The Journal of an Army Surgeon

by Boutflower, Charles

  21st. On the 13th the Convent of Saint Antonio was taken by a party of the German Legion; it is situated near the River on our right & annoyed our workmen considerably. The following day our Division went again on duty, & the same Evening the 40th were directed to storm the Convent of San Francisco, where the Enemy had a Mortar and Gun, which altogether prevented our going on with our Approaches. Considerable resistance was expected, but, on the Men appearing on the walls of the Convent, the Enemy fired a Volley, and fled to the Town with precipitation; only three Men were wounded in this affair. We (the 40th) remained in possession of the Convent and Suburbs during the remainder of the Siege, instead of returning to our Cantonments, as was the case with the remainder of the Army. On the afternoon of the 14th our Batteries opened. On the 15th our fire was resumed with much spirit, and with considerable effect. On the 16th there was so impenetrable a fog, that scarcely a shot could be fired; a new Battery however was nearly completed for the purpose of making a second breach; on the Evening of the same day Lord W. summoned the Town, which was answered by the Governor in terms expressing his determination to perish in the Ruins rather than surrender. The 17th proving a beautiful Morning, our Batteries opened with great vivacity, and continued firing till Evening, after which time considerable progress was made in effecting the Breach. On the 18th the new Battery commenced; by sunset the first Breach was declared practicable and much impression was made on the wall by the New Battery. At Noon on the 19th both Breaches were declared by the Engineers practicable, and every arrangement was made in consequence to storm the Town the same Evening. For this duty, the Light and 3rd Divisions, and Genl. Pack's Portugueze Brigade were selected. At eight o'clock the storming parties moved to the breaches while others escaladed the walls in different places. The first conflict was terrible. No description however, can do justice to the grandeur of the Scenery; the rapid fire of the Musketry, the infinite number of Hand Grenades, and the explosion of two Mines, presented a Coup d'Oeil beautifully awful. We had soon the satisfaction of hearing our brave Fellows give the cheer of Victory, a Victory however dearly purchased; I have not yet seen the amount of our loss, but it is said that the Siege and assault together cost us not less than seven hundred men, and a number of excellent Officers. Genl. MacKinnon was killed by the explosion of one of the mines; Genl. Crawfurd Comg. the Light Division and Col. Colburne of the 52nd, who so gallantly stormed the redoubt on the first Evening, are both dangerously wounded; their deaths would indeed be a national loss. The Governor had no right to stand the assault; he had not the means after the breaches were practicable of defending himself against our superior numbers. By the laws of war, we should have been justified in putting the whole Garrison to death; they were almost all however suffered to escape with their lives; this was at best but a milk and water humanity, and in point of policy should be severely condemned: we may live to lament the effects of it.

  The unfortunate inhabitants, as is ever the case on such occasions, were shamefully plundered by our Troops; in fact, no distinction was made by them between French and Spaniards; gallant as are our soldiers when opposed to an Enemy, I fear they yield to no people on earth in their thirst for plunder.

  It is almost impossible sufficiently to appreciate the value of this achievement; its conception on the part of Lord W. at this season of the Year, was most admirable, and perhaps exceeds in brilliancy all his former exploits. In justice to every Department of the Army it must be stated that their exertions were unparallelled. The Siege lasted only eleven days, & the place was taken after five Days of open Trenches; whereas the French when they took it had been besieging it for six weeks, and did not get possession of it till after seventeen Days of open Trenches.

  Marmont is said to be advancing upon us with fifty thousand Men, but it is probable that when he hears of the fall of the place he will retrace his steps. In the meantime we have resumed our Cantonments in Villa de Porco, where we are likely to remain till it is ascertained whether the French General will continue to advance or not.

  26th. Head Quarters were to have moved this Day to Frenada, but in consequence of the enemy manifesting a disposition to advance they remain for the present at Gallegos.

  I was yesterday at Ciudad Rodrigo, and was much astonished to observe the wonderful progress that has been already made in repairing the Breaches; the place is now as inaccessible to an assault as it was the first Day we appeared before it. While there I witnessed the funeral of Genl. Crawford, who died of his wound the preceding Day; it was a very solemn and impressive ceremony, almost every Officer of Rank in the Army being present; he was buried close to the small Breach, on the Spot where he received his wound; he is considered a real loss to the Service, tho' from the peculiarity of his disposition it is said he had attached but few People to him.

  30th. It would appear that the Enemy are gone back, but Head Quarters still remain at Gallegos. The disposition for a general change of Cantonments is made out, and will, it is supposed, be carried into effect in a day or two. The rainy Season has effectually set in, which will prevent the Enemy from commencing active Operations in this quarter for some time.

  The Battering Trains employed by the French in the reduction of Ciudad Rodrigo have been found there with an infinite quantity of Stores of every description. It seems to have been the chief depot of the Enemy's Northern Army.

  FEBRUARY

  Feb. 5th. We are detained in our present Cantonments by the very heavy rains that have prevailed the last three days; in Consequence the small Rivers in our rear called the Duas Casas & Turon are absolutely impassable; should the bad weather continue, it is difficult to conceive how the Army will receive their supplies.

  Head Quarters are returned to Frenada, & the repairs at Ciudad Rodrigo go on with activity; it is the intention of Lord Wellington to make it much stronger than it ever was; for this purpose, the Fort of San Francisco taken on the Evening of the 8th is to be considerably enlarged and a new Fort is to be erected on an eminence in front of the old one on a spot where it was intended our breaching Battery should have been, had we not succeeded in breaching from our first parallel.

  9th. We have at length received our Route, and march at daylight to-morrow morning; our destination is Punhete on the Tagus, where we shall be able to get our Clothing & every article of equipment of which we stand very much in need. The other part of the Brigade remains in this Neighbourhood for the present.

  20th. We marched according to orders on the 10th Inst. and reached Aldea de Ponte, five Leagues, the same day, where we joined the Brigade in the 1st Division under the Command of Genl. Stopford, with whom it was intended we should proceed. At Night however a counter Order was received and we were directed to return the following day to Villa Formosa & there wait for Orders: this arrangement was in consequence of our Clothing having left Abrantes, & being considerably advanced on its Route towards us. On the 12th we marched to Villa de Ciervo, where we still remain: it is a very good Cantonment, and was Head Quarters of the Division at the time we lay at Gallegos. We do not expect however to be long here. It is notorious that the utmost exertions are making to commence again the Siege of Badajos, and as it is a Fortress of such vast importance the Enemy will doubtless make every effort to relieve it, and it will of course be necessary for Lord Wellington to have his whole Force in that Quarter. Unhappily we still continue very Sickly, & it is to be feared that, whatever may be our numerical strength, our physical force will be found most lamentably short of it. Head Quarters still remain at Frenada, tho' it is said they will remove in a very few Days to Castello Branco.

  MARCH

  March 3rd. We quitted Villa de Ciervo on the 27th Ulto. having received a route to proceed to Castello Branco: we reached Alamanda that day & halted there. On the 28th we halted at Villa Mayor: 29th at Villa Boa; & on the 1st Inst. we crossed the Coa at Sabugal & halted at a village called St. Estevao: our march yesterday was a very long and painful one, being five Leagues: we remained for the night at Pedrogao, &
this day came to St. Miguel, only two Leagues & good road. On our arrival at Castello Branco, we shall receive a fresh route: we know we are to go to Portalegre, & it is expected we shall remain there a short time. There is no doubt that Lord W. purposes besieging Badajos, tho' it is probable there may be a previous general engagement, as the Deserters who have come in within these few days concur in stating that Marmont is marching his whole force Southward.

  12th. On the 4th we halted at a small village called Escalhas de Cima, and the following day reached Castel Branco, at which place we halted on the 6th. On the 7th we remained at a most wretched place called Requisa, which scarcely afforded Covering for one fourth of the Men. On the 8th we had a most fatiguing march to Nisa a distance of five Leagues & a half over the worst roads in Portugal, added to which, we had the dragging of the Nine Pounders up two most tremendous Hills; the Men came in so exhausted in the Evening, that we have had much accession to our Sick List since in consequence. On the 9th we halted at Alpalhao, our third visit to this place: on the 10th we reached Portalegre, where we still remain, tho' it is probable we shall march in the direction of Badajos in a day or two. Head Quarters left this place yesterday Morning for Elvas, where there is to be this day a grand installation, Genls. Hill & Graham being to be made Knights of the Bath. Everything is said to be ready for the Siege, & the weather continues remarkably fine.

  The probability of a general Action increases. The advanced Guard of the enemy is said to have reached Merida; a few days therefore will in all probability develop great events.

  22nd. On the 14th we received a sudden Order to quit Portalegre & proceed in the direction of Elvas; we reached Monforte, a clean and pretty Town that day, and on the following day arrived at Elvas. There we found the dispositions of the Army were as follows; the 1st, 2nd, 6th, & 7th Divisions, with almost the whole of the Cavalry and Horse Artillery, formed the covering Army, and were to proceed upon Villa Franca near Zafra (at which place the enemy had a Corps), by two separate Routes under the orders of Sir Thos. Graham & Sir Rowland Hill; the Light 3rd & 4th Divisions formed the besieging Army. The whole moved on the following morning (16th). On the same day Badajos was invested, & ground was broke on the Evening of the 17th. A vast deal of work has been since done, but no Guns have as yet been placed in the Batteries, neither is it known when our Fire will open. On the 18th the enemy made a Sortie, but were almost immediately driven in without our works sustaining the smallest injury; the fire was very sharp & our loss amounted to about twenty killed & a hundred wounded; amongst the latter was Col. Fletcher, the Chief Engineer; fortunately however it has not altogether deprived the Army of his valuable Services. The loss of the Enemy is said to have been double.

  On the very day that we invested the place the wind shifted to the S.W. It has rained ever since almost without intermission. Lord W. and the whole of Headquarters are encamped.

  We know not whether the enemy can concentrate in sufficient force to compel us to raise the siege: the Corps they had at Zafra retired on the approach of Genls. Graham & Hill.

  It is stated that the Engineers calculate that it will require three weeks from this time to reduce the place, but it is generally supposed that their real opinion is it will be effected in a fortnight.

  25th. The wind changed yesterday Evening to the Northward, and the weather now promises to be fine. For seven days it was dreadful, the rains being so excessively heavy, that it became at length extremely disheartening.

  Our Batteries opened this day at ten o'Clock: it is said that Fort Piccolini, a work of considerable importance, will be stormed to-night; it is highly essential to the success of our enterprise that it should be in our possession.

  26th. At eight o'Clock last Night the Fort was stormed in a Stile of unexampled Gallantry by the Covering Parties of the 3rd Division. Independent of its strength, they had a variety of obstacles to overcome, & the resistance made by the enemy was very great. They succeeded however in surmounting all the difficulties. The French, being reinforced from the Town, attempted to retake the place, but were repulsed with great slaughter. The Fire from the Enemy's Batteries during the business exceeded anything I ever witnessed. Our loss in this important Conquest was about an hundred & fifty; that of the Enemy was certainly more than double. Their loss was principally in killed; several Officers & about eighty Men were made Prisoners..

  The weather continues fine, & everything appears to augur a successful issue to the Siege.

  30th. The first breaching battery opened this Morning, and the remainder will commence their fire to-morrow; it is confidently expected that the place will fall by the 4th, tho' it is generally apprehended that it must be taken by Storm; should this be the case it is scarcely to be conceived the Enemy will come off so well as they did at Ciudad Rodrigo.

  It is known that a large French force is advancing to the relief of the Garrison, but it is supposed that they cannot possibly ^arrive here before the 10th.

  APRIL

  Apl. 2nd. The Breach is in a considerable state of forwardness, and appears to be fifty or sixty yards wide; the wall was found exceedingly tough, and it is only this Afternoon that they have well got to the Earth; eighteen Guns from two Batteries are constantly playing upon it, & it is hoped that on the day after to-morrow it will be perfectly practicable. Besides the great Breach a second is making from an Eight Gun Battery, the effect of which is I believe still more advanced than the other. The Fire from the Enemy is very great; they have brought between thirty & forty guns to bear upon our works; the Batteries of course are much injured by them, but the Casualties amongst the Men are very few.

  A very desperate resistance is apprehended at the Storming. It is impossible to anticipate the carnage that must ensue without feelings of the utmost horror; no idea is entertained of a Capitulation, indeed it is one of the fundamental rules of the Code Napoleon, that any Governor giving up a Fortress without standing the assault shall be shot.

  We have heard nothing further respecting the advance of Soult. Genls. Graham & Hill have with them thirty thousand men, which probably may be sufficient to keep him in check. It is reported that Marmont is making preparations for the Siege of Rodrigo, but such a rumour appears too absurd to be entitled to any credit.

  5th. Both Breaches were considered practicable last Night, and it was generally apprehended that the Storm would take place. There is no doubt that the assault will be made either this Evening or before daylight to-morrow Morning. Everything is ready. The Town has not been summoned, and it is supposed will not; it is said that Lord Wellington is unwilling to subject himself to an insolent reply.

  The assault will be made by the three Divisions that have been employed during the Siege; viz. the Light, 3rd, & 4th; the Light Divn. are to storm the small breach, the 4th the large One and the 3rd are to Escalade the Castle walls.

  All idea or probability of an early visit from Soult or Marmont appears at an end; the former it is said left Seville with his Army in this direction, but again retrograded after two days March. Marmont is reported to have actually invested Rodrigo; he is without heavy Artillery to commence a regular Siege, but is supposed to found his hopes of again getting possession of the place from its not being provisioned sufficiently; should this actually be the case, it would seem absolutely necessary that we should again go to the North for the purpose of raising the Blockade.

  10th. The period that has elapsed since the last date has been a truly eventful one, and will certainly long hold a place in the recollection of those who have witnessed it and yet survive. The assault did not take place on the night of the 5th, as was fully expected. Orders for the Attack were actually issued when about five in the Evening they were countermanded. A third Breach was determined upon, which was effected in the course of the following Day; the Attack was then ordered to take place at ten o'clock the same Night(6th). One Breach was given to the Light Division, two to the 4th. The 3rd were ordered to scale the Walls of the Castle, and a Brigade of the 5th to escalade t
he walls of the Town near the Olivenza Gate. At the appointed hour the Troops moved to their respective Posts, when a scene of horror at once dreadful and sublime presented itself. There was no Moon but the stars afforded just sufficient light to enable the Men to find their respective destinations. On their being discovered by the Enemy, a Fire so tremendous opened on them, that the oldest Military Men present declare that they never witnessed anything that could be at all compared to it. The explosions from the several Mines the Enemy had prepared were indescribably awful, but certainly furnished a Coup d'Oeil such as I never expect or indeed wish again to witness. The access to the Breach was most difficult from the Counter-carp not having been blown in; it was necessary to descend into the Ditch by means of Ladders; on reaching it, it was found full of water, and in some places it was so deep that the Men were drowned in it; on gaining the summit of the Breach, obstacles the most insurmountable presented themselves; Chevaux de frise made of swords were placed the whole length in the rear of the Breach, and further in the Rear Trenches upon Trenches were cut; repeated attempts were made to get in but our People were as constantly repelled, with the most horrible loss. The Escalades were at length successful, which so much attracted the Enemy's attention from the Breaches, that the men were enabled to get in, and the Garrison was surrounded. In the meantime the Governor (Philippon) had fled to St. Christoval, but finding it impossible to make any effectual resistance he surrendered at discretion. The usual humanity of the English, was eminently displayed on this occasion, not a French Soldier was put to the sword, tho' according to the laws of war we should have been justified in putting every Soul to Death. It was about one o'Clock on the Morning of the 7th when our People got possession of the place. For the space of three hours, they had been exposed to the destructive fire I have before stated; our loss was in consequence most melancholy, not less I believe than three thousand eight hundred killed & wounded besides at least two hundred and fifty Officers; in my Regiment, twenty four Officers marched off from the Camp Ground, of which number only six escaped. Notwithstanding the extent of our loss, the taking of Badajos is considered as one of the most important events of the Peninsula; it is of infinite consequence to the Spaniards, and it insures the safety of Portugal.