The Peninsula Years by D. S. Richards

Author:D. S. Richards [Richards, D. S.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: History, Modern, 19th Century
ISBN: 9781783400478
Google: q2LNDwAAQBAJ
Publisher: Casemate Publishers
Published: 2008-10-20T03:19:46+00:00

The prospect of a battle quickened the pace of the 1/7th and Cooper noted that the men “were now wide awake and roused in earnest”. Few of them regarded the darkening sky with any sense of foreboding, however, but as the battalion halted to await further orders, a heavy rainstorm, preceded by a roll of thunder, swept across the hill. It was to have a profound effect on the ability of the 48th Foot to defend itself as it advanced to the support of the Spaniards.

Marshal Beresford, who now appreciated that Soult's real objective was to turn his right flank, responded to the threat by sending aides galloping furiously southward with orders for General Blake to change his front by drawing his men back at an angle to the main position and form a new line of defence. The hard-pressed Spaniards did their best to comply with this difficult manoeuvre as the voltigeurs, skirmishing ahead of Girard's main columns, harassed the Spanish line to great effect.

Meanwhile, screened by cavalry on each flank, a concentrated mass 8,000 strong, directed by General Jean Baptiste Girard, advanced resolutely against Beresford's right wing. Against this onslaught the Spaniards began to waver and, to assist them, Colborne's brigade from General Stewart's 2nd Division was sent to outflank the French column and shatter it with rolling volleys of lateral fire.

“Just as our line had entirely cleared the Spaniards,” wrote Moyle-Sherer, “the smoky shroud of battle was, by the slackening of the fire, for one minute blown aside, and gave to our view the French Grenadier caps, their arms, and the whole aspect of their frowning masses.” Even at this stressful moment as a further blaze of musketry erupted, Sherer found time to admire the martial bearing of his enemy. “It was a momentary, but a grand sight,” he added approvingly.

Four of Colborne's battalions wheeled into line, but scarcely had they time to discharge more than one volley before the curtain of rain which had soaked the Fusiliers reached them, rendering paper cartridges and powder virtually useless.

The thick mist and swirling clouds of smoke had allowed the 2nd Hussars and a strong contingent of the 1st Lancers of the Vistula to sweep round the right wing of Colborne's brigade unobserved, and now, as his troops stood for the most part defenceless, they heard a noise which infantrymen dreaded above all others – a drumming sound from hundreds of charging horsemen. The alarmed redcoats had little time to form a defensive square, the one formation in which they stood any chance of resisting a cavalry charge, and, because most of the muskets had been rendered useless by the rainstorm, three brigades were cut to pieces in less than five minutes.

“There was nothing left for it but to run,” confessed Ensign Edward Close of the 48th Foot. “In my flight I was knocked down by some fugitive like myself, who, I suppose, was struck by a shot. Whilst on the ground I was ridden over by a number of

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