_December 24, Sunday._--March to headquarters at Mayorga. Make a
sketch. A dragoon officer of the 10th begs to be let into our billet.
I cannot say no. His horse kicks Lutgins’, who rows me like blazes for
letting the dragoon in.
_December 27._--Ammunition waggons without number, and the tag, rag,
and bobtail of all the other divisions here fall to the convoy of
General Paget, a tremendous string, which makes the Reserve a baggage
guard. He executes this with patience, mastery, and accomplishment.
Guns being posted so as to rake the road.
We get no billets at Benavente, but Lutgins perseveres and gets an
excellent one, and Lord Paget and Colonel V. dine with us.
_December 28._--At ten o’clock Lutgins and I, sitting at breakfast,
hear a row in the streets. Ask what is the matter. “Turn out, sir,
directly! The French are in the town.” Oh what confusion, what
screaming and hooting and running and shoving and splashing and
dashing! My sword, spurs, and sash mislaid. Olla! Mount my horse and
ride to General Paget’s quarters. Find him just sallying forth. He at
once takes up his ground and gets his people under arms. False alarm.
Nobody knows the cause of the row, but the people of the house had fled
in despair. Unhappy people! Such are the miseries of war, that the
unoffending inhabitants, despoiled of the sanctity of their homes, find
every social tie jagged to the root, and then enters cold, desponding
indifference.
[Illustration]
Ride to the bridge, where preparations are making to destroy the same.
A very wet, cold night. I am sent with a message to Sir John Moore, and
ride back again through devilish rain and numbing wind. A party of the
enemy’s cavalry come to reconnoitre this operation, and exchange a few
shots with our pickets. All the people having withdrawn, the houses on
the other side the bridge and piles of timber are set on fire, and make
a most superb and interesting appearance in spite of the inclemency of
the night; the mounting blaze, bursting through the crackling roofs,
glares sunlike upon the opposite promontories and sub-current waters.
The teeth of the cursed saws refuse to do their duties, and hours are
spent in sawing the woodwork. I leave the business at 5 A.M.
_December 29._--Get to bed at six o’clock, wet, cold, and shivered to
death. The Reserve marches at eight. The bridge having blown up, the
enemy’s cavalry in one part swim, and in another ford the river, and
fall in with our pickets under General Stewart. The enemy 500, we 300.
A great deal of sharp fighting ensues, in which the enemy are worsted,
and seeing other bodies of cavalry coming on them, disperse and re-swim
the river with loss both in drowned and killed; but the ground was so
excessively heavy that our horses were blown, or their destruction
would have been complete.
I post myself on a hill with Captain Eveleigh’s troop of horse
artillery, and see a large body of cavalry advance towards us from a
neighbouring village. We make all dispositions to receive them well,
and they appear to design to take our cavalry in flank, edging off
towards the river. When they come within reach, and Captain E. is just
going to give them a round shot, we find them to be the 15th Dragoons!
Ride to the river, where the enemy attempt to form again on the other
side and fire at our videttes with their carbines; but the horse
artillery soon come up, and give them a few shrapnels, which disperse
them and send them up the hill. Result (of the whole engagement) about
twenty on each side killed and many badly wounded, about twenty French
prisoners of the Imperial Guards, their General, Colonel of the 2nd
Imperial Guards, and several officers.
I go on the bridge to see the effect of the explosion, which was
complete, then ride in again, and on towards Baneza. Overtake Captain
Griffiths, and converse much with him. Get pretty well put up with
Lutgins, but the Scotch make inroads upon us.
_December 30._--Cavalry arrive at Baneza. Start for Astorga (four
leagues). The town excessively full and stinking.
On the road talk with French officers. They say that the Spaniards
never fought at all, and that Buonaparte must have been looking at the
action yesterday from the heights on the other side the river.
I and Gos billet together and receive orders from headquarters. Major
F. Gos and Mul.[23] ordered one way, myself and Foster another.
This night tramp about the town to Q.M.G.’s and C.G.’s, etc., and am
franticated about guides.