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  I saw in the convent garden what I never saw before, out of England, viz hops. 1st Brigade at Vallecas, saw the first green corn I have seen this year on this day’s march.

  22nd Marched at about 7 o’clock back again and halted at the village of Vicalvaro, a village about a mile & [a] half from Vallecas. Part of the 1st Brigade occupied this place yesterday and marched out to Vallecas as we marched in. General Alten has been desired to remain in Madrid & General Vandeleur commands the division pro tempore. Madrid is about 5 miles English from here.

  There is in this place a large building which the French have used as a cavalry barrack, it is fortified, that is to say there is a ditch cut round with a sort of draw bridge at the entrance and all the window shutters loop-holed.

  23rd Blank

  24th Received an order this evening at about 5 o’clock to march tomorrow to Alcala de Henares.

  25th The division marched accordingly about 7 o’clock, I set off at the same time for Madrid. Rode out in the evening to Alcala. Passed the Urema by a very handsome bridge, passed also through the village of Torrejon [de Ardoz].

  26th Halted here all day. Alcala is a very nice town indeed, it is situated on the right bank of the Henares. It is about 4 leagues from Madrid from which place to Alcala there is a Carmino Real. It has the appearance of a very ancient town, it is surrounded by a wall in most parts and has the remains of a castle. There are several convents in it and a college, a very fine building with a very good library, which I went to see several times and with which I was much amused. The houses a[re] built for the most part in a different way from the generality of Spanish houses, but they are exceedingly comfortable. I have not seen a place in Spain I would sooner pass the winter in than Alcala, the country about it must I am sure abound in game.

  27th Received an order at about 10 o’clock to march immediately to Arganda [del Rey]. The division marched accordingly, crossed the Henares by a bridge about half a mile from Alcala. The opposite bank of the river is excessively steep and bold and there is a pass to ascend which is very short, but is for its size the most steep and formidable I ever saw. Passed through a fine country, saw Rivas on our right hand on the march and arrived at Arganda at about 3 o’clock. Pretty good quarters, the people very civil, I never saw anything like the quantity of onions in this place, every house & yard is full of them. Just as I was going to bed we received an order to march back to Alcala immediately, baggage to precede the column. Marched accordingly and arrived at Alcala just as day was breaking.

  28th Immediately on our arrival we halted outside of the town in close column & sent out picquets. We remained here until about 8 o’clock when we were ordered to march into town & occupy our old quarters but to assemble again in the same manner in one hour. Went in, got some breakfast & came out again to the same ground where we remained until about 2 o’clock when the old general (Vandeleur) having finished his sleep came out and sent us to our quarters, I went to bed immediately, got up at about 5 o’clock & dined.

  There is an order given out that the division shall lie in the streets under the piazzas (which are in most of the streets) and that the officers may occupy the houses in rear of their respective companies I in consequence slept in rear of the company this night, but left my baggage &c in my old billet.

  29th General Alten arrived this day and took command of the division again. Soult is said to have crossed the Tagus last night.

  Chapter 7

  Retreat

  The retreat from Madrid started with the aim of retiring slowly to rejoin Wellington’s army, which was retiring from Burgos, and to concentrate near Salamanca.

  30th An order was given at about 9 o’clock to march at 10 to the opposite bank of the Urema which is between this and Madrid and there encamp. Just as the order was given, it commenced raining very hard. I on baggage guard. When we arrived on the opposite bank of the river the division halted, the baggage was ordered to proceed in front of the column to Aravaca about ½ league on the other side of Madrid and about 6 & ½ from Alcala. Passed close to Madrid, I rode into it, it look[ed] miserably melancholy, the rain ceased at about 5 or 6 o’clock, did not get to Aravaca until some time after dark. We bivouacked on the roadside. We are I hear to march to Arevalo. It is reported that Massena has arrived with reinforcements and taken command of the army of Portugal. 2nd & 3rd Divisions lay near us this night.1

  31st Marched down close to Madrid directly opposite the palace where we remained the whole day. Skerret’s detachment from Cadiz and also the 4th Division came in from the front while we were here. Skerret’s troops have had some skirmishing lately, 2 companies of our 2nd Battalion who were at Cadiz have had an officer (Budgeon) wounded2. A great quantity of stores of every description were destroyed today in Madrid for want of conveyance to carry them off. I was sent into the town to bring out stragglers. Rode to the Retiro (the building of La China is blown up at the angles, but the ramparts by which it is surrounded are not at all damaged. Moved back in the evening to the ground we occupied yesterday evening, the 2 companies of the 2nd Battalion [95th] lately from Cadiz joined the 2nd Brigade this evening & the 3 companies of the 1st Battalion went back again to the 1st Brigade & now the 1st Battalion is together again. The 20th Portuguese Regiment of the line from Cadiz joined the 1st Brigade, they are very strong. An order was given this night that the baggage move off tomorrow morning at 3 o’clock, the column at 6.

  November

  1st Commenced our retreat from Madrid this day and never have I left a place in the peninsula with so much regret for various reasons. It is the most beautiful city without exception I ever saw, in situation it is little superior to London, being in a very flat country, but as to the city itself, it surpasses in beauty every other I ever saw, the number of elegant, or rather, magnificent public buildings and dwelling houses of the nobility is amazing.

  The beauty of the streets & fountains (particularly the fountains in the prado or public walk, which is I believe the most beautiful promenade in Europe) is superior to anything either in London or Edinburgh. I was also much surprised at the excellence of the coffee houses, they have however been brought to that by the French. The coffee houses are during the summer abundantly supplied with ice. Madrid is entirely surrounded by a wall which evidently was never intended for a wall of defence, nor can I conceive the intention of it unless it is to prevent smuggling. In the wall are several gates all of which are very beautiful[ly] executed and form very principal ornaments to the city. The markets are abundantly supplied with meat, vegetables and fruit. It is without exception the most delightful quarter I ever was in, out of Great Britain.

  The civility of the people from first to last was beyond anything I have seen in the country, their enthusiasm on our first entrance I shall never forget and even on our leaving them unprotected to those oppressors from whom they had fondly believed we had delivered them forever, there was not a grumble or word of reproach. I felt sincerely for them.

  We marched this day to [blank – Las Rozas according to Simmons] and bivouacked on the right bank of the Guadarrama, all the cavalry ordered on except the hussars. I saw Watts of the 3rd Dragoons3 today, the baggage is at Galapagar & is ordered to precede the army with the exception of one animal per company which animal is to precede the regiment every day on the march. It is reported that Soult is to join Massena.

  2nd Marched at sunrise to a field near the village of Guadarrama, the guns moved this day in rear of the division with three companies of our battalion of which ours was one in their rear.

  Just as we arrived at our bivouack a wild boar & sow were started, the sow was killed by one of the 52nd, our heavy baggage was on the ground when we arrived but moved on immediately. One company was on picquet this evening at [the] porter’s lodge of La Escorial park. There were a great quantity of stores passing our piquet the whole night. We got a cask of rum that fell out of one of the cars.

  3rd Crossed the Sierra de Guadarrama by the same passed [sic] by which we cross
ed before and marched through the village of Navas de San Antonio to Villacastin, 6 leagues. The country through which we passed until we came close to Villacastin was very barren. I saw a great quantity of horses destroyed at the top of the sierra. There was an immense number of sick fell out today on the march. It is reported that Don Carlos d’Espana4 has been discovered to be a traitor.

  4th Through Velayos and another village to La Vega [de Santa Maria]. The first part of the road was uncultivated with green oak, the last part a fine corn country. The hussars in our rear have reported that 4 French regiments of cavalry & some infantry crossed the mountains of Guadarrama today. It is said that Massena has crossed the Douro with loss, also that we are to march to Salamanca not Arevalo. Our heavy baggage was here when we halted, received a letter from England.

  5th The heavy baggage went off very early this morning, I was on the light baggage guard for the brigade today, the light baggage preceded the column about an hour. We marched through the villages of Villanueva de Gomez & San Pascual to Fontiveros 5 leagues. When I arrived there with the light baggage the 2nd & 3rd divisions were there, they moved on immediately, the 4th Division marched today immediately in front of the light. The heavy cavalry bivouacked here also. The heavy baggage was here when I arrived but moved on immediately.

  6th Marched this day to some hills between Flores de Avila and Penaranda [de Bracamonte], on which the whole of General Hill’s army viz 2nd, 3rd, 4th & Light Divisions, lay this night. Just as we commenced the march it began raining very hard but gave over towards the afternoon.

  7th Marched this day to some hills about a league from Alba de Tormes, where we lay all night. All the baggage, light & heavy, is sent across the river, consequently we have neither tent nor provisions except a little mutton that was issued, rained very hard all night.

  Arriving at Salamanca, Wellington hoped to end his retreat here and the troops were allowed some rest for a few days.

  8th Marched to Alba de Tormes & halted for about 2 hours just outside the town, during which time quarters were taken up for our division, but the intention of putting us into the town was given up, all this time it continued to rain tremendously. I rode into the town, it is almost deserted, but has been a very fine town, it is situated on the right bank of the Tormes and has a castle which commands the bridge, everything indeed. Don Carlos was ordered out [of] the line of battle of Salamanca to occupy this place, he evacuated it in a very suspicious manner.

  The town has a fine romantic appearance, after halting about 2 hours as before mentioned we crossed the bridge and moved on to a wood in the neighbourhood of Calvarrasa de Arriba and not far from the celebrated field of action on the 22nd of July. It gave over raining towards the afternoon. As we passed over the bridge of Alba de Tormes there were some of the Staff Corps mining an arch of the bridge and some of the 2nd Division going into the town to take up quarters for their division met our light baggage on the ground we lay on.

  9th Halted here all day towards evening, the heavy baggage came in and I found that every article of mine, animal and all lost, through the negligence & drunkenness of a rascally bat man.

  10th Marched this morning about an hour before daybreak into Salamanca. The whole division are quartered in the Irish College5, a very fine building. The officers have billets and very bad ones (the place being full of sick and officers wounded at Burgos). There is an order given that every officer shall appoint an alarm post for his own company and that the division shall march out tomorrow morning before daybreak to the alarm post of the division. Part of the 7th Division are in Salamanca.

  11th Marched to the alarm post before day break which is just outside of the gate of the town. When we had been there about half an hour, we heard a heavy firing of musketry. Lord Wellington rode out to reconnoitre just at this time and ordered us to move on, we marched accordingly up to the position of St Cristobal, on which are encamped some divisions of the army. When we arrived here we understood that the firing was by General Pack’s Brigade who are at Aldealengua. Lord Wellington said that as the division are here, they may as well remain until 3 o’clock when they may if all is quiet return to Salamanca, returned accordingly at 3 o’clock. The division is ordered to march out every morning before day break to the alarm post.

  12th Marched to the alarm post at the usual hour, four [in the] morning, marched in again at about 7 o’clock. The effects of poor Crampton6 (who died at Rodrigo) were sold by auction this day, I bought his gun and several other things.

  Salamanca is not half so nice a place as when I was in it in June last; it was then very clean & the people were very civil indeed. The inhabitants are now quite changed, and the whole town beastly dirty, that however is not much to be wondered at, as it has been for a long time a depot for sick. The cathedral7 is very beautiful, especially the inside, the plaza maior8 is the most beautiful I have seen in either Spain or Portugal, the houses in it are built uniformly and are four stories high. The ground floors are all shops and very good ones. It is entirely surrounded by a piazza, the pillars of which have each a stone bust of the sovereigns of Spain. There have been a great many very fine public buildings in this city, but they are now most of them, in ruins. The bridge over the Tormes is very handsome, Salamanca is surrounded entirely by a wall.

  13th Marched to the alarm post as usual & returned. Firman9 who was on orderly duty last night in going round the quarters in the convent fell down stairs and is dangerously hurt. I am on orderly duty today. I went to the play this evening, the admittance is four vintems, but the boxes are all hired by the box. We got into a box with great difficulty occupied by a sulky scoundrel & his wife. This performance is very poor and the theatre itself no great things. The prompter as at Madrid takes his post in front of the stage. There is one thing peculiar here viz above the upper tier of boxes is a sort of gallery for the admittance of women only, such women as go alone go there.

  George Simmons witnessed Firman’s fatal accident: ‘In the evening, being orderly officer, I went at eight o’clock to see the lights out and that the men were present. I met Lieutenant Firman, who was upon the same duty for our 3rd Battalion. Finding the stairs very slippery and the place very dark, I observed, “If you will wait, I will go in search of a candle”, as I knew there were open spaces in the balusters a person in the dark might walk through. I left him, got a candle from a neighbouring house, and returned. I went up three or four stairs, when I heard a slip and in a moment, poor Firman fell through. In his progress downstairs his feet repeatedly struck one side and his head the other. He came with tremendous force to the bottom, which was a flagged pavement in the cellar. I directly retraced my steps and found him almost dashed to pieces, his skull frightfully fractured and several ribs broken. I had him removed to his billet. He remained for two days in a state of insensibility and died.’10

  14th Got cash for a bill on England of £27 10s from a company of accounts of the name of Hayward, a very gentlemanly man. About 10 o’clock there was an order given for the division to march immediately across the bridge, on the road to Calvarrasa de Arriba.

  Just after crossing the bridge the division halted for a short time, I then went up to our commander Lieutenant Colonel Cameron11 and explained to him that I had just got some money and as I had lost my baggage, requested leave to return to Salamanca for a few hours to purchase some clothes & other necessaries, he after a great deal of needless and ungentlemanly blustering, gave me leave. I had not gone an hundred yards towards the town when the adjutant came and told me that it was the colonel’s order that I should go on command with the sick to Tejares in place of Lieutenant Macnamara12 whose turn it is (Macnamara is the senior 1st lieutenant and I the junior but two with the battalion). I returned to the colonel and requested that he would not put me on duty out of my turn, the only answer I got was ‘you may think it a hard case and maybe it is, but if you think so, do the duty first and make your complaint afterwards’. This is military justice.

  For the first ti
me in my life, though I have before experienced both its hardships and dangers, I cursed a service, in which a lowlifed boute [French; boot] can with impunity annoy an officer, even though he does not fail in one point of his duty, merely because he has a command. That Cameron dislikes me I know, but his reasons for so doing I am perfectly ignorant. I went back (after this answer) to Salamanca but could not find the sick, they were all off. After some time I followed them to Tejares, a village about 2 miles from Salamanca, I found them there together with the commissariat of the division, they had orders to move always with the commissariat.

  I got into a wood house and remained comfortable enough all night. The division I understand moved on this evening towards the Arapiles. The 2nd Division were engaged this evening. The reason of the army moving across the Tormes is because the French have crossed the river above Alba de Tormes. There is a Spanish garrison in Alba de Tormes.

  Wellington was forced into ordering a further retreat towards the Portuguese border. But what to date had been a relatively orderly retreat soon changed greatly in character. The commissariat collapsed completely during this relatively short retreat and this coupled with long forced marches led to the breakdown of discipline in the army. Wellington wrote a scathing criticism of this retreat and the lack of discipline shown but which completely overlooked the exceptionally trying marches the army endured without any regular supplies.