Author's happy state during 1813 and 1814--Character of the
veritable French--British distributed over the
Country--Civility of the Inhabitants of Grissolles--Amusements
in quarters--The British prepare to quit France.
When I look back on the events of 1813 and 1814, I cannot but deem that
the happiest period of my life, for I had been actively, and, as I
believed, usefully employed. My mind during this time was tranquil, and
I was, with a few exceptions, prosperous in my outward circumstances.
All those among whom my lot was cast were now sincerely friendly to me,
and I believe I may with confidence affirm that I had not (with the
exception of the person before mentioned, and who was now far removed
from me) a single enemy in the world. It is true my occupation had not
been, strictly speaking, of a Christian character, but I believed I was
fulfilling my duty; hence the peace of mind which I enjoyed. I have
since learned certainly, that a Christian, to resemble his Master,
should be more ready to save than to destroy men's lives; but, at the
same time, I cannot see why a Christian soldier should not be as
zealous in the defence of his king and country, as those who are
actuated by other motives; and it is certain, I believe, although I once
doubted whether there was such a precept, that in whatever calling or
occupation a man is in when called to become a Christian, that therein
he should abide, 1st Cor. vii. 17, 20, and 24. But I attribute the peace
of mind I then enjoyed as much to the constant employment which the
nature of our services entailed upon us, as to any other cause. Be it
remembered, I was doing the duties of both paymaster and quartermaster
during this period, and my battalion had been as often called into
action as any in the army, having been engaged in battles and skirmishes
no less than sixteen times in less than ten months. This naturally left
little time for reflection. But, above all, I am bound to render thanks
to where alone it is due, to that gracious and beneficent Being, who not
only watched over me during this period, and protected me from harm, but
who poured his choicest blessings upon me, even the blessings of a
cheerful and contented heart, together with the means of retrieving my
sadly deranged finances; for had I not been appointed acting paymaster,
I might have gone to prison on my return to my native country, from the
unavoidable losses I had sustained, and which I shall mention by and by.
Another cause of comfort and cheerfulness arose from our operations
against the enemy having been invariably successful; for we never, from
the time of our leaving the frontiers of Portugal, till we took
possession of Toulouse, met with any thing like a serious reverse.
Most of my readers no doubt know that the city where we had now taken up
our quarters is one of the largest and finest in this part of France;
but as it has been so often described, I shall content myself with
merely informing my readers, that the people among whom we now resided
were truly and veritably French. The character of the inhabitants,
since we left our poor friends the Basques, had materially changed; that
kind, but rude and simple hospitality, which had on most occasions been
displayed by those honest mountaineers, had now given place to all that
imposing, but less sincere politeness of the real French character. We
were, indeed, treated here with every degree of respect; and perhaps
more, or at least an equal degree of attention, was paid to our
convenience and comfort, as they would have shown to their own troops.
We had every reason, therefore, to be perfectly satisfied.
In this part of the country there are a great number of Protestants,
which, of course, permitted us to live on better terms with them than
had they been all such stanch and bigoted Catholics as we met with in
some parts of the Continent, and where our heretical presence was
frequently looked upon as a contamination; for I remember well in the
small village of Zalada, where we lay for some time, near Astorga, we
never left the village, as they supposed, for a permanency, but the joy
bells were rung for our departure. It was our lot, indeed, to be
frequently quartered in this village, and such was their invariable
custom. It is true the Padre and people of the place only expressed
openly the feeling that was covertly, but universally, entertained
throughout Spain and Portugal respecting us; for although the monks and
priests made great pretences of friendship and good-will towards us,
while we were upholding them in their iniquitous dominion over the minds
of the people, yet secretly they cordially hated us, and were glad when
at last our successes contributed to rid their country of both the
invaders and their conquerors. One noble Spanish lady, (I remember
well,) when I was quartered at Cadiz, made use of an expression which I
am sure would shock and horrify my simple and delicate countrywomen.
She said, "She should rejoice to see all the French then in their
country hung up in the intestines (las tripas) of the English, who had
come to drive them out." Thus they should get quit of both. This lady,
as might be supposed, was a most depraved and abandoned being, yet even
she, it seems, looked upon us in the light of a curse or plague sent
upon their country, rather than as a generous and gallant people, who
had not hesitated to sacrifice much, both of blood and money, in freeing
them from their French oppressors. But such, I fear, is the too general
feeling in that country; for while the innumerable religiosos which
overrun that nation maintain their cursed dominion over the minds of the
other classes, an Englishman will always be looked upon by them as a
dangerous and hateful being, uniting in himself both the mortal sins,
first, of having totally cast off the Pope's authority, and being the
subject of a free and popular government--than either of which, not even
Satan himself could be more odious to them.
We were not allowed, however, to remain long in Toulouse, but were
distributed over the country in the neighbourhood, lines of demarcation
having been pointed out which were to separate the French and British
armies. My division was sent down the right bank of the river, and
occupied Castel Sarazin, Grissolles, and Castelnau, &c. My battalion was
stationed at Grissolles. During our stay here I had two or three
opportunities, in company with others, of going to see Montauban, the
seat of a Protestant college, and famed in romantic lore. The people
were kind and obliging, and showed us every attention; but unfortunately
a French garrison was quartered in it, the officers of which took every
opportunity of quarrelling with ours. Indeed we had no business there,
and were consequently obliged to put up with more than we should have
otherwise done, for we were strictly forbid to enter any place within
the French lines; but we did not conceive that those fellows, who had
shown themselves so friendly and polite near Bayonne, while we were
avowedly in arms against each other, would now turn round upon us when
peace was made, and endeavour to engage us in quarrels and duelling. But
I believe they felt a degree of soreness at our acknowledged superiority
as soldiers, (for even the inhabitants of Montauban, where they lay, did
not hesitate to express it,) and thus wished to be revenged for the many
victories we had gained over them. Indeed there was a sort of
recklessness about them which is not easily accounted for, unless they
supposed their occupation was gone, and cared not what became of
themselves; but they did not succeed, I think, in any instance in
obtaining their wishes, for they would not fight with pistols, the only
weapon which gives each a fair and equal chance, but insisted upon using
the sword,--a mode of fighting to which the English in general were
utter strangers. The people uniformly gave us warning as soon as ever
they learnt that a plot was laid to insult us, on which we generally
came away without subjecting ourselves to it; and when their designs
became too evident, we refrained from going there. It was only a short
distance from our quarters.
During our stay here, also, the Marquis de Pompignan, a gentleman
residing between Grissolles and Castelnau, and where our Major-general
had taken up his quarters, gave to the officers of the brigade a
splendid fete. I know not exactly how to denominate it, for it was a
sort of dramatic medley, part of it being performed in the garden and
part in the house, where a private theatre had been fitted up; that in
the garden, it was said, was intended to represent some military
event,--I think it was the burning of Moscow, and in which the Marquis's
beautiful daughter bore a part.
This young lady was said to be greatly enamoured of an honourable
gentleman, aide-de-camp to the General, who was quartered in their
house, and between whom it was expected a match would have taken place.
She was extremely beautiful and engaging.
We sometimes went a-fishing while we remained here also, but were not
successful, there being none other than lake-fish, such as perch, &c.,
in the neighbourhood, which were scarcely worth taking.
Here, also, for want of better occupation, some of our young gentlemen
amused themselves by hunting and lashing the Spanish muleteers as they
were returning, after having delivered in their loads at the
commissary's stores. They always rode one mule, (sideways, like a
woman,) and led one or two more, and were most dexterous in handling the
long shank of the halter, with which they sometimes soundly belaboured
their pursuers; and had they not been set on by two or three at a time,
they would not have liked better fun than to fight one of our gentlemen
with his whip, for they saw that it was only for amusement, and
generally took it good-naturedly; but our young gentlemen, as they
generally do, carried the joke too far, and it was consequently put a
stop to. Of course none but the young and idle took any part in this
exercise.
We had, while we lay here, also several little balls and hops; and here,
for the first time, several of our young men began to dance quadrilles;
in short, there was no want of amusement among this gay and lively
people, who are ever intent upon pleasure themselves, and who of course
found our wild and thoughtless young fellows ever as ready to second
their endeavours to get up something new and entertaining. Certainly
their morality is not the highest in the world, but their vices are most
of them divested of that coarse and disgusting appearance which similar
vices carry on their front in England; and thus, while they are
generally more pleasing, they are the more seducing, and consequently
the more dangerous. However, as no person is compelled to enter into
these scenes of dissipation and voluptuousness which they rejoice in, I
found it, upon the whole, a very comfortable country to live in. The
people were kind and civil, and were always good-natured and polite,
and, as we now had plenty of the good things of this world at our
command, I spent two months here very contentedly. It is true we had
none of those excellent privileges with which my native country abounds,
and which I have since learnt highly to prize,--I mean the privileges of
the gospel,--the food for the nobler and never-dying part; but I was
then ignorant of their value, for although I had been convinced and
convicted, I had not been converted. I was still in darkness respecting
the way, the truth, and the life, and yet my foolish and carnal mind
whispered peace; hence my contentedness in this situation. No! it was
not till some years that I discovered that there is but one way to real
happiness, but one true foundation on which to build our hope,--even
that which is laid in Zion.
But the time had arrived for us to move down towards Bordeaux,
preparatory to our quitting France. Accordingly, on the 3d June, we
forded the Garonne, and stopped all night in Grenade, a place I formerly
mentioned. We next day reached Cadours, a village near Cologne, where
our 2d battalion was that evening quartered. In the afternoon of that
day, a storm collected in the north, which I think had the most
frightful appearance I ever witnessed. It was actually as black as night
in the direction in which we saw it. It did not reach us, but it alarmed
the inhabitants of our village so much, that they set on ringing the
church bells with the utmost fury imaginable. We could not account for
this strange proceeding till we enquired of them why it was done. They
told us the devil was in the storm, and the bells being holy, he durst
not, when he heard them, proceed any farther in that direction. Indeed
they had ample reason to be in dread of its reaching their village; for
the next day, as we passed along the country where it had raged most
furiously, the whole face of the country was desolated. It had been a
hail-storm such as I never before witnessed. The hailstones were still
lying, some of them larger than a bullet; the vines had been all
destroyed; the crops of corn completely swept from the face of the
earth. Trees knocked down, birds killed; in short, nothing could equal
the appearance of misery and woe which this awful hail-storm had
inflicted upon the unfortunate inhabitants, many of whom were going
about wringing their hands in all the bitterness of heart, which a
consciousness of being deprived of every hope of subsistence for the
year to come would naturally inspire. Indeed most of them were literally
stripped of their all.
On the 6th we marched into Lectoure, a fine town on the river, and
famous for having given birth to Marshal Lannes, one of Bonaparte's best
generals. It stands on a high ground near the river, and overlooks one
of the richest and most beautiful plains I think I ever saw. Here I
experienced another misfortune in my steed. My little Portuguese horse
(which was now in high condition, and being an entire horse was apt to
fight) quarrelled with a large horse belonging to one of our officers,
while I was serving out the billets; and although we were both mounted
at the time, the quarrelsome animals reared up against each other, and
fought most desperately; but his, being the strongest, pulled mine and
myself down to the ground. I luckily fell clear of him, and was not
hurt; but he by some accident got a kick in his hind leg or foot, which
completely lamed him, and I could not ride him any longer.
We passed through Condom, another fine town, and Nerac, also a good
town, and nearly full of Protestants. We next day halted at Castel
Jaloux, where I was quartered on a house of religeuse. Here my poor
little horse was so very ill that I could not drag him any farther. I
was consequently obliged to leave him with those good dames, to whom I
made him a present, and parted from him in the morning with sincere
regret. They promised to take care of him, which I hope they did. We
next reached the town of Bazas. Here there was to be another parting
scene exhibited. The Portuguese were ordered to leave us here, and
proceed towards their own country. The Spanish and Portuguese women who
had followed the men were either to be sent home from hence, or their
protectors were to consent to marry them. Some adopted the latter
alternative, having had children by them, and some others who had not,
and the remainder, of course, were compelled to separate. Our division
drew up in the morning they marched, and honoured the brave Portuguese
(for indeed they had always behaved well in the field) with three
cheers, as they turned their faces towards Portugal. Many were the heavy
hearts in both armies on this occasion; for it is not easy to conceive
how the circumstance of passing through scenes of hardship, trial, and
danger together, endeared the soldiers of the two armies to each other.
It was perhaps never before felt so fully how much each was attached to
the other; but the departure of the poor women caused many heavy hearts,
both among themselves, poor creatures, who had a long and dreary journey
before them, and among those with whom they had lived, and who had
shared in all their good and bad fortune; but among these, several on
both sides were not oppressed with too fine feelings. A friend of mine,
who was an officer in the Portuguese service, told me afterwards that
the women marched down to Spain and Portugal at the same time his
regiment did; that they formed a column of 800 or 900 strong; that they
were regularly told off into companies; and that the commanding-officer,
a major, and all the captains, were married men, who had their families
with them--all excellent arrangements; but that they were the most
unmanageable set of animals that ever marched across a country. The
officers had to draw rations for them all the way; but many of them, he
says, left the column and went wherever they pleased. Few reached
Portugal in the order in which they started.
We reached Langon on the 12th, and Barsac on the 13th June. This latter
place is famed for a fine white-wine, something resembling sauterne. The
adjutant (who had now been my chum for some time) and I were here
quartered in a fine old baronial castle, the inmates of which showed us
great attention. A ball was given in the evening to the officers of the
brigade.
On the 14th we halted at Castres, and on the 15th entered Bordeaux. This
was the finest town we had seen since we entered the Peninsula, except
Lisbon and Madrid. This town had been occupied by the British for some
time, a division of the army having been sent by Lord Wellington to take
charge of it in the name of Louis XVIII.
We were not, however, destined to be quartered in this southern capital
of France, but marched right through it, on the road towards the
village of Blancfort. On the road the division was formed, and very
minutely inspected by our gallant Chief, who was dressed in all his
finery, his orders, and medals, and ribbons, &c., which he wore for the
first time that ever I had seen. He looked most splendid indeed, and
right proud were we to see him in them. After inspection we moved on to
the camp at Blancfort, where we found a great part of the army
assembled, waiting for the arrival of shipping to carry them off. Some
had sailed a considerable time before our arrival. Besides our tents,
the adjutant and I had got a cottage close by, in which our servants and
our baggage were put. We had not been here above two or three days, I
think, till his two servants, that is, his servant and groom, took it
into their heads to desert. This was not the first instance of desertion
that had taken place lately; for as we drew near the time of departure
great numbers ran off into the interior, mostly bad characters. However,
on this occasion, these worthies were determined to have something to
carry them on the road, and, without hesitation, broke open their
master's panniers, or boxes, and took away all the money he had, which
did not indeed amount to any great sum, for it was only 40 dollars,
(about L.10 British,) but it being all he was worth it was a great loss
to him.
I have reason to be thankful to Providence for my escape on this
occasion. My paymaster's chest was standing close to the adjutant's
panniers when they broke them open, and they did not touch it, although
it contained about L.400 worth of gold. Had they taken that I might have
gone after them. I of course expressed my thankfulness for this lucky
escape, and told several people of it. I fancy some person (my groom, I
suspect) overheard me telling what a lucky escape I had been favoured
with, and determined in his own mind that I should not always come off
so well. The sequel will show: A few days after this I had occasion to
go into Bordeaux to draw some money from the Commissary-general. The
amount was 600 dollars, or about L.150. As I could not conveniently
carry them out to the camp, I requested Major Balvaird, who had a
quarter in town, to allow me to put them in his portmanteau till I had
an opportunity of getting them sent out. His servant had overheard this
conversation, and made up his mind at once to desert and take this money
with him; but providentially again I escaped. I found the means, before
night, of carrying it out to the camp, and the Major gave it me unknown
to the servant. That night he broke open the portmanteau, and, taking
every thing worth carrying away, (among which was a gold watch of mine,)
deserted, and got clear off. This money, also, had it been taken, would
have sorely crippled me, although I might perhaps have overcome the
loss.
We marched in a few days after, passing through the district of Medoc,
famous for Bordeaux or claret wine, and halted for the night at
Castelnau de Medoc. The next day we passed through Chateau Margaux,
where the best and most expensive of the claret grows, and again
encamped at Pauillac, from whence we were to go on board.
Now was the time for the person who had overheard me speaking about my
escape with the L.400, to make his grab and start off, or he would be
too late. Accordingly, after dark, he or they lifted up a part of the
tent where the box was standing, and, pulling it out, set off with it
bodily. But, again directed by Providence, I had taken the money out of
the box, and given it into the hands of a gentleman, to take care of for
me; and there remained in the box my papers and books, public and
private, about L.19 in money, an old silver watch, and, among other
things, the half doubloon which poor Croudace had given me to take care
of for him on the evening previous to his death at Badajos, and which I
was preserving as a memorial for his afflicted friends.
As soon as the box was missed I instantly raised the hue and cry, and,
reporting the circumstance to my commanding-officer, he ordered the
rolls to be called, to see if any man had deserted; but no, they were
all present. I then offered a reward of forty dollars to any one who
would bring me the box and papers, and did not regard the money.
Instantly the whole camp was in a move to find the box, and search was
made in all directions. I of course was not idle myself on the occasion;
and having a man or two with me, I actually discovered where the box had
been opened, for I found the inkstand, that had been in it, lying near a
heap of wood close to the bank of the river, into which, after
plundering it, no doubt they had thrown it. I now went down to the town
and waited on the mayor, offering the same reward to any of his people
that would try to find it in the river; but, unfortunately, just as
there was the best chance of recovering it, the order came for us
instantly to go on board.--Thus was I deprived of every document I
possessed, both Paymaster's, Quartermaster's, and private. I had
fortunately got my Paymaster's accounts made out up to the very latest
period, and transmitted to the War-Office, or I know not what I should
have done; but my duplicates were gone, and when afterwards objections
were made to some of the items in the charges, (as is always the case,)
I, being unable to answer them, was obliged to submit to the loss of
them. I had also several private accounts unclosed, on which I lost
considerably, so that altogether I calculate this loss fully amounted to
L.100, besides the vexation of not having my papers to refer to when
wanted.
I had been obliged to part with all my remaining animals for next to
nothing, for when the French people found we were obliged to leave them,
they offered us the most shameful trifles possible, but which we were
compelled to take or give the animals away. One I did actually make a
present of, besides my little Portuguese horse before-mentioned. I made
a close calculation, and found that my losses in horses and mules, from
the beginning of 1812 to June 1814, did not amount to less than L.150,
besides sums that I lost by officers who died. By one I lost L.84, and
another L.74 odd, so that, as I said before, had I not fortunately been
appointed Acting Paymaster, I should have been so much involved, that at
this time I durst not have returned to my native country. I do not
complain, for most of my losses were sent by Providence, who saw best
what was fitting and good for me; but never, till the Peninsular
campaigns, were officers obliged generally to provide and keep up their
own baggage-animals, and from the loss of which I had suffered so
severely; and I cannot but think that rule, always acted upon till these
campaigns, ought to be continued, and that subalterns at least ought to
have their baggage always carried at the public expense.