The Plains of Talavera

by Martin McDowell

  Picton’s face descended into a deep frown.

  “It is countersigned by his Commanding Officer. He is plainly satisfied with it!”

  Perry stared back at Picton.

  “That is, of course, for the Court to decide.”

  Picton snorted.

  “At least we agree there!”

  Picton transferred his impatient stare to Carr, which Perry took as his signal to sit down.

  “Next, Carr.”

  “Company Sergeant Ellis. Light Company, 105th Foot.”

  Ellis came forward and stood rigidly to attention, whilst repeating the oath, then he turned to enable Carr to begin.

  “Sergeant. Before I arrived back at La Casa what was the position with the Light Company there?”

  “We were stood down, Sir. The lads were taking some food.”

  “And when I came, did I give an order?”

  “You did, Sir. You allowed the men to continue to have something to eat, but they were to stay fully equipped and stood in line. Sir.”

  “Would you say, therefore, that I made changes?"

  “Yes Sir.”

  “To make us better able to repel an attack?”

  “Yes Sir.”

  “Thank you, Sergeant.”

  Carr sat down as Perry stood up.

  “Sergeant. When you say, ‘in line’, where was that?”

  “Right before the house, Sir. In front of the wall.”

  “Was that the best position in your opinion?”

  “I followed orders, Sir, but I’ll say that we was in line with the other Companies of the Battalion. Makin’ a front, Sir.”

  Perry immediately sat and Picton looked at Carr. Ellis took both as his signal to go as Carr spoke again.

  “Captain Carravoy, please.”

  Carravoy came forward and stood. As an Officer he was not required to take the Oath and Carr began his questioning immediately.

  “Captain. We walked back together part way after crossing the Alberche, did we not?”

  Carravoy paused, as though thinking carefully.

  “We did. Part way.”

  “What did we talk about as we walked back?”

  Carravoy’s face became contemptuous.

  “It wasn’t a social occasion!”

  Carr agreed and smiled.

  “No. It was not, but can you tell the Enquiry what our concerns were?”

  “That takes no telling! Obviously the French.”

  Carravoy’s hostility towards Carr was becoming evident and Carr felt his own temper rising.

  “The French, yes, but anything particular about the French, which you can remember as being of concern to us, at that time?”

  “Nothing comes to mind.”

  “Such as where they were?”

  “I’ll not have words put into my mouth. Nothing comes to mind, as I have said.”

  Carr moved on. It was plain that Carravoy was not on his side.

  “You hurried on ahead to get to your Grenadiers, causing us to part company.”

  “Correct.”

  “Can you recall my saying anything before you went on?”

  “No, I had my own concerns.”

  “You can recall nothing? That I said I would go and check that Colonel Donkin’s Brigade was in position?”

  “No. As I said I had my own concerns.”

  Carr gave up the topic and moved on.

  “We left the Alberche together, as you have agreed. Were the huts burning?”

  “Yes.”

  “With the smoke blowing down river and across our pickets.”

  “I did not take the trouble to notice.”

  “But there was smoke, blowing from the burning huts?”

  “Yes.”

  “When were they fired?”

  “Just before my Grenadiers crossed.”

  “So you would agree that the huts, having just been fired, still had much burning in them, if I can put it that way?”

  “I suppose so.”

  Carr then turned to Picton.

  “Sir. It’s my opinion that the huts being fired just before we finally crossed, very soon became fully alight and the smoke from them came to its maximum. This coincided with the arrival of the French, Sir, not long after we crossed the Alberche.”

  Picton looked at him, but made no sign of agreement with Carr.

  “Sir. I have no more questions for Captain Carravoy.”

  Picton moved his gaze.

  “General Perry.”

  Perry stood up, eagerness barely concealed.

  “So, Captain. As far as you are concerned, Major Carr here, made no mention of checking on Colonel Donkin’s Brigade?”

  Carravoy was now in turmoil. He could recall almost every word that he and Carr had exchanged on their way back, because almost all their conversations, each being wholly unpleasant to him, were generally memorable. He had pleaded loss of memory with Carr, but now he was being asked to lie.

  “I did not say that. He may have, he may not. I cannot recall. I had my own Grenadiers to worry about.”

  Perry’s shoulders sank slightly. This was setback. He tried a different approach

  “So, as far as you are concerned, Carr did not go to the 87th?”

  “I have no way of knowing. I hurried on. I was ahead of him.”

  Perry changed course again.

  “What was your impression of the readiness of the 105th when you arrived at your line.”

  Carravoy was not going to disparage his Regiment.

  “The men were cooking, but full equipped. They could have achieved a state of readiness in under a minute.”

  “Did you pass by the Light Company?”

  “Yes. They were the same as my Grenadiers.”

  “Which was?”

  “Fully equipped, but preparing food.”

  Perry tried one final time.

  “When the French attacked, they hit your Light Company first?”

  “Yes.”

  “And they were immediately forced back, being so unprepared?”

  “We all were, sooner or later. What happened with the Lights I cannot say. They were at the opposite end of our line to my Grenadiers.”

  Perry looked directly at Carravoy, more than a little angry, his mouth a thin line. Carravoy was giving evidence neither one way nor the other, so he gave up and turned away, annoyed, even betrayed, in his mind. Carravoy stood his place for a moment, and then returned to his seat. Picton looked at Carr.

  “Anything else?”

  Carr stood.

  “No, Sir.”

  “Perry?”

  Remaining sitting.

  “No, Sir.”

  Picton recovered his single piece of paper.

  “I’ll pronounce on both cases together. So, now, the next concern. Your conduct at Talavera, Carr.”

  Carr was still standing, now much encouraged. He thought that, so far, the Enquiry had gone well.

  “Yes, Sir, thank you. The point is this, that after the first French attack on the plain proper, the 1st and 2nd KGL, the 83rd and the 61st advanced forward, but were thrown back, in confusion. We were in reserve to these four Regiments. General Mackenzie brought us forward, but the 105th were required to hold a line that previously had been held by three Battalions. We could move neither right nor left. On the left was the biggest concern for there was nothing and would remain so until the 48th arrived. They had been ordered down to fill the gap. That was my position, there on the left. My concern was that they would not come far enough to us and if they did not, then there would be a dangerous gap, which the French could exploit. I hoped to persuade the 48th, when I saw them coming off the Medellin, to come as close to us as possible, to minimise that gap.”

  Picton nodded.

  “Very good. Who do you call?”

  “Captain Wilson, Sir. Grenadier Company, 1st 48th.”

  Wilson came forward from far back in the room and stood erect, awaiting questions. Carr began.

  “Captain
Wilson. You remember meeting me as you led the 48th onto the plain?”

  “I do.”

  “Please recount to us, what happened.”

  Wilson took a deep breath.

  “You arrived when we were still on our way. You were worried about the gap existing in our line. You asked if I could lead my men as close to yours as possible. I said yes and did so.”

  “And then? What did I do?”

  “You ran back the way you had come.”

  Carr smiled and sat down. Perry stood at the cue.

  “Captain. Describe Major Carr’s demeanour when he got to you.”

  “Demeanour, Sir?”

  “How did he appear, to you?”

  “Worried, Sir.”

  “And afraid?”

  “We all had some of that, Sir.”

  “And Carr, apologies, Major Carr, ran directly back?”

  “Yes. In the direction from which he had come.”

  “Did you see him regain the end of his line?”

  “No Sir. Too much smoke. There was a battery just ahead.”

  “Thank you.”

  Wilson looked at Picton to receive the nod to sit down. Carr turned to look back for his next witness.

  “Captain Sillery. Royal Horse Artillery.”

  Sillery came forward to stand the same spot as Wilson. Carr turned towards him.

  “Captain. Did you see me running up to meet the 48th?”

  “No Sir, I did not.”

  “So what did you see, of me, at that critical time?”

  “I only heard you when you came back, Sir. You said well done and something else that I could not catch.”

  “Thank you, Captain, that was my next question. Did I regain the left flank of my Battalion?”

  “You must have, Sir. It was but yards from my far right gun.”

  “Thank you, Captain.”

  Carr turned and sat down. Picton looked at Perry, who stood and approached Sillery.

  “Are you sure that it was Carr?”

  Sillery looked nonplussed.

  “As far as I can be, Sir.”

  “But he ran behind you, if it was him. You only heard a voice?”

  Sillery thought for a moment.

  “Yes Sir.”

  “So, can you be absolutely certain, with all the noise and the distractions that you had, that it was Carr who said, ‘Well done’?”

  “As certain as I can be, Sir.”

  “Well, Captain, it could really have been anyone, any Officer, could it not, impressed with the way that your battery was conducting itself?”

  Sillery stood in silence and did not answer.

  “So, you cannot be absolutely certain that Major Carr did return to his men?”

  “No Sir, not absolutely, no.”

  Carr was shocked and he looked at Drake, who was equally ill at ease. Calling Sillery as a witness had done more harm than good. Picton looked over.

  “Carr?”

  Carr shook his head and Sillery walked back after a wave of dismissal from Picton’s hand, then he again looked at Carr, who again shook his head. Picton then continued proceedings.

  “General Perry!”

  “Captain Lucius Tavender. 16th Light Dragoons.”

  Tavender strode forward, resplendent and sparkling in his Dragoon uniform. Perry began his questioning, now much encouraged.

  “Captain. Where were you during the final French attack?”

  “Behind Sillery’s battery. Supporting the 105th.”

  “Please tell us what you saw.”

  “I saw Major Carr running off to the left.”

  “Did you see him come back?”

  “No. I never saw again on that day!”

  Perry began consulting his papers, for no other reason than the fact that he wanted Tavender’s final words to dwell with the Court. Meanwhile Carr had recovered and regained a memory. He turned to Drake.

  “Get Saunders here. Do it yourself, I’ll need Ellis.”

  Drake stood and within seconds he was gone. Perry turned again to Tavender.

  “And Major Carr’s demeanour?”

  “He looked to me like a scared rabbit!”

  There were murmurs around the room as Perry sat down and Carr stood. He needed to create time for Saunders to arrive.

  “How many battles have you been in, Captain?”

  Tavender looked at Picton.

  “Must I answer that, Sir?”

  Picton’s eyes widened at the question.

  “Yes!”

  Tavender turned back to Carr.

  “Two, as we speak. Vimeiro and this one.”

  “But this was the first time that you were required to hold a line? I mean at Vimeiro you were part of that, er, less than successful cavalry charge, in which you almost lost your life?”

  A pause, as Tavender stared at him angrily, but made no reply.

  “So, you are saying, with this non-existent experience as it was at that time, that you can judge a man’s state of mind, as he runs off, along his army’s front?”

  No answer.

  “I mean, if a man were running away, actually past you on that occasion, you would be able to see fear in his face, but off to your left, amidst all the noise and smoke and hither and thither, and at a distance, you maintain that you can yet tell a man’s state of mind?”

  “I believe that one could make some kind of an accurate judgement!”

  “Hmmmm. How far back were you, Captain? I could recall Captain Sillery. He would know.”

  Tavender bridled at the idea that his word would need to be corroborated.

  “50 yards. Give or take.”

  “Thank you Captain. So, in a battle, from 50 yards you are able to come to such a conclusion as that.”

  Carr positioned himself to squarely face Tavender and speak with a heavy chill in his voice.

  “Well. I’ll tell you now, Captain, that I was afraid, and yes, terrified, but I was on my way to do my duty as a King’s Officer, that being to better fight the French by arranging our line.”

  Murmurs of approval could be heard, but Picton was now indignant.

  “That’s for the Court to decide, Carr, not you! Any more questions for this witness?”

  Carr turned to face him.

  “No Sir, but I would like to call Sergeant Ellis again to help clear up this point, that I did return to my Battalion and was standing with them at the conclusion.”

  Picton nodded and Ellis came forward again, passing by Tavender without a glance. Pengammon now stood.

  “I remind you Sergeant that you are still on Oath.”

  Ellis looked stonily at him, but replied.

  “Yes Sir.”

  He then turned to face Carr who asked his first question.

  “Sergeant. When the French finally fell back, what did the men around you begin to do?”

  Ellis thought for a moment. He had fully realised why he had been recalled; to prove that Carr had returned to his men, but what to say? Well, simply answer the question was his first thought.

  “They fixed bayonets and began to advance forward, Sir. They wanted at the French.”

  “And did they?”

  “No Sir.”

  “Who stopped them?”

  “You did, Sir.”

  “Did you see me?”

  “Yes Sir. On the end of our Company line.”

  “Had you not seen me, would you have known it was me?”

  “Yes Sir. I was your Company Sergeant for two years. I’d know your voice anywhere.”

  Carr sat down, and Perry stood.

  “Sergeant. You say you have served with Major Carr for two years?”

  “Yes Sir.”

  “And over that time you have built up a measure of loyalty towards him?”

  “Yes Sir. I’ve always been happy to be led by him in battle, Sir. Seven, if you counts in the siege at Scilla and crossin’ the Douro! Then there was the Retreat on top.”

  Ellis stared challengingly back at Perr
y. ‘Match that!’

  Perry took umbrage at being stared at so pointedly, but continued.

  “Loyalty over such a record, could lead you to say just about anything to protect your Officer. Could that not be so?”

  Ellis rose up to his full height, above Perry, such that Carr thought for a horrible second that Ellis was about to hit his questioner. Ellis had no great liking for Henry Carr, but he was an Officer who stood with his men, gave good, clear orders and knew the value of training as the best way to keep his men alive.

  “If you’m insinuatin’ that I could lie, then you can drop that straight away, Sir! I’ve served under nigh on a dozen Officers and Major Carr here, is as good as any, and better’n most. The truth is the truth and that’s what I’ve said to this Court! It all happened just as I’ve said.”

  Perry had involuntarily taken a step back from such a tirade and saw the danger in any more questions. Ellis now clearly had the Court on his side, so Perry turned abruptly and sat down. Picton waved Ellis back to his seat. Carr looked to the rear of the room, but still no Saunders, so he looked at Picton.

  “Can I recall Sillery, Sir?”

  Picton leaned forward.

  “Why?”

  “We had several conversations that day, Sir. Perhaps he could recognise my voice.”

  Picton sat back.

  “Denied.”

  Carr was frantically thinking for something else, when Saunders did enter.

  “Then, Sir, may I call Corporal Ezekiel Saunders of the 105th?”

  Picton nodded and the giant Saunders came forward, looking more than a little apprehensive. He had no idea why he was there, because it was not Drake who found him, but one of those recruited by Drake to try and find him. Carr began the moment after Saunders had taken the Oath.

  “Corporal. You recall the final moments of the Battle of Talavera?”

  “Sir.”

  “Where was I?”

  Saunders looked at him, highly puzzled.

  “Alongside me, Sir. Working a Baker rifle!”

  “How long was I there?”

  “Some time, Sir, after you’d come back. Don’t know where you went, Sir, but after you came back, it took a while to see ‘em off in that final set-to. I took a cartridge off you, the last one I fired. I’d run out.”

  “Thank you, Corporal.”

  He looked at Picton.

  “That’s me finished, Sir.”

  Picton looked at Perry, fiercely. He wanted no more questions and Perry took the hint and remained seated. Picton, having sat through a good hour, listening to all the witnesses, was now in no good mood. He wanted the affair ended and wasting no more of his valuable time. He sat forward, elbows on the desktop, now prepared to pronounce his judgement exactly as the words came to him. The first were none too gentle.