The Journal of an Army Surgeon

by Boutflower, Charles

  On the 15th it was very soon evident that the Enemy declined attacking us in position; he pursued the same system as the preceding day, and moved to his left. Lord W. was therefore compelled to withdraw the several Divisions from the other side of the Water, & abandon Salamanca to its fate. To prevent the enemy getting possession of the high road leading to Ciudad Rodrigo, the position of the Arapiles was also abandoned, and the whole Army moved upon that Road. About noon it commenced raining in torrents, which did not cease during the whole Afternoon & Evening; the Army bivouacked about two Leagues from Salamanca on the Ciudad Rodrigo Road.—The Morning of the 16th was equally wet, but it cleared in the course of the day; the Army marched in two Columns; we were in the left Column, & had the Rear Guard, we marched three leagues, & halted in a wood near the Village of Martilla. We were not annoyed by the Enemy during our march, but we had scarcely been an hour upon our ground when they shewed themselves upon some heights, & also in a place about a Mile in our front; the 2nd Divn. on our right skirmished with them; fortunately they had not any Artillery up, & we therefore passed the Evening quietly.

  At 4 o'clock on the morning of the 17th we continued our retreat; the weather was again dreadful, & the roads in consequence scarcely passable; after marching three leagues we halted near the Village of San Munoz, at which place there is a Ford over a River; the object of our halt was to cover the retreat of Baggage & Stragglers, as also the rear of the right Column, which had to pass at this Ford. The Enemy pressed us a good deal at this place, & brought up about twenty pieces of Artillery on some heights opposite to us. There was some severe skirmishing during the Afternoon, in which we lost some Officers & about an hundred & fifty Men; but we had this day particularly to lament the loss of Sir Edw. Paget who very recently came out to this Country as second in Command; he was passing from one Divn. to another, unconscious of any danger, when a party of French Dragoons surprised him & carried him off; they also possessed themselves of a great deal of Baggage, & amongst others the whole of the Baggage of Lord Dalhousie lately arrived, was taken. After everything had crossed the Ford, we marched half a league, & bivouacked for the night near the village of Abrillas: the rain continued so heavy that we were literally up to our Ancles in Mud & Water.—On the 18th the weather was better; our march this day was four leagues & a half; we halted on the side of a Hill half a League on this side the Village of Tenebron. Most fortunately for the 4th Division the enemy did not press us this day, or we must have suffered dreadfully from their Artillery; we had to wait on the top of a Hill several hours, to cover the retreat of other Divisions who cut in upon us, and from this Hill had the Enemy pursued us they would have had the finest opportunity in the world of annoying us, as after descending it we had an extensive plain to cross, which for two miles would have been completely within the range of their Artillery.—On the 19th we marched only a League and a half and bivouacked in a Wood one League from Ciudad Rodrigo, at which place Head Quarters had arrived the preceding Day. There was no small degree of consternation prevailing there, from the circumstance of the breach (which had been entirely repaired) having given way from the violence of the late rains. The people were however soon tranquilized on finding that the Enemy were ceasing to follow us; in fact they were as completely exhausted as ourselves and in consequence incapable of further annoying us.—On the 20th the Rains again commenced with all their former violence; the march of the Divn. was this Day a most painful one, four Leagues & a half through almost impassable Roads: we bivouacked on the very same ground that we were on on the 10th [of] June last, when the Army was concentrating for the purpose of proceeding against Salamanca.—On the 21st we went into Cantonments, the Head Quarters of the Division being at Villa de Ciervo, the same place they were in on the 21st November last. These Cantonments however are considered merely temporary, it being understood that we shall proceed in a few days to occupy winter Cantonments in the direction of the Douro for the purpose of being nearer our supplies.— On reviewing the late retreat there is certainly cause of much mortification. After so splendid a campaign results more brilliant were doubtlessly expected; at the same time it is but fair to take the whole campaign, and not look only to the last two Months as is the case with many; if the question is fairly put, what has Lord W. done this campaign? the answer as fairly is; he has secured the two keys of Portugal; raised the siege of Cadiz, cleared the South of Spain; destroyed the French Magazines at Madrid, and fed his army five Months on those supplies which otherwise would have been possessed by the Enemy. In point of what is called military luck Lord W. has lately not had his usual good fortune; had the rains when we were at Madrid set in two days earlier, the Enemy could not have crossed the Tagus, & thus the junction of their Armies would have been prevented; again had they commenced two days sooner than they did at Salamanca, they could not have passed the Tormes, and instead of having that River for their line they must of necessity have retrograded as far as the Domo. Every effort was made by his Lordship to save Salamanca, but such is the nature of the Positions on this side of the River that an Enemy with a superior force can at all times turn them. Lord W. calculates the force opposed to him, consisting of the united Armies of Joseph, Marmont & Soult at an hundred thousand Men; their Cavalry alone amounted to eight thousand; ours can scarcely be estimated at five thousand. It may not be irrevelant here to notice the melancholy falling off from that dash & spirit which formerly distinguished our Cavalry; this lamentable dereliction from what they were is not attributed to any degeneracy in the Men, but to the incapacity, not to add, want of courage, of many of their Generals. I have long forborne to notice this circumstance; but it has become so notorious, that there is scarcely a Dinner party, or assemblage of persons where military matters are at all discussed, where the conduct of our Cavalry Generals is not spoken of with disgust & contempt.

  The late retreat will long be remembered for its excessive severity; if I mistake not the Gazettes will in a short time be abundantly productive of resignations in consequence of it. There are various opinions as to the amount of the loss the allied Army sustained in the retreat, but I think myself it may very fairly be estimated at two thousand. Many of these perished on the road from the excessive severity of the weather: of those picked up by the Enemy a good many may be expected to escape.

  Head Quarters of the Army moved on the 24th from Ciudad Rodrigo to their old station at Frenada, and there it is probable they will remain during the Winter. If we are quite three or four Months in Quarters, the Army will again become respectable in point of numbers. It is rumoured that it is the intention of Ministers to send every Man they can muster to this country and, if affairs continue to go on well in Russia, we shall I trust next Year be in a state to commence another brilliant Campaign, & which in its consequences, will prove more fortunate than the one we have just concluded. The Enemy are not nearer to us than Salamanca, & it appears that Joseph, not willing to trust himself with the good people of Madrid, has for the present established his Court at Valladolid.—The weather has set in frosty, & promises to be fine for some time.

  DECEMBER

  Decr. 4th. On the Evening of the 26th our Route arrived, and on the morning of the 2 7th we commenced our march for our old Cantonment, San João de Pesqueira; our route lay as follows:—

  27th. Junca.

  28th. Azinhal.

  29th. Laminas.

  30th. Sant' Euphemia.

  Dec

  1st. Manilva.

  2nd. Sedevin.

  3rd. San João de Pesqueira.

  Nothing could be more miserable than our accommodation during the whole march, and even here at Pesqueira we are anything but comfortable, tho' only one Regiment is here with the Headquarters of the Divn. It is probable we shall remain at least a period of three Months, & under that presumption Chimnies are building in all the Houses, where it is possible to persuade the owners of them to add this species of Comfort, a case frequently of great difficulty. It is to be understood that the expence atte
nding the building of a Fireplace is always paid by the Officer; five times out of six the Chimnies are destroyed by the owners of the Houses immediately on our quitting them.

  17th. This place affords no matter for a Journal; it has rained incessantly ever since we have been here nor is there any prospect of better weather.

  Lord W. is gone to Cadiz to consult with the Regency as is supposed in his Capacity of Generalissimo, the plan of the next Campaign, & enforce by his presence the adoption of such preparations as in the meantime may be requisite.

  It appears that the Enemy only remained four days in Madrid; they abandoned it on the 6th Ulto. & had not again occupied it on the 25th. There is reason however to believe that they have since entered it.

  1813

  JANUARY

  Jan. 5th. The Enemy reoccupied Madrid on the 3rd Ulto. but, from the complexion of affairs in the North, there is every reason to hope that in a very short time they will feel themselves obliged to withdraw their Army from the Peninsula; four thousand Cavalry have already gone to France.

  Lord W. arrived at Cadiz on the 24th Ulto. and is to return via Lisbon, where great preparations are making for his reception and where he is idolized as little less than a Divinity.

  The frost set in here on Christmas Day, and has continued more or less ever since; there appears little difference in the Climate here and in England; the only advantage here is that at midday there is more Sun.

  12th. Already the successes of the Russians begin to appear in this Country; the Enemy have abandoned the line of the Tormes and we hear they are mining Burgos and preparing again to evacuate the Capital; it is confidently said they have commenced defiling a large body of Infantry to France. Lord W. is expected at Hd. Qrs. on the 17th.

  FEBRUARY

  February 1st. Lord W. arrived at Frenada on the 25th.

  Nothing respecting the object of his journey to Cadiz has transpired, but whatever it may have been, it is said his wishes have not been realized by the Regency at Cadiz.

  The Enemy it appears still occupy the Tormes, but in less force; various accounts from Spain make it appear probable that they have it in contemplation to retire beyond the Ebro.

  The Weather continues very cold, and the number of sick is still considerable; the Army is yet very far from being in a state to take the Field. It is probable we shall not move from our Cantonments for at least these two Months.

  14th. I left Pesqueira on the ad for Lamego, where I arrived on the 4th, & where I still remain, being on Evidence on a General Court Martial sitting on Lieut. Colonel Archdale, 40th Regiment. —Lamego is a Town of considerable Population, situated near the Douro, & is a Bishop's See; I am quartered in his Palace; he is a very unostentatious old man, but is said to be the most charitable Man alive; so greatly is he venerated that it is reported, on his death, he will be canonized.

  The Cathedral is handsome, but the same levity I have observed amongst the Priests in other places prevails here also.

  Not withstanding the entire destruction of the French Army in the North, it does not appear that the Enemy have as yet commenced any retrograde movements. It will indeed be extraordinary if they maintain their present ground during the ensuing Campaign.

  25th. The Court Martial did not terminate till the 22nd, on which day I quitted Lamego, & arrived at Pesqueira yesterday.

  The worthy old Bishop & myself became extremely intimate during my stay at his house; he possesses many virtues, but is extremely bigoted; he assured me of his entire belief in the near fulfilment of a Prophecy, which states that about this time the whole world will be brought over to the true faith, which faith of course in his idea is the Catholic.

  This day I give over all the Papers relating to my Situation in the Division to a Gentleman appointed to succeed me.—By the unsolicited kindness of Dr. McGregor I have leave of absence from the 4th Inst. for two Months to England; I will not here attempt to describe the thousand fond feelings the anticipation of revisiting that land of happiness is calculated to arouse in every breast possessed of common Sensibility; they are indeed inexplicable.

  MARCH

  March 2nd. On the 26th Ulto. I quitted Pesqueira, Genl. Cole having the day before received an order to have the Divn. in readiness to march. I remained that night at Sedevin with my old Friends of the 40th. The following Day I rode four Leagues to a Village called Villar where I remained with my Friend Col. Carr of the 83rd; before leaving Sedevin, they were apprized that the Division was to march on the 28th, but they were ignorant of their destination, tho' it was supposed to be the Neighbourhood of the Coa or Agueda. On the 28th my route was to Pedrosos, five Leagues; and on the 6th March I reached Vizeu, three leagues. Vizeu is a large Town and is a Bishop's See; the Cathedral has nothing in it worthy of Notice; the Town is not at present occupied by Troops but is a General Hospl. Station, containing about twelve hundred Sick; the Guards in Vizeu & the neighbourhood have in the last two or three Months lost six hundred men by sickness.—This morning I quitted Vizeu, and came to a large village called Tondella, three Leagues through a beautiful Country; the Weather set in fine the day I left Pesqueira, & has continued delightful ever since.

  6th. On the 3rd my route was four Leagues to a Village called Mortiagoa where I was well accommodated in the house of the Padre Prior of the place.—On the 4th another four Leagues to a village called Mealhada; this day I passed over the Sierra of Busaco where the Action was fought in September 1810; the unburied Bones of the French still point out the place of Combat, & will remain an everlasting Monument of the rashness of their Commander. Yesterday I reached Coimbra, three Leagues. This place has suffered very little from the incursion of the French; it is the third Town in Portugal and has a very fine Cathedral, which however is not well finished. Notwithstanding it is so large a Town there is a greater difficulty in procuring a Billet in it, than any other Town in the Country, though the people have suffered less almost than any other; I look upon them as the most uncivil in Portugal, perhaps with the exception of those of Lisbon.

  This day I have only come two Leagues, to a town called Condeixa formerly one of the prettiest in Portugal, but which now exhibits a memorable instance of French barbarity, scarcely a single house remaining; when I last passed thro' it, it was in flames.

  8th. Yesterday I halted at Pombal, & this day at Leyria. Both places are nearly a heap of Ruins, but are beginning somewhat to recover themselves. The Cathedral here is undergoing repair as fast as circumstances will admit; it was only half destroyed; the walls only of the Bishop's Palace are remaining; but he lives here notwithstanding in a small house.—The horrors the Enemy committed especially on this Road are not without their use; the sight of them have had their due effect upon the minds of the Portugueze Soldiery; & it is I verily believe a holy thirst of vengeance which keeps them to their Colours; for were it not with them a war of feeling it would be idle to suppose they would remain consolidated with the miserable Pay & feeding they receive.—The weather continues delightfully fine, but the heat already for three or four hours in the Day is becoming oppressive.

  27th. The long interval since my last has been occasioned by illness; on the 9th I proceeded to a small Inn, four Leagues, where I got tolerably well accommodated.—On the 10th I set off for Alcoentre, six Leagues; on reaching Rio Mayor, four Leagues, 1 felt myself extremely unwell with the usual Symptoms of Fever; notwithstanding I proceeded on my journey, & reached Alcoentre, where I was obliged to go immediately to Bed.—The following Morning (11th) feeling a little better, I mounted my Horse, & with some difficulty reached Villa Franca on the Tagus, & distant from Lisbon five Leagues. In the Evening of the same I availed myself of a Boat going down to Lisbon, & arrived at Lisbon that night at half past Eleven, extremely ill; where with the utmost difficulty I succeeded in procuring a Bed. The next day (12th) I made several ineffectual attempts to procure a Billet, & was shocked at the pitiful evasions made at the several houses at which I presented my Billets. It appeared to me there was a degr
ee of ingratitude in their conduct (considering it is to the British they are indebted that the French do not at this moment occupy Lisbon) which ought to be held up to everlasting execration, not because it happened to myself, but as it is notorious that a sick Officer constantly finds the same difficulty in Lisbon in making good his Billet. At length, in a state of absolute exhaustion from fatigue, I had the good fortune to meet a most particular friend in the Person of a Mr. Guthrie, at the Head of the Medical Department here, who immediately brought me to his house & had a comfortable Bed prepared for me, from which I did not rise till the 24th. — My disease was the Bilious Remittent Fever of the country, and I feel it is owing to the unremitting attention & judicious treatment of Mr. G. that I am indebted to my early recovery from a Complaint which was ushered in in its attack by Symptoms of peculiar violence.

  I am now convalescent, & tho' in a state of great debility, shall I doubt not speedily regain my wonted strength. In the meantime my delay at the Court Martial at Lamego, Journey down, & subsequent illness have together spun out my leave to within one week of its termination; I feel I shall not be able to embark before its expiration and to [do] it afterwards without a further extension would be an act of manifest impropriety. I have therefore this day written to Hd. Quarters on the subject, and I cannot for a moment bring myself to doubt that by any possibility a further indulgence will be denied me. — I therefore still fondly anticipate being in England by the 20th of the ensuing Month.