Newspaper Complaints—Wellington’s Comments—Review of the
Portuguese—Gatherings at Head-quarters—Reviews—Recommencement of the
March—The Route.
Head-quarters, Frenada,
May 8, 1813.
MY DEAR M——,
I have first to thank you for your letter and paper of the 21st, which
was most acceptable, as it happened to be, once more, the only paper
of that date at head-quarters, and of course the only one which had
the accounts from the French papers of Bonaparte’s having left Paris,
and of the state of their armies, &c. Finding this to be the case I
hastened to read it, and laid it, with three Courts-martial, before
Lord Wellington; more particularly, among other things, pointing
out to him a malicious letter against him, from Lisbon, stating the
discontent of the cavalry officers at having their horses turned over
to the Germans, and at its being done by a German officer, &c., and
the disgrace at being sent home dismounted. He read it through, and
at every sentence of that part relating to the general state of the
cavalry, he went on, with a laugh, “a lie!”—“a lie!”—“a lie!” except as
to Lieutenant-colonel Sherlock’s being vexed at the regiment being sent
home. “That’s very true—all the rest is a lie!”
I think we are still likely to be here for some days. The pontoons are
only expected to arrive in this neighbourhood to-morrow, and I have
then heard it whispered that we shall not stir until they are on the
banks of the river, or indeed till they are fixed ready. The brigade
of heavy artillery, namely, six eighteen-pounders, were encamped
about two miles from hence on Thursday, and I went over to see them.
The difficulty of transport may be conceived when I tell you that
there were above a hundred and sixty of the strongest oxen employed
in getting these six pieces, with the appurtenances, along the road,
besides spare animals.
The next day the whole proceeded to Almeyda; this, and what I hear
about the pontoons, makes me conceive that a part of the army at
least will cross the Douro immediately, somewhere in the vicinity of
Eschalona; but of course I can only conjecture, and am very much in
the dark on the subject. The troops still remain at Lamego, Vizeu,
Cea, Coria, Maimento, &c.; the cavalry only round by Oporto, and some
of General Hill’s, have moved yet. The Hussar brigade are now all up
near us, and the Household troops all in the road on this and the other
side of Sabugal. Some of the Blues have been here; they are in fine
order. I saw some horses as fat as in England; I hear, however, a much
worse account of the Life-Guard horses. Colonel H., of the Blues, says
that he does not see why his horses should not continue to be in as
good condition as they are now, and look as well through the campaign;
the other soldiers here, however, say, “Wait for a little duty and
starvation, and then talk; you have done nothing but come up in the
best time of the year, in the grass season.”
I dined yesterday at head-quarters, to meet General Graham. He is a
very fine old man, but does not indeed look quite fit for this country
work; every one seems to think and say the same, and also that he is
broken since he was here. It is really to be regretted that such a fine
old man should be exposed as he must be. General Picton was also there,
and seemed in full vigour. All the great guns come here to pay their
respects to head-quarters. Lord Wellington is quite well again; was
out hunting on Thursday, and, being kept in by rain all yesterday, is
making up for it to-day by persisting in his expedition to the fourth
division. He was to set out at seven this morning for the review of
General Cole’s division, on a plain beyond Castel Rodrigues, about
twenty-eight miles from hence, was to be on the ground about ten,
and was to return to dinner to-day by four or five o’clock. This is
something like vigour, and yet I think he overdoes it a little; he has,
however, a notion that it is exercise which makes head-quarters more
healthy than the rest of the army generally is, and that the hounds are
one great cause of this.
_Monday, May 10th._—The weather is, since yesterday, clearing up
again, and is just now perfection—a mild sun, moist ground, and fine,
genial, south-west wind: it will soon turn now to heat. I inquire
daily about the pontoons, upon which our movement depends, and have
now ascertained that they only left Castello Branco three days since,
and that a commissariat clerk went yesterday to meet them with fresh
animals at Sabugal. They cannot be here, it is clear, before the 13th
and 14th, and so says General Picton, who passed the men on the road.
If they are then to move on to be fixed, we cannot well stir before the
16th or 17th, and that seems the general opinion here now, though Lord
Wellington appears to be impatient about it.
I have now to tell you of a piece of gaiety of mine yesterday. I went
to leave a Court-martial with Lord Wellington about twelve o’clock;
saw him, and found that he was at two o’clock to set out for another
review of the Spanish cavalry of the Conde de Penne Villemur, who have
often been mentioned, and were of use in General Hill’s surprise, &c. I
had much curiosity to see these gentlemen, and finding, after calling
upon the Adjutant-general, that I had only one summons to send out, I
agreed with Lord Aylmer to go with him to this review, ran home, wrote,
sent off my summons, dressed, &c., got my black horse equipped in his
best also, and at one we set off for Huero, near which the cavalry were
ordered to assemble, on the Agueda. It was about twelve or thirteen
miles distant, and we got there, riding gently, soon after three,
having gone about two miles round, under the guidance of Colonel B——,
close to the Quinta de Agueda, a pretty farm and gentleman’s house (so
esteemed here), in a wild, park-like scene in the wood. I knew the road
well, for it was nearly my way to Guinaldo, but I had no objection to
see this Quinta, so took merit for my modesty, but only undertook to be
guide home. The meadows were quite green, the woods all coming out in
leaf, and the thorn in blossom.
At about a mile from this place we fell in with Lord Wellington and his
aides-de-camp, who had got over, in about an hour and twenty minutes,
by my road. The party then consisted of Lord Wellington, Lord F.
Somerset, Colonel C. Campbell, the Prince of Orange, his aide-de-camp,
Lord Aylmer, Colonel B——, and myself; and I assure you the black went
neighing about in high spirits, looking very sleek and respectable. On
the ground we were met by the Spanish generals O’Donnell and O’Lalor,
and found the cavalry drawn up in front of the river in open order,
about seven hundred in all. The first and best regiment was that of
Algarve, the second was that of Estremadura, and then came on the
left a single squadron of partizans, to be the regiment de Gallicia.
The two first regiments were tolerably clothed, and some of the men
fine-looking fellows, all very fierce in appearance, with their dark
faces and black beards, &c. The arms, though not uniform, good enough;
the greater part with our cavalry broadsword and carbine, but many
with our sailors’ long straight boarding-sword, and no bad weapon
either—I should think the best of the two. The helmets—black and
steel, or rather bright iron—were serviceable, and seemed to have seen
no little service; many, however, were black and brass, belonging to
other regiments, of Saguntum, &c.; the belts generally white, at least
those of the Algarve regiment, many black in the other. The horses, in
general, very small, and some scarcely fit for duty, but for the most
part apparently well fed, and in very-fair condition; out of the two
one very tolerable set might have been chosen, as good, I understand,
as many French regiments have been when here.
The left squadron of Portuguese were queer-looking gentlemen, in
dirty brown, blue, and green jackets of all hues and ages; one fellow
among them was quite a monster in size, and excited much notice.
Lord Wellington quite burst out into a laugh as he passed. After his
lordship and his suite had passed in front and in the rear of the
whole, as in England, they passed him in troops and saluted. The
officers then appeared the worst—they were awkward louts; some did not
salute at all, some in a most clumsy manner; but perhaps this was not
a custom with them, as they had inquired what was usual with us. They
were, many of them, however, round-shouldered, dirty, ill-looking men.
Lord Wellington desired them to form once into close column, and then
to deploy again, and as there was more room across the river, desired
it might be done there. We galloped across, and then the scene of the
cavalry passing the ford was very picturesque, as the day was very fine
and the mountains and country in great beauty. This was between Huero
and Castilegos. They manœuvred thus much very tolerably, that is, the
regiment, for the squad of partizans remained behind practising the
broadsword. The ground on which the regiments were reviewed was quite a
bog.
About five o’clock off went Lord Wellington in a gallop across the
country home to dinner. We all followed close for about a league,
and then, to save our animals, not having fifteen as he has, Lord F.
Somerset, Lord Aylmer, General Oswald, and myself went quietly on, and
got here about a quarter after seven, I for one much pleased with my
trip. The Conde P. Villemur did not command, and, as I understand, has
retired in disgust altogether, because there is a commander-in-chief
appointed in the cavalry, and he wished to be appointed if there was
to be one, or at least not to have any one over him. He was always, it
is said, a person who had a will of his own, and did not like to obey
orders. These jealousies and quarrels are much to be regretted. The
officer who commanded was Monte Major. His aide-de-camp told me that
a number of their men were on duty, and that their real numbers were
above one thousand.
The review of the fourth division was, I believe, much more
satisfactory to Lord Wellington, as everything was in high
order—Portuguese and all, about six thousand five hundred; but having
so often seen a good English review, I was much more gratified with
these Spanish gentlemen. The Life-Guards, &c., are to be inspected
to-morrow.
The messenger who was sent off on the 17th to Alicant has returned
to-day, and has been round by Cadiz in his return. He makes our loss
less—only about three hundred, I hear from the official statement—and
that of the French greater: and I was very glad to hear that
Whittingham’s men had behaved well, and that General Murray was well
satisfied with them. The messenger rode from Cadiz here in three days.
We have here to-day all the grandees—Marshal Beresford, General Alava,
Don Julian, General Graham; the latter has been to the review above
sixteen miles distant, to see the Household Brigade. They mustered
eight hundred and twenty-nine rank and file in the field, that is,
Blues and Life-Guards together, and seven hundred and fifty-one horses,
and performed very well. The horses of the Blues much the best, some
of the Life-Guards’ rather skeletonish. I still fear General Graham is
too old for this work; at least he must not act as he did at Barossa.
Before the battle, I am told, he stood up to his middle in the water
for an hour or more, encouraging the troops to get on, English and
Spanish; and jumped off his horse on purpose for the example. It is
added, some of the men said, “Come, old corporal, do go and take care
of yourself, and get out of our way.”
Lord Wellington was to-day in his full Colonel’s dress uniform of the
Blues, and looked very well in it.
_Wednesday, 12th, Post-day. Head-Quarters, Frenada._—Still here,
and very probably we shall be so for some days. There are symptoms,
however, of a move soon, such as the packing of Lord Wellington’s
claret, &c. The pontoons are expected the day after to-morrow. The
twenty-four-pounders are on their march through Gallicia from Corunna.
The eighteen-pounders have passed on by Almeyda from hence. The cavalry
near the coast, whom I caught for a Court-martial at Oporto sending
every witness from Coimbra, have now in part, I understand, passed
Braga. I sent a case yesterday to Lamego, but fear it will be too
late, and must be tried on the march: there are so many little delays,
however, that I may yet be in time. The difficulties now increase.
Lord Wellington and Colonel F—— of the artillery do not agree. Lord
Wellington complains much of the heads of that department. He sent
B—— home some time since, and I now hear F—— is to go to England, and
for the present at least Lieut.-colonel D—— is to have the command.
F—— is much of a gentleman, I think; draws, it is said, very well,
&c., but has a bad memory, is nervous, and raises difficulties, which
I suspect Lord Wellington does not encourage, but expects things to
be done if possible. I am now told that General Pakenham is to act as
Adjutant-general to the army, and supersede Lord Aylmer, the deputy
Adjutant-general, but who has acted hitherto as principal. Every one
speaks most highly of Pakenham.
_Head-Quarters, Frenada, May 15th, 1813. Saturday._—The first division
of the Guards and Germans left Vizeu for Lamego three days since. The
fifth division have left Lamego, and are marching through the Tras os
Montes. The seventh division have left Maimento, I believe, on the same
route. The sixth have also left Cea.
When the French, who are still at Salamanca, Arevalo, Avila, Madrid,
&c., hear that we have thus crossed the Douro and turned their
position, they must either assemble and give battle, which I think
they will not do, or they must at once go beyond the Ebro, and then
I suppose we shall attack Burgos, and cross after them. However it
be, I expect a good long march in the outset. The army, however, on
the whole, is in good condition, and never has had so long a repose,
or been so regularly clothed. The sick are reduced to nearly seven
thousand, and will probably be never much less. A very bad report has
been made of the pontoons: they changed the oxen for horses, and these
treated them roughly. The day before yesterday so bad a report was
made of them, that yesterday, when they reached Sabugal, off went Lord
Wellington about twenty-six miles to look at them with his own eyes. I
hear he is glad to know the worst, but that is bad. They are made too
slight, were old and had new bottoms made for them, but now the sides
are very much shaken and decayed. Exaggerated reports have reached us
that the tin covering is knocked in holes, and that the wood of the
sides may be pinched out by the touch in some places. Lord Wellington
may now, however, act accordingly, knowing the worst. They will not
pass this way, it is said, but across by Galegos, a different road
from that taken by the heavy guns, the eighteen-pounders. I now think,
therefore, that the heavy guns will cross towards Lamego by the bridge,
and that the pontoons will be fixed, if at all, further north up the
river. We shall probably cross at Zamora, but cannot tell: it is said
the bridge is not destroyed there.
On Monday Lord Wellington will review the light division in our
front under General Anson—the 43rd, 52nd, 95th, and the Caçadores
Portuguese,—a very fine body of men. To-morrow he is to fix his tent
in the Praga of Frenada, and will give a dinner to Marshal Beresford,
the 16th being the anniversary of the battle of Albuera. To this I am
asked, though not a military man, and certainly not present on that
fortunate occasion. The town is so full that some encamp; and Captain
M——, who is just arrived here, sleeps and dresses in the ante-room of
the Adjutant-general’s office, where the printing-press is all day at
work, and leaves him a fine perfume of printing-ink at night, besides
the full smell from the stables below, through the open floor, which he
enjoys almost as much as I do myself here in my quarters. The numbers
at head-quarters are so increased that I fear we shall find it very
difficult to get quarters when on the march. We have now Lord William
Russell and Lord John here, the former on Lord Wellington’s staff, the
latter, I believe, as an amateur. We have also Lord March’s brother
in the dragoons, and last, but not least, I can assure you, Captain
Fitzclarence, an immense young man: he is in the Adjutant-general’s
department.
The first division from Vizeu are, it is said, to be at Braganza about
the 17th. Great part of the army will be there by the 22nd, and by the
same day the second division, under General Hill, from Coria, will be
within seven leagues of Salamanca; yet the 52nd, who to-day are at
Nava da Ver in order to attend the review of the light division at
Espeja, are to return to Guinaldo.
I have just fallen in with a dozen of the Life Guards, with their brass
helmets, &c. I think before they have lived to October they will have
a very philosophical idea of a vacuum—one pound of bony, lean beef
will occupy but a little of their long stomachs. I suspect our good
allies, the Spaniards, will think that we have sent them a regiment of
Don Quixotes, and the horses from present appearances may in a little
time make no bad Rosinantes. Five or six of these tall, six feet high
men were mounted on mules going to Almedia, to get iron; I pitied them
to-day as they were bargaining for a bit of dear cheese and some dried
chestnuts in the market. They have some spirit, however, and will not
enter the staff mounted corps, a new thing, considering it to be a sort
of police, and declaring that they would rather be police at home as
before than here, if they are to be police at all. This corps of staff
horse is to be two hundred, and to be composed of volunteers from all
regiments. Officers do not hitherto take to it, but very good-looking
men have volunteered in general; none from the hussars, I hear.
_Monday Evening, 17th._—The dinner yesterday went off famously, very
well managed in the tent, and very comfortable. Lord Wellington was
supported by Marshal Beresford and General Sir Lowry Cole on one
side, and by General Castanos and Sir T. Graham on the other; and
then all the staff of the three Generals, Wimpfen, O’Lalor, Alava,
&c., with the aides-de-camp; the Portuguese Quarter-Master-general,
and other staff, Lord Aylmer, Lord F. Somerset, Marquis of Worcester,
Lord March, and all the heads of departments. Almost all were with
stars, medals, Portuguese orders, or something distinguishing. If I
were in the American General Harrison’s army, perhaps I might get an
honourable mention, like his good friend Charles Walker, the Judge
Advocate-general, who was of such use in the corps of spies. Then
we had Mr. Joe Kelly, of the Life Guards a famous singer, whom I
recognised as having heard at Shrewsbury races, and he gave us some
good songs; and we “hip! hip! hipped!” &c., to the grandees. I was much
entertained at the etiquette observed between the Marshal and General
Castanos, who should go into the tent first: at last they went in side
by side, as other great men have before determined that knotty point.
Castanos seems very easy and good-humoured, and willing to give way,
and even to have a little fun, but he is very old. All the fashionables
were at the review this morning near Espeja, and a very fine sight it
was. Between five and six thousand of the _élite_ of ours, and of the
Portuguese troops; the line near three-quarters of a mile long, two
deep, and they marched in line near half a mile over rough and smooth,
and then changed their front three times, and at last passed in review
admirably. The German hussars, commanded by Colonel Arentsfchild,
were on the right, in excellent style, and beyond them a brigade
of artillery: the day was beautiful, and the scene upon the whole
very striking. Lord Wellington is indefatigable. He goes six leagues
to-morrow another way to Friexada, to review the English hussars, the
10th, &c. He looks, I think, a little fagged and anxious.
_Guinaldo, May 18th._—On my arrival here at eleven o’clock to attend
the Court-martial, I found the President, General Vandeleur, had
stayed with Lord Wellington to go over to the review, and had sent
an order for the Court to assemble to-morrow, the 19th, instead of
to-day, of which he had forgotten to give me any notice. If we march
on Thursday I shall be at my wit’s end, and it is so provoking to lose
a whole day thus, just at such a moment. He is so hospitable, civil,
and good-humoured, that, though very much inconvenienced, I cannot be
angry.
The fourth division march from Escuao to-day. The light will, I
suppose, move with us. The second division are now moving along the
Sierras de Francia, the mountains in sight of us here. This air must be
aguish; five of the officers and a great number of the men of the 52nd,
though such fine-looking fellows, are attacked by the ague when doing
no work, and in fine weather. At Frenada most of the sickness was among
the natives.
Lord Wellington, at the review yesterday, was on one of his new
purchases from General L. C. Stewart. He gave four hundred guineas
for the two, and for this two hundred and fifty—a gentleman who has
gained some plates in England, and has a name. It is a very pretty
animal, but is as troublesome in regard to neighing as my black.
They were answering each other all the morning. Indeed this neighing
gives quite a character to a Spanish review—it is heard more than the
trumpets. I met in my way here about twenty Spanish grenadiers, who, I
understand, were part of a treasure escort. They were very fine men,
and were well clothed. Individually they greatly surpass the Portuguese
in appearance: tall, straight, well-limbed, and with good young
countenances. As to their discipline, or how they will stand, I cannot
say; but such men can only want good officers to do anything. In the
review yesterday, besides the two regiments of Caçadores Portuguese,
there was the 17th of the line Portuguese: they really marched and went
through the evolutions very nearly as well as our own men. The men,
however, are naturally mean, shabby men in general, like the pictures
of the Queen’s family at Frogmore, which you must remember. The
officers look much better than those of the Spaniards, and seem most of
them to know more of their duty. The Spanish men, as men, independent
of discipline, are wonderfully superior to the Portuguese; and yet we
have seen, from want of that knowledge of acting in a mass, and total
mistrust of their leaders, how inferior they have hitherto been.
The Portuguese people, though they do not talk so well as the
Spaniards, or look so well, have shown much more practical spirit.
When the French passed through the Spanish towns or villages, the
alcalde went to meet them, the people remained quiet, submitted to
the exactions, and the French in general treated them tolerably well
in consequence, for they thus got food and forage. In the Portuguese
villages, on the contrary, when the French last entered Portugal,
almost every inhabitant sacrificed his house and property, and fled,
according to orders; and thus it was that the French were so plagued
and puzzled for food, and provoked to destroy the houses as they did.
_May 19th, Six o’clock, evening, Head-Quarters, Frenada._—Just returned
from Guinaldo in time for the post. My Court met at twelve. We tried
the man by one o’clock. I wrote the proceedings fair, got them signed,
and here I am, very hungry, and find that every one has dined, for Lord
Wellington began to-day to dine at three o’clock, instead of eight. We
do not march to-morrow, perhaps not till Saturday.
_Frenada, May 21st, 1813, Friday._—At last, to-morrow morning we all
break up for the march. I go, as a civil department, by the route
enclosed; I shall, therefore, see nothing of the greater part of
head-quarters for a fortnight. Dr. M’Gregor goes my way; but who else
I know not. Indeed Dr. M’Gregor wishes to go to Oporto, and perhaps I
may have the whole road nearly to myself. I am told that the road is
pleasant; at least it is new all beyond Almeida. The light division
is to march to-day. The second are not far from Tamames by this time.
Tamames is, I believe, the military head-quarters on the second day’s
march, the 23rd. The fourth division passed the Douro, I believe,
yesterday; the others have already done so, and in two or three days
the main body of the army will be at Braganza, Outeiro, and Miranda de
Duero; and the light and second divisions and head-quarters on this
side of the Douro.
Some of Hamilton’s Portuguese in the second division are so ill
supplied, that Lord Wellington has, it is said, threatened the Marshal
to send them in the rear if they be not better clothed and fed. He says
he would rather be without two or three battalions, than have them
in such a state as these are. Indeed, he seems either not quite to
trust the Portuguese, or they cannot be supplied; for he leaves a full
battalion, I hear, at Abrantes, and one or two elsewhere, saying he has
Portuguese enough in proportion. He seems in good spirits, but looks
worn and anxious. The pontoons have crossed the Douro, so now I do not
know where they are to be laid down, unless to let the second and light
divisions and head-quarters pass over, whenever necessary, or to bring
over the others, if the French should collect.
The French have hitherto always judged of the situation of the main
body of the army by that of head-quarters: they were thus twice taken
in last year. Before the siege of Badajoz, Lord Wellington had moved
away nearly the whole of the army before he stirred, and the whole of
the head-quarters were not protected against two thousand men. This
deceived the French then, and I hope will now, but they are on the
alert; at Salamanca constantly on the _qui vive_, and ready for a
run, &c. The Commissary here has already trusted a man with money to
go and collect forage, &c., at Salamanca, before the French are gone.
Everything is now alive. General Graham, I believe, commands at Miranda
de Duero, or at least will very soon. General Picton has the ague, and
is too ill to take the command of this division yet, but remains with
it. I thought him looking very well; but there is something in this
climate which does not suit the English at all, even when quiet and
living well. The natives have their annual ague fit, and seem to think
it a part of their existence: they are rather unhappy when it does not
come as usual. Lord Wellington’s cars with the heavy baggage are off.
_Frenada, May 20th, 1813._—Route for the head-quarters of the army.
The military department will move on the 22nd instant to Ciudad Rodrigo.
_The Civil Department._
May 22nd. Almeida. Depôt of provisions.
” 23rd. Pinhel.
” 24th. Cotimos.
” 25th. Villa Nova de Foscoa.
” 26th. Torre de Moncorvo. Depôt of provisions.
” 27th. Halt.
” 28th. Tornas and Lagouça.
” 29th. Villa Dalla.
” 30th. Sendim.
” 31st. Miranda de Duero. Depôt, &c.
G. MURRAY, Q. M. G.
_To the Commandant of
Head-Quarters._