Arrival at Head-quarters—Ciudad Rodrigo—The Retreat—Its
Disasters—Capture of General Paget—Personal Anecdotes—Scarcity
of Provisions—Courts-martial in the Army—Business of a
Judge-Advocate—Wellington.
Head-quarters, Rueda, Nov. 5, 1812.
MY DEAR M——,
At last I have arrived safely at head-quarters, as they have been kind
enough to come half-way to meet me. From Salamanca, we proceeded on
the first day to Alba de Tormes, a town in a fine situation on the
Tormes, with the remains of a castle of various dates, extensive and
picturesque; part of it, particularly the entrance staircase, very
richly ornamented. The whole was striking, and the vicinity of the town
was interesting, for here it was that the French so completely beat the
unhappy Spaniards, and put them to death by thousands, almost in cold
blood. We saw where General del Parques’ cavalry were posted, and the
positions of the French. On our road near Salamanca we also observed at
a distance, on the other side of the river, the hills where the battle
of Salamanca was fought; and our route lay in that of the pursuit
through Alba, then on to Peneranda, another good old town, and so,
through villages, to Arevalo, where we arrived in four days, tracing
men’s bones and bits of soldiers’ dress, as well as horse bones and
carcasses, on the route thither.
This country resembles Salisbury Plain, in open cultivation of
corn, and is covered very thick with neat villages, with a general
appearance of comfort. Arevalo is a large place in ruins. There are
many remains of fine richly-wooded brickwork, convents, churches,
many good houses, and the town standing very finely on a hill, nearly
surrounded by the river, which runs in a deep hollow round it, with
four or five substantial and rather picturesque bridges. Our route was
by Valladolid, where we should have been in three days, and which I
regret much not to have seen, for I hear it is second only to Madrid,
and very little damaged. Had I proceeded on the route I should have
reached Valladolid the day before the French entered it. Hearing that
the army was rapidly retiring, the road became unsafe. No one knew
where head-quarters were to be; the treasure, and my mules with it,
were consequently halted, and instructions were written for. For four
days we remained at Arevalo. The treasure party were then ordered to
Olmedo to deliver their cargo, and head-quarters were here at Rueda.
I proceeded with them to Olmedo, rather a handsome and a large town,
where I was housed in the good quarters which had been occupied by the
Prince of Orange. When I arrived here, my beasts were kept standing
loaded in the streets, and all of us without anything to eat until
past six, before I could get a quarter. The people were civil, but
I had to go to the Quarter-Master-general, Adjutant-general, to the
billet-manager, to the Military Secretary, &c. One said, “go here;”
another, “go there;” a third sent a serjeant to inquire, and then
thought no more about it.
At last I procured an indifferent quarter vacated by a Commissary, only
a shed, and holes through the floor into the cellar below. My animals,
therefore, stood all night in the entrance of the passage.
This morning, 5th, I heard of a Spanish aide-de-camp of Castanos’, who
is here, and who had three small stables close to me. I found him in
bed at nine o’clock, but he could speak French, and I persuaded him
to give me one of the stables for my four animals. Thus we are better
off to-day, and, as a favour, I have got them something to eat. I was
introduced to Lord Wellington this morning, and delivered my letters.
He was very courteous. We conversed for half an hour, and I am to dine
with him at six to-day, in full uniform. He is to send me fifty cases
against officers, to examine, in order to ascertain whether any can
be made out on evidence, which is the great difficulty. There is a
caricature here of Johnny Newcome, who makes it out till sent to the
rear rolled up in a blanket in an ox-car, creeping on at the rate of
two miles an hour to Lisbon. We are in hourly expectation of moving.
The bridges are repaired, and the French within three leagues, and able
to cross if they choose. General Hill is expected here to-day. His
forces are at Arevalo. Soult is in Madrid; whether they push on further
is to be seen.
Few reinforcements have arrived; eighteen thousand Spaniards (such
as they are) are with us. The lower classes of the people are a very
fine race in person, talents, and feelings, and vastly superior to the
Portuguese. It is very provoking that rank and prejudice render this
of no avail. The inhabitants of the town seem half French. About six
hundred French crossed over to us last night, but retired again. The
cavalry were off in the middle of the night from head-quarters. I was
alarmed for a moment, but all seems quiet this morning. The last five
days have been very fine; cold dewy mornings, but clear sunny days,
damp cold evenings, but for the time of the year here very fine. There
are very queer-looking military figures here, some English, a few
Portuguese, many more Spanish. The whole scene presents an odd medley.
_Ciudad Rodrigo, November 19, 1812._—To continue my diary from Rueda.
Two days afterwards, the 7th, an order to march at four in the morning
came, as soon as Hill’s army was within reach. I then first saw what
it was to put seventy thousand men in motion, about ten thousand
public, and a greater number of private mules, horses, &c. At five we
started, and about two that day I reached head-quarters. Torricello
by four o’clock. At five next morning started again for Petueja. Here
the head-quarters had only thirty houses for one hundred and fifty
officers. Lord Wellington and the Prince of Orange had only one room
each. I was ordered a league in advance, where I found Castanos, who
had come in for better quarters. He sent me on another half-league, but
when a mile on the road he passed me, as he had heard that the next
was the best quarter. So I returned, and at three o’clock got a little
hole and a stable. About five came in about three thousand Spanish
troops. Half my house was down in a moment for firing, and nearly all
the owner’s property, pans, dishes, straw, &c., stolen. I secured mine,
which was attacked, by swallowing a mouthful and packing up and keeping
guard. The remainder of the house was also saved; and, by the help of
a Spanish officer, who took a fancy to the kitchen fire, the house
was cleared with fist and foot. My animals were not safe, as my man
heard one soldier say he would have one before morning. I saved them
by putting them in a row in the passage close to me, where they stood
for the night. Fires all round us; noises of all kinds; people breaking
in. There were only about six civilians, English, in the village. At
five next day off again, and at daylight joined the general train on
the road to Salamanca. It was easily found, for it extended five or six
miles.
The day before we again started three cases were laid before me on
which to draw charges. Upon these I was to report to Lord Wellington
next day. I drew them up, but he was too busy to receive them. When I
went home and sent for a paper, the answer was, “All packed up;” and
it seemed that I ought to be so too, as our position was turned, and
we were all ordered to be loaded and ready to start. After much hurry,
I was ready soon after twelve. My beasts stood loaded at the door till
seven in the evening; then came orders to unload, but to be loaded by
four next morning, and to start for a hill a league off, and there wait
for orders. There was only one long bridge to pass the whole army, and
it was near seven before we were all over.
It rained hard. We stood on the hill loaded and waiting for orders
till one o’clock. Nearly the whole of our army was in sight round
us, cooking their dinners in the rain, in their new position. The
French were all around, about a league off, their fires visible in
the woods, and the heads of their columns visible with a glass. They
would not attack us, as they might, but manœuvred to turn our right
wing. Had there been a battle we should have had a fine view of the
beginning at least. At one o’clock we saw our whole army break up and
put itself in motion; and orders came to us to march and keep with the
second column. This we did, marching in the rain, in a fine confusion,
till five o’clock, when Lord Wellington halted at a miserable place
for head-quarters, and the men bivouacked on the swampy ground. I
was ordered on a league further. Darkness soon came on, and the rain
descended in torrents. Misdirected by some Spanish muleteers, I lost my
way, and did not reach any village for three leagues, and not till nine
at night, wet and starved, as the Salamanca people, in our confusion,
stole my bread, &c.
I was the only English officer there, and got the best quarter at the
parish priest’s, the best house there. Here I procured a loaf of bread,
fire, and a bed, which were no small comforts. I got, however, but
little sleep, not knowing how to proceed next day, and being aware
that the French were close at hand. By my map I found that I was in the
nearest road to Ciudad Rodrigo, and, taking a retreat to be the object,
I determined to wait till eight or nine o’clock next day, and observe
whether any one passed. By that time half the army was on the road
through the village, and Sir Edward Paget took my quarter for the last
night’s rest he had before he was taken prisoner. I then had a short
march in the rain again this day to Aldea Quella and to Boleado. In two
hours’ time I got a quarter through Colonel Campbell’s influence; and
because the stables would not hold a large horse, all the mules, half
the servants, all the soldiers, and most of the officers, were out in
the wet. Three Spanish officers burst into my quarters at night, and
the people were hammering at the door every moment for straw, shelter,
&c., sick and all sorts. In spite of my vigilance, either the Spanish
officers or the people of the house stole my pistols out of my room,
and finished by purloining the bread and rum of my men. Honesty is not
a Spanish virtue. We all of us lose things daily. At two next day we
loaded, and at three started for this place, twenty miles, four hours
before daylight. Luckily we had some moon. I stuck to Lord Wellington’s
carriage and baggage, thinking the people in charge of them would be
best informed, though my own inquiries elicited other intelligence than
theirs.
I was told the rivers that way were not passable, and we found the
whole road almost under water for miles, ankle, and even knee deep,
and three rivers to pass. Many mules were upset or stuck fast, and
much baggage damaged or lost. I had only one load overset, and that
at the edge, and we saved all, and not much damage done. By daylight
there was a general halt; no one knew the ford or the road. At last we
passed the river a mile above; but then, finding the French had been
in the village three miles off the last night, we all turned off by a
by-road six miles round, and at last arrived here at Ciudad Rodrigo,
miserably cold, with animals knocked up, sore backs, &c., about two
o’clock. In the confusion here, at last I got a bad quarter in the same
house with Colonel Gordon, Lord Wellington’s aide-de-camp. But I have
a place for my animals, and hundreds have no room for animals, or even
for themselves. We halt to-day, whether for a longer time I know not.
The army is mostly passing the river to-day. We lost many men in the
retreat, but a very little money is missing. The sick are numerous.
Two officers have died of fatigue on the road, in which dead mules are
to be met with in plenty, and some men. To-day we are relating our
adventures. We get but little barley for our horses, no hay or straw.
The cavalry have been without it for some days; but this is considered
a very orderly retreat. Sir Edward Paget accidentally fell into the
enemy’s hands near his own division, within six hundred yards of it,
between that and another. The French are said to have ninety thousand
men, with nine thousand cavalry. They pressed hard until yesterday;
they then relaxed when they might have done us most mischief. The
roads and weather, I suppose, and the want of food and forage, impeded
them. I hope they will now leave us quiet. I am very sorry for Sir
Edward Paget on the public account and on my own, as I found him most
friendly, civil, and good-natured. This capture is also a triumph to
the French.
_Malliarda de Sorda, November 26th, 1812._—We are now in our winter
quarters, and fill all the villages and places for twenty miles round
on the Portugal side of Ciudad Rodrigo, the works of which are still
quite out of repair where our trenches were made, as the Spanish new
work has all fallen in. Wellington’s head-quarters are at Frenada, an
old station; the doctors are all at Castello Bom; and the other civil
departments, in which I am included, all at this place, Malliarda
de Sorda. We are distant four miles of most infamous rocky road from
Frenada, and eight from Castello Bom. This I fear must shut me off from
nearly all society, as it would be paying most dear for a dinner at
Frenada or Castello Bom, to return in the dark, along roads compared
with which those of Ireland or Cornwall are bowling-greens. We are in
three wretched villages, in a country like Dartmoor, but more wood
near, all rocks around, and stone-wall enclosures, and rocky roads;
then woods, with open wastes for twenty miles round. I have a room
opening to the street, without ceiling, only open loose pantiles, with
holes to let out the smoke of a fireplace without a chimney; a window
tinned up by last year’s occupier, except four small panes, two of
which are broken; there is a hole in the floor to look through at my
five animals and three servants, who all sleep on the straw below me.
The weather for the last three days has been a complete English
December, cutting easterly winds; and on the 23rd I will vouch for
ice three-quarters of an inch thick. All the Sierras are white with
snow. I found Lord Wellington’s secretaries sitting with candles at
twelve o’clock in the day, in order to stop their holes and windows
with curtains, and burning charcoal fires. We have had every variety
of weather here in six weeks: I never remember it colder in England
for the time of the year. Here are no books, no women but ladies of a
certain description; and as to living, you would be surprised what good
living is here, except at Lord Wellington’s table, and about two more,
and even at those no port wine, only thin claret, and the country wines
and brandy.
At Ciudad Rodrigo there was starvation: no corn, no hay, no straw,
no bread, no rum, for three days, only beef and biscuit; at last we
got some mouldy biscuit for the animals, which I mixed with carrot,
cabbage, and potatoes; everything was devoured. Tea, 22_s._ and 25_s._
a pound; butter, 4_s._; bread, 1_s._ 6_d._ a pound, above 6_s._ the
loaf; no wine or brandy; gin, 12_s._ the bottle; straw, a dollar for a
small bundle, and all sold in a scramble. The truth was, the troops,
poor fellows! came through the town quite starving; during the retreat
supplies had been mismanaged—regiments were three and four days without
rations, and numbers died of absolute starvation, besides the sick.
Lord Wellington is, I hear, very angry. Till I saw B—’s mess, &c., I
had no notion of the loss in this retreat, and the great suffering
of the men and horses. From what I hear, not merely were about one
thousand made prisoners, but five or six thousand put for some time
_hors de combat_, by sickness, starvation, and want of horses, &c. The
cavalry were too weak to act, mainly from want of food. A great many
animals were killed. A treasure-party had a narrow escape: the French
were in sight while they were loading, and much baggage was lost. Lord
Dalhousie lost almost all; five horses and thirteen loaded mules,
with his name at full length upon his baggage—another French triumph!
Colonel Delancey lost three horses, taken at Salamanca; and the men
suffered shockingly from the wet. The whole was so unlucky; as had the
three days’ rain begun at Salamanca, in all probability the French
would not have crossed the Tormes and turned our position, and we might
still have been there; and had they come three days later, we should
have saved our three or four thousand sick. We should, moreover, have
had good roads and dry nights, no floods and torrents to wade through
by day, nor swamps to sleep on by night; in fact, we should only have
lost drunken stragglers. The distress at Madrid, after all the joy and
gaiety, was dreadful. When we left the town sixty thousand poor were
contending for the remains of our stores—the worst objects had the
preference given them. King Joseph’s Palace was left by him entirely
furnished; and as Lord Wellington made a point that he should find it
again the same, nothing was touched by our army.
_The 26th._—To-day is a cheerful, frosty, Christmas-day, and within an
English farm-house the whole would do very well: but I go, like others,
to bed at seven o’clock, to keep myself warm. General Castanos and his
troops are gone back to Gallicia, which is one grievance removed at
least. Ballasteros is in disgrace at Ceuta, for disobedience. I fear,
upon the whole, the Spanish cause has suffered much by our advance to
Madrid and Burgos. The people find we cannot support them, and will be
very shy in future; and the misery of the peasantry and townspeople
all the time is extreme. There are few deceptions in England like that
about the life in Spain.
_Frenada, Head-Quarters, December 8th, 1812._—I will now tell you
one day’s adventure and how I came here. Two days after writing from
Malliarda de Sorda, where I was lonely and heard nothing, I determined
to walk over to see how things went on here, and put my papers into my
pocket in case I should be able to see Lord Wellington. On my arrival
I met the Quarter-Master who managed quarters: he told me he had kept
a miserable hole for me, if I chose to move; it was much worse than
even my old one, but I instantly said “YES.” The next person I met was
Lord Wellington, and I asked him when he wished to see me, and whether
he had any objection to my moving here? He said I might take my choice
and take the best of the bad. He then asked whether I had my papers
about me? I said, “All.” “Come up,” said he then; and in ten minutes he
looked over my papers, which consisted of four sets of charges against
officers. These were all settled with a few judicious alterations, in
which I entirely agreed. I then came out and wrote them fair in the
Adjutant-general’s office, and two were sent off to Lisbon that day.
On my way home I found a Portuguese half drunk, killing his wife.
He had bruised her, and laid her head open with a large stone; this
occurred on the open road. As I was not in full strength from the
effects of a recent accident, I could only gently interfere, and the
brute persisted in his cruelty. A servant then came by on horseback who
struck him with a good stout stick; but the fellow turned on him, and
hit him with a great stone on the head. Thereupon two dragoons, who saw
the whole affair, came up, and were going to cut the Portuguese down,
when I begged them only to use the backs of their sabres, which they
did sharply, and brought him into the village.
I have dined again with Lord Wellington, and at Castello Bom with Dr.
Macgregor, whence I walked home with Colonel Colin Campbell at ten at
night with a lantern, over rocks and streams. I have also seen Lord
Wellington again, twice, about charges; but I understand I am not to
go over to some Courts-martial which he has just fixed to take place
in ten days, at two divisions, about forty miles from hence, but to
stay here. He is shortly, as general report says, going to Cadiz
or somewhere. At Lord Wellington’s we had a curious conversation,
about himself, Canning and his speeches, and Vetus’s letters in the
_Times_.[1] He joined in and indeed led the conversation, as if talking
of persons and things he was not connected with, but seemed not
satisfied with the Ministry, though he did not favour the opposition.
He said he took in the _Courier_ to know what government meant to do,
&c., and as a decent paper to show General Castanos.
It has not lately been very cold; indeed, we had four or five charming
days, but the rain has now begun again; but want of all books and
society is the worst. The little conversation here beyond the topics of
the day is of a review a year old, or a pamphlet. The dress here is a
cap made of velvet, cloth, and fur, with a peak over the eyes (that is
a foraging cap); the handsomest are all of fur, dark or grey fur, the
former the best, with a broad gold band and tassel on the top. With
this is worn a dress great coat, or plain, with military buttons, grey
pantaloons; this is the costume for dinners. Morning dress—overalls,
boots, and white or more generally fancy waistcoats; in winter blue
and black velvet, or cloth, with fancy buttons of gold, and narrow
stripes of gold as an edging. There are four suttlers here, who sell
everything, and we are, all things considered, well supplied. We have
one little Exeter-Change shop, but all very dear; pepper and mustard
dear, a small sauce bottle 7_s._, tea three dollars a pound, cheese
4_s._ a pound, porter 5_s._ a bottle, gin and brandy 7_s._ 6_d._,
port wine 6_s._ 6_d._, milk 1_s._ a quart, salt-butter 3_s._ a pound,
sugar 1_s._ 8_d._, pork (no other meat) 1_s._ 8_d._ a pound, oil 5_s._
a quart. These are the prices here at _head-quarters_. Remember that
distinction; not the national prices.
_Head-Quarters, Frenada, December 31st, 1812._—For the last month I
have really been too busy to write. During the last week, before Lord
Wellington went away, he kept me hard at work, and left directions
to endeavour to get rid of all the cases pending for Courts-martial.
About thirty-two cases were made over to me, some of nearly two years’
standing. We have now a Court sitting at Lisbon, one in the second
division at Coria, one in the seventh at Govea, and another here which
I attend myself four miles off at Fuentes d’Onore. I have sent six to
Lisbon, five to the seventh division, five to the second, and intended
taking seven myself to Fuentes d’Onore; the rest have in some way been
arranged. Hitherto we have made little progress from the sickness,
which keeps back witnesses. I have only myself tried one, and hope to
finish to-morrow. One charge is of that of a mad Commissary, whose
trial was put off last week, on account of his being raving. He wrote
to the Adjutant-general a mad letter, amongst other things telling him
that he had ten thousand men, that he might drive all head-quarters to
“Nebuchadnezzar’s fiery furnace, where,” he added, “Lord Wellington and
you may sit at the head of the table.” I served him myself with his
notice of trial; he appeared very wild, and I have great doubts how he
will behave.
I have had long instructions to write to the three other
Judge-Advocates and summonses for witnesses to send to every regiment
and to the Commandants about here, and that over and over again. As
fast as one prisoner or witness got well, another became sick, and
half the cases are now pending in this way. Then comes a long case to
abstract for Lord Wellington; then an opinion for the Adjutant-general
by return of post. For these three weeks I have been writing nearly
seven hours a day, circulating copies of the charges to prisoners, to
the Courts, and to the prosecutors, and much of my labour is thrown
away by the sickness of the prisoners and witnesses. I have nine here
in the Provost’s hands for trial, and five are in the hospital—one
just dead. There is one comfort, the reflection that such a press of
business is never likely to recur. The _Gazette_ and newspapers you
sent me afforded me considerable amusement and comfort. Since Lord
Wellington has been absent, Colonel Colin Campbell remains to do the
honours and invite at the great house. I spent Christmas-day there, and
have dined several times. Besides a good dinner and the best society, I
there hear the latest news and get honour. The party is now very small.
After ten days of horrible damp, cold, rainy weather, we have now a
thoroughly good genuine English frost, with an east wind, quite like an
old friend in England; but the sun has some power, so that it is like
our frosts in February rather than Christmas. We see here very few of
the officers. Just before Lord Wellington went he was angry at all the
applications for leave of absence, observing, “A pretty army I have
here! They all want to go home: but no more shall go except the sick.”
As the sick are now fast recovering, I may mention what I did not like
to do a month ago, that the returns of the sick were then between
nineteen and twenty thousand! You would have no idea of this. I have
dined here with Major and Mrs. Scobell, the only lady here. I have also
dined with Lord Aylmer, the acting Adjutant-general here, who is very
civil. The Commissary, Mr. H——, keeps a good table, and often asks me.
Dr. H—— is our doctor now at head-quarters—a sensible man. Lord March
has lent me two volumes of Goldsmith’s works.
Castanos’ army went back in an orderly manner. Our Commissary reports
well of them, and of the country, where, he says (that is, in the Tras
os Montes), there is an abundance of bread, poultry, turkeys, &c.,
and of many things we have no notion of here. They have procured two
turkeys at head-quarters this Christmas, and have had mince-meat in
tins by the post from Lisbon.
We send to the woods for firing, and bring it home on the mules, and
send out from four to six leagues, that is, from sixteen to twenty-four
miles, for hay or straw. Ten pounds of straw a-day is the allowance for
the animals, but I fear it will not hold out, as the villages are now
nearly all emptied. We shall soon have to get little bundles of dry
grass, which are already brought to our splendid market for sale. The
Lamego wine is the only wine which I can drink with comfort,—it is a
sort of port. The Sierra di Francia is the next best,—a much lighter
wine, from the Sierras towards Madrid, from hence between thirty and
forty miles off.
Lord Wellington, whom I saw every day for the last three or four days
before he went, I like much in business affairs. He is very ready, and
decisive, and civil, though some complain a little of him at times,
and are much afraid of him. Going up with my charges and papers for
instructions, I feel something like a boy going to school. I expect to
have a long report to make on his return.
I hear a good account of Ballasteros’s army: that it is better
equipped than that of Castanos’. I wish it had done more. The French
are supposed still to have about a hundred and eighty thousand men
in the Peninsula. I do not believe their force in this neighbourhood
has increased or diminished. Some have receded to Vittoria, but have
been traced by the spies (of whom we have one constantly at Burgos) no
further, nor have many supplies of men to any amount been discovered, I
believe. We have some difficulty in getting fed; bread in the markets
is about 9_d._ a pound; barley for the horses very scarce: we often go
without for two days. A commissary-agent is now in Salamanca buying
bread. The villages between Rodrigo and Salamanca, described in my
journey, are, it is said, quite destroyed. We did much, the French the
rest. Pork is the only thing abundant, about 1_s._ 6_d._ per pound,
very rich but too fat, and the fat not firm; the flesh sweeter and
richer than that of our pork, from the acorns on which the swine feed,
and which are like chestnuts.
I was a little nervous at the first Court-martial, but it went off
pretty well, and I got the whole over and brought away eight sides of
notes in three hours. To-morrow I take my fair copy to be signed, &c.
In my way to this Court-martial, Henry and I were puzzled by a river
which seemed to be over our necks,—a deep hole off a rock. At last I
made out a way zigzag, only about three feet deep; there was no one
near or on either side; I should have had a swim, I am told, as people
are sometimes drowned there. A ducking the first time of my appearance
in public would have been awkward.
Two cases have just been brought in to me; they are for shooting
natives, one an alcalde. Adieu.
FOOTNOTES:
[1] It was generally supposed that these celebrated letters, often
compared to those of Junius, were written by Lord Wellesley.