A British Rifle Man. Simmons George
the campaign was on 10th March, when General Férey endeavoured to surprise the Light Division by a night attack on the bridge of Barba del Puerco; this was held by the 95th Rifles, who drove back the French with heavy loss.
Craufurd maintained his position on the Agueda for four months after this, but in July, Ney with 30,000 troops advanced on Almeida, and Craufurd elected to stand and fight him with the Coa River behind him, and being vigorously attacked by overwhelming forces, withdrew with great difficulty and with heavy loss. The fortress of Almeida shortly afterwards fell into the hands of the French, and Massena advanced on the line of the Mondego with the object of driving the British army out of the country. Wellington, however, barred his advance at Busaco, and a sanguinary battle was fought, in which the French were worsted. Massena, finding he could not force the position at Busaco, manœuvred to his right and threatened Wellington's line of retreat, and the latter fell back to his prepared defences of Torres Vedras.
CHAPTER III
Campaign of 1810
Journal—1st January-27th February 1810
March from Coimbra to the Coa—The Light Division placed in cantonments in advance of the Coa—A company of Rifle Men, sent out to reconnoitre, find the French advanced posts in possession of Barba del Puerco.
Letter No. V
To his Parents, from Villar Torpin, dated 28th February 1810
Suffers from fever and ague—Description of Coimbra, its museum, monasteries, and nunneries—Reflections on the superstition and bigotry of the Portuguese—Miserable condition and poverty of the inhabitants—Description of cantonments occupied—Conduct of the French—Rumours as to the impending campaign and confidence in Lord Wellington—Severe lecture to his father and good advice to the family all round.
Journal—4th March-30th April
Advance from Reygada to the Agueda—The Rifles on outpost duty on the Agueda, with one company on piquet at the Bridge of Barba del Puerco—The French, who occupy the opposite bank, make a night attack in force and endeavour to seize the bridge—Desperate fight, in which the French are repulsed—Complimentary order issued by Brigadier-General Craufurd to the Rifles by order of Lord Wellington in consequence of their gallant behaviour on this occasion—Dispositions of the Light Brigade on the river Azava—Captain Ross's troop of Horse Artillery attached—The Rifles on piquet and 1st King's German Hussars on vedette duty on the Azava—Formation of the celebrated "Light Division"—The 1st and 3rd Portuguese Caçadores attached to it.
Letter No. VI
To his Father, from Villar de Ciérvos, dated 30th April 1810
Describes the events of the preceding two months—The mountainous country and defile of the Agueda—Position held at Barba del Puerco—Disposition of the Rifle Men on piquet at the bridge on 19th March—The French attack—Death of Lieutenant Mercer—Captain O'Hare brings up the support—Sharp hand-to-hand fighting at the bridge—Colonel Beckwith arrives with three companies of the Reserve—The Rifle Men fix swords and charge—Retreat of the French—The losses on both sides—Strength of the French column of attack—Captain O'Hare's commendation of Simmons' behaviour.
Campaign of 1810
Journal—1st January-27th February 1810
1810 Jan. 1st
Began the year rather roughly by a long day's march over bad and mountainous roads to the wretched village of Ponte de Murcella. The Alva runs near it, and falls into the Mondego some distance from the village.
2nd
Marched to Galizes and adjacent villages; the country mountainous and poor.
3rd
Marched to Pinhancos and San Marinha, near the foot of the extensive ridge of mountains named the Mountains of the Stars (Sierra da Estrella). This chain is the highest in Portugal, and continues to the southern part of Estremadura.
4th
Marched to Celorico.
5th
Pinhel. On our arrival here were informed that the French had a body of men in San Felices, and that their piquets were upon the river Agueda, and that strong parties of Frenchmen occasionally passed the river and entered Portugal to plunder or levy contributions. The headquarters of the Brigade remained here.
7th
The Rifle Men were ordered to proceed across the Coa to the villages of Cinco Villas, Villar Torpin, and Reygada, two leagues in advance of Pinhel. Cinco Villas is half a league nearer Pinhel, and stands close to the Coa, with a strong stone bridge over it.
17th
Marched and occupied the villages of Figueira, Mata de Lobas, and Escallion, close to the river Douro. The rest of the Brigade marched from Pinhel, taking up a line on our right. The banks of the Douro are extremely rocky, wild, and romantic—in short, the country all round, with few exceptions, is wild and stony. We have had a heavy fall of snow, in which I observed innumerable prints of wolves. I endeavoured to track them, but without success.
1810 Feb. 14th
Retired to Valverde Pereiro, in consequence of some information our Brigade received about the enemy.
15th
27th
Returned to our cantonments and continued very quiet until this day, when a company of Rifle Men were ordered to the Spanish village of Bouza. A party was sent forward to feel the enemy. It crossed the river Duas Casas, and proceeded to Barba del Puerco, which was found in the enemy's possession. The party fell back upon Bouza and the enemy followed and fired a few long shots, but did not cross the river. Two companies of Rifle Men now occupied Bouza, and two companies as a support at Escarigo, on the Turon. The Duas Casas rises near Castello Bom, on the Portuguese frontier; it passes between Bouza and Barba del Puerco, after which it falls into the Agueda.
Letter No. V
Villar Torpin, 28th February 1810.
Dear Parents—Your epistle came to hand a few days back, which gave me infinite pleasure and gratification.
I have for some time been in expectation of receiving a letter from Maud. I suppose he is not well informed where I am stationed. He had a severe illness in the neighbourhood of Badajoz, and wrote for advice, which he since informs me was of service, and before he marched he had quite recovered. At the same time I was expected hourly to bid a final adieu to this world. Judge what a situation to give advice to a bed-ridden brother. However, I hinted nothing relative to myself, and endeavoured to write in good spirits, which at that period had good effect.
From fatigues my ague again revisited me, and continued daily for some time, and at last terminated in a fever very prevalent through the army at that period, and which confined me entirely to bed for three weeks. But from the kind attention of my good landlady, who was continually watching over me, I surprised numbers and deceived the grim King of Terrors. As soon as I was able to move I went to a very healthy spot in Spain, and improving daily (in a wonderful manner) speedily recovered. Since that time I have traversed nearly the whole of Portugal, and seen most of the best towns through the country, marching four, five, and six leagues per diem, sometimes sleeping and living in the grandest houses in the country, and at others in the most wretched hovels not as good as an English pig-sty. Our present situation is about