The Journal of an Army Surgeon

by Boutflower, Charles

  20th. Yesterday Morning we commenced our march at Daylight; our Route lay through a difficult but most picturesque Country along the Banks of the Tagus. We halted for the Night in the Neighbourhood of a village immediately opposite Abrantes; this Day we have marched four Leagues, and to our great surprise are in houses in a miserable village called Gavao; we are still Eight Leagues from Portalegre. On our arrival there it is probable we shall know something respecting our final destination. It is most desirable that the troops should have a few Days' rest before they again encounter their Enemy. A March of between two and three hundred miles necessarily occasions a great wear and tear in the Appointments of Soldiers.

  24th. On the 21st we marched five Leagues and halted at a place called Alpaltrao, sufficiently large to accommodate the Division; the following day we reached Portalegre, a Town of considerable size. Here we had the mortification to learn that the enemy had taken Campo Mayor. Papers from England to the 6th Inst. announced to us the Regent's intention of pursuing the War in the Peninsular with Vigour. The exhausted state of the Troops and the want of Shoes rendered it necessary for the Division to halt the 23rd. Portalegre has a beautiful Cathedral, and the principal Cloth Manufactory of the Kingdom is likewise there.

  This day we marched Four leagues to Arronches; Marshal Beresford with the 2nd Division had quitted it before our arrival. Campo Mayor is distant from hence only four Leagues; the Enemy have four thousand Troops there, and hopes are entertained that a part of our force may get between them and Badajos & cut them off.—We have no Accts. from Lord Wellington.

  26th. We left Arronches at daybreak yesterday Morning and arrived before Campo Mayor by a circuitous route about two in the Afternoon. We found the enemy had quitted it at Noon, and that they were closely pursued by our Dragoons. It is impossible to describe the Joy of the Inhabitants as we passed the Town; they hailed us with the loudest acclamations. We had not proceeded two miles further before a very different Scene presented itself; the road was strewn with the dead and dying. At the end of a long League from the Town we received Orders to return to Campo Mayor. The Enemy were pursued by a part of the 13th Dragoons to the very Walls of Badajos. In their Confusion they abandoned everything, but unfortunately, the 13th not being supported by Infantry, they were enabled to remove their Artillery &c., &c., afterwards. One Howitzer & many Prisoners remained in our possession & the Enemy's loss in killed was very great; on our side we lost three Officers & about fifty Men.—There is nothing indicating a probability of our quitting this place; it is supposed that Marshal Beresford waits for instructions from Lord Wellington. In the mean time he has taken up his Quarters at Elvas.

  29th. We are anxiously waiting for news from the Army under Lord Wellington; it is near a Fortnight since we have had any Acct. of it; in the mean time we remain here in a state of profound inactivity; it appears that the i$th Dragoons ( in pursuing the Enemy the other Evening took sixteen pieces of Cannon, all their Baggage and upwards of a thousand Prisoners, but from some strange infatuation the heavy Dragoons & Infantry not being allowed to follow them they were enabled again to take possession of all they had lost and bear it in safety to Badajos. Complaints are deep and general on the occasion against the Marshal, and it is very probable the Affair will yet cause much stir.

  APRIL

  Apr. 2nd. Yesterday morning we marched from Campo Mayor to Elvas, where we occupy the Quarters vacated by the 2nd Division who are gone to Villa Vicosa. The utmost secrecy as to our future Operations is observed; preparations however on a large scale are making for a siege, which it is supposed can only be for the purposes of attacking Badajos.

  The number of Military here is about fifteen thousand. These with the inhabitants and a crowd of fugitives have filled the Town to excess. Every Article is in consequence enormously high.

  The last accts. from Lord W. are of the 25th Ulto., at which time his advanced Guard was at Celerico; he had made many Prisoners.

  6th. We quitted Elvas on the morning of the 4th Inst., and encamped the same day in the neighbourhood of Jerumenha. We wait here till the 2nd Division shall have passed the Guadiana; the River is not at present fordable, & the floating Bridge is very incomplete; in all probability we shall not get across before to-morrow Morning. In the meantime we are in the most perfect ignorance of the movements of the Enemy; we do not even know whether or not they are in possession of Olivenza, tho' it is only two Leagues from us. We are in hopes that Lord W. will almost immediately be with us, accts. from Head Quarters stating that the Enemy have been dispossessed of Guarda, and that they have been compelled to retire to the other side of the Coa, so that the campaign in the North of Portugal may be considered as terminated. The whole Army here long for the presence of the Comr. of the Forces, so unbounded is their confidence in him; and indeed he does appear to leave far behind him all his Competitors for Military Fame.

  10th. At one in the morning of the 7th we crossed the Guadiana, and proceeded about half a League on the Road leading to Olivenza. Our entrance into Spain was marked by an event sufficiently calamitous, when it is considered it might have been avoided by Common Prudence. We had just laid down after reaching our halting ground on the Morning of the 7th when we were alarmed by a sharp firing in the midst of the Camp; the confusion was general, most of the men being in a sound sleep. The cause of the Alarm was a Party of French Dragoons who had forced our Picquets, and had the audacity to come to the very confines of our Camp; fortunately they were not aware of our confusion and they retired. We had however the mortification to learn very soon that they surprised two Squadrons of the 13th Dragoons, & that they had taken them off in triumph to Olivenza. This unfortunate business is said to be wholly attributable to the Officer commanding that portion of the Cavalry who tho' in the most advanced post of the Army had suffered his men to unbridle, and they were thus rendered incapable of resistance.—We remained on the same ground the whole of that Day and the 8th, during which time the other part of the Army, Artillery, Stores, Baggage, etc., etc., were crossing the river. Yesterday morning we proceeded on the Road towards Olivenza, and halted about a Mile from the Town. Marshal Beresford sent in a Flag of Truce offering Terms, which were rejected by the Garrison, tho' they do not amount to four hundred men. Some very extraordinary reason must be the cause of the enemy leaving so inefficient a force. The Marshal has sent to Elvas for heavy Artillery for the purpose of making a breaching Battery, & taking it by Storm, should they be so imprudent as to push things to that extremity. It appears extremely odd that the possibility not to say probability, of their refusing to deliver up the Garrison should not have been earlier taken into Acct., and the Battering Train on the spot; there does appear however that there is a fatality attending the Operations of this Army which forms a striking Contrast with the energy and foresight displayed in every movement by the troops under Lord W. Fortunately the weather since last night has assumed an appearance which promises to continue fine; it has been for several days dreadful, & the sufferings & hardships of the Troops have in consequence been extreme.—Accts. have reached us from Lord Wellington to the 3rd on which Day he crossed the Coa, and attacked the enemy, compelling them to retreat with the loss of upwards of a thousand Men.

  12th. Yesterday passed without any particular occurrence. The siege is left to our Division (the 4th), the 2nd & a Division of Portugueze having marched to Valverde, a short distance from hence, to act as a Corps of observation. Last Night the Trenches were opened; the Enemy kept up a smart Fire during the Night; the only casualty however was the loss of one of the Brunswick Corps, whose Head was carried clean off by a Cannon Shot. It is hoped that in the course of this Night the breaching Battery will be completed & the Guns mounted by Daylight ready to open; its contiguity to the Town will make the breach to be effected in a very short time tho' it is probable they will capitulate before even that shall be effected.

  13th. The breaching Battery is made in an old Redoubt about two hundred and sixty yards from the Town; it will be c
ompleted this Night, but could not be finished sooner from the great difficulty found in removing the Angle, where it will be necessary for the guns to enter, the Gate leading into it being exposed to the Enemy's Fire. The twenty-four Pounders are to open in the Morning; it is intended to use every caution not to injure the Town. As soon as Olivenza falls, it is understood we shall commence the siege of Badajos, which is said to contain a Garrison of only Seven hundred men; we shall however find more annoyance there, as it is much better supplied with Artillery.

  17. The Battery was completed on the night of the 13th, but on bringing up the Guns the entrance was found to be too narrow: we had therefore the mortification of being obliged to wait another 24 hours. This was remedied the following Night & at Daylight yesterday the Battery was ready to open. At half past five a Flag of Truce was sent in offering them the honours of war; which they rejected; the Guns immediately opened. At noon they sent out offering to deliver up the place, provided they were allowed to go to France as Prisoners of War, not to serve till regularly exchanged; they were answered, that as they had given us the trouble of erecting and opening our Batteries, they must now surrender at discretion. A second message was then received from them requesting the terms offered them in the Morning: the only reply was a renewal of the Firing. Finding us determined and aware that a very short time would suffice to render the breach practicable, they surrendered at discretion, and about two o'Clock a portion of our Troops marched in, when 21 Officers and upwards of four hundred Men were made Prisoners. We were received by the Inhabitants with the loudest acclamations. Notwithstanding the Enemy kept up an incessant Fire Night and Day upon our working parties, our Casualties were only four killed & eight wounded. The expectation of marching immediately upon Badajos was general. To our surprise however we yesterday received Orders to proceed in the direction of Santa Marta which is on the high Road to Seville, & distant from Olivenza seven Leagues. We arrived in the neighbourhood of the former place this Morning, when we found directions to wait here till further Orders. Marshal Beresford is in front with the Cavalry and ad Division, but we are entirely ignorant of his plans and intentions. We have passed through several Spanish Towns and Villages, and they all bear evident marks of having enjoyed the blessings of French protection; the Country between this & Olivenza is for the most part entirely barren.

  20th. We remained encamped near Santa Marta till this morning, when we received Orders to retrograde in the direction of Olivenza; we have halted for the present at a Town called Almandhral situated about half way between those two places. It is conjectured we are immediately going to invest Badajos. Lord W. reaches Elvas this Evening; under his auspices the Siege will doubtless be vigourously conducted.

  The 17th Dragoons had an opportunity a few days ago of being revenged on the very troops who surprised their Squadron near Jerumenha; they came up with them near Zafra, and destroyed & took prisoners nearly two hundred of them.

  We have little news of the Army in the North; it appears our Advance have passed Ciudad Rodrigo, & that Almeida is invested.

  22nd. Yesterday morning we left Alamandhral, & marched to Valverde, which is distant from Badajos about four Leagues; we hope to remain here till everything is ready to commence the siege. The 16th of this Month was set apart at Lisbon for a solemn Jubilee to celebrate the entire expulsion of the Enemy from Portugal. It is impossible not to remark a great Apathy amongst the Spaniards, when compared with the extraordinary devotion to the cause of the Country pervading the Breasts of the lower orders in Portugal.

  25th. We received our Orders to quit Valverde at Noon on the 23rd for the purpose of crossing the River at Jerumenha, the latter place not being large enough to accommodate the Brigade. Our Regiment remained in a small Village on this side of the water, intending to follow the Brigade to Elvas the following day. This plan was frustrated by the Bridge being carried away, the heavy Rains we have lately had having swollen the River to an unusual height. We know not what was the intention of our going towards Elvas, & we are equally ignorant what we are now going to do. Yesterday Afternoon we were directed to march to Olivenza, and this morning we proceeded from that place to Valverde, where we remain this Night, and go on to-morrow to Talavera Real, & from thence it is supposed to Merida, where we shall again meet our Brigade; in the mean time we are attached to the Light Brigade under Genl. Alten. The weather has been for some time & still is very unfavourable for carrying on the Siege; it is to be hoped on the settling of the fine weather everything will be ready for conducting it vigorously.

  27th. We reached Talavera yesterday Afternoon after a fatiguing March of five Leagues through a most barren Country. We have as yet no orders to proceed further. This place is called Talavera la Real to distinguish it from Talavera de la Reyna where Lord Wellington gained his celebrated Victory.—It would appear as if the principal seat of warfare will be in the North, Lord W. having left us again to join the Army there.

  MAY

  May 2nd. On the 28th Ulto. we quitted Talavera, and proceeded to a village called Lobon, two Leagues further on the Merida road; we halted there till yesterday morning, when we reached Merida, where we crossed the Guadiana, and to-day came to a small Town called La Puebla immediately opposite to Lobon. The two other Regiments of the Brigade are quartered in Montejo about half a Mile from hence. We expect to remain here till the commencement of the siege; the accommodation is better than we have for a long time experienced.

  Merida is a town of very great ^antiquity; the scientific Antiquarian will find in it ample scope for his research; amongst other ancient Structures is a very fine Aqueduct built by the Saracens, & the remains of a large Roman Amphitheatre, which have since been converted into a Place del Toros or place for Bull-fighting, but is now in Ruins.

  4th. We remain in La Puebla without any intimation as to the probability or improbability of an early removal. We are so comfortable here that all, Officers & Men, are anxious to stay. The German Brigade marched last night from Talavera to commence the investment of Badajos. It is possible we are to form a Corps of observation; at all events we are fortunate in getting to this Side of the River, as the principal Operations will be carried on on the other. I call it fortunate, because there is so much fatigue and so little glory attending a besieging Army, that it is rarely one meets a Military Man anxious to be engaged in such a service.

  6th. It would appear as if the Siege was on the point of commencing; the Town is completely invested on the South Side of the Guadiana, and we expect to march to-morrow or the day after at farthest to complete the investment. In the mean time we are entirely separated from our Division. The Fusiliers & Portugueze Brigade marched this Morning from Merida in the direction of Badajos, to take a part in the operations to be carried on on the other side. A most obstinate defence is expected from the Enemy; nevertheless we hope to be in possession of the Town by the 4th of June next.

  9th. We quitted La Puebla early on the morning of the 7th, & bivouacked that Night in a wood. Yesterday about ten o'clock we arrived on our ground in front of Fort St. Christoval, a work of some strength on the North side of the Guadiana, & from its Situation commanding the Town. The Enemy for sometime disputed some heights near it, but were at length compelled to retire into the Fort. They communicate with the town by means of the Bridge. Last night we broke ground for the purpose of erecting a Battery to dislodge the Enemy from the Fort; at the same time our Friends on the opposite Side of the water commenced their operations. The Siege appears to be well begun. The Fire from the Enemy's guns has been very severe; the loss of the Brigade on this side of the River already amounts to about eight Men killed & several Officers & fifty Men wounded. Our situation is a most unpleasant one; the weather is extremely hot, and we have not the smallest possible Cover; we consequently look forward with much anxiety to the completion of the Siege.

  11th. The working Parties resumed their operations on the night of the 9th. Its proximity to the Enemy's work is considered as rendering it a most dar
ing undertaking to break ground so near them. It would appear that they dread our getting possession of it, and yesterday morng. soon after Daylight they made a most serious effort to dislodge us from it. They succeeded in getting possession of it for a moment, & were proceeding to destroy the Work when they were charged by the Picquets & compelled to retreat. Unfortunately our Troops pursued them with their wonted ardour to the very Walls, where they were exposed to a most destructive Fire of Shell Shot and Musquetry; notwithstanding with a very inferior force they completely routed their Enemy. Tho' the affair was but of short duration, the Brigade lost four hundred Men, of which two hundred were of the 40th; the loss of Officers was also very great; we had eight wounded, among whom my two Messmates, the Lieut.-Col. & Major, were severely handled: it was one of the most painful Days of my Life.

  This Day our Battery opened, but the Enemy have been able to bring so many Guns to bear upon it that it cannot act with much effect, & indeed there is reason to fear they will be enabled to dismantle it; we have not found the co-operation we expected from the Army on the other Side of the Water.

  13th. As was apprehended, the Guns were completely silenced before the Evening of the 11th. Little has been done since, and we are all in a complete state of despondency at having witnessed so much Blood shed in vain; the blame rests somewhere, & our Brigade have been, & continue to be the victims of some shameful mismanagement; our Casualties continue very distressing. The Troops on the other side of the River appear to have done absolutely nothing, and the whole force of the Enemy has thus been permitted to fall upon us. To add to our Misfortunes, the Weather yesterday set in very bad, and continues to-day a most threatening appearance. The Troops are so completely exhausted by hard labour, that should the Enemy make another vigorous Sortie, our Situation would be eminently critical.