The French acknowledge to have had 45,000 men engaged, and we know that
the effective British scarcely, if at all, exceeded 20,000.
⁂ Since these pages were first published, there have appeared in the
Moniteur of Sept. 28, 1809, notes on Lord Wellington’s dispatches, which
admit the disparity to have been still greater than the most sanguine
Englishman had thought--than even _we romancers_ had imagined.
They state the army which attacked Lord Wellesley, (as they call him,)
to have consisted of the 1st and 4th corps, and the reserve; and their
force they allege to have been,--the 1st corps, 36 battalions; the 4th,
30 battalions; and the reserve, 20 battalions, exclusive of the cavalry,
which was 40 squadrons. Now these 86 battalions, if complete, would have
numbered about 60,000 infantry; and even if but _half_ complete, would
have exceeded Lord Wellington’s force, (which they admit to have been
but 20,000) by 10,000 of infantry alone, or, reckoning the cavalry, by
14,000 men. But, in fact, they may be taken at 500 men to each battalion
at least, that is, in the whole, at 43,000 infantry, and about 4,000
cavalry. 1810.
It is now known, that the French force consisted of about 50,000 men.
1812.