Chapter XV

Commence the retreat to Salamanca. A wild boar killed. The armies from
Burgos and Madrid unite near Salamanca. The army retreats to the
Agueda. Sketch of the retreat. Rations of acorns and oak-leaves for
man and horse. The Light Division engaged at San Munos. General
Paget taken prisoner. We arrive at Rodrigo. The campaign of 1812
concludes. A few lines relative to it. We go into winter-quarters.
Establish a regimental mess in an old barn. A supply of Douro wine.
Vocal performers. Circular letter to officers commanding regiments,
relative to the late retreat. The Light Division establish
theatrical performances. Lydia Languish and Julia drink punch and
smoke cigars behind the scenes. Coursing, woodcock-shooting, and
Lord Wellington’s fox-hounds. Boleros, fandangos, waltzes, &c. &c.
in our village. Hot punch by no means disapproved of by our fair
partners. Lord Wellington proceeds to Cadiz for a short time. The
French general Foy makes an attempt to surprise General Hill’s
advanced post at Bejar, and is repulsed. General Kempt is appointed
to command a brigade in the Light Division. Preparations for the
campaign of 1813. Lord Wellington reviews the Light Division and 1st
German Hussars. The Hussar Brigade, the Life Guards, and Blues, join
the army, from England. The eight divisions of infantry, and by whom
commanded.

We encamped on the 2d of November at the foot of the Guadarrama mountains, and had scarcely taken up our ground for the evening, when two wild boars were roused out of the brushwood. An instantaneous attack was made on them with swords and bayonets: one of them was killed and the other escaped, fortunately for him, or he would have shared the fate of his associate, who was cut up into fifty pieces in a few minutes, and grilled on camp-kettle lids, with the hair on.

We crossed the Sierra de Guadarrama on the 3d, and on the 7th reached Alba de Tormes, having met with no particular adventures during those five days’ march; nor did the French advanced guard overtake us. The rains had set in with great violence. We were here joined by the four divisions which had fallen back from Burgos. They had been much harassed in their retreat, and were now in a position on the heights of San Christoval, in front of Salamanca. The 2d, 3d, 4th, and Light Divisions, crossed the river at Alba de Tormes, and bivouacked, in tremendous rains, for a few days, in some woods near it.

On the 11th, the enemy made an attempt to drive General Hill’s division out of Alba de Tormes, but were repulsed with some loss. The armies of Marshal Soult and General Clausel, the former from the south and the latter from the north, had now formed a junction in our front, their united forces being reckoned at eighty thousand men.

On the 14th, the whole allied army was on the left of the Tormes, and took up a position nearly on the same ground where it had gained so signal a victory on the 22d of July. Soult crossed the river also above Alba de Tormes, and General Hill’s corps drove back his advanced guard towards evening.

On the 15th, Soult had recourse to a wide flank movement, threatening our communications with Rodrigo. Finding himself vastly outnumbered, Lord Wellington commenced his retreat, by two or more roads, towards the Agueda. The Light Division formed the rear-guard to that column commanded by the Hon. General Edward Paget, consisting of several divisions. The rains descended in floods, and our division did not arrive on the ground allotted for it until long after the other troops had bivouacked for the night. We had no provisions; and had we been so fortunate as to possess some, the weather was so inclement as to prevent the possibility of kindling fires with the green wood of the swampy forest in which we passed the night, under the lee of the largest trees we could find.

The 16th was a repetition of the 15th: we were ploughing through mud and water to the knees, from before break of day until long after dark, and over as bad roads as are to be found in Christendom. No provisions were forthcoming for man or horse, except the acorns of the Spanish oak, that abounded in the gloomy forests through which our route lay. The rains never intermitted, and lighting fires was consequently an undertaking of great difficulty.

On the 17th, we were again on our legs long before daybreak, and ready for another start. What I have related as to roads, weather, fatigue, and want of food, on the 15th and 16th, applied in every respect to the 17th. But we had this day, in addition to other troubles, the cavalry of the French advanced guard to deal with, which, coming up with the Light Division early in the day, employed us to keep them at bay from our flanks and rear, in their frequent attempts to molest us from the more open parts of the forest. Nothing of consequence, however, took place until afternoon. The enemy had by this time brought forward a large force of infantry and artillery so close to the heels of the Light Division, as enabled them to attack us at the moment we were passing the Huebra, by a deep ford near San Munos. They cannonaded us heavily at this unfavourable moment, and at the same instant assailed us with a swarm of light troops, which some companies of ours and of the 52d were thrown out to oppose. No troops at a field-day in England ever manœuvered, or marched with greater steadiness and regularity, than did the Light Division in its retreat from the heights to the river and across it, although exposed to a heavy fire of round shot, which constantly plunged into the columns, and was kept up long after we had reached the opposite bank. Here we formed lines ready for the reception of the French infantry, if they thought fit to follow us. Their light troops, who galled our rear and flanks, received, nevertheless, a useful lesson from those by whom they were opposed; and the difficult and perilous operation of retiring in columns over a river by a deep ford, in close contact with a superior force, and under manifold disadvantages, was accomplished without serious loss. It was believed that Marshal Soult in person directed the operations of his advanced guard.

Whilst we were passing the river, he sent a number of light troops to endeavour to ford it at another point, and to attack our left flank. In this attempt he was foiled by some companies of the 52d and 95th regiments. Not a Frenchman passed the Huebra that night, and the pickets of the two armies were divided only by this narrow stream.

After dark, the commissaries brought some bullocks for the troops, which were instantly knocked on the head; but it was next to impossible to cook the meat, in consequence of the continued rains and sleet, and the green wood not igniting. By dint of perseverance, we at last did kindle a spark of fire, and were busily engaged in toasting, on the points of our swords, our scanty rations, which had been alive and walking about the forest half an hour before. I never shall forget the dismay and disappointment of some half dozen of us, when, crowded round an apology for a fire, in a state of starvation, and ready to bolt the beef before it was half toasted, down came the drops of rain from the trees above, shaken violently by the storm, and in an instant extinguished the fire, and with it our hopes of a supper. In a fit of despair, we commenced groping about under the trees for acorns, of which consisted our repast; whilst our unfortunate horses plucked away at the leaves, which, in reality, was the only food they had for four days.

The numerous carcasses of animals belonging to the army which covered the road from Salamanca to Ciudad Rodrigo, were the strongest proofs I can adduce of having neither caricatured nor exaggerated. It is equally true that acorns were the food of nine-tenths of us for several days. Our division sustained considerable loss on the 17th, chiefly from the French artillery; but when it is considered that we were obliged to engage them under such extremely unfavourable circumstances, the only wonder is that our loss was not more severe.

A few minutes before we commenced our retreat across the Huebra, Sir Edward Paget was taken prisoner by a party of French cavalry, which stole in from the forest between the interval of the 7th and some other division, and carried him off with his orderly dragoon.

When day broke on the 18th, and allowed us to look about and see what part of the play was next to be performed, we found ourselves (I mean the Light Division) all alone on the heights above the Huebra, and made up our minds to a serious attack from Soult’s advanced guard, which was separated from us only by the river. Most fortunately for us the French felt themselves so weary of the pursuit, and, probably, (like ourselves) so nearly famished with hunger and cold, without the power of bettering themselves, unless by turning their backs on those inhospitable forests, and retracing their steps to Salamanca, that they did not attempt to cross the river, or to molest us during the remainder of the retreat. Had Soult known what we knew, most assuredly it would have been otherwise; for the 7th and some other divisions were floundering through a muddy defile not a mile from us. This would have necessarily obliged our division to wait on the heights above the Huebra, and to protect the retreat of the other divisions, cost what it might. Fate ordered it otherwise, and after another day of swimming, rather than marching, through this endless, swampy forest, in sleet, snow, and rain, we bivouacked near Santa Espirita, cold, wet, and supperless, as on the three preceding nights. The quartermaster of the 52d regiment administered a mouthful or two of rum to me on the 18th, which I firmly believe was the most beneficial cordial ever imbibed by man.

The 19th brought us under the walls of Rodrigo, from whence bags of biscuit were instantly sent out to meet us, around which it was found necessary to post sentries with bayonets fixed, to prevent the soldiers from rushing in and helping themselves before a regular distribution could be made. We encamped on the banks of the Agueda some days, whilst arrangements were making for quartering the troops during the winter. Thus ended the retreat of the army from Burgos and Madrid, and with it the campaign of 1812.

If Lord Wellington failed in his attempt against Burgos, he took during that campaign, by storm, the fortresses of Rodrigo and Badajoz; and he gained the glorious battle of Salamanca, which obliged Marshal Soult to raise the siege of Cadiz, and to evacuate the southern provinces of Spain, which were thereby free; and thus gave an opportunity to the Spaniards of exerting themselves in the cause of their country, by the formation of armies for the ensuing campaign. By the end of November, the army was settled in winter quarters. General Hill’s division was stationed at Coria, the Light Division and the 1st German Hussars in villages near the Agueda, and the remainder of the cavalry, infantry, and artillery, within the Portuguese frontier.

A few days after we got into houses, and indulged in sitting over charcoal fires, there was a pretty general complaint amongst men and officers of a sensation in the limbs not unlike being frost-bitten. Our _medicos_ pronounced it to be the effect of a transition from cold and wet bivouacs to more comfortable accommodations, rest, quiet, and something better by way of food than acorns.

This winter it was the good fortune of our battalion to be quartered together, for the first time during several campaigns, in the Spanish village of Alameda. We instantly, therefore, set to work to establish a regimental mess; and having ransacked the canteens of each company for knives, forks, spoons, &c., and purchased wine-glasses and tumblers at Almeida, nothing was now wanting but a mess-room and some good Douro wine. The first difficulty was soon obviated, by our taking possession of a barn, through the roof of which we built two large chimneys, rather uncouth as to size and shape; and making a long table with benches, equally rough, around it. A great quantity of excellent wine reached us from the Douro, far preferable, in my opinion, to the best bottled Port wine to be found in England; and it would be folly to deny, that we made excellent use of it during our temporary repose in winter quarters, or that its exhilarating qualities brought to light many vocal performers, of whose musical talents we had not until then been aware.

Soon after the army was put into winter quarters, the Commander-in-Chief sent a circular letter to the officers commanding regiments, expressing his highest disapprobation of the conduct of the army at large during the late retreat, which we found as difficult to digest as the acorns in the woods of San Munos. That many regiments were guilty of great irregularities, and did fall to pieces and lose their discipline during this disastrous retreat, was too true; but it was no less so, that many others, which I could name, maintained their order, good spirit, and discipline, throughout the retreat, and left no men behind who were not either too badly wounded on the 17th of November, at San Munos, to be brought on, or were actually expiring from sickness, excessive fatigue, cold, wet, and want of food. The charge was, therefore, thought by many people _too sweeping_.

The Light Division established a theatre during the winter at Gallegos, which might have vied with half the provincial ones in England, if we could but have procured female performers. Lord Wellington and his staff rode over from head-quarters one dark night, (twelve miles through execrable roads,) to witness our performance. It is impossible to imagine any thing more truly ludicrous than to see _Lydia Languish_ and _Julia_ (which characters were performed by two young and good-looking men, dressed uncommonly well, and looking somewhat feminine on the stage,) drinking punch and smoking cigars behind the scenes, at a furious rate, between the acts.

There was good coursing and woodcock-shooting in the neighbourhood, which occupied much of our time and attention. Lord Wellington’s fox-hounds often met within reach of our cantonments, but such was the miserable state of our horses, that the staff-men only could avail themselves of it. We now, as on former occasions, assembled the village fair ones, and frequently danced half through the long winter nights; nor were our fair partners at all averse to hot punch between the boleros and fandangos. Our nights were spent in the utmost conviviality and harmony, in the old barn where we messed. Here we also perused the English newspapers, which sometimes reached us.

Lord Wellington left the army for a short time, and proceeded to Cadiz, to consult with the Spanish Cortes about the co-operation of their armies in the ensuing campaign.

In the month of March 1813, the French General Foy made an attempt at night to surprise General Hill’s advanced post at Bejar, occupied by the 50th regiment and a regiment of Portuguese Caçadores. The French were repulsed with loss, and obliged to make a hasty retreat. In April, Major-General Kempt was appointed to command a brigade in the Light Division. We were now beginning to arrange pack-saddles for our baggage animals, and various other matters indispensable for opening the campaign.

Early in May, Lord Wellington reviewed the 1st German Hussars and the Light Division on the plains of Espeja. Many spectators, who neither belonged to the troops assembled, nor could have been particularly interested about the Light more than any other Division, pronounced their whole appearance, and the style in which they moved, to be as near perfection as possible.

About this period, the Life Guards and Horse Guards Blue, and the Hussar Brigade, joined the army from England, and looked as fair and beautiful as lilies, when contrasted with the sun-burnt visages and battered appointments of the cavalry regiments which had been many years in the country.

The campaign of 1813 was about to open: the army was in the highest health and condition, the losses sustained in the late campaign had been filled up by reinforcements from home, and every one anticipated a march to the Ebro, if not to the Pyrenees. The disastrous retreat of Bonaparte from Moscow had obliged him to recall from the Peninsula many thousands of his veteran troops, and with them Marshal Soult, to join him in the north of Europe.

The eight divisions of our infantry were thus composed and commanded. I cannot take on myself to state the names or stations of all the commandants of brigades. Each division had several Portuguese battalions attached to it, besides which there were some independent Portuguese brigades, not belonging to any division. Every division had a troop or brigade of artillery. How the cavalry were brigaded I know not, except that the newly arrived Hussars were together, and the Life Guards and Horse Guards Blue formed the household brigade. I may possibly err in the posting of one or two regiments of infantry, but I am certain that the following is tolerably correct.

DIVISION OF THE INFANTRY IN THE
CAMPAIGN OF 1813.

The 1st Division was commanded by Lieutenant-General Sir Thomas Graham, and consisted of the Guards and troops of the German Legion.

The 2d Division was commanded by the Honourable Lieutenant-General Stewart, and consisted of the 3d regiment or Buffs, 28th, second battalion 31st, second battalion 34th, 39th, 50th, 57th, second battalion 66th, 71st Light Infantry, and the 92d Highlanders.

The 3d Division, commanded by Sir Thomas Picton, consisted of the 5th, second battalion 24th, 45th, 74th, second battalion 83d, second battalion 87th, 88th, and 94th regiments.

The 4th Division, commanded by Sir Lowry Cole, consisted of the second or Queen’s, 7th Fusileers, 20th, 23d Welsh Fusileers, the third battalion 27th, 48th, and second battalion 53d regiments.

The 5th Division, commanded by Sir J. Leith, was composed of the third battalion of the Royals, 4th or King’s own, 9th, second battalion 30th, 38th, second battalion 44th, second battalion 47th, and second battalion 59th regiments.

The 6th Division, commanded by the Honourable Major-General Sir E. Pakenham, in the absence of Sir Henry Clinton, consisted of the 11th, 32d, 42d, 61st, 79th, and 91st regiments.

The 7th Division, commanded by the Earl of Dalhousie, was composed of the 6th, 51st, second battalion 58th, 68th, 82d, and a part of the Duke of Brunswick Oels’ Light Infantry.

The Light Division, commanded by Major General Baron Charles Alten, consisted of the 43d and 52d Light Infantry, the 1st, 2d, and 3d battalions of the 95th Rifle Corps, (in all eighteen rifle companies), the 1st and 3d Portuguese Caçadores, and the 17th Portuguese regiment of the line; which latter corps was appointed to the Light Division after the retreat from Burgos and Madrid.

Part of the 5th battalion of the 60th (German Riflemen) was distributed amongst the different divisions of the army, the head-quarters of the regiment being in the 3d Division. In speaking of Sir Rowland Hill’s corps, the second division, with some regiments of cavalry and Portuguese brigades, are included. Sir Thomas Graham, properly speaking, commanded a corps consisting of the 1st and 5th Divisions; and subsequently other troops were added to his command.

Having attempted a description of our winter quarters, and the manner in which we passed our time; and, moreover, having drawn out on paper the eight divisions of infantry, the sooner I put them in motion the better.