1808: The Road to Corunna

by Griff Hosker

  “Colonel Trant you will take your Portuguese, the 20th under Major Matthews and a company of the 95th and you will advance to the west of the hill. Generals Ferguson and Bowes you will advance along the east. Take a couple of the lighter guns with you. We will outflank them. We have superior numbers and better troops. The rest of the army and the guns will hold their attention to the front to enable us to outflank them. Questions?”

  The only question came from Colonel Lake. “Sir, might I be allowed to accompany General Ferguson and his brigade?”

  Sir Arthur looked down his hook like nose at the Colonel. Sir, you are part of General Nightingale’s Brigade and I need your 29th in the centre. Do not try to interfere with my dispositions. Any further questions?” The rebuke had silenced them all. “Good, then study the map and the attack begins at nine in the morning.”

  Nicholas put his arm around me as we left the tent. “We shall have the honour of beginning this attack. My fellows will be pleased that their lucky charm is with them.”

  “Have you fought the French before, Colonel?”

  “Not in a large battle, why?”

  “I have and Bonaparte does not appoint bad generals. All of those who lead the French began at the bottom and worked their way up. They know their men and they know how to fight. I do not doubt that we shall win but unless we fight carefully we will lose men. The courage of the men you lead is frail.” I held up my hand. “I have spoken with those who know. They were soundly beaten by the Spanish and the French just walked into their country. You saw yourself how hard it is to land men from the sea. The French can come by land. If we lose men we cannot just send to England for them can we?”

  “God but you are a misery sir! I thought you would have been ready to lead a glorious charge tomorrow!”

  I laughed, “I do not think Sir Arthur likes such charges. Cavalry have a habit of continuing to charge long after the objective has been achieved.”

  “But not you.”

  “No, sir, not me. I have been fighting since 1794 and I do not see this war ending any time soon. One day I hope to retire to my family estate in Sicily. You will not see any attempt at glory from me.”

  I finished the wine and Nicholas refilled it. Sharp brought my sword. “Here you are, sir, I have put a nice little edge on it for you.”

  “Thank you Sharp, now get some rest, tomorrow promises to be a busy day.”

  “Sir.”

  “Do you mind?”

  I handed the sword over.

  “A fine weapon. Austrian isn’t it?”

  I nodded and sipped my wine. It was a pleasant evening. There was a breeze from the west which made the flies less voracious. Tomorrow would be as hot as Hades.

  “I thought the Austrians were our allies. How did you capture such an expensive blade?”

  I smiled enigmatically, “The fortunes of war Nicholas. I keep my eyes open! I advise you to do the same.”

  Chapter 10

  We were in position by eight o’clock. I gathered the troop commanders around me. I had to translate my words for Captain Goodwin but it was important that they all knew both my mind and the orders of Sir Arthur. This would be the first battle where British and Portuguese had fought alongside each other. It would not bode well if it went badly.

  “We are to support Colonel Trant and attack the French left flank. The Portuguese Cacadores and the 95th will be responsible for the actual attack. Our job is to keep the French from escaping. If they have cavalry then we will neutralise them. If the opportunity presents itself then we will pursue them. That will only be when I give the command. We have too few cavalry to throw them away. I will personally punish any officer who disobeys my orders.” The Portuguese officers seemed to accept the threat but Captain Goodwin looked offended. I decided to keep him close to me.

  Colonel Trant sent his scouts towards the French at half past eight and they reported that the French had their guns in the centre and their cavalry on the left flank facing us. The French cavalry outnumbered us and were better than the Portuguese I had with me. My men were brave enough but I knew that the French were better mounted, equipped and trained. Had I had my own regiment then things might have been different. I did not know how the Portuguese would react under battle conditions. I had seen both Austrians and Italians fleeing the superior French cavalry.

  The battle began with a barrage from the handful of guns which both sides possessed. They were of small calibre and did little damage but they did cause a mist of smoke which disguised positions. The whole field was covering in a masking of pungent grey. Colonel Trant ordered his Portuguese forward and I led the small force of cavalry at my command to guard the right flank of the attack. The French commander was wily. He could see he was outnumbered and he ordered his Chasseurs forward to cover his men while they fell back to better positions.

  “Sir! Let us charge them! We can chase them away easily!”

  “Captain Goodwin, wait until you are given orders. They are Chasseurs and they are well trained. You may not have noticed but they outnumber us! Back in line, sir!”

  Once the infantry had reached their new positions the cavalry withdrew a safe distance to be away from the rifles which had already claimed four or five victims. The cannons were set up again and we moved forward. I could see that the French General was heading for the top of the hill. It would enable him to fire down at the advancing British. I could see how clever Wellesley had been. Our flank attack would work for he did not have enough guns to cover three sides.

  Once again he ordered his cavalry forward to cover the retreat of his men. “Cavalry! We will advance and, on my command, discharge our weapons!” The Portuguese cavalry had a single pistol but the 20th had carbines. The French musketoon did not have the range of our carbines and I hoped to make them move early.

  We trotted forward in one line and the French advanced too. When we were a hundred yards apart I shouted, “Fire!”

  The French were not expecting the volley and few had their musketoons out. The Portuguese pistols did little damage but two Chasseurs were hit by carbines. “Fire!”

  The second volley was more ragged and the French replied with their weapons but two more Chasseurs were hit before a wall of smoke descended between us. I heard the bugle sound the French recall but one Chasseur took it upon himself to charge towards me with his sabre held before him. I took out my pistol and aimed at him. As he approached I could see that he was young. Yet he had the pigtails and the waxed moustache. He could have been me ten years earlier. At twenty yards I pulled the trigger and he fell backwards over the rump of his horse. Sharp grabbed the reins of the frightened beast as it stopped at the wall of horses before it. He began to talk to it in French and it started to become calmer.

  I nudged my horse forward and dismounted over the body of the Chasseur. His face had disappeared and he was obviously dead. He was a lieutenant. His commanding officer would be berating the others and ordering them not to try such foolishness again. The days of single combat were a thing of the past.

  As I rode back into line I could see from their expressions that the Captain and Lieutenant of the 20th did not approve of my actions. I did not care.

  This time the French retreat had halted at the hill. They could go no further. Nicholas waved me over. “I shall start my Cacadores working their way up the hill. Take the cavalry and cover the end of their line in case they try to flee.”

  “Yes Colonel.”

  “Good shot by the way and very cool. My lads approve of such things.”

  I led the squadrons to a small rise which afforded us a good view of the hill and yet allowed us to move freely. I heard the crack of the guns as Sir Arthur softened up the French centre. In contrast the crack of the rifles and the Cacadores muskets was erratic and irregular as they duelled with the French light infantry. The French Tirailleurs and Voltigeurs were superb and had defeated Austrians, Prussians and Russians. However the Baker Rifle negated their effect. Quite simply the 95th could
fire with impunity and the French were being steadily driven back.

  I liked the way Sir Arthur fought. It was not glorious but it was effective and saved men’s lives. So far as I could see we had barely lost a man and yet there were blood stained blue uniforms littering the land before us. It was, quite simply, a matter of time and Sir Arthur would have his first victory over the French.

  Suddenly I saw the standard of the 29th, Lake’s battalion. The bugle sounded the charge and I saw the flag head up a defile towards the crown of the hill. I knew that it had not been ordered by Sir Arthur. Colonel Lake was making his bid for glory. The cacophony of noise from the muskets and the cannon told its own story and I did not need to be there to know what was happening. The 29th were bleeding to death and Sir Arthur’s battle plans were now in tatters.

  Colonel Trant waved me over. “That’s upset the apple cart. Take your chaps around their flank. We need to draw men away from the centre or none of the 29th will survive.”

  “Yes sir.” Colonel Lake’s attack meant that we would now not be able to pursue them when they broke. We would be needed to apply pressure to their flanks and their rear. “Follow me!”

  I led them on a parallel course to the French. It looked as though we were moving away but I had remembered a dry valley which would allow us to approach Roliça from behind their centre.

  “Sir, we are moving away from the battle!” Captain Goodwin broke formation and rode over to me gesticulating wildly as he did so.

  I had had enough of Captain Goodwin. I put my face close to his and said quietly but forcefully, “If you question me one more time, Captain Goodwin, I shall bring charges and send you back to England. Is that clear?”

  He recoiled at my words and my anger, “Yes sir!”

  “Sergeant Sharp, take a couple of the Portuguese and scout ahead of us. I want to know where the French are before they see us.”

  “Right sir.” I heard him detail off two troopers and they rode off.

  “Reload your weapons!”

  It was not easy whilst riding but it could be done. I wanted to be ready if we came upon either blue or green uniforms. I could hear the gunfire to our left as it intensified. Sir Arthur had been forced to commit more men to the main attack. Colonel Lake was in serious trouble. He would learn that it did not pay to cross Sir Arthur Wellesley.

  Sergeant Sharp and the two troopers appeared from the woods to our left. “Sir, there are French infantry ahead and a gun.”

  “Is it dug in?”

  “No sir, but it is well protected by rocks and it is on a steep slope. We can’t use horses; they would be cut down. We can go through those woods and it will bring us out level with them. There is a little valley and their gun is facing the main attack so we should be able to flank them.”

  “Captain Goodwin, have your troop form a skirmish line over there. Protect our flank in case the French attack. I will take the Portuguese and we will try to attack them on foot.”

  “Yes sir.” I think he was pleased that he would not be required to fight on foot.

  “Your job is to guard our flank. Do not let me down. I will have the Portuguese support me but no matter what happens you stay here and hold the line.”

  “Yes sir.”

  I caught the eye of Sergeant Smith who nodded.

  “Captain Moreno. Have your troop dismount. We are going to attack on foot. Make sure they all have a gun as well as their swords.” I turned to the other captains. “Stay here. If you hear me sound the charge then come as quickly as you can.”

  With horse holders assigned I led the sixty men towards the woods. I had taken my two horse pistols and I had one in my belt. I could fire three shots. I hoped it would be enough. Sergeant Sharp was close behind me with a French musket he had saved from our reconnaissance. I should have had the wit to keep one too.

  I held my hand up when we reached the edge of the woods. I could see the gun. It looked to be a little four pounder. There were twenty or so infantry below and in front of the gun. I looked to my left and saw smoke in the distance but no British soldiers. We had managed to get around the extreme flank of the French. I turned to Captain Moreno. We move across this valley. I want neither noise nor firing until we are seen. I will give the command to fire.” He nodded. “We could capture a gun today and win the battle for the general.”

  “My men will not let you down, Colonel!”

  “Sharp, take out the officer as soon as the firing starts.”

  The gun crew and the light infantry were totally focussed on the ground before them. My men dropped unseen down to the valley and then we began to climb up the slope towards the gun. We reached to within fifty yards before we were seen. One of the gunners turned to spit and saw us. Even as he started to shout Sharp’s musket barked and the officer commanding the gun fell. I fired one pistol and then began to run up the hill. It was not easy. The gun sergeant began to shout orders and I fired at him. The ball hit his shoulder and he spun around. I jammed my spent pistols in my belt and drew my last pistol and then my sword. There were more infantry descending from the hill above the gun and I fired blindly into them and then I clambered over the rocks and rested behind the gun.

  I heard musket balls whizz above my head. Thankfully it was not a volley and they were ineffective. “Take cover. Bugler, sound the charge!” Another ragged rattle of muskets sounded and I saw a couple of the Portuguese troopers clutch at wounds.

  I hoped that the Portuguese would hear the bugle and join us. The men who had followed me now had no loaded weapons. The French began to advance down the hill. They had fired their muskets and were reloading. I raised my sword. “Captain Moreno, at them. Give them the blade!”

  The French musket and bayonet is a fearsome weapon but they require both hands. I had a sword and free hand. I led them into the fray. The first Frenchman I met thought that he had me at his mercy. As he plunged his bayonet at me I flicked the point away with my sword and then whipped the edge backhand across his face. It ripped through his eyes. He dropped the musket and fell screaming at my feet. I had no time to despatch him for a second soldier thrust his bayonet at me. I half turned my body and grabbed the barrel. It was hot and it burned but I held on and stabbed the soldier through the side.

  Behind me I heard hooves as the Portuguese came to our aid. We now outnumbered the French who fell back. The steady retreat became a rout as the Portuguese discharged their pistols over our heads.

  “After them! We have them!”

  I heard a roar from my left and saw Colonel Trant leading the rest of the Portuguese up the hill. The whole of the French army was now in full retreat. We reached the top of the hill and I stopped to get my breath. As I looked at the road south I saw, to my horror, Captain Goodwin leading the 20th at the Chasseurs. He was charging the Chasseurs and he was outnumbered by more than two to one.

  “Bugler, sound recall!”

  The Portuguese bugler did as he was ordered and I saw half of the troopers halt and then make their way back to me. A knot of troopers carried on until they were surrounded by the Chasseurs and they were hacked down. I saw eight riders emerge from the melee and they followed the others back towards us.

  I was annoyed but I could not let it show. The Portuguese had fought well and obeyed their orders. It was the British horsemen who had let me down! I would have Goodwin’s hide for this!

  That would come later. The Portuguese were ecstatic. Captain Moreno rushed over to me, “Magnificent! We have shown these Frenchmen that we are warriors and we can fight. With you leading us we can defeat them all!”

  I smiled, “Your men did well. We had better see to the wounded and put a guard around the prisoners.” I looked around and saw that fewer of the Portuguese had fallen than I had expected. There were just three men who looked as though they had perished.

  “Sharp, get a horse and fetch the remnants of the 20th here.”

  “Sir.”

  Nicholas rode up to me. “Well done old chap. Captured a gun too.
That should please old Nosey!”

  I shook my head. “Nicholas, he might hear you.”

  “Oh he is miles away yet. If we had more cavalry we could have pursued them.”

  “If Captain Goodwin had not disobeyed orders we might still have been able to do that. Your boys did well and they obeyed their orders. There are twenty prisoners over there. I think we might go and interrogate them.”

  “I’ll join you.”

  The light infantry were looking dispirited. A couple of them were wounded. I turned to a Portuguese sergeant, “Bind their wounds for them, sergeant.” He looked at me as though I had taken leave of my senses. “We need information and this will make them give it to us.” He smiled and shouted for his men to find some dressings.

  I saw that there were the remnants of two regiments; the 2nd and the 4th. I watched a lieutenant being bandaged by an ancient sergeant. I wandered over to them. The sergeant looked at me and said to the officer, in French. “It is the Roast Beef who led the charge and killed Jacques.”

  “What is he doing leading these bandits?”

  “Those bandits are soldiers for the country you have invaded lieutenant.”

  They looked at me in shock. “You are French!”

  “No, I am Scottish but I speak French. Who was your general?” They looked at each other and then defiantly back at me. “Come, it cannot hurt to tell us. Either his body will lie on the field or he will be back at Torres Vedras with Marshal Junot.”

  I had surprised them with my knowledge. “General Delaborde.”

  I had heard of him. He had risen from the ranks having been a private. “He fought well today. You all fought well.”

  The young officer shook his head, “Not well enough. We were beaten by Portuguese!”

  Luckily he said it in French. Had Captain Moreno heard it then the prisoners would all have been slaughtered. I told Colonel Trant the information. I heard hooves behind me and turned to see Sergeant Sharp and the survivors of the 20th.

  I saw neither officer. Sergeant Smith had a cut to his face. I just looked at him without saying a word. “Sorry sir, I tried to stop Captain Goodwin but he was adamant and he made us charge. I brought the lads back as soon as I heard the recall. Sorry sir.”