gave a severe and just rebuke in General Orders to the officers and soldiers for the previous want of discipline, and at the same time announced his intention to offer battle. "It has been well said that the British army may be gleaned in a retreat, but cannot be reaped; whatever may be their misery, the soldiers will always be found clean at a review and ready at a fight." * As if by enchantment disorder ceased, faces brightened, arms were cleaned, stragglers came up, and 19,000 men bivouacked in order of battle in a strong position in front of the town, ready and willing for the fray.†

The Gordons, who were lodged in a convent at Lugo, had just got a ration of flour served out, but before they had time to make scones, they turned out and formed in a field to the left of the road in front of the town, where they remained the night. "Everyone," says Duncan Robertson, “was happy that we had got the French in line, as we longed very much to fight, and abhorred the thought of running away, as we had been doing for some time past. About ten o'clock next morning, as the rain was beginning to fall, the French extended their line and beat the charge. They occupied a ploughed field, and we were posted on a heath, a small river running in the hollow between us. A farmhouse lay at the foot of the rising ground, having a few stacks of corn about it. The company to which I belonged was ordered to take possession. of it, and General Hope accompanied us. While moving down, the French fired one of their cannon, the ball falling close beside us, when the general, good humouredly, took off his hat and saluted the gunner; as there was only one subaltern with the company, I got command of a section. When we came to the house we found a party of the French there before us, and a strong reinforcement coming to their assistance. However, they did not think fit to wait and receive us, and after a few rounds on both sides they fell back, and we occupied the farm, but were not allowed to remain in quiet possession; as the enemy came upon us in overpowering numbers, we fell back

† 1500 men had fallen in action or dropped to the rear, but three fresh battalions, which had been left by Sir D. Baird in his advance, joined the army between Villafranca and Lugo.

ourselves behind a stone The French attempted to On our left was a cart-road

the breadth of a field, and posted wall, from whence we opened fire. charge us, but were driven back. between two high hedges, and while the party in front were keeping us in play, about forty went up this road, while those in front made a feint of retiring so as to decoy us between two fires. I happened to look round hoping for help, when I saw the other party of the enemy forming at the head of the field not fifty yards from us. It struck me at once to get into the lane and cut them off from their own line; my section jumped into the road, formed, and prepared to charge; when they saw this they ran down on us, we gave them a volley, and eighteen fell killed and wounded. On seeing the fate of their comrades, twentytwo laid down their arms and were taken prisoners. Another detachment came to the rescue, and the sergeant commanding it got hold of one of our men, when I leaped back and drove my pike through his body; the others ran off. We were now thoroughly drenched with rain, and when night came we were relieved by an equal proportion of the regiment. A number of apples were found in the farmhouse, which were greedily devoured. In the evening we got our beef served out, but having neither bread nor salt, it made rather an unsavoury supper. Although the weather was cold, we slept very comfortably beside large fires we had kindled in the open air. The above experience of one company probably gives a fair idea of that of the battalion, and of the army generally.

As he

On the morning of the 7th January, Marshal Soult had arrived at the head of some 12,000 men. His troops had suffered by the rapid marches, and he waited till his columns came up, to form them in order of battle along a strong mountainous ridge opposite the British. was prevented by the ground from seeing what numbers were opposed to him, he advanced some troops and guns, and opened fire on the centre, which was silenced by a reply from fifteen pieces. This satisfied him that he had more than a rear guard to deal with. He then made a feint on the right,

NOTE.-The officers and men generally got au allowance of rum at the end

of a march.

and sent a column of infantry and five guns against the left. They were gaining the advantage over our outposts when General Moore arrived, rallied them, charged and broke the adverse column, with an estimated loss to the French of between 200 and 300 men. It being evident that the British meant battle, the Duke of Dalmatia (Soult) hastened the march of the divisions in his rear, and at daybreak on the 8th the two armies were still embattled, but Soult deferred the attack till the 9th. The British impatiently awaited the assault, and blamed their adversary for delaying the contest; but darkness fell without a shot being fired, and with it fell the British general's hope to engage his enemy on equal terms. What was to be done? His army had been sent to assist Spain, but the armies of that nation had been defeated before he could arrive to their assistance. There was but one day's bread for his army at Lugo, no transport for reserve ammunition, no hospitals or provisions, no second line. He was in a

position to fight one battle for the purpose of defeating his enemy and being allowed to embark without further molestation; two battles, even if victorious, would have been destruction.* For two whole days Sir John Moore had offered battle, which was sufficient to rally the troops, restore order, and preserve the reputation of the army. Marshal Ney with his column of the French army might soon turn his position; it was impossible to remain longer at Lugo. The general determined to decamp in the night, and by stealing a march to leave Soult so far behind as to allow the British troops to reach their ships at Corunna in peace. He ordered the fires to be kept bright, and exhorted the troops to make a great exertion, which he trusted would be the last required of them. The country immediately in rear was intersected by walls and intricate lanes; precautions were taken to mark the right roads by placing bundles of straw at certain distances, and officers were appointed to guide the columns; but just as the army started, a terrific storm of wind and sleet blew away the marks, and the guides lost the direction. Two of the divisions lost their way, and at daybreak found themselves still near Lugo. Fatigue and depression of mind, together with the

The general of a

want of shoes, made stragglers numerous. leading division, thinking to relieve his men during a halt in the night, unfortunately desired them to take refuge from the weather in some houses a little way from the road. Complete disorganisation followed this imprudent act.* From that moment it became impossible to make the soldiers of the division keep their ranks; plunder succeeded, the example was infectious, and what with real suffering and evil propensity, encouraged by this error, the main body of the army arrived at Betanzos on the evening of the 9th in a state very discreditable to its discipline.

On the 10th the enemy's cavalry skirmished with the troops who were destroying the bridge of Betanzos. Moore now assembled the army in one solid mass. They had lost more men in the march from Lugo than in all the rest of the retreat; still, when the French cavalry appeared, a body of stragglers, of whom a sergeant took command, defended themselves in a rather open country against 400 horsemen, who were following and skirmishing with them.† On the after

noon of the 11th the army arrived at Corunna, after an orderly march under the personal direction of the Commanderin-Chief, demonstrating that inattention and want of experience in the officers, was the true cause of the disasters which had afflicted the army.

The Gordons spent a miserable night after leaving Lugo, and next day rested at noon, cold and hungry, on a heath, the men pulling turnips to eat. At evening they resumed their dreary journey, the men lame and footsore, many of them

The following is an extract from General Orders at Benevente, December 27th :-"The Commander of the Forces has observed with concern the extreme bad conduct of the troops at a moment when they are about to come into contact with the enemy. It is disgraceful to the officers, as it strongly marks their negligence and inattention." He refers to the Orders of 15th October and 11th November, and desires that they may be read at the head of every company in the army. 'He can feel no mercy towards officers who in times like these neglect essential duties, or towards soldiers who injure the country they are sent to protect. It is impossible for the general to explain to the army his motives for the movements he directs; when it is proper to fight a battle he will do it, and, meanwhile, he begs the officers and soldiers to attend diligently to discharge their part."

+ Vivian's "Memoirs."

marching in excruciating pain; others, however, had made sandals from the skins of cavalry horses that had been shot; Sergeant Robertson's journal mentions this, and a pensioner in Badenoch, named John Cattanach, said that he and many others made "cuarans," as used in the Highlands, when their shoes were done. Another old man said he saw officers almost barefoot. On this march the wife of Sergeant Charles MacGregor, with her three boys, who were carried in creels on a donkey, fell out of the line and were never more heard of.

The battalion arrived at Betanzos in miserable plight, officers and men half asleep as they rode or walked along, the colour of their clothes hardly distinguishable through the mud with which they were encrusted. They went into good quarters in the suburbs of Corunna, where they lived in plenty and were supplied with ammunition. When the roll was called they were over 190 men short of the number who marched on Christmas Day. Of these, however, many rejoined at Corunna, others made their way into Portugal and joined the troops left there; the rest had been killed or taken by the French, and some of them were never heard of again. The army had marched about 300 miles since December 24th.

It had been at first the intention to embark at Vigo, where the transports had arrived. The general, as soon as Corunna had been decided on, ordered them round to that place, but contrary winds detained them, and thus the last exertion made by the army was rendered fruitless. When the troops

reached the heights from which Corunna is visible, all eyes were directed to the bay, hoping to see the friendly fleet, but they were doomed to disappointment-nothing but a few coasters were in sight.

As the various brigades came up they were distributed in the town and at the village of El Burgo, and Moore at once caused the defences to be repaired and strengthened. The inhabitants, to their honour, cheerfully joined in the work, in

Napier says with regard to stragglers from the army-" Of the whole number above 800 contrived to escape to Portugal, and being united with the sick left by the regiments in that country, formed a corps of 1876 men under the name of the battalion of detachments,' and did good service at Oporto and Talavera."