ARRIVAL at Corunna - Destruction of our horses on the beach - Battle of Corunna - Noble conduct of the Spaniards - Arrival in England, and kindness of the people - Sails with the expedition to Walcheren - Description of the bombardment of Flushing -Sally under Colonel Pack into one of the enemy's batteries - Takes the fever, and is sent back to England - Melancholy Discovery at the hospital.
We arrived at Corunna on the 11th January 1809. How shall I describe my sensations at the first sight of the ocean! I felt all my former despondency drop from my mind. My galled feet trode lighter on the icy road. Every face near me seemed to brighten up. Britain and the Sea are two words which cannot be disunited. The sea and home appeared one and the same. We were not cast down at there being no transports or ships of war there. They had been ordered to Vigo, but they were hourly expected.
On the 13th, the French made their appearance on the opposite side of the river Mero. They took up a position near a village called Perillo, on the left bank, and occupied the houses along the river. We could perceive their numbers hourly increasing.
On the 14th, they commenced a cannonade on our position; but our artillery soon forced them to withdraw their guns, and fall back. On this day, our friends, the tars, made their appearance; and all was bustle, preparing for embarkation. The whole artillery was embarked, save seven six-pounders and one howitzer, which were placed in line, and four Spanish guns, which were kept as a reserve. Our position was such, that we could not use many guns. The sick and dismounted cavalry were sent on board with all expedition. I supported my friend Donald, who was now very weak, and almost blind.
On my return to the camp, I witnessed a most moving scene. The beach was covered with dead horses, and resounded with the reports of the pistols that were carrying this havoc amongst them. The animals, as if warned by the dead bodies of their fellows, appeared frantic, neighed and screamed in the most frightful manner. Many broke loose, and galloped alongst the beach, with their manes erect, and their mouths wide open.
Our preparations continued until the 16th, when every thing was completed, and we were to begin our embarkation at four o'clock. About mid-day we were all under arms, when intelligence arrived that the French were advancing. We soon perceived them pouring down upon our right wing; our advanced picquets had commenced firing. The right had a bad position; yet, if we lost it, our ruin was inevitable. Lord William Bentinck's brigade, composed of the 4th, 42d, and 50th, had the honour of sustaining it, against every effort of the French, although the latter had every advantage in numbers and artillery. They commenced a heavy fire, from eleven great guns placed in a most favourable manner on the hill. Two strong columns advanced, on the right wing; the one along the road, the other skirting its edges: a third advanced, on the centre; a fourth approached slowly, on the left ; while a fifth remained half way down the hill, in the same direction, to take advantage of the first favourable moment. It was at this time that Sir David Baird had his arm shattered. The space between the two lines was much intercepted by stone walls and hedges. It was perceived by Sir John Moore, as the two lines closed, that the French extended a considerable way beyond the right flank of the British; and a strong body of them were seen advancing up the valley, to turn it. One half of the fourth was ordered to fall back, and form an obtuse angle with the other half. This was done as correctly as could be wished, and a severe flanking fire commenced upon the advancing French. The 50th, after climbing over an enclosure, got right in front of the French, charged, and drove them out of the village Elvina. In this charge they lost Major Napier, who was wounded and made prisoner. Major Stanhope was mortally wounded. Sir John was at the head of every charge. Every thing was done under his own eye. "Remember Egypt!" said he; and the 42d drove all before them, as the gallant 50th had done. The Guards were ordered to there support. Their ammunition being all spent, through some mistake, they were falling back: "Ammunition is coming, you have your bayonets," said Sir John. This was enough; onwards they rushed, overturning every thing. The enemy kept up their hottest fire upon the spot where they were. It was at this moment Sir John received his death-wound. He was borne off the field by six soldiers of the 42d, and the Guards. We now advanced to the support of the right, led by Lord Paget. Colonel Beckwith, with the Rifle corps, pushed all before him, and nearly took one of their cannon; but a very superior column forced him to retire. Lord Paget, however, repulsed this column, and dispersed every thing before him; when, the left wing of the French being quite exposed, they withdrew and attacked our centre, under Mannington and Leith; but this position being good, they were easily repulsed. They likewise failed in every attempt on our left. A body of them had got possession of a village on the road to Betanzos, and continued to fire, under cover of it, till dislodged by Lieutenant-colonel Nicholls. Shortly after this, night put a period to the battle of Corunna.
At ten o'clock, General Hope ordered the army to march off the field by brigades, leaving strong picquets to guard the embarkation. I remained in the rear-guard, commanded by Major-General Beresford, occupying the lines in front of Corunna. We had made great fires, and a few of the freshest of our men were left to keep them up, and run round them, to deceive the enemy.
At dawn there was little to embark, save the rear-guard and the reserve, commanded by Major-General Hill, who had occupied a promontory behind Corunna. We were scarcely arrived on the beach, ere the French began to fire upon the transports in the harbour, from the heights of St Lucia. Then all became a scene of confusion. Several of the masters of the transports cut their cables. Four of the transports ran ashore. Not having time to get them off, we were forced to burn them. The ships of war soon silenced the French guns, and we saw no more of them. There was no regularity in our taking the boats. The transport that I got to, had part of seven regiments on board.
The Spaniards are a courageous people: the women waved their handkerchiefs to us from the rocks, whilst the men manned the batteries against the French, to cover our embarkation. Unmindful of themselves, they braved a superior enemy, to assist a friend who was unable to afford them further relief, whom they had no prospect of ever seeing again.
Secure within the wooden walls, bad as our condition was, I felt comparatively happy in being so fortunate as to be on board the same vessel with Donald. In relieving his wants, I felt less my own, and was less teased by the wit and ribaldry of my fellow-sufferers; who, now that they were regularly served with provisions, and exempt from the fatigues of marching and the miseries of cold, were as happy, in their rags and full bellies, as any men in England.
For two days after we came on board, I felt the most severe pains through my whole body: the change was so great, from the extreme cold of the winter nights, which we had passed almost without covering, to the suffocating heat of a crowded transport. This was not the most disagreeable part: vermin began to abound. We had not been without them in our march: but now we had dozens for one we had then. In vain we killed them; they appeared to increase from the ragged and dirty clothes, of which we had no means of freeing ourselves. Complaint was vain. Many were worse than myself: I had escaped without a wound; and, thank God! though I had not a shirt upon my back, I had my health, after the two first days, as well as ever I had it.
On the morning of the tenth day after our embarkation, I was condoling with Donald, who was now quite blind. "I will never be a soldier again, O Thomas! I will be nothing but Donald the blind man. Had I been killed, - if you had left me to die in Spain - it would have been far better to have lain still in a wreath of now [sic], than be, all my life, a blind beggar, a burden on my friends. Oh! if it would please God to take my life from me!" - "Land a head! Old England once again!" was called from mouth to mouth. Donald burst into tears: "I shall never see Scotland again; it is me that is the poor dark man!" A hundred ideas rushed upon my mind, and overcame me. Donald clasped me to his breast; - our tears flowed uninterrupted.
We anchored that same day at Plymouth, but were not allowed to land. Our Colonel kept us on board until we got new clothing. Upon our landing, the people came round us, showing all manner of kindness, carrying the lame and leading the blind. We were received into every house as if we had been their own relations. How proud did I feel to belong to such a people!
We were marched to Ashford barracks, in the county of Kent, where we remained from the month of February, 1809, until we were marched to Gosport camp, where the army was forming for a secret expedition. During the five weeks we lay in camp, Donald joined us in good health and spirits. All the time I lay at Ashford, I had letters regularly from my mother, which whiled away the time.
We sailed from the Downs on the 28th of July, and reached Flushing in thirty hours, where we landed without opposition. Our regiment was the first that disembarked. We were brigaded, alongst within the 68th and 85th regiments, under the command of Major-General De Rollenburgh. Here, again, as in South America, I was forced to work in the trenches, in forming the batteries against Flushing.
On the night of the 7th of August, the French sallied out upon our works, but were quickly forced back, with great loss. They were so drunk, many of them, that they could not defend themselves; neither could they run away: we, in fact, gave up the pursuit; our hearts would not allow us to kill such helpless wretches, a number of whom could not even ask for mercy.
On the evening of the 10th, we had a dreadful storm of thunder and rain. At the same time, the French Governor opened the sluices, and broke down the sea-dikes, when the water poured in upon us, and we were forced to leave the trenches. However, on the 13th, in the evening, we commenced a dreadful fire upon the town, from the batteries, and vessels in the harbour, which threw bombs and rockets on one side, whilst the batteries plyed them with round shot on the other. I was stunned and bewildered by the noise; the bursting of bombs and falling of chimneys, all adding to the incessant roar of the artillery. The smoke of the burning houses and guns, formed altogether a scene not to be remembered but with horror, which was increased, at every cessation from firing (which was very short), by the piercing shrieks of the inhabitants, the wailings of distress, and howling of dogs. The impression was such as can never be effaced. After night fell, the firing ceased, save from the mortar batteries. The noise was not so dreadful: the eye was now the sense that conveyed horror to the mind. The enemy had set fire to Old Flushing, whilst the New Town was kept burning by the shells and rockets. The dark flare of the burning, the reflection on the water and sky, made all the space, as far as the eye could reach, appear an abyss of fire. The faint tracts of the bombs, and luminous train of the rockets, darting towards, and falling into the flames, conveyed an idea to my mind so appalling, that I turned away and shuddered.
This night, our regiment was advanced a good way in front, upon a sea-dike, through which the enemy had made a cut, to let the water in upon our works. Towards midnight, when the tide was ebb, Colonel Pack made a sally into one of the enemy's batteries. We crossed the cut in silence; Colonel Pack entered first, and struck off the sentinel's head at one blow. We spiked their guns, after a severe brush. At the commencement, as I leaped into the works, an officer seized my firelock before I could recover my balance, and was in the act to cut me down; the sword was descending, when the push of a bayonet forced him to the ground. It was Donald, who fell upon us both. I extricated myself as soon as possible, rose, and fell to work; there was no time to congratulate. The enemy had commenced a heavy fire upon us, and we were forced to retire with forty prisoners. We lost a great number of men killed, wounded, and missing. Donald was amongst the latter, but joined in the morning.
Next morning, Monnet surrendered, and we marched into Flushing, scarce a house of which had escaped; all was a scene of death and desolation.
The wet and fatigue of the last few days had made me ill. I was scarce able to stand, yet I did not report myself sick. I thought it would wear off. Next night I was upon guard. The night was clear and chill; a thin white vapour seemed to extend around as far as I could see; the only parts free from it were the sand heights. It covered the low place where we lay, and was such as you see early in the morning, before the sun is risen, but more dense. I felt very uncomfortable in it; my two hours I thought never would expire; I could not breathe with freedom. Next morning I was in a burning fever, at times; at other times, trembling and chilled with cold: I was unfit to rise, or walk upon my feet. The surgeon told me, I had taken the country disorder, I was sent to the hospital; my disease was the same as that of which hundreds were dying. My spirits never left me; a ray of hope would break in upon me, the moment I got ease, between the attacks of this most severe malady.
I was sent, with many others, to Braeburnlees, where I remained eight weeks ill - very ill indeed. All the time I was in the hospital, my soul was oppressed by the distresses of my fellow-sufferers, and shocked at the conduct of the hospital men. Often have I seen them fighting over the expiring bodies of the patients, their eyes not yet closed in death, for articles of apparel that two had seized at once: cursing and oaths mingling with the dying groans and prayers of the poor sufferers. How dreadful to think, as they were carried from each side of me, it might be my turn next! There was none to comfort, none to give a drink of water, with a pleasant countenance. I had now time to reflect with bitterness on my past conduct; here I learned the value of a parent's kindness.
I had been unable to write since my illness, and I longed to tell my mother where I was, that I might hear from her. I crawled along the wall of the hospital to the door, to see if I could find one more convalescent than myself, to bring me paper. I could not trust the hospital men with the money. To see the face of heaven, and breathe the pure air, was a great inducement to this difficult exertion. I feebly, and with anxious joy, pushed up the door! horrid moment, dreadful sight! Donald lay upon the barrow, at the stair-head, to be carried to the dead-room; his face was uncovered, and part of his body naked. The light forsook my eyes, I became dreadfully sick, and fell upon the body. When I recovered again, there was a vacancy of thought, and incoherence of ideas, that remained with me for some time; and it was long before I could open a door without feeling an unpleasant sensation.
When I became convalescent, I soon recovered my wonted health. The regiment arrived at Braeburnless upon Christmas day; and I commenced my duties as a soldier. By the death of Donald, I had again, become a solitary individual; nor did I again form a friendship, while we lay here, which was until May 1810; at which time we got the route for Deal. We remained there until the month of September, when an order came for a draught of 600 men, for service in Portugal; of which number I was one.
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