The Journal of an Army Surgeon

by Boutflower, Charles

  15th. To our utter astonishment an Order was received on the Afternoon of the 13th to suspend the Operations, & to convey to Elvas the various stores belonging to the Engineers, Artillery & Commissariat: at the same time we found a similar Order had been issued on the other Side of the Water. This Order was said to be the consequence of the Marshal having received information that Soult was on full march to attack us with a superior force. Yesterday morning a dispatch arrived directing the Order of the preceding day to be suspended inasmuch as it was possible, & accordingly expresses were sent to Elvas to bring back the Stores. On the opposite Side, this Order could not be obeyed, as from the want of conveyance they had been obliged to burn a vast quantity; no directions were however given to continue the Operations. Everything continued the whole day in a state of uncertainty. This has however been relieved this morning by another Order, to send off without any delay all the Stores to Elvas, & in consequence every exertion is ...

  (With the above words the writer's first notebook comes to its close. The narrative has evidently been at once carried on into a second book, of which the first leaf, containing some two hundred and sixty-five words has unfortunately perished. The tale, as we have it, recommences in the middle of a sentence)

  ...possible at a Ford about a League above the town of Badajos; the necessity was urgent as Soult with a large Army was rapidly advancing upon Marshal Beresford; it was however found impracticable, and at night we quitted our ground & proceeded to Elvas. The following morning (16th) we marched to Olivenza; the distance being five leagues, & the roads dreadfully bad, it was near dark before we reached that place. There we learned that an Engagement had that day taken place, the result of which we could not that Night collect. At One o'Clock the following Morning we proceeded in the direction of Valverde, & from thence to Albouera, near which place the Battle had been fought. On our arrival on the Field of Combat a Scene the most horrible that the imagination can conceive presented itself. The ground was covered with the dead & the dying. It appeared that Soult having collected a Force amounting to twenty five thousand Men, of which number at least five thousand were Cavalry, & relying upon his superiority in this latter Force in a Country so favourable for their acting, in the confidence of success resolved to attack the allied Army of British, Spanish, & Portugueze, amounting to thirty thousand. The attack commenced on the morning of the 16th by a feint on the left, which was immediately succeeded by the real attack on the right. The Allies of both Nations fought bravely; but the British as usual had the brunt of the Action; the Conflict between them & the Enemy was dreadful. The battle did not terminate till towards Evening, when they retired in every direction. The loss of the allied Army is estimated at five thousand Men, of which number at least four thousand were British. It is supposed the Enemy suffered in a still greater proportion. It is difficult to say on which side the Victory lay; we had the honour of repulsing the Enemy in his attack, and frustrating his intention of relieving Badajos; moreover all his wounded fell into our hands: on the other side, in a charge made by his Cavalry he succeeded in taking near a thousand of our Men Prisoners, besides the Colours of three Regiments and a Howitzer. Each Party will doubtless claim the Day, but the decision must be made by some who cannot be weighed in it by partiality. The Enemy retreated across a Plain, & took up his Position in a thick wood about two Miles from the Scene of Action; there he remained the whole of the following day.—It now became a general opinion that he would either retreat that Night, or attack us again the following Morning. At Daylight on the 18th we had the satisfaction of finding he had preferred the former. His Cavalry still shewed a front & some skirmishing took place; in the course of the forenoon they were entirely gone. This Movement was a great relief to every one; the British Troops had suffered so severely, that another Attack was anticipated with much apprehension; besides the wounded demanded the utmost care, & in the event of such another Day the loss of lives from the impossibility of giving proper attendance to all would have been very great indeed.— Yesterday (19th) our Brigade was employed in carrying wounded Men to Valverde. We encamped near that place last Night, & this Morning joined the Army. We have taken up our Position in the Wood occupied by the Enemy after the Action. It does not appear that they are rapidly retreating; their rear Guard is not more than four Leagues from hence. In the opinion of many they will return, & give us Battle again, it being an object of great importance to them to save Badajos. In the meantime our hopes are elated by the expectation of seeing Lord Wellington, who is to arrive this Evening. Two Divisions of the Army are likewise on their march here in order to oppose Reynier, who is advancing in this direction with his Corps; so that this is likely to become the chief scene of Action. For my own part I have been so completely horrified at the dreadful Scenes I have lately been compelled to witness, that they have given me a disgust for the Army I never before entertained. I see however no prospect of an early termination to the Campaign; on the contrary every thing seems to indicate that it will be a very protracted one. It is to be hoped we shall see but few more such Battles as that of the 16th, as they would in a very short time render the British Army a mere Name.

  23rd. We remained in the wood during the 21st, & marched from it Yesterday Morning at daybreak in the direction of Almandralejo. We halted for the Night about two Leagues from that place, understanding that the enemy continued in the neighbourhood of Azenchal. The Army moved forward this Morning in that direction, with the intention of giving them a broad hint to take themselves off; on arriving near we found they had gone. The 2nd Division was therefore directed to march to Almandralejo into Cantonments, & our Division (the 4th) is quartered in Azenchal. We have now the expectation of remaining some Days quiet, and indeed the Army stands much in need of it. This is a miserable place for the accommodation of so many. The French quitted it yesterday Morning, which furnishes the Inhabitants with an excellent excuse for denying the possession of any one Comfort, alleging that they took away every thing away with them. It is melancholy to observe the Apathy that prevails among the People in general; it appears to me that they think it a matter of little moment whether they surrender their independence or not.

  A letter from a Genl. Gazan to Soult has been intercepted in which he says that he has with him four thousand some hundred wounded in want of every species of Aid & Comfort; he mentions also having been obliged to leave three hundred in Almandralejo, which we have found to be the case. Their loss on the 16th was very great, it cannot be estimated at a less number than eight thousand. Lord Wellington has taken up his Head Quarters at Elvas and Badajos is again invested by a Division of Portugueze; there is no doubt that, when the Siege begins, it will be carried on with the utmost vigour; half measures do not suit his Lordship.

  25th. We remain in Azenchal, nor have we any prospect of soon quitting it. Our accommodation is but bad, however it is luxury compared with what we have lately been accustomed to. We are in hopes of remaining here during the Siege. The 3rd & 7th Divisions have ere this arrived before Badajos, & they with the Portugueze will form an ample Force.

  Killed Wounded Missing Total

  British 886 2705 547 4138

  Portugueze 102 252 26 380

  Total 988 2957 573 4518

  221 Officers included in the above.

  The Spaniards had 1500 Men killed & wounded &c. The only General Officer killed was Majr. Genl. Houghton; Majr. Genls. the Hon. W. Stewart & the Hon. G. L. Cole both commanding Divisions were wounded. The Army has particularly to lament the Death of Sir Wm. Myers, who fell at the head of the Fusilier Brigade which he was leading on most gallantly; at an early Age he had attained very high rank being a Lieut. Col. at Eighteen; his superior Abilities excessive zeal & entire devotion to the Service however proved that he was admirably qualified for the situation he filled; he died at the age of twenty eight, and his Death may be justly considered as a most severe loss to his Country.

  By a distinguished act of gallantry a Corporal of Artillery prevented a Gu
n from falling into the Hands of the Enemy; Lord Wellington with a liberality worthy his great mind has given him an hundred Dollars, & directed him to be promoted on the first vacancy.

  We have accounts of the fall of Almeida, which completes the entire expulsion of the Enemy from Portugal. So great a blessing the Portugueze as a Nation have deserved; their loyalty and devotedness to a sacred cause are unparallelled in the history of Nations, and do them immortal honour. Could I witness but a twentieth part of their loyalty in the Spaniards, I should anticipate their emancipation with Confidence. As it is I confess I look forward with more of fear than hope. They appear disposed to be content under any Government. Such a People deserve not to enjoy the sacred blessing of Freedom.

  27th. A very brilliant affair took place on the 25th between our heavy Dragoons and a portion of the Enemy's Cavalry. A small number of ours only showed themselves which induced the French to cross a narrow Bridge for the purpose of attacking them: the main Body then fell upon them, and routed them with great slaughter. Their loss in killed, wounded, & missing was four hundred besides many Officers: we had only three killed and twenty wounded.

  We have no expectation of any thing being done for some time; Marshal Beresford has quitted the Army for Elvas, from whence it is said he proceeds to Lisbon for the purpose of still further augmenting the Portugueze Force.—Genl. Hill is daily expected here to take the command of this Corps of the Army; he is a very popular Officer.—The Marines & Artificers belonging to the Regiments in this Neighbourhood to be employed at the Siege of Badajos marched from hence this Morning.

  30th. The Siege of Badajos has not yet commenced, but the preparations on a very large scale are going on as fast as possible. Lord W. has taken possession of a Quinta in the Neighbourhood, & his presence will infuse energy in every one concerned in the Operations. In the meantime Soult is collecting another Army at Llerena, which is only nine Leagues from here. He has at present a numerous Cavalry and about twelve thousand Infantry. It is supposed that Reynier with about ten thousand Men has reached Truxillo, and he will doubtless effect his junction with Soult. Unless the latter however can get further reinforcements from the South he will not be in strength to raise the Siege. The heat of the Weather is dreadful, and will I fear be productive of much Sickness in this Corps of the Army; indeed I think it probable notwithstanding the warlike appearance of every thing that in the course of the next six Months we shall lose more Men by Sickness than by the Sword.

  JUNE

  June 2nd. We hear nothing further of the Enemy, nor have we any reason to believe that they will be able to raise the Siege. We are in hopes that our Batteries opened this Morning, and, as they are on an immense scale, it is generally believed the place will fall in a few days. What are the intentions of Lord W. when this occurs we know not; it is generally thought however that we shall not advance far into the interior of this Country.

  5th. We have reason to believe that the Batteries opened on the 3rd. They are said to be excessively formidable, consisting of about fifty pieces of heavy Canon besides a large, quantity of Mortars & Congreve Rockets. One of the Batteries was erected only fifty paces from the Walls. To prevent the Enemy from hearing the Men at Work during the Construction the following expedient was hit on:— several hundred Sheep & Goats each with a Bell about the neck were driven immediately under the walls between the intended Battery & the enemy; the noise they made effectually prevented the French from knowing what was going on till Daylight, by which time the work was completed. General Hill, who has been in England some time severely indisposed, arrived yesterday to take the Command of the two Divisions of the Army in this Neighbourhood; he is a Man of such conciliating manners & of a disposition so truly amiable that his return has excited the most lively satisfaction.

  8th. It appears that the walls at Badajos are so excessively hard, that the progress in the Siege is by no means so quick as the Engineers had flattered themselves; no particular Day is now mentioned when the Breach may be expected to be complete. It is said that Fort St. Christoval will be taken to-night by Storm; the possession of it will materially contribute to the success of the ulterior Operations; the excessive heat of the weather and the entire want of Shelter must make the whole duty most painful to the besiegers. We hear nothing further of the Enemy; but it cannot be doubted that Soult is making every exertion to raise a Force sufficient to compel us to abandon our intentions.

  10th. We yesterday received Orders to be in immediate readiness to march, which were repeated early this Morning with directions to have the Baggage Animals kept saddled; eight hours have elapsed since this latter Order, & we hear no further on the subject.

  An attempt was made the other Night upon St. Christoval, which failed, as is said, from the Storming Party mistaking the proper place and the Ladders being too short by several feet; we lost fifty Men on the occasion.

  11th. 10 a.m. We have this moment received orders to march and to reach Albouera this Evening. There is not a doubt that the enemy are in motion, and it seems probable there will be another sanguinary Contest on the same ground; much depends upon the issue.

  Another unsuccessful attempt was made upon St. Christoval the Night before last: we lost many Men; it is said that the Siege was raised last night.

  13th. We quitted Azenchal on the Afternoon of the 11th, but did not march further than a League; we are encamped in an Olive Grove midway between Azenchal & Solano on the Road leading to Albouera. Every thing is again quiet in front, the movements of the Enemy the other day could have been nothing more than a reconnoissance, tho' it is highly probable they will again advance. It seems certain that the Siege of Badajos has been converted into a Blockade: the Engineers found too late that they had erected their breaching Batteries against the most impregnable part of the place; they were literally battering a Rock. Much Blood has been most unsuccessfully spilt. Our hopes now rest on being able to keep Soult in check and starving the Garrison; this is at the best uncertain. No blame is imputed to Lord W.; there is no doubt that he was deceived by the too sanguine representations of the Engineers.

  15th. We marched at noon on the 13th from our encampment near Solano, and proceeded two Leagues in the direction of Albouera, when we halted; at two o'Clock in the Morning of yesterday we again marched, & encamped in the wood occupied by the Enemy after the Battle of the 16th, & in which we halted after they quitted it; there is no doubt that Lord Wellington has selected the same Position for the Scene of Action. His Head Quarters are in the Village of Albouera. We do not exactly know where the Enemy's advance at present is; but they continue approaching us, and it is probable that the conflict will take place in a day or two.

  16th. It is supposed that Marshal Marmont who lately succeeded Massena in the command of the French Northern Army is advancing rapidly on the right bank of the Guadiana. When joined with Soult, they would have such an alarming superiority, that it would be rashness, if not madness, to think of engaging them. In consequence we last Evening quitted the wood, and crossing the river at the bridge of Albouera remained for the Night on some heights above that place; at 3 o'clock this morning we marched in the direction of Badajos, & are now halted in a wood about a League from that Town. Our sojourn here is very precarious, having just received Orders to have every thing prepared to start again at a Moment's Notice. Of the intentions of his Lordship we are ignorant, but it is generally conceived we are going to the other side of the Guadiana for the purpose of taking up some strong position till we can be joined by Genl. Spencer, who is said to be advancing with our Northern Army. This necessity is to be lamented as it compels us to uncover Badajos, and thus defeats at once what we have spilt so much valuable blood in endeavouring to attain.

  19th. On the 17th we quitted our encampment near Badajos, and crossing the Guadiana at a Ford halted in an Olive Grove in the Vicinity of Elvas. The Day turned out most severe, and during the Night the Thunder & Lightning were truly awful, no Person in the Camp ever having experienced anything so dr
eadfully terrific; the Rain came down in such Torrents, that in a very short time we were almost completely under water. In Consequence Yesterday Morning we were ordered into Elvas, which place we quitted again this Day; we are at present halted about two Leagues on the Road leading to Portalegre, and, as we suppose, in the neighbourhood of our Position, provided the French choose to attack us in it. They have an immense Force, Marmont having certainly united with Soult. To counteract this General Spencer with the principal part of our Northern Army has made a parallel movement, and can join us in a few hours. The desponding are of opinion that we shall be immediately compelled to retire to our Lines, whereas others think that the combined movement of the Enemy was merely for the purpose of throwing in succours into Badajos; having effected which they will cease to molest us. Lord W. has however prepared for the worst; under the possibility that Elvas may be besieged, the Inhabitants have been recommended to quit their Houses, and every other necessary precaution has been made.

  There is a report very current & which has gained some credit at Head Quarters viz., that we have taken in the Mediterranean ten Sail of the Line, having nine thousand Troops on board, making a push from Toulon to Catalonia, where it is certain the Enemy have lately been losing ground. Should this prove true, it will very materially alter the nature of things in the Peninsula, and Soult will most assuredly be obliged to retrace his steps hastily.

  23rd. We still continue in the same encampment, tho' our stay in it is very uncertain. Yesterday was a day of bustle; the Enemy kept us constantly on the qui vive; they shewed themselves in considerable force both in the Neighbourhood of Elvas & Campo Mayor. In a skirmish we took two Officers and some Men, but most unfortunately a Picquet of the 11th Dragoons, just arrived from England, was surprised, & three Officers & forty Men made Prisoners; the enemy retired to Badajos in the afternoon, and they have not since been seen. Opinions are divided whether this movement was a reconnaissance previous to their advancing, or if it was only intended to cover a retrograde Movement towards Seville, they having succeeded in their object of throwing succours into Badajos.