Rough Sketches Of Life Of An Old Soldier; : In The Campaigns From 1808-1814, With The Light Division; The Netherlands In 1815

• Autore: Leach C.B Lieutenant-Colonel Jonathan
• Pubblicazione: San Francisco : , : Wagram Press, , 2010; ©2010
• Descrizione fisica: 1 online resource (189 pages)
• Disciplina: 940.2742092
• Altri autori: PublishingPickle Partners
• Nota di contenuto: Intro -- PREFACE. -- CHAPTER I. -- Join my regiment in Jersey. Embark for England. Winter at Chatham. The 52d regiment made Light Infantry. New system of drill introduced. Encamp at Shorncliffe in Kent. French camp and flotilla at Boulogne. Invasion threatened, and precautions taken by Sir John Moore. The Duke of' York reviews the troops at Shorncliffe. Sudden order for our regiment to embark for the West Indies. Unfortunate occurrence on the march from Shorncliffe to Portsmouth. Remarks thereon. Embark and sail for Barbadoes. Tr -- CHAPTER II. -- Exchange into the 95th Rifle Corps. Expedition to Denmark. Sail to Elsineur. Imposing appearance of our numerous fleet. Scenery on the Danish and Swedish coasts. A party to Elsineur. Cronberg castle. Hamlet's garden. Disorderly conduct of the Danes. Causes thereof. The army disembarks. The reserve commanded by Sir Arthur Wellesley. Advance towards Copenhagen. A sortie made by the garrison. Affairs between the Danish gun-boats and our advanced squadron. Ludicrous nocturnal affair at the outposts. -- CHAPTER III. -- Four companies of our 2d battalion embark. Sail to Cork, and join an expedition. Its destination. Boating excursions. The expedition sails. We anchor in Mondego Bay. Brigadier-general Fane's brigade. The army disembarks in Portugal. Monks, friars, padres, and Portuguese females. March to Lavaos. Joined by troops under General Spencer. A present from the Portuguese junta. A Dutch concert. The army advances. Features of the country. Reach Lyria. Swiss deserters. Affair with the French near Obidos. -- CHAPTER IV. ; The army under Sir John Moore leaves Lisbon. Marches to Salamanca. Sir John Hope joins Sir John Moore near Salamanca. Sir David Baird lands at Corunna. The whole army is concentrated. Affairs of cavalry. The army moves to attack Marshal Soult. Suddenly countermanded. Distribution of our first and second battalions. Gallant affair of cavalry near Mayorca. General Crawford's light brigade destroys a bridge. The French endeavour to interrupt them in their work. General Crawford marches to Benavente -- CHAPTER V. -- The Light Brigade composed of the 43d and 52d regiments of Light Infantry, and the 1st battalion 95th Rifle Corps. Embark for Lisbon under Brigadier-General Robert Crawford. Arrive at Lisbon. Proceed by water to Vallada. Santarem. Convents and nuns. March from Santarem to join Sir Arthur Wellesley. Sketch of the march. The Pass of Villa Velha, Castello Branco, Zarzo Maior, Coria, Orapeza, & -- c. Extraordinary long march on 28th July, and want of water. We join the army at Talavera. Slight sketch of -- CHAPTER VI. -- Scarcity of provisions. Horrid stench from the unburied bodies of men and horses. I lose my horse, and with him all my campaigning comforts. The British army marches on Orapeza to attack Soult. Conduct of General Cuesta at Talavera. The British army crosses the Tagus at Arzobispo. Desperate attack made by General Crawford's troops on a herd of swine. How to dress pork in the most expeditious manner. The army retires towards Delatosa. General Crawford's division proceeds to the bridge of Almaraz. -- CHAPTER VII. -- The country near Campo Maior, and the climate of Alemtejo. The army becomes very sickly. Fate of General Cuestas' army after we parted company with it at Talavera. Various descriptions of field-sports near Campo Major. How to keep off fevers, agues, &. ; c. Shooting excursions in the forest of Albuquerque. Wild boars, wolves, and red deer. Bathing excursions of our battalion, and its march to and from the Caya. Destruction of hares, rabbits, and partridges. Riding down red-legged partridges. Lieut.- -- CHAPTER VIII. -- A skirmish with the French near Barba del Puerco. The whole of our battalion moves up to the Agueda, and occupies an extended line of posts. Massacre of a French soldier by some Spanish shepherds, near Almofala. Night attack made on four companies of our battalion at the pass of Barba del Puerco. The enemy is repulsed with loss. Observations. Letter from Lord Wellington to Colonel Beckwith, expressing his approbation of the conduct of his corps on the occasion. General Crawford also thanks the r -- CHAPTER IX. -- General Crawford falls back to Junsa, on the Coa. The French advance. Fort Conception is destroyed by mines. Action of the Coa, 24th July, 1810. Major McLeod of the 43d regt. French grenadiers storm the bridge, and are destroyed. General Crawford retires at night to Valverde. Reflections on the events of the day. We march to Celerico, and make huts near the town. The Light Division is divided into two brigades. Massena besieges Almeida. The Light Division moves up to support the cavalry. The pow -- CHAPTER X. -- Battle of Buzaco. Flag of truce. General Simon's baggage brought in. Wounded of the two armies removed from the field. Terrible carnage in and near Sula. The light troops constantly engaged. Deserters come over to us. Their reports of Massena's intentions. The French army breaks up, and marches away to our left. Lord Wellington retires from Buzaco to the lines of Torres Vedras. Occurrences on the march. Stores destroyed at Pombal. King John's coffin in the cathedral at Battalha. Affair between o -- CHAPTER XI. ; The Light Division holds the outposts at the bridge of Santarem. General Junot wounded near Rio Major. The allied army is put into cantonments. How we passed the winter. Sufferings of the French army from want of provisions and forage. They are harassed by the armed peasantry and militia. Shooting and coursing parties close to the French videttes. Their courteous conduct on those occasions towards us. Anecdote of a dragoon and his cloak. Burlesque on horse-racing in the cantonments of the Light -- CHAPTER XII. -- The French army re-enters Spain. They leave a garrison in Almeida, which is blockaded. The Light Division and 1st German Hussars take up their original line of posts. Skirmishes at Marialva bridge. Some companies of our corps are sent to shoot the cattle at Almeida. Massena assembles his army to relieve Almeida. The Light Division and 1st German Hussars fall back and join the army in position, near Fuentes d'Onoro. Battle of Fuentes d'Onoro. Flag of truce in the evening. The wounded removed. Con -- CHAPTER XIII. -- The Light Division crosses the Agueda. Lord Wellington reconnoiters Rodrigo. Don Julian Sanchez. The French governor taken prisoner by Guerillas. A picket of our light cavalry made prisoners in the Sierra de Gata. The Light Division reinforced by the third battalion of the 95th Rifle Corps from Cadiz. Deaths by Alemtejo fever. I cross the mountains with my own company and one of Portuguese. Wild scenery. Goatherds. Their dress, language, and habitations. Rejoin the Light Division. Marmont advanc -- CHAPTER XIV. ; Marmont penetrates into Portugal during the siege. Lord Wellington marches back to the north. General Alten appointed to command the Light Division. The army advances to Salamanca. Takes up a position. Marmont's army opposite. A fortified convent in Salamanca is besieged by the 6th Division. It is set fire to, and the garrison capitulates. Marmont retreats behind the Douro. We follow him. A dance at Navis del Rey. Arrive at Rueda. Wine vaults. French soldiers assassinated by the Spaniards. Marmo -- CHAPTER XV. -- Commence the retreat to Salamanca. A wild boar killed. The armies from Burgos and Madrid unite near Salamanca. The army retreats to the Agueda. Sketch of the retreat. Rations of acorns and oak-leaves for man and horse. The Light Division engaged at San Munos. General Paget taken prisoner. We arrive at Rodrigo. The campaign of 1812 concludes. A few lines relative to it. We go into winter-quarters. Establish a regimental mess in an old barn. A supply of Douro wine. Vocal performers. Circular lette -- CHAPTER XVI. -- The campaign of 1813 opens. The 2d and Light Divisions march on Salamanca. Sir Thomas Graham, with the six other divisions, crosses the Douro. He advances to the Esla and crosses it. The Light Division encamps at San Munos. Contrast between our situation then with that of the 17th of November, 1812, on the same spot.. We reach the Tormes. The French retire from Salamanca, and are pursued towards the Douro. They suffer from our horse artillery and cavalry. The Light Division crosses the Douro at -- CHAPTER XVII. ; Battle of Vittoria. The Light Division and some cavalry pursue the French rear-guard on the road to Pampeluna. Engaged with them several days. Two French ladies restored to their husbands. Baron Alten directs the movements of the advanced guard with great judgment and effect. We take the last piece of artillery but one in possession of the French rear-guard. The country between Salvaterra and Pampeluna favourable for a retreating army. Reflections on approaching the Pyrenees. Lord Wellington mar.
• Sommario/riassunto: Leach describes his exploits with the 95th Rifles, including the expedition to Denmark, the battles of Rolica, Vimiero, Busaco, Salamanca, Vitoria, and the Nivelle, culminating in the battle of Waterloo, where he was posted to the sand-pit next to the crucial position of La Haye Sainte. He also recounts the vicissitudes of campaigning in the Peninsular, vividly describing those under his command and those of higher rank that he came into contact with. A classic of the genre.
• Titolo autorizzato: Rough Sketches Of Life Of An Old Soldier
• ISBN: 1-908692-05-7
• Formato: Materiale a stampa
• Livello bibliografico: Monografia
• Lingua di pubblicazione: Inglese
• Record Nr.: 9910163894003321
• Lo trovi qui: Univ. Federico II