Chapter I: Preface: TO

THE FIRST EDITION.

So many Lives of Soldiers have already been written, and by abler pens than mine, and so many tales have arisen out of the chequered scenes of the late Peninsular War, and the short existence of the British Legion, that I dare not be very sanguine of creating for my work any great degree of interest.

But every man’s life is a volume of change, felt and expressed according to his peculiar dispositions and feelings, which are as varied under a military as they can be under a civil life. Could the never to be forgotten Tom Crawley but give his own detail!—could Long Tom of Lincoln, once one of the smartest of our regiment, now the forlorn bone-picker of Knightsbridge, but pen his own eventful track—could Wilkie, Hetherington, Plunket, and many others of those humbler heroes, conquerors in such well-contested fields as Rodrigo, Badajoz, Salamanca, and Waterloo, &c., whose exploits form the principal attractions in this volume, and whose stubborn spirits and perforated bodies formed key-stones for the fame of our immortal Wellington, whose standard might have found a sandy support but for the individual bravery of the soldiers of his invincible divisions: could they but recount their varied casts of fortune—who would fail to read their histories and help to rear a cypress to their memories?

With these considerations, I send this volume forth, trusting that the reader will bear in mind that he who wrote it was both actor and spectator in the scenes he has narrated, and feels assured that by their perusal, he will be enabled to guess at what is generally felt and experienced by the individual soldier.

In the British Legion I held a medium rank. I saw not only what its soldiers were, but caught a glance at their officers: with them my military career flickered out its last moments of existence. Its brighter fortunes, short as they were, however, gave me sufficient opportunity to value those unfortunate men—my humbler comrades, and to be convinced by their deeds, that the British soldier, with sickness, oppression, the lash, and other distresses, still possessed his old spirit, and was as fitted to reap laurels as he had been in more glorious times.

EDWARD COSTELLO.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

Introduction of myself to the reader—To the service—Who would not be a
Soldier?—A recruit—Wilkie—Cupid’s Row-dow—The service endangered by
another—Arrival at Liverpool—I am made prisoner, but not by the
French—Recaptured by our sergeant—Lichfield round-house—St. Paul’s—I
join my regiment, and the regiment joins us—Great numbers of rank and
file burnt alive 1

CHAPTER II.

I join Captain O’Hare’s company—He falls in a passion—The “fair” and
“unfair” appointment—Disappointment—Things of a private nature—Tom
Crawley—An example—The Hero—How to catch “flats” in “squads”—New way
to tap a barrel—A Rifleman’s plan for sweeping chimneys and
tap-rooms—Pipe-clay and parade—The regiment embark for Portugal 6

CHAPTER III.

Tom Plunket’s Military Career 11

CHAPTER IV.

Arrival in Portugal—Crauford’s forced marches—Teetotalism with a
vengeance—The effect of the opposite extreme—Spanish mode of keeping a
man from stealing wine—False reports—Talavera—We arrive the day after
the fight—A battle scene—Sir Arthur Wellesley—General Cuesta—Dough Boy
Hill—The fever—I am taken ill—Elvas hospital—How to cure a
fever—Convalescence—Burial scenes—Our Sextons—March to my regiment—The
Germans—Pig-skins in danger, our own also—Captain Pakenham—Hanging
matters—Two dozen of each—Not sham pain—German discipline 19

CHAPTER V.

Old Trowsers—Sleeping and waking—O’Hare again—Colonel Beckwith—Two upon
one—Meagher—Barba del Puerco—General Crauford taken by surprise—The
Portuguese incorporation with the light division—Rodrigo—Gallegos—The
Beacon night scenes on picquet—Lord Wellington—Napoleon’s
Marriage—Crauford’s stratagem—The French spy—We retreat to Fort
Conception 28

CHAPTER VI.

Villa de Mula—Night expedition to Villa de Puerco—Both parties
retire—Death of Colonel Talbot—A soldier’s grave—The effects of a
miscarriage—Fort Conception blown up—A mistake and no mistake—Another
mistake, a ball in the right knee—The bridge over the Coa—A friend in
need, a friend indeed—Charity abroad and at home—A surgeon’s advice—A
blessing—A cough, an uncomfortable companion—Spanish apathy—We arrive
at Fraxedas 34

CHAPTER VII.

Mondego—The Coimbra—Figueras—The maggots—Lisbon—Battle of Busaco—Retreat
to Torres Vedras—Lord Wellington’s generalship—Belem—Jack ashore and
Jonathan also—Yankey and Lankey—Billy M’Nabb—The Highland kite and
Lowland tail—Josh. Hetherington—Sperum Poco—Portuguese
piety—Aruda—Doing what the enemy left undone—Tom Crawley again—In
state—A hot berth—Our enemies laugh at Tom in his glory 41

CHAPTER VIII.

The enemy retire upon Santarem—We retire upon Vallée—The bridge over the
Rio Mayor—The French out-lying sentries—Their camp ground—Comparative
quietude—The still—Escape from assassination—Tom Crawley’s
ghost-story—The “Death and Glory men”—The charms of a Brunswickian
appetite—Their desertions—Sergeant Fleming—His court-martial—We meet
our enemies on the water and contend—A comment on both sides 50

CHAPTER IX.

General Crauford leaves for England—Sir William Erskine takes the
command—Mounseer Strauss—We enter Santarem—Scenes of horror—Mile
posts of the “grande armée”—Retaliations of the Portuguese—Two
upon one—Pombal—Smart work—German gallantry—Auction—A new
division—Redinha—An accident—Long Tom of Lincoln—The deserter—A
return of favours 58

CHAPTER X.

Our march upon Condeixa—Tom Crawley again—Hot and cold—Affair of Casal
Nova—Death of Major Stewart—The French continue retreating—The two
brothers—Night scene—The French continue their havoc—The Caçadore—The
pet goat—Lord Wellington again—Our old Colonel—The promise of the
Staff—The Recruits—British enthusiasm inspired—The two French
prisoners—Particulars of Massena’s retreat and state of his troops—St.
Patrick’s Day—If I had a donkey—The river Caira—Our distressing
privations—O’Brien and the old Patrone—Arrival at Friexedas—Adjutant
Stewart killed—Sabugal—Carrying of the enemy’s position—Encomiums of
our Colonel—Death of Lieut. Arbuthnot—Disagreeable bed-fellow—A light
on the subject—Evacuation of Portugal by the French, Almeida
excepted—The British follow into Spain—Arrival at Gallegos—The enemy
active in Rodrigo—The skulker—Poor Burke—Expedition and disappointment
in search of a convoy 66

CHAPTER XI.

Our advance videttes, and the French cavalry—Manœuvring in front of
Villa Formosa—The Suttler and the Dragoons—Sergeant-Major
Sharp—Morning of the 5th May—General Crauford returns—Portuguese
welcome—Fuentes d’Onor—French Dragoon challenges to single
combat—Retreat on Navez d’Aver—Charges of cavalry—A deep game by the
French—Squaring it with the enemy—The 79th Highlanders—A prisoner
against his will—The French sentry and General Crauford—The Light
Dragoons again—Sergeant-Major Sharp again—Scene of discipline—That
lash disappointed—The German fratricide 77

CHAPTER XII.

Almeida closely invested by the fifth division, but not close
enough—Evacuation by the French—Suicide of the Colonel of the
4th—Sabugal—We cross the Coa—The comet—Much ado about nothing—Tom
Crawley’s fears—March through Castello Branco—Portalegre, &c.,
to Campo Mayor—Tom Crawley poisoned—Blockade of Ciudad
Rodrigo—Atalaya—Hunting excursion with the Staff—Our third battalion
joins us—Colonel Barnard—Tommy Searchfield—Middy ashore—Deficiency of
rations—A new arrival—His adventure—Spanish spite—The pigs—Rodrigo
relieved by the French—Our division—We rejoin the army—Battle of El
Bodon—We return to Guinaldo—Again invest Rodrigo—January, 1812—Fort
Piquerine stormed—The stripping of the prisoners by the Portuguese—Tom
Crawley again—Cure for a skulk 86

CHAPTER XIII.

Cold reception—Preparation to storm Rodrigo—I join the
“Forlorn-Hope”—The breaches—General Crauford killed—Uniacke mortally
wounded—Major Napier wounded—Taking of the town—A rough
customer—Wilkie again—Death of Wilkie—A gift—The left breach after the
battle—Wilkie’s grave—Horrors of a storm—This is my niece, Sir—The
right breach—Captain Uniacke—The Light Division leave Rodrigo in
disguise—Who the devil are those fellows?—We enter El Bodon 94

CHAPTER XIV.

Burial of General Crauford—Anecdote of Ladrone! Ladrone!—Corporal
Miles—Burial of Uniacke—A French seat of honour in jeopardy—A wolf! a
wolf!—Deserters shot—Scene of execution—March to Castello de Vide
across the Tagus—Execution of Corporal Arnal for desertion—Badajoz—A
man dreaming of his head being off with his head on; singular
fulfilment—Tom Crawley’s dislike to conchology—His alarms—The Duke of
Wellington saluted by the enemy—Remarkable feature of the case—A
French curative or an ill-wind, &c. 102

CHAPTER XV.

Storming of Badajoz—I join the Forlorn-Hope again—Presentiments of Major
O’Hare and Captain Jones—Their deaths—The stormers—The Ladder-men—I am
wounded—The French prisoner—O’Brien—Sacking of the town—Scene of
horror—Reflections—The Duke of Wellington and his men—Johnny Castles
introduced with a rope round his neck—The drummer-boy—A firelock goes
off, and so does a Corporal—I return to the camp—Casualties at
Badajoz—The French prisoner and a new acquaintance—His account of the
evacuation of Almeida—His opinion of the British soldiers 114

CHAPTER XVI.

I recover from my wounds and rejoin my regiment at Ituera—“Nine
holes”—March for Salamanca—Sergeant Battersby—The grenadier and
the murder of his wife, &c., &c.—Marmont out-manœuvred—Assault
of Fort St. Vincent—Retreat of the enemy—We arrive at Rueda—The
wine-vaults—My descent into one—Fright, &c.—Manœuvring of the
two armies—Skirmishing—A gallant Frenchman—Pratt and his
prisoner 126

CHAPTER XVII.

Battle of Salamanca—My wounds break out afresh—I go into the Hospital at
Salamanca—The Germans and their prisoners—A recognition—Michael
Connelly—His death and burial—Josh. Hetherington again—A new
acquaintance—His accounts of the Guerillas, &c.—A keepsake for a
sweetheart—The Guerilla—The army retrace their steps to
Salamanca—Proceed to Rodrigo—Heavy wet—Spanish payment;
acknowledgment—A dry coat—Lord Charles Spencer and his acorns—We
continue our march—The babes in the wood—Hard skirmishing with the
enemy’s advanced-guard—A woman in distress—Pepper—Hunger, cold, and
fatigue—Finish of the Burgos retreat 133

CHAPTER XVIII.

Head-quarters at Grenalda—Don Julian Sanchez, the celebrated Guerilla
Chief—Weakness of our numbers—Incorporation of Spaniards into our
regiments—A thief—Punishment of, and opinion of the men—General orders
for a collection among the men and officers to relieve Russian
losses—A ball, in which thousands were present—Campaign of 1813
commenced—The Life Guards and the Blues join us—The French retreat to
Burgos—Secret expedition for bread—Our surprise—Retreat—General Sir
Lowry Cole—His temple spectacles made use of to reconnoitre—Our
escape—A few remarks—Three alternatives—A cavalry affair on the 18th
June—German brotherhood again 144

CHAPTER XIX.

We encamp near Puebla, on the road to Vittoria—Battle of Vittoria—A man
obliged to hold his jaw—Affair of Bayonets—The 88th—Blanco—Daly—French
defeated—A prisoner rescued—The carriage of Joseph Napoleon—His wife,
&c.—His bâton—A prise—Attempt to rob me—Sergeant Lee—Night scenes
after the battle—The sale of the spoils—I distribute my money for
safety—We march on Salvatierra—Halt at Pampeluna—Another brush
wanted—Lesaca—The enemy on the heights of Santa Barbara dislodged—The
French attempt to relieve Pampeluna—The Bidassoa—The French too late
for the “fare”—We also—A race back by way of “hurry”—The Regiment’s
birth-day—Sergeant Fawfoot’s loss and re-instalment—My treasure—My
comrade—His good faith—Siege and storm of San Sebastian—The four
hundred gallant Frenchmen—Their charge and escape—The 52nd and their
badges—Remarks, &c. 153

CHAPTER XX.

We encamp on the banks of the Bidassoa—Scenes on the water-edge—A narrow
escape with a lady in question,“Ah, there’s the rub”—Tom Crawley and
the biscuits—Our third battalion carry the heights of Vera—The French
camp, “the last of the French”—The Pyrenees—The mountain father—Up
hill and down dale—The battle of the Nivelle—Manly and Spanish
affection—Blanco again—His gallantry—Tom Crawley—A hug from a granny
dear—The last struggle—Crawley’s departure—A tear for Tom—A reel—St.
Jean de Lus—The French endeavour to make a stand—Colonel Sir Andrew
Barnard wounded—Death messengers fly fast 168

CHAPTER XXI.

9th December—Our picquets driven in—We are nearly outflanked—We retire—A
rally under the eye of Wellington—Lieutenant Hopwood and Sergeant
Brotherwood killed—Excellent feeling between the French and English
soldiers—Consequent General Order—Johnny Castles in the
advance—Picquet-house—Murder at Tarbes—Blanco again—Collection made
for the widow—Battle of Toulouse—“Amende Honorable”—We encamp on the
banks of the Garonne—“Fall in”—The Spaniards make a mistake—General
Picton rectifies it—The enemy retreat into Toulouse—They evacuate the
town—French leave—Theatre of Toulouse—“A Rifleman on the look
out.” 176

CHAPTER XXII.

We continue to pursue the enemy on their retreat—Halted on the second
day—A carriage brings Soult and peace—French troops disbanded—Friendly
intercourse with our men—Castle Sarazin—Our men prefer the ground for
a bed, in preference to a feather one—The French sergeant—The
invitation—Parade—The dinner—Farewell to the Spaniards and
Portuguese—Cupid enlisting deserters—Poor Blanco—Embarkation for
England—The ‘Ville de Paris’—The sergeant in hope of a wife—Arrival at
Portsmouth—The sergeant in search of a wife—Their meeting and
parting 182

CHAPTER XXIII.

Quartered in Dover—Receive our new clothing, &c.—May, 1815—Receive
orders to embark for Ostend—We arrive safe—Bruges—Ghent—Brussels—15th
of June—Belong to the fifth division under General Picton—Descend the
wood of Soignies to Waterloo—Duke of Wellington arrives from
Brussels—Battle of Waterloo—I receive a wound in my right hand,
shatters one of my fingers—Return to Brussels—The pretty
house-keeper—The child—Its dead mother—Genappe—Scenes on the road to
Brussels—Arrival at Brussels—Numbers of wounded in the
streets—Kindness and attention of the Brussels’ ladies—The fair
surgeon 189

CHAPTER XXIV.

Brussels’ hospitals—The British and French soldiers under amputation—I
lose my finger—Another loss also—I leave the hospital and am removed
to the Provost Guard—The Belgian marauders bared to the skin—The point
of honour—Sensation produced on their comrades—The Belgian regiment
under arms—Guard-house surrounded—Narrow escape—Removal of the
Belgians—Assassination of a French Count by a Cossack officer—Medals
sent from England—Consequent dissensions—Poor Wheatley—Quarters at
Mouvres—Augustine—An old acquaintance—A rival—Augustine leaves her
father’s house—Pursued—Her father’s despair—Removal to Cambray—The
regiment receives orders to embark for England—We part 197

CHAPTER XXV.

Disembark at Dover—Shorn Cliff Barracks—I am Invalided, and pass the
Board at Chelsea—Augustine’s arrival—Sixpence a day—Sir Andrew
Barnard—Sir David Dundas—My hopeless condition—Blood money—The
Honourable Doctor Wellesley—Mr. Walsford—Augustine returns with me to
France—I retrace my steps alone to Calais—To Dover—Dreadful extremes—A
new field for practice—A friend in need—Another “Forlorn-Hope”—Colonel
Ford—A Rifleman without an appetite—Death of Augustine 207

CHAPTER XXVI.

I enter the British Legion as Lieutenant—I raise a regiment of
Riflemen—Appoint the non-commissioned officers—Recruiting
districts—The peer and the dustmen—General Evans thanks—Embark at
Gravesend—Voyage across the Bay of Biscay—Arrival in Spain—We land at
Portugaletta—Pat’s logic—Spanish sentries shoot a man by mistake—A bad
omen—Men confined for not wearing that which they never had—Modern
rifle officers—Colonel de Rottenburgh—Legion officers classified—Fine
appearance of the men—Rifles march to Zorossa—Head quarters at
Bilboa—Bad quarters of the men—Severe drills—Bad beginning—The men
begin to droop through ill-treatment—“Cats” indiscriminately
used—Lieutenant Robinson drowned 213