Vittoria 1813 by Ian Fletcher

Author:Ian Fletcher
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Vittoria 1813: Wellington sweeps the French from Spain
ISBN: 9781782001959
Publisher: Osprey Publishing

Meanwhile, Picton, the fiery Welshman, sat on his horse waiting for orders. The ensuing story is well known but is worth repeating for it gives us a wonderful portrait of Picton and his own inimitable approach to warfare. Apparently, Picton grew more and more impatient for orders as the early afternoon wore on, the more so since he could plainly see events unfolding on the heights of Puebla, away to the south. At length, an aide arrived and, riding up to Picton, enquired as to the whereabouts of Lord Dalhousie. An exasperated Picton replied that he did not know, and he asked the aide whether there were any orders for him. “None,” replied the aide, at which an increasingly angry Picton cried, “Then pray, sir, what are the orders you do bring?” “Why, that as soon as Lord Dalhousie, with the seventh division, shall commence an attack upon that bridge,” said the aide, pointing to the bridge of Mendoza, “the Fourth and Light are to support him.” Picton was astonished by the statement and could not conceive of the idea of any other division fighting in front of his own. After all, the 3rd Division was not called the ‘fighting’ division for nothing. Drawing himself up in his saddle, Picton growled at the aide-de-camp and said simply, “You may tell Lord Wellington from me, sir, that the Third Division, under my command, shall in less than ten minutes attack the bridge and carry it, and the Fourth and Light divisions may support if they choose.” Turning to his men, he shouted, “Come on, ye rascals! Come on ye fighting villains!” and led them off to attack the bridge. It was to be one of the turning points of the battle.

Unlike the bridges at Gamarra Mayor and Durana, which were heavily defended and swept by French guns, the bridge over the Zadorra was relatively unguarded, save for 500 of Avy’s cavalry and three guns. These were no match for Picton’s veterans, and soon the 3rd Division was bearing down upon the bridge with Brisbane’s brigade leading and Colville’s heading for a ford about 300 yards to the east. The passage of the river was far from easy, however, with the mounted chasseurs of the 27th Regiment, the 28th Line and 2nd Nassauers under Darmagnac disputing the way. These were supported by German artillery, and it was only when Picton brought forward Captain Douglas’s brigade of artillery that Brisbane’s men, the 1/45th, 74th and 1/88th with three companies of the 5/60th, were able to sweep across the bridge, while Kempt’s riflemen advanced from their knoll to help drive away both the cavalry and artillery. With Brisbane, Colville and Kempt safely across the Zadorra, followed by Power’s Portuguese brigade, Wellington had established a crucial foothold on the French-held side of the river. Soon afterwards Cole’s 4th Division crossed the Zadorra at Nanclares, and Vandeleur’s brigade of the Light Division crossed at Villodas. The noose was beginning to tighten around Joseph’s neck.

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