Our Author marries--The Battalion to which he belongs ordered to
join the Expedition fitting out for Corunna--Movements of the
Army in Spain--Return to England.
Some little time after our return from the Baltic, I obtained a short
leave of absence, for the purpose of visiting my parents, and the other
members of my family; and, during my stay in my native village,
contracted a marriage with a young woman whom I had known from my
boyhood, she having been one of my earliest schoolfellows. I cannot say
that I enjoyed in the marriage state that happiness which I expected
from it, partly owing to the frequent and long separations which my
calling rendered unavoidable, and partly from other causes which have no
connexion with my narrative. I believe, during the eight years which my
wife lived after our union, I spent more than six of these in absence
from her.
At the expiration of my leave, we set off to join the regiment, which
still remained at Hythe, where we remained till the beginning of
September following, when my battalion having again been ordered for
foreign service in the expedition fitting out for Corunna, it became
indispensable that my poor wife should return to Northumberland, and
remain under the protection of her parents, till my return, should it
please God to spare me. This, no doubt, was a severe trial to us both,
but particularly to her, who had such a journey to undertake, alone and
unprotected, and she at the time far advanced in pregnancy; but, however
distressing, it must be undertaken, and I unfortunately could not be
spared from the regiment, for our orders were to proceed immediately to
Ramsgate, for embarkation.
We parted, after I had accompanied her as far as I was able, and seeing
her safely stowed in the coach. It may be supposed that a new-married
pair, under such circumstances, would part with heavy and afflicted
hearts.
My battalion embarked at Ramsgate on the 10th of September. On this
occasion, I was very fortunate in getting on board an excellent
transport, called the Nautilus, of Shields, commanded by Captain Watson
(my wife's maiden name), and the steward, a native of the Hermitage, a
place within four miles of my home. Of course, we were mutually glad to
meet each other, and often talked over old Northumbrian stories, which
recalled delightful recollections of our younger years. The fleet in
which we sailed rendezvoused at Falmouth, whence we took our departure,
and arrived at Corunna on the 26th of October.
On our passage, when we made Cape Ortegal, a pilot-boat came off, in
which were the first Spaniards I remember to have seen; certainly, they
did not prepossess me greatly in favour of their countrymen, but they
are now so well known in England, that a description of those I here
saw, would be only to repeat what has been so often and so much better
told by others. We landed at Corunna, as before said, on the 26th, and a
day or two after, proceeded up the country, halting for the first night
at Betanzos. Our force consisted of cavalry, infantry, and artillery, in
all, about 10,000 men, and was commanded by General Sir David Baird,
and intended to co-operate, or form a junction, with that under Sir John
Moore, then in Portugal, and who was then advancing into Spain.
My battalion, and some companies of the first battalion of my regiment,
formed the advanced guard, a situation which I consider the most
enviable of any in the army--for here all is untried, and, as it were,
unbroken ground; every thing is fresh, and although attended sometimes
with a little more danger of being cut off while separated from the main
body, yet possessing so many countervailing advantages, that I hesitate
not to say it is the most desirable post of any in an army.
At Betanzos, we began to experience the great defectiveness of our
commissariat department, at this period of our history; for the
gentleman sent forward to provide our two battalions with food, was so
utterly unacquainted with his business, that he was actually afraid to
make an attempt to issue provisions. Although bread had been baked by
order of the Spanish authorities, he not understanding, as he said, the
Spanish weights and measures, durst not issue any thing without his own,
which were behind; but it was evident the troops could not remain
without provisions. We were here, as in most of the towns we afterwards
passed through, lodged in convents, the officers generally either being
quartered on the inhabitants of the town, or lodged by the monks in
their cells. On these occasions the men occupied only the corridors,
into which straw was generally put by the authorities of the place, the
men lying as close as pigs in a sty, which indeed was necessary to keep
each other warm; but these lodgings were not to be complained of, as
clean straw, and shelter overhead in that country, are no contemptible
quarters.
We moved forward by fair and easy stages, by way of Lugo, Villa Franca,
Cacabelos, and Astorga; this latter place we reached on the 19th
November, but during the march, we had experienced considerable
difficulty in obtaining supplies both of provisions and the means of
transport. This is a considerable town, containing probably about 5000
inhabitants. Both it and Lugo are surrounded by old Moorish walls, which
may formerly have been considered strong, but which, according to the
present mode of warfare, would offer but a feeble resistance to a
besieging army. It contains a number of convents, both in the town and
suburbs, and, of course, a proportionate number of idle monks, &c. Here,
as in many towns in Spain, they have a curious mode of keeping out of
their houses unwelcome visiters; for the doors being all made remarkably
strong, and kept constantly shut, you cannot enter till the inmates have
first reconnoitred you through an aperture above the door, made for the
purpose; and it is not till they are satisfied who you are, and with
your business, that they will open the door, which they generally do by
a cord communicating with the latch from their peep-hole above.
Here we were pretty plentifully supplied with provisions, and rested for
some days, my battalion having been pushed forward to a village called
Zalada, about a league in front of the town. After having been refreshed
by a few days' rest, my battalion was again pushed forward, and occupied
the town of Labeneza, about four leagues in front of Astorga, while the
main body of the army assembled in and around that town; but we had not
remained more than a few days in Labeneza, before a report arrived of
the enemy being in our front, and advancing in force; and we were
consequently recalled to Zalada, in order to form a junction with our
main body. Not long after this, about the latter end of November,
orders were received from Sir John Moore, for our division to retreat
and fall back upon Corunna. This measure, I understand, was rendered
necessary, in consequence of the Spanish armies having been completely
beaten and dispersed, so that nothing remained to oppose an overwhelming
French force, which it was ascertained had entered Spain, but the few
British troops comprising the armies under Sir John Moore, and ours.
We accordingly set to the right-about, and fell back as far as
Cacabelos, the main body occupying Villa Franca and its neighbourhood.
This movement was not by any means liked by any of us; for, independent
of its being so uncongenial to the spirit of Britons to turn their backs
upon an enemy, we felt disappointed at what we saw and heard of the
celebrated Spanish patriots. We had been given to understand that the
whole nation was up in arms against the French, and that we should have
been received, on entering their country, as liberators, and treated as
brethren, but in both these points we were miserably disappointed; for,
instead of a hearty welcome on our arrival, we could with great
difficulty obtain leave to land, and still more to obtain the necessary
supplies of carriages and provisions to enable us to come forward; and
with regard to the patriotism of the people, whatever might have been
their good-will to act in defence of their beloved country and
Ferdinand, they appeared as little likely as any people I had ever seen,
to effect any thing against such an enemy as the French. In fact, those
of them who formed their armies, at least of those straggling parties we
so often met, could be called nothing better than mere rabble--no
organization, no subordination, but every one evidently pursued that
plan which seemed right in his own eyes.
While we remained at Cacabelos, (a place famous for good wine,) many
were the schemes adopted by some of our bibbers, to obtain a sufficient
quantum of this excellent beverage. I understand they occasionally
borrowed each other's clothes; that is, a 43d man would borrow a
rifleman's green jacket, and _vice versa_, and go and steal, or in some
other illegal mode obtain, a camp-kettle full or two; and when the owner
came to point out the person who had robbed him, of course he could not
be found.
We had not remained above a day or two in our new quarters, before an
express arrived from Sir John Moore, with orders for us to advance again
immediately; and which, notwithstanding we had little or no prospect of
assistance and co-operation from the Patriots, was cheerfully complied
with. We retraced our former steps, passing through Astorga and
Labeneza, and reached Benevente on the 15th December.
Our cavalry, consisting of the 7th, 10th, and 15th hussars, under Lord
Paget, had by this time come up from Corunna, and had been pushed
forward to join Sir John Moore's force; they fell in with a party of the
French cavalry at the town of Rueda, not far from Tordesillas, and of
which they either killed, or took prisoners, nearly the whole; in fact,
through the whole of this service, nothing could exceed the gallantry
and intrepid conduct of our cavalry under his lordship. At this town, as
well as at Astorga and Villa Franca, depots of provisions began to be
formed soon after our arrival.
On the 17th December, we again advanced from Benevente, in order to form
a junction with Sir John Moore's army, and passing through Valderas,
Majorga, and Sahagun, we reached the convent of Trianon, about a league
in front of the latter place. On the 20th, here the two forces were
united, and a fresh distribution into brigades took place. Ours, under
Brigadier-general Crawford, was termed the Light Brigade, and consisted
of the 1st battalion 43d, 2d battalion 52d, and the 2d battalion of my
regiment.
The whole army was assembled in this neighbourhood, and consisted of
about 26,000 men, the whole _now_ under the command of Sir John Moore.
Previous to our arrival at Sahagun, Lord Paget, with a part of the 10th
and 15th hussars, discovered that a considerable body of the enemy's
cavalry occupied that town. He therefore detached the 10th by a
circuitous road, while he with the 15th approached it by the more direct
one. They were, however, discovered by the French before reaching the
town, which gave the enemy time to turn out and form to receive the
attack. His lordship, when a favourable opportunity offered, charged the
French, who were greatly superior in numbers, and completely overthrew
them, taking two colonels, eleven other officers, and about 150 men.
On the evening of the 23d, the whole army was put in motion, with an
intention, it was said, of attacking Marshal Soult, who, with a corps of
about 16 or 18,000 men, was posted behind the River Carrion, his
head-quarters being at Saldanha. The Spanish General Romana, was to take
a part in this movement; his small and sadly inefficient force had
approached the left of our army, or rather we had drawn towards his
position, and he was, I believe, perfectly willing to lend all the
assistance in his power, in the contemplated attack; but our General, I
fancy, did not calculate upon any material help, from a force so greatly
out of order as his was said to be. Soon after dark, the troops fell in;
and as it was understood an attack was going to be made on the enemy,
every pulse beat high, in expectation of soon congratulating each other
on a victory. All was life and animation; and the necessary
preparations, by the light of our blazing fires, for such an event as a
battle, after the many long and harassing marches we had had, gave an
interesting appearance to the scene.
When all was ready, the troops moved forward. It was a cold and bitter
night, and there were some small brooks on the road. An officer of my
battalion, who was not very well, when he came to one of those, instead
of marching straight through, as it appears had been ordered, went a
little way round by the bridge, although not off the road. A certain
general officer, who happened to be there at the time, observed it, and
getting into a great rage at the officer leaving his section, made him
turn back, and march through and through repeatedly, by way of
punishment. Such a mode of treating an officer, certainly appeared
rather harsh; but this general piqued himself on his being able to make
his brigade better marchers than any other troops in the army; and in
this he certainly succeeded, although it was not without frequent
exhibitions, such as the above. Our people had not gone far, however,
till they were countermanded, and returned back to our convent. I rather
think the main body of the army had not moved out of their cantonments;
but ours being the advanced brigade, it was necessary we should move
before the others.
It appears Sir John Moore, just before he intended to set out, had
received information, not only of Soult having been greatly reinforced,
but that several strong corps of the French army were marching directly
upon us, by which, should he delay only a few days, we should be
completely surrounded, and cut off from a retreat. This was most
distressing information, for never was an army more eager to come in
contact with the enemy than ours was at this moment, and never was there
a fairer prospect of success, had things remained as they were; but now,
instead of honour and glory being acquired, by showing the French what
British troops could do in the field, it was evident nothing remained
but to commence a retrograde movement, the worst and most unpleasant, in
a British soldier's view, of any other.
Winter had now completely set in; the face of the country being covered
with deep snow, the weather was unusually severe. Our prospect,
therefore, was by no means a pleasant one. To commence a retreat in
front of a greatly superior force, and with the probability that other
French armies might be before us, and intercept our retreat upon the
sea, which was distant from us nearly 250 miles, with the country in our
rear being already exhausted of every thing that could contribute to our
support, and with such excessively bad weather to perform the retreat
in, rendered it, I may say, as unpleasant a situation as troops could
well be placed in. Added to which, our commissariat was by no means so
efficient in those days as they have latterly become; and our troops in
general being young, and unaccustomed to privation, it was but too
obvious, that should the retreat continue long, many would be the
disasters attending it. On Christmas day, our brigade, as the rear of
the infantry, commenced its uncomfortable retreat, and continued
marching till late at night, when we reached a convent near Majorga. The
next day, although we started early, we only reached the village of St
Miguel about midnight.
Here I had considerable difficulty with the baggage. I had had charge of
it all day, my guard being composed of officers' servants, &c., who, the
moment they got into the village, set off to their masters, and left me
alone with the mules, the troops having, by the time I got in, all lain
down to sleep. Several of the muleteers had been pressed into the
service against their wills, and of course would have made their escape
whenever an opportunity offered. I was therefore compelled to drive them
all into the churchyard, and watch them myself, till luckily, after
waiting in this situation a considerable time, without daring to go to
sleep after the fatigues of such a day, some men happened to wander in
that direction in search of meat, by whom I sent to our quartermaster to
request he would send a guard, which he did soon after, and I had the
happiness to be allowed to throw myself down and take some rest.
This day Lord Paget had another brush with the French cavalry, who,
being apprized of our retreat, had advanced to Majorga. He attacked them
with that gallantry which shone so conspicuously in the cavalry during
the whole of this service, and completely overthrew them, killing and
wounding many, and taking a number prisoners; in this affair the 10th
hussars were engaged, and behaved nobly. The next day we reached Castro
Gonzales, and Castro Pipa. At the latter village, my battalion halted
for the night and the next day. These two villages command the passage
over the river Eslar, they being about equidistant from the bridge, and
something more than a mile apart on high ground over the river, which
runs about a league in front of Benevente. Here we were obliged to
remain during the time mentioned, in order that the heavy divisions of
the army might get sufficiently forward before we moved.
I had still the charge of the baggage, and not knowing where my
battalion was to be quartered for the night, I had crossed the Eslar to
the Benevente side, till I learnt long after dark that Castro Pipa was
its quarters. I consequently turned back and recrossed the river, and
just as I reached the end of the bridge, I heard a shot immediately in
my front. The 43d regiment guarded the bridge. It turned out to be a
patrol of the enemy's cavalry who had come close to the top of the
slope leading down to the bridge, and where a double sentry of the 43d
was posted. By some accident these two men were not loaded; the French
dragoons were consequently permitted to come close up to them without
their being able to give any alarm. One of them, however, run his
bayonet into one of the Frenchmen's horses, and retreated, but the other
was not only cut down with the sabre, but had a pistol fired at him,
which was the report I had just heard. I saw the wounded man, who was
severely hurt, but whether he survived or not I know not.
When I reached Castro Pipa, my commanding-officer would scarcely credit
the report I gave him, conceiving it impossible the French could be such
near neighbours. I was a good deal chagrined at his suspecting my
veracity, but he had never been what I may call a friendly
commanding-officer to me, as the story of the rifle at Copenhagen will
prove; indeed, as I had been put into the situation I held contrary to
his wish, it was hardly to be expected that he would show himself very
friendly. During the night, however, our quarters were beat up, not
indeed by the enemy, but by our brigadier, who was not sparing of his
censure for our want of alertness in turning out. Indeed, we neither had
so good a look-out as we ought to have kept, nor did we get under arms
with that promptitude which was desirable, and from the cause before
assigned; that is, that our commandant did not believe the enemy was so
near.
I own I was not sorry that the General paid us such a visit, as it not
only put us more upon our guard, a thing so indispensably necessary in
the presence of an enemy, but it gave me some satisfaction for the
dishonour put upon me by disbelieving my information.
The enemy did not disturb us during the remainder of the night, and
next morning the brigade was assembled on the height above, and in front
of the bridge; considerable bodies of the enemy's cavalry appearing in
the plain before us. Some skirmishing between our people and the enemy
took place, but nothing of any importance occurred. Our brigade was left
in this position to cover the working party who were preparing to blow
up the bridge, at which they worked all day; during the night our people
were withdrawn from the farther side, and the explosion soon after took
place, but the destruction of the bridge was by no means so effectual as
was wished and expected. When we turned out in the morning to move
towards the bridge, I (still having charge of my battalion's baggage)
discovered that a vast quantity of excellent biscuit was stored up in an
empty house in the village, which, no doubt, had been baked for the
purpose of supplying the magazine at Benevente; and as our people had
been but very indifferently supplied with bread since we commenced the
retreat, I determined to load a bullock-cart with it, and try to get it
to a place of safety, where I hoped to be able to issue it to them.
I accordingly took a cart and two bullocks, there being plenty in the
village, and apparently without owners, for the inhabitants had mostly
either abandoned the place on the appearance of the French, or had hid
themselves. I loaded the cart, but still I wanted a person to drive it;
and although I used both promises and threats, I could not prevail upon
any person to go with me. I therefore mounted the cart myself, and using
my sword by way of a goad, I entered the river at a place which looked
like a ford, and had the good fortune to reach the other side in safety.
I mention this to show that so much importance need not have been
attached to the destruction of the bridge, as both here, and near Castro
Gonzales, the river was perfectly fordable, for near the latter place
the French cavalry forded it on the following morning.
I now made my way to Benevente, where I remained during the day of the
28th; and at night, as before hinted, the troops which had been guarding
the bridge arrived, leaving cavalry piquets on the plain between the
town and the river. The next morning our people left Benevente, and as I
was a little behind them with the baggage, on my reaching a height in
rear of the town, I observed in the plain in front a considerable body
of the enemy's cavalry, who had, as before stated, crossed the river
near Castro Gonzales, and were advancing towards the town, opposed,
though feebly at first, by the few of our cavalry left there on piquet;
but the cavalry regiments which were in town quickly turning out to
their support, they were at length completely able to oppose, and
finally overthrow them.
During the time I remained here, I saw our brave dragoons make three
most gallant and successful charges against superior numbers of the
enemy, completely breaking and dispersing the different bodies against
which the charges were made. The enemy appeared to be drawn up in
different lines, the front one of which was that always charged; and I
observed, that as our people advanced upon them, they were always
received with a fire either from the carbines or pistols of the enemy,
but this never appeared in the least to check the ardour of the charge,
for in a minute or two after I observed the French troops retired in
confusion, and formed behind the other lines. At length they were
completely driven back to the ford by which they had crossed; and in a
charge now made upon them, General le Febvre, with about seventy men,
fell into our people's hands. These troops were a part of Bonaparte's
Imperial Guard, and the flower of his army, being fine-looking men,
dressed in dark-green long coats, with high bear-skin caps, and
mustaches, which gave them a formidable appearance. It was said that
Bonaparte was looking on at this affair, and witnessed the defeat of his
hitherto invincible Old Guard; it is certain that he slept the night
before at Villalpando, a place only four leagues distant from the field.
I now set off and overtook the baggage and the bullock cart, not having
had an opportunity of issuing the biscuit; but before I had proceeded
above a few miles, the bullocks knocked up, and notwithstanding every
exertion I found it impossible to get them any farther. Thus was I
reluctantly compelled to abandon a cart-load of excellent biscuit, after
having had so much trouble with it, at the time when I knew it was
greatly needed by my hungry fellow soldiers, and to whom it would have
been a most welcome offering. On this day's march, a most lamentable
number of stragglers were overtaken by us, we being in rear of all the
infantry; they had either fallen out from excessive fatigue, or from
having (as in too many instances) drunk too much; indeed, the
destruction of the magazine of provisions at the place we had left,
enabled too many of them to obtain by one means or other considerable
quantities of spirits, and which, of course, rendered them incapable of
marching. This was a long and wearisome day's journey of nearly thirty
miles; we did not reach Labeneza till late at night, where a
considerable quantity of ammunition was obliged to be destroyed, the
animals failing which drew it.
The next day we reached our old quarters at Zalada, a league in front of
Astorga, where we halted for the night, the remainder of the brigade
going into the town. It was to this village, it may be remembered, that
we were sent on our first advance, and subsequently after our first
retreat from Labeneza; but besides these movements from the village and
back again, during the time we remained in it, we almost every morning
had orders to pack up and move a short distance out of the place. This
was done no doubt to accustom us to a ready turning out, as till this
period our baggage had been transported on bullock-carts; but now we had
mules, and it was necessary to accustom those whose duty it was, to load
the mules with dispatch. But on every occasion of this kind, the
inhabitants always imagined we were actually going to leave them, and
the moment we were clean gone, as they thought, they set to work and
rung the church bell with all their might. This was either to testify
their regret at losing our company, or to evince their gratitude to
Heaven for having got rid of such a band of heretics, by which their
most pure and holy dwellings had been defiled; it was laughable to see
the long faces they put on when we, so contrary to their hopes and
expectations, always returned to our wretched and uncomfortable
quarters.
During the whole of the time we remained in this village, I, as a
staff-sergeant, could find no better lodgings than a dirty open shed;
the reader will therefore judge how ill the privates must have been off.
Our fellows began about this time to pick up little bits of Spanish, and
would often exercise their ability to converse in the native tongue, by
telling the inhabitants that we were certainly going to "_marcha
manana_", that is, to march to-morrow, so that it became quite a
by-word, which annoyed our hosts not a little. If I mistake not, the
Padre of this village was a great knave, and did not scruple to help
himself to such things as he had a mind for, belonging to our officers,
whenever a fit opportunity presented itself. The next day, the 31st, we
moved into Astorga, where we halted for an hour or two, till the
destruction of the magazine there was completed, although nothing but
rum remained; and here I witnessed such a brutal and swinish eagerness
for drink as was quite disgusting. The rum casks were ordered to be
staved, and to let the contents run out on the street, that they might
not fall into the hands of the enemy: thus the rum which had cost so
much trouble in bringing up all the way from Corunna was about to be
lost for ever; a thing most heart-rending to the numerous soldiers
looking on, who loved it so dearly. However, they were determined not to
lose all, for when the heads of the casks were knocked in, and their
contents permitted to run in streams down the gutters, some of those
brutes deliberately took off their greasy caps, and laving up the rum
and the mud together, drank, or rather ate, the swinish mixture. What
noble soldiers would our country produce, were not that detestable vice
of drunkenness so common among us; but to it how many have I seen
deliberately sacrifice their own and country's honour, nay their very
life itself, rather than forego the beastly gratification!
All this morning we had been told to keep a sharp look-out on the Leon
side of Astorga, for the enemy was every moment expected to make his
appearance from that quarter; however, we were not disturbed during the
short time we remained. We here fell in with a considerable body of
Romana's army, apparently all confusion, and destitute of every thing.
We understood that they were not to be marched in the same line we were
taking, but that it had been concerted between the two generals that our
route should be kept free; however, here, and for several days
afterwards, we suffered greatly from their contiguity.
We continued our march from Astorga the same day, and reached at night
the village of Foncevadon, about twenty miles distant. Here we pigged
in as well as we were able, there being only five or six houses; but as
we had a few tents with us, we managed not amiss. Till now our brigade
had formed the rear of the infantry, there being some cavalry in rear of
us; but it was now determined that ours and the Light German Brigade
under Brigadier-general Charles Alten, should strike off from the great
road, and take the route for Orense and Vigo. This was done, I
understand, with a view to secure a passage across the Minho at the
former place, should Sir John, with the main army, be compelled to
retreat in that direction, and probably with the view also of drawing
off a part of the enemy's overwhelming force from the pursuit of that
body, and to induce them to follow us into the mountains.
Notwithstanding this, they continued to pursue Sir John on the great
road, whilst they left us free altogether.
I beg to notice here, that both Mr Gifford and Mr Moore (Sir John's
brother), have fallen into a trifling error respecting the period of our
separation from the main body, they both making us be detached before
our arrival at Astorga, whereas it was not till we had passed a day's
march beyond it that we were sent off. The thing is of no consequence,
only it is as well to be correct.
The next day, the 1st of January 1809, we marched by a most difficult
road through the mountains, to Ponferrada, situated about a league to
the left of the great road to Corunna, on which the main army was
retreating. When we got in, our commissary immediately made a
requisition to the Alcalde of the town, to provide bread for the two
brigades, as we began to be in most fearful want. He promised to set the
bakers to work immediately, and in a few hours, he said, the bread would
be ready. We called on him repeatedly, without obtaining any, he still
alleging it was not yet quite ready, and putting us off from time to
time, till midnight, when the patience of our commissary being fairly
worn out, he yielded to the anger so naturally inspired by such
shuffling conduct, and used some strong language to the Alcalde.
Whereupon, we discovered at once that he had been only amusing us with
promises he did not intend to fulfil; and told the commissary that he
did not fear any of his threats, for that, as Romana's army had now also
entered the town, he had no doubt they would protect him, and revenge
any insult offered to him. The commissary had indeed talked about
hanging him for his double-dealing, and leaving the troops utterly
starving; but if he could have got any bread ready, it is most natural
to suppose he would prefer letting his own countrymen have it; this,
however, as might be expected, had a most pernicious effect upon our
suffering soldiers, for when provisions could not be procured in the
regular and ordinary mode, it is evident they would take them wherever
they were to be found--for hunger is not easily borne, accompanied by
incessant fatigue. In the morning, when we turned out to continue our
march towards Orense, we heard a heavy firing towards our right and
front, and this proved to be an attack made by the enemy's light troops
upon our first battalion, who, with some cavalry, had been left in
Cacabelos as a rearguard. Our first battalion gained great credit for
their conduct on this occasion. The force of the enemy greatly exceeded
ours, yet our people drove them back with great loss, killing General
Colbert, who commanded the advance. This was done by a noted pickle of
the name of Tom Plunkett, who, fearless of all danger to himself, got
sufficiently nigh to make sure of his mark, and shot him, which, with
the fire of the others, caused great havoc in the enemy's ranks, and set
them flying to the rear much faster than they advanced. Our situation
was thus, in a manner, in rear of the enemy's advance guard, yet they
did not turn in our direction. Cacabelos was distant from us only about
a league.
Our road this day lay over high and almost inaccessible mountains,
deeply covered with snow. On the top of one of these, as our General was
passing the column, a cry was passed from the rear to open out to allow
him to pass, the road being very narrow. One of our men, as the General
came near, happened to say, loud enough for him to hear, that "he had
more need to give us some bread," or words to that effect, which so
exasperated the General, that he instantly halted the whole brigade,
ordered the man to be tried by a drum-head court-martial, and flogged
him on the spot. It was a severe, but perhaps necessary discipline, in
order to check in the bud the seeds of murmuring and insubordination,
although I own it appeared harsh.
Our march was a long and toilsome one indeed, and did not terminate till
about ten at night, when we reached St Domingo-Flores, where nothing
could be procured but a very small quantity of black bread, the village
being quite small. Tired with the journey, we felt rather inclined to
sleep than eat; and, wet and dirty as we were, we laid ourselves down
till dawn, when we commenced another such day's march, and reached at
night the village of La Rua. During these two days, want and fatigue had
compelled many to fall out, some of whom, no doubt, perished in the snow
on the bleak mountains, over which our road, or rather path, had lain;
others fell into the hands of the enemy, and some few rejoined us after
having obtained some little refreshment from the natives.
It would but be a repetition of the privations and fatigues we
underwent, to notice all that befell us on our way thence to Orense,
which place we reached on the 7th of January, having previously pushed
on, by double forced marches, a few hundred men, to take possession of
the bridge over the Minho at this place. Here we remained a day, and
obtained provisions, then much needed by us all, for the men had been
literally starving for several days past. We had time and opportunity
here also to strip and change our linen, that is, those who had a
change; the others washed the shirt they took off, sitting without one
till it was dry. Indeed, by this time we were in a most miserable
plight; our shoes, of course, were nearly all worn out, and many
travelling barefoot; and our clothes, as might be expected, were ragged
and filthy in the extreme; indeed they could not be otherwise, for I
suppose none of us had put any thing off since we commenced the retreat.
This day's rest, however, refreshed us greatly, and enabled us to
perform the remainder of our toilsome journey with more comfort; indeed,
since we had secured the passage of the Minho, and thus prevented the
enemy from getting in before us, our minds were more at ease, for strong
apprehensions were entertained that the French would have detached a
corps from their main body to seize this pass, and thus cut off our
retreat to Vigo. A part of Romana's army entered Orense before we left
it, worse, if possible, in point of appearance than ourselves; but they,
in their best days, are more like an armed mob than regularly organized
soldiers.
It is a pity that Romana did not adopt the plan pointed out to him by
Sir John Moore, either to retire into the Asturias with his army
unbroken, or hang upon the flanks of the enemy as he passed through the
mountains; and which he could have done with ease and safety, for these
fellows could live where regular troops would starve, and there was no
doubt but the peasantry would have assisted their countrymen with all
their means. This would have in some measure retarded the too rapid
progress of the French, and probably been the means of saving to our
country one of its bravest and most skilful generals.
Some of our men who had been compelled to stop behind from fatigue and
starvation, rejoined us here, having generally been assisted by the
peasantry, who gave them food, and helped them forward.
On the 9th, in the morning, we left Orense, crossing the Minho to the
north side of that river, and continued our march to the town of
Ribadavia, situated at the junction of the rivers Avia and Minho, both
of which, from the melting of the snow, and the immense quantities of
rain that had fallen, were greatly swollen. So much so, that when I
approached the town with the baggage, (the troops having gone on
before,) and which I did not reach till near midnight, I found the road
completely overflowed with water; and being without a guide, I could not
of course in the night be certain where the road lay, the whole bank of
the river being completely under water. We were in consequence obliged
to climb the mountains to our left, and proceed in the best manner we
were able with the loaded mules; but so precipitous were they in one
place, that a load of ammunition slid off the mule's back, and the casks
rolled rapidly down the hill towards the river. I durst not venture to
leave them, although my chance of finding them in such a situation
appeared small indeed; however, we halted the remainder of the mules,
while a few of us set off down the steep in the direction we had seen
them go, and after a long and anxious groping in every hollow of the
rocky mountain, succeeded in recovering them; but the powder in them,
and indeed nearly all the ammunition we had, was rendered completely
useless, from the constant heavy rain that had fallen. I am almost
astonished that no accident happened to either man or beast in this
perilous journey, for our feet literally "stumbled upon the dark
mountains," without either guide or path, and where the ground was most
uneven and dangerous. We however at length reached our destination, wet
and weary enough, and, just as we entered the town, were informed that
the corridor of one of the convents where two of our companies were
sleeping, had just fallen to the ground with a tremendous crash, and
that several men had had their limbs broken by the fall; I do not
remember that any were killed. It being so late, I could not procure any
kind of quarter, so I was fain to sit down by the side of a fire kindled
in the yard of this convent for the remainder of the night.
We next morning resumed our journey, and in three days more from this
place we reached Vigo. On this last day's march we had a pretty high
eminence to ascend at some distance from the town, from which the view
of the town, the shipping, and the sea, broke all at once upon us. It
was a most delightful prospect, and it was highly amusing to observe the
joy which seemed to animate the woe-worn countenances of our ragged and
dirty soldiers. Fellows without a shoe or a stocking, and who before
were shuffling along with sore and lacerated feet like so many lame
ducks, now made an attempt to dance for joy; laughter and mirth, and the
joke, now succeeded to the gloomy silence with which they had in general
prosecuted their wearisome journey for several days past, as the
friendly element before them promised shortly to put a period to long
and toilsome wanderings. Indeed, although I am a bad sailor, and suffer
always severely when at sea, I do not remember ever to have witnessed a
sight which inspired me with greater pleasure than the shipping and the
sea did on this occasion.
The fleet of transports for the army under Sir John Moore, was just
clearing the bay as we came in sight, but we observed that a sufficient
number remained at Vigo to transport us to our native land, a place we
sorely longed for, as we had often contrasted the happiness and security
and comfort of our friends at home, with the poverty and misery we had
lately witnessed in the country we were leaving; and this no doubt
increased our anxiety for the change. We marched into Vigo, and were
soon after put on board the vessels destined to receive us. It was my
fortune to be sent on board the Alfred, 74, with two of our companies; a
great number of men were still behind, for even the few last days'
marches had deprived us of many who till then had braved the toils and
privations of the journey, but who now had fairly sunk under exhaustion.
The Commodore, therefore, remained as long in the bay as it was safe,
sending the stragglers as they arrived on board the different ships; but
within a few days after our arrival, the enemy entered the town, which
of course precluded all hope of more escaping. We consequently weighed
and stood out towards the outer bay, where we again came to anchor.
A Russian ship-of-war was in a small harbour in this bay, which it was
intended to board and cut out. As we were then, I believe, on rather bad
terms with that nation, never did I witness such alacrity and delight as
our tars on board the Alfred manifested when buckling on their cutlasses
for the occasion, and I feel certain that if confidence in themselves
would tend to insure the victory, no men had a better chance of
succeeding; but from some cause or other with which I am unacquainted,
the enterprise was abandoned.
On the 21st January we weighed and stood out to sea; but a gale coming
on we were obliged to come to anchor again under the shelter of the
Isle of Bagona. We did not get to sea till the 24th, but on the 25th we
spoke a frigate going out to Lisbon with General Dyatt on board, who
informed us of the fatal business at Corunna. Indeed the people on board
this ship had, from vague reports, greatly magnified our loss on that
occasion, telling us that the whole army had been nearly cut to pieces,
and that very few indeed had been able to effect their escape. We each,
of course, mourned for his particular friends, not doubting but they had
fallen among the rest. I think it was the same night on which we saw
this ship, a fatal accident had very nigh taken place. Our captain was
the Commodore, and the captain of the Hindostan store-ship had charge of
the rear of the fleet; his place was consequently always behind all the
other vessels. Some time after dark, however, our look-out people gave
notice of a large vessel on our starboard quarter. We shortened sail and
let her come up pretty close to us, and made the private signal, but no
answer was returned. At length, when near enough, we hailed her, but
still no answer. An order was now given to stand to quarters and prepare
for action, not doubting she was an enemy which had got among the fleet.
The guns were accordingly run out, the matches lit, and every thing
prepared for action. She appeared a large ship, but of what force they
could not guess. Again she was hailed, and again she disregarded it. Our
first lieutenant was now fully convinced she was an enemy, and pleaded
hard with the captain to give the word fire, but the captain said he
would hail her once more, and if she did not answer he would fire.
Providentially they heard us this time, and answered it was the
Hindostan. What they had been about I know not, for we were quite near
each other; and had she received our broadside, as was the intention had
she not then answered, it is most probable she would have gone down; at
all events the consequences must have been awful, for she had the whole
of the 43d regiment on board, besides her own crew. Our captain
certainly censured him in no very mild terms for leaving his station in
the rear, and getting to the very head of the fleet. She was a very
lofty ship, and carried forty-four guns I believe, and had not less than
1000 men on board, many of whom must have suffered had we fired upon
her.
A few days after this we encountered a most tremendous gale, and came in
sight of the English coast, somewhere near the Lizard or the Start; but
our master not knowing exactly where he was, we stood off again towards
the French coast.
The next day the gale was if possible more severe, and the ship rolled
so much that they were afraid her guns would break loose from their
lashings, in consequence of which large spikes were driven in behind the
wheels of each gun-carriage to prevent such an accident. In this
situation, I know not whether I did not almost wish myself on the snowy
mountains of Galicia again, rather than where I was, so miserable a
sailor am I, and so much do I suffer from sea-sickness.
The fleet was by this time completely scattered, every one making the
best shift he could for himself; some got into Plymouth, some reached
Portsmouth, and some, I believe, foundered in the gale, among which, if
I mistake not, was a brig, on board of which my two companies had been
first embarked, but were subsequently removed to the Alfred, and some of
the German Legion, I think, put on board her.
At length we made the Isle of Wight, and subsequently Spithead, which we
reached on the 31st, and the next day landed once more on the happy
shore of our native Britain. Thankful indeed I ought to have been for
the ever watchful care of an indulgent and kind Providence, who had
brought me safely through the toils and sufferings under which so many
more robust and hardy than myself had sunk; but, alas! I had then no
sense of the gratitude due for such unmerited favours, and instead of
rendering thanks to Him who had thus preserved me, I entered, with all
the eagerness of a person devoid of reason and religion, into every vice
and sensuality that presented itself. I here learnt with sorrow the
great loss which my friends in the first battalion had sustained, but
glad nevertheless that it was not to the extent we apprehended, and that
none of my particular friends had fallen.
We left Portsmouth, and returned to our old quarters at Hythe, in Kent,
passing again on the road my native county militia at Battle, in Sussex,
as I did at Bury, on my return from Holland; and truly our appearance on
this occasion was, if possible, more deplorable than on the former.
However, our tattered and worn-out habiliments had the effect of
inspiring some of my countrymen in that regiment with a desire of
sharing in the glory, as they termed it, of suffering so much in the
defence of our beloved country; and they accordingly made up their minds
to volunteer into our corps the first opportunity that offered, and
which they put in execution that same year, as will be told hereafter.
We took up our abode in the comfortable barracks at Hythe, and
immediately set about putting every thing in order, and truly much was
wanting to fit us again for duty as soldiers.