numbers, that the British General was forced to act on the
defensive, and while the army was encamped on the banks of the
Guadiana, a malignant fever proved fatal to numbers of officers and
soldiers. The FOURTEENTH dragoons were removed to Villa Vicosa,
a fortified town in the Alemtejo, from whence they marched, in
December, to Santarem, a town very pleasantly situated on the right
bank of the Tagus, where they were formed in brigade with the royal
dragoons under Major-General Slade.
[Sidenote: 1810]
In February, 1810, Badajoz and Ciudad Rodrigo were both menaced
by the enemy, and in March the regiment returned to the Alemtejo,
and took the advanced posts of Lieut.-General Rowland Hill's
corps at Arronches, a town situate at the conflux of the Caya
and the Algrette, near the Spanish frontiers. A concentration of
French troops near Ciudad Rodrigo afterwards relieved the other
provinces. Ciudad Rodrigo was eventually beseiged by Marshal Ney,
and the British commander, hoping the enemy, by detaching troops,
would furnish an opportunity for relieving this fortress, withdrew
the FOURTEENTH light dragoons from the Alemtejo. The regiment
advanced to Almeida in June; it was attached to the light division
under Brigadier-General Craufurd, who was behind the Agueda
river, watching the enemy's motions; and with the sixteenth light
dragoons, and first hussars King's German Legion, took the out-post
duty on this frontier.
No opportunity to relieve Ciudad Rodrigo occurred; but during
the siege marauding parties of French soldiers entered the
villages of Barquillo and _Villa de Puerco_ on three successive
nights. Brigadier-General Craufurd, thinking to cut off the next
party, formed two ambuscades, one near Villa de Puerco, with six
squadrons, another of three squadrons near Barquillo, and he
also placed his artillery, five companies of the ninety-fifth,
(Rifle-brigade) and the third Portuguese Caçadores in reserve; the
FOURTEENTH light dragoons were employed in these ambuscades. On the
morning of the 11th of July, a little after day-break, a party of
French infantry was observed near Villa de Puerco, and a small body
of cavalry at Barquillo; and the open country on the right would
have enabled the six squadrons to place themselves between the
infantry and their point of retreat; but this was circuitous, and
Brigadier-General Craufurd preferred passing along a narrow defile
between two stone walls. This proved difficult; in threading the
defile in a long line the dragoons were separated, and the French
infantry, two hundred strong, had time to form square, being hidden
in high standing corn. The French dragoons coming out of Barquillo,
were charged by the German hussars and a squadron of the sixteenth,
and two officers and twenty-nine men were made prisoners. In the
meantime the FOURTEENTH light dragoons had threaded the defile,
and mounting the hill, rode with distinguished gallantry against
the square; but the French infantry remained perfectly steady, and
opened such a fire, that Lieut.-Colonel Talbot and eight men fell
dead close to the bayonets, and twenty-three men were wounded.[11]
The survivors withdrew a short distance to reform their ranks, and
the French square commenced its retreat with singular steadiness
and good order. The FOURTEENTH dragoons seeing this, prepared to
launch against it another squadron, which was already in speed for
the purpose, when Colonel Arentschildt of the hussars, observing
cavalry approaching in front and flank, checked the movement. It
was afterwards regretted that he took this step, as the horsemen,
who alarmed him, proved to be the German hussars and sixteenth
returning from the pursuit of the French dragoons, the whole of
whom they had captured.
On the death of Lieut.-Colonel Talbot the command of the regiment
devolved on Lieut.-Colonel F. B. Hervey, under whose directions
the FOURTEENTH became celebrated as an efficient corps of light
cavalry, remarkable for the excellent manner in which they
performed the out-post duty.
Meanwhile Ciudad Rodrigo had surrendered; the FOURTEENTH remained
in the villages near Fort La Conception until the 21st of July,
when the enemy's masses approaching, they fell back to _Almeida_,
where Brigadier-General Craufurd halted the few troops under his
orders, and, with astonishing hardihood, confronted the whole
French army. During the night of the 23rd of July, the videttes and
patrols of the regiment were exposed to a heavy storm of wind and
rain, and as daylight appeared, they discovered the approach of
numerous legions of the enemy: a few shots were fired; the cavalry
reserves and guns moved forward, and a skirmish ensued in which
the FOURTEENTH had one serjeant killed; Lieutenant John Blachford,
one private soldier, and four horses wounded. After opposing the
superior numbers of the enemy for some time, the British withdrew
beyond the river Coa; and Brigadier-General Craufurd stated in
his despatch,--'The retreat of the FOURTEENTH light dragoons from
Val-de-la-Mula to Almeida, was conducted in the most regular and
soldier-like manner, though opposed to a superior force of French
cavalry.'
A squadron of the regiment and a squadron of the royal dragoons,
on duty at _Frexadas_, were sharply engaged with a superior force
of the enemy on the 28th of August, and highly distinguished
themselves.
Marshal Massena invaded Portugal with such an immense superiority
of numbers, that the British commander was under the necessity of
withdrawing from the frontiers, and the FOURTEENTH and sixteenth
light dragoons, with the first German hussars, had the honour
of covering the retrograde movements. On the 24th of September
the enemy skirmished with the piquets in front of _Mortagao_,
from whence a squadron of the FOURTEENTH under Captain Thomas W.
Brotherton, with one of the sixteenth and first hussars, covered
the retreat of the light division four miles to some strong
ground. The three squadrons repulsed four of French hussars; some
of the enemy's dragoons approaching too close, were charged by
the squadron of the FOURTEENTH, and overthrown with the loss of
about thirty men. On the following morning the cavalry skirmishers
exchanged a few shots, and the FOURTEENTH were employed in covering
the retreat of the light division to the position of Busaco. During
this retreat Captain the Hon. Henry Percy was taken prisoner while
reconnoitring the flank movement of the enemy.
The FOURTEENTH were in reserve during the battle of _Busaco_ on
the 27th of September; and they were subsequently employed in
covering the retreat of the army to the strong lines of Torres
Vedras.
On the 1st of October, the out-posts were attacked and driven
from the hills bounding the plain of _Coimbra_ to the north, when
three troops of the FOURTEENTH, under Major the Honourable Charles
Butler, proceeded through the town, and formed the rear-guard on
the main road from Coimbra to Pombal. The remainder of the regiment
was formed on the plain, with the other cavalry corps, and withdrew
before a superior force of the enemy, crossing the Mondego at a
ford below the town, and skirmishing to prevent the passage of the
river by the enemy.
The French army continuing to press forward, its advance-guard
skirmished with the rear of the allies almost every day, and the
FOURTEENTH light dragoons had frequent opportunities of exhibiting
brilliant instances of the innate valour of British soldiers. At
_Rio Mandevilla_ the FOURTEENTH and sixteenth light dragoons,
first German hussars, royal dragoons, and Captain Bull's troop of
artillery, repulsed a very superior force of the enemy, on which
occasion the first French hussars were nearly annihilated. The
FOURTEENTH had six men and six horses killed; eight men and twelve
horses wounded.
The French legions continued to press forward as to an assured
victory; but the lines of Torres Vedras arrested their progress,
and while they remained in front of these extensive works, the
FOURTEENTH light dragoons took the line of out-posts from the
Sobral road. The French army withdrew during the night of the 14th
of November; the morning of the 15th was foggy, and it was some
hours after day-break when the British General discovered the void
space in his front. The FOURTEENTH were ordered forward along the
Cartaxo road, and their patrols took a number of French stragglers
prisoners. Marshal Massena took up a position at Santarem; the head
quarters of the allied army were established at Cartaxo, and the
FOURTEENTH light dragoons furnished the out-posts, extending from
the causeway and bridge over the river.
[Sidenote: 1811]
After wasting his army by privation and sickness, the French
marshal retreated; and at day-light on the 6th of March, 1811,
Lord Wellington discovered the empty camps at Santarem, and moved
his own army forward in pursuit. On the 8th of March, a squadron
of the FOURTEENTH commanded by Captain Babington, and supported
by the other squadrons of the regiment under Colonel Hervey,
made a successful charge on four squadrons of the eleventh and
twenty-sixth French dragoons at _Venta de Serra_, and captured
fourteen men and fourteen horses; with the loss of two men and two
horses.
Continuing to press upon the rear of the French army, the regiment
was present at the skirmish at _Pombal_ on the 10th of March, at
_Redinha_ on the 12th, at _Casal Nova_ on the 14th, and at _Foz
d'Aronce_ on the 15th. The FOURTEENTH were also present at the
action near _Sabugal_, on the 3rd April, but did not sustain any
loss.
The French Commander continued his retreat to Salamanca, and the
British General stood victorious on the confines of Portugal; the
FOURTEENTH light dragoons furnished the out-posts on the left bank
of the Agueda at Villa del Egua, where a peasant arrived from
Ledesma, with intelligence that the French army was reinforced
and re-organized, and was advancing. A squadron under Captain
Brotherton was sent to Santa Espirita, and it fell back behind the
Agueda as the French army advanced.
Almeida being blockaded by the allied army, Marshal Massena
advanced to its relief; the FOURTEENTH withdrew gradually as the
enemy approached, and on the 3rd of May they were engaged behind
_Gallegos_; when Lieutenant John Townsend retired with the piquets
under a heavy cannonade towards Fuentes d'Onor, and a squadron,
under Captain Brotherton, had a sharp affair near Pozo Velho.
At the battle of _Fuentes d'Onor_, on the 5th of May, the
FOURTEENTH and first royal dragoons covered the movement of
the right of the army from Nave d'Aver, retiring by alternate
squadrons, under a heavy cannonade; one squadron of the regiment
charged with signal gallantry some French artillery, but was
repulsed, and Captain Robert Knipe commanding the squadron
was mortally wounded: he was succeeded in the command of the
squadron by Lieutenant (afterwards Lieut.-Colonel) John Townsend:
Lieut.-Colonel Hervey had his horse killed under him, and received
a severe contusion.
An attack was made on the position in the rear of the village. 'The
French with one shock drove in all the cavalry out-guards, and
cutting off Captain Ramsay's battery, came sweeping in upon the
reserves of horse and upon the seventh division. But their leading
squadrons approaching in a disorderly manner, were partially
checked by the British, and, at the same time, a great commotion
was observed in their main body. Men and horses there closed
with confusion and tumult towards one point, a thick dust arose,
and loud cries, and the sparkling of blades, and the flashing of
pistols, indicated some extraordinary occurrence. Suddenly the
multitude became violently agitated, an English shout pealed high
and clear, the mass was rent asunder, and Norman Ramsay burst
forth at the head of his battery, his horses, breathing fire,
stretched like greyhounds along the plain, the guns bounding behind
them as things of no weight, and the mounted gunners followed in
full career. Captain Brotherton of the FOURTEENTH dragoons, seeing
this, rode forth with a squadron and overturned the head of the
pursuing troops, and General Charles Stewart joining in the charge,
took the French General Lamotte, fighting hand to hand.'[12] The
French were repulsed in their attempt to relieve Almeida, and they
withdrew from Portugal.
The FOURTEENTH light dragoons had Captain Robert Knipe and three
private soldiers killed; Captain Thomas Potter Milles, Lieutenants
John Townsend, John Gwynne, Lovell B. Badcock, Theophilus Thomas
Ellis, six serjeants, and twenty-one rank and file wounded; three
private soldiers missing. Lieut.-Colonel Hervey was rewarded with a
gold medal, and the royal authority was subsequently given for the
regiment to bear on its guidons and appointments the words "FUENTES
D'ONOR," as a special mark of His Majesty's approbation of its
conduct on this occasion.
Viscount Wellington subsequently proceeded to Estremadura, where
the strong fortress of Badajoz was besieged by the allies, and the
FOURTEENTH dragoons formed part of the force left on the Agueda.
Marshal Marmont advanced with a numerous French army, and having
introduced a convoy into Ciudad Rodrigo, he drove back the British
posts. On the morning of the 6th of June, two French columns
appeared, when the light division was directed to retire from
Gallegos upon _Nave d'Aver_ and subsequently upon Alfayetes, and
the royal dragoons, with a squadron of the FOURTEENTH, covered the
retreat. Two thousand French cavalry, six thousand infantry, and
ten guns, bore down upon the British squadrons and menaced their
destruction; but the French horsemen were attacked and defeated
twice, and the retreat was effected with little loss.
Marshal Marmont afterwards marched to Spanish Estremadura, and
the British General withdrew from before Badajoz. The allied army
subsequently proceeded to the vicinity of Ciudad Rodrigo, and
eventually blockaded that fortress, the FOURTEENTH taking part
in the out-post duty as usual. When the French army advanced to
relieve the blockade, the regiment was stationed at Espejo, on
the lower Azava, with advanced-posts at _Carpio_ and Marialva.
Having thrown a supply into Ciudad Rodrigo, the French Marshal
marched against the allied army, and on the morning of the 25th
of September, fourteen squadrons of the imperial guards drove
the out-posts from Carpio, across the Azava; the lancers of Berg
crossed the river in pursuit, but were charged and driven back by a
squadron of the FOURTEENTH and two squadrons of the sixteenth light
dragoons, and Carpio was again occupied by the British. Another
body of the enemy attacked the troops at El Bodon, and when the
British had withdrawn from this post, the FOURTEENTH fell back from
Carpio, and a succession of retrograde movements followed, until
the allied army took up a position behind Soita, when the French
withdrew into Spain.
In the action at Carpio, and in the subsequent movements, the
regiment had Lieutenant Hall and several private soldiers wounded;
and the conduct of its commanding officer, Lieut.-Colonel Hervey,
was commended in the public despatches; the excellent behaviour of
Captain Brotherton was also particularly mentioned.
During the winter the strength of the regiment on foreign service
was reduced two troops.
[Sidenote: 1812]
Ciudad Rodrigo was captured in January, 1812; the regiment
subsequently proceeded to Spanish Estremadura, and was stationed
near _Badajoz_ when the siege of that fortress was undertaken.
The FOURTEENTH subsequently joined that portion of the covering
army which was under Lieut.-General Sir Thomas Graham, and when
the French army under Marshal Soult advanced, the British fell
back upon Albuhera; the FOURTEENTH were employed in covering
the retrograde movement, and they skirmished with the enemy's
advanced-guard near _Villa Franca_. Badajoz having been captured
by storm during the night of the 5th of April, the French army
marching to its relief fell back.
In a few days after the capture of Badajoz, the FOURTEENTH were
engaged in an enterprise against several regiments of French
cavalry. The Regiment moved, on the night of the 10th of April,
from Villa Franca upon Usagre, and afterwards along the Road to
_Llerena_; the light brigade skirmished with the French, until
the heavy brigade turned their flank; the enemy was then charged,
overthrown, pursued, and many prisoners taken. On the following
night a party of the FOURTEENTH, under Lieutenant Edward Pellew,
took a piquet of twenty-two French dragoons prisoners. The regiment
had upwards of twenty men and several horses wounded; and the
conduct of Lieut.-Colonel Hervey was commended in Lieut.-General
Sir Stapleton Cotton's despatch.
From Estremadura, the regiment marched towards the Agueda, and it
formed the advanced guard of Sir Thomas Graham's column in the
march towards _Salamanca_, near which city it skirmished with a
body of the enemy on the 16th of June, and had one serjeant and one
trumpeter killed; four private soldiers and five horses wounded.
The enemy retired behind the Douro, and the allies followed to
the banks of that river, where the FOURTEENTH were formed in
brigade with the first German hussars, and took the out-posts at
Tordesillas. In the middle of July, Marshal Marmont commenced
offensive operations and passed the Douro at several points, when
Lord Wellington united his centre and left behind the Guarena
stream, and the FOURTEENTH and German hussars covered the retreat
from Rueda. The right wing of the allied army and a brigade of
cavalry were at Castrejon on the Trabancas, and to cover the
retrograde of this force, the FOURTEENTH and German hussars moved,
on the 17th of July, to Alaejos. On the 18th some sharp skirmishing
occurred, and the troops at Castrejon fell back behind the Guarena;
the FOURTEENTH retired from the plain near Alaejos under a heavy
fire, and took post behind the Guarena at _Castrillos_. The French
army advanced to the opposite side of the river, and General
Clausel, sent a brigade of cavalry across under Brigadier-General
Carier, supporting it with a column of infantry, and manifesting
an intention to press the British left. Major-General Victor
_Baron_ Alten led the FOURTEENTH and first German hussars against
the French cavalry, and some sharp fighting occurred, during which
General Carier was made prisoner. While the British and French
horsemen were warmly engaged, the twenty-seventh and fortieth
regiments, supported by a Portuguese brigade, came rushing down
the hill and broke the French infantry with an impetuous bayonet
charge; the FOURTEENTH and German hussars had, in the meantime,
driven back the French cavalry, and the two regiments charged
the broken infantry, and sabred some, and made others prisoners.
The regiment had eighteen men and twenty horses killed; Captain
Brotherton, Lieutenants John Gwynne, Francis Fowke, thirty-four
rank and file, and eighteen horses wounded.
The regiment was actively employed in the operations of the
succeeding three days, and occasionally skirmished between the
opposing armies.
On the 22nd of July the memorable battle of _Salamanca_ was
fought; the FOURTEENTH skirmished with the enemy's advanced posts
at day-break, and afterwards took their station in the line. By
several changes of position, the French Marshal endeavoured to
turn the right of the allied army and gain the road to Ciudad
Rodrigo; Lord Wellington detected a false movement in the opposing
army, and instantly ordering his divisions forward, commenced the
battle. The FOURTEENTH light dragoons participated with the third
division in its attack upon, and complete discomfiture of, the
enemy's left; two squadrons under Lieut.-Colonel Hervey reinforced
Brigadier-General D'Urban's Portuguese brigade, which turned the
enemy's flank, and the regiment shared in the glorious struggle by
which the French army was overthrown and driven from the field with
a severe loss.
The regiment had several men and horses killed and wounded; Captain
Brotherton, though still suffering from his wound received on the
18th of July, mounted his charger during the fight, and was again
wounded; and the gallant bearing of the regiment was afterwards
rewarded with the royal authority to display the word "SALAMANCA"
on its guidons and appointments; its commanding officer,
Lieut.-Colonel Hervey, was presented with a gold medal as a mark of
royal favour and approbation.
On the following day the regiment pursued the rear of the French
army, and two squadrons were sharply engaged and took several
prisoners near _Penerada_. On the 26th, a patrol of three dragoons
of the FOURTEENTH, and four of the German hussars, under Corporal
William Hanley of the former corps, detached to _Blasco Sancho_,
captured a party of the enemy, consisting of two officers, one
serjeant, one corporal, and twenty-seven mounted dragoons, with
one private servant and two mules, for which they received the
expressions of the approbation of the Commander of the Forces. The
French horses were given to the FOURTEENTH and German hussars, to
complete deficiencies; the amount was divided among the patrol, and
a further pecuniary donation was afterwards made to the men engaged
in this gallant exploit.
After driving the enemy across the Douro and taking possession of
Valladolid, the army marched to Madrid, and the FOURTEENTH light
dragoons passed Segovia and bivouacked near Escurial, a place
celebrated for its magnificent palace, built by Philip II. and used
as a monastery. The head quarters of the regiment were established
at Getafe, and it took the out-post duty. Lieutenant Cust commanded
a post of observation at Consingia, in La Mancha, and Lieutenant
Ward a post of communication between that station and Madrid.
When the Marquis of Wellington left Madrid to undertake the siege
of Burgos, the FOURTEENTH were left in the vicinity of the capital
of Spain; and when a concentration of the French forces rendered
a retrograde movement necessary, the regiment assembled, with
the first German hussars, at Guadalaxara, and fell back upon
Madrid. From Madrid the regiment formed part of the rear-guard of
Lieut.-General Sir Rowland Hill's corps, to Alba de Tormes, and
for several days it was almost constantly engaged in manœuvring
and skirmishing to retard the advance of the enemy. On the 16th
of November the regiment repulsed the charge of a body of French
lancers of superior numbers, at _Matilla_, and had several men
killed and wounded. Colonel Hervey again signalized himself, and
narrowly escaped being made prisoner.
In the retreat from Salamanca to Ciudad Rodrigo, the regiment took
part in the piquets and other duties of the rear-guard, which it
continued to perform until the army went into cantonments behind
the Agueda; and Captain Badcock was detached with a reconnoitring
party to the Sierra de Francia and river Alagon.
[Sidenote: 1813]
After passing the winter in cantonments among the Portuguese
peasantry, the regiment crossed the confines of that kingdom, and
formed part of the centre column of the allied army in the advance
in May 1813. Arriving at _Salamanca_ on the 26th of that month,
the bridge and streets were found barricaded, and a division of
French infantry, three squadrons of cavalry, and some artillery,
under General Villattes, were formed on the heights above the ford
of Santa Marta. A British brigade passed the river at the ford,
and the FOURTEENTH light dragoons and first German hussars removed
the barricades and pushed through the town, when the enemy fell
back, but was overtaken, and lost about two hundred men killed and
wounded, and two hundred prisoners.