The Journal of an Army Surgeon

by Boutflower, Charles

  28th. A severe pectoral complaint compelled me to quit the Regiment on the 23rd for the purpose of avoiding the night dews. I was recommended to try the air of Portalegre, at which place I arrived the 24th, and still remain, having found the greatest benefit from the few Days I have been here. Portalegre is generally considered the Montpellier of Portugal; it is prettily situated surrounded by Hills chiefly covered with the Olive; like the other large Towns in this Country it abounds with Priests of every description. I had an opportunity this day of seeing the Bishop officiate in the Cathedral, and I must say a more undignified Gentleman I never saw; very unlike indeed my good Friend, the Bishop of Guarda.

  This place is seven Leagues from the Head Quarters of the Army. I have no certain accounts from thence, but it appears that the Enemy having gained their object of relieving Badajos have again retired, and, as it is said, in two Columns, one on Merida, & the other in the direction of Seville, for the purpose of preventing Blake (who marched some days since with the whole Spanish force) from getting possession of that place.

  English papers to the 12th instant inform us that the good people there are highly delighted with the battle of Albouera, and it even appears that two great Houses have unanimously decreed their thanks to a certain Individual "for the distinguished ability displayed by him &c. &c." O Tempora, O Mores.

  JULY

  July 3rd. It having been satisfactorily ascertained that the Enemy had retired, the Army Yesterday marched into Cantonments; the 5th Division entered this place (Portalegre). Having again in great measure regained my wonted health, I purpose going to-morrow in search of my Regt.

  Great reinforcements are expected from England; but it is hoped that nothing will be done till the three next Months shall have passed by, as the extreme heat in this Country in the Months of July, August, and September occasions even under Circumstances the most favourable great degree of sickness amongst the Troops.

  9th. Only three Divisions of the Army are in Cantonments, the uncertainty of the Enemy's Movements rendering it necessary that the remainder should be accessible to act as circumstances may require. I found my Division in the same place I left it. It does not seem likely that anything will be done for some time. It is said the Enemy are concentrating everything in Estremadura, and in the meantime reinforcements are daily arriving from England; probably, when the hot season is over, a great blow may be struck.

  Genl. Graham, the Conqueror at Barrosa, is coming here as second in command. This appointment has given universal satisfaction; the various Casualties of war might possibly deprive us of the Services of Lord W., and under such a calamity it would be a great consolation to every one that the Command of the Army should devolve on an Officer of such avowed talents as Genl. Graham.

  14th. Nothing whatever in the shape of news has lately occurred. Reinforcements continue to arrive from England, and amongst others four hundred men & upwards have arrived to join my Regiment; this puts out of all probability the likelihood of our returning to England, even tho' circumstances should eventually oblige us to quit the Peninsula; which however appears less probable than ever.

  25th. On the 21st we broke up from our encampment, and marched in the direction of Elvas, near which place we remained for the night. The 22nd we continued our route, & bivouacked in the Neighbourhood of Borba. The following morning we reached Estremos, where we are likely to remain some time, it being destined as the Quarters of the 4th Division. The whole Army are now in Cantonments, & it is expected they will remain so during the continuance of the hot Season, which lasts till about the first week in October. On leaving our encampment strict Orders were issued not on any account to destroy the huts, from whence is inferred the possibility that we may have at some future time to occupy them again. Head quarters are at Portalegre & the different Cantonments of the Army extend from the Tagus to the Guadiana.

  30th. The old Adage of their being nothing certain under the Sun is at present abundantly verified by our receiving orders to quit our cantonments, & march to-morrow Morning in the direction of Castello Branco. This has come most unexpectedly upon us, as everyone was making himself comfortable at least for a period of two Months. It appears that Tarragona has fallen, & that Soult is marching upon Carthagena; Marmont is in consequence left alone, and it is supposed Lord W. is going to attack him before he can be reinforced.

  AUGUST

  August 4. We marched from Estremos according to route on the 31st, & bivouacked near the small Town of Fronteira. On the 1st we proceeded to Crato, four Leagues further, where we were miserably accommodated in Cantonments. On the 2nd we marched to Alpalhao two Leagues, & yesterday arrived at Nisa, two more Leagues, where we halt this Day.

  We are still entirely in the dark as to the cause of our present movement. Many are of opinion that Lord W. is about to make a demonstration on Madrid, in order to compel the Enemy in the South to desist from their operations there. It appears more probable however that we are going into Cantonments in the North; there is no doubt that a vast number of lives will be saved by such a change of Quarters.

  We continue our march to-morrow Morning, and shall cross the Tagus at Villa Velha for the purpose of proceeding to Castel Branco, where we shall receive another Route.

  8th. On the 5th we quitted Nisa, & marched by almost impassable Roads to Villa Velha, three Leagues; the following Day we proceeded to a small village called Sarnadas, and yesterday morning reached the ancient City of Castel Branco. It is a Bishop's See, but the Cathedral & Town are alike in a state of great dilapidation. The Palace and Gardens of his Reverence however are in complete repair, and have an Air of luxury and Comfort about them I have not before witnessed in this Country.

  When we reached Castel Branco, the General Officer Comg. the Division was without Orders to proceed any further. In the course of the Day however an Order was received directing us to march this Morning towards Penamacor, which, tho' only eight Leagues distant from Castel Branco, we are to be four Days in performing. The excessive heat of the Weather renders it impossible to go long marches without infinite injury to the Troops; a great deal of sickness at present prevails, to which a number of officers are victims; indeed I consider the Climate of this Country during the hot Months in Autumn as little less unhealthy than the West Indies.

  No enquiries we could make have been able to give us the smallest insight into the intentions of Lord Wellington.

  Every one therefore is at perfect liberty to enjoy his own Opinion, and we wait till Time shall disclose whose Speculation is the wisest.

  13th. On the 9th we marched to San Miguel, two Leagues, and on the 10th to Pedrogo, the same distance. At the latter place we were to go into Villages in the Neighbourhood; accordingly on the morning of the 11th the Division went into its several Cantonments. Our Regiment is in two wretched Villages, merely affording Covering; we can purchase no one Article whatever. It is probable we shall not remain here many days. The Divisions in our front are said to be moving, & we hear that our advance is within three leagues of Ciudad Rodrigo. Among other Speculations many are of opinion that Lord W. is about to attack that Fortress to prevent his left flank from being constantly menaced; the idea is at least plausible, tho' there may be no intention whatever to undertake such an Operation.

  The name of our principal Village is Aldea de João Perez, about a League from Penamacor.

  17th. We hear nothing about moving, but it appears that the Enemy were at a Village about five Leagues from hence the day before yesterday demanding Rations; it is not supposed they are coming in this direction, but that they are moving in the direction of Ciudad Rodrigo, which place it is asserted Lord W. is certainly threatening. Head Quarters are beyond the Frontier, but I know not at what place.

  20th. The enemy continue to make their occasional appearance within a few Leagues of us. Two or three Days since they took a Convoy of Mules laden with Provisions for the Light Division; a party of the 16th Dragoons, and an officer were also surprized. It is certain that our
Cavalry are by no means so expert in the Out Post duty as the German Hussars; there is no instance of their having been surprized.

  24th. We are likely to remain in this wretched place a considerable time; the Weather is dreadfully hot, but the Troops are much healthier than they were a week ago.

  Reinforcements, particularly Dragoons, continue to arrive from England, and Lord W. in the last Gazette appears as a General with temporary Rank, that is, in Spain & Portugal only. The papers to the 7th inst. give a deplorable acct. of His Majesty's state; indeed they leave little reason to hope that he is now alive. On the accession of the Prince to the Throne, it is probable the same System with regard to this Country will be persevered in; and, as the enemy themselves no longer talk of driving us into the sea, it is impossible to calculate when hostilities in the Peninsula will have an end.

  29th. On the evening of the 27th we received a sudden and most unexpected Order to commence our March in the direction of Penamacor, which place we passed through Yesterday Morning and halted near a village called Merimoa. This Day we have had a march of two long Leagues thro' a deplorably barren country. We are in bivouac in the neighbourhood of the wretched remains of a Village called San Antonio. Tomorrow we proceed Northward; our destination is said to be in front of Almeida beyond the Frontier. It seems certain that Lord W. is about to commence the siege of Ciudad Rodrigo. The heavy battering Train will very soon be ready. From the circumstance of nearly the whole Army being brought up it is inferred that his Lordship will give battle to any Force the Enemy can bring to oppose him.

  31st. Our Route was Yesterday Morning changed, and we were directed to march to Villa deToro, where we were to receive instructions as to the Cantonments we were this day to occupy. Accordingly at an early hour this morning the Division marched into different Villages, extending nearly in a line about three Leagues distant from Guarda. Here it was intended we should have remained for some time, but an Order has just arrived, directing us to march to-morrow & take up our original destination, which we suppose to be between the Coa & the Agueda. We are entirely ignorant as to the cause of these different changes.

  It was twelve months yesterday since we quitted Guarda under circumstances which would have rendered the idea of our being at this time in the neighbourhood as nothing less than madness; there is no calculating on the future, but certainly during no period of the Contest have our prospects been brighter than at present.

  SEPTEMBER

  Sept. 2nd. We yesterday Morning marched from Mamolina to a village called Preixal. This Morning we proceeded to a village, whose Misery beggars description, & which unfortunately is assigned as our Cantonment; it is called San Pedro, & being only two Miles from the Spanish Frontier in the direction of Ciudad Rodrigo it has consequently frequently been visited by the Enemy, who have left it nearly a heap of Ruins.

  5th. We hear nothing of the Enemy, nor are we as yet able to assign any probable cause for our movement to this part of the Country. Since I have been here I have had an opportunity of riding over to Almeida, it being only a league from hence and a most melancholy spectacle it presents; nothing can be more complete than the destruction of the Bastions; indeed with the exception of two or three houses the Town is one heap of undistinguished Ruins. I had also yesterday an opportunity of seeing Fort Conception, which is situated just within the Spanish Frontier; it was destroyed last year by order of Lord W. when the enemy advanced upon Almeida; its destruction also is very complete.

  11th. It is reported that the Enemy are concentrating their Forces for the purpose of throwing succours into Ciudad Rodrigo, which are there much wanted; this Lord W. will of course endeavour to prevent unless he is greatly outnumbered. The Light Division are some distance in front of Ciudad Rodrigo in the direction of Salamanca. Sickness unhappily prevails to a melancholy extent in our Army; in my Regiment alone the present returns of Sick are fifteen Officers and six hundred Men. As the weather however is beginning to get cool, we are in hopes that the Troops will be more healthy; the total Amount of ineffectives at present is, I believe, not less than twenty thousand Men.

  19th. Early on the Morning of the 17th our Division received a sudden Order to change its Cantonments; we marched four Leagues that Day, & bivouacked for the Night in the neighbourhood of a small village called Alamandilla; it is in Spain but chiefly inhabited by Portugueze. Yesterday morning we resumed our march, and reached our cantonment at the most wretched of all wretched Villages called Fencalhos: it is in Portugal; the remainder of the Division are in Spain. This is the second time we have had the ill luck to get into Portugueze Villages, when we expected to be in Spain: besides that the Enemy have not done a hundredth part of the mischief to the latter that they have to the former, there is an air of cleanliness in the Spanish Villages one can never meet with in Portugal, which renders the former so infinitely preferable as a Cantonment.

  We know not whether anything is likely to be done soon or not. It is said the Great Convoy is expected to quit Salamanca as to-morrow. I should rejoice at anything that would remove us from the state of misery we are in in this place. We have observed every night for the last week a Comet from which is reflected a very considerable light; it is situated immediately under the Constellation of the Great Bear; our being in this place is by many jocosely attributed to its malign influence.

  21st. There is a probability that we shall not remain long in this village: an Order has been received from Head Quarters for the Division to hold itself in readiness to march at a Moment's Notice. Whether our Movements will be forward or retrograde we have no idea; it seems however that the Enemy has been carrying everything before them in the South East of Spain, which may possibly frustrate the execution of any plans Lord Wellington contemplated in this quarter; should we be obliged to fall back it is thought we can take up a position on the Coa sufficiently strong to oppose any Force the Enemy can bring against us.

  24th. We left Fencalhos yesterday Morng., & marched two Miles in front of Lord W's Head Quarters (Fuente de Guinaldo) where we are bivouacked. It is said that the enemy are in such force, that it was impossible to prevent them throwing Succours into Ciudad Rodrigo, which it is supposed entered that place Yesterday & this Morning: they are reported to be sixty thousand strong, which outnumbers us by at least fifteen Thousand. Tho' Lord W. does not feel himself strong enough to act offensively, it would appear that he thinks himself equal to defend himself if attacked; should they advance, the Contest will probably be in this Neighbourhood; strong parties are at work throwing up entrenchments etc.

  We are in Spain almost immediately on the banks of the Agueda (which washes the walls of Ciudad Rodrigo) and about four Leagues from that place.

  29th. On the 25th the Enemy in Force attacked the Division who were in advance beyond the Agueda. We were in consequence ordered to their support, but did not come into action as the affair was over before we came up. In the Evening both Divisions took up a Position in front of Fuente Guinaldo having the Enemy about three Miles from us in great Force. We fully expected to be attacked the next morning at Daylight & Lord W. had ordered every species of Baggage to be out of the Village an hour before daybreak; they did not however come on. We remained the whole day in the same position, and from a height in our possession had a distinct view of the French Army, which was vastly superior to what we had supposed, amounting to about six thousand Cavalry and thirty thousand Infantry; whereas our Force opposed to them was not more than fifteen hundred of the former and about twelve thousand of the latter. In the course of the Day further reinforcements were observed to come to them, as also a large Force of Artillery of the largest calibre. They had now such an overwhelming superiority that Lord W. directed the whole Army to retreat that night in the direction of Sabugal. The next morning (27th) a considerable part of our Force was assembled near a Village called Aldea de Ponte in Portugal, & about three Leagues distant from Fuente Guinaldo; at ten o'Clock the enemy's Cavalry began to appear, and in a very short time presented a most f
ormidable appearance supported by Infantry; at noon they drove in our out posts and advanced rapidly upon us; the business lasted about an hour, when they were completely repulsed. All remained quiet for some hours, & we were about to make ourselves comfortable for the Night, when just before dusk they renewed their attack, and were repulsed, as in the Day. Our loss amounted in both affairs to not more than sixty in killed & wounded besides several Officers.—At two o'Clock Yesterday Morning we again commenced our march and halted at a place called Soito at Daylight; a position was taken up on some heights above it, and we were in a momentary expectation of again seeing the Enemy. They have not however since appeared, and without knowing anything certain an idea is entertained that they have taken the direction of Almeida by way of proceeding to Celorico, where we have Stores, a General Hospital &c. This idea is strengthened by the Circumstance of the 5th Division having received orders this morning (29th) to make a forced March beyond Sabugal in the direction of Guarda. We occupy still the high ground above Soito, but are in momentary expectation of an Order to march. It is not probable that the Enemy can with any force penetrate far into Portugal, as the Country is so entirely destitute of every species of supply; for my own part I conceive the game in Spain as nearly up, & I doubt not that our future attention will be almost exclusively directed to this Country, which is as much as our limited means will enable us to defend.

  OCTOBER

  Octr. 1.— Yesterday morning the Division received orders to march in the direction of the Coa for the purpose of being cantoned in Villages near it, but on this side of the River: as a temporary arrangement for the night we occupied a small place called Bismula, where we still remain. It was intended to have made the final arrangements this Morning, but during the Night, Orders were received from Lord W. for our Division to proceed to-morrow and occupy Villages about two Leagues in front of this, where it is probable we shall remain some time unless prevented by the Enemy. We shall have the Light Division on our right, but nothing in our front; we shall therefore be obliged to remain constantly on the alert & exposed to perpetual Alarms.