CHAPTER XVII.

THE battalion, with the First Brigade now commanded by Lieut.-Colonel (Brigadier-General) Stewart of the 50th, rejoined the Second Division on the Arapiles, where Wellington concentrated his united force of 60,000 men, and prepared to give battle to Soult with 90,000. The weather in the evening was horrible; the men were without tents, their clothing worn bare; provisions were scarce, and of money they had none. The only thing that kept up their spirits was the chance of beating the enemy, whose infantry they could see on a height a mile away, while an immense body of his cavalry was drawn up on the plain below. The Second Division, not having been at Salamanca, were in hopes of taking part in a repetition of that victory on the same ground.

On the morning of the 15th, the Allies were drawn up in order of battle. All forgot their hardships, and expectation was at its height; but Soult declined the challenge and manoeuvred to the British right, threatening to cut off their communication with Portugal, from whence their supplies came. In consequence of this the order to retreat was given, causing gloom and dismay where before there were cheerfulness and confidence; but everyone felt satisfied that nothing but the most pressing necessity had compelled their chief to retire before his adversary. Wellington, feeling too weak to attack, and seeing the enemy's cavalry pointing to the Ciudad Rodrigo Road, suddenly formed three columns, and defiled in order of battle before the enemy at little more than cannon shot, carried his army round the French left, and crossed the Valmusa River. In this bold manœuvre he was favoured by fog and rain, which rendered the lanes and fields by which the enemy moved nearly impassable, while he had the use of the high roads. About 2 p.m. the Second Division marched on the high road to Ciudad Rodrigo, crossing a flooded plain, where their dress

gave the Highlanders an advantage, but soon a stream swollen by the heavy rain took the men to the middle. On gaining the rising grounds the 92nd had entered an open wood, when the French cavalry made a furious charge right up to the bayonets, but were so roughly handled that they took themselves off without doing much damage, nor did they receive serious injury from the Highlanders, whose ammunition was wet, and many muskets would not go off, but they lost some men and horses by the fire of our artillery.

Although they are not noticed in "Cannon's Record," it appears that Private Donald MacLeod was killed on this day; and Private Andrew Sibbie died of his wounds on the 18th, though it does not appear on what date he was wounded.

The Gordons bivouacked in a wood behind the Rio Valmusa. They managed to light fires with the wet branches and thus got some large trees kindled, which gave out a good heat.* Bread was so scarce that at one place a Staff officer asked a peasant journeying with his wife and children to Ciudad Rodrigo to sell him a loaf he was carrying, and offered a doubloon (about £4). The man refused, saying, "My little ones cannot eat gold."

On the 16th, 17th, 18th, and 19th the allied army continued its retreat. The 92nd bivouacked near Matilla on the 16th, behind the Rio Cuebra on the 17th. During these days the rear-guard was engaged more or less with the enemy. On the 18th, the battalion bivouacked near Moraes Verde. The French cavalry pressed on them, sometimes riding so close as to bandy wit in Spanish with the British, and any man who fell to the rear was sure to be taken prisoner. As a battalion was halted for rest, they might see a column of dragoons in their brass helmets and white cloaks appear upon the scene, ready to charge; but the infantry stood to their arms, and showed that, though retreating, it would not be safe to molest them. The enemy penetrated in the forest between the columns of march, and once made a dash at a party of officers,

*There were no lucifer matches in those days. Flint and steel and tinder or gunpowder were used to light fires, a man kneeling to fan the flame with the apron of his kilt-the "Highlandman's bellows."

taking some prisoners, among them Lieut.-General Sir Arthur Paget. The rivers were all in spate, and only passable at fords. At one of these a mule, laden with biscuit, with the proverbial stubbornness of his kind, stopped in mid-stream and declined to move. The 92nd had crossed, and part were left to guard the passage of commissariat from the pursuing French, who were coming up on the other side. The muleteer bolted, and the precious bread seemed sure to be lost, when a bugler, gathering up his kilt, waded back, mounted the mule behind. the panniers, and, leaning forward, sounded the "advance" in its ear; the startled beast obeyed double quick, and as the plucky boy landed, a voice from the rocks above called, "Well done, my lad, you shall have all the biscuit!" It was BrigadierGeneral Stewart, commanding the brigade, who had been watching the performance, and the narrator, who was in the bugler's company, added, "We had a real good feed that night."

It is customary in Spain to drive the swine into the oak forest to feed on the acorns. One night a fusilade was heard as the hungry soldiers shot the pigs, causing the troops to stand to their arms, thinking the enemy was upon them, which afterwards drew a severe rebuke from the general. Some of the 92nd were about to join in this noisy proceeding, when a young officer said, "Don't shoot them; stick the beggars!" His advice saved both their credit and their bacon, and that officer found a pork chop placed handy for his supper!

'In nine cases out of ten a bivouac is more or less enjoyable, but from the 15th to the 19th anyone unacquainted with the service could hardly be persuaded to credit the sufferings we endured; deluged with rain, roads deep and miry, repeatedly fording rivers and streams, some of them breast high. The ground of our bivouacks soaked, no dry wood to be had, fires smoky and cheerless; miserably provided, having neither bread, biscuit, nor flour."* The officers and men were to be seen gathering acorns to eat instead of bread with the beef which they cooked in the ashes on the points of swords or ramrods, for the camp kettles were with the baggage and often a day's march ahead of the troops, but they had bullocks

* Scherer.

driven along, which, if they arrived in time, were slaughtered as they halted. The marches were not long, but from the circumstances and nature of the ground they took a long time, and the men had an immense weight to carry, for the ordinary marching order weighed about 60 lb., besides the blanket; while the feeling of retreat has always a depressing effect, and the difficulty of bringing the various columns along without jostling, and if possible without being attacked, caused long and tiresome halts.

On the 18th, a handful of Indian corn was issued to each man, which they ground between large stones, passing them from one to another till far on in the night, while the noise banished sleep. On the 19th, the 92nd went into quarters in a miserable little village crowded to excess; the people had little to spare, but the commissary managed to buy potatoes, of which each man got 2 lb. The baggage was here restored, and, miserable as were the cottages, officers and men recovered their gaiety as they roasted chestnuts and boiled their potatoes in the chimney corners.

The enemy had now given up the pursuit; they had gathered a great spoil of baggage and over 3500 prisoners. In the whole retreat of Wellington's army from Burgos, together with that of Hill's from the Tagus, the loss in killed, wounded, and prisoners was not less than 9000 men-British, Portuguese, and Spaniards, including those lost in the siege of Burgos. The loss of Hill's army, however, between the Tagus and the Arapiles was only 500 in killed, wounded, and prisoners, including that of the First Brigade at Alba.

He

It being rumoured that Soult intended to invade Portugal by the valley of the Tagus, Hill's troops were moved as far as Robleda, to which place the 92nd marched on the 20th. An officer of the battalion describes its appearance on parade. compares the jackets to "parti-coloured bedcovers," the "clothing literally composed of shreds and patches." Colonel Cameron, writing to Sir John Hope of the campaign from the 27th of October, says "Since that time to the 20th November we have been exposed to more hardships than I thought the human frame could bear. Mine, I know, had very nearly yielded. In weather which would have been thought inclement in England,

with the canopy of heaven for a covering, wet, cold, and hungry, we were marching day and night generally. During the days of the 16th, 17th, and 18th, fifteen poor fellows of the 92nd fell down and were lost. My heart bled for them."

Robleda was a dirty place, and the streets and lanes where they were cantoned were at once cleaned by the battalion.

R.O., Robleda, 22nd November 1812.-Officers commanding companies will please arrange with the batman and servants of their companies to give up their kilts for the purpose of mending the kilts of the duty men; such batmen and servants as give up their kilts to march in their pantaloons till the new clothing is issued. The shoemakers and tailors to be constantly employed in mending the shoes and clothes of their companies. The commanding officers of companies to report personally as to the state and appearance of their companies, and on the arrangement made with the batmen and servants respecting their kilts.

R.O., Robleda, 22nd November.-Sergeant-major Ewen Kenedy is appointed to do duty as quartermaster-sergeant, in room of Quartermaster-sergeant Cameron, promoted to a commission. Sergeant Duncan Macpherson is appointed to do duty as sergeant-major until further orders, in room of Sergeant-major Kenedy, appointed quartermaster-sergeant.

Men who had been guilty of any misconduct during the march were ordered for drill. The officers and men received their pay up to the 24th of June.

On November 22nd it was announced that a battalion, to be called the 13th Royal Veteran Battalion, is to be formed at Lisbon. Ten companies of 100 rank and file of men from different regiments who are fit only for garrison duty. The lieutenants to be transferred from the line, or old quartermasters or ensigns who have been N.-C. officers. The ensigns to be entirely deserving N.-C. officers. Sergeant Symon and thirty-six rank and file of the 92nd were transferred to this battalion.

R.0.-Prisoners who are not to be tried by Court-martial to be employed on all regimental fatigues, and all prisoners to parade, properly dressed, in rear of the battalion, and to be inspected by the officers of their companies.