MARCHED to Escurial - Retreat to Salamanca - Disappointment of our soldiers at not being allowed to attack the enemy.
On the 27th October we quitted Lisbon, and marched to Abrantes, where we remained fourteen days. Then we marched to Camponia, and remained there for an order to enter Spain.
The first place we arrived at in Spain was Badajos where we were very kindly treated by the inhabitants and Spanish soldiers. We remained there about a fortnight, when the division commanded by General Sir John Hope, to which I belonged, received orders to march towards Madrid. We halted at Escurial, about seven leagues horn Madrid, and remained there five days; but were at length forced to retreat to Salamamca.
Two days before our arrival at Salamanca, we were forced to form ourselves into a square, to repel the attacks of the enemy; and in that position we remained all night. It was one of the severest nights of cold I ever endured in my life. At that time we wore long hair, formed into a club at the back of our heads. Mine was frozen to the ground in the morning; and, when I attempted to rise, my limbs refused to support me for some time. I felt the most excruciating pains over all my body, before the blood began to circulate.
We marched forty-seven miles this day, before encamping, and about nine miles to a town next morning, where the inhabitants were very kind to us. They brought out, into the market-place, large tubfuls of accadent, (a liquor much used in Spain), that we might take our pleasure of it; and every thing they had that we stood in need of. This day we were under the necessity of burying six guns, on account of the horses failing, being quite worn down by fatigue. The head-quarters of the army were at Salamanca. Our division was quartered three leagues from it, at Alva de Tormes.
On the 14th of December we advanced to a place called Torro. The roads were bad; the weather very severe; all around was covered with snow. Our fatigue was dreadful, and our sufferings almost more than we could endure.
On the 24th of December our head-quarters were at Sahagun. Every heart beat with joy. We were all under arms, and formed to attack the enemy. Every mouth breathed hope: "We will beat them to pieces, and have our ease, and enjoy ourselves," said my comrades. I even preferred any short struggle however severe, to the dreadful way of life we were, at this time, pursuing. With heavy hearts we received orders to retire to our quarters: "And won't we be allowed to fight? sure we'd beat them," said an Irish lad near me; "by Saint Patrick, we beat them so easy, the General means to march us to death, and fight them after!"
Next morning we fell back upon Majorga, on the road to Benevente.
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