54

AFFAIR OF CONSTANTINO.

[1809. was destroyed. Near Constantino the road crosses a hill, which Sir John Moore was apprehensive would be taken advantage of by the French, to annoy the descending column. The rifle corps and horse-artillery were ordered, therefore, to halt on its summit, and obstruct the enemy's advance. The position, thus assumed, was formidable; and, in order to avoid exposure to the British guns, the French halted behind another hill for above half an hour. The reserve, in the meanwhile, continued its march; and no sooner had the rear crossed the bridge of Constantino, than the artillery and rifle corps suddenly retired, and the whole passed the river without loss. General Paget, with the reserve, then took post to defend the bridge. The enemy advanced their cavalry and dismounted chasseurs, and endeavoured, ineffectually, to force the post. They were driven back by a well-directed fire. At eleven at night General Paget received orders to fall back on Lugo.

The distance between Villa Franca and Lugo, was accomplished by the reserve in forty-eight hours. During this march, likewise, a quantity of valuable stores was destroyed, and two waggon-loads of dollars fell behind. Every effort for the further transport of the treasure having proved abortive, the casks containing it were rolled down a precipice, in hopes that the snow might conceal it from the observation of the enemy.

But even with all these sacrifices, the necessity of repose to recruit the exhausted soldiers became at length apparent to Sir John Moore. At Lugo, the Jan. 6.] army halted on the sixth; and the General took up a position in front of the town, with the intention of offering battle to the enemy. Never did any measure produce a more striking and instantaneous revulsion of feeling in the troops. Insubordination was at an end,-stragglers hastened to join their regiments,-worn frames became reani

Jan.] SIR JOHN MOORE OFFERS Battle at lugo. 55

mated with vigour, and the promiscuous assemblage of disorderly soldiers, became again invested with all the attributes of a disciplined army.

It was at length ascertained by the General, that Corunna was a more eligible place for embarkation than Vigo; and as it besides possessed the advantage of being considerably nearer, it was determined to direct the march of the army on that point. Orders, therefore, had been despatched to recal the light brigades and the division of General Fraser, which had been previously directed to proceed to Vigo. These orders were transmitted to Sir David Baird by a staff-officer; but the orderly-dragoon who was employed by Sir David Baird to convey the despatch to its destination, unfortunately got drunk, and lost it. This occurrence was productive of the worst effects. General Fraser's troops had proceeded a full day on their march before the order reached them; and, in consequence, without food or rest, were compelled to retrace their steps, and arrived at Lugo with the loss of four hundred of their number.

The ground on which Sir John Moore proposed to receive the enemy's attack at Lugo, was selected with skill. The right of the position rested on the Tamboga; its front extended along the sides of a strong ravine; and the left, somewhat withdrawn, was protected by precipitous acclivities.

About mid-day on the sixth, the French columns. were observed to be advancing on the English position. Preparation was immediately made for their reception; but no engagement ensued. The French took possession of a strong mountainous ridge in front of the British; and, formed in order of battle, seemed to challenge attack. For several hours did the lines thus continue gazing on each other, without hostile movement on either side. The hope of battle gradually faded; at last evening closed, and the troops returned to their quarters.

56

THE ARMIES ARE IN PRESENCE.

Jan. 7.]

[1809.

On the following morning the enemy advanced four guns, protected by a few squadrons of cavalry, towards the centre, and commenced a sharp cannonade. The fire was immediately returned by the English, with such effect, that one of their guns was dismounted, and the rest silenced. For above an hour no further hostilities took place. The enemy then made a feint on the British right, in order to cover the advance of five guns, and a strong column of infantry on the left. Sir John Moore immediately rode at full speed to that part of the line. In the meanwhile, a warm skirmish had taken place with the piquets, which were driven hastily back. The enemy's column were already ascending the height occupied by the seventy-sixth regiment, which gradually fell back, until joined by the fifty-first, when, after a few discharges of musketry, these regiments advanced to the charge, and drove back the French in confusion. The setting in of night again disappointed the hope of immediate engagement; and the British army retired to their quarters, with the fervent wish that the dawn of morning might light them to battle.

On

Sir John Moore was impressed with the conviction, that this wish would be realized. He considered the preceding attack as made only, by Marshal Soult, with the view of reconnoitring the strength of the force opposed to him, and expected that the day following would produce a more general engagement. In this he was disappointed. Jan. 8.] the morning of the eighth the French were still observed in their position; yet hour after hour passed, and they made no movement. length night fell, and with it fell all the fond hopes of battle which had been cherished by the army. In order to deceive the enemy, large fires were lighted along the line; and at ten o'clock the British army again commenced their retreat.

At

No sooner did Marshal Soult become aware of the

Jan.]

THE ARMY REACHES BETANZOS.

57

evasion of his enemy, than the pursuit was immediately recommenced, and followed up with unabated vigour; but the British had already gained so much ground, that it was not till the evening that the enemy's advanced-guard came up with the rear. The horrors of this march were of the most aggravated description. The night was dark and stormy, the cold intense, and the sleet fell heavily. The troops, already jaded and half-famished, and many of them barefoot, marched along roads knee-deep in mud. Insubordination again spread among the ranks,— and the number of stragglers was enormous.

About ten in the morning the army ariv[Jan. 9. ed at Valmeda. Here positive exhaustion compelled a halt; and the men lay on the open ground for several hours, exposed to the continual action of a heavy rain. But even this brief interval was not granted to undisturbed repose. A cry arose, from time to time, that the enemy were advancing; and, at each alarm, the troops were ordered to fall in. Such an intermission was little calculated to refresh the worn strength of the soilders; and, towards evening, when they again resumed their march, little benefit was found to have resulted from the halt.

On the tenth, the army halted at Betan[Jan. 10, zos; and General Paget, with the reserve, remained in position, a few miles in front of that town, for the protection of the stragglers. The conduct of this officer, and the troops he commanded, throughout the retreat, was such as to command the admiration of the army. The reserve marched better, and bore their sufferings with greater resolution than any other portion of the troops; and the skill, promptitude, and unwearied vigilance of General Paget, were, on every occasion, remarkable.

From Betanzos, the army accomplished its march to Corunna, with little molestation from the enemy. A bridge near the town was attempted to be destroy

58 SIR JOHN MOORE SELECTS A POSITION. [1809.

ed, but without success. At Astorga the General had ordered the whole of the engineers' equipments to be burned; and the army were thus most imprudently deprived of the power of impeding the progress of the enemy, which the destruction of the numerous bridges would have afforded. Near Corunna, however, the bridge across the Mero was blown up, the necessary tools for the purpose having been brought from the town; but owing to the premature explosion of a mine, the superintending-officer of engineers was killed.

The army had now reached their destined point of embarkation, but the transports had not yet arrived from Vigo. Only a few ships lay in the harbour, on board of which the sick, who preceded the army, were immediately embarked; and it became necessary that the army should assume a position, and once more show front to the enemy. That this necessity was imposed on Sir John Moore, never to any Englishman can be matter of regret. It saved the British army from the disgrace of having quitted Spain like downcast and disheartened fugitives,-of having sought refuge in their ships from the hostility of an enemy, with whom they had never measured strength in combat.

Sir John Moore preceded the army on its march to Corunna, and surveyed the country in its neighbourhood. There were two ranges of heights in front of the town. The higher and more distant of these would, unquestionably, have afforded a position of considerable strength, had the numerical force of the army been sufficient for its occupation. But, as this was not the case, it became necessary to occupy the nearer range, though of inferior altitude. Such, however, were the disadvantages of this position, that some of the general-officers recommended Sir John Moore to propose terms to Soult, in order to induce him to permit the army to embark unmolested. Sir John Moore, however, declar