Page 1
Go to Despatch
Page 2
Go to Despatch
Page 3
The Club welcomes all
to come along and play or just watch.
Come and enjoy.
The game play can be intense.
|
|
BATTLEFIELD REPORTS
A Report in the Paris Gazette on an action at Canatarras, Spain, 8 May 1809.
By the General commanding, Oudinot.
Acting on information received from General Chastel regarding a enemy force ranging in
size from a brigade to a Division that was approaching Cuidad Rodrigo from the Banos Pass.
Elements of IV Corps that had just invested the fortress of Cuidad Rodrigo were sent to
the little village of Canatarras on the Cuidad Rodrigo-Banos Pass road to prevent the
enemy disrupting the siege preparations of the Army of Portugal.
The Brigade of General Scheeler deployed to the south and east of Canatarras awaiting the
arrival of the enemy brigade.
The enemy (Portuguese under the command of General Wilson) appeared and deployed shortly
before 1pm.
General Marisy’s cavalry of III Cavalry Corps then deployed on the enemies right
flank. The Portuguese were engaged from 1pm by the artillery and by 2pmm until 5.30pm by
the infantry and cavalry.
By 5.30pm the enemy was defeated and the siege works at Cuidad Rodrigo could continue
un-molested. The enemy fled the battlefield, with the brigades of Generals Frere’s
and Marisy just beginning to engage the enemy.
Two Portuguese infantry battalions were all but destroyed; one was swept from the field
and lost 200 men as prisoners. One gun from the Portuguese horse artillery was destroyed
and the other gun captured with all the batteries crew either dead or captured.
The enemy baggage and a number of wounded were captured as they were unable to remove
their wounded from the field of battle and their baggage train moved to slow.
|
Who was Who
by Don McIntyre
Britain
Sir Charles von Alten - Count (1764 - 1846)
A major General in the British Army and a Lieutenant General in the Hanoverian army, he
commanded the Light Division on the Peninsular from April 1812. (the light Division
included 43rd, 52nd, 95th, cacadores some light cavalry and artillery)
He commanded them at Vittoria, Nivelle, Nive, Orthez and Toulouse.
In 1815 Wellington put him in command of the third division which he took into battle at
Quatre Bras, but was severely wounded at Waterloo.
William Carr - Viscount Beresford (1768-1854)
The illegitimate son of the Earl of Tyrone, his younger brother was Vice Admiral Sir John
Beresford. His skills were not in the field of battle but in his organisational powers -
which were recognised by Wellington who once said that should he fall in battle it should
be Beresford that took over command of the army. It was Beresford that was created Marshal
of the Portuguese army and managed to transform it from the the disorganised lack lustre
body into a fighting corps including the first effective Portuguese light troops - the
Cacadores. He was not universally liked, he was responsible for the Allied forces being
butchered at Albuera on May 16, 1811. An event that clouded his later reputation.
He was known to be a hard task master which didn't help things, every infraction was
punished, but also every deed of valour was rewarded. He commanded Hill's Second Division
when Hill went home( it was briefly with Sir William Stewart).
Beresford wasn't at Waterloo, he had returned to Portugal to resume command of the army
there.
Sir John Colborne - 1st Baron Seaton (1778 - 1863)
William Napier said that Colborne had "a singular talent for war," which shows
in his career. He was natural soldier with talent and no patronage Colborne enlisted as an
ensign in the 20th regiment in 1794 and won every step without purchase. By 1809 when he
went to Portugal with Wellington he was a Lieutenant Colonel. He joined various regiments
including the 66th where they fought at Bussaco. At Albuera he was given temporary command
of the first Brigade of the second division (the 52nd) which his impetuosity almost caused
the complete destruction of. It was only Cole's marching of the 4th division to their aid
that the entire battalion wasn't wiped out by French Lancers. He was badly wounded at
Cuidad Rodrigo [Jan 1812] but he was again commanding the 52nd at Salamanca in 1813. His
ability meant he was trusted with command of the Left at Vittoria, Nivelle and Nive
[1813-14]. In 1814 he was created Colonel.
At Waterloo Colborne was again commanding the 52nd who were brigaded with the 71st and
95th regiments in Lord Hill's Division on the British Extreme right (around Hougomount).
It was this brigade brought in from the right at the end of the day that finally routed
the old French Guard at Waterloo. He was affectionately known to his men as "auld
grog Willie" because he gave them extra allowances of rum.
Sir Galbraith Lowry Cole (1772 - 1842)
Cole was the son of the Earl of Enniskillen, in 1787 he joined the 12th Light Dragoons. He
was given the 4th division to command in 1809. This was in two brigades, the first being
the the fusiliers (two battalions of the 7th and the 23rd Fusiliers) the second Brigade
consisted of 27th, 40th and 48th regiments as well as General Harvey's Portuguese Brigade.
He was a very obedient commander unlike the more feisty and independent division
commanders, Picton and Craufurd. But he was able to act quickly and independently if
necessary as he proved at Albuera [15th May 1811]. There was some confusion here and the
2nd division (Colborne's) ended up under extreme fire and in peril from the French cavalry
who almost immediately wiped out three battalions and were pushing into the rear of the
army , Cole's 4th Division arrived in the nick of time to save them. Sir Henry Hardinge
claims her saw it and ordered Cole to advance to their relief - Cole says that he ordered
it.
In 1812 Cole retired from military service and took up his parliamentary seat briefly, he
returned later that year in time for Salamanca in July. (Colville had commanded the
Division in his absence). The 4th Division covered the retreat from Madrid at the end of
that year.
In 1815 Cole was asked by Wellington to join him in Brussels, Cole agreed and said he
would arrive after his wedding to Lady Francis, the Earl of Malmsebury's daughter on June
15th. Needless to say Cole arrived too late.
Robert Craufurd (1764 - 1812)
The third son of a baronet he joined the army in 1779 serving in both Austria and Ireland.
He gained patronage when his brother married the Dowager Duchess of Newcastle and was
elected as am MP in family borough. However, the army was his main opportunity for
advancement and he commanded the Light Brigade to South America in 1807.
He was ordered to the Peninsular in 1809 as Brigadier General to command the Light Brigade
again and is considered an equal commander. During the retreat to the lines of Torres
Vedras in 1810 the Light Brigade covered the retreat with unequalled bravery.
In 1811 he was promoted to Major General. He was shot leading his troops in the storming
of Cuidad Rodrigo in January, 1812 and died in agony some days later. Craufurd's words to
his soldiers as he addressed the Forlorn hope to storm Cuidad Rodrigo are remembered by
Edward Costello
'Soldiers! the eyes of your country are upon you. Be steady- be cool,- be firm in the
assault. The town must be yours this night. Once masters of the wall, let your first duty
be to clear the ramparts, and in doing this keep together.'
Thomas Graham - Baron Lynedoch (1748 - 1843)
It was Graham who was entrusted with the defence of Cadiz early in 1810. He did so with
great skill and in February 1811 he attacked the rear of the French army at Barossa,
defeating them. With the South of Spain safe in June 1811 Wellington put him in command of
the 1st, 6th and 7th division (as an army corps) as well as giving him two brigades of
cavalry which he set to work with against Badajoz in one of the first unsuccessful
attempts against the fortified city.
He was indispensable to Wellington and one of the five main commanders of the British Army
with Cotton, Hill, Hope and Beresford.
On the 7th of October 1813, Following his push over the Pyrenee's and forcing Soult's
retreat, Graham's health declined. He returned to Britain and his command in Wellington's
army was taken over by Sir John Hope. In November he felt well enough command British
troops on an expedition to Holland to cooperate with Bulow's Prussian's against Antwerp.
The expedition was not highly successful, while Graham won at Antwerp he undertook a
failed campaign against the fortress at Bergen Op Zoom on February 3, 1814 where he tried
to take at night. As the Duke of Wellington later said, Night attacks against good troops
seldom succeed. Graham returned to Britain with the peace of May, 1814. He was an
energetic man, in 1822 at the age of 74 he rode 24 miles to the Pytchley Hunt meet. He
also acted as second to the Duke of Bedford in his duel with the Duke of Buckingham that
same year.
Rowland Hill - Lord Hill (1772 - 1842)
Hill was universally liked by the soldiers under his command, he was known as "Daddy
Hill" by the troops who valued and respected his kindness. He was second in command
to Wellington in the later stages of the Peninsular war and commanded the first corps at
Waterloo. And extremely able man he began his Peninsular campaign as Brigade commander and
rose to a divisional commander and then commanded a corps which included the 2nd and 4th
divisions under (Stewart and Cole) as well as De Grey's Heavy and Slade's Light cavalry
Brigades and four Portuguese Brigades. He was forced to return to Britain due to illness
and his division was given to Beresford. However Hill returned and claimed victories at
Vittoria, Nivelle and Nive.
Sir James Kempt (1764 - 1854)
At first a Brigade Major in Picton's Fighting Third Division Kempt was promoted to Major
General in January 1812 and it was he that commanded the attack on la Picaruna fort at
Badajoz in April of that year. He was severely wounded in the siege.
On recovery he was given command of a light brigade of the 43rd and 2 battalions of the
95th Rifles at Vittoria, Vera, Nivelle, Nive, Orthez and Toulouse.
He was a small man, quiet and unassuming but proved an excellent and popular officer.
John Gaspard Le Marchant (1766-1812)
A favourite of King George III, Le Marchant attracted his attention while a Lieutenant in
the 2nd Dragoon Guards (or the Queen Bays). Although one of his colleagues described him
as 'the greatest Dunce I have ever met' . He wrote a number of classic books about cavalry
training and manouvres including the much admired 'Cavalry Sword Exercises' published in
1796. Le Marchant was an able commander leading 3 squadrons of the 5th Dragoon Guards at
Badajoz. He was killed at Salamanca leading his Brigade of heavy Dragoon Guards.
Charles Gordon Lennox - Lord March, Later 5th Duke Richmond (1791 - 1860)
Aide de Camp and assistant Military Secretary to the Duke of Wellington from July 1810 to
July 1814. He was wounded at Orthes in February in 1813. Although he had been painfully
wounded on his thigh which meant he could only walk with the support of sticks, Wellington
rode several miles to see him when he heard March had been injured, and it is reported he
came from the room in tears.
Before inheriting the Dukedom of Richmond in 1819 he was the MP (Tory) for Chichester.
Sir John Moore (1761 - 1809)
Third in command on the Peninsular in 1809 but led the army when the two leaders and Sir
Arthur Wellesly (later Duke of Wellington) were recalled to Britain after the debacle of
the convention of Cintra. He pushed quickly into Spain but was badly let down by the
Spanish and forced into retreat under appalling winter conditions to Corunna. He was
pursued the whole way by the French commander, Soult. Although the British won the Battle
of Corunna., Moore was fatally wounded and died there. He was idolised by the army and was
one of the great military minds of the day. It was Moore who instituted the light infantry
training which produced the light infantry division - regiments of men trained to skirmish
and shoot such as the 95th Regiment - later the Rifle Brigade.
Sir George Murray (1772 - 1846)
Wellington's Quarter Master General from 1809 to 1812 when he went to Ireland as QMG. He
rejoined Wellington in 1813. Under his influence the QMG's office gained precedence over
the Adjutant General's office under William Stewart simply because it was more efficient.
Murray was to have joined Wellington in Brussels in 1815 but was delayed reaching there in
time. He was appointed as chief of staff for the Army of Occupation in France for the next
three years.
William Napier (1785 - 1860)
Napier is best known for his historical work on the History of the Peninsular War. He was
one of three Napier brothers who served under Wellington on the Peninsula and for whom the
Duke held an interest. They were the nephew's of the Duke of Richmond, their mother, Lady
Sarah, was the 2nd Duke's fourth daughter.
He served with valour under Craufurd but went home in 1812 to marry. He returned to the
Peninsula just after Badajoz in April 1812 and took command of the 43rd regiment as
MacLeod had been killed. He went back to Britain again on January 1st 1813 but he returned
again to take command the 43rd in August of that year and served to the end of the war in
1814.
He was to join the Duke in Brussels in 1815 but had made arrangements to leave from Dover
on the 18th of June, which as it happened was the day Waterloo was being fought. He
continued on with the army of occupation to Paris. In later years he was noted as a
talented painter and sculptor - as well as writing the history of course.
His brother Charles is most noted for his famous quote, "Peccavi" which he sent
back to Britain after a battle in India. In Latin, Peccavi means "I have sinned"
- Napier had just conquered Scinde.
Sir Denis Pack (1772 - 1823)
Pack was wounded eight times in his peninsula career which started in 1808 where as
Lieutenant Colonel he commanded the 71st at Rolico and Vimiero.
In July 1810 he was appointed local rank to a Portuguese Brigade under Beresford which he
commanded at Bussaco. and Almeida in 1810. Pack was made Major General in 1813 and had
temporary command of the 6th Division in the Pyrenees (1813) and at Waterloo and Quatre
Bras he commanded a Brigade under Picton.
Sir Edward Pakenham (1778 - 1815)
Pakenham's sister, Catherine, had married the Duke of Wellington and 'Ned' was one of the
young men with ability that Wellington had picked for his staff. He was a very able
commander having commanded a battalion of Fusiliers at the tender age of 19.
Took over the fighting Third division from Picton who was too ill for Salamanca in 1812
and it was his division that broke the French centre. He commanded the third division
until the capture of Madrid. In 1813 he was given command of the 6th Division at the
Battle of the Pyrenees.
He commanded the ill-fated American Expedition in 1814 and died at the battle of New
Orleans.
Ned Pakenham should not be confused with his brother, Sir Hercules Robert Pakenham who was
AG to Picton at Badajoz.
Sir Thomas Picton (1758 - 1815)
Picton was somewhat of an eccentric, tending to wear rather raggy coats and clothing of
indeterminate colour and unknown history, rather than the gloss and glamour of uniform.
His staff followed his lead in dress matters. He was also a little colourful in his
language. He commanded the Third division on the Peninsula which earned the sobriquet,
"The Fighting Division" and he was no slouch when it came to fighting either -
he was right in the thick of the battles.
Picton was at the forefront of the siege of Cuidad Rodrigo [Jan 1812] even though his
uncle had just died and left him a fortune. His work and bravery storming the breach led
Wellington to entrust him with the siege of Badajoz.[April 1812] Wellington recalled him
for service after Napoleon's escape and Picton arrived in Brussels on the 11th of June and
was put in command of the Fifth Division. He was almost immediately engaged at Quatre Bras
where he met the French Army commanded by Ney. He was severely wounded but he concealed
this from everyone and retained his command, only to be shot through the head at Waterloo
two days later.
Controversy dogged him through his career. He had joined the army in 1771 and had served
for some time in Trinidad where he was accused of torture, a accusation he took 4 years to
fight through the courts. He joined the Peninsula army in 1810.
Sir Brent Spencer (1760 - 1828)
In 1778 Spencer enlisted as an ensign in the 15th Foot and served in the West Indies, by
1798 he had reached the post of colonel.
In 1808 he arrived with Wellington at the Peninsula and acted as second in command in
Wellington's first successful battles at Vimiero. and Rolica. In 1809 he was colonel of
the 2nd battalion on the 95th foot, by 1810 he had succeeded Sir John Sherbrooke as
Lieutenant General of the 1st Division which gave him some independence of command from
Wellington's army - he commanded at Torres Vedras and while Wellington was investing
Badajoz, Spencer was sent to the North of Portugal, however he tended to vacillate when
left on his own, so when Graham arrived from Cadiz in July 1811 it was with no regrets on
either side that Sir Brent retired and returned to England.
Sir Harry Smith was not impressed with Sir Brent's abilities at controlling the army when
the duke was away and says in his autobiography (Chapter 6):
a regular old woman, who allowed the French to commit all sorts of extravagances under our
noses
Sir William Stewart (1774 - 1827)
It is probably what Stewart saw of the Croats and Tyrolese during the time he served in
Austria in the 1790's that led him to propose a very new idea to the army. In concert with
Colonel Coote Manningham Stewart proposed establishing a a corps of Riflemen in the
British army. The whole philosophy of the corps to be different to the standard concept of
military and manouvres - they would he trained to sharp shoot, encouraged to think
independently and rewarded.
In January of 1800 an experimental corps was formed, and two years later it was brought
into line as the 95th with Manningham as Colonel and Stewart the Lieutenant Colonel.
Stweart commanded the Light on the Walcheren Expedition and in 1810 was sent to command at
Cadiz where he was superseded by Graham.
He briefly commanded the 2nd Division when Hill returned to Britain ill, however
Wellington didn't trust him and he was quickly replaced by Beresford.
Henry Paget, 2nd Earl of Uxbridge and (1815) Marquess of Anglesey (1768 - 1854)
He began his career in the infantry but entered the cavalry, the 7th light dragoons (later
the 7th Hussars) were under his command and he developed them into one of the best cavalry
units in the army. He commanded the cavalry on the Peninsula under Moore but was not used
by Wellington despite his experience. Unfortunately he had eloped with Wellington's
sister-in-law and although he married once his divorce came through there was a little
family uneasiness between them. He commanded the cavalry and horse artillery at Waterloo
with distinction. But he lost a leg doing so which prevented his further military service.
Sir John Ormsby Vandeleur (1763 - 1849)
Known mostly as a cavalry man, Vandeleur joined the army in 1781 but changed to the
cavalry in 1792. In 1808 he was given Brevet Colonel in the 19th Light Dragoons. In 1811
he was on the Peninsula serving under Craufurd as Major General of an infantry brigade in
the Light Division. It was Vandeleur that led the Light Division at Cuidad Rodrigo when
Craufurd was knocked down.
He served with much distinction on the peninsula including fighting at Vittoria and in
1813 he was given a brigade of light dragoons and served under Sir Thomas Graham. In 1815
he was given a Colonelcy in the January 19th Light Dragoons. When the 19th Light Dragoons
were disbanded in 1820 he was given a Colonelcy in the 14th Light Dragoons.
At Waterloo in June 1815, Vandeleur commanded the 4th Cavalry Brigade which was made up of
the 11th, 12th and 16th light Dragoons. When Lord Uxbridge became injured, Vandeleur took
control of the entire British Cavalry.
Sir Arthur Wellesley, later, the Duke of Wellington (1769 - 1852)
The third son of Lord Mornington, he began his military career in the 73rd Foot Regiment
as a major and despite a bit of shaky start showed some promise. He was sent to the
Peninsula in 1808 but was only eighth in the command chain. He had two early victories but
unfortunately was tied up in the Convention of Cintra. (against his judgement) through his
superiors. The convention was signed after the Wellington's victory at the battle of
Vimeiro and was so in the French favour that he was recalled to Britain with his two
superiors leaving Moore to command the Peninsular forces. Moore's death left the door open
for Wellington's return. He commanded the force for the remainder of the Peninsular War in
1814, and was appointed commander-in chief to lead the allied forces at Waterloo also with
success. He had been a Tory MP for Rye in Sussex from 1807 to 1809 while still pursuing
his military career before the Peninsular War, now he resumed his parliamentary role
becoming Prime Minister from 1828 - 1829.
On a personal level he was a was a man known for his rather truncated sentences and
abbreviated manner, but he was also renowned for his love of women's company.
|
