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Wellington’s plan to deny Massena Almeida,
his last remaining prize in Portugal
was only partially successful. All the hard
fighting, especially by the light troops was
nullified by the neglect of duty by a subordinate and incompetent officer. Wellington sent
written orders to Major-General Erskine to
block the only escape route from Almeida
with his 5th Division. Erskine about to dine
stuck the orders unread in his pocket. Meanwhile
under cover of darkness, Brennier and
his Almeida force effected a perfect escape as
Erskine [33] got drunk and incapable.
Sources
“History of the War in the Peninsula” Vol III; W.F.P.Napier
“A History of the Peninsula War 1810-1811” Vol II; Sir Charles Oman
“Wellington in the Peninsula 1808-1814”; Jac Weller
“The Peninsular War 1807-1814”; Michael Glover
“A True Soldier Gentleman -The Memoirs of Lt. Cooke 43rd Regt: 1791-1813; Ed. Eileen Hathaway.
“History of the 52nd Regiment 1755-1816 M. S. Moorson
“Lord Seaton’s Regiment at Waterloo 52nd” Vol II; Rev, W, Leeke
“History and Campaigns of the Rifle Brigade” 1800-1813 Vol II; Willoughby Verner
“A British Rifleman - Major George Simmons”; Ed. W. Verner
“Adventures in the Rifle Brigade”; Captain John Kincaid
“When Duty Calls Me”; Rifleman William Green
“Celer et Audax-The Fifth Battalion 60th Rifles”; Major-General Gibbes Rigaud
“The Annals of the Kings Royal Rifle Corps Vol II ‘The Green Jacket’”; Lt. Colonel Lewis Butler
“The History of the Kings German Legion ” Vol II; Ludlow Bearnish
“Craufurd’s Light Division”; Ian Fletcher
“British Light Infantry Arm 1795-1815”; David Gates
“Sir John Moore’s System of Training”, Col, J. F. C. Fuller
“Mercenaries of the Napoleonic Wars”; Robert Gould
“Rules and Regulations for the Formations, Field Exercises and Movements”; Colonel David Dundas Adj. General
“Regulations for the Exercise of Riflemen and Light Infantry and Instructions for their Conduct in the Field”; Lt.Col. Baron von Rottenberg
“25 Years in the Rifle Brigade”; Surtees “Recollections of an Old 52nd Man”; Captain Dobbs
“Letters of Private Wheeler – 51st 1809-1828”; Ed. Basil Liddell Hart
“The Story of the Oxfordshire and Bucks. Light Infantry -The Old 43rd and 52nd Regiments’; Sir Henry Newbolt
Footnotes
[1] ‘Sir John Moore’s System of Training’ p233 Appendix
III ‘A System of Drill and Manoeuvre as Practised in
the 52nd Light Infantry Regiment.’ Arranged by Captain
Cross 52nd Regt.
[2] ‘Adventures in the Rifle Brigade’ ChV p38
[3] ‘25 Years in the Rifle Brigade’ p4 Surtees
[4] “Food for powder” = cannon fodder
[5] In the 16 / 17 C the practice was to fire a fusillade
of matchlocks followed by the push of pikes’. In the
early bayonet charges the musket with bayonet was held
shoulder high (as a pike). At Culloden the duke of
Cumberland got the troops to hold the musket and
bayonet at waist height.
[6] Sir John Moore was impressed with their
versatility.
[7] A phrase used by the Duke of Wellington later in
the 19th C when asked should rifles replace muskets.
His answer was ‘no’ and explained that all the troops
would then want ‘jack-a-dandy’ green uniforms.
[8] ‘Where Duty Calls Me’ p3
[9] ‘Recollections of an Old 52nd Man’ Ch 1 p 1
[10] Lt. Colonel Baron von Rottenberg commanding
officer of the 5th/60th 1797-1807
[11] ‘Sir John Moore’s System of Training’ pp 75-77
[12] As the rifle regiments did not want to draw
attention to them selves in action they did not carry
colours. Therefore the rank of ensign became 2nd
lieutenant. N.B Although the light infantry regiments
had colours they did not always carry them into action.
[13] ‘The Memoirs of Lt. Cooke 43rd Regt.’ During
the French Revolutionary and early 19th C period when
there was once again threats of invasion by the French,
the southern counties were crowded with militia and
regular regiments housed in the new rush of barrack
building.
[14] Lt. Colonel McKenzie commanded the 90th
(Perthshire Light Infantry). And served with Sir John
Moore in Egypt in 1801. He was an exponent and
promoter of light infantry.
[15] When troops had to march every where, they were
known as marching regiments of foot, usually over poor
roads and broken ground it was practicable to march at
a steady pace and save the legs for the battle.
[16] ‘A True Soldier Gentleman’ p49
[17] The rifle regiments and light infantry used bugles
on the battlefield for the communication of information
and commands as the sound traveled further than drums.
A method borrowed from the Jägers.
[18] After experiencing the command of Erskine.
Craufurd was welcomed back with rousing cheers
especially from the Portuguese who knew that Craufurd
always made sure that food was available. (‘Better the
devil you know’).
[19] Fuentes de Oñoro — the old village in still exactly
as it was 200 years ago. A modern Fuentes is built higher
up nearer the frontier.
[20] The houses and walls in Fuentes are all solidly
built of local granite stone and are still intact.
[21] ‘Celer et Audax’. “The spirited conduct of Colonel
Williams and his force drew the warmest eulogiums from
General Picton and the whole army. Colonel Williams
was seriously wounded and was relieved by Major
Woodgate 5th/60th who was also wounded.
[22] ‘A British Rifleman’ G. Simmons. The action was
described by Simmons in a masterly piece of under
statement as `the combat became amusing and lively
supported on both sides with great bravery.”
[23] Don Julian Sanchez commanded a strong force,
more a legion than a band of guerrillas. He was and is
highly respected in Spain with a statue of him erected
in Ciudad Rodrigo.
[24] The Light Regiments basic duties included
scouting ahead ensuring the way in advance was safe
and protecting the flanks at all times and the rear in a
withdrawal. This earned the 95th the appellation ‘First
in the Field and last out’.
[25] The Chasseurs Britanniques received special
praise from the Duke for beating off repeated French
attacks. ‘Mercenaries of the Napoleonic Wars’ p34.
Unable to find good replacements the regiment could not
maintain its high standard and declined.
[26] ‘A British Rifleman’ Surtees Ed.Vemer p 170
[27] The eccentric Colonel Mainwaring of the 5lst light
infantry (K.O.Y.L.I.) told his men at Fuentes “to keep
in step and they cannot hurt us.” P56 ‘Private Wheeler’
[28] ‘Recollections of an Old 52nd Man” Captain
Dobbs p25
[29] Mercer relates that at Waterloo his guns were
double loaded against cavalry with round shot and
canister. Which is probably what Bull and Ramsay used.
[30] A British Light Infantry Arm 1790-1815 David
Gates p140
Even when the Baker rifles had better shaped stocks to
help aiming, the ‘kick’ was still powerful and over long
periods caused severe bruising. One light infantry-man
(Rifles) complained in his diary, “My shoulder was black
as coal from the recoil of my piece, for this day I fired
107 rounds of ball cartridge."
[31] ‘Adventures in the Rifle Brigade’ Kincaid p37
[32] In 1810 in the aftermath of the Combat on the Coa,
Craufurd had panicked and the Light Division was saved
by the calm control of the C.O.s of the 95th, 52nd and
43rd regts. ‘Life of Sir John Colborne, Field Marshal Lord
Seaton’ Ch XII p 174
One day Craufurd sent Barclay a bottle of very good cherry
brandy — great luxury in those days when water was far
more common than brandy. So as Barclay (C.0. of the
52nd Regt.) was drawing the cork before us all, Beckwith
(C.O. of the 95th) said, “What, Barclay, do you drink
anything from such a fellow as that.” So Barclay filled his
glass and as he was tossing it down said, ‘Don’t I indeed,
here’s damnation to him.”
[33] Major-General Erskine had particular personality
problems that eventually got the better of him. He
committed suicide by throwing himself from the upstairs
window in Lisbon on 13th February 1813.
Fuentes de Onoro Light Troops in Action
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