Theirs was an even more difficult task as the hussars were driving past them at a gallop and it was necessary to lead their targets in the same way that they would with a flying game bird.
Even so, less than half the hussars got safely off the col and then they had to run the gauntlet of the troops of Anstruthers’ light dragoons. They had finished collecting dead and wounded and any loose horses and were ready to put on a good show of intercepting them.
It was, of course, a show. A most realistic and enjoyable show it proved to be. The hussars were only interested in escaping and it was not easy to challenge a mass of nearly fifty galloping riders, travelling at speed downhill. The light dragoons treated it in the spirit of a foxhunt, but with a much more exciting quarry. In spite of Anstruthers’ strict training, many of them were reluctant to give up the chase when the bugle recalled them. Discipline won however and they trickled back, stopping only to collect the few horses whose fleeing riders had succumbed to their sabres.
It was time to return and accept the plaudits for a job very well done. They had been very successful, for negligible loss, against double their numbers and had helped to confuse the enemy most thoroughly.
In the other valleys, none of the cavalry probes had succeeded in penetrating the screens that had been formed. It meant that the entire operation had achieved what had been planned. Although it is never easy, in military terms, to discover the full results of any action, Lord Wellington was in no doubt that Welbeloved deserved most of the credit, when the Hornets; making a cavalry probe of their own; brought news that Marshal Soult and his army had left for Andalucia.
It was impossible to say whether this was because he had had news that Blake was threatening Seville or that the Spaniards were stirring in Cadiz and Murcia, just to prove Wellington wrong.
What was evident was that Marshal Marmont and General d’Erlon were left with fewer troops than Wellington had, which removed the possibility that the allies would be attacked. Quite the reverse, in fact, as the French must now be wondering how safe they were from Wellington.
They were quite safe, as it happened. The Commander-in-Chief admitted that he had not wanted to fight at Elvas. He had discovered, to his own satisfaction, that Marshal Soult was not finding life easy in his ‘kingdom’ of Andalucia. He needed all his army to protect against Spanish incursions from Murcia and Cadiz and to contain insurrection from Blake and his small army in the mountains to the north.
Only the gravest threat to Badajoz would make him strip his province of fighting troops and rush to the rescue, leaving his garrisons to withstand the resurgence – probably too strong a word – of the local guerrilleros and the general apathy of the remains of the Spanish armies in the region.
Wellington had been promised reinforcements and he was quite happy to take a rest, build up his strength and prepare in his own good time, to tackle the two gateways into Spain and Portugal: Ciudad Rodrigo and Badajoz. He would need a heavy siege train for both and this was being shipped up the River Douro at the moment, but unlikely to be available for operations until the end of the year.
Even with Soult gone, there was not enough food to permit both Marmont and d’Erlon to remain in the area. Marmont moved north into the valley of the Tagus, where the living was fractionally easier.
Wellington left Daddy Hill at Elvas, with forces equal to those of d’Erlon. He left Vere and the Hornissen with him, with the option to use them as his eyes to make sure that all the French stayed where they were and bring adequate warning if they didn’t.
By the end of August, Wellington took the bulk of his army and moved back north to the Beira frontier. Welbeloved went with him. He wanted to find out how MacKay was getting along in the north and give his personal attention to the final training of the new Spanish Wasps, all of whom had been recruited following the battle of Albuera.
CHAPTER 19
Three years ago, the area around León, Benavente and Astorga had been the scene of much skirmishing as the vastly outnumbered British army under Sir John Moore, began its retreat in the depths of winter, over the frigid mountain passes to La Coruña.
The very first Hornet platoon and Sergeant Hamish MacKay had played a significant role in that campaign and now Lieutenant Colonel MacKay was leading four hundred Hornets. Additionally, Brigadier General MacKay of the Spanish Army of Galicia was in overall command of six hundred Spanish cavalrymen.
MacKay was quietly and justifiably proud of his rank of lieutenant colonel, which had been hard earned. He was not necessarily as proud to have been made a brigadier general by General Santocildes, but admitted; strictly to himself it must be understood; to a certain smug satisfaction that he would deny vehemently if any of his friends were to suggest it.
It was a little like Welbeloved marrying the Condesa de Alba and becoming the Conde de Alba. He did not consider that he had done anything to earn the title and so he did not use it other than with his Spanish acquaintances and then only when diplomacy or political necessity made it advisable.
MacKay couldn’t imagine what Juanita, his wife, would feel. She was the daughter of a caballero; somebody at the bottom of the pile of Spanish nobility. All the Spanish officers he had met seemed to have some connection to that extensive club, but Juanita had never shown the slightest interest in social rank, even though she was probably of the highest class, other than the Condesa, at Santiago del Valle.
Whether his recently acquired Spanish rank was even necessary seemed doubtful. The entire detachment of Hornets, all three companies; a mixture of British, Portuguese and Spanish; was given a status akin to that of the demi-gods of Greek myth. At the beginning it had ensured that Colonel Quintana, the Spanish cavalry commander could accept his orders without losing his honour; or that was what General Santocildes had told him.
After only three weeks of a brutal training regime and a victorious skirmish with French infantry, Colonel Quintana was not only a better soldier, a fitter and more competent commander, but was given to hanging on MacKay’s words as if they were being spoken by all four of the gospel makers.
He really was becoming practical, capable and thoughtful as a commander, but a single nod of approval or frown from MacKay could make or ruin his day. It was surely time to get him to realise that he was far more competent than before and sever the invisible umbilical cord that made him so dependent.
MacKay had volunteered to lead an aggressive reconnaissance against Astorga, which was the farthest west of the three nearest garrison towns. It seemed a good way of continuing with the instruction of the Spanish cavalry by showing them how the Hornets conducted such affairs.
A Spanish squadron was attached to each company of Hornets. The Portuguese company was ten miles south. The Spanish company scouted ten miles to the north and MacKay with the British company, accompanied by Quintana and a squadron of Hussars moved directly against Astorga.
Gonçalves had already investigated the town and estimated the garrison to be under two thousand with perhaps a couple of squadrons of chasseurs able to forage in the area without exhausting the supplies of food for the locals as well.
It would have been quite a coup if his wing units had been able to swing round the town and cut off the French retreat, but their chasseurs must have been doing their own job quite effectively. The garrison of Astorga had been given warning of the approach of Santocildes’ army and had fled the town the day before, making for either León or Benavente.
The townsfolk were welcoming but wary as the Hornets and the cavalry trotted in. the local afrancesados, or those Spaniards who welcomed the form of government that the French had introduced and collaborated with them, had all left with the garrison. This departure had been taken, by those citizens remaining, as an invitation to loot the property of the wealthier collaborators.
Those who had benefited most from this were keeping out of the way until they knew what the official attitude would be. MacKay didn’t think that they had much to fear from the Spaniards. Most afr
ancesados were detested, but it was when they came back with the French after Santocildes had been forced to retreat; as surely he would be eventually; that retribution would come.
In the meantime it had to be assumed that the French would not sit back and let the Spaniards have everything their own way. Marshal Bessières had an enormous territory to control and his abandonment of the Asturias clearly demonstrated that he had insufficient troops to do it.
Two thousand had fled Astorga toward León or Benavente and MacKay guessed that both the latter garrisons would now together account for similar numbers to those that Santocildes was bringing against them.
The French would want to retain a thousand or more to hold both towns and that meant that the general ought to have local superiority, whichever town he attacked. The same, logically, should apply if the French decided to attack him.
In theory, this ought not to happen until Bessières sent reinforcements, but the French had beaten Spanish forces so often and so easily in the past, that a little matter of greater numbers was probably not of great moment to the local generals.
MacKay had to know more about the enemy. Gonçalves had enough men with him to cover Benavente. He sent instructions for him to make a thorough reconnaissance and report back to Astorga. León was presumably the strongest garrison and the Hornets and the Spanish cavalry squadron were sent to join the northern force and bring him back intelligence about French dispositions there.
He established himself in Astorga and settled down to question the mayor and any local functionaries to get as much information as he could while waiting for Santocildes’ infantry to arrive.
The sound of cheering and vivas in the late afternoon left no doubt about the arrival of the Galician forces. If some of the townsfolk were concerned about how thousands of mouths were to be fed, the enthusiasm of their greeting belied the fact.
It must have been a considerable worry to them, nevertheless. The French had plundered everything edible that they could find before they left.
* * *
Santocildes was delighted to see MacKay once more and was desperate to hear the latest intelligence. “At the moment, General, I have little more information than you do, but I have reconnaissance parties toward León and Benavente who shall be reporting back here by dusk.
I have been questioning the mayor, who tells me that the French left yesterday and all two thousand of them went towards León. The best estimate I can get of their strength is five to six thousand in León and four to five thousand in Benavente.
The evacuation of Astorga was hurried. I deduce that they had not anticipated the strength of your army and it shall surprise me if they can assemble enough force to oppose you for three or four days.
Having said that, they have surprised me before with the speed at which they can react. Our scouts shall give us ample warning of any moves. In this, I confide that they shall wish to co-ordinate any attack, using troops from both garrisons.”
Santocildes relaxed. “I hope you are correct, General MacKay. It shall give me the opportunity to choose the position where I should prefer to receive them if they are foolish enough to attack me.”
MacKay studied the map that Santocildes had unrolled onto the table. It was not as good as the ones that Wellington had had made by one of his officers, escorted by a platoon of Hornets, but it was good enough to confirm what MacKay already remembered.
“It is possible that the Hornets can help you if the French attack, General. In my opinion, they shall be foolish to do so, but they have never paid much attention to my opinion in the past.
Coming along from León toward Astorga I remember that every river and stream flows south from the mountains of Cantabria, right across the path of anyone moving between the two towns. Each one gives a position that is easier to defend than attack, unless the attack shall come from the south along the river banks, in which case any detachment from Benavente shall not only have to co-ordinate its attack with León, but shall need to choose the correct river valley.
Two companies of Hornets, with perhaps your squadron of hussars, can stop any support arriving from the south and my Spanish company can remain with you to help your cavalry screen and provide strength for your skirmishers.”
Santocildes was nodding and giving little cries of approval all the time MacKay was talking. At the end it seemed as if he was going to embrace him. “Bravo! General MacKay. It shall be the first time that most of my soldiers shall have been in action. If you are able to secure my flank and allow your valiant Avispónes; my countrymen; to help us and be an example to my novices, none shall think of running and they shall all be like lions when they next fight the enemy.”
Hardly had he finished speaking when Lieutenant Atkins of A Company strolled into the room, beating dust from his uniform and grinning broadly. “We were nearly at León before we caught up with Captain Burfoot and ’is boys, Sir.
’is scouts ’ad been watching the place for some time and it’s like a big anthill that’s just been kicked over. ’e says that most of the garrison from ’ere must ’ave harrived there, as the place is habsolutely swarmin’ with Frogs. ’is people are tryin’ to do a count, but you said you wanted quick hinformation and my lads fancied spendin’ a night under a roof for once.”
MacKay snorted in derision. “Ye’ll hae nae chance o’ that in Astorga, Thomas. In case ye had nae noticed, the place is now swarming wi’ many thousand soldiers frae Galicia. Your best chance might be in one o’ the nearby villages on the river, but get your sergeant tae find somewhere. Bide here a while and we’ll both join him later.”
He went back to spanish to give Santocildes the details and while he was doing so Lieutenant Oliveira came in to report on the situation in Benavente, where Gonçalves was watching the activity.
Fortunately his spanish was fluent, if very accented and Santocildes got his intelligence direct. The Astorga garrison had certainly got the news through to them and Benavente was in a state of high alert.
It was up to the French to make the next move, but with the prospect; almost the luxury; of having his right flank protected, Santocildes issued orders for his army to advance toward León in the morning and look for a defensive position, preferably the River Órbigo, which was the biggest of the streams flowing south across his path.
MacKay went with the two Hornet platoons to spend the night in a small village north of the town. Atkins was an old friend and there were many from the original band in his platoon. It would be quite like old times embroidering tales for the benefit of the newer Hornets and their Portuguese comrades.
Plenty of wine and a store of brandy that Atkins’ sergeant had bought in Astorga, ensured that the nourishing, but uninteresting rations went down acceptably well. The gentle hills, valleys and plains around León might be more fertile than many parts of Spain, but two hungry armies were contesting the area and MacKay was content that Vere’s wagon train made the Hornets self-sufficient, if most unlikely to develop epicurean palates.
By the morning, for Santocildes, the advantages of adopting MacKay’s suggestions had become overwhelming. He confirmed his move to the Órbigo, deploying his army to defend all the bridges and fords along a ten mile stretch, centred on the main road between León and Astorga.
To the south, the river also ran through a small town called La Bañeza, where a large detachment of two thousand Spaniards could hold bridges at the confluence of the Órbigo and a couple of streams flowing from the Sierra del Teleno in the west.
In the unlikely event that MacKay should fail to fulfil his pledge to guard the army’s right flank, the entire French garrison from Benavente ought not to be able to force the crossing in the face of determined resistance from these two thousand men.
Captain Algernon Cholmondeley and A Company were withdrawn from around León and moved south with MacKay and Colonel Quintana, joining up with Gonçalves and his Portuguese and the Spanish squadron of dragoons to watch Benavente.
Captain Burfoo
t and the Spanish F Company of Avispónes, stayed watching León. He had also been given command of the Spanish hussars and the light squadron of cavalry that had been formed from one of the bands of guerrilleros, absorbed into Santocildes’ army. It was one of the few times that MacKay had given him written instructions; almost orders in fact; although they were still basically only general directions about what he should do if the French were to advance to the attack.
As with the best theatrical productions, the stage was set and it was up to the cast to start the proceedings. The prologue had to begin with the French. If they did not move to attack, the play would have to be rewritten. If they did pluck up courage to resist this latest Spanish incursion by; in their view; the pathetic Army of Galicia, they could only do it with the garrisons of León and Benavente acting together.
The two towns were fifty miles apart. It was fascinating to imagine how they could arrange simultaneous attacks from both bases. However they managed it, the Hornets would be watching and Santocildes would be informed about the when and the where, within hours.
The same could not be said about the commanders of the French forces. Even if they had agreed a date and a time to start, the road between them was now closed by Burfoot and F Company in the north and Gonçalves with his Portuguese in the south.
Also within hours, MacKay would know when forces from León set out and he was already watching from a vantage point two miles away as a squadron of chasseurs left Benavente, followed by a motley collection of regiments, all in column and all heading north-west up the road to Astorga.
This road followed the eastern bank of the River Órbigo and would arrive at the defended bridges of La Bañeza. North of these, Santocildes had his army entrenched, or if not actually entrenched, certainly in good defensive positions, which would dispute the river crossing to any attack from the French from León.
The troops available to MacKay presented him with an embarrassment of riches. He had four hundred Hornets under Fernando Gonçalves and Algy Chumley, all of whom were armed with Baker or Ferguson breech-loading rifles. He also had Colonel Quintana with a full squadron of dragoons, now able to deliver one reasonably telling short-range volley, before following up with a charge or a retreat.
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