Lieutenant-General Sir Harry Burrard received His Majesty’s commands to
place a large portion of the army in Portugal under the orders of Sir
John Moore, to be employed on a particular service, which was announced
in a general order on the 8th. of October, 1808, and preparations were
accordingly made for entering Spain. Upon arriving in that country the
troops were directed to wear the white cockade, in addition to their
own, as a compliment to the Spanish nation, and to use every means to
maintain the good opinion entertained of them by that high-spirited
people.
On the 27th. of October the division under the command of
Lieutenant-General the Honourable John Hope, afterwards the Earl of
Hopetoun, was put in motion, and after a short stay at Badajoz, resumed
the march to Talavera de la Reyna. From this town the column proceeded
to the Escurial, seven leagues to the north-west of Madrid, where it
arrived and halted on the 22nd. of November. Intelligence was here
received of the enemy’s movements, and a night march was made to the
left by Avila and Peneranda, and finally to Alba de Tormes, where a
junction was formed with a detachment from the army under
Lieutenant-General Sir John Moore. The troops were shortly afterwards
put in motion towards Valladolid, and subsequently to the left, to
effect a junction with the division under Lieutenant-General Sir David
Baird, which had landed at Corunna.
Previously to this period, the Spanish armies under General Blake, near
Bilboa on the left, General Castanos in the centre, and General Palafox
lower down the Ebro on the right, had been completely defeated; and
Lieutenant-General Sir John Moore consequently made arrangements for a
retreat on Portugal by Ciudad Rodrigo; but it having been represented to
him that Madrid held out against the French, he was induced to effect a
junction with Lieutenant-General Sir David Baird, in order to make a
diversion in favour of Madrid, by attacking Marshal Soult on the River
Carion.
SAHAGUN, BENEVENTE, ETC.
DECEMBER, 1808, AND JANUARY, 1809.
The British commander ascertained that instead of a powerful army
covering his advance, not a Spanish soldier was in his front, the enemy
was at hand, and those Spanish armies with which he had been directed to
co-operate, had been routed and dispersed; at the same time the winter
had set in with unusual severity, and the troops were almost constantly
marching through snow. Napoleon had three hundred thousand men in Spain,
and to confront this host of veterans, Sir John Moore had not
twenty-five thousand British troops, yet he boldly advanced and menaced
the enemy’s lines.
Three leagues from the quarters of the Hussar brigade, consisting of
the 7th., 10th., and 15th. Hussars, about eight hundred French
dragoons were in cantonments at Sahagun, under Brigadier-General
Debelle. About two o’clock on the morning of the 21st. December, the
15th., with Captain Thornhill and twelve soldiers of the 7th. Hussars,
and Lieutenant-General Lord Paget (afterwards Marquis of Angelsey) at
their head, moved along the left bank of the Cea, in order to
intercept the retreat of the French dragoons from Sahagun. The 10th.
marched straight to the town, while Lieutenant-General Lord Paget,
with the 15th., endeavoured to turn it. The British hussars arrived in
the vicinity of Sahagun before daylight; but a French patrol had given
the alarm, and his lordship found the enemy formed within the town.
The march had been performed with difficulty, the weather being
extremely cold, and from deep snow on the ground, the road was so
covered with ice in many places, that the men had to dismount and lead
their horses. Between five and six o’clock the advance guard of the
15th. fell in with a French patrol, and took five prisoners, but in
consequence of the extreme darkness the rest escaped, and galloping
off to Sahagun, gave the alarm, thus preventing the surprise of the
enemy. Upon approaching that place shortly before daylight, the French
dragoons were discovered formed up beyond a rugged hollow way, which
was unfavourable for cavalry, and as the 15th. came near the enemy
withdrew towards a bridge on their left. In numbers the French were
about two to one, but his lordship instantly charged, overthrew them,
and captured nearly one hundred and fifty prisoners, including two
lieutenant-colonels, and eleven other officers.
Lord Paget, and Lieutenant-Colonel Grant, of the 15th., each received a
medal. The conduct of the hussars was commended by the British General,
and the regiment was permitted to bear on its appointments the word
SAHAGUN.
The attack by Lord Paget on a vastly superior force, so far as numbers
were concerned, at Sahagun, in which the enemy were cut to pieces,
occasioned Sir John Moore to issue the following order:—
“Head Quarters, Sahagun.
“The different attacks made by parties of cavalry upon those of the
enemy, on the march, have given them an opportunity to display a
spirit, and to assume a tone of superiority which does them credit,
and which the Commander of the Forces hopes will be supported on more
important occasions.
“The attacks conducted by Brigadier-General Stewart, with the 18th.
Hussars, when upon the Douro, and that by Lieutenant-General Lord
Paget upon the enemy’s cavalry at this place, are honourable to the
British cavalry.
“The Commander of the Forces begs that the Lieutenant-General and
Brigadier-General will accept his thanks for their services, and that
they will convey them to Brigadier-General Slade, and the officers,
non-commissioned officers, and men of the cavalry under their command,
for their conduct in the different affairs that have taken place.”
An order like this naturally made the infantry very desirous to emulate
the cavalry, and the opportunity was shortly afterwards afforded.
Arrangements had been made for attacking the enemy, but the approach of
Napoleon, with an overwhelming force, rendered a retrograde movement
necessary; and while the cavalry pickets were skirmishing with the
French, the baggage, and several brigades of infantry withdrew.
Christmas, with all its social customs was thus dawning, when the troops
commenced their retreat. A heavy and continued fall of snow hid the ruts
in the roads, caused by the passage of the guns. Officers lost their
boots in these ruts, and were compelled to walk barefooted. Two days
rest after the reserve had crossed the Esla, enabled measures to be
taken to repair the sufferings from the bad roads, a supply of soles and
heels having been furnished to each regiment; the officers and men had
also the welcome issue of new blankets, and one hundred and fifty pairs
of shoes were supplied to each regiment.
On the 24th. of December the hussars fell back to Cal; on the 25th. they
arrived at Sahagun, and on quitting that place on the 26th., a
considerable force of the enemy’s cavalry was seen on some high ground
at Majorga. Lord Paget directed Colonel Leigh, of the 10th. Hussars, to
dislodge them with two squadrons of his regiment, and the colonel
instantly led one squadron forward, the other following in support.
Arriving on the top of the hill, he paused a short time for the horses
to recover their wind after the ascent, and was exposed to a heavy, but
not destructive, fire; he afterwards gave the word “Charge,” and in five
minutes the French were overthrown, many were killed, others wounded,
and about a hundred taken prisoners. On this, and on all other
occasions, the superiority of the British cavalry over the French
horsemen, was proved to an extent beyond anything that had been
anticipated. The British hussars set superior numbers at defiance, and
their temerity was not, in any instance, punished by repulse or defeat.
Continuing the retreat, the cavalry arrived at Benevente on the 27th. of
December; they had scarcely entered the town, when an alarm of the
approach of a body of French troops was given, and the hussars turned
out, but the enemy retired. The infantry continued their retreat on the
following morning, but the cavalry remained in the town, with parties
watching the fords on the Esla.
Six hundred cavalry of the French imperial guard, commanded by General
Lefebre Desnouettes, forded the river near the bridge, and drove back
the videttes, when the British pickets, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel
Otway, (afterwards Lieutenant-General Sir Loftus William Otway,) major
of the 18th. Hussars advanced, and repeatedly charging the enemy’s
leading squadrons, kept the whole in check until Lieutenant-General Lord
Paget and Brigadier-General the Honourable Charles Stewart (afterwards
the Marquis of Londonderry) arrived. A detatchment of the 10th. Hussars,
under Major Quentin, was engaged on this occasion, and evinced signal
gallantry. Lord Paget hastened to bring up the regiment from the town:
Brigadier-General Stewart placed himself at the head of the pickets, and
the ground was obstinately disputed, many charges being made by both
sides, the French veterans fighting in a manner worthy of their high
reputation. The pickets were ordered to fall back gradually, and the
squadrons were repeatedly mingled. Brigadier-General Stewart evinced
great personal bravery, and while engaged with a French officer, his
sword fell, when Lieutenant-Colonel Otway gave the general his own
sword, and recovered the other from the ground. While the fight was
taking place on the plain, the hussars formed at the edge of the town,
and, on receiving the signal to advance, they galloped forward. The
pickets, perceiving the 10th. advancing to support them, gave a loud
cheer, and dashed at speed upon their numerous opponents. In an instant
the French were broken and driven in great disorder towards the river,
which they repassed with precipitation, leaving behind them about thirty
men killed, twenty-five wounded, and seventy prisoners. General Lefebre
Desnouttes was pursued by the hussars, and refusing to stop when
overtaken, he was cut across the head, and made prisoner by Private Levi
Grisdall.
On the 30th. of December the troops came up with the wretched remains of
the army under the Marquis de la Romana; instead of these being of any
assistance they impeded the march of the British, and exhausted the few
resources left, the houses being filled by them.
The retreat presented many harrowing features. An eye-witness,
Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Cadell, of the 28th., which regiment formed
part of the reserve, the post of honour in a retreat, states,—“On the
arrival of the cavalry at Canberas, about midnight, the reserve
immediately moved on, and arrived next morning, 1st. January, 1809, at
Bembibre, just as the other division was marching off to Villa Franca.
The scene of drunkenness that here presented itself was truly shameful.
The stragglers from the preceding division so crowded every house, that
there was hardly a place to be had for the wearied reserve. Crowds of
half-naked and unfortunate peasants of Romana’s army, added to the
confusion. On the 2nd., when Sir John Moore left Bembibre, with the
reserve and the cavalry, for Villa Franca, Colonel Ross was left with
that excellent regiment, the 20th., and a detachment of hussars, to
cover the town, while officers were employed in endeavouring to collect
the stragglers. A few were got away, but many were so tired and lame
from sore feet, that they did not care if the French sabres and bayonets
were at their breasts, so completely did most of them give themselves up
to despair. The rear-guard was at length forced to retire and leave
those unfortunate people to their fate. Some of these poor fellows, who
had thought better of it, and were endeavouring to overtake their
countrymen, were unmercifully sabred by the French cavalry, many of them
in a defenceless state.”
In the same gallant veteran’s “Narrative of the Campaigns of the 28th.
Regiment,” this striking incident occurs:—“The following occurrence had
more effect in establishing the good conduct of the reserve than
anything that had yet been done. We were formed into close column on the
Bembibre side of the river, when our gallant chief, General Paget, in an
excellent address, called the attention of the soldiers to the dreadful
and disgraceful scene of yesterday, and the merciless conduct of the
enemy’s cavalry had shewn to many of the stragglers. He told the men
that they had become the rear-guard of the army, and upon their sober,
steady, and good conduct the safety of the whole depended. Just as the
general had finished his admirable and soldier-like address, and after
all the orders had been given, and the necessary examples that had been
made, two men of the reserve were found in the very act of shamefully
plundering a house in the village, and ill-treating the inhabitants. The
report was made, and the reserve was instantly formed in square; the
culprits were brought out, the general being determined that an example
should be made. They were ordered to be hanged upon a tree close to the
village. Everything being prepared, the awful sentence was about to be
carried into execution; the unfortunate men were in the act of being
lifted up to the fatal branch, when a officer of the hussars rode into
the square, and reported that the enemy were at that moment advancing.
The general said he did not care if the whole French cavalry were coming
up, that he would hang those men, who had been guilty of so shameful an
outrage. At that instant a few distant shots were heard, and a second
officer arrived at full speed with another report. The general then
stopped the execution, and turning round to the reserve, said,
‘Soldiers! if you promise to behave well for the future, I will forgive
those men; say yes, in an instant.’ ‘Yes!’ was said by every one. ‘Say
it again,’ said the general. ‘Yes, yes,’ was again exclaimed by all.
‘Say it a third time,’ ‘Yes, yes, yes?’ and a cheer followed.[29] The
men were forgiven, the square was reduced, and the 52nd. regiment, under
Colonel Barclay, went through the village in double-quick time, and in
the most beautiful manner took possession of the vineyards on the
opposite side of the river, while the remainder of the reserve crossed
the bridge under cover of the 95th., and formed on the hill behind the
52nd. By this time the enemy were close upon us, and attacked the 95th.
in great force, the cavalry joining in the onset. They were terribly
galled by the rifles as they advanced through the village. The 95th.
then retired up the road to the right and left, the French being at the
same time exposed to a murderous fire from the 52nd., in the vineyards,
which completely checked them. The 52nd. then retired up the road, when
the enemy were again most gallantly repulsed. The French in this affair
lost the general officer commanding the advanced guard, and many men. A
column of them was also severely handled by Captain Carthew’s guns, and
stopped descending the hill on the other side of the river. This kept
them quiet until the afternoon of the 5th. of January. Our gallant
commander-in-chief was present during this affair, and wherever there
was a shot fired was he always to be found. This was the first time the
infantry had met the enemy.”
Marshal Soult, unwilling to attack, followed the sorely-pressed army
with unwonted caution. One night and two days brought the army from
Villa Franca to Lugo. All the attacks of the advanced guard of the
French upon the rear were repulsed. Notwithstanding this, however, the
retreating troops became more and more harassed. When the two bullock
cars, containing treasure to the amount of twenty-five thousand pounds,
became immovable, the money had to be thrown over the precipice.
Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Cadell thus narrates the circumstance:—“On
the morning of the 5th. (January, 1809,) the reserve left Nogales. We
were detained at a bridge a little way on the road, covering the
engineers, who were endeavouring to destroy it, but they did not
succeed. The 28th. regiment was now the rear-guard of the reserve, and
the flank companies, with a company of the 95th., formed the rear-guard
of the regiment. The whole distance was a continued skirmish. About noon
we came up with two cars laden with dollars; but the bullocks that drew
them being completely exhausted, it was impossible to save the treasure.
Under these circumstances Sir John Moore decided that the whole should
be thrown down the mountain, most judiciously considering, that if the
casks were broken, the men would make a rush for the money, which would
have caused great confusion, and might have cost the lives of many. The
rear-guard, therefore was halted; Lieutenant Bennet, of the light
company, 28th. regiment, was placed over the money, with strict orders
from Sir John Moore to shoot the first person who attempted to touch
it.[30] It was then rolled over the precipice; the casks were soon
broken by the rugged rocks, and the dollars falling out, rolled over the
height—a sparkling cascade of silver. The French advanced guard coming
up shortly after to the spot, were detained for a time picking up the
few dollars that had been scattered on the road.”
BATTLE OF CORUNNA.
16TH. JANUARY, 1809.
Sir John Moore concentrated his army near Lugo, where he determined to
give battle. About twelve o’clock in the morning of the 6th. of January,
the French appeared on the opposite heights. The British soldiers, full
of the national spirit, desired nothing better than to confront them.
The troops were immediately under arms, but each looked at the other
until evening set in, and it became evident that the day of battle was
to be postponed. On the following morning the enemy at daybreak opened a
cannonade, which was forthwith returned, and in the space of a few
minutes the French fire was silenced. Towards sunset a French column
commenced the ascent of the rising ground, and was met by a wing of the
76th.; this regiment gradually retired until joined by the 51st. In the
latter Sir John Moore had served as an ensign, and he addressed them
briefly, reminding them of that circumstance, and expressing his
reliance on their gallantry. The speech, short as it was, produced its
effect, and after a few discharges of musketry, they rushed onward with
the bayonet, when the enemy was beaten back, leaving on the ground
several killed and wounded.
At dark, when large fires illumined the heights, the British
re-commenced their retreat, undiscovered by the French until daylight.
But little was seen of the enemy until the army arrived at Corunna,
where the leading brigades marched in during the afternoon of the 11th.
of January, the adjacent villages and suburbs being occupied by the
troops. The trying retreat was completed; but there was a disappointment
to be experienced. No transports were there to receive the troops. In
the evening the foe came up, and occupied a position on the other side
of the river Mero. The battle-ground was not marked out until the 12th
of January, and this was the range of hills round the village of Elvino,
about a mile from Corunna, on which Sir John Moore resolved to place his
army. Before the arrangements were completed, the French were observed
moving along the opposite bank of the river. Nothing occurred until the
14th., when a fire of artillery was kept up for a short time. A terrible
explosion occurred on that day; a magazine of four thousand barrels of
gunpowder, which had been sent from England for the use of the
Spaniards, being destroyed, to prevent its falling into the hands of the
French. This caused quite a panic in both armies, and, although
occurring three or four miles from Corunna, many of the windows in the
town were broken.
Fine weather enabled the soldiers to dry their clothes, and to make
themselves comparatively comfortable; and during the afternoon of the
14th. the whole fleet of transports, convoyed by numerous ships of war,
appeared in sight. Some slight skirmishing occurred to the right on the
15th. During the afternoon and night of the 15th. the sick, wounded,
women, and children were embarked, and on the following day the greater
proportion of the artillery was placed on board, the ground not being
adapted for that arm. Before going on board the cavalry had to destroy
the remainder of their horses, and the sight was naturally most painful.
All animals were left on the beach at Corunna;[31] but the wife of
Sergeant Monday, the orderly-room clerk of the 28th regiment, is stated
to have carried a lap-dog in a basket over her arm throughout the
retreat, and brought it to England with her.
About one o’clock in the afternoon of the 16th. of January, the enemy,
who had early that day received reinforcements, and who had placed some
guns in front of the right and left of his line, was observed to be
moving his troops towards his left flank, and forming various columns of
attack at that extremity of the strong and commanding position which on
the morning of the 15th. he had taken in the immediate front of the
British. This indication of his intention was immediately succeeded by a
rapid and determined attack upon Lieutenant-General Sir David. Baird’s
division, which occupied the right of the position. The first effort of
the enemy was met by the 42nd. regiment, and the brigade under
Major-General Lord William Bentinck. The village on the right then
became an object of obstinate contest. Lieutenant-General Sir David
Baird was severely wounded, and shortly after Sir John Moore fell by a
cannon-shot. The troops though not unacquainted with the irreparable
loss they had sustained, were not dismayed, and by the most determined
bravery, not only repelled every attempt of the enemy to gain ground,
but actually forced him to retire, although fresh troops had been
brought up in support of those originally engaged.
Finding himself foiled in every attempt to force the right of the
position, the enemy endeavoured by numbers to turn it. A judicious and
well-timed movement, which was made by Major-General the Honourable
Edward Paget with the reserve, that corps having moved out of its
cantonments to support the right of the army, by a vigorous attack
defeated this intention. The Major-General, having pushed forward the
95th., (rifle corps,) and the first battalion of the 52nd. regiment,
drove the foe before him, and in his rapid and judicious advance
threatened the left of the enemy’s position. This circumstance, with the
position of Lieutenant-General Fraser’s division, which was calculated
to give still further security to the right of the line, induced the
enemy to relax his efforts in that quarter. They were then, however,
more forcibly directed towards the centre, where they were again
successfully resisted by the brigade under Major-General Manningham,
forming the left of Sir David Baird’s division, and a part of that under
Major-General Leith.
Upon the left the enemy at first contented himself with an attack upon
the pickets, which in general maintained their ground. Seeing,
therefore, his efforts unavailing on the right and centre, he appeared
determined to render the attack upon the left more serious, and
succeeded in obtaining possession of the village through which the great
road to Madrid passes, and which was situated in front of that part of
the line. From this post he was soon expelled, with considerable loss,
by a gallant attack of some companies of the second battalion of the
14th., regiment, under Lieutenant-Colonel Nicolls. Before five in the
evening, not only had every attack upon the British position been
successfully repelled, but ground had been gained in all points, a more
forward line being occupied than at the commencement of the action.
Eventually the enemy confined his operations to a cannonade, and the
fire of his light troops, with a view to draw off his other corps. At
six o’clock the firing entirely ceased. The different brigades were
re-assembled on the ground they occupied in the morning, and the pickets
and advanced posts resumed their original stations.
The corps chiefly engaged were the brigades under Major-Generals Lord
William Bentinck, Manningham, and Leith, and the brigade of guards under
Major-General Warde, Major-General Hill, and Brigadier-General Catlin
Crauford, with their brigades on the left of the position, ably
supported their advanced posts. The brunt of the action fell upon the
4th., 42nd., 50th., and 81st. regiments, with parts of the brigades of
guards, and the 28th. regiment.
About ten at night the troops quitted their position, and marched to
their respective points of embarkation in the town and neighbourhood of
Corunna. The pickets remained at their posts until five in the morning
of the 17th., when they were withdrawn unperceived by the French. The
embarkation proceed rapidly, and, with the exception of the brigades
under Major-Generals Hill and Beresford, which were destined to remain
on shore until the movements of the enemy should become manifest, the
whole were afloat before daylight. The brigade of Major-General
Beresford, which was alternately to form the rear-guard, occupied the
land front of the town of Corunna, whilst that of Major-General Hill was
stationed in reserve on the promontory behind the town.
Soon after eight o’clock in the morning of the 17th. of January, the
French light troops moved towards the town, and almost immediately
occupied the heights of St. Lucia, which command the harbour.
Notwithstanding this circumstance, and the manifold defects of the
place, there being no apprehension that the rear-guard could be forced,
and the disposition of the Spaniards appearing to be good, the
embarkation of Major-General Hill’s brigade was commenced and completed
by three in the afternoon. Major-General Beresford withdrew his corps
from the land front of the town soon after dark, which, with all the
wounded that had not been previously moved, were embarked before one on
the morning of the 18th.