Movements of the Army—Wellington on the Portuguese—His Personal
Habits—St. Sebastian—The Siege—Miseries of War—Wounded Officers—The
Prince of Orange—Vestiges of the Retreat—English Papers—False Accounts
of the Campaign—Incidents of the War.
Head-quarters, Lezaca,
July 21, 1813.
MY DEAR M——,
Here we are still, deluged with rain almost incessantly, accompanied at
times with violent storms of wind, hail, and thunder. This is terrible
for the troops in camp, and for every one more or less, and indeed for
everything except the Indian corn, which thrives here most luxuriantly
in consequence of this perpetual wet. I took a ride (the 19th) up to
the hill above the seventh division as I intended; it was a league
and a half, the latter part very steep. The French were in sight all
along the hills on the other side of Bera, all around one ridge, but
quite quiet. When at the summit I saw the sea-coast around Bayonne
(though not the town itself), and the low country in France, for
probably thirty miles inland, with the enclosed fields and villages.
It was a very fine prospect; I was only sorry to see that the French
had apparently so much more productive a country immediately in their
rear than we had. They must now, however, be supplied at the expense of
old France. We are but ill off here for everything just now, until our
supplies come regularly to this coast.
Passages is to be the depôt and landing-place, I hear, for our
infantry, and Bilboa for cavalry. Major-general Lord Aylmer is to-day
setting off to take a command at Passages; he expects nearly four
thousand men there very soon. We still hear the battering guns of St.
Sebastian continually roaring at a distance; I fear we may lose many
men in this siege. Good luck, however, may do something for us, and
the French seem everywhere dispirited; sickness, at present, if this
weather lasts, will be our most destructive foe.
Suchet, I hear, left a garrison at Murviedro, when he crossed the Ebro.
They seem to have intended to give us some tough work until they were
ready to return; I hope here, at least, that will not be so easy. Both
sides are now strongly posted, and the assailant must have the worst of
it. Soult is said to have refused to take the command of the army here
unless the pay of the troops was more regular. Talking of this, Lord
Wellington paid the highest compliment to Bonaparte, by saying, that if
he came himself, he should, as he always did, reckon his presence equal
to a reinforcement of forty thousand men, for that it would give a turn
to everything.
Lord Wellington, talking of the Portuguese, said that it was
extraordinary just now, to observe their conduct; that no troops could
behave better; that they never had now a notion of turning; and that
nothing could equal their forwardness now, and willing, ready tempers.
I am sorry to say that some of our foreign corps do not go on as well.
Of the Brunswick corps, ten went off from picquet two nights since to
the French, and fourteen from the camp, and others have gone off also;
and some have been surprised, so that I believe they are ordered to be
sent more to the rear, and cannot be trusted. I do not wonder at it, as
Government have taken men from the French prisons, who were only taken
last year, and who, no doubt, only enlisted on purpose to desert the
first opportunity.
_Lezaca, July 22nd._—To-day Lord Wellington celebrates the battle of
Salamanca by a great dinner. His victories and successes will soon ruin
him in wine and eating, and if he goes on as he has, he had better keep
open house at once every day, and his calendar of feasts will be as
full as the Romish one with red letter days. This morning the guns have
been thundering salvoes.
I think the breach at St. Sebastian must be ready soon. I only hope
that we shall not lose many of our fine fellows. Pamplona is invested
more closely—that is all that is attempted. Two sallies have been
repulsed; there are about fifteen thousand Spaniards there. I was sorry
to hear that bread was, very lately, in the town at the same price as
when we were first there, and that a low Spanish price; this does not
look much like starving the garrison out. For a regular siege we have
no means, and the place is formidable from the very circumstance that
makes it look otherwise—the citadel is all flat, there is nothing to
fire at, and no ground to approach it by. The scenery all about this
lower Pyrenees and coast, is like the north coast of Devonshire and
Somersetshire, a little enlarged as you get inland, and so increasing
in size, but the same character remaining for a considerable extent,
only that the valleys become deeper, and the hills higher. There is
nothing, however, so striking here as the passage of the Ebro, and the
valley near where we crossed it.
Major D—— has still got his prize here taken on the field of battle,
namely, a Spanish girl, a pony, the wardrobe, monkey, &c., the property
of one of King Joseph’s aides-de-camp. I am still kept at work. We
yesterday tried two men for plundering Lord Aylmer’s tent in the night
whilst he slept.
Out of 500,000_l._ sterling, the supposed plunder at Vittoria, only
about 30,000_l._ has found its way to the treasury, or military chest.
Lord Wellington seems to think the best of Mina, Longa, and the
Empecinado; amongst the Spaniards there is much to be done yet, to
make them like our vagabonds or the Portuguese, in regard to fighting;
for plundering and the “_savoir vivre_” here without money or rations,
they beat us both already; we cannot improve them.
Castanos, the other day at dinner, asked Lord Wellington how Madame
Gazan had been treated, as she was accustomed to have a considerable
number of lovers? Lord Wellington looked rather drolly at me, and said,
she had been treated, he believed, very properly and respectfully.
Castanos said, “_Elle en serait bien fachée_.”
Last week some of the light division had rations of wheat in the
grain instead of bread. One fellow, who was sulky, said, he supposed
he should have “long forage” next, that is, straw. Another more good
humouredly said, he was as strong as a horse now since yesterday?
How so? “Why, they have given me a good feed of corn you see, so how
could it be otherwise.” We had one very ingenious device by two of our
fellows last week; they were employed to take care of two thousand
dollars prize, for the benefit of the regiment, and to carry it on a
mule or ass given to them for that purpose. General Cole passed this
donkey on a bridge, and being irritated from the obstruction caused by
the baggage, &c., swore he would upset the whole over the bridge if
they were not off. When he had passed, one said, “That will just do,
let’s divide the money, and say the General upset it in the river.”
This was done, and the report made; something, however, was overheard,
and this led to an inquiry, when one of them admitted that this was the
case, and that a serjeant shared and proposed the plan. I said that
they could only be flogged for this. Lord Wellington therefore said
they might as well be tried in their regiment, for three hundred lashes
was as good as a thousand, and that to publish these things was only to
put similar ideas into other people’s heads.
_Lezaca, Head-Quarters, July 23rd._—Lord Wellington and all his party
went off at eight this morning for St. Sebastian to see how things are
going on. He intends returning to dinner, a late one, though they all
have fresh horses on the road. It is feared that his hints have not
been attended to, and that the breach has been made too soon before
all other things were ready, so that the place of danger is discovered
to the enemy in time, perhaps, to enable the French, who are ever
quick and ready on these occasions, to let in some sea, and make a wet
ditch behind, or to throw up new works, &c. The breach may thus, as
at Badajoz, become the worst place of the whole to attack. It is to
be hoped that this is only a false alarm; but things do not appear to
go on well, unless Lord Wellington or General Murray are on the spot.
Lord Wellington is not so easily roused from his bed as he used to be.
This is the only change in him; and it is said that he has been in
part encouraged to this by having such confidence in General Murray. I
understand he was always naturally fond of his pillow. He had rather
ride like an express for ten or fifteen leagues, than be early and take
time to his work. Upon the whole this may fatigue him less, as being a
less time on horseback.
_Head-Quarters, Lezaca, July 25th, 1813._—We have now been some time
stationary in these mountains, and I am at work again, and have little
time, and less to write about. We have been in hourly and nervous
expectation of news of the storming of St. Sebastian. It was first to
have taken place the day before yesterday, but we were not quite ready;
then at five yesterday morning; but either from our shells firing a
house near the breach, and the French encouraging the flames to spread,
or from their originally setting fire to that part of the town, there
was such a considerable fire all around the breach, that it was thought
too hot to attempt the storming. It was then, by Lord Wellington’s
order, I believe, fixed for this morning, and he has been as usual very
anxious about the event.
He was very fidgety yesterday, when I went to him about two poor
fellows who are to be hung for robbing Lord Aylmer’s tent; and to-day
he came out to the churchyard, where we were listening, about eight
o’clock, to judge from the noise of the guns whether our batteries had
ceased, and what the firing was. He has been once over himself, but
appeared to wish to leave it to Graham, and not directly to interfere.
At eleven this morning, however, Colonel Burgh came over with an
account of our attempt having failed; that our party (consisting of
English, too, and I believe of the 9th and 38th) went up to the breach,
then turned, and ran away. This will terribly discourage our men who
have to go next, and encourage the enemy. Lord Wellington has ordered
his horse, and is going over immediately.
Nothing can be done, however, before the evening or to-morrow morning,
as the attack must take place within two hours before or after low
water, in order to pass the sands for the breach. I am told the latter
is wide and easy, and we cannot tell what possessed our men on this
occasion. The object, St. Sebastian, is most important for the army;
first, to enable us to keep our ground here, as an _appui_ to the left
flank, and secondly, as a safe place for stores, sick and wounded,
where, in case of retreat, they may be all left to be brought off at
leisure by sea, and also as a refuge for Guerillas, &c. A few things
are now beginning to be brought to us in these wild inhospitable
regions, but still they are sent from Lisbon by land, with the six
weeks’ carriage on a mule to pay for. If some one would speculate to
Passages direct, it would fully answer, for Irish butter is 4_s._ 6_d._
a pound; sugar, 4_s._; ham, 3_s._; tea, 20_s._, the same as that sold
at Lisbon for 8_s._: and so on.
To-day I am going about three miles up the Bidassoa river to a posada,
in which the artillery of Colonel Ross’s troops are quartered, to dine
with them. Part of the way to their present quarters from St. Estevan
they had to cut their road with spades and pickaxes for the guns; but
there they now are safe.
I am sorry to say several of our men (English) desert as well as the
foreigners. I have just heard that the cause of their failure at
St. Sebastian this morning was partly the same as that of Badajoz
formerly—a deep ditch behind the breach, and nothing to fill it up
with, if indeed that were possible; but it is said to have been very
deep. Our men looked, came back, got for shelter under the wall, and
were then ordered back, and they ran a little. This is a much better
account of the business. The attack was also too soon, so that the
tide prevented one attack from being attempted, and it is feared that
our artillery even fired from that cause on the attackers. The French
certainly understand sieges better, I think, than we do.
_Head-Quarters, Berrio Planca, in front of Pamplona, half a league,
July 31st, 1813._—To my great surprise, here I am again, and now tell
you how and why.
_Head-Quarters, again at Lezaca, near Bera, in the Mountains, August
3rd, 1813._—I had just taken up this paper, and headed it as above, to
begin my history, when a turn of good fortune, arising from the courage
of our army from the superior manœuvres of our General, have in eight
days brought head-quarters back to our old place, whence the first
sheet of this letter was dated. I have been too much occupied in this
interval almost to sit down, much more to write; but I will endeavour
to detail the important events I have witnessed in them in the best
order my recollection will permit.
On the 25th July I went over to dine with the artillery. About seven
I mounted to return home, Colonel Ross, Captains Jenkinson and Belson
riding with me. On our way we met a messenger. I asked him to whom he
was going? He said to Colonel Ross. The Colonel was thereupon called
back. It turned out to be an order to march that night, and rather
to the rear. There had been a distant firing all day, on the right
wing near Maya. Lord Wellington was over at St. Sebastian. Belson was
sent to General Alten with orders by Colonel Ross. Jenkinson galloped
back to order the troops to get ready. Colonel Ross begged me to tell
General Murray he would endeavour to reach Sambillo that night; and
giving a receipt for the letter, was off. On my return I found Lord
Wellington still absent, and reports flying about, but no orders. I
soon found, however, that matters were not going on well, and ordered
everything to be ready for the march next morning. Lord Wellington
returned to dinner at eight, and found the following account of matters
on our right just arrived to greet him on his return from the failure
of St. Sebastian.
The French had collected a force both at the pass of Roncesvalles
against General Cole, and at the pass of Maya against General Hill. In
the morning of the 25th they pushed a strong reconnoissance against
General Stewart, commanding Hills advance brigade near Maya, made a
show, but gave way again. This report we had heard, and thought all
was over. About three, however, the French advanced against Cole and
Hill. About twenty-two thousand against Cole’s force, about sixteen
thousand against General Stewart’s brigade; the force of the latter are
scattered on the hills round the pass. The French came up in one close
body, and gradually ascended the hill. Our people fired on them the
whole time, and the destruction was very considerable. Still, however,
they gained ground. Twice were they charged by a single regiment of
ours, and the head of the column gave a little, but the press of
numbers urged them on, and as our force was only about three thousand
men, and that acting only by small bodies of regiments or companies,
the French drove all before them after a most gallant but fatal
resistance, before a sufficient reinforcement could be brought up. Four
Portuguese guns were abandoned. Our loss in killed and wounded you
will see in the “_Gazette_.” It is said to be twelve hundred British,
almost all in three or four regiments—principally the 50th, 92nd,
74th, and 28th. In the 92nd, I am told, there was no officer except
the Quarter-Master in a state to march off the men at parade. Colonel
Belson (28th) had only four officers left besides himself on duty, as
he had been thinned at Vittoria. To add to this disaster, General Cole
thought he was not justified in opposing the superior force against
him, and gave way in the pass of Roncesvalles. This left an opening for
the enemy to get in the rear of General Hill in the valley of Bastan at
Elisondo. Of course, therefore, he was obliged to fall back also, and
the result was that Lord Wellington on his return found his right wing
forced, and his position completely turned. Retreat, and that a rapid
one, became necessary, in order to take a new position, and to fall
back on the divisions near Pamplona.
After I was in bed on the night of the 25th the order came to march, as
I expected. Lord Wellington was off early straight across to the second
division. The light divisions fell back from our front; the seventh
also toward St. Estevan towards the second; the artillery proceeded to
St. Estevan by Sambillo. Head-quarters were sent over the mountains by
Yanga and Aranor to a little village called Eligarraga, just as you
descend into the valley of St. Estevan, there to wait for orders.
We had a wild and tedious road of four leagues, up and down the
mountains like Blue Beard’s procession, in which we should now all be
adepts. A road ran round the bottom through Sambillo, but probably it
was not thought safe, and that it might interfere with the artillery,
as it was narrow the whole way, and nothing could pass.
About two o’clock on the 26th we reached Eligarraga, and there found
Major Canning sitting by the wayside to order on everything three long
leagues further through Estevan, and then after keeping the road along
the valley about a league beyond towards the pass into the Bastan
Valley, near Trinita and Elisondo, we were to turn at Oronoz through
a pass on the right, which brought us into the rear of the valley
of Bastan, and into the rear of General Hill’s division, to a place
called Almendoz, on the road to Pamplona from Elisondo, General Hill’s
head-quarters being half a league in our present rear as we retreated,
at our old head-quarters, Berrueta. In the meantime the seventh and
light divisions got down into the valley of St. Estevan that night.
At Almendoz we found the effects of the battle at Maya. The wounded
had just reached that place, and there those who had not been dressed,
had their wounds examined, and all were urged on to the rear over a
mountain pass to Lanz as fast as possible. The village of Almendoz
was very small; the wounded lying about in all directions, till cars
and mules could help them on. It was near seven o’clock, and we had
nothing to eat since seven in the morning; quarters very bad of course,
and the inhabitants all in the greatest distress, beginning to pack
up, to desert their houses, as the people in the valley of Bastan, at
Elisondo, &c., had done already, the French having got possession.
A retreat is a most distressing scene even at the best, and when
conducted with perfect order as this was.
About nine o’clock that night orders came to march at daylight for
Ulague, a place about half-way between Lanz and Ostiz. After a five
o’clock breakfast, away we went for the mountains again. The road was
choked with baggage, and artillery, and fugitives, amongst others,
fourteen or fifteen nuns in their dresses, who were reduced by fatigue
to beg some rum of us as we passed, which unfortunately we had not with
us. We got on by scrambling along the paths near the road, and arrived
about twelve. On the 27th we arrived at Lanz. We there found General
Murray and several officers, all looking very serious and gloomy, and
orders given for everything to be turned off that road to the right,
and not to go to Ulague, as Cole had been pressed. The firing was very
sharp, and the French were urging on to that road, besides which, by
taking to the right we got towards the _camino real_, from Pamplona to
Tolosa, and could have made for General Graham’s if necessary. We were
turned through Arayes (where I had been on the advance, and by the road
where I had lost myself before in the night), on through a rich valley
and several villages to Lissago, or Lisasso.
Here (the 27th) we were placed very snugly, only about two leagues and
a-half from the Tolosa road, about three from Pamplona, and in the
midst of the divisions. General Cole, with the fourth division, had
fallen back on Pamplona to some hills near Villa Alba, or Villalba:
there he joined the third division, General Picton’s, and some
Spaniards. General Hill fell back to Lanz. From Berrueta, the seventh
division got a short way over the mountains, from St. Estevan to near
Lisasso, our head-quarters, and thus got near the sixth. The light
division fell back more towards Goigueta, or Ernani, to communicate
with Graham and protect the Tolosa road, and thus we stood all night.
The scene at Lisasso was dreadful! All the wounded from Lanz had just
arrived there, in cars, on mules, crawling on crutches, and hobbling
along: all those with wounds in their hands and arms, &c., walking.
Finding that they had orders to stop there, all our quarters, except
Lord Wellington’s, and about four more houses, were given up, and we
all dispersed to the villages round. You may conceive the scene, both
on the road and in the village. I thought one of my horses had lost his
shoes on the road, and desired my servant to ascertain this. A soldier
walking along, apparently one of the best, said that I had not; that
he was still, as a farrier, able to see that, though he thought he
should be some months before he could put another shoe on, as he had
been shot through the back. I went with Colonel and Mrs. Scovell to
a little village half-way up the hill towards Pamplona; and Colonel
Scovell and I climbed up to the top of the hill to listen and look
about until nearly six o’clock, when we expected our baggage. The
curé of the village and three peasants went up with us. We could see
beyond Pamplona, and beyond the firing, but could not perceive the
place itself for the smoke. By five o’clock, however, we all agreed
that it slackened, and receded a little; we therefore descended, got a
beefsteak, and waited ready for orders.
About six that evening the wounded were ordered to move on towards
Irunzun, on the Vittoria and Tolosa roads; but we remained quiet.
About seven, a furious thunder-storm came on, and caught all our poor
wounded men on their march: they could not get on to Irunzun, but got
to Berrio Planca, near Pamplona. Two officers, one sick and one wounded
in a house half a mile from us, heard of this order, left their beds,
packed up, and were proceeding; but came first to us to inquire. We
told them that head-quarters were not to move. They then went back to
bed, keeping a guide in the house all night, to start in case of alarm.
At nine came an order to march to Orcayen, near Pamplona, the next
morning. Thus passed the 27th.
At five o’clock on the 28th I began to load to proceed to Orcayen,
when Mr. Hook, who takes quarters, came back and left word that we
were to go to Irunzun instead; but the sergeant, by mistake, told us
he would call again when he had made more inquiry. In consequence of
this Mrs. Scovell and I staid until past ten before we marched. Then,
finding every one gone, and the baggage of General Hill’s division
arrived at Lisasso, we started over the mountain. For the first league
we were quite right; but afterwards, in a wood, got too much to the
right, and entered a wrong valley: as it was all safe, however, to
blunder on that side, and the country was picturesque, we proceeded on
that road, and by this means got through to Oscoz, and came into the
high Pamplona road to Tolosa, about three-quarters of a league from
Irunzun towards Tolosa, instead of half a league on the Pamplona side
of Irunzun, which would have been the nearest; it was not a league
round, and very picturesque. We were, therefore, not sorry for the
mistake. At Irunzun, however, came a difficulty; it was quite crowded
with wounded; and of head-quarters we could hear nothing, nor of our
baggage.
Leaving my servant to bring on the baggage if it came, we proceeded
forwards towards Pamplona, near where we heard head-quarters
were—somewhere at least that way. At Berrio Planca, a place on the
_camino real_, we found all our baggage and the nominal head-quarters,
Every one, however, was absent, and the place full of wounded, the
effects of the preceding day. I got a room in the Prince of Orange’s
quarter, as he had sent for his bed away that night; but Henry had all
my keys. About eight I found Henry and went to bed.
The next morning, the 29th, I heard that we had the most severe work
on the 28th; that the French attacked our position on a hill six or
seven times, which I believe our troops had only occupied a few hours
before the French came up near Oricain or Orquin. These attacks were
very desperate: and I understand that such a fire for a short time was
scarcely ever known, for four French corps all bore upon one point,
and General Pakenham told me that he scarcely dared show any of his
men. These attacks were, however, all unsuccessful, and we kept our
ground. The French were generally driven down with the bayonet, having
been suffered to come close, and then received with a volley, a cheer,
and a charge. I hear that some of our officers were once very much
alarmed for the result. The French remained close and steady, and one
regiment (I believe the 40th) went at them rather loose and straggling.
However, at the cheer at the last moment the French broke and ran.
The Portuguese behaved in general most inimitably, the 4th, 10th, and
12th regiments in particular. The 10th did, indeed, once give way, but
rallied; and the 4th charged twice, I think, on the 27th June, in good
English style.
Our loss was very severe; that of the French, of course, much more
so; but as their cavalry carry off the wounded to the rear, and they
have an hospital corps also for that purpose, no one knows their
losses; their prisoners and deserters say nearly five thousand, Lord
Wellington’s staff were never so roughly handled. The Prince of Orange,
who was sent to thank one regiment by Lord Wellington, was very much
exposed while executing this order. His horse was shot under him,
and he was grazed in the sash. It was near this place that General
Cole’s aide-de-camp had been killed, and also Brigade-Major A——,
one of my Deputy Judge-Advocates. He was trying to rally a Spanish
battalion which was quite broken. The Adjutant-general Pakenham had his
coat-sleeve much torn by a ball. Colonel Waters, A.A.G.C., was shot in
the head, through the hat, on the temple, but somehow was little hurt.
It is thought that the ball glanced under the hat, against the head,
and passed out through the hat. He was out again the next day. Lord
Wellington was near at the time, and told him that his head must be
like a rock.
Lord Wellington said, I hear, that he had never seen the French behave
better. He staid and dined at Picton’s on the 28th, and few returned to
head-quarters. All the 29th was quiet; both sides employed in burying
the dead and getting off the wounded. On the 29th also the staff and
light canteens alone remained at Villalba with General Cole; and I
was left with scarcely anything except wounded men and baggage. All
the stores were ordered to be unloaded, and all spare mules of the
head-quarters and of the second and seventh divisions likewise. Two
troops of Portuguese cavalry were employed from daylight to dark, in
addition to cars and hospital waggons, in carrying off the wounded to
Irunzun, to be out of the way in case of attack, and on the road to the
great hospital at Vittoria.
I made myself of some use in assisting the arrangement, and as there
were not hands to move the men from their mules, to get their rations,
&c., and then remount them to proceed, I asked an artillery officer
close by, to lend some of his men to assist, which he did directly,
and everything went on as quick again. I was sure they would not stand
upon form on such an occasion, and the men were standing about waiting
for orders; they only regretted that they did not know it sooner, for
they would have given men all day. The scene was a busy one. I suppose
nearly twelve hundred went through in this way; they were provided
with rations for two days to get on to Echani, mounted and sent off,
their ammunition having in the meantime been taken from them to be
better used, for that was getting scarce more than once. Some had two,
some one ball still in them. Besides this, Colonel Campbell, of the
Portuguese service, who had been wounded, was lying in my ante-room
all day. He was shot through the shinbone, a painful wound. He could
not get into my room, which of course I offered, but he preferred the
cool passage. I was at breakfast when he arrived. I gave him tea, and
some newspapers to try and read himself to sleep. A friend was with
him, a Campbell, who shared my bouillie; he ate as good a dinner as I
did, but objected to a second bottle, upon which I discovered he was
also wounded in the side, and feared that the end of his rib was broken.
The next morning, the 30th, we were all in suspense, as Lord Wellington
had determined on a general attack. The firing began at daylight.
At nine o’clock I determined to go and see what was going on, and
mounting my black, proceeded up for the hills, where the sixth and
seventh divisions were, on the opposite side of the valley from our
grand position, where we had been attacked the day before. I met many
wounded, crawling back all the way, and on the top found only the
pickets left in the camp of the morning, and that the seventh division
had just driven the French from the adjoining hill, and were after them
up the valley on the other side. I went on to the point of the hill and
saw the battle still raging strong, just opposite on the hills below,
on the other side of the valley opposite our position. The French
still steady and firing very briskly all round the side of one hill
and in the village below us, and our people creeping on by degrees
under ridges towards the village and the hill, and also advancing
round the back of the hill. We had two mortars and a gun also upon our
position-hill constantly at work, playing upon the French, and we saw
the shells continually fall and burst close to the French line, whilst
the wounded were carried off to the rear.
This went on for some time, above an hour after I came up, and we
had men in reserve all round. I then saw our men in the village, and
immediately under the French, and appearing at top also. The French
gave way, but went on firing all over the hill. In half-an-hour, I
heard the loud huzzas of our soldiers, and saw no French left except
on the next hills, where they seemed very numerous and strong, but in
confusion. The first huzzas were I believe for a body of about eighteen
hundred prisoners, who were caught, being headed every way. There
was soon a shout on our side close by our positions. It proved to be
Marshal Beresford and Lord Wellington proceeding down to the village to
water their horses and proceed on. I should have wished to have pushed
on also, but I knew head-quarters would move, and had told my people I
should return, and not to stir until they saw me. I therefore went back
to Berrio Planca, found as I expected all loaded and on the move to go
towards Orquin; got a mouthful of mouldy bread in the market, and went
back again close to our position at Orquin. There we got orders to halt
loaded, until orders came to proceed to Ostiz. We took off our bridles,
turned the horses into a field of Indian corn, where the French camp
had been four hours before, and where their dead of the 28th had been
buried. We waited thus, hearing a distant firing, until near dark. The
reason of this halt, as I learned from General O’Donnell, who passed,
was that D’Erlon had attacked General Hill in the morning, and that he
had been rather too much in advance, and was in some degree obliged to
give way; that he had now taken a new position, and expected the second
attack without alarm, as he was to be supported.
About four or five thousand Spaniards moved by us whilst we halted and
went up that way. I conclude that this was part of the support alluded
to. General Hill was attacked again, and I understand beat Count
D’Erlon (Drouet) back with great loss. When this had put all matters
straight again, on that side, at least, we were to proceed. At last
came orders to advance to Lanz, and we moved again. We drew up first,
however, on one side to allow eighteen hundred prisoners to march to
the rear,—a very pleasant sight. I spoke to several, and found all
of the 17th regiment, who were numerous, to be Italians, principally
Genoese. They said that they hated the French, but were forced to fight
in Spain against their inclinations. All the prisoners seemed quite
tired of Spain, and were as anxious as most of our people never to see
it again. They said that Soult was more in the rear, and did not intend
to fight that day, which was true, I believe, for he waited for General
D’Erlon to get up from St. Estevan towards Lanz. General Monceau, I
believe, commanded.
We were again a second time stopped under some trees, for Lord
Wellington had ordered the French to be moved from their position
beyond Ostiz, and driven to the vicinity of Lanz; the baggage was
halted till the result was known. In the villages and on the road,
which was strewed with pouches, empty knapsacks, and broken muskets, we
passed several bodies all stripped, and in some places could scarcely
avoid treading on them, by the horse stepping over a leg or an arm.
In one place on the road was a half-buried Frenchman, which the horse
had again laid bare. The doctors determined to halt, and encamp under
some trees; and if my baggage had been near me to stop it, I should
have bivouacked with them, having no tent. As it was, I proceeded, got
a wretched quarter at Ostiz with Colonel Waters and seven countrymen,
just come from the mountains, at about nine o’clock, got a beefsteak at
eleven, and to bed at half-past twelve.
The next day, 31st, orders came to proceed to Lanz, and wait further
instructions. There we arrived about ten o’clock, and I turned my
horses into the forage remaining in the French camp of the night
before, and got some collected for the mules. Thus we remained loaded
until four o’clock without orders. Lord Wellington then sent on for
fresh horses and his light canteens, and of our own accord we unloaded
to relieve the animals, but for a long time durst not unpack. At last,
General Murray came in, and ordered some dinner; but telling us that he
had no authority to direct others to do the same. We were all to go to
our old quarters; but, not liking in this state of things to go over
to Arriez, my old place, where I had lost myself in the night, I got a
room at Haines’s, and some dinner, hung my baggage cover up for a door,
and went to sleep on the table to avoid the fleas.
The next day, 1st of August, about six o’clock, orders were issued to
advance to Berrueta, and there to remain, waiting orders again. We
returned over this mountain thus the third time, and got to Berrueta
about one o’clock. I called at Almendoz in passing, to remind the
patrona of the house that I had told her we should beat the French,
near Pamplona, and be back in a week. I was so in five days, and found
her more miserable than before, having been plundered by the French.
I gave the green Indian corn the French had left to my horse, and
wished her good-bye. About two o’clock, we heard that we had driven the
French off the hills above St. Estevan, and also through the town, and
head-quarters were to move on to St. Estevan directly. We did so, and
got there by five o’clock; the French having been driven out between
twelve and one. We saw about a dozen French, just killed, close to St.
Estevan. So we go on, you see.
The French being driven in, about two leagues towards Lezaca and
Echalar, Longa and the Spaniards, and the light division, made a long
march back that day, the 1st of August, towards their own ground above
Lezaca, going more round, however, towards Echalar. By this, the
95th fell in with the French at the bridge, where the road to Lezaca
turns off from that to Echalar, headed them, killed and wounded about
a hundred, and, without discovering it, before dark, drove much of
their baggage up the valley round again towards St. Estevan. By this
movement, the French being then headed at the Lezaca valley, went the
Echalar pass and road instead, and in confusion; and the baggage walked
into the fourth division just as they advanced next morning.
Yesterday, the 2nd of August, our orders were to proceed again to
Lezaca. We started, and got into all the baggage of head-quarters
(three divisions) eight miles extent of loaded mules in a string. There
was a halt of about four hours, and no one could move. This continued
until we got near where the baggage had been caught, which was the
cause of the stoppage. After fighting by all the baggage, and leading
my horse along some very dangerous places, where, if he had slipped,
he must have fallen down to the river (and four to five mules actually
did so), I got to the scene of the captured baggage, and then went
quietly on. For nearly two miles there were scattered along the road,
papers, old rugs, blankets, pack-saddles, old bridles, girths, private
letters, lint, bandages, one or two hundred empty and broken boxes;
quantities of intrenching tools, rags, French clothes, dead mules,
dead soldiers and peasants, farriers’ tools, officers’ boots, linen,
&c. There were also the boxes of M. Le General Baron de St. Pol, and
several private officers’ baggage; the principal thing taken seemed to
be the _ambulance du 2ème division_; that is, the field hospital of the
second division. There were still more things worth picking up, and
some soldiers digging up three live mules out of an old limekiln near
the road-side. This caused stoppages and confusion.
Just beyond the bridge of Yanza the French were crawling off, who were
wounded by the 95th the night before, and we twice met small parties of
prisoners going to the rear, abused not a little by the plundered and
exasperated villagers. The prisoners told me that the country people
about these mountains were “_diablement méchant_,” and treated them
very ill. The truth was, however, that the French began this treatment;
for though they had behaved well in advancing, they had plundered and
destroyed considerably in their retreat, and much wantonly. I told them
they ought never to have come and entered Spain, to which they replied,
“We never wished to do so; it is not our fault.”
About three o’clock, I went round to see what was going on, but my
horse was tired, and I was not able to get up, to see the French driven
from the hill above Echalar, and also from the hill occupied by the
light division. In short, all our old position, and a little more, was
gained last night.
In our advance again, we also saw some of the effects of our own
retreat. In one place was an ammunition-waggon, with six dead mules,
which had all rolled down the mountain together. I ascertained that it
was English by sending a muleteer down for some papers in the waggon,
which turned out to be our printed blank artillery returns. I also saw
four other wheels and parts of carriages, and it is said that we lost
a howitzer. Colonel Ross’s troop suffered the most in this way. The
French seemed to have made this advance as a desperate push to relieve
Pamplona and St. Sebastian. The garrisons of both sallied; that of
Pamplona was driven back directly, as I hear: that of St. Sebastian (as
we are told) surprised us in the trenches napping, as the heavy guns
were all embarked for security, and nothing going on, and carried off
three companies of Portuguese. This, it is to be hoped, is exaggerated.
Near Elisondo, I hear, we took thirty cars of bread and brandy, and
some baggage also—a day’s bread for two divisions; and many are now
fighting without it on both sides. There is no delivery of bread
to-day, even for head-quarters; corn for the horses we have had none
this week.
Head-quarters have stray papers to the 19th, which I am reading whilst
the fighting is going on. One great amusement in these papers, to
me at least, is the excess of lies, the impudence, the abundance of
them, and then the blunders, and ignorance of what is going on. You
will be surprised at the contents of this, when you get the _Gazette_
account, as you will probably long before you receive this. I told you
that the beaten army would return in a month: whether they will muster
again this year, and attack, depends, in my opinion, upon the fall of
Pamplona and St. Sebastian, and the northern war. Pamplona is starving;
at least it is without meat; but I still doubt, except that this sudden
effort proves it to be in danger. It is merely more closely invested by
small gun redoubts—no battering gun has ever been near it, at present
only about six thousand Spaniards watch it, and I think if they choose
they might be off, only much harassed by our cavalry.
The charges made by the Life Guards were the most ludicrous. They were
never near the enemy, until beyond Vittoria, as I was before them, and
was almost run down twice by their anxiety along the road, galloping
away without occasion. I leaped a ditch once to avoid them, not wishing
to blow my horse as theirs were, at a time when we were on one side
of Vittoria and the French on the other. They were afterwards ordered
on, but never came up with the enemy. They could do nothing in such a
country, with six-foot ditches round the enclosures. Very few of the
Spaniards have behaved well this time. They have been generally in the
rear; one regiment stood fire well on the 28th, but some ran, and in
general I hear they have done little. Longa’s people tolerably here.
There has been sharp work on the whole. I should put down the allied
losses at six or seven thousand, and the French nearly at eighteen
thousand, provisions and all, that is somehow put _hors de combat_. If
the Spaniards will not fight, we can scarcely stand even this advantage
long; we shall be ruined by our victories. The French under D’Erlon
behaved very well to Colonel Fenwick, who was left wounded; no one was
allowed to go to his house as a quarter, and every attention was paid
both to him and the surgeon left with him. The latter became so popular
that the French liked to be dressed by him, better than by their own
surgeons.
_August 3rd, six o’clock, evening._—The great men are all come in; and
I am told nothing has been done more to-day. The last push over the
hills, and out of their position has not been made yet. So at least
says General O’Lalor. I suspect the Prince of Orange will carry home
these despatches, and I think it but fair now, that he should go and
see his intended as a conquering hero. He certainly promises very well.
An old man just returned home, is thrashing out his wheat over my head,
and has been thus employed all the morning, giving me his dust as well
as his noise.
_Later, nine o’clock, evening._—Nothing has been done to-day; the
French remain in their strong ground above Bera, a league and a
half from this. It was found, I believe, necessary to turn it in a
regular manner to avoid great loss; for though one brigade of red
coats yesterday turned two French divisions off one high hill, we can
scarcely expect this to be always the case. I think, therefore, we
shall remain here some days at least. I have just heard an anecdote
of General Picton. General Cole on the 17th ordered General Byng to
retire from a post on a hill which afterwards formed a part of our
good position on the 28th. Byng sent to Picton to say what his orders
were, and added that though very important, he felt he was not strong
enough to justify his keeping it. Picton said to Byng’s aide-de-camp,
“No, by G—, he shall not give up the hill; I will bring my division
up to support him; but no, your horse is done up, I’ll go myself and
tell him;” and he ordered the division to follow. This saved that
hill. Another time, General Cole was by orders leaving a hill, when he
received fresh orders to occupy it. His men found a few stragglers on
the top, and the French main division half way up; but they gave them
such a volley and warm reception, that they soon turned back and were
off.
We were very nearly destroying some of the French cavalry, and taking
two divisions. Two circumstances prevented this. The night we were
at Berrueta two of our men straggled, and got taken, and they told
the French where head-quarters were. This made them conclude we were
strongly posted close by, and they decamped at night instead of the
morning, as they had intended. Thus several hours were gained. The next
was, that our light division got their orders seven hours later than
was expected. Had they been that time sooner up, they would have headed
the French division on their road to Echalar, as well as to Lezaca, and
from strong ground might have been able to drive them back upon the
other divisions, and have surrounded them. Their cavalry also would
have been caught on this narrow winding road down by the river, where
the baggage was destroyed, with a path in the wood just on the opposite
side, from whence our men might at least have picked off the horses if
the men chose to run away. This was just missed, however, from these
causes, and remains one of the _ifs_ and _ands_; it is very provoking,
for that would have completely crippled them for this year.
A Spanish priest told me to-day that all the priests, nuns, &c., in
Spain, were constantly putting up prayers for Lord Wellington, thinking
almost everything depended upon him individually, as I believe most
people here really think. They were sorry he was so often exposed as he
is to fire.
_Lezaca, August 4th, 1813._—Nothing is to be done, I believe, to-day.
Everything _in statu quo_; the Prince goes to-night or to-morrow
morning with despatches to England, and I shall send this with them.
P.S. It feels, as you may suppose, very strange, after the whirl about
to Pamplona, and all the scenes I have witnessed, to be again quietly
drawing charges at Lezaca. I have just heard that the French have
increased their force much in our front above Bera on the hills, but I
think nothing more will be done immediately on our part or on theirs.