_July 6, 1806._
* * * * *
MONTE LEONE, _July 11, 1806_.
MY EVER DEAREST MOTHER-- ... The day after I wrote you an account
of the battle we advanced some miles beyond the field towards the
Adriatic, just under the town of Maida. The enemy had retired
to Catanzaro, and it was generally expected that we should seek
another battle before he could reinforce himself. It was judged,
however, that the coming up with him was precarious, and the
advantage of the chance of beating him still more--not adequate to
the inconvenience of harassing the victors this burning weather,
which reasoning was probably strengthened by the risk of any
junction having been formed between two parties of the enemy’s
force. No prejudgment would have given victory to five thousand
men against eight, supposed to be the best troops in the world,
fully prepared for the enterprise against them, having all the
local advantages and local knowledge, commanded by a General of the
greatest reputation, and particularly for manœuvring skill.
Our General went into the field under the idea that the force he
was to attack was between two and three thousand men.
The fatal error of the French General was that, obstinately blind
to experience, he despised his enemy--an enemy which the battles of
Egypt should have taught him to consider at least equal to himself.
He had suffered prejudice to mislead him until his slaughtered and
flying troops and the severe personal wound forced open his eyes;
but he opened them too late. In defiance of the general principle
to avoid an invading enemy until you have involved him in a country
of which he is ignorant, and from your own knowledge are certain
to destroy him, General Regnier descended from the advantages of
his position to fight front to front in the plain.
With the battle of the 21st of March before his eyes, he tells his
troops that those very Egyptian regiments cannot stand the bayonet.
The deluded Frenchmen charge with confidence, and, expecting to
pursue hares, are met by lions.
The same error which has been so fatal to so many Generals was
fatal to Menon, and was deservedly still more fatal to Regnier; for
Menon could not know us, and Regnier would not.
But I stray from the point.
After staying a day under Maida the troops marched to Monte Leone,
and there the General missed his baggage, which did not turn up
until yesterday, when the General’s cook gave a very good account
of himself. The inhabitants of the country were to be deceived as
to the intentions of the retrograde movement, and consequently what
conversation could be gleaned from the General’s table tended to an
advance to Catanzaro. The troops marched backwards at two in the
morning, but the baggage, with a guard of thirty men, not being
properly attended to, was not quite so alert, but marched about an
hour later towards the enemy, whose outposts (taking this little
force for our advanced guard) retired and gave intelligence of the
approach of the English army, which, corresponding with the report
of our intentions, the enemy left Catanzaro to thirty men commanded
by a cook, and retreated with precipitation to the borders of the
Adriatic. The quick cook, smelling the rat, squeezed himself into
the General’s coat and personated the General, until, finding
himself neither attacked by the French nor joined by the English,
he could retire without disgrace and seek the true situation of his
allies.
The design of the march through Calabria was to seize the enemy’s
garrisons and stores all the way to Reggio, which is just opposite
Messina. This has already been done, as Reggio has been taken
by a party from Messina, so that we now expect to embark from
Pizzo, which lies just before this place. But _nothing you know is
certain_.
In taking possession of the stores we have seen innumerable papers.
One letter from Regnier[30] says, “When I have been with the
English I shall come to you. They are only 12,000. I shall very
soon finish with them.” Somewhere else he says he will take good
care that we shall not reach our shipping again. Indeed everything
betrays a most ridiculous confidence, arising not only from the
consciousness of great merit (which was just), but from a most
unreasonable contempt of an enemy which had before shown itself
superior. Every prisoner whom I have heard speak upon the subject
acknowledges to have been deceived, and condemns the order to
charge an unbroken regiment. The French soldiers are generally
remarkably fine men.
My dearest mother, I have not written you a very proper letter for
a lady, but to make it a little more acceptable it assures you of
my perfect health and spirits and constant love and affection to
all of you. Adieu, my dearest mother.--Your most affectionate and
devoted son,