A Narrative of the Principal Events of the Campaigns of 1809, 1810, & 1811, in Spain and Portugal: Interspersed with Remarks on Local Scenery and Manners. In a Series of Letters |
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1st division 3d regiment Abrantes Alberche allied army Almeida appearance arrived artillery attack Badajos Baraçal battalions beautiful betwixt bivouaced bridge brigade of guards Brigadier-General British army Cameron's brigade cantonments cavalry Celerico Ciudad Rodrigo Coimbra Coldstream Colonel column combined army command considerable convent corps crossed Cuesta day-break dragoons Elvas enemy enemy's Estrella Estremadura force forded formed French army French cavalry front frontier garrison Guadiana guards marched guns halted head-quarters hill infantry inhabitants instant July King's German legion leagues LETTER Leyria Lieut Lieutenant-General light division Lisbon Lord Wellington Madrid main body Major-General Marquis Marshal Beresford Marshal Soult Massena ment Merida miles Mondego morning moved movement night noon o'clock officers Olivenza Oporto out-posts passed Picton's Pinhel piquets Placentia Portugal position quarters rear remained retired retreat river road Santarem Sir William Beresford situated Spain Spaniards Spanish Tagus Talavera town troops Victor village Vizeu whole wounded
Popular passages
Page 91 - ... whose ranks were speedily broken, and thrown into confusion by a welldirected volley. The impetuosity of the soldiers was not to be repressed; and the brigade on the immediate left of the Guards being halted, that flank, from its advanced situation in the eagern'ess of pursuit, became exposed to the enemy, who had already given way and deserted his guns on the hill in front, until observing this part of the line unsupported, the French rallied, and returned with increased numbers to their attack...
Page 193 - Douglas, made a gallant and successful charge upon another body of the enemy, which was endeavouring to penetrate in that quarter. Besides these attacks, the light troops were engaged throughout the day of the 27th. On the following morning the light infantry were again partially engaged on the left of the line. At • mid-day, the enemy's cavalry, and several columns of infantry, were observed in motion on the road from Mortigao over the mountains, towards the Vouga. This movement leading Lord Wellington...
Page 89 - PM the enemy was observed bringing up fresh troops and forming his columns, apparently for the purpose of renewing the action ; and in fact, about two o'clock, the French again advanced under a heavy cannonade, and made a general attack upon the whole of the position occupied by the British. The enemy's attacking columns on the right, had arrived within a short distance of the unfinished redoubt, when General...
Page 91 - French rallied, and returned with increased numbers to the attack upon the centre. Brigadier-General Harry Campbell now gave orders for the guards to retire to their original position in line, and the 1st battalion of the 48th regiment was directed to cover this movement, by the Commander of the Forces, who saw and provided for every emergency during the tremendous conflict. Foiled at all points, the French withdrew the remains of the columns, which had been unsuccessfully opposed to the centre...
Page 244 - About 6 o'clock his manoeuvres noeuvres seemed to indicate an attack on that point, and, soon after, the cavalry, deriving confidence from their numbers, advanced upon the British, which was their weak arm, and compelled them to give way; but, in retreating, the British cavalry repeatedly faced about and made some successful charges upon the enemy. Meanwhile, the 7th division, which had been considerably advanced upon the plain, was directed to fall back and form on the brigade of Guards posted...
Page 90 - At this awful moment all was silent, except a few guns of the enemy, answered by the British artillery on the hill. The French came on over the rough and broken ground in the valley, in the most imposing manner, and with great resolution, and were met by the British with their usual undaunted firmness. As if with one accord, the division advanced against the enemy, whose ranks were speedily broken, and thrown into confusion by a welldirected volley. The impetuosity of the soldiers was not to be repressed;...
Page 248 - French continued their retreat on the 9th; but a strong rear-guard of about 2,000 cavalry, and several battalions of infantry, remained in sight. On the 10th, the British broke up from their position, and, while the light division, supported by the cavalry, advanced towards the Agueda, the rest of the army returned to cantonments, and the original investment of Almeida was resumed. Colonel Trant arrived on the 7th with a division of...
Page 186 - Massena, in undertaking the siege of Cuidad Rodrigo, and Almeida, to draw the British from their strong hilly positions to the plains on which these towns are situated, where, if at all, the superior number of his cavalry might be expected to give him the advantage. About the middle of September, Marshal Massena made a feint of coming down upon the left bank of the Mondego, and actually pushed his reconnoitring parties. to...
Page 88 - ... minutes, when the silence of night again prevailed on the field of battle. At length daylight broke upon the contending armies, who were drawn up opposite to each other in the positions they respectively occupied at the beginning of the action on the preceding evening. About six, the engagement was renewed, and continued, without intermission, until eleven o'clock, when the firing ceased, as if by mutual consent, for nearly three hours, during which interval...
Page 186 - ... and embarrassing to his operations, from the very great scarcity of forage, which even the British experienced at times, although the harvest had been got in, and the whole grain in the country was in requisition for their supply. ; About a fortnight ago, Marshal Massena made a feint of coming down upon the left bank of the Mondego, and actually pushed his reconnoitring parties to Cortico and Linhares in that direction ; but, apprehensive of meeting a check at the strong pass of the Ponte...