CHAPTER XVI.

NAPOLEON had withdrawn from Spain a considerable body of troops, including 10,000 of the Imperial Guard, but his generals had still in that country four times as many men as Wellington's allied forces amounted to.* Although the report that Soult had left Andalusia was erroneous, he had reinforced Drouet's army, and that general was advancing against Sir Rowland with 21,000 men, of whom 3000 were first-rate cavalry. Hill's army was slightly stronger in numbers, though partly composed of Spanish and Portuguese troops, and he was weaker in horse by 1000 sabres.

The enemy having moved from the south, seemed inclined. to bring on an action in this advanced position, and thus to divert Wellington's operations towards Salamanca against Marmont, with whom Soult had no direct means of communication since the loss of the bridge at Almarez. Hill determined to fall back on the position of Albuera, and there to give battle. The cavalry retired as the French advanced, and with them the 50th and the 92nd marched to Los Santos on the 16th, and the following evening the whole corps retired and halted behind Santa Martha at sunrise on the 18th. On the 19th they marched and took post in a wood in front of the position of Albuera on the right bank of the stream of that name. The village was defended by barricades in the streets and loopholes in the houses, and the ridge by breastworks, every precaution being adopted by the prudence and military skill of Sir Rowland to strengthen his position. Cavalry pickets were posted in front of the wood where the infantry were encamped, and the First Brigade, 50th, 71st, and 92nd were held in readiness to retard the enemy in front of the wood, and give time to the other brigades to take up their ground; but the French general was too strongly impressed with the recollection of the dreadful battle of last

* Alison.

year at Albuera to risk another attack on the same ground; while Hill, who had shown himself so daring at Arroyo and Almarez, refrained from the temptation of a battle which promised him unbounded fame, "simply because he was uncertain whether Lord Wellington's operations in Castile, then in full progress, would warrant one." His forbearance must be taken as a proof of the purest patriotism." *

Thus things remained pretty quiet, though, with opposing armies in such close proximity, scenes of interest are sure often to occur. One day some of the 92nd being on outpost duty with a troop of Light Dragoons, the horse of one of the troopers becoming restive (probably provoked by the intention of the rider to desert), he asked permission to take it to the front to quiet it. On leaving the ranks Paddy said to his comrades, "Now by J-s, boys, I'll show you something you never saw before;" then he began to thrash and spur his horse, always moving further to the front, his comrades chaffing him and his officer ordering him to desist; but he kept on spurring and swearing, till, having got about one hundred yards from the troop, he turned his horse's head, galloped off towards the enemy, and gained the French lines before his enraged comrades could catch him.

The British Government had neglected to supply money for the needs of the army, and Wellington wrote in July, "I have never been in such distress as at present, and some serious misfortune must happen if the Government do not attend seriously to the subject and supply us regularly with money." "As it is, if we don't find means to pay our bills for butcher's meat, there will be an end to the war at once." The pay of the muleteers was a year, and of the officers and soldiers six months in arrear. While at Albuera, however, the 92nd received a supply of necessaries, and pay up to the 24th of the preceding March.

Education was not neglected during their periods of rest, and here Corporal MacEwen, of the Grenadier Company, was appointed schoolmaster-sergeant. No one was allowed to be absent from the camp, and, by Sir Rowland's order, the roll was called by officers of companies four times by day and night at

Napier.

uncertain hours. The men were also ordered to make huts with branches for protection from the sun.

For ten days the enemy gave them little trouble; but on the 30th, as the First Brigade were busy with their breakfasts, the alarm was given, the kettles were emptied, and away they went to dispute the passage of a body of cavalry approaching the advance post; but after two hours the enemy retired, and the brigade returned to their camp and set about cooking dinner; but just as it was ready, a second alarm forced them to stand to their arms and double to the front, where, this time, a skirmish ensued, in which some of the cavalry lost their lives, but the Gordons only lost their dinners! That night officers and men remained accoutred.

Hill having no longer the same reasons for remaining on the defensive, assumed the offensive on the 1st of July. Moving in one column, his army encamped at Santa Martha, and next day advanced in two columns; the left, in which was the 92nd, marched against the enemy at Villa Alba, where a combat of cavalry took place, the enemy retiring to a height, where skirmishing went on after the arrival of the First Brigade, who, when the enemy finally retired, waded the Guadacia and moved some miles along its bank. In the evening they were proceeding to bivouac, when the enemy's artillery cannonaded them from an opposite height; but after an exchange of shots and some manoeuvring, the French withdrew, having wounded some of the Portuguese infantry and British artillerymen. A 92nd officer relates how at Villa Alba the Highlanders admired the conduct, and regretted the fate, of a hussar of the King's German Legion, who, being attacked by a powerful French dragoon, after a deal of dexterous sword play, killed him just as a second arrived to his assistance. To it they went, cut and thrust, till a third dragoon ran his sword through the gallant German, at the same moment that the point of the latter pierced his second antagonist.

From the banks of the Guadacira the battalion marched for two days through an enclosed country by Los Santos, and reached the town of Bienvenita at sunrise on the 5th. An officer and N.-C. officer with a spy-glass were posted in turn from each battalion of the brigade to look out from the steeple

and report the approach of any body of troops. As they entered Llerena on the 7th they were welcomed by the "Vivas" of the fair inmates of a suburban convent, who waved their handkerchiefs till the bonnets were lost to sight. At Llerena

the spy-glass on the steeple was again in use. On the morning of the 8th, the troops were at the different alarm posts half-anhour before dawn, and remained till it was completely daylight, when they were dismissed to cook; after which, Sir Rowland Hill, at the head of his whole corps, marched from Llerena to dislodge the enemy from the position he had taken up at Berlenga. The infantry moved direct upon that place, preceded by the Spanish Horse, while the British cavalry went round to the left in hopes of turning the French right. Six miles from Llerena the Spaniards drove in the enemy's advanced pickets, the French retiring in extended order, and skirmishing very prettily till they joined their main body. The 92nd, with the other infantry, continued to advance so as to arrive at a given point at the hour fixed for the British cavalry to attack. As they approached the height on which the French left was drawn up, the latter retired over a deep ravine and took post at a bridge, while their right wing, seeing the left retiring, evacuated Berlenga and conformed to their movement. Meanwhile the enemy's artillery saluted each battalion as it took up its ground, which compliment was returned by the British; but the hopes of an engagement were disappointed by the nonarrival of the cavalry till the enemy had withdrawn beyond pursuit. While the 92nd were forming, the parish priest came beside them to see the expected battle, but paid for his curiosity with his life, being killed by a stray shot.

At the close of this affair, which in the morning had promised more brilliant results, the troops entered Berlenga, and in the evening bivouacked in its vicinity. Next morning they retraced their steps to Llerena. It was piping hot, for at that season the sun in Spain has almost tropical power, and not a drop of water was to be had except when a halfdried pond enabled the men to scoop out a mouthful of mud and water with the wooden quaichs which most of them carried; some who could not get even that refreshment were completely overpowered by the burning heat. It may interest some

to know how the quartering of a division in such a town as Llerena was performed. The quartermaster-general preceded the troops, accompanied by the brigade-majors, the quartermasters of battalions, and a N.-C. officer and intelligent soldier from each company. After marking off several houses for his general and staff, he split the rest of the town between the majors of brigades; they, in their turn, provided for their generals and staff, and then made a wholesale division of streets among the quartermasters of regiments, who, after providing for their commanding officers and staff, retailed the remaining houses in equal proportion among the companies, so that when the regiment arrived the quartermaster had simply to tell each captain, " Here's a certain number of houses for you." Each battalion provided a subaltern to take charge of its own baggage on the march, each brigade a captain who took charge of the baggage of the brigade, and a field officer looked after the whole baggage of the division.* That of the lieutenantgeneral and his staff led the way, then that of the brigadier of the leading brigade and his staff, followed by that of the colonel of the leading battalion of the brigade and regimental staff, then that of the leading company of the battalion, and so on in regular succession. At the close of the day's march, each baggage officer reported to his superior up to the lieutenant-general.

Officers and men soon made themselves at home in their quarters, their comfort depending a good deal on the cordiality of their hosts, some of whom were surly, not without cause, suffering as they often did from the misconduct of their selfinvited guests, both French and British. But the soldiers, in addition to their beef and bread, had generally plenty of vegetables, fruit and wine, and in the smaller towns and villages, where the battalion remained for a time, acquaintances were made, and sometimes romantic attachments were formed with the Spanish girls, whose natural ease and graceful manners made them equally at home both with officers and soldiers. Little dances were arranged in the houses or in the open air, where the Highlanders learned the bolero and the waltz, while they initiated their partners in the mysteries of Captain J. Kincaid, and an officer of the 92nd.

*