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VI

SOME RECOLLECTIONS

LIFE OF LIEUT.-COLONEL NEVILL,

SOME KECOLLECTIONS

THE LIFE

LiEUT.-CoL. P. P. NEVILL

LATE MAJOR 63rd REGIMENT.

o0^=Hj>G''O-

COX & WYMAN, LINCOLN'S INN STEAM PRINTING WORKS,

GREAT QUEEN STREET, LONDON, W.C.

1864.

TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

THE EAEL OF ABEEGAVENNY,

ETC. ETC. ETC. ERIDGE [CASTLE.

2^

PREFACE.

In compliance with the wishes of an only Brother and some few of my old Comrades who are yet alive, I venture to publish these Recollections of my Life.

P.N.

1, Castle Yard, Windsor. December, 1863.

h

ERRATA

Page 5, line 8, for Sabuzal read Sabugal. 34, „ 19, ybr Haste read Hoste. 4G, „ 17, for Aubervillores read Aiibervilliers. 1 84, „ 9, for polished marble read polished as marble. 198, last line,/(w Peishwar, read Peishwa.

RECOLLECTIONS,

CHAPTER I.

1794—1812.

IT happens that I am the son of a soldier, but not of a veteran one.

My father, who served in the old American War, used to amuse me, and raise mj martial desires sometimes, by an account of his deeds of arms, particularly at the battle of Bunker's Hill, where it was said, he behaved very well.

He had a sword of a formidable kind, and being a powerful man, he used to whirl this weapon with much rapidity round his head, and show me how he slew two men who attacked him when leading on his platoon against the enemy.

Being on leave from the army, he met, at a soiree in Dublin Castle, the grand-daughter of his friend Lieut. -Colonel Pepper, of Ballygarth

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Castle, county Meath. This lady, whom my father induced to marry him, was my honoured mother.

My father disposed of his commission at an early age on being offered a civil situation in Dublin, and finally established himself there, where I was bom;

My relatives in England had for the most part been military men, and I was particularly proud of a grand-uncle who served under King George II., and who led a charge of cavalry at the battle of Dettingen in 1743. Before this charge took place, the king had ordered his cavalry forward by echelon of squadrons from the right, but from some mistake in the order, they advanced to the front, without changing the direction required.

Lieut.-General Nevill, who commanded the cavalry, ordered the trumpets to sound the charge, and he at their head, in his ardour to attack, calling out " Dash along, my brave men," pressed on, and nearly upset the king and his staff.

Whether this anecdote be true or not, certain it is that the general succeeded in his charge against the enemy's centre, which circumstance mainly caused our army to gain the day.

Having at college received a pretty good

LIFE OF LIEUT. -COLONEL NEVILL. .3

military education, and a few prizes, I obtained a commission in the 30th Eegiment when six- teen years of age, and in a few weeks after proceeded to the depot of that regiment and appHed to join the 2nd Battahon, stationed at Cadiz, during its siege in 1810 by Marshal Soult. In the August of that year, the detach- ment to which I belonged arrived there, and never shall I forget the striking effect this beautiful city and harbour had upon us on our approach to it, about five o'clock in the evening of a fine day. There our fleet lay, and at that hour each ship fired the signal gun, and in the air at that moment were some large shells, fired by the enemy, which were seen bursting over the city and the fleet ; but they appeared to do little harm and were not much heeded in the town, for around its sea-board were seen crowds of Spanish women, some splendidly dressed, who, with their cavaliers, were pro- menading about, intermingled with British and Spanish officers in full dress. There were also numerous monks and friars in their varied costumes, and altogether it was a novel and impressive sight.

About the middle of September the battalion was ordered to hold itself in readiness to em- bark for Lisbon. We got on board two days

B 2

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after, and on tlie 30tli arrived at that place, where an order awaited ns to march to join the 5th Division of Lord WeUington's army, which we accordingly did, after the battle of Busaoo had been fought and gained a short time before. In October, the army went into winter quarters, protected by the celebrated lines of Torres Yedras from the threatened attack of Marshal Massena's numerous army, the head-quarters of which were on our front, at the town of Santarem. The French army were cantoned in villages around that town, or occupied such quarters as they could get, in their own rear.

The army remained in the lines of Torres Yedras until the spring of 1811, and were occupied in strengthening those lines and in the usual exercise and drill of regiments. General Bei-esford, who commanded the Portu- guese levies, took this favourable opportunity of getting them into a good state of discipline. In the meantime no serious attack on us took place, though there were some outpost fights, which were always repelled by our pickets.

The Marshal Prince of Essling, seeing little chance of success in forcing our strong position, and having lost a great number of his men by sickness and want of supplies, retreated through Portugal. His army was divided

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into three great bodies, whicli relieved each other alternately, in order to check our advance, and under the guidance of Marshal Ney, in a masterly manner reached the frontiers, crossed the river Agueda, and established themselves in a strong position there. Ere this took place, some brilliant affairs or combats occurred at Pombal, Eodhinia, Alfayates, and Sabuzal, &c., where the enemy exhibited much skill in de- fending their retreating army ; but they were driven back at length, chiefly by the celebrated Light Division of Lord Wellington's army.

When the enemy crossed the Agueda, they appeared to leave the fortress of Almeida to its fate, and our army occupied a strong position on the banks of the same river opposite to the enemy, investing Almeida with the 6th Division, but not closely. Here we remained some time watching each other's army ; at length, on the 3rd and 5th of May was fought the battle of Fuentes d'Onoro, and gained by us. Some time after, the garrison of Almeida made a gallant attempt to escape from this fortress, after having destroyed the guns and mined the for- tifications. General Brenier, who commanded, took advantage of a dark night, and having formed his garrison in one close body, his bag- gage in the centre, escaped, being unobserved

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by the pickets about the fortress,* to the bridge of Barba del Puerco, across the Agueda. Lord WelHngton, who had some previous know- ledge of this attempt to escape on the part of the garrison, had ordered a strong regiment of our brigade, the 2nd of the 5th Division, to occupy the bridge in question, supported by the light companies of the brigade. Unfor- tunately through the darkness of the night, the advancing regiment missed its way. The light companies who marched later reached the bridge about daylight, just as the rear of the garrison was passing, which they instantly attacked, capturing about two hundred and fifty men and some baggage : the rest escaped to the French army, who retreated, and imme- diately after appeared the missing regiment. The light company I belonged to, with the others engaged!, lost no time in opening French knapsacks and securing their valuable contents, and the ofl&cers had some trouble to get them into order, and secure the prisoners.

We visited Almeida, although from the fre- quent explosions round the works of the place, it was rather dangerous, but only two men

* Excepting the pickets of General Pack, who at once gave an alarm, but it was too late, t The cavalry picket.

LIFE OF LIEUT.-COLONEL NEVILL. 7

were injured. As we entered tlie town we saw the few remaining inhabitants outside their doors, looking in a most deplorable state, seem- ingly starving : some of us relieved the poor creatures as well as we could.

The much exhausted enemy retired into Spain to their supplies, leaving only some troops on the frontiers, and we were glad to have solne rest. The commander of the forces was anxiously looking out for reinforcements from home, and doing anything and everything his great and fertile mind could possibly do, to get his army into good order. It appears from the account of eminent writers on this war, that Lord Wellington at this period, had no more than nineteen thousand effective English in the field, and something like ten thousand Portu- guese, a force quite inadequate to attack the enemy.

In the north, the main body of the army continued to remain, for the most part of 1811, in their cantonments, without being attacked ; but in June, the French Marshal Marmont, an able tactician, advanced with his army to mea- sure swords with Lord Wellington, who had received reinforcements, making up the EngHsh army to thirty thousand men, and a well-disci- plined Portuguese force.

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To tte south, liis lordship had detached two divisions of his army, with two divisions of Portuguese troops, and a brigade of cavalry,* to Marshal Beresford, who on their arrival immediately commenced laying siege to the strong fortress of Badajoz, situated near the south frontier of Portugal. Here he was joined by some ten thousand men of the Spanish army, but they were badly disciplined, and badly officered, and therefore not much to be depended on.

Marshal Beresford attacked fort St. Chris- toval, a strong work on the left bank of the Guadiana river, on a hill overlooking Badajoz ; here he had his principal battery, and made a breach, which he attempted to storm, but failed, when Marshal Soult advanced with a French army of twenty thousand men to raise the siege, and this brought on one of the most sanguinary battles on record. Marshal Beresford had hardly tinie to place his army in position to cover Badajoz, when he was attacked at Al- buera by the enemy. The Marshal's strength in British troops was seven thousand five hun- dred men, with eight thousand disciplined

* At this time the 13th Dragoons made a brilliant charge on a large detachment of the enemy, in convoy of stores for Badajoz, which they captured, but were not supported.

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Portuguese, and a large division of the Spanish army, though these latter appear to have done but little in the fight. The French fought with the utmost determination to gain the day, but so stoutly were they opposed, principally by the British troops, that they failed. The Fusilier brigade covered itself with glory in this action.

It is not for me, who was not there, and a very young officer, as I was then, to give a detailed description of this battle, or any other, neither do I think it possible for a regimental officer to do so ; for when he is present with his regiment in a battle, he has quite enough to do to attend to his own immediate duty. Suffice it, therefore, for me to say, that out of the before mentioned seven thousand five hundred British, they lost in killed and wounded, most of the last severely, four thousand three hundred men. The Portuguese lost about four hundred, and the Spanish army somewhat more, in this battle of Albuera, which we gained, and Marshal Soult, having lost eight thousand men, retired.

Marshal Beresford then attempted to take fort St. Christoval, but failed. Lord Wellington hastened to the spot, raised the siege, and re- turned to the north with his whole army, excepting a strong division of troops placed under General Hill, to observe the south.

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Marshal Marmont, having on the north fron- tier dedined to meet Lord WeUington, retired to his supplies at Salamanca. During the re- mainder of the year 1811 we remained in can- tonments, excepting when threatened by the enemy, either north or south, when we had many a weary march to meet them, but nothing of consequence took place.

In the beginning of January, 1812, Lord Wellington assumed the offensive ; crossed the Aguedawith his Light Division, stormed a strong work on a sloping hill overlooking Ciudad Rod- rigo, and supported by the 3rd Division and the Portuguese troops, &c., under General Pack, laid close siege to that fortress, which is on rising ground on the right bank of the Agueda. The inner walls are of the old system of defence, but 2b fausse-braie on the modern system of forti- fication surrounds it, resting on the river face, and making it a place of much strength.

It was at this siege I became first employed to act as an assistant-engineer, and was set to work in making gabions and fascines for the batteries. In a few days we carried a fortified convent which annoyed us, and our parallels were constructed with such good will, that in a week we made an advanced breaching-battery before the work on the hill, which we had

LIFE OF LIEUT.-COLONEL NEVILL. 11

already captured, and mounted our guns, from whicli we battered in a breach. Here we had twenty-two 24-pounders and a smaller battery on the left to breach a flank work destined for the Light Division to storm. On the 19th both breaches were ready. The great breach in our front was immediately stormed and taken by the 3rd Division and General Pack ; whilst the Light Division stormed the small breach on the left. Both were gallantly taken; but we un- fortunately lost one of the best officers of our army — General Crawford, commanding the Light Division. General Mackinnon and several men were blown up by a mine on entering the great breach ; but our loss, though heavy, was not so very great, considering the result.

Immediately on capturing the place, we set to work in repairing the breaches and strength- ening the outwork first taken on the opposite hill. In the meantime the French army under Marmont advanced, but on finding the place had fallen, retired.

For this conquest Lord Wellington was made an earl, which we all were rejoiced to hear.

The breaches being repaired, the place was given over to the Spanish army, and the Earl of Wellington lost no time in marching to the south, where he crossed the Guadiana and laid

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siege to Badajoz. I found myself in orders to act as assistant- engineer, and attached to a brigade for that purpose.

We commenced our parallels on the 17th of March,* and continued them under torrents of rain, which deluged the trenches, the camp, and everything about us. This weather con- tinued several days, and we were often above our knees in water ; but our men worked with an ardour beyond all praise — the Royal En- gineer officers and their assistants had only to tell them what to do, and it was done.

At length the weather became fine and warm, which soon enabled us to clear the trenches of water, and we were then able to get up some batteries to keep down the enemy's fire, which galled us very much, particularly from fort Piccurina and the ravelin of St. Eoque. Both of those advanced works were stormed in very gallant style, which enabled us to advance our parallels, and at length to establish our breach- ing - batteries. We had the guns used at Ciudad Rodrigo and some others, and when all was ready opened fire on the bastion of La Trinadad and curtain of St. Maria, and on the breaches becoming practicable they were or-

* For an account of this celebrated siege, read Sir AVil- liam Napier's work on tlie Peninsular War.

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dered to be stormed on the night of the memor- able 6th of April, 1812. The breach to the left was to be attacked by the Light Division ; that on the right by the 4th Division, and the 8rd Division, well known as under the distin- guished Sir Thomas Picton, was to assault the castle. On the other side of Badajoz was posted the 5th Division, the 2nd Brigade of which, under Major- General Walker, was to escalade the bastion of St. Yincent, resting on the Gruadiana. To this brigade I was posted.

At about 10 p.m. on the 6th, the Light and 4th Divisions advanced, crossing the Rivellas and an inundation in their front to their re- spective attacks, and reached the ditches in front of the breaches, which had been partly filled by the engineers with fascines, and partly by the rubbish from the breaches.

The two divisions crossed over and began to ascend in silence ; hardly a shot was fired at this most anxious moment, but in ascending both divisions met with obstacles of so very serious a nature, that it appeared impossible to surmount them.

Midway up the breaches were tiers upon tiers of heavy planks fixed firmly in the breaches, studded over with long spikes, and a few fire- balls from the enemy exposed all to their view.

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They cried "Yive TEmpereur," and poured down on the divisions such a storm of fire, accom- panied by live shells and powder-barrels, that the loss in those divisions became perfectly appalling. Notwithstanding this terrible ordeal our men wavered not, but stood the slaughter. A few of the men got round the planks to the top of the breaches, and there found also firmly fixed, large beams of timber covered with sword blades.

The French behind them cheered again, as they shot down those few men, asking " Why do you not come into Badajoz."

Fortunately at this awful moment the 3rd Division after two failures, escaladed the castle, and established themselves there. About the same time the 2nd Brigade of the 5th Division, under General Walker, succeeded in escalading the bastion of St. Vincent, losing half their numbers, but they occupied the market-place in the interior of the town. The castle being taken, and our men being heard firing in the town, the French were apprised of our having entered it, when they became confused, broke up into parties, and left the breaches.

This enabled the remains of the two divisions to overcome all other obstacles and enter the town also, infuriated almost to madness by

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their losses; and alas ! no tongue could tell the atrocities committed on that terrible night. I witnessed one on entering the town. I intended to join the SOth, my duty of engineer being over, when I met my servant coming from the arsenal, where he and others had conveyed our commanding officer, poor Lieut. -Col. Grey, who was mortally wounded. He had his haversack seemingly well filled with plunder. I asked him where the regiment was ; he answered that he did not know, but that he would conduct me to the camp, as I appeared to him to be wounded, having some clotted blood on my face. I cer- tainly was hit in the head, but in the excitement of the escalade did not mind it, neither did I feel a slight wound in my leg ; but as I began to be rather weak I took his advice and he assisted me to the bastion we had escaladed.

In passing what appeared to be a religious house, I saw two soldiers dragging out an un- fortunate nun, her clothes torn to pieces : in her agony she knelt and held up a cross. Re- morse seized one of the soldiers, who appeared more sober than the other, and he swore she should not be further outraged ; the other soldier drew back and shot his comrade dead. Immediately after, some Portuguese soldiers appeared ; they ordered us to halt, and presented

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their muskets. I said to my servant, '' Throw them some of your plunder; " he instantly took off his haversack and threw it amongst them, when several dollars and other silver rolled out, and they let us pass. Had he not done this I am sure those ruffians would have shot us, for the Portuguese troops, I heard, murdered every one they met.

We got safe to the bastion, and with much difficulty I got down a ladder more than half- way to the ditch, when I could hold on no longer and tumbled down the rest of the way into some mud and water, which seemed to revive me. My servant helped me out and carried me on his back to the camp, where I got a draught of water, and I shall ever recollect how delicious it was. I was then wrapped up in a blanket, placed on some straw, and fell asleep instantly.

I did not waken on the 7th until nearly mid- day, when I saw Assistant- Surgeon Evans at my side. He had some tea ready, but I felt so stiff I could not move. He washed my head, which a ball had grazed, and extracted a pellet or very small ball which had entered over the left ankle joint, but was not in so far that he could not see it.

The doctor's account was, that the Governor

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of Badajoz, General Pliillippon, having in tlie niglit escaped across the tete-de-^ont into fort St. Chris to val, had surrendered in the morning to Lord WeUington, but that the plundering in the town was still going on, and that the loss on our side was very great. And cer- tainly the governor's defence of Badajoz was most ably and skilfully conducted, and he was well backed up by his brave garrison.

When the details of our losses came out, it appeared that more than seventy officers and one thousand non-commissioned officers and men were killed, and that three hundred officers and near four thousand non-commissioned officers and men were wounded; total, five thousand tried soldiers — a great loss to the army.

We remained in camp around Badajoz about a week, and in three more I was enabled to join my regiment.

The French marshals of the north and south jfrontiers could not well make out how Lord Wellington had taken two such strong for- tresses, so well garrisoned and supplied, from them in so short a time, and after making sundry demonstrations to attack us, retired to their magazines of provisions in Spain, without effecting anything against our army.

0

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Portugal at this time had been so completely drained of food and forage by the French armies, as had been also that part of Spain contiguous to it, that they were compelled to retire to the interior of Spain for their sup- plies, while our army was generally provided for by convoys from our fleet, brought up from the rear, and cattle bought when they could be had at a heavy expense, and always paid for on the spot.

The head-quarters of Lord Wellington on the north frontier were for many months at Fuentes Guinaldo, whence he issued his orders for the benefit of his army; while Lieut. -Gen. Hill held his place in the Allentejo or south, and where his division executed a gallant coup de main on the French forts at Almaraz, under General Gerard, taking the forts and eighteen hundred prisoners.

Thus matters rested until about June, when Lord Wellington, having received considerable reinforcements, advanced to the city of Sala- manca, obliging the French to retire, and be- sieging the forts established there by the enemy for its defence. In the mean [time Marshal Marmont collected an army of from forty-five to fifty thousand men and advanced to relieve them, but the forts surrendered.

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And then commenced a series of manoeuvres on the part of the French marshal, to frustrate the endeavour of Lord WeUington to advance into Spain, and also to drive his great adversary back and retake Salamanca. These at length brought on the ever-glorious victory of Sala- manca, which was fought on the 22nd of July, 1812, and in which we captured two eagles and between seven and eight thousand pri- soners, and in which battle the gallant French marshal lost an arm. Here I beg to refer the reader, for a beautiful description of this far- famed achievement, to Napier's *' History of the Peninsular "War." Th^ Prince Regent of England, justly proud of this victory, elevated our great commander to the rank of a marquis.

On the 23rd, we pursued the retreating enemy, and our advanced guard of German cavalry under Baron Bock came up with their rearguard, composed of cavalry and infantry, charged them in the most gallant manner, cut through them, and captured three battalions of infantry.

Nothing now appeared to dispute our advance

* Ten French generals and upwards of ten thousand officers and men were said to have been killed and wounded ; which includes all losses previous to this battle.

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on Madrid, which capital we entered on the 12th of August. Our appearance was hailed with joy and triumph by all ranks ; thousands of the inhabitants, bearing flowers and laurel, came forth to welcome us. As my regiment was passing the principal street, in succession with others, some ladies, handsomely dressed, laid hold of our colours, to which they affixed laurel, and actually embraced the bearers of them with the greatest enthusiasm.

We remained in Madrid until the 1st of September, and on the morning of the 7th, the army passed the Douro and took possession of Yalladolid, while the French army under General Clausel retired on our approach.

On the morning of the 19th the army entered the ancient city of Burgos, and the French army fell back to Briviesca, leaving a garrison of picked men, over two thousand strong, in the castle of that town, under Greneral Dubieton, an engineer officer of much distinction.

The castle of Burgos is situated on a height above the town, and is extremely strong. On the height was placed a battery of twelve heavy cannon. It was nearly surrounded by three lines of field works, the lower line embracing a scarp wall at the base of the hill, very diffi- cult of access. At intervals, between these

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works were fleches, built of masonry, and armed with, cannon. The whole was admirably con- structed for defence, and amply supplied with stores, ammunition, and provisions.

The Marquis of Wellington was determined, if possible, to capture this place with the means he had, which were very scanty indeed, but time on the present occasion was of so much importance, that his lordship was compelled to attack this formidable castle at once, and accordingly he invested it.

The 1st and 6th Divisions were ordered to attack the place, while the main body of the army advanced to the front, to hold the enemy in check. For the siege there were present only five Royal Engineer officers, the chief of whom was Colonel Burgoyne,* with a few military artificers of the Engineer Corps, and some assistant- engineers from the Line, amongst whom I was numbered.

The artillery consisted of three 18 -pounders, and five 24-pounder howitzers of iron, and those cannon not of the best order, having been much used and knocked about, and the supply of ammunition very deficient.

* Sir John Burgojne states, in a few lines to me of a recent date, how wretchedly we were then off in everything necessary for a siege.

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Here it ought to be observed, that Burgos in point of actual strength was not to be com- pared to a regular fortification. Still its field- works were so judiciously arranged for defence, that in the present crisis it answered all the purposes intended, and that was to impede the progress of the British generah

On the hill of St. Michael overlooking some of the works, was constructed a hornwork, wliich the 42nd Highlanders, were directed to attack. They did so most gallantly, but re- mained fighting for more than an hour without success — when luckily, the Honourable Major Cox of the 79th, A^ath his detachment, broke down the palisades shutting in the rear of the work, and it was thus entered. On being taken, it was found to contain six pieces of cannon and the remains of its garrison — some seventy men, out of a strong battalion. Our loss was upwards of four hundred, including Major Pierpoint, a very talented officer of the general staff, killed.

Colonel Burgoyne directed a lodgment to be made on the crest of the hill of St. Michael, to cover the captured hornivork and keep down^ if possible, the enemy's heavy fire from the castle. The erection of this work he confided to me, with a working party of two hundred of

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the Grenadier Guards, and it was fortunate for us, that the enemy could not depress their guns sufficiently in the embrasures of the castle to strike us, or our loss must have been most serious.

We worked very hard all night, assisted much with spades and pick-axes found in the hornwork, and in the morning there appeared before us pretty good cover ; but the ground was rocky, and the earth difficult to raise, and it was the hardest work we ever had. In the meantime, a detachment of the Guards and 79th Highlanders attempted to escalade the lower line, but failed with much loss, and their most gallant leader, Major Lawrie, killed.

As the fire from our cannon did not make much impression on the place, and were so much injured that some of them could not be used, it was determined to make our approaches by mining, and the engineers with their as- sistants had an arduous task to accomplish. The first attempt failed : but in the second mine we succeeded, and the 24th Regiment gallantly captured the lower line on the evening of the 4th of October.

During the night we formed our lodgment, notwithstanding the heavy fire kept up on us, and the live shells incessantly rolled down from

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the glacis of the upper line. Then the enemy made a most determined sortie, upset- ting our gabions and in part driving us back ; but we speedily rallied, and had a regular stand- up fight, in some cases hand to hand. I felt suddenly paralyzed and became unconscious, imtil a hand pulled me out of some rubbish : it was a sergeant of the 79th. A ball had struck me on the left shoulder, passing out through the blade-bone.

The kind sergeant carried me to my quarters, refusing to take my watch as a present. On afterwards making inquiry, I learned he was killed, together with his gallant commanding officer, the Honourable Major Cox.

Thus ended my humble part in this siege. Our losses up to. this time must have been very great.* Of the Royal Engineers, one experi- enced officer, Captain Williams, was killed ; Lieut. -Colonel Jones badly wounded, Lieutenant • Reid wounded, leaving ttuo, Lieutenant Pitts and Col. Burgoyne. Of the assistants, one — Captain Kenny, 9th Regiment — was killed ; Lieutenant du Maresque, 9th Regiment, severely wounded ; Lieutenant Stewart, 61st Regiment, half his face shot off. There were but three left for the siege.

* Two thousand men.

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Colonel Burgoyne, one of the two alluded to as having hitherto escaped, was the wonder of US all; he seemed to bear a charmed life, for he was almost ever in the trenches, mines, or lodgments.* The pain in my shoulder was very great until suppuration took place, the anguish then became less, and being able to sleep, I gradually became better. My quarters were in a large house, rather too close to the castle, and had been used by the French as an hospital. They did not fire at it, except they perceived any one looking out on them from the back windows.

The progress of the siege was so interesting to me, that I remained here until our resources had utterly failed, and the French having collected a large army in our front, compelled Lord Wellington to raise the siege and re- treat. Having had a few days' notice of this, and being just able to sit my horse, I left on the 16th of October, and got on the road to Salamanca, where our first supplies were. ,

My baggage, not much, was carried on a mule, with a piece of boiled pork, some biscuit, and a bottle of sour wine ; this was all

* The greatly dlstingiiislied General Sir John Burgoyne, G.C.B., still serving his country.

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I and my servant had to subsist on for many a weary day.

By the time I reached Valladohd I was quite done up, and with my poor servant, horse, and mule, nearly starved. Three days of complete rest somewhat restored me, and having laid in a supply of grain for my horse and mule, and of bread, eggs, and chocolate for myself and servant, proceeded on my way, as the English army in miserable plight, pursued by the French, were approaching ; but I was exceedingly thankful that I was able to bear up against the fatigue I was obliged to undergo, and I got on to Salamanca without much suffering. Here I remained two days, and felt so much better that I continued my journey to the frontiers, crossed the Agueda, and got to our general hospital and supplies. Here my wound, which showed symptoms of inflam- mation, was attended to, and I soon became convalescent.

At intervals, a number of wounded ofl&cers and men arrived, who gave a very sad account of the retreat, and of the great losses we had sustained in the last days of November and the beginning of December. The weather had become so inclement, that the army suffered privations, apparently as bad as did the army

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of the late Sir Jolin Moore, in its retreat to Corunna, in 1808.

At last the English army arrived, crossed the frontiers, and entered into cantonments, having lost five thousand, wounded or disabled men. The French army also halted and went into winter quarters. So ended the eventful year of 1812.

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CHAPTER 11.

1813—1815.

rpHE armies on both sides had suffered so J- mucli, that neither appeared in the least in- cHned to carry on offensive operations, so that the spring of 1813 passed away in quiet. The whole of this time, the Marquis of Wellington was, as usual, indefatigable in his exertions to restore the discipline of his army, which the late disastrous retreat had greatly disorganized. In the meantime he fortunately received power- ful reinforcements from England, with tents for the troops, which hitherto they had been entirely without ; and many other equipages of war, so that now he was better able to open a campaign than on any former occasion. His lordship had been to Cadiz, where the Spanish Government were established, and was made by them Commander-in-Chief of the Spanish armies.

In the beginning of May all was ready for our advance into Spain, and my feelings were quite excited at the favourable chance now before us of success, particularly as my wound

LIFE OF LIEUT.-COLONEL NEVILL. 29

was quite healed, there only remaining a stiff- ness in the joint of the shoulder, which pre- vented me from using my left arm.

But alas ! a letter came to say, that the 2nd Battalion of the 30th, my regiment, was so very much reduced in numbers from former losses and late privations, that it was deter- mined to send it to England. I had there- fore nothing for it but to accompany it on the march through Portugal on the return home.

Nothing particular occurred on our march to Lisbon ; we were by no means hurried, and were glad to see that the inhabitants had for the most part returned to their homes, and many were busy rebuilding their towns, which had been so recently ravaged and destroyed. The terrible scenes of horror we had passed in our advance were no longer visible, and the people cheered us as we passed them, and blessed the *' Grande Lorde," as they usually called the Marquis of Wellington.

On our arrival at Lisbon we heard of the decisive victory at Vittoria, and we noticed some of our men grumbling, not without some reason, at not having shared in that battle, as they then might have come in for a share of the enormous quantity of property they had

30 SOME RECOLLECTIONS IN THE

lieard was found in and about Vittoria and the battle-ground.

About the 1st of August we embarked for England, and in three weeks arrived there without accident.

After remaining a week at Portsmouth we marched for Southampton, where we received nearly four hundred men from different militia regiments, which made us again an effective battalion. Shortly after we embarked for the island of Jersey, which we reached early in September, and were quartered in Grouville Barracks, on the sea- shore, — wooden buildings, said to have been erected by the E-ussians in former days.

In this healthy place we remained until December, when quite suddenly came an order for our battalion and the 81st Regiment to hold ourselves in readiness to embark for a particular service. The ships to convey us soon arrived at the port of St. Holier from England, and without any delay we embarked from that port, and sailed for the coast of Holland with a fair wind.

It may be remembered that in the first week of January, 1814, there came on a frost of a most severe kind. This we encountered when oflP Dover, together with tempestuous weather

LIFE OP LIEUT. -COLONEL NEVILL. 31

from the north, contrary to where we were going, and we were obhged to anchor in the Downs for several days, and had not our anchors held we must have gone on shore. During this time the frost was so intense that we were always obliged to remain below, and the sailors suffered so much that they could hardly manage to guide the ships. The wind at last mode- rated and became somewhat in our favour, when we again sailed, but it was not until the beginning of February that we made Helvoetsluys.

The troops were landed from ice-boats and instantly marched off by detachments to Wil- liamstadt, where accommodation was prepared for them. Here we remained about a week, and each officer and man was served out with a warmblanket and two pairs of woollen stockings, for we left Jersey in such haste that we had not time to supply ourselves with those very necessary articles in such weather, and on such a service.

The cold was terrible, and the ice-boats that brought us on shore had to be dragged by Dutch sailors over nearly five miles of frozen sea, and we greatly felt the severe chill and cold, so different from the fine climate of the Peninsula.

We marched to join the force of about six

82 SOME EECOLLECTIONS IN THE

thousand men, under General Sir Tliomas Graliam,* in alliance with the Prince of Orange, who had been restored to his dignity by the Dutch troops, on the French retiring from the country in consequence of the reverses of the Emperor Napoleon. The enemy had left strong garrisons in Antwerp, Bergen-op-Zoom, and other places, and it was those we were destined to attack.

The British general occupied the village of Putten, near the town of Merxem, which was then occupied by the French as an advanced post. On the road to Antwerp, round different parts of our village, the engineers were at work to make the post somewhat defensible by means of trees, here in abundance, which they cut down and formed into temporary breastworks, to prevent any sudden surprise of the enemy. This mode of defence was obliged to be re- sorted to, as the earth was frozen down several feet, so hard, that it was found impossible to make use of it.

Some days after we joined, the 78th High- landers were directed to take Merxem, t which

* Afterwards Lord Lynedoch.

t Colonel Macleod, their leader, was severely wounded, ten men killed, and two lieutenants and twenty-eight men wounded.

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they did in gallant style, driving tlie French out and taking many prisoners.

This success gave us an opportunity to shell Antwerp, which we did for many days, but without much result, for our means were not sufficient to follow it up, and we could not obtain a fresh supply of ammunition