close to their rear, and folio w^ing them near 100 miles on the 
 Braga road, to the frontier of Spain, about 50 miles on the 
 other side of Braga. On this occasion the enemy suffered 
 considerably, lost all their guns, greater part of their baggage 
 and ammunition, and upon the whole are so much beaten, 
 that it is thought impossible they can ever think of returning. 
 The French loss, upon the whole, is upwards of 3000 men, 
 including prisoners. 
 
 " The French, having another force in the South of Portu- 
 gal, under Victor, and knowing of our advance towards Soult, 
 commenced moving to the North, in the direction of Castello 
 Branco, which made our return to Oporto necessary ; and, 
 indeed, I fancy we shall lose no time in getting to Coimbra. 
 When Victor hears of Soult's fate, I am pretty sure he will 
 not advance further; and if he should, we have sufficient force 
 to meet him. I assure you oiu' prospects are good. Clement 
 does not feel the least inconvenience from his tcound, but his 
 eyes are sore from the heat of the sun, and effects of the cold 
 nights and long marches. I have not heard of John Holding.* 
 Dido is safe. In the greatest haste, 
 
 " Yours ever most truly, 
 
 '' Miss Hill, Hawkstone, Shrewsbury." " R. Hill. 
 
 * His servant.
 
 Chap. V. LIEUTENxVNT C. HILL. 99 
 
 Lieutenant Clement Hill's own allusion to his icoiind 
 is characteristic of the coolness of that officer, whose 
 name was so honourably mentioned in Sir Arthur Wel- 
 lesley's despatch. In writing to his brother Robert, he 
 said, " Seeing my name among the wounded would, of 
 course, alarm some of j^ou, although it was mentioned 
 as slight. You would not think much was the matter 
 with me when you got my letter, as I never thought 
 the knock I got worth mentioning, and had not the 
 least idea I had been returned, and would not believe 
 it till I saw it in print. The fact was, the officer who 
 made out the returns happened to be standing near 
 me at the time a ball struck me on the hip, just where 
 my sash was tied. It was, of course, nearly spent, 
 though it gave me a good rap, and I thought it was 
 a worse job than it was, and was agreeably surprised 
 to find the ball had not entered. The place was 
 black for some time, and I was a little stiff, but I had 
 nothing to call a wound. The more bloody the ac- 
 count of an action appears, the better it goes down 
 "svith John Bull ; and I suppose the officer who made 
 out the list thought my name would add to the 
 number ; and I know he thought it would be of ser- 
 vice to me, though I wish he had thought a little 
 more of the feelings of my friends. The way in which 
 the General and his staff are mentioned, in the other 
 part of the despatch, is, of course, highly flattering to 
 us all." 
 
 This letter was addressed to Major Robert Hill, of 
 the Royal Horse Guards, Blue, afterwards Lieutenant- 
 Colonel of the same regiment, and now Sir Robert 
 Chambre Hill. The General, with his accustomed 
 
 H 2
 
 100 DIDO. — ABEANTES. Chap. V. 
 
 fondness for his pets, did not forget to mention his 
 favourite " Dido," a most sagacious animal. His 
 brother, and aid-de-camp, whose letter has been just 
 quoted, also made allusion to her : " I must tell you," 
 he wrote, " how careful she is of her family. Two of 
 them have been brought in a basket ; and the other 
 morning, when the baggage was going off, she went 
 up stairs by herself, and brought the basket in her 
 mouth for the puppies to be put in." In this simple 
 and good-natured manner these brave brothers re- 
 lieved the tedium of their campaigns, and diverted 
 the attention of those who received their letters at 
 home, from the weightier cares occasioned by soli- 
 citude for their safety. 
 
 The next communication from General HiU to his 
 friends at Hawkstone is dated " Abrantes, June 17th, 
 1809," where the British army was encamped, full of 
 energy and spirit, but without money, shoes, or means 
 of transport, while its energetic leader was assiduously 
 endeavouring to overcome these and other impedi- 
 ments to his march into Spain. " We have been," 
 says General Hill, in this letter, " at Abrantes about 
 nine days, and I think it probable we shall remain 
 here some time longer to await events. The fate of 
 this country and Spain, in my mind, depends entirely 
 on what happens elsewhere. If Bonaparte subdues 
 Austria, and can keep all quiet in the North, the 
 Peninsula must ftdl. At present, our immediate 
 neighbour and opponent. Marshal Victor, is rather 
 retiring, but I dare say he will not go far, if he has 
 reason to expect reinforcements. The last accounts 
 were, that he had left Merida, and was falling back
 
 Chap. V. MISTAKE OF LORD CASTLEREAGH. 101 
 
 on Madrid." After these remarks, he proceeded to 
 make some observations on the interpretation put by 
 Lord Castlereagh on the despatch of Sir Arthur AVel- 
 lesley, respecting the passage of the Douro. His 
 words will explain the point in question, and con- 
 firm the statement already made of the services he 
 rendered at that critical juncture: — " No officer is 
 more deserving of praise than General Paget ; but he 
 was wounded so very early in the business, that he 
 was not present when the serious attacks were made, 
 and which, indeed, did not take place till after the 
 greater part of the 66th and 48th had come up, al- 
 though Lord Castlereagh, by his note to the [Lord] 
 Mayor, would wish it to be understood that General 
 Paget and the BufiE resisted the whole French 
 army." History has corrected this mistaken version 
 of Sir Arthur's official account ; and the remarks of 
 General Hill to his relatives are in unison with the 
 view of Napier, in his narrative of the proceedings 
 of that memorable day. In the same letter General 
 Hill thus notices Mr. Mackworth, afterwards on his 
 staff, and now Sir Digby Mackworth, of Glen Usk: — 
 " Mr. Mackworth is a fine young man : I wish I had 
 it in my power to show him more civility. All I can 
 do for him is occasionally to give him a bad dinner." 
 General Hill's opinion of this officer was confirmed 
 in every step of his future life down to the year 1831, 
 when he rendered such excellent service during the 
 dreadful riots at Bristol, under circumstances of pe- 
 culiar difficulty. His kind general, at the time of 
 his receiving him in Portugal, was by no means well 
 accommodated, for his brother thus described their 
 
 H 3
 
 102 PERPLEXITIES. THE FRENCH FORCE. Chap. V 
 
 position at Abrantes : — " The troops are most of 
 tliem encamped in liuts near the town, and we are 
 living in a small house near." 
 
 It was not till the 26th of June that the arrange- 
 ments of Sir Arthur Wellesley permitted an advance 
 towards Spain, when, having received the money he 
 had applied for, but still without the expected rein- 
 forcements, he determined to move. On that day 
 Mr. Clement Hill wrote home, — " We shall be off in 
 the morning. We have our route for eight days, which 
 will bring us into Spain. The first town we enter is 
 Zarza-la-Mayor, which is in the direction for Madrid ; 
 and I hope it will not be long before we are in that 
 city," The town here mentioned was reached on 
 the 2d of July, and by the 8th of that month Sir 
 Arthur and the advanced guard had arrived at Pla- 
 centia. Perplexities of every description surrounded 
 the British general; but the ardour of his unquenchable 
 spirit rose superior to them all, and was caught by the 
 troops he commanded, though under the pressure of 
 hunger and every species of privation. He sternly 
 repressed all disposition to plunder, while he spared 
 no exertion to relieve the wants of his soldiers. Their 
 numbers had been much exaggerated. This arose out 
 of the manner in which the returns were made, afford- 
 ing to Sir Arthur just grounds for the complaints he 
 addressed to Lord Castlereagh on the subject from 
 Castello Branco on the 30th of June, when the rein- 
 forcements announced had not arrived. On the other 
 hand, the French were in immense strength, under 
 the most eminent marshals of Bonaparte. Victor, who 
 was nearest the allies, mustered a large force in Estre- 
 madura; Sebastiani was in La Mancha; Dessolles
 
 Chap. V. GENERAL CUESTA. 10 
 
 Q 
 
 defended Madrid; Kellerman and Bonnet occupied 
 Old Castile, and a portion of Leon and the Asturias 
 — tlie whole being nominally under the usurper 
 Joseph, assisted by Marshal Jourdan. Soult, Mortier, 
 and Ney were in the North, while Suchet and Auge- 
 reau commanded large forces in Aragon and Catalonia. 
 To these may be added the troops occupying ports or 
 fortresses, besides such as were employed in keeping 
 open the several lines of communication. Thus the 
 allies were surrounded by an overwhelming supe- 
 riority of disciplined forces, whom Bonaparte had 
 directed to crush Wellesley in masses — a design this 
 great general foresaw at the very time the French 
 emperor, unknown to him, originated it. To make 
 Sir Arthur's situation even more difficult, his Spanish 
 coadjutor was General Cuesta, whom he found " more 
 and more impracticable every day," and who, Avith the 
 exception of certain ebbs and flows of rash courage, 
 was the completest burlesque upon a commander of 
 an army that can be conceived. For example, he 
 came to meet the British General at a reconnois- 
 sance of Victor's position in a coach-and-six, out 
 of which he was jolted by the roughness of the 
 ground, and then he took a nap under a tree. But 
 this drowsiness would have done no harm, had he 
 not obstructed the plans of Sir Arthur by the most 
 inconceivable obstinacy, which the latter mildly de- 
 signated " whimsical perverseness of disposition." On 
 the 24th of July, when the enemy had been dis- 
 lodged without a battle, he actually, in a fit of 
 mad jealousy, rushed forward singly in pursuit of 
 the French, leaving Sir Arthur alone to exercise the 
 
 u 4
 
 104 POSITION AT TALAVERA. Chap. V. 
 
 caution he found it necessary to recommend to this 
 heretofore sleepy, obstinate " old gentleman." The 
 Spaniards, as was foreseen, were soon driven back, and 
 came towards the English army near Talavera, in a 
 state of confusion impossible to describe, till at length 
 they passed to the rear, and ere long the movements 
 of Victor plainly indicated that a great conflict was 
 approaching. The genius of Wellesley rose with 
 the perils thickening around him. Finally, the obsti- 
 nacy of Cuesta gave way, and he consented to direc- 
 tions which placed him in front of Talavera on the 
 right of the Tagus, where nature and art combined 
 to defend him from serious attack. The left of the 
 line was open in front, the extreme resting upon a 
 steep hill, which was the key of the position, and there 
 the trusty subject of these pages was placed mth a 
 division of infantry. Sir Arthur thus described this 
 portion of his arrangements : — " The position taken 
 up by the troops at Talavera extended rather more 
 than two miles : the ground was open upon the left, 
 where the British army was stationed, and it was 
 commanded by a height, on which was placed en 
 echelon, as the second line, a division of infantry 
 under the orders of Major-General Hill." 
 
 It was on the 26th of July that Cuesta gave orders 
 to retreat, after his sudden push to Torrijos ; and on 
 the 27th, as Xapier observes. Sir Arthur, by virtue of 
 his genius, assumed the command of both armies. 
 The previous condition of affairs is described by 
 General Hill in a letter to his sister, dated " Talavera, 
 July 25." " If," he says, " you received my last 
 from Placentia, you will have been informed of our 
 movement towards Talavera, which commenced on
 
 Chap. V. GENERAL HTLL's ACCOUNT. 105 
 
 the 17th, the day after I wrote to you, and was 
 finished in six days. On the third day of our march 
 we were joined by Cuesta's army, which advanced 
 with the British to this place, where, as we expected, 
 we found Victor strongly posted, having the Tagus 
 upon his left, and a small river, the Alberche, in his 
 front and on his right. Sir Arthur Wellesley, I un- 
 derstand, urged the necessity of an immediate attack. 
 General Cuesta, it is said, wished to postpone it. 
 Certain, however, it is that nothing was done on the 
 day of our arrival or the next, during which time the 
 French remained with every appearance of making a 
 stand, which determined our two chiefs to attack 
 them with our united force the next morning at day- 
 break, the British on their left, and the Spaniards on 
 the right. Dispositions were made accordingly, and 
 we began to move about one o'clock in the night. 
 At day-break we were at the points fixed on, fully 
 persuaded that in a few minutes we should have been 
 engaged, when, to the surprise of every one, we found 
 that the French were off, and not a man to be seen. 
 They had departed during the night, and taken the 
 road to Madrid. What the result of this will be, I 
 cannot teU. If we can get the French out of Spain, 
 (which I do not think unlikely) without an action, / 
 shall be satisfied. If, however, that should not be 
 the case, it may be an unfortunate circumstance that 
 they went off; for although our loss must conse- 
 quently have been great, yet I am confident, with 
 God's assistance, that we should have beat them. 
 It seems most annoying that we are not able to follow 
 them, owing to a total want of supplies. The Spanish 
 government has not in any one respect fulfilled its
 
 106 THE SPANIAKDS. — TALAVERA, Chap. V. 
 
 promise in regard to supplying the British army with 
 provisions, in consequence of which, and our own bad 
 commissaries, the troops and horses have been very 
 badly fed of late. Instead of our having supplies to 
 take on, the soldiers have not yet had meat or bread 
 for yesterday^ and it will not be possible for us to 
 move on for some days, which probably will prevent 
 our seeing the French again ; for I am inclined to 
 think we shall not follow them a great way unless 
 they wait, which does not appear very likely after 
 giving up this country and their strong position. 
 The people are in high spirits at seeing the French 
 run — a sight they never saw before. The Spanish 
 armies are strong, and will increase. It is true they 
 are badly disciplined, but their inveteracy towards 
 the French is so great that they are formidable. No 
 Frenchman falls into their hands without suiFering 
 death. The General who was taken a short time ago 
 was kept alive, not from respect to French generals, 
 but as being a valuable prize." 
 
 At the juncture described in this letter, Cuesta 
 advanced. Sir Arthur remarked, " I am only afraid 
 he will get himself into a scrape : any movement by 
 me to his assistance is quite out of the question." His 
 inglorious return has been already noticed, as well 
 as his tardy submission to the master-mind of Wel- 
 lesley. Hence arose the demonstration on the part 
 of the French, which led to the disposition of the 
 allied forces alluded to before the introduction of this 
 account by General Hill. When he wrote it, he little 
 imagined that the day of his danger, escape, and glory 
 was so near.
 
 Chap. V. BATTLE AT NIGHT. 107 
 
 King Joseph slept on the 26th at St. Ollalla, but 
 was up before break of clay, and his troops were put 
 in motion ere tlie sun cast its early beams for the last 
 time, upon numbers who had watched for its rise with 
 eager hopes of a decisive day : but not till it had 
 been three hours past its meridian did the fight begin. 
 At that time Sir Arthur Wellesley was in the Casa 
 de SaUnas. To reach this place, the French had to 
 ford the Alberche, and to march some distance through 
 woods, out of which they emerged so suddenly, that 
 they had nearly made him prisoner at the instant of 
 surprise. Providentially, this disaster was not per- 
 mitted to fall upon our army, and upon Europe. The 
 impetuous onset of the enemy caused our troops to 
 withdraw with some loss, but with such steadiness and 
 discipline, that they returned upon and checked the 
 forces which had attacked them. Victor soon exhibited 
 a magnificent display, which issued from the forest, and 
 advanced against the combined armies. It was dusk 
 when he opened his cannonade on the left of the 
 British position, and directed his cavalry against the 
 infantry of Spain. " This attempt," Sir Arthur's de- 
 spatch says, " entirely failed." " Early in the night," 
 the same document states, " he pushed a division 
 along the valley on the left of the height occupied by 
 General Hill, of which he gained a momentary posses- 
 sion ; but Major-General Hill attacked it instantly with 
 the bayonet, and regained it." It was a night of awful 
 struggle ; opposing flashes of musketry, seemingly close 
 to each other, sparkled in the gloom. At length, 
 cessation of firing permitted the conquering shouts of 
 the British soldiers audibly to proclaim that their
 
 108 BATTLE IN THE MORNING. Chap, V. 
 
 stern opponents Avere repulsed into the ravine below. 
 Shortly afterwards the flames of the bivouac fires of 
 both armies shot upwards to the darkened skies, and 
 the fighting was over ; but eight hundred English and 
 a thousand French were lost in that tremendous fray. 
 In the morning the French came forth again ; and, to 
 use the words of Sir Arthur Wellesley, " the general 
 attack began by the march of several columns of in- 
 fantry into the valley, with a view to attack the height 
 occupied by Major-General Hill." A^arious as have 
 been the descriptions of his brave conduct on that day, 
 all agree in their estimate of the great military quali- 
 ties he displayed. His own narration will be found 
 in a letter to his sister, written on the spot : — 
 
 " My dear Sister, " Talavera, July 30. 1 8O9. 
 
 " God has protected Clement and myself In two of the 
 severest battles I ever witnessed, which took place on the 
 27th and 28th. For the particulars I must refer you to the 
 public despatches, but cannot help mentioning a few cir- 
 cumstances which will show you the providential escapes we 
 have had. About a week ago I told you that the French had 
 retired from Talavera, on our approach towards them. It 
 now appears they did this, not with the Intention of going off 
 altogether, but for the purpose of meeting their reinforce- 
 ments, which being done by the junction of Sebastiani's force 
 of about 12,000, and King Joseph, from Madrid, with 6000, 
 they turned back with near 50,000, with a determination to 
 bring the whole of it against the British army, not half that 
 number In the field. Early on the 27th we heard of the re- 
 turning of the French, and as the day advanced they ap- 
 proached nearer. By four in the evening their whole force 
 was in sight, and continued moving forward, driving In our 
 outposts, till they came within reach of shot from our lines, 
 when they halted ; and as night was coming on we did not
 
 Chap. V. LETTER OF GENERAL HILL. 109 
 
 expect any serious attack till the next morning. It was, 
 however, scarcely dusk, when there was a heavy fire of mus- 
 ketry on my post, and a severe struggle on the part of the 
 enemy to carry it, in which they did not succeed, and in about 
 half an hour gave up the contest. On this occasion poor 
 Fordyce was killed, my horse was shot, and I myself had a 
 fortunate escape from the hands of a French soldier, who had 
 got hold of my right arm, and would have secured me if my 
 horse had not at the moment sprung forward. The French- 
 man fired at me, but did not touch me. Clement and Captain 
 Currie were in the midst of the whole, but fortunately escaped. 
 Nothing very particular occurred during the night : we con- 
 tinued in our position, and the enemy was near us. My post 
 was on the left. General Sherbrooke in the centre, and General 
 Campbell to his right, and all the Spaniards to General Camp- 
 bell's right. In the morning, when day broke, we observed 
 the whole French army drawn up in order of battle ; the 
 greater part of their force immediately opposite my post, 
 which was evidently the point of attack, and which, if they 
 could have gained, would have given them the day. Sir 
 Arthur Wellesley came to it, and in about half an hour after 
 the sun was up an immense column, since known to consist 
 of two divisions of 7000 each, under Marshal Victor in person, 
 moved on and attacked us. The fire was tremendous on both 
 sides, but the French could not force us. My horse was 
 wounded early in the action. I got another from an officer. 
 Shortly before the enemy gave up the conflict, I was struck 
 by a musket-ball near my left ear and the back of my head. 
 The blow was so violent that I was obliged to leave the field. 
 I continued unwell the whole of the next day, and the next ; 
 I am, however, thank God, much better to-day. My hat 
 saved my life ; it has suffered as much as my helmet did on 
 the 13th of March. Clement is safe; his horse was killed, 
 and he had three musket-balls in him on the 28th. Currie 
 is also safe, but had his horse killed under him. During the 
 attack on me the enemy did not allow the remainder of the 
 line to be quiet, for, with their numerous artillery, they kept 
 up a constant and destructive fire on it, not regarding the
 
 110 LETTEE OF GENERAL HILL. Chap. V- 
 
 Si^aniards at all. In about four or five hours the enemy's fire 
 slackened for a short time ; they, however, afterwards began 
 as serious an attack upon General Campbell as they did upon 
 me, and, meeting with the same reception from him and the 
 whole as they did in the morning, were fairly beat, and in the 
 evening after dark went off. The loss on both sides is very 
 great. Indeed, ours probably 4000, the enemy's 7000. King 
 Joseph was in the field, though not in the fire. When it is 
 considered that the French force was double ours, and solely 
 employed against the British, we may count the battle of 
 Talavera amongst the most glorious that ever took place. 
 You must excuse this hasty account — indeed I must again 
 refer you to the official details. The French are said to be 
 still retreating. Kind remembrance to all our dear friends at 
 Hawkstone, who, I am sure, will be sensible of and thankful 
 for the providential escapes we have had." 
 
 On the 1st of August he wrote again : — 
 
 " My dear Sister, " Talavera, August 1st, I8O9. 
 
 " Two days ago I wrote to you a long and hasty letter, 
 giving you some account of the glorious actions which had 
 been fought between the British and the French on the 27th 
 and 28th. The letter, I dare say, will go to England by the 
 same ship which will convey this, provided it reaches 
 Lisbon; but as the communication between us and Lisbon 
 is rather uncertain, I send this by a different route. There 
 never was a more severe action fought than that of the 28th, 
 or more honour gained by an army than was obtained on both 
 days. I must, however, observe, that it was a dear-bought 
 victory, for, out of 18,000 British, I fear you will find, by the 
 returns, our loss to be near 200 officers killed and wounded, 
 and about 5000 men. Another such victory would be a 
 serious one for us. The French have suffered certainly more 
 than we did, and are still retiring towards Madrid, but I 
 doubt whether they will go far. The Spaniards are very 
 numerous, but have as yet done nothing either in fighting or 
 supplying us with provisions. Unless a change takes place.
 
 Chap. V. ACCOUNT OF HIS OWN ESCAPE. Ill 
 
 I think we shall not agree long. The conveyance of letters 
 has now become so uncertain, I must be careful what I say. 
 My head, thank God, is much better; I have no pain, and 
 merely a little stiffness about the neck. My horses, I think, 
 will recover. The one I rode on the 27 th, when I was in 
 the midst of the French in the dark, was wounded through 
 the belly ; the other had two shots through the withers, and 
 one in the saddle. Your little mare is well, and so is Dido, 
 and John Holding looks a great deal better than when he 
 left England. Joseph may remain where he is, for I think 
 our stay is rather uncertain. We shall not go to Coruiia 
 again, but, in case of accidents, we have fortunately Gibraltar 
 and Cadiz under our lee. If the Austrians are successful, 
 and the Spaniards will give us assistance, all will go on well. 
 Clement joins in kind remembrance to all. 
 
 " I remain, 
 " Yours most affectionately, 
 
 "E. H." 
 
 In the year 1827 a military officer of high rank 
 requested from General Hill the favour of a memoran- 
 dum explanatory of his own escape, with which he 
 complied as follows, in his truly unaffected style : — 
 
 " I recollect on the 27th of July I got some dinner in my 
 quarters in the town of Talavera about four o'clock. Imme- 
 diately after I rode out, accompanied by Major Fordyce, to- 
 wards the Alberche, in which direction we heard some firing. 
 I returned to the bivouac of my division, I sujopose about 
 sunset, when I found it had moved to take up a position. I 
 instantly followed it, and found it deploying in line, and was 
 shown by somebody where the right was to rest. I pointed 
 out the hill on the line of direction we were to take up. I 
 found, however, I had not sufficient troops to occupy the 
 ground without leaving considerable intervals between the 
 regiments. During this operation I recollect perfectly well 
 that I was with the 48th Regiment, in conversation with 
 Colonel Donellan, when, it being nearly dark, I observed
 
 112 CUESTA'S TEOOPS decimated. Chap. v. 
 
 some men on the hill-top fire a few shots amongst us. Not 
 having an idea that the enemy were so near, I said at the 
 moment, / was sure it was the Old Buffs, as usual, making 
 some blunder. I desired Donellan to get into line, and I 
 would ride up the hill and stop their firing. On reaching the 
 hill-toj), I found the mistake I had made. I immediately 
 turned round to ride off, when they fired and killed poor 
 Fordyce, and shot my mare through the body. She did not 
 fall, but carried me to the 29th Regiment, which corps, by my 
 orders, instantly charged the French, and drove them from 
 the hill. I do not know what numbers the enemy had, but 
 I think they were not strong — perhaps some of their light 
 troops." 
 
 The poor old coach-and-six general had no further 
 part in this affair than sending two pieces of cannon to 
 Sir Arthur Wellesley, when he desired reinforcements 
 against the powerful artillery of the French. He went, 
 however, into a furious rage with his troops for being 
 terrifiecl into confusion, though not attacked, which 
 ended in their decimation^ and the execution of the de- 
 cimated. Some, however, of the Spaniards showed true 
 bravery, and the couple of guns just adverted to were 
 most efficiently served ; but the general condition of 
 Cuesta's army, and the exhausted state of the British, 
 who were upon the scantiest food, rendered all pursuit 
 at the close of the second day's victor}^ impossible, and 
 the triumph Avas dearly won. The army of Sir Arthur 
 passed that night on the cold damp field, amidst the 
 dead, the wounded, and the dying, while as many of 
 the disabled as they could remove, found their hos- 
 pitals in the convents of Talavera. The morning after 
 the last action General Cuesta wrote, for pubhcation 
 in the Spanish Gazette, — "I cannot express myself
 
 Chap. V. SHAMEFUL CONDUCT OF THE SrANIARDS. 113 
 
 sufficiently to celebrate the admirable courage of the 
 English army, and its excellent general, and of our 
 own troops also ! " Sir Arthur Wellesley was elevated 
 to the peerage on the 26th of August, by the titles of 
 Baron Douro of Wellesley, and A'^iscount Wellington 
 of Talavera ; but he did not receive the official notifi- 
 cation till the 16th of September, and up to that period 
 retained his old signature. His Majesty was also 
 pleased to appoint General Hill to the colonelcy of the 
 94th Regiment ; and Mr. Perceval, in the House of 
 Commons, on the vote of thanks from the Houses 
 of Parliament, paid him a distinguished compliment. 
 The conduct of the Spaniards was disgraceful beyond 
 all conception. They would neither suj^ply provisions, 
 relieve the wounded, nor help to bury the dead, refus- 
 ing, as Sir Arthur observed, " assistance and necessa- 
 ries which any other country in the world would have 
 given even to its enemies." At length this bad faith, 
 and the consequent difficulties he encountered, toge- 
 ther with the wants and privations of his troops, and 
 the various movements of the French, induced him to 
 contemplate withdrawing towards Portugal. There 
 were many varying oj^inions at the time respecting Sir 
 Arthur's speedy change from the victorious offi^nsive to 
 defensive operations ; but it will be found that General 
 Hill entirely approved of these celebrated movements, 
 and denounced the Spaniards equally with his chief. 
 He wrote thus from Merida : — 
 
 " My dear Sister, " Merida, August 30th, 1 8O9. 
 
 " I must own I never entertained any sanguine expect- 
 ations from the assistance we were likely to receive from the 
 
 I
 
 114 LETTEK OF GENERAL HILL. Chap. V. 
 
 Spaniards. Their conduct last year was sufficient to satisfy 
 all who witnessed it, that we were engaged in a hopeless 
 cause. What has now happened 1 trust will convince our 
 rulers at home that a small English force alone cannot drive 
 the French out of Spain, and that Spaniards are neither 
 Avillinfr nor able to do much for themselves. In the battle at 
 Talavera, the Spaniards might liave rendered us most essen- 
 tial service. There really aj^peared on that occasion, some- 
 thino; like a mutual ao-reement between the French and 
 Spaniards not to molest each other. During the whole of 
 the actions the French employed all their force against the 
 British, and at no time did the Spaniards attempt to give us 
 any assistance. The conduct of Spain with respect to supply- 
 ing us with provisions is, if possible, Avorse than their be- 
 haviour in the field. Previous to our entering the country 
 they promised every kind of supply, and carriages for the 
 sick ; and 1 know they have done nothing, in consequence of 
 which many sick and wounded have been left behind, and 
 the army has suffered great privations for want of food, and 
 is now, I am sorry to say, much reduced and very ineffective. 
 Under all these circumstances, I think Sir Arthur Wellesley 
 has acted Avisely in retiring, and we are now by easy marches 
 pi'oceeding towards Elvas in Portugal, where I imagine we 
 shall wait until orders arrive from Eno;land. The French 
 are not following us, and give as a reason that they have 
 orders to that effect. They say they shall remain on the 
 banks of the Tagus about Talavera, until their expected re- 
 inforcements arrive from France, and on their coming they 
 recommend the English should quit the Peninsula. * * * 
 ******* rpj^^ French liave likewise another 
 report amongst them, which is, that Napoleon means to restore 
 Ferdinand to Spain, and remove King Joseph to a throne in 
 Germany — a measure I do not think very improbable, for 
 Ferdinand would be quite subservient to the will of Bona- 
 parte, and by being sent to Spain would quiet the peoiDle, 
 who, although not formidable, are troublesome. The French 
 are particularly kind and attentive to our wounded and 
 sick.
 
 Chap. V. COMPLAINTS OF THE SPANIARDS. 115 
 
 " 7 o'clock. — I am just informed that the bag will be closed 
 in a few minutes; I shall therefore only add that Clement 
 and myself are perfectly well. I do not feel the least incon- 
 venience from the blow I got on the head. We shall, I think, 
 be in Portugal in the course of five or six days. If the 
 accounts from Austria continue unfavourable, we nuist quit 
 this country, and it is the general opinion the sooner the 
 better. Kind love to all. 
 
 "Yours ever." 
 
 It was impossible that Sir Arthur Wellesley could 
 go on with such a man as Cuesta, or with the cowardly 
 Spaniards he commanded, of whom he wrote to Lord 
 Castlereagh, " Nearly 2000 ran off, on the evening of 
 the 27th, from the battle of Talavera, not a hundred 
 yards from the place where I was standing, who were 
 neither attacked nor threatened with an attack, and 
 who were frightened only by the noise of their own 
 lire. They left their arms and accoutrements on the 
 ground. Their officers went with them ; and they 
 and the fugitive cavalry plundered the baggage of 
 the British army, which had been sent to the rear." 
 Afterwards the one corps said to have behaved well 
 at Talavera ran aAvay from the bridge of Arzobispo, 
 leaving its guns ; and the conduct of all parties had 
 so deprived Sir Arthur of the fruits of his victory, 
 that he determined to i-emain with them no longer. 
 In this decision, as we have seen, General Hill 
 entirely agreed, and, in fact, had made a formal com- 
 plaint that one of his foraging parties had been fired 
 at by Spanish soldiers. But though Sir Arthur de- 
 cided to fight no more witJi Spaniards, he was willing 
 to fight for Spain, and consented, having consulted 
 
 I 2
 
 116 LETTER OF GENERAL HILL. Chap. V. 
 
 with his brother, the Marquis Wellesley, then in that 
 country on a special mission, to remain for a time on 
 the Spanish frontier, at least so far as to place General 
 Hill's division at Montejo and La Calzada, and the 
 heavy brigade of cavalry at Merida, where they could 
 get forage. From the former of these places the 
 General addressed the following interesting letter to 
 Hawkstone : — 
 
 " Montejo, 10th Nov. 1809- 
 " I wrote to you from here about a fortnight or three 
 weeks ago, since which time we have been, as we were for 
 some time before, in daily expectation of some change taking 
 place. Nothing particular, however, has occurred. The 
 French remain on the Tagus, occupying the towns from 
 Toledo to Orapesa. The Spanish army is in La ]\lancha; 
 the Bi'itish cantoned in the villages about 30 miles round 
 Badajos. None of the three armies seem to be inclined to 
 move forward; the French show their weakness by remain- 
 ing where they are, and we prove ours by allowing them to 
 stay so quietly. I do not consider our prospects at all mended 
 of late, consequently I entertain the same opinion I have 
 always expressed respecting the country. The cause in my 
 mind is hopeless, unless war with some chance of success 
 should be renewed between Austria and France — an event 
 which does not seem very probable. Too much jealousy, I 
 fear, exists between us and the Spaniards to give hopes of 
 doing any good by acting together, and little can be expected 
 from our separate efforts, for the Spaniards do not understand 
 the business, and we have not numbers. Our army is much 
 reduced ; it is generally supposed that we have upwards of 
 30,000, but I assure you we could not bring more than 
 13,000 into the field. The sickness which prevails is dread- 
 ful, and the mortality melancholy. There are not less than 
 10,000 in the hospitals, besides some hundreds in a con- 
 valescent state. The deaths during the last three weeks 
 have, upon an average, been little short of fifty men a day.
 
 Chap. V. LETTER OP GENERAL HILL. 117 
 
 The rains have now commenced, and we are told that we 
 shall be more healthy. I thank God that Clement and my- 
 self enjoy good health. I do not know whether our future 
 plans are fixed upon, but I really think we shall be off soon. 
 It is generally thought that we shall move towards Lisbon, 
 to wait events, and at the same time to be in readiness to 
 quit the country if necessary. We have heard of Lord 
 Wellesley's appointment to the head of the new administra- 
 tion. He intended to leave Seville this day, and will probably 
 reach England about the time you receive this. I am glad 
 he is come into office ; he is certainly a very able man, and 
 must know the Spaniards, and also our 7'eal situation in this 
 country. It is now forty days, a very unusual time, since 
 we heard from England. We anxiously look for the next 
 arrival, which will bring us the new arrangements respecting 
 the administration, and in all probability a confirmation of 
 the peace between France and Austria — an event which the 
 French at Madrid have announced. I dare say you will see 
 in the English papers that the Spaniards have adopted a new 
 mode of government, and established a regency, a change 
 which I fear will benefit them very little. You will likewise 
 see an account of an action fought between the Spaniards and 
 French at Tamanes, not far from Salamanca, in which the 
 valorosi Spayiiards claim a great victory. The fact is, the 
 French with a small division attacked the Spaniards, Avho 
 were Jive times their number, posted on strong ground near 
 Tamanes. The French were at first successful, took six 
 guns, and made their cavalry go off. The Spanish infantry, 
 however, not only maintained their ground, but in the end 
 retook their guns, and the French retired with some loss. A 
 Spanish officer writes to his friends in this village, and after 
 giving an account of the action, he says he followed the 
 French to Salamanca, and finding that they had quitted it, 
 they entered the town, but that it was with " shaking chins," 
 a Spanish proverb, which you may easily conceive implies 
 great fear. Being in daily expectation of a move towards 
 England, I will not desire Joseph to come out. We heard 
 
 J 3
 
 118 MONTE JO. BADAJOS. — COUESING. Chap. V. 
 
 from Thomas lately ; he was well. Kind remembrances 
 to all. 
 
 " I remam, yours very afFectionately." * 
 
 At ]\lontejo General Hill and his brother were 
 comfortably lodged in the house of a large farmer, 
 whom they found a good kind of man ; and they had 
 the satisfaction of seeing a degree of plenty and 
 happiness around them, to which they had been 
 hitherto strangers in Spain. They were about twenty 
 miles from Badajos, where head-quarters were. One 
 part of this house was occupied by General Hill and 
 the remainder by the farmer's family, who were " all 
 very civil without being troublesome." Lieutenant 
 Clement Hill described him as having " a wife and 
 two daughters not quite of the first class, but dressing 
 smart when they went to mass on a Sunday." In 
 Badajos, he said, there was " a great display of 
 beauty and fashion," and added, " almost all the wool 
 is sent from this part to England. I cannot say much 
 for the beauty of the sheep that produce it. Rowland 
 has bought four from our landlord, which are to ac- 
 company our milk goats, till we have an opportunity 
 of sending or bringing them to England, to improve 
 the Shropshire breed. We lead quite a quiet country 
 life, going out a-coursing three times a week, though 
 I should not wonder if Bonaparte gave us a chase of 
 another sort some of these mornings." This sort of 
 life suited the tastes of these heroic brothers, who 
 " liked it much better than the gay town " of Badajos, 
 where the inhabitants were far from being as civil to 
 
 * General Hill frequently arose from prudential motives, in 
 omitted to sign his name to his case of their being intercepted, 
 letters at this time. Probably this
 
 Chap. V. LIEUTENANT-GENERAL. RURAL SPORTS. 1 1 9 
 
 those who fought for their independence, as at the 
 pleasant rural Montejo. Here the division of General 
 Hill was reviewed by the commander-in-chief, M^ho 
 had then assumed the title of Viscount Wellington ; 
 and the services of its leader were acknowledged in 
 his promotion to the rank of Lieutenant- General, 
 which had indeed been some time previously urged 
 by Lord Wellington as his just due. 
 
 The General himself wrote word home, " We have 
 excellent coursing here, and now and then a fox-hunt, 
 and sometimes attack a wild boar and the deer." 
 With regard to more important matters he expressed 
 himself, towards the end of November, to the fol- 
 lowing effect : " Affairs in this country seem to be 
 drawing to a crisis. The Spanish army imprudently 
 advanced towards Madrid ; the French allowed them 
 to get within eight leagues of the place, and then 
 attacked them, and the result is that the Spaniards 
 were entirely defeated and dispersed, lost fifty pieces 
 of cannon, 15,000 prisoners, and about 8000 killed. 
 Reinforcements are said to be on the march from 
 France, the Spanish Government are quarrelling 
 amongst themselves, and the British army is greatly 
 reduced by sickness, which, I am sorry to say, is by 
 no means abated since I wrote last." Li December he 
 thus described his own position and views : — 
 
 "Montejo, Wednesday, 6th Dec. I8O9. 
 " My dear Sister, 
 " A mail is despatched to England every Wednesday. I 
 wrote to you by the last, since which time nothing very par- 
 ticular has occurred, and I have little to tell you now. The 
 Spaniards, in consequence of the late dastardly conduct of 
 their troops, seem to be a good deal alarmed. The Govern- 
 
 I 4
 
 120 LETTER OF GENERAL HILL. Chap. V. 
 
 ment at Seville find their flowery addresses and patriotic 
 proclamations to he of little avail, and will not make the 
 people fight. I understand there is the greatest consternation 
 amongst the rulers of this unhappy country ; it is also said 
 that their main army is entirely dispersed : indeed, we have 
 daily opportunities of witnessing their run-cnoays passing 
 throuo-h this neiohbourhood. We likewise see the inhabit- 
 ants of this part of the country burying and hiding their 
 property, in expectation that it would otherwise fall into the 
 hands of the enemy. The French are upwards of 150 miles 
 from hence, and I do not hear of their having made any 
 movement towards us since the victory over the Spaniards. 
 Here Ave are in the same situation and same state of uncer- 
 tainty as when I wrote last. Our long stay here, I imagine, 
 must be from political motives ; I, therefore, in some degree 
 look forward for a change when Lord Wcllesley's sentiments 
 respecting this country are made known by himself in Lon- 
 don, and which we may expect to hear of in the course of a 
 week. Our army continues to suffer much by sickness ; my 
 division has lost, in the last seven days, 60 men, besides the 
 deaths which must have happened at the distant hospitals, 
 and which I am sure cannot be less than 20 or 30. John 
 Holding, the only invalid in my family, I am glad to say, is 
 nearly recovered, and enjoyed our two last days' hunting 
 with great spirit. By-the-by, I will enclose you a portrait 
 of our Spanish huntsman, which Clement has hit off to a 
 nicety ; the instrument in the mouth is not a vulgar tin horn, 
 such as our huntsmen use, but a sort of pipe-lute, or whistle, 
 with which the bearer occasionally plays a tune, to collect 
 the dogs and animate the sportsmen. General Cotton is off 
 for England, and I suppose will arrive there about the time 
 you get this. He has i-epresented that urgent business re- 
 quires his presence at home, and his request has, of course, 
 been granted. He says he shall soon be back. 
 
 " I think I told you that Colonel Leighton was well. You 
 shall hear from Clement or myself by the next packet. In 
 the mean time believe me to be 
 
 " Yours very affectionately, 
 
 " E. H."
 
 Chap. V. OFFER OF LORD WELLINGTON. 121 
 
 In the midst of all these uncertainties Lord Wel- 
 lington, now Marshal-General of Portugal, was con- 
 templating, with a firmness of purpose and grandeur 
 of design characteristic of his surpassing genius, the 
 defence of that country ; and I copy from the letter 
 written with his own hand his announcement and offer 
 to General Hill: — 
 
 I- 
 
 " My dear Hill, " Badajos, Dec. 18. I8O9. 
 
 " In the arrangements for the defence of Portugal I shall 
 form two principal corps, both consisting of British and Por- 
 tuguese troops, the largest of which will be to the north- 
 ward, and I shall command it myself, and the latter will be 
 for the present upon the Tagus, and hereafter it may be 
 moved forward into Alemtejo ; and I will not make any ar- 
 rangement either as to the troops that are to comprise it, or 
 as to the officer who is to command it, without offering the 
 command of it to you. 
 
 " At the same time, I will not separate you from the 
 army, and from my own immediate command, without con- 
 sulting your wishes ; and I shall be glad to hear from you on 
 this subject as soon as possible, as the arrangements for quar- 
 tering and disposing of the troops depend upon your decision 
 upon this point. 
 
 " You will therefore send back either a messenger, if 
 you can get one, or an officer, with your answer as soon as 
 possible. 
 
 " I send your letters arrived by the English mail. 
 " Ever yours most sincerely, 
 
 " Wellington." 
 
 How the General felt such a mark of confidence, is 
 expressed in his own words in a letter dated " Abran- 
 tes, January 4. 1810." "You will not," he says, " I 
 am sure, be sorry to learn that we have quitted Spain, 
 and are once more clear of the unhealthy plains of
 
 122 IMPOETANT TRUST, Chap. V. 
 
 Estremadura. The whole of the British army is now 
 in Portugal: how long our Government mean we 
 shall remain here, or the French allow us, I cannot 
 say. It, however, seems to be the intention of the 
 present rulers to try to defend Portugal, for which 
 purpose Lord Wellington has formed, as he calls it, 
 two lyrinciiJal corps, composed of British and Portu- 
 guese, the largest of which is gone to the northward, 
 and he commands it himself; the other remains on 
 the Tagus, which he has in the handsomest manner 
 offered to me. I am aware of the importance of the 
 situation I am placed in, and trust I shall be attended 
 with the same good fortune I have hitherto ex- 
 perienced." General Hill deserved this trust, and the 
 entire course of his subsequent services showed the 
 wisdom of the selection.
 
 12 
 
 D 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 ABRANTES. — WORKS. PORTALEGRE. HOSTESS. — GENERAL 
 
 hill's MOVEMENTS. FIRMNESS OF LORD WELLINGTON. — 
 
 GENERAL HILL AND THE MARQUIS DE LA ROMAJ^A. ALL 
 
 QUIET. LETTER OF MR. CLEMENT HILL. INSTRUCTIONS FOR 
 
 CROSSING THE TAGUS. SURRENDER OF CIUDAD RODRIGO. 
 
 REGNIER. LETTERS OF RO:\LA.NA. MOVEMENTS. SARZEDAS. 
 
 REGNIER NOT NEAR ENOUGH. GENERAL HILL RECEIVES LORD 
 
 CLINTON IN A CHAPEL. MUTUAL POLITENESS OF ENGLISH AND 
 
 FRENCH. ALMEIDA. GENERAL HILL QUITS SARZEDAS. — FEAR- 
 FUL ARRAY. GENERAL HILL ASCENDS THE MOUNTAIN OF 
 
 BUSACO. SPLENDID SCENE. BATTLE ON THE MOUNTAIN. 
 
 LORD WELLINGTON AND GENERAL HILL. REGNIER TOO NEAR. 
 
 SERVICES OF GENERAL HILL AT BUSACO. — GRAND SPECTACLE 
 
 BY NIGHT. — THE FRENCH DECAMP. MOVEMENTS OF GENERAL 
 
 HILL. LINES OF TORRES VEDRAS. GENERAL HILL'S POSITION. 
 
 PARTIES OF PLEASURE FROM LISBON. — LETTERS OF GENERAL 
 
 HILL. HIS SEVERE ILLNESS. — SIR W. BERESFORD COMMANDS 
 
 FOR HIM. GENERAL HILL GOES HOME. RECOVERS. HIS 
 
 ANXIETY TO RETURN TO THE ARMY. 
 
 The beginning of the year 1810 was spent by 
 General Hill at Abrantes, where Captain Patton of 
 the Engineers was carrying on works of great im- 
 portance, as part of Lord Wellington's plan for the 
 defence of Portugal. The General supplied artificers 
 from his corps for this purpose, and awaited his 
 instructions, which were promised him as soon as 
 possible in the following kind note: — 
 
 " My dear Hill, " Coimbra, Jan. 6. 18(10).* 
 
 " I just write you a few lines to tell you that I have not 
 forgotten you, but my hands have been so full of business 
 
 * Dated in the original 1 809 by mistake.
 
 124 POKTALEGRE. HOSTESS. Chap. VI. 
 
 since I saw you that I have not had time to attend to your 
 affairs yet. But you shall be fully instructed in the course 
 of a day or two. 
 
 " Ever yours sincerely, 
 
 " Wellington. 
 "Lieut- General Hill" 
 
 The instructions were given on the 9th, under 
 which date they appear in the volumes of Colonel 
 Gurwood. 
 
 The troops were at this time much recruited by the 
 change of air and the fineness of the weather, while 
 General Hill and his aid-de-camp had the gratification 
 of being near their brother, Colonel Thomas Noel Hill, 
 who was serving with the Portuguese army. He was 
 then at Oporto, and proposed to pay them a short 
 visit. His regiment was reported as in the highest 
 order. 
 
 During the whole of January Lord Wellington and 
 General Hill were in constant correspondence. Their 
 letters related to movements of troops ; accommo- 
 dation for cavalry ; payments ; commissariat ; am- 
 munition ; magazines ; bridges ; and other kindred 
 matters. At length, on the 12th of February, Lord 
 Wellington directed him to move forward to Porta- 
 legre, in consequence of the French having approached 
 Badajos. He was likewise desired to take measures 
 for the safety of the convalescents and sick, and to 
 provide for the conveyance of the latter to Elvas. 
 Much was left to his discretion, which was most satis- 
 factorily performed. He soon effected the removal of 
 his corps, and was himself quartered at Portalegre, in 
 the house of one Senora Donna Francisca Rosa Barba,
 
 Chap. VI. FORCE UNDER GENERAL HILL. 12 5 
 
 a most attentive hostess. The farmer of Montejo, 
 their former landlord, whose name was Don Alonso 
 Botello, would have been too glad to have changed 
 situations with the Senora Rosa, for his house was 
 now occupied by the French. In all his foreign 
 quarters, the habits of the General in private were as 
 domestic and unpretending as if he had been re- 
 siding at his own country seat. 
 
 One object of this advance was to protect Elvas 
 and the sick in that town, but they were as quickly 
 as possible removed to Lisbon. When the enemy 
 heard of General Hill's arrival at Portalegre, they re- 
 tired from Badajos. The General had with him his 
 own British division, two brigades of Portuguese 
 infiintry, about 4000 strong, under Major-General 
 Hamilton, one brigade of British cavalry, amounting 
 to 1000 in number, under Major-General Slade, the 
 4th regiment of Portuguese cavalry, and one brigade 
 of German, and two of Portuguese artillery. He was 
 instructed to co-operate with certain Spanish troops, 
 then supposed to have crossed the Tagus, and to pre- 
 vent the French, if possible, from attempting any 
 serious operation against Badajos, from which, as we 
 have seen, they retreated on his approach. The 
 strength of the enemy, as to numbers, and the ce- 
 lebrity of Napoleon's marshals who commanded them, 
 were enough to have made the British generals pause, 
 for much of the force they had to oppose to them was 
 of at least douljtful efficiency, while every possible 
 impediment was cast in their way. But in the 
 consciousness of a good cause they persevered and 
 triumphed.
 
 126 PRUDENCE AND FIRMNESS OF WELLINGTON. Chap. VI. 
 
 It was in the month of March that the French corps 
 in Estremadura broke up, and Mortier departed to 
 the South ; but Regnier, with Soult's corps, remained 
 in the neighbourhood of Merida. General Hill was 
 much complimented by Lord Wellington on the way 
 in which he had strengthened his position at Porta- 
 leo-re, as well as on his arrano-ements for communi- 
 cation, and the punctuality of his advices. At the 
 end of this month the French threatened them on all 
 sides, but menaced too many points at a time to 
 create much uneasiness as to any particular one ; and 
 Lord Wellington pronounced himself " in a situation 
 in which no mischief could be done to the army or 
 any part of it." He also characteristically observed, 
 " I am prepared for all events ; and if I am in a 
 scrape, as appears to be the general belief in England, 
 though certainly not my o^wn, I'll get out of it." The 
 Marquis de la Romana, who was in constant commu- 
 nication with General Hill, was afraid that the French 
 would annoy Badajos fromCaceres; and if this should 
 be the General's opinion, he Avas permitted to show 
 himself beyond the Sierra, but he was directed to 
 incur no risk or unnecessary loss. The British com- 
 mander was determined to follow out his own great 
 plan, and not to harass his troops by marches and 
 counter-marches in conformity with the motions of 
 the enemy ; and the issue proved that he was right. 
 Towards the 11th of April the French appeared to be 
 preparing to attack Ciudad Rodrigo or Almeida, 
 Avhich it was thought expedient to prevent, and cer- 
 tain movements were made with a view to these 
 objects. A correspondence also took place between
 
 Chap. VI. BERESFOKD. — ROMANA. 127 
 
 General Hill and Marshal Beresford respecting tlie 
 disposition and food of the Portuguese cavalry. The 
 Marshal wrote, " I regret, though I am not surprised, 
 to find how much the Portuguese corps with you 
 have wanted provisions. It is impossible to deal with 
 the rascally junta de vivres, that provide, or rather do 
 not provide, for this army." In another part of the 
 same letter he added — "I was some time since 
 thinking of paying you a visit, and to see Elvas, and 
 the other places on that frontier ; but the gathering 
 at Salamanca indicating some intention on the part 
 of the enemy against Ciudad Rodrigo or Almeida, I 
 cannot stir your way till something more decisive of 
 their intentions appears." At length, on the 3d of 
 May, Lord Wellington wrote to General Hill that the 
 plot seemed to thicken ; but that, after a careful 
 perusal of previous instructions, he did not think it 
 requisite to add to them. He also approved of a 
 movement made to assist O'Donnell, which gratified 
 the worthy Romana, who wrote to the General in 
 English : " I am very anxious to give many thanks 
 to your Excellency at this purpose." The nature of 
 his next intercourse with both these personages will 
 be best explained by General Hill himself: — 
 
 " My dear Sister, '' Portalegre, 18th May, 1810. 
 
 " A few days ago Clement wrote to you to inform you 
 that wc were on the move — an advance I thouoht it rioht 
 to make under the followino; circumstances: — On the 14tli I 
 received a letter from the Marquis of Romana, stating that 
 ' the enemy presented themselves before Badajos to mask an 
 attack they intended to make, and perhaps are actually exe- 
 cuting, on our position of Zafra. The fewness I have of 
 troops to succour said post induces me to request your Excel-
 
 128 LETTER OF GENERAL HILL. Chap. VI. 
 
 lency will please to order some regiments to march to sup- 
 j)ort my troops. This is a movement highly interesting for 
 the safety of the province of Alemtejo, therefore I dare pray 
 the orders for its execution may be given immediately with- 
 out any delay ■ — if possible, even to-day, for to-morrow the 
 attack will be made, if not already this day. I have the 
 honour to renew to your Excellency my ardent desire that 
 this movement of the troops under your Excellency's com- 
 mand may take place, and at the same time the distinguished 
 sentiments,' &c. &c. 
 
 " Another Spanish General, O'Donnell, informed me at the 
 same time that ' the enemy, having collected the greater part 
 of his forces on the left banks of the Guadiana, has made a 
 movement towards Oliven^a, intending, it is supposed, to cut 
 off and attack Ballast eros ' — the Spanish General at Zafra. 
 
 "In consequence of the above I moved forward, and in 
 the night of the 14th, when I was at Arronches, I received 
 three expresses, stating that the enemy had retired, and an 
 official message from the Marquis Romana in the following 
 Avords : ' The Marquis is most particularly obliged to you for 
 the move you were pleased to make with the British and 
 Portugviese troops, and is extremely anxious to have an in- 
 terview with you to-morrow at Campo Mayor. His Lord- 
 ship appears desirous that the British troops should not 
 advance further, fearful it might attract attention, and cause 
 Resnier to be reinforced.' 
 
 " I accordingly met the Marquis, who confirmed the above, 
 though at the same time expressed a wish that we should 
 move on to near Merida — ^a proposition so imprudent and con- 
 trary to my instructions, that it Avas out of the question my 
 complying with it. I returned to Portalegre, a point I do 
 not like to be far distant from, in the event of our being 
 wanted in another quarter. I had a very civil letter from 
 Romana this day : he tells me the enemy are still retiring, 
 but I must confess I do not think they Avill go far. 
 
 " I have had a letter from Colonel Campbell this day : he 
 desires his compliments to all at Hawkstone. He was well 
 on the 29th ultimo. I am, 
 
 " Yours most affectionately, 
 
 " R. H."
 
 Chap. VI. PRUDENCE OF GENERAL HILL. 129 
 
 Fully aware of the consequences of quotations from 
 private letters of officers in English newspapers, he 
 added, with his usual caution, " Do not allow the 
 contents of this letter to appear in public :" and well, 
 indeed, had it been for the British leader's satisfaction, 
 if all the officers of his army and their friends had 
 possessed similar prudence. That prudence in every 
 respect was fully estimated : and with regard to his 
 movements at this time, Lord Wellington wrote to 
 him: — " I am convinced that whatever you decide 
 upon will be right. I recommend to you, however, 
 to proceed with great caution in respect to intelli- 
 gence transmitted to you by the Marquis cle la Romana 
 and all the Spanish officers. It is obvious that there 
 is nothing they wish for so much as to involve our 
 troops in their operations, which could lead to no 
 advantage, and might end in the loss of every thing." 
 To this General Hill was quite alive ; and the account 
 he sent to his Lordship, proved his interview with 
 Romana to have been conducted with equal sagacity 
 and good feeling. What he said corresponded en- 
 tirely with the views of his chief; yet his bearing 
 was so courteous, that Romana, though his request 
 was declined, manifested no resentment. Tlie Marquis 
 was much respected by those who co operated with 
 him, and showed every possible civility to British 
 officers. Nevertheless, it had been reported to Lord 
 Wellington that Captain Cotton had been insulted at 
 Badajos. The captain's report, however, to General 
 Hill completely exculpates Romana: — " In reply to 
 your inquiries relative to whether the people of 
 Badajos insulted me when I was sent there by your 
 
 K
 
 130 CIVILITY OF EOMANA. Chap. VI. 
 
 orders, I have the honour to acquaint you, that on 
 the evening of the day on which I arrived I went to 
 the pubUc Alameda, and some people, who were at the 
 entrance and on the walls, certainly did hiss, and 
 otherwise expressed disapprobation : but it was mo- 
 mentary ; and nothing could exceed the civility and 
 marked attention of the Marquis Romana and all his 
 staff during the time I was there the first time, and 
 also the last time you sent me there. The circum- 
 stance never occurred a second time." But O'Donnell 
 and his staff were not satisfied, although, as Lord 
 Wellington observed in a letter to General Hill, both 
 he and Ballesteros had recently had the advantage of 
 his assistance, and were " thereby saved from being 
 destroyed by the enemy." 
 
 May passed off without any incident of importance. 
 At the end of the month General Hill wrote as fol- 
 lows : — 
 
 " My dear Sister, " Portalegre, May 29- 1810. 
 
 " I have nothing new to communicate to you. The armies 
 remain nearly in the same situation as when I wrote last. 
 The French, however, are strong, and Massena is arrived to 
 take the command of that corps destined to attack Portugal, 
 and which is said to be upwards of 80,000. * * * 
 
 Our troops are very healthy, and every thing in the best order. 
 
 ****** 
 
 "I had a letter from Cadiz this day of the 13th. The 
 enemy in that neighbourhood is supposed to be about 15,000 
 or 16,000 — too weak to do more than Invest the place, and 
 keep the garrison shut up. The Spaniards there, as well as 
 in other quarters, do very little, and do [not] seem to consi- 
 der themselves as the principals In the cause. Tlie stories 
 you see in the papers respecting Romana's march to Seville 
 are all nonsense. It is true that the French occasionally
 
 Chap. Vr. LETTERS FROM PORTALEGRE. 131 
 
 quit that part of the countiy, upon which small parties of 
 Spaniards enter it, but very prudently retire from it on the 
 return of the French. 
 
 *' Ever yours most affectionately, 
 
 "R. H." 
 
 Lieutenant Clement Hill, on the 5tli of June, gave 
 an account of tlieir situation : — 
 
 " We are perfectly quiet here, and have no more imme- 
 diate prospect of being disturbed than we have had ever since 
 we came. It appears something was expected to be done in 
 the North a few days ago, but we since hear that all is again 
 quiet. We have been so long in a state of uncertainty, that 
 every one appears tired of conjecturing what the instructions 
 of the French are ; and, from all accounts, they are still more 
 tired of the kind of war they are carrying on. They are kej^t 
 almost constantly marching, and harassed by small parties of 
 the Spaniards. The German troops in their service, and 
 some few French, take every opportunity they can of desert- 
 ing. There is scarcely a day that some do not come into 
 Badajos; and I understand it is the same in the North. You 
 will have seen that General Massena calls himself kino; of 
 Portugal, and intends having the honour of conquering this 
 country. Whether he is really serious in making the attempt 
 before Spain is subdued, I suppose a short time will show, 
 as also what we are to do in the event. The army are all in 
 high health, and fit for any thing, and the French, I am sure, 
 wnll not be very anxious to meet them. We heard from Tom 
 yesterday; he is very well; and the IMarshal says his regiment 
 is in high order. * * * * ^y^ thought our 
 
 rainy season was at an end, but it began again a few days 
 ago. Yesterday, the King's birth-day, it rained almost all 
 day, and was as cold as ever it is at that time in England — so 
 much so, that we found a fii-e comfortable. We hear nothing 
 of going into camp. The country is now in the highest 
 beauty: I wish I could transplant some of the orange- 
 
 K 2
 
 132 DEAETH OF NEWS. Chap. VI. 
 
 groves to Hawkstone. We have had many days fixed for a 
 wolf'hunt, but have always been prevented by rain." 
 
 On the 24th of June, the report of certain ma- 
 ncEuvres of the enemy induced Lord Wellington to 
 write to General Hill: — " I conclude that you will 
 have moved across the Tagus, and 1 shall immediately 
 send you information and instruction respecting your 
 position, &c." It, however, became unnecessary that 
 the river should be crossed; and the Marquis de la 
 Romana arrived at General Hill's quarters on the 
 27th, on his Avay to pay a visit to Lord Wellington. 
 The 2d of July, being post-night for Lisbon, Lieute- 
 nant Hill was deputed to write to his sister instead of 
 the General, who was too much engaged. " I believe," 
 he observed, " we have been two weeks without send- 
 ing you any news from these parts, for the best reason, 
 having none to send." " You must," he proceeded, 
 " of course be expecting interesting accounts of this 
 army. It is certainly very extraordinary that we 
 have so long remained quiet : however, we continue 
 to have no immediate prospect of being otherwise. 
 Both this and the French army are much as they 
 have so long been, the latter certainly not daring to 
 come near us, nor is there any probability of our 
 going to them. We heard yesterday of the bombard- 
 ment of Ciudad Eodrigo having commenced. It is 
 not thought likely that it will hold out long ; but the 
 Spaniards often fight longer than they are expected, 
 when they get behind a wall. Till the French get 
 possession of that fortress, it is not probable they will 
 make any attempt on this country : and we must wait
 
 Chap. VI. INTERCEPTED LETTERS. 133 
 
 with patience to know what their intentions arc. * * 
 ***** I can answer for Rowland and myself 
 never being in better health. The weather is warm, 
 but we are seasoned to the climate." 
 
 The day previous to the date of this letter Lord 
 Wellington had received intercepted French letters, 
 which acquainted him with the orders of Bonaparte 
 to Regnier ; which were " to cross the Tagus at Al- 
 cantara, and to mancEuvre, in conjunction with Mas- 
 sena, on the right bank of that river." His Lordship 
 had some doubt if this order would be executed : if it 
 was, General Hill's directions were to cross the Tagus 
 at Villa Yelha, leaving a portion of Fane's cavalry on 
 the left bank. " If, however," said Lord Wellington 
 four days afterwards, " the second corps should remain 
 in Estremadura, it is desirable that you should, with- 
 out loss of time, co-operate with the Marquis de la 
 Romana, in an effort to dislodge Regnier from Estre- 
 madura, during such time as it may be necessary to 
 collect such parts of the harvest as may be required 
 for the formation of magazines." His principal re- 
 striction was from crossing the Guadiana ; which 
 Romana, whom he expected to see shortly on his 
 return from visiting Lord Wellington at Alverca, did 
 not like. In reference to this, his Lordship wrote to 
 General Hill, " You Avill observe that I have put this 
 point, ' it is desirable ' that you should not cross the 
 Guadiana. This only expresses my opinion ; but you 
 on the spot must be the best judge whether you can 
 effect your object without crossing that river." On 
 the 9th, Lord Wellington again instructed the General 
 relative to crossing the Tagus, and the proposed ex- 
 
 K 3
 
 134 ENGLISH LETTERS OF RO^IANA. Chap. VI. 
 
 pedition into Estremadura ; his letter also conveyed 
 intelligence that Ciudad Rodrigo still held out : but 
 on the 11th another was written, to say that it had 
 surrendered by capitulation at six o'clock the night 
 before. " The breach was open, and the French army 
 were about to enter, when they offered terms of 
 capitulation, which were accepted." On the 13th, 
 Regnier showed symptoms of an intention to cross 
 the Tagus; and General Hill immediately apprized 
 Lord Wellington of this intelligence. He stated that 
 he should, " in consequence, incline to his left, and 
 hold every thing prepared to cross at Villa Velha, if 
 he found him serious in crossing the river." He also 
 wrote to Romana the same day ; and the next 
 received a letter from the Marquis in English, and 
 written with his own hand. How the worthy Spaniard 
 picked up enough of our language to write as he did, 
 is quite a marvel. 
 
 " Dear Sir, " Badajoz, 14 July, 1810. 
 
 " It is no doubt that the eiinemy is crossing the tagus at 
 the same points you have the goodness to inform me, and 
 consequently i have not other to say to you that if you deem 
 convenient to make a movement, for my part i am ready to 
 support them, i have ordered to GL Odonell to move to- 
 Avards Alcantera. 
 
 " I have the honour to subjoin a copy of a letter send me 
 by Genl. Odonell, wich i preay to you to forward His Exc^ 
 Lord Wellington. 
 
 " On the side of Seville no was a movement of the ennemy. 
 Rumour was spread yesterday that he began his retreat to- 
 wards Sierra Morena, but that deserve confirmation. 
 
 " I have the honour to remain, with the highest esteem, 
 " Your most humble servant, 
 
 " M'" DE LA ROMANA.
 
 Chap. VI. SARZEDAS, 135 
 
 " i fear that Ciiidad Roclrlgo is suiTendered, but I pray to 
 you to conceal that, whatever i have no the least intelligence 
 of this succes." 
 
 The plans of General Hill, consequent on his in- 
 formation respecting Regnier's movements, were en- 
 tirely approved at head quarters; and on the 15tli 
 he set off to Apalhao, to be ready to act on either side 
 of the Tagus. On the 19th the civil Marquis wrote 
 him another English letter : — 
 
 "Dear Sir, "Badajoz, 19 de Julio, 1810. 
 
 " i have the honour to inform to you that after the latests 
 reports of banks of Tagus, it appears that the whole Regnier's 
 corps had crossed this river, and are in movement towards 
 Placentia and Ceria. i expected to-day the reports from 
 Truxillo, and wil be not a lose for time in sending to you the 
 notice. two thousand inf-^J- and 300 cavahy were laying 
 the 15 at Cancaveral. 
 
 " i am, with the highest degree of estim and regard, 
 " Your most faithful servant, 
 
 " M" DE LA ROMANA. 
 
 « Lieut.-Gen. R. HiU." 
 
 At the beginning of August, after some days of 
 much anxiety, and great display of military skill, 
 General HiU dated from Sarzedas : — 
 
 " Sarzedas, near Castello Branco, 
 " My dear Sister, " August 4. 1 8 1 0. 
 
 " Clement has, I know, been writing to you by this day's 
 post; and if he has told you every thing that has been done of 
 late, he has given you a tolerably long letter. Hitherto I 
 have been fortunate enough to be aware of the enemy's move- 
 ments, and to anticipate Lord Wellington's wishes. I trust 
 and think matters will end well. I can only say that every 
 
 K 4
 
 136 REGNIEE NOT NEAR ENOUGH. Chap. VI. 
 
 one seems most anxious to do his duty ; and we have every 
 confidence in our chief, who has a difficult game to play : at 
 the same time, I am sure he will not risk too much. My 
 situation at this moment is a good one; the position is strong: 
 and if I find I cannot maintain it, I can get out of it, the 
 country in my rear being mountainous, and the passes few 
 
 and easily defended. 
 
 ****** 
 
 " One of my Portuguese cavalry regiments was engaged 
 with the enemy's cavalry yesterday. I have not received a 
 report of what was done, but it is certain the French fled, 
 leaving sixteen prisoners, and twelve dead. I believe the Por- 
 tuguese w^ere superior in numbei's to the French; it is, how^- 
 ever, the first affair they have had, and will have the best 
 effect. Deserters come in daily, and represent the French 
 army to be tired of the war : that, however, is of little con- 
 sequence so long as Bonaparte is not. Kind remembrance 
 to Sir John and all friends. 
 
 " I remain most affectionately yours. 
 
 Truly did he say that he had anticipated the wishes 
 of his chief, for the day after the date of this letter 
 Lord AYelliiigton wrote to him : "It appears to me 
 that the disposition which you have made of your 
 corps will answer perfectly." Regnier's whole body 
 of cavalry had crossed the Tagus, and had become 
 troublesome to General Hill's outposts in the flat 
 country in his front. On the 8th he received a letter 
 from the Frenchman relative to the exchange of an 
 officer, in which he coolly says, " Je ii'ai jamais ete assez 
 prh de vous pour votis proposer son eclianger He had 
 approached one who was quite ready to encounter 
 him at the proper moment, and from whom he must 
 have wished himself farther off before the next month 
 had elapsed, as will be seen in the sequel. Regnier
 
 Chap. VI. THE CHxVPEL. — SUPPLIES. , 137 
 
 dated his letter " Zarza la Mayor;" but Lord Wcl- 
 lino'ton, "svitli his usual caution, remarked to General 
 Hill, " When you send your answer, do not date 
 where yoiu' head quarters are;" though there was 
 little fear of his giving his opponent any gratuitous 
 intelligence. On the 17th he Avas again in the receipt 
 of information from his Lordship, by the hands of 
 Lord Clinton, to the effect that the enemy had broken 
 ground before Almeida, and that he himself should 
 soon " strike a blow " if he had the opportunity. 
 Lord Clinton found General Hill occupying a small 
 chapel by the road side ; and as his strictness of 
 discipline and character for integrity had attracted 
 the peasantry, he was enabled to spread before his 
 noble visitor bread, milk, honey, eggs, poultry, and 
 excellent country wine. i\len who had lived on 
 coarse beef and hard biscuit for a long time, felt the 
 full luxury of such supplies. The General had the 
 pleasure of transmitting to head quarters, by Lord 
 Clinton, an account of a successful attack upon a de- 
 tachment of the enemy's cavalry, which had been 
 reported to him by General Fane as having been made 
 by a squadron of cavalry, consisting of a troop of the 
 4th Portuguese cavalry, and one troop of the 13th 
 British dragoons. Amongst the prisoners of this party 
 was the man mth the horrible countenance, mentioned 
 by Major Moyle Sherer in his Becollections of the Pen- 
 insula. Still nothing of any moment occurred ; and 
 the General hunself thus describes the posture of 
 affairs : — 
 
 " My dear Sister, " Sarzedas, August 21. ISIO. 
 
 " I am sendino- letters to Lisbon, and will therefore write 
 you a few lines to let you kuow that we are going on well,
 
 138 GENERAL HILL AND REGNIEE. Chap. VI. 
 
 and that your three brothers in tliis part of the world are in 
 perfect heahh. There is nothing very particular in this 
 quarter. Regnier continues in my front, with his head 
 quarters at Zarza Mayor. I have had frequent communi- 
 cations with him : and we are very civil to each other as far 
 as words go. I sent an officer to him the day before yester- 
 day. He dined with the General, who was exceedingly 
 polite. The French did not seem at all sanguine upon the 
 subject of the war, but, on the contrary, talked of being 
 heartily tired of their present circumstances ; complained of 
 our never being quiet; and said they never heard from 
 France. Deserters come in almost every day ; three arrived 
 this morning. They are in general Germans, and all agree 
 in saying the French are heartily tired of the unjust war 
 in the Peninsula. The peasants murder them wherever they 
 are found in small parties ; and no communication can be kept 
 up through the country without strong guards, which is very 
 harassing to the troops. Massena has commenced the siege 
 of Almeida, and Lord Wellington moved a few miles nearer 
 to him yesterday. 
 
 " We are in hourly expectation of the packet from England. 
 Kind remembrance to Sir John and all dear friends. 
 
 " Yours ever most affectionately, 
 
 « E. H." 
 
 On the 28th he informed his friends at Hawkstone, 
 " Nothing very particular has occurred during the 
 last week. The enemy are making formidable prepa- 
 rations for the siege of Almeida, which place, I fear, 
 cannot hold out very long ; and when the enemy have 
 taken possession of that place, probably they will 
 commence their operations upon Portugal." The same 
 day Lord W^ellington wrote to him, " There is no 
 doubt but that the place has fallen;" and he added, 
 " Observe Regnier well ; his movements will be the 
 clue to everything else : I expect that he will move
 
 CiiAr. VI. ALMEIDA. — CAUTION. 139 
 
 to-morrow." On the 1st of September General Hill 
 was informed by his Lordship that the magazine at 
 Almeida was blo^vn up, Avhich destroyed the town. 
 Regnier's movements still remained doubtful ; and on 
 the 5th Lord Wellington's communication was thus 
 expressed : " Nothing has occurred this day worthy 
 of attention. I rely upon your prudence and discre- 
 tion not to engage yourself in any affair of which the 
 result can be at all doubt fuL Retire gradually if you 
 find the enemy threatening you in too great force ; 
 and let me hear from you constantly. If we can 
 avoid any accident before we all join, I have con- 
 fidence of our final success." On the 12th General 
 Hill quitted Sarzedas, which he announced in the 
 following terms to his chief: — 
 
 "My Lord, "Sarzedas, September 12. 1810. 
 
 ** From the intelligence I have already sent your Lordship, 
 and that Avhich I now enclose, it is pretty certain that the 
 whole of Regnier's corps have marched to the northward, and 
 that some part of them have already reached Guarda. There- 
 fore, adverting to your Lordship's instructions of the 31st of 
 August, I have prepared to cross the Zezere, as therein 
 directed. The British inftmtry and my artillery will be at 
 Sabrera Formosa this evening ; and until I find it necessary to 
 proceed from that place, I shall continue Le Cor at Fondao, 
 and General Fane at Castcllo Branei>. Should the enemy 
 return to this part of the frontier, I am in as good a situation 
 to defend the passes from Sabi'era Formosa as from Sarzedas, 
 as your Lordship observes. 
 
 " I have, &c. 
 " Viscount Wellington, K.B. " R. Hill. 
 
 "&c. &c. &c."
 
 140 ESPINHAL. — BUSACO. Chaf. VI. 
 
 Sarzeclas was left with regret by the household of 
 the General; but they had given up all hope of coming 
 in contact with liegnier for some time. "I do not 
 wonder," observed Lieutenant Hill, in writing to his 
 sister, " at your anxiety about us ; but I wish you 
 would think no more of our danger than we do. To 
 be sure, as Mr. Moore says in his Almanack, 'when 
 armies are in the field, a battle may be expected,' and 
 such an event may take place ; but I assure you we 
 have no more prospect of it than we have had for 
 some time, nor so much, for the enemy certainly show 
 no disposition to come near us." When Genera] Hill 
 arrived at Sarzedas,the village Avas completely deserted, 
 except by the priest, their landlord ; but the inhabit- 
 ants soon found out that they might return in con- 
 fidence of protection, and even profit by the sale of 
 provisions ; so that a forsaken and desolate place 
 became speedily converted into a luxurious market, 
 supplied not only from the neighbourhood but from 
 Lisbon itself- 
 
 The enemy's whole army had, by the 17th, entered 
 the valley of the Mondego, and on that day General 
 Hill was directed " to collect his corps at Espinhal, 
 &c., and remain there till further orders." He 
 arrived at Espinhal on the 20th, and was at Foz 
 d'Aronce on the 21st. Lord Wellington occupied the 
 Convent of Busaco — a formidable position. From the 
 lofty summit of that mountain he bade defiance to the 
 o-atherins: hosts of the veterans of France, — firm in his 
 purpose, clear in his calculations, and full of assurance 
 that a day of reward for his unexampled patience was 
 at hand. Nearly 70,000 of Napoleon's conquering
 
 CiiAP. VI. GENERAL HILL ASCENDS THE MOUNTAIN. 141 
 
 troops were a fearful array, commanded as they were 
 by three Marshals of France, — their chief Massena 
 himself, whose life had been one perpetual success. 
 But WeUington had counted the cost of being at- 
 tacked by such assailants in his stronghold, and had 
 decided that the loss should not be his, but theirs. 
 The eventful moment was daily approaching. He 
 wished to have an interview with General Hill, but 
 neither could quit their post. On the 24th the former 
 wrote from Busaco, — "I was not able to go to you 
 as I intended;" and the communication of the latter 
 was as follows: — 
 
 "My Lord, "^ Villa Chem, September 25, 11 p.m. 
 
 " It was my wish to have waited on your Lordship, but 
 the circumstances of our present situation will, I trust, plead 
 my apology for not having done so. My brother is the bearer 
 of this, and wiU take charge of any commands your Lordship 
 may send me. 
 
 " I was in front this day, with General Fane, posting his 
 cavalry, and returned by the bridge of Val del Espino. I 
 cannot learn that any thing but a few parties of cavalry had 
 crossed the Mondego, and they appear to have gone back. 
 This is confirmed by Captain Cox, who has joined General 
 Fane. 
 
 " I have had several reports of firing being heard this day 
 at the left of General Leith, and am anxious to know the 
 result of it. 
 
 " T have, &c. 
 " Lord Viscount Wellington, K.B. " K. HiLL. 
 
 &c. &c. &c." 
 
 A few hours after this letter was j^enned its writer 
 moved across the Mondego, and led his gallant soldiers 
 up the steep mountain of Busaco, where he quickly 
 disposed them on the right of Lord AYellington's army,
 
 142 BATTLE OF BUSACO. Chap, VI. 
 
 in order of battle. " Our position," says Major Sherer, 
 " extended nearly eight miles along tliis mountainous 
 and rocky ridge, and the ground on which we formed, 
 inclining with a slope to our own rear, most admirably 
 concealed both the disposition and numbers of our 
 force." At the foot of this position reposed that even- 
 ing the forces of Portugal, who were wont at sunset 
 to gather in circles round their officers, and chant 
 forth their vespers. Their eyes now first beheld the 
 seventy thousand invaders of their fatherland — an 
 appalling spectacle, as the rays of the setting sun were 
 reflected from their arms. Only twenty-five thousand 
 Portuo-uese were about to eno-ao-e with them in their 
 first great combat ; but they were aided by an equal 
 number of British, commanded by Wellington and 
 Hill. The dawn of the 27th ushered in the decisive 
 day. While yet the grey mists rested on their moun- 
 tain couch, the enemy came on. The watchful picquets 
 had heard their preparation, and the British were 
 standing silently to arms. Regnier with two columns, 
 and Ney with three, rushed up against the convent, 
 and the well-known battle of Busaco ensued. The 
 whole corps of General Hill was thrown into open 
 column, and moved to its left in the most perfect order 
 and in double quick time. The effort of Massena was 
 directed against the right of Lord Wellington, which 
 he expected to turn ; and, ignorant of the presence of 
 Generals Hill and Leith, he imagined that his troops 
 were engaging with its extremity. To the surprise of 
 the French, the forces under these officers suddenly 
 emerged from their previous concealment, and halted 
 at the spot whence the brave 74th had just driven
 
 CiiAP. VI. REGNIER TOO NEAR. 14 
 
 Q 
 
 back a column of the enemy, and were retiring in line, 
 regular, compact, invincible. The only signs of recent 
 encounter were their colours ragged with the shot of 
 their opponents. Soon after the British Commander 
 and his staff galloped to the spot. " Hill," said he, in 
 a decisive tone, "if they attempt this point again, 
 give them a volley and charge bayonets, but do not 
 let your people follow them too far down the hill." 
 But they had had quite enough. Regnier now found 
 what it was to be near the British ; and the French, 
 instead of returning to the onslaught, occupied the 
 remainder of the day in removing their wounded ; and 
 some of them actually shook hands with the English 
 soldiers as they slaked their common thirst from a 
 narrow rivulet that ran at the bottom of the hill. 
 The Portuguese behaved valiantly; while on Marshal 
 Beresford and the English officers, amongst whom was 
 Colonel Thomas Xoel Hill, rested the high honour of 
 their discipline and military bearing. General HUl's 
 division was, as has been seen, ready in the exact place 
 where it was needed, but was not engaged ; still his 
 presence rendered essential service. Every other 
 general's conduct also, including the names of Picton, 
 Pack, Cole, Crawfurd, and Leith, was worthy of their 
 leader, their country, and the cause in which they 
 fought. The night which succeeded this memorable 
 day, afforded to the victorious occupants of the moun- 
 tain scenes of indescribable grandeur. The whole 
 country beneath them glowed with countless fires, 
 showing thousands of shadowy forms of men and 
 horses, mingled with piles of arms glittering amidst the 
 flames. These gradually subsided into glowing patches
 
 144 THE FRENCH MOVE. Chap. VI. 
 
 of red embers gemming the black bosom of the earth, 
 and all seemed to threaten another mighty conflict at 
 the dawn of day. The men under Hill were kept in 
 their full accoutrements, and each with his musket by 
 his side, front and rear ranks, head to head, lay upon 
 the mountain, awaiting the morn, and expecting that 
 an assailable gorge near at hand would be the point of 
 attack. This expectation was not realized. Towards 
 evening the French moved with the design of cutting 
 off the allies from Oporto, or bringing on an action 
 where the ground was more in their favour. Lord 
 Wellington, foreseeing this intention, withdrew from 
 the Serra de Busaco, and General Hill, crossing the 
 Mondego, marched on San Miguel, where he endea- 
 voured to ascertain the movements of the French. 
 " If you find," said Lord Wellington, " that the enemy 
 cross the Mondego, send Le Cor immediately to Ar- 
 ganil, and depend upon my being with you, with the 
 whole army, in a few hours. If they try our left 
 instead of our right, I shall give you instructions for 
 movements corresponding with ours." To this letter, 
 dated " Tormes, 29th September," he thus replied: — 
 
 " St. Miguel, 30th Sept., 1810, 10 a.m. 
 " My Lord, 
 
 "I have received your Lordship's letter of the 29th from 
 
 Tormes, and have issued orders accordingly. By the enclosed 
 
 reports you will see that the enemy had not shown near the 
 
 river yesterday, and that the bridge of Tabra may he destroyed 
 
 if thought necessary. 
 
 " I have, &c.. 
 
 "R. Hill. 
 
 " P. S. The movements of yesterday were well executed, 
 and the guns got off without any material injury."
 
 Chap. VI. MOVEMENT TOWARDS LISBON. M.', 
 
 In consequence of his anticipations respectin^r tlic 
 enemy's proceedings, Lord Wellington wrote to ( ie- 
 neral Hill, " Your movements therefore become a 
 subject of some anxiety to me. I understand lialf, 
 possibly the whole of your infantiy will be at Saii- 
 tarem this day. Everything that arrives at Santarem 
 this day should march in the morning to Azanibuja. 
 Any part of your corps which makes a sliort march 
 into Santarem to-morrow morning must move on t(j 
 Cartaxo, and the whole must move early the next 
 morning upon Villa Franca." To this and another 
 letter of the same import he replied the next day 
 from Santarem: — " I hope your Lordship will have 
 received the letter I Avrote last night, in answer to 
 3^ours of yesterday morning, informing your Lordsliip 
 that the whole of the infantry and artiller}' luider my 
 command had arrived here yesterday, with my inten- 
 tion to pass Azambuja this day at least. I will, how- 
 ever, halt on the Villa Franca side of that place. T 
 shall be ready to proceed further if your Lordship 
 should deem it necessary." The next communication 
 from Lord Wellington informed him, — " Your whole 
 corps, even including that part of Fane's cavalry 
 which will not leave Santarem until to-morrow morn- 
 ing, will be in good time." On the afternoon of the 
 8th they entered Alhandra, about four leagues from 
 Lisbon. From this place, on the 12th, Lieutenant 
 Element Hill sent home tidings of himself and his 
 •others. " You will probably," he wrote, " before 
 u get this have heard of the army having fallen 
 ^.k to near Lisbon, which, no doubt, people in 
 igland will be disappointed to find, after the victory
 
 146 POST AT ALHANDKA. Chap. VI. 
 
 at Busaco. It certainly was always Lord AV.'s in- 
 tention to do so in the event of the enemy advancing 
 in force, as of course the farther they are drawn on 
 the more difficulty they will meet with when defeated, 
 which most certainly they will be if they are mad 
 enough to attack us in our strong position, which 
 extends from this place, on the Tagus, to Mafra, on 
 the sea, the whole country between which is fortified ; 
 and I believe Lord W. has now as many troops as 
 they have. He seems quite confident of success. 
 They made a show of following the army during our 
 retreat ; but I beheve it is not yet ascertained whether 
 their whole force is come on. Our giving up so much 
 of the country has certainly distressed the inhabitants 
 dreadfully. They are all ordered, on pain of death, 
 to leave their houses and to destroy all the property 
 they cannot carry away with them; and very few 
 having means of transport, you may imagine what 
 misery it causes. But they all submit with the 
 greatest patience, knowing it has the desired effect of 
 completely annoying the French. Our post is at this 
 place, about eighteen miles from Lisbon. We are in 
 every respect well off, get all the good things from 
 Lisbon, and live in a palace. We are both quite well. 
 Tom is not far from us ; but I have not seen him 
 lately. We hear almost every day of his being well. 
 I hope you received my letter, [written] as soon as I 
 had an opportunity after the battle of Busaco. Row- 
 land and I were not much in the fight, but had the 
 pleasure of seeing the French get a drubbing, in 
 which Tom's regiment helped. Marshal Beresford 
 and Lord W. have not forgot his name amongst others
 
 Chap. VI. LETTER OF GENERAL HILL. 147 
 
 that are mentioned." The strong position here al- 
 luded to was on the lines of Torres Vedras. Lord 
 Wellington had carried on these celebrated works 
 silently but perseveringly, for the defence of the seat 
 of government and capital of Portugal, that he might 
 there achieve the deliverance of a nation, and crown 
 his own and the British name with imperishable 
 honour. At this time the rains had commenced, and 
 the men suffered much from the want of tents, whicli 
 had been ordered, but had not arrived ; on which 
 Lord Wellington observed, drily, " They swear they 
 have been sent from Lisbon." General Hill found 
 time for a short letter, descriptive of his position ; — 
 
 « My dear Sister, " Alhandra, Oct. 13. 1810. 
 
 " The enemy, finding he could make no impression at 
 Busaco by force, endeavoured to get round our left, which 
 obliged Lord W. to fall back. AVe now occupy a position 
 about 20 mUes in front of Lisbon ; it is strong, but rather 
 too extensive for our numbers. The enemy followed us 
 pretty close upon our march, and is now immediately in our 
 front, and I have no doubt will soon briug matters to a crisis. 
 We are confident of success, and I trust you will soon receive 
 favourable accounts. My post extends from the Tagus about 
 four miles to the left, and I am, as you may suppose, a good 
 deal occupied ; but hearing there is an opportunity of sending 
 letters, I will not miss it. 1 thank Sir John for his very 
 kind letter, which I will answer in a few days. * * * 
 
 Tom and his regiment distinguished themselves much in the 
 late action at Busaco. 
 
 " Most affectionately and truly yours, 
 
 " K. H." 
 
 On the 14th the general's old friend Regnier was 
 near him again, of which he apprised Lord A\'el- 
 
 L 2
 
 148 THE FRENCH FOILED. Chap. VI. 
 
 lington. " I have," he wrote on the 15th, " to inform 
 your Lordship that the enemy reconnoitred us on the 
 high ground in front of our position yesterday about 
 noon, having obliged our picquets to fall back. His 
 force appeared to consist of about three battalions of 
 infantry and some squadrons of cavalry. An officer 
 and a large suite were observed in front." After 
 mentioning the successful result of some skirmishing, 
 he continued, " A prisoner, brought in late yesterday 
 evening, states that the officer who reconnoitred us 
 was Regnier, and that the whole of his corps is in 
 our front, the main body being near Yilla Franca, 
 where our armed boats observe considerable smoke 
 and the appearance of encampments." 
 
 During the remainder of this month, several changes 
 of position took place in consequence of the marches 
 of the enemy, who retired without venturing on any 
 attack, completely foiled by the strength of the lines 
 and the skill of their opponents. On the 27th, by 
 desire of his gallant brother. Lieutenant Hill sent 
 word home from Alhandra : — " We have now not the 
 least idea of their attacking us here, and they must 
 give up all thoughts of getting Lisbon. I realty 
 believe they never have been more deceived or were 
 in a greater scrape than they are at present, and they 
 will have some difficulty in getting out of it. They 
 cannot remain near us much lonoer without beinsf 
 starved, as they have very few supplies here, and the 
 Spaniards and Portuguese are intercepting all from 
 their rear : in fact, part of their army has already 
 begun to retreat. We are all three quite well. Tom 
 is about ten miles from here : he made us a morning
 
 Chap. VI. PARTIES OF LADIES. 1 49 
 
 call yesterday, and to-day we expect him to dine and 
 sleep. The people in Lisbon have now quite got rid 
 of their alarm, and the ladies begin to come up by 
 water to look at the French. Our house is near the 
 river, and Rowland is just gone down to do the civil 
 thing to the Admiral's family, who are come up on a 
 party of pleasure, or he intended writing himself." 
 The worthy Romana had once more joined the allied 
 forces in front of Lisbon mth a considerable detach- 
 ment of Spaniards, and Lord Wellington found him 
 friendly and attentive. The subjoined letter of 
 General Hill to his father affords very interesting 
 information : — 
 
 " Lobral Pequena, near Alhandra, 
 " My dear Father, " Nov. 3. 1810. 
 
 " Clement, I know, wrote by the last packet, and I sent 
 a few lines the w eek before. A^T^ien I wrote, I expected the 
 enemy would not have remained many hours without attack- 
 ing us ; but not having done so at that time, I think it is 
 pretty certain they will not meddle with us now, at least in 
 our present position, and with their present force. It is 
 difficult to foresee the result of this contest : it is, however, 
 evident the enemy did not expect the resistance he has met 
 with from the Portuguese troops; indeed, an intercepted 
 letter from Bonaparte to Massena shows that he holds the 
 Portuguese very cheap. I have not seen the letter, but 
 know that it gives Massena a tolerably correct statement of 
 the British force, and directs him to attack it, making no 
 mention of the Portuguese; and adding, that with his 65,000 
 men he cannot fail to drive the British 30,000 into the sea. 
 At the same time, he directs Massena to press on. Massena 
 has accordingly endeavoured to obey liis Emperor's commands, 
 and foolishly attacked the strong position of Busaco ; and 
 although the battle at that place was by no means so desperate 
 
 L 3
 
 150 LETTERS OF GENERAL HILL. Chap. VI. 
 
 as the battle of Talavera, yet the enemy's loss was consider- 
 able : and findhig he could not force the position, he turned it, 
 and obliged Lord Wellington to fall back to this line, where 
 he has his left on the sea, and his right here on the Tagus. 
 On our march, Massena did press on as fast as he could, and 
 I verily believe he and his army thought we were off to our 
 ships, and consequently were a good deal disappointed when 
 we halted here to meet him, in which situation I thought he 
 would have attacked us. He has, however, given us so much 
 time, that we are now twice as strong, from the works con- 
 structed, as we were w^hen we first arrived ; therefore, as I 
 said before, I do not think he will have any thing to say to 
 us here at present. The enemy give out that they expect 
 considerable reinforcements; and, although I believe there 
 can be none near, yet I dare say Bonaparte will, when he 
 finds he has not sufficient troops, send more. Many are of 
 opinion that Massena will not be able to keep his ground, and 
 must either quit the country or surrender. I must own I 
 am not quite so sangvdne as they are; but, at the same time, 
 I think he is rather in a scrape if he does not get more troops 
 soon. Clement and Thomas are quite well. The former 
 writes by tliis day's packet, as I told him I thought I should 
 not have time. I return you a thousand thanks for your 
 kind attention to my aifairs. Believe me, my dear Father, 
 to be your ever obliged and dutiful 
 
 "K. Hill. 
 " Sir John Hill, Bart." 
 
 Another letter also explains the proceedings of the 
 two armies. 
 
 " Lobral Pequeiia, near Alliandra, 
 " My dear Sister, " November 10. 1810. 
 
 " On this day week I wrote to Sir John, since which time 
 nothing of consequence has occurred. The two armies re- 
 main as they were, the British in the position I mentioned in 
 my last, w^ith the right on the Tagus, and the left on the sea 
 near Torres Vedras, a distance, probably, of about 25 miles. 
 The French advanced regiments are close to us ; that is.
 
 Chap. VI. LETTERS OF GENERAL HILL. 151 
 
 some of them not more than a mile and a half from the place 
 where I am now writing, with the sentries within musket 
 shot of each other. In this situation we have been for the 
 last month, and I dare say it will appear rather extraordinary 
 when I tell you that we are perfectly good neighbours, and 
 never think of molesting each other. On the conti-ary, I 
 have been obliged to put a stoj) to the intimacy which was 
 going on. It was by no means uncommon to see the soldiers 
 of each army getting grapes out of the same vineyard, water 
 from the same well, and asking each other to drink wine. 
 Indeed, I know of some instances, though not quite correct, 
 of our officers sending to Lisbon for boots and shirts for some 
 of their friends at outposts. By this intercoiu'se, however, 
 we have procured some information. The French certainly 
 seem tired and dissatisfied with the war, and say that 
 Massena's intelligence must have been very bad. They, how- 
 ever, hold out; at least, are told that reinforcements are 
 coming to them, and that they shall be able to keep their 
 ground until they arrive, and will then drive us into the sea. 
 The only reinforcements I have heard of are about 10,000, 
 said to be on the march. It was supposed by some that the 
 French could not remain where they are for want of provi- 
 sions : it is, however, a difficult matter to starve a French- 
 man ; and although the destruction and misery have been 
 very complete in the great towns, and on the line of the great 
 roads, yet I fear the Portuguese, with all their boasting, have 
 been very deficient in the essential point of clearing the 
 country we have left of its provisions and cattle. * * * 
 ***** I trust the day will come for us all to sec 
 our dear friends at Hawkstone. God bless you all ! 
 
 " I am, 
 " Yours ever most affectionately, 
 " Miss Hill." " R. H. 
 
 A third letter soon succeeded the other two. 
 
 " My dear Sister, " Villa Nova, 18th Nov. 1810. 
 
 "On the morning of the 15th, at daylight, we descried 
 that the enemy had retreated during the night. They have 
 
 L 4
 
 152 RETREAT OF THE FRENCH. Chap. VI. 
 
 continued their march to their rear, ever since followed by 
 our army. What the real situation of the enemy is I cannot 
 pretend to say ; it is, however, the general opinion that they 
 are going to quit Portugal. It is certain the French army 
 has suffered a good deal in this country, ■ — what with losses 
 sustained at Busaco, the desertions, sickness, and want of 
 comforts. I cannot, however, help thinking they are not in 
 tliat state to justify their going off altogether. Some of their 
 troops were in Santarem last night, and I dare say are gone 
 from thence this morning. Our light troops are close after 
 them, and have taken some prisoners, about a hundred a day, 
 in general, weakly sick men, which shows that the enemy is 
 rather in a hurry, when they do not wait to protect their sick. 
 
 " I am going to cross the Tagus this day with my corps, 
 and shall move up the south of the river towards Abrantes. 
 I saw Tom yesterday. Kind remembrances to all. 
 
 " I remain, 
 " Most affectionately yours, 
 
 "R. Hill. 
 
 " Miss Hill." 
 
 General Hill had been instructed to cross the 
 Tagus, but Lord Wellington wrote to him on the 
 19th, to say that a letter from General Fane had 
 almost induced him to believe that he had made 
 a mistake in sending him over that river at all. He 
 added, " I am certain that you should proceed no 
 further up that river than Chamusca at present, Avith 
 the head of your corps." Accordingly his next letter 
 is dated " Chamusca, Nov. 23d, 5 p. m." It states, 
 " I wrote on Saturday last, and told you that the 
 enemy had retired from the front of our former posi- 
 tion. They continued retreating till they arrived at 
 Santarem, where they now are in considerable force, 
 and from whence I think it ^vill be difficult to drive
 
 Chap. VI. ILLNESS OF GENERAL HILL. 153 
 
 them if they are inclined to remain. My corps passed 
 the Tagas on the 17th with the view of recrossing at 
 Abrantes, should the enemy retire into Spain by 
 Castello Branco. They either intend to retire by that 
 road, or by Espinhal and the Ponte Marcella, or to 
 remain in the country till they get reinforcements. I 
 am inclined to think the latter, though the former is 
 the general opinion. Clement has of course told you 
 our present position, which at this moment is very 
 safe, having the Tagus between us and the enemy." 
 
 Towards the middle of December, General Hill Avas 
 obhged to retire to Lisbon by a severe attack of fever, 
 which at first gave hopes of speedy abatement. His 
 illness had been communicated to his family by his 
 brother, and he wrote himself on feeling somewhat 
 better. 
 
 "My dear Sister, "Lisbon, December 15. 1810. 
 
 ** Clement will have informed you of my having been in- 
 disposed. The feverish attack which I had is by no means 
 unusual in the interior of the country, and particularly on the 
 south bank of the Tagus, where we have been lately. The 
 fever is seldom attended with fatal consequences, and a change 
 of air to the neighbourhood of the sea, has almost always an 
 instantaneous effect for the better. I Avas therefore re- 
 moved to Lisbon, and since my arrival here have been daily 
 recovering. I have just been out riding for nearly two hours, 
 and do not feel the least fatigued ; on the contrary, I feel 
 myself better. I liave received your last kind letter. No- 
 thing, I assure you, would give me greater pleasure than to 
 obtain permission to visit Shropshire, which, if I were to ask, 
 I am sure I could procure ; but under present circumstances, 
 in my mind, it Avould not be right to think of it, pi'ovided my 
 health will admit of my returning to my post. Surely affairs 
 in this country cannot long remain in a state of uncertahity. 
 I do not, however, think the French have sufficient force in
 
 154 HIS INDISPOSITION CONTINUES. Chap. VI. 
 
 Portugal to drive us out of our strong position, nor do I 
 think Lord W. has sufficient strength to drive them out of 
 the country. It appears as if Massena was waiting either for 
 instructions or reinforcements. It is certain that his ad- 
 jutant-general was despatched to Paris about three weeks 
 ago ; it is also certain that some small reinforcements, about 
 4,000, which were on the march to Massena, have returned 
 into Spain. I am now Hving in Lord W.'s house here. He 
 was here about a week ago ; he is in high spirits, and seems 
 very confident. He goes out hunting about twice a week. 
 ******** ** We are anxiously ex- 
 pecting the arrival of the next packet from England ; its 
 contents must be very interesting to us, as we have heard 
 nothing since the 27th of last month. Kind remembrances 
 to all friends, and believe me, my dear Sister, 
 
 " Most aifectionately yours, 
 
 " R. H." 
 
 By the 22d he was so much better, his brother 
 expressed a hope that in about a fortnight he would 
 return to his corps at Chamusca. These expectations 
 were not realised, and he could not regain his strength, 
 which he reluctantly acknowledged in writing to his 
 sister. 
 
 "My dear Sister, Lisbon, 30th December, 1810. 
 
 "• Clement wrote to you by the last packet, and I must 
 send you a few lines by this day's. I find it is much easier 
 to lose one's strength in this country than to regain it. I 
 have not for some time had the least fever, but I feel the 
 effects of it, and cannot get appetite or strength. I do, how- 
 ever, hope soon to be better ; but if I find I do not recover in 
 this country, I shall leave it. General Fane, who has been 
 all along with me, sails to England in the packet which takes 
 this ; he was ill about the time I was, and with nearly the 
 same complaint, but his attack was severer than mine. 
 
 " Things are again becoming interesting in this country. 
 When Massena went from before Alhandra, it was generally
 
 Chap. VI. KINDNESS OF LORD WELLINGTON. 155 
 
 supposed that he was off altogether. I think I then told you 
 that I thought he would not go far, which turned out to be 
 the case. It now appears to he certain that the whole of the 
 9th French corps, about 15,000, has entered Portugal to re- 
 inforce Massena, and that the junction once effected, which I 
 think will be in the course of a week, it is probable he will 
 carry into immediate execution one of the following operations 
 — a general attack upon the position before Lisbon, or the 
 passage of the Tagus, and the occupation of the province of 
 Alemtejo. ****** X fear I shall not be able, at 
 all events, to join the army for a fortnight at least. Excuse 
 this hasty letter, and believe me, 
 
 " Most truly yours, 
 
 "K Hill." 
 
 Major-General Stewart filled for a time the post of 
 General Hill, but was extremely desirous that he should 
 himself return to the command. As he was unable to 
 do so, Sir William Beresford crossed the Tagus and took 
 charge of affairs ; and the kind letter of Lord AYelling- 
 ton, announcing this to General Hill, expressed much 
 anxiety that he might soon resume his situation, but 
 urged him not to attempt it till quite able. He also 
 wrote to him in the most friendly manner, advising 
 frequent change of air ; but all was of no avail ; and 
 the physicians recommended his going home for a 
 time, to which, on the strong solicitation of Lord Wel- 
 lington, he became willing to yield, the more especially 
 as he had been visited with a severe attack of jaundice. 
 Accordingly, after a passage of three weeks, he reached 
 Falmouth on the 6th of February, 1811, and was at 
 Exeter on the 9th. On the 11th he arrived at Wells 
 on a visit to his uncle, Mr. Tudway. Before he left 
 Exeter he heard of the " sudden death of his friend 
 Romana," by an officer just come from Portugal. A
 
 156 GENERAL HILL RECOVERS AT HOIME. Chap. VI. 
 
 very few clays in his native country proved the ex- 
 cellence of the advice given him, for he began rapidly 
 to mend, and was very anxious to proceed to Hawk- 
 stone, accompanied by Lieutenant Clement Hill and 
 Captain Currie. " I mean," he wrote from Wells, 
 "to go by Bath, and as I really have no coat except 
 a uniform one, I believe I must halt there one day for 
 the purpose of getting one made, and to purchase a 
 few necessary articles." Although much better, he 
 was still unable to encounter the evening air, and 
 therefore proposed to take three days in going from 
 Bath to Hawkstone. His arrival was a source of 
 much comfort to his friends, who saw him daily ad- 
 vancing towards a renovated state of health. But he 
 was most anxious to return to the army, which, by the 
 blessing of God on repose and the comforts of home, 
 he was enabled to rejoin in May, almost immediately 
 after Marshal Beresford's desperate battle of Albuera.
 
 157 
 
 CHAPTER YIL 
 
 GENERAL HILL S RETURN TO THE ARMY. HE ARRIVES AT HEAD- 
 QUARTERS. HIS WELCOME. — EXTRACTS FROM HIS LETTERS. — 
 
 MAKES THE ACQUAINTANCE OF THE PRINCE OP OR.XJfGE. VILLA 
 
 VICOSA. PORTALEGRE. LETTERS OF GENERAL HILL. PORTU- 
 GUESE TROOPS. GENERAL HILL OPERATES AGAINST GIItARD. 
 
 ARROYO DE MOLINOS. SURPRISE OF GIRARD. — GENERAL HILL's 
 
 HURRAH. HUMOUR OF THE HIGHLANDERS. PANIC OF THE 
 
 FRENCH. PLTtSUIT ON THE SIERRA DE MONTANCHES. — TRIUMPH 
 
 OF THE DAY. ESCAPE OF GIRARD. PRINCE D'^UiEMBERG .VND 
 
 OTHER PRISONERS. LORD AVELLINGTOn's SATISFACTION AT THIS 
 
 ACHIEVEMENT. RECOMMENDS GENERAL HILL TO THE PRINCE 
 
 REGENT. GENERAL HILL's POPULARITY WITH THE ARMY. MIS 
 
 OWN DESCRIPTION OF ARROYO DE MOLINOS. FLATTERING CON- 
 GRATULATIONS. CAPTAIN C. HILL TAKES HOME THE DE- 
 SPATCHES. HIS RECEPTION IN ENGLAND. — LETTER OF PRINCE 
 
 d'aREMBERRG. LORD MULGRAVE GENERAL HILL PROMISED 
 
 THE ORDER OF THE BATH. NEW MOVEMENTS. ESTRE.MADURA. 
 
 CIXJDAD RODRIGO. GALLANTRY OF COLONEL T. N. HILL. NEW 
 
 PLANS. SPEECH OF THE PRINCE REGENT. IN-\-ESTMENT OF 
 
 THE ORDER OF THE BATH. SIR ROA\'LAND HILL's REPUGNANCE 
 
 TO BE CALLED BY HIS NEAV TITLE. SUPPORTERS FALL OF 
 
 BADAJOS. NEW PROJECTS. ALMARAZ. 
 
 General Hill, on reaching the Peninsula, was wel- 
 comed by the following letter from Lord A^'elIi^gt<)Il : — 
 
 « My dear Hill, " Elvas, May 27. 1 81 1 . 
 
 " I am very glad you are returned in good hcaltli, and I 
 hope that wc shall see you soon. 
 
 " You will have heard of events here, which I hojie will 
 enable us to obtain possession of Badajos, upon which wc arc 
 
 busily employed. 
 
 " Believe me, &c. 
 
 " Wellington."
 
 158 GENEKAL HILL'S RETURN. CiiAr. VII. 
 
 He proceeded at once to head-quarters, and wrote 
 to his sister, to apprise her of his arrival. 
 
 " My dear Sister, " Elvas, May 3 1 . 1811. 
 
 " I have the pleasure to acquaint you that after a prosper- 
 ous journey, we arrived here yesterday, and as I have heen 
 but one fortnight coming from Spithead to this place, little 
 time has been lost. Indeed, I believe few ever made the 
 voyage and journey in less time. Beresford's battle, which 
 you will have heard of long before this reaches you, has been 
 a bloody one, and as the French retired, we claim the victory, 
 but alas! it has been a dear bought one. "When I was 
 in England, and heard that the French had possession of 
 Badajos, I said I thought I should be in time to see it re- 
 taken. The opportunity exists, and the enemy seems deter- 
 mined to keep it as long as he can, in consecpience of which 
 preparations are making to besiege it, and it is the general 
 opinion that it will fall in about ten days. In the mean time 
 my corps, which I shall resume the command of to-morrow, 
 will prevent the enemy from relieving the place. I saw 
 Lord Wellington yesterday, and shall dine with him to-day. 
 He is, as usual, very civil, and expressed pleasure at my 
 return. I assure you, I never felt in better health than at 
 present, and trust I shall continue well. Clement* joins in 
 kind remembrance to Sir John, and all at Hawkstone. 
 
 " I remain, 
 " Yours very affectionately, 
 
 « R. H." 
 
 The return of General Hill not only gave pleasure 
 to Lord Wellington, but excited, as is truly stated by 
 Napier, " the eager rejoicings of the army." After 
 various movements, which it is not essential to trace, 
 he arrived at " Torre Moro, one league from Campo 
 Mayor." On the 20th of June he sent home news to 
 
 * Mr. Clement Hill was promoted to the rank of captain in April, 
 1811.
 
 Chap. VII. BADAJOS. 159 
 
 this effect : — " My last letter to you was from Elvas, 
 on my way to Almenclralejo, to assume the command 
 of my corps, which I did about seventeen days ago. 
 I had scarcely been there a week, when accounts from 
 every quarter confirmed what had been for some time 
 expected, the advance of the French from the North 
 as well as the South towards Badajos, for the purpose 
 of relieving that place, and in doing Avhich they have 
 completely succeeded. Lord Welhngton, not '^vishing 
 to risk a battle to save it, sent orders for me and all 
 the troops in front, to fall back upon the approach of 
 the enemy. We accordingly came here, and as the 
 enemy was bringing all his force towards this point, 
 Lord W. ordered the whole of his army from the 
 North to march in this direction, and to this neigh- 
 bourhood, where the whole will be assembled in the 
 course of two or three days. The enemy, on their 
 part, have concentrated nearly all their force about 
 Merida, and having gained their first object, the rais- 
 ing of the siege of Badajos, it is thought they will not 
 at present make an}^ further attempt on Portugal." 
 He had, on the same day, been taking a long ride with 
 Lord Wellington, and when he came home, could not 
 help congratulating himself on having had nothing to 
 do with the unsuccessful siege of Badajos. But he 
 perfectly coincided with his chief as to the wisdom of 
 not risking a battle in the open plains near that place, 
 " where the enemy was bringing the whole of his 
 force, and which force in cavalry was far superior to 
 ours." On the 11th of July he observed, in another 
 letter, " The enemy, having now completely succeeded 
 in their object of relieving Badajos, and throwing
 
 160 PRINCE OF ORANGE. Chap. VII. 
 
 abundant supplies of provisions and ammunition into 
 the place, do not appear desirous, nor, indeed, I ought 
 to say equal to undertake any further operations against 
 us at present." Besides, the French had said, in their 
 official papers, that none but madmen would continue 
 in the unhealthy spot they then occupied, during the hot 
 months, which being a just remark, he concluded they 
 would retire, and expected Soult was going to Seville, 
 and Marmont about to recross the Tagus. The same 
 reasons also operated on the mind of Lord Wellington, 
 who marched to Beira, leaving the troops under Gene- 
 ral Hill cantoned in Alemtejo. The Prince of Orange 
 had just joined the army, and General Hill had met 
 him at dinner at head-quarters, when his Serene High- 
 ness and himself commenced an acquaintance, which 
 afterwards ripened into mutual esteem and confi- 
 dence. Soon after. Lieutenant Mackworth, whom 
 the General had taken as his extra aid-de-camp, was 
 made prisoner by the French patroles, but was very 
 well treated by them, and eventually, after a long cor- 
 respondence, exchanged. This affair, and the nature 
 of his position, are noticed in a letter to Miss Hill, 
 which will preclude the necessity of tracing his move- 
 ments at any length, during a period comparatively 
 dull. 
 
 Villa Vi90sa, August 28. 1811. 
 " My dear Sister, 
 " Your letters have duly arrived, and I beg to thank you 
 for all you have been kind enough to write to us. If you 
 received a letter I wrote from Torre de Moro, you will find 
 that my prognostics have in some degree been verified. The 
 French retired to a short distance for the purpose of giving
 
 Chap. VII. VILLA VI9OSA. IGl 
 
 their army a little rest. The army of Portugal, as it is called, 
 was in consequence cantoned with its right off Placentia, and 
 left at Truxillo, where they were enjoying the comforts of the 
 towns on that line, when Lord Wellington marched the main 
 part of his force towards Ciudad Rodrigo, where it now is, 
 and which I imagine will oblige the French to make a move 
 on some point ; but whether it will be directly upon his lord- 
 ship, or more in this direction, I cannot tell. I do, however, 
 find that they are preparing for a march : at the same time I 
 do not apprehend they can do any thing serious against us at 
 present. My principal object is to watch the 5th French 
 corps, which is at and about Zafra. It consists of about 
 10,000 infantry and 2000 cavalry. My corps is stronger 
 than that. The 5th, however, may be joined by some others 
 from Truxillo and Seville. 
 
 " Nothing could exceed Lord W.'s attention to my request 
 respecting Mr. Mackworth ; and it has been the means of pro- 
 curing his release from the hands of the French, where, in 
 
 justice to our enemy, I must say he was extremely well treated. 
 
 ****** 
 
 I am fully persuaded that if I had not gone home at the time 
 I did, my health would not have been established ; at least, if 
 I may jvidge from others who were ailing at the time I was 
 ill, and were kept lingering in the country without doing duty, 
 and in the end have been obliged to quit. 
 
 " Yours very truly and affectionately, 
 
 " R. H." 
 
 The division of General Hill remained at Villa 
 Vi90sa till the 3d of September. It is a handsome 
 town, distant about five leagues from Elvas, and there 
 was much in the place and its environs to render it 
 very agreeable, particularly the hunting palace and 
 preserves, together with the picturesque rides and 
 walks in the park, which had in former days caused 
 it to be a favourite country residence of the royal 
 family. The confidence reposed in our troops brought 
 
 M
 
 162 LETTERS OF GENERAL HILL. Chap. VII. 
 
 abundant supplies as usual to tlie market, and within 
 two miles lay the famous vineyards of Borba, afford- 
 ing the best wine of Portugal. The Chapel Royal 
 was also an attraction to some of the otficers, from 
 the excellence of the music, which was, however, fre- 
 quently of a description iU suited to the sanctuary. 
 Early in September they removed to Portalegre ; but 
 nothing of an exciting nature occurred for some time. 
 Three letters of the General give every requisite ex- 
 planation of his own circumstances, and events affect- 
 ing the army. The two first are to Miss Hill ; the 
 third to his elder brother. 
 
 " My dear Sister, " Portalegre, Sept. 17. 1811. 
 
 " I have nothing particular to communicate to you by this 
 day's post ; I will however send you a few lines to tell you we 
 are all well. The enemy are, I think, concentrating their 
 force in the direction of Ciudad Kodrigo, with the intention 
 of preventing Lord W. from meddling with that place, and I 
 should not be surprised if they succeed. The French army 
 is certainly weak and sickly. Marmont is, I am told, assured 
 that he shall have reinforcements of 40,000 from France, and 
 he is now enabled to draw some of the troops to this side, in 
 consequence of the fall of Tarragona and Figueras, and Soult's 
 late success over Blake in Granada. General Castanos tells 
 me the Spaniards in Galicia have had some advantage over the 
 French. Castanos is in my front, and when you hear so 
 great a name, you will imagine I am well protected by a large 
 army. The following statement of Castanos' force, contained 
 in an intercepted letter from the French General at Merida, 
 to Marmont, now before me, is a pretty correct one : — ' Mo- 
 rillo, commander of the Spanish infantry, and the Count de 
 Penne, commanding the cavalry, in all about 3000 mauvaises 
 troupes mal armees sont a Caceres. Hill, commandant d'une 
 division Anglaise, est entre Villa Vi90sa et St. Olia. Casta- 
 nos, avec sept ou huit cent officiers, et fort peu de soldats, a son
 
 Chap. VII. LETTERS OF GENEPxAL HILL. 16 
 
 qiiartier general en Valencia d' Alcantara.' The troops at 
 Caceres belong to Castanos ; but, as the French say, he has 
 very few soldiers at Valencia, not more than two or three 
 hundred." 
 
 * * * 
 
 "My dear Sister, " Portalegre, Sept. 24. 1811. 
 
 " Clement is gone to Lisbon, and I dare say will Avrite 
 to the Colonel from thence to thank him for his kindness 
 regarding some hounds which have arrived safe and well. 
 Things are becoming interesting again in this country. Lord 
 Wellington has a large army in his front, and by an inter- 
 cepted letter, and the movements of the enemy, we are not 
 likely to be idle this side. The 5th corps has advanced to 
 Merida, and by the above-mentioned intercepted letter it 
 appears that it is to manoeuvre upon me, to prevent our going 
 to Lord Wellington. I do, however, think it probable Lord 
 W. Avill give up the idea of attacking Ciudad Rodrigo, with 
 which the enemy will for the present be satisfied. Kind re- 
 membrances to all, and believe me 
 
 " Yours very affectionately, 
 
 " R. Hill. 
 
 " Miss Hill." 
 
 " My dear Brother, " Portalegre, Oct. 1. 1811. 
 
 " Cii'cumstances have a good deal changed since I wrote 
 to Maria on tliis day week. Lord W. was then in a position 
 covering Ciudad Rodrigo, and Marmont was on his march to 
 relieve it ; and the question was, whether Lord Wellington 
 would risk an action to prevent supplies being thrown into it. 
 The question has now been decided by his Lordship's declining 
 it ; a measure deemed most advisable, considering the force of 
 the enemy. Lord W. has, in consequence, fallen back towards 
 Sabugal, and yesterday it was supposed the enemy were also 
 on their return to the quarters from whence they came, hav- 
 ing succeeded in their object of supplying Ciudad Rodrigo. 
 You will perceive from Avhat has happened, that the enemy is 
 not so weak as we were inclined to suppose him to be last 
 year, when he was running out of Portugal. I am, however, 
 
 M 2
 
 164 LETTER OF GENERAL HILL. Chap. VII. 
 
 of opinion, that although he probably would have no great 
 objection to meet us in an open country, yet I do not think 
 he is sufficiently strong to undertake offensive operations 
 against this country. Therefore, under all circumstances, it 
 strikes me that Marmont will be perfectly satisfied with having 
 gained his object at Ciudad Eodrigo, and that we shall remain 
 for the winter quiet. Next spring will probably decide the 
 campaign in favour of England or France, according to 
 the reinforcements which may arrive to either army. With 
 respect to my situation, I have been rather on the alert the 
 last ten days. Marmont sent a request to the Commander 
 of the 5th French corps, Girard, to manoeuvre on this side, 
 while he marched upon Ciudad Rodrigo ; at the same time 
 telling him that the English had very few troops in the 
 Alemtejo. Girard, who does not belong to Marmont's force, 
 called the army of Portugal, so far complied with the request, 
 and came as far as Merida, and I made a disposition of my 
 troops in hopes of falling upon him should he have come much 
 nearer. He, however, knew better than Marmont respecting 
 the force on this side, and is again returned to Zafra. Soult, 
 who commands all the troo])s on the south of the Guadiana, 
 has been employed, as you will see by the papers, in destroy- 
 ing Blake and Freere's people, and he is now near Malaga, 
 collecting troops to attack Ballesteros, who has landed at 
 Alsrezix'as. 
 
 
 Thomas has been moving a good deal lately with Lord 
 W.'s army: I dare say you will hear from him. Clement 
 returned last night, and tells me that he did not write to you 
 from Lisbon ; but he jiromised to do so by this day's packet. 
 If I had thought he had not, I should not have so lightly 
 mentioned in my last my best thanks to you for your kind 
 attention respecting the hounds, which have arrived safe and 
 well, are now within four days' march of this place, and I am 
 sure will afford great amusement to the officers of this part of 
 the army, who, I am persuaded, are entitled to every recrea- 
 tion circumstances will admit of. 
 
 ^ Tp ^ ^ 7f! ^ 
 
 " Kind remembrances to all at Hawkstone, not forgetting
 
 Chap. VH. DESIGN OF GIRAUl). 1 (J5 
 
 Rowland and John.* Pray tell tlic former I will ni.l,.avonr 
 to procure him a beautiful S[)ani.sli horse: they are in jTrncral 
 much handsomer than the rortugucse. 
 
 " Yours ever most affectionately, 
 
 "K. 1 1 ILL." 
 
 On the 25tli and 27th of September the conihats of 
 El Bodon and Aldea Ponte took place, when Lord 
 AYellington had much reason to be satisfied witli the 
 Portuguese soldiery trained by British officers; and the 
 Prince of Orange also manifested a spirit and intelli- 
 gence, which confirmed the anticipations of General 
 Hill on meeting his Serene Highness at Lord A\'el- 
 lington's table. Li the despatch announcing those 
 aflPairs his Lordship observed, " General Girard had 
 collected at Merida a small body of troops, I believe 
 with the intention of making an incursion into Por- 
 tugal, under the notion that I had withdrawn Licu- 
 tenant-General Hill's corps from the Alcmtejo for the 
 pui'pose of maintaining the blockade of Ciudad Kod- 
 rigo. But I imagine that he will break uj) this col- 
 lection again, as soon as he shall hear that General 
 Hill is at Portalegre." In reference to this. General 
 Hill remarked in a letter to Hawkstone, dated Sep- 
 tember 8., " Lord Wellington's despatches will, I dare 
 say, make you acquainted with the events which have 
 taken ]Aa.ce in the north. Marmont has, I believe, 
 fallen back to the cantonments he occupied previous 
 to his relieving Ciudad Rodrigo, and Girard is gone 
 to his former quarters at ZafV:i. A\'e are, however, 
 a little on the alert again on this side, in consef|Ucnce 
 of the return of Soult to Seville ; and it is sup|>osed he 
 
 * The present Viscount Hill, and his brother the Ilcv. .lohn Hill. 
 
 M 3
 
 166 HILL OPERATES AGAINST GIRARD. Chap. VII. 
 
 is coming to Estremadura ; in consequence of which, 
 I am getting back some of my troops which I lent to 
 Lord W. when he was threatened by Marmont." 
 
 ToAvards the middle of October Girard's division 
 crossed the Guadiana at Merida, and inflicted the 
 greatest annoyances on the northern district of Es- 
 tremadura, in consequence of which. General Hill pro- 
 posed to operate against him in conjunction with the 
 Spaniards under Castanos. His principal objects were, 
 first, to drive the enemy from Caceres ; secondly, to 
 force him to re-cross the Guadiana ; and thirdly, to 
 endeavour to cut off the retreat of the whole or part 
 of the hostile forces posted at Caceres, before they 
 could be augmented or supported. As no ulterior 
 advantage could be derived from the first object with- 
 out the accomplishment of the second, this became 
 the chief consideration in the General's disposition of 
 his troops. Lord Wellington fully approved his de- 
 sign, if it could be undertaken " without risking the 
 safety of Campo Mayor and Orguela," which he was 
 assured might be done, as both these places were 
 considered secure from assault ; but the General was 
 instructed not to pass Caceres with his head-quarters 
 and main body ; and when he had driven off Girard, 
 he was to replace the Conde de Penne Villemur at 
 Caceres, and bring back his troops, who had endured 
 the greatest sufferings from the weather, towards the 
 frontier. The French retired from Caceres on the 
 26th ; but their pursuers had no certain tidings as to 
 the direction they had taken, and therefore the suffer- 
 ing British and Portuguese soldiers were halted by
 
 Chap. VII. CAUTIOUS PURSUIT. I(j7 
 
 their considerate leader for that night at M!il|);irti(l;i, 
 while he himself used efforts to discover the route of 
 the retreating enemy. His information rendered it 
 certain that they were gone to Torremocha, and he 
 endeavoured, by taking a shorter road than theirs, to 
 intercept and bring them to action. While on his 
 march, General Hill discovered that Girard was at 
 Arroyo de Molinos, and not aware of his movements, 
 which at once induced him to decide on overtakinir 
 and surj^rising the whole force of the French, or at all 
 events compelling them to an action. The weather 
 was wretched in the extreme ; but the soldiers did not 
 fail in a long forced march instantly undertaken in 
 the most perfect quietude, that no symptom of their 
 approach might alarm the enemy. By the evening of 
 the 27th they were at Alcuescar, within four miles of 
 their unconscious foes. Every conceivable precaution 
 was resorted to. The light companies were thrown into 
 the villages to prevent the natives from alarming the 
 enemy ; and the cavalry, artillery, and infantry were 
 disposed of in the neighbouring fields, with the 
 strictest orders not to cheer the cold and gloomy 
 night with a single fire, the flickering of which might 
 give indication that they were near. The wind blew 
 furiously; the rain fell in torrents; and the patient 
 soldiery had no protection from the storm, except tlie 
 drenched coverings of their tents, which the gale h;id 
 thrown down ; but their patience and confidenee in 
 the leader they loved deserted them not. They were 
 warmed by the flush of expectation that the morning 
 would recompense them for all their toils; and the 
 
 M 4
 
 168 SURPRISE AT ARROYO DE MOLINOS. Chap. VII. 
 
 first streaks of dawn had not appeared in the hori- 
 zon, when the various columns fell in, without a 
 single note of a bugle or the beat even of one 
 solitary drum. The ground was admirably chosen 
 with a view to concealment : they filed quietly 
 through the village, and having crossed an inter- 
 vening mountain, found themselves, just as the day 
 began to break, within half a mile of Arroyo, where 
 Girard was yet in security, ignorant of their presence 
 and his own danger. At this instant a violent hail- 
 storm, pouring on the rear of the allies, caused the 
 faces of the French picquets to be turned from them ; 
 but just as they were ready to make the decisive 
 movement the clouds cleared away, the sky became 
 serene, and the hostile corps was preparing for their 
 march, in expectation of a propitious day. The de- 
 cisive moment had arrived. General Hill was himself 
 inspired, as was every brave man he commanded, with 
 the enthusiasm of the scene. The usual calmness of 
 his demeanour, rendered even more than commonly 
 striking by the precautions he had taken for silence, 
 became suddenly converted into an animation that 
 cheered and almost amused every witness of his 
 ardour. It seemed kindled in an instant. He drew 
 his sword, — gave a loud hurrah, — spurred his horse, — 
 arid led the charge on the astonished ranks of the 
 French, then forming without a thought that he was 
 so near at hand. The first brigade, headed thus 
 vigorously by himself, moved at once on the village 
 of Arroyo, and the Highlanders catching up the 
 humour of the hour, were heard playing on their 
 bagpipes " Heigh^ Johnny Cope, are you waiting yetV^
 
 Chap. VII. ATTACK. — CIIASK VV THE MOUNTAIN. ICO 
 
 The second brigade, under iJuneral Il(nvard, moved 
 quietly round to the other side of tliu i)lace, to iiit<r- 
 cept the troops which the lirst should (h-ive out. In 
 the centre came the cavalry, ready to aet in wliatfver 
 way might be deemed expedient. Presently the 71st 
 and 92nd Regiments dashed into Arroyo, and ctune 
 upon the French just as they were filing out, with the 
 exception of one brigade, which IkkI inarched for 
 Medellin before daylight. This charge lirst announced 
 to them the snare into which they had fallen ; and 
 with only a feeble effort on the part of their cavalry, 
 they were driven before the bayonets of the I5riti>h. 
 The French infantry, nevertheless, having emerged 
 from the town, tried to form into two squares witii 
 cavalry on their left; but the 71st lining the garden- 
 walls of the town, poured into them an awlul lire, 
 which was soon succeeded by that of artillery. Tiiey 
 fled in utter confusion, and the capture of prisoners, 
 cannon and baggage, rapidly followed. Then came 
 the memorable pursuit of that extraordinjiry day. 
 Just behind the routed forces of Girard rose the 
 rocky and steep Sierra de ^lontanches, up which they 
 clambered in a state of utter confusion, throwing 
 away their arms, anmuuiition, and knajisacks, and 
 yielding their persons as prisoners to tlieir ])Ui-suer8 
 at every step, ^n the excitement of such a chase tlie 
 British, the Portuguese, and the Spaniards, seemed 
 all to forget that they had been without rest, and 
 soaked with rain and mist all the night befon-. 
 They laughed, shouted, jumped in their hea\T ac- 
 coutrements, or caught the scrambling horses of the 
 fuo-itives, who could not ride them over the mountain,
 
 170 BRILLIANT SUCCESS. Chap. VII. 
 
 and came down mounted in triumph, till fatigue 
 caused some to desist, and the rest being too much 
 scattered, were judiciously stopped on the summit of 
 the Sierra by General Howard. Nearly fifteen hun- 
 dred prisoners were taken, and some of them of high 
 rank. Lieutenant Blakeney, of the 28th, leaped over 
 a wall, and seized the Prince D'Aremberg in the 
 midst of a group of officers. General Brun was also 
 taken, with a colonel of cavalry, an aide-de-camp of 
 Girard, two lieutenant-colonels, a commissaire de 
 guerre, and no less than thirty captains and inferior 
 officers. Girard himself, with a handful of men, es- 
 caped by the bridge of Medellin, declaring he would 
 rather die than surrender. It was altogether a most 
 brilliant achievement, and is thus eloquently adverted 
 to by Major Sherer in his Recollections of the day. 
 " One thing in our success at Arroyo de Molinos gra- 
 tified our division highly ; it was a triumph for our 
 General — a triumph all his own. He gained great 
 credit for this well-conducted enterprise ; and he 
 gained what, to one of his mild, kind, and humane 
 character, was still more valuable, a solid and blood- 
 less victory ; for it is certainly the truest maxim in 
 Avar, ' that conquest is twice achieved, where the 
 achiever brings home full numbers.' " Indeed, the 
 loss in his division was most trifling, while a deep 
 blow was inflicted on the enemy. Girard was wounded 
 before he escaped, and Soult afterwards arrested him, 
 and reported him to Bonaparte, who, knowing that 
 he was, notwithstanding this misadventure, a tho- 
 roughly brave soldier, pardoned him in the expect- 
 ation of future services. In his official reports to
 
 Chap. VII. LORD WELLINGTON'S SATISFACTION. 1 7 1 
 
 Lord Wellington, General Hill did the utmost jusiice 
 to the officers under his command, and rtjoind in tlic 
 opportunity of bringing into notice his aid-de-canip, 
 Captain Currie, who was rewarded by sul)se(iuciit 
 promotion. Lord Wellington received tlie announce- 
 ment of this distinguished service with uncciuivocal 
 tokens of satisfaction ; and in n letter to Lord Liver- 
 pool thus expressed his sense of the merit of liiin to 
 whom the success was due: — "It would be particularly 
 a^rreeable to me if some mark of the favour of his 
 Royal Highness the Prince Regent Avere conferred 
 upon General Plill ; his services have been always 
 meritorious, and very distinguislied in this counlr}-, 
 and he is beloved by the whole army." He adverted 
 to his various gallant acts, from the passage of the 
 Douro to the last operation at Arroyo, and continued, 
 " In recommending him, as I do most anxiousl}', I 
 really feel that there is no officer to wh(jm an act of 
 grace and favour would be received by the army witli 
 more satisfaction than on General Hill." Lonl Wel- 
 lington justly described the sentiments of the army 
 towards the subject of these deserved connnendatious, 
 whose name was never mentioned by those who served 
 under him without some affectionate expression. (Ge- 
 neral Hill gave a brief account of thr action in a 
 letter to his sister. 
 
 « ^ly dear Sister, " Portalcgre, Nov. 5. 1 S I 1 . 
 
 "I am sure my dear friends at Ilawkstonc will rt'joii-c to 
 hear of my good fortune, and share with me the witis^fuetiun I 
 feel, in having, under the will of Divine Providence, givm a 
 severe blow to the coinm.jn enemy, and. thank (iod, ahMO}.t 
 without loss on our side. My oilieial rei.ort uu the l.udinc&«,
 
 172 LETTER OF GENERAL HILL. Chap. VII. 
 
 whlcli I dare say Clement will carry to England in the same 
 ship which Avill take this, will give you a detailed account of 
 what has happened ; but in case it should not, I have time 
 merely to inform you that on the morning of the 28th, at day- 
 break, I succeeded in surprising, attacking, and anniliilating 
 the French corps under General Girard at Arroyo de Molinos. 
 The enemy's force when attacked consisted of about 3000 
 infantry, 1600 cavalry and artillery. The result is the cap- 
 ture of one General, Brun, one Colonel, the Prince D'Arem- 
 berg, thirty-five Lieutenant-Colonels and inferior ofificers, 
 1400 prisoners, and probably 500 killed. The others dispersed, 
 having thrown away their arms : Ave have also got all the 
 enemy's artillery, baggage, and magazines — in short, every- 
 thing that belonged to the corps. 
 
 " Clement, I am pretty certain, will go in the ship that 
 carries this, otherwise I Avould send you a more detailed 
 account, although I should lose my dinner, which is noAV going 
 on the table. The Prince and most of the French officers 
 dine with me. The British here have been very kind to the 
 French since they have been in our possession, and they seem 
 very grateful for it. 
 
 " Clement behaved very gallantly, as indeed did all. 
 
 " Yours most affectionately, 
 
 " R. H. 
 
 " Clement is now gone to Lord W. with my report." 
 
 The congratulations received by General Hill from 
 his brother officers were numerous and flattering. 
 General Murray wrote, " I feel a peculiar pleasure in 
 this fortunate affair, as it concerns yourself personally, 
 and assure you that I only repeat the sentiments which 
 are in the mouth of every one whom I have heard 
 speak upon the subject." Marshal Beresford re- 
 marked, "I confess I did not think Girard would 
 have allowed himself to be overtaken ; but you com- 
 pletely out-manoeuvred him, and the thing is com-
 
 Chap. VII. CONGllATLLATIONs. 17;^ 
 
 plete." Lord Wellington, after tlie un-ivi.l ..l" ( "aptain 
 Clement Hill nt head-quarters, addressed u Ijrief l)ut 
 gratifying letter to the General. 
 
 " My dear Hill, " Freneda, Nov. [) \H\\. 
 
 " I have not written to you since the 22(1 ; as I havu Iiail 
 
 nothing new to interest you, and I would not interrupt your 
 
 operations. Nothing could be more satisfactory to nic than 
 
 all you did ; and I am happy that I had determined to .^cnd 
 
 home your brother with the report of your tran.sactious, 
 
 before I had heard that it was your wish that I should do so. 
 
 " He and Churchill will tell you how we are going on licre. 
 
 " Ever yours most sincerely, 
 
 ""Wellington. 
 "Lieut. -General Hill." 
 
 His old friend, General (Jraluun's note Avas kind 
 and characteristic. 
 
 " My dear Hill, " Lagiosa, Nov. 12. 1811. 
 
 " I rejoiced most truly on hearing of your success, but 1 
 delayed writing to congratulate you on it, till I should see 
 your despatch with the particulars. Lord AVcUington sent 
 me your letters two days ago, at the same time exprestfin<; hi.s 
 high approbation of your conduct, a testimony more valuable 
 than any other, but one which in every body's opinion is most 
 justly deserved by the judgment, activity, and adniinible 
 arrangements which produced so brilliant a result with so 
 trifling a loss. Currie has been good enough to send mi- ii 
 sketch of the ground and disposition of the troops, which I 
 prize much, and which perfectly explains the movements 
 described in your report. I beg you will make him my lx"»t 
 thanks, and pray remember me too to S(piire, wli«», I am 
 happy to see, is such a favourite with you. I hope your health 
 has not suffered by the fatigue and bad weather. Adieu. — I 
 hear you have got hounds, and have you a tolenible o.untry 
 and good sport? At head-(iuarters I am told ihcy have
 
 174 RECEPTION OF THE NEWS IN ENGLAND. Chap. VII. 
 
 already clone up all their horses. Here we have only a little 
 coursing and shooting, neither in much perfection. Once 
 more adieu, and believe me ever most faithfully yours, 
 
 " Thos. Graham. 
 
 " Pray remember me to Sir W. Erskine." 
 
 Captain Clement Hill, who carried the news of his 
 brother's success to England, had a very bad passage 
 of eighteen days' duration, so that on arriving he found 
 the tidings had preceded him; but happily the accounts, 
 instead of having been exaggerated, fell short of the 
 reality. Captain Hill described his own reception in a 
 letter dated, " Mr. Codd's Office, Horse Guards, 2d 
 December." He says, " I got here yesterday with the 
 despatch. Lord Liverpool was at his country house 
 at Coomb, where I went to him. He read the con- 
 tents of it, and then sent me on with it to Oatlands 
 for the Prince to see. His Royal Highness is still 
 confined to his bed, and I did not see him. I saw the 
 Duke of York and a great many other of the great 
 people there, and every one spoke in the highest terms 
 of the business. I returned to Lord Liverpool's at 
 night, and dined there : he was uncommonly kind, and, 
 like every body else, pleased. In short, I am sure 
 nothing that has been done during the war has given 
 so much satisfaction." 
 
 General Hill's proceedings were worthy of all the 
 admiration they excited. He gave the artillery he 
 had taken to the Spaniards, for which he received a 
 glowing letter of thanks from Castanos; and he treated 
 his prisoners not only with the courtesy of a gentle- 
 man, but with the kindness of genuine heroism. Lord
 
 CiiAP. VII. LETTER OF THE TRINXE D'AUEMIJEUC. 175 
 
 Wellington attached mucli importance to tlic cajjiurc 
 of the Prince d'Aremberg, from his connection witl» 
 the Imperial Family, and enjoined strict vigilance 
 over him ; yet General Hill executed this delicate duty 
 so as to elicit from his illustrious charge the warmest 
 expressions of gratitude. VCc have seen liow his 
 friends wrote to him: the letter of his prisoner just 
 before he was sent to England equally deserves at- 
 tention : — 
 
 " Mon General, " Lisbonne, ce 3 Xbrc, 1811. 
 
 " Au moment do m'embarqucr pour 1' Angletcrro, jc regjirdc 
 comme un devoir do vous renouvcller nics renicrciinfn8 jK»ur 
 toutes les bontes dont vous m'avez conible pendant le ti-rns 
 que j'ai ete avec vous. Croycz, mon General, (pie je t^crai.s 
 heurcux, si roccasion se prescntait, d'etre utile a (pielipies 
 officiers de votre division; ils pourront partout me rcclamer 
 avec confiance. 
 
 " J'ose de vous prior de faire passer les lettrcs ci-jolntcs u 
 Badajos; c'est une aifaire d'interet que je desire tenuineravee 
 mon chef d'escadron. 
 
 " Veuillez agreer I'assurancc du profund respect avec 
 lequel j'ai I'honneur d'etre, mon General, votre tres liuinl>le 
 et tres obeissant serviteur. 
 
 " Le Due d'Aukmuekg." 
 
 Much reason, indeed, had the writer and his fellow- 
 prisoners to thank General Hill, who not only showed 
 them every civility while A\ntli him, but provided for 
 their kind reception in England, as ajypcars from a 
 sentence in a letter of Lord .Mulgrave. His L-.r-bbij) 
 
 said "If your prisoners should come to London, 
 
 I ^vill show them every attention in my power, and 
 will take care that they shall know tli.-y owe it to 
 your favourable report and reconnnendation of tlu-m."
 
 176 APPEOBATION OF THE PRINCE EEGENT. Chap. VII. 
 
 Lord Mulgrave added to this, " You have nothmg to 
 wish beyond the impression you have made on the 
 public mind." A second letter was also addressed to 
 him from the same quarter : — 
 
 « Dear Hill, " Harley Street, Dec. 5. 1811. 
 
 *' I had written and sealed my last letter immediately on 
 the receipt of yours, and before it was in my power to con- 
 gratulate you, as I do most cordially, on the professional dis- 
 tinction which awaits you, as soon as it can be bestowed on 
 you. It will be satisfactory to you to know that in the letters 
 which I have receiyed from the part of the army which is 
 inunedlately under the command of Lord WelHngton, your 
 brother officers all do justice to the mode in which the service 
 was conducted and success prepared, and appear to rejoice at 
 
 your victory almost as much on personal as on pubUc feehngs. 
 
 ****** 
 
 " Believe me with the greatest regard, 
 
 *' Ever yours most faithfully, 
 
 " Mulgrave." 
 
 The honour referred to in this letter was thus an- 
 nounced to General Hill by Lord Liverpool : — 
 
 *' {Private.^ 
 
 " Sir, " Downing Street, December 4. 1811. 
 
 " I have had particular satisfaction in transmitting to Lord 
 Wellington, by the mail of this day, the Prince Regent's most 
 cordial and decided approbation of your conduct in the late 
 operations against the French force under General Girard. 
 His Koyal Highness does the fullest justice to the distinguished 
 ability with which you have conducted this important service, 
 and I can assure you, that his Majesty's confidential servants, 
 and the public in general, most entirely participate in the 
 Prince Regent's feelings upon this occasion. 
 
 I have great pleasure in being enabled further to add, that 
 the Prince Regent has authorised me to assure you that as 
 soon as the restrictions upon the regency have expired, it is
 
 CiiAr. VII. ORDER OF TIIK haTH. I77 
 
 his intention to confer upon you the OnK-r ,,|- il,,. Hatli j.h u 
 proof of the sense which Lis Koyal liiglmos i-nicrtain'H of 
 your services. 
 
 " As it may be a satisfaction to you to be in possession of 
 the original document, containing his l{oyal HigIuK-s«H 
 assurances upon this point, I have the lionour to neml it to 
 you, together with an extract of my note, to which it Wiw an 
 answer. 
 
 "I am, with great truth, Sir, 
 "Your very faithful and obedient luunble servant. 
 
 " LlVKlU'OOL." 
 
 The approbation of his Ptoyal IIi;:]iiicss tli.- (.'..i,,- 
 mander-in-Chief, was conveyed to liim l»y Culuiicl 
 Torrens, the Military Sccretaiy : — 
 
 " Private. 
 
 "My dear General, " II, Guards, Dec. 8. IM 1. 
 
 " I beg your acceptance of my most sincere congratuhitiuii> 
 upon the brilliant success which has attended your expcditi(»n 
 against the French force under General Girard. After the- flat- 
 tering testimony which has been borne of the public appmlta- 
 tion, I shall not render myself liable to the imputat i< >n ( if tlal t rrv, 
 by the expression of my individual o])ini(iii that the pn-Nious 
 arrangements of the sur])rise of the enemy, and the promjititudr 
 of execution, reflect upon you a degree of credit as a (ienerai 
 which few indeed have had the good fortune to attain. The 
 whole country are united in diie voice of appi'oval ; and I 
 heartily I'cjoicc that such a distinguished reward has attendinl 
 your um-emitting and laborious services. The pul)li«' ap- 
 probation, though inconstant ancl whim.«ical, has cliann.s iu 
 it, which, as a soldier, 1 should ajiproeiate much bivontl any 
 favour unsupi)orted by general and well-earned a|iphiu.-e: and 
 therefore I take doid)le i)leasure in the justice which is uni\er- 
 sally done to your distinguished conduct. 
 
 "Captains Currie and Stpiire will be promoted, on your 
 earnest recommendation, to the rank of Maj(»r, and your 
 •brotlier also, upon the expiration of his pericKl of .service, will 
 
 N
 
 178 LETTER OF COLONEL TORRENS. Chap. VII. 
 
 be advanced to the same rank. I assure you his Royal High- 
 ness had great pleasure in giving effect to your wishes respect- 
 ing Captain Currie; and he will also be ready to show every 
 possible attention to the other officers whom you have re- 
 commended to notice, when he has the means of facilitating 
 their advancement. 
 
 " I imagine that this cowp on your part will close the scene 
 of any active operations, until the opening of the spring. 
 
 " I beg you will command my services here in any manner 
 in which you think I can contribute to the accomplishment of 
 your wishes ; and when you have time to write a line upon 
 what is going on, I shall be most grateful to you to think 
 of me. 
 
 " His Royal Highness's official letter to Lord Wellington, 
 will sufficiently show the extent of his approbation to render 
 any further assurance on my part quite unnecessary, to con- 
 vince you of the high sense his Royal Highness entertains of 
 your distinguished conduct. 
 
 " Believe me, my dear General, to be, 
 " Ever yours most faithfully and sincerely, 
 
 " H. TORRENS." 
 
 In reflecting upon this exploit, so many excellences 
 present themselves to the mind, that it seems disposed 
 to rest on each till another is exhibited to its view. 
 First we see a quick conception of an advantage, fol- 
 lowed by an efl'ort in the face of fatigue and the 
 elements, that placed his enemy in his hands without 
 a sound of his approach ; then the silence of the 
 approach itself was succeeded by a burst of heroic 
 animation that cheered on his wearied followers to new 
 energy; the achievement completed, his generous 
 sp)irit applied every possible alleviation to the con- 
 dition of his captives ; and at last, when his honours 
 were accorded to him by a grateful country, the meek- 
 ness of his bearing raised the estimation of his merits,
 
 Chap. VII. ESTUKMAin HA. I7«.» 
 
 and augmented tlie interest ^vith which lie was rcfranl- 
 ed by all men, citizen and soldier, friend and loc 
 
 Not many weeks elapsed alter this blow to tlie 
 hostile army, ere tidings of new movements on the 
 part of the French reached General Hill in his canton- 
 ments, and he was directed by Lord \\'ellington to 
 move also. The object will be found described in a 
 letter written to his brother, then hi En^dand: — 
 
 " My dear Clement, " Portalcgrc, Dec, 26. 1811. 
 
 " We are again in motion, not on account of the cnt-my 
 being near us, but because he is pre.^^ing liallcsteros and the 
 town of Tarifa ; and it is hoped that my movement upon 
 Merida and Ahnandralejo may make a diversinn in favour of 
 our friends in the South. I shall l)e at Alhuipicrque tt»- 
 morrow, and move directly upon IMerida. 
 
 " A courier arrived here yesterday, hrlnging me a letter 
 from Lord Liverpool, and a correspondence between him and 
 the Prince, full of flattering expressions. The jiurport of the 
 correspondence is ' the Prince's most cordial and decided ap- 
 l^robation of my conduct ;' and he assures me, that as soon an 
 the restrictions upon the Kegcnoy have expired, it is his 
 intention to confer upon me the Order of the 13ath.* 
 
 "You cannot possibly be in time for this march, therefore 
 you need not hurry. 
 
 "Yours very faith full v, 
 
 •• K."llii.i.." 
 
 On the 27th of December General Hill j)assed into 
 Estremadura, and discovering some lack of vigilance 
 
 * A similar intimation had been for you, as I have acted in a Himil*r 
 
 received by Lord Wellington, who, cajtacity in respect to olliers ; l»ut I 
 
 in communicating it to General assure you that I shall lurfiinii this 
 
 Hill, observed, " It may fall to my duty, if it should devolve upon me, 
 
 lot to be the instrument of con- with at least as much satisficlion m 
 
 veying to you the honour intended 1 have on any former occasion." 
 
 N 2
 
 180 RETREAT OF DOIMBROWSKI. Chap. VII. 
 
 on the part of the French, he meditated giving them 
 another surprise, and had ahnost hoped to have gained 
 a inarch on Dombrowski as he did on Girard. A 
 patrole, however, from a detachment discovered his 
 advanced guard on the 29th; and though he used 
 every effort to prevent this small body from retiring 
 to Merida, the retreat was effected by the skill and 
 gallantry of Captain Neveux, who knew the nature of 
 the country, and how to take the fullest advantage of 
 it. Our cavalry could only inflict upon him the loss 
 of about forty men. But General Dombrowski, not 
 relishing the idea of the approach of General Hill, 
 retired from Merida in the night, leaving a magazine 
 of bread, and 160,000 lbs. of wheat, besides several 
 unfinished works. On the 1st of January, 1812, 
 General Hill marched on to Ahnandralejo, in hopes of 
 coming up with Count D'Erlon. The Count, how- 
 ever, moved off as soon as he was apprized of his 
 danger. But a portion of the allies under Colonel 
 Abercromby — a worthy son of the hero of Egypt — 
 had a small affair of great brilliancy with a strong 
 party of the French cavalry at Fuente del Maestre. 
 The subjoined letter gives an account of all these 
 proceedings : — 
 
 " My dear Sister, " Merida, Jan. 6. 1812. 
 
 " The mail arrived here last night, bringing your letter of 
 the 12th, for which I beg you will accept my best thanks. 
 I wrote to Clement on Christmas-Day to tell you that I was 
 on the point of making a movement to draw the enemy's at- 
 tention from Ballesteros, who was hard pressed near Gibraltar. 
 On the 30th I entered this town, from whence the enemy 
 retired on our approach, leaving some stores of corn, I having 
 obtained a little advantage over him the preceding day.
 
 CiiAF. VII. KETIIEAT 01. COUNT d'kuloN. IS) 
 
 "On the 1st I marched to AhnuiKh-altjo, in 1„,jk.h that 
 Count D'Erlon would liavc given mc an opportunity of coniiufr 
 in contact M'itli him. lie, however, retreated, and was yes^ 
 terday in full march towards and near Llerena. The dread- 
 ful state of the weather and the condition of the loads, render 
 any further oi^crations on my part impossil)le without incur- 
 ring great risks, and exceeding my instructions. I returned 
 here two days ago, and my stay will depend chiefly on my 
 supplies. 
 
 "I must conclude, as it is post-time. Kind remend)rancc 
 to all. « Yours very affectionately, 
 
 "T^. II. 
 
 " My movement has occasioned great alarm to the enemy, 
 and I trust I have effected the object in view. Clement will 
 be glad to hear that Aljcrcromby has had an opportunity of 
 doing something. The affair of Fuente del Maestro does him 
 and all engaged great credit." 
 
 On the 19th of January Lord AVellington terminated 
 the celebrated siege of Ciudad Rodrigo, in -which 
 Colonel Thomas Xoel Hill behaved most gallantly. 
 The General was too happy to apprize his family of 
 his brother's distinction. 
 
 "My dear Sister, "Niza, Jan. 23. 1812. 
 
 " Before you receive this you will have heard of the taking 
 of Ciudad Rodrigo. Things seem to have been very well 
 managed there by all concerned in the capture ; and I am 
 happy to find that Tom and his regiment had an opportunity 
 of distinguishing themselves. 
 
 "Lord W. having conceived that my late movement to 
 the southward of the Guadiana had created every diversion 
 in favour of Ballcsteros and Tarifa which could have been 
 expected from it, he directed me to return to Portugal, and 
 take up a position with my right at Portalegre, centre here, 
 and left at Castello Branco. The object of taking up this 
 position Avas the probability of the enemy making an attcmjit 
 
 N 3
 
 182 COMMUNICATION FEOM LOED WELLINGTON. Chap. VII., 
 
 on this side to draw Lord W.'s attention from Ciudad 
 Rodrigo. 
 
 " Clement has not yet arrived : by his last letter we may, 
 I think, expect him daily. Lord W. sent me his despatch to 
 Lord Liverpool to read, and by it I am glad to find that 
 honourable mention is made in it of Colonel Campbell and 
 the 94th, for their conduct at the storming of Ciudad Eodrigo. 
 Kind remembrances to all, and believe me to be, 
 
 " Yours very affectionately, 
 
 « K H." 
 
 On the 28tli of January Lord Wellington addressed 
 a letter to General Hill from Gallegos, the original of 
 which is marked secret and coiifidential ; but as it ap- 
 pears in Gur wood's eighth volume, a quotation from 
 it is all that is requisite. After informing him that 
 the enemy had not advanced from the Tormes, that 
 the re-establishment of Ciudad Eodrigo was proceed- 
 ing, and that it was proposed to replace the army in 
 their old cantonments, his Lordship acquainted him 
 that he was " turning his mind seriously to Badajos." 
 He then proceeded, — " When we shall attack Bada- 
 jos we must expect that the army of Portugal, con- 
 sisting of eight divisions of infantry, the whole of 
 which are now in Castille, and the army of the South, 
 will co-operate to oblige us to raise the siege. The 
 army of Portugal would naturally cross the Tagus by 
 their bridge at Almaraz ; and they would be obliged, 
 at the season of the year in which I propose to under- 
 take this operation, to go round even by Toledo, if we 
 could destroy their bridge and other establishments at 
 that place. This is what I wish you to attempt." 
 
 The General's reply to this communication shows 
 how thoroughly he entered into all the plans of Lord
 
 Chap. Vir. SrEECII OF TIIK I'lUNfH HKCJENT. 1H3 
 
 Wellington, and what grounds tlierc were for tlie 
 confidence reposed In lilm: — 
 
 "My dear Lord, "Niza, Jan. .'}(». isi'j. 
 
 " I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt (»!' ydur 
 Lordship's letter of the 28th, marked secret and nwjidrntiftl, 
 and will use my best endeavours to fulfil the instructions 
 which it contains. Your Lordshij) will perceive, Ity Mr. 
 Ilillier's report on Almaraz, dated the Ifith instant, that I 
 have not been inattentive to your wishes on the subject of the 
 destruction of the enemy's works at that place. You will 
 likewise observe, that on the 16th the enemy had oidy two 
 boats on the river, and the others, nine in number, were on 
 the north bank of the river, mounted on carriages, and two 
 spare carriages. I have, &c. 
 
 " Viscount Wellington, K. B., " K. llii,i.. 
 
 &c. &c. &c." 
 
 The report of Lieutenant llillicr was called in Lord 
 Wellington's answer a " very clear " one ; and he 
 proposed to supply General Hill with the means of 
 sending a detachment to the right of the Tagiis, to 
 cut off the retreat of these boats, which was the 
 principal object of his expedition. 
 
 At this time General Hill had the satisfaction of 
 seeing in the English papers the complimentary allu- 
 sion to his exploit at Arroyo de Molinos, in the speech 
 of his Royal Highness the Prince Kegent at the open- 
 ing of Parliament. It was tlius deservedly <'>m- 
 mended: — "The successful and brilliant enterprise, 
 which terminated in the surprise, in Spanish Kstrcma- 
 dura, of a French corps by a detachment of tiie al- 
 lied army under Lieutenant-General Hill, i> higbly 
 creditable to that distinguished ofhcer, and the troops 
 under his command, and has contributed materially 
 
 N 4
 
 184 OPINION OF MR. WELLESLEY. Chap. VII 
 
 to obstruct the designs of the enemy in that part of 
 the Peninsula." In writing home on the 30th of 
 January, he alluded to this honourable mention of his 
 name with evident gratification, and also to a letter 
 he had received from Mr. Henry Wellesley, tlien at 
 Cadiz, relative to his diversion in favour of Ballesteros 
 and Tarifa. Mr. AYellesley, in allusion to the loss of 
 the French at Tarifa, assured him that it " was cer- 
 tainly not less than 2000 men, leaving behind them 
 all their artillery, ammunition, &c." Then he pro- 
 ceeded, — "It is probable that your movement in Es- 
 tremadura contributed greatly to this event." In 
 quoting this passage. General Hill himself observed, 
 " I confess I think it is most likely that it did, for on 
 the 1st, 2d, and 3d we advanced rapidly, the alarm of 
 which must have reached Tarifa on the 5th, the day 
 the enemy retired suddenly from before the place." 
 
 By the 10th of February General Hill had formed an 
 opinion that the expedition against the enemy's boats 
 on the Tagus near Almaraz, was not practicable ; and 
 Lord Wellington entirely concurred in the reasons he 
 assigned. He was, however, fully prepared to make any 
 attempt deemed advisable, " at the shortest notice." 
 Eight days after this he wrote from Portalegre, — 
 " The greater part of Lord Wellington's army is march- 
 ing to this side of the Tagus ; I therefore think we 
 shall soon try what can be done with Badajos." By 
 the 3d of March he was enabled to say, " Things are 
 becoming a little interesting again in this quarter. 
 Lord W. is on the point of undertaking the siege of 
 Badajos, for which purpose the whole of the army is 
 on its march to this side of the Tagus, and the enemy
 
 Chap. Vir. INVESTMENT OF TIIK 15AT1I. 185 
 
 have not at present shown any disposition to oppose 
 him." 
 
 Shortly after this announcement of tlic state (»f 
 things around liim, he received from Lord W'cHin^rton 
 the insignia of tlie Order of the Batli, accompanied by 
 an invitation to Elvas for investment. 
 
 "My dear Hill, " Portalcgu-, March 10. 181'2. 
 
 " I send herewith the letter from the Secretary of State, 
 and the insignia of the Order of the Bath, and the coj)y of a 
 letter to me, directing me to invest yon tlierewith. 
 
 "I am going to Elvas to-morrow; and as I l»elieve the 
 earliest occasion will be on every account tlic most suitahle, I 
 would invest you there on the next day, tlie 12th, if you can 
 make it convenient to come over. 
 
 "Pray invite the General and Staff of the 2d Division to 
 come over to Elvas to be present on the occasion, and \o dine 
 with me; and likewise General Hamilton and General Long, 
 if they should be near you. 
 
 " I'll take care that you shall all be quartered in Elvas. 
 " Ever yours most sincerely, 
 
 "Wellington. 
 
 " I understand that you wish to know by what roa<l i shall 
 pass to-morrow. — By the direct road by Assumar. 
 
 " Bring the insignia of the Order with you on the 12th." 
 
 The day after the ceremonial he let his family know- 
 that it had taken place : — 
 
 « My dear Sister, " Elvas, Marcli 1 3. 1 8 1 2. 
 
 " Lord AVellinf^ton arrived here the day l)efore ycstenlay, 
 and desired General (iraham and myself to come over for the 
 purpose of being invested with the Order of tlie Bath, which 
 ceremony took place yesterday. 
 
 "Nearly the whole of the army Is on this side the Tacjus. 
 Our operations against Badajos will conuncnce immediately. 
 It is not intended that my troops should have any thing to do
 
 186 SIR ROWLAND HILL. Chap. VII. 
 
 with the duties of the siege, but will form a covering army on 
 the north of the Guadiana, in the direction of Merida, whilst 
 General Graham, with a similar corps, will be on the south of 
 that river. ******** 
 
 " Adieu, my dear sister. 
 
 " Yours ever affectionately, 
 
 "R. Hill." 
 
 Those who knew Sir Rowland Hill, by which title 
 he must now be called, will not wonder at the brief 
 dismissal of the subject of his new honour in this 
 letter. Never did the insignia he so nobly won rest 
 upon a breast that wore them more meekly. " When 
 he was knighted," says an esteemed officer on his 
 personal staff, " there was not one of us dared for 
 nearly six months to call him Sir Rowland : he was 
 quite distressed at being called any thing but General ; 
 and it was only very gradually that he could be 
 driven to bear his honour." A letter to his brother 
 on the subject of supporters to his arms, at once 
 manifests his simplicity of mind, and the way in 
 which he could, under circumstances of the most 
 exciting nature, coolly divest himself of their in- 
 fluence to attend to the minutest affairs claiming his 
 notice. 
 
 " Guerena, four leagues in front of Merida, 
 " My dear Brother, March 31. 1812. 
 
 " I have received your letter, enclosing one from General 
 Wynyard, recommending Mr. Nayler. That gentleman has 
 been recommended to me by several of my friends. I have 
 in consequence appointed him to transact the requisite business 
 for me in the College of Arms. INIr. Xayler, in his letter to 
 me, says, on being favoured with my wishes on the subject of 
 supporters, proper sketches shall be sent to me. Now, my 
 dear brother, I do not Avish you to go to town on purpose, 
 but when you do go I shall be obliged if you will see Mr.
 
 Chap. VII. SU1T0RTER8. IS? 
 
 Nayler ; and knowing you to be a man of tasto, I wish you 
 would give him some hints on the occasion. rcriiaj)s hy con- 
 sulting our friends at Ilawkstonc my acquirements might be 
 arranged to the best advantage : for my part I do not care 
 much what the supporters are, but, I must confess, I do not 
 much like fancy figures, such as I have seen to some arms, 
 supported by a jolltj tar, a grenadier, a liglit infantry man, or 
 a heavy or light dragoon ; such, I think, are bad. It strikes 
 me that animals are the handsomest. Some have lions : you 
 and I, probably, would have no objection to a greyhound, while 
 there are others who would prefer the fox-hound: but upon 
 the whole I should be glad to leave the choice to the ladies ; 
 
 they have more taste than we have.* 
 
 ****** 
 
 " You will get later accounts from Badajos than this can 
 contain, as It will pass by that place, which every day now 
 are extremely interesting; and before this quits the Tagus the 
 fate of that garrison will probably be decided. Every thing 
 is going on well there. Soult is certainly in full march, in 
 hopes of relieving it ; but as ]\Iarmont is still at a great dis- 
 tance, I do not think Soult will, by himself, venture to attack 
 us. His advance is pretty near me now. Two of his cavalry 
 regiments arrived at San Benito, four leagues from hence; 
 but we are ready for a start in the first instance, and a fight, 
 
 should he persist. 
 
 " Yours ever most aiFcctionatcly, 
 
 " K. 11." 
 
 In consequence of the movements of the Frencli 
 forces, Sir Thomas Graham was ordered to fall back 
 upon Villa Franca, and Sir Rov^^land Hill u[)on 
 Merida, the bridge of which place he was desired 
 to destroy on leaving it. In writing to Lord A\'el- 
 lington, Sir Rowland remarked, " The preparations 
 
 * The part here omitted refers Castle, wliicli hatl also been given 
 merely to details of business relating to Sir Rowland for his services, 
 to the governorship of Blackeness
 
 188 BADAJOS. Chap. VII. 
 
 for breaking up the bridge appear to have created 
 some sensation in the town : " to which his Lordship 
 replied, with that consideration which he always mani- 
 fested, " Tell the Alcalde or Corregidor, that if we 
 destroy the bridge I will render it passable again for 
 them ; that it is to answer a military purpose, and 
 must be done if necessary," This promise was most 
 faithfully fulfilled a few weeks afterwards. 
 
 Sir Thomas Graham, who fell back towards Albuera, 
 was in almost daily communication with Sir Rowland 
 Hill at this time, but their letters referred chiefly to 
 the various reports of the enemy's approach ; and 
 though, perhaps, of great interest to persons qualified 
 and inclined to trace the fine manceuvres of these 
 generals, they are by no means suited to this memoir. 
 The siege of Badajos went on; Drouet and Darican 
 only advanced to hear that the place had fallen. Such 
 was the slaughter, that Wellington himself shed tears 
 over his own conquest, when he thought on the valiant 
 dead that fell in that scene of carnage. The town 
 was bravely defended, but a British army under Wel- 
 lington bore with it irresistible power. Sir Rowland 
 Hill shall again give his o\Yn impression, and describe 
 his situation. 
 
 "My dear Sister, " Almandralejo, April 15. 1812. 
 
 " Clement and Thomas, I know, wrote to you by the last 
 packet, giving you an account of the fall of Badajos, which is 
 certainly a glorious and important event, though at the same 
 time a dear-bought victory, as will ajopear by the long list 
 of killed and wounded which will accompany the official 
 accounts. 
 
 " Marraont's movements in the North have made it neces-
 
 Chap. VII. NEW ENTERPRISE. 189 
 
 sary for Lord Wellington to rccross the Tiigus ; and my C( )rj)s 
 is again advanced to this part of the country fur the pur- 
 pose of covering Badajos while the works of that place are 
 repairing. 
 
 " Soult, at present, is moving towards Seville ; and I do not 
 think lie will be inclined to have any thing to do with us here. 
 
 " Yours very affectionately, 
 
 « K Hill." 
 
 We will now pass on to the next achievement of 
 Sir Rowland Hill — the surprise of Almaraz. He 
 was directed by Lord Wellington to undertake this 
 enterprise, in order to destroy the only means pos- 
 sessed by the French of effecting a passage of the 
 Tagus. This was a boat -bridge laid down by Mar- 
 mont, and secured by strong defences. His Lordship 
 thus instructed him on the 24th of April : — " Mar- 
 mont has retired, and I shall immediately get pro- 
 visions into Ciudad Rodrigo. I propose, while this 
 operation is going on, to send some troops back across 
 the Tagus, and to distribute the whole in such a 
 manner as that they can be easily subsisted. I think 
 that you might avail yourself of this opportunity to 
 strike your blow at Almaraz. I think that one of your 
 British brigades and two Portuguese brigades, or one- 
 and-a-half British and one strong Portuguese brigade, 
 would do your Imsiness as to the French in that 
 neighbourhood. * * * Make all your preparations 
 in secret for this expedition. I shall watch from 
 hence the course of the enemy's retreat, and will let 
 you know if it should appear to me that you have 
 any thing to fear from any of the divisions of the 
 army of Portugal going near Almaraz. Of course
 
 190 DELAY LETTEll OF SIR R. HILL. Chap. VII. 
 
 you will not march till you shall hear farther from 
 m.e." On the 30th he was directed to be prepared, 
 and by the end of the first week in May would have 
 marched on, but his progress was impeded by the 
 delay arising from the timber supplied being too 
 small for the repair of the bridge at Merida. The 
 work itself was commenced in ample time, and Sir 
 Eowland reported to Lord Wellington that Major 
 Squire and another engineer had been there to 
 make every arrangement. " They remained three 
 days, and returned, saying that all the materials 
 were to be ready on the following Monday. Every 
 assistance required by the engineers was given, and 
 400 men sent to Merida." They had to send for 
 more timber to Badajos, so that a considerable delay 
 arose, giving much uneasiness to all parties ; and Sir 
 Rowland wrote as follows to Lord Wellington : — 
 
 " Almandralejo, May 10. 1812,6 p.m. 
 " My dear Lord, 
 " Last night I received your letter of the 7th. Your 
 Lordship will have been informed before this of our delay, in 
 consequence of the bridge at Merida not being repaired. If, 
 however, we take into consideration the advantage of having 
 given Dickson's ti'ain one day's halt, not more than twenty- 
 four hours wiU have been lost. That, however, may be of 
 consequence, but I trust it will not ; and your Lordship may 
 depend on celerity and exertion when we do start. The en- 
 gineers reported to me three days ago, that the bridge would 
 be ready on the evening of the 12th. I am, however, in 
 hopes it will be passable to-morrow evening, or early on the 
 12th. In either of the latter cases, I will march to-morrow, 
 so as to be able to make a march on the other side of IVIerida 
 by the 12th. At present I am sure no one here has the
 
 Chap. VII. FEINTS. — SCENERY. 101 
 
 least idea of our destination. It is generally supposed that 
 Dickson is coming to this side of the Guadiana with the in- 
 tention of our attackino" Bella Casa. I have the honour to 
 enclose some papers just received. Pcnnc Villemur's account 
 of Soult is rather contradictory. 
 
 " I have, &c. 
 
 " E. Hill. 
 " General the Earl of Wellington, K. B., 
 See. &c. &c." 
 
 On receiving this intelligence Lord Wellington re- 
 marked to Sir Thomas Graham, " I am very much 
 afraid Hill will be late." But on the 13th he heard 
 that Marmont's troops had not yet moved into Estre- 
 madura, and observed, " If this is the case, Hill will 
 be yet» in time." He was in time for his chieftain's 
 project and his own fame. Ere sunset on the 12th 
 all the troops destined for this service had filed over 
 the bridge and assembled in the town. By the 15th 
 he reached Truxillo, and caused skilful feints to be 
 made for deceiving the enemy. Foy was completely 
 taken in, and by the morning of the 16th Sir Row- 
 land was at Jaraicejo. From this place to Almaraz 
 there are two leagues of majestic scenery. The descent 
 from a high ridge to the Tagus has on its right broken 
 masses of wild mountains, and deep beneath their 
 rugged bases lie vales of a fertility and a verdure, 
 mingled with romantic glens, such as Spain alone can 
 exhibit, and which might make her the envy of the 
 world. At Jaraicejo the troops were formed into 
 three columns, and a night march was undertaken 
 with a view to attack at the same instant the bridge 
 of Almaraz, with its forts, the tower of Mirabete,
 
 1 92 DESCENT FROM THE SIERRA. Cila.p. VII. 
 
 and a fortified house in the pass. Never was a 
 movement better arranged ; but the column destined 
 to descend from the Sierra, by the pass of Cueva, on 
 Almaraz, had not come down half way from the 
 rugged mountain ere daylight unveiled its approach ; 
 and the other two found both the Castle of Mirabete 
 and the pass of Mirabete so defended by the enemy 
 that, under the circumstances of the moment, it would 
 have been madness to attack. The only course was 
 to bivouack on the mountain ; and the 17th and 18th 
 were spent in reconnoitring : but there seemed not a 
 ray of hope of forcing the pass, or of discovering a 
 single spot on the wild ridge where artillery could 
 either proceed or be let do^vn. Many a man would 
 have given up the attempt in despair, but the genius 
 of our hero shone forth more conspicuously in the 
 gloom of disappointment. At nine o'clock in the 
 evening of the 19th he led a brigade down the moun- 
 tain by a goat's path, and by the morning's dawn had 
 halted it in concealment on the left bank of the river, 
 about 800 yards from a fort called Xapoleon. By 
 eight the rear came up and the troops were formed ; 
 but the hiUs hid them from the French, who had 
 no conception that tliey were at hand. First 
 there was a feint made upon Mirabete ; and the 
 enemy's soldiers crowded on the parapet of their 
 work to look at this attack. Then rushed the as- 
 sailants in earnest on Fort Xapoleon, which covered 
 the bridge of Ahnaraz. Its defenders never dreamed 
 of an attack till the sight of the ladders, still 
 stained with the blood of Badajos, and the open- 
 ing of the fire, roused them into a sense of their
 
 Chap. VII. SUCCESS AT ALMARAZ. 193 
 
 danger, which they made instant efforts to avert. 
 But they were all in vain : the parapet was soon 
 mounted by the British soldiery ; resistance in the 
 interior was quickly suppressed ; the defenders gave 
 way, and leaving the tower and entrenchment, fled to 
 the tete de pont. Their entrance into this work, and 
 that of their pursuers, were simultaneous. The con- 
 fusion was tremendous ; and all hope of escape being 
 destroyed by the removal of the boats by the first of 
 those who fled, numbers fell into the river and were 
 drowned, while about 250 were taken prisoners. 
 The guns of Fort Xapoleon were soon pointed by the 
 victors against Fort Ragusa, on the other side of the 
 river, and quickly ejected its commandant. Atten- 
 tion was now turned to the passage of the river, and 
 some of them leaped in, swam over, and brought back 
 the boats. Two grenadiers, James Gould and Walter 
 Somerville, led the way ; and their gratified General 
 presented them each with a handsome sum of gold, 
 when they returned with the boats from their perilous 
 adventure. The river was immediately passed. Then 
 followed a rapid destruction of the towers, the stores, 
 the ammunition, and at last of the boats ; and at 
 night the successful troops reascended the Sierra, 
 bearing the enemy's colours in trimnph, and with 
 them more than 250 prisoners, including one com- 
 mandant and sixteen inferior officers. The entire 
 loss of the British amounted to fifteen officers 
 and 162 privates, killed or wounded. One officer 
 perished by the explosion of his ovm mine, designed 
 for the destruction of the tower ; and the brave 
 Captain Chandler, as he was leading his men up the 
 
 o
 
 194 SIR ROWLAND RETIRES. Chap. VII. 
 
 ladders, had his head severed from his body by a 
 cannon shot. 
 
 This rapid and masterly enterprise cut the works 
 of Mirabete off entirely from the right bank of the 
 Tagus, and preparation was made by Sir Rowland 
 Hill to reduce them with his heavy artillery ; but in 
 consequence of a report from Sir William Erskine, 
 that Soult was in Estremadura with his whole army, 
 he obeyed his instructions and retired to Merida, 
 which place he reached on the 26th. It was a 
 groundless alarm, and Mirabete was left unattempted. 
 Major Currie was sent to Lord Wellington with the 
 news, and the colour taken from the enemy. He went 
 afterwards to England with the official despatches, 
 and a recommendation to the Government for his own 
 well-merited promotion. 
 
 General Hill's despatch is already published in the 
 ninth volume of Colonel Gurwood's work. One sen- 
 tence, however, is too characteristic of the writer to 
 be omitted here. Alluding to the diversion against 
 Mirabete by General Cho"wne, he observed, " I regret 
 much that the peculiar situation of Mirabete, should 
 have prevented my allowing the gallant corps under 
 his orders to follow up an operation which they had 
 commenced with much spirit, and were so anxious to 
 complete ; hut the possession of these forts would not 
 have made amends for the valuable blood which must 
 have been shed in taking them^ This was the spirit 
 of Hill : the comforts of his men and their lives were 
 as dear to him as his own. Lord Wellington, with 
 his pecuhar keenness, marked some parts of this de- 
 spatch not to be published, feeling convinced that tlie 
 
 I
 
 CuAP. VII. LETTER TO LORD WELLINGTON. VJ3 
 
 French themselves would evacuate ^lirahete, unless 
 they imagined that the British entertained a formid- 
 able opinion of its strength. As soon as Sir Kowlund 
 arrived at Merida he wrote to Lord Wellina-ton : — 
 
 " My clear Lord, "Merida, May 26. 1812. 
 
 " I arrived liere about an hour ago, and liad the pleasure 
 to receive your Lordship's letter of the 23d, for which I l^eg 
 you to accept my best thanks. Sir W. Erskine's information, 
 which I received when I was on the bridge at Almaraz, cer- 
 tainly made me a little anxious to get out of the difficult 
 country I was in at that moment. I did not, however, move 
 from thence until the morning of the 20th, consequently had 
 nearly twenty-four hours to destroy the place. I eerily be- 
 lieve that the destruction of every thing was completely 
 effected in every respect, with the exception of the parapets of 
 the redoubts, which were not entirely levelled. The guns 
 were rendered useless by firing one against the other, and 
 were afterwards thrown into the deepest part of the river ; 
 the masonry towers were entirely levelled, and every piece 
 of timber connected with the works, buildings, and bridge 
 was totally consumed, — indeed, I do not think there was a 
 single thing left that could be of any service to the enemy. 
 
 " With respect to Mirabete, I certainly should have been 
 very glad to have got hold of the jilacc, but it appeared im- 
 possible to get guns to bear upon it in any reasona])lc time, 
 and to have attempted to assault it would in all pn)bability 
 have cost us very dear indeed. I at one time had an idia of 
 blockading Mirabete, but ascertaining they had provisions in 
 the place for six weeks I did not think it was right for nic 
 to delay my return, particularly as Foy and Drouct b..th 
 appeared to be in motion. 
 
 " I feel much obliged to your Lordship tor yuur intention 
 of sending Major Currie to England. I fear you will have con- 
 sidered my official report too long. If any apol.)gy is neces- 
 sary on the occasion, it is to be found in the conduct of those 
 whose merit I thought it my duty to bring to your notice, 
 
 o 2
 
 196 WAY OPENED INTO SPAIN. Chap. VII 
 
 aware that I could offer no greater stimulus to their future 
 exertions. 
 
 " I have, &c., 
 
 " R. Hill. 
 *' General the Earl of Wellington, K.B., 
 " &c. &c. &c." 
 
 No man was ever more anxious than Sir Rowland 
 Hill to do justice to those under his command; and 
 Lord Wellington on this occasion expressed his con- 
 currence in all he said in their praise, while his o^vn 
 share in the exploit called forth new admiration, and 
 opened the way into Spain.
 
 197 
 
 CHAPTER VIIL 
 
 MAJOR CURRIE AT HEAD-QUARTERS. HIS LETTERS TO SIR ROW- 
 LAND HILL. — RECEPTION OF THE NEWS FROM ALMARAZ IN 
 
 ENGLAND. THE GUERILLAS. — LETTER OF JOSEPH BONAPARTE 
 
 TO DROUET. — SIR RO^VLAND HILL PREPARED. SIR ROWLAND 
 
 ARRIVES AT ALBUERA. HIS CAUTION AND JUDGMENT. — LET- 
 TERS TO LORD AVELLINGTON. HIS LORDSHIP's WISHES ANTI- 
 CIPATED. ZAFRA — PRUDENT CONSIDERATIONS. LORD "WEL- 
 LINGTON ENTERS MADRID. SOULT ALARMED. MOVEMENTS OP 
 
 THE FRENCH. SIR ROWLAND CROSSES THE TAGUS. EXAMINA- 
 TION OF MIRABETE. LETTER FROM CARPIO. GENERAL ALTEN. 
 
 SIR RO^VLAND " WELL POSTED TO STOP KING JOE." 
 
 ARAVACA. — SIR ROWLAND MARCHES TO JOIN LORD WELLINGTON. 
 REPORTS. SIR ROWLAND REACHES THE PLAINS OF OLD CAS- 
 TILE. CLOSE COJOIUNICATION WITH LORD WELLINGTON. SIR 
 
 ROWLAND ELECTED MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FOR SHREWSBURY. 
 
 ROLLEDA. — CORIA. — WINTER QUARTERS. 
 
 Major Currie was received at head-quarters with a 
 hearty welcome, as the messenger of the tidings from 
 Almaraz. His own letter to Sir Rowland Hill will 
 convey the best idea of the impression made by the 
 services he had to report. 
 
 " My dear Sir, " Fuente Guinaldo, May 23. 1812. 
 
 " I arrived here at five o'clock yesterday afternoon, after 
 very great fatigue and exertion. Lord Wellington expressed 
 the greatest joy and satisfaction at what had been done: in a 
 word, he seems fully to appreciate the merits of the troops 
 and every body connected with the expedition. Foy, he says, 
 has been prettily humbugged, and must now go round by 
 Toledo. When I mentioned our small loss, and the extent of 
 the enemy's establishments at Almaraz, he said, ' Yes, Hill has 
 
 o 3
 
 198 LETTERS OF MAJOR CURRIE. Chap. VIII. 
 
 done It well and ably: and I will send you to England; it will 
 give you a step.' From letters wliich he received last night 
 from Sir W. Erskine, and which he did not seem altogether 
 pleased with, he said, ' he was afraid you would be hiuTied 
 back to stop Drouet before you had completed the destruction 
 
 of every thing at Almaraz.' 
 
 * * * * * ' * 
 
 " Half-past nine o'clock. Lord W. has just rejoeated before 
 his staff that he will send me to England, and that I had 
 better stop here until the arrival of your despatch. The 
 Marshal and every body offer a thousand congratulations ; 
 and they are known to attach a great deal of consequence to 
 your late services, and particularly to the manner in which, 
 according to Lord W.'s own words, things have been uniformly 
 managed. 
 
 "I have no time to say a word more, as the post is just 
 going off, and I waited till the last moment for his Lordship's 
 commands. Ten thousand thanks for the very kind and con- 
 siderate manner in which you have put me in a fair way of 
 promotion. I can never forget your brother's kindness 
 neither. My dear Sir, 
 
 " Ever yours most faithfully, 
 
 " E. CURRIE. 
 
 " p. S. Lord W. asked me how I thought the garrison 
 of Mirabete would get away. Could it not be starved out ? and 
 would it not have been well to have left something to blockade 
 it ? I mentioned the Guerilla force in the neighbovuhood." 
 
 From Niza, on his way to England, ]\Iajor Currie 
 wrote again, — 
 
 " My dear Sir, . " Niza, May 28. 181 2, 5 o'clock p. m. 
 
 " Yesterday, after dinner. Lord Wellington took me on one 
 side, and told me that he had received your despatch, and that 
 every thing had been done that he could possibly have wished 
 for, and that too in the most able manner. He had just 
 received the account of Mr. Perceval's untimely end, and 
 appeared happy that he had something to send home to
 
 Chap. VIII. APPROBATION OF THE PRINCE REGENT. 199 
 
 occupy the public mind. He added, however, that it was 
 necessary to make the most of every thing in England, and 
 that he would not send off the despatch before Friday or 
 Saturday, in hopes of hearing something satisfactory respect- 
 ing Mirabete. 
 
 " The despatches are to be sent to me, open, at Mr. Stewart's ; 
 and his Lordship has cautioned me against the unfair ques- 
 tions which are put to people who go home in my situation. 
 I left head-quarters last night at seven o'clock, and arrived 
 here an hour ago (26 leagues). I am consequently very 
 much fatigued, and am going to rest for a few hours before 
 I set out for Gaviao. Your horse I have just seen ; he looks 
 as sleek and as fat as ever ; and a Mr. Commissary Griffiths 
 will deliver him to you about the 2d or 3d of June. 
 
 "I am not able to write to Clement for your commissions 
 in London. In haste, my dear Sir, 
 
 *' Your ever faithful servant, 
 
 "E. CURRIE. 
 
 " P. S. I presume Lord W. rested his hopes of the fall of 
 Mirabete upon what you stated in your despatch, for I never 
 held out any such expectation to his Lordship. I said last 
 night that I trusted my verbal report corresponded with your 
 despatch in all the essential points ; and he said, ' Most per- 
 fectly so.' " 
 
 The reception of the news of this victory in Eng- 
 land was highly flattering to Sir Rowland Hill, as 
 were the commendations of the Prince Regent, the 
 Commander-in-Chief, and the Government. Lord 
 Bathurst's letter to Lord Wellington contained the 
 following direction: — " Your Lordship will have the 
 goodness to take the earliest opportunity of conveying 
 to Sir Rowland Hill his Royal Highness's approbation 
 of the distinguished skill, decision, and vigour dis- 
 played by Sir Rowland Hill on this occasion, and of 
 
 o 4
 
 200 GUERILLAS. Chap. VIII. 
 
 the firmness and intrepidity so eminently manifested 
 in the reduction of the redoubt of Fort Napoleon by 
 Major-General Howard, and the officers and troops 
 under his command. I am commanded by his Royal 
 Highness to mark his satisfaction of the loss of officers 
 and men being, comparatively speaking, so small, more 
 especially as it appears that it is in a great measure 
 owing to the judicious arrangements made by Sir 
 Eowland Hill previous to his making the attack." 
 The Spanish and Portuguese authorities, the latter of 
 which had conferred on him the Grand Cross of the 
 Tower and Sword a few months previously, also 
 expressed their admiration and gratitude. 
 
 This event at Almaraz put all the hostile army 
 in motion. On the 25th Foy was at Truxillo, and 
 sent a captain, named Guingret, mth letters and 
 money for the prisoners. In his letter to Sir Rowland, 
 there is a passage which shows how annoyed the 
 French were by the Guerillas. He wrote, — " M. le 
 Capitaine Guingret se rend aux avant-postes de 
 I'armee Anglaise avec 50 chevaux. Je lui ai donne 
 une escorte si considerable contre I'usage etabli pour 
 les parlementaires, parce-qu'il pourrait rencontrer en 
 chemin des partis Espagnols peu familiarises avec les 
 coutumes et les lois de la guerre." Foy's design was 
 to succour Mirabete ; and he was vigilantly watched 
 by Hill, whose consummate prudence, with regard to 
 him, appears in his communication from Merida, on 
 the 28th of May, to Lord WeUington. He says, " I 
 am inclined to think Foy will not remain long where 
 he is. The enclosed Spanish paper, written by an 
 intelHgent man in observation, confirms my opinion
 
 Chap. VIII. LETTER OF JOSEril BONAPARTE. 201 
 
 respecting Foy's intention to return to the other side 
 of the Tagus by Arzobispo. I am also inclined to 
 think the enemy will abandon Mirabete. I could 
 easily oblige Foy to go off from Truxillo, but under 
 present circumstances I do not think it would be 
 advisable for me to go so far to my left ; and on the 
 other hand, adverting to Foy's situation, I do not like 
 to take all my force so far to the right as Mmandralejo. 
 Therefore, for a day or two, I Avill halt here, which 
 will give my troops a little rest, and time to mend 
 their shoes, &c. ; and in the mean while, probably, I 
 shall hear from your Lordship." Lord Wellington 
 did not answer this letter, " thinking it probable that 
 Foy would move off again immediately," and gave 
 this as a reason for not writing. Foy retired, but 
 Drouet was at hand with instructions, if strong 
 enough, to cut his way through Hill, to cross the 
 Tagus, and to occupy Foy's position. This became 
 known to Lord Wellington by means of an inter- 
 cepted letter from Joseph to Drouet, a copy of which 
 was immediately forwarded to Sir Rowland. 
 
 " M. le Comte D'Erlon, " Madrid, 31 Mai, 1812. 
 
 " Vouz auriez su la marclie du corps du General Hill sur 
 Almaraz, et sa retraite au-dela de Truxillo, ou le General 
 Foy etait encore le 26'"'^ Mai. 
 
 " Le Due de Raguse me mande qu'll parait hors de doute 
 que le mouvement de I'armee Anglaise se proniena vers le 
 Nord, ainsi il rappelle a lui la division Foy. 
 
 " Si vous etes assez fort pour combattre Hill, marcliez-lui 
 sur le coi-ps, et venez passer le Tage au front de I'Arzobispo. 
 Si vous ne vous jugez pas en etat de le battre, accompagnez- 
 le sur la rive gauche. 
 
 " Si le General Hill vous evite, et va passer le Tage, soit
 
 202 VARIOUS CANTOmiENTS. Chap. VIII. 
 
 a Alcantara, soit a INIecas, pour joindre Lord Wellington, 
 prenez, sans liesiter, la route la plus courte sur I'Arzobispo, 
 et passez le Tage. 
 
 " Instruisez-moi de votre marche, et pensez. Monsieur le 
 Comte, que de I'execution de ces dispositions depend le sort 
 des aflfaires en Espagne. 
 
 M. le Due de Dalmatie en est instrult, mais dans tons les 
 cas n'attendez pas ses ordres pour vous confirmer a ces dispo- 
 sitions. 
 
 " Votre aiFectionne, 
 
 " Joseph." 
 
 Drouet's designs gave little alarm to our General, 
 wlio observed to Lord Wellington on the 3d of June, 
 " If Drouet is not supported it will not be difficult for 
 me to disturb him in his present position, and pro- 
 bably to destroy some of his magazines and fortified 
 posts. On the other hand," he added, with his 
 usual caution, " if Soult keeps within reach of him, 
 it will not probably be advisable for me to adventure 
 far." Li a postscript to the letter, from which this is 
 an extract, he further developed his plans : — " Two 
 deserters are come in from Drouet's corps, stating that 
 the enemy are about to advance. I cannot,- however, 
 tliink it likely ; nevertheless I shall be prepared, and 
 have my corps collected in the following canton- 
 ments : — Almandralejo, Ribera, Y. Franca, Fuente del 
 Maestre, Los Santos, Penne Yillemur at Zafra." On 
 the 4th intelligence was brought that IMirabete had 
 been relieved with about 300 men, and that the pea- 
 sants were engaged in carrying water up to the fort. 
 By the 7th he had moved his head-quarters to Fuente 
 del Maestre, where he received instructions to occupy 
 the position of Albuera in the first instance, if Soult
 
 CuAP. VIII. DROUET REINFORCED. 203 
 
 should move into Estremadura in force. This Lord 
 Wellington thought it probable he would do, with a 
 view to move upon Sir Rowland as soon as his Lord- 
 ship's own march was known; and he accordingly 
 supplied reinforcements, with which Sir Eowland 
 advanced to Zafra when Drouet fell back. Penne 
 Villemur's horse were detached from Llerena on the 
 right flank, and General Slade, with some British 
 cavalry from Llera, on the left. " The Count," says 
 Sir Rowland Hill, in his report to Lord Wellington, 
 " having expressed a wish to make a reconnoissance 
 from Llerena towards Azuaga, with a view of in- 
 ducing the enemy to retire, in order that he might 
 establish his advanced posts at those places, and re- 
 questing me to cover his left, I ordered General Slade 
 to advance for that purpose by Llera, with instruc- 
 tions in writing not to commit himself in any affair 
 of consequence, and to keep in constant communi- 
 cation with the Count." Lallemand happening to 
 come forward with some horse, Slade, contrary to 
 instructions, dashed furiously at them, and having 
 gained a slight advantage, pursued them through a 
 pass into a plain, where the hostile reserves made him 
 pay dearly for his well-meant indiscretion. Lieute- 
 nant Strenuwitz, however, effected the recovery of 
 some of the prisoners, under the direction of Sir 
 Rowland Hill. 
 
 Soult having reinforced Drouet, Sir Rowland retired 
 on the 18th of June, and took up his position at Albuera, 
 where the bones of many a fallen soldier were seen still 
 bleaching in the sun. The opposing armies now gazed
 
 204 DISCRETION OF SIR ROWLAND. Chap. VIII. 
 
 on each other, as if pondering which should give the first 
 blow. The English and French generals had both been 
 directed to use their o^vn judgment ; and Sir Rowland 
 Hill exercised a discretion which proved that he could 
 calculate and refrain as well as dare and achieve. He 
 seriously weighed all the circumstances of the case, 
 and particularly their effects on the ulterior projects 
 of Lord Wellington, to whom he sent a masterly letter, 
 written on the 25 th of June in the wood near Al- 
 buera, where he had posted his men, quite prepared 
 for an attack if deemed expedient. Lord Wellington 
 replied on the 28th, " Fall upon the enemy if you can 
 with advantage. I should prefer a partial affair to a 
 general one ; but risk a general affair, keeping always 
 a very large body in reserve, particularly of cavalry, 
 rather than allow Drouet to remain in possession of 
 Estremadura and keep you in check." On the receipt 
 of this letter Sir Rowland proposed at once to ad- 
 vance against the enemy on the 2d of July. The 
 French made a strong reconnoissance on the 1st, and 
 drove in his outposts. The Conde de Penne Villemur 
 was rather rash with his cavalry, and would have 
 been overpowered, had not he been supported by a 
 squadron of the 3d Dragoon Guards. Sir Rowland's 
 subsequent movements are described in a letter to 
 Lord Wellington after he left Albuera. 
 
 " My dCcar Lord, " Los Santos, July 4. 1812, 9 p. m. 
 
 " Early in the morning of the 2d I marched from the 
 
 camp at Albuei'a to Santa Martha, where I learnt that Drouet 
 
 had the main part of his army collected at Villa Franca and 
 
 Fuente del Maestre, occupying Azauchal, Villa Alba, and
 
 Chap. VIII. LETTER TO LORD WELLINGTON. 205 
 
 Almandralejo with the greater part of his cavahy. Yesterday 
 morning I moved forward towards Feria in two columns, the 
 right and principal column marching by the great road near 
 the mountain ; the left, under Sir W. Erskine, consisting of the 
 light cavalry and horse artillery, and one brigade of British 
 and one of Portuguese infantry, marched upon Azauchal 
 and Villa Alba, at which place he fell in with three regiments 
 of the enemy's cavalry, and after skirmishing with their rear 
 guard, they fell back into the plain towards Villa Franca, 
 where they remained till dark. In this affair Sir William 
 took four prisoners and killed seven horses, and wounded a 
 few men ; our loss being one man of the Hussai's killed. 
 
 " This morning I found the enemy occupied a strong post 
 near Fuente del Maestre, with General Barrois's division of 
 infantry, and having the whole of his cavalry in the plain; I 
 therefore determined to make a march upon this place by the 
 great road, which had the immediate effect of making the 
 enemy abandon Fuente del Maestre. Drouet's infantry at 
 the same time retired from Villa Franca, taking the road 
 through Ribera. I was on a height about a league and a half 
 from Villa Franca; at sunset I saw the whole in march. I 
 shall move forward in the morning. Several deserters have 
 come in : I think we cannot have had less than thirty in the 
 course of the last week. 
 
 " I have, &c. 
 
 « R. Hill. 
 
 " General the Earl of Wellington, K.B., 
 « &c. &c. &c." 
 
 At daylight the next morning he marched in two 
 columns, the right upon Usagre, and the left on 
 Bienvenida. Soult remained at Usagre until he came 
 up ; and he saw him pass about three o'clock. On 
 the 9th Sir Rowland was at Llerena, whence he de- 
 spatched an interesting and important communication 
 to Lord Wellington.
 
 206 LETTER TO LORD WELLINGTON. Chap. VIII. 
 
 " My dear Lord, " Llerena, 9th July, 1812, 9 a. m. 
 
 " Yesterday a courier arrived from Cadiz with a despatch 
 for your Lordship from Mr. Wellesley, dated the 2d instant. 
 Mr. W. was good enough to leave the despatch open for my 
 perusal, with a request that the courier should not be de- 
 tained. He accordingly set out about three yesterday even- 
 ing. I think it likely, however, that he will not reach your 
 head-quarters so soon as this letter ; I therefore beg to men- 
 tion to you that the principal contents of the despatch were 
 respecting Ballesteros. It appears that he was near Gibraltar, 
 with about 400 cavalry and 5000 infantry, and that he did 
 not consider himself in sufficient force to make a diversion 
 upon Seville, but that he would make some movements which 
 would have the same effect, of drawing the enemy's attention 
 from Estremadura. It also appears that the Regency had 
 prepared to embark Ballesteros, and send him and his troops 
 round by Ayamonte. Mr. W. did not think this measure 
 advisable, and Ballesteros remains near Gibraltar. 
 
 " Mr. W. sends intelligence from Seville, which agrees 
 with what I had received. He also sends two intercepted 
 letters from Soidt to the Fi'ench Government, the most in- 
 teresting part of which is in cyiiher. Your Lordship will of 
 course have received the intercepted letter of Joseph to 
 Drouet, a copy of which I send. The intelligence I have 
 received of the enemy's movements of the last ten days, indi- 
 cates his intention of carrying Joseph's instructions into exe- 
 cution. I have officers in observation at different points, and 
 expect hourly more positive information on this head, and 
 shall act accordingly, keeping a look-out towards Cordova and 
 Seville, as it appears to me that Ballesteros, in his present 
 weak state, will not be sufficient to prevent Soult from send- 
 ing considerable reinforcements to this quarter, should he feel 
 inclined. 
 
 " I have, &c. 
 
 «R. Hill. 
 
 " P. S. I have just received intelligence, which I believe to 
 be true, that Drouet was yesterday Avith his head-quarters at
 
 Chap. VIII. THE FRENCH DO NOT MOVE. 207 
 
 Zalamea, with the main body, having sent some troops by 
 Berlanga and Assuagar. I shall move immediately in the 
 direction of Zalamea. 
 
 " General the Earl of Wellington, K.B., 
 '* &c. &c. &c." 
 
 Lord Wellington replied in the following terms : — 
 
 "My dear Hill, "Rueda, July 13. 1812, 1 p.m. 
 
 " I have received your letter of the 9th inst., 9 a.m., and 
 you'll have observed from my letter of yesterday that I had 
 anticipated the report expected from you, that Drouet would 
 march in this direction. The King, from accounts received 
 last night, appears to be collecting a large force at Madrid, 
 particularly in cavalry ; and I am apprehensive after all the 
 enemy will be too strong for us. But we'll see. 
 " Don't let any time be unnecessarily lost. 
 
 " Ever yours most sincerely, 
 
 " Wellington. 
 
 " Lieut.-General Sir Rowland Hill, K.B." 
 
 The French, however, did not move ; and Sir Row- 
 land Hill apprised Lord Wellington that he thought 
 Drouet would retire into the mountains if pursued, 
 and that it did not seem advisable to go further for- 
 ward. He also stated that he had obliged Soult to 
 withdraw his cavalry from Berlanga, and two other 
 places which were occupied by the British advanced 
 posts, while the principal part of the infantry were 
 cantoned in Llerena. When Lord Wellington heard 
 that the enemy were not carr}dng into eiFect Joseph's 
 orders to cross the Tagus, he expressed to Sir Row- 
 land his hope that he had not detached the troops 
 according to previous directions ; the answer to which 
 was, that the steps taken were in entire accordance
 
 208 LETTER OF SIR ROWLAND. Chap. VIII. 
 
 with his expectation. Sir Eowland's next position 
 was at Zafra, where he moved in consequence of in- 
 telligence contained in three intercepted letters, that 
 he might be in a better condition to act if attempts 
 should be made to carry Joseph's instructions into 
 effect. 
 
 The letter he wrote to Hawkstone from Zafra 
 describes his anxieties at this time, and shows his 
 readiness to oblige a courteous enemy : — 
 
 « My dear Sister, " Zafra, July 28. 1812. 
 
 " I thank you for your letters which you have been kind 
 enough to write me. I hope Clement keeps you informed of 
 what is passing in Estremadura ; if he does, you will see we 
 are not idle in this quarter. At this moment we are anxious 
 to know what is going on with Lord Wellington's main army. 
 We have not heard from thence for these last four days, and 
 when the accounts came away the two araiies were pretty 
 near each other. During the oiDerations in the North, Soult 
 is givino- us all the trouble he can. He has reinforced the 
 Count d'Erlon's corps ; and there is seldom a day we do not 
 see some of his troops. Four days ago my cavalry gained an 
 advantag;e over some of his. I think he must have lost about 
 forty ; our loss not more than eight or ten. 
 
 " The accompanying letter is from the first aid-de-camp of 
 Count d'Erlon, Colonel Salaignac, to his brother, who is a 
 prisoner at Whitchurch. Will you have the goodness to send 
 him the letter ; and if he wishes to send an answer back, I 
 will forward it to Count d'Erlon's head- quarters. Colonel 
 Salaignac is reckoned a veiy good sort of man, and liked by 
 the Spaniards much better than Frenchmen in general are. 
 He has shown great attention to some of our prisoners; and I 
 should have no objection to show some little attention to his 
 brother, if circumstances would admit of it. I have had a 
 letter from Monsieur Salaignac, by which I see he writes and 
 understands English perfectly well. It appears by the papers, 
 that some of the French prisoners in England have behaved
 
 CuAP. VIII. REASONS FOR NOT ATTAfKIN'f; DIIorF.T. 209 
 
 very ill ; I therefore coiicIikIc Siilal^niac and (.tlR-rs at Whit- 
 church are pretty closely watched: I will, hnwcver, I'orwanl 
 a letter for him if he wishes it. Kind rcnieinhrance to all. 
 
 " Yours ever, 
 
 "K. ur 
 
 From Zafra he moved to ^'illa Franca, where lie 
 received from Lord Wellington the intelligence of liis 
 victory over Marmont at Salamanca. On this success 
 he offered the victor his congratulations, while he 
 pursued his o^^m course with consunnnatc prudence 
 and skill. 
 
 Drouet occupied the whole length of the Sierra near 
 Hornachos, an exceedingly strong post ; and Sir liow- 
 land thus expressed his reasons to Lord Wellington, 
 for not attempting to drive him from it: — " Consider- 
 ing," he said, " that the enemy's force does not at 
 present appear to be such as ought to keep me in 
 check, I have felt anxious to dislodge them from this 
 line ; but there are objections to so doing which have 
 hitherto prevented my making any movement with that 
 view. I do not think it would be advisable to make a for- 
 ward movement without taking into consideration the 
 prospect of my being able to hold the country I should 
 gain ; and the enemy having already some force on the 
 hio-h Seville road, with 3000 or 4000 men in Seville, and 
 which might at any time threaten my right and rear, 
 this would be very doubtful. The enemy has a re- 
 treat open to him either on La .Alancha or Cordova, 
 so that I could not, by moving round either flank of 
 the Sierra, hope to cut him off, or even to distress him, 
 if he chooses to fall back; nor am 1 >uiricicntly i«si- 
 tive as to his actual force to feel certain, in the event 
 
 r
 
 210 LETTEIl OF SIR ROWLAND. Chap. VIII. 
 
 of taking up a favouraljle position, that I should be 
 able to gain any important advantage over him. 
 Therefore, for the present, I propose keeping the troops 
 in cantonments, with as much reference as possible to 
 their health and convenience, and shall watch for a 
 favourable opportunity of acting. The Count D'Erlon's 
 head-quarters being at Hornachos would rather indi- 
 cate a forward movement on their part, and I shall be 
 prepared accordingly. I am disposed to think, how- 
 ever, he has no such intention^ but that his object is 
 only to keep us in view." In the same letter he gave 
 an account of a little skirmish between the outposts. 
 A few days previously he had reported what Lord 
 Wellington called " a very handsome aifair " with the 
 enemy's horse, on the 24th of July, by the division of 
 cavalry under Sir W. Erskine. His time was so fully 
 occupied that he had little leisure to write to his re- 
 latives in England ; but this brief note from Zafra 
 contains much in a few words : — 
 
 " My dear Sister, " Zafra, Aug. 4. 1812. 
 
 " I wrote the accompanying letter last post-day; but owing 
 to my being obliged to go out in a hurry, the letter was not 
 sent. It is of little moment whether you receive it or not ; it 
 shall, however, go by this day's post. Since I wrote it we 
 have received accounts of the defeat of Marmont's army near 
 Salamanca. It has been a most glorious event, and I trust 
 its consequences will be most advantageous to the cause. It 
 appears, however, to have had very little effect on my im- 
 mediate opponents. Count D'Erlon continues in a strong 
 situation In my front, and Soult remains at Seville with about 
 4000, and more at no great distance ready to move upon me 
 should I follow Drouet. Therefore for the present I shall 
 remain where I am, and watch for a ftivourable oj^portunlty 
 of acting. Lord Wellington still continues advancing; and
 
 Chap. Vlir. llErORT TO LORD \VKhLlX(/ro.\. 'J 1 1 
 
 if he is able to keep his forward position, Soult will be onhrcil 
 to reinforce the King. Indeed, I tliink Suult must quit tliis 
 part of the country entirely if matters do not mend with them. 
 Every thing looks well at i)resent. The last accounts from 
 the North of Europe are of the greatest consequence to us. 
 
 " Yours ever most affeetionatelv, 
 
 "K. illLL. 
 
 " Clement Avrites a letter by this post : you will consider 
 this as a mere memoraiidinn." 
 
 The movements of Drouet were still closely watclied 
 by Sir Rowland, and regularly reported to head- 
 quarters. 
 
 " My dear Lord, " Zafra, Aug. 12. (noon) 1812. 
 
 " Di'ouet has withdrawn his troops from Guerena; but lie 
 still occupies Hornachos, keeping the troops and l)aggage out 
 of the town every night. I hope your Lordship has received 
 the intercepted letter I sent on the 8th, from Drouet to Jour- 
 dan, by which we see that on the 6th the former had rcceiveil 
 no official account of INIarmont's defeat. AVe also see that 
 Soult expected the King in Andalusia. The late glorious 
 event must, however, frustrate all his intentions. Your Lord- 
 ship will see by your returns that we continue very healthy. 
 There w^as a little fever in the oOtli. I have in consequence 
 moved that regiment to Feira, which is reckoned a rcmarkalily 
 healthy place. 
 
 " I have, &c. 
 
 «K. IIii.i.. 
 
 " P. S. I have not heard from Seville or Rallcsteros since 
 my last. 
 
 " General the Earl of "Wellington, K.15., 
 « &c. &c. &c." 
 
 On the 13th Lord AVellington entered the capital of 
 Spain, welcomed by tears of joy as the IViend of the 
 
 p 2
 
 212 LORD WELLINGTON AT MADRID. Chap. VIII. 
 
 oppressed inhabitants, who hailed him as their de- 
 liverer ; but they were so dispirited by their sufferings, 
 that no heart remained in them for tumultuous exul- 
 tation. From this scene of one of the purest triumphs 
 ever resulting from arms, his active mind took a sur- 
 vey of the whole condition of the afflicted country. 
 He first directed the blockade of Cadiz to be raised, 
 expecting this would enable him to relieve Ballesteros 
 and Sir Rowland Hill. Soon after, in consequence of 
 the retreat of Joseph into Valencia, and the certainty 
 that it was not intended to join the troops under 
 Drouet to the army of the centre, while reinforce- 
 ments under General Maitland had landed at Alicante, 
 he ordered Sir Rowland to move on Drouet, to drive 
 him out of Estremadura, if possible, and to threaten 
 to enter Andalusia. At the time of receiving these 
 instructions Sir Rowland informed his friends pri- 
 vately, " Soult is evidently a good deal alarmed, and 
 is certainly about to move, and it is generally sup- 
 posed he will retire by Granada. We are ready for a 
 start whenever the period shall arrive for us to ad- 
 vance." On the 19th the enemy made a strong 
 reconnoissance with nearly the whole of his cavalry, 
 but only drove in some picquets, and then retired at 
 a trot towards Llerena. Sir Rowland observed to 
 Lord Wellington, that his own proceedings ought to 
 depend, in a great degree, on those of Soult. " If," he 
 said, " Soult gets rid of his encumbrances, and re- 
 mains at or near Seville in force, it will not, I should 
 think, be advisable for me to follow Drouet far. I 
 shall, however, give him every annoyance I can, and 
 if circumstances permit I shall make a direct move-
 
 Chap. VIII NEW MOVEMENT. 2 1 3 
 
 ment upon him to-morrow.* It was my iiitciitioii 
 to have surprised the post of Plornachos, l)Ht I iind tlie 
 troops which are there in the day, march out and bi- 
 vouack at least one league from the to^vn on the road. 
 Therefore to have attempted to have surprised that 
 place would, in my mind, have harassed my troops, 
 and have been attended Avitli no advantage." Jlis 
 further movements are thus detailed in a letter to 
 England, dated Berlanga, August 31st : — "(in the 
 27th my corps broke up from its cantonments at 
 Zafra, and reached Assuaga and this place yesterday. 
 The Count D'Erlon has evacuated Estremadura, and 
 is in full march upon Cordova, at which place there is 
 every appearance of a general union of the army of 
 the South. I propose making an immediate move- 
 ment to my left to the Guadiana, from which point 
 I shall be in the way to make a movement to the 
 Tagus, should it be necessary to form a junction with 
 Lord AYellington. The joy of the people at this 
 moment is great indeed, and I trust it will have the 
 best effect." By a letter of the same date, sent by a 
 trusty peasant in duplicate on account of the slowness 
 and uncertainty of the post, he acquainted Lord A^'el- 
 lington that Soult, with his whole army, was making 
 " a rapid and decided movement upon Cordova, with 
 a view, probably, of uniting vritli the King." He there- 
 fore proceeded towards Medellin, Truxillo, and Al- 
 maraz, where he crossed the Tagus. As he passed 
 the famous fortress of Mirabete, now evacuated by the 
 French, he had the satisfaction to find that it wouM 
 
 • August 26th. 
 r .3
 
 214 STRENGTH OF MIRABETE. Cuap. VIII. 
 
 have been impossible to have escaladecl it, for besides 
 the outworks, it consisted of an enormous circular 
 tower, the door of which was half-way up, entirely 
 beyond the reach of any ladder. " Hill's corps," said 
 the great commander of the army, now deservedly 
 raised to the rank of Marquis, " will soon be across 
 the Tagus, and 1 shall have the whole army together, 
 or in close communication. The blockade of Cadiz is 
 raised, Seville evacuated, and Soult retiring through 
 Andalusia." Sir Rowland moved on by Naval Moral, 
 Oropesa, and Talavera, and Major-General Charles 
 Alten was placed under his command. On his route 
 hs despatched the follomng account to Hawkstone : — 
 
 " My dear Sister, " Carpio, Sept. 28. 1812, 
 
 " Soult left Granada on the 15tb, and Ballesteros entered 
 it on the 17th. Soult has taken the direction of Guadin to 
 Caravaca. Before evacuating Granada and Jaen, the works 
 and guns were destroyed by the French. Joseph is stiU at 
 Valencia, but it is said he is going oif to France. The castle 
 of Consuegra has surrendered to General Elio. It was an 
 important post for the enemy to occupy; and if it had not 
 fallen I should have attacked it. The whole of my corps is 
 on its march towards Toledo and Aranjuez : the head of my 
 column will be at the former town to-morrow. 
 
 " The enemy has evacuated the town of Burgos, and Lord 
 WeUington has carried some of the out- works before the place ; 
 the castle, however, still holds out. Tom is at Burgos ; he 
 was quite well a few days ago, since the storming of the fort 
 at Burgos. I thank you for your letter of the 25th of last 
 month. Kind remembrances to all. 
 
 " Yours most affectionately, 
 
 «R. H." 
 
 He reached Toledo at the time he expected, and re- 
 ceived a report from General Alten, who wrote as 
 follows : • —
 
 Chap. VIII. LETTER OF GENERAL ALTEN. 215 
 
 " My dear General, " Madrid, Sept. 29. 1812. 
 
 " I have the honour to transmit to you the enclosed, received 
 from Don Carlos d'Espana, and from a gentleman who has 
 been long employed by the Marquis of Wellington for the 
 pux'pose of obtaining information. I also received yesterday, 
 from an officer of the 1st Hussars, whom I had sent in front, 
 a letter dated Genesta, 25th instant, informing me that on the 
 23d instant King Joseph and Suchet had joined at Almanza, 
 after having made some demonstrations towards Alicante, and 
 on the 24th had advanced as far as Villar and Bonete towai'ds 
 Albacete. This officer also says that the advanced guard of 
 Marshal Soult was, on the 14th instant, at Hellin, and that 
 it was expected he would form a junction with Suchet on the 
 27th or 28th instant. I have the honour to be, 
 
 " My dear Genei\al, 
 " Your very obedient and faithful servant, 
 
 " Chas. Alten, M.-General. 
 
 « Lieut.-General Sir R. Hill, KB. &c., &c." 
 
 The same information was sent to head-quarters, 
 but Lord Wellington remarked on it to Sir Rowland, 
 " The movements and intentions of Soult and the 
 King do not yet appear to me to be quite clear." He 
 also expressed his fears of not being able to take the 
 castle of Burgos. 
 
 Sir Rowland's own impressions were given as usual 
 in his family correspondence. He said, in writing on 
 the 12th from Aranjuez, where he had advanced from 
 Toledo, " The castle of Burgos vfas not taken when 
 the last accounts came away. Lord Wellington tells 
 me it is the most difficult job he ever had in hand. 
 Tom has his share of the fatigue, and was quite well 
 when I heard from him on the 6th. In my last I 
 told you that the armies of Joseph, Soult, and Suchet 
 were united in Murcia and Valencia ; they have ap- 
 
 1' 4
 
 216 SIR ROWLAND AT AR.\Js^JUEZ. Cuap. VIII. 
 
 proached a little nearer to Madrid, their advance 
 being at Albacete. If tliey do advance upon Madrid 
 I think they will run great risks, though at the same 
 time it does not seem very unlikely that they 
 may attempt it, either with the view of bringing 
 Lord Wellington back from Burgos, or in hopes of 
 getting hold of the capital again. If these three 
 armies do not advance with tlieir whole force they 
 can do nothing ; and if they do bring the whole they 
 must abandon their possessions in Valencia, and will 
 be followed by General Maitland, who is at Alicante, 
 and Ballesteros, who is coming up by Granada from 
 Seville. I msh we had possession of Burgos, and 
 hope you will hear of its surrender by the time you 
 receive this. I rode over to Madrid a few days ago : 
 it is a beautiful city. You will see by the map that 
 this place is on the Tagus, where I am tolerably well 
 posted to stop King Joe should he try to return to his 
 capital." 
 
 Lord Wellington's views and those of Sir Rowland 
 Hill coincided in every particular : and though his 
 Lordship sent him directions, he observed, " I write 
 all this, as I always do, to provide for every event, not 
 believing that these instructions are at all necessary." 
 Nor were they ; for in almost every instance he had 
 anticipated his commander's intention ; and whenever 
 the peculiarities of his situation led him to deviate 
 from the strict letter of his orders, that deviation was 
 acknowledged to have been an improvement. 
 
 By the 18th of October he had sufficient intelligence 
 of the proceedings of the enemy to be able to say in 
 a private letter, " The King, Soult, and Suchet, having
 
 Chap. VIII. LETTER TO LOED WELLINGTON. 217 
 
 united their armies, are on the frontiers of Murcia and 
 Valencia, and appear to be moving this way. It is 
 certain that a considerable force is advancing towards 
 Madrid ; but I think it very doubtful whetlier they 
 will attempt to force their way to the capital." This 
 he also made known to Lord AVellington, who com- 
 menced his famous retreat from Burgos, the sieo-e of 
 which place he raised on the 21st. Sir Eowland re- 
 tired from the Tagus in order to join his Lordship, 
 and on the 30th moved from the position of the 
 Jarama and destroyed the bridge of Aranjuez. How 
 he proceeded may be gathered from his correspondence 
 with Lord Wellington : — 
 
 *' My dear Lord, " Aravaca, October 31st, Noon. 
 
 "I have just received your letter of the 29th. We com- 
 menced our retreat yesterday, and it was my intention to 
 have moved every thing off by daybreak in the morning, but 
 the failure of the mine at the Puente Largo obhged me to 
 keep the troops at that point until after dark, when tliey also 
 commenced their retreat; and I have reason to think, that 
 until daylight this morning the enemy was ignorant of our 
 movement. It appears to have been the enemy's intention 
 to have gained the bridge yesterday, as they had collected a 
 considerable force in front of it; and after they discovered 
 the failure of the mine they made a vigorous attempt to get 
 possession of it, but were repulsed in a very handsome man- 
 ner by the 47th regiment and a detachment of the 95th, 
 under Colonel Skerrett, placed there by Lieutenant-Gencral 
 Cole, who had charge of the rear -guard. The conduct of 
 Colonel Skerrett and the detachment of the 95 th was very 
 conspicuous on this occasion. I am sorry to say they suffered 
 some loss. 
 
 " A great part of the infantry will reach the Escurial this 
 night, and I shall endeavour to have others forward agreeably 
 to your Lordship's expectations.
 
 218 SIERRA DE GUADARAMA. Chap. VIII. 
 
 " I communicated your wishes to General Elio, and have 
 received no answer to tliem ; but General Alten tells me he 
 believes it to be his intention to head the Tagus and pass by 
 the enemy's rear. 
 
 " I have, &c. 
 
 " E. Hill. 
 
 " General The Marquis of Wellington, K.B., 
 " &c. &c. &c." 
 
 The next morning found him at the Escurial, 
 pressing on to join Lord Wellington, who congratu- 
 lated himself on having " got clear in a handsome 
 manner of the worst scrape he ever was in." Sir 
 Rowland sent an express, at ten o'clock, to head- 
 quarters, to say he had heard that four squadrons of 
 the enemy had entered Yalde Moro on the previous 
 day. At night a report arrived from the officer in 
 observation, that the advance of the French had 
 entered Madrid ; but at five o'clock the next morning it 
 was signified that a Spanish officer, leaving that city 
 at the same hour the evening before, had not seen 
 them there. In the front of Lord Wellington they 
 were very quiet, but had sent to Toro to repair the 
 bridge destroyed by the British, and orders were 
 given to Sir Rowland to send an officer into the valley 
 of the Tagus to observe their movements. He next 
 ascended the Sierra de Guadarama, over which the 
 passage was rendered easy by the excellence of the 
 royal road. The scene was magnificent — column de- 
 filing after column, all in siglit of each other, through 
 the road windino- alonsf the brown rockv mountain, 
 studded here and there with thick coverts of fir-trees, 
 or patches of the greenest herbage blending with
 
 Chap. VIII. FRENCH DESCENDING THE HEIGHTS. 219 
 
 silvery torrents darting down their beds, while below 
 lay the wide plains of Old Castile, covered with towns, 
 villages, and well-cultivated farms. Into these they 
 descended, followed by the enemy, of which Sir Row- 
 land immediately sent tidings to Lord Wellington. 
 
 '' My dear Lord, " Villa Neuva, Nov. 4. 2 p. m. 
 
 "I have this instant received the enclosed report, by which 
 it appears that four regiments of the enemy's cavahy and 
 two regiments of infantry, were advancing this morning up 
 the pass of Guadarama at eight o'clock. 
 
 " I have no information of what may be moving in their 
 rear. 
 
 " I shall continue my march, as far as the Incumbrances of 
 the sick and baggage will permit me, to Fontiveros, about 
 which place I hope to have every thing collected to-morrow. 
 
 " I have, &c. 
 
 "R. Hill. 
 " General the Marquis of Wellington, K.B., 
 « &c. &c. &c." 
 
 The reply to this was that his Lordship did not 
 think the enemy were following him in force, but had 
 merely sent out these regiments to see what he was 
 doinof. From Fontiveros, which Sir Rowland reached 
 on the 5th, he reported — "The enemy's column, 
 which I mentioned to your Lordship by Lieutenant 
 Hay, advanced this morning at nine o'clock. I could 
 see them descend the heights, and I do not think the 
 number which descended the hill could exceed from 
 8000 to 10,000 men ; but there were other troops in 
 their rear. When I came away, at half-past two, 
 about three regiments of cavalry advanced as far as 
 Blasco Sancho, the remaining infantry halting about 
 the bridge of Almaza." It turned out that the hostile
 
 220 INSTKUCTIONS. Cuap. VIII. 
 
 cavalry which had shown itself was nearly 3000 
 strong ; and Sir William Erskine had withdra-wn 
 General Alten's horse from the Adaga, and brought 
 them nearer to Fontiveros, Sir Rowland also thought 
 of falling back, as the ground he occupied afforded no 
 good position. His instructions were, " Do not allow 
 the enemy to come too near you with a small advanced 
 guard. Move upon them immediately, and make 
 them keep a proper distance." This, he said, he 
 was C[uite ready to do. Sir Rowland was now in 
 close communication with Lord Wellington, who was 
 retiring on Salamanca, followed by Clausel, and he pro- 
 ceeded to Alba de Tormes. On the 9th at two o'clock 
 A.M. his Lordship wrote to him from Salamanca — 
 " I think you will do well to move in the morning to 
 your left to jMachaon with the second division, ex- 
 cepting one British brigade, leaving Hamilton's divi- 
 sion and that brigade at Alba. Take Slade's brigade 
 and the Spanish troops and Portuguese cavalry vnih 
 you, leaving Long's brigade looking out in front of 
 Alba. Have a good garrison in the Castle of Alba. 
 You should not load the mine of the bridge, because 
 we must keep a communication with the garrison. If 
 the enemy should attempt to cross either of the fords 
 of Huesta, Ml upon the first who cross." His answer 
 was speedily sent : it was a crisis of no ordinary 
 interest. 
 
 '' Alba de Tormes, Nov. 9- half-past 10 a. m. 
 " My dear Lord, 
 " Your Lordship's letter of two a. m. reached me about nine. 
 The second division will commence its march as soon as pos- 
 sible, and proceed according to your du-ections. General
 
 Chap. VIII. ALBA. 221 
 
 HoAvard's brigade remains here with General Hamilton. 
 Captain Goldfincli is now employed in repairing the front of 
 the lowest work of the castle, which had been destroyed by 
 the Spaniards, and a garrison will be put into it. I do not 
 know whether your Lordship has been at this place ; I there- 
 fore think it right to mention that the castle, with only a 
 small garrison without artillery, would but imperfectly cover 
 the bridge, unless the town was held also, which would re- 
 quire a considerable force. 
 
 " I have, &c. 
 
 "R. Hill. 
 
 " General the Marquis of Wellington, K.B., 
 " &c. &c. &c." 
 
 At four o'clock on the same day he reported the 
 advance of the enemy towards the river Tormes. By 
 a quarter before six Lord Wellington replied that lie 
 had never been at Alba, and asked for correct informa- 
 tion respecting the garrison and castle. Almost at 
 the same time Sir Rowland transmitted to him the 
 news that the enemy threatened the place. He added, 
 " The mine is all ready, and the powder on the spot, 
 if your Lordship should think fit to give directions 
 about it." He said, too, that he had seen " large 
 bodies of cavalry and infantry moving over the 
 heights towards the villao-e of Babalfuente." Lord 
 Wellington's opinion was that the French could not 
 take the town of Alba — nor did they ; for when they 
 made the attempt on the 10th, they were most gal- 
 lantly repulsed by the troops under General Hamilton. 
 Sir Rowland was himself on that day at Calvarassa de 
 Abaxo, and continued to w^atch and report all the 
 manoeuvres of the great force now threatening the 
 allies.
 
 222 SIR EOWLAND ELECTED M.P. Chap. VIII. 
 
 While proceeding to effect this junction with Lord 
 Wellington, Sir Rowland received the flattering in- 
 telligence that he had been elected member of Par- 
 liament for Shrewsbury. This caused him to write 
 home. 
 
 '' Rolleda, near Ciudad Rodrigo, 
 " My dear Sister, Nov. 25. 1812, 8 a. m. 
 
 "Last night three packets arrived at my head-quarters, 
 two of which have been wandering about the country for 
 some time. They contain all your interesting letters, and my 
 father's, as well as the papers relative to the late election at 
 Shrewsbury. It is my intention to answer the whole of them 
 this evening, and to Avrite to you more fully on all subjects, 
 and send my letters by the post. This I send by a private 
 hand, which sometimes travels quicker, but is often more un- 
 certain than the post. 
 
 " The public despatches will have informed you of the late 
 events in this country. You may imagine that I have had 
 my share of anxiety on the occasion. 
 
 " The overwhelming force which the enemy had collected 
 made it necessary for Lord Wellington to retire, and for him 
 to send me orders to the same effect. Thank God, I com- 
 pleted my junction with his Lordship at Salamanca without 
 any material loss, though pressed by a very superior force. 
 
 " Lord W., I believe, would have made a stand on his old 
 ground near Salamanca, but the enemy declined a contest 
 thei^e, and obliged Lord Wellington to quit it by marching 
 round our right and towards our rear. The enemy's force 
 collected is so superior to ours, being, it is supposed, near 
 90,000 men, with 200 pieces of artillery, that Lord W. 
 thou2;ht it advisable to continue his retreat to this strong 
 frontier, where we arc now cantoned, and where I think the 
 enemy will not follow us, at least at present. The last five 
 days they have done nothing. The dreadful weather we have 
 had has been very much against us, and our army has, I am 
 sorry to say, suffered a good deal, particularly our cavalry
 
 Chap. VIIT. CORIA. 22 
 
 Q 
 
 and horses. Clement is quite recovered. Tom was with ua 
 a few days ago; he wrote to you from Alba de Tonnes: and 
 if you receive this before the post, tell Sir Jolm and my bro- 
 ther I wa'itc to them by that conveyance. In haste, 
 
 " Yours ever, 
 
 " R. Hill." 
 
 The incessant occupations of this eventful march 
 prevented his writing the letters he proposed until he 
 reached Coria, where his whole corps was directed to 
 proceed on the 28th. The scenery of his route was 
 grand in the extreme; and as he passed the lofty 
 Sierra de Gata, and descended by the rugged road to 
 the plain, the sun chased away the mountain mist, 
 and displayed the lovely plains below. Sir Rowland's 
 head-quarters were in the small to-svn of Coria, beau- 
 tifully seated on the river Alagon, having a cathedral 
 and some interesting remains of a Moorish tower and 
 castle. At this place he did every thing in his power 
 to make the winter quarters of his officers and troops 
 comfortable, after their late privations and fatigues. 
 He now found time to write the promised letter to his 
 father : — 
 
 " ]My dear Father, " Coria, Nov. 30. 1 8 1 2. 
 
 " I enclose a few lines to the electors of Shrewsbury, ex- 
 pressive of my thanks for the honour they have done me in 
 electing me one of their representatives in Parliament, whioh 
 I request you will take the earliest ojjportunity of communi- 
 cating to them. 
 
 " My present occupations have prevented me from addrcss- 
 injr the electors at that lcn";tli Avhich I otherwise mi^ht have 
 wished, and the same cause precludes me from addressing my- 
 self individually to INIr. Edward Burton and other gentlemen 
 amongst the electors, who have most particularly exerted
 
 224 WINTER CANTONMENTS. Chap. VIII. 
 
 themselves to procure my return. I am not, however, the 
 less sensible of their kindness, and must beg of you or my 
 brother to take an opportunity of personally assuring them 
 of my gratitude. 
 
 ** I beg you will accept my warmest thanks for your kind- 
 ness and exertions on this occasion, and believe me to be, my 
 dear Sir, 
 
 " Your ever dutiful son, 
 
 "KoAVLAND Hill. 
 
 " Sir John Hill, Bart." 
 
 " I think," he said in another letter, " we shall be 
 quiet here for some time." Lord Wellington had, in 
 fact, disposed his whole army in cantonments, waiting 
 only for the burst of spring and its supply of green 
 forage, to take the held again with the largest and 
 most efficient body of troops he could collect.
 
 225 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 LORD WELLINGTON S CIRCULAR. — NEGLECT OF RELIGIOUS IN- 
 STRUCTION IN THE ARRIY. REMONSTRANCES. RELIGIOUS 
 
 SOLDIERS. SIR ROWLAND HILL's PERSONAL INFLUENCE. 
 
 STRIKING DESCRIPTION OF IT. LORD WELLINGTON GOES TO 
 
 CADIZ. SIR ROAYLAND IN COJEMAND. BALLESTEROS. NEWS 
 
 FROM RUSSIA. EFFECT ON THE FRENCH. OFFICERS' REPORTS. 
 
 PLUNDERIJ^G PREVENTED. BE JAR. CAPTAIN EGERTON. 
 
 Sm RO^VLAND hill's ACCOUNT OF THE ENEJUY's FORCE. LONG 
 
 MARCHES. DINNER AL FRESCO, MARCH. CASTLE OF BURGOS 
 
 BLOWN UP. — KING JOSEPH ENTERS THE BASIN OF \aTTORIA. 
 
 ROUTE OF SIR R. HILL. SPLENDID SCENERY. STAR\TNG POR- 
 TUGUESE. BATTLE OF "VTTTORIA. PAMPELUNA. APPROACH 
 
 TOWARDS FRANCE. SIR ROWLAND ASCENT)S THE PYRENEES. 
 
 THE FIRST TO DRIVE THE FRENCH OUT OF SPAIN. LETTERS 
 
 CONCERNING OFFICERS. SOULT IN COJIMAND OF " THE ARMY 
 
 OF SPAIN." THE BATTLES IN THE PASSES OF THE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 TERMINATION OF THE CONFLICTS OF THE PYRENEES. RONCES- 
 
 VALLES. ST. SEBASTIAN. — SIR T. N. HILL. SIR ROWLAND 
 
 WATCHES THE MOVEMENTS OF SOULT. — THE CONDE DE l'abIS- 
 
 PAL's thirst for glory. DEEP SNOW ON THE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 LETTERS TO SIR GEORGE MURRAY. 
 
 The army had scarcely settled in mnter quarters 
 in 1812, before the appearance of Lord Welling- 
 ton's memorable circular, relative to its discipline 
 and its moral condition, created extreme sensation. 
 There were many who felt it the more deej)ly, because 
 conscious that the sweeping charges of irregularity 
 it contained, were not applicable to their conduct. 
 The troops under Sir Rowland Hill were restrained 
 by his influence, from the excesses so feelingly de- 
 plored by the commander of the whole. If com- 
 
 Q
 
 226 S:\IALL RELIGIOUS ADVANTAGES. Chap. IX 
 
 pared also with French soldiers, the patience of the 
 English under privations may be said to have been 
 exemplary ; though, as their wants pressed and tempt- 
 ations offered, they were led away into occasional 
 irregularities. Circumstances did undoubtedly occur 
 at times to tarnish their reputation ; but the real 
 secret of these evils was the negligence of the men 
 in power at home, as to providing due religious in- 
 struction. The Gospel is the only genuine source of 
 virtue in the many, and the only check to the un- 
 blushing demonstration of the hideous qualities of the 
 base minority, by whom in all great collections of 
 men barbarous crimes are committed, out of which 
 arises the ill report of the whole. In the army of 
 Spain, the tradesmen, the manufacturers, the me- 
 chanics, the rural labourers of Great Britain, were 
 all represented by the men who, for five succes- 
 sive years, maintained the supremacy of the British 
 arms against the renowned soldiery of invading 
 France ; and the name of Hill naturally suggests the 
 inquiry — what was done for their spiritual welfare ? 
 What provision was there throughout this long and 
 life-destroying war, that they might worship God 
 from Sabbath to Sabbath, or for their instruction in 
 Divine truth, while in stationary camps or in winter 
 quarters ? Where could they look for ministers to 
 comfort and direct them, when perishing by disease 
 or wounds on straw pallets or in hospitals ? Little, 
 indeed, were their advantages in these important 
 respects ; so little, so inadequate to the wide and 
 mournful exigency of the case, that none might be 
 almost recorded as the honest rej^ly. Nor was this
 
 Chap. IX. LORD WELLINGTON'S REPRESENTATIONS. 227 
 
 melancholy destitution of the means of grace viewed 
 with indifference by Lord WelUngton, who twice 
 made urgent representations to the government. It 
 is true that on one of these occasions he allejied 
 that Methodism had appeared, and was spreading 
 very fast in the army. Each time also he ex- 
 pressed himself anxiously ; but neither respect for 
 his wishes, mercy for the souls of men, nor dread of 
 irregularity, which often acts when every other in- 
 ducement fails, moved the ministry of that day to 
 those efforts in the matter which were due to God, to 
 the soldiers, and to the country. Undoubtedly, the 
 efficient and active clergymen asked for by Lord 
 Wellington, would have been far more desirable in- 
 structors than the instruments of another kind then 
 appearing amongst the soldiers, to arouse them to 
 reflection on the truths of religion ; but, nevertheless, 
 the leaven which spread amongst them at this period 
 was hallowed, and the dispensation pregnant with 
 mercy, as it was a rebuke to those Avho ought to have 
 cared for their souls. The influence of a few jjious 
 individuals became extended, because their efforts 
 were sincere. Men who cared for their eternal in- 
 terests banded together to seek amongst themselves 
 in private, the privileges they could not enjoy in 
 public ministrations ; and numbers of them breathed 
 their last sighs upon the fields and in the hospitals 
 of Spain, looking unto Jesus. Officers who during 
 the campaign regarded these proceedings with dis- 
 approbation have, though deeply attached to our own 
 excellent Church, with its order, discipline, and doc- 
 trine, since spoken of the leaven then working in the 
 
 Q 2
 
 228 CAUSES OF SIR Rowland's influence. Chap. ix. 
 
 ranks with wonder and respect, and with grief at the 
 apathy of the government and the sneers of thought- 
 less or hcentious comrades. Whatever Sir Rowland 
 Hill may have thought of these proceedings at the pe- 
 riod referred to, it is certain he never offered any op- 
 position to them ; and his own troops were under a 
 discipline marvellously efficacious, considering the 
 sufferings they endured and the triumphs they won. 
 No general ever used less severity, yet the fear 
 of offending him acted on the minds of his soldiers 
 far more effectually than the dread of punishment, 
 which was recklessly braved when unsparingly ad- 
 ministered. An officer of his division wrote of him 
 thus eloquently and justly in a recent letter : — " The 
 great foundation of all his popularity with the troops 
 was his sterling personal worth, and his heroic spirit ; 
 but his popularity was increased and strengthened as 
 soon as he was seen. He was the very picture of an 
 English country gentleman. To those soldiers who 
 came from the rural districts of Old England, he 
 represented home — his fresh complexion, placid face, 
 kind eyes, kind voice, the total absence of all parade 
 or noise in his habits, delighted them. The dis- 
 pleasure of Sir Rowland Hill was Avorse to them than 
 the loudest anger of other generals ; and when they 
 saw anxiety in his face that all should be right, they 
 doubly wished it themselves ; and when they saw his 
 countenance bright witli the expression that all was 
 right, why, they were glad for him as well as for them- 
 selves. Again, the large towns and manufacturing 
 districts furnished a considerable body of men to the 
 army. Now these soldiers were many of them fa-
 
 Chap. IX. CORIA. 229 
 
 miliar with the name and character and labours of 
 his pious and devoted uncle, Rowland Hill, who was, 
 perhaps, of all the preachers of the Gospel in the past 
 century, the one best known, best loved, and most 
 talked about amongst the common people all over 
 England. His sincerity, his boldness, and his many 
 strange sayings and doings, were known and reported 
 in the ranks ; and the men did not like Sir Rowland 
 the less, for being the nephew of this celebrated and 
 benevolent individual. Also his kind attention to all 
 the wants and comforts of his men, his visits to the 
 sick in hospital, his vigilant protection of the poor 
 country people, his just severity to marauders, his 
 generous and humane treatment of such prisoners 
 and wounded as at times fell into his hands — all con- 
 sistent actings of a virtuous and noble spirit — made 
 for him a place in the hearts of the soldiery ; and 
 wherever the few sur\'ivors of that army may now be 
 scattered, in their hearts assuredly his name and 
 image are dearly cherished still." 
 
 Coria, where Sir Rowland's winter quarters were 
 established, was a favourite place with the officers, 
 who passed their leisure time in coursing, shooting, 
 and a variety of amusements which he liberally pro- 
 moted. Lord Wellington's departure on business of 
 importance to Cadiz left him in a most responsible 
 situation. " Lord Wellington," he says in one of his 
 communications to his relatives, " having set off for 
 Cadiz, the command of the armies is left in my liands. 
 It is not his Lordship's intention to be absent more 
 than a month. Li the mean while there does not ap- 
 pear any great likelihood of active operations. The 
 
 Q 3
 
 230 BALLESTEROS. Chap. IX. 
 
 enemy, however, are at no great distance, and it is 
 possible we may have something to do." Sir Rowland 
 also mentioned in the same letter, dated December 15., 
 the appointment of his Lordship to be Generalissimo 
 of the Spanish armies, which he considered " as likely 
 to have the best effect, notwithstanding Ballesteros's 
 opposition to it." He further observed, " That General's 
 conduct has been rather extraordinary. I have many 
 letters from him, and indeed I have received one this 
 day (of the 26th of October), expressing his anxious 
 desire to comply with my wishes and Lord Wellington's, 
 in which I believe him to have been sincere. But sub- 
 sequently finding from his own government that Lord 
 Wellington was to command him, Ballesteros said no." 
 On the 12th of January Sir Rowland wrote again. 
 " I do not wish to be too sanguine, but there is every 
 appearance of the enemy's army in this country being 
 on the point of making a general move to the rear. 
 They seem to be fully aware that things are not going 
 on well ^vith thom in Russia ; but the troops in general 
 are kept in ignorance as to the real state of affairs 
 there. I have, however, endeavoured to set them 
 right, and to let them know how matters stand, by 
 sending to their outposts some copies of Lord Cath- 
 cart's late despatches. For some time past the enemy 
 have been sending off their sick and raising immense 
 contributions — measures which indicate retrograde 
 movement." Seven days later he stated, " The troops 
 that were nearest to us marched off" about a week ago, 
 and appeared to be going to their rear ; they have, 
 however, taken the direction of Toledo, and been re- 
 jjlaced in our front by troops from Astorga and Leon,
 
 Chap. IX. OFFICERS' REPORTS. 231 
 
 the whole of that country having been evacuated by 
 the enemy. Upon the whole, it appears that the 
 French in this country have collected the greater part 
 of their force in the centre of Spain. I do not mean 
 to say that they have brought troops forward from 
 their rear, but have closed those on their flanks more 
 to the centre. This may be an arrangement prepa- 
 ratory to retiring, or a measure of precaution ; but I 
 cannot conceive that it means any thing oftensiAC on 
 their part at present." The movements of the hostile 
 forces at this time were viewed with great anxiety by 
 the British officers ; and it may be interesting to see 
 a report at such a juncture sent to Sir Rowland Hill 
 from officers in observation. 
 
 First Officer. " It is incalculable [what] the enemy 
 are levying in all the villages. On the 7th 3500 
 men entered Madrid ; the 8th they marched out for 
 France. They took with them a convoy of 300 carts, 
 and many persons made prisoners. In the hospitals 
 at Madrid they have 756 sick; and they have given 
 orders for a quantity of biscuit to be baked ; it is not 
 known for what purpose." 
 
 Second Officer. " On the 5th 1000 Polish cavalry 
 marched from Madrid for France ; on the 7th 4000 to 
 5000 infantry marched also from Madrid for France ; 
 on the 8th 400 cavalry marched for France ; on the 
 9th also left Madrid some troojDS of the Confederation 
 of the Rhine. Joseph has dismissed many domestics 
 of the palace, and it is said he is going to Guadalaxaran. 
 On the 11th 800 men left Madrid for France. Count 
 D'Erlon is at Agreda, Soult's head-quarters at Toledo, 
 
 Q 4
 
 232 TOUR OF INSrECTION. — BEJAE. Chap. IX. 
 
 with 4000 men. The enemy continue their exactions 
 of enormous contributions. 
 
 " On the 21st every thing was quiet at Talavera, 
 when in the night an officer arrived, which produced 
 a great bustle. An embargo was laid on all transports, 
 and all the posts were called in. The idea amongst 
 the people at Talavera and the French troops was, 
 that they were going to retire in consequence of the 
 accounts from the North of Europe." 
 
 These reports, when they were found to have come 
 from the enemy. Sir Rowland treated with due sus- 
 j)icion. He made a tour of inspection to his own 
 posts northward, and found them generally healthy 
 and in a satisfactory state. Measures also were taken 
 by him to prevent the French from plundering Pla- 
 centia, where the inhabitants were in great terror 
 from rumours of their approach. He next had what 
 he called " a little affair, which he had no doubt 
 would be magnified in England." This happened at 
 Bejar, and he gave his own version of it thus: — 
 " The enemy have for some time been plundering the 
 neighbouring country in a most shameful manner ; 
 and in order to protect some of the towns, I moved 
 troops forward, and placed two regiments in Bejar, a 
 large town, the most advanced. On the night of the 
 19th the enemy collected about 12,000, and made a 
 night march upon Bejar, in hopes of surprising the 
 garrison. Our troops were, however, on the alert, 
 and repulsed the enemy." On this occasion he re- 
 ported with great pleasure to Marshal Beresford, the 
 gallant conduct of the Portuguese. 
 
 About this time Sir Rowland added to his staff an
 
 Chap. IX. CAPTAIN EGERTON. 233 
 
 officer who was destined to be his companion, secre- 
 tary, confidant, and friend to the last moment of his 
 public life. This estimable man was Captain Eger- 
 ton*, of the well-known and respected Cheshire family 
 of the same name. Sir Rowland had by the permission 
 of Lord Wellington taken him as extra aid-de-camp, 
 and thereby contributed to the happiness of his circle at 
 Coria, as well as to the advantage of the public service. 
 As spring advanced, the chieftains of the British 
 army glowed with anticipations of their coming suc- 
 cesses, and collected the most accurate accounts they 
 could obtain of the enemy's force and proceedings. 
 A letter from Sir Rowland Hill to his father shows 
 what intelligence they had obtained. 
 
 " My dear Father, " Coria, March 23. 1813. 
 
 " Yesterday Captain Erskine came over here, and left your 
 letter of the 28th of January. What you have said to Lord 
 Erskine on the subject of Lord Buchan's attention to me is 
 perfectly correct, and I trust I need not say that I shah on 
 every account he glad to show his son any attention in my 
 power. 
 
 " The enemy have witlidrawn their troops from La Mancha, 
 and I am inclined to think they are about to evacuate Madrid, 
 perhaps not with the intention of quitting Spain altogether, 
 but more with the view of concentrating their troops in the 
 direction of ValladoHd. They continue to exact enormous 
 contributions in every part of Spain they occupy; and I have 
 been kept a little on the alert of late, in order to preserve the 
 neighbouring country from being plundered by them. 
 
 " I believe I have got pretty cori-ect returns of some of the 
 French armies ; and as I know you are much interested in all 
 military matters, I annex a memorandum from them for the 
 private information of the Hawkstone family : — 
 
 * Now Colonel Egerton, of Eaton Banks, near Tarporley.
 
 234 STRENGTH OF THE FRENCH ARMY. Chap. IX. 
 
 " The army of Portugal, as it is called, is commanded by 
 the Comte de Reille, aid-de-camj3 to the Emperor, and con- 
 sists of 8 divisions ; 8 generals of divisions ; 1 1 generals of 
 brigade; 31 regiments of infantry, amounting to 31,256 
 infantry. 
 
 " Cavalry. — 1 general of division; 2 of brigade; 9 regiments, 
 amounting to 3256 men. Artillery, 1775 men. 
 
 " The above army is cantoned in Avila, Valladolid, Toro, 
 and Salamanca. 
 
 *' The army of the South, lately commanded by Soult, is now 
 commanded by the Comte de Gazan, and consists of 8 divi- 
 sions of infantry, amounting to 30,785 men; 3880 cavalry ; 
 and 500 artillery. 
 
 " This army has its head-quarters at Toledo, and is imme- 
 diately in front of my corps. 
 
 " The army of the Centre is commanded by the Comte 
 D'Erlon, Drouet, has its head-quarters at Madrid, and amounts 
 to 7081 infantry, and 4022 cavalry, besides artillery. 
 
 "The army in Valencia, from 13,000 to 14,000, is com- 
 manded by Suchet. 
 
 " The army of the North, I believe, does not exceed 12,000. 
 
 " The above includes all the sick, and was made out before 
 Marshal Soult left the army for France, taking with him the 
 selected officers and men to complete the imperial guards. I 
 do not know the exact number he took with him, probably 
 eiffht or ten thousand. 
 
 " With respect to our army, I believe it is very effective. 
 The second division of infantry never was so strong in the 
 field as we are at j)resent, and the cavalry are recovering from 
 their weak state. I am induced to think the enemy have 
 sent no reinforcements into Spain." * 
 
 The British forces at this time were in a state 
 of great efficiency, and Sir Robert Chambre Hill, 
 the brother of Sir Rowland, was highly commended 
 by Lord Wellington for his efforts in the household 
 
 * This letter, like some others, had no signature.
 
 Chap. IX. BANQUET AL FRESCO. 235 
 
 brigade of cavalry, which he commanded. As the 
 month of April was drawing to a close, Sir Rowland 
 sent word to his friends, " All our troops in the 
 rear are closing up to be more a port'ee to the move- 
 ments we may have to make, and I imagine by the 
 time you receive this that the whole will be moving 
 forward." He said also, " If it was the enemy's 
 intention to quit this country as we advance, they 
 would be taking the steps they are now adopting. It 
 is, however, possible they may make a stand ; but I 
 do not think it will be before we get to the Douro or 
 the Ebro. Our army is now in very fine order, and 
 never was more effective since we have been in the 
 Peninsula. That of the enemy cannot be so strong 
 as it was; for although they have received about 
 7000 recruits, they have of late sent to France up- 
 wards of 20,000 of their best men, and a great num- 
 ber of officers." 
 
 In the long marches which Sir Rowland's troops had 
 now to make, and during the various halts which 
 occurred, he endeavoured to afford them all the relief 
 in his power from the monotony of a camp life. The 
 whole corps was concentrated at Galisteo on the 4th 
 of May, where it remained till the 21st. While here 
 the 28th Regiment, which had signalized itself in 
 Albuera, determined, on the 16th, the second anni- 
 versary of that battle, to give a dinner to Sir Rowland 
 and the Staff of the second division. But they had 
 neither tables nor chairs. This did not deter them 
 from their purpose, and ingenuity, never wanting 
 where there is inclination, soon invented a mode of 
 giving a banquet al fresco. Lieutenant Irwin selected
 
 236 TABLE AND PROVISIONS. Chap. IX. 
 
 the softest and most even piece of turf lie could find, 
 on which he marked out the due length and breadth 
 of a table for no less than one hundred guests. The 
 turf was carefully pared off, and a trench was dug 
 round it large enough for all the company. The table 
 was formed in the centre of the sods and mould, duly 
 levelled, and excavated to give ample room for the 
 legs, and then the green turf was once more gently 
 laid on, and supplied the place of a table-cloth. Each 
 officer invited was desired to bring his own knife, 
 fork, and plate, and not to be particular about having 
 them changed. The cookery was of the substantial 
 order, the heavy artillery of field cuisine. There were 
 ponderous joints roasted and ponderous joints boiled; 
 there was soup in abundance, in which the shreds of 
 meat gave assurance that it was, at least, unsj)aringly 
 concocted; there were pies baked in camp-kettles 
 turned upside down, of dimensions and quality Friar 
 Tuck would not have disdained. Then came the 
 cordial welcome of the chief guest, the man who never 
 had an enemy but on public grounds, whose bland 
 smile set the company at ease, while his genuine dig- 
 nity prevented in his presence every word and every 
 act that did not perfectly become it. 
 
 It was nearly the end of May before Sir Rowland's 
 corps arrived at Salamanca. As they crossed the 
 plains that lay in their road, the ofiicers let loose their 
 greyhounds to course the hares along the columns, 
 and many of them were killed in the midst of the 
 marching ranks. By the 4th of June they were near 
 Burgos. On the 12th, at five o'clock in the morning. 
 Sir Rowland's corps moved forward in two columns,
 
 Chap. IX. JOSEPH IN THE BASIN OE VITTORIA. 237 
 
 the right on Celada, the left on Hornillo. The enemy, 
 after skirmishhig a little to favour the retreat of the 
 main body of their rear-guard, retired up the heights 
 above Hornillo. There, for a time, they presented a 
 front to the pursuing British ; but, at length, being 
 alarmed, they passed the river Arlanzon, and joined 
 Reille, the entire body taking the road towards Burgos. 
 At early da^vn on the 13th the picquets left on the 
 heights saw the distant castle of Burgos enveloped in 
 a thick white smoke, followed by a tremendous sound. 
 The French themselves were destroying the fortress 
 which baffled the genius of Welhngton, and resisted 
 his victorious army. In a few minutes more came a 
 second explosion ; shortly all was again clear, and the 
 yawning ruins told their own tale. 
 
 At length King Joseph brought his army and all its 
 appurtenances into the basin of Yittoria. In that 
 direction Sir Rowland's troops passed on with the 
 rest, and no particular event interrupted their march. 
 The Asturian mountains were on their left. The 
 scenery on their route was worthy of the season and of 
 Spain. One portion of it is beautifully described by 
 Major Moyle Sherer. He says, " On the 16th we 
 descended by a steep and rocky road into a low se- 
 cluded valley, through which the Ebro, here narrow 
 and inconsiderable, winds its way, and crossing the 
 river by a stone bridge of five arches, turned to the 
 left, and followed a road running for nearly two miles 
 alono- the bank of the Ebro, and almost on a level 
 with its waters. The view of this valley on your 
 descent to it, the vale itself, and the singularly pic- 
 turesque road by whicli you pass out from it, are
 
 238 SCENERY. Chap. IX. 
 
 amongst the most enchanting scenes it has ever fallen 
 to my lot to contemplate. Here you may imagine 
 yourself transported to the happy retreat described in 
 Rasselas. On every side mountains enclose and shelter 
 this favoured spot ; all the passes leading to and from 
 it are concealed from you ; the fields all teem with 
 cultivation, and the orchards all blush with fruit. 
 The ash, the beech, and the poplar, the woodbine, the 
 rose, and a thousand shrubs shade and adorn the rural 
 dwellings. The narrow wheel tract by which you 
 leave this elysium runs curving at the foot of im- 
 pending precipices, so bold and varied in their forms 
 and the character of their beauties, that no pen could 
 describe them justly. Here they are clothed with 
 rich and shaggy brushwood ; there naked to their blue 
 or grey summits, which frown above you : and here, 
 again, from the rude clefts and fissures of the rock 
 grow solitary trees and plants, where no hand can 
 ever reach them, while in some places thick wreaths 
 of ivy half cover the projecting crags. The river 
 brawls along between these cliffs, often impeded by 
 huge masses of mountain stone, which have fallen in 
 some wintry storm, or been detached by some violent 
 convulsion of nature, and now form islands in its bed. 
 In a scene so lovely, soldiers seemed quite misplaced, 
 and the glittering of arms, the trampling of horses, 
 and the loud voices of the men, appeared to insult its 
 cheerfulness." The bivouacks here for the next three 
 days were delightful beyond all conception, and those 
 that had food were cheerful and contented. But the 
 poor Portuguese were, by reason of the negligence 
 of those appointed to supply them with provisions, in
 
 Chap. IX. STARVING PORTUGUESE. 239 
 
 a starving condition ; so that, notwithstanding the 
 stern but just command of Lord Wellington that they 
 should look to their legitimate sources for their sup- 
 port, Sir Rowland could not refrain from addressing 
 him on their deplorable state. 
 
 " My dear Lord, " Barquiseda, June 20. 
 
 "I am sorry to have occasion to address your Lordship 
 again on the subject of provisioning the Portuguese division 
 under my orders, after the instructions which I have received 
 from you ; but they are at present in so destitute a state that 
 I feel it my duty to make your Lordship acquainted with it. 
 They for some days have been on very reduced rations. The 
 day before yesterday they had only three quarters of a pound 
 of meat, and yesterday nothing, and have no prospects for this 
 day. To give them bread I am aware is out of the question, 
 but I beg to know whether your Lordship will permit me to 
 give them some meat ? 
 
 "I have, &c. 
 
 '' E. Hill. 
 
 " Marquis of Wellington, &c. &c." 
 
 This application was irresistible, and elicited the 
 following reply : — 
 
 "June 20. 1813, half-past 1 p.m. 
 « My dear Hill, 
 " I have just received your note of this morning. You 
 may assist the Conde d'Amarante as you please, but let the 
 Conde know that it is an exception to a rule to which I am 
 determined to adhere, and that he must make his commissaries 
 exert themselves. 
 
 " Ever yours most faithfully, 
 
 " Wellington. 
 
 « Lleut.-General Sir R. HiU, K.B., &c." 
 
 On the morning of the 21st hints from staff-officers,
 
 240 BATTLE OF VITTOKIA. Chap. IX. 
 
 bustle in the bivouacks, the sadclhng of Sir Rowland's 
 black charger, and other significant proceedings, in- 
 dicated that something was expected to occur beyond 
 the ordinary events of a march. The moving masses 
 of our General's division were excited about nine 
 o'clock by some skirmishing in the mountain, and a 
 league farther on, the defile formed by the high lands 
 and the river opened to their view the splendid sight 
 of the hostile army, all in battle array, with the spire 
 of Yittoria in their rear. There were 70,000 fighting 
 men and 100 pieces of artillery opposed to the ad- 
 vancing allies, who were disposed by Lord Wellington 
 in three corps. The right was commanded by Sir 
 Rowland Hill ; two columns in the centre received 
 orders from the chief himself ; and the left was placed 
 under Sir Thomas Graham. Sir Rowland commenced 
 the work of victory ; and the first fruits of his exer- 
 tions were the heights of La Puebla, gained to him 
 by Spaniards well led by Murillo. This advantage 
 was maintained in spite of great efforts on the part of 
 the enemy, but at the cost of the life of the brave 
 Cadogan, when the British soldiers were brought into 
 the fray. The possession of the important village of 
 Subijana de Alava next rewarded the skill and efforts 
 of our General. The hostile troops filled the ravines in 
 the heights above, and a wood on the left, and strug- 
 gled, Avith no ordinary fury, to recover the ground they 
 had lost. The allies in front of the wood suffered greatly, 
 till the head of a column sent by Sir Rowland along 
 the lofty ridge which ran from the Puebla Mountain, 
 came irresistibly upon the flank of the French. Coin- 
 cident with this skilful movement, were the energetic
 
 Chap. IX. BATTLE OF VITTORIA. 241 
 
 operations of Cole, Pictoii, and Dalliousie. At length 
 the four divisions formed quickly on the left of the 
 Zadarra, and advanced against the right and centre of 
 the enemy. Their left gave way under the successful 
 flank attack of Hill, who followed up the retreat with 
 his customary vigour and decision. At last the entire 
 French army was driven back by the allies in one 
 helpless confused mass, flying like a frightened mob, 
 and leaving their cannon, with all the rich, curious, 
 and ill-gotten spoil of the usurper Joseph. Xothing 
 was wanting to the most decisive victory even AVel- 
 lington had then ever gained, except more prisoners ; 
 but they fled so fast. King, Marshals, Generals, and 
 men, that the allies, who had been sixteen hours under 
 arms, and had marched three leagues since the day 
 dawned, had no chance of overtaking them. Man 3^, 
 also, could not resist the temptation of stopping to 
 revel in the unprotected treasures of the fugitives 
 which covered the ground — a heterogeneous wreck 
 of hoarded plunder. Some soldiers, and the followers 
 of the army in general, thickened upon the spoil like 
 bees upon the honeycomb of some prostrate hive, and 
 seized it with tumultuous exultation. They hung in 
 clusters on the cars, waggons, and carriages, scrambled 
 for the money scattered from the chests, searched the 
 gilded coaches of the court, and drew forth, with 
 shouts, robes, uniforms, court dresses, stars, jewels, 
 plate, pictures, once the pride of the grandees and 
 hierarchy of Spain. One solitary gun, and one 
 howitzer, were all that were carried away in the head- 
 long scamper of the overthrown army. Even the 
 baton of Marshal Jourdan was left on the field, for 
 
 E
 
 242 THE FOUR BROTHERS HILL. Chap. IX. 
 
 which the champion who laid it at the feet of his 
 prince, received that of England in exchange. 
 
 Lord Wellington had foreseen this great victory, 
 and kept the secret in his own breast. While near 
 Medina, four days before the battle, Captain Clement 
 Hill observed, in writing to his friends, " England 
 will, I think, be a little astonished at our rapid march. 
 The whole of our army got over the Ebro yesterday, 
 and continues to advance. What Lord Wellington's 
 plans are, I believe nobody knows but himself We 
 all feel confident of great success, and you may expect 
 to hear of the French being fairly turned out of Spain. 
 We have driven them so far almost without the loss 
 of a man, and they find themselves completely out- 
 manoeuvred. After they destroyed the Castle of 
 Burgos, we did not venture to march in the line by 
 which they retired ; but, by rapid marches to our left 
 by a difficult road which they could not have expected 
 us to attempt, we crossed the Ebro before them, and 
 expect to continue moving, and get between them and 
 their communication with France, which will bother 
 them a good deal." 
 
 The forces of Reille, which rallied on the 2 2d at 
 Salvatierra, soon found the pursuers were approach- 
 ing ; and the next day Captain Clement Hill wrote to 
 Hawkstone : — " Salvatierra, 23d June, on the road 
 from Vittoria to Pampeluna. — I hope you wiU receive 
 this in good time to assure you of the safety of the 
 four brothers after the battle of Yittoria. We are all 
 at this moment together in the same room, and in 
 perfect health. I have not time now to send you an 
 account of all that happened during the action. Never
 
 Chap. IX. LETTER OF LORD WELLINGTON. 243 
 
 was an army more completely routed and defeated 
 than the French. Rowland's corps were prhicipally 
 engaged during the first part of the action, and have 
 suiFered more than any other. The Blues were in the 
 fire, but not engaged. Tom had a good deal to do, 
 which was well done." 
 
 The next duty on which Sir Rowland was employed 
 was the blockade of Pampeluna. He received a letter 
 of concise and able directions from Lord Wellington. 
 
 " My dear Hill, " Caseda, June 28. 1813, 8 p.m. 
 
 " I am anxious that some measures should be adopted for 
 the more close and strict blockade of Pampeluna, and I suggest 
 the following for your consideration. 
 
 " First, that the water which supplies the town by' the 
 aqueduct should be cut off. It will not be difficult to effect 
 this object without mischief to the country, by cutting the 
 aqueduct at any place at which there may be a channel through 
 which the water might run. 
 
 " Secondly, in order to complete the annoyance of this 
 measure, it will be necessary to establish posts upon the river, 
 and fire day and night at any persons who may approach for 
 water. These posts should be covered by a trench ; a re- 
 doubt should likewise be constructed at the distance of mus- 
 ket shot from each of the bridges ; each to hold a sufficient 
 number of men to supjDort the posts on the river, in case the 
 enemy should make a sortie upon them. There should be a 
 gun or two in each of these redoubts, which we can bring 
 from Vittoria. 
 
 " Thirdly, there is a wood to the westward of the place, on 
 the same side of the river, and that should be examined, and 
 if possible an abattis should be formed in it to protect the 
 blockade on that side, which should be brought as close as 
 possible. 
 
 "Fourthly, the remainder might be occuj)ied by pickets 
 at the usual distance communicating well with each other, 
 having support at liand in redoubts armed with artillery. 
 
 R 2
 
 244 INVESTMENT OF TAMPELUNA. Chap. IX. 
 
 " Fifthly, measures should be takeu without loss of time to 
 cut and carry away, or if that cannot be done, to burn the 
 corn between the posts and the place. These measures must 
 be well considered, and must not be allowed to fail. 
 
 " I beg that all this may be done without loss of time, and 
 the sooner it is done the sooner I shall be able to relieve your 
 troops entirely from this blockade, and give it in charge to the 
 Spaniards. 
 
 " I don't think we shall be able to do much against Clausel. 
 He has passed Tudela on his march to Saragossa. I propose 
 to try him on the road to Jaca. 
 
 " Ever yours most sincerely, 
 
 *' Wellington." 
 
 The four gallant brothers were now constantly 
 meeting each other, and one or other of them was 
 deputed to convey tidings of events to their family. 
 From Orcoyen, two miles from Pampeluna, July 1st, 
 1813, Mr. Clement Hill wrote: — "We have been four 
 days investing Pampeluna with Rowland's corps, 
 which we expected to have had the siege of had there 
 been one, but I believe it is determined only to 
 blockade the place, and I am not sorry we are reheved 
 from that tiresome duty by other divisions. To- 
 morrow we push on towards the frontier, and I hope 
 in a few days to write from France. We move to- 
 wards San Estevan : General Graham is also in that 
 direction. Lord Wellington will be near here to-day, 
 but we imagine will not remain long, and leave the 
 blockade to the Spaniards. The army we so gloriously 
 beat at A-^ittoria has been in France some days. They 
 ran so fast, having lost every incumbrance, even their 
 last gun, that we made but few prisoners on their 
 retreat. Lord Wellington, mth four divisions, has
 
 Chap. IX. GOOD SUPPLIES. 245 
 
 been some clays in chase of a French corps under 
 General Clausel, which was prevented joining the main 
 army in time for the battle of Yittoria. He could 
 not catch them, and retires from the pursuit to-day. 
 They will probably join Suchet's army. We are in 
 the most delightful part of Spain I have ever seen for 
 summer ; but it must be bad in winter. The weather 
 has been quite cold even now, and for the last fort- 
 night almost constant heavy rains. The country is 
 very mountainous, with fine valleys covered with corn 
 and good villages. We get well supplied with every 
 thing : amongst the luxuries, excellent French butter. 
 The Blues are at Logrono on the Ebro, and I fancy 
 will not move up at present, as cavalry are not of 
 much use in the country we are in." 
 
 From the day on which this letter is dated till the 
 sixth, the corps of Sir Rowland Hill was constantly 
 skirmishing with the enemy, but always drove them 
 from their various positions. Still he found time, 
 amidst these mountain conflicts, to write hastily to 
 Hawkstone. 
 
 " Lanz, three leagues from France, July 3. 1813. 
 " My dear Sister, 
 " I am told that a mall will be despatched in the morning 
 via Santander, for England, I therefore avail myself of the 
 opportunity of sending you a few lines. The public de- 
 spatches and the letters from my brothers, will have informed 
 you of our late proceedings in this country. Nothing could 
 have been better managed and executed tlian our recent 
 operations, and there is every prospect of our doing well, pro- 
 vided matters go on tolerably in Germany. 
 
 " The enemy in this country have halted on the frontiers 
 of France. The country they occupy is strong, but they do 
 not appear to have taken up a position to risk another battle. 
 
 R 3
 
 246 LETTER OF SIR ROWLAND. CnAr.IX 
 
 If we can get a good position on the frontiers of Spain, I 
 imagine we shall be satisfied for the present. To-morrow I 
 expect to be with my corps on the borders of France. Some 
 of my people are at this moment at Arriege, which village is 
 in France. 
 
 " The enemy have left a good garrison in Pampeluna : it is 
 a strong fortress, and it is said that it is well supplied with 
 ammunition and provisions. 
 
 " I have now the pleasure to inform you, that your four 
 brothers in this country are well. Tom, as usual, has had 
 his share of the fatigues and fighting ; he and his regiment 
 have invariably conducted themselves well. Clement is with 
 me, and he tells me he wrote to Hawkstone two days ago ; he 
 is not looking very stout, but is well. Robert, whom I saw 
 about a week ago, is in perfect health. Lord Wellington is 
 much pleased with the conduct and appearance of the Blues. 
 This not being a cavalry country, Robert and his brigade are, 
 I believe, to remain, for the present, in the neighbourhood of 
 
 Vittoria. 
 
 ********* 
 
 " Ever yours, most affectionately, 
 
 "R. H." 
 
 On the sixth of July the French ascended the moun- 
 tain which forms the key of the entrance into the 
 valley of Bastan, and took possession of it. The next 
 day Sir Rowland first encountered the lofty steeps of 
 the Pyrenees, and was met by Lord Wellington. They 
 had been reconnoitring together the previous even- 
 ing, and orders had been issued for dislodging the 
 French from their several positions ; but on this oc- 
 casion a dense fog veiled the enemy from their view, 
 and they spent the night amidst the mountain mist, 
 sharing the fatigues and privations of the men. From 
 the pinnacles of this range of mountains Wellington
 
 Chap. IX. PYRENEES. 247 
 
 exhibited to Europe the full grandeur of his plans; and 
 Sir Rowland Hill, who gave the first check to the 
 French cavalry in Egypt, had now the honour of first 
 driving the soldiers of Bonaparte from Spain. This 
 he accomplished on the 8th of July, and took possession 
 of the various passes of the Puerta de Maya. Often 
 have these achievements been acknowledged and com- 
 mended ; but I believe they will yet be enhanced in public 
 opinion by the simple unaffected way in which they 
 were announced by his brother, to those who anxiously 
 awaited news from the Pyrenees at home. On the 9tli 
 of July he wrote from Elizondo : — " We have gone 
 through a very interesting part of the campaign, 
 having completely driven that part of the French 
 army to which we were opposed over the Pyrenees. 
 Great part of Rowland's corps being detached from 
 him, his force has been inferior to the enemy's, and 
 they have always had the advantage of strong posi- 
 tions. The troops have been engaged, more or less, 
 with some hard fighting every day, for the last five 
 days ; but I do not think, during that time, we have 
 lost more than one hundred men. The last position 
 they took was in the pass of Maya, which is very 
 strong. We were to have attacked them yesterday 
 morning. However, at daylight, we saw the last of 
 them move from the pass. Our troops pursued them, 
 and we had the pleasure of seeing them driven out of 
 Spam." He continued : — " We have been marching 
 constantly over mountains rising amidst some of the 
 finest valleys I ever saw, with good towns ; and the 
 people in no part of Spain have appeared more happy 
 to see the English. I think we had one of the finest 
 
 R 4
 
 248 FRENCH DRIVEN OUT OF SPAIN. Chap. IX. 
 
 sights yesterday I ever saw, on arriving on a high 
 hill, from which, for the first time, we had an extensive 
 view into France, and saw the French driven into it." 
 All the officers of merit in Sir Rowland's corps ex- 
 perienced almost equal joy with his own brother, at 
 the honour thus gained by their General ; and such 
 regard for him was his just due, for he had looked 
 upon their reputation as his own. There exist two 
 letters written at this time, so illustrative of his con- 
 sideration towards them, that I cannot refrain from 
 inserting them. The first was written to a distin- 
 guished general officer on Lord Wellington's stafi*, 
 who had made a complaint, the nature of which Avill 
 be sufficiently apparent in the letter itself. 
 
 " My dear General, " Elizondo, July 9. 1813. 
 
 " I have received your letter of yesterday relative to the 
 orders given for the march of the Ca^adores, and on the 
 subject of the interference which you say you have ex- 
 perienced from my and . The order given by 
 
 yesterday, for the march of the whole of the Ca9adores, in- 
 stead of part of that corps as previously ordered by me, was 
 in consequence of information he had received, of which he 
 was before ignorant. His having done so, which he reported 
 to me immechately afterwards, met my entire approbation. 
 
 Having spoken to on the subject, he begs me to explain 
 
 to you that the circumstance of his not having communicated 
 the order for the march of the Ca^adores direct to you, j^ro- 
 ceeded entirely from a Avish to execute the order with as little 
 delay as possible, not knowing that you had retui'ned to your 
 quarters, and a desire to lose as little time as possible in 
 carrying into effect the movement of the Ca^adores, which, 
 from the report he received, was certainly required. 
 
 " With regard to the interference of the two staff officers 
 above mentioned, in general, I cannot say that I am aware of 
 its having ever been improperly exercised, or of inconvenience
 
 Chap. IX. LETTER OF SIR ROWLAND. 249 
 
 having arisen to the service from it. I certainly by no 
 means wish the staff officers attached to me to be giving 
 orders to their superiors in their own name, but there are 
 times when the superior staff officers who are acquainted with 
 my views and intentions may, with advantage to the service, 
 give orders in my name, and they have my authority to do so, 
 acquainting me, of course, by the earliest opportunities of their 
 having done so, and being responsible to me for the same. 
 Indeed, I am sure if staff officers Avere to be only the mere 
 messengers of my orders, they would be of little advantage to 
 me. By the situations they hold, I consider them to be 
 officers of discretion, and, as far as I am at present aware, I 
 think you will find that the same degree of interference 
 which is exercised by them, is exercised by the officers at the 
 heads of their departments in this and most other aniiies. In 
 saying these staff officers are not to give orders in their own 
 name, I must make an exception. With what concerns the 
 details of their own department they are responsible for those 
 details, and I conceive they may communicate in what manner 
 they please with the officers acting under them. I write this 
 in ignorance of the particular instances of the interference of 
 
 my and which have led to your complaint. I beg 
 
 leave to assure you, however, that I shall be ready to attend 
 to any further representations you may have to make on this 
 or any other subject. 
 
 " I have, &c. 
 
 « R. Hill." 
 
 The next letter was addressed to Lord Wellington 
 himself, in defence of an officer of lower rank, who 
 imagined he had fallen under his Lordship's dis- 
 pleasure. 
 
 « My dear Lord, " Elizondo, July 10. 1813. 
 
 " I only yesterday received the enclosed letter from ■ 
 
 and although it did not appear to me from the conversation 
 which I had the honour to hold with your Lordship on the 
 subject, that you felt any displeasure towards on the
 
 250 LETTERS TO LORD WELLINGTON. Chap. IX. 
 
 occasion alluded to by him, I think it my duty in justice to 
 that officer to state, that the very moment your instructions 
 for the closer investment of Pampeluna were received, he pro- 
 ceeded to make the necessary examination of the ground, and 
 reported to me without loss of time. And if there was any 
 improper delay in carrying your Lordship's wishes into effect, 
 it rested entirely with me, and I feel myself fully satisfied 
 
 with 's desire to exert himself on that occasion, and 
 
 should be sorry if your Lordship thought otherwise. 
 
 " I have, &c. 
 
 «E. Hill. 
 
 " Marquis of Wellington, 
 " &c. &c. &c." 
 
 The perusal of these letters will be the best pos- 
 sible clue to the sentiments entertained towards one, 
 who was looked upon as the friend of his officers and 
 the father of his troops. 
 
 On the 11th Lord Wellington, having reason to 
 think that the whole army of the South between 
 Ainhou and Urdax was in Sir Rowland's front, in- 
 structed him to examine the passes of the hill from 
 the high road, and to open a way for the artillery 
 along the height to the post which had, on the 7th, 
 been occupied by General William Stewart. His ac- 
 tual situation and proceedings are stated in his reply 
 to his Lordship : — 
 
 "My dear Lord, "Elizondo, July 12. 1813. 
 
 " Yesterday I had the honour to receive your letter of the 
 11th, 6 A jr. The enemy are certainly in force in front of 
 the Maya pass ; but it did not appear yesterday that it had 
 been increased since the day your Lordship saw them from 
 the heights. 
 
 " The peasants say the King arrived at Ainhou yesterday.
 
 Chap. IX. SOULT IN COMMAND. 251 
 
 I have directed all the roads and communications mentioned 
 in your letter to be examined and repaired without loss of 
 time. ****** 
 
 " I have, &c. 
 
 " R. Hill. 
 " Marquis of Wellington." 
 
 On the very day this letter was penned, Soult took 
 command of the three armies now organized into one 
 body, and called the army of Spain. Lord Wellington 
 two days after was at San Estevan, whence he thus 
 addressed Sir Rowland Hill relative to his movements 
 and designs : — 
 
 " My dear Hill, " St. Estevan, July 14. 1813, 7 p.m. 
 
 ** I arrived here this afternoon, and have opened your letter 
 to Murray. 
 
 "It would appear that the enemy have reinforced their 
 left towards St. Jean de Pied de Port ; and I should besides 
 conclude that Clausel, who was in the valley of Anso on the 
 9th, has by this time passed on to Oleron, and is in commu- 
 nication with St. Jean de Pied de Port. 
 
 " I ordered General Clinton two days ago to march to 
 Lanz with the 6th di\asion, where I believe he has arrived 
 this day ; and I have ordered Sir Lowry Cole with the 4th 
 division, to move from the blockade upon the road towards 
 Roncesvalles. He may march to-morrow, but probably not 
 till next day. Sir Thomas Picton likcAvise, with the 3d 
 division, will march to Olagre, on the road to Lanz, and to 
 Usrui as soon as he will be relieved in the blockade by the 
 corps under General O'Donnell, which is at Puerta la Regna, 
 three leagues from Pampeluna, and is ordered to take the 
 blockade. 
 
 " The truth is, that having two objects in hand, viz. the 
 siege of St. Sebastian and the blockade of Pampeluna, we arc 
 not so strong on any point as we ought to be. These move-
 
 252 LETTER OF LORD WELLINGTON. Chap. IX. 
 
 ments, when effected, will render us full strong enough for 
 any thing. 
 
 " I shall not complete the movement upon Vera to-morrow, 
 unless I should be able to see well, however necessary it may 
 be to complete the siege of St. Sebastian, that we should 
 have the command thei-e. Considering how ticklish our 
 affairs are to the right, I think you had better not yourself 
 quit Elizondo ; and endeavour to have an early communica- 
 tion with Campbell and Byng ; and let me hear from you by 
 Echelar. I shall be with the light division in the morning, 
 but think that my quarters will be to-morrow at Sambilla, or 
 perhaps here. 
 
 " I write to General Clinton at Lanz to desire him to en- 
 deavour to find a road to Ugui from Lanz on to Ronces- 
 valles. I know that he can go to the former from Olagre. 
 
 " If you should find that Byng is attacked, order General 
 Clinton to move upon Roncesvalles by Ugui and Espinal. 
 
 " Ever yours most faithfully, 
 
 " Wellington." 
 
 For some time after the receipt of this letter, but 
 few movements of importance were made by the 
 enemy, within the observation of Sir Rowland, who 
 remained at Elizondo. A portion of his troops were 
 in the mountains, where, for several days, no sounds 
 reached their ears but the rush of falling waters and 
 the scream of eagles, emblems of the fury and swift- 
 ness of the attacks which awaited them. On the 25th, 
 at Lingoen and at Maya, the enemy made tremendous 
 onslaughts, disastrous to the allies and to the French 
 themselves. On these occasions, Napier well observes, 
 the stern valour of some of our troops would have 
 graced Thermopyla3. The advantage gained by the 
 Count D'Erlon cost him 1500 men and a general. 
 The loss inflicted on our ranks at Maya amounted to
 
 Chap. IX. MAYA PASS. 253 
 
 1400 soldiers and four guns. Although the over- 
 whelming force of the assailants obliged the defenders 
 of the pass to fall back, Sir Rowland liill recovered 
 the key of the position in the pass before night-fall. 
 General Byng was attacked with prodigious impe- 
 tuosity, and though he resisted with all the energy of 
 his distinguished valour, he was unable to stand 
 against the overpowering weight of numbers, and was 
 forced up the mountain. His letter to Sir Rowland 
 Hill, on the following day, gives a most correct ac- 
 count of the affair : — 
 
 " Dear Sir Rowland, " Lingoen, July 26. 1813. 
 
 "Enclosed with this I send you a copy of my report to 
 Sir Lowry Cole, of what occurred yesterday. I cannot ex- 
 press the regret I feel in having been obliged to retire from 
 the passes entrusted to my defence. I trust you will have 
 the goodness to inquire into particulars from Sir Lowry Cole, 
 and that inquiry will satisfy you that no blame attaches to 
 myself or the troops I commanded ; that for nine hours we 
 maintained our position against five times a superior force to 
 ourselves ; that when we did retire, it was done in good or- 
 der; that we had not a man taken prisoner, except those 
 whose wounds were such that it Avould have endangered 
 their lives to remove them — all that could be removed were 
 brought away ; and, lastly, we occasioned the enemy so severe 
 a loss, that he neither ventured an attack on our second posi- 
 tion, nor to molest us in our retreat. These, Sir, I assure 
 you, are facts which any inquiry will corroborate. 
 ** Believe me, 
 
 " Respectfully and truly yours, 
 
 "J. Byng. 
 
 " I really believe the force of the enemy opposed to me 
 was little short of 20,000 men, and that opposed to Sir 
 Lowry Cole's division 12,000. "J. B."
 
 254 MOVEMENTS OF SIR ROWLAND. Chap. IX. 
 
 In his report to Sir Lowry Cole, General Byng said : 
 — " An officer who was prisoner to us, but who was 
 too dangerously wounded to bring off, stated that the 
 enemy had increased their force at St. Jean de Pied 
 de Port the preceding day by every possible means ; 
 that he knew their force was full 22,000 men, and 
 believed it to be more ; that Marshal Soult was ex- 
 pected there that morning, but was uncertain if he 
 was in the field ; that General Moncey commanded 
 the troops to which I was opposed." The General 
 ere long made ample reprisals. 
 
 The only retrograde movement of Sir Kowland 
 in consequence of these checks in the passes was a 
 withdrawal on the 25th ; and we have seen that he 
 recovered the important position before night. All 
 the other movements made were dependent on those 
 of the corps on his right flank, and were by order. 
 They were not in any degree forced on him by the 
 enemy in his immediate front. The mthdrawal in 
 consequence of the attacks was considered eminently 
 skilful ; and Lord Wellington, in his despatch to Lord 
 Bathurst, observed, " I beg to draw your Lordship's 
 attention to the valuable assistance I received through- 
 out these operations from Lieutenant-General Sir 
 Rowland Hill." 
 
 On the 29th Soult, who had been foiled in his 
 attempts against the allied position the two previous 
 days, decided to try the relief of Pampeluna by an 
 attack on Sir Rowland Hill, which was destined to 
 turn the left of the allies. All these efforts were 
 effectually repulsed, and severe losses were inflicted 
 on the enemy. Sir Rowland took advantage of a
 
 Chap. IX. PASS OF DONNA MARIA. 255 
 
 movement of Count D'Erlon to place his troops on a 
 mountain ridge, about a mile in his rear, where he 
 kept his ground the whole day with a coolness never 
 surpassed. The French, thoroughly discomfited, were 
 compelled to retire in the night, and were followed 
 the next morning. In the pursuit the allies came in 
 contact with two hostile divisions, in the pass of 
 Donna Maria. They were quickly dislodged by the 
 joint efforts of our General and Lord Dalhousie. 
 General Byng, also, now triumphed over his late op- 
 ponents by capturing a large convoy in the town of 
 Elizondo. On the first of August the pursuers fol- 
 lowed the retreating French into the vale of the Bi- 
 dassoa, and took many prisoners, as well as a great 
 quantity of baggage. The evening of this day found 
 the army posted on the frontier, in nearly the same 
 positions as they occupied on the 28th of July. Thus 
 ended the often recounted conflicts of the Pyrenees. 
 
 Sir Rowland Hill immediately assured Lord Wel- 
 lington, that though not present at the action in the 
 Maya pass, he was " thoroughly satisfied that every 
 exertion was made for the defence of the post, and 
 that it was only abandoned when the superiority of 
 the enemy's force would have rendered it impossible 
 to have maintained it longer." To General Stewart, 
 who was wounded on the 25th in this pass, he wrote 
 thus : — 
 
 " My dear General, "■ Arizain, August 4. 
 
 " Having been much occupied during the last two days, 
 
 must plead my excuse for not having written to you sooner, 
 
 to thank you for your gallant exertions and zeal during our 
 
 late operations, and to express my regret at being deprived
 
 256 FEATS IN THE MOUNTAINS. Chap. IX. 
 
 of your services. I am, however, glad to find that your 
 wounds are not of a dangerous nature, and request you will 
 not again think of taking the field until you are perfectly 
 recovered. " I am, &c 
 
 «K. Hill. 
 
 " Lieutenant-General Stewart." 
 
 He also assured General Byng of his entire satis- 
 faction, and that he should take the first opportunity 
 of speaking to Lord Wellington of his gallantry in 
 the mountains, and of his valuable services in the 
 battle of Yittoria. Xor did he forget his aids- 
 de-camp. Captains Egerton and Churchill, on both 
 of whom he passed, in recommending them for pro- 
 motion, the most distinguished encomiums. The 
 former he described as " a very active and zealous 
 officer of fifteen years' standing in the army — nine 
 of them as captain," by whose promotion he should 
 be particularly obliged. Thus he encouraged and en- 
 deavoured to reward all his gallant friends ; but they 
 were never admitted into that favoured circle unless 
 the privilege was well deserved. 
 
 The British of all grades, as if inspired with the 
 romance as well as peril of their wild position on the 
 mountains, performed marvels of strength and daring 
 in these contests. The Rev. Charles Frith, chaplain 
 of the brigade composed of the 28th, 34th, and 
 39th Regiments, during the conflict of Maya, actually 
 carried three or four wounded officers down the rugged 
 steeps into the village, a distance of a mile and a half, 
 at separate times, and gently deposited his gallant 
 burdens where they were secure. The loss of the 
 enemy was probably 15,000 men ;-^ — but may the rocks 
 of these glorious mountains never again be tinged with
 
 Chap. IX. LETTER OF SIR ROWLAND. 257 
 
 blood, nor the vultures find their prey on the carcasses 
 of the brave ! May peace reign throughout these 
 scenes of nature's majesty, and the bold summits of 
 the Pyrenees overshadow the rich valleys of the na- 
 tions they divide, without again having their echoes 
 awakened by any sounds save those which call forth 
 peaceful emotions, saddened, perchance, with the 
 thought that they had ever responded to the disso- 
 nant cries and murderous thunders of war ! 
 
 In the beginning of August, Lord 'WeUiiigton 
 deemed it expedient that Sir Rowland Hill should be 
 on the extreme right of the army. He accordingly 
 encamped near Roncesvalles ; and towards the middle 
 of the month, found leisure to tell his friends at home 
 what difficulties he had encountered in the Pyrenees. 
 
 Camp near Roncesvalles, 
 " My dear Sister, August 17. 1813. 
 
 " Before this time, I imagine, the Pi-ince of Orange will 
 have reached England with the accounts of Soult's attempt 
 to relieve Pampehma, the action near that place, and the re- 
 treat of Soult ao-ain to the frontiers of France. Durino- the 
 whole of these operations you will observe that we had a good 
 deal of fag and fighting ; and although the small force I had 
 with me was not, at all times, able to withstand the over- 
 whelming numbers that were bruuglit against us, yet I am 
 sure we contributed very essentially to tlie glorious result of 
 the business. The fact is. Lord Wellington found it necessary 
 to desire me to send from my corps to the main army, the 
 divisions of Morlllo and the brigades of Generals Campbell 
 and Byng, amounting to about 7000 men, leaving me with 
 not more than 5000 to occupy a very extensive line of 
 country, which was liable to be attacked in any point by a 
 superior force. Li this situation the whole army of the centre, 
 commanded by the Count D'Erlon, consisting of at leas 
 
 S
 
 258 LETTER OF SIR T. GRAHAM. Chap. IX. 
 
 17,000 men, attacked one of my posts, while Soult, with his 
 main army, moved by this road towards Pampehina. The 
 public despatches will have given you details of all these 
 events ; and I shall merely add that, during the whole of the 
 above-mentioned operations, the entire corps of the Count 
 D'Erlon was employed against my 5000 men, which circum- 
 stance made a considerable diversion in favour of the battle 
 near Pampeluna. 
 
 "We have again taken up a position on the frontiers of 
 France, and I am on the right, having the whole of my corps 
 with me. The country I have to defend is strong, but the 
 position is very extensive. Soidt must have lost a very con- 
 siderable number of men during the last three weeks. I 
 think it cannot be less than 15,000. One would imagine he 
 cannot be in a state to act offensively, but he is near his re- 
 sources, and it is possible he may make another effort to 
 relieve Pampeluna and St. Sebastian. The former, I am told, 
 may hold out till the beginning of October ; the latter may 
 be expected to fall sooner. The French officers talk very 
 much of a general peace, which they seem very anxiously to 
 wish for. 
 
 " Clement is quite well. Kobert and Thomas, I believe, are 
 also well. I have to thank you for your letters of the 7th of 
 July, and remain 
 
 " Yours very affectionately, 
 
 " K H." 
 
 The terms " fag and fighting," were evidently sug- 
 gested by his gallant friend Sir Thomas Graham, who 
 had written to him a few days before from the vicinity 
 of San Sebastian. 
 
 " My dear Hill, " Ozarzun, August 12. 1813. 
 
 " I profit by Dr. Ferguson's passing here in his way to the 
 second division to send you two lines. You have had a great 
 deal of fag and fighting of late, which I was glad to hear you 
 had escaped safe from. We are Avaiting for ordnance ships to 
 bring ammunition and more guns, to enable us to renew the
 
 Chap. IX. SIR ROWLAND AT RONCESVALLES. 259 
 
 attack against St. Sebastian, which we tried to storm un- 
 successfully on the 25th ult. But the defences were un- 
 touched, and the enemy made too good use of them against 
 our column of attack, confined to a very naiTow front between 
 the river and the foot of the left line wall, where it was left 
 dry by the falling of the tide. Adieu. 
 
 "I hope you received the box sent by Lieutenant-Coh 
 Colburn of the 5 2d safe, with the coffee essence from Lord 
 Mulgrave, in the top of which I sent an old map of yours 
 which has been travelling about with me for years, in order 
 to be returned. 
 
 " Ever faithfully yours, 
 
 " Tho. Graham. 
 
 " Remember me to Currie. I have been suffering again a 
 good deal from my eye and stomach." 
 
 Sir Noel Hill was engaged in the siege of San Se- 
 bastian, and was by no means delighted with his post. 
 " We are still," he said, " detained here by this 
 abominable place ; but as another battering train is 
 arrived from England, the siege will now be carried 
 on with some prospect of success." When the town 
 did fall at last, he was reported for distinguished 
 services. 
 
 Soult, after his repulse, had resumed his former posi- 
 tion, and the work of fortifying it was carried on with 
 much assiduity. During September and October Sir 
 Rowland occupied the camp near Roncesvalles, and 
 kept up a constant observation of the proceedings of the 
 hostile army. Every clear day he was actively em- 
 ployed with a glass in endeavouring to make out their 
 plans and intentions ; nor was he less attentive to his 
 own defences. On October the 8th, Lord Welling- 
 ton attacked the enemy's right, " with the view of 
 
 s 2
 
 260 THE CONDE DE l'ABISPAL. Chap. IX. 
 
 obliging them to go a little farther back on that 
 side." Pampeluna still held out ; but Sir Rowland 
 felt persuaded that it could not stand much longer. 
 O'Donnell, Conde de I'Abispal, who had been stationed 
 near that place, and co-operated with him during the 
 battles of the Pyrenees, was gone ; but his Andalu- 
 sians and Don Carlos D'Espaiia had blockaded the 
 place till the middle of September ; — still it was not 
 till October that the surrender was made, under pres- 
 sure of intolerable disease and misery. The Conde 
 was always looking out for some opportunity of dis- 
 tinction. On one occasion in the Pyrenees, when 
 Sir Rowland had obtained an advantage, O'Donnell 
 became exceedingly angry at not having been called 
 out into a more effective position, and considered 
 himself deprived of the glory he should certainly have 
 acquired. " O'Donnell is in such a rage," said Sir 
 Rowland quietly to Lord Wellington. " Never mind, 
 I'll find plenty for him to do another day," was his 
 Lordship's reply. The day came ; he was put forward 
 with his troops in a ravine ; the French enfiladed 
 them ; O'Donnell did not flinch, but was angry no 
 more. " From that day," Lord Hill used to say, 
 " I never saw him nor heard from him." 
 
 About the middle of October, it was suggested 
 from home that Sir Rowland should go and take the 
 command of the armies of Catalonia. With regard 
 to this proposition he remarked, " Lord Wellington 
 expressed a wish to the contrary ; consequently I re- 
 main here, which I am glad of." At the end of the 
 month he thus described his situation to Sir George 
 Murray : —
 
 Chap. IX. FALL OF SNOW. 261 
 
 " My dear General, " Roncesvalles, Oct. 29. 10 a.m. 
 
 " We have had a great fall of snow yesterday and this 
 day, and from what I have heard this morning, I fear it will 
 be impossible to keep our troops on the height, at least while 
 the snow continues to fall, for it drifts to such a deg-ree as to 
 endanger their being buried. Indeed I understand that three 
 men are missing this morning. I send this in the hope of its 
 being able to reach you, which I think by no means certain. 
 I have desired General Pringle to report to you also the 
 state of the country in his neighbourhood. I expect General 
 Byng down from the mountains; I shall then be able to judge 
 what is best to be done. 
 
 " I have, &c. 
 
 "R. Hill. 
 
 " Sir Geo. Murray, 
 " to be read by Gen. Pringle." 
 
 To a friend he also wrote, " Dreadful weather for 
 the troops on the mountains ; snow, rain, and such 
 tremendous winds that no tents can be used." 
 
 Lord Wellington proposed shortly after this time 
 to confer with him, and desired both Marshal Beres- 
 ford and Sir George Murray to inform him of his 
 intention, and to appoint the spot where they should 
 meet. His answer to the latter shows the difficulties 
 he had to contend with : — 
 
 " Roncesvalles, Nov. 5. 1813. (Noon.) 
 " My dear General, 
 " I have received your letter of yesterday in duplicate. 
 The road from hence to Alduides is still bad, but I believe 
 there is no doubt as to its practicabihty for the troops and 
 bago-ao-e and commissariat. Our movements will therefore 
 commence to-morrow as directed. I have no doubt we shall 
 be collected in the valley of Maya on the day following. I 
 go myself to Elizondo to-morrow, and will meet Lord 
 
 s 3
 
 262 LETTER TO SIR G. MURRAY. Chap. IX. 
 
 Wellington at noon on the 7th, at the place pointed out, 
 ' Colonel Browne's quarters in front of Urdax.' In a letter 
 I wrote to you a few days ago, I mentioned that we had 
 buried three of Captain Maxwell's guns on the mountains, 
 owing to the impossibility of withdrawing them on account 
 of the snow. I am happy to say that we have, by the great 
 exertions of the artillery and troops, been able to extricate 
 them. 
 
 " I have, &c., 
 
 "E, Hill. 
 " Sir George Murray." 
 
 Lord Wellington w^as now preparing for the battle 
 of the Nivelle, where Sir Rowland established new 
 claims upon the gratitude of his country. The nar- 
 rative of this important event will make an appropriate 
 opening for the next chapter.
 
 263 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 STRENGTH OF THE ENEMY. BATTLE OF THE NH'TILLE. SIR 
 
 ROAVLAND's position. AN ATTACK ON HIM FORESEEN BY LORD 
 
 WELLINGTON. BATTLE OF THE NIVE. COMPLIMENT OF LORD 
 
 A\T:LLINGT0N. MAJOR CLEMENT HILL SENT HOJIE WITH THE 
 
 NEWS. FRENCH BOATS ON THE ADOLTl. INTIMACY BETAVEEN 
 
 THE FRENCH AND ENGLISH SOLDIERS. PATTEN AND HIS 
 
 " PAWN." ADMIRABLE CONDUCT OF SIR ROWLAND. STRATA- 
 GEMS OF THE ENEMY. NEW MOVEMENTS OF THE ARMY. 
 
 LORD Wellington's design effectually concealed. — suc- 
 cesses OP sir ROWLAND. ORTIIEZ. LORD AYELLINGTON RE- 
 CONNOITRES. BATTLE OF ORTHEZ. BATTLE OF AIRE. 
 
 DEATH OF COLONEL HILL. BATTLE OF TARBES. ARRANGE- 
 MENTS FOR PASSING THE GARONNE. SIR ROWLAND IN THE 
 
 SUBURBS OF TOULOUSE. BATTLE OP TOULOUSE. ARRIVAL OF 
 
 COLONEL COOK. — ABDICATION OF BONAPARTE. ARMISTICE. — 
 
 SIR ROWLAND MADE A PEER. 
 
 The French spared no pains in fortifying their 
 position. In front of St. Jean de Luz their right 
 rested on the sea, and their line covered the town, 
 stretching from the shore twelve miles inland^ 
 crossing the Nivelle, and ending behind the village 
 of Ainhoue. The approach to their left was pro- 
 tected by works on a mountain fronting that village, 
 and their centre was on the left of the river, which 
 takes a sinuous course northwards. The bridges 
 above and below Ascain were strongly defended, as 
 was the space enclosed by the curve of the river. On 
 a range of elevated ground behind Sarre was the grand 
 defence of the centre, strengthened by two redoubts, 
 and by a mountain called La Petite la Rhune, which had 
 
 s 4
 
 264 BATTLE OF THE NIVELLE. Chap. X. 
 
 been retrenched. Nature and art combined to afford 
 security to the enemy, but Lord Wellington had decided, 
 in defiance of both, to force their centre and turn their 
 right. Before one o'clock on the morning of the 10th 
 of November, the allies descended from the mountains 
 by moonlight. Sir Rowland Hill commanded the 
 right wing, which emerged from the rocky passes, 
 and arrived Avithin reach of the French about seven 
 o'clock. While victory was being achieved by our 
 other gallant officers, Sir Rowland moved against the 
 heights of Ainhoue, and cleared the nearest redoubt. 
 He afterwards led two divisions on Espelette, forced 
 the enemy from the works in front of Ainhoue, and 
 obliged them to retreat. The combined successes of 
 the allies at length established them in the rear of the 
 enemy's right, and ere sunset terminated the dread 
 fight of the Nivelle. Soult was completely manoeuvred 
 out of the designs of his long labours. Though 
 his numbers were seventy thousand, and he had every 
 advantage that mountains, whose intricacies were well 
 known to him, could afford, fifty guns and fifteen 
 hundred prisoners were taken from him as the spoils 
 of the day. 
 
 Four days after the battle of the Nivelle, Sir Row- 
 land was at St. Pe. He sent a hurried letter home, 
 which he wrote while Lord Worcester and Lord Fitz- 
 roy Somerset were in the room. " I do not see," he 
 said, " any prospect of our having another fight. The 
 glorious news from the North, I trust, will ere long 
 settle Napoleon. The people in France receive us 
 well. I never met with so much attention. The 
 mayor of Ustaritz prepared an excellent dinner for
 
 Chap. X. SITUATION OF THE ALLIES. 2G5 
 
 me yesterday ; and the people run out of their houses 
 to give our people wine." On the 27th of November, 
 he observed, in writing to his brother, — " Our future 
 operations, I imagine, will depend a good deal upon 
 what is going on in other quarters. We are perfectly 
 prepared to act on the offensive ; and if the allies on 
 the Rhine continue to do so, we shall not be idle. On 
 the other hand, if Bonaparte is not kept well occupied 
 either by internal commotions, or by our northern 
 friends, perhaps it may be well for us to maintain a 
 safe and threatening position. This latter situation 
 we have at present. At the same time, we are very 
 much cramped ; and although we may be able to get 
 our men under cover, the total want of forage for the 
 animals is a serious inconvenience. If you look at 
 the map you will see our present position. My right 
 is on the mountains to the right of this place ; my left 
 at Cambo. Marshal Beresford is at Ustaritz and 
 down the Nive to mthin about a league of Bayonne, 
 from which point, to the sea. Sir John Hope has his 
 corps. The rains which fell about a fortnight ago 
 rendered the river Nive a formidable barrier : the last 
 week's fine weather has, however, made the river 
 fordable in many parts, in consequence of which both 
 parties are kept on the alert. The enemy, notwitli- 
 standing, has much more to fear than we have. The 
 inhabitants, certainly, are not unfriendly to us ; and 
 many are daily returning to their homes, finding they 
 are well treated by the British and Portuguese. The 
 main body of our cavalry is kept in the rear at pre- 
 sent." 
 
 About the period of this letter, a correspondence
 
 266 LETTER OF xMARSHAL BERESFORD. Chap. X. 
 
 passed between Lord Wellington and Sir Rowland 
 Hill relative to the passage of the Nive, and consider- 
 able discretionary power was placed by his Lordship 
 in his hands. The second week in December, Marshal 
 Beresford apprised him that it was considered pro- 
 bable an attack would be made upon him. 
 
 " My dear Hill, " Arouiitz, 1 1th Dec. 1813, 7 a. m. 
 
 " I have here, on my way to the outposts, received a let- 
 ter from Lord Wellington. He says the enemy made no 
 jDrogress yesterday beyond driving in the outposts and pick- 
 ets, and he does not think he will renew the attack. The 
 prisoners in general say that only one division (of Paris) re- 
 tired towards St. Jean de Pied de Port; one prisoner said 
 two divisions. It appears all the I'est of this army came 
 through Bayonne for the attack yesterday. Lord W. says 
 we must not be surprised if he should turn his attack against 
 you, in which case the 6th division, now at Ustaritz, will 
 pass over to your support; and, at all events, if you want it 
 send for it, and Sir W. Clinton has directions to conform to 
 your wishes. Lord W. says the enemy yesterday brought 
 from your side three, some say four, divisions ; and it is not 
 quite certain if one division was not left in their entrenched 
 camp on your side. 
 
 " Yours most sincerely, 
 
 " W. C. I3ERESrORD. 
 
 " Lt.-General Sir Rowland Hill." 
 
 The expected attack was made on the 13th; and 
 the same day, " at noon," Lord Wellington had the 
 satisfaction of writing to Sir John Hope, " I have the 
 pleasure to inform you that Hill has beat them com- 
 pletely ;" and also to Sir J. Kennedy, "Sir R. Hill 
 has given the enemy a terrible beating." To General 
 Castanos he wrote, " Vous serez bien-aise de savoir 
 que le General Hill battit I'ennemi terriblement avant-
 
 Chap. X. BATTLE OF THE NIVE. 267 
 
 hier. II y a long temps que je n'ai pas vu tant de 
 morts sur le champ de bataille. J'ai ma droite sur 
 I'Adour, de laquelle la communication est coupee 
 pour I'ennemi." 
 
 This great service was thus performed by Sir Row- 
 land. The enemy, who had failed in all their attempts 
 with their whole force upon Lord Wellington's left, 
 withdrew to their entrenchments on the night of 
 December 12th, and passed a large body of troops 
 through the town of Bayonne. With these, on the 
 morning of the 13th, they made a desperate attack on 
 Sir Rowland Hill. This, as has appeared, was not 
 unexpected ; and Lord Wellington had placed at 
 his disposal not only the sixth division, but the 
 fourth division, and two brigades of the third. Soult's 
 objects were to gain the position of St. Pierre, to 
 make himself master of the road to St. Jean Pied 
 de Port, and to break through the allies. For these 
 purposes he put forth his whole strength, and was 
 completely vanquished. Even before the sixth divi- 
 sion arrived. Sir Rowland had repulsed him with 
 prodigious loss; and although he skilfully availed 
 himself of a high ground in retreating, he could not 
 stand against the famous charge of General Byng, 
 and was entirely defeated. It was a battle fought 
 and won by the corps of Sir Rowland Hill alone and 
 unaided. At the instant of victory Lord Wellington 
 came up, and in the ecstasy of the moment of triumph 
 caught him by the hand and said, " Hill, the day is 
 your own." Such were his successes at the battle of 
 the Nive. His gallant brother. Major Clement Hill, 
 was again sent to England with the news. It was
 
 268 LETTER OF SIR ROWLAND. Chap. X. 
 
 incorrectly reported that he had returned to Passages 
 from stress of weather, which is alluded to in Sir 
 Rowland's next letter. 
 
 " Vieux Mauguerre, Dec. 31. 1813, 10 p. m. 
 " My dear Clement, 
 
 " By this time I hope you have reached London in safety. 
 You must have had tremendous weather about the 20th. It 
 was a great satisfaction to us to hear of your getting back to 
 Passages. Soult has not shown any disposition to disturb us 
 in this quarter ; he has moved about six divisions out of the 
 town of Bayonne, placing two opposite to Urt, the others 
 further up the Adour, and on this side towards St. Palais. 
 With respect to our future operations, nothing, as far as I 
 know, is yet determined upon, though we are looking for the 
 best communications for our pontoons towards the Adour. I 
 enclose you a letter from Egerton, who no doubt sends you 
 all the family anecdotes and events. Should it appear that 
 the year 1814 is likely to turn out another year of campaign- 
 ing in this country for us, I think you will do Avell to bring 
 out some canteen dishes, &c., a complete set of saddlery for 
 two or three horses, with cloths, rollers, &c., and any thing 
 else you know will be accej)table. 
 
 "Jan. 1. 5 P.M. 
 
 " It was my intention to have finished this letter this 
 morning, but I have been prevented in consequence of a lit- 
 tle expedition on my part to the island opposite to Urt, with 
 the view of preventing the enemy from constructing works 
 upon it." 
 
 Lord Wellington at the beginning of the new 
 year disposed his forces so as to be in readiness on 
 any emergency ; and Sir Rowland Hill was busily 
 engaged in adopting measures to prevent the enemy's 
 boats from navigating the Adour. Finding musketry 
 ineffectual, he proposed to try rockets, which he 
 thought would, at least, confuse the boatmen ; but
 
 Chap. X. PATTEN AND HIS " PAWN." 26 9 
 
 Lord Wellington considered that if the French found 
 them almost harmless, they would after the first 
 alarm cease to regard them. At length he sent for 
 some heavy guns. In a note to General Fane re- 
 specting them, he mentioned the detriment to the 
 service which arose out of the intimacy of the French 
 and his own soldiers. " You did," he said, " perfectly 
 right in receiving the flag of truce addressed to me. 
 The intercourse, however, going on between our 
 soldiers and the French has increased to such an 
 extent, that I have been under the necessity of giving 
 out another order upon the subject." The fact was, 
 the officers had become quite intimate with each 
 other, and the men carried on a regular traffic upon 
 a rivulet running between the two armies. A great 
 stone was placed in the stream, and on it a canteen 
 was put containing money. After a time this was 
 found filled with brandy. One evening the French 
 sentry failed to supply the brandy to a man named 
 Patten, who was, as he supposed, tricked out of his 
 liquor. He dashed across the stream in the morn- 
 ing, seized the French sentry, stripped him, and 
 carried his accoutrements in triumph to the picket 
 house. A flag of truce soon afterwards appeared, 
 and the French captain who came with it begged 
 hard for the return of the things taken from the 
 sentry, on the ground that if they were retained, 
 his own commission and the sentry's life would be 
 undoubtedly forfeited. " I have got them in paAvn," 
 said Patten, " for a canteen of brandy;" but he gave 
 them up, and refused to accept money offered him 
 by the officer. Still, poor Patten was sentenced to
 
 270 enemy's boats on the ADOUR. Chap. X. 
 
 receive 300 lashes. Sir Rowland had the delinquent 
 led out with great parade, as if to undergo this severe 
 punishment, and addressed a remonstrance to all the 
 regiments on the indiscretion and probable con- 
 sequences of such conduct. But, at length, he un- 
 expectedly enumerated many acts of gallantry per- 
 formed by the prisoner, and, in the midst of faces 
 beaming with admiration, remitted the sentence. 
 
 The enemy's boats still persisted in navigating the 
 Adour. Sir George Murray was consequently directed 
 by Lord Wellington to desire Sir Rowland to fire 
 red-hot shot against them, both from the heavy guns 
 and the four-pounders. Sir George likewise said " it 
 might be expedient to fire some of these shot across 
 the river, in situations where the enemy may be made 
 aware of our using them, as their knowledge of our 
 doing so may be an additional means of deterring 
 their boatmen from the service." He also stated : — 
 " Lieutenant-Colonel Dickenson will be directed to 
 send you some rockets, that you may make use of 
 them whenever circumstances appear favourable." 
 These precautions enabled Sir Rowland on the 21st 
 to report — "I do not believe that any boats have 
 passed Urt since the night of the 16th, when, as 
 Colonel Jackson will have informed you, three went 
 down the Adour. General Fane has fitted out two 
 boats, and has selected for each ten or twelve men 
 from General Barnes's brigade, and given charge of 
 each of them to Lieutenant Law, of the 71st, who 
 was formerly in the navy. He is an active intelligent 
 officer ; and I am inclined to think that if any of the 
 enemy's boats attempt to pass, he is very likely to
 
 Chap. X. SOULT AND THE SPANIARDS. 271 
 
 get hold of them. The Portuguese officer on picket 
 duty yesterday reports, that in the evening about 
 3000 men passed over the bridge of Bayonne from 
 the town to the right bank of the river." All the 
 reports at this time were of an exciting nature. On 
 the 25th, 5 p. m.. General Fane reported — "It seems 
 the opinion of the people about here that something 
 is intended against our posts to-morrow. It is said 
 that a number of conscripts have joined, and that 
 biscuit and spirits were to-day given to the troops." 
 On the 26th, General Bjmg reported — " Two regi- 
 ments marched into Bayonne between twelve and 
 one last night. In the night a large boat made an 
 attempt to get up the river, which our picket was 
 able to prevent, and she now lies opposite. Two 
 smaller boats did pass." On hearing this. Sir Rowland 
 took instant measures, and no more boats appeared ; 
 but the French retaliated by attacking his pickets 
 near Urt. The object of Soult seemed to be to throw 
 the allies on the defensive. He also sounded Morillo 
 on the possibility of gaining over the Spaniards. 
 Morillo sent Sir Rowland some curious documents on 
 this subject, including a letter from General Paris 
 stating that he had orders not to attack the Spanish 
 troops. These papers were immediately forwarded to 
 head-quarters. 
 
 In February the weather was such as to enable 
 Lord Wellington to commence a series of manoeuvres, 
 to draw Soult from his line of defence on the Adour, 
 and important instructions, too technical for insertion 
 here, were sent to Sir Rowland Hill. It was in con-
 
 272 LETTER OF SIR ROWLAND. Chap. X. 
 
 sequence of these that he was enabled to tell his 
 friends that he was again in motion. 
 
 " Marshal Beresford's House, Ustaritz, 
 "My dear Sister, Feb. 12. 1814. 
 
 " I have the satisfaction to inform you that we are again 
 in motion, with every fair prospect of success. The weather 
 has improved, and the state of our commissariat is such that 
 I hope Ave have nothing to fear with regard to our supplies. 
 It appears that my troops are to commence the operations, 
 for which purpose we are this day collecting in the neigh- 
 bourhood of Hasparren, with the view of moving towards 
 Pan. In addition to my troops I shall have Sir Thomas 
 Picton's division with me. Tlie enemy have some force in 
 my front, but I do not expect any serious resistance. I trust 
 you will receive good accounts of our proceedings. 
 
 "I have received your letter of the 21st of last month, 
 and the Shrewsbury papers up to that period. I perfectly 
 agree with you that the Salopians not only deserve my grate- 
 ful thanks for the manner in which they are manifesting their 
 regard towards me, but I feel I never can use expressions 
 sufficiently strong to convey my sense of their kindness on 
 
 the occasion. 
 
 ****** 
 
 " With respect to the handsome present of beef, I am 
 sorry to say it has not yet reached Passages. Immediately 
 on my recei\'ing your letter on the subject, I sent Robert 
 Sharp to inquire about it. He is returned without it. I 
 do, however, hope the next packet will bring this present. 
 
 " It is said the French princes at St. Jean de Luz have 
 been waited upon in a private manner by many respectable 
 people, and have received assurances of support ivhen the 
 moment shall arrive. This is indeed a most interesting time, 
 and a few weeks will in all likelihood produce great events. 
 God grant they may be for the best. 
 
 *' Yours most affectionately." 
 
 Sir Rowland marched with the right of the army
 
 Chap. X. IMPORTANT OPERATIONS. 278 
 
 on the 14th. He soon came upon the Frencli pickets 
 on the Joyeuse river, and drove them in. He then 
 advanced against Harispe, whom he obliged to re- 
 treat, with some loss, towards St. Martin. The next 
 day he pursued the enemy in the direction of Garis, 
 where Harispe had been joined by Paris, and by troops 
 from the centre. Towards sunset, after a fatiiruinof 
 march, the soldiers of his division were excited by the 
 sounds of skirmishing, wliich made " the men as fresh 
 as when they started." They proceeded from the 
 Spaniards under Morillo, who were assailing the out- 
 posts of a strong French position on a height. It was 
 nearty dusk when Sir Rowland arrived at the foot of 
 the hill, but he gave instant orders for an attack. Sir 
 AVilliam Stewart led the gallant second division up 
 the steep, dislodged the enemy, and dispersed them 
 in all directions, though they fought most valiantly. 
 In the night they passed over the river at St. Palais, 
 destroying the bridges. These, however, were speedily 
 repaired, so that Sir Rowland crossed on the 16th. 
 The day following, the French were driven across the 
 Gave de Mauleon, and meant to destroy the bridge at 
 Arriverete, l^ut were prevented. In the night the 
 fugitives retired across the Gave d'Oleron, and pro- 
 ceeded to Sauveterre, where they were joined by other 
 troops. On the 18th the allies were established on 
 the Gave d'Oleron, where Sir Rowland had to await 
 the arrival of the pontoon train before he could cross 
 the river. These operations with the right of the 
 army entirely concealed from Soult the design of Lord 
 Wellington to cross the Adour below Bayonne mth 
 his left. 
 
 T
 
 274 LETTER OF LORD WELLINGTON. Chap. X. 
 
 AVhile Sir Rowland was waiting for the pontoons, 
 the French took possession of a building called the 
 " Red House." Lord Wellington refers to it in the 
 following letter : — 
 
 "My dear Hill, Garis, 6a.m. Feb. 19- 1814. 
 
 *' Churchill has just left me. If you can retake the Red 
 House in the manner you took it yesterday morning, it is 
 desirable to have it ; but I should think the enemy would 
 have covered themselves during the night from the effect of 
 the fire of your artillery, and it will not be very easy then to 
 dislodge them, or to prevent them from working at the tete 
 de pont, as it is most jirobable that our guns in the wood 
 would be under the fire of theirs from the right bank of the 
 river. 
 
 " If you cannot take the Red House, you had better hold 
 the village of Arriverete, as a tete de pont ; the village on 
 the right of the same river where the Barca was, in the same 
 manner, in order to secure the passages, and St. Gloire, 
 Barrante, &c. as advanced posts from them, 
 
 " Your position, in this case, would be on the heights on 
 the left of the Gave de Mauleon, and it is a very good one. 
 
 " Morillo would occupy the upper fords and bridges in the 
 same manner. 
 
 " I think you had better leave the third division where 
 they are ; those at St. Palais cover you from any movement 
 by Mauleon, and the others your left ; however, you will 
 move them if you think proper. 
 
 " I mention all this in case the enemy should undertake 
 any enterprise against you, which is not very probable. 
 
 " Ever yours most sincerely, 
 
 " Wellington. 
 
 " Lieut.-Gencral Sir Rowland Hill, K.B. 
 
 " In the position above mentioned, concealing your troops, 
 and not making any movement of large bodies in sight of the 
 enemy, you will be able to reconnoitre all the passages of the 
 river within your reach."
 
 Chap. X. THE FRENCH AT ORTHEZ. 275 
 
 In the midst of these eno;a(T;emcnts Sir Uowlaiul 
 wrote briefly to his sister : 
 
 O^'^ft^ 
 
 "My dear Sister, St. Palais, Feb. 20. 1814. 
 
 " I feel thankful for the further success which has attended 
 
 my troops in our operations during the last week. 
 
 ****** 
 
 Lord Wellington was witness on these occasions to our pro- 
 ceedings, and, I have no doubt, was perfectly satisfied with 
 the conduct of all. This is the first day that I have sat down in 
 a house for the last week, and I have now not many minutes to 
 write, but I cannot resist sending you a line to tell you that I 
 am well. I do not see any immediate prospect of my being en- 
 gaged with the enemy; indeed we are in hourly expectation 
 of hearing of peace, as it appears that the Congress has been 
 sitting for some days, and it also appeal's that the ministers 
 assembled at it are on good terms. This is a fine country, 
 and the inhabitants extremely civil. Kind remembrance to 
 Sir John and all at home. 
 
 " Yours very affectionately." 
 
 On the 24th the Gave d'Oleron Avas crossed at 
 Villeneuve, and the enemy evacuated Sauveterre, 
 retiring upon Orthez. They were speedily followed, 
 and the Gave de Pau was passed on the evening of 
 the 26th without opposition, though the whole French 
 army was in front of Orthez. On the same day Sir 
 Rowland was thus instructed : — 
 
 " My dear Sir Rowland, Sauveterre, 26th Feb. 1814. 
 
 " I conclude the detachment of pontoons ordered to 
 join you will have arrived to-night. If so, Lord Wellington 
 wishes you to endeavour to establish a bridge near Orthez, as 
 early as you can in the morning. I beg you will send a re- 
 port to the left in the morning of the appearance of things in 
 your front. I expect we shall hear from you that the enemy 
 have retreated. 
 
 " Believe me faithfully yours, 
 
 " G. Murray, Q. M. G. 
 
 T 2
 
 276 LORD WELLINGTON KECONNOITliES. Chap. X. 
 
 " If we get into Orthez every exertion should be made to 
 repair the bridge, that our pontoons may become again dis- 
 posable for other service, for which they will be immediately 
 wanted. G. M." 
 
 The troops of Sir Rowland Hill occupied the heights 
 opposite Orthez and the road leading to Sauveterre. 
 On the 27th, after the sixth and light divisions had 
 crossed the river, they found the French in strength, 
 and determined to oppose the passage of Sir Row- 
 land. Lord Wellington himself reconnoitred the 
 enemy's disposition for battle. He took his survey 
 from a spot once the site of a Roman encampment ; 
 and without the slightest disturbance of the calm 
 intelHgence of his clear and piercing eye, beheld 
 the two divisions which had crossed coming up from 
 the river. They were impeded by the rocks, and the 
 point of junction mth the third division, to which they 
 tended, was in dangerous proximity to the French. 
 AVhen that point was reached, he connected his wings, 
 formed a central reserve, and deliberately arranged 
 his plans. Though even Picton was agitated, Wel- 
 lington was apparently unmoved. Finding, however, 
 that unexpected difS.culties arose, and that at one 
 moment success seemed to declare in favour of the 
 enemy, he suddenly changed his method of attack. 
 He successfully availed himself of a narrow pass be- 
 hind the village of St. Boes, hitherto deemed imprac- 
 ticable, got through his infantry, cavalry, and ar- 
 tillery, spread his front on the other side, and secured 
 a victory. Two thirds only of the army had been 
 engaged. Sir Rowland, ^Yith twelve thousand men,
 
 Chap. X. BATTLES OF ORTHEZ AND AIRE. 277 
 
 was before the bridge of Orthez, and at the critical in- 
 stant of Lord Wellington's change of plan was ordered 
 to force the passage of the Gave. This he effected 
 above Orthez, and made a subsequent movement of a 
 nature so threatening, that it determined the retreat 
 of Soult. " This retreat, first made in order, be- 
 came," said Lord Wellington, " at last a flight, and 
 the troops were in the utmost confusion." The re- 
 sults of these victorious operations were the invest- 
 ment of Bayonne, St. Jean Pied de Port, and Xa- 
 varrens, and the long-desired passage of the Adour, 
 The names of Beresford, Hill, Hope, and Cotton were 
 thus mentioned in Lord Wellington's despatch : — 
 " It is impossible for me sufficiently to express my 
 sense of their merits, or of the degree in which the 
 country is indebted to their zeal and abilities for the 
 situation in which the army now finds itself." 
 
 After a very short interval. Lord Wellington had 
 to acknowledge another important service on the 
 part of Sir Rowland Hill. A corps of the enemy 
 was collected near Aire, " probably with a view to 
 protect the evacuation of a magazine they had at that 
 place." In this direction he advanced on the 2d of 
 March. The French occupied a strong ridge of hills, 
 with their right flank on the Adour, thus covering 
 the road to the town. It was about two o'clock when 
 Sir Rowland approached, and gave immediate orders 
 for an attack. Sir William Stewart, with the second 
 division, assaulted and gained possession of the enemy's 
 extreme right, while General La Costa moved up the 
 heights against their centre ; but his Portuguese 
 troops were repulsed. Sir William Stewart promptly 
 
 T 3
 
 278 DEATH OF COLONEL HILL. Chap. X. 
 
 repaired the ill effects of this disaster, by sending a 
 strono; force under General Barnes to the assistance 
 of the Portuguese, and they made such a charge on 
 the French as threw them into utter confusion. Still 
 they rallied again. But General Byng came up with 
 a brigade, and Harispe and Villette, the French 
 generals, were completely driven off, the former to- 
 wards the river Luz, the latter through Aire into the 
 space formed by two branches of the stream. They 
 suffered a great loss in killed and wounded, besides 
 more than 100 prisoners. The troops that fled in the 
 direction of Pau threw away their arms. It was in 
 all respects a signal victory ; " affording," to use the 
 words of Lord Wellington, " another instance of the 
 conduct and gallantry of the troops under " Sir Row- 
 land's command. 
 
 In the midst of these successes he was yet a mourner. 
 Coincident with this victory was the announcement 
 from home of the death of his eldest brother, Colonel 
 Hill, beloved by his relatives, the favourite of all the 
 county to which he belonged, courteous, mild, benevo- 
 lent, dignified, and the father of a young and pro- 
 mising family. It was from Aire, the scene of his 
 victory, and on the very day when he was obliged to 
 write his official despatch, that he thus addressed his 
 sister on this painful topic : — 
 
 " My dear Sister, Aire, 3d March, 1814. 
 
 " No event ever occurred to me that shocked me so much 
 as the receipt of your second letter, on the subject of the 
 decease of our dear brother. I do not know which of us 
 has most reason to regret the sad event. He was beloved by 
 all of us. His amiable wife is greatly to be pitied. Her
 
 Chap. X. LETTERS OF SIR ROWLAND. 279 
 
 kindness to our family can never be forgotten, and It will be 
 my most anxious wish, as well as my duty, to do all in my 
 power towards her. If I had ever so much time I could not 
 express my real feelings on this melancholy occasion, but 
 under present circumstances I am sure you will not expect 
 me to say much. I am only this moment come into this 
 town, and I understand Lord Wellino-ton will send his de- 
 spatches off early to-morrow morning. You will see that in 
 the midst of my affliction, I have had to attend to important 
 mllitaiy matters. Scarcely a day has passed wdthout our 
 being in the presence and in contact with the enemy: all our 
 operations have been attended with success, and the enemy 
 are now retreating towards Toulouse. Surely Bonaparte can- 
 not hold out much longer. If I have time, I will, in the 
 course of the day, write to you again, but in case I should 
 not, I send this off. I must, however, beg to be kindly re- 
 membered to Sir John and Mrs. Hill, and do most sincerely 
 condole wnth all at home on the late afflicting event which 
 has taken place at Hawkstone. 
 
 " Yours, my dear Sister, most affectionately. 
 " Two mails missing ! " 
 
 Major Clement Hill, who had arrived at Hawkstone, 
 reported to Sir Rowland the resignation with which 
 his family submitted to their loss. To this he ad- 
 verted in a letter addressed to one of the mourners : — 
 
 " Garlin, four leagues from Pau, March 13. 1814. 
 "I have received Clement's letter of the 12th February, 
 by which I am truly happy to hear so good an account of all 
 my friends at Hawkstone, after the melancholy event which 
 has taken place there. Indeed, the more I think of it, the 
 more I lament it. We all, however, must expect death, and 
 
 ought to keep prepared for it. 
 
 ****** 
 
 " I imagine Major Fremantle has i-eached London by this 
 time with accounts of our ojicrations up to the 2d of this 
 month, on which day you will see I had a little aifair of my 
 
 T 4
 
 280 BATTLE OF TARBES. Chap. X. 
 
 own, and which, owing to the bad conduct of some Portuguese, 
 was the most critical I had ever to do with. The gallant 
 conduct, however, of a few British soon put matters to rights, 
 and the result was most fortunate for us- 
 
 " Soult's army is about four or five leagues from hence, 
 and our main force is halting while Mai-shal Beresford is 
 marching with two divisions to Bourdeaux, where it is sup- 
 posed he will be well received by the people. It is a cruel 
 situation for the people. I am sure they would l)e glad to 
 get rid of Bonaparte, and wish well to Louis, but are given 
 to understand that the allies are treating for peace with 
 Bonaparte ; consequently it would be madness in them, and 
 cruel in us to expect them to hoist the white cockade at this 
 moment." 
 
 On the 18 til, by break of day, the whole army was 
 in motion, and Sir Rowland's corps formed the right, 
 marching from Garlin upon Conchez. Sir Rowland, 
 after a severe skirmish, drove back the French out- 
 posts upon Lambege ; then came the combat of Vic 
 Bigorre, and on the 20th the battle of Tarbes. To 
 the last-named place the enemy retired in the night, 
 and in the morning were seen by the allies with the 
 advanced posts of their left in the town, and their 
 right upon the heights, near a neighbouring windmill. 
 Their centre and left were retired ; the latter in an 
 elevated situation. On Sir Rowland devolved the at- 
 tack on Tarbes, ^vhich was made by the high road from 
 Vic Bigorre. He moved tln-ough the town, and the 
 French fled in all directions with considerable loss. 
 Sir Henry Clinton drove them through the village of 
 Dours, and Baron Alten from the heights above 
 Orleix. In the evenino- Soult retired bv St. Gaudens 
 on Toulouse, the hills blazing with fires for guidance.
 
 Chap. X. INSTRUCTIONS. 281 
 
 On the 21st Sir Rowland's directions were, " Lonl 
 AVellington desires that you will be so good as to put 
 the troops under your immediate orders in motion 
 to-morrow morning, and advance by the great road as 
 far as Monrejau, rendering a part of your cavalry 
 more forward, and pushing your patroles as far as 
 you can upon the Toulouse road by St. Gaudens. It 
 is desirable to keep up the appearance of the enemy 
 being followed by the army in that direction." On 
 the 22d the instructions were, " The left and centre 
 of the army are to be thrown in the direction of the 
 great road Avhich leads from Auch to Toulouse, point- 
 ing in that direction either upon ITsle en Jourdain 
 or upon Gimont. We shall therefore be in a sort of 
 echellon, of which the left will be towards one or 
 other of the places above named (I'lsle en Jourdain 
 or Gimont), and the right upon the great road by 
 St. Gaudens to Toulouse. It is probable that as the 
 left and centre move on, the left of your corps will be 
 directed to conform to their movement ; but it will 
 be necessary that part of your right should be always 
 in a situation to keep a force upon the great road by 
 St. Gaudens to Toulouse." At length the pontoons 
 arrived, and the following plan was drawn out : — 
 
 " Portet, March 27- 1814, 3 p. m. 
 
 " Ari'angement for the Passage of the Garonne. 
 
 " Sir R. Hill will be so good as to cause the pontoon- 
 bridge to be thrown across the river at Portet this night. 
 He will commence passing the troops under his immediate 
 command, beginning with the infantry, as soon as the bridge 
 is laid. The troops of the centre and left of the army will 
 be moved at day-break towards Portet, and will pass the
 
 282 THE GARONNE. — PONTOON BRIDGE. Chap. X. 
 
 river after the riglit column has crossed. Sir Rowland Hill 
 will establish himself in strength as soon as possible upon the 
 heights on the right bank of the Garonne, forming a front 
 towards Toulouse and towards the great road which runs 
 from Toulouse by Castanet towards Castelnadaury. 
 
 " The position of the army will be further extended in 
 proportion as more troops pass over. 
 
 " Sir R. Hill will be so good as to establish as direct a 
 communication as he can with head-quarters this afternoon, 
 and apprise the Quai'ter-Master-General of the Knc of com- 
 munication established. Sir Rowland will be so good as to 
 order reports to be sent to head-quarters of the progress 
 made in the establishment of the bridge, as also when the 
 troops begin to pass. A communication is also to be esta- 
 blished with Plaisance." 
 
 The passage of the Garonne was found imprac- 
 ticable, and Sir Rowland's troops were withdrawn to 
 St. Roques. In the night of the 30th a new bridge 
 was laid near Pensaguel, and he passed with two 
 divisions of infantry. He used sometimes in con- 
 versation to mention the great trouble these bridges 
 cost him. " For instance," he would say, " at a point 
 where all seemed most promising, I found we had not 
 enough to cross by exactly one boat, and we had all 
 our work to do over again at a narrower place." I 
 I shall never forget the coolness with which he men- 
 tioned this provoking circumstance ; and some person 
 present remarked, that he was no doubt just as cool 
 when it happened. 
 
 By the 3d of April he had advanced to Toulouse, 
 and his officers occupied the beautiful villas of the 
 suburbs. On the 3d Lord Wellington thought Sir 
 Rowland would probably be attacked the next day,
 
 Chap. X. BATTLE OF TOULOUSE. 283 
 
 and instructed him, if there seemed to be any risk 
 in attempting to maintain the position opposite 
 Toulouse, to fall back first behind the Touch river. 
 If he deemed it expedient to retire still farther, he 
 was to do so by the Auch road behind the rivulet 
 between Colomiers and Lequenin. In case the enemy's 
 force moved to his right to oppose the passage of the 
 river, Lord Wellington wished him to make a show 
 of attacking the suburb, and to be informed of it, 
 that he might know the cause of the firing. No 
 movement, however, took place, and a corps was 
 thrown over the right of the Garonne on the 4th. 
 At 10 P.M. on the 9th, Sir Rowland was informed, 
 " It is intended to move against the enemy's position 
 on this side of the river, to-morrow morning soon after 
 day-break. Lord Welhngton wishes therefore that 
 you should make such arrangements, threatening the 
 suburb of Toulouse on the left bank of the river, as 
 circumstances admit of, in order to draw a part of the 
 attention and force of the enemy to that side. You 
 will be able to see the commencement and progress 
 of the operations on this side, and you will be good 
 enough to regulate yours accordingly." The next 
 morning, Easter Sunday, came the battle of Toulouse. 
 While the other operations of Lord Wellington were 
 proceeding, Sir Rowland performed the task allotted 
 to him with his usual vigour and success. He drove 
 the French v/ithin the ancient wall, from their ex- 
 terior works in the suburb on the left of the Garonne. 
 It was a desecration of the Sabbath in every way to 
 be lamented ; for Napoleon had previously abdicated 
 his throne.
 
 284 LETTER OF SIR ROWLAND. Chap. X. 
 
 On the 12tli Lord Wellington entered Toulouse, 
 and Sir Rowland was directed to move through the 
 town, and to continue his march along the Car- 
 cassonne road. It was a moment of anxiety. " It 
 is impossible," was Lord Wellington's message to 
 him, " to say until Colonel Cook's return, whether we 
 are to be at war or at peace with Marshal Soult." In 
 the mean time he was desired to make his cavalry 
 keep sight of the enemy, but not to move his inftmtry 
 unless the cavalry required support. The arrival of 
 Colonel Cook was joyfully announced by Sir Row- 
 land to his family. 
 
 " Near Toulouse, April 13. 1814. 
 '• I do most sincerely congratulate you and all my friends 
 upon the glorious event which has just been made known to 
 us. Colonel Cook arrived this morning from Paris with the 
 account of the abdication of Bonaparte. The Colonel is 
 gone in to Marshal Soult, and I have no doubt an innnediate 
 cessation of hostilities will take place, though at this moment 
 there is some little firing at the outposts. Should matters 
 be settled so soon as there is every reason to suppose they 
 will, I may hope ere long to have the happiness of seeing 
 you all. It is indeed most gratifying to find that we have 
 got rid of Bonaparte ; the more so as, only a few days ago, 
 we had every reason to think that a peace would be made 
 Avith him ! The papers will give you an account of our late 
 operations. You will see that my troops had not much 
 fighting at the battle near Toulouse, though we had our share 
 of fatigue and anxiety during the period we were about that 
 place. The joy and enthusiasm of the people of Toulouse 
 when we entered, was, to all appearance, more sincere than 
 any thing of the kind I ever witnessed. Robert is at Tou- 
 louse : I have not yet seen him. I have this instant a mes- 
 sage from my outposts to inform me a flag of truce is there ;
 
 CuAP. X. ARMISTICE. 2X5 
 
 no doubt upon the subject of Colonel Cook's mission. 1 will 
 let you know the result to-morrow, but send this off in case 
 Lord Wellington's despatches should go off this evenincr, 
 
 " Yours, my dear Sister, 
 
 " Very affectionately." 
 
 Soult, upon the receipt of the important information 
 from Paris, proposed an armistice, to gain time for 
 further tidings, to which Lord Wellington declined to 
 accede. On the 16th it was officially stated to Sir 
 Rowland, — " It is Lord Wellington's intention that 
 no unnecessary or p)artial hostilities should take place 
 previously to the army being closed up. His Lord- 
 ship will then see whether it is necessary to press 
 Marshal Soult further." Two days afterwards they 
 heard as follows : — 
 
 "Toulouse, 18th April, 1814, 
 " My dear Sir Rowland, 
 " The terms of an armistice have been agreed upon, and 
 as soon as Marshal Soult has signified his assent to them the 
 business will be completed. The armistice includes the allied 
 troops in Catalonia and those under Marshal Suchet, as well 
 as the armies in this quarter, and the fortresses and the 
 troops before them. The army will therefore not make any 
 movement to-day, and head- quarters will be at Toulouse. It 
 is probable that the greater part of the troops will be drawn 
 further back to-morrow, to be cantoned, or encamj)ed in more 
 convenient situations. 
 
 " I beg yovi will be so good as to let the contents of this 
 letter be communicated to Sir Lowry Cole, and also to the 
 other general officers, whose troops are in communication 
 with those under your own immediate command. 
 " Beheve me, my dear Sir Rowland, 
 " Very faithfully yours, 
 
 « G. Murray, Q. M. G."
 
 286 PEACE. Chap. X. 
 
 On the 21st Sir Rowland had the pleasure of 
 writing, — " Soult has acknowledged the present 
 change of affairs; and we are at peace with him." 
 To this he added, — "I have just left Robert at a ball 
 given by the inhabitants to us. The joy of the people 
 at having got rid of Bonaparte is beyond any thing of 
 the kind I ever witnessed." 
 
 Lord Castlereagh soon summoned the Commander 
 of the Forces to meet him in Paris. He kindly under- 
 took to be the bearer of a letter from Sir Rowland. 
 
 "My dear Sister, Toulouse, April 30." 1814. 
 
 "Lord Wellington sets out this day for Paris, and has 
 desired me to remain in command of the army. His Lord- 
 sliii^ talks of returning in a few days; but I imagine arrange- 
 ments will be made in England to get the troops home with 
 as little delay as possible, and that he wiU scarcely have time 
 to come back. 
 
 " The Due d'Angouleme's reception here has been most 
 gratifying. Several French generals have been to wait 
 upon him. Marshal Suchet came last night. Soult is, I 
 beheve, gone to Paris. 
 
 " A part of this army is ordered to be in readiness to em- 
 bark on an expedition — I suppose, for America. The 
 General Officer commanding it is not named, but should it 
 be offered to me, I shall not accept it. Indeed I am, as you 
 may imagine, truly anxious to get home, and as soon as I can 
 with propriety, I shall be with you. 
 
 " I send these hasty lines by Lord W., who Is just going 
 off. Kind remembrance to all. 
 
 " Yours most affectionately." 
 
 A few days afterwards he wrote, — "I am just 
 sending off despatches to Lord Wellington at Paris, 
 and by the same opportunity I forward to you a few 
 lines. No instructions have yet arrived for our quit-
 
 CuAP. X. SIR ROWLAND MADE A PEER. 287 
 
 ting this country, though I am in hourly expectation 
 of hearing from England on the subject. Every thing 
 is going on extremely well in this part of the country. 
 The joy of the people is not at all abated. The Due 
 d'Angouleme is gone to visit the French armies. I 
 have not heard how he has been received by them ; 
 but as Marshal Suchet and several of the French 
 officers have been in here to wait upon his Royal 
 Highness, I have no doubt they will in return pay 
 every respect to him. We have had rather a curious 
 meeting "svith the French officers of late. Two days 
 ago three of their general officers dined with me ; and 
 as they have been my opponents for many years, we 
 had an opportunity of talking over, in the most friendly 
 manner^ events which have occurred in our late cam- 
 paign." 
 
 Sir Rowland Hill was at this time anxious to return 
 to his family, and declined a lucrative post offered 
 him by Lord Wellington, that he might attend to the 
 comfort of his late brother's widow, and the interests 
 of her children. The Duke of Wellington, now raised 
 to that illustrious rank, soon returned to Toulouse. 
 Peerages were conferred on five of his generals ; in 
 which honoured list appeared the name of Sir Row- 
 land, as Lord Hill of Almaraz and of Hawkstone.
 
 288 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 LORD HILL AKRIVES m LONDON. — PROPOSAL FOR HIS GOING TO 
 
 AlVIERICA. — BREAKFAST AT THE HAJ^JOVER HOTEL. SPOILS 
 
 OF VITTORIA. — HEAPHEY's PICTURE. PRESENTATION OF A 
 
 SAYORD BY THE CITY OF LONDON. SHAKING HANDS. LORD 
 
 HILL AT HAWKSTONE. THE BIRMINGHAM SWORD. RE- 
 JOICINGS AT SHREWSBURY. SIR JOHN HILL. SCENE IN THE 
 
 QUARRY. LORD HILL OBLIGED TO FLY FROM HIS FRIENDS. 
 
 COLUMN AT SHREWSBURY. CHESTER. — MRS. 'SVINFIELD. — 
 
 LETTER OF LORD BATHURST. LETTER OF THE DUKE OF YORK. 
 
 SPRING OF 1815. LMPORTAJN'T MISSION. INSTRUCTIONS. 
 
 INTERVIEW AVITH THE PRINCE OF ORANGE. THE DUKE OF 
 
 WELLINGTON AERIVT;S AT BRUSSELS. LORD HILL's POSITION 
 
 AT GRAIMMONT. — TROOPS OF PRINCE FREDERIC. LORD HILl's 
 
 INFORMATION RESPECTING THE ENEMY. ORDERS. AVATERLOO. 
 
 LORD hill's part IN THE BATTLE. — NIGHT IN THE COTTAGE. 
 
 — MEMORANDUM ON THE SPOT BY SIR DIGBY JIACKWORTH. 
 
 FRANCE. LETTERS. GUELPHIC ORDER. GOLD CLASP FOR 
 
 ORTHEZ. PARIS LORD HILL's PARTY FIRED AT. — • GAIETIES. 
 
 BOIS DE BOULOGNE. REMARKS. 
 
 Lord Hill quitted Toulouse sooner than he expected, 
 and reached London on the 27th of May, 1814. His 
 arrival was thus hastily made known to his sister : — 
 
 " Devonshire Place, 27th May, 1814, 
 "My dear Sister, " Half- past five p. m. 
 
 " I have just time to send you a line to inform you of my 
 arrival here. In a letter I wrote to you some time ago from 
 Toulouse, I mentioned that I should not accept the command 
 of the troops going to America. Since then I was told that 
 it was the particular wish of Government that I should go. 
 I therefore thouo-ht it risrht to come here to know the real senti- 
 ments of Government on the subject. I cannot now enter into
 
 Chap. XI. BREAK^FAST. — " SPOILS." 289 
 
 jjarticulars, not having seen Lord Bathurst, nor have I tune ; 
 but I beg to tell you in secret, which I have from ffood anthorifi/, 
 that I shall not be called upon to go out, though it will be 
 politic to keep up the idea of a large force going to America. 
 Mr. and Mrs. Tudway* are now at dinner waiting for me. 
 You shall hear from me to-morrow. 
 
 " Yours, 
 
 " K H." 
 
 The next letter stated, " I have seen Lord Bathurst 
 this morning, and have the pleasure to inform you, 
 that I am not likely to be called upon to go out to 
 America for some few weeks. In the mean time I 
 shall have the happiness of seeing you, and some 
 changes may take place.'''' Lord Hill in a few days 
 removed to the Hanover Hotel, and I well remember 
 being taken by his uncle, the Reverend RoAvland Hill, 
 to call upon him there. We went early, and found 
 him at breakfast with several officers. He received 
 us with a kindness of manner and gentle tone of 
 voice peculiar to himself; yet his quiet step across 
 the room to meet his uncle, and the beaming of his 
 eye, showed the happiness he felt at seeing his zealous 
 and devoted relative. The conversation at the break- 
 fast table was extremely animated, and amongst 
 other topics Lord Hill's share of the spoils of Yittoria 
 was mentioned. This seemed odd enouo^h, for he 
 prided himself on never having acquired a single item 
 of booty in all his camj^aigns, save one plain china 
 drinking cup. But his man, looking well out for 
 
 * Mr. Tudway was member for Hill's uncle by marriage. He re- 
 
 WellSj in Somersetshire, and for ceived Lord Hill as his guest on 
 
 several years was father of the his Lordship's arrival in London. 
 House of Commons. He was Lord 
 
 U
 
 290 THE CITY SWORD. — ANECDOTE. Chap. XI. 
 
 provant^ liad managed to appropriate some dried hams 
 and tongues, wliicli he vowed were from King Joseph's 
 own larder. They added, however, on that day only 
 to the burthens of the mules, for never did his Lord- 
 ship and staff fare worse during the whole Peninsular 
 campaign, than after the battle of Yittoria. With 
 the treasures of Spain scattered around them by their 
 own victory, the conquerors had not necessary re- 
 freshment. After breakfast, Lord Hill went with Mr. 
 Rowland Hill, to see the picture by Heaphy of the he- 
 roes of the Peninsula ; and I shall never forget the kind 
 way in which he described to myself, then a boy, the 
 various personages of whom that group was composed. 
 He thought all the portraits excellent ; but said the 
 Duke of Wellington should not have been painted in a 
 blue frock coat, but a grey one, that being the dress in 
 which he was constantly seen in Spain. 
 
 On the 1st of June Lord Hill took his seat in the 
 House of Lords. In the midst of all the gaieties con- 
 sequent on the presence of the illustrious strangers in 
 London, he wrote home, " It is not for pleasure I re- 
 main here, but I am told it is quite right that I should 
 attend some of the intended fetes, particularly the 
 Prince's. His Royal Highness was very gracious, and 
 inquired after Sir John. I believe I shall receive my 
 sword on Saturda}^" The sword here alluded to was 
 voted to him by the city of London. On the day of 
 presentation, Mr. Rowland Hill arrived at Guildhall a 
 little before the time appointed, and was cordially 
 welcomed by the worthy Chamberlain. In the course 
 of conversation, reference was made to the motto on 
 the arms of Lord Nelson. The Chamberlain observed.
 
 CiiAr. XI. SHAKING HANDS. 201 
 
 " There are not many people wlio know that this 
 motto is a specimen of the good taste and accuracy of 
 the King. * It was originally shown to him in these 
 terms, ' palmam quam meruit ferat.' His Majesty said 
 No ; let it be ' palmam qui meruit ferat.' " At length 
 those who had the privilege of admission arrived in 
 quick succession, and presently the cheering of the 
 crowd in the street announced the approach of some 
 person of distinction. It was Lord Beresford, who was 
 most enthusiastically greeted. Shortly after the same 
 sounds of welcome were heard, and Lord Hill came in, 
 shaking hands with every one within his reach. The 
 Lord Mayor and the civic authorities then proceeded, 
 with their gallant guests, to the place appointed for 
 the ceremony. Two swords were placed before the 
 Chamberlain, with a gold box containing the freedom 
 of the Corporation, long previously voted to Lord 
 Beresford. The Chamberlain addressed Lord Hill in 
 a most appropriate manner, neatly alluding to the fact 
 that his ancestor, of the same name, was the first Pro- 
 testant Lord Mayor of the city of London. He then 
 presented the sword, and Lord HiU was completely 
 overcome in endeavouring to return thanks. Lord 
 Beresford next received his sword and the box before 
 mentioned. No sooner were these ceremonies over, 
 than all present crowded round both the heroes, and 
 a hearty shaking of hands took place, such as has not 
 been witnessed since those days of joy at our deliver- 
 ance from a long and awful war. It was carried to 
 such an extent, that old Blucher one day, lifting up 
 
 * George III. 
 u 2
 
 292 LORD HILL AT SHREWSBURY. Chap. XI. 
 
 his aching arm, exclaimed, " Me shake at hands none 
 moreT 
 
 Wherever Lord Hill appeared in the metropolis 
 he met with a similar reception, till at length he 
 quitted the fetes of London for the romantic scenes 
 and beauteous woodlands of Hawkstone. His arrival 
 was the signal for a general burst of rapturous wel- 
 come ; and all the principal towns through which he 
 passed showed him some token of respect. At Bir- 
 mingham he was presented with a sword in these terms : 
 " Take it^ my Lord, a7id it will not fail you^ " Trust 
 it to ?7ze," was his reply, " and I will not disgrace it.''^ 
 
 His Lordship's visit to Shrewsbury was a triumph. 
 The streets were filled with thousands who came 
 pouring in from every quarter. The trees on the 
 road by which he entered were adorned with flowers, 
 and the very road itself actually strewed with them. 
 Thirteen hundred children of the charity and Sunday 
 schools, were so placed as to be amongst the first 
 whose shouts should hail him as their benefiictor and 
 friend. The veomanry came out to be reviewed by 
 him on his way, and formed part of the procession 
 which accompanied him into the town. Lord Kenyon 
 rode next Lord Hill, who was attended by his gallant 
 brothers and aids-de-camp. Out of respect to the 
 memory of the late Colonel Hill, the trappings of 
 Lord Hill's horse were of black, a marked contrast to 
 the uniforms of fourteen troops of cavalry that followed 
 in his train. The decorated fronts of the houses were 
 occupied by ladies, whose handkerchiefs waved over 
 the heads of the cheering multitude beneath them. A 
 splendid dinner was given at the Guildhall, where the
 
 Chap. XL THE QUARRY. 293 
 
 venerable lather of Lord Hill was an object of uni- 
 versal interest. He appeared fresh, vigorous, and 
 animated as the youngest of the guests at that festive 
 board, until he rose amidst the plaudits of the com- 
 pany to return thanks for the honours of the day. 
 Then the tears rolled down his aged cheeks ; but at 
 length his manly spirit conquered all emotions, and 
 he expressed in a few brief words his sense of the 
 reception of his name by the Salopians. Amongst 
 those assembled on the proud occasion was India's 
 future bishop, the devoted Heber, A\ho spoke with all 
 the elegance and fervour of his chaste and poetic 
 mind. Nor was the Avorthy Major Egerton forgotten : 
 loud and long Avere the cheers that folloAved the men- 
 tion of his name, and well did he deserve them. 
 
 There seemed to be no end to the festivities, and 
 the eagerness of the people Avas every moment on the 
 increase. The freedom of the Corporation was voted 
 to Lord Hill and his gallant brothers ; and, in order to 
 gratify the populace, it was determined that the pre- 
 sentation should take place in the beautiful garden of 
 Mr. Rocke, facing the Quarry — a romantic prome- 
 nade belonging to the toA\m, where a prodigious con- 
 course had gathered. When the ceremony was over, 
 his Lordship addressed the crowd from the back of a 
 sunk fence betAveen the garden and the Quarry. But 
 this AA^as not enough. The shaking-hand mania of the 
 capital had reached the provinces. Hundreds of 
 hands were extended over the bank, so he sfood- 
 naturedly knelt upon the top of the fence, and shook 
 heartily as many as he could reach. In the afternoon 
 there Avas a profusion of tea and cake provided for the 
 
 u 3
 
 294 THE COLUMN. CHESTER. CnAp. XI. 
 
 women and children. Lord Hill, who dined at Mr. 
 Rocke's, every now and then appeared on the terrace ; 
 but the people were determined to have him out. 
 An escort of gentlemen was formed to attend him; 
 but, seeing the immense throng, he at first declined 
 going into the Quarry. He, however, yielded and 
 went ; but was obliged to retreat, such was the over- 
 whelming rush to get near him. A diversion was 
 tried. " That's Lord Hill," said one of the escort, 
 pointing to another gentleman. Away went some of 
 the multitude who had not seen him ; and the subject 
 of the ruse was obliged to make his escape as fast as 
 he could. Lord Hill acknowledged that he now cer- 
 tainly did run away for the first time — not from his 
 enemies, but from his friends. " I never did," he said, 
 laughing, " fly from the fury of my enemies ; but I 
 have been now obliged to do so from the kindness of 
 my friends." 
 
 The Salopians did not suffer these and other tran- 
 sient honours to be all they offered. A splendid 
 column was erected near Shrewsbury, which is one of 
 the noblest Doric pillars in Europe. A vignette in 
 the title-page of this volume correctly represents it. 
 It is called Lord Hill's Column, and has been conveyed 
 to his family. 
 
 While Shropshire gave this distinguished reception 
 to Lord Hill, Cheshire also determined to do honour 
 to Lord Combermere, and the former was earnestly 
 requested to participate in the festivities. Nor did 
 Chester forget that Lord Hill had been a schoolboy 
 within her ancient walls. The two Ofallant heroes 
 entered the city in a triumphal procession, and were
 
 Chap. XI. LETTER OF LORD BATIIURST. 295 
 
 welcomed with enthusiasm. As they passed along 
 the crowded streets, Lord Hill was perceived to wave 
 his hand with great emotion towards a window filled 
 with ladies, and pointing to one whom his quick eye 
 had caught, he exclaimed, " I shall be -svith you at 
 breakfast to-morrow." All wondered who this could 
 be. It was the lady of his former tutor, Mrs. Win- 
 field. 
 
 When all these festivities had terminated, the only 
 drawback to the happiness of his family Avas the fear 
 that he might be called upon to go out to America. 
 In August, a letter from Lord Bathurst put an end to 
 their anxiety : — 
 
 " Downing Street, August 10. 1814. 
 " My dear Lord, 
 
 " Since I had the pleasure of seeing your Lordship, the in- 
 formation I have received has given me reason to believe that 
 fifreat difficulties would arise from the extended scale of the 
 expedition, which I fouud would not be less than one hundred 
 sail. If we succeed, it must be undertaken more in the shape 
 of surprise, the place presenting no great obstacles, the country 
 and shores many in proportion to the extent of force brought 
 against it. Sir Alexander Cochi'ane's letter received yesterday 
 confirms me in this opinion; as he proposes an attack at a 
 different point, but in fact with the same object, with a force 
 very inferior to any in contemplation when I proposed the 
 expedition to you. 
 
 " I find also that the collecting such a force as would be 
 fit for your Lordship to command, is attended witli nmch 
 more difficulty than I had imagined, having a regard to the 
 great demand for troops to be stationed in Ireland. 
 
 " Under all these circumstances I am inclined to give up 
 the thoughts of availing myself of your Lordship's zeal to 
 serve in an exiiedition, which, I am afraid, would have exposed 
 your health more, than, from the little opposition to be ex- 
 
 u 4
 
 296 THE SFKING OF 1815. Chap. XI. 
 
 pected, it would have added to your glory; and I shall, pro- 
 bably, do nothing more than detach a very small foi'ce, to be 
 placed under the command of Major-General Ross, now in 
 America. I take the first moment to communicate to you 
 this change ; at the same time, I hope you will allow me to 
 consider your services as available, should any occasion happen 
 which would be judged worthy of your Lordshijs's assistance. 
 I have the honour to be, my dear Lord, 
 " With great respect, 
 
 " Your faithful servant, 
 
 " Batpiurst." 
 
 In September, Lord Hill was offered the command 
 in Scotland. The proposal was made by an autograph 
 letter from his Royal Highness the Commander-in- 
 Chief:— 
 
 " Brighthelmstone, September 12. 1814. 
 " My dear Lord, 
 " The command iu Scotland having become vacant, in con- 
 sequence of its having been determined that Lord Cathcart 
 should remain as ambassador at Petersburgh, both from duty 
 and inclination, I wish to offer the situation to your Lord- 
 ship, and shall feel much obliged to you if you will com- 
 municate to me your Avishes on the subject at your early 
 convenience. Believe me to be, 
 
 " My dear Lord, 
 
 " Yours most sincerely, 
 
 " FllEDERICK. 
 
 "The Rt. Hon. Lieut.- General Lord Hill, K.B." 
 
 Lord Hill declined this appointment, and remained 
 in the midst of his family during the autunm and 
 winter. 
 
 Early in the spring of 1815, he said one day 
 to his sister*, " Come, now let us go to London, and 
 
 * Miss Emma Hill.
 
 Chap. XI. CONVERSATION WITH LORD HILL. '207 
 
 enjoy ourselves," little thinking of the return of 
 Bonaparte from Elba, and all its consequences. In 
 tlie autumn of 1842, I happened to be talking with 
 his Lordship alone one evening, when some reference 
 was made to that estimable diplomatist Monsieur 
 Dedel, the Dutch ambassador, on whom he passed a 
 high eulogium. This led to his mentioning the Prince 
 of Orange; and he then said, " I will tell you something 
 that few persons know. When Bonaparte came back 
 from Elba, I was in London. One day 1 was sent for 
 suddenly to the Cabinet. They told me there was 
 a fear of an action being risked on the frontier of 
 the Netherlands, that might prove disastrous. ' We 
 think,' they said, ' your influence would operate to 
 prevent it — will you go ? ' I answered, ' Yes.' 
 ' When ? To-night ? ' ' No ; not to-night ; to-mor- 
 row morning.' I went home, got ready, and set off; 
 and was able to keep all right till the arrival of the 
 Duke of Wellington. This, I believe, is not generally 
 known." When this conversation Avas told to his 
 sister, she said she remembered that the evening be- 
 fore his sudden departure, he was to have gone to the 
 opera. At dinner, he quietly remarked, " I cannot 
 go with you this evening ; I am. off to-morrow morn- 
 ing ; " but the cause of his rapid movement was not 
 mentioned. He went, leaving his attached aid-de- 
 camp. Major Egerton, to arrange his affairs, and follow 
 him as soon as possible. 
 
 Amongst his papers I have found the correspon- 
 dence on this important mission. It was towards the 
 end of March that he left England. The first note 
 was the summons : —
 
 298 MISSION TO THE PRINCE OF ORANGE. Chap. XI. 
 
 *' My dear Lord, " Tuesday morning, 8 o'clock. 
 
 " Two gentlemen arrived last night from Ostend. Their 
 account is very bad. The King of France has lost Lille, &c., 
 and is in Ostend. Bonaparte is on the frontier, but no large 
 body of his troops yet arrived. Government is anxious you 
 should go out immediately, as it is of the greatest importance 
 that you should prevent any rash action, and also that you 
 should persuade Louis to retreat upon Holland, rather than 
 come to England. Pray call in DoAvning Street at three o'clock. 
 
 " Yours very truly, 
 
 " H. E. BUNBURY." 
 
 As we have seen, Lord Hill lost no time in going 
 out. He was charged to recommend to the Prince of 
 Orange the " utmost caution on the part of the forces 
 under his command ; " and to assure him that it was 
 deemed of the greatest importance that his Royal 
 Highness's " army should be preserved in an efficient 
 state, until a greater mass of force could be brought 
 forward." It was also to be urged, that it was not 
 desirable " to maintain too advanced a position ; and 
 that it was more creditable, as well as more secure, 
 to withdraw before the enemy had assembled such 
 a force as would compel a retreat, rather than to risk 
 the being obliged by their activity and numbers, to 
 retire in such a manner as might produce an unfavour- 
 able effect upon the public mind." Also, it was to be 
 conveyed to him, as the pleasure of the Prince Regent, 
 " that the army under his command should avoid any 
 serious engagement, and should withdraw into more 
 retired positions, Avhich should be closer, with a view 
 both to covering Antwerp and the Dutch frontier, and 
 also to preserving a ready communication Avith the 
 Prussian forces."
 
 Chap. XI. LETTER OF LORD BATIIURST. 299 
 
 These were the principal points in the instructions 
 Lord Hill was charged with to his Royal Highness 
 the Prince of Orange, for whom he entertained the 
 highest personal respect and esteem. Lord Batlmrst 
 further explained the tenor of his mission : — 
 
 " My dear Lord, " Downing Street, March 29. 1815. 
 
 " In delivering to you a duplicate of my instructions of 
 yesterday's date, I think it will be satisfactory to you that I 
 should put down in writing the substance of the explanations 
 with which I have accompanied it. 
 
 " Your Lordship is aware that the instruction not to main- 
 tain so advanced a position is peremptory ; but you know also 
 that it was given under the impression that Bonaparte was 
 collecting a force on the frontier. In the event of no such 
 force being in progress, the obedience to the instructions be- 
 comes less urgent, if any j^ositive advantage be derived from 
 maintaining that position longer ; but even on this supposi- 
 tion that no force is collecting, the measures for commencing 
 a retrograde movement must be taken, so as to be able to ex- 
 ecute it at any time. If a force be collecting, but no great 
 progress made in it, the obedience to the instruction may be 
 more gradual, but the commencement should not so depend ; 
 first, because the enemy has means of collecting a sufficient 
 force to advance ; and, secondly, because the change of posi- 
 tion will be made with more advantage every way, when it 
 appears to be, and in truth is, voluntary. The object of the 
 instruction being not to risk an action, but not to risk, if it 
 can be helped, the change of position with an enemy in force 
 near you. I am, 
 
 " My dear Lord, 
 
 " Yours very sincerely, 
 
 " Bathurst." 
 
 The next day Lord Hill was on board his Majesty's 
 ship Rosario, and arrived at Brussels on the evening 
 of the 1st of April. He lost no time in seeing the
 
 300 LETTER FROM BRUSSELS. Chap. XI. 
 
 Prince of Orange ; and communicated to Lord Bathurst 
 the result of his intervicAv with that gallant personage 
 in the following terms : — 
 
 " I beg to acquaint your Lordship that I arrived here yes- 
 terday evening, and imniedlately waited on the Prince of 
 Orange, and had a long conversation with his Royal High- 
 ness, on the subject of the instructions which I received from 
 your Lordship. 
 
 " It appears that the army under the Prince is stationed 
 as follows : Head-quarters at Brussels, the Dutch troops 
 coming up towards Genappe, and the British and Hanove- 
 rians at Tournay, Ath, &c. It also appears that the troops 
 at and about the two last-mentioned places have orders to 
 retire in case of being attacked. Conceiving, however, that 
 the British and Hanoverians are too far advanced, I did not 
 fail to refer his lioyal Highness to the late instructions, and 
 to explain to him the conversation I had with your Lordship 
 on the subject ; in consequence of which, the Prince has or- 
 dered the main body of the troops on the advanced line of 
 Tournay to fall back to-morrow to Enghien, keeping their 
 advance at Leuze and Lens, and occupying Tournay and 
 Mons with garrisons, if they are considered tenable. 
 
 " This arrangement seems good for to-morrow ; but if the 
 intelligence from the frontier is in any w^ay threatening, I 
 ho]5e the Prince will lose no time in bringing the trooi)s fur- 
 ther back. 
 
 " The Prince informs me that he does not think the enemy 
 are collecting in force on the frontier, and he does not seem 
 to expect any attack. Your Lordship is aware that the King 
 of the Netherlands is here ; and, from what I can learn, it is 
 the anxious wish of his Majesty to preserve this place — a 
 circumstance, no doubt, very desirable ; at the same time, it 
 ought not to be considered if it is to be eifected by force. 
 Indeed, I am not aware that the Prince has now any inten- 
 tion of making a stand to cover Brussels ; and I shall do what 
 I can to prevent our coming in contact with the enemy in 
 any Avay until we are in a better state to do so.
 
 CiiAP. XI. LORD HILL AT GRAMMONT. 301 
 
 " By accounts from Vienna, I am told we have reason to 
 expect and hope that the Duke of WelUngton will be here in 
 the course of a day or two. 
 
 " The Prince of Orange begs me to mention, in case I 
 should write to your Lordship, though he will no doubt 
 write himself, that he never had any intention of fighting a 
 battle on the frontiers near Tournay." 
 
 " 3d April. 
 " Since writing the accompanying letter, the Quarter- 
 Master-General has infonned me that the movement on En- 
 ghien, alluded to in my letter of yesterday, did not take place 
 this day, but is ordered for to-morrow." 
 
 Thus Lord Hill's sudden mission terminated most 
 satisfactorily to all parties, and was particularly ac- 
 ceptable to the Prince of Orange, who always showed 
 marked attention to his views, as well as friendship 
 for his person. To the great joy of all parties, the 
 Duke of Wellington arrived at Brussels on the 
 4th of April in the night, and the influence of his 
 command was quickly diffused over the whole scene 
 of action. 
 
 Lord Hill was placed at Grammont, where, by a 
 curious combination of circumstances, he found him- 
 self opposite liis old opponent, Girard, whom he sur- 
 prised at Arroyo de Molinos, and close to the chateau 
 of the Prince d'Aremberg, whom he took prisoner on 
 that occasion, and who had been on his parole at 
 Shrewsbury. Lord Hill's pay, at this time, was not 
 sufficient to cover his expenses. " He is," said the 
 Duke of Wellington to Lord Bathurst, " again at the 
 head of what is really an army, composed of troops 
 of different nations, with a large staff attached to him, 
 and great expenses to be incurred, and he is paid only
 
 302 LETTERS OF LOED HILL. Chap. XI. 
 
 as a lieutenant-general, of whom he has several 
 under his command." His Grace proposed the aug- 
 mentation of his means ; and it was ordered that he 
 should receive the pay and allowances of a general on 
 the staff. But for this, he would have been im- 
 poverished by his services. 
 
 On the 15th of May he wrote to his sister. Miss 
 Emma Hill, whom he had taken with him to enjoy 
 the pleasures of London : — 
 
 " My dear Emma, " Grammont, May 15. 1815. 
 
 " I have received your last letter. The collection of 
 French troo^DS on the frontier mentioned in my last, appears 
 to have been in consequence of an aj^prehension on the jjart 
 of the French that we were about to attack them. Matters 
 are now nearly in the same state as they have been for some 
 time ; the allies are coming up, and in the course of another 
 fortniorht, I imao-ine will be in a state to move forward. The 
 only unpleasant circumstance which has occurred, has been 
 amongst the Saxon troops attached to Blucher's army : nearly 
 the whole of them, about 30,000, declared the other day in 
 favour of Bonaparte, and it was with some difficulty that old 
 Bhiclier made his escape from them. They have been disco- 
 vered, and the ringleaders have been shot. 
 
 ****** 
 
 " Love to all, from your ever affectionate brother, 
 
 " Hill." 
 
 The troops of Prince Frederick of the Netherlands 
 were sent over to Lord Hill, and his anxiety for the 
 comfort of the men appears in a letter he addressed 
 to his Royal Highness : — 
 
 « Sir, "Grammont, May 17- 1815. 
 
 " Your Royal Highness having been pleased to say that 
 you would allow me to see your corps, I shall be happy to 
 have that honour whenever it may be convenient to your 
 Royal Highness for me to do so.
 
 Chap. XI. " FATHER HILL AGAIN." 303 
 
 " Considering that your corps is rather dispersed, it is by- 
 no means my wish to give the troops a long march, for the 
 purpose of collecting at any particular point. I can ride to 
 their several cantonments, and see them in brigades or divi- 
 sions, or in any manner you may be pleased to fix. I have 
 only to request that your Koyal Highness will have the good- 
 ness to let me know the arrangements you make on the occa- 
 sion, in order that I may be punctual to the time, and not 
 keep the troops waiting. 
 
 " I have the honour to be, 
 
 " Your Koyal Highness's very obedient 
 and faithfid servant, 
 
 "Hill. 
 " H. B,. Highness Prince Frederick of the Netherlands, 
 &c. &c. &c." 
 
 His great consideration for the soldiers made Lord 
 Hill exceedingly beloved by them. I remember a 
 private of his corps telling me that, on a very hot day, 
 at a review, he was overheard saying to an officer, 
 " Let us shorten these manoeuvres ; it is very hot : 
 you must not fatigue your men." A whisper ran 
 through the ranks, " Bless him ! there he is : Father 
 Hill again ! " 
 
 On the 22d of May Lord Hill thus expressed him- 
 self, in writing to his brother Sir Francis Hill, then 
 in Eno;land : — "I returned late last nio-ht from an 
 inspection of our frontier. Every thing here is much 
 in the same state as it has been for some time. Bo- 
 naparte is busy in France, and the allies are coming 
 forward, but I imagine it will take a few weeks yet 
 before the latter can be well up. By all accounts, 
 Paris is in a very unsettled state. Many deserters 
 come to this country, but in general they are soldiers 
 of the last conscriptions. General Latour came into
 
 304 THE ARMY COLLECTED. Chap. XI. 
 
 Mons yesterday while I was there. He has served 
 a long tune with Bonaparte, and is considered a dis- 
 tinguished officer: he is a native of this country. He 
 left Paris two days ago, and confirms the accounts of 
 the capital being in a very disturbed state. If you 
 have nothing better to do, I think you could spend a 
 short time in this country very pleasantly : you could 
 consider my house as your head-quarters." 
 
 Sir Francis Hill and the Honourable Charles Shore, 
 now Lord Teignmouth, paid Lord Hill a visit at 
 Grammont, where they found an agreeable sojourn 
 until the approach of the French, and the certainty 
 of a battle, caused Lord Hill to recommend their de- 
 parture to Antwerp. 
 
 Lord Hill was in the constant receipt of information 
 respecting the movements of the enemy, which he 
 communicated to the Duke of Wellington at Brussels. 
 On the 13th of June he was informed that, at one 
 o'clock in the morning, the French outposts and j^ickets 
 all fell back towards Maubeuge, and that it was ge- 
 nerally believed that an attack was intended on the 
 15th. Marshals Soult and Drouet, it was added, were 
 in command of nearly 120,000 picked troops; but 
 Bonaparte had not yet come down from Paris, and the 
 National Guards were in full march to the frontier. 
 On the afternoon of the 15th information was sent 
 to Lord Hill from the Duke of Wellington that, in 
 consequence of an attack made upon the Prussian 
 posts on the river Sambre in the morning, his Grace 
 had ordered the army to be collected that night. The 
 movements of the army were notified, and Lord Hill 
 sent his instructions to Prince Frederick : —
 
 Chap. XL THE NIGHT BEFORE WATERLOO. 305 
 
 " Sir, "June 16. 181 T), 3 A. m. 
 
 " I have this moment received orders from the Duke ol' 
 Wellington to move the troops under my command, and his 
 Grace requests that your Royal Highness will occupy Oude- 
 narde with 500 men, and collect the first division of the army 
 of the Low Countries and the Hanoverian brigade at Sot- 
 teghen. These movements to take place without delay. 
 
 " I have, &c. 
 
 " Hill. 
 " His Royal Highness Prince Frederick of Orange." 
 
 All the orders of the Duke addressed to Lord Hill 
 were executed with his accustomed judgment. His 
 whole mind was filled with the momentous interest of 
 the coming struggle for the destinies of Europe. The 
 history of the fight at Quatre Bras, and the retreat to 
 Waterloo, belongs not to this memoir. Kor need any 
 allusion be made to the ball at Brussels, from whicli 
 the chieftains were summoned to the field, further 
 than to say that Lord Hill was not there. He was at 
 his post, attending to the movements of the enemy 
 and his own duties. 
 
 The night previous to the battle of Waterloo was 
 spent by Lord Hill and his staff, in a small house 
 by the side of the road leading from Brussels 
 to the field. At the commencement of the day, his 
 corps was on the slope of Merke Braine to the right 
 of the Nivelle road, covering the right Aving of the 
 general line. Later in the day it advanced, and added 
 greatly to the decisive issue. As the whole army 
 moved to the left, the divisions of Lord Hill's force 
 came up, and were engaged in the thickest of the 
 battle. His Lordship's own station wns on a spot 
 where a little rise enabled him to see the enemy's 
 
 X
 
 306 LORD hill's part in the battle. Chap. XI. 
 
 movements. It was a post of great danger from its 
 exposure to the shot, which flew about him in every 
 direction ; but he remained there, coolly marking all 
 that he deemed of importance, and only leaving it oc- 
 casionally to animate by his presence any faltering 
 portion of the line. He manifested the same energy 
 as at Arroyo de Molinos. His usual gentle and 
 reserved demeanour was exchanged for a decisive 
 and spirited air of command, regulated by most con- 
 summate prudence. He had foreseen the dreadful 
 attack made by the Imperial Guards ; and, having 
 placed himself at the head of a brigade, contributed 
 greatly to the last decisive repulse of the choicest 
 troops of Napoleon. Lord Hill was following this 
 advantage with his customary ardour, when the 
 Duke ordered the advance of the whole army. 
 Cordial as were his Grace's acknowledgments of the 
 services rendered by his Lordship at Waterloo, the 
 full extent of them never seems to have been known 
 to the public. 
 
 * 
 
 * To show how Lord Hill's corps was engaged, I give a memo- 
 randum placed recently in my hands by his Lordship's aid-de-camp : — 
 
 " Lord Hill's Corps engaged at Waterloo. 
 
 Sir F. Adam's Brigade. 
 
 
 1st Brigade, 
 
 K. G. L. 
 
 
 K. w. 
 
 M. 
 
 K. 
 
 
 w. 
 
 M. 
 
 52d _ 16 — 174 — 
 
 
 
 1st — 22 
 
 
 69 - 
 
 - 17 
 
 71st 24 160 
 
 3 
 
 2d 18 
 
 
 79 - 
 
 - 7 
 
 95th _ 20 — 124 — 
 
 
 
 3d 17 
 
 
 93 - 
 
 - 31 
 
 Colonel Mitchell. 
 23d _ 11 _ 78 — 
 51st — 9 — 20 — 
 14th 7 21 
 
 
 
 
 
 4th — 13 
 
 Hanoverians 70 
 British 87 
 
 Total,ex- ' 
 elusive of • 157 
 
 
 77 - 
 318 
 577 
 
 8Q5 
 
 - 14 
 
 69 
 3 
 
 72" 
 
 British 87 577 
 
 3 
 
 officers . 
 
 
 *-'»y " 

 
 Chap. XI. THE EVENING OF THE DAY. 307 
 
 Sir Digby Mackwortb, who was on the staff of Lord 
 Hill, has kindly communicated what lie witnessed of 
 his General's efforts at the grand crisis of the day. 
 " He placed himself," Sir Digby states, " at the head 
 of his Light Brigade, 52d, 71st, and 95th, and charged 
 the flank of the Imperial Guard, as they were ad- 
 vancing against our Guards. The Light Brigade was 
 lying under the brow of the hill, and gave and re- 
 ceived volleys within half pistol shot distance. Here 
 Lord Hill's horse was shot under him, and, as he 
 ascertained the next morning, was shot in five places. 
 The General was rolled over and severely bruised, but 
 in the melee this was unknown to us for about half an 
 hour. AVe knew not what was become of him : we 
 feared he had been killed ; and none can tell you the 
 heartfelt joy which Ave felt when he rejoined us, not 
 seriously hurt." When the tremendous day was over. 
 Lord Hill and his staff again re-occupied the little cot- 
 tage they left in the morning. His two gallant 
 brothers. Sir Robert Hill and Colonel Clement Hill, had 
 been removed wounded to Brussels ; the party was, 
 nevertheless, nine in number. A soup made by Lord 
 Hill's servant from two fowls was all their refresh- 
 ment, after hours of desperate fighting without a 
 morsel of food. Lord Hill himself was bruised 
 and full of pain. All night long, the groans and 
 shrieks of sufferers were the chief sounds that 
 met their ears. It was to them all a night of the 
 greatest misery. The men whom the nations of 
 Europe were about to welcome with acclamations, and 
 to entertain in palaces, could only exchange sigh for 
 sigh with each other in a wretched cottage. Such is 
 
 X 2
 
 308 SIR DIGBY ]VLA.CKWORTIi'S ACCOUNT. Chap. XI. 
 
 war even to the winners. May a gracious God soon 
 make it to cease in all the earth ! 
 
 Sir Digby Mackworth, fatigued as he was, had the 
 resolution to record the proceedings of the past day. 
 His memorandum, kindly sent for the service of 
 this volume, bears date " June 18th, 11 p.m., Water- 
 loo." After describing certain well-known circum- 
 stances, he proceeded: — "The cavalry and infantry 
 repeatedly charged in masses, under cover of a tre- 
 mendous fire from 240 pieces of artillery. Four times 
 were our guns in possession of their cavalry, and as 
 often did the bayonets of our infantry rescue them. 
 For upwards of an hour our little squares were sur- 
 rounded by the elite of the French cavaliers : they 
 gallantly stood within forty paces of us, unable to leap 
 over the bristling line of bayonets, unwilling to 
 retire, and determiued never to surrender. Hundreds 
 of them were dropping in all directions from our 
 murderous fire, yet as fast as they dropped, others 
 came up to supply their places. Finding at last that 
 it was in vain to attempt to break our determined 
 ranks, they swept round our rear, and rushing into 
 the Nivelles road attempted to cut their way back to 
 their o^vn lines ; but the whole road was lined with 
 our infantry on both sides, and at the advanced part 
 of it was an almost impassable barricado of felled 
 trees. Here fell the remainder of these gallant 
 Cuirassiers, of whom not one was taken without a 
 wound. The cannonade continued without inter- 
 mission ; and about six o'clock we saw heavy columns 
 of infantry supported by dragoons returning for a 
 fresh attack. It was evident it would be a desperate,
 
 Chap. XI. SIR DIGBY MACKWORTIl's ACCOUNT. 309 
 
 and we thought probably a decisive, one. Every one 
 felt how much depended on this terrible moment. 
 A black mass of the Grenadiers of the Imperial Guard, 
 with music playing, and the great Napoleon at their 
 head, came rolling onward from the farm of La Belle 
 Alliance. AVith rapid pace they descended. Those 
 spaces in our lines which death had opened and left 
 vacant, were covered with bodies of cavalry. The 
 point at which the enemy aimed was now evident ; it 
 was an angle formed by a brigade of Guards, and the 
 light brigade of Lord Hill's corps. Lord Hill was 
 there in person. The French moved on with arms 
 sloped, au pas de charge. They began to ascend the 
 hill. In a few seconds they were within a hundred 
 paces of us, and as yet not a shot had been fired. 
 The awful moment was now at hand. A peal of ten 
 thousand thunders burst at once on their devoted 
 heads. The storm swept them down as a whirlwind 
 which rushes over the ripe corn ; they paused ; their 
 advance ceased ; they commenced firing from the 
 heads of their columns, and attempted to extend their 
 front ; but death had already caused too much con- 
 fusion among them ; they crowded instinctively be- 
 hind each other to avoid a fire which was intolerably 
 dreadful. Still they stood firm — la garde rnew% et 
 ne se rend pas. For half an hour this horrible 
 butchery continued. At last, seeing all their efibrts 
 vain, all their courage useless, deserted by their 
 Emperor who was already flo^vn, unsupported by 
 their comrades who were already beaten, tlie hitherto 
 Invincible Old Guard gave way, and fled in every 
 direction. One spontaneous and almost painfully 
 
 X 3
 
 310 TIME THE ACTION COMMENCED. Chap. XI. 
 
 animated ' Hurrah I ' burst from the victorious ranks 
 of England. The line at once advanced, generals, 
 officers, soldiers, all partaking in one common enthu- 
 siasm. The battle was over. Guns, prisoners, am- 
 munition, waggons, baggage, horses, successively fell 
 into our hands. Night and fatigue compelled us to 
 halt. We halted on each side of the GenajDpe road, 
 and in a short time numerous columns of Prussians 
 came pouring along in pursuit of the enemy. Each 
 battalion cheered us in passing. The officers saluted, 
 and many embraced us. Never was witnessed a more 
 enthusiastic moment. We felt amply rewarded for 
 the exertions of the day. The Prussians continued 
 the pursuit without interruption. Lord Hill and 
 staff retired to a small cottage where we now are. 
 We have but one room between nine of us, including 
 his Lordship. All but myself are asleep." 
 
 In reading the various accounts of this battle, it is 
 curious to observe the discrepancies as to the time it 
 commenced. Lord Hill has however settled this 
 point. On arriving in London the autumn after the 
 conflict, he passed his first evening at the house of his 
 friend Lord Teignmouth. " Can you tell me," said 
 Lord Teignmouth, " at what time the action com- 
 menced?" Lord Hill replied, "I took two watches 
 into action with me. On consulting my stop watch 
 after the battle was over, I found that the first gun 
 was fired at ten minutes before twelve." 
 
 The day after the battle. Sir Noel Hill wrote 
 thus : — 
 
 "My dear Maria, ''Brussels, June 19, 1815. 
 
 " We are all well. Kobert and Clement are wounded ; 
 but, thank God, not dangerously. Robert's wound is severe.
 
 Chap. XI. THE BROTHERS HILL AFTER THE BATTLE. 311 
 
 and will confine him some time. I have seen the surfcon 
 who attends him, who assures me there is not the sUyhtrst 
 chance of any bad consequences. The hall — musket — has 
 passed through the fleshy part of the right arm, and slightly 
 grazed the breast. 
 
 " Clement was pinned to his saddle by a fellow's sword 
 through the fleshy part of the thigh, and his wound may con- 
 fine him some time, and it must be painful, but there is no 
 sort of danger attending it. Now for the pleasant part of 
 my story. 
 
 " We gained a complete victory yesterday, Bojiy in person 
 commanding the French. He has retreated, leaving most of 
 his artillery, and immense numbers of prisoners, in our hands. 
 
 Our army has advanced this morning. 
 
 ****** 
 
 " Yours ever most affectionately, 
 
 " T. N. H." 
 
 To this letter Colonel Clement Hill would add a 
 postscript. " To convince you all there is not much 
 amiss with me, I add a line to Tom's account of me. 
 My wound may confine me for a short time, but I 
 have scarcely any pain, and we are all in high spirits 
 at the complete drubbing Bony has had, towards 
 which I hope the Blues did their share." As this 
 brave officer, who made thus Hght of a severe wound, 
 was being conveyed to Brussels, he came up to one 
 not quite so gallant as himself, who he had reason to 
 think was frightened out of the field. He was 
 trudging along at quick march. " Eh, my good 
 fellow," cried the Colonel, " I thought you were 
 wounded: were you not?" "No, no!" said he, 
 " but / Aa^ some very narrow escapes!'' Lord Hill 
 himself soon recovered his bruises, and begged Sir 
 Noel to go to the field and look for the horse that 
 
 X 4
 
 312 LETTER OF SIR NOEL HILL. Chap. XI. 
 
 was shot under him, and if dead to have the poor 
 animal buried ; if not, to put him out of his misery. 
 He was found quite dead, and on examination it 
 was discovered that he had been shot in several 
 places. 
 
 His Lordship now passed on with the army into 
 France. Sir Noel Hill's letter shows they were in 
 high spirits : — 
 
 " My dear Maria, " Cateau, June 23. 1815. 
 
 " Robert and Clement are going on as well as possible ; 
 but I dare say you will get later accounts from them than 
 this. Kowland and myself are quite well, and have only to 
 regret that our brothers cannot witness the finishing stroke of 
 Master Bony. He cannot surely withstand the storm that is 
 brewing all around him, after what he suffered on the 18th. 
 He brought against us one half of his army, and by far the 
 best troops he had ; so that we — even this army ■ — need not 
 be nuich alanned at the other half, without the assistance of 
 the Russians, Austi'ians, &c., who, it is understood, are well 
 advanced ; and perhaps our having halted to-day is to allow 
 their armies to come up. 
 
 " Bonaparte's orders to the peasantry and people in general, 
 to defend the country, have not so far been attended to ; but, 
 on the contrary, we have been well received, particularly in 
 this jDlace. Rowland and his staff came into the town without 
 a single soldier. The white flag was immediately hoisted, 
 and a band of music with most of the inhabitants came out to 
 welcome our arrival, singing and playing Vive Henri Quatre. 
 Bavay, the first town we entered in France, had still the 
 eagle standing in the market-place, and the people did not 
 seem very happy to see us, so that one cannot judge exactly of 
 the sentiments of all; but I should think our late successes 
 Avould determine most of those who were wavering, in favour 
 of the good cause. 
 
 " Rowland is gone Avith the Duke of Wellington to pay 
 a visit to old Blucher, who is within a few miles of us. The
 
 Chap. XI. LETTER OF LORD HILL. 3 1 3 
 
 poor old fellow was terribly maltreated in one of his affairs 
 with the enemy. His horse was shot, and they rode over 
 him ; but he takes a deal of killing. His head being tolerably 
 thick, he received but little harm. 
 
 ****** 
 
 " Kind love to all. 
 
 " Yours ever most affectionately." 
 
 Lord Hill's letter describes his visit to Blucher : — 
 
 " My dear Sister, " Cateau, June 24. 1815. 
 
 " Before this time you will have heard, in various ways, of 
 the glorious result of our battle of Waterloo, on which occa- 
 sion I am really inclined to think that the fate of Enropc 
 was decided. Bonaparte is still retreating, and we are follow- 
 ing him. It is possible he may endeavour to collect at Laon, 
 where there is a position ; but in my mind he cannot again 
 make any serious stand against us. The Prussians are close 
 to us ; but the Russians and Austrians are at a consldcraljle 
 distance, as it was not intended to commence operations till 
 the 24th — this day. As soon, however, as they hear of what 
 has taken place on this side, I have no doubt they will press 
 forward. 
 
 " Yesterday I rode with the Duke of "Wellington to see 
 Blucher. We found the old Mai'shal amusing himself with 
 Bonaparte's hat, stars, and personal baggage, which with his 
 carriage was taken by some Prussian cavalry. I verily be- 
 lieve there never was so ti'emendous a battle fought as that at 
 Waterloo ; and it is astonishing how any one could esca])e. 
 I have seen several who have seen Kobert and Clement, and 
 I feel perfectly easy on their account. The particulars of 
 their wounds will have been described to you. The King of 
 France is coming to this town to-day: the people seem re- 
 joiced at the event. Let us be thankful for all mercies ; and 
 never forget that Providence which has i)rotected us, and 
 brought to pass the happy prospect of affairs. Alas, poor
 
 314 PARIS. — CONFERENCE. Chap. XI. 
 
 Currie ! * Brldgeman is doing quite well. Kind remem- 
 brance to Sir John, and all dear friends. 
 
 ** Yours ever most affectionately, 
 
 « H." 
 
 The Duke of Wellington's despatch from Waterloo 
 contained the following paragraph relative to the 
 services of Lord Hill: " I am also particularly in- 
 debted to General Lord Hill, for his assistance and 
 conduct upon this as upon all other occasions." He 
 received, in a most complimentary manner, from the 
 Prince Regent, the Guelphic Order for his distin- 
 guished exertions in leading the Hanoverian troops 
 in the battle of the 18th. It was moreover soon 
 afterwards announced to him by the Duke of York, 
 that he was to wear a gold clasp in commemoration 
 of the battle of Orthez. 
 
 The beginning of July, when the posts at Paris 
 evacuated by agreement were given up. Lord Hill 
 marched to take possession of them. They were 
 surrenderer] on three successive days ; and the even- 
 insT of the first he held a conference at the Barrier 
 of St. Denis, accompanied by his staff. The French 
 General awaited his arrival, attended only by a single 
 aid-de-camp. In the distance a French column was 
 perceived retiring as the British troops approached ; 
 but a French soldier stood on duty near the barrier. 
 Just as Lord Hill and his staff approached close to 
 him, this fellow actually levelled and discharged his 
 
 * Lord Hill thus mentions Colo- on my staff upwards of nine years, 
 
 nel Currie in a letter to the Duke during which latter period he has 
 
 of Wellington : — " Lieutenant- rendered most essential services to 
 
 Colonel Currie had been in the army, me and to his country." 
 I believe, about twenty years, and
 
 Chap. XI. FIRED AT. GAIETIES. ?> 1 5 
 
 musket at the English party, but providentially tlie 
 shot proved harmless. A French aid-dc-canii) '"'- 
 stantly galloped up and apologised, making the ex- 
 cuse that the soldier was intoxicated ; but a similar 
 outrage had well nigh proved fatal to the officer sent 
 into Paris by the Duke of AYcllington with a flag of 
 truce, for he was shot through the body. Lord 
 Hill, however, took no further notice of the circum- 
 stance. 
 
 At Paris Lord Hill occupied the Hotel de ^lontes- 
 quieu, where he entertained some of his Shropshire 
 friends whom the stirring events of the period at- 
 tracted to Paris. He also participated in the brilliant 
 fetes and re-unions, and himself gave a very splendid 
 entertainment. Then came the grand reviews. When- 
 ever he could, he escaped from Paris into the open 
 country, near the Bois de Boulogne, enjopng the qui- 
 etude of its groves more than all the magnificence of 
 the saloons of Paris. From this place he wrote to 
 his sister, " I have every reason to think that I shall 
 not be prevented having the pleasure of seeing you in 
 Shropshire about the 17th or 18th of next month. T 
 have spoken to the Duke of Wellington on the sub- 
 ject, and find there is no objection whatever to my 
 returning to England for a short time. I should 
 have wished to have been at home for a few days 
 before the 19th, but I fear I cannot well leave Paris 
 before the 12th, chiefly on account of a grand review 
 of the Russian army, which is to take place on the 
 10th or 11th. That is also the period about which 
 the British army may expect to be moved from the 
 neighbourhood of Paris, for the purpose of being
 
 316 STATE OF AFFAIRS. Chap. XI. 
 
 cantoned in the towns and villages towards Amiens, 
 &c. He then expressed his opinion on graver matters, 
 thus: — " With respect to the state of public affairs, 
 it is difficult for me to say what it is. I fear, how- 
 ever, that the Bourbons are not very popular, and 
 that the Jacobins and other parties are kept in order 
 entirely by the great armies which are in this country. 
 One thing I am quite clear should be done, which is, 
 that the allies ought not to leave without so com- 
 pletely clipping the wings of France as to render its 
 government, be it what it may, totally incapable of 
 disturbing the peace of Europe again : the only way 
 of doing which is to disband all the present forces, 
 and to occupy with foreign troops, for some time to 
 come, all the strong towns on the frontiers of France. 
 I am also of opinion that all Napoleon's trophies ought 
 to be removed, and all the plunder taken by him 
 restored to its proper owners. I have been living in 
 the country some days, but return to Paris to-day. 
 I expect to meet Lord Castlereagh at dinner at Prince 
 Frederick's." 
 
 We have now traced the career of Lord Hill 
 through the most stirring periods of his active mili- 
 tary life, passed without failing in any undertaking, 
 or having made one personal enemy. Conscious of 
 his own powers, he veiled them with an unequalled 
 modesty, so that jealousy was disarmed. Whatever 
 opportunities were placed in his way, he never used 
 them to enrich himself, and his nature was too noble 
 to make the character of another a stepping-stone to 
 his own fame. With powers of mind adequate to the 
 most original military conceptions, he was, as to
 
 CiiAP. XI. KEMARKS. 317 
 
 orders from his principal, most punctiliously obedient ; 
 and if ever he did take a step not prescribed, it -svas 
 always in accordance with instructions, and led to 
 some brilliant achievement without the precedent of 
 infringing any rule.
 
 o 
 
 18 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 ENTAIL OF LORD HILL's PEERAGE. HE GOES TO CA3IBRAY. 
 
 TRYING EVENT. NOBLE LETTER OF THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON, 
 
 SPORTSMEN AT CAJIBRAY. BOAR-HUNT CHATEAU ULANIERS. 
 
 — SEVERE ILLNESS. KINDNESS OF THE DUKE OF WELLESfGTON. 
 
 MONT ST. MARTIN. TOUR EST THE NETHERLANDS. LORD 
 
 HILL VISITS WATERLOO. GAIETIES AT CAMBRAY. — LORD HILL 
 
 IN HIS FAJHLY CIRCLE AFTER LEAVING CAMBRAY. HIS COUN- 
 TRY LIFE. SOUTHEy's PENTNSULAR WAE. LORD HILL's NE- 
 PHEW ELECTED M. P. FOR SHROPSHIRE. DEATH OF SIR JOHN 
 
 HILL. THE YOUNG SIR ROWLAND HILL MOVES THE ADDRESS 
 
 IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS LETTER OF MR. WILBERFORCE. 
 
 — LORD HILL OFFERED THE COMMAND IN INDIA AND THE 1LA.STER 
 
 GENERALSHIP OF THE ORDNANCE. HE DECLINES BOTH. THE 
 
 DUKE OF WI:LLINGT0N prime MINISTER. PROPOSAL TO LORD 
 
 HILL TO TAKE THE COIVIMAND IN CHIEF OF THE ARMY. HE 
 
 ACCEPTS IT. GENERAL ORDERS. HORSE GUARDS. — ROOM 
 
 WITH ONE CHAIR. LORD HILL UNWELL. KINDNESS OF 
 
 GEORGE IV. HIS MAJESTY'S LAST ACT IN FAVOUR OF LORD 
 
 HILL. ^VILLIAM IV. LETTER OF SIR HERBERT TAYLOR. 
 
 LORD hill's dinner TO THE KING HIS HIGH SENSE OF DUTY. 
 
 — THE STEAM COACH. THE OFFICER THAT COULD NOT RIDE. 
 
 NOTE TO THE LORD AND LADY JMAYORESS. OBSERVATIONS. 
 
 The day before Lord Hill left London, on his mis- 
 sion to the Prince of Orange, he expressed to Lord 
 Bathurst his earnest wish that his peerage might be 
 entailed, in the event of his dying without issue, on 
 the eldest son of his late brother, Colonel Hill. This 
 was the only thing he ever asked for himself or family 
 of the Government. Lord Bathurst expressed him- 
 self favourable to the request ; but the important 
 succession of events which happened immediately 
 afterwards prevented further attention to the subject.
 
 Chap. XII. ENTAIL OF PEERAGE. 319 
 
 In October, 1815, Lord Hill, during a short visit to 
 London, renewed his application, and informed his 
 father of the result. 
 
 " Hanover Square^ Oct. 14. 1815, 8 a. bi. 
 " My dear Father, 
 ** Yesterday I had a satisfactory conversation with Lord 
 Bathurst on the subject of my peerage and pension ; and I 
 think it right to acquaint you, that should it please God to 
 take me from this earthly world, it is settled that both wdl 
 descend to the heirs male of my late dear brother. I men- 
 tion this circumstance for your own private information, and 
 to communicate to such few only as you may think proper. 
 It appears to me that it had better not be made public, nor 
 even communicated to dear Rowland, for fear of raising his 
 expectations too high. 
 
 " Noel and myself are just going off. God bless you, my 
 dear sir. Believe me to be, 
 
 " Your very dutiful and affectionate son, 
 
 " Hill." 
 
 Lord Bathurst lost no time in laying the matter 
 before the Prince Regent, and was commissioned to 
 acquaint Lord Hill that his Royal Highness graciously 
 acquiesced in his desire. 
 
 " My dear Lord, " Downing Street, Oct. 20. 1815. 
 
 " I have great satisfaction in informing your Lordship, that 
 the Prince Regent has acceded to your wishes in the most 
 gratifying manner to you. 
 
 " He has commanded me to assure you, that he has great 
 pleasure in extending the peerage to the sons of your eldest 
 brother, in case of your dying without issue, as a proof of the 
 sense he entertains of your meritorious services, and of the 
 regard due to the very resjiectable family of which you are so 
 distinsfuished an ornament. 
 
 " I have the honour to be, my dear Lord, 
 
 " Yours very sincerely, 
 
 " Bathukst. 
 "The Lord Hill, &c. &c."
 
 320 LETTER OF LORD HILL. Chap. XII. 
 
 Lord Hill had gone to Paris when this letter was 
 written, where he remained till December, when he 
 wrote home to say he should probably soon quit that 
 capital : — 
 
 " My dear Sister, " Paris, Dec. 11. 1815. 
 
 " The King and the French ministers conceiving that the 
 country is now sufficiently quiet, to enable them to carry on 
 the affairs of their government without the aid of foreign 
 troops, we are, in consequence, to leave Paris before the 
 end of this month. Our line of cantonments will be Cam- 
 bray, Valenciennes, &c., and you will have heard that the 
 new organisation of the army is nearly as follows : — 
 
 The cavalry, with its artillery, under Lord 
 
 Combermere, about - - - - 3,500 
 
 The infantry, with its proportion of artil- 
 lery. Lord Hill, about - - - - 25,000 
 
 Reserve artillery, &c. &c. &c. - - 1,500 
 
 Making the British contingent, of - 30,00^ 
 
 "Our stations, you will see, will not be more than one 
 day's journey from Calais, consequently there will be but lit- 
 tle inconvenience in visiting England whenever we please. I 
 have not, however, any intention of coming home this winter, 
 much as I should like to spend my Christmas holydays with 
 the boys at Hawkstone. 
 
 " Marshal Ney's execution has caused very little sensation 
 in Paris ; and the Act of Amnesty, which has been passed 
 since that event, seems to give general satisfaction. Upon 
 the whole, the Due de Richelieu's conduct and appearance are 
 much in his favour; and I really hope he will be able to 
 make the poor Bourbons more esteemed than they appear to 
 be at present. 
 
 ****** 
 
 " I do not know what kind of weather you have in Eng- 
 land, but it is so cold here I can scarcely hold my pen. The 
 mail due last Friday is not yet arrived. Clement is just 
 come into my room. The Blues march on Thursday, and 
 will be at Boulogne on the 26th."
 
 Chap. XII. LETTER OF THE DUIvE OF WELLINGTON. 321 
 
 Lord Hill, when he left Paris, proceeded to Cain- 
 bray, but was obliged to go to England much sooner 
 than he intended, by the unexpected tidings of pecu- 
 niary losses, arising out of circumstances they could 
 not control, which had occurred to his family. He 
 made this known to the Duke of Wellington, and re- 
 ceived the follo-sving noble and generous reply : — 
 
 " My dear Hill, Paris, Feb. 20. 18X6. 
 
 " I received only yesterday evening your letter of the 16th, 
 and I am very much concerned for the unfortunate circum- 
 stances which have occasioned the necessity for your return 
 to England. I consent to it, as well as to that of Sir Noel. 
 Let him apply through the official channel, but he need not 
 wait for the answer. 
 
 " In the existing state of public and private credit in Eng- 
 land, I am apprehensive that you will find it difficult to pro- 
 cure the money which you will requhe. I have a large sum 
 of money which is entirely at my command ; and I assure 
 you that I could not apply it in a manner more satisfactory 
 to me than in accommodating you, my dear Hill, to whom I 
 am under so many obligations, and your father, for whom I 
 entertain the highest respect, although I am not acquainted 
 with him. I trust, therefore, that if you should exjierience 
 the difficulty which I expect you will, in finding money to 
 settle the disagreeable concern in which your family is in- 
 volved, y-ou will let me know it, and I will immediately put 
 my man of business in London in communication with yours, 
 in order to apply it to you. 
 
 " Ever yours most sincerely, 
 
 " AVellington." 
 
 Though it did not become necessary for Lord Hill 
 to avail himself of the assistance so munificently 
 offered, he ever retained the most vivid sense of the 
 Duke's extreme kindness on this trying occasion. 
 
 Y
 
 322 THE BOAR-HUNT. Chap. XII. 
 
 On his Lordship's return to Cambray he was 
 much occupied by the encampments, reviews, and 
 other mihtary duties. In winter the officers enjoyed 
 the sports of the field, and complaint was made that 
 they rode over the young corn. This Lord Hill im- 
 mediately checked as far as his command extended ; 
 but some English gentlemen, not in the army, had 
 joined the camp, whom it was not so easy to manage. 
 Lord Hill, however, contrived to prevent all annoy- 
 ance to the farmers by mild but firm interference. 
 His OAvn favourite diversion was boar-hunting, and 
 he had a most providential escape. Having posted 
 himself at the edge of a wood, a boar, which the 
 beaters had driven out, rushed furiously towards him. 
 While every one else was alarmed for his safety, he 
 coolly awaited its approach. As soon as it came 
 within reach of a short spear, he gave it such a thrust 
 on the nose that it turned on one side, when he sud- 
 denly plunged the spear into its heart, and laid it dead 
 at his feet. The spear broke in the body of the boar, 
 and the Duke of Wellington sent him a present of a 
 new one : the tusks and part of the skull are kept at 
 Hawkstone in memory of the event. 
 
 The Chateau Maniers was, at this time, the residence 
 of Lord Hill, near Cambray, and the excellent taste 
 of Colonel Egerton, his aid-de-camp, added not a little 
 to the comforts of his establishment. Early in 1817, 
 he had a severe attack of illness, and could write only 
 a very short letter : — 
 
 " Maniers, Tuesday, Jan. 20. I8I7. 
 " I have indeed, my dear Sister, suffered a good deal. 
 God Ahuighty has, however, enabled me to bear up against
 
 Chap. XII. ILLNESS OF LORD HILL. 323 
 
 all the attacks, and has restored me to a state of nihul and 
 body calm and composed. My illness has been somcthinjr ol" 
 the same I had in Portugal, a kind of bilious fever. Tlic 
 symptoms on this occasion have, however, l:»een much severer. 
 
 Egerton and his wife are living in the house : they are very 
 attentive. Poor John's attention is very great indeed. Tliis 
 will not leave Cambray till to-morrow, when Sir Noel will 
 write. Kindest remembrances to all, from 
 
 " Your ever affectionate lirother, 
 
 " II." 
 
 A week later, on announcing that he had Ijcen able 
 to take a carriage airing, he remarked, " Nothing can 
 have been kinder than the behaviour of the Duke of 
 Wellington towards me. AVhen he first heard of my 
 illness, not knowing that I had been so ill ns was the 
 case, he asked me to come to his house in Paris, for a 
 change. Since then I have had a second letter from 
 him, in which he says, ' I should think that a change 
 of air would be the best thing for you ; and if that is 
 recommended to you, I hope you will not hesitate a 
 moment about going wherever you may be advised. 
 To see your friends in England would do you good, 
 as well as gratify them after this severe illness.' " On 
 getting better, he went to England, and tried the 
 Cheltenham waters with success. 
 
 After his recovery he resumed his duties at Cam- 
 bray. The Duke of Wellington had a house at ]\Iont 
 St. Martin, where he was joined by the Duchess. 
 Their Graces showed the most kind attention to the 
 officers and their ladies, who were constantly enter- 
 tained by them with the greatest hospitality. 
 
 In the month of September, Lord Hill, accompanied
 
 324 VISIT TO WATERLOO. Chap. XII. 
 
 by his brother Colonel Clement Hill, his nephew Mr. 
 George Hill, and his sister Miss Emma Hill, with 
 Colonel and Mrs. Egerton and Colonel Abercromby, 
 made a tour through the Netherlands. On arriving 
 at Waterloo, the party visited the cottage where Lord 
 Hill and his staff passed the two memorable nights 
 before and after the battle. The poor old woman who 
 resided there no sooner saw Lord Hill and Colonel 
 Egerton, than she was quite overcome with joy and 
 surprise. The party made her happy by a handsome 
 present, and then sought out a still more miserable 
 dwelling where the wounds of Colonel Clement Hill 
 were dressed before he was removed to Brussels. 
 There they fell in with the far-famed guide of Bona- 
 parte. On a rising ground near the Chateau of 
 Hougoumont, they recognised the spot where poor 
 Colonel Currie fell, near which his body was found 
 and buried the morning after the battle, by Colonel 
 Egerton and John Holding, the servant of Lord Hill. 
 They next went on to Nivelles, and called on a worthy 
 Belgian family who had treated Lord Hill and his 
 staff with great hospitality. Their tour, however, 
 was shortened by their desire to return to Cambray 
 in time for a magnificent fete given by the Duke of 
 Wellington ; and also to be present at two reviews, 
 one of the army of Russia, the other of the British, 
 Hanoverian, Danish, and Saxon troops. 
 
 On the termination of his duties at Cambray, Lord 
 Hill came to England. At Hawkstone there had 
 gathered round his venerable father such a family 
 circle, as has seldom assembled at the board of any 
 parent. Lord Hill took his place at table, daily, with
 
 Chap. XII. FAMILY PARTY. — ANECDOTE. 325 
 
 six brothers and four sisters, besides the mdow of his 
 lamented eldest brother, whose children he regarded 
 with paternal solicitude. There never lived a more 
 unaffected human being than Sir John Hill. AVhen he 
 heard that his sons had survived Waterloo, he ex- 
 claimed, "God bless the lads!" and their presence in 
 his own house seemed to add fresh viirour to his old 
 
 o 
 
 age. 
 
 In the ease and enjoyments of home, Lord Hill's 
 chief anxiety seemed to be to add to the cheerfulness 
 and comfort of all about him. His farm and his garden 
 occupied some portion of his time, and he was fond 
 of hunting, shooting, and fishing in a quiet way. 
 The poor were the objects of his peculiar kindness. 
 A soldier's wife on the estate had requested him to 
 make some application regarding her husband, which 
 was successful. He received the answer in his favour 
 just as he was going out with the hounds. After 
 riding a little way he disappeared, and nobody knew 
 where he was gone. At length it was discovered 
 that he had quietly withdrawn from the field, to 
 carry in person the acceptable tidings to the j^oor 
 Avoman, who was anxiously expecting them. The 
 farmers used to be delighted to see him, when he 
 rested in their houses on his shooting excursions. 
 He would play with their children in the most winning 
 manner, taking them on his knee, and amusing them 
 in every way he could devise. The only thing which 
 seemed to embarrass him was the extreme modesty of 
 his nature ; so that actually when about to confer the 
 greatest favour, he would appear more confused than 
 other persons would have been if they had solicited it. 
 
 Y 3
 
 326 MK. WILBERFORCE GEORGE IV. Chap. XII. 
 
 So simple were his manners, that it was difficult for 
 an ordinary observer to imagine him possessed of any 
 of those qualities by which he had gained his high 
 reputation. But whenever it became necessary, even 
 in private life, that he should give a prompt opinion 
 or act upon an emergency, the quickness with which 
 he perceived and decided showed instantly that no 
 common genius was veiled under his usual quiet de- 
 meanour. Mr. Wilberforce, after passing a few hours 
 with him in unravelling the intricacies of an affair 
 requiring much firmness, prudence, and delicacy, 
 could not help saying to Lord Teignmouth, " I love 
 Lord Hill." His Majesty George the Fourth was 
 exceedingly attached to him, and selected him to 
 bear the standard of England at his coronation in 
 the year 1821. In his visits to London he was always 
 much noticed by that monarch, who appreciated to 
 the fullest extent his meritorious public services and 
 his amiable qualities in private. 
 
 We have already noticed the great confidence re- 
 posed in him by the Duke of Wellington. How 
 entirely it was deserved in every respect appears in a 
 letter to his Grace, on the subject of information he 
 was asked to supply for Southey's History of the 
 Peninsular War. The applicant was a nobleman of 
 high rank ; and Lord Hill immediately wrote to the 
 Duke. 
 
 " My dear Lord Duke, October 18. 1821. 
 
 " Some days ago I received the accompanying note from 
 * * * *, and as it relates to the general proceed- 
 
 ings of your army in Spain and Portugal, I cannot think of 
 sending an answer to it without your sanction. It has been
 
 Chap. XII. SOUTHEY'S PENINSULAR WAK. 327 
 
 rumoured that Mr. Southey has been furnished with docu- 
 ments on the subject by your Grace's permission : if that be 
 the case, I cannot give him fresh information, and if it is not 
 the case, I am sure I ought not to supply him with any 
 memoranda I may have. I have destroyed, since I came 
 home, many papers relative to our operations in the Peninsula. 
 I have, however, several papers still in my possession, and 
 amongst them the valuable instructions I received from your 
 Grace at various times. I beg, however, to state that I would 
 not on any account allow them, or any part of them, to go 
 out of my hands, particularly for publication, unless it is your 
 wish that I should do so. 
 
 " I am rejoiced to have it in my power to say, that Eowland 
 was this day elected member for the county of Salop. The 
 proceedings throughout the whole of this business have been 
 most gratifying to our family. The events alluded to in the 
 first part of this letter have contributed in no small degree to 
 Rowland's success ; for I can assure your Grace that your 
 glorious campaign in the Peninsula, in which I had the good 
 fortune to be a humble partaker, has not been forgotten by 
 the Shi'opshire freeholders. The family at Hawkstone join 
 me in expressing to your Grace our best thanks for your 
 kind and good wishes contained in the last letter I had the 
 pleasure to receive from you. 
 
 " I have, &c. 
 
 " Hill." 
 
 The Duke replied with equal kindness and truth. 
 
 "My dear Hill, London, October 25. 1821. 
 
 "I have received your lettei', and sincerely congratulate 
 you upon the success of your nephew, and this fresh instance 
 of the deserved respect in which you and your family arc held 
 in the county of Salop. 
 
 "In respect to Mr. Southey, I have heard in the whole 
 that he was writing a History of the War in the Peninsula ; 
 but I have never received an a^iplication from him, either 
 directly or indirectly, for information on the subject. If I had 
 received such an application, I would have told him what I have 
 
 Y 4
 
 328 LETTER OF THE DUItE OF WELLINGTON. Chap. XII. 
 
 told others, that the subject was too serious to be trifled with ; 
 for that if any real authenticated history of that war by an au- 
 thor worthy of writing it were given, it ought to convey to the 
 public the real truth, and ought to show what nations really 
 did, when they put themselves in the situation the Spanish 
 and Portuguese nations had placed themselves ; and that I 
 would give information and materials to no author who would 
 not undertake to write upon that principle. I think, however, 
 that the period of the war is too near; and the character and 
 rejjutation of nations, as well as individuals, are too much 
 involved in the description of these questions for me to 
 recommend, or even encourage, any author to write such a 
 history as some, I [fear], would encourage at the present 
 moment. 
 
 " This is my opinion upon the subject in general, and I 
 should have conveyed it to Mr. Southey, if he and his friends 
 had applied to me. 
 
 " In respect to your reference to me, I receive it, as every 
 thing that comes from you, as a mark of your kind attention 
 to me. Unless you approve of the principle wliich I have 
 above stated, there is nothing to prevent you from giving 
 Mr. Southey any information you please ; but I should wish 
 you not to give him any original papers from me, as that 
 would be in fact to involve me in his work without attaining 
 the object which I have in view, which is, a true history. 
 
 " Believe me, 
 
 " Ever yours most sincerely, 
 
 " Wellington. 
 
 " General the Lord Hill, G.C.B. &c. &c." 
 
 Upon receiving this communication, Lord Hill 
 assured the Duke that " no original paper relative to 
 his Grace's military proceedings, nor any part of their 
 contents, should pass out of his hands unless he 
 wished them returned to himself." This the Duke 
 by no means desired, but answered the proposal 
 thus: —
 
 Chap. XII. DEATH OF SIR JOHN HILL. 329 
 
 "London, Nov. 1. 1821. 
 "Many thanks, my dear Hill, for your note of the 27th. 
 The papers to which you refer cannot be in better hands than 
 yours ; and when the proper time comes, and such a pul)li- 
 cation is to be made as ought to be made, I shall have no 
 objection to their being published. 
 
 " Ever yours most sincerely, 
 
 " AVellington." 
 
 A great portion of these papers have since been 
 published under the auspices of their author, by- 
 Colonel Gurwood ; and no doubt Lord Hill had good 
 and perhaps kind reasons, for the destruction of the 
 documents he committed to the flames. 
 
 In the year 1824, Lord Hill lost his father, Sir 
 John Hill, at the advanced age of 83. He was 
 succeeded in his titles and estates by Rowland*, 
 eldest son of the lamented Colonel Hill. The young 
 Sir Rowland, whose return to Parliament has been 
 recently noticed, was prevailed upon by Mr. Canning 
 to move the Address in the House of Commons. He 
 was then only twenty-four years of age, and naturally 
 felt the difficulty of such a position. How he ac- 
 quitted himself we learn from a letter of Mr. Wilber- 
 force written to Mrs. Hill. 
 
 " My dear Madam, London, Feb. 9. 1 824. 
 
 " Ever since the day of our meeting, I have had an idea 
 of troubling you with a few lines, though I doubt if the 
 weakness of my eyes and the midtiplicity of my occupations, 
 might not have made me delay taking up my pen till it Afould 
 have become too late to do it, but for my happening to throw 
 out to Lady Teignmouth my idea of writing, and being en- 
 couraged by her to carry it into execution. Being, however, 
 extremely pressed for time, I must be both brief and hasty. 
 
 * The present Viscount Hill.
 
 330 LETTER OF MR. WILBERFORCE. Chap. XII. 
 
 " But I am myself a parent ; and though not a mother, 
 whose feelings and sympathies where her children are con- 
 cerned I well know to be far more vivid than those of our 
 sex, I am conscious of the pleasure it would have given me 
 to receive such an account as with sincerity I can give to you 
 — that your son acquitted himself in such a way in moving 
 the Address, as to have produced in all who were present (aU 
 at least whose good opinion is worth having) a very favour- 
 able impression of his talents, and a still more favourable one 
 of his moral character. I am now one of the most experienced 
 members of the House of Commons, and I can truly say, 
 that such manifest distress of feeling, I may almost term it, 
 as he indicated, is justly regarded as a proof that a young 
 man has both an English understanding in his head, and an 
 English heart in his bosom. This very modesty may have 
 made him send you a less favourable report of his perform- 
 ance than was just, and therefore I am the more desirous of 
 stating to you the truth of the case. 
 
 " That he may prove an honour to his family and a comfort 
 to his mother's heart, and above all, that passing safely 
 through the ordeal, which the world must be termed to a 
 young man of his consideration and fortune, and that you 
 may at length meet him in a better world, Avhere sin and sor- 
 row, danger and suffering, will have no place, but peace, and 
 love, and holiness, and happiness shall abound for ever, is the 
 cordial wish — shall I not say pi^ayer? — of, 
 " My dear Madam, 
 
 " Your sincere friend, 
 
 "W. WlLBEEFOKCE." 
 
 Retirement in the country was at this period par- 
 ticularly suited to Lord Hill, as he had not entirely 
 recovered from the effects of his last illness at 
 Cambray. The open air and rural pursuits were 
 extremely beneficial to him. His visits to London 
 were therefore few and short ; but he was not 
 forgotten by his friends, especially the Duke of 
 Wellington, who was in frequent correspondence
 
 Chap. XII. OFFER OF COiDIAND IN INDIA. 331 
 
 with him, and never failed, when occasions presented 
 themselves, to name him for some office or honour, 
 which his Grace knew better than any other man 
 how completely he merited. The Duke had also, be- 
 fore the death of Sir John Hill, become acquainted 
 with that venerable parent of the gallant officers of the 
 Peninsula and \Yaterloo. He went to Hawkstone ex- 
 pressly for the purpose, as well as to offer his services 
 to the family in any way that might be in his power. 
 In the autumn of 1827, it was proposed to Lord 
 Hill to leave his quiet country enjoyments for the 
 command in India. 
 
 " WhitehaU Place, August 15. 1827. 
 " Mv dear Lord Hill, 
 " Lord Combermere has written over to the Horse Guards, 
 expressing his desire to be relieved from his present command 
 towards the end of next year, and applications are beginning 
 to be made by those who wish to succeed him. 
 
 " So far as my own judgment is concerned, there is no 
 officer in whose hands I should see that command placed with 
 as much confidence and satisfaction as in yours; and as, wlien 
 I last mentioned the subject to you, you did not appear dis- 
 inclined to accept it, I am very anxious to know whether you 
 will o-ive me leave to propose your name on the present oc- 
 casion. Believe me ever, 
 
 " My dear Lord Hill, with great truth, 
 " Most faithfully yours, 
 
 « C. Williams "Wynne." 
 
 This proposal was dechned by Lord Hill. 
 
 " My dear Sir, 28th August. 
 
 " After an absence of a fortnight in "Wales, I returned 
 home yesterday evening, and will no longer delay answering 
 your very kind and flattering letter of the loth. 
 
 « In the first place, I must beg you to accept my sincere
 
 332 OFFER OF THE ORDNANCE. Chap. XII. 
 
 and hearty thanks for your friendly attention to me at all 
 times, and especially on the present interesting and important 
 occasion. The subject of your communication has occupied 
 my mind for some days, much more than the amusement I 
 was engaged in on the Glenllyn hills. After every consider- 
 ation, I am come to a determination to decline the command 
 in India. I am chiefly led to this conclusion from a convic- 
 tion that a hot climate does not agree with my constitution, 
 having experienced great inconvenience from this cause both 
 in the Mediterranean and in the Peninsula. 
 
 " I cannot conclude without again assuring you how much 
 my feelings are gratified by the favourable preference you 
 have given me on this occasion. Believe me, &c. &c. 
 
 « Hill." 
 
 The next offer made him was the Master-General- 
 ship of the Ordnance. 
 
 "My Lord, Downing Street, Dec. 24. 182?. 
 
 " As Lord Anglesey's assumption of the Lord-Lieute- 
 nancy of Ireland will vacate the Master-Generalship of the 
 Ordnance, it has become my duty to recommend to his 
 Majesty a proper person to succeed to that distinguished 
 post. And although there are many individuals in the army 
 eminently qualified to discharge its duties, there is no one 
 whose name stands more prominent than your Lordship, or 
 on whom it would be more gratifying to his Majesty to 
 confer an oflfice of such dignity and importance. 
 
 "I have therefore received the King's commands to pro- 
 pose to your Lordship to succeed Lord Anglesey as Master- 
 General of the Ordnance ; and I trust I need hardly say, that 
 although I cannot, perhaps, claim the honour of a personal 
 acquaintance with your Lordship, I could not perform a more 
 agreeable duty than I now do, in being in any way instru- 
 mental in showing by this oiFer the high sense which is 
 entertained of your Lordship's character and services. 
 
 " It is, however, necessary that I should explain to you
 
 Chap. XII. ORDNANCE DECLINED. 333 
 
 that it is not proposed that the Master-General should, upon 
 occasion of the present vacancy, have a seat in the Cabinet. 
 " I have the honour to be, my Lord, 
 
 " Your most obedient humble servant, 
 
 " GODERICH." 
 
 On the receipt of the above letter Lord Hill en- 
 closed it to the Duke of Wellington, who sent him a 
 kind answer appointing a meeting. 
 
 " My dear Hill, London, Dec. 28. 1827- 
 
 " I have received your note, and return the enclosure. 
 " I shall be with Lord Anglesey at two, and afterwards 
 go to the Horse Guards. From thence I will go and meet 
 you at the Hanover Hotel ; and I dare say I shall be with 
 you by five, or a little after that hour. 
 
 " Ever yours most sincerely, 
 
 " AYellingtox." 
 
 The result of that conference will be seen in Lord 
 Hill's letter to the Prime Minister. 
 
 " My Lord, No. 3. Hanover Square, Dec. 29. 182?. 
 
 " I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your 
 Lordship's letter of the 24th instant, addressed to me at 
 Hardwick Grange, announcing that you have received his 
 Majesty's commands to offer me the distinguished post of 
 Master- General of the Ordnance. 
 
 " My feelings of gratitude for so marked a proof of his 
 Majesty's gracious favour are, if possible, increased by the 
 very flattering terms in which your Lordship has been 
 pleased to address me on the subject. It will probably be 
 in your recollection, that when offered the Lieutenant-Gene- 
 ralship of the Ordnance some years ago, by my friend the 
 Duke of AVellington, I assigned the following reasons for de- 
 clining it, namely, that I had never been accustomed to office 
 duty, that I feared I should ill perform the services required 
 of me, and that a permanent residence in town would most 
 materially affect my health.
 
 334 THE " SINECURE ! " Chap. XII. 
 
 " As these objections still remain in full force, it would be 
 inconsistent in me to accept an appointment of so much 
 greater importance, the duties of which I am informed are 
 not confined to the military profession alone, but are inti- 
 mately connected with the financial expenditure of the 
 country. 
 
 " With this feeling, it only remains for me to request your 
 Lordship will be pleased to convey my unfeigned regret at 
 being obliged to decline his Majesty's most gracious offer. 
 " I have the honour to be, my Lord, 
 " Your Lordship's obliged and faithful servant, 
 
 " Hill. 
 
 *' The Viscount Goderich, 
 " &c. &c. &c." 
 
 The health of Lord Hill was unquestionably unequal 
 to the duties of this onerous office. When the Duke 
 of Wellington offered him the Lieutenant-Generalship, 
 his Grace said, " You are aware of the death of the 
 late Lieutenant-General of the Ordnance. It mil 
 be a great pleasure to me if you will allow me to 
 recommend you to his Majesty. I know it will be 
 a great satisfaction to his Majesty. The office is 
 worth about 1500/. per annum ; but the business is 
 constant, and I am afraid will render your residence 
 in London necessary for the greater portion of the 
 year, and perhaps for the whole of it." Notwith- 
 standing this letter, the Duke was accused of offering 
 his " intimate friend" a sinecure! So much for po- 
 litical antao-onism. 
 
 Lord Hill received with extreme satisfaction the 
 tidings of the appointment of the Duke of Wellington 
 to be First Lord of the Treasury, and lost no time in 
 sending his congratulations.
 
 Chap. XII. OFrEK OF COMMAND IN ClIIKF. 3,35 
 
 "Ilardwick, Jan. 2f). 1828. 
 " My dear Duke of AVcllington, 
 " Although it is needless for me to notice the extreme gra- 
 tification I feel on your Grace's being placed at the licad of 
 the Government of this country, yet I cannot resist writing 
 two lines to offer my sincere congratulations on the important 
 occasion ; and also to state that I shall at all times be ready 
 to attend in my place in the House of Lords, whenever my 
 presence may be required there. 
 
 " I have the honour to remain, 
 " Your Grace's ever faithful and obliged servant, 
 
 " Hill." 
 
 The Duke's reply gave the trutli in a few words. 
 His patriotism and not his inclination caused him to 
 accept the office of First Minister of the Cro-sNni. 
 
 "My dear Hill, London, Jan. '28. 18'JS. 
 
 "I have received your letter, for which I am mucii obhgod 
 to you. I Avish that I could feel any gratification in the 
 situation to which I have been appointed. 
 
 " Ever yours most sincerely, 
 
 "W. 
 " The Lord Hill, G.C.B." 
 
 This short letter was speedily foUoAved by another, 
 in which his Grace stated, that he had resigned his 
 situation of Commander-in-Chief. The Duke tlien 
 continued: "In consequence of my resignation I 
 have been under the necessity of considering of an 
 arrangement to fill the ofhcc which 1 have ludd ; and 
 I have naturally turned towards you. There is no 
 doubt that your appointment will be liigldy satisfac- 
 tory to the country as well as the army ; but it lias 
 occurred to some of the Government, that considering 
 the place in which you stand on the list, it is better
 
 336 ACQUIESCENCE IN THE DUKE's PROPOSAL. Chap. XII. 
 
 in relation to the senior officers of the army, some of 
 whom have high pretensions, that you should be 
 senior General upon the staff, performing the duties 
 of Commander-in-Chief, than Commander-in-Chief. 
 The only real difference is in the pay, which is not of 
 much importance to you. The late Lord Amherst 
 was never Commander-in-Chief, but always senior 
 General on the staff. The Duke of York filled the 
 same situation during the first years of his command. 
 If this proposition should be agreeable to you, let me 
 know by return of post, and come to town as soon as 
 possible, keeping the matter secret till I shall have 
 seen you. I need not assure you, that if you should 
 accept this office, I will give you every assistance in 
 my power to facihtate the performance of your 
 duties." This letter was dated February 1. 1828 ; 
 and Lord Hill decided at once to acquiesce in the 
 flattering proposal made to him. 
 
 " Hardwick, Feb. 2. 1828. 
 " My dear Duke of WelUngton, 
 
 " This evening's post brought me your Grace's important 
 and gratifying communication of yesterday's date. 
 
 " In the first place, I must beg of you to accept my sincere 
 and hearty thanks for your friendly attentions to me at all 
 times, especially on the present interesting occasion. With 
 respect to the emolument of the office, that is the last con- 
 sideration with me; my only object wUl be to perform the 
 duties of it to the advantage of the country, and the good of 
 the service. The distinguished post you have been pleased 
 to propose to me is a most important situation, and being 
 offered by your Grace to one who has served under you, is 
 indeed most truly gratifying. All I shall say at present is, 
 that I accept the flattering offer with pride and gratitude, 
 and that it shall ever be my anxious study to fulfil your
 
 Chap. XII. LORD IIILL's APPOINTMENT. 337 
 
 Grace's expectations and wishes, which I trust I shall be 
 enabled to do by unremitting attention to my duties, aided 
 by the valuable assistance you have kindly promised. 
 " I have the honour to remain, 
 " Your Grace's ever faithful 
 
 " And obliged Servant, 
 
 « Hill." 
 
 With the promptitude which always marked the 
 actions of Lord Hill, he set off from Hardwick without 
 delay, and carried his letter with him, enclosing it in 
 a note when he reached town : — 
 
 " My dear Duke, Feb. 4. 2 p.m. Hanover Hotel. 
 
 " Having made my arrangements to set out for town sooner 
 than I expected, I am the bearer of my own letter, which I 
 have now the honour to forward. I shall be happy to wait on 
 your Grace at whatever time may be most convenient to you 
 to receive me. 
 
 " I have, &c. 
 
 « Hill." 
 
 The Duke cordially welcomed this announcement : 
 
 " My dear Hill, London, Feb. 4. 1828. 9 p.m. 
 
 " I am delighted to find that you like and accept the pro- 
 posal which I made to you, and that you are come to town. 
 
 " I am going to Windsor to-morrow, but will sec you the 
 next day here or in Downing Street, at any hour that you 
 will call after eleven o'clock; and I will that day settle in the 
 Cabinet by what mode you shall be appointed. 
 
 " I thiiik you will save yourself a good deal of trouble in 
 applications, &c., by saying nothing of your appointment till 
 I shall see you. It is not yet known what arrangement I had 
 in contemplation. 
 
 " Ever yours most sincerely, 
 
 " Wellington." 
 z
 
 338 GENERAL ORDER OF THE DUKE. Chap. XII. 
 
 By the 15tli of February every thing was settled, 
 and Lord Hill was appointed General Commanding 
 in Chief. The Duke took his leave in the following 
 terms : — 
 
 "GENERAL ORDER. 
 
 " Horse Guards^ February 15.1 828. 
 
 " The King has been most graciously pleased to direct that 
 General Lord Hill shall be placed on the Staff of his Majesty's 
 army, and that all matters respecting his Majesty's military 
 service, which have heretofore been transacted by the Com- 
 mander-in-Chief, shall henceforth pass through the hands of 
 General Lord Hill, G.C.B. 
 
 " The King's service having imj^osed upon Field-Marshal 
 the Duke of Wellington the necessity of resigning the office 
 of Commander-in-Chief, the Field-Marshal is happy to deli- 
 ver over the command to a General Officer who has so fre- 
 quently j^romoted the honour of the army by his own conduct 
 and example; who is so well known to the officers and troops, 
 and so well acquainted with their services and merits." 
 
 The gratification of being commended to the army 
 in such terms, was enhanced by the kind way in 
 which the Duke sent him a copy of this order: — 
 
 "My dear Hill, London, Feb. 15. 1828. 
 
 " I closed all my transactions, and wrote the enclosed order 
 last night, and will give over charge to you at the Horse 
 Guards to-morrow raornino; at eleven o'clock. 
 
 " I have left some memoranda which will be of use to you ; 
 and I have still a paper to send you on quartering troops in 
 Scotland; and another regarding barracks I will write this 
 night, if it should be in my power. 
 
 " I would have sent you a copy earlier if it had been 
 printed. 
 
 " Ever yours most sincerely, 
 
 " Wellington."
 
 CiiAP. XIT. FIRST GENERAL ORDER OF LORD HILL. 3.*',^ 
 
 Lord Hill's feelings on the receipt of tliis note were 
 tliiis exjDressed by himself: — 
 
 " S. Hanover Square, February 1 '>. 
 " My dear Lord Duke, 
 
 " I cannot lo.<c a moment in expressing to your CJracc, tlie 
 real satisfiiction I feel at tlic very flattering manner in wliieh 
 you have been pleased to mention me in your Cicncral Order 
 of this date. I can only say it will still continue, as it has ever 
 been, my study to deserve the good oi)inion of one to whose 
 kindness I am indebted for my present proud elevation. 
 
 " I shall not fail to attend your Grace at the Horse Guards, 
 at eleven o'clock to-morrow, and I remain, 
 
 " My dear Lord Duke, yours unfcignedly, 
 
 "lIlLL." 
 
 The next day Lord Hill issued his first 
 "GENERAL ORDER. 
 
 " Horse Guards, February 1 6. 1 828. 
 
 "According to the King's gracious command. General 
 Lord Hill assumes the station of General on the Staff, in 
 order that all matters respecting his INLycsty's military ser- 
 vice, which have hitherto been transacted by the Connnander- 
 in-Chief, shall henceforth pass through his hands. 
 
 " His Lordshiji cannot midertake the arduous duties which 
 devolve upon him, by this pre-eminent mark of his Majcsty'd 
 favour, without expressing his confident hope that he will 
 receive from the general and other officers, and from the puh- 
 lic dei^artments of the army, the zealous support calculated 
 to enable his Lordshiji to fulfil the important trust rcjjosed 
 in him, and to maintain the order, rcijularity, and di.--(ipline, 
 for which the service has been distinguished under the com- 
 mand of his Royal Highness the late Duke of York, and his 
 Grace the Duke of Wellington. 
 
 " His Lordship is convinced that he shall best perform his 
 duty to the King, his country, and to the army itself, by 
 endeavouring to follow the high example afforded by these, 
 his illustrious predecessors." 
 
 z 2
 
 340 HOKSE GUARDS. — ONE CHAIE. Chap. XII. 
 
 Lord Hill took possession of the Horse Guards 
 without any ostentation ; and the transaction of his 
 delicate and important duties were marked by equal 
 courtesy and justice. Officers' widows received from 
 him the kindest attention ; but not unfrequently the 
 length and urgency of their claims were quite em- 
 barrassing. On being asked how he managed to pre- 
 vent their taking up more time than he could spare, 
 he replied, smiling, " Why, in the room where I re- 
 ceive them, there is only one chair ; I ask them to sit 
 down ; then they are sorry to see me standing, so 
 they do not stay very long." 
 
 He continued Lord Fitzroy Somerset in the situ- 
 ation of Mihtary Secretary, and received from that 
 able and distinguished officer assistance that may be 
 justly designated invaluable, as regarded both his 
 own comfort and the interests of the service. 
 
 Lord Hill, when he came to reside in London, took 
 every opportunity of manifesting his regard for his 
 venerable uncle, Mr. Rowland Hill. Some of his con- 
 gregation thinking this a golden opportunity, used to 
 pester the good old gentleman to make all sorts of 
 applications to his nephew. One day, when Lord 
 Hill called at Surrey Chapel House, his uncle said to 
 him, " I tell you what I wish you would do ; if you 
 can scold, do write me a good scolding letter about 
 these botherations, which I may show, and then, per- 
 haps, I shall get rid of them." The scolding letter, 
 however, never came, and the applications still con- 
 tinued to pour in. Indeed there was scarcely a place 
 in which Mr. Rowland Hill preached, where parents 
 did not discover dormant military genius in one or
 
 Chap. XII. LORD LYNEDOCII. 34 [ 
 
 Other of their sons, whom he was tlcsired to l)i-iiig 
 under the notice of the Commander of the Forces. 
 
 In the autumn of his first year of service at the 
 Horse Guards Lord Hill suffered in hcaltli, and was 
 obliged to leave to^vn for a time. This appears from 
 a letter addressed to him by his late Majesty King 
 George the Fourth, which contained this gracious 
 sentence: — " I was sincerely sorry to hear that you 
 had left town out of health, and I do most truly liope 
 that you have already derived benefit from your 
 change of scene and climate." Country air effected 
 his restoration, and he was soon well enough to write 
 to the King — " I am deeply sensible of your ^Majesty's 
 kindness in condescending to inquire after my healtli, 
 and I am happy to be able to inform your ^lajesty, 
 with my most grateful acknoAvledgments, tliat 1 am 
 now perfectly recovered." 
 
 One of the greatest pleasures Lord Hill experienced, 
 in his elevated situation, was the power it conferred 
 on him of manifesting his regard for his old and at- 
 tached friend Lord Lynedoch, to whom he wrote the 
 following kind letter: — 
 
 " Private. 
 
 " Horse Guanls, May 22. 1 829. 
 " My dear Lord Lyncdocii, 
 *' I cannot forward the official notification of your appoint- 
 ment to the government of Dumbarton Castk*, without at the 
 same time assuriug yon that I have never in my hfo had the 
 opportunity of conferring a favour wliicli ha.* afl'ordcd nic more 
 sincere satisfaction; and I am sensible you will feel gratified 
 by learning that my nomination lias met with the cordial ai>- 
 probation of his ^Majesty. 
 
 " Believe me to be ever faithfully your.-', 
 
 "IIlLL." 
 z 3
 
 342 LETTER OF LORD HILL. Chap. XII. 
 
 From liis Majesty George the Fourth, Lord Hill 
 received, on all occasions, public and j)rivate, the 
 greatest kindness and support. One of his Majesty's 
 last acts was directed to his Lordship, who thus 
 mentioned it to his sister : — 
 
 " My dear Sister, Horse Guards, June 25. 1830. 
 
 " I have to thank you for two or three letters. The poor 
 king is sinking fast. From what I heard at the Castle yes- 
 terday, I did not think he would have survived the night. 
 
 " It is, so far as relates to myself, a curious circumstance, 
 that he should have lived to fulfil his promise to me, by 
 appointing me to the government of Plymouth, and that this 
 act should, in all probability, have been one of his last — pro- 
 bably the last. On Wednesday, when the subject was brought 
 before him, he recollected all that had passed respecting this 
 government, and expressed much gratification in ordering his 
 signature to be aflSxed to my appointment. "Wishing not to 
 lose a moment in expressing my gratitude to his Majesty, I 
 proceeded yesterday to Windsor, and I hope in time to en- 
 able him to know 1 had been there. He was, however, ex- 
 tremely ill ; and this day. If possible, he is worse, 
 
 " With respect to the government of Plymouth, it is 
 considered the first in ^ioint of honour and importance ; and if 
 the governor resides there. It Is valuable on account of a good 
 house, land, &c. As It Is, I shall not receive more than 1 lOOZ. 
 a year, being about 5001. more than Hull. I am, however, 
 quite satisfied, not only with the emolument, but more especi- 
 ally with the manner In which my dying sovereign has marked 
 his fiivourable opinion of my services. * * * * 
 
 "Parliament Is at this moment in a very unsettled, dis- 
 agreeable state ; many members absent ; and many voting to 
 please their constituents, in expectation of a general election. 
 I have written in great haste. I must now go to the House 
 of Lords, where we expect an interesting night. 
 
 " Yours ever, 
 
 « H."
 
 CuAP. XII. LETTER OF Sill HERBERT TAYLOR. 343 
 
 On his accession to the throne, William the Fourth 
 manifested towards Lord Hill the greatest possible 
 confidence and favour. He had a very early interview 
 with his Majesty, who, after many expressions of re- 
 gard, said, " I hope you will long continue to command 
 my army." On the change of ministry. Sir Herbert 
 Taylor was commissioned to convey a most gracious 
 message to Lord Hill, which, with his characteristic 
 prudence, he requested to have in writing. In com- 
 pliance with this wish, the subjoined letter Avas im- 
 mediately written : — 
 
 '' My dear Lord, St. James's Palace, Nov. 20. 1830. 
 
 " Your Lordship liavnig expressed a desire to receive in 
 writing the communication which, in obedience to the King's 
 commands, I had the honour to make to you verbally y ester- 
 dry, I will not delay giving effect to your wish. 
 
 " His Majesty charged me to wait upon your Lordship, 
 and to acquaint you that he had determined to confer upon 
 you the command of the Royal Horse Guards, and the Gold 
 Stick, vacant by the resignation of his Royal Highness the 
 Duke of Cumberland — some time since received; that his 
 Majesty availed himself with great pleasure of tliis oppor- 
 tunity of marking, by his spontaneous act, the high sense 
 which he entertains of the able, zealous, and correct manner 
 in which your Lordship has discharged the important duties 
 attached to the chief command of his army, and of manifost- 
 ino" to the army and the country his personal regard and 
 esteem for your character, as well as his approbation of 
 your conduct during your meritorious and exemplary career. 
 His Majesty has felt desii'ous upon this occasion to do justice 
 to the care and attention which have enabled your Lordship 
 to maintain that high character for discipline and good con- 
 duct, which the British army has acquired under the fostering 
 care of his late lamented brother the Duke of York, and under 
 the distinguished command of the Duke of Wellington ; and 
 
 z 4
 
 344 LETTER OF SIR HERBERT TAYLOR. Chap. XII. 
 
 his Majesty feels convinced that this mark of his approbation 
 will be received with satisfaction by that army, and will prove 
 gratifying, as he is desirous it should, to the feelings of the 
 Duke of Wellington, who had so often acknowledged the 
 value of your services in the field, and who had recom- 
 mended you to the late king for the chief command when he 
 resigned it. 
 
 " The King wished your Lordship clearly to understand 
 that it was not his desire, nor his intention, that this mark of 
 his approbation, and of his personal regard, sliould influence 
 the line of conduct you might feel called upon to pursue in 
 consequence of the change which has taken place in his coun- 
 cils ; but his Majesty charged me to say, that the sentiments 
 he had expressed, would naturally render him anxious not to 
 be deprived of the benefit of your continued services in the 
 command of the army, which, indeed, he had never felt dis- 
 posed to view in the light of a political situation. His Ma- 
 jesty had, however, when he called upon Lord Grey to form 
 a new administration, placed every arrangement at his discre- 
 tion, and left every situation at his disposal, as his Majesty 
 felt that the circumstances under which so arduous a task was 
 imposed upon his Lordship called for the utmost support 
 which his Majesty could give to him, and for every facility 
 which could be afforded. His Majesty, therefore, received 
 with peculiar satisfaction the assurance of Lord Grey's earnest 
 desire that your Lordship might be prevailed upon to retain 
 the command of the army, and his request that his Majesty 
 would cause that wish to be conveyed to you. 
 
 " By your Lordship's removal to the Eoyal Horse Guards, 
 the command of the 53rd regiment would become vacant, and 
 the King ordered me to state to you his desii'e that you would 
 recommend for it Major-General Lord Fitzroy Somerset, who 
 has, in his INlajesty's opinion, by his gallant and distinguished 
 service in the field, and by his able, assiduous, and exemplary 
 discharge of the arduous duties of military secretary, so well 
 merited that mark of his Majesty's ftivour and approbation. 
 His Majesty is aware that his attention would ere this have 
 been called to Lord Fitzroy Somerset's just claim to this re-
 
 Chap. XII. PAKTV AT WESTBOURNE HOUSE. 3-1 5 
 
 ward, if his Lordship had not himself desired that it inij_dit 
 not be advanced; but he is convinced that it will not be con- 
 sidered by the army and by the public to have been too early 
 conferred ; and in the event of your Lordship continuiii.,' in 
 the command of the army, his Majesty hoped and trusted 
 that Lord Fitzroy Somerset would not feel unwillin^,' (u give 
 it the further advantage of his valuable services. In this in- 
 stance, too, his Majesty has rejoiced in doing that which must 
 be satisfiictory to the feelings of the Duke of ^^\•llillgt()n. 
 
 * * * 
 
 « I have, &c. 
 
 « H. Taylor. 
 
 " General the Lord Hill, G.C.B., 
 &c. &c. &c." 
 
 The sentiments expressed by the Kin_n: towards 
 Lord Hill, showed his Majesty's just estimate of liis 
 integrity and value. Lord Hill, for the benefit of liis 
 health, took a house at Westbourne. Soon after the 
 King said to him, " I do not dine with any body in 
 London, you know ; but you do not live in London, 
 and I shall come and dine with }ou." The [)arty, 
 besides his Majesty, consisted of the Duke of Welling- 
 ton, the Duke of Gordon, Lord Rosslyn, Lord Cath- 
 cart. Lord E. Somerset, Lord Fitzroy Somerset, Lord 
 Melville, Lord Combermerc, Sir Kobert Frel, Sir 
 George Murray, Sir AVillonnliby Gordon, Sir Ikrbert 
 Taylor, Sir Henry Hardiiige, Colonel ^FacdoiKiM, 
 Major-General Macdonahl, and tlie ai^l^-dc-camp. 
 His Majesty came Avithout an}- state, and a])pcarcd 
 thoroughly to enjoy himself. 
 
 The most scrutinising of Lord llill'> political 
 opponents could not detect a flaw in his adminis- 
 tration, though they strained hard to llnd one. He 
 was, in the presence of his sovereign and in his room
 
 346 MEMOEANDUM. Chap. XII. 
 
 at the Horse Guards, the same straightforward man. 
 In one of his memoranda there is the following note 
 of an audience with the King, which proves the truth 
 of this assertion, and is most honourable to his Lord- 
 ship's royal master: — " In consequence of a letter in 
 
 the King's own hand this day respecting , I 
 
 saw his Majesty, who said he was positively decided 
 that should be , upon which I re- 
 marked, that if such were his Majesty's commands 
 they should be obeyed ; but, as commanding the army, 
 I felt it my duty to say that it would create great 
 dissatisfaction, and that I entreated his Majesty to 
 consider the subject well before he came to such a 
 final conclusion. The King very kindly said it was my 
 duty to point out to him all objections on the present 
 occasion. He would not press the question." Lord 
 Hill went directly to the officer alluded to, related 
 the whole affair, and added, " I assure you it was all 
 my doing." 
 
 While Lord Hill resided at Westbourne House, he 
 united, as much as possible, the enjoyments of the 
 country with the business of his command. His so- 
 ciety, always much courted, was exceedingly enjoyed 
 by those with whom he could cast off his natural re- 
 serve, and give vent to the flow of his quiet and agree- 
 able humour. He was most good-natured to his Pad- 
 dington neighbours, and ready to please every body 
 when he could. One day, to gratify an officer he had 
 known in the Peninsula, he actually allowed his own 
 carriage to be attached to a steam coach, in which his 
 gallant acquaintance took a great interest. Unluckily, 
 however, the engineer made too fine a turn round a
 
 CuAP. XII. ANECDOTES. 347 
 
 corner, and the carriage and its contents were sent 
 over a hedge into a field. Luckily, his Lordship and 
 companions escaped injur}^, and the newspapers never 
 heard of the accident. I recollect his telling the story 
 at breakfast to a private circle. He was asked how 
 he could run such a risk. " 0," said he, " I did 
 
 it to please : he was a brave fellow. Once 
 
 in the Peninsular war, an officer who led a charge was 
 
 shot, and his horse ran back. I desired to mount 
 
 it, and take his place. ' Bless you,' he cried, ' I cannot 
 ride.' ' Never mind,' I. replied, 'jump up ! ' and I 
 never witnessed a more gallant affair. On seeing 
 
 afterwards, I asked him how he got on so well, 
 
 being such a novice at horsemanship. ' 0,' said he, ' / 
 shut my eyes^ and galloiJed on, and cried Old England 
 for ever / ' " 
 
 His good-humoured way of taking every thing will 
 be seen in a note he sent to the Lord ]\Layor and Lady 
 Mayoress, on their inviting Lord and Lady Hill to a 
 banquet at the Mansion House:. — "Lord 1 1 ill pre- 
 sents his compliments to the Lord Mayor and the 
 Lady Mayoress, and begs to acquaint them that as 
 he has not the good fortune to be married, he cannot 
 have the honour of presenting Lady Hill at the ]\hin- 
 sion House on Thursday the 20th instant. Horse 
 Guards, 15th January, 1831." 
 
 We have now followed the career of Lord Hill from 
 the early period when he first chose the arm}- as liis 
 profession, to the time when his splendid fcurNices 
 placed him at its head. 
 
 There appeared in him throughout the same un- 
 a^fFected disposition that graced his boyhood. The
 
 348 EEMARKS. Chap. XII. 
 
 enchantments of fame, the felicitous providences of a 
 successful career, the difference of age, the blandish- 
 ments of the court, the exaltation of position, actual 
 power, altered him not : his was an ear that neither 
 the trumpet of acclamation nor the echoings of honour 
 could deafen to the gentle whispers of kindness ; and 
 the same unassuming mien that made his obedience 
 grateful to his superiors, became even more a charm 
 when it was perceived to be the adornment of 
 authority and place.
 
 9. 
 
 49 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 PRIVATE XnOUGnXS OF LORD HILL. DINNERS AT LORD TEir.N- 
 
 MOUTH's on the ANNIVERSARIES OF THE BIBLE SOCIETY. 
 
 LORD hill's conduct VnTIl REGARD TO THE REFORM BILL. 
 
 LETTER TO SIR ROWL.iJ^D HILL CON^VERSATION AVITII THE 
 
 KING. — THE " CROAVN " WON AND PRESERVED. UNIFORM OF 
 
 GEORGE HI FETE AT AVESTBOCRNE IIOl'SE. — DEATH (»F SIR 
 
 NOEL HILL LORD HILL's ATTENTION TO HIS COUNTY. ANEC- 
 DOTES. DEATH OF THE REV. ROWL.VND HILL. LORD HILL 
 
 ATTENDS HIS FUNERAL. INSTANCES OF LORD HILL's PRUDENCE 
 
 AND FIRMNESS. CARRIES THE BANNER AT THE FUNERAL OK 
 
 WILLIAM IV. QUEEN ADELAIDE. HIS FIRST AUDIENCE WITH 
 
 HER PRESENT MAJESTY'. LORD HILL AND MARSHAL SOILT. 
 
 CANADA. THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON'S LOVE OF TRUTH 
 
 MONMOUTHSHIRE RIOTS. ROYAL GEORGE AND COLONEL PASLEY. 
 
 5IRS. "VVINFIELD. FIRE AT THE TOWER. WESTMINSTER 
 
 HALL SAVED BY LORD HILL. COMPLEMENTS OF THE DUKE OF 
 
 WELLINGTON. REMARKS OF LORD HILL ON THE WHIG GO- 
 VERNMENT. — HIS MOTIVES OF ACTION. 
 
 Lord Hill had the advantage, in early life, of in- 
 struction in rcli2:ious truth from several eniinentlv 
 pious members of his family ; and their j»recej)ts, as 
 well as their example, left an indelible impression on 
 his mind. Pie said little in society on this as (»ii 
 most other subjects; but in secret he liad many deep 
 and serious reflections. The great uprightness of his 
 conduct, was the result of an earnest desire to have a 
 conscience void of offence before God and man. After 
 his decease, a paper of notes was found in his drawer, 
 which, intended as it was for his own eye alone, 
 affords remarkable evidence of the spirit in which he
 
 350 LORD hill's private thoughts. CiiAP. XIII. 
 
 fulfilled the duties of his distinguished ofiice. A few 
 sentences from this record of his private thoughts 
 ■will suffice to show in what current they flowed : — 
 
 " Since God has thus raised me, it must certainly be for 
 some wise and good end — to do my duty in this state of life 
 to which I am called." 
 
 " Cannot God, who raised me without myself — cannot 
 He raise me or keep me up, though my ruin should be de- 
 signed and attempted ? And perhaps it may never come to 
 tliis ; for who knows but God may give a blessing to my 
 honest endeavours ? Now if I neglect that which I take to 
 be my duty, or for fear of danger or any consideration put it 
 off, I may justly expect * * *." 
 
 " I know that I have not the least pretence to what I en- 
 joy. 1 am His debtor, and can make no other return but by 
 doing my duty honestly, and leaving the event to Provi- 
 dence." 
 
 " May no weak and cowardly aj)prehension fright me from 
 my duty. Inspire me with zeal and courage becoming my 
 profession. Make me to do some good in this station in 
 which is my present lot. (From Wilson.)" 
 
 " A soft answer turneth away wrath ; but grievous Avords 
 stir up anger." * 
 
 " The Lord gave, and the Lord taketh away; blessed be 
 the name of the Lord." 
 
 " What, shall we receive good at the hand of God, and 
 shall we not receive evil ? " 
 
 " My heart shall not reproach me. For me there is a part 
 to act : I go to perform it. My duty I shall do to-day." 
 
 " Animated by a good conscience and rectitude of inten- 
 tion, the feeble have become strong. It consists in being de- 
 terred by no danger when duty calls; in fulfilling our allotted 
 part with bravery and constancy of mind." 
 
 * This passage (Proverbs, XV, 1.) of it pervaded all his correspond- 
 was written in the fly-leaf of his ence. 
 Official Letter Book, and the spirit
 
 Chap. XIII. REFORM BILL. 351 
 
 " Be strong and of good courage ; fear not, nor be afraid 
 of them : for the Lord thy God, He it is that doth go with 
 thee. He will not fail thee, nor forsake thee : and the Lord, 
 He it is that doth go before thee. He will not fail thee, 
 neither forsake thee ; fear not, neither be dismayed." 
 
 " Fret not thyself, else shalt thou be moved to do evil." 
 
 These passages show that he was a reader of the 
 Bible, and that he desired to regulate his conduct 
 according to its rules. He generally dined with 
 Lord Teignmouth, the President of the Bible Society, 
 on the day of its anniversary, and seemed to listen 
 with interest to the conversation of the good men 
 who formed the parties on these occasions. What he 
 heard he treasured up in his o^vn bosom, and it 
 pleased God, when sickness incapacitated him for all 
 public duty, to make the Word of Eternal Truth his 
 joy and consolation. 
 
 The position of affairs at the period of the Reform 
 Bill greatly tried him. No slight honour is due to 
 his memory from his own political party, for the way 
 in which he maintained his independence in office at 
 that time. Not only did he remain firm under the 
 difficulties of being ojoposed to the Government, but 
 was unmoved by the intimation of the King himself, 
 his kind and indulgent master, that his Majesty 
 wished him to vote for the Bill. " Sir H. T.," he 
 says in his memoranda, " communicated to me H. 
 M.'s wish that I should vote for the second reading 
 of the Reform Bill. I gave no reply ; but said I would 
 consider the subject." His decision, and the view he 
 took of his line of duty, were thus expressed in a 
 letter to his nephew, Sir Rowland Hill : —
 
 352 LETTER TO SIR ROWLAND HILL. Chap. XIII. 
 
 "Dear Rowland, Horse Guards^ October 8. 1831. 
 
 " You will see by the papers that the Reform Bill has 
 been thrown out on the second reading in the House of 
 Lords, by a majority of forty-one. It is very possible you 
 may be asked what part I have taken on the occasion ; and to 
 enable you to answer such inquiries, I think it right to ac- 
 quaint you that I had deemed it best to take no part in the 
 question. 
 
 " When the present Administration came into office, I 
 was sent for by his Majesty, who was graciously pleased to 
 express a wish that I should continue in a command, which he 
 did me the honour to say I had conducted so much to his 
 satisfaction and the advantage of the country. His Majesty 
 at the same time observed that he did not consider the situa- 
 tion a political one, and that I was not bound to support any 
 measure of the Government which I might not entirely ap- 
 prove of. This assurance on the part of the King justified 
 me in considering myself free to act in whatever way I might 
 think proper; but bearing in mind the importance of the 
 command confided to me, and the fact that the Reform Bill 
 was introduced into Pax'liament under the sanction of his 
 Majesty, I felt that I should best discharge my duty to his 
 Majesty and to the public by refraining from taking any part 
 in the measure under consideration. I therefore abstained 
 from going to the House ; and having always been of opinion 
 that the less the army interferes in jDolitics the better, parti- 
 cularly in these times, I do not regret the course I pursued ; 
 and, indeed, am rather glad that this question has given me 
 the opportunity of setting it the example. 
 
 " It may be satisfactory to you to know, that the line I 
 have felt it my duty to follow has met with the cordial ap- 
 probation of those whose good opinion it has been my ambi- 
 tion to deserve. 
 
 " Believe me to be, dear Rowland, 
 
 " Very afFectionately yours, 
 
 " Hill. 
 
 " Sir Rowland Hill, Bart., M.P."
 
 Chap. XIII. CONVERSATION WITH THE KING. ^fj^ 
 
 When the Bill was again brought for\v:ir.l in the 
 House of Lords, the following conversation took place 
 between his Majesty and Lord Hill. I give it from 
 his Lordship's own notes: — "The King sent nie a 
 note desiring my attendance at the I'alace. His Ma- 
 jesty, after speaking on the subject of the College*, 
 said, ' The discussion on the Keform Bill was al)out 
 to be again brought forward in the House of Lords, 
 and that he could not but wisli that it should ^o into 
 
 c 
 
 committee, which would show the country that the 
 Lords were not averse to some reform, and nii^iht 
 make alterations when in connnittee.' In conse- 
 quence of what Sir H. Taylor said to me on this sul)- 
 ject about a fortnight ago, and from the mannei- in 
 which the King spoke to me, I felt that he expected 
 me to state my sentiments and intentions. 1 thciv- 
 fore told his IMajesty, that on the last occasion I had 
 acted in a way which 1 understood was satisfactory 
 to him, namely, by not voting at all ; that I still en- 
 tertained the same objection to the Bill, and that ac- 
 cording to my present feelings I could not vote for 
 the second reading of the Bill, when it avus brought 
 forward again. Such, 1 assured his Majesty, were 
 my conscientious feelings ; and I added, that if I were 
 to act contrary to them and to my known declara- 
 tions, I should so lower myself in the ey(\s of the 
 world and the army, that I should not be aljle to ren- 
 der service to his Majesty or the country, 'i'lic King 
 said he could understand my feelings, and that every 
 one had a right to have his own : he had his. His 
 Majesty appeared kind and not angry, but perhajjs 
 
 ♦ Sandhurst, I believe. 
 A A
 
 354 KINDNESS OF THE KING. Chap. XIII. 
 
 was not pleased. On my saying that I mslied I had 
 not a seat in Parliament as long as I was at the head 
 of the army, he replied, ' But as you have one, you 
 cannot give it up, or must attend it,' or something to 
 this effect. The King spoke on the state of the coun- 
 try, and the expected disturbances, and his indigna- 
 tion at the bad spirit of the people." 
 
 In all his interviews with the King, Lord Hill acted 
 in the same independent and upright manner, and his 
 Majesty's own honest mind approved and valued his 
 integrity. To show him that the conversation just 
 quoted had made no unkind impression on his feel- 
 ings, the King very shortly afterwards presented him 
 with a sword, as a token of his personal regard. At 
 St. James's Palace and at Windsor his Majesty inva- 
 riably paid him the most marked attention ; well 
 knowing that of all his servants not one was more 
 sincerely devoted to his person. After Lord Hill's 
 death, a silk purse belonging to him was found to 
 contain a crown piece, in an envelope of writing- 
 paper. On the paper was written, " This Crown was 
 won by Lord Hill from his Majesty King William the 
 Fourth, at Windsor Castle, 25th Oct., 1831. / will 
 do my best to lyreserve it for Him. H." He was a 
 frequent guest at the royal tablQ, both at Windsor 
 and in London, as was his brother. Colonel Clement 
 Hill, the popular Lieutenant-Colonel of the Blues, his 
 Lordship's own regiment. The King gave the Colonel 
 a suit of uniform of his regiment worn by George 
 the Third, and the sculptor modelled from it the dress 
 of the statue of that monarch in Pall Mall East. It 
 is preserved with due care in a glass case at Hawk- 
 stone, and is not only an interesting specimen of the 
 
 1
 
 Chap. XIII. DEATH OF SIR T. N. HILL. S.').'') 
 
 uniform of the Horse Guards (Blue) in bygone days, 
 but a valuable relic of one of the most estimable mo- 
 narchs that ever swayed the sceptre of this free untl 
 prosperous nation. While Lord Hill lived at West- 
 bourne House, Paddington, the King and Queen en- 
 gaged to honour him with their company at a puljlic 
 breakfast. Unhappily his jNIajesty was pre^'ented 
 attending by a cold ; but the Queen came, in the kind- 
 est manner, to the party, which was given with mucli 
 splendour. 
 
 In the beginning of 1832, Lord Hill L^st liis bro- 
 ther. Sir Thomas Noel Hill. He died at ^laidstone 
 on the 8th of January. His Lordship hastened to tlic 
 scene of mourning, and afforded all t lie consolation in 
 his power to his brother's widow, whose grief was also 
 soothed by the presence of her excellent fithor, tlic 
 late Lord Teignmouth. On his return to town Lord 
 Hill wrote to his venerable uncle, Mr. Rowland Hill, 
 with his customary kindness : — 
 
 " My dear Uncle, Horse Guards, Jan. 17. 1832. 
 
 "I returned from Maidstone last night, after pcrfonuing 
 the last sad offices to my poor brother's remains. It was a 
 melancholy gratification to observe the esteem and rvj^rct of 
 all ranks at Maidstone. The shops were shut, and overy 
 possible respect paid that could be. Lady Hill, though in a 
 very distressed state of mind, has been moved up to town, 
 but time must be allowed for her grief to subside. 1 shall be 
 happy to see you any morning at Westbourne ; or, it" more 
 agreeable to you at this season of the yeai-, I can, without the 
 least inconvenience, call at your house. 
 
 " Believe me, my dear Uncle, 
 
 " Very truly yours, 
 « Rev. Rowland Hill." " Hill. 
 
 A A 2
 
 356 ANECDOTE. Chap. XITI. 
 
 In the many letters of condolence received by Lord 
 Hill, one uniform testimony was given to the high 
 esteem in which Sir Noel was held. 
 
 Engaged as his Lordship was in the duties attached 
 to his office, his home and his native county were still 
 the objects of his constant solicitude. He was ex- 
 tremely fond of his farm at Hardwick, which he 
 stocked with the choicest animals he could procure, 
 not only for his own gratification, but ^vith a view to 
 improve the breed in his neighbourhood. Nothing 
 seemed to be forgotten by him. Happening to 
 see a spring carriage, adapted for the conveyance 
 of sufferers from fractures and other accidents, 
 he immediately purchased it, and sent it to the 
 Infirmary at Shrewsbury. At the Horse Guards, 
 merit was the only sure introduction to his favour; 
 and he sought it in the soldier of every rank. He 
 used to tell an amusing story of one case: — A ser- 
 geant had long given such high satisfaction that he 
 thought him deserving of a commission, and promoted 
 him. All the officers of the regiment called to con- 
 gratulate him on his good fortune, and treated him 
 with the utmost courtesy. He presented himself at 
 the levee of the Commander-in-Chief, to return thanks. 
 He was a Scotchman, and lest he should be offended 
 by the mention of his name, we will call him Mac- 
 bride. Lord Hill welcomed him with an encouraging 
 smile, and began, " Well, Macbride, I am glad to see 
 you. I hear all the officers have called on you. 
 How do you feel in your new character? You are 
 a gentleman now, you knoAV." " Thank you, my 
 Lord," replied the worthy soldier ; "for myself I
 
 Chap. XIII. DEATH OF KEV. ]{. HILL. 857 
 
 feels perfectly comfortuble, but 1 tnmhUs for Mrs. 
 Macbride.'" 
 
 In April, 1833, Lord Hill lost his uncle, the ll^^y. 
 Rowland Hill, avIio died at Surrey Cluipel House, in 
 the eighty-ninth year of his age. He was, i'ny be- 
 tween sixty and seventy years of his life, a UKJst 
 laborious minister of the Gospel ; and such was the 
 extent of his exertions, that there is scarcely a town 
 of any magnitude in the kingdom, where some of the 
 inhabitants do not cherish a recollection of his appear- 
 ance amongst them as a preacher. Early in lil"e he 
 was persecuted at college, frowned upon at Ik. me, 
 and often abused and pelted by the populace ; but all 
 these obstructions gradually gave way before the dig- 
 nity of his character ; so that in the end of his days 
 he became a most striking instance of the fnlfilmcnt 
 of the Divine promise, "Those that honour nie, 1 will 
 honour." He was eminently useful during a period 
 of prevalent neglect of "the one tiling needful." 
 There were many who, though they mourned 0N"er 
 the apathy of a thoughtless and licentious age 
 equally with himself, could not a])prove liis erratic 
 course, yet few ventured to condemn it, because the 
 fact was unquestionable, that " lie was a good man, 
 and full of the Ploly Ghost, and much people were 
 added to the Lord." Sincerely attached to his dis- 
 tinguished nephew, he regarded his elevation with a 
 warm and affectionate interest, which was constantly 
 rewarded by the most delicate attentions on the 
 part of Lord Hill. His Lordship's first dinner after 
 he became Commander-in-Chief was given to his 
 uncle, nor did he lose any opportunity of adding to 
 
 A A 3
 
 358 DIFFICULTIES. Chap. XIII. 
 
 the comforts of his dedming days. His funeral took 
 place at Surrey Chapel on th^ 19th of April; and 
 although Lord Hill had been commanded to attend 
 the King on that day, he begged his Majesty's gra- 
 cious permission to be excused, that he might be pre- 
 sent on the solemn occasion. When the service had 
 ended, he was observed to step forward, and look 
 into the grave. A tear glistened in his eye, and he 
 turned away with emotion. 
 
 Lord Hill had for some years great difficulties to 
 contend with in the situation he filled, but he steered 
 through them all with a temper unrufiled, and an 
 honour unimpeached. On the 27th of June, 1835, 
 he made a memorandum to this effect: — "Saw 
 
 Lord •. He said the Government were desirous 
 
 of giving every encouragement to the Spanish levy: 
 I told him I would not check it, but I would not en- 
 courage officers to come forward. Officers on full 
 pay could not go ; but they might retire on half pay 
 if they chose it, taking their chance "with others to 
 be brought on full pay hereafter. I repeated this to 
 the King, who approved." This is an instance of his 
 maintaining the views he thought advisable for the 
 army, without placing any party obstacle in the way 
 of a Government whose proceedings were not accord- 
 ing to his own opinions. Not an iota of the dignity 
 or privileges of his station would he ever give up. In 
 September, 1836, he heard, while at Hardwick, that 
 certain orders had been issued without his sanction. 
 He instantly went up to town. His o^vn note on the 
 business is the source whence this fact is derived : — 
 " 14th Sept., 1836. Came to town to sec the King
 
 Chap. XIII. FUNERAL OF WILLIAM IV. 359 
 
 on the subject of orders issued without my knowledge. 
 The interview was, upon the whole, satisfactory ; and 
 I am inclined to think nothing similar will in futm-e 
 occur." These instances prove what was the real 
 character of Lord Hill as to wisdom, prudence, and 
 firmness in his high command. It is not, however, 
 expedient to enlarge on such topics. In vindi- 
 cating his exalted character it is not necessary to be 
 personal, nor to unveil those things which ought to be 
 considered confidential ; — a rccldessness deeply to be 
 lamented in any biographer, and most unsuitable to 
 the gentle, unoftending subject of these pages. 
 
 Lord Hill lost in William the Fourth a kind master 
 and a faithful friend. He bore the banner at the sad 
 pageant of the royal funeral, with a trembling hand ; 
 and it is still kept at Hawkstone in remembrance of 
 the day when he paid this last tribute of duty and 
 respect to the memory of a monarch, who had ho- 
 noured him with support and friendship. His jMajesty 
 never omitted an opportunity of showing the interest 
 he took in all which concerned him. On the birth of 
 the present heir of Hawkstone, Sir Herbert Taylor 
 wrote to Lord Hill, — " His jMajcsty has ordered me 
 to congratulate you and all of tl.o name, upon the 
 birth of a son and heir to Sir Rowland Hill, and to 
 assure you of the pleasure with which he lias learned 
 that Lady Hill and the child are doing well." Her 
 Majesty Queen Adelaide entertained the same senti- 
 ments as the King towards his Lordship; and ..ii the 
 birth of the second son of Sir Rowland and Lady Hill, 
 Lord Howe was thus commanded to congratulate 
 him : — 
 
 A A 3
 
 360 KINDNESS OF QUEEN ADELAIDE. Chap. XIII. 
 
 " My dear Lord Hill, Windsor Castle, Friday. 
 
 " Our good Queen, although on her sick couch, is not un- 
 mindful of any thing which is a subject of pleasure to you and 
 yours. 
 
 " Her Majesty has seen an account of Lady Hill's confine- 
 ment, and commands me to convey her Majesty's sincere con- 
 gratulations on the event both to Sir Kowland and yourself, 
 and trusts the mother and babe are both going on as well as 
 you could wish. 
 
 *' Ever, my dear Lord Hill, 
 
 " Most truly yours, 
 
 " Howe." 
 
 Lord Hill was much affected by this proof of her 
 Majesty's esteem, and said in reply, — "I know of no 
 circumstance in the whole of my career which has 
 afforded me the same gratification, as that I have de- 
 rived from the marked and constant kindness of her 
 Majesty; and I am particularly sensible of this last 
 instance of it, as it has been shown me at a moment 
 when her Majesty is herself suffering under sickness, 
 and could hardly have been expected to give a thought 
 to matters relating to what might interest me." 
 
 On the accession of our present gracious Sovereign, 
 Lord Hill was received with the same confidence that 
 he had enjoyed during the two preceding reigns. He 
 had his first audience of her Majesty at St. James's 
 Palace on June 21st, 1837, and took the royal plea- 
 sure for the mourning consequent on the decease of 
 the late King. Shortly after he submitted proceed- 
 ings of courts-martial to the Queen at Kensington 
 Palace, and had the happiness of serving her Majesty 
 Avith acceptance to the end of his public life. 
 
 At the coronation of Queen Victoria, Lord Hill saw
 
 Chap. XIII. LORD HILL AND SOULT. 
 
 301 
 
 many of his former companions in unns, ;m.l some 
 who had been opposed to Iiim, wli.jm he had ul-vov 
 met before except on tlie field of battle. 'Die dii.-f 
 amongst the latter was Marshal Soult. They were 
 introduced to each other, for the first time, at a part)- 
 at Buckingham Palace. The story ^vhich Avas current 
 at the time, of Soult's having addressed him witli " Jc; 
 vous rencontre enfin, moi qui ai parcouru si long- 
 temps apres vous," had its origin in tlie ima^nnation 
 of the inventors ; for on their being presented to eacli 
 other, little more passed than formal bows on eitlici- 
 side. But when the ^Marshal fully comprehended the 
 cordiahty of his reception in England, all coolness 
 subsided, and the most gratif3'ing intercourse took 
 place. 
 
 The state of Canada, and the necessity of sending 
 troops there, occupied a good deal of Lord Hill's at- 
 tention. He Avrote as follows to his nephew : — 
 
 " Horse Guards, Saturday evening, C) o'clock. 
 " Dear Rowland, (No date.) 
 
 *' We have no official accounts from Canada, and I hclieve 
 none have reached this country. There are, however, ru- 
 mours of unpleasant arrivals. 
 
 "If you have read the debates in the Lords on the Canada 
 question, you will be amused witli Lord Brougham's speech ; 
 he was uncommonly bitter on his old friends, the (Jovern- 
 ment. The Duke of Wellington spoke, as he always does, 
 straightforward, and the truth ; stating that military men had 
 given their opinion that no more troops were rcquind in 
 Canada, at the time the Government were accused of not 
 sending them. This was a sari/u/ riat/sc for the Ministers, 
 and they were grateful for it. The Duke's principle is, 
 never to state or say any thing he does not believe to be
 
 362 CANADA. Chap. XIII. 
 
 true, and also to act for the good of the country, to the best 
 of his judgment, whether iyi office or out. 
 
 " Near seven. 
 *' Am going to dine with Lord Maryborough. 
 
 " Yours ever, 
 
 "H. 
 
 " P. S. I do not think there is any truth in the reports of 
 arrivals from Canada. I have just heard so from the Colonial 
 office." 
 
 This testimony to the Duke, from one who knew 
 him so well, only confirms what the whole world has 
 long seen, admired, and rewarded with unbounded 
 honour and confidence. Let the votaries of j^oUcy 
 learn from it the po-sver of truth. 
 
 Lord Hill used to amuse himself, after the fatigues 
 of business, with writing to Sir Rowland on the lead- 
 ing topics of the day : — 
 
 " Horse Guards, Nov. 27- (No date.) 
 "Dear Rowland, 
 " These easterly Avinds prevent all arrivals. Even the 
 great man from Canada cannot work his way through them. 
 Cabinet Councils sit daily, but up to this hour I have heard 
 nothing of an increase of force — a measure which, in my 
 mind, ought not to be delayed. I once thought of leaving 
 town the end of this week, but, upon consideration, I think 
 it Avill be better to remain here so long as the Ministers 
 are together ; for perhaps they jnoT/ hit upon something which 
 may require my attention. There are some who think the 
 breach between Lord Durham and the Government so great 
 that they can never act together ; but possibly you are right 
 in your observations on that subject. The Duke of Welling- 
 ton is going to Bath : he still suffers from, I believe, a con- 
 traction of the muscles of the neck. I have told Sir R. Peel 
 
 I will pay him a visit, on the 26th December, for a few days. 
 
 ****** 
 
 " Yours very affectionately, 
 
 '•' Hill."
 
 Chap. XIII. MONMOUTHSHIRE RIOTS. 3G3 
 
 When the riots took place in Monmouthshire L(jr(J 
 Hill was on a visit at Fowls Castle. On liis way to 
 town he was informed of these unhappy occurrences. 
 He gave the following account of the gallantry of a 
 small band of soldiers, m one of his letters to his ne- 
 phew: — "At Shrewsbury I received the accounts of 
 the very serious disturbances in Monmouthshire, as 
 you will see by the papers. On my arrival in town I 
 found some very interesting particulars, wliicli arc 
 highly creditable to the small military force we had 
 there, viz. one captain, one lieutenant, one ensign, 
 three sergeants, and fifty-six privates. It appears 
 that the day before the attack, information was re- 
 ceived that the Chartists were collecting several thou- 
 sands in the neighbourhood. The extraordinary 
 circumstance is, that these arrangements on tlie part 
 of the Chartists were so secret, that none of the magis- 
 trates or authorities were the least aware of what was 
 going on. At daybreak the mayor sent for as many 
 troops as could be spared without risking the posi- 
 tion of the barracks. Twenty-eight men and two 
 sergeants, under Lieutenant Gray, were stationed in 
 a house, and were attacked by at least four thousand. 
 The attack made was effectually resisted by these few 
 men of the forty-fifth. Lieutenant Gray's conduct 
 was admirable. Lord Normanby tells me he saved 
 the town.* The object of the Chartists was to over- 
 power this little force, and then proceed to Monmouth 
 to release the prisoners." 
 
 Lord Plill's chief relaxations were vi>its to llard- 
 wick Grange and Hawkstone. Occasionally he went 
 
 * Newport.
 
 364 MRS. WINFIELD. Chap. XIII. 
 
 to AYoburn, to Belvoir Castle, and to Drayton Manor, 
 for a day or two of shooting ; but lie was seldom ab- 
 sent long: too-ether from the Horse Guards. He took 
 a great interest in many of the ingenious inventions 
 of science, particularly the electric telegraph, and the 
 application of the galvanic battery to the bloAving up 
 of the Royal George. I w^ell remember his astonish- 
 ment, after firing one of the smaller charges, at the 
 instantaneous explosion. Colonel Pasley kindly sent 
 him some of the articles recovered from the wreck. 
 The parcel itself is thus described by the Colonel in 
 his letter : — "It contains a pistol recovered from the 
 wreck of the Eoyal George, with part of a silver 
 buckle, each as it was found by the diver. All the 
 iron work of the pistol is gone. Brass is not injured, 
 and copper very little, but iron is destroyed, in time, 
 by salt-water. Glass is injured, but china escapes 
 perfect. I enclose in the same parcel some flints, also 
 from the Royal George, on which salt-water produces 
 no perceptible effect." 
 
 During the shrievalty of Mr. Wheelton, Lord Hill 
 was informed by him, at one of the city entertainments, 
 that the widow of his former tutor, Mrs. Winfield, was 
 residino; in the suburbs of London. Mr. Wheelton 
 was connected with her by marriage, and Lord Hill 
 appointed a day for accompanying him to her resi- 
 dence. The meeting was touching in the extreme ; 
 and the kindness manifested by Lord Hill will never 
 be erased from the remembrance of her family. He 
 paid her frequent visits, sent her presents of game, 
 and, by every attention in his power, manifested that 
 years and honours had not, in any degree, diminished
 
 Chap. XIII. FIRES. 365 
 
 his gratitude for her care of hiin ere lie entered on a 
 soldier's life. His disposition to afford pleasure to 
 those he esteemed, appeared in the most minute 
 circumstances. In his letters to his friends in 
 Shropshire, he mentioned all that he thiuight would 
 interest them; as, for example, to Sir Kowland, "I 
 dined at Buckingham Palace yesterday. Her ^lajesty 
 inquired after you." After the fire at the Tower, he 
 wrote, " I went to the spot as soon as I heard of the 
 event, and on my return I reported to Prince iVlbert, 
 for the Queen's information, that her ]Majesty's crown 
 jewels were safe." Nor was this the only fire where 
 Lord Hill was on the spot, rendering efficient service. 
 At the dreadful scene of conflagration, when the two 
 Houses of Parliament were burnt, he Avas present ; and 
 to his coohiess in advising the division of the rafters 
 of the ignited roof, and thus cutting oft' the continuity 
 of the flame, the country owes the preservation of 
 Westminster Hall. 
 
 His adviser and friend on all particular occasions 
 was the Duke of Wellington, who said to him, after 
 one of his confidential complaints of annoyances, 
 " Never mind. Hill ; you have enough to satisfy your 
 conscience. Every body knows the army under your 
 charge has saved the country." Such words from 
 those truthful lips made him more than amends for 
 all he was called upon to bear. They fomi the last 
 memorandum but one he made in his note-book of 
 special circumstances. The last was just before the 
 
 government of the AVhigs terminated : — " Saw 
 
 in bed. Stated to him the mischief and danger of
 
 Q 
 
 GQ ANNOYANCES. Chap. XIII. 
 
 the Government press, in its attacks on those in au- 
 thority in the army." 
 
 He thus expressed himself on the tenacity with 
 which the Whigs clung to office, in one of his letters 
 to Sir Rowland : — " The general impression amongst 
 well-informed people is astonishment that the Govern- 
 ment still continue to hold office, after what passed 
 in the Commons the other night. They do, however, 
 appear to be determined to keep their situations as 
 long as they can. I have never heard a word from 
 
 on the subject I alluded to some weeks 
 
 ago, I therefore conclude, he does not feel himself 
 and party strong enough to meddle with the Horse 
 Guards." All the Commander-in-Chief's private 
 friends knew how much he had to bear ; but the de- 
 termination to persevere in what he believed to be 
 the path of honour and duty, cheered and supported 
 him.
 
 367 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 FAILURE or THE HEALTH OF LORD HILL. — GOES TO RICHMOXIJ, AND 
 CALLS ON LORD SIDMOUTH. — REI^LVRK^VBLE CONVERSATION. — 
 
 AT HAEDWICK DURING THE VISIT OF THE KING OF PRUSSIA. 
 
 REGRET EXPRESSED AT HIS INABILITY TO GO TO WINDSOR. 
 
 DEATH OP SIR FR^VJSCIS HILL. — LORD HILL EXHAUSTED BY HIS 
 
 BUSINESS. DINNER WITH THE DUKE OF SUSSEX. FDLIIAM. 
 
 DETERJUENES TO RESIGN SPEAKS TO THE DUKE OF WELLING- 
 TON. LETTER OF RESIGNATION TO HER MAJESTY. THE 
 
 queen's GRACIOUS REPLY. — ANSWER OF LORD HILL. — TAKES 
 
 LEAVE OF THE HORSE GUARDS. GENERAL ORDER. — COLONEL 
 
 EGERTON. SECRETARIES AT WAR IN OFFICE DURING LORD 
 
 hill's COiOIAND. LETTER OF SIR HENRY IIARDINGE. GENER.VL 
 
 ORDER OF THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON. LOUD HILL MADE A 
 
 VISCOUNT. HIS DECLINING STATE OP HEALTH. — LAST LETTER 
 
 TO COLONEL EGERTON. LORD HILl's LAST ILLNESS. HIS 
 
 DEVOTION AND PENITENCE. HIS DEATH. CONDOLENCES. 
 
 FUNERAL. DEATH OF MRS. HILL. HER CHARACTER. SIR 
 
 ROBERT HILL AND GENERAL CLEMENT HILL. CONCLUDING 
 
 REMARKS. 
 
 When the government of Sir Robert Peel came into 
 power, they could not fail to be gratified by finding 
 Lord Hill at the head of tlie army. The uniform 
 kindness of her Majesty, added to the pleasure he 
 felt at seeing men in office whose views were similar 
 to his own, stimulated him to continue his labours at 
 the Horse Guards, when his declining strength might 
 have otherwise induced him to retire. He became a 
 good deal oppressed at times by close attention to 
 business, and sought refreshment from visits to places
 
 368 LORD SIDMOUTH. Chap. XIV. 
 
 near London, or at Brighton, where he was often in- 
 duced to go by the advice of his attached physician 
 Dr. Hair. The Duke of Somerset kindly invited him 
 to pass a short time at his Grace's villa, near Richmond. 
 While there, he determined one morning to call on 
 Lord Sidmouth, whose last days were spent at Rich- 
 mond Park. When he arrived, the servant said Lord 
 Sidmouth did not see company ; but on Lord Hill's 
 desiring that his name should be sent in, the vener- 
 able statesman gave immediate directions for his 
 admittance. The meeting was most cordial. Lord 
 Sidmouth fully appreciated the compliment paid him ; 
 and Lord Hill was delighted to find that his aged 
 friend bore the weight of more than eighty years with 
 a mind and memory unimpaired. They soon com- 
 menced an animated conversation on times long past, 
 and on the prospects of the country. Lord Sidmouth 
 told his anecdotes in his own happy manner. He sat 
 near a small table ; and on allusion being made to 
 the war, he said, " Lord Nelson was with me at this 
 table in September, 1805, before he went out to meet 
 the combined fleets of France and Spain, which he 
 expected he should soon fall in with. He drew out 
 his plan upon it * ; and his words were, ' I shall attack 
 in two lines, led by myself and Collingwood, and I am 
 confident I shall capture either their van and centre, 
 or their centre and rear.' Such were his very words 
 — wonderfully confirmed as we all know." These two 
 
 * An inscription, which Lord Lord Hill ; but I have thought it 
 
 Sidmouth caused to be engraved on due to the possessors of Lord Sid- 
 
 this table, was kindly sent me, after mouth's papers to return it for 
 
 I had heard this anecdote from their use.
 
 Chap. XIV. ARRIVAL OF THE KING OF PRUSSIA. 369 
 
 iipriglit men never met again : they are both in the 
 grave ; but their memories will be long cherished in 
 the recollections of a grateful country. 
 
 At the beginning of 1842, Lord Hill experienced 
 great debility ; and though the attention of Dr. Hair 
 to his health, and of Colonel Egerton to his public 
 business and domestic comforts, was all that he could 
 wish, he continued to decline. On the arrival of the 
 King of Prussia he was at Hardwick, and was advised, 
 by Dr. Darwin of Shrewsbury, to absent himself from 
 the festivities at Windsor Castle. One of his greatest 
 comforts was the constant attention of this eminent 
 physician, of whose skill and judgment he had the 
 highest possible opinion. Lord Hill's excuses were 
 most kindly received. Lord Liverpool wrote: — 
 
 « Dear Lord Hill, Fife House, Jan. 20. 1842. 
 
 " I sincerely regret what you mention in your letter; first, 
 on account of your indisposition, and, secondly, as I am sure 
 his Prussian Majesty will be anxious to see so distinguished 
 a person as yourself. I trust, however, that your health will 
 soon recover; and I am quite sure that, considering the time 
 of year and severity of the weathei", Darwin has advised you 
 correctly. Believe me ever, 
 
 " ]\Iy dear Lord, 
 
 " Sincerely yours, 
 
 " Liverpool." 
 
 Sir James Graham, in a note expressing the same 
 reo-ret, observed, " The King of Prussia will know 
 the cause of your absence, and partake of the general 
 regret which it occasions." 
 
 As soon as Lord Hill found himself able to return 
 to London, affairs of importance engaged him to u 
 
 BB
 
 370 DEATH OF SIR FRAKCIS HILL. Chap. XIV. 
 
 degree that was extremely wearing to his body and 
 mind ; and in addition he received a shock from the 
 death of his brother, Sir Francis HilL A letter to Sir 
 Rowland Hill explains all : — 
 
 " Belgrave Square, April 1[. 1S42;, 4 p. ai. 
 " My dear Rowland, 
 
 " Since breakfast I have not had one moment unoccupied, 
 chiefly with Indian affairs; and although I have [kept] and do 
 keep my mind as quiet as I can from personal and domestic 
 afflictions, I cannot resist sending you a line to condole with 
 you and the family, on the event which will terminate to- 
 morrow by the funeral of poor Francis. I must also beg you 
 to accept my thanks for your note received yesterday, in 
 which you so feelingly and properly convey to me its con- 
 tents. I must also add, that I cordially and truly coincide in 
 your sentiments, and trust that when Almighty God may be 
 pleased to take us who are left, from hence, we shall be pre- 
 pared to meet Him. 
 
 " Probably you wiU see Sir Robert after you get this. 
 Will you tell him that I have received some interesting let- 
 ters from him. One tliis morning ; but it is really so painful 
 and tiresome for me to write, that he must excuse my doing 
 so at present. 
 
 " Hair says I am much better, and I think he is about 
 right. 
 
 " Yours ever, 
 
 " Hill." 
 
 He still persevered in his daily routine of business, 
 hoping that he was better, notwithstanding his sense 
 of constant exhaustion. He refused almost all in- 
 vitations, but accepted one from the Duke of Sussex. 
 The Duchess of Gloucester remarked to those near 
 her Roval Hio;hness at table, how ill he looked, and 
 how unfit he was to be there. He took Colehani
 
 Chap. XIV. FULHAM. 371 
 
 House at Fulham for a time, whence lie wrote on the 
 7th of July, " Hair said my pulse was better this 
 morning than it had been for some time. My dinner 
 with the Duke of Sussex did me no good. One with 
 the Duke of Cambridge, for Saturday, I must decline. 
 Indeed, they are the only invitations I have accepted 
 for some months." The following day. Colonel 
 Egerton wrote from London: — 
 
 "Belgrave Square, July 8. 1842. 
 " INIy dear Sir Rowland, 
 " Lord Fitzroy went out to Coleliam this morning, and had 
 a talk with my Lord, but they did not advance much. Lord 
 Hill said he had not recovered so well as he had expected, 
 that his eyesight v/as very defective, and that he must give 
 up office sooner or later. But he did not say that he shoidd 
 see the Duke on the subject, nor did lie authorize Lord Fitz- 
 roy to speak to his Grace upon it. 
 
 ****** 
 
 " I am happy to say he has sent an excuse to the Duke of 
 Cambridge, who has a great military dinner to-morrow. 
 
 " My Lord has been at the Horse Guards for three hours 
 to-day, and has seen Hair, who does not think it necessary to 
 be out with us. * * * 
 
 " I remain, 
 
 " Yours very truly, 
 
 " 11. Egerton." 
 
 The next account was, " He is extremely feeble ; 
 and with a fire in the dining-room, this morning, could 
 scarcely keep himself warm. JMy Lord went for an 
 hour to Lady Gordon's breakfast yesterday, but does 
 not feel up to the Duchess of Buccleuch's to-day." 
 
 At the end of July, Lord Hill became so enfeebled, 
 by his cares and exertions, that he determined to re- 
 
 B B 2
 
 372 LORD HILL RESIGNS. Chap. XIV. 
 
 quest Lord Fitzroy Somerset to tell the Duke of 
 Wellington he really must give up his office. The 
 Duke called on him, and saw the propriety of his 
 decision. After mentioning it to the Prime Minister, 
 his Grace immediately wrote to him : — 
 
 " My dear Hill, London, July 29. 1842. 
 
 *' Since I saw you this day I have seen Sir Robert Peel, 
 and I have informed him that my visit to you had not altered 
 the impression made upon my mind, by your message yester- 
 day through Lord Fitzroy Somerset. He regrets, as I do, 
 and all must, that the state of your health should render it 
 necessary for you to discontinue your valuable services to her 
 Majesty, in the high situation which you have so long filled, 
 not less to the public advantage than to your own honour. 
 
 " Sir Robert Peel will immediately take into consideration 
 the arrangement to be made for the performance of the im- 
 portant duties hitherto performed by you, which will be sub- 
 mitted to her Majesty, and carried into execution as soon as 
 may be practicable after the prorogation of Parliament. He 
 Avill communicate with you before he will bring the subject 
 under her Majesty's consideration, and will settle with you 
 the mode in which her IVIajesty shall be informed of the loss 
 which the service is about to sustain, and the period at which 
 such information shall be conveyed to her Majesty. 
 " Believe me, my dear Hill, 
 
 " Ever yours most sincerely, 
 
 " Wellington." 
 
 Lord Hill having left London by the advice of his 
 physician, it was resolved that he should transmit, 
 through Sir Robert Peel, a letter to her Majesty, ten- 
 dering his resignation: — 
 
 "Lord HiU presents his humble duty to your Majesty, 
 and craves your Majesty's gracious permission to lay before 
 your Majesty his resignation of the command of your Ma- 
 jesty's army.
 
 HAP. XIV. GRACIOUS LE'iTEU OF Ili:u MAJKSTV, 37.'J 
 
 " Lord Hill deeply regrets the neeet^sity of taking u btcp 
 which will deprive him of a charge that has been h) h.ng 
 committed to his hands, and for his continuanc*- in which he 
 Is indebted to your Majesty's grace and favour; but he lias 
 again suffered much from the illness under which he laboured 
 in the early part of the year, and his health lias, in conse- 
 quence, become so indifferent, as to make him inici|nal t«' the 
 adequate discharge of the various important duties of his cont- 
 mand; which, therefore, he feels he could not retain with due 
 regard to the interests of your INrajesty's service. 
 
 "Lord Hill had flattered himself that he should have l)ecn 
 able to have laid his api)lication for retirement before your 
 Majesty himself, and personally to have expressed to your 
 Majesty his deep and lasting sense of your JMajcsty's gracious 
 kindness to him on all occasions. Having, however, left 
 London by the advice of his medical attendants, and l)cing 
 too unwell to undertake a second journey, Lord Hill avails 
 himself of this mode of assuring your ^lajesty of his unabated 
 zeal for the service, of his dutiful devotion to your Majesty's 
 person, and of the pain and sorrow with wliich he relin(juishcs 
 an appointment that afforded him the honour and advantage 
 of executing your Majesty's commands, and of receiving 
 many gracious proofs of your Majesty's support and con- 
 fidence. 
 
 "Hardwick Grange, August y. 1842." 
 
 To this commuiiicatioii lier Mnjesty most graciously 
 condescended to reply ; and eiilianced tliis signal mark 
 of her royal favour by causing her autograph letter 
 to be forAvarded by Prince Albert: — 
 
 " VVimlsor ("astle, August 1'2. )Si2. 
 "The Queen has received Lord Hill's letter of the JMh 
 instant, and is much concerned to learn that Lonl Hill is so 
 suffering in health that he thinks it his duty to resign the im- 
 portant office which he has so long and so honourably filh-tl. 
 
 " The Queen can only reluctantly give her consent to this 
 determination, as she regrets to lose Lord 1 1 ill's services at 
 
 B n 3
 
 374: • KINDNESS OF PRINCE ALBERT. Chap. XIV. 
 
 the head of her army. She cannot, however, omit this op- 
 portunity of expressing to Lord Hill her entire approbation 
 of his conduct throughout the time he served her. 
 
 " The Prince begs to have his kind regards sent to Lord 
 HiU." 
 
 Prince Albert having so kindly transmitted her 
 Majesty's letter to Lord Hill, lie sent his answer 
 through the same channel, accompanied by a note of 
 thanks : — 
 
 " Hardwick Grange, Shrewsbury, August 14. 1842. 
 " Your Royal Highness having done me the honour to 
 send me the expression of your good wishes, and also to for- 
 ward to me the Queen's most gracious letter through which 
 they were conveyed, I hope I may be allowed to send an 
 answer to my sovereign through the same channel, and at 
 the same time to express the feelings of consideration and 
 esteem with which I shall ever remain 
 
 " Your Royal Highness's most faithful 
 
 " And devoted servant, 
 
 " Hill. 
 " His Royal Highness the Prince Albert, K.G., &:c." 
 
 Lord Hill thus expressed his feelings to her Ma- 
 jesty;— 
 
 *'Lord Hill pi'esents his humble duty to your ISIajesty, 
 and with a full heart returns to your ]\Iajesty his unfeigned 
 thanks, for the gracious terms in which your Majesty has been 
 pleased to accept his resignation of the command of your 
 Majesty's army. 
 
 " If any thing could reconcile Lord Hill to a sacrifice, a 
 sense of duty to your Majesty's service has alone enabled him 
 to make, it is the gratifying assurance, so graciously expressed 
 by your Majesty, of your entire approbation of his conduct 
 throughout the time he has served your Majesty ; the recol- 
 lection of which will be cherished by Lord Hill with the 
 warmest feelings of duty and gratitude to the latest day of 
 his life. 
 
 " Hardwick Grange, Shrewsbury, August 1 4. 1 842.
 
 Chap. XIV. FAREWELL LETTERS. .375 
 
 Such a testimony from the Queen's own liand was as 
 gratifying as it was unexpected. Sir Robert Peel, on 
 receiving Lord Hill's first letter to her Majesty, re- 
 plied, " I shall probably have an interview with her 
 Majesty to-morrow ; and I feel very confident that her 
 Majesty will commission me to express, in the strongest 
 terms, her sense of your valuable public services, her 
 high esteem for your character, and her deep regret 
 that the state of your health compels you to retire 
 from an important trust, the duties of which you have 
 discharged with exemplary fidelity." Sir Kobert 
 further observed, " I need not assure you, that those 
 are my sentiments ; and that I sincerely lament the 
 discontinuance of a connection in public life, which 
 has been to me the source of unmixed satisfaction. 
 You will carry with you into an honourable retire- 
 ment the affectionate attachment of the army, and 
 the grateful recollection of your services in the field, 
 and in the command of the army at home, l)y the 
 people of this country. You have my earnest prayer 
 that your health may be improved by repose from 
 public labours." 
 
 The letters which passed between Lord Hill and 
 those distino'uished ofiicers who were associated with 
 him at the Horse Guards, were full of expressions of 
 unfeigned mutual esteem. To Lord Fitzroy Somerset 
 he wrote, "I felt from the first that I might place the 
 fullest reliance upon your judgment and ability, and 
 that feeling the experience of so many years has only 
 tended to strengthen and confirm." He expressed 
 himself also in the kindest terms to Sir Willoughby 
 Gordon, and to Sir John Macdonald, the (^uarter- 
 
 li n 4
 
 376 LORD hill's last general ORDEPw Chap. XIV 
 
 Master-General, and Adjutant-General. The former 
 assured him, in reply, that his labours had been 
 made light by his constant encouragement, " com- 
 bined with the gentlest manner, and the firmest pur- 
 pose;" and the latter remarked how much relieved 
 he had felt by his Lordship's kindness of heart, " in 
 discharging the austere duties of the department of 
 discipline." 
 
 On the 15th of August, the following General Order 
 was issued from the Horse Guards : — 
 
 " General Lord Hill finds it necessary to resign the com- 
 mand of the army, on account of his Lordship's present state 
 of health, and her Majesty has been graciously pleased to 
 accept his Lordship's resignation. When Lord HOI assumed 
 the command Avhich he now resigns, he expressed, in General 
 Orders, his confident liope that from general and other officers, 
 as well as from the public departments of the army, he would 
 receive that support which should enable him to fulfil the im- 
 portant trust reposed in him. That hope has not been disap- 
 pointed; but, on the contrary, realized beyond Lord Hill's 
 miost sanguine expectation. The conduct of the troops lias, 
 both in the field and in quarters, furnished, during Lord Hill's 
 command of them, an example of discipline, regularity, and 
 general efficiency not to be sui-passed, and the officers have, 
 by their devotion to their duty, enabled his Lordship to main- 
 tain the army in that creditable state. The officers have 
 therefore established their claim to Lord Hill's lasting grati- 
 tude and esteem. His Lordship cannot, then, but with pain- 
 ful feelings, take leave of officers, non-commissioned oflScers, 
 and soldiers, whose conduct has been so uniformly approved 
 by their sovereign, and by their ceuntry These feelings are, 
 however, gi*eatly allexi.'iteJ and consoled by the reflection that 
 the command of the army is now to be resumed by the Duke 
 of Wellington, the ever-vigilant and most influential guardian 
 of its interests, and whose achievements have raised its cha- 
 racter to the liighest pinnacle of glory."
 
 Chap. XIV. LETTER TO THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON. 377 
 
 The first tiling Lord Hill did when the Duke re- 
 sumed this command, was to address his Grace in 
 favour of his esteemed aid-de-camp and secretary, 
 Colonel Egerton. In justice to that estimable man 
 and able officer, the letter is given entire : — 
 
 " Hardwick Grange, Shrewsbury, August l6. 1842. 
 " My dear Duke of AYellington, 
 " It affords me the highest satisfaction to learn that you 
 have consented to resume the command of the army. 
 
 " I am anxious to recommend Colonel Egerton to your 
 kind protection, and I have the less hesitation in bringing his 
 case before you, as I believe you are not unaware of his 
 merit. He has been in the army ever since 1798. He 
 served both in North and South America, and in the cam- 
 paigns of the Peninsula from 1809 to the end of the war; and 
 he was at Waterloo. He was severely wounded at Albuera, 
 when in charge of the Adjutant-General's department; and 
 having become my aid-de-camp the following year, he has 
 been ,employed under me to the present hour. During the 
 whole time I held the command of the army he has been my 
 Private Secretary, and has so discharged the duties of that 
 situation that I cannot speak too highly of him, nor say how 
 much I feel indebted to him. 
 
 " I had intended, when I offered my resignation to the 
 Queen, to solicit her IMajesty's permission to recommend him 
 for the grant of 200Z. a-year out of the Good Service Fund ; 
 but finding that the sum dis]iosable nt this moment is consi- 
 derably less than that, I shall be infinitely obliged to your 
 Grace if you will recommend him for it when you may have 
 the means. 
 
 " Believe me ever, 
 " My dear Duke of Wellington, 
 
 " Yours very faithfully, 
 
 « Hill." 
 
 The Duke, who was passing through London to 
 Walmer when he received this letter, desired Lord
 
 378 SECRETARIES AT WAR. CnAr. XIV. 
 
 Fitzroy Somerset to be so good as to reply to it by 
 return of post, which he did in these terms: — " The 
 Duke of WelUngton came to town early this morning 
 from Windsor, and is now gone to Walmer. He told 
 me that the Queen spoke much and most kindly of 
 your Lordship ; and he desired me to say, that he 
 had received your letter in favour of Colonel Egerton, 
 and that you may rely upon his recommending him 
 for the first 200/. a year he has to dispose of." Co- 
 lonel Egerton was not long in receiving this and other 
 tokens of his Grace's approbation. 
 
 Lord Hill had to deal with no less than eleven 
 Secretaries at War during his administration of the 
 army, if we reckon the second appointment of Sir 
 Henry Hardinge ; ten without it. They were. Vis- 
 count Palmerston, Sir Henry Hardinge, Lord Francis 
 Leveson Gower, Mr. C. Williams Wynn, Sir Henry 
 Parnell, Sir John Cam Hobhouse, Mr. Edward Ellice, 
 Mr. J. C. Herries, Viscount Howick, Mr. T. B. Ma- 
 caulay, Sir Henry Hardinge. Notwithstanding their 
 difference of views, they all seemed to regard him 
 with personal respect, and treated him with courtesy. 
 The esteem of the last-named distinguished servant of 
 her Majesty was expressed as follows : — 
 
 " My dear Lord, War Office, August 20. 1 842. 
 
 " I came to town last night, and I take this opportunity of 
 expressing to your Lordship the deep sense of respect I shall 
 always entertain towards your Lordship, for the very cordial 
 assistance and co-operation I received from you in the per- 
 formance of my official duties. 
 
 " I trust, my dear Lord, that your health will continue to 
 improve, and that I shall have frequent opportunities of wit- 
 nessing its perfect re-estahlishment. This anxiety is shared
 
 CuAP. XIV. SIR HENRY HARDINGE. 379 
 
 most entirely by the officers of the army, who have so long 
 had the happiness to serve imder your Lordship's command. 
 
 " Will you do me the favour to mention to Egerton that I 
 have this day written a note to Lord Fitzroy Somerset, for 
 the purpose of conveying to him ray hearty concurrence in 
 Colonel Egerton's appointment to be a Lieutenant-Colonel 
 unattached. 
 
 " I am, my dear Lord, with sentiments of the sincerest 
 respect and esteem, 
 
 " Your Lordship's very faithful servant, 
 
 " H. Hardinge. 
 
 "The Lord Hill, G.C.B." 
 
 Lord Hill's answer proves how mucli he felt this, and 
 other similar communications, on his retirement : — 
 
 " Hardwick Grange, near Shrewsbury, August 23, 1842. 
 " My dear Hardinge, 
 " Your very gratifying and friendly letter did not reach 
 me so soon as it ought, having been mis-sent to Chester. I 
 hasten to thank you for it, and to assure you that the satisfac- 
 tion derived from our official intercourse has at least been 
 mutual, and I am very sensible of the support I have always 
 received at your hands. 
 
 The kind feeling shown by so many valued friends, on the 
 occasion of my retirement from the command of the army, has 
 been most gratifying, and I can only regret that the state of 
 my health made such a step necessary. I hope I may not 
 have deferred it too long, and that in the quiet of the country 
 I may still live to see my distinguished successor acquit him- 
 self as he always does. 
 
 " Thank you much for remembering Egerton. He is not 
 with me at present, but I expect him in a few days. I have 
 been anxious to do what I could for him, and I am sure he 
 will duly ajipreciate your kindness to him. 
 " Ever, my dear Hardinge, 
 
 " Yours with great trutli, 
 
 " Hill. 
 " Lieutenant-General the Right Hon. 
 Sir Henry Hardinge, K.C.B."
 
 380 ORDER OF THE DUKE OF Vv^ELLINGTOX. Chap. XIV. 
 
 The General Order of the Duke of AVellington, 
 issued on the 17th of August, when his Grace took 
 possession of the Horse Guards, was very gratifymg 
 to Lord Hill. It is brief, but to the point : — 
 
 *' In obedience to her INIajesty's command, Field Marshal 
 the Duke of WeUington assumes the command of the army, 
 and earnestly requests the assistance and support of the 
 general and other officers of the army to maintain the disci- 
 pline, good order, and high character, for which it has been 
 conspicuous, and which have been maintained to a degree so 
 deserving of praise during the long period of the command of 
 liis respected predecessor. General Lord Hill. The Duke of 
 Wellington sincerely regrets that the state of his Lordship's 
 health should have rendered it necessary for him to desire to 
 discontinue his active services ; and he anxiously hopes that 
 the army will not suffer in consequence of the change." 
 
 Lord Hill had not long given up the arduous post 
 he so reluctantly quitted, ere he received, in a letter 
 from Sir Robert Peel, the announcement of his eleva- 
 tion to the rank of Viscount : — 
 
 " My dear Lord Hill, Whitehall, Aug. 24. 1842. 
 
 " I have received the commands of the Queen to acquaint 
 you, that in consideration of your high character, your emi- 
 nent military services in the field, and the ability, integrity, 
 and zeal with which you have discharged for many years the 
 important duties of the office of Commander of the Forces, 
 her jMajesty proposes to raise you to the rank of Viscount ; 
 and in order that there may be a permanent record of your 
 public services, to confer the title witli remainder to your 
 nephew. Sir Rowland Hill. 
 
 " It is very gratifying to me personally, who have so long 
 had the satisfaction of being acquainted with you, and have 
 had so m.'iny opportunities of judging of your merits as a 
 servant of the Crown, to be the channel of a communication
 
 Chap. XIV. LORD HILL MADE A VISCOUKT. 381 
 
 which will, I trust, be acceptable to you. I5clievc mo, my 
 dear Lord, with sincere esteem, 
 
 " Most faithfully yours, 
 
 " KoBERT Peel." 
 
 The letter acknowledging this communication was 
 truly characteristic of the modesty and gratitude of 
 its writer. His chief pleasure in accepting this new 
 mark of the royal favour was its extension to his 
 nephew, Sir Rowland Hill, whom he regarded witli a 
 parent's affection, and whose attentions were now 
 cheering his decline. 
 
 " Hard wick Grange, Shrewsbury, 
 " My dear Sir Robert, August 25. 1842. 
 
 " I have this morning had the honour of receiving your 
 letter of yesterday, announcing in terms the most gratifying 
 to my feelings, that her Majesty has been graciously pleased 
 to raise me to the rank of a Viscount. 
 
 " The gracious and condescending words which her ^hi- 
 jesty vouchsafed to address to me with her own hand, on 
 accepting my resignation of the command of the army, had 
 left me without one wish ungratified : but since it is her 
 Majesty's royal will and j^leasure still further to declare her 
 appi'oval of my poor services, by conferring on me the title of 
 Viscount, I shall feel much indebted by your assin-ing her 
 Majesty, with the expression of my humble duty, that I most 
 gratefully accept this additional mark of her jNIajesty's favour, 
 and that I am very sensible of the considerate feeling which 
 has led her Majesty to continue the title to my nephew. Sir 
 Rowland Hill. 
 
 " I cannot conclude without requesting you to accept my 
 unfeigned thanks for the very gratifying terms in which you 
 have made this communication, as well as for the kindness 
 and promptitude with which you have enabled me to retire 
 from the fxtisfues of office, and which I shall ever retain a 
 grateful recollection of. 
 
 " Believe me, my dear Sir Robert, 
 
 " Yours very faithfully, 
 
 " Rt. Hon. Sir Robert Peel, Bart., M.P." « Hill.
 
 382 LORD HILL IN RETIREMENT. Chap. XIV. 
 
 Lord Hill seemed at this time to be somewhat re- 
 vived by the air of his native county. In the month 
 of September, I was on a visit at Hawkstone, where 
 he was expected. On his arrival, I met him coming 
 towards the garden, and never did I see, in so short a 
 time, a more striking change than had passed over his 
 entire appearance. His fi:ait, his habits, were all dif- 
 ferent ; yet the same bland spirit pervaded his conver- 
 sation, and gave a charm to his manner. He appeared 
 to enjoy the society at his nephew's hospitable table, 
 but retired to lie down after the departure of the ladies. 
 An artist was at Hawkstone taking photographic 
 likenesses with an apparatus set up in the conserva- 
 tory ; and Lord Hill seemed amused with the process, 
 and with sitting for his own, but was not able to stay 
 long at a time. At dinner, he was often cheerful, and 
 full of anecdote, and sometimes appeared to rally so 
 much, that hopes of his restoration to comfortable 
 health were entertained by those who were with him. 
 Occasionally he was a good deal overcome after a 
 morning's writing, rendered necessary by references 
 to him on the alFairs of the army. His memory on 
 these points was most accurate. He knew every 
 man's place, and every man's services. The American 
 Boundary Question interested him a good deal ; and 
 he made himself master of the maps, which he ex- 
 plained with a clearness that surprised us all. At 
 times he felt so much better, that he superintended 
 several little farming improvements at Hardwick ; but 
 exertion generally proved too much for him. 
 
 On the Sabbaths, it was most pleasing to see the 
 fervour of his devotion, and his anxiety to attend the
 
 Chap. XIV. HADNAL CIIUllCH. 383 
 
 services of the clav. He took o-reat interest in his 
 viUage church at Hadnal, and assisted most liberally 
 to put it into a state of tasteful, but unostentatious, 
 repair. The last day I ever saw him in his o^vii 
 house, he invited myself and others to accompany 
 him to see the alterations he had made in the church. 
 We went ; and as we left the interior, he walked pen- 
 sively round the tower. He was standing on the spot 
 which he felt conscious would soon be his grave. He 
 gave an indistinct answer to some question, and re- 
 lapsed into silence. The recollection of that day will 
 never pass from my mind. He came back to Hawk- 
 stone for a short visit. The morning of his departure 
 I went into his room to bid him adieu. " jMay God 
 bless you and prosper you," were his last kind words ; 
 and I saw that he felt they were his last. I had been 
 the minister whom he had heard for the two previous 
 Sundays ; and I could not fail to mark the earnestness 
 of his manner, and the deep feeling which evidently 
 pervaded his mind, though, as usual, he said little, but 
 that little conveyed much to one aware of his reserve. 
 I have every reason to believe that, with him, " at 
 evenino; time it was lio;ht," and that he was lookins: 
 penitently for salvation through Christ alone. 
 
 I can never cease to cherish the most grateful remem- 
 brance of his kind attention to myself. One instance 
 I cannot refrain from mentioning here. Knowing my 
 esteem for my revered guardian, the Rev. Rowland 
 Hill, and the loss I sustained by his death, he at once 
 marked his veneration for his uncle and his friendly 
 feeling to me, by having engraved on a valuable stone 
 a small head of Mr. Rowland Hill, of exquisite work-
 
 384 LETTER TO COLONEL EGERTON. Cuap. XIV. 
 
 man ship. This he caused to be set in a handsome 
 ring of antique form, which he sent me with a note 
 expressive of the motives which had induced him to 
 present me with such a token of his regard. On all 
 occasions his first impulse was in the most benevolent 
 direction, and he carried out his intentions with a re- 
 finement peculiarly his own. 
 
 The last letter he ever wTote to his aid-de-camp. 
 Colonel Egerton, who had sent him a little financial 
 statement to allay some apprehensions he seemed to feel 
 as to his future income, shows his great regard for that 
 invaluable friend, and the quiet character of his home 
 occupations. 
 
 " Dear Egerton, Hardwick Grange, Sept. 14. 4 p. m. 
 
 " I have received your note of yesterday, with the account 
 book. If I had the strength and power of writing ' a sprig 
 of prose,' this would be one opportunity of doing so, to ex- 
 press, in the strongest manner 1 am able, my obligations to you 
 for your kind and laborious management of my private con- 
 cerns. Indeed, without your long-continued attention and 
 trouble, my affairs would have been in a bad state, and I 
 should have been a poor man. I do not wish to confine my 
 obligations to you to the charge of my privy purse, but to 
 [extend] them also to every branch, public and private, in 
 which I have experienced the kind and friendly assistance 
 which for many years I have had from you. 
 
 " We are just returned from Acton Regnald.* 
 
 ****** 
 
 The pond is just finished: it has occupied twelve or thii-teen 
 men every day, and is considered to be an excellent job. 
 The quantity of mud has satisfied Beeston. There were 
 many hundred little carp and one pike in the pit. It is time 
 for the post, so I must send this hasty letter off. 
 
 " Yours ever most truly, 
 
 " Hill." 
 * The seat of Sir Aiuli-ew Corbet, niece, the sister of the present 
 Bart,, who married Lord Hill's Viscount Hill.
 
 CuAP. XIV. STATE OF LORD HILL's MIND. 385 
 
 This letter, probably his last, was written in a tre- 
 mulous hand ; and though he felt tolerably comfort- 
 able, it was too plain to his friends that he was ra- 
 pidly sinking. They had, however, the happiness of 
 seeing him in that state of mind which manifested 
 serious preparation for his end. On his first arrival 
 in Shropshire, after his resignation, he expressed great 
 thankfulness at having escaped from London, par- 
 ticularly on account of the enjoyment he experienced 
 in spending his Sundays in the country. The heat 
 and ci'owd of the churches in town had so completely 
 overcome him, that he was obliged frequently to stay 
 at home ; but he was able constantly to attend divine 
 service in a quiet country village, and at the chapel 
 belonging to the house at Hawkstone. He seemed to 
 have entirely thrown off all worldly cares, and to 
 have fixed his thoughts on the mighty interests of the 
 world to which he was rapidly hastening. He said 
 little, but his solemnity during public worship, and at 
 the prayers of the family, was perceptible to every 
 one present. When he became too Aveak to leave his 
 house, his nephew, the Rev. John Hill, went on Sun- 
 day evenings to Hardwick, and read the prayers and 
 a sermon to him in private. If Mr. John Hill hap- 
 pened to be prevented going, another nephew, the 
 Rev. Francis Hill, occupied his place. AYhenever 
 Mr. John Hill called, the conversation was always 
 such as became the chamber of a dying man ; and he 
 was invariably asked to pray with his uncle. " All 
 observed," says his eldest sister, in a communication 
 on the subject, "the deep feeling expressed by the 
 invalid when the glorious plan of redemption was 
 
 c c
 
 386 ATTENTION OF SIR llOWLAND HILL. Chap. XIV. 
 
 dwelt upon through the atonement of our Lord Jesus 
 Christ ; and those who attended his death-bed, had 
 the comfort of beheving that the name of the Saviour 
 was a cordial to him in his distressing state of weak- 
 ness." His affections were evidently concentrated 
 upon Him who is the sinner's only hope, the sinner's 
 only friend. He felt the full force of the truth, that 
 " other foundation can no man lay, than that is laid, 
 which is Jesus Christ ;" and that no man, of whatever 
 grade, can come to the Father but by Him. This is 
 a lesson the mightiest of the earth must learn before 
 they can depart in peace. When on the eve of his 
 last journey to Taganrog, where he died, the Emperor 
 Alexander of Russia said to a benevolent English 
 gentleman *, whom he had for years honoured with 
 his confidence, " Do you think that any man, however 
 exalted in station, or distinguished for philanthropy, 
 can be safe in resting on any other ground for sal- 
 vation, but a humble reliance on the perfect, all- 
 suificient atonement of his crucified Redeemer?" 
 " Certainly not, sire," was the unhesitating reply. 
 " That is my opinion," said the Emperor, " and I try 
 daily to realize it : I have no other hope ; it is my 
 only comfort." The same assurance was deeply felt 
 by Lord Hill ; and he was supported by it to the last. 
 Sir Rowland Hill, who was constantly at his bed-side, 
 was much impressed by the manifest penitence of his 
 beloved uncle. At length Lord Hill became exceed- 
 ingly overcome with torpor, and slept the greater part 
 
 * John Venning, Esq., well he was supported by the late and 
 known in St. Petersburg!! for his present emperors, 
 many acts of benevolence, in which
 
 CiiAP. XIV. DEATH OF LOPvD HILL. 387 
 
 of his time, but seldom woke without desiriiiir liis 
 nephew to come and pray Avith liim, and read hiin 
 short portions of the Scriptures. On one occasion, he 
 selected himself the iifty-iirst Psalm, as particularly 
 suited to the state of his feelings ; and a more satis- 
 factory evidence could scarcely have been given of a 
 contrite spirit, with its essential accompaniment, a 
 desire for a new heart. He said to Mr. John Hill, 
 " I have a great deal to be thankful for ; I believe, 
 also, I have not an enemy in the world. With regard 
 to my religious feelings, I have not power to express 
 much, and never had ; but I do trust I am sincere ; 
 and I hope for mercy." When the sacrament was 
 administered to him, there were present, Sir Rowland 
 Hill, Colonel Egerton, and his two affectionate sisters, 
 Miss Hill and Miss Emma Hill. " Ah ! " said he to 
 Colonel Egerton, who arrived that day, " I thought 
 you would come and join me in this." His faithful 
 valet, Calderwood, told Mr. John Hill, "His Lordship 
 never wakes day nor night but he prays earnestly." 
 On the day of his death, though at times it could 
 hardly be ascertained whether he was still conscious, 
 and he had ceased to reply to any ordinary question, 
 when Mr. John Pliil said, "Shall I pray mth you?" he 
 immediately raised his head, and clasped his hands. 
 Shortly after, he gave one faint sigh, and was no 
 more. 
 
 Lord Hill died on Saturday morning, December 10., 
 on Avhich very day the following kind letter was written 
 from Windsor : — 
 
 c c 2
 
 388 INQUIRIES AND CONDOLENCE. Chap. XIV. 
 
 " Sir, Windsor Castle, December 10. 1842. 
 
 " Her Majesty and the Prince have heard with very great 
 concern of the serious illness of Lord Hill, and have com- 
 manded me to write, to make particular inquiries in their 
 name as to how Lord Hill is. I shall therefore be much 
 obliged to you to let me know, and to inform Lord Hill of 
 the gracious message which has been sent. 
 " I have the honour to be, Sir, 
 
 " Your most obedient servant, 
 
 " G. S. Anson. 
 " Sir Kowland Hill, Bart., M.P." 
 
 Sir Kowland could only reply, " It is my painful 
 duty to acquaint you, for the information of the Queen 
 and his Koyal Highness, that my uncle's long illness 
 terminated in his death on Saturday morning last, 
 the 10th instant. Although Lord Hill's valuable 
 life was not spared long enough for him to learn the 
 feeling of interest which her Majesty and the Prince 
 had so graciously expressed towards him, yet I beg 
 to be permitted to state, with my humble duty to the 
 Queen and his Royal Highness, that their gracious 
 condescension is duly appreciated, and will be ever 
 gratefully remembered by the surviving members of 
 his family." Her Royal Highness the Duchess of 
 Kent, in commanding the expression of her sym- 
 pathy, was pleased to designate him " her old and 
 esteemed friend ; " and from the most distinguished 
 quarters his relatives received such expressions of re- 
 gard for the departed, as tended to afford them great 
 consolation under their bereavement. The Duke of 
 Wellington wrote thus : —
 
 Chap. XIV. LETTER OF THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON. '6H\) 
 
 " Strathfieldsayc, Dec. 12. 1812. 
 " My dear Sir Howland, 
 
 " Your letter of the 10th, giving mc the inehmcholy 
 account of the death on that morning of your uncle, my old 
 companion and friend. Lord Hill, reached me yesterday. 
 
 " You may conceive better than I can express how nmoli 
 I have felt his loss. Move than thirty-five years ha^■c elap.sed 
 since I had the satisfaction of being first connected witli and 
 assisted by him in the public service ; and I must say that, 
 from that moment up to the latest period of liis valuable and 
 honourable life, nothing ever occurred to interrupt for one 
 moment the friendly and intimate relations which subsisted 
 between us. 
 
 " During many years, when both were employed in the 
 service of our Sovereign, he invarialjly did every thing in his 
 power to promote my views. The habits then established 
 continued up to the latest period of his holding the Connnand 
 in Chief of the army. He knew that he could rely upon my 
 support and assistance upon every occasion of difficulty or 
 annoyance to him. I performed no more than my duty in 
 affording both ; but I have the satisfaction of feeling that he 
 knew that it was performed willingly and heartily. 
 
 " I beg you to be assured, and to convey to your family 
 the assurance of my condolence in the severe loss which they 
 have sustained ; and that you will believe me to be 
 
 " Ever yours most sincerely, 
 
 " Wellington. 
 « Sir Rowland Hill, Bart., 
 " Hardwick Grange, Shrewsbury." 
 
 This letter was one of the chief secoiuhiry com- 
 forts of his surviving friends. I call them secondary, 
 because their grand primary consolation was the 
 assurance that the man whose praise was on the lips 
 of all classes — of his Sovereign, his cliieftain in 
 arms, his companions in public service, even those 
 whose opinions did not harmonize with his own, his
 
 390 FUNERAL OF LORD HILL. Cuap. XIV. 
 
 dependents, and the recipients of his charities — 
 himself departed this life in deep humiliation before 
 his God, and casting all his hopes of immortality on 
 the atoning love of his Redeemer. To Him, and Him 
 only, he looked believingly at the moment when the 
 vain glitter of this tinsel world faded from his view. 
 His earnest prayer was that God would pardon his 
 frailties and infirmities, renew a right spirit mthin 
 him, and show him mercy. 
 
 It was Lord Hill's particular desire that his funeral 
 should be private. The Corporation of Shrewsbury 
 offered to attend ; but his family declined this and all 
 similar tokens of respect, in accordance with his ex- 
 press instructions. He was interred in the little village 
 church of Hadnal, on Friday, December the 16th. 
 One incident was simple and touching. A recruiting 
 party of the 53d Regiment, which the deceased had 
 once commanded, came of their own accord, formed 
 in line, and saluted the Body as it passed to the tomb. 
 There were, besides, multitudes of spectators, whose 
 silence was deep and solemn. In Shrewsbury, and 
 other towns, peals of muffled bells, and a universal 
 suspension of business, gave touching evidence of no 
 common respect for "the soldier's friend," and the 
 most distinguished ornament of his county. 
 
 While engaged in preparing for this last sad cere- 
 mony, the mourners were destined to receive a shock 
 that nearly overwhelmed them. On that very morning, 
 Mrs. Hill, the widow of Lord Hill's esteemed eldest 
 brother, and the mother of the present Viscount, died 
 at the Citadel, in Hawkstone Park. She had been ill 
 for some time, and during her illness manifested all
 
 Chap. XIV. DEATH OF MRS. HILL. 391 
 
 those proofs of the influence of genuine religion Avhieh 
 adorn the doctrine of the Gospel, and exhibit its sup- 
 porting and consoling power. The last time she ever 
 left her house was to pay a visit at Ilardwick, but 
 the interview with her dying brother-in-law was not 
 permitted. Neither Lord Hill nor herself were fit for 
 such a meeting. On returning home, she observed, 
 " God only knows, but most probably we shall never 
 be under the same roof again in this world." Lady 
 Hill soon after went to stay with her. When she 
 heard of Lord Hill's anxious wish to receive the sacra- 
 ment with Sir Rowland, she said, " Poor old man, he 
 clings to Rowland, who has been like a son to him ; 
 and he ought to do every thing he can to add to his 
 happiness in his last moments. But I pity poor Row- 
 land ; a death-bed scene is a new thing for hhn ; but 
 it is good for him ; these things teach us a useful 
 lesson, and show us what death really is." When the 
 account of Lord Hill's death actually reached her, it 
 was a stunning blow. She thought and spoke of her 
 own husband — but spoke like a Christian. She had 
 Lady HiU's children brought into her room, and tried 
 to make the solemn moment useful to their young 
 minds. All her words were expressive of penitence, 
 and hope in Christ Jesus. She had seemed somewhat 
 to revive : but just as the church bell of the adjacent 
 village of Weston, began to toU on the morning of 
 Lord Hill's interment, about eight o'clock, she died, 
 without the slightest movement indicating pain. The 
 way in which her eldest son bore the trials of that day, 
 made a lasting impression on the witnesses of his 
 agony of mind, and his struggle to go through the
 
 392 DEATH OF MAJOR-GENERAL C. HILL. Chap. XIV. 
 
 duty before him. The words of an eminent writer * 
 
 are descriptive of the case of his deceased mother 
 
 " Her prudence in the managing her children was so 
 singular and rare, that whenever you mean to bless 
 this family, and pray a hearty and profitable prayer 
 for it, beg of God that the children may have those 
 excellent things which she designed to them, and pro- 
 vided for them in heart and wishes, that they may 
 live by her purposes, and may grow thither, whither 
 she would fain have brought them." " 
 
 Sir Robert Chambre Hill is the only one of Lord 
 Hill's gallant brothers now living : five sisters still 
 survive him. Major-General Clement Hill died re- 
 cently on the western coast of India, deeply lamented. 
 He was in the sixty- third year of his age, and had 
 won the same esteem in his Indian command that he 
 gained wherever he was situated. " I can never," said 
 a young officer on his stafi', " again know so kind, 
 so indulgent a friend ; " and he also remarked, " by 
 all the Mysore division, by all that knew him in 
 this country, he was looked up to with the greatest 
 regard and respect. When he died, there was not 
 a dry eye in the camp ; Christians, Mussulmans, 
 and Hindoos mingled their tears, for all loved him." 
 He was buried at Honore, and a detachment of the 
 28th Native Infantry fired over his grave. The 
 evening before his death he joined with deep so- 
 lemnity in the prayers of the Church, which were 
 read to him by the amiable officer just alluded to. It 
 was the Sabbath ; and on Monday morning, January 
 the 20th, he expired without a struggle — he merely 
 ceased to breathe. Soon after his decease it was pro- 
 
 * Jeremy Taylor^ of the Countess of Carbcry.
 
 Chap. XIV. LORD IIILL\s PERSONAL AITKAKANCK. IVX] 
 
 posed to erect a tablet to liis liuiiuurcd la.i.mry in 
 St. Mark's cliurch, Bangalore, and to found a chari- 
 table institution bearing his name. 
 
 Sir Robert Hill occupies the house at Prees in 
 which Lord Hill was born, and is one of the most 
 efficient magistrates in the county of Snlop. At 
 Hawkstone, the present Viscount and his excellent 
 Viscountess are, in all respects, a blessing to tliose 
 over whom their wide influence extends : never are 
 they mentioned, by the gentry, the farmers, or the 
 cottagers, without some note of that affectionate 
 esteem that has from time immemorial rested on the 
 name of Hill. 
 
 The personal aj^pearance of Lord Hill at the 
 latter period of his hfe, is admirably represented in 
 the portrait by Richmond, engraved for this ^•olume. 
 It is a happy likeness of him as hu ^vas seen in those 
 circles where he was best known, durinj; the time he 
 was Commander-in-Chief; and it is also more in unison 
 with the simplicity of his character and taste, than if 
 he had been taken covered mtli the honours* con- 
 ferred on him for his deeds of arms. In staturr, he 
 was, as nearly as possible, what may be called the mid- 
 dle height, with an inclination to stoutness. His com- 
 plexion was florid ; his eye l)right, and full of Ix-nevo- 
 lence. His whole demeanour indicated 1-dndness and 
 modesty, rendering him extremely approachable, but 
 mingled with a dignified firmness, wliirli sup[)ressed 
 
 * These were, Grand Cross of William from the Kinp of the 
 
 the Bath ; Guelphic Ortler ; Tower Netherlands; Cross's an«l four 
 
 and Sword; the Russian Order of Clasps commemorating Hattles ; 
 
 St. George ; Austrian Order of Turkish Order of tlie Crescent ; 
 
 iVIaria Theresa ; Military Order of AVaterloo .Medal. 
 
 D D
 
 394 LOED hill's CHAEACTER and example. Chap. XIV. 
 
 at once any indiscreet attempt to take advantage of 
 his oentle bearins:. His command insured obedience 
 Avithout exciting the slightest sense of austerity ; and 
 the words of the Latin poet were once appropriately 
 applied to him, as illustrative of his manner in the 
 field, — 
 
 " Monstrat tolerare labores, 
 Non jubet." 
 
 It was impossible to have any intercourse with him, 
 and not to come away with a glow of kindly feel- 
 ing. Yrhen he said, on his death -bed, he believed he 
 had not an enemy, he spoke that which was the fact. 
 How he won and retained the esteem of the great, 
 the brave, and the good, has sufficiently appeared in 
 this humble attempt to exhibit his real character 
 during the successive stages of his long and memor- 
 able career. The most important lesson of his life is 
 in its close, when he felt and proclaimed the utter 
 nothingness of all the honours of the world, in com- 
 parison with that penitent hope which can alone 
 support the mind as the things of this earthly scene 
 are leaving us. All the trophies of war, however 
 nobly gained, are at best but proofs of the lusts and 
 passions of man ; and though the character of Lord 
 Hill as a soldier must be regarded as a high example, 
 while the profession of arms rem.ains needful, yet we 
 anticipate the period Avhen the triumph of the gospel 
 shall be complete, and the nations learn war no more. 
 The great hero of the age, whom Lord Hill assisted to 
 stem the inundation of that lawless power which 
 swept away the liberties of other nations of Euro|)e, 
 and threatened those of our own, has been for nearly
 
 CuAP. XIV. ins INSTRUCTIVE END. .395 
 
 thirty years the most eminent promoter of peace. Tlie 
 tendencies of Lord Hill's mind were ever in the same 
 direction. War was not his element ; but he t-n- 
 gaged in it, convinced that religion, freedom, the ri^rlits 
 of nations, and all that man holds dear, summoned onv 
 hosts into the field. He felt as deeply as any human 
 being all that is afflicting in warfare ; but at the mo- 
 ment when duty called, these emotions vanished fn^m 
 his mind, and were replaced by a firm and successful 
 resolve to enter into the struggle, in the hope that the 
 issue might be the deliverance of Europe and the paci- 
 fication of the world. When the gracious providence 
 of God brought the contests in which he was so 
 honourably conspicuous to a close, no man expressed 
 a warmer or a more sincere gratitude, and tlie whole 
 tenor of his fife proved that he had been familiarized 
 to the sight of contest and slaughter williout the 
 least detriment to the gentler qualities of his nature. 
 Yet, though conscious of all this, and more — of 
 endeavours to relieve the miseries of war — of kind- 
 ness to friends — of tenderness to captive enemies — 
 of charity to the poor — of attention to the external 
 offices of religion — of integrity in his public and 
 private acts — he renounced every other foundation, 
 as all that will be saved must do, but the one that 
 standeth sure, even Jesus Christ. 
 
 THE END. 
 
 LoxnoK : 
 
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 HISTORY. 
 
 STATE PAPERS DURING THE REIGN 
 OF KING IIEMIY VIH. PiMishcil by Ai(Uwril>/. 5 vuls. 
 4to, 20*. each. 
 
 CORRESPONDENCE AND DESPATCHES 
 
 OF THE GREAT DUKE OF MAKLHoKol'lMI, from 
 1702 to 1712. Recentlj- discovered nt AVoodstock. Edited 
 by Sir George Mirhay, G.C'.B. Vol. 1. to III. 8vo. 20j. c.nch. 
 " A discovery lias recently been made, llie intercbt of 
 which it is not possible to overrate. In a house near the 
 town of Woodstock, there had been lying for many years 
 certain boxes, supposed to contain deeds and papers apper- 
 tainiu}; to the Marlborough estates, whose dust nobody had 
 ever thought of disturbing, and the existence of which was 
 unknown to Archdeacon Coxe vheu he had the ransacking 
 of all the documentary stores of Blenheim. These boxes 
 have lately been o])ened and examined, and have becii found 
 to contain the whole of the Correspondence and Despatches 
 of the Great Duke of Marlborough during the eventful 
 period of the War of Succession. They form a collection 
 very much resembling the compilation of Colonel Gurwood." 
 — Times. 
 
 GIBBON'S DECLINE and FALL of ROME. 
 
 An enlireli/ i\Vtc Edition. 
 
 By Rev. II. II. JIil.man, Minister of St Margaret's and 
 Prebendary of Westminster. AVith Historical JIaps. 
 6 vols. 8vo. In the Press. 
 
 " This edition of Gibbon is the only one extant to which 
 Parents and Guardians and Academical Authorities ought 
 to give any measure of countenance."— Quuriei/^ Reciew. 
 
 EUROPE DURING THE MIDDLE AGES. 
 
 By He.nrv Hallaim, Esq. Eiiihih Ediliun. 2 vols. 8vo, 2is. 
 
 •' The most complete and highly-finished among many 
 valuable works. It is a series of findy.drawn hiitorical 
 sketches." — A'ojVA American Ilevitw. 
 v. 
 
 HISTORY OF ENGL.\ND, from the Acces- 
 sion of Henry VII. to the Death of George the Second. 
 By He.vrv I1ai,la.m, Ebq. Fi/lh Edition. 2 vols.8vo, 24*. 
 
 " Mr. Hallam has great industry and ereat acuteness. 
 His knowledge is extensive, various, and profound; arm 
 his mind is equally distinguished by the amplitude of its 
 grasp and delicacy of its touch." — Edinburgh Review. 
 
 HISTORY OF ENGLAND, 
 From the Peace of Utrecht (1713) to the Peace of Paris 
 (1763). By Lord Mahon. Second Edition, vols. 1 to 3, llvo, 
 36*. Vol. 4, 16f. 
 
 " Lord Mahon has shown throughout excellent skill in 
 combining, as well as contrasthig, the various elements of 
 interest which his materials alForded ; he has drawn his 
 historical portraits with a 6rm andeasy hand."— Q«ar^er/y 
 Review. 
 
 " We must entreat that our estimation of these volumes 
 be not rated by the length of our review or the number of 
 our extracts. Such a work is one for people to be told to 
 read, not spared the trouble of perusing, by the presenta- 
 tion of all the interesting pages."— iUor;J!"fi- Chronicle. 
 
 "Lord Mahon has a very just juiigment of thin.us. He 
 writes sensiblv, clearly, and pleasantly. His book has xhc 
 vivacity of a JFrench memoir, without its insincerity. '"- 
 Examiner, 
 
 rtt 
 
 IN SPAIN. 
 
 •rll 
 
 WAR OF THE .'^I 
 
 Hy Loud Mahon. .'>'d(.ii * ; 
 
 "Lord .\Lihon'« nnrratne miecit b 
 ordered mind— it 11 cumprchcnilvr, clear 
 Quarterly Heeiew. 
 
 VIII. 
 
 SPAIN UNDER CHAULK.S THE .<K( OM); 
 
 or Extracts frtitn tlie ('urn-jiiiirii.Uinv I'f i'.n- II n \i«i. 
 
 AS'DER STAMiorK, liritisli .MiiiulcTBt Ma'! 'iio 
 
 I7ix>. ISy Lord .Maiiu.n. S^iunil Edition, rx. . 8ro, 
 6s. 6d. 
 
 " A very curious volume : of imnll pr»'!rn«!«nt, \m\ rt 
 
 sterling value; almost every p ■■ f 
 one kind or other, and it is oli\ 
 
 extracts, that a discreet Judgmmt 1..11 l-ccii cicicucu la 
 the selection." — Spectator. 
 
 IX. 
 
 HI.STORV OF INDIA, 
 
 THE HINDOO AM) .M AllOMMKMA.V l'KHIoI>S. Py 
 the Hon. >linNTSTrART Elphisstdnk. Ike nt EAitioH. 
 JIap. 2 vols'. Cvo, .■>!*. 
 
 " A work of the greatest •uthoritjr and Wamlnic— on* of 
 the latest and most valuable voiks on the Eastern Emptra.' 
 —air Robert Peel. 
 
 THE popes' OF ROME: 
 
 during the Kith and 17th Centuries. Ily I.iu)rouin*!««». 
 Translated by .Sarah At stim. Sicoiid Edition. 3 tuU. 
 8vo. 36/. 
 
 " An excellent book. excellently transUte<l. It now lakes 
 its place among the English Cla«»ic»." — h'.i'- 
 
 " We cannot praise too highly the t\'.- 
 gance of the English into which Mrs. .\i. ... . — ■ . •»• 
 dered the original text."— Tiin«. 
 
 III.STORY OF CIIRI.STIANITV. 
 
 From the llirlh of Cliribt to tlie I'.xtlncti^n of I'airanism 
 in the Roman Empire. Hy Kcv. II. H. .Milmah. .Mini*. 
 terof Pt. Margaret's, and Prebendary of \Vc»tailn»tcr. 
 3 vols. 8vt>, 3li$. 
 
 " A safe book for all to read. Tlir ■ 
 ti-- t;-, and the authority of the « 
 
 ti where m.ilnt.iined." — Preface to rie .i'ltmc.i . /■. ji- 
 tion, by Vr. Murdoch, 
 
 HISTORY OF 
 
 ENGLAND 
 
 UNDER THE 
 
 ANGLO SAXON KINGS. Knin the Gcnnan of 
 Laitrnrkho. Uy IlKNJAMiN TiioMPE, K.&A. With Ad- 
 ditions nnd Corrections by the Author and TrmnaUtor. 
 
 2 vols. 8vo. {In the Press.) 
 
 Xtll. 
 
 JIANNERS, AND CUSTOMS OF THE 
 
 ANCIENT EGVPTIA.N8. derived fioiii lllcmnlyplnc*. 
 Sculpture, &c., still exinlins, c«'; pnrvd »IU> Aiuniil 
 Authors. My Sir Garb.ser \ViLM.v>oj«. Stcond Ed I i-jm. 
 With 6tKj IlUi-trati. ins C vol*. Svo, C/. 6«. 
 
 "Sir Gardner Wilkinson has done more lo m-ike t'-« 
 people of the Pharaoh* knoirn lo us moderns tin snjr 
 contcmporarv wiitir." — .<fArriiriiin. 
 
 "These la'borious and highly mcritorloul UTcs'lja- 
 tious."— ii>'i«ff«' « '' Magazine. 
 
 [Ja.nuarv, 1845.]
 
 Mr. MURRAY'S LIST OF BOOKS.— Biography. 
 
 BIOGRAPHY. 
 
 LIFE OF LORD CHANCELLOR ELDON ; 
 
 including his Correspondence, and Selections from his 
 Anecdote Book. By IFohack Twiss, Esq., one of ITer 
 Majesty's Counsel. AVith Portraits. Second Edition. 
 3 vols. 8vo, 42s. 
 
 "This is a sterling work and will Vive."—Quai-te)li/ 
 liet'iew. 
 
 " Mr. Twiss has just crowned a literary life more labori- 
 ous and more important in its labours than tlie world is 
 perhaps aware of, by a biographical work, which, in point of 
 interestandiiermanent value, is not surpassed by any of the 
 class to which it belongs." — Morning Citron. 
 
 " Cannot fail to stand amonpst the sterling additions to 
 our higher biogrjiphical literature, as the memorial, by a 
 candid, cultivated, and discreet mind, of one of the most 
 remarkable men in the later English aunals." — Morning 
 Pout. 
 
 " This work will live with posterity, and be esteemed as 
 one of the most valuable contributions to the standard 
 literature of the age. . . ." — Times. 
 
 "These volumes abound in capital anecdotes — possess 
 passag'es of very effective writing— and form a work which 
 oufiht to be in the library of every lawyer, statesman, and 
 English gentleman." — Blackwood. 
 
 MEMOIRS AND CORRESPONDENCE OF 
 LIEUT. GEN. SIR HUDSON LOWE. Edited by his 
 Son. 8vo. In the Press. 
 
 "These Memoirs embrace an Account of Public Affairs 
 in the Mediterranean from 1792 to 1SI2; the most im- 
 portant Events in the Liberation War in Germany {1813), 
 and in the Campaign of France (1814) leading to the 
 Downfall of Napoleon ; the political and military Trans- 
 actions in the Netherlands, immediately previous to the 
 Campaign of Waterloo ; and public and personal Proceed- 
 ings during the Detention of Napoleon at St. Helena." 
 III. 
 
 LIFE OF LORD HILL, Commander op the 
 Forces. From Authentic Documents supplied by his 
 Family and Friends. By Rev. Edwin Sidney. 8vo. 
 Nearly ready. 
 
 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE RIGHT 
 
 IIONOURAULE RICHARD HILL, Envoy E.xtraordi- 
 iiary from the Court of St. James to the Duke of Savoy, in 
 the reign of Queen Anne. By Rev. W. Blackey, B.A. 
 2 vols. 8vo. Itcarly Ready. 
 
 MEMOIR OF WILLIAM TAYLOR, OF 
 
 NORWICH, includinc; his Correspondence with Southcy. 
 By J. W. RoBBERDS, Esq. Portrait. 2 vols. 8vo, 30.?. 
 
 " The narrative is that of an able man— and the corres- 
 pondence as interestingasany we are likely to see revealed 
 for many years to come." — Quarterly Review, 
 
 LIFE OF DR. ANDREW BELL, Author of 
 the System of Mutual Tuition. Vol. I by Robert Soutiiev, 
 LL.D. Vols. 2 and 3 by the Rev. C. C. Southey. 3 vols. 
 8vo, i2s. 
 
 "A posthumous work of the late Mr. Southey cannot 
 fail to excite interest. A Life from his pen of Dr. Bell, for 
 whom and whose system he was known to feel so marked 
 a respect, illustrates the veneration which greatness has for 
 greatness." — Athencsum. 
 
 LIFE OF SIR DAVID WILKIE ; 
 
 With his Letters, Journals, and Critical Remarks on 
 Works of Art, during his tours in France, the Netherlands, 
 Italy, Spain, Germany, Turkey, Egypt, and the Holy Land. 
 By Alla.v Cu.v.vingham, Esq. Portrait. 3 vols. 8vo. 42j. 
 
 " Mr. Allan Cun'iingham has done justice to his subject, 
 and produced a work of great interest and utility." — (Jen- 
 tleman's Magazine. 
 
 LIFE OF ROBERT BURNS. 
 By J. G.'Loc&B^aT, Esij. fouiih Edition, fcap. 8yo,6f. Gcf. 
 
 DUDLEY TO 
 
 Second Edition. 
 
 LETTERS FROM EARL 
 THE BISHOP OP LLANDAFF. 
 
 Portrait, Svo, Ws.Gd. 
 
 " A more interesting volume has never issued from the 
 ^ress."— Literary Gazette. 
 
 X. 
 
 LIFE OF SIR SAMUEL ROMILLY, 
 
 written by Himself, with his Letters and Political 
 Diary, edited by his Sons. Third Edition. Portrait. 
 2 vols. fcp. 8vo, \2s. 
 
 " A narrative singularly touching and striking." — 
 AlhencEum. 
 
 XI. 
 
 ]\IEMOIRS OF LOUD SYDENHAM ; with 
 
 his Administration in Canada, and his Correspondence. 
 By G. PouLKTT ScROPE, Esq., M.P. Second Edition, 
 abridged. Portrait. 8vo, ds. 6d. 
 
 "We have risen from the perusal of this work with 
 much satisfaction. Our interest in the biographical nar- 
 rative never abated." — Eraser's Magazine. 
 
 LIFE OF BELISARIUS. 
 By Lord Mahon, M.P. With a Map, 8vo, i2s. 
 " A valuable contribution to the history of a most inte- 
 resting era." — London Magazine. 
 "Au able and valuable performance." — Monthly Review, 
 
 LIFE OF EDWARD GIBBON, 
 
 AVith Selections from his Correspondence, &c., and Notes. 
 By Rev. II. II. Milman, Minister of St. Margaret's, and 
 Prebendary of M'estminster. Portrait. 8vo, 9*. 
 
 " The present volume is a valuable and necessary com- 
 panion to the Decline and Fall. No one who desires to be 
 informed in the most engaging and dignified manner of 
 the most important eras in the world's annals can allow 
 himself to remain unacquainted with the life and corres- 
 pondence ofits very remarkable author." — Monthly Reoiew. i 
 
 LIVES OF GALILEO, TYCHO BRAHE, 
 
 AND KEPLER, the Martyrs of Science. By Sir David 
 Brewster, LL.D. 12rao, 7*. 
 
 " A pleasant contribution to our scientific biography."— 
 Athe7icBuni. 
 
 "A very delightful performance, containing gera-like 
 portraitures of three extraordinary geniuses." — Literary 
 Gazette. 
 
 XV. 
 
 CORRESPONDENCE OF Dr. BENTLEY, 
 
 Master of Trinity College, Cambridge. By the Rev. Chris- 
 topher Wordsworth, D.D., Prebendary of Westminster. 
 With Notes and Illustrations. 2 vols. 8vo, i2s. 
 
 " Maintains Bentley's high character for erudition." — 
 Alhenccum. 
 
 MEMOIR OF WILLIAM SMITH, LL.D., 
 
 The Geologist, Author of the Map of the Strata of England 
 and Wales. By hi.s Nephew and Pupil, John Phillips, 
 F.R.S. 8vo, Is. Od. 
 
 " A erateful and gratifying recollection of the Father of 
 English Geology," — Literary Gazette. 
 
 LIFE OF LORD BYRON, WITH HIS 
 
 LETTERS AND JOURNALS. By Thomas Moore, 
 Esq. Ifeiv and cheaper Edition. Portrait and Vignette. 
 Complete in one volume, royal 8vo, 15*. 
 
 XV'I'I 
 
 LIFE OF CRABBE THE POET, 
 
 With his Letters and Joiunals. By his Son. Ifeio Edition. 
 Plates, fcap. 8vo, 7s. (id, 
 
 LIFE OF JAMES WATT. By M. Arago.] 
 Translated from tho French, by J. P. Muirhbad, M.A, 
 8vo, 8^. Grf, 
 
 1
 
 Mr. MURRAY'S LIST OF BOOKS.-Reil|fion. 
 
 RELIGIOUS LITERATURE 
 
 THE BOOK OF COMMON TRAYER, 
 Carefully Annotated. AVitli Illustrations, llliimi- 
 nations. Initials, liorders, Vignettes, \c. Uy Owbn 
 Jones, Areliitect. AVith Useful anil Instructive Notes by a 
 careful Editor. 8vo. Nearly Heady. 
 
 e^u^ J^'storical Illustrations are selected from the Works 
 or the Pure Artists of the early Italian aud German Schools. 
 
 ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE LITURGY 
 
 AND KITUAL OK TIIH CIllUClI, boing iSonnons iind 
 Discourses of eminent Divines of the Seventeenth Cen- 
 tury. By Jamks BKOGnKN, M.A. 3 vols, post Hvo, 27^. 
 
 " A most valuable addition to every parochial durtry- 
 man's, and indeed toevery churchman's library."— /Ju/iou 
 of Exeter's Charge, 
 
 "Mr. Brogden's useful Collection of Discourses on the 
 Liturgy and Ritual of the Church."— i?is/io/> vf London's 
 Charge. 
 
 CATHOLIC SAFEGUARDS AGAINST 
 
 THE ERRORS. CORRUPTIONS, AND NOVELTIES 
 OP THE CHURCH OF ROME. Selected from Ivmi. 
 rent Divines of the Church of Ensland. By Jamks 
 Brogden, M.A. 4 vols. 8vo. (In the Press ) 
 
 SERMONS PREACHED AT WHITEHALL. 
 
 By the Rev. AV. J. Convbeare, M.A., Principal of the 
 Collegiate Institution, Liverpool, and one of her Majesty's 
 Preachers. 8vo, 9^. 
 
 V. 
 
 BIBLICAL RESEARCHES IN PALES- 
 TINE, MOUNT SINAI, AND ARABIA PETR^A, 
 being a Journal of Travels, undertaken in reference to 
 Biblical Geography. By the Rev. Dr. Robinson and Rev. 
 Eli .Ssiith. AVith new iAIaps and Plans. 3 vols. «vo, 4,j.f. 
 
 " AVe have found more solid and important information 
 on the geography and topography of tlie Holy Land, than 
 has accumulated since the days of lieland."— Quarterly 
 Review. 
 
 " The most importantcontribution to Biblical Geography 
 vhich has appeared since the days of St. Jerome." — 
 Athenceum. 
 
 "By far the most important contribution to Biblical 
 History and Geography made iu our time." — Examiner. 
 
 " To the religious world and the Biblical Scholar this 
 work will be one of high interest."- Sj)ectutor. 
 
 DIALOGUES BETWEEN A BRAHMIN 
 
 AND A CHRISTIAN ON THE EA'IDENCES OP 
 CHRISTIANITY. By AA'illia.ii Sbwell, B.D., late I'ro- 
 fessor of Moral Philosophy at O.xford. Feap. 8vo, 7s. Oil. 
 " Ably, and in general satisfactorily, treated ; the style 
 animated and eloquent.'' — Gentleman's Magazine. 
 
 VII. 
 
 THE BOOK OF THE CHURCH, 
 
 With Notes containing References to the Authorities, and 
 an Index. By Robert Soi'they, LL.D. Fi^h Edition. 
 8vo, 12^. 
 
 " I offer to those who regard with love and reverence the 
 religion which they have received from their fathers, a 
 brief but comprehensive record, diligently, faithfully, and 
 conscientiously composed, which they may put into the 
 hands of their children." — Preface, 
 
 VIII. 
 
 THE THEOGONY OF THE HINDOOS, 
 
 with their system of Philosophy and Cosmogony. By 
 Count Bjornstjerna, 8vo. 
 
 HYMNS FOR THE ' CHURCH SERVICE, 
 arranged for every Sunday. By Bishop IIeber. Ekvcnlh 
 Edition. 16mo, -Is. 
 
 The public estimation of the Plan of this little work is 
 shown by the fact of Eleven Editions having been called 
 for, and the sale of upwards of Twelve Thousand Copies, 
 
 PARISH SERMO.NS; 
 On the Lesw.nH, the (i..,|Kl. or (l.r Kpl.Uc. tor 
 Mindny and Princl|m| I-.T.uval in tbr Ywr. Uy thaUtm 
 Bishop Hkbkh. ri.nh Edition, i vuU |>.ia Hru. IG<. 
 
 '' I believe that thi-«p St rinrnx will vtil , . r .. i ...,„ 
 .ind lustre to the name of ltc(ri"nl'l Mi-tK-r ., 
 
 a fresh regret for his loss."— ai> UobrrI I 
 
 XI. 
 
 SERMONS PREACH KU I.N L.NGLA.ND. 
 
 By the late Bisiioi- Hkiikh. ikcuiid Edition. Brc. 'ji. &/. 
 
 XII. 
 
 JOURNEY TiinoiGH AKAHIA I'I:TR,1:\ 
 to MOUNT .SLV.VI. and the Exc avatkd Ciiv '•» I'icriu.-. 
 the Ei.H).M (.f thuProphwiwi, lly .M. Lkom u« Ltn.m.K. 
 Second Edition. AViiU (i5 Piute*, WuoUcuU. and 3J«P«. 
 «vo, 18*. 
 
 "A publication of extreme value and Interest to every 
 Christian."— iin/ijA Cnlic. 
 
 " All ministers and fitudcntf ihnuld poaieit thrmteUct 
 of this splendid volume."— AVan^crtcoi MagaziHe. 
 
 XIII. 
 
 PA.STORAL LETTER TO HIS CLEIIGV 
 
 ON THK OltSKRVANCi: UP Till; IditUK IM 
 TUK BOOK OP CO.M.MoN PRAVLIl. By Iho Utwior 
 OF Exeter, I'cap. 8vo, 3U. 
 
 A CHARGE DELIVERED TO HIS 
 
 CLERGY, nt his Triennial Ai-itaitiun. In IB42. lly thg 
 Bishop OF ExKTER. Second Edition. Fcap. 8ro, te. 
 
 A LETTER TO HIS CLERGY (»N THE 
 OFFERTOKY. By the Bwhop or ExrritR. 8vo,(m/. 
 
 AN ORDINATION SKU.MON PllEACHED 
 in the Cathedral Church of Exeter. Uy the Uiiuiopor 
 Exeter, 12ino, 1/. 
 
 "A brief and earnest manual of sound church doctrine." 
 — Morning Post. 
 
 THE WIDOW'S MITE ; a .Sortnon prpach.-.l 
 n behalf of the .Vationiil ."Society : wiilinl'iiKtnr.il !.<•»< r to 
 the Inhabitants of Plymouth. By the Bishop or ExrrxR. 
 12ino, OJ, 
 
 OX THE UNITY OF THE CHURCH. 
 
 By Henry Edward .Manning, Archileacun of Chicbatcr. 
 Second Edition. Uvo, lu/.U/. (Intlic I'rui.) 
 
 XIX. 
 
 A CHARGE DELIVERED AT THE OUDI- 
 
 NARY VISITATION in IIWI, I1W2, and \MX By iU.vdy 
 Edward Ma.nninu, Archdeacon of CUicbcttcr. Sro, i*. 
 
 each. 
 
 XX. 
 
 AN ORDLWTION SER.MON PKEACHED 
 ON TRINITY .SI .VHAY. Uy IIknrv Edwako JUx- 
 
 NiNG, Archdeacon of Chidicstcr. Oro, \i. 
 
 A CHARGE TO THE CLERGY; with a 
 
 Form of Prayer. By Honrnr Iswr AViLuiarom. E, 
 Archdeacon of the East Riding. Uvo, M. _ 
 
 LECTURES ON THE BOOKS OF THE 
 
 OLD TESTAMENT. By the Rev. II. Ll.fpaAV, SLA. 
 
 Rector of Croydon. 2 yyls. fcap. Uvo, 10/._
 
 Mr. MURRAY'S LIST OF BOOKS.— Voyages and Travels. 
 
 xxrii. 
 
 THE NESTORIAN CHRISTIANS, or LOST 
 
 TRIBES OF ISKAEL settled in Ooroomia, Koordistan, 
 Ancient Assyria, and Media. With Illustrations of 
 Scripture Pmphecy. By Asahkl Grant, M.D. AVitli 
 Map. Third Edition. Fcap. 8vo, Gs. 
 
 " An important accession to our stores of geographical 
 kno\vle<lr;e." — Church of Engldnd Review. 
 
 " Much curious and interesting information of which 
 ts name gives no previous warning." — Atltenceum. 
 
 XXIV 
 
 HULSEAN LECTURES FOR 1831. 
 
 The Veracity of the Old Testament. From the Con- 
 clusion of the Pentateuch to the Opening of the Prophets. 
 By Rev. J. J. Blunt. Post 8vo, 0*. 6c;. 
 
 XXV. 
 
 HULSEAN LECTURES, 18.32. 
 
 Principles for the Proper Understanding of the Mosaic 
 AVritings, stated and applied, together with an Incidental 
 Argument for the Truth of the Resurrection of our Lord. 
 By Rev. J. J. Blunt. Post 8vo, C*. 6rf. 
 
 VERACITY OF THE FIVE BOOKS OF 
 
 MOSES, argued from tlie undesigned Coincidences to be 
 found in them wlien compared in their several parts. 
 By Rev. J. J. Blunt. Post Hv", .')«. 6(/. 
 
 " Mr. Blunt lias signalised himself as a very successful 
 disciple of Dr. Paley in the management of that species of 
 Christian evidence, whicli arises from the discovery of un- 
 designed coincidence of revealed truth." — Evangelical 
 Magazine. 
 
 xxvii. 
 
 PSALMS AND HYMNS FOR PUBLIC 
 WORSHIP, selected, arranged, and adapted to the 
 various Solemnities of the Church. By W. B. Holland, 
 M.A., Perpetual Curate of AValmer. 24mo. \s. Gd. 
 
 *** Clergymen wishing to introduce this Selection will 
 be allowed a discount. 
 
 xxviir. 
 
 HISTORY OF JOSIAH. By the Author of 
 " Gideon, the Man of Miuhtv Valour." Fcap. 8vo,4*. 6rf. 
 
 "A pleasing scripture history, accompanied by many 
 moral and religious reflections." — Literal-^/ Gazette. 
 
 VOYAGES AND TRAVELS. 
 
 India and China. 
 
 A JOURNAL OF THE DISASTERS IN 
 AFFGHANISTAN. By Lady Sale. Eiphth Edition. 
 Plans. Post 8vo, V2s. 
 
 " The journal of one whose very name lightens up the 
 eye, and gladdens the spirit— of one, whose ' story shall 
 the good man tell his son'— the journal of our high- 
 minded noble countrywoman. Lady Sale." — Alhenceum. 
 
 "Lady Sale evinces a degree of strong sense, judgment, 
 and familiarity with details, which might do credit to a 
 veteran geneiid." —Naval and Military Gazette. 
 
 TRAVELS TO BOKHARA, and VOYAGE 
 UP THE INDUS. By Sir Alexander Burnes. Second 
 Edition. Map and Plates. 3 vols, fcap 8vo. Ws. 
 
 " The admirable publication of Sir Alexander Burnes." 
 —Literary Gazette. 
 
 " Tlie autlior is evidently a man of strong and mascu- 
 line talents, high spirit, and elegant taste, and is in every 
 respect well qualified to tread in the steps of our Malcolms 
 and Elphinstones." — Quarterly Review. 
 III. 
 
 JOURNEY TO CABOOL, and RESIDENCE 
 TN that CITY. By Sir Alexander Burnes. Second 
 Edition. Portrait and Plates. 8vo, 18.9. 
 
 " The charm of the book is in its buoyant style. Personal 
 character, domestic scenes, and oriental manners, are 
 painted with vivacity, case, and lightness of touch." — 
 Spectator. 
 
 VOYAGE UP THE INDUS TO THE 
 SOURCE OP THE RIVER OXUS, by Kabul and 
 Badakhshan. By Lieut. John Wood, Indian Navy. Jlap. 
 8vo. 14s. 
 
 "The valuable geographical details which Lieut. Wood 
 has collected, and his clear sketches of society, render his 
 volume one of the most agreeable and instructive of its 
 class." — Athenceiim. 
 
 "Extremely well written; full of natural pictures of 
 scenery and character."— £jn»i!«e/, 
 
 TRAVELS IN THE HIMALAYAN PRO- 
 VINCES OF niNDOSTAN AND THE PANJAB, in 
 
 Ladakh and Kashmir, in Peshawar, Kabul, Kunduz, and 
 Bokhara. By Mr. AVilliam Moorcroft and Mr. George 
 Trebeck. 2 vols. 8vo, 30s. 
 
 " A most valuable narrative."— QuarieW^ Review. 
 
 BRITISH SETTLEMENTS in the STRAITS 
 
 OF MALACCA, including Penang, Malacca, aud Singa- 
 pore. By liiBUT, Newbold, 2 vols, 8vo, 26*. 
 
 JOURNAL OF AN AFFGHAN PRISONER, 
 
 with a Narrative of the Blilitary Operations at Cabul, 
 which ended in the Retreat and Destruction of the British 
 Army. By Lieut. Vincent Eyre, Bengal Artillery. 
 Seventh Edition. Plan. Post 8vo, Y2s. 
 
 " A volume of thrilling interest." — United Service 
 Gazette. 
 
 "The public has cause to be thankful to Mr. Eyre, for 
 so excellent and so valuable a narrative." — Times. 
 
 "One of the most enchaining narratives we have met 
 with for a long time." — Spectator. 
 
 A GE0GRAPHICAL,'STATISTICAL, AND 
 
 HISTORICAL DESCRIPTION OF HINDOSTAN, AND 
 THE ADJACENT COUNTRIES. By AValter Hamil- 
 ton. Maps. 2 vols. 4to, 4Z. 14s. 6d. 
 
 LETTERS FROM MADRAS, or First Im- 
 pressions of Manners and Society in India, described 
 from a Three Years' Residence. By a Ladv. Post 8vo, 
 94-. 6d. 
 
 SIX MONTHS IN CHINA, 
 By Lord Jocelyn, late Military Secretary to the Chinese 
 Expedition. Sixth Edition. Plans. Fcap. 8vo, 5s. 6</. 
 
 "Lord Jocelyn supplies us with some striking facts and 
 unknown particulars." — Literary Gazette. 
 
 CLOSING events' OF THE CAMPAIGN 
 IN CHINA. The Operations in the Yang-tze-Kiang, 
 and Treaty of Nanking. By Captain Granville G. 
 Loch, R.N. AVitli Blap. Post 8vo, 8s. 6(/. 
 
 " One of the best books that the AVar has produced."— 
 Spectator, 
 
 " The sketches of Chinese character are the most strik. 
 ing and the most graphic, we have met with." — Naval 
 and Military Gazette. 
 
 XII. 
 
 JAPAN IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY. 
 
 Described from the Accounts of Recent Dutch Travellers. 
 Post 8vo, Ss. 6d. 
 
 " Containing all the information about Japan which has 
 been obtained ; well arranged and well put together."— 
 Literary Gazette. 
 
 " This useful account of a very curious people." — 
 Spectator. 
 
 XIII. 
 
 NOTICES ON CHINA, and our Commercial 
 Intercourse with that Country. BySiRGBOiiGS STAxmios, 
 Bark Second Edition, Svo, I2t,
 
 Mn. MURRAY'S LIST OF BOOKS.— Voytisos and Travel*. 
 
 ZtSediterrancan, and ilsia IVZiDor. 
 
 XIV. 
 
 NARRATIVE OF A YACHT VOYAGE IN 
 
 TIIH MEDITERRANEAN, during the Years Ullo— Jl. 
 By the Countess Grosvk.voh. With 26 I'latcs. 2 vols, 
 post 8vo, 28s. 
 
 A CLASSICAL TOUR IN ATTICA, AND 
 RESIDENCE IN ATHENS. Cy the Rev. Christopher 
 Wordsworth, D D., Prebendary of ^^'estmiuste^. Second 
 Edition. Maps and Plates. 8vo, IS*-. 
 
 A SHORT VISIT to' the IONIAN ISLANDS, 
 ATIIEN.S, AND THE MOREA. Ry Edward Gifkaud, 
 Esq. Phites. Post 8vo, 12*. 
 
 " Whether as a gui<le to tlie traveller, or as arausinp 
 summer reading to tliose who stay at home— Mr. (iiffard's 
 work is very creditable to its autlior.'' — Quarterly licvietv. 
 
 TRAVELS IN CRETE. 
 
 By Robert Pashx.ey, A.M., FelUiw of Trinity College, 
 Cambridge. Maps, Plates, and Woodcuts. 2 vols. 8vo, 
 21. 2s. 
 
 XVIII. 
 
 A JOURNAL OF AN EXCURSION IN ASIA 
 
 MINOR IN l!i3u. Including a Visit to several unknown 
 and undescribcd Cities. By Charlks Eellows, Esq. 
 Second Edilion. Plates and Woodcuts. Imperial 8vo, 2Uj-. 
 
 DISCOVERIES IN ANCIENT LYCIA ; 
 
 being a Journal kept during a Second and more Recent 
 Excursion in Asia INIinor in 1840. By Charles Felmws, 
 Esq. Plates and Woodcuts. Imperial 8vo, 2?. 2s. 
 
 "Our author lias discovered eleven ancient Lycian cities, 
 and has allowed tlie learned world to perceive that Lycia 
 is a mine of antiquarian treasures, of which he has only 
 scraped the surface. " — Athenawn. 
 
 A SHORT ACCOUNT OF THE XANTHI AN 
 
 MARBLES, discovered by Charles Fellows, Esq. in 
 Asia Minor, and now deposited in the British i\Iuseum. 
 Plates. Imperial 8vo, 5s. 
 
 RESEARCHES in ASIA MINOR, PONTUS, 
 
 AND ARMENIA; with some Account of the Antiquities 
 and Geology of those Countries. By AV. L. Hamilton, 
 Esq., M.P., Secretary to the Geological Society. Jlap, 
 Plates. 2 vols. 8vo, 38*. 
 
 " Mr. Hamilton's archoeological researches and his nar- 
 rative in general, have our warmest commendations." — 
 Athen<Eum. 
 
 Egypt and the East. 
 
 MODERN EGYPT^ AND THEBES : being 
 a Description of Egypt ; with Information for Travel- 
 lers in that Country. By Sir Gardner Wilkinson. 
 Woodcuts and Map, 2 vols. 8vo, 42y. 
 
 .' No one should visit Egypt, or take the overland pas- 
 to India, without availing himself of this work as his 
 travelling Comi>anion. It should be used as a I and hook 
 by all who travel to India, or make the Tour of Egypt and 
 IhehM."— Evangelical Magazine. 
 
 " An invaluable guide to all who visit the valley of the 
 Nile." — AthentBum. 
 
 MANNERS ANd'''"cUSTOMS OF THE 
 
 AKCIENT EGYPTIANS, derived from Hieroglyphics, 
 Sculpture, Paintings, &c., still e.xisting. compared with 
 Ancient Authors. By Sib Gardner Wilkin.son. 
 Edition. With GOO Illustrations. 6 vols. 8vo, dl. 
 
 •'Sir Gardner Wilkinson has done more to make the 
 people of the Pharaohs known to us moderuii Ihau any 
 contemporary writer."— il</it« '2""». 
 
 \ Vll 
 
 ■ >.. 
 
 to 
 
 f 
 ( 
 
 Secotid 
 Bs. 
 
 
 XXIV. 
 I CAIRO, PETU.V, AM) DAM.\SrL'.«5 ; 
 
 from Niitm niiiilu duriiiK n T<iitr In thn<« Cuuiilfic*. Ily 
 
 .lollN (i. KlN.VKAR, ICwi. P ■ r,l, 
 
 " Short, pivnonnt, niid i . «s flnd ounclrM, 
 
 wlun we close tin- hunk. In a i .;. i.,, it it«(e of (aiullUrllf 
 I with Eastern nianni-rii." — Tmrj. 
 ! "Mr. KiniiL-ar writes cxlrufirly wril. and lilt (!c»riip- 
 
 tionii proclaim him a good obaervcr."— I;.'<iim<n<r. 
 
 Polynesia and tlio South Beas. 
 
 VOYAGE OF Di.sCoVKUY AND RF^ 
 
 SEAKCH, IN THE BlUTIir.U.N AM> A.M.MK IIC 
 SE.VS; during li;3!)-40 41-4;.' 4.1. Ity < »n*ir< t-m Jamb* 
 Clark Ross, Knt. Plates and .Mnpk. 2 voU. «»<>. /n 1*« 
 Press. 
 
 " These volumes will contain »n Acrnunt nf Kfrr^;''''-n 
 Island, Van Dicnu-n'.i Land, Can : ' 
 
 Island, New Zealand. Falkland l>lai 
 
 New South Shetland. The Discovery "1 ' '■:'• 
 
 tinent named Victoria Land, and the dclcr. I Uio 
 
 South Magnetic Pole." 
 
 TRAVELS IN NEW ZEAI 
 By Routes through the InferiiT. With • 
 the Geography, Geolngy, Uotnny, and Nm 
 the Islands. Ity Eknkst Diekfkmiai ii, M. 
 to the New Zealnml Vompanii. I'liito*. S volu. i..-- 
 
 "Incomparably the best work which ha* )ct appeared " 
 — Cliristi'in Rememhrrtncrr. 
 
 " A book from which tlie render will draw n rut deal cf 
 information and amusement." — Glaigotc Argut. 
 
 Africa. 
 
 \XVII. 
 
 FIFTY DAYS ON HOARD A SLAVE- 
 VESSEL IN THE MDZAMIilyl E CHANNEL Uy 
 Rev. p. G. 1I:ll, Chaplain of II. M- S. Ciu'iatra. Mop. 
 Feap. 8vo, 3s. dJ. 
 
 " We hope this little hook will have n wide rW.-ul.-.'". • 
 We can conceive nothing so likily <" _''<> • ' 
 
 righteous cause it is intended to promote."—/- 
 
 " Mr. Hill is a pleasant, uiialTectcd. and eh <■• 
 
 with a fund of good sense, and his brief and y >>■ 
 
 is well adapted for public circulation."— i>fc/.if"r. 
 
 Central and South America. 
 
 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL IN YUCATAN. 
 
 Being a Second Visit to the Ruined Cllien ft CajtriiAL 
 Amkric.a. By John L. Stbpukxs, Emj. 120 Kngravlogfc 
 2 vols. 8vo, 42*. 
 
 INCIDENTS OF TR.WEL IN CENTRAL 
 
 AMERIC.\, CHIAPAS. AND VICATAN. Hy J"ii« 
 1 L. STsrHKNS, E>q. 58 Engraving*. S v.d.. Uvo, 3i*. 
 I " At once so amusing in their details and *o In.trocUto 
 I in their inquiries."— Li/fr.iry Oazrtle. . 
 
 1 "These delightful volumes I H l» B/''*"'.,?--^! "J 
 ' store so brimful to overflowing of what *o like bc.l- 
 
 ^'"Tlfe" piea-santest and be.t work that h... lately ap- 
 
 0/ these Jravel* 15,000 eoput hate bt€n $old. 
 
 LETTERS ON SOUTH AMERICA; Com- 
 prising Travels on the llnnk. of the Par.tnl and llo d. 
 fa Plata. Hy J. l'- ai.d W. F. HonnKT^N. 3 vvl.. po.i 
 8vo, 2lif. M- 
 
 RVriD journey"' ACROSS THE I'AM 
 
 PAS and among the A...U^ By ^.« K-SC. H- lUan 
 Bart. Third Edition, poal Bvo. 9/. 6.1. 
 
 i BUENOS AVRES.'aNI) THE PROVINn- 
 OF ino UE LA PLATA, by Si. Wuoums. Wn 
 1 K.C.H. Map. Ovo, I8#.
 
 Mr. MURRAY'S LIST OF BOOKS.— Voyages and Travels. 
 
 XXXIII. 
 
 ' JOURNAL OF A PASSAGE FROM THE 
 
 PACIFIC TO THE ATLANTIC, crossing the Andes in 
 the Northern Provinces of Peru, and descending the great 
 Biver Maranon. By Henry Lister Maw, R.N. 8vo, 125. 
 
 Ifortli /America. 
 
 X\.\IV. 
 
 TOUR THROUGH THE SLAVE STATES, 
 
 from the River Potomac, hy Baltimore in Slaryland, to 
 Texas and the Frontiers of Slexico. By G. W. Feather- 
 STOVHAfGH, Esq. With Plates. 2 vols. 8vo, 26s. 
 
 " His notices of the natural history of the districts throufjh 
 •which he passed are novel and interesting, particularly liis 
 account ol the mines, and his other geological memoranda : 
 and his occasional iiictures oftheheroes ofthe.bowie knife, 
 tlie gentleman slave breeders, and various strange species 
 of the genus homo he met with during his travels are re- 
 inarkably characteristic and entertaining." — New SluntJily 
 liluguzine. 
 
 XXXV. 
 
 A YACHT VOYAGE TO TEXAS, AND 
 
 THE GULF OF MEXICO, during the Year i«43. By 
 Wrs. HousTOUN. With Plates. 2 vols, post 3vo. 2U. 
 
 "Worth a cart-load of modern travels." — Horning 
 Chronicle. 
 
 "A work which every one should read." — Times. 
 
 XXXVI. 
 
 FOREST SCENES AND INCIDENTS IN 
 THE WILDS OF CANADA. By Sir George Head. 
 Second Edition. Post 8vo, Id.?. 
 
 BACKWOODSMAN'S ACCOUNT OF UP- 
 PER CANADA: for the Use of Emigrants. Third 
 Edition. Fcap. 8vo, Is. Gd. 
 
 XXXVIII. 
 
 EXCURSIONS IN NEWFOUNDLAND ; 
 
 With an Account of the Cod Fishery — Fog Banks — Sealing 
 Expedition, itc. ; and a Geological Survey of the Island. 
 By J. B. Jukes, Esq. M&p. 2 vols, post 8vo, 21 5. 
 
 XXXIX. 
 
 LETTERS FROM CANADA AND THE 
 UNITED STATES. AVritten during a Journey in North 
 America. By J. R. Godley, Esq. 2 vols. post8vo. IGs. 
 
 " Here is at least one Kiiglish book of which the Ame- 
 ricans cannot reasonably complain." — Athen<eum. 
 
 "The production of a sensible and intelligent traveller." 
 •—Eclectic Review. 
 
 OREGON, CALIFORNIA, AND OTHER 
 
 TERRITORIES ON THE N.W. COAST OF AMERICA. 
 By Robert Greenhow, Librarian to the Department of 
 State of the United States. Map. 8vo. 16i. 
 
 Surope. 
 
 XLI. 
 
 RUSSIA UNDER NICHOLAS THE FIRST. 
 
 From the German. By Capt. A. C. Sterling. Fcap. 8vo. 5^. 
 "Lively and comprehensive." — Athen<Eum. 
 " A record of worth and utility." — Liierury Gazette. 
 
 XLI I. 
 
 DOMESTIC MANNERS OF THE RUSSIANS. 
 
 Described from a Year's Residence in that Country, chiefly 
 in the Interior. By the Rev. Q,. Lister Yenables, JI.A. 
 Post 8vo, 95. Gd. 
 
 xtiir. 
 NORWAY AND HER LAPLANDERS; 
 with a Few Hints to the Salmon Fisher in Norway. By 
 John Milford, Esq. 8vo, ]()5. 6d. 
 
 PORTUGAL AND GALLICIA, 
 
 Described from Notes made during a Journey to these 
 Countries. By the Earl of Carnarvon. Second Edition. 
 2 vols, post 8vo, 2\s. 
 
 "A work of superior ability, interest, and value."— 
 United Service Journal. 
 "These lively and various V^ges."—Athenceum. 
 
 XLV. 
 
 BIBLE IN SPAIN; 
 
 Or the Journeys, Adventures, and Imprisonments of an 
 Englishman in an Attempt to circulate the Scriptures 
 in the Peninsula, By George Borrow, Esq. Fourth 
 Edition. 3 vols, post 8vo, 27*. 
 
 " Mr. Borrow has come out as an English Author of 
 high mark. We are reminded of Gil Bias, in the narratives 
 of this pious, single-hearted man." — Quarterly Review. 
 
 Also a CIteap Edition/ur the Colonics. Post Svo,5s. 
 
 XLVI. 
 
 GYPSIES OF SPAIN ; 
 
 Their Manners and Customs, Religion and Language. By 
 George Borrov,', Esq. Third Edition. 2 vols, post Hvo, 185. 
 
 "A curious, a very curious work, and contains some of 
 the most singular, yet authentic descriptions of the gipsy 
 race which have ever been given to the public." — Literary 
 Gazette. 
 
 " Evidently the work of a man of uncommon and highly 
 interesting endowments." — Quarterly Review. 
 
 XLVII. 
 
 NARRATIVE OF TRAVELS IN AUSTRIA. 
 
 With Remarks on the Social and Political Condition of that 
 Country. By Peter Evan Turnbull, Esq. 2 vols. 8vo,245. 
 
 XLViri. 
 
 TOUR IN AUSTRIAN LOMBARDY, 
 NORTHERN TYROL, AND BAVARIA. By John 
 Barrow, Esq. "Woodcuts. Post 8vo, IO5. 6(i. 
 
 " Agreeably written, faithful and minute." — Atheneeiim. 
 
 XLIX. 
 
 BUBBLES FROM THE BRUNNEN OF 
 
 NASSAU. By An Old Man. Sixth Edition. ICmo, 5j. 
 "Just suited for the pocket and for the ilhine Travel- 
 lers." — Athenaum, 
 
 DATES AND DISTANCES ; 
 
 Showing what may be done in a Tour of Sixteen Months 
 upon the Continent of Europe. Post 8vo, 8.?. Qd. 
 
 LETTERS FROM THE PYRENEES; OR, 
 
 THREE MONTHS' PEDESTRIAN WANDERINGS 
 amidst the wildest Scenes of the FRENCH and SPANISH 
 MOUNTAINS. By T. Clifton Paris, B.A. Woodcuts. 
 Post 8vo, ms. 6d. 
 
 " Contain better descriptive passages, strikingly pic- 
 turesque, and without the least strain and etibrt, than we 
 rucoilect in any book of the same light pretension." — 
 Examiner. 
 
 Lll. 
 
 A RIDE ON HORSEBACK THROUGH 
 FRANCE AND SWITZERLAND. TO FLORENCE; 
 
 described in a Series of Letters. By A Lady. 2 vols. 
 Post8vo, 185. 
 
 LTII. 
 
 AN ARCHITECTURAL TOUR IN NOR- 
 MANDY, with some Remarks on Norman Architecture. 
 By II. G. Knight, M. P. Second Edition. Plates. Post 8vo. 
 95. Gd. 
 
 iiv. 
 
 LETTERS FROM ITALY. 
 
 With Sketches of History, Literature, and Art. By 
 
 Catharine Taylor. Second Edition. 2 vols, post 8vo, 175. 
 
 " A more pleasant and instructive book, to assist in that 
 
 higher brancli of education, cannot be imagined." 
 
 Britannia. 
 
 LETTERS FROM THE BYE-WAYS OF 
 ITALY. By Colonel and Mrs. Stisted. AVith Illustra- 
 tions. 8vo. nearly ready. 
 
 I, VI. 
 
 THE MANUFACTURING DISTRICTS OF 
 
 ENGLAND, SCOTLAND, AND IRELAND, including 
 the Channel Islands and Isle of Man. By Sir George 
 Head. Third Edition. 2 vols, post 8 vo, 1 25.
 
 Mr. MURRAY'S LIST OF BOOKS.-Hand-booki. 
 
 HAND-BOOKS FOR TRAVI-IJ.KUS. 
 
 Giving detailed and precise Informalion rcsperthu, Steamers, Pawportu, Afontyt, Guides and SeiramU 
 
 with Directions for Travdlcrs, and Hints for Toun. ' 
 
 HAND-BOOK FOR HOLLAND, BELOIU^r, 
 
 PRUSSIA, NORTHERN GKIOrANV, and tmk RHIM;, 
 FROM HOLLAND to SWITZERLAND. JMup. Post 8vo, 
 i2s. 
 
 2. 
 HAND-BOOK FOR SOUTH GERMANY. 
 
 BAVARIA— AUSTRIA — TYROL— SALZUUKO— The 
 AUSTRIAN and BAVARIAN ALPS, and the DANUUK, 
 from ULJI to the BLACK SEA. Map. Post 8vo, 10*. 
 a. 
 HAND-BOOK FOR SWITZERLAND, the 
 
 ALPS of SAVOY and PIEDMONT. Jlap. Post 8vo, lOj. 
 4. 
 
 HAND-BOOK ILLUSTRATIONS FOR 
 
 NORTH AND SOUTH GERMANY AND S\\^TZEU- 
 LAND. A Series of Maps and Plans of the most fre- 
 quented Roads, Cities, and Towns, &.c. Engraved and 
 coloured. 3 vols. PostSvo. VoL 1,12s., voL 2,9*., vol.3, 6«. 
 
 .5. 
 HAND-BOOK FOR NORTHERN EUROPE, 
 DENMARK, NORWAY', SWEDEN, and RUSSIA. Map 
 and Plans. Post 8vo, 12.s. 
 
 G. 
 HAND-BOOK FOR THE EAST, MALTA, 
 
 the IONIAN ISLANDS, TURKEY, ASIA MINOR, and 
 CONSTANTINOPLE. Maps. PostSvo. 15^. 
 
 7. 
 HAND-BOOK FOR NORTHERN ITALY, 
 
 SARDINIA, GENOA, the RIVIERA, VENICE, LOM- 
 BARD Y', and TUSCANY'. Map. Post 8vo, 12*. 
 8. 
 HAND-BOOK FOR CENTRAL ITALY, 
 ROME, the PAPAL STATES, and CITIES of ETRUIUA. 
 Maps. Post 8vo, 15^. 
 
 D. 
 HAND-BOOK FOR SOUTHERN ITALY, 
 SICILY, AND NAPLES. Map. Post 8vo. Ncarli/ ready. 
 
 10. 
 
 HAND-BOOK OF PAINTING. ITALY. 
 
 Being a short and easily intelligible guide, pointing out 
 to the unlearned the leading styles of Art. From the 
 German of Kugler. Post Hvo, 12j. 
 
 11. 
 HAND-BOOK FOR FRANCE, NORMANDY, 
 
 BRITTANY, the RIVERS LOIRE, .SEINE, RHONE, 
 and GARONNE ; the FRENCH ALPS, DAUPliJNE', 
 PROVENCE, and the PYRENEES. JIap. Post Hvo, Us. 
 
 J}. 
 IIANDHOOK FOR EGYPT AND THEHrA 
 
 With all the nceennary infnrmntidn fc.r rra\rlli-r> In tlmt 
 Country, and en thu nvirhm.l Vm-viki- to hniln. Ily Mr 
 Gaiid.nkr WiLKi.Nsos. Wuod(uU Olid Map. 2 toU. Bv.s4»». 
 
 1.1. 
 
 HAND-BOOK FOR SPAIN, ANDALUSIA. 
 
 5RANADA, CATALONIA, .MADItlli, Ac. >|ji.i! 
 
 G 
 
 Post 8vo. 
 
 Jfeartsf Ufaily. 
 
 14. 
 
 H A N D-B O K F O R F, N (; LA N D— T I \ V 
 
 NOIM HERN AND MlhLA.ND CorNTM>i: ( UMIli;! 
 LAND. VORKMHRE, NoRIH and .Sol TI| WALK-. 
 DERItVSlHRE. the -M ANUFACTURINCi DISlUltT.S, 
 
 ic. ^liip. Post 8vo. Searly ready. 
 
 I. '5. 
 
 HAND-BOOK FOR ENGLAND— THE 
 
 SOUTHERN AND Wi:sTKRN CoUNTU-S M«p. P.-.i 
 8vo. In preparation. 
 
 in. 
 
 HAND-BOOK FOR LONDON. PAST AND 
 
 PRESE.N'T ; a Co.mtlktk Gi'idk tt) .^THA.NViiciui, alphabrti- 
 cally arranged, to facilitate reference. Mcp. Po,t Bro. 
 In preparation. 
 
 HAND-BOOK FOR THE PUBLIC GAL- 
 
 LERIES OF ART in and near Lumlnn. With Catalncur* 
 of the Pictures, accompanied by HiBtorical and Illugraplilcal 
 Notices. By Miis. Jamkson. Post Hvo. 
 
 18. 
 
 HAND-BOOK FOR HAMPTON OHUT 
 
 and NEKillliOL RHOdD ; a l(..ad Il,.Hk to the Pul.i.-.- 
 and Guide to the Picture (iailery and (inrdciu. 1 
 Edwark Jksse, Esq. I'ljlh Editiun, Woodcut*. Fc. 
 8vo, 2». Gd. 
 
 ID. 
 HAND-BOOK FOR WIND.^^OR and ETON, 
 
 a Guide til the Palace, Picture Gullery, and (iardrns. Ity 
 Ed\vard Jksse, Esq. Second Edition. Woodcut*. Fcap 
 8vo, is. «(/. 
 
 20. 
 
 HAND-BOOK FOR WESTMINSTER 
 
 ABUFV; iU ART, ARCHITKCTI RK. and A.SMiCLK 
 TIONS. By PfcTKR Cu.v.HiNUHAM, E»q. Woodcut*. Fcap- 
 
 8vo, 2s. 6d. 
 
 Crittr.iT Qpt'iiian^ an tijc ^{Kiiilf'fiaalisf. 
 
 " Mr. Murray's series of Handbooks seem destined to embrace all the sights of the world."— Sp*c/a/or. 
 
 " The useful series of Handbooks issued by Mr. Murray."— A'xaminer. 
 
 " Mr. Murray's excellent series. Compiled with great care. The information full and satlsfartory."— ' j. 
 
 " Well considered, well arranged, and well compressed. They combine every practical infurmation, w r. 
 
 t«ry descriptions and extracts from the most accomplished travellers, unencumbcrid with long hl>toticai dclailt, 
 which not unfrequeatly are uselessly intruded into these manuals." — Genllemnn'i Ma/fosinr. 
 
 " An immense quantity of minute and useful information respecting all place* of intcrcit, prcirnted In a plain, 
 unostentatious and intelligible manner."— t/'/ii/erf Service Gazette. 
 
 " All the information a traveller requires ; and supplies an answer to every difRculty which can poisibly ailtc."- 
 Atlas. 
 
 " An excellent plan, and contains much in little compass, and is an amusing resource when the road ii dull and 
 our companion has fallen asleep." — Asiatic Journal. 
 
 " A world of useful information." — British Magazine. 
 
 " Capital guides 1 A man may traverse half the continent of Eiuope with them without asking a question." 
 .—Literary Gazette. 
 
 " Distinguished for the clearness of their arrangement, the specific character of their direction*, the quantity and 
 quality of the matter they contain, as well as for the style and finish of the literary workmanship."— 5/>«cfa<or.
 
 Mr. IMURRAY'S LIST OF BOOKS.— Poetry, the Brania, &,c. 
 
 POETRY, THE DRAMA, &c. 
 
 LIFE AND WORKS OF LORD BYRON : 
 
 (iLifirarp (iSUitionJ 
 Comprising his Poetry, Letters, and Journals. Collected 
 and arranged with Notes by Scott, Jeffrey, Wilson, Heber, 
 Lockhart, Ellis, Campbell, Milman, &c. By Thomas 
 Moore, Esq. Plates. 17 vols. fcap. 8vo, 5^. each. 
 
 II. 
 POETICAL WORKS OF LORD BYRON. 
 
 (yocftct «?aitfoii.) 
 
 With Plates. ID vols. 13mo. 2os. 
 lit. 
 POETICAL WORKS OF LORD BYRON. 
 
 (JTraticlling (frUition.) 
 With Portraits and Views. New and cheaper Edition. 
 Royal 8vo, 1 jjr. 
 
 IV. 
 
 LORD BYRON'S CHILDE HAROLD. 
 
 (ElIustrateB ©Bifion.) 
 With Sixty Vignette Engravings by eminent Artists 
 from Sketches made on the spot, expressly to illustrate 
 the Poem. A New Edition. Demy 8vo, i\s. 
 
 " A splendid work — worth illustrating, and worthily 
 illustrated." — Athenceum. 
 
 " A volume of rare excellence," — Literary Gazette. 
 
 LORD BYRON'S TALES. 
 
 (13cirkct iiSition.) 
 
 1. GlAOl'R. 
 
 2. BfiiDE OF Abvdos. 
 
 3. CORSAIK. 
 
 4. Lara. 
 
 5. Siege of Corinth. 
 
 6. Beppo. 
 
 7. Mazeppa. 
 
 8. ISLA.VD. 
 
 9. Parisina. 
 
 10. PllISOXER of ChILLON. 
 
 2 vols. 24nio, 5s., or separately, Gd. each. 
 
 vr. 
 BYRON'S DRAMAS. 
 
 (^ocftct EDition.) 
 
 5. 1 wo Foscari. 
 
 6. Deformed Transformed. 
 
 7. Cain. 
 
 8. Werner. 
 
 2 vols. 24mo, Is., or separately at Qd. and \s. each. 
 
 LORD 
 
 1. SIanfred. 
 
 2. Marino Faliero. 
 
 3. Heaven and Earth. 
 
 4. Sardanapalus. 
 
 LORD BYRON'S CHILDE HAROLD. 
 
 (laockct (PUition.) 
 With an Engraved Title. 24mo, 2s. M. 
 
 POETICAL WOr'kS OF CRABBE. 
 
 His Life, Letters, and Journals. By his .Son. 
 Plates. 8 vols. fcap. 8vo, .5^. each. 
 "Nature's sternest painter, vet the best."— Lord Byron. 
 "Crabbe's delineations of the passions are so just."— 
 Gifford. 
 
 BE.VUTIES OF THE BRITISH POETS ; 
 Witli Biographical and Critical Notices, and an Essay 
 on English Poetry. By Thomas Campbell, Esq. Portrait 
 and Plate. New Edition. Koyal 8vo, \bs. 
 
 "A volume ri_-h in exquisite examples of English 
 poetry, and suggestive of delightful tlioughts b-yond any 
 similar volume in the language."— ^//ns 
 
 CHARACTERISTICS OF PAINTERS. 
 
 By Henry Ueeve, Esq. Post 8vo, is. 
 " Mr. Reeve's graceful production." — Athenceum. 
 
 ANCIENT SPANISH BALLADS ; Historical 
 
 and Romantic. Tr.anslated by J. G. Lockhart, Esq. 
 Third Edition, with illuminated Titles, Coloured Borders, 
 Vignettes, &c. 4to. 21. 2s. 
 
 " The very fine and animated translations of Jfr. Lock- 
 hart."— if«//a7)j'« Literary History. 
 
 "A more appropriately as well as beautifully embellished 
 volume never was offered to the world." — ^(/miMre^A 
 Review. 
 
 "The illustrations are carried throughout with a luxury 
 of decoration unexampled in this country."— Athenceum. 
 
 Xll. 
 
 POETICAL WORKS OF BISHOP HEBER, 
 
 including PALESTINE— EUROPE— THE RED SEA, &c. 
 Tliird Edition. Portrait. Fcap. 8vo, 7*. Crf. 
 
 " Bishop Heber has taken a graceful station among the 
 favoured bards of the day."— iiYerarj/ Gazette. 
 
 FALL OF JERUSALEM—SAMOR, MAR- 
 TYR OF ANTIOCH-AND OTHER POEMS. By tho 
 Rev. H. n. Milman. Second Edition. Plates. 3 vols, 
 fcap. 8vo, 18.?. 
 
 "A fine, classical, moral, and religious poei."—Lileraru 
 Gazette. 
 
 XIV. 
 
 PROPHECY OF BALA AM— THE QUEEN'S 
 CIIOICE-AND OTHER POEMS. By Helen Lowe. 
 Fcap. 8vo, 6^. 
 
 XV. 
 
 REJECTED ADDRESSES. 
 
 By Jaimes and Horace Smith. With Notes by tho 
 Authors. Ttventictti Edition. Portraits. Fcap. 8vo. 6s. 6d. 
 " The happiest jeu d'esp-it of its kind in our day, has its 
 merits attested by the extraordinary words, ' Twentieth 
 edition.' "—Literary Gazette. 
 
 XVI. 
 
 FRAGMENTS IN PROSE AND VERSE. 
 
 By the late Miss Elizabeth Smith. AVith a Memoir by 
 H. M. Bowdler. New Edition. Post 8vo, 10^. Gd. 
 
 XVII. 
 
 FRAGMENTS FRO.AI GERMAN PROSE 
 WRITERS. With Biographical Notices. By Sarah 
 Austin. Post 8vo, \(\s. 
 
 "A delightful \o\nme."—Athen(eum. 
 "Mrs. Austin has done good service to English litera- 
 ture by the publication of these fragments." — Examiner. 
 
 TRANSLATIONS FROM THE GERMAN, 
 IN PROSE AND VERSE. By Edward Reeve, and John 
 Edward Taylor. Fcap. 8vo, 2.?. 6;/. 
 
 "Translated with elegance."— 6/;ec;a/or. 
 
 XIX. 
 
 DIBDIN'S POPULAR SEA SONGS. 
 Selected and Edited by his Son. Plates by Cruikshank. 
 Second Edition. Fcap. 8vo, 5^.
 
 Mr, 
 
 MURRAY'S LIST OF BOOlvS.-School Books, &«. 
 
 CLASSICAL AND SCHOOL BOOKS. 
 
 MULLER'S DORIANS ; 
 THE HISTORV ANO ANTIQUITIES of the DORIC 
 RACE. Translated from Muller, by Tufjjel and Leivis. 
 Second Edition. JIaps. 2 vols. 8vo, 2G4-. 
 
 " We close the volumes in admiration of the anthor'.s 
 unwearied industry and great knowledge."— iVeo; Monthlu 
 Magazine, 
 
 nOMERUS. 
 By the Rev. John Willia.ms, Rector of the Edinburgh 
 Academy, and Archdeacon of Cardigan. 8vo, lOs. Gd. 
 Ill 
 ESSAY ON THE ORIGIN and FORMATION 
 
 OF THE ROMANCE LANGUAGES. Ry George Corne- 
 WALL Lewis, A.M. Kew Edition. 8vo, 12*. 
 
 IV. 
 
 ^ GRAMMAR of the GREEK LANGUAGE. 
 
 V.J Augustus Matthi.e. Translated from the German by 
 Blomfield. Fifth Edition. Jtevised by Kenrick. 2 vols. 
 8vo, 30*. 
 
 " The Fifth Edition of Mattliise's Greek Grammar exlil- 
 bits by farthe most complete system of grammatical rules 
 and examples that have yet been given to the world, em- 
 bodying the latest results of the scholarship of the present 
 age." 
 
 V. 
 
 INDEX OF QUOTATIONS FROM GREEK 
 AUTHORS contiiined in the Fifth Edition of 
 MATTHI^'S GREEK GRAMMAR. Second Edition. 
 8vo, 7s. 6d. 
 
 BUTTMAN'S LEXILOGUS ; 
 
 A Critical Examination of the Cleaning and Etjinology of 
 various Greek Words and Passages in Homer, Hcsiod, 
 and other Greek AVriters. Translated with Notes by 
 Fishlake. Second Edition. 8vo, 14*. 
 
 "A most able disquisition. It contains a deeper and 
 more critical knowledge of Greek, more extensive research, 
 and more sound judgment, than we ever remember to 
 have seen in any one work before." — Quarterly lievicw. 
 
 BUTTMAN'S CATALOGUE OF THE IR- 
 REGULAR GREEK VERBS; with all the Tenses that 
 are Extant — their Formation, Meaning, and Usage, ac- 
 companied by a Complete Index. Translated with Notes, 
 by Fishlake. Second Edition. 8vo, 7*. 6d. 
 
 " Buttman's Catalogue contains all those prominent 
 irregularities so fully and fundamentally investigated, that 
 I was convinced a translation of them would prove a va- 
 luable assistant to every lover and student of Greek lite- 
 rature." — Preface. 
 
 VIII. 
 
 PLAYS OF ARISTOPHANES. 
 
 Edited, with English Notes, by Tho.mas Mitchell, Esq. 
 8vo, 10*. each. 1. WASPS.— 2. KNIGHTS.— 3. CLOUDS. 
 —4. FROGS. 8vo, 15*. 
 
 CHOEPHORCE OF yESCHYLUS. 
 A Tfew Edition of the Text, edited with English Notes, by 
 T. Williamson Peile, D. D., Head Master of Repton 
 School. Second Edition. 8vo, 9*. 
 
 AGAMEMNON OF ^SCHYLUS. 
 
 A New Edition of the Text. Edited, with English Notes, 
 by T. Williamson Peile, D.D. Second Edition. 8vo, 9*. 
 " By far the most useful edition ever published in this 
 icountry." — Oxford Herald. 
 
 I XI. 
 
 ! ESSAYS ON THE BIRDS, CLOUDS, &c. 
 
 OF ARISTOPHANES. By J. W. Suvern. Tran-lated 
 by AV. R. Hamilton, F.R.S. 2 vols, post 8vo, 4*. Gil, each. 
 
 PUBLIC AND PRIVATE LIFE OF THE 
 
 ANCIKNT GREEKS. Translated from the Gemwii of 
 Henry Hasb. Fcap. 8vo, 5*. r>d. 
 
 "Some work appeared to lie wanting on Grecian Anti- 
 quities, which, without being unneccsj.irlly difTim-, nhoul.l 
 give a notion of the discoveries of nindeni scliubn, and 
 particularly of German scholars. "-iVc/ace. 
 
 xm. 
 ESSAY ON THE PKONUiNClATJO.V OF 
 THE GREEK LANGUAGE. By (i. .J. J'k.nnincto.v. .M.A. 
 Late Fellow of King's College, Cambridge, 8vo. 7«. W, 
 
 SPECIMENS AND ' FAC-SLMILF.S OF 
 
 ANCIENT W|{ITlN<iS discovered en the W.u ij. and 
 Stuekts of PO.AII'ICII. Ity the Rev. (HnisTOPiiBii WoAM- 
 WORTH, D.D. A\ith Woodcuts. 8vo, 5/. 
 
 XV. 
 
 INTRODUCTION TO THE .STUDY OF 
 
 THE GREEK CLA.SSICAL I'OKT.s. Hy IIk.vrv X«i*ui« 
 CoLBRiDOK, ALA. Second Ediliun. Fcap. Uvo, 7>. Gt/. 
 
 XVI. 
 
 LATIN GR.\:\I.M.\ll FOR .«^CHOOLS, 
 or Kino Edward thk Sixth's Latin Grammar. Jfnt 
 Edition, revited. 12ino, 3». GJ. 
 
 GREEK GRAM.MAR. FOR SCHOOL^^. 
 Abridged from .Matthi.k by nLouriBLD. Kew Kdidon, 
 revised by Edwards. limo, 3s. 
 
 " The Kditor has endeavonrcd to m;' ' 
 more simple definitions and cxplanai: 
 are contained in the original work."— iiij'i";> / L'jixuunt 
 Preface. 
 
 GRyEC^E GR.VMMATIC.E RIDI.MF.NT.V 
 MINORA. 12mo, I*. C(L Part 2, including Uio HjnUz. 
 
 12mo, 2*. 
 
 ENGLISH NOTES foii LATIN ELEGI.\rS ; 
 
 designed for early proficients in the Art of U-itin Vcmlflca- 
 tion, with Prefatory Itulca of Conipo.sltinn in Klt-cliui 
 Mitre. By the Rev. W. Uxrnham, .M.A., Second Mtutrr 
 
 of Harrow School. 12mo, 4*. 
 
 GREEK VERBS, THEIR FORMATIONS, 
 IRREGULARITIES, AND DEFIXTS. Ity A. N. Cab- 
 MicHAEL, Classical Mii!>ter in tho Edinburgh Academy. 
 Second Edition. Post Hvo, 8s. 6J. 
 
 " The author has displayed much industry and scholar. 
 ship, and left few sources of iiifonnatinn uiiexidnm!. To 
 the authorities for particular verbal forms, he lia» contri- 
 buted largely, and has rendered his bouk a »inrihou«c of 
 facts of the'utmost value to the student and critic."— 
 Tail's Magazine. 
 
 " Little less than a complete lexicon of the languaite, in 
 so far as the verb is concerned. Those who pcmrii it will 
 scarcely require any other dictionary to explain the mran> 
 ing or unfold the parts, or discover tlic dilfcrcnt cointruc- 
 tions of this the most essential clement of speech."— Soof- 
 tish Literary Gazette. 
 
 SIMPLIFIED LATIN GR.V.MM.Ml, 
 
 Including Exercises and Vocalmlarie<i, Hy the Her. 
 Walter P. Powell, M. A., Head .Master of thcGnuumar 
 
 School at Clitlieroc. 12mo, 3*. &/. 
 
 GRAMMAR OF VlIE GERM.XN L.\N- 
 
 GUAGE, for licKinners as well a8 tho more advanced 
 Learner. By G. M. Hkilxer. 12mo, Iiu. 
 
 "An excellent practical introduction."— Spec/a/or,
 
 10 
 
 Mr. MURRAY'S LIST OF BOOKS.-Education-and Art. 
 
 INSTRUCTION & ENTERTAINxMENT FOR THE YOUNG. 
 
 MRS. MARKHAM'S HISTORY OF ENG- 
 
 Land, from the First Invasion by the Romans, lo the 
 Accession of Queen Victoria. For the Use of Young 
 Persons. Eleventh Edition. Woodcuts. \2mo, "Js.Gd. 
 
 MRS. MARKHAM'S HISTORY of FRANCE, 
 
 from the Conquest of Gaul by Julius Cfesar, to the lieigri 
 of Louis-Philippe. F'or the Use of Young Person?. Sixth 
 Edition. Woodcuts. 12mo. 7^- Gd. 
 
 "These works are constructed on a plan which is novel 
 and we think well chosen, and we are glad to find that 
 they are deservedly popular.for they cannot be too stronj^ly 
 recommended, as adapted for the perusal of youth." — 
 Journal of Education. 
 
 SCRIPTURE GEOGRAPHY FOR SCHOOLS 
 AND YOUNG PERSONS. By Rev. Edw. Robinson, D.D., 
 author of " Biblical Researches in the Holy Land." I2mo. 
 In preparation. 
 
 BERTHA'S JOURNAL DURING A VISIT 
 
 TO HER UNCLE IN ENGLAND. Comprising a variety 
 of interesting luformation, arranged for every Day in the 
 Year. Fifth Edition. 12mo, 7«.6(<. 
 
 " I am reading ' iiertha ' with the utmost avidity. I can 
 scarcely take my attention from this, the best of all juve- 
 nile compilations." — Rev. George Craboe. 
 
 "An excellent little work." — Capt. Basil Hall. 
 
 PHILOSOPHY IN SPORT MADE SCIENCE 
 
 IN EARNEST ; or the First Principles of Natural Philo- 
 sophy inculcated by Aid of the ordinary Toys and .Sports of 
 Youth. Fifth Edition. Woodcuts. Fcap. Svo, 8^. 
 
 " We know of no other book which so charmingly blends 
 amusement with instruction. No juvenile book has been 
 published in our time more entitled to praise." — Examiner. 
 
 LITTLE ARTHUR'S HISTORY OF ENG- 
 LAND. By the late Lady Callcott. Seventh Edition. 
 Woodcuts. ISrao, 3.5. 
 
 " This little History was written for a real little Arthur, 
 and I have endeavoured to write it as I would tell it to an 
 intelligent child. 1 well remember what I wanted to be 
 told myself in addition to what I found in my lesson- 
 books when first allowed to read the History of England." 
 — Author's Preface. 
 
 " Lady Callcotfs style is of the right kind; earnest and 
 simple." — Examiner. 
 
 VII. 
 
 STORIES FROM THE HISTORY OF 
 ENGLAND, FOR CHILDREN. Thirteenth Edit. I8mo,3*. 
 
 ADDRESS TO THE STUDENTS OF THE 
 UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW. By Sir Robert P&el. 
 Seventh Edition. Fcap. 8vo, 2s. Gd. 
 
 ELEMENTS OF ''^GEOGRAPHY FOR 
 CHILDREN. By the Author of •• Stories fob Children." 
 
 Third Edition. 12mo, -Js. 
 
 GOSPEL STORIES. 
 
 An Attempt to render the Chief Events of the Life of 
 Our Saviour intelligent and profitable to Young Children. 
 Second Edition. l8mo, 3s. Gd. 
 
 By 
 
 PUSS IN BOOTS ; 
 
 Suited to the tastes of Little and Grown Cliildren 
 Otto Speckter. With 12 Illustrations. 4tn,7s.M. 
 
 I' Twelve desifjns full of excellent humour."— E.niminer 
 Not mere sketches, but complete pictures, and tell the 
 story With dramatic fotce."— Spectator. 
 
 "These designs tell the story excellently well " — 
 Atnenceum. 
 
 "A book for kindly remembrances."— ii/erary Gazette. 
 
 XII. 
 
 YEAR BOOK OF NATURAL HISTORY, 
 
 FOR YOUNG PERSONS, Arranged tor each Month. By 
 Mrs. Loudon. With 40 Woodcuts. ISmo, 4j. 
 
 " It must be agreeable to many parents to know that 
 Mrs. Loudon has begun to apply her excellent talents and 
 extensive knowledge of natural history, to the service of 
 the young. This is the first volume she ha<! eiven to the 
 juvemle world, and it is a very delightful one." - 
 Chambers' Edinburgh Journal. 
 
 HISTORY OF THE LATE WAR: 
 
 With Sketches of Nelson, Wellington, and Napoleon ; in the 
 style of" Stories for Children." ISmo, 2*. G</. 
 
 GARRY OWEN ; or^ THE SNOW WOMAN 
 
 AND POOR BOB THE CHIMNEY-SWEEPER. By 
 
 Maria EuGtwoRiH. Woodcuts. Is.Gd. 
 
 " These tales display the same interest and truth to na- 
 ture which have raised Miss Edgeworth to the head of all 
 writers for children."— He«/m;«s<er Revieu: 
 
 SENTENCES FROM THE PROVERBS, 
 
 in English, French, Italian, and German. For the daily Use 
 of Young Persons. By a Lady. \Gmo,^s.Cd. 
 " The design of this volume is excellent. "-^J^/a^ 
 "An excellent design."— iiVerar^ Gazette. 
 
 ART. 
 
 ' FRESCO DECORATIONS AND STUCCOES 
 
 OP THE CHURCHES AND PALACES IN ITALY, 
 
 during the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Centuries. Taken 
 from the principal Works of the greatest Painters, never 
 before engraved. With English Descriptions, by Louis 
 Gruxer. With Forty-five Plates, Folio. Plain or Co- 
 loured. 
 
 " This work is exactly what we most required, reflecting 
 the highest honour upon Mr. Gruner, and is likely to 
 create a complete revolution in British decorative design. 
 We shall now have opportunities for enjoying and studying 
 the brightest gems of decorative art."— Mr. Crabbe's 
 Lecture. 
 
 LEGENDS OF SAINTS AND MARTYRS, 
 
 their Lives, Acts, Characters, Attributes, &c., as Illus- 
 trated by Art, from the eailiest Ages. By Mrs. Ja.-ueson. 
 Post Svo. Jn the Press. 
 
 lit. 
 
 HISTORY OF PAINTING-ITALY; 
 
 From the Age of Constantino the Great to the present 
 Time. Translated from the German of Kugi.kr. By a 
 Lady; and Edited, with Notes, by C. L. Eastlakk, R.A. 
 
 •_' Intended as a short and easily intelligihle guide, 
 pointing out to the unlearned the leading styles of Art."— 
 
 Preface. 
 
 THE ANATOMY OF EXPRESSION AS 
 
 CONNECTED WITH THE PINE AIIT.S. ny the 
 late Sir Charles Bkll. A New and Enlarged Edition, 
 ivith hngravinys and Wuodculs. Imperial 8vo, 2U. 
 
 " The artist, the writer of fiction, the dramatist, the 
 man of taste, will receive the present work with gratitude, 
 and peruse It with .-, lively and increasing intlrest and 
 aeJiglit. — thnsttan Remembrancer.
 
 Mr. ]\IURRAY'S LIST OF BOOKS.— Science, Natural HUtory, c^c. 
 
 11 
 
 SCIENCE. 
 
 CHEMICAL MANIPULATION ; 
 
 Being Instructions to Students iu t'l'.cnii-try, on tlic 
 Methods of performing Kxperinients of Dcinonstration or 
 Researcli, with accuracy and success. Uy JIichael 
 Faradav, F.K..S. Third Kdition. 8vo, 18*. 
 
 " No student should think of cotnmcncinf; the study of 
 practical chemistry without having previously possessed 
 this indispensable guide." — Provincial Medical Juurnal. 
 
 NINTH BRIDGEWATER TREATISE. 
 
 By Charles Babkaoe, Esq. Second Edition. 8vo, !)*. W. 
 
 THE ECONOMY OF MACHINERY AND 
 JIANUFACTURKS. By Charles Bacba<;k, Ksq. Fifth 
 Edition. Fcap. 8vo, 6s. 
 
 TABLE OF THE LOGARITHMS OF THE 
 
 NATURAL MUMHEIIS from 1 to KiMiHld. By Charles 
 Babbage, Esq. Second Edition. Royal 8vo. 6f. 
 
 THE CONNEXION OF THE PHYSICAL 
 SCIENCES. By Mary Somkbville. Sixth Edition. 
 Fcap. 8vo, 10.T. 6'/. 
 
 " The style of this astonishing production is so clear and 
 unaffected, and conveys with so much simplicity so great 
 a mass of profound knowledge, that it should be placed in 
 the hands of every youth the moment he lias mastered the 
 general rudiments of education. "—Q«a/-/er/^ Review. 
 
 VI. 
 
 THE PROPERTIES OF THE ELLIPSE, 
 Deduced from the Circle, and Geometrically Demon- 
 strated. By the Duke of Somerset. "With J>iagrams, 
 12mo, 3*. 
 
 ni. 
 
 PRACTIC.\L SUR\ KVINO and SKETrif- 
 
 IN(; ; for the I'se of Young tilticvn and <iil,.r. Ii. i.. 
 D. llt'HR, Esq. 8ro, UU. &(. 
 
 VIII. 
 
 FACTS TO A.SSIST THE MEMORY. IN 
 
 VAIIIOLS SCIK.NCKS. Sar Ed,li.,n. Fcap. llvu.Cf. &/. 
 
 INSTRUCTIONS ON SKETCHING GROUND 
 
 WlTllOLT IN.'^TRUMliNIS. WooUcuUi. Hrn.it.at. 
 
 THE METHODS USED IN POINTING 
 
 GUNS AT SEA. Hy Cait. Jons IIarvky Ktevknii. 8vo, St, 
 
 ON NAVAL GUNNERY ; 
 
 For the Instruction and llxanilnatiun of Ofliccr^ and for 
 the Training of Seamen (iunners. By MAjuH-tia.vcKAL 
 .Sir Howard Doi;uLA8. Stcond Edition. Uvo, 1^«. 
 
 THE MUSEUM OF ECONOMIC GEOLOGY 
 
 AND .AlIMNf; Ri:COHD.S OIFICK. Uy T. Sorwrrti, 
 F (j.S., ComniissioiitT for the Crown under the l>can 
 Forest Mining Act. With \N'iiodcuU<, Fcap. Bvo, price It. 
 
 XIII. 
 
 BRITISH ASSOCIATION REPORTS. 
 
 York and (.(xkoud, ))l.'il-;iL', IM. 0-1. Camhmiw)!!, ik.11, lit. 
 EuiN-BfROH, 18.(4, I5f. DriiLiN-, l'n.% I.Tjt. M. BkinTol, 
 18.'>o, I2.S. Liverpool, iaT7, KU. 'm/. Nkivcawtlb, Ikw, 
 15;r. ISlRMINtiHA.U, I83<), 1.3/. 0'/. Cuammw, ltMI>, lil. 
 Fl Y. MOUTH, 1841, 13*. (Jii. Manchester, 184A Int. G(/. Bvo. 
 
 THE USE OF HOT AIR IN THE IRON 
 
 WORKS OF ENtiLAND AND SCOTLAND. Tnui»- 
 lated from M. Duprbnov, Director-General of .Mines In 
 France. With Plates. 8vo, 5».6</. 
 
 NATURAL HISTORY AND GEOLOGY 
 
 TRAVELS OF A GEOLOGIST IN NORTH 
 
 AMERICA ; 
 With a Journal of a Tour in 1841-2. By Charles Lvkll, 
 Esq. With Ulustrations. 8vo. In Preparation. 
 
 ELEMENTS OJF GEOLOGY ; 
 Or, the Ancient Changes of the Earth and its inhabitants, 
 considered as Illustrative of Geology. By Charles Lveli,, 
 F.G.S. Second Edition. Woodcuts, &c. 2 vols. l-2mo, 18j-. 
 
 PRINCIPLES OF GEOLOGY ; 
 Or, the Modern Clianges of the Earth and its Inhabitants, 
 considered as Illustrative of Geology. By Charles Lyell, 
 F.G.S. Sixth Edition. Woodcuts, Ac. 3 vols. 12mo, 24x. 
 
 Very interesting and amusing, and should be read by 
 every one who takes an interest in this rising branch of 
 Natural History." — Jameson's Juurnal. 
 
 A work that su^iersedes every other on geologj-."— 
 New Monthly Magazine. 
 
 RUSSIA IN EUROPE AND THE URAL 
 MOUNTAINS, Geologically Illustrated. By R. I. MiR- 
 CHisoN, President of the Geological Society, JNI. Ed. uk 
 Vkrneuil, and Count A. Von- Ivkvserli.vo. Witli Map, 
 Tables, Woodcuts, Sections, &c. 4 to. yearly Heady. 
 
 ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE GEOLOGY 
 OF yORKSIIlRE. By John Phillips. Part I — THE 
 YORKSHIRE COAST. J'lates and -Map. 4to, M. \\t. M. 
 Part U.— THE MOUNTAI.VLI.MESTONE DISTRICT. 
 Map and 25 Plates. 4to, 21. l-2s. 6d. 
 
 OUTLINE OF THE 'geology OF THE 
 
 NEIGHBOURHOOD OF ClIELTENllA-M. By R. I. Mim 
 CHisoN, Esq., V.P.R.S. A Iftw Edition, augmented and 
 revised by II. E. Stricki.and, M.A , and Ja.m£s Buckma.v, 
 IF.G.S. With Plates. Cvo. 
 
 
 GLEANINGS IN NATUR.\L III.'^TORY. 
 
 By EoWARO Je,ssk, Em|. With Anecdnteo u( llie S.itmitjr 
 and Instinct of Animals, and E.xtractji fnmi tliu Unpub- 
 lished Journals of Gilbert White, of Sdbornc. /■>//* 
 Edition. Woodcuts. Fcap. Uvo, Ci. Ijil. 
 
 vm. 
 SCENES AND TALES OF COUNTRY 
 
 LIFE, with BccoUectlons of Natural Mintiiry. Sreund 
 Edition. By Edward Jkssk, Esq. WoimIcuIh. Po«t8»o, li/. 
 " One of the most valuable addilioiK thai have Ivrn 
 recently made to our practical knowledge in tVt- .Naluial 
 History of our own country ; and weic we to follow aur on ii 
 feelings, we should transcribe a vi-ry large |K>ruon to our 
 nages." — Oentteman'i Magazine. 
 
 IX. 
 
 JOURNAL OF A NATUR.\LI.ST. 
 
 Fourth Edition, with Woodcut*. Po»t Hvo, '.U.M. 
 "A book that ought to liiid it> way iiilo etrr)' rural 
 drawing-ronni in the kingdom, and one that may tafely tM 
 placed in every lady's boudoir." — Quarlertf Uevietr. 
 
 FIGURES AND DE.SCRIPTIONS OF 
 
 BU1TI>M lU:i,F..MNlTI'.S,with Ewnys on tbcii (icnIoKtcml 
 
 Distribution. By John Piiillii >. I.K.S. I'.irt I. «>.•.:.#. 
 
 BOTANY FOR L.MMLS; 
 
 A Pori'iAR iMHoDicnoN to Uio .n'atihal .STrrsw, and 
 
 I Classification of Plants. By Mrs. Lot Dun. Woodcut*. 
 
 I Fcap. 8vo, at. 
 
 I " To any one who wi«hc5 to comprehend the names and 
 
 i nature of i)lants, this charming volume cjn Im safely le- 
 
 , commended."— .'>7ifc/o<or. 
 
 I " So tie.-itcd at to render the sulrjcct easily undentood 
 
 I by the meanest capacity."— Corrfrnfrs* (ioMtlle. 
 
 I " Much valuable information."— A'ocoi and MUtUrj 
 
 1 Gazette.
 
 12 
 
 Mr. MURRAY'S LIST OF BOOKS,— General titeratare. 
 
 GENERAL LITERATURE. 
 
 LITERARY HISTORY OF EUROPE, 
 in the lotli, lUth, and 17th Centuries. By nEXRv Hallam, 
 Esq. Second Edition. 3 vols. 8vo, 3G^. 
 
 " To all lovers of literature this work will be acceptable ; 
 to the young, we conceive, invaluable."— QM«WeW^ 
 Review. 
 
 "The most important contribution to literary history 
 which English libraries have received for many years." — 
 Edinburgh Review. 
 
 II. 
 
 ON THE INTELLECTUAL POWERS 
 AND THE INVE.STIGATION OF TRUTH. By John 
 Abercbombie, M.D. Tenth Edition. Post 8vo. Price 8j. <jd. 
 
 ON THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE MORAL 
 FEELINGS. By John AiiERCROMBiE, M.D. &ixlh Edition. 
 Fcip. 8vo, 5*. 
 
 rv. 
 
 ' THE JEWESS : A Tale of the Baltic. 
 By A Lady. Second Edition. VorlvAXU Fcap Svo, 4i.G(i. 
 
 " So much life and reality." — Alhenceum. 
 
 "Told in an unaffected manner, and the characters are 
 Tyell drawn." — Spectator. 
 
 V. 
 
 HAWKESTONE ; a Tale of and for England 
 in the Year 184 — 2 vols. fcap. 8vo. 
 
 RESULTS OF READING. 
 By J. Stamford Caldwell, Esq., M..\., Barrister-at-Law. 
 8vo, \0s. Gd. 
 
 " The commonplace book of an intelligent, well-read 
 man. We cannot imagine more delightful or profitable 
 reading for those whose access to bnoks, or time to devote 
 to them, happens to be limited." — Examiner. 
 
 VII. 
 
 MASSACRE OF BENARES. A Chapter 
 from British Indian History. By J. F. Davis, Esq. 
 Fcap. 8vo, 3^. Gd. 
 
 "The whole of this spirit-stirring little volume is well 
 entitled to perusal."— A'uyui and Military Gazette. , 
 
 vni. 
 ESSAYS ON THE CONDUCT OF LIFE: 
 1. Family Life; 2. Social Life; 3. Studious Life; 4. 
 Active Life; 5. Poliiie.al Life : 6. Moral Life; 7. Reli- 
 gious Life. By George Long, Esq. Post 8vo. 
 
 IX. 
 
 AN ESSAY ON THE MORAL NATURE 
 
 OF M.\N. By Geouge Long. Post 8vo, 6*. 
 
 ENGLISH SYNONYMS DISCRIMINATED. 
 
 By the late William Taylor, of Norwich. New Edition, 
 revised and augmented. By J. W. Kobberds, Esq. 8vo. 
 Jn Preparation. 
 
 MEDICAL LITERATURE. 
 
 POPULAR ESSAYS AND ORATIONS 
 
 On Some of the Most Important Diseases. By Sir 
 Henry Halford, Bart., M.D. Third Edition. Fcap. 8vo, 
 
 THE INFLUENCE OF CLIMATE. 
 
 With an Account of the best Places of Resort for Invalids. 
 By Sir James Claek, Bart., M.D. Third Edition, revised. 
 Post 8vo, \0s. 6d. 
 
 III. 
 PRACTICAL ESSAYS. 
 Contents: Powers of Life to Sustain Surgical Opera- 
 tions — Different Effects of Bleeding— Squinting, and the 
 Remedy — Tic-Douloureux — Nerves of Respiration — 
 Powers circulating the Blood — Diseases of the Spine. 
 By Sir Charles Bell, K.H. 2 Parts, 8vo, 12s. Gd. 
 
 ELEMENTS OF THE PATHOLOGY OF 
 THE HUMAN MIND. By Thomas Mayo, M.D. Fcap. 
 8vo. bs. Gd. 
 
 V. 
 
 ON DISEASES OF THE STOMACH. 
 
 By John Abebcrombie, M.D. Third Edition. Fcap. 8vo. Gs. 
 
 vr. 
 ON THE MOST IMPORTANT DISEASES 
 PECULIAR TO WOMEN. By the late Robert Gooch, 
 M.D. Second Edition. 8to, 12*. 
 
 VII. 
 
 ESSAYS ON THE MOST IMPORTANT 
 DISEASES OF WOMEN. By Robert Ferguson, M.D. 
 Post 8vo, 9s. 6d. 
 
 POLITICS AND STATISTICS. 
 
 PARLIAMENTS AND COUNCILS OF 
 ENGLAND. Chronologically arranged from the Reign 
 of William I. to the Itevolution in 1C88. By Charles 
 Hexry Parry, M.D. 8vo, 30*. 
 
 11. 
 
 ESSAY ON THE GOVERNMENT OF DE- 
 PENDENCIES. ByGEO. CoitNEWALLLEnis,Esq. 8vo, 12s. 
 
 " A masterpiece of lucid arrangement, of logical state- 
 ments, and of vigorous reasoning." — Examiner. 
 
 ni. 
 ESSAY ON THE DISTRIBUTION OF 
 
 WEALTH AND ON SJOUKCES OF TAXATION. By 
 Richard .Io.se.s, M.A., Caius College, Cambridge, Second 
 Edition. Post 8vo, 7*. Cii. 
 
 IV. 
 
 REGULATIONS OF CURRENCIES, 
 
 and the Working of the New Bank Charter Act. By 
 John Fullarton, Esq. Second Edition. 8vo, 7s. Gd. 
 
 V. 
 
 SPEECHES ON THE RENEWAL OF THE 
 
 BANK CHARTER, AND THE STATE OF THE 
 LAW RESPECTING CURRENCY AND BANKING. 
 
 By Sir Robert Peel. 8vo, 3*. 
 
 VI. 
 
 PROGRESS AND PRESENT POSITION 
 OF RUSSIA IN TIJE EAST. New Edition, with a Map 
 showing the Encroachments of Russia. 8vo, Gs.
 
 Mb. MURUAY'S LIST OF BOOKS.- »ome«tlc Bconomy. 
 
 DOMESTIC AND RURAL ECONOMY 
 
 DOMESTIC COOKERY ; 
 A new system, suited to the present advanced state of the 
 art, but founded upon principles of economy and practical 
 knowledge, and adapted to the use of Private Fainillos. 
 By a Lady (Mrs. Rundell). The r,7lh Edilion, im- 
 proved by the adtlUion 0/900 nav Heceipls, and a Chap- 
 ter on Indian Cookery. By Emma Uoukuts. Fcap. 8to, 6». 
 *»* Of this work 310,000 copies hare been sold. 
 
 " One of the most practically useful books we have seen 
 on the subject."— J3/-i7!A/i Critic. 
 
 "This is the sirfysevenlh edition of the celebrated 
 •work of Mrs. Rundell, wliich has now so long been the 
 standard work of reference in every private family in 
 English Society. The new edition has large additions 
 made to it, consistent with the spirit which gave popu- 
 larity to the \yox)!i."~ Worcestershire Guardian. 
 
 "This work was originally compiled by Mrs. Rundell, 
 solely for the use of her own daughters, but, like other 
 good works, it was not destined long to be under a 
 bushel, and she accepted 2000 guineas from Mr. Murray, 
 and gave her receipts to the public." — Hidl Advertiser, 
 
 This popular cookery-book is rendered a complete guide 
 for modern cooks by the additirm of nearly a thousand 
 receipts, suited to the present advanced state of the art." 
 — Derby Reporter. 
 
 "In point of excellence as to cookery, and economy in 
 expenditure, leaves no room to any rival. The present 
 editor has added nearly 1000 entirely new receipts, given 
 in a plain, concise, and explicit manner." — Keane's Bath 
 Journal. 
 
 " No housekeeper ought to be without this book, which 
 is adapted to every grade of society — the rich, the middle 
 classes, and the poor." — Durham Advertiser. 
 
 " Some time bark we noticed a fif/y-eighth edition of 
 Mrs. Rundell's excellent Svstkv of Domkstic Cookerv. 
 We have now received the sixty seventh — a statement, 
 we presume, sufficient in itself. The present editress 
 has added numerous receipts, which have imparted 
 to the original work all the improvement of which it was 
 capable." — Brighton Gazette. 
 
 FAMILY RECEIPT-BOOK ; 
 
 A Collection of more than a Thousand truly valuable 
 Receipts in various Branches of Domestic Economy. Note 
 Edition. Fcap. 8ro, bs. Cni- 
 
 *jf* Uniform with •' Domestic Cookery." 
 
 "A larger quantity of truly vaUialilc mat'er than any 
 book of the same kind ever caiHainL-A."— British Critic. 
 
 "There are few things which the reader can seek for on 
 which he will not find some useful information."— J/onW/y 
 Jieview. 
 
 FRENCH COOKERY. 
 By M. Careme, some time Chief of the Kitchen to lii.i 
 Majesty George IV. Tran.slated by William Hall. 
 Second Edilion. With 73 Plates, 8vo, l^s. 
 
 MY KNITTING-BOOK. 
 
 Containing Examples selected with the greatest care, and 
 arranged so as to render them easy to a Novice in the Art. 
 13y Miss LA.MBERT. Fourth Edition. lO'mo, Is. 6J. 
 
 MY CROCHET SAMPLER ; 
 
 Being New and Choice Examples of Crochet, arranged 
 with the greatest care. By Miss La.mbkrt. Second Edition. 
 Woodcuts. 16mo. 2s. 6d. 
 
 GARDENING FOR LADIE.S. 
 
 Practical Instruciionn and niieclioni for every Mom 
 in the Year ; with ■ Calcnd.r of Operation.. B> Mn 
 LoLDO.v. Sixth Edition. Woodcuu. Fcap. Nro. U. 
 
 "This charming little book ought to nnd it* war lot 
 every cottage and mansion in the country."— H//o» 
 
 "Thoroughly practical, and distinguished by ereat iroa 
 8ense."-C/oucM/fr Chnmicle. > H "^ gw* 
 
 "A most valuable little book."— BrifA Chronicle 
 
 " Mrs. Loudon's httle volume fnlliU evirj promite am 
 IS a pctfect Vdde mecum of the art in all ila braiichea "- 
 Literacy Gazette. 
 
 " Mrs. Loudon {the wife nf the celebrated writer) ha 
 written a most useful and agreeable .Manual for Ladici o 
 Gardening, which cannot be too extensively known."- 
 Salopian Jiiurnut. 
 
 " Written with such simple eloquence and truth it I 
 enough to make one fall in love with gardening' an 
 flowers." — Duhliti Monitor. 
 
 '• This volume is a faithful and intelligent guide. Mn 
 Loudon gives the result of ten years' instructions by he 
 husband, the well-known horticulturist; and het work 1 
 consequently the fruit of long practice and eiinirience."- 
 Edinhurgh Evening I'ust. 
 
 FARMING FOR LADIES. 
 
 Plain Instructions for Rearing all Sorts of Domestic Poul 
 try; with the best Mode of Managing the Dairy and P j 
 gery. By the Author of "British Uuibandry." Woodcuu 
 F'cap. 8vo, 8*. 
 
 "A beautifully got up little work, containing a varict 
 of useful and interesting matter, and forming an exnllcn 
 guide to the poultry-yard, dairy, and piggery."— i^cr* 
 Hcporter. 
 
 " A very interesting little volume, abounding with moi 
 valuable liints in every branch of domestic economy. "- 
 Reading Memiry. 
 
 " This substantial guide to tho poultry-vard, the dairy 
 and tlie piggery, is neither intended for ihe mere cott.igc- 
 nor for persons of large fortune, but for those ladies in t' 
 middle ranks of life whostudy healthluldomcstic eronoi 
 either for the pleasure or the profit which it affords. 1 
 volume is appropriately preceded by t«o illustration* ■ 
 IIkr Majkstj's PdiTLTBV-VARD. We Cordially wtlcoii.. 
 the volume.'' — Xtwcislle Journal. 
 
 " A truly excellent book, produced in the best possibli 
 style. It is full of information." — Xaval and ilititan 
 Gazette. 
 
 II.\ND-BOOK OF NEEDLEWORK. 
 
 A Complete Guido to every Kind of Decorative Nredl» 
 work. Crochet, Knitting, and Netting, with n bricl 
 Historical Account of each Art. By .Mrs.H I^unnar 
 Fourth Edition. With Hi Woodcuta. Post 8vo, I0#. frf. 
 
 " We rccomiHcnd it as containing n great deal of prac- 
 tical information. Tlie historic.il portion is gracefully and 
 well written, and the work is instructive and amusing.' 
 — Alhentrum. 
 
 " The most curious, complete, and erudite Irealisc on 
 the art of needlework that has, probablv, ever twen com- 
 piled."- .<</<«. 
 
 " An eminently practical work ; clear in It* explanations, 
 precise in its directions, natural In its arraogemenls."— 
 Polytechnic Review. 
 
 CHURCH NEEDLEWORK. 
 
 With Practical lUni.Trks on its I'repamlion and ArranRO 
 nient. By .MlssLamucrt. With numerous Kngra% injs. 
 Post Ovo. '.Is. 6J. 
 
 " A book on a good subject, full ofinttniction and Inlr- 
 rest." — C'imbridge Chrnnicle. 
 
 " Worihv of a pbre in every Cluiilian gcntlcaaa's 
 libran."— 'Oj/or<f Herald.
 
 14 
 
 Mr. MURRAY'S LIST OF BOOKS.— Sporting, Parmlngr, &.c. 
 
 SPORTING. 
 
 ART OF DEER-STALKING ; Illustrated by a 
 
 Narrative of a few Days' Sport in the Forest of Atholl ; with 
 some Account of the Nature and Habits of the Reed Der,and 
 a short Des-cription of the Scottish Forests, Legends, Super- 
 stitions, Stories of Poachers, Freebooters, Ac. By Willum 
 ScROPE, F.L.S. Plates by Landseer. Second Edition. 
 Royal 8vo, 21. 2s. 
 
 " Brief and imperfect as the preceding abstract is, we 
 think that it will fully justify the high praise we have be- 
 stowed on this work, and induce our readers to sit down to 
 the luxurious repast Irom which we have risen." — 
 Edinburgh Review. 
 
 " Ha=! all the charm of an autobiography, combined 
 with tha' of a series of excellent unaffected lectures on the 
 science of ir.e chase," — Quarterly Review. 
 
 DAYS AND NIGHTS OF SALMON FISHING 
 
 in the Tweed, with a short Account of the Natural History 
 and Habits of the Salmon. By William Scrope, Esq., F.L.S. 
 With Plates by W'lLKiE, Landseer, Simson, and Cooke. 
 Royal 870, 42j. 
 
 iir. 
 THE CHASE— TURF—AND THE ROAD. 
 
 By NiMKOD. Second Edition, with Plates by Alken and 
 Gilbert. Post 8vo, 9s. GcZ. 
 
 IV. 
 
 MAXIMS AND HINTS ON ANGLING, 
 
 CHESS, SHOOTING, AND OTHER MATTERS. 
 
 By RicHAKn Penn, F.R.S. Second Edition.Vi'iXh 24 Plates. 
 Fcap. 8vo, bs. 
 
 "They have the air of novelty, and charm by their preg- 
 nant brevity, sly sarcasm, and oily raciness."— QuarieW^ 
 Review. 
 
 V. 
 
 THE MOOR AND THE LOCH; with Prac- 
 
 tical Hints on Highland Sports, and the Habits of tlie 
 Diiferent Creatures of Game and Prey; with lu'structions 
 in River, Burn, and Loch Fishing. By John Colquhoun. 
 Second Edition, with Plates. 8vo, 9s. 6d. 
 
 "Unpretending, clear, and practical, and does honour 
 to the ' parent lake.' The book breathes of the mountain 
 and the flood, and will carry the sportsman back to the 
 days of his yoath."— Quarterly Review, 
 
 . AGRICULTURE, FARMING, &c. 
 
 BRITISH FARMER'S ACCOUNT-BOOK. 
 
 Arranged on a New aad Easy Method. By the Author 
 of "British Husbandry." 4to, 10^. 
 
 MUCK MANUAL FOR FARMERS. 
 
 A Treatise on the Nature and Value of Animal and Vege- 
 table Manures. By F. Falkner, Esq. Fcap. 8vo, Gs. Gd. 
 
 "A very useful hook."— Lord Palmerston. 
 
 " A valuable work for farmers ; in which the materials, 
 character, and elements of farm-yard manure, are laid 
 down in a forcible manner." — Brilish Farmer's Magazine. 
 
 " Will be read with avidity for its valuable information." 
 — Farmer's Herald. 
 
 " Addressed to the practical farmer, and written as such 
 boDks ought to be." — Bell's Messenger. 
 
 " Of gi eat value, and ought to be the pocket-companion 
 of every farmer." — Derbyshire Courier, 
 
 LAND DRAINAGE, SUBSOIL PLOUGHING, 
 
 AND lUKlGATION. By the Author of " British Hus- 
 bandry." Second Edition. 8vo, 2s, 
 
 THE AGRICULTURAL CLASSES of 
 
 GREAT BRITAIN and IRELAND; with Extracts from 
 the Parliamentary Reports and Evidence, from 1833 to 
 1840. With Preface by Henry Dkummond, Esq. 2 vols. 
 8vo, 21s. 
 
 ON THE EDUCATION OF THE AGRI- 
 CULTURAL CLASSES. By Charles Daubeny, M.D. 
 8vO. 
 
 PEASANTRY OF THE BORDER. 
 
 An Appeal in their Behalf. By W. S. Gillv,D.D. Second 
 Edition. Flans, Estimates, &c. 8vo, 4s. 
 
 PERIODICALS. 
 
 QUARTERLY REVIEW. - 
 
 8vo, Gs. 
 i HART'S QUARTERLY ARMY LIST. 
 
 8vo, 5s. 
 
 HART'S ANNUAL ARMY LIST. 
 
 «vo, 20s. 
 Compiled from Official and other authentic Documents, 
 with the Dates of Commissions, War Services, and Wounds 
 of nearly every Officer. 
 
 • " A we]l-coin])ileiI and most useful work, not merely to 
 the profession, but to the imhlic."—Athen<eutn. 
 
 THE ROYAL NAVY LIST. 
 
 Published Quarterly, by order of the Lords Commis- 
 sioners of the Admiralty. 2s. 
 
 THE NAUTICAL ALMANACK. 
 
 Considerably Enlarged and Improved. Published by Order 
 0/ the Lords Commissioners of Ihe Admiralty. 1847. 5s. 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL GEOGRAPHI- 
 CAL SOCIETY OF LONDON. 8vo,3s. 6d. 
 
 VI. 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL AGRICUL- 
 TURAL SOCIETY OF LONDON. 8vo, 6s. 
 
 vn. 
 
 THE HOME AND COLONIAL LIBRARY. 
 
 Published Monthit/. Tost 8vo, 2s, Gd.
 
 Mb. MURRAY'S LIST OF BOOKS. 
 
 -Tor all ClaMOs. 
 
 n 
 
 THE HOME AND COLONIAL l,Ilil!Ai;V 
 
 Is printed on good paper with l»rce readable type, and 
 is designed to furnisli tlie inliabiiaiits of (iriMt l!rilaln 
 and her Colonics with the liitrhest Literature of the day 
 consisting partly of original Works, partly of new editions 
 of popular Publications, at the lowest possible price. It 
 is called for in conseqnence of the Acts wliidi ha%e 
 recently passed the liritish Parliament for the protection 
 of the rights of British aiitbors and publislu-rs, by the 
 rigid and entire exclusion of foreign pirated editions. 
 In order, therefore, that the highly intelligent and 
 educated population of our Colonies may not suiter from 
 the ■vvitbdravval of their accustomed supplies of books, 
 and with a view to obviate the complaint, that a check 
 might in consequence be raised to their intellectual 
 
 I advancement, Mr. Murray hit* diXerminiHl lo p.iMl.h , 
 
 series of attractive nnd u.cfiil " • ' 
 at a rate which shall iUct Hi. , 
 
 not only of the coIouUIr, bin al 
 
 less wealthy rhiHsen nt lioine, »lio 
 
 widening of the marki-t for our Hi. r 
 
 nial Library " will, consi-qucntly, l>c >u . n 
 
 may claim to be couHidered n« n •• l.llitdr . 
 
 The series of Workn dcsignid to ..| 
 " Colonial and Home Library," wij 
 
 acknowledgeil merit, anil will be i\.,. „ 
 
 calculated to jilcase the most exleimltc . i 
 
 They will be iirinted moat carefully, la . ■■' 
 
 and on good paper. ■■-> 
 
 Published Monthly, Post 8ro, 2a. Qd, 
 
 THE FOLLOWING AVORKS HAVE ALREADY BEEN PUBLISHED. 
 
 Nos. 1 and 2. 
 BORROWS BIBLE IN SPAIN. 
 
 "There is no t.iking leave of a book like this: better 
 fare we never had it in our power to otTer our readers." — 
 Athenceum. 
 
 " Borrow's odd, amusing, and instructive work."— 
 Cambridge Chronicle. 
 
 Nos. 3 to 6. 
 BISHOP HEBER'S JOURNAL IN INDIA. 
 
 "The most perfectly charming book we ever read." — 
 Exartiiner . 
 
 " One of the most delightful books in the language." — 
 Quarterly Review. 
 
 No. 7- 
 IRBY AND MANGLES' TRAVELS. 
 
 "One of the most interesting an<l popular works of the 
 present cenixxvy ." — Aberdeen Jounuil. 
 
 "By far the most welcome of the series. Irby and 
 Mangles' interesting Travels was almost from the first a 
 sealed book — those who were admitted to its X)ages, prized 
 it highly." — Literary Gazette. 
 
 No. 8. 
 DRINKWATER'S SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. 
 
 " A book so replete with interest and information as to 
 be truly a legend of the United Services of its day." — 
 United Service Miigaziiie. 
 
 "Mr. Murray has conferred a public benefit by selecting 
 this narrative for an early Number in his acceptable series." 
 —Literary Gazette. 
 
 No. 0. 
 HAY'S MOROCCO AND THE MOORS. 
 
 " These Sketches are singularly graphic and interesting. 
 The Author rides among the wild people, encamps with 
 them, and listens to the strange tales of mighty robbers or 
 daring exploits with wild beasts." — t'/i«//en/(«m Chronicle. 
 
 "A new and highly interesting work, for which Mr. 
 Murray would have been entitled to charge two ur three 
 guineas. " — Greenock Advertiser, 
 
 No. 10. 
 LETTERS FROM THE BALTIC. 
 
 "A series of charming descriptions; the style full of 
 ease and freshness." — Kxmniner. 
 
 " ' Familiar Letters' by a young and beautiful and witly j 
 English spinster, whose work will cause a sensation lianlly 
 inferior to that which attended the bursting of the 'Old 
 Man's Biunnen Bubbles.' "—Quarterly Review. \ 
 
 No. II. 
 THE AMBER WITCH. 
 
 "We have read nothing in firlion nr in hi^v — -"^ h 
 h.is 80 comiiletely rivctted aiid abturbnl our .t 
 
 this little vidunie. If it be a lirtimi, it ia wort' , ..a 
 
 give no higher praise — of De Vov."—Quarlrrlji' Hmrv. 
 
 "Possesses all the lively interot of » romancr, ami all 
 the external evidences ol'a truthful narralire."— i'»r*> 
 shiretnan. 
 
 No. M. 
 SOUTHEY'S CROMWELL AND BU.NYAN. 
 
 " Models of what biograpliy ouchl to be : rmbracinx »ll 
 the facts in the lives of their rc«pi-clivf lubjrrlf that can 
 be of any interest." — Uuhlin Frermnn'i Joumul. 
 
 "Southey's admirably written livct." — Yorkthirfmam, 
 
 No. 1.1. 
 NEW SOUTH WALES. Bv a Ladt. 
 
 "Mrs. Meredith is a pleasant unaflTorlrd writer i and 
 the book derives interest from tKing a ladf'i rter •/ 
 New South Wales." — Spectator. 
 
 "A pleasantly written arcoiint, by a ladraho. to •(rang 
 and shrewd observation. ' ' ' « bet 
 
 first impressions with n li :ound 
 
 ia this book-making age.' — ..... .• .. l.,_ 
 
 No. 14. 
 BARROW'S LIFE OF DRAKE. 
 
 "The interesting and iiisir 'umr with whkh 
 
 Mr. Harrow has enriched our >l lilctaturt."— 
 
 Edinburgh Heviiw. 
 
 .\o. li. 
 
 FATHER RIPA'S RESIDENCE AT PEKIN. 
 
 "The combined sineularity <if the Tart o 
 
 of narralifin, render this as curious at t 
 
 has ai.ppiired, not exception ' Borrow'* li. ■.,. ' 
 — Spectator, 
 
 No. ir,. 
 
 ]\IONK LKWIS" TRAITS AND STORIES 
 OK NECJKO LIKE. 
 
 "These highly nmu'lof ttoilcs of kctiul 
 life."— Vn!irf»r/y Recicu,
 
 16 
 
 ^!^^^!!^^^Il^^^^^EJ00KsjmoEKrA^.^ i.teratuue. 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 Abbrcrombije's (Dr.) Works . 
 -Agricultural (The) Journal 
 Amber Witch (The I 
 Austin's German AVriters 
 
 liABBAGE'slChas.) Works. ' 
 iiarrow's Lombardy * ' 
 
 r. ,7'c. ^'^^ of Drake ' . " 
 BeU (Sir C, on Expression . * ' 
 T, ~L, Practical Essavs . 
 Bentlej-s ( Dr. , Correspondence ' '. 
 isertha's Journal 
 
 Bjornstjema on the Ilindoos . * ' 
 BIunfsiRev. J. j.iworks 
 Borrow's Travels in .Spain . « & 
 Brewster's Martyrs of Science . 
 J^ritish Association Reports 
 Brogden's Cathohc Safeguards . ' 
 tsmkiT r ^''"''SJ- and Kitual '. 
 Bubbles from Nassau 
 
 Burnes' (Sir A.) Travels ' " " 
 Burr on Suneving . ' 
 
 Buttnian's Works . ' ' ' ' 
 
 Byron's (Lordj Works .' 
 
 — Life . . * ■ 
 
 Caldwell's Results of Readinff ' i 
 CampbeU's British Poets 
 
 Canada . . ' • 
 
 Careme's French 'cookerv ' ' ' i 
 
 tarmichael's Greek Verbs ' ' 
 
 Carnarvon's Portugal ' * 
 
 Clark(.'<ir J.) on Climate . * 'i 
 
 Coleridge's Greek Poets ' ' 
 
 ■Co onial and Home Library ' ' i 
 
 Colquhoun's Moor and Loch ' i 
 
 Conybeare's Sermons " ' 
 
 Crabbe's Poetical Works' ' ' '■ 
 — Life . • • ; 
 
 Cunningham's Life of Wiilde ' ' ^ 
 Dates and Distances ' ' ' 
 
 Da^sM T °r ^f '<^"'t"al'cias'ses 
 
 ijaMs (J. r.) Benares 
 
 LJibdin's Naval Songs 
 
 Dieffenbach's New Zealand* 
 
 Domestic Cookery 
 Dougkis on Naval Gunnerv" 
 Dnnkwater;s Siege of Gibraltilr 
 Drummond's Agricultural Classes 
 Dudley's (Lord) Letters 
 Dufreiioy on Hot Air 
 Eloo.n's (Lord) Life 
 Elphinstone's India 
 
 Exeter's (Bp. of) .Sermons ' 
 Eyre's AflTghanistan 
 Facts in Various Sciences ' 
 Family Receipt Book 
 faraday's Manipulation ' 
 Farmer's Account Book ' 
 Farming for Ladies . 
 
 Featherstonhaugh's AmcriJa . " ' 
 Fellows (C.) Travels 
 Ferguson on Women * ' " 
 
 FuUarton on Currencies " 
 
 Giffard's Ionian Islands 
 
 Gilly's Peasantry " " ' 
 
 Godley's Canada 
 
 Gooch on A\omen . ' ' ' 
 
 Grant's Nestorians 
 
 Greenhow's Oregon * ' " * 
 
 Grosvenor^s (Lady) Voyage ' ' 
 Oruner's Frescoes . '' ^'^ 
 Halford's Essays , ' 
 Halkim's England . * ' * 
 
 — Literature of E'urope . '. 
 
 Hamilton's Ilindostan 
 
 Asia Minor . 
 TT T, Aristophane? . 
 Hand-books for Travellers 
 Hawkestone, a Tale 
 Hay's Morocco . 
 Hill's .Slave Ship , 
 
 — (Lord) Life 
 
 tt"^ (IV^'iard) Correspondence 
 Holland's Psalms . 
 Houstoun's Texas . 
 Hart's Army List 
 Hase's Ancient Greeks . 
 Head's Pampas . . . ' 
 
 — Forest Scenes * | 
 
 — Home Tour 
 Hebers (Bp.) Sennons . *. 
 
 — India 
 
 — Poetical \\ork3' 
 
 rr ■, 7" H.^TllnS . 
 
 Heilner's German Grammar 
 iRBv and Ma.vgles- Travels . " 
 Jajiieson's Legends of Saints 
 
 — Public GaUeries 
 Japan 
 
 Jesse's Natural Historj- '. 
 
 — Country Life 
 Jewess (Tlie), a Tale . 
 Jocelyn's (Lord) China . ' 
 Jones on ^\ealth 
 Josiah. History of ' ' * 
 Journal of a Naturalist . ' 
 Jukes 's Newfoundland 
 Ki.v.vEAR's Cairo . 
 Knight's Normandv 
 Lacorde's Arabia' Petrrea . * 
 Lambert s Needlework 
 Land Drainage 
 
 Lappenbtrg's England '. ' 
 J.atiii Grammar 
 
 Letters from Jladras ' . ' . ' ' 
 .— the Baltic * " ' ' 
 
 Lewis on Dependencies ' ' 
 
 Lindsay's Lectures 
 
 Little Arthur's England . ' 
 Loch's China . ' 
 
 Lockhart's Life of Bums' . * 
 
 — Spanish BaUads' ' ' 
 
 Long's Essavs . . ' 
 
 Loudon's G'ardenin'g " 
 
 — Botany . . ' ' ' 
 It„ ~r ^.. ^'atui-al History .' 
 
 [L^eU'sMorks on Geology 
 
 ilAHoNs(LoRD) Histories ' * 
 
 — Belisarius . 
 
 Manning On the Church ' " " 
 
 -Markhain^s( Mrs.) England ' . '. ] 
 
 IT IV France ' i 
 
 AI.'[ hii's"f>r"^' l>espatches . .' 
 i^ucucnia; s Grammars 
 
 -"aw's Maranon 
 
 -Mayo on the Mind ' * ' , 
 
 -Memoirs of Father Ripa .' * ' i 
 
 -Meredith's New South Wales' ' v 
 
 -Milford's Norway * ■'• 
 
 -Milman's Christianity ' , ' " ' 
 
 — Gibbon 
 
 — Poetical Works 
 -Ml man's Life of Gibbon . ' 
 ■^ itchell's Aristophanes '( 
 Moorcroft and Trebeck . ' V J 4 
 -Moore's Life of Bvron ' ^ o 
 
 PAGE 
 
 . 4 
 
 . 5 
 
 . 9 
 
 . 7 
 
 . 12 
 
 . 1.5 
 
 . 5 
 
 2 
 
 4 
 
 Muck Manual for Farmers 
 I -'^luller's Dorians 
 Murchison's Geology 
 Nautical (The) Almanack 
 ^avy (The) List 
 >;ewbold's Malacca. 
 Ninirod on the Chase . 
 
 P^^T:V'"''«I-^".v Elegiacs' 
 I ARLs Pyrenees 
 - J I ARRy-s Parliament's '. ' 
 
 ' Pashley's Crete . 
 
 >i Peels (Sir R.; Address to Student 
 
 n„., . „ Speeches 
 
 ; Peile-s .^Tschylus . 
 
 I Pennington on CTreek 
 
 Penn s MaxUns and Hint's 
 
 , Philhps' Belemnites 
 
 i „, .7" Geology 
 
 Philosophy in Sport 
 
 Powell's Latin (uammar' 
 
 Prayer-Book Illuminated 
 
 Progressive Geography 
 
 Puss in Boots . 
 
 QUARTERLY Review 
 
 nf'^'^'^i'opes ofRome . 
 
 ReevesCnaracteristics of Painters 
 
 BeJected^^heTa.Ls"cr^'""°"^ 
 Bideto I-lorence 
 
 1 Robertsons' South America " 
 Bobmson's Biblical Researciie's 
 
 J^ompiy-s ,^fc[;Tr^"3' 
 
 Boss s(.s,r James) Voyage ' 
 Rundel -s Domestic Cookery " 
 Russia in the East ^ 
 
 Sale's (Lady) Journal " ' 
 
 Scrope on Deer Stalking ' 
 — Salmon Fislnng' 
 
 . y 
 
 . 5 
 
 . 6 
 
 . 6 
 
 . 3 
 
 . 15 
 
 . 8 
 
 . .3 
 
 . 9 
 
 . 1.5 
 
 . 10 
 . 7 
 . 4 
 . 11 
 . 11 
 . 12 
 . 4 
 . 12 
 . 4 
 .111 
 • GJ 
 . 5 
 . 6 
 . 3 
 
 13 
 
 14 
 
 '; ' c„„t ' ^aimon Fishing 
 
 1? cf-\ , Christianity 
 
 15 I Stisted's Italv . '^ ' 
 
 12, Smith's (Miss, Fragments * 
 lA o ~ (Br. AV.) Life 
 10 I Somerset on the Ellipse ' " 
 4 -Somer^-ille on .Science ' 
 
 8 Snf?tT^'' ?'■'"""=' ^^luseum ! 
 ^8 southeys Book Of the Church 
 1" "~ Ci-omwell and Bunyan' 
 1 -■) c. r'^ ^-^^^ of Dr. Bell 
 3 State Papers (The) ' 
 
 11 I Staunton's China 
 
 ^cenings Russia 
 
 Stevens on Pointing Guns ' ' " 
 Stories for ChildKn ' 
 
 Toxo'if'''','^'^'''^' ^^f'en^oi'rs . • • 
 I lAiLORs (Mien) Italy 
 
 — '^^m) Memoirs' ' " 
 
 ""'i5."ter"^"-U.,,; 
 
 Twiss's Life of Lord Eldon' 
 V E.VA«*.ES' Russia 
 i\-^'§^'^'''™es) Life ! 
 " Jfjerforce on Church Cou'rts 
 
 W^V ^•^"•?,='^idy Life 
 >>plJMnson s ligvpt 
 ^,7"'ams's Homerus ' 
 
 \\ood s. Source of the Oxiis * 
 
 M ordsworth's Athens 
 
 Inscriptions 
 Latin Grammar 
 
 . 1 
 . I. 
 . i: 
 
 I 
 
 4 
 5 
 6 
 
 ;i 
 
 10 
 2 
 
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 2 
 
 12 
 
 15 
 
 "" Elinor Greek Grammar 9 
 
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