testing yet again that which he had so often extravagantly proved, the marvellous endurance, discipline, and courage of the British Infantry. The results of the mistaken siege of Burgos are curtly described by Sir J. T. Jones, in his 'Journal of the Sieges in 'the Peninsula.' "By its means," he writes, "a beaten "enemy gained time to recruit his forces, concentrate his "scattered armies, and regain the ascendancy." The same author writes, with regard to the service of the Royal Artillery during the siege: "It is a pleasing act of justice "to the Artillery officers, employed in this attack, to state "that they vied with each other in their exertions and "expedients to meet the hourly difficulties they encountered, and that no set of men could possibly have drawn more service than they did from the limited means at "their command." 66 66 VOL. II. Ν to Lord Bathurst, dated 26 Oct. 1812. CHAPTER XX. VITTORIA AND SAN SEBASTIAN. THE threatening appearance of the various French armies in Spain, which compelled Lord Wellington to raise the siege of Burgos, compelled him ultimately to withdraw into Despatch Portugal for winter-quarters, In leaving Burgos he found the activity of the commanding officers of Artillery very beneficial. It enabled him to carry off all his serviceable guns and stores in a single night; but the absence of cattle prevented his removing the few French guns which he had captured in the storming of the hornwork. During the retreat, the services of the Horse Artillery, under Major Downman, were of a high order, and called forth the commendation of Lord Wellington. The troop which most distinguished itself was Major Bull's, commanded by Captain Norman Ramsay, Major Bull having been twice wounded,on one occasion so severely,-when in advance with the Cavalry at Torquemada on the night of the 12th September, 1812, that he was obliged to be invalided. He does not reappear in the story of his gallant troop until the battle of Waterloo. The retreat terminated on the 24th November, and the troops went into cantonments, the head-quarters being stationed at Frenada, and the Artillery at Malhada Sourda, three miles distant. An old friend reappears, in the winter of 1812-13, to the burrower among Artillery records. Captain-now BrevetMajor-Frazer, who last was mentioned in this work in the account of the operations at Monte Video and Buenos Ayres, arrived to take command of Major Bull's troop during that officer's absence. His own troop being on home service, he more easily obtained permission to assume this duty. He Frazer's had not been many weeks in the Peninsula before he received a more important command,-that which had hitherto been held with such distinction by Major Downman,—the Sir A. command of the Royal Horse Artillery with Lord Welling- Letters, ton's armies. Although a reserved man in public, and fond page 89. of solitude, he was almost diffuse in his correspondence. Happily for those who have succeeded him in the Corps, his letters from the Peninsula have been collected and published by one who served in his troop for seven years,General Sir Edward Sabine. These letters, and the unpublished letters of Sir A. Dickson, give together a most graphic picture of the operations of 1813, 1814, and 1815, which cannot but lose by the necessary condensation of the historian. In the beginning of 1813, Lord Wellington proceeded to Lisbon to make the necessary arrangements for the coming campaign. The intelligence of the French disasters in Russia had reached him; rumours also came that Soult and many of the best troops in the French Peninsular armies had gone to France; and, from his preparations at Lisbon, it is evident that he had already resolved on offensive operations, which should, if possible, have the effect of driving the French out of the Peninsula. That he succeeded is well known to the reader; it remains to single out, in this and the following chapter, some of the more salient points in the campaign. 16 Jan. Colonel Dickson had been ordered to Lisbon, to consult as Colonel to some means of making the Portuguese Artillery more to D.-A.-G. Dickson, available for service than it had as yet been; and while Lisbon, there, he was sent for by Lord Wellington, who had also 1813. arrived, and was directed to superintend the equipment of a bid. pontoon train of thirty-four large pontoons, which was to be dated sent by river to Abrantes, and there handed over to the 30 Jan. master-pontonier, for use in the coming operations of the 1813. army. This train was destined to be a sore grievance to the Artillery. It had always to be horsed first, even at the expense of the Artillery brigades; and its possible wants in that respect haunted, like a nightmare, the commanding Lisbon, officer of the Corps. At this interview Lord Wellington also expressed considerable anxiety about the brigade of 18-pounder guns, which, he said, he was determined to have early in the field, as the French were understood to be fortifying positions everywhere. Some new 18-pounders to D.-A.-G. were expected daily from England; and, on their arrival, he desired that they should be sent up the Tagus to Abrantes. This was safely effected; and bullocks were ordered to bring them thence to head-quarters, at Malhada Sourda. Colonel Dickson dated 24 Feb. 1813. Ibid. dated 18 April, 1813. Ibid. dated 24 Feb. 1813. Ibid. dated 1813. They were ultimately manned by Captain Morrison's and Captain Glubb's companies of the Royal Artillery; and the number of carriages in the brigade was no less than 57, viz. : 6 18-pr. guns on travelling carriages. 18 ammunition (limber) waggons, 2 spare carriages. 6 platform waggons. 2 forges. 3 store waggons. 20 bullock carts. N.B.-Ammunition was carried at the rate of 150 rounds per gun. The guns, and nine of the ammunition waggons, had horses in addition to their bullocks; the remaining carriages were drawn by bullocks only. About the same time as the 18-pounders arrived from England, another troop of Horse Artillery, under the command of Captain Webber Smith, also reached Lisbon. A change in the armament of the troop, from 6-pounders to 9-pounders, was immediately ordered by Lord Wellington,― a change which, on more than one occasion, and in more than one campaign, has been ordered in the armament of the Royal Horse Artillery. At this time, also, a recognition was made by the Portuguese Government of the services of the Artillery,-Colonels Robe and Dickson being made knights of the Tower and Sword. The old difficulty as to horses reappeared in the begin28 March, ning of 1813. The sickness among these animals during the winter had been excessive; and the difficulty of purchasing any in the country seemed daily to increase. This led to many changes. Among others, Lord Wellington reduced the whole of the Portuguese Artillery for service in the field to three brigades,-one 9-pounder and one 6-pounder brigade to be with Sir Rowland Hill's force, and one 9-pounder brigade to be attached to the general Artillery reserve of the army. These three were made very efficient by this means, and the purchase of a considerable number of horses avoided. The campaign of 1813 was distinguished by a feature of considerable importance. Lord Wellington was now Commander-in-Chief of all the Spanish armies, and all necessary correspondence came direct to him, instead of through Cadiz. The assistance of the Spanish regular troops was never of much value, even under the new system, except at the subsequent combat of San Marcial and at the Bidassoa; but the part taken by the Partidas, or irregular forces, during the campaign was not unimportant, and increased the difficulties of the French troops., to D.-A.-G. Corilhaa, . The French commenced to fall back from Salamanca Colonel towards Burgos, and in the beginning of April had not Dickson above a thousand men in the former place. At the same dated time, supplies were arriving from England weekly, and were 4 April, disembarked in the northern ports of the Peninsula, with a 1813. view to the advance of the English army. An organization of the Allied troops was taking place, superior to anything which had yet been witnessed; and the Corps, whose history is treated in these pages, improved with the other arms in this respect. It seems a suitable time to touch on the improvement in the Field Brigades which had already taken place; and, at the risk of wearying the reader, to place before him a specimen of these in the spring of 1813. The brigade, i.e. battery, which it is proposed to describe belonged to the 10th Battalion, and was commanded by the 2nd Captain, R. M. Cairnes, a gallant officer, who afterwards fell at Waterloo. It was pronounced by various inspecting officers to be the best field brigade with the army; but Captain Cairnes in his correspondence declined. to accept this honour, as he considered others equally efficient. It may, therefore, be accepted as a fair type. From a letter written by Captain Cairnes himself, the following particulars |