Our advance videttes, and the French cavalry—Manœuvring in front of
Villa Formosa—The Suttler and the Dragoons—Sergeant-Major
Sharp—Morning of the 5th May—General Crauford returns—Portuguese
welcome—Fuentes d’Onor—French Dragoon challenges to single
combat—Retreat on Navez d’Aver—Charges of cavalry—A deep game by the
French—Squaring it with the enemy—The 79th Highlanders—A prisoner
against his will—The French sentry and General Crauford—The Light
Dragoons again—Sergeant-Major Sharp again—Scene of discipline—That
lash disappointed—The German fratricide.
ON the 4th May, about half-past nine o’clock, A. M., our advance
videttes were observed circling, one to the right, and the other to the
left, at a trot, by which information was conveyed that bodies of
infantry and cavalry were advancing. The bugle immediately sounded the
“assemblée,” and our division quickly assembled on its alarm post, on
the Gallegos road. My company was attached to the 14th Light Dragoons,
then under the orders of General Slade, who commanded the
cavalry-brigade. He ordered them to take ground to the right, and deploy
into line in the rear of a rivulet, which flowed between us and the
French. In a few minutes the enemy’s cavalry were discovered emerging
from a wood in our front, where they had formed in close columns and
halted, throwing out strong bodies of skirmishers.
A sharp conflict ensued betwixt the cavalries, yet the enemy were
evidently awaiting the concentration of their advancing columns from
Ciudad Rodrigo. General Slade now ordered the whole of us to retire,
which the cavalry did in eschelons of squadrons, and covering us on the
road towards Navez d’Aver, which was quietly effected; the enemy still
holding their old position near the wood. One squadron of the 14th was
stationed on the verge of another wood, on the right of Fuentes, as an
advanced picquet, but was withdrawn at the close of the evening, and
joined the regiments in bivouac within some stone wall enclosures, near
Villa Formosa.
During the night some of the dragoons discovered the resting-place of a
suttler, who had just arrived from Abrantes with a string of mules laden
with rum, wine, aguardiente, &c., &c., and sardines, a species of
red-herring, which was then considered a great luxury. News of such a
neighbour flew on eagle wings through the camp, but in low whispers,
lest the slumbers of the chief should be disturbed, and check their
merry-making. The secret, however, was soon discovered, no doubt
occasioned by the uproarious bursts of merriment and songs which pealed
from fire to fire. Although these were the general characteristics of
the British soldier on the eve of a battle, on this occasion, they were
heightened by the liquor, and were louder than usual, while the officers
awakened from their slumbers, could not for some moments conceive the
cause of what they heard. General Slade, however, with lungs that roused
the camp, as though a thirteen-inch shell had exploded amongst them,
called for the regimental Sergeant-Major Sharp, who, on making his
appearance, was discovered to have partaken too freely of the suttler’s
strong waters, and was immediately placed in arrest. A non-commissioned
officer was ordered to bundle off both suttler and mules to some
distance, placing a line of sentries that no one might come in or go out
of the camp. The noise and hilarity soon ceased, the merry-makers
dispersed, and a few minutes found them outstretched and asleep under
cover of the dry walls.
Early on the morning of the 5th, our company was ordered to join the
battalions; we did so, and took up our position to the left of the ruins
of Fort Conception, which, as I before mentioned, had been previously
destroyed, as it lay near the main road to Almeida, the siege of which
place the French seemed anxious to raise.
While things were in this state, at an early hour General Crauford made
his re-appearance amongst us from England, and was welcomed with much
enthusiasm by the division; although a strict disciplinarian, the men
knew his value in the field too well not to testify their satisfaction
at his return. The Caçadores, particularly, caused much laughter among
us, by shouting out in Portuguese the moment they caught sight of him,
“Long live General Crauford, who takes care of our bellies!” meaning by
this exclamation they got their rations regularly, while under his
command; the General seemed highly pleased, and bowed repeatedly with
his hat off as he rode down the ranks.
The whole of the British were under arms at day-break, earnestly
expecting, from the movements of the enemy, that an attack would be
made; this suspense was but short, for very soon a heavy cannonading was
heard on our right, in which direction we were immediately ordered.
While moving accordingly we passed the Guards of the 1st division,
entrenched behind the town of Fuentes; we immediately occupied some old
dry walls considerably in advance, and facing the enemy’s left, a fine
extended plain laying between us, with a wood on the French side, of
which the enemy had possession. In front of this a regiment of cavalry
was conspicuously formed, a troop of which came trotting leisurely
towards us to reconnoitre our position.
This movement induced a corresponding one from some of our dragoons,
when both parties threw out their videttes, and remained halted with
some four hundred yards of ground between them.
One of their videttes, after being posted facing an English dragoon, of
the 14th or 16th (for we had only those two light dragoon regiments with
us at the time, and the German Hussars), displayed an instance of
individual gallantry, in which the French, to do them justice, were
seldom wanting. Waving his long straight sword, the Frenchman rode
within sixty yards of our dragoon, and challenged him to single combat.
We immediately expected to see our cavalry man engage his opponent,
sword in hand. Instead of this, however, he unslung his carbine and
fired at the Frenchman, who not a whit dismayed, shouted out so that
every one could hear him, “Venez avec le sabre: je suis prêt pour
Napoléon et la belle France.” Having vainly endeavoured to induce the
Englishman to a personal conflict, and after having endured two or three
shots from his carbine, the Frenchman rode proudly back to his ground,
cheered even by our own men. We were much amused by his gallantry, while
we hissed our own dragoon, who, it was afterwards stated, for the credit
of the gallant regiment he belonged to, was a recruit.
Just after the preceding occurrence, a smart action had commenced in the
wood before-mentioned, and our company was ordered to take ground to the
front, where the 85th regiment were very roughly handled by the enemy.
This was the first time since their arrival in the country, that they
had been engaged. Opposed, with their conspicuous red dresses, to the
old trained French tirailleurs, it is no wonder that the gallant 85th
should have suffered so severely. When we came up, however, our
practised fellows, in their dark clothing, from the murderous nature of
our arms, soon turned back the advancing French, who commenced gradually
retreating before us, until they got through the wood on the plain that
leads to Navez d’Aver.
We had no sooner beaten back the enemy than a loud cheering to the right
attracted our attention, and we perceived our 1st heavy dragoons charge
a French cavalry regiment. As this was the first charge of cavalry most
of us had ever seen, we were all naturally much interested on the
occasion. The French skirmishers who were extended against us seemed to
participate in the same feeling, as both parties suspended firing while
the affair of dragoons was going on. The English and French cavalry met
in the most gallant manner, and with the greatest show of resolution.
The first shock, when they came in collision, seemed terrific, and many
men and horses fell on both sides. They had ridden through and past each
other, and now they wheeled round again. This was followed by a second
charge, accompanied by some very pretty sabre-practice, by which many
saddles were emptied, and English and French chargers were soon seen
galloping about the field without riders. These immediately occupied the
attention of the French skirmishers and ourselves, and we were soon
engaged in pursuing them, the men of each nation endeavouring to secure
the chargers of the opposite one as legal spoil. While engaged in this
chase we frequently became intermixed, when much laughter was indulged
in by both parties at the different accidents that occurred in our
pursuit.
I had secured a very splendid charger, when chancing to turn my head, I
perceived that the French were playing a deep game. They had succeeded
in removing a regiment of infantry, with some cavalry, through the wood
in our rear. The alarm, however, was immediately given, and our company
as foremost, had to run for their lives into a square formed by the
52nd, who were close to the foot guards. During this sudden movement, I
was obliged to part with my horse, the cavalry did not pursue us; but
their artillery opened upon the 52nd’s square, and did some execution.
These incidents, though fearfully strange to some of my readers, were
very enlivening to us. Ours indeed was a noble enemy; they never
permitted us to flag, for want of stimuli, but kept us ever on the _qui
vive_. We anticipated little terror from capture, and though we ever
found them to be our roughest antagonists, yet we always experienced a
most generous opposition; indeed there was, on the whole, such a
chivalrous spirit carried on between us, that our men had a kind of
respect even for a wound inflicted by a Frenchman.
Our next attempt was upon the left of Fuentes, where one company was
detached, while the remainder of the regiment was ordered to take
possession of the town. The section to which I belonged were posted near
the banks of the river Das Casas. The 79th Highlanders had suffered very
severely here, as the place was strewn about with their bodies. Poor
fellows! they had not been used to skirmishing, and instead of occupying
the houses in the neighbourhood, and firing from the windows, they had,
as I heard, exposed themselves, by firing in sections. The French, who
still occupied part of the town, had not escaped a rough handling, as
their dead also evinced.
During the latter part of the day the enemy had made some prisoners,
which they exhibited to us as they marched them along their lines. One
man we saw make a determined attempt to obtain his liberty. He had
loitered in the rear as the party were going over a small bridge that
crossed the Das Casas by a mill, when, turning suddenly upon a Frenchman
behind him, he threw him into the water, and immediately made a dash for
our position, but owing to several of the French being between him and
us, we had the mortification of seeing the poor fellow recaptured,
without being enabled to render him any assistance; we could see by his
kilt that he belonged to the 79th regiment.
That same evening, the enemy evacuated the town, and a flag of truce was
sent us to bury the dead. While occupied in this, at all times
melancholy duty, some idea may be formed of the loss sustained by the
79th alone, when a man of our company brought in his two arms full of
the sable plumes which he had taken from their bonnets, strewn about the
town.
The opposing lines of sentries were very close to each other: the French
being divided from us only by a narrow plank thrown across the mill-dam,
which was occupied on one side by our company, who were now on picquet.
A blacksmith of ours of the name of Tidy, who had erected his forge in
the old mill, was at work close by, shoeing the officers’ horses. The
French sentry had crossed the plank to light his pipe, and was standing
carelessly chatting with me, when who should I see approaching, but
General Crauford, inquiring if Tidy had shod his horse. The Frenchman’s
red wings soon attracted the General’s notice, and he suddenly with his
well-known stern glance, inquired,
“Who the devil’s that you’re talking with, rifleman?”
I informed him the French sentry, who had come over for a light for his
pipe.
“Indeed,” replied Crauford, “let him go about his business, he has no
right here, nor we either,” said he, in a low whisper to his
aide-de-camp, and away he walked.
Our battalion remained in the suburbs of Fuentes a few days, and the
enemy who had desisted from their attempt to relieve Almeida, retired;
we followed them and took up our quarters at Gallegos. Anxious to know
the fate of Serjeant-Major Sharp, of the 14th Light Dragoons,
immediately on our arrival I called on an old friend, a Corporal
Henley,[10] of the same regiment, and he gave me the following
particulars and further proceedings of that gallant and highly
distinguished regiment.
“On the 5th, early in the morning,” said he, “after you left us, we
assembled on our respective alarm posts, which at daylight we found to
be none other than the position so gloriously contested and known as
Fuentes d’Onor.
“The regiment formed in close columns and dismounted, the commissariat
having arrived with the mules, rations were issued to both man and
horse, and to many it proved to be their last. It so happened that
during the distribution of corn, the horses of Lieutenant Shields had
been forgotten. It was, therefore, necessary to make a collection from
each dragoon, to make good the deficiency; one of these, named Trowers,
under the influence of the preceding night’s liquor refused to allow any
of his corn to be taken, and drawing his sword, declared with an oath,
he would cut down the first man who dared to take a grain from his
horse. As a matter of course, he was placed under arrest, and a
drum-head court-martial was instantly summoned for the trial of the
prisoner, at which also was arraigned the unfortunate Serjeant-Major
Sharp; all the while the action was becoming general along the lines.
“Captain Bull’s troop of artillery, then on our right, marked with the
most accurate skill the movements of the enemy, who in turn did not
allow us to remain silent spectators, as their round-shot measured with
equal exactness the standing of our columns. The court-martial being
closed, the troops stood to their horses, and the proceedings were read:
the dragoon was sentenced to receive three hundred lashes, and the
Serjeant-Major reduced to the rank and pay of a private sentinel. The
bars of the latter were immediately cut off, and a gun from Captain
Bull’s train was brought to the flank of the regiment, and the prisoner
ordered to be tied to it; in the moment of doing this, one of the staff
came galloping up, his horse covered with foam, bearing orders for the
regiment to take ground to the right and charge, covering our flank
which in that direction was falling back, harassed by the enemy’s
cavalry.
“The words ‘Stand to your horses—Mount—Three right—Gallop,’ followed in
quick succession; and like shots from a six-pounder, we left the scenes
of military discipline. The prisoner in this confusion, and half
accoutred, made a leap into his saddle, and drawing his sword and giving
his horse the spur, rushed into the ranks, and the non-commissioned
officer, in whose charge he had been left, unable to prevent him,
galloped after and mixed in the attack.
“This fortunate occurrence saved the poor fellow from the disgrace of
the ‘lash,’ but his good fortune did not continue with him throughout
the day, as he was one of the brave, who fell some short time
afterwards, in the gallant charge made by a squadron of ours, on two of
the enemy’s guns.
“On our arrival on the right, our infantry had formed square and were
falling back menaced by a numerous cavalry; indeed I may say, as it was
the case, our right flank was turned. Our guns opened between the
interval of squares upon their advancing columns, when one squadron of
the 1st Royal Dragoons, and one of our regiments charged, led by Major
Mills; their cavalry were driven back, and many prisoners taken. The
infantry continued to fall back with as much steadiness and order, as if
in review.
“I must here relate,” continued Henley, with deep emotion, “an event
which at the time filled all who were present with a sorrow which indeed
I shall never forget. General Slade, observing the numerous cavalry
against which his brigade had to contend, advised the officer in
command, not to allow their ranks to be weakened by conducting prisoners
to the rear, but after disarming them, to let them proceed of their own
accord. It was not uncommon therefore to observe groups of French
dragoons riding quietly to the rear, looking for any one to take them in
charge. It happened that a hussar of the 3rd German’s having taken a
prisoner, ordered him to fall back also; the latter having ridden some
little distance as directed, suddenly applied both spurs to his horse,
making a détour to his regiment; the German, observing this, as quickly
pursued, and upon closing with him fired his pistol, and the dragoon
fell dead from his horse.
“The hussar having secured the Frenchman’s rein conveyed him some little
distance to the rear, and proceeded to take off his valise, when
overhauling the contents, he discovered a letter from his father, on
reading which, he found that it was his own brother who had fallen by
his hands. Stupified with horror, he sat motionless and speechless on
his horse for some minutes, when he exclaimed, the big tears rolling
down his veteran cheek, ‘The king has commanded, and my God will forgive
me,’ at the same time applying his spurs, he rushed headlong into the
battle.
“A few days after, meeting a patrol of the same regiment near Gallegos,
inquiry was made respecting our unfortunate hussar, when we were
informed that he too had that day numbered with the dead, not far from
the corpse of his brother.”