to Santa Martha; and on the 18th to a wood in front of Albuhera,
where all the infantry under Lieut.-General Sir Rowland Hill were
assembled; some field-works were immediately thrown up to strengthen
the position, and enable the Earl of Wellington, without apprehension
for the safety of that corps, to prosecute his attack upon the
enemy’s forts at _Salamanca_, which were captured on the 27th of June.
On the 2nd of July, the battalion advanced to Santa Martha; on the
3rd it marched to a bivouac near Villa Alva, where the enemy brought
up some guns, and cannonaded the troops; on the 4th it bivouacked
near Feria; on the 5th near Bienvenida; on the 6th near Villa Garcia;
and on the 7th it entered Llerena.
The NINETY-SECOND marched from Llerena, by Arlones, on the 8th of
July to Berlenga, where some cannonading and a cavalry skirmish took
place, after which the enemy retired, and the battalion returned on
the following day to Llerena.
The battalion again marched from Llerena on the 20th of July to
Bienvenida, and on the following day to Zafra. The enemy at this time
moved to his right, and had a force near Fuentes del Maestre.
During the night of the 26th of July, the NINETY-SECOND marched
towards Villa Franca, near which place the battalion bivouacked about
daylight. The French were about a league in front at Fuentes del
Maestre. Between nine and ten o’clock in the morning of the 29th of
July, a brigade of French guns was drawn up on a height, in front of
their position, and fired a royal salute. Many were the surmises as
to the cause of this rejoicing, until some of the British officers
ascertained at the outposts, that the salute was in honor of a
victory supposed to have been gained by the French at _Salamanca_.
Lieut.-General Sir Rowland Hill, however, received more authentic
intelligence from the scene of action, and immediately afterwards
issued the following order:—
“_Villa Franca, 29th July, 1812._
“Captain Maxwell’s brigade of artillery will fire a salute of
twenty-one guns at twelve o’clock, being in honor of the glorious
and important victory gained over the enemy at _Salamanca_, by
the army under the immediate command of the Earl of Wellington,
on the 22nd instant.
“An extra ration of wine or spirits is to be issued to the
British and Portuguese troops, to enable them to drink the Earl
of Wellington’s health.
(Signed) “J. C. ROOK,
“_Assistant Adjutant-General_.”
The troops were under arms, and after the salute, Lieut.-General Sir
Rowland Hill advanced; the enemy, however, did not await this proof
that the victory was on the side of the Allies, but immediately
retired, and Fuentes del Maestre was occupied by the British troops.
On the 1st of August, the battalion went into quarters in Villa
Franca.
The allied army under the Marquis of Wellington, which title was
conferred upon him after the victory of Salamanca, entered Madrid on
the 12th of August, and was received with every demonstration of joy
by the inhabitants. Marshal Soult, in consequence of this movement,
raised the blockade of Cadiz, and abandoning Western Andalusia, moved
towards Grenada.
Lieut.-General Sir Rowland Hill’s corps, of which the NINETY-SECOND
formed part, advanced on the 28th of August to Usagre; on the 29th to
Villa Garcia; on the 30th proceeded to the left to Maquilla; on the
31st to El Campillo; on the 1st of September the troops marched to
Zalamea; on the 2nd to Quintana; on the 3rd to La Nava; and on the
4th to quarters in Don Benito.
On the 13th of September, Lieut.-General Sir Rowland Hill crossed the
Guadiana, and marched to Mojadas; on the 14th to Villa Mesias; and on
the 15th to Truxillo, where the troops halted.
The troops resumed their march from Truxillo to a bivouac near
Jaraicejo on the 19th of September, and on the day following crossed
a pontoon bridge thrown over the Tagus, where that of the enemy
formerly stood, and bivouacked near Almaraz; on the 21st the division
proceeded to Naval Moral; on the 22nd marched to Calzada de Oropeza;
on the 23rd to La Gartera, and there halted.
On the 26th of September, Lieut.-General Sir Rowland Hill’s division
marched to Talavera de la Reinha; on the 27th to Cebolla; on the 28th
to Torrijos; on the 29th to Toledo; on the 30th to a bivouac near
Villa Mejor; and on the 1st of October to quarters in Aranjuez.
At this period, the Marquis of Wellington was engaged in the siege
of the Castle of Burgos. Information was also received that Marshal
Soult and King Joseph, with their united armies, were advancing from
Valencia, and that their advanced guard was in the neighbourhood of
Ocanna, and moving on Madrid.
In consequence of the necessity of raising the siege of the Castle
of Burgos, and retreating, the NINETY-SECOND, and other corps under
Lieut.-General Sir Rowland Hill, moved from Aranjuez on the 23rd
of October, crossed the Tagus, and marched to Colominarde Orejo;
on the 25th advanced to the bridge of Fuentes Duenna; on the 27th
of October, the enemy appeared on the opposite bank of the river
and reconnoitred. The troops under Lieut.-General Sir Rowland Hill
marched on the following day to Villa Conejos, and on the same
evening crossed the Jarama at Puente Larga, and went into position;
on the 29th they marched to a bivouac near Valle de Moro; on the
30th near Abavaca; and on the 31st to El Escurial. The Marquis of
Wellington, with the main body of the army, was at this period
returning from the neighbourhood of Burgos towards Salamanca.
The NINETY-SECOND marched to a bivouac near the village of Guadarama
on the 1st of November; on the 2nd crossed the Guadarama mountains,
and bivouacked at Villa Castine; on the 3rd at Blasco Sancho; on
the 4th at Naveos Duenna; on the 5th at Canaracillo; on the 7th
crossed the river at _Alba de Tormes_, and bivouacked. On the 8th of
November, the battalion was ordered into the town of Alba de Tormes
to defend it, the allied army being at this time concentrated between
that place and Salamanca.
The French, under Joseph Buonaparte, appeared on the 10th of
November in great force on the heights above, and close to _Alba de
Tormes_; after reconnoitring the place, the enemy commenced a very
hot cannonade from a numerous artillery; at the same time pushing
forward his light troops close under the old walls of the town, his
columns ready to advance at the first appearance of the British being
staggered by the effects of his artillery and numerous sharpshooters.
No such opportunity occurred, and the enemy withdrew his guns, after
firing upwards of fifteen hundred shot and shell in about three
hours. Such was the steadiness of the brigade, that he could not
venture on the assault of a place surrounded by an old Moorish wall,
in a state of perfect ruin, assailable at all points, and without any
other defence than the brave troops that lined it. A strong force was
kept watching the motions of the allies, and the enemy’s light troops
kept up a skirmish during the 11th, 12th, and 13th of November.
The NINETY-SECOND had eight rank and file killed; Lieutenant Andrew
Will and thirty-three rank and file were wounded.
At daylight on the morning of the 14th of November, the enemy’s
cavalry were seen crossing the Tormes, about a league above the
town, which was evacuated in the course of the day; the bridge blown
up, and a small Spanish garrison left in the castle. This night the
NINETY-SECOND bivouacked on the Arapiles, the whole army being there
in position.
On the 15th of November, the enemy appeared in force about Mozarbes,
and his numerous cavalry was observed moving to its left, upon the
British line of communication with Ciudad Rodrigo. Towards evening
the allied troops were directed to retire from the right, and the
NINETY-SECOND bivouacked in a wood behind the Rio Valmuza; on the
16th near Matilla; and on the 17th behind the Rio Cuebra. During
these days, the rear-guard was engaged in affairs with the enemy’s
cavalry and light artillery. On the 18th the battalion bivouacked
near Moraesverde; on the 19th marched to Zamarra; on the 20th to
Robledo, and halted.
The weather had been very severe during the last few days, and the
troops suffered much from its effects, being obliged several times
in each day to wade through rivers, which had no existence at other
seasons of the year.
The NINETY-SECOND marched to San Payo on the 28th of November; on the
following day to Perales; and on the 30th to Casas de Don Gomez. On
the 1st of December it went into winter quarters in Coria, where a
detachment of two serjeants and thirty-six rank and file joined from
the second battalion, which was at this period stationed in Scotland.
The strength of the first battalion of the NINETY-SECOND regiment
now consisted of thirty-seven serjeants, fourteen drummers, and six
hundred and forty-five rank and file.
[Sidenote: 1813]
On the 17th of January, 1813, the battalion marched from Coria to
Montehermosa, and on the 13th of February it marched to Guejo,
thence to Aldea Nueva, and on the 15th to Puerta de Bannos. This
movement took place in consequence of the advance of a French force
from Salamanca towards Bejar, into which place some troops were
thrown, and the enemy, then close to the town, retired. He, however,
returned with an increased force shortly afterwards, and in the
night attempted to surprise the garrison of Bejar, consisting of the
_fiftieth regiment_, and the _sixth Portugese Caçadores_, by which
he was repulsed with loss. The first battalion of the NINETY-SECOND
regiment was put in motion to their support, and the same evening
returned to its quarters in Bannos.
While stationed at Bannos in April, the NINETY-SECOND received a
draft of forty-six men from the second battalion. The effective
strength at this period consisted of forty-four serjeants, fifteen
drummers, and eight hundred and seventeen rank and file.
On the 20th of May, the NINETY-SECOND marched from Bannos to Bejar;
on the 21st to Valle de Fuentes; on the 24th to Fuenteroble; on the
25th to Calzadilla; and on the following day crossed the Tormes,
above Salamanca, from which place the enemy retired with the loss of
some men and artillery. On the 27th of May, the NINETY-SECOND, and
other corps under Lieut.-General Sir Rowland Hill, passed the Marquis
of Wellington in review-order, and marched to Orvado, where they
halted.
The NINETY-SECOND marched on the 3rd of June from the camp at Orvado,
crossed the Guarena, and encamped near Villa Buena; on the 4th the
battalion crossed the Douro at Toro, and marched to Morales; on the
5th to Villa Sexmil; on the 6th to Mucientes, leaving Valladolid to
the right; on the 7th to Duenas; on the 8th to Torre Quemada; on the
9th to Quintana del Ponte; on the 10th crossed the Pisuerga, and
marched to Pedroza; on the 11th to Valbases; on the 12th to Celada
del Camino; and on the 13th to Villa Ricos, on which morning, about
daylight, the enemy blew up the Castle of Burgos, and retreated.
On the 14th of June, the battalion marched to Villa Toro; on the
15th to Villa Esquiar; on the 16th it crossed the Ebro, and marched
to Pesquez; on the 17th it marched to Villa Mor; on the 18th to
Boveano; on the 19th to Alcoide; and on the 20th to Robeo.
In the meantime, the French army, commanded by King Joseph, had taken
up a position in the neighbourhood of _Vittoria_, where the Marquis
of Wellington determined to attack the enemy.
Accordingly, on the 21st of June, the first battalion of the
NINETY-SECOND regiment, under the command of Lieut.-Colonel Cameron,
quitted its encampment early in the morning, and moved to La Puebla,
where it crossed the river Zadorra, and ascended the mountain behind
the village, which the Spaniards named “_Alturas de los Inglezes_,”
from an action fought there by the English in 1367, when Edward the
Black Prince proceeded to Spain to assist Peter, King of Castile, to
recover his throne.[15]
The memorable battle of _Vittoria_ commenced by Lieut.-General Sir
Rowland Hill obtaining possession of the heights of _La Puebla_,
on which the enemy’s left rested. The enemy immediately sent a
reinforcement of about seven thousand men, with some artillery to
this point, and made several attempts to recover his lost ground, but
was as frequently repulsed by the troops which were opposed to him;
and by that means they covered the remainder of the second division,
while filing across the Zadorra, and in its movement to attack the
enemy in the village of _Subijana de Alava_. Each corps kept its
ground with coolness and steadiness, until everything was prepared on
the left, and the allied army advanced across the plain.
At this juncture, the NINETY-SECOND was again directed to advance,
and drive the enemy from every post in its front, which duty it
performed in its usual manner, and the French having given way at all
points, the battalion continued a rapid pursuit along the Pampeluna
road, until about midnight, when it was halted near Ganuz.
On this occasion, the French suffered a great loss of men, together
with all their artillery, baggage, and stores. King Joseph, whose
carriage and court-equipage being seized, had barely time to escape
on horseback. The defeat was the most complete that the French had
experienced in Spain.
The bâton of Marshal Jourdan was taken by the eighty-seventh
regiment, and the Prince Regent, in the name and behalf of His
Majesty, appointed the Marquis of Wellington a Field Marshal. In a
most flattering letter, the Prince thus conferred the honor: “You
have sent me among the trophies of your unrivalled fame, the staff of
a French Marshal, and I send you in return that of England.”
In commemoration of the share the NINETY-SECOND bore in gaining this
signal victory, the royal authority was afterwards received for
the word “VITTORIA,” to be inscribed on the regimental colour and
appointments. A medal was also conferred on the commanding officer,
Lieut.-Colonel John Cameron.
The NINETY-SECOND had four rank and file killed, and sixteen wounded.
On the 22nd of June, the allies followed the retreating enemy, on
which day the NINETY-SECOND marched to about a league in front of
Salvatierra, and encamped; on the 23rd proceeded to near Arbeniz; on
the 24th to near Araquil; on the 25th to near Stormende; on the 26th
to near Zuaza; and on the 27th marched to Orcayen, about three miles
from _Pampeluna_, which latter place was afterwards invested.
The NINETY-SECOND marched to a wood near Lizasso on the 2nd of
July; on the 3rd to Puerta Velate; on the 4th to _Almandoz_, where
a skirmish took place, the enemy being in position between Beruete
and Aniz. On the 5th, after some movements to turn the left of his
position, he retreated, and the NINETY-SECOND bivouacked in front of
Elizondo, halting there during the following day.
On the 7th of July, the enemy was seen in a strong position on the
heights of _Maya_, and troops were sent across the Bidassoa to attack
his right. The NINETY-SECOND marched through the village of Maya in
the afternoon, and a good deal of fighting took place during the
day, the light troops continuing to skirmish until dark, when the
battalion bivouacked.
Advancing early in the morning of the 8th of July, the French retired
from their _own_ frontier, which the pursuing troops occupied with
three British cheers. The light troops continued the pursuit towards
the village of Urdax.
On the 9th of July, the troops marched to the village of Maya.
The siege of _St. Sebastian_ was undertaken, and the garrison of
_Pampeluna_ was closely invested by the Spaniards at this period.
Upon Napoleon receiving the news of the defeat of the French at
Vittoria, he immediately sent Marshal Soult to Spain, with the rank
of “Lieutenant of the Emperor,” and the Marshal assumed the command
of the army of Spain on the 12th of July. All his energies were
directed to retrieve its disasters, and to drive the British across
the Ebro.
On the 13th of July, the first brigade, at this period under the
command of Lieut.-Colonel Cameron, of the NINETY-SECOND, marched to
occupy the heights of _Maya_.
The effective strength of the battalion, under the command of Major
James Mitchell, consisted of forty serjeants, fifteen drummers, and
seven hundred and sixty-two rank and file, on the 25th of July, on
which day the fiftieth regiment was stationed on the right of the
brigade, to the left of a pass leading to the village of Maya, which
was occupied by a piquet from the second brigade.
The NINETY-SECOND were stationed in the Maya Pass, to the right of
the road leading from Urdax, and the seventy-first regiment still
further to the left. The enemy collected a force of about fifteen
thousand men behind some rocky ground in front of the British right,
and with this overwhelming force drove in the light companies of the
second brigade, gaining the high rock on the right of the allied
position before the arrival of the second brigade from Maya, which
was, therefore, compelled to retrace its steps towards the village,
instead of falling back to its left on the first brigade.
Lieut.-Colonel Cameron, detached the fiftieth to the right the
moment the action commenced. That regiment was severely engaged,
and was forced to retire along the ridge; the right wing of the
NINETY-SECOND, under Major John McPherson, was sent to its support,
and for some time had to stand the whole brunt of the enemy’s
column. The right wing of the seventy-first regiment was also brought
up, but such was the advantage of the position the enemy had gained
by separating the two brigades, and in a manner descending upon the
Pass of Maya, while a fresh division was pushing up to it from the
direction of Urdax, that the small body of troops received orders to
retire to a high rock on the left of the position.
This movement was covered by the left wings of the seventy-first
and NINETY-SECOND regiments, which, relieving each other with the
utmost order and regularity, and disputing every inch of ground, left
nothing for the enemy to boast of. The brigade continued to hold the
rock until the arrival of Major-General Edward Barnes’s brigade, when
a general charge was made, and every inch of ground recovered as far
as the Maya Pass.
On this occasion the NINETY-SECOND was ordered by Lieut.-General
the Honorable Sir William Stewart not to charge, the battalion
having been hotly engaged for ten successive hours, and in want
of ammunition. The NINETY-SECOND, however, for the first time
disregarded an order, and not only charged, but led the charge.
During the whole of the action on the 25th of July, the conduct of
the NINETY-SECOND was most noble and devoted; and in commemoration
of which His Majesty was pleased to permit Lieut.-Colonel Cameron to
bear on his shield the word “MAYA.” Lieut.-Colonel John Cameron and
Major James Mitchell were both wounded at the head of the battalion,
and the command devolved on Major John McPherson, who was also
wounded, but did not leave the field. The other officers wounded
were Captains George W. Holmes, Ronald McDonald, and Samuel Bevan,
Lieutenants William Fyfe, Donald McPherson, John A. Durie, James John
Chisholm, Robert Winchester, Donald McDonald, James Ker Ross, George
Gordon, John Grant, and Alexander McDonald, (died) and Ensigns Thomas
Mitchell and George Mitchell.
Ensign Ewen Kennedy was killed. The other casualties were thirty-four
rank and file killed, and two hundred and sixty eight rank and file
wounded; and twenty-two rank and file missing.
Major-General Sir William Napier, in his History of the Peninsular
War, in narrating the action in the Pass of Maya, has alluded to the
loss of the battalion, and its gallantry, in the following terms:—
“And that officer (Lieut.-Colonel Cameron) still holding the
Pass of Maya with the left wings of the seventy-first and
NINETY-SECOND regiments, brought their right wings and the
Portuguese guns into action, and thus maintained the fight; but
so dreadful was the slaughter, especially of the NINETY-SECOND,
that it is said the advancing enemy was actually stopped by the
heaped mass of dead and dying.”
* * * * *
“The stern valour of the NINETY-SECOND would have graced
Thermopylæ.”
* * * * *
The enemy having turned the British position at Roncesvalles, the
troops were withdrawn. The first battalion of the NINETY-SECOND was
ordered to march from Puerto de Maya, and arrived in position at
Iruite early in the morning of the 26th of July.
The troops composing the right of the allied army at Roncesvalles,
having retired towards Pampeluna, the NINETY-SECOND marched, on the
27th of July, from its position near Iruite, and halted between
Puerta Velate and Lanz. On the following day, the battalion marched
to a bivouac near Lizasso, and, on the 29th, marched somewhat further
towards Pampeluna.
On the 30th of July, the battalion advanced to a position between the
village of _Lizasso_ and _Eguaros_, when the enemy appeared at the
former place, and commenced an extended movement upon the British
left. The NINETY-SECOND, under the command of Major John McPherson,
was directed against him, and found itself opposed to a column of
about two thousand men, which the battalion immediately charged, and
drove from the ridge in a most gallant style. After this the French
moved still further to their right, and accordingly the left of the
allies was thrown back in the direction of Arestegui. The action
ceased about dark.
The NINETY-SECOND had Captain George W. Holmes wounded. Nine rank and
file were killed, and twenty-six wounded.
The NINETY-SECOND advanced, and on the 31st of July, came up with the
enemy strongly posted on a hill at _Dona Maria_, which could only be
approached by a narrow ziz-zag road through very close underwood.
In this favorable position the enemy made great resistance, but was
ultimately driven from the heights, and his defeat was particularly
ascribed to the persevering bravery individually displayed in the
ranks of the NINETY-SECOND regiment.
Lieut.-General Sir Rowland Hill, under whose eye the battalion was
this day engaged, bestowed the most flattering encomiums on its
gallantry. On this occasion Major McPherson was wounded, and Captain
James Seaton assumed the command. Captains James Lee and Dugald
Campbell, Lieutenant James Hope, and Ensign Thomas Mitchell, were
also wounded. Ten rank and file were killed, and sixty-nine wounded.
After carrying this post, the NINETY-SECOND moved towards Lanz, and,
on the 1st of August, marched through the pass at Lanz to Ariscun,
and on the 2nd, again occupied the heights of Maya.
The royal authority was subsequently granted for the NINETY-SECOND to
bear the word “PYRENEES” on the regimental colour and appointments,
to commemorate the services of the first battalion in these combats,
which have been designated the “_Battles of the Pyrenees_.” Medals,
bearing the word “PYRENEES,” were conferred on Major John McPherson
and Captain James Seaton; and the former was promoted to the brevet
rank of Lieut.-Colonel.
The effective strength of the NINETY-SECOND was now reduced to
twenty-seven serjeants, fifteen drummers, and three hundred and
twenty rank and file. The battalion marched on the evening of the 2nd
of August to the village of Erassu, and on the 5th reoccupied the
heights of Maya.
On the 8th of August, the NINETY-SECOND marched from Maya to the
valley of Alduides, and the next day to Roncesvalles, between which
place and the heights of Don Carlos, the battalion remained encamped
until the beginning of November.
In the meantime, _St. Sebastian_ and _Pampeluna_ had been captured,
and the British commander, looking down from the lofty Pyrenees on
the well-guarded territory of France, resolved to carry the war into
the heart of that country.
On the 7th of November, the enemy made an attempt to cut off a
piquet of the NINETY-SECOND, but was foiled. On the following day,
the battalion marched from Roncesvalles to Alduides, and on the 9th
proceeded through Maya to Urdax, in which neighbourhood the whole
division was assembled.
The British army was put in motion at an early hour in the morning
of the 10th of November, and advanced to attack the enemy in his
fortified position on the _Nivelle_. The NINETY-SECOND, under the
command of Lieut.-Colonel Cameron, forded that river a little below
Ainhoe, and was ordered to attack the strong redoubts on the heights
immediately in rear of the village.